PH startups ‘center’ of global attention, says Digital Pilipinas

Philippine tech startups are getting global attention after earning over $1 billion in investments in 2022, Digital Pilipinas Convenor Amor Maclang said on Monday.

Philippine startups are made appealing due to the country’s young ecosystem and its 70 million mobile phones which is at par with other bigger peers, among others, Maclang said.

“Last year, we experienced record highs when it comes to investments coming from all over the world. Winter is thawing especially in terms of investments. The Philippines appears to be at the center of these investments,” she said.

“For the first time, Philippine startups exceeded $1 billion in investments and some private equity and venture cap- ital funds close to a quarter of a billion into one country,” she added.

She said the government must support deep tech as well as basic tech startups that aim to solve the very basic problems.

Maclang said there could be 4 more Philippine unicorns to follow GCash, which achieved double unicorn status in 2021.

Not too many music fanatics know that ‘Dalawa Kaming Api,’ which was revived in 2001 by jukebox queen Imelda Papin, was a monster hit two decades earlier, and the original voice behind the song is Verni Gonzalez of Davao City.

The song was composed by National Artist for Music Levi Celerio, a lyricist whose legacy includes over 4,000 songs, and his ‘leaf singing’ landed him a space in the Guinness World Records. Like the other famous Filipino composer George Canseco, he dwelt on love songs, exploring the joys and pains of relationships.

Gonzalez’s fame did not start and end with ‘Dalawa Kaming Api,’ which she logged in 1980. The following year, she sang her way to the top, her voice piercing the airwaves with the song ‘Guhit Ng Palad,’ which, again, Papin revived

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

LEVI CELERIO’S SMASH HIT

in 2001. On her Facebook account, she calls herself the former recording artist of Universal Records and a property consultant. She was also a talent for the Apple Music label.

Some of Gonzalez’ greatest hits include the titles Kakaba-kaba Ang Puso, Isang Dakot, Di Ko Kasalanan, Nalulungkot Ka Ba, Nasaan Ka, Tayong Dalawa, Ngayong Wala Na, Kumusta Ka, Luksang Tagumpay, Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal, Hanggang Ngayon, and Sanay Ka Na Ba?

Davao’s encyclopedia of musicians and thespians remains incomplete simply because the roster does not include little-known, if overlooked, artists from the acting and singing land-scapes. With today’s generation more drawn to foreign acts and musical groupies, single per-formances by local talent are eas- ily swept under the rug and forgotten.

When Gonzalez occupied the airlanes, a group name Wadab (spelled backward for Dabaw) also conquered the national consciousness, perfectly mingling with the Manila Sound that was popular in the 1970s. The band included composer Nonoy Tan (whose real name is Arturo Lui-Pio), Tato Malay, Rey Magtoto, Nonoy Uy, Mon Torralba, and Benjie Ca-silan.

Among Wadab’s fabulous hits are the OPM classic ‘Pag Tumatagal Lalong Tumitibay, and the chart-ripping songs like Iniibig Kita, Parang Ulap, Isang Sayaw Na Lang, Tsismis Ka, and Tekla.

On the other hand, one of the iconic revelations, if you will, in Davao’s musical landscape is not a song but a dance. In the 2010s, a craze known as budots (slang for Visayan ‘slacker’), classified as street-style hip-hop, gained a national following. It has been described as “a grassroots electronic dance music (EDM) genre that originated in Davao City.” Underscoring its popularity is its global appeal that even took China’s musical milieu in awe.

The debate rages on who and where the street dance started, and there are conflicting claims, whether in cyberspace or out, on how the fad evolved.

The most popular assertion is that it started among the youth of Camus Street in Davao City but gained popularity when Davao resident Ruben Gonzaga, the winning contestant of Pinoy Big Brother in 2008, executed it live on the reality show.

Budots, though, is wrongly credited. While it is deemed infectious, the street dance, funny and amusing, and easy to mimic given its simple choreography that can easily blend with the beating of any drum, the street loafers are not its creators. The dance belongs to the Badjaos.

The dance, which has similar renditions in indigenous hops played to a gong or twostringed instrument, was started namelessly in the 1990s by Badjaos roaming the streets, beg-ging for coins from passersby and risking lives panhandling during traffic.

It’s unclear, though, how the dance and its combo of handmade tom-tom started but it is likely inspired by the annual Christmas caroling that usually encourages people to shell out a few pesos after a song or two have been performed.

H. MARCOS C. MORDENO SOMEONE ELSE’S WINDOWS

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” - HENRY FORD.

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Filipinos have been frequently treated to a good show (or a circus) when countless investigations are conducted in the Senate.

For the principal reason that the probe is in aid of legislation, a Senate investigation of a mess or mistake will proceed as approved in its resolution. (The same is true in the Lower Chamber.)

The oil spill in Oriental Mindoro by an oil tanker that submerged weeks ago exposed how government rules are half-heartedly implemented and the diligence of government authorities is examined under the microscope.

Thanks to the senators and they were able to determine that the government agencies - MARINA and the PCG (Philippine Coast Guard) - failed to implement the pertinent maritime law to the letter.

It was determined and an-

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

Oil Spill Speaks Of Government Laxity

nounced by the DOJ that the MT Princess Empress was already a 60-year old vessel that was rehabilitated to make it appear that it was almost a brand new ship (two years old) in certificates filed with the MARINA.

The Senate probe also was able to determine that even when the documents for registration of the submerged vessel were yet to be approved, it was allowed to sail and conduct business.

For whatever reason or reasons that may be concluded, the senators saw and heard how lax the concerned agencies are in implementing and enforcing the laws, rules and regulations concerning such.

Today, the toxic oil spill has affected directly the lives of more than two million residents of Oriental Mindoro and nearby areas, specifically the town of Pola whose Mayor declared that many of the residents are getting sick and unwell.

Even Calapan City and Verde island in Batangas City have been reportedly affected and the nearby islands in Antique.

It is not only the grave cat- astrophic and calamitous effect that the oil spill is causing and may have already caused that arouses anger, fear and exasperation.

More than this, it is the conclusive admission that the government agencies in charge did not exercise due diligence before allowing the ship to sail sans official permits and the necessary certificates.

Slowly, Pinoys are being led to believe that there are less than transparent men and women in the employ of the government who are not faithfully exercising their duties and functions.

The MT Princess Empress was a repeat of several oil spills in the past whose horrorific prominence were streamed in the media only for as long as the news reports were being read, watched and noticed.

After a while, the din and dust of the scandal and controversy die down almost quite naturally like the embers of a bonfire.

The grievous sea accident created an unwanted suffering among the people whose bread and butter comes from the bounty of the sea. it seems that the people appointed by the new Marcos administration are not moving together forward with the progressive development goals envisioned by the current Malacanang tenant.

News reports say those adversely affected will receive “ayuda” from the government and compensation from the owners and management of the sunk veseel.

If this is done accordingly, it is a consolation of sorts.

But what of the men and women who were occupying government positions of authority whose negligence and laxity actually proved that they were, in part, co-authors in the aforementioned oil spill tragedy?

Will PBBM just allow this perilous incident to pass through like flipping the pages of a book one is reading?

Shouldn’t the responsible officials be identified and go through the democratic due process - and if proven guilty or otherwwise be promptly punished or acquitted accordingly?

The senators were able to get the sad and sorrowful admission that the officials concerned failed to look through the vessel’s documents and certificates with sharp eagle eyes.

The millions of Pinoys who voted and installed BBM to the highest position in the land and Sara Duterte as his very supportive Vice-President indicate just how much - with fervor and zeal - our countrymen desire this government to succeed and how!

For one, Filipinos obviously want this new regime to continue and sustain the gains of the previous administration especially in the areas of law and order, the illegal drugs campaign, the “Build, Build, Build” infra development program, among others.

Sometimes, one cannot help but yearn to see some heads rolling.

Hiring and firing are a part of good governance and effective management of government affairs. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD