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Crystal ball gazing: Motoring issues in 2018

By Kap Maceda Aguila

WHICH high-profile couple will get hitched, which movie will reap all the critics’ awards, and which public official will be impeached — all these we will not be answering. What we will do is divine what might be in store for the motoring public as 2018 gets rolling. Are you ready?

AN UNCERTAIN TRAIN RIDE
As the powers that be made a last-minute save to temper the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion-induced price hike on the purchase of new automobiles this year, industry executives surely heaved a sigh of relief. Also known as the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (which took effect on Jan. 1), Republic Act 10963 will reduce personal income while applying higher tariff on cars, fuels, tobacco and sugary beverages.

Reports the Department of Finance on its Web site, “TRAIN simplifies the excise tax on automobiles, but lower-priced cars continue to be taxed at lower rates while more expensive cars are taxed at higher rates. This excise will raise revenue in a very progressive manner as the richer buyers tend to own more and expensive cars compared to those who earn less.”

How will this new tariff scheme affect car buyers? Truth to say, quite a number of people were scrambling to make last-minute purchases in the waning moments of 2017, causing shortage for some key models. Now that 2018 is here, will the new scheme, which will effectively increase the sticker price of all vehicles (at lower rates for less-expensive models), keep buyers out of the showroom — particularly of premium marques?

JUNKING JUNK JEEPNEYS
Fifteen is the magic number (or, verily, the number of death) for the erstwhile “king of the road.” Public utility jeepneys 15 years old and above will be culled from the streets starting this year as part of the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) modernization program. By the end of a three-year transition period (until 2021), only electric and Euro4-compliant jeepneys will be allowed on the road. As reported the DoTr will launch a so-called Motor Vehicle Inspection System to “determine the age of a jeepney and its road-worthiness.”

Many jeepney operators and drivers have been up in arms over the program, which they claim to be “anti-poor,” even as the government has tapped the Development Bank of the Philippines to provide P1.5 billion in assistance to transport companies and cooperatives.

So, are we going to see better days and better jeepneys, or will transport groups continue to give grief to the government and the commuting public as they insist on their clunkers? We think the end of the rolling coffins is in sight, but 2018 will prove to be a make-or-break period.

MORE TRAFFIC IN THE CARDS
DoTr Undersecretary Thomas M. Orbos said that the public should expect heavier traffic this year, particularly in Metro Manila.

“So many projects [this] year, which is part of the building program… will all start simultaneously until the end of the term of the President,” he declared in a news conference. “In order for us to have better infrastructure, we need to go through this heavy traffic… Just remember we will all benefit from it.”

Mr. Orbos listed the Light Rail Transit Line-1 (LRT-1) Cavite extension, the LRT-2 East extension, Metro Rail Transit Line-7, the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link Segment 10, in Caloocan City, and several bridges in Metro Manila as the projects to commence in 2018.

With the construction glut, expect the government to try out more traffic schemes in an effort to bring much-needed relief for congestion. Of course, if people want these to work, they need to step up as well.

GREATER USE OF RIDE-HAILING APPS
Now that government has gotten a firmer regulatory grasp on transport network vehicle services provided by companies like Uber and Grab, it’s all systems go for these convenient conveyance modes capitalizing on smart phones and the pervasiveness of Internet connection. Even people with cars of their own have seen the wisdom of using TNVS to spare themselves from the hassle of traffic and looking for parking space.

FEWER ROAD-RAGE INCIDENTS
Is this wishful thinking, or a realistic expectation? Well, with more traffic enforcers and policemen and traffic enforcers sporting body cams, complemented by the ubiquity of mobile phones and dashboard cameras, it’s so easy for a temper tantrum to go embarrassingly viral. We hope that this fact is not lost on people with an inexplicable propensity for violence when caught in a fender bender or some other adverse event on the road.

SAFETY WILL COME FIRST
We’re just so sick and tired of large vehicles losing their brakes, running off the road into a ravine, or some other preventable “accident” resulting in a massive loss of life, injuries and damage to property. We predict that government will step in decisively to curb inaction and recklessness by those concerned (i.e., drivers and operators). Surely, if agencies can be firm on clunker jeepneys, they can surely clamp down on these big monsters that can wreak havoc at the snap of a finger.

Crystal ball gazing: Motoring issues in 2018

DoH-accredited clinics, recruitment agencies warned vs online scheme victimizing OFWs

A NONGOVERNMENT organization that specializes in labor migration warned medical clinics and recruitment agencies catering to OFWs not to fall for a dubious scheme hatched allegedly by the GCC Ministry of Health, which imposes a $10 online registration fee for every Middle East-bound OFW applicant. “This online registration scheme appears to be a multimillion-peso scam targeting our OFWs. No one in the Philippines was consulted and we also don’t know who will benefit from these new fees being collected and arbitrarily imposed on our OFWs,” Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center said. The Website can be found via: www.gcchmc.org. — News5/interaksyon.com

See full story on https://goo.gl/t78tAQ

Kerber makes a fresh start in 2018 with Hopman Cup win

PERTH, AUSTRALIA — Former world number one Angelique Kerber put a testing 2017 behind her on Monday, kicking off the new year with a fighting singles win as Germany beat Belgium 2-1 at the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth.

The 29-year-old gave her country an early lead in their Group A tie with Belgium, beating the emerging Elise Mertens in a tough two-set match.

World number seven David Goffin leveled the tie with an upset straight-sets win over fourth ranked Alexander Zverev, but Zverev and Kerber then claimed the deciding mixed doubles.

Kerber was delighted to start 2018 with a victory, having battled a dramatic slump in form last year.

She started 2017 ranked world number one but by the end of the season the dual Grand Slam winner had slipped to 21.

Kerber was fully tested by Mertens, whose ranking went the other way in 2017 as she climbed from 120 to 36.

The pair traded service breaks and winners, but it was Kerber who produced when it mattered to win 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/1) in one hour and 56 minutes.

Kerber, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2016, said it was a promising start to her preparation for Melbourne.

“I think it was a really good match from both of us,” she said.

“We played on a really high level.

“It was the first match of the year so I am really happy with my performance.”

Kerber added that she had emerged from last year a wiser player, having struggled with the pressure of expectations.

“Last year was a completely different year, I learned a lot,” she said.

“I am trying not to look back, we are in 2018 and I’m really happy about that.

“It”s a fresh start.”

Goffin, coming off a superb finish to last year, capitalized on a misfiring Zverev to secure an impressive 6-3, 6-3 win.

Zverev racked up the unforced errors and the 27-year-old Belgian claimed another big scalp, having beaten Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in London in November.

“I cannot start the year better,” Goffin said of his triumph over the 20-year-old.

However, Zverev’s power was a major factor in the mixed doubles, played under the Fast4 format, with the Germans winning 4-2, 4-3 (5/2) to claim the tie. — AFP

Iranian protesters attack police stations, raise stakes in unrest

DUBAI — Iranian protesters attacked police stations late into the night on Monday, news agency and social media reports said, as security forces struggled to contain the boldest challenge to the clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.

Videos on social media showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze. There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

In the western city of Kermanshah, protesters set fire to a traffic police post, but no one was hurt in the incident, Mehr news agency said.

Demonstrations continued for a fifth day. Some 13 people were reported killed on Sunday in the worst wave of unrest since crowds took to the streets in 2009 to condemn the reelection of then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The protests have put pressure on the clerical leaders in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. President Hassan Rouhani made a televised call for calm on Sunday, saying Iranians had the right to criticize but must not cause unrest.

In the central city of Najafabad, a demonstrator opened fire on police with a hunting rifle, killing one and wounding three others, state television said.

Earlier, state TV said armed demonstrators on Sunday had tried to seize police and military bases but were stopped by “strong resistance from security forces.” It gave no further details and there was no independent confirmation.

State TV had reported that 10 people were killed in protests on Sunday. On Monday, that death toll rose when the deputy governor of the western Hamadan Province, Saeed Shahrokhi, told ISNA news agency that another three protesters were killed on Sunday in the city of Tuyserkan.

‘NO TOLERANCE’
Hundreds have been arrested, according to officials and social media.

Online video showed police in the capital Tehran firing water cannon to disperse demonstrators, in footage said to have been filmed on Sunday.

Protests against economic hardships and alleged corruption erupted in Iran’s second city of Mashhad on Thursday and escalated across the country into calls for the religious establishment to step down.

Some of the anger was directed at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, breaking a taboo surrounding the man who has been supreme leader of Iran since 1989.

Video posted on social media showed crowds of people walking through the streets, some chanting “Death to the dictator!” Reuters was not immediately able to verify the footage.

The Fars news agency reported “scattered groups” of protesters in Tehran on Monday and said a ringleader had been arrested.

“The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public property, violate public order and create unrest in society,” Rouhani said in his address on Sunday.

Unsigned statements on social media urged Iranians to continue to demonstrate in 50 towns and cities.

The government said it was temporarily restricting access to the Telegram messaging app and Instagram. There were reports that internet mobile access was blocked in some areas.

Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia.

Many Iranians resent those foreign interventions, and want their leaders to create jobs at home, where youth unemployment reached 28.8% last year.

Among reported fatalities, two people were shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh on Sunday and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted a member of parliament as saying.

“I do not know whether yesterday’s shooting was done by rally participants or the police and this issue is being investigated,” Hedayatollah Khademi was quoted as saying.

Regional governor Mostafa Samali told Fars that only one person was killed in an incident unrelated to the protests, and the suspected shooter had been arrested.

Almost nine years since the “Green movement” reformist protests were crushed by the state, Iran’s adversaries voiced their support for the resurgence of anti-government sentiment.

US President Donald Trump tweeted: “The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the “brave Iranians” taking to streets to protest a regime that “wastes tens of billions of dollars spreading hate.”

“I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom,” he said in a video posted on his Facebook page.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel urged “all sides (to) refrain from violent actions.” — Reuters

Marcos denies deal with government

FORMER SENATOR Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday denied knowledge of an alleged compromise agreement between the government and his family on their alleged ill-gotten wealth. “The Marcos family has no knowledge or information on that apparent exchange and service of document between Atty. Lozano and the office of Sec. Sal Panelo. As a point of information, Atty. Oliver Lozano does not represent any member of the Marcos family or the estate of the late President Ferdinand Marcos,” Mr. Marcos said in a statement. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said on Monday that Mr. Oliver O. Lozano, who is widely associated with the Marcos family, had sent Malacañang a draft proposal for a compromise deal with the family. “The document was sent to the office by Atty. Oliver Lozano. Our office, as a matter of courtesy and policy, acknowledges receipt of any letter coming from any citizen,” Mr. Panelo said in a statement last Monday, adding that “no action has been taken on (the) proposal.” For his part, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. also denied that the government had reached such a compromise deal. “Atty. Oliver Lozano may have written to Malacañang proposing the creation of a legal team that would study a compromise agreement with the Marcos family. The proposal, however, has not been acted and agreed upon by the Palace. As to the supposed House bill granting immunity on the Marcoses and allowing (a) compromise on their sequestered assets, the Executive, as we all know, recognizes the separation of powers and independence of Congress. We leave the matter to the House of Representatives to discuss and deliberate,” Mr. Roque said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Palace looking at OICs to avert ERC paralysis

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte will take action this month to ensure that the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) operations are not paralyzed, according to Presidential Spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr., who added that Malacañang is studying the appointment of officers-in-charge (OICs).

“The ERC cannot be paralyzed because it’s a critical agency,” Mr. Roque said, speaking in Filipino, in an interview with DZMM on Tuesday, adding, “I believe the President will act this month to keep that from happening.” 

On Dec.21, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered a year’s suspension for former ERC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jose Vicente Salazar and commissioners Alfredo J. Non, Gloria Victoria C. Yap-Taruc, Josefina Patricia A. Magpale-Asirit, and Geronimo D. Sta. Ana.

These officials were charged with violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” in connection with the revised implementation date of the competitive selection process (CSP), which the Ombudsman said favored a few power supply contracts.

“Pinag-aaralan talaga ng Executive Secretary dahil hindi pe-pwede na mawalan ng mga commissioners ang ERC, sa dami ng mga pending na PSA (Power-Supply Agreement applications).”

Mr. Roque also warned of possible power outages as ERC Chairman Agnes T. Devanadera warned in December.

“We really will have brownouts, so Executive Secretary (Salvador C.) Medialdea is considering the problem,” Mr. Roque said.

“One possibility is to look into the basis for the suspensions and whether a decision can be reached on their removal. But the problem is that ERC commissioners have fixed terms, so now we’re looking at the declaration of Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo that we can appoint OICs.

Mr. Panelo issued a memorandum on Dec. 28 upholding the authority of the President to appoint OICs, citing “Section 17, Chapter 5 of Administrative Code of 1987 which vests the President the authority to appoint temporary commissioners in lieu of the suspended four Commissioners of the ERC who cannot perform their duties.”

“Let me make it clear that we are not seeking to disregard the suspension order just because we don’t want to paralyze the ERC. So we could pursue Presidential Legal Counsel Panelo’s opinion that we can have OICs,” Mr. Roque added.

Atlantis holds musical theater, acting workshops for adults

FOLLOWING the success of its inaugural musical theater workshops for children, teenagers, and adults last year, the Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group will hold its first round of workshops for 2018 in January and February focusing on adults ranging from beginners with little to no training to those with a more advanced arts background.

The Basic Musical Theater Workshop is a month-long course for students who wish to enhance their singing, acting, and dancing skills. It delves into basic theater history, stage terminologies, and fundamental theatrical concepts. It also introduces students to jazz dance performance and assists them in exploring vocal techniques for the stage. Classes will be held from Jan. 15 to Feb. 16 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7 p.m.–10 p.m., at Opera Haus, 3657 Bautista St., Makati City.

The Intermediate Musical Theater Workshop is designed for students who have had experience in musical theater performance and have basic knowledge of musical theater principles. Through this course, students will delve into concentrated song and script analysis/text work, as well as undergo intensive jazz dance training. They will also be introduced to different schools of acting, stage makeup, monologues, and making a career in the theater. Students are selected through teacher’s recommendation or through a video audition. Classes will be held from Jan. 16 to Feb. 16 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 7 p.m.–10 p.m., at Opera Haus.

The Basic Acting Workshop will cover the necessities for the actor’s toolbox including stage terminologies, vocal production and projection, script analysis, stage movement, and characterization. This class will provide students the opportunity to work with multi-awarded theater veterans Jamie Wilson and Cris Villonco. Classes will be held from Jan. 22 to Feb. 9, 7 p.m.–10 p.m., at Centro Flamenco, SJG Center, 8463 Kalayaan Ave., Makati City.

Individuals aged 18 and up are eligible to apply. Slots are limited. Contact Atlantis at 0917-838-1534 or e-mail info@atlantistheatrical.com for inquiries and slot reservation.

BMW X3 xDrive20d M Sport

SINCE the original X3’s debut in 2003 BMW has never been shy at pitching the model as an SUV that puts sporty traits over utility or comfort. Fact is the X3 was the first to carry the brand’s Sport Activity Vehicle tag, declaring BMW SUVs are not like those from other car makers. So where most sport-utes were cushy, even if blessed with some degree or other of outdoorsy capability, the X3 is more like a sport sedan that only happens to sit higher off the ground. The trouble with this, though, is that the X3 is not cushy; it simply is too sporty. This is something the latest model addresses.

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• As can be expected in nearly all cars, the present X3 is bigger than the model that came before it, and is very nearly as large as the original BMW X5. But BMW made good use of the increase in measurements by carving out a markedly roomier cabin for the car. So where the previous X3 was cramped, the present one does not lack leg-, hip- and headroom. Especially notable is the space in the backseat, on which three people can fit quite comfortably even if the pair in front of them indulge in their share of legroom.

• Another benefit of the increased size is a large cargo bay aft of the backseat. The space has a flat floor and has a reasonably low loading height, so heaving luggage in there does not call for lifting these high off the ground. Also helping is a wide hatch.

• Besides more space what the X3’s cabin gained are more upscale décor. Gone is the almost budget-car vibe of the previous X3 and in its place come plenty of soft-touch surfaces (dashboard, door cards, center console), supple cowhide, glossy black panels and metal trim. Cabin furniture is thoroughly modern, lined by buttons for the multimedia, climate and cruise controls, as well as digital displays for various information and functions.

• Despite the surfeit of buttons, switches, stalks and display screens, the X3’s cockpit remains unfussy, with every function clearly labeled and easily accessed.

• Graphics on the instruments and multimedia screen are tasteful rather than gimmicky, making their various functions intuitive to rifle through. BMW has perfected its control knob on the center console, so fiddling with the multimedia’s functions is mindlessly easy.

• Finding any part in the X3’s cabin that squeaks or rattles or vibrates is futile. Seats, trim and controls all have a certain heft, indicating excellent construction. Panel gaps are uniformly tight all throughout.

• Despite being a diesel, the X3’s engine has minimal clatter — as muffled at idle as it is at high revs. And, as expected from present BMW diesels, an abundance of grunt has somehow been combined with an ability to sip fuel.

• Because the engine’s maximum 400 Nm of torque is available from just slightly above tick-over — 1,750 rpm to 2, 500 rpm — the X3 feels sprightly, able to gain speed briskly and seemingly effortlessly. Very low noise, vibration and harshness levels can mean one can underestimate the speed at which the car is traveling. That cabin is quite cocooning.

• No complaints with the eight-speed automatic transmission that bolts to the engine either as it rows through the gears imperceptibly, and is “smart” enough to pick which ratio is best at a particular situation.

• Gearbox sends power to all four wheels. This means great traction no matter the type of terrain — within reason, of course — underneath the car.

• M Sport package allows the X3 a higher degree of athleticism, largely due to firmer dampers and larger wheels with lower-profile rubbers. Unsettling this tall car, even when cornering at a fast clip, is difficult. It feels well-planted in highway cruising, too.

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• Firmer dampers and larger wheels with lower-profile rubbers hark too much of sport sedans. If a cushy ride is what one desires, forego these pieces and opt for smaller wheels that can be fitted with tires that have more sidewalls. The X3 won’t feel as sporty, true, but this added sportiness is something that will be noticeable only during hard — really hard — driving.

• BMW’s default setting is always having the automatic engine start/stop system switched on (to cut on fuel use and emissions the system shuts the engine off when it’s merely idling and instantly fires it up when the car is about to move). The trouble is that the system is a bit obtrusive, particularly in stop-and-go traffic, when it repeatedly goes through all the shutting and starting. And having to constantly switch the system off every time one uses the car is a bit of a bother, too.

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• If one is looking for an SUV that is cushy enough, perfectly practical, utterly frugal on fuel, but is sporty still, the X3 is without doubt a top pick. — Brian M. Afuang

BLUFFER’S BOX

BMW X3 xDrive20d M Sport

Price: P4.4 million
(excluding M Sport items)

Engine: 2.0-liter, inline-four, Euro6-compliant diesel with twin-scroll turbocharger, intercooler and common rail direct injection; 187 hp @ 4,000 rpm, 400 Nm @ 1,750-2,500 rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Drivetrain: All-wheel drive

Wheels/Tires: 19 inches, 275/40

Key features: Adaptive LED head lamps with LED daytime running lights, turn signals and fog lights; multi-information display; BMW ConnectedDrive multimedia with touch screen and USB, aux-in, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity; leather steering wheel and seats; reversing camera and sensors; automatic climate control; smart entry with push-button start/stop; panoramic sunroof; automatic engine start/stop; electric power steering; brake energy regeneration; driving mode selector; M aero package; sport suspension; M interior trim

Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan delivers career-best performance with 52 points

LOS ANGELES — DeMar DeRozan scored a team record 52 points as the Toronto Raptors won their 12th straight home game with a 131-127 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

DeRozan shot 17-of-29 from the floor and made all 13 of his free throw attempts for Toronto, who are a league best 14-1 at home.

He is the third Toronto player in history to score 50 or more points, joining Vince Carter and Terrence Ross, who each scored 51.

“When you come out here and you’re in those moments, you’ve got to make the best out of them,” DeRozan said.

DeRozan also had five three pointers while Kyle Lowry tallied 26 points and Serge Ibaka chipped in 11 for the Raptors in front of a crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre arena.

“He was playing with a lot of juice,” Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. “You could see the bounce in his step. Tonight, DeMar DeRozan played like a superstar.”

Eric Bledsoe scored 29 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 for the Bucks, who had their modest two game win streak stopped in the matchup between two Eastern Conference first round opponents from last season. Toronto won the series in six games.

DeRozan hit a jump shot in overtime to give Toronto a 121-117 lead. His basket came just moments after Fred VanVleet gave the Raptors the lead for good by nailing a three pointer.

“He’s dangerous any time he puts on a uniform,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “Now to be able to expand his range out to the three-point line just makes the game easier for him.”

Elsewhere, C.J. McCollum scored the tie-breaking basket with 56 seconds left in overtime as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Chicago Bulls, 124-120.

McCollum had a team high 32 points while Al-Farouq Aminu finished with 24 points and Evan Turner had 22 for Portland, which was without leading scorer Damian Lillard for a fifth straight game.

ROCKETS’ HARDEN OUT FOR TWO WEEKS WITH LEG INJURY
Houston Rockets star James Harden will be out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, the National Basketball Association team announced on Monday.

The Rockets said Harden suffered a grade two strain of his left hamstring in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Harden scored 40 points before leaving late in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ double-overtime win.

He is averaging 32 points, nine assists, five rebounds and 1.8 steals per game for the Rockets (26-9), who have been struggling of late, losing five of their last six games.

The team said doctors would re-evaluate Harden’s injury in two weeks. — AFP

Addressing the issues on open-pit mining

Last October, the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC), recommended the lifting of the open-pit mining ban instituted by former DENR secretary Gina Lopez through DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2017-10 specifically prohibits the open-pit method of mining for copper, gold, silver, and complex ores in the country.

Despite the protests of Ms. Lopez and the anti-mining groups, current Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu expressed the intention to formally overturn the ban before 2017 ended shortly after the MICC pronouncement. In a sudden policy direction twist, however, President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the MICC recommendation to lift the ban on open-pit mining. The reason behind the President’s declaration was purportedly due to the huge environmental disturbance the method brings, and perceived to be without corresponding corrective measures. As an alter ego of the President, Secretary Cimatu had to reverse his earlier intention to scrap the ban and tow the administration’s line. Thus, 2018 has come without any policy change on open-pit mining.

By merely looking at the reported concern of President Duterte, is there enough justification to maintain the ban? Perhaps, the President may be coming from a perspective that largely takes into account the so-called “legacy mines,” which indeed brought about destruction of ecosystems and environmental services sans any form of mitigation and rehabilitation. There are a lot of these abandoned mines and they continue to hound the mining industry.

Nonetheless, are the adverse consequences inevitable with open-pit mining, a method accepted worldwide? Or are the negative effects to the people a manifestation of the failure to comply with or implement laws, common to environmental rules and regulations here in the Philippines?

To begin with, it is a fact that open-pit mining, or mining per se, is not the only human activity that significantly disturbs the environment and cause pollution. Certainly, the development of areas for residential and commercial uses, the clearing of forests to pave way for agriculture, or even commercial fishing, done improperly, will have long-lasting ill effects to nature and the people.

That said, we can turn to environmental laws to determine if there are enough policies to guard against the adverse impacts of open-pit mining. Section 69 of Republic Act No. 7942, or the Mining Act of 1995, is clear on environmental protection, to wit:

Every contractor shall undertake an environmental protection and enhancement program covering the period of the mineral agreement or permit. Such environmental program shall be incorporated in the work program which the contractor or permittee shall submit as an accompanying document to the application for a mineral agreement or permit. The work program shall include not only plans relative to mining operations but also to rehabilitation, regeneration, revegetation and reforestation of mineralized areas, slope stabilization of mined-out and tailings covered areas, aquaculture, watershed development and water conservation; and socioeconomic development.

mining area
AFP

Further, the same law, in Section 71, reinforces the need for rehabilitation in any mining project, thus:

Contractors and permittees shall technically and biologically rehabilitate the excavated, mined-out, tailings covered and disturbed areas to the condition of environmental safety, as may be provided in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act. A mine rehabilitation fund shall be created, based on the contractor’s approved work program, and shall be deposited as a trust fund in a government depository bank and used for physical and social rehabilitation of areas and communities affected by mining activities and for research on the social, technical and preventive aspects of rehabilitation. Failure to fulfill the above obligation shall mean immediate suspension or closure of the mining activities of the contractor/permittee concerned.

Aside from the implementing rules and regulations that give flesh to the said provisions, Presidential Decree No. 1586, requires mining, being an environmentally critical project, to undertake an environmental impact assessment, which essentially obliges the proponent to identify the impacts of the project to the environment and adopt the corresponding mitigating measures therefor.

With these laws in place, it appears that open-pit mining is demonized because of the lack of compliance with the rules and concomitant enforcement by the government. Among the major concerns about open-pit mining are the change in landform, the generation of an acid mine drainage, and the deprivation of water supply. All these, however, can be reversed, mitigated, if not totally avoided, with the proper engineering solutions, using advances in technology.

One example of a mining project that meets the law’s requirements and yet stifled by the open-pit ban is the Philex-Silangan Project. Already with an approved rehabilitation plan and an ISO 14001, this prospective open-pit mine employed geologic material characterization and modeling, as well as process and ground water modeling, among others to address open-pit concerns. More importantly, the LGUs and the affected communities have expressed support for the project. In fact, Philex has already demonstrated the ability to successfully undertake mine rehabilitation in its Bulawan and Sibutad mines.

So if there are laws in place for environmental protection and proof that rehabilitation can be done, what then is the rationale for upholding the open-pit ban?

 

Lysander N. Castillo is an Environment Fellow at the Stratbase ADR Institute and Secretary-General of Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST).

Female cadets dream of taking power

MARDAN, PAKISTAN — At a revolutionary school in Pakistan, Durkhanay Banuri dreams of becoming military chief, once a mission impossible for girls in a patriarchal country where the powerful army has a severe problem with gender equity.

Thirteen-year-old Durkhanay, a student at Pakistan’s first ever Girls’ Cadet College, established earlier this year in the deeply conservative northwest, brims with enthusiasm and confidence as she sketches out her life plan.

“I want to be the army chief,” she tells AFP.

“Why not? When a woman can be prime minister, foreign minister and governor of the State Bank, she can also be chief of the army staff…,” she added.

“I will make it possible and you will see.”

The dreams of many women in the region were once limited to merely leaving the house.

Ms. Durkhanay and her 70 classmates in Mardan, a town in militancy-hit Khyber Pakthunkhwa province roughly 110 kilometers (70 miles) from Islamabad, are aiming much higher.

Cadet colleges in Pakistan, which are run by the government with officers from the military’s education branch, strive to prepare bright male students for the armed forces and civil services.

Their graduates are usually given preference for selection to the army, which in Pakistan can mean their future is secured: they are likely to be granted land and will benefit from the best resources and training in the country.

As a result such colleges play an outsized role in Pakistan’s education system, which has been woefully underfunded for decades.

According to a 2016 government study, a staggering 24 million Pakistani children are out of school, with a larger share of girls staying home than boys — 12.8 million compared to 11.2 million.

Hundreds of boys study at the cadet colleges across the country.

But girls are still not allowed in these elite schools, with the special college at Mardan the one exception.

“Such colleges can help girls qualify to be part of the armed forces, foreign service, civil services or become engineers and doctors,” said retired Brigadier Naureen Satti, underscoring their importance in the long fight for equality by Pakistan’s women.

In starched khaki uniforms and red berets, Ms. Durkhanay and her classmates march the parade ground, stepping to the beat of a barking drill instructor, before racing to change into physical training and martial arts kits.

The military is widely seen as Pakistan’s most powerful institution, and has ruled the country for roughly half of its 70-year history. Under the current civilian government it is believed to control defense and foreign policy.

Women, however, have largely been shut out — par for the course in a country routinely ranked among the world’s most misogynistic, and where they have fought for their rights for decades.

Previously they were only allowed to serve in administrative posts. But military dictator Pervez Musharraf opened up the combat branches of the army, navy and air force to women beginning in 2003.

The military would not disclose how many of its members, which a 2015 Credit Suisse report said number more than 700,000 active personnel, are women.

But a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity that at least 4,000 are now believed to be serving in the armed forces.

He gave no further details, and it is unclear how far the women have managed to foray from their administrative past, though some have managed to become high profile role models — including, notably, Ayesha Farooq, who in 2013 became Pakistan’s first-ever female fighter pilot.

The Girls’ Cadet College principal, retired brigadier Javid Sarwar, vowed his students would be prepared for whatever they wanted to do, “including the armed forces.”

“I want these girls to avail their brilliance and fight injustices in society, and this is possible if they get a standard education,” he told AFP, adding that plans are to induct a second batch of 80 girls from all over Pakistan by March.

For 57,000 rupees ($540) each three-term semester, his students get room and board along with access to computers and the internet, a luxury for some Pakistani schools.

It is a “game changer” in a region where religious conservative norms see many women keep some form of purdah — confined to women’s-only quarters at home — and “could only dream of coming out of their houses in the past,” says college vice-principal Shama Javed.

Ms. Durkhanay and her classmates are confident the college will give them a fighting chance in Pakistan.

Affifa Alam, who wants to follow Ms. Farooq’s path and become an air force pilot, said the college represents a “big change.”

“This will help us (in) realizing the dream of women’s empowerment,” she said. — AFP

Israeli aircraft pound Hamas sites

GAZA CITY, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES — Israeli aircraft attacked Hamas bases in Gaza early Tuesday in response to a rocket from the Palestinian enclave targeting southern Israel hours before, concurring sources said.

The aircraft targeted a “military compound belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas,” according to a statement of the Israel Defense Forces.

Palestinian security sources said the strikes were in Khan Younes in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, causing damage but no casualties.

On Monday night, a rocket hit a town in southern Israel, causing however no damage or casualties.

Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired 18 rockets or mortar rounds at Israel in violence that erupted after US President Donald Trump’s controversial Dec. 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, six of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.

The projectiles are often fired by fringe Islamist groups, but Israel holds Gaza’s militant rulers Hamas responsible for any attacks from the territory and retaliates by targeting Hamas positions. — AFP

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