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pcinews_X OCTOBER 13, 2023 www.canadianinquirer.net VOL. 8 NO. 561

SPACE SHOW

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Planetarium in BIR Road, Quezon City holds free shows on Tuesday (Oct. 10, 2023) in celebration of World
Space Week. The state weather bureau said it is a chance to "witness distant galaxies, explore our solar system and learn about the mysteries of space" as expert astronomers guide viewers
through constellations, planets and other celestial wonders. JOEY O. RAZON / PNA

22
33% of Filipinos say
quality of life improved
from last year: SWS Maria in Vancouver:
The Benefits of Finding
Your Sisterhood Tribe

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES

Philippine News Agency
MANILA – More Filipinos believed
that their lives improved over the past 12
months, according to a recent poll conduct-
ed by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The survey, conducted from June 28 to
July 1, 2023, showed that 33 percent of adult
Filipinos said their quality of life was better, 30
while 22 percent said their lives got worse.
SWS said this resulted in a net gain- `
er score of +11, which was computed by
subtracting the percentage of losers from
Is Taiwan a country or not?
gainers and was classified as "very high".
Spicy food might burn in the
❱❱ PAGE 4 33% of Filipinos moment, but it likely won’t
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2 OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
Senate panel OKs OP's proposed
P10.7-B budget for 2024
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The proposed
2024 national budget of the
Office of the President (OP)
amounting to PHP10.707 bil-
lion, along with the budget of
the Presidential Management
Staff (PMS), has been approved
at the committee level on
Wednesday and is submitted
for plenary debates.
Finance committee chair
Senator Sonny Angara said
the OP and PMS budgets were
swiftly approved since there
were no questions raised by
other senators. The PMS is
seeking a PHP883 million bud-
get for next year.
"Alam niyo naman dito kapag
walang nagtanong, then pasado
'yan (You know what we do here
when no one asks, then it will
pass). It happened in the case
of the judiciary," Angara told
reporters on the sidelines of the
budget hearing.
House removes P1.23B in confidential
funds of civilian agencies
BY FILANE MIKEE
CERVANTES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The small com-
mittee tasked by the House of
Representatives to amend the
proposed PHP5.768-trillion na-
tional budget for 2024 on Tues-
day announced that it removed
a total of PHP1.23-billion in
confidential funds of various ci-
vilian agencies.
House appropriations com-
mittee chair Elizaldy Co said
the Office of the Vice President
(OVP), Department of Education
(DepEd), Department of Agri-
culture (DA), Department of In-
formation and Communications
Technology (DICT), and the
Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) will get "zero" confidential
funds under the proposed spend-
ing plan for next year.
Senators will get a chance
to raise questions and recom-
mendations when the proposed
budget reaches the plenary, he
added, in reply to the proposal of
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino
Pimentel III to reduce or remove
the OP's allocation for confiden-
tial and intelligence funds (CIF).
Angara said the OP should be
given its needed CIF amount-
ing to PHP4.5 billion.
"Presidente 'yan eh, di ba?
Gusto ba nating pilayan 'yung
Presidente kapag sinabi niyang
kailangan 'yan (It's the Presi-
dent, right? Do we want to in-
capacitate the President even if
he said he needs it)? You know,
there are many things, that even
me as a senator, hindi ko alam
'yung alam niya kasi Presiden-
te lang 'yung nakaka-receive
ng intelligence [information]
eh. Siya lang 'yung nakakaalam.
Meron siyang alam na hindi
natin alam, 'yan ang (I am not
aware of what he is aware of
because only the President re-
ceives intelligence information.
He said the PHP1.23 billion
worth of confidential funds will
be realigned to the front-line
agencies in charge of ensuring
national security and protecting
the country's territorial rights in
the West Philippine Sea.
Co noted that PHP300 mil-
lion will be reallocated to the
National Intelligence Coordi-
nating Agency; PHP100 million
to the National Security Council;
PHP200 million to the Philip-
pine Coast Guard for intelligence
activities and ammunition; and
PHP381.3 million to the Depart-
ment of Transportation for the
development or expansion of
Pag-asa Island Airport.
Instead of confidential funds,
Co said the civilian agencies
will receive more funding for
their maintenance and other
operating expenses (MOOE),
specifically: PHP30 million for
the Bureau of Fisheries and
He is the only one who knows.
He knows something that we
don't know, that's the) bottom
line," he said.
In its budget presentation to
the panel, Executive Secretary
Lucas Bersamin asked for a
"modest" increase for the OP's
Maintenance and Other Oper-
ating Expenses (MOOE) which
Angara said amounted to "just a
few hundred million."
The proposed MOOE of the
OP, amounting to PHP810.436
million, was attributed to the
increase in the travel and rep-
resentation-related expenses of
the President for local engage-
ments, foreign state and working
visits as well as accommodation
of visiting foreign state leaders,
ministers and other dignitaries.
"The budget adjustment we
seek also accommodates the
logistical requirements of hon-
oring invitations from foreign
leaders to visit their countries
as well as diplomatic initiatives
which would yield job-creating
investments that will hasten
Aquatic Resources (BFAR) un-
der the DA; PHP25 million for
DICT; PHP30 million for DFA;
PHP150 million for DepEd's
Government Assistance to Stu-
dents and Teachers in Private
Education (GASTPE).
The Office of the Ombuds-
man will also receive PHP50
million under their MOOE.
“Responding to the call of the
times and the volatile situation
in the West Philippine Sea, the
small committee – as mandated
by the House Plenary – has de-
cided to realign CIFs (confiden-
tial and intelligence funds) to
agencies whose principal man-
date is to gather intelligence and
ensure the protection of our na-
tional sovereignty,” Co said.
House appropriations com-
mittee senior vice chairperson
Stella Quimbo said the decision
was made considering the man-
date of the agencies, arguing
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
Senator Sonny Angara (SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
our post-pandemic economic
recovery," Bersamin said.
"It is also the most opportune
time to revive the implementa-
tion of necessary infrastructure
works within the Palace com-
plex that have been stalled due
to the pandemic in support of
the 'Build, Better, More' priori-
ty program of the President, as
well as to safeguard the overall
that confidential funds are for
surveillance activities in the
performance of the agency's
principal functions.
Quimbo said the small com-
mittee also looked at the pre-
vious year’s budget and utili-
zation levels before coming up
with the decision.
Aside from the CIF realign-
ment, Co said the House re-
aligned a total of PHP194 billion
to fight inflation and "invest in
people and the country's future".
The small committee made
the following changes to the
proposed 2024 national budget
to enhance food production and
combat inflation, especially the
high rice prices:
--PHP20 billion to DA for the
rice subsidy program, to help
sell rice at subsidized prices;
--PHP40 billion to the Na-
tional Irrigation Administration
(NIA) to install solar-driven ir-
3
security of all those who work
hard for the attainment of the
objectives of the presiden-
cy taking into consideration
the Philippine Green Building
Code," he added.
The lifting of the pandemic re-
strictions allowed the President
to hold in-person affairs, increas-
ing his meetings and public en-
gagements, Bersamin said. ■
rigation pumps and --subsidize
communal irrigation;
--PHP2 billion to the Phil-
ippine Coconut Authority for
massive planting or replanting
of seedlings;
--PHP1.5 billion for vaccines
against the African swine fever
(ASF); and
--PHP1 billion to the Philip-
pine Fisheries Development
Authority to build fishery and
post-harvest facilities in Palawan
and Kalayaan Group of Islands.
Co said funds were also allo-
cated to the following to invest in
people and the country's future:
PHP43 billion to Department of
Health for Medical Assistance to
Indigent Patients (MAIP), lega-
cy and specialty hospitals, can-
cer assistance, communicable
diseases program, and health
facility enhancement; PHP1
❱❱ PAGE 7 House removes P1.23B
4 Philippine News
PBBM declares Oct. 10-16 as
‘Linggo ng Lupong Tagapamayapa’
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-
CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Fer-
dinand R. Marcos Jr. has de-
clared Oct. 10-16 of every year
as “Linggo ng Lupong Tagapa-
mayapa” to raise public aware-
ness of the village officials’ role
in maintaining peace and order
in the community.
Under Proclamation 358
inked by Marcos on Monday,
the Department of the Interior
and Local Government (DILG)
is directed to take the lead in
promoting the observance of
the Linggo ng Lupong Tagapa-
mayapa and identify programs,
projects, and activities for its
DSWD chief bats for
better processes of legal
adoption, foster care
BY ZALDY DE LAYOLA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Department of So-
cial Welfare and Development
(DSWD) Secretary Gatchalian
on Tuesday underscored the
need to address emerging con-
cerns on the processes of legal
adoption and foster care.
Gatchalian made this call
during the ongoing 17th Phil-
ippine Global Consultation on
Child Welfare Services at the
Hilton Hotel, Pasay City carry-
ing a theme: “The Premise and
the Promise of Republic Act
No. 11642”.
The global forum is primar-
ily focused on RA 11642 or the
“Domestic Administrative
Adoption and Alternative Child
Care Act, which establishes a
simpler and inexpensive pro-
cess of domestic adoption and
streamlined alternative child
care services that uphold the
best interest of children.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PCO)
annual celebration.
“There is a need to increase
public awareness on the func-
tions of the Lupong Tagapa-
mayapa and recognize the
During the consultation,
Gatchalian showed his support
in strengthening the partner-
ship and coordination between
the Philippines and receiving
countries involved in adoption
and alternative child care.
“We hold this global consul-
tation every two years to discuss
issues and address concerns to
improve the policies, systems,
and procedures on child welfare
services. These discussions have
paved the way toward better pro-
grams and policies for children,”
Gatchalian said in his speech.
“The task of supporting
adoptive families and foster
families must continue to be
enhanced, especially in terms
of strengthening the capacity
of prospective adoptive parents
about their new roles and other
measures to prevent adoption
disruption,” he added.
Gatchalian also asserted
the significance of bolstering
partnership and coordination
among countries to prevent the
valuable contributions of the
members thereof in the pres-
ervation and maintenance of
peace and order in barangays,”
read the proclamation, which
trafficking of children, especial-
ly with the ease of using social
media to facilitate such crimi-
nal activity.
The global consultation, he
said, serves as a venue for cen-
tral authorities, foreign adop-
tion agencies, embassy part-
ners, child caring and child
placement agencies, as well as
other allied professionals to
discuss concerns and address
emerging issues affecting the
placement and adoption of Fil-
ipino children.
The event, organized by the
National Authority for Child
Care (NACC) headed by Un-
dersecretary Janella Estrada,
started on Oct. 9 and will culmi-
nate on Oct. 13.
Present during the consulta-
tion were various experts and
professionals from foreign and
local adoption agencies, legal
adoption advocates and spe-
cialists, adoptive parents, ad-
opted children and other part-
ners, among others. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
was made public on Wednesday.
The annual observance will
coincide with the enactment of
Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the
Local Government Code of the
Philippines signed into law on
Oct. 10, 1991.
Based on RA 7160, a lupong tag-
apamayapa is a body that exercis-
es administrative supervision on
matters relevant to the amicable
settlement of village disputes.
The body, organized in every
village, is chaired by a punong ba-
rangay and has 10 to 20 members.
The peacekeeping council is
mandated to provide a forum
for the exchange of ideas among
its members and the public on
matters relevant to the amica-
ble settlement of disputes, as
well as to enable various concil-
33% of Filipinos..
❰❰ 1 The SWS classified
gainers as those who
believed their lives
improved, while losers were
classified as those who believed
their lives worsened.
The June 2023 net gainer score
was 6 points above the high +5 in
March 2023, the pollster noted.
"However, it is still 7 points
below the pre-pandemic level
of very high +18 in December
2019," the SWS said.
According to the same poll, 35
percent of adult Filipinos said
quality of life remained "un-
changed" compared to a year ago.
In Metro Manila, net gainers
rose from "high" to "very high",
up by 16 points from +2 in March
2023 to +18 in June 2023.
The net gainer score stayed
QUALITY TIME. Families go on a picnic at Kalasag River in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija
on April 17, 2022. More Filipinos believed that their lives improved over the past 12
months, a recent poll by the Social Weather Stations shows. (OLIVER MARQUEZ/PNA)
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
iation panel members to share
their observations and expe-
riences in effecting the speedy
resolution of disputes.
Proclamation 358 enjoins
all other agencies and instru-
mentalities of the national
government, including gov-
ernment-owned or -controlled
corporations, government fi-
nancial institutions, and state
universities and colleges to
assist the DILG in implement-
ing activities for the Linggo ng
Lupong Tagapamayapa.
All local government units,
non-government organiza-
tions, and the private sector
are encouraged to participate
and provide support for the ef-
fective implementation of the
proclamation. ■
"very high" in Balance Luzon,
hardly moving from +12 to +13.
The net gainer score in Mind-
anao fell by 4 points from +6 to
+2, but still stayed in the "high"
classification.
The net gainer score rose
sharply from "mediocre" to
"very high" in the Visayas, up by
24 points from -14 to +10.
The survey used face-to-face
interviews of 1,500 adults aged
18 years old and above nation-
wide -- 600 in Balance Luzon,
and 300 each in Metro Manila,
the Visayas, and Mindanao.
The sampling error margins
are ±2.5 percent for national
percentages, ±4.0 percent in
Balance Luzon, and ±5.7 per-
cent each for Metro Manila, the
Visayas, and Mindanao. ■
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023 5

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6 Philippine News
Senate leadership:
We don't have confidential funds
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Senate lead-
ership on Tuesday clarified in a
statement that the chamber has
no allocation for confidential
and intelligence funds (CIF)
this year.
What it does have are Ex-
traordinary and Miscellaneous
Expenses (EME) amounting to
PHP331.942 million.
Senate Secretary Rey Ban-
tug issued the statement in
response to reports, some on
social media, alleging that the
Senate has a CIF of PHP331
million for 2023.
Youth most vulnerable to fake news – PCO
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-
CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Presidential
Communications Office (PCO)
vowed Wednesday to step up
its campaign against fake news,
amid the spike in the number of
Filipinos falling prey to disin-
formation and misinformation.
Based on the findings of the
PCO’s recent study, around nine
of 10 Filipinos are either “victim
of fake news” or having a “prob-
lem in their everyday interaction
with information [and] media,”
Communications Undersecre-
tary for Digital Media Services
Emerald Ridao said during the
Bagong Pilipinas program aired
over state-run PTV-4.
“So, malaking number na po
ito (this is a big number). This is
enough for us to know that this
is a problem that the PCO needs
to answer,” Ridao said.
“We found that mostly kabata-
an po talaga sila because sila po
‘yung pinaka-social media savvy,
sila po ‘yung pinaka-exposed sa
internet. So, sila po muna ‘yung
unang-unang target namin be-
fore we move to other sectors
(they are the youth because they
are the most social media savvy,
they are the most exposed to the
"These social media posts
are deliberately misleading
and maliciously presented by
some personalities who seek to
malign and tarnish the reputa-
tion of the institution currently
taking a long, hard look at the
nature of CIFs and the govern-
ment agencies that deserve to
have them," the statement read.
He explained that under the
Senate's Maintenance and Oth-
er Operating Expenses, only
EME has a line item which is in-
tended for meetings, seminars,
conferences, public relations,
education and other activities.
Bantug admitted that in
the past, the Senate was allo-
cated with confidential funds
internet. So, they are our first tar-
get before we move to other sec-
tors),” she added.
Ridao said the PCO is collab-
orating with the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED)
and the Department of Educa-
tion (DepEd) to expand the Me-
dia and Information Literacy
(MIL) modules that are already
available in schools.
She said there is a plan to ex-
pand the MIL modules by rais-
ing awareness about fake news
peddlers using artificial intelli-
gence (AI) in promoting misin-
formation and disinformation.
“The use of artificial intelli-
gence is now strong, unfortu-
nately, in creating fake news,”
Ridao said. “So the MIL pro-
gram teaches our students how
to take that moment to analyze
kung ito ba mayroon siyang
markers ng legitimate informa-
tion o kaya kailangan ko pang
itsek ano kaya ‘yung source
nito, ilang sources ang nagsabi
ng information na ito, and ‘yung
mga sources ba na ‘yun ay legit-
imate in their fields of informa-
tion. Ganoong klaseng habit po
ang bini-build natin (if this has
markers of legitimate informa-
tion or do I still need to check
what the source is, how many
sources said this information,
and are those sources legiti-
amounting to PHP100 million
in 2020; PHP100 million in
2021; and PHP50 million in
2022, but none were ever spent.
He reiterated Senate Presi-
dent Juan Miguel Zubiri’s stand
that they do not need the CIF.
"He [Zubiri] has been active-
ly saying that confidential and
intelligence funds should be
for our military, police and oth-
er uniformed personnel who
protect our country from both
internal and external security
threats," Bantug said.
In a Facebook post, Zubiri
cited the circulating reports as
"fake news."
"Walang confi funds ang
Senado (Senate has no confi-
mate in their fields of informa-
tion. That's the kind of habit
that we are building).”
Ridao noted that the PCO, as
the lead communications arm
of the government, also wants
to promote the “legitimate gov-
ernment pages.”
This, as she bared efforts to
discredit President Ferdinand
R. Marcos Jr. by spreading mis-
information.
“We’ve even seen it being
done to our President. Because
he is always in the media, every-
day his face is on TV, it has be-
come very easy for people to use
AI to manipulate, unfortunate-
MEDIA LITERACY CAMPAIGN. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (2nd from
left) leads the signing of a memorandum of understanding during the launch
of the Presidential Communications Office-led Media and Information Literacy
campaign at Hilton Manila in Pasay City on Aug. 14, 2023. Marcos said the
government should help equip the public with the knowledge and tools to
combat misinformation and disinformation. (JOEY O. RAZON/PNA)
www.canadianinquirer.net
(SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
dential funds) during my term.
I don't want it and I don't need
it!" he said.
With close to 30 government
agencies asking for CIF for
their 2024 proposed budgets,
ly, his messages,” Ridao said.
In line with the celebration
of Communications Month in
October, the PCO will launch
the Campus Caravan and hold
an MIL Summit, Ridao said.
This year’s celebration of
Communications Month carries
the theme, “CommUNITY: Nag-
kakaisang Tinig Tungo sa Ba-
gong Pilipinas,” magnifying and
showcasing unity among gov-
ernment institutions by illus-
trating a whole-of-government
approach in combating misin-
formation and disinformation
while fostering a sense of unity
among students and the youth.
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
the Senate activated the Select
Oversight Committee on Intel-
ligence and Confidential Funds,
Programs and Activities that
will review and scrutinize the
requests. ■
In a separate statement, Bud-
get Secretary Amenah Pangan-
daman joined the country in
celebrating Communications
Month and lauded the PCO for
bringing “accurate, timely, and
useful information to inspire
our people.”
“As communication plays a key
role in our quest to establish an
open, transparent, accountable,
inclusive, and sustainable soci-
ety, I fully support the mandate
of President Ferdinand R. Mar-
cos Jr. in recognizing the critical
function of communication and
information in nation-building,”
Pangandaman said.
“With the Presidential Com-
munications Office as the pri-
mary source of the administra-
tion's messages, I am optimistic
that we will be able to realize the
President’s vision of having an
informed citizenry – participat-
ing and engaging in constructive
dialogues – which will always
be critical in transforming our
nation into a progressive and in-
clusive one, where no Filipino is
left behind,” she added.
Pangandaman also stressed
the need to uphold wisdom and
proper discernment, consider-
ing the proliferation of misin-
formation and disinformation
“that plant hatred, and often-
times mislead our citizens.” ■
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
PBBM orders AFP: No Chinese-built
boosted gov’t structures off Scarborough
efforts after lifting Shoal so far
of rice price caps
BY RUTH ABBEY GITA-
CARLOS
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered
concerned government agen-
cies to ramp up their efforts in
helping rice farmers, retailers,
and consumers amid efforts to
stabilize the supply and price of
the staple.
Under Executive Order (EO)
42 inked by Marcos on Oct. 4,
the concerned agencies are di-
rected to fortify their existing
programs and initiatives to
provide support and assistance
to affected sectors “to ensure
stability of rice prices upon the
lifting of the mandated price
ceilings.”
EO 42, which was made pub-
lic on Wednesday, formally re-
peals EO 39, which implements
the mandated price ceiling of
PHP41 per kilogram on regular
milled rice and PHP45 per kilo-
gram on well-milled rice.
“EO No. 39 is hereby re-
pealed. All other orders, rules
and regulations, and issuances
or parts thereof which are in-
consistent with the provisions
of this Order are hereby re-
pealed or modified according-
ly,” EO 42 read.
Marcos first announced his
decision to lift EO 39 on Oct. 4
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (ALFRED FRIAS/PNA)
following the recommendation
of the Department of Agricul-
ture (DA) and the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The DA and DTI have jointly
recommended the lifting of the
mandated price ceilings in view
of the decreasing rice prices in
the domestic market, increas-
ing supply of rice stock, and de-
clining global rice prices.
EO 42 takes effect immedi-
ately upon publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspa-
per of general circulation.
In a weekly vlog uploaded
on his official Facebook page
on Oct. 7, Marcos said he had
directed the lifting of the im-
plementation of EO 39 because
the rice prices have already sta-
bilized.
Marcos vowed that the gov-
ernment would continue to
work hard to reduce the cost
of production amid the recent
surges of prices of basic com-
modities.
He also maintained that
the government is exhausting
all legal remedies against rice
smugglers and hoarders who
are destroying the supply and
demand in the market.
While he reassured the pub-
lic that the country has suffi-
cient rice supply, Marcos said
his administration is commit-
ted to improving the productiv-
ity and income of farmers. ■
BY PRIAM NEPOMUCENO
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen.
Romeo Brawner Jr. on Wednes-
day said they have yet to detect
signs that China is building any
structures in Scarborough Shoal
(Bajo de Masinloc) off the
province of Zambales.
"Well sa ngayon, wala
naman pong mga (Chinese)
structures dun sa Scarbor-
ough Shoal (as of now, there
are no structures in Scarbor-
ough Shoal)," Brawner said
in an interview with Radyo
Pilipinas.
Last month, the China
Coast Guard (CCG) placed
a 300-meter floating barrier
near the entrance of Scar-
borough Shoal which was then
cut by the Philippine Coast
Guard upon orders of President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Brawner said Scarborough
Shoal is part of Philippine ter-
ritory, contrary to claims made
by China.
"We are insisting na hindi sa
kanila yan at nasa exclusive eco-
House removes P1.23B..
❰❰ 3 billion to UP Philip-
pine General Hospi-
tal for MAIP; PHP35
billion for the Department of
Social Welfare and Develop-
ment’s (DSWD) Assistance to
Individuals in Crisis Situations
(AICS) and Sustainable Liveli-
hood Program; PHP17.5-billion
to the Department of Labor
and Employment (DOLE) for
the TUPAD program or Tulong
Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Dis-
advantage/Displaced Workers/
Government Internship Pro-
gram; PHP10.4 billion for the
DOLE-Technical Education and
Skills Development Authori-
ty (TESDA) Training for Work
Scholarship Program; PHP17.1
billion for the Commission on
Higher Education’s (CHED)
Tertiary Education Subsidy and
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
nomic zone (EEZ) natin yang
area na yan Bajo de Masinloc
o yung Scarborough Shoal (We
are insisting that the area is not
theirs and Bajo De Masinloc or
Scarborough Shoal, it is located
in our EEZ," he added.
Brawner said the AFP has the
right to patrol in the country's
EEZ as part of its mandate.
... AFP has the
right to patrol in
the country's EEZ..
Earlier, the AFP chief dis-
missed claims that a Philippine
Navy (PN) ship was driven off
by the CCG while doing a mar-
itime patrol near the vicinity of
Scarborough Shoal.
While admitting that the PN
vessel was challenged by the
CCG, Brawner noted that the Fil-
ipino naval vessel was not chased
Tulong Dunong Program.
Meanwhile, the small com-
mittee dismissed as “fake news”
the allegations circulating in
social media that the chamber
enjoys a PHP1.6-billion confi-
dential fund.
“Wala pong confidential
funds ang Congress. 'Yun pong
sinasabing PHP1.6 billion ay
(There are no confidential
funds in Congress. The PHP1.6
billion they are referring to is
under) Extraordinary Expens-
es,” Quimbo clarified during a
press briefing.
“In short, that’s fake news,”
interjected Co.
Quimbo said while the Ex-
traordinary fund is lumped un-
der the same heading with the
Confidential and Intelligence
Funds under the 2024 General
7
and continued with its mission.
Naval ships in 'Exercise Sa-
masama' hold drills
The PN said Wednesday the
missile frigate BRP Antonio
Luna (FF-151) and US Navy
guided-missile destroyer, USS
Dewey (DDG-105) held a gun-
nery exercise (GUNNEX) as
part of the ongoing "Exercise
Samasama" on Tuesday.
This drill is part of the sea-
going phase of the maneu-
vers, it added.
Target acquisition and en-
gagement were practiced
during this exercise, the PN said.
"While, BRP Lolinato To-
Ong (PG-902) ensured that
the GUNNEX area was clear
from other vessels and safe for
firing naval guns. Ship’s crew
of both navies occupied their
respective stations in prepa-
ration for engaging the inflatable
target 'killer tomato' deployed by
DDG-105," it said in a statement.
The PN said BRP Antonio
Luna fired its Aselsan SMASH
30mm secondary gun and .50
caliber machine guns while
the USS Dewey used its 25mm
Mk38 autocannon and .50 cali-
ber machine guns. ■
Appropriations Act, it is subject
to full scrutiny by the Commis-
sion on Audit, unlike the other
two items.
“Yung (The) extra ordinary
po ay (is) fully auditable, which
is different from confidential
[fund] at ang Congress ay wala po
nung confidential (and Congress
has no fund). Yung (The) extraor-
dinary po ay kagaya ng (is similar
to) expenses during calamities
- that’s an example of an extraor-
dinary expense,” she said.
Quimbo, however, clarified
that confidential funds were
retained in the budget of some
agencies, like the Department
of Justice or the Bureau of Cus-
toms, whose mandates required
the performance of surveillance
activities. (with a report from
Jose Cielito Reganit/PNA) ■
8 Philippine News
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Member
SC clarifies rules on allowing
suspended lawyers to resume
practice
BY BENJAMIN PULTA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC)
on Tuesday clarified its rules allowing
suspended lawyers to resume the prac-
tice of law, saying that a lawyer’s admin-
istrative suspension is lifted instantly
upon the filing of a sworn statement of
compliance and even without the high
court’s confirmation.
The SC issued the clarification after
an inquiry from the Office of the Bar
Confidant (OBC) regarding the case of
lawyer Winston Hipe, who was allowed
to resume the practice of law after his
one-month suspension last year for vi-
olation of the rules on notarial practice.
The SC ruling, however, said Hipe re-
mains disqualified to act as a notary until
his disqualification is lifted by the court.
In a resolution, the tribunal said "an
administrative suspension is lifted upon
the filing of a sworn statement of com-
pliance (to the suspension by the law-
yer)" and that "the Court's confirmation
is not required."
A suspended lawyer no longer needs
to await the processing and granting of
certificates of compliance from courts
and quasi-judicial agencies, it added.
“As a necessary consequence of the
automatic lifting of suspension, the
Multi-agency study addresses
youth concerns, reproductive health
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Commission on Popu-
lation and Development (CPD) will lean
on a multi-agency study to address the
needs of the Filipino youth, especially
on reproductive health.
This, after the United Nations Pop-
ulation Fund (UNFPA), in partnership
with the Australian government, United
Nations Children’s Funds, National Eco-
nomic and Development Authority and
University of San Carlos - Office of Pop-
ulation Studies, announced on Tuesday
the launch of the phase III implemen-
tation of the Longitudinal Cohort Study
on the Filipino Child (LCFSC).
CPD deputy executive director Loli-
www.canadianinquirer.net
resumption of the practice of law is
likewise deemed automatic. There is
nothing in which requires the Court’s
confirmation before the suspension may
be lifted or the practice of law allowed to
resume,” the SC said.
“Lawyers should not be unduly de-
prived of the privilege and the benefits
of practicing the profession once the ob-
jectives of the disciplinary sanction have
been achieved by the lapse of the period
of suspension.”
The SC also clarified that the lifting
of a lawyer’s suspension should be reck-
oned from the time of filing the required
sworn statement.
Supreme Court of the Philippines (PNA)
to Tacardon said in a statement Tues-
day that they fully back the initiative as
it will help them formulate plans and
strategies in addressing the concerns of
the Filipino youth.
"It provides vital data as basis for de-
veloping more appropriate and efficient
interventions in addressing concerns
about young people, including those re-
lated to their reproductive health," Tac-
ardon said.
Ahead of the International Day of the
Girl Child on Wednesday, UNFPA coun-
try representative Dr. Leila Joudane
stressed the importance of investing in
the health, education and well-being of
adolescent girls.
"We are at that crucial point in time
when the children covered by the study are
going through the tumultuous and crucial
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
It further tasked the OBC to carefully
note and record the filings of such sworn
statements of compliance.
The court concluded with a warning
that any finding or report contrary to the
statements made by suspended lawyers
under oath shall be a ground for the im-
position of a more severe punishment,
or even disbarment.
“While the lifting of administrative
suspensions has now been made faster
and more efficient, this does not mean
that the Court will be similarly liberal to
those who would submit false certifica-
tions or otherwise exploit the process,”
it stated. ■
period of adolescence, when they devel-
op knowledge and skills, learn to manage
emotions and relationships, and acquire
abilities that will be important for them as
they become productive members of soci-
ety,” Jordane said in a statement.
She vowed to work closely with the
Philippine government and other de-
velopment partners to use the data and
information from the study to reduce
the structural barriers to services for
adolescents and to address factors that
cause high rates of adolescent pregnan-
cy, child marriage, mental health disor-
ders, and violence against young women.
The LCFSC tracks the development of
Filipino children over 15 years following
the same group of 5,000 children from
age 10 in 2016 until the end of the Sus-
tainable Development Goals in 2030. ■
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
Anti-trans protests: The Conservative party
could use ideological polarization to win voters
BY FRÉDÉRICK
GUILLAUME DUFOUR,
Université du Québec
à Montréal (UQAM),
FRANÇOIS TANGUAY,
Université de Montréal
The Conversation
The polarizing debates in
Canada over issues of gender
and sexuality recently led to
heated demonstrations and
counter-demonstrations in cit-
ies across the country.
The One Million March 4
Children coalition that was be-
hind the protests has its sights
aimed at a range of issues related
to sexual education in schools,
including the teaching of gender
theory. The coalition includes
truckers’ organizations and
members of the radical right as
well as religious organizations.
Since the demonstrations
were mainly driven by different
conservative movements, it was
not surprising to note the pres-
ence of Christian groups at the
rallies. But the strong presence
of immigrant communities, par-
ticularly Muslims, came as a sur-
prise to many. During that week,
both a Muslim association and a
conservative nationalist Québec
columnist, Mathieu Bock-Côté,
each from opposite ideological
spectrums, denounced Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau’s call
for a tolerant attitude in almost
identical terms.
Libertarian fiscal policies and
highly conservative social pol-
icies have wind in their sails at
the moment, and there’s no rea-
son why they shouldn’t appeal to
religious groups among differ-
ent minority groups in Canada.
While Maxime Bernier’s
People’s Party of Canada (PPC)
has made gender issues its
hobbyhorse, Pierre Poilievre’s
Conservative Party of Canada
(CPC) has been more cautious
about jumping into the fray and
has asked his MPs to exercise
restraint. Yet his party could
Canada News
benefit from the polarization
that the gender question is cre-
ating. Three elements seem to
point in this direction.
Firstly, the CPC largely holds
the evangelical Christian vote on
moral values and could bolster
the mobilization of this part of its
base. Secondly, unlike many Eu-
ropean populist right-wing par-
ties, when it comes to anti-immi-
gration rhetoric the CPC doesn’t
have much room to manoeuvre.
A party that wants to win federal
elections in Canada cannot alien-
ate immigrant communities. And
finally, the search for a fault line
within immigrant communities
along the conservative/liberal
axis over the question of sexual-
ity and gender may alter the bal-
ance of political forces in the long
term. Gender issues could be that
fault line.
Respectively a professor of
sociology at the Université du
Québec à Montréal and a doc-
toral student in political sci-
ence at Université de Montréal,
our research focuses on nation-
alism, populism and political
conflicts in Québec and Canada.
The politicization of trans
issues by the conservative right
While there is nothing new
about the religious right politi-
cizing issues around sexuality,
debates on gender and the inclu-
sion of trans people have recent-
ly taken on greater importance.
The American right has been
making these issues part of its
general critique of liberalism
for years. The appropriation of
these issues in Canada is more
recent. Bernier’s PPC has made
opposing “gender ideology” an
important part of its program.
More recently, bills proposed
by the Conservative govern-
ments of New Brunswick and
Saskatchewan, which would re-
quire school principals to notify
parents of a child’s request to
change their first name or pro-
nouns, have also sparked heated
debates. These debates pit “pa-
rental rights” against the rights of
trans children to live in safety. In
Québec, the use of gender-neu-
tral first names and the question
of gender-neutral washrooms
have been added to the list of is-
sues fuelling this polarization.
The conservative values of
cultural minorities: a road to
victory?
CPC results in the last three
elections fell short of its expec-
tations. However, slipping sup-
port for the Liberals, inflation,
and the issue of home owner-
ship being out of reach have all
helped the CPC make inroads
among young voters, particu-
larly young men.
In the last election, the CPC’s
challenge was to reconcile the
social conservatism of its base
with a platform that would be
acceptable to centrist voters.
Andrew Scheer and Erin O'Toole
stumbled over this problem.
Stephen Harper’s Conserva-
tive majority in 2011 owed its
success to wins in ridings with a
high proportion of immigrants
in the Toronto area, notably in
Mississauga, Brampton, Rich-
mond Hill and Vaughan. While
these ridings were not part of
Harper’s initial strategy, the
difficulty of rallying Québec na-
tionalists forced him to change
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre (TAYMAZ VALLEY/FLICKR, CC BY 2.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
tack, so Harper turned his atten-
tion to the cultural minorities in
Toronto’s suburbs. In addition to
conservative values, these com-
munities shared the Conserva-
tives’ attachment to religion and
to business friendly free-market
policies. Harper also introduced
tax measures that favoured a
traditional model of the family,
often a patriarchal family struc-
ture, which values the work of
a single parent and where one
spouse has a much higher in-
come than the other.
Currently ahead in the polls,
the CPC could make gains at
the expense of the Liberals
in Markham, Vaughan, Rich-
mond Hill, Whitby and Picker-
ing-Uxbridge, in some Toronto
ridings, in Oakville and as far
as the Hamilton suburbs. The
CPC could also regain ridings in
Greater Vancouver that it lost to
the Liberals in the last election.
PCC’s likely strategy
Poilievre probably sees the
politicization of gender and
sexuality issues as an opportu-
nity to bolster support for the
CPC in the run-up to the next
election. To achieve this, it is
unlikely that he will follow the
example of the People’s Party,
which promised to limit the
9
rights of transgender children,
and choose not to interfere in
provincial jurisdictions.
The CPC will probably stick
to using dog whistles to call
out “wokeism” and to support
provincial governments and
religious communities that de-
nounce sex education programs.
That is exactly what Poilievre
did at a gathering of Toronto’s
Pakistani community in August.
In a speech delivered as part of
Pakistan’s Independence Day
celebrations, he defended re-
ligious freedom as well as the
right of parents to “pass on their
traditional teachings to their
children,” and to “bring them up
with their own values.” Earlier
in the summer, he opposed fed-
eral government interference in
New Brunswick’s policy requir-
ing parental consent for LGBTQ
students wishing to change their
name or pronouns.
The CPC could benefit from
public support on these issues.
Although practices related to
gender transitions are rare in
Canada, they do spark the ire of
conservative circles.
Other conservative positions,
such as criticizing drug decrim-
inalization in British Colum-
bia and Liberal “wokeism” in
response to crime, could also
strike a chord with religious
voters. So a strategy based on
fiscal conservatism, law and
order, the traditional family
and conservative sexual values
could be very advantageous for
the CPC in many ridings.
What dilemmas for the op-
position parties?
The CCP’s strategy also calls
into question those of the Lib-
eral Party and the NDP. As de-
fenders of ethnic communities
and religious, sexual and gender
minorities, but also as critics of
Québec’s Bill 21 on secularism,
these parties have been nurtur-
ing voters at opposite sides of
this ideological polarization.
❱❱ PAGE 11 Anti-trans protests:
10
Cannabis in Canada: Debunking myths about
the real impacts of legalization
BY MICHAEL J.
ARMSTRONG, Brock
University
The Conversation
Before Canada legalized rec-
reational cannabis in October
2018, there was considerable de-
bate about its potential effects.
Some predicted it would trigger
an economic “goldrush,” while
others worried it would lead to
public health “tragedies.”
Researchers like myself have
since investigated the real ef-
fects of legalization. As it turns
out, certain trends were already
underway before legalization
and continued afterward. On
the flip side, some changes did
not happen as anticipated.
This information can help oth-
er countries that are now grap-
pling with similar uncertainties
about their own legalization
plans. Politicians across the globe
have been making diverse claims
about the impact legalization will
have on their countries.
In the United States, Nebras-
ka Governor Pete Ricketts has
said cannabis is a “dangerous
drug” that will kill children. Ger-
man politician Markus Söder
has voiced similar concerns.
On the opposing end of the
spectrum, Kenyan presidential
candidate George Wajackoyah
proposed the legalization and
commercialization of cannabis
as a way to eliminate Kenya’s
public debt.
Given these debates, Cana-
da’s cannabis legalization ex-
perience can offer valuable in-
sights to countries navigating
the same terrain.
Cannabis use
Many were concerned that le-
galizing cannabis would trigger
a huge increase in usage, result-
Canada News
ing in “hordes of stoned teenag-
ers”. Opponents to legalization
argued that any increase in us-
age would prove it had failed.
However, the percentage of
adults using cannabis had al-
ready been increasing prior to
2018. Unsurprisingly, it con-
tinued to rise after legalization.
Government surveys put the
usage rate at nine per cent in
2011, 15 per cent in 2017 and 20
per cent in 2019.
There was a boost after le-
galization beyond the ongoing
trend. But part of that might
have been from people becoming
more open about cannabis use.
On the other hand, teenagers’
cannabis use hardly budged af-
ter 2018. This suggests teenag-
ers who wanted cannabis were
already able to buy it easily
from dealers.
Health issues
Health impacts were also a
significant concern while Can-
ada was debating cannabis le-
galization. Canada’s previous
prime minister, Stephen Harp-
er, claimed cannabis was “in-
finitely worse” than tobacco.
His successor, Justin Trudeau,
instead said legalization would
“protect” health.
In reality, cannabis-related
hospital visits by adults were al-
ready growing before 2018 and
kept growing afterward. Com-
pared to early 2011, the rate in
Ontario was about three times
higher in 2018 and five times
higher in 2021.
The post-2018 growth was,
again, partly legalization-relat-
ed and partly an on-going trend.
However, some health im-
pacts have been more serious.
There has been significant
growth in children’s hospital
visits due to accidental cannabis
consumption. Among children
under 10 years old, there was a
nine-fold increase in emergen-
cy room visits and a six-fold in-
crease in hospitalizations.
Driving safety
Law enforcement was con-
cerned that legalizing cannabis
would cause more impaired
driving. Police complained that
they lacked the equipment nec-
essary for detecting cannabis
impairment.
Research on whether or not
legalization actually resulted
in more cannabis-impaired
driving remains inconclusive.
Unfortunately, government re-
ports often don’t specify which
substances caused drivers’ im-
pairments.
However, we do know overall
drug-impaired driving — any
substance except alcohol — in-
creased before and after 2018.
Compared to 2011, drug-im-
paired driving arrests roughly
doubled by 2017 and quadru-
pled by 2020.
There have also been ongoing
increases in injuries from traffic
accidents involving cannabis.
Compared to 2011, the injury
www.canadianinquirer.net
rates in Ontario were about two
times higher in 2017 and three
times higher in 2020.
Arrest rates
Legalization also brought up
concerns about crime and social
justice. The federal government
expected legalization would re-
duce the time police spent on
cannabis enforcement. Advo-
cates hoped to see fewer arrests
among marginalized groups.
But the declines in arrests
that legalization triggered
weren’t very large. This was be-
cause arrests for illegal canna-
bis possession had already been
decreasing in Canada — under
both Conservative and Liberal
governments — long before le-
galization. By 2018, the arrest
rate was already 71 per cent
lower than its 2011 level.
While arrests fell again in
2019, they bottomed-out after-
wards, leaving little room for
further rate drops.
Arrests for illegal cannabis
distribution offences, like grow-
ing and trafficking, fell 67 per
cent between 2011 and 2018.
This trend largely continued
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
after 2018.
Booming sales
Businesses had high hopes
that legalization would lead to
an economic goldrush. Foreign
investors helped fund Canadi-
an cannabis companies. There
were also debates among the
governments about how to dis-
tribute the new tax revenue.
After legalization, canna-
bis business did boom in some
ways. Although most provinces
initially lacked enough stores,
there are now more than 3,600
across Canada. Sales have
surged from $42 million in Oc-
tober 2018 to $446 million in
July 2023. They’re now half as
large as beer sales.
However, some regions now
have too many cannabis stores and
many businesses are struggling to
stay afloat. As a result, some cor-
porations and their shareholders
have lost billions of dollars. Only
the government-owned cannabis
agencies seem to be consistently
profitable.
Legalization lessons
While legalization did cause
some changes, it was also a gov-
ernment response to changes
that were already underway.
There are three potential les-
sons that can be taken away
from this.
The first is that cannabis le-
galization research needs to
account for existing trends. It
can’t rely on simple before-ver-
sus-after comparisons. Gov-
ernments can help with this by
publishing more of the canna-
bis data they collect.
The second lesson is that Cana-
dian policymakers should worry
less about whether legalization
caused specific cannabis prob-
lems. Instead, they should focus
❱❱ PAGE 30 Cannabis in Canada:
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
In Manitoba and elsewhere in Canada,
mean-spiritedness can lose elections
BY KATHY L. BROCK,
Queen's University, Ontario
The Conversation
A well-respected politician
once told me that governments
lose elections if voters consider
them too mean-spirited. Those
words have always resonated,
particularly during the final
weeks of the recent Manitoba
election when the Conserva-
tives engaged in a negative me-
dia campaign. Negative cam-
paigns are often only tolerated
if they don’t go too far.
The Manitoba campaign fea-
tured one ad that promoted the
government’s decision not to
search a landfill site for the bod-
ies of two First Nations women
believed to be victims of a serial
killer who has disposed of vic-
tims in such places.
Premier Heather Stefanson,
flanked by a number of col-
leagues running for re-election,
publicly defended the decision
on the grounds that the search
would be too costly (up to $184
million) and too dangerous giv-
en the site’s toxicity.
A second ad targeted NDP
Leader Wab Kinew, now the pre-
mier-elect of the province, and
eight other NDP candidates. The
ad questioned Kinew’s ability to
lead Manitoba by raising past
charges against him, including
driving under the influence and
Anti-trans protests:..
❰❰ 9 This development
was predictable. The
significant presence
of certain cultural communities
in anti-LGBTQ+ mobilizations
shatters the simplistic idea pro-
moted by the identitarian left
that “diversity,” because it is of-
ten in a minority position, is nec-
essarily liberal and progressive.
Immigrant communities are
heterogeneous and their views
on issues of freedom of con-
science and expression vary
widely. But their community in-
stitutions, which are sometimes
religious and patriarchal, don’t
always fit with the Liberal and
NDP orientation towards citi-
assaulting a taxi driver.
Kinew had previously spoken
publicly about his turbulent
youth and had been pardoned
by the Parole Board of Canada
in 2016 for those offences and
two breaches of court orders.
American inspiration?
Both ads smacked of Ameri-
can-style politics and despera-
tion. The first ad was decried as
insensitive and campaigning on
a tragic issue. The second ad was
disparaging and disrespectful.
Together the ads appeared
mean-spirited. One commen-
tator said the Conservative
ad campaign was “nastier and
more vicious” than past cam-
paigns and an attempt to win
“almost at any cost.”
Research is divided over the
effects of negative ad campaigns
on democracy. A 2009 study
found that negative ads can
cause voters to take more inter-
est during elections and learn
about issues and candidates. On
the other hand, other research
has found that campaigns that
go too negative may discourage
and disincentivize voters.
But what is too negative?
Observational evidence from
Canada suggests there are some
lines that should not be crossed.
Voters recoil from campaigns
when the rhetoric trivializes,
denigrates or comes at the ex-
pense of vulnerable groups. The
Manitoba ads regarding the
zenship and sexual diversity.
Reactions from Québec’s
nationalist milieu have been
equivocal on these issues. On
the one hand, the Bloc Québé-
cois (BQ) says it supports
LGBTQ rights and will contin-
ue to do so, but on the other
says it is incapable of taking a
position at the moment and
wants to listen to both sides of
the divide. The issue is also far
from consensual among its pro-
vincial nationalist allies. Both
the governing Coalition Avenir
Québec (CAQ) and the Parti
Québécois (PQ) raised con-
cerns around gender theory in
schools. The PQ leader, Paul St-
Conservatives’ decision not to
search the Prairie Green landfill
prioritized fiscal prudence, leav-
ing voters with the horrific im-
age of someone’s children or sis-
ters abandoned in a filthy grave
after suffering a terrible death.
In a similar vein, the federal
Conservatives learned during
the 2015 election campaign how
quickly public sentiment can
turn against a government and its
policies after a picture emerged
of a young Syrian refugee boy ly-
ing washed up on a beach.
The photo had become the
human face of the Syrian ref-
ugee crisis globally just as Ste-
phen Harper’s government was
promoting more restrictive im-
migration policies compared to
opposition parties calling for
(WAB KINEW/FACEBOOK)
Pierre Plamondon, went as far
as speaking of a risk of seeing
the “radical left” impose gender
ideology on children. By refus-
ing to take a clear position, the
Bloc Québécois missed an op-
portunity to take a stand in fa-
vour of the rights of sexual mi-
norities over those of outraged
parents. By defending the right
of provinces to use the not-
withstanding clause, it chose
to defend provincial autonomy
over a defence of Quebec’s Na-
tional Assembly’s stances on
academic freedom and secular-
ism. From the point of view of
its constitutional strategy the
BQ’s strategy is coherent, but it
www.canadianinquirer.net
Canada News
welcoming more refugees.
Both the federal and provin-
cial Conservative governments
lost power.
Canadians more empathetic?
In contrast to Americans, Ca-
nadian elections over the past few
decades suggest Canadian voters
seem to sympathize with leaders
who are flawed but have worked
to overcome personal challenges.
Kinew had atoned for his
past mistakes and learned from
them to go on and live a suc-
cessful life as a proud Indige-
nous father, community leader
and politician. The ads against
him seemed like cheap shots
rather than fair criticism.
This lesson is not new. The
2018 Liberal ads attacking Con-
servative policies and implying
opens the way to criticisms that
its defence of LGBTQ rights and
secularism is asymmetrical.
The CPC could, however, be
faced with the possibility of a
province using the notwith-
standing clause to pass legisla-
tion protecting “parental rights,”
a use recently confirmed by Pre-
mier Scott Moe in Saskatchewan.
It would be tricky for Poilievre to,
on one hand, defend conserva-
tive provinces using the notwith-
standing clause, and on the other,
oppose Québec using the clause
to defend its laws on secularism
and the French language. Both
the BQ and the CPC could there-
fore face catch-22 decision-mak-
11
Doug Ford was unsuitable to be
premier backfired in the face
of Ford’s image as an everyday
guy who understood what peo-
ple felt and who had stood by a
troubled brother.
In 2003, the federal Con-
servatives had to pull ads that
mocked Jean Chrétien’s style
of speaking out of one side of
his mouth when he publicly an-
nounced it was due to having
Bell’s palsy as a child.
Bloc Québecois Leader Luc-
ien Bouchard’s public reputa-
tion was enhanced significantly
after overcoming necrotizing
fasciitis, the flesh-eating illness.
This reputation damage or en-
hancement works retroactive-
ly. History was forgiving when
it came to the drinking habits
of Canada’s first prime minis-
ter, Sir John A. Macdonald, but
when his policy decisions be-
came linked to atrocities in res-
idential schools, his reputation
took a posthumous hit.
While Canadians will toler-
ate what is perceived as nega-
tive but fair criticism in an elec-
tion campaign, the Manitoba
election is the latest to suggest
they won’t accept a govern-
ment or party that goes too far.
Mean-spiritedness can clearly
lose elections in Canada. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
ing situations.
So a window could be open-
ing up for Poilievre and the
CPC. Wear and tear on Liber-
al power along with repeated
Liberal blunders and economic
challenges are all contributing
to this. That said, the growing
support of young people from
different social and political
trajectories for conservatism
is part of a series of broader so-
cial and demographic changes
that could shake up the political
landscape for years to come. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
12
The value of natural assets must be
measured for truly sustainable development
BY PETER VAN DIJK,
JAMES K. STEWART
Policy Options
Ecosystem valuation and natu-
ral capital accounting can provide
tangible figures to inform policy
and improve decision-making
around development.
Unprecedented wildfires,
floods and storms and the re-
turn of droughts in 2023 have
made more effective climate
change responses urgent while
demonstrating the clear need
for better measures aimed at
protecting the environment.
In Canada, natural assets such
as forests, wetlands, biodiversity
and wildlife provide an array of
ecosystem “services” that are far
too often undervalued or go un-
noticed in economic policy and
regulations. Accurately valuing
carbon sequestration, flood reg-
ulation, nutrient recycling and
other benefits provided by natu-
ral assets is vital to reflect the true
costs and benefits of new housing
and other development projects.
Recognizing the comprehen-
sive financial value of natural as-
sets encourages sustainable hous-
ing and other healthy land use.
Major flaws in the current
approach
Properly valuing and man-
aging natural assets is crucial
to avoid potentially costly pol-
icy mistakes, especially given
the complexity and adaptivity
of economic, natural and other
systems. Ill-suited approaches
to achieve short-term goals can
cause medium and long-term
problems including building on
floodplains or near fire zones
with their future damage risks,
housing relocation needs, in-
creased insurance costs, etc.
Solutions to address one issue
of concern (e.g. housing supply)
should not cause deterioration
and instability for other essen-
tial systems (e.g. critical habitat
and biodiversity).
Economically, the degrada-
tion of natural assets stemming
from housing development can
lead to higher costs and long-
term losses. The destruction of
forests and wetlands can result
in significant expenditure for
flood prevention infrastructure
Canada News
and water treatment facilities.
Such costs can be mitigated
or avoided by keeping healthy
ecosystems intact. Green in-
frastructure offers numerous
benefits relative to man-made
“grey” infrastructure, such as
better carbon capture, lower
emissions, cheaper costs and
greater durability.
Inadequate assessment of
the risks to and value of envi-
ronmental lands was one of the
major problems with Ontario’s
Greenbelt policy changes in
2022, as identified by the pro-
vincial auditor general. Even
though the decision to open
parts of the Greenbelt for de-
velopment was reversed in Sep-
tember 2023, the announced
rationale failed to place enough
emphasis on the value of the
Greenbelt’s natural assets and
to consider the major benefits
of its ecosystem services.
Ontario is not alone. A 2023
Globe and Mail analysis demon-
strated the Quebec govern-
ment’s low valuation of biodi-
versity in its approval of 98 per
cent of development requests in
areas with at-risk plant species
between 2012 and 2022.
Protecting the integrity of
natural assets is foundational
to preserving biodiversity and
addressing climate change.
Forests and wetlands are criti-
cal carbon sinks, absorbing CO2
emissions and helping mitigate
global warming. Protecting
these ecosystems in and around
housing projects is a cost-effec-
tive strategy for climate change
mitigation and adaptation.
Natural assets are also in-
tegral to mental and physical
health. Numerous studies have
shown that exposure to nature
reduces stress, improves mood,
enhances cognitive function,
and boosts overall well-being.
Green spaces within residential
areas have been associated with
lower obesity rates and im-
proved cardiovascular health.
Overlooking the health bene-
fits of natural assets in housing
developments leads to reduced
quality of life and, indirectly,
to future personal and public
health expenditures.
Adopting better valuation
approaches
Government development
policy and regulation needs to
integrate the valuation of natu-
ral assets into its planning and
implementation. The use of tools
like natural capital accounting
and ecosystem services valuation
helps assign a monetary value to
these assets, providing a tangible
figure to inform policy and im-
prove decision-making.
There are longstanding and
internationally accepted eco-
system accounting and asset
valuation approaches. They
include the statistical frame-
work initially adopted as the
United Nations’ System of
Environmental Economic Ac-
counting (SEEA) in 2012. The
SEEA framework enables the
monetary contributions of
ecosystems to be assessed and
measured in a way that is more
easily compared with other
goods and services. By 2022, a
UN survey showed that more
than 34 countries had already
used the SEEA’s ecosystem ac-
counting to inform policy.
The application of natural
asset valuation and ecosys-
tem services accounting would
benefit all three levels of gov-
ernment in Canada and help
achieve sustainable develop-
ment strategies.
At the federal level, Canada
www.canadianinquirer.net
can use natural capital account-
ing to assess and gauge its diverse
natural landscapes, calculating
economic benefits like carbon
sequestration and fisheries con-
tributions. This informs better
conservation, resource manage-
ment, and climate change miti-
gation decisions by prioritizing
ecosystem protection.
At the provincial level, eco-
system services valuation
can improve a broad range of
resource management prac-
tices and land use planning
decisions. Examples include
British Columbia’s forestry as-
sets where ecosystem valuation
could help determine the eco-
nomic costs and benefits of dif-
ferent logging practices by con-
sidering factors like soil erosion
prevention, water purification
and recreational tourism gen-
erated by intact forests.
In Ontario, ecosystem ser-
vices valuation can assess the
benefits of preserving and ex-
panding the Greenbelt. By
quantifying the Greenbelt’s eco-
logical services including car-
bon sequestration, enhanced
water quality and habitat pres-
ervation, the provincial govern-
ment may support policies and
investments that maintain this
vital green infrastructure while
simultaneously boosting sus-
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
tainable urban development.
Municipalities can apply
these tools to evaluate urban
natural spaces and infrastruc-
ture. In Toronto, ecosystem
accounting would gauge and
highlight the value of rivers,
ravines, parks and green roofs.
This would inform local poli-
cies and green infrastructure
investments. Ecosystem ser-
vices valuation also helps assess
urban forests’ value, justifying
green space protection and ex-
pansion.
Crucial non-monetary
benefits and notable inter-
national examples
Not all aspects of nature
should be monetized. Inclusive
and sustainable housing devel-
opments reflect the benefits of
natural spaces and biodiversity
for their cultural or spiritual val-
ue as well. Inadequate consulta-
tion and reflection of Indigenous
values were factors in the errors
surrounding Ontario’s Greenbelt
policy decision in 2022.
Various jurisdictions in Can-
ada and worldwide are increas-
ingly incorporating the value of
natural assets into housing de-
velopment and urban planning.
The B.C. government’s efforts to
incorporate natural asset man-
agement into the process are en-
couraging. The town of Gibsons is
a leading example. Its asset man-
agement policy and plan have
formally recognized both natural
assets and man-made capital as-
sets for many years now.
Nationally, a 2022 paper sup-
ported by more than 60 organi-
zations deserves emphasis for
its call to recognize the value of
natural assets in public sector ac-
counting and to establish guide-
lines and standards for their
management and valuation.
Internationally, Melbourne’s
Urban Forest Strategy aims to
increase the city’s canopy cover
to 40 per cent by 2040. Its Na-
ture in the City strategy empha-
sizes integrating nature into
urban areas, improving mental
health and reducing heat island
effects. Singapore incorporates
green spaces and biodiversity
into its urban planning through
the creation of natural parks,
❱❱ PAGE 25 The value of natural
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
The Gaza Strip − why the history of the
densely populated enclave is key to
understanding the current conflict
BY MAHA NASSAR,
University of Arizona
The Conversation
The focus on conflict in the
Middle East has again returned
to the Gaza Strip, with Israel’s
defense minister ordering a
“complete siege” of the Pales-
tinian enclave.
The military operation,
which involves extensive
bombing of residences, fol-
lows a surprise attack on Oct. 7,
2023, by Hamas militants who
infiltrated Israel from Gaza and
killed more than 900 Israelis.
In reprisal airstrikes, the Isra-
el military has killed over 800
Gazans. And that figure could
escalate in the coming days.
Meanwhile, an order to cut off
all food, electricity and water
to Gaza will only worsen the
plight of residents in what has
been called the “world’s largest
open-air prison.”
But how did Gaza become
one of the most densely popu-
lated parts of the planet? And
why is it the home to militant
Palestinian action now? As a
scholar of Palestinian history, I
believe understanding the an-
swers to those questions pro-
vides crucial historical context
to the current violence.
A brief history of Gaza
The Gaza Strip is a narrow
piece of land on the southeast-
ern shore of the Mediterranean
Sea. Roughly twice the size of
Washington, D.C., it is wedged
between Israel to its north and
east and Egypt to its south.
An ancient trade and sea
port, Gaza has long been part
of the geographic region known
as Palestine. By the early 20th
century, it was mainly inhabited
by Muslim and Christian Arabs
who lived under Ottoman rule.
When Britain took control of
Palestine following World War
World News
I, intellectuals in Gaza joined
the emergent Palestinian na-
tional movement.
During the 1948 war that es-
tablished the state of Israel, the
Israeli military bombed 29 vil-
lages in southern Palestine, lead-
ing tens of thousands of villagers
to flee to the Gaza Strip, under
the control of the Egyptian army
that were deployed after Israel
declared independence. Most of
them and their descendants re-
main there today.
Following the 1967 Six-Day
War between Israel and its
Arab neighbors, the Gaza Strip
came under Israeli military oc-
cupation. The occupation has
resulted in “systematic human
rights violations,” according to
rights group Amnesty Interna-
tional, including forcing people
off their land, destroying homes
and crushing even nonviolent
forms of political dissent.
Palestinians staged two ma-
jor uprisings, in 1987-1991 and
in 2000-2005, hoping to end
the occupation and establish an
independent Palestinian state.
Hamas, a Palestinian Isla-
mist militant group centered
in Gaza, was founded in 1988 to
fight against the Israeli occu-
pation. Hamas and other mili-
tant groups launched repeated
attacks on Israeli targets in
Gaza, leading to Israel’s uni-
lateral withdrawal from Gaza
in 2005. In 2006, Palestinian
legislative elections were held.
Hamas beat its secular rival, Fa-
tah, which had been widely ac-
cused of corruption. Elections
haven’t been held in Gaza since
2006, but polling from March
2023 found that 45% of Gazans
would back Hamas should there
be a vote, ahead of Fatah at 32%.
After a brief conflict between
Hamas and Fatah militants in
May 2007, Hamas took com-
plete control of the Gaza Strip.
Since then, Gaza has been un-
der the administrative control
of Hamas, even though it is still
considered to be under Israeli
occupation by the United Na-
tions, the U.S. State Department
and other international bodies.
Who are the Palestinians
of Gaza?
The more than 2 million in-
habitants of the Gaza Strip are
part of the 14 million-strong
global Palestinian community.
About one third of Gaza’s inhab-
itants trace their family’s roots
to land inside the Gaza Strip.
The remaining two-thirds are
refugees from the 1948 war
and their descendants, many of
whom hail from towns and vil-
lages surrounding Gaza.
The Palestinians of Gaza
trend young: nearly half the
population is under 18. The en-
clave is also very poor, with a
poverty rate that stands at 53%.
Despite this grim economic
picture, education levels are
quite high. Over 95% of Gazan
children ages 6-12 are in school.
The majority of Palestinian stu-
dents in Gaza graduate from
high school, and 57% of stu-
dents at the prestigious Islamic
University of Gaza are female.
But because of the circum-
Eastern side of Gaza (AL MOGHEER SHURRAB/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 3.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
stances of their surroundings,
young Palestinians in Gaza find it
difficult to live fulfilling lives. For
graduates between the ages of 19
and 29, the unemployment rate
stands at 70%. And a World Bank
survey earlier this year found
71% of Gazans show signs of de-
pression and high levels of PTSD.
There are several factors that
contribute to these conditions.
A major factor is the crippling,
16-year blockade that Israel and
Egypt – with U.S. support – have
imposed on Gaza.
Years of blockade
Shortly after the 2006 elec-
tions, the Bush administration
tried to force Hamas from pow-
er and bring in a rival leader
from the Fatah party who was
considered friendlier to Israel
and the U.S. Hamas preempted
the coup and took full control of
Gaza in May 2007. In response,
Israel and Egypt – with U.S. and
European support – closed the
border crossings into and out
of the Gaza Strip and imposed a
land, air and sea blockade.
The blockade, which is still in
effect, limits the import of food,
fuel and construction material;
limits how far Gaza’s fishermen
can go out to sea; bans almost all
13
exports; and imposes strict lim-
itations on the movement of peo-
ple into and out of Gaza. In 2023,
Israel has allowed only around
50,000 people a month to exit
Gaza, according to U.N. figures.
The years of closure have
devastated the lives of Palestin-
ians in Gaza. Inhabitants there
don’t have enough water for
drinking and sanitation. They
face electricity cuts that run 12
to 18 hours each day. Without
adequate water and electricity,
Gaza’s fragile health care sys-
tem is “on the brink of collapse,”
according to the medical rights
group Medical Aid for Palestine.
These restrictions hit the
young and the weak of Gaza
particularly hard. Israel rou-
tinely denies sick patients the
permits they need to receive
medical care outside of Gaza.
Bright students with scholar-
ships to study abroad often find
that they are unable to leave.
U.N. experts say this blockade
is illegal under international
law. They argue that the block-
ade amounts to a collective
punishment of the Palestin-
ians of Gaza, a violation of the
Hague Convention and the Ge-
neva Conventions that form the
backbone of international law.
No end to the suffering
Israel says that the blockade
on Gaza is necessary to secure
the safety of its population and
will be lifted when Hamas re-
nounces violence, recognizes
Israel and abides by previous
agreements.
But Hamas has consistently
rejected this ultimatum. In-
stead, militant fighters stepped
up the firing of homemade
rockets and mortars into pop-
ulated areas surrounding the
Gaza Strip in 2008, seeking to
pressure Israel to lift the block-
ade. They have sporadically at-
❱❱ PAGE 16 The Gaza Strip
14
Peace in Sudan is elusive for any would-be
mediators – but a new window of opportunity
has opened for outside intervention
BY HYERAN JO, Texas A&M
University
The Conversation
More than five months have
passed since intense fighting
broke out between the Suda-
nese army and the Rapid Sup-
port Forces, a paramilitary
group also known as the RSF. In
that time, more than 7,000 peo-
ple have been killed and nearly
4 million others displaced. The
conflict is still ongoing, with lit-
tle evidence of resolution.
The clashes were sparked by a
disagreement over how the RSF,
led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan
Dagalo, more commonly known
as Hemedti, could be integrat-
ed into the Sudanese Armed
Forces, or SAF, led by Gen. Ab-
del-Fattah al-Burhan.
Sudan is the third-largest
country by area in Africa. It is
also home to the Nile River ba-
sin, is mineral rich and strate-
gically located on the Red Sea,
close to the Middle East. So this
conflict comes with heavy se-
curity and economic ramifica-
tions for the region and beyond.
As a political science profes-
sor who studies civil conflicts, I
know that stability in Sudan re-
quires a concerted effort from
the international community. So
far, a variety of efforts have failed.
However, I believe that applying
a right mix of international mea-
sures at the right time can give
Sudan a chance at peace.
Roots of conflict
Much like Somalia and the for-
mer Yugoslavia, Sudan is what is
known as an “anocracy” – that
is, a political regime in transition
from autocracy to democracy.
Anocracies are prone to
armed conflicts. Mainly due
to the growth of paramilitar-
ies and weak civilian control of
the military, they face frequent
coups and rebellions.
Sudan experienced a major
armed conflict in the western
region of Darfur from 2003
to 2020, during which former
president Omar al-Bashir used
RSF paramilitaries to violently
suppress rebel groups.
However, as the RSF grew
World News
more powerful, attempts to
integrate it into the Sudanese
army failed. And in 2022, a
power struggle between the two
groups ensued.
The limits of mediation
Turkey, Ethiopia, Egypt and
Israel have all offered to medi-
ate between the SAF and RSF
in Sudan. So did the African
Union, along with the Intergov-
ernmental Authority on Devel-
opment, an eight-country trade
bloc in Africa. They proposed
Kenya as the key mediator.
The SAF and RSF have not
accepted any of these offers.
Efforts by the U.S. and Sau-
di Arabia have yielded several
ceasefires, including a 72-hour
ceasefire from June 18-21, 2023,
but no concrete agreements.
Successful mediation requires
that the mediator has leverage
to offer incentives to the warring
parties, and also maintains im-
partiality between them.
When it comes to Sudan, no
mediator has managed to offer
terms acceptable to both war-
ring parties. Furthermore, many
of the potential mediators have
supported one side or the other.
Kenya and the United Arab
Emirates have been accused by
the Sudanese army of support-
ing the RSF, which fought in
Yemen and Libya alongside the
UAE. Egypt, meanwhile, sup-
ports the SAF due to traditional
ties with Sudanese generals.
And while the U.S. does not
have an official position of sup-
port for either side, partly due
to the atrocities committed by
both warring parties, its Sau-
di partners in the Jeddah talks
back the SAF. This may stem
from their rivalry with the UAE.
But what doomed the Jed-
dah talks was not this perceived
Saudi bias but the lack of politi-
cal leverage. The U.S. and Saudi
Arabia failed to provide clear and
concrete terms that could be ac-
ceptable to both warring parties.
Sanctions fall short
U.S. sanctions have targeted
specific entities or individuals
that disrupt the democratic
transition in Sudan.
On June 1, 2023, the De-
partment of the Treasury an-
nounced sanctions against four
companies within the gold min-
ing, vehicle and weapons indus-
tries that it accused of funding
or arming the warring parties.
Two of the companies were affil-
iated with the SAF, and two were
linked to the RSF. Three months
later, the department also sanc-
tioned Hemedti, the RSF leader.
Usually, the United Nations
coordinates sanctions with the
U.S., and U.S. allies follow suit.
However, this cascade of sanc-
tions has yet to happen. The
U.N. Sanctions Committee has
not added any new sanctions on
Sudan yet, while the European
Union is working on a frame-
work for such sanctions.
While current and future sanc-
tions may hold, targets often find
alternative sources of funding.
Despite U.S. sanctions targeting
Hemedti’s RSF reliance on the
gold trade, Russia has stepped in
to supply weapons and training
to Sudan in exchange for gold to
fund its war in Ukraine.
Peacekeeping efforts hold
promise
International peacekeeping
can be effective in conflict zones,
particularly when the efforts are
properly resourced. Peacekeep-
ing missions in the Ivory Coast
www.canadianinquirer.net
from 2004 to 2017 and in Croa-
tia from 1996 to 1998 are often
cited as success stories.
The United Nations-African
Union Mission, or UNAMIS,
was a peacekeeping mission in
Darfur from 2007 to 2020 that
used both police and troops to
provide a buffer zone. The mis-
sions had only partial successes,
mainly due to the lack of support
from the al-Bashir government.
In 2020, after the UNAMIS
ended, the U.N. Integrated Tran-
sition Assistance Mission in Su-
dan, or UNITAMS, was tasked to
assist political transitions in Su-
dan. However, it lacked police or
troops, and its potential efficacy
is heavily disputed.
An integrated approach
Observers of Sudanese poli-
tics and experts of international
relations have suggested many
solutions to stabilize Sudan,
prevent further atrocities and
eventually resolve the conflict.
These include stopping
Hemedti’s flow of money, send-
ing peacekeepers with troops
and police, involving the Inter-
national Criminal Court to in-
vestigate atrocities, coordinat-
ing political dialogue between
international actors and war-
ring parties, and restraining out-
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
side influences – such as from
the UAE or Russia – that weaken
the effect of sanctions on Sudan.
One integrated solution is to
combine peacekeeping and me-
diation. This would mean aug-
menting UNITAMS with police
and troops from the U.N. Peace-
keeping division, while forging
a united diplomatic front on the
international level.
A short-term action for this
united front would be to employ
the U.N. mediation team. With
a roster of experienced interna-
tional mediators, the mediation
team can try to provide opportu-
nities for political dialogue.
A long-term solution, and
one suggested in the interna-
tional Peace Treaty Initiative,
is to institutionalize the me-
diation effort. Once a country
accepts the proposed treaty, it
is obligated to enter into medi-
ation when conflicts erupt. This
process avoids the difficulty of
getting to the mediation table
in the first place, while guaran-
teeing a coordinated and con-
certed mediation process.
A window of opportunity
In April 2023, the warring
parties rejected international
mediation offers and failed to
send delegates for internal me-
diation in Khartoum, Sudan’s
capital. Until mid-August, nei-
ther side seems had seemed
to have reached the stage of a
“hurting stalemate” – which
is sorely needed for parties to
come to the negotiation table.
However, with the death on
Aug. 23, 2023, of Yevgeny Pri-
gozhin, the leader of the Wag-
ner group in Russia, Hemedti
has lost a key Russian ally. This
leaves him more vulnerable to
U.S. sanctions on the gold trade.
In fact, this may have been
what prompted him to suggest
a peace proposal on Aug. 27.
As for Burhan of the SAF, he has
tried to burnish his image by vis-
iting Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and
he gave a speech at the U.N. Gen-
eral Assembly on Sept. 21. This oc-
curred after the SAF had to move
to Port Sudan from Khartoum,
where the RSF took a stronghold.
❱❱ PAGE 16 Peace in Sudan
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
Is Taiwan a country or not?
BY JOSHUA HOLZER,
Westminster College
The Conversation
Defining what is and isn’t a
country is a lot more compli-
cated than many people would
realize. Take the case of Taiwan.
On Aug. 30, 2023, a com-
mittee of the U.K. Parliament
referred to Taiwan as an “inde-
pendent country” in a report.
This is the first time any part of
the British political system has
used that phrasing.
Officially, the U.K. “does not
recognise Taiwan” as a country,
nor does it “maintain formal
diplomatic relations with the
island,” which is one way states
recognize each other as equals
on the international stage.
Like the U.K., the U.S. also
“does not have diplomatic re-
lations with Taiwan,” although
there is a “robust unofficial re-
lationship,” according to the
State Department. Many other
countries are in a similar boat.
So where does that leave Tai-
wan? Is it, or is it not, a country?
From my perspective as a
political scientist, here’s how I
would approach this question.
Where is Taiwan?
Taiwan, formally known as
the Republic of China, is an is-
land off the southeast coast of
the People's Republic of China.
A country by declaration
According to what’s known
as the “declarative theory of
statehood,” a country – which
is often referred to as a “state”
in political science and inter-
national relations terminology
– must possess the following
qualities: “(a) a permanent pop-
ulation; (b) a defined territory;
(c) government; and (d) capac-
ity to enter into relations with
the other states.”
These four qualities were
agreed upon in the 1933 Monte-
video Convention on the Rights
and Duties of States, which is an
international treaty registered
with the League of Nations, the
precursor to the United Nations.
Article 3 of that treaty says
that the existence of a “state is
independent of recognition by
the other states.” In other words,
as long as the four qualities
above are met, an area qualifies
as a country even if other coun-
tries choose not to recognize it.
One criticism of this frame-
work is that it opens the door
for many areas to be considered
countries, even though they
may seem outlandish.
For example, in the 1960s,
Italian engineer Giorgio Rosa
built a 4,000-square-foot
(400-square-meter) platform
7 miles (11 kilometers) off the
coast of Italy. On June 24, 1968,
Rosa – whose last name means
“rose” in English – declared that
his platform was an indepen-
dent country named the Repub-
lic of Rose Island. This artificial
island had a restaurant, bar, sou-
venir shop and post office. Its
official language was Esperanto.
It could be argued that Rose
Island met the criteria outlined
in the Montevideo Convention,
as there was a permanent popu-
lation because Rosa lived there;
his humanmade platform had
a defined territory; there was a
government because Rosa de-
clared himself president; and
Rose Island’s post office gave it
the capacity to communicate
with, and thus enter into rela-
tions with, other countries.
Although several countries,
including the U.S., have ratified
the Montevideo Convention,
Italy has not. So, 55 days after
Rose Island declared indepen-
dence, the Italian military de-
stroyed the platform.
A country by recognition
In contrast to the declara-
tive theory of statehood, what’s
called the “constitutive the-
ory of statehood” considers a
country to be a country only if
it is recognized by other already
recognized countries.
There is no magic number for
how many countries one must
be recognized by. Rather, those
that aspire to be regarded by
the world as an independent
country must join the United
Nations as a full member.
In order to join the United
Nations, applicants must be
recommended by the Security
Council, which comprises 15
members. Five of those mem-
bers are permanent and have a
veto. Applicants must have the
support of nine of the 15 mem-
bers, including each of the per-
manent members.
If the Security Council rec-
ommends admission, the appli-
cation is presented to the Gen-
eral Assembly, where each full
member of the United Nations
has a single vote. A two-thirds
World News 15
majority is necessary before a
country can join.
One China or two?
Today, most of the world’s
countries officially adhere to
some variation of the idea that
there is only one China, whose
capital is Beijing, and which en-
compasses both the mainland
territory and the island of Taiwan.
There is a government there,
but there is also a government
on Taiwan, based in its capital,
Taipei. That government calls
itself the Republic of China and
traces its history to the early 20th
century, when a revolution over-
threw the emperor of China.
Notably, at that time, no-
body’s definition of China in-
cluded the island of Taiwan,
which was then commonly
called Formosa. Japan had
seized the island in a war in the
late 19th century.
In 1927, an uprising by the Chi-
nese Communist Party attacked
the Republic of China govern-
ment. That kicked off a bloody
civil war that lasted until 1949.
In that year, the government
of the Republic of China retreat-
ed to the island of Taiwan. That ernment has described as being China was actually a founding
same year, Mao Zedong, leader under a “Period of Communist member of the United Nations.
of the Chinese Communist Par- Rebellion.” However, in 1971, the United
ty, proclaimed the founding of Other countries are similarly Nations voted “to expel” the
the People’s Republic of China, delicate. For example, in 1972, Republic of China, and instead
with its capital in Beijing. the U.S. “acknowledge(d) that recognized the Communist
But Mao still sought control all Chinese on either side of the government “as the only legit-
over his enemy’s territory, de- Taiwan Strait maintain there is imate representative of China
claring, “Taiwan is ours, and we but one China and that Taiwan to the United Nations.” Subse-
will never compromise on this is a part of China.” In 1979, the quent attempts by Taiwan to
issue, which is an issue of inter- U.S. again “acknowledge(d) the join the United Nations have
nal affairs.” Chinese position that there is been unsuccessful.
To this day, the government of but one China and Taiwan is Today, only a dozen or so
the People’s Republic of China, part of China.” countries continue to maintain
whose capital is Beijing, consid- Taiwan’s place in the world formal diplomatic ties with Tai-
ers Taiwan part of its “sacred Taiwan argues that it meets wan, most of which are small
territory.” The constitution of the Montevideo Convention’s island developing states such as
the People’s Republic of China criteria for being considered a Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu.
states that “(i)t is the lofty duty country under the declarative Each of these countries rec-
of the entire Chinese people, theory of statehood. However, ognizes Taiwan as “the Repub-
including our compatriots in Taiwan has not yet formally lic of China,” and none of them
Taiwan, to accomplish the great declared itself to be a new, in- simultaneously maintains of-
task of reunifying the mother- dependent country. According fical ties with the People’s Re-
land.” Its foreign affairs minis- to President Tsai Ing-wen, “(w) public of China.
try says, “Taiwan is a sacred and e don’t have a need to,” because Until Taiwan formally de-
inseparable part of China’s ter- “(w)e are an independent coun- clares itself independent of the
ritory.” On Oct. 2, 2023, the Bei- try already and we call our- rest of China – or until Taiwan
jing government celebrated its selves the Republic of China.” is recognized by the interna-
national day by releasing a video But recall that, according to tional community as being in-
signifying its focus on unity with the constitutive theory of state- dependent of the rest of China –
the people of Taiwan. hood, a country is only a coun- Taiwan’s status as a country will
In contrast, the Republic of try if it’s recognized by other continue to be questioned. ■
China refers to the area under already recognized countries,
its control as “the Taiwan area,” and the ultimate manifestation This article is republished
or “the free area.” It refers to the of such recognition is full mem- from The Conversation under a
rest of China as “the mainland bership in the United Nations. Creative Commons license.
area,” which the Taiwanese gov- Interestingly, the Republic of
www.canadianinquirer.net
 16
Children in Palestine and Israel continue to
suffer as international law is routinely ignored
BY JASON HART, University
of Bath
The Conversation
Among the hundreds already
dead in the latest hostilities be-
tween Israel and Hamas, very
many are children. And despite
the killing of children being in-
voked by both sides as evidence of
their enemy’s brutality, the death
toll will no doubt continue to rise.
Because for decades now, nei-
ther Israel nor Hamas has shown
any willingness to abide by a basic
principle of international human-
itarian law – that in the context
of warfare, every effort should be
made to spare the young.
This aspect of the conflict
rarely receives the attention it
deserves from politicians or the
media. But it is a subject that
has been central to my research
for many years.
A 1977 addition to the Ge-
neva conventions (article 77)
states that: “Children shall be
the object of special respect and
shall be protected against any
form of indecent assault.”
It goes on to say that the op-
posing sides should provide chil-
dren with “the care and aid they
require”. But there is scant ev-
idence of this care being shown
by either Hamas or Israel.
The indiscriminate launch of
rockets into Israel has exposed
Peace in Sudan..
❰❰ 14 Given the weakened
positions of both the
RSF and SAF, a me-
diation window may
open soon.
Challenges ahead
Any effort, however, is not
without challenges.
A sufficient supply of well-re-
sourced peacekeeping person-
nel is not guaranteed in this age
of retrenchment. UNAMID was
a US$1 billion endeavor, while
UNITAMS’ current budget is
$34 million a year.
Forging a united internation-
al front is another challenge, giv-
en the various foreign alliances
both warring parties have.
Other tools are limited, how-
ever. For example, sanctions
World News
children there to trauma, inju-
ry and death. In the recent at-
tack, Hamas militants killed the
young alongside their parents.
Meanwhile, countless Pales-
tinian children die in bombard-
ments of the Gaza Strip. In the
West Bank and East Jerusalem,
the killing of Palestinian chil-
dren is a frequent occurrence
that goes unpunished.
We also see a complete disre-
gard for international law in the
abduction of children by ene-
my forces. Following the recent
Hamas attack on Israel, shocking
reports have emerged of Israeli
children taken hostage by Hamas
and transported into the Gaza
Strip alone or with their parents.
Also shocking is the long-
standing and routine abduction
of Palestinian children, some
as young as 12. Arrest by Israe-
li forces typically takes place in
the middle of the night. Chil-
dren are transferred to prisons,
often within Israel where are
they are commonly assaulted
by guards, and denied access to
legal representation and family.
Administrative detention
often lasts for months, with re-
lease offered only after signing a
confession, typically for throw-
ing stones. But those confes-
sions are obtained under threat
of continued imprisonment.
Such violations continue
with impunity. The mainstream
will not affect Burhan that
much, as the SAF still has air
power and will be able to sus-
tain its airstrikes.
Despite the challenges ahead,
Sudan cannot be ignored. How-
ever, a lasting resolution re-
quires multiple measures that
can augment each other. The
lack of external interference,
plus an impartial mediator and
U.S. leverage, will be essential
ingredients for mediation to
move forward. And the mix of
measures must be applied with
the right timing and with the
right actors involved. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
Children in Palestine (RAIN RANNU/FLICKR, CC BY 2.0)
media rarely report on viola-
tions of Palestinian children’s
basic rights, while political
leaders look the other way.
Humanitarian workers on the
ground, many of whom I have
interviewed in the occupied ter-
ritories, generally feel unable
to speak out. Although keenly
aware of the violence visited
upon Palestinian children, they
are constrained by governmen-
tal donors eager not to alienate
Israel’s political and business
elites. Even when there is a ma-
jor outbreak of violence, hu-
manitarian organisations have
little power to demand adher-
ence to international law.
That said, Save the Children
has condemned the current vio-
The Gaza Strip..
❰❰ 13 tacked Israel in this
way in the years since.
Israel has launched
four major military
assaults on Gaza – in 2008-09,
2012, 2014 and 2021 – in efforts
to destroy Hamas’ military ca-
pabilities. Those wars killed
4,000 Palestinians, more than
half of whom were civilians,
along with 106 people in Israel.
During that time, the U.N.
estimates that there has been
more than $5 billion worth of
damage to Gaza’s homes, ag-
riculture, industry, electricity
and water infrastructure.
Each of those wars ended in
a fragile cease-fire but no real
resolution to the conflict. Isra-
el seeks to deter Hamas from
www.canadianinquirer.net
lence, saying the scale of the at-
tacks in Israel and Gaza is caus-
ing damage that will endure
long after the immediate crisis.
The sort of damage they are
referring to was the subject
of a recent study in which my
colleagues and I explored the
protection of refugee children
in the Gaza Strip and Jordan.
We looked at the threats they
were exposed to, and how those
threats could be reduced.
Constant fear
We found the situation in the
two places to be markedly dif-
ferent. In Jordan, daily life was
tough, but somehow families
managed to maintain a bare ex-
istence. In the Gaza Strip, chil-
dren were routinely exposed
launching rockets. Hamas and
other militant groups say that
even when they have upheld
previous cease-fires, Israel has
continued to attack Palestin-
ians and has refused to lift the
blockade.
Hamas has offered a long-
term truce in exchange for Isra-
el ending the blockade on Gaza.
Israel has refused to accept the
offer, sticking to its position
that Hamas must first end vio-
lence and recognize Israel.
In the months leading up to
the latest escalation, conditions
in Gaza have deteriorated even
further. The International Mon-
etary Fund reported in Septem-
ber that Gaza’s economic out-
look “remains dire.” Conditions
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
to mortal danger which rained
down from the skies at any time.
The helplessness of Palestinian
parents was regularly laid bare.
As one mother in Gaza told
us: “Honestly, […] I never feel
safe, and I am always terrified
that something bad might hap-
pen and hurt my children. They
never feel safe or comfortable.
They are not mentally or phys-
ically healthy.”
That interview was conducted
a few months after a major out-
break of military violence in 2021
in which 66 Palestinian children
were killed. Two years later even
greater hostilities are occurring.
Compounding the threat
to children’s existence, Israel
has announced that the 16 year
blockade of Gaza will become
even more punitive with the
withholding of food, water, elec-
tricity and fuel. Meanwhile, ma-
jor donors to the Palestinians,
including the European Com-
mission and the governments of
Germany and Austria, are con-
sidering the suspension of aid.
The ability of Palestinian
parents to protect their chil-
dren is being comprehensively
undermined as never before.
And international law seems to
count for nothing. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
became more dire when Israel
announced on Sept. 5, 2023, that
it was halting all exports from a
key Gaza border crossing.
Without an end in sight to the
suffering caused by the block-
ade, it appears that Hamas has
decided to upend the status quo
in a surprise attack on Israelis,
including civilians. Israel’s re-
prisal airstrikes and its imposi-
tion of a “complete siege” on the
strip have heaped even further
suffering on ordinary Gazans.
It is a tragic reminder that
civilians bear the brunt of this
conflict. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023 World News 17

1 in every 8 people globally UN says 9,806

suffers mental illness: report civilians killed as
Anadolu
Philippine News Agency
GENEVA – One in every eight
people worldwide has a mental
health condition, according to
the latest report of the Global
Evidence Review on Health and
Migration released on Tuesday.
The report, released on World
Mental Health Day, outlines the
latest global evidence on factors
influencing the mental health of
refugees and migrants, as well as
their access to care.
Refugees and migrants are
particularly vulnerable as they
can be exposed to various stress
factors and challenges, which
affect their mental health and
well-being both during their
perilous journeys and upon ar-
rival, says the report.
"Good mental health and
well-being is a right for all, includ-
ing for refugees and migrants,"
said Dr. Santino Severoni, who
heads the WHO's Department of
Health and Migration.
Common mental disorders
such as depression, anxiety and
post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) are more prevalent among
migrants and refugees than among
host populations, he said.
Vulnerability of women,
girls
The report notes that girls
and women on the move have
a higher risk of depression and
anxiety.
It aims to support and
strengthen health care systems'
responses to the mental health
needs of refugees and migrants,
said Severoni.
"This is so that they can re-
ceive quality mental health care
and support in ways they find
accessible, acceptable, and af-
fordable," he said.
The report examines risk fac-
tors and barriers that refugee
and migrant groups experience,
outlining ways to address them
and improve their access to
mental health care.
The report says evidence
shows that being part of a com-
munity with a shared back-
ground and attending school
are associated with a lower rate
of mental disorders.
And on basic needs and secu-
rity, it observes that an insecure
legal status can contribute to
poor mental health.
Stigma
The report highlights stigma be-
cause racism and discrimination
are consistently associated with
adverse mental health outcomes.
According to the WHO re-
port on adversity and trauma,
extended detention, for exam-
ple, is associated with higher
rates of depression and PTSD.
When it comes to access to
services, refugees and migrants
often do not prioritize their
mental health because they are
unaware of services that might
be available for free or do not
accept health care due to lan-
❱❱ PAGE 20 1 in every 8
result of Russia-
Ukraine war
BTA
Philippine News Agency
WASHINGTON – A total of
9,806 civilians, including 560
children, have been killed as a
result of the Russia-Ukraine war,
according to the UN on Monday.
The Office of the High Com-
missioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR) also verified 17,962
civilian injuries, including 1,196
children, Rosemary DiCarlo,
UN Under-Secretary-General
for Political and Peacebuilding
Affairs, told the UN Security
Council session on Ukraine.
"The actual figures are very like-
ly considerably higher and, tragi-
cally, will continue to rise if current
patterns continue," she said.
"Combined with Russia’s with-
drawal from the Black Sea Initia-
tive, such attacks not only destroy
the livelihoods of Ukrainian farm-
ers but also risk impacting the lives
of millions of food insecure people
around the world," she added.
The UN is also "concerned"
about the renewed attacks against
Ukrainian energy infrastructure in
recent weeks, according to DiCarlo.
"In recent weeks, the impact
of the war has expanded in the
Black Sea, with reports of the
widespread use of sea mines that
could threaten civilian naviga-
tion. A military incident in the
Black Sea, whether intentional
or by accident, could further de-
stabilize the region," she said.
"We, therefore, reiterate our
call for restraint in order to avoid
any action that could worsen the
already volatile situation." ■

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www.canadianinquirer.net
18 OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY

Entertainment
Bretman Rock, Manila Luzon, Fil-Am celebs
attend Kathryn and Dolly's "A Very Good
Girl" Hollywood premiere
ABS-CBN
Earns over P40M in just
four days
The Filipino-American com-
munity came out strong to show
their support for the Hollywood
premiere of Kathryn Bernardo and
Dolly de Leon’s “A Very Good Girl”
with Bretman Rock, “Rupaul’s
Drag Race” alumnus Manila Lu-
zon, “She Hulk: Attorney at Law”
actor Ginger Gonzaga, and other
Fil-Am celebrities from the film,
TV, and theater community grac-
ing the historic event.
As the first Filipino movie to
ever have a Hollywood premiere,
Kathryn and Dolly expressed their
gratitude to the Fil-Am celebrities
and Asian Americans who showed
up at the premiere night held at
The Silver Screen, Pacific Design
Theater in Los Angeles, California.
“Thank you so much for com-
ing here tonight. I am really ner-
vous and overwhelmed. We are so
proud of this film. This is our baby.
Our hearts are just overflowing
with gratitude to be able to bring a
slice of Philippine cinema here in
the U.S.,” the Outstanding Asian
Star awardee of the 2023 Seoul
Drama Awards said, highlight-
ing how the premiere celebrates
Asian representation.
“We really feel the love. I see so
many familiar faces and so many
new faces. Thank you so much for
coming and we hope you enjoy A
Very Good Girl,” Golden Globe
nominee Dolly de Leon said.
“Thank you all for coming to-
night. This is a very historic mo-
ment for ABS-CBN, not just for
our company, but for Philippine
cinema in general. I feel like we
have waited for so many years for
Filipino stories to get told in the
U.S. market and we’re finally do-
ing it,” ABS-CBN Films head Kriz
Gazmen said, saying this marks the ma, Ana Abad Santos, Nour dates, follow ABS-CBN Films
beginning of Filipino films getting Hooshmand, Donna Cariaga, on Facebook, X, TikTok, Insta-
the recognition it deserves abroad. Althea Ruedas, Nathania Guer- gram, and Threads.
Other executives present at rero, and Angel Aquino. For other news, follow @abscb-
the premiere night were ABS- Get to know Philo (Kathryn) npr on Facebook, X, TikTok, Ins-
CBN president and CEO Carlo and Mother Molly (Dolly) in a tagram, and Threads or visit www.
Katigbak, COO of Broadcast Cory “A Very Good Girl.” For film up- abs-cbn.com/newsroom. ■
Vidanes, and TV Production and
Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi.
Meanwhile in the Philippines,
“A Very Good Girl” continues to
draw more people to return to
the cinemas as it earns over P40
million as of September 30, 7 pm
with over 125,000 tickets sold.
US theatrical screenings of
“A Very Good Girl” will begin
on October 6. Besides the US,
the movie is showing in Canada,
New Zealand, Australia, Guam
and Saipan, Hong Kong, Singa-
pore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Ni- The Filipino-American community came out strong to show their support for the
geria, and in the Middle East. Hollywood premiere of Kathryn Bernardo and Dolly de Leon’s “A Very Good
“A Very Good Girl” also stars Girl” with Bretman Rock, “Rupaul’s Drag Race” alumnus Manila Luzon, “She
Chie Filomeno, Jake Ejercito, Hulk: Attorney at Law” actor Ginger Gonzaga, and other Fil-Am celebrities from
Gillian Vicencio, Kaori Oinu- the film, TV, and theater community gracing the historic event. (ABS-CBN)

The power of pink: how Barbie’s

popularity is pushing back against
Kremlin control of information
BY MARINA MIRON, King's
College London
The Conversation
Underground screenings of
the summer’s Hollywood block-
buster Barbie are now being
shown around Russia, despite
the film being frowned on by
government officials.
The fantasy comedy film, star-
ring Ryan Gosling and Margot
Robbie, is being shown at some
Russian cinemas as well as oth-
er venues. Some places are using
pirated copies with bad voice-
overs. However, the film has been
criticised by officials and other
pro-government voices as not con-
forming with “Russian values”.
The movie is based on the
American doll produced by Mat-
tel since the late 1950s. Some
reviewers argue that the film
promotes self-acceptance, inclu-
sivity and female empowerment.
Perhaps not surprisingly, these
values stand in stark contrast
to the Russian government’s
current world view and beliefs,
which seeks to promote confor-
mity and collective, patriotic ide-
als. In 2022, the Russian ministry
of culture proposed a list of tradi-
tional spiritual and moral values
for the Russian people, which in-
cluded “patriotism” and “service
to the Fatherland”.
Given this position, it is not
surprising that one St Peters-
burg newspaper article argued
that the film should be banned
because it promotes an aggres-
sive denial of “family values”
and discrimination against men.
From the Kremlin’s viewpoint,
the conflict between Russian and
western values is part of a “hybrid
war” the west is waging on Russia.
The claim here is that the west is
trying to penetrate Russia’s infor-
mation space in order to influence
Russian citizens and exploit the
“protest potential of the popula-
tion,” as Russian chief of general
staff Valeri Gerasimov warned.
Information from the west is
now considered a threat to Russia,
just as it once was in the Soviet era.
It is only logical, therefore, for the
government to try and prevent not
only western films from entering
Russia’s information space, but
also to censor Russian-made films
that do not echo the Russian gov-
ernment’s stated ideals and values.
From the Kremlin’s perspec-
tive, it is better to prevent infor-
mation flow, rather than deal
with the consequences. The
Kremlin often refers to the Arab
Spring, the Orange Revolution
❱❱ PAGE 19 The power of

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
Donny and Belle tackle how love comes with
a price in "Can't Buy Me Love"
ABS-CBN
New Gen Phenomenal Love
Team Donny Pangilinan and
Belle Mariano are about to un-
ravel Gen Z's concept of love
in "Can't Buy Me Love," which
will premiere first on streaming
platforms Netflix Philippines
and iWantTFC before airing on
Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya
Online Live, A2Z, and TV5 be-
ginning October 16.
This marks the second te-
leserye to stream on Netflix
Philippines under the con-
tinuous partnership between
ABS-CBN and Netflix. Don-
Belle fans would not wait any
long as they can start stream-
ing this much-anticipated se-
ries starting October 13 or 72
Maricel's demise in
"Pira-Pirasong Paraiso"
shocks viewers, earns
praise for confrontation
scenes
ABS-CBN
Search for real murderer
is on!
Another shocking plot twist
caught viewers off guard in “Pi-
ra-Pirasong Paraiso” as Maricel
Soriano’s character suddenly
met her demise in a pivotal ep-
isode of ABS-CBN’s afternoon
drama series that airs on Kapam-
ilya Channel, A2Z, and TV5.
Amanda (Maricel) was found
lifeless in her room as Baby (Lo-
isa Andalio) was shocked to see
a trail of blood when she walked
in. Right before this, Amanda
might have finally uncovered
the truth about who the real
hours ahead of its TV broadcast.
Meanwhile, iWantTFC users
also get a premium as they can
also watch it 48 hours before its
TV premiere through their apps
and iwanttfc.com.
Viewers will get a free dose of
kilig in this series as Mae Cruz
Alviar, the director of the hit
series "2 Good 2 Be True," will
team up with Donny and Belle
for the first time.
The series revolves around
the distinct lives of teenagers
Bingo (Donny), a hard-working
seller who wants to save up to
P1 million after his mother left
him, and Caroline (Belle), the
black sheep of a wealthy Filipi-
no Chinese family. Their worlds
will collide after Bingo saves
Caroline from the kidnappers
who left her almost drowning.
Amy Paraiso is as she turned
emotional over the results of a
certain DNA test.
With no concrete evidence
as to who murdered the real
estate mogul and grandmother
of the Paraiso sisters, Jacin-
da (Snooky Serna) is pinning
the blame on Diana (Charlie
Dizon), who previously held a
grudge against Amanda, while
Carlota (Nikki Valdez) believes
Baby is the real culprit.
Viewers of “Pira-Pirasong
Paraiso” were all praises for
the Diamond Star’s remarkable
portrayal of Amanda where-
in she displayed her feistiness
against her enemy Jacinda,
and at the same time a loving
Joining Donny and Belle in
this Star Creatives produced
series are veteran actors Nova
Villa, Celeste Legaspi, Agot
Isidro, Rowell Santiago, and
Ruffa Gutierrez.
Also joining the cast are Maris
Racal, Albie Casiño, Kaila Es-
trada, Joao Constancia, Karina
Bautista, Vivoree, and Darren.
Catch the series' premeire
first on October 13 or 72 hours
before its TV premiere on Net-
flix and on October 14 or 48
hours before its broadcast pre-
miere on the iWantTFC app
(iOs and Android) and iwanttfc.
com. You can also mark the
date of its broadcast premiere
on May 16 on Kapamilya Chan-
nel, Kapamilya Online Live,
A2Z, Jeepney TV, Cinemo, TFC
IPTV, and TV5. ■
grandmother in heart-wrench-
ing confrontation scenes with
the characters of Charlie, Loisa,
Elisse Joson, and Alexa Ilacad.
Who killed Amanda? Are Diana
and Beth (Alexa) inching closer to
the truth about Amy or have they
been completely derailed?
Uncover the secrets in “Pi-
ra-Pirasong Paraiso,” Mon-
day through Friday at 3 PM
and on Saturdays at 2:30 PM,
on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z,
TV5, Kapamilya Online Live,
iWantTFC, and TFC.
For updates, follow @abscbn-
pr on Facebook, Twitter, Insta-
gram, and TikTok, or visit www.
abs-cbn.com/newsroom. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Entertainment
Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan (ABS-CBN)
The power of..
❰❰ 18 in Ukraine in 2004 and
the Euromaidan pro-
tests in 2014 as prod-
ucts of western influence.
To avoid these kind of upris-
ings one week after the beginning
of the war in Ukraine, Russia re-
stricted access to numerous west-
ern media, such as the BBC. The
increasingly tight controls on in-
formation have led independent
journalists to leave Russia.
Barbie breaks through
There are several possible ex-
planations that may have con-
tributed to the film’s popularity
in Russia, aside from a simple
desire to see a globally popular
piece of entertainment.
Although there is no hard ev-
idence of the movie’s influence
on Russian viewers, it is worth
noting that the Russian popu-
lation is not homogenous in its
views. This is especially true
concerning sensitive topics such
as the war in Ukraine and the in-
fluence of western culture.
The country’s sanctions and
government regulations allow
limited access to western prod-
ucts, such as Starbucks and Mc-
Donald’s. This is also the case for
western technologies, including
those that have become common-
place in other parts of the world.
19
Some segments of society may
see viewing the movie or buying
Barbie-pink items in shops as an
act of defiance, a symbol of their
refusal to conform to the gov-
ernment’s narrative and divorce
themselves from the conformist
majority, similar to acts of rebel-
lion during Soviet times.
This is after all a country where
people are not allowed to call the
“special military operation” in
Ukraine a war and journalists can
face up to 15 years in prison for
publishing “false” information.
After years of geopolitical
tensions and the ongoing war
in Ukraine, a portion of Russia’s
population may also be seeking
a respite from the grim reality of
living in a country facing digital ex-
clusion – blocking of western news
and social media websites– inter-
national sanctions, and in some
parts of the country, drone attacks.
If nothing else, the reaction
to the Barbie phenomenon ex-
poses two important facts: the
Kremlin’s sense of insecurity
towards the west and the di-
versity of opinions and desires
within Russian society. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 20
How should I add sunscreen to my
skincare routine now it’s getting hotter?
BY MONIKA JANDA, The
University of Queensland,
CAITLIN HORSHAM, The
University of Queensland,
KATIE LEE, The University of
Queensland
The Conversation
Sun exposure is the number
one cause of skin cancer – in-
cluding the most deadly form,
melanoma. High levels of sun
exposure cause an estimated
7,200 melanomas in Australia
each year.
Too much sun exposure can
also lead to premature ageing,
resulting in wrinkles, fine lines
and age spots.
Can a tweak to your skincare
routine help prevent this?
When should I start wear-
ing sunscreen?
In Australia, we are advised
to wear sunscreen on days
when the ultraviolet (UV) in-
dex reaches three or higher.
That’s year-round for much of
Australia. The weather forecast
or the Cancer Council’s free
SunSmart app are easy ways to
check the UV Index.
Besides “primary sunscreens”,
which are dedicated sun-protec-
tion products, a sun protection
factor (SPF) is also found in many
beauty products, such as founda-
tions, powders and moisturis-
ers. These are called “secondary
sunscreens” because they have a
primary purpose other than sun
protection.
Primary sunscreens are regu-
lated by the Therapeutic Goods
Administration and the SPF
must be determined by testing
on human skin. SPF measures
how quickly skin burns with
and without the sunscreen un-
der intense UV light. If the skin
1 in every 8..
guage barriers and
❰❰ 17
concerns around con-
fidentiality.
Lifestyle
takes ten seconds to burn with
no sunscreen, and 300 seconds
to burn with the sunscreen, the
SPF is 30 (300 divided by 10).
Is the SPF in makeup or
moisturisers enough to pro-
tect me the whole day?
Simple answer? No. SPF 30
mixed into foundation is not
going to be as effective as a pri-
mary SPF 30 sunscreen.
Also, when people use a mois-
turiser or makeup that includes
SPF, they generally don’t do the
three key steps that make sun-
screens effective:
1. putting a thick enough
amount on
2. covering all sun exposed
areas
3. reapplying regularly
when outdoors for a sustained
amount of time.
One study had 39 partici-
pants apply their usual SPF
makeup/moisturisers and pho-
tographed them with UV pho-
tography in the morning, then
again in the afternoon, without
reapplying during the day. The
UV photography allowed the
researchers to visualise how
much protection these prod-
ucts were still providing.
They found participants
missed some facial areas with
the initial application and the
SPF products provided less cov-
erage by the afternoon.
Another consideration is the
product type. Liquid founda-
tion may be applied more thick-
ly than powder makeup, which
is generally lightly applied.
The Therapeutic Goods Ad-
ministration tests primary
sunscreens so they’re effec-
tive when applied at 2mg per 2
square centimetres of skin.
For the face, ears and neck,
this is about one teaspoon
"Refugees and migrants face
many unique stressors and
challenges," said Devora Kes-
(5mL) – are you applying that
much powder?
It’s unlikely people will cake
on their moisturiser thickly
and reapply during the day, so
these products aren’t effective
sun protection if outdoors for a
sustained amount of time when
used alone.
If skin products with SPF
aren’t giving me better protec-
tion, should I stop using them?
These products can still serve
a protective purpose, as some
research suggests layering sun-
screen and makeup products
may help to cover areas that
were missed during a single ap-
plication.
When layering, SPF factors are
not additive. If wearing an SPF
30 sunscreen and makeup with
SPF 15, that doesn’t equal SPF 45.
You will be getting the protection
from the highest product (in this
scenario, it’s the SPF 30).
A good metaphor is SPF in
makeup is like “icing on the
cake”. Use it as an add-on and if
areas were missed with the ini-
tel, WHO's director for Mental
Health and Substance Use.
"This report sets out the ur-
www.canadianinquirer.net
tial sunscreen application, then
there is another chance to cover
all areas with the SPF makeup.
Should I apply sunscreen
before or after makeup?
It depends on whether you’re
using a chemical or physical
sunscreen. Chemical sun-
screens need to absorb into the
skin to block and absorb the
sun’s rays, whereas physical
sunscreens sit on the surface of
the skin and act as a shield.
When the main ingredient is
zinc oxide or titanium dioxide,
it’s a physical sunscreen – think
the classic zinc sticks you used
to apply to your nose and lips at
the beach. Physical sunscreens
are recommended for people
with sensitive skin and although
they used to be pretty thick and
sticky, newer versions feel more
like chemical sunscreens.
For maximum sun protec-
tion when using chemical sun-
screens, apply sunscreen first,
followed by moisturiser, then
makeup. Give the sunscreen a
few minutes to dry and sink into
gent need for robust policies
and legislation, rooted with-
in stronger health systems, to
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
the skin before starting to put
on other products. Chemical
sunscreen should be applied 20
minutes before going outdoors.
When using a physical sun-
screen, first apply moisturis-
ers, followed by sunscreen, and
then makeup.
When reapplying sunscreen,
it’s recommended to wash off
makeup and start fresh, but
this isn’t going to be practical
for many people, so gently pat-
ting sunscreen over makeup is
another option. Physical sun-
screens will be most effective
for reapplication over makeup.
What type of sunscreen
should I use?
The best sunscreen is the one
you actually like to apply. Pro-
tecting your skin on a daily ba-
sis (and not just for trips to the
beach!) is a must in Australia’s
high UV climate, and should be
done with a primary sunscreen.
Look for sunscreens that
have the label “broad spec-
trum”, which means it covers
for UVA and UVB, and has at
least SPF30.
Then experiment with fea-
tures like matte finish, milk tex-
ture or fragrance-free to find a
sunscreen you like.
No sunscreen provides 100%
protection so you should also
use other sun protection such
as protective clothing, hats,
sunglasses, using shade and
avoiding the sun during peak
UV hours.
Skin care and makeup prod-
ucts with SPF is better than
nothing, but don’t rely solely on
your morning makeup for sun
protection the entire day. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
meet the mental health care
needs of refugees and mi-
grants." ■
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
If we protect mangroves, we protect
our fisheries, our towns and ourselves
BY ALVISE DABALÀ, The
University of Queensland,
ANTHONY RICHARDSON,
The University of Queensland,
DANIEL DUNN, The
University of Queensland,
JASON EVERETT, The
University of Queensland
The Conversation
Mangroves might not look
like much. Yes, they can have
strange aerial roots. Yes, they’re
surrounded by oozing mud.
But looks can be deceiving.
These remarkable shrubs and
trees are nurseries for many
species of fish, shellfish and
crabs. They protect our coast-
lines from erosion, storm surges,
wind and floods. And that mud?
It’s one of the best biological
ways we know of to store carbon.
These ecosystem services are
extremely valuable – but people
often don’t notice what they of-
How loneliness changes the way our brains
process the world
BY ROBIN KRAMER,
University of Lincoln
The Conversation
If there’s one thing we as hu-
mans seem to have in common,
it’s that most of us have felt
lonely at one time or another.
But is the pain that comes with
feeling socially isolated simply
a part of being human? Why
does the world seem so differ-
ent when we’re feeling lonely?
Recent research has begun
to provide some answers. And it
turns out that loneliness can affect
your perception and cognition.
Although no one enjoys the
feeling of loneliness, scientists
have argued that humans evolved
to feel this way for good reason.
Social relationships are cru-
cial, providing safety, resources,
opportunities to have children,
and so on. The fact that we find
the feeling of loneliness so un-
fer until they’re lost to aquacul-
ture, firewood or settlement.
Conserving mangroves by de-
claring parks and other protect-
ed areas seems like a logical solu-
tion. But often, nations can see
protected areas as a cost, walling
them off from human use, and
ignoring their benefits to people.
What our new research
shows is that you don’t have
to choose between nature and
humans. Protecting mangroves
offers a win-win, given how
valuable they are to coastal
communities, fishers and the
fight against climate change.
As nations aim to conserve
30% of their lands and waters
by decade’s end, those lucky
enough to have mangroves
should look to their coasts.
Why are mangroves so im-
portant?
Mangroves thrive on the
coast, poised between land and
sea. They first evolved between
pleasant often motivates us to
reconnect with others, bringing
with it all of these benefits.
But it’s not as simple as that.
Feeling lonely can also induce so-
cial withdrawal and types of neg-
ative thinking, which can make it
harder to connect with people.
The lonely brain
Studies have identified differ-
ences in brain areas associated
with loneliness. In lonely young
adults, areas of the brain related
to social cognition and empathy
have less dense white matter (a
large network of nerve fibres
that allows the exchange of in-
formation and communication
between different areas of your
brain). But in lonely older adults,
brain regions important for cog-
nitive processing and emotional
regulation are actually smaller
in volume.
A recent study found that the
brains of lonely people process
the world idiosyncratically. The
100 million and 65 million
years ago. Each of the 65 species
of mangrove is a shrub or tree
which has, over time, evolved to
live in salt or brackish water.
These trees are extremely
resilient, surviving in brackish
water and low-oxygen condi-
tions, which would kill other
researchers asked participants
to watch a series of video clips
while inside an fMRI scanner
and found that non-lonely peo-
ple showed very similar neural
activity to each other, where-
as lonely people showed brain
activity that was dissimilar to
each other and to the non-lone-
ly participants. So lonely people
appear to view the world differ-
ently to others.
Finding friends in fiction
This is also evident in how
lonely people view fictional
characters. Researchers in the
US carried out brain scans on
fans of the television series
Game of Thrones while these
fans decided whether various
adjectives accurately described
characters from the show. The
authors of the study were able
to identify activity in the brain
that distinguished between real
and fictional people.
While the difference be-
www.canadianinquirer.net
Lifestyle
trees. To survive, they’ve ac-
quired adaptations such as ae-
rial roots that can take in oxy-
gen. These tangled roots make
excellent hiding places for the
creatures of land and sea, in-
cluding mudskipper fish able to
survive out of water.
Their complex roots are ide-
tween these two categories was
clear in non-lonely people, the
boundary was blurred for lone-
lier people. These results sug-
gest that feeling lonely may be
associated with thinking of fic-
tional characters in a way simi-
lar to real-world friends.
However, given the design of
the study, it’s unclear whether
the findings suggest loneliness
causes this way of thinking or if
considering fictional characters
in this way causes people to feel
lonely. And there’s always the
possibility that a third factor
causes both outcomes.
Another recent study, this
time by researchers in Scotland,
provided more evidence of how
loneliness can affect your cog-
nition. This study focused on
inanimate objects. Participants
were shown images of prod-
ucts containing pareidolic faces
(face-like patterns) and were
asked to give several ratings like
21
al nurseries for juvenile fish,
crabs and prawns by provid-
ing shelter and places to feed.
In turn, these nurseries keep
populations healthy, sustain-
ing commercial fisheries as well
as direct sources of protein for
coastal people.
Their robust tangles of roots
protect them from the force of
waves, storm surges and wind.
In turn, this helps people, who
can shelter behind this green
wall, protecting our homes.
Mangroves also act as a natu-
ral way to tackle climate change.
Their roots trap sediment, bury-
ing inorganic and organic carbon
in the process. They also store
carbon in their biomass. Overall,
these sea forests store carbon
at almost three times the rate of
tropical rainforests, twice that of
peat swamps, and almost seven
times the rate of seagrasses.
❱❱ PAGE 23 If we protect
how eager they were to explore
the product and how likely they
were to buy it.
The results showed that lone-
lier participants (compared
with those lower in self-report-
ed loneliness) were more likely
to attend to, engage with, and
purchase products that showed
“happy” configurations. These
findings may again provide evi-
dence that loneliness is associ-
ated with the drive to find con-
nection, even if it’s with objects.
Indeed, this makes sense in
the light of previous work show-
ing that lonelier people are more
likely to anthropomorphise gad-
gets or their own pets.
If we look at these studies
and what they seem to be tell-
ing us, loneliness is not only the
perceived absence of others,
but also a desire for connection.
Whether that’s thinking of fic-
❱❱ PAGE 23 How loneliness changes
22
The Benefits of Finding
Your Sisterhood Tribe
BY MATTE LAUREL-ZALKO
This is actually a two-part arti-
cle about girlfriends and finding
your tribe. This first part tackles
friendships between women and
the benefits that come with it. As
any woman would let you know,
friendships are built of a million
small, genuine acts of kindness.
These acts of kindness are ex-
changed and swapped back and
forth repeatedly — over and over
again. The best kind of friend-
ships are between fierce women
where you staunchly believe in
each other, and support each oth-
er like the good old tribal folks
did in the olden days.
Personally, my kind of friend-
ship is somewhat low mainte-
nance. Friendship is not supposed
to be hard work. On the contrary,
it’s supposed to be easy like Sun-
day morning. You don’t have to
see each other everyday; you see
each other when your schedules
permit. Remember, you and your
girlfriends live a full life to begin
with. In order to be in a positive
and healthy relationship (any
kind of relationship for that mat-
ter), you have to already be a ful-
filled human being — it’s really the
only way you can give to others —
by being fulfilled yourself and not
needing and wanting.
With your chosen tribe, you
wish each other well at all times;
we’re always available for each
other when our ears are need-
ed for listening without judge-
ment; we show up for each oth-
er during tough times; and no
one is called or judged horrible
for having a great life. I think of
friendship with other women
in this frame of mind: the light
in me honours, respects, and
values the light in you. And
with my carefully chosen
tribe, I know and trust that
the feeling is mutual.
For me, my Sisterhood Tribe
are my chosen sisters. That’s
the beauty of having your cho-
sen tribe of girlfriends — you
get to personally choose and
pick them. They are the people
you choose to have in your lives.
You get to have a say on who
can be in your life. You get to
personally choose the ones you
connect with and gel with with-
out stress and difficulty. Rela-
tionships of any kind aren’t
supposed to be difficult and
stressful. This is why it’s im-
portant to find your tribe out-
side the family you’re born into.
You know how the old say-
ing goes: “You can’t choose your
family, but you can choose your
friends.” That’s absolutely true!
We can always choose the ones
who we get to spend our time
with. We can always choose who
we let into our lives and above
all, we can choose to walk away
from those that harm our mental
health and wellness. At the end
of the day, it is not about who is
right or wrong in a relationship,
it’s more about choosing the right
people in our lives. The right
people are the ones who don’t
trigger us to behave in our
worst behaviour. Enough said.
There’s a certain power in
finding your own tribe. There
really is. I’ve always looked at
our chosen tribe as the special
ones we choose to have in our
journey. You choose the ones
who will accept you for who you
truly are without judgement.
You choose the ones who are in
the same mindset as you are. You
choose the ones who may not be
of similar background as you
have, but you choose the ones
you feel you’re most at home
with; the ones you feel a strong
connection with; and the ones
who may have gone through
similar experiences as you have.
You choose the ones who will
not bring out the worst in
you. You choose the ones who
will bring out the best in you.
Again, enough said.
You choose your tribe because
they uplift you and inspire you.
You choose your tribe because
you want to thrive in life. At the
end of the day, it’s all about deep-
er and more meaningful con-
nections. It’s all about being the
right fit for each other. It is all
about hand selecting the people
you believe deserve to be a part
of your inner circle, your jour-
ney, and your support system.
Why do we think it’s import-
ant to have our chosen tribe?
Apart from having a deeper and
more meaningful connection,
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
having your chosen tribe means
having a sense of belonging. It’s
vital to feel that you belong to
someone or something. When
you feel a sense of belonging, you
feel a deep sense of self-accep-
tance. When you have developed
a deep sense of self-acceptance,
you start to believe in yourself
and in others. You develop trust
and confidence. When you start
believing in yourself and in oth-
ers, you start to exist and thrive
in an environment that pro-
motes positivity, trust, respect,
acceptance, a no-judgement en-
vironment, loyalty and above all,
authenticity. With the right tribe,
your real and most authentic
self shines through. With your
chosen tribe, there’s no room
for negativity, drama, bullying,
insecurity, intimidation, and ex-
ploitation.
Now that we’ve established
the importance of finding your
tribe, let’s find out the benefits
of having a strong and solid sis-
terhood tribe: Our Sisterhood Tribe (PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR)
BELONGING TO A TRIBE
PROMOTES LONG-TERM longer and healthier lifestyle. proach in life. Because you’re
WELLBEING AND PRO- How? By belonging to your cho- spending time with your cho-
TECTION AGAINST DE- sen tribe, you cultivate a strong sen tribe who inspire you, you
PRESSION AND LONELI- emotional security which allows tend to give back more to your
NESS. When you find your you to live a more contented community and allows you to
chosen tribe, you end up living a life. When you’re living a more explore your passions and be
life of long-term wellbeing and connected and contented life, part of a greater community.
happiness. With your chosen you end up living your life that’s HAVING A STRONG SUP-
tribe, you’ll never feel alone and more peaceful and positive and PORT SYSTEM. I can’t stress
they will act as your compan- thus allowing you to live a much enough the importance of be-
ions who will be there for you in healthier lifestyle — emotional- longing to a strong support
your lowest points in life. Your ly and physically. Your chosen group or system who is gen-
sisterhood tribe will be there tribe becomes a positive mo- uinely there for you without
to give you laughter and happi- tivating influence in your life. benefits. When you’re suffering
ness because your relationship Per research by UCLA, “women from mental illnesses, you need
with them is light and not bur- more reliably turn to their so- to choose a tribe who will un-
densome. And this is vice ver- cial contacts in times of stress, derstand you and be there for
sa — real friendship is always a responses that are . . . protective you with compassion no mat-
two-way street relationship. of health and longevity.” Having ter what. Having the right tribe
Finding your chosen tribe a sisterhood tribe and spending around you to provide emo-
will help you battle with loneli- time with them have been prov- tional support to each other and
ness and depression. They will en to have health benefits that standing united in the face of ad-
be there to cheer you up with- help extend our life expectancy versity will contribute strongly
out any agenda or conditions per scientific research. towards your emotional stability
and you will have no difficulty HAVING A PURPOSEFUL and help you develop resilience.
running towards them because LIFE. Together with your cho- MAKING A DIFFERENCE
their sincerity will always show sen tribe, you end up living a IN YOUR LIFE. There is defi-
through. They will help you more purposeful life. With your nitely strength in numbers.
snap out of your misery and chosen tribe, you develop a Your chosen tribe will surely
guide you during tough times. growth mindset. You are more make a huge difference in your
LIVING LONGER AND inspired to create a personal vi- life. Together with your chosen
HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. sion statement because you are tribe, you’ll end up being more
When you’ve found your cho- supported by like minded peers.
sen tribe, it could lead you to a You practise a more grateful ap- ❱❱ PAGE 23 The Benefits of Finding
www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
The Benefits of Finding..
❰❰ 22 robust, more resilient,
and more capable
than as an individual.
With your chosen tribe, there’s
always collective wisdom. Your
chosen tribe will bring each
other’s strengths, skills, expe-
riences, and different perspec-
tives to your lives.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR
TRIBE.
Do some self reflection.
It’s important to know who you
truly are. You must know your-
self. You must know your likes
and dislikes. You need to know
your values in life. You need to
be comfortable with yourself.
Above all, you need to live a ful-
filling life before you can choose
the people you want to have in
your life and in your journey.
Know who you want in
your circle. Not everyone you
meet in life is going to be a great
fit in your life. You have to be
selective. You mustn’t settle for
less. You can’t just have some-
one in your life because they’re
your family. No. You only have
one life — make it a peaceful
one. Choose those who will not
exploit you according to their
own hidden agendas.
In order to know who to
choose, set your standards.
Choose friends who exhibit ex-
ceptional character. Don’t choose
your friends based on their status
in society, but rather based on
their moral values. Choose those
who are dependable and those
who will give you wise counsel.
Choose a tribe that’s dra-
ma-free and avoid manipula-
tors and gaslighters. Be wary of
people who constantly badmouth
you to others; do not associate
with people who will constantly
show others texts or emails you
wrote to them to prove to others
how bad you are. When the truth
is this: they are seasoned manip-
ulators who constantly blame you
for your reaction to their hidden
toxic behaviours, and yet they
never discuss their disrespectful
behaviour that triggered you to
behave negatively towards them
in the first place. Especially if you
are suffering from mental illness
to begin with — the last thing you
need in life is to be surrounded by
toxic manipulators who disguise
themselves as victims or innocents.
These pullers of strings will always
portray you as the villain by spin-
ning the narrative around so that
their version of the story will por-
tray them as the wronged ones.
These seasoned manipulators
will always find something to
show you in a bad light to others
and try to turn others against
you — it’s called gaslighting, per
psychologists I’ve personally spo-
ken to. Also, beware of those who
will constantly need to exert
their power over you and they’re
constantly trying to prove that
they are more intelligent than
you or better than you — again,
this type of person is a certified
gaslighter. Run away from these
people and live your life in peace.
Also, people will know and re-
spect you even more if you don’t
stoop down to these exploiters
and intriguers’ levels (steer clear
from back fighting them; they’re
not worth your precious ener-
gy). Stay away from bullies and
manipulators regardless if they
are friends or family. Life is short
and you don’t want to live it with
stressful and controlling people.
You deserve to be with people
who truly matter and who will be
your stress buffers instead.
Be with those you can gen-
uinely connect with. Person-
ally, I chose my sisterhood tribe
because we all have one thing
in common: we’re all moth-
ers. We know what it’s like to
be mothers. We know what it’s
like to raise children. At some
point in their lives, most of my
sisterhood tribe have also expe-
rienced what it’s like to be a sin-
gle mom so my sisterhood tribe
and I can understand and relate
to each other because we know
what it’s like to raise a child on
our own and how this particular
life experience has shaped us
as women. Hey, single mother-
hood is not for the weak; single
moms are the real-life Wonder
Women in this world! But on
the other hand, please don’t get
me wrong, I totally support oth-
er women who chose not to have
kids because that’s their prerog-
ative in life and I respect the fact
that it is to each her own and be-
ing without a child doesn’t make
them any less of a woman.
I chose my sisterhood tribe
because they have neither hang
ups nor insecurities. I chose my
sisterhood tribe because they
are strong and confident women.
I chose my sisterhood tribe be-
cause of their genuine kindness,
their huge capacity to accept and
love me for who I am; I chose my
sisterhood tribe for their easy
going lifestyles that are devoid of
drama, bullying and insecurities.
My Sisterhood Tribe and I are
also bonded by our passion and
love for food, fashion, travel, and
entertainment.
Choose a tribe you can
grow with. Your chosen tribe
will always be different from
you. They have their own
unique traits and characteris-
tics. That is perfectly fine! Their
differences and unique person-
alities should encourage you to
accept them just as they have
accepted you. Their uniqueness
should encourage you to grow
with them by being more open
to different cultures and possi-
bilities in life.
Here’s the thing about find-
ing your sisterhood tribe: you
should never find the need to
change yourself in order to fit
in. Personally, I’m the first to ad-
mit that I’m not an angel; I’m so
flawed and I have my bad traits
and weaknesses so I’m also open
and accepting to others who are
the same as me — perfectly ok
with being imperfect! Your sis-
terhood tribe with their innate
friendship chemistry will align
with your own energy natural-
ly. Their friendship and your
relationship with them will
be organically compatible and
comfortable because you are all
instinctively aligned and meant
to be as a sisterhood tribe.
I’m so blessed and grateful to
find my own Sisterhood Tribe.
We are not sisters by blood but
by heart. We met by chance and
instantly by choice, we became
our Sisterhood Tribe. My Sis-
terhood Tribe are the ones I can
count on no matter what. Simply
put: my Sisterhood Tribe’s posi-
tive vibe attracts us to each oth-
er! My goodness, there have
even been a few jealous wom-
en who tried to break us apart
but they all failed because
our strong bond can’t be bro-
ken. My Sisterhood Tribe and
I simply tell them: “I don’t
really want to hear anything
bad about my friend because
she and I have a solid and dif-
ferent relationship compared
to what you have with her so
please stop with your stories.
Let’s not talk about other peo-
ple behind their backs, let’s
talk about you, me, and life in
general.” ■
Matte Laurel-Zalko is a former
restaurateur and hotelier, a moth-
er, a wife, a health and wellness
aficionado, food and wine enthu-
siast, a dog-lover, and lifestyle col-
umnist exclusively for Philippine
Canadian Inquirer (PCI).
www.canadianinquirer.net
If we protect..
❰❰ 21 Protecting man-
groves needs a dif-
ferent approach
While mangroves give us a
host of benefits, many of these
only become apparent when
these ecosystems are gone.
Unfortunately, mangroves
are often cleared to make way
for aquaculture, farming and
human settlements, or for fire-
wood. An estimated 20–35%
of the world’s mangroves have
been lost since 1980. In better
news, losses have declined sig-
nificantly. We now lose around
0.13% per year.
Protected areas work well as
a way to cut mangrove losses.
When a government sets out
to create these areas, the aim is
usually to protect biodiversity
while minimising conflict with
human use.
In our research, we found
the world’s network of protect-
ed areas isn’t doing a great job
in protecting either mangrove
biodiversity or the ecosystem
benefits mangroves give us.
In fact, it’s no better than just
picking areas at random.
That means high-priority
mangrove forests important for
both biodiversity and ecosystem
services are not being properly
conserved. Clever expansion of
the current network could solve
the problem. At present, parks
and other protected areas cover
about 13% of the world’s man-
grove forests, which are clus-
tered around the tropics.
Boosting this to 30% – in line
with the biodiversity conser-
vation target agreed to by 196
nations last year – would reap
benefits. Our research suggests
it would safeguard houses and
infrastructure worth A$25.6
billion, protect six million peo-
ple against coastal flooding,
and store over one billion extra
tonnes of carbon. Also, fishers
would gain an extra 50 million
days of successful fishing a year.
Even better – we found op-
timising conservation of both
biodiversity and ecosystem
How loneliness changes..
❰❰ 21 tional characters like
real friends or being
drawn to happy ob-
jects, our brains seem to search
for social connections wherever
they might find them, especial-
ly when we don’t feel like other
23
services needed only 3–9%
more area protected compared
to mangrove protection areas
based on saving species alone.
Protect mangroves in Asia
and Oceania
Mangrove forests urgently
needing protection are almost
all in Asia (63% of the total)
and Oceania (17%), where we
find large biodiverse mangrove
forests which support fishing
industries and many coastal
communities.
Indonesia is a particular
hotspot, given its 17,000-odd is-
lands are often ringed by man-
groves. Mangroves in India,
Vietnam and Papua New Guin-
ea also need better protection.
Australia does reasonably
well. Around 18% of our man-
groves are protected, above
the global average of 13.5%.
Over 20% of the areas we have
flagged are high-priority for
mangrove conservation are al-
ready protected. Even so, ex-
panding the protected area net-
work would be a good move, as
Australian mangroves are some
of the world’s most biodiverse
and carbon-rich.
Mangroves in parts of north-
ern Queensland need better
protection. Some mangroves
are already protected by the
Great Barrier Reef Marine Re-
serve, but there are still large
unprotected tracts.
Mangroves around Darwin and
Arnhem Land in the Northern
Territory need expanded protect-
ed areas, as do those on the coast
between the Pilbara and the Kim-
berley in Western Australia.
Too often, protecting nature
is seen as a cost to society. What
our modelling shows is that we
can have a win-win. By protect-
ing the most precious areas of
mangrove, we can protect hu-
man communities and wider
biodiversity at a stroke. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
humans are providing enough
of these for us. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
24
Philippines on top of Asiad
basketball after 6 decades
Philippine News Agency
HANGZHOU, China – The
Philippines is men's basketball
gold medalist in the 19th Asian
Games here, beating Jordan,
70-60, at Hangzhou Olympic
Sports Centre Gymnasium here
on Friday.
Justin Brownlee paced the
Tim Cone-mentored Filipinos
with 20 points, Ange Kouame
added 14, Chris Newsome 13
and Scottie Thompson 11.
It was the country's first bas-
ketball gold since winning the
first four editions (1951, 1954,
1958, 1962) and first finals ap-
pearance since losing to China
in 1990 Beijing.
The cagers' last medal was
a bronze in the 1998 Games in
Bangkok, Thailand, where Chi-
na and South Korea finished 1-2.
The 1962 squad swept its
Palace taps PSC to lead Obiena launches
grand heroes’ welcome for fundraising to
Asiad medalists build pole vault
Philippine News Agency
training pits
MANILA – Triumphant Fil-
ipino athletes in the recently
concluded 19th Asian Games
in Hangzhou, China will be
honored in an upcoming grand
heroes’ welcome at the Rizal
Memorial Sports Complex
(RMSC) in Manila.
According to the information
relayed by the Office of the Pres-
ident (OP) to Philippine Sports
Commission (PSC) Chairman
Richard Bachmann, President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will
attend the ceremony for med-
Sports
seven matches during the 1962
Jakarta Games, capped by a 101-
67 win over Japan. It starred
Olympian Kurt Bachmann,
Alberto Reynoso, Narciso Ber-
nardo, Engracio Arazas, Manny
Jocson and Roehl Nadurata.
Bachmann's son, Philip-
pine Sports Commission chair
Richard, watched the game. He
spent all his seven seasons in
the Philippine Basketball As-
sociation with the Alaska team
and won eight championships,
all under Cone,
"We knew that we would have
a hard chance of playing in the
game, especially when we lost
to them earlier in the tourna-
ment," the naturalized Brown-
lee said during the post-match
interview.
"The Filipino heart, the Fil-
ipino pride…there is nothing
like it. We displayed it in this
tournament. We were down in
alists, including gold winners
EJ Obiena of athletics, Meggie
Ochoa and Annie Ramirez of
jiu-jitsu, and the Gilas Pilipinas
men’s basketball team.
“We, at the PSC, express our
sincerest gratitude to the Pres-
ident in recognizing the victori-
ous stint of our athletes in this
year’s Asian Games,” said Bach-
mann, who received the news in
Hangzhou on Sunday.
“His Excellency’s gesture, to-
gether with the proactive sup-
port of the national government,
will go a long way in the contin-
ued success of Team Philippines
in international competitions to
some games, and we were up,
and then we came back. The
Filipino heart toughened us
up a lot, especially in this gold
medal game."
Brownlee officially became a
Filipino by virtue of Republic Act
11937, signed by President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. on Jan. 12.
“As a citizen, I will try my best
to make the Filipino people
proud. I want to keep making
you guys proud and to do what-
ever I can to help the national
team,” the six-foot-five Brown-
lee said in an interview then.
Finishing 24th out of 32 in
the FIBA World Cup which the
Philippines co-hosted in Au-
gust, the team called Gilas Pili-
pinas needed to rebound.
"A month after the World
Cup, we knew that our national
team really needed that win,"
Kouame, naturalized in May
2021, said. "Everybody came
come,” he added.
Silver medalists Eumir Mar-
cial of boxing and Arnel Mandal
of wushu and bronze medalists
Patrick King Perez of taekwon-
do; Jones Inso, Gideon Padua
and Clemente Tabugara Jr. of
wushu; Alex Eala and Francis Al-
cantara of tennis; Patrick Coo of
cycling; Elreen Ando of weight-
lifting; Kaila Napolis of jiu-jitsu;
Sakura Alforte of karate; and the
men’s sepak takraw team.
“Our four golds, two silvers,
and 12 bronzes were enough for
us to be on the 17th rank among
❱❱ PAGE 26 Palace taps PSC
www.canadianinquirer.net
Let's relive the victory of Team Philippines last night at the Hangzhou Olympic
Sports Centre Gymnasium, where our Gilas Pilipinas finally wins the elusive gold
medal in Men's Basketball against Jordan! (PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION/FACEBOOK)
together and that was a great
team effort."
Marcos congratulated the
team via an X (formerly Twit-
ter) post.
"I know every Filipino is
proud to be called one today.
Congratulations, Gilas Pili-
pinas, on this incredible feat!
Your hard work continues to
elevate Filipino athleticism and
sportsmanship to the global
arena," the President said.
BY JEAN MALANUM
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Asian Games gold
medalist Ernest John "EJ" Obi-
ena has launched a fundraising
aimed at building pole vault
training pits in different re-
gions across the country.
The world No. 2 is partner-
ing with marketing technolo-
gy agency Katapult Digital to
auction off his kits from the
2023 Asian Games and South-
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
The Philippines now has four
gold medals in the quadrenni-
al tournament, the first three
from World No. 2 pole vaulter
Ernest John Obiena and jiu-jit-
su fighters Margarita Ochoa and
Annie Ramirez, on top of two
silvers (wushu's Arnel Mandal
and boxing's Eumir Marcial)
and 12 bronze medals.
China picked up the basket-
ball bronze after stopping Chi-
nese Taipei, 101-73. ■
east Asian Games, SEA Games
custom-made Puma spikes and
World Championship Puma
suit, with the proceeds going to
the "Katapulting an Athlete's
Dream" initiative.
"I believe the Filipinos can
win at a global level but we can't
do this alone. The Philippine
pole vaulting community holds
much potential. All stakehold-
ers and supporters need to band
together to maximize the possi-
❱❱ PAGE 29 Obiena launches
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
Finance execs see
higher economic
growth by 2H 2023
BY ANNA LEAH GONZALES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Philippine
economy’s growth will be faster
in the second half of the year,
according to the projections of
Department of Finance (DOF)
Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
The Philippine economy
grew by 4.2 percent in the sec-
ond quarter of the year, bring-
ing the year-to-date growth at
5.3 percent.
For this year, the government
wants growth to settle at 6 to 7
percent.
"I think the third quarter
growth will be better. In fact,
that's also the judgment of
IMF (International Mone-
tary Fund). The second half of
growth will be faster than the
first half," Diokno said in his
weekly press chat on Friday.
"Because historically also,
the fourth quarter is where
most infrastructure projects
are done because it's dry sea-
son," he added.
To accelerate growth, the gov-
ernment is banking on the ac-
celerated execution of programs
and projects, including the de-
livery of public services, under
the 2023 national budget.
Agencies have been mandat-
ed to submit their catch-up plan
to boost government spending
which fell below target in the
first half.
"In the discussions with the
line agencies, they outlined
different issues that they have
The value of natural..
❰❰ 12 gardens, and green
corridors to provide
habitats for wildlife
while offering recreational ar-
eas for residents.
Business
Department of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno (DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE/FACEBOOK)
encountered and the catch-up
plans that they devised were
precisely to address these is-
sues. And what they are show-
ing is that with the implemen-
tation of these catch-up plans,
there will be a significant im-
provement in the disbursement
rate by the end of the year,"
Finance Undersecretary Zeno
Ronald Abenoja said.
Abenoja said that while there's
still a lot uncertainty, "the trajec-
tory is a significant improvement
from the performance as of the
middle of this year."
The national government's
cumulative budget gap for the
first half of the year amounted
to PHP551.7 billion, down by
18.17 percent from last year's
PHP674.2 billion.
The first-half budget gap is
also 28.49 percent below the
PHP771.5 billion mid-year defi-
cit program.
Spending during the period
Governments in Canada
have the opportunity and re-
sponsibility to show leadership
in how we value and interact
with our natural world. This
amounted to PHP2.4 trillion, or
6.6 percent below the PHP2.58
trillion programmed in the first
half of the year.
"One issue, for example, in-
volves procurement, the docu-
mentation requirements, how
they define the terms of the
procurement. So better design
of the terms of the procurement
will help ensure that the pro-
cess will proceed as planned,
and also engagement with the
prospective bidders. So that's
one example," said Abenoja.
Abenoja added that based on
the submitted catch-up plans,
most of the projects are sup-
posed to be in the schedule wthin
the remaining months of 2023.
"So they accelerated the
preparations of these projects
or programs to ensure that, as
scheduled, they will be imple-
mented by the second half of
the year," he said. ■
can be achieved with policies
to sustain development while
protecting crucial habitat and
wildlife. By incorporating the
true value of natural assets into
www.canadianinquirer.net
PH markets
shrug off Israel
crisis, for now –
analysts
BY MIGUEL GIL
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The sudden out-
break of hostilities between the
state of Israel and Hamas militants
does not pose an immediate eco-
nomic threat to the Philippines,
but financial market analysts
warned that a protracted conflict
will eventually affect oil prices, bi-
lateral trade and overseas Filipino
workers’ (OFW) remittances.
In an interview, Jeng Calma,
operations head at A&A Securi-
ties noted that the stock market
was down only seven points or
0.12 percent after Monday’s
trading, and this miniscule
decline cannot be directly at-
tributed to market jitters aris-
ing from the crisis in Israel.
She recounted how the mar-
ket reacted quickly and very
negatively when Russia invaded
Ukraine in 2021, but the same
panic in the financial and cap-
ital markets was not felt today.
Calma also observed that
the exchange rate between the
Philippine peso and the US dol-
lar did not see any wild swings.
“It’s only the first trading day of
the week, let’s see what happens
in the coming days,” she said.
For his part, Astro Del Castillo,
managing director of First Grade
Finance, called the USD4.00 per
barrel spike in world crude pric-
es immediately after news broke
out about the attack on Israel a
their balance sheets, govern-
ments can create a more sus-
tainable and equitable model in
critical areas including housing
development. ■
25
“knee-jerk reaction.”
He said the international oil
market is likely to settle down
as soon as investors are able to
digest the full scope of the Is-
raeli-Hamas crisis, provided
the renewed Gaza Strip hostil-
ities do not drag on for too long.
It was also mentioned that
far from going up, local pump
prices are actually scheduled to
roll back on Tuesday.
Oil firms have announced a
PHP2.45 per liter decrease in
diesel and a PHP3.05 per liter
rollback in gasoline.
However, protracted fighting
between Israeli forces and Hamas
fighters may eventually threat-
en foreign remittances, if OFWs
based in Israel are forced to come
home, said del Castillo, who is also
the chairman of Frontier Oil Cor-
poration (Philippines).
Government data shows that
OFWs in Israel remitted al-
most USD111 million in 2022;
USD120 million in 2021; and
USD98 million in 2020.
Additionally, should Israel
again enter another long period
of fighting in its already turbu-
lent history, burgeoning trade
between Manila and Tel Aviv is
likely to diminish.
“Trade between the two
countries (Israel-Philippines)
currently ranges from around
USD200 to USD250 million
annually. They (Israel) buy
❱❱ PAGE 29 PH markets shrug
This article first appeared
on Policy Options and is repub-
lished here under a Creative
Commons license.
 26
Exxon, Apple and other corporate giants will have
to disclose all their emissions under California’s
new climate laws – that will have a global impact
BY LILY HSUEH, Arizona
State University
The Conversation
Many of the world’s largest
public and private companies
will soon be required to track and
report almost all of their green-
house gas emissions if they do
business in California – includ-
ing emissions from their supply
chains, business travel, employ-
ees’ commutes and the way cus-
tomers use their products.
That means oil and gas compa-
nies like Chevron will likely have
to account for emissions from ve-
hicles that use their gasoline, and
Apple will have to account for
materials that go into iPhones.
It’s a huge leap from current
federal and state reporting
requirements, which require
reporting of only certain emis-
sions from companies’ direct
operations. And it will have
global ramifications.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom
signed two new rules into law on
Oct. 7, 2023. Under the new Cli-
mate Corporate Data Account-
ability Act, U.S.- companies with
annual revenues of US$1 billion
or more will have to report both
their direct and indirect green-
house gas emissions starting in
2026 and 2027. The California
Chamber of Commerce opposed
the regulation, arguing it would
increase companies’ costs. But
more than a dozen major cor-
porations endorsed the rule, in-
cluding Microsoft, Apple, Sales-
force and Patagonia.
The second law, the Cli-
mate-Related Financial Risk
Act, requires companies gen-
erating $500 million or more
to report their financial risks
related to climate change and
Palace taps PSC..
❰❰ 24 45 competing nations.
We also overcame the
19th overall finish on
the last edition of the quadren-
nial meet held in Indonesia in
2018,” Bachmann said.
Business
their plans for risk mitigation.
As a professor of economics
and public policy, I study cor-
porate environmental behav-
ior and public policy, including
whether disclosure laws like
these work to reduce emissions.
I believe California’s new rules
represent a significant step to-
ward mainstreaming corporate
climate disclosures and poten-
tially meaningful corporate cli-
mate actions.
Many big corporations are
already reporting
Most of the companies cov-
ered by California’s climate dis-
closure rules are multinational
corporations. They include tech-
nology companies such as Apple,
Google and Microsoft; giant re-
tailers like Walmart and Costco;
and oil and gas companies such
as ExxonMobil and Chevron.
Many of these large corpora-
tions have been preparing for
mandatory disclosure rules for
several years.
Close to two-thirds of the
Other government agencies
like the Department of the Interi-
or and Local Government (DILG),
the Department of Education
(DepED), and the Metropolitan
Manila Development Authority
companies listed in the S&P
500 index voluntarily report to
CDP, formerly called the Car-
bon Disclosure Project. CDP is
a nonprofit that surveys com-
panies on behalf of institution-
al investors about their carbon
management and plans to re-
duce carbon emissions.
Many of them also face re-
porting requirements else-
where, including in the Europe-
an Union, the United Kingdom,
New Zealand, Singapore and
cities like Hong Kong.
Moreover, some of the same
U.S. companies, notably banks
and asset managers that oper-
ate or sell products in Europe,
have already started to comply
with the EU’s Sustainable Fi-
nance Disclosure Regulation.
Those regulations require com-
panies to report how sustain-
ability risks are integrated into
investment decision-making.
While California isn’t the
first place to mandate climate
disclosures, it is the fifth-larg-
(MMDA) are also being tapped to
be part of the celebration.
Filipino athletes who cap-
tured medals in the Asian
Games are entitled to receive
cash incentives from the gov-
www.canadianinquirer.net
est economy in the world. So,
the state’s new laws are poised
to have substantial influence
worldwide. Subsidiaries of
companies that didn’t have to
report their emissions before
will now be subject to disclo-
sure requirements. California is
in effect exercising its immense
market leverage to establish
climate disclosures as standard
practice in the U.S. and beyond.
California also has a history
of being a test bed for future
federal U.S. policies. The U.S.
government is considering
broader emissions reporting
requirements. But California’s
new rules go further than ei-
ther the U.S. Securities and Ex-
change Commission’s proposed
corporate climate disclosure
rules or President Joe Biden’s
proposed disclosure rules for
federal contractors.
The most controversial part of
the new disclosure rules involves
scope 3 emissions. These are
emissions from a company’s sup-
pliers and its consumers’ use of
its products, and they are notori-
ously difficult to track accurately.
California’s new emissions
reporting law directs the Cal-
ifornia Air Resources Board,
which will develop the regula-
tions and administer them, to
allow some leeway in scope 3
reporting as long as the reports
are made with a reasonable ba-
sis and disclosed in good faith.
It’s also important to note that
at this point the disclosure laws
don’t require companies to cut
these emissions, only to report
them. But tracking scope 3
emissions does highlight where
companies could pressure sup-
pliers to make changes.
What can disclosures
achieve?
ernment under Republic Act
No. 10699, also known as the
“National Athletes and Coaches
Benefits and Incentives Act.’’
On Tuesday, Bachmann is
scheduled to deliver a post-Asian
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
The plethora of climate dis-
closure mandates globally
suggest that policymakers and
investors around the world
perceive climate disclosures as
driving actions that protect the
environment. The big question
is: Do disclosure rules actually
work to reduce emissions?
My research shows that vol-
untary carbon disclosure sys-
tems like CDP’s that focus on
reporting corporate sustain-
ability outputs, such as hav-
ing science-based emissions
targets, tend not to be as ef-
fective as those that focus on
outcomes, such as a company’s
actual carbon emissions.
For example, a company
could earn an A or B grade from
CDP and still increase its en-
titywide carbon emissions, no-
tably when it does not face reg-
ulatory pressure.
In contrast, a recent study of
the U.K.’s 2013 disclosure man-
date for U.K.-incorporated listed
firms found that companies re-
duced their operational emissions
by about 8% relative to a control
group, with no significant changes
to their profitability. When com-
panies report their emissions,
they can gain important knowl-
edge about inefficiencies in their
operations and supply chains that
weren’t evident before.
Ultimately, a well-designed
disclosure program, whether vol-
untary or mandatory, needs to fo-
cus on consistency, comparability
and accountability. Those traits
allow companies to demonstrate
that their climate pledges and ac-
tions are real and not just a front
for greenwashing. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
Games report and to address mat-
ters that are of consequence to the
national sports agency’s mandate
and commitment to serve the
country’s national athletes and
ensure their well-being. ■
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
AI: we may not need a new human
right to protect us from decisions by
algorithms – the laws already exist
BY ELENA ABRUSCI, Brunel
University London, RICHARD
MACKENZIE-GRAY
SCOTT, University of Oxford
The Conversation
There are risks and harms that
come with relying on algorithms
to make decisions. People are al-
ready feeling the impact of doing
so. Whether reinforcing racial
biases or spreading misinforma-
tion, many technologies that are
labelled as artificial intelligence
(AI) help amplify age-old mal-
functions of the human condition.
In light of such problems,
calls have been made to create
a new human right against be-
ing subject to automated deci-
sion-making (ADM), which the
UK Information Commission-
er’s Office (ICO) describes as
“the process of making a deci-
sion by automated means with-
out any human involvement”.
Such systems rely on being
exposed to data, whether factu-
al, inferred, or created via pro-
filing. But if effective regulation
of ADM is the goal, creating
new laws is probably not the
way to go.
Our research suggests we
should consider a different ap-
proach. Legal frameworks for
data protection, non-discrim-
ination, and human rights al-
ready offer protection to people
from the negative impacts of
ADM. Rules from these bodies
of law can also guide regulation
more generally. We could there-
fore focus on ensuring that the
laws we already have are prop-
erly implemented.
Current harms and future
risks
Automated decision making
is being used in various ways
– and there are more applica-
tions on the way. Areas subject
to automation include the pro-
cessing of asylum and welfare
Technology
support applications and the
deployment of lethal military
technology. But even where
ADM is considered to bring
benefits, it can also have nega-
tive effects.
The criminalisation of chil-
dren is one possible risk of
using certain ADM systems,
where “predictive risk models”
used in child protection ser-
vices can result in vulnerable
children being further discrim-
inated against. ADM can also
make securing work harder –- a
hiring algorithm developed by
Amazon “scored female appli-
cants more poorly than their
equivalently qualified male
counterparts.”
In several countries, includ-
ing the UK, courts also rely on
ADM. For example, it’s used to
make sentencing recommen-
dations, calculate the proba-
bility of a person reoffending,
and assess the flight risk of de-
fendants, which determines
whether they will be released
on bail pending trial.
These applications can result
in unfair processes and unjust
outcomes for many reasons.
This could happen because a
judge unwittingly accepts er-
roneous results produced by
ADM, or because no one is able
to understand how or why a
particular system arrived at its
conclusion.
Historically, human prejudic-
es have also been embedded in
the design of such software. This
is because the algorithms are
trained on real world data, often
from the internet. Exposing the
system to this information may
help improve their performance
at a task from one perspective,
but the data also reflects people’s
biases. This means that mem-
bers of marginalised groups can
end up being punished, in the
way we saw earlier when women
were disadvantaged by a hiring
algorithm.
Protection and regulation
The urge to adopt new legal
rules is perhaps understand-
able considering the stakes
and the potential harm ADM
could and does do. However, as
regards creating a new human
right, negotiating new laws
takes time, money and resourc-
es. And once any new law comes
into force it can take decades to
be accurately understood for
the purposes of practice.
Given that many relevant
laws already exist, it’s unclear
whether a new human right
would significantly influence
how systems for automated de-
cision making are designed and
deployed.
Yet without tangible imple-
mentation and enforcement,
the content of these existing
laws can become hollow. Ef-
fective governance of ADM
by these laws requires impact
www.canadianinquirer.net
assessments of automated de-
cisions, human supervision of
ADM systems, and complaints
processes. These should all be
mandated. A thorough impact
assessment will be able to iden-
tify, for example, unintend-
ed harms to individuals and
groups, and help shape appro-
priate mitigation measures.
Yet these information gather-
ing measures need to be accom-
panied by sufficient oversight
by a competent, resourced, and
– possibly – public body. This
would help uphold democrat-
ic accountability. Such bodies
would also be tasked with en-
suring that people negatively
affected by ADM could file com-
plaints that are adequately dealt
with. These steps would make
current laws on data protection,
non-discrimination, and human
rights more meaningful and ef-
fective in protecting individuals
and groups from the harms of
27
automated decisions.
The law across many areas
is often criticised – sometimes
rightly – for struggling to adapt to
change. But a merit of the law in
general is its ability to provide re-
course to people that have expe-
rienced wrongdoing. It provides
principled teeth to take a bite out
of unprincipled conduct.
This capacity is significant
for another reason. Corporate
spin regarding digital technol-
ogies matches how they are of-
ten portrayed in public. Com-
mentary, too, frequently tends
towards “hyperbole, alarmism,
or exaggeration”. This hype
complements practices such as
ethics-washing that provide a
means of feigning commitment
to regulation, while ignoring the
very laws capable of providing it.
Chatter about the likes of “AI
ethics” grease the wheels of these
strategies, sometimes turning
nuanced and significant philo-
sophical insights into box-ticking
exercises. Ethics are an essential
component of guiding the design,
development, and deployment
of automated decision making.
However, the language of “eth-
ics” can also be used by spin doc-
tors to distract us.
If anything here is worth re-
membering, it’s that ADM is
not only a future problem, it’s a
present problem. The laws that
exist now can be used to ad-
dress pressing issues stemming
from this technology.
Whether this happens de-
pends on public and private
bodies improving the procedur-
al machinery needed to enforce
and oversee legal rules. These
rules, many of which have been
around for a while, just need
a bit more life breathed into
them to function effectively. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
28
Should you charge your phone overnight?
Will ‘overcharging’ make it explode?
Common battery myths debunked
BY RITESH CHUGH,
CQUniversity Australia
The Conversation
In the world of lithium-ion
batteries, smartphones take cen-
tre stage. Yet they’ve also sparked
an ongoing debate: does pro-
longed (or overnight) charging
wreak havoc on your battery?
A number of factors deter-
mine a phone battery’s lifespan,
including its manufacturing age
and its chemical age. The latter
refers to the battery’s gradual
degradation due to variables
such as fluctuations in tempera-
ture, charging and discharging
patterns and overall usage.
Over time, the chemical age-
ing of lithium-ion batteries re-
duces charge capacity, battery
lifespan and performance.
According to Apple:
A normal [iPhone] battery is
designed to retain up to 80% of
its original capacity at 500 com-
plete charge cycles when operat-
ing under normal conditions.
Research has found a 2019
smartphone battery could,
on average, undergo 850 full
charge/discharge cycles before
dropping to below 80% capac-
ity. This means only 80% of the
initial battery capacity remains
after about two to three years of
use. At this point the battery be-
gins to deplete noticeably faster.
Should you charge your
DICT-CICC steps up monitoring of
online apps in 100 sites
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Department
of Information and Communi-
cations Technology (DICT) and
the Cybercrime Investigation
and Coordinating Center (CICC)
have achieved a “milestone” with
the full operation of monitoring
apps in 100 sites nationwide.
Technology
phone overnight?
Most new-generation smart-
phones will take somewhere
between 30 minutes and two
hours to charge fully.
Charging times vary depend-
ing on your device’s battery ca-
pacity – larger capacities require
more time – as well as how much
power your charger supplies.
Charging your phone over-
night is not only unnecessary,
it also accelerates battery age-
ing. Full charging cycles (go-
ing from 0%–100%) should be
avoided to maximise your bat-
tery’s lifespan.
Samsung says:
charging your battery up to
100% too frequently may nega-
tively impact the overall lifespan
of the battery.
Similarly, keeping iPhones at
full charge for extended periods
may compromise their battery
health.
Rather than a full top-up, it’s
recommended to charge your
battery up to 80% and not allow
it to dip under 20%.
Can your phone be over-
charged?
In theory, lithium-ion batter-
ies can be overcharged. This can
lead to safety risks such as the
battery overheating and catch-
ing fire. The good news is most
modern phones have an in-built
protection that automatically
stops the battery from charging
further than 100% – preventing
The Consumer Application
Monitoring System (CAMS) has
been deployed to major cities,
such as Makati, BGC, Mandaluy-
ong, Pasig, Antipolo, Quezon City,
Pasay, Manila, Cavite, Cebu, Ba-
guio, and Davao and in the prov-
inces of Bulacan and Pampanga.
“The expanded capability
will test the efficiency and safe-
ty of online users. This will en-
any damage from overcharging.
However, each time a bat-
tery drops to 99% (due to apps
running in the background) it
will “trickle charge”: it will start
charging again to maintain a
fully charged state.
Trickle charging can wear a
battery down over time. That’s
why many manufacturers have
features to regulate it. Apple’s iP-
hones offer functionality to delay
charging past 80%. Samsung’s
Galaxy phones provide the op-
tion to cap the charge at 85%.
Can your phone explode
from charging?
It’s very unlikely your smart-
phone will explode as a result of
sure that what works in Manila
must have the same efficiency
of service to other parts of the
country. If there will be varia-
tions, we will call the attention
of the app vendor to improve
their services,” CICC Executive
Director Alexander K. Ramos
said in a statement on Saturday.
DICT-CICC partner, Mozark
Philippines, has made this pos-
www.canadianinquirer.net
charging – especially since most
phones now have automatic pro-
tections against overcharging.
Still, over the years we have
seen several reports of phones
exploding unexpectedly. This
usually happens as a result of
manufacturing faults, poor-qual-
ity hardware or physical damage.
Lithium-ion phone batteries
overheat when the heat generat-
ed during charging is unable to
dissipate. This may cause burns
or, in extreme cases, lead to a fire.
Also, these batteries operate
effectively within a tempera-
ture range of 0℃ to 40℃. They
may expand at higher ambient
temperatures, potentially caus-
sible by installing and activating
the CAMS network in record
time, achieving a milestone in
protecting online consumers.
"We have completed the
100 city-wide locations of our
CAMS Digital Observability
Platform in less than a month,”
Ramos said.
The CAMS is operational in
more than 12 countries, serv-
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
ing a fire or explosion.
Using an incorrect, faulty or
poor-quality charger or cable
can also lead to overheating,
fire hazards and damage to the
phone itself.
Tips to enhance your bat-
tery’s lifespan
Although your phone probably
has in-built safety mechanisms to
protect its battery, taking a cau-
tious approach will make it last
even longer. Here are some ways
to protect your phone’s battery:
1. install the latest software
updates to keep your phone up-
to-date with the manufacturer’s
battery efficiency enhancements
2. use original or certified
power chargers, as the power
delivery (amps, volts and watts)
in off-market chargers can dif-
fer and may not meet the re-
quired safety standards
3. avoid exposing your phone
to high temperatures – Apple
and Samsung say their phones
work best at 0℃ to 35℃ ambi-
ent temperatures
4. limit your charging to 80%
of the full capacity and don’t let
it dip below 20%
5. don’t leave your phone
charging for an extended period,
such as overnight, and discon-
nect it from the power source if
the battery reaches 100%
6. keep your phone in a
well-ventilated area while it’s
❱❱ PAGE 30 Should you charge
ing global consumers in video
streaming, banking, fintech,
and e-commerce.
The full installation of the
CAMS Observability Platform
nationwide means the monitor-
ing of online applications, such
as delivery apps, online payment
platforms, trading and business
platforms, and eGovt apps, will
now be more efficient. ■
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2023
Iloilo's Dinagyang is PH's best cultural festival
BY PERLA LENA
Philippine News Agency
ILOILO CITY – Organizers
of the Iloilo Dinagyang Festi-
val are hoping to rouse the in-
terest of those who have yet to
witness the tourism event with
its three-year winning streak in
various categories of the Pearl
Award given by the Department
of Tourism (DOT) and Associa-
tion of Tourism Officers of the
Philippines (ATOP).
Joyce Clavecillas, executive
director of the Iloilo Festivals
Foundation Inc. (IFFI), said
the festival was judged the
grand winner for Best Cultural
Ilocos Norte wins as PH
best tourism-oriented LGU
BY LEILANIE ADRIANO
Philippine News Agency
LAOAG CITY – Ilocos Norte
continues to carve its name as the
Philippines’ premiere tourism hub
after being named as grand winner
of the 2023 Association of Tourism
Officers of the Philippines (ATOP)
Pearl Awards on Thursday.
The province also won the best
video for tourism promotions -
provincial level for its “Lolita is
IN!” tourism campaign, featuring
a sexagenarian who traveled to Ilo-
cos Norte in search of adventure.
The tourism video presents the
natural beauty and culture of the
province while highlighting strong
family ties, values, and traditions
-- experiences that made “Lola Lo-
lita’s” journey to Ilocos a joy.
"Our unwavering dedication to
promoting Ilocos Norte tourism
has earned the province the pres-
tigious award. This recognition
is a testament to the entire prov-
ince’s collective effort in making
Ilocos Norte a top destination for
travelers,” Xavier Ruiz, the prov-
ince’s tourism officer-in-charg,
Travel
Festival under the city category
during the recognition ceremo-
ny that culminated the 2023
ATOP National Convention in
Boracay Island on Oct. 5.
“I think this recognition will
also help us to market the Di-
nagyang Festival, especially for
those who have not joined or
those who wanted to witness
what Dinagyang looks like,” she
said in an interview on Monday.
She said people will be-
come more curious about the
multi-awarded festival, adding
that joining different award
bodies is an added marketing
strategy.
In 2021, the digital version
of the festival won the Best
said in a statement after receiv-
ing the award at the 24th ATOP
national convention held in Bo-
racay Island, Aklan province.
Despite having a limited bud-
get, Ilocos Norte provincial trea-
surer Josephine Calajate, in an
interview Friday, said the prov-
ince’s tourism advertisement
has produced optimum results.
“All the hard work, brilliant ideas,
and the unity of all tourism stake-
holders have paid off. Hurray to the
besttourism-orientedprovinceinthe
Philippines, Ilocos Norte,” she said.
The province received the same
award in 2018, and was the second
runner-up in 2019, and first run-
Ilocos Norte Tourism has earned the province the prestigious title of Best Tour-
ism-Oriented LGU. (ILOCOS NORTE TOURISM/FACEBOOK)
Tourism Practice during the
Pandemic Award, the only rec-
ognition given by the ATOP of
that year, while in 2022, it was
the Best Tourism Event for the
contemporary/non-traditional
expression category.
“We cannot technically say
it’s a grand slam because it’s
from different categories. We
are happy because in whatev-
er category we fall we won. It
proves that Dinagyang Festival
is really one the best festivals in
the country,” she added.
Clavecillas said more than
the challenge, they will be more
inspired to do good and think
of innovations they can im-
plement to improve and make
ner-up both in 2016 and 2017.
Government records on tour-
ism arrivals showed a significant
increase from 800,000 in 2021
to almost three million in 2022.
The province also garnered
an estimated PHP8.8 billion
in tourism receipts in 2022,
which accelerated the recovery
of the tourism industry -- a ma-
jor economic powerhouse as it
employs thousands, including
those in the informal sectors.
ATOP recognizes the best prac-
tices of local government units
(LGUs) in terms of creating and
implementing policy reforms for
tourism development. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
the festival more enjoyable for
spectators.
The annual festival, held ev-
ery fourth week of January, is
A tribe performs during the 2023 Iloilo Dinagyang Festival, held every fourth
week of January. (PERLA LENA/PNA)
PH markets shrug..
❰❰ 25 agricultural goods
and textiles from
us (among others)…
we buy ICT (information and
communications technology)
equipment, machinery and
weapons from them. These will
likely be affected if the crisis is
not resolved quickly,” del Cas-
Obiena launches..
❰❰ 24 bilities," the 27-year-
old Obiena said during
the launching at
Chili's restaurant in Greenhills,
San Juan on Tuesday.
"I am doing this for the coun-
try," said Obiena, who is looking
for promising student-athletes
and communities to support.
Aside from the auction, a
donation drive will also be
available on Obiena's website
( https://ejobiena.katapult-
digital.com) for fans and sup-
porters who want to join in the
fundraising campaign.
The construction of training
pits and the pole vaulting pro-
gram of EJ's father, Emerson,
will benefit deserving schools
and students all over the country.
"EJ Obiena inspires and re-
minds us that the Philippines is
truly world-class when it comes
29
organized by the IFFI, Iloilo
City Government, and the San
Jose Parish. ■
tillo pointed out.
The economic blow will cer-
tainly be felt worldwide, even
eclipsing the impact of the Rus-
sia-Ukraine conflict, if Iran and
other Hamas sympathetic na-
tions join the fight against the
Jewish state, the veteran mar-
ket analyst added. ■
to talent," said Francis Uy, the
chief executive officer of Kata-
pult Digital with offices in the
Philippines, Singapore and Dubai
in the United Arab Emirates.
For winning the gold medal and
breaking the record in the 19th
Asian Games in Hangzhou, Obi-
ena received PHP3 million from
his high school alma mater, Chi-
ang Kai Shek College (CKSC) in
Tondo, Manila; and PHP7 million
from the Federation of Filipino
Chinese Chambers of Commerce
and Industry Inc. and business-
men Anson Tan and Carlos Chan.
The PHP10 million is on top
of the PHP2 million he will get
through Republic Act 10699, and
a PHP1 million pledge from the
Philippine Olympic Committee.
Uy said the money will help
in his preparation for the 2024
Paris Olympics.■
 30
Spicy food might burn in the moment, but it
likely won’t harm your health in the long term
BY PAUL D. TERRY,
University of Tennessee
The Conversation
Everyone has a different tol-
erance for spicy food — some
love the burn, while others
can’t take the heat. But the sci-
entific consensus on whether
spicy food can have an effect —
positive or negative — on your
health is pretty mixed.
In September 2023, a 14-year-
old boy died after consuming a
spicy pepper as part of the viral
“one chip challenge.” The Paqui
One Chip Challenge uses Car-
olina Reaper and Naga Viper
peppers, which are among the
hottest peppers in the world.
While the boy’s death is still
under examination by health of-
ficials, it has gotten some of the
spicy chips being used in these
challenges removed from stores.
As an epidemiologist, I’m
interested in how spicy food
can affect people’s health and
potentially worsen symptoms
associated with chronic dis-
eases like inflammatory bowel
disease. I am also interested in
how diet, including spicy foods,
can increase or decrease a per-
son’s lifespan.
The allure of spicy food
Spicy food can refer to food
with plenty of flavor from spices,
such as Asian curries, Tex-Mex
dishes or Hungarian paprikash.
It can also refer to foods with
noticeable heat from capsaicin,
a chemical compound found to
varying degrees in hot peppers.
Should you charge..
❰❰ 28 charging and avoid
placing it or the char-
ger under a blanket,
pillow or your body while it’s
connected to a power source
7. monitor your battery
health and use to identify un-
usual trends, such as taking
Food
As the capsaicin content of
a pepper increases, so does its
ranking on the Scoville scale,
which quantifies the sensation
of being hot.
Capsaicin tastes hot because
it activates certain biological
pathways in mammals – the
same pathways activated by hot
temperatures. The pain pro-
duced by spicy food can provoke
the body to release endorphins
and dopamine. This release can
prompt a sense of relief or even
a degree of euphoria.
In the U.S., the U.K. and else-
where, more people than ever are
consuming spicy foods, including
extreme pepper varieties.
Hot-pepper-eating contests
and similar “spicy food challeng-
es” aren’t new, although spicy
food challenges have gotten hot-
ter – in terms of spice level and
popularity on social media.
Short-term health effects
The short-term effects of con-
suming extremely spicy foods
range from a pleasurable sen-
sation of heat to an unpleasant
burning sensation across the
lips, tongue and mouth. These
foods can also cause various
forms of digestive tract discom-
fort, headaches and vomiting.
If spicy foods are uncomfort-
able to eat, or cause unpleas-
ant symptoms like migraines,
abdominal pain and diarrhea,
then it’s probably best to avoid
those foods. Spicy food may
cause these symptoms in peo-
ple with inflammatory bowel
diseases, for example.
Spicy food challenges not-
an excessive time to charge, or
rapid draining
8. if you notice your phone is
heating up excessively, or has
a bulging or swollen back, get
an authorised service centre to
check and repair it.
If you want specific details
withstanding, for many people
across the world, consumption
of spicy food is part of a long-
term lifestyle influenced by ge-
ography and culture.
For example, hot peppers
grow in hot climates, which may
explain why many cultures in
these climates use spicy foods
in their cooking. Some research
suggests that spicy foods help
control foodborne illnesses,
which may also explain cultural
preferences for spicy foods.
Lack of consensus
Nutritional epidemiologists
have been studying the poten-
tial risks and benefits of long-
term spicy food consumption
for many years. Some of the out-
comes examined in relation to
spicy food consumption include
obesity, cardiovascular disease,
about your particular phone
and battery, the best option is
to follow the manufacturer’s
guidelines. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
www.canadianinquirer.net
cancer, Alzheimer’s disease,
heartburn and ulcers, psycho-
logical health, pain sensitivity
and death from any cause – also
called all-cause mortality.
These studies report mixed
results, with some outcomes
like heartburn more strongly
linked to spicy food consump-
tion. As can be expected with an
evolving science, some experts
are more certain about some of
these health effects than others.
For example, some experts
state with confidence that spicy
food does not cause stomach ul-
cers, whereas the association with
stomach cancer isn’t as clear.
When taking heart disease,
cancer and all other causes of
death in a study population
into consideration, does eating
spicy food increase or decrease
Cannabis in Canada:..
❰❰ 10 on resolving them.
The third lesson is
for other countries
considering legalization, like
Germany, Denmark and the
U.S. For these countries, Cana-
da’s experience serves as a valu-
able case study. Policymakers
OCTOBER 13, 2023 FRIDAY
the risk of early death?
Right now, the evidence from
large population-based studies
suggests that spicy food does not
increase the risk of all-cause mor-
tality among a population and
may actually decrease the risk.
However, when consider-
ing the results of these studies,
keep in mind that what people
eat is one part of a larger set
of lifestyle factors – such as
physical activity, relative body
weight and consumption of to-
bacco and alcohol – that also
have health consequences.
It’s not easy for researchers to
measure diet and lifestyle factors
accurately in a population-based
study, at least in part because
people don’t always remember or
report their exposure accurately.
It often takes numerous studies
conducted over many years to
reach a firm conclusion about
how a dietary factor affects a cer-
tain aspect of health.
Scientists still don’t entirely
know why so many people en-
joy spicy foods while others do
not, although there is plenty of
speculation regarding evolu-
tionary, cultural and geograph-
ic factors, as well as medical, bi-
ological and psychological ones.
One thing experts do know,
however, is that humans are one
of the only animals that will in-
tentionally eat something spicy
enough to cause them pain, all
for the sake of pleasure. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
should review their own trends
before legalizing, because the
outcomes afterward might not
be as different as they expect. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 OCTOBER 13, 2020
JULY 17, 2023 cx328
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Purchase Financing Months

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Vehicle(s) may be shown with optional equipment. Dealers set selling and leasing price which may vary from MSRP. Limited time offers. Offers only valid at participating dealers. Retail offers may be cancelled or changed at any time without notice (except in Quebec). See your Ford Dealer for complete details or call the Ford
Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. For factory orders, a customer may either take advantage of eligible raincheckable Ford retail customer promotional incentives/offers available at the time of vehicle factory order or time of vehicle delivery, but not both or combinations thereof. Retail offers not combinable
with any CPA/GPC or Daily Rental incentives, the Commercial Upfit Program or the Commercial Fleet Incentive Program (CFIP). Until October 2, 2023, receive 3.99% APR purchase financing on new 2023 Bronco Sport for up to 72 months to qualified retail customers, on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit Canada Company.
All prices are based on Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. © 2023 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.

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