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USDA expects PHL raw sugar output to fall 3.6% this year

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Philippine raw sugar production is expected to decline 3.6% to 1.85 million metric tons (MMT) during the 2024 to 2025 crop year, with the decline partly offset by increased acreage planted to cane.

In a report, the USDA said the forecast is more bullish than that of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), which officially estimates output at 1.78 MMT.

The SRA said in Sugar Order (SO) no. 1 that it projects a 7.2% drop in sugar production from the 1.92 MMT reported during the previous crop year, citing crop damage sustained during the dry conditions brought by El Niño.

Sugarcane planting normally starts in October and ends in May.

The USDA on the other hand said that the expansion of acreage and a less severe El Niño than usual underpinned its own forecast.

The government weather service, known as PAGASA, declared the onset of El Niño in June 2023, bringing below-normal rainfall conditions, dry spells, and droughts. It ended in June.

The USDA added that the increase in Mindanao plantings could boost the area planted to cane to about 389,500 hectares from 388,000 hectares the prior crop year.

“The loss of area in Luzon due to land conversion to residential and commercial purposes will only partly offset area expansion in Mindanao,” it added.

SO 1 designated all sugar production for the 2024-2025 crop year as “B” sugar, for domestic use only.

The US maintained the Philippines’ export quota at 145,235 metric tons raw value of raw cane sugar under the tariff rate quota scheme of the World Trade Organization.

The SRA had earlier allowed the export of 25,000 MT of domestic raw sugar to fulfill the US quota after three years of noncompliance.

The USDA added that expects no further imports of sugar by the Philippines during the 2024-2025 crop year with the government seeking to protect Philippine producers. — Adrian H. Halili

DoE, DENR grant rights to access offshore areas for energy dev’t

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Insung Yoon from Unsplash

By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter

THE GOVERNMENT is seeking to fast-track the development of offshore wind projects in the Philippines, aiming to deliver power from these by 2028 by further streamlining permit processing.

The Department of Energy (DoE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on Friday last week, allowing access to offshore and auxiliary areas.

The agencies are granting rights to offshore areas covered by offshore wind energy service contracts, including auxiliary areas, to accelerate the exploration, utilization, and development of the projects, the DoE said in a statement over the weekend.

Under the agreement, developers with contracts will have access to the areas during the exploration, development, and commercial development phases of the projects, subject to necessary DENR requirements.

The DoE will provide the DENR with a list of identified offshore wind projects within 30 days after the execution of the agreement.

It noted that the list will be regularly updated, in collaboration with the DENR, to reflect new offshore wind service contracts and development activities.

The DENR has the right to impose additional conditions or deny access altogether if an area falls within an environmentally critical zone or is subject to prior vested rights, the DoE said.

“This landmark agreement streamlines the process of exploring, utilizing, and developing offshore wind projects, while ensuring that environmental safeguards are in place at every stage,” the agency said.

Under the current system, renewable energy projects are required to secure various compliances with the DENR, such as foreshore lease agreements, forest land use agreements, and miscellaneous lease agreements, before proceeding with exploration and development.

However, with the agreement, offshore wind energy service contracts now provide sufficient authority to advance these projects without needing separate agreements.

“This MoA is a crucial step in realizing the goal of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to deliver the first kilowatt-hours from offshore wind projects by 2028,” Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

“By streamlining the process for accessing critical areas, we are paving the way for a rapid and responsible rollout of offshore wind projects, which will contribute significantly to our clean energy transition,” he added.

While the Philippines is seizing opportunities that renewable energy can provide, DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said the country “must also remain vigilant in addressing any unintended consequences on our ecosystems.”

“The exploration, development, and utilization of offshore wind resources have to be approached with care to protect our marine, terrestrial, and socio-economic environments as well,” she said in her speech.

The DoE has already awarded 92 offshore wind energy service contracts to 38 renewable energy developers with a total potential capacity of 66.101 gigawatts.

Last month, the DoE said that the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) had initiated immediate steps to repurpose three priority ports to fulfill the operational requirements of offshore wind projects.

The DoE identified the Port of Currimao in Ilocos Norte, Port of Batangas in Sta. Clara, Batangas City, and Port of Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte, given their proximity to high-potential offshore wind energy service contracts.

Energy Undersecretary Sharon S. Garin said the government will be able to determine the investment needed for the repurposing of ports after the completion of the asset evaluation.

“It won’t be a one-year project, probably a two-year project or multi-year,” she said.

Honoring Dodong Nemenzo

FORMER UP PRESIDENT FRANCISCO NEMENZO, JR.

“Dodong Nemenzo has been confined at the ICU. Are you aware of it?”

That was the first thing that my 94-year-old mother worriedly told me when I visited her more than a week ago.

It surprised me that my Mom learned about Dodong’s confinement at the ICU. (The latest development is that Dodong has been transferred to a regular room, but his state of health remains a cause of concern.) Although my mom knows Dodong and wife Princess, the last time they probably met was nine years ago, upon the passing of my wife Mae in 2015. My mom is fond of Dodong and Princess. She has not forgotten their visiting my dad’s wake and how they condoled with her.

I asked myself: How could my Mom have obtained the information when the Nemenzo family has avoided making any public announcement regarding Dodong’s health? Earlier, I was informed privately by Fidel (Dodong’s son) and wife Marivic about their father’s critical condition.

So, I asked my Mom where she got the information on Dodong. She said she was watching a public affairs program on TV where a guest on political affairs, in Marites (gossipy) fashion, broke the news of Dodong’s ICU confinement. The news anchor, according to my Mom, shifted the conversation to Dodong and family. The anchor even went off-topic and expressed his high opinion of Fidel, the son of Dodong, for his intelligence; for being a mathematician, a full professor, and a Doctor of Science; and for being a fraternity brod. (Dodong, Fidel, and the news anchor belong to Pan Xenia.)

I then called Fidel and narrated to him what my mother told me. Only then did Fidel become aware of the TV announcement regarding his dad’s health.

Our fervent hope or desire is for Dodong to recover and heal.

He is a survivor. He had experienced staring death in the face, but death blinked first.

In the years of living dangerously, especially in the early years of martial law, Dodong was in constant danger of being killed by the State’s merciless forces. Worse, because of inner-party struggles or antagonisms within the revolutionary movement, one faction attempted to physically eliminate Dodong (and the group succeeded in killing Dodong’s younger comrades).

And about 10 years ago, Dodong had bacterial meningitis, which caused him to become temporarily unconscious. It was a long ordeal that Dodong miraculously survived.

There is reason for Dodong to keep the will to live. A few months from now — to be exact, on Feb. 5, 2025 — Dodong will turn 90 years old. It will be a celebratory year.

Two books about Dodong and by Dodong will be published soon, on the occasion of his 90th birth anniversary. The first book is about Dodong’s life as a professor, a political scientist, and a University of the Philippines (UP) President. The second is a volume consisting of his works as a Marxist, a democrat, and a revolutionary.

Also anticipated, though still on the drawing board, is a collection of Dodong’s writings about his personal life — especially his being a husband to Princess; a father to Fidel, Leonid, and Lian; a grandfather to six apos; and a friend, neighbor, and mentor to many.

I suspect what society as a whole will remember most about Dodong is his illustrious life as an academic or as a revolutionary or as both.

Yet, Dodong has multiple identities, not just being an esteemed political scientist and University President or a freedom fighter and inveterate Marxist.

He is a fratman. Among his brothers in Pan Xenia are those associated with big business and those responsible for the economic collapse during the Marcos dictatorship (specifically Cesar Virata and Gerardo Sicat).

He is a Cebuano whom Tagalogs and Ilonggos treat as inferior. He and his cohorts from Cebu, like former UP President Emanuel V. Soriano and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Jun Davide (who incidentally is the brother-in-law of my mom’s sister Paula Davide), were on the same boat that transported them from Cebu to Manila as they all entered UP. They found solidarity and friendship in being Cebuano as they adjusted to a new but distant and intimidating environment that was Manila. And even as they later pursued different professional and political paths, their bond has lasted.

Society might perceive a dyed-in-the-wool Marxist like Dodong as doctrinaire and illiberal. But that ain’t him.

Being a Marxist and being a liberal are not binary; they can go together. Dodong is the personification of being a liberal and being a Marxist,

How can it be explained that Dodong, a thorough believer of scientific materialism and Fr. Ben Nebres, the Jesuit who seeks God in all things, are close friends? They are one in using the scientific method and obtaining scientific knowledge, advancing education. And they both have the calling of being a “man for others” (which can be done in different ways).

Or how come Dodong, the unarmed communist, is a friend of an anti-communist and militarist like Gringo Honasan? Well, they had a common enemy that was the Marcos dictatorship.

And even at the height of the anti-dictatorship struggle when he co-founded the socialist organization named BISIG, he likewise became a leader of the UP chapter of Kaakbay, a nationalist and democratic but non-socialist group that the late Ka Pepe Diokno established. It might seem odd that socialists like Dodong and Randy and Karina David would form Kaakbay’s UP chapter (My late mom-in-law Cil Manalang was likewise a proud member of UP Kaakbay.)

Also an oddity was the fact that UP Kaakbay attracted non-UP elite like the family that owned a well-established commercial bank.

The student activists among the Baby Boomers and the Gen X generation remember Dodong for marching shoulder-to-shoulder with them in protest actions. Moreover, as a University official, first as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and later as University President, Dodong gave succor and protection to the protesting students.

As said by my activist friend Rene Raya: “Dodong exemplified a strong and principled defiance of dictatorial rule which he vehemently opposed in words and actions. Even at the height of martial law, I remember him continuing to lecture on Marxism, academic freedom, and student power. He stood on the side of the students rallying for student rights and against militarization.”

Dodong recalled to me an incident, many years after it had happened, that I had likewise forgotten.

This was circa 1977, at the time that the student movement was resurgent. The UP students were stretching the limits of protest actions, and student boycotts became frequent. He recollected that he requested me to convince protestors to take prudent action. He approached me, for I was then an official of the Committee on Student Affairs, which then acted as a quasi-student council. He told me that he received a phone call from General Prospero Olivas, head of the notorious Philippine Constabulary Metropolitan Command (Metrocom). General Olivas warned him that once the students exited the Arts and Sciences (AS) Building and marched on the streets, his troops would “break the skulls” of the protestors, Dodong did not want a tragedy to happen. He assured us though that he would allow the protests to continue for as long as we desired inside the AS building. But he did not want students being bloodied.

Being a stubborn and angry young activist that did not fear confrontation with the enemy, I initially resisted Dodong’s request. But ultimately, Dodong’s solicitude and persuasion prevailed.

When Dodong retold this story, I realized that he was no longer acting simply as a comrade but as a wise man trying to alter our infantile thinking and behavior, and, more importantly, as a father, expressing care and love for his children.

And so, when we celebrate Dodong’s 90th birthday in February 2025, we will celebrate not only his multi-faceted accomplishments. We will both be reaffirming our love for one another.

 

Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III coordinates the Action for Economic Reforms.

www.aer.ph

Paris Fashion Week:  Flounces and layers at Louis Vuitton, tweed and birdcages at Chanel, recycled knit at Stella McCartney

PARIS — Louis Vuitton womenswear designer Nicolas Ghesquiere showed a lineup of layered looks with short, flouncy skirts and puffy-sleeved jackets for the label’s spring-summer outing last Tuesday, the last day of Paris Fashion Week.

Set up in a temporary venue in a courtyard of the Louvre Museum, the runway was fashioned out of a mishmash of trunk facades. It ran through the center of the space, and marked the start of the show by rising up into a podium. (See the show here: https://tinyurl.com/yc4dvu22 )

Out came the models, parading tops that were cinched at the waist, their long necklaces and loosely fastened neckties swinging.

The pace quickened through the show, even as the silhouettes grew longer to include robe-like overcoats that swept the floor and loose, bohemian trousers.

Handbags came in all shapes and sizes, with some models carrying more than one, stacked like jewelry.

Shoe styles nodded to the brand’s leatherworking background, with laid-back flats made of fat, mismatching leather straps while dressy heels featured patches of leather with a twist in the middle.

Sitting in the front row, LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault broke into a grin when Ghesquiere bounced down the runway for his bow at the end of the show. Sitting next to him, French first lady Brigitte Macron, who is known to wear Vuitton for official outings, blew the designer a kiss.

CHANEL
Chanel took to the Grand Palais for its spring-summer runway show last Tuesday, marking its return to the soaring glass and steel monument with an eclectic collection of sparkly tweed ensembles and a singing performance from actor Riley Keough. (See the show here: https://tinyurl.com/mpsresbk)

Guests turned out in droves, emerging from a parade of black town cars, decked out head-to-toe in Chanel. After pausing for photos, they headed in through the grand entrance, freshly named after the label’s founder Gabrielle Chanel.

The site of late Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld’s famously dramatic fashion show sets over the years, the building was closed for renovations in 2021 — funded by the brand — before reopening for the Paris Olympics fencing competition this summer.

For Tuesday’s runway outing, a giant bird cage sat in the center of the space, nodding to an advertisement for Chanel perfume in the 1990s starring Vanessa Paradis.

Models marched through the space, parading a range of tweed looks, including slit mini-skirts, loose trousers and dresses, amply decorated with light-weight capes, fringes, and bows. Some had tufts of featherlike accessories on the sides of their sunglasses, others clutched handbags resembling bird cages.

Keough was dressed all in black, with an airy cape and silver platform heels. She entered the set singing Prince’s 1984 hit “When Doves Cry” and was lifted on a swing high enough for models to walk underneath for the finale.

The collection was designed by Chanel’s studios as it awaits a new designer following the departure of Virginie Viard in June.

STELLA MCCARTNEY
Stella McCartney took to a market street on the Left Bank of Paris for her spring summer runway show last Monday, sending models out in airy dresses, boxy tailored suits, and fluffy, cloud-like knits made from recycled nylon.

Models marched down the pavement on pointy heels, backless flats, and a new, high top Adidas sneaker, the trains of their wispy dresses floating behind them, many with their backs mostly bare.

“It’s about having a lightness of touch, having that femininity,” she said after the show, speaking to journalists after greeting guests who included Greta Gerwig, Natalie Portman, and James McCartney.

“And then, you know, having the man in there — the masculinity,” she added, referring to the manly suits, which were loosely cut, often worn without a top.

The label calculated the percentage of materials in the show that it deemed sustainable. These included a silver handbag made from a mycelium leather alternative and chunky jewelry representing doves carved from gold and silver extracted from electronics and medical waste.

The figure was 91%,  McCartney said, noting the remaining 9% was likely metals like brass and belt buckles.

“Ask any other fashion house what [their] sustainability percent this week is and they won’t even know what you’re asking,” she said.

Birds were another theme; the show’s soundtrack featured Prince’s 1980s hit “When doves cry” interpreted by singer Patti Smith.

“I’m trying to tell everyone that those feathers you’re seeing on the runway — all is pointless,” said McCartney. — Reuters

Charge to experience

From left are BYD Philippines (importer) Country Head Aiffy Liu; BYD Cars Philippines (distributor) Managing Director Bob Palanca; BYD-Iconic Dealership, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Dennis Salvador; BYD Experience Hub’s first official buyer Dra. Edessa Dipasupil; ACMobility President and CEO Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala; and ACMobility Head of Auto Retail and Distribution Antonio Zara III. — PHOTO BY ANGEL RIVERO

This BYD Cars hub is a fitting primer in electric mobility

By Angel Rivero

YES, IT’S ALREADY been a full year since ACMobility — the Ayala Group’s end-to-end mobility solutions provider — started its partnership with BYD Cars. We have watched its steady growth with the introduction of noteworthy, electrified vehicles that are clearly becoming increasingly popular among motorists (with the latest product being the affordable BYD Seagull EV).

And naturally, to match all this positive momentum, ACMobility and BYD Cars Philippines launched the nation’s first so-called BYD Experience Hub — the brand’s one-stop shop to explore everything that is BYD in the Philippines. It is located right inside the mall of Glorietta 1 (which frankly, seems to be the current trend as I have seen newer car dealerships popping left and right inside malls, in neighboring countries such as China and Thailand), just before the mall exit that fronts SM Makati. The hub is operated by Iconic Dealership, Inc., the retail arm of ACMobility.

“To celebrate our first year with BYD Car Philippines, we mark this milestone by bringing the future of mobility closer to Filipinos through the BYD Experience Hub,” shared ACMobility’s Chief Executive Officer Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala during his speech at the grand opening. He added, “Every effort is a step closer to achieving our goal to build and sustain a better future for the next generation. As an innovative retail experience that demonstrates how sustainable mobility can uplift the lives of our customers, the hub will not only showcase our cutting-edge vehicles and technology, but will also serve as a gateway to explore the opportunities that come with an electrified future.”

It’s branded as an “experience hub” and not just your regular car showroom because the space has interactive things to offer for any curious visitor. Among them are guided tours, live BYD technology demonstrations to give a better understanding of how the brand’s products work, and technical conversations with expert staff. There are also displays that provide useful data comparing the efficiency of EVs with that of ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles. But of course, the main goal of the hub is to showcase BYD’s latest vehicles alongside interactive displays that describe their key features, and even provide spec comparisons among the different models.

Test drives and other experiential opportunities with the products are most available at the BYD Experience Hub. “(It) is a novel way for us to reach out and explain to more people the advantages and benefits of electric mobility,” explained Iconic Dealership, Inc. (IDI) Chief Operating Officer Dennis Salvador. He continued, “As the BYD brand grows, IDI is always on the lookout for more opportunities to connect with our customers. The BYD Experience Hub provides a differentiated automotive experience in that mallgoers can learn about BYD products and services, and even avail of test drives on the spot. This new center provides an interactive touchpoint for mallgoers to understand how electric vehicles and the BYD brand can support their evolving lifestyle.”

Another brain-picking feature of the BYD Experience Hub in Glorietta is its display of its proprietary Blade Battery, which is at the core of what differentiates BYD from its EV competitors. BYD’s battery technology is often hailed as one of the best-performing in the industry… with top-notch efficiency, impressive durability and, most of all, proven safety.

Future-forward customers can also learn more about the simplicity of charging an EV via a practical and on-site demonstration of how it is done. They are also able to share data about existing charging infrastructure in the Philippines in order to help reduce range anxiety.

As a matter of fact, the top four new energy vehicles (NEVs) sold here from January to August 2024 are all BYD vehicles. BYD is currently the number-one NEV brand in the country, with an impressive market share of 70.5%. It is also the number-one BEV (battery electric vehicle) brand with a 66% year-to-date market share. That’s great news for a brand that only recently underwent a change of local management.

BYD Cars Philippines continues to expand its dealership network and has set a goal to have 25 dealerships by the end of the year. Eight more dealerships are expected to open by early 2025.

Like I said, that’s great momentum for BYD Philippines. Here’s to seeing more affordable EVs on our roads!

BSP reminds financial firms to comply with consumer protection standards

BW FILE PHOTO

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) has reminded its supervised institutions (BSIs) to comply with standards to protect consumers from fraudulent or unauthorized transactions and address related concerns promptly.

In a memorandum, the central bank advised its BSIs to “ensure full compliance with the Consumer Protection Standard of Conduct on the Protection of Consumer Assets Against Fraud and Misuse.”

“To mitigate the risks of fraud and misuse faced by financial consumers, BSIs, to the extent allowed by existing laws, rules, and regulations, must provide necessary assistance, including the provision of relevant information relating to fraudulent or unauthorized transactions,” it said.

“Further, BSIs must provide clear information on the actions taken or to be taken on a complaint, inquiry or request from a financial consumer involving fraudulent or unauthorized transactions.”

The central bank said that BSIs must “adequately inform financial consumers of their responsibilities, as users of financial products and services and provide timely transaction notifications which are essential in curtailing and detecting fraudulent or unauthorized transactions.”

Claims must be resolved in a fair, reasonable, timely and transparent manner, it said.

“Fraud-related concerns should be given utmost priority and should be resolved within a reasonable time commensurate to the complexity of the circumstances,” it added.

Consumers must also be provided with free and active reporting channels that must be available on a 24/7 basis, the BSP said. These can be in the form of a phone line, mobile number, online portal, e-mail address, chatbot, instant messaging or other communication channels.

For unauthorized transactions, concerns or disputes must be filed with the originating financial institution (OFI).

“Upon receipt of fund transfer disputes or alleged unauthorized transactions, the OFI shall immediately inform and provide relevant details to the receiving financial institution (RFI),” the BSP said.

Pending the result of an investigation of the dispute or allegations, OFIs and RFIs may implement measures to protect financial consumers, such as suspending the imposition of interest, fees or charges, if applicable and holding the disputed funds if still intact.

Other measures include providing reasonable accommodations to the financial consumer and performing other necessary actions to protect the financial consumers’ interest and assets, such as account blocking.

BSIs must inform the client formally of the result within three banking days from the conclusion of the investigation, the central bank said.

If the transaction is found unauthorized, the BSI must correct or reverse the transaction including any related interest, charges or fees and make permanent the provisionally-credited amount, if any.

The memorandum also noted that the recent Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act now allows BSIs to temporarily hold the funds subject of a disputed transaction for a period not exceeding 30 calendar days under certain grounds. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Sugar rush leads world food prices to jump in September, FAO says

REUTERS

ROME — The United Nations’  (UN) world food price index jumped in September, data released on Friday showed, posting its biggest gain in 18 months on the back of surging sugar prices.

The price index, compiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to track the most globally traded food commodities, rose to 124.4 points in last month from 120.7 in August, the highest level since July 2023 and up 2.1% on the year.

The sugar index soared 10.4% month on month, driven by worsening crop prospects in Brazil and concerns that India’s decision to lift restrictions on sugarcane use for ethanol production may affect the country’s export availabilities, FAO said.

The cereal price index increased 3%, led by higher wheat and maize export prices, while rice prices declined 0.7%. Vegetable oil prices gained 4.6% on the month, with higher quotations registered across the board for palm, soy, sunflower, and rapeseed oils.

Dairy prices rose 3.8% in September, with quotations up for whole milk powder, skim milk powder, butter and cheese, while meat prices edged up 0.4%.

In a separate report, the FAO marginally increased its forecast for global cereal production in 2024 to 2.853 billion tons from a previous 2.851 billion tons.

The increase reflected upward revisions to rice and wheat outputs that outweighed a minor reduction in global coarse grains production, FAO said.

World cereal utilization looked set to increase 12.4 million tons in 2024/2025 to 2.853 billion tons.

By contrast, the agency cut its forecast for world cereal stocks at the close of the 2025 season by 1.7 million tons to 888.1 million. — Reuters

ComClark eyes PHL air traffic control

FREEPIK

By Ashley Erika O. Jose, Reporter

UY-LED ComClark Network and Technology Corp. has submitted an unsolicited proposal to manage the country’s air navigation, traffic, and control system, its chief executive officer (CEO) said.

“Yes, we’ve submitted a proposal to help the government in improving our air traffic systems,” ComClark CEO Dennis Anthony H. Uy said in a statement on Sunday.

Mr. Uy said the company, together with its “international partners,” has the technology, capability, and experience to ensure that the Philippines’ air transport system is safe and at par with other countries.

“It has to be evaluated, but nothing is final at the moment because the proposal is unsolicited,” Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo told reporters last week.

Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto C.O. Lim said that the Department of Transportation is considering either creating an independent agency or forming a joint venture with government corporations under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme to privately manage and operate the Philippines’ air traffic management system.

“[We want an entity] to privately manage and operate the country’s air traffic management system while at the same time satisfying the national security concerns,” Mr. Lim said during the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Aviation Summit 2024 last week.

PPP Center Executive Director Cynthia C. Hernandez said the Air Traffic Services-Air Navigation Services project is also being evaluated for a solicited project.

Ms. Hernandez said this project involves the financing, design, construction, operations, and maintenance of air traffic services and air navigation services of the country’s airspace and international airspace managed by the Philippines.

“Although there’s an unsolicited proposal for the air traffic services-air navigation services project,” she added.

Mr. Lim said that the World Bank and the International Finance Corp. (IFC) are currently conducting a study on the management of the country’s air traffic control.

“We are hitting two birds with one stone. We are trying to decongest CAAP with the burden of operating a facility. As you have seen, there is an inherent conflict in the function of CAAP being a regulator and operator of airports and public facilities,” he said.

Allowing a private company or creating a separate entity to manage and control the country’s air traffic control system will relieve CAAP of its conflicting role, Mr. Lim said.

“It could be by putting it in another government authority or corporation, or it could be a joint venture between government and the private sector,” he added.

Further, Mr. Lim said the DoTr is expecting the World Bank and IFC to conclude their study on how to proceed with the management of air traffic services by next year.

Asked whether there is a local company qualified to manage the air traffic control system, Mr. Lim said: “There is no local company to our knowledge that has experience of air traffic management. So, you’d have to look outside, team up with a local company. It could be a telecom company.”

The DoTr wants CAAP to focus solely on being a regulator, Mr. Lim said, noting that currently, CAAP is responsible for both operating airports and managing air traffic control.

“We have identified these three areas that are inherently conflicting roles in one agency,” Mr. Lim said.

How minimum wages compared across regions in September

(After accounting for inflation)

In September, inflation-adjusted wages were 16.7% to 24.8% lower than the current daily minimum wages across the regions in the country. In peso terms, real wages were lower by around P74.04 to P119.85 from the current daily minimum wages set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

How minimum wages compared across regions in September

The song of ‘Ibong Adarna’

“Ibong Adarna” is the oldest and best-known epic poem in Philippine literature. It is about an enchanted bird, the Ibong Adarna, identified as the Philippine trogon (Harpactes ardens) common in the early 19th century, when the epic was written. While the story is believed to have been based on oral folklore before the Spanish colonization (A.D. 1565 to 1898), the first to compose the epic poem was the Tagalog poet José de la Cruz a.k.a. “Huseng Sisiw.”

“Ibong Adarna” is written in the style of the corrido, a narrative metrical tale and poetry that forms a ballad. The songs are often about oppression, history, daily life, love, and heroic deeds. These extol noble values and principles, praising heroes and exposing villains. During the Spanish era, the longer form of the story’s title was “Korrido at Buhay na Pinagdaanan ng Tatlong Prinsipeng Magkakapatid na anak ni Haring Fernando at ni Reyna Valeriana sa Kahariang Berbanya” (“Corrido and Life Lived by the Three Princes, children of King Fernando and Queen Valeriana in the Kingdom of Berbania”). “Ibong Adarna” contains 1,722 stanzas (eight syllables per line, four lines per stanza) — an epic poem or romance that involves the struggles of a heroic character.

The story is about King Fernando, Queen Valeriana, and their three sons: Don Pedro, Diego, and Juan. The King is very ill, and he asks the three princes to find and bring to him the enchanted bird, Ibong Adarna, whose magical healing song will save him. The prince who successfully brings back the bird will inherit the throne.

Is inheriting the throne the driving force for the three sons to risk their life to find the Ibong Adarna and bring the magical bird to their sick father? The saga tells of the efforts and motivation of each son first to find Mount Tabor, where the Tree of Life, “Piedras Platas,” harbors the elusive Ibong Adarna. Obstacles and threats abound, and the princes think out their own strategies and actions.

Don Pedro, the eldest son, sets out first to find and capture the Ibong Adarna because he will not forfeit his priority to the throne. He is portrayed as selfish and contriving, as when he meets a beggar who gives him directions to find the Ibong Adarna, but denies the hungry man a piece of bread. Don Pedro gets to see the Ibong Adarna, but he falls asleep from weariness and the enchanted bird’s song. The Ibong Adarna then poops on Don Pedro and turns him to stone, as if to punish him for his self-centeredness.

Don Diego, the middle son, goes next to get the Ibong Adarna — as he now has an active chance to inherit the throne. He is less selfish and less evil than Don Pedro, perhaps indifferent to whatever happens. He likewise meets the old beggar, and he briefly considers sharing his bread with the hungry man, but ultimately decides not to. He suffers the same fate as Don Pedro, with the singing Ibong Adarna pooping on him and turning him to stone.

Don Juan offers to look for his missing brothers and the Ibong Adarna. He meets the same old man, who gives him directions. In gratitude and compassion, Don Juan gives the hungry beggar all the bread in his knapsack. Don Juan avoids being beguiled by Ibong Adarna’s song, and captures the enchanted bird. He revives his petrified brothers with holy water given by an old hermit.

After the three brothers are rested and recover from the ordeal, the old hermit sends them home and advises them not to betray one another. But Don Pedro and Don Diego immediately betray Don Juan. They beat him up and leave him almost dead on the road. The two then triumphantly return to Berbania and present the Ibong Adarna to their sick father, King Fernando.

But the Ibong Adarna would not sing to heal the King, and the King’s condition worsens. Far away, Don Juan prays to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a stranger appears to help him recover from his brothers’ mauling. Soon after, he is back home in Berbania, and the Ibong Adarna sings gloriously, healing King Fernando.

It seems like Don Juan will inherit the throne, and Don Pedro will not allow it. As Don Juan sleeps beside the Ibong Adarna’s cage, Don Pedro frees the enchanted bird sending it to the dark skies. Don Juan flees Berbania to look for the Ibong Adarna, to bring it back for King Fernando. Don Pedro and Don Diego are commanded by the King to bring back Don Juan and the Ibong Adarna. Work together to help me, the King says.

Of course, the classic epic story must portray “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” as even a modern-day Clint Eastwood bandits-and-the-law movie will show. The saga of betrayals and connivance by the Bad and Ugly (Don Pedro and Don Diego) against the Good (Don Juan) continues in Parts Three to Five of the corrido. The story even borrows from the Biblical story of Joseph, favorite son of Jacob by Rachel, who was betrayed and sold by his 10 half-brothers. Like Joseph, Don Juan is deceived — lowered into a deep, empty well by his evil brothers and left to die.

But, as all epic poems go, the hero will not die — and as for the convoluted trials and ordeals encountered, there will be a “love-interest” for the “happily-ever-after” at the end of the story. That is the romantic “reward”— the affirmation of idealism. In a magical underground kingdom at the bottom of the well, Don Juan meets two beautiful princesses, Maria Juana, and Leonora, prisoners of terrifying beasts. Don Juan signals Don Pedro to raise him and the sisters up from the well. Don Diego and Maria Juana fall in love. Don Pedro loves Leonora, but Leonora loves Don Juan.

The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 31 minutes to read the “Ibong Adarna” version by poet Virgilio S. Almario.

There is still time for one more twist in the story: Don Juan is faced again with yet another hurdle. He has just gone back to the depths of the well to retrieve Leonora’s ring. He is tired. He rests, lulled by the distant song of the Ibong Adarna. He dreams of a woman prettier than Leonora: she is Doña Maria Blanca, daughter of the mean and haughty King Salermo of the Crystal Kingdom (Delos Cristal). The song also tells Don Juan to forget Leonora.

King Salermo craftily tests Don Juan with such challenges as moving mountains closer to the palace windows, and then flattening the mountain to a wheatfield. Doña Maria assists Don Juan pass the King’s tests, using her magic powers. King Salermo finally allows Don Juan to bring Doña Maria with him to Berbania, but puts a curse on them — Don Juan will forget Doña Maria when he is greeted by a woman he knew before her.

Back in Berbania, Leonora waits for Don Juan to return, hoping to marry him. She happily welcomes him back, but he does not remember her. And he does not remember Doña Maria either. (Even the hero is punished for two-timing!) Doña Maria presents a dreamlike puppet show to make Don Juan remember what she did to save him from her father, King Salermo.

Don Juan marries Doña Maria Blanca. Don Pedro marries Princess Leonora. Don Pedro inherits the throne at Berbania. Juan and Maria Blanca return to the kingdom of Delos Cristal, where they rule with compassion and justice over the people who love them.

Whew! By today’s standards of brief and concise writing, “Ibong Adarna” is long-winded to the point of being tiring. But it is still required reading in Philippine literature classes in Grade 7 and Junior High. The Filipino epic is a major topic of study in Literature and Arts courses in the baccalaureate and post graduate degrees.

There have been at least eight movies made of “Ibong Adarna,” the first and most faithful to the original epic poem being the 1941 LVN production starring Mila del Sol (as Doña Maria Blanca) and Fred Cortes (as Don Juan). In 2013, GMA Network produced Adarna, a contemporary TV series adaptation starring Kylie Padilla in the title role. In 2017, Ballet Manila presented “Ibong Adarna” in dance, at the Aliw Theater. In 2019, Repertory Philippines staged an English version of the epic which featured child-friendly music and costumes.

It is an intuitive social consciousness that keeps an epic such as “Ibong Adarna” alive and remembered. Its portrayals of heroes and villains, its dissection of character, and the upholding of noble virtues and steadfast principles — these reassure the collective soul of peace and justice in the indubitable triumph of Good over Evil.

The allegory of “Ibong Adarna” is most poignant today in our country, as we feel the growing need to be saved from discernible deteriorating economic, social, and moral health — like King Fernando of Berbania, who was very sick. There are mid-term elections coming in May 2025, calling for capable and honest candidates for the legislature and local governments. And there are many, of various characters and capabilities, who have presented/registered themselves to vie to be “princes” of the country. Which one of the princes are they, individually — Don Juan (the Good)? Don Pedro (the Bad), or Don Diego (the Ugly)?

Will they serve for pure love of country? Or are they flawed by selfish motivations of power and influence, and greedy for easy opportunities for graft and corruption? Will these government officials betray each other, renege on promises, change affiliations, and switch positions on issues? Will they cheat and lie to the people, steal and kill not only physically and materially, stripping the moral fiber of society by eroding values and principles?

But there is ever the hope that the good leaders in government will bring back the magical “Ibong Adarna” of Peace, Harmony and Justice in our country. If they will not be good and true, Ibong Adarna will poop on them, and turn them to stone.

 

Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

For Filipina skin

WHILE it has been around for about 20 years, Céleteque is not one to rest on its laurels. At the Céleteque’s Skin Smart Event on Sept. 23 at the Concourse at One Ayala, they launched a new product hitting stores just this month: Acne Solutions Micellar Water.

Micellar water is used to clean the face (of makeup and other impurities) gently, without soap. The company’s new micellar water contains salicylic acid, known to help minimize pore size. It’s formulated with sebum control technology, a combination of salicylic acid and capryloyl glycine, known to help reduce excess sebum and control sebum production. It also contains chamomile extract to soothe the skin, as well as a moisturizing factor to help keep skin’s fresh appearance.

Jazz Maniri, Brand Lead for Céleteque, told BusinessWorld about how their products are tested: “Whenever we test with dermatologists, we get Filipinas talaga, so that it’s specific to our skin: our color, the weather. It’s tested with them in like a series of days, so they get to experience it as they live their days.”

These results go on to making products specific to skin needs for the average Filipina: “Number one is really on the sensorials of it all. We know that we don’t like sticky, heavy sunscreen.” She points to another recent release, the Daily Protection Matte Moisturizer under the Skin Defense line, which claims to not only protect against the sun’s rays, but also pollution. “For that particular product, we made sure that it’s very lightweight.”

“It’s really the weather also that we have,” she said.

Céleteque is a brand under UL Skin Sciences, Inc. (ULSSI), including brands like pH Care, Myra, and GynePro. ULSSI is the personal care business unit of UL Health Group, a subsidiary under Unilab, one of the country’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Asked how being under the Unilab umbrella helps with product development for Céleteque, Ms. Maniri said, “The background of Unilab when it comes to healthcare, it also just means that for ULSSI specifically, we’re delivering or producing products that ensure long-term overall skin health.”

As a homegrown brand, it must be an exciting prospect for it to be spread around the world. Currently, it sees some sales in Southeast Asian neighbors Indonesia and Vietnam (perhaps it’s the similar weather). “In Indonesia, for example, they like our suncare line, or the Acne Solutions line,” she noted. “It’s quite small right now, but what we noticed is they also gravitate to certain products,” she said.

As for further expansion to other countries, she said, “No plans as of the moment. Right now, we want to strengthen our foothold in the Philippines.”

Céleteque products are available on leading e-commerce platforms such as Lazada and Shopee, as well as in stores nationwide. — Joseph L. Garcia

Data-driven

How does the future of mobility look like? This IMV 0 display at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show seems to be asking the same thing. — PHOTO BY KAP MACEDA AGUILA

Software is the key to this ‘new gold’ of mobility

AFTER THE Y2K scare of 2000, the world accelerated toward digital solutions in the blink of an eye. The way we consume data is, to some, unfathomable. To others, it is the only way.

According to Statista, 66% of the world population — some 5.3 billion people — already have access to the internet. On the other hand, the International Telecommunications Union reports that there are 8.59 billion smartphone subscriptions worldwide — meaning there are more subscribers than there are people.

In the Philippines, DataReportal reports that there were 87 million internet users at the start of 2024, or a penetration of 73.6%; and a total of 117.4 million cellular mobile connections, equivalent to 99.3% of the population.

One of the most significant changes that the digital revolution spawned is in the field of mobility. Early in the last decade, then president (now chairman) of Toyota Motor Corp. Akio Toyoda raised an urgent call to action. Noting a “once-in-a-century period of profound transformation,” he acknowledged that technology is changing the automotive industry very rapidly. Mr. Toyoda recognized that new players are no longer limited to companies that were solely in the business of making cars.

For example, Google announced a self-driving car project in 2009 that was eventually renamed Waymo in 2016. The company does not intend to build cars but, rather, focus on self-driving technology. Meantime, Apple did research and development on an electric and self-driving car for 10 years. Project Titan, as it was called, was however scuttled in February this year.

In addition, ride-sharing and ride-hailing solutions emerged to change the way people experienced and viewed mobility. These were app-based solutions such as ZipCar and ShareNow for ride-sharing; Uber, Lyft, and Grab for ride-hailing. The concept was to put cars on a grid, digitalize the sharing or hailing experience, and provide transparent pricing.

Considering these transformative developments, Mr. Toyoda announced his goal to transform Toyota from an automotive to a mobility company. The innovative technologies in “connected,” “autonomous,” “shared,” and “electric” (CASE) were totally changing the concept of the automobile as we knew it. Just as important, the new players were radically changing the rules of the marketplace.

CONNECTED
Increased on-board computing power in cars greatly enhances GPS tracking, vehicle diagnostics, telematics, and fleet management. The use of radars, sensors, and cameras also enables a more robust automotive Internet of Things (IoT), including more sophisticated safety systems while enabling enhanced communications between the vehicle and people, the cloud, infrastructure, and the grid.

It is said that data are today’s gold, and that software is the key. According to Toyota, its focus is on the platform in the belief that this will be the backbone for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) for autonomy and car-sharing. The car should be a seamless extension of the mobile phone and computer — a kind of personal assistant on wheels — able to anticipate needs through predictive artificial intelligence.

AUTONOMOUS & SHARING
There are many initiatives under development in this field. Although many believe this is such a cool piece of technology that will transform the ease of getting around, it is important to emphasize the underlying goal of autonomous mobility: to enhance road safety and reduce vehicle accidents.

A study by the World Health Organization in December 2023 reported that approximately 1.19 million people across the globe die annually because of road traffic crashes. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged five to 29 years. An additional 20 to 50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries.

But, yes, autonomous driving technology also offers new mobility solutions. The e-Palette concept vehicle is one such example of Toyota’s vision for Autono-MaaS business application for retail e-commerce. The e-Palette is a fully electric vehicle that will be controlled by Toyota’s autonomous Chauffeur Mode technology. It will also include Toyota’s Guardian system as a safety net to support a range of uses such as ride-sharing, delivery, and retail.

We are already witnesses to the proliferation of ride-sharing solutions. In the Philippines, Grab dominates the four-wheel space but two-wheel solutions like Angkas and Joy Ride are also flourishing.

ELECTRIC
It is encouraging to see electrified mobility take root. The International Energy Agency reported that sales of battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles reached 14 million units in 2023. This accounts for 18% of global car sales, up from 14% in 2022. Meantime, Toyota sold 3.4 million hybrid electric vehicles globally in 2023, up from 2.6 million in 2022.

In the Philippines, the adoption of electrified vehicles is growing. From January to June, data from CAMPI shows sales increasing by 211%, almost matching sales in the whole of 2023. The split in sales is 95% in favor of hybrid electric and 5% for full electric vehicles.

The mobility landscape in the Philippines is also transforming as the country moves toward increased motorization. The market is on track to beat its historic sales high of 478,000 units posted in 2017. Everyone and everything — people, goods, and data — have to move. Mobility is truly an essential, and not a luxury.

In 2022, Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines (TMSPH) was established to meet the evolving mobility in the country. It initiated programs designed to cater to the increasing “usership” needs of Filipinos, those needing mobility without the accompanying responsibilities of ownership (e.g. parking, maintenance, running costs).

The installation of a Toyota Connected device in vehicles allows users to harness the full potential of their vehicles including asset security, safe driving, and operational efficiency.

For example, TMSPH offers a telematics insurance program: Connected Toyota Insure. By gathering data on driving behavior, it can reduce insurance premiums based on a pre-determined scoring system. They are also able to offer Connected Auto Loans that allow finance companies to extend loans based on the reduced risk of asset loss. Other mobility solutions TMSPH can offer using its platforms are shuttle management, delivery assignment, and effective fleet maintenance.

Finally, usership solutions also include easy and convenient access to vehicles on-demand through Toyota Rentacar or through Kinto One Leasing solutions that provide mobility without the worries of servicing, insurance, and registration.

Truly, mobility is rapidly transforming in line with new technologies. It is an exciting time with lots to look forward to in terms of how mobility is helping elevate well-being and happiness for all.

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