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Real continue perfect start with 4-1 win over Mallorca

MADRID — Real Madrid came from behind to beat Mallorca 4-1 at the Bernabeu in La Liga on Sunday and continue their perfect start to the season.

A solo effort from Federico Valverde on the stroke of halftime levelled the scores after Vedat Muqiri had stunned the home crowd by nodding the visitors ahead. Vinicius put the hosts in front before Mr. Rodrygo and Antonio Rudiger completed the rout.

Real returned to the top of the table, two points ahead of second-placed Barcelona.

“We knew they’d cause us issues, they defended well and scored from a set piece and it was difficult for us to gain a foothold,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

“But we kept cool heads and had enough quality to go ahead in the game. We didn’t play in the best way that we could’ve in the first half, but we were much better in the second.”

A much-changed Real initially struggled to gain a foothold and sorely missed injured talisman Karim Benzema in attack throughout a below-par first half.

Muqiri, who was denied by Thibaut Courtois inside the opening 40 seconds, headed in unmarked at the back post after 35 minutes and it appeared the champions would go in trailing at the break for the first time this campaign.

That changed, however, in added time at the end of the half when Mr. Valverde ran the length of the pitch before firing home a left-footed shot from the edge of the box.

After the break the hosts monopolized the ball, but were fortunate when Antonio Sanchez fired wide from six yards out with the goal gaping on a rare foray forward from the Balearic Islanders.

Mr. Rodrygo’s mazy run fed Vinicius 18 minutes from time and the Brazilian forward netted for a fifth consecutive game to put Ancelotti’s side in front, before Mr. Rodrygo, who capped off a delightful run with a perfect finish, and a first goal in Madrid colors for Mr. Rudiger added late gloss to the scoreline. — Reuters

Dodgers clinch postseason berth for 10th straight season

THERE are 23 games remaining in the regular season for the Los Angeles Dodgers and they have already clinched their 10th consecutive National League playoff spot.

The Dodgers (96-43) clinched their latest berth with Sunday’s 11-2 romp over the host San Diego Padres. They are just the third team in the division era to make at least 10 straight playoff appearances, joining the Atlanta Braves (14 from 1991-2005) and New York Yankees (13 from 1995-2007).

“It’s a big accomplishment,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s game. “For me, it’s just making sure guys appreciate that it’s not a right of passage to get into the postseason every year and there’s still a lot of work to be done. I feel our best baseball is yet to be played and just continue to stay focused.”

The Dodgers lead the Padres in the NL West by 20 games and are also on verge of clinching the division crown.

Justin Turner, who had two homers and five RBIs on Sunday, certainly appreciates clinching. This season will mark his ninth straight playoff appearance.

“I don’t think it’s anything you can take for granted,” Turner said. “I’ve been on some teams early in my career that didn’t have this opportunity, so I definitely feel fortunate to be a part of an organization that cares about winning and puts winning first.”

Freddie Freeman is in his first season with the Dodgers after being a key cog on Atlanta’s World Series-winning team last year. He is amazed that the clinching occurred on Sept. 11.

“To do it this quick is pretty amazing,” Freeman said. “Just all around, just been playing really good baseball for a long time now as a group and hopefully we can get this division wrapped up here shortly, too.”

Los Angeles has won just one World Series title during the streak and it came in the COVID-19 shortened 60-game season of 2020 when they beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. The Dodgers last won a title in a full season in 1988. — Reuters

Canary in the coal mine

Wally Gobetz/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

I am pleased to share with readers, our post last Sept. 11 to GlobalSource Partners subscribers. GSP (globalsourcepartners.com) is a New York-based network of independent analysts in emerging market countries. Its subscribers are mostly global banks and fund managers. Christine Tang and I serve as their Philippine Advisers.

Last week, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigating the controversy surrounding the Aug. 9 order of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar concluded its public hearings. It recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against the four officials who signed the importation order, one of whom, an undersecretary in the agriculture department, is the chief of staff of the agriculture secretary, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. himself. The President was insulated from the heated arguments.

To recall, the controversy broke when the President, through his spokesperson, denied approving the importation order after it was issued, called it illegal, and rescinded it. The agriculture undersecretary, his chief of staff Leocado Sebastian, promptly asked to be relieved of his duties and the senate probe began soon after. During the hearings, Undersecretary Sebastian testified that he signed the order in good faith, believing that he had authority from the President based on a memorandum from the President’s executive secretary, and that the decision to import the specific volume of sugar is based on data showing the shortage at hand of raw and refined sugar in the domestic market which had been discussed in earlier meetings with the President.

Those in the agriculture community following the whole affair, who know Undersecretary Sebastian to be an honorable man, left it with a bitter taste in the mouth. The sentiment seems to be that not only was the man thrown under the bus, he was demonized, then fed to the wolves. And all for signing off on an importation order that the President himself had since said would be necessary but perhaps at only half the quantity. Seemingly belatedly, the President on Aug. 25 instructed his economic managers, i.e., the secretaries of finance, trade and industry, and socio-economic planning, as well as agriculture officials, to determine the status of domestic sugar supply and the volume of imports needed as well as to find measures to stabilize domestic sugar prices. The findings and recommendations, supposed to be completed in seven working days, have yet to be released to the public. In the meantime, latest data as of August show that the price of sugar and sugar products in consumers’ food basket has surged by 26% year on year.

For many outside observers who are inclined to take Undersecretary Sebastian at his word, the instinct is simply to conclude that cabinet appointees serve at the pleasure of the President. Presidents have multiple political and economic objectives to balance and over the course of history, not a few good men have taken a bullet for their leaders.

However, we cannot help but wonder about this canary in the coal mine, what it says about the President’s leadership/management skills and what signals it sends to the other technocrats in his team, the economic managers included. 

Early on, we had warned of a looming first fumble in the President’s decision to assume the agriculture portfolio,1 and it took less than two months for it to happen. But now, with the unnecessarily shabby treatment of a seemingly well-intentioned, professional civil servant in full public view, what hope is there of the President finding a suitable candidate to head this important department?

As it is, there is the risk, pointed out by the sole dissenter in the senate’s committee report, that the treatment of Undersecretary Sebastian “discourages government officials from acting with urgency on matters that affect consumers, like tight supply, high prices and inflation,” and that agriculture “officials are now gun-shy about signing any importation documents… further exacerbating the food shortage.”2

Those with a broader outlook fear the incident’s chilling effect on other professional managers in the President’s newly formed cabinet that, at a minimum, could dampen enthusiasm and performance.

Coincidentally, a rumor appeared last week in the country’s leading newspaper of a “reluctant” finance secretary who would prefer to return to the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) next year.3 True? Hard to say. But we wonder whether this is one technocrat’s way of signaling to the President that whatever difficulties political considerations bring, the professionals who are bringing much-needed credibility to his administration, deserve better treatment.

1 See GS Brief, “Bold or ill-advised?,” June 22, 2022

2 https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/589931967/statement-of-senator-risa-hontiveros-on-the-blue-ribboncommittee-report-on-sugar-fiasco

3 https://business.inquirer.net/360744/biz-buzz-reluctant-economic-manager

 

Romeo L. Bernardo was finance undersecretary from 1990-96. He is a trustee/director of the Foundation for Economic Freedom, Management Association of the Philippines, and FINEX Foundation.

globalsourcepartners.com

romeo.lopez.bernard@gmail.com

Marcos’ economic team: Learned and accomplished but meek and muted

TIRACHARDZ-FREEPIK

When President-elect Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. announced that his economic team would be composed of Benjamin Diokno as Secretary of Finance, Felipe Medalla as Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and Arsenio Balisacan as Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) gained 47.76 points, to 6,645.52 while the broader All-Shares Index went up by 14.61 points to 3,568.65.

Local business groups expressed elation at the appointment of technocrats as the economic managers of the Marcos II administration. George Barcelon, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “They are all seasoned and competent economic leaders. We believe they would do good in managing our fiscal affairs.” Coco Alcuaz, executive director of the Makati Business Club, said the appointment of “experienced, well-known leaders” would boost the confidence of big businesses as well as MSMEs.

Indeed, the new economic managers are learned and accomplished. Diokno graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration in 1968 and completed a master’s programs in Public Administration in 1970 and in Economics in 1974, all in the University of the Philippines (UP), Diliman. He has a master’s degree in Political Economy from Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Syracuse University. He is a Professor Emeritus of the School of Economics of UP, He previously served as undersecretary for Budget Operations of the Department of Budget and Management from 1986 to 1991 under President Corazon Aquino, Secretary of Budget and Management under President Joseph Estrada from 1998 until the latter’s resignation in January 2001, and under President Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2019. He also served as the governor of the (BSP) from 2019 under President Duterte to the end of the latter’s term in June 2022.

Medalla earned bachelor’s degrees in Economics and in Accounting from De La Salle University in 1970, a master’s degree in Economics from UP Diliman, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1983. He served as dean of the UP School of Economics for four years starting in 1994. He served as secretary of Socio-Economic Planning and director-general of NEDA under President Joseph Estrada, a member of the Monetary Board during the terms of President Benigno Aquino III and of President Duterte.

Balisacan earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the Mariano Marcos State University, a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the UP Los Baños, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He served as an economist for the World Bank in Washington, DC in 1986. He came back to the Philippines in 1987 and joined the faculty of UP Los Baños as assistant professor of Economics. In 1988 he moved to the School of Economics of UP Diliman where he eventually became a full professor in 1995.

Seconded from UP, he served as undersecretary for Policy and Planning at the Department of Agriculture from 2000 to 2001 and then again in 2003. In 2010, he was appointed dean of the School of Economics of UP Diliman. Concurrent to his role as secretary of Socio-Economic Planning and director-general of NEDA, he served as Board Chairman of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and the Philippine Center for Economic Development.

I was not as elated as the captains of industry were when Bongbong Marcos announced the names of the members of his economic team, though experienced and competent, learned and accomplished they are. I have misgivings about Diokno. He has been in the high echelons of government for too long such that I believe he has been infected with the kind of politics the top government officials he has been dealing with practice.

On the very first working day of 2017, then Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno made this statement: “The candidate Duterte is different from President Duterte. You make campaign promises but when you see the data you realize it’s impossible to fulfill.” He supported the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Duterte for president when he knew all along that what he was promising during the campaign could not be fulfilled. It raised for me the question of what his motive was for supporting candidate Duterte.

In 2018, he declared, “The budget is a political tool to reward administration allies and punish political enemies. If you’re with us, then you get something. If you’re not with us, then you don’t get something.” When he was a private citizen and a BusinessWorld columnist during the presidency of Noynoy Aquino, he wrote that the pork barrel was bad for the economy. But when he was in power, he practiced what he considered was bad for the economy.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer says there is persistent talk that Diokno plans to return to his position of governor of BSP by the second half of next year. Sources told the Inquirer that Diokno was initially hesitant to accept his appointment as secretary of Finance as it meant leaving the central bank where he had fewer headaches and got better pay. That suggests that Diokno is either submissive to the powers that be as the BSP governor cannot be removed without cause, or that he is an astute dealer for having struck up a deal by which he accepts his appointment as Finance secretary on condition he is appointed again as BSP governor.

The governor of the BSP serves a term of six years and can be re-appointed for another term of six years. President Duterte appointed Nestor Espenilla, Jr. as BSP governor on July 4, 2017. When Espenilla died in office on Feb. 23, 2019, President Duterte appointed Department of Budget and Management Secretary Diokno as BSP governor to complete the term of Espenilla. When Diokno was named secretary of Finance by President Marcos Jr. on June 30, 2022, before he could serve out the unexpired term of Espenilla, the President chose Monetary Board member Medalla to replace Diokno as BSP governor for the remainder of Espenilla’s original six-year term.

If Diokno is appointed BSP governor again in July 2023, he would be 81 years old by the time he completes the six-year term. At the purported salary of P3 million a month for six years, he can retire in 2029 and live fabulously thereafter.

Now what about Medalla, who had been a member of the Monetary Board for 11 years before his appointment as BSP governor, is his re-appointment in July 2023 as BSP governor for a six-year term not in consideration at all? Or will he meekly go by whatever the President wants to do with him?

That brings to mind the meekness of the economic team towards the issue of the country’s supply of sugar. The President says we need not import as we have enough sugar. The top officers of the Sugar Regulatory Board say otherwise. The impressive academic credentials and long experience as government economists suggest the President’s economic managers, particularly Arsenio Balisacan, who has a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, know what the real situation is with regard to the country’s sugar supply. But they have not been heard from with regard to the raging issue.

I tend to think that if they agree with the President, they would have called a press conference and asked the Malacañang Press officer to tell the National Telecommunications Commission and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas to order all broadcast stations to telecast and broadcast live the press conference so that the entire nation would hear them say the President is absolutely right. But no, they have been meek — meek in the sense of being easily imposed on — because, I conclude, they disagree with the President.

Blessed are the meek for they shall keep their job.

 

Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. is a retired corporate executive, business consultant, and management professor. He has been a politicized citizen since his college days in the late 1950s.

PEB Singapore, the PPP Center, transport liberalization, and IPRI 2022

Four important economic and business developments occurred last week that I want to comment on.

1. Philippine Economic Briefing, Singapore

Last Wednesday, Sept. 7, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his economic and infrastructure teams held the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) in Singapore, which was attended by many investors.

In Panel 1, the speakers were Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Socio-Economic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Central Bank Governor Felipe Medalla, and SM Investment Corp. (SMIC) Vice-Chair Teresita Sy-Coson. The four officials spoke clearly about the macroeconomic and fiscal stability of the country. And it was a brilliant idea to have another speaker from Philippine business. Singapore businessmen know the Sy and SM conglomerate, and Ms. Coson spoke positively about the economic team and economic outlook of the Philippines. When the panel ended, there was loud applause in the conference room.

Panel 2 had Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Tourism Secretary Maria Esperanza Christina Garcia Frasco, and Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy. I would say it was another slam dunk — with “come and invest in the Philippines” messaging that was clearly and convincingly delivered. And since Singapore is the Regional Headquarters of many multinationals from the west, the message must have been echoed well.

A report in BusinessWorld about the Singapore event noted that, “Electric tricycle, floating solar projects top Singapore investment deals from Marcos visit” (Sept. 8).

Investment pledges after the PEB Singapore came to $6.5 billion. Of this, $5 billion would be for the manufacturing of electric tricycles and $1.2 billion for floating solar. This does not seem right. More e-tricycles mean more power demand and our power generation is low — only 108 terawatt-hours (TWH) in 2021, less than half of Vietnam’s 245 TWH. Solar or wind are not baseload power sources, their output and storage are intermittent and very unstable.

The Philippines should aim for an increase of at least 7 TWH/year in power generation from 2023-2025 versus an increase of only 3.5 TWH/year in 2016-2021, then at least 10 TWH/year more from 2026-2028, to avoid the frequent yellow-red alerts that we experienced until this year. Vietnam has increased its power generation over the last 10 years by 14-15 TWH/year. Big commercial and industrial projects will not come in if they see that they will face occasional blackouts and that they must buy and regularly run huge expensive gensets.

Big industrial countries like Germany, the UK, France and Japan have entered a deindustrialization and low growth phase as they shut down many of their fossil fuel and nuclear plants and rely more on intermittent wind-solar. In contrast, South East Asian countries keep humming with their conventional energy sources and experience fast growth (see Table 1).

2. The BOT law and new PPP Center head

Last week, the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Center announced a “Public Consultation on the Amendments to the 2022 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law (RA 7718).” People can submit their comments in writing or they can also attend the face-to-face consultation tomorrow, Sept. 13.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has appointed a new PPP Center Executive Director, Cynthia Hernandez. The lady is very cerebral: she graduated from the Philippine Science High School, took the UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT) and landed in the top 50 out of about 80,000+ examinees nationwide, graduated BS Metallurgical Engineering from UP as an Oblation scholar, finished a Masters in Development Economics (MDE) from the UP School of Economics (UPSE), ongoing MSc Business Management at Berlin Professional School. She has worked in some big energy, infrastructure, and consulting companies in the country: Meralco, the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), AES, Aboitiz Power, SGV/EY, and KPMG.

Meanwhile, Marilou “Louie” Mendoza was re-appointed as Chairperson of the Tariff Commission (TC). Louie is another cerebral official: she graduated AB Economics (cum laude) then MDE (university scholar) from UPSE, and with a Master in Development Management (with honors), and the National Government Career Executive Service Development Program.

Cynthia, Louie, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Pangandaman, and DBM Undersecretary for Budget Policy and Strategy Joselito Basilio were classmates in MDE at the Program in Development Economics (PDE) batch 33 of UPSE. Mr. Basilio has another MS in Applied Economics from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, then a PhD Economics from University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.

The PDE Program Director back then and a teacher for two semesters was Prof. Ruperto “Ruping” Alonzo. Prof. Ruping (RIP) molded these four bright minds plus their other batchmates.

3. Transport inflation and Grab-MOVE IT partnership

Last week, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said that August inflation was 6.3%, flat from July’s inflation rate of 6.4%. Among the commodity groups, Transport inflation was 14.6% in August, of which “Operation of personal transport equipment” was 34.7%. Inflation in the first eight months of 2022 is now 4.9% and transport inflation is 12.9% (see Table 2).

With continued high prices for gasoline and diesel, driving personal cars remains costly and people would wish to find alternative cheaper but safe transportation. Motorcycle taxis (MCT) should fall in this category — fast, cheap, no need for parking. But MCT remains a virtual duopoly by Angkas and Joyride. So, when Grab partnered with the smallest and weakest third player, MOVE IT, the duopoly was unhinged. See this report in BusinessWorld: “Grab Philippines’ acquisition of MOVE IT challenged by 4 groups” (Sept. 9).

Commuters and the public have one “vested” interest — more choices, more options. Transport companies, especially if they are a duopoly or oligopoly, have the opposite vested interest — reduce the options for commuters, get more money and power for themselves. This is exactly what the four transport groups and the duopoly are lobbying for.

Real commuter and consumer groups call for more options and competition. Fake commuter groups call for more bureaucratization and less competition. Last month this column’s piece, “Motorcycle taxis, illicit tobacco, and electric cooperatives” (Aug. 8), said “Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista and LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) Chair Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil should consider removing two caps — remove the maximum number of MCT players from only three, and remove the maximum 15,000 drivers per player. At a maximum of 45,000 legal drivers, it is very likely that the number of unregistered “habal habal” drivers may be twice or more than that number nationwide. Since they are already existing, they should be onboarded via legal MCT companies, for better regulatory transparency and better passenger safety.”

At the PEB Singapore, Secretary Bautista discussed the planned big railway projects that will transport people and goods much faster. These should proceed. But many people do not live near train stations, they reside many kilometers away. More MCTs will transport people from their houses to train stations then to their destinations, and back.

Grab-MOVE IT as third player is a good move. A better move is to have four, five or more players. And no maximum number of riders per player. More competition, more options, and more protection for the riding public. The LTFRB should junk the lobby of the four groups and think of the needs of the riding public.

4. IPRI 2022

Finally, the International Property Rights Index (IPRI) 2022 was launched on Sept. 7 by the Property Rights Alliance (PRA, Washington DC).

The IPRI index is a composite for three sub-indices: legal and political environment, physical property, and intellectual property protection. The Philippines showed deterioration in the global ranking, from 70th in 2018 to 83rd in 2022, pulled down by low scores in legal and political sections due to poor performance in rule of law and control of corruption (see Table 3).

The Marcos Jr. administration must do more to strengthen the rule of law and control corruption in the country.

 

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

Agropolitan approach to development 

ELAINE CASAP-UNSPLASH

Food security is a major global concern, especially in our country. Obtaining food security means a nation’s population has access to sufficient nutritious food to meet their dietary needs, and live healthy and active lives. Ensuring food security and nutrition is so critical that the United Nations identified “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” as Goal 2 in its Sustainable Development Goals. These have never been more crucial. However, there are numerous challenges that restrain nations from fully achieving these like global warming, rapid population growth, water scarcity, loss of agricultural lands, and diseases, among others.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, in 2018, the Philippines’ agricultural land areas were reduced to 13.32 million hectares. Moreover, frequent calamities, absentee landowners, vacant and idle lands in rural and urban areas have made it difficult for our country to achieve food security. Earlier this year, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that Typhoon Odette caused P17.7 billion worth of damage to agriculture.

In 2021, the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) ranked the Philippines 64th among 113 countries. In addition to natural disasters, other factors such as low farm incomes, inadequate support for agricultural research and development, conversion of agricultural lands, water scarcity, inefficient logistics and supply chains, and fewer people choosing agriculture-related jobs have made our food production systems and supplies vulnerable.

According to the World Food Program, “Many Filipinos suffer from lack of food or poor diets despite rising food availability because of inadequate access to food due to high poverty and low income.” As our urban population continues to rise, so will the demand for sustainable and resilient food supply systems. By 2050, our nation’s population is forecast to reach 146 million. Will our food supply be enough to sustain us and future generations come 2050?

To address this major challenge our country is facing, we at Palafox Associates and Palafox Architecture Group strongly believe in promoting and strengthening “agropolitan” development nationwide. Why not bring food sources closer to where people live? Why not empower each barangay, municipality, city, and province in the Philippines to be self-sufficient with urban farming?

An agropolis is an ideal approach to solve food insecurity and malnutrition because it integrates agricultural farms as a vital component of urban and regional development. The word “agropolis” is derived from “agros” meaning farm and “polis” meaning city. In other countries, the agropolitan approach is known as urban agriculture. Even though Singapore only has one percent of its land allocated for food production, it was No. 15 in the 2021 GFSI. According to food security experts, the prevalence of community gardens serve as valuable alternative food sources when disruptions to food supplies occur.

According to Singapore’s National Parks Board, the country’s nationwide gardening movement has contributed more than 1,800 community gardens planted with various vegetables, spices, fruits, and other native plants that are present in public and private housing estates, schools, corporate premises, and rooftops, among others. In addition, Singapore launched its “30 by 30” program in 2019 through which they aim to locally produce 30% of the country’s nutritional needs by 2030.

Advanced research and technology have also allowed Singapore to efficiently grow quality produce with less natural resources and without harmful pesticides. It is likewise very encouraging to see how local food production has brought together people from all walks of life, and they now share the same goal of strengthening urban farming.

Another good example of how the local government responded to address extreme poverty and hyper-inflation of food prices and how agriculture can be successfully included in urban development can be found in Rosario, Argentina. In December 2001, 60% of the city’s population lived below the poverty line. Today, it is one of Argentina’s most prosperous cities. Key initiatives that transformed Rosario were strong support for low-income urban areas to achieve small-scale, self-production of fresh food, and promoting vegetable gardening in the poorest parts of the city. The local government had a clear vision of making urban farming a permanent activity in the city. A farmer’s market was opened within six months from when the program was established. The first stage of the initiative was so successful that it resulted in helping producers earn up to $150 per month, and it supported 10,000 low-income families.

For our country to successfully adopt agropolitan development and create a thriving industry, local governments must develop land use plans and policies that favor balancing development with nature. In addition, financial resources and expertise must be invested to intensify human capital and technology. To reduce the parasitic relationship between cities and the farms, let us have a more symbiotic integration of urban, suburban, and rural farms.

Cultivating an agropolis has numerous benefits. It can empower low-income households to establish livelihoods, and families can eat healthier by growing their own nutritious vegetables and make a profit from it. Carbon emissions can be reduced because fresh produce no longer needs to be transported an average of 2,000 kilometers from farm to table. The presence of urban farming in the metropolis can help neutralize price surges and shortages of fresh produce during natural calamities in the provinces. Developing urban food systems provides green spaces that offer relief from pollution, urban heat, and other deteriorating conditions of the urban environment.

In designing affordable housing, we at Palafox have incorporated green walls where households can plant crops, such as eggplant, tomato, cucumber, talbos ng kamote (sweet potato greens), and ampalaya (bitter melon), among others. We have also helped develop agropolitan plans in India, Vietnam, Pampanga, Metro Davao, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna. We were involved in the master planning of leisure farms like The Leisure Farm in Lemery, Batangas; Ponderosa Leisure Farms in Silang, Cavite; Tierra Madre Estates in Lipa, Batangas; and Agria in Panabo, Davao.

With a strong and sustainable agropolitan approach to development, our nation can revive the agricultural sector. We can optimize our diverse ecologies and unlock the immense agricultural, agri-industrial, and agri-tourism potential that await in our towns, cities, provinces, and islands.

Source: https://impact.economist.com/sustainability/project/food-security-index/Index

This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or MAP.

 

Felino “Jun” A. Palafox, Jr. is chair of the MAP Urban Development Committee, and the founder, principal architect and urban planner of the Palafox Associates and the Palafox Architecture Group.

map@map.org.ph

jun_palafox@palafoxassociates.com

IMF eyes expanded access to emergency aid for food shocks

LONDON/WASHINGTON — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is looking for ways to provide emergency funding to countries facing war-induced food price shocks and will discuss measures at an executive board meeting on Monday, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The plan, which has not previously been reported, will be presented at an informal board session.

It would allow the IMF to help Ukraine and other countries hit hard by Russia’s war in Ukraine without imposing conditions required in a regular fund program, said the sources, who asked not to be named since the matter is still under review. The size and scope of the measures was not yet clear.

A formal vote backing the measure — which has been developed by the IMF staff in recent months — is expected before the Fund’s annual meetings in October, the sources said.

If approved, it would temporarily increase existing access limits and allow all member countries to borrow up to an additional 50% of their IMF quota under the IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument, and the Rapid Credit Instrument that serves low-income countries, the sources said.

“The concept is simple, but it could help many countries,” said one of the sources.

Food prices surged worldwide after the start of the war given blocked supply routes, sanctions and other trade restrictions, although a UN-brokered deal that allowed resumed exports of grain from Ukrainian ports last month has begun to help improve trade flows and lower prices in recent weeks.

The Washington-based lender projected in July that inflation will reach 6.6% in advanced economies this year, and 9.5% in emerging market and developing economies, posing a “clear risk” to current and future macroeconomic stability.

Many African countries and other poor nations suffering food shortages and acute hunger have clamored for increased funds, but it was not immediately clear how many countries would seek the additional financing aid.

The IMF proposal would offer some limited help to Ukraine, but its officials say they need a “full-fledged” financing package as they scramble to keep the government running while fighting the first major war in Europe since World War II.

An IMF spokesperson last week told Reuters the global lender “continues to closely engage with the Ukrainian authorities and is currently exploring all feasible options to provide further support to Ukraine in these challenging circumstances.”

Ukraine’s overseas creditors have backed a two-year freeze in payments on almost $20 billion in international bonds, but the country must make $635 million in principal payments on prior IMF loans beginning in mid-September.

The IMF in March approved $1.4 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine under the RFI instrument to help meet urgent spending needs and mitigate the impact of the war. Its economy is expected to contract by 35% this year.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has altered global patterns of trade, production, and consumption of commodities in ways that will keep prices at historically high levels through the end of 2024, the World Bank reported in August.

Food is the single largest category in inflation baskets — the selection of goods used to calculate the cost of living — in many developing nations, accounting for around half in countries like India or Pakistan and on average for some 40% in low-income countries, IMF data shows. — Reuters

King Charles to join procession of queen’s coffin in Scotland

KING CHARLES — REUTERS

EDINBURGH — Britain’s King Charles will fly to Edinburgh to join his siblings on Monday when the coffin of his mother Queen Elizabeth is taken in a solemn procession from one of her Scottish palaces to the city’s historic St. Giles cathedral.

The new monarch will also join senior royals for a vigil at the church where the coffin will lie at rest before being flown to London on Tuesday.

Since Elizabeth’s death aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, her Scottish holiday home, a carefully choreographed series of plans to mourn Britain’s monarch of 70 years has been put into operation.

On Sunday, her oak coffin, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath on top, was taken by hearse on a six-hour journey from Balmoral through picturesque Scottish countryside, villages, small towns and cities to Edinburgh.

Tens of thousands of well-wishers lined the roads to pay their respects, while huge crowds, some in tears, gathered in Edinburgh to greet the cortege.

“It’s just very sad,” said Rachel Lindsay, 24. “I don’t think we expected it to ever happen. I just thought she’d live forever. I didn’t think it was real until I saw it.”

Before setting off for Scotland, Charles, 73, who automatically became king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms of including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, will travel to the British parliament for another traditional ceremony.

At Westminster Hall, lawmakers from both the House of Commons and the upper House of Lords will express their condolences for the death of his mother, and the new king will deliver a response.

He will then fly to Edinburgh with his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, to join his sister Anne, and brothers Andrew and Edward.

The queen’s children will then walk in a procession behind the hearse as the coffin of their mother is taken to St. Giles’ Cathedral, flanked by soldiers.

CROWN OF SCOTLAND
When it arrives at the church, the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, the premier Scottish peer, will place the Crown of Scotland on the coffin.

After a service, the coffin will rest at the cathedral for 24 hours to allow people to pay their respects. A continuous vigil will be mounted by soldiers from the Royal Company of Archers — the sovereign’s ‘Body Guard in Scotland’.

Charles, who will also visit the Scottish parliament and meet Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, will later mount a vigil at 7.20 p.m. (1820 GMT) along with other royals.

On Tuesday, the coffin will be flown to London where on Wednesday it will begin a period of lying in state until early on Sept. 19 — the day of Elizabeth’s state funeral — on a catafalque at Westminster Hall.

It will be guarded constantly by soldiers or by Yeoman Warders — known as beefeaters — from the Tower Of London.

Members of the public will be allowed to process past the coffin, which will be covered by the Royal Standard with the sovereign’s Orb and Sceptre placed on top, for 24 hours a day until 6.30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Sept. 19.

“Those wishing to attend will be required to queue for many hours, possibly overnight,” the government said in a statement. “Large crowds are expected and people are encouraged to check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for long wait times.”

Meanwhile thousands of people are continuing to gather at royal palaces across Britain, bringing bouquets of flowers. In Green Park near London’s Buckingham Palace, where some of the tributes are being taken, long lines of bouquets now snake around the park allowing mourners to read the tributes.

Other well-wishers have attached their messages of condolence to trees.

Britain last saw such a display of public mourning in 1997 following the death of Charles’s first wife, Princess Diana, after she was killed in a car crash in Paris.

“It reminds me of Diana 25 years ago,” Helen Soo, 59, said. “I was much younger in those days; I slept overnight in Hyde Park and this is multiplied by 100 probably.” — Reuters

Rocky path revealed between Swiss glaciers in extreme melt season

ZANFLEURON PATH, Switzerland – A rocky Alpine path between two glaciers in Switzerland is emerging for what the local ski resort says is the first time in at least 2,000 years after the hottest European summer on record.

The ski resort of Glacier 3000 in western Switzerland said this year’s ice melt was around three times the 10-year average, meaning bare rock can now be seen between the Scex Rouge and the Zanfleuron glaciers at an altitude of 2,800 meters and the pass will be completely exposed by the end of this month.

“About 10 years ago I measured 15 meters (50 feet) of ice here so all that ice has melted in the meantime,” said Mauro Fischer, a glaciologist at the University of Bern’s Institute of Geography.

“What we saw this year and this summer is just extraordinary and it’s really beyond everything we have ever measured so far,” he added, referring to the speed at which the ice has melted.

Since last winter, which brought relatively little snowfall, the Alps have sweltered through two big early summer heatwaves. The Alps’ glaciers are now on track for their biggest mass losses in at least 60 years of record-keeping, data showed. — Reuters

Japan govt to waive tourist visa requirements as part of border easing — FNN

A MAN wearing protective face mask walks through red-colored wooden torii gates at the Nezu shrine in Tokyo, Japan, March 5, 2020. — REUTERS

TOKYO — Japan’s government is planning to waive tourist visa requirements from some countries as part of a further easing of border controls enacted to stop the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Fuji News Network reported on Monday. 

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may decide as early as this week on the easing, which would also allow individual travelers to visit Japan without travel agency bookings, FNN reported. Japan did not require tourist visas for 68 countries and regions before the pandemic. 

The government may scrap a daily cap on arrivals by October, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday. 

Deputy chief cabinet secretary Seiji Kihara said on a television program on Sunday that “a weak yen is most effective in attracting inbound tourism,” adding that further steps must be taken to draw in foreign visitors. 

Japan last week raised the daily ceiling of inbound travelers to 50,000 from 20,000 and eliminated a requirement for pre-departure COVID tests, easing what have been among the most restrictive border measures among major economies. — Reuters

Japan liquor businesses turn to non-alcoholic drinks to attract Gen Z

Sumadori Bar — a play on the Japanese words for “smart drinking” — offers elaborate, sugary cocktails that can be made with no alcohol or up to 3%. — SUMADORIBAR-SHIBUYA.JP

TOKYO — Bucking the age-old stereotype of hard-drinking college students, Manaka Okamoto considers the next day’s schedule before cracking open an alcoholic beverage. 

“If I have to get up early, and I think ‘Oh, I should hold off on drinking,’ then I go for a non-alcohol drink to get a sense of alcohol when I’m drinking alone,” Okamoto, 22, said at a Tokyo restaurant. “And of course, when hanging out with friends who don’t drink, it’s nice to have something to toast with.” 

The popularity of low- and non-alcoholic drinks has risen worldwide, accelerated by the pandemic, which led many people to be more health conscious. The global market value for the segment rose to just under $10 billion in 2021 from $7.8 billion in 2018, according to researcher IWSR. 

The effect has been especially pronounced in Japan, where the population is shrinking and younger people drink far less than in previous decades. Just 7.8% of Japanese people in their 20s were regular drinkers in 2019 compared with 20.3% of that age group in 1999, according to government surveys. 

Facing a steady decline in revenue from alcohol sales, Japan’s tax office in July launched a contest seeking ideas on how to stimulate demand among younger people. 

Japan’s major drinks makers are also looking outside the country for growth. The chief of domestic beer leader Asahi Group Holdings told Reuters last month he saw North America as a key market. Suntory Holdings Group is looking to expand its canned cocktail business there. 

At home, the companies are coming up with new ways to improve the bar experience for non-drinkers. 

On a recent afternoon in the entertainment district of Roppongi, groups of mostly young women gathered at a no-alcohol “beer garden” set up in the shadow of one of Tokyo’s tallest buildings. 

Beer gardens are a summer tradition in Japan, but this one — promoted by Suntory and broadcaster TV Asahi — skipped the beer, offering patrons a lineup of mocktails and non-alcohol wine instead. 

“Consumers are not enjoying just alcoholic beverages. We think they value more of the communication that’s generated when drinking or would like to enjoy the atmosphere of the place where they drink,” said Suntory general manager Masako Koura. 

Competitor Kirin Holdings Co. also offers non-alcoholic wines, cocktails and beer. The company said sales of its booze-free beer were up more than two-fold in the three months through June compared with a year ago. 

Sapporo Holdings Ltd said domestic sales of low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beer rose 20% in the half year through June, while canned beer sales slid 4%. 

In Shibuya, the newly opened Sumadori Bar — a play on the Japanese words for “smart drinking” — offers elaborate, sugary cocktails that can be made with no alcohol or up to 3%. It offers an environment where everyone can enjoy a drink together, said Mizuho Kajiura, chief executive of the Asahi-led venture. 

Mr. Kajiura worked for two years in Indonesia and said his experience in the mostly Muslim nation gave him an appreciation for creating hospitable environments for non-drinkers. 

“The aim of this bar is to value customers who cannot drink so that they can happily come here with people who do drink,” Mr. Kajiura said. “If other restaurants and bars can understand our aim, I think they would get more customers.” — Reuters

[B-SIDE Podcast] Switching careers with Project Offbeat

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How do you know when it’s time to change careers and quit the rat race?

In this B-Side episode, BusinessWorld reporter John Victor D. Ordonez speaks with Lance S. Cham and Matthew R. Yu, the founders and hosts of the Project Offbeat podcast, where two corporate 9-to-5 professionals interview non-corporate guests with unique careers. Included is an excerpt of Project Offbeat’s conversation with Stephen G. Tan, a former analyst at consultancy firm Deloitte who became a pastor.

TAKEAWAYS

Life often doesn’t go as planned.
“A lot of people’s lives don’t follow the natural trajectory of deciding what you want to do in life based on your educational background,” said Mr. Tan.
Despite taking up electrical engineering in college and eventually working as an analyst at Deloitte, he did not expect the major career shift he took when becoming a pastor.
Mr. Tan cited two near-death experiences which he says strengthened his faith in God and made it easier for him to switch careers.
“I know that life is short and I do what I do because it is a calling from the Lord to be faithful to the work he’s given you,” he added.
Corporate perks and high pay may not always bring fulfillment in a career.
Being able to work with cutting-edge technology and being able to travel the world did not bring the fulfillment Mr. Tan expected from a high-paying corporate job.
“I knew all along that God was calling me to be a pastor, but I didn’t want to be poor,” said the pastor. “I realized that you won’t be happy if you don’t find meaning in what you do.”
Mr. Tan noted that his day-to-day as a pastor is never dull because of the diverse community he works with — one which he wouldn’t have known in the corporate world.
 
“I’m never surprised anymore in my line of work since I get to hear the diverse range of life experiences people share with me,” he added.
Sometimes it’s best to walk away from a line of work you don’t find meaningful.
 
“I haven’t looked back since walking away from my life as a management consultant,” Mr. Tan said.
Even after reaching the top of the corporate ladder in the prime of his life, he knew he had to walk away since he did not find purpose in his corporate life.
As a pastor, Mr. Tan is also able to draw on his corporate background to relate to an audience of fast-paced professionals.
“I often wondered what I’ve given up when I exited the corporate world,” he said.
“Now I’ve done more traveling than I did when I was in Deloitte because of the graciousness of other people.”

Recorded remotely in August 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia and Sam L. Marcelo.

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