Metro Manila has one of the highest (most expensive) home affordability ratio* in the East and Southeast Asian region according to the 2024 ULI Asia-Pacific Home Attainability Index by the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The median home price in Metro Manila is 25 times higher than the median annual household income, more than Metro Cebu’s and Metro Davao’s 20.5 times and 14.4 times, respectively.
SOMEHOW, road rage incidents — including getting out of one’s vehicle and approaching another with the brandishing of weapons (including a hammer for the headlights of an offending road-cutter, like a motorcycle) and shouted threats — are presaged by prolonged car horn blowing. Some of these incidents are posted with videos on social media, so the incident can be embarrassing, if not criminal.
What was designed as an alerting device for pedestrians crossing outside the zebra line or a gentle reminder for parkers (Miss, I saw this empty slot first) has now become almost an invitation for physical combat.
Advanced societies pride themselves on the ability to minimize, if not eliminate, the use of the car horn. (Do driverless vehicles even have car horns?) Horn-blowing in civilized countries is considered a traffic violation. Be-cause their motorists slavishly follow traffic rules and courtesies on, say, approved ways of turn-taking by multiple lanes at a roundabout, there are few occasions for motorists to use the horn as a form of road rage.
Even when in front of one’s driveway, there is little need to toot for anyone to open the gate. There is often no gate anyway. If garage doors need opening for mansions atop a hill, this is done by a remote-control gadget from the car that emits a short beep — almost as inaudible as an infant’s dispelling of gas.
Is our attachment to the car horn an indicator of a chaotic traffic situation? As one social post puts it… If you want to spend more time with your family, bring them in a car to EDSA.
When getting a new car, one of the first things we do is check the horn. If the car is European, chances are the car horn will sound timid. Maybe, it’s too expensive to replace a car horn with a louder one just to scare the flower vendors in the street? Even a timid horn can be weaponized.
What are usual occasions for leaning on the car horn? We mark them with length and intensity on a scale of 1 to 4, the highest number signifying a full bodily push on the car horn for maximum blast and duration. Here is a par-tial list of situations:
For the short beep (#1): Signaling your arrival home after a nice day at the office to cue the maid to open the gate; or warning off a cat that has crossed the car’s path.
A double short (#2): Reminding the maid to drop the dish washing as the master of the house needs to pee badly.
A still friendly but long horn (#3): In a stalled three-lane bumper-to-bumper line, alerting the driver of a 20-year-old heap inching its way to a narrowing lane that he is perilously close to clipping your side mirror and to please give you some driving room. The object of the warning misunderstands and thinks the horn blower is calling for the guy in the cart selling boiled corn.
Nasty prolonged multiple blasts (#4) — the old heap slams into a side door — as the offender drives away. The horn is accompanied by an open window and screaming genealogical remarks regarding the other driver’s doubtful parentage.
The car horn can be a war cry. It is a warning and a threat.
And nothing demonstrates this more clearly than a siren, the mother of all car horns. How often do we encounter these big shots who feel they should not need to line up in traffic, blasting away obstacles with a chorus of blaring motorcycles with disco lights flashing? Now, they can use the bus lane and just deal with traffic enforcers. (What is your favorite charity, young man?)
Ambulances are of course allowed to wail. Even when empty of any patient being rushed to a hospital? Sir, we are going to pick up a person in need of emergency care. One simply slows down to one side and lets the wailing vehicle pass.
What is the lowly car horn blower to do when confronted by superior force? Maybe a stainless-steel jeepney with no windows and a sticker against banning guns, driven by a pot-bellied dark man swerving into different lanes? Discretion then may be the better part of valor. Have a nice day, Sir. (No, I wasn’t shouting po.)
It is a sign of civility and good manners to forego the horn alternative in traffic even on a hot day… unless, of course, it’s necessary.
Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda
THE NATIONAL Power Corp. (Napocor) and Maharlika Consortium have signed a deal to develop the microgrid systems for eight unserved areas in the provinces of Cebu, Quezon and Palawan.
The Maharlika Consortium earlier won the first round of the bidding for microgrid system service providers conducted by the Department of Energy (DoE).
The state-owned company said the microgrid service contract would provide electricity to the areas through a hybrid microsystem with solar photovoltaic, energy storage system, and diesel-generating sets.
The Maharlika Consortium is composed of Maharlika Clean Power Holdings Corp., Singapore-based CleanGrid Partners Pte. Ltd. and Singapore-based renewable energy company WEnergy Global Pte. Ltd.
“The rates that will be used in the covered areas will be determined by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and will be sourced from the universal charge for missionary electrification,” Napocor said.
Under the law, the Energy department must conduct a competitive selection process for potential concessionaires seeking to serve off-grid areas.
In the first round, the bidding included 98 areas without electricity or with limited access, grouped into 49 lots in remote locations.
Out of nine pre-qualified bidders, only the Maharlika consortium submitted complete bid proposals.
The Energy department said last month it was targeting to conduct the second bidding round, offering new areas and those that received no proposals during the first round. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
SINGAPOREANS know how to fulfill a brief. Creating the perfect airport? Done. Great medical care? Sorted. Perfected luxury service? No sweat (OK, a little sweat, as I experienced firsthand). So, when we reached out to two of the country’s most esteemed hospitality pros about the best experiences in their native city-state, we had no doubt that they would deliver.
Wee Teng Wen remembers when Singapore was boring, and he’s spent most of his professional life trying to turn that reputation around. After attending the University of Pennsylvania, he co-founded the Lo & Behold Group. What started out as one rooftop bar in 2005 has grown into a compelling portfolio of 20-plus hospitality enterprises that include a three-Michelin-star restaurant and one of the city’s best boutique hotels.
Jean Low similarly caters to most discerning members of Singaporean society. Born in the city-state just after its 1965 independence from Malaysia, she left to pursue finance in the United States and the United Kingdom (UK), returning home in the early 2000s, just in time for the arrival of Singapore’s Grand Prix and Marina Bay Sands megaresort casino complex. She is now chief executive officer of 1880, Singapore’s premiere private club, which recently opened spinoff locations in Hong Kong and Bali.
Here, both weigh in on the spots they’d prioritize on a perfect day in town. Among them: a series of epic (but approachable) outdoor adventures, more than a dozen insider dining recommendations, and the best spots for a dose of culture.
EARTHLY AND CULINARY DELIGHTS
(Edited from an interview with Wee Teng Wen.)Singapore excels at dramatic and overgrown tropical landscapes, and they are best seen in the early morning. The magic of Macritchie Reservoir, a lush embankment flanked by seven miles of walking routes, is best experienced before 8 a.m. Follow the Lornie trail on the boardwalk along the water and loop back to where you started via the forested path.
When I’m feeling particularly intrepid, I book a kayak trip through the wild mangroves of Pulau Ubin — an islet floating in the channel between Singapore and mainland Malaysia — or Lazarus Island, to Singapore’s south, just beyond Sentosa. Escapes to all of these spots were my therapy during the COVID era.
Next up is a visit to our hawker centers — the quintessential Singapore experience. With more than 80 stalls, the centrally located Tiong Bahru Market has some of the best renditions of breakfast foods. Singaporeans often eat hearty breakfasts; my favorites at Tiong Bahru include steamed rice cakes at Jian Bo Shui Kueh, noodles with pork slices at Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Mee, and Hainanese curry rice at Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice.
The future of Singapore eating and shopping is New Bahru, a former girl’s school in River Valley that’s been turned into a creative cluster offering everything from local design boutiques to finger-licking nasi lemak (aromatic rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves). You can even do a coffee omakase experience that showcases different brewing methods (Chemex, Aeropress, etc.) at PPP. Around the corner, STPI is a workshop and gallery space that I love, with an unconventional focus on printmaking.
Whenever I have friends in town, you’ll find us having dinner at the Sichuan-inspired Born or Tambi. At the latter, the oxtail and bone marrow murtabak (a type of stuffed pancake) is small but mighty in flavor. After, we usually head to Tanjong Pagar for a post-dinner bar crawl. You’ll be in great hands with the natural wine geek sommeliers at Le Bon Funk; the yuzu whiskey sour is a forever classic at Jigger & Pony; and don’t miss Appetite, a kitchen and record bar known for their evolving selection of wines and inventive small plates, like chicken liver parfait.
Let’s not forget about supper — Singaporeans’ late-night fourth (and favorite) meal of the day! Long Ji Zhi Char, back in the Tiong Bahru area, is a hyper-local roadside spot. The crab bee hoon (crab in broth with rice noodles) is a must.
FROM BARK TO BITE, IN THREE ACTS
(Edited from an interview with Jean Low.)My favorite thing about Singapore is the greenery. I usually start my morning by taking Tala, one of my fur-babies, for a walk. The Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with lots of rolling public lawns, is a 15-minute walk from my front door.
After my morning walk I’ll bring Tala to Open Farm Community on Minden Road for granola and an oat milk latte — it’s completely dog-friendly, and I love watching the kitchen team tend to their on-site herb and vegetable garden.
Singaporeans are spoiled for choice when it comes to food, and specifically food courts. My favorite is the one at Vivocity Mall. On my guilty-pleasure days, I have char kuey teow (wok fried noodles with cockles and Chinese sausage) from Food Republic, followed by an ice kachang (a huge mound of shaved ice covered with rainbow-colored syrup).
If I’m not hosting an evening event at 1880, I’ll head to 28 Hong Kong Street, an institution in Singapore’s bar scene, for a well-deserved after-work cocktail or two. I always get the Canarinio — cachaça, coconut, passionfruit, banana, lime and allspice. And when I have friends or family in town, I’ll often take them to Dempsey, the old army barracks left behind by the British that’s now home to many of my favorite spots for dinner. Usually we’ll go to Claudine, which serves quintessential French cuisine (the coq au vin is must!), or Tuga, my go-to for all things Portuguese.
When there is a show on, I’ll walk along Robertson Quay to the Singapore Theatre Company. This season I’m looking forward to seeing Paradise — or the Impermanence of Ice Cream and Disgraced, Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play. To carry on the conversation, for post-theater dinner and drinks, head over to COL on Keong Saik Road, where Colin Buchan (1880’s executive chef) serves wood fire-inspired modern British cuisine in a supercool, cozy and unpretentious environment. It’s the perfect way to end the night.
On lazy weekends, I take my family to Tanjong Beach Club (Tala comes too, of course). In the mornings, it’s home to “staycationing” health geeks and families. In the evenings, you’re guaranteed to spot a few mankinis. Who says Singapore’s uptight? — Bloomberg
MYLO Speech Buddy app, which is catered for children with speech delays and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), earned a spot in Echelon’s top 100 startups for this year, it said on Monday.
The app was selected to be part of Echelon’s TOP100 Growth Program for this year, which was part of the Echelon X regional tech and startup conference held by startup media platform e27 in Singapore on May 15-16, it said in a statement.
Event participants included 7,000 startups, small and medium enterprises, exhibitors, investors, corporates, government institutions, and other ecosystem stakeholders from more than 30 Asian countries, it said.
“Being part of Echelon’s TOP100 Growth Program is an ‘ausome’ opportunity for Mylo Speech Buddy and for my fellow autism parents. This opportunity provides us with unparalleled access to investors and mentors who can help us scale our impact,” said Vincent Rocha, CEO and founder of Mylo Speech Buddy.
“The mentorship and exposure we have gained through the TOP100 Growth Program have been inspiring since our launch last month. We are eager to continue our journey and collaborate with other innovative startups and industry leaders to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families,” he added.
Echelon X featured 150 speakers and 46 sessions, providing insights for startups discussing today’s dynamic landscape, with the TOP100 Program startups having access to these sessions, it said.
“This year, TOP100 Program has honed its selection process to spotlight startups poised for exponential growth. Selected startups benefit from regional exposure, funding opportunities, mentorship, and access to exclusive networking events. They will also embark in a six-month program, featuring one on one coaching and exclusive masterclasses,” Mylo Speech Buddy said.
“As the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem continues to grow, programs like TOP100 are crucial in supporting the next generation of startups to ensure startups have the resources and guidance needed to thrive,” it said.
Echelon also plans set up Echelon Philippines this September amid the country’s significant market potential and funding opportunities, it added.
Mr. Rocha said he is excited to leverage this platform to supporting children with ASD and speech delays.
Mylo Speech Buddy was officially launched on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, following the app’s release in July 2023. — A.R.A. Inosante
MASTERCARD PHILIPPINES has partnered with technology provider Boost Capital to help over 10,000 small businesses grow through expanded access to digital financial services.
“Micro and small businesses are vital engines of economic growth across the world, including in the Philippines. By fostering digital inclusion — one of the country’s strategic development priorities — this partnership with Boost Capital will provide much-needed support to Filipino small businesses and empower them to thrive. Further, by focusing on women-led enterprises, this partnership can help address the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs, enabling them to unlock their full potential,” Mastercard Philippines Country Manager Simon A. Calasanz said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This latest collaboration deepens Mastercard’s commitment to the Philippines, driving social impact in a locally relevant way, while supporting the country’s efforts to digitizing and growing small businesses, and advancing inclusive growth,” he added.
Mastercard is aiming to replicate the success of the same program implemented in Cambodia, where it partnered with two organizations, it said.
“The results from our partnership in Cambodia clearly demonstrated the value that pairing credit with capacity building can have on unlocking capital for underserved small businesses. By building on that work, our aim is to empower more small businesses in the Philippines and facilitate their transition to the digital economy,” Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Founder and President Shamina Singh said.
Similar to the program in Cambodia, Mastercard Philippines aims to improve merchant onboarding through financial literacy training to small business customers and by increasing access to digital financial services.
Small businesses that received financial education were 8% more likely to repay loans on time, results from the program in Cambodia showed.
Boost Capital onboards small businesses using channels such as Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and WhatsApp, which Filipino entrepreneurs are familiar with.
The platform’s chat-based technology is integrated with artificial intelligence (AI), allowing service providers to digitally onboard more customers.
This gives small businesses 24/7 access to financial services from their smartphones.
“The entire process is automated, from product selection, through AI-driven verification, to contracting and disbursement,” Boost Capital said.
The program is also being funded by Mastercard Strive, a portfolio of philanthropic programs under the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth aimed at helping small businesses thrive digitally.
The initiative targets to support more than 10 million small businesses globally.
“We are excited to be working with Mastercard Strive to unlock and expand credit for Filipino small businesses. This new grant will extend our technology to a wider set of partners and de-risk its adoption by smaller financial service providers, who might otherwise be hesitant to go digital. Encouraging them to explore new client onboarding channels will unlock access to a wealth of digital financial services to support small business growth,” Boost Capital Co-Founder Lucinda Revell said.
Boost Capital is looking to bring more female small business owners into the formal financial ecosystem and provide them with services to support and grow their businesses through its technology. — A.M.C. Sy
NEW VEHICLE SALES jumped by an annual 22% in April, amid steady consumer demand, an industry report showed. Read the full story.
At Monday’s Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) at the Philippine International Convention Center, which had the theme “PH On-the-Go: Fast-Tracking Economic Progress,” the keynote address was given by Fi-nance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, who correctly described the Philippines’ growth trend as having a “bright economic outlook supported by a more open and liberalized investment policy landscape.” He said they plan to “lift 14 million Filipinos out of poverty by 2028… position the country as the 13th largest consumer market globally by 2030… [have a] a trillion-dollar economy by 2033 and surpass France to become the 14th largest economy in the world by 2075.”
Since these are global macroeconomic scanning and projections, I checked the IMF’s World Economic Outlook (WEO) database to make comparisons.
I did not use gross domestic product (GDP) nominal values in US$ for global comparison because these are GDP size at national currencies divided by the average exchange rate to the US$ that year. So even if the GDP in na-tional currency has expanded considerably but the exchange rate has deteriorated, the GDP in US$ expansion is low. Instead, I used the GDP at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) values because it considers the cost-of-living valua-tion in each country.
At GDP-PPP values, the Philippines was already a trillion-dollar economy in 2019. And in 2023, the Philippines had a GDP size of a $1.28 trillion and was the 29th largest economy in the world, with China, the US, and India as the top three largest economies.
I also compared the GDP size of various countries in 2013 to 2023. The Philippine economy expanded by 96%, nearly doubled, in just one decade. Vietnam, India, and China have expanded over 100%.
Then I checked the GDP growth in percent for the first quarter (Q1) of each year in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Considering these, the Philippines’ and Vietnam’s growth this year are the second fastest to Taiwan’s 6.5% — but this is largely due to base effect, Taiwan’s economy contracted by 3.5% in Q1 2023. So, it is really the Philippines and Vietnam which have had the fastest growth in Q1 2024 among the major economies in the world —except per-haps India which has not reported its Q1 growth yet (see the table).
Notice the moderate expansion in GDP size over a decade of the G7 industrial countries, especially Japan and many European countries (except Ireland, Romania, and Poland). Looking at GDP growth in Q1 2024, most G7 countries and other European nations either have had slow growth (below 1.5%) or have seen degrowth and contraction. It is then a structural, not occasional or isolated economic disease. Among the explanations for this trend is their climate and energy policies, and the boomerang of their economic sanctions vs Russia.
OTHER SPEAKERS AT THE PEB
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman highlighted the decline in budget deficit, from -6.2% last year to a programmed -5.6% this year and -3.7% by 2028. Meanwhile the infrastructure program would increase from 5.8% of GDP (P1.4 trillion) in 2023 to 6% of GDP (P2.2 trillion) in 2028.
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan again discussed the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and among the important targets are achieving an unemployment rate of below 5%, and single-digit poverty incidence by 2028.
Bangko Sentral Assistant Governor Iluminada T. Sicat discussed the three mandates of price stability, financial/banking stability, and payments and settlement system, and spoke of why they will keep the tight monetary policies due to inflation concerns.
Assistant to the President for Investment Secretary Frederick D. Go explained some big investment projects — from infrastructure to shipbuilding and mining — which may come in or already entering the Philippines.
Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan showed short videos of big bridge projects, like the ongoing Panguil Bay bridge project in Mindanao (3.2 km long and expected to open by third quarter this year), and the proposed Cavite-Bataan Interlink bridge (32.2 km), and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge (32.5 km). Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista discussed many ongoing and proposed projects: big airports, railways, seaports, and land transport.
Other speakers were Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual, Agriculture Undersecretary Jerome V. Oliveros, Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Paul Joseph Mercado, and Energy Assistant Secretary Mario C. Marasigan.
SMC conglomerate President and CEO Ramon S. Ang also spoke during the open forum and discussed energy issues like how our ASEAN neighbors subsidize their fossil fuel energy (oil, gas, coal) while the Philippines is taxing and raising the prices of these important goods.
There were hundreds of people at the PEB that day — a huge turnout — from government to corporations, the diplomatic community, media, etc. Judging from the size and enthusiasm of the audience, I believe that key messages of the theme, “PH On-the-Go: Fast-Tracking Economic Progress” have been delivered.
We must focus on high and sustained growth, economic prosperity, material wealth, and the upliftment of the poor to become middle class, and of the middle class to become richer. Peripheral concerns like climate and en-forced equality should not hinder this socio-economic goal.
Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. Research Consultancy Services, and Minimal Government Thinkers. He is an international fellow of the Tholos Foundation.
Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter
PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Wednesday that his country and Brunei would focus on developing two economic corridors, one of which would cover parts of Mindanao and Palawan, in a bid to boost their integration into regional supply chains.
An economist said this is an important development in minimizing the country’s exposure to potential supply chain disruptions should the trade war between the United States and China flare up.
“I am pleased to highlight that the Philippines and Brunei are particularly focused on two key economic corridors: the West Borneo Economic Corridor, encompassing Brunei Darussalam, and the Greater Sulu-Sulawesi Corridor, covering Palawan and parts of Mindanao,” Mr. Marcos said at a business forum in Brunei, based on a transcript from his office.
These corridors are “strategically designed to integrate production with supply chains, offering abundant opportunities for SMEs to flourish.”
The Philippine leader began his two-day state visit to the petroleum-rich country on Tuesday.
The economy of the Philippines expanded by 5.3% last year, while that of Brunei grew by 1.4%.
Mr. Marcos, at the business forum, also cited the potential of his country’s minilateral economic cooperation with Brunei and two other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to build a production hub in the region.
Investors should look at the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), which he said was “a beacon of economic integration and development within ASEAN.”
It could pave the way for “a unified ASEAN production base,” Mr. Marcos said.
The intergovernmental economic cooperation program could enable “robust supply and value chains while supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in key productive sectors.”
He said the four-way grouping “sees incredible potential” in agribusiness, renewable energy, and the Halal supply chain.
“With the region experiencing a steady rise in population and income, the market for goods and services is expanding rapidly and significantly,” he added. “This growing market presents numerous opportunities for businesses and investors to capitalize on.”
John Paolo R. Rivera, president and chief economist at Oikonomia Advisory & Research, Inc., said boosting the Philippines’ integration into the BIMP-EAGA and exploring more ASEAN-centered partnerships would make the country resilient in the face of heightening geopolitical tensions and economic risks inside and outside the region.
“If neighboring countries cooperate, risks from other regions threatening their economies are reduced,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat, citing the ongoing trade war between the United States and China.
The Marcos administration is on a mission to forge more economic partnerships with friendly nations amid increasing tensions with China, which claims the South China Sea almost in its entirety including waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
However, Leonardo A. Lanzona, who teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, warned against the absence of a guiding policy that may render these partnerships as “disjointed and confusing programs.”
“All of these economic agreements are necessary but are not sufficient,” he told BusinessWorld via Messenger chat.
Mr. Lanzona said the Philippines must create a comprehensive industrial policy “under which all of these international agreements are subsumed.” “Without this policy, all of these agreements are just for show,” he said.
INT’L TRADE LANDSCAPE
China is the Philippines’ largest source of imports and second-largest export market. On the other hand, the United States, a major defense ally that has backed Manila amid Beijing’s intrusions at sea, is the largest destination of Philippine products and the fifth-largest source of imports.
The US and China have been locked in a trade war since 2018, when former President Donald J. Trump slapped investment controls and tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese products due mainly to alleged unfair trade practices by Beijing.
US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., who is running for his last reelection, has kept the tariffs and imposed more restrictions. He has called the US-China conflict “a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.” His opponent, Mr. Trump, has vowed to impose more tariffs on Chinese goods if he wins in November.
The European Union (EU), the Philippines’ fourth largest trading partner in 2022, is also seen sliding into a trade conflict with China as it investigates whether Chinese electric vehicles have been unfairly subsidized by Beijing. The EU’s trade deficit with China hit €300 billion last year.
China, in return, has hinted at restricting the entry of European luxury cars as well as hog meat.
The Philippines on Tuesday said it had signed several deals with Brunei to boost ties in food security, agriculture, tourism, and maritime domain.
Mr. Marcos said he expects the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding with Brunei to boost trade in food products and services.
“With [its] rich agricultural resources, the Philippines benefits immensely from Brunei’s established halal certification system,” he added. “This partnership promises to create a robust halal industry, offering mutual benefits for our nations.
Muslims account for about 12 million of the Philippines’ nearly 120 million people, according to data from the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos.
PEACEFUL RESOLUTIONS
In a briefing with the Philippine media, Mr. Marcos said his meeting with Brunei’s Hassanal Bolkiah “was really more about trade” although cooperation on peace in the region was also discussed.
“We talked about strengthening the partnership and streamlining the processes in BIMP-EAGA,” Mr. Marcos said.
On the diplomatic side, the Philippine leader said his Brunei counterpart and he agreed to endorse peaceful resolutions to any conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The closest we came to any kind of defense agreement was really a diplomatic document that expresses the understanding that we both endorse a peaceful resolution to any conflicts between our two countries and in the region,” he said, based on a transcript from his office.
By Chloe Mari A. Hufana
COMMUNITIES are “never informed enough” on basic health and safety, and disaster preparedness, according to International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) President Kate Forbes.
“People are never informed enough. You have to constantly remind everyone, me included,” Ms. Forbes told BusinessWorld in an interview at a hotel in Makati City on Wednesday.
“I need to be reminded at home to be sure to take care of myself. Take water in the summer, to keep my first aid certification up, to be knowledgeable, to listen to the weather.”
In Manila for her first stop in Asia, she underscored the importance of taking personal responsibility to learn more about disaster preparedness.
She lauded the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for its high engagement in the country, with over 40,000 centers. The Philippines is one of the countries with very significant Red Cross visibility in the world.
“In the near term, it appears we’re going to continue to see [more] disasters, and [the PRC is going] to be responsible for each of us to train ourselves and protect our families and to listen to us,” said Ms. Forbes.
She lauded the Philippines, saying the country’s disaster response is impressive. She credited this to the Filipinos’ ability to make adjustments and to technological advancements in disaster response.
“I visited the operations center yesterday, and the fact that the PRC is in over 40,000 villages throughout [the country] and the fact that they can get real-time data is absolutely impressive,” she said.
In particular, Ms. Forbes mentioned the PRC’s real-time earthquake monitoring and shift to reusable energy to cope with the effects of calamities.
AI INTEGRATION
The IFRC is turning to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict public health issues, such as cholera, and to protect migration.
“I think the Philippines has a very good system now. But they’re also realizing that they’re going to have to incorporate more artificial intelligence and more early data,” she said, adding that the IFRC needs to collect more data globally to help disaster-prone countries like the Philippines further.
She urged the continued and intensified partnership between the Philippine government and the PRC to improve the country’s disaster response.
“There’s a real willingness and a tradition of the government being supportive of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, as well as the Filipino Red Cross,” she said. “The planning’s part of it, helping support early warning systems is critical; and allowing the Red Cross to have access, which the government has done, is very important.”
The IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with a presence in over 190 countries and territories.
Ms. Forbes is only the second woman to occupy the highest seat of the organization since its establishment in 1919.
This visit marks the second time an IFRC President has visited the Philippines.
‘GAZA CEASEFIRE’
Meanwhile, Ms. Forbes urged for warring Israel and Hamas, and the governments worldwide to have a ceasefire in Gaza for the IFRC to continue its humanitarian work.
“We have to have a ceasefire so that we can have access into Gaza,” she said. “We are prepared to get aid in. We are prepared with our volunteers to really help those who need it. But we have to have more access.”
Last February, she met with hostages and families of hostages in Israel.
The protection of the IFRC emblem is necessary for them to fulfill their mandate, she said, sharing the loss of IFRC volunteers in Sudan days ago.
“I call on all governments to abide by the Geneva Conventions and all governments who have any influence on any place where there is a war to bring us an environment where we can bring aid into the people,” she added.
The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols are the core of international humanitarian law, regulating the conduct of warfare to limit its effects. These international agreements protect civilians and aid workers.
Last October 2023, the militant group Hamas attacked a concert in Western Israel, killing 364 civilians.
This exacerbated the ongoing hostilities between Hamas and Israel, where the death toll reached over 36,000.
CONGRESSMEN are seeking to open the Philippines to refugees from climate-stricken nations to provide them safe haven in times of natural disasters and emergencies.
House Bill (HB) No. 10490, filed last Monday, seeks to amend the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 by allowing the Philippine President to admit environmental refugees from residents of developing island states in the Pacific Ocean for humanitarian reasons.
“It is a proactive measure that not only addresses the immediate needs of climate refugees but also sets a precedent for global responses to similar crises,” Party-list Rep. Samuel S. Versoza, Jr. said in a statement.
Home to at least 65 million people, the Pacific island nations of Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Fiji face imminent danger from intensifying tropical storms and increasing levels due to climate change, which could prompt its citizens to seek refuge in other countries, the authors of the bill said.
“The Pacific islands of Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Fiji are in imminent danger of being underwater in the next decade due to the rise of sea levels,” HB No. 10490’s explanatory note read.
Authored by Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, Sr., Cebu Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia, Lanao del Sur Rep. Ziaur Rahman A. Adiong, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers, and Mr. Versoza, the bill seeks to give flexibility to Philippine immigration laws by allowing “environmental migrants” access to the country “due to climate-change related harm.
“This legislation is a testament to our commitment to upholding human rights and our international responsibility,” Mr. Versoza said.
The implementing agencies of the proposed measure would be composed of the Department of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, and the Commission on Human Rights.
