Social science policies needed to address impact of COVID-19 - DOST Chief

“In the policy-making, I believe that everything boils down to the basic principles that is inundated by the decision-makers, and the rest shall be threshed out, as mentioned, as utilizing science and we’d just remind everybody that when we say science-based, it is not only the mathematical sciences or the physical sciences that we are talking about, but science that includes the social science aspects,” Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said, during the webinar presentation of the study on “Content Analysis of Government Policies and Issuances regarding the 2020 Pandemic.”

Sec. de la Peña added that policy can change because of the changing environment. Although decision makers would sometimes stick to one policy that they have already announced, it is not bad to change a policy if it is really necessary. 

The content analysis of government policies is a research project that entails a comprehensive desk review of government orders, policies, issuances and/or legal instrumentalities pertaining to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the Philippines. The study was conducted by Laufred I. Hernandez, Professor of the Department of Behavioral Sciences of the University of the Philippines Manila,

Since January until July this year, 55 resolutions on policy directions were issued by the Interagency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID), 78 policy guidelines were issued by the Department of Health and more than 100 local government ordinances issued.

Hernandez believes that the most important policy should emanate from the local government units because each local government has their own way by which to mitigate the COVID-19.

One of the objectives of the research is to review policy issuances relative to timeliness, adequacy, practical feasibility and reach.

The research finds that “the Philippines’ approach in combating COVID-19 has been very reactive and more in population control rather than giving emphasis to go testing in order to locate and isolate the virus from spreading further.”

Hernandez, in his study, finds that RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act’s initial implementation steps show that people, contrary to what the word ‘bayanihan’ as ‘bayan’ implies, are still left out in the fight against the virus. Largely, the people are mere recipients of the aid package. 

De la Peña lauded the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) of the DOST for taking the lead in COVID-related social researches. He emphasized that social science is valuable, especially at a time like this when people’s feedback and people’s perception and situations are needed to be looked into. 

And this is what the Council’s researches have been doing — letting the people know what and how the people are feeling. DOST-NRCP’s researches on COVID have been particularly relevant especially in the decision-making process. 

The value of these researches was seen by a member of the IATF when they requested for a presentation of another DOST-NRCP funded research on the “Feelings, Cognitions, Behaviors of Filipinos During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which was conducted by Dr. Cecilla Gastardo-Conaco, Department of Psychology, UP Diliman. The study investigated the people's feelings and responses to COVID-19 pandemic across the timeline of the pandemic and through the various government actions.

“With so many legislations being passed, we need NRCP’s analysis to see their relevance, timeliness and the necessity of those pieces or actions,” De la Peña said.

The webinar is the third in the series of the Kapakanan ng Tao sa Oras ng Pandemya-COVID (KTOP-COVID) conducted by DOST-NRCP. The Council has been putting a face and providing a voice on an otherwise purely numerical COVID-related data. The social studies researches being done and presented are providing valuable information in understanding the overall COVID situation in the country.

The KTOP-COVID runs from June 23, 2020 to August 2020 at 10:00 – 11:00 in the morning. The public can view the webinars in the Research Pod, a Facebook Page of DOST-NRCP.

The next two remaining research projects to be presented in the series are: Scoping on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) in the Philippines in the time of COVID 19 Pandemic by Dr. Elizabeth P. de Castro - Professor (retired) Department of Psychology, UP on 04 August 2020; and Defining a Gender-responsive Work-from-Home (WFH) Scheme in a Post-ECQ Scenario by Dr. Marieta Banez-Sumagaysay - Executive Director, DOST-NRCP on 18 August 2020. (S&T Media Service, Geraldine Bulaon-Ducusin)

Matuto at kumita! Cook your way to wealth!

 Have you ever wondered how you can reach financial freedom in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic?

If you are out of a job or desiring to leave one and feeling cooped up at home, there is a flavorful, easy way out. "Kitang-Kita Na sa TekPinoy.biz Series of ITDI" is the turn of the year learning tool for you. Let the Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) teach you 55 simple and cheap ways to prepare meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. For the manly type - muscle up with 14 machine-based technologies. Below is TekPinoy.biz #38: Ginger Processing. A very good source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, ginger or luya is not only an alternative herbal medicine but an indispensable spice in western kitchens, as well in the Philippines, however, ginger is more popularly recognized for its health benefits where it is boiled and made into tea or "salabat" as a natural cure for sore throat and cough. Some mix in honey for additional health benefits. Ginger is also believed to be an effective remedy for morning sickness during pregnancy and dysmenorrhea in women. Further, studies show that ginger is also effective in towering blood cholesterol and in preventing cardiovascular diseases. 

With its extensive health benefits, ITDI has prepared several ways to process ginger. To promote health and wellness, interested processors may now learn how to make dried and powdered ginger, as well as, prepare variations of instant salabat

Ginger Processing is Series No. 38 of ITDI’s livelihood technologies under its “Kitang-kita Na sa TekPinoy.biz Series” that can be accessed free in this link: 

http://bit.ly/ITDILivelihoodSeries. 

Parties can request for online techno demonstration of technologies included in the

NOVUHAIR® Supports Alopecia Philippines

September 2020 marks the seven (7) fruitful years of collaboration between NOVUHAIR®, the leading hair loss treatment in the country and THE ALOPECIA PHILIPPINES, a group founded in 2012 by singer and songwriter Abby Asistio. 

“VICTORIOUS, Rising Above Alopecia and the Pandemic Together” is this year’s official online gathering theme LIVE at When In Manila’s Facebook page on Saturday, September 26, 2020 (3pm to 8pm). Everyone is invited to witness this momentous event.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3iUQoUD

Abby Asistio is currently one of the ambassadors and the Inspirational VIP Coach of NOVUHAIR®, nature’s answer to hair loss, which she has been using since March 2013. 

Know more about NOVUHAIR®

https://www.novuhair.com/novuhair-3-in-1-vip-promo-kit/

#NovuhairxAlopeciaPhilippines #AlopeciaAwareness #NovuhairCares #NovuhairxAbiAsistio

ADP Pharma Corporation is celebrating its 10th year anniversary.

The company established its position in the pharma industry through successful endeavors in all aspects of operations. Its ambition to give Filipinos with the best helped ADP cap off each year with new product developments and partnerships.

ADP is a team of driven & passionate people, who keep themselves abreast with recent trends in the pharma industry, set with a major advantage in addressing current & future market needs in an era where value-creation for consumers is a must.

Leading up to where they are now -- Ambition, Drive, and Passion are what makes them and these are what gave them a decade of rewarding their team as they reward the Filipinos with a wealth of health. 

Milestones video: https://bit.ly/3hA7GF7

Read more: https://bit.ly/2Hct4DX

Asia Leaders Awardee now President of JCI Makati

The award winning young entrepreneur with a back to back awards under Asia Leaders Awards and the creative mind behind the famous attractions in the Philippines, Lawrence “Lance” Li Tan, the CEO and President of Lakbay Museo and Tales of Illumina recently won the election and was hailed as the next President of JCI Makati for the year 2021 last September 23, 2020.

JCI Makati is a non-profit and non-government organization that put ideals into action. Last year they held a week-long project,which was the PINC (Positive Impact of Nation’s Change) Week that comprised of 19 projects to raise awareness on Gender Equality, Financial Literacy, HIV/Aids & Substance Abuse Prevention, Mental Health Awareness, Donations of food, books, plants and different livelihood seminars and Go Green.These projects were chaired by Lawrence Li Tan, where he was just an Executive Vice President of the said organization. 

As his new position puts him in the forefront of JCI Makati, one of his aspirations is to establish more advocacies not just within the Makati area but in the whole of the Philippines. As he is equipped with previous experiences and even has a broad outlook in life, Lance wants JCI Makati to initiate, uplift, and touch as many lives as possible. 

Lance is a successful millennial businessman and tagged as the Museum Prince in the country, with his ability to transform his wit and creativity into reality from being the youngest Group COO in the country to making the most instagramable museums and attractions in the country that went viral globally online. He said that, “I want to give back to my community.  As a kid, I always wanted to help other people the best way I can and ever since this pandemic, I want to be able to reach out to people with different perspective to understand them and to know how I can help them survive by giving them opportunities to improve their quality of life”. 

Three years back, when he first joined JCI Makati, he realized that this can be his avenue to be able to do his life’s purpose of helping people added with the fact that he will be with his fellow org members in doing so. Indeed, there is so much to look forward to from JCI Makati this 2021, with or without pandemic. 

If you want to be part of the JCI Makati, please email them at jcimakatiofficial@gmail.com .

WWF Continues to Fight Against Plastic Pollution, Advocates for an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme in the Philippines

Plastic pollution has reached gigantic dimensions worldwide and has caused serious consequences to marine life and the wellbeing of society. In a recent study, it has been estimated that about 11 million tonnes enter the ocean every year. If no action is made, this can triple by 2040 which is equivalent to 50 kg of plastics for every coastline meter worldwide. 

The Philippines, based on a 2015 modelling study, has been considered as one of the 10 top countries contributing to plastic pollution, has been continuously challenged with increasing waste generation and the lack of a sound waste management system. This calls for a comprehensive approach among policy makers, corporations, cities, and consumers to ensure that no plastics reaches nature. 

Building on its No Plastics in Nature initiative, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines releases a report entitled “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme Assessment for Plastic Packaging Waste in thePhilippines”. This report, undertaken with cyclos GmbH and AMH Philippines Inc, highlights EPR as a critical and effective policy tool in holding manufacturers accountable for the end-of-life impacts of their plastic products and packaging. EPR as a policy instrument also encourages adoption of holistic eco-design among the business sector. The proposed EPR scheme has been based on the findings of the first Material Flow Analysis of plastic packaging waste in the Philippines. 

The report shows that Filipinos consume a yearly average of 20kg of plastics, from which 15.43kg/cap/year becomes waste. Insufficient recycling capacities for high value recyclables (i.e. PET, PP, HDPE) and the high volume of low value plastics (including sachets) are factors that affect the country’s low plastic recycling rate, at 9%. The report further estimates that the Philippines leaks about 35% of plastic wastes into the environment.

These waste reduction and management conditions shaped the proposed customized EPR scheme in the Philippines. It proposes a mandatory EPR scheme for all product packaging with a three-year transition phase for obliged businesses to redesign their product packaging and eliminate unnecessary plastics. For this customized EPR scheme to work, the report emphasizes that the responsibility of implementing the scheme for building high-quality recycling capacity should be assumed by a non-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), acting as the system operator, with strict monitoring and control systems carried out by the government. 

“We in WWF believe that a mandatory EPR system is a way for businesses to be more engaged in eliminating unnecessary plastics through eco-design and strengthening waste management by being responsible for the end of life impacts of their plastic packaging. It is a driving mechanism for businesses to transform their models and push for circular solutions to reduce plastic generation including refilling and ultimately to eliminating leakage of plastic in nature. Adopting the EPR scheme in the Philippines is a great driver for us to stop plastic pollution.”, says Czarina Constantino, WWF-Philippines’ National Lead for the No Plastics In Nature Initiative and Project Manager for Plastic Smart Cities. 

A key first step is a clear, effective, and unambiguous legal framework towards EPR. This can only happen if policy makers take a bold and decisive step to put this globally recognized waste reduction and management scheme in place. A legal framework for EPR should outline clear objectives, responsibilities, enforcement mechanisms, and a timeline for implementation and targets. The effectiveness of the EPR system relies on the active role of government to regulate and supervise the system and its operator through a legal framework. This is also aligned to the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris that enjoins member states like the Philippines to develop and implement EPR policies and schemes. 

Facilitating partnerships among relevant stakeholders, most notably the government and the private sector, WWF-Philippines advocates for the adoption of the EPR scheme in the country to stop plastic pollution. 

“Addressing plastic pollution requires both upstream (production/pre-consumption) and downstream measures (consumption and post consumption). Working on the entirety of the plastic life cycle, stakeholder collaboration is important in both reducing the production and the consumption of unnecessary plastic, and also in managing plastic products and packaging, ensuring that materials are used as long as possible in our society”, says Joel Palma, WWF-Philippines’ Executive Director.

Nestlé Philippines, one of the leading producers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in the country, encouraged fellow stakeholders to do their part for nature by supporting the localized EPR scheme.

“At Nestlé, we believe that tackling plastic waste cannot be successfully achieved by a single or linear solution. It requires the attention and action of different stakeholders. We must look into different options both upstream and downstream, and take a holistic approach as we continue accelerating our initiatives to tackle plastic waste and EPR is a major instrument. We support the creation of a localized EPR scheme that we believe can help increase collection and recycling rates. We cannot achieve this alone, we must work together, to achieve a waste-free future," says Arlene Tan-Bantoto, SVP and Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications of Nestlé Philippines.

The study is part of the No Plastic in Nature Initiative - WWF’s global initiative to stop the flow of plastics entering nature by 2030 through elimination of unnecessary plastics, doubling reuse, recycling and recovery, and ensuring remaining plastic is sourced responsibly. Through this initiative, WWF-Philippines has been working with cities on plastic leakage, policy makers to advocate for a global treaty on plastic pollution, businesses to transition to circular business models, and the general public to campaign and act. 

Take part to #ChangeTheEnding for our planet and help work towards a vision of no plastics in nature

Hyun Bin Philippine Fan’s Virtual Birthday Celebration levels up Fangirling experience

NEW NORMAL Fangirling is done differently in all parts of the world.  Here in the Philippines, multiple HYUN BIN Fangirling social media pages rose, since the success of the Kdrama Crash Landing On You (CLOY). A Fan Community is lead by an Events Company, Manila Preneur Corp.

The Hyun Bin Philippine Fan Club (HBPFC) has multiple content, being the First of most things, having it’s own website, fan merchandise,  fan live broadcast, featured clips for documentary, gift sending to Hyun Bin in Korea, creation of the exclusive fanzine, and the most awaited is their birthday celebration for their Oppa Idol, Hyun Bin.

“I want Hyun-Bin’s Birthday Month to be a campaign, not just an event”, shared by the Fan Club Director, Cherry Saculo-Genato. As a solid fan, she has organized the fan club no different from her popular events and festivals.

“I am a Filipino creative, I support projects that showcase Filipino Pride.  By profession, I organize different events; one is the Manila Beer Fest, participated by 80 Local Craft Brewers. I was sure that making a Customized Craft Beer by the 4th largest Brewery (Boondocks Brewing) in the Philippines, as a gift for Hyun Bin was an idea that is hard to beat. I thought that if the gift is unique, Filipino Fans would stand out, that is why I tirelessly think of ways where we can be exceptional.”
She added, “ Creating a Craft Beer for Hyun Bin is a work of Art, from carefully selecting the ingredients, taste testing, designing the packaging and up to all the way how videos are directed. Hyun Bin Beer is my gift to the Filipino fans and the Fan’s Gift to our one and only Hyun Bin. 

The Hyun Bin Beer is the highlight of the Birthday Virtual Party on Sept 25, 8pm  PH time, streamed live at the FB page of Manila Preneur Corp.  Audience may also expect a complete Birthday celebration where they can watch panel of fans for games, cake blowing of a grand customized cake by Maria’s Cake, AVP presentation, gift giving and Toast wishes from VIPs and celebrity guests.
 
The HBPFC’s overflowing love for their IDOL, has taken their Fangirling into an innovative expression of their admiration to HYIN BIN thru many other ways such as: Charity Event last Sept 19, at SILUNGAN NG PAG-ASA (Shelter for Cancer Children Patients).

Manila Preneur Corp., commissioned internationally recognized multi-media artist, Clint Catalan to Make HBPFC’s Filipino – inspired custom hand painted shoe (and box included) dedicated to his character Captain Ri in Crash Landing On You

And very soon the HBPFC will share its Fanzine, a magazine for the fans, which has the same content as to what was given to Hyun Bin as gift for his Birthday, a proof of the club’s milestones.

“Fangirling is not just an obsession to an idol, we formed our group based on our common admiration to Hyun Bin and it has taken us to meet people from different walks of life, we are continuously inspired and we choose to be high-spirited especially this challenging times of our lives.” --- Cherry S. Genato, Hyun Bin Philippine Fan Club/ Manila Preneur Corp.  September 20, 2020.

Get to know about the Hyun Bin Fangirling at www.hyunbinph.com and Manila Preneur Corp.

RSVP for the Virtual Party : (serves as raffle entry as well)
http://bit.ly/HyunBinVirtualPartyInvitation

MANILA PRENEUR YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgbayJeGu_-kXXbv70fIOKA/videos

VIDEO 1 (Making of Beer) : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=319100825841972
VIDEO 2 (Reveal of Beer) : Reveal the Hyun Bin Beer

#HyanBin #Fangirling #ManilaPreneurCorp

PH IMPROVES GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX, HITS TOP 50; Needs to support more R&D and innovation programs – DTI chief

The Philippines continues to prove that it is among the world’s most innovative economies as it ranked 50th out of 131 countries in 2020 as reported in the annual Global Innovation Index (GII), up from 54th last year. This is the first time that the Philippines has breached the top 50 of the GII, which recognizes the country as an “innovation achiever” for the second year in a row.  

“Together with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), and other national government agencies, we are delighted to see that our efforts to develop the country’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem are bearing fruit,” said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez.  

“We are also committed to sustaining our gains in fostering a culture of innovation among our Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), as well as enabling the close collaboration between industry and the academe. Both of these are crucial as we endure the pandemic and we push to revitalize businesses, investments, livelihoods, and domestic demand,” Sec. Lopez added.  

The trade chief also stressed the need for government to continuously invest in research and development (R&D) and innovation to sustain economic growth. He also underscored the importance of closer collaboration with the private sector, increased access to credit for all Filipinos, provision of microfinancing opportunities and livelihood and business trainings for MSMEs. 

The GII 2020 noted that “over the past seven years, and taken together, China, the Philippines, India, and Vietnam are the GII economies in the top 50 with the most significant rank progress over time.”  

This was facilitated by their integration in global value chains and innovation networks. More specifically for the Philippines, from a rank of 100th in 2014 and reaching 50th in 2020, the GII highlighted country’s continued performance in pushing above expectations in its level of development. This placed the country among the top 10 best-ranked lower middle-income economies in the GII, which includes Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. 

“The DTI has long-recognized that for the Philippines to be competitive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, our enterprises and industries need to have strong linkages in domestic and global value chains and participate in innovation and production networks. These are essential in our Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S), which we have been implementing since 2014 and guides our efforts in building Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIICs) across the country consistent with our Inclusive Filipinnovation and Entrepreneurship Roadmap,” said Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba.  

“The RIICs bring together stakeholders from government, industry, and the academe to collaborate and commercialize innovations in order to generate better employment opportunities, more entrepreneurial activities, and sustainable economic prosperity in the country’s regions,” said Undersecretary Aldaba. 

The country’s rankings in the GII’s input and output sub-indices continues to improve year-on-year. From a rank of 76th in 2019, the Philippine input sub-index rank rose to 70th, and from a rank of 42nd in 2019, the Philippine output sub-index rank moved up to 41st.  

Furthermore, the country’s rankings significantly increased from last year’s in four of the GII’s seven pillars: market sophistication (110th to 86th), business sophistication (32nd to 29th), knowledge & technology outputs (31st to 26th), and creative outputs (63rd to 57th). 

The GII 2020 also indicated that the Philippines’s strengths include: trade, competition, and market scale (20th); knowledge absorption (7th); knowledge diffusion (8th); utility models by origin (8th); productivity growth (6th); high-tech net exports (3rd); ICT services exports (8th); firms offering formal training (7th); creative goods exports (10th); e-participation (19th); and high-tech imports (1st). 

“We are confident that the Philippines can improve its innovation performance and move up the GII in the coming years, especially with the implementation of the Philippine Innovation Act and Innovative Startups Act. Filipinnovation will remain central to sustaining our competitiveness and national development through this pandemic and beyond,” remarked Sec. Lopez. 

The #GII2020 is available at: https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2020/. 

A quick view on the Philippine performance is available at: https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_gii_2020/ph.pdf.

Israel Donates Learning Equipment to Support Filipino Students Amid COVID-19

Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – MASHAV donated learning equipment to the Department of Education (DepEd) of the Philippines to help with its continuous efforts in coping up with the COVID-19 pandemic and in providing distance learning to Filipino students.

Chargé d’Affaires (CDA a.i.) Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov led the turnover ceremony of the learning equipment comprised of heavy-duty copiers, laptops, and office printers. DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones witnessed the ceremony virtually while Usec. Revsee Escobedo from DepEd and Dean Jason Arriola from the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Middle East and African Affairs (DFA-OMMEA) graced the event with their presence.

“COVID-19 pandemic has put a stop to our regular way of transmitting education which is largely face-to-face. Since we are determined to continue the process of learning amidst the pandemic, we have turned to blended learning without the face-to-face component,” Sec. Briones said. “Thank you very much for these learning equipment that we could use for blended education. I have been thinking of how to select the lucky recipients of these gifts. We will prioritize those who need it the most,” she added.

Furthermore, DepEd Secretary Briones has expressed her appreciation towards Israeli achievements in Science and education and her willingness to develop the bilateral cooperation in these areas.

“We are very happy to give assistance to Filipino students. We are aware of the challenges that DepEd is facing in terms of the blended learning approach due to COVID-19. That’s why we decided to give support to the Filipino youth, teachers, and the DepEd,” Ms. Rachinsky-Spivakov said. She added in Tagalog, “Sobrang masaya kaming tumulong sa mga mag-aaral sa Pilipinas. Sana magamit ito ng maayos at marami ang makinabang.”

During the event, CDA a.i. Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov, mentioned President Manuel Quezon who saved Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. “Israel will forever be grateful to the Philippines for that. This is one of our humble ways to pay back,” Ms. Rachinsky-Spivakov said.

The turnover ceremony took place at the Embassy of Israel in Manila on 13 August 2020.

DOH adopts DOST, Ateneo FASSSTER Disease Surveillance Tool

In a ceremonial turnover on Friday, 4 September 2020, the Department of Health (DOH) will formally receive the Feasibility Analysis of Syndromic Surveillance Using Spatio-Temporal Epidemiological Modeler For Early Detection of Diseases, commonly called FASSSTER, as a tool to aid in disease surveillance in the country, including the monitoring of COVID-19.

The disease surveillance tool (FASSSTER) was developed by the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU), with funding grant from the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), in 2016, initially for dengue, but which has since been recalibrated as a web-based disease surveillance platform that allows policymakers to understand the outbreaks at the national, regional, and local levels and assess the effects of the preventive measures in place. 

As a disease surveillance tool for COVID-19, the Ateneo Center for Computing Competency and Research (ACCCRe) of ADMU collaborated with the University of the Philippines Manila - National Telehealth Center (UP-NTHC) and the Department of Health-Epidemiology Bureau to develop the technology which is now publicly accessible at https://fassster.ehealth.ph/covid19 and uses localized indices from Philippine health records.

“It is indeed heartwarming to see our experts in FASSSTER actively contributing to public health through research and innovation. I share the pride with our researchers in saying that what started as a modest project in data science has today become a vital support to our healthcare system, especially in these uncertain times,” said DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya.