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RELIEF

An ice cream vendor parks his cart in a gasoline station in East Avenue, Quezon City where buyers could spot him on Tuesday afternoon (April 30, 2024). Cold food and beverage help lower body
temperature, a needed intervention during extreme heat.
ROBERT OSWALD P. ALFILER / PNA

24
Marcos orders review
of regional minimum
wage rates
For Europe to emulate Silicon
Valley’s tech success, it should
change its startup funding model

BY DARRYL JOHN ESGUERRA

Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Mar-
cos Jr. directed the Regional Tripartite
Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)
to review the minimum wage rates in their
respective regions as the country marks the
122nd Labor Day on Wednesday.
In a speech in Malacañang for the 29
Labor Day rites, Marcos asked the
RTWPBs to consider the prevailing eco- `
nomic complexities such as inflation in
Meta’s Canadian news ban
conducting the review. could put people at risk
“As president, I call on the Regional during public emergencies TikTok users claim freezing bread
❱❱ PAGE 7 Marcos orders review can make it healthier – here’s
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FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
PBBM honors
working class,
vows continued
gov’t support
BY DARRYL JOHN
ESGUERRA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – As the country
pays tribute to the toil and sac-
rifices of workers on Labor Day,
President Ferdinand R. Marcos
Jr. vowed to continue supporting
the working class in their pursuit
of improved working conditions
and better life quality.
In his message released by
the Office of the President on
social media Wednesday, Mar-
cos paid tribute to the noble
and diligent Filipino workers,
highlighting their contribu-
tions to the country’s develop-
ment thrust.
“From the bustling cities to
the remote fields in the coun-
tryside, it is the labor of the Fil-
ipino that propels us forward,
fueling our economy and sus-
taining the very fabric of our
society,” Marcos said.
“On this special day, we rec-
ognize the invaluable contri-
butions of our hardworking
men and women whose grit and
resilience have paved the way
for our national development.
We also pay homage to all the
people who raised their voic-
es in the pursuit of social jus-
tice, championing the rights of
workers and ensuring that their
efforts are duly valued and com-
pensated,” he added.
The President noted that the
Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PCO)
government “continues to sup-
port the working class and up-
hold the principles of fairness,
dignity, and equity across all
workspaces.”
“Indeed, under the banner of a
Bagong Pilipinas, we will usher in
an era of greater prosperity where
opportunities abound, creating
a society where every worker is
cherished, respected, and em-
powered to thrive,” he said.
Marcos will lead the La-
bor Day celebration in Mala-
cañang where he is expected
to award outstanding workers
in the country and unveil the
Department of Labor and Em-
ployment’s masterplan for the
soon-to-be built Workers' Re-
habilitation Center Complex.
Meanwhile, Department of
National Defense (DND) Sec-
retary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said
the agency joins the nation in
recognizing the valuable role
of all Filipino workers in the
country's development.
"Today, the Philippines joins
other nations in the global cele-
bration of Labor Day. On behalf of
the men and women of the DND,
I convey our solidarity with the
Filipino people in recognizing
the immense sacrifices and con-
tributions of Filipino workers
both here and abroad," he said in
a message forwarded to reporters.
Teodoro also reminded the
public of the importance of
❱❱ PAGE 14 PBBM honors
Senate to look into
impacts of extreme
heat on basic education
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Senate Com-
mittee on Basic Education will
be looking for “balanced” solu-
tion as it sets to start discus-
sions on the impacts of extreme
heat and the shift to alternative
delivery modes (ADMs) in the
conduct of classes.
The public hearing will be
conducted on April 30 amid
the backdrop of in-person
classes being suspended due to
extreme heat, and the imple-
mentation of blended learning,
modular distance learning and
other ADMs.
In a statement, Senator Sher-
win Gatchalian said the hearing
will seek to identify the regions
which were seen to have the high-
est adoption of ADMs among
students, and what specific chal-
lenges each has experienced.
“We will also explore the
regional adoption of ADMs in
education; the impact of cli-
mate change on educational
disparities; interventions for
Marcos to DTI: Help
MSMEs become AI-ready
BY DARRYL JOHN
ESGUERRA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Fer-
dinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tues-
day ordered the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI) to ca-
pacitate micro, small, and me-
dium enterprises (MSME) by
introducing them to artificial
intelligence (AI) to help them
navigate economic uncertain-
ties and comply with the chang-
ing technological demands.
Marcos issued the directive
during a sectoral meeting at the
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
preventing heat-related health
issues; and the current ADMs
employed by the Department
of Education (DepEd) and their
accessibility, effectiveness,
and inclusivity; the effects of
ADMs on various stakehold-
ers,” Gatchalian, the Basic Ed-
ucation panel chairperson, said.
He said the timeline for re-
suming face-to-face classes will
also be discussed.
Gatchalian said comprehen-
sive discussions on ADMs are
necessary as they pose different
sets of challenges, including the
lack of internet access in some
households, and the difficulties
hounding parents in support-
ing their children in a remote
learning setup.
“May mga magulang na hindi
masyadong sang-ayon sa online
or blended learning dahil hin-
di natututo ang kanilang anak
at mismong mga magulang din
ang sumasagot sa mga textbook
o workbook nila (There are
parents who do not quite agree
to online or blended learning
because their children are not
learning, and the parents tend
Malacañan Palace, according to
a Presidential Communications
Office (PCO) news release.
The DTI does not need to dis-
cuss in detail the intricacies of
AI systems to MSMEs, only its
practical applications and im-
portance to their business op-
erations, Marcos said.
“We are not teaching them
to be engineers, AI engineers.
We’re not teaching them to be
blockchain engineers. We’re
teaching them how to use the
system that we have provid-
ed. That, I think, we have to be
clear about that,” Marcos was
quoted as saying by the PCO.
3
to answer their textbooks or
workbooks)," he said.
"Gayunpaman, maraming
mga [eskwelahan] nag-suspend
ng klase nitong mga nakaraang
araw dahil sa sobrang init ng
panahon. Ang lahat ng ‘yan ay
babalansehin natin (Still, sev-
eral schools suspended classes
these past few days due to ex-
treme heat. We will balance all
of these),” he added.
Invited to the public hearing
are Vice President and Educa-
tion Secretary Sara Z. Duter-
te, Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao
(BARMM) Minister of Basic,
Higher and Technical Educa-
tion Mohagher Iqbal, Health
Secretary Teodoro Herbosa,
National Disaster Risk Reduc-
tion and Management Council
Executive Director Undersec-
retary Ariel Nepumoceno, and
Philippine Atmospheric, Geo-
physical and Astronomical Ser-
vices Administration (PAGA-
SA) chief Nathaniel Servando.
Representatives from various
basic education stakeholders
are also expected to attend. ■
“Don’t teach the theory that
goes on behind it, but just teach
what it is that they need to use
the AI. That’s the whole point
of AI, you just talk, that’s where
we want to get them to,” he said.
The President added that
the government’s efforts to in-
troduce MSMEs to AI systems
would help ensure the ease of
doing business.
In 2022, MSMEs comprised
99.59 percent of total establish-
ments in the Philippines, contrib-
uting 65.10 percent to total em-
ployment, highlighting their huge
impacts on jobs and livelihood in
the country, the PCO noted. ■
4 Philippine News
Senate ready to approve 20
priority bills before sine die
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Senators are opti-
mistic they will be able to pass
20 priority bills listed under
the Common Legislative Agen-
da of the Legislative Executive
Development Advisory Coun-
cil (CLA-LEDAC) with only 11
session days before the Second
Regular Session of the 19th
Congress ends on May 24, 2024.
In an interview with Bagong
Pilipinas Ngayon on Monday,
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
expressed the Senate's deter-
mination to pass priority mea-
sures relating to education,
economy and health, even if the
task is “quite challenging.”
"Kaya naman, dahil bawat
senador may kanya-kanyang
mga priority measures at prior-
ity bills. Kanya-kanya namang
defend noong mga priority
bills, ide-defend namin iyong
mga priority bills namin. At
Bill vs. unauthorized media exposure
of suicide, crime victims filed
BY ZALDY DE LAYOLA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Camiguin Rep.
Jurdin Jesus Romualdo on
Tuesday urged his colleagues to
pass his bill seeking to protect
victims of crime or accident, in-
cluding persons who committed
suicide, from unnecessary and
unauthorized media exposure.
Romualdo on Monday filed
House Bill (HB) 10277 entitled
“An Act prohibiting the unau-
thorized broadcast of images
or videos of victims of crime or
accident or of persons who have
committed suicide and pro-
viding penalties for violation
thereof,” or the “Victims’ Priva-
cy Protection Act.”
Romualdo said the prolifer-
ation of digital media and the
kanya-kanya namang kumbaga
committee na mino-monitor
at tinututukan namin (We can
do it, because each senator has
his/her own priority bills, and
we defend our priority bills.
And each one of us have respec-
tive committees to focus on and
monitor," Gatchalian said.
The senator added sever-
al bills are already in the "ad-
vanced stage," citing as an
example his measure on tax re-
fund for non-resident tourists.
On Sunday, Senate President
Juan Miguel Zubiri assured
that the chamber is "on track"
when it comes to the approval
of priority measures of Presi-
dent Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
"We are confident that the
Senate can pass 20 of these
measures before the 2nd Reg-
ular Session ends, and the rest
of our commitment before this
year ends,” Zubiri said.
He said the Philippine Eco-
system and Natural Capital
Accounting System (PENCAS)
ease with which content could
be shared on social media plat-
forms has led to a significant
rise in privacy concerns, espe-
cially for individuals in sensi-
tive situations.
He said the unauthorized dis-
semination of images or videos
of such victims “not only vio-
lates the privacy and dignity of
the individuals depicted but
can also cause undue stress to
their families.”
Romualdo cited laws in the
United States that criminalize
the unauthorized capture and
dissemination of images of per-
sons receiving medical assis-
tance from first responders.
For instance, the lawmaker
cited as example “Cathy’s Law”
which was enacted in New Jer-
sey after a photograph of an ac-
cident victim, Cathy Bates, was
Act, a framework that accounts
for the country's natural capital
and its economic impact, is al-
ready for the signature of Pres-
ident Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Meanwhile, the bicameral
report on the Philippine Mar-
itime Zones Act and the mea-
sure establishing the Negros Is-
land Region have already been
ratified and now in the process
of enrollment.
The Real Property Valuation
and Assessment Reform Act has
also been ratified by the Senate.
Two priority measures -the
Anti-Agricultural Economic Sab-
otage Act and the Self-Reliant
Defense Posture Act (SRDP)- are
both awaiting bicameral confer-
ence committee approval, while
the Academic Recovery and Ac-
cessible Learning (ARAL) Pro-
gram Act is already approved on
final reading and was transmit-
ted to the House of Representa-
tives for action.
The priority measures pend-
ing approval on second read-
posted on Facebook by a first
responder before her family
had been notified.
While admitting that HB
10277 aligns with the general
principles of this foreign law,
Romualdo said it also respects
“the nuances of the Philippine
legal context.”
“It seeks to balance the right
to information and freedom of
expression with the right to pri-
vacy, ensuring that the dignity
of victims and their families is
well-preserved,” he said.
Romualdo said Republic Act
No. 10173, or the Data Privacy
Act of 2012, sets the standards
for protecting personal infor-
mation, and his proposed law
“reinforces those standards by
addressing a specific category
of privacy breaches.”
Romualdo said HB 10277 sim-
www.canadianinquirer.net
(SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
ing include the Anti-Financial
Accounts Scamming Act; VAT
on Digital Services/Transac-
tions Act; Amendments to the
Government Procurement Re-
form Act; Blue Economy Act;
Waste-to-Energy Act; Unified
System of Separation, Retire-
ment and Pension of MUPs/
New Separation, Retirement
and Pension System for the
Military and Uniformed Per-
sonnel; Enterprise Based Ed-
ucation and Training Program
Act; Mandatory Reserve Offi-
cer's Training Corps Act; and
Amendments to the Universal
Health Care Act.
Meanwhile, the E-Govern-
ment/E-Governance Act, the
Department of Water Resourc-
ply but significantly provides for
clear legal protection to victims,
vital in upholding human digni-
ty and ensuring that the rights
of the most vulnerable are not
overlooked in the digital age.
Aside from the unauthorized
use of any image, video or details
of any victim, the proposed law
makes it “unlawful for any per-
son to use such image or video in
any manner that may be deemed
as disrespectful, derogatory, or
prejudicial to the honor, dignity,
and privacy of the victim.”
However, the measure would
allow “duly franchised and au-
thorized television and radio
networks” and “duly licensed
print media…in accordance with
existing ethical and professional
standards,” to broadcast the im-
age, video, or details of the victim.
Social media journalists,
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
es Act and the Konektadong Pi-
noy Act are all pending commit-
tee approval.
The Corporate Recovery and
Tax Incentives for Enterprises
to Maximize Opportunities for
Reinvigorating the Economy
(CREATE MORE) Bill, which
was passed on third and final
reading in the House of Rep-
resentatives, has already been
transmitted to the Senate for
proper action.
"We will focus all our energies
on these 20 measures before we
adjourn for the 3rd Regular Ses-
sion. But we are confident we
can fulfill all of our legislative
commitments to the President
and to the people before this
year ends," Zubiri said. ■
commentators, and other con-
tent creators may use such im-
ages or video material only af-
ter securing the consent of the
victim or the victim’s family.
The bill imposes the penal-
ties of imprisonment of three
years to seven years, or a fine
of PHP100,000 to PHP500,000,
or both at the discretion of the
court, on any person who vio-
lates the proposed Victims’ Pri-
vacy Protection Act.
If the offender is a public of-
ficer, he shall also be charged
administratively. If he is a for-
eigner, he shall be deported im-
mediately after service of sen-
tence or payment of fine.
The bill also provides that
the victim, or in the case of a
deceased victim, the next of kin,
may institute a separate civil
action against an offender. ■
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024 5

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6 Philippine News MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY

PBBM orders speedy dev’t of e-vehicle industry

BY DARRYL JOHN
ESGUERRA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. directed the
Department of Energy (DOE)
and other relevant government
agencies to expedite the imple-
mentation of action plans and
strategies to develop the elec-
tric vehicle (EV) industry.
Marcos issued the direc-
tive in a sectoral meeting at
Malacañang on Tuesday, DOE
Undersecretary Felix William
Fuentebella said.
Fuentebella said President
Marcos wants the government
to focus on the integration of the
e-vehicles into the public trans-
portation sector to accelerate
the shift from the traditional
motor vehicle models to EVs.
“We are not only looking into
the technology but the President
also wants us to focus on achiev-
ing the numbers by looking at
fleet or the group approach, look-
ing at the consumer experience,
and identifying iyong mga bu-
mubukol na financing (financing
schemes that we can offer),” he
said in a Palace press briefing.
As of 2023, out of the over
14.3 million registered vehicles,
only .001 percent or some 7,000
are e-vehicles, Fuentebella said.
He said the government,
through the Comprehensive
Comprehensive Roadmap
for Electric Vehicle Industry
(CREVI) anchored on Republic
Act 11697 or the EV Industry
Development Act, is looking to
improve this figure and have
EVs makeup at least 50 percent
of vehicles on the country’s
roads by 2040.
In line with this, Marcos or-
dered the acquisition of e-ve-
hicles by commercial fleets like
government or private compa-
ny cars and public transporta-
tion fleets, and to consolidate
possible financial schemes for
the purchase of EV fleets.
The President is also looking
to strengthen local manufac-
turing of EVs and supporting
battery charging mechanisms,
through collaborations with the
private sector.
Perks for EVs
Fuentebella said among the ad-
vantages of EVs include the lower
maintenance and operation costs,
and cleaner gas emissions.
To encourage the public to
embrace the shift to EVs, he
said the government is imple-
menting “incentives” such as
the reduction or suspension of
import tariffs; priority registra-
tion at the Land Transportation
Office; priority processing of
franchise to operate at the Land
Transportation Franchising
and Regulatory Board; exemp-
tion from the number coding
scheme; and the identification
of ‘green lanes’ or EV lanes.
He said the government is also
developing a community driven
navigation app for EV users to
make it more enticing, especial-
ly to the younger generation.
10% EVs for govt
The President also ordered
the integration of EVs into the
government agencies’ vehicle
composition, “targeting 10 per-
cent of the fleet should be elec-
tric vehicles,” Fuentebella said.
“Meron siyang pinasang in-
ter-agency na led by the Depart-
ment of Energy, and nandoon
din iyong DBM (Department of
Budget and Management) para
maayos iyong procurement
niya at para mag-comply (He
passed an inter-agency led by
the DOE, including the DBM, to
arrange the procurement.) So
when the President was looking
into that, there was a thumbs up
from DBM Secretary Amenah
(Pangandaman) na it’s already
in place. ■

Cacdac to discuss Rice Tariffication Law

OFW unpaid revision sought to let
wages, other NFA sell cheaper rice
issues during BY FILANE MIKEE
CERVANTES
the price of rice down by at least
PHP10 or even PHP15, so that it's
Marcos Jr. to certify it as urgent.
He further noted that bringing

KSA visit
BY MARITA MOAJE
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Department of
Migrant Workers (DMW) Sec-
retary Hans Leo Cacdac will
visit the Kingdom of Saudi Ara-
bia (KSA) this May to discuss
the unpaid wages and benefits
of about 10,000 displaced over-
seas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In a news release on Tuesday,
Cacdac said the visit also aims to
further strengthen bilateral rela-
tions between the two countries.
“On our list of topics for dis-
cussion with our Saudi coun-
terparts is the continuing dis-
bursement of claims due our
workers,” he said.
Cacdac said that among the
bilateral issues that he will take
up with KSA officials are the
strengthening of institutional
mechanisms that would assure
fair, ethical and safe recruitment
and employment of OFWs.
He will also tackle Saudi Ara-
bia's request for more Filipino
workers to help in its Vision 2030
development program, which
aims to increase the Middle East-
ern country's diversification eco-
nomically, socially and culturally.
Over 10,000 OFWs, as well
as thousands of other foreign
workers in Saudi Arabia, lost
their jobs between 2015 and
2016 after their companies de-
clared bankruptcy.
The issue of unpaid wages
started to move in November
2022, or after almost a decade,
when Crown Prince Mohammad
bin Salman (MBS) told President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during a
meeting that the Saudi govern-
ment was ready to take on the fi-
nancial settlement of the claims.
❱❱ PAGE 16 Cacdac to discuss
Philippine News Agency close to PHP30 per kilo),” he said. down the price of rice has been a
Other proposed changes, he priority of President Marcos.
said, would include tariff rates, “Kasama po kami dyan sa
MANILA – Speaker Martin taxes, and the expanded au- urgency niyan kasi alam mo
Romualdez on Tuesday said the thority of the NFA to purchase naman ‘yung ating mahal na
House of Representatives is eye- palay from farmers. Presidente ayaw na ayaw na
ing to amend the Rice Tariffication He said the chamber would mahihirapan ang ating mama-
Law to bring down the price of rice coordinate with the Office of mayang Pilipino, the consum-
by PHP10 to PHP15 per kilo. the President on the proposal
In an interview, Romualdez said and ask President Ferdinand R. ❱❱ PAGE 14 Rice Tariffication Law
the proposed amendment would
allow the National Food Authority
(NFA) to sell cheaper rice in public
markets, targeting to reduce the
retail price of the staple to PHP30
per kilo from the current range of
PHP40 to PHP50.
“Ginagawa natin ito kasi sabi
ng Presidente we have to find
ways na ibaba natin ang presyo
ng bigas. So ‘yung tinatarget na-
tin na by June, we should bring
the price of rice down by at least
PHP10 or even PHP15, na close
to PHP30 kada kilo (We are do-
ing this because the President Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez answers questions from the media
[Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.] said during an ambush interview at House of Representatives Tuesday afternoon.
we have to find ways to lower Also in photo are Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr., Deputy
the price of rice). So, our target Speaker David "Jay-jay" Suarez and Deputy Majority Leader for Communications
is that by June, we should bring and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo. (HOUSE PRESS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS BUREAU)

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
DepEd proposes 'aggressive option'
for quick school calendar shift
BY STEPHANIE
SEVILLANO
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Department
of Education (DepEd) said
Tuesday it submitted a "more
aggressive option" to President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. follow-
ing calls for a swift shift to the
old academic calendar.
The move came amid mount-
ing calls for the department to
bring back the April-May school
break as scorching heat takes a toll
on learners and teachers, prompt-
ing the suspension of in-person
classes and the shift to alternative
delivery modes (ADMs).
"The department has already
submitted a letter to the Office
Marcos orders review..
❰❰ 1 Tripartite Wage and
Productivity Boards
to initiate a timely re-
view of the minimum wage rates
in their respective regions, with
due consideration to the impact
of inflation among others, with-
in 60 days prior to the anniver-
sary of their latest wage order,”
Marcos said.
RTWPB are government
bodies established to regulate
and set minimum wage rates
across its different regions.
Marcos also called on the Na-
tional Wages and Productivity
Commission, which supervises
the RTWPBs, to ensure that the
boards are able to “maintain a
regular and predictable sched-
ule of wage review, issuance and
effectivity to reduce uncertain-
ty and enhance fairness for all
stakeholders.”
He also appealed to Congress
of the President presenting
other options, including a more
aggressive alternative of ending
the School Year 2024-2025 in
March 2025," DepEd Assistant
Secretary Francis Bringas said
during a Senate Committee on
Basic Education hearing.
Bringas, however, said these
options would mean a shorter
school year and squeezed breaks,
which might affect the rest peri-
od for learners and teachers.
In terms of number of days, he
said, the DepEd may need to re-
sort to ADMs or Saturday classes.
"Our option could be to count
some days as alternative deliv-
ery modes, which are not nec-
essarily in-person classes... We
have to look for some days to
cover ADM," Bringas said.
to pass measures that would
support the administration’s
job creation agenda such as the
Enterprise-based Education
and Training Program law, the
Revised Apprenticeship Pro-
gram Act, and the CREATE
More Law, or the law on corpo-
rate recovery and tax incentive
for enterprises to maximize op-
portunities for reinvigorating
the economy.
One-of-a-kind workers’ re-
hab center
In the same ceremony, Mar-
cos also unveiled the master plan
for the Workers' Rehabilitation
Center Complex (WRCC).
The 50-hectare DOLE infra-
structure project will be done
through the partnership with
the Tanay municipal govern-
ment, the Department of Pub-
lic Works and Highways, the
Department of Human Settle-
Under this option, the actual
in-person classes would only
be 165 days, less than the mini-
mum required 180 days for each
school year.
Besides this, it would also
compromise more days for pro-
portional vacation pay (PVP)
for public school teachers.
"We all know that teachers are
entitled to proportional vacation
pay, that is two months after each
school year. And they are paid,
the PVP is computed based on
the number of school days in a
given year," Bringas said.
The DepEd earlier maintained
its stance on a "gradual rever-
sion" to the old school calendar,
considering the effects of sudden
shifts to learners and teachers.
In February, it ordered a se-
ments and Urban Development,
the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources, and the
Department of the Interior and
Local Government.
The soon-to-be built WRCC
in Barangay Cuyambay, Tanay
in Rizal will provide compre-
hensive management and treat-
ment for injured workers, with
a specific emphasis on a biopsy-
chosocial approach to recovery
for their successful reintegra-
tion into the workforce.
Marcos said the WRCC
would serve as a “sanctuary and
a place of rehabilitation for our
workers and soldiers who suffer
from work-related injuries.”
“The building of this facility is
a just and fitting honor to those
who have sacrificed much for the
progress of the nation,” he said.
Labor Code of the Philip-
pines @50
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
Barangay councilor Rogelio Rebusi (left) signals motorists to stop as two students and their
mother cross the pedestrian lane in front of Fernando Ma. Guerrero Elementary School on
Pedro Gil Street, Paco, Manila on Tuesday (Sept. 27, 2022). (ALFRED FRIAS/PNA)
ries of adjustments, including
the scheduled end of School
Year (SY) 2023-2024 on May
31, intending to implement the
school break from June 1 to
July 26; with the succeeding SY
set from July 29, 2024 to May
16, 2025, according to Depart-
ment Order 3, series of 2024.
The President, likewise, led the
commemoration of the signing of
the Labor Code of the Philippines
and reaffirmed the government’s
commitment to advancing work-
ers’ rights and welfare.
The fundamental law that
governs the welfare, protection,
and well-being of every Filipi-
no worker was signed on May
1, 1974 by Marcos’ father and
namesake, the late former pres-
ident Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
“Sa lahat ng mga manggaga-
wang Pilipino, muli ako’y nag-
papasalamat sa inyo. Kayo ang
puso at kaluluwa ng ating lak-
as-paggawa, ang nagsusulong
ng ating tagumpay, at ang dahi-
lan kung bakit patuloy tayong
nangangarap para sa isang mas
maliwanag na bukas (To all the
Filipino workers, I thank you
again. You are the heart and
soul of our workforce, the driv-
7
Heat index arbitrariness
Bringas, meanwhile, raised
current challenges of schools
in terms of arbitrariness when
identifying the radius or scope of
heat index forecast from the Phil-
ippine Atmospheric, Geophysi-
❱❱ PAGE 10 DepEd proposes
ing force behind our success,
and the reason we continue to
dream for a brighter tomor-
row,” Marcos said.
Marcos also commended the
non-supervisory white-collar
and blue-collar workers who
were conferred The Outstand-
ing Workers of the Republic
(TOWER) Awards.
“Your hard work and contri-
bution to our labor force and
nation-building inspires us all
to double our efforts to realize
our collective goals,” Marcos
told the awardees.
Aside from the series of ac-
tivities in Malacañang, the
DOLE has also lined up activi-
ties across the country to mark
Labor Day, including Tulong
Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Dis-
advantaged/Displaced Workers
(TUPAD) payouts, job fairs, and
Kadiwa ng Pangulo caravans. ■
8 Philippine News
Correspondent/Hosts
Arianne Grace Lacanilao
Matte Laurel
Violeta Arevalo
Babes Newland
Graphic Design
Shanice Garcia
Ginno Alcantara
Arlnie Colleene Talain Singca
Account Manager
Kristopher Yong
Director/Producer
Boom Dayupay
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Management
Alan Yong
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Member
Senate panel wants PH version
of Stark Law
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Senate Committee
on Health and Demography on Tuesday
urged stakeholders from the medical
community for assistance in drafting a
Philippine version of the United States'
Stark Law, amid allegations of unethical
practices of a local pharmaceutical firm.
Members of the panel, headed by Sen-
ator Christopher Lawrence Go, made the
appeal during the public inquiry, in aid
of legislation, on Bell-Kenz Pharma Inc.,
which is primarily owned by doctors.
"We can start crafting our own version
of the Stark Law. Dapat bawal po itong
mag-refer ang doktor sa mga entities
kung saan may financial relationship sila.
Katulad nitong Bell-Kenz puro doktor pa
din ang mga myembro (Doctors should
not be allowed to refer to entities where
they have a financial relationship. Like
Bell-Kenz, all members are doctors). It's
high time that we craft a new law with
stiffer and higher penalties," Go said.
Senator Raffy Tulfo agreed after
bringing to the panel's attention that ex-
Completion of Manila Post Office
rehab seen in 2026
BY BENJAMIN PULTA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The rehabilitation of the
iconic Manila Central Post Office will start
this year, starting with bidding for an ar-
chitecture and engineering study on re-
viving the structure gutted by fire last year.
Postmaster General Luis Carlos said
the detailed architectural and engineer-
ing design would be completed by July
and the target completion is in two years,
just in time for its 100th anniversary.
"(W)e really have to do a public bid,
the detailed architecture and engi-
neering study will bring us to a DAED
-- detailed architecture and engineering
design-- to determine what are the in-
terventions that we have to do, the struc-
tural integrity of the building will come
from the DAES," Carlos said.
"(T)he main building maybe in 2026
of November, that is a personal target of
www.canadianinquirer.net
isting penalties for unethical practices
in the medical industry are not enough.
"I believe there is a need to put stiff-
er penalties for these unethical and im-
moral acts. They must be declared ille-
gal," Tulfo said.
The Stark Law is a set of US federal
laws that prohibit physician self-refer-
ral of Medicare or Medicaid patients to
entities for designated health services
if the physician has a financial relation-
ship with that entity.
Alleged unethical practices
During the resumption of the regular
session on Monday, several senators ex-
pressed their concern about the alleged
unethical practices within the medical
community supposedly involving Bell-
Kenz Pharma.
In a privilege speech, Senator Jinggoy
Estrada alleged that the company en-
gages in a multi-level marketing (MLM)
scheme to distribute its products, in-
cluding anti-hypertensive, anti-diabet-
ic, antibiotic products, and health sup-
plements nationwide.
He said the company’s officers, Luis
Raymond Go as president, Alina Fatima
Hojilla as vice president, Joseph Vin-
mine [for the] 100 years old (anniversa-
ry) of the building," he added.
Carlos said the building is up for a for-
mal structural test.
"It's almost finished and I would like
Smoke billows out of the Manila Central Post Office building in Liwasang Bonifacio on Monday
morning (May 22, 2023). (YANCY LIM/PNA)
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
cent Go as corporate secretary, Jaime
Cayetano Jr. as treasurer, and 58 other
stockholders are doctors from different
parts of the country.
Estrada further alleged that despite
the existing ethical guidelines that per-
mit doctors to receive gifts of reasonable
value, Bell-Kenz goes beyond these lim-
its by offering excessive cash incentives
and expensive vehicles to doctors who
prescribe their medicines.
Bell-Kenz denies allegations
Dr. Go, who attended the public inqui-
ry, denied the allegations, and reaffirmed
the company's integrity and compliance.
"We are a law-abiding pharmaceutical
entity diligently adhering to all regula-
tions set forth by FDA (Food and Drugs
Administration), SEC (Securities and
Exchange Commission), PMA (Philip-
pine Medical Association), and other
relevant government bodies," the Bell-
Kenz president said.
He also refuted claims that Bell-Kenz
member-doctors are receiving commissions
depending on the volume of their prescrip-
tions, saying the checks shown to the Senate
❱❱ PAGE 14 Senate panel wants
to thank the Department of Tourism
who did the public bid. So right after
this, it can be used also for insurance
claims, at the same time it would be used
for the DAED," he added. ■
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024 9

Canada News
Meta’s Canadian news ban could put people
at risk during public emergencies
BY ARCHIE MCLEAN, the ill-considered law that pro- information to reach as many How to solve this mess emergency responders and Ca-
Mount Royal University, voked this fight. people as possible, overworked It didn’t have to be this way. nadians with their communica-
PETER MALACHY RYAN, In emergencies, informa- communications teams need The Liberal government’s On- tion tools during times of crisis,
Mount Royal University tion is key news outlets to amplify their line News Act — which forces regardless of their battles with
The Conversation There are already more than messages. large social media companies the government.
100 fires burning in British Filling the information to negotiate with news outlets So far, Meta has shown no
Columbia alone. Officials have vacuum for compensation — was flawed appetite to change their policy.
The B.C. government recent- warned that drought conditions A recent study from the Me- from the start. The govern- They are fighting similar battles
ly announced plans to work across the country may lead to dia Ecosystem Observatory, an ment ignored warnings about in Australia and elsewhere and
with American tech company an even worse fire season than interdisciplinary collaboration the law’s potentially disastrous appear willing to make an ex-
Meta this wildfire season to de- last year. between McGill University consequences for small, inde- ample out of Canada.
liver important public safety in- In these types of emergen- and the University of Toronto, pendent media outlets that rely If Meta does not reconsid-
formation. Premier David Eby cies, accurate and current infor- suggests that six months after on social media to distribute er their position, the Liberal
called it a “major step,” and said mation is vital for health, safety the ban, roughly a third of Ca- their content and communicate government must explore legal
he was appreciative that a deal and survival. Crisis communi- nadians still use Facebook or with audiences. or regulatory options to force
could be reached. cators and emergency manage- Instagram for news and cur- In forging ahead, the govern- them to open their platforms
While this is a welcome de- ment agencies work with public rent affairs information. In ment has provoked what law to news outlets during pub-
velopment, Meta is still block- officials, media organizations northern, rural and Indigenous professor Michael Geist called lic emergencies. Further, the
ing news outlets from publish- and other infrastructure crews communities, where there is a “lose-lose-lose-lose scenario.” government needs to scrap or
ing to Facebook and Instagram, to get vital updates and mes- often poor communications in- It’s bad for news organizations, revise the Online News Act to
including during public safety sages to the public through as frastructure and long distances bad for the platforms and even require and incentivize social
emergencies when between population worse for the public. And while platforms like Facebook to be
information is centres, this is likely Meta’s actions are over the top, available for media amplifica-
needed most. The much higher. they telegraphed their inten- tion during public emergencies.
company took this With news un- tions, which the Trudeau gov- Last summer, premiers, In-
action in response available on the ernment decided to ignore. digenous groups and other
to Parliament pass- platform, we have Google made similar threats members of the public request-
ing the Online News ... the ban made it difficult seen some small but eventually reached a $100 ed the Meta media ban stop
Act in June 2023. for news outlets and shifts in user be- million agreement with the Ca- during emergencies. As wildfire
Last summer, the haviour. According nadian government in Novem- season begins again, the com-
ban made it diffi- emergency officials to to the study, users’ ber 2023. pany and federal government
cult for news out- deliver timely information... political engage- Meta, on the other hand, has should make sure the public has
lets and emergency ment appears to chosen profit over tackling mis- access to potentially life-saving
officials to deliver have stayed the information. Their own corpo- information. ■
timely information same and some rate principles commit to public
to the public. This sites, such as the safety and building community. This article is republished
was made more conservative Can- If Meta was acting on these prin- from The Conversation under a
challenging because ada Proud net- ciples, they would be supplying Creative Commons license.
people are often dispersed geo- many commonly co-ordinated work, have seen an increase
graphically and clinging to their channels as possible. in engagement. News outlets,
phones and social media for Facebook remains the most meanwhile, have seen their
reliable guidance. One Yellow- popular social media platform in own engagement plummet.
knife news editor, in the midst Canada and public communica- Screenshots of news articles
of an evacuation, called the ban tors understand its importance. have become the preferred way
“stupid and dangerous.” For example, Drexel University’s to get around the ban, especial-
With wildfire season under- School of Public Health houses ly during emergencies like the
way, Meta’s ban continues to an online Social Media Message Yellowknife evacuation.
display a disappointing lack of Library that provides examples We have also seen the rise of
corporate responsibility and of social media messaging best social media influencers wield-
disdain for Canadian users. If practices during crises and emer- ing disproportionate sway
they don’t reverse the news ban gencies, including successful in- during emergencies. For exam-
during emergencies, the gov- stances from Facebook. ple, during the August 2023 wild-
ernment should look at ways Thankfully, government fires in the Shuswap Lake region
to force them to open their Facebook and Instagram pages in B.C., conspiracy theories and
platforms under some circum- have been able to post critical misinformation spread faster
stances. Longer term, the fed- emergency information during than the mainstream media’s
eral government must revise the ban. But for public safety messages in small communities.
www.canadianinquirer.net
 10
How a digital archive is preserving Canada’s
history of LGBTQ+ activism
BY PASCALE DANGOISSE,
L’Université d’Ottawa/
University of Ottawa,
CONSTANCE CROMPTON,
L’Université d’Ottawa/
University of Ottawa,
MICHELLE SCHWARTZ,
Toronto Metropolitan
University
The Conversation
LGBTQ+ organizations in
Canada are gearing up for a
“Rainbow Week of Action” that
will feature rallies across the
country calling on governments
to do more to support LGBTQ+
communities.
Such events are part of a long
history of LGBTQ+ campaigning
and protest. However, in a time
when anti-LGBTQ+ movements
are growing, recording that his-
tory is as important as ever.
As increasingly advanced
digital technologies pervade ev-
ery aspect of our lives, making
that history easily accessible
online can help contemporary
movements learn from previ-
ous generations of activists.
At the Lesbian and Gay Liber-
ation in Canada project (LGLC),
we are aiming to learn from les-
bian activists of the past to un-
cover which of their practices
can inform the creation of on-
line history resources today.
Our project, working along-
side the University of Ottawa’s
Digital Humanities Lab and To-
ronto Metropolitan University
Libraries’ Collaboratory, high-
lights how feminist and queer
practices can create meaningful
change using digital methods
and tools.
DepEd proposes..
❰❰ 7 cal and Astronomical
Services Administra-
tion (PAGASA).
Local government units and
school heads currently imple-
ment ADMs based on heat in-
dex forecasts and other natural
calamities.
"We are hoping that PAGA-
SA could help us with this...
In comparison, typhoons, we
can see typhoons, but for heat,
Canada News
Recording Canadian
LGBTQ+ history
The LGLC project was devel-
oped from author Donald Mc-
Leod’s two print chronologies,
Lesbian and Gay Liberation in
Canada, which span from the start
of the first homophile association
in Vancouver in 1964 to the start
of the AIDS crisis in 1981.
A longstanding volunteer at
ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+
Archives, McLeod began work
on his chronologies in the early
1990s after discovering visitors
to the ArQuives knew very little
about gay and lesbian history,
especially within Canada.
The LGLC project aims to
further McLeod’s goal of engag-
ing contemporary readers in
Canadian LGBTQ+ history by
moving into the digital sphere.
Since 2011, we have been work-
ing to expand the text and re-
lated resources online, moving
from McLeod’s 3,200 event list-
ings to 34,000 records about the
events, places, people, organi-
zations and print publications
that formed the movement.
Making this material acces-
sible digitally allows for a more
interactive and engaging explo-
ration of LGBTQ+ Canadian
history. It enables users to eas-
ily move through time and ge-
ography, and to understand the
interconnectivity of events and
figures within the gay liberation
movement — something that is
not as feasible in a book format.
We’ve extended the end date
for our historical research to
1985, when Section 15 of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms came into effect. It
stipulates that every individual
we can only feel it. It becomes
more subjective for something
that we just feel than something
that we see," he said.
Bringas also requested a
comprehensive guide to ensure
appropriate actions for teach-
ers and learners.
"While they have heat index
also, it may be possible that the
heat index is not within the danger
zone. But with the existing condi-
is equal under the law and has
the right to the equal protec-
tion and equal benefit of the law
without discrimination.
Users are able to see how
the movement was formed and
evolved over time; how its ideas
moved between cities and be-
yond well-defined societal and
political identities; and how lib-
eration activists survived — and
won — many battles because of
the links that connect people
through their shared oppression.
In an age where it is clear that
hard-won rights can be eroded,
projects like the LGLC help to
ensure that rights movements
are preserved against the loss of
collective memory.
Wages Due Lesbians
One such organization LGLC
has been able to spotlight is
Wages Due Lesbians, which was
an extension of the Wages for
Housework movement of the
1970s. The movement sought to
ensure the financial security of
tions within the classroom that
may contribute to the amount of
heat that you feel at that particu-
lar time, like congestion, limited
ventilation, and so on, it may also
contribute," he said.
"We hope we could be more
guided scientifically like what
we do in typhoons."
Bringas, meanwhile, laud-
ed school heads and LGUs for
implementing flexible learn-
www.canadianinquirer.net
women who worked within the
home, and who created the Les-
bian Mothers Defense Fund, in
support of custody rights for
lesbian mothers.
Wages Due Lesbians argued
that lesbians should be recog-
nized as full citizens despite
many of them not contribut-
ing reproductive work to the
capitalist patriarchal system in
Canada. Since women’s value
was often associated with their
productive and reproductive
capacities, Wages Due Lesbians
argued that heteronormativity
rendered lesbians’ work under-
valued and underpaid.
Wages Due Lesbians fo-
cused on a discourse of shared
oppression, shared goals and
shared needs. They organized
women’s dances, rallies, meet-
ings and launched a bookmo-
bile to reach rural areas and the
Child Custody Fund to support
lesbian mothers fighting for the
custody of their children.
ing setups alongside balancing
learning recovery.
"We acknowledge in the de-
partment that there's still no
substitute for in-person class-
es, but we cannot do otherwise
at this point," he said.
To date, he added, some
schools avoid peak hot tempera-
tures from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by
moving in-person shifts to 6 a.m.
to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
They were famous for the sub-
versive song “Fucking is work”
which shone a light on the un-
dervalued emotional and phys-
ical labour of love and support.
Keeping queer history alive
Our access to this activist
history depends on archives
that have defied the tradition
of collecting material valour-
ized by patriarchy. As Ameri-
can poet and essayist Adrienne
Rich aptly put it, archiving is an
act of survival, a means of un-
derstanding and sharing infor-
mation about the implicit and
explicit assumptions in which
women are immersed and an
act of refusing to be destroyed
by patriarchal society.
The researchers that lead
and support the LGLC project
work hard to seek out events
that have yet to be shared on-
line by sifting through boxes
of archived material. No voice
is excluded from the encoding
project: we have found work-
around for anonymous voices
to be included in the database,
and we employ date tagging
that allows for uncertain dates.
We collaborate with oth-
er organizations including the
Quebec Lesbian Network, Wiki-
media Canada and the Toronto
Metropolitan University Centre
for Digital Humanities. We share
our work through the website,
but also through open data, Wiki-
pedia edit-a-thons, teaching ma-
terial, movie nights and volun-
teering at public-facing events.
It is important to keep queer
history alive so the nuance,
wrongs and the triumphs of the
❱❱ PAGE 12 How a digital
Based on the DepEd's trend
of suspension of face-to-face
classes, the peak record hap-
pened on April 19, with 9,421
schools implementing ADM
affecting about seven million
learners nationwide.
From April 8 to 26, the most
used ADM was blended learning
equivalent to 59.4 percent, fol-
lowed by modular at 38 percent,
and online at 2.6 percent. ■
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
B.C. bill on international credential recognition
is a good start but needs improvement
BY NADYA ZEZYULINA
Policy Options
It is a national problem that
hurts all Canadians by reducing
the economic contribution of
newcomers and their capacity
to fill labour shortages.
To obtain a licence to practise
in any regulated occupation,
newcomers to Canada need to
have their foreign credentials
recognized by a responsible
provincial regulatory body.
Although the situation differs
from province to province, the
process is widely recognized as
unjust, expensive and lengthy.
Various provincial and federal
initiatives have attempted to re-
solve the issues since the 1980s.
For example, an evaluation
of the federal foreign credential
recognition program that aimed
to simplify and coordinate for-
eign credentials recognition and
provide loans concluded that
skilled newcomers still face a
long and complicated process.
Applicants are often forced
to spend years in the process.
In some cases, they become
desperate and take low-skilled
jobs to support themselves and
their families. Many eventu-
ally give up on obtaining their
licence and restarting their
professional careers in Canada.
The problem also hurts all Ca-
nadians by effectively reducing
the economic contribution of
newcomers and their capacity
to fill gaps in sectors hard hit by
labour shortages.
There is a need to cut down
processing time, simplify the
application process and make
the Canadian work experi-
ence more accessible – essen-
tially addressing many of the
previously identified barriers
encountered by highly skilled
newcomers. Those barriers do
not only harm the Canadian
economy, they contribute to
newcomers earning significant-
ly less than the Canadian-born,
which harms their mental
health, life satisfaction and de-
sire to remain in the country.
An attempt to close a
catch-22
The most recent attempt to
help solve this problem is the In-
ternational Credentials Recogni-
tion Act, introduced by the B.C.
government in November. Pre-
mier David Eby says it is intend-
ed to fast-track applicants to help
fill at least one-third of the one
million expected job openings in
the province in the next decade.
Andrew Mercier, minister
of state for workforce devel-
opment, describes the legisla-
tion as a great advance, saying
“We’re making the process
fairer and more transparent, so
all qualified professionals can
work in their chosen fields.”
However, despite some innova-
tive characteristics, the legislation
still leaves a lot of loose threads
hanging and provides relief to
only a small number of profes-
sions covered by fewer than half
of existing regulatory bodies.
To understand the scope of
its limitations, we must first go
through the five main changes
that the act has introduced.
First, the legislation creates
the position of superintendent
of international credential rec-
ognition, whose job will be to
promote fair credential rec-
ognition, monitor the perfor-
mance of regulatory authorities
and enforce compliance with
the new legislation.
Second, regulatory authori-
ties will have only 14 days after
making a decision on credentials
to communicate that decision to
the applicant – a provision that
creates a strict timeline that did
not exist previously.
Third, the act attempts to
close a “catch-22” by forbidding
regulatory bodies from requir-
ing Canadian work experience
before approving an applicant’s
credentials.
Fourth, the act confronts the
issue of overly strict proof of
language proficiency by allow-
ing the acceptance of test re-
sults up to five years old.
Finally, the legislation re-
quires regulatory bodies to re-
duce the higher application and
certification fees they had pre-
viously charged to newcomers
to the same level as they charge
Canadian-born applicants.
(However, newcomers may
www.canadianinquirer.net
Canada News
still be charged additional fees
for any supplementary adminis-
trative services they may need.)
These five measures address
some of the longstanding flaws
of the current process and have
the potential to provide better
conditions for newcomers.
Ultimately, the legislation’s
modest changes will apply to
a list of only 29 occupations
which include lawyers, engi-
neers, social workers, archi-
tects, notaries and biologists.
Additionally, out of more than
50 professional regulatory au-
thorities in B.C., the legislation
applies to only 18. The govern-
ment has not explained why
some professions were chosen
and others excluded.
One more important limita-
tion is that anyone who submits
an applications before the leg-
islation comes into force this
11
summer cannot benefit from
it – a provision that excludes
many highly skilled migrants
who are in immediate need.
There are solutions
To achieve its goals concern-
ing transparency, clarity and
fairness, the International Cre-
dentials Recognition Act should
at least cover all the regulatory
bodies in the province and all
the regulated professions.
Then, new legislation that ef-
fectively fast-tracks credential
recognition, reduces processing
times and simplifies the applica-
tion process should be passed.
Allocating one-on-one fund-
ing to newcomers in the certifi-
cation process is also necessary
and was highlighted by new-
comers as a missing link.
Furthermore, it is crucial to
make the Canadian work expe-
rience more accessible by pro-
viding incentives for companies
to hire newcomers and promot-
ing the creation of entry-level
regulated positions devoted to
foreign-trained professionals.
Although the International
Credentials Recognition Act is
a small step in the right direc-
tion, it unfortunately leaves
behind a lot of newcomers who
otherwise could join the Cana-
dian labour force faster while
experiencing fewer unneces-
sary complications.
By not making bigger chang-
es, Canada and B.C. are acting
against their own interests.
Both certainly can do better to
effectively tackle these preva-
lent and well-known issues. ■
This article first appeared
on Policy Options and is repub-
lished here under a Creative
Commons license.
 12
Solving teacher shortages depends on coming
together around shared aspirations for children
BY KATHY HIBBERT,
Western University
The Conversation
It’s impossible to ignore
headlines announcing the pre-
dicted shortage of teachers both
across Canada and globally.
In British Columbia, there has
been an almost triple increase
in uncertified adults covering
classrooms. In Ontario, the not-
for-profit organization People
for Education reports being
surprised at how “extreme” the
shortage is. Nova Scotia recent-
ly averted a teacher strike after
the province and the Nova Sco-
tia Teachers Union reached an
agreement in principle that the
province was ignoring the root
causes of the shortage crisis.
As boards scramble to re-
spond, classrooms are com-
bined and preparation time
is forfeited. Specialists are
brought in to cover basic curric-
ulum, abandoning other areas
of education like music, health
or math coaching. Some par-
ents of children living with dis-
abilities are asked to keep their
children home.
When other efforts are exhaust-
ed, uncertified adults are hired.
How did we get here? Al-
though teachers are still enter-
ing the profession in Canada,
fewer and fewer are staying.
The current crisis has been de-
cades in the making. Reasons
for leaving are numerous: a de-
cline in professional autonomy,
unrealistic workloads given the
high needs of students, health
and safety concerns and an
overall decline in the status of
the profession.
Multiple crises, including a
health-care professional short-
age and the climate crisis, are
competing for our attention at
How a digital..
❰❰ 10 past are not lost, and
so the work of previ-
ous generations is rec-
ognized and valued.
It also helps us to recognize
how much feminist and queer
organizing of the 1970s often
Canada News
the moment.
Solving the teacher shortage
will take all of us — education-
al experts, government, school
boards, parents, educators and all
voters — coming together around
a shared desire to create an edu-
cational future that reflects gen-
uine aspirations for our children
and future generations.
Long-term visioning
Economists have long un-
derstood that well-educated,
healthy constituents contribute
to a healthy economy, a thriving
community, and a good life.
Achieving this “good life” re-
quires an inspired long-term vi-
sion; one that exceeds any par-
ticular government’s term. As a
society, we can no longer afford
to ignore a problem until we
are in a crisis. Doing so narrows
available options to reactive,
quick fixes that often ignore the
broader systemic infrastruc-
ture needed to sustain them.
Broad systemic change is diffi-
cult and can be costly both finan-
cially and politically. Short-term
reactive measures may appear
easier than the thoughtful, sus-
tained leadership, planning and
investment required to build the
positive and trusting relation-
ships necessary to make mean-
ingful change across systems.
Teachers seen as glorified
babysitters
We need to reckon with how
we think and speak about edu-
cation’s most valuable resource:
its teachers.
Many Canadians have been
shocked to learn that the short-
age of health-care professionals
has closed down some emergency
rooms, a situation prompting pro-
found public concern and calls for
action from municipal leaders.
The shortage of teachers
yields a markedly different re-
sponse. Schools remain open,
excluded trans and racialized
people. The LGLC strives to not
ignore or whitewash the histo-
ries and legacies of anti-trans,
racist and colonial violence and
legislation and their effects.
While many white cisgen-
scrambling in some areas to
fill the classroom with, well, al-
most anyone.
The decision to fill the va-
cancy with uncertified adults in
a school setting reveals a per-
sistent, yet misguided legacy in
the profession — that teachers, in
a female-dominated profession
— are merely glorified babysit-
ters of the nations’ children.
Such a narrow perspective
casts teachers simply in terms
of the economic capital they af-
ford parents in the workforce.
But it is quality education that
yields the socio-economic ben-
efits and the innovation desper-
ately needed to face society’s
known and future challenges.
Quality education needs to
be acknowledged
Researchers have long ac-
knowledged the increasing com-
plexity of knowledge and skills
required to teach in today’s
classrooms and Faculties of Ed-
ucation have redesigned teacher
education programs in response.
The lack of an aspirational vi-
sion ignores decades of research
about the growing demands of
a difficult profession that looks
easy. It ignores any understand-
ing of what it means to be a pro-
fessional, and the reality that
dered Canadians continue to
benefit from this history today,
the history of LGBTQ+ and
feminist organizing teaches us
that renewed violence and leg-
islative turns threaten bodily
autonomy of all Canadians.
www.canadianinquirer.net
educators are on the front lines
with students, engaged in the
fallout from all of the big issues
that have been marginalized or
collectively ignored.
Too many students, already
suffering from the pandemic
upheaval, are now subjected to
a series of unqualified adults in
charge of their learning.
Virtually all parents want the
very best for their children. But
there is little acknowledgement
of what it means for our chil-
dren when our teachers are un-
der-resourced, disparaged and
demoralized.
We can’t have it both ways.
Bring teachers to educa-
tion policy table
Canada is internationally re-
nowned for its K-12 education
system. As professionals, edu-
cators are held to increasingly
high standards through their
regulatory bodies. Canada sup-
ports inclusive governance as a
means of engaging all citizens
in decision making. Yet teach-
ers are largely excluded from
reform and policy decisions in
any meaningful way.
Influential international or-
ganizations (like UNESCO, the
World Bank and the World Eco-
nomic Forum) emphasize two
Through the LGLC project we
hope to contribute to safeguard-
ing the legacies of past move-
ments and empower current and
future activists. By embracing
new technologies and practices,
we can ensure the histories of
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
important points: First, that
healthy and well-supported ed-
ucators are critical to the success
and achievement of students.
Second, just as policies de-
signing roles for women re-
quired women to be at the pol-
icy table in the 1960s, policies
designed to create sustainable,
innovative programs for our
children and youth require ed-
ucators — experts in the field —
to be at the policy table.
Must invest in long term
planning and resources
The International Task Force
on Teachers for Education 2030
assembled in 2008 to address
the anticipated shortage con-
cluded: “teaching should be a
valued profession and every
learner should be taught by qual-
ified, motivated and empowered
teachers within well-resourced,
efficient and effectively gov-
erned systems to foster learning
and achieve inclusive and equi-
table quality education for all.”
We have so far failed to invest
in ways that make quality edu-
cation a priority.
There is still time to act.
Respect for educators =
student achievement
Researchers track the rela-
tionship between respect for
educators and student achieve-
ment. Respect is signalled in
part through financial compen-
sation, and whether parents en-
courage their own children to
enter the profession. Teacher
bashing carries consequences
we cannot afford.
It is time for Canada to mature
in our thinking about our teach-
ers — for our children’s sake and
for future generations. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
marginalized communities are
not only remembered but re-
main catalysts for change. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Britain and France are forging a new
alliance over backing for Ukraine – and
aim to bring Nato partners with them
BY AMELIA HADFIELD,
University of Surrey
The Conversation
One hundred and twenty
years after the Entente Cor-
diale, Britain and France are
forging a new alliance.
The original 1904 agreement
paved the way for a stronger
relationship between the two
countries, but this time the
nations aim to use their part-
nership to patch up European
commitment to Ukraine and
exert pressure on the US.
In a recent letter to The Tele-
graph, British foreign secretary
Lord Cameron and his French
counterpart, Stéphane Sé-
journé, minister for Europe and
foreign affairs, highlighted both
the “enduring commitment to
our friendship” and their suc-
cess in together having “helped
to forge a better world”.
But the stakes now are high.
War continues to rage in Ukraine.
The US’s hard power commit-
ment remains fallible, and its
US$60 billion (£47 billion) of
financial support was stuck in
Congress until just this week. Eu-
rope’s response meanwhile re-
mains fragile, with divisions and
disunity threatening both the EU
and transatlantic responses.
Can the Anglo-French al-
liance inspire fresh commit-
ments from other nations?
Cameron and Séjourné certain-
ly think so. They suggest that
they can “seize together the op-
portunities offered by our part-
nership”. More significantly, as
cardinal components of Nato,
they have “a responsibility in
driving the alliance to deal with
the challenges before it”, first
by demanding an enhanced
commitment from European
and US allies, and second by
World News
pushing harder for improved
European security structures.
British and French support
Since the February 2022 inva-
sion, both countries have argu-
ably been stalwart supporters of
providing Ukraine with the full
scope of its requirements to de-
fend its sovereign territory. This
has included the provision of le-
thal weapons, aid, training and
finance, supported by diplomat-
ic commitment.
The UK, for example, has
been responsible for two sub-
stantial projects to provide
Ukraine with military assis-
tance since the invasion of
Crimea in 2014. Operation
Orbital involved intensively
training 22,000 troops from
the armed forces of Ukraine,
bringing both their infantry
and medic skills to Nato’s stan-
dards. Operation Interflex sig-
nificantly improved Ukraine’s
anti-armour capabilities before
the invasion and has since pro-
vided further concentrated aid
and training, totalling more
than US$5 million (£3.9 mil-
lion) across 2022 and 2023.
The UK has also worked
alongside nine other interna-
tional partners, enabling more
than 17,000 Ukrainian recruits
to complete a five-week train-
ing course in the UK, while es-
tablishing a wider international
effort to train a further 67,000
Ukrainian troops in more than
30 countries.
Together the UK and France
have pressured the EU, and
Germany in particular, into
groundbreaking commitments
of military aid. In doing so,
Britain has become a strategic
pacesetter in its provision of in-
creasingly sophisticated weap-
ons systems to Kyiv, including
Challenger 2 main battle tanks,
announced in January 2023,
motivating Germany to com-
mit Leopard 2 tanks less than a
fortnight later.
UK and Dutch support recent-
ly triggered the construction of
a new international aerial coali-
tion, including the US, to procure
F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine in
the first instance, and in the lon-
ger term, enabling better coordi-
nation with Nato allies.
While Britain and France
have supported Ukraine with
cutting-edge hardware, includ-
ing UK Storm Shadow cruise
missiles and French SCALP-
ELG Storm Shadow missiles,
the question is whether their
own commitment is sufficient-
ly influential to draw others to
emulate them. There are decent
examples here: the Storm Shad-
ow pledge placed significant
pressure on the US to step up its
own donations of Army Tactical
Missile Systems, and pushed
Germany to commit Taurus
cruise missiles. However, Ger-
man chancellor Olaf Scholz has
still not committed to this.
But there are also worrying
gaps. Delays caused by the US
House of Representatives in ap-
10/03/2023. Paris, France. The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is welcomed to Paris
by The President of France Emmanuel Macron. Elysee Palace. (SIMON WALKER /
NO 10 DOWNING STREET - NUMBER 10/FLICKR, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
proving the US$60 billion foreign
aid package for Ukraine is part
of ongoing anxiety that the US
may simply elect to draw down
its commitments, and ultimately
withdraw its support for Europe
as a whole under a possible sec-
ond Trump administration.
Delays from Germany, dis-
agreements among EU coun-
tries over anti-Russian sanc-
tions – as well as the ongoing
strain of high energy prices, and
diminishing military stockpiles
– may also take their toll on the
EU’s overall appetite for ongo-
ing support for Ukraine.
The consequences of uneven
European defence are serious,
with even “Ukraine’s most ar-
dent European backers strug-
gling to prevent the Western
effort becoming fractured and
piecemeal”, according to geo-
political expert and former For-
eign Office representative to
the Ukraine Samir Puri.
British and French leadership
Britain and France could capi-
talise on their leadership to coor-
dinate the war effort in terms of
defence and diplomacy by keep-
ing allies in the fight, now and in
13
the medium term. This includes
everything from providing im-
mediate supplies of weapons to
Ukraine itself, to making sure the
UK and EU training missions for
the Ukrainian armed forces work
together.
In the longer term, the over-
arching security guarantees that
UK, French and the EU can pro-
vide for Ukraine, along with the
US, will dictate the transition
from war to ceasefire and be-
yond. Doing so could shore up the
transatlantic aspect of the con-
flict, as far as US commitment is
concerned, but serve to stimulate
both the EU and Nato to support
more explicit defence initiatives.
While avoiding the temptation
for geopolitical point-scor-
ing, the diplomatic dividends
for Britain allow it continue to
demonstrate its post-Brexit roles
and responsibilities.
Leadership opportunities
The next few months offer
important opportunities for this
Anglo-French alliance to make
their case. This includes the
European Political Community
Summit, to be held on July 18 at
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire,
while the Nato summit in Wash-
ington DC on July 9-11 will also
be key. In addition there are on-
going meetings of the Ukraine
Defense Contact Group, in
which the US and its European
allies agree to supply material
and moral support to Ukraine.
Post-Brexit, France needs to
clarify its own leadership am-
bitions, both by doing the EU’s
institutional heavy lifting, but,
more importantly, making it
explicit that the EU needs to
bet big on a defence agenda.
The UK, in turn, is considering
its post-Brexit and transatlan-
tic role, with recent increases in
❱❱ PAGE 16 Britain and France
 14
Scotland’s government fell apart in a week –
here’s what happened
BY JONATHAN PARKER,
University of Glasgow
The Conversation
Contrary to popular belief,
coalition governments are
generally stable and usually
last their full term. What has
unfolded in Scotland there-
fore requires some explaining.
Broadly, first minister Humza
Yousaf, of the pro-indepen-
dence Scottish National Party
(SNP), abruptly terminated an
agreement with his governing
partners, the Scottish Greens,
before they had a chance to do
the same. The move backfired
almost immediately and Yousaf
ended up resigning.
But how did he get into this
situation in the first place?
In the Scottish election of
2021, the SNP won 64 out of 129
seats in parliament – one shy of
an overall majority. A minority
government was a feasible op-
tion (and had been how the SNP
governed following similar re-
sults in 2007 and 2016). Howev-
er, the party, under then-leader
Nicola Sturgeon, chose instead
to form a coalition with the
Greens. The Greens are also
supportive of Scottish inde-
pendence and had collaborated
frequently with the SNP in the
2016-2021 parliament. While
this term had not been a disas-
ter, the SNP had grown tired of
seeking opposition support for
every bill and yearned for the
certainty of a coalition.
From the Greens’ perspec-
tive, too, a coalition made sense.
The SNP’s one-seat gain meant
an effective government-oppo-
sition tie in parliament, dimin-
ishing the ability of opposition
parties to influence legislation.
An agreement seemed the best
PBBM honors..
❰❰ 3 supporting peace and
security efforts.
"A stable and secure
environment is essential for
economic progress, ensuring
that prosperity is within reach
of every Filipino," he said. (with
Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA) ■
World News
chance for impact. The two par-
ties therefore drew up the Bute
House agreement – a loose co-
alition which included junior
ministerial positions for the
Greens and a shared policy plat-
form, but substantial opt-outs.
What went wrong?
Things began to go wrong for
the coalition in February 2023,
after the fall of Sturgeon. Her
sudden departure removed a
linchpin from the party and
left no clear successor. A dearth
of talent at the top of the SNP
was exposed and the leadership
campaign ended up in a close
match between Yousaf (as the
“Sturgeonite” social democratic
candidate) and former finance
minister Kate Forbes. Forbes
represented the party’s right
wing, which was hostile to the
Greens as too economically left-
ist and socially libertarian (es-
pecially on transgender rights),
arguing that their positions
alienated voters. Yousaf eked out
a narrow victory and the Greens
agreed to continue in office.
Although Yousaf remained
committed to the Bute House
agreement initially, he was
faced (unlike Sturgeon) with
very vocal internal criticism of
it. Meanwhile, the SNP turmoil
had breathed new life into the
Scottish Labour party, making
them a meaningful threat for
the first time in a long time.
The leadership election had
exposed deep rifts in the SNP
and emboldened right-leaning
critics of the deal. Increasingly,
the SNP began to act unilateral-
ly. A key example was the scrap-
ping of proposed reforms to
council tax in October 2023, fol-
lowing a Labour by-election vic-
tory. A spooked Yousaf returned
to the SNP’s previous policy
of council tax freezes (despite
Rice Tariffication Law..
❰❰ 6 ers, and of course the
rice buyers. Dapat
magkakaroon ng ta-
mang presyo ng bigas na abot
kaya ng lahat (We are part of
that urgency because we know
that our beloved President does
not want Filipinos, the consum-
a spiralling local government
funding crisis), leaving a trail of
angry Greens in his wake.
During this period the SNP
leadership seems to have taken
onboard media and opposition
narratives that the Greens’ pol-
icies and presence in govern-
ment were dragging down the
SNP’s poll ratings. But this isn’t
really true – the voters saying
the greens have “too much in-
fluence” tend to be those already
voting for the Conservatives. In-
dependence voters are largely so-
cially liberal and left leaning, and
have trended more so since 2016.
This narrative also overlooks
the huge hit to the SNP’s repu-
tation from a string of scandals,
as well as growing failings in the
NHS and cost of living issues.
Why did Yousaf resign?
The immediate trigger for the
crisis came on April 18, when the
government announced it was
scrapping the highly ambitious
climate targets written into the
Bute House agreement, again
with seemingly minimal con-
sultation with the Greens. For
the Green membership, that was
the final straw. Party co-leaders
Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slat-
er announced they would ask
First Minister Humza Yousaf (SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT/FLICKR, CC BY 2.0)
ers, and of course, rice buyers to
suffer. The price of rice should
be right so that everyone can af-
ford them)," he said.
He, meanwhile, asked the
Senate to work on similar
changes in the Rice Tariffica-
tion Law. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Green members to vote in May
on whether the party should
continue in the coalition.
Yousaf could have chosen to
let this play out and have the
Greens take the hit for with-
drawing from government. Vot-
ers don’t normally take kindly
to parties precipitating govern-
ment instability, and the Greens
have a built-in reputation as a
party not suited to government.
Instead, mystifyingly, Yousaf
chose to ditch the Greens before
they had chance to ditch him.
Seemingly, he must have imag-
ined that this would make him
look decisive and that it would
give the impression that he
had calculated that the Greens
would return happily to their
2016-21 role as a friend but not
partner to the governing party.
If this was his intention, it is
bizarre that he made no effort
to negotiate an end to the coa-
lition and sound out the Greens
on a looser arrangement. He
instead briefly informed them
of the agreement’s termination.
Not entirely unreasonably, the
smaller party was apoplectic.
When the Conservatives ta-
bled a motion of no confidence
in Yousaf, the mistake was clear.
Senate panel wants..
❰❰ 8 panel as pieces of evi-
dence were "rebates for
early payment."
Dr. Go also clarified that the
luxury cars of some of their
members, which were also pre-
sented to the panel, are not gifts
from the company.
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
With parliamentary arithmetic
as it was, the Greens now held his
fate in their hands. If they joined
the opposition in voting in favour
of the motion – which they swift-
ly confirmed they would – he
would be forced to stand down.
The only way for Yousaf to
secure his position would be to
strike a deal with the only MSP
from former SNP-leader Alex
Salmond’s Alba Party – some-
thing which he could not coun-
tenance. A day later, Scottish
Labour tabled a second vote of
no confidence – this time in the
government as a whole. The
consequences of this passing
would be even more severe for
the party as a whole, and Yousaf
was left with little choice.
With the Yousaf-era ending,
speculation is now rife over his
successor. John Swinney, a key
figure under Sturgeon, is rapid-
ly emerging as the frontrunner.
In many ways, his appointment
would shows lessons learnt
from Yousaf – he would be a
leader with a recognised track
record of ministerial compe-
tence and political nous.
But while Swinney may
restore some of the SNP’s
much-tarnished reputation
for governing competence, the
problem of securing reliable
parliamentary allies has not
been faced. The Greens were
understandably cautious about
entering a full coalition in 2021,
but arguably the looser agree-
ment they made left them with-
out the ability to control the
direction of government. They
must think carefully if they are
faced with the choice again. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
The Department of Health is
currently conducting an inves-
tigation on the alleged unethical
practice of Bell-Kenz, and sena-
tors urged the PMA and the Pro-
fessional Regulation Commis-
sion to also conduct their own
investigation on the matter. ■
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Japan’s diplomatic charm offensive in
US aims to keep Washington in
committed relationship
BY MARY M. MCCARTHY,
Drake University
The Conversation
April 2024 proved to be a
busy month in Japanese-U.S.
diplomacy.
The month saw a state visit
to the U.S. by Prime Minister
Fumio Kishida that included
a White House sit-down with
President Joe Biden on April
10. The next day, both men were
joined by Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the
first-ever U.S.-Japan-Philip-
pines trilateral summit.
Then on April 23, a former
prime minister and leading fig-
ure in Japan’s ruling Liberal
Democratic Party, Taro Aso, met
with Donald Trump in New York.
As an expert on U.S.-East
Asian foreign relations, I believe
the flurry of diplomatic activity
points at two things: a keen de-
sire on Japan’s part to ramp up
engagement with Washington
as part of an Indo-Pacific strat-
egy, and very real concerns in
Tokyo that the U.S. might not
be so committed – regardless of
who’s leading the country after
this year’s election.
Allies and co-stewards
The Japanese government
under Kishida – who was elect-
ed prime minister in 2021 – has
made clear it is all in on the alli-
ance with the U.S.
Kishida hopes to assert Ja-
pan’s role as not just the U.S.’s
strongest ally in East Asia, but
also as co-steward of the “liber-
al international order” – that is,
the global rules and agreements
set up after World War II by
leading economies.
Kishida’s intentions were
made clear in Japan’s 2022 Na-
tional Security Strategy, which
detailed Japan’s short- and
medium-term strategic goals.
While it included a commit-
ment to unprecedented defense
spending and the development
of new defense capabilities, it
did so in the context of an em-
phasis on the country’s rela-
tionship with the U.S. as “the
cornerstone of Japan’s national
security policy.”
Japan’s strategy also calls for
the bilateral relationship with
the U.S. to go beyond tradition-
al security concerns, extending
to the provision of economic se-
curity through efforts to bolster
the resilience of global supply
chains and enhance economic
engagement between allies.
Investing in alliances
In large part, Japan’s desire
to strengthen its partnership
with the U.S. has been recipro-
cated by Washington.
Closer ties are in keeping
with the Biden administration’s
plan to invest in alliances as a
core feature of its foreign poli-
cy. The Biden White House has
been particularly focused on
greater security cooperation
across the Indo-Pacific region.
To that end, Biden and Kishi-
da showcased a U.S.-Japan joint
command center and a new Ja-
pan-U.S.-Australia air missile de-
fense network during their April
meeting. Similarly, the trilateral
meeting with the Philippines
saw the unveiling of enhanced
U.S. Coast Guard training for its
Asian partners, and joint patrols
in the South China Sea.
While the implicit, if not
explicit, target of such collab-
orative efforts is often the per-
ceived threat of China to re-
gional stability, the strategy has
wider geopolitical implications.
In forging alliances between
like-minded countries, the
U.S. and Japan are promoting
a global system based on the
existing liberal international
order, but which emphasizes
the different visions held by
democracies and nondemoc-
racies. In other words, they are
attempting to create security
through distinction – or an “us
versus them” strategy – rather
than universalism.
It is toward this goal that the
U.S. has actively encouraged
better relations between Japan
and South Korea – two demo-
cratic U.S. allies that have been
deeply divided over how to rec-
oncile after Japan’s coloniza-
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden (PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN/FACEBOOK)
tion of the Korean Peninsula in
the early 20th century.
What a Trump win might
mean to Tokyo
Yet despite the U.S. and Ja-
pan being in lockstep on many
issues affecting the Indo-Pacif-
ic region, the recent diplomatic
blitz in Washington – as well as
the lead-up to the visits – also
sheds light on areas of differ-
ence and of concern for Japan.
While Kishida has empha-
sized the U.S.-Japan economic
relationship as a win-win sce-
nario, the Biden administration
has been keener to focus on se-
curity measures.
Indeed, on trade and eco-
nomic issues, Washington isn’t
quite on the same page as its
Asian partners.
For example, Biden has come
out against the proposed pur-
chase of U.S. Steel by Japan’s
Nippon Steel. Biden’s reticence
echoes a prevailing belief in eco-
nomic nationalism in Washing-
ton, steeped in domestic politics.
But Tokyo’s concerns go be-
yond the hesitancy of the cur-
rent U.S. administration in re-
gard to Japanese investment.
A potential second Trump
presidency may, it is feared in
Tokyo, upend the work that the
Biden administration has done
to reinvigorate the alliance sys-
tem in the Indo-Pacific.
It could also see the U.S. re-
treat further into economic
nationalism. Under Trump, the
U.S. saw tariffs as a major for-
www.canadianinquirer.net
World News
eign policy tool, while portray-
ing alliances as transactional.
For example, Trump demanded
that Japan quadruple the an-
nual payments it made for U.S.
troops to be stationed there.
Also under the Trump
administration, and to Ja-
pan’s chagrin, the U.S. left the
Trans-Pacific Partnership mul-
tilateral trade deal, which con-
tinued without the U.S. in the
form of the Comprehensive
and Progressive Agreement for
Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Japan on PR offensive
Japan is beginning to hedge
against a Biden loss in November
and lay the foundations for what
many in Tokyo hope will be a pos-
itive relationship with Trump,
should he become president again.
Former Japanese Prime Min-
ister Shinzo Abe, who was as-
sassinated in 2022, forged such
a relationship with Trump. And
it was notable that it was Abe’s
former deputy prime minis-
ter, Aso, who met with Trump
in New York to reestablish a
personal connection now – al-
though Kishida’s government
described Aso’s visit as that of
an individual lawmaker acting
in his own capacity.
Still, Kishida knows that it
is not just a Trump presiden-
cy that could threaten Japan’s
interests and goals for the Pa-
cific region. American political
elites in general are trending
more toward isolationism.
Meanwhile, the American pub-
15
lic is increasingly divided and
unsure about the benefits of
trade and the role that the U.S.
should be playing globally.
In his U.S. visit, Kishida
sought to speak not only to the
Biden administration, but to
Congress – both Democrats and
Republicans – as well as the U.S.
business community and the
American public.
It was not only a leadership
summit, but a public relations tour.
During his remarks to Con-
gress – only the second by a Jap-
anese prime minister – Kishida
stressed the need for the U.S.
to be a reliable ally, saying “the
world needs the United States”
and “the people of Japan are
with you, side by side, to assure
the survival of liberty.”
And he reiterated the ties
between the two countries –
while highlighting the positive
economic contribution Japan
is making in the U.S. – in a sub-
sequent visit to North Carolina,
where he toured a Toyota elec-
tric vehicle battery factory and
a HondaJet subsidiary.
Looking for a stable rela-
tionship
Japan is embracing its iden-
tity as an actively contributing
member of the liberal interna-
tional order. With the U.S. exit
from the Trans-Pacific Part-
nership and uncertainties over
Washington’s global role during
the Trump administration,
Japan stepped up as a leading
proponent of maintaining and
perpetuating that order.
But Japan is looking for the
U.S. to continue to play a central
role, too.
The high-profile meetings be-
tween Japan’s political elite and
both Biden and Trump indicate
that Tokyo is looking for the U.S.
to be a reliable partner – both for
the sake of regional security and
for economic prosperity. But
this is something that U.S. do-
mestic politics is making it more
difficult to achieve. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
16 World News MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY

Cacdac to discuss..
G7 reaches deal to shut ❰❰ 6 During the meet-
ing, the Crown Prince
a memorandum of agreement
with the Landbank of the Phil-

down coal plants by 2035 informed President

ANADOLU
Philippine News Agency
ISTANBUL – The Group
of Seven energy ministers on
Monday pledged to close their
coal plants by 2035 at the latest,
potentially setting a global ex-
ample for fighting the climate
crisis, media outlets reported.
“We do have an agreement to
phase out coal in the first half of
the 2030s,” Andrew Bowie, a UK
minister at the Department for
Energy Security and Net Zero,
told Italy’s Class CNBC television
in Turin where they are meeting.
“This is, by the way a histor-
ic agreement, something that
we weren’t able to achieve at
COP28 in Dubai last year,” he
added, referring to the UN cli-
mate change conference.
“So, to have the G7 nations
come around the table to send
that signal to the world -- that we,
the advanced economies of the
world are committed to phasing
out coal by the early 2030s -- is
quite incredible,” he added.
The ministers attending are
expected to finalize the agree-
ment on Tuesday, according to
Italian Energy Minister Gilber-
to Pichetto Fratin.
The US State Department de-
clined to discuss the reported
agreement.
The Biden administration
last week unveiled landmark
regulations aimed at reducing
harmful emissions from power
plants, requiring coal and new
natural gas facilities to capture
or cut 90 percent of their cli-
mate pollutants by 2032.
The rules are forecast to
slash carbon dioxide emissions
from the sector by 75 percent
compared to 2005 levels.
They would go into effect if
Biden wins reelection this fall. If
his rival, Donald Trump, wins a
return to the Oval Office, the for-
mer president has vowed to end
programs to fight global warming,
which he has called a “hoax.” ■
Marcos that his government
was setting aside a SAR2-billion
fund for this purpose.
In the third quarter of 2023,
the DMW submitted to Saudi
authorities a list of 10,554 dis-
placed Saudi OFW claimants
with verified iqamas or resi-
dence permits.
In November and December
2023, some 1,500 Saudi claim-
ants started receiving their
claims checks from the Sau-
di Alinma Bank, representing
the amounts due to them from
their bankrupt companies.
The DMW then entered into
Britain and France..
❰❰ 13 defence spending op-
erating as a method of
urging European Nato
allies to follow suit.
The UK and France part-
nership on Ukraine has the
potential to add pressure to
European groups and trans-
atlantic forums to which they
both belong, in order to try and
ippines (LandBank) and the
Overseas Filipino Bank (OF-
BANK) to expedite the process-
ing and encashment of claims
checks to affected OFWs and
their surviving heirs.
Cacdac expressed hope that
the next tranche of claims check
distribution will occur during
the second quarter of 2024.
Cacdac was appointed
as ad interim DMW Secre-
tary by President Marcos on
April 24 after serving as offi-
cer-in-charge of the DMW, fol-
lowing the passing of former
Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople in
August last year. ■
secure Europe’s borders and to
make sure Ukraine has the mil-
itary power to continue to push
back against Russia’s territorial
landgrab. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.

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www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Entertainment
Star Magic highlights body transformations
and new beginnings in "Hot Summer 2024"
ABS-CBN
BINI, Jake, Barbie, and Chie
as special guests…
Star Magic brings the spot-
light to transformations that
bring healthier and happier life,
featuring Star Magic hotties, in
the “Hot Summer 2024” hap-
pening on May 15 live in Laiya,
San Juan, Batangas.
Star Magic artists Jameson
Blake, Aljon Mendoza, Anji Sal-
vacion, Kaori Oinuma, Gabb
Birkin, Zach Guerrero, Kobie
The genius of Cowboy Carter is Beyoncé’s
accent – a musicologist explains
BY CONOR CALDWELL,
University of Limerick
The Conversation
Cowboy Carter, the latest al-
bum from Beyoncé, has sparked
widespread debate about the
genre of “country music”. As a
musicologist, I am fascinated
with the construction of genres.
Often the boundaries that we
create between one type of mu-
sic and another are opaque and
do not stand up to much scru-
tiny. Music is routinely trans-
ferred from one social con-
text to another, taking on new
meaning in this process.
For example, in my own
genre of Irish traditional music,
a performer may learn a piece
of western art music or a pop
song. But to what genre does
their interpretation belong?
Does a piece of classical mu-
sic performed in the rhythm of
Irish traditional music cease to
be “classical”? Or is it intrinsi-
Brown, Reiven Umali, Lance
Carr, Maxine Trinidad, Dalia
Varde, Cj Navato, Thamara Al-
exandria, Rob Blackburn, Sha-
naia Gomez, Joao Constancia,
and JM De Guzman, will un-
dergo a transformation jour-
ney, such as training and diets,
to have a healthier lifestyle and
achieve their body goals.
Viewers will be treated with
sneak peeks of their transfor-
mation journey before the big
reveal on May 15, which will be
streamed live from Laiya, San
Juan, Batangas on Star Magic’s
cally “classical” because of the
construction of the melody and
harmony?
These sorts of questions are
key in understanding Cow-
boy Carter and its importance
in the future development of
country music.
Identifying and understand-
ing the various elements of a
musical performance is part of
the musicologist’s job. Coun-
try music is defined by some
broad themes, including instru-
mentation, the subjects of the
songs and the venues in which
it is usually performed. There
are also more specific musical
elements, such as chord struc-
tures, melodies and harmonies.
But arguably, the accent of the
singer is the most essential
component of country music.
Accents and dialect help us
to express our identity in every-
day communication. Analysis
of accents and dialects in turn
can help us to interpret musi-
cal performance. We associate
YouTube channel.
“Hot Summer 2024” will
also be graced by Nation’s Girl
Group BINI, who will perform
their hit song “Pantropiko,”
and Hot Summer Ambassadors
Jake Cuenca, Barbie Imperial,
and Chie Filomeno.
Don't miss out on Star Mag-
ic's "Hot Summer 2024." Catch
it soon on Star Magic's You-
Tube channel.
For updates, follow @abscb-
npr on Facebook, X, Instagram,
and TikTok, or visit www.abs-
cbn.com/newsroom. ■
received pronunciation in En-
glish with western art music,
while Irish traditional singers
will typically use their own spo-
ken accent, creating regional
styles in the genre.
Accent – and style in general
– can also change over time, as
has been observed in the sing-
ing of The Beatles and The Roll-
ing Stones, and more recently,
The Arctic Monkeys.
One of the unifying pillars
of style across the various sub
genres of American country
music is the sound of Southern
American English (SAE). This
is sometimes referred to as a
southern “drawl” or “twang”.
SAE, in which plural “you” be-
comes “ya’ll”, and “all of you”
becomes “all y’all”, is also often
synonymous with the “white-
ness” of country music.
Although she speaks with a
more southern accent, Beyon-
cé delivers much of her work in
another dialect. African Ameri-
can Vernacular English (AAVE)
www.canadianinquirer.net
(ABS-CBN)
has been described as a cru-
cial part of her “performative
persona” and it is here, where
AAVE converges with the mu-
sical formula of country music,
that the real genius of Cowboy
Carter emerges on tracks such
as Texas Hold ‘Em.
Banjo, finger style guitar and
a soft drumbeat provide the
musical backdrop for a song
that expresses numerous lyrical
tropes of country music (cards,
whisky, hoedowns) encased in
the use of AAVE. Examples of
this are heard in the construc-
tion “Cause we survivin’” (in-
stead of “we’re surviving”) and
the pronunciation of “with you”
(“wit choo”).
In this song, Beyoncé play-
fully mixes aural identifiers of
both “blackness” and “white-
ness” to create something new.
More of this juxtaposition
follows on the harrowing track
Daughter. Beyoncé’s vocal flex-
ibility is also seen in consecu-
tive tracks in the middle of the
17
record. On Just For Fun she
moves clearly towards the ac-
cent and style of duet partner
Willie Jones, before having Mi-
ley Cyrus do the opposite on II
Most Wanted.
At 78 minutes, Cowboy Car-
ter is nearly as long as compos-
er Dmitri Shostakovich’s epic
Seventh Symphony (1941) and
has structural similarities to
symphonic music too. There
are clear “movements” with-
in the work in which certain
lyrical and musical ideas are
grouped together.
For example, the opening five
tracks serve as personal state-
ment, announcing the artist’s
“country” credentials: “Used
to say I spoke too country / And
the rejection came, said I wasn’t
country ‘nough.” A second sec-
tion sees Beyoncé develop these
credentials, with endorsements
from some of country’s most
celebrated artists, including
❱❱ PAGE 20 The genius of
18 Entertainment MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY

Morissette, Darren Espanto set to thrill

fans in Germany via "Showstoppers"
at Zoom Club on May 11
ABS-CBN
LONDON, April 29, 2024 -
Frankfurt, Germany – the Eu-
ropean city whose impressive
skyline earned it the nickname,
Mainhattan (a portmanteau of
Main, the river where Frank-
furt lies, and Manhattan, a ref-
erence to the city's high rises
and skyscrapers) – is saying
"Wilkommen" to two of the top
twentysomething international
Filipino singers who are com-
ing to the world-class city.
On May 11, Saturday, "Asia's
Phoenix" Morissette and "Asia's
Pop Heartthrob" Darren Es-
panto will rock the music scene
in Frankfurt via the concert,
"SHOWSTOPPERS", at the
iconic Zoom Club. The venue
is where the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame band, Genesis, first
performed in Germany back
in the 70s. While Zoom mainly
caters to Indie and Electro fans
nowadays, it also features other
music styles and international
performances.
Morissette and Darren both
started young in their respective
careers. They have won acco-
lades in many singing competi-
tions that they joined on their
way to mainstream success.
Morissette, whose vocal range
spans an insane 5.4 octaves, rose
to fame after placing runner-up
on "The Voice of the Philippines"
in 2013. Her albums became best
sellers, and she became in de-
mand for endorsements of vari-
ous brands and for numerous live
shows and TV appearances. She
has won Awit Awards (Philippine
equivalent of Grammys) for Best
Performance by a New Female
Recording Artist in 2015 and Best
Ballad Recording in 2016 for her
single, "Akin Ka Na Lang". She's
known for her ingenious incor-
poration of R&B, soul, jazz and
hip hop into her songs.
Darren, a Filipino Canadian
from Calgary, gained national
fame and recognition when he
finished as first runner-up in
"The Voice Kids Philippines" in
2013. His debut single, "Dying
Inside to Hold You", was an in-
stant hit in the Philippines. His
first and eponymously titled
album turned platinum just 5 age from TFC, which on its 30th duo. Presented by TFC with MYX,
months after its release. His re- anniversary, is making a grand MX3 and WorldRemit, tickets to
cording collabs with artists like comeback in events for the Fili- "SHOWSTOPPERS" are available
Inigo Pascual, KZ Tandingan, pino community of Germany. now. VIP tickets with photo ops
James Reid, Jed Madela and Now, music fans in Germany SOLD OUT in one day. Buy your
Malaysian pop star Nik Qistina and neighboring countries in Eu- tickets now at https://mytfc.com/
were well-received by fans and rope can catch the powerhouse showstoppers . ■
praised by critics. Darren made
his acting debut in the massive
box office hit, "The Hows of Us".
In May 2019, in time for the
release in the Philippines of
the live action rendition of the
90s Disney animated classic,
"Aladdin", Morissette and Dar-
ren worked together on a local-
ized version of the 1993 Oscar
winner for Original Song, "A
Whole New World", for a whole
new generation of listeners and
viewers of the film.
What makes Morissette and
Darren stand out during their
live shows is that they're excel-
lent singers who can move and
dance well. They're not just vo-
cal dynamos, but also masters
of showmanship. Fans are in
for a grand treat with high en-
ergy from these two in "SHOW-
STOPPERS". They make the
perfect live entertainment pack- (ABS-CBN)

Let the Pleasure Begin: ‘Doctor Climax’ and

Its Steamy Q&A Column Debut June 13
NETFLIX
After sparking a surge of con-
versations on faith across the
country in The Believers, Net-
flix continues to fuel the excite-
ment with another fresh series
that explores another taboo.
Doctor Climax takes you back
to the 70s — a time when soci-
etal norms dictated that carnal
desires were best kept under
wraps and only in one’s imagi-
nation. The series marks a ma-
jor collaboration between two
talented directors: Kongdej Ja-
turanrasmee, the mind behind
the chart-topping, globally suc-
cessful HUNGER, and Pairach
Khumwan, who is one of the di-
rectors in both seasons of pop-
ular series Girl From Nowhere.
Doctor Climax takes place in
an era where open conversa-
tions about sex were a big no-
no. Doctor Nat, a dermato-ve-
nereologist who once dreamt
of writing adventure novels
and becoming a published au-
thor, ends up as the columnist
behind “The Climax Question”
— a space for answering ques-
tions everyone wants to ask
but dare not. From masturba-
tion and premature ejaculation
to foreplay, STDs, and more,
the column discusses forbid-
den subjects while keeping
the inquirers’ identities anon-
ymous. Through his work on
the newspaper column, Doc-
tor Nat grows closer to Linda,
the publisher’s art department
head. Their budding connec-
tion threatens to jeopardize not
only the doctor’s marriage with
his perfect wife, Tukta, but also
his family’s old-money status.
This comedy-drama series
features an exceptional en-
semble cast, led by Ter-Chan-
tavit Dhanasevi as both Doctor
Nat and Dr. Climax, Goy-Ara-
chaporn Pokinpakorn as Lin-
da, Praew-Chermawee Suwan-
panuchoke as Tukta, Tonhon
Tantivejakul as Permpol, and
Tob-Chaiwat Thongsang as
Thong Tien, and many others.
Doctor Climax marks the
directorial debut for Kongdej
Jaturanrasmee in a TV series.
Crediting creator and producer
Ekachai Uekrongtham for the
origin and setting of the series,
he says, “Ekachai shared with
me his idea of turning a sex Q&A
column into a series, so I start-
ed reading some samples of the
published letters from that era.
They made for a really great
read and also reflected many so-
cial issues from that time. That
was when I came up with the
concept of a doctor who answers
questions about sexual issues,
as well as the other characters,
the column, and the publisher.
Through this story, we can ex-
amine humanity and society,
with nods to real-world events
from that period.”
Fellow director Pairach Khu-
mwan adds, “Today’s viewers
might wonder why a Q&A col-
umn about sex was such a big
deal back then, but I feel this
❱❱ PAGE 20 Let the Pleasure

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Ghosted, orbited, breadcrumbed?
A psychotherapist breaks down some
perils of digital dating and how to cope
BY DANIELLE SUKENIK,
University of Colorado
Anschutz Medical Campus
The Conversation
Buzzwords describing the dig-
ital dating scene are all over so-
cial media. Have you been ghost-
ed? Is someone orbiting you? Are
you being breadcrumbed? While
these dating patterns may not be
new, the words to describe them
continue to evolve.
As a psychotherapist, I see
firsthand the impact these ex-
periences can have on mental
health. Given the sheer num-
ber of people using dating apps
– 53% of American 18-to-29-
year-olds and 37% of 30-to-49-
year-olds – it’s likely you have
some first- or secondhand ex-
posure to this world.
If you’re curious about the
latest psychological research on
digital dating – and are looking
for evidence-based strategies to
cope – read on.
Ghosting and orbiting
Ghosting is a sudden disrup-
tion in a relationship without
any explanation. The “ghoster”
vanishes suddenly, often leav-
ing the other person with ques-
tions. And orbiting? That’s when
someone ghosts but continues
to follow the other person on
social media by watching stories
or occasionally engaging in their
content. These behaviors are
pretty common, and you might
wonder about their impact.
A 2022 study compared the
psychological consequences of
being ghosted, orbited or reject-
ed by asking 176 participants
about one randomly assigned
breakup strategy they had ex-
perienced out of these three.
Then, participants completed
a questionnaire rating various
feelings about their breakup.
Lifestyle
While feelings of rejection
did not differ between the three
breakup strategies – the end of
a relationship hurts regardless
– the results showed that ghost-
ing led to stronger feelings of
exclusion than being rejected
outright. People in the ghosting
category were also more likely
to feel that their basic needs of
belonging, self-esteem and con-
trol were threatened.
Being orbited, on the other
hand, seemed to buffer victims
partially from the emotion-
al consequences of a breakup.
Victims of orbiting, too, report-
ed feeling higher levels of ex-
clusion and threat to their ba-
sic needs than those who were
rejected outright, but less than
victims of ghosting did. Perhaps
sporadic attention softens feel-
ings of exclusion.
These findings are in line with
other research. Understand-
ing a breakup is important and
helps individuals recover from
the event. With no explanation,
the rejected individual may be
left feeling confused and uncer-
tain, sometimes with unhealed
psychological wounds.
Orbiting may cause further
ambiguity, as the orbiter’s be-
havior suggests a mild residual
interest in the other person. An
individual might wonder if the
other person is still attracted
or might want to return to the
relationship. For some people,
this uncertainty can be harm-
ful, while others find it easier to
let go of a relationship if they’re
still receiving some level of dig-
ital attention.
A pair of studies in 2004 and
2005 showed people prefer re-
ceiving negative attention over
being ignored entirely. In these
role-playing experiments, those
who experienced ostracism re-
ported lower levels of belonging,
control, meaningful existence
and superiority than those who
experienced an argument.
Breadcrumbing
Breadcrumbing is when
someone drops morsels of flir-
tatious attention to keep the
other person interested, even
though they have no inten-
tion of participating in a rela-
tionship. Some classic signs
of breadcrumbing are not re-
sponding to messages for long
periods of time, vague com-
munication, and avoidance of
discussions related to feelings.
These patterns tend to boost
the breadcrumber’s ego, self-
worth and sense of power.
For the person being bread-
crumbed, it’s a different story. A
2020 study of 626 adults found
victims of breadcrumbing were
significantly more likely to have
feelings of loneliness, helpless-
ness and less life satisfaction
than victims of ghosting. Be-
cause people on the receiving
end of breadcrumbing remain
in limbo longer, they experience
repeated feelings of exclusion
and ostracism. The ongoing na-
ture of breadcrumbing explains
www.canadianinquirer.net
why it can have more negative
effects on mental health.
Taking care of yourself
Given the prevalence of these
behaviors, it’s likely you’ve em-
ployed some of these dating tac-
tics yourself. If so, I invite you to
be mindful and think about how
these patterns are serving you and
consider your impact on others.
If you’re also on the receiv-
ing end, here are some evi-
dence-based strategies you can
use to support yourself and
maintain a positive outlook
about the dating scene.
Any time you have an experi-
ence, your mind is quick to cre-
ate a narrative around what hap-
pened in order to make sense of
it and create an illusion of con-
trol or safety. If you’re not aware
of the stories you tell yourself,
you may find yourself incor-
rectly assigning blame or fault,
which can lead to negative self-
talk, anxiety and depression.
For example, rather than
think, “I did something wrong
to cause them to ghost me,” you
could think, “Their decision to
disengage from the relation-
ship is more about them and
19
how they relate to others than
it is about me.” Being mindful
of your cognitive patterns and
practicing changing your nar-
ratives can help keep online
dating from wreaking havoc on
your psyche.
It’s also crucial to take inven-
tory of what’s most important
to you. Identifying your values
will not only allow you to bet-
ter match with like-minded
people, but it will also improve
your relationship with your-
self. When your life aligns with
what’s important to you, you
increase its meaning, purpose
and overall well-being. In living
this way, you might find looking
for a relationship is less urgent,
which could help you to better
spot red flags or mismatches.
I also recommend varying the
ways you connect to others to
mitigate burnout. A healthy mix
of apps and meeting people “in
the wild” will often yield the best
outcome and allow the dating
adventure to remain exciting. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 20
Many old books contain toxic chemicals –
here’s how to spot them
BY MARK LORCH, University
of Hull
The Conversation
In our modern society, we
rarely consider books to be dan-
gerous items. However, certain
books contain elements so haz-
ardous that they require scru-
tiny before being placed on the
shelves of public libraries, book-
stores or even private homes.
The Poisonous Book Project,
a collaborative research project
between Winterthur Museum,
Garden & Library and the Uni-
versity of Delaware, is dedicated
to cataloguing such books. Their
concern is not with the content
written on the pages, but with
the physical components of the
books themselves — specifically,
the colours of the covers.
The project recently influ-
enced the decision to remove
two books from the French
national library. The reason?
Their vibrant green cloth cov-
ers raised suspicions of con-
taining arsenic.
This concern is rooted in
historical practices in book-
binding. During the 19th cen-
tury, as books began to be mass
produced, bookbinders tran-
sitioned from using expensive
leather covers to more afford-
able cloth items. To attract
readers, these cloth covers were
often dyed in bright, eye-catch-
ing colours.
The genius of..
❰❰ 17 Willie Nelson and
Dolly Parton.
In Spaghettii there
is a short explosion of drill
music. Other more obviously
hip-hop tracks are scattered
throughout the rest of the re-
cord. Beyoncé explores multi-
ple musical homes, including
opera, and ultimately ends with
a recapitulation of the opening
song, Ameriican Requiem in
the final track, Amen.
Subverting the genre
Beyoncé has deliberately set
out to subvert conceptions of
the genre with Cowboy Carter.
Lifestyle
Green, yellow, red
One popular pigment was
Scheele’s green, named after
Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Ger-
man-Swedish chemist who in
1775 discovered that a vivid
green pigment could be pro-
duced from copper and arsenic.
This dye was not only cheap to
make, it was also more vibrant
than the copper carbonate
greens that had been used for
over a century.
Scheele green eventually fell
out of favour because it had a
tendency to fade to black when
it reacted with sulphur-based
pollutants released from coal.
But new dyes based on Scheele’s
discovery, such as emerald and
Paris green, proved to be much
more durable. They were quick-
ly adopted for use in various
items, including book covers,
clothing, candles and wallpaper.
These pigments, however, had
a significant drawback: they de-
graded easily, releasing poison-
ous and carcinogenic arsenic.
The frequent reports of green
candles poisoning children at
Christmas parties, factory work-
ers tasked with applying paint to
ornaments convulsing and vom-
iting green water and warnings
of poisonous ball dresses raised
serious concerns about the safe-
ty of these green dyes.
This issue became so noto-
rious that in 1862, the satiri-
cal magazine Punch published
a cartoon titled The Arsenic
As pioneering black country
artist Linda Martell says during
the opening to Spaghettii:
“Genres are a funny little con-
cept aren’t they? Yes they are.”
Martell returns later to in-
troduce Ya, Ya, reminding the
listener that the song “stretches
across a range of genres”. This
never appears cynical, howev-
er, and the deeply personal and
genuine creative power of the
record is further revealed in the
way that Beyoncé plays with
lyrics and ideas elsewhere.
In her rewriting of Dolly Par-
ton’s Jolene, the narrator is trans-
Waltz", which depicted skele-
tons dancing – a grim commen-
tary on the deadly fashion trend.
The harmful effects of these
pigments have even been impli-
cated in Napoleon’s death from
stomach cancer. Napoleon was
particularly keen on the new
green colours, so much so that
he ordered his dwelling on St
Helena, where he was exiled, be
painted in his favourite colour.
The theory that the arsenic in
the walls contributed to his death
is supported by the high levels of
arsenic detected in samples of
his hair. Despite the clear link
between the green pigments and
health issues, toxic wallpapers
continued to be produced until
the late 19th century.
Green isn’t the only colour
to worry about, however. Red is
also of concern. The brilliant red
pigment vermilion was formed
from the mineral cinnabar, also
known as mercury sulfide. This
was a popular source of red paint
dating back thousands of years.
There is even evidence that
neolithic artists suffered from
mercury poisoning. Vermilion
red sometimes appears on the
marbled patterns on the inside
of book covers.
Yellow has also caught the
eye of the poisonous book proj-
ect. In this case, the culprit is
lead chromate. The bright yel-
low of lead chromate was a fa-
vourite with painters, not least
Vincent van Gogh, who used it
formed into a powerful a confi-
dent woman who successfully
fends off the titular character’s
advances: “[I had to have this talk
with you/'Cause I hate to have to
act a fool/Your peace depends on
how you move, Jolene]”.
There are so many interest-
ing things to say about this re-
cord, on which Beyoncé asks
compelling questions about
style and genre. What makes
Cowboy Carter different from
other groundbreaking records
is that the artist offers us de-
tailed and compelling explana-
tions of her artistic rationale
www.canadianinquirer.net
extensively in his most famous
series of paintings: Sunflowers.
For the Victorian-era book-
binders, lead chromate allowed
them to create a range of co-
lours from greens (achieved
by mixing chrome yellow with
Prussian blue) to yellows, or-
anges and browns.
Both lead and chromium are
toxic. But yellow books are less
of a concern than green and red.
Lead chromate is not particu-
larly soluble, making it difficult
to absorb. It is, in fact, still a
widely used pigment.
Practical advice
So what should you do if you
come across a green cloth book
from the 19th century? First,
don’t be overly concerned. You
would probably have to eat the
entire book before you’d suffer
from severe arsenic poisoning.
However, casual exposure to cop-
per acetoarsenite, the compound
in the green pigment, can irritate
the eyes, nose and throat.
within the music.
Cowboy Carter reminds us
that musical style is difficult to
define. While record labels and
streaming services rely on genre
labels to power our consumer
activities, these labels are en-
tirely subjective for the listen-
er. Ultimately, Cowboy Carter
opens the door for musicians of
all backgrounds to play with the
accent, style and ideals of coun-
try music in their own way. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
It is more of a concern for
folks who may regularly handle
these books where frequent con-
tact could result in more serious
symptoms. Therefore, anyone
who suspects they might be han-
dling a Victorian-era book with
an emerald green binding is ad-
vised to wear gloves and avoid
touching their face. Then clean
all surfaces afterwards.
To aid with the identifica-
tion of these potentially haz-
ardous books, the Poisonous
Book Project has incorporated
crowd-sourced data into their
research. The researchers now
distribute bookmarks that fea-
ture safety warnings and show-
case various shades of emerald
green to aid their identification.
As a result, they have now iden-
tified over 238 arsenic editions
from across the globe. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
Let the Pleasure..
❰❰ 18 could be a refresh-
ing and novel story.
Doctor Climax not
only entertains but also raises
thought-provoking questions.
Watching this series feels akin to
viewing eight movies, with each
episode having its own unique
style, direction, and storytelling
technique, all woven together
into one overarching narrative.
Arouse your curiosity with
Doctor Climax, an exploration
of sex in the 70s beyond the
era’s limitations, coming June
13, only on Netflix!
#DoctorClimax #NetflixTH ■
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Why are some people faster than others?
2 exercise scientists explain the
secrets of running speed
BY DAWN P. COE, University
of Tennessee, ELIZABETH
(KIP) WEBSTER, University
of Tennessee
The Conversation
Why are some people fast-
er than others? – Jon, age 14,
Macon, Georgia
Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest
human, ran a 100-meter sprint
at a speed of 23.35 miles per hour
(37.57 kilometers per hour).
That’s mind-blowingly fast
for a human. It’s about the same
speed as cruising in a car through
your neighborhood or in a school
zone. It might not seem that fast
when you’re in the car, but for
a person? Few runners in the
world can even come close.
There are several reasons
why some people can run very
fast while others tend to run
more slowly. Genetics – the
traits you inherit from your
parents – play a role, but so do
your choices and experiences.
As pediatric exercise scien-
tists, we create and evaluate
programs that help children
be healthy. The exciting news
is that while you have no con-
trol over your genetics, you can
train to improve your speed.
Fast twitch, slow twitch
One major factor that influ-
ences your ability to run fast is
the structure of your body, in-
cluding how your muscles work.
The human body has more
than 600 muscles that work
together, allowing you to move
in different directions and at
various speeds. These muscles
are made up of groups of fibers.
There are two main types: fast
twitch and slow twitch.
Muscles have different mix-
es of these fiber types. For ex-
ample, two muscles make up
the calf: One is predominantly
fast twitch – that’s the gastroc-
nemius, used for sprinting and
jumping. The other is mostly
slow twitch – that’s the soleus,
used for walking and jogging.
Fast-twitch muscle fibers are
larger and help your body move
quickly and generate significant
force. Sprinters tend to have an
abundance of fast-twitch mus-
cle fibers. However, this mus-
cle fiber type also tires quickly,
which limits how long you can
run at top speed to relatively
short distances.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers are
smaller and help you run at slow-
er speeds, but with greater en-
durance. Long-distance runners
and competitive cyclists tend to
have a lot of these muscles.
How much you have of each
type of muscle fiber – fast twitch
and slow twitch – is mostly
determined by your genes, so
you’ll have to work with what
you’re born with when it comes
to muscle types. But exercises
can help train those muscles.
Your brain plays a big role
Physical ability isn’t just
about muscle. Your brain plays
an important role, too.
Your skeletal muscles are
controlled by your brain – you
think about your actions and
then execute the movements.
For example, you can control
how long your stride is, how
your arms move, how your feet
hit the ground and even the
techniques you use to breathe.
You can teach your body to
use the best running techniques.
That includes proper posture, so
your body is standing tall, and an
economical stride, so your feet
land below you rather than too
far out in front, where they can
slow you down.
You can also improve your run-
ning form by using your whole
body, with your arms pumping
in opposition to the legs, running
on your toes and maximizing the
time spent in flight phase with
both feet off the ground. Using
proper running techniques helps
the muscles create more force
and work together, which helps
you run faster.
The more you practice an ac-
tivity, the better you will get. As
your ability to run fast increas-
es, challenge yourself to run
even faster.
www.canadianinquirer.net
Business
How to train to run faster
– myth-busting!
You may have heard your
friends chatting about ways to
boost your speed or searched
the internet for tips on getting
faster. Time to bust some of
those myths.
Myth 1: You have to run as
fast as you can to train to be
faster. That’s false!
You don’t have to run as fast
as you can to get faster, and it ac-
tually helps to take short breaks
to recover in between activities
where you are sprinting.
Myth 2: You need to lift heavy
weights to get faster. False!
Functional strength training
involves performing exercises
that help you get better at spe-
cific movements. They involve
using either medium weights or
just the resistance of your own
body weight. Doing planks, lung-
21
es, step-ups or jump squats are
great examples. These activities
focus on the muscles that are in-
strumental during running.
Myth 3: You need to special-
ize in running early in life to
become a fast runner. False!
Picking one activity to focus
on early in life may actually lim-
it your ability to develop into a
fast runner. Doing a variety of
physical activities can help you
develop new skills that improve
your running. For example,
the movements and endurance
used in soccer may translate
into the ability to run faster.
Myth 4: Training isn’t fun.
False!
Training programs can take
many shapes and forms. You can
play running games with your
friends, work on fast footwork
using an agility ladder or create
obstacle courses. There’s noth-
ing like a little healthy competi-
tion to motivate your training.
What’s important is having
fun while training and partic-
ipating in activities that pro-
mote running speed on a regu-
lar basis.
So, whether you want to be
the next Usain Bolt or you just
want to win a race against your
friend, remember that with a
little bit of genetic luck and hard
work, it may just be possible. ■
Curious Kids is a series for
children of all ages. If you have
a question you’d like an expert
to answer, send it to curiouskid-
sus@theconversation.com.
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
22 MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY

Sports
Over P50-M artificial grass IOC promises
football pitch to rise in innovation at
Victorias City Paris 2024 with
BY NANETTE
GUADALQUIVER
help of AIural grass for football because
of extreme weather conditions
will be a defining project of Vic-
torias City,” the mayor added.
Philippine News Agency and relatively low budget for Benitez said he aims to make
maintenance,” he said. Victorias City a sports tourism XINHUA solutions, Intel has enabled us
“This field is better than the hub in Negros Occidental and Philippine News Agency to deploy AI faster than ever be-
BACOLOD CITY – The City field I used to play in Manila. The elevate its status as a premier fore. Together, in Paris, our col-
of Victorias in Negros Occiden- football community understands destination for football enthu- laboration will create an Olym-
tal is constructing a more than how impactful this project is. It siasts in Western Visayas. ■ GENEVA – The Interna- pic experience like never before,
PHP50-million artificial grass tional Olympic Committee an- embodying our shared commit-
football pitch in the Victorias nounced Monday that the 2024 ment to building a better world
National High School campus, Paris Olympic and Paralympic through sport,” Corna added
the first ever in Western Visayas. Games will provide immersive Audience will be able to en-
The international-sized and and interactive onsite experi- joy 8k livestreaming broadcast
FIFA (Fédération Internatio- ences with the help of AI-driv- for the first time at the Olympic
nale de Football Association) en technologies. Games in Paris this summer.
standard 11-a-side synthetic turf "Our partnership with Intel Other technologies will also
pitch is expected to be completed has propelled us into a realm create a journey of becoming an
in five months after the ground- where emerging technologies, Olympic athlete to give the fans an
breaking was held on April 27. powered by artificial intelli- experience of interactive, AI-pow-
Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez gence, are reshaping the world ered activations, the IOC said.
said on Tuesday the artificial of sport for spectators, athletes, The AI technology also trans-
turf is imported and can last for IOC staff and Partners," Ilario forms video footage of artefacts
more than 20 years with good FOOTBALL PITCH. A design perspective of the artificial-grass football field that Corna, IOC's chief information in the Olympic collections into
maintenance. will soon rise at the Victorias National High School campus in Victorias City, technology officer, said in an 3D digital models, which is aim-
“In the Philippines, it is best Negros Occidental. It will be the first 11-a-side synthetic turf soccer pitch to rise IOC statement. ing to preserve the legacy of the
to do an artificial turf than nat- in Western Visayas. (SCREENSHOT FROM VICTORIAS CITY GOVERNMENT VIDEO VIA PNA) “Through their AI-powered Olympic Games. ■

Does the AFL ban on skinfold testing avoid

fat shaming – or has footy ‘gone soft’?
BY DOMINIQUE CONDO,
Deakin University
The Conversation
There was, perhaps unsur-
prising, outcry from some sec-
tions of the sports media when
it was revealed the AFL was re-
moving body composition test-
ing (including skinfold testing)
in its junior (under the age of 18)
talent pathways system, coming
soon after the league moved to
stop publishing player weights.
“The world has gone mad,”
said former Essendon cham-
pion Matthew Lloyd, while
ex-playing and coaching great
Paul Roos stated: “This is just
farcical … they [skinfold tests]
are such a minor thing, to take
them away seems ludicrous.”
So is this a sign AFL players
have “gone soft”, or is there
good reason for it?
Player weights – public or
private?
Athletes, like anyone else,
have the right to privacy regard-
ing personal information such
as their weight. By no longer
publishing player weights, the
AFL may be aiming to respect
players’ privacy and promote a
more confidential approach to
sensitive information.
Publishing player weights can
also contribute to a culture that
emphasises body image, poten-
tially placing pressure on some
athletes to maintain a certain
physique and possibly impacting
mental health and self-esteem.
It’s vital to understand the
underlying philosophy of AFL
body composition policies is
to “first, do no harm” – aiming
to promote positive outcomes
for all individuals. So if keep-
ing player weights private helps
some athletes who may have
body image concerns, even
if they are the minority, it is
worth the change.
Some critics have argued
knowing a player’s weight can
help from a performance perspec-
tive – coaches, commentators and
even fans can compare player
match-ups to estimate perfor-
mance outcomes and capabilities.
But the impact of weight on foot-
ball performance is not clear.
Also, most AFL players will
tell you their published weight
hasn’t been updated since they
were drafted, and therefore is
unlikely to be valid.
What about skinfold testing?
The AFL’s decision to stop
skinfold testing in junior talent
pathways is for the same rea-
sons – to prioritise the health
and wellbeing of athletes.
Skinfold testing involves mea-
suring the thickness of fat at vari-
ous sites on the body with a caliper.
❱❱ PAGE 30 Does the AFL

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
IMF: PH one of sources of
repeated growth surprise
BY ANNA LEAH GONZALES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) on Mon-
day said the Philippines is one
of the resilient economies in the
region, with growth mostly sup-
ported by domestic demand.
"India and the Philippines
have been the source of repeated
positive growth surprises, sup-
ported by resilient domestic de-
Rough seas or smooth sailing?
The cruise industry is booming
despite environmental concerns
BY FRÉDÉRIC DIMANCHE,
Toronto Metropolitan
University, KELLEY A.
MCCLINCHEY, Wilfrid
Laurier University
The Conversation
Cruise ship season is offi-
cially underway in British Co-
lumbia. The season kicked off
with the arrival of Norwegian
Bliss on April 3 — the first of 318
ships that are scheduled to dock
in Victoria this year. Victoria
saw a record 970,000 passen-
gers arrive in 2023, with more
expected in 2024.
The cruise industry was badly
hit by the suspension of cruise
operations due to the COVID-19
pandemic in 2020. Fuelled by
heavy consumer demand and in-
dustry innovation, cruising has
made a comeback. It is now one
of the fastest-growing sectors,
rebounding even faster than in-
ternational tourism.
Business
mand," the IMF said in its April
2024 Regional Economic Out-
look for Asia and Pacific report.
The IMF expects the Phil-
ippine economy to grow by 6.2
percent for both 2024 and 2025.
"The Philippines is one country
which has done very well in terms
of...the growth is being resilient
(and) inflation is coming down,"
IMF director of the Asia and Pacif-
ic department Krishna Srinivasan
said in a virtual briefing on Tuesday.
IMF's latest forecast for the year,
While many predicted a dif-
ficult recovery, a recent indus-
try report shows a remarkable
post-pandemic rebound. Two
million more people went on
cruises in 2023 versus 2019,
with demand predicted to top
35 million in 2024.
But environmental issues
plague the sector’s revival. Are
they an indication of rough seas
ahead? Or will a responsive in-
dustry mean smooth sailing?
Cruising has long been criti-
cized for being Janus-faced: on
the surface, cruises are conve-
nient, exciting holidays with
reputed economic benefits. But
lurking underneath are its neg-
ative environmental and social
impacts.
Unprecedented growth
Newly constructed me-
ga-ships are part of the indus-
try’s unprecedented growth.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the
Seas is the largest cruise ship in
the world, with 18 decks, 5,600
settles within the government's 6.0
to 7.0 percent growth target.
Last year, the economy grew
by 5.6 percent, outpacing major
economies in Asia, such as China
(5.2 percent), Vietnam (5.0 per-
cent), and Malaysia (3.8 percent).
1st quarter GDP growth
In an interview with report-
ers late Monday, Finance Sec-
retary Ralph Recto said Phil-
ippine economic growth will
likely settle at 5.8 to 6.3 percent
in the first quarter of the year.
passengers and 2,350 crew.
MSC World Europa with
6,700 passengers and 2,100
crew, P&O Arvia with 5,200
passengers and 1,800 crew,
and Costa Smeralda with 6,600
passengers and 1,500 crew also
claim mega-ship status.
Those sailing to and from Alas-
www.canadianinquirer.net
"Anything higher than 5.5 is
a win because last year we grew
by 5.5 so if we grew by 5.8 that's
good enough, that should be one
of the highest in the region if not
one of the highest in the world.
So based on our analysis, 5.8 to
6.3 for the first quarter," he said.
He said 5.8 percent is a "real-
istic" number, adding however
that a growth of 6 percent and
above is also possible.
"I think in the first quarter
last year, the [economic] growth
ka via Victoria will be some of the
estimated 700,000 passengers
departing Seattle on massive
ships three sport fields in length.
Baby boomers represent less
than 25 per cent of cruise clien-
tele. Gen X, Millennials and Gen
Z have more interest than ever
in cruising, with these younger
23
was high, so we're starting from
a high base so put it in perspec-
tive. If we can achieve 5.8 per-
cent, maganda na rin yun (it's
also good) because [we're] start-
ing from a high base," Recto said.
In the first quarter of 2023,
the Philippine economy grew
by 6.4 percent.
The first quarter Philippine
gross domestic product growth
data is scheduled to be released
by the Philippine Statistics Au-
thority on May 9. ■
markets being targeted as the
future of cruise passengers.
The Cruise Lines Interna-
tional Association asserts that
82 per cent of those who have
cruised will cruise again. To en-
tice first-timers and meet the
needs of repeat cruisers, com-
panies are offering new itiner-
aries and onboard activities,
from simulated skydiving and
bumper cars to pickleball and
lawn bowling.
Solo cruise travel is also on
the rise, and multi-generational
family cruise travel is flourishing,
explaining the extensive variety
of cabin classes, activities and
restaurants available on newly
constructed and retrofitted ships.
However, only a few cruise
ports are large enough to dock
mega ships. Cruise lines are re-
sponding by offering off-beat ex-
periences and catering more to
the distinct desires of travellers.
❱❱ PAGE 25 Rough seas or
24
For Europe to emulate Silicon Valley’s
tech success, it should change
its startup funding model
BY MICHAELA HRUSKOVA,
University of Stirling,
KATHARINA SCHEIDGEN,
Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen
The Conversation
Tech startups will be en-
thused by the news that Silicon
Valley venture capital (VC) vet-
eran General Catalyst is on the
verge of raising US$6 billion
(£4.8 billion) for backing new
companies. It comes hot on the
heels of an announcement from
Andreessen Horowitz, another
major VC, of a new US$7.2 bil-
lion investment fund. These are
among the largest fundraisings
in years, coming at a time when
the VC sector has been going
through a lull, with world-
wide total investments down
from US$644 billion in 2021 to
US$286 billion in 2023.
The bad news, depending
on where you live, is that most
of the proceeds are likely to be
invested Stateside. American
startups mop up around half of
all global VC funding, while Eu-
rope and the UK are lucky to see
a quarter. This is despite the fact
that Europe and the UK have
a slightly larger share of world
GDP than the US (17% v 16%).
This helps to explain why
America’s leading three tech
firms, Microsoft, Apple and
Nvidia, are worth around
US$7.5 trillion, while Europe’s
Japanese Yen drops to new low of 160 vs.
dollar, 1st time since 1990
ANADOLU
Philippine News Agency
ISTANBUL – The Japanese
government might have inter-
vened to halt yen’s slide as the
country’s currency Monday
Business
equivalents, ASML, SAP and
Prosus, are worth some US$700
billion. So what can be done to
change this situation?
Silicon Valley’s edge
Silicon Valley’s success can
be attributed to a range of mu-
tually reinforcing factors, many
of which planted their seeds
decades ago. These include lu-
crative government contracts,
entrepreneurial universities
nearby, and the accumulation
of wealth and talent from tech
giants such as Apple, Nvidia,
and OpenAI. This kind of head
start is difficult to replicate.
US investors often plough
millions of dollars into relatively
early-stage companies, which are
sums that other ecosystems sim-
ply cannot match. But startups
typically first need to demon-
strate traction with customers,
usually in the form of sales rev-
enue or user numbers. This is
different from tech investment
hubs such as Berlin and Scotland,
where investors tend to only re-
quire a strong team with just an
idea for the startup to be consid-
ered to have good potential for
investment. Our research sug-
gests that this might be an under-
appreciated reason for Silicon
Valley’s success.
Having done in-depth inter-
views with 63 entrepreneurs
and investors across Silicon
Valley and Berlin, the different
expectations of investors are
very noticeable. For instance,
dropped to a new low of 160
against the dollar, the first time
since 1990, Kyodo News reported.
The yen dropped to a 34-year
low in Singapore but quickly
recovered to 155 amid assump-
tions that the government
might have intervened.
the founders of San Francis-
co-based AirBnb had to use their
credit cards to keep the compa-
ny afloat, and even resorted to
selling cereal boxes before even-
tually securing funding.
Similarly, the founders of
food delivery app DoorDash,
which is also based in San Fran-
cisco, built a full prototype
and were making the deliver-
ies themselves for nearly half
a year before raising their first
round of investment.
This is in stark contrast to Eu-
ropean ecosystems. Recent exam-
ples from Berlin include language
tutor marketplace HeyLama,
which secured funding nearly im-
mediately after inception. Mean-
while, pet care startup Rex raised
more than US$5 million within
months after launching.
And yet, between 2020 and
2022, US$44 billion was invested
in early-stage deals in Silicon Val-
ley as opposed to US$5.8 billion
in Berlin. Equally, roughly 31%
of US but only 19% of European
seed-stage startups progress to
the next round of fundraising.
This doesn’t necessarily mean
that the companies that do not
raise follow-on funding fail, but
it may help explain why Silicon
Valley’s exits amount to US$403
million on average, as opposed
to US$53 million in Berlin.
So why is it not the case that
US startups struggle more when
they have to meet higher expec-
tations to get funded? And could
Authorities may have con-
ducted intervention to stem
the yen's plunge, some market
dealers said.
The yen has undergone ex-
treme pressure this year drop-
ping to new lows, which also
leads to high costs on imports.
www.canadianinquirer.net
other ecosystems catch up by
adopting the same strategy?
The ‘valley of death’
The journey of a business idea
from inception to early traction
is often referred to as the “valley
of death”. During this period, the
startup needs to keep developing
the business, build the product,
and figure out a reliable business
model. There is no one-size-fits-
all blueprint and many companies
fail, either because the idea is not
viable or they run out of money.
Silicon Valley’s preferred
funding model of investing
into startups with traction
somewhat decreases the risk
of failure for VCs. In the long
term this should result in more
funds for reinvesting into new
startups, which likely helped
the whole ecosystem to flour-
ish. There’s also a benefit to
those entrepreneurs who can
delay fundraising until they
But Bank of Japan Governor
Kazuo Ueda said he sees no ma-
jor impact of the yen's recent
sharp decline in prices.
The Finance Ministry de-
clined to comment on the cur-
rency plunge.
Last week, the Bank of Japan
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
can demonstrate traction, since
the startup is likely to be worth
more. This means they can get
more money or give up a small-
er percentage of the business.
This would suggest that Eu-
ropean startup ecosystems
ought to think about moving to-
wards this model. But it comes
with a major downside. Few
entrepreneurs have enough
money to maintain the compa-
ny through the valley of death
– and it tends to be longer and
deeper for the most innovative
ideas. This is particularly an is-
sue for entrepreneurs from un-
der-represented groups, such as
disadvantaged socioeconomic
backgrounds, women and im-
migrants, who are less likely to
have the necessary resources or
connections. Thus, adopting the
American investment threshold
❱❱ PAGE 26 For Europe to
kept its policy interest rates un-
changed.
In March, the bank ended a
negative rate era, increasing the
rate from minus 0.1 percent to 0.1
percent after a 17-year period. ■
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Electric cars pile up at European ports
as Chinese firms struggle to find buyers
BY TOM STACEY, Anglia
Ruskin University
The Conversation
China’s automotive industry
has revolutionised over the past
decade, from producing basic
western clones to making cars
that equal the world’s best. As
the manufacturing powerhouse
of the world, China is also pro-
ducing them in huge volumes.
However, Chinese cars are fac-
ing difficulties in finding buyers
in Europe. Imported cars, many
of which are Chinese electric ve-
hicles, are piling up at European
ports, with some spending up to
18 months in port car parks as
manufacturers struggle to get
them onto people’s driveways.
Why is this, though? Chinese
electric vehicles in particular
are getting positive reviews.
Having driven them myself, I
can attest to them matching,
or even exceeding, the well-
known European brands in
range, quality and technology.
But entering an established
market as a challenger is a com-
plex operation. Chinese makers
will have to contend with buyer
wariness, a lack of brand image,
trade protectionism and rapid
outdatedness.
Lack of buyer faith
China’s automotive expan-
Rough seas or..
❰❰ 23 In doing so, there is
a move towards small-
er vessels and luxury
liners, river cruises and expedi-
tion cruising. Leveraging less-
er-known ports that can only
be accessed via compact luxury
ships offers more mission-driv-
en, catered experiences for the
eco-minded traveller.
Cruising and environmen-
tal costs
Cruise ship visitors are
known to negatively impact
Marine World Heritage sites.
While most sites regulate bal-
last water and wastewater
discharge, there are concerns
about ship air emissions and
wildlife interactions.
Cruise ship journeys along
sion programme draws parallels
with the moves made by Japan in
the 1960s and 70s. At that time,
the product coming from Japan
was commendable but lacked
the finesse, design and longevity
of their western counterparts.
Japanese cars were thought of
as tinny, underpowered and
susceptible to rusting, as well as
looking very generic compared
to stylish European designs.
Memories of Japan’s involve-
ment in the second world war were
also fresh in (particularly Ameri-
can) buyer’s minds, who were slow
to forgive a nation that launched
the Pearl Harbour attacks. Howev-
er, by constantly focusing on a reli-
able, relatively cheap and increas-
ingly stylish product, Japan slowly
Canada’s west coast, for exam-
ple, are leaving behind a trail of
toxic waste. A study by environ-
mental organization Friends of
the Earth concluded that a cruise
tourist generates eight times
more carbon emissions per day
than a land tourist in Seattle.
Also, a rise in expedition
cruising means more negative
impacts (long-haul flights to far-
ther ports, less destination man-
agement in fragile ecosystems,
last chance tourism) and a rise
in carbon dioxide emissions.
Toxic air pollutants from
cruise ships around ports are
higher than pre-pandemic lev-
els, leaving Europe’s port cit-
ies “choking on air pollution.”
Last year, Europe’s 218 cruise
turned this around to become the
automotive powerhouse of the
1990s and 2000s.
China is viewed with suspi-
cion by many westerners, and
its carmakers are similarly ham-
pered by their recent legacy of
producing both endorsed and
illegal clones of European cars.
But with the lessons of the Japa-
nese to learn from, Chinese cars
are rapidly advancing to match
and exceed existing alternatives.
Strategic purchases of brands
like Volvo, Lotus and MG
have also given China existing
brands that are respected and,
more importantly, have some of
the best engineering knowledge
in the world.
Yet, even after buying up west-
ships emitted as much sulphur
oxides as one billion cars — a
high number, considering the
introduction of the Interna-
tional Maritime Organization’s
sulphur cap in 2020.
Rough seas ahead or
smooth sailing?
Royal Caribbean said its Icon
of the Seas is designed to oper-
ate 24 per cent more efficiently
than the international standard
for new ships. International
Maritime Organization regula-
tions must be 30 per cent more
energy-efficient than those
built in 2014.
But despite the industry us-
ing liquefied natural gas instead
of heavy fuel oil and electric
shore power to turn off diesel
www.canadianinquirer.net
Business
ern brands, Chinese automakers
have proven unable to buy loy-
alty from existing customers of
brands like BMW, Porsche, Fer-
rari and Ford. For these buyers,
the history of the brand in terms
of known reliability and even
things like motor sport success
is something that Chinese mak-
ers, like the Japanese, will have
to build up over time.
It was Ford dealers who, in the
1960s, coined the phrase: “Win
on Sunday, Sell on Monday”.
The phrase is as an adage to at-
test the fact that if buyers see
a car winning a race, they’ll be
motivated to go out and buy one.
Existing manufacturers also
have a legacy of reliability that
buyers have experienced for
themselves, giving a huge brand
loyalty benefit. Add to this a lack
of an established dealer network
outside of China and you see how
Chinese makers struggle against
the established competition.
A challenging trade envi-
ronment
China has a price advantage
compared to Europe or the US.
Economies of scale, excellent
shipping links and cheap labour
mean that Chinese cars are
cheaper both to make and buy.
However, in many countries
they are subject to high import
tariffs. The EU currently im-
poses a 10% import tariff on
engines when docking, industry
critics still claim the cruise sec-
tor is greenwashing. As a result,
some cities like Amsterdam,
Barcelona and Venice are limit-
ing or banning cruise ships.
Environmental critiques
remain strong, especially for
polar expeditions. The indus-
try must respond and increase
sustainability efforts, but their
measures remain reactive (i.e.,
merely meeting international
regulations) rather than pro-
active. In addition, by sailing
their ships under flags of con-
venience, cruise companies
evade taxes and demonstrate
an unwillingness to abide by a
nation’s environmental, health
and labour regulations.
25
each car brought in. And in the
US, car imports from China are
subject to a 27.5% tariff.
These tariffs may well rise
further. The EU is conducting
an investigation into whether
its tariff is too low. If it con-
cludes this later this year, high-
er duties will be applied retro-
spectively to imported cars.
Cars, and specifically electric
vehicles, are also in a phase of
their development where they see
rapid changes and updates. Tradi-
tionally, vehicle models would see
a market life of between four and
seven years, perhaps with small
updates in trim, colour palette or
feature availability.
But Tesla has turned this on
its head. The Tesla Model S, for
example, has seen almost con-
tinuous product updates that
make it barely recognisable in
terms of hardware from a car
released in 2012. Chinese auto-
makers have taken note. They
are bringing out new models
around 30% faster than in most
other nations.
Tesla is supporting owners
of older cars with upgrades, at
extra expense, to bring them in
line with the latest hardware.
Without guaranteed software
support like this, the rate at
which Chinese automakers
❱❱ PAGE 27 Electric cars pile
In any case, environmental
concerns are escalating along
with the industry. Travel agents
and industry figures are aware
of these impacts and should
help promote cruise lines that
demonstrate a commitment to
sustainable practices.
Local residents need to ex-
pect more from port authori-
ties and local governments in
order to cope with cruise tour-
ism. Cruise consumers should
recognize the environmental
costs of cruising, and demand
accountability and transparen-
cy from cruise lines. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 26
Cybersecurity researchers spotlight
a new ransomware threat – be careful
where you upload files
BY SELCUK ULUAGAC,
Florida International
University
The Conversation
You probably know better than
to click on links that download
unknown files onto your com-
puter. It turns out that uploading
files can get you into trouble, too.
Today’s web browsers are
much more powerful than ear-
lier generations of browsers.
They’re able to manipulate data
within both the browser and
the computer’s local file sys-
tem. Users can send and receive
email, listen to music or watch
a movie within a browser with
the click of a button.
Unfortunately, these capa-
bilities also mean that hackers
can find clever ways to abuse the
browsers to trick you into letting
ransomware lock up your files
when you think that you’re sim-
ply doing your usual tasks online.
I’m a computer scientist
who studies cybersecurity. My
colleagues and I have shown
how hackers can gain access to
your computer’s files via the
File System Access Application
Programming Interface (API),
which enables web applications
in modern browsers to interact
with the users’ local file systems.
The threat applies to Google’s
Chrome and Microsoft’s Edge
browsers but not Apple’s Safa-
ri or Mozilla’s Firefox. Chrome
accounts for 65% of browsers
used, and Edge accounts for 5%.
For Europe to..
❰❰ 24 could make the startup
world even more inac-
cessible to them.
To get the benefits of the US
Technology
To the best of my knowledge,
there have been no reports of
hackers using this method so far.
My colleagues, who include
a Google security researcher,
and I have communicated with
the developers responsible for
the File System Access API, and
they have expressed support for
our work and interest in our ap-
proaches to defending against
this kind of attack. We also filed
a security report to Microsoft
but have not heard from them.
Double-edged sword
Today’s browsers are almost
operating systems unto them-
selves. They can run software
programs and encrypt files.
These capabilities, combined
with the browser’s access to the
host computer’s files – including
ones in the cloud, shared folders
and external drives – via the File
System Access API creates a new
opportunity for ransomware.
Imagine you want to edit
photos on a benign-looking free
online photo editing tool. When
you upload the photos for ed-
iting, any hackers who control
the malicious editing tool can
access the files on your comput-
er via your browser. The hackers
would gain access to the folder
you are uploading from and all
subfolders. Then the hackers
could encrypt the files in your
file system and demand a ran-
som payment to decrypt them.
Ransomware is a growing
problem. Attacks have hit indi-
viduals as well as organizations,
including Fortune 500 com-
system without damaging di-
versity, there need to be sup-
port structures in place, such as
incubator and accelerator pro-
panies, banks, cloud service
providers, cruise operators,
threat-monitoring services,
chip manufacturers, govern-
ments, medical centers and hos-
pitals, insurance companies,
schools, universities and even
police departments. In 2023,
organizations paid more than
US$1.1 billion in ransomware
payments to attackers, and 19
ransomware attacks targeted
organizations every second.
It is no wonder ransomware
is the No. 1 arms race today be-
tween hackers and security spe-
cialists. Traditional ransom-
ware runs on your computer
after hackers have tricked you
into downloading it.
New defenses for a new threat
A team of researchers I lead at
the Cyber-Physical Systems Secu-
rity Lab at Florida International
University, including postdoctoral
researcher Abbas Acar and Ph.D.
candidate Harun Oz, in collabora-
tion with Google Senior Research
Scientist Güliz Seray Tuncay, have
been investigating this new type
of potential ransomware for the
past two years. Specifically, we
have been exploring how power-
ful modern web browsers have
become and how they can be wea-
ponized by hackers to create novel
forms of ransomware.
In our paper, RøB: Ransom-
ware over Modern Web Brows-
ers, which was presented at the
USENIX Security Symposium
in August 2023, we showed
how this emerging ransomware
strain is easy to design and how
grammes, to help startups gain
traction. Even so, these need
to be designed carefully to en-
sure they signal credibility, and
www.canadianinquirer.net
damaging it can be. In particular,
we designed and implemented
the first browser-based ransom-
ware called RøB and analyzed its
use with browsers running on
three different major operating
systems – Windows, Linux and
MacOS – five cloud providers
and five antivirus products.
Our evaluations showed
that RøB is capable of encrypt-
ing numerous types of files.
Because RøB runs within the
browser, there are no malicious
payloads for a traditional an-
tivirus program to catch. This
means existing ransomware
detection systems face sever-
al issues against this powerful
browser-based ransomware.
We proposed three different
defense approaches to miti-
gate this new ransomware type.
These approaches operate at
different levels – browser, file
system and user – and comple-
therefore help – rather than
hinder – the incubated compa-
nies to secure their first round
of investment. ■
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
ment one another.
The first approach tempo-
rarily halts a web application
– a program that runs in the
browser – in order to detect en-
crypted user files. The second
approach monitors the activ-
ity of the web application on
the user’s computer to identify
ransomware-like patterns. The
third approach introduces a new
permission dialog box to inform
users about the risks and impli-
cations associated with allowing
web applications to access their
computer’s file system.
When it comes to protect-
ing your computer, be careful
about where you upload as well
as download files. Your uploads
could be giving hackers an “in”
to your computer. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
Your AI therapist is not your therapist:
The dangers of relying on AI
mental health chatbots
BY ZOHA KHAWAJA, Simon
Fraser University, JEAN-
CHRISTOPHE BÉLISLE-
PIPON, Simon Fraser
University
The Conversation
With current physical and
financial barriers to accessing
care, people with mental health
conditions may turn to artifi-
cial intelligence (AI)-powered
chatbots for mental health re-
lief or aid. Although they have
not been approved as medical
devices by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration or Health
Canada, the appeal to use such
chatbots may come from their
24/7 availability, personalized
support and marketing of cog-
nitive behavioural therapy.
However, users may overes-
timate the therapeutic benefits
and underestimate the limita-
tions of using such technolo-
gies, further deteriorating their
mental health. Such a phenom-
enon can be classified as a ther-
apeutic misconception where
users may infer the chatbot’s
purpose is to provide them with
real therapeutic care.
With AI chatbots, therapeu-
tic misconceptions can occur
in four ways, through two main
streams: the company’s practic-
es and the design of the AI tech-
nology itself.
Company practices: Meet
your AI self-help expert
First, inaccurate marketing
of mental health chatbots by
companies that label them as
“mental health support” tools
that incorporate “cognitive be-
havioural therapy” can be very
misleading as it implies that
Electric cars pile..
❰❰ 25 are bringing out new
models could make
buyers wary that the
product they have bought will
soon become outdated com-
pared to buying a car on a more
traditional update cycle.
such chatbots can perform psy-
chotherapy.
Not only do such chatbots
lack the skill, training and expe-
rience of human therapists, but
labelling them as being able to
provide a “different way to treat”
mental illness insinuates that
such chatbots can be used as al-
ternative ways to seek therapy.
This sort of marketing tactic
can be very exploitative of users’
trust in the health-care system,
especially when they are mar-
keted as being in “close collab-
oration with therapists.” Such
marketing tactics can lead users
to disclose very personal and pri-
vate health information without
fully comprehending who owns
and has access to their data.
The second type of thera-
peutic misconception is when a
user forms a digital therapeutic
alliance with a chatbot. With a
human therapist, it’s beneficial
to form a strong therapeutic alli-
ance where both the patient and
therapist collaborate and agree on
desired goals that can be achieved
through tasks, and form a bond
built on trust and empathy.
Since a chatbot cannot de-
velop the same therapeutic
relationship as users can with
a human therapist, a digital
therapeutic alliance can form,
where a user perceives an al-
liance with the chatbot, even
though the chatbot can’t actu-
ally form one.
A great deal of effort has been
made to gain user trust and for-
tify digital therapeutic alliance
with chatbots, including giving
chatbots humanistic qualities
to resemble and mimic conver-
sations with actual therapists
and advertising them as “anon-
How to succeed
Many of these factors can be
fixed. They also chime more
with private buyers than busi-
ness buyers, who are more
concerned with cost. Chinese
makers would be well-advised
ymous” 24/7 companions that
can replicate aspects of therapy.
Such an alliance may lead us-
ers to inadvertently expect the
same patient-provider confiden-
tiality and protection of privacy
as they would with their health-
care providers. Unfortunately,
the more deceptive the chatbot
is, the more effective the digital
therapeutic alliance will be.
Technological design: Is your
chatbot trained to help you?
The third therapeutic mis-
conception occurs when users
have limited knowledge about
possible biases in the AI’s al-
gorithm. Often marginalized
people are left out of the design
and development stages of such
technologies which may lead to
them receiving biased and inap-
propriate responses.
When such chatbots are
unable to recognize risky be-
haviour or provide culturally
and linguistically relevant men-
tal health resources, this could
worsen the mental health condi-
tions of vulnerable populations
to push harder into this market.
In the UK, the fleet market
dwarfs the private market, and
the situation is similar in Eu-
rope. Selling en masse to fleets
and rental companies gets more
cars on the road and allows
www.canadianinquirer.net
Technology
who not only face stigma and
discrimination, but also lack ac-
cess to care. A therapeutic mis-
conception occurs when users
may expect the chatbot to ben-
efit them therapeutically but are
provided with harmful advice.
Lastly, a therapeutic miscon-
ception can occur when mental
health chatbots are unable to
advocate for and foster rela-
tional autonomy, a concept that
emphasizes that an individual’s
autonomy is shaped by their re-
lationships and social context.
It is then the responsibility of
the therapist to help recover a
patient’s autonomy by support-
ing and motivating them to ac-
tively engage in therapy.
AI-chatbots provide a para-
dox in which they are available
24/7 and promise to improve
self-sufficiency in managing
one’s mental health. This can
not only make help-seeking
behaviours extremely isolating
and individualized but also cre-
ates a therapeutic misconcep-
tion where individuals believe
more data about reliability to
feed into the market.
The road to succeeding in
a new market such as the EU
will be slow and bumpy. But it’s
clear that China is laser focused
on its global push. It remains
27
they are autonomously taking a
positive step towards amending
their mental health.
A false sense of well-being
is created where a person’s so-
cial and cultural context and
the inaccessibility of care are
not considered as contributing
factors to their mental health.
This false expectation is further
emphasized when chatbots are
incorrectly advertised as “rela-
tional agents” that can “create
a bond with people…compara-
ble to that achieved by human
therapists.”
Measures to avoid the risk
of therapeutic misconception
Not all hope is lost with such
chatbots, as some proactive
steps can be taken to reduce the
likelihood of therapeutic mis-
conceptions.
Through honest marketing
and regular reminders, users can
be kept aware of the chatbot’s
limited therapeutic capabilities
and be encouraged to seek more
traditional forms of therapy. In
fact, a therapist should be made
available for those who’d like to
opt-out of using such chatbots.
Users would also benefit from
transparency on how their in-
formation is collected, stored
and used.
Active involvement of pa-
tients during the design and de-
velopment stages of such chat-
bots should also be considered,
as well as engagement with mul-
tiple experts on ethical guide-
lines that can govern and regu-
late such technologies to ensure
better safeguards for users. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
to be seen whether this lack of
buyers can be turned around. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
28
Six Stays With a Quiet yet Sophisticated
Sense of Luxury to Celebrate World Design Day
BOOKING.COM
World Design Day is celebrat-
ed on April 27 every year, and
is a day dedicated to show how
important design is, by making
people aware of its power and
impact. Remaining popular in
2024, the “quiet luxury” design
and fashion trend continues to
capture the attention of the in-
terior design world. Favoring in-
terior design choices in natural
materials like wood and muted
tones, a mixture of browns and
tans, quiet luxury emphasizes
elegance and values comfort
and wellbeing via calming and
serene aesthetics. According to
Booking.com research, 16%* of
global travelers would recom-
mend a specific accommodation
to a friend or to family due to
its interior design. With that in
mind, we delved into our inven-
tory of more than 28 million list-
ings in over 175,000 destinations
worldwide to present six beau-
tiful stays that pay attention to
detail and create a quiet yet so-
phisticated sense of luxury.
MANNA, Valtessiniko,
Greece
Reflecting a shift towards valu-
ing experiences and comfort over
consumption, the quiet luxury
trend is all about creating a space
that feels like a sanctuary. Built
in the late 1920’s as a sanatorium,
MANNA is a modern retreat lo-
cated at an altitude of 3,937 feet
(1200 meters) on Mount Main-
alos in Valtessiniko, located in
the Arkadia region in the eastern
part of the Peloponnese penin-
sula. With a strong emphasis on
natural materials such as wood
and stone, the property respects
the original identity of this build-
ing and its natural surroundings
by preserving the original archi-
tecture of this protected mon-
ument. This beautiful hotel is a
place where guests can find peace
and enjoy a sense of warmth and
comfort.
Travel
Château Voltaire, Paris,
France
Highly recommended by
Booking.com travelers for its
architecture and art, the “City
of Light” is a great example of
quiet luxury, as the Parisian
design is all about understated
elegance with a focus on quali-
ty and sophistication. Located
in the center of Paris, Château
Voltaire is a stylish hotel es-
tablished by Thierry Guiller,
founder of a popular French
luxury fashion brand. Steeped
in history and romance, the
property blends the contempo-
rary chic design with the time-
less elegance. Its high quality
materials along with the serene
color palettes provide laid-back
elegance for those looking for
a quiet luxury retreat in the
vibrant city. Catering to every
artistic taste, the French cap-
ital offers a great variety of ac-
tivities to discover some of the
city’s highlights including ex-
ploring the renowned Louvre
Museum, a tour of the Mont-
martre neighborhood or visit-
ing the iconic Eiffel Tower.
Aethos Ericeira, Ericeira,
Portugal
Located in Ericeira, a short
walk from Porto da Calada
Beach, Aethos Ericeira em-
braces the natural beauty of the
Portuguese coast with neutral
tones and textures that match
the surrounding beaches,
dunes and cliffs without being
over-the-top. Featuring large
windows to allow natural light,
each of the modern rooms has
an intimate and warm atmo-
sphere. Guests can enjoy one of
the hotel’s spa treatments, relax
by the heated saltwater pool or
meditate at the stunning medi-
tation deck overlooking the At-
lantic ocean. Capital city Lisbon
is about a 45 minute drive from
the property where guests can
explore this vibrant city by en-
joying one of the many unique
attractionsthe city has to offer.
99 Acres Bangalow Re-
treat, Bangalow, Australia
While quiet luxury focuses on
minimalist aesthetics, personal-
ization is also important. With
locally sourced furnishing, 99
Acres Bangalow Retreat is just a
short walk from Bangalow town,
a small town in the Northern Riv-
ers region of New South Wales.
Sitting on the top of a small hill,
this beautiful homestay offers a
relaxing break in a scenic sub-
tropical rural landscape. The
design of the retreat is focused
on tranquility, and in both a sun-
ny day or moody day it offers a
unique experience thanks to the
stunning views of the Byron Bay.
This vibrant coastal town is just
a 15 minutes drive away from
the property and highly recom-
mended by Booking.com travel-
ers for beach walks, relaxation
and food. Byron Bay has a wide
range of activities that cater to all
tastes, including an art and wine
evening class where travelers can
create their own art piece.
Casa Cipriani New York,
New York, United States
Located in the historic Bat-
tery Maritime Building, which
was once a waterfront and ferry
port for commuters to and from
Brooklyn, Casa Cipriani is a suc-
www.canadianinquirer.net
cessful mix of modern luxury
and historic preservation. This
beautiful hotel in Lower Man-
hattan overlooks the water and
offers stunning views of the Stat-
ue of Liberty and the Brooklyn
Bridge. Maintaining the unique
architectural details of the build-
ing, the luxurious stay is charac-
terized by functional elegance,
with interiors that are not only
pleasing to the eye but also highly
functional to the guests. The “Big
Apple” offers a variety of activ-
ities to travelers to discover the
city, including a visit to SUMMIT
One Vanderbilt, gaining a new
perspective of the cultural scene
in the city, with sweeping views
over Manhattan.
Naoshima Ryokan Roka,
Naoshima, Japan
Offering a blend of tradition-
al Japanese hospitality with
modern minimalistic design,
Naoshima Ryokan Roka is just
a short walk from Honmura,
the center of Naoshima island,
also known as Japan’s art island
as it’s home to incredible sculp-
tures and installations, and
modern museums and galleries
featuring impressive architec-
ture and artwork. The property
provides a serene and luxurious
experience with rooms that in-
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
tegrate with nature while main-
taining a subtle, understated
elegance. Each of the rooms
has open-air baths and beauti-
ful garden views. When visiting
Naoshima island, guests should
not miss the Chichu Art Mu-
seum that is built mostly un-
derground to avoid interfering
with the surrounding natural
scenery. The museum is home
to artwork by famous artists
like Claude Monet, Walter De
Maria and James Turrell. ■
*Research was commissioned
by Booking.com and inde-
pendently conducted among a
sample of adults who took a lei-
sure trip with an overnight stay
in the last 12 months, plan to
travel in 2024, and are involved
in trip planning. The sample is
comprised of 32,300 respondents
across 32 countries and territo-
ries (2,000 from USA, 800 from
Canada, 1,800 from Mexico, 800
from Colombia, 1,800 from Bra-
zil, 800 from Argentina, 1,800
from Australia, 500 from New
Zealand, 800 from Spain, 800
from Italy, 1,800 from France,
1,800 from UK, 1,800 from Ger-
many, 800 from Netherlands,
❱❱ PAGE 30 Six Stays With
FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
TikTok users claim freezing bread
can make it healthier – here’s what
the science actually says
BY DUANE MELLOR, Aston
University
The Conversation
Several recent TikToks have
claimed that freezing bread ac-
tually makes it healthier. Some
of these mention there’s research
which backs up the claims. But is
this food tip as good as social me-
dia influencers suggest?
The science behind it is actu-
ally sound, albeit a little confus-
ing. But the actual health effects
are not nearly as significant as
they’ve been made out to be.
When bread is cooked, it
transforms the moist, bub-
ble-filled dough into a soft
fluffy loaf. The heat of the oven,
combined with the water in the
dough, causes the starch in the
flour to expand and gelatinise.
The same thing happens when
flour is added to a sauce and
cooked until it thickens.
These gelatinised starches are
Pangasinan town serves 32.8K pieces
of native rice cakes
BY HILDA AUSTRIA
Philippine News Agency
URBIZTONDO, Pangasinan
– Residents and visitors’ festive
spirit won over the scorching
47 degrees heat in this town
during a boodle fight that fea-
tured 32,860 slices of native
rice cakes for the second Kanen
Festival on Sunday.
Trays of rice cakes such as latik,
bibingka, pininat, biko, turonket,
Food
easier to digest, making the glu-
cose (sugars) that these starch-
es contain easier for our cells to
get hold of. This is true of many
freshly cooked starchy foods,
particularly those low in fibre or
made from finely milled flours –
such as white bread or potatoes.
Some evidence suggests that
this kind of rapidly available
glucose might increase insu-
lin levels just after eating. Al-
though insulin is important as
it helps our cells use glucose for
energy (or store it for energy
later), too much insulin could
cause you to feel hungrier and
possibly even gain weight.
But when foods containing
these gelatinised starches are
cooled, the expanded starches
shrink back down, becoming
what’s known as a resistant
starch. These collapsed starch-
es are harder for the enzymes
in our digestive tract to break
down – which means its also
harder for our cells to get hold
unda-unday, suman, sapin-sap-
in, and palitaw were placed on a
185-meter stretch of tables placed
along the main thoroughfare.
“The delicacies’ ingredi-
ents were all from Urbiztondo.
Our glutinous rice, which is
the main ingredient, is of good
quality,” Mayor Modesto Oper-
ania said in an interview.
In his speech during the pro-
gram, Operania said the launch-
ing of the Kanen Festival last
year as part of the town’s annual
of the sugar these starches
contain. This means resis-
tant starches are less likely to
cause a blood sugar and insulin
“spike” after eating them.
The degree to which resistant
starch is able to form depends
on the baking temperature of
the bread and whether it’s then
refrigerated or frozen. The rate
of contraction is nearly twice
founding anniversary celebra-
tion paved the way for the local
government unit to promote
their native rice cake products.
“Muli, nais namin matikman
ninyo ang aming pinagmamal-
aking kakanen. Sa puntong ito,
nais kong bigyang-pugay ang
ating mga magsasaka at lahat ng
mga nakilahok sa pagluto at pa-
ghanda ng mga kakanen. Kayo
po ang may pinaka malaking
kontribusyon sa ating okasyon
ngayong hapon (Once again, we
www.canadianinquirer.net
in the freezer as it is in the re-
frigerator, meaning that more
resistant starch will be formed.
Plus, freezing bread traps the
water in – keeping it fresher and
softer than if you stored it in the
fridge, where water will be lost
causing the bread to go hard.
Should you freeze your
bread?
A study on ten healthy people
want our visitors to taste our
native rice cakes, which are our
pride. At this point, I wanted to
honor the farmers and all who
cooked and prepared the native
rice cakes. You all have the big-
gest contribution in our celebra-
tion this afternoon),” he said.
The town has a total 8,180
hectares of land, with more than
half of it dedicated to farming.
Vice Mayor Volter Balolong
said native rice cake is synony-
mous to Urbiztondo.
29
looked at the effect of freezing
white bread then toasting it.
They compared store-bought
loaves with homemade bread.
For samples of homemade
bread, freezing and thawing
the bread reduced how much it
spiked blood sugar by 31% over
two hours. Interestingly, toast-
ing fresh bread also lowered the
rise in glucose by 25%.
This effect was even great-
er when the homemade bread
was frozen, thawed, then toast-
ed – reducing the blood sugar
response by 39%. This effect
could potentially help with
hunger, as glucose and insulin
levels will not rise as high after
eating the frozen bread.
But when commercial, store-
bought white bread was used,
freezing before toasting did not
improve the body’s blood sugar
response. This could reflect the
different ways in which com-
❱❱ PAGE 30 TikTok users claim
“In 1852, we are already
known for our glutinous rice.
As part of every celebration,
we prepare kakanen and it be-
came our culture and tradition,
which symbolizes joy and uni-
ty,” he said in Filipino.
Senator Imee Marcos, who
was the guest of honor and
speaker during the festival,
commended the dedication
and skills of the native rice cake
❱❱ PAGE 30 Pangasinan town serves
 30
Does the AFL..
❰❰ 22 It has been a long-
held part of football
culture. Within an AFL
club, these tests have historical-
ly been carried out semi-regu-
larly by qualified staff to provide
a quantitative measure of an
athlete’s physical condition.
But while many athletes are
unaffected by skinfold testing,
there are some who can be sig-
nificantly impacted, leading to a
poor relationship with food and
body image, and increasing the
risk of eating disorders.
At the elite level, sports di-
etitians or qualified medical
staff carry out the assessments
and can recognise signs of dis-
ordered eating or body image
issues in players and can there-
fore ensure appropriate sup-
port is put in place.
But at non-elite levels, this is
more challenging as resources
and expertise are often limited.
As a result, there is likely a high-
er risk among these younger ath-
letes, which is a big reason the
AFL has changed its approach.
Is skinfold testing helpful
when it comes to assessing
fitness?
TikTok users claim..
❰❰ 29 mercial bread is made
compared to home-
made bread. The in-
gredients used or the way the
loaf is cooked then cooled may
reduce the effect of freezing
on the formation of resistant
starch. The evidence is not
completely clear.
Other, more recent research,
has also shown similar results.
So, although some of the studies
are small, the effect that freezing
bread has seems consistent, and
thoroughly investigated in the lab.
But it’s worth noting that these
effects only exist for a couple of
hours after eating the bread. So
while freezing your bread before
eating it may help lower blood
Six Stays With..
❰❰ 28 500 from Denmark,
500 from Sweden, 400
from Croatia, 800
from Switzerland, 800 from
Belgium, 800 from Ireland, 800
from Portugal, 1,800 from In-
dia, 800 from China, 500 from
Hong Kong, 800 from Thailand,
800 from Singapore, 500 from
Body composition assess-
ment, including skinfold testing,
can be a helpful tool in fitness
testing and optimising player
performance, but it is important
to recognise the limitations.
Although the evidence is
clear that lean mass and body fat
distribution can impact speed
and endurance-based perfor-
mance (which are important
elements of team sports such as
AFL), the correlation to overall
performance on a football field
– requiring high skill execution,
strength and decision-making
– is unknown and primarily
based on anecdotal evidence.
Skinfold testing can be help-
ful in an elite sport environment
to track changes over time and
monitor the effectiveness of
training programs and nutri-
tional interventions. For exam-
ple, if a recruit starts a strength
program for the first time, mon-
itoring skinfolds and weight can
help track progress and provide
insight into modifications.
Skinfold testing can also help
identify athletes who may be
at risk of undereating or those
with an eating disorder.
sugar levels at one meal (and
have a small effect on the next
meal too), the long-term effects
on appetite, weight gain or risk
of certain diseases (such as type
2 diabetes) is not known – and is
likely to be very small.
Resistant starch can be found
in many other cooked and chilled
starchy foods such as potatoes,
pasta and some (but not all) types
of rice. Basmati rice in particular
seems to form more resistant
starch than fluffier types of rice
(such as arborio rice).
As well as being harder to
breakdown than freshly cooked
starch, resistant starch pro-
vides nutrients to the microbes
living in our colon. This helps
Taiwan, 800 from Vietnam, 800
from South Korea, 1,800 from
Japan, 500 from UAE) surveyed
in January or February 2024.
**Travel Predictions 2024 re-
search commissioned by Book-
ing.com and conducted among
a sample of adults who plan to
travel for business or leisure in
How widespread are body
issues in sport?
Body image concerns and anx-
ieties are prevalent in elite sport,
although there is very limited
published research with exact
estimates, mainly due to the chal-
lenge in capturing this type of data
(often due to athlete access and
the sensitive nature of the topic).
However, we are starting to
see more published research
emerge and athletes talking
openly about the topic.
There are several factors that
can contribute to body image
concerns in elite sport and at
junior levels. These concerns
often come from a pressure and
desire to perform, which can
lead to an unhealthy focus on
an athlete’s physique to meet
the demands of their sport and
gain a competitive edge.
Media and public scrutiny
can also contribute to these
anxieties, in particular athletes
who are in the spotlight or in
high-profile sports and are
compared to other athletes, and
unrealistic standards of what
an athlete “should look like”.
It is a common thought
maintain a healthy balance of
bacteria in our gut. These bac-
teria then release chemicals
onto the cells lining the colon
which help us to maintain a
healthy metabolism.
Resistant starch has also
been shown to help insulin
work better by increasing insu-
lin sensitivity somewhat. This
can help our bodies use blood
sugar more efficiently, which is
linked to better health, as they
can be used more effectively as
a fuel by our muscles.
The benefits of resistant
starch may even extend to other
aspects of our metabolism, as it
may also help lower cholester-
ol. This effect is thought to be
the next 12-24 months. In total,
27,730 respondents across 33
countries and territories were
polled (including 1008 from Ar-
gentina, 1012 from Australia,
505 from Austria, 1001 from
Belgium, 1002 from Brazil, 1009
from Canada, 1009 from China,
1002 from Colombia, 508 from
www.canadianinquirer.net
that athletes in weight-class
or aesthetic sports, or endur-
ance-based sports where there
may be a power-to-weight ratio
advantage, will be at higher risk
of body image issues and eating
disorders. However, a recent
study reported athletes, regard-
less of sport or gender may be
affected by eating disorders.
Other factors such as uni-
form expectations, injury and
transition out of sport can also
contribute to these concerns.
It is important to note body
image issues and anxieties are
not limited to a specific gender,
age, background or athletic abili-
ty – athletes from the same sport
can have different experiences
for a variety of reasons that can
impact their mental health, per-
formance and overall wellbeing.
What are other sports doing?
Globally, there has been a
broad shift in sports culture
towards promoting positive
body image, mental health, and
holistic athlete development,
which has led to changes in how
body weight and body composi-
tion are assessed and discussed.
In recent years there has been
caused by the short-chain fatty
acids the gut bacteria produce
when they ferment resistant
starches. Lower cholesterol
levels may mean lower risk of
heart disease.
While these changes may seem
quite dramatic they are short
term, so their effects on our long-
term health is more modest. But
that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t
still freeze your bread. Putting
a loaf of bread in the freezer can
reduce food waste with the added
bonus of some health benefits –
even if small. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
Croatia, 504 from Denmark,
1011 from France, 1011 from Ger-
many, 1016 from Hong Kong,
1004 from India, 510 from Ire-
land, 504 from Israel, 1014 from
Italy, 1004 from Japan, 1009
from Mexico, 1014 from The
Netherlands, 1015 from New
Zealand, 500 from Portugal,
MAY 3, 2024 FRIDAY
an increased awareness of the
potential negative impacts of
emphasising body composition
on athletes’ mental health and
wellbeing. This was demonstrat-
ed in the independent panel re-
ports on Swimming Australia
and Gymnastics Australia that
highlighted concerns regarding
a potential over-emphasis of
physique in sport environments.
In response, body positive cam-
paigns, education and support
programs have been a focus for
many sports and organisations,
such as the Australian Institute of
Sport (AIS)‘s Eating Disorder and
Body Composition Assessment
considerations and Eating Disor-
der in Sport program.
It’s evident there has been a
big shift in sporting culture and
while body weight and skinfold
testing may still be used as part
of fitness assessments, there are
efforts to minimise the empha-
sis on these measures and pri-
oritise a more holistic approach
to athlete assessment. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
Pangasinan town serves..
❰❰ 29 makers as well as the
spirit of unity among
the town people.
“Walang katapusan ang inyong
mga kakanen. Ito ay nagpapakita
ng inyong galing at husay sa pa-
gluluto. Sigurado ako na mag-
tutuloy tuloy ito, ang nagi-isang
boodle na matamis sa buong
mundo (Your delicacies are nev-
er ending. It shows your skills
and ability in cooking (native rice
cakes). I am sure this will contin-
ue, the only sweet boodle in the
whole world),” she said.
With the success of the fes-
tival, local authorities are con-
templating of joining the Guin-
ness Book of World Records in
the future. ■
502 from Singapore, 1010 from
South Korea, 1009 from Spain,
502 from Sweden, 507 from
Switzerland, 504 from Taiwan,
1003 from Thailand, 502 from
the UAE, 1007 from the UK,
1005 from the US and 1007 from
Vietnam). Respondents complet-
ed an online survey in July 2023.
 MAY
JULY 3, 2020
17, 2024 cx328
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