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PHL may be exporting ‘grossly undervalued’ nickel ores to China

wikimedia commons/Alchemist-hp

‘Game changer’ in mining sector

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By Jonathan L. Mayuga

rossly undervalued” nickel ores are being exported by mining companies operating in the country, a geology expert revealed, as he called on the government and the private sector to explore the economic potential of mining scandium, a mineral also found in nickel ores, and other rare earth elements.

Carlo A. Arcilla, director of the University of the Philippines National Institute of Geological Sciences in Diliman, said it is high time that the Philippine government and the private sector explored the economic potential of extracting scandium and other rare earth elements.

He said the Department of Science and Technology had agreed to initially fund a P10-million research to identify scandium-rich areas in the Philippines.

The target of the study, he said, is to determine the level of scandium concentrates, which, he

said, will likely be a “game changer” for nickel-mining companies.

‘Overlooked’

Arcilla, currently president of Solid Earth Sciences of Asia Oceana Geosciences Society, said many rare elements, aside from scandium, are often overlooked, because mining companies are only after exporting raw or unprocessed ores.

This, he said, is simply because the Philippines is yet to fully develop its downstream mining industry due to lack of or insufficient power-generating capacity needed to operate processing plants.

Mining companies that intend to operate processing plants in the Philippines are considering the establishment of coal-fired power plants to supply the needed electricity for its proposed processing plants.

China, which is the single major producer of steel products like stainless steel, is also the country’s single major buyer of nickel ores.

Ore content

Speaking during a lecture for journalists as part of a mine tour organized by the proponents of Continued on A2

100% Bar passers and the law dean

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By Roger Pe

ocial media went abuzz.

Newspapers made headlines. The nation was in disbelief when the result of the 2016 Bar Exam was bared to the public on May 3, 2017.

What gives? Not one from blue-chip universities made it to the top 10 list. Law graduates from schools in the provinces lorded it over. Imperial Manila’s bubble was shattered. The promdis got their revenge, one newspaper said. And the biggest shocker of all, a university far, far way, in a place many call a university in a forest, registered a 100-percent passing rate.

The punters never placed a bet on the Palawan State University (PSU).

But alas, they should have known better. The province has a rich heritage of academicians, past and present.

PSU in a nutshell

The university was first known as

Palawan Teacher’s College, created to train additional teachers (most available educators then came from Luzon, and only a few wanted to be assigned to faraway towns).

Briefly, it opened night classes using four borrowed classrooms from nearby Palawan National High School, and eventually became Palawan State College in 1984.

A school of law was established when Dr. Teresita Salva became president in 1991, and Teodoro Peña, sponsor of transitioning the school to state college was appointed its first dean. By virtue of a republic act sponsored by Rep. Alfredo E. Abueg Jr. and David Ponce

PESO exchange rates n US 49.9330

de Leon, the school became a university three years after.

Today the first university in Palawan is arguably the best in the Mimaropa region and among the top 20 in the whole country.

Through the years, it has performed well in the Bar exam, thanks to its Officer in Charge President Marissa Pontillas and Assistant Dean of School of Law Maria Gisela Josol-Trampe, herself alumna of the school.

It is but important to interview its dynamic and current dean, Perry Pe, 2016 president of Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). A Master of Laws graduate of Columbia University in New York, Bachelor of Laws degree holder from the Ateneo de Manila University, Pe also holds a Bachelor of Arts, major in History and Political Science from the De La Salle University. He is also a trustee of the DLSU in Manila and the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City.

Many international legal publications, among them Legal 500, Chambers Global, Asia Legal Business and AsiaLaw, have named Pe

$170/gram The current price of scandium at the London Metal Exchange

version and commercialization of the former US Naval Base in Subic Bay in 1991.

Here are Pe’s insights on provincial law schools, why he thinks it is beneficial for undergraduates, and his confidence on the Filipino lawyer as far as Asean is concerned: What makes an outstanding law school?

Palawan State University

as a leading lawyer in his field from 2003 to the present.

He also sits as trustee of the Foundation for Economic Freedom and the honorary consul general of the Kingdom of Denmark in Manila. He previously served as chairman and president of the Philippine Association of Law Schools.

Pe acted as a legal consultant

to the Asian Development Bank, advising the bank and its foreign expatriates on various local regulatory matters from 1987 to 1990.

Among his achievements was acting as a legal consultant to the World Bank team that drafted the policies, guidelines, rules and regulations, including the tax and tariff customs manual, and for the con-

Three things: 1. You need an excellent, goal-driven and subjectfocused law faculty; 2. You need the school administration’s support for your projects and endeavors; 3. You need a strong alumni base, which will give back to their law school alma mater. From here, you can then have programs, like offering scholarships to outstanding college undergraduates who want to go to law school.

There are a number of provincial law schools in the Philippines, how many are up to the standards and keep up with those in the big cities?

We have a law school association composed of law deans known as the Philippine Association of Continued on A2

n japan 0.4386 n UK 64.3686 n HK 6.4106 n CHINA 7.4940 n singapore 36.4966 n australia 36.8306 n EU 54.2372 n SAUDI arabia 13.3144

Source: BSP (12 May 2017 )

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, May 14, 2017

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‘Game changer’ in mining sector Continued from A1

the Masbate Gold Project in Aroroy, Masbate, recently, Arcilla said nickel ores being shipped out of the country may contain substantial amount of scandium and other rare earth elements.

Scandium, a chemical element with symbol Sc and atomic number 21, is a silvery-white metallic dblock element. It is a rare earth element, together with yttrium and the lanthanides.

Unlike nickel, scandium commands a higher price in the metals market, and if the Philippines and its mining contractors found a way to extract the element, it could add value to the country’s mineral-exports value.

About 90 percent of the country’s nickel ores are being exported upon extraction, with only about 10 percent being processed by a few mining companies with established processing plants.

China, which is the biggest producer of steel products like stainless steel, does not have nickel and chrome, but these minerals abound in Indonesia and the Philippines, Arcilla said.

Pricier than gold

Scandium, he added, is much expensive than nickel, and is even more expensive than gold. The current price of scandium at the London Metal Exchange is at $170 per gram.

Global production of scandium is pegged at 10 tons a year in the form of scandium oxide, the demand for which is 50 per cent higher. China and Russia are two known producers of scandi-

um. While scandium is considered a rare earth element, it is not really rare and could be found in Earth’s crust everywhere.

However, it is sparse and separating it to produce a gram is difficult. It also has limited commercial applications because of the absence of reliable, secure, stable and long-term production. The Philippines, for its part, is exporting around 30 million tons of raw nickel ores every year.

According to Arcilla, two years ago, he discovered that nickel ores being exported by mining companies contain scandium.

“I discovered two years ago that the nickel we are selling to China contains scandium. Scandium is more expensive than gold,” he said.

Local production

China, he said, does not have much iron and chromite, unlike the Philippines, which has all the important ingredients to produce steel and stainless-steel products, a reason the Philippines should enhance and develop its downstream mining industry, citing as an example its potential to become a global producer of steel and stainless steel.

“We have nickel, iron and chrome. Why can’t we produce our steel when we have all the ingredients here?” he said.

According to Arcilla, to encourage mining companies to invest in minerals processing, it should ensure adequate supply, and affordable or competitively priced electricity.

Since the Philippines has barely developed its downstream min-

ing industry, he said nickel-mining companies export undervalued raw nickel ores.

In fact, he said only 10 percent of the actual cost of nickel is paid for by buyers like China.

“Maybe they [Chinese mining companies] have discovered scandium and found a way to extract this very rare metals,” Arcilla said, adding he was able to convince the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to fund a research to explore scandium-rich areas. In the ensuing years, he said research will move to actually analyzing how much scandium and other rare earth elements are found in nickel ores.

Some companies, he said, have expressed interest in scandium because of its economic value.

In fact, Arcilla said, a group of scientists from the University of the Philippines will soon commence research on how to extract scandium.

Scandium is one of the most high-tech elements used for advance batteries that power modern gadgets, like cell phones and computers. Aircraft builders also find use for scandium.

Arcilla said mining companies can also invest in research and development to enhance their capacity to extract scandium from nickel ores even as a byproduct to add value to their nickel product.

Funds allocated for social-development management program, he said, can actually be spent by mining companies for the development of mining technology, he added.

Arcilla said all ores being exported should also be analyzed to

make sure they are not grossly undervalued.

Scandium is not the only rare earth element with economic potential. Platinum, he said, is another rare earth element that can add value to nickel ore.

“[An] ore contains about 30-percent to 40-percent iron and 1-percent nickel. Nickel ores contain elements more expensive than gold—scandium. But there are other rare elements,” he said.

Nickel, for instance, is $28 per ton but this is just 10 percent of the actual cost, while scandium costs

around $170 per gram. Gold costs around $1,231.3 per troy ounce.

The Philippines has yet to develop a way to produce scandium, Arcilla said, because “it requires special analysis”.

Nickel Asia, which processes nickel, he said, gets more value from nickel, because it has its own processing plant.

“If mining companies are capable of producing scandium, the cost of nickel ore will go up, or more mining companies will venture into processing,” Arcilla added.

Using high-pressure acid leach

(HPAL), nickel will be dissolved, along with scandium.

Companies with HPAL technology in place, Arcilla said, have the capacity to produce scandium, but need to spend more for research and development, if they are to get more value from the ores they simply export after being mining.

The Philippines currently has 41 operating mines extracting gold and copper, nickel and chromite. A total of 27 of the 41 operating mines are into nickel-mining, but only two mines have their own processing facility for nickel.

100% Bar passers and the law dean Continued from A1

Law Schools (PALS). I used to be its president and then later on, chairman (from 2007 to 2012). This is our advocacy group. We try, as much as possible, to keep everyone abreast with the latest in lawschool administration trends and standards, for example, in faculty development.

We also have a Legal Education Board (LEB) that accredits law schools. Lately, our LEB has instituted nationwide law-school entrance examinations, known as PhilSAT. Most law schools in the country are members of PALS. I think we have, perhaps, a total of around 125 law schools all over the country, 90 of which are members of our association. From this number, around 55 percent are from Metro Manila and the rest are from the provinces.

What’s the average cost of studying Law in the Philippines (let’s make the top 5 schools, as example: UP, Ateneo, San Beda, University of Santo Tomas, University of San Carlos).

UP Law is a state institution and, therefore, its tuition is heavily subsidized, just like my school Palawan State University Law School.

Private schools like Ateneo, San Beda, UST, Far Eastern University and the new one on the block, DLSU Law, perhaps average anywhere from P60,000 to P90,000 per semester. Compared to provincial law schools, it is around P40,000 to P60,000 per semester.

What do you think are the biggest and daunting challenges being faced by provincial law students today? Would they be disadvantaged if they opt to stay in provincial universities?

Primarily on research, but with the advent of Internet facilities, the gap has considerably decreased. In fact, University of San Carlos Law School won the international moot court competition last year and represented our country in the prestigious Philip Jessup competition in Washington, D.C.

Certainly, no one will be disadvantaged if students stay put in the provinces. In fact, the cost of living will be more beneficial, plus family support can play a crucial factor in their studies.

Currently, is the number of law students nationwide rising?

Perhaps not in the next four to five years. The reason for this is the K-to-12 Program, where there might be a dip in law-school enrollment. Also, as I have mentioned, our LEB has implemented a PhilSAT law-school entrance examinations this year, which could potentially affect enrollment, as well.

How do you help improve standards in Palawan State University?

By continuing my faculty development and support programs.

And by ensuring more law-school scholarships, I have to recruit the best undergrads to enroll in law school and help give them the means to do it.

yearly since the time I took over the deanship in 2003.

To what do you attribute the PSU’s remarkable performance in this year’s Bar exam?

Plain and simple, hardwork.

Diligence. The candidates were very focused, and really wanted to pass the Bar exams. Plus, they were looking out for each other’s welfare, both in their respective studies and in their health. As a dean, I can never ask for more.

They were just an amazing batch.

In PSU Law, over the past years, we were already averaging anywhere from 40-percent to 55-percent Bar passing rate. In fact, at one point, we got a 67-percent Bar passing rate. I knew it was just a matter of time for us to get a 100-percent overall passing rate. This takes into account both the first-time takers and repeaters.

How did you rise to become the dean of PSU’s School of Law?

This is quite interesting. In 2003 the PSU School of Law was looking for a dean (his predecessor was lawyer Roy Rafols), who should be, as much as possible, from Palawan, and who has a Law Master’s degree. Being a state university, PSU is headed by the chairman of Commission on Higher Education, thus, this requirement.

Supposedly, during that year, I was the last one from Palawan with an LLM degree, who has not served the PSU community. I said yes, with the condition that I serve it from Manila, because I work and based in Manila. My other condition was that I will only serve for one term of three years, but this did not happen. I am now on my 14th year. I hope they already replace me.

What do you want to see happen to the PSU’s School of Law in the next five years?

I want PSU Law to maintain its high Bar passing rate. One-hundred percent, of course, is always the goal, but I will be happy with an 80-percent to 90-percent general passing rate. This is foremost for me. Another is to make PSU Law a research institution with concentration on environmental and mining laws, but I need major funding for this.

Can a Philippine law graduate practice law in the US and other First World countries?

Of course. We already have a lot of Philippine law-school graduates who are working with several major white-shoe international law firms. Our law graduates are no longer parochial. In fact, in Asean, our graduates can easily dominate legal practice, especially in the fields of international law, commercial law and arbitration. However, we have to open up our legal profession. I see this opening up in the next five years.

What made you choose Law as your course early on in college?

It’s the nobility of the profession.

What is the annual percentage of enrollment increase of students taking up Law in PSU?

Tell us where you were born, raised and spent your childhood. Tell us about your family, your growing-up years.

Before the K-to-12 and PhilSAT, I think I was doing around 8-percent to 10-percent increase

I was born in Pasay City, and spent my childhood summer years in Puerto Princesa City, Cuyo and

Roxas. I started schooling in Holy Trinity College in Puerto Princesa but transferred to Manila after three years. My family is from Cuyo, Palawan, and I am a member of the Lim clan (of the RBL Fishing) from Cuyo.

How was it like studying Law in Ateneo, what kind of a student were you?

Tough, but I really loved it.

I like to believe that I am a diligent student. I finished my law in Ateneo in 1985, studying the 1973 Constitution. The following year, 1986, there was the Edsa revolution, and in one sweep, the things I learned got diminished. Hahaha!

Good thing I passed the Bar exams.

Your favorite subjects, specialization until you became a full-pledged lawyer?

My favorite subjects in law school were constitutional law and the commercial laws (Corporate and Mercantile). Now I am a corporate lawyer.

Please share us your experiences, anecdotes, hardships when you were preparing for the Bar exam.

Just don’t lose focus. Concentrate on the basic elements of a particular legal issue or topic or of a particular legal theory. Apply first what is the general rule before you take on the exception. The reverse will be a disaster.

Describe the feeling when you passed the Bar exam?

I will not trade it for anything else.

Outside of the PSU, what makes you busy?

I have my practice in Manila. I am a partner in Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & De Los Angeles.

What makes a good or bad lawyer?

In handling a case, there is no such thing as handling a big case or a small case, there is only a smalltime lawyer. You have to treat all cases with the same passion, diligence and dedication, as if your client will go to jail if you fail. This is true, be it for litigation work or corporate work.

Do you have regrets in taking up Law?

None at all.

What characteristics should a student have for to become a successful practicing lawyer?

Does a strong personality contribute?

You must have the right attitude for it. You can never go wrong in being humble in the things you do. If you can settle, by all means settle. A bad settlement is always better than a good case.

Do Bar topnotchers automatically get a job and become successful?

No. I would rather have an average Bar passer with the right attitude than a Bar topnotcher with an air of arrogance or superiority complex.

What are the challenges many lawyers face today?

To be ethical.

Would you recommend Law as a course to high-school graduates? What are the most important advice would you give?

Yes, I would. For high-school graduates, please spend your time and energy in things that can help your family and your community.

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The World BusinessMirror

More children and women dying in Venezuela as economy collapses

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enezuela’s collapsing economy is taking a toll on its population’s health, with more children and women dying and various diseases skyrocketing amid persistent shortages of everything, from medicine to drinking water. The country recorded 756 cases of maternal deaths in 2016, up 66 percent from the previous year, according to data released by the ministry of health. Infant deaths rose 30 percent to 11,466 cases in 2016 from 8,812 in the previous year.

Cases of malaria, tuberculosis and amoebic dysentery are on the rise, as well, the data shows.

Venezuela also reported 324 of diphtheria in 2016 after seeing no instances of the disease in 2015.

As the government of Nicolas Maduro faces a new round of protests that have left at least 35 people killed over the past few weeks, the opposition has demanded that humanitarian aid of food and medicine is allowed into the country. So far, Maduro hasn’t agreed to that.

Bloomberg News

66% The hike in maternal deaths in Venezuela compared from the previous year to 756 cases. Infant deaths rose 30 percent to 11,466 cases in 2016, from 8,812 in the previous year.

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British central bank: Consumers squeezed by inflation over Brexit

L “Hospitals are without basic equipment and treatable diseases have become death sentences,” US Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement on May 9. “As mass hunger spreads, infant mortality and malnutrition have skyrocketed.”

Sunday, May 14, 2017

ONDON—The Bank of England says a rise in inflation driven by the market turmoil over Brexit is starting to hurt consumers, weakening growth and pushing the central bank to keep its interest rates at record lows.

The bank on Thursday kept its main interest rate at 0.25 percent, as it noted that the economy will be weaker than expected this year as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

Since the Brexit vote in June, the pound has fallen as much as a fifth in currency markets, pushing up inflation in Britain. That, in turn, is weighing on consumer spending this year.

“Wages won’t keep up with the price of goods and services,” Bank Governor Mark Carney told a news conference as he presented new economic forecasts.

The Bank of England predicts the annual inflation rate will rise to 2.7 percent by the middle of this year, up from the current rate of 2.3 percent and pushing the official limit of close to 2 percent. It trimmed its forecast for growth to 1.9 percent from 2 percent previously.

The combination of higher inflation and weaker growth puts the Bank of England in a bind. Raising interest rates would help limit inflation but hurt growth by making borrowing more expensive for companies and households.

The Bank of England expects wages to start picking up in 2018 and inflation to ease back down— but only assuming Britain gets a new trade deal with the EU. Britain in March triggered two years of talks on leaving the EU and striking a new trade relationship.

Carney said the central bank did not prepare any forecasts based on the assumption of no new trade deal with the EU, leaving uncertain what the economic impact would be.

On Thursday, the policy-makers erred on the side of caution, particularly after official figures showed economic growth more than halved to 0.3 percent in the first quarter

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney speaks during the central bank’s quarterly inflation report news conference at the Bank of England in the City of London on Thursday . The Bank of England on Thursday held its main interest rate at a record low 0.25 percent and slightly downgraded its growth forecast for 2017 as Brexit uncertainties hit consumption. AP

compared with the previous three months. The Monetary Policy Committee voted 7-1 to keep rates on hold, with one member seeking a quarter-point increase.

“Inf lationary pressures and uncertainty around Brexit will persist and rushing into a decision now could be dangerous. The Bank of England’s verdict shows that they are mindful of the possibility of lower growth as companies put investment on hold in the face of this uncertainty,” Kerim Derhalli, chief executive officer of investment app invstr.

In the minutes to Thursday’s decision, the bank said that, if the economy performs as expected, its interest rates may be raised “ by a somewhat greater extent” than is currently expected in financial markets.

2.7% The Bank of England’s inflation forecast in Britain by the middle of the year, up from the current rate of 2.3 percent and pushing the official limit of close to 2 percent. It trimmed its forecast for growth to 1.9 percent, from 2.0 percent previously.

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Sunday, May 14, 2017

The World BusinessMirror

Macron’s mission to revitalize French economy won’t be easy

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ONDON—Macronomics—it’s the new French president’s proposed cure for a decade’s worth of relative economic gloom.

Emmanuel Macron’s victory in Sunday’s election puts him in place to pursue his economic agenda, from reforming the labor market, to promoting free trade and further integration within the European Union (EU).

The aim is to get the French economy growing again at least at the levels seen before the global financial crisis erupted in 2008. Since then, growth has barely averaged 1 percent a year, with many blaming the relatively inflexible jobs market.

Germany and Britain, the countries France most compares itself with, have done much better.

That level of growth is too low to create jobs quickly enough and bring down the unemployment rate, which has been stubbornly above 10 percent for years, double Germany’s. Joblessness is nearly 25 percent among those aged under 25, three times more than Germany’s. For most working people, the relative decline has been clear in their monthly wages. At the turn of the millennium, the average income in France was on a par with Germany’s—now it’s lagging by around 10 percent, according to some measures.

A nd publ ic debt has stead i ly swelled and stands at a historically high level of just under 100 percent of annual GDP. It all adds up to a

25%

The jobless rate in France among among those aged under 25, three times more than Germany’s

disappointing decade for a country that has strong potential, from high economic productivity to a broad industrial sector.

Macron of fers France a “rea l opportunity for reform” that will “both pep up France’s economy and strengthen his position in Europe,” says Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform.

Macron, a centrist who has worked as an investment banker and economy minister, may be starting out lucky.

The French economy seems to have been gaining momentum in recent months, with surveys of business activity by financial firm IHS Markit showing growth at a six-year high.

That seems partly due to reforms

undertaken to training and hiring, but is also thanks to a wider pickup in European and global growth.

Macron can’t rely on tailwinds from an unpredictable global economy to meet his hopes, hence, his passionate embrace of reforms. According to Oxford Economics, his reform agenda could add 1.2 percentage points to France’s annual economic growth by 2022, the year of the next presidential election.

The reform efforts center on reducing spending by the French state to 52 percent of annual economic output, from the current 55 percent, which is the highest in the EU. He wants to keep the budget deficit within the rules governing the euro, below 3 percent of annual GDP. He has proposed further reforms to the labor market, notably decentralizing France’s collective wage bargaining from the industry to the company level, which would give companies and workers greater flexibility in reaching deals.

He wants to lower the corporation tax to 25 percent, from an estimated 33.3 percent, as well as employment tax, making it cheaper to hire. In a more direct effort to reduce unemployment, he’s proposing stricter rules on jobless benefits but more job training. Finally, he aims to invest €50 billion ($55 billion) to modernize the country, for example in green technologies, health and transportation.

Healing France’s economic ills will be crucial to avoid the kind of disillusionment that bolstered support for far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who wanted to bring

France out of the EU, with uncertain consequences for the wider region.

The scale of French people’s desire for change was made clear in the fact that Le Pen and far-left candidate JeanLuc Melenchon got a combined 41 percent of the vote in the first round of the election.

But turning around the French economy is no easy feat. Macron’s two immediate predecessors, conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and socialist François Hollande, failed to do so, condemning them to single-term presidencies.

Macron’s ability to succeed in his plans hinges on getting a working, pro-reform parliamentary majority in elections next month. That is far from guaranteed: his fledgling Republic on the Move party is contesting its first legislative election against rivals who want to hobble Macron’s presidency before it has started by blocking his proposed reforms.

The worst-case scenario for Macron would be that the June elections deliver a majority to his staunchest opponents, tying his hands and reducing him to more of a figurehead role.

Grant, from the Centre for European Reform, says Macron won’t find it easy and that he, as much as anyone from his time as economy minister under Hollande, knows how difficult it will be to reform the economy.

“As Macron discovered when he was a minister, vested interests, trade unions and party activists are stubborn and conservative,” Grant said. “He managed to liberalize coach services, shopping hours and the legal profession, but wanted to do much more.” AP

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Officials from Arctic nations meet amid drilling concerns

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AIRBANKS, Alaska—High-level officials from the world’s eight Arctic nations will meet in Alaska amid concerns about the future of the sensitive region after President Donald J. Trump called for more oil drilling and development.

Among those expected to attend the meeting of the Arctic Council beginning on Thursday in Fairbanks are US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met on Wednesday with Trump and Tillerson in Washington.

No formal discussions were set in Alaska, but key issues, such as climate change, development and drilling, will provide a backdrop as the chairmanship of the council passes from the US to Finland.

“We are unsure what the Trump administration thinks about the Arctic region in general, about the Arctic Council in particular and about its role,” said Victoria Herrmann, president of The Arctic Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based group that provides research to shape Arctic policy.

The Arctic Council is an advisory body that promotes cooperation among member-nations and indigenous groups.

Its focus is sustainable development and environmental protection of the Arctic. It does not make policy or allocate resources, and its decisions must be unanimous.

“In terms of being a reflection of a nation’s priorities, it can only go so far since all eight have to agree to the same thing,” said Nils Andreassen, executive director of the Anchorage-based Institute of the North, a non-partisan organization focused on Arctic resources. Tillerson arrived late Wednesday afternoon in Fairbanks and immediately held a meeting with a congressional delegation, as well as Arctic representatives from Alaska’s indigenous people.

Protesters gathered in a city park nearby to denounce the presence of Tillerson, who was president of Exxon Mobil Corp.

“My message for Rex Tillerson is: Alaska shouldn’t be for sale for what’s in our earth,” said Hannah Hill, 36, who works at a Fairbanks soup kitchen. “This place is beautiful, and this place is delicate, and what already is happening on in the Arctic will affect the rest of the Earth.

And that is science.”

Pat Lambert, a retired University of Alaska math professor, attended the rally because he believes climate change is a serious problem.

He suggested Tillerson “should get away from his cronies in the oil business and start listening to the people of Alaska, for instance, and the people of the world who are so interested in these issues.”

After the rally, the protesters marched behind a sign reading, “Welcome to the frontline of climate change,” to the building where the Arctic Council welcoming celebration was being held. The US—an Arctic country because of the state of Alaska—is joined on the council by Canada, Russia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

The US began chairing the council two years ago. Much of the council’s work during that time stemmed from the policies of President Barack Obama, who made climate change and the Arctic priorities of his administration.

Obama became the first sitting president to travel above the Arctic Circle when he went to the largely Inupiat community of Kotzebue. The US highlighted three areas during its two-year chairmanship—improved living conditions and economies for those living in the Arctic, stewardship of the Arctic Ocean and climate change.

David Balton, a deputy assistant secretary of State, said other accomplishments included an agreement for scientific cooperation among Arctic nations, an assessment of improvements needed for better telecommunications, and implementation of a database of ships passing through the Arctic.

One of the council’s last official acts before the chairmanship is handed to Finland will be issuing the Fairbanks Declaration, which in part will outline the focus of upcoming work by the Arctic Council during the next two years.

Andreassen said the document should provide some understanding of how the US is approaching the Arctic.

Christina-Alexa Liakos of Greenpeace USA, said her group will watch the meeting with an eye toward US policy on broader environmental issues, such as the Paris Climate Agreement.

“The biggest thing we are really pushing is to make sure that (during) any negotiations in this meeting, the US essentially doesn’t bully the other Arctic nations or pressure them into taking out language around keeping the Paris agreement,” Liakos said. AP

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, May 14, 2017 A5

Toward Aviation Liberalization

How travel can transform our world

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By Marky Ramone Go

ravel industry leaders, tourism ministers from other countries and conservation groups, journalists and representatives from the World Economic Forum, as well as former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, gathered together at the 17th World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit held in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 26 and 27.

Cultural performers entertain the crowd before the opening of the global summit.

INDA YUEH (from left), moderator; Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Thailand Minister of Tourism; Arun Mishra, Regional Director of ICAO Asia and Pacific Office; Wanda Corazon T. Teo, Philippine Tourism Secretary; and Arief Yahya, Indonesia Minister of Tourism.

Fa r -ra ng i ng i ssues t h at touched upon the area of sustainability, freedom to travel, the future of the industry and Asean tourism, among others, were thoroughly conversed through discussion panels and intimate “meet the experts” sessions.

Boosting Asean tourism

Holding the WTTC Global Summit in Thailand has put the spotlight on the booming travel industry in the Asean region. Among the much-anticipated sessions of the two-day conference is the one participated in by tourism ministers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, who took center stage for a panel discussion on “Freedom to Travel: Can Asean Countries Lead the Way?” Thailand Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanav rangkul opened the session by affirming the urgency for the Asean to start a stronger collaboration in steering the region’s tourism industry to greater heights. “Asean is 50 years old, but Asean tourism acts like a 15-year-old,” Wattanavrangkul implored, before breaking out with a series of positive news that are finally developing in the region’s tourism industry.

“Asean will grow together.

No one [in Asean] is a bigger or smaller brother. We are working together,” Wattanavrangkul said.

“Tourism is not about making money, not just about economics. We have to make sure that everyone gets something, and we leave something for our children and the younger generation. We

need to give the right to everyone in the 10 Asean countries to travel. Freedom of travel is not for the select few, but for everyone.”

The tourism ministers from Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand all gave a passionate endorsement to the proposed single Asean visa, which is expected to further boost tourism in the region.

In an interview, Philippine Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo said, “We would like to have one visa for Asean countries. This is for foreign tourists from all over the world who travel to Asean countries, so they can stay longer in Asean countries.”

She also cautioned Western governments on the issuance of travel advisories to Asean countries.

“I suggest that the embassies issuing the travel advisories must first check with the country concerned regarding the situation on the ground,” Teo added.

More than 100 million tourists traveled all over Southeast Asia in 2015, and this number is expected to rise as it raises the readiness of Asean nations to accommodate the projected influx of visitors. All three Asean ministers indicated plans for infrastructure expansion to meet the foreseen increase in tourism in a few years’ time. “[On] the future plans for airport expansion, immigration, anything that concerns travel, we’re now grouped together and using tourism as the head,” Wattanavrangkul said.

In a separate session, AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes reiterated the importance

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron talks about globalization and tourism.

WTTC President and Chief Executive David Scowsill shares the stage with AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes.

of continuing the momentum generated by Asean countries in terms of tourism. “Asean is a huge market. Thailand is the leader that’s becoming a more vibrant aviation market. It took me seven years to open the Kuala Lumpurto-Singapore route because it had always been blocked. Now the region is talking about an openskies policy,” Fernandes said.

AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes urges aviation liberalization

In one of the Meet the Experts sessions with members of the media, Fernandes, who steered AirAsia to becoming one of the world’s leading budget airlines that played a key role in heightening tourism arrivals in the Southeast Asian region, cited Asean’s rapid growth in the tourism industry.

In particular, Fernandes also mentioned the encouraging de-

velopment of more airports expanding to accommodate rising tourist arrivals, such as Thailand’s recent reopening of Don Mueang airport and the addition of the U-Tapao hub.

Coupled w ith the main hub of Kua la Lumpur, the f uture of Asean travel is heading into the r ight direction—as additiona l plans for air port expansion are a lready laid out in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ma laysia and even Myanmar.

“Asean has made huge improvements, but it still [has] a long way to go to become truly open l i ke Europe,” sa id Fernandes, as he pointed out the importance of liberalizing the region’s aviation sector.

“What we need to look at is common ownership…. Joint ventures are less efficient than full ownership, unlike Ryan Air and EasyJet in Europe,” he added.

Fernandes also shared plans of introducing direct flights to Europe soon. “Once we get the aircraft, which is very soon, we will go to Europe. It doesn’t matter where we land, because it doesn’t have to be a big hub. There are many interesting off-the- beatentrack points in Europe that offer three or four reasons for one to go. It may not be London, it may be like Manchester or Dublin,” he added.

“Is it Too Much to Ask?”

Bangkok, Thailand, the site of the 17th World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit.

The summit also echoed the call for sustainability in all matters related to tourism and travel. David Scowsill, president and chief executive of World Travel & Tourism Council, challenged the audience to take up the truncheon

of advocacy in “transforming our world”, by making a genuine difference to the “eradication of poverty, cleaning up the oceans and protecting habitats,” while expanding the reach of travel throughout the world.

“Is it too much to ask?” Scowsill asked the summit’s audience, as he sought the calibration of the effects of globalization in the travel industr y to create more benefits for the people— while promoting the right of everyone to travel. “ Travel is not for a privileged few. The world and its astonishing beauties are for everyone. We believe in the fundamental right of anyone to travel, regard less of their nationa lit y, gender, relig ion, sexual orientation or age.”

As the travel industry continues to stimulate the world economy by a staggering $7.6 trillion, while supporting over 292 million jobs, the issue of sustainability is considered a clear and present concern. More important than continuing this massive economic momentum, the safeguarding of our planet’s natural resources, animal species and various habitats must remain the forefront agenda of everyone involved in the travel industry.

“This sector plays a vital part in the global quest for a more equal, inclusive and sustainable world. For our sector to continue to thrive, we must focus on three elements: people need to be able to travel; we need successful businesses; and we need responsible practices,” Scowsill concluded.

Globalization with a cause

In his keynote address on the topic “Altered States—Has Globalization Had Its Day?”, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron sought for a stronger response from world governments to solve the challenges that face t he tou r i sm i ndu st r y tod ay. “ Tourism can transform countries. Governments and those in the business world should work together to tackle the threat of Islamist extremism, while preserving the benefits of globalization,” Cameron said.

Cameron also stated the importance of polishing the concepts of globalization to become more inclusive and for developing and underdeveloped countries to experience tourism’s trickledown effects, in order to achieve a stronger economic surge and employment creations.

As the WTTC gears up for next year’s summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the industry promises to police each other closely in order to fulfill the pledges agreed upon during the summit: Sustainability, collective inclusion of all economies, freedom to travel, single Asean visa, open borders and, most of all, a more united world through travel.

Subic to host Ecotourism Festival

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he United Nations World Tourism Organization has declared 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development to highlight ecotourism, a vital concept in the booming industry in biodiversityrich countries.

In line with this global observance, the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST), together with the Department of Tourism, is spearheading the Subic Ecotourism Festival set from May 29 to June 1 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

The biggest of its kind in the country, the core of the event is a forum that brings together the leaders of the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) and its regional subsidiary, the Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN).

According to ISST President and former Tourism Secretary Mina T. Gabor, the event is a rare opportunity for delegates to learn from and network with the best practitioners in the industry. “Given the Philippines’s tourism industry is driven largely by its natural attractions, it is important to balance economic benefit, conservation and respect for local communities, which the GEN board members are greatly recognized for,” she enthused.

Leading the powerhouse cast of international speakers are Glenn Jampol and Tony Charters, GEN chairman and vice chairman, respectively, and general board members Robert Holmes of Australia, Hitesh Mehta of Kenya, Masaru Takayama of Japan, Nabil Tarazi of Jordan and Albert Teo of Malaysia.

Other foreign keynote speakers are Conservation Ecology Center-Australia CEO Lizzie Corke, ASSOB International Australia CEO Paul Niederer, Sapa O’Chau (Vietnam) founder and director Tan Thi Su, Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil, Mahidol University International College assistant dean Kaetwa Muangasame, Bond Asian Ventures Ltd. Chairman Greg Duffel, Indecon Indonesia Director Ary Suhandi, and Global Sustainable Tourism Council chief executive Randy Durband.

Complementing the forum are government local speakers from the Department of Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Teresa Mundita Lim, National Commission on Culture and the ArtsSchool of Living Traditions Executive Director Rico Pableo Jr., National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Socioeconomic and Special Affairs Director Marie Grace Pascua, Asean Centre for Biodiversity Executive Director Roberto Oliva and Cebu and Provincial Tourism Officer Boboi Costas.

Moreover, Philippine Airlines SVP for Operations Ismael Augusto Gozon and El Nido Resorts Head of Sustainability Mariglo Laririt will share the best practices from the private sector.

Session topics are “Ecotourism Driving Sustainable Development”, Ecotourism and Conservation, “Innovative Investment Attraction”, “Business of Best Practices”, “Community-based Ecotourism”, “Ecotourism—A Natural for Asean”, “Policy and Standards”, “Indigenous Communities” and “Marketing Ecotourism for Yield”.

Tourism Undersecretary Silvino Tejada of the newly created Farm, Faith and Ecotourism portfolio, who will also be among the speakers, said the gathering would help create a resolution for ecotourism stakeholders in the country.

Supporting the event are the Tourism Promotions Board, DENR, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Philippine Airlines, as official carrier.

Faith A6 Sunday, May 14, 2017

Sunday

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

She is ‘Theotokos’

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

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ope Francis sent a clear message to the World on May 13, 2013, the 96th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima’s apparition at Cova da Iria in Portugal: he spent the first day of his election as pope at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.

The pope venerated the basilica’s famous icon of Our Lady— Salus Populi Romani—which was believed to have been painted by Saint Luke, the Evangelist. He “placed his pontificate under the patronage of the Madonna”.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is not only Mother of the church and the Queen of Heaven, All Saints and the Earth. She is Mediatrix of All Graces and, above all, the Mother of God.

Souvenir tiles are displayed for sale at a shop in the village of Aljustrel, outside Fatima, Portugal. The tiles show Lucia Santos, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto, the Portuguese shepherd children who said they saw visions of the Virgin Mary 100 years ago. Pope Francis visited the Fatima shrine on May 12 and 13 to canonize Francisco and Jacinta Marto. AP/Armando Franca

Mary is Theotokos

A primer on miracles, martyrs, virtues

How are saints made?

V ATICAN CITY—Lengthy historic investigations. Decrees of “heroic virtues”. Miraculous cures. The Vatican’s complicated saintmaking process has long fascinated Catholics and non-Catholics alike, and was on display on Saturday when Pope Francis canonized two children whose “visions” of the Virgin Mary 100 years ago turned the sleepy farming town of Fatima into a major Catholic pilgrimage site.

Francis recently reformed the process to address financial abuses that had long tarnished the Vatican’s saint-making machine, but the basic criteria remain.

How are saints made?

A post ulator— essentia l ly the cheerleader spearheading the project—gathers testimony and documentation and presents the case to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. If the congregation’s experts agree the candidate lived a virtuous life, the case is forwarded to the pope, who signs a decree attesting to the candidate’s “heroic virtues”.

If the postulator finds someone was miraculously healed by praying for the candidate’s intercession, and if the cure can’t be medically explained, the case is presented to the congregation as the possible miracle needed for beatification.

Panels of doctors, theologians, bishops and cardinals must certify that the cure was instantaneous, complete and lasting—and was due to the intercession of the

saintly candidate. If convinced, the congregation sends the case to the pope, who signs a decree saying the candidate can be beatified.

A second miracle is needed to declare the candidate a saint.

Martyrs—people killed for their faith—can be beatified without a miracle. A miracle is needed, however, for martyrs to be canonized.

The Marto case, a first

T he Ma r to sibl i ngs a re t he Catholic Church’s youngest-ever non-martyred saints.

Portuguese Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martians pushed their case through the first phase of beatification when he was in charge of the Vatican’s saint-making office.

He says it was the first of its kind.

“Before, we couldn’t even talk about the beatification of children in the history of the church because the principle prevailed that they didn’t yet have the skills to exercise the heroic level of Christian virtues,” Saraiva Martins said in an interview.

But Francisco and Jacinta Marto earned the designation by refusing—despite threats they would be fried in olive oil—to recant their visions. Aged 9 and 7 at the time, they held firm in their faith, and ultimately Portuguese church officials declared the apparitions authentic.

Francis’s reforms

Francis has issued two major refor ms to the multimilliondollar saint-making process after the Vatican uncovered gross abuses that were revealed in two books. The books estimated the average cost for each beatification at around €500,000 ($550,000), with much of the proceeds going to a few lucky people with contracts to do the time-consuming investigations into the candidates’ lives.

The books found that wellfinanced causes sprinted ahead, while poorer ones languished.

Francis last year issued new rules requiring external vigilance over individual Vatican bank accounts created for beatification and canonization causes, as well as regular budgeting and accounting, to make sure the donations from the faithful are being used as intended.

The second reform concerns the miracle-certification process: One new rule stipulates a potential miracle can no longer be presented for consideration if it fails to pass before the board of medical experts three times.

Secrecy must be respected at all times. Medical experts can’t have any contact with the postulator. Another rule says experts can be paid only via bank transfer, no longer in cash.

But hasn’t Francis done away with miracles?

In his zeal to give the faithful

even more role models, Francis has on several occasions done away with the Vatican’s rules requiring two miracles. His most famous waiver involved Saint John X XIII, whom Francis canonized along with Saint John Paul II in April 2014. The Vatican said Francis had the authority to dispense with the miracle requirement for John.

He’s not the only rule-breaking pope. John Paul waived the normal five-year waiting period for Mother Teresa’s beatification process to begin and launched it a year after her 1997 death.

Pope Benedict XVI subsequently waived the five-year waiting period for John Paul in launching his beatification process weeks after his 2005 death.

In the end, John Paul beat Mother Teresa’s record-fast beatification by just a few days when he was beatified on May 1, 2011.

How many saints are there?

During h is qu a r ter- cent u r y papac y John Pau l dec l a red more s a i nt s — 4 82— t h a n a l l of h is predecessors combined.

Some of h is big-na me sa ints: E d it h St e i n , a Je w i s h - b o r n C a r mel ite nu n who was k i l led at Au sc hw it z , a nd Ma x i m i li a n Kolbe, a Pol ish Fra nc isca n f r i a r who sacr if iced h is l ife at t he deat h ca mp so t hat a ma n w it h a fa m i ly cou ld l ive.

John Pau l a lso beatified a record-number, 1,338. A mong them was John X X III in 2000 and Mother Teresa in 2003.

Benedict continued the process, albeit at a slower clip— 44 saints under his watch.

Francis overtook John Paul ’s record w ithin t wo months as pope: In May 2013 he canonized more than 800 15th-centur y martyrs who were beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam. AP

Pilgrim image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Greenbelt Chapel

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n line with the celebration of the Marian month of May, the National Shrine of Mount Carmel has announced the visit of the national pilgrim image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to the Santo Niño de Paz CommunityGreenbelt Chapel, Greenbelt Park, Ayala Center, Makati City, from May 15 to 22.

This is the first visit of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to Greenbelt Chapel, giving office workers and visitors of the Makati City Central Business District a rare opportunity to pray before and venerate the Lady of the Brown Scapular.

Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel

O Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel, I consecrate myself to you and thank you for the gift of your Scapular, pledge of your special presence and protection.

By my strength in weakness, my light in darkness.

Make my life your own, wholly centered on Jesus and generously spent for others, specially the poor and those in any kind of need in our midst.

Teach me to listen to God as He speaks to me in His Word, in people and in the events of my daily life.

Make me a bearer of Hope, of Peace and of Joy to all my fellow pilgrims here on earth.

Then when my journey is ended, lead me home, clothed in your Scapular, into the kingdom of your Son where, I with all my brothers and sisters, shall love and praise Him, in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for all eternity. Amen.

When God revealed Himself, He showed how great is His love for man. He came to redeem man through His only Son Jesus. And Jesus looked like us.

Mary’s fiat made it possible.

“For when in the beginning of the human race, the parents of mankind fell into sin, Mary was set up as the pledge of restoration of peace and salvation”, Leo XIII said in Encyclical Augustissimae on September 12, 1897.

Jesus the Truth, the Life and the Way is Mary’s Son. She willed to be the Mother of the Redeemer, knew what it meant and from the beginning kept it all in her heart.

Mary is truly the cause of our joy.

She is Theotokos—the Greek term for God-bearer or Mother of God, from Theos, meaning God, and tokos, meaning bearer—a title ascribed to Mary in the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.

‘Here is your Mother’

At the foot of the cross, Jesus gave His own mother to be our mother, too. Since then, her only desire as mother of the disciples and apostles of His Son and Holy Mother church is the salvation of man.

So, through the centur ies, the Mother of God came to warn mankind on how displeased God is with man’s sinfulness. Her message is the same—the need for repentance, reparation for sins and prayers.

It is not a surprise then that Jesus, on December 10, 1925, told Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima: “I want My heart to be

honored side by side with the heart of My Mother.”

OLA is 300 years old

On May 12, 1991, with the approval of Vatican, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin and Rev. Fr. Agustin Cuenca, OFM, parish priest, canonically crowned Our Lady of the Abandoned (OLA), patron of Santa Ana Church in Manila. One of the oldest images of Virgin Mary in the Philippines, it was brought in 1717 by Rev. Fr. Vicente Ingles, OFM, from Valencia, Spain.

With the myriad problems that beset the world, the wellness in body and spirit of the people are affected, too. Filipinos and even foreigners f locked to the OLA shrine, not to complain but to strengthen their faith that God and His Mother truly loves them, desires only what is best for everyone and in God’s time will untie knots of concerns, as Mediatrix of all Graces.

Marian country

Hundreds of parishes from the barangays to conclaves of the rich have Marian titles. Even Filipinos who live in foreign lands come home for spiritual renewal to attend her feast day as Our Lady of the Abandoned in Santa Ana, Manila; in Penafrancia, Naga City; Piat in Cagayan Valley; Manaoag in Pangasinan; La Naval in Quezon City; Divina Pastora in Gapan, Nueva Ecija; Lady of Light in Cainta, Rizal; Lady of Sorrows of Turumba in Pakil, Laguna; Lady of Rule in Opon (now Lapu-Lapu City), Cebu; Lady of Remedies in Malate, Manila; Our Lady of Guide of the Way in Ermita, Manila; Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas; Lady of Dinagat in Surigao; and Nuestra Señora de Salera in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, among others.

To honor her apparitions in other countries, churches also abound, such as Fatima, Immaculate Conception, Loreto, La Sallete, Lourdes, Carmel, Guadalupe and Mother of All Nations.

It is no wonder then that the Philippines is called the Marian country of the world. n Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

Marian conference to celebrate centennial of Fatima apparitions

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he Fatima apparitions in Portugal to three children—Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia—in 1917 is in its centennial this year. “ The objec tive of Fatima apparition was achieved, that communism was stopped from taking over Europe.

Our Lady came to tell the children that they pray for the conversion of Russia to defeat communism. And she asked them in particular to pray the rosary,” Fr. Efren Rivera, OP, told the B usiness M irror.

To coincide with the centennial anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal apparitions on May 12 and 13, a Marian conference of the Missionaries of Mary, with the theme “Apparitions: Mary’s Presence and the Signs of the Times”, will be held on May 28 at the Tan Yan Kee Student Center of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila The Missionaries of Mary community has been organized to deepen Marian spirituality in the country. It features Marian priests in its seminars, in partnership with Radio Veritas (846 AM).

The conference will discuss the topics Mary’s Role in God’s Plan of Salvation, True Devotion to Mary and Welcoming Mar y Into One’s Life, which will be discussed by Fr. Tereso Campillo, OP; Fr. Efren Rivera, OP; and Fr. Benjie Notarte of the Montfort Missionaries.

Fr. Erik Adoviso, parish priest of the Holy Trinity Parish in Sampaloc, Manila,

will celebrate a Holy Mass. Pope Francis celebrated the Fatima centenary with a visit to the chapel of the apparitions in his pilgrimage to the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal on May 12.

On the same day, the pope canonized the Fatima children Jacinta and Francisco Marto, who died at the early age of 9 and 10. Their cousin Lucia Dos Santos, who was with them during the Virgin Mary’s apparition in Fatima, later became a Discalced Carmelite nun. She died in 2005 and is in the process of beatification.

The Virgin Mar y had appeared to the three shepherd children six times ever y month star ting on May 13, 1917, which ended on the miracle of the sun on October 13, 1917.

A Marian priest, Father Rivera said people experience a different threat this modern times that communism no longer exist. He said there is “a godless society, which is another form of atheism, where people do not care about God. The modern society does not follow Christian values.”

He added that poverty exists not only in the Philippines, Africa and Muslim countries, but also in prosperous Canada and America, as a result of indifference and apathy.

“Individuals are more concerned in enriching themselves rather than helping fellowmen to get out of miserable life,” Father Rivera said. Vanessa M. Puno

Sports BusinessMirror

Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Sunday, May 14, 2017

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MARTIAL ARTS CONTROVERSY

By Didi Kirsten Tatlow

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New York Times News Service

EIJING—For weeks, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Xu Xiaodong had been taunting masters of the traditional Chinese martial arts, dismissing them as overly commercialized frauds, and challenging them to put up or shut up.

After one of them—Wei Lei, a practitioner of the “thunder style” of tai chi—accepted the challenge, Xu flattened him in about 10 seconds.

Xu may have proved his point, but he was unprepared for the ensuing outrage. When video of the drubbing went viral, many Chinese were deeply offended by what they saw as an insult to a cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture.

The state-run Chinese Wushu Association posted a statement on its web site, saying the fight “violates the morals of martial arts”. The Chinese Boxing Association issued similar criticism.

An article by Xinhua, the state news agency, called Xu a “crazy guy”, saying that the fight had caused people to question whether Chinese martial arts were of any use, and even to ask, “What exactly are traditional Chinese martial arts?”

The reaction has been so furious that Xu has gone into hiding.

“I’ve lost everything, my career and everything,” he said in a message circulating online. “I think many people misunderstand me. I’m fighting fraudulence, but

now I’ve become the target.”

Many people around the world assumed that this debate had long been settled. MMA fighters have, for years, held exhibition fights against practitioners of traditional martial arts—kung fu, karate and judo among them. The old ways, for all their balletic grace, lost decisively.

Known broadly as wushu, traditional Chinese martial arts include such disparate disciplines as qigong, categorized as an “internal” practice that is mostly spiritual, and kung fu, an “external” art that is practiced by the monks of the Shaolin Temple and was popularized around the world by Bruce Lee. There are hundreds of styles of wushu in China, and many overlap.

Tai chi, while a martial art, is viewed by many today as a spiritual breathing and balance exercise enjoyed by people of all ages, usually performed in slow motion in a quiet park instead of a fight ring.

Mixed martial arts, or MMA, is a “no holds barred” fighting style developed over the last century from fighting styles around the world. It began to gain popularity in the US in the 1980s. While it is violent, it does have rules— including no biting, spitting or gouging.

The fight between Xu and Wei was brutal. As Wei circled slowly, arms outstretched in a calm tai chi defense, Xu lunged, jabbed him to the floor, then used a “ground and pound” technique to subdue him. It was all over in about 10 seconds.

Xu did not respond to a request for an interview sent

to his personal Weibo account a few days after the fight on April 27. Shortly afterward, his account was taken down as the authorities rushed to try to tamp down the controversy.

A woman reached by telephone at the Battle Club in southeast Beijing, where Xu works, said he was not giving interviews. She declined to give her name.

On Wednesday morning, the door of the Battle Club, in the dingy basement of a high-rise, was locked.

Photographs of Xu and other MMA fighters decorated the walls of the stairwell.

An electrician lingering by a cigarette shop at the top of the stairs said he practiced wushu, and had come to check out the club after hearing about the controversy. He said that Xu had been right to pose his challenge, even though it had infuriated people.

“No one can avoid fighting,” said the man, who gave only his surname, Lian, and a social-media username, Ruyi.

He said the defenders of the traditional martial arts were incensed that Xu had dared to say that they staged impressive performances, but were ineffective fighters, and that, by doing so, he had threatened their livelihoods.

Yet Xu’s ultraaggressive assault on his tai chi rival had missed an important point, Lian added.

“The key difference between what Mr. Xu does and martial arts is that martial arts isn’t a competitive sport,” Lian said. “It’s not about really hurting. It’s about giving your opponent ‘face’. And Mr. Xu’s style is about beating your opponent to near death.”

Macron’s victory boosts Paris Olympic bid for ‘24

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ARIS—Paris Olympic bid leaders believe they have found a strong ally in France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron.

As they get ready for an International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspection panel visit later this week, Paris officials think Macron’s victory over populist far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential runoff is giving extra guarantees to the IOC about their dossier’s sturdiness.

“The head of state’s role is important, and Emmanuel Macron is the leader we needed to embody the state’s commitment,” Paris bid leader Tony Estanguet said on Wednesday. “He is a young and dynamic leader open to the world, and he wants to make France win abroad. Those are the values we’re

EYE-OPENING U.S. TRIP

By Michelle Gustaffson New York Times News Service

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HILADELPHIA—When the first high-school track and field team from Namibia to compete at the Penn Relays arrived in Philadelphia from Grootfontein, a town of about 25,000 people, Henk Botha, the school’s principal and shot-put and discus coach, knew the trip would be an eye-opener.

The population of Grootfontein, you see, is barely larger than the total number of athletes, about 18,000, who competed in this year’s relays, held from April 27 to 29. But that huge crowd was not the only thing that would be new for the teenagers Botha brought from Grootfontein Agri College, a school of 183 students that he helped found several years ago. Most of his athletes had never been out of southern Africa. A handful had never flown. But Botha felt his team was ready, and he was certain the experience would be worth it.

“In the US, you’re used to a high level of competition,” he said. “In Namibia, you have to seek that out.”

The journey nearly ended before it began, when the main sponsor pulled out a few weeks before the team was scheduled to depart. A parent at the school stepped in with a loan to finance the trip—on the condition that the money would be repaid by reinvesting in the school—but that only got Grootfontein on its way.

When the team arrived in New York after a 23-hour trip, and only days before the relays were to begin, the students found that the hostel rooms they had reserved in Union City, New Jersey, were not available. While waiting hours for a solution, the coaches and athletes ordered pizza to fill the time and their stomachs, sharing the food off paper plates in a dim hallway lined with exposed pipes.

Because the reservation mix-up meant the hostel could not accommodate the entire team, a parent arranged for

two of the athletes, Xu Huber, 14, and Felicia Liswaniso, 15, to move into a hotel room about 10 minutes away, in North Bergen, New Jersey. The next day, the rest of the team joined them there after a single night in the hostel.

“We always stay together as a team; it feels weird to be separated,” said Liswaniso, who passed time by letting Huber braid her hair.

The team had planned to spend an entire day sightseeing in New York City before going to Philadelphia for the relays, but after the hostel episode and a half-day spent moving into the hotel, the athletes settled for a visit to the one place everyone had agreed upon: Times Square.

“I didn’t think it would be this huge,” Chantel Louw, 16, said.

The team members marveled at the giant video screens, took photographs with street performers and bought souvenirs. Then they packed and headed for Philadelphia.

In the parking lot of a Howard Johnson in Blackwood, New Jersey, the team’s home base for the meet, Karlien Botha used a towel to work on her discus form, while her teammates practiced baton handoffs. Botha, 15, is considered one of the best discus throwers in Namibia.

She turned in a personal best of 39.95 meters the week before arriving in the US and hoped to throw 40 meters at Franklin Field. Instead, she topped out at 35.88. In Namibia, discus throwers are given six attempts, allowing them time to warm up; at the Penn Relays, they were allotted three.

“I didn’t expect this,” she said. “It’s so big and overwhelming, I was so stressed. Next time I come, I just need to relax and take my time in the circle.”

Chrislene Klein-Nienaber, 13, stretched before warmups for the high jump. Normally, she said, she starts at 1.45 meters when competing. At the Penn Relays, the starting mark was 1.59—already higher than the high-school record

Raymond Hummel, 15, poses for photos with a costumed Statue of Liberty entertainer at Times Square in New York. NYT

she holds in Namibia. She cleared the bar on her first attempt—“It was really high”—but was unable to get over the next height, 1.63 meters, on three attempts.

The Penn Relays divides competitors into two categories: unique and nonunique athletes. Unique athletes specialize in one running or field event, while nonunique athletes compete in multiple events and relays. Unique athletes made up 13,000 of the 18,000 participants this year.

“Remember,” Henk Botha had told the team, “you did not come here to just be participants. You came to be competitors”.

Ian Grobbelaar, 15, Jaco Grobbelaar, 17, Lincoln

Beukes, 16, and Raymond Hummel, 15, waited in the shade until their 4x100-meter relay heat was called. “There are only three racing tracks in all of Namibia, and none of them are close to our town,” Jaco said. “The only time we come to a real track is to run, not to practice. For us, it’s a privilege to race here.”

The boys finished in 44.37 seconds, placing second in their heat Friday. They went on to another second-place finish on Saturday, with the 4x400-meter relay finishing in 3 minutes 29.87 seconds.

With their events completed, the Namibians watched from the mezzanine as other high schools, colleges and Olympians competed on the relays’ final day.

KNOWN broadly as wushu, traditional Chinese martial arts include such disparate disciplines as qigong, categorized as an “internal” practice that is mostly spiritual, and kung fu, an “external” art that is practiced by the monks of the Shaolin Temple and was popularized around the world by Bruce Lee.

Macron

defending. It’s easy for us to ride that wave.”

Currently in Los Angeles to assess the LA bid, members of the IOC will land in Paris on Saturday to inspect the city’s planned venues and meet with French bid leaders. Estanguet said Macron is likely to meet with the IOC delegation at some point during the three-day visit.

“The head of state told us he wanted to have a moment with the members of the evaluation commission,” said Estanguet, adding that Macron has been supporting the bid since he was Economy Minister from 2014 to 2016 under President Francois Hollande.

Macron might find a slot in his busy agenda on Sunday night at a gala dinner involving athletes and IOC members, but Paris officials said the president-elect has yet to confirm the date. Macron will officially take over from Hollande on Sunday.

The probusiness Macron’s election could, however, have a negative impact on Paris’s image if he goes ahead with his planned reform of the labor code this summer, a move likely to trigger massive street protests ahead of the IOC vote in Peru.

“My role is to convince IOC members not to get involved in a debate on labor law,” Estanguet said.

Los Angeles and Paris are the only two bidders left for the 2024 Games, which will be awarded in September at a meeting of Olympic leaders in Peru. The race began with five cities, but Rome, Hamburg, Germany, and Budapest, Hungary, all pulled out.

With both cities boasting strong technical bids, the main discussions in recent weeks have focused on the possibility for the IOC to award the 2024 and 2028 Games—one for each city—in Lima, in a so-called “win-win” scenario. IOC President Thomas Bach has previously said he wants to avoid producing so many losers in the multimillion-dollar Olympic-bidding game.

Both Paris and Los Angeles have made clear they are only interested in competing for 2024, although Paris CEO Etienne Thobois said he remains open to the discussion.

“We think it’s a very good initiative from the IOC,” Thobois said. “We want to be IOC partners.”

Paris, which last staged the Olympics in 1924, is bidding on the compactness of its plans to make the difference. According to the bid dossier, 84 percent of the athletes will be able to reach their competition venues in less than 25 minutes because the Olympic Stadium and aquatics center would be within 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of the proposed village.

More than 70 percent of the proposed venues are existing facilities, with a further 25 percent being temporary structures. The main construction requirements for the bid include an aquatics center close to the Stade de France, a new indoor arena in the southern Bercy neighborhood, the Olympic village and media center. Paris officials are also promising there won’t be any white elephants, and that 100 percent of the venues will have a real legacy. AP

Science

BusinessMirror

A8 Sunday, May 14, 2017

Sunday

Upgrading provincial science offices pushed

I

Story & photo by Stephanie Tumampos

n the past 25 years Engr. Marcial Tanggaan, Bohol’s Department of Science and Technology (DOST) provincial director, and his team have been handling all the science and technology (S&T) projects of the government in the province.

Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (right), chairman of the Science and Technology Committee at the House of Representatives, and Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña at the turnover of Starbooks at the Ubay National Science High School in Bohol on May 5. A public hearing on House Bill 1205 on the upgrading of the provincial science offices was discussed and passed early this month in Bohol.

From research to development to entrepreneurship, his office has responded diligently in order to reach those who need the aid of science in their lives as students, entrepreneurs or scientists.

He operates i n t he whole province of Bohol, which entails physical, mental and emotional demands. Yet, while other departments in the government have at least 10 personnel, Tanggaan has a team composed of seven personnel only, three of which are regular, with the rest as contractual.

Frontliner’s situation

“We started with only two regular personnel here in Bohol,” Tanggaan said in Visayan in an interview with the BusinessMirror.

The Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) in Bohol, which, at more than 25 years that started in 1991, added one more regular personnel in 2016.

The PSTC Bohol staff has their hands full with a slew of projects. It is implementing the flagship program Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (Setup), a nationwide strategy that aims to support and sustain the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises to adopt technology innovations in their businesses.

Setup currently has 44 beneficiaries in Bohol, with 14 more to be added this year.

Another project is the Community Empowerment through

7

The number of Provincial Science and Technology Center personnel in Bohol, three of which are regular, while the rest as contractual Science and Technology, which covers three municipalities and a projected three more.

On top of these, the PSTC in Bohol is monitoring over 300 DOST scholars in the province.

“We are at the frontline,” the PSTC Bohol director said. “All activities of the national [DOST] office fall on us, since we connect directly to our clients and beneficiaries.”

Push for upgrade through legislation

Under the current administration of President Duterte, one of the 10-point socioeconomic agenda is to promote S&T to enhance innovation and creative capacity toward inclusive development. This means Duterte

wants to push S&T to the people.

Early this month Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña and Bohol Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee of the House of Representatives, led a publlic hearing in Bohol that discussed two bills.

The bill filed by Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Grace Yu in July 2016, House Bill (HB) 1205, addresses the issue of staff upgrade in PSTC offices, as well as to elevate the position of the PSTC officer into PSTC director in provincial offices and their benefits. It was passed during the public hearing.

The other bill is the modernization of the National Measurement System (NMS), or the “Modernized National Measurement System Act”.

“We have to upgrade our provincial offices. This has been long overdue, and the support for our DOST [provincial offices] has been stagnant for many years,” Aumentado told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

He said this is the first time Republic Act 6959, which created PSTC, will be amended since 1990.

“There were many attempts [to amend the law] but these were not realized because of lack of support in Congress, in the committees, and lack of support from those who do not know the functions of [the] DOST in the communities and in the rest of the country.”

As chairman of the Committee, Aumentado said he knew how the agency has helped his constituents, especially the entrepreneurs in the country who needed S&T backing.

“It’s the DOST that can help our people in terms of scientific and technical innovation support.

But they cannot cater to all of the Filipino people unless they have additional manpower,” he said.

He said Bohol “has only three regular personnel. We have 47 towns and one city. Three personnel cannot serve all the needs of the people.”

De la Peña shared the same concern. As DOST chief, he is aware of the current situation of the PSTCs in the provinces. With 81 provinces in the country, the need for more manpower is urgent.

“Ever since we started the operations in the provinces, in the early 1990s, the situation of our staffing compliment is still the same after 25 years, while the volume of services we have been offering to the provinces have expanded tremendously,” de la Peña told the BusinessMirror.

The policy of Duterte to bring services to the people, to the regions, to the provinces, “we really would like to do that”, he said.

There are lots of things to do so the DOST can definitely bring science to the people, he said.

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

Mutant adlai as alternative staple food crop for Filipinos

“This is the reason why we are asking to upgrade our PSTCs,”de la Peña said. The DOST chief compared the PSTCs to the offices of the other departments in government. “You can see the difference [in terms of staffing and physical offices],” he said.

He added that the DOST will have to work or generate more resources to implement its programs. “Although for now, we try to have solutions like hiring contractual workers, but this is not a long-term solution,” he said.

Measurement system

The bill on modernization of the NMS was introduced by Aumentado himself, together with Yu, Rep. Seth Jalosjos, Rep. Joey Salceda, Rep. John Nieto and Rep. Edward Perez.

It said the enactment of the bill would ensure the integrity of measurements in the country, meet regional and international requirements and provide support for the competitiveness of Philippine products and services through metrology.

A Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) researcher inspecting the mutant adlai at the PNRI experimental field

Policy and legislation process

With the HB 1205 already passed in the public hearing and is now ready to be submitted to its mother committee, Aumentado said all the congressmen under his committee will have to approve it. “[Afterward] we will present this [bill] to other committees, like Appropriation, Ways and Means, and Civil Service for comments and approval, since there should be coordination with the [concerned committees] for this bill.”

If approved at the committee level, the bill will be presented to the House plenary for approval.

If approved, it will be sent to the Senate for the chamber’s action. “[Sen.] Bam Aquino has the [complementary] bill and is supporting it,” he said.

“As long as this is approved within this term, it will be an easy [process to become a law],” Aumentado said.

The process will also be the same for the metrology bill.

As for Tanggaan, he said his staff will continue to work to serve their constituents through S&T despite their lack of manpower and more work load.

Although under a tough situation, Tanggaan told the BusinessMirror that the PSTC in Bohol has improved. He said the government must look deeper in the situation in other provinces, where PSTCs have lesser staff and equipment.

“In other provinces, the PSTCs need to be urgently upgraded,” Tanggaan said, citing that Bohol, a bigger province, “at least, we have an office that is presentable, and our transportation service, although old, is still running and its engine is working properly”.

Adlai seeds that were exposed to 100 gray (Gy) and 200 Gy of gamma radiation

G

ov er nmen t ag r ic u lture-research specialists continue to improve the mutant varieties of adlai, also known as Job’s Tears or Chinese pearl barley, an alternative source of staple food to its better-known cousin crops, such as rice and corn.

Adlai is twice as rich in protein as rice, and is known among indigenous communities throughout Asia as a source of flour, coffee, tea, wine, beer and vinegar, among other products.

It has antitumor and other medicinal properties, which can help mitigate the symptoms of allergies and diabetes. It is also reported to be high in fiber.

Moreover, adlai is also known for its resilience against extreme conditions brought about by climate change.

Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) researchers are currently breeding mutant crops of the ginampay variety of adlai. The putative mutants are already in the fifth generation.

After irradiating the seeds with doses of 100 grays (Gy) to 200 Gy, they are planted and grown for further observation.

The adlai crops are to be developed up to the eighth generation to complete the mutation breeding process. The experimental

crops matured up to 28 days earlier than the unirradiated variety, and were also 17 percent to 24 percent shorter.

Using gamma radiation, PNRI has been working since 2013 to improve the agronomic traits of adlai by making mutant varieties that yield more grain and mature earlier, while also having shorter heights to make the crops more resistant to lodging during typhoons.

Besides developing mutant varieties, PNRI is also conducting studies to improve the fertilizer, soil nutrient and water management practices for adlai.

The field experiments were done in partnership with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management. It is under an International Atomic Energy Agency project on “Enhancing Product iv it y of L oc a l ly Under u sed Crops Through Dissemination of Mutated Germplasm and Evaluation on Soil, Nutrient and Water Management Practices”.

The improvements will also complement the Food Staples Sufficiency Program of the Department of Agriculture, which encourages the diversification of staple food crops beyond rice by increasing production, ensuring market availability and lowering its prices. S&T Media Service

Climate science classes held in Dumaguete, Siquijor

S

A student is amazed with the image he sees under the microscope during the session in marine microscopy in the 2017 Climate Science Boot Camp held in eight schools in Dumaguete and Siquijor.

ummer just got “cooler” for eight high schools in Dumaguete and Siquijor Island.This, as the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) with scientists from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute and the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration simultaneously conducted the 2017 Climate Science Boot Camp recently in the areas.

With the theme “Oceans and Climate Towards a Resilient Planet”, it highlighted

the role of the youth in building resilient communities in the midst of the issue on global warming.

Two separate teams of scientistmentors conducted whole-day sessions in Dauin National High School, Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial Dumaguete Science High School, Dumaguete City High School and Zamboanguita Science High School in Dumaguete, and in Leon Parami High School, Cabulihan Integrated School, Banban National High School and Siquijor Provincial Science High School in Sqiuijor.

The activity was a “miniaturized” version of the annual Climate Science Camp organized by DOST-SEI, which normally lasts 10 days, and includes exposure trips in marine ecosystems. The reboot is based on the earlier moratorium set by the Department of Education advising units to postpone field trips until full review of guidelines had been conducted.

According to Dr. Josette Biyo, director of DOST-SEI, this year’s Boot Camp sought to condense the modules of the usual Science Camp and made it as interactive as the original activity to maintain

the quality and effectiveness of learning.

“The Summer Camp over the years proved to be highly effective venues for learning what scientists in the field do and allowed our Campers to immerse to communities and directly see the impacts of climate change. It has invited students to really venture into science courses, and we’re very happy about it,” she said.

“But we have to follow the rules, and so, we had to challenge ourselves to make the Camp as interesting and inviting to our students whom we want to be part of the science community.” S&T Media Service

Sunday, May 14, 2017 A9

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Kristo

I

By Prospero Pulma Jr.

t was rope for Luis and Mike as the two thieves and nails bigger than fingers for Juan. Juan watched Tomas, in his carboard legionnaire armor and sword, holding a hammer and nail above his palm.

“Do it.” Juan shut his eyes and waited for the pain when the tip of the nail touched his skin. “Do it!”

Juan bit his lips the second the nail broke his skin. As the hammer drove the nail deeper, he thought of the daggers he had thrusted into his family’s soul when he went into artificial nirvana countless times for so many years.

The pain thrust forward the image of his mother begging him to stop using substances that twisted the mind before he fell out of school. Her buckets of tears did not help him complete a semester in college. The memory of his father trying to talk some sense into him with words, sometimes with his fists, came next. The hammering stopped. Juan braced himself for a new surge of pain as he felt Tomas shuffling to his other palm.

The pain from the second nail driven into Juan’s feet resurrected the long days with a priest and counselors. A few times, he had wanted a third nail for his feet. Each time, people responded by tying his feet and supporting his arms with thick rope. Each time he believed the extra nail was just punishment for the day he smoked the crystalline that shot his mind to the distant sky and his body close to the morgue.

A sudden lightness told Juan that Tomas and the other legionnaires were picking him up from the ground. When the sensation stopped, he opened his eyes. His position made him see the soldiers and people wearing ancient garb to his front. Behind them were folks in jeans, shirts, and caps, clicking away on their smartphone cameras. Further downhill were TV vans.

The sounds were as eclectic as the sight – keening mixed with laughter and clapping.

Juan glanced at Mike and Luis at his flanks before his sight roamed the field until it zeroed in on a mango tree where little hands under its shade were waving at him. Little Lilian and Justin with Jenny were where he told them to be. He nodded his head, hoping his blunt crown of thorns would exaggerate his movement. Then he went on to convey a great leader’s words and emotions.

Grimacing was effortless after dragging a heavy piece of timber under a clear April sky across town then uphill and having two nails hammered into his palms. Conveying the message was like reciting from an old beloved story for everyone knew what his words would be. Feigning death was so easy with all the heat, pain, and exhaustion.

Continued on A10

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Sunday, May 14, 2017

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Kristo “D

Continued from A9

oes it hurt, Papa?” Lilian tapped the edge of the bandage on his palm.

“Just like an ant bite.” Juan pinched her forearm. “Like this.”

“My friends say, ‘Teacher is so brave,’” Justin raised his other bandaged hand.

“Tell them, ‘Teacher is not brave. He’s just so sorry.’”

“Off to bed. Now!” Jenny used to cuddle and tickle the tots while herding them to bed until the village officials and local police knocked on their gate.

Juan was on their list. They told him to come to the village chairman’s office the next day.

Jenny broke down and Juan almost joined her. Many men and women from near and far had met the Grim Reaper after such visits that the visitors might as well have been the Reaper’s earthly emissaries.

Juan went to the village office the next morning before his grade school classes. The officials ordered him to confess on paper to his dark past and promise never to return to it again. Complying was very easy for he had never used the long years and weak memories to bury his past affair with the mind-freeing substances. He thought

that displaying it, then shining a light on his present life would rescue people from the darkness that had enslaved him.

And rescued people he did, one of whom was behind him on the list – Clifford. Men on a motorcycle had blown Clifford’s brain off his head a month later, joining a growing list of other people of similar backgrounds and identical fates.

The town was his home. He had to rescue people, more so the ones who had condemned him and his kind, so he unpacked his bag each time Jenny packed it, along with all their bags to get away from the dead bodies and shadowy motorcycle riders.

“Bedtime’s the same.” Jenny pulled Lilian and Justin to their bedroom. “Good Friday or any day.”

Loud knocking from the gate drowned her haranguing the children about their cluttered bedroom.

“Okay,” Juan said to the riders in the black helmets.

He closed the gate behind him. “Okay.” As his message got through Clifford, Clifford’s message about the euphoria from the crystalline swayed him. Once. Just once.

The riders raised their pistols. The pain from the bullets was just pain. n