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Trump to attend Super Bowl

DONALD J. TRUMP will become the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl, according to a statement from the US Secret Service on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump will travel to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX and watch the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Extensive planning and coordination have been in place to ensure the safety of all attendees, players and staff,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. “Security measures have been further enhanced this year, given that this will be the first time a sitting President of the United States will attend the event.”

The city’s safety and security have been a critical topic this week after a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in an act of terror early on the morning of Jan. 1. The Department of Homeland Security said it is working with the NFL to make the Caesars Superdome the “safest place to be” on Sunday, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has 450 personnel in New Orleans to investigate threats and crimes this week.

Trump, whose second presidential term began Jan. 20, also agreed to tape a sit-down interview with Fox, which has the broadcast rights to the game this year. Fox News anchor Brett Baier will interview Trump in Florida sometime before he departs for New Orleans, and it will air during the pregame run-up.

Trump also attended the College Football Playoff national championship game last month in Atlanta. — Reuters

Doncic shocked by trade to Lakers but excited for new journey

LUKA DONCIC said on Tuesday he was as shocked as anyone by the blockbuster trade over the weekend that brought him to the Los Angeles Lakers but is excited to join forces with LeBron James in a move that could shape the franchise for years to come.

The 25-year-old Slovenian guard and perennial MVP contender admitted he figured he would spend his entire NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks, which made the news of his trade late on Saturday all the more surprising.

“I was almost asleep when I got the call, I had to check (if) it was April 1st. I didn’t really believe it at first. It was a big shock. It was hard a moment for me,” said Doncic.

“(Dallas) was home so it was a really hard moment for me, especially the first day, but as I said I get to play in the greatest club in the world and I am excited about this new journey.”

Doncic, who has not played since Christmas Day because of a calf strain but is considered close to returning, had been with Dallas ever since a draft-night trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who took him with the third overall pick in 2018.

Last year, the five-times All-Star reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his career but the Mavericks lost 4-1 to the Boston Celtics in the best-of-seven championship series.

Now Doncic, who was wildly popular in Dallas, will chase a title alongside the NBA’s all-time top scorer in James, who he said was quick to reach out when the trade was announced.

“He called me right away,” Doncic said of his new teammate. “We didn’t talk much because he said I understand what you are feeling, but that was really nice of him just to call me right away and welcome me to LA.”

During his press conference, Doncic recounted a memorable encounter he had in 2019 when Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who was sitting courtside with his daughter Gianna for a game in Los Angeles, playfully heckled him in Slovenian.

“Well, first of all, I remember the exact moment that happened. It will always stay, you know, in my mind. It was an amazing moment,” said Doncic.

“Just for Kobe to know my name was amazing for me. You know, I just wish Kobe and (his daughter Gianna nicknamed) Gigi were here to see this moment. And, you know, I’m excited about this new journey and happy to be here.”

Bryant, an 18-times All Star and five-times NBA champion, died in a January 2020 helicopter crash that also killed his daughter and seven others. — Reuters

Halep announces retirement

FORMER world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep announced her retirement from professional tennis on Tuesday after losing in the first round at her home event in Cluj.

Halep, whose career stalled due to a doping ban that was reduced on appeal last year, lost 6-1 6-1 to Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in her first match this year before announcing her decision.

The 33-year-old Romanian had delayed the start of her season due to pain in her knee and shoulder.

“I don’t know if it’s with sadness or joy, I think I feel both, but I make this decision with my soul at peace, I have always been realistic with myself,” Halep told the crowd at the BT Arena.

“My body cannot take as much so as to get back where I once was, it is very difficult to get there and I know what it means to get there. That is why I wanted to come to Cluj today to play before you and to say goodbye on the tennis court.

“Who knows whether I will return but at the moment it is for the last time that I play here. I don’t want to cry, it is a beautiful thing, I became world number one, I won Grand Slams, it is everything I ever wanted. Life moves on, there is life after tennis too.”

Halep lost in three Grand Slam finals before finally clinching her first major at the French Open in 2018 and went on to win Wimbledon the following year.

She was provisionally suspended in October 2022 after she tested positive for roxadustat – a banned drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells – at the US Open that year.

She was later banned for four years, a period which was cut to nine months last March following an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Halep denied knowingly taking roxadustat, blaming contaminated supplements for her positive test. — Reuters

Philippine lawmakers back petition seeking vice president’s impeachment

VICE PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE — PHILIPINE STAR/RYAN BALDEMOR

MANILA —  A petition seeking the impeachment of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the country’s former president, received the required support on Wednesday of more than a third of lower-house lawmakers, paving the way for a trial in the Senate.

House Secretary General Reginald Veslasco told reporters there was a sufficient number of signatures on the petition to impeach Ms. Duterte. A source familiar with discussions told Reuters nearly 200 lawmakers had so far signed it.

The grounds for impeachment were not immediately clear. Duterte has consistently denied wrongdoing and described moves against her as a political vendetta.

A bill of impeachment will go to the upper house, where the 23 senators would serve as jurors in proceedings that could result in the removal of Ms. Duterte and her lifetime disqualification from holding office.

“It will be presented to the plenary and once it’s approved, it’s automatically transmitted to the Senate,” Mr. Velasco said.

Asked to comment on the petition, a media officer of Ms. Duterte said it was “a waiting game”.

The moves to impeach Duterte come amid a bitter rift between her and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr that has played out in public following the collapse of a powerful alliance between their families that brought them a landslide victory in the 2022 election.

The row reached a dramatic crescendo when Ms. Duterte in a November press conference said she had contracted an assassin to kill Marcos, the first lady and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin, if she herself were killed. She later said her remarks was taken out of context.

Mr. Marcos, for his part, has said he does not support her impeachment but has no power over the legislative branch. — Reuters

BAIPHIL holds 33rd National Convention

The Bankers Institute of the Philippines, Inc. (BAIPHIL) will hold its 33rd National Convention at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON), Mandurriao, Iloilo City on March 6–8, 2025.

Following the theme, “Harmonizing Cultural Tradition and Technological Innovation Towards a Responsible Banking Legacy”, the Convention explores cutting-edge innovations in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other digital assets, but also deeply reflects on the rich cultural heritage that has shaped our nation’s identity.  In preparation for the future in banking, the Convention seeks to understand the historical and cultural forces that shape today’s mindsets, ensuring that technological pursuits of banking executives are grounded in the values of inclusivity, unity and responsibility.

“As we look into the future of banking, the topics and activities of BAICON provide participants with the consciousness to responsibly harness the potential of digital technologies delivered through the perspective of our esteemed roster of speakers – from banking regulators and industry leaders with decades of experience. This event is also an excellent opportunity to build strong networks, and connect with companies and exhibitors relevant to the banking industry,” BAIPHIL President Inigo Regalado III from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilpinas (BSP) said.

The Convention is open to all directors, executives and senior supervisors in the banking industry. For registration and more information, visit BAIPHIL website at www.baiphil.org under the National Convention bar.

BAIPHIL is a non-stock, non-profit organization composed of BSP-supervised financial institutions and founded in 1941.  Beginning with the goal of increasing efficiency and uniformity in banking operations, BAIPHIL is now recognized as one of the BSP’s institutional partners for the conduct of training and certification programs, dissemination of regulatory issuances, and promotion of best practices and relevant advocacies to build a sound and stable financial system. At present, BAIPHIL has 70 Institutional Members; 170 Associate Members and 99 Sustaining Life Members.

 

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In shock announcement, Trump says U.S. wants to take over Gaza Strip

RAWPIXEL

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said the U.S. would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and develop it economically after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere, moves that would shatter decades of U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr. Trump unveiled his surprise plan, without providing specifics, at a joint press conference on Tuesday with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The announcement followed Mr. Trump’s shock proposal earlier on Tuesday for the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, calling the enclave – where the first phase of a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire is in effect – a “demolition site.”

Mr. Trump can expect allies and foes alike to strongly oppose any U.S. takeover of Gaza. The U.S. taking a direct stake there would run counter to longtime policy in Washington and for much of the international community, which has held that Gaza would be part of a future Palestinian state that includes the occupied West Bank.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Mr. Trump told reporters. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“If it’s necessary, we’ll do that, we’re going to take over that piece, we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of,” Mr. Trump added.

“I do see a long-term ownership position and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East,” he said, adding that he had spoken to regional leaders and they supported the idea.

Asked who would live there, Mr. Trump said it could become a home to “the world’s people.” Trump touted the narrow strip, where Israel’s military assault in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack has leveled large swaths, as having the potential to be “The Riviera of the Middle East.”

Mr. Trump did not directly respond to a question of how and under what authority the U.S. can take over and occupy Gaza, home to around two million people with a long, violent history over control of the coastal strip. Successive U.S. administrations, including Trump in his first term, had avoided deploying U.S. troops there.

Netanyahu, referred to a few times by Mr. Trump by his nickname, “Bibi,” would not be drawn into discussing the proposal in depth other than to praise Trump for trying a new approach.

The Israeli leader, whose military had engaged in more than a year of fierce fighting with Hamas militants in Gaza, said Mr. Trump was “thinking outside the box with fresh ideas” and was “showing willingness to puncture conventional thinking.”

Some experts have suggested Mr. Trump sometimes takes an extreme position internationally to set the parameters for future negotiations. In his first term, Mr. Trump at times issued what were seen as over-the-top foreign policy pronouncements, many of which he never implemented.

 

TRUMP PROPOSES PERMANENT ‘RESETTLEMENT’

Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Near East, said Trump’s plan would mean a lengthy U.S. military commitment and if it came to fruition would be viewed by the Arab world as Washington “not learning its lessons from nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Mr. Trump earlier repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Gazans, saying Palestinians there had no alternative but to abandon the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after nearly 16 months of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas militants.

But this time Mr. Trump said he would support resettling Palestinians “permanently,” going beyond his previous suggestions that Arab leaders had already steadfastly rejected.

Forced displacement of Gaza’s population would likely be a violation of international law and would be fiercely opposed not only in the region but also by Washington’s Western allies. Some human rights advocates liken the idea to ethnic cleansing.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned Mr. Trump’s calls for Gazans to leave as “expulsion from their land.”

“We consider them a recipe for generating chaos and tension in the region because the people of Gaza will not allow such plans to pass,” he said.

Mr. Trump, a Republican, offered no specifics on how a resettlement process could be implemented but his proposal echoed the wishes of Israel’s far right and contradicted Democratic former President Joe Biden’s commitment against mass displacement of Palestinians.

The Saudi government, in a statement, stressed its rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinians from their land and said it would not establish relations with Israel without establishment of a Palestinian state.

 

CRITICS DECRY EXPANSIONIST RHETORIC

Just two weeks into his second term, Trump was hosting Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the future of the Gaza ceasefire, strategies to counter Iran and hopes for a renewed push for an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal.

His Gaza proposal followed a frenetic first two weeks in office in which Mr. Trump has talked about a U.S. takeover of Greenland, warned of the possible seizure of the Panama Canal and declared that Canada should be the 51st U.S. state.

Some critics have said Mr. Trump’s expansionist rhetoric echoes old-style imperialism, suggesting it could encourage Russia in its war in Ukraine and give China justification for invading self-ruled Taiwan.

Mr. Trump described the Gaza Strip as a longtime “symbol of death and destruction” and said Palestinians there should be housed in “various domains” in other countries. He said the U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, “level the site” and create economic development but did not say how.

Mr. Trump, who had a career of developing real estate before getting into politics, cast a broad-brush, optimistic vision of a U.S. takeover of Gaza while skirting details on how the United States would go about possessing the enclave and securing it.

He was also vague on where the Palestinian inhabitants of Gaza would go, saying he was confident Egypt and Jordan would take many of them, despite those governments already rejecting the idea.

What impact Mr. Trump’s proposals have on negotiations over the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal was unclear, as Hamas has adamantly insisted it wants to remain in Gaza while Netanyahu has vowed to destroy the group and never allow it to again rule the territory.

Mr. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, played a key role in helping the Biden administration secure the long-sought Gaza deal before the Jan. 20 transfer of power in the U.S. The first phase has led to Hamas’ release of 18 hostages and Israel’s release of hundreds of jailed Palestinians.

“We’re in Phase 2 now,” Mr. Witkoff told reporters earlier. He said he met Netanyahu on Monday to discuss parameters for the policy negotiations and would meet the prime minister of Qatar, a mediator in the negotiations, in the U.S. on Thursday. – Reuters

US Postal Service suspends incoming packages from China, Hong Kong

STOCK PHOTO | Image by ha11ok from Pixabay

The U.S. Postal Service will temporarily suspend accepting inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice, the USPS website showed.

The change, effective from Feb. 4, will not impact the flow of letters and ‘flats’ from China and Hong Kong, according to the website.

USPS did not immediately comment on whether this was tied to U.S. President Donald Trump’s change to ending ‘de minimis’ shipments from China and other countries.

Mr. Trump’s halt to Section 321 de minimis is part of his implementation of an additional 10% tariff on China and 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which were paused for a month.

Nearly half of all packages shipped under ‘de minimis’ come from China, the U.S. congressional committee on China said in a June 2023 report. – Reuters

Singapore passes law against foreign interference in race-based organizations

SINGAPORE – Singapore has passed a law designed to protect against foreign interference in its race-based clans and business associations, as the government looks to limit outsiders from undermining racial harmony in the multicultural city-state.

Under the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Bill, which was passed late on Tuesday, if an organization is designated as a race-based entity, they will have to disclose foreign and anonymous donations, foreign affiliations and their leadership.

The government can also impose a restraining order to stop an entity from accepting donations from a foreign principal, prohibit anonymous donations or require the entity to return or dispose of donations.

The new law also empowers the home affairs minister to issue restraining orders against individuals involved in “content that prejudices the maintenance of racial harmony in Singapore”.

Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam told parliament the bill was not a panacea for all racial issues and could not prevent insensitivity or racial slights in everyday dealings.

“We acknowledge that it may be difficult to enforce offences outside of Singapore, but it signals our commitment to protect our racial harmony, even when the threat originates outside of Singapore.”

The law was supported by the opposition party, even though some lawmakers urged some caution.

Opposition lawmaker Gerald Giam said the broad definition of “foreign affiliation” might unintentionally create barriers for local associations with deep historical ties to overseas groups which had helped preserve Singapore’s cultural heritage.

Singapore’s resident population is 74% Chinese, 13.6% Malay, and 9% Indian, with 3.3% is classified as others.

Last year, Singapore designated businessman Chan Man Ping Philip as a “politically significant person” for activities that advanced the interests of an unspecified foreign country.

A naturalized citizen of Singapore, Mr. Chan had attended the annual session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing and told local media the overseas Chinese community should form an “alliance” and “tell the China story well”.

Hong Kong-born Chan was the president of the Hong Kong Singapore Business Association. – Reuters

Trump administration considers adding Shein, Temu to ‘forced labor’ list, Semafor reports

The U.S. is discussing whether to add Chinese ecommerce retailers Shein and Temu to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ‘forced labor’ list, Semafor reported on Tuesday.

The Trump administration has not made a final decision on the matter and could ultimately decide not to list either, the report said, citing two sources familiar with the discussions.

The move comes after China imposed targeted tariffs on U.S. imports and put several companies, including Alphabet Inc’s Google, on notice for possible sanctions, in a measured response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s levies, which came into effect on Tuesday.

DHS, Temu, which is a subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Singapore-headquartered Shein, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. – Reuters

US Treasury says Musk team has ‘read-only access’ to payment data

GIORGIO TROVATO/ TOMMAO WANG/UNSPLASH

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Treasury said on Tuesday that Elon Musk’s government-efficiency team has been granted “read-only access” to its payment system codes but denied that this cut off any government payments including for Social Security or Medicare.

The confirmation of a Musk associate’s access to the system codes came in a letter from a Treasury official to Democratic Senator Ron Wyden that said the review was being undertaken to “maximize payment integrity for agencies and the public”.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has not commented on reports in recent days that Musk’s informal Department of Government Efficiency had gained access to the system responsible for disbursing more than $6 trillion of annual government spending.

Several thousand people gathered outside the Treasury on Tuesday to protest DOGE’s Treasury access amid his sweeping incursion into government operations, which this week led to the shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development, merging its aid mission into the State Department.

The payment system review “is not resulting in the suspension or rejection of any payment instructions submitted to Treasury by other federal agencies across the government.” Jonathan Blum, principal deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Legislative Affairs wrote to Senator Ron Wyden, of Oregon.

“In particular, the review at the Fiscal Service has not caused payments for obligations such as Social Security and Medicare to be delayed or re-routed,” Mr. Blum’s letter said.

The DOGE team at Treasury conducting the review is led by technology firm chief executive Tom Krause, whom the letter described as a “Treasury employee.” Mr. Krause is CEO of Cloud Software Group, which owns former independent software firms Citrix and Tibco.

Mr. Wyden raised alarms over the weekend when reports first surfaced that a team under the direction of Musk, appointed by President Donald Trump to conduct a broad review of government operations.

“I’m sure the Treasury Secretary and the president want to save face and downplay the risks as Elon Musk seizes power, but nothing they’re saying is believable or trustworthy,” Mr. Wyden said in response to Mr. Blum’s letter.

 

ANGER VENTED

Outside the Treasury, protesters waved placards with slogans including: “Nobody Elected Musk” and “Bessent, you have 1 job!! Protect our money. You already failed.”

About three dozen Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives tried to enter the Treasury to confront Mr. Bessent on the issue but they said they were denied access.

“Elon Musk is seizing power from the American people. We are here to fight back,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Rebecca Weiss, who lives in suburban Maryland, told Reuters that she attended the protest because she is worried about what Musk will do with the payments data.

“He’s obviously a data guy, and now he has access, potentially, to everybody’s personal identifiable information, which he might take advantage of for his business purposes,” she said. “The bottom line is, we didn’t elect him. He’s muscled in illegally in a place that he’s not authorized.”

Democrats earlier on Tuesday vowed to push legislation to deny “special government employees” such as Mr. Musk’s access to sensitive government records. – Reuters

Mexican officials confident on reaching US tariff deal before new deadline

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Jorge Carlos from Pixabay

MEXICO CITY – Top Mexican officials said on Tuesday they were confident that Mexico could reach an agreement with the U.S. before threatened tariffs are due to take effect, with the U.S. demanding progress on fighting the flow of drugs and migrants to the shared border.

U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened both Mexico and Canada with 25% tariffs, but pushed their roll-out back by a month on Monday in exchange for promises from the two countries to tackle drugs and immigration.

“This month is more than enough to reach an agreement on these issues,” Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard told journalists, adding that Mexico and the U.S. were now on a more even playing field as they come to the negotiating table.

“Over the next few days, over the next few weeks, we can give strong evidence that Mexico is willing to keep collaborating,” Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente said. “We have the same problems in common, and both countries will do much better if we face them together.”

One of Mexico’s initial concessions was to deploy 10,000 National Guard members to the border. The first troops were shipped out on Tuesday.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s approach to dealing with Mr. Trump’s threats – which she described as keeping a “cool head” – was lauded by analysts and politicians alike.

In contrast, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went on the offensive, listing retaliatory tariffs. It took Mr. Trudeau two phone calls with Mr. Trump to convince the U.S. leader to hold off on tariffs, while Ms. Sheinbaum managed it in one.

Now, Ms. Sheinbaum’s team will come to the negotiating table with demands of its own, according to Mr. Ebrard.

“For example, the issue of weapons,” Mr. Ebrard said. “Because fentanyl is talked about a lot, but who are the ones arming cartels?”

Mexico argues that more than half a million guns are trafficked annually into the country from the U.S., and it has sued U.S. gunmakers for their alleged complicity in the flow of weapons across the border.

Mexico will also discuss the issue of auto manufacturing and auto parts with the U.S., according to Ebrard. U.S. automakers have a heavy presence in Mexico and parts can cross the border several times as a car is made, which would cause consumer prices to skyrocket if tariffs were to be implemented. – Reuters

Mainstream use of bamboo in construction urged amid housing shortage and climate change

photo by Edg Adrian A. Eva, BusinessWorld

by Edg Adrian A. Eva, Reporter

Bamboo, a known sustainable construction material, should be incorporated into the National Building Code (NBC) of the Philippines for mainstream use, a civil engineer and bamboo advocate said. 

Engr. Luis Felipe Lopez, general manager of BASE Foundation Inc., told BusinessWorld that the usage of bamboo in construction would address key issues like housing shortage and climate change.  

Since 2014, BASE has been conducting research and development on alternative building technologies, such as bamboo, exploring its potential for mainstream construction. 

Mr. Lopez said that bamboo lowers housing costs by 30% compared to the current standard housing costs. 

This sustainable approach is ideal for social housing projects, helping address the country’s backlog of 6.5 million housing units, according to the UN-Habitat Philippines Country Report in 2023. 

Houses made with Base Bahay technology also produce fewer carbon emissions, as climate change-contributing materials such as concrete, steel, and aluminum are reduced exponentially, Mr. Lopez said.

photo by Edg Adrian A. Eva, BusinessWorld

“Imagine if all the housing or social housing projects in the Philippines switched to a technology like ours; you would see a 70% reduction in carbon emissions in the project,” Mr. Lopez furthered. 

BASE has been advocating for the inclusion of bamboo in the NBC for the past five years, in collaboration with various organizations such as the Structural Engineers of the Philippines and Bukidnon Rep. Jose Manuel F. Alba. 

In February 2024, Mr. Alba filed House Bill 9144, or the “Act Integrating Bamboo as a Sustainable Material for the Built Environment.”  

The bill seeks to enable the mainstream adoption of bamboo in construction, including its use in high-rise structures.  

“If this bill becomes law, it will pave the way for the establishment of a bamboo structure code and a bamboo architectural code, which will be included in our National Building Code,” Mr. Alba told reporters during the Department of Science and Technology press conference in November. 

“We can now introduce engineered bamboos as columns, beams, and for constructing our buildings. Malaki ang impact nito sa construction industry natin [this will have a significant impact on our construction industry],” Mr. Alba added.

 

Skepticism 

Bamboo in Filipino construction has existed since the pre-colonial period, largely due to its abundance across the islands and its ease of setup.  

However, this very familiarity has also led to lingering skepticism, with many still reluctant to consider bamboo as a construction material for commercial infrastructures, Mr. Lopez said.

photo by Edg Adrian A. Eva, BusinessWorld

BASE Bahay Foundation Inc. aims to outgrow the stigma through years of research and development.   

“What we want to do at BASE is, through research, publications, and scientific information. We want to prove that bamboo is a strong material that, if treated properly, can last for 50 to 60 years,” Mr. Lopez said.  

On January 30, members of the press visited one of BASE’s treatment facilities adopted by Kanya Kawayan, an independent social enterprise in Nasugbu, Batangas. 

Kanya Kawayan produces 1,100 treated bamboo poles per month, along with flattened bamboo poles, locally known as “tad-tad,” which are used as inner walling for housing projects. 

Paulo Ferrer, director of business and strategic development at BASE, told reporters that construction-grade bamboo in Kanya Kawayan undergoes a nine-step treatment process to meet industry standards. 

Mr. Ferrer also said that BASE’s housing projects, which utilize treated bamboos, are designed to be insect-resistant, fire-resistant with a two-hour fire rating, and capable of withstanding category 5 typhoon.  

Just a few kilometers from the facility, members of the press visited an ongoing housing project in the “drying-in” phase, set to benefit 42 families in nearby communities.  

This project adds to the more than 2,500 houses BASE Bahay has constructed locally and internationally over the past decade, with plans to expand further into critical areas across the country in need of sustainable housing solutions.  

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