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Escudero plans to build shelters for homeless LGBT nationwide

A SENATORIAL aspirant on Monday said he aims to build shelters for homeless members of the LGBT — lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender — community nationwide as a means of providing equal privileges to the sector.  

“If we are committed to giving equal opportunities for all, every public servant should look after the welfare of their marginalized constituents, including the elderly and homeless LGBTs community,” said Francis Joseph G. Escudero, currently governor of Sorsogon province, said in a statement. 

“We must embrace all sectors of society for equal care and assistance, including and parallel to those in the LGBT community,” he added. 

In his home province, Mr. Escudero is already establishing the first LGBT shelter called Home for Homeless Gays. The facility will include a livelihood training center for all LGBT members in the province. 

“We don’t only want to provide a roof and shelter to our elderly and abandoned members of the LGBT community. We also want to give them economic skills and new opportunities to earn a living,” he said. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Zamboanga co-ops gear up for cacao, banana PRDP-backed projects

BIAO Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative, with its trademark Cacao de Biao, won a gold award in the 2021 Edition of the Cocoa Excellence Programme in Paris, France. — CACAO DE BIAO SHOP FB

TWO agricultural cooperatives from the Zamboanga Peninsula Region in southwestern Philippines are preparing to venture into cacao and banana processing with support from the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).  

Members of Nanan Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Dimataling Kalipi Federated Association visited cooperatives in Davao Region last week to learn about best practices in management and operations for export-quality products.  

The benchmarking activity is in line with the Department of Agriculture’s “big brother” scheme wherein cooperatives are partnered with more experienced counterparts for knowledge sharing, PRDP said in a press release. 

Nanan’s big brother was the Biao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (BARBCO) in Davao City, which was also a beneficiary of the World Bank-funded PRDP program.   

BARBCO, which already has a post-harvest facility that can process 120 tons of dry fermented beans per year, makes cacao mass or tablea, cacao nibs, and chocolate products. 

With its trademark Cacao de Biao, BARBCO won a gold award in the 2021 Edition of the Cocoa Excellence Programme in Paris. The cooperative also produces coffee beans.  

For the Dimataling Kalipi group, their big brother was the Fairtrade Farmers Coconut Multi-purpose Cooperative (FFCC) in Davao del Sur, which completed its PRDP-backed organic banana chips project in June 2021.  

FFCC’s banana chips are already certified under standards set by Japan, the European Union, and United States.  

“With these (certifications), they now have access to high-end markets for their products and raw materials bought from local sources, which in turn are helping local farmers expand their livelihood,” PRDP said. — MSJ

LA Clippers rout Pelicans to clinch West play-in berth

LOS ANGELES Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) moves to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance, Jr. (22) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. — REUTERS

MARCUS Morris, Sr. scored 22 points, and the refreshed Los Angeles (LA) Clippers routed the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 119-100 on Sunday night to clinch the eighth spot in the Western Conference heading into the play-in tournament.

Morris (knee) was one of four Clippers starters to return after sitting out a 153-119 victory at Milwaukee on Friday. The others included Paul George (elbow), who scored 15 points, and Reggie Jackson (rest), who had 11 points and 10 assists as the Clippers (39-40) began a season-ending four-game homestand.

Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Terance Mann scored 15 points, Luke Kennard 14 and Isaiah Hartenstein 12.

CJ McCollum scored 19 points, Brandon Ingram added 15, and Jaxson Hayes had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the ninth-place Pelicans (34-44), who missed an opportunity to clinch a play-in berth.

The Clippers took control by outscoring the Pelicans 29-13 in the second quarter to build a 22-point half time lead.

The lead shrunk briefly to 19 points early in the third quarter, but Los Angeles extended it to 25 before holding a 92-71 lead at the end of the period.

New Orleans scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to pull within 17, but the Clippers scored the next six points.

The score was tied five times, and the lead changed hands five times in the first quarter, which ended with the Clippers holding a 37-31 lead after making all eight of their 3-point attempts.

Los Angeles scored the first four points of the second quarter to push the lead to double figures before Naji Marshall’s basket provided the Pelicans’ first points of the period.

The Clippers scored 12 straight points to take a 53-33 lead before Jonas Valančiūnas’ basket ended the run.

The lead grew to 23 points twice, and Los Angeles went into half time holding a 66-44 advantage. — Reuters

Carlos Alcaraz, 18, youngest Miami Open men’s champ

CARLOS ALCARAZ — REUTERS

SPANISH 14th seed Carlos Alcaraz capped a dream run at the Miami Open with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Norwegian world number eight Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday to secure the biggest win of his young career.

The 18-year-old Alcaraz earned his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Masters 1000 crown and is the first Spanish man to triumph in Miami after eight previous final appearances by his compatriots, including five by Rafa Nadal.

“I have no words to describe how I feel,” Alcaraz said after he replaced Novak Djokovic as the youngest champion in the 37-year-old tournament’s history. “But it’s so special to win my Masters 1000 here in Miami.”

Alcaraz was roughed up by Ruud in the early stages of the match between the two up-and-coming players but roared back from a 4-1 deficit to take the opener with an overhead smash on his third set point.

From there, the Spaniard refused to relinquish control as he went up a double-break for an early 3-0 lead in the second set where Ruud managed to get one back but ultimately had no answer as Alcaraz kept up the pressure in a match that featured two first-time ATP Masters 1000 finalists.

With victory within his grasp, Alcaraz dropped just two points in his final three service games and coolly served out the one hour, 52 minute match to love in the final game.

“I knew that Casper is playing unbelievable. He has a big forehand. I tried to play to his backhand first and attack all the time,” said Alcaraz.

“I tried not to let him dominate the match. Forehand down the line, backhand down the line was a key for me.”

The victory marked Alcaraz’s third ATP Tour title following triumphs at the Rio Open in February and his win at Umag last July when he became the youngest tour-level champion since Kei Nishikori won at Delray Beach in 2008. — Reuters

Farmers call for repeal of Golden Rice  

IRRI

Farmers and stakeholders opposed on Monday the use of Golden Rice, a genetically modified variety of rice co-developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

“[Genetically modified] crops such as Golden Rice contaminate local rice varieties, ultimately erasing the genetic traits and characteristics of our traditional and farmer-bred rice varieties,” said environmental biologist Dr. Charito P. Medina at a blended press briefing. 

“Years of effort spent to breed climate change–resilient varieties that are ecologically apt will go extinct in the blink of an eye,” he added. 

The new rice variety will be deployed in areas with high prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency by the third quarter of 2022 before rolling out to the general public. 

In 2021, the Philippines issued a biosafety permit and approved the commercial propagation of the Vitamin A-enriched Golden Rice, after more than a decade of field tests that were opposed by farmers, scientists, and environmental groups like Greenpeace. 

 “IRRI has a long list of crimes against Filipino farmers,” said Cris C. Panerio, national coordinator of farmer-scientist group Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), citing debts due to due to costly chemical requirements and ailments due to long-term exposure to chemical pesticides. 

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and IRRI have been quick to legitimize Golden Rice while offering little to no information on its environmental and health precautions, according to the network. 

To combat malnutrition and ensure food security, speakers instead suggested promoting readily available, diverse, and safe Vitamin A food sources from sustainable and ecological farming. 

Rodolfo Cortez, a Negros Occidental-based farmer-leader, shared that he worries about Golden Rice’s “marketability amid the unreasonably low price of rice grain in the market due to the Rice Tariffication Law.” 

The law, known as Republic Act No. 11203, liberalized rice imports that used to be heavily regulated, allowing private parties to import with fewer restrictions though requiring them to pay a 35% tariff on Southeast Asian grain. 

This February, farmers campaigned to repeal the act, claiming that it failed to meet its objective of improving their prosperity after three years. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Corporate governance with a gender lens

FREEPIK

In celebration of Women’s Month, I had the privilege of speaking in a webinar organized by Women’s Business Council Philippines (WomenBizPH) and the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD). As a current and past member of the boards of both organizations which support the advocacies close to my heart — women’s economic empowerment and corporate governance — the opportunity to speak on “Corporate Governance with a Gender Lens” could not have been more perfect. Allow me to share a few snippets from my talk.

SEX VS GENDER
Often times, the terms “sex” and “gender” have been used interchangeably. But it is important to understand that they are separate and distinct. Sex refers to biological differences between male and female. It is fixed, natural, unchanging, and consists of a male and female dichotomy. Gender, on the other hand, refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, norms, and attributes.

So, are females brains wired differently? According to a book entitled The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, most aspects of male and female brains are similar — IQ averages are the same, and both are capable of excellence at physical, artistic, and intellectual pursuits. It also mentions differences: women tend to have faster and better fine-motor skills, as well as faster and broader verbal skills; women and men may come to the same answer in problem-solving tests, although they use different brain circuitry to find solutions; women have more neurons in the part of the brain devoted to emotions and to detecting emotions in order.

There are obvious differences between males and females observed in society and these are present from infancy through adulthood. Behaviors and school performance differences between men and women are strongly shaped by socialization at home, in school, in the workplace, and in media. Although 99% genetically alike, male and female brains have evolved and see the world through a unique lens. Gender cues such as “manly” and “ladylike” mold our abilities and behaviors, and most of the time, it is unconscious.

#BREAKTHEBIAS — THE UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
Insights from a book entitled, Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez uncovers how gender bias affects our everyday lives and examines different elements of the modern world that demonstrate the inconvenient consequence when “male” is the default form of humanity. Using “man” to represent all human beings is a subtle way of disregarding and alienating women — from policies, research, technology, transportation systems, product developments, and the media.

It further points out that industries and society in general fail to consider women’s needs and create this “unintentional male bias” often masked as “gender-neutral.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A GENDER LENS?
Gender Lens is all about recognizing and accepting the difference between males and females. Moreover, it is about taking conscious, deliberate, intentional, and proactive approaches in crafting an organization’s corporate governance practices regardless of size, nature of business, operations, among others.

So, why adopt a gender lens?

Numbers matter: Women make up 50% of the local and global population, therefore accounting for half of potential consumers, suppliers, and talent pool. Women also drive up to 85% of consumer purchasing decisions, an important consideration in product development and formulation of marketing strategies.

Diversity = Innovation: Applying a gendered and diverse perspective brings unique ideas and a broader range of backgrounds. Moreover, diverse groups collectively possess more information and will have a higher chance of making better decisions.

Improved Company Culture: Companies with progressive policies provide a less stressful work environment and have lower employee turnover.

THE 5 Cs OF GENDER LENS IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Driving diversity will not happen on its own. It needs concerted efforts to address cultural barriers that prevent women from attaining leadership roles. What do we need to do?

Change: A mindset change is needed in order to accept that gender inequality exists and needs to be addressed.

Commitment: Forward-thinking organizations are serious about diversity. Diverse boards are catalysts for equality and inclusion and are more likely to insist on fairness from pay to promotion.

Culture: Diversity matters where all perspectives are regularly elicited and valued. Business leaders need to establish a more egalitarian culture — one that elevates different voices, integrates contrasting insights, and welcomes conversations about diversity.

Clarity: The visible presence of business leaders can play a vital role to ensure that the positive shifts towards gender equality are not lost as organizations respond to the changes.

Compliance: The board should set the tone “at the top.” This demonstrates the company’s commitment to integrity and legal compliance and sends a clear message to all levels of the organization.

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR GENDER LENS
The World Bank Group cites that a broad set of business benefits is associated with gender diversity in corporate governance. It helps firms improve performance, drive growth, manage risks, attract and retain investors, and weather financial crises. Other benefits include improved financial performance and shareholder value, increased customer and employee satisfaction, rising investor confidence, and greater market knowledge and reputation. More companies are recognizing the value of boards that feature a mix of well-qualified male and female directors representing a range of perspectives, experience, and background.

Gender equality is a fundamental human right, and thus a gender lens in corporate governance is necessary in achieving a formidable, thriving, and sustainable world. The conversation about corporate governance with a gender lens and diversity is gathering speed. It is crucial to emphasize the role of gender equality and Diversity and Inclusion to drive innovation, business competitiveness and good corporate governance, as well as highlight the critical role of active and visible leadership.

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.

 

Ma. Aurora “Boots” D. Geotina-Garcia is member of the MAP ESG Committee, and the MAP Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is vice-chair of ICD, the founding chair and president of the Philippine Women’s Economic Network, and president of Mageo Consulting, Inc., a corporate finance advisory services firm.

map@map.org.ph

magg@mageo.net

map.org.ph

Good luck trying to sanction China’s 4,762 Little Giants

UNSPLASH

AN UNPRECEDENTED catalogue of sanctions has proved to be a powerful weapon in hobbling the Russian economy in response to Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. And the threat of ensnaring Chinese companies in their web has restrained Beijing’s backing for its ally.

But sanctions lose their bite if your adversary is woven into the global supply chain. And that’s what China has done this century — it’s moved up the value chain from socks to robots. Beijing has stepped up efforts to nurture innovative small- and mid-sized enterprises, hoping some will become indispensable to multinational companies.

The so-called “little giants” initiative is not new — it goes back more than a decade. But it was in 2018, after the trade war between the US and China heated up, that Beijing began to seriously push this program. The government picked up the pace last year, offering 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) in grants and subsidies, as well as new financing channels. The new Beijing Stock Exchange, launched in November, is designed to help fund innovative SMEs.

As of 2021, China has recognized 4,762 little giants, with 74% in manufacturing and another 20% in scientific research and technology services, according to data compiled by HSBC Holdings Plc. It plans to spot 3,000 more this year.

These little giants are nothing like big tech behemoths such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. or Tencent Holdings Ltd., whose businesses span from social media, cloud computing, to e-commerce. They are highly specialized. For instance, Beijing-based ForwardX Robotics, which recently raised $31 million from a series C funding round, makes robots for warehouses and logistics companies. They aim to burrow deep in the global supply chain.

To be sure, the West is willing to take a hit to make a point. The US-sanctioned Huawei Technologies Co., which once spent $11 billion a year on its suppliers. However, when the risk of disruption is too great, cold feet can ensue.

Even when it comes to Putin’s Russia. While the Treasury sanctioned oligarch Alisher Usmanov, detaining his yachts and private jets, they exempted his businesses, many of which are important inputs to manufacturing. His companies supply half of the world’s merchant hot briquetted iron, a raw material for steel production. Officials worry that acting against Usmanov could drive up metals prices, the Wall Street Journal reported. After all, inflation already hit 7.9%, the highest since the 1970’s OPEC oil embargo.

By the same token, will the Treasury want to sanction a Chinese firm that is an essential supplier to American businesses such as Apple, Inc.? Sanctions are meant to inflict damage on your adversary, not on yourself. While behind on semiconductors and aerospace, Chinese firms are already leading forces in electric-vehicle batteries, machine tools and robotics, according to Gavekal Dragonomics, a research firm.

US sanctions have clearly damaged some of China’s tech ambitions. Huawei’s 29% slide in revenue last year was testament to that. But they also forced Beijing’s policy makers to shore up their economic vulnerabilities. These days, by thinking little, they are actually aiming big.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Electoral campaigns, vaccination and causes of deaths

The general elections from President down to City and Municipal Councilors on May 9 are just five weeks or 35 days away. I checked some of the electoral campaigns of the leading presidential and vice-presidential candidates, the Bongbong Marcos (BBM)-Sara Duterte tandem, and the Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan pair.

ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN CROWD
The Leni-Kiko tandem has attracted these record number crowds at campaign rallies as of April 1 (source: https://web.facebook.com/TeamLeniKiko/photos):

1. Pasig (March 20), 130,000+;

2. Bacolod, Negros Occidental (March 11), 86,000+;

3. Tagbilaran, Bohol (April 1), 80,000+;

4. Catarman, Northern Samar (March 28), 73,000+;

5. Borongan, Eastern Samar (March 29), 54,000+;

6. Tarlac (March 23), Camanava (March 26), Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija (March 22), 50,000+ each;

7. Gen. Trias, Cavite (March 4), 47,000+;

8. Malolos, Bulacan (March 5) and Isabela, Basilan (March 16), 45,000+ each;

9. Iloilo City (Feb. 25), 40,000+; and,

10. Zamboanga (March 17), 35,000+.

The BBM-Sara tandem rallies also have huge crowds but they did not put crowd estimates. But from the photos shown (source: https://web.facebook.com/BongbongMarcos/photos), they seem to have larger crowds than the Leni-Kiko rallies, and they do it almost daily. Their Mindanao swing on March 27 to April 2 — from GenSan to Zamboanga, Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Norte and Sur, Lanao, and Bukidnon — showed crowds of the tens of thousands per event, morning till evening.

The Manny Pacquiao and Isko Moreno campaigns also have some big crowds but they are not held as often and are not as thick as the Leni and BBM crowds.

NO SURGE IN COVID CASES
Since the official campaign period for national office started on Feb. 8 or eight weeks ago, the political rallies have attracted tens of thousands of people per event, shoulder to shoulder, with no distancing for many hours, no temperature checks, no vax card checks. And yet there was not a single incidence of a COVID surge whether in any big city venues or nationwide — none. But we read the usual alarmist pronouncements by government virus “experts” of more infections. See for instance the Department of Health (DoH) warning which was contradicted by data in these two reports in BusinessWorld: “Ignoring protocols could lead to rise in infections — DoH” (March 29), “PHL logs among lowest daily coronavirus cases in SE Asia” (March 30).

Theory (and narrative) must conform with data. Always. No exception. In the COVID pandemic, the theory or narrative is: more huge gatherings, no distancing for hours, no widespread vaccination, then more infections and cases. Consider also the infamous and fallacious OCTA terms “super-spreader” events that require “circuit breaker” lockdowns.

So, what happens if theory and data do not conform with each other? In real natural science, one must uphold and respect the data and junk the “theory” or narrative — it reverts back to an ordinary hypothesis. But in politics and political science, one must ignore the data and uphold the narrative. And that is why despite eight weeks straight of having huge numbers of people packed together for many hours with no distancing, many even wearing their masks below their mouths, we see no COVID surges. But government retains the soft lockdown and mobility restrictions and pushes mass vaccination. It is no longer about medical science but political science and military science.

GOOGLE TRENDS IN THE CAMPAIGN
There are no results of voter preference surveys conducted in March by SWS and Pulse Asia, the top polling firms in the country. In the absence of such data, proxy data must be used, like estimated crowds per political rally by the leading contenders, discussed above. Another proxy is Google Trends “interest over time.”

“Interest over time” numbers and scores represent search interest relative to the highest point on the chart for the given region and time. Peak popularity is 100, 50 means that the term is half as popular, and 0 means there is not enough data for this term. While political surveys use sample sizes of only 1,200 to 3,000 people, Google Trends processes billions of bits of data, millions daily.

So, I searched Leni and BBM and this is the result.

The Leni campaign is gaining more interest — from 40 in the first half of February when official campaigns started, to 46 in early March, and 67 in late March. The score reached 96 on March 20, during the huge rally in Pasig, and peaked at 100 on March 21, when photos of the huge crowd that night were more circulated and reported the next day.

The BBM campaign is losing interest — from 34 in the first half of February to only 28 in first half of March. It recovered to 40 in the second half of March but this was way below the 67 of Leni over the same period.

So, from two data sets — photos of campaign rallies and caravans, and Google Trends — BBM seems to retain his lead in the first but he is losing in the second set of data. Good. His chances of becoming President are less.

CAUSES OF DEATHS, PSA DATA
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the Causes of Deaths data for 2020 and 2021 last week on March 29. I searched their previous reports and included data for 2018 and 2019 below. Since there was no excess mortality or deaths in 2020 over 2019, I compared 2021 with 2019. The data show the following.

One, there was a huge increase in deaths in 2021 when more COVID infections happened and mass vaccination started — 145,700 more deaths than in 2019 and 152,200 more deaths than 2020.

Two, if COVID deaths — virus identified UO7.1 and unidentified UO7.2 — are excluded, there were still 39,000 more deaths in 2021 over 2019.

Three, there were more deaths from ischemic heart diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and cerebrovascular diseases in 2021 than in 2019. This coincided with more reports of myocarditis, blood clots and related diseases days or weeks after vaccination in 2021, even until 2022.

Four, there were fewer deaths from pneumonia, cancer or neoplasms, lower respiratory diseases, and tuberculosis in 2021. The hypothesis “deaths from regular pneumonia were counted as COVID deaths” may fit in this situation.

Five, continued lockdown and business closures (KTV and music bars, some hospitality shops, etc.) led to fewer deaths from assault/fights and transport accidents, but more deaths from malnutrition and suicides or intentional self-harm (see Table).

Since the narrative “more huge gatherings, no distancing for hours, more COVID infections” is proven to be false by the huge electoral rallies, government should drop all mobility restrictions and presentation of mandatory vax card or negative PCR tests for work and travel.

Three real economic risks facing the Philippines this year: 1.) continued high public debt that will require high taxes, from P8.22 trillion (actual and guaranteed) in 2019 to P10.25 trillion in 2020, and P12.15 trillion in 2021; 2.) high inflation, from 2.6% in 2020 to 4.5% in 2021, and projected to reach 5% or more in 2022 with very high energy and commodity prices; and, 3.) low GDP growth this year, from -9.6% in 2020 and 5.7% in 2021. Our people and businesses should be freed from various mobility restrictions to produce more goods and services, reduce inflation and expand economic output.

The two leading Presidential candidates, especially VP Leni who is catching up, should have clear policies to open up the economy wide and clear, and remove all existing and planned mobility restrictions on people and businesses.

 

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

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

Retrofitting our democracy

Presidential aspirant and Vice President Leni Robredo visits fisher folks in Talisay, Cebu during her campaign sortie Feb. 24, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

As a Catholic congregation with a mission to provide human and Christian education to the young, we, the De La Salle Brothers, are constantly immersed in the world of young people. As mentors, teachers, and guides, we listen to their complaints, problems, stories, hopes, and dreams. We dialogue with them regardless of their creed, culture, and convictions, and learn from them, too. Because they are our primary concern, we believe that the upcoming election is not just about choosing a new leader. In our message to the Lasallian Family, “Discerning Our Future: The 2022 Elections” dated Dec. 8, 2021, we said that this election is also “about choosing the kind of future we want for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children.”

We offered eight ethical principles for discerning the kind of leadership our country needs and deserves. One of these principles is the “promotion of subsidiarity which favors grassroots empowerment for social development over autocracy and authoritarianism.” Subsidiarity is a key principle of Catholic Social Teaching. We believe that everyone has the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Subsidiarity requires that decisions are made by the people closest and most affected by the issues and concerns of the community. Enshrined, too, in Article XIII, Sec. 16 of our Constitution, this principle gives everyone both a space and a voice at the table, and empowers them to participate in creating the common good.

Subsidiarity is the dynamic cooperation principle in the multi-level governance of the European Union, and is also the guiding principle of the Canadian Federation. The same principle is behind Republic Act No. 11054, otherwise known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law. In business, an example can be found in the small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany, which is the third largest exporting nation worldwide. SMEs account for over 99% of all their businesses. A 2020 study by Fred Mear and Richard Werner of De Montfort University in the UK revealed that the application of subsidiarity coupled with adequate staff training in German SMEs resulted in “greater productivity and material performance as well as greater job satisfaction.” The study concludes that subsidiarity is the secret of success of their SMEs.

In the Philippines, one of the best models of governance guided by the subsidiarity principle is the Naga City People’s Council, initiated during the leadership of the late Jesse Robredo. During those 19 years as mayor of Naga, this Ramon Magsaysay awardee partnered with every sector of society and established an effective mechanism to public participation, particularly of the marginalized sectors and other vulnerable groups, in local governance.

Leni Robredo continues his legacy of partnership politics today. As Vice-President, her flagship anti-poverty program Angat Buhay has partnered with 372 organizations and mobilized P520 million worth of resources for more than 600,000 families in 223 communities nationwide. Although she is bereft of political machinery and resources, her presidential bid is driven by local people’s councils and the generosity of individuals and other volunteers campaigning on her behalf.

Are we ready for this kind of participatory and consultative democracy? Perhaps some still prefer taking orders instead of taking responsibility for their decisions. I suspect, however, that the youth are ready and capable of this kind of partnership politics. As digital pioneers and now digital natives, young people over the last two decades prefer collaborative, bilateral, experiential, and dialogical approaches to learning. We need to dialogue with them and ask what kind of future they want before we decide whom to vote for.

On Feb. 10, the De La Salle University Brothers expressed support for the Robredo-Pangilinan team: “In our collective discernment, the De La Salle Brothers of the Taft Community unanimously agreed that the tandem that has unceasingly defended our fundamental liberties and who continue to work in solidarity with those who empower and improve the plight of the poor and vulnerable sectors is the partnership of Leni Robredo and Kiko Pangilinan.” To date, more than 120 groups coming from different sectors of society have expressed their support for Leni and Kiko.

During the pandemic, a number of our schools took the opportunity to retrofit some old buildings in order to re-strengthen the existing structure, improve their sustainability, and make them seismic resistant. As we continue our democracy building since its restoration in 1986, we need to make it resistant to autocracy and authoritarianism. It is time to retrofit our democracy with subsidiarity through the Robredo-Pangilinan team.

 

Brother Richie P. Yap, Fsc is a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools founded in France by St. John Baptiste de La Salle. He is a Humanities and Social Sciences faculty member of the Senior High School of De La Salle University and specializes in Religious Education.

richie.yap@dlsu.edu.ph

Europe warns Russia may face new sanctions for ‘war crimes’

REUTERS

SOME European Union (EU) governments are pushing for the bloc to quickly impose new sanctions in response to multiple reports that Russian troops executed unarmed civilians in Ukrainian towns, according to diplomats familiar with the discussions.

The European Commission was already honing measures that would mostly focus on closing loopholes, strengthening existing actions — such as export controls on technology goods and fully sanctioning banks already cut off from the SWIFT global payments system — and expanding the list of sanctioned individuals.

Some EU nations argue there is now a trigger for even more penalties to be put in place with speed, with Ukrainian officials reporting evidence of war crimes committed by Russian troops in northern areas, according to a diplomat familiar with the discussions.

There is not yet consensus on all the details for a new package, or when to implement it, even as the bloc’s executive arm seeks in the meantime to put forward a set of corrective measures as early as this week. A small number of member states, including Germany, are opposed to sanctioning Russia’s energy sector, its maritime trade and other key industries, and EU sanctions require unanimous support.

The question for EU members is what actions would spur a fresh and fuller set of sanctions. Some continue to argue such measures should only be explored if Russia were to use chemical weapons or capture a major city, three diplomats said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are private.

Other states say the reported events in places like Bucha, a town on the outskirts of Kyiv, are enough to warrant action. One of the diplomats said even the fresh measures on the table were not enough given the extent of the potential war crimes.

Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said a fifth around of “strong EU sanctions” should come as soon as possible, while Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on EU leaders to hold an emergency summit soon to discuss the events in Bucha, saying the bloc should sever all trade ties with Russia without delay.

Ukraine has accused Russian soldiers of killing unarmed civilians, with officials saying they found hundreds of bodies in Bucha after Russian troops left. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, posted several photos on Twitter of dead people, some with their hands tied behind their backs.

Zelensky renewed charges that Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine, telling CBS’s Face the Nation his citizens “are being destroyed and exterminated.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the claims of war crimes. “It’s clear to the naked eye that there are a lot of fakes and staged shots,” Mr. Peskov said by text message when asked to comment on images released by Ukrainian officials. Russia’s Defense Ministry called the accusations by Ukraine a “provocation” in a statement on its website.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a Twitter post that anyone responsible for war crimes must be held accountable and sanctions would be tightened. In a statement to reporters in Berlin on Sunday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany and its allies will agree “further measures” against Russia in coming days. He did not provide details or mention the Russian imports of gas, oil and coal that Germany heavily relies on.

“Putin and his supporters will feel the effects and we will continue to make weapons available to Ukraine so it can defend itself against the Russian invasion,” Mr. Scholz said.

It comes as Russia shifts tactics in the war, redeploying troops away from the north after weeks of failure to make ground. Instead its campaign is focusing on areas in the east, including the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Donbas, and Mariupol, a port city that has already been under siege for weeks.

Odesa meantime was rocked by explosions early Sunday. Russia fired high-precision missiles from ships and aircraft that struck an oil refinery and three storage facilities near the southwestern port city, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

The organization Human Rights Watch said on Sunday it had documented several cases of apparent war crimes committed by Russian forces, including summary executions.

“The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Rape, murder, and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces’ custody should be investigated as war crimes.”

Ukraine wants the International Criminal Court to send missions to investigate “war crimes” uncovered in Bucha and other formerly occupied towns, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

“We are still collecting bodies, uncovering graves, but the count is already in hundreds,” he told the UK’s Times Radio in an interview. On Twitter he again called for a full oil and gas embargo of Russia by Group of Seven (G7) nations and for ports to be closed to all Russian vessels and goods.

The US last month made a formal determination that Russian troops had committed war crimes. At the time Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US had seen “credible reports of indiscriminate attacks and attacks deliberately targeting civilians, as well as other atrocities.” President Joseph R. Biden has said he considers Vladimir Putin a war criminal.

Mr. Blinken on Sunday called the images of alleged Russian atrocities a “punch to the gut,” but stopped short of labeling them genocide.

Increasingly frustrated with the stance of their counterparts, several EU countries, including Lithuania and Poland, have announced they will unilaterally stop importing Russian energy, while Estonia has put forward a proposal to withhold and freeze a share of Russia’s energy revenue that it says could be an initial compromise.

One of the diplomats said it was hoped that the unilateral moves would lead to an agreement among all member states to do more in order to avoid risking damage to the EU’s united front. — Bloomberg

Economist wins Costa Rica election for president

SAN JOSE — Economist Rodrigo Chaves extended a hand to the opposition upon winning the Costa Rican presidency on Sunday after a bruising election campaign in which the former World Bank official vowed to break with traditional politics.

Defeating former president Jose Maria Figueres by about 53% to 47% in a run-off vote, according to preliminary results, the bearded 60-year-old Mr. Chaves quickly dropped his confrontational campaign rhetoric and said it was time to work together.

“Tonight, let’s set aside the party colors that can easily divide us,” Mr. Chaves, told dozens of cheering supporters in the capital, San Jose, on Sunday night. “I humbly ask you that we unite beneath the blue, white and red of our national flag.”

Mr. Chaves will take office next month with his Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD) holding just 10 of the national parliament’s 57 seats, while the party of Figueres, who came first in an indecisive first round vote in February, has 19.

At 57%, turnout was the lowest in decades, reflecting apathy among many voters in Costa Rica, where straitened economic times have fueled disenchantment with the political class.

Mr. Chaves, whose campaign was buffeted by allegations of sexual harassment stemming from his time at the World Bank, had vowed to use referenda to work around parliament, and also pledged to help the poor by keeping down the price of basic goods.

He has repeatedly denied the harassment allegations. But his policies, combative style and confrontational approach to the media drew comparisons to other anti-establishment leaders in the Americas, including former US president Donald Trump.

A few dozen Mr. Chaves’ supporters gathered for a modest but lively watch party at a downtown hotel. Dancing began before the results and the festivities continued after his speech.

Caravans of revelers celebrating Mr. Chaves’ victory honked their car horns as they passed the hotel where Mr. Figueres’ supporters had gathered. Inside, the mood was somber and party flags were lowered immediately after Mr. Figueres conceded.

ECONOMIC CHALLENGE
In the end, a belief that Mr. Chaves could deliver a fresh start for Costa Ricans proved decisive in seeing off the challenge of Mr. Figueres, who was president from 1994-1998 and is a scion of one of the most powerful political families in the country.

Adrian Salazar, 57, and his family were among the Chaves supporters celebrating in the streets of central San Jose.

“I voted thinking we weren’t going to win, but confident that we need new faces to save the country,” said Mr. Salazar, attributing the triumph to a “hunger for real change.”

Still, in his victory address, Mr. Chaves namechecked Mr. Figueres’ father, three-time president Jose Figueres Ferrer, as he sought to win over opponents to help him govern.

Mr. Chaves spent almost three decades at the World Bank, and is not a complete newcomer to politics. He briefly served as finance minister under outgoing president Carlos Alvarado, who is barred by law from seeking immediate re-election.

Mr. Chaves sought to underline his economic credentials in his campaign pitch to Costa Ricans, who over the past two decades have seen unemployment steadily creep up, inequality rise and the country slip deeper into debt during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In Jan. 2021, the country agreed to $1.78 billion in financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund.

In exchange, the government vowed to adopt a raft of fiscal changes and austerity measures to stabilize finances. But the fragmented parliament has so far made little headway on them. — Reuters

Ukraine accuses Russia of war crimes after bodies found bound, shot

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Flickr

BUCHA, Ukraine — Ukrainian authorities were investigating possible war crimes by Russia after finding hundreds of bodies, some bound and shot at close range, strewn around towns near Kyiv after Kremlin forces withdrew to refocus their attacks in other parts of the country. 

In the town of Bucha, 37 km northwest of Kyiv’s city center, Reuters reporters saw a man sprawled by the roadside, his hands tied behind his back and a bullet wound to his head. 

Bucha’s deputy mayor, Taras Shapravskyi, said 50 of some 300 bodies, found after Russian forces withdrew from the city late last week, were the victims of extrajudicial killings carried out by Russian troops. 

Reuters could not independently verify those figures or who was responsible for the killings. 

Russia’s defense ministry said in a statement issued on Sunday that all photographs and videos published by the Ukrainian authorities alleging “crimes” by Russian troops in Bucha were a “provocation,” and no resident of Bucha suffered violence at the hands of Russian troops. 

Satellite images showed a 45-foot-long trench dug into the grounds of a Ukrainian church where a mass grave was found this week. Reuters reporters in Bucha visited a mass grave at one church that was still open, with hands and feet poking through the red clay heaped on top. 

Pictures of the destruction and apparent violence towards civilians sparked widespread condemnation of Russia and leader Vladimir Putin. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the images as “a punch in the gut,” while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation. 

“Putin and his supporters will feel the consequences,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, adding that Western allies would agree on further sanctions in the coming days. 

Japan said it would consult with allies about additional sanctions. 

“Japan takes deaths of innocent civilians in Ukraine extremely seriously. We are really shocked,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a regular news conference. 

Germany’s Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said the European Union must discuss banning the import of Russian gas — a departure from Berlin’s prior resistance to the idea of an embargo on Russian energy imports. 

The UN Security Council will discuss Ukraine on Tuesday — as scheduled — and will not meet on Monday as requested by Russia, said Britain’s mission to the United Nations, which holds the presidency of the 15-member council for April. 

Russia had requested the Security Council convene on Monday to discuss what it called a “provocation by Ukrainian radicals” in the town of Bucha after Kyiv accused Russian troops of killing civilians there. 

Russia has previously denied targeting civilians and has rejected allegations of war crimes in what it calls a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing and “denazifying” Ukraine. Ukraine says it was invaded without provocation. 

Human Rights Watch said it had documented “several cases of Russian military forces committing laws-of-war violations” in the Ukrainian regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv. 

Ukraine’s foreign minister called on the International Criminal Court to collect evidence of what he called Russian war crimes. The foreign ministers of France and Britain said their countries would support any such probe. 

However, legal experts say a prosecution of Putin or other Russian leaders would face high hurdles and could take years. 

WIDESPREAD FIGHTING
Russia has pulled back forces that had threatened Kyiv from the north, saying it intends to focus on eastern Ukraine. 

Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia expected to mobilize about 60,000 reservists. 

“The military-political leadership of the Russian Federation has begun measures to covertly mobilize reservists in order to bring military units to wartime status,” the general staff said on Monday. 

Reuters could not independently confirm the claim. 

Explosions were heard in the early hours of Monday in the cities of Kherson and Odesa, in the south, while air raid sirens sounded across the country’s east. 

British military intelligence said Russian troops, including mercenaries from the state-linked Wagner private military company, are being moved into the east. 

Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of eastern Luhansk region, said Russia was building up forces to break through Ukrainian defenses. 

“I am urging residents to evacuate. The enemy will not stop, it will destroy everything in its path,” he said in comments carried on Ukrainian television. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared in a video aired at the Grammy Awards in the United States and appealed to viewers to support Ukrainians “in any way you can.” 

“What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people,” said Mr. Zelenskyy. 

Missiles struck near Odesa on Sunday, with Russia saying it had destroyed an oil refinery used by the Ukrainian military. The Odesa city council said “critical infrastructure facilities” were hit. 

Ukraine evacuated more than 2,600 people from the southeastern port of Mariupol and the region of Luhansk on Sunday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. Ukrainian officials were in talks with Russia to allow several Red Cross buses to enter Mariupol, she added. 

The Red Cross abandoned earlier attempts due to security concerns. Russia blamed the charity for the delays. 

There was little sign of a breakthrough in efforts to negotiate an end to the war, although Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said talks were due to resume on Monday via videoconference. — Simon Gardner/Reuters

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