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Bo Perasol steps down as UP men’s basketball team head coach

BO PERASOL has resigned as UP men’s basketball head coach. — UAAP

Bo Perasol‘s run at the helm of the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons has come to an end as he officially tendered his resignation as head coach of State U’s men’s basketball team.

“I promised UP after UAAP Season 82 that I will stay for another season just to sustain the rebuilding process which started many years back, coming from zero wins back then. Unfortunately, the pandemic has impacted all of us, including the dynamics of the playing field,” Mr. Perasol, 49, said in a statement.

“It has sadly changed my views, plans, and priorities, too,” he added.

The UP management has accepted Mr. Perasol’s resignation but is hoping to continue working with the latter for the improvement of the university’s basketball program and team.

Mr. Perasol spent five years with UP, which saw him steer the Maroons back to respectability.

In Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), he helped send UP to its first finals appearance after 32 years but they fell short against the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the championship.

They barged into the semifinals in Season 82.

Then the pandemic hit, leaving the UAAP to suspend its activities.

With Mr. Perasol out as coach, UP is now going through a short list of possible replacements, which include former National University Bullpups coach Goldwin Monteverde and former UP player and now national women’s coach Patrick Aquino.

Apart from holdovers, UP has a number of young players like Carl Tamayo, Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, RC Calimag and CJ Cansino in its fold, who they hope to unveil once UAAP action returns. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

First PVL pro season starts in a ‘bubble’ setup in Ilocos Norte

THE inaugural professional season of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) takes flight on Saturday, July 17, in a “bubble” setting in Ilocos Norte.

The PVL Open Conference will see 10 teams competing, with games to be initially played at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra.

The popular volleyball league is now operating as a pro organization after years as a semi-pro.

It turned professional last year but is only starting its season now after finally getting the nod to start from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and finding a local government unit in Ilocos Norte to serve as host for its tournament.

Ricky Palou, PVL president, said as they start their new season, important for them is to ensure the safety of all participants amid the prevailing conditions with the pandemic.

Opening the tournament is the match between the Chery Tiggo Crossover and PLDT Home Fibr Hitters at 1 p.m., followed by the BanKo Perlas Spikers and Cignal HD Spikers at 4 p.m.

The Creamline Cool Smashers and the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors play in the night cap at 7 p.m.

Tournament format has all the teams playing in a single-round elimination with the top four teams advancing to the best-of-three semifinals, where the winners advance to the championship series and the losers collide in the battle for third.

Other teams seeing action in the PVL Open Conference are the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders, Choco Mucho Flying Titans, Petro Gazz Angels, and Philippine Army Lady Troopers.

PVL matches can be seen over One Sports on free TV, One Sports+, the league’s website at www.pvl.ph as well as on Cignal Play and Smart’s giga.fest. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Marcial replaces Obiena as Philippine flag-bearer in Olympics

Boxer Eumir Felix Marcial is to take the place of pole-vaulter EJ Obiena as one of the flag-bearers for the Philippines in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on July 23 at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) made the announcement on Thursday, citing Mr. Marcial’s availability in time for the opening event of the rescheduled Olympics.

Mr. Obiena was originally tasked to be the male flag-bearer for the country, joining female judoka Kiyomi Watanabe. But because of the new guidelines issued by organizers, which include requiring flag-bearers to be in Tokyo 48 hours before the opening, the Filipino pole-vaulter was rendered a no-go.

Mr. Obiena will be coming from his camp in Italy and  arriving on July 23 itself, and could not rebook his flight.

Mr. Marcial, meanwhile, is set for Tokyo this weekend from the United States.

“He [Marcial] has the most flexible schedule before and after the opening ceremony. We have already informed Eumir about his task and we are very thankful to EJ for understanding,” said POC President Abraham Tolentino in a statement.

In the opening, only the flag-bearers can join six sports officials from their respective countries in the Parade of Nations as part of strict health and safety protocols against the coronavirus.

For the Philippines, the officials are Chef de mission Mariano Araneta, Philippine Judo Federation President Dave Carter, boxing coach Nolito Velasco, skateboarding coach Daniel Velasco, Philippine Swimming Inc. president Lani Velasco and Gymnastics Association of the Philippines head Carrion-Norton. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Israel swimming team taps NCC Aquatics Center for Olympic preparation

The Israeli swimming team is currently having a training bubble at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Tarlac as part of its preparation for the Tokyo Olympics. (BCDA)

Swimmers and coaches from the Israel national team are using the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Tarlac for their preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The 17-man team began its training in the facility last weekend and is set to continue doing so until July 19 before it heads to Japan to compete in the rescheduled quadrennial Games.

It has been impressed with the Aquatics Center, which boasts of a 10-lane competition pool, eight-lane training pool and a diving pool, and is the only FINA-accredited swimming facility in the country.

“It’s a really nice pool with really nice surrounding views. And the bright color of the pool makes it look even better. More importantly, I like how the pool is really fast,” said Andrea Murez, a 29-year-old swimmer who competes in the 100-meter freestyle event.

The hosting of the Israel team is the first for the Aquatics Center since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country and the community restrictions after.

It is being done in coordination with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and its subsidiary Clark Development Corp. (CDC), and the local swimming federation the Philippine Swimming Inc.

“We are thrilled yet humbled at the same time to host our friends from Israel in New Clark City’s first-ever sports bubble. Israel is one of the leading countries in the world for COVID-19 vaccination and response. So, for their athletes, coaches and officials to have the confidence to train in our country and at the Aquatics Center – that is truly a blessing,” said BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon, who visited the swimming facility on Thursday.

The Israeli team’s bubble training comes after BCDA and CDC’s hosting of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup last year, the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in June, and recently the PhilCycling National Trials for Road, which were all held inside the Clark Freeport Zone.

Osaka confirmed for Montreal event in August

WORLD number two Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from this year’s French Open and Wimbledon on mental health grounds, will compete in Montreal next month, organizers of the Canadian event said on Wednesday.

Osaka, a four-time Gland Slam champion who is one of Japan’s best gold medal prospects at the Tokyo Olympics, will be part of a field at the Aug. 9-15 US Open tune-up that currently features 18 of the WTA’s top 20 players.

Organizers also said Wimbledon champion and world number one Ash Barty, number three Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, former winner Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and defending champion Bianca Andreescu also are among those who confirmed their participation.

“We are delighted to welcome the likes of Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka, as well as Bianca Andreescu, who we know will get a reception for the ages from our passionate fans in Montreal,” Montreal tournament director Eugene Lapierre said in a news release.

The 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andreescu won the event two years ago when it was held in Toronto before going on to become Canada’s first Grand Slam singles champion at that year’s US Open.

“As a Canadian, this tournament has a special place in my heart and it is always such a pleasure to play in front of the best fans in the world,” world number five Andreescu said in a news release.

“Winning the National Bank Open in 2019 was a dream come true, and I hope I can defend the title next month in Montreal.” — Reuters

Dustin Johnson: Accurate driver key to winning The Open

WORLD No. 1 Dustin Johnson has a pretty straightforward game plan for playing the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England, this week: Perform well off the tee.

“It’s a typical links course; you’ve got to hit golf shots, and you’ve got to hit them where you’re looking or you’re going to have a tough time,” Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. “For me, I feel like most of it’s going to be driving. If I can drive it well, then I feel like I’m going to have a really good week.”

Despite Johnson’s reputation as one of the longest drivers in the game, he clarified in a follow-up answer that he was looking for accuracy, not a bomb-and-gouge strategy at a links course that won’t necessarily reward driving distance.

“Yes, I’ve always been a long hitter,” Johnson said, “but I’m not trying to hit it any further, I’m trying to hit it straighter.”

Johnson is sixth on the PGA Tour this season in driving distance, with a 313.8-yard average, while ranking just 133rd in driving accuracy at 58.56 percent, a touch below the tour average of 60.41 percent.

And the two-time major champion is aware that Royal St. George’s, which measures out to be 7,189 yards this week, is a strategic, second-shot golf course with plenty of sand bunkers and dunes that will catch errant drives.

In 2011, the last time the course hosted the Open, Johnson tied with Phil Mickelson for second three strokes behind champion Darren Clarke. He carded an ace during the first round and remained in contention until a double-bogey seven on No. 14 Sunday pushed him too far out of reach.

In casual Johnson fashion, he said he didn’t remember much from his time there 10 years ago, while pointing out he was at a much earlier stage of his career.

“Back then, I was hitting a draw. Now, I predominantly fade it, especially off the tee,” he said. “But yeah, it was a long time ago. (I’m) definitely a different player.”

After finishing on top of the golf world in November 2020 with a victory at the Masters, Johnson has had a much less consistent 2021. He missed the cut at the first two majors of the year before tying for 19th at the US Open. He’s scheduled to play the first two rounds with Will Zalatoris and Justin Rose, beginning with a 10:20 a.m. local tee time (5:20 am. ET) on Thursday. — Reuters

Messi to sign new five-year deal with Barcelona

LIONEL Messi is set to extend his stay at Barcelona by signing a new five-year deal, with the Argentine talisman set to take a wage cut, La Vanguardia newspaper and ESPN reported on Wednesday.

Messi, Barça’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker, technically ended his 21-year association with the club last month and is currently a free agent after his previous contract expired.

Since Joan Laporta took over as Barça president, the club has been trying to reduce their wage bill in order to keep Messi and stay within La Liga’s strict financial control rules.

La Liga chief Javier Tebas said last week that Barcelona, which has a total debt of more than €1 billion ($1.18 billion), would not be shown any leniency.

Messi’s last contract, signed in 2017, was the most lucrative in world sport according to a January report in newspaper El Mundo.

The club has been trying to rebuild the squad with Junior Firpo, Jean-Clair Todibo and Carles Alena being sold to make way for free signings Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia.

Messi, 34, won his first major international title with Argentina over the weekend when they beat rivals Brazil in the Copa America final.

Messi was elected the tournament’s joint best player along with Neymar after finishing as the tournament’s joint top goalscorer with four goals while he also topped the assists charts with five. — Reuters

Olympics-Do-it-yourself medal ceremony at Tokyo Games amid pandemic

TOKYO — Olympic champions at the Tokyo Games starting next week can forget about having their medals hung around their necks as they stand on the podium, shaking hands with dignitaries and soaking up their success.

Instead, the three medals will be presented on a tray to the athletes on the podium and they then have to hang them around their own neck in front of the empty stands. There will also be no handshakes or hugs.

“The medals will not be given around the neck,” International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach told a virtual media round table on Wednesday.

“They will be presented to the athlete on a tray and the athlete will take the medal him or herself.”

“It will be made sure the person who will put the medal on the tray will do it with disinfected gloves. Presenters and athletes will wear a mask. There will be no handshakes and no hugs during the ceremony,” he added.

The host city, where a state of emergency has been imposed until after the Games end on Aug. 8, recorded 1,149 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the most in nearly six months.

The Olympics have lost much public support in Japan because of fears they will trigger a surge of infections even though no spectators will be allowed into sports venues and there are strict health measures in place for all Games participants. — Reuters

Home sweet home

It would be an understatement to argue that Khris Middleton is capable of putting up big numbers for the Bucks. After all, he’s not an All-Star for nothing. Moreover, he seems to have a knack for producing just when the Bucks need him; his four 30-point games in the National Basketball Association Eastern Conference Semifinals and Finals all came in wins. The jury may be out on his consistency or lack thereof, but there can be no denying his willingness, even desire, to step up in the crunch. He can take them and make them.

Which, in a nutshell, is why no one batted an eyelash when Middleton erupted anew under pressure en route to victory yesterday. Game Four of the Finals was up in the air until he erupted in the last two minutes and change, scoring 10 straight points to allow the Bucks to claim the lead for good. To be sure, he’s not the only reason they won pulling away; outstanding defense, particularly by two-time Most Valuable Player awardee Giannis Antetokounmpo, sealed the outcome. Still, there can be no denying the impact of his career-high 40 on the set-to.

Certainly, Middleton’s show of force couldn’t have come at a better time. Had the Bucks failed to protect home court, they would have worsened their Finals slate to one and three. The development isn’t a death sentence in and of itself; if nothing else, the Cavaliers proved in 2016 that comebacks from a seemingly untenable position can be engineered. That said, the circumstances were different then, and for all the talents of Antetokounmpo, he’s not an all-time great like LeBron James — at least not yet.

Of course, the Bucks haven’t really done anything yet. They simply did what they were supposed to do: win Games Three and Four at the Fiserv Forum. Now, they need to do the same in hostile territory, a tall order given their double-digit failures in the first two matches of the series. They would do well to lean on the momentum they’ve built heading into Game Five even as they cross their fingers Middleton will match his aggressiveness with output. Will they be able to buck the odds and exceed themselves on the road? The answer will come in two days.

 

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.

Debt watching and the future

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Last Monday’s optimistic stance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) based on the pace of vaccinations and the Filipinos’ willingness to be inoculated was extremely contagious. If the pace gathers more momentum, it is likely the economy would further reopen and strengthen business and consumer sentiment. The BSP was also sanguine that the US Fed’s hawkish monetary inclination would not be too problematic from our own standpoint.

Of course, the broadsheets also reported on Moody’s caution against premature loosening of social restrictions. This is reasonable considering the recent upsurge of the virus and rapid spread of the Delta variant across the Asia Pacific region. We must be more careful in easing our health protocols.

And a reality check came late on the same day.

Fitch Ratings downgraded its credit outlook on the Philippines from “stable” to “negative.” In its own commentary, Fitch explained that the revision of the outlook “reflects increasing risks to the credit profile from the impact of the pandemic and its aftermath on policy-making as well as on economic and fiscal out-turns.”

Fitch pointed out the downside risks to medium-term prospects due to “potential scarring effects,” presumably from lower output, higher unemployment and weak productivity. Fitch also identified possible challenges arising from the need to unwind extraordinary policy responses to COVID-19 and restore sound public finances. Fitch calls these “rating sensitivities.”

The downgrade by Fitch was a downgrade of the credit outlook, rather than the rating itself. It’s a warning. An economy that descends from a stable to negative outlook risks a rating downgrade in the next 18 months. With a current BBB credit rating, the country could likely slide down to BBB-. By all means, we should all try to avoid this.

Based on our engagement with credit rating agencies for two decades, it is not difficult to suggest that subsequent credit rating actions will really depend on the following:

1. Public finance: if government debt to GDP continues to rise due to either a reversal of policy reform or departure from prudent macroeconomic policy, the Philippines will reap a downgrade. However, if public revenues expand and reliance on borrowings declines, an upgrade is possible.

2. Macroeconomic: if the outlook for output growth continues to deteriorate with diminishing policy credibility, a downgrade is inevitable. If the economy shapes up and the policy framework gains credibility, it’s possible to even achieve a credit upgrade.

3. External: If FX reserves sustain a declining trend, the current account deficit deteriorates, and net external debt shoots up, the economy’s resiliency might be dented. A downgrade is likely. An improvement in the external payments position would suggest a possible elevation of credit standing.

On public finance, there is disturbing news.

Last Monday, senators assailed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for keeping the funds for several projects amounting to some P160 billion. The General Appropriation Act is effective only up to Dec. 31. We are therefore losing time. The DBM classifies this chunk as FLR or “for later release.” The release can only be cleared by the President, the Budget Secretary, or any other designated official authorized by the Chief Executive. This is not exactly the intent of Bayanihan I and II which are both aimed at pandemic-induced compensatory spending. From Bayanihan II alone, some P63.55 billion remains unspent.

What are we waiting for?

We need to recall that if both consumption and investment are weak, public spending is expected to make up. Since some funds are withheld because politics may be a consideration, this is lamentable. Public spending is needed by the people who were affected by the pandemic and its economic consequences. Government projects do not only add infrastructure, but they also provide employment and pump more resources into business activities. If borrowed, we are paying interest on those idle funds.

In contrast, some funds have been released to selected recipients. For instance, about P16.5 billion was released to fund anti-insurgency. This is a consequence of the Anti-Terror Act whose constitutionality remains in question in the Supreme Court. Some public funds were also reported to have been released to operate the so-called troll farms. Twelve senators recently filed a resolution enjoining the appropriate Senate committee to investigate the alleged use of public money to finance super spreaders of fake news and misinformation, disguised as “public relations practitioners.” With this kind of budget priority, it would be difficult to rely on public spending to support quick economic recovery.

On the macroeconomy, it looks like there are green shoots.

Philippine manufacturing output seems to have recovered from a very low base in May with the rise in domestic demand for manufactured products and the expansion of external markets. Based on the PSA’s latest Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries, the volume of production index surged by 265%, the second monthly increase after 13 months of decline.

Foreign direct investment net inflows more than doubled in April to $679 million from a year ago’s $317 million. Equity capital placements from Japan, the US, and Singapore went into manufacturing and real estate. But net placements of equity capital and reinvestment of earnings perked up rather modestly, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the pandemic on market confidence.

Consumption expenditure may likely recover with the sustained double-digit increase in OFW cash remittances in May. This must have been driven by the early recovery in key labor markets in North America and some parts of Asia. May’s cash remittances stood at $1.89 billion or $12.28 billion for the first five months of 2021. Annualized, this would come up to around $29.47 billion, almost unchanged from last year’s $29.90 billion and 2019’s $30.13 billion.

Despite our loose monetary policy, we continue to see some stress in the banking system. Fitch Ratings raised some concerns about the banks’ lower market-related income and compressed margins. Their first quarter net income dropped while net non-performing loan ratio is expected to hit 6% this year compared to last year’s 3.1%. Stress levels will hopefully stabilize as most banks continue to enjoy good capitalization and provisions for credit losses.

The wild card is the pandemic wards. If we foul up on containing the virus, more lockdowns would not be far behind.

On the external payments side, there are dark clouds.

The current account, which was mostly in surplus position last year because of depressed imports, has reversed into a widening shortfall. The immediate casualty was the peso which weakened to P50 to a dollar a few days ago. The stock market was shocked but was calmed down only because the BSP assured the market that it was ready to step in and tame any sharp depreciation. The analogue of that statement is that the BSP could either sell dollars to the market and siphon off pesos, a monetary tightening move, or increase the policy rate, another form of monetary tightening. Either way, this is against the current stance of monetary accommodation until we see more evidence of entrenched economic recovery.

What we are worried about is the path of external sector indicators. If we drop the ball again on pandemic mitigation, we might face the prospect of extended economic restriction. More funding will be required for social amelioration, health facilities and, yes, more vaccines. With weak revenues, the only option available to the authorities is to increase domestic and foreign borrowings. One inexorable outcome would be higher debt payments that in the future could eat into the national budget. In the first five months of 2021 alone, debt amortization ballooned by 21% from a year ago’s P513 billion to P624 billion. Total debt breached P11 trillion at end-May 2021, of which 28% is owed to foreign creditors.

If lockdowns are prolonged, we would have a situation where external debt is rising rapidly but GDP growth is lagging behind.

This is negative for Fitch, this is negative for Moody’s and S&P. Most important, this is negative for our people because the translation on the ground is limited jobs, higher prices, and widespread poverty. As reported by the Social Weather Station (SWS) the other day, “hunger incidence remained high” in the first quarter 2021. SWS claimed based on its survey that some 4.2 million families or 16.8% “experienced involuntary hunger or hunger due to lack of food to eat in the past three months prior to the survey.”

We are quite familiar with the methodologies of the three major credit rating agencies having dealt with them for many years, but we are not privy to how they appreciate all those balls in the air. Bottomline is that we need a strong resolve to keep our eye on the ball.

The ball is not about May 2022, it is about the future of our country and our people.

 

Diwa C. Guinigundo is the former Deputy Governor for the Monetary and Economics Sector, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). He served the BSP for 41 years. In 2001-2003, he was Alternate Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. He is the senior pastor of the Fullness of Christ International Ministries in Mandaluyong.

Press freedom as election issue

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President Rodrigo Duterte has made it to the gallery of heads of government in 37 countries that the international press freedom watch organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF, Reporters Sans Frontières) regards as enemies of press freedom.

Mr. Duterte’s inclusion puts him in the company of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Bin Salman, and 32 others. RSF has a far from euphemistic term for them, for which description one qualifies only if he or she harasses, threatens, or otherwise preys on journalists and media organizations.

In Putin’s Russia, at least 25 journalists critical of government have been killed, and only in one case has the killer been tried and convicted. Government buyouts of independent media organizations have also stifled journalistic independence, while a number of oppressive laws have led to journalists’ being arrested and, in some instances, imprisoned for, among other offenses, “justifying terrorism.”

Journalists have died in prison in Xi Jinping’s China for not echoing the regime narrative on issues and events, while others are surveilled for the same alleged offense. Some 115 press freedom advocates and defenders are also in detention in that country’s jails.

A former military man, Brazil’s Bolsonaro has used foul and sexist language in his Facebook and Twitter accounts to silence the press and to threaten the shutdown of a major newspaper. His followers have followed suit by threatening journalists with physical violence, which resulted in at least one instance of a woman broadcaster’s being taken hostage by a man suspected to be a Bolsonaro supporter who resented her reporting.

Salman is alleged to have been at least privy to the 2018 killing in Saudi Arabia’s own embassy in Istanbul, Turkey, of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a known critic of his regime. Other critics including journalists have also been jailed, threatened and harassed into silence in his kingdom.

Not coincidentally was the gallery list that includes Mr. Duterte released on July 5. A year ago, on July 10, 2020, the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises denied ABS-CBN network’s franchise renewal application. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) had ordered the network to cease operations earlier, in May.

To explain Mr. Duterte’s inclusion in the gallery, RSF recalled his threats against the media that go back to his eighth month in office, when he said “I’m not threatening them (journalists), but someday their karma will catch up with them.” It did not mention then candidate Duterte’s saying during the 2016 presidential campaign that journalists are being killed in the Philippines “because they’re corrupt.” Outraged at his justifying the killings, RSF proposed at the time a media boycott of Mr. Duterte, which the Philippine press did not seriously consider.

But it mentioned his 2017 verbal attack on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and how Congress denied the franchise renewal application of ABS-CBN network in 2020 some two years after Mr. Duterte began saying he would see to it that it would be “out.” With some exaggeration did RSF describe Rappler news site as the “last bastion of press freedom” in the Philippines. It recalled how its editor and CEO has been besieged by numerous lawsuits filed by Mr. Duterte’s cronies in and out of government, and how she is at serious risk of being imprisoned for the rest of her life.

What is surprising about Putin, Xi, Salman, and Mr. Duterte as well as many others in the RSF gallery is that, according to public opinion polls, they remain popular in their respective countries despite their hostility to journalists and to press freedom.

Bolsonaro is among the few exceptions. Because of a kickback scheme scandal on the purchase of anti-COVID vaccines in his government, his approval rating as of early July this year was at a low 35%.

In contrast, as of February this year, Putin’s approval rating was at 65%, while Xi’s, despite a decline in 2020 because of his government’s handling of the pandemic, has since recovered. Over 90% of young Saudis meanwhile approve of Salman, and the latest poll on Mr. Duterte’s approval rating found that it is, like Putin’s, also at 65%.

As in the Philippine case, it is uncertain if the above numbers truly reflect citizen sentiments in Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia, or if fear of retaliation accounts for the seeming mass support for authoritarian rule. But if we assume those figures to be more or less accurate indicators of the popularity of Putin and company despite their grossly anti-press freedom policies, it could be due to much of their constituents’ limited understanding and appreciation of press freedom and free expression, which is also evident among large segments of the populations of the so-called developed countries.

It is certainly true of the Philippines, where it is commonly believed that press freedom benefits only the media and is a self-serving concept that has nothing to do with the lives of the rest of the citizenry.

Equally indicative of the state of the public’s understanding of the media is the demand for journalists to stop reporting “bad news” and to instead concentrate on reporting the good, which, even among the students of some colleges and universities, encourages approval of government licensing of the press and the advocacy and defense of censorship to compel journalists to be “positive” in their reporting.

Seldom appreciated as well is the crucial role that the reliable and accurate information that is the media’s stock-in-trade plays in the citizenry’s capacity to prepare for and to survive, in disaster-plagued Philippines, the onslaught of volcanic eruptions, typhoons, earthquakes, pandemics, and other natural calamities. Neither is it commonly understood that information on the political, economic, and social aspects of life in these islands enables people to make informed decisions on such public issues as governance and who to vote for.

Among the consequences of this regrettable state of affairs is mass indifference to, and even approval of, the current regime’s hostility to the independent press and to press freedom.

How a candidate, once in power, will treat the media has never been at issue in Philippine elections. And yet it should be, if only because one of the consequences of the Duterte regime’s intimidation and harassment of the independent press is the growing dearth of information and analysis on the human rights crisis, the corruption and incompetence in high places, and the failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy on the media and on press freedom of the candidates in the 2022 elections should be part of their platforms of government, assuming that they have such plans in the making. If not, it should be grounds enough for the electorate to deny them their votes.

On civil society, academia, and the independent press falls the task of making sure that the public will be informed enough to demand both of the political formations and their standard bearers.

The media should make it a priority effort between now and election day in 2022, not solely out of self-interest. Even more urgently should it be out of the realization that neither they nor the rest of the country can survive the same perils they have had to bear during the rule of the anti-press freedom and anti-human rights oligarchs that ensued in the wake of the 2016 election that they failed to report enough on to have made a difference in the outcome.

 

Luis V. Teodoro is on Facebook and Twitter (@luisteodoro).

www.luisteodoro.com

Child Protection during the pandemic

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“This pandemic is a perfect storm for abuse to happen in the home. The long quarantine has trapped the children at home where most of the abuses happen. It is very difficult for them to seek help. The stresses for both the children and their parents have increased mental health problems. Add on unemployment, insecurity, uncertainty while cooped up in a small space, it has all the ingredients for an ‘explosion.’ These abused children need urgent help and time may be running out for them.”  — Dr. Bernadette Madrid, Child Protection Network Executive Director

“The first child protection unit in the Philippines started in a small, refurbished canteen in PGH (Philippine General Hospital). We are now 114 units in 57 provinces and 10 cities in the country. It is so fulfilling to help children — as many as we can. With the help of all generous souls, we can establish more units, train more child protection specialists and help more children.” — Katrina Legarda, Director, National Network of Women and Child Protection Units

Our first instinct is to protect our young children and the youth who are vulnerable to the hazards and dangers in life. There have been many disasters in the past years. The children of marginalized families are constantly exposed to predators of all kinds. In many cases, the men who live with them in their homes are among the worst offenders. This crisis happens around the world.

The Philippines, a developing country, has alarming statistics of child abuse and trafficking caused by poverty, broken families, and cramped living spaces. Among the major concerns are the access to health services for physical and mental health, adequate nutrition, and safety. The pandemic has exacerbated the risky and volatile situation.

Thousands of young children need non-government organizations (NGOs) for care and necessary support throughout their growing years.

Since the start, the Child Protection Network (CPN) has worked with experts on the prevention and treatment of child abuse. From 90 abused children seen at UP Philippine General Hospital Child Protection Unit (PGH-CPU) in 1997, the number has increased to more than 100 abused children availing of services per month. This unit has treated more that 24,778 children.

It is regarded as an example of Best Practice by the World Health Organization.

Through the years, CPN has had partnerships with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Kindernothilfe (KNH) to support the Women and Children Protection Units; Consuelo Foundation for the Safe Schools Study and Evidence for Better Lives Study; and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for the Child Protections Management Information System, research initiatives, and the annual Ako Para sa Bata Conference.

In 2019, there were 1,355 cases reported to the PGH-CPU. A staggering 75% cases were sexual abuse. This result happened after the 2015 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children in the Philippines (NBS-VAC). Physical and psychological abuse are increasing. However, the cases are probably underreported.

Dr. Madrid explained, “COVID plus abuse is more than awhat our children can bear. With the ongoing pandemic, we have increasing suicides and suicide attempts by the patients that we see at the PGH Child Protection Unit. COVID has increased violence and has also exacerbated the impact of the abuse.”

The current projects in response to COVID are:

1) Telemedicine /Teleconsultation in partnership with UNICEF and UP Manila. All CPU services are offered: medical, social, psychological, legal. The appointments can be scheduled in 55 hotspot barangays in 13 cities in the National Capital Region and Cavite. They are digital hubs for teleconsultation with PGH CPU;

2) Child Helpline in partnership with UNICEF;

3) Web-based Database in partnership with the UNFPA and the Department of Health;

4) Online Training on Child Protection for All Sectors in partnership with the National Teachers Training Center, UP Manila, UNFPA, DPH, and ICTSI.

Here are some important quotes from the Trustees.

“Now that we are mostly homebound these days, with the pandemic in our midst. It struck a chord with me that not all homes are safe havens. For others, is a nightmare scene with no respite (with face-to-face classes on hold). Our work at CPN never ends, now more than ever we need to help those trapped in these terrible circumstances. We need to HELP STOP THE ABUSE.” — Lizzy Razon, trustee

“It is such a privilege to be able to serve on the Board of CPN. The foundation’s mission to provide medical, psycho-social, and legal counseling and assistance to abused children is more pressing than ever amidst the challenges brought on by the pandemic lockdowns. We fervently hope to raise the much-needed funds to make it possible to continue this essential work to help abused children in our country.” — Mia Borromeo, trustee

“I think that it’s essential that we help these abused kids get treatment. Your donation will aid a child through dark days… so please do share your blessings and let’s give generously.” — Irene Martel-Francisco, CPN President

The CPN Board Trustees members are Irene Martel-Francisco, Renna Hechanova-Angeles, Mia Borromeo, Alice G. Eduardo, Lizzy Razon, Mons Romulo, Julio Dy Sy, Jr., and Johnny L. Velasquez.

This year, CPN is raising funds to help support 500 children. For every P8,000, one boy or one girl will have access to a year of medical and mental treatment. For information about donations, contact the Child Protection Network Foundation, Inc. at cpn@childprotectionnetwork.org and telephone number (+632) 8404-3954.

 

Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.

mavrufino@gmail.com