BusinessMirror October 06, 2019

ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS

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

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

2018 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

DATA CHAMPION

MORE POWER TO CONSUMERS

www.businessmirror.com.ph

n

Sunday, October 6, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 361

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 16 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

T

By Lenie Lectura

HE recently concluded auction of power supply contracts, via Competitive Selection Process (CSP), between the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and power generation companies (gencos) has changed the landscape of a bidding process, ultimately giving consumers priority over profits.

“The winners for this activity are actually the Meralco consumers,” commented Department of Energy (DOE) Director Mario Marasigan.

The competitive bidding, according to one of the winning bidders, was “a well- run process.”

“This is an entirely different mindset, it’s customer first. It forces us to think more creatively to use our portfolio, to use renewables,” said Phinma Energy Corp. president Eric Francia.

Meralco customers are expect-

PAWEL TALAJKOWSKI | DREAMSTIME.COM

HOUSEHOLDS ARE SEEN TO ENJOY BIGGER SAVINGS AS GENCOS RALLY BEHIND MERALCO CSP PROCESS EVEN THOUGH IT SHIFTS MOST BURDENS TO THEM. ed to save P0.28 per kilowatt hour (kWh) or P9.46 billion annually for 10 years from the successful CSP, involving the supply of 1,200MW brownfield capacity.

Phinma’s winning bid involves a 200-megawatt (MW) supply contract to Meralco, with an all-in headline rate of P4.745 per kwh and computed all-in levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of P4.8849 per kwh.

Two more gencos were declared to have offered the least cost rates.

San Miguel Energy Corp.’s (SMEC) bid was for 330 MW at an all-in headline rate of P4.6314 per kwh and computed all-in LCOE of P4.9299 per kwh.

Meanwhile, South Premiere Power Corp.’s (SPPC) bid was for 670 MW and had an all-in headline rate of P4.6314 per kwh and computed all-in LCOE of P4.93 per kwh.

Meralco said the resulting prices from this CSP are significantly lower than its generation cost today of around P5.88 per kilowatt-hour (kwh), VAT inclusive.

“It was a good experience and hopefully we will have more proconsumer bids moving forward,” Francia added.

Ball with regulators

LABAN Konsyumer Inc. president Victorio Dimagiba said the ball is now in the hands of the regulators to make sure that what Meralco claims is true. Meralco and the gencos must submit their signed PSAs to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for approval.

Continued on A2

Comedians in politics just isn’t funny anymore

T

By Leonid Bershidsky | Bloomberg Opinion

his is the age of comedians in politics. Even in Germany, with its largely humorless political tradition, one of them is trying to bring a floundering major party back to life.

In recent years, satirists have reached remarkable political heights. The Five Star Movement, founded by comedian Beppe Grillo, has been part of the last two Italian governments. Volodymyr Zelenskiy used the popularity of his comedy show to become president of Ukraine and to consolidate the most political power of anyone who ever held the office. Jimmy Morales joked and blustered his way to the presidency of Guatemala in 2015. Last year, Marjan Sarec, who used to mock Slovenian politicians for a living, became his country’s prime minister.

Jon Gnarr, who turned his 2010 election campaign for mayor of Reykjavik into a punk humor show, is no longer in office, but last year, the residents of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, elected comedian Hayk Marutyan as their mayor.

In Brazil in 2010, an actual clown, Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, received the most votes of any candidate to the parliament; in 2014, he won re-election. Last year, Silva declined to run again, saying he was “ashamed” of the professional politicians he’d had to work with.

Even though President Donald

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 51.9500

US President Donald Trump meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the United Nations General Assembly, September 24, 2019, in New York. AP/EVAN VUCCI

Trump, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage aren’t professional comedians, their rise in the US and the UK probably can be written down to the same reasons that are behind satirists’ victories elsewhere. As Keir Milburn from the University of Leicester wrote in a 2018 paper:

Both Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage have, at least partially, adopted caricatured personas by presenting a comically limited range of characteristics. This strategy of self-caricature is risky as it invites social punishment in the form of laughter. It can, however, also be useful to politicians on a number of counts. Firstly, you get to choose the structure of your own caricature and so ensure that the satire takes place on your own terms.

Secondly, the ironic distance that comes with self-caricature aids the evasion of critique.

Germany, though, is a country where politics is a serious business.

Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4860 n UK 64.0595 n HK 6.6255 n CHINA 7.2938 n SINGAPORE 37.6258 n AUSTRALIA 35.0195 n EU 56.9788 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.8500

Source: BSP (October 4, 2019 )

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, October 6, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

More power to consumers Continued from A1

Dimagiba stressed, though, that the blended rate and net impact on a per kwh basis should be lower than the current Meralco generation charge.

Meralco utility economics head Lawrence Fernandez gave assurances that the rates resulting from the CSP would benefit the consumers and not the gencos.

During the opening of bids, gencos could be disqualified on the spot if their proposed bid price turns out higher than Meralco’s reserve price cap, which is revealed before the financial bids are opened.

Fernandez noted that gencos were “literally holding their breath” because a centavo difference in their bid proposal versus Meralco’s price cap can make or break the power supply deal.

“If their bids are below the reserve price then the Bids and Awards Committee picks the lowest bids and declare these as best bids,” added Fernandez.

Phinma and SPPC also won in the second CSP, involving 500MW of mid-merit capacity. Lopez-led First Gen Hydro Power Corp.’s bid was also declared to be one of the “best bids.”

First Gen submitted a bid for contract capacity of 100 MW with an all-in headline rate of P5.1908

per kWh and computed all-in LCOE of P5.3989/kWh.

Phinma’s bid was for 110 MW at all-in headline rate of P5.5858/ kWh and computed all-in LCOE of P5.5858/kWh.

SPPC’s bid, meanwhile, was for 290 MW and had an all-in headline rate of P5.5347/kWh and computed all-in LCOE of P5.7527/kWh.

Once more, the resulting prices from the second CSP are significantly lower than Meralco’s average generation cost.

Total savings: P13.86 billion

ALONG with the results of first successful CSP, consumers are projected to enjoy total savings of around P13.86 billion per year, or a rate reduction of P0.41/kWh. The savings for a typical household of P0.41/kWh translates to annual savings of around P984 per year until five years.

“The success of the two CSPs disputes the claim of our detractors that the CSPs would not result in lower power rates. They are wrong. This is for the consumers and we made sure they are the winners here when we were finalizing the terms of reference [TOR],” commented Meralco president Ray Espinosa during the signing of the power supply contracts last month.

The Meralco official was referring to risky terms stipulated in the contracts.

In fact, SMC’s power units were initially hesitant to join.

“Sa totoo lang, we bidded against the advice of our team kasi sabi ng Finance group ng power…

‘Boss, ang laking risk nito, ang baba ng presyo, saka high risk, eh kung tumaas ang fuel, talagang tutumba tayo rito [In truth, we disregarded the advice of our team because our Finance group was saying the risks are too high but the price is too low. If fuel prices go up, we’d really stumble here],”said SMC president Ramon Ang after the PSA signing ceremony.

“In the end, I think naisip nila ang importante sa lahat nito ay the welfare of the consumer. Ang pinakamaganda rito is makisama tayo dahil sa pagbabagong gustong gawin ni Ray Espinosa na mapababa yung presyo ng kuryente [they realized that what’s important here is consumer welfare.

The good thing here is we all rallied behind the reform sought by Ray Espinosa, to bring down electricity rates],” said Ang. Fernandez said most bidders were not comfortable with the following CSP rules: The no-outage allowance, no fuel pass-through cost and no exposure to foreign exchange (forex) adjustments.

The no-outage allowance means all winning bidders should guarantee Meralco 100-percent availability of supply during the contract period. Should there be

NOVEMBER 9, 2013, file photo shows protesters led by the group Gabriela and Anakpawis storming the offices of the Energy Regulatory Commission in Manila to demand that it investigate Meralco, the country’s largest electricity distributor, for allegedly overcharging customers. HRLUMANOG | DREAMSTIME.COM

plant shutdown incidents, the gencos would be responsible for sourcing replacement power and whatever costs to be incurred would have to be shouldered by the gencos.

They will also be fined if they are unable to deliver power, which will be used to reduce the generation cost to the consumers.

“Gencos will bear all the risks, not the consumers. This includes a no fuel pass-through cost. If the recent Saudi drone attacks happen again, the gencos would be the one to shoulder the high fuel cost.

They are the ones that will manage how not be affected by the risks. Consumers are spared from bearing the brunt of these incidents. That is probably why some gencos, though initially interested, did not actually join the bidding,”

said Fernandez.

Power supply contracts used to be negotiated bilaterally. This means a distribution utility (DU) such as Meralco and a genco negotiate their power supply agreement (PSA) and implement this upon final review from the ERC. This method does not involve consumers who will eventually end up paying for the electricity rate for a very long time, sometimes up to 25 years.

Then came the Swiss Challenge, a process that allows the original proponent to match the offer made by a challenger. The DOE was in favor of this since the tariff under a Swiss Challenge is “fair to everybody.” For a time, Meralco implemented the Swiss Challenge in bidding out its PSAs.

Later on, the ERC and the DOE

introduced CSP, which is administered by the Third-Party Bids and Awards Committee (TPBAC) to ensure transparency and fair competition.

The Meralco TPBAC is chaired

by Atty. Ferdinand Domingo, who was selected as representative of consumers, together with Atty. Adrian Cristobal, another consumer representative and a former Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. The process for the selection of the consumer representatives was approved by the DOE. “Hopefully we will have more proconsumer bids moving forward.

I believe that this is the new norm,” said Francia.

SMC’s Ang, meanwhile, said that the success of the CSP makes “us want to join more similar auctions in the near future.”

Comedians in politics just isn’t funny anymore Continued from A1

A parody political force called Die Partei, or simply the Party, has enjoyed a small measure of success running on various absurd slogans (like banning air travel and offering retirees virtual reality trips instead) – but only in European Parliament elections, which some German voters treat as a joke. (The Party won 900,000 votes and two European Parliament seats this year, its best result ever.) Generally, politicians are expected to be earnest and knowledgeable about the issues.

And yet Jan Boehmermann, a well-known TV satirist, is attempting a political insurrection here by making a run for the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner in the current governing coalition. The venerable party, the nation’s oldest, has lost direction and is floundering in the polls, where it is currently third or fourth behind Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, the Greens and sometimes the nationalist Alternative for Germany. The SPD is going through a painful process of choosing a new leader who could stop its decline.

Boehmermann, who anchors a satirical TV show on Germany’s public ZDF channel, is known beyond German borders for his

clash with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016, when a profane poem about the Turkish leader landed the comedian in legal trouble (the case prompted Germany to abolish a statute that banned insulting foreign leaders).

In late August, Boehmermann went on the air to mock the SPD leadership candidates, including Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, and announce his bid. He had to start the announcement over because the first time, the audience laughed.

It seemed initially that the candidacy was doomed on formal grounds: Boehmermann wasn’t even a party member. On Tuesday, though, his membership application was finally approved, with the leader of the local party organization that took him in making a point of explaining that “we are a party and not a satirical event.”

Boehmermann is hoping for the support of four local organizations needed to get into the leadership race, which will end at a party conference in early December.

It’s difficult to imagine Boehmermann winning over the aging, staid party base and pulling the SPD out of its doldrums. And it’s probably just as well. Comedians turned politicians, or politicians turned comedians, are hardly infallible fixers in government. Five Stars has con-

tributed to Italy’s helpless budgetary planning; Morales in Guatemala, who ran on an anti-corruption platform, has been embroiled in scandals; the Sarec government in Slovenia has proved scandal-prone, too; and Zelenskiy’s motley team has had a chaotic start.

It’s useful, though, to see the interest of comedians, both professional and amateur, in political office as an important, troubling symptom. They show up when a country, a city or a party needs such radical renewal that known remedies won’t help. As Tanja Petrovic of the Institute of Culture and Memory Studies in Ljubljana, Slovenia, wrote last year, jokes are a potent answer to a political discourse that has become too dry, formulaic and noncommittal; they provide a way to “imagine a different moral order.”

That moral order won’t necessarily be any better than the one it replaces, and a comedian’s political quest can fail – like, for example, that of Luka Maksimovic, a satirist who finished third in Serbia’s 2017 presidential election. But every time a political deck of cards includes a joker, it’s a sign that the establishment malaise has gone too far and reinvention from the ground up is needed. It’s just that serious people aren’t always around to do this unorthodox job.

Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World BusinessMirror

US slaps more duties on Chinese wooden cabinets and vanities

T

he US Commerce Department slapped more duties on wooden cabinets and vanities from China in a sign of the challenges awaiting negotiations when the two countries resume trade talks next week.

The Commerce Department said Thursday it will ask US Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of those products based on a preliminary antidumping duty rate of as much as 262 percent. Commerce issued the preliminary determination in response to a petition by the American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance filed earlier this year that alleged at least $2 billion in harm from Chinese shipments.

The US government decided to impose an antidumping rate of 262 percent on Dalian Meisen Woodworking Co., 81 percent for Rizhao Foremost Woodwork Manufacturing Co. and 4.49 percent for Ancientree Cabinet Co., according to a statement e-mailed Thursday. All other Chinese producers and exporters that cooperated in the investigation will be charged a duty of 39 percent, while those that did not respond to the inquiry received a levy of 262 percent.

“I’d say this is a strong result for American manufacturing and American workers,” Tim Brightbill, a trade lawyer from Wiley Rein Llp. in Washington, which represents the industry, said by

telephone. “This goes a long way toward addressing the unfair trade practices of the Chinese industry and we’re looking forward to seeing the details of the final determinations.”

Top negotiators from the two countries are expected to meet in Washington on October 10 in a bid to resume talks toward resolving a trade war.

In August, the Commerce Department slapped preliminary countervailing subsidy rates on wooden cabinets and vanities from China of as much as 229 percent. A final determination is scheduled for February, and the US International Trade Commission is expected to make a ruling March 30.

The American Coalition of Cabinet Distributors countered the argument by petitioners that the imported ready-to-assemble Chinese cabinets were hurting US manufacturing since they account for less than a 10th of total US cabinet sales.

“There is no justification for trying to penalize a segment of the market that their US production does not serve,” the coalition said in a statement e-mailed Thursday.

“Remember that RTA imports are already saddled with 25-percent duties due to the trade war with China, making additional AD/ CVD duties nothing more than punitive.” Bloomberg News

Surging Thai baht shatters expat dreams of an ‘easy’ retirement

B

rian Maxey moved to Thailand from the UK expecting his sterling pension to afford him an easy retirement. Instead, he’s finding it harder to meet his visa’s financial stipulations because of the strong baht.

The former aircraft technician easily bought a townhouse, pickup truck and motorcycle when he arrived at the age of 55 two decades ago. Back then the pound bought about 60 baht, but now it fetches a little less than 38 baht.

“It was a cheap place to live then,” Maxey said in an interview in the coastal city of Pattaya, which is popular with European retirees. “It’s not anymore.”

The pressure on foreign pensioners is just one example of how the baht’s sharp appreciation is rippling through Thailand. The currency is the world’s top performer against the dollar over five years, hurting export competitiveness and putting the economy on course for the weakest growth since 2014.

The Thai government issued almost 80,000 retirement visas last year, a climb of 30 percent from 2014. To qualify, foreigners must show a deposit of 800,000 baht ($26,261) in a Thai bank or have a monthly income of 65,000 baht. Another route is to have income and deposits totaling 800,000 baht combined.

Britons accounted for the largest number of retirement visas in 2018, Immigration Bureau data shows.

They were followed by Americans, Germans, Chinese and Swiss pensioners seeking affordable, sundappled golden years.

Once best known for crashing and sparking the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the baht is today seen as a haven by global investors. A trade surplus and annual foreign tourism receipts exceeding $60 billion underpin its resilience.

The currency has appreciated more than 6 percent against the

dollar so far in 2019, the best performer in a basket of Asian economies tracked by Bloomberg.

It’s likely to stay resilient, said Masakatsu Fukaya, an emergingmarket currency trader at Mizuho Bank Ltd. in Tokyo. There could be more upward pressure if firms relocate production to Thailand to skirt US tariffs on China-made products, according to Fukaya.

Some pensioners are already voting with their feet, according to Niels Colov, who moved from Denmark about 40 years ago and helps to organize a club for expats in Pattaya.

“There’s an exodus of foreigners from this area to Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines,” he said.

“We’re talking thousands of people.”

Up until six months ago, it was common to see overflowing queues of foreigners at Pattaya’s immigration office, but now there’s no line, according to Colov.

Some of those remaining may have to cut back spending, said Christian Foerster, an Austrian who retired to Thailand 20 years ago.

“There’s an enormous change,” he said. “Everything is more expensive. But it’s about adjusting, adapting and living modestly.”

At the same time, the cost of living in Thailand remains lower than in developed nations such as the US or in Europe, and officials continue to promote it as a retirement destination.

Baht strength leaves Pattaya retiree Maxey’s £1,000 ($1,235) pension far short of the minimum monthly requirement. As a result, he maintains the equivalent of a £22,000deposit to satisfy the bank savings rule when renewing his visa.

“That’s a lot of money to hold in a bank account that you can’t touch,” Maxey said, while adding he wants to stay on in Thailand despite the difficulties as he’s settled in the country. Bloomberg News

Sunday, October 6, 2019

A3

US-Europe dispute threatens main artery of world trade

By Carlo Piovano & Lorne Cook

B

The Associated Press

RUSSELS—The trade wars threatening to push the global economy into recession are entering a new phase, with the United States and European Union escalating a dispute that endangers the world’s biggest trade relationship.

After the Trump administration slapped steep tariffs on $7.5 billion in EU goods, mainly traditional produce like cheese and wine, the Europeans made clear they would retaliate in kind. Some fear the tariffs could ultimately lead to US import duties on European cars, a big economic blow that Trump has been threatening to deliver for months.

T he e xc h a nge ec hoes how the US and China ratcheted up a tariffs fight in recent months t h at h a s br u i sed bu si nesses around the globe and stunted economic growth.

“This step triggers fears of a new round of escalation of tariff wars,” said Alex Kuptsikevich, a financial analyst with brokerage FxPro. “The introduction of tariffs and fears of tit-for-tat steps could further suppress business sentiment, which is already at the lowest levels for years.”

The Trump administration’s latest tariffs target large aircraft but also many typical European products, such as olives, whiskey, wine, cheese and yogurt.

They take effect October 18 and amount to a 10-percent tax on EU aircraft and a steep 25-percent rate on everything else.

The US got the legal go-ahead on Wednesday from the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a case involving illegal EU subsidies for the plane maker Airbus, which predates the Trump administration.

But the EU is expecting a similar case involving US subsidies for Boeing to go in its favor, with a ruling due in coming months. It has said it hopes the two sides can hold off new tariffs, which amount to taxes on domestic importers.

Sometimes importers pass on the higher costs to consumers, making goods more expensive.

“If the US imposes countermeasures it will be pushing the EU into a situation where we will have to

do the same,” said European Commission Spokesman Daniel Rosario, echoing the dark outlook expressed by many EU governments.

“This is a move that will first and foremost hit US consumers and companies and will make efforts toward a negotiated settlement more complicated,” he said.

A group of American alcohol importers, wholesalers and distributors released an open letter this week urging an end to the tariffs.

They say tariffs on Scotch whiskey, liqueurs and wine would affect nearly $3.4 billion in imports and cost 13,000 US jobs, including truckers and bartenders.

The tariffs come on top of existing ones that the US and EU exchanged last year and multiply the headaches for European businesses fretting over Brexit, which could see Britain leave the EU on October 31 without a deal, meaning new tariffs overnight on the heavy flow of trade across the channel.

More broadly, the tariffs add to uncertainty for the global economy, which has been hit particularly hard by the wideranging US dispute with China over trade and technology.

The US and European economies are more closely integrated than the US and China, with companies heavily invested across borders, so the potential damage from an escalation could dwarf the dispute with China.

Total US investment in the EU, for example, is three times higher than in all of Asia. And EU investment in the US is eight times that invested in China and India combined. The two sides account for about half of the world economy.

“If it weren’t for the wider trade war, everybody would kind of shake this off and say it’s just business as usual under WTO rules,’’ said Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Italian ham is put on display in a deli in Rome on Thursday. The US had prepared for Wednesday’s ruling and already drawn up lists of the dozens of goods it would put tariffs on.

They include EU cheeses, olives and whiskey, as well as planes, helicopters and aircraft parts though the decision is likely to require fine-tuning of that list if the Trump administration agrees to go for the tariffs. AP

“In the current context, it’s going to be hard to contain. The Europeans feel like their economies are under assault by the Trump administration.’’

The EU is not allowed to retaliate against US sanctions approved by the WTO. But the 28-country trade bloc has shown a willingness to stretch the rules when it comes to responding to Trump’s aggressive trade policies, Alden said.

For example, Trump last year imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum from the EU and other countries, claiming they were a threat to US national security. The WTO gives countries wide leeway to decide their own national security interests, so Trump’s move appeared to pass muster with the Geneva-based trade monitor. But the EU lashed back with retaliatory tariffs on US products anyway.

Rising uncertainty over one of the oldest and biggest economic trade paths would further darken the outlook for importers, exporters and manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bob Bauer, president of the New Jersey-based Association of Food Industries, which represents around 1,000 food importers and exporters worldwide, said his members are angry that food is being targeted in a dispute over aircraft subsidies.

“We’re going to be paying so that Boeing and Airbus can continue to receive these subsidies,” Bauer said, adding that many food importers are small, familyowned businesses that can’t absorb a 25-percent tariff because food has low profit margins to begin with.

The head of the Spanish Federa-

tion of Food and Beverage Industries, Mauricio García de Quevedo, said the new US tariffs will make it harder for the companies he represents to compete internationally. And that will contribute to job losses, he said.

The United States is the Spanish sector’s second-biggest food and beverage client after the EU, according to the federation. The sector exported $1.9 billion (€1.7 billion) last year.

Miguel Blanco, secretary-general of Spain’s farming-sector umbrella group COAG, representing more than 15,000 Spanish farmers and livestock breeders, said the tariffs are “completely unfair and overblown.”

“Once again, the farming sector is going to pay for an EU trade war which has nothing to do with the Spanish countryside,” Blanco said, according to Europa Press.

T he Federat ion of Frenc h Wines and Spirits Exporters also deplored the US decision.

“We don’t feel at all initially involved in this litigation so we feel we are a bit hostages of these retaliatory measures,” said federation President Antoine Leccia.

In Germany, which has Europe’s largest economy and focuses heavily on exports, the Federation of German Industries said the US was using the WTO ruling to intensify trade disputes.

US P resident Don a ld J. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on European cars, a huge sector in Germany, and some fear this week ’s escalation could lead to that.

“There is a risk that many industries on both sides of the Atlantic will find themselves in a lose-lose situation,” federation chief Joachim Lang said.

Illegal vape name draws scrutiny as illness spreads

L

OS ANGELES—It’s a widely known vape cartridge in the marijuana economy, but it’s not a licensed brand. And it’s got the kind of market buzz no legitimate company would want.

The vape cartridges that go by the catchy, one-syllable name “Dank,” a slang word for highly potent cannabis, are figuring prominently in the federal investigation to determine what has caused a rash of mysterious and sometimes fatal lung illnesses apparently linked to vaping. Most of the cases have involved products that contain the marijuana compound THC, often obtained from illegal sources.

The suspect Dank vapes are a familiar product in the underground marijuana economy. It’s not a legal, tested brand.

It’s merely a name on a box or a cartridge, packaging that’s easily obtained online and used by illicit producers to lure customers.

But with colorful boxes and names like Cherry Kush and Blue Dream, the homemade vapes appear convincing on the shelf.

“It doesn’t look very different from what you can buy in a [legal] dispensary,” said Beverly Hills-based cannabis Atty. Allison Margolin.

So far, investigators have not identified a culprit in the illnesses reported in dozens of states. But officials say patients have mentioned the Dank name frequently.

Many of the people who got sick in Illinois and Wisconsin, for example, said they used cartridges sold in Dank packaging.

The raw materials to produce a Dank vape aren’t hard to find: Ready-to-fill Dank boxes and cartridges can be ordered from Chinese Internet sites for pennies apiece. A Craigslist post last week offered a box stuffed with empty Dank packages for $16. And you can buy the boxes and empty cartridges in shops in downtown Los Angeles.

A rogue producer adds cannabis oil— almost certainly untested—and it’s ready for sale. “It’s a generic product name that doesn’t really tie back to one store or one distributor,” Dr. Jennifer Layden, chief

medical officer for the Illinois Department of Public Health, said last month. “Folks are getting it from friends or folks on the street, with no understanding of where it came from prior to that.”

The chief selling point for pot vapes in Dank packaging: It’s a quick high on the cheap, available for as little as $20 a gram on the illicit market, roughly one-third of what a customer would pay for a cartridge in a legal marijuana shop in California.

But they come with risk: Products in the legal marijuana market are tested for safety and purity, while those in the illicit market are not and could contain pesticides, heavy metals or other dangerous contaminants.

According to California records, no licensed company is manufacturing a cannabis vape carrying the Dank name them in the state. “It was never a legitimate company,” said Los Angeles dispensary owner Donnie Anderson. “It was always an underground brand.”

Given the shadowy pedigree of Dank

vapes, it’s not surprising that details about its history are scarce. In California, the Dank name appears to have emerged during the largely unregulated medical cannabis era, prior to broad legalization that began in 2018.

Dispensary owner Jerred Kiloh, who heads the Los Angeles-based United Cannabis Business Association, recalls seeing Dank vapes for the first time about seven years ago. Kiloh remembers being visited by vendors selling them at his shop, though that stopped long ago.

What remains is the name, which has managed to retain a surprising cache in the underground industry.

Last month, Wisconsin authorities uncovered an illegal vape - car tridge operation that they said was producing thousands of car tridges loaded with THC oil every day for almost two years.

Photographs released by the Kenosha County Sheriff ’s Depar tment showed neatly stacked Dank boxes and cartridges, apparently ready for shipment. AP

A4

The World BusinessMirror

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Not just Ukraine: Trump now calls for China to probe Bidens N

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Putin is luring tourists to Russia with free e-visas

By Zeke Miller & Jill Colvin

W

The Associated Press

ASHINGTON—President Donald J. Trump is publicly encouraging China to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden, snubbing his nose at an impeachment inquiry into whether a similar, private appeal to another foreign government violated his oath of office.

Trump declared Thursday at the White House, “China should start an investigation into the Bidens.”

He said he hadn’t previously asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to investigate the former vice president and his son Hunter, but it’s “certainly something we could start thinking about.”

By publicly egging on China, Trump was amplifying the message he’d delivered in private to the president of Ukraine. That message, revealed by a government whistle-blower, has spawned the impeachment investigation by the House. Trump, who has defended his contact with Ukraine as “perfect,” went further in expanding his request to China, a communist world power that has much at stake in its relationship with the United States in an ongoing trade war.

The boldness of Trump’s call Thursday also suggests he will continue to act as though requests for other countries to investigate potential opponents in the 2020 election are normal, even in the face of broad condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans. It’s a tactic Trump has used successfully before, pushing questionable secret conversations into the open, helping to inoculate him against charges that he is engaged in nefarious action, cover-ups or obstruction of justice.

Trump doubled down on his comments later Thursday, saying in a tweet: “As the President of the United States, I have an absolute right, perhaps even a duty, to investigate, or have investigated, CORRUPTION, and that would include asking, or suggesting, other Countries to help us out!”

Vice President Mike Pence stepped in to defend Trump earlier in the day, saying Americans have a right to know about the wrongdoing the president alleges, despite no evidence to support wrongdoing by Biden, a top contender for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

Biden’s campaign chairman said Trump’s assertions merely show he’s afraid of facing Biden in next year’s election. House Intelligence Committee chairman

Adam Schiff, who has a leading role in Congress’ impeachment inquiry, said Trump’s comments suggest “he feels he can do anything with impunity.”

Trump’s appeal to China evoked his public call in 2016 for Russia to track down his then-rival Hillary Clinton’s e-mails—a move that was seen as an unprecedented appeal for foreign election interference. It is a violation of federal campaign finance law to solicit anything of value from a foreign government to help a campaign.

In the case of both Ukraine and China, Trump has made his allegations against Biden without evidence of any wrongdoing.

The president and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani have for days been raising suspicions about Hunter Biden’s business dealings in China, leaning heavily on the writings of conservative author Peter Schweizer. On Monday, Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the allegation that Chinese government business gave Biden’s son $1.5 billion “totally groundless.”

Trump’s unprompted reference to China on Thursday came

moments after he was asked about trade negotiations with the countr y.

“I have a lot of options on China, but if they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous, tremendous power,” Trump said.

He later alleged without evidence that China had a “sweetheart deal” on trade with the US because of the Bidens. “ You k now what t hey ca l l that,” Trump said. “ They call that a payoff.”

Speaking to reporters in Arizona, Pence, whose aides had previously tried to distance from the impeachment drama, echoed Trump’s call for investigation of the Bidens.

“The American people have a right to know if the vice president of the United States or his family profited from his position as vice president during the last administration,” he said.

Trump’s requests for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens, as well as Giuliani’s conduct, are at the center of an intelligence community whistle-blower’s complaint that sparked the House Democratic impeachment inquiry last week.

Biden campaig n Chair man C e d r ic R ic h mond d i s m i s s e d Trump’s assertions as a reflection of the president’s concerns about facing Biden in a general election.

“This president is scared, and he’s acting out,” the Louisiana congressman said.

Federal Election Commission Chairman Ellen Weintraub responded to Trump’s remarks, tweeting a reminder that it is a violation of campaign finance law for anyone to “solicit, accept or receive” anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a US election. The agency polices campaign finance laws.

But after a recent resignation,

its board does not have enough commissioners to legally meet and take enforcement action.

Trump himself has faced multiple allegations that he and his children have enriched themselves through his presidential candidacy and time in office, including spending by the US and foreign governments at his properties. Trump has contended that his political life actually has cost him money, though he is the first major presidential candidate in modern history to refuse to release tax returns that would provide more detail.

Trump has sought to implicate Biden and his son in the kind of corruption that has long plagued Ukraine. Hunter Biden served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, Burisma, at the same time that his father was leading the Obama administration’s diplomatic dealings with Kyiv. Trump encouraged Zelenskiy to work with Giuliani, and also volunteered the assistance of Attorney General William Barr to investigate the Bidens.

On Thursday, House lawmakers heard testimony from the former special US envoy to Ukraine, Kurt Volker, whose conversations with Trump officials and Giuliani have made him a central figure in the Ukraine inquiry.

Ahead of the 2016 election, Trump publicly called on Russia to release Hillary Clinton’s e-mails if they had obtained them by hacking, which US intelligence agencies later determined to be the case.

“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 e-mails that are missing,” Trump said during a July 2016 press conference. He later claimed in written answers to questions from special counsel Robert Mueller that he made the appeal to Russia “in jest and sarcastically, as was apparent to any objective observer.”

President Donald J. Trump speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and then on to Florida. AP

E.U. gives U.K.’s Johnson one week to improve Brexit offer

P

rime Minister Boris Johnson was given a week by the European Union to revise his Brexit deal or risk a humiliating postponement of the United Kingdom’s departure just as support was building at home for his plan.

The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, told a private meeting of European senior diplomats that the latest British blueprint for post-Brexit arrangements along the border with Ireland fell far short of his conditions for a deal, three EU officials said.

Meanwhile, there were signs an accord might finally get through the UK Parliament as some Brexit hard-liners and those on the pro-EU side of the governing Conservative Party said they would fall into line.

After more than three years of brinkmanship

and bickering, Johnson finds himself in the opposite position to his predecessor—but one no less risky to his leadership. Theresa May lost her job because she struck an agreement with the EU and couldn’t get it through Parliament.

Johnson’s future now rests on whether he can reach a compromise with Brussels while still keeping his new converts on board at home.

The EU will make a decision in a week about whether the two sides are closing in on a deal as they demanded the British government come up with a better offer. In a sign of the determination to thrash out an agreement, David Frost, Johnson’s envoy to the EU, immediately resumed talks in Brussels and will continue on Friday. Johnson himself may hold meetings in several European capitals over the weekend, officials said.

Mood swing After politely welcoming the proposals on Wednesday, the main European institutions broke cover to criticize the plans.

European Council President Donald Tusk, who spoke by telephone to Johnson and Irish President Leo Varadkar, said he was “unconvinced” by the proposals. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker described them as “problematic,” while the European Parliament, which has a veto over the final deal, said it had “grave concerns.”

A spokesman for the British government said it didn’t accept the downbeat assessment from European leaders and that progress had been made.

Johnson has promised to pull the UK out

of the EU on October 31 regardless of what happens next, though Parliament has already legislated against a “no-deal” Brexit. A Scottish court will start hearing a case on Friday designed to ensure he complies.

After two missed Brexit deadlines already this year, the clock, as ever, is ticking. It’s now impossible to see a deal being done in time unless Johnson makes fresh proposals, two EU officials said. Barnier told diplomats Johnson’s response needed to be urgent and sustainable.

Johnson’s Brexit plan can’t be negotiated

by October 31, Norbert Roettgen, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the German parliament said in a tweet. “If UK is serious about this, it must seek extension,” he said.

orma Garca’s dream vacation, an extended j au nt w it h he r a du lt daughter through erstwhile empires in Europe and the Middle East, was nearly dashed before it even began by V ladimir Putin’s machinery of state.

The two Mexicans didn’t even need visas for France, and Garca quickly got the ones required for Turkey using her home computer in Aguascalientes. But for Russia, she had to hire a courier to hand-deliver their passports to the embassy in Mexico City, about 500 kilometers south, along with proof of prepaid airline tickets and hotel reservations. After a hand-wringing few weeks—and $160 in fees—they finally got their dark-green travel booklets back, freshly thickened with full-page stamps of approval.

“My nerves were on edge because they just wouldn’t tell me what was happening with our passports,” Garca said in the lobby of the five-star Grand Hotel Europe in Saint Petersburg one recent morning, as her excited daughter negotiated the day’s itinerary with their Russian guide. “It took a day for Turkey—one day!”

If only the duo had waited just a little longer, Russia’s president would have made their visit to his hometown a whole lot easier, not to mention cheaper.

On October 1, this former czarist capital switched to a free, e-visa regime that includes a pledged 96hour turnaround time for citizens of 53 countries. The rest of the Russian Federation, which stretches from the watery edges of Alaska and Japan to its nuclear-armed exclave inside the borders of the EU, will follow suit on January 1, 2021, when a special app will make the process even simpler. The fee won’t exceed $50.

In a world where even the notoriously strict kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now opening up to tourism, Russia is seeing the light. Until now, the Kremlin— literally a fortress—resisted calls from officials responsible for economic growth to lower the metaphoric drawbridges so more cash-toting globetrotters can explore Russia’s unique admixture of cultures, history, religions and natural wonders.

Aides to Putin say it took hosting a soccer tournament, the 2018 World Cup, and the badly needed revenue that came from 3 million fans who were granted visa-free access, to convince him that his technocrats can handle massive inflows of foreigners without compromising national security.

“Russia now sees tourism as a strategic sector,” Zarina Doguzova, 34, the government’s newly appointed point person for the initiative, said in an interview in Saint Petersburg. “That’s our task—to welcome millions more tourists from around the world.”

Doguzova spoke on the sidelines of the UN World Tourism

Organization’s biennial meeting of ministers, held in Russia this year for the first time and addressed

by Putin via video. Moving easily between Russian, Spanish and English, she said her Rostourism agency learned best practices by studying the industry leaders— France, Spain and the US, which together handle about a quarter billion visitors a year.

Notably absent from the e-visa list are the members of the socalled Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance: the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. People from these countries are still welcome, but they’ll have to apply the way Garca and her daughter did.

Even without leading anglophone nations, officials say Putin was sold on the idea after being presented with forecasts showing tourism receipts would overtake arms sales within a few years. Easing entry for most of the world’s population also dovetails with the soft power the Kremlin likes to project, helping to counteract the steady drumbeat of negative news about Russia, particularly in the West, according to Deputy Economy Minister Sergey Galkin.

“We want foreigners to look at Russia not through the Fox News screen, but through the people they’ll meet here,” Galkin, who oversees the tourism sector, said over coffee at a cafe in Moscow.

His ministry expects the pivot to paperless visas will drive a near-tripling of sector revenue by 2035 to $29 billion, or about what Russians spent abroad last year, catapulting the country into the top 10 tourist destinations from 16th now. Russia hosted 25 million tourists last year, yet only about a third of those came from outside the former Soviet Union.

Spread across 11 time zones, the world ’s biggest countr y has a lot to showcase, as anyone who has followed Putin at any point in the past two decades has probably seen.

The retired KGB colonel has been filmed chasing whales in Pacific waters, tagging wild animals on the Siberian tundra, touring active volcanoes in the Far East, plumbing the unrivaled depths of Lake Baikal in a mini-sub and unearthing ancient pottery in the Black Sea. But it ’s Sa i nt Petersbu rg , known as Leningrad when Putin was born here, that remains the country’s top draw. Founded in 1703 as Russia’s “window to Europe” by the modernizing Peter the Great, local authorities often bill their city of 5 million as the “Venice of the North” for its grand canals, fabulous art collections and ornate buildings designed by Italian architects.

The e-visas will be valid for eight days, a span that will double to 16 when the nationwide system is introduced. City officials said they received more than 3,500 applications on the first day of the new regime. Bloomberg News

Rivals unite

and leaves working out how to do customs checks on goods traveling between the two countries until after Brexit.

Brussels also doesn’t accept giving Northern Ireland’s assembly a veto over the plan every four years, fearing it could be left not being able to control the EU frontier at all. The assembly in Belfast, meanwhile, has been suspended since January 2017 after a dispute between the two main parties, the DUP and Irish nationalists Sinn Fein.

In a sign that all is not lost, it emerged that Johnson may be prepared to countenance an alternative plan and keep Northern Ireland in the customs union as long as the EU put a time limit on it, two people familiar with the matter said. That idea is not something the EU is formally considering, but officials didn’t rule out that it could be an element of an eventual compromise. Bloomberg News

But in London, as the British parliament debated Johnson’s plan, it became clear that the new deal would receive the backing of rival factions of his Conservatives, some opposition Labour parliamentarians and the Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party. The deal reached with the EU a year ago by May was rejected three times.

Indeed, the lukewarm response from the EU raised the temperature between Belfast and Dublin as politicians traded blows over the plan.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said his government would never accept any proposal that gives Northern Ireland an effective veto over the measures. DUP leader Arlene Foster accused him of rejecting a “reasonable offer” and “paving the way for a no-deal Brexit.”

The EU believes Johnson’s plan doesn’t work because it leaves Northern Ireland subject to different customs rules from the Irish Republic,

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

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: ‘Luke 17:5-10’

Increasing our faith Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez SUNDAY GOSPEL IN OUR LIFE

T

he gospel of today contains a beautiful petition of the apostles: “Increase our faith!” we can make this petition our own, because we are very much in need of faith.

Fait A truly strong faith does not limit itself to a theoretical or speculative agreement to the truth of our faith. The assent is so firm that it should actually see things and events on the context of these truths, and act accordingly.

For example, we can say that we “believe in God the Father almighty,” as stated in the creed. But our belief would be stronger if we were aware this God is not far away and unconcerned for us.

God is continually by our side, caring for us and loving us, watching over our every need like the Father that He is.

Therefore, we see that God is present in all our joys. And our adversities are not really so bad, because God is there, with better plans than we had suspected.

Another example. We believe that Christ is really present in the Blessed Sacrament.

But to have more faith in the real presence of Christ means to act according to that presence.

A priest then should venerate and treasure the Blessed Sacrament, as the most valuable item in the Church, and not be careless in handling the Sacred Host.

The faithful, when they receive Holy

Communion, should be aware that God is really and physically with them. That is why they should receive communion with the greatest possible reverence, and afterward, have a dialogue of prayer within them.

Increasing our faith ultimately depends on God, because it is a supernatural gift that only God can increase.

However, we ourselves can do something about it. We can pray, asking God to increase our faith just as the apostles did.

We should also try to live a life that is truly consistent with the faith that we profess.

Nothing can weaken faith as much as a lack of unity in our life, where faith is practiced in isolated compartments of life—like the socalled Sunday Catholic or the Sacristy Catholic.

Faith should penetrate all our actions and activities, because they really do have a bearing on all aspects of our life.

Our professional work should be carried out in a Christian manner. Our family life is the occasion to put many Christian virtues into practice.

Our social life is not just an occasion to enjoy, but it is actually an oppor tunity to practice charity.

A faith integrated into our daily life and activities will easily grow and fill our life with happiness.

Religion is needed in the pursuit of peace

By Blerim Mustafa Inter Press Service

G

ENEVA—The proliferation of political crises and armed conflicts in every corner of the world does not exclude religious groups, which, unfortunately, also contribute to animosities, intolerance and hatred.

The Middle East has been on the hit list of violet extremist groups for decades.

One telling example is Syria where clashes have on occasion taken religious or denominational overtones, fracturing Syrian society for decades to come. They have given rise to sectarian divisions along ethnic and religious lines in a country where interreligious harmony once prevailed.

We observe a similar situation in Iraq.

In Myanmar, government security forces unleased a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing and hatred against the Muslim Rohingya population.

The military crackdown on the Rohingya community has significantly aggravated intercommunal violence in the country.

In the Central African Republic, armed militant groups sloganizing misrepresentations of Islam and Christianity, commit abuses and human-rights violations on each other on a daily basis.

The conclusion that can be drawn is that the proliferation of political crises and armed conflicts indiscriminately target communities and societies, regardless of religious beliefs or denominations.

Violent extremism cannot be ascribed to one religion or region of the world. The recent appalling violent extremist attacks in Christchurch, Oslo and Colombo illustrate that violent extremism targets societies and communities blindly, and where we least expect it to happen.

In a time where racism, racial discrimination intolerance and the fear of the other is on the rise, defusing interreligious conflicts and enhancing understanding for religious diversity is needed more than ever.

In this spirit, interfaith dialogue and cooperation remains an essential vehicle for religious believers to know, understand and respect one another.

Interreligious and religious-secular dialogues have the power to promote lasting change through a dialogue that fosters mutual coexistence, tolerance and empathy. This entails sharing a relationship of respect and mutual confidence, as well as to identifying commonalities among religions, creeds and value systems in promoting multidimensional equalities, accepting diversity between human beings and promoting empathy.

As His Holiness Pope Francis reminded us in Sarajevo in 2015 during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina: “We need to communicate with each other, to discover the gifts of each person, to promote that which unites us, and to regard our differences as an opportunity to grow in mutual respect.”

This is a telling reminder that interreligious dialogues can serve as a vector to help break down the walls of ignorance that characterize many societies around the world. There is a need to build alliances between all religions and faiths to address the surge of racial discrimination, intolerance and prejudice.

The visit of Pope Francis to the United Arab

Emirates in February this year, for instance, and the historical signing of the joint document on “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” between the Pope and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb are eloquent examples of endeavours made by religious leaders to promulgate a vision of unity in diversity.

It is, likewise, one of the greatest paradoxes of the contemporary world that major world faiths and creeds are being perverted by violent extremist groups to justify hatred and exclusion. All major world religions advocate peace and justice.

The religious teachings of many traditions recognize that prevention of conflict in society by acceptance of the other is rooted in the dignity endowed to the human being.

It is through unity—not division—that humanity can promote a world living in peace and harmony. All religions can play an important role.

Let me cite some examples.

Islam, for instance, puts strong emphasis on equality, proclaiming that all human beings are borne free and equal. During the era of Prophet Muhammed, he said to his followers: “An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white, except by piety and good action.”

In Judaism, equality before the law plays a strong role in the enhancement of human dignity, human conduct and responsibility toward one another. Sanhedrin 4:5 teaches us that“None should say, [my] Father is greater than yours,” for we are all descendants of the same ancestor.

In Christianity, we are taught in Galatians 3:28 that equality must guide our actions. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

The right to equality is also emphasised in Hinduism. The Vedas—the sacred scriptures of Hinduism—observe: “No one is superior or inferior. All are brothers and all should strive for the interest of all and progress collectively.”

So too in Budhism, as indeed Buddha taught a social message of love, equality and fraternity which underpin equal citizenship rights.

In Confucianism, the notion of “datong” or “Great Community” symbolizes a world in peace and unity in which all people live in harmony with each other, collective and individual human rights being affirmed and closely interwoven.

These examples illustrate that religions and faiths themselves are not the source of hatred and intolerance, but only their distorted instrumentalization for vested interests by violent extremist groups.

One must therefore harness the collective energy of all religions and faiths in the pursuit of peaceful and inclusive societies as stipulated in Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

There is no reason for religious communities to fear one another as our commonalities clearly exceed our differences.

Blerim Mustafa, is project and communications officer of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue.

Sunday

Sunday, October 6, 2019 A5

Saudi women pushing the limits of their dress code

M

unira Al Mutairi sometimes wonders what it would be like to leave her house without covering herself in an abaya, the shape-covering cloak that Saudi women wear in public.

“It would be a kind of liberation,” she said at a private residential compound in Riyadh where a group of women were smoking hookah, another taboo. “I don’t want anyone to put conditions on me—that you’re a woman, you have to be like this, don’t show your face.”

But this is Saudi Arabia, a conservative Islamic country, where many view the covering as a religious and cultural imperative.

Al Mutairi admits she’s not ready to follow the handful of women who have abandoned abayas.

Even after officials announced last week that the abaya is optional for foreigners—a major shift as the kingdom opens to tourists— it’s unclear what that means for Saudi women. Besides, Al Mutairi said, her biggest barrier is society.

“My problem is the atmosphere that’s around me, I’m scared of it,” said the 42-year-old mother of three. “Maybe my husband would divorce me.”

She has every reason to worry.

The very idea that some women might cast off their abayas is causing uproar in Saudi Arabia as rapid social change puts old fault lines between the kingdom’s so-called liberals and conservatives under unprecedented stress.

After decades enforcing the views of clerics who opposed music and gender mixing, the government made an about-face under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, relaxing social restrictions and inviting pop stars, like Mariah Carey to perform, all while stifling dissent.

The kingdom’s religious police have lost most of their power,

allowing women to test the limits of the dress code that officers once roamed the streets enforcing.

In wealthier urban areas, it’s increasingly common for women to uncover their hair, and many wear colored abayas instead of the standard black.

Still, the backlash that women experience when they push the boundaries is often fierce.

On a recent evening, Mashael Bin Jaloud ignored the sideways glances of other customers as she entered a trendy café in the Saudi capital dressed in wide-legged pants and an oversized shirt.

It’s six months since she stopped wearing an abaya—long before the recent announcement—and stares are the least of what she’s faced.

Online, strangers called for her to be jailed. She’s lost friends, and after appearing in a foreign media report without her abaya, she lost her job in human resources. Her chances of marrying are zero, Bin Jaloud, 34, jokes.

“A lot of people attacked me, a lot of people cast doubt on my religion and my nationality,” she said. Still, she says, “it’s a matter of choice.”

In a US television interview last year, Prince Mohammed said it was entirely “for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire” they want to wear. Yet, only a small number of Saudi women have fully abandoned their abayas, and in the past, they’ve risked running afoul of authorities.

‘God is watching’

In 2016, Saud i act iv ist Ma l a k A l- Shehr i was a r rested a f ter post ing on l ine a photog raph of hersel f on R iyad h ’s m a in

Veiled women sit behind a column near date traders at a local market in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia, on August 4. Tasneem Alsultan/Bloomberg

bou leva rd w it hout a n abaya.

In many parts of the country, it’s unusual to see a woman without a face-covering niqab, let alone minus a cloak.

“It’s our religion, and it’s something we’re accustomed to,” said Layla Al Arfaj, a 42-year-old Riyadh resident who covers herself in black from head to toe. “It’s in our blood.”

Even when Al Arfaj traveled abroad and people urged her to shed her niqab—saying no one would see—she didn’t.

“God is watching,” she said.

In the relatively liberal coastal enclaves of Jeddah and Khobar, more women have ditched the abaya, some long ago.

Raja’a Makki, a 29-year-old neurosurgeon resident in Khobar, started going out without one more than four years ago.

“I’ve been witnessing a lot of people walking around totally fine with jeans and t-shirts,” said Makki, who’s half Moroccan.

But in conser vative corners of the kingdom, more Saudis are horrified by the idea. Reports about women shedding their abayas set off a firestorm on soc i a l med i a ea rl ier t h is month—one of the few places where conser vat ives c a n e xpress outrage after a political crackdown shrank the space for permissible criticism.

Makki’s father hasn’t talked to her since she stopped covering her hair.

Our Lady of The Rosary

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

T

he confrontation between Europe and Islam happened as early as the seventh century.

Arabia conquered the Holy Land, Spain, North Africa and much of the Byzantine Empire.

In 1570 Pope Pius V contacted the chief rulers of the West to unite against an enemy that threatened them and the Catholic church.

The allied states, known as Holy League, was headed by Don Juan of Austria, the half brother of Philip II of Spain.

Giovanni Andrea Doria, a Genoese admiral, carried a picture of an image of Mary. It was sent by Philip II of Spain that was given by the Archbishop of Mexico which appeared on the cloak of Aztec Indians in 1531.

The image was displayed in one of the ships of the Holy League.

The pope sought Mary’s intercession, too.

All the soldiers carried their rosaries and the entire people of Europe were asked to pray the rosary.

The ships sailed off from the Sicilian port of Messina on September 16, 1571, for the Battle of Lepanto, off the coast of Greece, at a place now called Naupactos.

The 300 vessels of Islam with 30,000 men outnumbered the Christian fleet. Even the winds in the morning of October 7, favored the Turks that blew their ship forward to the Christian vessels until the wind shifted.

It was said that Pope Pius “supernaturally enlightened,” watched the battle from the Vatican.

At the end of the day, the battle was over. The Holy League lost 8,000 men with 16,000 wounded and a dozen ship destroyed.

On the Turk’s side, about the same number

of soldiers died, thousands were captured, 50 ships were destroyed and 117 vessels captured.

Christian slaves who were forced to row the ships surfaced and were freed.

Pope Pius credited the victory of the long Christian resistance to Muslim conquest to the intercession of Mary and “ended any major Turkish attack on the Mediterranean.”

He declared October 7 the Feast of Our Lady of Victory and later changed it to the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Battle of Lepanto was chronicled in Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know by Diane Moczar.

Like the Battle of Lepanto, the defeat of the “formidable flotilla” of Dutch Protestant ships in Manila in 1646, was attributed as “victory for the rosary” by Fr. Jean de Conca, OP, who taught the sailors to pray the rosary in chorus during the encounters.

Christians’ powerful weapon

Angels, saints and divine souls unite to praise God. Our Lord, recommending praying together, said in Matthew 18:20 that whenever two or three are gathered in His name He would be in their midst.

In the 12th century, the religious orders recited together the 150 Psalms in the Bible everyday. Those who were unable to read, made the 150 knots in a string to pray the Psalms which was called the Psalter.

Pope Urban VIII, in Ad Perpetuam Rei Memoriam in 1626 decreed that every time the rosary is recited in two groups, every participant gains a hundred days extra indulgence.

When one prays the rosary, the merits one gains in praying is equivalent to the number of

Dima, a 32-year-old software engineer who stopped wearing an abaya two years ago, said she was rejected for a job because she wasn’t a “cultural fit,” and was once c hased by a not her woman tr ying to lecture her.

She asked Bloomberg to withhold her last name so she could speak freely.

Music after prayers

In an interview with Bloomberg T V last week, Tour ism chief Ahmed Al-Khateeb declined to comment on whether Saudi women will be allowed to shed their abayas, saying the government hadn’t discussed it.

“It is part of our culture, and Saudi women love it,” he said.

Al Mutairi isn’t one of them.

Back at the compound, as sweetsmelling smoke wafted through the air and the foreign staff were the only men in sight, she said that if more Saudi women started going out without abayas, she’d feel brave enough to try.

She’s encouraged by some of the changes that have already swept the kingdom, she added.

As a period of silence for Islam’s sunset prayer ended and the Riyadh café began blaring Arabic pop music, Bin Jaloud marveled at the scene.

“Two years ago, these songs were forbidden,” she said. “We lived in an era that wasn’t humane at all. It’s over, and now the time’s come for us to live.” Bloomberg News The Blessed Virgin Mary, accompanied by three angels, appeared and said: “Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?”

Mother Mary said it’s the Psalter or the rosary, which is the “foundation stone of the New Testament.”

Gospel prayer

Our Lady of the Rosary with Child by Simone Cantarini (1612-1648) Wikimedia Commons people in the group.

Saint Louis de Montfort, in The Secret of The Rosary, explained that “when we pray in common, the prayer of each one belongs to us all and these make but one great prayer together.” So when one person does not pray well, the one in the group who prays better make up for the deficiency.

The rosary was revealed to Saint Dominic in 1214, while he was in a forest near Toulose, France, for three days of prayer and penance.

His concern was how to convert the heretical sect of Albigenses, who believe the “duality of good and evil.”

Jesus was considered as a rebel against the cruelty of an omnipotent God. He wept and performed harsh penance, with His body so lacerated that He lapsed into coma.

The rosary is a gospel prayer that summarizes the redemptive incarnation of Jesus.

Christological in orientation, it includes the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the life of Jesus with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In 2003, the year of the Rosary, Pope John Paul II added the mystery of light or luminous mystery, which deal with the public life of Jesus.

Each rosary consists of five decades of Hail Mary, prefaced by Our Father and concluded

by Glory Be. Each Hail Mary is considered a rose to form a crown of roses for the Blessed Mother which she returns as a crown of spiritual graces to one who prays the rosary fervently.

At the end of the fifth decade the prayer: “O Jesus forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven especially those who need most thy mercy,” is a prayer taught by the Blessed Mother to the three children at Fatima in 1917.

The Blessed Mother made 15 promises to those who pray the rosary faithfully, among them, a high degree of glory in heaven.

Damo-Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a facult y member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

Science

BusinessMirror

A6 Sunday, October 6, 2019

Sunday

New researches provoke controversy

How risky is eating red meat?

N

EW YORK—Eating red meat is linked to cancer and heart disease, but are the risks big enough to give up burgers and steak?

A team of international researchers says probably not, contradicting established advice. In a series of papers published last week, the researchers say the increased risks are small and uncertain, and that cutting back likely wouldn’t be worth it for people who enjoy meat.

Their conclusions were swiftly attacked by a group of prominent US scientists who took the unusual step of trying to stop publication until their criticisms were addressed.

The new work does not say red meat and processed meats like hot dogs and bacon are healthy or that people should eat more of them. The reviews of past studies generally support the ties to cancer, heart disease and other bad health outcomes.

But the authors say the evidence is weak, and that there’s not much certainty meat is really the culprit, since other diet and lifestyle factors could be at play.

Most people who understand the magnitude of the risks would say “Thanks very much, but I’m going to keep eating my meat,” said coauthor Dr. Gordon Guyatt of McMaster University in Canada.

It ’s t he l atest e x a mple of

how d iv isive nutr it ion re sea rc h h a s become, w it h its uncer ta inties leav ing the door open for conf l ict ing adv ice.

Critics say findings often aren’t backed by strong evidence. Defenders counter that nutrition studies can rarely be conclusive because of the difficulty of measuring the effects of any single food, but that methods have improved.

“What we need to do is look at the weight of evidence—that’s what courts of law use,” said Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition at Harvard University, who was among those calling for the papers’ publication to be postponed.

Willett, who has led studies tying meat to bad health outcomes, also said the reviews do not consider the particularly pronounced benefits of switching from red meat to vegetarian options.

The journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, defended the work and said the request to have it pulled before publication is not how scientific discourse is supposed to happen. Guyatt called the attempt to halt publication “silly.”

In the papers, the authors sought to gauge the potential impact of eating less meat, noting the average of two to four servings a

A man makes a submarine sandwich with mortadella, cooked salami, ham, Genoa salami and sweet capicola at a delicatessen in Massachusetts. An international team of researchers is questioning the advice to limit red and processed meats, saying the link to cancer and heart disease is weak. AP/Elise Amendola

week eaten in North America and Western Europe.

They said the evidence for cutting back wasn’t compelling. For example, they found that cutting three servings of red meat a week would result in seven fewer cancer deaths per 1,000 people.

Based on the analyses, a panel of the international researchers said people do not have to cut back for health reasons. But they note their own advice is weak and that they didn’t take into account other factors, such as animal welfare and the toll meat production has on the environment.

There was dissent even among the authors; three of the 14 panelist said they support reducing red and processed meats. A coauthor of one review is also among those who called for a publication delay.

Those who pushed to postpone

publication also questioned why certain studies were included or excluded in the reviews. Harvard’s Dr. Frank Hu also noted that about a third of American adults eat at least one serving of red meat a day.

He said the benefits of cutting back would be larger for those who eat such high amounts.

Still, other researchers not involved in the reviews have criticized nutrition science for producing weak and conflicting findings.

Dr. John Ioannidis, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, said such advice can distract from clearer, more effective messages, such as limiting how much we eat.

As for his own diet, Guyatt said he no longer thinks red or processed meats have significant health risks. But he said he still avoids them out of habit, and for animal welfare and environmental reasons. AP

Mayor Sotto aims to foster a culture of innovation among Pasigueños

Cutting the ribbon to signal the start of the Regional Science and Technology Week held in Pasig City are (from left) DOST Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr., Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and DOST-NCR Regional Director Jose Patalinjug III. Enrico Belga Jr./DOSTPh Facebook page

‘I

hope this RSTW [Regional Science and Technology Week] will not only be a one-day show or fair, but an instrument for the Pasig residents, especially the

youth, to be interested in the field of science and technology.”

This was the message of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto at the opening rites of the Department of

Science and Technology (DOST)led RSTW at the PaMaMariSan (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina and San Juan) cluster.

In his keynote speech at the

Rizal High School, Caruncho Stadium in Pasig City, Sotto said he hopes to foster a culture of innovation among Pasigueños with the help of DOST-Philippines.

T he ne w Pa sig m ayor e xpressed his amazement when he saw the booths displaying DOST innovations and technologies.

“From the entrance up to my seat, I saw many innovations which we could introduce here in Pasig City. I am excited with the innovations we could make,” said Sotto, who was thankful that Pasig was chosen as the host city for the RSTW. Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña, Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. and Regional Director Jose Patalinjug III of the DOST-National Capital Region also graced the event.

DOSTPh Facebook page

PHL electronics get boost with EPDC I.S.O. 17025 accreditation

E

l e c t r o n i c p ro d u c t s f ro m t h e Philippines have a better chance of penetrating the international market after the Electronics Product D e v e l o p m e n t C e n t e r ( E P DC ) , t h e Philippines’s premier electronics testing c e n t e r, g a i n e d i t s ISO 1 7 0 2 5 : 2 0 1 7 accreditation for electrical testing.

Awarded by the American Association for Laborator y Accreditation (A2LA), the ISO 17025 positions the EPDC of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on a par with electronics testing centers worldwide. It recognized several testing methods of the center for its international compliance.

A2LA is an independent, nonprofit, internationally recognized accreditation body in the United States for laboratory and laboratory-related accreditation services.

The accreditation recognizes the technical competence and the laboratory quality management system of the DOSTEPDC for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing.

Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, the executive director of Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research

At the Global Compliance Consulting Technical Training conducted by Thomas Dickten (fourth from left) attended by (from left) Lemuel Borgonia, Victor Gruet, Hilary de Leon, Julius Solomon, Janel Sito, Jhonatan Tapay and Darwin Bernabe Mendez in preparation for the ISO 17025:2017 accreditation.

and Development (PCIEERD) of the DOST, congratulated the DOST-EPDC for getting the ISO 17025:2017.

“The recognition that the A2LA awarded to DOST-EPDC was a testament to the continuous innovation that we have committed to the Filipino people. We are

optimistic that more electronic companies will be trooping to the DOST-EPDC to have their products tested or create new designs using our machines,” he said.

A2LA awarded the ISO 17025:2017 for commercial and automotive component tests for both radiated and conducted

emission tests of DOST-EPDC for the following products: Internet of Things (IoT) equipment, information-technology equipment, multimedia equipment, power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies, 3D printers, medical equipment and on-board automotive devices (ie.,: camera, sensor, engine control unit, etc.).

DOST created EPDC in response to an industry need for facilities to improve product design, development, test and to spur even more electronics manufacturing in the country. It was a call championed by the Electronic Industries Association of the Philippines Inc. (EIAPI).

With DOST-EPDC, companies can have their product tests done in the country instead of sending them abroad. Inaugurated in 2017, DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute manages EPDC in partnership with EIAPI. Th ro u g h t h e DOST- E P DC , s m a l l, medium, and large enterprises can have easy access to testing facilities for their electronics products, and even help them create their own through the various innovation programs of the facility.

S&T Media Service

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

PHL to host 2nd East AsianAustralasian Flyway Congress

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

T

he Philippines, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), led by its Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), will host the Second East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EA AF) Congress for Wetlands and Migratory Waterbirds in the course of Climate Change, happening from October 7 to 11 at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.

In 2014, the DENR-ERDB also spearheaded the First EAAF Congress in Cebu City which also convened participants from various countries within the EAAF. In a statement, ERDB, the research and development arm of the DENR, said around 200 delegates from various countries—such as Russia, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, United States, Cambodia, Japan and Pakistan—will discuss recent research and development (R&D) on waterbirds and wetlands in the EAAF. Dr. Simplicia A . Pasicolan, le ad org a n i z er of t he e vent and chief science research spec i a l i st i n Urba n Ecos ystems R esea rc h D iv i sion of ER DB, sa id fou r subt hemes w i l l be discussed during the Congress.

These are: 1) effects or impacts of climate change to wetlands and migratory waterbirds; 2) appropriate management strategies on

wetland habitat of waterbirds; 3) adaptable enabling instruments in protecting wetland habitats along flyway, and 4) frontline innovation and breakthroughs for sustainable urban future for people, wetlands and waterbirds.

Through the Congress, ERDB hopes to strengthen partnership among EAAF states through identification of R&D gaps and initiatives for the conservation of migratory birds and their wetland habitats in the face of climate change.

The EAAF, a route that supports migratory birds, is home to over 50 million migratory waterbirds from over 250 different populations.

It also includes 32 globally threatened species and 19 nearthreatened species.

The Philippines serves as habitat to more than 80 species of migratory birds that visit the country every year.

“The growing demand of water for both humans and animals could lead to water shortage. This could lead to the need to look for alternative sources of water which could dry our wetlands which are essential for migratory birds,” Pasicolan said.

“With the devastating impacts of climate change, now more than ever, we need to work together toward the protection and conservation of these species and their habitats,” ERDB Director Sofio Quintana said.

DOST science fair offers enabling technologies to Bicolanos

B

LESSED with rich natural resources, the Bicolanos will once again e x per ience t he feel of t he d if ferent enabl ing tec hnolog ies de ve loped by t he Depa r t ment of Science a nd Tec hnolog y (DOST ) t hat is poised to c ha nge t heir l ives for t he better.

T he Regional Science and Te c h nolo g y We e k ( R S T W ) celebration is one of the many fol low-up events a f ter t he National Science and Technolog y Week held in Manila.

DOST Region V is organizing the event on 8 -10 October 2019 to be held at the Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technolog y (BISC A ST) Gy mnasium in Naga Cit y, Camar ines Sur. DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña is expected to lead the opening ceremonies together with local officials, namely 3rd District of Cam a r i nes Su r Cong ressm a n Gabriel H. Bordado, Jr., Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis R. Villafuerte, and Naga City Mayor Nelson S. Legacion.

A highlight of the celebration is the awarding of plaques of ownership to the graduates of the Small Enterprise Technolog y Upg rading Prog ram or SETUP titled “Parangal sa Mga Bayaning Entrepreneur.”

SETUP is one of the f lagship programs of the DOST implemented in the regions to help micro, small and medium enter prises (MSMEs) improve their productiv it y, product quality, and operation using science and technolog y.

As part of this, the 2019 Best SETUP Adoptor for Region V, MAS Steel Fabricator, will have an audio-visual presentation to inspire other local entrepreneurs to use science and technology as a way to improve their business and later become world-class. MAS Steel

Fabricator is now the leading stainless steel fabricator in Bicol that provides high-quality stainless-steel products.

The other major event is the awarding of the best CEST program to the local government of A roroy, a coa st a l mu nic ipa l it y in Masbate.

CEST stands for Community Empowerment through Science and Technology, another f lagship program of the DOST that focuses on addressing problems on health and nutrition, water and sanitation, human resource and development, economic development and livelihood opportunities, and disaster risk reduction a n d m a n a g e m e n t /c l i m a t e change adaptation.

T he pa r t ne r sh ip of t he DOST Region V and Aroroy resulted in six technology trainings, creation of the MDRRMO office and establishment of rad io s t at io n s , a s s i s t a nc e to 13 MSME s i n t he w ater a n a ly s i s t h rou g h O ne L a b, assistance to t wo SET UP benef ic i a r ies, a nd g ra nt i ng of se ven sc hol a rsh ips.

Aside from the exhibits of latest innovations in agriculture, enterprise development, and practical inventions, the celebration will feature the launch of the Modernization Through Upgrading of Albay Dairy Plant Project and the Food Safety Assurance for Every Juan or FoodSAFE aimed at helping the street food vendors upgrade the standards of their products and operation.

Lastly, the R ST W w ill feature the Bicol Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits or BR ICE, a venue to showcase the latest inventions of Bicolanos that can help in improv ing their lives. T his event is being conducted in collaboration with the DOSTTechnolog y Application and Promotion Institute.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, October 6, 2019

A7

Don’t pass up these vacay spots in Antipolo

By Carla Mortel-Baricaua

C

Photos by Jaypee Maristaza

onveniently accessible right on the doorstep of Metro Manila, Antipolo is more than ready to welcome weary bodies and souls for some rest and recreation that everyone deserves every now and then.

Obra ni Juan’s showroom is at Sitio Ligtasan, Antipolo.

ducing his own malts, and sourcing local ingredients for his own brewery. A visit at his home-based brewery will afford lucky visitors with a brief lecture on beer making, which is surprisingly easy according to Gatlabayan, and a taste sampling of his beer variants if they’re available. Santiago craft beers are known not only for their unique tastes, but also for their names, such as Amihan, Habagat, Ipo Ipo and Buhawi. Visits to Gatlabayan’s home-based brewery are by appointment only.

For a meaningful travel, head to Mount Purro Nature Reserve, the eco park at the foot of Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

In Luljetta’s Hanging Garden Spa, you can enjoy the hydromassage pool and other water-based amenities.

So, if you had been overlooking Antipolo for that much-needed break from the city life, you’ve been missing out on the growing number of diverse attractions that the highland city has to offer. In the fourth edition of the Tayo na sa Antipolo media tour, Bienvenido Tours Managing Director Ramon Marinas curated a series of destinations far from the usual tourist staples, such as the Antipolo Cathedral, Hinulugang Taktak Falls, the scenic night time cityscape, and the cashew nuts and suman stores. This time, the tour showcased a more diverse list of destinations since Antipolo does have a lot to offer that answers different of interests both first time and repeat visitors.

Go for rest and recreation

Bringing your family members, or your group of friends to an out of town trip can a bit challenging. Aside from good food and accommodations, keeping a number of people entertained is also a must. Thus, a destination must be well-furnished with activities and possibilities of adventures to choose from.

The Boso-Boso Highlands Resort and Hotel sits on a 10- hectare lush property along the Marilaque Highway. The mountain resort is equipped with dorms and private rooms, function rooms, four swimming pools (two for kids, an Olympic size and a layered pool), sports amenities, and a convention center. All bedrooms have private

verandas overlooking the lush greenery and grand view of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the Laguna de Bay. At Café Cristina restaurant, our group had a cool and refreshing experience as we watched the fog roll in while enjoying a sumptuous breakfast. There could also never be a dull moment at this resort since it also hosts an adventure camp with basketball court, trekking trail, obstacle courses and a zipline.

If you have your loved one, or your best buddies into some serious downtime, the Loreland Farm Resort is the place to be. This homegrown mountain resort has 50 room accommodations, five function venues, restaurants and five swimming pools. Inside Loreland compound, you can find the manicured gardens of Luljetta’s Place Garden Suites. There is also a café, spa treatment rooms, lap pool, children’s pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub for that total relaxation.

Just in a short distance is Luljetta’s Hanging Gardens Spa, the first and only hanging gardens and spa in the country. With tropical themed cottages, water amenities (infinity pools, hydromassage pool, sauna, hot tub, meditation lounges, lush gardens on its natural setting, you and your companions are in for a real treat.

Just imagine yourselves dressed in the traditional batik robes after enjoying Luljetta’s signature massages, then savoring a serving of its flash fried suman topped with

Try mixing business with pleasure Santiago Brewery and Malthouse serves craft beers.

Easy dining pleasures at Oscar’s and Tipulo restaurant

caramel sauce, cashew nuts and mango while admiring the commanding view of the Laguna de Bay and Metro Manila.

Pursue your passion and interests

If you’re looking for a sustainable tourist spot in Antipolo, you’re in good company at Mount Purro Nature Reserve. Founded and run by Toto Malvar and his family, this 36-hectare eco park sustains the environment and communities at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Their farm-style accommodations are modest amid trees and lush greeneries and a mountain spring. Their facilities provide space for fun gatherings, while outdoor activities are mostly nature bound.

Part of Antipolo’s local heritage is the patahian (dressmaking) that gave livelihood to residents.

A visit to Obra ni Juan gives visitors a glimpse of the local talent and ingenuity in manufacturing top quality clothing line. A family owned business, Obra ni Juan was first known for its resort wear sold in posh hotels, Duty Free shops, and the famous Amanpulo Resort in Palawan. A proud Filipino product, their line of wear from casual to formal is made up of local tex-

Inday Cadapan Home Gallery, your gateway to Antipolo’s artist community

tiles with patterns and designs depicting local vibes and spirit. Due to popular demand, Obra ni Juan is now sold at major mall chains like SM malls and Robinson’s Department stores. Its showroom of its latest line is open for visitors.

From paintings, sculptures, and handmade dolls to its warm ambiance, Inday Cadapan Home Gallery will inspire the artist, or the art lover in you. This home gallery café provides a great setting to art lovers, or those who simply enjoy interesting conversations over freshly brewed coffee. Magel Capadan entertains guests

with the artworks and anecdotes of her mom, the late Inday Cadapan, while Chef Liz Montealegre serves local delicacies with her own unique twist. Set an appointment first if you plan to visit this gallery café.

Another good example of Antipolo’s warm reception can be found at the Santiago Brewery and Malthouse. In search of beer best suited to his taste, James Gatlabayan ultimately decided to make a batch of his own. After research and much learning, he now takes pride in founding the first and only malt house in the country, in pro-

If you just can’t shake off work, then bring it with you at the Eugenio Lopez Center. It has venues for seminars, corporate training parties and meetings, as well as 38 well-appointed guest rooms with a relaxing atmosphere. Their inhouse restaurant, Oscar’s, serves Continental and Filipino cuisines that you can savor as you unwind at the view deck, or at the lower terrace while sipping cocktails.

Jazz tunes from a live band provide a nice touch while enjoying the company of your colleagues at dinner.

Another good venue for the same purpose is the First Pacific Leadership Academy, a premier training and development center. As the nation’s first corporate academy, it shares its leadership and corporate expertise with the private sector and government in its lush and refreshing 10-hectare campus in Antipolo, with the vision of becoming Asia’s gateway to the future of business and innovation. Having recently expanded its scope of services, the academy now accepts guests not just for team-building activities but for leisurely pursuits, as well. It’s also particularly proud of its dining facilities, Tipulo Restaurant and The Bolts. The Tipulo Restaurant’s modern Filipino cuisine is something to look forward to when dining in Antipolo.

PHL set to lead Asia in farm tourism

By Gelyka Ruth R. Dumaraos

T

he Philippines has all it takes to be the leading country as far as farm tourism is concerned, former Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary and International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) Chairman Dr. Mina T. Gabor said.

To prove just that, the country is set to welcome local and international delegates to ISST’s sixth Philippine Farm Tourism Conference 2019 from November 6 to 8 in Cebu.

ISST looks into welcoming over a thousand delegates in the conference compared to 2017’s 500 participants, which consists of farmers and cooperatives, farm tourism operators, landowners, government officers, entrepreneurs and sustainable agriculture enthusiasts.

With this global summit, Gabor eyes to anchor farm tourism in the Philippines as globally competitive and future-ready with discussions on

adaptation of agriculture sector in climate change, aquaculture, urban farming and product-focused discussions.

With the theme “Building Community Relationship for Sustainable Development through Farm Tourism,” the conference aims to learn and share the best practices done by experts in farm tourism industry, as well as fighting for food security.

Starting young

With the abundance of emerging farm tourism sites across the country, Gabor said that more enthusiasts are encouraged to put up their own, most especially the younger generation.

“It’s really the craze,” Gabor said, saying it is a symbol of a brighter farming in the Philippines. “Since we operated in 2012, from that time on up to now, it’s a quantum leap.”

She added that the future of farming is bright with their creativity and new ideas that are disrupting current

trends. “They’re bringing in new innovations, and that’s what’s making it exciting. That’s why I believe we can be the next farm capital in Asia.”

Urban farming

One of the current trends ISST is looking into is urban farming in partnership with various local government agencies in Metro Manila, starting with Parañaque City. As a way of community-building, urban farming paves the way for people to make use of vacant lots as small farms.

Recently, ISST tied up with Bokashi Pinoy, a start-up company introducing bokashi-making among livelihoods.

Bokashi is a way of turning food wastes, such as meat and dairy, into a soil amendment through fermentation. It serves as a soil-builder and a source of nutrients for plants.

ISST believes that through this, kitchen wastes in urban areas can be addressed. It can also be another

source of livelihood for those who want to sell their own bokashi.

Challenges

While DOT focuses on farm tourism, Gabor acknowledges the challenges that come with it, most especially climate change. “When there is climate change, the first that will be affected will be the farm,” she said. “But it is also the farm which can mitigate it.”

For one, she considers as a big challenge is water, what with the coming El Niño season. She said, “We are working closely now with a team of climate specialist. We might bring in this subject so that we can prepare and educate our farmers on interventions for water shortage.”

In addition, Gabor considers the soil another challenge in urban farming. She said it is imperative that farmers are well educated on the importance of proper nourishment for their soil to yield best results for their produce.

ISST encourages farm tourism enthusiasts to learn more about best practices and techniques on farming.

Last, Gabor sees that infrastructure should be considered to boost farm tourism in the country. She hopes that with the support of the government, roads leading to farms even in remote areas can be accessed easily, bringing in more potentials tourists for the area.

With the pressure that comes with start-up farms, some farm tourism sites come with premature opening to the public. Noting that some farms which

are focused more on their landscapes, looking into tourists’ welfare, such as having PWD-friendly pathways, and comfortable comfort rooms are not yet a priority. Gabor said that this includes continues training for local guides.

For their part, ISST is continuously offers lectures, such as farm guiding, marketing and financing, eco guiding and tourism master planning for farm tourism enthusiasts.

Sports BusinessMirror

RELYING ON ‘IMPORTS’ A8 Sunday, October 6, 2019

D

By James Ellingworth The Associated Press

OHA, Qatar—Just as migrant workers built Qatar’s stadiums, a foreign-born medalist is building its reputation in track.

QATAR’S Abderrahman Samba prepares for the men’s 400-meter hurdles semifinals. AP

Abderrahman Samba’s bronze in the 400-meter hurdles Monday was the first Qatari medal at the world track championships and sparked joy in the VIP enclosure, the one part of the stadium where local fans were dominant.

“Today when they say my name, everybody starts screaming,” Samba said. “I say to myself, ‘Just go, man.’”

Samba was born in Saudi Arabia and competed for his father’s home nation of Mauritania in Africa before getting a Qatari passport in 2015, just five months after moving to the country. Such nationality switches are a sore point for track’s international governing body.

For years the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has been trying to shut down what its council member Hamad Kalkaba Malboum likened in 2017 to a “wholesale market for African talent.”

“You can’t have athletes being traded, it’s bordering on trafficking if you’re not careful,” IAAF President Sebastian Coe told The Associated Press in August. “I’ve had member federation presidents who have said to me openly that they were waking up to e-mails from people saying ‘We’ve

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

SEAG FLAME HANDOVER Olympic Council of Malaysia President Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria hands over the Southeast Asian Games Flame to Cynthia Carrion, representing Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham Tolentino, during a formal ceremony at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, host of the 29th Games, in Malaysia on Thursday. The ceremony signals the start of the Torch Run for the Philippine hosting of the 30th edition of the Games from November 30 to December 11. Witnessing the ceremony are (from left) Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Deputy COO Jojit Alcazar, boxer Ian Clark Bautista, taekwondo jin Pauline Lopez, Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose, Malaysia Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Phisgoc President and COO Ramon Suzara, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma, Clark Development Corp. President and CEO Noel Manankil, Capas (Tarlac) Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan, Phisgoc Deputy Director General and Athletes Village (New Clark City) Mayor Arrey Perez and triathlete Nico Huelgas. NONIE REYES got so and so [who] is available for...’

You can’t have that.”

Qatar’s team has athletes originally from at least six other countries including Britain, Nigeria and Egypt. Qatar offers athletes advanced training facilities and a chance to shine. The new arrivals generally don’t have prior ties to the nation.

In a country where native Qataris are vastly outnumbered by migrant workers, whether Bangladeshis on construction sites or service workers from the Philippines, relying on imported talent is nothing new.

Qatar’s two-time Olympic high jump medalist Mutaz Barshim was born in the country, but sometimes Qatar and other nations seem to behave like professional soccer clubs rather than national teams.

The IA AF has repor ted Ashraf Amjad Al-Saifi was “spotted” when winning the Egyptian youth title in hammer throw aged 15 and handed a Qatari passport a few months later in 2011. New IAAF rules aim to prevent a repeat with a three-year waiting period to compete for a new nation.

In the Kenyan town of Iten, known as the “Universit y of Champions” for training star distance runners, Qatar promised to build a stadium af ter naturalizing Kenyan runner

Stephen Cherono, later known as Saif Saaeed Shaheen. The track was to bear the tar tan pat tern found on local people’s cloaks.

Although Shaheen brought Qatar onto the international track stage with world championship gold medals in 2003 and 2005, no stadium was ever built.

Renato Canova, an Italian distance coach who formerly trained Qatar’s team and now works in Kenya, argues athletes have the right to switch to escape tough competition for squad places at home. “ The countr y of course is not happy when you change citizenship, but the point of view is the individual point of view. It’s not that the federation here is guilty, there are thousands of athletes, and it’s not possible to assist everybody,” Canova told The Associated Press. “ When we speak about World Championships and Olympics, those that involve all the world, then the athletes have the right to go.”

In 2017, the IAAF froze all nationality switches in track and field. One of its concerns was that athletes were being traded by influential agents, without much say over which country they represented.

The IA AF has also fought to ensure naturalized athletes get full citizenship rights. That didn’t always happen in the past, leaving them at risk of being abandoned if their per formances dropped.

There are signs that the pressure on some naturalized athletes leads them to break the rules. Since June, t wo African-born athletes for Bahrain have been banned for doping, including Olympic marathon silver medalist Eunice Kir wa. A third was pulled from worlds for an investigation into missed drug tests.

It’s not only Arab nations fielding athletes who’ve switched allegiance.

The Netherlands has Sifan Hassan, who arrived from Ethiopia as a 15-year-old refugee and gained Dutch nationality five years later. On Sunday, she became world champion in the 10,000 meters.

Born in Iten, Paul Chelimo won the Olympic silver at 5,000 for the United States but had to serve in the US Army on his way to gaining citizenship.

Speaking during training Kenya before the world championships, he was sure he made the right choice.

“I’m happy I made the decision, because I would not have had such a good chance here.”

fans show ‘S.I’., under new Rival Ethiopia’s divides at athletics worlds management, D cuts staff jobs

N

E W YO R K — S p o r t s I l l u s trated’s new manager said Thursday that the 65-yearold sports magazine is cutting more than 40 jobs out of a staff of 150.

Maven, the company now managing the magazine, will add 200 contractors to cover college and professional sports teams, said Maven Spokesman Greg Witter. These people are “independent publishers, contractors” but “still professional journalists,” he said.

Maven struck a licensing deal in June to operate Sports Illustrated with the magazine’s new owner, branding company Authentic Brands Group.

Magazine publisher Meredith, which earlier this year sold Sports Illustrated to Authentic Brands for $110 million, was initially supposed to run the magazine’s print edition and web site.

Sports Illustrated’s new CEO, Ross Levinsohn, is the former publisher of the Los Angeles Times and a controversial figure who was investigated on sexual-harassment allegations. He was cleared of wrongdoing by the company, then called Tronc, that had owned the paper. He is a frequent collaborator with Maven’s CEO, Jim Heckman, a media entrepreneur.

Heckman said in a brief June interview with The Associated Press that

Spor ts Illustrated is “an impor tant treasure for the country. We’re going to invest into that treasure.” He said the primary focus was investment in technology for the brand.

But media watchers have been concerned about the future of the magazine under Authentic Brands and Maven.

Several Sports Illustrated staffers tweeted a petition Thursday asking Meredith and Authentic Brands to drop Maven and save the magazine.

Maven said the meeting where layoffs were announced Thursday “was all Meredith.”

Meredith, however, said Maven made the personnel decisions that Meredith communicated to staffers.

“Going forward, the remaining SI employees will work at the direction and at the pleasure of Maven,” Meredith said in a statement.

Authentic Brands did not reply to questions.

Sports Illustrated began publishing in 1954 and is known for its in-depth coverage of sports, as well as its annual swimsuit edition. It has struggled, however, with declining circulation, the emergence of digital rivals and the exodus of advertising dollars to online outlets. AP

OHA, Qatar—The Ethiopian supporters are the loudest in the stadium at the track world championships—because they’re trying to drown each other out.

As Ethiopian runners clean up on the track and celebrate together, the fans are divided into two rival political camps.

One group displays pictures of past monarchs like Emperor Haile Selassie and flies an older version of the national flag, one which some Ethiopians consider less inclusive. The other fans champion a long-marginalized ethnic group, which produces many of the nation’s great distance runners.

Around 100 fans from the Oromo ethnic group, many of them migrant workers living in Qatar, fly the flag of the once-banned Oromia Liberation Front (OLF) at every distance race at the championships.

The world champion in the 5,000 meters, Muktar Edris, seemed to endorse them Monday when he picked up and wore an OLF flag thrown to him by fans after winning gold. That had disappeared when Edris arrived to speak with reporters, draped once again in the Ethiopian national flag.

A team official refused to translate a question from The Associated Press to Edris about the OLF flag, saying: “Athletes only represent their country, not a political party.”

The divisions between fans were starker in the women’s 10,000 on Saturday, when Sifan Hassan won gold for the Netherlands. She was born in Ethiopia’s Oromia region but left as a teenage refugee before eventually gaining a Dutch passport. The OLF-supporting fans backed her, but others were left cold by an athlete not wearing Ethiopia’s uniform.

At one stage, a group with the national flag moved down to the front of the stand to cheer Ethiopia’s runners, antagonizing the nearby OLF supporters. Qatari police moved in to keep the groups separate as they called to each other.

The Oromo are the largest of Ethiopia’s numerous ethnic groups, but have historically had little influence in the ruling classes, though the reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is Oromo. AP

The X’s and O’s of the Y’s and Z’s Understanding the ‘misunderstood’ by solving the young professionals’ pattern of priorities

The X’s and O’s of the Y’s and Z’s Understanding the ‘misunderstood’ by solving the young professionals’ pattern of priorities

By Jt Nisay

T

Y2Z Editor

he oftenmisunderstood youth apparently just want money and growth.

A new local survey, titled “Laws of Attraction” (LOA) determined that the top “drivers of attraction” among the younger generation of Filipino workers and job candidates are salary/compensation and career/development, along with work-life balance.

“For companies looking to attract and retain young talent, competitive compensation packages, inclusive career development opportunities and work-life balance are crucial,” said Philip Gioca, country manager of JobStreet Philippines, the online job board that is behind the LOA survey. “This younger generation of workers also find great purpose in values-driven companies that take corporate social responsibility seriously.”

Conducted by research agency Kantar TNS, the LOA is the biggest of its kind in the Philippines with 18,378 respondents aged 18 to 65 years old from the top 25 industries, including business-process outsourcing, retail and health care. The respondents were surveyed for less than 20 minutes each between January 18 and March 4, 2019.

The study identified the characteristics of the different generations in the work force. The Baby Boomers (1945 to 1964), according to the LOA, value hard work above all, while the Gen X (1965 to 1979) hold loyalty in high regard. As for the focus of the study, the youth, the Gen Y or millennials (1980 to 1994) prioritize work-life balance, while the Gen Z (1995+) treasure innovation and change.

Key drivers for an important sector The importance of the study’s focus on young professionals is underscored by the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which identified the youth as the largest working group in the country that is only bound to grow bigger in the coming years.

Figures show that 27.5 percent of employed persons are 25 to 34 years old, making millennials the largest working group in the country. Meanwhile, Gen Zers currently make up 14.7 percent of the work force, a figure expected to rise to 35 percent by 2025.

The LOA stated that the two important age groups had different No. 1 driver of attraction. While millennials ranked salary/ compensation as their top priority—with focus on equity in the business/employee stock option and guaranteed 14-month

JobStreet Philippines Sales Manager Paul Tuazon delivers a talk during a media roundtable based on the “Laws of Attraction Survey,” which is available for viewing at jobstreet.com.ph. pay—Gen Zers value career and development opportunities the most, with emphasis on education and the chance for overseas employment and training.

Despite Gen Y’s chase of high salary and Gen Z’s clamor for career advancement, both agree on work-life balance as the third key driver of attraction.

Gen Y and Gen Z also differ in their perception of three other vital drivers of attraction. For millennials, job security is decidedly important; not so for Gen Z talents, who generally prefer part-time work for an hourly rate, but have a higher regard for management/leadership style. Nevertheless, both age groups want employers who are professional, respectful and collaborative/supportive.

The young generation also want employers who support a cause. The LOA study revealed that corporate social responsibility is more relevant to Gen Y and Gen Z respondents than to other generations.

Millennials and Gen Zers also share the belief that employers must value and contribute to its people, as well as help nurture and protect the environment. More Gen Zers, however, clearly wish to work for organizations that make a positive impact on society and the environment compared to their Gen Y counterparts (70 percent vs 60 percent).

Government and accounting One of biggest findings of the study is the industry preference of Filipino Gen Zers. As compared to other markets, local members of Gen Z prefer jobs in accounting and government industries due to stability, competitive salary and benefits and work-life balance.

That said, more than 90 percent of Generations Y and Z believe that mandatory government benefits and health/life-insurance plans should be the top 2 inclusions in

2 BusinessMirror

any compensation package. While double pay during public holidays is the third most essential factor for both of them, a competitive base income appears to be of greater importance to millennials (84 percent) than to Gen Z professionals (77 percent).

In comparison with Gen Y, more Gen Zers view guaranteed 14th-month pay (67 percent vs 63 percent) as a must-have.

Meanwhile, both groups consider high night differential (Gen Z 61 percent, Gen Y 59 percent) and bonuses or profit-sharing schemes (Gen Z 60 percent, Gen Y 58 percent) as essential offerings of a company.

Moreover, almost 60 percent of Gens Y and Z strongly approve of allowances in the form of meals or rice and for purposes of travel, shift work, and entertainment, among others. Between the two generations, the LOA determined Gen Z as the one expected to ask for a sign-on bonus (53 percent vs 44 percent).

Emphasis on growth A notable 78 percent of the young work force say that promotion opportunities are definitely a “must” when evaluating any company or job proposal. It would be best for employers to assure them of clear growth and succession plans, self-development programs, and on-the-job skills development—all compelling factors for 58 percent of millennials and 71 percent of Gen Zers.

Mentoring programs, meanwhile, are deemed very significant by more millennials than Gen Zers (63 percent vs 55 percent).

When it comes to work-life balance, 83 percent of these age groups say that fair compensation for overtime is their most pressing consideration. Both of them express preference for companies that allow employees to cash out unused annual leaves, adhere to public/general holidays, and implement a five-day work week.

As opposed to millennials, Gen Zers are October 6, 2019

more inclined to look for daytime working hours (52 percent vs 48 percent), but Gen Y candidates would more likely demand for flexible working hours (51 percent vs 45 percent). Millennials also appears to favor high frequency of business travel more than Gen Y or any of the other generations.

‘Growth-centric, balance-oriented and values-driven’ Gen Y and Gen Z have their fair share of differences. While millennials value a more competitive base salary, Gen Zers are more inclined to jobs with more incentives. Millennials value job security, whereas Gen Zers place more importance on quality of leadership. Gen Z is also more experiential, looking for more growth and travel opportunities compared to their Gen Y counterparts.

Despite the contrast, the future work force looks to be growth-centric, balanceoriented and values-driven. Both millennials and Gen Zers are driven by career growth, with Gen Y valuing more mentorship opportunities and Gen Z looking for capacity- and skill-building programs.

Both generations also expect their employers to be professional and supportive, and their companies to contribute to society and the environment in meaningful ways.

According to Paul Tuazon, jobstreet. com sales manager, companies don’t necessarily have to bend and address an absent driver, but simply focus on those they already have.

“What we’re saying with the LOA survey is that every generation has a different set of drivers of attraction,” Tuazon said. “Every company is structured differently, and what we present to them are the employees’ wants.”

More information on the Laws of Attraction Survey is available on jobstreet. com.ph.

BusinessMirror

MUSIC

PRINT

WUDS: A NEW ALBUM, THE SAME DHARMA

By Darwin Fernandez | Photos By Bernard Testa as Interviewed By Alma Anonas-Carpio

E

ver since the a new degree of political activism sprung in the 70s along with a more vocal and socially concerned public art itself took a deep turn in the Philippines; more than just aesthetics to please the senses, artists have taken it upon themselves to make art with a purpose.

Among the cultures of art that began to spring in the Philippines in this time was the vast Punk scene that vocalised the social and economic woes of the struggling classes of society. Some of the most iconic names in punk took the stage in the early 80s and most

of them have continued to live on and make music that still remains relevant in the modern age like WUDS who recently announced their new album Alay.

From the same strings and percussion that pioneered Filipino punk, Bobby Balingit (vocals and

guitar), Alfred Guevarra (Bassist) and Aji Adriano (Drums) are still a trio that’s worth listening to.

Shared goal Sharing the stage back when the Philippines didn’t have internet connection the group played their

tunes in the same time groups like Third World Chaos, Urban Bandits, Betrayed, Dead Ends, G.I. and the Idiots and other names that etched the brand of local punk. After decades with playing Continued on page 4

4

Sound BusinessMirror

OCTOBER 6 , 2019 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com

MUS

Wudz...

from page 3

together, they share their story on what keeps the bond alive.

“We share a common goal: na mataas ang diwa ng tao,” Balingit said, “ang pagsusulat kritikal sa pagiinfluence ng buhay ng tao, dapat ang samahan maingat siya sa kanyang binabahagi, kasi either ma-contaminate mo yung tao, or mapalaya mo.”

(We share a common goal: to lift a person’s consciousness, writing is critical in influencing lives, the group should be careful in what they share, because you either contaminate the person or free it.)

An artist’s duty Guevarra noted that the things we listen to influence a person’s life and even song that are simple like the common inuman preached in songs contribute to the formation of values.

“Kung hindi ka responsible sa kinakanta, either naiimpluwensyahan mo sila sa maganda o mabuti,” Guevarra said.

(If you’re not responsible with what you sing, you either become a good or bad influence to them) Balingit said there are two types of duties that an artist should consider in his work. Occupational duty is the literal job while prescribed duty is a duty that’s more on the nonphysical aspects of a person.

He says, “Ang artist ay may duty and dapat mong tanggapin yun as an occupational duty, trabaho mo yan, at dapat malinaw din sa kanya ang prescribed

duty-- meron kang fino-follow na prescription para maging mahusay ang iyong pagpapahayag, sa akin and prescribed duty ko ay nag a-accept ako ng summon na meron dapat akong pinaniniwalaan, pinagsisilbihan, para yung duty ko ay maging correct.”

(An artist has an occupational duty, it your job, and it should be clear to them their prescribed duty—you follow a prescription that ensures you’re good at what you preach, as for me I my prescribed duty is that I accept a summon to have faith and to serve so my duty is correct.)

Guevarra added, “Ang occupational duty mo is yung pag sisilbi mo sa society mo, pamilya at bansa, pero merong word na ‘Dharma’ na ang ibig sabihin ay ang ‘pinaka mataas na duty, which is duty mo sa Dyos.’ If you have abundant duty, everything is nourishment” “You occupational duty is your service to society, your family and nation, but there is a word called ‘Dharma’ which refers to the highest duty which is to God. If you have abundant duty, everything is nourishment.”

Alay Outside the stereotypes of punk rockers, WUDS carried a culture of peace, love and consciousness reflected in its lyrics, melody, and even in how the members viewed and lived life.

In this toxic modern political climate divided in pro and anti, Continued on page 6

d trip

soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com | OCTOBER 6 , 2019

5

SIC ON PRINT

JAIMIE PANGAN RELEASES SOUNDTRACK FOR THE WILD ONES

H

ollywood-based Filipino violinist and music composer for film, TV and games, Jaimie Pangan has released an 8-track album for the soundtrack of the film, “The Wild Ones.”

The film was directed by fellow Filipino, John Geronilla. The movie revolves around main characters Camila and Rico, who ride their bikes around the San Fernando Valley in search for their missing friend Nicole. Casts include Kelli

Anderson, Bobby Leo Garcia, Stephanie Hoston, Spencer Valenzuela, Rose Portillo, and Jessica Nielson (who appeared in the popular horror TV series “American Horror Story”).

Music on the album highlight

the mysterious nature of Nicole’s disappearance and the emotional roller coaster the main characters go through as they search for her.

It has ambient, electronic with Spanish and western influences.

The tracks have been composed with her team: Peruvian composer Alvaro Balvin Benavides, professional LA-based cellist Katt Newlon, and music engineer Alek Palmersmith.

Prior to the music release,

Jaimie has been nominated in the Hollywood Music and Media Awards in Los Angeles, California, for her music composition entitled “Farewell.”

“The Wild Ones” is now available for streaming and download in all major music streaming platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more.

For updates, make sure to follow her @jaimiepmusic on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

6

OCTOBER 6 , 2019 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com

Sound trip BusinessMirror

MUSIC ON PRINT

SoundSampler | by Tony M. Maghirang

Today’s Attractions: Korn vs. Slipknot Plus Ciudad, Sweet Life, Miguel

KORN The Nothing

SLIPKNOT We Are Not Your Kind

T

O most rock listeners, rap metal has not aged well. Memories of the critical bashing of the likes of Fred Durst and his Limp Bizkit and the general animosity towards rap and metal fusion bordering on racist tendencies has led to the decline of major fan interest on the genre. Not to disparage break-out acts like Rage Against The Machine or Deftones but rap metal may have a built-in short lifespan.

The potent Korn and the freaky Slipknot would have none of that disrespect, By the sound of their latest recordings, these once and future rap-metal kings are re-arming the music for a longer running nu metal.

It’s easy to ignore Korn’s “The Nothing.”

The title itself seems to indicate there’s no more left to say. But give these fading heroes another try and right at the opener ironically titled, “The End Begins,” a dirge-like guitar tone slithers to explosive drums followed by wails of the damned. Second track, again incongruously titled “Cold” is actually a hot slab of classic

rap-metal, all jagged storming guitars and death growls invoking an endless nightmare that breaks down to a catchy yet melancholic refrain.

Further on, “Gravity of Discomfort”, “H@rd3r” and “The Ringmaster” galvanizes old-school Korn sonic riot, interspersed with the more generic “Idiosyncrazy” and “Finally Free.”

Original guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch has returned to the fold and the tragic death of vocalist Jonathan Davis’ estranged wife provide the ominous yet liberating flow of the album’s centerpiece, “The Darkness is Revealing.” A return to form would be an understatement.

Fellow rap metal pioneers Slipknot just do what they do best -- to scare the hell out of everyone within hearing distance. “Insert Coin” starts the proceedings on a tame note. The next track “Unsainted” begins like a bad chorus practice, but by the 20-second mark, the tribal drumming goes berserk while vocalist Corey Taylor barks his lyrics into overdrive and the guitar/bass axis joins the mad frenzy.

“Nero Forte”, “Critical Darling” and “My Pain” careen along the same brutalist trajectory. The other tracks like “A Liar’s Funeral” are differentiated only by stretches of normal signing before Corey explodes into throat-shredding roars and screams.

“We are not your Kind” is a fierce statement.

There’s Slipknot and all the rest are just raucous distractions.

the band keeps re-arranging the context of young love and its drama, but true fans hardly give a hoot because Ciudad is all about great hooks, versatile songwriting and a steadfast embrace of the indie spirit.

It’s all about the music, dammit! On their latest release simply titled “Ciudad Forever,” Ciudad collects new songs and old chestnuts in celebration of the band’s past and present, which if you dive deep into such gorgeous numbers as “Goodbye, Brilliance,” “Midnight Drive” and “Call It a Flick” might as well be future classics from a superb Pinoy pop-rock band.

The inspirations that easily come to mind are The Beatles and that brief patch in’80s new wave when the likes of the Smithereens, The Delgados and The Replacements produced memorable poprockers. A hint of semi-obscure Swedish Soap label, home to Cinnamon and Eggstone, must also be in the air that Ciudad breathes.

This is the best OPM pop record of the year and destined to be a greatest hits double album for keeps, um, right about now.

MIGUEL Unreleased

I HE group Sweet Life describe themselves as “cousins and siblings who unite to concoct a feel good stew of breezy beats and silky somethings, seasoned with Filipino and Aussie spices.” Their debut album looks ready to pay tribute to the good life and the first track, “Fish Life,” talks about spatter of rain and staying in bed all day with the loved one, sautéed in lite lounge beat.

“Manila Dreams” comes in smooth R&B ambience and delivers these lyrics: “In Makati Avenue traffic so

N another lifetime, critics like to connect Miguel’s early incarnation with the guitarplaying prowess of “The Purple One” Prince and Jimi Hendrix. That makes for an impressive resume, no doubt, although on his latest album.

Miguel transposes the eclecticism of his esteemed idols in the service of electronica-driven neo R&B. “Unreleased” comes at you mostly in waves of thumping rhythms and discordant drum n bass, He can also be an effective balladeer entwining the best of Neo with the elegant swing of Stevie Wonder. Listen to “One Day At A time” or “Go” and be puzzled at where all the good music have gone? Or the Prince-ly “Magazine,” which argues that there’s better music out there than the endless stream of recycled boys to men. ruth be told, Miguel represents nostalgia but one that feels right at home in the cut and paste then puree post-millennial disposition.

Miguel shows his impressive wares at The Island at the Palace in Taguig on October 9.

Job pa yan, nakakranas siya ng matinding kalungkutan.Ang intelligence ng tao mas-mataas kumpara sa animal kingdom meron tayong higher na pagunawa sa love,” and added the current politics lack sympathy and empathy.

Balingit says that the band hasn’t been much different maybe for a new look and if anything, the message they carry has gotten more detailed and characterised by their melody.

“Ang WUDS hangagang ngayon ay nagsususlat pa dahil malinaw ang duty ng kailangang gawin, di lang siya [politika] usapin ng ekonomiya, usapin to ng duty, kasi kung ganun na siya ka hopeless dapat tumigil na kami,” he

affirmed, “ang ibig sabihin ng duty is ginawa na namin yung trabaho namin-- succesful o hindi, dahil ginawa namin, correct pa rin yan.”

Following their last two albums, the anti-war track “Ang Umibig Sa ‘Yo” (“One Who Loved You”) that became a hit on Philippine alternative radio stations and the 1997 release “Nakaupo Sa Puso” (Sitting on the Heart) their new album Alay hopes to continue the legacy of punk music that serves a good influence in the lives of WUDS’ listeners.

(The album now available for pre order and for more information in future gigs and reservations follow them @wudsmusic.)

SWEET LIFE Home Cookin’

T

CIUDAD Ciudad Forever

C

IUDAD started in 1994 and in the past 25 years, they’ve released albums filled with songs that lamented what girls did to boys who didn’t know any better, Actually, to this corner,

Wudz...

from page 4

Guevarra noted that people should ‘rise above.’

He said, “Pag naglalakad ka dito sa material world walang perfect na government unless santo ang naka upo, saint meaning they come as a true lover of god. Our message, simplified, is maging santo ka, maging pure ka so pagkamatay mo babalik ka sa Diyos.”

Balingit added, “Ang mundo ay may di pa naiintindihan sa material world, kaya mag struggle lagi. Di pwedeng i reject ang duality, material and spiritual, merong right and wrong. People think masasatisfy sila ng material, pero kahit si Steve

silky smooth on a Friday afternoon/As if everyone went to driving school… Left my wallet on the train and no one picked it.” That made for a quick snicker until it dawned that it was a dream song that also mentioned the promise of solar energy and fine air.

It’s the main surprise in an album that sticks more to the homey stuff. The music throughout, however, is subtly honed and multi-hued despite maintaining allegiance to the softer side of R&B. The cool factor can seep under your skin.

Unfortunately, it can also lull your senses to these increasingly troubled times.

T

The (digital) future of Filipinos in sports

By Luis Delos Santos

A

fter watching Gilas Pilipinas finish dead last in the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup with an abysmal 0-5 win-loss record, I began to wonder: Where should we Filipinos place ourselves in the world of sports?

We don’t lack in talent, as there are a lot of gifted athletes in the country. Heart? I don’t think that’s the problem either—just watch amateur and professional ballers display on court a high level of dedication to perform on top of their games.

Where we come up short, I think, is in the physical aspect. Being tall and strong is a big advantage in basketball and other sports. Watching the Philippine team in the Fiba World Cup, however, is like watching David vs Goliath, except slingshots are not allowed in basketball.

A new kind of competition is creating a buzz over the past few years, and it just might be the sport we Filipinos can actually compete in globally. Esports, or

electronic sports, is a competitive video game matchup that does not require the physicality or height advantage of traditional sports. The gamer-athlete just sits in front of a monitor, holding a controller or keyboard and mouse, trying to beat his opponent.

The fast-rising, multimillion-dollar industry will take a giant leap next month.

For the first time, eSports will be contested as a medal event in a multisport competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, as it will be featured as a medal sport at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games hosted by the Philippines. Players from nine countries will duke it out in six titles at the biennial regional event: Mobile Legends, Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Starcraft II, Tekken 7 and Hearthstone.

The inclusion of eSports in the SEA Games is about to strengthen and expand the eSports community, many of whom are millennials like me. I am already excited for the Philippine team, and I really hope we could place for each game that will be played in the tournament.

Purists, however, will tell you that eSports is not an actual sport because it lacks the physical aspect of one. I disagree. Esports require the essential qualities of any other sporting event: commitment and dedication. Players come into practice sessions to

7 BusinessMirror

perfect their game in pursuit of v ictor y, to show ever yone that they are the best at what they do.

Some might argue that eSports is “just a game,” but it is not.

These eSport athletes put in the work day in and day out by practicing anywhere from eight to 12 hours a day. Training for long hours is strenuous to the body and brain, but athletes push themselves to perform at their best despite the fatigue.

Sport also requires skill and focus, with split-second decisions often deciding the outcome of the match.

Recently, I have read an article about a Chinese eSports team that invests heavily on the wellness of their players. The team wants its athletes to perform at their peak condition and hired a nutritionist, psychiatrist, and a physical trainer.

Such developments remind people that eSports is not merely a game. It is a legitimate sport. It is the sport of the future. And it just might be the sport we Filipinos can dominate.

October 6, 2019

Call of Duty Mobile Is Off to an

Explosive Start

T

encent Holdings Ltd.’s Call of Duty Mobile has attracted 20 million gamers within the first two days of its worldwide debut, a big boost for the company’s ambition of adapting top-tier titles with global name recognition for smartphones.

Based on Activision Blizzard Inc.’s marquee PC and console franchise, Call of Duty Mobile generated a quick $2 million in player spending after rolling out on October 1 in the US, Europe, India and Latin America, researchers at Sensor Tower said. Its downloads rivaled those for Nintendo Co.’s Mario Kart Tour over its first two days, one of the most successful mobile game launches ever, according to their findings.

Call of Duty Mobile is the highest-profile project to emerge from Tencent’s effort to convert established gaming franchises to mobile, priming a pipeline that already stretches to 2022, Thomson Ji, vice president of Tencent’s TiMi Studios, said in an interview.

“We’re committed to developing games to target global markets,” said Ji at TiMi, which became the largest of Tencent’s four main creative studios off the back of breakout success Honour of Kings. “Call of Duty is very influential globally and we hope this game can help us reach hundreds of millions of mobile gamers overseas.” Bloomberg News

Student crowned homecoming queen 2 years after being shot

L

OGAN, Utah—More than two years after two classmates shot her in the head and left her for dead, Deserae Turner walked onto her high-school field in Utah to cheers from thousands of people.

She had been named homecoming queen, and everything about her reign was improbable.

After 10 brain surgeries, Turner has defied doctors’ expectations, down to her ability to walk down a flight of stairs at the homecoming assembly and step onto the dance floor with the king.

“She had to relearn everything,” said her mother, April Turner. “She is the most determined person I have ever known, and I saw it in her even as a toddler.”

Fellow students at Green Canyon High

In this September 27, 2019, photo, Deserae Turner stands with Case Gehring as the Homecoming Court is announced during halftime of Green Canyon’s football game in North Logan, Utah. Turner was found in a ditch after being shot in the back of the head and left for dead by two classmates in February 2017. AP School in North Logan elected Deserae Turner royalty last week, The Herald Journal reported. Her injuries have prevented her from going to school full time, so she at-

tends for three hours a day and takes online classes. She’s still on track to graduate with her classmates.

“It is definitely hard. There are times

when I just want to go out and ride [horses],” Turner said. “I just want to be normal again. I just want to be me. But this is me now, and I just have to embrace it.”

A 14-year-old Turner was shot in the back of the head and left in a ditch in February 2017. Colter D. Peterson and Jayzon Decker, both 17, were sentenced to at least 15 years in prison last year for the shooting in Smithfield, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City.

The pair concocted a plan while playing video games and discussing their desire to “get rid” of Turner, who was messaging Peterson on social media, prosecutors said.

They lured her to a dry canal bed behind a high school in a town neighboring where she goes to school.

Turner was elected queen in voting by nearly 1,400 students, the school said. She got dressed up and put on a crown for a series of events last week, fitting in some naps in between to conserve her energy.

“It was a lot, but it was so worth it,” Turner said. “I truly wish every one of us high-school girls would be able to experience such a magical night.” AP

Millennial money: 4 must-do’s if your order arrives damaged

By Courtney Jespersen NerdWallet

N

EW YORK—Nowadays, consumers shop online for just about everything. So you’ve likely experienced the stinging disappointment when a TV, piece of furniture or something else you ordered finally arrives on your doorstep— damaged.

Here’s what you should do if your delivery comes in less-than-optimal shape.

1

EXAMINE THE ITEM (THOROUGHLY) As soon as you receive a dented box or open a package only to discover broken merchandise, get to work. Take pictures to document the condition of the delivery when it arrived—retailers may want proof.

Hang onto any enclosed packing slips and return labels.

If the item is brought into your home as opposed to being left on your porch, inspect it for damage before you’re asked to sign off on the delivery. This procedure is common with large products such as a couch or dining set.

2

CONTACT THE RETAILER (QUICKLY) Most businesses have return policies on their web sites, and there will typically be a section within that policy that addresses damaged or defective items. With a quick Google search, you can pull up such policies for big name retailers like Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair and Best Buy. Look for information about how the damaged product should be handled. The return policy at Lowe’s advises contacting

In this October 10, 2018, file photo, boxes are loaded on a cart for delivery in New York. In the era of online shopping, you’ll likely have at least one of your deliveries come damaged. If a product arrives broken, take pictures, contact customer service and request a refund or replacement. AP customer care within three days of receiving a damaged item.

Best Buy’s policy says customers can return products that were defective or damaged in shipping either to a store location or through the mail during the return and exchange time period. The retailer says to call for return-by-mail instructions and it’ll cover “all reasonable and customary ground shipping fees.”

Report the broken item right away so the retailer doesn’t think you’re responsible for the damage, advises Kevin Brasler, executive editor at the nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook.

If you don’t notice the damage for weeks, instead of shipping the item back to the retailer for a replacement, you may need to ship it to the manufacturer for repair.

“If it’s a defective item, the store should just step up and make it right, get you a replacement item as fast as possible,” Brasler says. “If it’s a warranty is-

8 BusinessMirror

sue—if the thing has broken since you’ve taken delivery—now you have to deal with the manufacturer and possibly their warranty underwriter.”

3

UNPACK THE ISSUE (CALMLY) Once you get on the phone with a retailer—or hop into a chat with an online representative—clearly articulate how you’d like the problem resolved, says Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, founder of Retail Minded and an author of Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business.

“Understand what you want from that conversation so that you can best lead that conversation to a resolution,” she says.

Remaining calm can greatly benefit your interaction with a customer service rep. Acknowledge that your frustration is not directed at the agent, but rather at the situation, Reyhle says.

Once you conclude the call, see the proOctober 6, 2019

cess through to completion. Ship the product back, if you’re asked to, and stay on top of the retailer to ensure your replacement arrives in a timely manner.

If the seller isn’t willing to work with you on a legitimate issue, tell them you will report them to the Better Business Bureau, recommends Charles R. Taylor, a marketing professor at Villanova School of Business.

If that doesn’t change their minds, and you paid for the item with a credit card, you can dispute the charge. Check with your credit-card company for full details, but Brasler says 9 times out of 10, the creditcard issuer will side on your behalf.

4

READ RETURN POLICIES (PROACTIVELY) To save yourself time and hassle in the future, Reyhle recommends reading return policies before making a purchase. That’s particularly important for large items such as furniture, which may be more of a logistical challenge to send back.

“Understanding the return policy upfront is so important to any online purchase decision,” Reyhle says.

Similarly, keep time frames in mind.

Ask yourself questions like, when is the product expected to be delivered? Will you be home? Will you be able to inspect it before the return window passes?

Even if a damaged product arrives on your porch before you’ve done your due diligence, you can still follow the steps above to make things right. The good news? Taylor says many companies have favorable policies.

It’ll just take a little extra work on your end to follow them. AP