BusinessMirror September 19, 2021

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REMEMBERING

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NO TO NUKE T

By Joel C. Paredes

HIRTY-FIVE years after being mothballed, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) continues to hound a discredited regime for its “single largest fraudulent” transaction.

Yet post-Edsa administrators—from President Fidel Ramos to Rodrigo Duterte, actually tried, but failed, to revive a “white elephant” or reintroduce nuclear power program in the country, despite the plant’s being deemed “unsafe” and dangerous.

Either they have forgotten—or just simply took for granted—how “people power” battled the threat that could trigger a possible nuclear disaster in the country.

No less than the Department of Energy and the Department of Science and Technology still think that the BNPP failed only because there was “communications problem” or that it lacked a “public relations campaign,” according to social scientist Dr. Roland Simbulan, who chairs the Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition (NFPC).

Perhaps, if only to set the record straight, the NFPC is coming out in October with a documentation of the anti-BNPP campaign in the book Nuclear-Free Nation: the Power of the People Vs. Nuclear Power in the Philippines.

“Fortunately, at every attempt at its revival, the environmentalist and anti-nuclear power advocates have consistently fought tooth and nail against the BNPP revival and nuclear power. Yet we cannot just

SIMBULAN: The globalization of resistance to nuclear power “is our answer to the assault of international nuclear corporate Mafia.”

PHISO.ORG

ignore the fact that nuclear power in the country also entails too much risk,” Simbulan wrote in the book, which he also edited based on the accounts of the people who were at the forefront of the “successful struggle and resistance” to the BNPP. As Simbulan puts it, “one of the critical issues that we have posed to ourselves or what some people have asked us is, was the anti-BNPP struggle merely a political opposition to the Marcos dictatorship and all its projects? Or is it a deepened and enlightened opposition against nuclear power?”

According to Simbulan, they

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 49.8520

THE Bataan Nuclear Power Plant on the Bataan Peninsula, 100 km west of Manila. GOOGLE EARTH

Before the People Power revolt, there was the equally successful mass protest that stopped a dictator’s pet project: the Bataan nuclear plant. consider their struggle as part of a “social movement superpower” which led to the 1986 People Power Revolution and later inspired other similar people’s upheavals in many parts of the world, especially those in Eastern Europe.

The 246-page resource book

also traced the history of the NFPC, the broad coalition that led such a comprehensive grassroots people’s campaign. The best lesson that can be derived from the NFPC experience, Simbulan pointed out, was the importance of continuing education of the public, the coun-

try’s decision-makers and members, as well as in espousing issues and concerns of its organization.

The fundamental lesson of the Filipino people’s struggle against the BNPP, he said, was that despite formidable odds, they needed to trust the “people’s resolve and their capacity, in due time, to redress wrongs and injustices influenced upon them by those in power.”

How it all started

IN one chapter, Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, then a US-based chemist and research engineer with the General Electric’s Corporate Research Center, wrote that in 1971, the US

State Department instructed its Embassy in Manila to pressure the Philippine government to pursue plans for two nuclear reactors. GE was itself a major nuclear exporter and had competed with Westinghouse for the BNPP contract.

But as early as 1957 when the Philippine Atomic Energy Agency was formed, the Philippines had already trusted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with reviewing the prospect of nuclear power in the country, he said. The IAEA then recommended three nuclear power plants for Luzon, only to be shelved due to the high cost.

Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4544 n UK 68.7758 n HK 6.4051 n CHINA 7.7220 n SINGAPORE 37.0785 n AUSTRALIA 36.3620 n EU 58.6808 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.2956

Source: BSP (September 17, 2021)

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, September 19, 2021

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REMEMBERING NO TO NUKE Continued from A1

Emmanuel, who eventually joined the international solidarity campaign against the BNPP, said he believed that President Marcos’s decision to install the first nuclear power plant in the country was greatly influenced by the US government, along with the US consulting firm Burns & Roe, and various IAEA reports that “consistently overestimated the growth of nuclear power, underestimated its cost, and disregarded the development of alternative energy sources.”

Preparations for the construction of the nuclear power plant in the Philippines to be constructed by Westinghouse through its “special sales representative” and known Marcos crony Herminio Disini reportedly began in July 1973, nearly a year after the strongman declared martial law in the country.

With the nationalization of electric utilities under martial law, the National Power Corporation (NPC) selected Burns & Roe in April 1974 to prepare bid specifications for the first nuclear power plant project in the country. The contract on the BNPP project was then signed on February 19, 1976.

It was noted that Mr. Marcos ordered the building of the BNPP despite global concerns over nuclear energy following the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania in July 1979. Full construction of the power plant, in fact, resumed after several hearings

by the Puno Commission on the BNPP safety two years later.

On June 26, 1981, more than 40 representatives of various organizations and individuals convened the NFPC’s founding assembly.

According to Violeta Mendoza, the longest-serving member of the NFPC secretariat, they originally started as a “desk” program of the St. Scholastica’s Collegebased Citizens Alliance for Consumer Protection (CACP).

Although the anti-BNPP struggle was fought mainly in the Philippines, Emmanuel said the US campaign, in which he actively participated, eventually contributed by uncovering the extent of technical recklessness in the building of the nuclear plant while helping expand global awareness on the “notorious” BNPP and demonstrating values of international solidarity.

The book classified the first phase of the struggle during the Marcos regime that lasted up to the Corazon Aquino presidency, which finally ordered the mothballing of the BNPP after the strongman’s downfall in 1986.

During that time, a campaign in the local area was also developed, specifically in Bataan province and in Central Luzon, then the site of the two largest US bases in the country, Clark and Subic.

Together with the coalition, the local people in these areas comprised the strongest opposition to the nuclear power plant and the US bases, where nuclear weapons were believed to have been stored.

The trigger

ON December 7, 1981, the first NFPC picket was held in front of the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), which had issued a provisional permit for authorized limited work as early as December 1976, although the construction permit from PAEC was only issued in April 1979.

The second phase of the campaign began in 1985 when the Marcos government tried to open and operate the nuclear power plant, which triggered an NFPC-led welgang bayan or people’s strike, that effectively paralyzed transportation and operations in the entire province of Bataan.

Lawyer Dante Ilaya, who cochaired the Nuclear Free Bataan Movement, considered it “a concrete manifestation of people power, which happened even before the 1986 Edsa uprising. “The people realized that they have to take action against the nuclear plant because they became aware of the consequences that could happen to them,” he wrote.

It sparked a wave of protest actions, along with NFPC petitions before the Supreme Court, questioning the PAEC’s alleged incompetence and objectivity in conducting public hearings. PAEC issued the license to the NPC to operate the BNPPP at an inflated cost of $2.3 billion, nearly four times the initial bid of $600 million.

Their protest actions, Simbulan said, managed to stop the BNPP “in the nick of time. The 1985 Bataan strike and the 1986

CRITICS of the Bataan Nuclear power plant at an assembly in a basketball court around the compound of the Morong Parish Church in 2009. ICQGIRL/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS CC BY-SA 3.0

People Power revolution also made it possible for an official public policy decision to mothball it afterwards, although the nuclear option remains embedded in the country’s long-term plans.

Local organizer Dioscoro “Kaka” Calimbas noted that right timing and “man-to-man” tactics actually led to the intense struggle.

As a result, the anti-BNPP campaign became instrumental in the formation and strengthening of two major community-based pillars of the protest movement—the AMBA-BALA (Alyansa ng Manggagawa sa Bataan-Bataan Labor Alliance) and the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Bataan (ALMABA).

According to Calimbas, he didn’t think that the government will be able to build another nuclear power plant in the country, “because we have been fortunate and lucky.”

He explained: “Every time they initiate the nuclear project, something happens like the nuclear disasters in other countries.”

He cited the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, which stirred more people to fight the BNPP. When the 621-megawatt BNPP project was mothballed on April 30, 1986, President Aquino cited the report of a presidential committee, which identified 4,000 “technical defects” in the project. It also led to the apparent declaration of a “nuclear-free Philippines” in the 1987 Constitution, which finally incorporated explicit peace and anti-nuclear weapons provisions.

The ban on nuclear weapons eventually became the basis of the Philippine Senate vote on September 16, 1991, rejecting an extension of the bases treaty— and effectively ordering the closure of all US military bases in the country which were believed to have stored and transited tactical nuclear weapons.

On December 15, 1995, the Philippines, along with all the member countries of the Associa-

tion of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), then signed the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapons Free Zone Treaty (SEA-NWFZT).

Finally, on February 21, 2021, the Philippines signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which declared nuclear weapons as illegal under international laws.

What needs to be done?

STILL, there were alarming trends worldwide favoring a possible resurgence of nuclear energy.

Simbulan, for one, cited the rise of “populist, militaristic authoritarian regimes, where states can take advantage and use their unchecked, coercive power to build nuclear power plants while stifling any opposition.”

The nuclear power industry in Asia has not also given up its plans even in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.

“This is even after it had been proven by the most authoritative source that solar power is the cheapest form of energy today and in the future,” Simbulan said.

With the signing of the Renewable Energy Act in 2008, the NFPC declared that it has begun advocating a reform of the country’s energy policy in favor of the environment. “It is important to integrate the principles of sustainable development into a country’s energy policies and programs to reverse the destruction of the environment,” Simbulan said.

As anti-nuke activists continue with their militant struggle, Simbulan proposed complementary actions that will be reinforced by national organizations in the No Nukes Asia Forum Network.

First, the need to continue actively engaging policy makers so that national energy programs no longer include nuclear energy or pollutive coal and fossil oil technologies.

Second, the need to mobilize new resources to finance alterna-

tive energy sources and technologies for energy conservation.

Third, encouragement for stronger political commitment to nuclear-free policies in respective member-countries of the network, especially at the local level.

The globalization of resistance to nuclear power, Simbulan said, “is our answer to the assault of international nuclear corporate Mafia.”

Engineer Roberto Verzola, meanwhile, cited how information technology can be a useful guide in anticipating developments in energy technologies. The energy sector, he said, may be undergoing “some very fundamental changes that are more or less parallel to the earlier and still ongoing revolutions in the information sector.”

For Fr. Antonio Dumaual, who chairs the Nuclear Free Bataan Movement, while their experience had helped guide the global struggle, there is a need to strengthen the anti-nuclear consciousness with “more vigilance.”

“Many politicians based their decision on economic warfare. If they are sincere in helping and uplifting our global status, we should do away with selfishness,” said Dumaual, was parish priest in the town of Morong—site of the BNPP—at the height of the protest movement. ‘“With selfishness they only think of themselves; they profit a lot from nuclear and coal, but to the detriment of the weak, poor and majority of the people. I hope they forget their greed.”

Apparently, the struggle is now entering a new phase considering that so-called “nuclear madness”—as one scientist described it—remains a threat in the corridors of power, with dangerous options still being planned to meet a rising demand for energy in the guise of development. This time around, however, the lessons learned from the Philippine experience over three decades ago can now be shared in battling these nuclear giants.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso

TheWorld BusinessMirror

World’s shippers are earning the most money since 2008

T

he global shipping industry is getting its biggest payday since 2008 as the combination of booming demand for goods and a global supply chain that’s collapsing under the weight of Covid-19 drives freight prices ever higher.

Whether its giant container ships stacked high with of 40-foot steel boxes, bulk carriers whose cavernous holds house thousands of tons of coal, or specialized vessels designed to pack in cars and trucks, earnings are soaring for ships of almost every type.

With the merchant f leet hauling about 80 percent of world trade, the surge reaches into every corner of the economy.

The boom back in 2008 brought with it a huge wave of new vessel orders, but the rally was quickly undone by a demand collapse when a financial crisis triggered the deepest global recession in decades.

This boom’s causes are twofold—an economic reopening after Covid that has spurred surging demand for goods and raw materials. Alongside that, the virus continues to cause disruption in global supply chains, choking up ports and delaying vessels, all of which is limiting how many are available to haul goods across oceans.

That’s left the majority of the shipping sector with bumper earnings in recent months.

The bonanza is centered

on container shipping—where rates are spiraling ever higher to new records, but it is by no means limited to it. The shipping industry is posting its strongest daily earnings since 2008, according to Clarkson Research Services Ltd., part of the world ’s biggest shipbroker.

The only laggards are the oil and gas tanker markets, where more bearish forces are at play.

“I’m not really sure the perfect storm covers it—this is just spectacular,” said Peter Sand, chief shipping analyst at trade group Bimco. “It’s a perfect spillover of a red-hot container shipping market to some of the other sectors.”

Container shipping remains the star. It now costs $14,287 to haul a 40-foot steel box from China to Europe. That’s up more than 500 percent on a year earlier and is pushing up the cost of transport everything from toys to bicycles to coffee.

Those gains are already showing in the earnings of A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, the world ’s largest container line, which hiked its estimated profits this year by almost $5 billion last month. In a sign of just how profitable the industry has become, CMA CGM SA—the world ’s third-largest carrier— said it is freezing its spot rates to preserve long-term client relationships. In other words, the company is turning away profit.

Bloomberg News

Sunday, September 19, 2021

A3

China’s economy weakens in August on Delta outbreak C

hina’s economy took a knock in August from stringent virus controls and tight curbs on property, fueling concerns about the global recovery as countries battle to get Delta outbreaks under control.

Retail sales growth slowed to 2.5 percent from a year ago, much lower than the 7 percent estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists, as consumers cut back on spending during the summer holiday break.

Construction investment contracted 3.2 percent in the eight months of the year, a reflection of the government’s steady tightening of property restrictions as part of a campaign against financial risk.

China’s slowing growth underlines how the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus is challenging the world ’s economic recover y f rom t he pandemic. T he slowdown in construction—which pushed China’s steel output to a 17-month low in August—is rippling across the global economy by reducing Chinese demand for commodities such as iron ore.

“Markets so far have sig nificantly underestimated the sca le of growth slowdow n in the second half,” said Lu Ting, chief China economist at Nomura Holdings Inc. in Hong Kong. Authorities will stick

to their approach of “short-term pains in order to seek long-term gains,” and w il l likely maintain property curbs, he said.

China introduced stringent new curbs on travel to squash an outbreak of the Delta variant from late July, leading restaurant & catering sales to contract 4.5 percent in August from a year ago after climbing 14.3 percent in the previous month. While China quickly brought the outbreak under control, a new virus cluster has developed in southern China this month, suggesting consumers will continue to remain cautious.

China’s 10-year government bond futures climbed for the first time in three days as the weak data revived expectations for policy easing. The CSI 300 Index pared its loss slightly after the data dump, down 0.3 percent as of 1:04 p.m. in Shanghai.

China’s government is refraining from broad stimulus to support the economy, w ith policy-makers ramping up targeted programs for sma l ler businesses instead, and pledg ing f isca l suppor t through the use of local government bonds.

The PBOC maintained its measured policy approach on Wednesday by rolling over its medium-term loans coming due rather than injecting more liquidity.

Many economists expect the People’s Bank of China will cut the reserve requirement ratio for banks again in coming months following a surprise reduction in July.

“The data significantly strengthen the case for the central bank and government to step up policy support—quickly. A growing divergence between the supply and demand sides of the economy is increasingly clear.

We think they could diverge further,” said Chang Shu, Bloomberg’s chief Asia economist.

The NBS said in a statement that even though the economy continued to recover in August, “the international environment is complex and grim, and the impact from domestic virus outbreaks and natural disasters such as floods on the economy is showing.”

The economic recovery “still needs to be solidified,” it said.

While consumption should see some snapback in September, the “economy would stay under a broad downtrend in the next couple of quarters,” said Larry Hu, head of China economics at Macquarie Securities Ltd. in Hong Kong. “Policy should ease on the margin through faster government bond issuance and more loan quota, but it’s still too early for them to loosen the controls on property and local government debt.”

Property curbs

Beijing in recent months has been tightening access to financing for realestate developers, and reducing the pace of mortgage lending to home buyers as it tries to prevent the build up of financial risks and reduce its economic dependence on property. Growth in property investment slowed and property sales weakened in August.

At the same time, global demand has remained strong, supporting China’s vast industrial sector despite port congestion problems and high shipping costs. China posted record monthly export figures in August as US and European buyers increased their orders before the Christmas shopping season.

However, there are risks to manufacturers from rising costs, and the continued shor tage of computer chips, which has been especially damaging for the car industry. Beijing is also trying to limit the growth of heavy industry as part of a drive to reduce emissions.

“The recovery could see further slowdown amid fresh Covid outbreaks,” said Bruce Pang, head of macro and strategy research at China Renaissance Securities Hong Kong. “A cross-cyclical combination of targeted tightening and easing is needed.”

Bloomberg News

Journey

»life on the go

A4

Sunday, September 19, 2021

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Bike, Bite, Drive & Fly

Panilongon Quincentennial Landmark

Royhle Aviation Academy

W

Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran

ITH a land area of just above 33 sq km, Dumaguete City is surprisingly packed with a bevy of activities for a consummate journey in one of the country’s safe havens in this time of pandemic.

Negros Oriental’s provincial capital and smallest local government unit, it goes by the tag “City of Gentle People” because of its warm and hospitable way of life. But beyond this age-old moniker, this southern destination boasts of a blend of everything from sports, food trip, flying, and everything in between.

With tree-lined roads, less motor vehicles, and the postcard-perfect Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete is a haven for biking, both for fitness and touring its head-turning sceneries on a slow space.

The 780-meter bayside road, named after the national hero, is the ground zero of cyclists and joggers before doing a circuit run around the city and nearby towns.

This active lifestyle has earned the city reputation of being a sports tourism center in the south, and periodically bagging the prestigious Philippine Sports Tourism Award before the Covid-19 outbreak.

A new bayside spot is the Panilongon marker which was unveiled in May to commemorate the 500th year of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, which passed

by Negros in 1521 after their defeat in Cebu. The galleon-themed design is arguably the most beautiful among the quincentennial markers of the monumental circumnavigation of the world.

Another sought-after attribute of Dumaguete is its vibrant food scene which almost has everything for everybody at

very reasonable prices. Rizal Boulevard is the traditional dining haunt because of the cluster of decades-old houses and buildings which have been restored and transformed into boutique hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and souvenir stores.

Must-try restos in this historic road are the old guards—Casablanca, Don Atilano Steakhouse, Chin Loong, and Sans Rival, makers of the sought-after silvanas. To the far-end of the boulevard’s extension are Hayahay Treehouse Bar, Lab-as Seafood Restaurant, and Lantaw Restaurant which serve Visayan delights.

For intimate casual dining, The Henry Hotel beckons with its garden ambiance away from the crowd. The charming boutique hotel is home to Noelle’s Brunch Bar, Coffee Collective, Si, Señor, Negrense Craft Beers, and a branch of Sans Rival.

A stone’s throw away is Northpoint, an al fresco foodcourt for short orders, cold beverages, and an assortment of Japanese, Korean and Turkish dishes. To the far end of the reclaimed road is Chiztix Country, a colony of street food stalls beside the Silliman Beach which was put up by the city government to encourage micro-enterprise among locals.

Those seeking more romantic and exclusive setting can drive to the secluded Giardino Romantico, a dining haunt tucked in the upscale neighborhood of barangay Cantil-e. Literally meaning “ro-

Giardino Romantico

mantic garden,” this cozy nook of Sicilian trader Gerardo Rallo is a merry mix of European specialties and all-time favorites in a blended European, Oriental and Filipino resort-themed restaurant.

It also has a 40-seater art gallerythemed fine dining room and wine bar, a shallow pool, several native cottages, and 12 Asian-inspired rooms for a complete hideaway in best-kept secrets. Feel free to chat with the amiable Italian owner who can converse on virtually any topic under the sun.

If you love authentic Indian spices, Biryani Point is the place to be. An unassuming dining spot just a hundred meters away from the city limits in Bacong town, this culinary masterpiece of Chef Sayyed Junead will transport you to the mystic south Asian subcontinent with its vast array of delectable dishes.

To spare you the trouble of selecting dishes, order the Thali platter, a complete meal which has portions of its best sellers.

Beef lovers would be delighted to know that Biryani Point also serves halal beef as the chef is a Muslim Indian, and there are no sacred cows to satisfy the customers’ taste buds.

Despite its size, Dumaguete is also a

Bravo Golf Course

Sayyed Junead of Biryani Point Restaurant

haven for golfers with a driving range within the city and a full course in neighboring Sibulan town. Beginners can get the feel of the sport at the Ang Tay Golf Driving Range, and sample its Filipino and Chinese dishes afterwards.

For an adrenaline-pumping game, you

can hit the tree-lined fairways 18-hole Youichi Nagato-designed golf course within the four-star Bravo Hotel complex which overlooks Tanon Strait and Cebu’s southern tip. Wrap up the game with the tender steaks and the signature wood-fired brick oven Bravo Pizza at its restaurant and bar.

After the exhilarating game, you can fire a few rounds at the firing range, dip at the swimming pools, or better yet, spend the night in the hotel’s artsy suites adorned with abstract paintings.

Finally, you can take adventure to greater heights through an aerial tour via Royhle Aviation Academy which can take you to a breathtaking flight of fancy and view Dumaguete and its environs.

For a taste of student pilot’s training, the flying school and air charter company can customize a tourist program which approximates the total experience including lodging and feasting on tasty south Asian dishes prepared by its Nepali cooks at Emman Hotel, Royhle’s official quarters.

With the diverse bike, bite, drive, and fly experience, there’s certainly more to gentle moments of sightseeing and nostalgia in Dumaguete.

KSA government’s Vision 2030 program

T

HE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is undergoing a major transformation of its health-care system as part of the government’s Vision 2030 program. The restructure is envisioned to be a comprehensive, effective and integrated health-care system that focuses on the wellbeing of the individual and society, including its citizens, residents and visitors.

To support the KSA government’s Vision 2030 program, the country is in need of more Filipino health-care professionals.

“Saudi Arabia is a country where Filipino health-care workers can find lucrative employment that offers a host of training opportunities and professional growth,” says Alejandro Coca, co-head at TrueProfile.io. “Here, Filipino doctors receive attractive compensation packages and have the opportunity to work in a modern, well-

equipped and multi-cultural environment.

For individuals interested in making the career move to the KSA, TrueProfile.io is on hand to assist! We offer a full-service recruitment solution from recruitment to deployment and can connect qualified staff with the best employers and opportunities. We’ll have also begun to offer further licensing services including processing DataFlow reports and assistance with in-country requirements in the future.’’

In fact, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Saudi Arabia government has praised Filipino health-care professionals for their “excellence” and “professionalism” in caring for the health and welfare of their people.

Filipino health-care professionals working in Saudi Arabia enjoy numerous benefits. Foremost of these is a competi-

tive compensation package. In terms of accommodation, most Filipino medical and nursing professionals in Saudi Arabia are offered housing and transportation benefits. Some hospitals in Saudi Arabia also offer bonuses upon contract completion as well as free return tickets to their home country.

Just like other foreign professionals in Saudi Arabia, Filipino doctors are hired on a contractual basis. The duration of each contract is anywhere between 12 to 24 months with 40 to 60 hours work per week. The standard workweek is divided into morning and night shifts.

If you’re a doctor thinking of working in Saudi Arabia, there are a few preparations you need to take care of to make that plan a reality. First, prepare all the necessary documents such as education and employ-

ment records, license and certifications, and make sure these are all fully verified.

Document verification is a crucial step in securing legitimate employment in Saudi Arabia. This can be done by logging on to www.TrueProfile.io, a platform that provides Filipino health-care professionals around the world with the tools they need to secure a lucrative career abroad.

By signing up to become a member of TrueProfile.io, Filipino health-care professionals can opt to be connected with employers around the world or can apply directly for lucrative job openings.

TrueProfile.io Members also enjoy access to a number of career solutions including a free digital CV which can be shared with employers, regulators and recruiters and can also be showcased on social media.

For interested applicants, simply cre-

More Filipino healthcare professionals are needed to support Saudi Arabia's healthcare transformation program

ate an account on TrueProfile (https:// member.trueprofile.io/register), build a myTrueProfile page, and then set contact settings to the “Recommended” option in order to attract new career opportunities.

Reni Salvador

Science

BusinessMirror

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

Sunday

Sunday, September 19, 2021

A5

Pili resin aircraft sealant wins natl Dyson award

By Lyn B. Resurreccion

P

ili nut is common in the Philippines, especially in the Bicol region. It is a favorite crispy snack, or as an ingredient in dishes. It is also currently being used in cosmetics.

Another part of the pili tree will soon become popular through the innovative research by a former Aeronautics Engineering student.

The pili tree resin was used in a research for an aircraft sealant by Mark Kennedy Bantugon, which made him the Philippine National Winner in the 2021 James Dyson Award. The 28 national winners were chosen from the best young inventors from over 2,000 entries from 28 countries and regions.

The Philippine State College of Aeronautics graduate, Bantugon turned the waste of pili tree resin, also called as “spent resin” or “deoiled resin,” into Pili Seal as sealant for aircraft integral fuel tank.

He began his research on the applications of natural tree resin when he was still in high school at Batangas National High School and continued it in college.

He explored his study on the pili tree resin as an alternative to the polysulfide-based sealant that is commonly used by the aircraft industry for sealing fuel tanks.

“This product is beneficial and effective for aircraft parts application like integral fuel tank that serves as a sealing material to avoid the fuel leakage. Unlike the commercial sealant, it offers safe and nontoxic effects to user’s health based on toxicity test,” the Dyson web site said.

Polysulfide-based sealant is

the first aerospace sealant which have been used by the aircraft industry for over 50 years and currently used by the manufacturers that serve as resistant to aviation fuels and are therefore useful for sealing fuel tanks.

However, the commercial sealant was deemed hazardous on several counts based on the Hazard Statement under Section III of Material Safety Data Sheet due to its chemical compositions.

Bantugon’s Pili Seal, Dyson said, is a two-component sealant that serves as the base ingredient for aircraft integral fuel tank sealant production.

It can be applied for specific aircraft parts particularly the integral fuel tank and other areas subject to contact with aircraft fuels, lubricants, oils, water and/ or weathering.

As a two-component sealant, the base ingredient and hardener material are mixed in order for the sealant to work and function as a sealing material.

Admatel tests; intricate research

Bantugon sought the assistance of Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laborator y (Admatel), a Department of Science and Technology national testing laboratory, for his intricate research in January 2020, Admatel said in its web site.

His research design and procedu res i s composed of t wo parts. The Optimization Process will get the suitable and best formulation of sealant through Flammability Test, which is an important test required by the

Mark Kennedy Bantugon holds a sample of his research product, Pili Seal, an aircraft sealant from pili tree resin. Screenshot from Dyson.co.uk

Air Laws and Regulations particularly the 14 Code of Federal Regulation Appendix.

In the Characterization Process, both Pili Seal and the commercial sealant underwent 20 different standard tests—Organoleptic Test (Color, Odor and Appearance Test), Instrumental Color Measurement Test, Flash Point Test, Tack-Free Time Test, Curing Time Test, Toxicity Test, Shore A Hardness Test, Shear Strength Test, Tensile Strength, Tear Strength Test, Peel Strength Test, Knife Test, Pull-off Test, Thermogravimetry-Differential Thermal Analysis Test, Differential Scanning Calorimetry Test, Calorific Value Test, and Viscosity Test to analyze its material properties, including the physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal and rheological properties. “ The result shows that the Pili Seal material properties are far more effective as aircraft integral fuel tank sealant in

comparison to the commercial sealant,” Dyson said.

Admatel said it took Bantugon 38 formulations before he could proceed to the next part of his study, citing how the rigorous process has also impacted his final year in the university.

“I attended my classes from 7 [am] to 2 [pm] then after my class at 5 pm to 11 pm I stay up at school to formulate everyday… Even on weekends, I work from 7 o’clock in the morning until 11 at night.

This is how I dedicate myself to my research,” Admatel quoted him.

With his hard work, he was able to advance to the next part of the study: to subject the experimental sealant to different standard testing to prove its effectiveness, Admatel added.

An important aspect to consider was the thermal property of the sample. It used Admatel’s Thermogravimetric-Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).

DSC reveals the melting point of the sealant, while DTA reveals the thermal stability and/or degradation temperature.

Bantugon was able to identify the thermal properties of his experimental sealant to prove its stability in the application procedure.

After 10 months, 38 formulations, 20 different standard testing, nine laboratory consultations and 43 overall competitors, Bantugon finished his research.

The project first earned him the Alfredo M. Yao Intellectual Property (AMY IP) Awards Collegiate Winner in 2020.

“I did not expect to win [the AMY IP award]. I am still speechless thinking about how all of this happened, how it ended this smooth, this successful. [I] just trusted the process. I really worked hard to give a good ending and journey to my research,” he said in Filipino.

T he A M Y IP Awards body, through the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are working together to have Bantugon’s research patented and eventually test its application.

The research also won for Bantugon the Grand Champpion (Cardinal Innovator)-Cardinal Challenge 2021, Mapua Design and Innovation Competition.

Pioneering study

The innovative Pili Seal is considered a pioneering study in the aviation industry.

Since it uses the waste material as the main ingredient in formulating sealant, Dyson said it is

cheaper and affordable compared to commercially available sealants in aviation.

In analyzing its application and effectiveness, Bantugon's product “exceeded all the data results of the commercial sealant used in aircraft integral fuel tank including the physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal and rheological property tests.”

“One of the unique features of this innovation is that it offers safe and nontoxic effects to the user’s health including the aircraft mechanics and technicians since this product undergone Toxicity Test,” Dyson said.

Moreover, this sealant displays “assured qualities and performance because it undergone 20 different standard tests.”

Further study

Bantugon plans to make further study for the application of the sealant on the other aircraft parts or different sectors [like construction, building, wood, metal sheet roof] to maximize its use and function.

He said this innovation can be used to build a manufacturing company of aviation sealants in the Philippines since the country only import aviation sealants from other countries.

“Through this goals and vision, it can help our local farmers to have new job opportunities and income because they will play a vital role in manufacturing this aviation sealant including the plantation of pili tree and extraction of its resin which is needed for sealant production,”Bantugon said.

Filipino teen inventors feted at 4th imake.wemake competition

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Photo courtesy of DOST-NCR

Science agencies team up to improve BJMP ‘parol’

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he Christmas season promises to become a brighter time in the coming years for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) in San Juan City.

This, as the city’s Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) recently participated in a Virtual Consultative Dialogue with DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI).

According to City Jail Warden Jose Marie D. Sabeniano, the parol (Christmas lantern)-making project is a source of livelihood for the PDLs and their families.

Among San Juan City-BJMP’s concerns were the tools or equipment needed to speed-up production; preservative treatment to improve lantern durability and quality; skills upgrading; and possible sources of bamboo.

“We are excited to share our technologies with the BJMP,” said Dr. Maria Cielito G. Siladan, OIC Chief of the Technical Services

Division of DOST-FPRDI. “Hopefully, through these capacity-building activities, the institute could help develop highervalue products and handicrafts, and introduce other livelihood ideas to PDLs. They will also be invited to several FPRDI training webinars this month,” Siladan said.

The consultative dialogue was initiated by the DOST-National Capital Region, which will also prepare the memorandum of agreement for the upcoming technical assistance services.

Meanwhi le, for ne x t year, DOST-FPRDI’s possible interventions may include trainings on the following topics for the San Juan City PDLs: Handmade Paper Making; Treatment and Preservation of Bamboo and other Raw Materials; Bamboo Furniture/Handicrafts Processing Technology; and the Operation of Wood/Bamboo Processing Equipment. Apple Jean C. Martin-de Leon and Maria C. Reyes/S&T Media Services

hands-free computer interface with a built-in medical scanner, a computer-monitored wastewater filtering and management system, and a smart assistant for the visually impaired were all invented

by Filipino teenagers.

These were just the highlights of dozens of inventions submitted from schools all across the country to the recently concluded fourth annual “imake.wemake: create. innovate. collaborate” competition.

Organized by the Department of Science and Technology’s Science Education Institute (DOSTSEI) with support from the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), the contest was overseen by a rigorous team of judges comprised of veteran engineers from the country’s top universities.

“This year’s entries highlight the brilliance and creativity of our young students,” said DOST-SEI Director Josette Biyo. “It’s a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that they were able to create, innovate and collaborate despite the pandemic.”

“We hope that these initiatives help ensure a pool of quality STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] professionals who can contribute to the Philippines’ national development in the future,” said GBF Executive Director Grace Colet.

Cavite Science Integrated School’s winning design for a contactless appliance interface that doubles as a health monitor aims to help avoid the spread of Covid-19.

Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial-Dumaguete Science High School created a smart wastewater management system that uses live tangan-tangan plants to absorb pollutants and toxic chemicals.

Youth Innovation Prize

The Youth Innovation Prizes (YIP) went to Cavite Science Integrated School’s (CSIS) Jimuel Clarence Z. Malimban, John Kenneth V. Sanchez and Aira Gayle Pugeda; Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial-Dumaguete Science High School ’s (RTPM-DSHS) Ericka Elaine Diputado, Anjeli L. Merecido and Shauna E. Tifora; and the Science and Technology Education Center-Cebu Senior High School ’s (STEC-CSHS) Johann Emir G. Margallo, Kate Ashley P. Liao and Ron Marc L. Cañete.

CSIS’s winning entry is a handsfree computer interface that also doubles as a warning device that monitors the health of its users.

It helps to minimize the risk of infection from contact with

Mitigation,” it also monitors the users’ vital signs and is capable of sending an alert to authorities if it senses anything out of the ordinary.

The RTPM-DSHS came up with “Project WWW: A Multifunctional Waste-Water Web for Agrobotics,” a unique wastewater management system that uses live plants to filter out harmful chemicals in water that would otherewise be flushed down the drain.

The water passes through a biofilter of tangan-tangan (Ricinus communis) plants, which naturally absorb toxic chemicals, before it goes through a standard filter setup. The whole process is carefully overseen via computerenabled sensors that constantly monitor the water quality.

The STEC-CSHS’s entry, “Project BlindSpot: Arduino-Based Object Distance Measurement, Identification and Optical Character Recognition Using YOLO Algorithm,” was a smart assistant that helps visually impaired users to know what’s around them and even to read nearby signs and text.

The head-mounted device not only gives alerts on the presence of nearby obstacles but also indicates the distance of these objects.

The system can also identify and read aloud text in the environment, such as on street signs and billboards. The project was called.

The YIP Awardees each bagged a P200,000 cash prize and a trophy.

Young Scientist awardees and acholars

Science and Technology Education Center-Cebu Senior High School designed a head mounted assistive device for the visually impaired, allowing them to be alerted to nearby obstacles and even to read signs and billboards.

infected surfaces by using a computer-enabled camera to interpret the users’ movements to potentially control everything from house appliances to ATMs.

Titled “Abcissa: An ArduinoBased Smart Contactless Interface Integrated with Syndromic Surveillance and Alert System for Fomite-Mediated Transmission

Imake.Wemake also conferred the GBF Young Scientist Award to Jimuel Clarence Z. Malimban and John Kenneth V. Sanchez, both from CSIS; and Anjeli L. Merecido of RTPM-DSHS. The award was given by the GBF to the finalists who demonstrated global competence through their innovation. The awardees also received the GBF STEM Scholarship for Excellence—a conditional scholarship amounting to P85,000 per academic year—which allows them to pursue a STEM course of their choice at any of the country’s colleges or universities.

S&T Media Services

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

‘Don’t allow pandemic to paralyze pastoral care’

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Catholic archbishop in northern Philippines urged his priests not to let the difficulties brought by the pandemic stop them from reaching out to their flock.

Archbishop Marlo Peralta of Nueva Segovia in Ilocos Sur said the restrictions to contain the surging Covid-19 cases must lead the priests in finding “creative ways” to provide pastoral care to those in need.

“As priests, while we are also afraid of the Covid virus, let us not allow our fears to paralyze us into action, forgetting the people who need us, especially during these times,” Peralta said in a circular dated September 8.

The archbishop particularly asked the priests to find ways to continue to celebrate Mass where needed.

He stressed that as people go through a lot of suffering because of the health crisis, “they always long for the Eucharist as their source of strength.”

“They are always waiting for us to celebrate the Mass for them…Let us not disappoint them,” Peralta said.

He also reminded the priests of their obligation to anoint the sick, especially those who are seriously ill and who are at the point of death.

T he prel ate sa id pr iests may simply take cue from health workers who, despite their fears, continue to

Archbishop Marlo Peralta of Nueva Segovia. PHOTO FROM PAUL PETER VALDEPEÑAS care for Covid-19 patients with the necessar y precautions.

“If these doctors and nurses continue to give health care to Covid-19 patients, all the more reason for us priests to take care of their souls,” Peralta added.

“We cannot just make our fear of exposure an excuse to refuse the Anointing of the Sick. Let us be creative to devise ways to secure an added protection for ourselves and those around us,” he also said.

CBCP News

Pope Francis: Christianity without the Cross is ‘sterile’

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OME— On the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Pope Francis celebrated the Byzantine Divine Liturgy and called C h r i st i a n it y w it hout t he C ross worldly and sterile.

“Crucifixes are found all around us: on necks, in homes, in cars, in pockets. What good is this, unless we stop to look at the crucified Jesus and open our hearts to Him, unless we let ourselves be struck by the wounds He bears for our sake, unless our hearts swell with emotion and we weep before the God wounded for love of us,” Pope Francis said in Slovakia on September 14.

“Witnesses of the Cross have but one strategy, that of the Master: humble love. They do not look for triumphs here below, because they know that the love of Christ bears fruit in the events of daily life, renewing all things from within, like the seed that falls to the ground, dies and produces much fruit,” he said.

The pope presided over a livestreamed Div ine Lit urg y in t he Byzantine Rite in Prešov, eastern Slovakia, and delivered a homily in which he posed the question: Why did Jesus die on the Cross?

“Why did He do this? He could have saved His life, He could have kept His distance from the misery and brutality of human history,” Pope Francis said.

“Instead, He chose to enter into that history, to immerse Himself in it. That is why He chose the most difficult way possible: the Cross. So that no one on Earth should ever be so desperate as not to be able to find Him, even there,

in the midst of anguish, darkness, abandonment, the scandal of his or her own misery and mistakes.”

“There, to the very place we think God cannot be present, there He came.

To save those who despair, He Himself chose to taste despair; taking upon Himself our most bitter anguish.”

Pope Francis said that Jesus even experienced abandonment so that no one would ever be alone in their trials.

At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, the pope spent a moment in prayerful veneration of the Cross.

A large Byzantine cross w ith three transverse arms hung above the outdoor altar in Prešov, f lanked by an icon of Mar y, Mother of God, and the Christ the Teacher icon. “‘We proclaim Christ crucified… the power of God and the wisdom of God.’ So St. Paul tells us, but he does not hide the fact that, in terms of human wisdom, the Cross appears as something completely different: it is ‘scandal’ and ‘foolishness,’” the pope said in his homily.

“The cross was an instrument of death, yet it became the source of life. It was a horrendous sight, yet it revealed to us the beauty of God’s love. That is why, in today’s feast, the people of God venerate the Cross and the Liturgy celebrates it.”

The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross dates back to the 4th century, when the solemn consecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre took place on September 13, 335, at the site of Christ’s crucifixion in Jerusalem.

“We can fail to accept, except perhaps in words, a weak and crucified

God, and prefer instead to dream of a God who is powerful and triumphant. This is a great temptation,” Pope Francis said.

“How often do we long for a Christianity of winners, a triumphalist Christianity that is important and influential, that receives glory and honor? Yet a Christianity without a cross is a worldly Christianity, and shows itself to be sterile.”

Pope Francis arrived at the Divine Liturgy in Prešov in the popemobile, which passed through crowds of people standing along the streets waving Vatican flags. Around 40,000 people attended the liturgy, according to local authorities.

Prešov was part of the K ingdom of Hu nga r y u nt i l t he m id 20t h centur y and is home to many of the countr y’s more than 200,000 Ruthenian Byzantine Catholics.

The Ruthenian Catholic Church is one of 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Holy See. In April, Byzantine Catholics in Slovakia and around the world celebrated the 375th anniversary of the Union of Uzhhorod, an agreement that brought the Ruthenian Orthodox Church into communion with the pope after nearly six centuries of schism.

Since the Union of Uzhhorod, eparchies have been created to shepherd Ruthenian Catholics wherever they live, including the Metropolitan Eparchy of Pittsburgh and its three suffragan eparchies in the United States, and the Metropolitan Eparchy of Prešov in Slovakia w ith its suffragans, as well as a

Slovakian eparchy in Canada.

At the Divine Liturgy in Prešov, Pope Francis recalled the witness of Byzantine Catholic priests and bishops of the eparchy of Prešov who were imprisoned and martyred by the communist regime in the 1950s.

“Here I think of the martyrs who in this nation bore witness to the love of Christ in troubled times, when everything counseled silence, taking cover, not professing the faith.

Yet they could not help but testify,” the pope said.

“How many generous persons suffered and died here in Slovakia for the name of Christ! Theirs was a witness borne out of love of Him whom they had long contemplated.

To the point that they resembled Him even in their death.”

Pope Francis said that there is no lack of opportunity for bearing witness today if Christian witness is not weakened by worldliness and mediocrity.

“Dear brothers and sisters, you have seen such witnesses.… Lowly, simple persons who gave their lives in love to the end. These are our heroes, the heroes of everyday existence, and their lives changed history. Witnesses generate other witnesses, because they are givers of life,” he said.

“That is how the faith is spread: not with worldly power, but with the wisdom of the Cross; not with structures but with witness. Today the Lord, from the eloquent silence of the Cross, is asking all of us…Do you want to be my witness?”

Courtney Mares/CNA via CBCP News

Pope names Filipino Dominican priest to Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

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ope Francis has appointed Filipino Dominican Fr. Albino Barrera, a theologian and economist, as a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

The 65-year-old priest, who is based in the United States, is a moral theologian and professor of economics and theology at Providence College in Rhode Island.

The Vatican announced his appointment on September 14.

Established by Pope John Paul II in 1994, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences aims to study and discuss the progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.

“The Academy helps offer to the Church those elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society,” according to Vatican News.

Born in Manila, Barrera was ordained a priest for the Dominican Order in 1993.

He studied engineering at the De La

In 2013, the Dominican Province of St. Joseph conferred upon him the degree of Master of Sacred Theology for his “outstanding contribution to the theological sciences.”

Filipino Augustinian is Order’s 1st Asian rep to UN

Dominican Fr. Albino Barrera.

PHOTO FROM ARCIC WEBSITE

Salle University in Manila and earned his doctorate in economics from Yale University in 1988.

The priest later obtained a degree in sacred theology from Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., in 1994.

Barrera has also authored numerous publications in the field of moral theology, economic ethics, development and international trade.

Meanwhile, the head of the Augustinians has appointed Fr. Alladin Luzon as the Order’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Luzon’s appointment by Fr. Alejandro Moral Anton, Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA), made him the first Asian Augustinian to hold the office.

The missionary officially assumed his new role on September 1 by reporting first to the OSA’s General Curia in Rome.

He will also assist the works of the Order’s Commission on Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in the Roman Curia.

Prior to his new assignment, Luzon was assigned in the Provincialate

Community and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu since 2008.

He also served as chairman of the Commission on JPIC of the Province of Santo Niño de Cebu for a number of years.

The Order of Saint Augustine started its presence in the UN in 2002.

It was in 1997 when the Order registered to participate in the UN as a non-governmental organization in affiliation with the Department of Public Information.

Fr. Jesus Guzman from the Province of Michoacan in Mexico was the first full time friar to work at the UN from 2002 to 2007.

For the past few years, the Aug u st i n i a ns Inter n at ion a l, n a me of the NGO in the UN, has been involved in advocacies to address human trafficking and poverty.

It also worked on promoting respect for every human being’s life and dignity, under the Culture of Peace Movement sponsored by the United Nat ions Educat iona l, Scient if ic, Cultural Organization. CBCP News

New Wuhan bishop consecrated under terms of Vatican-China deal

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new bishop of Wuhan, China, was ordained recently under the terms of the Vatican-China agreement, a Vatican spokesman has confirmed.

Bishop Francis Cui Qingqi, 57, is the sixth bishop to be consecrated in China since the Holy See signed a provisional agreement with the Chinese government in September 2018.

According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, Pope Francis appointed Cui as the bishop of the Diocese of Hankou/Wuhan on June 23 and his episcopal ordination took place on September 8 in Wuhan, the city where the first Covid-19 cases were reported.

The newly ordained bishop is a Franciscan, who is said to be close to the Chinese government.

The Wuhan diocese has been without a bishop for the past 14 years, with Fr. Cui filling the void in an unofficial leadership position since 2012.

A fter study ing in Beijing, Fr. Cui was appointed by provincial authorities of the Chinese Communist Party to head a five-member “management committee” to oversee the Wuhan diocese nine years ago, according to a 2012 report in the Italian newspaper La Stampa.

Cui was appointed deputy secretary of the state-sanctioned bishops’ conference in 2016 and became the president of the Catholic Patriotic Association of Hubei in January 2018.

He was born in Shanxi province in 1964, 15 years after the Chinese Communist Revolution, and was ordained a priest in 1991 at the age of 27.

In October 2020, the Vatican and China renewed their provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops for another two years. The terms of the agreement have not been made public.

Bishop Cui is the fourth bishop to be consecrated since the deal’s renewal. In July, the Vatican announced the ordination of Anthony Li Hui as the coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Pingliang.

Fr. Bernardo Cervellera, the former editor-in-chief of AsiaNews, told Catholic News Agency in an interview last month: “From what I’ve seen, bishops who have been nominated,

and ordained, they are all president or secretary of the Patriotic Association.

So this means that they are very near to the government.”

The Catholic Church is in need of around 40 more bishops in China, according to Cervellera.

The first “patriotic bishop” named without the Vatican’s approval by the communist government in China in 1958 was from Wuhan.

Dong Guangqing, who died in 2007, was president of the Patriotic Catholic Association of Wuhan and vice president of the National Administrative Committee of the Chinese Catholic Church.

The Diocese of Wuhan itself was created autonomously by communist authorities by merging three historic Catholic dioceses: Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang.

Bishop Cui’s episcopal ordination took place in St. Joseph’s Cathedral, originally the seat of the diocese of Hankou, in the city of Wuhan.

The city of 11 million people was once an outpost for Catholic missionaries who founded Catholic hospitals in the city, including what is now called Wuhan Central Hospital, where coronavirus whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang died.

China’s first canonized saint was martyred by suffocation on a cross in Wuhan.

St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre, a Vincentian missionary priest from France, was betrayed by one of his catechumens for money, bound in chains, tortured, tied to a wooden cross and strangled to death in 1840.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux had a special devotion to Perboyre and kept a holy card dedicated to him in her personal prayer book.

Perboyre was beatified in 1889 by Pope Leo XIII and canonized by St. John Paul II in 1996.

“I don’t know what awaits me on the path that opens before me: without a doubt the cross, which is the daily bread of the missionary,” the saint wrote in a letter during his journey to Wuhan.

“What can we hope for better, going to preach a crucified God?”

Courtney Mares/CNA via CBCP News

Who are the Muslim Hazara of Afghanistan?

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he land we now call Afghanistan has been a place of constant migration through its mountainous passes. Its linguistic, cultural and religious diversity is a result of millennia of trade along the Silk Road. More than a dozen ethnic groups are mentioned in the country’s constitution.

Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban means that some minorities are again at heightened risk of persecution.

As a religion and politics scholar focused on the K hoja—Shiite Muslim communities originally from India but now scattered across the globe—I have studied the precariousness of being a religious and ethnic minority in the region.

Among the Afghans who have the most to lose today, I would argue, are groups with a different interpretation of Islam—particularly the Shiite Hazara community, the nation’s third-largest ethnic group, who have faced discrimination for more than a century.

In July 2021, nine Hazara men were killed by Taliban fighters in southeastern Afghanistan, according to a report

by Amnesty International—echoing previous periods under the Taliban when the Hazara were targeted.

Rich history

The Hazara’s roots in South Asia go back centuries. Their ancestors are said to include Mongol troops, and recent genetic analysis has confirmed partial Mongol ancestry.

Today, the Hazara comprise 10 percent to 20 percent of the national population of Afghanistan, where their traditional homeland is in a central region called Hazarajat. This makes them an important minority in a country of 38 million.

There are also significant Hazara communities in Pakistan, as well as a Western diaspora in such countries as the United States and the UK. Many Hazara outside Afghanistan f led during the violence of the past five decades, from a coup in 1973 and

the Soviet invasion to the Taliban’s rise and the US-led war.

Frequent targets

While most Hazara are Muslim, the majority belong to the minority Shiite tradition. Most Muslims around the world follow the Sunni tradition, which recognizes Muhammad ’s companion Abu Bakr as his rightful successor.

Shiite Muslims like the Hazara, however, believe that the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, should have succeeded Muhammad after his death in A.D. 632.

In Afghanistan, as elsewhere, te n s ion s b e t we e n t he m ajor it y Sunni Muslim population and Shiite Muslims has been a source of steady conf lict.

The Hazara continue to be targeted and brutally murdered by the Taliban in Afghanistan and its associates in Pakistan. Islamic Stateaffiliated groups have also targeted Shiite communities in South Asia, including the Hazara.

The community has long been among Afghanistan’s poorest and faces daily harassment, including in finding jobs.

Not just religion

The Taliban idealize a particular vision of Islamic “purity” and seek to impose it through their strict rules.

To understand the Taliban only as Muslim extremists, however, is to miss the political and economic reality of why and how they operate in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan produces the vast majority of the world’s opium, which is used to make heroin, and the Taliban control much of those profits.

Violence in the name of religion also helps the group expand its territory and enforce control.

From this perspective, minorities like the Hazara pose a twofold threat to the Taliban. Iqbal Akhtar,

Florida International University/The Conversation via AP (CC)

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Thousands of Covid-like cases raise risk of future pandemics

Flooded area in Weihui, Xinxiang city, in China’s central Henan province.

STR/AFP/Getty Images

Report: Global warming set to pass 1.5° C as pollution plans fall short

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lmost every government in the world isn’t doing enough to cut greenhouse gas emissions, making it likely global temperatures will rise beyond the tipping point of 1.5 degrees Celsius in coming years, a new report said on Wednesday.

Scientists have said keeping the planet’s warming within 1.5° C is key to staving off the worst impacts of climate change.

Globa l em issions must be halved by 2030 to keep that target in sight, but governments are nowhere near that reduction, according to the nonprofit group Climate Action Tracker (CAT).

Collectively, governments must cut 20 billion-to-23 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide by the end of this decade.

The US and UK have said they want to keep alive the chance of limiting warming to 1.5° C from pre-industrial levels. But of the countries analyzed, only The Gambia has set ambitious-enough policies, the report said.

“An increasing number of people around the world are suffering from ever more severe and frequent impacts of climate change, yet government action continues to lag behind what is needed,” said Bill Hare, chief executive of Climate Analytics, a CAT partner.

Under the terms of the Paris Agreement signed by 197 countries in 2015, governments agreed to develop voluntary action plans

to cut emissions. But as they were insufficient at the time, nations promised to come back in 2020 with more ambitious policies.

Yet more than 70 countries still haven’t submitted updated targets—including China, the world’s biggest emitter.

Also, a raft of rich and middleincome countries—including Australia, Brazil and Indonesia—have submitted new plans that don’t increase their ambitions, the group said.

While President Joe Biden updated the US’s target earlier this year, it remains insufficient to keep the world on track for 1.5° C, the report said.

The UK’s domestic target is compatible with 1.5° C, but the gover nment hasn’t del ivered enough international climate finance to help poorer countries reduce emissions, CAT said.

More than a decade ago, rich countries promised to mobilize $100 billion a year in climate finance by 2020, but that target has been missed. The US also lags behind other rich countries in that effort.

“Governments have now closed the gap by up to 15 percent, a minimal improvement since May,” said Niklas Höhne, of NewClimate Institute, a CAT partner organization. “Anyone would think they have all the time in the world, when in fact the opposite is the case.” Bloomberg News

18 of 20 gorillas at Atlanta’s zoo have contracted Covid-19

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TLANTA—At least 18 of the 20 gorillas at Atlanta’s zoo have now tested positive for Covid-19, an outbreak that began just days before the zoo had hoped to obtain a veterinary vaccine for the primates, officials said on Tuesday.

Zoo Atlanta had announced t he first positive tests among the western lowland gorillas, including 60-year-old Ozzie, the oldest male gorilla in captivity, on Friday last week after employees noticed the gorillas had been coughing, had runny noses and showed changes in appetite.

A veterinary lab at the University of Georgia returned positive tests for the respiratory illness.

Zoo Atlanta says the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, confirms that at least four of the samples from the gorillas so far have tested positive for the Delta variant of the virus.

The zoo says it is using monoclonal antibodies to treat the gorillas at risk of developing complications from the virus.

Officials say there’s no evidence that the gorillas can pass the virus back to humans and visitors are too far away to be infected by gorillas.

Because the gorillas live close together in four troops, zoo officials say it’s impossible to keep infected animals isolated.

Zoo officials say they believe an asymptomatic employee who cares for the gorillas passed on the virus. The employee had been fully vaccinated and was wearing protective equipment such as a mask and gloves.

“According to our guidelines for animal care staff, if they have the slightest symptoms of a cold they are to stay home,” said Dr. Sam Rivera, the zoo’s senior director of animal health.

“It so happens that the animal care team member, the following day she developed signs that she suspected might be consistent with Covid and was tested and was positive.”

Rivera said the zoo will vaccinate the gorillas with a veterinary vaccine that it had been on the waiting list for prior to the gorillas’ positive tests.

“We are very concerned that these infections occurred, especially given that our safety protocols when working with great apes and other susceptible animal species are, and throughout the pandemic have been, extremely rigorous,” he said in a statement.

Rivera said on Friday that Ozzie is showing mild symptoms.

He tells The Atlanta JournalConstitution that Atlanta’s gorillas appear to be the second group of great apes infected by Covid-19, after eight gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park were treated for the virus in January.

One San Diego silverback received an experimental antibody regimen, and all recovered.

Zoo Atlanta is vaccinating its Bornean and Sumatran orangutans, its Sumatran tigers, its African lions and its clouded leopard.

The zoo says it has stepped up anti-infection efforts, including more protective masks, suits, more intensive cleaning and increased ventilation. AP

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undreds of thousands of people may be infected annually by animals carrying coronaviruses related to the one that causes Covid-19 in China and Southeast Asia, according to a study emphasizing the ongoing pandemic threat from spillover events.

An average of 400,000 such infections occur each year, most going unrecognized because they cause mild or no symptoms and aren’t easily transmitted between people, researchers with the EcoHealth Alliance and Singapore’s Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School said in a study released on Thursday before peer review and publication.

Still, each spillover represents an opportunity for viral adaptation that could lead to a Covid-like outbreak.

The question of where and how the virus that causes Covid emerged has become particularly contentious, with some leaders blaming a hypothetical leak from a lab in Wuhan, China, that studies the pathogens.

The new research, supported by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, builds on evidence that bats are the main host-animals for viruses like the severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus-2 (SARSCoV-2) and that people living near their roosts are especially vulnerable. “ This is probably the first attempt to estimate how often people are infected with SARSr e l at e d c o r o n a v i r u s e s f r o m bats,” said Edward Holmes, an evolutionar y biolog ist at the University of Sydney who wasn’t involved in the research.

Humans are continually exposed

to bat coronaviruses, he said. “Given the right set of circumstances, one of these could eventually lead to a disease outbreak.”

Almost two dozen bat species that can be infected by coronaviruses dwell in an area of Asia more than six times the size of Texas, with southern China and parts of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia deemed the riskiest for spillovers.

Peter Daszak and colleagues at the New York-based EcoHealth Alliance used bat distribution modeling and ecological and epidemiological data to estimate the risk of exposure to SARS-related coronaviruses, and the rate of unreported bat-to-human infections in China, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

“If you can stop this at the level of individual infections, you’ve got a much higher chance of stopping the next pandemic,” Daszak said on Tuesday in a Zoom interview.

The approach provides proof of concept for a systematic risk assessment of wildlife-to-human spillover events and a strategy to identify key geographic areas that can be prioritized for targeted surveillance of wildlife, livestock, and humans, the researchers said.

“Given the challenges of identifying the origins of Covid-19 and pathways by which SARSCoV-2 spilled over to people, this approach may also aid efforts to identify the geographic sites where

Bats fly out from Linno Gu cave in Hpa-An, Karen State on March 1, 2020. Ye Aung Thu/AFP/Getty Images

spillover first occurred,” they said in the study.

Almost two years since Covid began infecting people in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, scientists are yet to determine the pandemic’s genesis.

Daszak, who supports the theory of wildlife source, has been criticized for collaborating on National Institutes of Health-funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology on lab studies that some scientists say may have led to the creation of a progenitor virus.

No evidence supporting the lab-leak theory has emerged. Last month, the US intelligence community ruled out the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 was developed

by China as a biological weapon, but no consensus was reached on its origin.

Daszak ’s study estimated a median of 50,000 bat-to-human spillover events occur in Southeast Asia annually and said the number could run into the millions.

Animal intermediaries

That makes the risk of exposure to animal viruses in nature “far, far greater than any possible exposure in a lab,” Holmes said.

“And this is just bats. The risk of exposure is even higher when you factor in all the possible ‘intermediate’ animal species,” he added.

These include mink, civets,

SMC sets higher target for Tullahan River cleanup

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an Miguel Corp’s. (SMC) massive environment sustainability and flood mitigation initiative to clean up the 27-kilometer Tullahan River system, is shifting to higher gear in December. The company is set to acquire additional new equipment to double its solid waste extraction capacity to 5,000 metric tons per day, it said in a news release.

SMC President Ramon S. Ang said that the company’s commitment to clean up the Tullahan River system is stronger than ever, as the company has made the cleanup of major rivers, one of its foremost sustainability priorities.

Tu l l a ha n R iver ra n ked No. 4 in t he l ist of t he world ’s top 10 pl ast ic- em it t ing r ivers re sponsible for globa l ocean pl ast ic pol lut ion, accord ing to a 2021 repor t by resea rc h web site our worldindata.org.

“In just over a year, we’ve made significant progress with our Tullahan River cleanup project. Recent ly, we reached an important milestone: 414,000 metric tons of solid wastes removed from the river, as of the September 11,” Ang said.

By December 1, he said they are aiming to double the extraction capacity from the current 2,300 to 2,500 MT per day, to 5,000 MT per day. “ We are acquiring si x sets

of new equipment to do this,” he added.

The company’s river cleanup teams have no let up on work to dredge the 27-kilometer tributary—a P1 billion undertaking fully funded by SMC—as anticipated typhoons are expected to bring heavy rains and, consequently, floods to many parts of Metro Manila.

“Our people continue to work diligently to do cover as much ground as they can, especially since the typhoons are setting in.... We will check and prioritize critical areas that need dredging to minimize flooding,” Ang said.

Besides removing silt and solid wastes, which have accumulated at the bottom of the river for years, SMC also has to increase depth to a maximum of 5 meters, particularly in areas where heavy flooding occurs.

T he tota l 414,000 metr ic tons of solid waste removed to date, were mostly from the project’s Sectors 4 and 5 in Malabon a nd Va len zuel a, wh ic h is pa r t of t he proje c t ’s i n it i a l 11. 5 -k i lometer coverage f rom t he mout h of Ma ni l a Bay in Navot as to Va len zuel a.

In August, dredging operations also commenced at the Tinajeros area in Malabon “Our target output for these sectors is over 1 million metric tons and we expect to reach

600,000 metric tons before the year ends,” Ang said.

SMC is gathering data and experience from the project which can be used for its other major r iver projects, inc lud ing t he clean-up and rehabilitation of the Pasig River and major Bulacan rivers and tributaries.

The company is waiting for the approval of the Department of Env ironment and Natura l Resources (DENR) and of the dredging plan by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), for its P2-billion Pasig River Cleanup project.

For the five-year Pasig River project, SMC aims to extract 50,000 metric tons of silt and solid waste per month, or a yearly output of 600,000 metric tons.

Overall, its goal is to remove 3 million metric tons of solid waste from the Pasig River.

Trial dredging was conducted from July to August and more t h a n 20,0 0 0 met r ic ton s of dredged material were removed from the Malacañang and Pandacan areas of the river.

The ourworldindata.org, report said Pasig River ranked first in the list of seven Philippine rivers in the world’s top 10 plastic emitting rivers that includes Tullahan River, Meycauayan River, Pampanga River, Libmanan River, Rio Grande de Mindanao and Agno River.

raccoon dogs and other mammals commonly farmed and traded for food and fur in Asia, according to the research.

It said 14 million people were employed in wildlife farming in China alone in 2016—an industry worth $77 billion annually.

In Asia, about 478 million people live in an area inhabited by coronavirus-carrying bats, covering most of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, southeast China, and the western islands of Indonesia.

Wi ld l ife hunt ing , trad ing , farming and consumption is common across this region, increasing the risk of exposure to bat-borne viruses, Daszak said.

Wildlife sampling in China has been far more intense than in nearby countries, many of which are undergoing “dynamic social and environmental changes” known to increase the risk of spillover events, Daszak and colleagues said in the study.

“This isn’t about finding viruses and saying ‘this country is a high risk to the rest of the world,’” Daszak said. “This is about finding communities within countries that are at risk and trying to block them from getting infected, helping people in those communities reduce public health threats.”

Bloomberg News

Video contest promotes Southeast Asian youth actions in food, waste management

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contest on short videos with the theme, “Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management,” that are developed by young Filipinos and other Southeast Asians was announced recently.

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) said the video entries may reveal personal experiences, practices, or advocacies that showcase how young people contribute to sustainable food consumption and food waste management.

Dubbed as the Searca Youth COVIDeo Contest, the competition aims to spotlight healthy diets, responsible food choices, and proper disposal or use of food waste, particularly during the pandemic.

The contest is open to the youth, with ages from 15 to 35 years, who are citizens of the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

T he contest is focused on the youth because, according to Searca Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, “there is merit in mobilizing the youth as consumers of food and potential innovators to transform food systems.”

Sports BusinessMirror

A8 | S

unday, September 19, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Young, stacked US team faces familiar battle in Ryder Cup

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HE Americans would seem to have a lot in their favor at the Ryder Cup.

They are on home soil at Whistling Straits along the Wisconsin shores of Lake Michigan. A full house is expected, along with louder than usual cheering for the Stars & Stripes because of Covid-19 travel restrictions for European-based fans.

As for the players? Younger than ever, to be sure, but no less stacked. The Americans have eight of the top 10 in the world ranking—Europe only has Jon Rahm at No. 1—on a team that has won twice as many majors.

This is nothing new, of course. With one exception, the Americans always bring a better collection of players to the Ryder Cup. They just rarely leave with the precious gold trophy.

“We have the best players this year,” said Paul Azinger, the lead analyst for NBC Sports who still uses pronouns as if it were 2008 when he was the US captain. “And obviously, they [Europe] roll in with the most confidence and maybe the best team.”

The trick is getting the American players to realize that.

At the last Ryder Cup in France three years ago, the US was just as loaded with nine major champions on the 12-man squad who had combined to win 10 of the last 16 majors.

They got smoked again.

“I feel like on paper, from head to toe, the world ranking, I would say we’re a stronger team,” US captain Steve Stricker said. “But I don’t think our guys feel we’re better. They know deep down how hard it is to beat them.”

All that matters on paper are the results. Europe has won nine of the last 12 times in the Ryder Cup. And while the US still holds a 26-14-2 advantage dating to the start in 1927, that’s not the real measure. Continental Europeans did not join the fray until 1979, and since then they are 11-8-1.

Europe, with Padraig Harrington now at the helm of the juggernaut, tries to extend its dominance at the 43rd Ryder Cup, which was postponed one year because of the pandemic.

Three relentless days of matches from September 24 to 26 will be held at Whistling Straits, the cliffside course with 1,000 or so bunkers that has hosted the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship three times in the last 17 years. American players, it should be noted, have been runner-up in all three.

Why do the Europeans keep winning the Ryder Cup? They relish the role as underdogs. They seem to play with a chip on their shoulders, perhaps because the Americans don’t—and probably should— have one on theirs.

“That’s our advantage, I guess, in a way, right?” Ian Poulter said in a SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio interview. “That we have delivered when perhaps we shouldn’t have delivered. And this is the magical question that gets asked all the time. That’s what has the American press scratching their head. That’s what has the American team scratching their heads at times. On paper—on paper—the US team should have delivered.

“It’s for us to enjoy and for the American team to figure out,” he said. “There is a level of magic sauce which we’ve been able to create over the years.”

Europe is bringing winning experience to Wisconsin.

Lee Westwood ties a European record by playing in his 11th Ryder Cup at age 48. He joins Sergio Garcia, already with the highest points total in history, on a short list of those who have played in Ryder Cups over parts of four decades. Garcia has contributed 25 1/2 points, the same amount as this entire US team combined.

Whatever experience the Americans bring are mostly bad memories. Their lone victory in the last decade was at Hazeltine in 2016 against a European team that had six rookies. Only one of them, Matt Fitzpatrick, made it back on another team.

The six rookies are the most for the Americans since 2008 when they won at Valhalla.

Those include Collin Morikawa, who was an amateur when the last Ryder Cup was played and since then has won two majors, a World Golf Championship and led the US standings in his first year of eligibility. It includes FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay and Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele, who were a formidable team at the Presidents Cup in Australia two years ago.

“I think it’s a good time for a younger influx of players,” Schauffele said, “and really excited to run with these guys.”

And while the veterans include Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth—the only Americans to have played at least three Ryder Cups—they also include Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, who have made their dislike for each other abundantly clear over the last few months.

DeChambeau has stopped talking to the press after he was criticized for saying he wasn’t vaccinated because he’s young and healthy and would rather give it to people who need it (even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is no shortage).

He also has endured heckling, with fans calling him “Brooksy” to get under his skin. AP

ARSENAL’S Katie McCabe (center) battles for the ball with Slavia Praha’s Franny Cema during their Women’s Champions League second round first leg match at Meadow Park in London recently. AP

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ENEVA—Fifa intensified its push for hosting the men’s World Cup every two years by garnering support from soccer fans around the world to help combat resistance from Europe and South America.

The latest public relations tactic came in the form of an online survey commissioned by Fifa. The Associated Press does not routinely report the claims of opinion polls conducted over the Internet.

Fifa claimed its findings from more than 15,000 respondents aged at least 18 identified in 23 countries showed “considerable differences between the so-called traditional markets and the developing football markets” and younger fans more enthusiastic than older ones.

A follow-up survey involving 100,000 people in more than 100 countries is now being done, Fifa said.

European soccer body UEFA and South American counterpart Conmebol oppose Fifa’s plan and have threatened to boycott additional World Cups. Europe and South America combine for 65 of the 211 Fifa members—fewer than the one-third total likely needed to block any proposal.

The governing bodies of the six continental soccer federations all stage their own championships, with Europe

FIFA DIVES TO WOOING CAMPAIGN

hosting its tournament every four years halfway between the World Cups.

Adding an extra World Cup in every four-year cycle would likely cut into the European event’s revenue stream.

The women already have two major world tournaments in every four-year cycle because the top teams and best players compete at the Olympics as well as the Women’s World Cup. Fifa’s latest survey follows one week after it hosted about 80 former international players, including several World Cup winners, for a two-day meeting in Qatar—the 2022 World Cup host country.

The players reported they all agreed it was a good idea to double the number of men’s World Cups in each four-year period.

Fifa President Gianni Infantino believes staging more tournaments would increase opportunities and enthusiasm in most of the 211 member-countries, many of which never qualify to play at the World Cup. Expanding the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 starting at the 2026 tournament in North America was

one of the biggest early decisions of Infantino’s presidency, which began in 2016. Fifa also wants to distribute extra World Cup revenue to improve talent development and help national teams globally close the gap on Europe.

European teams have won the past four World Cups and filled 13 of the 16 semifinal slots. The other three semifinalists from 2006-18 were from South America.

The UEFA-backed Football Supporters Europe group also opposed the biennial World Cup plan, claiming it would distort the balance between domestic and international soccer, and club and national teams.

Global players’ union FIFPRO has also warned of burnout in the increasingly congested soccer schedule.

South Africa, meanwhile, showed interest in hosting Fifa’s Club World Cup in December after Japan withdrew because of Covid-19, South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan said Monday.

Jordaan told The Associated Press

THE US’s Jade Carey performs on the floor during the artistic gymnastics women’s apparatus final at the Tokyo Olympics in August. AP

he would meet with Fifa SecretaryGeneral Fatma Samoura in Lagos, Nigeria, this week to get more details on what kind of bid South Africa must present to the world body to host the seven-team men’s tournament.

The Club World Cup will feature European champion Chelsea and the other five continental club competition winners. The league champion from the host country also gets a place.

Japan withdrew last week amid fears the tournament would cause a rise in infections in a country that has just staged the Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

Fifa has yet to comment on the alternative host, with Saudi Arabia also keen to step in.

An extended 24-team Club World Cup was due to debut this year in China but it was shelved because the pandemic required the rescheduling of national team competitions in June and Fifa was unable to raise the necessary funding for the planned quadrennial event. So the seven-team format was extended for another year.

The South African Football Association must get government approval to hold the tournament and meetings with the sports minister were also planned, Jordaan said.

“We’ll know our position by the end of the week,” he said.

South Africa has numerous highquality stadiums that were built or refurbished for the 2010 World Cup but any ambition to host the Club World Cup would depend on its own coronavirus situation.

South Africa went through a midyear surge in cases and there has been a decrease in virus infections over the last two weeks. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an easing of restrictions countrywide on Sunday. The government is also formulating plans to allow spectators back into sports stadiums, most likely using vaccine passports, Ramaphosa said.

That would be a boost for plans to host the Club World Cup as no fans have been allowed at any major sports events in South Africa since the start of the pandemic. Fifa would likely not want its tournament to be played in empty stadiums. AP

Carey goes from winning gold to hitting books

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EUROPE’S Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey pose for photographers as they celebrate their Ryder Cup at the Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in France in September 2018. AP

ORVALLIS, Oregon—Jade Carey is finally embarking on her freshman year at Oregon State, after taking a somewhat winding route to Corvallis.

Then again, the 21-year-old Olympic gold medalist is used to taking the nontraditional path.

After reaching the pinnacle of her sport in Tokyo, Carey has honored her commitment to compete for the Beavers, embarking on a new chapter where her elite and collegiate careers are intertwined.

Carey first visited Oregon State in 2015 and committed in 2017. But the plan was to compete in the Olympics and then to focus on school.

“Ever since the first time I visited here, I just fell in love with everything about this town and this campus,” she said last week after arriving on campus. “I’m just especially excited to be part of the gymnastics

team. It’s just a really great group of girls and I love the coaches.”

After the coronavirus pandemic pushed back the Olympics by a year, Carey enrolled and took a few classes at Oregon State remotely from her home in Arizona while training.

“I just needed something to do besides just gymnastics,” the kinesiology major said.

She earned her spot at the Olympics in an unusual way, taking advantage of an International Gymnastics Federation provision for the 2020 Games that allowed athletes to lock up an individual berth if they racked up enough points at World Cup events.

Carey traveled the world collecting points and accepted her spot on the eve of the US Olympic Trials. But that meant she was giving up a shot at making the four-woman team that ended up winning silver

during the team competition. The federation has since dropped the points provision.

In Japan, Carey was considered one of the favorites in the vault but she tripped on the runway on her first attempt to fall out of contention.

Disappointed but undaunted, she rebounded by nimbly executing her floor routine, to the cheers of her teammates looking on. Gold in hand, it was time to move on.

The NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness policy, adopted in July, made her decision to attend Oregon State easier. She can maintain her elite status and go to school.

“I’m excited for all these new opportunities I get. With NIL, especially in gymnastics, there’s not really that choice anymore of should I go to college or should I be professional, you can get the best of both worlds,” she said. AP

BusinessMirror

September 19, 2021

Elon Musk’s

Tesla Bot Its serious concerns are probably not the ones you think

2

BusinessMirror SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com

YOUR MUSI

INDEPENDENTLY IRONIC bbno$ reflects on his success beyond TikTok

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By Stephanie Joy Ching

IKTOK as a platform has proven itself to be quite a hitmaker in the music scene. With the advent of social media technology like it, people can post their original songs and hope that it gets big enough on the platform for them to find stable ground in the industry.

Publisher

: T. Anthony C. Cabangon

Editor-In-Chief

: Lourdes M. Fernandez

Concept

: Aldwin M. Tolosa

Y2Z Editor

: Jt Nisay

SoundStrip Editor

: Edwin P. Sallan

Group Creative Director : Eduardo A. Davad Graphic Designers Contributing Writers

Columnists

: Niggel Figueroa Anabelle O. Flores : Tony M. Maghirang, Rick Olivares, Darwin Fernandez, Leony Garcia, Stephanie Joy Ching Pauline Joy M. Gutierrez : Kaye VillagomezLosorata Annie S. Alejo

Photographers

: Bernard P. Testa Nonie Reyes

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.

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Alexander Gumuchian, better known by his stage name bbno$ (pronounced as “baby no money”), is one of the lucky few who found success on the platform. bbno$ has become a case study in how to succeed as an independent artist. The sheer success accumulated by the young artist is evidenced by the fact that bbno$’s tracks have now been streamed more than 2 billion times. He has amassed more than 600,000 TikTok followers, and over one million Instagram followers, and his tracks have been used in over 10 million TikTok videos which have been watched a total of 2 billion+ times. He has since sold-out headline tours in North America, China, and Europe.

After his song “lalala” hit it big on the platform, he returns to the music scene with his latest song ”edamame” from his upcoming album EAT YA VEGGIES. As a child, Alex admitted that he was “never good at reading notes” despite being enrolled in piano classes by his mother.

“My mom kind of forced me to play piano,” he recalled, “but I learned to play an African drum pretty well, so I wouldn’t say I learned music formally. I was never good at reading notes, I don’t even know what keys are,so I am a bad musician by textbook,” Despite this, Alex does possess an innate understanding of music, which he believes stemmed from

just being around music all his life.

He cites listening to Tupac and drill and trap music a lot when he was fourteen and a lot of dubstep as a major influence.

“I think maybe the early introduction to music in its entirety kind of helped me have an ear for music,” he explained.

After a back injury that prevented him from becoming a professional swimmer, Alex started experimenting with music on the GarageBand software, releasing his first songs onto SoundCloud.

He quickly garnered attention for his “easily digestible” and fun style, particularly in China when a member of popular boy group TFBoys danced to his song

‘Yoyo Tokyo.’ As such, he is often considered as a case study on how independent artists can succeed on their own.

However, it is not only good song writing that bbno$ owes his success to. For him, his work is “ironic,” almost like a parody of the flex culture prevalent in hip-hop. He has described his music as “oxymoronic rap”, given his heavy emphasis on delivering lyrics in the most sarcastic way he could.

“My whole brand is irony,” he says, “I make music for people to have fun, and if people don’t like it or think I’m being serious, then c’est la vie”.

Continuing on with his brand of irony, “edamame” uses the typical “flexing” tone and lyrics of hip hop but delivered in a joking, almost mocking tone. Along with fellow artist and collaborator Rich Brian, they create a lively atmosphere that is almost designed to put anyone in a good mood.

“Edamame” is currently available on all major streaming platforms. bbno$ has also recently announced the EAT YA VEGGIES! tour, which will see him perform across the US and Canada throughout October and November this year, as well as a subsequent rescheduled UK and European tour, in February and March 2022. Full tour dates and tickets can be found here: https://bbnomula.com/tour/.

IC

soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com | SEPTEMBER 19, 2021

BUSINESS

SoundSampler

by Tony M. Maghirang

Pop, rock, a tribute to Wally Gonzalez and everything in between

THE INSEKTLIFE CYCLE, Blues Man Blues: Wally Gonzales Tribute

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T’S bound to happen. Pinoy psych band The Insektlife Cycle produces one of the earliest homage to recently departed Juan de la Cruz axeman and Pinoy’ rock guitar supremo Wally Gonzales.

In keeping with their prior reputation, The Insektlife Cycle’s recasts “Wally’ Blues” as a ‘60s garage rock instrumental laced in distortion and feedback. With “Blues Guitar,” they reimagine a jam between Jeff Beck and Joe Satriani. The blues emerge in the quieter passages and bridges connecting the psychedelicized heaviosity.

IRON MAIDEN, Senjutsu

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NCE a major cog of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, Iron Maiden now further fleshes out its pivot into progressive rock, combining distinctive sounds with epic tales. On their latest album, the Bruce Dickinson-led band lends its unique, unconventional hard rock to stories of war and its consequences.

The opening title track depicts a warrior getting ready for battle against mighty enemies soundtracked by

alternating waves of sad and martial music. The second cut, “Stratego,” moves to classic patented NWOBHM bombast with the next cresting crunch in the power metal crunch of “The Writing on the Wall.” In between, Iron Maiden displays eclectic wizardry taking on Swedish style folk metal in “Death of the Celts,” almost grungy melodic rock in “The Parchment,” and noisy postrock with “The Time Machine.”

The songs may not appeal to most rock heads but the music tells that the classic Iron Maiden beloved by all is back on the saddle.

CHVRCHES, Screen Violence

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N their recently released fourth album, Glaswegian trio Chvrches take on issues of violence against women, misogyny, anonymous death threats and all sorts of fears hounding screen celebrities. In fact, in an interview, singer Lauren Mayberry said the violence comes in three forms — on screen, by screens and through screens.”

You hardly feel it on first listen because from the get-go, Chvrches appeal to your pleasure center starting with the dance-friendly groove of opener “Asking For A Friend” to the euphoric synth-pop of “He Said, She Said.”

Midway through the album comes the poignant “Final Girl,” which by the title alone should elicit suspicions on what lies below the attractive sonic canvas. Then there’s the unexpected appearance of The Cure’s Robert Smith in “How Not To Drown,” which hardly deals with surviving swimming lessons.

“Nightmares” will finally reveal the truth about the violence hinted at the album’s title.

THE KILLERS, The Pressure Machine

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HE “Mr. Brightside” posse returns to the rock fray with album seven. Note to fans of big bold encompassing rockers: This one does not come from The Killers you love.

That’s right, folks. With “The Pressure Machine,” Brandon Flowers and his boys take a break from the main highway and go back through the side roads to document the everyday lives and events in Smalltown Heartland, US of A. It’s a concept album centering actually on Brandon’s nostalgic revisit of growing up in his own hometown of Nephi. The tracks touch on everything from poverty to crime to prescription drugs abuse to depression, and the band obligingly buttress each tales of woe and death with acoustic country and Neil Young’s “Harvest’ – era folk rock so as not to detract the listener from the unfolding tragedies. “The Pressure Machine” will make a handsome companion to Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska.”

THE JAM LEMON RECORDS, VA – Mega Sampler Vol​.​1

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HIS local record label specializes in all sorts of inde OPM handling recording, production and management of a stable of artists. Its most recent release is indeed a mother of a sampler with 41 tracks by various

Pinoy music makers.

FrolicNight’s “Behind” is an early favorite, offering a darker, almost Gothic take on pop-punk.

Rob Equiza , a sort of poster boy for the label, does a classic singer-songwriter performance in his own “How Does It Feel?”

Lana Gabrielle’s “Andyan Ka Na” hopes to hitch a ride on the Moonstar ’88 ‘feel good’ vibe while Poor Dead Rats could be punking Eddie Peregrina with their eerie, sepia-toned “Born to a Machine.” It’s all good really from start to finish.

KULINTANG KULTURA, Danongan Kalanduyan and Gong Music of the Philippine Diaspora The online liner notes says: “’Kulintang Kultura’ pays homage to the late Danongan “Danny” Kalanduyan, a talented musician and generous teacher who championed traditional Filipino kulintang gong music in the United States, helping to keep the memory and practice alive. Disc 1 features Kalanduyan’s ensemble at the peak of their powers while Disc 2 turns the attention to Filipino musicians in the diaspora who weave those traditions into electronica, hip-hop, rock, jazz, and other contemporary styles.”

Of the 37 tracks to be released on October 1, 2021, the currently available track for listening easily displays the flexibility of the indigenous kulintang to fit into the folds of an ever-evolving modern music soundscape.

All albums reviewed can be listened to or even purchased in most digital music platforms, especially bandcamp.

3

Elon Musk’s Tesla Bot raises serious concerns–but probably not the ones you think

By Andrew Maynard

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Arizona State University

lon Musk announced a humanoid robot designed to help with those repetitive, boring tasks people hate doing.

The visionary business magnate suggested it could run to the grocery store for you, but presumably it would handle any number of tasks involving manual labor.

Predictably, social media filled with references to a string of dystopian sci-fi movies about robots where everything goes horribly wrong. As troubling as the robot futures in movies like I, Robot, The Terminator and others are, it’s the underlying technologies of real humanoid robots—and the intent behind them—that should be cause for concern.

Musk’s robot is being developed by Tesla. It’s a seeming departure from the company’s car-making business, until you consider that Tesla isn’t a typical automotive manufacturer. The so-called “Tesla Bot” is a concept for a sleek, 125-pound humanlike robot that will incorporate Tesla’s automotive artificial intelligence and autopilot technologies to plan and follow routes, navigate traffic—in this case, pedestrians— and avoid obstacles.

Dystopian sci-fi overtones aside, the plan makes sense, albeit within Musk’s business strategy. The built environment is made by humans, for humans. And as Musk argued at the Tesla Bot’s announcement, successful advanced technologies are going to have to learn to navigate it in the same ways people do.

Yet Tesla’s cars and robots are merely the visible products of a much broader plan aimed at creating a future where advanced technologies liberate humans from our biological roots by blending biology and technology. As a researcher who studies the ethical and socially responsible development and use of emerging technologies, I find that this plan raises concerns that transcend speculative sci-fi fears of supersmart robots.

A man with big plans Self-driving cars, interplanetary rockets and brain-machine interfaces are steps toward the future Musk envisions where technology is humanity’s savior. Musk imagines humans ultimately transcending our evolutionary heritage through technologies that are beyond-human, or “super” human. But before technology can become superhu-

Tesla CEO Elon Musk with a design of the “Tesla Bot” Youtube man, it first needs to be human—or at least be designed to thrive in a humandesigned world.

This make-tech-more-human approach to innovation is what’s underpinning the technologies in Tesla’s cars, including the extensive use of optical cameras. These, when connected to an AI “brain,” are intended to help the vehicles autonomously navigate road systems that are, in Musk’s words, “designed for biological neural nets with optical imagers”—in other words, people. In Musk’s telling, it’s a small step from human-inspired “robots on wheels” to humanlike robots on legs.

Easier said than done Tesla’s “full self-driving” technology, which includes the dubiously named Autopilot, is a starting point for the developers of the Tesla Bot. Impressive as this technology is, it’s proving to be less than fully reliable. Crashes and fatalities associated with Tesla’s Autopilot mode—the latest having to do with the algorithms struggling to recognize parked emergency vehicles—are calling into question the wisdom of releasing the tech into the wild so soon.

This track record doesn’t bode well for humanlike robots that rely on the same technology. Yet this isn’t just a case of getting the technology right. Tesla’s Autopilot glitches are exacerbated by human behavior. For example, some Tesla drivers have treated their tech-enhanced cars as though they are fully autonomous vehicles and failed to pay sufficient attention to driving.

Could something similar happen with the Tesla Bot?

Just because we can, should we?

The Tesla Bot may seem like a small step

4 BusinessMirror

toward Musk’s vision of superhuman technologies, and one that’s easy to write off as little more than hubristic showmanship.

But the audacious plans underpinning it are serious—and they raise equally serious questions.

For instance, how responsible is Musk’s vision? Just because he can work toward creating the future of his dreams, who’s to say that he should? Is the future that Musk is striving to bring about the best one for humankind, or even a good one? And who will suffer the consequences if things go wrong?

These are the deeper concerns that the Tesla Bot raises for me as someone who studies and writes about the future and how our actions impact it. This is not to say that Tesla Bot isn’t a good idea, or that Elon Musk shouldn’t be able to flex his futurebuilding muscles. Used in the right way, these are transformative ideas and technologies that could open up a future full of promise for billions of people.

But if consumers, investors and others are bedazzled by the glitz of new tech or dismissive of the hype and fail to see the bigger picture, society risks handing the future to wealthy innovators whose vision exceeds their understanding. If their visions of the future don’t align with what most people aspire to, or are catastrophically flawed, they are in danger of standing in the way of building a just and equitable future.

Maybe this is the abiding lesson from dystopian robot-future sci-fi movies that people should be taking away as the Tesla Bot moves from idea to reality—not the more obvious concerns of creating humanoid robots that run amok, but the far larger challenge of deciding who gets to imagine the future and be a part of building it. The Conversation SEPTEMBER 19, 2021

Stories from the front: New generation of doctors-in-training face unique challenges

By Pao Vergara Last of three parts n this series, Y2Z checks in with three medical interns—one each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to get a glimpse on the effects of halted face-to-face and experiential learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Arvin Laude, 27, Davao City How would you compare your clinical experiences before and during the pandemic?

I was already rotating in various departments. I remember an elderly woman, her whole left side was paralyzed and she could hardly speak. She had pneumonia, too, and the doctor told us she had two strokes before. The next day, our resident informed us that the patient had died.

I remember a medical mission in a remote barangay. We had an army escort due to insurgent activity nearby. What stood out was that a lot of people there don’t have adequate access to health care despite a paved road.

Some who went to a previous doctor couldn’t be followed up. At the end of the day, our supplies of basic medications almost run out, and I’m not sure whether I should be happy that we helped or if I shouldn’t be because they’re not getting what they need.

All clinical experience ended as quarantine began in March 2020. Hell, I went through my whole senior clerkship online.

We had to make do with paper cases and demo videos to at least try to learn, as if we were actually in hospitals.

A major shift in education has been a move to online learning. How do you think “clin-ex” can be done given the realities of an evolving virus?

Considering that the virus has a high tendency to mutate and evolve, this might be here for a really long time. Even if we’re to protect students, we should also keep in mind that online learning does have its limits. While face-to-face learning is almost impossible, perhaps clinical experience can be done in certain areas, with limitations. Going by group or by shift would be better than just sitting all day and learning theory alone.

Given the situation, how do you see the future of the medical establishment, from those in med school to those practicing in hospitals?

It will struggle. Hard. The current batch of clerks and interns get teased as “Google Docs.” With the pandemic we can’t do much about it, but we’ve got to realize that we eventually have to go to the frontlines.

It might not be far-fetched to say that we won’t have as much developed skills as our pre-pandemic counterparts. Doctors would have to guide and teach today’s clerks and interns even more. This means that, along with the duties that the doctors already face, the fatigue and sometimes scorn from the very communities they serve, it would only be a matter of time until health-care quality would decline.