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Prince’s vision spurs new Cornwall coastal village

NEWQUAY, UK — In his long wait to become Britain’s king, Prince Charles has pursued his passion for architecture. His latest brainchild is a new neighborhood in a deprived area of Cornwall in England’s southwestern corner.

“Nansledan” (“Broad Valley” in Cornish) is an extension of the seaside resort of Newquay, popular with surfers and young revelers, and aims to provide environmentally friendly housing and give a shot in the arm to the former mining region’s economy.

“We are looking to create a viable community… we will be building a school, we’re building a church, offices, shops,” said Alastair Martin, from The Duchy of Cornwall, the prince’s estate.

With an architectural focus on combining tradition and modernity, the new one- and two-storey houses line neat streets with Cornish names.

The homes’ stone and pastel-hued facades as well as the slate roofs are a deliberate effort to help blend the homes in with the area’s older buildings.

Unlike many suburbs where the car is king and everything is a drive away, Nansledan has its own amenities and is a short walk to the shore and town center.

Developers hope the project will regenerate and diversify Newquay’s economy, which currently relies on tourism and low-paid seasonal jobs.

Some 137 houses have already gone up since construction began on part of the prince’s vast landholdings in 2014.

In total, some 4,000 dwellings will be built over 40 years on the 218-hectare (538-acre) plot, which belongs to the Duchy.

“For a town of only 20,000 people that’s quite a lot,” said town councillor Louis Gardner.

BEES AND FRUIT TREES
The green, pink and blue buildings remind Theresa Ferguson, an employee at the nearby airport who moved into one of the new houses in June, of the small Irish village from where her mother originated.

“This is something that’s going to be really good for Newquay, good for the area and good for me and for family when they come down,” Ms. Ferguson said.

Nansledan is also forward-thinking in a bid to remain sustainable, combining Charles’s twin passions of architecture and the environment.

“He’s been very heavily involved,” said architect Hugh Petter, director of ADAM Architecture which has helped coordinate the project. “He comes down twice a year.”

Nansledan is not Charles’s first attempt at a planned community.

The project is based on the principles that Charles already established in Poundbury, an experimental new town in Dorchester, southern England, in the early 1990s.

That initiative prompted criticism over its mix of architectural styles, with one critic describing it as a “feudal Disneyland.”

More homogeneous in style, Nansledan seeks to offer a different experience to the average suburban housing estate, with a focus on nature, amenities within walking distance and ensuring a social mix.

“You can take your child to the swings and go and attend your vegetables,” said Mr. Petter, referring to the integrated play area and allotments.

All the trees around the houses will bear edible fruit, while beehives will be built into the houses.

Economically, the goal is to create a job per household through the offices, businesses or services that the new development will attract, and 30% of the homes will be social housing, or cheaper than the market rate, and indistinguishable from the other homes.

It is hoped the project will give local people a chance of getting on the housing ladder, a task made ever more difficult by the proliferation of second homes, accused of driving up local house prices.

“I think within the Newquay area we could do with more affordable homes and I think that the Nansledan development could go further” than the planned 30% allocated as social housing, said Mr. Gardner.

With many houses on the development currently priced at over £300,000 ($395,700, €335,000), they “would be out of reach for the average family,” he added.

The same criticism was leveled at the Tregunnel Hill project of 174 dwellings that the Duchy built on the edge of Newquay and served as a blueprint for Nansledan.

Overall, there has been little criticism of Nansledan. But the Tregunnel Hill development saw hundreds of people oppose the loss of green space where the buildings went up.

NEW JOBS?
But, with £21 million already invested, Mr. Petter said: “There will be a big economic dividend for the local people and local businesses.”

Support for the local economy begins with the construction of the homes, using materials such as slate and granite from nearby quarries.

Mark Jackson, site manager at Morrish Builders, one of three contractors working on Nansledan, said the company had “spent the last five years developing and training a labor force” to work to scale with the local materials to a high standard.

Thanks to Nansledan and other projects, Fraser Parkin, a barber in Newquay town center, said he had already seen a boost in business.

But he voiced concern over whether new residents would all manage to find work despite the creation of jobs in the neighborhood through the project.

Mr. Gardner agreed that the more highly qualified or skilled new residents could have difficulty finding jobs in the area.

“That will be a challenge,” he said. — AFP

GSW-OKC saga

Nope, Kevin Durant’s absence didn’t matter a whit to the Warriors yesterday. Notwithstanding his all-world worth to the defending champions, he was not missed against the Nets; His teammates blitzed the hosts throughout the first half and then coasted the rest of the way to notch Win Number 13 of 17 matches. And, not surprisingly, two-time Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry led the way, coming up with 39, 11, seven, and three in a sterling effort that even had him toiling at the other end of the court.

Not that Durant’s sidelining was borne of anything serious. He was first listed as day to day, and then scratched from yesterday’s set-to altogether, due to a left ankle sprain. And, of course, all and sundry could not help but look ahead; with due respect to the National Basketball Association’s doormats of the 2016-2017 campaign, queries weren’t on how the Warriors would fare without him at the Barclays Center, but on how much less exciting their next outing would be should he stay in the sidelines.

As it happens, the Warriors are scheduled to rub elbows with the Thunder in two days, with their status as preseason favorites to prevail in the West serving to add to the tension. Should Durant manage to suit up, the encounter figures to be even more compelling in light of his frosty relationship with the franchise he once led. Otherwise a no-brainer, his participation is still up in the air; even he doesn’t know if his ankle will have healed enough to let him burn rubber by then.

Significantly, Durant believes his ties with the Thunder are improving. Never mind that wounds, seemingly inflicted by perceived slights, have festered; just this offseason, he seethed upon receipt of news that the franchise he toiled for through his first nine years in the pros gave his number away, and to a rookie. As far as he’s concerned, time is an ally, and when push comes to shove, family will be family. It’s why, he said, he knows general manager Sam Presti and partner turned rival Russell Westbrook will be on his deathbed, guaranteed.

Granted, the outcome of the latest episode in the Warriors-Thunder saga won’t determine the holder of the Larry O’Brien Trophy by June next year. On the other hand, sweating the small stuff is precisely how winners distinguish themselves. So, yes, everyone hopes Durant will be on the active roster; protagonists will then do battle at full strength, fans will then get their money’s worth, and the NBA will then be all the better for it.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.

Main index inches higher on Draghi, blue chips

THE Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) started the week on a good note, following positive remarks from European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi and upward movements from big firms.

The benchmark index closed at 8,321.98, higher by 10.90 points or 0.13%, but the all-shares index dropped to 4,871.75, down 2.07 points or 0.04%.

Luis A. Limlingan, managing director at Regina Capital Development Corp., said the market may have been lifted by comments from ECB’s Mr. Draghi saying the Eurozone economy was robust, although economic recovery was still reliant on stimulus from the central bank.

“Perhaps some of the buy up was due to ECB Draghi’s speech. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi in a speech in Frankfurt expressed confidence in the Eurozone’s economic recovery, saying the region is ‘in the midst of a solid economic expansion,’” Mr. Limlingan said in a text message yesterday.

“US stocks retreated last Friday as investors were concerned of economic growth, and market turned cautious ahead of Thanksgiving week. Philippine stocks however used the negative close of Wall St.’s leads for another strong performance today. The positive tone continued as traders looked to buy into the sentiment and low value turnover,” he added.

Jervin S. de Celis, equities trader at Timson Securities, Inc., said despite the market being up, it is still expected to move sideways in the next days while investors await economic data.

“While our market ended slightly up today led by SM (SM Investments Corp.), BDO [Unibank, Inc.] and BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands), I think the index will continue to move sideways, probably between the range of 8,300-8,450 in the next 5-10 days as investors wait for a number of macroeconomic announcements from major economies that will be released this week,” Mr. De Celis said in a text message. These economic data include the Federal Open Market Committee’s meeting minutes, US jobless claims, and Japanese trade data.

SM closed at P980 each, up 14.50 points or 1.50%; BDO at P148.70, up 2.50 or 1.71%; and BPI closed at P98.50 apiece, up 0.95 point or 0.97%.

Among the sectors, financials closed at 2,084.79, up 15.36 points or 0.74%; holding firms at 8,456.49, up 15.07 points or 0.17%; and mining and oil at 12,119.71, up 1.21 points or 0.01%.

Meanwhile, the other three indices were down. Industrial closed at 11,001.40, down 57.65 points or 0.52%; services at 1,640.19, down 13.32 points or 0.8%; and property at 3,865.20, down 1.20 points or 0.03%.

Value turnover stood at P5.6 billion, down slightly from Friday’s P5.63 billion, with 3.65 billion shares changing hands

Decliners outnumbered advancers, 122 to 80, while 42 remained unchanged.

Net foreign buying climbed to P294.42 million yesterday from Friday’s P199.55 million. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

Why gov’t can’t be the third telco player

By Jose Bimbo Santos

JUST to immediately get this out of the way, this is not meant to belittle the landmark Luzon Bypass Infrastructure (LBI) project for what it truly is — a milestone initiative that undoubtedly would help bridge the country’s yawning digital divide with the help of Facebook, thanks no end to sustained government efforts that started way back from the now-defunct DICT predecessor, DOST-ICT Office then headed by Louis Casambre, and now finally finalized by DICT OIC-Sec Eliseo Rio.

But I think some degree of qualification should be in order with respect to how the public may misconstrue this project — of government now stepping up to the plate as “the third player.” To an extent, it could in as much as it will substantially enhance the existing function of DICT (carried over from DOST — ICTO) of providing a dedicated public sector backbone and of serving missionary areas.

But will it go head-to-head against the incumbents PLDT/Smart and Globe? I don’t think it can, nor it should. Actually, this project will also ultimately be beneficial to the duopoly in the long-run by nurturing demand in areas where it does not make business sense for the private sector to invest now, the so-called underserved and unserved areas, which are targeted as main beneficiaries of the DICT’s National Broadband Plan, besides the public sector. I don’t see a future scenario where retail consumers could now select the government as the third option over PLDT/Smart and Globe. What is optimal, as is the stated goal of the DICT, is to enter and serve areas where there is no any option at all.

Indirectly, the project can empower small ISPs and cable operators as they can eventually lease cheaper bandwidth in bulk from the LBI and package it to end-users as a mobile virtual network operator.

But whether a provider can successfully mount a nationwide operation as an mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) may be a difficult proposition at this point (a far easier territory to operate as a standalone MVNO is Singapore as shown by Circles.Life).

As these initial LBI off-takers are likely to be small, their deployments may most probably be targeted in select areas, not at the level that could make the incumbents quiver in their well-heeled boots.

One area that some say could be carved out is the public sector portfolio of the telco incumbents. That may be true, though I think not in totality. Regional and local government offices in untapped areas of course would be best served by the new infra, but national government agencies still have to put up redundancy measures to their connectivity. Also, enterprise services of telcos have now gone far beyond mere access, with its host of bundled ancillary services — like data center solutions, cloud application services, CDNs, content, etc — that would be challenging to compete against for a small player.

So I guess my point is that there will be vastly different roles for the private and public sectors to play in this space, but not as competitors. The closest analog I can think of in terms of relationship is Napocor’s missionary electrification program through SPUG (small power utilities group), whose sole mandate is to provide power to off-grid areas.

As Casambre said when I called him up to congratulate, the LBI “is a small piece to a large puzzle.”

Of course, one of the best solutions to our anguished lament for better services is to have another private sector player that could compete at scale. But considering that San Miguel Corp — flush with cash, had consolidated the needed spectrum assets, and had a considerable foreign partner — opted out at the 11th hour speaks volumes about the current balance of opportunities and risks in the telco space. It also pays to remember that the industry was populated before by at least half a dozen players all with nationwide aspirations, until the industry’s ruthless calculus narrowed it down to two. We need a third player. But does a third player want us?

 

Jose Bimbo Santos is a reporter covering business and ICT for TV5 and Bloomberg TV Philippines.

Airbnb raided by Japan fair trade watchdog

TOKYO — Airbnb’s offices in Japan have been raided by anti-monopoly officials, the homesharing giant said Friday, denying any wrongdoing and pledging cooperation.

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission reportedly carried out the raids over suspicions Airbnb was requiring users to sign exclusively with its site and cut ties with other agencies.

“Airbnb Japan received an on-site inspection by the Japan Fair Trade Commission and we are cooperating with the Commission’s ongoing investigation,” the company said in a statement.

“Airbnb does not require hosts or partners in Japan to list properties exclusively with Airbnb, and we will work with the JFTC to address any questions they may have,” the firm added.

Fair Trade Commission official Kazuyuki Katagiri declined to comment on the report, saying that authorities do not comment on ongoing investigations.

Airbnb, which lets homeowners share their homes for a fee by marketing them online, has become a popular alternative to hotels and mirrors consumers’ growing reliance on online sharing services in other areas such as transport.

But the company has faced mounting criticism from some quarters that it exacerbates housing shortages and squeezes the long-term rental sector, with cities including New York, Miami and Berlin cracking down on the service. — AFP

How PSEi member stocks performed — November 20, 2017

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, November 20, 2017.

Nation at a Glance — (11/21/17)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

The benefits of giving

What a great Christmas gift we (the Filipino people) received last month. After 154 days, the Marawi siege is over. Salute to all our selfless soldiers in bringing back peace in the southern island of Mindanao.

But as former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain once said, “In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers.” In the Philippines, the war may have ended, but the sufferings of our brethren in Marawi still continue. As of last week, there are more than 4,000 families who are still in evacuation centers in neighboring towns or cities. Many houses, buildings, and other structures were also torn down, and it is estimated that more than P50 billion is needed to rehabilitate and rebuild Marawi City.

The only good thing brought about by the siege in Mindanao is the outpouring of financial support from individuals and corporations both domestic and foreign. There are also various organizations that are raising funds to help rehabilitate war-torn Marawi.

Before donating, however, the donors sometimes ask what the tax benefits are. Could they claim a tax deduction? What are the tax implications of their donations?

Gifts to strangers (i.e., anybody who is not a sibling, spouse, ancestor, or lineal descendant; or a relative by consanguinity in the collateral line within the fourth degree of relationship) are subject to 30% donor’s tax. However, gifts to qualified donee institutions duly accredited by the Philippine Council for Non-Government Organizations (NGO) Certification, Inc. (PCNC) are exempt from donor’s tax, provided that the donor complies with certain conditions prescribed under the existing law and other relevant issuances. Gifts made to or for the use of the national government may also be exempted from donor’s tax.

If the donor is an individual not engaged in trade or business, he or she cannot claim any tax benefit for the donation, even if it is made to a qualified institution. If the donor — whether an individual or a corporation — is engaged in business, it may enjoy full deductibility against taxable income for making a donation to a qualified institution.

To be entitled to the tax exemption and deduction, however, the donor engaged in business is required under Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 02-03 to submit a notice of donation on every gift worth at least P50,000 to the Revenue District Office with jurisdiction over the donor’s place of business. This shall be filed within 30 days after receiving the certificate of donation issued by the qualified donee institution.

The mandatory information under existing tax regulations (i.e., RR Nos. 13-98 and 02-03) is required to be provided in the Certificate of Donation (BIR Form 2322) as prescribed under Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 86-2014. BIR Form 2322 consists of two parts — a donee certification and a donor’s statement of values. The donee certification indicates the donee’s confirmation of receipt of donation, the date it was received, and the amount of cash or the description of the property donated; and is signed by an authorized representative of the donee organization.

The donor statement, on the other hand, provides the description, acquisition cost, and net book value of the property donated as reflected in the donor’s financial statements, signed by an authorized representative. In cases of donation in kind, a copy of the sales document shall also be required to support the acquisition cost claimed by the donor.

The numerous requirements sometimes discourage certain donors. For them, the requirements suppress the spirit of giving by negating the purpose of the incentive, if not fully complied with and followed to the letter. Despite the difficulties, however, most donors continue to donate, because they know the true benefits of giving.

Giving without expecting in return can have some of the most impactful influences on our lives since it enables us to be selfless. Giving allows us to notice the world around us. A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health reveals that people feel more rewarded when they give money to charity. Perhaps because giving and helping is innate in every human being. The magnitude of our generosity, though, depends on how we nourish it.

Despite the difficulties, we should never stop being generous to good causes. We should always be good stewards. The gospel last Sunday on the Parable of the Talents reminds us that everything we have — our talents, resources, and life, among others — belongs to God. We are merely stewards of what belongs to God. Talents are entrusted to us not only for our own benefit but are meant to be shared with those who need them most. When we give wholeheartedly, we will receive the true benefits of giving, i.e., our Father will reward us (Matthew 6:3-4); and he loves a cheerful giver.

Edward L. RogueL is a partner of the Tax Advisory and Compliance and head of Japanese Business Group of P&A Grant Thornton. P&A Grant Thornton is one the leading audit, tax, advisory, and outsourcing services firms in the Philippines.

SSS net income down as expenses rise on pensions

STATE-RUN pension fund Social Security System (SSS) saw its profit more than halved as of September due to a surge in benefit payouts after the pension hike, it said in a statement.

Netting out total revenues from total expenses, the state pension fund’s net profit fell 56.58% to P11.91 billion in the first nine months of the year, from the P27.43 billion recorded in the same months of 2016.

SSS’ total revenues as of September SSS grew 10.72% to P146.17 billion from the P131.97 billion posted in the same period last year.

Total expenditures for the January-September period, meanwhile, stood at P134.26 billion, surging 28.43% from the P104.54 billion recorded in the same period a year ago. Of this amount, operating expenses declined by 0.05% to P6.48 billion.

The rise in expenses was due to the surge in benefit payouts after the implementation of the first of two P1,000 pension hikes approved by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in February.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said benefit payments grew 30.31% to P127.78 billion as of September from P98.06 billion in the same nine months last year.

“The increase in benefit payouts was higher due to the release of the P1,000 additional benefit amounting to P24.03 billion from January to October 2017 and the 3rd tranche of pension adjustments arising from the unlumping of 1985 to 1989 contributions amounting to P72.43 million,” Mr. Dooc said in the statement.

The SSS said the third tranche of pension adjustments for retirees, death and disability pensioners prior to May 24, 1997, or the implementation of the Republic Act 8282 or the Social Security Law, was already credited to accounts of qualified pensioners on June 29 this year.

Broken down, SSS payments for death benefit payments grew the fastest, seeing a 43.51% surge to P40.17 billion at end-September. This was followed by releases disability benefits at a 42.8% increase to P4.64 billion.

Retirement benefit payouts meanwhile grew 26.75% to P73.65 billion in the same period, while sickness benefits were up 8.47% to P1.95 billion, and funeral payments saw a 6.09% rise to P2.85 billion.

Rehabilitation and medical services benefits, however, declined 20.36% and 13.47% to P1.1 million, and P9.7 million, respectively.

Moreover, members’ contributions, representing 81.8% of total revenues, amounted to P119.5 billion at end-September, up 11.31% from P107.36 billion in the same period in 2016.

“[C]omponent-wise, collections from the employed sector registered the biggest amount at P103.1 billion, followed by voluntary paying members at P10.98 billion, and self-employed at P5.42 billion,” he added.

Investment and other income for the nine-month period, which represents 18.2% of total revenues, was 8.16% higher at P26.62 billion, according to SSS.

Mr. Dooc said the pension fund’s financial position remained stable with total assets of P511.72 billion, 7.4% higher from P476.40 billion due to the increase in investments and cash equivalents.

Meanwhile, SSS’ investment reserve fund as of September was recorded at P490.32 billion, 5.6% higher than the P464.42 billion recorded at end-2016.

Currently, SSS is pushing legislation to amend its charter, which would enable it to raise the member salary credit ceiling to P30,000 by 2022.

Such a move would raise member contributions to offset the two-pronged pension hike without necessarily raising the current 11% contribution rate — which was said to be a “last option,” Social Security Commission Chairman Amado D. Valdez said last month. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Planning to save, saving to plan

Who here had a piggy bank when they were younger? We bet only a few weren’t taught to “save” since the first time they received Christmas money. But, we want to ask now: what does it really mean when we say we should save as adults? We got one of our friends, Jehan De Guzman, a full‑time financial advisor at Sun Life, to talk about the importance of saving, and how saving isn’t just dropping some leftover coins into a piggy bank.

What is saving?

The most basic thing about saving is that you really have to live within your means.

It’s easier said than done because it’s so easy to spend nowadays, but checking your spending habits really is the first and key step. Know your spending triggers and don’t spend more than you earn.

Is spending less the only way I can save? What are spending triggers?

Refusing to buy the most recent gadget and resisting to shop over the weekend sale are only a few ways to save.

Another way—and we strongly suggest this—is to make a cashflow list. A cashflow list is basically a table or chart where you list down all your sources of income per month on one side, and then jot down all your expected expenses on the other. Include absolutely everything that you spend on—leisure, transportation, parking, insurances, business, salaries, tuition fees, loans, clothes, etc. These are your spending triggers. We have a sample and an entire list below so you can create a more comprehensive list for yourself. By writing them all down, you can easily see where your monthly money really goes.

Art Erka Capili Inciong

After making a cashflow list, what now?

Seeing exactly what your expenses are will present you with the most difficult questions: Do I really need a ₱2,500 monthly cellphone subscription? Is it necessary to buy new accessories every month? Is an out‑of‑town trip really something I can afford right now? The cashflow list and the questions you will be answering will, of course, depend on your priorities and non‑negotiables so, feel free to add and remove items for your personal cashflow list. Make sure to also include your investments so that you can really allocate budget for them every month.

If you’re finding it difficult to list where your money goes, then that’s also a sign that you should be more conscious of how you spend your money. Make a cashflow list starting now and it will absolutely make a difference to your spending.

Planning to save is only the first step to successfully managing your finances. It is an equally important step to discipline yourself by doing away with the unnecessary items and religiously sticking to your budget for the non‑negotiables. Once you’re able to plan how to save, we’re sure that there will be more save to make your future plans.

Jehan De Guzman is a full‑time advisor and manager at Sun Life Financial. From being a project manager in a bank to being an interior designer, De Guzman eventually found purpose and fulfillment in being a financial advisor as she takes part in improving financial literacy among Filipinos. As cliché as it may sound, she proudly claims that finding a job you love is indeed possible. If you wish to contact her, you may reach her at 09156488284 and jehan.deguzman@gmail.com and jehan.z.deguzman@sunlife.com.ph.

We would also like to thank Sun Life Financial for the infographic shown in the article.

Heads up, guys! The House just passed the Comprehensive Mental Health Act

The House of Representatives today passed on its third and final reading the Comprehensive Mental Health Act (House Bill 6452) with 223 affirmative votes, no negative votes and zero abstentions.

The Mental Health Act provides for the integration of mental health care to the general health care system. The act mandates that the government, particularly the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Interior and Local Goverment (DILG), local government units, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Department of Justice (DoJ) come up with programs that promote mental health and investigate cases of discrimination against those undergoing mental health treatment.

A Philippine Council of Mental Health will be established, under the DoH. The council will be tasked to come up with a National Mental Health Care Services Delivery System.

The act also promotes the establishment of local mental health centers and teaching about mental health in school.

Art Samantha Gonzales

Relevant to the government crackdown on drugs, if a drug dependent voluntarily surrenders and is found to have mental illness, they will be covered under the provisions of this act that promotes the rights of those with mental illness.

The Senate passed its version of the Mental Health Act (Senate Bill No. 1354) last May 2, with 19 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstentions.

Now that the legislative branches have done their part to promote mental health in the Philippines, all that’s left is for President Rodrigo R. Duterte to sign the Mental Health Act for it to become an actual law that can be implemented.

Among the mental health advocates present was Violeta “Bolet” Bautista, a psychologist from the Care and Counsel Wholeness Center, who said that they have been waiting for the passage for about “two decades.”

“This is a bill that is not only for people with mental illness, but for everybody,” she said. “It will create a structure that will protect both mental health care professionals as well as the service users.”

Five Things to Know about the Philippine Mental Health Community

The Philippines is becoming more and more woke about mental health. There have been several events and activities relating to mental health awareness, resources being circulated online, and even the passage of the Philippine Mental Health Law underway (with the third and final reading set today, November 20, 2017). Behind this milestone is the collective effort of the incredibly diverse Philippine mental health community.

Here are five things to know about them:

1. It’s composed of several organizations

It’s near‑impossible to pin down the entire community, especially since not everyone who advocates for mental health awareness is part of an organization. However, there are known organizations, as well as smaller‑scale organizations—and they all have different ideas of how to go about spreading awareness and offering support in the Philippines.

Among the better‑known organizations are Mental Health PH, Buhay Community, Anxiety and Depression Philippines and Youth for Mental Health Coalition (Y4MH). Y4MH is one of the biggest and most well‑known organizations, being the first SEC‑registered mental health org. Chairman RJ Naguit points out that they work towards large‑scale projects “such as policy‑making, awareness raising, and even service delivery while engaging similar‑minded organizations and institutions.”

Another organization, Tala Mental Wellness, may be comparatively smaller in scale, but they firmly believe in the angle their organization takes. Tala’s head, Eugenie Huibonhoa believes that “the Philippine conversation on mental health has been unable to include those from marginalized sectors. Tala attracts people who would like to diversify the conversation, who would like to take concrete steps beyond awareness. We are a small group, but I think, slowly but surely, we are able to give people a medium [with] which they can do this.” An exhaustive list of mental health organizations and advocacies, along with other mental health resources, can be found over here.

2. Some of your faves are part of the mental health community

Miss International 2016 Winner Kylie Verzosa is known to be a mental health advocate, having shared her story of being diagnosed with depression and put up her own advocacy page and support group on Facebook. Actress Antoinette Taus is also very vocal about her own journey with depression, using her clout to spread awareness on the importance of mental health, as well as the need for a mental health law.

Even Maine Mendoza is lauded as an advocate, as she spoke up when Joey De Leon infamously called depression “gawa‑gawa lang” (“made up”) on national TV, quickly correcting him that the condition is not a joke. “Siyempre, maraming nakakaranas ng ganun lalo na sa mga kabataan, kaya dapat pag may nakakaranas ng ganun, kailangan nating bigyan ng suporta.” (“Of course, a lot of people go through it especially the youth, so we need to support them.”)

The Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA)’s two advocacy videos for the mental health act also featured several celebrity advocates: one featured the likes of Rico Blanco, Mae “Juana Change” Paner and Cheche Lazaro, and the other had Ian Veneracion, Jasmine Curtis‑Smith and Agot Isidro, among others. In the videos, they urge viewers to sign the petition urging for a Philippine mental health act—and it looks like all their efforts have paid off.

3. People in the community come from all walks of life

Contrary to how it may seem, it’s not all just twenty‑something millennials from Metro Manila—especially when it comes to online support groups. The internet has made it possible for people from all regions and age groups to join online support groups with a single click, provided that they play nice and follow their respective group’s rules.

Y4MH in particular has been working on electing regional heads in the three island groups, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. They have also successfully held a National Youth Congress in cooperation with the Department of Health, where delegates flew in from Visayas and Mindanao to participate.

One particularly inspiring story is that of Macy Lee, an 11th grader and the founder of a new organization called Talang Dalisay, which focuses on reaching out to the youth, specifically to high school and college students. She was inspired by her brother with autism and supported by her mother, in putting up her own effort towards mental health awareness.

Despite being only 16, she has been a delegate the Harvard Model Congress and the aforementioned National Youth Congress, as well as a participant in various mental health‑related events through Talang Dalisay.

4. The community is collaborative in nature

Despite differences in approach and personal context, all mental health awareness groups aim for one thing: that is, the recognition of mental health issues. Translating that into policy and action is not a feat for a singular organization.

Huibonhoa notes that each part of the community has their own experience with mental health, but that in itself can be a hurdle: “Because of the different ways people cope with mental illness or take care of their mental health, it becomes difficult to share the message. Many people from different communities would like to talk about the context of mental health solely from their experience.” Thus, there is a need for open discourse and collaboration.

For instance, events and activities are usually spearheaded by one mental health organization, but with the partnership and cooperation of one or more others. There have also been planned gatherings and petitions to campaign for the passage of the mental health bill. However, these are still mostly done by the bigger orgs.

What most individuals and organizations can do, though, is use the internet as a means to engage and educate others (e.g. posting openly about one’s condition to reduce stigma), as well as gather data about what can be done (e.g. surveying people via social media) to alleviate local mental health issues.

Though this proclivity for collaboration isn’t constrained between mental health orgs alone, the movement must also spread to sectors that may not be as aware. Buhay Movement co‑founder and executive director Valene Lagunzad says that their group makes sure to spread awareness in church communities by reducing stigma and through empathy, kindness, and listening. “Right now, I am doing my best to make people understand that mental health and spiritual well‑being should work together,” she said, adding that her group recently conferred with organizations such as Where is Hope, Light of Jesus Counseling and True Love Waits.

5. There’s still a long way to go

As promising as the mental health scene may be from certain perspectives, it’s still very young— our several different voices may make it difficult for the point to get across, and the movement is not immune to conflicts or misunderstandings. Huibonhoa says, “It has only been recently that we have really been talking about the problem out in the open. Because of this, we still are struggling to come up with a concrete movement. There are still so many misunderstandings and differences that need to be addressed when it comes to talking about mental health. Advocacies are competitive rather than supportive. We still have not been able to find a real solid voice that makes the gravity of the issue as clear as it should be. We still have a long way to go, but I’m proud that at the very least, we are definitely moving towards a sense of urgency and respect towards sharing the importance of mental health.”

There is also the stigma that mental health conditions are “pang‑mayaman lang” (for the rich only)—which stems from a very real issue that only the middle to upper classes can afford mental healthcare. Naguit expresses his concerns towards effectively communicating the importance of mental health, as well as its concepts, to marginalized communities: “We have to go beyond our circles and really reach out to the communities where there are only limited opportunities for mental health education. If we want to cure the stigma, we might need to refocus our efforts on the bigger chunk of the population.”

Not every individual or organization has the resources necessary for such an effort. But there is the hope that once the Philippine Mental Health Law’s regulations are successfully implemented and the community has gathered its bearings, professionals and advocates alike can collaborate to address mental health concerns in all sectors.

For those interested in advocating for mental health awareness but unsure how to start, Naguit reassures that there are different ways to do so: “Choosing one way should not, in any way, invalidate how other advocates fight for mental health. Know what way of advocating you are most comfortable with, and are really good at, and find the organization that can best nurture that passion. Be with the organization that also leads to personal growth and fulfillment and, as cliché as it may sound, you’ll never work a day.”

Huibonhoa adds that if joining a mental health organization is not for you, there is one major thing you can do: “Study. Stigma is our biggest problem now. It is what is standing in the way of many solvable problems when it comes to mental health. Keep yourself informed, and do your part in guarding society from illogical prejudice and unnecessary suffering.”

No matter your location, background or age, Lee advises that you take advantage of the opportunities presented to you in your immediate surroundings, like school or social media: “People my age can take part in organizations, events and they can apply mental health‑related topics in their school or student council projects.

They can create programs to help mental health awareness in the country through their extracurricular activities. They can even use social media as a tool to simply post quotes or stories of people, to inspire others on the importance of mental health in the country. The possibilities are endless!”

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