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BW Insights: Enabling Sustainable Food Choices and Consumption

As the country continues to tackle the issues on food security, how should we address food loss and waste with the help of sustainable practices? How can we transition further to food sustainability — from farming and production practices to consumption?

Join the second and final session of BusinessWorld Insights’ “Cultivating Sustainability from Farm to Plate” series, presented by SM Foundation, as experts discuss the topic “Enabling Sustainable Food Choices and Consumption.”

This session of #BUSINESSWORLDINSIGHTS is supported by British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and The Philippine STAR.

Companies walk the talk as society shifts to sustainable food consumption

By Patricia Mirasol 

Companies are treating sustainability as a necessary aspect of their business framework, and not merely as a “nice to have.” 

Shifting towards healthier food production and consumption is possible, according to Arlene Tan-Bantoto, Nestlé Philippines’ SVP and Head of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, in an Oct. 20 BusinessWorld Insights webinar.  

“Nutrition education; accessible, affordable nutritious products; and elevating the discussion on the issue are key drivers in this effort,” she said. 

The multinational food and drink processing conglomerate, Ms. Tan-Bantoto added, is going beyond the farm-to-table approach by providing end-to-end sustainability actions that includes health education among the youth through its Nestlé Wellness Campus.  

Food is the lever that optimizes human health and environmental sustainability, reported the EAT-Lancet Commission. Its 2019 report recommended transforming the global food system through sustainable food production and the adoption of a diet rich in plant-based foods.  

Sustainable food production is achievable through responsible farm practices and animal welfare awareness, said Dr. Erasmus J. Paderes, senior vice-president for Animal Health and Feed Mill Operations of Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI).  

BAVI cut its energy consumption by half by using renewable sources in its contract growing farms and processing plants, Mr. Paderes said. It also pioneered the country’s Zero Antibiotics Chicken production system in 2017, resulting in an 84% reduction in antibiotic use.  

“We use antibiotics prudently, or [only when] the flock or broilers have bacterial disease,” he added, noting that antibiotic residues from the chickens do not pass on to consumers. “Our veterinarians use prescriptions to monitor the antibiotic’s usage and effect.”  

For Gregory H. Banzon, chief operating officer and executive vice-president of Century Pacific Food, Inc., sustainability entails balancing the long-term, global view on healthy diets with the local context.  

“We need to provide more affordable base nutrition,” he said. Century Pacific Food, Mr. Banzon told the webinar audience, considers their brands’ delivery of key nutritional requirements when measuring company performance.  

The company is a leader in terms of tuna sustainability, Mr. Banzon added, and has also in recent years launched other sustainable ventures such as unMEAT, its plant-based meat alternative brand. 

“We have a good experience with the technology behind plant-based products,” he said, pointing to unMEAT’s strong uptake in the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern markets. “We’re able to make the product look, taste, and smell like meat.”  

As mentioned in the Oct. 20 webinar, Nestlé Philippines is likewise launching its own plant-based brand, Harvest Gourmet.  

The trend towards sustainable food consumption has been reported since before the pandemic. A 2021 research paper, titled “Young people’s voices on climate anxiety, government betrayal and moral injury: A global phenomenon,” further notes a growing concern with the environment among young Filipinos.  

The second and final session of BusinessWorld Insights’ “Cultivating Sustainability from Farm to Plate” series, is presented by the SM Foundation, and is supported by the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Management Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and The Philippine STAR.

Taking steps to let Filipino women lead 

OVER the past year and a half, women leaders in the Philippines have become an example of resilience for various sectors of society. 

“The COVID (coronavirus disease) crisis and its disruption has had an impact on how we work together and is a clear invitation for businesses to seize the moment, to rethink practices,” said Luc Véron, the European Union’s (EU) ambassador to the Philippines, at the virtual 2021 Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards. “With gender inclusion at the center of their strategies, it is a fact that companies with higher female representation at the most senior levels deliver better results.”  

The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Gender Gap Report highlighted the Philippines’ progress in narrowing the gender gap in terms of economic participation and opportunities, particularly senior roles in business and leadership. This earned the Philippines a rank of 17th out of 156 countries. 

Organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in the Philippines, We Empower Asia, and the EU, the WEPs Awards on Oct. 15 named those who continue to help close the gender gap. 

Here are the Philippines’ gender equality champions for 2021: 

Leadership Commitment  

  • Champion: Lynette V. Ortiz, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank
  • 1st Runner-up: Nina D. Aguas, Executive Chairman of Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd.
  • 2nd Runner-up: Rhoda Castro-Caliwara, President and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Genesis Services, Inc.

Gender-Inclusive Workplace 

  • Champion: Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines, Inc.
  • 1st Runner-up: Nestle Philippines, Inc.
  • 2nd Runner-up: Accenture, Inc.

Gender-Responsive Marketplace 

  • Champion: BAYO Manila, Inc.
  • 1st Runner-up: Kultura Store, Inc.

Community Engagement and Partnerships  

  • Champion: Shell Companies in the Philippines
  • 1st Runner-up: Fujitsu Global Delivery Center Philippines
  • 2nd Runner-up: BAYO Manila, Inc.

Transparency and Reporting 

  • Champion: Philippine National Bank (PNB)

Youth Leadership (Under 35) 

  • Champion: Cherrie D. Atilano, President and Chief Executive Officer of AGREA Agricultural System International, Inc.
  • 1st Runner-up: Abetina Valenzuela, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Equilife Medical Equipment Supplies & Services, Inc.
  • 2nd Runner-up: David King Em Pangan, Co-founder and Managing Partner of InBestCap Ventures Holdings, Inc

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Champions 

  • Champion for Community Engagement and Partnerships: Edukasyon.ph
  • Champion for Gender-Responsive Marketplace: Villgro Philippines
  • Champion for Leadership Commitment: Felicitas B. Pantoja, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Coffee for Peace, Inc.

Gustavo Gonzales, the UN’s resident coordinator in the Philippines, stressed the importance of these figures in society: “A large number of women have dropped out of the labor force but, despite the situation, they provide some encouraging news showing again the resilience of women business leaders in the Philippines.” 

POLICY AND INCLUSIVITY
As the Gender-Inclusive Workplace champion, P&G’s Philippine unit shared during the ceremony that stories of resilience start with leading by example — through policy.  

“It’s more about promoting and championing industry-leading policies, inclusive programs, and equitable practices,” said Anna Legarda-Locsin, P&G Philippines’ communications director, citing for example the company’s Share the Care policy, which allows at least eight weeks of fully paid parental leave for employees of all genders. 

Inclusive policies must also reflect an openness to self-assess, according to PNB, which won the award for Transparency and Reporting. Since 2018, their annual sustainability report has measured the bank to gender-equal standards by which they form initiatives.  

Leia Michelle Regala-Teodoro, PNB’s corporate communications head, shared their mindset: “Including gender data in our sustainability reporting is important to reflect the level of support and commitment a company has for gender equality.”  

She also added that women make up 25% of PNB’s board, 66% of their total workforce, and 60% of their managers.  

“We’re very proud of this at PNB. We encourage organizations and companies to make a commitment to uphold gender equality by focusing on people’s capabilities and potentials, transcending gender stereotypes,” she said. “You get a larger pool of resources with bigger ideas, especially those that are into social media. If you just limit yourselves to a certain pool, you’ll only have one set of ideas.”  

PUBLIC LEADERSHIP
The keynote speaker for the awarding ceremony, Vice-President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo, spoke of the potential of Filipino women to add more to the table — whether in the private or public sector. 

“What our awardees today teach us is that there is a more humane, more effective way to show strength: by nurturing and empowering others, by being compassionate, by channeling quiet and determined courage amidst adversity,” she explained. “Being a women leader has its set of challenges. We ace multiple barriers, long-held cultural dictates, and deeply held prejudices.”  

This is also the belief of Let Women Lead, a crowdfunding initiative launched on Oct. 13, which supports campaigns of female candidates in the 2022 elections.  

First proposed a month prior by Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform (AWARE) co-founder Solita “Winnie” Collas-Monsod, the initiative allows Filipinos to donate any amount of cash to campaigns of female candidates.  

“Women are underrepresented in society, and that underrepresentation costs the country so much,” said Ms. Monsod in Filipino at the project’s virtual launch. “I’m not saying we remove all the men; what I’m saying is to even out the odds. [Women] are roughly 50% of our population, and in 2019 only 20% of the candidates were women.”  

With Let Women Lead, women in politics will no longer be impeded by lack of financing, she added. The initiative has collected P3 million so far and is currently backing Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel and Leila M. de Lima, senators seeking reelection, along with presidential hopeful Ms. Robredo.  

AWARE also revealed that they plan to make the project a long-term one, in order to help future female leaders beyond the 2022 elections. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Alveo Land’s ‘AMPLIFY’ virtual experience slated on Oct. 23

As we move further and further into a world redefined by technology, the borders that separate the physical from the virtual become ever more blurred. The digital frontier, once a concept limited to the realm of science fiction, is now within reach.

As a leader of innovation in the Philippine real estate industry, Alveo Land is exploring and pushing the boundaries of the digital frontier through an exciting virtual event space.

In partnership with BusinessWorld, Alveo Land showcases the 2nd run of “AMPLIFY: An Alveo Virtual Realty Event” happening on Oct. 23, Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Philippine Standard Time).

“AMPLIFY: An Alveo Virtual Realty Event” allows guests to explore and visit Alveo’s dynamic range of properties inside and outside Metro Manila, as well as engage with some of the country’s leading experts — completely through a digitally immersive experience.

Designed as a highly engaging virtual event platform, ALVEO AMPLIFY provides curated, live and on-demand webinars featuring a wide variety of topics — from interior design to navigating the current investment market. Find out how parenting is evolving through digital technology, for instance, or discover why now is the perfect time to invest in real estate in the upcoming webinars, all available for easy selection through the virtual auditorium.

The main lobby, meanwhile, is a large virtual hall simulation that allows attendees to navigate through different parts of the program. Engage in tailored presentations and Q&A forums, while you navigate through Alveo’s interactive personalized project tours.

Another highlight of the event is the interactive booth displays. Located in the exhibition halls, Alveo gets to showcase an extensive presentation of its dynamic properties from all across the Philippines. Attendees have the opportunity to get to learn more about the company’s latest portfolio and exclusive event offerings in just a few easy clicks. Each booth exhibit features project videos, showroom tours, and even live chat sessions for inquiries on any project.

In addition, various event partners such as Ayala Malls, Seda Hotels, El Nido Resorts, BPI, and Rampver Financials, among others, also have their own displays and unique offerings. It’s an exclusive and interactive virtual access to learn, discover, and explore — all within the comforts of your home.

A subsidiary of Ayala Land, Alveo Land offers a vibrant portfolio of groundbreaking real estate developments that provide upscale living and working spaces within various thriving and emerging growth centers around the country. Armed with sharper foresight, unparalleled excellence, total commitment, and an inherent passion and drive for innovation, the company is committed to providing thoughtfully-designed and master-planned living environments for the unique needs of its discerning market.

Discover a new digital landscape featuring Alveo’s dynamic portfolio of properties for living and working well in the Philippines. Registration is now open via the official Alveo Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AlveoLand/.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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What is the ‘metaverse’ and why is Facebook focusing on it?

LONDON – Facebook Inc, under fire from regulators and lawmakers over its business practices, is planning to rebrand itself with a new name that focuses on the metaverse, the Verge reported on Tuesday.

The concept of the metaverse is quickly becoming a buzzword in technology and business. But what does it mean?

WHAT IS THE METAVERSE?
Metaverse is a broad term. It generally refers to shared virtual world environments which people can access via the internet.

The term can refer to digital spaces which are made more lifelike by the use of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).

Some people also use the word metaverse to describe gaming worlds, in which users have a character that can walk around and interact with other players.

There is also a specific type of metaverse which uses blockchain technology. In these, users can buy virtual land and other digital assets using cryptocurrencies.

Many science fiction books and films are set in fully-fledged metaverses – alternative digital worlds which are indistinguishable from the real physical world. But this is still the stuff of fiction. Currently, most virtual spaces look more like the inside of a video game than real life.

WHY IS IT TAKING OFF?
Fans of the metaverse see it as the next stage in the development of the internet.

At the moment, people interact with each other online by going to websites such as social media platforms or using messaging applications. The idea of the metaverse is that it will create new online spaces in which people’s interactions can be more multi-dimensional, where users are able to immerse themselves in digital content rather than simply viewing it.

The accelerated interest in the metaverse can be seen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people have started working and going to school remotely, there has been increased demand for ways to make online interaction more lifelike.

WHO IS GETTING INVOLVED?
The idea of the metaverse is attracting a lot of interest from investors and companies who are keen to be part of the next big thing.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in July that the company will try to transition from being a social media company to a metaverse company in the next five years or so.

The term is popular in Silicon Valley, with Microsoft also having mentioned converging the digital and physical worlds.

The popular children’s game Roblox, which had its New York Stock Exchange debut in March, describes itself as a metaverse company. Epic Games’ Fortnite is also considered to be part of the metaverse.

Musicians can do virtual concerts within these platforms. For example, in September millions of people watched the singer Ariana Grande virtually perform in Fortnite, Epic Games said.

The world’s biggest fashion companies have also experimented with making virtual clothing, which people’s avatars can wear in metaverse environments. — Reuters

Lumina Homes upgrades amenity centers with Espacio

Affordable housing used to mean scrimping on common amenities, but it was only until Vista Land’s Lumina Homes launched its master-planned communities with its signature multi-purpose hall.

The hall—far from the small “clubhouse” in other subdivisions—has a stage and can host sports tournaments and other regular community events like pageants and general assemblies.

All these years, Lumina Homes has built communities that not only cater to the essential needs of its homeowners, but also create a true social connection among them, just like a traditional Filipino neighborhood. Through a complete amenity center where residents can grow relationships, Lumina aims to bring a community that they can be proud, and that they can share to the younger generations.

To further fulfill this commitment, Lumina Homes unveiled a bigger and more encompassing amenity center called Espacio, literally a space where the community can enjoy various activities for different ages—its very own “plaza” so to speak.

Espacio will feature Lumina’s famous multi-purpose hall, a shuttle terminal, and will be surrounded by open spaces filled with mini gardens, a play area and a jogging path. The outdoor amenity will encourage homeowners to safely go out, walk or jog, and pursue a healthy and active lifestyle.

Community Center

There will also be a community center which can accommodate important offices such as a Health Center, Day Care Center, Senior Citizen Center, and Barangay Center. After the pandemic, residents will no longer need to travel to the city hall or send little kids to nursery schools outside the Lumina Homes community.

For entertainment, there’s Tambayan ni Juan, which takes after the idea of a “night market.”

Tambayan ni Juan

The al fresco food area will allow homeowners to set up kiosks for food and other items to sell. While eating or shopping, residents can enjoy live performances and exhibitions once it is safe to hold events and gatherings.

Residents can easily go to the Tambayan ni Juan and Espacio’s other exciting features through the shuttle service with a designated terminal at the community center. This transportation service also helps residents travel to and from certain drop-off points within the town or city.

An in-house property management group will maintain Espacio, assuring the residents and guests’ safety during their visit. Aside from CCTV cameras installed in different areas of the amenity center, health and safety protocols, such as regular sanitation, social distancing, and wearing of face masks and face shields, shall be strictly enforced.

Soon, Espacio will be available in Lumina’s new projects and new phases and expansion for existing communities. Situated at the heart of the communities, Espacio promises to pulse life into affordable—and rewarding—housing such as Lumina Homes.

For more information on Lumina Homes, contact (0917) 629 6523 or visit our official website at www.lumina.com.ph.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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N.Korea confirms submarine launch of new ballistic missile

SEOUL – North Korea test-fired a new, smaller ballistic missile from a submarine, state media confirmed on Wednesday, a move that analysts said could be aimed at more quickly fielding an operational missile submarine.

The statement from state media came a day after South Korea’s military reported that it believed North Korea had fired a submarine–launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off its east coast, the latest in a string of North Korean missile tests.

The White House urged North Korea to refrain from further “provocations”, with spokeswoman Jen Psaki saying on Tuesday the United States remained open to engaging diplomatically with North Korea over its weapons programmes.

Pyongyang so far has rejected those overtures, accusing the United States and South Korea of talking diplomacy while ratcheting up tensions with their own military activities.

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Wednesday called for Washington to ease sanctions if the North returns to talks.

“Action must be taken as soon as possible to stop North Korea from further developing nuclear and missile capability,” he told parliament. “I think considering relaxing sanctions can surely be an option.”

The United States and Britain plan to raise the North’s latest test during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, diplomats said.

The “new-type” SLBM was launched from the same submarine involved in a 2016 test of an older SLBM, North Korea’s state news agency KCNA said.

North Korea has a large fleet of aging submarines, but has yet to deploy operational ballistic missile submarines beyond the experimental Gorae-class boat used in the tests.

Photos released by KCNA appeared to show a thinner, smaller missile than North Korea’s earlier SLBM designs, and may be a previously unseen model first showcased at a defence exhibition in Pyongyang last week.

 

MISSILE RACE

A smaller SLBM could mean more missiles stored on a single submarine, although with a shorter range, potentially putting nuclear-armed North Korea closer to fielding an operational ballistic missile submarine (SSB).

“Though a smaller North Korea SLBM design could enable more missiles per boat, it could also enable smaller less challenging SSB designs, including easier integration/conversion on pre-existing submarines,” Joseph Dempsey, a defence researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said on Twitter.

Still, the development was expected to have only a limited impact on Pyongyang’s arsenal until it made more progress on a larger submarine that has been seen under construction.

“It just means they’re trying to diversify their submarine launch options,” said Dave Schmerler, a senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in California. “It’s an interesting development but with only one submarine in the water that can launch notionally one or two of these it doesn’t change much.”

Kim Dong-yup, a former South Korea Navy officer who teaches at Seoul’s Kyungnam University, said the missile could be an advanced version of the KN-23, a short-range ballistic missile first tested in 2019, citing its range, visual resemblance and stated guidance technologies.

KCNA said the new SLBM featured advanced capabilities including “flank mobility and gliding skip mobility.”

“(The SLBM) will greatly contribute to putting the defence technology of the country on a high level and to enhancing the underwater operational capability of our navy,” KCNA added.

Schmerler said “glide skip” was a way to change a missile‘s trajectory to make it harder to track and intercept.

North Korea has conducted several tests in recent years with short-range ballistic missiles that analysts say are designed to evade missile defence systems in South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was not reported to have attended Tuesday’s test.

The missile was launched from the sea near Sinpo, where North Korea keeps submarines as well as equipment for test firing SLBMs, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Tuesday.

The test came as both Koreas have been developing increasingly sophisticated weapons, while efforts prove fruitless to bring a negotiated end to the North’s nuclear and missile programmes in return for U.S. sanctions relief.

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said in a speech at an annual defence expo on Wednesday that his drive to boost defence is aimed at achieving peace on the Korean peninsula. – Reuters

China updates official news sources list to tighten information oversight

Elderly man is using mobile phone - Technology photo created by rawpixel.com - www.freepik.com

SHANGHAI – The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s top internet regulator, published an updated list on Wednesday of 1,358 internet news services, stating that information service providers can only reprint news from these sources.

The list arrives amid a regulatory crackdown on a range of industries from Chinese authorities, including the media sector.

The list contains quadruple the number of outlets compared with an earlier version of the list from 2016, and includes more public and social media accounts, the CAC noted in its initial announcement.

The regulator added that internet news services that reprint news information must follow the latest version of the list. Outlets that do not abide by the rules will face punishment.

This month China‘s state planner said it was halting the investment of “non-public” capital into a variety of publishing activities, including live broadcasts, news-gathering, editing and broadcasting entities and the operation of news.

Non-public capital cannot be involved in the introduction of news released by overseas entities or summits and award selection activities in the field of news and public opinion, the NDRC added. – Reuters

Tokyo aims to lift COVID-19 curbs on restaurants as cases fall – media

STOCK PHOTO - Pixabay.com

TOKYO – The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is aiming to ease COVID–19 restrictions on bars and restaurants next week as infections continue to decline, the Jiji news service said on Wednesday.

The easing will be announced as early as Thursday and would apply to businesses that are certified as following anti-infection measures, Jiji reported, citing informed sources.

Representatives for the Tokyo government did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Reuters.

Tokyo and much of Japan lifted COVID–19 emergency measures on Oct. 1 that had been in place for almost six months. Even so, restaurants and bars in the capital have been asked to halt alcohol sales by 8 p.m. and close by 9 p.m.

New daily cases in Tokyo dropped to 29 on Monday, the lowest since June last year. Infections have fallen dramatically from a wave of more than 5,000 a day in August that hammered the capital’s medical infrastructure.

Some 67% of Japan’s population is now fully vaccinated, and the government is planning to roll out booster shots this winter. At the same time, authorities are planning to use a combination of vaccination certificates and COVID–19 tests to further ease curbs and reopen the economy. – Reuters

U.S. surgeons successfully test pig kidney transplant in human patient

NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) – For the first time, a pig kidney has been transplanted into a human without triggering immediate rejection by the recipient’s immune system, a potentially major advance that could eventually help alleviate a dire shortage of human organs for transplant.

The procedure done at NYU Langone Health in New York City involved use of a pig whose genes had been altered so that its tissues no longer contained a molecule known to trigger almost immediate rejection.

The recipient was a brain-dead patient with signs of kidney dysfunction whose family consented to the experiment before she was due to be taken off of life support, researchers told Reuters.

For three days, the new kidney was attached to her blood vessels and maintained outside her body, giving researchers access to it.

Test results of the transplanted kidney’s function “looked pretty normal,” said transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led the study.

The kidney made “the amount of urine that you would expect” from a transplanted human kidney, he said, and there was no evidence of the vigorous, early rejection seen when unmodified pig kidneys are transplanted into non-human primates.

The recipient’s abnormal creatinine level – an indicator of poor kidney function – returned to normal after the transplant, Montgomery said.

In the United States, nearly 107,000 people are presently waiting for organ transplants, including more than 90,000 awaiting a kidney, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Wait times for a kidney average three-to-five years.

Researchers have been working for decades on the possibility of using animal organs for transplants, but have been stymied over how to prevent immediate rejection by the human body.

Montgomery’s team theorized that knocking out the pig gene for a carbohydrate that triggers rejection – a sugar molecule, or glycan, called alpha-gal – would prevent the problem.

The genetically altered pig, dubbed GalSafe, was developed by United Therapeutics Corp’s Revivicor unit. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020, for use as food for people with a meat allergy and as a potential source of human therapeutics.

Medical products developed from the pigs would still require specific FDA approval before being used in humans, the agency said.

Other researchers are considering whether GalSafe pigs can be sources of everything from heart valves to skin grafts for human patients.

The NYU kidney transplant experiment should pave the way for trials in patients with end-stage kidney failure, possibly in the next year or two, said Montgomery, himself a heart transplant recipient. Those trials might test the approach as a short-term solution for critically ill patients until a human kidney becomes available, or as a permanent graft.

The current experiment involved a single transplant, and the kidney was left in place for only three days, so any future trials are likely to uncover new barriers that will need to be overcome, Montgomery said. Participants would probably be patients with low odds of receiving a human kidney and a poor prognosis on dialysis.

“For a lot of those people, the mortality rate is as high as it is for some cancers, and we don’t think twice about using new drugs and doing new trials (in cancer patients) when it might give them a couple of months more of life,” Montgomery said.

The researchers worked with medical ethicists, legal and religious experts to vet the concept before asking a family for temporary access to a brain-dead patient, Montgomery said. – Reuters

A world of learning: Looking back at 25 years of Kumon Philippines

Tried, tested, and trusted

In 1954, second-grader Takeshi Kumon brought home a math test that worried his mother, Teiko. To help her son, Teiko spoke to her husband Toru Kumon, a high school math teacher. Out of Toru’s love and desire to give his son a bright future, he created math problems for their son to answer as supplementary exercises—and this marked the beginning of the Kumon Method of Learning. 

(Left to right) Takeshi Kumon and his father, Mr. Toru Kumon, the founder of Kumon.

Seven decades after the Kumon Method of Learning was first established and founded in Japan, Kumon has grown to become a global brand and is considered one of the leading global after-school programs. It was August 15, 1996 when Kumon Philippines was launched. 

Now, Kumon Philippines is the leading supplementary program across the country. With the help of passionate entrepreneurs with the zeal for nurturing children in their communities, there are currently over 300 Centers nationwide and more than 55,000 students enrolled in the program. Professionals who have invested in creating their own educational businesses have had the opportunity to build on their franchises with the help of Kumon Philippines. 

Kumon Franchise: Business Built on Education

Not only are franchisees provided with marketing support, they are given access to consistent learning opportunities in the form of local and international seminars and hands-on learning sessions. And despite the shift to digital-learning and remote transactions, Kumon Centers in the Philippines have continued to innovate with the help of the company—from start to finish, including Online Franchise Orientations, virtual training, monthly online seminars and conferences, marketing support, and regular consultations with Area Development Managers to ensure the quality of instruction and Center management. 

Kumon Philippines supports its Franchisee-Instructors by providing virtual training, monthly online seminars and conferences, marketing support, and regular consultations with Area Development Managers to ensure the quality of instruction and Center management.

Kumon Philippines’ commitment to its franchisees enabled the company to pivot and continue its growth in the digital age. This effort reached a first-time high as Kumon Philippines joined the Virtual Franchise Expo, the biggest and longest-running franchise show in Asia. A booth was staged to connect with professionals, particularly those interested in pursuing their own business and career in education. 

Pivoting in the digital age, Kumon Philippines joined the Virtual Franchise Expo, the biggest and longest-running franchise show in Asia. Its booth was staged to connect with professionals, particularly those interested in pursuing their own business and career in education.

This focus on providing quality education to its students, outstanding service to their parents, and end-to-end support to its franchisees has even given Kumon Philippines the recognition of award-giving bodies, including Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines’ Hall of Fame Franchise Award in 2012 and listed as the Top 15 Fastest Growing Franchising Companies, Top 5 Outstanding Franchising Companies and the Best in Franchise Support Award the year after. Then in 2011, the Philippine Franchise Association awarded Kumon Philippines the International Master Franchise of the Year (Service Category) and, in 2015, the Hall of Fame: International Master Franchise Award (Service Category). 

Kumon Philippines has evolved over its 25 years and its silver anniversary efforts prove that there is no stopping them. It has honed student skills and entrepreneurial passions, educational journeys, and educational careers. The landscape may be a little uncertain, but there is stability and comfort in Kumon Philippines.

If you have a passion for teaching and you’re interested in opening your own Kumon Center, Kumon Philippines is inviting you to attend their free Franchise Orientations. Learn more by visiting Kumon Philippines’ website.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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MF cuts Asia Pacific growth outlook on Delta variant, vaccines

China Daily via REUTERS

The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for the Asia-Pacific region due to a surge of the delta variant of Covid-19 and lagging vaccinations.

The Washington based fund now expects the region to grow 6.5% this year — down 1.1 percentage points from its April outlook, but still the world’s fastest growing area. The regional economy is expected to expand 5.7% in 2022, higher than its April forecast.

“Slower vaccination in Asia is one of the key factors for the slowdown in Asia’s growth momentum this year,” Changyong Rhee, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said in a release.

Much of the downgrade was due to slower growth in India, which is now forecast to expand 9.5% this year, and South East Asia, where the virus continues to wreak havoc. The projection for Japan was cut to 2.4% and Australia’s was lowered to 3.5%, while the outlooks for South Korea and New Zealand were raised to 4.3% and 5.1%, respectively.

China’s forecast was trimmed to 8% from 8.4% to reflect ongoing outbreaks of the virus, fiscal policy tightening and stresses in the property sector.

“While our baseline projections reflect the effects of financial tightening on real-estate investment in 2021, there are risks, given the large role that real estate sector plays in China’s economy and financial system, and we are watching developments closely,” Rhee said in the statement. — Bloomberg

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