SPARK OF MAGIC IN YOUR MIND
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Strand is getting a reboot as the Department of Education knows it plays a key role in preparing future generations for a fast-changing jobs landscape.
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
IN today’s technology-driven world, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strand plays a crucial role in equipping students with core skills and mindset, essential for the rapidly evolving job market.
In Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Talubangi National High School (TNHS) is a “go-to” for Senior High School (SHS) students who have the aptitude for Math, Science, and Engineering. The school prides itself in being the only nationally-recognized science-oriented high school in the Division of the City of Kabankalan.
“Talubangi National High School takes pride in offering the STEM strand as the flagship of its specialized science programs,” said Assistant Principal Jelmer Gumban.
The school is known in the city to have a reputation of academic excellence, having undeniably intelligent students and graduates.
“We provide a learning envi-
ronment equipped with facilities, research opportunities, and a curriculum designed to challenge and inspire. Guided by competent and highly trained teachers who are passionate about their craft, students are nurtured to develop critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving and life skills that prepare them for the demands of the 21st century,” added Gumban, who is also Science, Technology, and Engineering (STE) Program Coordinator of TNHS. Currently, a total of 193 SHS are enrolled in STEM.
STEM is challenging STEM, Gumban admitted, is challenging both for the students
pursuing it and the educators for STEM strand, because it is both rigorous and dynamic, but he said, challenges are a “natural part of the journey for teachers and students alike.”
“For students, the STEM program requires mastery of advanced concepts in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, coupled with strong analytical and research skills. They must also learn to collaborate effectively in group projects and adapt to advancements in technology. For teachers, the challenge lies in keeping pace with the evolving scientific and technological landscape while designing engaging lessons that bridge theory and real-world application,” he explained, adding that both sides must embrace continuous learning, perseverance, and resilience to thrive in STEM.
STEM is indeed challenging, agreed Hanz Cedric C. Medes, 23, a new college graduate of Civil Engineering with specialization in Structural Engineering.
Medes said he picked STEM strand when he entered SHS because he knew a STEM education will prepare him for his engineering career in the future.
But STEM is “easy” for him, he said, because he is always focused on studying.
“I survived [STEM strand] because I learned how to be independent. And also learned how to be confident with my answers, and not doubt my capabilities,” he said.
If he will go back to his SHS days, Medes said, he will definitely choose STEM strand over again.
Spark students’ interest TO make STEM interesting for Grades 11-12, TNHS employs a variety of strategies to spark and sustain students’ interest in STEM like participation in hands-on laboratory experiments, research and robotics challenges, research capstone projects, and STEM-related competitions are integrated into the curriculum to make learning interactive and exciting.
“In addition, we actively conduct advocacy programs in nearby schools to promote the STEM strand, inspiring younger students to pursue science and technology—fields that are in high demand in today’s fast-changing and technology-driven world,” Gumban said.
Investing in young minds JUST this week, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday underscored that the nation needs a new STEM education that sparks change and transforms lives.
“A curious mind is the seed of a promising tomorrow. Our children hold the key to solving the emerging challenges of the future—armed with creativity, resilience, and the power of their innovative thinking,” Angara said as he led the grand opening of MindSpark, the country’s largest science museum, describing it as a “playground for the mind” and challenging students to turn curiosity into innovation that can change lives. Organized by the Philippine Amusement and Entertainment Corporation, MindSpark aims to
Hilton to operate Ayala Land’s new hotel in 2026, 6th in the PHL
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror
AYALA Land Hospitality (ALH) is aggressively pursuing its expansion plans, announcing another new hotel to open in 2026.
In a news statement, the hotel concern of listed property developer Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) said on Wednesday it had signed an agreement with Hilton, a publicly listed global hospitality company, to introduce Canopy by Hilton in Makati.
The 24-story Canopy by Hilton Makati will have 400 stylishly designed rooms and suites, and will rise above One Ayala development. The property, which used to be the location of ALI’s five-star InterContinental Manila, has since been redesigned as a new landmark with retail shops, restaurants, and commercial spaces, along with a vital transport hub.
“Introducing our Canopy brand to the Philippines is a significant milestone, especially in such a vibrant junction in the heart of Makati. Metro Manila is ripe for a fresh perspective on hospitality, and we believe Canopy’s lifestyle approach will resonate with both local and international guests. This launch also marks the beginning of a meaningful partnership with Ayala Land Hospitality, who are passionate stewards of the Canopy vision,” said Hilton Vice President,
Development for South East Asia Maria Ariizumi.
This is the second in a slew of new hotel brands that ALH said it will be introducing in the next months—a few homegrown and the rest in partnership with foreign hospitality firms. It recently announced a partnership with Marriott International for a hotel in its Circuit Makati property. (See, “ALH unit partners anew with Marriott for Moxy Hotels,” in the BusinessMirror, Aug. 1, 2025.)
“We’re thrilled to team up with Hilton to bring Canopy’s vibrant spirit to Manila,” said ALH President and Chief Executive Officer George Aquino for his part. “It’s not just about adding rooms—it’s about creating stays that spark curiosity and celebrate Filipino creativity. This exciting collaboration brings us closer to our goal of shaping the Philippines into a must-visit destination, one unforgettable stay at a time.”
The partnership with Hilton or Canopy will just be for one hotel, according to an ALH source. Canopy by Hilton Makati will be designed with comfort in mind using materials and artwork in-
spired by Manila’s creative and cultural scene, a style for which the brand has been known.
“The hotel will also become a new hub for the city’s social and food scene.” said Aquino. “Locals
and guests alike can explore a destination restaurant, rooftop bar with skyline views, and hidden speakeasy that channels Manila’s eclectic energy. More than just places to dine and drink, these spaces will play host to Manila’s creative pulse. From DJ sets to stylish social events and modern cultural activations, Canopy by Hilton Makati will be a gathering place where the city comes to life,” he added.
Other amenities include a pool deck, a “high-performance” gym hosting group classes using topof-the-line equipment, reimagined meeting spaces, and vibrant areas for weddings and celebrations.
“The Philippines continues
to shine as a vibrant and dynamic destination, celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and warm, welcoming people, making it an ideal setting for the Canopy experience. Makati has long been—and will remain—a favorite among travelers seeking a mix of urban sophistication, culture and lifestyle experiences,” said Hilton Area Vice President and Regional Head of South East Asia Alexandra Murray, separately. Canopy by Hilton has over 40 hotels across 14 countries and territories with 40 more in the pipeline. “Each Canopy hotel is different by design, thoughtfully tailored to its setting. Canopy Makati carries that spirit forward with a
Spark of magic in
serve as an extension of the classroom, providing a stimulating environment for learners of all ages.
To Angara, investing in young minds is an investment in the future. The 9,000-square-meter facility at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City features more than 100 interactive exhibits and 30 themed rooms designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding of STEM.
Angara underscored the potential of young minds as he cited the story of high-school student Eisen Gabriel Francisco, whose team developed an eco-friendly solution to combat the coco-lisap pest in Basilan, helping not only farmers but also the country’s economy—all while still in high school.
DepEd and DOST
IN a bid to boost STEM education in the Philippines, Angara and Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in January.
The MOU between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be effective for four years.
The partnership will outline efforts to address key areas such as teacher training, curriculum development, student engagement, resource sharing, and data-driven research, with the goal of improving scientific literacy and promoting innovation in basic education.
“This is a significant step in redeveloping the science and technology curriculum, enhancing learner engagement, and strengthening
perspective that’s rooted in warm hospitality, full of energy, and infused with modern design and a bold perspective,” she added. Canopy by Hilton Makati will be the sixth property managed by the Virginia-based Hilton Worldwide in the Philippines. Currently in operation are Conrad Manila (347 rooms) in Pasay, Hilton Manila Newport Resorts (356 rooms), and Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort (308 rooms) in Pampanga. In development are Hilton Garden Inn Manila Quezon City (210 rooms) and Hilton Garden Mactan (151 rooms).
Guests of Canopy by Hilton Makati will also have access to the American hospitality firm’s guest loyalty program, Hilton Honors.
your mind
school networks and resources for research,” Angara said.
Likewise, it prioritizes nurturing Filipino students’ creativity, critical thinking, and problemsolving skills while enhancing the professional capacities of STEM educators.
For TNHS, Gumban said, they ensure that their teachers are fully equipped through continuous professional development programs, participation in seminars, workshops, and training sessions focused on the latest trends in STEM education.
“We make sure that every opportunity is perfectly tailored based on the Teachers Development Needs Assessment that properly addresses the professional needs of the teachers. Collaboration with higher education institutions, government agencies, and private organizations allows our faculty to access advanced teaching resources and updated teaching practices,” he said.
Moreover, he added, they encourage peer mentoring and lesson-sharing sessions, “fostering a culture of innovation and mutual support. This ensures our teachers are not only knowledgeable but also skilled in translating complex concepts into engaging, studentcentered learning experiences.”
Push for transformative reforms LEADING Philippine universities, meanwhile, have thrown their support behind the findings and recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2), signaling a united push for transformative reforms in the country’s education system.
Institutions such as the University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University are at the forefront of this movement, prioritizing key recommendations to address critical gaps in Philippine education.
One of the Edcom 2 recommendations the universities are focusing on is Strengthening STEM and Research Capabilities. Institutions are prioritizing investments in STEM education, as well as fostering a culture of research and innovation.
The recommendation aligns with the universities’ shared values of excellence, equity, and innovation. By supporting Edcom 2, they aim to create a more inclusive and globally competitive education system that empowers Filipino learners to thrive in the 21st century.
SB No. 2974
SENATE Bill No. 2974, or the Expanded Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System Act, principally sponsored by Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, seeks to expand the reach of the PSHS System, strengthen its governance, and provide appropriate funding for its implementation.
“We can empower our students to grow into bold innovators and thinkers who will shape a better future for our country—and it all starts in our schools,” said Zubiri.
Once enacted, the law will bring the PSHS brand of STEM excellence closer to deserving students nationwide, allowing more scholars to access quality education and contribute to the country’s innovation landscape.
Editor: Angel R. Calso
From promising IPO to cautionary tale: Malaysia’s FGV Holdings set to delist after dramatic market collapse
By Anuradha Raghu & Anders Melin
WHEN Facebook went public in 2012, the world’s nextlargest listing that year was a company from Malaysia best known for producing cooking oil.
Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Deutsche Bank AG lined up with the country’s biggest banks to manage the $3.3 billion initial public offer of FGV Holdings Bhd, which outperformed the social media giant in the initial months of trading.
It’s been a flop ever since, with the commodities company poised to delist this month at less than a third of its IPO price, a drop of 70%.
Poor investments ate into profits, while boardroom tensions erupted into public view. Under FGV’s 10 chief executive officers since 2012, billions of dollars in market value were wiped out, turning an episode meant to showcase a rising commodities powerhouse into a costly embarrassment for the country.
Financial scandals have tarnished Malaysia’s reputation for decades, including corporate bailouts by state-owned funds. In the case of FGV, there is no evidence of wrongdoing but it stands out for the international attention it attracted at the start and ensuing malaise. In Kuala Lumpur’s financial circles, talking about FGV prompts heavy sighs among analysts and executives, and its tale serves as a cautionary tale for investors considering exposure to government-linked companies.
“It was a lost opportunity for Malaysia,” said Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia. This “could have been a venture that would transform both fortunes of smallholders and Malaysia’s standing in the global oil palm industry.”
FGV produces around 3% of the world’s palm oil, used in everything from cooking oil to chocolates, though the company lags peers on key metrics like how many of the reddish-colored fruits it can harvest from its trees and how much oil it can extract from those bunches.
The government shareholder known as Felda, or Federal Land Development Authority, has accused FGV of underperformance, which the company has previously blamed on factors including the falling price of crude palm oil and aging trees. This is Felda’s second attempt to delist the company over the last five years, and it succeeded in recent weeks when the agency acquired more than 90% of FGV. The exit offer closes on Friday. Felda said that after FGV’s removal from public markets, it will replace trees to boost yields and cut costs with technology. Top government officials said the company will return to its original ethos of helping farmers. FGV remains “fully committed to ensuring business continuity, creating long-term value for our shareholders, and strengthening our position as one of Malaysia’s leading agri-business companies,” it said in response to queries from Bloomberg. The company declined to comment further as the delisting is in progress. Felda said it is unable to make any statement for the same reason.
Still, many are skeptical about the future. “Privatization is only a symbolic move to make it look as
though the problems are solved,” said Adib Zalkapli, managing director of Viewfinder Global Affairs, a political risk consultancy.
“But it only solves the aspect of it being in the public eye.”
The top banks on the IPO—Malayan Banking Bhd., CIMB Group Holdings Bhd., Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank— either declined to comment or said it doesn’t disclose or comment on specific clients.
Global ambitions
DECADES before the problems, it was a more successful tale. Malaysia had embarked on developing farms in its lush heartland, and poor families were invited to move in and grow rubber trees and oil palms. The so-called settlers sold the produce to the government, were guaranteed an income and paid a monthly mortgage.
The scheme was organized under Felda, and grew to encompass more than 110,000 families by the 1990s. This scale helped make Malaysia one of the world’s largest producers of palm oil and lifted people out of poverty, so much so that the World Bank praised Felda as “a clear example that publicly funded agencies can be efficient users of resources.” FGV was formed in 2007 as a subsidiary meant to oversee and improve the returns of its plantations. IPO plans followed, in part so that the firm could tap capital
markets instead of rely on the government for growth.
At the time of listing, FGV was touted as the third-largest oil palm plantation operator in the world with over 340,000 hectares of estates in Malaysia, about the size of Rhode Island in the US. It also had a footprint in countries abroad, from China to South Africa.
Then-Prime Minister Najib Razak promised part of the IPO proceeds would go to farmers. A general election was a year away and Felda farmers make up crucial voting blocs.
In a speech ahead of the 2012 IPO, Najib declared the listing would be a “quantum leap” for FGV. He also took a swipe at Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms Inc., whose shares had sunk below the offer price, saying he hoped FGV would perform better.
Bankers who worked on the IPO recalled how investors clamored to be allocated shares as they didn’t want to miss out on the deal. One of the world’s biggest agricultural traders, Louis Dreyfus, took a small stake,
while others who supported the IPO included Qatar’s sovereign fund, AIA Group and multiple Malaysian funds.
The shares surged more than 16% on their debut in June that year.
But that didn’t last. The stock hasn’t traded above its listing price since May 2014.
Louis Dreyfus, the Qatar fund and AIA declined to comment.
Acquisition spree
FOR almost all its time as a listed company, the portion of analysts’ hold and sell calls on FGV has outnumbered the buy calls, according to data compiled by
Bloomberg. Analysts’ reports have highlighted that the company lagged peers in performance metrics and expressed skepticism about management’s rationale for some key deals.
FGV went on an acquisition spree after its listing, investing in assets from luxury condominiums to a nano carbon company. A 2019 report from Malaysia’s Economic Affairs Ministry concluded FGV spent 73% of its IPO proceeds, or 3.3 billion ringgit ($780 million), on such unprofitable bets.
Among the most contentious deals, its 2014 purchase of Asian Plantations later resulted in the company suing its former CEO as well as 13 other board members and executives over the acquisition, alleging breach of fiduciary
duties resulting in losses. The defendants have filed their defenses and the case is going to trial in September, FGV said in an April filing.
A planned investment by FGV in Indonesia’s Eagle High Plantations in 2015 caused an uproar, and executives had to defend the rationale and premium offered for the 37% shareholding. FGV eventually scrapped the deal, though the stake was bought by Felda more than a year later.
In 2017, FGV’s former chairman and CEO publicly accused each other of financial misconduct, leading to a raid and probe by Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency. The status of the investigation is unclear, and the agency
See “Malaysia,” A4
Violent guerrillas are taking Colombia’s children; unarmed Indigenous groups are confronting them
By Steven Grattan The Associated Press
CALDONO, Colombia—
When Patricia Elago Zetty’s 13-year-old son went missing in Colombia’s conflict-ridden southwest, she didn’t hesitate. Elago and five fellow members of the Indigenous Guard trekked across mountainous terrain to confront the guerrillas they suspected of taking her son and another teenager to bolster their ranks.
When the unarmed Guard members reached the guerrillas’ camp, about 30 fighters stopped them at gunpoint. After a tense wait, a tall commander stepped out from a gate, and Elago said she had come for her son. The commander said he would “verify” whether the boy was there.
After about an hour of negotiations and radio calls, five more guerrillas arrived with her son Stiven and the other boy. When she saw Stiven, Elago said, it felt like her soul returned to her body.
“He hugged me and said, ‘Mom, I never thought you’d risk so much,’” she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It was a victory.”
Rescue missions like Elago’s have intensified for the Indigenous Guard of the Nasa people, which formed in 2001 to protect Indigenous territories from armed groups and environmental destruction such as deforestation and illegal mining. Since 2020, as armed groups tightened their control of Nasa territory to expand illicit crops like marijuana and coca, those guerrillas have ramped up
their recruitment of the region’s children by dangling offers of cash and protection.
Over eight days reporting in the Cauca region, the AP spoke to more than 20 young people affected by the recruitment as well as several families grappling with the same threat. Some youths had escaped, others were rescued, and a few chose to remain with the groups.
Guns versus a sacred staff COLOMBIA has endured more than half a century of internal conflict fueled by inequality, land disputes and the drug trade. Leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and criminal groups have fought for control of territory—with rural, Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities caught in the crossfire. A 2016 peace deal ended the war with the country’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, but violence never fully stopped.
Since the accord, child recruitment has been driven mainly by FARC dissident groups who rejected the peace process. The ELN, a Marxist guerrilla force active since the 1960s, and the Clan del Golfo, Colombia’s largest drug-trafficking gang, also forcibly recruit minors. Violence hangs heavy over the region. During AP’s visit, two former FARC combatants who laid down arms under the peace deal were gunned down near Caldono. At the same time, families reported the disappearance of several youths—believed to have been recruited.
This is the climate in which the Guard, known as Kiwe Thegnas in the Nasa Yuwe language, now works.
For the Nasa, coca holds deep cultural, spiritual, and medicinal significance. Its exploitation to produce cocaine is seen by many as a distortion of a sacred plant— one that fuels violence and environmental destruction.
Members of the Guard carry “bastones de autoridad”—sacred staffs symbolizing moral leadership and collective responsibility. The staffs are often adorned with the traditional Guard colors of red and green—which represent blood and earth—and emblems. Elago, 39, had a small photo of her son on hers.
Steeped in spirituality, the staff is believed to offer protection from harm, giving Guard members the courage to confront armed groups. Yet more than 40 Guard members have been slain since the peace deal, according to Colombia’s Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), a longstanding organization representing Nasa and other Indigenous communities.
“They carry guns—we carry staffs. The staff represents our life, our courage,” Elago said. “They’ve aimed their rifles at us… pressed them to our chests, to our heads.”
Elago said the rebels her group confronted three years ago expressed respect for the Guard but claimed the boys had joined voluntarily, which infuriated her. She said Stiven had left home the day he went missing to collect wages
he was owed for farm work near a coca-growing area controlled by FARC dissidents.
She said she challenged them: “You talk about respecting Indigenous people, but you’re killing our youth. What respect is that?”
One rebel told her he’d never seen a mother speak so boldly. But another warned: “Take care, mamma. You already smell like formaldehyde,” a chemical used to preserve dead bodies.
Not all rescues are successful.
Eduwin Calambas Fernandez, coordinator of Kiwe Thegnas in Canoas, an Indigenous reserve in northern Cauca, described leading a 2023 attempt to bring back two teenagers recruited through Facebook. They met with commanders, only to find the 15- and 16-year-old boys did not want to return and were considered by the armed groups to be old enough to decide for themselves. Calambas said that the main armed faction in his area has declared it will no longer return recruits 14 or older to their families.
Children are lured with promises of cash, cosmetic treatments, or food for their families, according to Indigenous Councils Association of Northern Cauca, or ACIN. Once inside the camps, many suffer physical abuse, political indoctrination and sexual violence—especially girls.
“Once in, it is very difficult to leave,” said Scott Campbell, the United Nations human rights chief in Colombia.
ACIN has documented 915 cases of Indigenous youth recruited there since 2016, some as young as 9. ACIN has warned of a sharp increase lately, with at least 79 children recruited between January and June.
Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office confirmed 409 cases of child recruitment during 2024, up from 342 the year before, with over 300 cases alone in Cauca, one of Colombia’s poorest departments.
Campbell called the Colombian government’s response “ineffective and untimely,” noting a lack of consistent state presence
Malaysia. . .
Continued from A3 didn’t respond to a request for comment on the outcome.
“The reason why people are so angry is because FGV is supposed to help to increase wealth, not invest in something that is unstable or something that is fishy and does not follow rules of procedure,” said Ahmad Martadha Mohamed, a professor of government at Universiti Utara Malaysia.
FGV’s problems were not only internal. Its profits swung alongside gyrating global palm oil prices. Investor focus on environmental, social and governance issues also intensified scrutiny of the company.
In 2020, US authorities imposed an import ban on FGV products after finding evidence
and failure to partner with Indigenous authorities on prevention.
ACIN said the government has left armed groups to fill the void by providing roads, food and other basic services in remote and neglected areas.
Colombia’s Family Welfare Institute, or ICBF—the main agency protecting children—told AP it funds community programs and Indigenous - led initiatives that have contributed to 251 children leaving armed groups in the first half of 2025. The ICBF insists it is working with Indigenous authorities and pressing armed groups to uphold a ban on recruiting minors.
Armed groups ‘breathing down our necks’
FROM her classroom high in the mountains, Luz Adriana Diaz watches children arrive each morning under the shadow of a conflict they’re too young to fully grasp. Her small school in the village of Manuelico—reachable only by a winding road from Caldono— is surrounded by dense forest and coca fields planted and patrolled by armed groups. Banners promoting the Dagoberto Ramos front of the FARC—one of the most violent factions in Cauca—hang along the roadside.
“Since 2020, it’s been very sad— threats, recruitment, killings… living in the middle of violence,” Diaz said.
Diaz has spent 14 years teaching across the Caldono municipality, but says only in this village, surrounded by coca, has the presence of armed groups felt so constant. Teachers “work with them breathing down our necks,” she said.
The Indigenous Guard has stepped up patrols outside the school to discourage recruiting.
Diaz says the armed group members have come to the school to buy food, borrow chairs and interact casually with staff.
“We can’t say no,” she said. “I’ve had to be very careful.”
Several former students, some as young as 11, are now in armed groups, she said. Some left quietly.
of forced labor at the company.
The company has said it has taken steps over the years to fix the issue, and it’s committed to respecting human rights and upholding labor standards. It submitted a petition in June last year to modify the ongoing ban. FGV’s problems have weighed on its biggest shareholder and, by extension, taxpayers in Malaysia.
The company’s spinoff from Felda came with an obligation to pay the parent a fixed annual fee plus a share of operating profits.
Felda said it expected to receive around 800 million ringgit a year. Over the first nine years after the IPO, FGV paid less than half that sum in total, amounting to a shortfall of about 4.5 billion ringgit, according to calculations by Bloomberg News. FGV didn’t respond to Bloomberg’s query about its payments for the four most recent years, though the
Others were taken.
One young woman who recently fled FARC dissidents, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said she joined the armed group at 16 not because she was forced but to escape family problems.
She said she mainly cooked, organized supplies and cleaned weapons. She was afraid at first but was not mistreated. She eventually fled after a change in commanders left her fearing harsher treatment or being moved to a faraway region with an increased threat of combat.
Now she works with a local initiative that supports families trying to prevent their children from being recruited. She warns teens about the risks of joining armed groups.
As for the parents, she said: “I tell families they need to build trust with their children.”
A mother, once a recruit herself, fears the same for her children FERNÁNDEZ , a woman in her mid-30s who asked to be identified only by her last name for fear of reprisals, was 12 when armed men came looking for her in her rural Cauca community. Terrified, and with no clear way to say no, she joined the ranks of the FARC. In the years that followed, she said she endured rape, psychological abuse and starvation and saw brutal punishments against those who tried to escape.
Her escape, three years after being taken, came by chance. One night, a commander sent her to charge a cell phone. Instead of returning, she hid for days in a nearby home, protected by civilians who risked their lives to shelter her, before fleeing the region. Now, raising three children in a village near Caldono, she watches and worries about her eldest son, now 12.
“Young people are so easily fooled…they’re shown a bit of money or a cell phone, and they think that’s just how life works,” she said. “Then they’re sent into combat zones where so many children die.”
firm has previously maintained it has fulfilled the financial obligations to its shareholder. Felda has said the deficit contributed to its losses, pushing it to borrow heavily from banks. In 2019, the government unveiled a 6.2 billion ringgit rescue package for the agency, stepping in again four years later to guarantee billions of ringgit worth of loans. For Zhu Hann Ng, the founder of Kuala Lumpur-based fund manager Tradeview Capital, his takeaway from the saga is that foreign investors looking at Malaysia should steer clear of government-linked companies. “The government has no business being in business,” he said. FGV’s once-lofty aspirations of being a world-class palm oil conglomerate have now shrunk to focus back on the farmers who toil on its plantations. At a recent event for the settlers, the mood was upbeat with loud local music playing and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim talking up the benefits of delisting. Yet, even some of these key stakeholders are befuddled by the events of the past decade. Masri Salleh has been a farmer with Felda since 1972 in Trolak Utara in the northern state of Perak. He opposed the IPO and didn’t buy any shares. Many of his friends did using loans, believing promises that the stock would soar in value.
“I’m stunned by what’s happening,” Masri, 75, said. “We are so tired of speaking up and not getting any answers.” With assistance from Jin Wu, Elffie Chew, Jeanny Yu, Fiona MacDonald and Echo Wong/Bloomberg
PHL architects turn poor man’s timber to high-value structures Legislation seeks
to standardize use of engineered
bamboo for construction
By Geraldine Bulaon-Ducusin
‘MAHIRAP na nga kami, kawayan pa ang gagamitin n’yo para sa amin. [We are already poor, and you will still use bamboo for us.]”
This was said by a beneficiary of a socialized housing when Arch. Christian Salandanan, co-founder of Sangay Architects, proposed designs using bamboo.
The architect mentioned the unforgettable anecdote in his presentation during the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute’s (DOST-FPRDI) 68th anniversary recently. Bamboo research-related activities and product development are among the forest products the DOSTFPRDI supports and promotes.
The housing beneficiary’s statement made an impression on Salandanan that became his inspiration in his work. He asked: Is it really the bamboo, the material, that’s the problem? Or is it how we utilize it, that will give it it’s value?
He admitted that “bahay kubo” (bamboo and nipa hut) has been part of the Filipino culture for a very long time that has taught lessons and given a lot of memories. While he is not against bahay kubo, Salandanan is against the mentality that bamboo can be used only for bahay kubo.
“I believe that bamboo can be more than just bahay kubo,” Salandanan pointed out.
In his presentation on “Returning to your inner child creativity through bamboo architecture” during the DOST-FPRDI event, he showcased the various impressive bamboo structures from other Asian countries—such as a six-story bamboo house and The Arc basketball court in Indonesia; a sports hall in Thailand; and a community house in Vietnam.
In showcasing the basketball court and sports hall in Indonesia and Thailand, Salandanan noted how other Asian countries are constructing their basketball courts with such care and effort,
compared with the common concrete basketball courts in the Philippines.
In using bamboo for an architecture structure, it is important to know what bamboo to use and where it can be sourced.
The “kawayan tinik,” or spiny bamboo, and the giant bamboo are the commonly used bamboos. However, Salandanan mentioned that kawayan tinik is more durable than giant bamboo.
In planning for a project, the first question architects ask is what bamboos are available, he said. The team do an experiential design and visioning by going to the site where the structure will be built. They feel the surroundings, the temperature, look for the best view, then they sketch from their ideas right there.
Bamboo polo pavilion in 2019 Sea Games
SALANDANAN and his Sangay Architects team had the opportunity to apply their high-value bamboo structure concept when they got involved in a project for the MLR Polo Pavilion for the 2019 Sea Games in the Philippines. They designed the pavilion—intended for the sultans and Asean royalties—that required the use of “the poor man’s timber”: the bamboo. The project presented both opportunities and challenges because they only had four months to design and construct the 12-meter high and 750-sqm pavilion.
The structure was made manually where the workers poured so much of their time and efforts in it. But what made the project truly worth it were the words, experiences and satisfaction of those who were involved in the construction.
“One of the things that made me happy was that there were workers who had no knowledge in working with bamboo but along the way they were happy [in working with the material]. That was the most rewarding part of the profession, of hearing those words, of empowering other people,” he said partly
in Filipino.
Salandanan recounted the moving words of the carpenters. “At the end [of the project], while outside, they pointed at the building and said: ‘Sir, that’s our work. We made that.’ They were very proud of their work.”
He added that the Philippines, which is visited by 20 typhoons each year, can have bamboo houses that could “withstand 300-kph typhoons.”
“There are endless possibilities in using bamboo,” he said. “There is magic in everything as one sees the world in the eyes of a child.”
Housing backlog
WHILE Sangay extended the boundaries of bamboo to go beyond the bahay-kubo, another firm, the Kawayan Collective, found ways to make the homegrown bahay-kubo more innovative, durable, and even a do-ityourself type of structure.
Ray Glen Villanueva, co-founder and architect of Kawayan Collective, said that the country faces a huge housing backlog of over 6.5-million units, a challenge that demands innovative and affordable solutions, which is their company try to respond.
The company has built 80 homes—that are guaranteed to last for 50 years—in the past two to three years, Villanueva said.
Whats more, he said they are durable not only against typhoons but also from earthquakes.
When asked if bamboo structures and houses are generally more affordable compared with the traditional materials, Villanueva said that for a comparable standard, a mid-level or low-income house if built “traditionally,” the costs for bamboo and concrete may be about the same.
However, if one starts to introduce prefabrication, which is what the Kawayan Collective does, it costs up to 20 percent less than conventional concrete and steel.
“The savings is usually from labor costs because of the ease of assembly of prefabricated parts,” Villanueva added.
Among the benefits of bamboo is that it is relatively cheaper, locally available, carbon sequestering, non-extractive, restorative to degrade lands and many others.
Challenges
ON the merits and challenges of bamboo, Salandanan said one is harvesting because it’s not easy
PHL students bag gold, silver in intl nuclear
ALL the four Philippine delegates brought home gold and silver medals from the second International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO) held at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia from July 30 to August 6. Wins Keinrich Chen of Saint Jude Catholic School (SJCS) clinched a gold medal, while the rest of the Philippine team—composed of Jeremiah Auza of the Philippine Science High School-Central Visayas, Shaun Mannix Yap, also of the SJCSl; and Nouel Christian Amaguin of the Manila Science High School, bagged silver. On winning gold, Chen expressed happiness and satisfaction as their months of preparation paid off.
“We also feel grateful for the PNRI staff specially Ma’am Kristine [Coach Kristine Marie Dean] and Sir Jeff [Coach Jeffrey Tare] for their unwavering support in our INSO 2025 journey,” he said.
Chen also gave much credit to the rigorous preparation of the Philippine team.
“The countless lectures, problem sets, experiments, and practice tests we had not only provided us a better understanding of nuclear science,” he said.
“It also helped us have confidence in ourselves in answering the theoretical and experimental exam, ultimately allowing us to win our rewards,” he added.
Tare of the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Nuclear Research Institute noted that the Philippine team was very satisfied with their performance and the outcome of the competition, said Framelia V. Anonas of the DOST-PNRI in a news release.
“Their excitement upon receiving their awards was such a relief for the team from the tense atmosphere during the closing ceremonies and perhaps during the actual examinations,” he said. According to Tare, the extensive six-
going up the mountains.
He added that a piece of bamboo may be as cheap as about P100 to P200. But the price of acquiring it can be more costly up to P300, or double the amount of the material because of the labor costs that go into cutting, cleaning, and transporting it with small or big trucks from difficult-to-reach places.
Another concern is the treatment process because with proper treatment it can last up to 30 years.
“It’s natural, it decays, so you need to give it a good boots and hat, meaning, its base is concrete and it should have a roof. Because if it is exposed to sun and rain, whatever treatment is used, it will decay,” Salandanan explained.
“All our designs should be covered and it should have a concrete foundation. Storage of bamboo is important, it should not be simply laid on the ground, because woodboring insects start there. Bamboos should be placed on metal scaffolding,” his advice on proper handling to make the material last longer.
Legislation on engineered bamboo
DURING the event, Rep. Jose Manuel F. Alba of the First District of Bukidnon, promised in his speech, that he will help the DOST in legislating S&T laws in the House of Representatives.
Fulfilling his promise and being an advocate of bamboo use, Alba refiled his 2024 bill as soon as the 20th Congress opened its sessions in July.
Now as House Bill 157, beyond promoting the use of bamboo for housing and other structures, it aims to pave the way for the setting up of standards in the use of engineered bamboo as a construction material.
He explained that it would help fill the gap in the National Building Code (NBC) “to recognize engineered bamboo as an indigenous building material,” he told The Big Story news on One News channel.
He explained that the measure calls for the establishment of two Codes—the Bamboo Architectural Code and Bamboo Structural Code—which are missing in the NBC.
“No engineer can sign [an architectural] plan because they don’t know what is the standard [in the use of engineered bamboo]. This will pave the way for the inclusion of [engineered] bamboo as a construction material,” Alba pointed out. He noted that the Philippines, with its giant bamboo being the best variety in Southeast Asia, will benefit from the standardization of the use of engineered bamboo in construction. It should be noted that Executive Order 879 was issued in 2010, creating the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council to promote the bamboo industry development project and directing the use of bamboo. However, it has not been implemented at all, said the BusinessMirror’s news report on February 28, 2024.
Going back to Alba’s message during the DOST-FPRDI anniversary, he said bamboo has been providing sustainable livelihood for several barangays in Bukidnon with the aid of researches and innovations on several products being produced in the communities
They have bamboo skateboards and engineered bamboo guitars by members of Higaonon tribe, which have already reached Baku, Azerbaijan.
Another good news is that a Bukidnon community is earning P100,000 a week by producing bamboo slats for engineered bamboo, thereby “preventing the migration of Indigenous people,” especially the youth.
Calling bamboo the “green gold” is very apt, Alba said, with all the benefits it offers being a versatile, sustainable alternative to wood, its ecological advantages, and significance in economic and environmental matters.
science olympiad in Malaysia
week training program that covered various nuclear science topics helped prepare the students in achieving this feat. The training was facilitated by a pool of experts from PNRI and faculty members from the University of the Philippines.
“It was remarkable as well that our delegates demonstrated exemplary dedication and determination in completing the training program, underscoring their will to win in the Olympiad,” he added.
Fourteen countries, composed of 55 junior and senior high-school students aged 20 years and below, vied at the second INSO with all eyes on the coveted medals.
The contestants came as teams representing their respective countries, but they competed as individuals who navigated both experimental and theoretical examinations.
“Everyone in the Philippine Team trained hard for the INSO, but this is not the only
reason for their success,” Dean said, also of the DOST-PNRI.
“All of them are very intelligent and driven, their respective schools prepared them well. Their families, whom I had the opportunity to meet, were very supportive all the way. The coaching team also played a vital role in mentoring our students, while our sponsors provided the much needed resources. This is the recipe for their excellent performance at the 2nd INSO,” she added. INSO’s vital mission is to advance nuclear education and foster global collaboration in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. The Philippine participation to the second INSO was supported by the DOSTPNRI, DOST-National Research
of the Philippines,
THE
A6 Sunday, August 17, 2025
Faith Sunday
Editor: Lyn Resurreccion • www.businessmirror.com.ph
Filipino Catholic center opens in California
By Paris Apodaca
AFIRST-OF-ITS-KIND Filipino Catholic center was recently opened in Anaheim, California, offering a new spiritual and cultural landmark for Filipino Catholics in America’s most populous state.
Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange blessed the opening of the Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center in July, marking the launch of what the diocese says is the only such dedicated Filipino Catholic center operating in the United States.
“I feel blessed and excited that so many people are taking part in our mission to bring the people closer to Our Lord with Mary at the foot of the cross,” said Father Peter Lavin, a priest affiliated with the Philippine-based Alagad ni Maria (Disciples of Mary) institute serves as director of the center.
Alagad ni Maria currently has eight priests ministering in the Diocese of Orange, where they have been present since 2005 at the invitation of then-Bishop
Tod Brown.
The center occupies a 1.4acre site previously used by a Vietnamese-language congregation of the Southern Baptist Convention. It includes a 180-seat chapel where Mass are offered in English and Filipino as well as classrooms, offices, a music room, a fellowship hall, and a kitchen.
Plans are also underway to build a rectory for priests on site.
According to a statement from the diocese, the center provides the Filipino Catholic community in Southern California with a dedicated space for faith formation and cultural education.
“Having the center will grant the local Filipino Catholic community dedicated
150-foot Jesus statue set to be tallest in PHL
ATOWERING symbol of faith is set to rise in Davao City’s Samal island as a church-based organization unveiled plans for what could be one of the tallest religious statues in the world. The proposed Divine Mercy statue will stand 150 feet tall atop a mountain overlooking the island, envisioned to be visible even from the air—a beacon of hope similar to Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer.
At night, pale blue and red rays representing Divine Mercy are expected to shine brightly, thanks to digital innovations under consideration in the design.
“This is a project we’ve waited 40 years for,” said Joji Ilagan-Bian, Lay Coordinator of the Divine Mercy Apostolates of the Archdiocese of Davao and the overall coordinator for Mindanao. “Now, in God’s perfect time, it’s finally happening.”
The shrine will be built on a 25-hectare property owned by the Archdiocese of Davao.
It will be part of a larger religious and tourism hub that will include a major church, several smaller chapels or “prayer hubs,” a gallery of saints, a Marian garden, waterfalls, retreat centers, convention halls, and a “tent city” for youth pilgrims.
“We want it to be inclusive,” Bian said. “There will be high-end accommodations for big events and simple spaces for students and ordinary pilgrims. Everyone will have a place here.”
The master plan for the site was created by architect and urban planner Felino Palafox, known for his sustainable and visionary designs.
It was approved on July 18 during a ceremony attended by Palafox, Archbishop Romulo Valles, and Divine Mercy Apostolate-Davao officials.
The plan is expected to be completed by November 2025, with groundbreaking for the statue and supporting structures anticipated in July 2026, pending regulatory approvals—including those from the Civil Aeronautics Board, due to the project’s height and proximity to flight paths.
The Divine Mercy Shrine aims to serve as a spiritual home not just for devotees, but for the broader faith community, regardless of religious affiliation.
“This will benefit everyone—whether you’re a Divine Mercy devotee, a Marian follower, or just someone seeking peace,” Bian said.
The project will be launched during the fifth Philippine Apostolic Congress on Mercy, which Davao will host from August 28–30—the first time it will be held in Mindanao—a symbolic milestone as the Philippines was recently consecrated to the Divine Mercy, the first nation in the world to do so.
Once completed, the shrine is expected to become a major national pilgrimage site and spiritual upliftment destination—with the largest footprint of any
and
“This is not just a statue,” she said. “It is a promise fulfilled. A monument of mercy, of hope, and of love—built not just with concrete, but with the prayers and sacrifices of generations.”
spaces to engage in promoting education on their cultural heritage and traditions, including dance and song,” the diocese said in a news release.
While part of the Diocese of Orange, the Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center is owned and operated by Alagad ni Maria.
Its primary mission is to serve as a cultural and spiritual hub for the estimated 90,000 Filipino Catholics in the region.
Alagad ni Maria acquired the property for $5.2 million, raising $2.1 million from about 500 donors. Two individuals each contributed $500,000, and the Diocese of Orange assisted in securing the loan.
“For many years, it has been a heartfelt dream of the Filipino community here in the Diocese of Orange to have a center of their own—a sacred space where they can gather in faith, grow in spiritual fellowship, and pass on the richness of their heritage, language, and customs to future generations,” said Father Angelos Sebastian, vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Orange.
“The recent decision to guarantee the loan for the purchase of their property in Anaheim was a tangible expression of the diocese’s deep
gratitude and esteem for their ongoing ministry and presence,”
Sebastian added “Bishop Kevin Vann, together with the entire Diocese of Orange, joins in celebrating this historic milestone: the opening of the only Filipino Catholic center in the country,” he continued.
“With heartfelt joy, we offer our warmest congratulations,
our prayers, and our full support as this long-cherished vision becomes a reality.”
The Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center is the sixth cultural center within the Diocese of Orange. The other five are a Polish center in Yorba Linda, a Vietnamese center in Santa Ana, and Korean centers in Irvine, Westminster, and Anaheim.
The center houses an official replica of the Poong Jesus Nazareno statue. The original statue, brought from Mexico to Manila in 1606, has millions of devotees worldwide. The center also serves as the US headquarters for Alagad ni Maria, which has maintained a presence in the Diocese of Orange since 2005. Catholic News Agency Via Cbcp News
‘God understands us’: Deaf people find faith, community in Nigerian church
LBy Ope Adetayo The Associated Press
AGOS, Nigeria—It is like any other church in Nigeria’s megacity of Lagos. A lectern faces rows of plastic chairs. A biblical quote is written on a beam above. There is a music section, with a set of drums. Sash-wearing church wardens move around to enforce order.
But it is also different. For hours, the only sounds are exclamations and thunderous bursts of drums, with their vibrations the cues for when to pray, kneel or respond to the preacher’s calls for “Hallelujah.”
This is a church for deaf people in Somolu, a mixedincome suburb, where about 50 to 60 people worship weekly.
Imoh Udoka, a father of two children, has attended the church for 36 years. He was 9 years old when he contracted meningitis, losing his hearing as well as access to his faith. Most churches in Nigeria do not have accommodation for deaf people.
Then Udoka, now a teacher of sign language, discovered the church via community outreach.
“Here in this church, we have access to worship God in our sign language,” he told The Associated Press.
‘God also understands us’ REMI AKINRENMI is one of the pastors. Every Sunday, he mounts the pulpit with charismatic energy to preach in sign language. His big frame makes for a
commanding presence.
On one Sunday, he preached about the sinister consequences of jealousy. On another, he preached the importance of faith.
Attendees waved their hands above their heads in response to “Praise the Lord.”
Most important for Akinrenmi is that members see the church as a community.
“There was no community for us before the deaf church started,” he said. “Now, we see each other and say, ‘Oh, you are deaf, too. I am also deaf.’ And we are now together and have formed a community.”
God understands every language, he said: “With sign language, God also understands us.” Disability advocates say that in the absence of inclusive churches and institutions, churches like this and a handful of affiliates in southern Nigeria are crucial, especially in
African societies where the perception of people with disabilities is influenced by traditional beliefs. Some see a disability as a divine punishment.
“An exclusive space like this church offers them an opportunity for a safe space to be able to connect and relate,” said Treasures Uchegbu, founder of Speaking Fingers, a sign language advocacy group in Lagos.
“They can say, ‘I am not a deaf person just standing alone, I have other deaf people around.’”
How the church came to be THE church organizes evangelism outreach programs to other deaf communities in Lagos. It also runs a teaching unit for sign language, a vital tool for understanding the world better, according to Akinrenmi.
Hearing children of church members also attend the
classes to better relate to their parents and others, and some hearing students attend church services for immersion learning.
The church started in 1956 in colonial Nigeria as the Christian Mission for Deaf Africans. In today’s Nigeria, an estimated 10 million people out of the population of 220 million are deaf or have difficulty hearing.
There is limited infrastructure in Nigeria for people with disabilities, and laws to improve their welfare and prevent discrimination are barely enforced.
Efforts by advocates to push for more inclusive legislation have not materialized. They blame a lack of political will.
Oluwakemi OluwatokeOgunjirin, a 49-year-old worker with the Lagos state government, was born deaf. She attended hearing churches with her family but always felt lost.
Depending solely on public infrastructure in other parts of life, she struggles to get by. But at the church, she said, she has found a community where she can feel safe and understood.
“The church goes beyond faith; we have people like ourselves that we can talk to as friends,” OluwatokeOgunjirin said.
With the church’s help, she has improved her sign language and can communicate widely, breaking the isolation she grew up with.
“The sign language makes life very easy for us,” she said. “It helps us communicate beyond the church.”
THE Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center in Anaheim, California, is a first-of-its-kind Filipino Catholic center opened in Anaheim, California. It was opened
such site in the country. Bian said the Davao archdiocese will co-manage the shrine through a foundation to ensure long-term sustainability
stewardship.
(From left) Joji Ilagan Bian, lay coordinator of the Divine Mercy Apostolates of the Archdiocese of Davao; Archbishop Romulo Valles; and architect and urban planner Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr. at the signing of the Divine Mercy Shrine master development plan in Davao City on July 18. PHOTO FROM DAVAO CATHOLIC HERALD
Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
Biodiversity Sunday
Balik Scientist champions green innovation through industrial waste transformation
SHE has a vision of “Science for Mindanao.” This led Balik
Scientist Dr. Chosel P. Lawagon to her pioneering research efforts—convert industrial and agricultural waste into sustainable solutions for infrastructure and environmental resilience.
Lawagon’s work, hosted by the University of Mindanao, her alma mater, includes the development of engineered smart concrete from agricultural waste and ligninbased soil stabilizers designed for landslide-prone areas.
A licensed chemical engineer, her long-term engagement has catalyzed the establishment of two key research facilities—the Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory and the Center of Green Nanotechnology Innovations for Environmental Solutions.
Her projects received funding support from Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development. The Balik Scientist Program is under the DOST, said the news release from the DOST.
“Doctor Lawagon is a shining
example of how a Balik Scientist can spark transformation beyond laboratories, but also in communities and the environment. Through her passion for green innovation and deep commitment to Mindanao, she is helping us reimagine waste as opportunity, and science as a powerful tool for inclusive and sustainable growth,” said DOST
Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr.
“We at DOST hope her story inspires more scientists to come home and be part of nation-building,” he added.
In her presentation at her exit report on August 13, Lawagon highlighted a key project under the DOST’s Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy program—a partnership between the University of Mindanao and local agribusiness firm Ana’s Breeders Farm Inc.
The project aimed to address specific industry challenges on unpleasant odor and high moisture content of organic fertilizer, which hinder its marketability.
Through the collaboration, she and her team developed a nanoencapsulated fertilizer derived from biogas digestate—a
solution that is nutrient-rich, environmentally safe, and economically viable. This innovation not only adds value to agricultural
‘Frankenstein bunnies’ in Colorado have ‘horns’
DENVER—A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there’s no reason to be spooked—the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus.
The cottontail rabbits recently spotted in Fort Collins are infected with the mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus, which causes wart-like growths that protrude from their faces like metastasizing horns.
Viral photos have inspired a fluffle of
unflattering nicknames, including “Frankenstein bunnies,” “demon rabbits” and “zombie rabbits.” But their affliction is nothing new, with the virus inspiring ancient folklore and fueling scientific research nearly 100 years ago.
The virus likely influenced the centuriesold jackalope myth in North America, which told of a rabbit with antlers or horns, among other animal variations.
The disease in rabbits also contributed to scientists’ knowledge about the connection between viruses and cancer, such as the human
papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer.
The virus in rabbits was named after Dr. Richard E Shope, a professor at The Rockefeller University who discovered the disease in cottontails in the 1930s.
News about the rabbit sightings in Fort Collins, 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of Denver, started getting attention after residents started spotting them around town and posting pictures.
Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the agency has been getting calls about the rabbits seen in Fort Collins.
But she said that it’s not uncommon to see infected rabbits, especially in the summer, when the fleas and ticks that spread the virus are most active.
The virus can spread from rabbit to rabbit but not to other species, including humans and pets, she said.
The growths resemble warts but can look like horns if they grow longer, Van Hoose said.
The growths don’t harm rabbits unless they grow on their eyes or mouths and interfere with eating. Rabbits’ immune systems are able to fight the virus and, once they do, the growths will disappear, she said. Ben Finley And Colleen Slevin/Associated Press
Rising seas could put Easter Island’s moai at risk by 2080, study warns
BY the end of the century, rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island’s 15 iconic moai statues, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. About 50 other cultural sites in the area are also at risk from flooding.
“Sea level rise is real,” said Noah Paoa, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. “It’s not a distant threat.”
Paoa, who is from Easter Island— known to its Indigenous people as Rapa Nui—and his colleagues built a highresolution “digital twin” of the island’s eastern coastline and ran computer models to simulate future wave impacts under various sea-level rise scenarios. They then overlaid the results with maps of cultural sites to pinpoint which places could be inundated in the coming decades.
The findings show waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform
on the island, as early as 2080. The site, home to the 15 towering moai, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year and is a cornerstone of the island’s tourism economy.
Beyond its economic value, the ahu is deeply woven into Rapa Nui’s cultural identity. It lies within Rapa Nui National Park, which encompasses much of the island and is recognized as a Unesco World Heritage site.
The roughly 900 moai statues across the island were built by the Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries to honor important ancestors and chiefs.
The threat isn’t unprecedented. In 1960, the largest earthquake ever recorded—a magnitude 9.5 off the coast of Chile—sent a tsunami surging across the Pacific. It struck Rapa Nui and swept the already-toppled moai further inland, which damaged some of their features. The monument was restored in the 1990s.
While the study focuses on Rapa Nui, its conclusions echo a wider reality: cultural heritage sites worldwide are increasingly
endangered by rising seas.
A Unesco report published last month found that about 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding.
In an email to The Associated Press, a Unesco spokesperson said climate change is the biggest threat to Unesco’s World Heritage marine sites.
“In the Mediterranean and Africa, nearly three-quarters of coastal low-lying sites are now exposed to erosion and flooding due to accelerated sea level rise,” the spokesperson said.
Possible defenses for Ahu Tongariki range from armoring the coastline and building breakwaters to relocating the monuments.
Paoa hopes that the findings will bring these conversations about now, rather than after irreversible damage.
“It’s best to look ahead and be proactive instead of reactive to the potential threats,” he said. Annika Hammerschlag/ Associated Press
waste but also supports cleaner, more efficient farming practices.
Another DOST-funded initiative featured by Lawagon is the
Airgas Project, which focuses on upcycling agricultural and industrial waste into fire-resistant geopolymer building materials.
Agricultural by-products such as pineapple peels and rice husks are processed into nanocellulose and nanosilica, then combined with industrial residues like fly ash to produce durable green hollow blocks.
The project aims to optimize material synthesis, enhance structural and fire-resistant properties, and promote their use in safe, sustainable construction.
By integrating circular-economy principles, the Airgas Project presents an innovative solution that addresses both construction demands and waste management challenges.
Lawagon’s approach aims to help reach UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and to build resilient infrastructures, the Green Talents website acknowledged.
“Research and development [R&D] is at the heart of Doctor Lawagon’s transformative work. By applying advanced scientific methods
and harnessing local resources, her projects turn pressing environmental challenges into innovation opportunities,” DOST Undersecretary Leah J. Buendia pointed out.
“Her commitment to R&D has led to sustainable materials like nanofertilizers and the Airgas project—solutions grounded in science and designed for real-world impact. These efforts underscore how strategic R&D investments can lead to practical technologies that not only protect the environment but also uplift vulnerable communities,” Buendia added. The DOST-Balik Scientist Program has been established in 1975 with the goal of strengthening the scientific and technological human resources of both public and private institutions, academe included, the DOST said. It aims to promote continuous knowledge sharing and accelerate the flow of new technologies among local researchers by seeking support from Filipino experts and professionals abroad to avail the program and return to the Philippines. Such expertise is seen to address specific STI challenges the country faces.
Experts tackle ways for climate-resilient, sustainable economy
EXPERTS from various national government agencies gathered recently to discuss insights on building a climateresilient and sustainable economy.
With the theme, “Facing Environmental Challenges and Climate Change in the Philippines’ Future: Actions in Line with Pagtanaw 2050,” the hybrid conference was held recently at the historic Heyden Hall of Manila Observatory.
The Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology (PhilAAST), in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology-National Capital Region (DOST-NCR) organized the event, said Claire Bernadette A. Mondares of DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute in a news release.
Pagtanaw is the country’s science, technology and information development blueprint developed by the National Academy of Science and Technology, which envisions a progressive, sustainable, and resilient Philippines.
Experts from the Climate Change Commission (CCC), DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) discussed how governments should take actions in addressing climate-related issues as the country consistently ranks high in terms of climate change impacts and disaster risk.
“Climate change is the governance challenge of our generation. It is global as it affects us all, no matter who or where we are. No country can stand alone in this crusade. And we must work together globally to find solutions. It is historic as it is the total of our omissions and commissions, not just of our generation but the generations before us,” CCC Deputy Executive Director Romell Antonio Cuenca, said.
Cuenca highlighted in his talk the recently completed National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for 2023-2050, under the Marcos
administration, which is crucial to steadily reduce climate-related loss and damage and build the country’s adaptive capacity toward transformative resilience and sustainable economic development by 2050.
According to Cuenca, the NAP is a foundational document outlining the Philippines’roadmap to climate resilience with fit-for-purpose interventions determined through comprehensive science and evidence-based and beyond business-as-usual planning tools, all taking into consideration projected risks and scenarios from top-of-class modeling technologies.
“At its core, the NAP is anchored on risk management and the best available science and climate analytics, identifying eight key adaptation priorities and strategies to serve as an insightful reference point to support decision-making on adaptation actions at a localized level,” Cuenca said.
The adaptation priorities include, agriculture, fisheries, food security, water resources, health, ecosystems and biodiversity, cultural heritage, population displacement and migration, land use and human settlements, livelihoods and industries, energy, transport, and communications.
Moreover, DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo C. David, for Integrated Environmental Science, shared strategies for resource management and overcoming environmental challenges.
He discussed unlocking and leveraging natural resources which are crucial for economic development, community progress, and environmental protections.
“What is global warming when a person cannot even find the food that he will serve his family for tomorrow? What is sea level rise when the slightest rainfall or an active habagat, monsoon rains, will mean that my town will be flooded consequently? And therefore, what is climate change when I do not even have a sustainable, viable livelihood
for my family to survive,” David said. He added that there is a negative factor when looking at the equation for vulnerability because of climate change, which is the adaptive capacity of the person or the family.
“You reduce vulnerability if you have that adaptive capacity. To me, what adaptive capacity means is that you have enough resources to feed for your family, to ensure that they are safe and well despite of climate change,” David said. He shared strategies in unlocking natural resources like water. He said, first is to map out all these resources; create policies that will unlock these resources; improve the application and regulatory procedures; and insert important environmental sustainability and climate resilience strategies.
“If we change our mindset that water is a resource and not as a disadvantage to Filipinos because it creates flooding, traffic on Katipunan [Avenue in Quezon City], damages our crops, and so on and so forth. But remember that it’s the same water, even floodwaters, that we will use for our drinking water, irrigation, aquaculture, ecotourism, and even power generation,” he pointed out. David added that the five strategies presented for water resources are almost 100 percent complete.
On the other hand, while CCC is committed to translating the NAP into tangible actions, Cuenca said the success relies on the active participation of regions and local governments. PhilAAST is being led by its president, former DOST secretary Fortunato R. de la Peña. This initiative is one of the many
DOST Balik Scientist Dr. Chosel Lawagon (center) is with DOST Undersecretary for R&D Leah J. Buendia (left) and with University of Mindanao Vice President Maria Linda B. Arquiza. DOST PHOTO
Carlos Primo C. David (left) and Climate Change Commission Deputy Executive Director Romell Antonio Cuenca (center) discuss how the government should address climate-related issues at a conference on Pagtanaw 2050, a blueprint on progressive, resilient and sustainable Philippines. The recent event was organized by
Los Angeles set to sell naming rights to some games venues
ORGANIZERS of the Los Angeles Olympics will sell naming rights for a handful of its venues in deals expected to bring multiple millions of dollars to the 2028 Games while breaking down the International Olympic Committee’s long-sacrosanct policy of keeping brand names off its arenas and stadiums.
The organizing committee announced the landmark deal Thursday, saying contracts were already in place with two of its founding partners— Honda, which already has naming rights for the arena in Anaheim that will host volleyball, and Comcast, which will have its name on the temporary venue hosting squash.
LA28 chairman and CEO Casey Wasserman said revenue from the deals goes above what’s in LA’s current $6.9 billion budget.
He portrayed the deal as the sort of paradigm-shifting arrangement that Los Angeles needs more than other host cities because, as is typical for American-hosted Olympics, the core cost of these games aren’t backed by government funding.
“We’re a private enterprise responsible for delivering these games,” Wasserman said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s my job to push. That doesn’t mean we’re going to win every time we push, but it’s our job to always push because our context is pretty unique.”
Wasserman said he also spent time explaining to International Olympic Committee (IOC) members how arena and stadium names are part of the lexicon in American sports.
“People know ‘Crypto’ as ‘Crypto,’ they don’t know it as ‘the gymnastics arena downtown,’” Wasserman said of the home of the Lakers, Crypto.com Arena, which will host gymnastics and boxing in 2028. Rights for up to 19 temporary venues could be available.
The IOC’s biggest sponsors—called TOP sponsors—will have first chance to get in on the deals. Wasserman said no venues will be renamed—so, for instance, if organizers don’t reach a deal with SoFi (opening and closing ceremonies, swimming) or Intuit (basketball), no other sponsor can put its name on the arena.
Not included in this new arrangement are the LA Coliseum, Rose Bowl and Dodger Stadium, some of the most iconic venues in a city that hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984.
Organizers said IOC rules that forbid advertising on the field of play will still apply.
The deal adds to a growing list of accommodations pushed through for Los Angeles, which is once again poised to reshape the Olympic brand, much the way it did in 1984. In 2017, the city was bidding for the 2024 Olympics against Paris, but agreed to instead host the 2028 Games. It was part of a then-unheard-of bid process that rescued the IOC from the reality that cities were becoming reluctant to absorb the cost and effort to bid for and host the Summer Games.
Olympic watchers viewed the return of softball and baseball for 2028, along with the introduction of flag football (with help from the NFL) as changes that maybe only Los Angeles could›ve pulled off.
LA will also make a major scheduling change for the Olympics, moving track and field to the opening week of the games and swimming to the end.
Wasserman said the organizing committee’s position as a private entity plays a major role in its relationship with the IOC.
“We spend the time, we do the work, we make the argument, and we don’t settle for a ‘No,’ because we don’t have that luxury,” he said.
Welcome to first world humanoid robot competitions
Rowers revel in beach sprints in run-up to LA 2028 Olympics
ONG BEACH, California—
LIt’s a beach run, a coastal row and a music party rolled into one, and it’s about to become an Olympic event.
On a sunny Southern California morning, nearly two dozen athletes gathered to try their hand at beach sprints at a camp run by USRowing in Long Beach, not far from where the inaugural Olympic races will be held in 2028.
Many were long-time flatwater rowers who wanted to take a shot at something new. Others were already hooked on the quick-paced and unpredictable race format and have been training with an eye on LA28.
Two at a time, athletes run to the waterline, hop in a boat, row a slalom course, then turn around and return to shore to jump out and dash across the sand to hit a finish-line buzzer— all in about three minutes.
“You don’t just have to be a good rower—you also have to be a good athlete, and what that means is you’ve got to be able to be dynamic and adapt to whatever Mother Nature throws at you,” said Maurice Scott, a long-time rower from Philadelphia who moved to Long
Beach to prepare for the Olympics.
The next summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles and nearby cities. Interest in beach sprints has risen since the International Olympic Committee announced its inclusion, especially since the games will no longer feature a lightweight rowing category popular among smaller athletes.
Rowing officials developed the beach sprint format a little over a decade ago hoping to engage spectators in a sport that’s otherwise removed from people watching from the shore.
A standard 2,000 meterflatwater race is typically only visible closer to the finish line.
In beach sprints, athletes compete close to the crowds in a dynamic and much shorter race that fans can easily track from the sand. Guin Batten, chair of World Rowing’s coastal commission, said the vision is to have a fun, lively event on the beach where spectators can listen to good music, be close to the action and follow their favorite athletes.
The entire event runs just an hour.
“It’s knockout. It’s chaotic,” said Batten, an Olympic rower who helped develop the format. “Until you cross a finish line, anyone can win that race.”
Many traditional flatwater rowers accustomed to steady strokes on calm waterways have no interest in the ups and downs of wind and waves.
But other long-time rowers are hooked. Christine Cavallo, a beach sprinter on the US national team, said she loves the unpredictability of the waves, which can humble even the most incredible athletes.
“You could be the best rower in the world and get flipped by the wave,” Cavallo said.
Coastal rowing has long been popular throughout the world but different cultures have used different boats and rules. Part of the appeal of beach sprints is the boat has been standardized and is provided at competitions, which makes it easier for more athletes to try it. The first major international beach sprints competition was at the 2015 Mediterranean Beach Games in Italy.
Head of the Charles, known for its yearly October flatwater regatta in Massachusetts, hosted its first beach sprints event in July.
HUMANOID robots danced hiphop, performed martial arts and played keyboard, guitar and drums at the opening ceremony of the first World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing before the weekend.
The competition began Friday with more than 500 humanoid robots in 280 teams from 16 countries, including the US, Germany and Japan, competing in sports including soccer, running and boxing.
The event comes as China has stepped up efforts to develop humanoid robots powered by artificial intelligence.
During the opening ceremony, the robots demonstrated soccer and boxing among other sports, with some cheering and backflipping as if at a real sports event.
One robot soccer player scored a goal after a few tries, causing the robot goalkeeper to fall to the ground—another player fell but stood up unassisted.
The robots also modeled fashionable hats and clothes alongside human models and in one mishap, a robot model fell and had to be carried off the stage by two human beings. Teams from robot companies and Chinese universities including Tsinghua University and Peking University are competing in the games, while three middle schools are also participating. China’s official newspaper People’s Daily quoted a government officer in Beijing as saying that every robot that participates “is creating history.” The event will last three days, concluding on Sunday and tickets sold to the public range from 180 yuan ($25) to 580 ($80).
In Baoding, China, Great Wall Motor (GWM) combined sport, technology and industrial pride in a landmark event—the 2025 GWM Smart Factory Half Marathon—held inside its Xushui Smart Factory in Baoding, Hebei Province. More than 10,000
About 100 rowers, twice as many as expected, participated, said Brendan Mulvey, race director.
Since the Olympic announcement, Tom Pattichis, British Rowing’s head coach for beach sprints, said he now has athletes training full-time in the event.
Meanwhile, Marc Oria, the USA Beach Sprint head coach, said camps in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Long Beach aim to bring the race to long-time rowers and others who haven’t tried it. Athletes find it exhilarating because it requires them to be agile and adaptive as well as superb rowers, he said.
“It’s growing exponentially in the last four years all around the world,” Oria said. “Our goal for US rowing is to create more events, more opportunities, and to create a good pipeline for 2028.”
At the camp in Long Beach, competitors included a teacher, an Olympic rower, a marketing professional who began rowing a few weeks earlier and a high school senior.
“I tried it and I really loved it, so I came back,” said Bridgette Hanson, a 17-year-old rower from Arizona who raced in beach sprints for the first time this year in Florida. “It requires a lot more brute force.”
By Josef Ramos
ATHLETES train at a beach sprints camp organized by USRowing in Long Beach, California. AP
Longer lashes, lasting damage?
What to know about lash serums
AUGUST 17, 2025 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com
JAZZ-TINGED DEBUT
The old soul sound of Matthew Ifield’s debut album
Story by Bless Aubrey Ogerio
AT 19, Australian young crooner Matthew Ifield carries the voice of a man who’s been singing for half a lifetime—which, in his case, is almost true.
He began belting out tunes at the age of four, and by eight, he was part of the Sydney Children’s Choir, learning the discipline of performance under the glare of bright stage lights and the swell of orchestras.
“Music was always just a hobby,” Matthew said in a press conference on August 2 in Makati City, recalling the days he would set up a camera in his room, slip into a full suit and sing for an imaginary crowd to cure boredom.
His first upload? A rendition of Fly Me to the Moon, which is a nod to the jazz standards that would later seep into his own work.
Fast forward, that “hobby” has evolved into ‘My Favorite Place to Be,’ his debut album released August 8. It is a record that threads together 11 tracks of romance and the kind of old-soul
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storytelling rarely heard from a Gen Z artist.
A scrapbook of sound
MATTHEW described the ‘My Favorite Place to Be’ as “a collection of experiences and relationships,” as well as a musical documentary of the past few years.
His aim? To make songs that can be read like poetry, with choruses that hold up even without melody.
The influences are clear. He grew up on Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé, with a dash of family inspiration from a singer-relative in England. But the album’s DNA is a patchwork of styles: the moody intimacy of Joji, the contemporary warmth of Lauvey, the charm of grentperez and even the surprise flair of Sam Williams.
“It’s all these different artists that I like to sort of make my own Frankenstein song,” he said.
On one hand, When I Loved You—his personal favorite among all his songs—has 165,000 YouTube views, so far. Released this April, it’s based on an intense but brief four-week romance.
“I kept wondering, even though it was short, what was the meaning behind all of that? What were the experiences we shared?” he explained.
But building his debut record, he admitted, was no casual pastime. “A lot of artists think, ‘I want to make an album,’ without realizing how many steps there are,” he said.
“You have to write so many songs, figure out the story, the creative direction. It’s huge. I’ve got [my label], my management, my social media manager—all these people making it happen. I couldn’t do it without them.”
From numbers to music TOURING across Asia turned social media statistics into living, breathing proof of his growing reach.
“On social media, you can’t really picture the numbers,” he said. “When you see the fans in person, it’s surreal. It still hasn’t sunk in.”
And for him, meeting listeners is the point of it all. “Hearing their stories about how my music has changed something in their lives… that’s so important to me.”
Getting personal
OFF-camera, Matthew lets slip little details that make him human beyond the stage lights—he is clumsy, a fan of camping and the outdoors and someone who
listens to Macklemore “because it’s a mix of rap and melodic music.”
That openness carries over to the advice he treasures most, given to him backstage at a festival in Thailand just moments before performing with fellow artist WIM.
“I told him I was nervous,” he recalled. “He said, ‘If you’re not nervous, you’re not human.’ That means you care. That means you’re alive.”
And it’s a line that doubles as a mission statement for his music—earnest, vulnerable and unafraid to feel deeply.
With My Favorite Place to Be, Matthew Ifield is staking his claim in the modern music scene as a young artist who still believes in timelessness.
Matthew IField. Photos: UMG Philippines
MORE THAN JUST GIRL SONGS
Beabadoobee showcases effortless artistry in homecoming concert
BStory and photos by Ginger Franz S. Ocampo
eabadoobee’s return to Manila for the Asia leg of her tour was nothing short of triumphant. The Filipino UK-raised singer-songwriter sold out both nights at the New Frontier Theater, with fans flocking to the venue even on the two weekday dates.
Born Beatrice Kristi Laus, Beabadoobee — or simply Bea to fans — has long been vocal about her Filipino roots. Her hit “Glue Song” was even filmed in her hometown of Iloilo, a nod to her heritage that makes her performances here feel like a homecoming.
Filipinos have always shown boundless support for one of their own and for Bea, who proudly claims every bit of her heritage, the crowd’s energy was nothing short of electric.
The scenes both outside and inside the venue spoke volumes. Fans turned up in carefully curated outfits inspired by Bea’s past looks, while others embraced bold, personal styles. One thing I overheard from older concertgoers was their surprise at how much effort young fans put into dressing for shows, recalling that in their day, concerts were more casual. This shift captures how live music events have evolved into safe havens for self-expression — not just in fashion, but in the shared love and the sense of belonging that music inspires.
Over the course of the night, Beabadoobee performed more than 23 songs, blending crowd favorites with special surprises. Her heartfelt cover of “Panalangin” by Apo Hiking Society stood out, particularly on the second night when she invited Jim Paredes himself to join her onstage. The audience erupted as Bea, with a smile, confessed she wasn’t confident in her Tagalog and urged everyone to sing along.
The stage setup was simple yet purposeful. Lighting set the tone for each track, with dimmed lights for slower, emotional moments and flashing bursts during upbeat anthems. There were also
backdrops, such as one featuring a tree, that added subtle visual texture. Minimal in design but rich in atmosphere, the setup complemented the natural ebb and flow of her performance, making the night both intimate and electrifying.
When “Apple Cider,” one of her early fan favorites from the 2019 Loveworm EP, began to play, the crowd went wild. The same energy surged during She Plays Bass, another track that may not be her biggest mainstream hit but clearly holds a special place in fans’ hearts.
Her live vocals were flawless, mirroring the clarity and warmth of her recordings. Fans around me kept commenting on how effortless she sounded like her studio tracks — a rare feat for many artists.
Two moments hit on a deeply personal level. “Girl Song,” part of my “sad girl” playlist, was hauntingly beautiful with live piano accompaniment, its lyrics on self-struggle landing with heavier weight in the room.
Then came “The Way Things Go,” performed by Bea alone under soft lights. She asked the crowd to put away their phones, creating an unfiltered, intimate space. What followed was pure magic: hundreds of voices singing together, no screens, just connection. As someone who already cherishes that track, the live rendition felt even more special than the original recording.
Watching Beabadoobee grow as an artist has been inspiring. With her undeniable talent and authenticity, it’s easy to imagine her next Manila show taking place in a far bigger venue — and selling out just as quickly.
Longer lashes, lasting damage? What to know about lash serums
By Alison Ng, Cardiff University, & Byki Huntjens, University of London
LONGER, darker lashes are having a moment.
For those avoiding the risk or expense of lash extensions, serums can seem like a safer, more affordable option. But not all lash serums are created equal—and some come with hidden side-effects. The key difference lies in the ingredients. Some lash serums use conditioning agents like peptides or plant oils, while others contain powerful pharmaceutical ingredients originally developed for treating eye disease.
In 2001, a new medication called bimatoprost was approved to treat glaucoma and ocular hypertension—two conditions involving pressure buildup inside the eye that can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss.
Unlike earlier treatments, bimatoprost worked well for patients who hadn’t responded to other drugs, had fewer systemic side effects (effects on the whole body rather than just the eye) and required less frequent dosing than some other glaucoma drops.
But doctors soon noticed something unexpected: their patients’ eyelashes were growing longer, thicker and darker. Researchers still don’t fully understand how bimatoprost stimulates lash growth, but it
appears to extend the anagen phase—the active growth phase—of the lash life cycle.
In 2008, the same drug (now marketed as Latisse) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency responsible for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of drugs and medical devices, to treat eyelash hypotrichosis, a condition where eyelashes are sparse or missing.
It was initially prescribed for people who had lost their lashes due to chemotherapy, alopecia areata (an autoimmune disorder causing hair loss), or trichotillomania (a compulsive hair-pulling condition).
Extensive research shows that bimatoprost is effective at making lashes longer, thicker and darker, with noticeable results after 16 weeks of daily use. But the results are temporary: once you stop using it, your lashes return to their natural growth cycle.
Side-effects
BIMATOPROST belongs to a class of medications called prostaglandin analogues (PGAs), which have been widely used in eye care since the 1990s. Because of this, its side-effects are well documented. When used for lash growth, bimatoprost can cause burning, redness, dryness and eye irritation. These usually go away when the product is stopped.
But there are also more serious cosmetic changes to be aware of, including darkening of the skin on the eyelid, fat loss around the eyes, creating a hollow, sunken look, per-
manent iris darkening (the colored part of the eye), unwanted hair growth where the serum spreads and, in rare cases, drooping of the upper eyelid, which may require surgery to correct.
In the UK, bimatoprost remains a prescription-only medication. However, the boom in over-the-counter lash serums sold online and in shops has made similar products more accessible – and potentially more confusing. In the US, the FDA issued
Other serums rely on castor oil or plantbased extracts, but their effectiveness is largely anecdotal and not supported by robust science.
There is no guaranteed, side-effectfree way to make lashes grow dramatically longer. Prescription lash serums like bimatoprost are proven to work— but they come with potential risks, especially with long-term use. Over-thecounter products may seem safer, but
‘There is no guaranteed, sideeffect-free way to make lashes grow dramatically longer.’
warnings over a decade ago stating that any cosmetic product containing these ingredients and making growth claims should be treated as a drug, not a cosmetic.
‘Natural’ or peptide-based alternatives
SOME lash serums use peptides, which may help strengthen lashes by boosting keratin or supporting follicle health. These are often combined with conditioning agents to reduce breakage. While seen as a gentler alternative to PGAs, most studies on peptides focus on scalp hair, not eyelashes, so evidence for lash growth is limited.
many contain hidden prostaglandin analogues buried deep in the ingredients list with similar side effects. Peptide and oil-based serums are less risky, but there’s little strong evidence that they work.
Our eyes are delicate and, unlike beauty trends, they’re not replaceable. If you’re thinking about enhancing your lashes, read the label, do your research and speak to an eye care professional.
The price of longer lashes shouldn’t be your eye health. The Conversation
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K-Pop Fashion & Beauty: Idols as Trendsetters
By Orville Tan Contributor
K-POP is as much a visual experience as a musical one.
Each comeback brings a new concept that influences everything from an idol’s hair color to their wardrobe aesthetic. Whatever they wear, be it a luxury or streetwear, can spark a craze. Items worn or used by idols often sell out within hours. BLACKPINK’s Jennie once posted a mirror selfie in a simple slip dress by a brand called Alyx. The dress sold out in one hour in Korea, despite being around P12k! Another time she wore a cozy brown Sherpa coat for an Adidas shoot, which became known as the “Jennie Fleece.” You can guess how that turned out.
BTS’s influence in fashion is also legendary. Jungkook casually mentioned Downy (fabric softener) during a chat, and it ran out of stock all over Korea. BTS’s V once wore a pair of Prada combat boots during a performance, and so many fans rushed to get them that Prada’s website reportedly crashed. Even a $6 plain white tshirt from a local brand sold out overnight after BTS’s Jin wore it to the airport (it was renamed “Jin’s shirt” in his honor).
Idols influence everything style-related, even makeup. K-beauty trends like dewy “glass skin” or straight brows caught on here largely
because we saw idols looking flawless with them. The mid-2010s saw an explosion of Korean cosmetic stores in the Philippines (Nature Republic, The Face Shop, etc.), and local Pinay brands also started releasing products inspired by K-beauty (BB creams, cushion compacts, tints) because the demand was real. Everyone wanted that fresh, minimal “no makeup” makeup look like their fave K-drama leads.
The
“Sold-Out”
Effect
IT’S crazy how powerful the idol endorsement effect is, even when it’s not an official endorsement. K-pop idols have been dubbed “SoldOut Kings/Queens” in media because so many things they touch turn to gold. A small Korean fashion label that made modern hanbok outfits went viral worldwide after Jungkook wore one on a live stream. They got thousands of
inquiries from overseas, including the Philippines. Or how about Girl’s Day’s Hyeri (who was in Manila last month) who used a certain Chanel lipstick on a TV show, and that exact shade sold out in multiple countries, earning the nickname “Hyeri’s lipstick.” Blackpink’s Rosé wore a Saint Laurent coat and fans with $$$ made it sell out too.
Pinoy twist to K-Fashion
NOT everyone can afford Jennie’s $1,800 Chanel sweater or G-Dragon’s custom Nike shoes, so we hunt in Greenhills or Shopee for similar-looking pieces. What’s awesome is how Filipino fans incorporate K-pop style but still add our own twist. There’s also a rise in thrift shops and online stores selling “Idol-inspired” outfits. While the average Pinoy kuya isn’t going full Taemin, we do see more young Filipino men caring about skincare, or being willing to wear pink because hey, if BTS can do it, so can we. There’s definitely been a shift in mindset. It’s more acceptable now for guys to pay attention to fashion and grooming. The so-called “flower boy” aesthetic (soft, stylish, well-groomed) has found a niche among Pinoy teens, alongside our traditional macho styles. It’s also a two-way street sometimes: Korean idols have been spotted wearing Filipinomade items too! Red Velvet’s Joy once wore a dress by Filipino designer Patty Ang in a maga -
Confidence and self-expression
WHAT I love most is how K-pop fashion has given fans a new outlet for self-expression. Maybe you were shy to wear bold red lipstick, but after seeing Sunmi absolutely slay with red lips, you’re like “Okay, I’ll try it.” Or you felt too shy to wear streetwear, but seeing Stray Kids’ Felix effortlessly mix comfy and cool inspires you to put together your own similar fit. Idols often preach messages like “love yourself” (salamat BTS) and embracing your unique style- and fans take that to heart. With platforms like FanFlare noticing this fashion-and-fandom intersection, who knows... maybe they’ll host style challenges or fashion events for fans in the future. It’s another way to bridge cultures, as FanFlare’s mission is to empower fans.
So next time you put on that denim jacket covered in BTS and SB19 pins, or swipe on that coral lipstick because it makes you feel like you’re on stage with Hwasa, know that you’re participating in a global style wave. You’re expressing your fan love through fashion and making it your own. Walk with pride, kasi ang swag mo ay isa sa atin
As they say in Korean, “ !” You look awesome!
n Cover photo by Anna Tarazevich on
zine shoot, and SNSD’s Tiffany famously wore a Monique Lhuillier gown on a red carpet.