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Raw sugar output rises amid falling prices, demand

SUGAR PRODUCTION in the third week of May rose 3.12% year-on-year, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said.

SRA said raw sugar production was 2.054 million metric tons (MMT) by the third week, up from 1.992 MMT a year earlier. This is equivalent to 41.092 million 50-kilo bags, compared with 39.847 million a year earlier.

The crop year for sugar starts every September and ends in August.

Demand for raw sugar declined 15% to 1.515 MMT.

Total sugarcane milled decreased 5.25% year-on-year to 21.562 MMT.

Refined sugar output fell 4.9% year-on-year to 764,412.4 MT.

The millgate price fell 16.6% to P1,502.9 per 50-kilo bag. The retail price was stable at P45 to P53 per kilo.

For the remaining months of sugar production, SRA Board Member and Millers’ Representative Roland B. Beltran said that production is still growing, but possibly in lower increments.

“Maliit na lang talaga (The increases will be smaller)… Marami nang tumigil ng pagmi-mill… (many mills have stopped processing sugar) More or less, halos pareho lang ng last year (we’re expecting little change from last year),” Mr. Beltran said.

Crop year 2017-2018 ended with raw sugar output of 2.083 MMT, down 16.67%. Refined sugar production decreased 3.73% to 926,677.4 MMT.

The food sector has been calling for sugar prices to fall and for the sector to be liberalized along the lines of rice tariffication, which allows the commodity to be more freely imported while the government collects tariffs on the inbound shipments. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

Fertilizer prices rise in May — PSA

THE AVERAGE price of four grades of fertilizer increased year-on-year in May, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

The average price of Urea fertilizer increased 14.3% year-on-year to P1,148.20 per sack, but fell 0.5% compared with the previous month.

Month-on-month, prices fell in 10 regions. The highest price recorded was in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at P1,402.5, while the lowest price was in the Ilocos Region at P1,028.75.

The price of complete fertilizer rose 4.4% year-on-year to P1,154.12, and rose 0.3% month-on-month.

Price increases were recorded in eight regions. The highest price of P1,442.5 was in ARMM. The lowest was P1,040.19 in South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Cotabato Province, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City (SOCCSKSARGEN).

The price of ammosul fertilizer rose 7.2% year-on-year to P631.88. It rose 0.1% from a month earlier.

Seven regions recorded higher prices during the month. The highest was in ARMM at P963.75, while the lowest was in Davao Region at P550.25.

The price of ammophos fertilizer increased 8.3% year-on-year to P997.06, but fell 0.1% against the previous month.

Prices fell in six regions, with the highest in ARMM at P1,265, and the lowest P928.13 in the Ilocos Region. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

NEA claims 13M new rural power connections since 2016

THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) said it achieved its short-term goal of connecting 13 million additional households ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Rural Electrification Program in August.

It said the percentage of energization across 121 areas served by energy cooperatives (ECs) rose to 91% in April 2019 from 80% in June 2016, for an new-connection average growth of 275,238 or 2% increase per half.

“Our relentless efforts with respect to providing electricity to rural and remote areas of the country and usher in a bright future for our fellow Filipinos have borne fruit. This is another milestone in the golden year of the Rural Electrification Program,” NEA Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong was quoted as saying in a statement Tuesday.

NEA is a unit of the Department of Energy and is in charge of implementing the Rural Electrification program and improve the technical capacity and financial viability of power cooperatives. — Janina C. Lim

Davao Gulf shellfish found to be microplastics-free

DAVAO CITY — The fisheries bureau said a study has found no microplastics in green mussels from the Davao Gulf.

Fatma M. Idris, regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said Jose B. Isagani Janairo of De La Salle University conducted the study in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).

The study found that the sample from Davao Gulf did not turn up any indication of microplastics.

The bureau added that the presence of Red Tide toxins in Balete Bay in Davao Oriental means mussels and other shellfish from the area are still not safe to eat.

She called on residents of the region must do their part to “save the ocean to save our future. No to throwing of garbage to sea, oceans and rives.” — Carmelito Q. Francisco

China home prices growth fastest in five months, raises policy challenge for Beijing

BEIJING — New home prices in China rose at their fastest pace in five months in May, complicating government efforts to keep frothy housing markets under control as it rolls out more stimulus for the slowing economy.

The average new home prices in China’s 70 major cities rose 0.7% in May from the previous month, picking up from a 0.6% rise in April and the quickest pace since December, according to Reuters calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data on Tuesday.

That marked the 49th straight month of price gains. Sixty-seven of the total 70 cities surveyed by the NBS reported higher prices in May, the same as April.

On an annual basis, home prices increased 10.7% in May, unchanged from April’s growth rate.

Beijing has repeatedly urged local governments to keep runaway prices under control, but a recent easing in credit conditions, pent-up demand for housing, and an implicit government mandate to prevent a collapse have kept the market surprisingly resilient.

But further curbs on home buyers would risk adding to pressure on China’s economy, which has seen sales slowing due to weaker domestic demand and an escalating trade war with the United States.

Data last week showed the biggest drop in property sales in nearly two years in May, and markedly slower growth in investment and new construction starts, pointing to further economic weakness ahead and more government growth boosting measures.

“If the market becomes overheated policy makers will definitely rush to regulate it,” Zhang Dawei, a Beijing-based analyst of property consultancy Centaline, wrote in a note.

Top Chinese officials including Guo Shuqing, chairman of China’s banking regulator, have warned in recent weeks that Beijing must remain vigilant about property bubble risks.

“History has proven that countries and regions that are overly-reliant on real estate for economic development will ultimately have to pay a heavy price,” Guo told a forum in Shanghai last week.

Some developers have sought to promote sales by cutting prices, which has raised alarm. The Chinese city of Enshi tried to stabilize house prices by urging developers to halt drastic price cuts, threatening punishing measures unless such “wrong behaviors” stopped.

RISKS OF POLICY EASING
China’s home price growth has slowed significantly since the second half of 2017 due to intensive local curbs on speculative investments.

But the trends have been uneven across the country, with recent signs of resurgent price pressures. Some smaller cities with rising inventories have quietly loosened restrictions on home buyers to prop up consumer confidence and demand.

Mortgage rates have also been coming down in some areas in response to regulators’ calls on banks to ramp up lending to support the economy.

The average interest rate on first home loans continued to drop in May to the lowest level since 2018, according to a market report cited by state-backed Economic Information Daily.

New household loans mainly mortgages — still remained elevated, totaling 662.5 billion yuan ($95.70 billion) in May, and accounting for 56.14% of total new loans last month.

Higher prices were mainly driven by the smaller tier-3 cities, up 0.8% on a monthly basis compared with a 0.5% gain in April, the statistics bureau said in a note accompanying the data.

Prices in China’s four top-tier cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen — saw slower growth in May, increasing 0.3% versus 0.6% growth in the previous month.

Tier-2 cities, which include most of larger provincial capitals, grew 0.6%, unchanged from the rate a month earlier.

Xian, the capital of Shaanxi Province in western China with a population of over 7 million, became the top market performer in May, with prices surging 2% on-month.

Centaline’s Zhang estimates various Chinese government entities announced 41 tightening measures at the city level in May.

“It is still a whack-a-mole game and the intensity of policy tightening so far has not exceeded market expectations,”

“But to a certain extent, these policies will alleviate some upward pressure on the prices.” — Reuters

Most Philippine freelancers looking to be ‘solopreneurs’ — PayPal

PAYPAL HOLDINGS, Inc. said a study it conducted has found that nearly 70% of freelancers in the Philippines have business plans, signalling their intention to make occasional work assignments become more sustainable over the long term.

In a statement Tuesday, PayPal said: “(N)early 70% of respondents said they have a business plan in place to support their work.”

In the survey, conducted in April, PayPal said 69.82% of freelancers had a business plan, with 65% of respondents believing that having a blueprint for a businesses is a key to success.

“The survey results are reflective of how the idea of freelancer turned ‘solopreneur’ has been gaining traction in the Philippines, given the flexibility and freedom that freelancing offers. But unlike full-time employees, freelancers often lack the back-channel support to manage their enterprises,” according to PayPal General Manager for Southeast Asia Cross-Border Trade Nagesh Devata.

In PayPal’s survey, 39% of freelancers said “Financial Planning” was the most vital aspect in every business plan while 38% cited “having a client-acquisition strategy”.

Other valuable aspects of business plans according to freelancers include a “project pipeline” (12%) and “rate cards” (8%).

Some 95% of the self-employed still believe they need training to further enhance their skills.

Mr. Devata added: “Even if a majority of freelancers already have a business plan, almost all of them see a clear need for additional training in this area. This shows a strong appetite for knowledge and constant improvement, which are crucial in this globally competitive playing field.” — Gillian M. Cortez

China invades the Philippines — a bad dream come true

The sinking of a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea by a Chinese vessel has created a sticky public relations situation for the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The usual extremists have added fuel to an already incendiary situation. Duterte critics, who believe that he has become too subservient to the Chinese, have pointed to the incident as one more proof that Duterte has been bahag ang buntot when it comes to Chinese bullying. The term literally means a dog with its tail between its legs, implying cowardice.

On the other hand, Duterte defenders have characterized the criticism against Duterte as a demand for a declaration of war against China, which they describe as suicidal. It is said that the DDS (die-hard Duterte supporters) are purposely raising the “war” scare to silence those who are legitimately and logically demanding an explanation of the incident from China.

In fact, Duterte spokesman Salvador Panelo has demanded such an explanation from the Chinese and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has sharply criticized the fact that the crew of the Chinese boat did not assist the Filipino fishermen in the sinking vessel (Lorenzana has since softened his stance). Neither one is declaring war.

What bothers sensible observers is the way the Duterte government has handled — or mishandled — relations with China. For someone who threatened all kinds of sanctions against Canada for shipping garbage to the Philippines, Duterte has been unusually tongue-tied in the case of the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat. He has left it to Panelo and Lorenzana to protest the incident. And when the Chinese tried passing the blame on to “seven or eight Filipino fishing boats” that ostensibly “besieged” the Chinese boat, causing it to hit the Filipino boat, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. engaged in clumsy diplomatese.

Said Locsin: “Interesting. That’s China’s take and it is a free world; it can say anything it wants. We say what we want because it is a free world for us too; but in our case we speak from the law of the sea. But still everyone’s free.”

Locsin should just have kept his foot out of his mouth.

What I think is happening is that China’s increasing assertiveness in the contested sea lanes has emboldened Chinese fishing boats to virtually throw their weight around in the fishing grounds and the Chinese government has abetted it. The situation could become more and more incendiary. We can only pray that it doesn’t explode and get out of control.

The situation prompted me to dig up my old files for reference. And I found a piece that I wrote in May 2012 about a bad dream that I had:

“I dreamed that the Chinese invaded the Philippines after the confrontation at the West Philippine Sea finally exploded into an all-out war… The AFP was no match to the vastly superior Chinese forces. Although our soldiers fought gallantly, the war was over in a few days. The entire country found itself completely under Chinese control…

“I dreamed that, while the U.S. had committed to come to the defense of the Philippines in case of an enemy attack, America was too engrossed with the forthcoming presidential elections; it hardly had any time to respond. That was the official line conveyed by the White House. On Wall Street, however, knowledgeable quarters said that America could not afford to intervene, for fear of a massive withdrawal of Chinese investments in the U.S., which would cause the American economy to collapse.

“I dreamed that the process of transforming the Philippines into a Chinese province was immediately ordered by Beijing. The largest businesses in the country were taken over by the Chinese. In fact, the name of the biggest chain of shopping malls was changed to SM Sio Mai. Another chain was renamed Lo Bin Soon.

“Ownership of the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, was wrested by Chinese taipans. The same taipans also took over the largest banks and manufacturing firms in the country, thus completing Chinese dominance of Philippine trade, commerce, and industry, as well as the financial sector.

“In the provinces, farming, rice milling, fishing and other means of livelihood were taken over by the Chinese, with Filipinos merely providing the labor. Even the sari-sari stores were mostly Chinese-owned…

“Manila, the country’s premier city, immediately fell into Chinese hands with a mayor named Lim occupying City Hall. But what completed the control of the country was the takeover of Malacañang by a new president named Co Hwang Coh.”

I wrote that piece over seven years ago. I am beginning to realize that, except for the corny puns and the absence of fireworks, much of what I thought was a bad dream has actually come true. For one thing, the Philippine economy is dominated by the Chinese.

Of course, the taipans are Filipinos of Chinese ethnicity. But with China flexing its financial muscle, what could happen is that they will eventually be displaced by mainland Chinese taipans. This may already be happening in countries that have incurred huge loans from China and have had to give up control of facilities, such as ports and infrastructure, due to their inability to pay.

Lest I be misunderstood, we should not begrudge the Chinese for their business success. They are entrepreneurs and they have the work ethic, the vision, and the daring to match their entrepreneurship. It has also been said that while Filipino parents send their children to the best schools so that they can land good jobs, Chinese parents do the same so that their children can set up their own businesses. In fact, I wrote one column entitled “Learning from the Chinese,” which suggested that Pinoys should shed the “employee mentality” and strive to be employers.

But our relations with China appears to be deteriorating, with the Philippines getting the short end of the situation. For instance, Duterte has also allowed a “flood” of Chinese workers to enter the country, many of them without work permits. Duterte’s logic defies, well, logic. According to him, he does not want to go after the illegal Chinese workers because the Chinese government might retaliate by going after illegal Filipino workers in China.

To rub salt on the sore, Chinese construction workers assigned to the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte government are reportedly paid much, much more than Filipinos. A blog by “Sa Bayan ni Juan” reports that “Chinese construction workers currently working in the Philippines are earning as much as P3,000 per day or P90,000 per month.” In contrast, Filipino workers only earn P400-600 per day. And the Chinese workers are also provided housing.

With no attempt to hide its sarcasm, Forbes ran an article by Panos Mourdoukoutas with the headline “Duterte opens up the Philippines to Chinese workers, as Filipino seek jobs overseas.”

My bad dream may be turning into a nightmare.

 

Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.

gregmacabenta@hotmail.com

One signature away: what you need to know about Senate Bill No. 1826

Just last year, much controversy arose upon the emergence of Senate Bill No. 1826 (SB 1826), or the bill on the Security of Tenure and End of Endo Act, which proposed several changes in the Labor Code provisions on contracting arrangements and employment relationships. Due to public clamor, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte even certified the necessity of the immediate passing of SB 1826. This, however, did not deter employer groups from continuing to lobby against the passage of SB 1826.

SB 1826 is now merely awaiting the signature or veto of President Duterte, with both houses of Congress recently approving the recent version of the bill this May. In anticipation of the signing of this bill, there is much talk about how the current legal landscape of contracting and employment will be reshaped. However, of the amendments under the approved version of SB 1826, there are three major changes which are foreseen to have the most significant effect, namely:

• Changes in the definition of labor-only contracting;

• Additional requirements for the licensing of job contractors; and

• Changes in the conditions and termination of employment.

It is worthy to examine some implications of these changes, as will be discussed below.

Changes in the definition of labor-only contracting

The approved version of SB 1826 retains the new and controversial definition of labor-only contracting. Per SB 1826, labor-only contracting already exists when any of the following is present:

• The contractor does not have substantial capital or investment;

• The workers supplied to the principal are performing activities which are directly related to the main business operation of such principal; or

• The contractor does not have control over the workers supplied to the principal.

Significantly, the second test poses the problem of determining which activities may be considered as “directly related” to the main business operation of the principal. To address this, SB 1826 empowers the appropriate Industry Tripartite Council and the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (“DOLE Secretary”) to determine whether an activity is directly related to the main business operation of the principal. A perusal of SB 1826, however, would show that it does not provide any limitation or standard for this new function. Thus, it would appear that the appropriate Industry Tripartite Council and DOLE Secretary possess a very wide discretion in making the above determinations.

Additional requirements for the licensing of job contractors

While job contractors are still mandated to obtain a license under SB 1826, there are additional requirements which are noteworthy:

First, the job contractor must prove that it is an expert or specialist in the job contracted out. It may do this by showing, among others, that it employs the necessary competent professionals or skilled workers or that it has a proven track record in such field of specialization. Second, the job contractor must show that it has the financial capacity to carry on its contracting business, which is a separate requirement from the required paid-up capital or net worth of P5 million. Third, the job contractor must show that it has the tools and equipment which are reasonably necessary to perform the job contracted out. This requirement appears to be a deviation from the previous requirement, which only provided for a general provision of tools and equipment as proof of the existence of substantial investment.

Changes in the conditions and termination of employment.

SB 1826 does away with the definition of casual employment, which seems to suggest that all employees now render activities which are usually necessary and desirable to the business or trade of the employer.

Notably, SB 1826 does not mention fixed-term employment. It merely provides that all employees, except those under probationary, seasonal, or project employment, are deemed regular. This notwithstanding, it can still be argued that fixed-term employment is still valid. Note that the Brent doctrine (Brent School vs. Zamora, et al., G.R. No. L-48494, 5 February 1990) where the Supreme Court declared as valid fixed-term employment, is based on the Civil Code and not the Labor Code. In fact, the current provision of the Labor Code and SB 1826 do not differ in the sense that both do not mention anything about fixed-term employment. Thus, the fact that SB 1826 does not mention fixed-term employment is not a deviation at all from the current Labor Code. In any case, it would be interesting how the Supreme Court will rule on this matter.

Finally, on the matter of termination of employment, the employer must now submit proof of the existence of an authorized cause for termination and the payment of separation pay during the one month notice period. With this, SB 1826 appears to bring back the old discredited scheme of “clearance to terminate” for authorized cause separations.

Despite the above discussions, the truth of the matter is that these are only a few of the changes to be implemented assuming that SB 1826 will be passed into law. Even with the pending status of SB 1826, both employer and employee groups have much to say for and against the said bill. It is clear, however, that the passage of SB 1826 will mark a new era for our laws on contracting arrangements and employment relationships.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. This article is for general informational and educational purposes, and not offered as, and does not constitute, legal advice or legal opinion.

 

Angelo J. Logronio is an Associate of the Labor and Employment Department of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).

ajlogronio@accralaw.com

(632) 830-8000

World without waste: a transformational initiative

The last two months have been replete with small victories related to the Philippines’ waste problem. After languishing in our ports for years, shipping containers of garbage — plastics, household kitchen waste, shredded electronic wastes, and contaminated trash — were recently shipped back to their places of origin. Whether it was low business costs, ineffective checks, or regulatory oversight that led these piles of garbage to our shores, using another country as a dumping ground is an utterly deplorable practice.

The reality is, it is cheaper to export trash to low- or low-middle income countries where recycling costs are cheaper than disposing of it at home. However, it is also a reality that low-income and lower-middle income economies, such as the Philippines, are the least equipped when it comes to proper waste disposal, efficient collection systems, and recycling and recovery processes. It becomes an even more massive task to think of other countries’ waste when we already have a problem in managing our own waste polluting our water bodies, affecting our health and biodiversity. In 2017 alone, Ocean Conservancy reports that the Philippines had 2.7 million tons of plastic waste, of which 17% of collected waste and 31% of uncollected waste leaked into the ocean. Not to mention, we bear the brunt of social, environmental, and economic consequences of waste pollution.

Be that as it may, there are local innovations or community-based projects that have the potential to contribute to a nationwide and long-term sustainable approach to waste management. In a recent publication titled Plastics and Circular Economy: Community Solutions, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) draws attention to the need to shift from a linear model of “take, make, use, and dispose” — which has led to our current waste problem — to a circular economy approach. The latter is a closed loop of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” even at local levels, where habits and behaviors are entrenched and contribute to the problem of plastic pollution. UNDP highlights best local practices around the world in “material engineering and product design, shifting consumer use and behavior, and developing sound approaches to waste collection and management” in Burundi, Jamaica, Gambia, Afghanistan, etc.

A common and outstanding theme in these countries is the value of awareness, environmental education, and community empowerment in encouraging changes in behavior when programs — whether public or private-led — are implemented. These are key components in addressing plastic waste pollution that can still be improved in the Philippines.

A study published by the Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi) titled “A Balanced Approach to Solid Waste Management: Governance and Total Stakeholder Participation” pointed out the need of local and national policies as well as waste management systems to keep up with the waste problem, the most urgent and pressing of which is plastic waste pollution. There are a few local governments that encourage locals to manage trash or recycle them as “eco-bottles” in exchange for cash or other items. There are stronger and tighter systems of monitoring, evaluation, and feedback for solid waste management activities in other provinces that can be upscaled and replicated everywhere else. While waste assessments and brand audits have brought into the open the responsibility of big corporations and consumers to curb waste, there is a need for more government action, commitment, and results.

In fact, this year has seen promising solutions to plastic pollution in the Philippines. In Valenzuela City, Nestle Philippines launched its first citywide pilot program to recover single-use plastics (e.g. plastic waste laminates or sachets, used beverage cartons) and reproduce them as “ecobricks” in partnership with a social enterprise. This also requires a collaborative partnership with the local government and the Department of Education. Nestle has committed globally to redesign its packaging to be 100-percent recyclable by 2025.

Furthermore, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc., the bottling arm of Coca-Cola Philippines, recently announced plans to build a P1-billion state-of-the-art food-grade recycling facility, the company’s first major investment in a recycling facility in Southeast Asia. In line with their global action plan of “World Without Waste,” they plan to transform used recyclable PET plastic bottles into new and useful beverage bottles again. It is a closed-loop approach of collecting, sorting, cleaning, and washing post-consumer recyclable plastic bottles, turning them into new bottles, and bringing them back into the value chain. They are essentially adding economic value to used plastic bottles, empowering communities, generating income opportunities (especially for the local informal waste sector), and reducing plastic waste in the waste stream. The plan requires collaborative and creative linkages with government and local communities to make it work, but it is nonetheless a transformational initiative that other companies may learn a thing or two from.

Results may not happen overnight but at least we see these efforts from public and private stakeholders that are not band-aid solutions but when integrated have the potential to be a sustainable and effective approach.

 

Vanessa Pepino is a Non-Resident Fellow of the Stratbase ADR Institute. She is the author of “A Balanced Approach to Solid Waste Management: Governance and Total Stakeholder Participation,” the study cited in this piece.

Connect, collaborate, and contribute

By Raju Mandhyan

The quality of our intentions influences the quantity and quality of our leadership endeavors. Our ability to influence is made up of three elements: connecting, collaborating, and contributing toward a better world.

Beyond the eastern periphery of Metro Manila in the Philippines are a bunch of hills known as the Sierra Madre mountain range. Along the streams, the rivers and the waterfall of these mountains flourish an ancient tribe of Filipinos known as the Dumagats. Dumagat meaning people who live by the water, off the water, and for the water. Though they are not more than 50 kilometers away from a bustling metropolis, they shy away from participating in what we all call development (which we may also call the exploitation of the ecosystem and the balance of life).

In 2010, a bunch of college students decided to do a thesis on the Dumagats even though they were warned that the Dumagats do not like intrusions. They do not like to talk and they do not give a rat’s ass about what the rest of the world labels as growth and development.

The students were adamant and they had good intentions. They bought a bunch of cheap film cameras, which, in 2010, were still available albeit slowly being replaced by smartphones. The students took these six cameras to a tribal village and taught the Dumagats to take their pictures. After showing them how to use the cameras, they left them there and went back a Sunday later and swapped the used rolls of film for new ones. The following Sunday they went back with the developed pictures and again swapped new film for the used ones. They continued to do this until Dumagats got used to the ritual and began to eagerly wait for these students every Sunday.

And every Sunday, after a meal cooked over open fires by the river, they began to talk. They began to tell stories every time they looked at their own pictures. Their stories were about their beliefs, their dreams, their heritage and how they considered the flowing waters to be an extension of themselves. They also expressed hopes for a future where man wouldn’t rape Mother Earth in the name of progress. The students, over a matter of weeks and months, gathered not just large quantity of data but a beautiful quality of knowledge and ancient wisdom from the people who lived by the rivers, off the rivers, and for rivers.

With the consent of their subjects, this maverick bunch submitted their thesis and it was chosen as the best in class in that university. A year later, the maverick bunch was invited to Singapore and their thesis was chosen as the second best in all of Southeast Asia. Parts of that research by the students have, over the years, made an impact on how organizations offer care and support to the tribes.

Connecting with people requires that we meet them in the place they are at. It requires that we respect their status and align with what they value and what they aspire toward. When the recipients of our care recognize this and they are convinced that we mean well, then they gently and assuredly turn toward us and offer their trust. Productive work can begin.

The question then arises as to why, in the first place, one human being should care and give a helping hand to another. This question did come up one day at a development conference held at the Ateneo de Manila University, which espouses and lives out the philosophy of “Man for Others.”

A young social entrepreneur stood up and announced that when we contribute and have to make a choice about when, how, and how much then we should look at an orchestra. In an orchestra, she claimed, there are scores of musical instruments that play fantastic music by themselves but when put together in an orchestra, they dance in and out and the right time while offering their best and create heavenly symphonies. That is the way to contribute, she commented.

Very recently I was coaching a very senior expatriate executive of a large milk products company and he shared a lovely story.

A year or so ago, one of their production batches of condensed milk did not meet the quality approval standards and was not fit to be sent to market. The batch in question was worth three million dollars. In a meeting about the situation with his production, quality assurance and the research department, after long harrowing sessions, all agreed that if the batch was sent back and run through production one more time then the company would end up saving two out of the three million dollars at stake. The expatriate executive asked for assurance and the other three gentlemen nodded in agreement. Yes, it was possible to salvage the situation. They talked about it for hours, maybe days and then agreed to sleep over the decision for one more night.

The next morning, the expatriate executive announced that even though all the players agreed and were sure that two out of the three million dollars at stake could be saved, he had made up his mind to dump the whole batch and not risk staining their brand. They would not send out to market anything with the remotest chance of being harmful to their consumers. The others walked away from the room relieved but bearing the burden of having been instrumental to such a huge loss.

Months went by. One of the three technical managers from production came up to the expatriate general manager and complimented him on the powerful decision he had taken and how, in the bargain, he boosted not just their company brand but also boosted their morale and their faith in goodness for its own sake. They had walked away from a situation much better men and much better leaders because of that experience.

Most people assign contribution to charity, to giving and building tangible stuff but the truth is that contribution is most powerful when it raises the spirits and the hopes and the value systems of others.

That is the way to contribute and that is the way to dance the dance of co-creation and co-valuation of life.

Where does collaboration fit in you ask?

Collaboration is the journey between connection and contribution.

You know what they say?

Work for your own good and you will become successful, do things for humanity and you become immortal.

 

Raju Mandhyan is an author, coach and speaker.

www.mandhyan.com

Guiao urges Gilas to play its best at FIBA World Cup

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

WITH their preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup officially starting on Monday, national men’s basketball team coach Yeng Guiao urged his wards to answer the call of duty and give their best in training and in the tournament proper.

Admitting it involves a lot of sacrifices on their part, Mr. Guiao said it is very important for the team to have the right perspective to help them in their cause in the world basketball spectacle happening from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15 in China.

“I always remind them that this is a sacrifice. I know a lot of these players play heavy minutes with their mother teams in the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) and now they have to come in with the national team,” said Mr. Guiao following the first day of practice on Monday night at the Meralco Gym.

“The important thing is to set their mental perspective in how they can embrace the challenge. It’s not easy but this is for the country and we have to respond and do our best to accomplish our mission,” he added.

Mr. Guiao said they already talked to most of the members of the Gilas Pilipinas pool last week in a team meeting where they laid down the ground rules anew and their plans in the lead-up to the World Cup.

“I just wanted to talk to the guys and set our rules again. It’s an orientation we do every time we start with our practices. It’s already customary that we talk prior,” Mr. Guiao said of the meeting that took place last Thursday.

As part of its preparation, Gilas will have twice-a-week practices every Mondays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., progressing to daily training eventually and lining up tune-up games abroad.

The team is set to go to Spain on Aug. 4 to play in a pocket tournament against the Spanish national team and some African teams.

Mr. Guiao said for the trip Gilas may need to shore up the pool as some players may not be able to go with the PBA expected to be in the championship rounds by that time.

He said the agreement was that players who are playing in the PBA around that time will stay and those who can go will join the team in Spain.

The fiery coach also shared that the status of guard Jayson Castro with the national team is still to be determined after the player made his desire known to skip the World Cup to attend to some personal matters.

Mr. Guiao said a decision on Mr. Castro’s request will be known within the week along with the list of players making up the World Cup pool.

In the first practice on Monday eight players showed up, namely, June Mar Fajardo, Raymond Almazan, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Mark Barroca, Marcio Lassiter, Gabe Norwood and Japeth Aguilar.

Mr. Guiao said he expects attendance to improve by the next practice with naturalized player Andray Blatche joining the team by the first week of July.

Gilas Pilipinas qualified for the FIBA World Cup by way of the back door, qualifying as the best fourth-placed team in the qualifiers.

The Philippines is in Group D along with Serbia, Italy and Angola.

Raptors two-million strong NBA victory bash marred by shooting

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and some two million other fans cheered the NBA champion Toronto Raptors on Monday in a victory celebration that united the nation, but the party was marred by a shooting that seriously wounded two people.

Five double-decker buses that carried the players and their families moved along the parade route at a snail’s pace due to the massive crowd, as players including Kawhi Leonard, who was named most valuable player of the NBA Finals, sprayed champagne on the fans.

The Canadian musician Drake, one of the team’s most prominent and outspoken fans, earned a place on one of the buses.

The convoy arrived nearly two hours behind schedule near Toronto’s city hall, where the team was greeted on a stage by Trudeau and other dignitaries.

The shooting interrupted an otherwise peaceful, six-hour bash that only began to clear out in the late afternoon. Two people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Toronto police said on Twitter. Two also were taken into custody and two firearms were recovered, police said. An investigation is ongoing.

The shots were fired near Nathan Phillips Square, the parade’s final destination, during the victory speeches, causing hundreds of people to scatter for cover. However, it caused only a brief pause in the celebrations.

Canadians from coast to coast and all the way up to the Arctic have been celebrating since the Toronto Raptors captured their first National Basketball Association championship in a country that is traditionally known for its love of ice hockey.

The Raptors clinched the best-of-seven series in Oakland, California, on Thursday in six games by beating the defending champion Golden State Warriors 114-110, giving rise to a nationwide love affair with basketball.

CANADIAN SPORTING HISTORY
The Raptors victory is the first major professional sports championship for a Canada-based team since Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993. Toronto has been waiting for its beloved Maple Leafs to win the NHL championship since its last Stanley Cup victory in 1967.

People take cover after reports of shots fired in the area where crowds gathered in Nathan Phillips Square to celebrate the Toronto Raptors victory parade in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on June 17. — REUTERS

“It’s the culmination of playing for 24 years. We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Raptors fan Chris Rogers.

Rogers, 34, who has rooted for the Raptors since they entered the league 1995, was dressed in a jersey of Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. He had been waiting since morning to watch the parade.

Rogers said his workplace was fully supportive of him being out of the office as they believed the parade was important.

About two million fans stood by to celebrate and catch a glimpse of the winners, according to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Raptors.

Streets were closed off to accommodate the convoy, and three subway stations were also closed due to overcrowding on the street level. Enthusiastic fans festooned the streets of Toronto wearing Raptors red, purple, black and white.

A few fans climbed atop bus stops and the arches of Nathan Phillips Square, but were asked by police to come down.

As crowds swelled along the streets, several people were put on stretchers due to dehydration. Raptors’ dancers, security guards and the organizers were seen handing out water to the fans, who continued to throng streets leading up to the square.

The Snowbirds, an aerobatic flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Forces, contributed to the festivities by soaring over the skies of Toronto.

Toronto Mayor John Tory proclaimed June 17, 2019, as “We The North” day to mark the occasion, borrowing the slogan used by the Raptors.

“This championship is the culmination of years of patience, support, devotion and belief. Toronto has proven that it is a basketball city and that the game thrives in The North,” Tory said in a statement. — Reuters

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