BusinessMirror March 09, 2025

GREAT PHL FURNITURE, BUT SKILLED HANDS IN DECLINE

By John Eiron R. Francisco

THE Philippine furniture industry is bouncing back from the global pandemic and keeping pace with market trends, as ongoing construction projects signal a growing demand, according to an industry expert.

“The

“There

people are pursuing furniture-making,” Tan explained.

This trend, he said, is concerning, as the industry’s goal is to “preserve this craft and pass it on to future generations.”

Beyond its creative and fulfilling nature, furniture-making also offers financial

THE DEFLATION DILEMMA:

China struggles to revive economy amid slumping prices and weak demand

By Simina Mistreanu | The Associated Press

BEIJING—When he bought an apartment near a good high school in northeast Beijing in 2020, Zhou Fujin expected that renting it out would cover most of his mortgage. But the apartment’s value and the rent he is getting have plummeted in the past couple years, straining his family’s finances.

China is experiencing a spell of deflation, or falling prices, that contrasts with inflationary pressures prevailing elsewhere in the world. Cheaper prices can be a blessing for some, but deflation is a symptom of relatively weak demand and stalling economic growth.

Such challenges are the backdrop to the annual session of China’s parliament, which begins Wednesday. It’s unclear what the ruling Communist Party might do to tackle the problem, though some economists expect Beijing to announce more government spending. Observers also will be watching for changes to the annual economic growth target, which has hovered near 5% for the past two years.

These are broad, long-term problems. Falling housing prices have left many families reluctant to spend, while factories keep churning out goods.

Economy-wide, prices fell in 2023 and 2024, the longest bout of deflation since the 1960s. The gross domestic product deflator—the broadest measure of price changes in an economy—dipped to -0.8% in the last three months of 2024, compared to -0.5% the quarter before, meaning that deflation has intensified.

Tightened purse strings DEFLATION is an abstract economic concept but it reflects very concretely in Zhou’s personal balance sheet, as it does for millions of others. Zhou’s apartment, in Beijing’s Miyun district, cost 2 million yuan ($275,000) when he bought it in 2020, and he financed it with an 800,000 yuan ($110,000) bank loan. The rent he charges has fallen from 2,300 yuan ($316) monthly to 1,700 yuan ($234). His monthly mortgage payment is more than

3,000 yuan ($413), and the apartment is now worth only about 1.4 million yuan ($193,000), he says.

Around the time Zhou bought his apartment, the government began cracking down on excess borrowing by real estate developers, pushing the industry into crisis and many property companies into default. The father of two runs a real estate brokerage firm, which has been hemorrhaging money over the past four years. He has since expanded into home decoration services, helping him to break even.

“Given that I work in the real estate sector, my income has been greatly affected,” Zhou told The Associated Press. “My biggest spending is on bank mortgages, my car and my children’s education. I’ve cut other expenditures such as travel. Even my children have realized that money is not easy to earn, and they are willing to spend less.”

Lu Wanyong, who owns a picture framing workshop in Beijing, says he gets only one or two customers a day, down from more than a dozen before the pandemic. Many now prefer to fix broken picture frames rather than buy new ones. Fewer new homeowners come in looking to decorate their apartments.

Lu’s family has burned through its savings and he fears that soon he won’t be able to pay his shop’s 6,000 yuan ($825) rent.

“I am considering shifting to other industries, but the problem is that I am not familiar with any of them. And as a matter of fact, which industry is easy to work in nowadays?” he pondered.

A ‘deflationary spiral’ can signal bigger trouble ahead DEFLATION can be harder for governments to tackle than inflation, experts say, because that requires fixing the underlying issues behind it.

In China’s case, it’s a combination of excess capacity—manufactured goods produced in such quantities the market cannot absorb them all—and the reluctance of consumers to spend and businesses to invest, due to concerns about the sluggish economy. Also, the housing crisis has wiped out an estimated $18 trillion of household wealth, according to a Barclays report, on top of job losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“When the real estate market is booming, people believe that they are very rich,” said HeLing Shi, an associate professor of economics at Australia’s Monash University. “If people believe that they’re rich, they tend to spend their income on consumption. But with the decrease in the price of housing in most parts of China, people believe that they’re no longer as rich as before, so…they want to increase their savings and reduce their consumption.”

When prices fall, companies’ profits also take a hit. That can spur a so-called “deflationary spiral” of

layoffs that further reduce household incomes, leading to even less consumption and potentially to a recession or depression. Fitch Ratings in November warned that deflation is becoming entrenched in China and urged its leaders to adopt policies that can boost demand.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has imposed new 20% tariffs on Chinese exports that are expected to shave up to 1.1 percentage points off China’s GDP growth this year in a “severe scenario” where Chinese exports to the US fall by half, said Erica Tay, director of macro research at Maybank Investment Banking Group.

A sensitive issue for the Communist Party DEFLATION is a ticklish issue for China’s leaders, who began cutting interest rates and required mortgage down-payments last fall. They have launched programs to get local governments to buy unsold apartments to rent out as affordable housing and are encouraging banks to lend more money.

But top leaders tend to focus their public comments on the ruling party’s accomplishments and avoid directly mentioning deflation, a thorny problem with no quick fixes.

“They try to do their best to avoid the word ‘deflation’ because they believe that will make consumers even more panicked,” Shi said. “If they become more panicked, they will further reduce

their consumption and therefore make the situation worse.”

Some economists, including Michael Pettis, a professor of finance at Guanghua School of Management at Peking University, say the economy can only be rebalanced if consumers gain purchasing power. That requires reducing the share of wealth going into unproductive investments. The government has sought to encourage more spending by issuing vouchers, while shying away from more fundamental economic reforms.

“Economic recovery should be linked to a rise in people’s incomes,” said Sun Lijian, professor at the School of Economics at Fudan University. “The government should provide vouchers to help people purchase what they need; this has proven to be an effective way.”

Louis Kuijs, chief Asia economist for S&P Global Ratings, says China needs to address long-term, chronic problems including excess industrial production and inefficient state industries. Revamping health care, pensions and education systems would make people “more comfortable about their financial situation.”

“In the short term, simply anything that increases household incomes will help on the consumption side,” Kuijs said, “but probably more importantly is that structural reform element…and that requires beefing up of the government’s role in health, education and social security.”

GREAT PHL FURNITURE…

Continued from A1

“The industry provides jobs and significantly contributes to the economy,” he said.

He added that the industry extends beyond furniture production, as it encompasses design, accessories, and related sectors, making its reach vast and its contribution “substantial.”

According to the report, 98 percent of the industry is composed of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), employing 2.1 million indirect workers nationwide and supporting 5.4 million people within its supply chain.

Around 95 percent of furniture companies in the country fall under the SME category, with three key production hubs located in Metro Manila, Pampanga, and Cebu.

Metro Manila and nearby cities in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) host small, medium and large furniture enterprises specializing in wood furniture and mixed materials. Pampanga is known for its hand-

carved wood, wicker, and iron products; while Cebu, once the center of rattan furniture production, is now recognized for its fine wood furniture craftsmanship.

“I hope the passion for the industry returns,” Tan said. “While some companies have sadly closed, many are still active and we hope more players engage in this field.”

Tan expressed optimism that the government would support the industry by expanding skills development programs, particularly in carpentry, upholstery and finishing—key skills necessary for producing high-quality furniture.

Reviving the ‘Milan of Asia’ TAN recalled that the Philippines was once regarded as the “Milan of Asia”, as local furniture manufacturers were known for their hardworking, creative, and entrepreneurial spirit in producing high-quality furniture.

“We want to bring back that reputation and elevate it further,” he said.

While Vietnam and Indonesia are among the country’s biggest

competitors in Asean, Tan emphasized that Filipino artisans possess exceptional craftsmanship and talent.

“We just need to provide them with more platforms—like this exhibit—to showcase their skills and products to the world,” he said.

Asked about strategies to position the Philippine furniture industry on the global stage, Tan explained that their initial focus is on strengthening collaborations with local industry partners.

One key initiative is the ongoing three-day exhibition at SMX Mall of Asia that ran from March 6 to 8, where they partnered with designers, design groups, and industry stakeholders to highlight the best of Philippine furniture.

“We want to refine and solidify the image of Philippine furniture. Once we achieve that, our next step is to take this kind of exhibit abroad,” Tan said.

“People are aware of Philippine furniture, but we want to refresh and rebrand its image—a much improved version of what we have now,” he concluded.

RESIDENTIAL

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Trump’s takeover threat fuels Greenland independence push

By Luis Andres Henao The Associated Press

NUUK, Greenland—On a boat, surrounded by snow-covered mountains and icebergs in shades of blue, Qooqu Berthelsen points to the breaking sea ice as a worrisome sign.

Now, though, something is worrying him and many Greenlanders as much as the retreating ice that endangers their livelihood.

“My concern,” says the 23-yearold hunter, fisher and tour company owner, “is that Trump will come and take Greenland.”

He then repeats what has be

come a mantra for Greenlanders in the weeks since US President Donald Trump pushed their Arctic homeland into the spotlight by threatening to take it over. That has ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark—a key issue in a parliamentary election on March 11.

“Greenlanders don’t want to be Danish. Greenlanders don’t want to be American,” Berthelsen says.

“Greenland,” he says, “is not for sale.”

It’s a rising argument about a strategic location YOU’LL hear this declared all over the land, from the prime minister and university students in Nuuk, the world’s northernmost capital, to hunters and fishermen in sparsely populated villages across the planet’s largest island. This is, after all, Kalaallit Nunaat—Greenlandic for the “Land of the People” or the “Land of the Greenlanders.”

Most of those 57,000 Greenlanders are Indigenous Inuit. They take pride in a culture and traditions that have helped them survive for centuries in exceptionally rugged conditions. In their close link to nature. In belonging to one of the most beautiful, remote, untouched places on Earth.

Many in this semi-autonomous territory are worried and offended by Trump’s threats to seize control of their mineral-rich homeland, even by force, because he says the US needs it “for national security.”

“How can a few words … change the whole world?” asked Aqqaluk Lynge, a former president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council and founder of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party, which governs Greenland. “It can because he’s playing with fire. We’re seeing another United States here with whole new ideas and wishes.”

Greenland is vital to the world, though much of the world may not realize it. The US and other global powers covet its strategic location in the Arctic; its valuable rare earth minerals trapped under the ice needed for telecommunications; its billions of barrels of oil; its potential for shipping and trade

routes as that ice keeps retreating because of climate change.

Not even one of Trump’s most fervent fans in Greenland—who proudly wears a MAGA hat, and a T-shirt emblazoned with Trump pumping his fist and the words: “American Badass”—wants to be American.

But like other Greenlanders, he wants stronger ties to the US and to open for business beyond Denmark, which colonized them 300 years ago and still exercises control over foreign and defense policy.

“When Trump came to office, he wanted to talk to Greenlanders directly without going through Denmark. He wants to negotiate with us and that’s why the Danish are very afraid,” said Jørgen Boassen, who has visited the White House and welcomed Donald Trump Jr. when he recently visited Nuuk.

The American president’s comments set off a political crisis in Denmark. The prime minister went on a tour of European capitals to garner support, saying the continent faced “a more uncertain reality,” while her country moved to strengthen its military presence around Greenland.

There’s consternation all around FOR some, it’s been dizzying, a rollercoaster of emotions since Trump’s threats, since his son landed in Nuuk in January in a TRUMP-emblazoned plane and since his father posted on social media: “MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!” with a message to Greenlanders: “We’re going to treat you well.”

“When that was happening, I felt like I was hit in the stomach,” said Qupanuk Olsen, a mining engineer and social media influencer running in the election for the Naleraq party.

Around her, supporters gathered at a bay filled with giant pieces of ice in Nuuk waving the red and white national flag that represents the sun and the ice that covers most of Greenland.

“I could feel that the ground will no longer ever be the same again,” she said. “It’s as if we were on sea ice and it started to break, and we don’t know what’s going to happen next.”

Journalists from afar have descended on Nuuk, asking locals what they think of Trump’s words. Pro-Trump media influencers known as the Nelk Boys arrived handing out MAGA hats and $100 bills to children in Nuuk’s streets.

“Even though there are strong

Greenland is vital to the world, though much of the world may not realize it. The US and other global powers covet its strategic location in the Arctic; its valuable rare earth minerals trapped under the ice needed for telecommunications; its billions of barrels of oil; its potential for shipping and trade routes as that ice keeps retreating because of climate change.

feelings of sadness, despair, confusion, I think we’re also stronger than ever. We’re fighting it for our people and that gives me hope,” said Aka Hansen, an Inuk filmmaker and writer. She is suspicious of Trump’s intentions but still thanks him for turning the world’s attention to her homeland.

“We went through all the emotions—at first very funny, very light, then very serious,” said Hansen, who worked with Conan O’Brien when the comedian came to Nuuk in 2019 to shoot an episode poking fun at Trump’s idea of buying Greenland. “Now, with all the international press that’s been here, we’ve been given a voice that’s being taken seriously.”

Like many other Greenlanders, she doesn’t want to be ruled by another colonial power. But she feels Trump’s rhetoric has increased the momentum for independence from Denmark.

The former colonial ruler is accused of committing abuses against her island’s Inuit people, including removing children from their families in the 1950s with the excuse of integrating them into Danish society and fitting women with intrauterine contraceptive devices in the 1960s and 1970s—allegedly to limit population growth in Greenland.

“It’s a historic moment for Greenland...compared to two months ago when nobody was talking about independence,” Olsen said. “Now, everybody’s talking about it.”

Is autonomy the way?

A FORMER colony of Denmark, Greenland gained self-rule in 1979 and now runs itself through its parliament. A treaty with the United States, and a US military base in Greenland, also gives Washington say over the territory’s defense.

Greenland is massive—about one-fifth the size of the United States or three times the size of Texas. Its land mass is in North America, and its Arctic capital city is closer to New York than to Copenhagen.

“Denmark is just a middle man in that whole setup. And we don’t need that middle man anymore,” said Juno Berthelsen, a candidate in the election for Naleraq party. He says Trump has given Greenland leverage to negotiate with Denmark. “Our political goal is to have our own defense agreement, so that we connect directly with the US in terms of defense and security.”

His party, he said, aims to invoke an article in a law that would give Greenland increased autonomy and eventually a path to full independence.

Asked to describe Greenland’s moment, he said: “If I had to pick one word, it would be exciting. And full of opportunities.”

In his first term in office, Trump began to talk about acquiring Greenland from Denmark, a longtime US ally. Back in 2019, most dismissed it. But it had a ripple effect.

“It was not taken that seriously back then as it is today. But it was important for Greenland because he, without wanting, did Greenlanders a favor,” said Ebbe Volquardsen, a professor of cultural history at the University of Greenland. “He underlined the value of being in a union with Greenland.”

Greenland’s economy depends on fisheries and other industries as well as on an annual grant of about $600 million from Denmark. When Trump showed interest in buying Greenland because of its strategic location and mineral resources, he highlighted that annual sum as the amount of what other nations would be willing

to pay to have a military or commercial presence in Greenland, Volquardsen said. With that, he gave Greenland leverage for more autonomy and possible reparations for abuses committed by its former colonial ruler.

“That was important because the narrative in Denmark until that date … had been that Greenland is receiving this funding as a kind of aid or altruistic gift,” Volquardsen, said.

Greenland awaits the next steps—of others

Life in Nuuk seemed to go on as usual in mid-February, except for a “heat wave.” After weeks of subzero temperatures, it made the capital of Greenland several degrees hotter than Washington, D.C., the US capital.

Large chunks of powder blue

ice were blown by winds, blocking boats on the harbor and creating a spectacle for residents who snapped photos under the pink light of a sunset. Some nights, the sky was lit up by spectacular streaks of green and other colors from the northern lights.

You could almost forget that Greenland has become ground zero for a geopolitical showdown—if, that is, you ignored the front pages of local newspapers featuring images of Trump and the ticker tape in downtown with his name and the Greenlandic word “Amerikamiut.”

On a frigid day, a group of kindergarteners in fluorescent vests walked in line behind their teacher as they crossed a road covered in ice and snow. A few blocks away, teenagers played hockey on a frozen pond.

On a hill next to a statue of the Danish-Norwegian missionary who founded the city in 1721, bells tolled, and a recently married couple laughed as family members threw rice on them for good fortune outside Nuuk’s wooden Lutheran cathedral. More than 90 percent of Greenlanders identify as Lutherans.

After the wedding ceremony, guests converged at their home for a “Kaffemik,” a traditional celebratory gathering where they share coffee and baked goods.

Some Greenlanders say they felt safe while being largely unknown to the world. Now, though, that feeling has dissipated.

Sitting with her husband at a dinner table filled with families chatting and laughing, Tukumminnguaq Olsen Lyberth, said the wave of attention and polarizing comments prompted some friends to delete Facebook accounts.

“We’re not use to having this big attention about us, so it’s overwhelming. Before, no one knew about us. Now, it’s a blitz of attention,” said Olsen Lyberth, 37, a cultural history student at the University of Greenland.

“I feel like this is the longest January,” she said jokingly—in February. “It’s all of it. Everything feels too overwhelming.”

The Associated Press journalists Emilio Morenatti and James Brooks contributed to this report.

THE northern lights appear over homes in Nuuk, Greenland, Monday, February 17, 2025. AP/EMILIO MORENATTI

Why should America worry about Trump? Try the price of eggs, say some Democrats

By Steve Peoples Ap National Politics Writer

NEW YORK—As their party struggles to navigate the early days of Donald Trump’s second presidency, some Democrats are convinced that their road to recovery lies in the price of eggs.

Instead of leaning into Trump’s teardown of the federal government or his alliance with billionaire lieutenant Elon Musk, they’re steering to what they perceive as the everyday concerns of Americans—none more important than grocery prices and eggs in particular.

US egg prices hit a record average of $4.95 per dozen in January, surpassing a previous record set in January 2023, according to federal data. In some parts of the country, they’re much higher. A Safeway supermarket in San Francisco was selling a dozen eggs for $10.99 this week.

The US Department of Agriculture expects egg prices to rise 41 percent this year. Already, some restaurants are adding temporary surcharges when customers order eggs. Denny’s said its surcharge varies by region and even by restaurant, while Waffle House added a 50-cent surcharge per egg at all its restaurants.

The Democratic establishment’s focus on blaming Trump for those price spikes represents a stark break from its activists, who have launched a protest movement arguing that Trump is a budding dictator with no regard for the Constitution.

Such concerns may be valid, some Democratic members of Congress say, but they don’t resonate with working-class Americans trying to feed their families.

“When that is your day-to-day worry, the philosophical conversations about a constitutional crisis or the democracy is simply not a luxury you can afford,” Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t worry about those things, because we should and they are important, but they are not primary in the minds of the people in Saginaw, Michigan.”

The message underscores the Democratic ecosystem’s broad acknowledgment that the party must make changes to win back the hearts and minds of voters worried about the economy, who shifted toward Trump’s GOP last fall and gave Republicans control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

It’s unclear, however, whether the Democrats’ newfound focus will do much in the short term to stop Trump’s sweeping campaign to consolidate power in Washington or if it can harness the energy of the party’s progressive base, which wants new and creative solutions to address what they view as an existential threat.

Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin, whose organization helped coordinate a nationwide protest movement that put House Republicans on defense, called the Democrats’ focus on eggs “a communications strategy built for a 1990s policy fight.”

“They’re looking at polls that

say inflation is unpopular, and they think Dems can win people with boring, tired talking points,” Levin said. “But it’s 2025—this isn’t how politics works anymore. And their failure to update their approach to creeping authoritarianism is a simple failure of leadership.”

Moving from billionaires to eggs

THE Democratic establishment’s new approach echoed across Washington this week after Trump delivered a 99-minute speech to a joint session of Congress. Trump defended the tariffs he has threatened to impose on America’s trading partners. A trade war could boost prices further on everything from fruits and vegetables to cellphones, lumber and cars.

In the opening hours of Trump’s presidency, the Democratic National Committee issued talking points encouraging allies to talk about “Trump’s plans to screw over America” and highlight Trump’s alliances with Musk and other tech billionaires.

The DNC’s talking points sounded different after Tuesday’s speech.

“We saw Trump ramble on about invading Greenland and planting the American flag on Mars, but what we didn’t hear was a plan to lower costs and address Americans’ anxiety about the looming economic disaster he’s driving us toward,” read the DNC talking points. “Consumer confidence has fallen sharply, everyday costs are skyrocketing, and congressional Republicans are pushing deeply unpopular tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.”

At the same time, Democratic officials shared new internal data Thursday that they say indicates inflation and the cost of living are voters’ top priority. Democracy, by contrast, ranked No. 12.

Public polling goes further.

A Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that one month into the

new administration, US adults remain almost universally unhappy about the cost of groceries. According to the survey, about 9 in 10 Americans say that food prices are “not so good” or “poor,” including about half who say they’re “poor.” And a CNN/SSRS poll conducted in mid-February found that about 6 in 10 Americans said Trump had “not gone far enough” in trying to reduce the price of everyday goods.

But the party is hardly united on the new approach.

Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was ejected from the House chamber during Trump’s speech and eventually censured for refusing to stop shouting his concerns about potential Medicaid cuts. Other Democrats silently waved small signs that read “Musk steals,” “Save Medicaid” and “Lies.” Still others skipped the speech altogether in protest.

Why are egg prices so high?

IN this week’s speech, Trump blamed the surge on his Democratic predecessor.

“Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control—

the egg prices out of control. We’re working hard to get it back down,” Trump charged as Democrats in the chamber booed.

The industry and most experts agree that the ongoing bird flu outbreak is the main reason egg prices are setting records, although some question whether egg producers are inflating prices to boost profits.

As further evidence that Trump’s team is aware that the situation is becoming a political liability, Musk used his social media platform on Thursday to cast more blame on Biden.

“There was an insane slaughter of 150 million egg-laying chickens ordered by the Biden administration,” Musk wrote on X, neglecting to mention the millions of egg-laying chickens killed since Trump took office.

Indeed, as of Thursday afternoon, 27,116,857 birds have been killed since Trump returned to the White House to limit the spread of bird flu. That’s because the federal government’s longstanding policy requires farmers to kill their entire flocks anytime a bird gets sick to help limit the spread of the virus.

Overall, more than 166 million birds—most of them egglaying chickens—have been slaughtered since the outbreak began in 2022.

The Trump administration did unveil a plan to combat bird flu to help ease egg prices. But the impact is hard to predict given that the $1 billion plan isn’t a drastic departure from the previous policy.

Specifically, Trump’s plan doesn’t change the USDA’s longstanding policy of slaughtering flocks when a sick bird is found. Instead, the plan focuses on helping farmers adopt the most effective biosecurity measures to keep the virus out and explores the prospects for a bird flu vaccine, among other moves.

Rep. Josh Riley, D-N.Y., who recently confronted a bird flu outbreak in his upstate district, said almost every conversation he has with constituents centers on rising prices, especially eggs. He made a direct link between concerns about the economy and democracy.

“If you’re worried about our democracy ... that’s more of a reason to be worried about the price of eggs,” Riley said. “The reason our democracy is in the situation is in, the reason our country is in the situation it’s in, is because for decades, politicians have neglected the needs of everyday working people.”

He continued: “Is it any wonder, after 40 years of shipping jobs overseas just to make Wall Street rich, after three years of egg prices skyrocketing and nobody around this place doing a goddamn thing about it, that people are really, really frustrated and believe that our democracy does not work for them? Can you blame them?”

AP writers Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit; and Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington contributed.

Trump risks American consumer backlash over tariffs, poll shows

By Shawn Donnan & Claire Ballentine

Donald

RESIDENT

PTrump’s plan to impose new tariffs on imports to force manufacturers to relocate production to the US is getting a skeptical reaction from one important audience: American consumers.

Almost 60 percent of US adults expect Trump’s tariffs will lead to higher prices, according to a Harris Poll conducted for Bloomberg News. Some 44 percent say the levies are likely to be bad for the US economy—compared to 31 percent who say they’d be a boost. Even within the president’s own party, many aren’t sold on his trade agenda. Only half of

Republican respondents said the tariffs would be an economic boon. The Harris Poll of 2,121 US adults was conducted February 6 through February 8 and has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points.

While many of Trump’s proposed levies are not yet enacted, the findings signal that his plans for a tariff onslaught risk political blowback — and that his messaging on the issue hasn’t landed with many consumers.

Trump became the first Republican president in some two decades to win the popular vote. He also swept each of the swing states. That carried over to an approval rating of over 50 percent when he first took office in January. While that has gradually softened over the course of the first month of his presidency, it still remains higher than levels seen during his first term.

He reclaimed the White House in part by promising a new age of prosperity and appealing to anger about price increases. He has touted tariffs as a solution not just for bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, but for raising government revenues and offsetting the cost of tax cuts.

But economists have long pointed out that tariffs will lead to

higher prices and slower growth.

For the consumers who are the engine of the US economy, that could mean noticeable consequences: According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the tariffs that Trump has already imposed on Chinese products this year and threatened against imports from Canada and Mexico would cost the typical US family more than $1,200 per year.

Retailers like Walmart Inc. are already bracing themselves, with the big-box giant’s chief financial officer recently warning of “uncertainties related to consumer behavior and global economic and geopolitical conditions.” In January, the biggest decline in two years in retail sales was blamed at least partly on tariffs and what some economists saw as a rush at the close of 2024 to get ahead of price increases caused by new import duties. That dash petered out in the first month of this year.

“Tariff worries are real,” economists at Wells Fargo & Co. wrote after the retail sales slump in a February 14 note to clients.

It may not help that economic cracks were beginning to show even before some of his specific tariff plans were unveiled. Infla -

tion ticked up again in January and remains above the Federal Reserve’s target rate. Consumer sentiment has weakened, with a February reading showing the highest rate of long-term inflation expectations seen since 1995. In data released Tuesday, a separate gauge showed consumer confidence dropping the most since 2021.

Meanwhile, in the poll for Bloomberg News, some 61 percent of US adults said they’d noticed an increase in grocery prices in the last month. While food prices excluding eggs only edged up slightly in January, the poll result suggests consumers still perceive an unfavorable pricing environment at the supermarket.

Much of the concern among economists about Trump’s tariffs is about business investment: that uncertainty over US trade policy will lead to companies putting capital expenditures and hiring plans on hold. But tariffs could also have a chilling effect on consumer spending, as shoppers often become more cautious amid concerns about higher prices.

“Right now people are just worried about anything when it comes to inflation because prices are already so high,” said Eliza Winger, US economist for Bloomberg Eco -

nomics. “They are more sensitive to any sort of headline when it comes to inflation numbers.” Studies of Trump’s first-term tariffs found American importers and consumers bore most of the cost of the import taxes. Since his inauguration, Trump has imposed new 10 percent tariffs on products from China. He’s threatened broad “reciprocal” duties on all trading partners, as well as tariffs of 25 percent or more on most imports from Canada and Mexico and in certain product categories such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.  Trump says the levies will spur more factory jobs. In fact, the opposite happened in his first-term trade war, and some voters appear unconvinced the policies will have the effect Trump suggests.

“I can see an argument for tariffs being utilized as a negotiating tool to bring down tariffs on the other side,” said Scott Alford, 34, a tech worker in Denver who voted for a third-party candidate in November, but says he often aligns with the Republican platform. “That being said, I don’t believe it is realistic just simply because of tariffs we’re going to See “Tariffs,” A5

Musk’s power play: SpaceX pushes to replace Verizon’s $2.4 billion FAA contract with Starlink

By Jason Leopold, Allyson Versprille & Kelcee Griffis

TWO weeks ago, SpaceX engineer Ted Malaska showed up at the Federal Aviation Administration’s headquarters in Washington to deliver what he described as a directive from his boss Elon Musk: The agency will immediately start work on a program to deploy thousands of the company’s Starlink satellite terminals to support the national airspace system.

Malaska told those in attendance that the employees had up to 18 months to get the new program up and running, an unsettling timeline for aviation safety employees accustomed to a more deliberate pace. Anyone who impeded progress, Malaska said, would be reported to Musk and risked losing their jobs, according to two people familiar with the matter, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Since he began overseeing the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, Musk has upended the norms of bureaucracy with a far-reaching initiative to scale back the size and scope of the federal government. So far, the tech billionaire’s team has moved to drastically scale back the US Agency for International Development, which provides life-saving medicines to people around the world, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which helps protect American consumers from financial fraudsters. At least 30,000 federal jobs have been eliminated under his watch.

Now a ubiquitous presence within the highest echelons of politics, Musk has shown up at a White House cabinet meeting, at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, with a chainsaw on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference. But his team’s recent appearance at the FAA presents the starkest test yet of Musk’s ability to not just shrink government, but to transform his political power into potential business for his companies.

The FAA’s telecommunications networks are instrumental to overseeing 29 million square miles of US airspace and ensuring

the orderly and safe movement of 45,000 flights daily. They are aging and long overdue for an upgrade. In 2023, the agency awarded telecommunications giant Verizon Communications Inc. a contract worth $2.4 billion to do just that. Now, just days after Malaska arrived at the FAA, the fate of Verizon’s contract is up in the air as the agency considers whether to cede part of it to SpaceX. The talks are fluid, and much remains unclear, including the size of any payments SpaceX could receive. Musk’s team is moving so fast that Verizon executives are still trying to understand what’s happening inside the FAA and whether it would affect their business. Lawmakers and others have raised concerns that such a deal would pose a conflict of interest since the FAA also licenses SpaceX rocket launches and investigates the company’s mishaps.  By last Thursday, the first Starlink terminal at the FAA went online—at Birchwood Airport in Alaska.

Copper wires

A NETWORK of copper wires and switches, built decades ago, serves as the telecommunications backbone of the FAA’s air traffic control operations. Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies Inc. operates and helps maintain the current network. Over the years it’s become increasingly costly to manage.

In the private sector, carriers like AT&T Inc. and Verizon are investing heavily to migrate to higher-speed networks backed by fiber-optic cable. It’s understood that the government must do the same to keep pace.

At the FAA, the aging infrastructure, combined with increasing amounts of air travel, has long been considered a potential safety risk. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report said that modernization efforts are “urgently needed” to ensure “safety and efficiency” in the nation’s airspace.

Recent ground stops at airports in Washington and New York have been linked to FAA telecommunications network outages.

Representatives for Musk, SpaceX, Malaska, and L3Harris didn’t return requests for comment. Verizon declined to comment.

In 2023, following a competitive bidding process, Verizon won the $2.4 billion contract to lead the FAA’s transition to a more modern telecommunications system. The contract, which is for 15 years, tasks Verizon with overseeing the development and maintenance of the system, including removing obsolete network equipment and replacing it with fiber-optic cables and other gear. Verizon hasn’t yet started installing the new networks.

After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Musk emerged as a central adviser to the president. He’d already become a vocal critic of the FAA, which he characterized as taking too long to approve licenses needed to launch his rockets. In September, Musk called on the former head of the agency, Michael Whitaker, to resign (Whitaker stepped down the day Trump was inaugurated). During the transition, members of Trump’s inner circle discussed the idea of using Starlink to modernize the FAA’s systems, two people familiar with the matter said.

Then, nine days after Trump was sworn in, a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet collided in midair near Washington, killing 67 passengers and crew members. The tragedy hasn’t been linked to the FAA’s aging systems, but it still put air safety employees on edge and fueled a renewed sense of urgency around modernization, three people familiar with the matter said.

A week later, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that he was enlisting the help of Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, “to help upgrade our aviation system.”  Internet from space

STARLINK is SpaceX’s internetfrom-space unit. It relies on thousands of satellites orbiting above the Earth to beam down broadband for consumer and commercial uses. Of the approximately 11,200 operational spacecraft in Earth orbit, about 63 percent are active Starlink satellites, according to Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. Each terminal is a flat dish about the size of a pizza box

that communicates with satellites.

Malaska has been at SpaceX for nearly four years. A software engineer and marathon runner, he once worked at the video game company Blizzard Entertainment, where he contributed to the first-person shooter game Overwatch and the cult classic World of Warcraft, according to his public work history.

Malaska’s first visit to the FAA was on President’s Day, at the agency’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia. That day he and two of his colleagues received ethics waivers from the Department of Transportation’s deputy general counsel, and were designated as temporary special government employees, according to the waivers obtained by Bloomberg News. The documents say that Malaska and his colleagues are tasked with conducting a review of the FAA technology, including the air traffic control systems. They are not paid for their work, and the waivers say they cannot make any decisions “regarding federal funding or awards of contracts to SpaceX.”

While at the command center, Malaska told agency officials that SpaceX was the only company up to the task of quickly upgrading the aging flight safety network. The following day, this time during a meeting at FAA headquarters in Washington, he unveiled a more official version of a new FAASpaceX partnership. It would be called TDM-X, a trademark Musk “X” riff on the antiquated switch technology known as Time Division Multiplexing, or TDM.

Malaska, whose special government employee status has been extended, is now a fixture at the agency. He holds regular meetings with several high-ranking officials inside the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. He instructs officials on minutiae, including what equipment to procure to get moving on the overhaul. During at least one meeting, Malaska stepped out several times to take calls that he said were from Musk himself, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Malaska described to FAA officials how SpaceX planned to send 4,000 Starlink satellite terminals and equipment to the agency, according to people familiar with the matter. Musk has said he’d provide Starlink terminals to the FAA at no cost to taxpayers, but the terms surrounding any such transaction—including how any usage or maintenance costs would be paid—remain unclear.

One terminal was immediately installed at the FAA’s air traffic control technology lab in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for testing. It’s also being tested at an FAA facility in Oklahoma City, an agency spokesperson said.

Last week, the Starlink terminal at Birchwood Airport in Alaska went online. It’s being used

to transmit weather information over a satellite internet connection, marking the first time the FAA has sent data using Starlink, one of the people said.

The FAA is “testing multiple communication technologies, including satellites, fiber and wireless to ensure the safety of the national airspace system,” the agency said in a statement. “Beyond that, no decisions for other deployments have been made.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Fox News interview Tuesday that while Starlink is part of a broader solution that the FAA is considering, it still wants to install fiber-optic cables. “They can play some part of it but not all of it,” he said.

SpaceX said Wednesday in a post on Musk’s social media platform X that the company isn’t trying to “take over” an existing contract with the FAA. Starlink, it said, is being tested “as one piece of the infrastructure upgrades so badly needed along with fiber, wireless, and other technologies.”

SpaceX also said it signed a loan agreement with L3Harris, which is the prime contractor for the existing telecommunications network, to provide Starlink kits and service “free of charge” for initial testing. The statement made no mention of Verizon.

Flipping a switch

SEVERAL Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern over the fast-moving Starlink-FAA partnership. Last week, Senator Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate’s subcommittee on investigations, sent a letter to Duffy demanding documents about Starlink’s work for the FAA.

“The apparent selection of Musk-owned Starlink as an FAA contractor reeks of the most corrupt, self-serving abuses that federal procurement laws and principles are intended to prevent,” Blumenthal wrote.

Katie Thomson, former deputy administrator for the FAA who stepped down shortly before Trump was inaugurated, said she’s concerned the agency is moving too quickly and hasn’t taken the time to vet the use of Starlink.

“You have to be slow and careful to make sure you are not introducing new risk into the system,” she said. “You don’t just flip a switch and say, ‘go full speed.’” Views inside the FAA on Musk’s arrival are mixed. Some FAA officials and air traffic controllers present at the Starlink meetings privately bristled at the idea of the agency working with Musk’s company while also regulating SpaceX. Others raised concerns that the rush to deploy Starlink terminals could come at the cost of safety and could leave the system vulnerable to cyberattacks, according

to three people familiar with the matter.

One person familiar with the matter said bringing in SpaceX for the modernizing effort could ultimately save taxpayers money if it could cut red tape and eliminate delays. The person also said it’s critical for the government to move quickly to update the FAA’s systems to prevent future outages.

Malaska vowed not to compromise safety, two people familiar with the matter said, but he made it clear that he was uninterested in following the FAA’s arduous, bureaucratic procedures that could lead to long delays.

Contract’s fate N OW, officials at the FAA are preparing to make a decision on whether to cancel the contract outright, or let Verizon retain some piece of it, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The FAA is one of the few government agencies, like the US Postal Service, that isn’t bound by the Federal Acquisition Regulation, said Jessica Tillipman, associate dean for government procurement law studies at The George Washington University Law School. That status affords the agency a little more leeway in contracting decisions, for example by allowing the use of singlesource contracts if they are in the agency’s best interest and there’s a well-documented rationale for the decision.

Tillipman said there are certain instances in which the FAA could unwind a legally awarded contract, such as in the case of an emergency. It’s unclear whether and how those rules would apply here. During Malaska’s recent meetings inside the FAA, officials discussed whether President Trump could issue an executive order allowing the agency to sidestep conventional contracting requirements, two people familiar with the matter said. A White House official said such an order is not being worked on.

A person familiar with Verizon’s operations said the company welcomes the opportunity to work with Musk, and sees its technology as being complementary to Starlink. Satellite technology has inherent limitations, and redundancy in the case of outages is widely viewed as crucial for networks that support critical infrastructure.

Unless Verizon hears otherwise, though, it’s business as usual. Officials at the telecom giant have a meeting scheduled this week with the FAA, according to a person familiar with the company’s operations. The company already requested its monthly payment of $5 million to continue work on the contract, this person said. With assistance from Akayla Gardner/Bloomberg

see large-scale manufacturing moving back to the US.”

“I would prefer to see tariffs used in limited capacity in critical industries important to the country,” Alford said. Respondents in the poll were about evenly split on whether they thought tariffs would create more manufacturing and jobs in the US and thus be worth the pain of higher prices.

But even if the tariffs did spur a manufacturing revival, it’s not clear how much political capital it would deliver for Trump.

A plurality of respondents in the poll said being able to comfortably afford household expenses was the most important gauge of whether the US economy is strong. Just 13 percent said making more products in the US is most crucial.

Just 38 percent of consumers said they thought the US economy was working for them. When they were asked what emotions they felt about the economy, stressed (42 percent) and anxiety (41 percent) led the list.

Trump’s legacy will partly ride on whether he can quell some of that unease. With assistance from Mario Parker and Laura Davison/Bloomberg

A6 Sunday, March 9, 2025 |

SYNERGY OF CULTURE AND HERITAGE: LAGUNA CELEBRATES 16TH ANILAG FESTIVAL

While the festival centers on local products, specifically harvests and crops, the Anilag Festival likewise advocates the industry of Laguna farmers.

By Vincent Peter Rivera

THE Province of Laguna highlights its rich culture once again at this year's Anilag Festival, which officially commences this week. The annual celebration honors the province’s bountiful harvests, tradition, and solid community.

Touted as the “Mother of all Festivals,” the week-long celebration serves as a melting pot of all festivals in Laguna with its 24 municipalities and six cities joining forces for the event. Each participant is given the chance to showcase their culture and heritage by joining the fiesta’s key activities such as the trade fair booth, land float, and street dancing competitions, giving them the opportunity to present what they are best known for.

From March 9 to 15, besides highlighting the rich harvests of its land, Anilag will celebrate the unique traditions, art, music, food, rituals, and customs of Laguna. The festival is an avenue for people to come together, reflect on their heritage, and express their

“Ningning” Lazaro. Renamed “La Laguna Festival” by former Governor Emilio Ramon ‘ER’ Ejercito in 2011, it was reverted to its original “Anilag” title by Governor Ramil L. Hernandez in 2014.

identity through performances, exhibitions, and other interactive experiences.

“We wanted to showcase, to highlight the rich culture, tradition of our beloved province, the exceptional people, our unique local delicacies, and of course, our scenic tourist destinations,” said Hon. Ruth Mariano-Hernandez, Congresswoman of the 2nd District of Laguna. “So we are using the Anilag Festival as a vehicle to promote our beloved province and the products we are proud of.”

INSPIRING NARRATIVE Kicking off in 2004, the Anilag, a derivative of the Filipino phrase, “Ani ng Laguna” (Harvest of Laguna), was established during the term of former Governor Teresita

The festival officially commences with the Heritage Fluvial Parade. From Pakil Port to Quezon Bridge, Lagunenses gather to honor the festival’s patroness Nuestra Señora del Dolores de Turumba and to highlight Laguna’s historical and cultural significance.

As part of its tradition, the celebration features trade fair booths where participating local government units (LGU) dress up their respective booths in the most creative way to represent their town's culture.

Another highlight of Anilag is the street dancing competition where all participating groups showcase their artistic expression and technical skills allowing for a more exciting and immersive experience for both performers and spectators.

Ginoo at Binibining Laguna, one of the trademark events of the festival, will be selecting the most charming and engaging men and women who may also serve as brand ambassadors of the province. Some

of the celebrated beauty queens from Laguna have also moved forward to win in prestigious national pageants: Yllana Aduana, Ms. Earth 2023 1st runner up who hails from the town of Siniloan; Pila, Laguna pride, Bb. Pilipinas 2024 2nd runner up Tricia Martinez; Eloisa Jauod from San Pedro, Ms. Universe Laguna 2024; and this year’s Miss Universe Philippines national director, Ms. Universe 2013 3rd runner up Ariella Arida who came from San Pablo.

2025 ANILAG FESTIVAL

With the theme, “Sama-sama Tayo sa Tuloy-tuloy na Saya sa Laguna,” this year’s celebration highlights the fun and excitement that never stops in the province. With the place’s adventure sites, top notch tourist destinations, exquisite handicrafts and sumptuous food, there will always be enough reasons to visit and have fun in Laguna all year round. Pamela Jane P. Baun, Officer in Charge of Laguna Tourism Culture Arts and Trade Office (LTCATO), shared that this year’s celebration will be extra special with the return of the much requested Little Mr. and Ms. Laguna, a kiddie pageant for the little chikitings of Laguna, and special

events dedicated to the “Batang ‘90s” and Gen Z Lagunense.

“We added more activities such as the most anticipated return of Little Mr. and Ms. Laguna since it stopped due to the [COVID-19] pandemic and children are prohibited to go out. It was made possible with the support of the parents. Specially Congresswoman Hernandez, because she was the one who really wanted to push for the comeback of the Little Mr. and Ms. Laguna,” Baun said.

She added: “We also have the new BeyBlade and Tamiya competition for Batang 90’s. Then, we also have Mobile Legends. We are targeting the youth of Laguna because we know that they will be a big help in promoting the festival. But we assure you that there are no minors [joining the said competitions.]”

Among these, the crowd favorite cosplay competition is also included in the celebration to cater to Anime enthusiasts.

To ensure that all municipalities and cities of Laguna have the capacity to participate in the weeklong celebration, the provincial government has provided financial assistance among communities.

“Previously, the government provided P250,000 [among com-

munities]. But now, we made a minimum [financial support] of P250,000 for small communities who will be joining in one major competition, P400,000 for those who will participate in two major [competitions], and a total of P500,000 for those who will compete in three major competitions,” Gov. Hernandez shared.

CHAMPIONING THE LAGUNENSES

While the festival centers on local products, specifically harvests and crops, the Anilag Festival likewise advocates the industry of Laguna farmers. “As a support to our farmers, the agricultural office will conduct an event that highlights the biggest harvests from Laguna,” Baun mentioned.

“We will be inviting farmers to bring their own crops like vegetables then we will create a grand basket (dimension-wise) from their products and showcase it [during the festival],” she continued. “Out of this basket, the government of Laguna will be the one who will buy their crops and will repack them to donate to those in need like orphanages and senior Lagunenses. We’ll [also] identify charities whom we can donate the vegetables to.”

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION. (Clockwise from topmost, leftmost photo) The Binibining and Ginoong Laguna pageant features the charms of the Lagunenses and the chance to join the professional modeling and international pageant worlds; dancers at the People’s Night Extreme, which serves as the closing event of the Anilag Festival; the Santa Cruz booth brings home the 1st prize; and the driving forces of Laguna, Rep. Ruth Mariano-Hernandez and Gov. Ramil Hernandez. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LTCATO.

EMPOWERING SMALL

ENTREPRENEURS

With a large number of festival goers in Anilag every year, the Anilag festival provides a valuable platform for local businesses. The provincial government invites Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase and sell their products—from food to crafts—at affordable rates. This initiative has significantly boosted Laguna’s local products, now gaining international market presence.

“I was with governor [Ramil last October 2023], to showcase the products of Laguna [MSMEs] in Italy and Paris Fashion Week [Trade Show in France]. It generated, if I am not mistaken, P800 million. They earned [that amount] because we opened these local products to the international market,” Congresswoman Hernandez recalled during their attendance at “Likhang Laguna Goes to Europe” program.

She added: “Also, just recently, one of our local designers brought Burdang Lumban to the U.S., in New Jersey, New York, and San Francisco. We are communicating with the Consulate Office there and the products of Laguna were among the first to

LAGUNA OVER THE YEARS: A STORY OF ENDURING PROGRESS

Governor Hernandez’s vision extends beyond promoting Laguna’s tourism and cultural heritage; but towards developing an efficient economy to uplift the

IBy Vincent Peter Rivera

N the course of time, Laguna has played a big role in contributing to the country’s economy with its significant share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to the website of Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Laguna became the first province to generate an economic value of P1.03 trillion in 2023, which equates to 4.9% GDP that year, as reported by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This actual data is rooted with the programs and projects that the provincial government has implemented in Laguna.

Today, the province is constantly heading towards its peak along with achievements, continued progress, and economic growth behind it.

The year 2025 concludes the term of the incumbent Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez together with his first lady, 2nd District of Laguna congresswoman Ruth Hernandez. Their shared legacy of “Serbisyong Tama” promises a steadfast government and a service that continues to push for the progress and economic growth of the province.

Fueling dreams through education

Beyond providing school supplies or funding learning facilities, a truly impactful investment in education lies in a well-defined scholarship program. Among the efforts of Governor Hernandez is to support the youth’s education by giving it a big budget allocation.

“We are not only giving scholarship assistance but rather a scholarship program, as there is a big difference among the two,” Governor Hernandez stated. “It has an ordinance and it is institutionalized.”

He added, “The moment a kid qualifies as a scholar of Laguna, automatically, [he/she is a scholar] until he/she graduates [college]. Before [our allocated budget] on the scholarship program was P60 million but now, it is already P300 million.”

“Love Laguna” Campaign

be featured. I was also told by Ms. Pinky Villaseñor, the head [officer] of Local Economic Development Investment and Promotions Officer of Laguna (LEDIPO), that a total of P500 million [profit] was gained from this.”

CONTINUING THE LEGACY

The province of Laguna recognized the integral part of the young generation in perpetuating the legacy of the Anilag Festival. To cultivate cultural appreciation, the province continues to introduce diverse and inclusive programs that resonate with all demographics. Among these are Mobile Legends, cosplay, BayBlade, and Tamiya that show how the festival’s appeal extends to the young generation of residents. Further, this year’s Anilag will utilize social media to its advantage. “We are planning to inform and encourage the public to take a vlog or use their TikTok [in documenting] the first day to the last day. The person with the most engagement will have a special award,” Congresswoman Hernandez said.

Anilag Festival happens from March 9 to 15 at the Provincial Capitol grounds, Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Aside from the Festival, the office launched the “Love Laguna” tourism campaign that promotes Laguna’s pride like tourist destinations, products, food, culture and people. Each municipality and city are posting promotional tourism videos online in order to get a wider audience for the said endeavor.

The “Likhang Laguna” product seal, a partnership of the Provincial Government of Laguna and the Department of Trade and Industry Laguna Provincial Office, is also one of the active efforts of the province in boosting its economy.

“We have an accreditation committee composed of DTI, DOST, and the provincial government. We have parameters for standard basis in order for our products here in the province to gain a Laguna seal,” Rep. Hernandez said. “We also [established] the Likhang Laguna Business Center and Concepts Center which showcases the different MSME products that already have the Likhang Laguna seal as we intend to expand [the reach of these local products].”

This signifies that a product is officially made in Laguna and has met the high standards of quality, safety, and sustainability. The program aims to recognize quality products and producers, promote consumer trust in homegrown products, and uphold sustainable economic growth.

A bright future

Governor Hernandez’s vision extends beyond promoting Laguna’s tourism and cultural heritage; but towards developing an efficient economy to uplift the lives of its people. “[Throughout my years of service in Laguna] my number one signature is my focus on social services,” he stated. Presently, these are the current developments in Laguna.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved up to $1.7 billion in funding for the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project. This initiative aims to construct

a 29.56-kilometer expressway along Laguna Lake, enhancing regional connectivity and reducing travel time between Taguig City in Metro Manila and Calamba City in Laguna by 25%.

Among the infrastructure enhancements is also the Kalayaan Wind Farm Project. Blue Circle and its partner, ACCIONA Energía, have commenced construction on a 100.8 MW wind farm in Laguna. This project marks the first phase of the ambitious 350 MW Kalayaan Project, setting a new benchmark for renewable energy development in the region.

When it comes to education, the University of Santo Tomas will be a new addition to the province’s learning facilities as it has expanded its presence by establishing a campus in Santa Rosa, Laguna. This campus is envisioned to intensify research activities and serve as a technological and innovative hub in the region.

A medical institution is also in progress after the groundbreaking ceremony of the Laguna Regional Hospital on May 16, 2024.

According to the online site of the Provincial Government of Laguna, it is the province’s first Department of Health or DOH-run Level III regional hospital, overseen by DOH-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) IV-A.

De La Salle University has also been enhancing its Laguna campus with new facilities, including the Enrique

Razon

which houses the

Logistics Institute. This development underscores the university’s commitment to providing quality education and research opportunities in the area.

In terms of business and industrial projects, the SM Prime Holdings plans to build five new malls, including developments in Laguna. This expansion is expected to boost local commerce and provide residents with enhanced shopping and entertainment options.

Real estate developer Ovialand, Inc. has launched a 9.7-hectare residential development in San Pablo, Laguna. The project, named Sentro, offers 746 housing units priced between P3 million

These

K.

Jr. Hall,

Enrique K. Razon

FESTIVE MOOD. From topmost photo: Street dancers hold the portrait of Our Lady of Turumba—the Patroness of the Festival; the well-crafted native float of the Municipality of Sta. Cruz won First Prize at the Anilag Festival 2024; Gov. Ramil Hernandez, Vice Gov. Karen Agapay, and Rep. Ruth Mariano-Hernandez lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony kicking off the formal opening of Anilag Festival 2024. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LTCATO.

LAGUNA RISING. Clockwise from topmost, leftmost photo: Gov. Ramil Hernandez leads the launching and groundbreaking ceremony of A-Flow hyperscale campus; Gov. Hernandez and Rep.

Mariano-Hernandez express their support during the groundbreaking ceremony of Laguna Regional Hospital; Lagunenses proudly present the province’s local products during the grand launch of HAWS Rack Health and Wellness at Likhang Laguna Store; the Likhang Laguna product seal; and Gov. Hernandez welcomes the 2,813 college students of Cabuyao City who received scholarship grants from the provincial government of Laguna. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PIO.

EU leaders commit to working together after Trump signals that Europe must defend itself

By Raf Casert & Lorne Cook The Associated Press

BRUSSELS—European Union leaders on Thursday committed to working together to bolster the continent’s defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security after US President Donald Trump’s repeated warnings that he would cut them adrift to face the threat of Russia alone.

With the growing conviction that they will now have to fend for themselves, countries that have faltered on defense spending for decades held emergency talks in Brussels to explore new ways to beef up their security and ensure future protection for Ukraine.

“Today history is being written,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters after the summit ended.

She said the 27 EU leaders are “determined to ensure Europe’s security and to act with the scale, the speed and the resolve that this situation demands. We are determined to invest more, to invest better and to invest faster together.”

The pledge underscored a sea change in geopolitics spurred on by Trump, who has undermined 80 years of cooperation based on the understanding that the US would help protect European nations following World War II.

The leaders signed off on a move to loosen budget restrictions so that willing EU countries can increase their military spending. They also urged the European Commission to seek new ways

“to facilitate significant defense spending” in all member states, a statement said.

The EU’s executive branch estimates that around 650 billion euros ($702 billion) could be freed up that way.

The leaders also took note of a commission offer of loans worth 150 billion euros ($162 billion) to buy new military equipment and invited EU headquarters staff “to examine this proposal as a matter of urgency.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a staunch supporter of Trump and considered to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in Europe, refused to endorse part of the summit statement in favor of Ukraine.

But the 26 other EU leaders approved the bloc’s stance that there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine and that the Europeans must be involved in any talks involving their security. The Europeans have so far been sidelined in the US-led negotiations with Russia.

In other developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said talks between Ukraine

and the US on ending the war will take place in Saudi Arabia next week. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet the country’s crown prince, and his team would stay on to hold talks with US officials.

In recent weeks, Trump has overturned old certainties about the reliability of the US as a security partner as he embraces Russia, withdraws American support for Ukraine and upends the tradition of cooperation with Europe that has been the bedrock of Western security for generations.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said that three years of war in Ukraine and a shift in attitudes in Washington “pose entirely new challenges for us, and Europe must take up this challenge ... and it must win.”

“We will arm ourselves faster, smarter and more efficiently than Russia,” Tusk said.

Spending plans win early support ZELENSKYY welcomed the plan to loosen budget rules and expressed hopes that some of the new spending could be used to strengthen Ukraine’s own defense industry, which can produce weapons more cheaply than elsewhere in Europe and closer to the battlefields where they are needed.

“We are very thankful that we are not alone, and these are not just words. We feel it. It’s very important,” Zelenskyy said, looking far more relaxed among Europe’s leaders in Brussels than almost a week ago when he received a verbal lashing from Trump in Washington.

Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor of Germany, and summit chairman Antonio Costa discussed ways to fortify Europe’s defenses on a short deadline. Merz

EPA chief urges Trump to reassess scientific climate change finding, sparking controversy and concern

By Matthew Daly The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—In a potential landmark action, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency has privately urged the Trump administration to reconsider a scientific finding that has long been the central basis for US action against climate change.

In a report to the White House, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called for a rewrite of the agency’s finding that determined planetwarming greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, according to four people who were briefed on the matter but spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the recommendation is not public.

The 2009 finding under the Clean Air Act is the legal underpinning of a host of climate regulations for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources.

A spokesperson for the EPA on Wednesday declined to reveal Zeldin’s recommendation, which was made last week under an executive order from President Donald Trump. The order, issued on Trump’s first day in office, directed the EPA to submit a report “on the legality and continuing applicability” of the endangerment finding.

The Washington Post first re -

ported that Zeldin had urged the White House to strike down the endangerment finding.

The Obama-era finding “is the linchpin of the federal government’s policies for what the president and I call the climate hoax,” said Steve Milloy, a former Trump transition adviser who disputes mainstream science on climate change.

“If you pull this (finding) out, everything EPA does on climate goes away,’’ Milloy told the AP. Trump, at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, said Zeldin told him he is moving to eliminate about 65% of the EPA’s workforce. “A lot of people that weren’t doing their job, they were just obstructionist,” Trump said.

Myron Ebell, another former Trump transition adviser who has questioned the science behind climate change, said Wednesday he was “very excited” at Zeldin’s apparent recommendation on endangerment.

“It’s the basis of all the economically damaging rules to regulate carbon dioxide,” Ebell said, calling repeal “a hard step, but a very big step.”

Environmental groups and legal experts said any attempt to repeal or roll back the endangerment finding would be an uphill task with a slim chance of success.

“This would be a fool’s errand,’’ said David Doniger, a climate expert at the Natural Resources De -

pushed plans this week to loosen his nation’s rules on running up debt to allow for higher defense spending.

Others too appeared ready to do more.

“Spend, spend, spend on defense and deterrence. That’s the most important message,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters.

The call is a sharp departure from decades of decline in military spending in Europe, where defense often ranked low in many budgetary considerations after the Cold War.

In an address to his country Wednesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron said the bloc would “take decisive steps.”

“Member states will be able to increase their military spending,” he said, noting that “massive joint funding will be provided to buy and produce some of the most innovative munitions, tanks, weapons and equipment in Europe.”

Macron conferred with his EU counterparts about the possibility of using France’s nuclear deterrent

endangerment finding.

fense Council, an environmental group. “In the face of overwhelming science, it’s impossible to think that the EPA could develop a contradictory finding that would stand up in court.”

Trump, who has repeatedly denounced what he calls a “green new scam” pushed by Democrats and environmentalists, may view a repeal of the endangerment finding as a “kill shot’’ that would allow him to make all climate regulations invalid, Doniger said.

“But it’s a real long shot for them,’’ he added, noting that courts repeatedly have upheld the EPA’s authority to regulate pollution from greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

“The directive to reconsider the endangerment finding comes straight from Project 2025 and is both cynical and deeply concerning given the mountain of scientific evidence supporting the finding, the devastating climate harms Americans are experiencing right now and EPA’s clear obligation to protect Americans’ health and welfare,’’ said Peter Zalzal, a senior lawyer for the Environmental Defense Fund, another environmental group.

Project 2025, a nearly 1,000page blueprint for a hard-right turn in American government and society, includes a recommendation to reconsider the

Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from Long Island, New York, has been a longtime Trump ally but had little environmental experience before being named to the EPA post. At his confirmation hearing in January, he sparred with Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., over a Supreme Court decision that led to the endangerment finding.

In a 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, the court held that the agency has authority to regulate greenhouse gases as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Markey called the decision a “mandate” for the EPA to protect the public health from climate pollution, a point Zeldin disputed.

“The decision does not require the EPA” to act on greenhouse gases, “it authorizes it,” Zeldin told Markey. “There are steps the EPA would have to take in order for an obligation to be created.”

Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor at the UCLA School of Law, said any effort to overturn the endangerment finding would “raise more havoc—part of the administration’s overall strategy to flood the zone” with chaotic actions and directives.

“The science could not be clearer that greenhouse gas emissions have already led the earth to warm—so much so that it now appears we have breached the 1.5 Celsius limit” set by the global community in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, Carlson said.

The Associated Press science writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this story.

to protect the continent from Russian threats.

Helping EU countries find more money

THE short-term benefits of the budget plan offered by von der Leyen were not obvious. Most of the increased defense spending would have to come from national budgets at a time when many countries are already overburdened with debt.

Part of the proposal includes measures to ensure struggling member states will not be punished for going too deep into the red if additional spending is earmarked for defense.

“Europe faces a clear and present danger, and therefore Europe has to be able to protect itself, to defend itself,” she said.

France is struggling to reduce an excessive annual budget deficit of 5 percent of GDP, after running up its total debt burden to 112 percent of GDP with spending on relief for businesses and consumers during the Covid-19 pandemic and the energy crisis that followed

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Five other countries using the euro currency have debt levels over 100 percent of GDP: Belgium, Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Europe’s largest economy, Germany, has more room to borrow, with a debt level of 62 percent of GDP.

Pressing security needs in Ukraine

PART of any security plan would be to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian attacks such as the one that hit Zelenskyy’s hometown overnight.

A Russian missile killed four people staying at a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, in central Ukraine, shortly after volunteers from a humanitarian organization moved in. The volunteers included Ukrainian, American and British nationals, but it wasn’t clear whether those people were among the 31 who were wounded.

Early this week, Trump ordered a pause in US military supplies being sent to Ukraine as he sought to press Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia. The move brought fresh urgency to Thursday’s summit.

But the meeting in Brussels did not address Ukraine’s most pressing needs. It was not aimed at drumming up more arms and ammunition to fill any supply vacuum created by the US freeze. Nor will all nations agree to unblock the estimated 183 billion euros ($196 billion) in frozen Russian assets held in a Belgian clearing house, a pot of ready cash that could be seized.

The Associated Press

Cartel-plagued Mexican city pins hopes on Trump’s anti-drug trafficking

By María Verza The Associated Press

CULIACAN, Mexico—Before dawn, an elementary school principal in the capital of Mexico’s Sinaloa state checks various chats on his phone for word of shootouts or other incidents. If there’s danger, he sends a message to his students’ parents suspending classes.

It isn’t the only new routine in Culiacan, a city of 1 million residents that for the past six months has been the battlefield for the two main factions of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

The violence has limited the hours to bury the dead. Bands that played big parties now play for money at intersections. Any loud noise sends children scurrying for cover. And those who live on the shifting front lines fear for their lives daily.

This is the first extended period of violence that has touched Culiacan’s residents because there was safety in the cartel’s total domination. Now, many residents are grateful for the pressure applied by US President Donald Trump to get Mexico to go after the cartels and some are optimistic that this difficult period could change the persistent view that the cartel has been their protector.

‘Tired of being among the bullets’

IT started in September, more than a month after Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada—the Sinaloa cartel’s oldest and most astute leader—says he was kidnapped by one of the sons of former leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and taken to the US where they were both arrested.

It unleashed a power struggle between both cartel factions and the unwritten agreement to not attack residents uninvolved in the drug trade was broken. There were carjackings, kidnappings, innocents caught in crossfires and cartel

pressure

roadblocks where gunmen would scan people’s cell phones looking for any trace of contact with the other side. According to government data, there have been more than 900 killings since September. A resident of Costa Rica, a small town south of the capital, traced the front line on the horizon: on one side the “Chapos,” on the other the “Mayos.” He, like most others, requested anonymity because of the danger. An old man there said he saw gunmen dump two bodies in the street. And sometimes people just disappear. Julio Héctor Carrillo, 34, never arrived home from visiting a relative in late January. According to his brother-in-law, Mario Beltrán, his only transgression was not respecting the locals’ self-imposed curfew. His family didn’t dare to put up signs for their search, instead sticking to social platforms. A search collective looking for the disappeared found a body that is undergoing DNA testing.

“At no other time in the last 30 to 40 years that we have crime stats, have we had so many families with disappeared (relatives),” said Miguel Calderón of the State Public Security Council, a citizen organization. Some are simply picked up, interrogated and released, but others end up on the wall of faces at Culiacan’s cathedral.

“Truly, we’re very tired, very tired of being among the bullets,” said a 38-yearold small business owner who has imposed his own family security protocol: no cycling for their 18-year-old son, who they take everywhere, including to visit his girlfriend, and track in real time through his cell phone. Their 7-year-old daughter asks in the morning: “’Dad, am I going to be able to go to school today? Did you already check (Facebook)?’”

“There are things you can’t hide from children,” he said.

writers Sylvie Corbet in Brussels; David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany; Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal; and Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

Of scents and identity: Can PHL reclaim ‘queen of perfumes in the Orient’ tag after 100 years?

By Geraldine Bulaon-Ducusin

THE Philippines used to be on the map of the global fragrance industry. The country was once regarded as the “Queen of Perfumes in the Orient” in the late 1800s.

Known Filipino perfumer, Oscar Mejia III, showed an article published by the Philippines Free Press in 1926 where the country was dubbed as “Reina de los Perfumes de Oriente,” in his presentation at the “Scent of Innovation: Local Art and Science of Green Fragrances” forum organized by the Department of Science and Technology’s Forest Product Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI).

The country used to have a thriving fragrance industry. There were companies back then which produced perfume. But they either shifted to other products or totally folded up later on, Mejia said. These past few years, thanks to some Filipino entrepreneurs who are venturing into this industry, the Philippine fragrance market is slowly coming back to life. The perfume enthusiasts are no longer confined to imported brands because some local fragrances are now available in the market, though still limited. While this is a welcome development, apparently, still a lot has to be done, if the country would

seriously make fragrances a part of its global offering once again.

Cultural and historical significance of fragrance

MEJIA grew up in an orchid farm in Davao, where his parents culture orchids. His interest in perfume started from there. He would pick the flowers, boiled them, made perfume, and gave them away. Until later on, his friends told him he could actually make money out of his passion for perfume.

“Olfaction has been an overlooked dimension of our heritage. Throughout history, fragrances have been noted as an important fragment of our identity and a source of national pride and recognition,” Mejia said.

Dr. Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita, an anthropologist and known Filipino identity expert, informed Mejia that the Philippines has a history of fragrances. It was a robust industry back in the 1800, when the Philippines’ ylang-ylang oil was the best in the world and commanded the highest prices in the European market. It was even among the scents of a popular foreign brand.

Despite this significant historical fact on the country’s fragrance industry, there was a dearth in research materials in the Philippines. That is why Mejia had to rely on published advertisements to try to make

sense of the sector’s past in the country.

And he categorized fragrance’s cultural and historical significance as an affirmation of identity, an obsession for hygiene, a penchant for luxury, and a mirror of society.

“When we look at fragrances, our penchant for ‘aliwalas’ [fresh and clean] is also evident,” Mejia explained.

That’s why, he said, when a perfumer interacts with a potential client, the client tends to ask, “Anopoyungamoyfresh?Yung parang bagong ligo lang po. [What is the smell of freshness? Like just taken a bath].”

Filipinos usually look for fragrance that smells the lightest, “amoy [smells] fresh.”

Does PH still have what it takes to make perfume its niche?

“THOUGH the recognition as being a perfume capital in this part of the globe somehow faded, what makes the Philippines unique has never disappeared—our rich biodiversity, the artistry of our perfumers, and the traditions passed down through generations. It continues to thrive in the skilled hands of local perfumers, in the fields where fragrant botanicals flourish, and in the passion of those people who continue to innovate,” said DOST-FPRDI Director Dr. Rico J. Cabangon.

With this aspiration to revive the fragrance industry, DOST-FPRDI initiated the Flavors and Fragrance from Forest

Technology Program (F3TP). Part of the program is for institute to connect with local perfumers, micro, small and medium enterprises venturing into personal care and beauty products, and other essential oils and perfume enthusiasts.

The Scent of Innovation was not just about honoring the country’s past, it was also about crafting the future.

Through DOST- FPRDI’s Green Fragrance with Purpose Project, funded by DOSTPhilippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), FPRDI’s researchers are developing fragrances from selected aromatic plant species using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)—an eco-friendly and efficient method that ensures higher yields and faster extraction time than traditional techniques.

The project also aims to expand the country’s raw materials base by studying Philippine aromatic plants and creating new fragrance products from locally sourced essential oils.

PH fragrance market today and the ways forward IN a related story published by flavorsogood.com, it was reported that the perfume industry is a rapidly growing industry as more Filipinos are realizing the importance of fragrances in enhancing

their personal image.

While the market looks promising, there’s a problem, though with fragrance ingredients since most of these are still imported.

The high-quality fragrance oil usually comes from Europe, United States and Australia. As for the perfume ingredients, which are commonly chemical fragrances and manufactured through artificial synthesis, or extraction, they come from Japan, China, and India.

Sherill Ramos Quintana, founder of Oryspa, a Filipino brand of aromatherapy products which is being sold in 12 countries, raised the question on supply for the manufacture of fragrances at the Scent of Innovation event,.

Based on their experience, she said, some of the ingredients they used that are sourced in the country sometimes takes months before becoming available.

Cabangon assured Quintana and other manufacturers that part of the program is sustainable sourcing and mapping the sources of aromatic plants.

Thirteen species are currently being studied and they’re also looking into coming up with an inventory of sources and species.

Celebrating 100th year height of PHL perfumery IN the coming 2026, Mejia disclosed they

are contemplating on celebrating the 1926 crowning moment of 100th year of perfume industry in the country, adding that even if it’s not yet as big as what it used to be, there are renewed interests among the makers and consumers of perfume.

Also, given the historical and cultural significance of perfume in the lives of the Filipinos, Mejia hopes that there will be ways to preserve the intangible assets of information on perfume.

DOST-FPRDI agreed to this and committed to finding ways to fund research on perfume history in the country. With the rediscovery of this historical piece of information on the Philippines being competitive in the fragrance industry 100 years ago, and with the recent initiatives on R&D, Mejia said there might be a need to seriously consider and determine if the local fragrance will become bigger than what it is now, and if the country will be able to up the ante from being the usual source of raw materials to actually being the source of a globally known fragrance high-end brand. These will all depend on a comprehensive market feasibility study, and an integrated approach by the relevant government institutions and commercial players, the resource speakers said.

Nuclear tech: Law on regulatory body still hanging; PNRI holds training on responding to emergency

FBy Bless Aubrey Ogerio

OR decades, nuclear technology has powered various industries in the Philippines, such as healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing.

While its applications continue to expand in the country, one big question remains: Who should regulate it?

Right now the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PNRI) is wearing two hats: promoting nuclear science while also serving as the regulator of the safe and peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology in the Philippines.

To perform its tasks, DOST-PNRI has been building capacity by holding trainings and conferences. Among this was the recent training course on how to prepare and respond to nuclear and radiological emergency.

But a DOST-PNRI official said it’s time to change its having a dual mandate.

“Per global standards, promotion and regulation should be separate and independent agencies,” said Framelia Anonas, DOST-PNRI nuclear information and documentation head, in an interview with the B usiness M irror

PhilAtom bill

THIS is where the proposed Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilAtom) bill comes in.

The measure, which seeks to create an independent regulatory body for nuclear and radiological activities, was passed by the House of Representatives in November 2023. However, as of this writing it remains stuck in the Senate, failing to make it to the last session before Congress adjournment on February 6. The Senate bill consolidates provisions from existing laws and international guidelines to ensure comprehensive oversight. It specifies penalties for unauthorized handling or misuse of nuclear materials and prioritizes public health, safety, and environmental protection.

The bill also mandates PhilAtom to develop a national plan for off-site nuclear or radiological emergencies, integrate these plans with national disaster frameworks, and coordinate with international organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Hopefully, it will be discussed in June before the next Congress sits,” Anonas said.

The push for clearer nuclear regulations also ties into the government’s broader energy ambitions.

Back in 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his first State of the Nation Address, expressed the need to build new power plants and adopt the best available technologies, particularly in renewable energy.

Three years later, progress is still up in the air. But if PhilAtom gets the green light, it would transfer all regulatory functions from DOST-PNRI to the new agency.

What next?

WHILE the country’s potential shift to nuclear power remains under study, the government continues to assess its feasibility. Anonas noted that the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee is currently evaluating whether the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) could be revived and how nuclear energy could fit into the country’s power mix.

“The use of BNPP is currently being studied,” she said. “Seventeen agencies are part of the [inter-agency committee] studying the potential of nuclear power in the country.”

Last October, the Philippines’ Department of Energy and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. entered into a memorandum of understanding to assess the feasibility of the 40-year-old BNPP, coinciding with

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Malacañang Palace.

It should be noted that South Korea has been using a power plant of the similar make and age as BNPP. Still, it remains how much longer the country can afford to delay the creation of a dedicated regulatory body.

More than just energy

RADIOACTIVE sources are crucial for diagnosing and treating diseases. Industries rely on radiation-based techniques to ensure precision in manufacturing, using them to measure material thickness and maintain quality control.

Agriculture has also benefited from nuclear advancements. The DOST-PNRI has developed radiation-induced plant mutations to improve crop traits, foliar fertilizers that boost yields, and food irradiation techniques that extend food products’ shelf life and eliminate microorganisms.

“We have developed plants with improved traits—garden plants, rice, and adlay. We also have foliar fertilizer that can improve crops [by] up to 40 percent,” Anonas said.

“[We] sterilize crops and food items for export, [as well as] sterilize insects, such as fruit flies and mosquitoes, to prevent fruit damage, and diseases such as dengue,” she added.

She added the role of radiopharmaceuticals, which are radioactive compounds

used in medical imaging and treatment “that can diagnose and treat cancer and other diseases.”

Understanding the risks NUCLEAR technology has its benefits, but concerns about radiation exposure persist.

Anonas clarified that people are exposed to natural radiation daily through soil, water, air, and even food. Man-made radiation, such as those from X-ray machines and computed tomography (CT) scanners, also contribute to exposure but at very low doses.

“We are also exposed to man-made radiation from medical devices, including x-ray machines and CT scanners. But the doses of natural and man-made radiation are very, very low,” she added.

But high doses of radiation are a different story. “Radiation in high doses is a health hazard, causing skin burns, tissue and organ damage, or long-term effects, such as cancer,” she warned.

Besides physical risks, misinformation and public anxiety pose challenges.

Anonas noted the importance of clear, timely and empathetic communication, especially during nuclear or radiological emergencies, whether from power plant incidents, transportation accidents involving radioactive materials or unintended exposure in medical and research settings.

“During radiological emergencies, it is very important for communicators to pro -

vide information that is timely, clearly understandable, accurate, objective, honest, and empathetic,” she said. “These should answer the public’s query: ‘Am I safe?’”

Training on nuclear, radiological emergency

NUCLEAR emergency is something that we don’t want to happen. But if it happens, we make sure we are ready.

This was the mantra at the DOST-PNRIorganized eight-day “National Training Course on Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response” in Quezon City in January. It was in partnership with Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).

Nuclear emergency involves the release of radioactive material due to nuclear chain reaction, such as a power plant meltdown.

Meanwhile, a radiological emergency involves exposure to radiation from a radioactive source without a nuclear chain reaction, such as radioactive material spill during transport or medical procedure using radioactive isotopes.

Nuclear activities in foreign lands that may affect the country in terms of health and environment are also considered as emergency situations.

An example is the March 11, 2011, major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima, Japan.

During the training, participants learned about radiation and radioactivity, including their properties, doses, and differ -

ent effects to people to help in determining the shielding, or material used in protecting people, from radioactive materials.

Further, the participants were trained in the use of radiation survey meters and dosimeters for monitoring radioactivity. They learned to frisk people to check radiation contamination, and to properly decontaminate people and areas. Moreover, the trainees were taught how to properly communicate to the public during emergencies.

It can be recalled that during the 2011 nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima, DOST-PNRI gave daily media updates about the meltdown based on information from JAEA and IAEA. This helped allay the fears of Filipinos on possible effects of the accident on their health.

To put the participants’ learnings at work, they had tabletop and field exercises that simulated a radiological emergency.

“Despite my extensive experience in chemical and biological emergency response, this training provided valuable insights into the unique challenges and strategic approaches in nuclear and radiological emergencies,” said Dr. John Paul Ner, a medical specialist and spokesman of the East Avenue Medical Center. The training also resonated well to those who are new to the field of emergency preparedness and response, like Janna Mica Bagaforo of DOST-PNRI.

“I learned that knowing the basics of how to protect oneself, recognize warning signs, and follow proper emergency procedures can make a significant difference in staying safe during an emergency,” she said. Trainees were from emergency response institutions—such as the Bureau of Fire Protection, Armed Forces of the Philippines-Logistics Support Command, Philippine National Police-Health Service, Philippine Air Force, Philippine

and

Radiological and Nuclear

Office of Civil Defense, and DOST-PNRI. Other participants were from Depart

THE empty perfume bottles from the collection of Quema family from Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The fragrances were made in Europe but were exclusively sold in the Philippines, proof that there was a market of fine fragrances in the Philippines in the past. The Philippines also

A10 Sunday, March 9 , 2025

Pope Francis: Lent is time to accept our fragility, rekindle hope in Jesus

ASH Wednesday on March 5 started the 40-day Lent for the Catholic Church and some

By Kristina Millare

ROME—Pope Francis said the Lenten journey reminds the Church that hope in Jesus Christ ultimately overcomes fears of fragility, weakness, and the brevity of life.

Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, reading the papal text, said: “The ashes remind us that we are dust, but they also set us on a journey toward the hope to which we are called. Jesus descended to the dust of the earth and, by his resurrection, has drawn us with himself into the Father’s heart.”

The pope is continuing his medical treatment at Gemelli Hospital and was unable to attend the Ash Wednesday Mass held inside the Basilica of Santa Sabina located on Rome’s Aventine Hill. However, despite his hospitalization but with “stable clinical condition…compared to previous

days,” the Vatican News reported on Thursday evening that the Holy Father “engaged in some work activities in both the morning and afternoon, alternating them with periods of rest and prayer.”

His “work activities” may include signing documents, writing homilies and messages, including his message of thanks “for the many testimonies of love and closeness that he has received since being admitted to hospital on 14 February.”

“Made of ashes and earth, we experience fragility through illness, poverty, and the hardships that can suddenly befall us and our families,” the pope said in his homily prepared for Ash Wednesday.

“Lent, however, is also an invitation to rekindle our hope,” he said. “We are invited to lift our eyes to the One who rises from the depths of death and brings us from the ashes of sin and death to the glory of eternal life.”

Focusing on Easter as the reason for undertaking the journey of Lent, the pope in his homily told the congregation of cardinals, bishops, and religious brothers and sisters of Benedictine and Dominican orders that the risen Lord is waiting for us “at the end of the road.”

“The hope of Easter that we journey toward reassures us of God’s forgiveness,” the Holy Father said, quoting his predecessor Benedict XVI. “Even while submerged in the ashes of sin, hope opens us up to the joyful acknowledgment of life.”

Acknowledging the “social and political realities of our time”—including war, ideological opposition, abuse of power, and exploitation—the 88-yearold head of the Church said the world’s problems should spur people to walk together, be open with one another, and turn to our God who wants peace and

reconciliation.

“Let us turn back to God, let us return to him with all our hearts,” the pope said. “Let us learn from almsgiving to go beyond ourselves, sharing each other’s needs and nurturing the hope of a fairer world.”

In his homily, the Holy Father also said accepting the fragility of our human condition “is good for us” as it reminds us who we really are “despite the masks we wear” and of our need for God.

“It reshapes us, reduces the severity of our narcissism, brings us back to reality, and makes us more humble and open to one another: None of us is God; we are all on a journey,” he said.

“With this hope in our hearts, let us begin our journey. Let us be reconciled with God,” the pope reiterated at the end of his March 5 homily.

Catholic News Agency via CBCP News

Charity kitchen brings hope to displaced Palestinians in West Bank during Ramadan

TULKAREM, West Bank—At a makeshift kitchen inside a city office building, volunteers rub paprika, oil and salt on slabs of chicken before arraying them on trays and slipping them into an oven. Once the meat is done, it is divided into portions and tucked into plastic foam containers along with piles of yellow rice scooped from large steel pots.

The unpaid chefs at the Yasser Arafat Charity Kitchen in the city of Tulkarem are hoping their labors will provide a modicum of joy to displaced Palestinians trying to mark the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

An Israeli military raid launched in the West Bank weeks ago has uprooted more than 40,000 people.

Israel says it was meant to stamp out militancy in the occupied region, which has experienced a surge of violence since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. The raid has been deadly and destructive, emptying out several urban refugee camps that house descendants of Palestinians who

Rfled wars with Israel decades ago. The refugees have been told they will not be allowed to return for a year. In the meantime, many of them have no

access to kitchens, are separated from their communities, and are struggling to mark the end of the daily Ramadan fast with what are typically lavish meals.

“The situation is difficult,” said Abdullah Kamil, governor of the Tulkarem area. He said some are drawing hope from the charity kitchen, which has expanded its usual operations to provide daily meals for up to 700 refugees, an effort to “meet the needs of the people, especially during the month of Ramadan.”

For Mansour Awfa, 60, the meals are a bright spot in a dark time. He fled from the Tulkarem refugee camp in early February and does not know when he can return.

“This is the house where I was raised, where I lived, and where I spent my life,” he said of the camp. “I’m not allowed to go there.”

Awfa, his wife and four children have been living in a relative’s city apartment, where they sleep on thin mattresses on the floor.

“Where do we go? Where is there to go?” he asked. “But thanks to God, we are waiting to receive meals and aid from some warmhearted people.”

Aref Tufaha/Associated Press

Pope Francis receives get-well cards, drawings from schoolchildren in Rome get out of the hospital soon,” read another. Other greetings included creative illustrations, including a drawing of Blessed Carlo Acutis as well as a 3D rendering of Pope Francis opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica.

OME—Pope Francis on Sunday, February 23, was flooded with getwell cards and hand-drawn greetings from schoolchildren in Rome as the Holy Father continues to battle a series of medical emergencies in the city’s Gemelli Hospital. The pope was admitted to the hospital on February 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced February 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion. With “stable clinical condition... compared to previous days,” the Vatican News reported on Thursday evening that the Holy Father “engaged in some work activities in both the morning and afternoon, alternating them with periods

of rest and prayer.”

‘Get well soon so I can hug you’

“DEAR Pope, I hope you get well soon so I

can hug you. I love you so much,” read one letter featuring a drawing of the Holy Father reaching out to a young girl. “I love you very much and we hope you

Iglesia Ni Cristo museums

By Antonio G. Papa

THROUGH the initiative of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC)

Executive Ministers, they perceived the importance of preserving the Church’s cultural heritage, hence establishing the INC Museum.

To further introduce and characterize the INC Museum, an article titled “From Past to Present: Looking back on the wonders of God,” written by Arianna Lovendino, was published in the InFocus Section of the “Pasugo: God’s Message” in its July 2024 issue, a por tion was quoted here.

The last portion of the narratives about INC Museum as featured in the article deals with the following subtopics:

INC Museum and Gallery:

Paving the way for historical enrichment

“A TEAM of architects, artists, photographers, and writers was formed to help with the construction of what would be the first museum building of the Church. They were assisted by construction workers who had the same goal when building the picturesque structure.

“The promise made by Brother Eraño Manalo was fulfilled officially on July 27, 1984, when the first museum building, part of the Central Temple, was inaugurated in concurrence with the 70th anniversary of the Church.”

Reminiscing the early years

“ ON July 23, 1998, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Church Of Christ in the Far West, the very building on 1782 Bond Street—which served as the venue for the momentous occasion signifying the expansion of the Church in the Far West—was converted into a museum.

“Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, then the Deputy Executive Minister, led the unveiling of the marker designating the plantation house as a historic site and museum.

On May 26, 2000, Brother Eraño Manalo led the inauguration of the Iglesia Ni Cristo Museum in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila, which was originally the house of worship of the local congregation.”

A newfound resplendence

ON August 29, 2019, the new Iglesia Ni Cristo Museum was inaugurated by no less than Brother Eduardo V.

Manalo himself, the current Executive Minister, and his wife Sister Lynn V. Manalo. Two days later, the building officially became open to the public through a grand ceremony attended by government officials and other prominent individuals around the country.

“Situated along Central Avenue in Quezon City, Philippines, the state-of-the-art structure stands at five stories of numerous collections that signify not only the history of the Church from the humble beginnings to its present glorious state, but also the biblical teachings upheld by the Church members in their daily lives.”

Onward to further triumphs “AT present, multitudes of people from various parts of the world flock to the museums of the Church of Christ and leave fortified in the faith or in the case of nonmembers, struck with wonder at the Church’s rich history.

“The Iglesia Ni Cristo Museums continue to fulfill the aims of the Church Administration, some of which are to edify the brethren, establish and preserve historical sites of the Church to people through the display of its history and recent activities, and share the true Christian faith. All of these are done for the glory and honor of the Lord Almighty God, Who unfailingly shows His grace and love for His people.”

Antonio G. Papa, PhD, is a trustee of the New Era University in Quezon City and the second head deacon at the Local Congregation of Indang, Ecclesiastical District of Cavite South. He is a retired university professor at the College of Economics, Management and Development Studies, Cavite State University (CvSU) in Indang, Cavite. In 2018, he served as a scientist 1 and consultant at Marinduque State College now Marinduque State University in Boac, Marinduque.

The Vatican last Sunday said the Holy Father “continues to be alert and well oriented” and continues to receive oxygen therapy “at high flows” through his nose.

The pope participated in daily Masses along with those who are caring for him at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Some of the letters to Francis, meanwhile, looked forward to his release from the hospital.

“We pray that you get well soon,” one read. “It would be a great pleasure for us to have lunch [with you] in our school cafeteria.” Daniel Payne/Catholic News Agency via CBCP News

PALESTINIANS sit at a long table surrounded by tents and the rubble of destroyed buildings as they gather for Iftar, the fast-breaking

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Ex-Army nurse launches health, environment program

MEET Col. Maria Victoria Juan, a retired chief nurse of the Philippine Army, and Noah Manarang, the country’s pioneering vetiver farmer. These women, who have passion for helping others, are working together in a grassroots program to nurse the environment and citizens back to good health.

Using a huge portion of her prize money from a prestigious global nursing award, Juan and colleagues, along with Manarang, piloted in Pasay City recently the initiative dubbed BeOne, short for Barangay Empowerment on Nursing the Environment project.

“Applying everything I learned from the military, I am now hoping to give back to the country in the most meaningful and impactful way possible, which is through the grassroots,” Juan said.

Juan won last November the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award for her exceptional contributions to nursing and the medical field. It came with $250,000 prize money, part of which she used for her advocacies, including the BeOne campaign.

Reducing preventable deaths HALF of the BeOne campaign is the “Barangay Lifesaver Program.” It focuses on saving individuals in near-death situations, such as massive bleeding and cardiac arrest.

“By serving in the military, I know very well what causes death to most people, and that is massive bleeding and cardiac arrest. So that will be our focus in terms of capacitating our barangays,” Juan said.

The retired Army nurse explained that the BeOne Lifesaver program is different from first-aid training because it will focus on teaching how to respond to highly critical neardeath situations.

Philippine Statistics Authority data showed that in 2024, heart

‘Graphic-heavy,’ ‘accessible’ DOST Ilocano disaster sourcebook targets wider reach

By Bless Aubrey Ogerio

ADISASTER preparedness sourcebook in Ilocano, designed to be visual-rich and user-friendly, aims to effectively reach a broader audience across the region, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Jeffrey Perez, Supervising Science Research Specialist at DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs), explained that DANAS, short for Disaster Narratives for Experiential Knowledge-based Science Communication Sourcebook project, focuses on accessibility to enhance the locals’ understanding of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM). A collaboration between Phivolcs, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State UniversityLa Union (DMMMSU), and the University of the Philippines Visayas, the DANAS project promotes disaster awareness through the Ilocano language, ensuring culturally relevant geohazard communication.

“If you see the book, it’s just thin. Very graphic. The pictures we included are visually appealing. We’ve identified what we need to include, it’s all on video,” Perez said in Filipino during a recent press briefing at San Fernando, La Union.

“This DANAS sourcebook will be part of our information campaign. If you go to the local governments, we will include it in our presentation. In Handa Pilipinas, there will be a section for the DANAS project so that

disease remained the top cause of death in the country.

Hemorrhage was cited in an earlier study as a major cause of death from trauma in the country, with majority of fatalities happening before reaching the hospital.

“I hope that through BeOne, we will be able to reduce a large number of highly preventable deaths in the country,” Juan said.

She said that their ultimate ambition is to make “every citizen know how to save people, including their loved ones, [from] possible sudden death,” added Juan.

Vetiver environment, livelihood program

THE other half of the BeOne program is geared toward helping the local environment while providing additional livelihood through the release and propagation of vetiver grass along the Pasig River.

Through the release of vetiver pontoons, it aims to contribute to the clean-up of the Pasig River, as the non-invasive grass can absorb pollutants in the water system.

Vetiver has long roots that can grow up to 3 meters and can help clean up to 90 percent of nitrates, phosphates, and other heavy metals in the water only four days after being planted.

Manarang, president of Vetiver Farms Philippines, said they aim to expand the vetiver project from Pasig River to other areas in the country to serve as a barrier against

management.

(See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/01/12/dost-phivolcs-launchesilokano-earthquake-sourcebook/)

more people will be informed,” he added. Perez shared that the country experiences an average of 30 earthquakes a day. The sourcebook highlights local experiences from big earthquakes, including the 1983 magnitude 6.5 Laoag earthquake, the 1990 magnitude 7.8 Luzon earthquake, the 2019 magnitude 6.1 Central Luzon earthquake, and the 2022 magnitude 7 Northwestern Luzon earthquake.

Lucille Rose Sanico, DANAS component leader, explained that the DANAS sourcebooks contain personal stories, experiences, and descriptions from locals who have endured natural disasters while retaining some technical terms to inform residents about planning. Sanico noted that the sourcebooks can serve as references for teachers and disaster risk reduction officers to strengthen DRR

“Information dissemination will not just be done by Phivolcs, will not just be done by DMMMSU, but this will be a whole-ofgovernment approach [here in] Region 1,” DOST Region 1 Director Teresita Tabaog said.

“‘This is what we need to do with our very active provincial directors—very strong collaboration with the local government units and all stakeholders here in Region 1. But I’d like to mention that we cannot do that alone,” she added in a mix of English and Filipino.

The Ilocos Region Science director also mentioned plans to expand the agency’s reach by collaborating with the Department of Education and state universities.

“I was thinking that this could also be introduced to them and be part of the lessons for our youth, even if just as an elective or something similar,” Tabaog said.

Leveraging its role in the Regional Research Development Innovation Committee and other networks, the DOST is ensuring that disaster preparedness materials reach both urban and remote areas in Region 1.

Tabaog also emphasized that local communities would benefit from accessible audiovisual resources, such as TV equipment distributed to marginalized areas through DOST’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology program.

The sourcebooks, along with accompanying video packages, are also available in Cebuano (for Mindanao and the Visayas), Hiligaynon, Tagalog, and Kapampangan.

pollution and soil erosion.

She said they are hoping to reach areas that have concerns on soil erosion and pollution that are not being reached by government resources.

Juan said they are currently discussing with relevant government authorities for the launch of BeOne in other areas in the Philippines.

Vetiver properties

WITH scientific name Chrysopogon zizanioides, vetiver, also known as khus, is a perennial bunchgrass closely related to sorghum.

It shares many morphological or structural characteristics with other fragrant grasses, such as lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), and palmarosa (Cymbpogomn martini).

Unlike lemongrass, which can be boiled and ingested for its health benefits, it is not advisable to consume vetiver extracts.

“For a time, vetiver was used to produce essential oil. One time, it became the fourth most expensive essential oil because of [its big] supply,” Manarang said.

A former Department of Environment and Natural Resources employee and researcher, Manarang started her journey with vetiver as a social entrepreneur, helping women in rural communities earn through contract growing the plant for slope- protection projects and supplying planting materials to

smaller farms.

Women partners

AS part of the livelihood component of Vetiver Program, a vetiver farm provides its partners—mostly women—with vegetable seedlings, encouraging them to plant and grow vegetables like eggplant, green pepper, bell pepper, okra, pechay, and other easy-to-grow vegetables.

Women partners earn from producing vetiver planting materials from pontoons deployed in waterways, such as in Pasig River, thus, help the family put food on the table and make ends meet. Partners earn P1 per plant.

Pontoon makers also earn from the partnership.

According to Manarang, vetiver trainers get “training assignments,” from which they earn remuneration.

“We’ve been partners of Ms. Mimi [Juan] for years before the vetiver program started. In this program, we grow and manage the floating bamboo where vetiver grass are planted,” said Jenneth Perez, 44, of Barangay 190, Zone 20, and one of two volunteers of the project in Pasay City.

Natural water and soil purifier

PEREZ said vetiver, like a purifying agent, helps clean the river by absorbing harmful chemicals in the water.

“The roots of vetiver grow fast and help in purifying the water,” Perez explained to the BusinessMirror in Filipino.

Manarang said it is easy

to produce a vetiver planting material. It is done by simply splitting the bunch grass. Vetiver Farms, she said, needs a lot of planting materials because it is gaining popularity among institutions and local governments for use in slope protection, especially for disaster risk reduction.

Environment-friendly “AS a company, we focus on the environment. Planting vetiver has many benefits. [It has] plenty of byproducts, but right now, our market is focused on slope protection. And we are already exporting [the] plants,” Manarang said.

Manarang said there are reports that some vetiver varieties are being used as medicinal plants, while China has an edible variety. In the Philippines, however, she warned against using it for tea or in cooking, especially when they are planted in rivers or waterways, because they absorb chemicals that pollute water.

Manarang pointed out that for slope protection, vetiver is a lot cheaper than conventional slope protection, like coco nets, which Vetiver Farms Philippines also produces. It is also more environment-friendly and sustainable.

More importantly, vetiver does not produce seeds, thus, it is not invasive unlike other grasses, such as wild sugarcane, locally called “talahib,” that spreads fast and is hard to contain.

Villgro Philippines, Searca partner to foster climate-resilient agriculture in Southeast Asia

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—A gender-smart incubator supporting impact-driven enterprises has partnered with the Southeast Asian center for research in agriculture to run the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Enhancement (SAFE) Accelerator.

Villgro Philippines and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) partnered to manage SAFE Accelerator, a virtual accelerator program designed to support high-potential enterprises developing regenerative, climateresilient solutions that address food security and sustainable agriculture challenges in Southeast Asia.

The SAFE Accelerator aims to cultivate market-driven, climate-resilient solutions that protect biodiversity, sustain farming communities, and improve food security.

With agriculture as the backbone for millions across the region, the sector faces escalating threats from climate change, extreme weather events, unsustainable farming practices, and food waste.

“Searca, with its deep expertise in advancing climate-smart agriculture and agritechinnovations, sees the SAFE Accelerator as a key initiative in fostering sustainable development across the region,” said Searca Center Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio. He added that the program will support four enterprises in Lao PDR, the Philippines, TimorLeste, and Vietnam that integrate regenerative, nature-based solutions in their business models.

“The need of the hour is urgent transformative change to ensure food security. Regenerative agriculture is at the heart of restoring ecosystems and ensuring our food systems are sustainable.

The SAFE Accelerator will equip enterprises driving climatefriendly agribusinesses with coaching, tools, and networks to scale regenerative solutions that sustain both people and the planet.” said Co-founder and CEO of Villgro PhilippinesPriya Thachadi.

The four-month virtual accelerator program offers tailored capacity building,

mentorship from industry experts, hands-on workshops, gender-smart training, and selfpaced investment training. The program will conclude with an Impact Showcase where selected enterprises will connect with potential investors and partners. Additionally, eligible enterprises may receive further funding opportunities through Villgro Philippines’ investor network.

“The SAFE Accelerator is an important step for empowering enterprises at the forefront of climate-smart agriculture, enabling them to scale solutions and the kind of innovations needed to reshape agriculture in Southeast Asia—driving both ecological restoration and longterm food security,” said Atty. Eric Reynoso, Searca Program head for Emerging Innovation for Growth. Applications will open soon for screening and joint evaluation by Villgro PH and Searca. Interested enterprises or partner organizations in Lao PDR, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam may reach out to the team at climate@villgrophilippines.org.

NOAH MANARANG (left), president of Vetiver Farm Philippines, and Ret. Army Col. Maria Victoria Juan, a former chief nurse, during the recent launching of BeOne (Barangay Empowerment on Nursing the Environment) Project in Pasay City.

VETIVER Farm Philippines President Noah Manarang (fourth from left), and Ret. Army Col. Maria Victoria Juan (third from right) are flanked by women participants of the Vetiver Program initiative.

VETIVER plants in a pontoon, a bamboo raft, ready to be deployed in waterways.

Story & photos by Jonathan L. Mayuga

A12 | SundAy, MArch 9, 2025 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

Good news for mothers in women’s tennis tour

This marks the first time in women’s sports history that comprehensive maternity benefits are available to independent, selfemployed athletes.

By Howard Fendrich The Associated Press

PREGNANT players on the women’s tennis tour now can receive 12 months of paid maternity leave, and those who become parents via partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption can get two months off with pay, under a program sponsored by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and announced Thursday by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

“Independent contractors and self-employed individuals don’t typically have these kinds of maternity benefits provided and available to them. They have to go out and sort of figure out those benefits for themselves,” WTA CEO Portia

“I came to Kenya to feel this elite running community here,” said Ryan Mex of Malta.

Archer said. “This is really sort of novel and groundbreaking.”

More than 300 players are eligible for the fund, which is retroactive to January 1. The WTA would not disclose how much money is involved.

The program—which the WTA touted as “the first time in women’s sports history that comprehensive maternity benefits are available to independent, self-employed athletes”—also provides grants for fertility treatments, including egg freezing and IVF.

It’s part of a wider trend: As women’s sports rise, there is an emphasis on meeting maternity and parental needs.

How many mothers are on the women’s tennis tour now?

THE WTA says 25 moms are active on tour; one, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic, won a title last month after returning from maternity leave in October.

More and more pros in tennis have returned to action after having children, including past No. 1-ranked players and Grand Slam title winners such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka—a member of the WTA Players’ Council, which Archer acknowledged played a key role in

pushing for this fund—thinks these benefits will encourage lower-ranked or lower-earning athletes to take as much time off as they feel they need after becoming a parent, rather than worrying about losing out on income while not entering tournaments.

“That’s certainly one of the aims of the program: to provide the financial resources, the flexibility, the support, so that these athletes, regardless of where they’re ranked, but particularly those who earn less, will have that agency...to decide when and how they want to start their families,” Archer said.

And, Azarenka said, this could lead some players to decide to become parents before retiring from the sport for good.

“Every feedback we’ve heard from players who are mothers—or who are not mothers—is like, ‘Wow, this is an incredible opportunity for us,’” said 2012 and ’13 Australian Open champion Azarenka, whose son, Leo, is 8. “I believe it’s really going to change the conversation in sports. But going beyond sports, it’s a global conversation, and I’m happy that we’re [part of it].”

Other steps the WTA has taken in recent years to benefit players include steering more women into coaching, implementing safeguarding, attempting to stem cyberbullying, and increasing prize money with an eye to pay that equals what men receive in the sport.

What role does Saudi Arabia’s investment fund have in tennis?

THE Public Investment Fund, or PIF, became the WTA’s global partner last year, after much public debate—Hall of Famers Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova were among the critics— over questions about LGBTQ+ and women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom now hosts the seasonending WTA Finals and an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) event for rising stars of men’s tennis. The PIF sponsors the WTA and ATP rankings.

“We wouldn’t have been able to provide the benefits were it not for this relationship and the funding that PIF provides,” Archer said.

What are maternity leave policies in golf, soccer and basketball?

IN golf, which like tennis is an individual sport without guaranteed salaries, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) introduced an updated maternity leave policy in 2019 that lets athletes have the same playing status when they return.

In soccer, both the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the US women’s national team have collective bargaining agreements that allow for pregnancy leave and parental leave; the NWSL pays the full base salary while an athlete is pregnant.

In basketball, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Collective Bargaining Agreem ent guarantees full pay during maternity leave.

For tennis, Azarenka said, the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program is “just the beginning.”

“It’s an incredible beginning. Monumental change,” she said. “But I think we can look into how we can expand this fund for bigger, better things.” AP Sports Writers Doug Feinberg, Doug Ferguson and Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.

Kenyan town Iten offers ideal high-altitude training for Olympic champions, amateurs

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari brings cultural impact way beyond F1

MET Gala chair, coproducer on  a Brad Pitt movie , activist, and now Ferrari driver. Lewis Hamilton’s impact stretches far beyond Formula 1 and his quest to win a record-breaking eighth world title with his new team.

The partnership of F1’s biggest celebrity—and only Black driver—with its biggest brand reaches people who don’t consider themselves F1 fans, and may not even have watched a race.

A 13-month countdown IN some respects, Lewis Hamilton’s move is already a marketing triumph. He won’t race for Ferrari until next week in Australia, ending 13 months of hype since he announced his decision to leave Mercedes.

“Obviously the commercial success and the success for Ferrari’s brand has been unprecedented,” Michael E. Sawyer, author of an upcoming biography of Hamilton, “Sir Lewis,” told The Associated Press. “It just makes the brand that much more iconic. It’s always been about pushing boundaries.” Expectations are high, too, around Hamilton’s potential impact in Italy in terms of representation and creating opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds.

“When it was announced that [Hamilton] was in Ferrari, the industry started thinking, especially in fashion, that things would start changing,” Michelle Francine Ngonmo, the founder of  Afro Fashion Week Milano  and an advocate for diversity in Italian fashion, told the AP. Hamilton’s first photos as a Ferrari employee were curated to perfection. His sometimes-playful fashion sense took a traditional turn with a sharp double-breasted suit as he posed in front of company founder Enzo Ferrari’s house.

A fast start, or time to adapt?

LEWIS HAMILTON’S celebrity status extended beyond F1 years ago. Where other drivers arrive for a race weekend in branded team gear, he turns up in high fashion.

His friendships with influential fashion figures, involvement with the Met Gala—he’s a chair for this year’s event in May—and a co-producer role on the upcoming Hollywood movie “F1” all allow Hamilton to reach non-sports audiences in a way other drivers can’t. With so much attention on their new partnership, the 40-year-old Hamilton and Ferrari could risk disappointment if he doesn’t win the long-sought-after eighth title. Hamilton was broadly on pace with rivals and his teammate Charles Leclerc over  three days of preseason testing  in Bahrain last week. Still, Hamilton said he and Ferrari have “definitely got some work to do to improve.”

Hamilton has indicated he needs time to adapt, but one key rival has argued a successful start will be key to keep Ferrari’s passionate fans on board.

“They’ll love him if he’s quick and he delivers and he’ll feed off that energy,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said last month. “If it doesn’t get off to a good start, then it’ll inevitably be harder for him.” AP

I TEN, Kenya—As dawn breaks over the sleepy town of Iten, its dusty tracks come alive with packs of runners keeping rhythm, often followed by cheerful children headed to school. Some of the athletes are elite Kenyans. Others travel from farther afield. All are here because this unassuming little town lies at about 2,400 meters (8,000 feet) above sealevel and has produced some of the best long-distance runners in the world. To cater to the ever-growing interest from both professional and amateur athletes, hotels, lodges and short-stay rental apartments continue to spring up around the town, located 350 kilometers northwest of Nairobi.

Mex, a semi-professional runner and coach, brought three athletes with him to get a competitive edge ahead of Malta’s marathon season. It’s his first time here. “Next time I want to come with a

larger group since we really like the training environment here,” Mex said.

“This is the best place in the world to come for a training camp.”

Town produces Olympic champions ITEN is home to some 42,000 people, mostly subsistence farmers, and it has also been a temporary home to plenty of world champions, including two-time Olympic gold medalists

Eliud Kipchoge (marathon) and David

Rudisha (800 meters), both of Kenya.

British four-time Olympic champion

Mo Farah would train in Iten for months at a time.

The town was declared  a World Athletics Heritage Landmark  in 2019 and proudly calls itself the “Home of Champions.”

Lornah Kiplagat, a Kenyanborn three-time Olympian for the Netherlands, attended high school in Iten and now runs a training center here for runners who want to up their game.

“If you train at 2,400 meters, your lungs expand, your red blood cells increase, and so when you go to low

altitude you feel like you are flying,” explained Kiplagat, the 2008 world half-marathon champion. Amanal Petros, a top marathoner from Germany, spends six months at Kiplagat’s center every year. Born in the Eritrean highlands, he was accustomed to running at high altitude but Iten’s elevation isn’t the only reason why he keeps coming back. AP

Ritchie & Camacho show in Manila qualifiers of Milo National Marathon

ITCHIE ESTAMPADOR and Maricar

race with plenty to spare over second-placer Roy Laudit (1:15:09) and third-placer Mark Anthony Oximar (1:17:23). Camacho, on the other hand, timed

1:32:16 to beat fellow elite runner JhoAnn Villarma (1:43:21) and Charilyn Ayende (1:49:20) to join Estampador in the nationals on on December 7. The Manila leg gathered close to 20,000 racers of different backgrounds and abilities, intensifying its efforts in bringing sports to more Filipinos.

LEWIS HAMILTON, F1’s biggest celebrity— and only Black driver—reaches people who don’t consider themselves F1 fans, and may not even have watched a race. AP

MALTESE athletes train alongside locals at the Iten-Kaptagat Road in Iten Elgeyo Marakwet County which lies at about 2,400 meters above sea-level in Kenya. AP

KIM CLIJSTERS holds the US Open champion’s trophy for her daughter, Jada Ellie, in New York on September 11, 2010. AP

Why

are so many people obsessed with fantasy sports?

BACK ON THE AIR

‘The Punk Connection’ returns on Jam 88.3

YEARNING for some raw, hard-edged, and unfiltered music? Ready your ears as The Punk Connection (TPC) is finally back on the air.

Produced for radio by Renmin Nadela (Agaw Agimat and The Republicats drummer), TPC first made waves on Jam 88.3 in 2016. It was musical artists Wendy Villanueva (Agaw Agimat and The Republicats vocalist) and Al Dimalanta (vocalist and guitarist of the legendary punk band Dead Ends and Throw) who hosted and gave voice to the program.

The radio show delved deep into the punk ideology and spirit — exploring its connections to ska, hardcore, and nuances — while delivering explosive playlists, featuring underground and independent bands, and paying tribute to punk’s legacy.

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Its uniqueness quickly crafted a distinct identity in the radio world, becoming a crucial destination for punk listeners, both old-school and new, who sought the raw, unadulterated essence of punk—presented uncut, unfiltered, and unapologetically loud.

The program’s rhythm shifted in 2018 when Dimalanta took a break from hosting leaving Villanueva and Nadela to sustain the show. Good thing, Dimalanta remained supporting the show from behind.

In 2019, TPC launched Bandang X, a 30-minute segment featuring ‘90s bands and the community that reverently nods to them.

However, the music industry took a hard blow with the advent of COVID-19. Live shows and music promotions were suspended, leaving TPC to also go on a hiatus.

While it may seem unfortunate, punk music is unapologetically loud; its resurgence is inevitable.

An enduring Legacy AS a cradle of punk in the airwaves, TPC

bridges generations of the genre, from the legendary pioneers to emerging punk bands. The Batang X segment resurrected ‘90s defiant sound and attitude — delivering unpredictable, adrenaline-fueled episodes that blend early punk with fresh rebellion.

Beyond the show, TPC became a movement on the streets by organizing tours that champion punk bands to relentlessly bang the stage with their pure firepower music. This further extended with the radio show’s advocacy to produce

live tours and actively nurture new talent. By balancing support for emerging bands with respect for punk’s legacy, TPC ensures a vibrant and evolving musical experience.

Louder than ever

BEFORE its hiatus, The Punk Connection aired every 4PM of Saturdays to provide pure hard-core music to its listeners. Now, The Punk Connection returns, moving to a prime-time slot on Jam 88.3: Saturdays from 7 PM to 10 PM. This later time slot unleashes more energy, explores deeper punk and 90s archives, and delivers wilder, unfiltered content. Get ready for louder Saturday nights, whether you’re heading out, hanging with friends, or blowing off steam.

The Revival

AND now it’s back.

The Punk Connection is officially making its full-scale return on March 15. While it is a comeback of the show’s signature, the production team behind it has worked tirelessly to inject fresh segments and special surprises among their avid listeners who have waited a long time. Get ready for an explosive mix: classic punk anthems, hidden underground tracks, spotlights on must-hear new bands, candid interviews with punk legends and innovators, and in-depth historical explorations because TPC is more than just music, it’s a vibrant community.

As a radio show who always wanted the best for its people, TPC will be more engaging than ever by accepting listener requests, shoutouts, and more!

The awaited comeback of The Punk Connection on Jam 88.3 will definitely feel like home. It’s a reunion for longtime listeners, and the perfect time for newcomers to discover its energy. Are you ready?

Wendy & Renmin

‘THE Punk Connection’ at Jam 88.3

soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com |

FINALLY SEEING THE LIGHT

‘Liwanag

sa Dilim’ is now a theater musical featuring songs by Rico Blanco

AS far as songwriting talent is concerned, Rico Blanco was to Rivermaya as Ely Buendia was to the Eraserheads.

Before leaving Rivermaya in 2007, Blanco is credited as the composer of many of the band’s songs, including “214,” “Himala,” “Kisapmata,” “Panahon na Naman,” “Elesi,” “Hinahanap-hanap Kita,” “You’ll Be Safe Here,” and Liwanag sa Dilim.”

“Liwanag sa Dilim” — which the band’s remaining members Mark Escueta, Nathan Azarcon, and Mike Elgar continued to perform, especially in support of Leni Robredo’s presidential campaign in 2022 — is now the title and theme of a new original theater musical.

The stage production’s plot, in fact, will revolve around songs all written by Blanco.

But details of the storyline are scant. Lead character Elesi is an orphan searching for his identity. While discovering his past, he meets Cris, who joins him in a struggle to fight for the oppressed and underprivileged.

It seems close enough to the song’s idealism and anthemic tone.

Liwanag sa Dilim: A New Musical is the second theatrical production to be based on the songs of a Filipino band. The first was Ang Huling El Bimbo — which featured 40 tracks from the Eraserheads discography.

It was wildly successful. After its 2018 run at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, a second production with a new cast followed in 2019.

At the height of the pandemic, a recorded 2019 performance was streamed online for free on May 8-9, 2020 on the ABS-CBN YouTube channel and Facebook page.

It was also streamed on TFC online in Sept. 2020, and on digital platform KTX.PH on November 28-29, 2020.

It’s too early to tell how the audience will respond to Liwanag … But one thing is clear. The music

which Filipino artists created in the 1990s — the decade when the Eraserheads and Rivermaya broke into the scene — was massive in popularity, wide-ranging in style, and socially significant.

Imagine the other bands which came out in that period: After Image, True Faith, Yano, Parokya ni Edgar, The Youth, Color It Red, Razorback, Wolfgang, Tropical Depression, Teeth, Alamid, Siakol, not to mention the likes of Gary Granada, Noel Cabangon, Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Ang Grupong Pendong, Lolita Carbon, The Dawn,

and a whole lot more who had been there earlier — but were still part of what I consider as the second golden age of contemporary Filipino music.

The cast

Liwanag… had been in the works as early as 2020, and Blanco had approved it, but the pandemic got in the way.

But it’s finally happening.

Heading its cast are Khalil Ramos (from tick, tick…BOOM!) and Anthony Rosaldo (Ang Huling El Bimbo, Rent) alternating as Elesi, CJ Navato (One More Chance the Musical) and Vien King (Passion) as

Cris, Nicole Omillo, and Paji Arceo (both from One More Chance the Musical), Alexa Ilacad, and Neomi Gonzales (Himala: Isang Musikal), along with Boo Gabunada, Arnel Carrion, Jon Abella, Raul Montesa, Jasper John Jimenez, Lani Ligot, Rica Laguardia, Chez Cuenca, Brianna Bunagan, Mark Tayag, Derrick Gozos, Iya Villanueva, and Lucylle Tan.

Produced by 9 Works Theatrical, with book and direction by Robbie Guevarra, it opened March 7 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati, and runs till April 26.

RICO Blanco

CAST of Liwanag sa Dilim

Photo: Jill Tan Radovan

Why are so many people obsessed with fantasy sports?

By Tom Hartley & Vaughan Cruickshank University of Tasmania

FANTASY

sports have transformed the way fans engage with many sports, sparking interest beyond simply watching matches or supporting a favorite team.

In simple terms, fantasy sports involve participants acting as team coaches/managers, selecting real-life players to form a “fantasy” team within the constraints of the game’s rules. These teams compete based on the actual performance of the selected players in real matches. Points are awarded on various performance metrics, depending on the sport.

Many fantasy leagues also incorporate a stock market-like element. When a real-life player exceeds expectations, their fantasy value increases, while underperformance leads to a decrease in value. This allows coaches to trade players in and out strategically, aiming to build the most valuable and high-scoring team during a season.

Success in fantasy sports often depends on statistical analysis, player scouting, and smart decision-making when it comes to trades and team selection.

The origins of fantasy sports

THE first mainstream fantasy game can be attributed to Rotisserie League Baseball in 1980 by Daniel Okrent and friends. This league required participants to track their own players’ progress using a scoring system based on statistics obtained in newspapers after a game.

With the rapid progression of technology, fantasy sports have evolved significantly, with most major sporting codes worldwide now offering multiple fantasy

platforms, formats and prizes.

In Australia, the number of people playing fantasy sports has doubled since 2021, with nearly 2.5 million players engaged in one league or another. This growth presents opportunities for content creation, expanded revenue streams, and potentially increased engagement with sports betting.

Fan engagement

THE way fans engage with sports has evolved with the rise of fantasy sports, social media, and real time data tracking, leading to “second screen consumption.” The concept involves fans using multiple digital platforms such as fantasy sports apps, social media and tracking of live statistics while simultaneously watching live broadcasts.

In 2021, Australian fantasy players were largely concentrated in the larger sporting codes such as the AFL and NRL, but by 2023 it had broadened into the Big Bash League (BBL) and National Basketball League (NBL). There are many Australians playing fantasy leagues in global sports too, from the English Premier League (soccer) to the United States’ National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA). Some 14 percent of the Australian fantasy audience plays in global leagues.

Media involvement

WITH some sporting seasons becoming longer and the connection to fantasy sports extending beyond live games, fans are kept invested throughout the off-season as they analyze trades, follow pre-season develop -

‘Whether or not fantasy sports are likely to encourage gambling is a gray area–studies in this space are mixed.’

This shift has redefined the traditional sports fandom experience.

Fantasy coaches watch more games each week, with a dual identity that extends beyond traditional loyalty to the team they support. While sports fans have historically supported a single team, fantasy sports reshape fan identity by encouraging engagement with both their favorite team and their fantasy team. Fans often watch games they normally wouldn’t be interested in specifically to watch the fantasy-relevant players involved.

Community engagement is a key motivator for participation, often surpassing interest in the real-life sports. In Australia, a study by News Corporation Australia, which owns SuperCoach, found bragging rights, social connection and learning more about sport drive participation.

While prizes matter, the main reason people join is to connect with others.

ments and prepare for the next competition.

This almost year-round involvement offers extended media coverage and consumption of new content in a variety of formats.

Fantasy sport also complements traditional media by offering alternative coverage, such as podcasts and short-form content that extends beyond game day, keeping fans connected throughout the week as they adjust their lineups and strategies.

Fantasy sports are also boosting viewership for new formats like AFLW by increasing fan engagement.

Rich pickings

FANTASY sport has been big business for a long time but the global fantasy sports market is challenging to quantify. In 2013, Forbes estimated the NFL fantasy football market alone to be worth $US70 billion

($A111 billion), significantly surpassing the NFL’s 2021 revenue of $US11 billion ($A17 billion), highlighting its major role in the global sporting market.

Big revenues mainly come from sponsorship and advertising on fantasy platforms. Major brands invest hundreds of millions of dollars in targeted advertising campaigns to capitalize on this engaged audience.

Money is also made by charging fees to enter some contests and to access premium analytics content, in-app purchases, and related entertainment products like websites and podcasts.

Links to sports betting

MANY of the advertisers on fantasy platforms are gambling businesses.

Fantasy organizations have tried to highlight the differences between fantasy sports and sports betting, which has been linked to poor mental health, family violence and even self-harm. Their key argument is that betting is a game of chance whereas fantasy sports are games of skill.

Despite these differences, concerns have been raised about the links between fantasy sports and sports betting. An Australian fantasy betting app was recently fined more than $A500,000 for illegally offering inducements to gamble in dozens of ads on its platform.

Whether or not fantasy sports are likely to encourage gambling is a gray area–studies in this space are mixed.

Some have found people who participate in fantasy sports are more likely to gamble and experience gambling-related problems. However, others describe fantasy sports as a more positive alternative to gambling and that participants are motivated by the social benefits, rather than being motivated by a chance to win money.

As fantasy sports continue to evolve and attract new players, their ability to deepen fan engagement, foster community connections, and enhance the sports watching experience ensures they will remain a dynamic and influential part of the sporting world. The Conversation

n Cover photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

“FANTASY organizations have tried to highlight the differences between fantasy sports and sports betting. Their key argument is that betting is a game of chance whereas fantasy sports are games of skill.” PHOTO BY SHAWN REZA ON PEXELS.COM