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DoE appeals to electricity firms to suspend disconnections in areas under strict lockdown 

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE ENERGY department has asked power distributors to suspend disconnection activities in their respective franchise areas that are under strict lockdown levels.  

In an advisory issued on Aug. 6, Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi encouraged power providers serving Metro Manila, Laguna, Aklan, Apayao, Cebu City, Cebu Province, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog, Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Lapu Lapu City, and Mandaue City to implement the “no disconnection” policy to all consumers with unsettled dues.  

“The DoE recognizes the potential difficulty of all electricity consumers to settle their bills on time,” Mr. Cusi said.  

He also advised all electricity end-users to immediately coordinate with their distribution utility for “amicable” payment arrangements” once the strict quarantine levels are lifted.   

Mr. Cusi urged electricity consumers who can pay and settle their bills to continue doing so within their original due dates to help manage the cash flow in the energy supply chain, and ensure the unhampered operations of power utilities.  

This comes shortly after Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) announced it is holding off on disconnection activities in areas under strict lockdown, including Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Lucena City.  

Amid the halt in disconnections, the utility giant said that it will push through with vital operations like meter reading, bill delivery and will “work around the clock” to serve its customers.  

Meralco’s controling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., which has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Angelica Y. Yang 

Iloilo lifts ban on returning residents, overseas workers 

ILOILO CITY GOVT

THE ILOILO City government has lifted the ban on returning residents, overseas workers, and other persons on essential travel starting Aug. 8 even as the city remains under a strict lockdown level.  

“In no case shall travel for leisure be allowed,” reads an executive order signed by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas on Aug. 7.   

The order also reiterates that mass gatherings remain prohibited until Aug. 15 while religious events may be conducted at 10% of the venue’s capacity.     

Gatherings relating to the provision of health services, government services, or humanitarian activities authorized by the appropriate government agency are also allowed.   

Iloilo City and the entire province of Iloilo are included in the Department of Health’s list of areas under high risk alert due a surge in cases as well as high utilization rate of medical facilities.   

The city government, however, noted in a statement and data release that more than 50% of patients in the city’s hospitals are from the provinces of Iloilo, Antique, and Aklan. Iloilo City serves as the center of Western Visayas and hosts the region’s biggest hospitals.   

Mr. Treñas last week requested the national task force handling the coronavirus response to allocate more vaccines to the city given its position.   

“We are definitely asking for more vaccines as an urgent need to achieve herd immunity faster,” he said on Friday.  

“Our vaccination roll-out is working efficiently, still only 24.49% of our target population has been vaccinated,” he added.   

The mayor cited that with the 10,000 to 15,000 current daily inoculation rates of Iloilo City, the remaining vaccines would only last until Aug. 19.  

“The city also inoculates non-residents working here,” he said. — MSJ 

Group tells China to respect PHL rights after rescue of 2 Chinese fishermen 

PAMALAKAYA PILIPINAS

THE RECENT rescue of two Chinese fishermen off Palawan by the Philippine Coast Guard and local fisherfolk should remind the Chinese government to respect the rights of Filipino fishers at all times, said the militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA).   

In a statement over the weekend, PAMALAKAYA said the incident demonstrates that Filipino fishers still have “basic acts of humanity” during emergency situations despite the Chinese government’s aggressive behavior within the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone.     

The Philippine Coast Guard reported on Aug. 7 that two Chinese fishermen were found dead while two others were rescued from their life raft after rough weather caused them to abandon their vessel.   

The Chinese Embassy in Manila, in a statement, thanked Philippine authorities and local fishermen for rescuing the Chinese fishermen.    

Bobby Roldan, PAMALAKAYA vice-chair for Luzon, said Filipino fishers are not capable of the same hostile actions previously shown by Chinese vessels.    

“This serves as a reminder to China that they should respect the rights of Filipino fishermen within the territory they are claiming, similar to the good treatment we give to Chinese fishermen who are illegally entering the country’s waters,” Mr. Roldan said.    

He cited the Recto Bank incident in June 2019 where a Chinese vessel rammed and abandoned the Philippine-flag fishing boat F/B Gem-Ver 1, which was carrying 22 fishermen. A Vietnamese fishing vessel rescued them.    

Mr. Roldan also cited the fishing blockade by at least two Chinese Coast Guard vessels on Filipino fishers who tried to venture in Panatag Shoal, which has a lagoon that gives shelter during bad weather.   

Mr. Roldan previously said Zambales fishers have abandoned their traditional fishing haven due to the presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels that prevent them from entering the lagoon.    

The fisherfolk leader said despite these aggressions and prevailing tension between the two countries, they can never abandon or mistreat fellow fishermen regardless of nationality. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave   

Poe seeks review of lockdown impact on food MSMEs  

PHILIPPINE STAR/ ANDY ZAPATA JR.

A LAWMAKER filed a resolution asking the Senate to assess the impact of lockdowns on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially in the food and beverage industry, and come up with recommendations for their recovery.  

“MSMEs should be part of the equation when we plan the implementation of lockdowns. If we keep leaving them out, it will be harder for our economy to bounce back with not many businesses left after the pandemic,” said Senator Mary Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares in a press release on Sunday.  

She cited the Department of Trade and Industry report that as of June, 10% of MSMEs have been forced to shut down.   

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2019 List of Establishments show 99.5% of businesses in the country are MSMEs. Accommodation and food services are the second biggest sector for MSMEs.   

“While the government’s effort to infuse capital in support of MSMEs and the prioritization of their employees in the vaccination rollout are laudable, we need more long-term and sustainable recovery roadmaps for the foreseeable future,” said Ms. Poe-Llamanzares in her Senate Resolution No. 817.  

The resolution stated that due to the nature of the food service industry where inputs have a short shelf life, it is among the top MSME groups gravely affected by switching quarantine restrictions.  

Defend Jobs Philippines said that 80% of food establishments were severely hit by the lockdown implemented in March, which restricted dine-in services. The group said only 20% were able to recover their losses through take-out and delivery services.  

Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said that on top of these business losses, more workers in the food service industry are losing their jobs.  

According to the 2018 Census of Philippine Business and Industry, 377,227 workers were employed in restaurants and mobile food service activities.  

“This is our new normal, and it calls for a better response from us. We need to be at least one step ahead, because every lockdown can’t feel like we’re taking two steps back,” the senator said. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

DoJ investigating fake email using secretary’s name 

JUSTICE SECRETARY MENARDO I. GUEVARRA — PCOO.GOV.PH

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice’s (DoJ) cybercrime office will investigate the fake email address used by someone posing as Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra to solicit gift cards allegedly for donation to hospitalized patients across the Philippines.   

“The DoJ Office of Cybercrime is on it (and) if necessary, I’ll seek help from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation),” Mr. Guevarra told reporters via a group message on Viber on Sunday.   

In an advisory posted on its website on Saturday, the justice department warned the public against the fake email address, osecmig1@gmail.com.   

“The said email address was used to send messages to a number of recipients requesting assistance in the alleged procurement of iTunes gift cards as donations to patients at hospice care units across the Philippines, subject to reimbursement,” the advisory read.  

The DoJ said Mr. Guevarra’s only Gmail email address is osecmig@gmail.com, while his only government email address is osec@doj.gov.ph.  

The Justice department further warned the public who will receive emails from the fake address to not click any link or provide personal information, and report the email as spam or fraudulent, and to block the sender.   

Under Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, actions with fraudulent intent are punishable with imprisonment of six years and one day to 12 years, or a fine of at least P200,000 and/or the amount of damage incurred by the act, or both. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago  

No more red tide warning in parts of Misamis Occidental, Davao Oriental   

THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has lifted red tide warnings in the areas of Murcielagos Bay (Sapang Dalaga and Baliangao) in Misamis Occidental and Balite Bay in Davao Oriental after testing negative for paralytic shellfish poison or more commonly referred to as red tide.   

In its 24th shellfish bulletin, BFAR also raised new warnings in the areas of Carigara Bay in Leyte and Biliran Islands after testing positive for red tide contamination.    

Meanwhile, areas that remain affected by red tide include Milagros in Masbate; Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; San Pedro Bay in Western Samar; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte; and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur.    

All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang harvested in areas affected by red tide are unfit for human consumption. Other marine species sourced from the same areas can still be consumed with proper handling.    

Red tide occurs due to high concentrations of algae in the water. Human consumption of contaminated shellfish may result in paralytic shellfish poisoning, which affects the nervous system.    

Typical symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include headache, dizziness, and nausea. Severe cases may cause muscular paralysis and respiratory problems. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave  

Argentines stream through streets to press for jobs, food

A MAN begs during the feast day of San Cayetano (Saint Cajetan), patron saint of labor and bread, at San Cayetano church in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Aug. 7. — REUTERS

BUENOS AIRES — Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Saturday to protest over poverty and a lack of jobs amid a lengthy economic crisis that has only deepened with the coronavirus pandemic.

Organizations working with the unemployed and leftist groups led the protest that started at a church to the west of the Argentine capital where thousands of pilgrims travel each year to pray at the shrine of San Cayetano, the patron saint of work, whose feast day is Saturday. It ended in the Plaza de Mayo, a massive square in front of the seat of government where protests habitually take place.

“I come on behalf of people who do not have work: my brother, my neighbors and many people who you see really struggling everywhere,” Néstor Pluis, a 41-year-old educational assistant, told Reuters.

Protests also took place in other parts of the country, including in Argentina’s second city of Cordoba and the western city of Mendoza.

Lawmaker Juan Carlos Alderete, leader of the left-wing party Corriente Clasista y Combativa, said the needs of people in some neighborhoods were “tremendous.”

“The soup kitchens are seeing whole families coming to eat and many of the children have to be attended to by health professionals because they are malnourished,” he said.

A total of 19 million people, 42% of Argentina’s population, was classified as living below the poverty line in the second half of 2020 and unemployment at present stands at 10.2%.

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez said on Friday that he saw brighter days ahead, and the first rebound in the economy in three years this year with 7% growth.

“Argentina is growing, recuperating jobs and will recover income,” Mr. Fernandez pledged.

Ahead of the legislative elections in November, the government also announced on Friday a relaxation of COVID restrictions in the hope of speeding economic recovery.  — Reuters

Global COVID deaths estimated to reach 5.3 million by Dec.

THE WORLD will see 5.3 million reported deaths and 12 million excess fatalities by December as the Delta variant drives a surge in COVID-19 cases, according to projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

The US-based institute expects deaths to peak at the beginning of September then slowly decline afterward, it said in a report published Friday. The IHME’s forecasts distinguish between officially reported COVID-19 deaths and excess deaths attributed to the illness including unreported fatalities.

There have been almost 4.3 million deaths from COVID-19 globally since the start of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization.

The Delta variant is associated with viral loads that are more than 1,200 times higher in newly infected individuals compared with the original coronavirus strain, which means that delta can spread as easily as chickenpox. Studies from the UK have also shown that delta, which was discovered in India in October, is more resistant to vaccines than the alpha variant that emerged in England in late 2020. — Bloomberg

Child protection in the time of COVID

FREEPIK

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the everyday lives of children. Being on lockdown and having to stay home while attending synchronous and asynchronous schooling will have distressing long-term effects, including the emergence of violence against children.

Violence against children had already been a serious concern even before the pandemic. According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF, 2015), two in three kids went through physical violence, two in five underwent psychological violence, one in four suffered sexual violence, and two in three experienced peer violence. All in all, eight out of 10 children in the country are victims of physical, sexual, and cyber sexual abuse.

Undeniably, the pandemic has intensified poverty, which is the underlying factor that causes the increase in child abuse, marriages and exploitation, with victims mostly coming from low-income families.

Leah Bordlee (2020) wrote in a Borgen Project blog that COVID-19 has exacerbated cyber-trafficking, and “increasing risks of poverty” will lead to the growth to the online exploitation of children. “This relationship suggests a strong link between poverty and exploitation.”

The occurrence of lockdowns has made children more vulnerable to violence. According to UNICEF (2020), 1.8 billion children living in 104 countries, including the Philippines, are at risk, due to the disrupted violence prevention and response services.

Aggravating the situation is the fact that the age of sexual consent in the Philippines is 12 years old, the lowest in Asia and the second lowest in the world. Why is it that the law does not consider a 16-year-old fit to drive but makes a 12-year-old capable of having sex?

Gaps do exist in our laws and law enforcement when it comes to creating protective measures against the abuse of children. Congress should change the age of sexual consent in the face of the rise of online sexual exploitation and abuse of children (OSEAC). Senator Win Gatchalian has proposed raising the age of sexual consent to 18 in Senate Bill No. 739.

Further, Republic Act No. 9775 or “An Act Defining the Crime of Child Pornography, Prescribing Penalties Therefor and for Other Purposes” has to be amended. It penalizes foreigners with a lenient sentence: “he/she shall be immediately deported after the complete service of his/her sentence and shall forever be barred from entering the country.” With online sexual exploitation and abuse as the focal point of the law, the pedophile may victimize children again using the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) from other parts of the world. The perpetrators of OSEAC are usually foreign-based older men, in most cases from Western countries (The ASEAN Post, 2020).

Society tends to forget that human rights include children’s rights. In this regard, Senate Bill No. 1373, known as the “Girls Not Brides Act” or “An Act Protecting Children by Prohibiting and Declaring Child Marriage as Illegal and Providing Programs and Penalties Thereof,” deserves support. The bill features an inclusive response, mobilizing different agencies as “Duty-Bearers” for children empowerment and prevention of child marriage. However, the penalties stated in the bill are light: “Any person who causes, fixes, facilitates or arranges a child marriage shall be fined at least P40,000” and “Should the perpetrator of the child marriage be an ascendant or authority figure such as a parent, step-parent or guardian of the minor a fine of at least P50,000.” A low-cost fine in exchange for a lifelong trauma.

Actualizing protective measures has been a problem as well. According to the Office of Cybercrime at the Department of Justice, 11 years have passed since the passing of the “Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009” but ISP (Internet Service Providers) companies are deficient in fulfilling their duty to protect Filipino children. Blocking child pornography is part of the requirements for ISP companies to retain their franchises.

The Office of Cybercrime has reported a 260% increase in cyber-sex offenses during the pandemic, specifically online sexual exploitation and abuse of children (ChildFund, 2020). This can be traced to the current stressors that lead families to put their children at risk for sexual exploitation, including loss of income and suspension of face-to-face classes.

The data show the increase of family-related online sexual exploitation during the pandemic. According to World Hope International (2020), in a recent finding of its partner organization, International Justice Mission, OSEAC is usually a family-based crime. They found that of the 217 victims where the relationship to the trafficker was known, the abuse was perpetrated by biological parents (41%) and other relatives (42%). With the emergence of social media, it is easier to create a platform for an illegal family business to exploit children.

Child abuse in the Philippines is a public health crisis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children who are exposed to an abusive environment are more likely to acquire chronic mental health problems such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, depression, and grief. Studies show an evident correlation of child abuse to poor performance in school and overall mishandling or abuse of drugs and sexual intercourse.

The Universal Health Care (UHC) Law provides service coverage to access mental health services and rehabilitation that will strongly help victims of child abuse in the country. However, these services still do not come free and are not inclusive. The government’s health spending has not been properly allocated to what has most value. Financing is inadequate for primary care services, preventive health services, and health promotion, key components of UHC. Similarly, government spending has to generate efficiencies, lower costs and improve quality (Asian Development Bank, 2021).

Further, information is lacking about access to these services. The public, for example, is not familiar with the “Essential Health Benefit Package” of the UHC which includes primary care services, diagnostic, laboratory tests, and medicine. Preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care must likewise provide mental health and emergency services.

The Philippines can learn harm reduction strategies from other countries. We can learn from Canada’s program to increase funding on sexual assault centers that provide safe accommodation to child abuse survivors. The funding for such may be added to the Bayanihan III bill or next year’s General Appropriations Act.

Safe accommodation for abused children can be supplemented by assistance from non-government organizations that offer face-to-face visits and consultations to houses reported regarding domestic abuse of children. For example, the UNICEF together with the Child Protection Network and Ateneo de Manila University created Masayang Pamilya (MaPa) Sa Panahon ng COVID-19. This program prevents child abuse with the use of positive parenting and enhancing family sensitivity.

MaPa is a community-focused parent support intervention that is designed to specifically target low-income areas. Parents are encouraged to participate in discussions, understand skills, and practice role modeling. This initiative uses support rather than condemnation as the way of parenting.

This program is laudable in its effort to build relationships with parents that focus on empathy and education. However, to build a stronger harm reduction strategy, the government (through enabling policy and providing resources), the health community, and other stakeholders should be included in this conversation.

Empowering children with education and awareness about child abuse is one step towards harm reduction. The community must also be involved, stay observant of abuse situations, and report suspected abuse cases.

We are aware of the rising number of children experiencing abuse and violence. We are pained by their life-long trauma and sufferings.

The government and society must act now. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic our government called us to heal us one. The healing must include the children of this nation.

 

Emmanuella Iellamo is a health policy researcher of Action for Economic Reforms.

Statutory import liberalization is inadequate for pork and rice

ALEKSANDARLITTLEWOLF-FREEPIK

I talked to a leader of a fairly large pig raisers association. He confirmed that pork prices had remained high despite the lowering of pork tariffs this year. I heard that Secretary William Dar conducted a meeting of his officials to inquire into what has happened. If the purpose of lowering tariffs was to reduce pork prices to pre-African Swine Fever (ASF) levels, why has it not accomplished its objective?

One likely answer comes from the law of supply and demand: imported pork had not really entered the country in the quantities expected by those concerned about the lowering of pork tariffs. Industry leaders and their supporters in the Senate were opposed to the proposal to temporarily reduce tariffs because that would have “killed” the industry much faster than the ASF.

One may observe that statutory reduction of tariffs is inadequate to immediately reduce local prices of the imported substitutes. It may not be in all situations, but it applies very well for imported pork. There are two constraints to pork importation after tariffs were lowered. One is the ASF itself. With ASF outbreaks in many pig producing countries, the supply of imported pork is difficult to find. An importer may find the cost of imported pork higher because regionally there is a shortage of it due to ASF, and supply search costs can be significant.

But there are other countries which are ASF-free, such as the United States, Taiwan, and a few other countries in the EU like Germany. While true, it takes time for our importers to establish transactional relationships with pork suppliers in those countries. This can still be search costs. After all, if not for the outbreak of ASF here, our market in the eyes of pork exporters is small, capped in only tens of thousand tons by the government because we are protecting our local producers.

The other constraint is the lack of cold storage and cold chain logistics to move around frozen pork. The country’s cold chain system has not been designed to accommodate significant volumes of imported pork. Importers have to compete with other users of cold chain facilities in the country. That raises the cost of imported pork.

Both constraints manifest themselves in higher prices of pork in world markets and storage costs locally. These are still legitimate costs, that would help explain why the quantities of imported pork had not come in the expected quantities. It is not surprising that pork prices had not really gone down to pre-ASF levels.

Let us compare the reduction of pork tariffs with the rice tariffication law. To recall, the 2019 law ended the import monopoly of the National Food Authority (NFA) in rice and effectively reduced rice tariffs to 35%. The law allowed any of us to import rice subject to the phytosanitary import permit from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

There was no shortage in rice in mainland Southeast Asia, our primary source of imported rice. Imported rice requires no specialized storage facilities such as for frozen pork.

Wholesale rice prices in the National Capital Region (NCR) dropped by 14.4% in 2019 from 2018. The reduction was significant but less than what was expected based on the reduction of the rice import tariff to 35%. Imported rice should have fetched a price of nearly P30 to a kilo, but wholesale prices ended the year nearly P4 higher.

The rice import business can be viable for smaller firms. Why then did new importers stay out of the import business? Or we may ask, why then did existing big importers not increase further the quantities they imported? The P4 margin is still significant enough to compete for.

One possible explanation is that existing or the large experienced importers may have found themselves searching for more supply of rice. We have taken for granted that the world supply of rice is huge. It is not. Only about 4% to 6% of global production is exported by surplus countries.

The Philippines has been competing with Indonesia to become the world’s largest rice importer. In fact, we were in 2008. Indeed, the NFA’s significant importation that year jacked up the world price of rice then, so much so that Thailand had to request the Philippines to stop importing so as not to increase prices further.

Our decision to liberalize rice importation might have pushed prices of imported rice up because of potential added demand from Philippines. Importers might have found themselves importing at increasing costs, which explains why the quantities that were brought into the country in 2019 fell short of expected.

But if rice can be viable for smaller firms, why do those not even into rice trading yet, like you and I, not enter the import business? The inexperience of these potential entrants in the trade can become a significant entry barrier. Eventually, if they study the trade carefully, ordinary businessmen not into this business will learn the trade and import rice. But they need time.

From both experiences in liberalizing imported food items, pork and rice, one may observe that statutory trade reforms are not enough. Import restrictions had been an important barrier, but once these are removed by law, new barriers to import emerge. This may not always apply to each imported food item. But in a few like pork and rice, it is useful to make a more wholistic assessment of the barriers to imports.

There is potentially another barrier when it comes to importing food items: sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import permits. SPS measures are necessary to protect our local food industries, like pork or rice, from pests or diseases that may be brought into the country through imports. They are legitimate regulations, but should be implemented as automatic import licenses, i.e., when the product meets the standards, SPS regulators should grant the permit. They are not designed to control the volume of imports to limit the competition in the local market, and thus protect local producers from competition.

But these measures can be abused, i.e., they can become de facto instruments to limit the volume of imports or the number of importers, who can go into the import business. Potential entrants into the business of importing food items may find these regulations become the new import barrier.

 

Ramon L. Clarete Is a professor at the University of the Philippines School of Economics.

Another Filipina makes us proud

Just as Hidilyn Diaz and Nesthy Petecio brought pride to the nation as champion Olympians, another Filipina, Bettina Arguelles, brought the country distinction by being named the first female Southeast Asian Executive Chef of the Sofitel Hotel Group. As many of us know, Sofitel is part of the Paris based Accor Group, one of the largest hospitality conglomerates in the world with 5,100 hotels in 110 countries. Sofitel is among Accor’s luxury brands and a purveyor of French art, culture, and cuisine.

Many of us may not understand the significance of being an Executive Chef for a global luxury hotel brand. It is a highly competitive field dominated by Anglo Saxon (white European) men. Executive Chefs are responsible for directing the culinary activities of the hotel, which is customarily the second largest source of revenues, after room sales. Food & Beverage operations (F&B) are often the largest contributor to bottom-line profits.

Under the Executive Chef’s purview is the task of conceptualizing food items for all the F&B outlets of the hotel (from casual dining to themed cuisine — from banquets to fine dining); ensuring the highest level of quality across all F&B products; managing costs; and orchestrating an army of sous chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, kitchen assistants, etc.

Being appointed Executive Chef is an enormous responsibility that affects both the reputation and profits of the hotel. Along with this responsibility comes prestige and financial rewards. Being appointed Executive Chef is considered the pinnacle of a culinary career.

Bettina broke the stereotype of an Executive Chef in a French hotel chain. Not only is she the first and only female Southeast Asian, she also began her culinary training late in life, when she was 30. Most chefs start their training in their teens.

Bettina is a product of the Ateneo where she graduated from Communications Arts. She worked in the advertising industry for most of her 20s. But food was her passion and being in the kitchen was her calling. At 30, she enrolled at the At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy in Singapore. She paid her dues by working for the Fullerton Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa, Privé (a restaurant owned by Michelin-starred chef Wayne Nish), Bistro Moderne (owned by world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud), the InterContinental Singapore, and the Sofitel Group. She picked up a number of culinary awards along the way, including the Malaysian Culinaire in 2007 and the Philippine Culinary Cup in 2015. Two years ago, she was named Chef of the Year by the globally acclaimed World Gourmet Awards.

I met Bettina at the Sofitel Manila where she oversees the hotel’s F&B operations, including the famous Spiral restaurant. We were introduced by Sofitel Manila’s new General Manager, Oliver Larcher. Sofitel is one of the few hotels that is doing well despite the pandemic. Larcher has been successful in keeping costs down and keeping operations tight whilst maintaining the highest standards of quality Sofitel is known for. The hotel is buzzling and in fighting form, save for mandatory social distancing restrictions.

I asked Bettina what she offers, as an Executive Chef, that white male chefs do not. She said, “among the advantages of being a Filipino is that we are used to adversities. We know how to adapt to difficult situations with creativity and an indomitable spirit. Filipino workers are very much sought after overseas because when we’re thrown in the water, we swim like there’s no tomorrow. The Filipinos that leave the country are driven out of our comfort zones.” It’s a sink or swim situation where those who survive tend to thrive and become the best they can be.

Her personal management style is markedly different from the Europeans. Whereas most Executive Chefs maintain an attitude of superiority and manage with fear (it has become common since Gordon Ramsey), Bettina has chosen to be a “servant leader,” she professed.

“Anyone who reaches an Executive Chef position is assumed to be proficient in cooking. That is a given. But what makes me unique is that instead of perpetuating an atmosphere of fear and oppression, I choose to be nurturing and maternal. This probably stems from the fact that when I ventured into this industry, I was already a mother of two, hence, the maternal instincts were a very strong part of my character. I have found that inspiration and motivation is a more powerful than fear or reprimand.”

Unlike other Executive Chefs, Bettina has no qualms about getting her hands dirty in the kitchen. Her staff (especially the non-Filipinos) are often surprised to see her chiffonade herbs, cut fruits, or cook eggs at the omelet station. It is unheard of for Executive Chefs to do such “menial tasks.” But Bettina is as strong believer in servant leadership. “I want to change the perception that certain chores are too menial for an Executive Chef. I don’t like my team thinking that once they reach a certain position, they are too good to peel potatoes or cut onions. In fact, it is the opposite. No task is unimportant, no task is too small. If we put as much attention and importance in every step of the cooking process, the end result will always reflect perfection.”

She attests that her servant attitude has made her team work harder and do better. Working side by side with her staff also gives her the opportunity to mentor her underlings. Her management style is indeed maternal and this is perhaps why she was singled-out by the Sofitel management as a worthy Executive Chef.

Many of our youth are aspiring chefs and hope to become Executive Chefs one day. To them, Bettina offers this advice: “Go out and see the world. Work in a foreign country, travel to eat, read cookbooks like you would read a novel, and always think you’re a beginner that needs to prove yourself.”

Bettina is classically trained in the French style and her menu is a reflection of that — sophisticated, well-considered, and technical. However, she also makes it a point to promote Filipino cuisine whenever possible. However, she says “we need to elevate our cuisine by using great ingredients, improving our presentation, and highlighting regional cuisines. The world needs to know more than just lechon and adobo (whole roast pig and meat stewed in vinegar). There’s so much more to our cuisine than that.”

Remember the name — Bettina Arguelles. She brings pride to the country at a time our people are weary of COVID-19 and all its negative outcomes. She reminds us that Filipinos can be great simply by sticking to their values and honing their craft to world class standards.

Bettina Arguelles will go down in history as an icon of Philippine culinary arts along with other Filipinas like Nora Daza, Glenda Barretto, Gaita Fores, and Cristeta Comerford.

 

Andrew J. Masigan is an economist

andrew_rs6@yahoo.com

Facebook@AndrewJ. Masigan

Twitter @aj_masigan

Singapore at 56 and our enduring partnership with the Philippines

FREEPIK

THE REPUBLIC of Singapore turns 56 on Aug. 9. The last 56 years may have been rife with challenges, but our small city state in Southeast Asia has continued to not only survive, but also thrive. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the daily lives of Singaporeans and our linkages with the world, we have continued to engage our partners in the region and beyond.

Singapore’s National Day is an occasion for Singaporeans to not only reflect on how far our country has come, but also to recognize that Singapore would not have been where we are today without the assistance and support from friends like the Philippines.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Philippines in 1969, bilateral ties have grown from strength to strength. We have good bilateral cooperation in a wide array of sectors, including defense and security, trade and business, education, health, human resource development, and culture. Singapore and the Philippines also work closely on important regional and international initiatives, including the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and vaccine multilateralism.

The past year has been extraordinarily challenging for all of us. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our economic ties are robust. Singapore remains one of the top investors in the Philippines, and our companies are bullish about the Philippines.

People-to-people ties also remain close, as the Philippine community is one of the largest diaspora groups in Singapore. We deeply appreciate the invaluable contributions that Filipino professionals, including doctors, nurses, and other economic frontline workers, have made to Singapore’s COVID-19 response, as well as our efforts to keep the Singapore economy going.

Another testament to the enduring friendship between our two countries is the donation of medical equipment like RT-PCR machines, COVID-19 test kits, and oxygen concentrators from the Singapore government and Singapore organizations like the Temasek Foundation to support the Philippines’ fight against COVID-19. International cooperation remains ever more important as the world, and especially our region, continue to battle new waves and variants of the virus.

Our two governments will continue to explore mutually beneficial areas of cooperation that will pave the way for Singapore and the Philippines to emerge from the pandemic stronger together. At the recent 5th Informal Consultations on the Philippines-Singapore Action Plan held on July 14, we identified opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in new areas of growth such as the digital economy and the environment in the post-COVID-19 “new normal.” We also committed to a sustainable post-pandemic economic recovery, and looked forward to the safe resumption of travel between our two countries when conditions permit.

To our Filipino friends who have walked with Singapore on our nation-building journey, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat (thank you all)!  I am confident that Singapore and the Philippines will continue to grow and prosper together in the years ahead.

 

Gerard Ho is the Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Republic of the Philippines.

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