Issuu

only set at an Olympics; and the world record, which is the record that is set in their seasons. Any sanctioned event can have a world record held or a world record set. There are also times where the Olympic record “is” the world record, because they set the world record at the Olympics. But they’re not the exact same thing.

OKYO—Is an Olympic champion by definition a world champion? Can you be a world champion without being an Olympic champion? What’s the difference, anyway? As the Tokyo Olympics provide multiple opportunities for memorable athletic performances, it’s worth a closer look. Here, Associated Press Deputy Sports Editor Howie Rumberg sorts it all out.

YOU COULD HOLD A RECORD THAT’S BOTH, RIGHT?

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

AN Olympic champion is only an Olympic champion. Because the Olympics are made up of 33 sports, each run by a federation, those federations can hold their own world championships—some every two years, some every four years, opposite years from the Olympics. And they declare world champions at their events.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF RECORDS?

SO in sports like gymnastics and athletics and swimming, you have two sets of records: the Olympic record, which is

USAIN BOLT poses beside the timing board showing the new men’s 200 meters world record he set at the August 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. AP

YOU could hold a record that’s both, yes. But the record that’s both would have to be set at the Olympics. And there are standards like, say, the depth of the swimming pool or the type of surface on the track that everyone’s obligated to follow. It’s worth noting that you have more opportunities to set a world record than you do an Olympic record. So in some ways, an Olympic record, even if it’s not as good as a world record, has its own unique glow because being an Olympian is thought of, obviously, as the pinnacle of sports. AP

Olympics stories in Sports A8

TOKYO OLYMPICS MEDAL COUNT RANK

TEAM/NOC

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

TOTAL

People’s Republic of China

Japan

United States of America

ROC

Australia

Great Britain

Republic of Korea

Netherlands

France

Germany

Philippines

ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS

SOURCE: OLYMPICS.COM | AS OF JULY 30, 2021 4:52 PM

World champs, Olympic champs and the difference

EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018, 2019)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

DATA CHAMPION

A broader look at today’s business

RISE OF ‘WHITE HAT’ HACKERS

Sunday, August 1, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 291

P25.00 nationwide | 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

Cyber world as the digital extension of the never-ending war between good and evil By Roderick L. Abad

organization’s level of strength in withstanding it,” he added.

Contributor

Ethical hacking

F you can’t beat them, hack them. This serves as a reminder for businesses that are not familiar yet with “ethical hacking,” or “white hat hacking,” that they can avoid getting victimized by cybercriminals at large via a counter attack before the latter could launch a malicious threat on their information technology systems.

Cyber attacks have been perennial problems ever since the digital world began. In fact, global cybercrime losses are estimated to reach $6 trillion this year and expected to hit $10.5 trillion by 2025. To address this, business owners are racing to beef up their cybersecurity measures to prevent data breaches that could put their investment and reputation in trouble. One of which is resorting to ethical hacking to protect their organizations against the forthcoming problems from hackers. And this is made possible by hiring

“white hat” hackers (WHHs).

Good or bad

THE art or technique of discovering and exploiting a security loophole in an infrastructure like a website, a software, or a computer is called hacking. A person involved in this practice is a hacker, which can be either good or bad. According to Secuna Chief Information and Security Officer Allan Jay Dumanhug, WHHs are totally different from their malicious counterparts—the “black hat” hackers (BHHs).

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.3420

ALLAN JAY DUMANHUG, chief information and security officer at Secuna. PHOTO COURTESY OF SECUNA

“WHHs are all ethical, moral, and cybersecurity professionals making an honest living. They enjoy the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming and circumventing limitations to keep the Filipino business community safe,” he said.

“They are very familiar with the tactics of BHHs who are the ones who attack organizations to steal data, compromise systems, and do other kinds of cyber damage. WHHs use this knowledge and their expertise to counter the BHHs’ attack as well as assess the

DATA have become an invaluable resource that BHHs take advantage of to gain something, mostly financial. Through the years, they have proven to be sophisticated and creative geniuses when it comes to penetrating a system. Hence, malicious attacks on various organizations worldwide, big or small, have led to losses amounting to millions of dollars, and are feared to cost trillions today and beyond. These incidents have led businesses across the globe to be ultra careful, made them rethink their views on the importance of ethical hacking, and reconsidered their cybersecurity strategies. The proverbial “eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” might not always work in the real world, but to fight off a hacker with a hacker does. So an organization needs WHHs who have the same capabilities as the BHHs.

Bug bounties

INTERNATIONALLY, more and more ethical hackers are discovering and disclosing security vulnerabilities. Proof of which is

that vulnerability submissions to one of the best-known bug bounty programs, HackerOne, have increased by almost two-thirds since last year. Based on its 2021 Hacker Report, which details the development of penetration testing and ethical hacking over the last 12 months, the number of hackers submitting vulnerabilities during that period has grown by 63 percent. Bug bounty schemes are created to provide ethical hackers or WHHs a means of finding and reporting these vulnerabilities before cyber criminals could take advantage of them. In return, they are rewarded with financial incentives. Locally, Secuna is the largest cybersecurity-testing platform in the Philippines. The Department of Information and Communications Technology has certified it as a recognized Cybersecurity Assessment Service Provider. This company connects firms and brands to vetted and trusted international cybersecurity professionals who simulate cyberattacks and find security flaws that BHHs can exploit to gain access to IT systems. Even if platforms like Secuna Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4599 n UK 70.2925 n HK 6.4787 n CHINA 7.7970 n SINGAPORE 37.2270 n AUSTRALIA 37.2279 n EU 59.8566 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.4231

Source: BSP (July 30, 2021)

ALPHASPIRIT | DREAMSTIME.COM

www.businessmirror.com.ph

NewsSunday A2 Sunday, August 1, 2021

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Virus surge upends plans for getting workers back to offices

By Jeff Green | Bloomberg News

Google on Wednesday said that it will push back its official office return to mid-October and require workers at its campuses to get vaccinated. Lyft Inc. postponed its return date to February, while Twitter Inc. shut its recently reopened offices. Apple Inc. is requiring masks at most US stores, and Walt Disney Co. is again mandating them at its Florida and California parks. A jump in Covid-19 cases and a slowdown in vaccinations has left US companies once again struggling with how to adapt to the virus, just as it seemed like shots would allow workers to return to offices and resume pre-pandemic norms. Even for employees who’ve had jabs, the highly transmissible Delta variant is raising concerns of breakthrough infections, spread to unvaccinated children and broader disruptions to economic activity. “It feels like it’s getting a little crazy again,” said Katrina Burch, an assistant professor in the department of psychological sciences at Western Kentucky University and director of the school’s industrial organizational psychology master’s degree program. “It’s really challenging for any organization to manage and take in this information.” For some employers, the

response has been mandatory vaccinations—a push that’s been growing this week as the state of California and New York City started requiring shots for government workers, with New York state and President Joe Biden considering similar mandates for employees under their jurisdiction. “We are one of the largest employers here in California and we are trying to show that if we can implement this, other employers can as well,” said Eraina Ortega, director of the California Department of Human Resources, which manages workplace issues for more than 200,000 state employees. “As we see it, vaccination and strict enforcement of masks and screening protocols are all a part of focusing on the health and safety of the workplace, having our economy open and having our schools open.” Facebook Inc. joined Google on Wednesday in requiring vaccines for workers at its campuses. The Washington Post on Tuesday said that employees will have to show proof of vaccinations when they return to offices in September as a condition of their employment. Netflix Inc. is requiring shots for actors on its US productions. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week urged fully vaccinated people

ARYO HADI | DREAMSTIME.COM

HE resurgent coronavirus and return of mask recommendations are hampering corporate America’s plans to get back to normalcy.

to go back to wearing masks indoors in places where infections are rapidly climbing—a list includes areas such as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Los Angeles County, the nation’s largest by population, already reimposed a mask mandate this month. Twitter, which had just reopened its San Francisco and New York offices this month, said in a news statement Wednesday that it would close those locations and pause other reopenings after “careful consideration of the CDC’s updated guidelines, and in light of current conditions.” The CDC guidance is just a

recommendation, leaving it up to local jurisdictions and companies themselves to issue more formal mandates. As it is, most employers have been asking unvaccinated workers to wear a mask, but that becomes more fraught for people who may be wary of if their office neighbors are following the rules. The mixture of the views, the politicization of mask wearing and other uncertainties surrounding the return to office and Covid-19 risks employees thinking they need to be the “mask police” or the “vaccination police” for each other, said Burch, who often wears a mask on her campus even though

she’s been vaccinated and knows her co-workers have as well. “The employer really needs to take the onus of responsibility in what they are enforcing, so they don’t recreate that environment of mistrust around their employees,” she said. Wall Street banks, among the more aggressive companies in bringing back workers, haven’t publicly announced any changes to their policies after the new CDC mask guidance. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., which ordered a return to offices this summer, have said employees who verify they’ve been fully vaccinated don’t need to wear masks. Morgan Stanley has had a less full staff return and is requiring workers at its New York offices be vaccinated. Wells Fargo & Co., currently planning an office return in September, is requiring retail branch, operations and contact-center employees to continue wearing masks regardless of vaccination status because of in-person interactions.

Slow return

ALMOST 35 percent of US workers were back at their offices as of July 21, up from 29 percent at the start of June, according to an index of 10 cities compiled by building-security company Kastle Systems. Many companies have said they plan to bring back employees more fully in September, when most US schoolchildren will return to in-person instruction, freeing up parents to go into the office. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday called on private employers to bring back

workers after Labor Day, saying it’s critical for the economy. “We can do it safely,” he said. “It’s not just about your business. It’s about all the spinoff economic activity that your workers bring to the surrounding community. And that’s what we need.” But the Delta variant may upend September plans. Even if most employers would like to get more back to normal, not all companies are facing the same urgency to get back to the office, said Ken Matos, director of people science at Culture Amp, a worker survey and assessment provider. Many employees also don’t have enough certainty about care-giving availability and school openings to react to their employer’s demands for a return. “For some organizations, reopening their offices as an option is really good, but for those that are really trying to pull everybody back in a firm way, it’s kind of ignoring how tenuous many of these situations are turning out to be,” Matos said. The most important things companies can do right now is be open about the uncertainty to avoid adding to employee anxiety and creating an environment where they make costly mistakes or take unnecessary risks with the virus, said Amy Edmondson, who teaches leadership and management at the Harvard Business School. She also studies psychological safety in the workplace. “Companies have to stop pretending they know all the answers right now, this is quite literally unprecedented,” she said. “Any time you’re in new territory, you’re having to innovate. You have to try out what works and what doesn’t.”

Rise of ‘white hat’ hackers Continued from A1

are readily available to help find an organization’s IT security flaws that online attackers exploit, reporting vulnerabilities here are not as high as in the case overseas. “Most of the companies in the Philippines do not have a Vulnerability Disclosure Policy or a program where their researchers can report potential vulnerabilities to them. Some of the high-profile breaches in the country could have been avoided if there was a program where researchers can report their findings. This highlights the importance of white hat hacking in the country,” said ctulu, the No. 1-ranked WHH of Secuna. “Cybercrime and cyber-related offenses are now starting to increase. To combat this scourge of cyber-attacks, hiring WHHs enables companies to find flaws in their cyber security before those flaws are found and exploited by someone with criminal intentions,” added Chris Laconsay, who is also a WHH registered on the same platform.

In-demand service

ETHICAL hackers or WHHs are fast becoming in demand, with the market value for their services expected to reach $4.1 billion by 2027 globally. This holds true, especially now that remote working expands the attack surface for vulnerabilities amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Since many have lost their jobs due to the unprecedented health crisis, they might consider ethical hacking as a fallback. With or without an IT background, they can have an equal chance to work in this field. A Bachelor’s degree in Information Security and/or Computer Science gives a strong foundation for any WHH. Training courses that result in certification that recruiters look for, such as the Offensive Security Certified Professional program, are also one preparation for the ethical hacking career path. Once hired, the WHHs can work themselves up the organization with positions like Penetration Tester, Red Team, Application

‘M

ost of the companies in the Philippines do not have a Vulnerability Disclosure Policy or a program where their researchers can report potential vulnerabilities to them. Some of the high-profile breaches in the country could have been avoided if there was a program where researchers can report their findings. This highlights the importance of white hat hacking in the country.”—ctulu Security Engineer, and Security Researcher, among others. Salarywise, a Philippine-based WHH can earn a monthly stipend ranging from P18,200 to P63,000. To excel at being a bug hunter who finds flaws in the IT systems and networks and provides solutions, “a top WHH should have these two qualities: an endless curiosity and patience. To drive your curiosity to hack and break things, you need a lot of patience since finding bugs is not easy,” said ctulu. For Laconsay, ethical hacking “involves a great deal of problemsolving skills and creativity.” He noted: “As I observed, currently famous WHHs are usually very good at these. Learning newer things is what gives me immense motivation. Willingness to learn a new trick or trade is what kept me going.” Learning Python, C++ or Structured Query Language gives an edge for a WHH, ctulu pointed out. He added that ethical hackers can come from various backgrounds that, like their tasks, break the mold. “Some of the WHHs I know are nurses, businessmen, or taxi drivers. As long as the hacker can follow the rules, conduct tests, write the reports properly, and have a good attitude, there won’t be any problems,” he said. “Though anyone can become a

WHH without any programming skills, you need to have at least one programming language to be good in this craft,” Laconsay stressed.

Changing public perception

WHILE there seems to be a general misconception about hacking due to reports on cyber attacks and underground activities of BHHs, this perception needs to be changed. “Not all hackers are bad. Many of the WHHs are actually security professionals hired by companies to find and exploit vulnerabilities before the BHHs find them and take advantage,” said ctulu, who has audited and tested the Covid-19-related systems of the Philippine Red Cross on the Secuna platform. Because of the stereotypical negative view on such word, there are still many companies that hesitate in hiring WHHs. It also prevents ethical hackers from volunteering or stepping up to help firms once or before a breach happens. “Helpful hackers who see a potential threat usually don’t say something because they are afraid that doing so might land them in jail. However, reporting these flaws is critically important. Failure to do so gives malicious hackers or the BHHs the means and opportunity to hide and strike from the shadows,” he stressed.

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

The World BusinessMirror

Sunday, August 1, 2021

High prices seen as drought, floods and frost slam world’s food supplies

xtreme weather is slamming crops across the globe, bringing with it the threat of further food inflation at a time costs are already hovering near the highest in a decade and hunger is on the rise. Brazil’s worst frost in two decades brought a deadly blow to young coffee trees in the world’s biggest grower. Flooding in China’s key pork region inundated farms and raised the threat of animal disease. Scorching heat and drought crushed crops on both sides of the US-Canada border. And in Europe, torrential rains sparked the risk of fungal diseases for grains and stalled tractors in soaked fields. Coffee’s the biggest recent mover, with prices surging 17 percent this week and topping $2 a pound for the first time since 2014. But the recent frost in Brazil is just the latest example of woes that have struck farmers there this year. Brazil’s also experiencing a crippling drought that depleted reservoirs needed for irrigation. The series of misfortunes underscores what scientists have been warning about for years: Climate change and its associated weather volatility will make it increasingly harder to produce enough food for the world, with the poorest nations typically feeling the hardest blow. In some cases, social and political unrest follows.

Scoring food price risks

“Things that are happening in one part of the world end up impacting all of us,” said Agnes Kalibata, a United Nations special envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit and Rwanda’s former agriculture minister. “We’ve underestimated as a world is just how frequently” weather would start to have serious impacts. “Some communities are already living through the nightmares of climate change,” Kalibata said. The Food Price Index from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization rose for 12 consecutive months through May before easing in June to 124.6 points, still up 34 percent from a year earlier. The index measures international prices of a basket of food commodities. No other industry is more at the mercy of sun, rain and heat than agriculture, where changes in the weather can upend a farmer’s fortunes overnight. It’s also an industry that’s become extremely globalized and concentrated, creating a precarious situation where an extreme weather event in one place is bound to have ripples everywhere. Brazil, for example, is the world’s biggest shipper of sugar and orange juice and a key producer of corn and soybeans. It accounts for about 40 percent of the world’s harvest for arabica coffee, the smooth variety that

sell as livestock feed. Prices for the region’s spring wheat, the variety used to make flour for bagels and pizza crusts, recently touched the highest in more than eight years. Even fresh shellfish in the Pacific Northwest has fallen victim to the extreme heat and its impact on marine life.

Frosty Brazil

A man plays with snow at a farm in rural Sao Joaquim, Brazil, on July 29. A fierce cold snap on Wednesday night prompted snowfall in southern Brazil where such weather is a phenomenon. The severe frost that ravaged major arabica-coffee areas in Brazil is especially deadly for young trees, which could create greater losses for farmers and hurt production for years. AP/Mycchel Legnaghi

shows up in your Starbucks cup. “There’s no other country in the world that has that kind of influence on the world market conditions—what happens in Brazil affects everyone,” said Michael Sheridan, director of sourcing and shared value at Intelligentsia Coffee, a Chicago-based roaster and retailer. What’s unique right now is that extreme weather seems to be pounding almost every region of the globe.

Scorching North America

Dry conditions in Canada cou-

pled with record-breaking heat triggered hundreds of wildfires, with blazes spanning east across five provinces and nearly as far north as the Arctic Ocean in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Fires have been so treacherous in westernmost British Columbia that thousands of rail cars carrying grain for export have been idled for weeks. The drought is also withering crops in Canada’s bread basket Prairie provinces and in the northern US, forcing farmers to take the rare step of baling up their lowyielding wheat and barley stems to

The severe frost that ravaged major arabica-coffee areas in Brazil is especially deadly for young trees, which could create greater losses for farmers and hurt production for years. The death of young trees increases the likelihood that the crops even two years from now will be compromised, said Judy Ganes, a consultant who’s covered commodities markets for more than three decades. Farmers will have to trim off damage, destroying yields, or replant their fields.

Flooded China

Flooding in the central Chinese province of Henan, a hub for agricultural and food production, appears contained for now but is being closely watched for any sign of more serious disruption. While some hog farms and corn crops were battered by recent heavy rains, most production is located away from the hardest-hit regions. A bigger worry is the potential spread of animal diseases

including African swine fever, which China has been recovering from after a devastating outbreak in 2018 that wiped out almost half of its hog herd. The nation’s agriculture ministry on Friday warned about the growing risks of animal epidemics after the Henan disaster, saying diseases could spread from dead animals, as well as via contaminated soil and water. Local authorities were urged to retrieve carcasses from lakes and rivers, disinfect breeding pens more frequently, and strictly prohibit the sale and processing of dead animals.

Soggy Europe

Dramatic images of inundated towns in Germany and Belgium this month are adding to a wetterthan-usual summer across much of Europe. Rain has taken its toll on grains, leading to harvest delays. That follows a spring of frosts, which damaged crops from sugar beets to fruit trees, and devastated some vineyards in France and elsewhere. While European wheat output is actually expected to increase this year, a share of the harvest may end up switching from milling for bread products to feeding farm animals instead. That threatens shipments to North Africa, which relies on imports of high-quality grain. Bloomberg News

Faith A4 Sunday, August 1, 2021

Sunday

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

Olympic weightlifting gold winner reveals story behind ‘Miraculous Medal’

Hidilyn Diaz: ‘Thank you for praying’

HE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) joined the whole nation in celebrating the victory of Hidilyn Diaz at the Tokyo Games on July 26. “We admire her devotion to the Blessed Mother as she carried in her victory her great faith in God,” CBCP President and Davao Archbishop Romulo G. Valles said. Valles said in a statement Diaz brought honor to the Philippines w ith her “ determined spirit and undying passion for what she does.”

“Hidilyn is a true weightlifter who draws her strength from her love for the country and her deep Catholic faith,” he added. Diaz made history after becoming the Philippines’s first Olympic gold medalist since the country first participated in the international sporting event in 1924, or 97 years ago.

Hidilyn Diaz shows both her Olympic gold medal and Our Lady’s Miraculous Medal. PHOTO FROM HIDILYN DIAZ’S INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

Crediting her histor ic w in to God and the intercession of the Blessed Mother, the 30 -year-old topped the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting competition after an overall lift of 224 kilograms—an Oly mpic record. After winning, the four-time Olympian praised God and lifted up Our Lady’s Miraculous Medal she wore around her neck while repeatedly shouting “Thank You, Lord.” That gesture by Diaz has since gone viral. In an online news conference the next day, the weightlifter from Zamboanga shared the story behind the Miraculous Medal and what it meant to her. “ This was given to me by my

Redemptorists condemn red-tagging of its Laoag missionaries as unlawful, unjust

HE Redemptor ists have condemned the “malicious tagging” of its missionaries in Northern Luzon as communist supporters—calling on government agencies, especially the Commission on Human Rights, to conduct a “thorough investigation of this unlawful and unjust act.” In a statement, Fr. Victorino A. Cueto, superior of the congregation’s ViceProvince of Manila, said it is “truly sad” that the mission engagements of its Redemptorist Laoag Mission Community led to its members being red-tagged. “In conscience, this unfounded accusation must be vehemently denounced,” Cueto said. “They are not communists or even their supporters. They are Redemptorists, who follow the missionary vocation to serve the poor and most abandoned,” he said. T he pr iest ’s reac t ion c a me a f ter a t a r pau l i n red-t ag g i ng t he

A tarpaulin placed outside the compound of the Redemptorists in Laoag City on July 22 accused its missionaries as communist supporters. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Redemptor ists was placed outside t he i r compou nd i n L aoa g C it y, I locos Nor te, on Ju ly 22. He said such action is an “assault to human liberty” and poses a threat not only to the missionaries but also

to their mission partners. “ This kind of action that has been happening in many parts of the country, causing harm to individual groups, is not acceptable,” Cueto said. The Redemptorists based in Lao-

ag City has been actively assisting the local Church and nearby dioceses in providing faith formation and establishing new parishes in the past 15 years. T he relig ious communit y has also been helping different sectors in need, including students through college scholarships, farmers, workers and indigenous peoples, and extending relief and rehabilitation efforts during calamities. For its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Redemptorists had organized mobile kitchens to share food and medical supplies to frontliners and distributed food packs to people “struggling with the effects of the [community] lockdowns.” “As one Redemptorist family, we stand together! We w ill not cower in fear. We remain unshaken. We w ill continue to partake in God ’s mission of w itnessing to the Good News,” Cueto said. CBCP News

Divine transformation: Closed Alaska strip club now a church

NC HOR AGE , A l a s k a — A p o pu l a r s t r ip c lu b t h at once beckoned customers off a busy highway leading into Anchorage is now a church offering salvation—instead of temptation— thanks to a daughter of a former exotic dancer. Linda Dunegan believes divine intervention played a hand in transforming the building that housed Fantasies on 5th into the start-up Open Door Baptist Church, turning the show floor into a sanctuary and trading the dancer’s pole with a pulpit. “This church came about because I prayed for five years,” said Dunegan, who tried to buy the building before but walked away—for good, she thought—when she and the owner couldn’t come to terms. Then the owner gave a real estate agent a week to sell it and suggested the agent call Dunegan. This time, the deal went through. “God has been very good to me,” Dunegan said, “to give me a family, a wonderful husband, food on the table, a place to live.” The journey to savvy real estate investor with 19 properties in three states seems implausible for a girl barely surviving on a daily bowl of rice in her native Vietnam. Dunegan grew up in a small village near the Cambodian border, where most homes were on stilts and the surrounding water was everyone’s fishing grounds—and toilets. Her mother and father had an arranged marriage that Dunegan said

failed when her mother didn’t produce a male heir and was sent back to her village with her two daughters. With no other skills, her mother took a job as a waitress in a bar, where she met an American who would become her husband and help the family flee the war-ravaged country in April 1975 on a military transport when Dunegan was 8. The family struggled financially and moved around a lot, flitting from Los Angeles to Hawaii, Florida, Arizona and all over the East Coast. In the early 1980s, her mother and stepfather divorced. Friends encouraged her mother to move to Anchorage, where they said there was good money to be made working as a waitress in the bars filled with oil industry workers. Once in Alaska’s largest city, her mother quickly found out that there was better money to be made dancing at different bars, though Dunegan wasn’t sure if Fantasies on 5th was one of them. She and her mother had a falling out recently, and attempts by The Associated Press to contact her for comment were unsuccessful. As a child, Dunegan said she escaped into literature, reading a book a day. She studied hard, made the National Honor Society and went to college, eventually earning a doctorate. She also had a nearly three-decade military career with service in the Air Force and Navy reserves and the Alaska Air National Guard. Along the way, she married Gerry

Dunegan, a longshoreman, and together they built their real-estate holdings. Dunegan’s path to devout Christian took root when she was a child in America and a woman at one of the churches they attended ostensibly for the free food decided to take her under her wing. “I was dirty, unsightly and she took me to Sears. She bought me three dresses,” Dunegan said. “I work to pay that back today,” she said of the gesture that meant the world to her. Pastor Kenny Menendez said God called him to start a new church in Anchorage; he just didn’t know he and others would have to excavate through the detritus of a strip club to find it. The electricity was off on his first visit, but cell phone flashlights exposed black and red carpeting, booth seating, private showrooms, poles, a catwalk, a stage, huge bar tables and chairs among the Halloween decorations still displayed after the club abruptly closed a few years ago. “I looked at it as, ‘Yeah, it could be a church,’” said Menendez, who gave up a career in purchasing at an aerospace industry manufacturing plant in his native Oregon for his first ministry. “It just needed a facelift,” which included turning a private lap dance room into the youth ministry. Seventy-six people showed up for the grand opening, some to see what a church inside a former strip club looks like. Now they average about 45

people every Sunday, a decent crowd given it’s competing with about three dozen or so other Baptist churches in Anchorage. He also believes the Almighty approves of the work they are doing. “I would say God is pleased to have a change, a transformation in the building, a place that really ultimately points more people toward him instead of away,” he said. He has hopes that the church— which is situated between a marijuana retail store, a sex shop and downtrodden motels—will help improve the neighborhood. “One would hope that, yes, this is the beginning of just putting some light right here,” he said. The church, which will have its first anniversary in October, isn’t the only benefactor of the three-story building. Dunegan intends to use the second floor for fundraisers and as a reception rental location, and the third floor as a base for her Children’s Benefit Foundation. Here, she plans to bridge the gap for Anchorage youth, setting up cultural exchanges for them to visit Vietnam. She also intends to raise funds to help provide medical professionals in Vietnam with needed supplies, with a dream of possibly someday opening a hospital there. She said in an Air National Guard magazine article that it was her mother who planted that seed in her over two decades ago. “We’re starting out small,” Dunegan said, “but our heart is big.” AP

friend. They prayed the novena for nine days before my competition. I also prayed the novena,” Diaz said. “It is a sign of their faith and my faith to Mama Mary and Jesus Christ,” she said. She added that it was only during the Olympics when she was able to lift a 127 kg weight. She tried it but failed during her trainings she said. “Hindi ko in-expect na mabuhat ko yun kahapon [yesterday, July 26]. Siguro si God ‘yon and the prayers [I did not expect that I could lift that (127 kg weight) yesterday. Maybe it was God and the prayers (who made it possible)],” she said. In another interview, she said that before her event she “surrendered”

herself to God. Diaz posted an Instagram story with the text that reads, “Thank you for praying!” First known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, the Miraculous Medal is a sacramental inspired by the apparition of the Virgin Mary beginning in July 1830 to St. Catherine Laboure, considered the patroness of seniors for her lifetime work as a Daughter of Charity. The US-based Association of Miraculous Medal said in its web site the medal is not a good-luck charm, but “a great testimony to faith and the power of trusting prayer” to obtain extraordinary graces for those who wear it and pray for Mary’s intercession and help. CBCP News

US bishops issue guidance on Traditional Latin Mass

ENVER, Colorado—A growing number of bishops in the US, including Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington, have issued guidance regarding groups celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass in their dioceses, after a new recent document from Pope Francis imposed restrictions on the use of the traditional liturgy. The pope’s document, a motu proprio “on one’s own initiative” titled Traditionis custodes (Guardians of the tradition), made sweeping changes to his predecessor Benedict XVI’s 2007 apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum (Of the Supreme Pontiffs), which acknowledged the right of all priests to say Mass using the Roman Missal of 1962, which is in Latin. The new motu proprio states that it is each bishop’s “exclusive competence” to authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese. Bishops across the US have granted permission for the Traditional Latin Mass to continue in their dioceses while they study the document and determine how to proceed. “I will prayerfully reflect upon Traditionis custodes in the coming weeks to ensure we understand fully the Holy Father’s intentions and consider carefully how they are realized in the Archdiocese of Washington,” Cardinal Gregory of Washington wrote in a July 16 letter to his priests. “In the interim, I hereby grant the faculty to those who celebrate the Mass using the liturgical books issued before 1970 to continue to do so this weekend and in the days to come, until further guidance is forthcoming.” The new document sets out the responsibilities of bishops whose dioceses already have one or more groups that offer Mass in the extraordinary form, mandating that bishops determine that these groups do not deny the validity of Vatican II and the Magisterium. Bishops are instructed to “designate one or more locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration [not, however, in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes].” It also imposes new requirements for newly ordained priests wishing to celebrate the Extraordinary Form, and instructs bishops to verify that already-established parishes that celebrate the Extraordinary Form “are effective for their spiritual growth and to determine whether or not to retain them.” It further instructs bishops to “take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups” that celebrate the Extraordinary Form. The pope says he wrote the document in response to a 2020 survey of bishops, and explained that he was saddened by what he sees as a rejection of the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a brief statement on the matter July 16. “Today Pope Francis published Traditionis custodes, an Apostolic Letter issued motu proprio on the use of Latin

liturgical texts approved prior to the reform of 1970. I welcome the Holy Father’s desire to foster unity among Catholics who celebrate the Roman Rite,” Gomez wrote. “As these new norms are implemented, I encourage my brother bishops to work with care, patience, justice and charity as together we foster a Eucharistic renewal in our nation.” The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, addressed the situation in a July 16 statement. “At this point, it is too early to tell what all the implications will be for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, but we assure you that we remain committed to serving the faithful attending our apostolates in accordance with our Constitutions and charism as we have done since our founding,” the order said in a statement. “We must strive to see this Cross as a means of our sanctification, and to remember that God will never abandon His Church.” Other bishops have issued statements about the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass in their dioceses. “I have informed our clergy that I am granting temporary permission for those priests competent in offering Mass in the Extraordinary Form to continue to do so in churches that already have an Extraordinary Form Mass on their schedule or in a private setting until further study and clarification can inform an appropriate implementation of this document,” Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City said in a July 16 tweet. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco said on July 16 that, “The Mass is a miracle in any form: Christ comes to us in the flesh under the appearance of Bread and Wine. Unity under Christ is what matters. Therefore, the Traditional Latin Mass will continue to be available here in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and provided in response to the legitimate needs and desires of the faithful.” The Diocese of Arlington said that all parishes that had planned on offering Masses in the Extraordinary Form would be able to do so. “Bishop Burbidge has read the motu proprio regarding the 1962 Missal,” said a statement from Billy Atwell, chief communications officer for the Diocese of Arlington. “He will review it in greater detail and offer further guidance to our priests in the near future. Parishes currently scheduled to offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form this weekend have received permission to do so.” Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas said on Twitter that two parishes in his diocese that use the 1962 missal have “asked for & received permission to continue doing so while local norms appropriate to the motu proprio promulgated by His Holiness Pope Francis are being prepared.” Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas said the new restrictions “do not apply” to two of the diocese’s personal parishes, which are administered by the FSSP; however, the Traditional Latin Mass will cease to be celebrated in “regular parish churches” in the diocese. Catholic News Agency

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Sunday, August 1, 2021

Science

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Sunday, August 1, 2021

Sunday

DOST posts 740% increase in patents filed since 2016

By Rizal Raoul Reyes

TOTAL of 2,149 local and foreign patents were filed under the Department of Science and Technology’s DOST 500 Project, posting a colossal 740-percent increase from 2016 to 2021, according to a researcher and scientist of DOST’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI).

In the webinar this past week, “The Specialist: Strategic Insights on Emerging Methods on IP Valuation,” which is part of the Week-long Accomplishment and Culminating Activity of Special Projects (Wacas) of DOST-TAPI, Caezar Angelito E. Arceo said the agency had filed 921 copyrights, 756 utility models, 227 industrial designs, 116 trademarks, 92 patents, 26 under the Paris Copyright Treaty and 11 within the national phase entry. The DOST 500 Project stands for “Support to the Commercialization of 500 DOST-Generated Technologies and Strengthening the Country’s Intellectual Property [IP] and Technology Portfolios." One of the two special projects implemented by the DOST-TAPI in the past five years—which was completed in June this year together with Technology Transfer Day Project—had assisted in the commercialization of technologies through the creation of an IP database management system, IP portfolios, valuations and freedom-to-operate reports.

Technology transfer, licensing agreements

ARCEO said the DOST 500 Project

also provided technology transfer support and produced 313 licensing agreements and term sheets for its clients. “ These licensing agreements and term sheets were the ones that reached the fairness opinion reports, and we were able to assist them to reach [up to that stage],” he said. The fairness term report is the third-party body by the Philippine Technology Transfer Act to render a fair opinion on every licensing agreement or technology transfer initiative to be done on a publicly funded project in the country.

Training local officials

DOST-TA PI a lso suppor ted 28 training programs in various locations in the country, according to Arceo. The agency partnered with the Swedish Patent Office to train local officials on data analysis, data gathering and preparation of reports for the freedom-to-operate, which will help in the commercialization of technologies. Arceo said that an IP is a creation of the mind, and one of its major characteristic is that it must have global novelty.

“The Specialist: Strategic Insights on Emerging Methods on IP Valuation,” one of the online events of Wacas of DOST-TAPI, is headlined by (clockwise) Anna Liza B. Saet, Science Research Specialist II (event chairman); Danicah Faith Lagman, SRS I (host); Caezar Angelito E. Arceo, Supervising SRS; Glenda C. Rima, SRS II; DOST-TAPI OIC Atty. Marion Ivy D. Decena; and Marvin Eric Dela Cruz, Senior SRS (center). DOST-TAPI screenshot

“It must be a unique invention that can create an impact around the world,” he pointed out. Arceo said all IPs are also tangible in form, can be documented and not imaginary. To protect an invention from piracy, Arceo said, an inventor must seek the help of a patent agent.

IP valuation

In her opening remarks during the event, DOST Undersecretar y for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said IP valuation is ver y important for inventors so t hey ca n get suf f icient protection for their inventions. “How do we benef it in IP va luation? IP can be deemed as a commodit y that can be created.

T he ow nership of the creator is assured if ta ken properly and it prevents i l lega l copy ing the product,” Guevara said. Guevara pointed out that inventors must always have a dynamic mindset because technology and IP are always moving in a fast-paced manner. The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), which grants patents in the country, said that inventions must possess uniqueness and can contribute to the industrial productivity of the country. In a report published in BusinessMirror last week, IPOPHL said IP applications went down due to prolonged locked down measures in major areas in the country, including Metro Manila.

R&D center for garlic, agri-food condiments launched

RESEARCH and developme nt ( R & D) ce nte r for garlic and other agri-food condiments funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) was recently launched in Batac, Ilocos Norte. Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) will lead the three-year Garlic and Other Agri-Food Condiments R&D Center program with a funding support of P21 million on its first year of implementation. The program—which will be monitored by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD)—aims to pro-

vide science and technology-based interventions to increase the competitiveness of the garlic and other agri-food condiments industry in the Philippines through its five projects. These are: 1) Collection, character ization, conser vation and improvement of garlic and chili genetic resources in the Philippines; 2) Improvement of garlic and other agri-food condiments productivity through integrated crop management system; 3) Development and evaluation of village level low-cost storage structure for garlic; 4) Enhanced usability and profitability of garlic through black garlic processing; and 5) Value-chain analysis

Swimming gives the brain a boost

T’S no secret that aerobic exercise can help stave off some of the ravages of aging. A growing body of research, however, suggests that swimming might provide a unique boost to brain health. Regular swimming has been shown to improve memory, cogn it i v e f u n c t io n , i m mu ne re s pon se a nd moo d . Sw i m m i ng may also help repair damage from stress and forge new neural connections in the brain. Scientists are still trying to unravel how and why swimming, in particular, produces these brainenhancing effects. As a neurobiologist trained in brain physiology, a fitness enthusiast and a mom, I spend hours at the local pool during the summer. It’s not unusual to see children gleefully splashing and swimming while their parents sunbathe at

a distance—and I’ve been one of those parents observing from the poolside plenty of times. But if more adults recognized the cognitive and mental health benefits of swimming, they might be more inclined to jump in the pool alongside their kids.

New and improved brain cells and connections

UNTIL the 1960s, scientists believed that the number of neurons and synaptic connections in the human brain were finite and that, once damaged, these brain cells could not be replaced. That idea was debunked, however, as researchers began to see ample ev idence for the bir th of ne u ron s , or ne u ro ge ne s i s , i n adult brains of humans and other anima ls. Now, there is clear evidence

of garlic in the Philippines. The center is one of the newly approved prog ra ms u nder t he DOST Accelerated R&D Program for Capacity Building of Research a nd Development Inst it ut ions and Industrial Competitiveness: Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (Nicer). Nicer aims to capacitate higher educational institutions through an institutional grant for R&D activities that will significantly improve the regional research and S&T infrastructure. The program’s online launching was attended by DOST-PCAARRD’s Deputy Executive Director for R&D

Feliciano G. Calora Jr. and Crops Research Division Director Edna A. Anit; DOST Regional Director Armando Q. Ganal; MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis and program team led by Dionisio S. Bucao; ILAARRDEC Program Leader Epifania O. Agustin; Anya Yasmin A. Roslin representing DOST Undersecretary for R&D Rowena Cristina L. Guevara; and the DOST Science for Change Program Management Office staff. Agrupis expressed her gratitude to DOST and PCAARRD for guiding the MMSU program team in the proposal packaging and facilitating its approval. Ian Racpan Galano, Danica Louise Sembrano/S&T Media Services

that aerobic exercise can contribute to neurogenesis and play a key role in helping to reverse or repair damage to neurons and their connections in both mammals and fish. Research shows that one of the key ways these changes occur in response to exercise is through i nc re a s e d le ve l s of a prote i n called brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The neural plasticity, or ability of the brain to change, that this protein stimulates has been shown to boost cognitive function, including learning and memory. Studies in people have found a strong relationship between concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor circulating in the brain and an increase in the size of the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory. Increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor have also been

shown to sharpen cognitive performance and to help reduce anxiety and depression. In contrast, researchers have observed mood disorders in patients with lower concentrations of brainderived neurotrophic factor. Aerobic exercise also promotes the release of specific chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. One of these is serotonin, which— when present at increased levels— is known to reduce depression and anxiety and improve mood. In studies in fish, scientists have observed changes in genes responsible for increasing brainderived neurotrophic factor levels as well as enhanced development of the dendritic spines—protrusions on the dendrites, or elongated portions of nerve cells—after eight weeks of exercise compared with controls. This complements studies in mamma ls where brain-der ived neurotrophic factor is known to

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

DOST: Public trust in science in PHL is high despite low budget

HE Department of Science and Technology (DOST)— e ve n w it h it s sh r i n k i ng budget allocations in the last two years—has remained one of the most trusted government agencies in the Philippines, its news release said. DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said that while the share of research and development (R&D) in the national budget significantly decreased—from 0.75 percent in 2019 to 0.37 percent in 2021—the agency maintained a “high level of public trust.” From 2007 to 2017, however, R&D received a steady budgetary increase, averaging at about 0.65 percent of the country’s national budget, according to Guevara. Speaking at a recent webinar of the Southeast Asia Science Advice Network (SEA SAN) on the theme, “Rebuilding Public Trust in Science,” Guevara said the DOST ranked third among the country’s most trusted government agencies by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. in its March 20 to 29 poll. The independent, noncommissioned, national poll covered such areas as the state of the economy and national issues. Guevara also shared the results of the Wellcome Index 2018, which showed the countries where people “are most likely to have high trust in scientists.” A rating of 30 percent and above means “ high ” trust. The Philippines ranked 16th— between New Zealand and Iceland—with a high trust of 32 percent; 52 percent, medium trust; 13 percent, low trust; and 3 percent, have no opinion. Globally, the Wellcome Global Monitor Trust in Scientists Index found 18 percent of people have a high level of trust in scientists; 54 percent, medium trust; 14 percent, low trust; and 13 percent, have no opinion. Wel lcome is a UK-based found at ion t h at f u nd s he a lt h re search, leads polic y and advocacy campaigns and builds global par tnerships

DOST Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara Facebook photo

The DOST said in the same news release that it faced many challenges as one of the frontline agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly on the “shift needed for the effective rollout of science information and instructions on quarantine restrictions and safety protocols.” “ The Covid-19 crisis presented an opportunity for science and technology to shine the light on responsive government and governance,” Guevara said. Ba nner ing t he tec hnolog ies churned out by the DOST to deal with the pandemic, the R&D communications team implemented various activities, such as virtual pressers, social media infographics and informative videos, which were regularly disseminated to the public. “ To rebui ld tr ust in science, our top decision-ma kers need to appreciate science and technolog y and have science adv isers [pa r t ic ipate] i n t he de c i sionma k ing process. We need to continue solv ing pressing nationa l problems w ith S&T to continuously increase science literacy as ever yone can relate to nationa l problems,” Guevara said. In collaboration with the International Network for Government Sc ience A dv ice – A si a R eg ion a l Chapter (INGSA-Asia), the webinar featured SEA SAN and INGSA-Asia members as part of an expert panel of speakers involved in social science, media and communications.

Communal farms as sustainable food sources to be put up in 3 regions

A R MER S and household members from selected communities in three regions of the country will soon benefit from “sustainable and secure food sources” amid the Covid-19 pandemic. T hey w i l l be t ra i ned on ba sic far m management and crop produc t ion t h at t hey c a n apply i n “communa l and back yard far ms” to be put up i n R eg ions 1, 3 a nd 4 A by t he Depa r t ment of Sc ience a nd Tec hnolog y ’s Ph i l ip pi ne Cou nc i l for A g r ic u lt u re, Aqu at ic a nd Nat u ra l R esou rces R esea rc h a nd Development of t he DOST-PC A A R R D. These farms will be covered by three projects under the agency’s Good Agri-Aqua Livelihood Initiatives toward National Goals (Galing) PC A ARRD Kontra Covid-19 program. T hese projects and their

implementors are: “BIG-Panlaban sa Covid-19 Para sa Ilocos” of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU); “Going Back to Basic: Plant, Raise and Sustain the Chemic a l Pest ic ide -Free I nteg rated Backyard Farming” of the Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC); and “Participatory Enhancement of Food Security in Laguna through S&T-based Home Garden Systems” of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) T he v irtual inception meeting, coordinated by the agency’s Crops Research Division, was attended by project team members from MMSU, BA SC and UPLB; Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consor tium, and DOST-PC A A R R D of f ic i a l s a nd staff. Joel Norman R. Panganiban and Gabriel Paolo L. Peralta/S&T Media Services

increase neuronal spine density. These changes have been shown to contribute to improved memory, mood and enhanced cognition in mammals. The greater spine density helps neurons build new connections and send more signals to other nerve cells. With the repetition of signals, connections can become stronger.

can also lead to a large release of endorphins—hormones that act as a natural pain reducer throughout the body. This surge brings about the sense of euphoria that often follows exercise. Most of the research to understand how swimming affects the brain has been done in rats. Rats are a good lab model because of their genetic and anatomic similarity to humans. In one study in rats, swimming was shown to stimulate brain pathways that suppress inflammation in the hippocampus and inhibit apoptosis, or cell death. The study also showed that swimming can help support neuron survival and reduce the cognitive impacts of aging. Although researchers do not yet have a way to visualize apoptosis and neuronal survival in people, they do observe similar cognitive outcomes. Seena Mathew, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor/The Conversation (CC)

What’s special about swimming?

R ESEARCHER S don’t yet know what sw imming’s secret sauce might be. But they’re getting closer to understanding it. Swimming has long been recog nized for its card iovascu lar benefits. Because swimming involves all of the major muscle groups, the heart has to work hard, which increases blood flow throughout the body. This leads to the creation of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis. The greater blood flow

Biodiversity Sunday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Sunday, August 1, 2021

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Stakeholders join hands to protect and conserve the mountain range in Sarangani and South Cotabato

Protecting Mount Busa’s rich biodiversity

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

At the House of Representatives, Sarangani Rep. Rogelio D. Pacquiao has filed House Bill 9055 to declare Mount Busa a protected landscape.

fficials of Sarangani province have joined hands with conservation advocates to protect and conserve Mount Busa—the vast mountain range and watershed area straddling several towns in Sarangani and South Cotabato in Mindanao. Home to the region’s verdant primary forests, Mount Busa may soon be declared a protected area under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-Nipas) Act of 2018, with the provincial government of Sarangani giving it a much-needed push. Primarily located in the town of Kiamba, Mount Busa straddles Maitum and Maasim municipalities in Sarangani, and those of Lake Sebu, Surallah and T’boli in South Cotabato. Situated at 2,064 meters above sea level, Mount Busa is the highest peak in Sarangani covering a land area of 114,144 hectares. This mighty mountain range that is surrounded by forests was declared a key biodiversity area and an important bird area in 2001.

Under siege

THE current protection and conservation measures being implemented for Mount Busa need a boost as it continues to be under siege. The prov incial government of Sarangani said its declaration as a protected landscape under the E-Nipas would strengthen its protection and conser vation measures from destructive human activities, such as poaching , hunting , collection of w ildlife or by products, mining , l and conversion, sl ashand-burn farming and unauthorized cutting or removal of timber. Signed into law on June 22, 2018, E-Nipas amends Republic Act 7586, or the Nationa l Integ rated Protected Areas System (Nipas) Act of 1992, that promotes and strengthens the management of protected

areas (PAs) in the Philippines. The law also protects and conserves the country’s rich biodiversity against various threats. E-Nipas expanded the areas and the number of PAs and national parks covered by the previous law. This is on top of imposing a stricter penalty and higher fines against violators of the law.

Threatened wildlife, cultural significance

A rufous hornbill, also known as Philippine hornbill or kalaw, can be found in Mout Busa.

A RARE sighting of a Philippine eagle on Mount Busa

clearly threatened by tree-cutting and use of mercury by small-scale miners. “Mount Busa is an important source of water for domestic and agricultural use, among other uses, such as power generation,” Ramirez said. He said the mountain range, being a watershed, needs stronger protection because it is home to threatened wildlife that depend on its forests’ bounty. “There are mining activities in the area, while hunting and the gathering of wildlife, including birds and plants, are rampant,” he said.

Protected areas THER E are 240 PAs in the Philippines w ith a total of 107 under ENipas compared to the prev ious 13 PAs under Nipas. The rest of these PAs are covered by presidential proclamations or executive orders, which are considered to be initial components and may be disestablished by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) upon the recommendation of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), the highest policymaking body of a PA. Hence, the PAs are given stronger protection against potentially destructive development projects like mining, quarrying and logging or the establishment of an agricultural or agroforestry plantation that has besieged some PAs, such as those in Palawan province.

Local conservation area MOUNT BUSA has been declared a local conservation area (LCA) by the provincial government of Sarangani through Resolution 2020-10-042 in March last year. The LCA resolution acknowledged that the forest cover and wildlife of Mt. Busa are slowly diminishing due

Protected area assessment Mout Busa, a vast mountain range and watershed area in Sarangani province PHOTOS FROM SARANGANI PROVINCIAL GOVT.

to human encroachment and illegal activities. Prior to the passage of the resolution, Sarangani Gov. Steve C. Solon created the Mount Busa Task Force and Technical Working Group, which called on all stakeholders to immediately act to protect and conserve Mt. Busa. The LCA resolution was supported and endorsed by the municipalities of Kiamba, Maitum and Maasim, the provincial tribal council, the Sarangani provincial field office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and concerned national government agencies (NGA). The municipal boards and barangay councils of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum also endorsed a parallel resolution, while community stakeholders mounted a signature campaign sup-

porting the LCA resolution.

Urgent measure E xec ut ive Di rector Cor nel io M. Ramirez Jr. of Sarangani province’s Environmental Conservation and Protection Center (ECPC) told the BusinessMirror in an interview on July 28 that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) of Sarangani may pass an ordinance to further strengthen Mount Busa’s protection while the province is waiting for the PA declaration of Mt. Busa. “[Governor Solon] believes that declaring Mount Busa a protected area is very urgent because of the threats in the area,” he pointed out. Protecting the mountain range, he said, will also protect the province’s important water source, which is

Once Mount Busa is declared a protected area, Ramirez said it will undergo a rigid management regime, starting with the crafting of a management plan by its own PAMB. The DENR’s central office has started assessing the proposed measure to conserve the mountain range, Ramirez said, with the submitted requirements being processed by both the DENR regional and central offices. The assessment was facilitated by the Mount Busa Conservation Task Force and supported by the Sulong Kalikasan program of Governor Solon. “Its declaration as a protected area will add more teeth to [our] protection efforts and enforcement of var ious env ironmenta l laws,” R amirez said. He said that the PA declaration will also provide adequate funding support from both local and national governments, which will strengthen the implementation of conservation programs for the mountain range.

NAMED by the DENR as a key biodiversity area based on the vulnerability and irreplaceability of species in the area, Mount Busa is home to a diverse species of plant and animal wildlife. The mountain range is the habitat of some 200 plant, 58 bird, 30 amphibian, 24 reptile, 12 mammal and at least 18 other species of flora and fauna. Threatened wildlife species of conservation concern that have been found in the area include the Philippine eagle, Mindanao flying lizard, Taylor’s dwarf reed snake, rufous hornbill (Philippine hornbill or kalaw), tarsier and frog and orchid species. Besides being an important watershed in Mindanao, Mount Busa is also culturally significant for it is considered a hallowed ground by the T’boli indigenous people, who calls it Bulul Tembob. The mountain range is also vital to the economy as it balances the area’s ecosystem, especially the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, one of Mindanao’s richest fishing grounds. The mountain range also maintains two major river systems: Pangi, a site for whitewater rafting adventure, and Siguel, which feeds a hydropower plant for domestic and agricultural use.

Community, LGU backing

DENR Region 12 Information Chief Jhadija Bayam-Benpolok said Mount Busa has long been identified as home to a diverse species of flora and fauna. “For a long time [now], Mount Busa is known for the sighting of wildlife, particularly the Philippine eagle,” Bayam-Benplok told the BusinessMirror via Messenger on July 27. “The community members themselves were the ones who asked the assistance of DENR in declaring it a protected area,” she said. She said that even the local government units are united in this move as manifested by their support to DENR’s various information drive to raise the awareness of the people living around Mount Busa.

NAST PHL nixes ‘smart city’ project in Dumaguete City By Edwin P. Galvez @Edwin4Science

UILDING a 174-hectare “smart city” on lands to be reclaimed on “ biodiverse-rich marine protected areas” (MPAs) of Dumaguete City does not sound smart at all. Take it from our country’s leading scientists at the National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines (NAST PHL) who have added their voices to the growing opposition over the “proposed massive reclamation project.” In a statement, NA ST PHL — which counts among its 81 members the country’s top marine biology and social sciences experts—said the project will directly or indirectly have a negative impact on the MPAs. “Dumaguete City has historically committed to protect its marine ecosystems and secure the fisheriesbased livelihoods of its constituents by legally establishing four marine protected areas over the past 20 years,” the Academy said. It added that the MPAs are part of a system of protected coral reefs, seagrass beds and soft-sediment ecosys-

tems that boost fisheries productivity, conserve marine biodiversity and support tourism in Negros Oriental and the Central Visayas area. The MPAs, the Academy said, have a total area of approximately 104 hectares and are situated off the barangays of Bantayan, Lo-oc, Mangnao, and Banilad. Reportedly worth P23.35 billion but at no cost to the city government, the smart city project is building an off-shore island from Barangay Tinago to Barangay Banilad in the south and from Barangay Looc to Barangay Bantayan in the north. The artificial island is planned to have its coastal wastewater treatment facility, shoreline slope, wave protection, esplanade, a marina, a modern ferry port, an open area for sports facilities, a hospital and a city administration hub, according to a Philippine News Agency report. The Academy said that the reclamation project will also “disturb the vertical connectivity between the shore/shallow to deeper species assemblage,” citing a marine biological study last year titled, “Shore-fish

Rizal Boulevard, a popular tourist site in Dumaguete City. Wikimedia Commons assemblage structure in the central Philippines from shallow coral reefs to the mesophotic zone.” Conducted by Rene A. Abesamis, Jean Asuncion T. Utzurrum, Lucille Jean J. Raterta and Garry R. Russ at Apo Island, the study found that “connectivity between shallow coral reefs and adjacent deeper habitats may be crucial to reef ecosystem stability.”

In its statement, the Academy cited Republic Act 7582, or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas) Act of 1992, which promotes and strengthens the management of protected areas in the Philippines. The law also protects and conserves the country’s rich biodiversity against various threats as it has declared it to be the policy of the State “to secure for the Filipino people of present and

future generations the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals.” The law further stated that the “effective administration of these protected areas is possible only through cooperation among national and local government and concerned private organizations consistent with the principles of biological diversity and sustainable development.” The Academy then urged the proponents of the project to conduct an “Environmental Impact Assessment on adjacent ecosystems, including those in neighboring islands.” It also asked them to reveal to the “technical, legal, and due diligence reviews done on the sociology, ecology, and the economics of the project and for the government to hold public consultations/fora for the open discussion/scrutiny, verification, and validation of the project documents.” “As part of due process and in consonance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the action to indorse and approve the contract for a project with potential significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts should be rescinded

until the exercise of transparent public reviews/consultations of all the areas that will be impacted by this project have been done with diligence, accountability and good governance ensured,” the Academy said. In a story published in the BusinessMirror, National Scientist Dr. Angel Alcala, who is also a former env ironment secretar y; Silliman University (SU) President Dr. Betty McCann; and former SU president Dr. Ben Malayang III, who is also an environmentalist, had argued that the project will “destroy” and “bury” the few remaining marine ecosystems that support small-scale fishing in Dumaguete. NAST PHL, whose roster includes 13 Academicians conferred with the Order of National Scientist, including Alcala, acts as an advisory body to the President and the Cabinet on policies related to science and technology. The legislative and judicial branches of government also seek the advice of this collegial body, which is composed of National Scientists, Academicians and Corresponding Scientists.

Sports

Indian boxer won’t rule out Olympic future after setback

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unday, August 1, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

IMONE BILES’S sponsors, including Athleta and Visa, are lauding her decision to put her mental health first and withdraw from the gymnastics team competition during the Olympics. It’s the latest example of sponsors praising athletes who are increasingly open about mental-health issues. Tennis star Naomi Osaka found widespread support when she withdrew from the French Open earlier this year. Biles could still compete in other gymnastic events during the Olympics. She also has a solid history of gymnastic accomplishments, including four gold medals and a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics. She has earned five more all-around titles in world championships since 2013. That earns the 24-yearold a lasting athletic legacy that sponsors can capitalize on. “We are past the time when athletes like Simone are valued simply for their athletic prowess,” said Jim Andrews, founder of A-Mark Partnership Strategies. “She has earned a place in gymnastics history, and has proven herself to be an amazing spokesperson and influencer who has much to offer brands even without competing and eventually in retirement.” Biles split with longtime sponsor Nike in April to sign with Athleta, the athletic clothing arm of Gap. Biles’s deal with Athleta also includes sponsorship of the Gold Over America victory tour later this year, which will star her as well as other USA Gymnastics team members. At the time, Biles said she signed with Athleta over Nike because she wanted to be aligned with a brand more reflective of her values. “I feel like they work very closely with women and girls and

letting them have a voice and kind of breaking those beauty standards,” Biles said in May. Biles launched her first ad campaign with Athleta in June, including a video that showcases the people that have supported her through her rise to superstardom. Athleta put out a statement in support of Biles after her withdrawal in Tokyo. “We stand by Simone and support her well-being both in and out of competition,” Athleta said. “Being the best also means knowing how to take care of yourself. We are inspired by her leadership today and are behind her every step of the way.” Visa put out a similar statement, calling her decision “incredibly brave.” Nabisco said Biles is an “inspiration to us all.” Core Power, a protein shake maker, said Biles is “showing us all that her courage and strength extend well beyond the mat.” Dropping support of Biles would hurt a brand more than it would help, said David Carter, sports business professor at the University of Southern California, and founder of marketing consultancy Sports Business Group. “Given the fluidity and highprofile nature of the situation, as well as the sensitivities associated with her reasoning behind withdrawing, sponsors must be very careful not to be perceived as cutting and running,” he said. “Doing so would not only draw the ire of many consumers who staunchly support Biles, but also future athletes contemplating marketing relationships with any brands deemed tone deaf to the circumstances involved.” Meanwhile, before American gymnast Jade Carey took the floor for her unexpected performance in the women’s Olympic all-

SPONSORS PRAISE BILES

THE 24-year-old Simone Biles earns a lasting athletic legacy that sponsors can capitalize on. AP

around final on Thursday, she talked to Biles, whose exit from the competition meant Carey got the chance to fill her spot. “She told me, ‘Good luck,’ and go out there, do the best I can and have fun,” Carey said. Carey finished in eighth place, a result she said she was proud of given that just the day before she didn’t even know she would be competing. Biles and other teammates watched from the stands and cheered her on. “I feel really proud of myself for how I was able to step in at the last minute and compete,” Carey said. Biles scratched from the team finals on Tuesday after she got lost in the air on a vault. She announced Wednesday she would not compete in the individual all-around, a competition she won at the 2016 Olympics, and focus instead on her mental health. Carey finished in ninth place at qualifying last weekend. The top 24 athletes are permitted to move to the all-around final, in which they compete in all four events: uneven bars, vault, balance beam and the floor exercise. But countries are only allowed two, and the

powerhouse American team always stacks the top of the list. In qualifying, Biles finished first and Sunisa Lee came in third, so Carey was pushed out of the finals—until Biles decided she would no longer compete. The last few days, Carey said, were a “little bit crazy, just not knowing what was going to happen.” When competition arrived Thursday night, Carey started strong on the vault and the uneven bars. But she fell off the balance beam and quickly sank in the standings. “It means everything to me to be able to have this opportunity,” she said. “I just wanted to go out there and do the best I can and have a lot of fun and I feel like that’s exactly what I did.” She said she was proud of Lee for winning gold. They didn’t let the surprises this week rattle them. Carey said they focused on keeping things light and fun on the sidelines. Carey took an unconventional road to Tokyo. She did not wait for Olympic trials to become part of Team USA. She secured her spot

Fans find creative ways to glimpse Tokyo Olympics

TWO girls hold signs while waiting to get a glimpse of Yuto Horigome, the first Olympic gold medalist in skateboarding, outside the Ariake Urban Sports Park on Sunday. AP

ISHIMA, Japan—The soon-to-be Olympic champion was in what cyclists derisively call “the pain cave,” empty lungs searing and legs feeling like dead weight. The climb he was on seemed interminable, the evil gradient sending him straight into the sky. Hardly the time for Richard Carapaz to look fondly upon a near-naked man running beside him on the road. Except...did the stoic rider from Ecuador actually crack a smile? Indeed, he did. That same stunt that overzealous fans pull in the Alps and Pyrenees during the Tour de France, where it might annoy Carapaz to no end, was actually welcomed by him in the Olympic road race. That’s because

the draconian measures taken by the organizers of the Tokyo Games to prevent the spread of Covid-19 have also prevented fans from the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see most of the world’s best athletes perform on their own soil. Or roads, as it were. “It gave us a sensation of somehow coming back to normality, seeing the fans there,” Carapaz said later. “I loved it.” Technically speaking, a ban on fans for almost every event remains in place. Police and volunteer security guards are on almost constant patrol. But that hasn’t stopped many locals from catching a glimpse of the action. On the way to the opening ceremony, thousands lined the street to cheer for the buses, even though they had no idea

who was riding inside. They held up signs that read “Welcome to Tokyo,” despite public sentiment that has run strongly against the staging of the Games. When drones rose above the stadium, they were oohing and ahhing and taking pictures, just as they would have been watching their beloved Shohei Ono competing in their national pastime, Judo. Sixty miles to the east, where surfing made its Olympic debut, fans found their way to Tsurigasaki Beach. Starting on the first day of the three-day tournament, dozens crowded around the plastic orange fence marking the security perimeter, their revelry building throughout the day. Far off in the distance, locals could see the beach and athletes moving into the water, along with coaches,

journalists and volunteers at work. Nobody seemed to mind the jetties near the surf zone that blocked much of the competition. Over at Ariake Urban Sports Park, a dazzling stadium setup that would have seated 7,000 spectators for the Olympic debut of skateboarding, 8-year-old Ayane Nakamura was doing ollies on her “Peanuts” skateboard outside the venue. She had come with her mother, Rie, and camped outside at 7 a.m. in hopes of seeing her hero, Yuto Horigome, and the rest of the men arriving for competition. When the security guards inevitably showed up to shoo away Nakamura and her friend, 8-yearold Sora Yamagishi, the sprightly youngster in the blue Nike skateboarding cap kept slipping away. “Some people scold me several times,” Nakamura said, “so I have to hide when I see these people.” Others managed to find vantage points to watch skateboarding, too, and they were richly rewarded. Not only did Horigome win the men’s street event, Momiji Nishiya took gold and Funa Nakayama bronze in the women’s event. “I love skateboarding and follow all Japanese top skaters,” said Tamura, who works for a Tokyo staffing agency and managed to catch some of the kickflips and railstands through binoculars. Were fans bummed they couldn’t get in the venue? Maybe get a little closer to the athletes? “To be honest,” Tamura said, “I couldn’t get a ticket, so I am not that shocked. But in this circumstances, the decision makes sense, although it is sad.” Shogo Miyamoto, a freelancer from Kyoto, also thought the decision to ban spectators was

last year through the apparatus World Cup Series, competing in a string of competitions and the cumulative score promised her an individual spot in Tokyo. Claiming the individual spot meant she did not compete as part of the fourperson team that took a silver medal on Tuesday. Carey is known for being strong on the vault and completing punishingly difficult tumbling in the floor exercise. At qualifying, she finished just below Biles on both elements, taking second in vault and third on floor. She will compete in the event finals next week. She has practiced a new skill in her floor routine and could debut it on the Olympic stage during that event’s final on Monday. If she pulls off a triple-double layout, which is three twists and two flips while keeping her body straight, the move would be named after her and become the hardest floor skill in women’s gymnastics. She wouldn’t say Thursday whether she’s planning to perform it. “We’re not sure yet,” she said. “We’re just seeing how training goes and going from there.” AP correct. But that hasn’t stopped him from trying to breathe in the Olympic atmosphere. He arrived in Tokyo on the second full day of competition and tried to get a glimpse of a few of the venues, then planned to head down the coast to catch some sailing. “I wasn’t really interested in sports,” Miyamoto said. “But the Olympics is something that you wouldn’t have in your home country twice in your life. Maybe not even once. That’s why I wanted to come and explore the venues.” There are still plenty of opportunities, too, for the most intrepid of fans. With the right equipment and a little bit of gumption, golf fans might be able to catch a glimpse of Masters champion Hideki through the trees lining the East Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club. At Odaiba Marine Park, where a few souls braved the rain to watch the triathlon this week, long-distance swimmers will compete in the marathon. Speaking of marathons, the track and field marathon will take place next week in Odori Park in Sapporo, about 700 miles northeast of Tokyo, where temperatures should be slightly cooler. That could mean sightings of reigning Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya’s marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei or American fourtime Olympian Galen Rupp. Technically speaking, fans are prohibited from lining the route. But good luck policing 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) of road. AP

OKYO—Although Indian boxer Mary Kom is out of her second Olympics after a narrow loss to Ingrit Valencia of Colombia, the 38-year-old trailblazer might not be done chasing her Olympic dreams. Kom lost 3:2 to the thirdseeded Valencia in the round of 16 on Thursday at the Kokugikan Arena despite winning the final two rounds on the majority of the judges’ cards. A tentative first round went 4:1 to the 32-year-old Valencia, who hung on for the victory. India’s underdog pugilistic hero was disappointed to be finished so soon in Tokyo, but Kom hasn’t ruled out going for a third Olympic berth three years from now if the age limit on boxers is raised. “I’m still here,” Kom said, pointing to her heart. “I’m still strong enough. If you have it here, it’s still there.” The irrepressibly optimistic Kom, who rose from a povertystricken Manipur childhood and defied her father’s initial skepticism about boxing to become a six-time amateur world champion, reacted to her defeat with good sportsmanship and pragmatism. “The first round was not much, but in the second and third round, I’m not waiting for her anymore,” Kom said. “I don’t know what I think, but she is a very good fighter.” Kom is a mother of four and a member of parliament, so she has more than enough to occupy her time when she isn’t the subject of movies, books and television shows for her adoring fans. Although she had said she expected Tokyo to be her last Olympics, she didn’t sound so certain in the immediate aftermath. “I don’t know, because there’s an age limit,” Kom said. “Maybe, but I’m not sure about that.” The international boxing association currently limits boxers to 40 years old in its competitions, but it’s suspended for this Olympic cycle after years of problems. Even if the governing body is reinstated to run the Paris Olympics, it has expressed an openness to raising the age limit in the past, particularly if a celebrity fighter is interesting in pursuing an Olympic spot. Kom will wait to see what is decided about the age limit before she confirms her future, but her movement and fast hands still appeared to be intact during her lively loss to Valencia. Kom won her opening bout in Tokyo over Miguelina Hernandez of the Dominican Republic, but fell two victories short of clinching a second Olympic medal. Kom won bronze in London during the debut of women’s Olympic boxing, creating yet another highlight in a career that took off with her first pinweight (45 kilograms) world championship as a 19-year-old prospect in 2002. Kom didn’t qualify for Rio de Janeiro, but she persevered and made another comeback, even winning her sixth world title in 2018 before qualifying for Tokyo. AP

MARY KOM hasn’t ruled out going for a third Olympic berth three years from now if the age limit on boxers is raised. AP

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YOUR MUSI

HUMBLY GROWING SB19 on being proud of who they are

SB19

Publisher

: T. Anthony C. Cabangon

Editor-In-Chief

: Lourdes M. Fernandez

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: Aldwin M. Tolosa

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: 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

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: 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. Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025 Advertising Sales: 893-2019; 817-1351,817-2807. Circulation: 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. www.businessmirror.com.ph

By Stephanie Joy Ching

S one of the acts responsible for putting Pinoy pop or simply P-Pop into the global stage, sensational boy band SB19 are determined on seeing through their mission of spreading Filipino music with their latest EP, Pag-sibol. Containing six songs, including the single “What?” and “MAPA”, they describe the EP as a “rollercoaster” that documents their growth and a thank you letter to both their families and their fans, who are collectively known as A’tin. “Direct na siya,” said main dancer Ken about the EP title, “So ‘pag-sibol’-germination, because we talk about everything about our growth and about our journey as SB19 from the beginning up to where we are today,” Riding on the waves of the explosive, ruggish tone of “What?,” the six songs on the EP give off a home grown feel that can swing from the polished EDM beat of “Mana ‘’ to the mature rework of their earlier ballad “Ikako.” Other songs include “Bazinga,” a hip-hop influenced song about their doubters, and “SLMT” (Salamat), which is a

bright and summery thank you to their many supporters. With such diversity packed into six tracks, the EP is full of surprises for both A’tin and casual listeners alike. “Ayaw namin na iisang tunog lang pag pinakingan nila yung whole EP,” explained leader Pablo, “Parang pagnakinig sila sa EP, the next song will be a different sound from what they have heard doon sa nauna. So parang gusto namin na sumakay sila sa rollercoaster na paibaiba yung mood,” After fully breaking away from the ‘K-Pop inspired” image of their early stages, the group expressed that this EP allowed them more creative ways of showing their “purely Filipino soul,” as the company allowed them full creative control for “Pag-sibol.” This creates a unique blend of K-Pop’s polished flashiness and the down to earth,

more acoustically driven style of Filipino music. Rapper Josh described the experience as “applying what they can to grow” and making it their own. “We have been working for a Korean company, so pwede mo kaming ikumpara sa call center agent. Nagwo-work sila for other countries but at the same time ang soul namin is purely Filipino,” Josh explained. Despite achieving global success, even reaching as far as being nominated for the Billboard awards and being part of an interview with prestigious music magazine, Rolling Stone, the group remains humble when it comes to talking about their success. They state that though they are seen as trailblazers for the genre of P-Pop, they always want to show their “truest selves” on stage no matter what. They also emphasized that for the next generation of P-Pop idols after them, all they want to say is “be proud of who you are.” “SB19 alone wouldn’t be successful na kami lang,” said Josh. “Kailangan namin ng kasama sa industry na ito. Isa sa mga main goals namin ay magbigay inspiration sa mga bata or sa new generations na gustong sumubok. SB19 alone can’t establish yung pop culture dito sa Pilipinas, kailangan namin yung susunod na generation,”

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BUSINESS

SoundSampler by Tony M. Maghirang

FROM CHURCH HYMNS TO OPERA

Celebrated pianist Raul Sunico presents 2,000 years of Italian Music

AST July 28th, Wednesday evening, on the occasion of the 280th death anniversary of Antonio Vivaldi, world renowned Filipino pianist, Raul Sunico, gave a lecture recital titled “The Music of Italy Through The Centuries.” The main intent was for members of the Philippine Italian Association to experience the various musical sounds of the different periods as they unfold over time. The online audience via Zoom was subsequently treated to a musical travelogue of Italy through the country’s music history spanning 2000 years of stylistic development and compositional trends and how Italy’s music and musicians have become the most important exponents of world music. Highlights of the presentation include: Italy has been the source of musical inventions, such as the musical notation, musical instruments including the violin and the piano as well as opera and theater. The history of Italian music started as early as the ancient times when Rome was still the center of civilization and to

this day remains a part of the republic of Italy. In 386, St Ambrose composed sets of hymns which have survived the popularity of the later Gregorian chant. Opera has a prominent role in the development of Italian music as well as the form of opera itself and Italian opera reached its golden age during the Romantic period. Verdi, an intensely private person, did not associate himself with high society, concentrating instead on proper remuneration for his work. Yet upon his death in 1901, his popularity was clearly demonstrated when his funeral service was attended by 300,000 people, considered the largest public assembly in Italy’s history. Ennio Morricone, the man behind spaghetti western soundtracks, a composer, conductor and orchestrator, has produced more than 500 scores

for cinema and TV and contributed music to more than 70 awardwinning films. In the end, Dr. Sunico said, “The width and breadth of Italy’s musical figures and development are so spread out that it is difficult and almost impossible to just classify them by genres. As we progress to the 21st century, Italian musicians are certainly keeping pace with the rest of the world, discovering and creating new trends while keeping their old traditions of beautiful, expressive and inspiring music.” In an earlier online Q & A, Dr. Raul Sunico shared with Soundstrip what brought about his latest lecture-recital and how musicians like him are surviving the pandemic.

Aside from celebrating the 280th death anniversary of Vivaldi, are there any other reasons that sparked the idea for this lecture recital?

THE lecture recital is a project of the Philippine Italian Association for the benefit of its members, and in this case open to nonmembers, to generate some activities during the pandemic. The topic of Music History of Italy was upon my suggestion both as a member of the PIA Board and as a musician. The lecture recital is a combination of talk and play, where the performances are interspersed with the topic being discussed. A regular concert is pure performance without any dialogue.

Is this your first lecture recital? In the first place, is there any chance this solo recital will be accessible later on music portals?

PIANIST Raul Sunico

I HAVE had a number of lecture recitals before both here and abroad, where topics include Philippine Music History, Proper Singing of the National Anthem, Music of the Philippine Revolution (1896-98), Various Classical Recital Programs. The PIA will be the one to decide later whether this lecture recital will be accessible on other portals since this is their project.

We understand even non-PIA members can be a part of the recital by simply registering online. Will there be an effort to make some of the pieces be appreciated by the more pop-oriented millennials and rock heads like us?

Non-PIA members can also register on a first comefirst served basis. The lecture part will explain the pieces I will be playing. It is up to the millennials and other nonclassically oriented listeners how well they can absorb the lecture. It is all a matter of attitude and open-mindedness.

A lot of musicians keep harping the lack of opportunities to play their music live. Briefly, how are you surviving the pandemic?

I CONDUCT online classes and individual online piano lessons at home. Unfortunately, live performances are still not possible until further notice but I try to practice regularly for when the proper time comes, hopefully soon.

What is the SSI Group and their role in your latest musical event? SSI stands for Stores Specialists, Inc. which is the main sponsor of the event.

High-rise over parks?

Rethinking an approach to climate change By Gernot Wagner

Bloomberg Green

limate change is hitting home everywhere. Just in the last few weeks, extreme heat, floods, and fires have all come to look like part of the new abnormal, and few places are safe. New York is issuing air quality alerts because of wildfires some 3,000 miles west. Climate policy, too, is increasingly personal, and there’s nothing quite as personal as housing policies—where we live, and how. It’s clear that city living cuts carbon— by around 50 percent relative to living in suburbia. If cities are part of the answer to climate change, then of course we should be enabling more people to live there. The pandemic flight to the suburbs might have been woefully exaggerated, but cities do have work to do. Task number one: build more housing. Housing stock in New York City, where I live, has sagged inexcusably behind employment figures. Jobs here were up some 28 percent in the 15 years from before the Great Recession to before Covid hit, but housing units increased by only slightly

A 123-unit building is slated to be built on the site of what is now the Elizabeth Street Garden, a community garden on a roughly 1-acre lot owned by the city. Getty Images via Bloomberg more than 8 percent. That unsustainable discrepancy pushes home prices ever higher and more and more people from the city into the suburbs, increasing CO₂ emissions in the process. All of this must surely be known to the liberal, well-educated, and, yes, rich residents of places like Soho and Noho in lower Manhattan. But that doesn’t make it any easier to build more homes. These neighborhoods are home to a mere 8,000 of New York’s 8 million residents, with plenty of space to add more housing. And indeed, that’s precisely what the city plans to do, aiming for 3,200 new units, around 800 of them classified as affordable. In addition, 123 affordable units are slated to be built on the site of what is now the Elizabeth Street Garden, a community garden on a roughly 1-acre lot owned by the city.

It’s not ideal to trade green space for housing. But more and better housing in cities demands just this kind of tradeoff. Nobody will be deprived of access to green space because of this development. There are two parks within a 2-minute radius of the Elizabeth Street Garden: one that’s tiny but has a mighty playground, the other that’s almost 8 acres, with four play gyms and two soccer fields. They’re also open after 6 p.m., when the organization running Elizabeth Street Garden locks the gates. The proposed development, meanwhile, includes around 6,600 square feet of open outdoor space. Moreover, the garden rezoning has already passed City Council and is now subject to additional lawsuits; the Soho/Noho rezoning has yet to pass. The Elizabeth Street Garden is indeed a

haven. I’m there at least once a week with my children for lunch, largely because it’s conveniently located on the way home from our favorite bagel place. But after a couple years of noise and dirt from construction (itself the reason for some to object to any kind of development) there will even be plenty of open space for us to eat our bagels in the very same location, with the added bonus of knowing that 123 seniors found a place to live. The biggest trouble here, as with climate policy more broadly, is the asymmetry of who lobbies for what. As Niccolò Machiavelli quipped in 1532, “the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.” Were they to show up en masse, those 123 seniors might outnumber NIMBYs at most community meetings. But they wouldn’t because they don’t yet know whether they’ll actually find an apartment in Soho, and are thus unlikely to advocate vociferously for new housing. The test for New York’s rezoning efforts— and urban planning more broadly—is whether new and better housing can motivate the next young family to choose to live in a city rather than a suburban subdivision. Even the greenest sprawl is still sprawl. That’s the real tradeoff between housing and climate, and one where New York and other cities can make the biggest difference to help cut carbon: create more New Yorkers. n Gernot Wagner writes the Risky Climate column for Bloomberg Green. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Artificial intelligence could dramatically speed up climate action

echnological solutions to climate change can be put into two categories. Vertical solutions that tackle pollution in one sector, say low-carbon fertilizers that help reduce emissions in agriculture. Or horizontal solutions that address issues across many different industries, say lithium-ion batteries that electrify cars but also better integrate renewables in the electricity mix. Artificial intelligence is one such horizontal technology that has big potential to help cut plenty of planet-warming emissions. The list of problems AI can solve is long, and the number of start-ups using AI to solve some of those problems is longer still. As with any new technology, there’s also a lot of hype. To cut through the noise, we spoke with Priya Donti of Carnegie Mellon University and David Rolnick of McGill University, two of the three co-chairs of the group Climate Change AI, which brings together academic and industry experts.

What exactly is AI? “It’s a very broad term that basically cov-

ers any computational algorithm that can perform some kind of complex task,” Donti says. “Typically, tasks that humans can do like vision, speech, reasoning.” There’s still a philosophical debate among AI researchers whether the goal of AI is to do things as well as a human— or achieve superhuman performance. Machine learning is a type of AI application that is narrowly focused on drawing insights from large datasets. It’s probably what a human could have done, Donti says, but machine learning helps speed up the process.

at cement, steel and chemical companies. WeaveGrid is helping electric grid operators better integrate electric-vehicle charging. n Accelerating scientific discovery. The start-up Aionics helps speed up the experiments needed to find a new battery material. n Making climate simulations quicker. Researchers are using AI to cut the time needed to run big, complex models. n Improving predictions. The start-up Kettle uses neural networks to improve forecasts of wildfire risk.

How can AI help reduce emissions?

Yes. “AI accelerates whatever you ask it to accelerate,” Rolnick says. That means there are applications of AI that can increase emissions, too. The biggest tech companies provide AI solutions to oil and gas firms to optimize the exploration and production of fossil fuels. Algorithmic recommendation tools on retail platforms likely help increase consumption. And self-driving cars may end up substantially increasing the number of miles driven.

There are five broad ways to think about AI’s climate applications: n Distilling data into actionable insights. For example, data analytics company Kayrros uses satellite images and machine learning to help spot methane leaks. n Optimizing complicated systems. Fero Labs, based in the US and Germany, uses machine learning to improve energy efficiency

4 BusinessMirror

Could AI help increase emissions?

AUGUST 1, 2021

So it’s important that those deploying AI solutions find ways of ensuring that, wherever possible, there’s alignment with global climate goals.

What are other potential pitfalls? The sheer interest in deploying AI means that its applications are set to explode, says Donti. A recent virtual Climate Change AI workshop drew 2,000 participants. Researchers submitted 300 proposals to put AI to use tackling global warming. “The big mandate for the community is that, even though AI is a flashy technology, there are many situations when a less flashy solution might be the correct one,” she said. “It’s important to make sure that AI doesn’t end up serving as a diversion.” The goal would be to make the use of AI as widespread as spreadsheets are today. But to really help fight climate change, users need to be skilled and aware of the technology’s potential and pitfalls, Rolnick says. Bloomberg