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A broader look at today’s business n

Sunday, February 4, 2024 Vol. 19 No. 112

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

REDEFINING THE FILIPINO DIASPORA

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By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

He suggested making “Pasko” or Christmas the focus of resource cultural thrusts.

ELIA ANNA “COOKIE” FERIA was ready with her spiels for her presentation of credentials as the new Philippine ambassador to Angola with the newly elected President in 2018. She thanked Angola for welcoming the 2,000 Filipinos who have been working in the African country for 20 to 40 years, many of whom considered Angola their second home.

ONE of the major challenges confronting Filipino communities abroad is the lack of unity within organizations. Some dubbed it as crab mentality, or the tendency of inferior members of the community to pull another who has gone up or is on the way up.

“We’re outstanding as individuals, but we suck at working together,” Domingo said, citing the likes of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, former Commission on Audit head Heidi Mendoza, Canva co-founder Melanie Perkins, Miss Universe winners Gloria Diaz, Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, Margie Moran, the Filipinas women’s football team, and grandmaster Wesley So. Domingo suggested that in engaging Filipinos “collectively,” the government should look at them like a bag of M&M’s that shouldn’t be crushed but appreciated and nurtured individually.

how many Filipinos are out there worldwide, the tide has certainly turned in favor of the Filipinos.

Whereas before, many countries looked down on Filipinos, now, many countries are wooing Filipinos to work, live in, travel, invest and spend in their countries.

“Years ago, Filipinos were told we are a damaged culture.

We are too soft, we like to focus on families,” DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo De Vega said. “Now, these countries are saying, ‘Come! We want you here!’”

He believes the mere presence of more than 10 million Filipinos overseas is already a projection of “soft power” that needs to be harnessed and leveraged apart from being the source of remittances and savior of the economy.

Filipino as a “brand” has indeed evolved on the international stage, and the DFA thinks the time has come to redefine the Filipino diaspora.

Country-team intervention to engage Filipino diaspora

‘Filipinas Ultramar’ and Filipino identity

ON January 29, 2024, the DFA initiated a multi-year consultation to kickstart the conversation about the Filipino diaspora, which he called “Filipinas Ultramar,” Latin for “Philippines Abroad.”

More than 30 heads of missions, along with other agencies actively involved in the protection and welfare of Filipinos overseas— such as the Department of Migrant Workers, Commission on Filipinos Overseas, the academe, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, and legislative leaders—collaboratively brainstormed to define the parameters of the Filipino diaspora and explore ways in which the government can guide them in this new era.

Among the issues raised is the identity—who is Filipino?

“Yes, we are Asean and Asian, but we’re not just Asian,” DFA Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus “Gary” Domingo said. He highlighted the need for Filipinos to equally, if not more, acknowledge their affinity with Latino, Hispanic, Austronesian, Pacific Islander, Englishspeaking, Christian, Catholic, and Islamic cultures.

The Philippines is the only country with a link to practically

GENERATIVE ILLUSTRATION: ED DAVAD

“To my surprise, he looked me in the eyes and said, ‘While we were busy fighting each other, the Filipinos kept our mines and petroleum fields working. They also built roads and kept our electricity running. So, you see, Madame Ambassador, it is I who should thank you,’” Ambassador Feria recalled President João Lourenço of Angola as saying.

Anecdotes like that brighten up conversations among Filipino diplomats and expats working or living anywhere overseas. Filipinos are practically everywhere—from the coldest city on the planet in Yakutsk City in Russia to hotspots or warzones such as in Gaza Strip, Myanmar and South Sudan. Oftentimes, Filipinos are preferred workers for their English-language proficiency, skills, good work ethic and social adaptability.

According to the latest estimate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are 10,854,592 Filipinos abroad. Less than half of them are based in the Americas (49.04 percent), while less than a quarter are in Asia (22.83 percent), and another quarter are in the Middle East (21.88 percent).

Only 6 percent of the Filipinos are in Europe, while 1 percent are in Africa, including the 2,000 Filipinos in Angola.

However, this estimate does not include those who have already been naturalized citizens of another country, or whose children or grandchildren are born overseas and considered citizens in their parents’ host countries. On paper and on the official census, they are no longer Filipino citizens, but they speak Filipino or Bisaya, think and act Filipino, or sometimes just simply acknowledge their parents’ roots and continue to adapt their value system. They are the second generation, third generation— sometimes even in other countries like the US or Italy, fourth generation Filipino diaspora.

Then, there are also Filipinos who are “stateless” in Sabah or those born in the Middle East countries but could not be reported out of fear of being arrested; or are trainees and students, consultants, peacekeepers and volunteers in the United Nations agencies and other humanitarian and nongovernment organizations.

While it cannot be ascertained

How do you solve crab mentality

all cultures—from the Aborigines of Australia to the Mustafa Kemal of the Turks, Atacama Desert in Hebrew, and Ogba language of Nigeria, De Vega added.

Domingo likened the Filipino cultural amalgamation to a salted egg.

American on its shell or projection to the outer world—English-speaking, educated, lovers of democracy, competitive yet with a conflict mentality.

On the inside, Filipinos are Hispanic—Christian, but with colonial mentality and deference to foreigners.

But at its core, there’s the “saltiness”—Filipinos are Austronesian and Pacific Islanders—family-ori-

ented, nature-lovers, migrants, but insular in outlook.

Domingo used to be the Philippine ambassador to New Zealand and Pacific islands.

Cultures, Domingo said, can be classified as yin or yang. Yin is on the strong side, yang is more on the soft side.

He believes the Philippine culture is more yin—heart first then mind.

“Our purpose is to rebalance the world in its excess of youngness....of toxicity, with our love.

But our agents are individuals,” Domingo said.

After acknowledging this unique cultural amalgamation, Domingo said the next challenge is

on communication.

“I think the emphasis is we should distinguish what we do internally for the Filipino community and what we do externally for everyone else.”

For instance, he said, the word “Pinoy” only resonates among first- or second-generation Filipino communities. He suggested using the word “Filipino” in programs for “mainstream promotion.”

Filipinos should also identify a cultural celebration other than the June 12 Independence Day. “Why do we focus on June 12?

The Chinese: what do they celebrate? Chinese New Year. Indians?

Diwali (Festival). Not their national days.”

MANY suggestions were raised by other participants during the forum.

These include organizing the Filipino communities as “barangays,” infusing the culture of volunteerism especially during war, pandemic, or other crises.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said he taps Filipino communities when he goes abroad; and on social media when crafting legislation, especially regarding OFWs. Tulfo, a radio journalist before he became a social-media sensation, has a public affairs program on YouTube with over 27.3 million subscribers.

Feria, who is now the DFA Special Assistant to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, believes it is essential for the Philippine government to “leverage technology and innovation.”

“We must remember that the global Filipino is not confined by geographical boundaries, but connected through the information highway or the digital realm. Our Filipino youth, often labeled the “digital generation,” possess the necessary skills and creativity to make a mark on the global stage.

We must invest in their education and harness the potential of our youth to ensure a bright future for the Philippines,” she explained.

(Note: BusinessMirror was one of the few media outlets allowed to listen and participate in the conversation on January 29, but only on the condition of following the Chatham House Rules. DFA Assistant Secretary Celia Anna Feria, DFA Undersecretary Jesus “Gary” Domingo and Senator Raffy Tulfo subsequently agreed with BusinessMirror’s request to lift the Chatham House Rules.)

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 56.1850 n JAPAN 0.3837 n UK 71.6078 n HK 7.1852 n CHINA 7.8253 n SINGAPORE 42.0452 n AUSTRALIA 36.9079 n EU 61.0900 n KOREA 0.0423 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.9827 Source: BSP (February 2, 2024)

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A2 Sunday, February 4, 2024

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SECRET HISTORY

Even before the revolution, America was a nation of conspiracy theorists

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By David Klepper | The Associated Press

ASHINGTON—A brutal conflict in Europe was fresh in people’s minds and the race for the White House turned ugly as talk of secret societies and corruption roiled the United States.

Evolution

THIS bogeyman of the early republic was the Illuminati, a secret organization founded in Germany dedicated to free thinking and opposed to religious dogma. Despite the Illuminati’s lack of real influence in America, conspiracy theorists imagined the group’s fingerprints were everywhere.

They said Illuminati manipulation had caused France’s Reign of Terror, the wave of executions and persecutions that followed the French Revolution.

They feared something similar in America.

From the witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, to fears of the Illumi-

nati, from the Red Scare to the John Birch Society to QAnon, conspiracy theories have served as dark counterprogramming to the American story taught in history books.

If a healthy democracy relies on the trust of its citizens, then conspiracy theories show what happens when that trust begins to fray?

Change a few details, add in a pizza parlor, and the hysteria surrounding the Illuminati sounds a lot like QAnon, the contemporary conspiracy theory that claims a powerful cabal of child-sacrificing satanists secretly shapes world events.

Like the Illuminati craze, QAnon emerged at a time of uncertainty, polarization and distrust.

“The more things change, the more things seem to come back,” said Jon Graham, a writer and translator based in Vermont who is an expert on the Illuminati and the claims that have surrounded the group for centuries. “There’s the mainstream narrative of history.

MAKAULE | DREAMSTIME.COM

It was 1800, and conspiracy theories were flourishing across America.

Partisan newspapers spread tales of European elites seeking to seize control of the young democracy.

Preachers in New England warned of plots to abolish Christianity in favor of godlessness and depravity.

And then there’s the other narrative—the alternative explanations for history—that never really goes away.”

Deeply rooted

JUST like today, these bizarre stories often reveal deeply rooted anxieties focused on racial and religious strife and technological and economic change.

The most persistent conspiracy theories can survive on the fringes for decades, before suddenly reappearing with new details, villains and heroes, often at a time of social upheaval or economic dislocation.

Sometimes, these beliefs can erupt into action, as they did on January 6, 2021, when a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters broke into the US Capitol.

In America’s early days, the villain was the Illuminati.

Created in 1776, the group was part of a fad of supposedly secret societies that became fashionable in Europe.

It was defunct by 1800 and had no presence in the US. Still, claims spread that Illuminati agents were working undercover to take over the federal government, outlaw Christianity and promote sexual promiscuity and devil worship among the young.

The theory was picked up by the Federalist Party and played a key part in the 1800 presidential race between President John Adams, a Federalist, and Vice President Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican. Rumors circulated among Federalists that Jefferson was an atheist who would hand America over to France if elected president.

Jefferson did win, and the Federalists never fully recovered. Tales of the Illuminati receded, but soon the Freemasons emerged to take their place in the wild imaginings of early Americans.

The Freemasons counted many leading figures, including George Washington, as members. Their influence fueled whispers that suggested the fraternal organization was a satanic conspiracy bent on ruling the world.

To understand why so many were convinced, it’s important to remember the anxiety that followed the American Revolution, said Jonathan Den Hartog, a historian at Samford University. Many people were unsure whether the country would last.

“Living through this period, a lot of people were very nervous.

And when there’s uncertainty and fear, people are going to cast about for explanations,” Den Hartog said.

Both the Illuminati and the Freemasons continue to make appearances in conspiracy theories even today.

The middle of the 19th century also saw thousands of Americans join new religious movements during the Second Great Awakening.

One popular group, the Millerites, was founded by William Miller, a veteran of the War of 1812 who used numeric clues in the Bible to calculate the ending of the world: October 22, 1844.

Before the appointed day, many of Miller’s followers sold or gave away their possessions, donned white clothing and headed for high land—in some parts of Massachusetts they climbed trees on the highest hills—so as to hasten their reunion with God. When October 22 passed, they came down from the hills. Some returned to their old lives. Others insisted the End had come, only invisibly.

“It was called the ‘Great Disappointment,’” said J. Gordon Melton, a Baylor University historian and Millerite expert. “A lot of people were very disappointed—Miller included.

But others just said, ‘Well, they just got the date wrong.’”

The belief that the world will soon end—or that a new era will dawn—shows up again and again in popular conspiracy theories.

QAnon adherents have long predicted a “Great Awakening” that will occur, following “the storm,” when former President Trump triumphs and his enemies—including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and actor Tom Hanks—are exposed and possibly executed on television.

Many dates have been suggested for this final, bloody victory, predictions that are later shrugged off when proved incorrect.

Wrong date

IN 2021, thousands of QAnon believers gathered in Dallas after one of their leaders predicted the return of John F. Kennedy Jr., who features prominently in QAnon lore despite his death in 1999.

Crestfallen believers later decided they had their dates wrong.

Something similar happened late last year, when many con-

spiracy theorists claimed a longplanned test of the emergency broadcast system would activate chemicals contained within Covid-19 vaccines. Those who got the shot would be killed or perhaps turned into zombies, according to this thinking. It didn’t happen.

‘Alternative facts’

THE assassination of President John F. Kennedy, along with the Vietnam War and Watergate, later set the stage for our current era of “alternative facts” by convincing large groups of Americans that they could no longer trust their own government.

Today’s conspiracy theories reflect that same distrust, and an unease with the rapid pace of economic, technological and environmental change. Think of claims that the 1969 moon landing was faked, that the government covered up evidence of extraterrestrials, or that the September 11, 2001, attacks were an inside job.

Fears about 5G wireless towers or vaccines containing microchips, to use two newer examples, reflect fears of government control and new technologies. Claims that climate change is a lie offer an easy answer to a complicated, existential threat caused by people’s own behavior.

Then there’s the coronavirus pandemic, which created ideal conditions for conspiracy theories: widespread fear and economic uncertainty, a deadly threat that emerged mysteriously from a geopolitical adversary, swiftly created vaccines, and a controversial government response.

“Covid really cranked all the dials to 11,” said Joseph Uscinski, a University of Miami political scientist who studies belief in conspiracy theories.

The internet has made belief in conspiracy theories more visible and shareable. Trump and other politicians have learned how to exploit belief in conspiracy theories for their own ends.

But history shows America has withstood hoaxes, conspiracy theories and cycles of distrust before. Den Hartog, the Samford historian, said he would like to believe the nation can do it again.

“This gives me some hope, to know that we’ve had problems and we weathered them,” he said.

“There is an American capacity to take a breath, to try harder on our civic life and to rebuild trust.”

TheWorld

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

Sunday, February 4, 2024

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Meta, X, and TikTok CEOs ripped by senators over child online safety

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By Oma Seddiq & Alex Barinka

EADERS from five social media platforms were admonished by US lawmakers on Wednesday over their “failure” to protect kids online from sexual predators and mental health issues, and were pressed to support new legislation to impose controls.

SENATORS Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin during a US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC on January 31. BLOOMBERG

The 21-member Senate Judiciary Committee called the chief executives of Meta Platforms Inc., X, Snap Inc., Discord Inc. and TikTok to Washington in an effort to hold them accountable for their platforms’ impact on teenagers and children. “ These companies must be reined in, or the worst is yet to come,” Senator Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the committee, said. Singling out Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, Graham said he had “blood on his hands,” detailing a story of a child who was a victim of sexual exploitation. “You have a product that’s killing people,” he added.

His comments were met with an uproar of applause and cheers from advocates in attendance in the packed hearing room.

Congress has been under pressure to respond to mounting evidence of the spread of child sexual abuse material online and the tech companies’ inability to protect children from predators.

They have also raised concerns about the effect social media use has on young people’s mental health. TikTok and Meta, which

criminals who financially sextort young victims.”

“Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, and their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk.”

Law makers have examined children’s online safety in previous hearings, but Wednesday marks the first time Congress convened the executives to discuss the matter as part of a broader effort to move legislation forward.

President Joe Biden, tech industry whistleblowers, parents, and teenagers themselves have repeatedly called on Congress to improve safety online as evidence suggests social media use could be worsening youngsters’ mental health. Yet legislative proposals have languished as tech and digital rights groups lobby against them, characterizing many of the measures as ineffective and dangerous for user privacy and safety.

Durbin a lso ac k nowledged the responsibility of Congress, which has repeatedly failed to set regulations on social media

owns Facebook and Instagram, are facing lawsuits in California that claim the companies were negligent and ignored the potential harms their platforms created for teens.

Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, convened the hearing to generate momentum for the committee’s legislation targeting online child sexual exploitation.

“We remain ready to work with members of this committee, industry and parents to make the Inter net safer for ever yone,” Zuckerberg said. “I’m proud of the work that our teams do to improve online and child safety on our services and across the entire Internet.”

But the senators had little patience for Zuckerberg or his peers and found their efforts, some of which Durbin noted have been introduced only recently, fell short.

“Discord has been used to groom, abduct and abuse children. Meta’s Instagram helped connec t a nd promote a network of pedophi les,” Durbin said. “Snapchat’s disappearing messages have been coopted by

companies over the years.

Meta has faced significant pushback for its child safety practices and Zuckerberg explained on Wednesday the many tools that Meta has rolled out to protect young people, including parental controls that set time limits on app usage, notifications to review privacy settings, and restrictions on interactions with adults.

B ut t he s e n at or s w e re n’t buying it, and spent more time questioning Zuckerberg directly than his peers over four hours of testimony.

Josh Hawley of Missouri asked the co-founder of Facebook if he would personally compensate victims of sexual exploitation on his sites.

“You’re a billionaire,” Hawley said. “Will you set up a victim’s compensation fund with your money?”

In a par ticu larly dramatic moment, Hawley asked Zuckerberg whether he’s apologized to victims and their families who have been exploited on his platforms—including the ones in the audience today. At Hawley’s urging, the CEO stood up,

turned around and addressed the audience.

“I am sorry for everything that you have all gone through,” Zuckerberg said. “It’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invest so much, and are going to continue doing industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families have had to suffer.”

Zuckerberg also faced questions about the fact that he rejected requests from his top leadership in 2021 to expand teams overseeing child safety and well-being, according to documents and e-mails released by Congress ahead of the hearing.

In the hearing, Zuckerberg said Meta spent $5 billion last year on trust and safety.

Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, Snap’s Evan Spiegel and Jason Citron of Discord, were testifying in Congress for the first time but didn’t get off lightly, either.

Yaccarino, who took on the CEO role at X last June, endorsed one of the committee’s bipartisan bills that has yet to reach the Senate floor for a vote. Known as the STOP CSAM Act, the bill intends to empower victims of child sex abuse by allowing them to sue social media companies.

The bill would also make it easier for victims to request the removal of child sex abuse material from online platforms.

“As a mother, this is personal, and I share the sense of urgency,” Yaccarino said. “It is time for a federal standard to criminalize the sharing of non-consensual intimate material.”

Unlike other social media companies that focus on courting young users, Yaccarino highlighted X’s

older customer base. “X is not the platform of choice for children and teens,” she said, adding that teens are automatically set to a default private setting. Of X’s 90 million US users, Yaccarino said fewer than 1 percent are minors.

Yaccarino and Spiegel both voiced support for the Kids Online Safety Act, though the X chief stopped short of endorsing it, which Snap has done. The bill, championed by Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican on the committee, and Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, would create legal requirements for tech companies to keep children safe from content that promotes violence, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

“No legislation is perfect, but some rules of the road are better than none,” Spiegel said.

Yaccarino said the Kids Online Safety Act “should continue to progress and we will support the continuation to engage with it and ensure the protections of the freedom of speech.”

TikTok CEO Shou Chew, whose app is owned by ByteDance Ltd. of China, faced questions over child safety and also his company’s links to the Chinese Communist Party. Hawley reiterated calls for a nationwide ban on the popular app.

Chew last appeared before a House committee nearly a year ago. As part of Chew’s testimony, TikTok pledged to spend $2 billion this year on trust and safety globally, as the popular video service crosses 170 million monthly active users in the US. TikTok “largely” supports the STOP CSAM act, Chew said, but the company has questions about how it would be implemented.

Bloomberg News

China sees two ‘bowls of poison’ in Biden-Trump rematch and ponders who is the lesser of 2 evils

By Didi Tang & Ken Moritsugu The Associated Press

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EIJING—As the US presidential campaign moves closer to a Donald Trump-Joe Biden rematch, China is watching uneasily.

First, there are concerns about the campaign itself, where candidates are likely to talk tough on China. That could threaten the fragile improvements in US-China relations seen in recent months.

Then there’s the outcome of the November vote. Neither candidate is particularly appealing to Beijing. While Biden has looked for areas of cooperation with China, Beijing is concerned about his efforts to unite allies in the Indo-Pacific in a coalition against China. It’s also nervous about his approach to Taiwan after he has repeatedly said he would have US troops defend it in a conflict with China.

Trump, with his isolationist approach to foreign policy, might be more hesitant to defend Taiwan. But nothing can be ruled out given his unpredictability and his tough rhetoric on China, which he blames for the Covid-19 outbreak that dogged the end of his term. He also could deepen a trade war that hasn’t eased since his presidency.

“For China, no matter who won the US presidential election, they would be two ‘bowls of poison,’” said Zhao Minghao, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai.

Even with the slight improvement in relations, tensions remain high, particularly over Taiwan. The question of who is in the White House could have

enormous consequences not only for US-China relations but also for peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

Zhao’s views are echoed by a number of analysts in both countries, who suggest Beijing may find Biden the lesser of two evils for his steadiness over Trump’s unpredictability but also point out that the Chinese government agonizes over Biden’s success in building partnerships to counter China.

“No matter who takes office, it will not change the overall direction of America’s strategic competition with China,” said Sun Chenghao, a fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University. “China doesn’t have any preference for who will win the presidential election because China has experience dealing with either of them for four years.”

In China’s social media, many commentators appear to be favoring Trump, whom they see not only as a businessman up for a deal but also a disruptive force that undermines American democracy and US global leadership to the benefit of Beijing.

Trump’s policies and remarks as president earned him the nickname of Chuan Jianguo, or “Trump, the [Chinese] nation builder,” an implication that he was helping Beijing.

Trump’s recent accusation that Taiwan took the chip-making industry from the US has been seen as a sign that Trump, a businessman at heart, may not be willing to defend the self-governed island that Beijing considers to be Chinese territory.

Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center, cautioned against nationalistic sentiments in China that could be at odds

IN this combination of photos, President Joe Biden speaks on August 10, 2023 in Salt Lake City, left, and former President Donald Trump speaks on July 8, 2023 in Las Vegas. As the US presidential campaign moves closer to a Donald Trump-Joe Biden rematch, China is watching uneasily. AP

with government officials and elites.

“With Trump, there is no floor to US-China relations, and Trump poses great risks and uncertainties, including the possibility of a military conflict,” Sun said, adding China in 2020 was convinced that Trump could attack Taiwan to win reelection.

“There might be some benefit associated with Trump’s potential to damage alliances and partnerships, shaking the world’s confidence in America’s leadership, but the benefit for China will not be able to offset the even more significant damage he would impose on the relationship with China,” she said.

Trump started off on the wrong foot with China when he took a congratulatory call on his 2016 election victory from the president of Taiwan, angering the government in Beijing, which opposes any official contact between Taiwan and foreign governments.

Relations appeared to get back on track in 2017, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in April and, six months later, hosted the US president in Beijing with a dinner at the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace.

But in 2018, Trump started a trade war by imposing tariffs on Chinese imports. China retaliated with tariffs on US goods, and the tariffs on both sides remain to this day.

The Covid-19 outbreak in China in 2020 pushed Trump’s relationship with the country to the point of no return. As the virus spread to the United States, he tried to deflect criticism of his handling of the pandemic by blaming China, drawing strong rebukes from Beijing.

When Biden and Trump squared off in 2020, US intelligence agencies reported before the election that China viewed

Trump as “unpredictable” and opposed his reelection. A subsequent assessment issued months after the election said that China ultimately had not interfered on either side and “considered but did not deploy” influence operations intended to affect the outcome.

Experts say the Chinese also are unlikely to interfere with the US presidential election this year, partly because they are unwilling and partly because they have yet to build up the capabilities. If Beijing is to interfere, it is more likely to try to discredit US democracy, amplify partisan discord, and undermine faith in the election process, they say.

Once elected, Biden kept his predecessor’s China policy. Not only did he keep the tariffs but Biden also limited access by Chinese companies to advanced technologies, sanctioned Chinese officials over human rights violations and expanded restrictions on China-bound US monies.

Biden’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken, in 2022 called China the “most serious long-term challenge to the international order.”

Then in early 2023, tensions spiked again when the US shot down a Chinese spy balloon. It took months of diplomacy to set up a meeting between Biden and Xi that resulted in some modest agreements and a vow to stabilize relations.

Miles Yu, director of the China center at the Hudson Institute, said the US has come to a bipartisan agreement on China, with the two parties sharing “pretty much the same China policy.” In response, China’s ruling Communist Party has a new US policy, he said.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a black cat or a white cat, as long as it’s an American cat, it’s a bad cat,” Yu said, borrowing from the famous saying by China’s reformist politician Deng Xiaoping that encouraged market reforms regardless of ideology.

But several experts expressed a guarded preference for Biden because of his steadiness, which they say Beijing may appreciate in managing the already-fraught relations.

“Trump is by nature volatile and cruel and is a person hard to be familiar with,” said Shi Yinhong, international relations professor at Renmin University of China.

While Beijing can expect its relationship with Washington to stay the course if Biden is reelected, it may not wish to deal with Trump’s hysteria toward China and possibly drastic changes if he returns to the White House, Shi said.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, said Beijing is more worried about Trump’s hostility toward globalization than Biden’s worldwide efforts to build alliances.

“We don’t expect any one of them would be better for China, but the key [for China] is to continue its opening and reforms, and high-quality development,” Wang said.

But Shi Sushi, a veteran commentator in Beijing, said it is easier for China to handle Trump, who just wants to cut a deal, than Biden, who has a values-based approach to governing.

Tang reported from Washington. Associated Press researchers Yu Bing and Chen Wanqing in Beijing, and AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

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Out of options, Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar, Bangladesh by boat despite soaring death toll

By Kristen Gelineau

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The Associated Press

YDNEY—Across a treacherous stretch of water, the Rohingya came by the thousands, and then died by the hundreds. And though they know the dangers of fleeing by boat, many among this persecuted people say they will not stop—because the world has left them with no other choice.

Last year, nearly 4,500 Rohingya—two-thirds of them women and children—fled their homeland of Myanmar and the refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh by boat, the United Nations’ refugee agency reported. Of those, 569 died or went missing while crossing the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the highest death toll since 2014.

The numbers mean one out of every eight Rohingya who attempted the crossing never made it, the UNHCR said last week.

Yet despite the risks, there are no signs the stream of Rohingya is ebbing. On Thursday, Indonesian officials said another boat carrying Rohingya refugees landed in the country’s northern province of Aceh.

Fishermen provided food and water to 131 Rohingya, mostly women and children, who had been on board, said Marzuki, the leader

of the local tribal fishing community, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

Some passengers told officials they had been at sea since last month and their boat’s engine had broken down, leaving them adrift, said Lt. Col. Andi Susanto, commander of the navy base in Lhokseumawe.

“Southeast Asian waters are one of the deadliest stretches in the world and a graveyard for many Rohingya who have lost their lives,” says Babar Baloch, UNHCR’s spokesman for Asia and the Pacific. “The rate of Rohingya who are dying at sea without being rescued—that’s really alarming and worrying.”

Inside the squa lid ref ugee camps in Bangladesh, where more than 750,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled in 2017 following sweeping attacks by Myanmar’s military, the situation has grown

ETHNIC Rohingya people sit on a beach after they land in Kuala Parek Beach, East Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Across a treacherous stretch of water, the Rohingya came by the thousands, and then died by the hundreds. And though they know the dangers of fleeing by boat, many among this persecuted people say they will not stop— because the world has left them with no other choice. AP/HUSNA MURA

increasingly desperate. Not even the threat of death at sea is enough to stop many from trying to traverse the region’s waters in a bid to reach Indonesia or Malaysia.

“We need to choose the risky journey by boat because the international community has failed their responsibility,” says Mohammed Ayub, who is saving up money for a spot on one of the rickety wooden fishing boats traffickers use to ferry passengers 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from Bangladesh to Indonesia.

Global indifference toward the Rohingya crisis has left those languishing in the overcrowded camps with few alternatives to fleeing. Because Bangladesh bans the Roh i ng y a f rom work i ng , t he i r s u r v iv a l i s de p e nde nt upon food rations, which were

slashed last year due to a drop in global donations.

Returning safely to Myanmar is virtually impossible for the Rohingya, because the military that attacked them overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in 2021. And no country is offering the Rohingya any largescale resettlement opportunities.

Meanwhile, a surge in killings, kidnappings and arson attacks by militant groups in the camps has left residents fearing for their lives. And so, starving, scared and out of options, they continue to board the boats.

Ayub has lived in a sweltering, cramped shelter for more than six years in a camp where security and sanitation are scarce, and hope even scarcer. There is no formal schooling for his children, no way

for him to earn money, no prospects for returning to his homeland and no refuge for his family amid spiraling gang violence.

“Of course I understand how dangerous the boat journey by sea is,” Ayub says. “We could die during the journey by boat. But it depends on our fate.... It’s better to choose the dangerous way even if it’s risky, because we are afraid to stay in the camps.”

Two hundred of the people who died or went missing at sea last year were aboard one boat that left Bangladesh in November. Eyewitnesses on a nearby boat told The Associated Press that the missing vessel, which was crowded with babies, children and mothers, broke down and was taking on water before it drifted off during a storm as its passengers screamed for help.

It has not been seen since.

It was one of several distressed boats that the region’s coastal countries neglected to save, despite the UNHCR’s requests for those countries to launch search and rescue missions.

“When no action is taken, lives are lost,” says UNHCR’s Baloch. “If there is no hope restored in Rohingya lives either in Myanmar or in Bangladesh, there are no rescue attempts, [then] sadly we could see more desperate people dying in Southeast Asian seas under the watch of coastal authorities who could act to save lives.”

Six of Mohammed Taher’s family members were aboard the boat that vanished in November, including his 15-year-old brother, Mohammed Amin, and two of

Taher’s nephews, aged 3 and 4.

Their ultimate destination was Ma laysia, a Muslim-major it y country where many Rohingya seek relative safety.

Taher and his parents now struggle to sleep or eat, and spend their days agonizing over what became of their loved ones. Taher’s mother saw a fortuneteller who said her relatives were still alive.

Taher, meanwhile, dreamed that the boat made it to shore, where his relatives took refuge in a school and were able to bathe in warm water. But he remains unconvinced their journey ended so happily.

And so he has vowed to tell everyone to stay off the boats, no matter how unbearable life on land has become.

“I will never leave by boat on this difficult journey,” Taher says.

“All the people who reached their destination are saying that it’s horrific traveling by boat.”

Yet such warnings are often futile. Ayub is now preparing to sell his daughter’s jewelry to help pay for his spot on a boat. While he is frightened by the stories of those who didn’t make it, he is motivated by the stories of those who did.

“Nobody would consider taking a risk by boat on a dangerous journey if they had better opportunities,” he says. “Fortunately, some people did reach their destination and got a better life. I am staying positive that Allah will save us.”

The Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

Fears grow that dam across Mekong River in Laos could harm World Heritage site of Luang Prabang

By David Rising

The Associated Press

L

UANG PRABANG, Laos—Landlocked Laos doesn’t have the famous beaches of its neighbors to attract tourists, but instead relies on the pristine beauty of its mountains and rivers and historical sites to bring in visitors.

The crown jewel is Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where legend has it that Buddha once rested during his travels. It brings all the elements together, with its mix of historic Laotian and French colonial architecture on a peninsula at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers.

But a multibillion-dollar dam project under way 25 kilometers (15 miles) upstream has prompted concerns that it could result in the city losing its UNESCO status, and broader questions about what the government’s ambitious plans to build multiple dams across the Mekong will do to the river, the lifeblood of Southeast Asia.

“When the Luang Prabang Dam is complete, and it’s already well under construction, the river is going to trickle into a dead body of water,” said Brian Eyler, director of the Washington-based Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Program and its Energy, Water and Sustainability Program.

“The people going to Luang Prabang as tourists to see the mighty Mekong and see how the Lao people interact with the river, all those interactions are going to be gone—all the fishing, meaningful local boating and commerce done by locals on relatively small boats will end.”

The dam is also being built near an active fault line, and though studies of the design conclude it could withstand an earthquake, local residents are worried.

For Som Phone, a 38-year-old tour boat operator and lifelong Luang Prabang resident, memories of the 2018 collapse of another dam in Laos that killed dozens and displaced thousands, blamed on shoddy construction, are still fresh.

“Many people died,” he said.

Luang Prabang is not yet on UNESCO’s list of endangered World Heritage sites, but the Paris-based agency has outlined a series of concerns, including the protection of historic buildings and the effect of the dam project on protected wetlands and the city’s riverbanks, and is awaiting a report back from Laos.

“Previous studies carried out by the authorities have not yet established whether or not the project could have a negative impact,” UNESCO said in an e-mailed response to questions from The Associated Press.

The issue is to be discussed by UNESCO in July during its meetings in New Delhi, but in the meantime, the construction continues.

The site is a hive of activity, with backhoes tearing shovelfuls of deep red soil from the hills along the river, which are then dumped along with loads of stone into the Mekong to form a foundation.

The dam site is within view of the Pak Ou caves, home to hundreds of Buddha statues and a popular side trip for tourists visiting Luang Prabang.

Once completed, the project is expected to displace more than 500 families and impact 20 villages.

Luang Prabang’s World Heritage Office referred queries on the status of its response to UNESCO to the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, which referred questions to the Foreign Ministry.

The Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the telephone and did not respond to the emailed questions it requested.

Nestled among the mountains of northern Laos, Luang Prabang was the capital from the 14th to the 16th century before it was moved to Vientiane.

Its historic center has numerous Buddhist temples, a former royal palace, buildings from the French colonial era and a mountaintop shrine built around what is said to be Buddha’s footprint. Several picturesque waterfalls are within a short drive from the city.

A bustling night market boasts stalls selling traditional Lao handicrafts, locally

A FISHERMAN fishing in Mekong River in front of construction site of Luang Prabang dam in Luang Prabang, Laos on Sunday, January 28, 2024. Luang Prabang was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site nearly 30 years ago, but a multibillion-dollar dam project is raising questions that could deprive the city of its coveted status and prompting broader concerns the Mekong River could be ruined by multiple dams that are being planned. AP/SAKCHAI LALIT

made whisky, as well as trinkets made from fragments of some of the millions of American bombs dropped on the country during the Vietnam conflict in a campaign to try to disrupt communist supply lines.

At a vibrant morning market, vendors sell brightly colored peppers, spices, fish and more exotic foods.

Many visitors arrive on small river cruise boats, or by train on a new high-speed rail system, built with funding from China as part of its Belt and Road project, which

connects Vientiane with the Chinese city of Kunming.

It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 for its “unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape” combined with its “natural spaces located in the heart of the city and along the riverbanks and wetlands.”

The Luang Prabang dam is one of nine that Laos plans across the Mekong. Two others already exist, and Laos has also constructed dozens of dams on Mekong tributaries, moving at a rapid pace over

Laos has relied heavily on foreign funding, primarily from China and Thailand, for the construction, part of the reason it now owes a crippling debt to China that it is struggling to repay.

about the last 12 years as part of an ambitious government plan to make the country the “battery of Southeast Asia” by supplying its neighbors with electricity.

Laos has relied heavily on foreign funding, primarily from China and Thailand, for the construction, part of the reason it now owes a crippling debt to China that it is struggling to repay.

“When we think about the Laos’‘battery of Southeast Asia,’ program, that was really Laos flinging its doors wide open to foreign investors to come in and build dams,” said Eyler, who also co-leads the Stimson Center’s Mekong Dam Monitor program.

Approval of dam projects moves quickly, often without thorough consideration of their impact, and the electricity is largely exported to Laos’ neighbors like Thailand, he added.

“This dam won’t generate a lot of power for Laos, it’s going to power new shopping malls in Bangkok,” Eyler said of the Luang Prabang project. “So there’s a mismatch of those who are negatively affected and those who are beneficiaries.”

The first mainstream dam was the Xayaburi dam, just downstream from Luang Prabang, which began operating in 2019 and has already affected the city, said Philip Hirsch, a professor emeritus of human geography at Sydney University.

“It’s already become a lakeside town rather than a riverside town...due to the effects of the Xayaburi dam downstream,” he said.

Plans are to allow a constant flow of water through the new Luang Prabang dam, as a so-called run-of-the-river dam, but the waters will be further starved of sediment, affecting traditional fishing and farming of the banks.

In a report commissioned by Laotian authorities, British consultanc y CBA concluded that “key issues relating to catastrophic flooding due to dam failure and changes to water levels on the Mekong have been addressed,” but seismologists and others remain concerned about it being built near an active fault line.

“When you have a reservoir 78 kilometers long and you’ve raised the water level about 40 meters, you’d just have a wall of water and given how low-lying some of the parts of Luang Prabang are along the river, it’d be devastating,” Hirsch said.

The Mekong River Commission, an organization formed for cooperation on issues regarding the river by the countries through which it flows—Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam—said its technical review of the project showed ground movement in recent earthquakes was “significantly below the design limit” of the dam.

In a written response to questions from the AP, it noted that Laos’ government has established an independent panel to monitor the issue of dam safety.

The Mekong River supports the largest inland fishery in the world, and the river commission also examined the dam’s potential impact on hydrology, sediment, water quality, fish and other issues.

It concluded that the dam, when taken into consideration with others already built or planned by Laos, could cause harm downstream in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, confirming concerns those countries have voiced.

“In isolation, the potential transboundary harmful effects due to the Luang Prabang hydropower project may not be substantial,” the river commission said. “But on top of the other existing and planned development it may have considerable impact on the other riparian states.”

For tourist Barbara Curti who came to Luang Prabang to see “the real people, the real life” of Laos, a new dam could significantly impact the appeal of the city as a destination.

“For me, it’s a problem, the construction of the dam, because they would change too much of the life and the real character of the city,” said the 46-year-old Italian, sitting on the banks of the Mekong with a friend.

“In my opinion, we have to preserve the traditions.”

Science Sunday

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

BusinessMirror

Sunday, February 4, 2024

A5

Beyond wearables: DOST-PTRI spinning transformations, innovations, job creation

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

T

EXTILES are commonly regarded as materials to make clothing. But Philippine textiles have come a long way— from wearables to use for security and defense.

Director Julius L. Leaño Jr. of the Department of Science and Technolog y-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) pointed out t hat Phi l ippinesourced and -made textiles have transcended from basic clothing to various applications made possible through science, technology and innovation reshaping the textile industry.

The wide spectrum of natural fibers, from pineapple leaves to abaca, banana, bamboo and the Philippine silk, weaved into textiles, are now used in food packaging, automotive, human security and defense.

T he DOST-PTR I celebrated January as the Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) Month to uphold its commitment to promoting natural textiles, advancing local industries and creating livelihood opportunities.

‘Linchpin in transformation’

DURING the National Textile Convention (TelaCon) on January 30 and 31, Leaño emphasized that Philippine textiles are seen as a “linchpin in the transformation” in production sector which will generate more quality jobs and competitive products.

He said this vision is rooted in the “Ambisyon 2040,” highlighting the Philippines’s longterm vision and aspirations of the Filipinos for themselves and the country in the next 16 years.

This is also aligned with the 8-point agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the creation of more quality and green jobs, he added.

Furthermore, the National

A FASHION show, “KatHabi,” was one of the highlights of the Textile Convention on January 30. (From left) National Scientists Dr. Dolores A. Ramirez and Dr. Emil Q. Javier, Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. and DOST PTRI Director Julius L. Leaño Jr. model clothes made of fabrics from natural materials, including pineapple, banana, abaca, silk and bamboo that were products of DOST-PTRI research. Also featured were office and school uniforms, doctors’s gowns, military battle uniforms made from the same natural fabrics. The clothes were designed by JC Buendia, Avel Bacudio, Anthony Cruz Legarda, Albert Andrada, Studio Regina, Stella Santos Salcedo, Unica, among others. GERRY PALAD, DOST-STII

Strategic Plan Framework 20232028 of the DOST centers on the four pillars of human well-being, wealth creation and development, sustainability, and wealth protection, which textiles, Leaño said, have “very direct relationship and could support it.”

“That’s why enshrined in all of these documents is a very strong basis upon which we create, we develop, and we put forward…. The [PTRI] comes forward to claim and reclaim what it actually is mandated to do,” Leaño said.

Explaining the textile continuum, Leaño said raw materials such as cotton, pineapple, abaca and silk fibers are spun into yarns, which are then woven, knitted or non-woven.

These textiles are “actually the backbone of so many applications that we have for the Philippines, so many applications and opportunities for the industry,” he said, adding that they are turned into garments, shoes, bed linens, carpet, curtains and more.

For his part, Science Secretary

Renato U. Solidum Jr., in his recorded message, said the challenge in the Philippine textile industry is for the stakeholders in the government, domestic and international industry, academe and the private sector, “to align and engage in the shared vision of a revitalized Philippine textile industry.”

“We must align ourselves with the global textile ecosystem values of the 21st century—inclusivity, competitiveness and sustainability,” he said.

New programs for 2024

IN line with this year’s PTF celebration, with the theme “Spinning Innovations,” fibers twisted together create a strengthened and unified structure. Building on this leverage, the DOST-PTRI will launch three new programs this year.

Dubbed “Frontier [Fostering the Revitalization of Nascent Textile Innovation Ecosystems in the Region],” the program aims to intensify regional textile in-

Wellness firm receives ₧4.7-M grant from DOST

A

RE you a company which would like to help your employees have a healthy work-life balance?

The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) earmarked a P4.7-million grant to support a wellness company that curates healthy lifestyle for employees.

Startup Splore Innovations Group Inc. (Splore), led by Alby Litton and Franz Brillantes, will receive f und ing f rom DOSTPCIEERD to help in scaling their operations nationwide and advancing their technology.

Splore is a wellness company that builds, manages, and delivers curated employee wellness programs backed by company employee profiles and trends.

Through the grant fund, Splore intends to design and test wellness programs for companies that would like to help their employees keep a healthy work-life balance.

DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico C. Paringit lauded the startup company for harnessing the power of innovation in coming up with its project.

“We hope more startups will follow Splore in utilizing the power of science, technology and innovation in coming up with solutions that will cater to the needs of the Filipino people,” he said.

Litton express gratitude to DOST-PCIEERD for its recognition of their potential through the

novation to achieve an inclusive and innovative Philippine textile ecosystem.

DOST-PTRI said this will integrate and consolidate the research institute’s efforts in the country’s regions by strategically locating textile innovation hubs for fibers and yarns as well as regional centers for natural dyes and handloom weaving innovations.

The Institute targets under the program include one regional clothing and textile research and innovation agenda per region, two large-scale textile companies to be engaged, one textile firm engaged or developed all by 2024.

In 2025, it aims to have one regional development council resolution to adopt this clothing and textile research agenda and innovation agenda and at least one textile activity per province.

It also targets to have one state university and college engaged per province by 2026 and one textile innovation center by 2028.

Although it seems a “quite tall order, a self-imposed one,” Leaño

admitted, that what the Institute wants to happen is to create jobs, value addition, and overall improvement in the vitality of the overall economic activities in the region.

How will they do it? He said that starting with the technologies they already have, such as natural textile technologies, Bamboo Textiles PH, natural dyes, and Philippine silk.

The “Creativity and Equity t h rou g h A cce ler ate d Te x t i le Tec hnolog y Engagement a nd Entrepreneurship Ventures for Vulnerable Sectors (Creatteevs),” meanwhile, aims to partner with women, youth, elderly, persons with disabilities, persons deprived of liberty, and indigenous people to intensify local textile innovation.

This program will also support various DOST programs, such as the Community Empowerment Through Science and Technology; Grassroots Innovation for Inclusive Development; Collaborative Research and Development to

Filipino researchers revolutionize bone repair with AI, 3D printing

3 ALBY LITTON

FRANZ BRILLANTES

Startup Grant Fund Program (SGF).

“We are optimistic that through the grant we would be able to reach more companies and help their employees become more rounded individuals and productive Filipinos,” he said.

DOST-PCIEERD’s Startup SGF has funded over 58 startups with a total of P226 million over the past five years.

For the 2023 Cycle, Splore was part of the six approved proposals out of the 46 received by PCIEERD. Paringit said Splore is a company that delivers innovation with a purpose, elevating the health and well-being of Filipinos during challenging times and pioneering the future of tele-sports for the remote workforce.

Within the past 2 years, Splore has directed its focus on providing corporate wellness programs to renowned companies, such as SunLife, AXA, and RingCentral.

The wellness programs have been personally designed to enhance employee well-being, performance, and happiness, while promoting a

healthy work-life balance.

Looking ahead, Splore aims to direct the funding toward expanding its operations across multiple companies around the country, offering comprehensive and extensive wellness programs to their employees.

Furthermore, by leveraging tec hnolog ica l adva ncements, Splore aims to utilize employee profiles and behavioral trends in order to provide optimal and sustainable programs specifically designed for each client; thereby, reducing health costs and improving overall employee health and morale in the country.

Litton and Brillantes said they are on a mission to create a positive shift in the Philippines work environment so that employees would no longer think about moving out of the country for international job opportunities.

“The Splore team envisions the Philippines as a country where health and wellness is accessible to anyone and would cease to be viewed as a luxurious lifestyle,” he said. S&T News Service

Leverage Philippine Economy; Wome n - He lpi n g -Wome n : I n nov at ive Soc i a l Enter pr i ses; Sma l l Enter pr ise Technolog y Upgrading Program; and Smart Communities.

The Institute also launched the “Bamboo Textile Fiber Innovation Hub” (BTFIH) in Abra which will cater to the engagement of local communities in bamboo fiber processing from conversion to continuous innovation in textile production.

Bamboo, as Leaño told reporters on the sidelines of the event, has a higher fiber yield at 50 percent than banana or abaca at only 2 percent, and all of these are dominant in the Philippines.

“At the same time, if we look at the cost of bamboo fiber, relatively, it is cheaper compared to the other fibers right now,” he added.

However, he also reminded the stakeholders not to take for granted the value of pineapple and banana fibers because they are also byproducts of the local agriculture industry.

D printing is currently widely used worldwide in manufacturing consumer products and even in automotive and aerospace prototypes and parts.

In medicine, bioprinting has started to be applied in medical imaging, cardiology, muscle and bone repair and skin damage recovery.

In the Philippines, researchers are likewise revolutionizing bone tissue repair with the use of the advance technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing to enhance bone regeneration, and providing a more accessible and affordable solution for bone-related challenges caused by aging, infections, and accidents.

The project aims to empower patients and doctors in selecting the optimal bone repair material based on medical needs and affordability, said the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of t he Depa r tment of Science and Technology (DOST-PCHRD).

It offers a more viable alternative to existing methods by providing enhanced performance for complex bone regeneration using 3D-printing technology to craft bone scaffolds with tunable shapes.

Led by Dr. Erwin P. Enriquez of the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), and supported by the

3D printing of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer with a triply periodic minimal surface as biomimetic geometry for possible scaffold for bone tissue repair. PLA is a biodegradable material from corn or sugar cane that are commonly used in 3D printing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

DOST-PCHRD, the team leverages on an international collaboration with researchers from the Vellore Institute of Technology in India, that specializes in additive manufacturing, AI-assisted design, and bio-nanotechnology, using 3Dprinting technology.

In its second year, the project has developed a machine-learning model to analyze factors affecting the effectiveness of bioceramic precursor materials in printing.

Simultaneously, the team ex-

plores polymer-nano clay materials and 3D-printed frameworks, ensuring strength and compatibility with the human body.

“By integrating transformative technologies like AI and 3D printing, we are charting a course toward a future where healthcare is revolutionized, and innovative approaches become the cornerstone of medical advancements,” said DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Jaime C. Montoya.

“This collaborative initiative, showcasing the dedication and expertise of our team, holds promise in providing accessible and affordable solutions for bone-related challenges,” Montoya said.

Recognizing the limitations of traditional transplantation, the researchers advocate for a shift toward regeneration as a more promising solution for damaged tissues and organs, the DOSTPCHRD pointed out.

The project, set to conclude in August 2024, focuses on refining additive manufacturing and processing techniques, aiming to significantly reduce fabrication time compared to current technologies.

Once successful, this initiative may empower surgeons with a diverse selection of composite materials, custom-tailored to meet the medical and financial needs of individual patients.

A6 Sunday, February 4, 2024

Faith

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

Church in Rizal Bp. David: Cha-cha move in ‘bad taste’ Taytay elevated as minor basilica

I

N “bad taste.”

This was how Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), described the stalled signature drive seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution.

In a virtual news conference on Friday, David, accompanied by other CBCP officials, cast doubts on the motives of those behind the “people’s initiative” and called for deeper and wider discussions and discernment on the proposed Charter revisions.

“Itong naging track record ng people’s initiative, itong move towards amending the Constitution through the people’s initiative, hindi talaga maganda ang dating…bad taste na bad taste talaga,” David told reporters a day after issuing a statement on behalf of the CBCP questioning the signature drive.

“That’s why, show us that there is really sincerity and goodwill in these moves. Bakit parang pilit nilang sinasabi na ang pag-amyenda sa Constitution is the solution?

What is the problem anyway?

Hindi kaya muna pag-usapan ano ba talaga ang problema na sinusolusyonan? Bakit iniisip nila na ito ang solusyon?”

David pointed out the historical context that produced the 1987 Charter—the tragic experiences of Filipinos during the martial law regime.

“Bunga ng dugo, pawis at luha ng s amba yanang P ilip ino ang ating Konstitusyon at mayroon itong background. We don’t want to fall again into the slippery slope toward authoritarianism,” he said.

David deplored the lack of respect for the Senate as a co-equal branch by the Charter-change proponents, who have proposed to let Congress as a whole decide on amendments, instead of the

P

CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David addresses the bishops’ 127th plenary assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila on January 27. CBCP NEWS

24-member Senate and the much larger House of Representatives voting separately as expected of a bicameral legislature.

“Parang napakasimpleng dagdag pero narinig na natin ang reaction mismo ng ating sariling Senado. It does not respect the Senate as a co-equal branch of government,” he said. “You are already behaving like you are in a unicameral legislature.”

CBCP Vice President Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of Pasig said discussions on Charter change would be cascaded to the vicariates, parishes, and basic ecclesial communities, as well as the youth, an increasingly important and vocal constituency. “ Lumala ba s na hindi muna

ipinauuna wa nang maa yos sa karamihan na lumalagda ang mga tunay na dahilan ng petisyong ito,” he said.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, who is also president of Caritas Philippines, said the push for Charter revisions must have an education component.

“Pagsusumikapan po namin sa aming bahagi na makapag bukas ng mga pagpupulong at pagtatalakayan patungkol sa Saligang Batas. So, importante na mapagusapan, may edukasyon, malaman ng lahat ng mga tao kung ano iyong mga urgent, burning, at saka importanteng issues na may koneksyon o may relasyon sa buhay ng bawat isa,” he said.

Felipe F. Salvosa II/CBCP News

Francis issues new rules on spending limits for Vatican offices

R

OME —Pope Fra ncis a mended t he Vat ic a n’s financial regulations recently, enshrining a spending limit into law that requires Vatican offices to get permission before making large purchases.

The pope published two apostolic letters—which the Holy Father issued motu proprio (on one’s own initiative)—on January16 that make changes to some of his former financial reform laws from June 2020, updating them to align with the 2021 apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, the pope’s signature reform of the organization and structure of the Roman Curia.

The first motu proprio, titled “On the Limits and Modalities of Ordinar y Administration,” requires Vatican offices to get approval from the Secretariat of the Economy for purchases over 2 percent of their total annual operating budget.

The motu proprio adds that purchases under €150,000 do not require approval.

POPE Francis tries a skull cap he was offered during his weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall at the Vatican on January 31. AP/ANDREW MEDICHINI

The Secretariat for the Economy oversees the financial aspects of both the Roman Curia and the Vatican City State administration, including a review of financial reports.

T he secretariat was established by Pope Francis in 2014 as part of his financial reform of the Vatican.

The law grants the Secretariat for the Economy 30 days to notify the Vatican offices whether the

request has been approved, adding that “the lack of response is equivalent to the granting of the request.”

The second motu proprio consists of more than 90 articles and includes Vatican regulations on procurements, or the process of acquiring and purchasing goods and services.

Pope Francis wrote in his introduction to the second motu proprio that he was updating

regulations in light of “the experience gained in recent years” to allow for a “more effective application” of Vatican financial reforms with the goal of “continuing on the path undertaken to promote transparency, control, and competition in the procedures for the awarding of public contracts.”

The amended regulations include a provision that the sustainable use of internal funds, transparency in the procurement process, and equal treatment among bidders all take place “in accordance with the principles of the social doctrine of the Church, the canonical order of the Holy See and Vatican City State, and the encyclical letter Laudato Si’,” codifying compliance with Pope Francis’ landmark environmental encyclical into the law.

Pope Francis signed the motu proprio on procurements on November 27, 2023, in St. Peter’s Basilica and the letter on extraordinary spending on January 6 from the Vatican. Courtney Mares/ Catholic News Agency via CBCP News

CBCP head says he won’t be surprised if Quiapo is declared an intl shrine

OPE Francis has declared a 16th-century church in the Diocese of Antipolo as a minor basilica, an honor only 23 churches have in the Philippines.

The St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Rizal province’s Taytay town is the 41-year-old diocese’s first minor basilica, described as another grace from God. The diocese announced the Vatican decision on Monday, just three days after it celebrated the declaration of the International Shrine of Our Lady of Good Voyage in Antipolo City on January 26.

“Truly, this elevation to Minor Basilica of the Parish Church of Saint John the Baptist is grace upon grace for us in the Diocese of Antipolo,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos.

“We acknowledge our responsibility that this minor basilica will always be a channel of God’s overflowing graces, a working instrument of charity to our people, and a welcoming home as we go on our Synodality,” he said.

The title is given to churches around the world in acknowledgment of their historical or cultural significance, artistic beauty, and importance in the life of the Church.

The designation also signifies a closer relationship with the pope.

The title of major basilica is reserved to certain churches in Rome only.

Accord ing to t he c hu rc h ’s historical marker, the edifice was constructed by Franciscan

What are sacred forests?

K

OTAGIRI, India—Sacred forests and groves are primeval woodlands that different faith communities around the world have safeguarded for centuries as abodes of the spiritual or the divine.

Thousands of sacred forests have survived.

They’re the church forests in Ethiopia’s highlands, hillside groves considered holy

by Catholics in Italy, woodlands revered by Shinto practitioners in Japan and Indigenous people in Siberia, Australia, the Americas and India.

Sacred forests are also treasure troves of biodiversity and are often the last bastion for species of flora and fauna that have become rare—or even extinct elsewhere in those regions.

C l i m ate c h a n g e, p o l l u t i o n a n d urbanization pose threats to these sacred spaces. Tended for generations by faithful caretakers, environmentalists and governments are now making a push to protect these areas as well.

Why are forests sacred?

IN many parts of the world, small groves or larger forests have been preserved because the local people consider these spaces their connection to the divine.

Sacred forests share a number of commonalities. They are often in hilly areas where deities are said to reside. The trees, rivers, plants, animals, even the stones that inhabit the holy space are viewed as sacred as well. These woodlands may be sites that are linked to specific events, and sites that surround places of worship or ancestral shrines.

What can you do or not do in a sacred forest?

DIOCESE of Manila Cardinal Jose Advincula receives the decree of the CBCP’s declaring the Quiapo Church as a national shrine from CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David during Mass on January 29. CBCP NEWS

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ITH Black Nazarene devotees spread throughout the world, a ranking church official said he wouldn’t be surprised if Quiapo Church would be declared an international shrine.

Speaking during Mass declaring the church as a national shrine, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan hinted at the possibility of the place of worship being elevated to international shrine status.

“I would not be surprised if in a few years

this national shrine would also be declared as an international shrine,” David said.

He then encouraged the devotees that if they wished for the church to attain an international stature they should join in prayer.

“Let us pray for it,” David added.

About 70 bishops from across the country, including papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown, joined the Mass presided over by Cardinal Jose Advincula, the archbishop

CHURCHGOERS outside the Quiapo Church on January 29. CBCP NEWS

of Manila.

In July 2023, the CBCP approved Advincula’s petition to designate the home of the centuries-old image of the Black Nazarene as the nation’s 29th national shrine.

The shrine’s rector, Fr. Rufino “Jun” Sescon Jr., said that even before the formal declaration as a national shrine, the church had long been a “shrine.”

“This church has become holy ground ever

since the Nazarene came here,” Sescon said.

The annual procession of the Black Nazarene is a deeply revered religious event held on January 9 each year, drawing millions of devotees to the streets.

This year alone, over 6 million devotees turned out for the procession in Manila.

“This is truly a shrine because of the fervent faith of the devotees and overflowing grace and mercy from the Lord,” the priest also said. CBCP News

missionaries near Laguna Bay in 1579 and was initially made from light materials.

Due to frequent flooding in the area, the church was relocated to its present site in 1591, becoming the first stone church outside Manila.

The current, larger stone church was rebuilt in 1630.

In 1632, a strong typhoon destroyed the church’s roof. It was repaired under the Secular in 1768 and later under the Augustinian Recollects in 1864.

During the Filipino-American War in 1899, the church suffered another setback when it was burned.

To accommodate the growing population during the early 1970s, the church underwent expansion.

At present, the church is administered by Fr. Pedrito Noel Rabonza III as parish priest, with Fr. Francis Edward Baasis and Fr. Aladin Alisbo Jr. serving as parochial vicars.

On January 22, the Diocese of Cabanatuan announced the pope’s declaration of the National Shrine of La Virgen Divina Pastora in Gapan City as a minor basilica— the first in the entire province of Nueva Ecija and the 22nd in the Philippines The church is the oldest in the Diocese of Cabanatuan. Nueva Ecija has two ecclesial territories, the other one is the Diocese of San Jose. CBCP News

MANY sacred forests have restrictions prohibiting activities and limiting access only to specific communities.

Hunting, gathering, wood cutting, cultivation and other activities may be strictly prohibited in these spaces. In many sacred forests even breaking a twig or plucking a leaf or flower is unacceptable.

Selvi Nanji is a member of the Kurumba tribe that cares for Banagudi Shola, a sacred forest in Kotagiri in the Nilgiris Hills of southern India.

She said the worship spaces and temples in that woodland are often restricted to male members who perform the rituals and care for the shrines.

Nanji, who now lives in Sweden, wrote a book titled “Devasolai,” which means “sacred forest” in Kurumba.

In Banagudi forest, entering with footwear is prohibited near holy shrines.

However, in some forests, people are permitted to collect fallen timber or fruit as well as honey, medicinal plants, and wood for cremation.

How are Indigenous rituals and practices different?

IN India, the Kurumbas, whose total population Nanji estimates as 2,000, are officially classified as Hindu. About 80 percent of India is Hindu.

However, Nanji said Indigenous religious practices and rituals are different from those of Hindu traditions.

“Hindu rituals typically involve offering coconuts and bananas to the deities,” she said. “But, in Indigenous traditions, we perform rituals with what is available in the forest. Resin from trees is used.”

Plants are used to dress the deities instead of fabric, which is typically used in Hindu temples.

In Banagudi Shola, sacred rituals are performed annually by the tribe’s men to coincide with agricultural seasons.

An animal, typically a goat, is sacrificed during the ritual, Nanji said. The Kurumba medicine people collect herbs, roots and tree bark from the forest, she said.

Are there different types of sacred forests?

AN example is Muttunad Mund near Kotagiri, a grassland that is sacred to the Toda tribe.

Aradkuttan, an elder in the community, said this location is akin to the tribe’s headquarters.

The location is marked by a conical temple dedicated to the deity Moonbu, constructed with stone, cane and a special type of grass from the sacred grasslands.

The annual temple ritual is a one-month affair featuring song, dance, rituals and buffalo, which are sacred to the tribe.

Celebrants eat a special meal during the festival—white rice mixed with buffalo buttermilk and butter.

M. Alwas, who heads the Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association in Kotagiri, a nonprofit that aims to help tribes in the region, said one of the main challenges is getting the younger generation involved.

Deepa Bharath/Associated Press

Biodiversity Sunday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Sunday, February 4, 2024 A7

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

AN IMPORTANT MOUNTAIN RANGE NATURAL PARK AND THAT WAS ALSO DECLARED AN ASEAN HERITAGE PARK

Mount Malindang set for ecotourism to ensure sustainable development I

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

N the heart of the Mount Malindang Range in Mindanao sits the Mount Malindang Range Natural Park (MMR NP), a 34,000 -hectare protected area that is blanketed by lush forest vegetation, blessed with abundant freshwater resources and a diverse species of unique f lora and fauna.

The mountain range is named after an inactive volcano, and is shared by three provinces in northern Mindanao—Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. For the people of these provinces, particularly the Subanen tribe, Mount Malindang is very important in ensuring food and water security.

It fosters resiliency in the face of climate change and ensures sustainable development in the surrounding communities.

Asean Heritage Park REGIONAL Executive Director Henry A. Adornado of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the MMRNP also brings pride and honor to the people of northern Mindanao, because of its status as an Asean Heritage Park (AHP).

“It is a beautiful [natural] park. It is one of the country’s Asean Heritage Parks,” Adornado told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview on January 9.

A big challenge faced by protectors of the MMRNP, he said, is the fact that human settlers were already living in the area before it was declared a protected area.

“Because there are people there, there are also development projects,” Adornado.

He said the DENR Northern Mindanao Region is closely working with concerned local government units (LGUs) to ensure the sustainable development of MMRNP, including a road project leading to the crater lake of the inactive volcano, which is

with concerned LGUs,” Calipusan told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview on January 9.

The MMRNP’s waterfalls are enchanting sights for local and foreign tourists alike, because of their curtain-like crystal clear waters falling from the ravine surrounded by dense forest.

Sustainable tourism

LAKE Duminagat, the crater lake of Mount Malindang, is a tourist magnet in the MMRNP. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

MOUNT Malindang MMRNP FACEBOOK PAGE a tourist magnet.

Adornado said crucial to the development of the lake for ecotourism is protecting and conserving its rich biodiversity, and ensuring that ecotourism activities will not adversely impact the MMRNP’s aesthetics.

National Park and Watershed Reserve MOUNT Malindang was declared as a National Park and Watershed Reserve on June 19, 1971, through Republic Act (RA) 6266.

In 1992 it became an initial component of the National Integrated Protected Areas System under RA 7586.

It was legislated as a Protected Area on July 30, 2004, under RA 9304.

Because of its unique features, it was declared as an Asean Heritage Park in 2011.

According to Asean Clearing House Mechanism of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), Mount Malindang was declared the 29th Asean Heritage Park.

Its total area is 53,028 hectares with a core zone of 34,694 hectares and a buffer zone of 18,334 hectares.

It comprises seven major peaks, including Mount Malindang as the highest peak.

The mountain range was formed through a series of volcanic activities throughout its long history.

ACB Excutive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim shared why Mount Malindang Range Natural Park was declared an AHP. “Its unique flora include Calamus merrilii [Palasan cane] and almost a dozen dipterocarp species, such as Shorea contorta [white lauan], Shorea negronensis [red lauan] and Shorea polysperma [tanguile],” Lim told the BusinessMirror in an interview via Messenger on December 26.

Important water source “THE Mount Malindang range also supports 15 watersheds that provide sustainable domestic and agricultural supply of water to the surrounding cities and provinces, such as Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Sur,” she explained.

According to Lim, as an AHP, it is considered an important protected area, not only for the Philippines but also for Asean.

With its stature as an AHP, she said, “it is hoped that this regional significance translates into more investments for its protection so that its unique characteristics and ecosystem

value can continue to deliver benefits for the local communities around it, for the country and for Asean.”

Rich biodiversity THE MMRNP is rich in biodiversity. Over the years, researchers have recorded a total of 1,284 species of plants, 36 species of mammals, 162 species of birds, 33 species of reptiles and 26 species of amphibians.

These species thrive because several major habitats can be found in the MMRNP—including grassland, dipterocarp forest, lower montane forest, upland wetland, and mossy and associated forest.

Besides the Philippine eagle, significant species in the park include the Philippine brown deer, Philippine tarsier, Philippine macaque, Philippine rufous hornbill, palm civet, civet cat; Draco volans, flying lemur, monitor lizard, Malindang shrew, olivecapped flowerpecker, and Mindanao warty pig.

Ecotourism area ACCORDING to Adornado, the Protected A rea Ma nagement Boa rd (PAMB) is developing the MMRNP for ecotourism, consistent with the plan of concerned LGUs that have

political jurisdiction over the vast territory.

The travel destinations in the MMRNP have been identified as Oriquieta City, Sapang Dalaga Ozamis City, Don Victoriano, Conception, Sinacaban, Jimenez, Bonifacio, Calamba, Aloran, and Lopez Jaena.

The mystical Lake Duminagat is among the area’s historical landmarks, and a ritual and sacred site of the Subanen tribe that protects the forest. It is a tourist magnet and is being eyed for various eco-tourism projects.

O w i ng to it s se ver a l pe a k s, MMRNP is ideal for hiking, trekking, and nature tripping. It offers various ecotourism activities, including bird watching; hiking through nature trails to see wildlife and various attractions including rivers; and waterfalls.

Breathtaking waterfalls FORESTER Noe V. Calipusan Jr., the Protected Area Superintendent of MMRNP, said there are a total of 15 breathtaking waterfalls inside the park, three hot springs and the crater lake, Lake Dumaga.

“We have many ecotourism sites in the park that’s why we are working to develop some of these areas together

AS the MMRNP is being promoted for ecotourism, Calipusan said the Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) is strictly enforcing rules and regulations to ensure sustainable tourism.

He said mountaineering activities are strictly regulated, and the PAMO has a checklist of rules for those seeking to visit the various ecotourism sites.

Among the requirements for mountaineering, a letter-request must be submitted to Park Operation Superintendents, specifying the activities or itinerary.

The checklist also includes the list and profile of every participant, photocopies of their respective identification cards with complete address.

The entrance fee for local tourists is P30 for students, for working and non-working climbers, P50, and P250 for foreigners.

The climbers are also required to have tourist guides to ensure their safety and protection.

Calipusan added that ecotourism activities are being developed in close coordination with the respective local tourism offices of the towns and cities in the three provinces.

Through ecotourism, protected areas generate the much-needed revenues to help sustain their operation, including the hiring of Bantay Gubat, or Forest Guards, the implementation of various projects and programs for the communities, and to ensure its sustainable operation to continue keeping the life-support system of nature working.

PLDT, Smart partner with WTW for sustainability, e-waste management Monarch butterflies overwintering

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ELECOMM U N IC AT IONS network PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) forged a partnership with Willis Towers Watson (WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, through its B2B arm, PLDT Enterprise, to promote sustainable business practices and champion responsible management of electronic waste (e-waste).

Under the partnership, PLDT and Smart commit to enable WTW in the Philippines to integrate sustainability into its internal programs and operations.

As an initial engagement, PLDT Group is supporting the rollout of ewaste collection campaigns and various employee engagements to drive awareness on the responsible disposal and recycling of e-waste within WTW. PLDT and Smart recently activated their business centers in four mall branches and in Smart Tower in Makati as key e-waste collection points.

The group is also pursuing partnerships with like-minded organizations, schools, and communities to roll out more e-waste collection facilities.

The efforts on responsible waste management supports PLDT and Smart’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 3: Good

PLDT, Smart and WTW executives during the establishment of their partnership. PLDT PHOTO Health and Well-being, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

“Our collaboration with WTW is part of our vision to go further together with our customers in their digital transformation journey and collectively bring positive impact in digitally enabling the nation. Aside from providing relevant ser vices and solutions, we collaborate with our business partners to ensure that they achieve their desired business outcomes and sustainability goals,” said Mitch L. Locsin, first vice president and head of Enterprise and International Business Groups of PLDT and Smart.

“As a company, WTW commits to inspire change in the communities in which we live and work. This is part of the significant steps we take to enable our partners around the world to make informed decisions, unlock opportunities, build long-term sustainable value, and stay ahead in a continuously changing business landscape,” said James Matti, country leader of WTW Philippines.

The partnership is supported by WTW’s Heroes for Zero community, an environmental sustainability network that engages WTW colleagues to act on climate-related matters.

“We are proud to be a pioneering value-chain partner of PLDT and Smart as we address the most press-

ing sustainability challenges of today.

We want to raise awareness for the environment and provide information on sustainability to our colleagues through internal communication and campaigns. Together, we will work and transform toward a more digital and sustainable future for our company, colleagues, and clients,” said Jeric Ramos, managing director of WTW Manila Global Delivery Center.

“This initiative is aligned with PLDT and Smart’s vision and strategy to propel the group to be the leading ESG telco in the region. The group and its business units continue to pursue different sustainability initiatives under four pillars—connection, concern, conservation, and commitment.

PLDT and Smart have also embedded sustainability into the corporate culture while enabling the Filipinos’ tomorrow—through customer-focused digital innovations that unlock their unlimited potential,” according to Melissa V. Vergel de Dios, first vice president and chief sustainability officer of PLDT and Smart.

“Through this partnership, we reaffirm our commitment and longstanding purpose of connecting and empowering Filipinos everywhere.

Through our products and services, we hope to create lasting value for our customers and the communities we serve,” added Vergel de Dios.

in California dropped by 30% in 2023

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AN FRANCISCO—The number of western monarch butterflies overwintering in California dropped by 30 percent last year, likely due to how wet it was, researchers said on Tuesday.

Volunteers who visited sites in California and Arizona around Thanksgiving tallied more than 230,000 butterflies, compared to 330,000 in 2022, according to the Xerces Society, an environmental nonprofit that focuses on the conservation of invertebrates.

The population of orange and black insects has rebounded in recent years to the hundreds of thousands after it plummeted in 2020 to just 2,000 butterflies, which was a record low.

But even though the butterfly bounced back, its numbers are still well below what they were in the 1980s, when monarchs numbered in the millions.

Scientists say the butterflies are at critically low levels in western states because of destruction to their milkweed habitat along their migratory route due to housing construction and the increased use of pesticides and herbicides.

Climate change is also one of the main drivers of the monarch’s threatened extinction, disrupting the butterfly’s annual 4,828-kilometer migration synched

to springtime and the blossoming of wildflowers.

“Climate change is making things harder for a lot of wildlife species, and monarchs are no exception,” said Emma Pelton, a monarch conservation biologist with the Xerces Society.

“We know that the severe storms seen in California last winter, the atmospheric rivers back to back, are linked at some level to our changing climate.”

Western monarchs head south from the Pacific Northwest to California each winter, returning to the same places and even the same trees, where they cluster to keep warm.

They breed multiple generations along the route before reaching California, where they generally arrive at in early November.

Once warmer weather arrives in March, they spread east of California.

On the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, another monarch population travels from southern Canada and the northeastern United States to central Mexico.

Scientists estimate that the monarch population in the eastern US has fallen by about 80 percent since the mid-1990s, but the drop-off in the western US has been even steeper.

Olga R. Rodriguez/Associated Press

Sports BusinessMirror

A8 | S

unday, February 4, 2024 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Chiefs Kingdom happy to have Taylor Swift K ANSAS CITY, Montana—Travis Kelce is happy to have Taylor Swift on the Kansas City Chiefs bandwagon heading to the Super Bowl.

As if that wasn’t evident by their on-field smooch after the American Football Conference (AFC) title game.

On the latest episode of their “New Heights” podcast, the Chiefs tight end and his brother, Eagles center Jason Kelce, joked about how the 12-time Grammy winner has come along at just the right time.

Swift began dating the younger Kelce after he invited her to a game earlier this season, and she has been a frequent attendee at Chiefs games ever since.

“Shout out to the newest member of the Chiefs Kingdom, Swift, who has officially reached the Super Bowl in her rookie year,” Jason Kelce said in the podcast released Wednesday, before Travis added with a laugh: “Shout out to Tay. Thanks for joining the team.”

Whether Swift makes it to the Super Bowl against the 49ers on February 11 in Las Vegas remains to be seen.

Swift is scheduled to resume her Eras Tour next week with four shows in Tokyo. The finale is scheduled for Saturday night and should end around 10 p.m. local time, or about 5 a.m. in Las Vegas. If she took a private plane between the two cities, Swift could cover the distance in roughly 12 hours,

giving her plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium before kickoff.

Speaking of flights, American Airlines and United Airlines got on board, so to speak, with the Taylorand-Travis romance this week. Flight 1989—Swift was born that year and it’s the title of her fifth studio album—will run twice from Kansas City to Las Vegas next week, while Flight 87—Kelce’s jersey number— leaves from Kansas City the day after the Super Bowl.

“To our customers who are huge sports fans, look what you made us do,” American said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Kelce and Swift have tried to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, though it has become increasingly difficult. That’s been especially true during game broadcasts, when networks have received pushback from National Football League (NFL) fans for showing too much of the “Shake It Off” singer’s in-suite celebrations, often with Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Still, the Swift effect appears to be real when it comes to expanding the NFL audience.

CBS, which aired the Chiefs’ 1710 win over Baltimore on Sunday, shattered the AFC title game record with 55.473 million viewers in the afternoon window; the previous record was 54.85 million for the Jets-Steelers game in the late window in 2011. That

represented an uptick of 17 percent over last year’s early conference championship game between San Francisco and Philadelphia.

In fact, the Chiefs-Ravens game was the most-watched non-Super Bowl program on CBS since the 1994 Winter Olympics.

That isn’t all due to Swift, of course. The Chiefs, who are headed to their fourth Super Bowl in five years, are one of the league’s most visible franchises. Mahomes and Kelce have played charity golf matches, the latter has hosted “Saturday Night Live” and both have become almost ubiquitous in TV ads selling everything from insurance to soup.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said last week that he appreciates the way Kelce has focused on his job amid everything else.

“I haven’t really seen it affect him in any way,” Reid said. “I haven’t seen anything with his relationship, with his off-the-field stuff, with the commercials, ‘Saturday Night Live,’ all that stuff. He just goes. I think all that plays into what he is. That’s just part of it. He does all that stuff real easy. I don’t think that gets him out of his personality and he has to change at all.”

Kelce has certainly been playing his best during the playoffs this season. He had seven catches for 71 yards in a wild-card win over Miami, five catches for 75 yards and two scores in a divisional win in Buffalo,

and then he ripped apart the Ravens’ seemingly impregnable defense last weekend with 11 catches on 11 targets for 116 yards and a score.

Along the way, the fourtime AllPro passed Jerry Rice for the career record for postseason receptions with 156. He matched Rice with his record eighth playoff game of at least 100 yards receiving.

And his 21 playoff starts are easily a franchise record.

That’s a lot for Swift—and the Chiefs—to celebrate.

“Listen, she’s been great,” Reid said on SiriusXM this week. “I knew her before, from Philadelphia. Her

TAYLOR SWIFT and Travis Kelce walk together following the American Football Conference championship between the Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in Baltimore. AP dad played at Delaware and was a big football fan and good guy. So I had met him there, and her. And so that was the last thing Trav wanted to hear, that I knew her before him. She told him, ‘I know your coach,’ and he went: ‘Oh, God. Come on!’

‘Tay’ needs to find private jet parking in busy Vegas airports

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AS VEGAS—If Taylor Swift is jetting from her upcoming Tokyo concert to Las Vegas to see boyfriend Travis Kelce play in the Super Bowl the next day, she›d better already have a place to park her plane.

Places to leave private aircraft at airports in and around Las Vegas have been spoken for, airport and Federal Aviation Administration officials said Thursday. Just over a week remains before the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers face off in the NFL championship game.

The four airports immediately around Las Vegas have about 475 parking spaces combined, said Heidi Hayes, a spokesperson for the Clark County Department of Aviation.

“Oh, they’re full,” said Rick Breitenfeldt, FAA spokesman for his sixth Super Bowl.

NOT THE FIRST TIME

LAS VEGAS-AREA airports also reached capacity for private planes during the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix auto race in November, Hayes said.

Clark County handles Harry Reid International, one of the busiest passenger airports in the US, along with busy general aviation airports in suburban North Las Vegas and Henderson. Hayes also checked Boulder City Municipal Airport, about 24 miles (39 kilometers) east of Las Vegas.

Air traffic is expected to be heavy.

Commercial airlines have added flights and the Las Vegas airport reported Wednesday it handled a record 57.6 million passengers in 2023. That’s an average of nearly 160,000 people per day.

typically seat at least 12 people and fly at up to 590 mph (950 kph).

Barring delays, if Swift’s flight to Las Vegas takes 11 or 12 hours, she could arrive in Las Vegas the day before the game after crossing nine time zones and the international date line.

WHY IS PARKING SCARCE?

THERE aren’t as many airports around Las Vegas as there are around Glendale, Arizona, where the Super Bowl was played last year.

The WM Phoenix Open golf tournament also was played during Super Bowl week in 2023.

Breitenfeldt at the FAA said all 1,100 aircraft parking pads in the Phoenix area were claimed.

The National Football League doesn’t handle aircraft reservations, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said, but it does coordinate with the FAA, National Business Aviation Association, host city airport authorities and commercial private aircraft service companies during Super Bowl events. McCarthy said the league doesn’t comment on individual requests.

McCarthy noted that players and fans of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league also will be in Las Vegas for a tournament on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Las Vegas Country Club before the football game Sunday at the 60,000-seat Allegiant Stadium. AP

NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks at his first state of college sports address at the association’s annual convention in Phoenix recently. AP

NCAA spends years fighting losing battles, finds itself helpless against legal challenges

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EARS of fighting losing battles have left the NCAA almost helpless to defend itself.

The legal pile-on against the largest governing body for college sports in the United States continued Wednesday when attorneys general from Tennessee and Virginia filed an antitrust lawsuit that seeks to throw out the few rules the NCAA has to regulate how athletes can be compensated for

COULD SWIFT MAKE IT?

THE last of four scheduled Tokyo shows of Swift’s Eras Tour is on February 10.

Due to time zone differences, if she flies out at midnight, it will be 7 a.m.

Saturday in Las Vegas.

A spokesperson for Swift didn’t respond Thursday to questions about whether Swift plans to attend the Super Bowl, has made travel arrangements, or where her pilots could park a plane.

Swift has more than one private jet, including a Dassault Falcon 900 that can

PLANES are parked at a private jet terminal at Harry Reid International Airport ahead of the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. AP

name, image and likeness.

That pushes the number of antitrust lawsuits the NCAA is actively defending to at least five.

Denial and previous court losses— most notably a unanimous decision against the NCAA from the Supreme Court in 2021—have flung the doors open to legal scrutiny the NCAA and so-called collegiate sports model cannot withstand.

“The NCAA and [schools] that make up the NCAA have continuously been completely stubborn,” Florida-based sports attorney Darren Heitner said. “They have resisted change. They understand that there’s been an absolute misclassification of athletes as, quote unquote, studentathletes as opposed to employees, and they’ve continuously placed very, very stringent restrictions on the capacity for athletes to capitalize and earn money.”

Three of the current lawsuits seek employment status for college athletes or are trying to direct more of the billions of dollars big-time college football and basketball to the ones who play those sports.

Amy Perko, CEO of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Sports, said the NCAA’s insistence of trying to govern major college football while it has no jurisdiction over its postseason and no say in how the billions in revenue it

generates are spent is the root of most of the association’s problems.

“Big revenue football operates in many ways independently from the NCAA, and the NCAA serves as its legal shield,” Perko said.

The latest threats to the NCAA have originated from inside the house.

The move Wednesday by the state AGs echoed what has played out in the past two months with a multistate challenge to NCAA transfer rules.

Overall, the response from Tennessee has become typical from schools that either end up in NCAA’s enforcement crosshairs or do not receive the result they want when dealing with the beleaguered association: Attack the NCAA’s credibility.

Blame it for creating an unmanageable situation. And maybe sue.

Coaches and administrators have lamented loosened transfers rules and unregulated NIL for the past two years, calling for the NCAA—which only acts upon the membership’s wishes—to rein it in.

“This legal action would exacerbate what our members themselves have frequently described as a “wild west” atmosphere, further tilting competitive imbalance among schools in neighboring states, and diminishing protections

“She’s a good girl,” Reid added, “and I’m happy for Trav. And there have been no distractions that way at all. And Trav’s handled it right.

She’s handled it right. And we just move forward. So it hasn’t been a problem at all.” AP for student-athletes from potential exploitation,” the NCAA said in response to Wednesday’s lawsuit.

For a public figure, taking a stand against the NCAA is always a winning position.

“College sports wouldn’t exist without college athletes, and those students shouldn’t be left behind while everybody else involved prospers,” Tennessee attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti said. “The NCAA’s restraints on prospective students’ ability to meaningfully negotiate NIL deals violate federal antitrust law. Only Congress has the power to impose such limits.”

College sports leaders have been lobbying federal lawmakers for going on five years, since even before the NCAA lifted its ban on athletes cashing in on their fame.

Among the biggest reasons the university presidents who sit at the top of the NCAA’s org chart hired former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to be its president was his political savvy.

The NCAA’s initial ask of Congress under former President Mark Emmert was for help regulating NIL. Now, that’s almost a side issue. What the NCAA needs is an antitrust exemption that will actually allow it to govern college sports without risk of being sued into oblivion.

Lawmakers have not been in a rush to help. Baker is trying to be proactive, pushing NCAA membership to make radical changes—some that could steer the big-time revenue generating sports closer to professionalism.

“Of course, we need some help from Congress to make this work,” Baker said this month at the NCAA convention in Phoenix. “The answer is: Yes, I know that, but I also believe that it’s important for us to give Congress some idea about what something might look like if they were to choose to support us.”

Mounting legal pressure leads to speculation about whether the NCAA can remain viable at all. Especially, as it risks alienating schools such as Tennessee and others in the power conferences that might be just fine without it.

“For the people who say the NCAA is destined to fail, they’re doomed. Well, it’s easy to say on the outside, but if the schools and their presidents and chancellors wish to remain part of it, and Tennessee is the only disgruntled one, let Tennessee fight the battle. We’re not getting involved,” Heitner said.

It doesn’t appear Tennessee is leading a revolution against the NCAA, but it is chipping away at an already shaky foundation. AP

BusinessMirror

February 4, 2024

Safer Internet Day 2024: How TikTok promotes youth privacy, safety online

BusinessMirror

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FEBRUARY 4, 2024

FINDING NEVERLAND

YOUR MUSI

Ruth B. on connecting with a global audience

By John Eiron R. Francisco

He said, “Peter Pan, that’s what they call me I promise that you’ll never be lonely” And ever since that day I am a Lost Boy from Neverland Usually hanging out with Peter Pan And when we’re bored, we play in the woods Always on the run from Captain Hook…”

A Ruth B.

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RE you acquainted with these lyrics? Chances are you’ve belted them out in your car or perhaps played them when you’re feeling sentimental.

Ruth B., a Canadian-Ethiopian artist known for her profound emotional sincerity, excels as a singer, songwriter, and pianist.

She has been steadily establishing herself in the music industry since she started her music career in 2013 by singing songs on Vine, a video-sharing platform.

Her breakthrough came when her original song “Lost Boy,” initially posted on Vine in November 2014 and later released as a single in 2015, resonated with audiences worldwide, further elevating her profile.

In May 2017, Ruth B. released her debut album, “Safe Haven,” featuring popular tracks like “Superficial Love” and “Dandelions.”

Behind her popularity is her writing skills that are truly remarkable, making each note and message deeply felt.

Growing up, Ruth B. was drawn to writing poetry and creating her own storybook worlds. Through her music, she shares her unique perspective that captures the beauty and vulnerability of life’s journey.

Despite her youth and innocence, she embraces the complexities of love and heartbreak, making her an artist whose music speaks to wider audiences.

“I do write most of it by myself and the inspiration comes typically just from my life and whatever I’m going through I try to write about it in my songs,” Ruth B. told Soundstrip.

As Ruth B.’s original tracks gained popularity alongside the surge of streaming platforms, several of her songs went viral across various online communities.

“It’s been so amazing and so cool to see my music kind of take off on the other side of the world. It’s just been amazing and I’ve gotten to see all the TikTok come out of there and whatnot so it’s been so cool,” she expressed.

The Art of Connection

SOMETIMES, one may wonder about the secrets behind Ruth B.’s ability to captivate hearts and minds with each new song she releases, as her music effortlessly opens doors to reflections on life’s events.

Beyond crafting songs rooted in her own life, when Soundstrip asked about the enduring charm of her music, Ruth B. attributed it to simplicity and relatability.

She expressed that by keeping her lyrics straightforward, easy to comprehend, and grounded in shared human experiences, listeners can connect with the universal themes present in her music.

“I don’t know that I have a secret, I think that I just try to keep it very real and I don’t really overproduce or anything like that,” she said.

She highlighted, “It’s really about the message and the lyrics for me and that’s kind of what’s helped me stay connected with my listeners.”

“28” by Ruth B. and Dean Lewis

AS of writing, Ruth B. has released her most recent track, a

Ruth B. and Dean Lewis

collaborative effort with Dean Lewis titled “28.” In this song, the usually reserved songwriter, known for narrating the stories of others, peels back the layers of her own personal struggles to intimately connect with her fans.

“It’s been amazing working with Dean, he’s like an artist that I truly respect and admire his music. So getting to write with him was super dope,” she said.

A poignant chorus in “28” resonates with listeners, expressing the complexities of moving on and finding oneself amid heartbreak.

The lyrics delve into the thoughtful perspective that sometimes, losing someone is an inevitable part of the journey towards personal growth.

With lines like “Even though I loved you, you know I had to leave,” Ruth B. with Dean Lewis captures the universal experience of navigating the fine line between love and self-realization.

“28” serves as a musical narrative that reminds us that healing and self-discovery often intertwine on the path to personal fulfilment.

Ruth B. emphasized that this sentiment holds significant meaning for her and is something she believes deserves more discussion. She underscores the importance of prioritizing self-care and putting oneself first at times.

Ruth B.’s Next Frontier

RUTH B. has extended her talents beyond her music career by delving into songwriting for film and television. Some of her notable works include “Paper Airplanes,” featured in the Netflix film A Jazzman’s Blues, and “If This is Love,” featured in the comedy film Father of the Year starring David Spade and Nat Faxon, among others.

“It’s definitely different for me but I really enjoy the process of working with the director and his script and writing whatever song it is that he might need for his or she might need for their film,” she said.

Having already engaged with the film industry, Ruth B. was asked if there’s a particular movie she would’ve wanted to write the theme song to. She said she would’ve been thrilled and honored to write the theme song to Titanic which she said was made even more special by Celine Dion’s interpretation.

However, she reiterated her desire to prioritize her music career, currently focused on a new album.

Additionally, expressing her love for writing, she aims to publish a book in the future containing her creative works.

IC

soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com | FEBRUARY 4, 2024

3

BUSINESS

SINGING FOR A CAUSE

Joey Lina to sing original composition in pre-Valentine benefit show Lina, who says his musical influences are Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo, and Martin Nievera.

Former public servant and current Manila Hotel president Atty. Joey Lina

You’ve been president of The Manila Hotel for something like 17 years, right? What has been the worst challenge you have hurdled so far, and what keeps you going?

The Covid-19 pandemic was the worst challenge. The hotel was closed for a long time. We, however, met the challenge head-on and survived. Thank God. What’s the hotel’s average occupancy rate, and which are its majority clientele—tourists or business executives?

In 2023, our hotel room occupancy rate was 70 percent. Majority are local tourists and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) participants.

What’s your regular day like, and how do you unwind?

I start with a prayer upon waking up, have breakfast and then exercise. I leave my home at 7:30 a.m. and arrive at the office by 8:30 a.m. for the daily operations meeting.

By Pocholo Concepcion

J

OEY LINA had spent many years as a public servant, and continues to work in the service industry as president of Manila Hotel.

A lawyer by profession, Lina also loves to sing—a passion he first tried to pursue in his teens, but had to abandon because he couldn’t afford to buy a uniform for his college glee club.

But now, whenever the opportunity arises, Lina obliges to flex his vocal pipes, like in “The Greatest Love of All,” a dinner benefit show on Feb. 9 at the Tent City in Manila Hotel to counter malnutrition among children.

Presented by the Manila Hotel in partnership with the Children’s First One Thousand Days Coalition (CFDC), the concert is also headlined by former Press Secretary Atty.

Mike Toledo and former Executive Secretary Atty. Salvador Medialdea.

Other performers are Beverly Salviejo, Nina Campos, Jenny Sugay, Rachelle Rule, Rachel Verns, Pam Esquivel, Bobby Alvarez, Egay Rubiano, Jeffrey Panado, Egay Banaag, and the Adeodatus Children’s Choir (Baseco) with Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

Rodel Colmenar leads the music direction, with George Sison-Tagle while Paul Dizon supervising the overall direction of the concert.

SoundStrip had a recent email chat with

You’re known to be a good singer. Take us back to your earliest memory of getting into music.

I wanted to sing while in high school, but I was too involved in many extra-curricular activities. I was still interested when I got to college. Unfortunately, the glee club that I joined required us to have our own uniforms, but I could not afford it, so I had to quit.

Where do you love to listen to music—at home, in the car, or in a public place like a bar?

At home so I can savor and feel the music.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo, Martin Nievera.

Who do you think is the greatest singer of all time, and why?

I don’t consider anyone as the greatest. But Matt Monroe and Andrea Bocelli stand out.

You’re performing in a benefit concert to address malnutrition dubbed “The Greatest Love of All” on Feb. 9 at the Tent City in Manila Hotel. How did the project come about?

I’ve been doing several dinner benefit concerts for a cause since 2003. The desire to hold this “Greatest Love of All” show is to raise funds for the First One Thousand Days of Life Nutrition Program. The country faces a bleak future if our children suffer malnutrition during their first 1,000 days from conception to their second birthday.

Science has shown the dire consequences of malnutrition among people in that period of 1,000 days: prone to illnesses, low IQ, poor school performance and low productivity.

Give us a teaser on what to expect at the show.

I am going to sing an original composition I cowrote with my nephew.

Do you still have plans of running for public office?

No.

Safer Internet Day 2024: How TikTok promotes youth privacy, safety online

By Jt Nisay

telligence about emerging risks, helping keep TikTok safe.

F

rom setting a 60-minute daily screen time limit to having a new youthfocused section on its community guidelines, social media platform TikTok shared ahead of Safer Internet Day on Tuesday the manifold ways it promotes youth privacy and safety online.

TikTok Outreach & Partnerships Manager KahnJi Weerachaising led a recent panel discussion that detailed the platform’s commitment to creating a safe digital space for its young users. Together with TikTok Philippine Public Policy Head Toff Rada and its Safety Advisory Council member Mona MagnoVeluz, the panel tackled TikTok’s commitment to teen safety and well-being, its local collaborations and partnerships with parallel organizations, and its safety advisory council.

“We regularly involve teens in the conversations we have about online safety, enabling us to listen and be responsive to their needs,” Weerachaising said. She added that TikTok partners with organizations such as Child Rights Coalition Asia and ChildFund Philippines to host safety consultations with Filipino youth.

The platform also acknowledged the online safety issues that have been hounding the youth for years. According to Rada, TikTok implements a “safety by design” approach that protects its community. “We’re dedicated to partnering with families as we share their interests in supporting teens as

Community Guidelines

Toff Rada, TikTok Philippine Public Policy Head (from left); Mona Magno-Veluz, TikTok Safety Advisory Council Member; and KahnJi Weerachaising, TikTok Outreach & Partnerships Manager, discuss TikTok’s approach to online safety during a recent panel discussion at Manila House. they start to explore the online world independently,” he said.

Meanwhile, Magno-Veluz, a confessed “history geek” who creates educational content as “Mighty Magulang,” serves as the only Filipino and exclusive content creator on the TikTok Safety Advisory Council for Asia Pacific. “What I bring to the council is pretty a unique perspective on how content creators think, as well as the perspective from the Philippines,” she said.

The panel discussion included a presentation on how TikTok protects the privacy and safety of its younger community members. Here are some of the executions:

Age-appropriate features TikTok’s younger community members need to wait to use some of the platform’s features. For example, younger users need to be at least 16 years old before they can Duet or Stitch with their content, and at least 18 to host a LIVE or to send or receive Gifts.

Teen education TikTok created a series of instruction-

al videos and guides on its privacy settings, which is accessible on its Safety Centre. Covered topics include bullying, eating disorders, online challenges and other digital safety topics. Tiktok’s Privacy Policy also features a section specifically about its teenage community members.

Screen time management Teens on TikTok get extra support as they develop their digital habits, including a 60-minute daily screen time limit for accounts under 18 and a weekly recap of their time on TikTok. Accounts ages 13-15 don’t receive push notifications after 9pm, or after 10pm for accounts ages 16-17. Teens can also set a custom schedule to mute notifications.

Partnering for success TikTok partners with dozens of organizations around the world, including WePROTECT Global Alliance, Internet Watch Foundation and the Technology Coalition. These partners provide the platform with honest feedback and in-

TikTok removes content and accounts that violate its Community Guidelines, which people can report in-app. The platform also publishes quarterly data about the volume and nature of content it removes on its Transparency Centre.

TikTok lists over 40,000 safety professionals dedicated to keeping the platform safe. The team includes thousands of moderators around the world to provide 24/7 support to review content that may violate its policies.

These teams are trained to review and take action on content that may violate TikTok’s minor safety policies more broadly. According to data from TikTok, 3.8 million videos were removed in the Philippines between July and September last year for violating its Community Guidelines. Of these, 98 percent were proactively removed, 87 percent were removed before any views, and 95 percent were removed within 24 hours.

“At TikTok, we strive to build not just a safe community but an inclusive space where teens can explore, create, and connect safely,” Rada said. “With our platform safeguards, through close collaboration with our Safety Advisory Council and local partners, and by empowering parents and teens, we’re determined to stay a trusted space where teens can explore the world and have fun.”

Set on Tuesday, February 6, Safer Internet Day champions the safe and positive use of digital technology, especially among the youth. The celebration began as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004 and is now observed in nearly 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Cover photo by Vanessa Loring on Pexels.com

Social media CEOs testify in heated US Senate hearing on child exploitation

S

exual predators. Addictive features.

Suicide and eating disorders. Unrealistic beauty standards. Bullying.

These are just some of the issues young people are dealing with on social media— and children’s advocates and lawmakers say companies are not doing enough to protect them.

On Wednesday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify at a time when lawmakers and parents are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives.

The hearing began with recorded testimony from kids and parents who said they

or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the hours-long event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures of their dead kids.

“They’re responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, said in opening remarks. “Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk.”

In a heated question and answer session with Mark Zuckerberg, Republican Missouri Senator Josh Hawley asked the Meta CEO if he has personally compensated any

4 BusinessMirror

of the victims and their families for what they have been through.

“I don’t think so,” Zuckerberg replied.

“There’s families of victims here,” Hawley said. “Would you like to apologize to them?”

Zuckerberg stood, turned away from his microphone and the senators, and directly addressed the parents in the gallery.

“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered,” he said, adding that Meta continues to invest and work on “industrywide efforts” to protect children.

But time and time again, children’s

February 4, 2024

advocates and parents have stressed that none of the companies are doing enough. One of the parents who attended the hearing was Neveen Radwan, whose teenage daughter got sucked in to a “black hole of dangerous content” on TikTok and Instagram after she started looking at videos on healthy eating and exercise at the onset of the Covid lockdowns. She developed anorexia within a few months and nearly died, Radwan recalled.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the company is vigilant about enforcing its policy barring children under 13 from using the app. CEO Linda Yaccarino said X, formerly Twitter, doesn’t cater to children. AP