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Picking up the balintong cause

PFTCP/Katala Foundation Project Director Dr. Sabine Schoppe with Mazda Philippines President and CEO Steven Tan — PHOTO FROM MAZDA PHILIPPINES

Mazda PHL helps those helping our country’s pangolins

THERE ARE MANY ironies in this world; let me point out one of them.

Not many people are familiar with the pangolin — most especially the Philippine Pangolin — and yet, the pangolins of the world are identified as the most trafficked wild animal on earth. How can they be pushed to the brink of extinction when people don’t even recognize them? Well maybe that is the problem in the first place.

Let’s start solving the problem now. It begins with your attention and awareness.

The Philippine Pangolin is endemic to the Palawan region, naturally inhabiting four islands, which include Palawan, Busuanga, Culion, and Calauit. They are nocturnal animals which primarily feed on ants, termites, and other insects. And they locate prey via a strong sense of smell, then use their forefeet to rip insect nests open for them to feed on. Simply put, they are scaly anteaters, and it turns out that we have our own unique species of them.

As a matter of fact, they have only been recognized as a unique species beginning in 1998. This is the Manis culionensis — distinct from the Sunda Pangolins, which are scattered around Southeast Asia. Locally, the pangolin is called the balintong, which translates to somersault, because of the way it rolls itself into a scaly ball as a defense mechanism, when threatened.

Are these animals captured to become exotic pets? Absolutely not; it is worse than that. They’ve been aggressively hunted to near extinction for their meat, scales, and other body parts which are commonly used as ingredients for traditional Chinese medicine.

The reality is that the medicinal value of pangolin parts remains unfounded. Their scales are simply made of keratin — which essentially means that these parts are just like hairs that are cemented together. Yet, after stronger efforts were made by the international community to bust the illegal wildlife trade rings in Indonesia and Malaysia, the Philippines consequently saw an alarming spike in the poaching activities that specifically target the Palawan Pangolin. To our dismay, Filipinos themselves would trap and sell Palawan pangolins — often smuggling them into China.

As kind of the remaining beacon of hope for this wildlife tragedy, there are conservationists out there who have been dedicating much of their lives to saving the Palawan Pangolin. Among the leaders in relentlessly championing the survival of this animal is the Katala Foundation — a nonprofit, nonstock, nongovernmental organization led by its steadfast and Filipino-speaking German founder, Dr. Sabine Schoppe.

The Katala Foundation is particularly active in protecting and conserving several threatened, endemic species in the country, especially those found in Palawan — which is sort of like our country’s last frontier of nature. Through research, community engagement, and on-the-ground conservation efforts, the Katala Foundation endeavors to secure a future where Palawan Pangolins can recover in their numbers and coexist with the local human communities.

Enter Mazda Philippines and its special pickup: the Mazda BT-50 4×4 Pangolin Edition. Its namesake is certainly no coincidence. It was Mazda Philippines President and CEO Steven Tan’s idea to name their proud pickup as such because he surmised that when people bought the product, the Pangolin name would somehow tickle its owner’s curiosity. And that awareness alone — knowing what a Pangolin is, that we actually have them here in the country, and that they are in deep trouble — is already a large step in the right direction.

But Mazda Philippines didn’t stop there. Under Steven Tan’s leadership, the company initially committed to lend out a Mazda BT-50 4×4 Pangolin Edition pickup truck to the Katala Foundation for at least a year, in order to support their scientific ventures into the forests of Palawan, to set up camera traps and other things to further their study of the critically endangered species.

Following that run, which already started a few years back, Mazda Philippines then completely donated two Pangolin Edition pickup trucks (a few years apart from each other, and the most recent one being the Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition II) to the Katala Foundation.

The Mazda BT-50 4×4 Pangolin Edition II is the Japanese brand’s boldest interpretation of its pickup truck yet. It is powered by a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine that can generate 190ps of power alongside a delightful 450Nm of torque (starting at 1,600rpm) — an extremely useful feature for braving the challenging, muddy rainforests of Palawan. It also utilizes an electronic rear differential lock, (it is crucial for a real off-roader to have rear differential locking ability) — an important feature when running some serious off-road missions.

What an awesome partnership for a truly wonderful cause! If you would like to learn more about the Katala Foundation and extend your help (because they really need all the help they can get!), you may explore your options by visiting the website www.philippinecockatoo.org.

Please, please, let’s help save our gentle balintongs!

Hyundai Stargazer X: A sublime experience

PHOTO BY KENT FLORES OF ZIGWHEELS/CARMUDI PHILIPPINES

We paint pottery and dine under the stars with this niftily named MPV

By Dylan Afuang

WITH PLAIN white pots smaller than a milk can as our canvas, everyone dipped the dainty paint brushes on a palette of colors and began to create pretty pictures. A few depicted a heartfelt memory such as a wedding anniversary, one a humorous quip requesting for alcoholic drinks, and many whatever image came to mind, just to comply with the day’s mission.

This creative activity was part of the “Hyundai Drive Experience” that Hyundai Motor Philippines, Inc. (HMPH) recently held for select motoring press and content creators.

On a route from Manila to Clark, Pampanga, the event allowed us to enjoy laid-back activities and witness the capabilities — such as its comfortable cabin and acceptable performance — of Hyundai’s multi-purpose vehicle-slash-SUV crossover, the P1.348-million Stargazer X.

Introduced in Indonesia and the Philippines last year, the Stargazer X retains the seven-seat cabin and sleek shape of the South Korean car maker’s Stargazer MPV, but sports a more rugged appeal through exterior design enhancements that take inspiration from SUVs.

“Lifestyle” activities — like our afternoon of painting clay pots while sipping strong coffee — are “things we want to infuse in (HMPH’s media) ride-and-drive events in the future (in order to pique) the interest of our target audience,” HMPH Deputy General Manager for Marketing Mark Parulan stated during the event.

The Drive Experience “not only highlights the technical aspects of our car, but (serves) to inject a lifestyle approach to our marketing activities,” he added.

The Stargazer X’s styling, for one, can add a striking sight to one’s lifestyle. The Stargazer’s sleek shape and sharp lights already distinguishes itself in the MPV sector, yet the X stylizes these further with the addition of roof rails, body overfenders, a bulge on its hood, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels that enable the X to clear the ground with an SUV-rivaling 200mm.

Across its three rows of seats, the vehicle also provides adequate space for seven adults. Creature comforts inside the X, some of these shared with the regular Stargazer, include an array of storage provisions and cupholders, a shelf mounted on the seatback, supportive seats, and a cool gust from the air-conditioner for front and rear passengers.

Onboard the crossover as a passenger to the pottery and driver to dinner and our hotel, we noticed that while the vehicle rides and drives happier in a relaxed pace, the Stargazer X is a fast and comfortable enough companion for many families.

Surrounded by Stargazer X units, with tailgates open and rear seats folded creating a spot for, well, stargazing or watching a movie, a buffet of Korean dishes and desserts, all under the cool Pampanga weather, Mr. Parulan also shared HMPH’s sales achievement last year.

“In 2023, we (posted) an almost 300% jump in sales,” the executive announced.

With 9,130 units sold, HMPH was the eight best-selling car maker in the country, the 2023 sales tally from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) showed. It represents the company’s rise from 13th place in 2022, when HMPH took over the local Hyundai distributorship.

The Stargazer led the brand’s sales record with a reported 3,618 units sold.

Proven to be a spacious and comfortable ride, especially in this road trip filled with creative and relaxing activities, the Stargazer X definitely deserves a place in the lifestyles of more consumers.

PHINMA Corp., DLSU team up for business research center 

LISTED conglomerate PHINMA Corp. has partnered with De La Salle University (DLSU) for a business research center.

The newly launched PHINMA-DLSU Center for Business and Society will be housed in DLSU’s Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, PHINMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr. said last week.

“Our goal at the PHINMA-DLSU Center for Business and Society is to create a spark and fan it into a blaze of change that spreads across industries and borders,” Mr. Del Rosario said during the research center’s launch event in Makati City.

He added that P50 million has been donated as initial seed fund for the research center.  

“We did an initial seed fund of P50 million from PHINMA Corp., my family, and my own personal contribution. It is our hope that this center will become the country’s foremost advocate for business as a force for good,” Mr. Del Rosario said.

The center’s key strategies include the development of tools, materials, and case studies for other business schools to implement into their curricula, as well as the pursuit of research on businesses worldwide that have become an “impactful force for social good and recommend ways on adopting their best practices.”

The research center also plans to train and recognize business leaders who will promote inclusive business practices. 

It seeks to be a catalyst for fostering humanistic business practices and societal well-being towards responsible and sustainable business conduct.

“Like a single spark that can ignite a vast flame, we believe one institution, one leader, one educator, one student, and one idea can catalyze significant change,” Mr. Del Rosario said. 

PHINMA Corp. is a holding company that has business interests in education, steel products, housing, and business process outsourcing sectors.

The conglomerate’s shares were last traded on March 6 at P19.98 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Gov’t debt yields flat as prices quicken

YIELDS on government securities ended flat last week after inflation quickened in February.

The yields rose by 1.41 basis points (bps) on the average week on week, based on PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service Reference rates as of March 8 published on the Philippine Dealing System website.

The rates at the short end of the curve were mixed, with 91- and 182-day Treasury bills (T-bills) going up by 3.6 and 1.71 bps respectively, to 5.7652% and 5.9746%. The yield on the 364-day debt fell by 0.39 bp to 6.1049%.

At the belly of the curve, the rate of the two-year T-bond decreased by 0.46 bps to 6.1139%.

On the other hand, three-year bonds rose by 1.03 bps to 6.1612%, while      four-year bonds went up by 2.25 bps to 6.2040%.  Five-year bonds increased by 3.06 bps to 6.2360%, while seven-year debt gained 3.05 bps to 6.2632%.

At the long end, the 10-, 20-, and 25-year T-bonds marginally edged up by 0.93, 0.59 and 0.09 bps, respectively, to 6.2528%, 6.2555% and 6.2477%.

The volume rose to P14.13 billion on Friday from P11.25 billion on March 1.

“Local bonds saw weak trading action at the start of last week as investors were on a risk averse tone ahead of the inflation data released on Tuesday,” ATRAM Trust Corp. Chief Investment Officer Alessandra P. Araullo said in a Viber message. “Some sellers then emerged following the result, which spurred further de-risking.”

She added that inactivity persisted in the local bond space for the rest of the week absent any local catalyst.

In a Viber message, a bond trader said most bondtraders had expected faster inflation in February.

“However, what was surprising was the persistently higher month-on-month figure, with rice inflation continuing to be a concern although the core figure was lower,” the trader said. “This reminded the market that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) probably will not be cutting rates anytime soon particularly as the second-quarter consumer price index will likely be above the BSP’s upper target of 4%.”

February inflation quickened to 3.4% from 2.8% in January as food prices surged. Rice inflation increased to a 15-year high of 23.7% in from 22.6% in January and 2.2% a year ago.

On a monthly basis, prices of widely used goods and services went up by 0.6%. Seasonally adjusted, inflation climbed by 0.9% month on month.

Meanwhile, the government raised P30 billion from the reissued seven-year bonds it sold on Tuesday, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

The bonds were awarded at an average rate of 6.27%, with accepted yields ranging from 6.198% to 6.345%.

“The market has ample liquidity to absorb the bond issuances, particularly with about P450 billion of maturing unswapped retail Treasury bonds maturing this week,” the bond trader said.

The auction this week will show the market’s appetite in the future.

“We are expecting a more active trading session this week,” Ms. Araullo said. “The BTr will be issuing 10-year bonds and we are expecting stronger demand for this tenor.”

On Tuesday, the Treasury will auction off reissued 10-year debt with a remaining life of nine years and 10 months worth P30 billion. The debt has a coupon rate of 6.25%. — Karis Kasarinlan Paolo D. Mendoza

Palimbang: How a maritime frontier moves away from violence

MEDOL ISLAND, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat

(Part 2)

Power shifts change the dynamics in relationships that define new ordering and norming in society. World wars in the past shifted power to allied forces from the Central Powers in World War I and Axis Powers in World War II. Each shift came with promises of stability and peace that have not yet sustainably come true. Peace agreements in civil wars are also accompanied by negotiated power shifts that are supposed to define new relations of power between the central state and rebel groups. Like other power shifts, they are supposed to define a new order and secure stability and peace. However, some power shifts gear up new dynamics that perpetuate conflict and violence; others, go towards a more positive note.

Peace remains elusive in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Conflict and violence persist despite the peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in 1996 and a separate Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government in 2014. A major power shift emerged in 2018 upon the enactment of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and establishment of the MILF-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) in 2019.

The post-BOL regional power shift in favor of the MILF-led BTA raised a lot of expectations on the transition to peace. However, these expectations remain unmet. The political transition itself, leading to formal legitimation of the regional government through elections, did not happen as originally planned in 2022. Similarly, the programmed decommissioning of MILF weapons and combatants has been delayed.

Thousands of rebel guns remain in the hands of the MILF, so are other illicit guns in the hands of private armed groups and civilians. From 2011 to 2020, Conflict Alert recorded 2,774 gun-related violent incidents in the BARMM due to illegal guns that are associated with various types of threat actors of which 95.5% are unidentified. Topping the list of identified actors is the MILF.

Palimbang in Sultan Kudarat province is not part of the Bangsamoro political transition and normalization processes, but it remains part of the organizational systems of the MNLF and MILF. A new addition is the organizational system of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). No one really knows how many illegal weapons are in the hands of non-state armed groups, criminal gangs, and civilians in the town. There has been no record of disarmament and surrender except for weapons confiscated during law enforcement operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Power dynamics in frontier areas like Palimbang can either lead to persistent violence or peaceful transition. Skeptics may not be convinced that a maritime frontier like Palimbang can choose to take the nonviolent route to development. However, there are positive markers that show otherwise. These are substantive markers behind the overt and physical signs of improvement such as the modern government buildings, well-lighted boulevard, and sprouting of restaurants and lodging accommodations.

Conversations with various stakeholders in Palimbang — the municipal and barangay local authorities, the AFP, MNLF, MILF, former NPA rebels, and ordinary civilians — suggest positive markers of how local power shifts can lead to nonviolent routes to peace. A history of violent conflicts, ethnic diversity, formal and informal institutions of governance, and co-existence of state and non-state armed groups easily place Palimbang as an arena of fierce competition. However, local actors chose the other way — to become partners rather than competitors.

First, a look at the power shift in the agrarian economy. Palimbang has a land area of roughly 48,000 hectares, of which 30,000 hectares are under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Omar Kanda says that the program benefits 16,000 families, roughly 85% of the total number of families in the municipality. This shift faces no competition from big landlords. It only shifted legal control of the resettlement areas from the National Government to the local people.

The MILF and MNLF cooperated in the agrarian reform process. The land where the MILF camp in Tibulho is located is also under CARP coverage. Kumander Teng (aka Macalma Sabidan Ali) ensured that indigenous peoples and Christian settlers are not excluded from land distribution. He and his wife — Bainon Benasi, who is the Barangay Chairperson of Tibuhol — preside over agricultural support from the BARMM, Palimbang being considered by the MILF as a special development area.

This shift does not follow the conventional “guns-to-plows” approach, but it works. Earlier on, former combatants of the MNLF and MILF, mostly women, organized themselves into the Palimbang Entrepreneurs and Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (PEARBCO).

Crystal Solaiman, daughter of former MNLF combatants, manages the cooperative. Still landless in 2008, she and 24 other women offspring of former combatants initiated the formation of the cooperative with P1,000 in individual contributions to produce nipa shingles. Upon acquisition of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) in 2013, they shifted to the production of banana chips, palapa, bagoong, coffee and buri bags, alongside pre-existing production of coconut. What the cooperative produces is considered by the municipal government as “braggable” goods that have attracted support from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).

Second, the shift in use of armed power by the MILF and MNLF. They maintain military camps and command structures and hold on to their guns. Being outside the BARMM, they are not subject to the terms and conditions of normalization and decommissioning. However, they chose to respect the peace process, cooperate with the local government, local police, and the AFP; and get out of the rebellion. This leaves the CPP-NPA alone in non-state armed activities, limited to movement in indigenous people’s (IP) communities.

Third, the AFP’s shift to the “keyhole” approach in the mobilization of military power. According to Col. John Paul Baldomar, commanding officer of the 37th Infantry Battalion, this approach is characterized by incisive military actions that are less invasive to communities. Unlike other provinces, the AFP in Palimbang does not detain captured (or surrendered) NPA rebels in de-radicalization facilities. Former rebels are immediately allowed to return to their home communities. Col. Baldomar also gives credit to alliances with the MILF, MNLF, and IP leaders in containing CPP-NPA movement.

Fourth, the shift in deployment of local government power. The current Mayor, Joenime Kanima, does not fall under the category of a traditional politician. He spent his youth in General Santos City but did not finish college because, as he says, he was a “malingerer.” Although a Muslim, he was exposed to non-Muslim urban culture. Religious tolerance is also in the family, his wife being of mixed Maguindanao, Muslim-Ilocano-Christian parentage.

Mayor Kanima changed the face of Palimbang into a modern-looking township that is supposed to attract entrepreneurship, investments, and tourism. The municipal government benefits from technical assistance provided by Action for Economic Reforms in data-driven adaptive management. The government center boasts of a modern building (with an elevator), a wide plaza, a seaside promenade, and a guest house called the Green Palace. The physical set-up is designed to accommodate local entrepreneurs and the inflow of investments and commodities from other provinces.

The mayor worries less about the rebellion and insurgency. Sporadic violence is mainly driven by rido (clan feuds). For this, he established the Kukom Kalilintad, an informal dispute resolution mechanism that settles clan feuds. Often, he uses personal funds to cover the diya (blood money) as compensation to the victim or heirs of victims of clan feuds. The money spent is a better alternative to perennial equal retaliation.

 

Ed Quitoriano is a Chevening fellow on Conflict Resolution and specializes in peace and conflict studies. He works as senior advisor of the Council for Climate and Conflict Action Asia and principal consultant of Visus Consulting

France mulls penalties to rein in ultra-fast fashion brands

PARIS — Fashion brands with ultra-fast product turnover such as China’s Shein should be subject to penalties of up to 50% of their garments’ selling price to offset their environmental impact, French ruling-majority MPs have proposed in a new bill.

The MPs say that ultra-fast fashion brands, rather than renewing their collections four times per year like traditional clothing brands, offer thousands of new products per day, inciting excessive spending and unnecessary pollution.

“This evolution of the apparel sector towards ephemeral fashion, combining increased volumes and low prices, is influencing consumer buying habits by creating buying impulses and a constant need for renewal, which is not without environmental, social and economic consequences,” the bill said.

The bill singled out Chinese ready-to-wear company Shein, saying that it on average presents more than 7,200 new garment models a day, and makes more than 470,000 different products available to consumers.

To offset the environmental impact of ultra-fast fashion, the MPs propose penalties of up to 10 euros ($10.86) per item sold, or up to 50% of the selling price, by 2030.

Shein, in a statement to French news agency AFP, said it follows “best international practices in terms of sustainable development and social commitment.”

Following discussion in a parliamentary committee, the bill will be presented to parliament in the second half of March.

French Environment Minister Christophe Bechu said in a statement last Monday that following a meeting with industry players, activists and researchers, his ministry plans several measures to reduce fashion’s environmental impact.

He said France plans a ban on advertising by ultra-fast fashion companies and the introduction of a financial incentives system to make ultra-fast-fashion more expensive while sustainable fashion will become cheaper.

The popularity of fast fashion e-commerce retailers like Shein and Temu has disrupted the retail sector. Shein taps a network of largely China-based suppliers, bucking traditional manufacturing trends by accepting small initial orders, then scaling up based on demand.

The ultra-flexible supply chain has allowed Shein to create a different business model than established fast-fashion players like Zara and H&M, which pioneered shorter production timelines but still largely rely on predicting shoppers’ preferences. — Reuters

Marcos government told to review rice program

REUTERS

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

THE government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should review its rice program before extending Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), industry experts said at the weekend.

“RCEF should be extended, but we should undertake a thorough review not only of RCEF but of the whole rice program of the Department of Agriculture to find out why it has not been working as expected and what changes need to be introduced,” Raul Q. Montemayor, national manager of the Federation of Free Farmers, said in a Viber message.

Last week, Senator Cynthia A. Villar said she would propose another six-year extension of the rice competitiveness fund, with a higher yearly budget of P20 million from P10 million.

Mr. Montemayor said the program has yet to attain its objective of boosting the competitiveness of rice farmers “despite the billions of pesos poured into the various programs.”

“For rice farmers to attain higher income, they will have to pursue rice-based crop diversification, that is, planting other high-value crops in between two cropping seasons of rice,” former Agriculture Undersecretary Fermin D. Adriano said in a Viber message. “That is what is being done in Vietnam and Thailand.”

“For marginal rice lands where water is scarce, shift to planting high-value crops. Whether this happens will depend on the Agriculture department pushing it,” he added.

The rice program is meant to modernize the rice industry and is funded by import tariffs for rice under the Rice Tariffication Law. The Bureau of Customs collected P30 million in rice tariffs last year.

The fund supports the supply of P10 million worth of machinery, seeds and fertilizers, among other things, to rice. The tariff allocations under RCEF are set to expire in June.

The Rice Tariffication law, which took effect in 2019, allowed private traders to bring in rice shipments without restriction.

“It should continue to give focus on the rice farmers tilling two hectares and below, while those tilling more than two hectares should be given more opportunity to secure credit from Land Bank of the Philippines or Development Bank of the Philippines,” former Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a text message.

He added that the rice program should also allot funding for balanced fertilization, integrated pest management and crop diversification, while reducing the budget for mechanization.

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization gets P5 billion yearly so it can buy farming equipment and machinery.

The Agriculture department expects palay or unmilled rice output to hit 20 million metric tons (MT) this year from 20.06 million MT last year.

Hyundai introduces new brand ambassadors

Sarah Geronimo with (left) Viva Artists Agency Chairman and CEO Vic del Rosario, Jr. and Hyundai Motor Philippines Managing Director Cecil Capacete — PHOTO FROM HYUNDAI MOTOR PHILIPPINES

HYUNDAI MOTOR PHILIPPINES, INC. (HMPH) recently named four celebrity “icons” as its first-ever ambassadors. The car maker, said to have undergone a brand transformation in the local market “determinedly reintroduced itself as a mobility solutions provider” in 2023. Now, it calls Piolo Pascual, Sarah Geronimo, Kim Chiu, and Paulo Avelino its brand ambassadors.

“We warmly welcome Piolo, Sarah, Kim, and Paulo to Team Hyundai! This select group has been put together not only because they are the most esteemed and talented stars of this generation but, more importantly, since they are known to have positively adapted and evolved themselves at every stage of their respective careers. And as we find ourselves going through a similar journey, we look forward to them becoming catalysts. We believe they will be helpful in broadening our reach. This means forming deeper connections while communicating our vision on innovation and sustainability with Filipino motorists,” said HMPH Managing Director Cecil Capacete.

Piolo is regarded as “Asia’s Drama Superstar,” having cemented his status with more than three decades in showbiz. Overseen by Erickson Raymundo’s Cornerstone Entertainment, Inc., Mr. Pascual is highly acclaimed for acting and modeling, adding hosting, producing, and directing to his list of accolades. “It’s always a great feeling to be tapped by brands that are trusted and well-respected in their respective fields. Hyundai Motor Philippines is proving to be one filled with dynamism when it comes to this. Hyundai’s promise on ‘Freedom of Mobility’ that goes beyond vehicles intrigues and excites me. I can’t wait to further discover it with my fellow Filipino car owners and enthusiasts,” he said.

Sarah, the “popstar royalty” known for her versatility and music performances, has been with Viva Artists Management, under Vic Del Rosario, since winning the television talent show, “Star For A Night.” Her popularity extends abroad, and she is a recipient of various recognitions including the Global Force Award she will receive at the upcoming 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. She stated, “It’s always a pleasure whenever I get to work with brands that allow me to maximize my platform and continuously grow. So this partnership with Hyundai Motor Philippines is extra special because I get to work with a group who has a unique approach toward mobility. I’m eager to being one with Hyundai’s efforts and contribute in its vision of a sustainable and progressive future for Filipinos.”

Kim rose to fame after winning Filipino reality show, “Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition.” Since then, she has flourished as an actress, host, recording artist, and has been named as Forbes Asia’s 2020 most influential Filipino personalities and recognized for her philanthropic works.

“Those around me, even my followers for that matter, know that I enjoy being behind the wheel. I’ve had the privilege of experiencing some of Hyundai’s new-gen cars already during our taping. And as I officially become a member of the Hyundai Motor Philippines family, I’m excited that there is more to come,” said Ms. Chiu, dubbed as the country’s multimedia idol and managed by Star Magic’s Laurenti Dyogi. “Though it’s only been a few years since I started to drive, the car buying and servicing process is very familiar to me. So I feel grateful to be given the chance to work with a brand whose commitment towards ownership is centered on ‘quality time’ to ensure that customers can make the most out of their cars.”

Similarly, Paulo — an actor, singer, and film producer — also kick-started his career after participating in “Starstruck,” a reality celebrity search show. After years in the entertainment industry, he has been acknowledged by peers and the general public as one of the country’s best actors of his generation, proven by his numerous acting awards and is considered to be one of the industry’s prominent leading men due to his multiple hit shows and movies.

Mr. Avelino, who is being managed by Leo Dominguez of LVD Management Corp., said during the official signing ceremony, “It’s a plus to be endorsing a brand that you believe in and share the same passion with. So you can just imagine how happy I am that Hyundai Motor Philippines has placed its trust in me. I am even more pleased that I get to be a part of their ‘innovate everyday’ movement.” He added, “I’m one who’s not afraid to branch out in terms of show business, as seen in my involvements in e-sports and gaming. Much like Hyundai, who is stepping out of its comfort zone on being just a car manufacturer to redefine innovation. There’s so much more to the brand that I’ve learned about and excited to share.”

LRMC expects higher ridership in 2024

LIGHT Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the operator of Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1), aims to sustain daily ridership growth in 2024, its president said.

“It’s been increasing, it’s difficult to say [the exact growth] because there’s so many parameters but year on year, there is growth… it is improving,” Juan F. Alfonso, president and chief executive officer of LRMC, told reporters on the sidelines of a media briefing last week.

LRMC said LRT-1’s average daily ridership last year was between 350,000 and 370,000, while its pre-pandemic or 2019 level was around 450,000 daily.

Despite seeing the ridership figures bouncing back, Mr. Alfonso described the trend as growing at a slower pace from the previous levels.

Last year, the Transportation department approved fare hike adjustments for LRT-1 and LRT-2.

The approval of the Department of Transportation to implement a higher fare has somehow helped the company reach higher revenues for the year, Mr. Alfonso said.

Last week, the LRT-1 operator said the first phase of the Cavite extension is nearing completion as it hit 97% progress rate.

Once finished, the first phase of the LRT-1 Cavite extension will add a total of 6.2-kilometer line, connecting Baclaran Station in Pasay City to Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque City.

The company said securing the right of way for the second and third phase of the project is still a challenge.

“It is just the right-of-way process, it is always the challenge,” he added.

Earlier, the company said that the project’s 2027 target completion date will heavily depend on the right-of-way acquisition.

For now, Mr. Alfonso did not provide a clear timeline on whether the initial target would be met.

“We don’t have exact timelines yet and, of course, we are working with the government to try and make it happen,” he said.

LRMC is the joint venture of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. Metro Pacific Light Rail is a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT Inc. and Philex Mining Corp.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Increase and multiply

FREEPIK

“Increase and multiply!” God told Adam, the first Man, in Genesis 1:28. “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” One rule: “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die” (Genesis 3:3)

“Eat, and you will be like God,” the Serpent tempted. Adam and Eve ate the Forbidden Fruit and so they were banished from the fully enlightened ambience of the Garden of Eden, where there was peace and harmony among all creatures in Creation.

In the mortal world, Good and Evil constantly fight to win over Man. Death is unescapable, as a reminder of that end in time, of the struggle to return to harmonious Eternity in Eden. Man’s first sin against Man in the temporal world was when Adam’s son, Cain, killed his brother Abel. Power “over everything that moves on the earth” became an obsession of Fallen Man. Greed and corruption, killing and stealing were prevalent in the competitive struggle for dominance and survival. God was unhappy with this. He found one just man among the descendants of Seth: Noah.

God said to Noah, “I am going to destroy all flesh because the world is full of violence. Build an ark of gopherwood, with rooms inside, three decks, and a door. Cover it inside and out with pitch.” And Noah did exactly as God commanded him (Genesis 6:13–22).

Rain poured for 40 days and the resulting floods stayed for 150 days, destroying all living things except those whom God permitted Noah to bring with him on the ark: Noah and his wife; their three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japeth and their wives (eight humans); seven pairs each, a male and a female, of all clean animals and birds; one pair each, a male and a female of all unclean animals and birds (Genesis 7:1-5).

“I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done,” God promised Noah after the Flood. “Increase and multiply and fill the earth,” God said to Noah (Genesis 9:7) as He had said to Adam.

Call the story of Genesis “historical narrative” or even folklore, if one does not believe in “God Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible” or other Supreme Being or Principle who rules over Mankind. Genesis, which starts from the creation of Adam, is a central starting story for the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Even for a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God, or believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena — basic human intuition and logic gained from empirical experience in living and dying must urge the acceptance that Man by himself cannot control human existence. Natural laws call on the peaceful co-existence of living creatures.

And so the world worries about the growing or declining population, and its burden on economics (competition, gains, and survival) and socio-politics (power and influence, hierarchies and dependencies).

As of Jan. 1, 2024, the world’s population was 8,019,876,189, up 75,162,541 (0.95%) from New Year’s Day 2023, according to estimates of the US Census Bureau’s International Database (IDB) for 227 countries and equivalent areas, plus 15,237 subnational areas. Through January 2024, 4.3 births and 2.0 deaths were expected every second worldwide. (Trending is refined through the focus year.) Around 108 billion people have ever lived on our planet. This means that today’s population size makes up 6.5% of the total number of people ever born (ourworldindata.org).

Demographers study birth rates and death rates, which affect the level of natural change (increase or decrease) within a population. Emigration and immigration, quite common in globalization, adjust individual countries’ population growth rates. Other factors that affect the change in a population’s growth include the impact of urbanization (easier access to medical facilities, medical technology, and medicine), the emancipation of women (women working, fewer or delayed pregnancies), agricultural changes (more food production, shift of labor to industry), and education (health and hygiene, family planning), according to a UK study (coolgeography.co.uk).

The population of the Philippines on January 2024 was 119,106,224, 1.47% of the total world population. The Philippines is ranked No. 13 of countries with a population of more than 100 million, with China and India each having more than one billion people. The population grew 1.51% (1,768,856) from last year 2023. This considers a net migration of -69,996 meaning more people have gone out of the country than those who came in. The total fertility rate (TFR) is 2.67 live births per reproductive-age woman, with the TFR steadily declining since 1970, when it was 6.20.

The urban population makes up 47.4% of the total, having grown from 31.5% in 1970 — indicating the movement to the cities and/or urbanization of erstwhile rural areas to serve the economic and social needs of the growing population. The problem with urbanization is the “crowding out” principle, where opportunities and resources are easily taken by the powerful (e.g., the rich), leaving little for the weak (e.g., the poor). The Gini ratio representing the income and wealth inequality in the Philippines per the World Bank is at 40.70 (as at 2021) reflecting a large gap between a country’s richest and poorest citizens.

Population growth and distribution has been a critical planning parameter for the country’s bid to keep pace with the exciting rise of the developing ASEAN region that started in the 1970s. Republic Act No. 6365 (Aug. 16, 1971) established the National Population Program and created the Commission on Population (PopCom). However, little — or more like nothing — concrete was accomplished in the policymaking, planning, coordinating, and monitoring of the Population Program until Republic Act No. 10354, The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act or Reproductive Health Law (RH Law), was passed in 2012. It provided universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sex education, and maternal care in the Philippines.

There was much controversy and opposition raised by the Catholic clergy on the RH Law, especially on the availability of contraceptives and their distribution to the poor. The use of contraceptives is prohibited by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. But after a three-year appeal raised to the Supreme Court, it was decided that the RH Law was not unconstitutional. Its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) was signed on March 15, 2013.

It has now been 11 years since the RH Law’s IRR was passed and meant to weave itself into the lives of Filipinos. Has it been effective in ordering better harmony in society? Controversy still rages, even among the implementors of the Law — modules for sex education in schools have not been standardized; some local government units (LGUs) seem to be still fumbling with family planning services and the handling of selective free contraceptives. And there’s finger-pointing over budget allocations for the administration and implementation of this very specialized program. And somehow it has expanded from population control to discussions of women’s rights, human rights, and gay rights.

The chaos and confusion might intuitively beg questions in one’s conscience: why is all this turmoil happening? What have I got to do with this? How is this going to end? The answer might not be a practical one — not like the Great Flood that drowned all creatures except Noah’s family of eight and representative pairs of animals and birds.

“Increase and multiply,” God said to Noah after the flood, as He said to Adam in the beginning of time. From the eight people from Noah’s Ark, there are now eight billion people in the temporal world — “temporary” for sure, because of the sureness of death. Instinctively, Man wants survival for oneself, but must also respect the right of others to live. Thou shalt not kill.

The RH Law only prescribes and makes available population control measures and means for the better practical life for Filipinos. Each person has the power of choice and instinctive moral guidance on surviving in our crowded earth.

 

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

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

BSP seeks to revive swap market

ADAM SMIGIELSKI-UNSPLASH

THE PHILIPPINE central bank wants to revive the swap market to deepen the country’s capital markets, its governor said last week.

“We used to do swaps quite a bit, but somehow, they disappeared,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. told a forum last week. “I would like to revive the swap market, the interest rate swap markets and insist on market making at least the five-year maturity, which is the sweet spot for fixed-income securities, for corporate bonds, for derivatives contracts so maybe that will work.”

He cited markets in Europe, where the swap curve emerged without regulatory intervention. “Without any government initiative, without any central bank taking the lead, the swap curve emerged as the benchmark curve. Maybe that’s the way to do it now.”

A swap is a derivative contract where one party exchanges the values or cash flows of one asset for another.

Swaps are traded over the counter, versus options and futures that are traded on a public exchange.

Interest rate, equity, credit default and currency swaps are the most common types of swaps.

“If we had a swap curve, maybe you need to make markets, maybe just one maturity, maybe the five-year,” Mr. Remolona said.

He said the country does not have a good repurchase market to tie down the short end.

“I don’t understand what the reason is because we have GMRA (Global Master Repurchase Agreement), which is supposed to be so simple and so acceptable that the whole world will use it,” he said. “Somehow, it hasn’t worked here.” — BMDC

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