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Lions, chimps, sharks get added protection under UN convention

LIONS, chimpanzees, giraffes, leopards and a wide variety of sharks received added protection at a United Nations (UN) wildlife conference in the Philippines, organizers said Saturday.

Some 34 endangered species were selected to receive heightened conservation efforts at the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) conference that just concluded in Manila.

Protecting migratory species poses particular difficulties since they cross borders, including possibly moving to countries with less stringent wildlife protection systems, said Bradnee Chambers, CMS executive secretary.

“If the species is moving around all of these countries, everybody has to pitch in,” he said at the end of the week-long conference.

Lions, leopards and chimpanzees were singled out as needing more conservation work. The chimpanzee in particular is at risk as their numbers have dropped sharply in recent years due to habitat loss, the organizers said.

The giraffe, which is in decline throughout Africa with fewer than 90,000 animals left in the wild, was also listed.

All four of these African mammals were approved by a “wide majority” for additional protection measures, a CMS statement noted.

“Everybody in this room can identify with these animals,” Mr. Chambers remarked.

VULTURES AND SHARKS
Less popular species also received additional protection, including 10 species of vultures.

Mr. Chambers said these birds provided a vital service by cleaning out carcasses, which prevents the spread of diseases like anthrax and rabies.

Also listed was the whale shark, the largest fish in the world. Host country the Philippines had lobbied for this creature, which has become a major tourist attraction.

Three other shark species — the angelshark, the dusky shark and the blue shark — were also listed along with three species of rays, the organizers said.

Activist charity group the Pew Charitable Trusts praised the CMS action, saying it was crucial to save these marine animals.

“In some regions, the newly protected shark species have experienced population declines of 50% or more,” Pew shark conservation expert KerriLynn Miller said in a statement.

Also listed was the Gobi Bear which lives in the wild regions shared by Mongolia and China. Only 45 specimens remain in the wild, the organizers said.

One of the breakthroughs of the meeting was the adoption of a “compliance review mechanism,” to check if member countries respect the protective lists, the organizers said.

Pew international conservation expert Max Bello said that even though the CMS lists did not provide for sanctions, many member countries still complied with them.

“It does work. It needs more (authority) for sure. But you can use it. It’s actually a very good tool,” he told AFP.

“A year or two ago, I was helping some group in Peru in the coast of the South Pacific and we used CMS to convince the government of Peru to protect the giant mantas that come from Ecuador every year,” he recalled.

CHINA MAKES PROGRESS
More than 120 states are party to the CMS, but this does not include China and many other Asian countries.

“We’re trying to work to bring China onboard as a member of the convention. We have been engaging them and they are actually doing quite a bit,” Mr. Chambers told reporters.

China had already made some progress, banning shark fin soup in official banquets and announcing a ban on ivory by the end of 2017, he said.

“What it required is positive engagement with the country to see how to find solutions instead of just bashing the country and looking at the negative side.” — AFP

Revisiting the old for the new

FOR Salvatore Ferragamo’s Prefall 2017 collection, it pulls influences from the old and the new by naming British shoe designer Paul Andrew as its womenswear creative director, whose debut collection for the fashion house is marked by his digging into the company’s archives for inspiration.

Last year, according to Vogue, Mr. Andrew, who once worked for Alexander McQueen and Donna Karan, was first appointed within the brand as design director of women’s shoes. This new collection, showed in Shangri-La Plaza last week, marks his first collection with the brand, while a women’s ready-to-wear line executed by Mr. Andrew is expected to hit the runway for next year’s Fall fashion shows.

For this collection, the dig through the archives takes place in the revival of the Rainbow and Flower heel styles, both of which were executed in the 1930s when the world was first truly enamored with Hollywood glamor, a last gasp of desire before the horrors of the Second World War. The Rainbow Heel was created for the actress Judy Garland, apparently the first platform shoe created for Western consumers, showing different-colored materials appearing on one stacked heel. The Flower heel, made of rubber, is literally shaped like a flower. Other designs recall its other famous customers such as Marilyn Monroe and Eva Peron.

However, the company also looks forward to the future with inner soles, for example, made of comfortable memory foam, as well as a reimagining of the brand’s familiar Vara pumps and the Varina flats. The shoe’s distinctive bow is made more powerful by placing it on a large metal bow-shaped plaque, giving the feminine grosgrain bow a little more backbone.

According to a release, Mr. Andrew said: “My concept for the collection was simply to highlight the fundamentals that made Salvatore such a profound and groundbreaking presence in his field and to express those values through designs that are relevant to a new generation of strong, discerning women.” – JLG

Bolts hoping to build on 2 finals losses to Ginebra to get better

FOR two straight years, Barangay Ginebra and Meralco were able to forge a new age rivalry, something fans could look forward to in the years to come.

Luigi Trillo, assistant coach of Norman Black at Meralco and Jared Dillinger, one of the few veteran mainstays of the Bolts, summed up the things they’ve learned in the series against the Gin Kings, who defeated them for the second year in a row in the finals series.

The Gin Kings defeated the Bolts for the second straight year, but this time, the up and coming Meralco squad was able to push the league’s most popular team to the limit.

“The thing that you noticed is it’s a good rivalry because it’s both well-coached. I think when you go to a Game 7 and you don’t back down, you have to look for ways,” Mr. Trillo told BusinessWorld.

“They lost Sol (Mercado) and they looked for ways, we lost Del (Ranidel de Ocampo) then we have to find ways. But one thing I’m excited about is the guy who struggled for us are the newer guys, so hopefully we need to go through this so the next time it happens, we’re better prepared. Sometimes, they need to go through it. Baser (Amer) had to go through it, (Chris) Newsome had to go through it and you need to go thru this process. You look at the years that we’ve been, two semis, two finals, in three years, it’s really a good stepping atone for us.”

But Mr. Dillinger had a different take on the rivalry.

“I didn’t call it a rivalry, they beat us twice,” said Mr. Dillinger. “I’m speechless a bit about the rivalry until we can actually win a championship against them, it’s not really rivalry. “

But Mr. Dillinger is hoping the Bolts can build something from the two losses they had against Barangay Ginebra.

“We have great pieces. We do. We have solid group of veterans and young guys. We have a good team, “added Mr. Dillinger. “We have to build on the culture. We have a great group of coaching staff and management is very supportive. It’s tough as we were on the edge, but it’s tough we lost again. Hopefully, we can continue to build.” — Rey Joble

Two steps forward, one step back

In December last year, I wrote a column “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,” describing the uneven progress six months into the Duterte administration. While I noted some progressive changes or positive initiatives, President Duterte had a tendency for self-inflicted damage that marred those progressive changes. Hence, one step forward, two steps back.

For example, he correctly rebalanced the country’s foreign policy away from the overtly pro-US and anti-Chinese stance of the previous Aquino administration. However, he seemed to sway in the opposite direction, with tirades against the US and lavish, almost fawning, praise for China. The anti-US, and subsequently anti-EU, rhetoric unnecessarily alarmed foreign investors, particular those in the BPO sector.

He tried to unify the country by initiating peace talks with the Communist Left and bringing the MNLF into the peace talks with the MILF over the future of the Bangsamoro. However, he praised the ex-dictator Marcos and allowed him to be given a heroes burial at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. Given the dark legacy of Marcos, the burial only served to divide the country and aroused anger and condemnation.

The economic policies in his first six months were mainly populist — ending endo, free irrigation, increase in SSS pensions, etc., while, at that time, he refused to own the tax reform, always describing it as “Dominguez’s tax reform.” While irresponsible mining deserved to be condemned, he appointed and supported an anti-mining ideologue, Gina Lopez, as Environment and Natural Resources secretary, and she wrought havoc on the mining industry, a major employer in the countryside. His Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) secretary, the leftist Rafael Mariano, the product of his coalition with the Left, imposed a moratorium on land conversions. This set back development of lands and raised the cost of dealing with DAR.

In sum, it wasn’t the change I wanted to see. As someone who voted for him, I was expressing “buyer’s remorse.”

However, today, it’s no longer “one step forward, and two steps back,” but “two steps forward, and one step back.”

The reason is that President Duterte, to his credit, has evolved and is evolving. He isn’t hard-headed but has shown a capacity to learn and to make adjustments, to wit:

1. He has started reaching outside of his small circle of Davao friends, San Beda Law alumni, dormmates, and rabid political supporters. Unlike former president Noynoy Aquino, who remained blindly loyal to his friends such as then Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala, PNP chief Alan Purisima, and Land Transportation Office administrator Virgina Torres although they were incompetent, or corrupt, or both. President Duterte hasn’t hesitated to dismiss personal friends and supporters (former Davao Councillor Peter Laviña from the National Irrigation Authority, former Davao supporter Mike Sueño from the Department of Interior and Local Government, and classmate Rodolfo Salalima from the Department of Information and Communications Technology), and even those with strong political backing (Bongbong Marcos campaign manager and party-list Congressman Jonathan de la Cruz from the GSIS for “corruption.”)

True, he has been turning more and more to the ex-military to man government positions. However, this isn’t without basis. The military has the most educated and most professional corps of public officials. Entrance into the Philippine Military Academy is merit-based since acceptance is based on entrance examinations, aside from physical fitness. Military officials are required to have training and advanced degrees to get promoted. It’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be named a colonel without a master’s degree.

Also, over the years, reforms have been gradually introduced into the armed forces. Hence, the military is different from that of Marcos’s time. The military is certainly more professional today, as shown by the lack of reported abuses despite the declaration of martial law in Mindanao. Most important of all, most military officials come from the lower middle class, sons and daughters of lowly government officials, middle class professionals, cooks, farmers, or enlisted soldiers. The lack of ties to the oligarchy can make them instruments of reform, just as they were under former general and president Fidel Ramos.

2. President Duterte has quietly walked back on his extremist anti-US position and has even acknowledged the help of the US in the fight for Marawi against the ISIS-inspired Maute brothers. He has dialed down his anti-US tirades. The country’s relationships with the US, China, and Japan seem more mature and productive, although in the case of the EU and the UN, Duterte still has to exercise self-control.

3. President Duterte has allowed the extremists in his Cabinet, namely Gina Lopez, Rafael Mariano, and Judy Taguiwalo in the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to fall. Their non-confirmation in the Commission on Appointments gave him the political cover to dismiss them. All of these extremists were doing great damage to the economy.

Two steps forward, one step backThe President learned that his peace talks with the Left yielded nothing for the government, but tactical gains for the other side. This only emboldened the NPA to launch more attacks and to extract “revolutionary taxation,” while giving the Left a chance to propagandize their positions. He has certainly evolved his position and has rightly cut off peace talks if these will just be exploited.

4. He has taken steps to strengthen the state, particularly over its fiscal health. One hallmark of a strong state is strong finances and he has taken steps to do this. He has embraced tax reform, and said so unequivocally in his State of the Nation message. His government has been able to collect billions from previous untouchables, like Mighty Corp., the Prietos, and Lucio Tan. He has been able to assert public rights over vested interests. Although his tax reform hits the interests of sugar producers, beverage companies, car manufacturers, fuel companies, and others, his government has stood firm.

5. His economic policies are looking less populist and more about substantive reform. President Duterte has quietly pivoted away from a “no rice importation” policy toward a more liberal one allowing the private sector to import under a system of quantitative restrictions. In fact, for the very first time since the National Food Authority was established more than 50 years ago, his government is seeking to abolish its legal monopoly in the importation of rice.

His administration is seeking to liberalize the economy even if it would hurt some powerful interests. The government’s proposed reduction in the Foreign Investment Negative List is aggressive and ambitious. It seeks to liberalize foreign investment restrictions in areas like education, mass media, and public services, except in the ownership of land. It wants to liberalize the practice of professions by foreigners, except law. It wants to reduce the capital requirements for foreigners in retail enterprises to $200,000 from $2.5 million. These liberalization measures are bold steps in the right direction to improve competitiveness, facilitate technology transfer, and make the Philippines more attractive to foreign investments.

However, where is the one step backward?

President Duterte exaggerates the political threats against him and resorts to scorched earth tactics that can only backfire. I believe that there’s no destabilization plot against him and if there is, it won’t succeed.

The reason is that he hasn’t practiced crony capitalism so far and hasn’t directly stepped on the core interests of the oligarchy. This situation is unlike that under former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who were perceived to be interfering in the financial markets or in government projects for their own benefit. The affected oligarchs financed destabilization efforts and, in fact, succeeded in the case of Mr. Estrada.

One reason why there was a lack of coup threats during the administration of President Aquino was that he wasn’t perceived to be practicing crony capitalism or being corrupt, although he didn’t apply Daang Matuwid toward his friends and partymates. Oligarchs don’t care a whit if the president makes money from jueteng or drugs for as long as he doesn’t rig the economic rules in his personal favor. In fact, the oligarchs, most of whose wealth come from real estate, love President Duterte for reversing his stance on online gambling — again a sign of his capacity to evolve. What’s not popularly known is that the administration’s legalization of online gambling has resulted in a large uptake of office space, leading to high occupancy rates and higher real estate prices. It’s sustaining the real estate boom.

Therefore, President Duterte is over-reacting to the so-called threats against him by attacking the institutions of the Ombudsman and the Supreme Court, which he considers controlled by the “Yellows.” However, I think the president’s attempts to have Chief Justice Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales impeached and removed from office will fail. The accusations of Lorenzo Gadon are baseless and without merit. The public will see that clearly, if and when the impeachment proceedings are televised. And even in the unlikely event that the impeachment will succeed, it will come at a great political cost to President Duterte. Most probably, the president will have to bargain away some reforms in exchange for securing the pro-impeachment votes of the Senate majority.

This is not to mention that his legislative agenda will be derailed if the Senate convenes into an impeachment court. Furthermore, purging these institutions of any opposition will only increase the temptation of his administration to engage in crony capitalism, and thereby increase the chances of real destabilization.

Therefore, he should leave these institutions alone. Let him focus his fire and fury at Senator Antonio Trillanes — but overreacting, rather than ignoring, Trillanes just bolsters the latter’s case.

Moreover, President Duterte’s continuing reliance on a corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy to deliver on infrastructure and public services is also a step backward. The lack of palpable movement in improvements in traffic and public transportation, and the sorry state of internet speed in the country probably account for President Duterte’s cut in popularity ratings.

Blaming the “Yellows” for everything — from the drug problem to plots against him — can only go so far politically. The job at hand for him is to focus on the economy, particularly to get Congress to pass critical economic reform bills in order to generate jobs, raise government revenue, improve transportation and telecommunication services, and increase food production. If he does so, it will be more like three steps forward, rather than two steps forward and one step back.

 

Calixto V. Chikiamco is a board director of the Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis.

idea.introspective@gmail.com

www.idea.org.ph

Arab tradition glitters in Colombia

SANTA CRUZ DE MOMPOX, COLOMBIA – With strong yet delicate hands, Daniel Alfonso Garrido masterfully manipulates fragile threads of gold to craft fine jewelry, perpetuating an ancient Arabic art handed down by generations of Colombian goldsmiths.

Lacy spindles of silver and gold have been used to make jewelry in the isolated northern Colombian town of Mompox since the time of the Spanish conquest.

Built on an island on the wide Magdalena river, the town’s colonial beauty inspired Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian magic-realist partly setting his General in his Labyrinth there. However, tourists make their way here – four hours upriver by boat, an hour’s droning by small aircraft – for the magic realism of handcrafted jewels.

“It’s an Arab tradition, and the Arabs taught it to the Spaniards who, when they conquered us, brought this art to America, and especially to Mompox,” the gray-haired Garrido told AFP.

Here, at a counter in his workshop, the 53-year-old goldsmith creates jewels mostly inspired by nature, weaving filigree animals and flowers from precious metals as his father and grandfather did before him.

‘ART IN OUR BLOOD’
The skill has been handed down here through the generations, as is the case with several families across Mompox, and the town boasts 170 goldsmiths working in 13 jewelries, according to the Institute of Culture and Tourism of the Department of Bolivar (Iculture).

“We have goldsmithing in our blood,” said Garrido, the best known goldsmith here, with a hint of pride.

The filigree graces the windows of the 23 jewelers of Mompox, a city founded in 1540 and listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995 for its traditions and colonial style.

Its relatively isolated location far from the densely populated Caribbean coast, 250 kilometers away, has helped Mompox preserve its culture over the years and become a jewel of Colombian architecture.

A goldsmith works in the creation of silver filigree jewellery, in Mompox on 24 September 2017. — AFP

“I love the drawing of their filigree pieces,” said Viviana Devia, 42, a visitor from the capital Bogota. “When we go to the workshop, we realize the work that this represents and it has a real value.”

The Tito workshop is classically styled with a patio blending wooden beams and wrought iron, reminiscent of an era when the conquistador’s gold was first hauled into the town. The share to be shipped back to the Spanish crown was then calculated in the river port of Mompox.

Although its goldsmiths are world famous, Mompox is not located in a gold mining area. The locals got their skills with precious metals from its importance as a coin-minting center.

TRADITION AND PATIENCE
“Our added value is the tradition, the time, the fragility in our hands, the patience we have to put in,” said Garrido.

“Because if a silversmith is not patient, it does not work.”

A piece of filigree jewelry can sell here at anything up to several hundred dollars, and Mompox “yields a total of close to P2.5 million (around $867,000) a year to the 23 jeweler workshops here,” Iculture director Lucy Espinosa Diaz told AFP.

The creation of a filigree piece takes anywhere between half a day and two weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the design, says Jaime Florez, 27.

After first defining the style of the bracelet he wanted to create, and then calculating its weight, he melted a chunk of silver and started at dawn to craft a bracelet that he hoped to finish before sunset.

In Mompox, aloof from the tourist hordes, the blows of a hammer mingle with the noise of the silversmith’s welding, while the great wide waters of the Magdalena murmur in the distance. – AFP

Assistance, security in air and sea ports, land transport terminals in place for Undas

ASSISTANCE centers and added security measures have been put in place over the weekend in transport terminals, in anticipation of the start of the influx of travelers for the Undas holidays. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), in a statement, said its Oplan Undas 2017 started Friday, Oct. 27, and will be in place and implemented in the country’s 39 commercial airports for the next two weeks. “Coordination has been made with airlines regarding the efficient processing of their passengers especially at the check-in counters,” CAAP said. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) opened Passengers Assistance Centers at the seaports beginning Oct. 26, in coordination with the Department of Transportation, Philippine Ports Authority, Maritime Industry Authority, other government offices and nongovernment groups. As of Sunday morning, the PCG has recorded almost 36,000 passengers in various ports. At the National Capital Region, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Road Emergency Group will set-up tents to serve as public assistance centers with ambulances in various public and private cemeteries. MMDA said it will also dispatch members of the Reckless Driving Enforcement Team, Anti-Jaywalking Unit and Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group at bus terminals. Filipinos traditionally travel to their hometowns to visit their departed at the cemetery on Nov. 1 to 2, the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day feasts of the Catholic Church. Malacañang has declared Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 as non-working days.

Tax Court denies Petron excise tax refund claim

THE Court of Tax Appeals has denied a tax refund claim of Petron Corp. covering excise collected on alkylate imports amounting to P67,947,122, saying the petition lacks merit.

Petron Corp.’s imports in 2013 were taxed an aggregate amount of P67,947,122.

Petron Corp., on June 5, 2015, filed an administrative claim for refund of excise tax with the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“Petitioner asserts in both its administrative and judicial claim for refund that its alkylate importations are not subject to excise taxes because alkylate is not among those articles subject to excise tax under Title VI of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended,” the court noted.

However, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR), on Nov. 9, 2015 pointed out that the petition was dismissible, claiming that the CIR is not party to the action, but the Bureau of Customs, which received the payments.

“Petitioner cannot claim for refund and implead CIR herein considering that the amounts involved are collections of Bureau of Customs and are never transferred to the Bureau of Internal Revenue,” the tax court noted.

On the specific issue of the applicability of excise tax, the court ruled: “The petitioner’s alkylate importations are subject to excise tax. Hence, the denial of its claim for refund is in order. Wherefore, premises considered, the instant Petition for Review is denied for lack of merit.”

The 25-page decision dated Oct. 26, 2017 was written by Associate Justice Juanito C. Castañeda. Concurring were Associate Justices Caesar A. Casanova and Catherine T. Manahan. — Andrea Louise E. San Juan

Westbrook leads Thunder vs Bulls

LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook completed his collection with a triple-double yesterday against the Chicago Bulls, the only NBA team that had denied the Oklahoma City star the statistical feat.

Westbrook, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, scored 12 points with 13 rebounds and 13 assists in Oklahoma City’s 101-69 rout of the Bulls.

He’s the first player to post a triple-double — notching double digits in three statistical categories — against all 29 opposing teams in the NBA.

It was his third triple-double of the young season, and he needed just 28 minutes on court to achieve it.

Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, new arrivals in Oklahoma City this season, combined to drain nine three-pointers, Anthony scoring 21 points and George 20.

Kiwi center Steven Adams and Raymond Felton scored 12 points apiece as part of a balanced Thunder attack, and Oklahoma City held the Bulls to an anemic 28.2% shooting.

“(Defense) just set the tone,” Westbrook said. “When we’re able to do that, it puts us in position to do good things.”

Friday’s defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by a worrisome flight from Minneapolis to Chicago that left their charter plane damaged, didn’t appear to affect the Thunder on court.

They opened the game on a 15-3 scoring run, and led 50-31 at halftime.

Westbrook had two steals as part of a solid defensive effort that forced 19 Bulls turnovers.

“Honestly, my main thing coming into this year was finding ways to impact the game defensively the way I know I can,” Westbrook said. “For me, that’s part of my job … to be that player who is able to do that on a night in, night out basis.”

Lauri Markkanen scored 15 points to lead the Bulls, who were coming off a 91-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

“We took a huge step in the wrong direction,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said of his rebuilding team. “We didn’t compete. Our body language sucked. It’s very disappointing.” — AFP

Rejecting foreign aid

It was coming. With President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s well-known distaste for the European Union (EU) and its unsolicited advice on human rights violations in the country, the expected temperamental “ergo” to his dislike would logically (or illogically?) flow to the rejection of aid from the EU — the first-ever by a democratic developing country.

Since May, the Philippines has refused monetary aid from the EU reportedly due to criticism over Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. The country will not accept help that comes with conditions that may affect internal affairs, it was announced by Malacañang (CNN Philippines, 10/25/2017). Then, on Oct. 12, the President, reacting to a visit by delegates of the Progressive Alliance and Party of European Socialists, again attacked the EU, which he claimed threatened to have the country expelled from the United Nations (UN) because of his war on drugs (Ibid.).

The President’s anger revved up even more as he said the EU can “go to hell” if they do not accept the explanation behind his tirades against it. In a speech at the Association of Southeast Asian Law Associations last week, he said Special Envoy to the EU Edgardo Angara is in talks with EU officials about his recent lashing out against the international body (Ibid.).

“Is the EU important?” ANC host Karen Davila asked Mr. Angara directly (ABS-CBN, 10/25/2017). He seemed to diplomatically avoid the question, swerving instead to China and Russia, totalitarian regimes, he said, “who had no history of philanthropy (Ibid.).” He then talked about Europe, who “pioneered” in human rights in the aftermath of atrocities in the World Wars. Mr. Angara also connected the UN to the reparations after the wars in Europe, saying the Philippines was one of the first signatories. It might have sounded like blurbs for the cast of characters in Duterte’s surreal scenario of his country sans aid from the EU.

But what Mr. Angara openly worried about was “a possible, but not probable loss by our country of its GSP+ status (Ibid.).” The Philippines was granted beneficiary country status under the EU-GSP+ in December 2014, allowing it to export 6,274 eligible products duty-free to the EU market (The Philippine Star, 9/28/2017). Mr. Angara and Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez had just presented to the EU Parliament and in meetings with various trade institutions in Brussels last month a request for the EU to further engage the Philippines through the expansion of the GSP+ (Ibid.).

“The Philippine delegation assured the EU that the Philippines continues to adhere to protecting human rights and the President’s zero tolerance for abusive enforcers. There is clear rule of law and strong democracy in the country,” Mr. Lopez reported of that Brussels presentation for expanded preferential trade with the EU (Ibid.).

But the human rights situation in the Philippines worsened in the second half of 2016 after Mr. Duterte assumed office, the EU said in its annual report on human rights and democracy in the world (philstar.com, 10/23/2017). The EU report noted a “marked… serious deterioration in respect for the right to life, due process and the rule of law” (Ibid.).

The EU report cited local media that around 6,000 people were killed from July to mid-December in 2016, which figures were downsized to “a little more than 3,900 drug ‘personalities’” killed in anti-narcotics operations according to the October #RealNewsPH data release by government (Ibid.). “Government has disputed media reports and those made by independent human rights monitors, saying these are bloated to make the administration look bad. Authorities, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, claim all those who died had forced law enforcement agents to shoot back and kill them (Ibid.).”

But, “The President’s statements and actions have seemingly encouraged the police to take an aggressive approach in dealing with drug users and pushers, and have — according to human rights advocates — also encouraged vigilante style extrajudicial killings,” the EU report insisted (Ibid.). The EU also reported that 31 human rights defenders were killed in the Philippines in 2016. The Global Impunity Index ranked the Philippines fourth in the world on Impunity last year (Ibid.).

“As a State Party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Philippines is obliged to respect its obligations under international law,” the EU said (Al Jazeera, 10/24/2017). “The EU report reiterated a statement released by a delegation of EU legislators who visited the country in July and expressed concern over bills pending in Congress, such as the proposed lowering of the age of criminal responsibility in the country from 15 to nine years and the restoration of the death penalty (Ibid.).”

And so Mr. Cayetano said on Oct. 25 that “if foreign donors would give us conditionalities that will affect our sovereignty and give (them) the right to interfere into our domestic affairs, we will not accept that donation” (Interaksyon, 10/26/2017). EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen talked with Mr. Cayetano and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and “he thought that the two department heads ‘are practical people’ who ‘at the end of the day’ would ‘look at the principles, and look at what actually is happening, what is our development assistance all about (Ibid.).’”

Mr. Jessen said the EU was internally discussing the amount that it was planning to grant (to the Mindanao rehabilitation) that could be increased from €55 million to €100 million or about P6 billion (Ibid.). This is not a small sum, considering the P20 billion that has to be raised by the Philippine government for the rebuilding of Marawi alone. No strings attached?

A paper titled “Foreign Aid as Foreign Policy Tool” by Clair Apodaca of the Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech, published by the Oxford University Press (2017) collates the research of various foreign policy academicians and practitioners towards the general conclusion that foreign aid indeed has “strings attached” for the benefit of donor countries (oxfordre.com, 10/28/2017). “Foreign aid is a tool of foreign policy, not solely an instrument for the economic development of poor countries,” Apodaca declares. “Funding foreign aid with conditionalities can be used to enhance national security, further economic and political interests, and (also) ultimately empower the citizenry of poor countries (Ibid.).”

A hard decision for the Duterte administration to make. But first, let’s look honestly into those alleged extrajudicial killings and human rights violations. It won’t hurt to listen to the growing concern of the rest of the world. Let’s first prove them wrong.

 

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

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

DILG-6 says dismissal order could be served even with Iloilo City mayor on leave

DEPARTMENT OF the Interior and Local Government-Western Visayas (DILG-6) Regional Director Anthony C. Nuyda said the Ombudsman’s dismissal order against Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog does not need to be personally served to him for it to take effect. “Even if the official is not present, we will implement it. In some instances, pino-post lang po namin sa mga offices nila yan kung hindi sila makita or wala sila doon sa opisina (we just post at the office if the official cannot be found or not there). In the case of (Mr.) Mabilog, we will serve it at his house,” Mr. Nuyda said. The mayor has been on an extended leave from his post since September due to health issues, and is reportedly out of the country. As of Friday, Mr. Nuyda said his office has yet to receive a copy of the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman as well as the directive from the DILG Central Office designating him to implement the order. The Ombudsman has ordered Mr. Mabilog’s dismissal for serious dishonesty, in connection with unexplained wealth in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth in 2013. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

Axed Catalan leader urges resistance to Madrid rule

BARCELONA — Catalonia’s secessionist leader Carles Puigdemont stood defiant Saturday against Madrid’s moves to depose him, urging “democratic opposition” to direct rule forced on the region to stop it splitting from Spain.

In a televised statement, Mr. Puigdemont accused the central government of trampling on the will of independence-seeking Catalans.

Madrid’s decision to seize Catalan powers in response — the first curtailment of regional autonomy since Francisco Franco’s brutal 1939-75 dictatorship — constituted an “aggression,” he added.

The separatist leader said “democratic opposition” was the only way forward, without specifying what form this could take.

Spain remains on a knife edge as it grapples with the worst constitutional crisis in its contemporary history, triggered by the unlawful October 1 referendum.

Throwing down the gauntlet in the escalating standoff, Catalan lawmakers on Friday passed a motion, by 70 votes out of 135 in the regional parliament, to declare a Catalan republic.

Opposition MPs refused even to vote on the issue and walked out in disgust.

The central government’s intervention was “contrary to the will expressed by the citizens of our country at the ballot box,” Mr. Puigdemont said. “In a democratic society, only parliaments can appoint or dismiss presidents.”

The central government declined to comment on his speech.

SWEEPING POWERS
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy responded to Friday’s independence declaration by axing the Catalan government and parliament and calling for elections to be held on December 21 to replace them.

Josep Lluis Trapero, the highest-ranking officer in Catalonia’s Mossos d’Esquadra police force, was also dismissed.

He drew sweeping powers from a never-before-used constitutional article designed to rein in rebels among Spain’s 17 regions, which enjoy varying levels of autonomy.

In an official government notice published Saturday, Mr. Rajoy’s deputy, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, was put in charge of administering the region.

But Mr. Puigdemont did not seem to be going anywhere soon, signing his speech as “President of the Generalitat (government) of Catalonia.”

In Madrid, thousands rallied under a giant Spanish flag Saturday, in anger at Catalonia’s unilateral declaration of independence.

On Sunday a Spanish unity rally is planned in Barcelona for midday (1100 GMT), with organizers hoping for a large turnout not least from Catalans opposed to the independence move.

Also Sunday, in Girona, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the Catalan capital, another kind of face-off will take place when Real Madrid take on Girona at 1515 GMT.

The match brings together the favorite teams of Messrs. Rajoy and Puigdemont.

Real Madrid — Spain’s most popular club — have traditionally been seen as representing a positive image of the country to the world since they won the first five European Cups between 1955-1960 during Franco’s rule.

The city of Girona is a hotbed of pro-independence support and Mr. Puigdemont’s birthplace — and it will be Real’s first appearance in Catalonia since the violence-marred referendum on independence.

“Real Madrid are, along with the Spanish national team, the team that most represents Spain,” Eduardo Gonzalez Calleja, a professor of contemporary history at Madrid’s Carlos III University and author of an official club history, told AFP.

But Real coach Zinedine Zidane played down the significance of the European champions’ visit, saying: “I see only one thing, the game tomorrow and nothing else”.

Prosecutors said Friday they would file charges of rebellion against Mr. Puigdemont next week. He risks 30 years in jail.

But his lawyer Jaume Alonso Cuevillas described the threat as “craziness”: “The crime of rebellion requires a violent public uprising to take place,” he told AFP.

Pledging “to work to build a free country,” Mr. Puigdemont insisted this must be done “without violence, without insults, in an inclusive way,” urging supporters to respect the views of pro-unionists.

Analysts warn, though, that upheaval is likely.

“We are likely to see more sustained unrest, possibly including strikes, as well as more serious clashes between national police and pro-independence activists,” said Federico Santi, an analyst at Eurasia Group, a US-based think-tank.

Roughly the size of Belgium, the region of 7.5 million people accounts for about 16% of Spain’s population, a fifth of its economic output, and attracts more tourists than anywhere else in the country.

Before the current crisis, it enjoyed considerable autonomy, with control over education, healthcare and police.

The Spanish government has received unwavering support from the United States and its allies in the European Union, increasingly weary of nationalist and secessionist noises since Britain’s shock decision to leave the bloc.

Many are worried about the economic impact as the standoff drags on, with some 1,700 companies having moved their legal headquarters out of Catalonia so far. — AFP

Millennials in $1,400 Gucci shades lead luxury-goods revival

GUCCI’S $2,600 dragon-embroidered handbags and $1,400 crystal-studded pink sunglasses are leading the luxury industry’s revival as young shoppers get a taste for the high life.

Shares in Paris-based parent Kering SA rose to a record after Gucci reported third-quarter sales that jumped 49% on a comparable basis. The performance demonstrated designer Alessandro Michele’s “Midas touch,” Jefferies analyst Flavio Cereda said in a note.

Gucci is leading the way as global demand for pricey fashion expands to a generation that until recently seemed more interested in leisure activities than designer footwear. Bain & Co. on Wednesday upgraded its outlook for the industry, saying spending on personal luxury goods will rise 6% this year to €262 billion ($308 billion) excluding foreign-exchange effects, with consumers under 35 accounting for 85% of the increase.

“There had been a question mark on the fact that millennials could be as relevant for luxury as the Baby Boomers were,” Claudia D’Arpizio, the study’s lead author, said by phone. “We were seeing how brands were reinventing themselves a bit to cater to this generation, but the surprise was the magnitude of the response.”

Gucci has raced back to prominence since Michele took over in 2015. The brand has since then extended the designer’s rococo aesthetic to categories including watches and perfume, while efforts to hook younger consumers during the quarter included rolling out the brand’s first web outlet in China and a pop-up store at London’s Harrods where customers could personalize their handbags with butterfly and flower motifs.

TARGETING MILLENNIALS
“Gucci has been exemplary in the way it communicates with millennials,” Chief Financial Officer Jean-Marc Duplaix said in a call with reporters. The brand’s quarterly performance helped Kering post an overall sales increase of 28% on a comparable basis when it reported results late Tuesday.

As millennials catch the luxury bug, Bain has raised its spending forecast for the industry twice this year from an original range of 1% to 2%. The brands enjoying the most success are those that “keep a dialogue open” with consumers via social media, D’Arpizio said, and which have enlivened stores with exhibitions and changing displays that tell stories about the brand.

“The store has become like the theater where the brand’s creativity is living and taking place, where you come for the different stories that the brand is telling,” she said of Gucci. “You want to go there many times to see what’s next, what’s different.”

Kering’s shares have risen 84% this year as creative revivals at several brands backed up the growth at Gucci. Saint Laurent has had continued success with its monochromatic, nightlife-inspired aesthetic, while Balenciaga made its own play for young luxury consumers with oversize puffer jackets and logo hoodies.

Luxury rivals like French conglomerate LVMH and Italy’s Moncler SpA – which reported a 15% increase in third-quarter sales excluding foreign-exchange effects late Tuesday – are also sharing in the industry’s gains. LVMH cited its own efforts to hook millennials including the launch of a makeup brand by pop singer Rihanna when it reported sales that beat expectations last week.

PUMA PROFIT
Kering-controlled sportswear brand Puma AG reported its highest profit since 2012. The German brand is a “noncore” asset for Kering, which has progressively shifted its portfolio to high-end fashion, Duplaix said. But a disposal of Kering’s stake is not planned in the short term, he said, after reports that the company was considering a sale.

One drag on the Paris-based company’s results came from the buoyant euro, which weighed on tourist spending in Europe and reduced earnings from sales in other currencies when converted, Duplaix said. – Bloomberg

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