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Europe sets potential benchmark for rest of the world with landmark AI laws

FREEPIK

BRUSSELS — Europe’s landmark rules on artificial intelligence (ai) will enter into force next month after European Union (EU) countries endorsed on Tuesday a political deal reached in December, setting a potential global benchmark for a technology used in business and everyday life.

The European Union’s AI Act is more comprehensive than the United States’ light-touch voluntary compliance approach while China’s approach aims to maintain social stability and state control.

The vote by EU countries came two months after EU lawmakers backed the AI legislation drafted by the European Commission in 2021 after making a number of key changes.

Concerns about AI contributing to misinformation, fake news, and copyrighted material have intensified globally in recent months amid the growing popularity of generative AI systems such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Google’s chatbot Gemini.

“This landmark law, the first of its kind in the world, addresses a global technological challenge that also creates opportunities for our societies and economies,” Belgian digitization minister Mathieu Michel said in a statement.

“With the AI Act, Europe emphasizes the importance of trust, transparency, and accountability when dealing with new technologies while at the same time ensuring this fast-changing technology can flourish and boost European innovation,” he said.

The AI Act imposes strict transparency obligations on high-risk AI systems while such requirements for general-purpose AI models will be lighter.

It restricts governments’ use of real-time biometric surveillance in public spaces to cases of certain crimes, prevention of terrorist attacks and searches for people suspected of the most serious crimes.

The new legislation will have an impact beyond the 27-country bloc, said Patrick van Eecke at law firm Cooley.

“The Act will have global reach. Companies outside the EU who use EU customer data in their AI platforms will need to comply. Other countries and regions are likely to use the AI Act as a blueprint, just as they did with the GDPR,” he said, referring to EU privacy rules.

While the new legislation will apply in 2026, bans on the use of artificial intelligence in social scoring, predictive policing and untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage will kick in in six months once the new regulation enters into force.

Obligations for general purpose AI models will apply after 12 months and rules for AI systems embedded into regulated products in 36 months.

Fines for violations range from €7.5 million ($8.2 million) or 1.5% of turnover to €35 million or 7% of global turnover depending on the type of violations. — Reuters

Adapting to the situation

SHEREENA COOK-UNSPLASH

IN THE BOOK, The Upside of Irrationality (2010), author Dan Ariely delves into the effect of emotion on economic behavior. One of the subjects he tackles is “adaptation.” Whether in a good situation or a bad one, one gradually adapts to the condition he is in.

Ariely points to his own experience of having undergone a severe and painful hospitalization procedure after suffering burns and broken bones from an accident. In one process, to avoid the amputation of an arm, the doctor required surgical techniques without the benefit of anesthesia as Ariely’s heart condition would not allow the use of drugs. The long procedure was somehow helped by the doctor asking his patient to count slowly from one to 10 to somehow adapt to the pain.

Adaptation also applies even to very pleasurable conditions like sudden wealth or the assumption of an influential position. This process of acceptance and entitlement even has a name for behavioral economists like Dan Ariely. It is called “hedonistic adaptation.” How many times have we heard moguls complain about the boredom of having their own plane to ferry them everywhere or staying in a mansion where the voices echo in the emptiness? (Even the heated pool can lose its charm.)

Ariely suggests a way of prolonging the pleasure and avoiding early adaptation. If one is soaking in a hot spring pool with a significant other with nothing on but a smile, the pleasure can be prolonged if interrupted. (Let me get a nice cold glass of champagne first.) The resumption of the pleasure restarts the adaptation process.

The classic anecdote of the “boiling frog” is an example of adaptation leading to danger. The frog is dropped into a pot of room-temperature water. The heat is turned up gradually in stages, as the frog adapts continuously. It does not realize at some point that it is being boiled alive.

Our own culture is quite adaptive. There is a readiness to adapt to even the most difficult situations like bad traffic, heat waves, and oratorical excesses among celebrity lawmakers. Is our cultural adaptation and acceptance a barrier to change?

For change to be considered there must be deep dissatisfaction with, and raging anger at, the current situation. This state of dissatisfaction goes against the grain of an adaptive culture that can accept chaos as a given. Reformers are unhappy and discontented, making them socially irritating to those who can adapt.

The ability to adapt and blend in is essential to Filipinos living and working overseas. There is readiness and even yearning to be accepted by adapting to the local culture, with its unwritten rules.

Integration into the local milieu involves acquiring the right accent and imbibing the formulaic responses to greetings and small talk with strangers. (How are you feeling today? I’m good.) Beyond this verbal skill lies the adoption of the local work ethic, attire, traffic rules, transactional proficiency for shopping and banking, as well as celebrating local holidays.

The Filipino abroad is a cultural chameleon that can effortlessly chuck his past baggage and take on such cultural habits like football madness with the intricacies of that game and fan behavior, or Thanksgiving dinners and their required menus and home decor.

As a reptile, the chameleon conceals itself against his background by taking on the color of its surroundings and blending into these as a defense mechanism. This same ability to adapt to the new habitat comes naturally to us as a people. We would rather not disagree even with disagreeable people to avoid confrontation and making a scene and attracting unwanted attention.

The reason Filipinos do well enough abroad to send billions of dollars back home is not just self-selection which favors the adventurous and hardworking. It is also their talent to absorb the culture they find as they take pains to belong to their acquired community or organization.

While this extraordinary ability to adapt to anything sharpens our survival instincts, it also makes us uncomfortable with reformers and crusaders who want to upend the buffet table.

Wanting to adapt and be just part of the scenery invites an almost pathetic need to belong and stay the course. Like the boiling frog, it is not clear when the best time is to jump out of the pot… while there’s still time.

 

Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda

ar.samson@yahoo.com

Country Builders Bank rebrands as Top Bank Philippines

COUNTRY Builders Bank, Inc. has changed its name to Top Bank Philippines, Inc. (A Rural Bank), it said on Wednesday.

“Our vision is clear: to be the top-of-mind and trusted banking institution that transforms the lives of our customers by constantly providing easy, personal, and secure banking solutions while adapting to their changing needs through traditional and secured digital platforms,” Top Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Ismael Sandig said in a statement.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a circular dated May 10 that it approved the change in the rural bank’s corporate name on Jan. 19 and the Securities and Exchange Commission cleared it on April 30.

Mr. Sandig said the rural bank, which is the largest in Metro Manila and nearby regions, is looking to expand through mergers or acquisitions and improve its digital capabilities.

“Aligned with our strategic direction, we’re simplifying access to financial support for small businesses, including sari-sari stores and retail ventures, making success simple for all customers,” he said.

Top Bank also plans to introduce more offerings like mobile banking and improve its automated teller machine (ATM) network.

“As part of this initiative, we’re acquiring an ATM Switch & Card Management system to facilitate the launch of products like debit cards and more,” Mr. Sandig said. — AMCS

Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures, Inc. to hold Annual Stockholders’ Meeting on June 20

Amended Notice of Annual Stockholders’ Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Stockholders Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 8:30 in the morning.

The agenda for the said meeting shall be as follows:

  1. Call to Order
  2. Secretary’s Proof of Due Notice of the Meeting and Determination of Quorum
  3. Approval of the Minutes of the Stockholders’ Meeting held on June 20, 2023
  4. Management’s Report
  5. Ratification of Acts of the Board of Directors and Management During the Previous Year
  6. Election of Directors (including Independent Directors)
  7. Appointment of External Auditor
  8. Approval of the Amendment of the Amended By-laws to (i) adjust the notice period and (ii) formally authorize stockholders to vote through remote communication or in absentia in accordance with the Revised Corporate Code
  9. Other Matters
  10. Adjournment

A brief explanation of the agenda item which requires stockholders’ approval is provided herein. The Information Statement, Management Report, SEC Form 17A will be uploaded to the Corporation’s website https://www.shakeysgroup.ph/ and PSE EDGE.

The record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to vote at said meeting is on May 2, 2024.

Stockholders may attend the meeting and vote via remote communication only.

Stockholders should pre-register at this link: https://www.shakeysgroup.ph/ir/register from May 25, 2024 to May 29, 2024.

Upon registration, Stockholders shall be asked to provide the information and upload the documents listed below (the file size should be no larger than 5MB):

A. For individual Stockholders:

  1. Email address
  2. First and Last Name
  3. Address
  4. Mobile Number
  5. Current photograph of the Stockholder, with the face fully visible
  6. Stock Certificate Number and number of shares held by the stockholder
  7. Valid government-issued ID
  8. For Stockholders with joint accounts: A scanned copy of an authorization letter       signed by all Stockholders, identifying who among them is authorized to cast the vote for the account

B. For corporate/organizational Stockholders:

  1. Email address
  2. Name of stockholder
  3. Address
  4. Mobile Number
  5. Phone Number
  6. Stock certificate number and number of shares held by the stockholder
  7. Current photograph of the individual authorized to cast the vote for the account (the “Authorized Voter”)
  8. Valid government-issued ID of the Authorized Voter
  9. A scanned copy of the Secretary’s Certificate or other valid authorization in favor of the Authorized Voter

Stockholders who will join by proxy shall download, fill out and sign the proxy found in https://www.shakeysgroup.ph/ir/register. Deadline to submit proxy forms is on June 7, 2024.

All registrations shall be validated by the Corporate Secretary in coordination with the Stock Agent. Successful registrants will receive an electronic invitation via email with a complete guide on how to join the meeting and how to cast votes.

Only stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 2, 2024 are entitled to notice and to vote at the meeting.

 

(SGD.)
MARIA ROSARIO L. IBANEZ
Corporate Secretary

 


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How expensive is the Philippines’ fixed broadband compared with its peers in the region?

The country’s average monthly broadband cost amounted to $35.55 (around P2,049) this year, latest data from consumer comparison site Cable.co.uk showed. This put the Philippines the 89th cheapest out of 223 countries in the report. However, it was the seventh most expensive broadband in the East and Southeast Asia region despite sitting below the Asia-Pacific average of $39.88 per month.

How expensive is the philippines’ fixed broadband compared with its peers in the region?

PSEi member stocks performed — May 22, 2024

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

Analyst advises Manila to beef up defense against China aggression

Philippine Coast Guard personnel documents a Chinese Coast Guard vessel shadowing the Philippines’ resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. — REUTERS

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz and John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporters

WORKING for peace in disputed waters would require the Philippines to ramp up its military modernization to deter China’s increasing aggression in the South China Sea, a renowned analyst said on Wednesday.

“The chance for peace is higher if the Philippines actually beefs up its armed forces for more credible self-defense, sustains its joint patrol activities in the South China Sea, and broadens its alliances with other friendly nations,” GlobalSource Partners country analyst Diwa C. Guinigundo said in a brief.

Citing a statement from the United States (US) Indo-Pacific Command, Mr. Guinigundo noted that the Philippines may invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the US if China’s harassment results in the death of a sailor or military personnel.

“It will indeed be uglier if cooler heads do not prevail, and raw force is deployed outside the perimeter of international law,” said Mr. Guinigundo, a former central bank deputy governor.

In an earlier brief, Mr. Guinigundo said the Philippines may experience a major power crisis if it cannot exploit oil and gas reserves in the South China Sea due to Chinese aggression.

China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, a body of water known to have untapped oil and natural gas reserves.

The Philippines is looking to conduct more joint patrols with the United States after the two countries executed military drills with Japan and Australia last month.

“During joint patrols with other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) claimants in the South China Sea, or with other friendly governments of Japan, Australia or even India, if China should take the offensive, such an aggressive and emboldened act could definitely escalate the maritime disputes,” Mr. Guinigundo said.

CHINA ODA
Interviewed in Manila on Wednesday, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo said the Philippines is still open to forging official development assistance (ODA) deals for government projects with China despite heightened tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.

“We also open with China, but late we have not received that many offers (for ODA projects) from China on this,” he said.

The Marcos government has withdrawn from loan negotiations with China for three major railway projects worth at least P228 billion amid worsening tensions over their sea dispute.

Last week, the Philippines and Japan signed loan agreements to equip the Philippine Coast with modern equipment and scholarships for Filipinos.

Manila and the Japan International Cooperation Agency signed loan deals worth ¥250 billion (P93 billion) for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway and the Dalton Pass East Alignment, which will link San Jose City in Nueva Ecija to Aritao in Nueva Vizcaya, both in northern Philippines.

FILIPINO TOP BRASS DENIES ‘NEW MODEL’
Meanwhile, former Vice Admiral and chief of the Philippine military’s Western Command Alberto B. Carlos on Wednesday denied striking a deal with a Chinese envoy or any foreign diplomat on a “new model” on handling the situation in the South China Sea.

At the Senate National Defense Committee hearing looking into an alleged wiretapped conversation and disinformation drive launched by China, Mr. Carlos said he only had a short “casual and informal” telephone conversation with a “Colonel Li” from the Chinese Embassy in Manila in January on how to ease tensions amid blocked resupply missions in Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin.

“I did not forge any agreement at the level and magnitude that would bind our two countries for the long term and redefine foreign policy,” he said. “I have not compromised the country’s territorial integrity. I have not given up our sovereign rights and entitlements.”

The former commander also denied consenting to having their conversation recorded.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message from reporters seeking comment.

Beijing earlier threatened to release the transcript and recordings of a conversation supposedly between Mr. Carlos and a Chinese diplomat about a new model agreed upon over the shoal in which the Philippines would deploy fewer vessels in resupply missions to its troops stationed there.

Mr. Carlos said he would be willing to divulge his conversation with Colonel Li from the Chinese Embassy in a closed-door executive session with senators.

He added that the supposed embassy official reached out to him last Monday through text message, but he did not respond to it.

LPA develops, may bring rains as dams near critical levels

Commuters use their umbrellas during a downpour along Taft Avenue, Manila, July 13, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

A CLOUD cluster outside of the Philippine area of responsibility (LPA) has developed into a low-pressure area (LPA), while water levels in Angat Dam and some others reached their critical levels, the state weather bureau said on Wednesday.

Addressing the climate forum of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), state weather specialist Loriedin dela Cruz-Galicia said that the LPA was last seen 1,255 kilometers east of southeastern Mindanao.

“We are not ruling out the possibility that it will develop into a tropical depression after emerging in the waters east of Luzon,” she said.

If the weather disturbance develops into a tropical depression, it would be named “Aghon,” marking it as the first of the year.

It is expected to make landfall in the Philippine area last night (May 22) or Thursday morning.

She said that the LPA may make landfall over the Bicol or Eastern Visayas areas by Friday or Saturday.

PAGASA also predicted that the LPA could recurve over the Philippine Sea and develop into a tropical depression by Friday or Saturday.

The storm is expected to bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas. It had warned of possible flash floods or landslides.

Managers of Angat Dam in Bulacan province are hoping rains would reach at least Quezon province, a critical watershed of the dam.

The water level at Angat Dam was 180.07 meters as of Wednesday morning, below the normal high-water level of 212 meters.

Angat Dam is the main source of water for Metro Manila and nearby provinces, accounting for about 90% of potable water.

The water level for Ipo Dam was below its normal level of 101.1 meters at 99.64 meters, while La Mesa Dam was at 75.16 meters, below the normal level of 80.15 meters.

PAGASA reported that Ambuklao Dam had a water level of 742.39 meters, lower than its normal 752 meters.

Binga Dam was at 566.4 meters and San Roque Dam was at 226.97 meters; both dams were also below their normal operational levels.

Pantabangan and Magat Dam had a water level of 174.29 meters and 177.65 meters, which was lower than the normal level of 221 meters and 193 meters, respectively.

Caliraya Dam had a reservoir water level of 284.81 meters as of early Wednesday.

Earlier, the weather agency said that the country is expecting two tropical cyclones this month as the climate transitions to La Niña.

No restrictions amid low COVID hospitalization rates — DoH

BW FILE PHOTO

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES said on Wednesday that its hospital use rate for COVID-19 remains significantly low and would not recommend any travel restrictions or mask mandate rules yet.

In the same media briefing given by Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Teodoro “Ted” J. Herbosa, the government also shed light on the need to tap the private sector in addressing the rising number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in young Filipinos. 

As Manila’s Southeast Asian neighbor, Singapore, faces another infection wave spurred by a group of variants called “FLiRT,” Mr. Herbosa said Filipinos already have “some level” of immunity against the virus with about 78 million of them having been vaccinated against COVID-19, he said.

“So, no requirement for border control, no requirement for mandatory mask, no requirement for additional vaccination,” Mr. Herbosa said. “But we are monitoring the cases.”

He said the DoH is closely watching developments in Singapore, which has logged increasing cases of KP.1 and KP.2 subvariants, which belong to a new family of subvariants nicknamed as “FLiRT.”

“So, we are watching ours,” Mr. Herbosa said.  In the Philippines, he said workers of a private hospital had tested positive for COVID-19.

But “our utilization [rate] for hospitals is still very low for COVID-19,” he said, citing the Health department’s epidemiology bureau.

DoH RACES TO ADDRESS RISING HIV CASES IN YOUTH
Also, Mr. Herbosa said the DoH is eyeing to allow the private sector to sell antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, as the country struggles with rising cases of HIV.

“We are thinking whether we could have a program where we can allow the doctors or a guardian to allow the ARVs to be had,” he told reporters in mixed English and Filipino at Malacañang.

He noted that under the present setup, only the government, through the health-state insurer PhilHealth, can distribute ARVs.

Minors, meanwhile, need parental consent to access the HIV treatment drug, Mr. Herbosa said.

“You can’t buy it from the private sector. The other thing is, probably make it available in the private sector.”

The Health chief said people below 18 years old also need to get consent from their parents to access ARVS.

The Philippines has been recording 55 HIV cases a day mostly among youngsters, the highest in the world, he said.

There are about 59,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country, he noted.

“The ones that are being diagnosed are 15 years old, as young as 15, positive for HIV.”

House approves Divorce bill on final reading

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

THE HOUSE of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) No. 9349, a measure seeking to reinstitute divorce as another mode for terminating marriage.

In a 126-109-20 vote, congressmen agreed to reinstate absolute divorce as a resolution for dysfunctional marriages after it was outlawed almost a century ago.

“With the passage of House Bill No. 9349, Gabriela Women’s Party looks forward to a future where all Filipinos have the legal means to escape harmful marriages and rebuild their lives,” Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas said in a statement.

The Philippines is the only country in the world besides the Vatican City prohibiting divorce.

“Divorce is widely recognized as a legal method to dissolve a marriage, yet the Philippines stands alone in not having a divorce law,” Ms. Brosas said in plenary, explaining her affirmative vote for the measure.

Proponents of the divorce bill said the measure would provide legal recourse for married couples in an “irreparably broken or dysfunctional marriage,” HB No. 9349’s fact sheet reads.

Grounds for absolute divorce include psychological incapacity, marital abuse, and irreconcilable differences, among others.

“It is for those who have just and valid causes to be adjudicated by the proper court. It is only an alternative remedy and will not apply to the overwhelming majority of Filipino married couples who have enduring and loving marriages,” Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, Sr. said in a statement.

Those petitioning for divorce will undergo a court process to establish the grounds for absolute dissolution of marriage, determining whether the union between married couples can no longer be reconciled.

Voicing dissent, party-list Rep. Eduardo C. Villanueva said that annulment and legal separation suffice as means of declaring a marriage as invalid.

“We should have realized that annulment and legal separation exist to remedy problematic marriages without rebelling against God,” he said in a statement.

For his part, Leyte Rep. Richard Frank I. Gomez said: “Saying yes to divorce would diminish the extent and seriousness of the commitment to make a marriage decision.”

5 Pinoys aboard Singapore Airlines flight injured

OFFICIALGAZETTE.GOV.PH

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said the five Filipinos on board the Singapore Airlines that hit “extreme turbulence” and made an emergency landing in Thailand are now hospitalized in Bangkok.

“Regarding the query on the five Filipinos affected in the SQ Flight 321, we received information from PE-BKK (Philippine Embassy in Bangkok) that they are still in a hospital in Bangkok. Our Embassy is in touch with them,” DFA Spokesperson Teresita C. Daza said in a WhatsApp message to reporters.

A later report from the Department of Migrant Workers’ Office in Singapore said they were taken to different hospitals for treatment and have been declared in stable condition.

The Filipino passengers included a family of three with a two-year-old male infant. “The infant’s mother is a registered overseas Filipino worker (OFW) staff nurse in the United Kingdom (UK). Her husband has no record as an OFW,” it said.

It said the fourth passenger is a female Singapore-based OFW in the information technology sector who suffered a neck fracture. “Doctors describe her condition as ‘sensitive’ but stable,” the DMW office in Singapore said.

The fifth Filipino passenger is a male who has no record as an OFW.

The flight was enroute to Singapore from London when it encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” 10 hours into its flight, forcing an emergency landing.

A British man died, while 79 passengers were injured. – Chloe Mari A. Hufana and John Victor D. Ordoñez

Gov’t OKs old school calendar

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINE government has approved a proposal to gradually return to the old academic calendar, as extreme weather events including extreme heat have been a major headache for the climate-vulnerable country.

The opening of classes will begin on July 29 this year and end on April 15, 2025, a presidential palace release said on Wednesday, to pave way for a “gradual return” to the old calendar, in which the school year begins in June instead of August and ends in March the following year.

The Department of Education in February ordered the start of the 2024-2025 school year on July 29. It was supposed to end on May 16, 2025.

Schools in many parts of the country had canceled classes in recent weeks amid extreme heat inside the country’s about 4,000 classrooms, which have been underfunded through the years and have failed to adapt to the changing climate according to civic groups.

The Palace, in its press release, said one of the two options presented by Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio to the President during a Tuesday meeting was compelling students to go to school on Saturdays to complete the 180-day school calendar, which Mr. Marcos rejected.

Another option reduces the number of school days to 165 as it does away with Saturday classes, but Mr. Marcos said that would compromise learning outcomes.

“Let’s just lengthen the school days, but let’s not touch Saturdays. So school days will remain the same,” he said in mixed English and Filipino during the meeting, based on the Palace release.

The school year 2023-2024 will end on May 31.

Over 7,100 schools had shifted to remote learning due to extreme heat as of April.

ACT Teachers Party-list welcomed Mr. Marcos’ decision but said “more needs to be done to address the long-standing problems plaguing our public education system.”

“We must continue to push for substantial reforms, including the hiring of more teachers, the construction of more classrooms, and the provision of proper ventilation in all learning spaces,” Rep. France L. Castro said in a statement.

We also need to take decisive actions to address the climate crisis, which is having a devastating impact on our education sector and our people’s lives,” she added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza