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Sunday, September 8, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 333
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Globalization 4.0 blamed as culprit behind PHL’s rice-price woe By Cai U. Ordinario
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HE agriculture sector is seen as the “biggest loser” under what is being dubbed Globalization 4.0, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
In a recent briefing at the launch of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM), PIDS Senior Research Fellow Roehlano Briones said this is because the industry continued to enjoy “high tariff walls.” Globalization 4.0, Briones said, served as a “rude awakening” to everyone given the proliferation of technological and digital innovations that are fraught with volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.
‘Hard hit’
“AGRICULTURE will be hard-hit. Right now they are protected by very
high tariff walls; even rice, which has recently been liberalized, is still being protected by a 35-percent tariff wall,” Briones said. The lack of openness in agriculture, he added, may prevent the sector from conquering challenges posed by Globalization 4.0, such as trade wars, cross-border diseases, and high inequality, among others. This despite the observation made by certain sectors that the recent plunge in rice prices and concerns raised by farmers may buttress the belief that the Rice Trade Liberalization (RTL), which Continued on A2
“W
e’re just a few months off the implementation of the liberalization act so a lot of the dust is still settling but while that dust is settling, we’re drawing conclusions…I think [such a conclusion could be] premature.”
ROEHLANO BRIONES
Philippine Institute for Development Studies Senior Research Fellow
THE agriculture sector is seen as the “biggest loser” under what is being dubbed Globalization 4.0. SIMON HACK | DREAMSTIME.COM
The unlikely Chinese cities where house prices rival London
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ONDON, Seattle, Manchester and, um, Xiamen. Some of the world’s priciest housing markets aren’t where you might think. A fouryear property boom in China has elevated a collection of little-known cities and turned them into real estate gold. While that’s been great news for speculators, it’s raising concern about whether China’s educated middle class is quickly being priced out of these so-called second-tier cities, undermining Beijing’s goal of making them home to the millions moving from rural areas. Another risk is increasingly stretched family budgets: The average household debt-to-income ratio in China soared to a record 92 percent last year from just 30 percent a decade ago. “A property bubble is foaming
up in many places in China,” said Chen Gong, the chief researcher at independent strategic think tank Anbound Consulting. “Prices are starting to look abnormal when compared to residents’ income.” Vincent Fan is a case in point. The 26-year-old IT engineer says the lack of affordable housing is forcing him to consider moving from Xiamen, the city he’s called home for eight years after relocating from inland Shaanxi province to study. Home prices— which in Xiamen have more than
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 51.8830
tripled over the past decade—are now roughly 40 times his salary, he says. “I’m getting paid like I’m in a small city but when I’m looking to buy a home, the price is the same as in a metropolis,” he said. “It’s just impossible.” A 1,000-square-foot apartment in downtown Xiamen, a port city on China’s southeast coast, is almost as expensive as the average home in London, even though local wages are a quarter of what’s on offer in the UK capital. In Hangzhou, home to the headquarters of tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., prices per square foot now rival Seattle, where Amazon.com Inc. is based.
National obsession
COMMUTERS and cyclists cross an intersection in Xiamen, China, August 26, 2019. BLOOMBERG
HOW these cities found themselves here is a confluence of urbanization and the promise of quick capital gains. Some 90 million people have relocated from rural areas since Continued on A2
n JAPAN 0.4853 n UK 63.9873 n HK 6.6194 n CHINA 7.2565 n SINGAPORE 37.4985 n AUSTRALIA 35.3479 n EU 57.2633 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.8318
Source: BSP (September 6, 2019 )
NewsSunday BusinessMirror
THE ‘BIGGEST LOSER’ A2 Sunday, September 8, 2019
‘W
Continued from A1
Let the dust settle
Sweet remedy
BRIONES said food manufacturers are paying as much as 100 percent more than their counterparts in Thailand and Vietnam when it comes to their sugar requirements. Earlier, Neda Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Rosemarie G. Edillon said she could not yet say whether the changes to be introduced through a draft bill to liberalize the sugar sector will be similar to what government did in rice.
KOYA79 | DREAMSTIME.COM
e intend to enlighten our stakeholders on the various challenges that come along with this new globalization, notably the issues of rising protectionism, worsening inequality trends, worldwide economic restructuring, widening polarization, and proliferation of disinformation.”
became effective in March, could prove to be a mistake.
BRIONES, however, believes it is “too early to tell” whether the RTL is a failure. He added that the RTL has only been in effect for a few months and a lot of adjustments are going on. “We’re just a few months off the implementation of the liberalization act, so a lot of the dust is still settling, but while that dust is settling, we’re drawing conclusions…I think [such a conclusion could be] premature,” Briones stressed. He said opening up agriculture sectors such as sugar can help make food manufacturers become more competitive compared to those based in Thailand and Vietnam.
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CELIA REYES
Philippine Institute for Development Studies President
Unlike the rice sector, very little study has been done in liberalizing the sugar industry, Edillon said. This is the reason the government is prioritizing research before drafting a bill. “I think giving access to users to the most cost-effective sources… [is] really important for economic efficiency, at the same time, based on the method followed by the agri tariffication act and the latest rice liberalization act. You also [have to install] program safety nets for the adversely affected sectors. Certainly this cannot be ignored,” Briones said. “We anticipate already that
they [farmers] will be on the receiving end of more cost-effective imports. So let’s help them match the cost of production, remain competitive or even explore livelihood opportunities where they can better grow their profits,” he added.
Consolation
IN terms of the winners of Globalization 4.0, Marie Sherylyn Aquia, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Multilateral Relations Division’s chief, said this would have to be services. Aquia said the Philippines is “very competitive” when it comes
to services given the high level of education of Filipino workers and their English language proficiency. Further, she said, the country remains in a demographic sweet spot owing to its young workforce. Aquia said the DTI is responding to this through the QBO Innovation Hub which is a private partnership initiative of start-ups set up by the DTI, Department of Science and Technology, IdeaSpace and JPMorgan. The hub offers classes and workshops as well as legal and corporate consultations to help startups and innovators grow their businesses. “This is really an area where we can really excel in, trade in services,” Aquia said. The theme of the 19th DPRM is “Navigating the New Globalization: Local Actions for Global Challenges” or in Filipino, “Paglalayag sa Bagong Globalisasyon: Lokal na Pagkilos sa mga Pandaigdigang Hamon.” A series of activities is also slated for September to promote
the DPRM, including the Mindanao Policy Research Forum and a press conference on September 10 in General Santos City in partnership with the Mindanao Development Authority and Mindanao State University, and the Fifth Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) on September 19 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, which is the culminating activity of the DPRM. “Through this theme, we hope to promote awareness of the changing face of globalization. We intend to enlighten our stakeholders on the various challenges that come along with this new globalization, notably the issues of rising protectionism, worsening inequality trends, worldwide economic restructuring, widening polarization, and proliferation of disinformation,” PIDS President Celia Reyes said. “We hope to encourage everyone to be proactive both in dealing with these challenges and in harnessing the opportunities of the new globalization through local
actions that are guided by a shared vision of prosperity and inclusivity, unity, wider and deeper participation of all sectors of society, and adaptive, evidence-based policymaking,” she added. This year’s DPRM celebration, spearheaded by PIDS, is supported by the Civil Service Commission, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, National Economic and Development Authority, Philippine Information Agency, Presidential Management Staff, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry-BITR, Asian Development Bank, Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Philippine Competition Commission, Department of Foreign Affairs Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Budget and Management, Climate Change Commission, Senate Economic and Planning Office, and House of Representatives Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department.
Unlikely Chinese cities… Continued from A1
2012, encouraged by better job prospects and policies aimed at giving migrant workers social welfare that’s more akin to urban dwellers. Some local governments, for example, have eased access to schools and hospitals, privileges traditionally enjoyed by residents born in those cities. Owning property (or multiple properties), meanwhile, is something of a national obsession in China after frenetic price gains in the early years of this decade made hundreds of thousands of people rich, at least on paper. That mentality has meant literally millions of apartments across the country sit empty as their owners wait for prices to appreciate. According to China Real Estate Information Corp., the average house price-to-income ratio, a gauge of how many years of earnings it takes to buy a home, rose to a record in 2018, despite Beijing’s efforts to keep a lid on prices. While it costs a Londoner around 13 times their annual salary to purchase property in the UK capital, residents in 14 Chinese cities including Sanya on the tourist island of Hainan and Fuzhou on the east coast, face a higher ratio. That means increasingly large slices of a family’s income are being diverted to monthly mortgage repayments, or to meet home down
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property bubble is foaming up in many places in China. Prices are starting to look abnormal when compared to residents’ income.”— Chen Gong, chief researcher at independent strategic think tank Anbound Consulting payments. In a country where low leverage was once seen as a buffer to any financial shock, household debt is now “approaching its limit,” the Institute of International Finance said in a report last month. Those buying homes outside of China’s big cities like Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai are also typically the most stretched, a China Index Holdings Ltd. study last year showed. In mega metropolises, people tend to be more affluent and so don’t need as big a mortgage. “This housing surge can’t be justified by economic growth or people’s paychecks,” said Shen Xin, a property analyst at China Real Estate Information. “Many have bought homes earlier than they planned, just to catch the price rally.” The price growth—dwelling values across second-tier cities have risen an average 68 percent since mid-2015—has also been fueled by an easing of rules on local
residency permits, or hukou. Having a hukou is often a prerequisite for buying a home in a city and authorities have used them variously to cool as well as stimulate the market. In Suzhou, a city with a population of around 11 million, the property craze is in full swing. In April, almost 2,000 home buyers lined up late into the evening for a chance to snap up one of the 538 apartments on offer at a condominium a 30-minute drive from Suzhou Industrial Park, a manufacturing zone that’s attracted a swathe of international companies. “I’ve been on the hunt since the market abruptly heated up six months ago,” said Joyce Zhu, a 28-year-old designer who already owns a home in Suzhou but bought a two-bedroom unit as an investment. All the projects are oversubscribed and “they’re becoming more expensive every time,” she said. Bloomberg News
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Editor: Angel R. Calso
BRAZIL’S ECONOMY MINISTER REIGNITES MACRON FEUD BY INSULTING HIS WIFE
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RAZIL’S Economy Minister reignited President Jair Bolsonaro’s spat with his French counterpart after he repeated the Brazilian leader’s insults about Emmanuel Macron’s wife. In a speech to businessmen in the northeastern city of Fortaleza, Paulo Guedes complained about the media coverage of the Bolsonaro administration, saying that rather than report on the country’s progress, it focused on the president’s outrageous comments. “What I see in the newspapers is that he insulted [Michelle] Bachelet, or that he called Macron’s wife ugly,” he said. “He did say that and it’s true—the woman is indeed ugly.” As the audience laughed, the minister shushed them and said, also laughing: “There’s no such a thing as an ugly woman, there’s only women seen from the wrong angle.” Guedes later apologized for what he called a“joke” involving Brigitte Macron. “The minister’s intention was to show that relevant and urgent issues for the country don’t receive the space they deserve in the public debate,”read his statement to the press. “There was no intention to express personal offenses.” Yet, the insults risk real-world damage, given the current state of relations between Brazil and France. Macron recently threatened to scrap the trade deal agreed between the European Union and Mercosur, the South American customs union, unless Brazil did more to preserve the Amazon rainforest. While few other EU leaders agree with his idea of ditching the agreement, Bolsonaro risks alienating the moderate European politicians who still need to ratify the deal. Many lawmakers in both Germany and Ireland are already reluctant to do so. Bloomberg News
Sunday, September 8, 2019
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World’s No. 1 money-market fund shrinks by $120 billion in China
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HE world’s biggest moneymarket fund, which once offered annualized returns of nearly 7 percent, is on track to lose its crown after shrinking by more than $120 billion in just over a year. Known as Yu’E Bao, the Chinese fund operated by an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. had 1.03 trillion yuan in assets under management at the end of June, or an equivalent of $144 billion
based on current exchange rates, down from a peak of $270 billion on March 31, 2018. It’s on course to fall behind the JPMorgan US Government Money Market Fund, which has been hovering around
$150 billion level since 2017, and Fidelity Government Cash Reserves fund, according to figures compiled by Bloomberg. T h e f u n d o n c e b e n e f it e d f rom C h ina’s rel at ively h igh interbank rates, but investors started heading for the exits as curbs placed since 2017 took effect, and outf lows accelerated when retur ns dropped and r ival products sprang up offering more attractive y ields. “Low interest rates have hurt t he appea l of money-ma rket funds,” said Ming Ming, head of fixed-income research at Citic Securities Co. “That makes them
less attractive than banks’ wealth management products.” Since its inception in 2013, Yu’E Bao has lured more than 600 million Chinese investors. The fund is owned by Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial and is available through the tech giant’s Alipay platform with no minimum investment requirement. As the fund grew in size, it was labeled a “blood-sucking vampire” by a prominent commentator on state-run television, and executives at China’s largest banks called for regulators to curb its rapid expansion. In response to regulatory pressure, the fund in 2017 cut the maximum amount individuals
could invest and took other steps to limit inflows. Ant Financial said in a statement that the Yu’E Bao fund is just one of the 24 money-market funds on Alipay’s Yu’E Bao spare cash management platform. Its asset fluctuation doesn’t reflect the overall performance of the Yu’E Bao platform, the firm said. Yu’E Bao’s returns have fallen to an annualized rate of 2.29 percent, according to latest figures, compared with 6.7 percent in 2014. Yields from Chinese banks’ wealth management products were more than 4 percent in July, figures from research firm PY Standard show. Bloomberg News
ROBOTS DISPLACING JOBS MEANS 120-MILLION WORKERS NEED RETRAINING
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ORE than 120 million workers globally will need retraining in the next three years due to artificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on jobs, according to an IBM survey. That’s a top concern for many employers who say talent shortage is one of the greatest threats to their organizations today. And the training required these days is longer than it used to be—workers need 36 days of training to close a skills gap versus three days in 2014, IBM notes in the survey.
Soft skills SOME skills take longer to develop because they are either more behavioral in nature like teamwork and communication or highly technical, such as data science capabilities. “Reskilling for technical skills is typically driven by structured education with a defined objective with a clear start and end,” Amy Wright, IBM managing director for talent, wrote in an e-mail. “Building behavioral skills takes
more time and is more complex.” Behavioral skills, such as the ability to work well on a team, communication, creativity, and empathy are best developed through experience rather than structured learning programs like a webinar. When employers say they’re facing a skills shortage, the first thing that comes to mind is coding experience or another advanced technical skill set. Yet, today, employers are calling for
more emphasis on soft skills like communication skills, ethics and creativity rather than technical, a switch over the last few years, the survey notes. Behavioral skills are now seen as critical from digital and technical capabilities.
Robots are coming ADVANCEMENTS in AI are expected to not only displace jobs but also create new ones. The challenge will be upskilling workers to fill the new jobs. Several
ways to close the skills gap include hiring talent from other countries, from outside the organization and moving employees across divisions, says IBM. An estimated 50.3 million Chinese workers may require retraining as a result of intelligent automation over the next three years, according to the IBM study. China is followed by 11.5 million in America and 7.2 million in Brazil. Japan and Germany round out the top 5 countries with 4.9 million and 2.9 million workers, respectively. Bloomberg News
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Sunday, September 8, 2019
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Southeast Asia beaches go quiet as Chinese tourists stay home
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ROM quiet beaches in Bali to empty rooms in Hanoi’s hotels, pangs from China’s economic malaise and weakening yuan are being felt across Southeast Asia’s vacation belt. A boom in Chinese outbound travel in recent years that stoked tourism across Southeast Asia is now in reverse gear. The abrupt decline of Chinese travelers is becoming a painful lesson for nations such as Thailand and Indonesia that had become overly dependent on Asia’s top economy. “The slump in Chinese arrivals and tourism spending is being felt throughout the region,” said Kampon Adireksombat, Bangkokbased head of economic and financial market research at Siam Commercial Bank Pcl. “There’s always a concentration risk when relying on one market, and many countries may not be able to find a replacement for growth fast enough.” The slump is expected to continue in 2020 if the trade war continues to weigh down the Chinese economy, he said. Rising incomes over the past decade fueled the wanderlust of middle-class Chinese consumers, making them the world’s largest outbound travel market, according to a McKinsey report. As Mandarin-speaking tours, Chinese eateries and Chinese mobile payment services mushroomed from Danang to Yogyakarta, these travelers thronged to Southeast Asian hot spots, lured by their proximity and familiar cuisines. The pullback now threatens the tourism industry with pockets of overcapacity, after companies and local governments doubled down and poured millions of dollars into expanding resorts, hotels and travel facilities.
‘Unrealistic expectations’
THE decline is already showing up in some hotel operators’ results.
Thailand’s Central Plaza Hotel Pcl reported a softening of its hotel business in the second quarter due to decreasing Chinese demand, Ronnachit Mahattanapruet, the company’s senior vice president, said at an investor briefing last month. Occupancy in its Thai properties dropped 7 percent in the quarter, and the Bangkokbased operator has 2,040 rooms in the pipeline to add to its existing portfolio of 6,678 rooms. The Thai capital is also expecting a new Ritz Carlton by 2023 as part of a $3.9-billion development, while Hilton will manage two hotels due for 2022 opening. On Phuket island, a favorite for beachfront weddings and scuba diving, there will be 18 percent more hotel rooms by 2024, according to consultancy C9 Hotelworks Ltd. International arrivals in Thailand this year so far have grown only 2 percent, data from Thai tourism ministry show. “The supply was based on people’s unrealistic expectations,” said C9’S Managing Director Bill Barnett.
HUNDREDS of Chinese tourists watch the flyboard show by the beach of Hon Tam Resort on September 10, 2017, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. LINH PHAM/GETTY IMAGES
In Singapore, casino operators Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Genting Singapore Ltd. announced a $9-billion expansion of their resorts earlier this year after the country’s skyline was beamed across cineplexes as the setting of the Hollywood hit Crazy Rich Asians. Marriott International Inc. has 140 hotels in the pipeline across the region, with plans to more than triple its portfolio by 2023 in the Philippines, whose whitesand beaches and turquoise waters are such a draw that the island of Boracay had to close last year for upgrades to its sewage system.
Chinese boom
ENA MOR ED w it h t he sights made famous in hit movies such as Summer Holiday—a 2000 Chinese romantic comedy film set on Malaysia’s palm-fringed Redang Island—Chinese travelers became
The slump in Chinese arrivals and tourism spending is being felt throughout the region. There’s always a concentration risk when relying on one market, and many countries may not be able to find a replacement for growth fast enough.” —Kampon Adireksombat
the biggest group of visitors to the region, adding $403.7 billion to its gross domestic product in 2019. In Thailand and the Philippines, tourism grew to account for over a fifth of their GDP—twice the global average. The boom dissipated in the first half of this year as China’s economy slowed, its yuan weakened to historically low levels, and an ongoing US-China trade war weighed on consumer confidence. The decline is also affecting China’s economy at home, as big-ticket purchases like cars and luxury goods slow. While China’s domestic problems are key, factors in each Southeast Asian country are compounding the decline. The Thai baht has strengthened the most against the yuan this year among emerging-market currencies, making travel more e x pen sive for C h i nese tourists. A boat accident last year that killed 47 Chinese tourists off the island of Phuket also damaged confidence. In Bali, the tourism promotion board’s deputy chairman, Ngurah Wijaya, sees the hot spot as a victim of its own success. “Internal problems like traffic jams are among the main causes of the decline of Chinese tourists,” he said, adding that those who are still coming are staying fewer days and spending less. “It also seems like they have started to get bored with Bali.”
Bilateral tensions after a Chinese ship surveyed underwater oil-and-gas blocks claimed by Vietnam in July may have contributed to the decline in tourists from China, said VietnamtourismVitours’s Deputy General Director Le Tan Thanh Tung. To be sure, not every country is facing a sustained decline. Malaysia’s number of Chinese tourists grew 6.2 percent in the first half of the year to 1.55 million, according to official data. In the Philippines, tourism infrastructure, and facilities are relatively underdeveloped, so it’s not seeing any pull back in hospitality projects, said Richard Laneda, gaming and property analyst at COL Financial Group Inc. Still, the slowdown in tourism weakens another growth pillar for Southeast Asia at a time when exports are taking a knock from the trade war. The International Monetary Fund in its July outlook pared back its forecast for growth in the region’s top 5 economies to 5 percent from 5.1 percent in its April report, signaling a further slowdown.
Outreach efforts
COUNTRIES are now trying to diversify their outreach efforts to lure visitors from other nations. Thailand waived visa fees for Indian tourists earlier this year and airline and hotel operators are trying to boost connections between the two countries. Vietnam, where Chinese tourists accounted for a third of 15 million foreign visitors last year, is setting up tourism promotion offices in the UK and Australia, while direct flights between India and Vietnam are being planned for October. But in the short to medium term at least, the hole left behind by Chinese travelers seems too large to fill. “C h i nese tou r i st s a re t he l a rgest g roup of v i sitors by nu mbers,” sa id t he Ba l i Pro mot ion Boa rd ’s Wijaya. “Even t he r ise in hol id ay ma kers f rom ot her cou nt r ies ca nnot compensate for their absence.” Bloomberg News
THE HIDDEN WORLD OF INVITATION-ONLY AIRLINE CLUBS P RIVATE invitation-only airport lounges behind unmarked doors, the lofty privileges and perks that come with “Very VIP status,”(VVIP)—welcome to the world of the high-flying elite. That roster includes politicians and unelected power-brokers, A-list celebrities and the upper ranks of the largest companies. They probably don’t travel anywhere near as much as a top-tier frequent flyer, but who needs a platinum airline membership card when yours is a coveted and rarely seen black one? Here’s a rundown of some of the world’s most exclusive airline clubs and elite status tiers.
Chairman’s Lounge (Qantas)
DESCRIBED by Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alan Joyce as “probably the most exclusive club in the country,” Australia’s Qantas Chairman’s Lounge isn’t just a “secret” frequent flyer tier: it’s also a network of private, invitation-only airport lounges. Located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth, guests enjoy restaurant-style dining and an all-day bar while taking in the serenity of the generally quiet space, or enjoying the artwork, which is rotated every fortnight to give regular visitors something new to look at. Members also receive the highest priority when requesting upgrades, and have their preferences tracked and remembered from
flight to flight, such as their usual drink and favorite seat. Qantas has never published a list of Chairman’s Lounge members, but this VIP card is typically held by the CEO and chair of major companies which have sizable travel contracts with the airline, and by other invited guests who work in fields such as politics, show business and media. Qantas arch-rival Virgin Australia sought to emulate the Chairman’s Lounge with its equivalent VIP tier, The Club. It offers similar benefits across a network of five private lounges, with the add-on of escorts from lounge to aircraft, (at least) eight free business-class upgrades ever y 24 months, and complimentary airport limousine transfers when taking cross-country or long international flights.
Diamond Plus and Diamond Invitation (Cathay Pacific)
HONG KONG’S Cathay Pacific has not one, but two secret tiers beyond the lofty heights of Marco Polo Club Diamond: Diamond Plus, which recognizes the airline’s highest-spending flyers, and Diamond Invitation, for the VVIP set. Take the same benefits as “regular” Marco Polo Club Diamond—access to Cathay Pacific and Oneworld first-class lounges, for example—and stir in perks in like an airport “meet and greet” service to skip
past any queues, and that’s your aboveDiamond cocktail. It’s been said that Diamond Plus may be within your reach if your yearly spend on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights ranks among the top 1 percent of passengers. But as for Diamond Invitation, if you have to ask, you don’t belong! Interestingly, rival Singapore Airlines chooses not to have a private VIP tier in its own frequent flyer scheme, which tops out at Solitaire PPS Club. In previous years, it was possible to earn Solitaire status for life, although that club is closed to new members.
Centurion (American Express)
WHILE neither an airline nor a frequent flyer program, American Express has its own invitation-only airport lounge and restaurant in Hong Kong, reser ved for holders of the elite Centurion Card. Separate to Hong Kong’s general AMEX Centurion Lounge—which actually caters to AMEX Platinum cardholders—the Centurion Dining Room’s menu covers everything from Champagne and caviar through to dishes with truffles, bird’s nest and more. There’s no way to directly apply for a Centurion Card, but the path generally begins by holding and spending heavily on an AMEX Platinum Charge Card, from which you may be invited to upgrade to Centurion.
iO: Invitation Only (Emirates)
LAUNCHED in 2010, “iO,” or Invitation Only, is Emirates’ secret tier above Skywards Platinum. Getting this card is tough: The nod comes directly from Emirates’ President Sir Tim Clark, and membership lasts for two years at a time. In an iO welcome kit seen by this author, Clark describes the program as being“a very special and extremely exclusive club of Emirates travelers,” adding that “this select group is reserved for our most valued customers.” iO members receive complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers every time they fly with Emirates, and can expect to find a private car waiting for them if their aircraft arrives at a remote stand in Dubai. In the air, what the member wants, the member gets—including special meals customized to specific tastes and preferences, with such requests handled personally by Emirates’ Senior Vice President Airport Catering Services. Fellow Gulf airline Etihad’s own VIP scheme, Etihad Guest Exclusive, offers similar personalized attention and private cars between aircraft and terminal, but with the addition of Residence Lounge access in Abu Dhabi: A space normally reserved for passengers booked to fly in The Residence, a three-room private suite on Etihad’s Airbus A380s.
ConciergeKey (American Airlines)
MADE famous by Ryan Bingham—George
Clooney’s high-flying character in “Up in the Air”—American Airlines’ ConciergeKey is less a frequent flyer tier than a personal concierge service when you fly. Expect to be greeted upon arrival at the airport, whisked through security and, time permitting, driven from the lounge to your departing flight in places like New York’s JFK Airport. On landing, a similar fast-track experience awaits. Delta’s version, 360 Diamond Medallion, offers comparable VIP perks and is again invitation-only, although United’s private tier, Global Services, can be attained by anybody who racks up 4 million lifetime Premier Qualifying Miles via United MileagePlus.
British Airways: Executive Club Premier
BRITISH Airways recognizes its crème de la crème through Executive Club Premier status, granting access to the airline’s exclusive Concorde Rooms at London Heathrow and New York JFK: ordinarily reserved for BA’s first-class passengers. Whether jetting near or far, the Concorde Room experience offers a dining room with table service, private cabanas, a social bar and a terrace space. When it’s time to board, VIPs are whisked directly from lounge to aircraft by Jaguar: but as to how you’d qualify in the first place, well, that’s a secret. Bloomberg News
UK and US sink in ranking of best places for expats
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HE United Kingdom now ranks as less politically stable than Greece or Egypt, and the US isn’t far behind, according to an extensive global survey of expatriates. Political turmoil over Brexit means the UK is now among the world’s least desirable destinations for expats. Out of 64 countries ranked by the InterNations Expat Insider survey, Britain ranks 57th for political stability and 58th overall, down 25 spots since the vote to leave the European Union in 2016. The survey is conducted annually by Munich-based InterNations, a network of 3.6 million expatriates. More than 20,000 of them, including retirees, students, executives and skilled workers, were asked to rate the places they live on a variety of metrics. Some countries, including trouble spots like Sudan, Syria and Venezuela, weren’t ranked because there were too few respondents. “Expats in the UK now see the economy and their job security in a much more negative way,” said InterNations co-Chief Executive Officer Malte Zeeck. “This whole uncertainty surrounding Brexit has definitely influenced other factors.” The US has also seen its reputation plummet as a destination for foreigners, according to the survey. As recently as 2014, expats rated the country as the fifthmost-desirable place to move. It ranks 47th this year. Politics are to blame in the US, too. For the third year in a row—since Donald J. Trump was elected president in 2016—the nation’s political stability was rated below Russia’s. The US and UK are also both seen by expats as less inviting than a few years ago. “When we arrived we felt welcome, but we haven’t since the Brexit vote,” said Gael Panhelleux, executive director of Focus, a London-based membership group for expats in the UK. The 51-yearold, originally from Paris, said she worries about how the nation’s political climate is affecting her children, who have been insulted when overheard speaking French on the way home from school. “It’s been a tough few years,” she said. “We love the country and want to stay and feel welcomed.”
Health care
EXPATS living in the US expressed similar concerns in the wake of Trump’s election and his immigration crackdown. “There’s often prejudice against foreign people,” a Mexican expat in the US said in the InterNations survey. “I’ve lived in both ‘blue’ and ‘red’ states, and there’s not much of a difference.” Another drawback of the US, according to expats, is the cost of health care. More than 7 in 10 said American health care is unaffordable, ranking the US dead last by that measure. Overall, expats surveyed by InterNations ranked Taiwan as the top place to live in 2019. Kuwait, which many respondents see as unfriendly to foreigners, came in last for the second year in a row. It has been a tumultuous year worldwide. France’s ranking for political stability dropped thanks to Yellow Vest protests that began late last year. The survey was conducted before the massive protests that enveloped Hong Kong, one of the world’s top destinations for expats. Argentina, beset by economic woes, ranked last in political stability for the second consecutive year. Those who consider Argentina politically unstable climbed to 60 percent in the latest survey, up from 42 percent last year. Bloomberg News
Faith www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: ‘LUKE 14:25-33’
Radicalness of the Christian life MSGR. JOSEFINO S. RAMIREZ SUNDAY GOSPEL IN OUR LIFE
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S we look around us and see how many different structures are rising up, we occasionally see some structures that have never gotten finished. Behind those unfinished buildings is usually the story of the man who began to build, sinking a tremendous amount of capital, yet not having estimated properly. O r p e rh aps ove r t a k e n b y events for which he failed to make provisions, he now finds himself in the sad plight of not being able to finish his project. The lesson we find in the gospel is based on real events. “W hich of you, wishing to build a tower, does not sit down first and calculate the outlays that are necessary, whether he has the means to complete? Lest, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see begin to mock him—this man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:28-30). Based on this down-to-earth example, Jesus Christ is teaching us something referring to our Christian Life. The Christian life has been compared to a building. There are many attractive features in it; but there are also difficulties in its “construction.” If we truly want to embark on it or to persevere in it, we have to be ready to face these obstacles. The Christian life contains the promise of a relative happiness on Earth and an absolute one in
heaven. It is truly worth pursuing. At the same time, we must be ready to undertake it wholeheartedly and without half-measures. Thus, we can understand why Christ demands a readiness on our part to sacrifice everything else that we may hold dear—such as loved ones, and our every own life. In other words, we have to put God in the first place, and have no qualms about it. “He who does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). This can be done by a consecrated life, such as in the religious state with its vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. Yet, it also has to be done by any serious follower of Christ, not by a vow or a change of state, but by a decisive detachment from all things, in order to give our heart wholly to God. Husbands and wives should love one another; parents and children have to care for one another; mothers and fathers have to provide for their children and our own life. He means that we have to love God first and foremost, even to the point of renouncing all those other goods. And for the ordinary Christian, it means going back to these goods we have renounced in our heart, and loving them with a purified love for God’s sake. Only with this renunciation can we truly follow Christ, and we will discover that we can love all these goods with an unselfish and holy love.
The reign of King Solomon By Corazon Damo-Santiago
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FTER 40 years as the second king of Israel, David’s second son with Bathseba, Solomon, succeeded David. In Gibeon, the most renowned high place, Solomon offered a thousand holocausts to the Lord. The Lord appeared to him in a dream and asked what he desired most. Solomon asked for wisdom, “an understanding heart to judge your people and distinguish right from wrong” (1 King 3:4-9). Solomon, became the richest and the most powerful of kings. God also promised the throne of Israel to His descendants if they remain faithful to Him but will punish them, make Israel a byword among all nations if they adore strange Gods (1 King 9:7).
Temple of Jerusalem
ON the fourth year of his reign, Solomon started to build the temple. It was a rectangular building, 90-feet long, 30-feet wide, a ceiling of 45 feet, with an entrance facing the rising sun. At the west end of the building is the shrine of the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant, which contains the 10 Commandments. Dur ing the festiva l in the month of Ethanim, priests, Levites and all elders of Israel came. Solomon who stood before the altar made petitions on his knees with hands outstretched to the heavens. “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on Earth below.... If Your people Israel sin against You and are defeated by an enemy.... I pray to You...listen in heaven, forgive the sins of Your people Israel and bring them back to the lands You gave their fathers.... Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised” (1 King 8:23, 33-34,56). All the Israelites made peace offerings—22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep (1 King 8:62). Then, “fire came down from heaven and consumed the holo-
caust [offerings] and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house” (2 Chronicles 7:1).
Fall of Jerusalem
IN his old age, Solomon was led to idolatry by some his wives. He even built temples for the idols. The 12 tribes waged war against each other. The Jewish nation was reduced into two, Judah and the absorbed tribe of Simeon. Solomon died after a 40 years of reign. In 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar II king of Babylon (now in Iraq) captured Jerusalem. He burned the temple, the palace of Solomon, all the houses and large buildings (Jeremiah 52:12-13). Considered as the Age of Crisis in the Old Testament, it was the turning point in the history of Israel (Lamentations). Jewish historian Josephus, specified that the Holy Temple was burned 470 years, six months and 10 days after it was built. Solomon’s 12 tribes were reduced to two: Judah, and the absorbed tribe of Simeon. The Jewish nation in the south became known as Judah the northern part of Israel. The 539 B.C. King Cyrus II of Persia conquered Babylon. He allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and Judah. Kings Cyrus even returned to the Jews the vessels Nebuchadnezzar took when he captured Jerusalem, noted the Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to the Bible. The prophecy of Jeremiah came true. For 70 years, the Israelites were enslaved by Babylon. “But when the 70 years have elapsed I will punish the king of Babylon and the nation. They also shall be enslaved to great nations and mighty kings” (Jeremiah 25:12-14). Damo-Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Sunday
Sunday, September 8, 2019 A5
‘Is religious freedom still considered a fundamental human right?’
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HE University of the Philippines (UP) Bonifacio Global City campus was packed with legal experts, lawyers, academic scholars, religious leaders, law students and religious-freedom advocates who participated in the Third International Forum on Law and Religion (IFLR) held in Taguig City recently.
The annual symposium, which is a first of its kind in the Philippines, centered t his yea r’s theme “Is Religious Freedom Still Considered a Fundamental Human Right?” IFLR seeks to provide an avenue for legal experts, academic scholars, and religious freedom advocates to share their knowledge and expertise on religious freedom issues, as well as its challenges and opportunities to help balance religious liberties and individual rights, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a news release. The forum was organized by Brigham Young University (BYU) Law School, UP College of Law and the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy.
freedom as the root that needs to be nourished for it to bear fruit and have people enjoy it. He pointed out that such freedom provides protection for the valuable contributions of religion to society, the news release said. He explained: “Religion has motivated many moral advances in society, such as the elimination of slavery and civil rights. What is known to be secular freedom started because we were free to practice our religion.” Doxey added: “We might be different, but we have one thing we have in common—respect for one another rooted from religious belief. We have a strong sense that we are equal despite our diversity in culture and religion.”
Protecting religious liberty
FOR his part, Ambassador Michel Goffin of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Manila spoke about “Religion and Challenges to Social Cohesion” at the plenary session. Goffin shared that religion is important in order to understand how society can stabilize. “Religion, tolerance and acceptance are indicators of social cohesion,” he said. A true believer in UN and multilateral affairs, the ambassador shared examples that explained why the line of true separation between religion and state remains vague. “Separation of religion and governance is probably a very complex issue,” he said. “But there’s one thing we can focus on...that is FORB: Freedom of Religion or Belief is really the base for every society to be able to live together. There is an absolute essential dimension in any country. FORB has to be ensured. It is not complicated. It’s not complex. It’s just essential.” The Belgian ambassador also expressed the need to consider different degrees of religious liber t y, such as the r ight to change religion. Goffin iterated, “Freedom of religion is not just a right that you can either have or not have in your society. It’s linked to all fundamental rights a society should abide by, including gender equality and freedom of expression.” Ambassador Goffin said absolute separation of government and religion is not the key to stability.
PROF. Gary B. Doxey, associate director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU in Provo, Utah, opened the forum with a keynote message, titled “Religious Freedom and the Equal Human Dignity of All.” In his message before over 250 participants, the former associate general counsel to the Utah Legislature emphasized the importance of protecting religious liberty. “We can strengthen religious freedom by reinvigorating our discussion of the equal dignity of all human beings,” he said. Doxey illustrated the decline of religious freedom by describing challenges that are occurring across the globe. He cited that unjust separation of families, killings, slavery, religious discrimination and lack of respect are just a few of what he called the “global decline of religious freedom.” He pointed out that the intention is not to name and blame countries and organizations that are involved but to iterate that religious persecution is far from being over. “It’s a very real crisis,” he said. “Religious-freedom decline is real. We need to do something about it,” Doxey said, then listed some points on why there is a need to fight for the said freedom. “The ability to enjoy religious freedom protects and strengthens other civil and political rights,” he added. To illustrate this, he compared it to a tree, with religious
Religion and society
PROF. Gary B. Doxey, associate director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, delivers his keynote speech, titled “Religious Freedom and the Equal Human Dignity of All,” at the recent Third International Forum on Law and Religion held in Taguig City recently.
COMMISSIONER Gwendolyn PimentelGana of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) speaks on the “Interface of Law and Religion” in the Philippine context during the interfaith forum.
Although he expressed that such is ideal, he advised that there are many approaches that should not be pursued. He reaffirmed his commitment to pursue freedom of religion or belief before his diplomatic assignments in different countries end. “This is an essential dimension for the stability of societies,” he said, as quoted by the news release.
Law and religion in the Philippines
ME A N W HILE, Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), at the closing plenary session focused her message on the “Interface of Law and Religion,” in the Philippine context. She shared examples of court cases wherein the free exercise of religious beliefs were handled by the courts and how the justice system protected it. “Our Constitution ensures and mandates an unconditional tolerance without regard to whether those who seek to profess their faith belong to the majority or to the minority. It is emphatic in saying that the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship shall be without discrimination or preference,” Gana pointed out. The focal commissioner of the Policy Office of the CHR added that religious beliefs are a major part of the lives of Filipinos which are manifested in the customs, behaviors and practices of its people. “From these, the Philippines’s policy is one of tolerance and nondiscrimination for religious beliefs unless they will bring harm to the
common good and for which the state can intervene.” Gana reiterated that the right to worship or belief remains a universal human right, the news release said. Six special sessions were conducted during the conference, where speakers shared their expertise on different topics. Among the resource speakers were: At t y. Ner i S. Col men a res, president of the National Union of Peoples’ Law yers; Tess Bacalla, executive director of the Southeast Asia Press A lliance; Marc Viestraete-Verlinde, counsellor of the European Union Delegat ion to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam; Dr. A l Makin, PhD, director of the Center for Research and Community Development at the Sunnan Kalijaga State Islamic University in Yog yakarta, Indonesia; Amina R. Bernardo, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy; Alma R. Jimenez, executive vice president of the Asean Society Philippines; Atty. Mikhail Lee Maxino, director for the Jovito Salonga Center for Law and Development at the Silliman University; Dr. Brian Gozun, PhD, dean of the College of Business at the De La Salle University-Manila; Fr. Angel Calvo, president, Peace Advocates Zamboanga; Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco, PhD, secretary-general of the Association for Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia; Atty. Nasser Marohomsalic, former commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights; Prof. Elizabeth Pulumbarit, director of the Paralegal Program of the UP Law Center; and Atty. Carlo Vistan II, director of the Office of Legal Aid of UP.
POPE: TAKE DRASTIC ACTION NOW ON CLIMATE CHANGE
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ATICAN CITY—Pope Francis is challenging governments to show the “political will” to take drastic steps to deal with climate change during an upcoming UN summit while encouraging people to abandon dependence on fossil fuels. Francis issued the fervent appeal in a message last Sunday to mark the start of several weeks of prayer by Christians to raise political awareness about pollution and exploitation of natural resources. The period of prayer and reflection runs until October 4, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, his namesake saint who embraced a back-to-basics lifestyle and praised nature and animals. He began his appeal by quoting from the
Bible about Creation: “And God saw that it was good.” Tragically, Francis mused, “something good in God’s eyes has become something to be exploited in human hands.” He denounced a litany of how humans have harmed the environment—including pollution and reliance on fossil fuels, as well as the impact global warming—is having. “The increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather phenomena and the desertification of the soil are causing immense hardship for the most vulnerable among us,” Francis said. He also cited melting glaciers, neglect of water basins and plastics and microplastics as “equally troubling.”
He advised reviewing of daily decisions about food, transportation, use of water and other material goods are “thoughtless and harmful.” Francis echoed pressing calls by young people for “courageous decisions,” adding that “we owe them real answers, not empty words, actions not illusions.” The pontiff said that at the UN Climate Action Summit later this month, “governments will have the responsibility of showing the political will to take drastic measures” to achieve as quickly as possible net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions and to limit the average increase in global temperature in line with the Paris climate accords.
He pointed no fingers at any one nation or region. But he noted that next month, the Vatican is promoting a gathering of bishops about the Amazon region, “whose integrity is gravely threatened.” Recently, fires ravaging Amazon forest land in Brazil were a focus of the Group of Seven summit in France. Francis also urged paying attention to “indigenous peoples, whose age-old wisdom can teach us how to live in a better relationship with the environment.” Stressing how important the environment’s care is to the Catholic Church, Francis wrote an encyclical early in his papacy about everyone’s responsibility to care for the Earth. AP
Science
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BusinessMirror
Sunday
www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
Philippines ‘exporting’ measles? A By Cai U. Ordinario Reporter
PART from various commodities and skilled labor, the Philippines also exports diseases, such as measles. In a recent presentation at the launch of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM), Department of Health (DOH) National Immunization Program Manager Maria Wilda Silva said the decline in the immunization rate and affordability of travel has made the country a “vector” for the disease. When the Philippines encountered a major measles outbreak in 2014, the Philippines was cited by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a factor for the spread of the disease to other parts of the world. Given that the Philippines has not yet been able to quell the spread of the measles outbreak that started in the first two months of 2019, spreading the disease to various parts of the world is again a threat. “We are still in outbreak or epidemic level, up to now, for measles. We haven’t fully controlled the transmission of measles. [This] despite the effort of the government to give the second dose of measles containing vaccine not just to infants but we have extended this to school children up to Grade 7,” Silva said. Dat a t h at Si lva presented showed that in 2018, there were around 200 people per million population affected by measles. This has increased to almost 300
people per million population in 2019. Silva’s data also showed that between 2004 and 2019, the highest incidence per million population was recorded in 2014, when there were over 500 per million population that was affected by the disease. Apart from measles, Silva said, the DOH has already informed the public of the “recirculation” of polio. While the Philippines recorded its last polio case in 1993 in Cebu and has already eliminated the disease in 2000, the danger of the return of the debilitating disease is ominous. Silva said one of the major factors is the declining trend in immunization among children. She said since 2011, the proportion of children that have received complete sets of vaccination against various diseases, such as measles and polio, have been on a decline. However, Silva said the DOH recently found samples of “poliolike” viruses, or “vaccine-derived polio virus.” This has already been disclosed by the DOH in the past few days to alert the public. “The risk for polio recirculation is real,” Silva said. “We are now on high alert for polio recirculation, thus, we are doing some campaigns to arrest or to stop the
HEALTH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III leads the ceremonial vaccination during the recent school-based immunization kickoff launch held at Signal National High School in Taguig City. NONOY LACZA
transmission of polio.” The spread of diseases across borders or cross-border public-hea lth threats is among the most important challenges under Globa lization 4.0. Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) President Celia M. Reyes said these challenges also include trade wars, e nv i ron me nt a l de g r ad at ion , worsening inequality, erosion of social cohesion and trust, and the proliferation of disinformation. Reyes expressed concern that if these challenges are not managed well, they could pose a threat to the ability of the country to attain a higher level of economic growth and meet its development targets. These development targets are identified under the AmBisyon Natin 2040, which is the longterm vision of Filipinos for themselves and the country. Further, as a signatory to Agenda 2030, the Philippines must also meet the targets set under the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We would like to encourage all sectors to get involved and support the government in addressing the challenges posed by the new globalization. The government cannot do it alone,” Reyes said. “Each of us can do something to mitigate the risk and harness the opportunities that come along with the new globalization.” In terms of the spread of diseases, such as measles and the recirculation of polio, are rooted in the decline in children’s immunization rate. Silva said immunization is being used not only to control the spread of diseases like measles and polio but also congenital rubella, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B. Dat a presented by Si lva showed in 2011, around 75 percent of children have been fully immunized. This was a decline of 11 percentage points from 86 percent recorded in 2010. The trend continued and in 2018, the proportion of fully immunized children in the Philippines declined to 66 percent. Between 2004 and 2018, the highest
Report: Biotech crops continue to provide solutions to hunger, malnutrition, climate change
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TOTAL of 70 countries adopted biotec h c rops through cultivation and importation in 2018, the 23rd y e a r o f c o nt i nu o u s b i o t e c h crop adoption, according to the “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2018,” a report released by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISA A A) recently. Twenty-six countries—21 developing and five industrialized countries—planted 191.7 million hectares of biotech crops, which added 1.9 million hectares to the record of plantings in 2017. The continuous adoption of biotech crops by farmers worldwide indicate that biotech crops continue to help meet global challenges of hunger, malnutrition and climate change, the ISAAA report said. In 2018, it was reported in the “United Nations’ State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World” that hunger is growing for three consecutive years, and at the levels equivalent to the records a decade ago. Furthermore, the 2017 Global Report on Food Crises revealed that hunger and malnutrition continue to rise, with around 108 million individuals in 48 countries at risk or in severe food insecurity. Biotech crops, developed with improved traits—such as increased yield, more resistance to pests, improved nutrition, among others, are undeniably necessary to address these global challenges affecting the lives of so many families globally, ISAAA said. The Philippines is among the countries planting biotech crops, specifically Bacillus thuringiensis
(Bt) corn since 2003. With the increase in number of farmers and hectarage planted to Bt corn, the Philippines has become No. 13 among the 18 biotech megacountries for its 600,000 hectares planted to Bt corn. Biotech mega-countries are those that grow at least 50,000 of biotech crops. Rosalie Ellasus, a farmer from Pangasinan, Philippines, said that she adopted Bt maize because she gained more yield with less production cost, compared to conventional maize varieties. “ There was not even a trace of pests considering that we did not apply insecticide. Furthermore, we no longer need to visit our maize field ever y day, and this gives us peace of mind,” Ellasus added. “GM [Genetically modified] technology has contributed to all facets of food security. By increasing yields and reducing losses, it contributed to food availability for more families. By enabling farmers to improve their processes and join the modern supply chain, it improved physical access to food,” said Dr. Paul S. Teng, ISA A A board chairman. He said that through raising farmer and rural incomes, “it [biotech] improved economic access to food.” Teng added: “Through rigorous standards of food safety and hygiene programs, it contributed to better food utilization.” He e x pl a i ne d : “ W h i le a g r icu lt ura l biotec hnolog y is not the only key in enhancing globa l food secur it y, it is an i mpor t a nt sc ient i f ic tool i n the mu ltidisciplinar y toolk it.”
In countries with long years of high adoption—particularly USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and India—adoption rates of major crops are at levels close to 100 percent, indicating that farmers favor this crop technology over the conventional varieties. More farmers’ and consumers’ needs, more diverse biotech crops with various traits became available in the market in 2018. These biotech crops include potatoes with non-bruising, nonbrowning, reduced acrylamide and late blight resistant traits; insect resistant and drought tolerant sugar cane; non-browning apples; and high oleic acid canola and safflower. The ISAAA report also highlighted the following key findings: n The top 5 countries with the largest area of biotech crops planted (USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and India) collectively occupied 91 percent of the global biotech crop area. n Biotech soybeans reached the highest adoption worldwide, covering 50 percent of the global biotech crop area. n The area of biotech crops with stacked traits continued to increase and occupied 42 percent of the global biotech area. n Farmers in 10 Latin American countries planted 79.4 million hectares of biotech crops. n Nine countries in Asia and the Pacific planted 19.13 million hectares of biotech crops. n In Asia, Indonesia planted for the first time a droughttolerant sugar cane developed through a public (University of Jember) and private
(Ajinomoto Ltd.) partnership. n The Kingdom of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) joined South Africa and Sudan in planting biotech crops in Africa, with the introduction of IR cotton. Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi granted approvals for planting IR cotton, opening Africa to biotech crop adoption. n In Europe, Spain and Portugal continued to adopt biotech maize to control European corn borer. n More area planted with biotech crops for farmer and consumer needs, besides the above-mentioned items, including insect-resistant eggplant and low-lignin alfalfa, among others. n Various food, feed and processing approvals for Golden Rice, Bt rice, herbicide tolerant cotton, low gossypol cotton, among others. n Cultivation approvals for planting in 2019 include new generation herbicide tolerant cotton and soybean, low gossypol cotton, RR and low lignin alfalfa, omega-3 canola, and IR cowpea, among others. ”We were fed up with weeding and spraying pesticides to control bollworms and weeds. When the technology was introduced, we rapidly picked it up,” said Frans Mallela, a farmer from Limpopo Province, South Africa. Le Thanh Hai, one of the early adopters of biotech maize in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam, said that biotech maize has helped revive maize farming in their province and stressed that many farmers now grow biotech maize because of its benefits.
immunization rate among children was recorded in 2009 when 89 percent of Filipino children were fully immunized. This declining trend, Silva said, was mainly due to the plunge in Filipino’s vaccine confidence. Vaccine confidence became a major concern after the Dengvaxia vaccine scare that made parents think twice about making their children avail of the vaccinations available in school. “The vaccine confidence issue came about after the announcement of one company about the dengue vaccination that we [Philippine government] have implemented in 2016 and before we can come up with a statement of the safety of the vaccine, actually the social media was very active because I think this was announced in Europe, in France, one day before we had the official communication from WHO,” Silva said. BusinessMirror last year reported that the Dengvaxia vaccine scare caused many parents to doubt the efficacy of vaccines and how these can prevent their children from falling ill from the diseases these vaccines aim to ward off. This low confidence in vaccines was observed in the results of a survey conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine which was conducted during the Dengvaxia scare. The data, Silva showed, only 32 percent of those surveyed thought vaccines were important. Further, Silva said 79 percent of respondents did not consider vaccines safe. She added that the results also showed the confidence level of respondents to vaccines dropped to 22 percent, from 82 percent.
“This is actually the very big challenge of how to bring back vaccine confidence or trust of the public to vaccine safety and efficacy,” Silva said. In order to address these concerns, the DOH has identified key strategies under its expanded immunization program. These strategies involve strengthening the cold chain to support the immunization program and capacity-building for health workers for the introduction of new vaccines. The DOH also intends to push for the financial sustainability for the newly introduced vaccines for expansion and develop a comprehensive multiyear plan for immunization program. The health agency has also conducted vaccination activities against measles, such as the Outbreak Immunization Responses (ORI) in several regions. This was followed by a nationwide Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA) for children aged six to 59 months old which was conducted in two phases—in April 2018 (NCR and Mindanao) and in September 2018 (other parts of Luzon and Visayas). However, the DOH lamented that despite the efforts of health workers, the SIA campaign had achieved a coverage of 69 percent during Phase 1 of implementation and 29 percent in Phase 2. “I appea l to t he publ ic to rebuild your trust and confidence i n vacc i nes t h at were long proven to be ef fect ive, and I am quite sure that all of us sometime in our lives have been recipients of these vaccines which had protected us from various diseases,” Health Secretar y Francisco T. Duque III earlier said.
UST’s Aguinaldo receives Shimadzu award for chemical research
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ROF. Ma. Alicia M. Aguinaldo, PhD, a researcher at the University of Santo Tomas Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, received the 2019 PFCS Shimadzu Achievement Award for Chemical Research. The recognition was given by the Philippine Federation of Chemistry Societies (PFCS) during the recent 34th Philippine Chemistry Congress at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Shimadzu Cor p., established in Kyoto, Japan, in 1875, has the corporate philosophy, “Contributing to Society through Science and Technology,” and the management principle, “Realizing Our Wishes for the Well-being of both Mankind and the Earth,” according to its web site. Aguinaldo, who also teaches at the College of Science, now joined Vice Rector for Research and Innovation, Prof. Maribel G. Nonato, PhD, who received the Shimadzu Achievement Award for Chemical Research in 2017. Aguinaldo was the first faculty researcher from the University of Santo Tomas to have been conferred the National Academy of Science and Technology Outstanding Young Scientist Award in 1993. She also received the National Research Council of the Philippines Achievement Award for Chemical Sciences in 2011. A graduate of Chemistry for her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Santo Tomas, Aguinaldo obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1992. Among her research interests are the chemistry of natural products with antitubercular property, and antidiabetic property and phytochemistry of Philippine plants. To qualify for the award, the nominee must be a chemist who has conducted chemical research in the
MA. ALICIA M. AGUINALDO, PhD
Philippines or must have contributed to chemical research through linkages with a Philippine researcher. The nominee must have made significant contributions to his/ her field as evidenced by papers published in the last five years, and research mentorship as measured by the number of theses advisees and trainees supervised in the last five years. The nominee must also be nominated by the department chairman/head of institution/or by a regular member of any of the chemical societies under the PFCS. The PFCS was organized in 1988 to serve as an umbrella organization for the four chemistry societies in the Philippines: Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas, Integrated Chemists of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Chemistry Teachers, and Philippine Association of Chemistry Students. According to its official web site, PFCS aims to be an effective agent for: the appreciation and popularization of chemistry; advocacy in national issues and concerns involving the chemical sciences; the promotion of excellence in chemical research; the improvement of competence in chemistry; and the protection of the interests of the chemistry profession.
Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror
Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua
Sunday, September 8, 2019
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FREEDIVING RECORD HOLDER MARESE SECADES
BARES HER SOUL ON THE SPORT By Marky Ramone Go
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Photos by Marese Secades, Jake Alejandre & Martin Zapanta
WAS a few minutes into taking a seat inside Black Scoop Café in Maginhawa Street when a towering morena lady walked through the door. I instantly recognized her as Marese Secades—a freediver whose spectacular underwater photographs arrested my attention.
DURING a freedive, there’s that feeling of calm and peace.
“IT is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle,” Secades says on freediving.
FREEDIVER Marese Secades sets the women’s record at 59 meters.
A few days earlier, I reached out to her and during our exchange of messages she casually mentioned being the Filipina freediver who freedived the deepest to date. Astounded at this piece of information, I asked her if I can interview her in person for an article about freediving—to which she happily obliged. The moment she sat across the table, she quickly started telling her freediving journey. “A friend of mine invited me to join an intro class. I said yes and joined them on a beach trip where I was informally taught how to freedive,” Secades recalled. After telling her of my fears about the open water, Marese assured me there’s nothing to fear and described each freediving ses-
sion as a soulful experience “the overwhelming feeling of calm and peace is so indescribable.” “Freediving is diving on breath hold with no breathing apparatus. Some of the original freedivers are from the Philippines. They are the Badjao or otherwise known as ‘Sea Gypsies’ of Celebes Sea,” Secades explained.
Setting a freediving record
AFTER her informal introduction to the sport of freediving, Secades took it to a notch higher—in terms of preparation and dedication by undergoing professional training. It didn’t take long before her journey led her to Panglao, Bohol, on May 18 and 19, where she set a women’s record of 59 meters (193 feet) during the Philippine Depth
THERE are now more than 10,000 freedivers in the Philippines.
National Championship. “I had to be completely focused during each second of my dive. It was vital to keep my equalization and relaxation always in check. If I let my mind wander, it can easily distract me a million ways,” Secades said as she recalled her state of mind during her recordsetting freedive. It was also in the island of Panglao where she found the best place to train for the competition. “I had to move from Manila to Panglao two months ahead of
time to prepare myself in all possible ways. I signed up for regular training sessions at Freedive Panglao, which is considered as one of the best in the world under the coaching of freediving world champion Alenka Artnik,” she said.
Freediving scene in the Philippines
THE Philippines has long been renowned as a scuba diving haven where many of the world’s best diving spots can be found.
There’s Tubbataha Reef, Verde Passage, Panglao in Bohol, Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro and Anilao, Batangas, to state just a few. Because of the abundance of underwater gems surrounding our archipelago, it didn’t come as a surprise to learn that the sport of freediving thrived and has created a growing community. “ Ph i l ippi ne f reed iv i ng i s booming! At the moment, there are over 10,000 Filipino freedivers which is a big jump from less than a hundred three years ago.
PAL’s adopted eagle soars at Kadayawan
There are also around 30 certified Filipino freediving instructors around the country. It’s getting bigger and bigger, and many are now getting into competitive freediving,” Secades said. After my short conversation with Marese Secades, it occurred to me the allegory in her passion. While she holds her breath each time she goes underwater—for a minute or two—diving into depths of dozens of meters before ascending to the surface, in real life nowadays, she spends her every breathing moment embracing the sport. Freediving to her isn’t just a recreational activity anymore. Apart from being an instructor in Apnea Philippines, Marese also devotes more time training for the sport and incorporating all the understanding she learns from it into her lifestyle. “Training for freediving does not start when you are in the water, it starts the night before. You have to make sure you eat a proper diet, get enough rest and exercise. Meditation is also a huge factor in training as it quiets and trains your mind. One needs to live, eat and breathe freediving, it is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle,” Secades told me. The way she described her dedication to the sport of freediving sounded to me like a very complex and disciplined daily routine. However, when I started to look at her underwater photographs again, I understand fully why she’s into it so much. As each photograph blows my mind away, I inch closer to one day trying freediving—all thanks to Marese for inspiring me.
SMART TEAMS UP WITH KLOOK FOR KLOOK TRAVEL FEST
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INAG—the Philippine eagle adopted by flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL)— made its first public flight demonstration at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) in Davao City last week, demonstrating the power and majesty of the national bird in action. As Davao celebrated its annual Kadayawan festival, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) organized a special event called “Raptors in Flight,” a first in the world, that featured Philippine eagles flying and hunting. PAL adopted Sinag as a baby eagle in 2016, to highlight the airline’s keen interest in the preservation of the Philippine eagle and its natural habitat. About 250 students, nongovernment al organizations, media and other guests witnessed Sinag fly from a tree stump and soar to a hundred feet, past the gathered audience and back toward his keeper, Lohwana Halaq. The flight demonstration also included other raptors, such as the Giant Scops owl, Mindanao Lowland Scops owl, Pinsker’s
FREEDIVING relies solely on breath-holding until resurfacing above waters.
E A RAPTOR in flight
hawk-eagle, Philippine serpent eagle, Brahminy kite, Gray-headed fish eagle and the White-bellied sea eagle, all under the care of PEF. PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador said, “This is the first and only demonstration in the world to show a Philippine eagle flying on cue. The program demonstrates the raptors’ natural behavior while flying and hunting. It raises awareness on the plight of the Philippine eagle and encourages wildlife appreciation in general.” In 2016, PAL and the PEF, then
under the chairmanship of current Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, entered into a cooperation agreement. (Secretary Dominguez is also a former PAL president.) PAL donated 1 million frequent flyer miles for the PEF to use in mission trips to spread awareness on the importance of preserving endangered species and their equally important forest-habitat. Last June, PAL flew two Philippine eagles, respectively named Geothermica and Sambisig, from Davao via Manila to Singapore on
SINAG, the Philippine eagle
board commercial flights, a coordinated feat that required special kennels and careful climate regulation in the cargo compartment of the assigned aircraft. The two eagles are now housed in a special
zoological facility at the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, on loan from the PEF to Wildlife Reserves Singapore to encourage breeding and help secure a gene pool for conservation of the species.
NJOY awesome travel deals, data roaming discounts, and perks at the Klook Travel Fest on September 7 and 8 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. With its award-winning app, Klook makes it so easy to book over 100,000 attractions and activities in 300 plus destinations around the world, making it a seamless experience to do all that you’ve always dreamt of at this year’s Klook Travel Fest! Other things waiting for you at the Klook Travel Fest are exciting raffle prizes and chances to win Klook vouchers for out of this world discounts; exclusive deals on top tourist attractions around the world; talks and tips from travel icons, good food and a lot more! Smart subscribers can also get an exclusive voucher from Klook at the event. Make the most of your travels with Smart’s fastest LTE network, which lets you share your precious moments on Instagram and Facebook instantly, keep in touch with family and friends in real time, and enjoy all your favorite apps seamlessly in the Philippines and beyond. Learn more about how to make the most of your travels out of the country with Smart’s roaming services by visiting www.smart.com.ph/ world and following Smart’s official accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
A8 Sunday, September 8, 2019
Sports BusinessMirror
Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph
‘BAN RISING SUN FLAG’ S OUTH Korea has called on Japan to ban the country’s Rising Sun Flag at Tokyo 2020 after claiming it represents a “militaristic and imperial past.” The flag is still used in Japanese society but is seen by some overseas as a symbol of their aggression during the Second World War. Tokyo 2020 organizers have confirmed to insidethegames that they will not be banning the flag. “The Rising Sun Flag is widely used in Japan; and it is not considered to be a political statement, so it is not viewed as a prohibited item,” a spokesman said. The Korean Paralympic Committee has also reportedly requested that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic medals be redesigned as they resemble the Rising Sun. Japan conquered large parts of Asia during the Second World War, including the entire Korean peninsula, before their surrender in 1945. “The Japanese know full well that their neighbors regard the Rising Sun Flag as a symbol of Japan’s militaristic and imperial past,” said South Korean Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kim In-chul, according to Korean media. “Japan needs to be more humble about owning up to its historical legacy. The Government will work with related ministries to correct the matter.” Staff from the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) have reportedly met with Japanese counterparts to lodge an official complaint. On August 15, South Korean protesters tore up a huge Rising Sun Flag during a rally marking the anniversary of the country’s liberation. Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University in South Korea, told The
Korea Bizwire that the flag should be treated the same as the Hakenkreuz—the swastika symbol used by Nazi Germany. The controversy can, however, be seen in the wider context of an ongoing diplomatic dispute between Japan and South Korea. A goods war has developed between the historical rivals, with both countries restricting the other’s products in a series of retaliatory measures. The Koreans have also expressed concerns about food from Japan’s Fukushima region being served during Tokyo 2020. Fukushima was struck by one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit Japan, in 2011, when a devastating earthquake and tsunami caused an accident at a nuclear power plant. Around 16,000 people lost their lives. Both Tokyo 2020 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been keen to promote the Games as a tool which could help with the region’s recovery. Baseball and softball matches will be staged there and Fukushima Prefecture will host the start of the Japanese leg of the Torch Relay. Produce from Fukushima has been served at official events, including IOC Coordination Commissions, but KSOC have claimed they are worried about contamination. They have also threatened to review their pre-Tokyo 2020 training camp plans due to fears over “radioactivity.” Further tension has been felt over the appearance of a disputed territory on the official Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay map. The map on the official web site for next year’s games includes the Liancourt Rocks, which are governed by South Korea but claimed by Japan.
TOKYO 2020 organizers have confirmed to insidethegames that they will not be banning the flag.
Last month, Japan’s invite to the South KoreaChina-Japan Women’s Curling Competition, held by the South Koreans in Gangneung, was withdrawn. South Korea is threatening to review plans to hold a pre-Olympic Games training camp in
Japan next year because of concerns relating to radioactivity from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The country’s Sports Minister Park Yangwoo told a Parliamentary Committee that the Government will discuss the issue with the KSOC. “Nothing is more important than safety,” Park told the Committee. “We will seek consultations with the International Olympic Committee and others to secure our athletes’ safety and ensure that the Tokyo Olympics will be held in a safe environment.” Earlier this week, at the start of the Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission Seminar in the Japanese capital, it was revealed that KSOC sent a letter to Japanese organizers to express concern about food from Fukushima set to be served during the Olympics. Fukushima was struck by one of the worst
natural disasters ever to hit Japan when a devastating earthquake and tsunami caused an accident at a nuclear power plant. Around 16,000 people lost their lives in the tragedy. Most observers, however, believe South Korea’s threat is linked to deteriorating political relations between the two countries. South Korea also announced it was ending its intelligence-sharing pact with Japan in a dramatic escalation of the two countries’ trade war. Earlier this month, Japan dropped South Korea from its list of favored trading partners. South Korea then dropped Japan from its export “whitelist” 10 days after Tokyo’s decision, and created an entirely new country category exclusively for Japan. Those moves mean that Japanese and South Korean exporters of “strategic” goods will now have to go through additional screening to sell abroad.
Japan and South Korea have had tense relations since Japan annexed South Korea in 1910 and considered it a part of Japan until 1945. Fresh tensions emerged last year when the South Korean Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean laborers forced to work for them during World War II. The Japanese Government maintains it settled all colonial-era debts in a 1965 pact, and many Japanese companies refused to comply with the court’s order. “Sports and politics should be separate... it could be a good chance for Korean athletes to take part in the Olympics that will be held in our neighbouring country,” Shin Dong-keun of the ruling Democratic Party and a member of the Parliamentary Committee told South Korean agency Yonhap News. “But it is important to take into account how to deal with safety issues.” Insidethegames
Bernal heads to Yorkshire for World Championships
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HIS year’s Tour de France winner, Egan Bernal, will take part in the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire in the United Kingdom later this month. It will be both his first time competing at a road world championships and the first time he’s raced in Britain, according to the Colombian Cycling Federation’s web site. Bernal–who races for British WorldTour squad Team Ineos—has been home in Colombia, making various appearances to celebrate July’s Tour victory, and recently visited the British Embassy in Colombia’s capital Bogotá. The visit was made in the company of outgoing Colombian Cycling Federation President Jorge Ovidio González and new Federation President Jorge Mauricio Vargas, who were hosted by the embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission, Greg Houston. With them were Daniela Soler and Germán Darío Gómez, who will also represent Colombia at the Yorkshire Worlds in the junior categories.
According to the federation, Bernal was given a tour of the embassy and told about various social projects to improve the lives of children in rural areas of Colombia through the provision of bicycles, as well as taking the opportunity to organize his visa for his first race in Britain. Although the 22-year-old will be representing his country for the first time at a road world championships in Yorkshire, he has taken part in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, in 2014 in Norway, where he won silver for Colombia in the junior men’s cross-country. After racing in Yorkshire, Bernal will head to Italy, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport. Following largely the same program as 2018, he’ll race the Giro dell’Emilia, GP Bruno Beghelli, Tre Valli Varesine and Milano-Torino before ending his season with Il Lombardia. While the Worlds road race on September 29 may not to prove hilly enough for the 60 kilogram climber, various reconnaissance trips by the likes of the Belgian and Italian national
IT will be both Egan Bernal’s first time competing at a road world championships and the first time he’s raced in Britain, according to the Colombian Cycling Federation’s web site.
teams have confirmed that the 284.5-kilometer race is tougher than was first thought. The 2019 UCI Road World Championships get under way on September 21 with the para-cycling road races in Harrogate, and culminate with the elite men’s road race on September 29. Insidethegames
FROOME RETURNS TO TRAINING
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HRIS FROOME (Team Ineos) has resumed training for the first time since his crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June. The four-time Tour de France champion has been off the bike ever since falling on a descent during a recon of the time trial course during the race. He suffered fractured femur, elbow, vertebrae and sternum, as well as losing four pints of blood, and was forced to miss the Tour de France as a result. Froome has already been riding on an indoor trainer, but Thursday marked the first time he had been on a bike outdoors in over two months. He completed two laps of a local velodrome, but confirmed on Twitter that he isn’t able to race on the road.
A video posted to Twitter by a fan showed Froome at the track talking about his crash. While he has been out of action, Froome inherited the overall victory at the 2011 Vuelta a España, after Juan José Cobo was found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation based on abnormalities in his biological passport dating from 2009 to 2011. Back in July, Froome confirmed that he is targeting the 2020 Tour de France, and a tilt at a fifth title, as the endpoint of his rehabilitation. He said that he was ahead of schedule on his comeback, saying, “I’m ahead of all the predictions that were made initially of how long it would take even just to get to this point.” Insidethegames
THE four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has been off the bike ever since falling on a descent during a recon of the time trial course during the race.
September 8, 2019
GROUP EYES TO COMPLETE 5,000 BOATS FOR SCHOOLKIDS, FISHERMEN
Group eyes to complete 5,000 boats for schoolkids, fishermen By Oliver Samson | Correspondent
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YOUTH leader is targeting to have built with his group about 5,000 boats for schoolchildren and fishermen by 2020.
Over 4,000 boats have already been built for children who had to swim and wade through sea to go to school and for fishermen who damaged or lost their boats to natural disasters, according to Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation (YBHF) Inc. Vice President and Ambassador Jay Michael O. Jaboneta. The group is poised to continue building more boats as they see more people near waters need a vessel to keep their hope in life afloat and their dream from sinking. Jaboneta said that would be a fitting achievement for YBHF’s 10th anniversary next year. He explained that YBHF’s project has two components today: boats for school children and boats for fishermen.
Original THE group originally constructed boats to help children cross waters from their community to school yet stay dry and safe, he said. But they later saw their parents’ livelihood impacts the kids’ education. “A lot of them say that if they don’t have a livelihood, they won’t be able to send their kids to school.” But even the boats specifically donated for schoolchildren are used by their parents to catch fish after the kids are sent to school, Jaboneta said. “Sometimes, the boats are used by our partners in the area, like the barangay council and the school itself,” he said. The boats also sometime serve as ambulance. According to Jaboneta, the YBHF builds and donates three kinds of boats: the self-paddled, the motorized and a big boat that costs P200,000. For recipients who have to cross a bumpy sea, engine-driven boats are built, Jaboneta explained. Self-paddled boats are constructed for recipients who cross a creek or a river and when the number of recipients is only about five, he added.
Learning YBHF has also built and donated five big boats for their recipients in Caramoan, Camarines Sur. Jaboneta said these boats do not transport schoolchildren to and from the school but alternative learning teachers to the communities off the mainland. The local hall in the island communi-
ties in Caramoan serves as a classroom for the alternative learning program, he said. At times, the students are taught on the shore. The boats, which are called Bangkarunungan, also carry the learning materials. “Most of our volunteers in the area are teachers,” he said. Some of their recipients had to swim, wade, walk on sandbars and swim again to get to the school, Jaboneta said. Others had to swim from shore to shore to attend the class, like their recipients in Masbate. And some had to cross rivers. “We customize the boat according to the need of a particular community,” he said.
Impact THE impact of Typhoon Pablo (international code name Bopha), which struck southern Philippines in 2012, on the livelihood of fishermen steered the group to start building boats for fishermen. YBHF President Anton Mari Lim visited Davao Oriental for a relief mission by another volunteer group after the typhoon hit the area. Knowing the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation was building and donating boats, local fishermen asked for replacements to their damaged and lost boats, Jaboneta said. “Initially, we actually said no because our boats are for students only,” Jaboneta said. But the fishermen insisted that if they do not have livelihood they could not send their kids to school, he added. Jaboneta acquiesced. After Pablo came Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan) and the YBHF’s biggest project. Over a thousand boats were built and donated to the survivors in Leyte, Samar and Cebu. “More than 50 percent of the people who helped the foundation are individual donors,” he said. “The other components are the partners and corporations.” Some of the donors are entrepreneurs, families and overseas Filipino workers, he added. The YBHF works with the school, barangay officials and other organizations in a particular community in identifying recipients who most deserve the boats, Jaboneta explained.
Viral JABONETA, who is from Cotabato City,
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RECIPIENT school kids on board selfpaddled boats built and donated by the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation Inc.
never thought he would be part of a group that would build thousands of boats for indigent schoolchildren and fishermen across the country. It all started when he posted a status on social media on October 30, 2010, in response to the request of children in stilt houses in sitio Layag-Layag off the shore of Zamboanga City. The post asked for funds to build a boat for the children. “I posted it when I heard the story,” he said. “When it went viral we were able to raise the funds.” Friends and people in his networks responded to his call, Jaboneta said, raising an amount enough to construct one. That boat transported some 20 children in the stilt community to school and back dry and safe. The initiative led Jaboneta to help organize YBHF in 2010. It also earned him recognition as one of the 7 Modern-Day Pinoy Heroes in 2011.
Exposure AFTER the boat for children in Zamboanga was turned over, people informed Jaboneta and his group that there were children in Masbate and Negros who were swimming their way to school. Nine years after the Zamboanga project, the group’s recipients spread across the country. Currently, the YBHF is present in 200 communities in the Philippines. It also has been able to secure funding from charitable individuals and organizations in the country and abroad. “When we get funding, it goes directly to our projects,” Jaboneta said adding that about 80 percent of the projects of YBHF are building boats.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2019
The boats are yellow in color since, like school buses and other vehicles that take students to school, they are water school transportation, he explained. The group also found out as they researched that yellow is the color of hope. “We also realized that yellow really stands out against the deep blue sea,” Jaboneta said. Yellow was also chosen by the group as the color of the boats since Zamboanga has security issues, he pointed out. The group wished to send a message of caution, by painting the boats in yellow, that the passengers are students.
Return THE YBHF has also built and donated about 20 boats for a community in Zamboanga City as their means of livelihood, ferrying tourists to the mangrove reserve and the pink beach in Santa Cruz Island. Known as “Yellow Boat Adventure,” the livelihood program formally started to be in service to more visitors to the said ecotourism spots in 2018, Jaboneta said. Aside from building boats, the YBHF has also built classrooms for public schools in Masbate, Samar, Zamboanga and Cotabato. The group currently has 100 active volunteers, some of who met each other for the first time at YBHF’s summit last June. It was during this summit, the first for YBHF, where Jaboneta said they culled best practices and learned about project management and fund-raising methods. He believes the summit also affirmed YBHF’s origins: volunteerism. “We are all doing this as a volunteer mission,” Jaboneta said.
BusinessMirror
MUSIC
PHOTO TAKEN DURING THE LAUNCH OF MOSSIMO X YOU ARE LOVED BY CHOLO GONZALES
GRACENOTE ON THEIR NEW SINGLE “BASO AT BOTE” AND BREAKING OUT by Rick Olivares
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LECTRO-pop band Gracenote has dropped the music video for their latest single, “Baso at Bote” and both the band and the song have been receiving a lot of attention from the media and music fans not to mention television.
This four-piece band of guitarist Tatsi Jamnague, bassist and vocalist Jazz Jorge, drummer EJ Pichay, and vocalist, keyboardist, violinist and guitarist Eunice Jorge, is one of the local music scene’s best kept secrets. They aren’t usually mentioned in the same sentence of top bands like UDD, Sandwich, or even Moonstar88, but they have put out three well-received and top-selling albums and their
live shows are lauded by fans and music observers alike. Even superstars like Parokya ni Edgar’s Chito Miranda went out of his way to collaborate for the smash hit, “Bakit Ka Ganyan” that has about 6.3 million streams on Spotify. Their version of Stevie B’s “When I Dream About You” that has 5.2 million streams on Spotify and has also received accolades from the original artist himself has become some sort of de facto
version of the song. Their second album, “Transparent,” featured collabs with Yeng Constantino, Tutti Caringal, and Alexa Ilacad. That success saw the band embark on more collaborations for their digital only release titled “2019” with rapper Abra, 6cyclemind,
Autotelic, and December Avenue among others. Their popularity (they have over 330 thousand fans on Facebook and the same on Spotify every month). That has parlayed into sets as an opening act for Continued on page 5
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SEPTEMBER 8 , 2019 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com
MUS
MOSSIMO X GRACENOTE: MUSIC FOR MENTAL HEALTH By Darwin Fernandez | Photo By Cholo Gonzales
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HEN it comes to expression nothing does it better than music, and this is perhaps why many musicians refer to it as the universal language rather than Math: as the late frontman of Stone Temple Pilot’s Scott Weiland once said, “It makes us feel.”
What we can’t describe in words, we find in music; this perhaps is why it was used by fashion brand Mossimo as a platform to launch their mental health awareness campaign You Are Loved at the Johnny B Good. Under the same title, the brand enlisted the talents of electro-pop band Gracenote that wrote and performed the song to remind whoever was listening about the light at the end of every tunnel. Using a fusion of fast-paced
modern pop and lyricism and melody, they hope to effectively spread the message of the mental health campaign. “We wanted our music to be meaningful as well,” vocalist Eunice Jorge said, “to spread positivity, encouragement, and love to everyone.” As they launched a music video for the song, they wish to remind us that no matter how alone we may feel, the truth is people care if we just find the courage to reach out. You are loved.
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Gracenote...
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the likes of international stars like Nelly Furtado, Yellowcard, Secondhand Serenade, and Against the Current. During a recent show at the MOA Arena, concert organizers were so impressed. One said, “We invited them because fans said to line them up for the show, but once they got going, we went, ‘wow! Ganito pala sila!’” Surprisingly. Gracenote has been around for 11 years now. When they first came out, their music dripped of homages to Paramore. And the band makes no bones about how big an influence the American band is t their music. “When we started. It was Paramore’s music that connected EJ and me,” recalled Eunice of Gracenote’s origin. “And so we formed a band.” There was a stretch from
2006-13 where that band out of Tennessee ruled the music world. While Gracenote didn’t mind the comparisons – they actually relished it – the challenge for them was to “find their own voice” as Pichay later said. Paramore was among Eunice and Jazz’s first exposure to pop music as they were growing up, they listened only to Christian music. “I was like Rapunzel,” described Eunice of herself when she got exposed to pop music. “So what might be old music to others was something entirely new to us.” Being latecomers to music has served Gracenote well. Theirs is a refreshing sound mix of various styles from alt rock to emo to pop punk to electro. “We hit our stride when Tatsi joined the band in 2016,” bared Pichay. “He was the missing piece.” “I was listening to Keane and Owl City at that time and I got to
jam with them,” said Jamnague of that chance meeting. “We were listening to a lot of 21 Pilots, Charli XCX, Bleachers, and even Taylor Swift,” added Eunice. “Tatsi’s influences meshed well and that changed the direction of our sound.”
The result was magic.
The result was a shift from the Paramore-sounding debut, “First Movement,” to the electro sound of “Transparent.” And yet somehow, about a year later, their heroes, Paramore, released their fifth album, “After Laughter” that was more synth and New Wave oriented. “We all laughed about how our career runs along a few similar lines,” pointed out Jazz. The digital release titled “2019” explored the same musical pathways but is known for a diverse approach as they worked
with the aforementioned artists. “It is overwhelming to work with people you only watched from afar,” shared Jamnague. “It gives us more confidence in the direction we want to take. Natutuwa kami na may ginagawa kaming tama.” And now there’s “Baso at Bote” a more laid back song with Jazz lending chill vibes and grooves to the song. It’s gorgeously hypnotic and catchy. Refreshing like a cool soda on a hot summer day or some steamy night. True enough, as I interviewed the band during a rainy but humid Friday night in the Soupstar offices in Marikina, the band was rehearsing; polishing the live performance of the song (they were also prepping for a show at 19 East), the band looked at each other following an inspired performance of the song. They didn’t say a word. They just smiled and knew it was just right.
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MUSIC ON PRINT
NATHAN & MERCURY RELEASES A NEW SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEOS
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RESH off the announcement that the band is heading to Singapore next month as one of the performers at Music Matters 2019, Nathan & Mercury releases a new single and two music videos. Fools: a visual delight
The first treat came in the form of “Fools” music video. “The song in itself is very emotional,” says Nathan Huang, lead singer and guitarist. “Through the song, we were able to hear heavy emotions. This time, through the video, we wanted to visualize what those emotions are.” Released as a single last year, it has garnered nearly a million streams on Spotify and Youtube combined, achieving instant success even without an album release.
Rumours: a fascinating follow-up
Following in the footsteps of their well-received debut track, “Rumours” was also released on the same day as the latest single. Written as a direct response to the ever-so-thriving culture of gossip, tattletales, and fake news, the band’s funky pop jam thumps over instrumentation with renewed energy and starry-eyed groove, showcasing their looser, more confident side. “It’s a spell of rant coming from someone who is
tired of all the lies,” shares drummer Daniel Monong. The music video of the song was also released, showing bits and pieces of a story without much explanation. “We wanted to emulate what it would be like to hear a rumor,” bassist Angelo Sison explains. “We did that by depriving the viewers of the whole picture.”
2018 X-FACTOR UK
FINALIST MARIA LAROCO LAUNCHES HER DEBUT INTERNATIONAL ALBUM By Leony R. Garcia
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ARIA Laroco, the X-FACTOR UK 2018 finalist from Pangasinan, is happy to be back in the Philippines to promote her very first international album. Given the chance, the The Voice Kids alum said that she want to make a name for herself locally, and get the opportunities to perform alongside Sarah Geronimo or Morisette Amon in the future. “I’ve always wanted to be part of the showbiz industry here in the country that's why I've joined several singing contests prior to my UK stint," she said during the album launch. She was a contestant in the Philippines’ version of The Voice Kids in 2014. She started singing at the age of 3 joining different amateur singing competitions. She became one of recording artists of Universal Records Philippines and released her own version of “Beauty and The Beast”. Her revival single, “Hindi Ko Kaya” (original popularized by Geneva Cruz) was used as official theme song of Korean TV Drama Series “All About Mom” aired in
GMA 7. Likewise, she represented Philippines in Child Aid Asia concert held in Tokyo, Japan. She also became a Grand Finalist in “The Will To Win” of Wowowin. And she was a Grand champion in Great British Festival held in Makati City leaded by Ambassador Daniel Pruce. Now her dreams of collaborating with her musical influences Geronimo and Yeng Constantino is not far behind as her first album titled “Just Maria” under an international recording label “Odic Records” is finally out! For now, Maria treats her album as her breakthrough in her career in the local music industry even as she has already performed in
The music video is helmed by Kevin Mayuga, the director behind Chicosci’s “Buzzin,” Moonwlk’s “Prefer.”“ We trust him enough to get the job done,” guitarist Alex Samonte points out. “Initially, we briefed him on the “Fools” only, but along the process we thought it would be nice to have him on board for “Rumours” as well.”
several gigs at UK. Thanks to Simon Cowell who believed in her and mentored her. In fact, Simon expressed his desire for Maria to join the 2019 X-Factor edition once again. And the possibility of joining is high according to Maria. After her videotaped performance at the Judges House in the US, Simon told her on the phone: ‘Promise me you’ll come back next year. If not, I will be the one to fly to the Philippines to get you here in the competition. So I'm going back because I have no intention of breaking that promise, Maria said. Containing in Just Maria album is her 10 original songs with her carrier single “Imagine”. It is a love song and it tackles the 'Magic of Love' that most teenagers like nowadays would love engaging in. According to Maria, her inspiration to pursue her career is her dreams as well as her parents and all of people trusting and believing in her God-given talents. Now 18, the rising star's claim to fame remains to be X-Factor UK's Top 6 pick of Simon Cowell. Her audition song “Purple Rain” made the judges and crowd do the standing ovation in the prestigious international singing competition. Her journey continued until she was part of Top 6 finalists in the said competition. Maria’s newely released album is now available at digital music platforms online like Spotify, Deezer, Spinner, ITunes and many more.
Advocates gathering in largest DYING youth-led cultural event for peace YOUNG By Vernon Velasco
MILLENNIALS UNIVERSE
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FFICIALS of a group that describes itself as an independent nonpartisan national alliance of young leaders and youth organizations in the Philippines recently announced it would be hosting the Philippine Intercultural Youth Convention (PIYC) 2019.
Sigaw ng Kabataan Coalition (SKC) said the PIYC, which has the theme “New Beginnings for Peace, New Challenges for Development,” would be held on September 21 and 22 at Tanghalang Bautista, Quezon City University, Quirino Highway, Quezon City. In his advisory, National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairman and CEO Ryan R. Enriquez said the conference is expected to draw in 500 young leaders “who will envision a bright future of the country, guided by the Philippine roots in heritage and history.” SKC said it is organizing the conference together with the Rotary Satellite Club of Fort BGC Titans of Rotary International District 3830 supported by the Pilipinas Rotaract Multi-District Infor-
mation Organization and many other partner agencies. SKC said the conference comes as the country’s recent development toward unity through the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao provides a new beginning for peace, springing not only in the region but throughout the Philippines. “Along with peacebuilding, this aching part of the country has been longing for sustainable development in securing its future,” SKC’s statement said. “It is high time to put the youth in its center.” According to the SKC, the conference “aims to provide a platform for the exchange of Philippine cultures and discussions on national issues that will highlight the role of the youth in peace
and development.” “Philippine government leaders, as well as nongovernment and international partners will enrich forums on youth in peace, peace amid diversity, vulnerabilities in conflict, and the essence of peacebuilding in the attainment of quality education, poverty alleviation, access to health care, and sustainable livelihood.” According to SKC, the conference will also bring the country’s rich cultural experience in one venue through segments such as the Cultural Festival, an exhibition of cultures, a cultural networking night and many other cultural presentations. “It aims to engage the youth with government and nongovernment actors that will also be facilitated with a flow of plenary and breakout sessions.” The road to sustainable development is founded on the stability of peace and PIYC 2019 hopes to integrate the Filipino youth in building this strong foundation, SKC added. SKC said the event is open for partnerships with organizations that can send a delegation of more than 10 youth leaders. Participants may register at www. piyc-skc.com/registration and organizers through piyc.skc@gmail.com.
FRIEND sent me a snapshot of his arm specked with what look like moles. “Cancer?,” he asked. I squinted at the picture and Googled symptoms of melanoma that turned out similar to his. “Nothing major,” I said, holding on to what little consolation you get when you think you’re sick but you’re still a little plump around the cheeks. “God forbid when you’re ill, you’re going to be extra thin and extra tall as a result; like a gazelle.” “I’m dying,” he cried. I read somewhere that when you die, the memories of things past will all come back to you in the nick of time. But he is 26 and has nothing much; save for the jobs he screwed and the people he fu__ed. I, too, have a fear of dying young, and have a phobia to terminal illnesses. A little bruise is cancer; a maddening itch is cancer; hair falling in clumps and decimated dreams; a psychosomatic nasal drip that aggravates one’s resignation in the face of such will-sapping contention. When you’re young and you think you’re dying, you feel extra special and appreciate everything as a little act of kindness. You recognize your days as a vacuum too great to fill when you’re racing against time, that’s why you reconcile to reality rather than praying for some “Praise-Jesus” miracle. You think you won’t die from a terminal illness or any petty flaw of humanity as a close-end biological mistake. It has to be noble. So you’ll get killed saving somebody from a crash or die from what old people who have only figured late in their lives what they’re going to die for, before the cancer gets you.
Asia smokers are new target for embattled e-cigarette maker Juul developed countries. “Given the volume of smokers, we view Asia as a high-priority region for the company,” Ken Bishop, Singapore-based regional head for Juul, said in an interview last August 22. “What we see is that smokers are very interested in these products. The consumer demand is super high.”
Reunion mulled THE shift toward Asia comes as the vaping industry faces widespread attack in America, especially for its appeal among young people.
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UUL Labs Inc., the e-cigarette pioneer grappling with negative publicity and government crackdowns in the United States, is setting its sights on Asia, home to half the world’s smokers. The San Francisco company in recent months has begun selling its vaping devices in South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines, and is looking into entering more markets in the region. Asia—with looser tobacco regulations and favorable tax treatments, as well as high cigarette sales volume—has been a lucrative alternative for tobacco giants suffering from falling smoking rates and slowing growth opportunities in
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Manila scores high on gender equality in list of best cities for Generation Z By Dennis D. Estopace
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Editor, Y2Z
HILE not in the top 10 best cities for Generation Z worldwide, Manila was in the top 10 for gender equality in a study by Nestpick Global Services (NGS) GmbH. According to NGS, which operates the Nestpick web site, the study “reveals the best international cities that support Generation Z’s values and vision by using data relating to advocacy, digitalization, livability and business opportunities.” The study ranked Manila 101 out of 110 2019 best cities for Generation Z worldwide. Citing the Pew Research Center, NGS defines a member of Gen Z as those born between the years 1997 to 2012. “Despite the lack of a definitive boundary separating millennials and Generation Z, 1996 was selected due to the common key social, political and technological circumstances that form the foundation of each generation,” NGS said. “Gen Z-ers are known to be digital natives who value security, diversity, and autonomy and aim to achieve it through pragmatism and determination.” The NGS added that members of the Gen Z “are starting to graduate from uni-
versity this year and are now entering the work force.” “Alongside facing global crises such as climate change, this digitally connected age group will also have to tackle artificial intelligence replacing humans, meaning that Gen Z-ers must train in machine learning to stay ahead of the curve,” NGS said in a statement. The Berlin, Germany-based operator of on-demand housing platform Nestpick dot-com said the index “aims to determine which cities around the world are meeting their needs, and how they are making themselves attractive destinations to appeal to the creators, advocates and pioneers of tomorrow.” The study focused on four broad categories with factors that determine the extent to which a city is attractive to live for Gen Z and embraces their values. First among these categories is “digital,” with the following factors: government digitalization, education and priva-
cy and security. In these factors, Manila was given a score out of 100 of 56.39, 22.25 and 26.58, respectively. “Please note that where scores are out of 100—the higher the score, the better,” the NGS explained. “A value of 100 does not mean a city is the most ideal city for Gen Z and has zero room for improvement. Instead, it means that it is the leading city which at present, best embraces this demographic out of all the cities in the index.” The second category is “principles” with the following factors: internationalism, environmental action, gender equality and right to protest, among many. In these factors, Manila was given a score out of 100 of 2.58, 58.66, 79.43 and 48.59, respectively. Manila ranked at No. 9 in terms of gender equality, scoring higher than cities in France, Germany, the UK and Canada. The third category is “leisure,” which includes Esports as a factor. Manila scored 6.8 on this. The fourth category is “business,” which has the factors affordability, social entrepreneurship and artificial-intelligence (AI) industry, among others. Manila scored 91.77, 28.77 and 11.45 in these factors, respectively. With a total score of 100, London is the No. 1 city for Generation Z, NGS’s study revealed. “With a focus on values, London’s over-
all compatibility with Gen Z principles, ability to meet educational needs and strong business opportunities makes it the strongest-performing city in the index.” In the top 10 cities for digitalized mobility and sharing economies—factors under the digital category—Shanghai, China, is the only Asian city. In the top 10 cities for the AI industry, three Asian cities are included: Tokyo, Beijing and Singapore, at eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively. Singapore has the highest “connectivity /5G” score, followed by Seoul and Stockholm. It also has the highest “Safety” score, followed by Wellington and Osaka. “For Generation Z, being concerned about the economic and environmental future was something conditioned from birth. For this new, evolving demographic, the ubiquity of issues ranging from climate change to growing up through a global economic crisis has made them so fundamentally distinct,” Ömer Kücükdere, founder and CEO of Nestpick.com, was quoted in a statement as saying. “To continue attracting talented, young individuals, public officials need to take legitimate action to address their concerns before they risk losing them. We hope this study calls upon legislators and private entities to meet their demands and create a more secure, sustainable and progre ssive framework moving forward.”
Asia smokers are new target for embattled e-cigarette maker Juul Continued from page 7 The US Surgeon General has called vaping an “epidemic” and the Food and Drug Administration has been investigating the safety of e-cigarettes after reports of seizures. The pressure is increasing after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last August 30 it was investigating more than 200 possible cases of severe lung illness linked to e-cigarette use in 25 states, including one death. Juul, one of Silicon Valley’s most valuable privately held companies, has made efforts to address the criticism, saying in November it would stop the sale of some fruit-flavored products in retail stores. Juul CEO Kevin Burns last week urged nonsmokers not to start vaping, saying they weren’t Juul’s target customer. Juul’s vaping products remain popular as the adoption of e-cigarettes surges. Alternative smoking products are emerging as a crucial part of tobacco companies’ survival strategy. As global demand for traditional smokes fades, Big Tobacco is counting on products that it says can help smokers ease off cigarettes. That’s one reason behind the recent disclosure that Philip Morris
I n tern a t iona l Inc. a nd A l tria
smoking device, which got its start in Asia and has done well in the region.
Cannibalization concern
Group Inc., which has a 35-percent stake in Juul, are considering a merger.
Not easy GOING into Asia won’t be easy for Juul. It means navigating a maze of different smoking cultures, socioeconomic levels and regulatory regimes across a slew of countries at various stages of development. Some countries such as Singapore and Thailand ban e-cigarettes; while others are considering restrictions. “Many of the countries in Asia are
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struggling to curb their smoking epidemics—and now they are facing an aggressive onslaught of new products,” said Mary Assunta, senior policy adviser for the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance. Further complicating matters is the possible Philip Morris-Altria combination. A recoupling of the two giants could be a blessing or a curse for Juul. Philip Morris’s wide distribution channel could help Juul expand faster in Asia, but analysts aren’t so sure how Philip Morris might treat a potential competitor to its IQOS alternative
SEPTEMBER 8, 2019
PHILIP Morris could be reluctant to help expand the brand, preferring instead to push IQOS and its own vaping products, according to Ken Shea, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. “I’m skeptical they would help Juul unless they saw a path to ownership,” he said. “Why would they spend all this extra money on a brand they don’t own?” Shea said Philip Morris might look to sell the Juul stake if the company rejects a full takeover bid. Neither tobacco giant has yet proposed a complete takeover of Juul. Philip Morris and Altria may see the products as complementary, said Euromonitor International analyst Jarred Neubronner. “A certain degree of cannibalization is possible, but ultimately Juul and IQOS represent two different types of next-generation technologies that are likely to appeal to different users,” he said. IQOS belongs to the heat-not-burn category, which heats a tobacco plug instead of burning it. Juul’s device involves vaporizing liquid nicotine. Bloomberg News