hypertech magazine vol m 07

Hypertech Magazine Technology Applications for Business, Industry, Education What’s Next?

Ethical Implications Nation Building Volume M 07 September - December 2015

Emerging Technology In Vitro Fertilization Virtual Reality Solar Roads

In side

this Isssue 01 MM Infote Class Photo 02 Forward by Professor Grey 03 Emergeing Technology Reports 03.a In Vitro Fertilization

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

03.b

Virtual Reality Biglang-awa, Julieta Choco, Analee Co, Carl Jensen

03.c Solar Roads

Posadas, Rachelle Racelis, Charles Vinzon Robles, Andrew Carl

Information Technology for Managers Ateneo De Manila University Graduate School of Business Professor Gary A. Grey, MBM

forE word

Professor Grey This issue of Hypertech E-magazine features 3 emerging technologies:

• • •

Virtual Reality In-vitro Fertilization Solar Panel Road

When Facebook purchased Oculus Rift, a pioneer in Virtual Reality, Mark Zuckerberg commented in his Facebook page: “This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.

These are just some of the potential uses. By working with developers and partners across the industry, together we can build many more. One day, we believe this kind of immersive, augmented reality will become a part of daily life for billions of people.”

The article on Virtual Reality provides insights on the way the technology evolved towards the Facebook vision of a “new communication platform.”

The technology of In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) looks into the SWOT of this technology by which an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body—it’s ethical ramifications and potential as a medical tourism business in the Philippines. The rise of the “test tube” baby and the possibility of evolving humans towards “superintelligence” through a process of selection of best-of-breed embryos mingled with advances in stem cell research stretches the imagination on the future of mankind.

The world is now looking towards many alternative energy sources as the solution towards controlling the negative effects of climate change. While most literature on solar energy are based on solar panels attached in roofs of houses and buildings, the article on Solar Panel Road, offers another way of harnessing solar energy, through building solar panels in roads and highways.

These three technologies are in their stages of infancy but which could evolve almost overnight in quantum jumps as they are subjected to the Law of Accelerating Returns as in Moore’s Law and in Metcalfe’s Law on the network effect.

Hypertech Magazine Issue MM07 September-December 2015

group one virtual reality Technology Description

2.

1. What is VR?

Although VR has been around for decades, it was only recently that the technology has advanced well enough for a wider distribution. From gaming to politics, more and more people are now tapping in the potential of this platform. CNN will broadcast an upcoming US presidential debate in VR. TV talk shows like Conan uploads segments of their show in VR format. The inevitable gaming landscape is now evolving with competition between Oculus Rift and Playstation (Sony) on the horizon.

Have you read a book and wondered what it was like to be in the world being described? Or watched an NBA game and thought about what it was like to be one of the players in the TV screen? If there’s one thing people have in common, it’s having a dream.

These dreams can be about reaching a certain place, being a certain someone, or witnessing a certain event. Some are realistic and some are well… farfetched. But regardless of the world it belongs to, we would surely want that dream to come to life and what better way than to actually experience it.

Virtual Reality (VR) brings us closer towards this once-only-thought-of possibility. This technology breaks the boundaries between fiction and reality.

Aided by an artificial sensory hardware, it allows a person to interact with a computer-simulated world using the human senses of touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste. It provides an immersive experience to a virtual world no other existing technology can. Communication, media, commerce and health are just some of the fields that can take advantage of the possibilities of VR.

VR Today

Accessibility seems to be the theme for VR today.

Google came out with a “cardboard” concept which encourages people to make their own VR headset with simple and affordable materials you can buy at your local hardware store. A user-owned full touch screen smartphone will be used as the screen with the content retrievable from your everyday apps like Youtube. There are also ready-made ones being sold by different manufacturers from $12 to $30.

Samsung, on the other hand, will be coming out with a similar concept with their Samsung Gear VR that acts as an accessory to their latest smartphone lineup. This will retail at $350. It’s now easier than ever to own a VR headset.

Oneplus, a mobile phone brand, recently launched their latest phone model in virtual reality. Unlike

most type of launches that involve an open space and a lot of people, this one feels more personal.

You’ll find yourself with the founder of the company talking to you while walking you through their office.

You’ll then be in a room listening to 3 other people talk about their experiences with the new phone.

Afterwards he’ll bring you to their conference room to listen to their engineer talk about the phone’s design via video conference call. In this set-up, you feel like a VIP. Taking VR up a notch, a group of engineers in Utah designed a new way of experiencing the technology by mixing it with physical effects and environments.

They call it The Void. This can be played in groups making it highly engaging as it is interactive. Since it uses virtual reality, only the imagination is the limit making it a venture with so much room for growth.

The team behind The Void plans to bring their “Virtual Entertainment Centers” across the globe.

No place in the world has provided an experience like this.

3.

SWOT Analysis

a.Strengths

i.Unparalleled Experience

Virtual Reality provides an immersive experience

that capitalizes on the human dream and experience.

Only in our dreams can we transport to a faraway galaxy battling giant robots and actually feel like doing so. It brings in an experience like you’re in a certain place when you’re actually in another. The feeling from that kind of experience is very powerful and unlike any other. Imagine watching a basketball game from courtside while sitting in your own living room. How convenient.

ii. Accessibility

The availability of VR content and hardware is growing by the day. There is already an online store (NeutronGadgets.ph) in the Philippines that carries VR headsets so it’s easy for someone to get his/her hands on this locally. Content-wise, there are several of it that can be accessed via Youtube. These VR videos are categorized as “360” in the site.

iii. Affordability

VR has recently been made affordable thanks to the likes of Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR. The technological advancement of smartphones and the fact that it is already almost a necessity has allowed VR to be treated as merely an accessory to the phone. Gone are the days you will have to buy a completely separate gadget just to experience it. It is no longer an expensive idea to enter the world of VR.

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

iv. Massive Potential

Although VR is still in its early stages, it is easy to see how this technology can be applied to our everyday life. There’s just so many limitations in the real world that the virtual world can make possible. b. Weaknesses

i. Unfavorable History

Given its young nature, the long term effects are yet to be seen. It cannot be discounted that such an immersive experience could bring in some negative psychological effects on the person. Even in non-VR gaming environments, there have been cases of social isolation wherein a person would rather interact with the virtual world rather than the real world. VR could possibly increase the likelihood of a person to suffer from this as the technology transports the user to an alternate reality. Desensitization is another possibility as the person couldn’t anymore tell the real consequences brought about by his/her actions outside the virtual world. Other severe cases leads to depression and social isolation

iv. Possible Physical Effects

Unfortunately, history is not on the side of VR. It’s a technology that has been around for decades as evidenced by the failure of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy 20 years ago. Although the failure could be accounted to several factors like the steep price and non-delivery of a true virtual reality experience which is being addressed by the latest offerings, it’s a As with many other things in life, virtual reality is testament on how the market is not easy to penetrate. not for everyone, especially those who suffer motion sickness. The head-mounted displays will never feel

ii. Young Platform natural and could cause physical discomfort after a prolonged use. There should be a certain level of VR is still considered to be in its early stages and responsibility and awareness on the part of the user there’s still a lot of work to do. Mark Zuckerberg, since he/she will be vulnerable to accidents and other who is the founder of Facebook that bought Oculus dangers given that all or most of his/her senses will for $2B, addressed the crowd at the Oculus Connect be immersed in the machine.

Conference last September 2015: “This is going to grow slowly. If you think about the arrival of c. Opportunities computers or smartphones, the first units shipped did not ship tens of millions in their first year. But

i. Overwhelming Support they proved an idea and made it real.” It will still Tech companies like Google, Sony, Samsung, take decades before we realize the full potential of HTC, Intel, HP and Facebook are investing in this this platform. technology which shows tremendous confidence and

iii. Possible Psychological Effects promise to the future of the revolutionary platform.

Filmmakers are also considering adopting the technology for their future releases.

ii. Public Attention

With so many eyes on the VR technology right now, it is expected to blossom like never before. It was front and center in CES 2015. There are news and articles about VR popping up every day. People are just talking about it. If the technology proves itself, public clamor is not far behind.

iii. Flexibility

1.

Although VR provides high market potential in the gaming field, other sectors like business, media, education, and health are expected to leverage in this technology. It could provide these fields a boost in the products and services that were not possible before. This platform can be the next PC if done right.

iv. Open Source

Razer, a peripherals company, announced an open source development kit for VR in CES 2015. This would allow more content to be made available for this platform.

d. Threats

i. Misuse

There are going to be concerns on the power of virtual reality being put in the wrong hands. The adult film industry is already looking at producing pornography in VR. Another concern is the possibility of a criminal act being committed in the virtual world or also known as “virtual crime”.

Though not real, a virtual death and/or injury brought about by this act could cause distress and other emotions to the receiving party in the real world. ii.

Augmented Reality (AR)

A somewhat similar technology that is also making waves today is augmented reality (also known as mixed reality). Unlike VR, this mixes reality with virtual by having virtual objects interact with real world objects. Microsoft recently unveiled their latest AR product called Hololens, which will be available to software developers in early 2016.

Imagine fighting robots that were suddenly popping out from the walls of your living room. NASA and Autodesk are reportedly already working on this technology.

VR Applications

Architecture

Traditional architecture can show physical rooms, but walk thru the client in experience is different.

This is how VR can be so useful in the field of architecture. Not all people can understand 2D layouts or renderings. Using this technology, walking thru a space and experience would help not just designers but unit buyers as well in the case of our company, DMCI Homes. For every projects, we need to do a physical mock-up to let prospective buyers have an idea of what they are going to purchase.

Thru the use of VR technology, construction cost will be lower. Some points to highlight:

a. Reduced cost and risks b. Replace physical model unit c. Experience from human POV d. Lower production cost thru less drawing revisions e. More innovations f. Can be used multiple times and to multiple projects

2. Engineering “Use of VR in engineering could revolutionize development.” This was the statement of Ford Motors who first used VR in developing their car design since year 2000. Ford’s immersion lab let designers walk around the car using VR headset while other employees are watching them on big screen to see how they feel. Ford uses VR to examine the entire exterior and interior design, as well as to drill right down to how a particular element looks such as a dashboard or upholstery. Other value of VR in Engineering:

a. Lower product design times/prototyping b. Increased quality c. Reduced risk d. Better innovations e. Better acceptability f. Cost savings g. Engineers can work on one car globally at the same time.

3. Marketing

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

Visualizing products using immersion will give people a different way of thinking about the product.

It’s going to allow for different brand experiences.

Value of VR in marketing are follows: a.

Powerful experiences b.

Better customer engagement c.

Record and analyze customer d.

Virtual showroom, no need for big space e.

Infinite virtual space f.

Can generate remote sales 4.

Training

Virtual Reality has been adopted by the military, these include all three services army, navy and air force. VR is particularly helpful for the men in uniform training in combat situations or other dangerous task where they need to learn how to react on certain situations. A VR situation simulation allows them to do so without the risk of death or serious injury. Military uses of virtual reality:

a. Flight simulation b. Battlefield simulation c. Medic training (battlefield) d. Vehicle simulation e. Virtual boot camp f. Mission planning g. Rescue hostage h. Disaster evacuation i. Controlled scenarios

5.

Medical Field

b. Can provide real time feedback in training c. Anatomy can be viewed on various angles d. Simulation for surgery

Cost-Benefit Analysis 1.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – Capital Investment, Hidden Costs The official price of Oculus Virtual Reality headset which will still be launched in Quarter 1 of 2016 will be US$350. A PC powerful enough is needed to run the VR headset. The rough estimate for the minimum recommended PC specification is US$650 broken down to $300 for Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD 290 equivalent or greater, $200 for Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater (Quad Core processor), $50 for 8GB+ RAM and $100 for compatible HDMI 1.3 video output - on video card, 2x USB 3.0 ports - on motherboard and Windows 7 SP1 or newer. To build a functional computer the estimated total cost of computer peripherals is US$500 broken down to $100 for the motherboard, $60 for case, $250 for monitor, $50 for keyboard and mouse and $50 for 550 watt power supply. Total cost to own and fully used an Oculus Rift would be US$1,500.

2.

Virtual Reality provide a new approach to research and education in medicine. Experimenting medical research with virtual patients will be a reality.

With the simulation of the entire physiology of the human body, the effects of various illnesses or organ replacement will be visible. For learning students learning to operate, virtual reality will be a best form of training. They will able to operate, commit some mistakes but without risking anyone. Other uses of VR in medicine:

a. Dangerous surgery is performed without

harming anyone

i. Freedom to fail ii. Controlled training iii. Repeatability/Availability

Direct and Indirect/Strategic Benefits

a.

Virtual Environment (VE) can allow the trainees to interact physically with the virtual scenario. For example, trainees can assemble/ disassemble the different components from a virtual machine as it would be done in the real life.

Start up and training costs are cut. In every project implementation only one visual training tool shall be used. b.

VR definition provides home-owners and builders, architects, designers, and related manufacturers and suppliers with the innovative concept of three-dimensional graphic designs as real

time animation. It will allow one to walk around the outside and through the inside of their home before it is actually built. Repair costs not in accordance with customer’s specification can be eliminated. Sales revenue from architectural work tends to multiply as vcr can be available globally. c.

Cost of transportation will be less and office building rentals will be saved as working from home will be common. The reduction of company’s overhead could be converted to employees additional benefits.

d.

Hospital efficiency will shoot up. Virtual consultations and robotic operations could lower the cost of health insurance.

3.

Financial Analysis (ROI, Payback Period, Return on Assets, Return on Equity, etc.)

Facebook company bought the Oculus Rift product from Oculus VR, LLC in March 25, 2014. The product will be sold to the public by Facebook on the 1st quarter of 2016. The latest financial statements of Facebook before the sales of Oculus Rift are below which will be the basis of sales estimates for Oculus Rift.

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

a.

Financial Statement Analysis

2014 has higher net margin percentage than in 2013 but in terms of operation - 2013 has a higher rate of return than in 2014. Year 2012 too low return is an out of trend result of 2008 to 2011 adjustment of share based compensation. b.

Ratio Analysis There was a tremendous increase in Income growth from 2012 to 2013 because of the out of trend adjustment as mentioned in the analysis of results of operation. Also in 2012 the federal tax credit for research and development activities had expired.

Current Assets are good enough to cover the current liabilities by 10.7 times. An average of 10.7 ratio was maintained for the latest 3 year period. As Debt to total Asset is only 0.1x then Equity to Total Assets must be 0.9x. Since Equity is higher than Debt it is good that Facebook partial payment to Oculus LLC is Facebook shares of stock as Earnings per Share is low. c.

Return on Investment

Oculus VR, LLC developed the product and raised US$16M of funding before Facebook purchased Oculus Rift for US$2B. The return of the investment which is US$1.984B ($2B less $16M) over US$16M cost of investment x 100 gives Oculus VR 12400% ROI.

a.

Internal Rate of Return

Out of the total $2B purchase the initial cash out of Facebook is $400M + 23.1M shares of stock during year 2014. It was never stated when was the balance was paid to Oculus LLC. It is assumed that there is no payment on 2015. Using the estimated sales revenue for 2016 of $9B then the IRR would be 357%.

On the part of Facebook - the return from investment of US$2B will be for more than a year.

Until there are revenues associated to the acquisition of oculus rift then ROI increases. Based on 2014 revenue of US$ 12,466M the portion generated from advertising (US$ 3,590M) is assumed associated to the users of oculus rift. Using 58% as the latest growth rate the estimated 1st year revenue for oculus rift is estimated at US$ 9,003M. The plan for the product is 10 years. Using the compounded rate - the estimated future value of US$ 9,003M after 10 years at 58% interest rate is US$ 873B. d.

Payback Period

The estimated $9B revenue on 2016 is over Facebook’s investment of $2B. Thus, payback period is less than a year. To have the exact number of months – the estimated 1st year’s revenue of $9B is converted to the monthly average of $750M. The 3rd month payback to equate to the balance for total investment of $2B will already be less than $750M. The exact number of months to have the investment back is 2.67.

Ethical Implications The ethical theory of Utilitarianism has a great impact on business sector. The development of VR will result to an increase of labor unemployment.

Transportation, cinema, education and tourism to name few industries will decrease its services.

There are high levels of violence or training exercises for the military in which soldiers engage in simulated combat scenarios which include killing in VR games. Desensitisation arise where the person is no longer affected by extreme acts of behaviour such

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

as violence and fails to show a virtue of empathy or compassion as a result.

Someone may commit a criminal act is a potential situation in a virtual environment. In a natural law ethical theory, who will be punished when one of the participants in a virtual environment becomes injured or traumatised due to the criminal act of another person? Where is justice?

It is possible that some researchers place their own advancement above the interests of a particular patient. Some other researchers may be unduly paternalistic especially when making decisions about patients who because of mental impairment or illness are unable to give their informed consent and violates their right.

Nation-Building Implications With the elections coming soon, VR can be used to get more people involved, especially the youth, and help them be more informed about the candidates and national issues. The United States will be broadcasting their upcoming presidential debates in virtual reality. The experience of “being there” should put more people glued in their seats.

Education will definitely benefit from VR. The idea of having virtual classrooms and immersive ways of learning what were once only written in books are compelling. According to VR/AR-based knowledge transfer solutions company Eon Reality, “Interactive 3D solutions have been shown to increase students’ attention levels by 92% and increase test scores by 35% – while at the same time creating a new level of engagement for students and staff.” For a country often struck by typhoons causing suspension of classes, this is definitely a viable option.

If more things can be done with less travel then it could ease the traffic congestion in the country. The highways and transport systems can be left to be used by those who need it more. There will be an increased efficiency with how things operate.

References Sherr, I. (2015, September 25). Facebook’s Oculus virtual-reality division: Let’s not go crazy with the hype - CNET. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from http://www.cnet.com/ news/facebooks-oculus-virtual-reality-division-lets-not-go-crazy-with-the-hype/ Siede, C. (2015, September 25). CNN to stream the Democratic debate in virtual reality, for some reason. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from http://www.avclub.com/article/ cnn-stream-democratic-debate-virtual-reality-some--225921 Inside The Void: An exclusive look at the future of virtual reality. (2015, September 2). Retrieved October 2, 2015, from http://www.techinsider.io/inside-the-virtual-realitytheme-park-the-void-2015-9 P., E., & B., A. (2015, September 26). What Are the Disadvantages of Virtual Reality? Retrieved October 2, 2015, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-disadvantagesof-virtual-reality.htm Edwards, B. (2015, August 21). Unraveling The Enigma Of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, 20 Years Later. Retrieved October 2, 2015, from http://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/ unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later Walker, P. (2015, June 19). Virtual reality can bring a new dimension to business. Retrieved October 2, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/ jun/19/virtual-reality-business-entertainment-oculus Scherba, A. (2015, April 16). Moving Beyond Computers: The Biggest Opportunities In Virtual Reality. Retrieved October 2, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ theyec/2015/04/16/moving-beyond-computers-the-biggest-opportunities-in-virtual-reality/ Virtual Reality and Ethical Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2015, from http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/ethical-issues.html Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.eonreality.com/education/ King, L. (2014, May 3). Ford, Where Virtual Reality Is Already Manufacturing Reality. Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/leoking/2014/05/03/ ford-where-virtual-reality-is-already-manufacturing-reality/ Chacos, B. (2015, May 28). Oculus Rift’s $1,500 total cost: Digging into the truth behind the insane number. Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.pcworld.com/ article/2927836/oculus-rifts-1-500-total-cost-digging-into-the-truth-behind-the-insane-number.html Rodriguez, J., Gutierrez, T., Sanchez, E., & Aguinaga, I. (n.d.). Training of Procedural Tasks Through the Use of Virtual Reality and Direct Aids. Retrieved October 5, 2015, from http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/36377.pdf Virtual Reality. (1993, July 10). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/business-plans/Business-Plans-Volume-01/Virtual-Reality-v1.html How virtual reality could affect your business. (2015, May 12). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://cib.rbs.com/insight/articles/virtual-reality.html Gilbert, B. (2015, August 18). It’s going to be at least 5 years before virtual reality goes mainstream. Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.techinsider.io/virtual-realityon-gartner-hype-cycle-2015-8 Robertson, A. (2015, January 8). Slow down the virtual reality hype. We’re still waiting for the good stuff. Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.theverge. com/2015/1/8/7514337/ces-2015-state-of-virtual-reality Franzen, C. (2015, October 6). Microsoft’s Augmented Reality HoloLens Will Be Available In Early 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2015, from http://www.popsci.com/microsofthololens-augmented-reality-coming-early-2016-3000-dollars http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/22/facebook-oculus-rift-acquisition-virtual-reality https://www.google.com.ph/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=pZIUVvakA8OM8Qfd-4DICQ&gws_rd=ssl#q=when+did+facebook+bought+oculus

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

group TWO

In vitro fertilization Technology Description In Vitro Fertilization or IVF is a form of Assisted Reproductive Technology and is deemed the most effective. It involves obtaining egg cells from the mother, with or without stimulating the ovaries, and then fertilized by the father’s sperm in a laboratory.

The fertilized eggs (embryos) are then implanted back into the woman’s uterus. The couple’s own egg and sperm cells may be used in the process, or in some cases, donors are used in order to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. In some countries, if it is allowed, “gestational carriers” or surrogates may also be used. This is especially helpful in cases where the mother is not physically capable of carrying her child.

IVF has helped couples with infertility problems such as: • Low sperm count • Reduced quality of eggs due to age (in women) • Blocked Fallopian Tubes • Ovulation disorders • Endometriosis • Uterine Fibroids • Impaired sperm production • Genetic Disorders • Unexplained Infertility • Fertility preservation - this is true for cancer patients who will need to undergo chemotherapy or radiation.

With the growing rate of people wanting children later on in life, unhealthy lifestyle, and polluted environments affecting people’s health, IVF as a medical industry has been growing rapidly around the world. Along with this growth, a number of moral and ethical implications have also come up.

A. Technical Environment TYPES OF IVF: There are 3 types of IVF that are being used in the world today. All of them follow the same procedure, and the only difference is the exposure to drugs and hormones which can help in retrieving more healthy eggs from the female.

1. STANDARD – High doses of fertility drugs / hormone therapy are given to the females. These force the ovaries to over-produce eggs so that a lot can be harvested at a time. This increases the rate of success since there are more eggs which can be fertilized.

However, taking these drugs/hormones are physically and mentally demanding since more side effects are experienced by the patients. These side effects are similar to menopausal symptoms and some drugs (eg: Clomid) have also been attributed to higher risk of birth defects. This also increases the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome wherein the ovaries become swollen and painful.

Another problem with the conventional way of IVF is the disposal of embryos. Since more eggs are gathered and (possibly) fertilized, depending on the female’s age and physical condition, only a certain number of the embryos can be placed inside the

womb. The physicians would also try to minimize the risk of multiples, and so would be limiting the number of embryos transplanted. In some cultures/ countries who do not allow destruction of embryos (eg: the Philippines), the disposal or storage will be a problem. The IVF facilities may store these embryos for future use of their clients. However, if the clients do not want to pay for the storage, then it becomes a cost to the IVF facility.

2. NATURAL CYCLE - In this type, no stimulation of the ovaries is done. Only the one egg that’s part of the normal menstrual cycle is used. In the past, the success rate for this kind of IVF was very low, but now with the help of new drugs (like gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists) the chances of success are greater. Today, some drugs are used to prepare the egg for retrieval and to prevent pre-mature ovulation which makes the success rate of nIVF higher. On the other hand, nIVF is not generally recommended for patients who are 38 years and older.

The risk of a multiple pregnancy is greatly reduced since only one embryo is implanted. There is also no unused embryos that need to be disposed or stored.

3. MINIMAL STIMULATION - This type follows the same procedure and same drugs/ hormones as the standard IVF. The difference Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

is that dosages are kept to a minimum and for a shorter period of time. This means there are less side effects experiences and lowers the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

A disadvantage of this type of IVF is that fewer eggs are collected. However, since the patient is not subjected to high dosages of the drugs, they do not have to wait long to repeat the IVF cycles should the first one fail.

PROCEDURE: STEP 1: Consultation – The couple who wants to undergo IVF are interviewed and tested. The laboratory checks their medical history and runs standard checks for STDs, possible health risks, hormones (for the females), sperm count (for the male), etc.

In some countries, the physician may also ask questions regarding the circumstances why they want to undergo IVF. They need to know if the couple are indeed together and both parties are there willfully. They cannot perform IVF on surrogates.

STEP 2: IVF Work-ups – The females are prescribed and given fertility drugs and hormone therapy to yield maximum results. Instead of having just one mature egg during a cycle, the women are given medication so she will have as many mature eggs as possible to increase the success rate of the procedure.

The women may also be given birth control pills for a number of days in order to control the timing of the cycle. This is important so the physicians can know exactly when the eggs should be harvested.

A “Mock-Embryo transfer” may also be done. This is a practice run and helps the doctor test the size and placement of the catheter to be used during the procedure. The Mock Embryo transfer also helps the doctors map a blueprint on how the actual procedure should go.

During this stage, the women are also monitored frequently to make sure that the schedule is followed or if changes to medication, dosage, or timing is needed.

STEP 3: Egg retrieval – A “trigger shot” is given to the female which helps the maturation of the follicles so that ovulation may start. Timing is very important because the eggs must be harvested before actual ovulation. The follicles must be mature enough and the eggs are gathered right before they leave the ovaries and while they are in the follicles. All the mature eggs that can be collected will be harvested by the physician.

The partner’s sperm is ideally collected on the day of the egg-retrieval, or earlier. In case the sperm is collected earlier, it will be stored in the lab and thawed once the eggs have been retrieved.

The process of retrieving the eggs takes only 20-30 minutes with the help of an ultrasound to guide the needle into the ovaries.

STEP 4: Fertilization & Embryo development – Fertilization of the eggs with the partner’s sperm may be done in 2 ways:

o Conventional Fertilization: The healthy sperm is isolated and joined with the egg cell in the laboratory and the embryologist lets fertilization occur naturally.

Most of the time, this is done when the cause of infertility is unknown, or in cases wherein the fallopian tubes are blocked and fertilization cannot happen naturally inside the woman’s body. o Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): The healthy sperm is again isolated and inserted directly into the egg cell using a needle.

This is frequently done in cases wherein the male’s sperm count and quality is low. The sperm is weak and cannot penetrate the egg cells on its own.

All the harvested egg cells are fertilized to increase the odds of success. In some cases wherein newer technologies are used, only the best quality egg-cells are fertilized to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy which could be hazardous for the mothers.

The embryos are then monitored closely for around 6 days. They will be checked if the cells are multiplying normally, or if it is has slowed down or not multiplied at all. Only those which have developed successfully will be used in the process.

STEP 5: Embryo Transfer – This is done around 5 to 6 days after fertilization. The physician will check the final state of the embryos and will recommend how many embryos are recommended for transfer.

Factors such as age and medical history will guide the physician on his/her recommendation.

Older patients may not be recommended to transfer multiple embryos as this increases the likelihood of multiples (twins, triplets, etc.). For patients who meet some criterion (woman is younger than 37yrs old, first time to undergo IVF or has had a successful IVF in the past, has a good quality blastocyst), elective Single Embryo Transfer (e-SET) may be recommended. This is the transfer of a single embryo even though there are many available. Most of the time, this is a blastocyst-stage embryo. Blastocyst is “a thin-walled hollow structure in early embryonic development that contains a cluster of cells called the inner cell mass from which the embryo arises” (source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/ art.asp?articlekey=18258)

Using only the best quality embryo is said to reduce the risk of having multiples while maintaining the same chances of success.

During this procedure, the physician will insert a thin catheter and push the embryo into the uterus.

The procedure will be guided by an abdominal sonogram. After the catheter is slowly removed,

the embryologist will check the catheter under a microscope to check if the embryo is still there. This is because the embryos are invisible to the naked eye.

STEP 6: Pregnancy Test- 18 days after Egg-retrieval, the woman undergoes a blood test to determine if she is pregnant. A blood test is used because this is proven to be more accurate than a urine test. The woman will be asked to do this test after another 2-3 days. When all the tests come out positive, a vaginal ultrasound will be done to confirm the pregnancy.

Several more ultrasounds may be done also to confirm if there is a heartbeat. Once all the tests come out positive, then the procedure is a success.

B. Trends in the Technology

Dating back to the late 1800s, scientists and doctors have been experimenting with Assisted Reproductive Technologies to address the growing number infertility rates across the world. Starting with animal testings, they slowly progressed to human tests and eventually became successful amid financial, political, and cultural hurdles.

IVF MILESTONES: 1890s - Professor Walter Heape of the University of Cambridge, England reported the first known case of embryo transfer on rabbits.

1932 - Aldous Huxley publishes “A Brave New World” which tells of a society made up of test tube babies. He also realistically described the procedure of IVF as we know it today.

1934 - Gregory Pincus, a Harvard scientist, conducts IVF experiments on rabbits and

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

says it is also possible for humans. He is denounced for his work.

embryo was frozen and thawed before transferring to the uterus.

1944 - Dr. John Rock from Harvard Medical School and Miriam Menkin, Pincus’ assistant fertilizes four ova. This resulted after they exposed the eggs and sperm cells for a longer period of time. They do not attempt to implant on a woman but the experiment generates great interest

1984 - First IVF baby through a surrogate mother was born in California 1985 - An abdominal ultrasound was first used to guide human embryo transfer

1951 - Dr. Landrum Shettles duplicates the experiment at Columbia-Presybyterian Hospital 1961 - The first documented retrieval of Oocytes by laparoscopy was done in France 1973 - Professors Carl Wood and John Leeton in Melbourne, Australia reports the first IVF pregnancy. However, this ended in a miscarriage.

1977 - British Scientist Robert Edwards and Obstetrician Patrick Steptoe implants Lesley Brown’s in vitro fertilized egg back into her uterus, and becomes pregnant.

1978 - Lesley Brown gives birth to the first IVF Baby, Louise Joy Brown.

1983 - The first IVF pregnancy of a woman with no ovaries was reported. Donor eggs were used to achieve this, with the help of hormone therapy for the donor.

- First human pregnancy using “cryopreservation” wherein the eight-cell

1986 - Monash IVF reports the first successful IVF birth from a sperm donor whose sperm ducts were blocked (sperm retrieval through operation).

- Birth of twins from frozen human eggs (Oocyte Cryopreservation) 1988 - First 2 births after “epididymal sperm aspiration”. The men had congenital absence of the vas deferens (duct that connects the testicle to urethra,for sperm passage). Procedure is called MESA. 1990 - Scientists Gonen, Jacobson and Casper discovered the use of oral contraceptives to synchronize the follicles and for cycle scheduling in the the IVF process.

1992 - First pregnancy resulting from Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was reported in Brussels, Belgium.

1997 - First case of “Cytoplasmic Transfer” is reported.

Cytoplasmic Transfer is an Assisted Reproductive Technology wherein the cytoplasm from a donor egg is injected into an egg with compromised mitochondria. This is then fertilized by the partner’s sperm and implanted back into the womb. The result is a child with the genes of 3 people instead of just 2.

2004 - First live birth after Orthotopic transplantation of Cryopreserved Ovarian Tissue.

2007 - Mild Treatment Strategy for IVF was introduced. Lower dosage of drugs and hormone therapy are given to patients at shorter periods of time compared to Standard IVF treatment.

2008 - First reported birth of twins after Oocyte cryopreservation and bilateral ovariectomy from a Cancer patient.

2015 - AUGMENT IVF technology is being developed and used in some countries. It is done using “stem cell” from a woman’s immature eggs to reinvigorate the mature eggs, therefore improving egg quality and extending fertility in women.

**NEW BREAKTHROUGHS IN IVF: Ovarian Tissue Freezing (Ovarian tissue cryopreservation) – is a method of “Fertility preservation”, and is most commonly done in cancer patients who will undergo chemotherapy/ radiation. Parts of or the whole ovary is removed via a laparoscopy, and then frozen and stored for future use. Once the patients are healthy again, the tissue is transplanted back to the body. The tissue contains an abundance of immature eggs, which can then mature once they are transplanted back to the body, or in vitro (outside the body).

This technology is still considered experimental but has already yielded 30 successful live births all over the world. It is the best option for cancer patients who no longer have time to undergo ovarian stimulation for egg retrieval, fertilization, and embryo freezing.

Time-lapse photographs to monitor development of Embryos – Scientists have discovered that closely monitoring the developing IVF embryos using time lapse photos helped them identify which embryos will most likely yield a successful pregnancy.

Normally, the IVF embryos are checked manually each day by embryologists, but the time-lapse photographs are done every 10 minutes and does not interfere with the development of the embryo.

They area also able to look more closely into the development.

They are able to identify the time wherein the blastula first appeared to the moment before the embryo hatches from its shell. The blastula is the sac filled with fluid in the embryo. They have discovered that if this process takes longer than 6 hours, the chances of the embryo having an abnormal number of chromosomes is higher, therefore increasing the risk of a failed pregnancy. By identifying which embryos are the healthiest, the success rate of pregnancies with IVF will be significantly increased.

AUGMENT Autologous Germline Mitochondrial Energy Transfer IVF – This is a relatively new technology that involves Stem Cell. It has been deemed beneficial for women with lower quality egg cells, specifically those over the age of 35.

Mitochondria from the woman’s immature egg cell is injected into the mature egg during IVF, at the same time as the sperm is injected. The mitochondria from the immature egg reinvigorates the cells on

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

the mature egg, and this fuels embryo growth. In essence, the mature eggs become young again with the injection of the mitochondria from the immature egg cells. This procedure will also reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy since fewer embryos need to be implanted. This technology is not yet allowed in the USA as they require further testing.

SWOT ANALYSIS of IVF as a whole

PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) – This was first developed in the 1980s in the United Kingdom and initially revolved only around determining the gender of the IVF embryos.

Today, it is used to determine genetic defects on the embryos before they are placed on the mother’s womb. Since the testing is done before pregnancy, it reduces the risk of having to terminate or deciding to terminate a pregnancy when the embryo is seen to have genetic defects or have inherited unfavorable genes from the parents. It is also now being used so the clients undergoing IVF, can choose the gender of their offspring.

The Pros of In Vitro Fertilization

2. Costs a Great Deal of Money

1. Increases the Odds of Pregnancy

If you and your partner are healthy and capable of having children naturally, in vitro fertilization can be a way for you to increase the odds of getting pregnant. With monthly screenings and attempts, in vitro fertilization can dramatically increase your odds. If you are working on a schedule and require getting pregnant soon, then in vitro fertilization can help you save time.

For those parents who can not conceive a child through traditional means, this right takes on a price tag. With around 250 to 300 hundred thousand pesos per pregnancy attempt, having a child through in vitro fertilization can cost a family a lot of money.

Some argue that in vitro fertilization as it now stands is wrong because it only allows rich people to have children.

2. Helps Get Around Fertility Problems If you or your partner are having trouble due to fertility problems, then in vitro fertilization can help you bring about pregnancy. With a range of additional support tests and procedures, in vitro fertilization can be the last stage in ensuring that you can bring about a pregnancy naturally.

3. Reduces the Need For Surgery on Women’s Fallopian Tubes Another great benefit of in vitro fertilization is that it replaces pre-existing techniques for pregnancy that were significantly more harmful. With in vitro fertilization, there is less of a need to perform surgery on women’s fallopian tubes. As in vitro fertilization continues to advance, the procedure will become more successful and less invasive as a result.

The Cons of In Vitro Fertilization

3. Pro-Life Outrage

There are a number of prominent religious and social groups, including the Vatican, that are strongly against the idea of in vitro fertilization.

This is because the entire act is seen as inherently unnatural. For some the reasoning concerns going against a creator’s plan. It is argued that if you cannot have children naturally, then you were never meant to have children at all. In addition, there is a line of argument that states that there are still unknown risks associated with the procedure and that by doing it, you put at risk the life of the unborn child. Finally, with the potential for using unfertilized eggs for a number of reasons, many pro-life people see in vitro fertilization as a part of a mass killing, as there are a large number of eggs that will never be fertilized into people.

1. Increase Chances of Having Twins, Triplets, and Greater

Using in vitro fertilization dramatically increases the chances of having more than just one child at a time. At a whopping 35% of having twins, in vitro fertilization increases the likelihood of complications that come from multiple births.

While some families would welcome having twins or triplets, others struggle with the resources available to raise a single child, let alone more then one. There are also the increased medical bills associated with having more then one child, as well as the increased risk of sickness.

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

SWOT ANALYSIS of Kato Repro Biotech Center

Established in the Philippines in 2012, Kato Repro Biotech Center, is a state of the art facility backed by evidence based protocols, superior technology and 20 years of experience in assisted reproductive technology (ART) by the Kato Ladies Clinic (KLC) of the Towako group in Japan.

with a CAGR of 11.6%. Along with this growth is the emergence of new techniques which increases the success rate of IVF. An example is the use of stem-cells from the mother’s immature egg cells to reinvigorate the mature egg cells (AUGMENT), discussed above.

Business/Industry/Education Applications

Besides its use as aid in direct conception problems due to biomedical fertility disorders, IVF has applications in storing and later use of unfertilized human eggs, particularly for individuals who wish to ensure healthier fertility in latter stages of their lives.

Surrogacy is another usage, applicable in parts of the world where the practice is legally allowed, and provides possibility to produce offspring through a surrogate mother when the donors are unable to undergo the biological pregnancy cycle.

IVF has very perceivable implied applications to the medical and clinical industry, catering primarily to patients of fertility disorders and aiding difficult conceptions. The application of this technology has sufficiently grown in practice in the 1980s, and has been gaining cultural acceptance in different parts of the world. Business-wise, this has translated into a lucrative practice, given the cost of IVF services worldwide.

There are currently 48.5 million couples with infertility problems worldwide. This is due to various factors like age, pollution, lifestyle, and other medical conditions. With this in mind, the IVF market is expected to grow by up to $21.6 by the year 2020,

A certain degree of medical tourism fostered by IVF as a clinical practice, and is primarily caused by two factors. Legal status of IVF as a commercial and medical application continues to be hounded by socio-political and religious issues, and remains illegal or banned in certain countries. Also, there are observed significant cost differences of treatment in various countries where these are available.

Aside from the use of IVF in humans, it has also been used in the agriculture industry, most especially in the breeding of cattle. It has helped to breed genetically superior cattle that can produce more milk, reproduce faster, and live longer. These breeds can also be modified to be more resistant to stressful environments (eg: extreme changes in temperature, etc.) The ivf-cattle will also pass on In Php (‘000s) Revenues

2014 12 mos.

2013 12 mos.

2012 12 mos.

her superior genes to her offspring, making the procedure more cost effective.

COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS Financial Highlights of KATO Repro Biotech Center (Towako Repro Bio Cell Inc.):

Ratio Analysis

130,379

74,205

17,853 Revenue Growth

COGS

79,317

66,555

40,211 Gross Income Margin

Gross Profit

51,062

7,650

87

645

Operating Expenses

26,194

6,530

Net Income

18,726

Cash& Due from Banks

2014 12 mos.

567.47%

2013 12 mos.

2012 12 mos.

65.78% n.a.

39.16%

10.31% -125.23%

Operating Profit Margin

19.07%

1.51% -199.49%

91 Net Income Margin

14.36%

1.82% -198.98%

13,257 ROA

14.57%

1.19%

-70.02%

1,349

-35,524 ROE

1015.43%

-7.22%

213.92%

51,653

34,025

7,767 ROI

-38.30%

1.35%

16.64%

9,316

8,690

7,941 Cost margin

20.38%

5.78%

13.06%

Current Assets

63,979

45,039

17,783 Current Ratio

0.53 x

0.34 x

0.14 x

Fixed Assets

68,367

79,609

83,686 Debt-to-Equity

10.81 x

-17.58 x

-4.40 x

Total Assets

132,346

124,648

101,469 Days Receivable

26 days

43 days

162 days

Trade Payables

117,243

130,748

130,485 Days Payable

540 days

717 days

1184 days

Current Liabilities

121,139

132,167

131,337 Earnings per Share

Total Liabilities

121,139

132,167

131,337 EBITDA

30,000

30,000

9,000

-18,793

-37,519

11,207

-7,519

Other Income

Receivables

Capital Stock

Deficits

Total Equity

-22,358

0.06

0

-0.12

48,899

12,948

-26,448

Net Cash After Operations

30,330

12,363

94,873

-38,868

Net Cash After Investing

17,628

5,258

2,111

-29,868

Net Cash after Financing

17,628

26,258

11,111

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

Revenue Generation/Profitability: Towako’s earning capacity significantly improved in 2014 as total sales hiked by 76% to P130.38 million.

This was driven mostly by domestic sales, which rose by 80% to P108.87 million, comprising bulk or 84% of total sales in 2014.

Export sales likewise exhibited growth, increasing by 56% to P21.51 million in 2014 (16% of total sales).

Meanwhile, growth of cost of goods sold tempered to 19% in 2014 versus a high 66% growth the prior year due to lower direct expenses, labor costs and depreciation costs. in Php (‘000s)

2014

%

Inc / (Dec)

Export Sales

21,509

16%

56%

Domestic Sales 108,870

84%

Total Revenues 130,379

100%

This lifted gross profit margin to a strong 39.16% in 2014, versus 10.3% the prior year.

Other income dropped to P87 thousand in 2014 from P645 thousand in 2013 mainly due to lower one-off FX gains, though partly offset by higher interest income from cash in banks.

The firm has a high cost structure, typical of a start-up company. Total opex (operating expenses) more than tripled to P26.19 million in 2014 from P6.5 million the prior year mainly on account of an increase in depreciation costs, which comprise bulk or 78% of opex.

2013

%

Inc / (Dec)

2012

%

13,789

19%

681%

1,766

10%

80%

60,416

81%

276%

16,087

90%

76%

74,205

100%

316%

17,853

100%

COGS

79,317

19%

66,555

66%

40,211

Gross Profit

51,062

567%

7,650

66%

-22,358

Gross Profit margin (%)

39.16%

10.31%

Depreciation expense from the firm’s property and equipment hiked to P20.49 million in 2014 from P1.79 million the prior year.

The company however has minimal personnel expenses amounting to P1.28 million (4.88% of opex) in 2014, a 22% growth over the previous year’s P1.04 million.

Notwithstanding the increase in expenses, operating profit margin improved to 19.07% in 2014 versus a marginal 1.51% in 2014 spurred by high growth in sales.

As a result, bottomline stood at P18.72 million in 2014, a substantial improvement from P1.35 million in 2013 and from a net loss of P35.5 million in 2012.

ROAA stood at a strong 14.57% in 2014 from only

-125.23%

1.19% the prior year while net income margin improved to 14.36% in 2014 versus 1.82% in 2013.

Likewise, ROI has been lifted to 16.64% in 2014 from 1.35% the prior year.

Cashflow: Towako’s cash generation has been healthy, posting net cash after operations (NCAO) of P30.33 million in 2014. This helped fund the additional medical, transportation and office equipment purchased in 2014 amounting to P12.7 million. Note that the company has increased its capital stock by P21 million in 2013 and P9 million in 2012 to help fund its operations. This contributed in boosting its ending cash balance to P51.65 million in 2014, from only P7.7 million back in 2012.

Given the company’s net cash flow from operations in 2014, the company should be able to pay back its estimated project cost of P168 million in 5.54 years.

Conversely, if we base it in its average cashflow in the last 2 years, payback period would be around 7.87 years.

Estimated Project Cost:

in ‘000s

Building Construction and Improvement

71,000

Machinery Equipment and Office Equipment

56,000

Pre-Operating Administrative Expenses

11,000

Working Capital

24,000

Other Costs (Medical gases piping and Scavenging system) Total Investment

6,000 168,000

Payback period (based on average net cash after ops)

7.87 years

Payback period (based on 2014 net cash after ops)

5.54 years

Return on Investment (based on 2014 net income)

11.15%

Financial Condition: The company’s balance sheet expanded by a slight 6% to P132.35 million in 2014 on higher cash reserves and receivables, partly offset by a decline in the net book value of its property and equipment (due to increase in accumulated depreciation), which account for more than half of its asset base.

Towako’s liquidity however remains tight, with current ratio below 1x, at 0.14x in 2014 and 0.34x in 2013 given the high balance of the firm’s trade payables (obligations to suppliers, various entities and goods providers) as opposed to its liquid assets.

The company does not have any debt or external financing as asset growth has mostly been funded by capital.

Note however that the firm’s solvency position is weak given that its equity base has been dragged down by deficits from losses incurred in the past which resulted in a negative equity balance in the last 2 years.

Nonetheless, capital infusion of P21 million in 2013, coupled with a rebound in profitability, resulted in a positive P11.21 million total equity in 2014.

4. ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS The new reproductive technologies have procreated ethical alarms. These are controversial that have fascinated great attention from public and media.

Individuals became concern as well.

A lot of concerns have been raised such as:

1.) Defining initiation of life ethically?

Despite all the talk about the ever-increasing availability of in vitro fertilization techniques, one issue is almost never taken into consideration is that, “what happens to all those extra embryos?”

Often surplus embryos are involved in process of IVF in order to enhance the best possibility of pregnancy .Whether they are laboratory artifacts or not and when life begins are open questions.

This moves a big question on the “sanctity-of-life”.

Therefore, theologists argue that we should give the embryo the “benefit of the doubt” and consider life at the very beginning and humans should be spatio-temporally continuous with the embryos and fetuses they once were. If only a human life initiates at fertilization then ivf is experimentation upon a human being and should follow the norms of that type of research. Furthermore, discarded zygotes or embryos lost in unsuccessful implantations, at present a foreseen possibility of ivf, would be human.

2.) Should older women be offered in vitro fertilization?

There are a lot of obvious questions in store and against this issue. Some people are asking if an older woman can cope with motherhood? What will be the potential health of the child? When the In vitro

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fertilization is rarely successful in older women then why we are taking a risk? Many such questions need to be answered yet. The chance of successful in vitro fertilization (which itself carries risks) in women aged over 45-50 is isolated.

3.) Fetal Reduction: Which one of your children would you kill?

the children in this world, parents are free to decide but are they having the rights to obstruct the natural process? When a couple is infertile, do they have the right, with the aid of scientists, to circumvent the natural process of generation? Or are the creative powers which people share with God limited in such a way that they should stop short of interfering with natural processes such as the generation of new human beings, even though it is clear that a substitute method for the natural process can be found? Clearly, we have the right to modify our personal entity so that natural ctions are more aptly performed.

6.) Religion: Objection to playing God

Fetal reduction” is commonly required to protect a live birth. One study mentions that if one “looks only at the statistics, (4-5% of live births per one hundred fertilizations in the most successful programs), one would have to call the IVF procedure a equally efficient method of abortion, with a 95 to 96% success rate.”

4.) Chromosomal and Other Congenital Defects Pregnancy is something of a “hit and miss” for all couples. On the other hand, compared with couples who conceive instinctively, for those who require IVF, the hit or miss lies more heavily against a successful outcome at every stage of the process, not just during conception. Moving away from God’s law always introduces chaos in people’s lives.

Nowhere is this better than in the case of in vitro fertilization. Throughout the short history of assisted reproduction there has been a worry to monitor the safety of this important technology It is well established that infants conceived following in vitro fertilization (IVF)are more likely to be born preterm, of low birth weight and to be a twin or higher order multiple than spontaneously conceived infants.

5.) Turning children into commodities In vitro fertilization moves children into commodities. Who will judge about giving birth of

Technologies of assisted reproduction such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been controversial on religious grounds since its birth, however, within Islam, Judaism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and most forms of Christianity, adjustments have been made to facilitate the fertility of their adherents.

Catholicism remains the only major world religion that unequivocally condemns the use of ivf. The Catholic Church considers in vitro fertilization wrong because it separates human procreation from conjugal union. In the process, couples make themselves the masters of human life instead of its stewards. The strongest protest is on the use of these supernumerary embryos in research which hamper the divinity and dignity of human life.

7.) Children on hold: The case of frozen supernumerary embryos

Our Country, Our Business Currently, only five center are capable of doing IVF in the Philippines. The average cost of IVF (in U.S. dollars) is about $14,000 to $24,000 in the U.S., and about $8,000 to $12,000 in Singapore. In the Philippines, it starts at P135,000, plus doctor’s fee (which can range from P75,000 to P400,000).

This cost covers just one cycle of IVF and does not include medications, ultrasound, and other possible expenses.

One of the by-products of the typical IVF treatment is the creation of supernumerary embryos. More embryos are brought into existence than can be safely replaced in the first cycle. The remaining embryos are frozen to be used later if the first trial proves unsuccessful or when the couple wants another child. On the other hand, not all embryos are replaced and not all parents indicate what should be done with them. The accumulation of frozen embryos has resulted in impressive numbers of embryos stocked in the freezers of the large fertility clinics. The exponential growth of their number urges on the ethical reflection on the fate of these embryos.

Significant ethical and moral issues surrounding the embryo freezing process. These include the following: o Fate of the stored embryos on the death of couple ‘orphaned’ embryos. o Ownership of the embryos if the couple divorce. o Safety of embryo freezing.

5. NATION BUILDING IMPLICATIONS Expected to further drive the IVF market, the major challenge in Asia-Pacific IVF market is affordability of these devices by the small sized IVF clinics.

Asia-Pacific IVF devices and consumables market is expected to grow at a double digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2015 to 2020.

With the entry of more players offering in vitro fertilization, the Philippines is at an advantageous position to promote IVF for Medical Tourism. There are only few countries that offer IVF services in Asia.

Among them are the countries mentioned above plus Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. If the IVF centers can keep their costs lower than those offered in neighboring countries, and increase the staff ’s expertise on the technology, as well as great customer relations (which our country is already know for), we believe there is a big opportunity that we can capture a large portion of the ASEAN market. This is especially timely given the ASEAN integration which opens doors also for professionals to work and study between member countries.

Health professionals and IVF centers can use the opportunity the integration presents in upgrading machines and training personnel for better quality of service.

Someone may commit a criminal act is a potential situation in a virtual environment. In a natural law ethical theory, who will be punished when one of the participants in a virtual environment becomes injured or traumatised due to the criminal act of another person? Where is justice?

It is possible that some researchers place their own advancement above the interests of a particular patient. Some other researchers may be unduly paternalistic especially when making decisions about patients who because of mental impairment or illness are unable to give their informed consent and violates their right.

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

Nation-Building Implications With the elections coming soon, VR can be used to get more people involved, especially the youth, and help them be more informed about the candidates and national issues. The United States will be broadcasting their upcoming presidential debates in virtual reality. The experience of “being there” should put more people glued in their seats.

Education will definitely benefit from VR. The idea of having virtual classrooms and immersive ways of learning what were once only written in books are compelling. According to VR/AR-based knowledge transfer solutions company Eon Reality, “Interactive 3D solutions have been shown to increase students’ attention levels by 92% and increase test scores by 35% – while at the same time creating a new level of engagement for students and staff.” For a country often struck by typhoons causing suspension of classes, this is definitely a viable option.

If more things can be done with less travel then it could ease the traffic congestion in the country. The highways and transport systems can be left to be used by those who need it more. There will be an increased efficiency with how things operate.

References http://infertility.about.com/od/infertilitytreatments/ss/ivf_treatment.htm#showall http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ovarian-hyperstimulation-syndrome-ohss/basics/definition/con-20033777 http://healthland.time.com/2012/05/07/the-link-between-infertility-treatments-and-birth-defects/ http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/in-vitro-fertilization/basics/definition/prc-20018905 -Gurevich, R (2015, March 3). Understanding IVF Treatment Step By Step. Retrieved October 3, 2015, from http://infertility.about.com -Szalavitz, M (2012, May 7). The Link Between Infertility Treatments and Birth Defects. Retrieved October 1, 2015 from http://healthland.time.com/ http://www.ivf-worldwide.com/ivf-history.html -(2014, November 14). Fertility Preservation by Ovarian Tissue Banking (Ovarian Tissue Freezing). from https://www.centerforhumanreprod.com/ -Chung, K (2012, March 8). Fertility Q&A Ovarian Tissue Freezing An emerging method of fertility preservation offers hope for women with cancer. From http:// uscfertility.org/ -Connor, S (2013, May 17). ‘Most exciting breakthrough in IVF treatment in 30 years’ could triple number of births Simple technique chooses the best embryo. From: http://www.independent.co.uk/ -(2015, May 8). “Miracle” baby born using breakthrough IVF treatment. from http://www.cbsnews.com/ -Powers, M. NewCo News: OvaScience Aims to Reshape IVF Using Egg Precursor Cells. From http://www.bioworld.com/ -Dayal, M and Athanasiadis, I (2013, November 4). Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis. From http://emedicine.medscape.com/ -(2015, September). Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis:PGD.from: http://americanpregnancy.org/ -Designer Babies. From http://www.early-childhood-education-degrees.com/the-pre-planned-childhood/ - Chambers GM, Sullivan EA, Ishihara O, Chapman MG, Adamson GD; Sullivan; Ishihara; Chapman; Adamson (June 2009). “The economic impact of assisted reproductive technology: a review of selected developed countries”. Fertil. Steril. 91 (6): 2281–94.

- Jha, Alok (31 May 2007). “Winston: IVF clinics corrupt and greedy”. The Guardian (London).

- “Is In Vitro Fertilization Being Overused?”. CBS News. 2009-08-12.

- Chambers GM, Sullivan EA, Ishihara O, Chapman MG, Adamson GD; Sullivan; Ishihara; - - - Chapman; Adamson (June 2009). “The economic impact of assisted reproductive technology: a review of selected developed countries”. Fertil. Steril. 91 (6): 2281–94. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.04.029. PMID 19481642.

- http://ispub.com/IJH/6/1/4581 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2221910 - Edwards, R.G. and Sharpe, D.J. (1971) Social values and research in human embryology. Nature, 231, 87-91.

-Stanley FJ. In-vitro fertilization - a gift for the infertile or a cycle of despair? Med J Aust 1988; 148:425-426.

-Verlinsky Y, Pergament E, Strom C. The preimplantation genetic diagnosis of Genetic diseases. J In Vitro Fert Embyro Transf 1990; 7:1-5.

-Kirby JMD. Bioethics of IVF-the state of the debate. J Med Ethics 1983; 9:4548.

-Hershlag A, Floch JA, DeCherney AH, Lavy G. Comparison of singleton and multiple pregnancies in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET), J In Vitro Fert Embryo Transf 1990; 7:157-159.

-The Editor. In vitro fertilization. J Med Ethics 1983; 9:187-188.

-Dunstan GR. In-vitro fertilization: the ethics. Hum Reprod 1986; 1:41-44.

-Gillon R. Pregnancy, obstetrics and the moral status of the fetus. J Med Ethics 1988; 14:3-4.

- www.bworldonline.com/weekender/content.ph - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com - Kato Repro Biotech Center - (2013, February 15). Twins of Joy. Philippine Star, Lifestyle Section - Haag,M and Dorshorst, N (2013, April 30). In-vitro Fertilization: A new tool for the commercial dairyman. www.progressivedairy.com

Astor, Franklin Jr. Manrique, Erika Therese Padlan, Jody James

group Three solar roads INTRODUCTION This emerging technology paper will focus on the technology that harnesses renewable energy from the sun: solar panels and its application as solar roads towards the Philippine setting.

technology, the following year with crystalline and multi-junction cells.

Solar Panels

Solar roads is not yet available in the market however, there is a prototype that is being tested in public. The team is limited to speculating in procuring a solar road based on the available data gathered from our research from news articles, company websites, historical pricing from a local utility provider, to a PVWatts® Calculator and, our assumptions.

1.

TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP).

Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic effect.

The origin of photovoltaics research (see below chart) can be traced to the year 1976 using thin-film

Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun’s rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating.

PV Solar Panels are comprised of either monocrystalline and multicrystalline . Recent developments from monocrystalline shows a 2% higher efficiency versus the multicrystalline and, for the past 3 years there’s been an increase of production (see figure 1.0). On average monocrystalline is 5.7% higher to produce compared

to the multicrystalline however, output from a monocrystalline ranges between 4% to 8% compared to a multicrystalline with the same size and lower balance-of-system cost.

(2) Circuit Board (3) Heating Elements (4) Microprocessor, (5) Inverter and, (6) PV Solar Panels.

Solar Roads

2.

 

TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT

There are currently two frontrunners in the race to develop usable commercial solar roads. a)

The concept of solar roads is centered the idea of using paved roads to convert solar energy into usable electricity to power public facilities such as traffic lights, and street lamps, as well as contribute energy to the existing energy grid.

Solar Roadways

Solar Roadways Incorporated is an American company made up of a husband and wife duo that has raised over 2.2 Million USD, largely through a cloud funding site called Indiegogo .

Solar Road Panels photovoltaic cells covered by a protective tempered glass that can support the load of travelling vehicles.

The invented solar panel to be used in in road ways contains the following: (1) Tempered Glass

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As of March 31, 2014, they have a working prototype solar parking lot with 0.4 –square-meter hexagonal panels, each containing 36-watts worth of solar panels, heating elements for melting now, LED lights for road signs, and all the necessary circuitry to make it work, under tempered and textured glass.

The 11-meter-long solar parking lot has a 3600-watt solar array capable of producing roughly 14 kilowatthours of electricity per day.

However, since the prototype was announced in March 2014 there has not been any confirmation or update as to the actual working output of the model.

Detractors are critical of the design due to the following factors: a) Tempered Glass: i) The design lacks traction ii) Malleability of glass over time. iii) Uneconomical: (1) 20 Trillion USD for tempered glass alone (2) Burying cables is 8 to 10 times as expensive b) Road Repairs i) Repairing one hexagonal solar roadway panel is costly. ii) Differential loading on tiles. c) Asphalt roads are already made of 99% recycled material. d) Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs cannot be seen under sunlight. e) Sunlight Exposure: i) Inefficient on parking lots covered by cars. ii) Heated roads not feasible since roads with snow are located in areas with minimal sunlight exposure.

Solar Roadways has seen responded to their critiques at their website regarding these criticisms.

The firm used the Mohs scale of mineral hardness to compare the hardness of asphalt to glass.

Claims that asphalt having a hardness of 1.3 versus glass at 5.5. Also, it was noted that once glass is tempered it increases in hardness to 4 to 5 times fold and possibly higher with further research and development. Asphalts a byproduct of oil is not as potent in the past, due to the technological advancements in the refining process where higher quality of resins and oils have been extracted.

Leading to various applications such as plastic, synthetic rubbers, cosmetics and etc. Asphalt is simply a binder that holds the rocks together. The more refinement from asphalt, the lesser its quality and, when oxidation takes place the road starts to age and degrade over time.

Costing of 20 Trillion USD to develop tempered glass is an unreliable estimate. The firm is still in the research and development phase and are unable to provide any costing information related to tempered glass or replacement of per hexagonal solar road panel.

LED lights can be seen during the daylight depending on the design. Examples of LED lights used during the day are traffic lights and digital billboards. Our team drives by C5 every morning and the two digital billboards along the highway are quite visible if not distracting.

Once the snow melts on top of the solar road ways it can generate electricity again, at the time it is covered by snow it can heat itself by using power from a smart grid. This technology also uses micro-inverters meaning that if one is unable to soak up energy by either being damaged or being covered by a vehicle,

its counterparts would still function as it is intended. b) SolaRoads

According to The Guardian, the path costs €3m ($3.37m) to build, and the local government plans to extend this to 100 meters by 2016.

I.

Trends in the Technology

Global solar PV demand to grow by up to 25 percent in 2015

Perhaps less ambitious than the Solar Roadways project, SolaRoads is a Dutch initiative by the TNO Company that has been trying to solve the solar road puzzle since 2009. In Holland and the Netherlands, bike commuters take precedent on the road over drivers in cars. According to an article on BBC.com, 70% of all journeys are made by bike . Therefore, their pilot project is a solar road for bicycles.

SolaRoads does away with all the bells and whistles such as built in LEDs, road heating, DSL cable infrastructure. However, the system does allow riders to charge their lights and electric bicycles, and light the road. The technology is being developed so that different solar cells can be integrated rather than having to custom-manufacture them.

SolaRoads has installed the world’s first working solar road: a 70-meter test track near the town of Krommenie outside Amsterdam. During its first six months of operation, the road has been able to generate over 3,000 kilowatt-hours over, or a potential 70 kWh per square meter of solar road per year .

Factors to this forecast comes from government incentives and lowered tariffs particularly, in Japan, China, India and the U.S. along with the cost reduction of producing solar panels. GMT Research expects prices of solar panel modules to fall to 64 cents per watt.

Grid integration is becoming an increasing focus for inverter manufacturers.

According to GreenTechMedia.com , “Inverter manufacturers are beginning to design solutions to help alleviate some of the integration challenges facing utilities.”

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II.

SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

1

SOLAR POWER IS A VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED [RENEWABLE] SOURCE OF

1

HIGH COST OF CAPITAL.

2

LIFE SPAN OF SOLAR PANELS IS 20-25 YEARS.

2

MAY REDUCE EFFICIENCY THROUGH DUST ACCUMULATION

3

PRODUCES MINIMUM CARBON FOOTPRINT AND USES CLEAN ENERGY

3

EXCESS HEAT MAY DEGRADE SOLAR ROAD PANELS.

4

PROGRAMMABLE TO MAKE ROAD SIGNS / NO MORE PAINTING OF THE ROADS

4

REDUCES EFFICIENCY AFTER 20 YEARS

5

USES LED LIGHTS.

5

SUNLIGHT CONVERSION IS MAXIMUM OF 20%

6

SOLAR PANELS PRESSURE SENSITIVE.

6

DOES NOT ACCUMULATE ENERGY WITHOUT SUNLIGHT

7

IT PAYS FOR ITSELF

8

LOW MAINTENANCE

9

SILENT OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

1

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

1

SOLAR ROAD PANELS CAN BE STOLEN.

2

RESEARCH IS FUNDED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE.

2

HACKERS CAN DISRUPT THE SYSTEM.

3

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

3

SOLAR ROAD PANELS CAN ATTRACT MANY ANIMALS DURING WINTER TIME.

4

IT CAN CREATE AND SUSTAIN JOBS

4

ACTS OF NATURE (LIGHTNING, FLOODING)

5

THERE ARE A LOT OF ROADS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

5

POSSIBILITY OF TECHNOLOGY PATENTS PREVENTING OTHERS FROM DEVELOPING SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES.

6

COUNTRIES WITH LONG HOURS OF DAYTIME CAN PRODUCE MORE ELECTRICITY

6

MIGHT NOT BENEFIT A FEW STAKEHOLDERS OF TRADITIONAL ENERGY FIRMS.

7

TIE IN WITH OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES.

7

MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO COUNTRIES LOCATED NEAR NORTH AND SOUTH POLE DUE TO LESS FREQUENCY OF SUNLIGHT.

8

REDUCE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

8

GOVERNMENT INTERFERANCE

PROPOSED STRATEGIES: 1.

Share the patent of this technology to the public to build, create and improve on the solar panel and road technology.

2.

Hire experienced experts in the field of cyber security to keep the system safe and secured (security and efficiency).

3.

Generate employment even from small households (impact on economic growth) through production cooperatives (micro-factories) backed up by government funding.

4.

Since there are lot of roads in the Philippines, provide solar panel roads starting on non-major roads, playgrounds, parks, airports, so that, it can generate more electricity more than the regular power plant produces, keeping Philippines selfsustaining.

5.

Capital expenditure in research and development for improving the technology such as minimal accumulation of dust, improved cooling system, increased efficiency in solar power conversion.

The solar roadway technology can be used to create a dual purpose surface for helipads and parking lots on rooftops of top-of-the line buildings. Furthermore, since the panels are protected under tempered glass, they are not as vulnerable to the elements such as typhoon winds, which are often a factor when considering sites for ordinary solar panel installation.

For comparison, ADB installed 2,040 photovoltaic panels occupying 6,640 sqm on the roof of ADB’s main building will generate 613 megawatt hours of electricity per year.

If it had used the technology of SolaRoads instead, the same 6,640 sqm could produce 474,800 watts per year. Although the yield is lower, the roof is better protected and serves a dual purpose.

In the case of a parking lot, around 370 cars can park in 6,640 sqm (roughly 1/3 of the space).

3. BUSINESS / INDUSTRY / EDUCATION 4.

APPLICATIONS a.

Solar Helipad and Solar Rooftop Parking

If not for the wind, rooftops would be are an ideal place to put solar panels because they are free from obstruction, high buildings are clearer of dust, and they are often not used for any other purpose.

However, buildings with helipads and rooftop parking are not able to benefit from solar panels because the space is being used for landing and parking.

COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS

The data we gathered for this section is based on the following assumptions : (1) According to a news article from Rappler the owner of a 5 Kw system spent 500,000 Php in 2013 inclusive of a solar panel inverter. Assume that 20 solar panels costs 450,000 Php (22,500 Php per panel including installation) with the Inverter at 50,000 Php (made in china).

(2) Now, a prefabricated Solar Road consists of 20 Panels at the size of 4.5M x 4.5M producing 675 kWh providing a 5 Kw system. The measurement is based on a road in a subdivision in Manila, Philippines. The road will cost 450,000 Php including installation (assuming the technology has reached to this pricing point) plus an additional 50,000 Php

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per 100 Meter for a main inverter system. Each, prefabricated Solar Road consists of micro-inverters so that if a panel fails, the rest will still be functional.

(3) Based on Kuryente.org Meralco charges a household that consumes a 400 kWh per month on an average of 10.16 Php / kWh exclusive of taxes.

Since the Solar Panel road uses a 675 kWh system we formulated the cost on how much Meralco charges for a household that uses 675 kWh per month, resulting a 41% contribution margin or pricing of 675 kWh monthly consumption at 14.30 Php / kWh. (4) We then used the PVWatts® Calculator to input the location (Manila, Philippines) to acquire the solar radiation data annually. Added in the PV System Specifications where the tilt of the panels are factored in as horizontal, added a system loss of an additional 10% (15% to 25%) to consider the tempered glass layer. Initial Cost was calculated at 100.00 Php / Wdc or 500,000 Php of photovoltaic array size at standard test conditions. The default value of 100.00 Php / Wdc for a 5 kW system is equivalent to an installed cost of Php 100.00 /W × 5 kW × 1,000 W/kW = 500,000.00 Php.

Option 4 Solar Road 15 Kw System generating 15,564 kWh per year at 10.16 Php per Kwh Cost: 1,400,000.00 php Installation of 60 Solar Panel Road including Inverter System Benefit: Cash Inflow from Selling Energy at 158,130 Php per year. a.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Since the team is unable to provide the actual cost ownership given that the data is still in the development phase, we have indicated possible acquisition, ownership, post-ownership for obvious and hidden costs.

(5) Selling price to Meralco for a 675 kWh / month at 10.16 Php. Option 1 No Investment on Solar Road Cost: None Benefit: No Capital Expenditure Option 2 Solar Road 5 Kw System generating 5,188 kWh per year at 10.16 Php per Kwh Cost: 500,000.00 php Installation of 20 Solar Panel Road including Inverter System Benefit: Cash Inflow from Selling Energy at 52,710 Php per year.

Option 3 Solar Road 10 Kw System generating 10,376 kWh per year at 10.16 Php per Kwh Cost: 950,000.00 php Installation of 40 Solar Panel Road including Inverter System Benefit: Cash Inflow from Selling Energy at 105,420 Php per year.

b.

Direct and Indirect / Strategic Benefits

DIRECT : (1) Abundant: Sunlight or solar radiation will not expire anytime soon. This sun’s life expectancy is estimated to here for the next 5 billion years.

(2) Good Availability: Solar Energy is available at every corner of the world.

(3) Low Maintenance: Solar Panels do not need a lot of maintenance and has a lifespan of 20 years of 100% efficiency –with a warranty from today’s manufacturers of up to 25 years. Once the tempered glass is perfected there’s not many parts to replace

the system.

c.

(4) Many Applications: solar energy provides electricity and it can freely power light posts at night –given battery storage technology has caught up, households, electric vehicles, appliances, gadgets and etc.

Option 1 N/A

(5) Reduce Electricity Costs: with the abundance of solar roads everywhere, it would drastically reduce electricity costs and possibly, we would pay only a standard flat rate utility charge for maintenance and improvements.

(6) Renewable: Solar energy is a renewable source, it doesn’t run out as compared with fossil fuel, coal and nuclear energy sources.

(7) Sustainable: a sustainable energy source doesn’t compromise the future of the next generation, which is essentially limitless.

INDIRECT: (1) Environmentally Friendly: Utilizing solar energy doesn’t cause pollution.

(2) Financial Support from the Government: More and more governments around the world are funding research to solar power research and also offering lower tariffs if you use renewable energy and provide incentives.

(3) Silent: Unlike wind turbines with huge propellers, this technology doesn’t have any if not minimal moving parts hence, it doesn’t produce any noise.

(4) Space Saver: Solar Panel Roads, as its name implies, is a dual purpose technology, it doesn’t eat up valuable space without purpose.

(5) Technological Advancements: Developments from other emerging technologies such as nanotechnology, quantum physics can be used to further increase electrical output. Imagine crystalline cells in the 70s could only harness 13% from solar radiation and recently, news of 25.6% efficiency has been achieved.

Financial Analysis

Option 2 (5 Kw System) Cash Inflow per Year Investment

Payback Period (Years) Return on Investment

Option 3 (10 Kw System) Cash Inflow per Year Investment

Payback Period

Return on Investment

Option 4 (15 Kw System) Cash Inflow per Year Investment

Payback Period

Return on Investment

Php 52,710

Php 500,000

9.49 1.64 Php 105,420

Php 950,000

9.01 1.77 Php 158,130

Php 1,400,000

8.85 1.82

All 3 options show a payback period on an average of 9.12 Years yielding a positive Return on investment ratio of at least 160% return in 25 years.

5.

ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS (IF ANY)

According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2015, was the country most adversely affected by climate change in 2013, due in large part to Typhoon Yolanda (International name Haiyan) in addition to 7 other typhoons and multiple storms that hit the country that year. In an index based on data from 1994 to 2013, the Philippines ranked 5th for that period while Honduras, Myanmar, and Haiti topped the list.

Taking a utilitarian perspective, solar roads are not only beneficial to all electricity users, but also to everyone and everything that breathes air, and everyone that in the Philippines. As a clean energy solution, solar energy does not only provide a sustainable source of energy, but one that has low carbon emissions (owing to the production process).

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By reducing our carbon emissions, reduce our country’s contribution to climate change. Even if the emissions in the Philippines constitute less than 1% of total global carbon emissions , the country can stand in solidarity with 136 countries have submitted their INDC to the UN as of October 1, 2015.

6. NATION-BUILDING IMPLICATIONS According to the Global Benchmark Study of Residential Electricity Tariffs paper published by the Lantau Group, the Manila has the third highest prices of electricity after Sydney and Tokyo. The tariff which goes to distribution companies accounts for 16 percent of the total power bill. Transmission makes up 8.7 percent of the bill according to NSCB secretary-general Jose Albert. According to EnerData.net, high cost and sketchy reliability of electricity supplies in the Philippines are now the main deterrents to investing in the country.

The Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that does not subsidize the cost of electricity.

As such, we are at a great disadvantage among ASEAN nations, especially in light of the upcoming ASEAN integration, which will turn the region into a single economic market with free trade amongst the member countries.

According to this chart created by International Energy Consultants, a running a machinery-heavy factory in the Philippines could pay more than twice as much for power than a similar factory in Indonesia and Taiwan.

ASEAN countries can come in and help.

Power costs is one of the major contributing factors to the Philippines consistently low rankings in World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation Ease of Doing Business survey.

Refrences

Created by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power and http://www.energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources http://www.nrel.gov/ncpv/images/efficiency_chart.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_panel https://www.ihs.com/pdf/Top-Solar-Power-Industry-Trends-for-2015_213963110915583632.pdf The balance of system (BOS) encompasses all components of a photovoltaic system other than the photovoltaic panels. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_ system http://www.solarroadways.com/ https://www.indiegogo.com/ http://www.solarroadways.com/clearingthefreakinair.shtml http://geology.com/minerals/mohs-hardness-scale.shtml http://www.lambertpaving.com/articles.htm#1 http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23587916 http://mic.com/articles/117948/6-months-later-here-s-what-s-happened-to-the-netherland-s-solar-bike-paths http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/05/worlds-first-solar-cycle-lane-opening-in-the-netherlands https://www.ihs.com/pdf/Top-Solar-Power-Industry-Trends-for-2015_213963110915583632.pdf http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/The-Most-Important-Trends-in-Solar-in-8-Charts http://rent.ph/resources/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/adb.jpg You may also refer to the SolarRoadData excel file submitted along with this paper. http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/173-power-and-energy/64165-solar-power-ph-households-net-metering http://www.kuryente.org.ph/electric-company/rates/128 Created by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php Jacobs & Chase, Operations and Supply Chain Management, McGraw-Hill Education. 2015, p. 412 ISBN-13 9780077151621 http://energyinformative.org/solar-energy-pros-and-cons/ http://www.computerworld.com/article/2989813/sustainable-it/panasonic-surpasses-solarcity-with-worlds-most-efficient-solar-panel.html http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/76868-philippines-tops-global-climate-risk-index http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/107759-philippines-indc-climate-change-united-nations http://www.bworldonline.com/weekender/content.php?id=113411 http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/10/07/1242233/phl-power-rates-among-highest-asia

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