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WOMEN'S ART

Colorful hand-painted bags and purses, original paintings, and limited-edition art prints, postcards, and stickers celebrating International Women's Month are on display on the last day of "Made
by Her" Arts and Crafts Fair at the Gateway Mall 1, Quezon City on Wednesday (March 27, 2024). "Obra't Liham" team Kennette Ann Ditablan (left, inside booth), Bea Davila (center), and Jaime
Tacuyan Jr. (outside booth wearing black blazer and pants) showcase their creations at the fair that also features artworks of 18 women artists. ROBERT OSWALD P. ALFILER / PNA

More senators 21

condemn China's
'bullying' vs. PH in WPS What your sad desk
sandwich says about
your working habits

BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – More senators on Wednes-
day expressed their “disgust” over the
recent aggression by the Chinese Coast
Guard to Philippine vessels in the West
Philippine Sea (WPS
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanue-
va described the latest incident, as well
as previous aggressions of China against
Filipinos, as "totally inhumane, illegal,
and barbaric."
Villanueva said he is set to file and
sponsor a resolution urging the Depart-
❱❱ PAGE 3 More senators condemn
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FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024 Philippine News 3

PBBM: Gov't to PH earns India’s support

work harder for
BARMM dev’t
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-
CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday
pledged that his administration
would work harder to ensure
peace and development in the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In his message for the 10th
anniversary of the signing of the
Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro (CAB), Marcos said
the national government remains
committed to giving the Bangsam-
oro people a better future.
“Recognizing the importance
of inclusivity and respect for
diverse cultures, there were
certainly many challenges but
we persevere. Today, as your
president, I stand before you,
committed to fulfilling that
promise,” Marcos said in a vid-
eo message uploaded on his of-
ficial Facebook page.
“We have seen progress and
much needs to be done,” he added.
(BONGBONG MARCOS/FACEBOOK)
The CAB paves the way for
the passage of the Bangsamoro
Organic Law, an enabling law
that establishes the BARMM.
Marcos, a former legislator,
recalled that he was one of the
lawmakers who drafted the
Bangsamoro law.
He promised that as the coun-
try’s chief executive, he would
continue working with the Bang-
samoro government for BARMM’s
prosperity and progress.
“A decade after the CAB brought
hope in our nation, we remain
committed to empowering the
Bangsamoro to chart their own
prosperous future by enacting
vital legislation and ensuring fair
elections in 2025,” Marcos said.
Marcos also stressed that the
development of the Bangsam-
oro region is crucial in building
a “peaceful and unified Bagong
Pilipinas (New Philippines”.
“Peace is our legacy. Let us
build it together,” he said. “A
stronger BARMM means a
stronger Mindanao. A stronger
Mindanao means a stronger
Philippines.” ■
in upholding sovereignty
over WPS
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-
CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – India has ex-
pressed support for the Philip-
pines in asserting its sovereign
rights over the West Philippine
Sea (WPS) amid China’s in-
cursions in the busy waterway,
Malacañang said Wednesday.
The reaffirmation of India’s
support was expressed during
President Ferdinand R. Mar-
cos Jr.’s meeting with Indian
Minister of External Affairs
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at
Malacañan Palace on Tuesday,
Presidential Communications
Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy
Garafil said in a statement.
During the meeting, Mar-
cos said getting support from
“like-minded countries” such
as India in terms of upholding
international rules-based order
is an “important development”
for the Philippines.
Marcos expressed relief that
the Philippines and India shared
common interests, particularly
in maintaining peace and order
in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We have many shared in-
terests, primary of that is to
maintain the peace in our areas,
and so this is a concern now,
not only of India or of the Phil-
ippines alone, but the entire
world,” Marcos told Jaishankar,
as quoted by the PCO.
“So, whatever it is that we can
do to make the situation better,
in partnership with India, will
certainly be an important de-
HARASSMENT. A Philippine civilian vessel on a supply mission for troops
stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal is blasted with a water cannon
by a Chinese coast guard vessel on March 5, 2024. Malacañang said Wednesday
(March 27) that India has expressed support for the Philippines in asserting its
sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea amid China’s incursions in the
busy waterway. (ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
velopment for us,” he added. to help the Philippines, whatev-
Jaishankar assured Marcos er consequences they may be
that India is “very resolute” in confronted with.
its position on the South Chi- “So, if you want a country,
na Sea (SCS) disputes, and ac- which actually says will accept the
knowledges the validity of the judgement even if it goes against
2016 Hague-based Permanent us, we are actually a natural candi-
Court of Arbitration’s ruling, date. So, we can be on your ship,”
which invalidates China’s claim Jaishankar told Marcos.
on the Philippine waters. Marcos thanked Jaishankar
Jaishankar said it is import- and assured the latter that his
ant for the Philippines, India, administration will continue to
and other countries to coordi- uphold and adhere to the UN-
nate and uphold international CLOS and international rules-
rules-based laws, such as the based orders.
United Nations Conventions on The Philippines and India have
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), agreed to accelerate maritime co-
to maintain peace and order in operation and hold an inaugural
the Indo-Pacific region. dialogue soon to discuss potential
He also expressed his will- partnerships from marine envi-
ingness to become a “charter ronment protection down to se-
member” of the Philippines, as curity, according to a joint state-
far as efforts against China’s ag- ment issued by Jaishankar and
gression in the South China Sea Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique
are concerned. Manalo after their bilateral meet-
Jaishankar said India is ready ing on Tuesday. ■

More senators condemn..

❰❰ 1 ment of Foreign Af-
fairs (DFA) to take “all
necessary actions” to
stop these incidents and update
senators on the actions taken
by the government.
"As one nation, let us set
aside our differences and stand
together in fighting these bul-
lies. Encroaching our exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) and at
the same time putting the lives
of our kababayan (countrymen)
in danger is simply unaccept-
able. We salute our Philippine
Navy and the PCG (Philippine
Coast Guard) for their gallant-
ry, and the nation thanks them
for their bravery in protecting
our seas," Villanueva said in his
statement.
Another senator “enraged”
by the incident is Senate Dep-
uty Minority Leader Risa Hon-
tiveros, who expressed her
support for DFA’s lodging of a
strong protest against the re-
cent harassment.
She also urged the agency
to expedite the filing of a res-
www.canadianinquirer.net
olution in the United Nations
General Assembly that will call
on China to stop its blatant vi-
olence in the Philippine waters.
"I also hope the DFA can
gather our neighbors in South-
east Asia, particularly Vietnam
and Malaysia, to stand with the
Philippines as we face common
security threats and assaults
by China," Hontiveros said in a
separate statement.
She said China should also
“pay for the damages and inju-
ries” caused by its water can-
nons against Philippine vessels
and crew members, as well as
the natural resources that were
destroyed in WPS. ■
4 Philippine News
Satellite-based technologies to propel
internet connectivity –senator
BY LEONEL ABASOLA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Senator Sher-
win Gatchalian on Wednesday
said the use and development
of satellite-based technologies
should be encouraged and pro-
moted to help propel internet
connectivity in the country.
Gatchalian made this remark
as the country is set to com-
memorate March 29, 1994 as
the day the Philippines was first
connected to the internet.
After 30 years, the Depart-
ment of Information and
Communications Technology
(DICT) data based on the 2022
Women and ICT Development
Index (WIDI) Survey and the
DMW to assist overstaying BI deports 2
OFWs in Kuwait avail of members of
amnesty program notorious 'Luffy'
BY MARITA MOAJE
Philippine News Agency
gang
MANILA – The Department
of Migrant Workers (DMW)
has assured overstaying over-
seas Filipino workers who wish
to avail of the Kuwaiti govern-
ment’s amnesty program that
the Philippine government is
ready to assist them.
In a news release on Tues-
day, the DMW said that its Mi-
grant Workers Office (MWO)
in Kuwait is ready to provide
information on the process and
steps to be followed to avail of
the amnesty, including secur-
ing new passports at the Phil-
ippine embassy in case they are
expired.
Overstaying Filipinos with-
out a valid passport but who
intend to apply or regularize
their stay in Kuwait will need
to apply for a new passport
during the three-month am-
2019 National ICT Household
Survey (NICTHS) showed that
there has been a significant rise
in household internet access
from 17.7 percent in 2019 to
76.90 percent in 2022.
“Without a doubt, the inter-
net is the most game-changing
technology that continues to re-
shape the way we live our lives. It
is unfortunate that even after 30
years of internet presence in the
country, a sizable portion of our
population continues to miss
out on its benefits,” Gatchalian
said in a news release.
He said the internet has be-
come a necessity in the area of
education, research and devel-
opment, business promotion
and innovation, communica-
tion, and financial manage-
nesty period from March 17 to
June 17.
DMW will also help in the re-
patriation of overstaying OFWs
who will choose to return home.
“As of March 24, 2024,
MWO-Kuwait provided advice
to around 500 OFWs regarding
their queries on Kuwait’s amnes-
ty program,” the release read.
On March 14, the Kuwait In-
terior Ministry announced the
three-month amnesty period
for foreigners with residency
violations, specifically those
whose civil identification cards
have expired or been canceled.
Under the amnesty, foreign-
ers who illegally stay in Kuwait,
including their family members,
but wish to continue their res-
idency may adjust their immi-
gration status provided they pay
for overstaying fines and comply
with other requirements.
The interior ministry said
residency fines are set at two
Kuwaiti dinar per day, equiva-
ment, among others.
“To realize inclusive econom-
ic development, particularly in
poorer areas of the country, the
government needs to double
down on its program to provide
internet access to all,” he added.
Gatchalian has filed Sen-
ate Bill (SB) 814 or the Satel-
lite-based Technologies for In-
ternet Connectivity Act.
SB 814 aims to ensure uni-
versal access to the internet,
especially in critical areas such
as e-government and the deliv-
ery of basic services, education,
health, trade, finance, disaster
preparedness, and public safety.
Gatchalian said satel-
lite-based internet technology
uses a satellite to get an inter-
net signal from the internet ser-
lent to about PHP365.
The DMW said the Kuwaiti
government will allow over-
staying foreigners to leave with-
out paying immigration fines,
but those with travel bans and
pending criminal complaints
can depart only after the cases
are resolved.
“Overstaying foreigners
who depart Kuwait during the
amnesty period may return
after complying with entry
requirements. After the grace
period, those who refuse to
depart will be subject to arrest
and permanent deportation,”
the DMW said.
For more information,
OFWs may contact MWO-Ku-
wait hotlines 6040-3858,
6558-5355, or 9403-9063, or
send an email to mwo_ku-
wait@dmw.gov.ph.
The Kuwaiti government last
issued an amnesty for illegally
staying foreigners in 2021. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
vice provider (ISP) to the user.
“The ISP sends a fiber inter-
net signal to a satellite in space.
The satellite dish is connected
to the modem of the user, which
then connects the user to the
BY FERDINAND PATINIO
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Bureau of
Immigration (BI) on Tuesday
deported two Japanese nation-
als tagged as members of the
notorious “Luffy” gang.
Sugano Kazushi and Shimoe-
da Saito were deported back to
their homeland via a Japan Air-
lines flight to Tokyo early Tues-
day, BI Commissioner Norman
Tansingco said in a statement.
He said the foreigners were
sent back to Japan for being un-
desirable aliens after the Japa-
nese government tagged them
as fugitives from justice for re-
portedly working as fraudulent
callers for a criminal group vic-
timizing his compatriots.
The two are the subject of an
arrest warrant issued by the To-
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
internet,” he said.
The DICT recently bared
plans to double the number of
free Wi-Fi sites in the country
with the aim of bridging the dig-
ital divide. ■
kyo Summary Court for being
part of a large-scale telecom-
munication fraud group.
Tansingco said they have
"reason to believe" that the two
foreigners may be part of the
infamous Luffy group, which
allegedly committed a string of
violent crimes in Japan.
The two have been hiding
in the Philippines since 2019.
A manhunt was conducted
against them and their cohorts
after receiving official com-
munication from the Japanese
government in February 2023
regarding their criminal status.
Shimoeda was intercepted at
the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport Terminal 3 on Nov. 16,
2023, after attempting to flee
the country on a Cebu Pacific
flight bound for Nagoya, Japan.
❱❱ PAGE 12 BI deports 2
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024 5

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6 Philippine News
PBBM, US Tax breaks for stores
lawmakers tackle offering bigger goods
geopolitical issues, discounts to seniors eyed
economic ties
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-
CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA — President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday
discussed with the United States
(US) congressional delegation,
led by Senator Kirsten Gilli-
brand, the economic relations of
and the geopolitical challenges
faced by Manila and Washington.
Part of the Gillibrand-led dele-
gation that paid Marcos a visit at
Malacañan Palace in Manila on
Tuesday afternoon were Senators
Jeanne Shaheen, Roger Marshall,
Mark Kelly, Cynthia Lummis, and
Michael Bennet, as well as New
York's 13th congressional district
Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
During the meeting, Marcos
thanked the US lawmakers for
spending some time to visit the
Philippines.
“It is particularly important,
I suppose, I could say since you
have come in the middle of your
rather topsy-turvy political cycle
going on right now,” he told the
US congressional delegation.
“I hope that the time that you
will spend here will be a pro-
ductive time where we are able
to discuss further the situation
concerning the Philippines and
the geopolitical complications
that we are facing presently. So,
thank you once again for your
visit,” Marcos added.
Gillibrand said their visit is
part of the US commitment to
strengthen ties, especially on
economic relations.
She also stressed that the
US sees the Philippines as an
important ally, acknowledging
the Filipinos’ contributions to
America’s progress and further
advancement.
“Thank you, Mr. President,
for welcoming us. We are de-
lighted to be in your beautiful
country. We arrived yesterday
and have been just filled with
optimism and hope for the fu-
ture. And we're so grateful for
our years of friendship. We're
grateful for the steadfast part-
nership we have economically.
We're grateful to have you as an
ally,” Gillibrand said.
Gillibrand also expressed
the US’ appreciation for the es-
sential role of four million Fil-
ipinos residing and working in
America, saying they are “at the
forefront” of their healthcare,
technology, and armed services.
She said the US is looking
forward to exploring “extraor-
dinary” opportunities with the
Philippines, especially in the
fields of economy, energy, rare
earth minerals and commerce.
“These are important allianc-
es for us and we want to contin-
ue to grow on that. We want to
build on the trip that Secretary
Romando just had here with a
number of executives from our
companies. So, we're grateful
for that,” Gillibrand said.
US Secretary of Commerce
Gina Raimondo led a high-level
mission to Manila on March 11
and 12, joined by 21 American
business leaders.
Gillibrand said the US also
shares a similar concern with
the Philippines when it comes to
China’s “aggression” in the high-
ly contested South China Sea.
Cabinet secretaries present
during the meeting were Execu-
tive Secretary Lucas Bersamin,
Defense Secretary Gilberto Te-
odoro Jr., National Security Advis-
er Eduardo Año, and Communica-
tions Secretary Cheloy Garafil.
US Secretary of State Antho-
ny Blinken was also in the Phil-
ippines on March 18 and 19, af-
firming the US is committed to
and focused on dealing with the
pressing issues in the Indo-Pa-
cific, adding that its engagement
with the Philippines is crucial to
work on a number of challenges.
He emphasized that the alli-
ance between the US and the Phil-
ippines is “more than rock solid."
Marcos is set to attend the
❱❱ PAGE 12 PBBM, US lawmakers
BY FILANE MIKEE
CERVANTES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – A lawmaker on
Tuesday appealed to the Bureau
of Internal Revenue (BIR) to con-
sider granting tax credits to su-
permarkets and other retail out-
lets required to give price cuts in
conjunction with the implemen-
tation of the higher monthly dis-
counts on essential grocery items
purchased by senior citizens and
persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis
Raymund Villafuerte Jr. said
granting tax breaks or deduc-
tions to supermarkets and oth-
Marcos sends well wishes to
Catherine, Princess of Wales
BY DARRYL JOHN
ESGUERRA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Fer-
dinand R. Marcos Jr. has ex-
pressed support for Catherine,
Princess of Wales, who earlier
announced that she had been
diagnosed with cancer and was
in early stages of chemotherapy.
Marcos took to social me-
dia on Monday to send his well
www.canadianinquirer.net
er retail stores would ensure
greater compliance with the ex-
panded discount scheme, which
hiked the weekly cap covered
by the 5-percent discount from
PHP1,300 to PHP2,500.
"Such a tax break would
spell financial relief for them—
and help ensure their great-
er compliance with this new
House-initiated economic ben-
efit for our seniors and PWDs
in the face of the ever-spiraling
cost of basic commodities," Vil-
lafuerte said in a statement.
Villafuerte said full compli-
ance with this new policy would
be impactful, especially with
the recently approved price
increases in about 40 basic ne-
wishes to Catherine, joining
world leaders, celebrities and
the public in cheering the Prin-
cess of Wales.
“The Filipino people have
Catherine, the Princess of
Wales, in our thoughts and
prayers throughout this chal-
lenging time,” Marcos said in an
X (formerly Twitter) post.
“We pray for her good health
and continued healing, and for
the strength of her family during
this difficult period,” he added.
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
cessities and prime commodi-
ties (BNPCs), including instant
noodles, soap, and bottled water
“If the BIR does not consider
granting tax credits to retail out-
lets, there is a greater possibili-
ty for supermarkets or grocery
stores to ignore this would-be
policy or jack up the prices of their
BNPC items to cancel out the dis-
counts of seniors and PWDs who
would buy from them,” he said.
The basic necessities covered
by the new policy include rice;
bread; fresh, dried and canned
fish; fresh pork, beef and poul-
try meat; fresh and processed;
fresh vegetables; instant noo-
dles; coffee; sugar; cooking oil;
salt; laundry and detergent soap;
household liquid petroleum gas
(LPG); charcoal and kerosene.
The prime commodities
covered include flour; dried,
processed, and canned pork,
beef, and poultry meat; dairy
products; onions and garlic;
vinegar, fish sauce or patis and
soy sauce; toilet and bath soap;
fertilizer and pesticides; feeds
for poultry, livestock, and fish;
veterinary products; paper and
school supplies; cement, ply-
wood and construction nails.
❱❱ PAGE 16 Tax breaks for
In a video message posted
on March 23, Catherine, 42, re-
vealed to the world that she was
undergoing preventative che-
motherapy.
Catherine said her diagnosis
came as a “huge shock” to her
family, and appealed for “time,
space and privacy” following
concerns and rumors about her
health and whereabouts after
she step off from public sight
for months. ■
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
PH gets ¥250-B Japanese
loan for Dalton Pass,
ongoing subway project
BY JOYCE ANN L.
ROCAMORA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Philippines
and Japan on Tuesday formally
signed the exchange of notes for
the JPY250 billion or around
PHP92.8 billion loan that will
finance the construction of Dal-
ton Pass East Alignment Road
and the ongoing Metro Manila
Subway (MMS) project.
Of the amount, JPY100 billion
will be allocated for the construc-
tion of a bypass road for the Dal-
ton Pass, which links Metro Ma-
PBBM thanks India for
rescuing Filipino seafarers
in missile-hit ship
BY DARRYL JOHN
ESGUERRA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. expressed
appreciation to the government
of India for its “swift and decisive
action” in rescuing Filipino crew
members of MV True Confidence,
the merchant ship attacked by
Houthi rebels while plying the
Gulf of Aden on March 6.
Marcos extended his grati-
tude through Indian Minister
of External Affairs Subrah-
manyam Jaishankar, who paid a
nila and north-central Luzon.
The remaining JPY150 bil-
lion, meanwhile, will serve as
the third tranche of Japanese
financing for the MMS project.
“On behalf of the Philippines, I
signed today diplomatic notes for
Japan’s ODA (official develop-
ment assistance) worth JPY250
billion in loan for the Dalton Pass
East Alignment Road Project to
enhance the connectivity of Re-
gions I & II to the NCR (National
Capital Region), and for the third
tranche of the Metro Manila Sub-
way Project (Phase I),” Foreign
Affairs Secretary Enrique Mana-
lo said Tuesday.
courtesy visit at Malacañan Pal-
ace in Manila on Tuesday.
“I express my profound grat-
itude to the Indian government
for their swift and decisive ac-
tion in rescuing Filipino sea-
farers involved in the MV True
Confidence incident,” Marcos
said in a Facebook post.
“I look forward to further
strengthening our bilateral re-
lations for the mutual benefit of
our nations.”
Foreign Affairs Secretary En-
rique Manalo, Executive Secretary
Lucas Bersamin, Defense Secre-
tary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., National
Security Adviser Secretary Eduar-
“Japan, a strategic partner of
the Philippines, has been a strong
supporter of our infrastructure
development and the Build Bet-
ter More projects,” he added.
In a separate release, the Jap-
anese Embassy in Manila hoped
the construction of a disaster-re-
sistant and highly motorable
alternative road for Dalton Pass
would contribute to the “eco-
nomic revitalization” of Luzon.
Meanwhile, it looked forward to
the reduction of severe traffic con-
gestion and air pollution in Metro
Manila with the subway project.
❱❱ PAGE 12 PH gets ¥250-B
do Año, Indian Ministry of Exter-
nal Affairs Additional Secretary
(South) Ravi Shankar, Joint Secre-
tary Sandeep Kumar Bayyapu, and
Ambassador of India to the Phil-
ippines Shambhu Kumaran also
welcomed Jaishankar.
Indian Navy's medical team
reportedly rescued all the crew
members of MV Confidence and
provided them critical care after
the ship sustained severe dam-
age from a Houthi missile strike.
Three crew members, includ-
ing two Filipinos, were killed.
All the Filipino crew mem-
bers who survived the attack
have been repatriated. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
Lawmaker urges
flexible working
time in private
sector
BY WILNARD BACELONIA,
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Senate Majori-
ty Joel Villanueva on Monday
called for the adoption of flexible
working time in the private sec-
tor to solve the worsening traf-
fic situation in the country, and
lessen the heavy economic losses
brought by road congestions.
"Companies and employees
should be allowed to arrange
for flexible work arrangements
instead of having employees
report physically in the office
every day and losing working
hours due to traffic," Villanueva
said in a statement.
The Civil Service Commission
(CSC) has earlier encouraged
government agencies in Metro
Manila to adopt the Policies on
Flexible Working Arrangements
Heavy traffic is seen along the southbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in
Quezon City on Monday morning (Sept. 5, 2022) as thousands of people head
to work and school. (BEN BRIONES/PNA)
7
(FWAs) in the Government in
support of current initiatives to
improve the traffic situation.
A study by the Japan Inter-
national Cooperation Agency
(JICA) showed that economic
losses in the Philippines could
increase to PHP6 billion per
day in 2030 due to heavy traffic,
aside from personal, social and
environmental impacts.
Villanueva pushed for the
passage of Republic Act No.
11165 or the “Work-from-Home
Law” during the 17th Congress
seeking to address the country’s
traffic situation.
He also filed Senate Reso-
lution No. 859 last year urging
concerned agencies like the
Department of Transportation
(DOTr), Metropolitan Ma-
nila Development Authority
❱❱ PAGE 8 Lawmaker urges flexible
8 Philippine News
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Member
La Niña to prolong drought;
13 to 16 typhoons to hit PH in Q4
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The likelihood of La Niña
developing by the second half of 2024
will prolong the drought condition until
August and delay the onset of the rainy
season, Science and Technology Secre-
tary Renato Solidum said Tuesday.
In a Palace press briefing, Solidum
said the increasing probability for La
Niña’s occurrence in the June-July-Au-
gust season is at 62 percent.
He said that while the El Niño phe-
nomenon will transition from “strong”
to “neutral” by April-May-June season,
hotter and drier conditions will still like-
ly persist until August.
Solidum said that in August, around
10 provinces in the country will likely
experience drought, one to suffer from
dry spell, and two others to feel the ef-
fects of dry conditions.
“Because of the possibility of La Niña
and the fact na (that it is) dry and hotter,
mapu-prolong niyan ‘yung mga month
na meron pang drought condition hang-
gang August (the months that there will
be drought condition will be prolonged
until August),” he said.
“So, our actions before were intend-
ed ng parang second half lang ng year,
[pero] kailangan nating ipagpatuloy
hanggang ( just for the second half of
the year but we have to continue until
the) third quarter for the El Niño and
drought effect,” he added.
As of March 24, around 37 provinces
experienced drought conditions, 17 were
under the dry spell and 13 felt dry condi-
tion, Solidum said.
Solidum said about 48 provinces will
likely be affected by drought by April
and will increase to 54 by May.
The number of drought-affected areas
will decrease to 25 and 23 by June and
July, respectively, he said.
“There will still be some provinces to
be affected by the combined effect of El
Niño and the preparation for La Niña
Lawmaker urges flexible..
❰❰ 7 (MMDA), and the Department
of the Interior and Local Gov-
ernment (DILG), to review and
revisit their plans on easing heavy traffic
in the country.
"It is also important for the govern-
ment to study the proposal on the grad-
ual conversion of public buses into elec-
www.canadianinquirer.net
which would bring in less normal rain-
fall. Hence, we need to continue doing
the operations for El Niño preparedness
but also keeping in mind that we need to
prepare for La Niña in the second half of
the year,” he added.
Typhoons to enter
Analiza Solis, chief of the Climate
Monitoring and Prediction Section at
the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophys-
ical and Astronomical Services Admin-
istration (PAGASA), said around 13 to 16
typhoons are expected to hit the Philip-
pines in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Solis said the number of tropical cy-
clones that will make landfall this year is
“below normal” than the average 19 to 20
typhoons that usually enter the country.
Solidum underscored the importance of
government and public preparedness given
the shorter lead time to take the appropri-
ate actions to mitigate the possible effects
of the typhoons that will hit the country.
“People should really make sure that
they are always ready,” he said. “Itong
bagyo, mas malapit, mas kaunti lang
ang panahon nating maghanda so dapat
handang-handa tayo parati sa mga bagyo
(We have less time to prepare so we must
always be prepared for typhoons).”
Mitigation efforts
In preparation for the prolonged
effects of the combined El Niño and
Farmer Eduardo Rossel, 62, walks on a dried-up rice field in Sitio Maname, Naic, Cavite on Wednesday
(May 3, 2023). (YANCY LIM/PNA)
tric vehicles and how this will help make
the lives of Filipino commuters more
convenient and lessen the environmen-
tal impact of traffic congestion in the
country," Villanueva said.
The Management Association of the
Philippines, during a recent public hear-
ing at the House of Representatives, has
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
preparation stage of La Niña, Solidum
said standby deepwells will be reactivat-
ed to ensure the sufficient water supply
during the dry conditions.
This, as Solidum cautioned that the
water level of farms in the country would
be at the “critical” level by May.
“Kaya itong mga deep well ay maka-
katulong sa pagbibigay ng dagdag na
volume ng water. Alam ninyo naman na
hindi natin pinagpatuloy ang paggamit
ng mga deep wells sa mga lugar na may-
roon ng supply ang dalawang conces-
sionaire (So these deep wells will help
in providing extra volume of water. You
know that we have not continued the use
of deep wells in the areas where the two
concessionaires have supply),” he said.
“Iniingatan din natin na gumamit ng
deep well kasi kapag sobra ang gamit ng
tubig ay may epekto sa ground. So kaya
nga mina-manage muna kung kailan ito
io-operate at binabantayan nang mabuti
(We are also careful in using a deep well
because when we use too much water, it
has an effect on the ground. So, we first
manage when to operate it and we are
monitoring it carefully),” he added.
Solidum said the Department of Ag-
riculture is also monitoring the supply
of basic commodities and agricultural
products to ensure food security amid
the El Niño phenomenon. ■
called on government to declare a "state
of traffic calamity" in Metro Manila, as
well as the conversion of public buses
along EDSA busway to electric vehicles.
Proposed House Bill No. 4363, which
was discussed in the said hearing, also seeks
to provide emergency powers to the Presi-
dent to address the traffic problem. ■
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024 9

Canada News
How caste discrimination impacts
communities in Canada
BY ANNE MURPHY, The Toronto District School these interviews are now avail- Reform Organization (AISRO), ect partner, the Chetna (“Aware-
University of British Columbia, Board, the Ontario Human able on the project website. described the organization’s ness”) Association of Canada,
SURAJ YENGDE, Harvard Rights Commission, Harvard One recurrent theme in the work with local radio stations represented in our interviews
University University and the University interviews was the issue of to discourage playing music by its executive director, Jai Bir-
The Conversation of California, Davis have recog- visibility. University student that celebrates dominant caste di — who played a key role in the
nized casteism as a form of dis- Vipasna Nangal, for example, identities on the radio. project, and speaks in his inter-
crimination. expressed concern about how Caste discrimination is a part view about how to respond to
Many perceive caste to be a In 2023, California lawmak- many Dalits mask their caste of the life experiences of many caste discrimination with power
phenomenon that only exists ers passed a bill that would ex- identity in Canada as a way of in Canada, both as a result of and resilience — and Manjit and
in India. Yet, it is a part of Cana- plicitly ban caste discrimina- avoiding stigma. experiences in India, but also Surjit Bains, Ambedkarite Bud-
dian society, and an issue that tion in the state. However, it was As she notes, “in order to resist here in Canada. Participants dhist activists.
many in South Asian diasporas vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom something you have to acknowl- Gurpreet Singh and Kamaljit Other important organiza-
are contending with. who said it was “unnecessary,” edge it… and so you can’t have re- described how people of South tions include AISRO and its
The late British Colum- arguing that caste discrimina- sistance without having visibili- Asian heritage in Canada try members Rashpal Singh Bhard-
bia-based poet and activist Mo- tion was already banned under ty.” Caste, therefore, is something to discover each other’s caste waj, Jogender Banger, and
han Lal Karimpuri described existing laws. that needs to be talked about backgrounds — and the exclu- Kamlesh Ahir whom we inter-
caste as a system and not hidden. sion this entails. viewed for the project. There is
of high and low, The limitations It is, in short, a part of Cana- also the Ambedkarite Interna-
a form of “social, of masking caste dian society, working on multi- tional Co-ordination Society,
economic, po- identity are elo- ple levels and complicating our represented in the project by
litical, religious quently addressed understanding of diversity in Param Kainth, who also speaks
inequality” that To truly understand what in the interview the Canadian context. eloquently about the impor-
takes away the with journalist Tackling caste tance of the teachings of the
power of the
caste means and its Meera Estrada. Given that caste is a continu- Buddha for Dalits.
many and puts impact, the stories of those She poignantly ing problem both in India and As the titles of these orga-
it in the hands describes the pain abroad, it is no surprise that nizations make clear, they are
of the few. It is
who experience caste involved in pre- Dalit Canadians have organized inspired by India’s towering
the hierarchical discrimination must be heard. tending not to be extensively to address discrimi- leader and architect of the In-
ranking of peo- Dalit and her own nation. In B.C. there are several
ple in accordance personal journey organizations, such as our proj- ❱❱ PAGE 27 How caste discrimination
with an ascriptive towards publicly
identity, associ- a c k n ow l e d g i n g
ated with family, her identity.
lineage and he- Participants
reditary occupation. To truly understand what in the project voiced this as a
Those who are Dalit, like caste means and its impact, common concern: that only
Karimpuri, are among the most the stories of those who expe- by making the stories of Dalits
marginalized by dominant rience caste discrimination more visible and accessible can
castes, and historically system- must be heard. All too often, the we create domains for the rec-
atically excluded in social, eco- experiences of those margin- ognition, and then obliteration,
nomic and cultural terms. Dal- alized within the caste system of caste and casteism, and the
its are most vulnerable in India are treated as an addendum or possibility of moving past caste
where violence and exclusion aside to dominant caste narra- divisions, for all.
remain pervasive. In 2022, Am- tives, and casteist perspectives Challenging the social ac-
nesty International stated that persist in the public domain ceptability of casteism
“hate crimes including violence and remain unquestioned. Another important theme
against Dalits and Adivasis [In- Lack of visibility was the need to challenge the
digenous Peoples] were com- In 2020, we initiated the social acceptability of casteist
mitted with impunity.” Caste in Canada project in part- discourse. Several participants
But caste does not only exist nership with Dalit civil society emphasized the pervasiveness
in South Asia. In recent years, it leaders in B.C. The project doc- of casteist discourses in popu-
has been formally recognized as umented the lives of Canadians lar contexts, such as in music,
a potential grounds for discrim- of Dalit ancestry through in- where dominant caste perspec-
ination in the United States and depth oral history interviews. tives are celebrated.
Canada in diverse contexts in We interviewed 19 people from Participant Rashpal Singh
places like Seattle, Wash. and an array of backgrounds im- Bhardwaj, founder of the
Burnaby, B.C.. pacted by caste. Fourteen of Ambedkar International Social
www.canadianinquirer.net
10 Canada News MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY

Doug Ford avoids hard questions to

‘get it done’ in Ontario
BY MARK WINFIELD nents in addition to facilitating the
governance and democracy.
Policy Options expropriation of public and private The government’s moves on
lands and banning road tolls (ex-the environmental assessment
cept on the privately owned seg- process have profound long-
Independent assessment pro- ments of Highway 407). term implications.
cesses are essential to making The first is a putative ban on It had already adopted leg-
sure the choices made today carbon pricing in the province, islation moving the province
don’t turn out to be ones Ontario subject to a future referendum. from a system where all pub-
residents regret for generations. That is just political theatre, lic sector projects (provincial
At the end of February, the given legislation can’t bind the and municipal) were subject
Ford government introduced actions of future governments. to some form of environmen-
a package of measures under The second is an extraordi- tal review – unless explicitly
the banner of “getting it done,” nary and unprecedented series exempted by the cabinet – to
with the stated intention of fa- of amendments to municipal a “designated project list” ap-
cilitating the construction of official plans in the Greater proach where such reviews are
major infrastructure projects. Toronto and Hamilton Region ultimately discretionary.
The package has two major that seem intended to allow ad- A long list of projects could
components – Bill 162, the Get ditional urban development on face reduced scrutiny
it Done Act, and changes to the rural lands. The February announce-
province’s environmental as- These types of provincially ments further expanded the (FORDNATION/FACEBOOK)

sessment process. imposed urban boundary ex- type of major projects that
That theme about infrastruc- pansions were supposed to be would be subject only to a mini- Bradford Bypass, as well as the major infrastructure works.
ture projects mal ”streamlined” Pickering B nuclear station re- The scale is immense – a
was a central el- review, including furbishment – had been subject $100-billion program of nucle-
ement of Ford’s all provincial free- to previous reviews and deter- ar power construction and re-
2022 election ways and munic- mined to be unnecessary and construction; $28 billion on an-
platform. The ipal expressways, uneconomic. nounced highway expansions;
key question The key question that arises from rail projects and In the cases of the highway and almost $20 billion on the
that arises from the February announcements is electricity trans- projects, they were determined to Ontario Line alone.
the February an- mission lines and be likely to induce further urban Past experience with these
nouncements is whether what is “getting done” stations. Transit sprawl and were rejected by the types of megaprojects indicates
whether what is makes sense in economic, and other elec- previous Liberal government. that all carry risks of major de-
“getting done” tricity projects Serious questions also re- lays and cost overruns; all have
makes sense in planning or sustainability terms. were already cov- main concerning transit proj- centuries-long implications
economic, plan- ered by de facto ects – for example, how the for the province’s energy sys-
ning or sustain- exemptions or Ontario Line subway project in tems, urban development and
ability terms. self-assessment Toronto expanded from a mod- transportation patterns, envi-
The govern- processes. est and long-planned Pape-to- ronmental and climate sustain-
ment’s initiatives The changes to Queen station downtown re- ability; and, particularly in the
seem designed to avoid and rolled back as part of the fall- the environmental assessment lief line into a massive project context of increased interest
prevent asking precisely those out from the 2023 Greenbelt process further reinforce a sit- stretching from Ontario Place rates, long-term fiscal capacity.
kinds of questions. land-removal debacle. uation where the province is to the Ontario Science Centre. None have been subject to
That’s wrong. Transparent Obvious questions must undertaking major infrastruc- The sudden decision to move any meaningful external review
and independent assessment be asked about the origins of ture projects, with enormous the Science Centre to Ontario or assessment, despite wide-
processes are essential to ad- these amendments, given the long-term economic and envi- Place, with little economic or spread suspicions around their
dressing risks and making sure government’s well-established ronmental implications, with operational rationale, amid a political motivations.
the choices made today don’t relationship with the develop- little or no meaningful external controversy over the province’s Where such projects have
turn out to be ones that Ontario ment industry, to say nothing review or oversight. signing a 95-year lease on the been subject to meaningful re-
residents will regret for genera- of the implications this has on Many of the projects at the Ontario Place site with a private view in Ontario, their rationales
tions to come. what remains of the integrity of centre of the government’s ef- spa developer, further rein- have often collapsed under se-
Political theatre the planning process and even forts – including Highway 413 forced questions about how the
Bill 162 has two key compo- more basic principles of local and the Highway 404-to-400 province makes decisions about ❱❱ PAGE 29 Doug Ford avoids

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
Failure to protect: the criminalization
of survivors of intimate-partner violence
BY EDEN HOFFER
Policy Options
Mandatory charging polices
were supposed to protect wom-
en from abusive partners. In-
stead, they inflict damage that
is serious and long-lasting.
For more than four decades,
Canadian criminal-justice
policies for addressing inti-
mate-partner violence have been
deeply harmful to intimate-part-
ner violence victims. Mandatory
charging policies started as part
of a push to get tougher on in-
timate-partner violence. They
require police officers to lay
charges in cases where there are
reasonable grounds to believe
that an assault has occurred at
the scene of a domestic dispute.
However, they have proven to
be punitive and one-size-fits-all
policies, with an unintended out-
come: they have significantly in-
creased criminal charges against
women who are the victims of
intimate-partner violence. This,
in turn, has actively made it more
difficult for women to escape vi-
olence by saddling them with a
criminal record, triggering rami-
fications that are substantial and
highly gendered.
Mandatory charging policies
have actively criminalized inti-
mate-partner violence victims
instead of offering them formal,
legal system-based protection.
These policies are a significant
miscarriage of justice that war-
rant urgent Canadian criminal
justice policy reform. To do
this, the way intimate-partner
violence is addressed in Canada
needs to be re-conceptualized
and reconfigured.
This begins with policy-
makers and criminal justice
professionals acknowledging
the deep-seated factors that
create and sustain violence
against women broadly. It also
entails focusing on the role of
health-care professionals and
non-profit organizations, en-
gaging in proactive – rather
than solely reactive – approach-
es to intimate-partner violence,
and using a trauma- and vio-
lence-informed care lens.
Trauma-and violence-in-
formed care builds on “trau-
ma-informed care/practice” and
creates space for an account of the
intersecting implications of sys-
temic and interpersonal violence.
Trauma- and violence-in-
formed care also focuses on the
systemic inequities in an indi-
vidual’s life, spotlighting ongoing
and previous violence and their
traumatic effects. As a result, ev-
idence points to the idea that ed-
ucating social service and health-
care providers about trauma- and
violence-informed care can have
beneficial results, such as change
in practice – which can ultimate-
ly serve to improve quality of life
and health.
Proactive, collaborative ap-
proaches and a trauma-and vi-
olence-informed lens are nec-
essary to begin understanding
and approaching intimate-part-
ner violence. This aligns with
the overarching recommenda-
tion from the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and
Development’s policy brief on
integrating services to address
intimate-partner violence.
The initial goal
In the 1980s, Canadian prov-
inces gradually adopted mandato-
ry sentencing in response to criti-
cisms of the “hands-off” approach
that was typical of police officers
called to scenes of domestic dis-
putes. They would often identify
with the male perpetrators or
simply instruct the partners to
“get along” before leaving.
As a result, mandatory
charging policies removed in-
dividual police officers’ dis-
cretion in deciding whether
to lay charges in cases of inti-
mate-partner violence.
They were seemingly – in
part – designed in response to
concerns of feminist activists
and victims’/women’s advoca-
cy groups frustrated by a lack of
attention to gendered violence.
Advocates were pushing for po-
lice responses that would take
violence against women seri-
ously, arguing that the hands-
off responses implicitly en-
dorsed violence against women.
Mandatory charging policies
served several purposes: they
signalled to the public that in-
timate-partner violence was to
be understood and addressed
as a crime rather than a private
matter that occurred figurative-
ly and literally behind closed
doors. They also purported to
offer a degree of protection to
victims of intimate-partner
violence, who were dispropor-
tionately women.
Yet, the result was a rise in
the number of women being
criminally charged on their
own or together with their male
partner, since if a police officer
is unable to determine who the
primary aggressor is or believes
that both partners are guilty,
they will both be arrested.
As a result, four years in the
1990s in Winnipeg illustrate the
damage of mandatory sentenc-
ing: In 1991, 23 per cent of wom-
en’s criminal charges were for
intimate-partner violence. By
1995, the percentage had more
than doubled to 58 per cent.
In her 2023 book Imperfect
Victims: Criminalized Survivors
and the Promise of Abolition
Feminism, lawyer and advocate
Leigh Goodmark uses the term
“criminalized survivors” to de-
scribe women who are victims
www.canadianinquirer.net
Canada News
of intimate-partner violence
who seek police assistance but
ultimately face criminalization.
Yet, navigating the statistics
around the criminalization of
women who have experienced in-
timate-partner violence is tricky.
Here, the dark figure of crime
becomes relevant. The term
reflects the reality that a signif-
icant number of crimes are not
likely reported to the police or
detected by justice-system pro-
fessionals. Women often elect
not to involve criminal-jus-
tice authorities such as police
in cases of intimate-partner
violence for reasons that are
wide-ranging, well-document-
ed, and valid. They include stig-
ma, fears that their children
will be taken from them, and
financial concerns. Sometimes,
there are concerns surrounding
immigration/deportation.
However, the crimes that are
brought to public attention and,
in turn, the public perception of
intimate-partner violence both
impact the efficacy and urgency
with which the criminal legal
system approaches it.
These crimes are so vastly
underreported that statistics do
not paint a proper or compre-
hensive picture of the damage
these polices are doing to vic-
tim-survivors. It is easy to get
caught up in the perceived legit-
imacy that statistics bring to an
argument or to anchor research.
However, here, statistics do
not allow for an exploration or
analysis of how the experience
of intimate-partner violence –
and in turn, the implications of
these policies/criminalization
as well – differs for each woman
who experiences it based on her
class, race, immigration status,
history of victimization, and
history of traumatic experienc-
es more broadly, etc.
To truly understand the im-
plications of these policies and
the need for social, systemic,
and policy reforms, it is more
useful to acknowledge and
understand the research that
details women’s experiences
with the policies. There must
be a recognition of the ways in
which women have often felt
wholly unprotected and expe-
rienced significant harms as a
11
result of them. This research is
the most impactful work in this
domain and should be used as
a powerful catalyst in helping
prompt social change.
Patterns of violence
Mandatory charging poli-
cies have exposed a significant
gap in Canadian criminal jus-
tice policy and in the Canadian
criminal justice system more
broadly: there is an active lack of
acknowledgement of the pattern
or cycle of violence in which inti-
mate-partner violence generally
manifests in an incident-based
criminal justice system.
In cases where women en-
gage in physical violence against
their male partners, their use of
force is almost always defensive
and in response to a pattern of
sustained violence.
A highly incident-based
criminal justice system isn’t
designed to grant the consid-
eration of individual circum-
stances that is fundamental to
a holistic understanding of the
patterns and contexts of inti-
mate-partner violence. It dis-
regards ongoing and long-term
victimization often experi-
enced by women who are in re-
lationships where intimate-part-
ner violence is occurring.
For a woman who has en-
dured a pattern of ongoing
violence and then engages in
defensive violence, the pat-
tern is eclipsed by a singular
act. Whoever uses violence in
the context of intimate-part-
ner violence is subject to being
labelled a “batterer” and pro-
cessed as an “offender.”
In some cases, victim-
ized women arrested for in-
timate-partner violence are
mandated to attend batterer
programming when what they
actually need are victim ser-
vices and supports – which they
are later denied access to be-
cause of the “batter” or “offend-
er” label they have been given
due to their criminalization.
Being labelled a batterer has
disproportionate and highly
gendered ramifications that
are further compounded for
women who are racialized and/
or marginalized. For example,
❱❱ PAGE 23 Failure to protect:
 12
A B.C. class action may prompt Uber
and Lyft to ensure accessible services
for wheelchair users
BY MAHTOT
GEBRESSELASSIE, York
University, Canada
The Conversation
For wheelchair users, travel-
ling by using ride-hailing apps,
like Uber and Lyft, can be com-
plicated. On March 20, a class
action was announced against
Uber and Lyft in British Colum-
bia for allegedly not providing
service to a wheelchair user. One
of the goals of the class action is
to bring about systemic change
to the companies’ practices.
In the United States — where
my research into ride hailing
apps took place — lawsuits by
wheelchair users or disability
organizations against the com-
panies are all too familiar. Some-
times, the outcomes of the suits
resulted in payments to riders
who were not provided service
due to their use of wheelchair.
Other times, the rulings at-
tempted to bring systemic chang-
es. In a case that involved wheel-
chair users in Jackson, Miss. and
New Orleans, La., the ruling was
in favour of the companies.
The class action in B.C. draws
attention to issues of accessi-
bility in the transportation ser-
vice hailed via Uber and Lyft for
people with disabilities, in par-
ticular wheelchair users.
Usable transportation
Accessibility issues related
to wheelchair use are not about
whether the apps are usable.
They are also not about wheth-
er the apps provide information
on accessible routes. Rather,
they are about whether the
actual transportation service
hailed through them is usable.
BI deports 2..
❰❰ 4 Upon knowing that
he was being arrested,
Shimoeda resorted to
alarming tactics and intentionally
bumped his head on the immigra-
tion counter and feigned distress.
“This successful deportation is
Canada News
Between 2020 and 2021, I
conducted a U.S.-wide survey,
where I found that some wheel-
chair users were satisfied with
the service, while others were
not. Those who were satisfied
cited the ability to see the cost
of the ride up front, the door-to-
door service and convenience.
Others reported experiencing
various challenges, including
the lack of wheelchair-acces-
sible vehicles (WAVs), being
declined service by drivers and
long wait times.
My study revealed that sever-
al factors were associated with
the ability to use Uber and Lyft
successfully.
Wheelchairs and vehicles
The type of wheelchair a rid-
er uses affects access. Riders
with foldable wheelchairs have
better odds of using these ser-
vices successfully because the
wheelchair can be folded and
stowed in most vehicles.
The majority of the survey re-
spondents who reported they
were not Uber and Lyft customers
used fixed-frame wheelchairs.
Riders who need to remain
seated in a wheelchair during
travel or use fixed-frame wheel-
chairs have lower odds of success
using the services. They can only
travel in WAVs, which are not as
commonly available on the apps
as four-door sedans used for ba-
sic level service. For riders who
need WAVs, this can mean long
wait times – on average twice
more than the wait time for basic
service, as I found in my study. It
can also mean no service at all.
While travellers who use fold-
able wheelchairs have better odds
of obtaining a vehicle that can fit
their wheelchair through basic
a testament to the collaborative
partnership and good relation-
ship between the Philippines
and Japan. We will not allow our
country to be used as a hiding
ground for criminals and syndi-
cates,” the BI chief added. ■
service options, they experience a
different kind of challenge. Some
of the respondents who used a
manual wheelchair reported ex-
periencing withdrawn services —
when the driver declines to take
the ride. Other studies report sim-
ilar experiences.
The class action in B.C. is
based on the complainant’s ex-
perience related to shortage
or unavailability of WAVs for
those with fixed-frame wheel-
chairs or who need to remain
seated during travel.
Unavailabilities and shortages
Previously, the companies’
responses to allegations of dis-
crimination against wheelchair
users in the U.S. have been that
they are technology companies
— rather than transportation
companies — that connect rid-
ers and drivers.
Uber used the same argu-
ment in a recent case that was
brought to the B.C. Human
Rights Tribunal.
This configuration means
that they do not own a fleet of ve-
PH gets ¥250-B..
❰❰ 7 The additional loan
follows the 1st tranche
of funding for the met-
ro subway in 2017 (JPY104,530
billion) and second tranche (JPY
253,307 million) signed in 2021.
The Embassy said the inter-
www.canadianinquirer.net
hicles but rely on cars that driv-
ers bring. As such, they are not
obligated to provide WAVs. In
Washington, D.C., for instance,
taxi companies that own at least
20 vehicles are required that a
percentage of their fleet consist
of WAVs. There is no equivalent
requirement for Uber and Lyft.
The companies have provid-
ed WAV ride options on their
apps in select cities primarily
by forming partnerships with
third-party transportation
companies. UberWAV began in
2018 and Lyft Access in 2019
in Toronto, Washington, D.C.,
the San Francisco Bay Area and
other larger markets.
These services are not avail-
able in many other cities, and
wheelchair users seeking WAV
rides are directed to either lo-
cal taxis or paratransit services
offered by transit agencies or
municipal governments.
However, directing wheel-
chair users to other services by
providing a list of accessible op-
tions is not considered equiva-
est rate for these ODAs is at 0.3
percent per annum, with 0.2
percent per annum set for con-
sulting services.
The repayment period is 40
years, including a 10-year grace
period. ■
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
lent to the service the companies
offer to non-disabled travellers.
Supply and regulations
The companies say that in
the cities where they do not op-
erate WAV services, there is not
enough supply of WAVs. Disabil-
ity advocates disagree, saying
that the lack of WAV services has
to do with the lack of disability
regulations in those areas.
In markets where Uber and
Lyft have WAV service options
on their apps, there is a short-
age of WAVs. For drivers, there
is little financial incentive in
purchasing these vehicles to
work on the Uber and Lyft apps.
The vehicles are more expen-
sive to purchase, insure, run
and maintain than cars used for
basic service level.
Individuals who have access to
WAVs for personal or family use
may not sign up to drive on the
apps. Accessibility modifications
to WAVs are unique to the user
and may not be suitable for all.
People with disabilities travel
in personal cars as passengers.
As I found in my study, many
wheelchair users do not drive
or own a driver’s licence due to
their disability. Someone who is
responsible for transporting a
family member with disability
may not have the availability to
drive for a ride hailing service.
Wheelchair users who drive
WAVs may not be able to assist
a passenger in a wheelchair
during vehicle entry and exit
and securing wheelchair re-
straint inside the vehicle.
At the root of the WAV ser-
vice wars is the companies’ plat-
form business model as tech-
❱❱ PAGE 14 A B.C. class action
PBBM, US lawmakers..
❰❰ 6 first-ever trilateral
summit with US Pres-
ident Joe Biden and
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio
Kishida in Washington on April 11
to advance agenda on defense, se-
curity and economic interests. ■
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
The UN Security Council has finally called for
a ceasefire in Gaza. But will it have any effect?
BY MARIKA SOSNOWSKI,
The University of Melbourne
The Conversation
Ceasefires are a uniquely
complicated tool in armed con-
flict. This is because they exist
at the intersection of war, law
and politics.
Political scientist Cindy Wit-
tke has suggested that attempts
to define what a ceasefire is and
what it entails will ultimately
reveal a “lack of fit” with inter-
national law. This is because
they are notoriously difficult to
negotiate and enforce.
This “lack of fit” has perhaps
been most obvious in the UN
Security Council’s delibera-
tions over a ceasefire in Isra-
el’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Countless resolutions have
been proposed with different
wording, such as:
• “an immediate, durable and
fully respected humanitarian
ceasefire” (October 16)
• “humanitarian pauses”
(October 18)
• “pauses in fighting” (Octo-
ber 25)
• “urgent and extended hu-
manitarian pauses and corri-
dors” (November 15)
• “an immediate humanitari-
an ceasefire” (December 8)
• a “sustainable cessation of
hostilities” (December 22).
Finally, on Monday, after
nearly six months of linguistic
wrangling, the Security Council
has managed to pass a resolu-
tion that demands an “imme-
diate ceasefire”. It emphasises
“the urgent need to expand
the flow of humanitarian assis-
tance” entering the Gaza Strip.
So, what will this resolution
do in practical terms – and will
it have any effect?
Enforcement mechanisms
are limited
According to international
law, a resolution of the Securi-
ty Council is binding on all UN
World News
member states. This includes
Israel and Palestine, which has
UN observer status.
The Palestinian Authority
and Hamas have welcomed the
ceasefire resolution.
However, Israel was furious
over the US decision to abstain
from the vote, in effect allowing
it to pass. Prime Minister Ben-
jamin Netanyahu’s office argued
the wording benefits Hamas, say-
ing it gives the group “hope that
international pressure will allow
them to accept a ceasefire with-
out the release of our hostages”.
It also remains to be seen
whether the Israeli government
will comply with the resolution
and if so, in what ways.
In reality, the resolution may
make little practical difference
to the lives of millions of Pales-
tinians trapped in Gaza because
the council has little way of en-
forcing it. Israel has already ig-
nored the International Court of
Justice’s provisional measures
to “take immediate and effective
measures to enable the provi-
sion of urgently needed basic
services and humanitarian aid”.
While military action to force
Israel to adhere to the reso-
lution seems highly unlikely,
states could take other eco-
nomic and diplomatic action to
try to compel Israel to comply.
These could include impos-
ing sanctions, halting weapons
sales or withdrawing diplomat-
ic missions and support.
In addition, the resolution
only emphasises the flow of hu-
manitarian assistance to the
Gaza Strip be increased. This
wording gives Israel some wiggle
room to continue to deny access
to aid convoys stuck at the Rafah
and Kerem Shalom border cross-
ings based on security grounds.
Even before the war began
– but particularly since the
Hamas attack on October 7 – Is-
rael has been imposing obsta-
cles on humanitarian aid enter-
ing Gaza during the inspection
and distribution process. It
continues to frequently, and
seemingly arbitrarily, reject the
entry of supplies such as anaes-
thetics, oxygen cylinders, venti-
lators, sleeping bags, dates and
maternity kits.
However, the fact the US ab-
stained undoubtedly marks a
dramatic shift in its diplomatic
support for its chief ally in the
Middle East. The resolution
sends a clear message to the Is-
raeli government that a red line
has been reached in terms of
what the US is prepared to ac-
cept and support.
Where negotiations cur-
rently stand
The Security Council resolu-
tion will also likely put greater
pressure on both sides to come
to an agreement through the
negotiations being led by Qatar
and Egypt.
Hamas’ latest proposal in-
cludes four points:
• a comprehensive ceasefire
• withdrawal of Israeli forces
from the Gaza Strip
• the return of forcibly dis-
placed Palestinians
• the exchange of Palestinian
prisoners for Israeli hostages.
According to media reports,
Israel has accepted an American
compromise for the number of
Palestinian prisoners to be re-
The United Nations Security Council Chamber in New York (PATRICK GRUBAN/FLICKR, CC BY-SA 2.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
leased in exchange for Israeli hos-
tages. But media reports indicate
it is currently refusing to commit
to a permanent ceasefire.
If this agreement does even-
tually come to fruition, it will no
doubt include many details about
how the terms will be implement-
ed. This was the case for the tem-
porary truce that was negotiated
between the parties in November,
which included a choreographed
exchange of Israeli hostages for
Palestinian prisoners and the de-
livery of humanitarian aid.
The number of prisoners
Hamas is currently seeking in
exchange for hostages has been
a source of contention.
In 2011, Israel agreed to ex-
change more than 1,000 Pales-
tinian prisoners for one Israeli
soldier, Gilad Shalit.
Arguably, foreseeing a simi-
lar scenario, Israel has arrest-
ed thousands of Palestinians
in both Gaza and the occupied
West Bank on minor offences in
recent months. Hamas contin-
ues to hold around 100 hostag-
es, the majority men and many
reservists in the Israeli military.
Why ceasefires matter
International law is based
on the premise that it impos-
es obligations on states, non-
state parties and individuals
that cannot be bargained away.
13
However, as permanent mem-
bers of the Security Council
with veto power, the US, Russia,
China, France and the UK have
disproportionate power over
how such laws come about or
come into effect.
Nevertheless, the interna-
tional community is ordered
around certain social, political
and legal norms. These norms
come not only in the form of in-
ternational law, but also diplo-
matic and economic relations.
This is what the UN terms
“friendly relations among na-
tions”. These norms ensure, to
an extent, that states comply
with their obligations under
international law without the
need for military force.
The Security Council resolu-
tion passed Monday, with vague
terms and relatively little incen-
tive for compliance, is currently
the least worst option to push
the sides toward a halt to the vi-
olence and allow aid into Gaza.
Other efforts towards a po-
tentially more meaningful and
practical ceasefire should – and
will – continue. If they weren’t
before, all eyes should now be
firmly on Gaza. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 14
Ten years since its annexation, Crimea serves
as a grim warning to any Ukrainian lands
that fall under Russian occupation
BY SHANE O'ROURKE,
University of York
The Conversation
Basking in his wholly expect-
ed re-election victory, Russian
president, Vladimir Putin, ad-
dressed a large crowd in Mos-
cow’s Red Square on March 18 to
mark the 10th anniversary of his
country’s annexation of Crimea.
The familiar themes of recti-
fying a historical injustice, the
unbreakable unity of the Rus-
sian people and the importance
of Crimea to Russian identity
were trotted out once again.
The crowd duly applauded.
Yet compared to ten years
ago, when the whole country
appeared to be in the grip of
collective ecstasy, the celebra-
tions seemed muted. Much has
changed in the intervening ten
years, not least that Putin’s mis-
calculations have put the status
of Crimea in doubt again.
On the peninsular itself, life
has changed profoundly. The
“land of milk and honey” prom-
ised to the population of Crimea
at the time of annexation has
not materialised. International
sanctions, high prices and in-
creasing uncertainty have left
the mainstay of the economy,
tourism, in the doldrums. And
the democratic freedoms that
existed under Ukraine have
disappeared, not only for the
Ukrainian and Tatar popula-
tions, but for the Russians too.
The security of Crimea is also
under threat as at no time since
2014. Ukrainian rockets and
drones have destroyed about
20% of the Russian Navy’s
Black Sea Fleet, including the
A B.C. class action..
❰❰ 12 nology companies
connecting service
seekers and providers.
This three-party configuration —
composed of users, providers and
platforms — has been an obstacle
to regulate these companies in
World News
flagship Moskva. And the Kerch
bridge – the symbol of Putin’s
triumph – has been subject to
repeated attacks.
The Russian navy has been
driven ignominiously from its
bases in Crimea to the safer
haven of Novorossisk in Russia
itself. Ships carrying Ukrainian
grain can now exit the Black Sea
due to defeats inflicted on the
Russian fleet.
In one area, however, the
Russians have enjoyed success.
The Russification of the penin-
sula is continuing apace.
‘Russian World’
Russification of Crimea is
not an ad hoc policy imposed
after the occupation. It is root-
ed in the ideology of Russkii
MIr (“Russian World”). This
concept, which is espoused by
Putin, is itself part of a long his-
torical tradition going back to
the annexation of the Crimea
by Catherine the Great in 1783.
The Russian World ideology
insists that Russia is a supra-na-
tional civilisation that extends
far beyond the present borders
of the Russian Federation to in-
clude Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakh-
stan and other parts of the for-
mer Soviet Union. At the same
time, the ideology is intolerant
of any other expression of iden-
tity within its sphere and justi-
fies the elimination of that iden-
tity, as is taking place in Crimea.
The Imperial Russian state
(1721–1917), the Soviet State
(1917–1991) and now the Rus-
sian Federation under Pu-
tin have at different times all
sought to Russify the popula-
tion of the Crimean peninsu-
lar. The Imperial government
encouraged the migration of
general. Any systemic improve-
ment will need to address that.
Providing accessible services
While an overhaul of the ex-
isting configuration may not
be possible in the short term,
changes to the companies’ busi-
Tatars from the peninsular and
Stalin completed the process
in 1944 by deporting the en-
tire Tatar population – some
200,000 people.
A partial return took place
under Krushchev (premier of
of the Soviet Union between
1958 and 1964), which greatly
accelerated when the Crimea
became part of a democratic
Ukraine. Putin has now re-
versed that policy, seeking the
destruction of both the Tatar
and Ukrainian identities.
Eradicating non-Russian
identity
Putin swore to safeguard the
different national traditions
that existed in Crimea when
he launched the annexation.
These promises were broken
immediately and have contin-
ued to be broken ever since.
Ukrainian and Tatar languag-
es have been suppressed, polit-
ical activists arrested and any
expression of cultural identity
other than Russian is forbid-
den. The national body of the
Crimean Tatars, the Mejlis, has
been suppressed and all other
representative institutions are
a sham, as those in Russia itself.
Religious persecution against
the Ukrainians and the Tatars,
which is actively assisted by
the Russian Orthodox Church,
is also an essential part of the
Russification policies.
What is striking about the
Russification of Crimea is its
comprehensive nature and the
ruthlessness with which it is
being carried out. A major in-
strument of Russification has
been the imposition of Russian
citizenship on the population
of the peninsular. This has been
ness model or current disabili-
ty accommodation practices or
lack thereof maybe inevitable.
The lawsuits in the U.S. and
Canada demonstrate that peo-
ple with disabilities will con-
tinue to ask for services that
www.canadianinquirer.net
achieved through a combination
of incentives and crude threats.
Access to vital services such
as health, education, banking,
pensions and jobs are depen-
dent on acceptance of Rus-
sian citizenship. No passport
means that these services are
not available. The refusal of
Russian citizenship has lead
to confiscations of property,
expulsion from the peninsular
and even threats to take away
the children of those retaining
Ukrainian citizenship.
Acceptance of citizenship
makes men eligible for military
service. And Putin’s govern-
ment has ruthlessly mobilised
men from the Crimea and the
Donbas. A new citizenship law
in April 2023 extended these
practices to the territories oc-
cupied since 2022.
These changes have been
accompanied by demographic
changes that have taken place
since the annexation. Accord-
ing to Russian figures, at least
Russian President Vladimir Putin (KREMLIN.RU, CC BY 4.0)
meet their needs. My research
shows that even wheelchair
users who are currently unable
to use Uber and Lyft see prom-
ise in a convenient, on-demand
transportation service hailed
through the apps.
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
200,000 Russians have mi-
grated to Crimea since 2014.
Ukrainian figures suggest that
50,000 Ukrainians and Tatars
have left over the same period.
This is a form of ethnic
cleansing designed to make the
Crimea irrevocably Russian
and protect it against any fair
referendum that might return
the peninsular to Ukraine.
The ten years since the an-
nexation of Crimea has been
a dismal exercise in the sup-
pression of a multi-ethnic and
multi-cultural society by a
ruthless regime that tolerates
no identities apart from the one
that it prescribes. Russification
in Crimea has also provided a
model that has been imposed
on Ukrainian territory taken
since 2022 and is a grim warn-
ing to any future lands that fall
under Russian occupation. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
The companies can meet them
halfway. Or the courts might
bring them there — eventually. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
Abortion drug access could be limited by
Supreme Court − if the court decides anti-
abortion doctors can, in fact, challenge the FDA
BY NAOMI CAHN, University
of Virginia, SONIA SUTER,
George Washington University
The Conversation
Who has the legal right to
challenge decisions by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration?
And should the moral umbrage
of a group of anti-abortion rights
doctors shift policy across the
country, limiting women’s abili-
ty to get the widely used abortion
drug mifepristone?
These are a few of the cen-
tral questions that the Supreme
Court fielded on March 26, 2024,
during the oral arguments in
FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic
Medicine. A group of doctors is
challenging the FDA, saying that
the federal agency’s decision al-
lowing people to get mifepristone
via telehealth, at up to 10 weeks of
pregnancy, is causing some medi-
cal professionals harm.
Amy Lieberman, politics and
society editor at The Conversa-
tion U.S., spoke with family law
and reproductive justice scholars
Naomi Cahn and Sonia Suter to
better understand what’s behind
the oral arguments before the
Supreme Court – and how the
court’s eventual decision, expect-
ed in June, could affect people’s
ability to get abortions by using
mifepristone, one of two drugs
used for medication abortion.
What is this case about?
Sonia Suter: It’s about
whether the FDA’s regulations
for the use of mifepristone were
Pope's fatigue only to be expected,
says his doctor
ANSA
Philippine News Agency
ROME -- Pope Francis is an
87-year-old man whose peri-
odic bouts of poor health and
appropriately loosened in 2016
and 2021. These changes gen-
erally make mifepristone more
accessible by allowing people to
have the medication prescribed
via a telehealth visit and then
getting the pill in the mail.
Naomi Cahn: That 2016
regulation also extended the
time during which mifepristone
could be prescribed, increasing
it from seven to 10 weeks gesta-
tion. Medication abortions ac-
counted for 63% of all abortions
that occurred in the U.S. in 2023.
This percentage has increased
since the Supreme Court over-
turned the constitutional right
to an abortion in 2022.
Why are these guidelines
being challenged?
Suter: A group of doctors and
medical associations that op-
pose abortion are challenging
these guidelines and using this
fatigue that have forced him to
give up recent readings are only
to be expected for a man of his
age, his doctor told Corriere
della Sera Monday.
"The pope is an 87-year-old
man with huge responsibili-
court case as a way, we believe,
to limit the ability to get an abor-
tion by using medication.
They challenged the drug’s
initial approval by the FDA
and the relaxed restrictions on
how it is used. They claimed
that the FDA exceeded its au-
thority, did not rely on proper
data and did not have adequate
support from scientific studies
for its decision that mifepris-
tone could be safely prescribed.
Their initial arguments, which
the lower court accepted, would
have banned mifepristone. But
that decision was not upheld by
the 5th Circuit Court.
Instead, the issues before
the Supreme Court focus on
whether the FDA should have
expanded the use of mifepris-
tone. Virtually all studies have
shown that mifepristone is not
dangerous, even with the re-
ties. It is normal that he should
go through periods of fatigue,"
said Sergio Alfieri, director
of the surgery department at
Rome's Gemelli Hospital, who
has led abdominal surgery on
Pope Francis twice in the last
www.canadianinquirer.net
World News
laxed conditions on its use.
What is the federal gov-
ernment’s central argument
against these claims?
Cahn: The government is
stating that the FDA appropri-
ately reviewed all of the evi-
dence and its decision was ap-
propriate.
Indeed, the attorney repre-
senting the mifepristone man-
ufacturer, Jessica Ellsworth,
pointed out that the studies cit-
ed by the challengers have either
been discredited or withdrawn
because they were unreliable.
Another critical issue, as U.S.
Solicitor General Elizabeth
Prelogar said to the justices to-
day, is whether the organization
challenging this ruling actually
has legal standing – the right to
sue – to bring a lawsuit against
the FDA.
Why is the question of who
can sue the FDA important here?
Suter: Under U.S. law, you
cannot succeed in court every
time you are unhappy. The Su-
preme Court has ruled that the
Constitution requires parties
who bring suit in federal court
to have “standing.” This means
parties have to show that they
have been injured in some tangi-
ble way or threatened with such
an injury by the acts that are
the basis of the lawsuit. In this
case, a group of doctors morally
opposed to abortion are saying
they have been injured. Their
claim is that with the changes
in the FDA’s regulation of mife-
pristone prescriptions, patients
three years.
"I have no evidence of con-
cerning situations," Alfieri said.
"The Holy Father is well for
his age and considering his ep-
isodic respiratory difficulties in
the coldest periods, which are
15
will come to them in the emer-
gency room, requiring medical
care that violates these religious
beliefs and causes them stress.
The government’s response
is that the FDA is not making
them do anything, including
prescribe these pills or treat
these patients. And there are
conscience laws that say if the
treatment is against a health
care provider’s beliefs, they do
not need to provide that care.
So the government asks: How
are the doctors harmed here?
What is your impression
from the justices, listening
to these arguments?
Cahn: I was surprised by how
much time the justices spent
asking about legal standing
and whether there was a direct
enough connection between the
plaintiffs and the FDA’s guidance.
What’s the potential im-
pact of the court’s eventual
ruling on this case?
Cahn: The court’s decision
has implications for the whole
FDA approval process as well as
access to medication abortion,
including through telehealth
and the mail. If the court rules
for the doctors challenging
the FDA, mifepristone would
still be available, but access
to it would be severely limit-
ed because people would need
an in-person visit before they
could get it. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
also due to the lung operation
he had many years ago," he said.
"I don't see him every day but
I can assure you that he does
not have particular diseases.
And he undergoes regular
check-ups," he added. ■
16 World News MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY

Tax breaks for..

BBC admits possible 'mistake' in ❰❰ 6 Citing the Philip-
pine Amalgamated

coverage of genocide case vs. Israel Supermarkets Asso-

ANADOLU
Philippine News Agency
LONDON – BBC’s editorial
policy chief told British law-
makers on Monday the broad-
caster may have "made a mis-
take" by its unequal coverage
of proceedings of the genocide
case Israel is facing at the Inter-
national Court of Justice (ICJ).
In a session with legislators
on Parliament's Media Com-
mittee, the BBC's Director of
Editorial Policy and Standards
David Jordan addressed con-
cerns over the broadcaster's
decision to air the entire Israe-
li defense in the Hague, while
only showing portions of South
Africa's counter-arguments.
Julie Elliott, a member of Par-
liament of the opposition Labour
party, raised the issue, question-
ing the fairness and impartiali-
ty of the coverage, particularly
highlighting the discrepancy in
airtime between the two sides.
When pressed by Elliott, Jor-
dan acknowledged that the cov-
erage on the BBC's UK output
did not offer absolute equiva-
lence between the presenta-
tions made to the ICJ.
He pointed out that while the
international output covered
both sides of the conflict equal-
ly, the UK broadcaster had a
disparity in its live coverage
during those two days.
"When they looked at it, when
news looked at it in retrospect,
they did think that perhaps they
made a mistake in not making
the two live coverage events
similar or the same," he said.
"It was genuinely a difficult
editorial decision about which
hearing they went with," Jordan
explained, further noting that
the news team recognized the
need for potential adjustments,
stating: "News have said that if
they thought about it again, they
might have done it differently."
Israel is accused of genocide
at the ICJ. An interim ruling
in January ordered Tel Aviv to
stop genocidal acts and take
measures to guarantee that hu-
manitarian assistance is pro-
vided to civilians in Gaza.
Tel Aviv has waged a dead-
ly military offensive on the
Palestinian territory since a
cross-border attack by the Pal-
estinian group Hamas in which
some 1,200 Israelis were killed.
More than 32,333 Palestinians
have since been killed and over
74,694 injured amid mass destruc-
tion and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war, now in its
171st day, has pushed 85 percent
of Gaza’s population into inter-
nal displacement amid acute
shortages of food, clean water
and medicine, while 60 percent
of the enclave's infrastructure
has been damaged or destroyed,
according to the UN. ■
ciation Inc. (PAGASA) and the
Philippine Retailers Associ-
ation (PRA), Villafuerte said
subsidies and tax credits would
be beneficial to relieve retailers,
especially the small enterprises,
of the higher BNPC discounts.
Under the new policy, seniors
and PWD can avail of up to PHP125
discount on BNPCs per week, high-
er than the previous PHP65.
The new joint administrative
order (JAO) likewise provides
rules on giving the same special
discount on BNPCs bought on-
line as establishments will have
their verification process.
Senior and PWD identifi-
cation cards and the Office of
Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA)
booklet should be presented
upon delivery of the products.
The 5-percent discount on
LPG covers cylinders with a net
content of not more than 11 ki-
lograms and could be availed of
only every five months.
Small-scale stores and business-
es registered with cooperatives are
exempted from giving out special
discounts to seniors and PWD. ■

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www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
Entertainment
Embark on a Cinematic Journey at the
Inaugural SINÉ FILM FEST in Toronto
ABS-CBN
TORONTO, March 26, 2024
– In commemoration of the
75th year of Canadian and
Philippine friendship, Sine In-
stitute and ABS-CBN Interna-
tional present the inaugural
SINÉ FILM FEST to be held
from April 12th to 14th, 2024, at
the Hotel X in Toronto.
SINÉ FILM FEST celebrates
the vibrant Filipino presence in
cinema and curates a selection
of select movies that spotlights
the Filipino film industry and
demonstrates its significant
contribution to the global cin-
ematic landscape. Attendees
get the chance to see a diverse
selection of films that offer a
window into the rich cultural
tapestry of the Philippines.
The partnership between pre-
senters, Siné Institute and ABS-
CBN International, optimizes
the benefits of the on-going film
treaty between the Canadian
government (through Telefilm
Canada) and the Philippines
which facilitates film, television,
and video co-productions be-
tween the two countries.
Aside from strengthening
cultural and economic exchang-
ABS-CBN Studios, TFC bring "ASAP Natin
'To California" to Toyota Arena in Ontario on
August 3 to celebrate TFC's 30th anniversary
ABS-CBN
ONTARIO, California, March
25, 2024 - The Filipino Channel
(TFC) – the flagship multime-
es, the treaty could help expand
the audio-visual production
and distribution industries for
Canada and the Philippines.
Aside from the film screen-
ings, SINÉ FILM FEST will host
educational workshops in col-
laboration with Toronto Film
School. These workshops will
provide participants with im-
portant insights into the color-
ful world of film. They also get
to see what career opportunities
are available in the industry.
A few weeks earlier, the or-
ganizers held the 48-hour Siné
Challenge where budding film-
makers from all over the world
competed in a limited-time
challenge that required them to
feature a Character, a Key Prop,
and a Line that were announced
ten (10) minutes before the chal-
lenge started. The winner of the
Siné Challenge will be show-
cased at SINÉ FILM FEST.
The featured film from ABS-
CBN International is Star Cin-
ema’s “Hello Love, Goodbye,”
a romantic drama set in Hong
Kong, directed by Cathy Gar-
cia-Sampana. This film holds
relevance to Filipino immi-
grants across the globe. It de-
picts the intertwined lives of
Joy (Kathryn Bernardo), a do-
dia brand of ABS-CBN Global's
group of companies – marks its
30th year in 2024 with a wealth
of meaningful offerings to its
audiences worldwide. Among
them is the "grandest Pinoy
17
mestic helper who excels at her FEST will be on April 12-14, 2024, on the event, be sure to follow
job but still dreams of finding at the Hotel X Toronto. For more SINÉ FILM FEST on their Insta-
a better future in Canada, and information and to get updates gram and Facebook accounts. ■
Ethan (Alden Richards), a bar-
tender content with his life
in Hong Kong. Their stories
shed light on the experiences
of overseas Filipino workers,
highlighting the challenges
they face and the sacrifices they
make in pursuit of their dreams.
The narrative of "Hello, Love,
Goodbye" resonates deeply with
Filipino immigrants. It shows
how cross-migration is common
among Filipino migrants world-
wide and paints a clear picture
of shared experiences of striving
for a better life while navigating
the complexities of migration.
The Star Cinema film is an im-
portant addition to SINÉ FILM
FEST as it enriches cultural dia-
logue and understanding for the
Filipino diaspora.
Film enthusiasts, industry
professionals, trade delegates
from the Philippines, and spe-
cial guests are among those
who will be in attendance. SINÉ
FILM FEST hopes to foster a
welcoming atmosphere where
participants can connect, col-
laborate, create, and celebrate
the art of cinema together.
The inaugural SINÉ FILM Celebrate Filipino Cinema on April 12-14 (ABS-CBN)
Party" that has been touring the 3, Saturday, at the Toyota Arena ZsaZsa Padilla, Ogie Alcasid,
globe since its overseas live de- in Ontario, California. Present- Erik Santos, Piolo Pascual,
but in Singapore in 2012. ed by ABS-CBN Studios and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and
Back in the U.S. for TFC's TFC, the show's icons are con- Martin Nievera.
30th anniversary, "ASAP Natin firmed to headline the gigantic
'To California" is set for August concert party: Gary Valenciano, ❱❱ PAGE 23 ABS-CBN Studios
www.canadianinquirer.net
18
From Die Nibelungen to Dune: epic fantasy
cinema has been thrilling audiences for 100 years
BY ALFIO LEOTTA, Victoria
University of Wellington
The Conversation
The second instalment of De-
nis Villeneuve’s Dune has domi-
nated most conversations about
cinema in the first few months of
2024. Adapted from Frank Her-
bert’s classic novel, the two-part
epic has been credited with re-
viving the science fiction genre,
and the blockbuster experience
in general.
Villeneuve’s latest movie,
however, is not just a mere sci-fi
blockbuster. Although Dune fea-
tures many familiar sci-fi visual
trappings – interstellar travel,
atomic arsenals and distant plan-
ets inhabited by alien lifeforms
– its main strengthresides in
telling a fantasy story outside the
traditional confines of this genre.
After all, Dune is the story of
an aristocratic hero who, after
undergoing a series of religious
trials, acquires supernatural
powers that allow him to over-
throw the leader of a feudal em-
Taste the different flavors of
romance in “Recipes of Love”
GMA PINOY TV
They say food is a great start
to great love stories. This March
31 (Sunday), explore love in
different forms and represen-
tations as GMA Public Affairs
presents “Recipes of Love.”
A drama special that is sure
to tickle the taste buds of view-
ers, Recipes of Love whips a
hearty offering of true-to-life
love stories that blend food and
relationships featuring this
generation’s notable actors.
For its first recipe, Kapu-
so actress Katrina Halili and
sought-after Sparkle actor
Martin del Rosario try to de-
fend their love against all odds
in “Tortang Talong with Tuna.”
A single mother of two,
Entertainment
pire. Similarly, Dune’s dukes,
barons and princesses engage
in arcane traditions and rit-
ualised sword fighting. Ville-
neuve’s films are clearly new
classics of epic fantasy cinema.
Epic – or high – fantasy is a
sub-genre defined by an em-
phasis on large narrative scale
(in both geographic and tempo-
ral terms), detailed fantastical
universes, and a mythical hero.
Usually some kind of “chosen
one”, this hero embarks on a
journey full of magic, monsters
and other creatures.
In epic fantasy films there is
usually a clear opposition be-
tween good and evil, with the
destiny of the imaginary uni-
verse within which the story
takes place at stake.
The sweeping scope of epic
fantasy cinema can also trans-
late into gargantuan running
times, while the spectacular
foregrounding of imaginary
worlds and creatures requires
large budgets, extensive pro-
duction infrastructures and ad-
vanced technology.
Gemmalyn (Katrina) works
hard to grow her small eatery
(carinderia) for her children.
She is gifted as a natural cook
and can come up with simple
recipes that leave her custom-
ers returning for more. One of
her popular dishes is “Tortang
talong with tuna,” or eggplant
omelet with tuna.
Through her small business,
Gemmalyn meets Jonathan
(Martin). At first, Jonathan is just
one of Gemmalyn’s frequent cus-
tomers. They become close and
eventually fall for each other.
Jonathan does not mind that
Gemmalyn is a single parent
with two kids – something that
the latter is truly grateful for.
But as it turns out, Jonathan
comes from a rich family. When
Jonathan introduces Gemma-
The origins of epic fantasy
cinema
In recent times, the epic fan-
tasy label has been assigned to
films and TV series such as Star
Wars, Excalibur, The Lord of the
Rings, Game of Thrones and the
Avatar franchise. But its origins
can be traced back a century, to
1924, when Fritz Lang’s Die Ni-
belungen premiered at Berlin’s
Ufa Palast am Zoo theatre.
Die Nibelungen is a two-part
film based on the German medi-
eval epic poem the Nibelungen-
lied. The first movie, Siegfried,
and the second, Kriemhild’s
Revenge, were released two
months apart between Febru-
ary and April 1924. Together,
the two films reach a total run-
ning time of nearly five hours,
and are considered major land-
marks of German film history.
Despite the social and eco-
nomic crisis that followed Ger-
many’s defeat in World War I,
the German film industry in
the 1920s was thriving, as audi-
ences sought to escape the grim
reality of the post-war period.
lyn to them, they immediate-
ly object to their relationship.
They trample on Gemmalyn's
being and try to keep her away
from Jonathan.
Jonathan is determined to
fight for Gemmalyn, but to
what extent can the two lovers
endure all the pain?
Don’t miss the first serving
of “Recipes of Love,” featuring
“Tortang Talong with Tuna”
this March 31, before “The
Atom Araullo Specials” on GMA
Network.
The second story, headlined
by Max Collins and Luis Honti-
veros, airs on May 19.
Global Pinoys can catch “Rec-
ipes of Love” via GMA Pinoy TV.
For more stories about the
Kapuso Network, visit www.
GMANetwork.com. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Many of the German films of
this era – including The Cabinet
of Dr. Caligari, The Golem, and
Nosferatu – explored the theme
of identity and reality through
the lens of fantasy and horror.
Similarly, Lang and his wife,
screenwriter Thea von Harbou,
felt the fantastic Nibelungen
saga, which had been popula-
rised by Wagner’s operatic ad-
aptation in the 19th century,
would resonate with the de-
feated people of Weimar Ger-
many. By adapting one of the
most powerful icons of German
culture, Lang and von Harbou
aimed to embolden the nation
and foster national pride.
Die Nibelungen opens with a
title dedicating the film to the
German people. Shortly after,
we are introduced to Siegfried,
a forest-dwelling blacksmith.
Upon hearing stories of the vir-
tuous princess Kriemhild, the
sister of King Gunther, he de-
cides to win her heart.
Siegfried embarks on an epic
journey during which he kills
both a dragon and a dwarf king,
Katrina Halili and Martin del Rosario banner the first story of Recipes of Love.
(GMA PINOY TV)
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
thus gaining treasure and a
cloak of invisibility. In return
for permission to marry Kriem-
hild, he agrees to use the cloak to
help Gunther win the fierce war-
rior-queen Brunhild by trickery.
The two couples are married,
but when Brunhild discovers
the deception, she compels
Gunther and his evil vassal Ha-
gen into a conspiracy to murder
Siegfried. In the second film,
Kriemhild vows to avenge Sieg-
fried’s murder by killing Hagen,
who is protected by Gunther.
In order to fulfil her plans,
Kriemhild marries Etzel, king
of the Huns, and persuades
him to attack Hagen. The film
ends with a brutal battle during
which Hagen, Kriemhild and all
her family are massacred.
Spectacle to rival Hollywood
Lang conceived Die Nibelun-
gen as a production to rival
Hollywood in scale and ambi-
tion. And the making of the two
films was as epic as the story
itself. Production lasted more
❱❱ PAGE 23 From Die Nibelungen
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
Photographing the eclipse? You’ll join a long
history of people seeking proof of experience
BY AMY FRIEND, Brock
University, KERI CRONIN,
Brock University
The Conversation
If you are one of the millions
planning to view the total so-
lar eclipse on April 8, there is a
good chance that you will take
pictures of your experience.
And, like many before you,
afterwards you may find that
those pictures don’t measure
up to your expectations, experi-
ences and memories of viewing
the eclipse.
We offer some technical tips
for eclipse photography, but we
also consider why so many of us
are drawn to photograph these
kinds of collective moments of
awe and wonder — as we think
about the larger context of visu-
al culture around solar eclipses
throughout history.
Technical, safety challenges
Photographing a solar eclipse
presents some technical and
safety challenges. There are
some preparations you can
undertake, including ensuring
your camera (even smartphone
cameras!) has a solar filter. It
is also important to be familiar
with your camera, to practice
using it in different light condi-
tions before the eclipse.
The changes in light quali-
ties will be quick and drastic, so
familiarity with aperture and
shutter speed will be important
on the big day. A tripod will help
reduce blurring when a longer
exposure is required. If there
are clouds, it’s still important
to be cautious and wear protec-
tive glasses and the ability to
capture an image will depend
on the extent of cloud cover.
The viewing experience will
be different, but sky will still
darken, creating changes in the
colour and the way light passes
through the clouds.
There are also some more cre-
ative ways to think about cap-
Lifestyle
turing the experience, including
making a pinhole projector.
This simple device can be
made from a cardboard box and
allows for both safe viewing and
some interesting images.
First photographs of eclipses
But if your photographs
don’t conform to your expecta-
tions, you are in good company.
In 1842 Italian physicist Gian
Alessandro Majocchi attempt-
ed to photograph the total solar
eclipse that took place that July.
Surviving records indicate he
only had partial success: His re-
sulting daguerreotype images —
an early photography technique
invented by Louis-Jacques-
Mandé Daguerre in 1839, in-
volving treating a silver-coated
copper plate with light sensitive
chemicals — are lost.
Majocchi was able to capture
a few photographs before and
after the moments of totality.
Reminder of wonder, to-
getherness
Apart from technical aspects,
a successful photograph of the
eclipse serves as a lasting re-
minder of the sense of wonder
and the feeling of being part of
something larger than ourselves.
This is the kind of event that
brings people together, and
the shared experience contin-
ues long after the eclipse ends
through photographs that serve
as memory markers and tangi-
ble proof that you were there
to witness the eclipse. And even
though many of us might end up
with similar photographs, there
is something significant about
so many people taking pictures
of the same event.
For example, taking photo-
graphs of events can increase a
person’s enjoyment of the expe-
rience, as the research of mar-
keting professor Kristin Diehl
and colleagues has examined.
Photography allows us to
preserve memories, share
them with others and relive
those moments in the future.
What makes an image stand
out among the millions shared
daily on social media often
comes down to a combination
of factors: its visual impact, the
story it tells and the emotional
resonance it can hold for oth-
ers viewing it. In other words,
much of what we share is about
the broader experience.
Proof of experience, con-
nection across time
Photographs also have long
fulfilled a deep-seated need for
proof of experience. We were
there. Whether a blurry cell
phone image of the Mona Lisa
or a snapshot of the eclipse,
these images serve as tangible
reminders of our experiences.
They validate our memories,
anchor the stories we tell and
allow us to share these mo-
ments with others.
Looking at images of people
taking in an eclipse during oth-
er eras can also offer a shared
sense of connection across
time. This is a phenomenon
that is bigger than us and these
images connect us to the expe-
riences of previous generations.
Scientific photographs of an
eclipse, like the ones Thomas
Smillie made for the Smithso-
nian in 1900, may have been
heralded as technological break-
throughs. Yet there is something
www.canadianinquirer.net
especially compelling about
photographs of people gathered
together, stopping for a moment
and looking skyward.
Photographs yield partial
insights
A daguerreotype of a solar
eclipse taken on July 28, 1851
is the first known successful
photograph of the solar coro-
na. This image was made at the
Royal Prussian Observatory in
Königsberg (contemporary Ka-
liningrad, Russia) by Johann
Julius Friedrich Berkowski
with the aid of a telescope. The
84-second exposure allowed
Berkowski to capture the mo-
ment in incredible detail.
In 1890, the American Jour-
nal of Photography proclaimed
“probably in no department of
science, certainly in no branch
of astronomical science, has
photography been of such use
as in the study of solar eclipses.”
As the editors note, photogra-
phy certainly can shape our un-
derstanding of the world, help
to create new knowledge and
provide valuable insights into
the nature of the universe.
But there is also a limit to
what photography can do. The
experience of a solar eclipse
goes beyond the visible: tem-
peratures drop, the behaviour
of nonhuman animals can sud-
19
denly shift and many report un-
anticipated emotional or spiri-
tual responses.
Many visual, artistic re-
sponses
Further, there is a long histo-
ry of eclipses being recorded in a
range of different visual media.
For example, the Shang Dynas-
ty in China provides a visual re-
cord of solar eclipses via ancient
script carved into oracle bones.
A 1610 painting by Peter Paul
Rubens, called The Elevation of
the Cross, illustrates the long
and complex history of connec-
tions between phenomenon
like eclipses and religious be-
liefs. In the early 20th century,
American painter Howard Rus-
sell Butler produced a series of
paintings in which he focused
on aspects of the eclipse that
were difficult to capture with
black and white photography
— the changing quality of light
and colours of the sky.
The video accompanying Da-
vid Bowie’s Black Star (2016)
opens with a total solar eclipse.
This is evocative visual imag-
ery that complements the song’s
themes of mortality — and offers
a nod to long-held understand-
ings of an eclipse as a symbol of
impending doom. This symbol-
ism was especially poignant as
this was the title track of Bowie’s
last studio album.
These types of artistic re-
sponses to celestial events fore-
ground personal interpretation
and emotional responses. They
also foreground and reflect
social, cultural, and spiritual
meanings associated with a so-
lar eclipse.
Could the act of sharing our
eclipse photographs provide a
point of fusion between provid-
ing evidence and these less tan-
gible — but equally valid — mo-
ments of engagement? ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
20 Lifestyle MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY

What is dirt? There’s a whole wriggling

world alive in the ground beneath our feet,
as a soil scientist explains
BY BRIAN DARBY, University and more compact, making it or what they do in soil. In fact, eventually this organic material soils. If you’re curious about the
of North Dakota difficult for plants to access itsmost species in soil don’t even will be broken down enough that soil and dirt in your area, the Uni-
The Conversation moisture. In between the two have a formal scientific name. it can dissolve in water and be versity of California, Davis has a
in size is silt, a mix of rock dust
But each plays some kind of taken up by plants that need it. website where you can learn
and minerals often found in fer- role in the vast soil ecosystem, To aid in this process, there more about local soils and their
What is dirt? – Belle and tile flood plains. including generating the nutri- are many small animals, such as chemical and physical attributes.
Ryatt, ages 7 and 5, Keystone, Some of the most productive ents that plants need to grow. nematodes and amoebae, that Caring for soil to promote
South Dakota soils have a good balance of Imagine a leaf falling from a consume bacteria and fungi. its living creatures’ benefits
When you think about dirt, sand, clay and silt. That combi- tree in late autumn. There are also predatory nem- and minimize their harm takes
you’re probably picturing soil. nation, along with the remnants Inside that leaf are a lot of nu- atodes that feed on other nem- work, but it’s essential for keep-
There’s so much more going on of plants and animals that have trients that plants need, such as atodes to make sure they don’t ing the land healthy and grow-
under our feet than nitrogen, potas- become too abundant, so ev- ing food for the future. ■
the rock dust, or sium and phos- erything remains in balance as
“dirt,” that gets on phorus. There much as possible. Hello, curious kids! Do you
your pants. is also a lot of It’s quite a complicated food have a question you’d like an
When I began carbon in that web of interacting species in a expert to answer? Ask an adult
studying soil, I was leaf, which holds delicate balance. to send your question to Curi-
amazed at how
There’s so much more going on energy that can While some fungi and bacte- ousKidsUS@theconversation.
much of it is actual- under our feet than the rock dust, be used by other ria can harm plants, there are com. Please tell us your name,
ly alive. Soil is teem- organisms such many species that are consid- age and the city where you live.
ing with life, and
or “dirt,” that gets on your pants. as bacteria and ered beneficial. In fact, they And since curiosity has no age
not just the earth- fungi. may be the key to figuring out limit – adults, let us know what
worms that you see The leaf itself how to grow enough crops to you’re wondering, too. We won’t
on rainy days. is too large for feed everyone without degrad- be able to answer every question,
Keeping this a plant to take ing and overburdening the soil. but we will do our best.
vibrant world up through its Figuring out your soil type This article is republished
healthy is crucial for food, for- died, helps the soil to retain wa- roots, of course. But that leaf Scientists have named over from The Conversation under a
ests and flowers to grow and ter, allows plants to access that can be broken down into small- 20,000 different types of unique Creative Commons license.
for the animals that live in the water and minimizes erosion er and smaller pieces. This pro-
ground to thrive. Here’s a closer from wind or rain. cess of breaking down plant and
look at what’s down there and The wriggling, munching animal tissue is known as de-
how it all works together. parts of soil composition.
The rocky part of soils Among all those rock parti- When the leaf first falls to the
If you scoop up a handful of cles is a whole world of living ground, arthropods – such as in-
dry soil, the basic dirt that you things, each busy doing its job. sects, mites and collembolans –
feel in your hand is actually very To get a sense of just how break the leaf down into smaller
small pieces of weathered rock. many creatures are there, pic- chunks by shredding the tissue.
These tiny bits eroded from larg- ture this: The zoo in Omaha, Then, an earthworm might come
er rocks over millions of years. Nebraska, boasts over 1,000 an- along and eat one of the smaller
The balance of these parti- imal species. But if you scooped chunks and break it down even
cles is important for how well up a small spoonful of soil in more in its digestive tract.
soil can hold water and nutri- your backyard, it would likely Now the broken-up leaf is
ents that plants need to thrive. contain at least 10,000 species small enough for microbes to
For example, sandy soil has and around a billion living mi- come in. Bacteria and fungi se-
larger rock grains, so it will be croscopic cells. crete enzymes into the soil that
loose and can easily wash away. Most of those species are still further break down organic ma-
It won’t hold very much water. largely a mystery. Scientists terial into even smaller pieces.
Soil with mostly clay is finer don’t know much about them If enough microbes are active,

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
What your sad desk
sandwich says about
your working habits
BY JENNIFER WHILLANS,
University of Bristol
The Conversation
How’s that sandwich? If
you’re munching on a super-
market meal deal while reading
this, well, I probably am too.
Brits in particular are known
for their obsession with sand-
wiches, which they eat alone
while continuing to work. This
habit amuses but also disgusts
our European counterparts. As
one French scholar put it: “A
sandwich or salad gulped down
in front of a computer screen
does not pass as a proper meal.”
Research has shown that 28%
of British workers eat at their
desks and 44% eat lunch alone,
the highest rates in Europe.
Sociologists have thoroughly
researched family meals, chil-
dren’s school meals, and even
dining out in restaurants.
Only a handful of publications
focus on the workday lunch, but
studies have almost exclusively
used large-scale surveys. While
these are valuable in reveal-
ing patterns of behaviour and
trends in how we eat, they do not
help us understand why people
eat the way that they do at lunch.
For this, rich, in-depth interview
data is required.
In my recently published
research, I interviewed 21 peo-
ple about what they ate for the
workday lunch (and where and
with whom). I found much
greater variety in workday
lunches than the solitary “al
desko” sandwich. But there
were shared understandings
among my participants about
how to lunch at work.
Most participants were will-
ing to admit that the workday
lunch was not exactly a premi-
um gastronomic experience.
One man described lunch as
“my functional eating thing”.
Nevertheless, people greatly
anticipated their lunch, seeing it
as a reward or treat for a morn-
ing’s work, and noting that it was
a time to eat what they wanted.
One respondent, a teacher, con-
fessed that she chose “carbs with
carbs” and a cookie with custard
from the canteen.
Unlike the family dinner
where everyone tends to eat
the same meal and the cook
must cater to others’ tastes,
the workday lunch was seen
as a chance for personal indul-
gence, despite others’ distaste.
Foods considered unacceptable
in other circumstances (canned
soup or microwave meals, for
example) are acceptably con-
venient for the workday lunch
because they are efficient. Cou-
ples I interviewed ridiculed
each other for their “sad” or
“terrible” lunch choices.
Efficient eating
My participants considered
walking and waiting for food a
waste of time. People reported
using work breaks for a leg stretch
and to buy lunch but, to minimise
time away from work, ate back at
their desks. Proximity and speed
of service are deciding factors in
where to eat out for lunch: you
want to “go, eat and leave”.
And while it was not common
among participants, the tempo-
rally efficient lunch par excel-
lence is bringing food from home
– you skip the queue altogether
(not literally, Brits don’t like that).
As far as dining compan-
ions are concerned, there
were mixed feelings among my
participants. Eating with col-
leagues can be a good laugh pep-
pered with lighthearted British
banter and discussion of week-
end plans. Sometimes though,
being a good conversation part-
ner and navigating the blurred
line between friendly and pro-
fessional with colleagues was
seen as just more work.
To avoid the emotional effort
of eating with others, people
would signal to their colleagues
they wanted to be left alone
by sitting by themselves and
scrolling on their phones, hid-
ing behind a computer screen
or even retreating to a parked
car to eat without disturbance.
One woman summarised: “Eat-
ing with other people interferes
with that kind of pleasure of
just looking after yourself”.
Lunch and our working lives
My findings suggest that Brit-
ish lunch habits are not simply
a matter of low standards for
meals. They are about balancing
the pressures of work and the
need for efficiency with taking
care of oneself and navigating
social interactions. Like quiet
quitting and the great resigna-
tion, putting minimal effort into
lunch can be seen as yet another
response to a working culture
that is getting more demanding.
I conducted these interviews
before the COVID pandemic.
The rise in hybrid and remote
working has, for many people,
moved the workday lunch from
the office to home. The com-
mercial sandwich trade has
been hit hard. But even before
the pandemic, participants who
worked from home ate at their
❱❱ PAGE 29 What your sad
www.canadianinquirer.net
Lifestyle
How nature can
alter our sense
of time
BY RUTH OGDEN, Liverpool
John Moores University,
JESSICA THOMPSON,
University of Salford
The Conversation
Do you ever get that feeling
that there aren’t enough hours
in the day? That time is some-
how racing away from you, and
it is impossible to fit everything
in. But then, you step outside
into the countryside and sud-
denly everything seems slow-
er, more relaxed, like time has
somehow changed.
It’s not just you - recent re-
search showed nature can regu-
late our sense of time.
For many of us, the com-
bined demands of work, home
and family mean that we are al-
ways feeling like we don’t have
enough time. Time poverty has
also been exacerbated by dig-
ital technologies. Permanent
connectivity extends working
hours and can make it difficult
to switch off from the demands
of friends and family.
Recent research suggests
that the antidote to our lack
of time may lie in the natural
world. Psychologist Richardo
Correia, at the University of
Turku in Finland, found that
being in nature may change
how we experience time and,
perhaps, even give us the sense
of time abundance.
Correia examined research
which compared people’s ex-
periences of time when they
performed different types of
tasks in urban and natural en-
vironments. These studies con-
sistently showed that people
report a sense of expanded time
when they were in nature com-
pared to when they were in an
urban environment.
For example, people are
more likely to perceive a walk
in the countryside as longer
than a walk of the same length
in the city. Similarly, people re-
port perceiving time as passing
more slowly while performing
tasks in natural green environ-
ments than in urban environ-
21
ments. Nature seems to slow
and expand our sense of time.
It’s not just our sense of time
in the moment which appears
to be altered by the natural
world, it’s also our sense of the
past and future. Previous re-
search shows that spending
time in nature helps to shift our
focus from the immediate mo-
ment towards our future needs.
So rather than focusing on the
stress of the demands on our
time, nature helps us to see the
bigger picture.
This can help us to prioritise
our actions so that we meet our
long-term goals rather than living
in a perpetual state of “just about
keeping our head above water”.
This is in part because spend-
ing time in nature appears to
make us less impulsive, enabling
us to delay instant gratification
in favour of long-term rewards.
Why does nature affect
our sense of time?
Spending time in nature is
known to have many benefits for
health and wellbeing. Having
access to natural spaces such as
beaches, parks and woodlands
is associated with reduced anx-
iety and depression, improved
sleep, reduced levels of obesity
and cardiovascular disease, and
improved wellbeing.
Some of these benefits may
explain why being in nature al-
ters our experience of time.
The way we experience time
is shaped by our internal biolog-
ical state and the events going
on in the world around us. As a
result, emotions such as stress,
anxiety and fear can distort our
sense of the passage of time.
The relaxing effect of natu-
ral environments may counter
stress and anxiety, resulting in a
more stable experience of time.
Indeed, the absence of access
to nature during COVID-19
may help to explain why peo-
ple’s sense of time became so
distorted during the pandemic
lockdowns.
In the short term, being away
from the demands of modern
❱❱ PAGE 23 How nature can
22
Why March Madness is a special
time of year for state budgets
BY JAY L. ZAGORSKY,
Boston University
The Conversation
March Madness – the time
when the best men’s and wom-
en’s college basketball teams
challenge each other – is a
made-for-television specta-
cle watched by millions. While
March Madness has been
around for decades, one of the
tournament’s biggest changes
happened in 2018, when the Su-
preme Court struck down the
ban on sports betting.
Since then, legal sports bet-
ting has skyrocketed. Ameri-
cans made US$120 billion of
legal sports bets in 2023, ac-
cording to the American Gam-
ing Association, which pro-
motes gambling. In 2024, the
group predicts Americans will
place $2.7 billion of legal bets
on March Madness alone.
I am a business school profes-
sor fascinated by March Mad-
PH out to host memorable 2025 men's world
volleyball championship
BY JEAN MALANUM
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Philippines
hopes to become one of the best
volleyball homecourts when it
hosts the FIVB Volleyball Men’s
World Championship next year.
A total of 32 teams will see ac-
tion in the Sept. 12 to 28, 2025
tournament, one of the Philippine
National Volleyball Federation's
(PNVF) efforts to bring the sport
closer to Filipinos following the
successful staging of the Volley-
ball Nations League for two years.
Sports
ness and sports betting. Study-
ing sports betting has shown
me how valuable it is for states
short on cash. Unfortunately, it
also has significant drawbacks,
especially for gambling addicts
and their families.
Why lawmakers love
sports betting
As of March 2024, 38 states
allow some form of sports gam-
bling, and six more are debating
the issue. State lawmakers are
interested in sports gambling
because they have a fiscal prob-
lem. State spending over time
has increased in both absolute
and per-person terms after ad-
justing for inflation.
While state spending is in-
creasing, state revenue from so-
called “sin taxes” has flatlined
after adjusting for inflation.
People are smoking and drink-
ing less, reducing revenue from
cigarette and alcohol taxes.
Even lottery revenue has flat-
tened out after growing strong-
ly for decades.
“We will make them feel at
home right at our own home,”
PNVF pesident Tats Suzara
said during the press confer-
ence at Marquis Events Place
in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
on Tuesday.
Suzara was joined by Senator
and PNVF chair emeritus Alan
Peter Cayetano, Department of
Tourism Director for Film and
Sports Tourism Roberto Alabado
III and Cignal TV president and
chief executive officer Jane Basas
“I am ready. We are ready.
The team is ready. The Philip-
pines is ready to face the chal-
Increased spending com-
bined with a reluctance to raise
taxes has led to a push to find
new sources of revenue. That
makes sports betting an appeal-
ing option to politicians.
The statehouse always wins
Billions of dollars are wa-
gered on sports each year. More
than 90% of the money bet goes
to paying out winning gam-
blers. Gambling operators keep
the rest, which they share with
the states. The percentage kept,
called the hold rate, has been
steadily climbing over time,
with 2023’s national average at
9.1% of the money bet.
State governments now col-
lect about half a billion dollars
each quarter, or about $2 billion a
year, from sports gambling. That’s
roughly one-fifth of that 9.1%.
If gamblers bet around $3
billion on March Madness, then
states will pocket over $50 mil-
lion dollars in extra revenue
just from a three-week basket-
ball tournament.
lenges and fulfill a dream as our
hearts beat collectively to serve
the sport. If you love volleyball,
then you will surely love the
Philippines," he added.
Cayetano, who will serve as
chair of the local organizing
committee like what he did in
the successful 2019 Southeast
Asian Games hosting, eyes an-
other legacy for the country.
“It’s how we, as a people, wel-
come the rest of the world. I be-
lieve that our hope in a successful
hosting will be by faith and action
-- faith in God and action as a
community. I believe that it’s time
www.canadianinquirer.net
The ugly side of sports betting
Gambling is wonderful for
state revenues and gaming-com-
pany profits. However, it has a
dark side: While many people en-
joy gambling, millions of Ameri-
cans have a gambling problem.
Studies suggest between 1%
and 2% of adults fall into this
category. In Massachusetts,
where I teach, a 2018 survey
found that about 2% of adults
were already problem gamblers,
and a further 8% were at risk.
Meanwhile, the number of
calls to the National Problem
Gambling Helpline lasting more
for the world volleyball to see how
united the Philippine volleyball
community is,” said Cayetano.
FIVB president Ary Graca
is expecting a one-of-a-kind
world championship.
“We are confident that the
Philippines will host an ex-
traordinary World Champion-
ship that will leave a lasting leg-
acy and help cultivate an even
brighter future for our sport
globally,” Graca said following
the announcement of the Phil-
ippines as solo host at the FIVB
headquarters in Lausanne,
Switzerland last week.
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
than a minute has increased
sharply in recent years. While
this doesn’t mean that prob-
lem gambling has become more
common – among other issues,
correlation isn’t causation – the
increase very closely match-
es the steady rollout of online
sports betting across the U.S.
Two possible policy solutions
Betting on sports was illegal
before 2018. This forced gam-
blers to either bet with a bookie
or an offshore site. Betting with
a bookie before 2018 was a rel-
❱❱ PAGE 29 Why March Madness
The Department of Tourism
will extend its full support to
the hosting of the biggest vol-
leyball event in the world.
“We like to assure and ensure
that DOT fully supports this
event. We are here to make the
experience of spectators, play-
ers and visitors during this world
championship in the Philippines
very unforgettable,” Alabado said.
The draw will be held in Ma-
nila exactly a year before the
first serve on Sept. 12, marking
the country’s year-long count-
down and the start of the na-
tional team buildup. ■
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
ABS-CBN Studios, TFC..
❰❰ 17 But like in any other
ASAP live concert, the
surprises keep com-
ing. Over 30 acts will light up the
stage in what is expected to be the
biggest Filipino variety concert
this year. More artists will be an-
nounced soon. Stay tuned to ASAP,
TFC and https://mytfc.com/
ASAPinCalifornia for updates.
The State, the City, and the
Venue
California is the birth state of
TFC, starting in a garage in Daly
City in 1994. When the top-rating
ABS-CBN weekend variety show
"ASAP Natin 'To" started touring
abroad, TFC has hosted ASAP in
a California city every 5 years: Los
Angeles in 2014, San Jose in 2019,
and now, Ontario in 2024. This
always delights Filipinos in Cali-
fornia which now number over 1.5
million or over 26% of the state's
Asian population.
"The choice of Ontario as the
site of our TFC30 celebration
with 'ASAP Natin 'To' is not ran-
dom," said ABS-CBN Global COO
Jun Del Rosario, also concurrent
ABS-CBN managing director of
North and Latin America. "On-
tario is the gateway to Southern
California where one third of
Filipinos in the U.S. live. The city
itself is a multicultural melting
pot where diverse cultures co-ex-
ist harmoniously. It ranks among
the safest cities in California. It's
strategically proximal to Filipino
enclaves like Rancho Cucamon-
ga, Pomona, Chino Hills, and
Riverside, and highly accessible
from West Covina, Glendale, Los
Angeles and all the way down
from Long Beach and Carson.
It is situated at the heartland of
Southern California's Filipino
community. Historically for TFC
also, Ontario is the site of the very
From Die Nibelungen..
❰❰ 18 than nine months and
featured complex spe-
cial effects, innovative
lighting techniques, lavish cos-
tumes and massive sets.
The spectacular scene in
which Siegfried slays the
16-metre dragon was a true
standout for its time, and was
considered an impressive feat
of film puppetry. The success of
Die Nibelungen paved the way
to another large-scale German
production, 1927’s Metropolis,
which would become Lang and
von Harbou’s best known work.
first One Kapamilya Go in 2008.
So, Ontario as the venue of ASAP
for TFC's 30th anniversary is a
mindful choice that aligns with
TFC's brand."
Meanwhile, the actual ven-
ue of "ASAP Natin To Cali-
fornia" - Toyota Arena - is a
225,000-square foot venue that
is the biggest and most modern
arena in California's Inland
Empire. It is extra convenient
as it hosts a variety of conces-
sions and refreshment stands,
merchandise kiosks, the VIP
Club and other fan amenities.
It has hosted giant live enter-
tainment performers like Jus-
tin Bieber, Elton John, Carrie
Underwood, bands like Earth,
Wind and Fire, Chicago and
Metallica, and even thematic
offerings like Dancing With the
Stars and Disney on Ice. It also
hosts sports events regularly.
The venue is near restaurants,
hotels and is less than 5 min-
utes by car to Ontario Mills
Mall, one of the largest indoor
shopping malls in the U.S. with
over 200 stores, including pop-
ular fashion brands, entertain-
ment venues, and restaurants.
"ASAP Natin 'To" is a destina-
tion, not just a show," said ABS-
CBN Global Head of Events
Joseph Arnie Garcia. "The pro-
gram and setting are designed
for the whole family to get to-
gether and enjoy world-class
Filipino hospitality and en-
tertainment. We look forward
with much excitement to our
Kapamilya celebrating TFC30
with ASAP this August 3."
To ticket buyers, please make
sure to purchase tickets only
from official sites and autho-
rized agents. Visit https://myt-
fc.com/asapincalifornia. ■
The innovative use of film
technology and special effects,
so crucial to the success of Die
Nibelungen, remains an essen-
tial feature of contemporary
epic fantasy cinema. In the 21st
century, the technical achieve-
ments of epic fantasy films such
as The Lord of the Rings, Ava-
tar and Dune are still central to
their marketing.
However, the similarities be-
tween Die Nibelungen and con-
temporary fantasy epics are not
confined to the narrative, aesthet-
ic and technological dimensions.
Failure to protect:..
❰❰ 11 migrant women may
have concerns about
their or their partner’s
immigration status in Canada
and fear deportation if either
are criminally charged.
Mandatory charging policies
for intimate-partner violence
were devised with seemingly
positive intentions, but Can-
ada’s incident-based criminal
justice system is ill-equipped
to be the sole response to inti-
mate-partner violence.
A collaborative response
Intimate-partner violence is a
complicated issue with no simple,
one-size-fits-all solution. There is
no broad consensus among crimi-
nologists, legal experts, health-care
professionals, and those involved
in social/welfare-based services
on how to “solve” the problem of
intimate-partner violence.
Yet, what has become abun-
dantly clear is that a legal sys-
tem-based response cannot be
employed in isolation. Highly
collaborative and interdisci-
How nature can..
❰❰ 21 day life may provide
the respite needed to
re-prioritise life, and
reduce time pressure by focus-
ing on what actually needs to be
done. In the longer term, time in
nature may help to enhance our
memory and attention capaci-
ty, making us better able to deal
with the demands on our time.
Accessing nature
Getting out into nature may
sound like a simple fix, but for
many people, particularly those
living in urban areas, nature can
be hard to access. Green infra-
Despite the fact that Lang
held antifascist beliefs and fled
Germany shortly after the rise of
Hitler, Die Nibelungen was sys-
tematically used as propaganda
tool by the Third Reich, which
admired the film’s celebration of
both nationalist sentiments and
a heroic Űbermensch.
The movie’s association with
the Nazi regime has remained
an ideological stain on epic fan-
tasy cinema that critics have
often been quick to highlight.
In the 1980s, Excalibur was at-
tacked for supposedly advanc-
www.canadianinquirer.net
plinary responses are needed
– something the UN began ad-
vocating for in 1993.
First and foremost, individu-
alizing the perpetration of inti-
mate-partner violence against
women – reducing it to some-
thing that occurs as an isolated
event between romantic partners
– must cease. Approaching inti-
mate-partner violence as an indi-
vidual, somewhat “private” issue
that presents no risk to the public
is harmful and obscures the real-
ities of intimate-partner violence.
As a result, a starting point is to
acknowledge the incredibly per-
vasive influence of patriarchy and
hegemonic masculinity at the so-
cietal and systemic levels.
Some experts advocate
for trauma-and violence-in-
formed care approaches to
intimate-partner violence, in-
corporating a social-ecological
perspective. This considers the
complicated interaction between
the wide range of individual,
community, relationship, and so-
structure such as trees, wood-
lands, parks and allotments in
and around towns and cities
are essential to making sure the
benefits of time in nature are
accessible to everyone.
If spending time in nature
isn’t possible for you, there are
other ways that you can regain
control of your time. Start by
closely examining how you use
time throughout your week. Au-
diting your time can help you see
where time is being wasted and
to identify action to help you to
free up more time in your life.
ing a fascist aesthetic, while an
early review of The Fellowship
of the Ring stated:
You can’t help feeling Hitler
would have adored this film –
with its hideous Untermenschen,
its hobbits and its Aryan beauties.
Similarly, Dune has been
criticised for both its “white
saviour” narrative tropes and
its celebration of a messianic,
autocratic figure.
Is epic fantasy’s escape into
archaic worlds intrinsically con-
servative? Maybe. Or perhaps
it’s up to viewers to take what
23
cietal factors that place individu-
als at risk of experiencing and/or
perpetrating violence.
In sum, the Canadian govern-
ment is seemingly hesitant to
employ community-based re-
sponses, multi-agency, collabo-
rative responses, or to approach
intimate-partner violence from
a standpoint that deviates
from ‘traditional’ punitive, jus-
tice-based approaches.
However, there is a clear need
for alternative interventions and
holistic responses. Implementing
harsh, one-size-fits-all responses
have proven to be damaging, and
the true experts in this domain
– those who have encountered
mandatory charging policies as
victim-survivors – have ques-
tioned why they are still being
utilized despite the damages that
they have caused. ■
This article first appeared
on Policy Options and is repub-
lished here under a Creative
Commons license.
Alternatively, try to set your-
self some boundaries in how
you use time. This could be lim-
iting when you access emails
and social media, or it could be
booking in time in your calen-
dar to take a break. Taking con-
trol of your time and how you
use it can help to you overcome
the sense that time is running
away from you. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
they want from these fantasti-
cal adventures. As J.R.R. Tolkien
said of the function of fantasy:
The authoritarians have us all
in prison. If we value the freedom
of mind and soul, if we’re parti-
sans of liberty, then it’s our plain
duty to escape.
If that’s the case, thank God
for epic fantasy movies and
their ability to help us make
that escape. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
24
Excessively high rents are a major
burden for immigrants in US cities
BY MADHURI SHARMA,
University of Tennessee,
MIKHAIL SAMARIN,
University of Tennessee
The Conversation
Rents across the U.S. have
climbed to staggering levels in
recent years. Millions of renters
spend more than 30% of their
income on rent and utilities, a
situation that housing experts
call being cost burdened.
High rents affect almost all
segments of the population but
are an especially heavy burden
for immigrants, particularly
those who have not yet become
U.S. citizens. Immigrants, both
documented and undocument-
ed, play important roles in the
U.S. economy. They often pro-
vide the cheapest labor in the
riskiest of industries. Yet they
are still not broadly accepted or
supported in many U.S. cities.
We are geographers who
study housing market issues, in-
cluding racial-ethnic diversity
and housing affordability. Our
research on Nashville, which
has emerged as an immigrant
metropolis in the Southern U.S.,
suggests that foreign-born resi-
dents who are not yet citizens
are far more burdened by high
rents than other groups.
Many immigrant workers in
Nashville spend more than 50%
of their incomes on rent. This
makes it hard for them to af-
ford education and job training,
healthy food, health care and
other necessities that can help
them participate as productive
residents. Heavy rent burdens
undermine their ability to have
a higher standard of living and
to be included in mainstream
society.
As immigrants increasing-
ly fan out across the U.S., we
believe cities receiving new
foreign-born residents should
anticipate a growing need for
affordable housing.
Business
Hard times for renters
The past 15 years have been
challenging for renters across
the country. In the 2008-09 re-
cession, which was triggered by
a collapse in the housing mar-
ket, millions lost their homes to
foreclosure and became renters.
Tighter financing made it harder
for others to buy homes. By 2015,
almost 43 million households
had been pushed into renting.
Today about 37% of U.S.
homes are occupied by renters.
By 2020, almost 46% of U.S.
renters paid more than 30% of
their household income toward
rent. As of June 2021, the medi-
an monthly rent in the 50 larg-
est U.S. cities was $1,575 – an
8.1% increase from June 2020.
The heaviest rent burdens
fall disproportionately on mi-
norities. Almost 46% of African
American-led renter households
are rent burdened, compared
with 34% of white households.
The COVID-19 pandemic
worsened housing insecurity for
people of color because of long-
standing racially targeted poli-
cies and widespread health and
economic disparities. Renters of
color faced higher cost burdens
and eviction rates. In Nashville,
this was especially true in Latino
and Somali communities.
Why immigrant housing
matters
Immigration is the main driver
of population growth in the U.S.,
which is important for filling jobs
and boosting tax revenues. After
dipping because of pandemic-era
restrictions in 2020-22, immi-
gration to the U.S. started grow-
ing again, adding 1.1 million new
residents in 2023.
Foreign-born residents make
up 7.15% of the U.S. population
today. Most of these immigrants
are not citizens, although more
than 878,000 people became
citizens in 2023. The median
length of time these new citizens
spent in the U.S. before becom-
ing naturalized was seven years.
Downtown Nashville skyline.
Nashville is the largest me-
tropolis in Tennessee and one
of the fastest-growing immi-
grant gateways in the South. It
is home to over 37% of Tennes-
see’s Latino population and has
been a major destination for
Latinos and other foreign-born
residents since the early 2000s.
For our research, we used
census data estimates for 2015-
19 from the National Historical
Geographic Information System
covering metro Nashville’s 13
counties, which contain 372 cen-
sus tracts. We found that Nash-
ville’s most racially and ethnical-
ly diverse neighborhoods had the
highest levels of rent burden.
This includes census tracts
with high shares of for-
eign-born residents who are not
yet citizens, especially if those
residents are Black or Latino.
Our analysis of the 37 census
tracts (10% of the region’s to-
tal) with the largest shares of
foreign-born residents who
are not yet citizens shows that
the average monthly rent paid
by a household in these tracts
was $1,306.20, compared with
$1,288.70 metrowide.
In the 37 tracts with the larg-
est shares of Latino residents
and Black residents, we found
that about 21% of households
spent more than 50% of their
household income on rent.
www.canadianinquirer.net
Our findings corroborate oth-
er scholarly analyses of Nash-
ville’s Somali refugees, who tend
to be clustered in communities
that also house other diverse
groups, including Egyptians and
other African immigrants. In
these areas, gentrification and
urban renewal have forced sever-
al Black and Somali communities
from ownership into renting.
We believe specific groups
of foreign-born residents may
either have been ineligible or
didn’t know how to apply for
government-funded housing
and rental assistance programs
and may have had to rent from
predatory landlords as a result.
Some Muslim immigrants also
avoid applying for bank loans
because of a concept in Islam-
ic banking called ribā, which
views charging interest on loans
as unjust and exploitative.
More encouragingly, we
found that tracts with newer
housing stock, built since 2000,
have relatively lower rent bur-
dens even though those tracts
are home to many Black and
non-Asian minority residents.
This suggests that newer devel-
opment has an important role
to play in mitigating rent, es-
pecially in suburban, relative-
ly affordable locations. In the
37 census tracts with the most
foreign-born residents who
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
are not yet citizens, about 28%
of the total housing stock was
built in 2000 or later, compared
with 23% across Nashville.
Easing rent burdens
One of the best ways to mit-
igate rent burdens is to build
more housing and create afford-
able housing. However, com-
munities sometimes oppose
affordable housing projects
and pro-development zoning
because of fears of crime, traf-
fic congestion or populations
viewed as undesirable. Nashville
is not immune to this syndrome.
The cost of housing has been
a heated topic in the Nashville
region since the mid-2010s. A
2023 Urban Institute report
recommended creating more af-
fordable housing in Nashville by
promoting partnerships among
academic, faith-based and
health care institutions that own
land that could be developed for
housing. And the Metropolitan
Council for the Nashville region
plans to substantially revamp
building codes to promote new
housing construction.
However, critics argue that
the council gives too much
weight to anti-development
arguments. And there is little
discussion of specific ways to
help groups that are ineligible
❱❱ PAGE 27 Excessively high rents
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
DOF pushes for Residential real estate
excise tax on prices up in Q4 2023
single-use plastic
bags
BY ANNA LEAH GONZALES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Department
of Finance (DOF) said the pro-
posed excise tax on single-use
plastic bags (SUPs) will not only
generate more than PHP31 bil-
lion in estimated revenue but will
also help address climate change.
In a statement on Monday,
the DOF said it is proposing a
weight-based rate for easier and
fairer tax administration where-
in a PHP100-per-kilogram ex-
cise tax on SUP bags will be im-
posed with a 4-percent annual
indexation beginning the third
year of implementation.
The proposal covers SUP
bags that are not recyclable,
such as “ice,” “labo,” or ”sando”
bag with or without handles.
Under the DOF’s proposal, the
price of "labo" bags per piece will
slightly increase from PHP0.47
cents to PHP0.82, while "sando"
bags will be priced at PHP0.51 to
PHP0.91 each.
The PHP31.52-billion esti-
mated revenues to be generat-
ed from 2025 to 2028 shall be
earmarked for the Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources' solid waste manage-
ment program in municipalities.
The DOF said the proposed
measure seeks to curb the high
volume of mismanaged plastics in
the country and serves as the Phil-
ippines’ contribution to the global
movement of reducing pollution
and adopting more sustainable
practices while raising revenues
to spur economic growth.
According to the DOF, the
Philippines has one of the
cheapest tax rates per bag at
PHP0.40 —a contrast from Ire-
land’s PHP12; Virginia, USA’s
PHP3; and Denmark’s PHP1.
The World Bank also identified
the Philippines as the third largest
contributor of mismanaged plas-
tic entering the ocean each year
with 750,000 metric tons.
Plastics are found to emit
greenhouse gases throughout
their lifecycle–from production
to end of life.
The DOF said the country’s
vulnerability to climate change
puts it at risk of losing 13.6 per-
cent of its economic output by
2040 if not addressed.
“It is the government’s duty
to raise awareness on the im-
pact of non-recyclable plastics
and the irreversible effects of
climate change. I believe this is
where strong policy interven-
tion is needed,” Finance Secre-
tary Ralph Recto said.
“This is a low-hanging fruit
that has been on the table for
more than a decade. I am confi-
dent that our legislators will sup-
❱❱ PAGE 27 DOF pushes for
BY ANNA LEAH GONZALES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Residential real
estate prices went up year-on-
year in the fourth quarter of
2023 but registered a contrac-
tion quarter-on-quarter.
Residential Real Estate Price
Indices (RREPI) data released
by the Bangko Sentral ng Pil-
ipinas (BSP) on Wednesday
showed a 6.5 percent year-on-
year increase in residential real
estate prices nationwide.
The BSP however said that quar-
ter-on-quarter, the index recorded
a contraction of 3.6 percent.
The RREPI is a measure of
the average change in the pric-
es of various types of housing
units, such as single-detached
or attached houses, duplex
housing units, townhouses, and
condominium units, based on
banks’ data on actual mortgage
PH economy forecast to
grow by 6.1% in Q1
BY ANNA LEAH GONZALES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Philippine eco-
nomic growth is projected to
accelerate in the first quarter
of the year, mainly driven by
the government's infrastruc-
ture spending, a report released
by the First Metro Investment
Corporation (FMIC) and the
University of Asia and the Pa-
cific (UA&P) said.
In the latest issue of The
Market Call released on Mon-
day, FMIC and UA&P forecast
the country's gross domestic
product (GDP) to grow by 6.1
percent in the first quarter of
the year.
"The economy looks set to
accelerate in 2024 with Q1 (first
quarter) GDP estimated at 6.1%
as infrastructure spending goes
www.canadianinquirer.net
Business
loans granted to acquire new
housing units.
Growth in residential prop-
erty prices in the National Cap-
ital Region rose by 4.3 percent
as the growth in the prices of
single-detached or attached
houses and townhouses out-
weighed the decline in the pric-
es of condominium units.
Residential property prices
in the Areas Outside the NCR
(AONCR), on the other hand,
went up by 7.8 percent.
The central bank said growth
was "driven by annual increas-
es in the prices of all types of
housing units, except for duplex
housing units where growth
contracted."
On a quarter-on-quarter ba-
sis, residential property prices
declined by 9.4 percent and 1.2
percent in the NCR and AON-
CR, respectively.
By housing type, prices of
single-detached or attached
into high gear with nation-
al government (NG), buoyed
by ODA (official development
assistance) funding, and PPP
(public-private partnership)
projects gain traction," the re-
port said.
FMIC and UA&P expect NG
and infrastructure spending to
accelerate this year.
"We expect NG to have a
strong start in 2024 after the
understandable tentativeness
of the different departments
at the start of 2023 when the
then new administration had
just been in an organizational
mode," FMIC and UA&P said.
"Infrastructure spending,
both government-funded [i.e.,
huge PHP1.0-trillion Depart-
ment of Public Works and High-
ways budget alone] and PPP
projects, should accelerate in
2024 as NG bids out and awards
25
houses registered the highest
year-on-year growth rate in
the fourth quarter of 2023 at
9.5 percent, followed by town-
houses (4.9 percent), and con-
dominium units (4.1 percent).
Prices of duplex housing
units however decreased by
33.5 percent.
The central bank said nation-
wide loan availments for new
housing units recorded dou-
ble-digit growth both year-on-
year and quarter-on-quarter.
The appraised value of new
housing units in the country,
meanwhile, stood at PHP89,042
per square meter (sqm), up by
19.1 percent from the fourth
quarter of 2022.
The average appraised val-
ue per sqm in the NCR was
at PHP134,178, higher by 5.5
percent year-on-year while
the appraised value per sqm in
AONCR likewise went up 31.8
percent to PHP65,186. ■
large undertakings starting
with the recent $3.0-b(illion)
Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA) expansion,"
they added.
Meanwhile, inflation, which
accelerated to 3.4 percent in
February, is projected to re-
main within the government's 2
to 4 percent target for this year.
"We also don’t see a repeat
of the February inflation spike
as rice prices abroad had begun
to ease while crude oil prices
have little upside given the weak
China economic recovery and
surplus capacity in both OPEC
(Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries) and non-
OPEC countries," the report said.
FMIC and UA&P forecast
headline inflation to settle at
3.7 percent in the first half of
the year, and decelerate to 3.5
percent in the third quarter. ■
26
Dating apps: Lack of regulation,
oversight and competition affects
quality, and millions stand to lose
BY NEIL MCARTHUR,
University of Manitoba
The Conversation
When Aleksandr Zhadan
used ChatGPT to talk to over
5,000 women on Tinder, it was
a sign of things to come.
As artificial intelligence be-
comes more sophisticated and
easily available, online dating is
facing an onslaught of AI-pow-
ered fraud. The industry,
which is dominated by a small
number of incumbents, has al-
ready proven slow to respond
to long-standing problems on
its apps. AI will be its moment
of reckoning — there are even
apps that can help people write
their messages.
Opponents of dating apps
may be happy to see the indus-
try crash and burn. The rest of
us should worry. Online dating
plays an important, and I be-
lieve positive, role in our lives.
It has made it easier for people
to find relationships, and easier
to find people with whom we
are truly compatible.
As the industry careens to-
wards disaster, regulators
should be prepared to intervene.
Real versus fake connections
Zhadan’s case shows one of
the challenges AI poses for on-
line dating. Now, when we chat
with someone on one of the
apps, we cannot know if their
answers are written by a chat-
bot, nor can we know how many
other people they are talking to
simultaneously. We also can’t
know if someone’s photos have
been produced with the help of
an AI image generator
But at least Zhadan was ac-
tually looking for love. Since
the launch of ChatGPT in late
2022, the amount of outright
fraud on dating apps, much of it
Technology
powered by AI, has skyrocket-
ed. According to cybersecurity
company Arkose Labs, there
was, between January 2023
and January 2024, a staggering
2,000 per cent increase in bot
attacks on dating sites.
And this is just the beginning.
AI is getting more powerful,
and more convincingly human,
all the time.
Even before AI appeared on
the scene, fraud on dating apps
was already a serious problem.
Sign up for one of them and
you’ll instantly find your feed
clogged with an endless number
of fake profiles. Most of them
have been created for a specific
purpose, which is to steal your
money. Unfortunately, it works.
In 2023, 64,000 people in the
United States admitted to being
the victims of romance scams,
most of which happen through
dating apps — we can assume
this is only a small portion of
the actual cases.
The Federal Trade Commis-
sion measures the losses for the
year at US$1.14 billion. This has
been going on for years, and the
app companies have done little
to stop it.
Online connections, offline
threats
Fraud is not the only chal-
lenge faced by dating app users.
A quarter of them, mostly wom-
en, have been stalked by some-
one they met online. Even more
tragic are the cases of people
being assaulted or murdered.
There are other issues: prices
on the apps have gone up steadi-
ly and innovation has come to a
grinding halt. Ever since Tinder
introduced the card stack in
2016, the design of the apps has
hardly changed.
You swipe, match, message
and hope for the best. It should
perhaps be no surprise that cus-
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
tomers are getting fed up. owns Badoo and Fruitz. apps that everyone else is on.
Benefits to society In the United States, Match Regulators should finally
While online dating certainly Group and Bumble control over get involved. They should hold
has its share of long-standing three-quarters of the market. the companies accountable for
critics, I have argued that, on Anti-trust authorities have fraud and abuse on their apps in
balance, the apps are a benefit never given the industry any se- order to force them to innovate
to users and to society. They are rious scrutiny. Presumably, they to protect users. They should
an efficient way to find partners, do not think online dating is look closely at the prices they
get us out of our social bubbles important enough to deserve it. charge customers for premium
and encourage connections But these companies have a lot features. The ultimate solution
across class and race. of control over one of the most may be to break up the sec-
Precisely because of the im- intimate aspects of our lives. tor’s dominant players, Match
portant role the technology Thirty per cent of all adults Group and Bumble, in order to
plays in our lives, we should pay in the U.S., and over half of peo- create real competition.
attention to how the industry ple under 30, have used a dating The inventors of dating apps
operates. The dating app com- app at some point. One in 10 deserve credit for enabling mil-
panies are finally starting to do Americans is currently in a re- lions of connections that would
something to protect users. lationship with someone they never have happened other-
But given how long fraud has met online. wise. But if things don’t change,
plagued these apps, their re- The costs of fraud and abuse, the companies could be in trou-
sponse has been slow and pret- in both human and financial ble and millions of people could
ty underwhelming. They need, terms, are huge. And the an- be lonelier as a result. ■
at a minimum, better tools to ti-competitive pressures in the
detect fake accounts and re- industry are strong, given the This article is republished
move them quickly. There is a network effect built into online from The Conversation under a
lot more they could do as well. dating: we want to be on the Creative Commons license.
They could require back-
ground checks for users, which
polls show a majority of people
support. They could put AI to
use themselves, to flag signs of
fraud during people’s private
chats. And dating app compa-
nies could implement safety
features to protect users when
they meet in person, for in-
stance making it easier to share
with your friends or family the
profiles of people you are meet-
ing up with.
Dominant players
One explanation for the com-
panies’ sluggish response will
be familiar to any observer of
big tech: the concentration of
ownership. The dominant play-
er, Match Group, owns over 40
different apps, including most
of the well-known: Tinder,
Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge
and Plenty of Fish. Its only se-
rious competitor for market
share is Bumble, which also
www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
Taiwan tech firms showcase 5G,
AI innovative solutions
BY AEROL JOHN PATEÑA
Philippine News Agency
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Various in-
formation and communication
technology companies in Tai-
wan showcased their various
applications of artificial intelli-
gence (AI) and 5G technologies
as the island positions itself
to be a smart city powerhouse
during the recent 2024 Smart
City Summit and Expo (SCSE)
held in the Taiwanese capital.
The exhibit was aimed at
highlighting the importance of
these technologies in address-
ing various concerns such as
transportation, health care,
environment sustainability,
among others.
Major Taiwanese telco pro-
vider Chunghwa Telecom said
it is diversifying its business
towards providing solutions on
traffic management, and set-
ting up a smart industrial park
through AI and 5G technologies.
“We are no longer a traditional
telecom company today. We want
to show our innovative solutions
combining technologies like AI,
big data, cloud and data centers,
5G,” Chunghwa Telecom senior
executive vice president and
chief financial officer Vincent
Chen told reporters during the
5G + AI Solution Expo Tour held
at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition
Center last March 20.
“By presenting these innova-
tions, we want to show that we
are diversifying ourselves from
Excessively high rents..
❰❰ 24 for benefits and assis-
tance that are avail-
able to U.S. citizens.
A priority for cities
Our research shows that cre-
ating more rental opportunities
can help reduce rent burdens for
all. We see great potential to take
this research further through
community-based investiga-
tions of local nuances that may
add to rent burdens, especially
factors and processes that can’t
be adequately captured in quan-
titative data analysis. Many local
actors have important roles to
our core identity as a telecom
provider,” he added.
The company’s exhibition
area featured a realistic city
model as part of their smart
transportation solutions. The
model demonstrates cellular ve-
hicle-probe data collected over
mobile networks with telecom
big data, enabling traffic anal-
ysis such as travel time, traffic
flow trends, route selection,
and review of road signal plan-
ning. This supports local gov-
ernments in developing strate-
gies for traffic management and
transportation planning.
A cellular-based vehicle
probe leverages existing cel-
lular network infrastructure
to gather traffic data from ve-
hicles. It uses smartphones
and other mobile devices on
the road to anonymously track
their movements and estimate
traffic solutions.
Meanwhile, Chunghwa Tele-
com’s smart industrial park
solutions utilizes its 5G net-
work infrastructure to enable
high-bandwidth applications like
real-time data transfer, machine
control, and remote monitoring.
The 5G technology can be
used for various applications
such as monitoring the tem-
perature, humidity and light-
ing of buildings; telemedicine;
real-time monitoring of traf-
fic conditions in major roads;
tracking of delivery of goods and
services of factories and other
enterprises, among others.
For its part, Acer ITS Inc., a
play, including elected officials
and local nonprofits and com-
munity organizations that work
to promote rights for immi-
grants and refugees.
Given the important role
that immigrants play in filling
jobs and contributing to lo-
cal economies, we believe that
helping them afford housing is
a smart strategy, especially for
growth-oriented cities. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
subsidiary of Acer Group, show-
cased its smart roadside parking
system utilizing sensors em-
bedded in parking spaces to de-
tect if there are spots occupied
by vehicles. Drivers using their
mobile apps can monitor park-
ing slots that are available and
can reserve a slot and pay for the
parking through the apps.
The smart roadside parking
solutions seek to reduce time
for drivers to look for parking
slots, increase parking space
availability, ensure efficient
payment of parking fees and
provide data for efficient traffic
management.
Meanwhile, Far EasTone Tele-
communications’ exhibit on
smart energy featured complete
SMART PARKING SYSTEM. Acer ITS Inc., a subsidiary of Acer Group, exhibits
its smart roadside parking system that uses sensors to enable drivers to monitor
available parking slots, reserve a slot, and pay for their parking fees through their
mobile apps. The system seeks to reduce the time for drivers to look for parking
slots, increase parking space availability, ensure efficient payment of parking fees,
and provide data for efficient traffic management. (AEROL JOHN PATEÑA/PNA)
DOF pushes for..
❰❰ 25 port this measure,” he
added.
The DOF's propos-
al was presented by DOF Fiscal
Policy and Monitoring Group Of-
ficer-in-Charge Undersecretary
Karlo Fermin Adriano to indus-
try stakeholders last March 6.
“When a good has some neg-
ative externalities, meaning the
consumption or use of a product
causes some social cost, we try to
regulate that through taxation.
In the case of single-use plastic,
the social cost is mismanaged
waste, which is related to cli-
www.canadianinquirer.net
Technology
energy systems equipped with
electricity meters and environ-
ment sensors to generate power
usage analysis and provide rec-
ommendations for saving power.
This enables renewable en-
ergy facilities to save electricity
automatically, allowing users
to quickly grasp energy usage
statuses for adjustment and ef-
ficient control.
On the other hand, Taiwan
Secom Company Ltd. provides
a wide range of security services
from residential to commercial
applications.
Some of these offerings in-
clude CCTV monitoring; fire
alarms and other fire safety
equipment; electronic locks
and smart appliances.
mate change,” said Adriano.
The stakeholder briefing was
participated by representatives
from the Philippine Alliance for
Recycling and Materials Sustain-
ability; Philippine Business for
Social Progress; Climate Reality
Project Philippines, EcoWaste
Coalition; Mother Earth Foun-
dation; Philippine Business for
Environmental Stewardship;
Union Local Authorities of the
Philippines; Department of En-
vironment and Natural Resourc-
es; and Philippine Plastics Indus-
try Association. ■
27
The company likewise offers
property management for res-
idential and commercial build-
ings as well as designing and
implementing security systems
for hospitals, schools and other
large buildings.
The Taiwan Web Service Cor-
poration provides access to an
AI High Performance Comput-
ing Supercomputer, allowing
enterprises to create important
AI tasks without needing their
own infrastructure.
The firm offers cloud storage
and computing resources that
can be used to build and deploy
AI applications. It has likewise
developed a large language
model called ‘Formosa Foun-
dation Model’ specifically for
Traditional Chinese language
which can be used for various
tasks such as text generation
and semantic understanding.
The 5G + AI Solution Expo
Tour intended to present Tai-
wan’s widespread application of
emerging technologies such as
5G and Artificial Intelligence of
Things as it is already a part of the
global AI hardware supply chain.
"AI Everywhere! The om-
nipresence of AI is the most
important feature of this
year's exhibition,” Charles Y.P.
Huang, deputy secretary-gen-
eral of the Taipei Computer
Association said.
The SCSE provides Taiwan
the platform to promote its di-
verse range of smart city and
net-zero city initiatives as it
transforms into a tech island. ■
How caste discrimination..
❰❰ 9 dian constitution,
B.R. Ambedkar, who
campaigned for the
rights of South Asia’s diverse
Dalit communities. His life and
activism provide the model for
millions of Dalits around the
world as they seek to remake
the world without caste. With
the Caste in Canada project, we
work with our Dalit colleagues
to do the same in Canada. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
28
Hundred Islands National Park:
a one-stop vacation hub
BY HILDA AUSTRIA
Philippine News Agency
ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasin-
an – The Hundred Islands Na-
tional Park (HINP), which has
17 islands that are open to pub-
lic, is a place for a dynamic fam-
ily, group, or solo vacation for
its sceneries and activities that
are tailored-fit for the needs of
every tourist.
The city government of Alami-
nos has been constantly innovat-
ing and improving the facilities
as well as services in the famous
national park to hit or even ex-
ceed the 520,000 pre-pandemic
tourist arrivals, City Tourism and
Cultural Affairs Office assistant
head Rose Aruelo said in an in-
terview on Tuesday.
ADVENTURE RIDES
Among the latest offerings
are water bike, water trike,
hurricane boat ride and crystal
kayaking. These activities are
on top of the banana boat ride
and the 120-meter zipline at
Quezon Island.
Fees for these rides range
from PHP300 to PHP1,000.
The water bikes allow people
to cycle underwater while the
hurricane boat ride is somehow
similar to the banana boat ride
but with a literal twist since the
boat is not a long one but a round
rubber boat that spins when
pulled by a boat at high speed.
Crystal kayaking, in turn, al-
lows tourists to ride transpar-
ent kayaks that enable them to
see the underwater scene.
Aside from the 120-meter
zipline at Quezon Island, tour-
ists may also choose the 546-me-
ter zipline from Governor’s Is-
land to Virgin Island, where the
aerial view of the islands can be
seen at 360-degree.
The climb going to the zipline
area, however, is challenging
but worth it, according to Mel-
anie Episcope of Calasiao town,
Pangasinan.
Travel
Jenrei del Rosario, a tourist
from Sta. Barbara town, Pan-
gasinan, enjoyed the helmet
diving experience.
He, along with other friends,
were submerged into the 12 feet
deep ocean in between two is-
lands with a helmet diving gear,
which allowed them to swim
with the fishes and see with
their very own eyes the giant
clams, locally known as taclobo,
and other marine life for a max-
imum time of 15 minutes.
“It was, at first, scary especial-
ly when we were going down the
ocean floor but eventually, it be-
came wonderful seeing the un-
derwater life,” he said in Filipino.
Cliff jumping or diving is an-
other activity for the brave at the
Imelda’s Cave in Marcos Island.
FUN AND CHILL
HINP also caters to those
who just want to relax and en-
joy the scenery.
Tourists may swim at the Que-
zon Island or at the other islands
such as the Scout, Lopez, Virgin,
or Children’s islands.
The beaches of the islands
have white sand and crystal clear
water since the management of
the HINP and the city govern-
ment of Alaminos ensure that
they protect and preserve the
famous national park through
different measures such as the
Scubasurero program (from the
words scuba diving and "basure-
ro" or garbage collector), which
started in 2016.
Under this program, volun-
teer scuba divers conduct quar-
terly sea clean-up drives.
Another program is the “Ba-
sura Mo, Iuwi Mo” (Your Gar-
bage, Bring it Home), where
guests deposit PHP200 and are
provided with two trash bags
where they need to put their
biodegradable and non-biode-
gradable wastes. The PHP200
will be refunded once the visi-
tors surrender their trash be-
fore they get out of the park.
Another attraction in the
park is the fish feeding activity
at Ramos Island as well as the
snorkeling activity or spelunk-
ing at the Cathedral Cave or
caves at Cuenco Island.
Wendy Fernandez, a Filipino
who is now residing in Canada,
said even her children enjoy is-
land hopping and swimming at
the HINP while she enjoys the
picturesque view.
PILGRIMAGE SITE
Among the most visited is-
lands in the HINP is the Pil-
grimage Island, where the 56-
foot Christ the Savior statue
and the Stations of the Cross
are located.
“We again advise tourists to
please be in your decent clothes
while visiting Pilgrimage Is-
land. Decent means not too
fleshy. If you are wearing swim-
wear that is revealing, at least
cover it while on the island.
Visitors should also observe si-
lence since many are there to
pray and meditate,” city tour-
ism officer Miguel Sison said.
Sison said they also recently
opened the Bonsai Garden at
Ramos Island to serve as anoth-
er attraction.
Meanwhile, HINP is now
HUNDRED ISLANDS. Tourists start to flock to the Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City, Pangasinan with the
onset of the summer season. The national park is known for its white sand beaches, scenic view, and other fun activities.
(HILDA AUSTRIA/PNA)
www.canadianinquirer.net
offering an island exclusivity
package from PHP80,000 to
PHP150,000, depending on the
island and the schedule. The
fee includes security personnel,
first aider and an assistant.
For one, visitors may ex-
clusively rent Mayor’s Island,
which can accommodate up to 10
guests, for PHP25,000 overnight.
Sison said tourist arrivals in the
HINP reached 438,619 last year,
higher by 12 percent compared to
the 389,006 visitors in 2022.
Of the total, 140,970 were tour-
ists from Pangasinan, 289,413
from other areas of the country,
while the balance was accounted
for by foreign tourists.
Sison attributed the increase
in tourist arrivals to the easing
of travel restrictions, the natural
scenery at the famous national
park, and the activities it offers.
Last year, tourism receipts
reached PHP44 million, up
from PHP33.3 million in 2022.
For this week, the Alamin-
os City government will im-
plement the “drop and pick
up” policy for tourists visiting
HINP from Holy Wednesday
until Easter Sunday to accom-
modate the expected 10,000
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
tourists daily during the five-
day period.
"Visitors will visit only three
islands in a day. From the three
islands, they will identify where
they will stay longer and agree
with the boatman on the time
of pickup," she said.
Aruelo said the boatmen must
honor the arranged pickup sched-
ule or they will be penalized.
She said rental fees for the
around 1,000 boats that have dif-
ferent passenger capacities will
be reduced in line with the policy.
Pangasinan Provincial Tour-
ism and Cultural Affairs Office
head Maria Luisa Amor-Eldu-
ayan said Alaminos City is the
third most visited tourist site in
Pangasinan.
The towns of Manaoag, Bo-
linao, Lingayen, and Binalonan
are the first, second, fourth and
fifth placers.
She said declaration of long
weekends “favors cost-effec-
tiveness of traveling – notwith-
standing the viability of travel
expenses, and the increase in
the number of facilities and en-
terprises in destination areas
that provide added values, and
activities.” ■
FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024
PH-Thai ‘two-country, one-destination’
tie-up eyed in June
BY JOYCE ANN L.
ROCAMORA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA— Thailand is hop-
ing to sign within the year a
tourism deal with the Philip-
pines that would jumpstart the
“two-country, one-destination”
initiative, its top diplomat in
the Philippines said Friday.
Under the concept, the two
governments will ramp up pro-
motions and encourage foreign
tourists visiting either of the two
states to have the Philippines or
Thailand as their second stop.
In an interview on the side-
lines of the Foreign Service
Institute (FSI) Ambassadors’
Lecture Series, Thailand Am-
bassador Tull Traisorat said
the document could be signed
by June during the Philip-
pine-Thailand tourism minis-
terial meeting or “even before if
there’s a high-level visit”.
“The two-country, one-des-
tination concept is reflected in
the implementation part under
Why March Madness..
❰❰ 22 atively slow process.
Gamblers typically
needed to pay for their
bets upfront with cash and ran
the risk their bookie would be
arrested or shut down.
Today, in-play or live betting
is legal and almost instanta-
neous. Bettors sitting on their
couches at home can make mul-
tiple types of bets, such as which
player will make the first shot in
a basketball game. In business
terms, sports gambling went
from extreme friction to a com-
pletely frictionless experience.
To reduce the harms of sports
betting, I propose two ways to
reinject friction into the sys-
tem. The first is to prevent
credit cards from being used for
online gambling. While not ev-
ery state and bank allows credit
cards to fund a sports betting
account, many do. Those cred-
it cards that allow it often treat
gambling payments as a cash
advance, which is very costly.
The U.K. banned credit cards
the memorandum of under-
standing (MOU) on tourism
cooperation between Thailand
and the Philippines,” he said.
“This one is the implemen-
tation agreement under that
MOU. So, the two sides will
work even more closely togeth-
er,” he added.
Given the distance between
the two neighbors, Traisorat
also emphasized the need to
work on establishing a direct
flight between the two states'
popular destinations.
‘Phuket-Cebu direct flights’
Currently, the envoy said
stakeholders are in talks for a
possible direct flight between
Cebu and Phuket.
“It’s in the making. I’ve talk-
ed with all relevant airlines al-
ready, including Thai Airways,
PAL (Philippine Airlines), Cebu
Pacific, Thai VietJet Air, and
AirAsia as well to promote this.
It’s a key to promote tourism
between our two countries,” he
told reporters.
Once established, Traisorat
said the Philippines could get
for remote gambling in 2020,
noting that people who used
credit cards to gamble were
disproportionately likely to
be problem gamblers. Austra-
lia has also banned online bets
made with credit cards. A few
U.S. states, such as Massachu-
setts and Tennessee, have also
instituted these sorts of bans,
but most have not.
The second idea, which I pre-
fer, is to revert to common prac-
tice before 2018 of using cash to
bet. The idea is simple. Anyone
with an online gambling account
would need to prefund their ac-
count with cash. Winners would
never have to stop gambling.
Losers, however, would be
forced to temporarily stop bet-
ting when their account runs
out of money. Needing to take a
break to go to a bank or simply
pull money out of your wallet
and hand it to someone would
give people a chance to think
about what they’re doing in-
stead of being stuck in the mo-
a share of Thailand’s steadi-
ly growing number of foreign
tourists.
In 2023 alone, Thailand re-
ceived about 28 million interna-
tional travelers, eight to 10 mil-
lion visited Phuket via the more
than 100 weekly direct flights
from Europe, Japan, Hong
Kong, South Korea, and China.
“If there’s direct flight be-
tween Phuket and Cebu, if the
Thai Ambassador Tull Traisorat is latest lecturer for FSI’s Ambassadors’ Lecture
Series. (FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE)
ment of a bet-bet-bet mindset.
In theory, people could de-
posit cash into their accounts
at any of the roughly 223,000
locations across the country
that sell lottery tickets. To im-
plement this idea, however, the
federal government would need
to change a law. Since 1955, it
has imposed a special yearly tax
of $50 on each person who ac-
cepts bets for profit.
The law exempts charities and
state lotteries. This tax doesn’t
raise much revenue already,
since so few people are subject to
it. It also reduces employment,
as well as gambling companies’
interest in allowing in-person
prefunding of accounts.
If you’re watching March
Madness and betting on the
tournament, I hope you win.
But even if you don’t, at least
your state government will. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
www.canadianinquirer.net
Travel
Philippines could tap at least 10
percent, it’s near one million al-
ready. So, a direct flight is key in
promoting tourism and attract-
ing more tourists,” Traisorat said.
“The key is attracting those
from the outside— those who
come to Thailand— to continue
here in the Philippines, partic-
ularly those who love diving,”
he added, citing the world-re-
nowned diving destinations in
What your sad..
❰❰ 21 desks, despite (you
might expect) having
a more pleasant space
to eat. Perhaps the impact of
the pandemic on our lunches is
not so dramatic after all.
What we eat for lunch every
day (and how we eat it) has an
impact on our health. Some or-
ganisations and countries have
recognised the importance of
this. France, for example, has
a labour regulation that bans
workers from eating lunch in the
workplace. Long lunches among
French workers are linked to
better food choices and health.
Improving lunchtime hab-
its, therefore, is not necessarily
down to whether you choose a
salad or a slice of pizza. Your em-
ployer, through lower workload,
or even the government, through
labour laws, may have an influ-
ence on what’s for lunch. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
29
the Philippines.
On top of arrivals, Traisor-
at also mentioned the growing
presence of Thai brands in Phil-
ippine hospitality such as the
Dusit Thani.
“They are planning to have
one more in Iloilo and one more
in Boracay,” he said.
“But this one, except the one
in Manila, which is owned and
managed by Dusit Thani, the
rest is owned by a Filipino and
managed by Dusit Thani. So,
the owner has to negotiate the
management agreement with
Dusit Thani,” he added.
Apart from Dusit Thani, Trai-
sorat said the Erawan Group,
which operates the Hop Inn
Hotels, is also expanding well.
These developments come as
Thailand and the Philippines
mark their 75 years of diplo-
matic relations on June 14.
Aside from tourism, coopera-
tion between Manila and Bang-
kok continues to grow in trade,
culture, education, and agricul-
ture, among others. ■
Doug Ford avoids..
❰❰ 10 rious examination. In
some cases, other pro-
vincial governments
have proceeded anyway, such as
the Site C project in B.C. and the
Muskrat Falls Dam in Labrador.
Their consequences have been
economically and environmen-
tally disastrous.
Infrastructure projects are es-
sential to Ontario’s well-being, but
their long-term consequences can
lock in bad approaches, despite the
fact better, less costly and less risky
alternatives may exist.
All of this means that seri-
ous questions need to be asked
about megaprojects before they
proceed, but these are precisely
the kinds of questions the Ford
government seems determined
to avoid, an effort the federal
government now appears to be
willing to facilitate. ■
This article first appeared
on Policy Options and is repub-
lished here under a Creative
Commons license.
30
Buying affordable ethical chocolate
is almost impossible – but some firms
are offering the next best thing
BY MICHAEL ROGERSON,
University of Sussex
The Conversation
With supermarket aisles piled
high with assortments of choco-
late treats, the choice can seem
overwhelming. The array of eth-
ical options – some with certifi-
cations, others with marketing
claims about sustainability – can
just add to the confusion.
Shoppers are becoming more
eco-conscious, with consumer
spending on ethical products
increasing from £17 billion in
1999 to more than £141 billion
in 2023, according to Ethi-
cal Consumer magazine. In
terms of chocolate, that usual-
ly means avoiding issues such
as cocoa’s endemic reliance on
child labour, child trafficking
and widespread deforestation.
Lack of transparency along
the whole supply chain is a ma-
jor barrier to sourcing ethical
cocoa and buying ethical choc-
olate. This makes it almost im-
possible to guarantee that any
chocolate you buy is ethically
sourced, even from companies
that do their utmost to avoid
buying from suppliers with
harmful practices.
However, some new brands,
such as the Netherlands’ To-
ny’s Chocolonely and Scotland’s
UP-UP Chocolate, are trying to
demonstrate their commitment
to child labour-free products by
doing more than claiming re-
sponsible sourcing of cocoa.
Tony’s publishes the number
of cases of labour abuses it finds
every year, and its packaging
explains the issues of modern
slavery in cocoa farming. UP-UP
surveys every worker in its sup-
ply chains and states which sin-
gle-estate plantation its cocoa
comes from on its packaging.
Food
Why it’s so hard to guaran-
tee ethical practices
Without transparency, the
origin of the cocoa – and there-
fore its impact on people and
planet – cannot be known. Most
of the world’s cocoa is grown in
west Africa, where more than 2
million farmers work on around
800,000 farms.
Many of these farms are re-
mote and served only by mo-
torcycle due to poor infrastruc-
ture. This contributes to the
long and fragmented nature of
cocoa supply chains.
Tracing actual shipments of
cocoa is rare because it’s sold as
a commodity on a mass balance
basis. So, while the volume of
ethical cocoa farmed is equal to
that sold, most cocoa is mixed
with cocoa of unknown origin
from multiple sources.
At various stages within the
supply chain, from transport to
processing, a company’s abil-
ity to track cocoa from known
sources at specific farms is
compromised.
While such complexity makes
addressing child labour more
difficult, it could be seen as
convenient for large chocolate
producers. Some have had legal
claims against them dismissed
because of the lack of traceabili-
ty between child labour on cocoa
farms and their products.
Tony’s and UP-UP try to over-
come transparency issues by
buying from specific plantations
or cooperatives. UP-UP sources
its cocoa from a specific planta-
tion in Colombia. Tony’s sourc-
es from a known cooperative in
west Africa which makes moni-
toring labour conditions easier.
But this approach is not flaw-
less. Tony’s doesn’t own the plan-
tations it buys from, so while it
can influence conditions, it can-
not dictate to farmers. Tony’s re-
moved 1,752 children from child
labour in its last year of report-
ing, but identified another 1,072
cases on plantations from which
it sources its cocoa.
Tony’s also works with cocoa
processor Barry Callebaut, de-
spite its alleged links to child
labour. Barry Callebaut states
that it has “a responsibility and
a plan of action – built on full
traceability and transparency –
to stop any form of child labour
by 2025 and make it something
of the past”. Tony’s wants to act
as a lever to change from with-
in the industry and scale up ef-
forts to improve transparency
in chocolate supply chains.
Hollow chocolate claims
The difficulties of building
more transparent cocoa supply
chains is only half the story. Big
firms have routinely been criti-
cised by charities such as Oxfam
for “hollow” claims made about
efforts to protect workers.
Environmental charity
Mighty Earth has called Cargill,
a major cocoa processor and
www.canadianinquirer.net
chocolate producer, “the worst
company in the world” for al-
leged links to child labour and
deforestation. Cargill states
that it does not tolerate the use
of any form of forced labour and
is “actively working towards
eradicating child labour in the
cocoa supply chain”.
Child and forced labour have
long been a problem within co-
coa supply chains and Cadbury
was aware of the problem over
a century ago. In 2001, eight
of the industry’s major multi-
nationals pledged to end child
labour in cocoa production by
2005. Signatories have repeat-
edly pushed that deadline back.
Many companies rely on
third-party certification by or-
ganisations such as Fairtrade and
Rainforest Alliance. But Green-
peace found that a lack of consis-
tency between standards means
that claims can be misleading.
The most recent report from
Cocoa Barometer, a consor-
tium of ethically minded and
sustainability-focused organ-
MARCH 29, 2024 FRIDAY
isations including Oxfam and
WWF, claims that certification
does not imply sustainability,
because it doesn’t require much
actual operational change.
While cocoa certification
helps restore biodiversity, it
doesn’t necessarily increase the
money farmers receive for their
crop. Large chocolate producers
prioritise short-term profit over
meaningful structural change
and this can result in a benefit
from poor cocoa farmer pay and
low transparency in their own
self-certified reporting.
Consumers pay a premium
for ethical chocolate. Both the
separation of harvests that en-
ables Tony’s Chocolonely to
know the origin of its cocoa
origin and the meticulous sur-
vey approach taken by UP-UP
Chocolate incur additional
costs. Buying at huge scale and
without such rigour does not.
Evidence of single origin
cocoa published on product
packaging does not guarantee
ethical sourcing, but it’s a sign
of good practice. Sourcing sin-
gle-origin cocoa enables checks
of working conditions at known
sites. It’s better for the environ-
ment and leads to substantially
higher pay for farmers.
Without genuine transpar-
ency about the source of cocoa,
ethical chocolate claims are
hard to take seriously. Small-
er producers such as UP-UP,
Divine and vegan chocolatier
Pacari, source their cocoa from
individual plantations and have
that transparency. And by iden-
tifying child labour abuses, To-
ny’s is as much an activist brand
highlighting cocoa’s ills as it is a
chocolatier. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 MARCH 29, 2020
JULY 17, 2024 cx328
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