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Sports agencies conduct anti-doping seminar for Olympic-bound athletes

THE Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PSC-PHI-NADO), in collaboration with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), recently conducted a virtual seminar on anti-doping regulations for Tokyo Olympiad-bound Team Philippines.

Dr. Alejandro Pineda, Jr., Head of PHI-NADO facilitated the webinar which was attended by national sports association (NSA) officials, coaches, athletes and representatives from 11 sports namely athletics, boxing, golf, gymnastics, judo, rowing, skating, shooting, swimming, taekwondo and weightlifting.

Chef de Mission and Philippine Football Federation President Mariano Araneta gave the opening remarks during the webinar.

Major issues in the anti-doping program, including the 2021 Prohibited List, The Code and International Standards, Doping Control Process, Registered Testing Pool and Therapeutic Use Exemptions were tackled and explained by Dr. Pineda.

“Education is the best and most effective tool in disseminating information drive about anti-doping,” said the PHI-NADO head.

“The principle of strict liability: You, and only you, are responsible for what goes into your body,” he added.

“This is a big help for us,” said Olympic-bound sketaboarder Margielyn Dinadal in Filipino. “Through this seminar, we become aware of the things we have to avoid, including taking any supplement without proper consultation with our coaches, sports officials and experts.”

The Philippines will be having 19 athlete representatives in the Tokyo Olympics which kicks off on July 23.

Aside from Ms. Didal, also going are pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Caloy Yulo, boxers Eumir Felix Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, weightlifters Hidlyn Diaz and Erleen Ann Ando, rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, shooter Jayson Valdez, golfers Juvic Pagunsan, Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, trackster Kristina Knott and swimmers Remedy Rule and Luke Gebbie.

England thrashes Ukraine to reach Euro semis as Kane scores twice

ROME — England thumped Ukraine (4-0) on Saturday as Harry Kane’s double helped them reach their first European Championship semifinal in 25 years in emphatic style and set up a showdown with Denmark at Wembley.

Gareth Southgate’s impressive side hit four goals in the knockout stage of a major tournament for only the second time, the first being in their 1966 World Cup final win against Germany, and kept a record seventh consecutive clean sheet.

“There was a lot of pressure on us as we were favourites to win this game. To perform like we did tonight, a clean sheet, four goals, it was the perfect night,” Kane said.

The England captain raced onto a clever Raheem Sterling through ball to fire in the opener from close range after four minutes at the Stadio Olimpico, England’s earliest goal in a Euros match since 2004.

Harry Maguire headed home a second less than a minute into the second half and Kane soon nodded in his side’s third as Ukraine’s resistance crumbled.

Substitute Jordan Henderson completed the rout with his first international goal to ensure England’s comfortable passage into the last four, the stage they fell at against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup.

“It’s a great feeling — back-to-back semifinals at a major tournament is a great achievement. I don’t want to be a party pooper, but we don’t stop here. We’ve got another big game coming up and we want to go further this time,” Maguire said.

Gareth Southgate’s side will face Denmark in London on Wednesday for a place in the final after the Danes defeated the Czech Republic (2-1) in Baku.

KANE STATEMENT
COVID-19 travel restrictions made it difficult for England fans to get to the game, but thousands of Three Lions supporters reached the Italian capital and helped produce a lively atmosphere on a hot night in the eternal city.

Some of those in attendance had barely settled into their seats by the time England took the lead with a well-worked move.

Sterling cut in off the left wing and slid a through ball into a pocket of space behind the defence for Kane to race through and guide into the net with a neat finish.

Ukraine mustered their first effort when Kyle Walker gave the ball away and Roman Yaremchuk raced through to draw a save by Jordan Pickford, while England’s Declan Rice and Jadon Sancho had shots beaten away by Georgiy Bushchan before half time.

But England flexed their muscles after the break and ended the game as a contest within five minutes of the restart, helped by two fine assists from Luke Shaw.

The left-back whipped a free-kick onto Maguire’s head for a close-range finish in the first minute of the second half before steering a perfect delivery towards Kane for a simple close-range header four minutes later.

The goal sent Kane level with Alan Shearer as England’s second-top scorer at major tournaments with nine, behind Gary Lineker on 10, and he was denied a spectacular hat trick when his ferocious volley was palmed away by the diving Bushchan.

It was a statement performance from the striker, who came in for some criticism earlier in the tournament but scored in the 2-0 last-16 win over Germany before producing a man of the match performance to go with his double in Rome.

England made it four from the resulting corner when Ukraine again failed to deal with a set-piece delivery as Henderson nodded in from six yards to score his first goal for his country on his 62nd cap.

“We had good parts of the game, but set pieces did not work very well for us today,” said Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko. “I am really happy with how the team performed. I want to thank the players for their attitude today.” — Reuters

Gauff in fourth round again, but no surprise this time

LONDON — Seventeen-year-old American Coco Gauff matched her dream Wimbledon debut as she again reached the fourth round with a (6-3, 6-3) defeat of Kaja Juvan on Saturday.

Gauff, the 23rd seed, stormed through the opening games with a barrage of power serves on Centre Court but was asked some awkward questions by 102nd-ranked Juvan.

As she often does, Gauff had all the answers as she reached the second week and a last-16 clash with Germany’s former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber.

“It’s a good feeling to be on this court and I’m super honored that the tournament allows me to play on it. It’s not often a 17-year-old gets to play here!” Gauff, who has become a darling of the Wimbledon crowds, said on court.

“I wasn’t as nervous as in my second round match — the fans always bring the energy on Centre Court.”

When Gauff reached the fourth round as a 15-year-old qualifier in 2019, beating one of her idols Venus Williams en route, it was something of a sensation.

Two years later, despite her age and playing in only her seventh Grand Slam tournament, Gauff’s progress is far less of a surprise and she is now a serious title contender.

She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros last month and has played with supreme confidence and calmness to claim three straight-set.

Gauff raced into a 5-1 lead against Juvan in 18 minutes but briefly went off the boil as she lost the next two games with a few errors creeping in.

After winning the opening set she had to fend off break points at the start of the second before establishing a lead.

Slovenian Juvan fought tenaciously to try and throw Gauff off her stride, but it was a hopeless task against a player who already plays with the maturity of a seasoned pro.

Gauff went 40-0 ahead as she served at 5-3 and although Juvan saved a couple of match points she whacked a forehand long on the third one to hand Gauff victory. — Reuters

Injury

Trae Young was spent. He had no more legs after having played 35 minutes in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. He gave his all, but it wasn’t enough. In fact, it was nowhere near enough; he wasn’t going to let the bone bruise in his right foot sideline him anew, but it clearly bothered him from the outset yesterday. What he termed his “blow-by speed” was nowhere to be found, compelling him to exert more energy in trying to shake off defenders for his trademark floaters or drop passes. And it was evident in the numbers: He shot only four of 17 from the field and committed five turnovers to finish with a minus-five net rating.

Whether Young wound up hampering instead of helping the Hawks is subject to debate. Supersub Lou Williams performed admirably in his absence, norming 19 markers on 15-of-24 shooting and six and a half dimes at the point. All the same, there was no way he would be sitting out a do-or-die affair. Regardless of his fitness, or lack thereof, he needed to be on the court for Game Six. And while yesterday did not go as planned, he can at least face the offseason having known he left nothing in the tank. He was simply too handicapped to make a difference.

Considering how close the Hawks came to forging a path to the Finals, it’s easy to ponder on the What Ifs heading into the 2021-22 season. In truth, they have no reason not to hold their heads high. After all, not even the most optimistic punters saw them reaching as far as they did. So while they may be ruing the freak accident Young suffered in Game Three of the East Finals, there can be no discounting the lessons they learned on the need to cope with unforeseen circumstances. Experience has taught them some, and will continue to lecture them over time.

If nothing else, the Hawks can at least console themselves with the fact that injuries likewise took a toll on the campaigns of other hopefuls. From the Lakers to the Nuggets to the Jazz to the Clippers to the Celtics to the Nets, stars going down altered fates and rewrote the future. Even the Suns and Bucks, set to butt heads for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, needed to overcome gut punches along the way. Which is to say the red and yellow will be all the better for what they went through. Payoff figures to be a matter of when, not if. They have cause to count their blessings — even now, and even as they continue to cast moist eyes on the hardware.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Capitalism will save Philippine democracy

BW FILE PHOTO

I was struck by the perilous state of democracy in the United States, as described by Harvard Professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, in their bestselling book, How Democracies Die, and by how a similar situation is unfolding in many countries, from Hungary to the Philippines, but also by how different the solution will be for our own country.

The basic thesis of the book is this: The United States isn’t unique in that democracy in America is not in peril. As in other parts of the world where authoritarianism has gained footholds, politicians in the US demonize the opposition, scold and intimidate the press, decry election outcomes, and seek to reverse them. This erosion of democratic norms has become mainstream with Trumpism. Social, racial and class polarization, group resentments, racial and cultural differences, and sharp income inequality have driven this movement to weaken democracy and delegitimize institutions. Something must be done to save democracy, but how?

The authors propose a social market model to attack the growing income inequality and class resentments, which are the root of growing polarization and the politics undermining democracy. They postulate that social policy in America relies heavily on means tests — available only to those who fall in a certain income threshold. And because race and poverty overlap in the US, these programs are stigmatized as given to the undeserving, and the middle class feel left out of social policy.

Instead, Levitsky and Ziblatt propose universalistic social policies or those that benefit everyone. “Social policies that benefit everyone — Social Security and Medicare are prime examples — could help diminish resentment, build bridges across large swaths of the American electorate, and lock into place social support for more durable policies to reduce income inequality — without providing the raw materials for racially motivated backlash.”

This is exactly what US President Joe Biden is trying to do now — if the US Congress will let him. His $2.2-trillion Stimulus Plan, $1.9-trillion Infrastructure Plan, and $1.8-trillion Family Plan, represent the kind of universalistic social policies that Levitsky and Ziblatt are talking about. Judging from the breadth and size of Biden’s plans, we can describe them as social engineering by Big Government on a grand scale.

In the Philippines, as in other countries, a similar dynamic of growing authoritarianism and democratic decay is happening under President Duterte. He has attacked mass media and weaponized social media, militarized the bureaucracy, expressed disdain for human and civil rights in his war against drugs, demonized his political opponents, and strengthened his hold on the judicial system.

High income inequality, widespread poverty, failures of past governments to lift the lives of the masses, resentment against a Metro Manila-based elite, forced separation of families due to the need to seek greener pastures abroad, widespread criminality fed by illegal drugs that mainly affect the poor — all of these can explain President’s enduring popularity despite — or is it because of — his attacks on democratic institutions. Elite liberal democracy hasn’t served the people well, so why not Duterte-style populist democracy?

The fact that these inequalities, institutional failures, and resentments exist tell us that democratic decay and the drift toward authoritarianism won’t be halted once Duterte exits from power.

So, how do we save Philippine democracy?

Not through a turn toward socialism or a social market economy, but capitalism. Capitalism will save Philippine democracy. Why and how?

There’s an absence of capitalism in the Philippines. Instead, what we have here is rentier capitalism and economic statism.

Rentier capitalism (or rent seeking capitalism) is a system wherein monopoly control leads to extraordinary or “super-profits” for a few without the system delivering any increased value or contribution to society. It’s also the non-market extraction of surplus — i.e., political connections, legal impediments to competition, government-granted privileges, and captured regulators — that is the basis for economic profit rather than innovation in serving the customer. It’s creating wealth for the rentier capitalist without creating wealth for society.

Such a system is predominant in the Philippines, which is the most concentrated economy in Asia with monopolies and duopolies controlling the strategic sectors of the economy, and where political connection or “penetrating the state” is the basis of profit. Fake nationalism, characterized by protectionism, is used to solidify monopolistic control.

Rentier or rent-seeking capitalism explains the country’s high-income inequality, the deep resentments against “imperial Manila,” the regionalism and tribalism, even the absence of the rule of law. Since monopoly power and political connections are the basis of profit, it’s a system, as my friend Dr. Raul Fabella says, where the rules themselves as for sale, leading to malgovernance, economic chaos, investment uncertainty, and widespread corruption.

True capitalism, on the other hand, is a system where profit is derived from innovation (say, with a better product, such as a meat-free hamburger; system of distribution, such as online selling; technology, such as cloud computing, etc.) and the capitalist constantly reinvests profit to innovate to capture “extraordinary profit.” This results in economic dynamism, or “creative destruction” in the words of economist Joseph Schumpeter.

In contrast to rentier capitalism, true capitalism prospers on the back of a “level playing field” or rule of law.

Capitalism that’s oriented to the global market is particularly dynamic, because competition is fierce. Monopolistic privileges are difficult (perhaps only with a patent or copyright) if not impossible to attain.

True capitalism is also absent in the countryside. Instead, what we have is statism, i.e., over-centralization and control of the state in economic affairs. Farmers aren’t allowed to expand beyond five hectares. Agrarian reform beneficiaries aren’t allowed to rent or sell their lands within 10 years of the grant or where they have unpaid amortizations (most haven’t paid because these very same restrictions have eroded the value of their land). To rent out your land, you need government approval. Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries can only sell to other ARBs designated by the central government. A good number still have collective titles issued by the government, robbing farmers of the incentive to improve their lands.

Statism explains why there’s lack of capitalism in the countryside — the lack of agri-entrepreneurs who will use management, science, and technology to increase productivity and therefore, improve the lives of farming communities.

Statism replaced feudalism in the countryside and made the farmers worse off. An incompetent, inefficient, and corrupt state replaced the landlord.

Statism explains the lack of economic dynamism, poor productivity, and widespread poverty in the countryside and all the social and political evils they spawn. The result is income inequality, lack of economic opportunity, widespread hopelessness, drug addiction, and rural insurgency, all of which feed a hunger for populist authoritarianism. The lack of rural capitalists means the absence of a strong middle class, which could act as a check to political dynasties.

We are told that simply changing the persons in power with genteel leaders will save Philippine democracy. That is misleading and untrue. In the Philippines, populist authoritarianism is the fruit of a system where rentier capitalism and statism rule.

Democracy is under threat all over the world, even in the United States. However, in the Philippines, the solution to democratic retreat is different. Not a social market economy, but capitalism, will save Philippine democracy.

 

Calixto V. Chikiamco is a board director of the Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis.

idea.introspectiv@gmail.com

www.idea.org.ph

PNoy and his hamburger

FREEPIK

Beyond his ninth day of death or the 40-day novena, beyond next year, beyond the change of an era, we need to tell and retell stories about PNoy.

Perhaps, some of us by this time may feel having received a surfeit of tributes to PNoy — as former President Benigno “Noynoy” S. C. Aquino III was called. But we need to be reminded of stories about courage, integrity, decency, assiduousness and competency, and love for country and the poor. We need these stories to inspire us. We also need these stories to occasionally prick our hearts whenever we as a society veer off course.

My colleagues at Action for Economic Reforms (AER) and I have shared our particular story about PNoy. AER has written our tribute to PNoy. We will always remember him for being the foremost champion of our advocacy on sin taxes. PNoy was the most decisive in the passage of a difficult but critical reform, the sin tax law of 2012.

That reform, which led to high tax rates on alcohol and especially tobacco, was sustained through the years. It led to further tax rate increases on sin products and significantly reduced smoking prevalence. But that was not its only significance. The 2012 sin tax legislation was the impetus to secure comprehensive tax reforms. PNoy and his administration created the conditions that broadened the fiscal space, earned creditworthiness for the country, financed universal healthcare, and sustained high growth. All this contributed to poverty reduction and improved the people’s wellbeing.

We do not forget either the other important actions during his term. These reforms include the law on reproductive health, the law on enhancing basic education (the K to 12 system), the framework agreement with Moro revolutionaries that led to the establishment of the Bangsamoro autonomous region, and the continuing consolidation of democracy that his mother Corazon Aquino instituted upon the fall of the dictatorship.

For many reasons then, we will continue the narrative about PNoy. He will continue to influence the present and the future.

On the other hand, it is uncomfortable to treat PNoy like a colossus or demi-god. He was one of us, even as he was our President and he treated the Filipinos his boss.

Being like us, we accept his weakness and frailties, including what others say about his hard-headedness, dourness, and emotional detachment. That he bared his faults and vulnerabilities made him a real person.

It is for this reason that I like the tribute (or was it the homily?), given by Fr. Jett Villarin, SJ. By divulging PNoy’s innermost thoughts, he showed to us the humanly authentic PNoy.

Fr. Jett shared with the public the thread of his text conversation with PNoy. After PNoy had his angiogram, (or probably after the angioplasty), Fr. Jett sent him a message to ask how he was doing. PNoy said: “The heart got enlarged because it was working so hard….”

To which Fr. Jett’s responded: Kaya pala stouthearted ka. Sige, now the heart can rest…. Pahinga ka pa at hayaan mong humilom ang puso. (“That’s why you are stouthearted. Now the heart can rest. Rest some more, and let the heart heal.”)

PNoy replied: Yoong isang klaseng broken heart hindi kaya dito. (“The other kind of broken heart cannot be operated here.”)

This heartbreak, as Fr. Jett interpreted it, could only by about the sad state of the country and our people. The Jesuit, also PNoy’s classmate and friend, mentioned the many times that PNoy suffered defeat. He disclosed PNoy’s hurt feelings towards the Church and the Jesuits, presumably on the issue of reproductive health. He also spoke about PNoy’s disappointments over the entire justice system, not only the Supreme Court, and the slow pace of the country’s development.

PNoy’s broken heart, said Fr. Jett, was likewise the people’s broken heart, further injured by today’s brazen violence.

But what was most striking from Fr. Jett’s sharing was the last message he received from PNoy. It was a message of hope but which needs deciphering.

Said PNoy: Sa grade school hamburger umasa at may pag-asa. (“Pin our hopes on the grade school hamburger, and there’s hope.”)

This remark stumped many. Fr. Jett reacted that the Ateneo grade school’s cafeteria is no longer serving hamburger, and the hamburger might be abundant in heaven. Even in heaven, said Fr. Jett, PNoy would still feel the broken heart that we Filipinos are suffering from.

A colleague from AER said that the part of the homily he didn’t understand was about the hamburger. He thought that Ateneo insiders would know. When my sister Norma asked her classmate Pinky, PNoy’s older sister, about the hamburger, Pinky echoed what my colleague said: the grade school hamburger is “an Ateneo thing,” and she would have to ask Noy’s classmate.

Some of us might be familiar with the American TV game show called Family Feud. In this game, two teams (or families) compete and attempt to have the most correct answers for a specific question. Assume that the question asked is: “What items do you associate with the Ateneo grade school?” A team or family consisting of Ateneo grade school alumni (especially from the baby boomer generation) would likely include as answer the hamburger, together with other answers like the chapel, the guardian angel statue, the rock garden, the auditorium, and the pergola.

Perhaps PNoy had long been craving for a hamburger, which the grade school cafeteria was known for. The grade school hamburger was a simple, decent, and affordable meal. It was good value for its price. It was the choice of many for their light meal during recess or before leaving school. In the 1960s, it cost 40 centavos, much cheaper than the prized burger at that time, the Tropical Hut hamburger.

Some say PNoy, who loved to eat meat, considered the hamburger his comfort food. A favorite of his was Big, Better Burger (BBB). He and his friends would have their appetite satisfied at the former BBB branch on Commonwealth Avenue. As told to me by founder Eric, it was the friend of PNoy who introduced him to BBB. They described BBB as pinakamasarap na burger sa balat ng lupa (“most delicious burger on the face of the earth”). For what it’s worth, BBB, like the grade school hamburger, is basic and affordable.

But how do we interpret PNoy’s putting hope in a hamburger, the Ateneo hamburger?

PNoy’s love for his alma mater was evident. He was an Atenean through and through, from grade school to college. His favorite fighting song was “Blue Eagle the King,” which was played during his funeral and during official events when he was the President. (But my sister and his sisters would point out that PNoy was “first a true yellow,” the school uniform, “in a pink school, Teresiana Kinder.”)

If the hamburger could represent Ateneo, then we could likewise relate it to Ateneo’s “being men (and women) for others.” That evokes pag-asa.

Apparently, PNoy had fond memories of his childhood. He had nostalgia for those days of juvenile innocence and exuberance; those days when classmates treated everyone as a “pal.” In that case, can it be that the hamburger during one’s childhood be associated with the youth as the hope of the future?

Whatever the interpretation is, the operative word is pag-asa. In this regard, while I was searching for an old article on the AER website, I stumbled on a column that I wrote more than 10 years ago. This was at a time that the electoral victory of Noy was still fresh. The column’s title is “Pag-asa” (May 10, 2010).

I quote the first paragraph:

It was a statement from a faceless cab driver — as told to me by my dear friend Fides — that perhaps captures the sentiments of poor Filipinos who like Noynoy Aquino. Said the driver: Ninakaw na sa atin ang lahat, at ang tanging natira sa akin ay ang pag-asa. Di ako papayag na ang pag-asa ay maagaw pa sa amin. Si Noynoy ang simbolo ng aming pag-asa. (“Everything has been stolen from us, and the only remaining thing left for me is hope. I will not allow hope to be seized from us. Noynoy is the symbol of our hope.”)

I wish Fides (and I) could meet again the taxi driver and offer him a hamburger — an offering of our never-ending pag-asa.

 

Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III coordinates the Action for Economic Reforms.

www.aer.ph

Heat domes are a red-hot warning on climate costs

PXFUEL.COM

THE UNPRECEDENTED heat wave that recently gripped the Pacific Northwest demonstrates a crucial fact about climate change that most people don’t seem to appreciate yet: This will not be a smooth, predictable event. In addition to new costs that can be anticipated, climate change creates enormous risks that may result in a far higher price tag to the global economy, which greatly increases the urgency of eliminating greenhouse emissions as quickly as possible.

A meteorological event known as a “heat dome”  sent the temperature at Portland International Airport in Oregon soaring to a record 116°F (46.7°C) this week. Climate change is almost certainly involved, but it isn’t as simple as average temperatures rising; scientists also believe that a warming climate can shift existing atmospheric patterns in ways that make extreme heat waves like this more likely. Heat brings with it a host of other risks. Wildfires, of the kind that blasted both Portland and the entire state of California last year, are more likely now in part because of climate change drying out vegetation. Droughts are also intensifying, which threatens crops. The net effect might be to make parts of the Western US unlivable — or at least, far less attractive as destinations for workers and capital investment. If it happens, that would incur a huge economic cost. Nor is the West Coast the only area threatened by the chaos of an altered climate — river areas are in danger of flooding, any region could theoretically dry out or swelter, and disruptions to agriculture can reverberate in markets throughout the world.

It’s important to realize that events like this were not what people generally talked about in previous decades when they envisioned the costs of climate change. The talk was mostly of a gradual sea level rise as the polar ice caps melted — a terrible problem for our grandchildren, but something we wouldn’t have to live to see. Climate scientists knew, of course, that all kinds of environmental chaos might result from a warming world; they just didn’t know exactly what would happen, so they weren’t able to make definite enough predictions to capture the public imagination. And so the punditry focused on slowly rising oceans, and talked less about fires, droughts, inland floods, storms, crop failures, diseases, and other potential dangers.

In the economics profession, a similar process was playing out. Top climate economists modeled the costs they knew about and could measure, and consigned discussion of the scarier risks to overlooked paragraphs buried deep within their papers. Their calculations for the “social cost of carbon” — a figure that is supposed to reflect the proper size of a hypothetical carbon tax — were typically severe underestimates, even using their own preferred methods. When you add in unpredictable risks to whole regions of the globe, the cost is far larger still. Martin Weitzman, one of the few economists who warned that these risks were being ignored, was snubbed for the Nobel Prize.

Now those risks, and their economic implications, are making themselves apparent. If all the world was facing was the erosion of its coastlines, it would be damaging but not catastrophic; as sea levels rose, real estate development could retreat inward to dry land. But when the danger is unknown, it’s harder to plan for it. In which traditionally colder areas, for instance, should consumers now start installing air conditioning? How should crops be changed, and which ones should be engineered to survive droughts? Which states need to intensify their forest management in order to reduce the incidence of wildfires? And so on. The mere fact that we don’t know the answers to these questions is itself a cost, because humans are generally risk-averse. Furthermore, the true cost of global warming should include weather problems that we haven’t even thought about yet — “unknown unknowns,” in the parlance of the late Donald Rumsfeld.

What all this means is that responding to climate change with the modest steps advocated for by top climate economists — such as a $50-per-ton carbon tax — is utterly inadequate. Given the magnitude and uncertainty of the risks involved, we have to treat greenhouse emissions as something to be eliminated, rather than something to be managed. This requires stern policies such as President Joe Biden’s proposed clean electricity standard, which would aim to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. It also calls for policies to help and pressure other countries to reduce emissions as well, given that the US now represents a modest and shrinking part of the global total.

The alternative — to avoid the strongest measures and hope that our grandchildren find some way to adapt to the changes we wreak on our world — is untenable. It’s not our grandchildren that are going to be the first ones to take the brunt of climate chaos, it’s us, right now. Our time to dither and delay is now up.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

PNoy’s unsung contribution: Rapid industrialization

PCH.VECTOR-FREEPIK

I count former President Noynoy Aquino as among the best presidents we have had. Under his administration, the nation proved, in no uncertain terms, that it is no longer the sick man of Asia but its rising star. Trepidation was replaced with business confidence and confidence in our institutions. Shame was replaced with national pride.

Much has already been written about PNoy’s contributions to nation building, especially in the realms of the economy, on good governance and his fight against China’s territorial grab. One important contribution has not been talked about, however, and this is his efforts towards reviving the country’s manufacturing sector and fostering rapid industrialization. Often taken for granted, the importance of a manufacturing resurgence cannot be overemphasized given its impact on job creation and wealth generation.

As we all know, the Philippines bypassed the process of industrialization as it made the transition from being an agricultural economy to one based on services. When PNoy assumed office back in 2010, the service sector made up a whopping 54% of the economy while the industrial sector had shrunk to just 32%. Sure, we graduated from being a low-income population to a lower-middle income one but we have done so by being the world’s preeminent provider of low-cost services such as call center operators, maritime staff, waiters, bellhops, and retail personnel.

During GMA’s nine years in office, the manufacturing sector steadily declined due to unfavorable business conditions, low business confidence and a drought in foreign direct investments. Gradually, we became more and more dependent on imports for practically all our needs. The dollar values of our imports progressively outpaced that of our exports and trade deficits widened. We would have faced a currency crisis if not for the remittances of our OFWs.

Changyong Rhee, Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank, said that it is easy for countries to graduate from being a low-income to a middle-income economy where each household earns between $3,500 to $5,000 a year. But to take the country to the level of advanced economies where per capita income is north of $10,000, it must be a provider of highly technical, high-value products and services. All these require a strong industrial base. This is why industrialization is essential to wealth generation. So, for as long as the Philippines fails to industrialize, it will continue to languish in middle income purgatory.

PNoy recognized this and set the goal of transforming the Philippines into an industrial economy with a middle-class society and zero incidences of poverty by the year 2040. He aimed to quadruple per capita income from $2,700 in 2012 to $13,000 in 2040. To achieve this, the economy had to grow by 7% a year for two decades. (If we fall short and grow by only 6% a year, we will only attain per capita income of $10,000).

In 2013, PNoy completed the country’s Comprehensive National Industrial Strategy under the aegis of the Department of Trade and Industry. At the heart of the strategy is what they call “development roadmaps” for industries with potential to become globally competitive. These roadmaps provide the framework and the chronological steps with which to elevate certain industries from their current state to a level of global competitiveness. They were drafted in collaboration with industry practitioners, the labor sector, the academe, and affected government agencies.

Per my last count, 52 industry roadmaps were drafted including those for automobile and automotive parts, electronics, IT-BPM, chemicals, copper, aerospace, petrochemicals, plastics, cement, tools and dies, shipbuilding, furniture, rubber products, garments and textiles, creative industries, footwear, processed food (fisheries, meats, condiments, confectionaries, fruits, etc.), printing and book publishing, coco coir and bamboo products, among others.

PNoy’s administration was more serious about the country’s industrialization than any other administration before it. Proof was the considerable resources channeled to the program to ensure its success. In 2014, P182.6 billion was spent to ensure that supply chain gaps were bridged and technical skill training were provided for the workforce. In 2015, another P238 billion was appropriated.

The strategy was for the Philippines to become a regional or global manufacturing hub for the industries mentioned above by the year 2025. Given the enormity of the task, priority was given to automotive, electronics, machineries, garments, and food manufacturing. These industries, after all, employ the most people and provide the widest opportunities for forward and backward integration.

Becoming a global manufacturing hub was to be achieved in three phases. The first phase was all about reinforcement of industries and this happened between the years 2014 to 2017. This involved rebuilding capacities of existing industries, strengthening emerging industries, and maintaining the competitiveness of industries that were already in a position of strength.

Phase two was to take place between 2017 to 2021 and this involved the dual objective of climbing the value chain and allowing the benefits of the sector to become more inclusive. This was to be done by linking large-scale manufacturers to our small- and medium-scale suppliers.

Phase three is the most critical of all and this was supposed to happen between 2021 and 2025. This is the stage wherein our manufacturers deepen their participation in global production networks. By this time, the Philippines should already be a vital manufacturer of certain components without which a product of advanced technology cannot be made. It could be the integrated circuit of the latest generation of smart phones or even the fabricated metal used for aircraft fuselages, and the like.

PNoy’s efforts paid off. Investments in new plants, factories, and IT-BPO operations steadily increased during his term, from less than $1 billion in 2010 to $8 billion in 2016. For the first time in decades, the manufacturing sector grew by 7.6%, outpacing the growth of the service sector at 6.7% in 2014. It happened again in 2017 when the manufacturing sector expanded by 8% against 7.4% for the service sector. Sadly, manufacturing has been on a decline since then.

The tragedy of it all is that the Duterte administration failed to sustain the National Industrial Strategy. Instead of further developing local industries to generate jobs, exports, and wealth, the Duterte administration relied on infrastructure spending (and other types of spending) to drive economic growth. Since its peak expansion of 8% in 2017, the growth of the manufacturing sector has decelerated to 5.1% in 2018, to 3.2% in 2019, until it fell off the cliff during the pandemic, contracting by -11.5%. With lost traction, it will take enormous effort to get the manufacturing sector up to pace. Hopefully, the next administration will pick up the program.

We recognize PNoy for having the vision to industrialize the country and the diligence, hard work, and wherewithal to achieve it. He was on the right track all along. Thank you, PNoy.

 

Andrew J. Masigan is an economist

andrew_rs6@yahoo.com

Facebook @AndrewJ. Masigan

Twitter @aj_masigan

Globe 1st PH company to set science-based goals for climate action

Stepping up its advocacy for climate action, Globe became the first and only Philippine company listed by the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) to commit to Business Ambition for 1.5 and has officially joined as a participant of the Race to Zero. The company has been a supporter of the #RacetoZero global campaign, spearheaded by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and COP26 Presidency, and the GSMA, an international mobile industry body, since its launch in 2020.

Globe’s commitment to establish science based targets and net-zero emissions by 2050 are in line with the Paris Agreement and #RacetoZero Campaign. The Paris agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. Race to Zero is the UN-backed global campaign rallying non-state actors – including companies, cities, regions, financial and educational institutions – to take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer zero carbon world by 2050.

All members are committed to the same overarching goal of reducing emissions across all scopes swiftly and fairly in line with the Paris Agreement, with transparent action plans and robust near-term targets. Led by the High-Level Climate Champions for Climate Action – Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz – Race To Zero mobilizes actors outside of national governments to join the Climate Ambition Alliance, which was launched at the UNSG’s Climate Action Summit 2019 by the President of Chile, SebastiánPiñera.

Its sibling campaign – Race to Resilience – was launched at the 2021 Climate Adaptation Summit. It is the UN-backed global campaign to catalyse a step-change in global ambition for climate resilience, putting people and nature first in pursuit of a resilient world where we don’t just survive climate shocks and stresses, but thrive in spite of them.

“We recognize the critical need to take action now to counter climate change. The imminent crisis is already threatening people, businesses, and economies worldwide. Companies like ours have a vital role to play, utilizing innovations, technologies, and expertise to decarbonize our operations and serve as a guidepost for other organizations to follow,” said Ernest L Cu, Globe President and CEO.

Over the next 24 months, Globe will set verifiable science-based targets through SBTi, which will independently assess the company’s direct and indirect emissions reduction targets. SBTi enables private companies to set science-based emission reduction targets. It is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).  Direct emissions include fuel combustion on-site from owned vehicles and generator sets, while indirect emissions cover electricity purchases and use of the organization.

Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, one of SBTi’s partners, said: “The science is clear: to limit the catastrophic impacts of climate change, we must ensure warming does not exceed 1.5°C. The ambition is high, but it’s achievable — and science-based targets give companies a roadmap for getting there. Corporations worldwide have an unprecedented opportunity to be at the very forefront of the transition to a net-zero economy — and there is no time to lose.”

Globe has been making significant inroads towards its sustainability goals in recent years. Since 2019, the company has shifted to buying energy directly from power plants producing renewable energy. Today, its headquarters in Taguig, together with six offices and facilities in Makati, Quezon City, Tarlac, and Cebu, are powered by renewables. More locations are scheduled to start running on alternative sources of energy.

Likewise, the company has deployed over 7,400 Green Network Solutions such as hybrid generators, free cooling systems, and lithium-ion batteries to reduce its carbon footprint while opting for renewable energy solutions like solar panels and fuel cells at its cell sites.

These initiatives complement the company’s continued implementation of the internationally-recognized Environmental Management System (ISO 14001:2015) under the Integrated Management Systems (IMS). IMS also covers process quality and occupational health and safety across the organization.

To ensure best-in-class sustainability practices, Globe, early this year, announced its support of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) which forms the foundation of the company’s climate change strategy moving forward.

“Business as usual is no longer an option. Setting and working towards science-based targets will help protect our consumers and us against future disruptions. The zero-carbon transformation of Globe’s business is already unlocking many economic opportunities, enhancing competitiveness, creating jobs, and sustainable growth. Doing good makes good business sense,” Cu added.

From waste management to electronic SIM cards to cashless transactions, the company’s wide range of sustainability programs make operations more efficient and produce new revenue streams.

This commitment coincides with the Philippine Environment Month. In line with this celebration, Globe is encouraging Filipinos to take part in climate action by properly disposing of electronic waste (e-waste). Globe At Home rewards its customers who swap their existing devices in exchange for new, advanced WiFi units with its “Swap and Save” campaign. Customers will receive a 500-peso discount for Globe MyFi LTE-Advanced and Home Prepaid WiFi LTE-Advanced devices when they drop off their existing prepaid Globe MyFi, WiFi stick or Home Prepaid WiFi at any of the 48 participating Globe Stores on or before August 21 this year.

Globe’s SBTi commitment supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), specifically UN SDG No. 13 calling for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

To learn more about how to create a Globe of Good and make a difference visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html.

People told stay alert as Taal erupts

SCREEN GRAB FROM PHIVOLCS FB PAGE

State volcanologists on Friday said Taal Volcano’s next eruption could be stronger after it spewed steam and rocks hundreds of meters into the sky the day earlier, prompting thousands to flee.

Taal continues to emit smoke, which is caused by gas and water vapor moving up toward its crater, said Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

“We hope there won’t be stronger eruptions but that’s the threat from Taal because it continues to emit gases,” he told a televised news briefing in Filipino.

Taal has been belching sulphur dioxide for days, creating a thick haze over Metro Manila and surrounding provinces.

The Department of Health (DoH) advised people to take precautionary measures against toxic gas emissions from Taal Volcano’s eruption.

In an advisory issued late Thursday, the agency said short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide, a colorless toxic gas emitted by the volcano, could harm the respiratory system and make breathing difficult.

“People with asthma, particularly children are sensitive to these effects,” DoH said. “Prolonged exposure or high concentrations of this gas can cause inflammation and irritation of the respiratory system.”

Other symptoms of exposure to sulfur dioxide include skin and eye irritation, mucus secretion, coughing and asthma. It may also aggravate bronchitis and increase the risk of respiratory tract infection.

DoH said people should stay indoors, close the doors and windows especially if they are near the volcano and wear face masks.

Volcanologists on Thursday raised the alert status of Taal from Alert Level 2 or increasing unrest to Alert Level 3 or magmatic unrest.

“This means that there is magmatic intrusion at the main crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions,” it said in a bulletin. It said people living in Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas province should be evacuated.

Presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. on Friday said the palace was monitoring the situation in Taal, adding evacuation of people there were ongoing.

“We ask residents in the areas surrounding the volcano lake to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures, cooperate with their local authorities should the need for evacuation arise,” he said in a statement.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Calabarzon has stockpiles of relief support including food packs worth P1.4 million and nonfood items worth P11 million.

Meanwhile, the National Electrification Administration ordered electric cooperatives in Luzon especially in the Calabarzon region to take contingency measures to mitigate the effects of the Taal volcano eruption on their power distribution systems. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

More than 6,000 more Filipinos infected

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 6,192 coronavirus infections on Friday, bringing the total to 1.4 million.

The death toll rose by 177 to 24,973, while recoveries increased by 2,212 to 1.34 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 55,482 active cases, 1.4% of which were critical, 91.5% were mild, 3.8% did not show symptoms, 2% were severe and 1.44% were moderate.

The agency said 11 duplicates had been removed from the tally, eight of which were tagged as recoveries and one as death.

Twelve recoveries were reclassified as active cases, while 102 cases tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Four laboratories failed to submit data on June 30, the agency said.

About 14.1 million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of June 30, according to DoH’s tracker website.

The coronavirus has sickened about 183.4 million and killed around four million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.

About 167.9 million people have recovered, it said.

Meanwhile, Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD), which operates Clark International Airport, said it had agreed to let four medical groups use its old terminal building for mass vaccination.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Medical Center, Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory, PRI Medical Center and the Medical City Clark will provide staff who will give the vaccines and dispose of medical waste, the airport operator said in an e-mailed statement.

The company is set to open this month a new terminal building built by Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructure Ltd. for domestic commercial flights.

The building can hold 8 million passengers annually. Clark Airport operates with an annual passenger capacity of 4.2 million. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Arjay L. Balinbin

SC asked to reject Marcos appeal

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo on Friday asked the Supreme Court to reject the motion for reconsideration filed by losing vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr.

The tribunal earlier ordered her to comment on the appeal made by the son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. in his election protest.

In a 49-page pleading, Ms. Robredo said Mr. Marcos had “committed a legal blunder when he chose his pilot provinces” and failed to prove cheating in these areas.

“The allegations are a mere rehash or repetition of the same arguments already settled or decided by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal,” Ms. Robredo said in a statement on Friday.

“The numbers are clear,” she said. “Protestant Marcos failed to show any substantial recovery. The only matter left to be done is for protestant Marcos to accept graciously his defeat and move on.”

Ms. Robredo said differing opinions of the high court’s justices “merely show their respective views on how to rule on the various issues of the case,” but they still unanimously voted to dismiss her rival’s election protest for lack of merit.

“The prospect of defeat is a reality that all political candidates who stand for election must learn to accept,” she said.

Mr. Marcos in May asked the court to reconsider the dismissal of his election protest, saying he had not been given the chance to present all evidence.

The 15-member tribunal in February rejected Mr. Marcos’s election case, as it ruled his claims “appeared bare, laden with generic and repetitious allegations and lacked critical information.” — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

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