THE agricultural logistics industry said the 30% rate of wasted farm produce can be mitigated by improving the farm-to-market link, including the transport and storage components.
Maria Teresa Roa-Antonio, who chairs the 30th AgriLink trade show, said about 20% of the waste takes place at the farm level, where growers often dump produce they cannot bring to market.
“I have seen these challenges firsthand; smallholder farmers often lose as much as 20% of their harvest before it even reaches consumers. (The produce is) left to dry by the roadside, spoiled by lack of storage, or sold (to traders) at unfair prices,” Ms. Roa-Antonio said in a speech.
She said improving the logistics chain can improve farmer incomes, not just by cutting waste but by allowing them to command better prices.
She said logistics infrastructure upgrades will require significant levels of investment.
“When the coconut farmers and copra producers are able to deliver their harvest in good condition, reach bigger markets, and keep a fair share of the profit, that is when we know collaboration is truly making a difference.” Ms. Roa-Antonio added.
AgriLink is the country’s largest trade show for agriculture, aquaculture, and food. This year’s show was dedicated to enhancing logistics in the industry. — Andre Christopher H. Alampay
ALEXANDRA “ALEX” EALA shoots for her second straight semifinal appearance against Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the battle between top-10 seeds in the WTA125 Suzhou Open on Friday at Sungent International Tennis Center in China.
Ms. Eala, the No. 4 seed, and No. 6 Ms. Golubic came off contrasting paths from the Round of 16 heading into their gigantic duel for a shot at No. 2 seed Tatjana Maria of Germany in the Final Four. WTA No. 44 Ms. Maria, the No. 2 seed, had a walkover over WTA No. 63 and No. 5 seed Yulia Putintseva due to still undisclosed reasons.
But first things first for the WTA No. 58 Ms. Eala, who has to recover quickly from a grueling duel against WTA No. 106 Greet Minnen in three hours and 18 minutes as one of the longest battles in her skyrocketing career.
The 20-year-old Filipina pride hacked out a 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 7-5 win over Ms. Minnen to notch her fourth straight quarterfinal stint in the WTA Tour and bagged a guaranteed $3,450 (over P200,000) purse.
She now has a chance to jack it up to $5,300 or approximately P308,000 with a win against the 32-year-old Ms. Golubic in a still-to-be determined game time on Friday pending the completion of other Round of 16 duels. Her match against Ms. Golubic is scheduled third in four quarterfinal pairing at center court.
More than that, Ms. Eala could move two steps away from capturing her second WTA title in a month after a breakthrough crown in the WTA125 Guadalajara Open in Mexico.
She also made the quarterfinals of the WTA250 Sao Paulo Open in Brazil and the semifinals of the WTA125 Jingshan nearby, shoring up her stature as one of the most consistent players in the WTA Tour that will also include stops in the Wuhan Open on Oct. 6 to 12 and the Hong Kong Open on Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.
That bid, however, will be tough nut to crack against Ms. Golubic, who hardly broke a sweat against WTA No. 140 Linda Fruhvirtova with a 6-2, 6-0 win in 61 minutes in their own Round of 16 duel. — John Bryan Ulanday
Games on Tuesday (Ynares Center Montalban) 4 p.m. – ZUS Coffee vs Akari 6:30 p.m. – Capital1 vs Choco Mucho
CREAMLINE will open its title defense without the one player it had hoped would play — Jia de Guzman — while PLDT eyes its third straight title in the forthcoming Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.
“Management has decided Jia is sitting this one out, she’s not playing this conference,” said Creamline team captain Alyssa Valdez during Thursday’s launch at the Discovery Suites.
No reason was given but there are reports that Ms. De Guzman has focused on her training for this December’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand with Alas Pilipinas where she is the team captain.
Ms. De Guzman, who last saw action for the Cool Smashers two years ago, however, is expected to return to her mother club in next year’s All-Filipino Conference.
For the High Speed Hitters, who have won two titles in a row in the PVL on Tour and Invitational, they are hoping the stars would align anew for a shot at a third crown.
“She’s a good fit,” said PLDT manager Bajjie del Rosario referring to Russian Anastasia Bavykina.
Opening up hostilities though are ZUS Coffee and Akari, who collide at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at the Ynares Center Montalban.
It will be followed by the 6:30 p.m. showdown between Capital1 and Choco Mucho.
Interestingly, another contender, Petro Gazz, has made it a family affair when it appointed husband and wife Gary and Lisa Van Sickle as coach and assistant, respectively, for a franchise spearheaded by their daughter, MVP awardee Brooke.
It came a day after it secured the return of Lindsay Vander Weide, a Best Import awardee who led the Angels to the Reinforced crown three seasons ago.
“I haven’t seen the whole team yet but I will see them tomorrow (today),” said Gary, who played for University of Hawaii in the late 80s.
League President Ricky Palou said it’s going to be a competitive conference.
“It will be one of the toughest conferences in the league, if not the toughest,” said Mr. Palou, who was accompanied by Commissioner Sherwin Malonzo and Cignal Head of Sports Mico Halili. — Joey Villar
FROM 12, coach Tim Cone’s Gilas Pilipinas Men will now work with an expanded 16-man pool for next month’s FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Quentin Millora-Brown has received his first call-up after his reclassification as a local player while Kai Sotto, though still recovering from ACL, has been reinserted into Gilas’ roster for the back-to-back opening window matches against Guam on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1.
Mr. Cone has also tapped naturalized player Ange Kouame and guard RJ Abarrientos to join QMB, Mr. Sotto and the core mainstays Justin Brownlee, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Dwight Ramos, CJ Perez, Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, Jamie Malonzo and AJ Edu in the training crew.
“Continuity is still the main priority of coach Tim Cone but we saw it fit to add a couple of pieces to the training pool,” Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Al Panlilio said in a statement.
“Obviously, Justin (Brownlee) will still be the top choice in terms of having a naturalized player in the lineup but we need to take advantage of actually having multiple naturalized players.”
Messrs. Kouame and Abarrientos won’t be starting from scratch actually as they had attended Gilas training camps previously.
As for Mr. Millora-Brown, Mr. Cone himself shared that the team has already started work to get the 6-foot-10 big man who is in Japan acquainted with their system.
“We’ve been communicating with him and he’s working with Patrick Partosa, our analytics and video guy. They’re sending videos back and forth, triangle stuff, so he can probably get a head start,” said Mr. Cone.
Gilas is expected to report to camp 10 days before the opening road match against Guam. The PBA will have a break in Philippine Cup action from Nov. 17 to Dec. 4 to free up the league’s stars for Gilas duties. — Olmin Leyba
THE knives are out and the San Miguel Beermen know they can’t rest easy in their PBA Philippine Cup title defense.
“Definitely, we’ll work hard to retain the championship. Hopefully we can defend the crown,” SMB Team Governor Robert Non said during the recent presscon for the 50th season.
He mentioned how TNT, runner-up in the Season 49 All-Filipino, has welcomed back its injured players who were missing in the previous tournament for another shot at the crown jewel.
Aside from the usual suspects, Mr. Non also noted the threat he expects from “darkhorse” Converge, Rain or Shine and Magnolia, now under former Ginebra player LA Tenorio.
For Meralco, there’s an added motivation to wrest the crown back and get even with the very team that spoiled its title-repeat campaign last season.
“With Robert (San Miguel) the defending champion (now), so we hope we can return the favor this year,” said Bolts Governor Atty. William Pamintuan, referring to the squad’s 97-108 loss to twice-to-beat SMB in the quarterfinals of the previous Philippine Cup that ended their reign.
Like Mr. Non, Mr. Pamintuan sees a tough road to Philippine Cup glory come Sunday.
“I think for 50th season, we’ll have a more competitive league,” he said.
“If you follow the (pre-season) tuneup games, surprises are Blackwater and Terrafirma… It’s going to be a very exciting season for PBA.”
ROS, for its part, is fueled by intense desire to break the “semifinal curse” in the golden season.
“After four successive semifinal appearances, including three last season, we’re more determined to play hard so that we may be able to play in the finals,” said Elasto Painters’ governor Atty. Mert Mondragon, whose team signed up free agent veteran Stanley Pringle and reactivated Beau Belga, now fully recovered from vertigo, for this campaign.
Notes: All-Filipino TNT absorbed a 53-94 defeat to Lebanese powerhouse Al Riyadi to bow out of the Abu Dhabi International Basketball Championship in the UAE early Thursday (Manila time). RR Pogoy scored 10 points to lead scoring for the Tropang 5G, who finished with 1-2 in Group A. The reigning PBA Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup titlists split their first two assignments, losing to UAE champs Al Sharjah, 93-74, before bouncing back at the expense of Emirati club Al Dhafra, 98-76. — Olmin Leyba
LOS ANGELES — Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched into the seventh inning, Mookie Betts produced four hits and three RBIs and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for an 8-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday to advance to the National League Division Series (NLDS).
After sweeping the best-of-three NL wild-card series, Los Angeles will visit the Philadelphia Phillies for Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. The Dodgers will compete in the division series for the 13th consecutive year.
Betts hit three doubles to tie a Dodgers playoff record for a single game, and teammate Teoscar Hernandez knocked in two runs.
Yamamoto (1-0) gave up two runs, both unearned, on four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in 6 2/3 innings. He wriggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth inning to keep Los Angeles ahead 3-2.
Rookie Sal Stewart drove in three runs for the Reds, and Gavin Lux had two hits against his former team. Zack Littell (0-1) allowed three runs on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. He fanned two without issuing a walk.
The Reds had some help from the Dodgers to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch and Austin Hays reached base when Teoscar Hernandez dropped his fly ball near the right field line. Stewart followed with a two-run single.
The Dodgers got a run back in the third inning when Ben Rortvedt doubled and scored on a one-out single from Betts.
Max Muncy singled to lead off the fourth inning for Los Angeles and scored on a one-out double from Enrique Hernandez to tie the game. Miguel Rojas followed with an RBI bloop single to right for a 3-2 lead.
Cincinnati opened the sixth with three consecutive singles to load the bases. Yamamoto escaped trouble by getting Hays to ground into a forceout at home before he struck out Stewart and Elly De La Cruz.
The Dodgers immediately rewarded the escape act with a four-run sixth for a 7-2 lead. Los Angeles got an RBI single from Shohei Ohtani, an RBI double from Betts and a redemption two-run double from Teoscar Hernandez.
Betts added an RBI double in the seventh.
Stewart had an RBI single in a two-run eighth for Cincinnati.
Looking for answers in the bullpen, the Dodgers had rookie starter Roki Sasaki pitch the ninth inning. Sasaki retired all three batters he faced, two on strikeouts. He had made his only two relief appearances over the final week of the season following his return from a shoulder injury. — Reuters
The Fever’s season ended as it had so often been played — with them at the edge of exhaustion, holding on with everything they had, and refusing to surrender. True, their overtime loss in Game Five of the semifinal round series to the heavily favored Aces spoiled their Cinderella story. On the other hand, it likewise confirmed their utter refusal to be defined by outcome; down bodies and down to fumes, they stayed in the fight throughout the second half and the extra period.
The best-of-five affair had already taken its toll. Injuries and absences forced constant recalibration, with rotations redrawn on the fly and roles stretched thin. When Most Valuable Player candidate Kelsey Mitchell crumpled to the floor in the third quarter due to cramps, it seemed as if the Fever’s improbable run had finally reached its breaking point. Rather than fold, however, they resisted. Head coach Stephanie White’s urgent message was clear: play for each other and lean into what had hitherto enabled them to claim victories as decided underdogs. And, lo and behold, they did. When All-Star Aliyah Boston fouled out and their bench was stripped bare with 27.1 ticks left in regulation, hardship acquisition Odyssey Sims picked up the cudgels; she hit a crucial shot to tie the set-to and send it to overtime. It was the latest in a season-long string of unlikely contributions that kept them alive longer than reason should have allowed.
What defined the Fever in the playoffs was not star power, but collective resolve. White spoke glowingly of her charges in the aftermath, noting that they resolved to put one foot in front of the other, and were unwilling to give up no matter the circumstance. And, needless to say, they gave the same refrain in the post-mortem; theirs was not a team of excuses but of persistence, determined to meet pressure with poise. Mitchell carried them when able, Boston when called upon, Sims when the moment demanded it, and the rest when no choice was left. Even injured superstar Caitlin Clark, watching from the sidelines, chose not to dwell on what might have been; instead, she reminded her teammates of what they had built together, insisting there was all pride and no regret to carry forward.
The final margin told one story; the manner of play unfolded another. The Fever were never supposed to come to a contest — a basket, really — of the WNBA Finals, not with their health, not against the defending champions, not in a decisive encounter on the road. Yet, as Aces bench tactician Becky Hammon admitted with a mix of relief and respect, the just would not go away. They turned every instance into a test of character, and in so doing forced the juggernaut black and silver to leave nothing in the tank simply to escape.
There is beauty in such defiance. The Fever leave their 2025 campaign scarred, to be sure, but also with a foundation strengthened by trial. Their resilience was not a momentary flicker; it became a standard. And what they proved in defeat may well carry more weight than any single win: Adversity need not define you, perseverance can be its own legacy, and belief, once planted, does not fade easily. Their season has ended, but its echoes will carry into what comes next — measured not only in triumphs, but in the determination that made them possible.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
British primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall speaks during an interview with Reuters in Buenos Aires, Argentina November 22, 2017. — REUTERS/AGUSTIN MARCARIAN/FILE PHOTO
Scientist and global activist Jane Goodall, who turned her childhood love of primates into a lifelong quest for protecting the environment, has died at the age of 91, the institute she founded said on Wednesday.
Goodall died of natural causes while in California on a speaking tour, the Jane Goodall Institute said in a social media post.
“Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” it said on Instagram.
The primatologist-turned-conservationist spun her love of wildlife into a life-long campaign that took her from a seaside English village to Africa and then across the globe in a quest to better understand chimpanzees, as well as the role that humans play in safeguarding their habitat and the planet’s health overall.
Goodall was a pioneer in her field, both as a female scientist in the 1960s and for her work studying the behavior of primates. She created a path for a string of other women to follow suit, including the late Dian Fossey.
She also drew the public into the wild, partnering with the National Geographic Society to bring her beloved chimps into their lives through film, TV and magazines.
She upended scientific norms of the time, giving chimpanzees names instead of numbers, observing their distinct personalities, and incorporating their family relationships and emotions into her work. She also found that, like humans, they use tools.
“We have found that after all there isn’t a sharp line dividing humans from the rest of the animal kingdom,” she said in a 2002 TED Talk.
As her career evolved, she shifted her focus from primatology to climate advocacy after witnessing widespread habitat devastation, urging the world to take quick and urgent action on climate change.
“We’re forgetting that we’re part of the natural world,” she told CNN in 2020. “There’s still a window of time.”
In 2003, she was appointed a Dame of the British Empire and, in 2025, she received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom.
KENYA-BOUND
Born in London in 1934 and then growing up in Bournemouth on England’s south coast, Goodall had long dreamed of living among wild animals. She said her passion for animals, stoked by the gift of a stuffed toy gorilla from her father, grew as she immersed herself in books such as “Tarzan” and “Dr. Dolittle.”
She set her dreams aside after leaving school, unable to afford university. She worked as a secretary and then for a film company until a friend’s invitation to visit Kenya put the jungle – and its inhabitants – within reach.
After saving up money for the journey, by boat, Goodall arrived in the East African nation in 1957. There, an encounter with famed anthropologist and paleontologist Dr. Louis Leakey and his wife, archaeologist Mary Leakey, set her on course to work with primates.
Under Leakey, Goodall set up the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve, later renamed the Gombe Stream Research Centre, near Lake Tanganyika in present-day Tanzania. There she discovered chimpanzees ate meat, fought fierce wars, and perhaps most importantly, fashioned tools in order to eat termites.
“Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as humans,” Leakey said of the discovery.
Although she eventually paused her research to earn a PhD at Cambridge University, Goodall remained in the jungle for years. Her first husband and frequent collaborator was wildlife cameraman Hugo van Lawick.
Through the National Geographic’s coverage, the chimpanzees at Gombe Stream soon became household names – most famously, one Goodall called David Greybeard for his silver streak of hair.
Nearly thirty years after first arriving in Africa, however, Goodall said she realized she could not support or protect the chimpanzees without addressing the dire disappearance of their habitat. She said she realized she would have to look beyond Gombe, leave the jungle, and take up a larger global role as a conservationist.
In 1977, she set up the Jane Goodall Institute, a nonprofit organization aimed at supporting the research in Gombe as well as conservation and development efforts across Africa. Its work has since expanded worldwide and includes efforts to tackle environmental education, health and advocacy.
She made a new name for herself, traveling an average of 300 days a year to meet with local officials in countries around the world and speaking with community and school groups. She continued touring to the end of her life, speaking at Climate Week in New York City just last week.
She later expanded the institute to include Roots & Shoots, a conservation program aimed at children.
It was a stark shift from her isolated research, spending long days watching chimpanzees.
“It never ceases to amaze me that there’s this person who travels around and does all these things,” she told the New York Times during a 2014 trip to Burundi and back to Gombe. “And it’s me. It doesn’t seem like me at all.”
A prolific author, she published more than 30 books with her observations, including her 1999 bestseller “Reason For Hope: A Spiritual Journey,” as well as a dozen aimed at children.
Goodall said she never doubted the planet’s resilience or human ability to overcome environmental challenges.
“Yes, there is hope … It’s in our hands, it’s in your hands and my hands and those of our children. It’s really up to us,” she said in 2002, urging people to “leave the lightest possible ecological footprints.”
She had one son, known as ‘Grub,’ with van Lawick, whom she divorced in 1974. Van Lawick died in 2002. In 1975, she married Derek Bryceson. He died in 1980. — Reuters
PALESTINIANS wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen amid shortages of food supplies in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Jan. 16, 2024. — REUTERS
ISRAELI FORCES have stopped 13 boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, but 30 boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, flotilla organizers said on Thursday.
A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.
“Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,” the Israeli foreign ministry said on X. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, transporting medicine and food to Gaza, consists of more than 40 civilian boats with about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists.
The flotilla put out several videos on Telegram with messages from individuals aboard the various boats, some holding their passports and claiming they were abducted and taken to Israel against their will and reiterating that their mission was a non-violent humanitarian cause.
The flotilla is the most high-profile symbol of opposition to Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Its progress across the Mediterranean Sea garnered international attention as nations including Turkey, Spain and Italy sent boats or drones in case their nationals required assistance, even as it triggered repeated warnings from Israel to turn back.
Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s “attack” on the flotilla “an act of terror” that endangered the lives of innocent civilians.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel’s entire diplomatic delegation on Wednesday following the detention of two Colombians in the flotilla. Israel has not had an ambassador in Colombia since last year.
Mr. Petro called the detentions a potential “new international crime” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanded the release of the Colombians. He also terminated Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla, adding Israeli forces had detained eight Malaysians.
“By blocking a humanitarian mission, Israel has shown utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world,” Mr. Anwar, whose country is predominantly Muslim, said in a statement.
Israel’s interception of the flotilla sparked protests in Italy and Colombia. Italian unions called a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the international aid flotilla.
Israel’s navy had previously warned the flotilla it was approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful blockade and asked them to change course. It had offered to transfer any aid peacefully through safe channels to Gaza.
30 BOATS SAILING TOWARDS GAZA The flotilla is the latest sea-borne attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, much of which has been turned into a wasteland by almost two years of war.
The flotilla’s organizers denounced Wednesday’s raid as a “war crime.” They said the military used aggressive tactics, including the use of water cannon, but that no one was harmed.
“Multiple vessels… were illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli Occupation Forces in international waters,” the organizers said in a statement.
The boats were about 70 nautical miles off the war-ravaged enclave when they were intercepted, inside a zone that Israel is policing to stop any boats approaching. The organizers said their communications had been scrambled, including the use of a live camera feed from some of the boats.
According to the flotilla’s ship tracking data, 13 boats had been intercepted or stopped as of early Thursday. Organizers have remained defiant, saying in a statement that the flotilla “will continue undeterred.”
Thirty boats were still sailing towards Gaza, flotilla organizers said in a post on Telegram early on Thursday, stating they were 46 nautical miles away from their destination.
The flotilla had hoped to arrive in Gaza on Thursday morning if it was not intercepted.
Israeli officials have repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt. “This systematic refusal (to hand over the aid) demonstrates that the objective is not humanitarian, but provocative,” Jonathan Peled, the Israeli ambassador to Italy, said in a post on X.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007 and there have been several previous attempts by activists to deliver aid by sea.
In 2010, nine activists were killed after Israeli soldiers boarded a flotilla of six ships manned by 700 pro-Palestinian activists from 50 countries.
In June this year, Israeli naval forces detained Thunberg and 11 crew members from a small ship organized by a pro-Palestinian group called the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as they approached Gaza.
Israel began its Gaza offensive after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken as hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The offensive has killed over 65,000 people in Gaza, Gaza health authorities say. — Reuters
A “Make America Great Again” hat is seen on display on the trading floor at The New York Stock Exchange. — REUTERS
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration plans to halt federal funding of any organization or government that supports work overseas related to gender identity or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Politico reported on Wednesday, citing a US official and nonprofit groups informed of the policy change.
The new restrictions are being treated as an expansion of the so-called Mexico City Policy, a Republican initiative that bars overseas recipients of US health dollars from providing or promoting abortion services, even if other funding sources pay for those services, according to Politico.
The new policy is expected to cut off US funding to American-based and foreign entities supporting “diversity, equity and inclusion,” which the Trump administration regards as racial discrimination, or transgender programs, which it sees as harmful to women, Politico said.
The prohibition would apply to nonprofits, foreign governments and United Nations programs, it said.
Asked by Reuters for comment, a senior State Department official said the agency “continues to advance President Trump’s American First foreign policy.”
The official added that the State Department would “soon take additional steps to close loopholes that allowed taxpayer funding for promotion of abortion in previous iterations of the Mexico City Policy and expand the scope of the policy to ensure every penny of US foreign assistance prioritizes American values, not the woke agenda.”
The Politico story named two organizations — the Global Health Council and MSI Reproductive Choices — as having been informed by the Trump administration of the details of its plans. The organizations did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. — Reuters
A NAVY miniature is seen in front of displayed Chinese and Taiwanese flags in this illustration taken April 11, 2023. — REUTERS
TAIPEI — If Russia defeats Ukraine, it will embolden China’s moves towards Taiwan and Taipei hopes that Kyiv emerges victorious, a senior uniformed Taiwanese military officer said this week in a rare visit to Europe to attend a security forum.
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has found an increasingly sympathetic ear in parts of central and eastern Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, even though almost all European countries only maintain formal diplomatic ties with Beijing and not Taipei.
Unlike the United States, Europe no longer sells big-ticket defense items to Taiwan, fearful of incurring Beijing’s wrath, and open visits to Europe by any Taiwanese military officers are highly unusual.
Addressing the Warsaw Security Forum on Tuesday, Hsieh Jih-Sheng, deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence at Taiwan’s defense ministry, said the war in Ukraine was being closely watched in Taipei.
“We wish for their victory,” he said, in footage streamed online from the event, where he attended in person wearing full military uniform and speaking in English.
“There are many things that we can learn from the Ukrainian theater that we can elevate for our overall readiness,” Mr. Hsieh added. “The defeat of Ukraine will signal that China can take more aggression towards Taiwan.”
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Monday, it condemned Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s attendance at the same forum saying Taiwan was seeking to exaggerate the China threat.
Mr. Hsieh raised the alarm about China and Russia’s joint military drills.
“If China moves on Taiwan while Russia increases its offensive in Ukraine, the world could face a two-front geopolitical crisis,” he added.
“Europe today, you are fighting for your own security. If you help us, we can prevent the possibility of war in the Indo-Pacific.” Taiwan has joined in Western sanctions against Russia and has also been studying how the much smaller Ukrainian military has been able to fight its huge neighbor, drawing lessons for how it could deal with any Chinese attack.
Taiwan has complained for the past five years of increased Chinese military pressure, both war games and also “gray zone” activities that stop short of open combat but are designed to exert pressure, including cyberattacks and undersea cable sabotage.
Mr. Hsieh said Taiwan and Europe could learn from each other.
“We have been dealing with China’s grey zone operations for years. There is a tremendous (amount of experience about) how we counter disinformation that we can share with Europe, and also how we can benefit us, but also benefit European nations,” he said. — Reuters
In an era when “anyone can post, react, or go viral,” the printed word commanded the spotlight as the United Print & Multimedia Group (UPMG) gathered for its 3rd General Membership Meeting at the Kingsford Hotel Manila.
With the theme “The Credibility Advantage: How Print Builds Trust in a Digital World,” the September gathering united publishers, editors, advertisers, and industry leaders for a full day of dialogue on how trusted journalism can guide audiences through an age of information overload.
Framing the Day: Credibility as Cornerstone
UPMG President and Concurrent Assistant Vice President of the Journal Group of Publications Vivienne Motomal opened the program with a message that was both a celebration of print’s resilience and a challenge to uphold its standards. “It feels good to be gathered in this room with people who share a deep-seated belief in the power of the printed word,” she began, drawing immediate attention to the heart of the event.
Motomal acknowledged the swift rise of digital media but reminded everyone of print’s enduring role: “In this chaos, what does the reader yearn for? They yearn for an anchor. A source they can trust. When a person holds a newspaper or a magazine in their hands, they are holding a tangible commitment to journalism.”
She underscored that credibility remains the industry’s strongest currency: “This is why, even in the digital age, our role is more critical than ever. The future is a credible hybrid where print and digital can work together to build a complete, trustworthy media ecosystem.” Her remarks set a purposeful tone for the day, earning nods and quiet applause from a ballroom filled with veteran publishers and media practitioners.
Keynote Spotlight: Trust and Relevance in the Age of AI
The morning’s keynote came from Lucien C. Dy Tioco, Executive Vice President of the Philstar Media Group, titled “Trust and Relevance in the Age of AI.” Dy Tioco traced the arc of media transformation, recalling how the once “traditional” press now competes with algorithm-driven feeds.
“Fast-forward to the present time, we now live entirely different from how we were 15 years ago,” he observed, noting how people scroll for headlines, binge shows, and check influencers for tips without a second thought. But with these conveniences came serious consequences. “Technology has brought a more toxic conversation on social media, strong political biases that breed divisiveness, bigger and bolder online scams, and worse of all, fake news to help distort public opinion,” he warned.
Generative AI, he added, is the next disruptor: “In just over a year, AI technology is quickly being applied in almost everything… We need to fight for our place NOW.”
Dy Tioco reaffirmed the value of print: “We write news with a journalistic edge. We curate news according to national importance. We create content to foster objectivity and calm. That is what the world needs right now. We need to exist because we fight for the truth.”
He highlighted the Philstar Media Group’s own multi-platform initiatives Nakakalocal: Love Local, Grow Global, Project KaLIKHAsan, She Slays, and READiscover, as proof that legacy media can innovate while preserving the integrity of the printed word.
Panel Dialogue: Building Credibility in the Age of Misinformation
The keynote flowed into a lively panel moderated by Angel Guerrero, Vice President of UPMG and Publisher of Adobo Magazine, with Lucien C. Dy Tioco and Jack Jacinto, Vice President for Public and Member Relations Group of the Pag-IBIG Fund. Their discussion tackled the industry’s most urgent challenge: sustaining trust amid a flood of misinformation.
Jacinto underscored the public sector’s reliance on credible outlets: “Our organization knows this and values credibility, which is why we support print.” The panel highlighted the meticulous processes behind print; fact-checking, rigorous editorial process, and context-rich reporting, as essential safeguards against fake news. They urged publishers to present a united front to policymakers, emphasizing that print’s permanence and credibility remain irreplaceable even as technology reshapes distribution.
Audience members engaged with thoughtful questions on integrating AI verification tools and expanding media-literacy programs, reinforcing a shared understanding: technology may change delivery, but the need for trustworthy content is timeless.
Afternoon Insights: Data, Narrative, and the Digital Battlefield
After a lively networking lunch and a lighthearted musical performance, the spotlight shifted to the science of narrative. Von Cruz and Bernz Soriano from The Nerve, a Manila-based narrative intelligence and data-forensics firm, demonstrated how their technology goes beyond social listening to trace how both authentic stories and misinformation move through digital ecosystems.
Their investigative platform maps influence networks and identifies the sources of viral falsehoods, insights that help newsrooms and advocacy groups respond swiftly and accurately. By showing how narrative forensics can complement traditional reporting, The Nerve’s presentation perfectly aligned with the day’s theme: combining data-driven innovation with journalism’s timeless commitment to credibility.
The UPMG Board with the newly inducted members: Gelo Lopez of Simpol.Ph, and Queenie Pineda and Arnie Rosell of Philippine Graphic
Recognizing Growth and Community
UPMG also celebrated its own progress. Motomal presented the annual report, spotlighting new partnerships and achievements that strengthened the organization’s influence across the publishing sector.
Two new member organizations; Simpol.ph and Philippine Graphic, were officially inducted, bringing fresh energy and perspectives to the growing UPMG family.
The festivities continued with raffle draws and a warm welcome from Jericho Feliciano, Director of Sales of the Kingsford Hotel Manila, who commended UPMG’s dedication to responsible journalism and thanked participants for making the hotel a hub for meaningful dialogue.
Front row (L-R): Aldwin Tolosa (UPMG P.R.O., BusinessMirror); Angel Guerrero (UPMG Vice President, Adobo Magazine); Solomon Yuyitung (Publisher, Chinese Commercial News); Lucien C. Dy Tioco (Executive Vice President, Philstar Media Group); Jack Jacinto (Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Public and Member Relations Group, Pag-IBIG Fund); Vivienne Motomal (UPMG President, Journal Group of Publications); Jay Sarmiento (VP for Sales & Marketing, Philstar Media Group); and Monica Macasaet (President & COO, Malaya Business Insight). Back row (L-R): Roda Zabat (UPMG Auditor, The Manila Times); Jong Arcano, Jr. (UPMG Director, Inquirer Interactive); Sherly Baula (UPMG Treasurer, Chinese Commercial News); Carol Agabin (UPMG Director, Gadgets Magazine); Jeanette Dominguez (UPMG Secretary, BusinessWorld); Eve Bacani (UPMG CRB Head, Inquirer Interactive); and Edna Abong (UPMG Director, Pilipino Star Ngayon & The Freeman)
Why This Gathering Matters
The event concluded with closing remarks from Roda Zabat, UPMG Auditor and Vice President for Sales and Marketing of The Manila Times, who captured the sentiment of the day: print is far from obsolete and is instead evolving into a powerful hybrid with digital platforms.
The 3rd UPMG General Membership Meeting ultimately affirmed that credibility is not just a legacy value but a living mandate for the industry’s future. Participants left Kingsford Hotel Manila inspired to defend the standards, verification, context, and accountability, that give journalism its authority, whether the story appears on paper or on a screen.
For UPMG, now representing a dynamic alliance of print and multimedia organizations, this third general membership meeting marked a pivotal moment: a reaffirmation that trust remains the ultimate competitive edge. By blending hard-earned credibility with forward-looking innovation, the Philippine print and multimedia industry signaled its resolve to remain a vital, truth-telling force in a digital age.
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
The keynote flowed into a lively panel moderated by Angel Guerrero, Vice President of UPMG and Publisher of Adobo Magazine, with Lucien C. Dy Tioco and Jack Jacinto, Vice President for Public and Member Relations Group of the Pag-IBIG Fund. Their discussion tackled the industry’s most urgent challenge: sustaining trust amid a flood of misinformation.
Afternoon Insights: Data, Narrative, and the Digital Battlefield
