DTI partners with Metro Retail Stores in support of MSMEs

Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc. (MRSGI) has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and various entrepreneurs and organizations to support their products through a succession of events that celebrate Filipino diversity and spirit of service amid the pandemic.

The company has devoted a selling area in two of its flagship supermarket branches—Metro Market! Market! in Taguig City and Metro Ayala Center Cebu—to feature various home- grown brands and products. This initiative is dubbed as Bayanihang Metro x Go Lokal!

Go Lokal!,a free market access platform for Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry in collaboration with selected retail partners, continues to reach a wider market. Since its inception in 2016, the program has partnered with 20 retailers, rolled out 144 stores nationwide, and assisted 788 MSMEs of which 352 became regular suppliers of partner retailers. To date, the program has generated sales over Php 385million.

MRSGI is among a growing number of Go Lokal! retail partners helping in the promotion of high quality local goods in the mainstream market.

Featured products include traditional delicacies from Samar such as Corioso and Roscas by Mayette’s Native Food Products; CocoPlus skimmed coconutmilk; Capa’s Seafood Cracklings, a healthier alternative to pork chicharon; and the healthy plant-based snack line of Kale Chips from Take Root.

On July 6 at 2 p.m., MRSGI will hold a virtual launch of the Bayanihang Metro X Go Lokal! with the presence of DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, along with MRSGI Chairman and CEO Frank Gaisano, and President and Chief Operating Officer Manuel Alberto.

DTI continuously strives to build strategic partnerships with different business organizations that support the present administration's advocacy on MSME development and inclusive growth. Moreover, the DTI-MRSGI Go Lokal partnership will help retailers, consumers and local communities adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and support the economy.

Alongside Bayanihang Metro X Go Lokal!, MRSGI will also launch its 3rd Virtual Metro Community Bazaar (VMCB) following the success of the first two bazaars last year. This online collective allows social enterprises and Filipino MSMEs by providing a trade experience online.

Hosted by MRSGI in its online shopping portal https://shop.themetrostores.ph/bazaar, the VMCB features products under Go Lokal! namely, Kiboa Ridge Farms, which cultivates the heirloom grain Adlai; Capa’s Seafood Cracklings; Take Root’s Kale Chips and junk-free snacks; and Seakid, producers of Crispy Dilis and Pusit.

Other sustainable livelihood products produced by philanthropic organizations such as AJ Kalinga Foundation, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Region VII, Eco Hub Cebu, Gifts That Give Back, Likha Lokal, Supera Creatives, and Wow Carmen Handicrafts will also be featured.

Aside from purch​ases from the Metro Retail online store, patrons can extend their support to AJ Kalinga Foundation, Bahay ng Diyos Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity by donating funds to their causes.

THE MERALCO STORY

 

By Juan Ponce Enrile

Manila Electric Rail and Light Company, known to us as MERALCO, is probably the oldest company in the country. It was organized in 1902. The former owner of MERALCO was General Public Utilities (GPU), an American corporation.

 On January 5, 1962, GPU sold its shares in MERALCO to Meralco Securities Corporation (MSC) for a price of US$ 54.4 million. MSC was then a newly formed Philippine corporation. The man behind it was Eugenio Lopez, Sr. 

 When the sale was done, MSC paid 10%, or US$5,400,000,  of the purchase price of US$54.4 million. The  remaining balance ofUS$49,000,000 was paid in 9 equal yearly instalments starting one year after the sale. 

 The remainder of the purchase price earned a 3% interest per annum on the unpaid balance. The payment of the second and subsequent installments, plus interest, was secured by revolving irrevocable letters of credit issued by a syndicate of 16 Philippine banks and confirmed by a syndicate of 10 United States banks. The acquisition of the GPU interest in MERALCO was thought as a self-liquidating investment. 

 MSC was formed in 1961. Its primary purpose was to acquire the GPU shares in MERALCO. From the start of its corporate existence, MSC had a problem with its capital structure. Although MSC had 12,000 stockholders, a small group of 100 owned 66% of the entire capital stock of the corporation. This meant that these 100 stockholders controlled MSC and enjoyed 66% of its income from MERALCO. 

 The capital structure of MSC became more serious a problem when the 1973 Constitution was adopted. The 1973 Constitution decreed in its Article II that "the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership use, enjoyment, and disposition of private property, and equitably diffuse property ownership and profits."  

 MERALCO was then and now a public utility company owned and controlled by 100 large stockholders and serving more than 600,000  electric consumers in its early years after it was acquired from GPU. 

 MSC's acquisition of the shares of MERALCO was a  big success. From 1962 onwards to 1969, MSC was earning huge income from MERALCO. Its stockholders enjoyed a flow of dividends that ranged from 2% to 3% every quarter of the year plus an extra yearly dividend in December  that ranged from 2% to 7% of their individual investment. 

 However, nothing in this world is permanent. All good things in life has an end. MERALCO was no exception. From 1970 the income flow of MSC from MERALCO  gradually dwindled. The earnings of MERALCO from its operation began to slow down since 1969 onward to 1972. As a result, the financial strength of MSC began to wane. Its owners were no longer getting their rich bonanza. The adverse situation began in the last quarter of 1971. MSC - the fabled gold mine of King Solomon from 1962 to mid-1971 - turned into a gaping  barren pit at the end of 1971. 

 Benpress - the solid and powerful corporation of the  two famous Lopez families -  was the largest stockholder of MSC. Alone, it owned 27.2% of that corporation. This was over and above the personal individual investments of the other members of the Lopez clan. The combined ownership of the members of the Lopez families in MSC - those of  Eugenio Lopez, Sr., and those of his brother, former Vice President Fernando Lopez - was about 33%.

 By 1974, Benpress suffered past due debts - in dollars and in pesos - from foreign and domestic creditors  amounting to P101.1 million. Some of these overdue debts  started to become past due as early as March 1973. 

 Because of the pressure of maturing debts that Benpress could not pay, Eugenio Lopez, Sr. wrote a letter,  dated February 19, 1973, to President Marcos. In that letter Eugenio Lopez, Sr. said: "Nanding and I are also in accord with your concept of democratizing property in the Philippines and believe that ownership of industries vital to the economy should be dispersed as widely as possible. . . .  . for this reason, Nanding and I would like to offer the sale of our holdings to a cooperative composed of Meralco employees, customers and the general public that could be organized with the assistance of the government."  

  Apart from  that letter of February 19, 1973, Eugenio Lopez, Sr. wrote two other letters to President Marcos - one dated March 20, 1973, and another dated September 17, 1973,  indicating the pressure of the debt problem on him and  pleading for the help of the Government to relieve the financial distress of Benpress. So urgent was the situation then that Oscar Lopez himself, the second son of Eugenio Lopez, Sr. and my contemporary in Harvard University, personally delivered his father's letter of March 20, 1973 to President  Marcos.  

 Eugenio Lopez, Sr.'s letter of February 19, 1973 triggered an earnest effort to find a way to address  the financial burden of Benpress. But the offer of Eugenio Lopez, Sr. to sell the Benpress 27.2% holdings in MSC to a cooperative of employees and consumers of MERALCO and the general public was found to be unfeasible. To make it feasible, it would require the sale of all the MSC shares to the contemplated cooperative. 

 Given the urgency of the debt problem of Benpress, the sale of all such MSC shares to a cooperative was difficult to attain within the limited time available to solve the problem of the maturing debts of Benpress. Besides,  such a sale would have greatly depressed the price of MSC shares in the stock market. At that time, the price of MSC shares in the stock market was already far below their book value.  

 Alfredo Montelibano who was Chairman of MSC and trusted friend of Eugenio Lopez, Sr., proposed that  the Government acquire all the MSC shares by paying for them in Land Bank bonds. This proposal was made in a letter dated April 10, 1974 of Alfredo Montelibano to Alejandro Melchor, who was then the Chairman of the Government Power Development Council.  The Montelibano proposal did not fly.

 Then Oscar Lopez proposed a trusteeship plan. Antonio Ozaeta and Antonio Ayala, both executives of MERALCO, and Christian Monsod, an executive of MSC, were supposed to serve as trustees.  The details and terms of that trusteeship plan were outlined in a document on file with the records in my possession. The document proposing that trusteeship plan is too long to be included here. All I can say about that trusteeship plan is that it was never pursued.

 Finally, a novel approach was proposed. It called for the creation of a non-stock Foundation to dismantle the ownership and control of the miniscule number of individuals in MSC. The  Foundation was thought of as a tool to make all electric customers owners of shares in MSC and, indirectly, in MERALCO as well. No person or group of persons was to be allowed to enjoy any private profit or gain from the Foundation. This proposal prompted Eugenio Lopez, Sr. to write his September 17, 1973  letter to President Marcos. In that letter, Eugenio Lopez, Sr. said: "As you know, Benpress is the holder of 27.2 per cent of the outstanding capital stock of Meralco Securities Corporation ("MSC"). I would like to submit for your consideration  a proposal pursuant to which Benpress would sell all its holdings of MSC shares, on the basis of self-liquidating investment, to a Foundation created with your approval."

 The offshoot of that letter of Eugenio Lopez, Sr. was the formation of the Meralco Foundation on November 6, 1973. Its  incorporators were: Senen J. Gabaldon, Mario Camacho, former Central Bank Governor Miguel Cuaderno, Mamerto Nepomuceno, Generoso Tanseco, former Central Bank Governor Andres Castillo, and Delia Tantuico. Its Board of  Trustees included all the incorporators plus the then Ambassador to the Vatican Carlos Valdez. 

  On November 29, 1973 a Stock Purchase Agreement was executed between Benpress and Meralco  Foundation, whereby Benpress would sell to Meralco Foundation its 5,907,732 shares in MSC for a consideration of P133,337, 511.24.

 Then on December 16, 1974, the final Deed of Sale was executed by Benpress in favor of Meralco Foundation to implement the Stock Purchase Agreement of November 29, 1973. Under the terms of the sale, Meralco Foundation assumed Benpress' indebtedness of P101.1 million to its foreign and domestic creditors, and the P9.6 million indebtedness of Benpress on its stock subscription of MSC shares, plus  payment to Benpress of P48.6 million for its equity in MSC.

 After the Benpress-Meralco Foundation transaction was done,  other MSC stockholders sold their shares to Meralco Foundation. In 1976, MSC was renamed First Philippine Holding, and by the end of that year, Meralco foundation owned 45%  of First Philippine Holding and the remaining 55% was owned by the general public. 

 In 1977, Meralco Foundation bought from First Philippine Holding  24,935,839 shares of MERALCO for P872.7 million. A down payment of P204,000,000 was made and for the remaining balance of P668,700,000 of the purchase price, 12-year promissory notes were issued.  

 The down payment of P204,000,000 was a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines. That loan was secured by a pledge of 11,700,000 MERALCO shares.

 In 1979, Meralco Foundation and First Philippine Holding amended their sales agreement to provide that:       (1) First Philippine Holding could demand the reconveyance of unpaid shares; (2) First Philippine Holding could use unpaid shares as collateral for its own borrowings; and (3) First Holding could demand automatic reversion of title over unpaid shares that had been pledged.

  Meanwhile, First Philippine Holding borrowed US$48,000,000 from Citicorp. This debt was secured by 25,000,000 shares of MERALCO that were still unpaid by Meralco Foundation.

 Shortly thereafter, First Philippine Holding retired the Citicorp loan with a P434,000,000 loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines. This loan was secured by a pledge of 16.2 million MERALCO shares. At that time, 13.9 million of those pledged shares were not yet paid for by Meralco Foundation. 

 In 1984,  MERALCO itself became financially distressed.  It stopped paying dividends to First Philippine Holding. Consequently, Meralco foundation stopped paying First Philippine Holding and DBP. And First Philippine Holding also stopped paying DBP. 

 

 By 1986, Meralco Foundation owed DBP P181,900,000. This was secured by 11.7 million fully paid shares of MERALCO. 

 First Philippine Holding also owed DBP P416,000,000, secured by 16.2 million MERALCO shares.  These 16.2 million MERALCO shares included 13.9 shares that Meralco foundation had not yet paid.

 After the EDSA Revolution, DBP transferred both its unpaid loans, as of June 30, 1986,  to Meralco Foundation in the amount of P181,900,000 and to First Philippine Holding in the amount of P416,000,000 to the Asset Privatization Trust of the Presidential Commission on Good Government for a consideration of P598,200,000. 

 Also, after the EDSA Revolution, First Philippine Holding cancelled the sale of unpaid shares numbering 13.9 million shares of MERALCO to Meralco Foundation. This resulted in Meralco Foundation owning 66% of MERALCO, and First Philippine Holding  owning 32%. The riddle in this sordid corporate actions was: Who got the missing 2% of MERALCO?

 Finally, all the trustees and members of the Meralco Foundation resigned. And all their replacements were appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino.

 

 This, my dear friends, was the suppressed story of MERALCO all these years.

DTI warns public against Online Pyramid Scheme

The DTI-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (DTI-FTEB) warns the public against Chain Distribution Plans or Pyramid Sales Schemes that are circulating online and are now heavily marketed or promoted on various social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

As of April 2021, the DTI-FTEB already received a total of twenty-eight (28) complaints regarding Chain Distribution Plans or Pyramid Sales Schemes from consumers and investors. This number increased more than two-fold compared to the twelve (12) reported complaints received last year. 

Based on investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the subject matter, companies that practice and offer Chain Distribution Plans or Pyramid Sales Schemes tend to focus more on the recruitment of new potential members rather than encouraging its members and franchisees to actually sell products and services to consumers accompanied with promise of high returns of investment in a short period of time. Further, they claim that this business structure is pandemic proof to make more enticing and promising to interested investors.  

Article 53 of Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines clearly provides that Chain Distribution Plans or Pyramid Sales Schemes, such as deriving profits primarily or mainly from recruitment of participating members and not from the marketing and sales of products and services shall not be employed in the sale of consumer products.  

“Victims of these fraudulent acts have the right to seek redress from the SEC or the DTI; our doors are always open to assist and guide them in addressing their complaints,” said DTI-Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo. 

“Those companies taking advantage of consumers by disguising their pyramid sales scheme as a legitimate business opportunity in the form of multi-level marketing have to be investigated, charged, and penalized if warranted,” DTI – Assistant Secretary Ronnel O. Abrenica added. 

Consumers are encouraged to report businesses that offer Chain Distribution Plans or Pyramid Sales Schemes by calling the 1-DTI (1-384) Hotline or by sending an email to consumercare@dti.gov.ph.  

Visit here: DTI Phils

Agri-Entreprneurs CompleteThe RAPID-KMME Program

Last May 25, the Rural

Agri-Entreprneurs Complete

The RAPID-KMME Program

Industrial Partnership for Inclusive Development (RAPID) Growth Project, together with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (or Go Negosyo) and the Department of Trade and Industry as the project implementing agency, held the online graduation rites for the 35 beneficiaries who have recently completed the DTI RAPID-Kapatid Mentor Micro Entrepreneurs (KMME) Program.

The conjoining of the RAPID Growth Project and the KMME Program leverages the impact of one on the country’s enterprises in the agricultural sector and the success of the other in empowering micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) and the farmer producers by mobilizing mentors for its 12-module curriculum that covers all critical aspects of business management.

With the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the implementation of the RAPID Growth Project has been led by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) since 2017 with the aim to propel agriculture-based processing enterprises and entrepreneurial communities to become innovative, productive and competitive. Meanwhile, the KMME Program is borne of a public-private partnership (PPP) between the DTI and the Go Negosyo and has capacitated over 9,000 micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) as mentees with the help of its pool of almost 800 business leaders and entrepreneurs who signed up as mentors.

And so the DTI RAPID-KMME Program aims to establish an ecosystem for a comprehensive capacity building using online and offline platforms, capitalizing on experiential and participatory activities guided by modules and webinar or a blended structure of learning procedures. Its end-goal is to equip beneficiary-mentees with knowledge on adaptive business strategies that will enable them to cope with the pandemic and to thrive in the market in the “new normal”.

DTI Regional Director cum RAPID Growth Project Director Edwin Banquerigo opened the program with a message of thanks and an optimistic outlook. He expects that the mentee-graduates will be part of the core group that would really help them in pushing for another batch of DTI RAPID-KMME Program and to be at the forefront of economic recovery since they now have what it takes to be a driver of economic recovery and economic growth. He thanked the mentors and coaches for sharing their real business experiences which were truly remarkable, notable and priceless. His advice to the mentee-graduates is to create jobs and livelihood opportunities that will make many people happy.

Undersecretary for DTI Regional Operations Group, USec. Blesila Lantayona laid out some advice to the mentee-graduates that will help their businesses and cooperatives. She hopes that they will apply the knowledge they have gained to their daily business operations and on pivoting to the new normal. She also mentioned that there are more training or webinars that they are welcome to join for free to deepen their knowledge on any aspects of the business operations. The said partnership will be instrumental in bringing to the next level of the entrepreneurial competencies of the target beneficiaries that will hopefully provide them with the mindset, tools, and support system to scale up their businesses and help achieve the goals of RAPID Growth Project and this milestone will be a step towards achieving their goal of surviving and thriving under this new way of doing things.

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Founder, PA Joey Concepcion gave his keynote message by easing the worries of the mentee-graduates on updating them of the current vaccine efforts from both the private and public sector and how vaccines will serve as the serving glory against this pandemic. He mentioned that when the time comes that the mentee-graduates will be needing help, they may get in touch with Go Negosyo mentors to help them through mentorship on solving their specific problem which they have encountered in their businesses or cooperatives. He also advised the mentee-graduates not to lose hope because Go Negosyo and the Department of Trade and Industry are here to help them.

The 35 mentee-graduates who successfully completed the program were granted confirmation by RD Edwin Banquerigo, USec. Blesila Lantayona, and Engr. Merly Cruz, and received their certifications. After the awarding of the certificates, seven (7) graduates shared their learnings and takeaways from the program through their testimonials.

For Ursolo Dela Pena of Ursing’s Integrated Farm from Region 8, he thanked God for giving them an opportunity to continue learning and to be part of the pilot batch of DTI RAPID-KMME program. As a mentee, this training is a very useful and very important foundation in establishing a business. He also expressed his gratitude to all the mentors for sharing their knowledge and expertise in the field of business.

For Sheena Mae Mante of Alonzo Gourmet Food Products from Region 9, she realized on the first day of DTI RAPID-KMME that there are so many things which she needs to learn. And now, because of this program, she is ready to face the challenges in the world of entrepreneurship. The learning will continue and she sees herself becoming a successful entrepreneur.

For Rico Badilla Kamada of Arc Cooperative from Region 10, RAPID-KMME helped him develop a clearer vision for his coop and helped in formulating strategic moves. It widened his cooperative’s perspective in terms of expansion on its agri-operation which will definitely help a lot of farmers in improving and uplifting their financial capacity and economic status. After joining the RAPID-KMME program, he sees himself more equipped and confident that he can apply the knowledge he has gained.

For Audrey Pancho of Comval Tropical Harvest Trading Company Inc. from Region 11, the program is an eye-opener that made her realize that they are not just small-scale entrepreneurs but also they also have a social responsibility not only to the community but to the whole value-chain itself. Through the program, it helped her identify the key partners and how to optimize the relationships with them. Most importantly, the RAPID-KMME program really helped her realize, to reevaluate, and innovate on the areas that she thinks that they really need to improve. She hopes that in the next couple of years that they are still partnered with the program, RAPID-KMME, that they will together achieve the goals of helping the value chain, and giving back to the communities.

For Abigail Ranera of Nikko’s Brew from Region 12, she gained and learned a lot of knowledge from the program. The program gave a big impact not just to her business but this can also help other start-up businesses on how to operate the business and build partnerships. The RAPID program also helped them in providing machineries, tools they needed for their business. She sees herself expanding her business through the help of the program.

For Panganda Tanggote of Darusalam High Valued Crops Farmer Cooperative from BARMM, the DTI RAPID-KMME and the team behind the program prepared them to adapt to change and challenge. He gives thanks to all the mentors and coaches of the program which transformed them into entrepreneurs and he believes that they could also make it big. The most important thing he learned is that they have already taken the initial steps needed to build a more promising future.

Lastly, for Regan Cacho of Dugmanon United Coconut Farmers Association from Region 13, through the help of the program, he is now more empowered because of all the learnings and knowledge he gained that he can apply to his cooperative. In the coming years after joining the DTI RAPID-KMME program, he would like to see himself watch his organization grow, touching every farmer’s life in his community who will feel their mission by alleviating poverty.

Closing the program, Go Negosyo Adviser for MSME Development, Engr. Merly Cruz congratulated the mentee-graduates and told them that they have set a very good example in the agribusiness sector and hopes that they can do something beyond what they have already done not just for their cooperatives but also for the community. She also thanked the mentors and coaches who actively participated in the pilot batch of the program. It is not just the success of the program but also their own success.

The program was hosted by Joby Linsangan-Moreno, owner of Orange Blush Salon and Go Negosyo Mentor

Proof That The Pandemic Was Planned & With Purpose

September 30, 2020 by Dr James Fetzer

A group of over of  500 medical doctors in Germany called ‘Doctors for Information’ made a shocking statement during a national press conference: 

‘The Corona panic is a play. It’s a scam. A swindle. It’s high time we understood that we’re in the midst of a global crime.’

This large group of medical experts publishes a medical newspaper on 500,000 copies every week, to inform the public about the massive misinformation in the mainstream media. They also organize mass protests in Europe, like the one on August 29, 2020 where 12 million people signed up and several millions actually showed up.

In Spain a group of 600 medical doctors called ‘Doctors for Truth’, made a similar statement during a press conference.

WAS THE PANDEMIC PLANNED?

• Thousands of medical doctors call the pandemic a global crime, and a world dictatorship with a sanitary excuse.

• Two years before Covid-19 came to the global scene, the European Union, the USA, China and other nations suddenly started exporting tens of millions of test kits for Covid-19.

• In 2013 a musician predicts a global pandemic with a coronavirus and says this will happen in 2020. He knew this because of personal investigation of so called ‘conspiracy theories’.

• In 2017 Anthony Fauci guaranteed a surprise outbreak of an infectious disease during the first term of the Trump administration.

• Right before the outbreak of a coronavirus pandemic, Bill Gates organized a global coronavirus pandemic exercise: Event201.

• Right before the outbreak the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board told the world to be ready for a coronavirus pandemic.

• In 2018 the Institute for Disease Modeling announced a global pandemic with a flu virus, originating in China in the area of Wuhan.

• In 2018 Bill and Melinda Gates announced that in the coming years there would be a global pandemic of an engineered virus.

• The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was created in the Bio Safety Lab Level 4 in Wuhan, which received millions of dollars from Anthony Fauci.

• Several movies depicted the coronavirus pandemic with great detail, and even mention hydroxychloroquine as the cure.

• The Summer Olympics in 2012 played a pandemic of a coronavirus during their opening show.

• The investigative journalist Harry Vox predicted in 2014 that a global pandemic would be caused, so the ‘ruling class’ could implement a higher level of authoritarian control.

• The investigative journalist Anthony Patch predicted a global pandemic with a man made virus, that would be used to force a DNA altering vaccine on humanity.

• Dr. Carrie Madej studied DNA and vaccines for decades and says the plan is to use the Covid-19 vaccine to start the process of transhumanism: reprogramming the human DNA.

• The CIA officer Dr. John Coleman studied secret societies and says their goal is to depopulate the earth by means of organized pandemics of fatal rapid acting diseases.

• In the state of Georgia a huge monument was erected in 1980 with ten guidelines for humanity, in eight languages. The first of these ‘Ten Commandments’ is that humanity needs to be reduced to half a billion people.

• Bill Gates said during a TED talk that new vaccines can be used to reduce the world’s population with 10-15%.

• The ‘health ranger’ Mike Adams predicted years ago what we see happening now: the release of an engineered bioweapon, followed by a vaccine mandate, massive government funding for the vaccine industry and a vaccine that is being developed in record time. He also predicted that this vaccine will kill innumerable people over the course of a couple of years.

• In 2010 the Rockefeller Foundation published the ‘Scenario for the future…’ in which they describe a coming global pandemic, that should result in the implementation of authoritarian control over the people, which will then intensify after the pandemic.

• In 2020 they publish a handbook on how to create this world of control, with a step by step guide. They say life cannot return back to normal, until the world has become ‘Locked Down’ with this top down control from authoritarian governments.

• We indeed see that Bill Gates and many others worldwide are right away seizing control in unprecedented ways, with enforcing vaccine ID’s, microchips that will be implanted into people, mandating the wearing of face masks, social distancing, forced lock-downs, extreme contact tracing, and so on.

• Part of this top down control is extreme censoring of every single voice from doctors, scientists or other experts that criticize what is going on.

Visit here: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/09/30/proof-that-the-pandemic-was-planned-with-purpose/

International Experts in Artificial Intelligence, Metabolomics and Renewable Energy invite Filipinos to become Balik Scientists

Renowned Filipino scientists from abroad invite Filipinos to become part of the Department of Science and Technology's Balik Scientist Program (BSP), during the BSP’s virtual orientation and public consultation held on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña led the orientation of the BSP citing its history and goal, “BSP is a brain gain initiative of the DOST and has been instrumental in promoting and implementing science, technology and innovation activities for national development, especially in areas where we have limited local expertise. From its implementation in 1975 until 2020, we were able to work with 564 Balik Scientists through 716 engagements.”

Despite the challenging year of 2020 brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Undersecretary for Research and Development, Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, acknowledged the 34 Balik Scientists who continued to serve the scientific and developmental goals of the Program. 

USec Guevara also added that the program adopted alternative means of engagement for the Balik Scientist, strengthened by implementing the Supplemental Guidelines and Risk Management Plan that allowed Balik Scientists to be virtually engaged during the pandemic when there are travel restrictions.

Three esteemed Balik Scientist Awardees testified that notable engagements for the health, industry, and agriculture sector are indeed possible, amidst the pandemic. 

Dr. Anna Karen C. Laserna, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a short-term Balik Scientist extended her help to the De La Salle University - Central Instrumentation Facility in becoming a center for research in metabolomics and partnered with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development’s Tuklas Lunas Program. 

ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) for Excellence in Science Awardee Dr. Lawrence A. Limjuco highlighted how DOST through its sectoral planning councils, research and development institutes, collegial and scientific bodies, and scientific and technological services coordinates science and technology-related projects in the Philippines and formulates policies and projects in support of national development, especially the BSP. 

Dr. Limjuco also shared different practices in promoting a research-based Material Science and Engineering (MSE) subject during his engagement with BSP, including the shift from experimental research to review of related articles, remote learning via international collaborations, on-site activities with strict compliance to safety precaution measures, and continuous learning through remote research.  

A seven-time Balik Scientist Awardee and a consultant to numerous international institutions such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and UN Forum on Forests (UNFF), Dr. Guillermo A. Mendoza imparted his diverse areas of expertise ranging from artificial intelligence to watershed management and hydrologic modelling.

With the use of geospatial technologies, Dr. Guillermo conducted studies in applying precision agriculture principles in potato production and assessing landslide susceptibility.

Sectors of the industry, agriculture and health gravely suffered during this pandemic, and now, more than ever, it is important to increase the number of Filipino scientists, technologists, and experts to be able to help the country move forward and quickly recover. 

It is also through the pandemic that research and development have been more relevant and needed, the DOST Balik Scientist Program offers new avenues and opportunities for extensive and prolonged research and development for the country. 

Regional Director Armando Q. Ganal encouraged experts to apply for the program and called for institutions to host Balik Scientists, “We enjoin you to either be a Balik Scientist and share your learnings and skills to the country or to be a host agency for our Balik Scientists. Either way, it will always be Science for the People”

Machang Day & Dragon Boat Festival Celebration this year 2021 is June 14!

Machang honors ancient poet & an educator at 82-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café

 Machang Day is east Asia’s annual colorful “Duanwujie” or Dragon Boat Festival, which this year 2021 occurs on June 14. Ever since 2020 lockdown, among the new foods introduced by 82-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Judge Jimenez St. corner K- 1st St., Brgy. Kamuning, Quezon City to “delight customers” is its now popular Machang glutinous rice dumplings. “Duanwu” Festival is called in Korean as Dano festival, in Japanese it is called “Tango” and in Vietnamese as “Tet Doan Ngo”.

The Fat Kid Inside food blogger Erwan Heussaff  said: “There are a million things you can do with rice. If you want to take things to the next level, you definitely have to try Machang.” The “Wall Street Journal” food writer Fuchsia Dunlop said: 'It's gooey, aromatic and delicious." Also called “zongzi” in Mandarin, “Machang is the Hokkien or south Fujian province language name for this an ancient food created over 2,300 years ago to honor the late great Chinese poet and anti-corruption statesman Qu Yuan (pronounced “Chu Yuan” in Mandarin). 

Machang started to be cooked at Kamuning Bakery Café when owner, realty entrepreneur and writer Wilson Lee Flores was bored during lockdown due to closed restaurants, so he asked staff to try cooking it using an old recipe of his late educator mother Mary Young Siu Tin. When he explained it’s “malagkit” or glutinous rice with pork belly, shiitake mushroom and others slow-cooked and then wrapped in lotus or bamboo leaves, the cooks and bakers said they have not yet eaten it and thought it was “suman”. Wilson further explained it’s not sweet suman, but more like savory paella. The talented cooks tried to cook Machang and finally succeeded on the third attempt.   Kamuning Bakery Café now cooks four varieties of Machang weekly---Special Chicken Pork Mushroom Machang, Special Double Pork Mushroom Machang, Taochang Special Chicken Pork with Mushroom & Beans (“Tao” is Hokkien for “beans), and Machang Premium (Pork Belly, Chicken, Beans, Mushroom, Hebi & Salted Egg). 

 

Guangzhou, Anvil donate P6 million school supplies for 10,000 public school students through Mayor Isko Moreno

Guangzhou City and Anvil Business Club on June 22 turned over to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno at Manila City Hall the donation of seven tons of school supplies worth about P6 million pesos to benefit 10,000 Manila public school students.

Formerly spelled “Canton” in the past, Guangzhou is now a major industrial and financial center, its Mayor Wen Guohui said the donation is Guangzhou’s expression of friendship and solidarity with Manila City and the Philippines. Guangzhou in southern China is a sister city of Manila. Last year in March at the start of pandemic lockdown, Guangzhou had also donated medical supplies to Manila City.

Anvil Business Club is a business and civic organization of young Filipino Chinese entrepreneurs led by chairman Wilson Lee Flores, President Hubert Chua, EVP Kenneth Dee, VP  Richmond Co who is also chairman of this school supplies civic project.

Wilson Lee Flores said: “This civic project of Guangzhou City in partnership with Anvil Business Club seeks to help Manila public school students in this difficult time of lockdown. This donation is our contribution to the future of this great city now under a dynamic mayor and also our tribute to the past, because many of us have ancestors who had started life in the Philippines here in Manila City. This is our gift to the children of Manila and also our gift to Manila on its 450th anniversary on June 24.”

Flores added: “Speaking of the past, it is not true the Philippines had no culture or no economy before the Spaniards had ‘discovered’ this place 500 years ago. Actually, even before the Spaniards came here to colonize the Philippines and to establish Manila City in Intramuros, this area called Maynila was an independent rajahnate doing flourishing trade over a thousand years ago with China of the Sung and Yuan dynasties. And across Pasig River from Maynila was the then pre-colonial independent kingdom of Tondo which also had flourishing trade ties with China and other Asian countries. Before the Western colonizers came, early pre-colonial Filipinos already had trade and diplomatic ties with Asia, and there was also already a vibrant local Chinese community here mostly of traders and artisans. Let us not forget the rich history of Manila and the Philippines as we all help build a great, exciting future.”

DOST launches Artificial Intelligence Technologies for National Roadmap

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently launched numerous programs and technologies in support of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) National Roadmap.  In a virtual press conference broadcast at the DOST- Science for Change Program (S4CP) Facebook page, AI scientific outputs related to health, industry, agriculture and aquatic technologies and those for the betterment of society were presented. 

“Since 1958, the DOST has worked on building the country’s research and development (R&D) capabilities, infrastructure and capitalizing on human resource development in identified priority areas in the fields of agriculture and aquatic, health, energy, industry and emerging technologies, among others,” said DOST Secretary Fortunato T. dela Peña. “AI has been included among our R&D priorities since 2016.  It is one of the important technologies that will guide and prepare us in what we call the fourth industrial revolution.”

Themed: “AI for a better normal,” the event premiered the CHERISH Study or the Retrospective Study on the Accuracy of AI-Powered Reading of Chest X-Rays in the Diagnosis of COVID-19 Pneumonia in a Tertiary Hospital.   The technology, nicknamed CHERISH App, from DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) aims to develop and determine the diagnostic accuracy of AI-powered Chest X-ray reading software for COVID-19 pneumonia as a tool for ease of diagnosing the disease. Several studies  suggest that CT-scan combined with clinical conditions, lung lesion density, morphological characteristics and other associated signs, has a high accuracy for the early diagnosis of COVID-19 and acts as the differential diagnosis from Community-acquired Pneumonia.​ This is vital in the triage of patients coming in and out of hospitals, most especially in cases where immediate medical attention is required. 

Another COVID-19 AI technology is a monitoring tool from DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) with a graphical user interface that provides at-a-glance views of the number of COVID-19  cases or progress reports across the National and Local Government Units, Regional, Provincial, Municipality, Barangay. Called CCMON for COVID-19 Cases Monitor, the social data gathered from this public online dashboard will provide gender-specific insights based on COVID-19 epidemiological and socio-economic data.  

AI is also used for technologies in aid of food security and economic recovery.  From DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) is the Mechanization Resource Mapping, Monitoring and Data Analysis Sysytem or M3DAS, which is an important aid for mechanization planning, implementation, and policy data generation of government departments and LGUs.  Another agricultural technology is the Automated Furrow Irrigation System which is a smarter automated furrow irrigation system that integrates crop production models, irrigation management strategies, soil and crop sensors and control system that is called, “AutoFurrow.” The system uses real-time and precision farming that can be operated through a mobile app.

There are also significant developments in AI for Traffic Management.  From the DOST-S4CP CRADLE Program and DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD)  is “Driver.PH”.  This project will combine information communication technology (ICT) solutions to monitor and record the driving attitude of drivers such as their sudden acceleration, stopping, swerving, and turning. It will also determine the degree of driving knowledge of drivers through a gamified assessment with emphasis on technical driving and vehicle roadworthiness know-how.

There are also AI technologies specifically tailored to the aid of industry, most specially startups and MSMEs. 

“Through R&D, DOST aspires to aid various government stakeholders develop data-driven AI-enabled solutions that will help enhance government functions and delivery of its services to the FIlipino people,” says DOST Undersecretary for R&D Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.  “AI is bound to change our lives. We need to continuously promote R&D and its useful outputs to ensure that all Filipinos benefit from science and technology.  This is the way R&D can positively CHANGE our country and the world.”

A Race Between The Vaccination andThe Delta Variant

Yesterday, I celebrated my natal day with a simple Zoom meet-up, inviting friends from the private and the government sector to our daily Mentor Me Online (MMO) show for Go Negosyo, which for the past years has been mentoring our MSMEs live, and raffling cash prizes for their Puhunan Pang-Negosyo. Following our Let’s Go Bakuna campaign, this time, we asked our negosyantes to show their bakuna card with their negosyo selfie as we want to encourage our MSMEs to take the vaccines since they are basically multitasked and cannot afford to get severely sick.

Also, just this week, our President ordered the arrest of Filipinos who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The President, in his address, said that if they will not cooperate with the country’s efforts to end our current public health emergency, it will just be better for them to leave the country. I am with the President on this and I am happy that he is calling for everyone to get the vaccine. It is encouraging that the President is serious about our people getting vaccinated because this is certainly what we need right now. This is the best way for us to attain at least population protection so we can start opening further our economy, then go towards herd immunity.

I am sure the President means well and sees that our solution to this pandemic are the vaccines. Right now, as more variants, like the Delta variant, pose their threat to various nations – such as that which has been hitting India hard, it becomes a race between the Delta variant hitting us soon and our ability to vaccinate as many Filipinos as possible in NCR plus. This is the only way we can prevent the Delta variant’s community transmission. It is good enough that the President has expressed his frustration and that our people listen. Surely, the Delta variant as we have seen in India has caused so many lives, and if we face another prolonged lockdown, this will put a nail in the coffin for our MSMEs. We have more vaccines arriving and more will arrive from both the government and the private sector.

With most of the conversation right now focusing on the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, this was the same topic I discussed with Ed Lingao during an interview last Monday. Talking about the private sector’s suggestion of having areas for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, this suggestion was inspired by what the United States has been doing, especially in their high-risk areas like bars, movie theaters, arenas, and indoor dining establishments. In our conversation, I presented the main purpose of the suggestion. The suggestion is motivated by the need to reopen the economy as more people get vaccinated – we can start our economic revival at the soonest and safest time possible. Adding to this fact, the suggestion is in recognition of the fact that as we move forward, there are those that will choose not to get vaccinated and there are those that have chosen to be vaccinated to be safer. The suggestion optimizes the conditions for the ‘next normal’ for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, and as I continuously argue, the suggestion shall only kick in when we attain population protection – at least in certain areas like the NCR Plus. Here are some highlights of that interview:

Ed: Hi Sir, just some clarity with that proposal to have some sort of separation of the vaccinated and unvaccinated people in business establishments.

Joey: Maybe take it to the right context. We have been meeting with Octa Research, Dr. Ed Salvana, and other medical advisers as the private sector is trying to align basically the exit strategy out of this pandemic. What’s very important are milestones—like our population getting at least 50 percent vaccinated, hitting population protection. Now, assuming we do hit such a milestone, how do we open up the economy safely? That’s very important because I think we must open the economy as more people get vaccinated. So the key point here is the number of people being vaccinated, that determines how much you can open the economy. The lesser number of people that are vaccinated, the more unlikely it is that we could open the economy.

Ed: Tell me if I am getting this right, I am trying to look for a parallel, a comparison. Can we say that what you’re looking at is perhaps putting up a premium space for those who are vaccinated, not necessarily to prohibit non-vaccinated people from entering establishments, but putting aside special places for those who are vaccinated?

Joey: No, that is not the intention. Like how there’s no special place in smoking and non-smoking area, there is no special place for the vaccinated or the unvaccinated. There is just the vaccinated and the unvaccinated area, just like having an area for smokers and non-smokers.

Ed: Sir, let’s talk about timetables for this proposal. You mentioned that we are looking for population protection by September or October this year, and hopefully herd immunity by the end of the year. Are we waiting for those two milestones before having this system in place or are we looking for something that will be put in place in few months?

Joey: These are all part of the planning process on how to move towards our exit strategy. Like in the case of America when they hit the 50 percent vaccinated population, we can move towards that direction and allow people to watch live games, go out, and allow more things to happen. Of course, maintaining certain protocols like wearing face masks and social distancing is important. We have to find the solutions; these broad concepts should come into place. So on our part, yes, certain milestones must be achieved before we kick in many of our suggestions. In the end, it is the IATF who will decide whether to implement these things or not, or they will leave the decision-making to the establishments, restaurants, and building owners themselves.

How to Reveal a Fake Facebook Account

Facebook has put together a social network of over a billion people. Some of those people do not have the best interests of their fellow humans at heart. They may seek you out to get information, to steal your identity, or even to destroy your reputation. How do you guard against predators like that? We'll show you a few ways to protect yourself and your family on Facebook. Read on!

1. Do a little detective work. At the very least, it can be fun. You might also find out that your would-be "friend" is really bad news. Here are some things to sleuth out:

2. Read the profile carefully. Does what is being said add up or are there some really hard-to-believe statements being made?

For example, maybe there is a photo of a very young person next to claims of being a professor or a CEO. Does the embellishment seem more than the usual "making oneself look good" and come across as simply implausible? Trust your own senses on this one. You could even ask for proof of some of the things the person has stated—they're approaching you, after all. You have every right to make sure they're legitimate.

3. Search their name online to see if it returns. This won't be so useful if the name is a common one, but for a more unusual one there might be some interesting returns.

If they have a common name, add other information such as their location, approximate age, or any other information you can glean from their profile.

Have they been tagged? A real person is generally tagged here and there as part of the Facebook sharing experience.

4. Check out their friends. Are their friends global or local? The more local the friends, the more likely the person is to be real. The more global their friendship list, with very few or no local friends, start getting suspicious.

The lack of local friends suggests that this is not a real person you're dealing with but a fake account. This is often used by people pretending to be attractive young women. They will often contact you with a line like "I saw your picture and you looked nice."

5. Block the request. If you don't have a good feeling about somebody, there's a simple solution: don't just turn down the request for friendship, block them completely.

6. Create a "probationary period." If you're in the (not-so-great) habit of accepting friend requests from friends of friends' friends, or friend people because they seem to have similar tastes to yours in music, cooking, dancing, or whatever, then you leave yourself open to the occasional fake.

While you can make wonderful connections in this way, try to always have someone you do know vouch for this person first. And if that's not possible, be alert to signs of weird behavior, such as suddenly bombarding you with likes, comments, photos, etc. on a daily basis.

If you hardly know this person, they should be taking things slowly and politely, not invading your space immediately.

If, after a week or two, you're not comfortable with your new friend, unfriend them!

7. Beware interconnected faking. At one time it was probably reasonable to think that if someone had a group of friends interacting with them and vouching for each other, that that person must be real. Not anymore!

There are increasing cases of one person running numerous fake Facebook accounts, pretending to be an array of different people, all vouching for one another and all trying to be friends with someone real!

An excellent example is the case of Natalia Burgess, who wove a web of deceit and caused many young males to fall for her various aliases — all because she felt inadequately loved. Sadly, impostors of this sort go to incredible lengths to create an array of fake accounts including other social media accounts and websites to give the impression that their fake personas are "real".

8. Look for and record inconsistencies. If you're being targeted by an elaborate web of lies, eventually these start to unravel. This is most evident in someone who is trying to maintain several fake Facebook accounts at once and eventually, they will drop the ball and mix up their stories.

If you start noticing this in response to questions, or in their comments, take note and remain alert for more inconsistencies.

9. Do a double take if the person says anything weird or "out-of-character". For example: if an adult is pretending to be a teen, they may say something that dates them by referring to a historic event or person that teens wouldn't really know much about. Or they may prove to know way too much about a topic that someone they're claiming to be would not.

Take note of what the suspicious person says, as everyone slips up! No one is perfect, and they're bound to eventually say something that will give you a hint that your hunch is correct.

10. Be really wary of undying declarations of love, affection, and romance. If someone you've never met, who lives thousands of miles away from you, and who has barely revealed themselves gets amorous with you, be suspicious. Sometimes the faker does this because they love the feeling of playing with the life and feelings of someone else; sometimes it's because they're in love with online love but are too afraid to reveal their true selves (or they're in a relationship in real life); and other times it could be that they're after something, like money, sex, or drugs.

Question your own feelings and motivations if you start to feel something for a person who declares they love you online. Is it too sudden? Too weird? Too freaky? A little bit icky? Trust those feelings and delete this fake friend from your account.

If they ask you for sexy pictures, immediately be suspicious. A fake account is a good shill for getting free pornographic material that then gets passed around online.

11. Unfriend them! If you're suspicious, unsure, or uncomfortable with having them as part of your Facebook friends, pull the plug. It's not like they're your real friends or family, and they could cause you a lot of future problems.

Warn other friends of yours on Facebook if you know they have also friended the fake account; one of the tactics of an impostor is to befriend others in your circle of friends to try to make the friendship seem more "real".

12. Know why it is important to spot a fake account. First and foremost, somebody with a fake account is—almost by definition—a con artist. Unless you run with that crowd, you probably don't want them in your life.

While they may present themselves as a friend, or even a romantic interest, their sole purpose in friending you may be as harmless as a mind game, or they may be after much more, such as your money, goods and property.

The impostor might also be setting you up to steal your identity or valuable information from you that they can use to manipulate someone else.

13. Don't talk to strangers. At the least, think twice about accepting friend requests from people you don't know and who are not connected to you through legitimate, verifiable means. If you're not sure, do the following:

Ask them questions: What makes them want to be your friend? How did they find out about you? Who do you know in common? By clicking on their name, you can see if you have any mutual friends. If you do, contact your friend. If not—that's a big red flag.

Be careful what you put online and what you tell people you don't really know. Some people act very caring until they have enough information about you and then they turn around and blackmail you with it. If you don't know the person, no matter how friendly you've become in the online context, keep back your private details and keep everything very general.

Look for evidence of offline interaction with their Facebook friends. However, keep in mind that even this can be faked if they're running multiple Facebook accounts.

Remember, that while a person using a fake account could be after money, property, or personal information, they could also be after you. That is why it is extremely important for your physical safety to use discretion with who you choose to interact with.

Warnings

Keep an eye on your teens. Young people are the most vulnerable to building online relationships with people who don't exist. They fall in love with an image of the perfect person and the faker is happy to oblige for their own gratification or other reasons.

STARBOOKS: 10 years of Bringing Library-in-a-box to Communities

Much of today’s successful technologies had humble beginnings. In fact, these tech giants’ early beginnings were bereft of all the comforts of a fully furnished office. 

For instance, Google started out in a dorm at the Stanford University in California. Schoolmates Larry Page and Sergey Brin, despite their clashing ideas, developed its search algorithm called “BackRub” in 1996. 

From their dorm room, they built the BackRub as links that determine the importance of individual pages on the World Wide Web. As its popularity grew among the Silicon Valley investors, funds came flowing in, and saw themselves raking in millions of investments that turned their start-up company into a billion-dollar business. BackRub, a play on the mathematical expression for the number 1 then followed by 100 zeros, became the unbeatable internet search engine. 

Similarly, James Dyson, the inventor of Dyson vacuum cleaners launched his product after 5,127 iterations that were created over a period of five years in his garage.

Today, Google and Dyson earn hundreds of billions of dollars from what was once a backyard side project. 

Although not all ideas could be a billion-dollar technology, but a simple idea could just be the solution that the world is looking for.

In the same manner, STARBOOKS or the Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosks, a mere side project of the Department of Science and Technology- Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII), was not conceptualized from a garage nor from a dorm room but had its share of plain and unassuming beginnings. 

Known in its inception as an offline science library-in-a-box, STARBOOKS contains thousands of digital resources on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that are easily retrievable. 

From a small offline kiosk standing in one corner of the DOST-STII library in Bicutan, STARBOOKS became an overnight sensation among the government initiatives that is touted to boost the country’s stock on STEM.   

Early beginnings

STARBOOKS was the brainchild of former DOST Assistant Secretary and DOST-STII officer-in-charge Raymund E. Liboro, now the current commissioner of the National Privacy Commission. 

He noticed that only few people were going to libraries nowadays. “STARBOOKS could just be the simple solution that we need in raising the level of our aptitude in science and mathematics,” Liboro said in one of his interviews. 

This skunk work project was originally designed to be an offline-onsite S&T library information and resources tool. Its name was coined as a wordplay on the famous coffee beverage store, where a user can take his/her coffee while reading through different magazines. 

In a simple launch in 24 June 2011, at the lobby of DOST-STII, then DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo proudly described it as “(STARBOOKS) shall serve as our humble contribution to the world of education and science.”

During its earlier years, STARBOOKS had only few first adopters, one of which was DOST Regional Office IX that got a fund to roll it out in the region. 

STARBOOKS made the public debut during the 2011 Regional Invention Contests and Exhibits in Davao City as one of the highlighted technologies during the weeklong invention contest.

It was in the succeeding year that STARBOOKS had its first mass deployment in Region VIII through a partnership brokered by DOST Regional Office VIII and the Department of Education Leyte Division under the project titled “Piloting of STARBOOKS in Selected Schools in Leyte”.  The project benefitted 44 public schools in the province.

The novelty of STARBOOKS was its selling point. In 2014, all regions of the country had its own STARBOOKS installed in various provinces, as Liboro explained it “Library system as a platform is evolving. Digital is the way to go.” Soon, more digital library resources were added to the STARBOOKS system and its network had grown as many organizations in both private and public sectors opened their resources to STARBOOKS users.

Local and international recognition

The rollout was met with warm reception both from the government and private sectors as local government units recognized its impact to the students where several schools in the provinces and in remote areas lacked books and other learning resources. 

It was not that long that several organizations took notice of STARBOOKS. 

Following Typhoon Yolanda’s devastation in 2013, STARBOOKS gave everyone a glimmer of hope when it was presented at the World Library and Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Lyon, France.

 

The presentation centered on STARBOOKS installation in public schools devastated by the typhoon as part of the government’s Building Back Better relief initiative. Prior to Typhoon Yolanda, DOST Region VIII bankrolled STARBOOKS in the region. Unfortunately, most of the units installed there were washed out by the typhoon and deemed unserviceable. 

The following year, STARBOOKS received the Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects from the American Library Association (ALA) at the San Francisco Public Library in the United States for “making science and technology materials available to the general public in remote areas that have few information resources, no libraries and little or no Internet connectivity.”  

These recognitions affirmed STARBOOKS groundbreaking contribution in educating the marginalized and underserved sector of society. 

ALA is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization for librarians. It has played an active role in promoting access to information, opposing censorships and championing the libraries and librarians. 

Back home, it was awarded the Outstanding Library Program for 2015 by the Philippine Association of Academic and Research Librarians (PAARL) during their 43rd Annual General Assembly.

After several deployments of the offline kiosks, DOST-STII leveled up and developed the online version to keep in step with the changing demand. This innovation improved its monitoring mechanism and made it easier to upgrade the content in each kiosk.

As the years went by, more awards and recognitions came to STARBOOKS. 

In 2017, STARBOOKS bagged two Anvils namely the Silver Anvil for Public Relations Tool and the Gold Anvil for Public Relations Program. Moreover, STARBOOKS made it to the final round as among top three entries (out of 402) that vied for the Grand Anvil. The Anvil Awards of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines is the most prestigious award-giving body in the field of public relations. 

That same year, STARBOOKS became a finalist in the 2017 Government Best Practice Recognition by the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Also, in recognition as the first science and technology library-in-a-box that works offline, the Presidential Communications Operations Office recognized STARBOOKS with the FOI Special Award at the Freedom of Information Summit on 12 December 2019.

Recently, STARBOOKS was honored as “Excellence in Government Communication Programs” in the 18th Philippine Quill Awards. The Awards commended its impact in bringing knowledge on science, mathematics, and technical fields directly to the people, especially to students in economically-challenged schools and communities. 

International cooperation

Four years had passed and STARBOOKS was no longer a secret among select beneficiaries as it received the admiration of international organizations as an innovative tool for S&T learning.

The US Peace Corps in 2015 visited STARBOOKS to learn more about this innovation. Volunteer Ji Yusi from Chengdu, China praised STARBOOKS for its user-friendly interface and the vast collection of information and available videos. Ji was surprised to see how STARBOOKS was able to integrate a library system into a standalone kiosk that was unheard of in her hometown. “We are learning from your experience,” Ji added. 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Karr, a Peace Corps librarian described it as cutting-edge and advance as database resources are expensive to build and maintain.    

Moreover, STARBOOKS was also invited to the Annual Kuala Lumpur Engineering and Science Fair (KLESF) in MINES International Exhibition and Convention Center at MINES Resort in Selangor, Malaysia as one of the Philippines’ exhibitors.

1000th STARBOOKS

From its initial run in 2011, STARBOOKS had its 1,000th site installation in 2016 in Calauan, a second-class municipality in the province of Laguna. This milestone also marked the launch of Super STARBOOKS, a much-needed product upgrade.

Dayap National High School was the first to have the Super STARBOOKS marking the shift to upgraded contents and terminals for additional users. It now provides students, 

researchers, and S&T aficionados with thousands of free S&T related materials in text, audio, and video formats. Among these were K-12 interactive courseware on mathematics and science developed by the DOST’s Science Education Institute, livelihood videos dubbed as “TamangDOSTkarte” that provides parents and entrepreneurial students a thing or two about various livelihood opportunities within their sphere of interest, and other engaging videos.

As the new DOST secretary, Prof. Fortunato T. de la Peña shared how the Science Department “strives to cut boundaries so we can reach those who are in need of our services and assistance, alleviate poverty, and expand our local industries.”

Several innovations were also introduced as the offline system rebooted with a new and improved interface design and additional contents. Moreover, the solar-powered STARBOOKS was also introduced in Patong Elementary School in Barangay Malibago, Cateel, Davao Oriental thus breaking through infrastructure barriers.  

At present, with the prevailing pandemic that has changed the work landscape, DOST-STII and STARBOOKS saw another opportunity -- the need to develop mobile applications, engaging websites, and alternative ways of engaging the public and various stakeholders. 

As a result, it was able to nimbly pivot to the demands and challenges of the ‘new normal’ by adding new and exciting mobile apps.

Last year, two mobile applications were launched -- the STARBOOKS Quiz Mobile App and the STARBOOKS Online App. It also produced four informational videos to provide additional information on STARBOOKS.

On its 10th year, with the theme STARBOOKS@10’To!, STARBOOKS is not slowing down nor resting on its laurels. It has set its eyes on a grand vision with plans that are already in store for the public. In the age of Artificial Intelligence and autonomous technologies, the public is assured that STARBOOKS will continue to outdo and reinvent itself and remain relevant for the next 10, 20 years or more. 

by Joy M. Lazcano, DOST-STII

UNITED CITY FC SECURES MAJOR JERSEY PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLIANZ ADDS REGIONAL FOOTBALL POWERHOUSE TO ITS IMPRESSIVE PARTNERSHIP PORTFOLIO

22 June 2021 - Manila, Philippines: United City Football Club (UCFC) proudly announces its jersey partner for the upcoming AFC Champions League and the 2021 Philippine Football League (PFL).

"We are proud to announce this ground-breaking partnership with Allianz for our Club. Not only were we able to bring such a leading global brand with a strong reputation to engage in long-term sports partnerships but also because it shows that football partnerships are possible in the Philippines – even amidst a global pandemic," states Eric M. Gottschalk, President, and Co-founder of United City Football Club.

"Football has been steadily on the rise in the country, and having Allianz support our Club might be just the attention-getter for other brands to support local and regional football."

Allianz is best known for its global stadium naming rights and Club partnership with FC Bayern as well as Juventus Turin. Still, its involvement in sports goes well beyond just football when it is set to become the Worldwide Olympic

Insurance Partner following the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Locally, Allianz PNB Life has made waves with its sustainable transport initiatives via its Allianz Ride Safe campaign. The campaign aims to promote

health and sustainable transport by building a culture of cycling among Filipinos.

In November 2020, the campaign kicked of in the City of San Juan with Mayor Zamora via the launch of the country's first solar- powered bike pitstop and repair station, as well as the donation of bollards for the city's bike lanes.

Last May 2021, Ride Safe was brought to the City of Manila with the donation of artistically designed bike racks that provide form as well as function since bikers can safely park and lock their bikes on these structures. Ride Safe will soon be brought to other parts of the country as well.

"I would like to personally thank Alexander Grenz, President of Allianz PNB Life and his team led by Mr. Gino Riola, Allianz PNB Life's Chief Marketing Officer, for their shared vision for football in the Philippines. We look forward to delivering a strong partnership across all of our platforms for the mutual benefts of all parties", states Eric M. Gottschalk.

"Allianz aims to be an Insurer of Sport, and we have long-standing partnerships with football clubs and stadiums all over the world. We are very excited to extend that tradition to the Philippines by being the official shirt sponsors of United City Football Club, a team we are certain will capture the hearts and minds of fans in the country and the Asian region," states Alexander Grenz, President of Allianz PNB Allianz will receive prominent branding space on the home and away kits of UCFC for the limited- edition AFC Champions League kits as well as the fan-designed PFL uniforms, while the Allianz brand will also be shown on all replica

merchandise shirts.

ABOUT UCFC: United City Football Club (UCFC) is a Filipino Professional Football Club that aims to promote and encourage equality and diversity throug hfootball. It is a member of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the professional level of men's club football in the Philippines.

The Club is the 4x defending national champion in the PFL and the first Philippine team to compete in the AFC Champions League from 26 June to 11 July 2021. The Club stands to help re-invigorate young athletes, families, and the local community at large through discipline, hard work, and passion. Their ambition is to be the best of the best in Asia - be it on the football held or within the community - and to provide equal opportunities for the next generation of young talent in their pursuit for sporting & educational excellence through football.

The Club recently announced its move to Pampangga, where it plans to set up its youth academy and build its football stadium in Clark City. As part of the move, United City FC will be re-named to United Clark FC by the end of 2021.

The 3rd Annual CEO Virtual Summit is coming this August 2021!

3rd Annual CEO Virtual Summit 2021 is a 3-day virtual conference happening on August 25 to 27, 2021, from 9:00am'til 4:00pm

The Summit spotlight is “Coming Out of the Global Battle Stronger” and it will focus on insights and challenges the economy is facing right now, applying technological advancements in selected industries.

The 4-point Agenda are:

• Government Regulatory
• Post-Pandemic Leadership
• Fueling Innovation
• Global Competitiveness

The summit extends over three days and reaching over 80,000+ Business Leaders and C-Level Executives and Companies all throughout APAC and gathers world-class executives and successful entrepreneurs to develop principled, innovative leaders, and to generate ideas that advance management practice in an environment designed to foster peer-to-peer interaction with 30+ Industry expert speakers and expecting 1,000+ delegates.

The virtual summit is designed for C-Level Executives and Industry Leaders, Policy Makers and Regulators, CEO, CFO, COO, Managing Director, General Manager, Business Unit Heads, Ecommerce Companies, Government Sectors, Technology Leaders & Entrepreneurs, Fintech Companies, Local Conglomerates, Logistics and Supply Chain Leaders, and Fortune 500 Companies.

In these trying times, it is important to come together and continue to support the business community. The three-day event will be held online so participants can conveniently participate from anywhere they have access to a computer and the internet.

Join now on an online conference as they talk about the most pressing challenges and questions today in the business industry.

Visit here to register: 3rd CEO SUMMIT 2021

BCI ASIA AWARDS PHILIPPINES PROMOTES BUILD, BACK, BETTER CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY

As the construction industry slowly focuses on recovery, the event networking and event experience has shifted to virtual platforms. The wave of virtual is strong and all the stakeholders are ready to withstand the pandemic together with the digital tools and technologies.

The annual BCI Asia Awards will have its special virtual events on 17th and 18th June 2021 to celebrate resilience and acknowledge accomplishments amid the challenges in these uncertain times.

Schedule of Events
Top 10 Technology Hub
Technology and Product Presentations
Time: 2:00PM-4:00PM (1:45PM Standby/Pre-Program)
2:05PM Schueco
John Edward Cookson, Technical Director SEA System Solutions for Iconic Facades
2:45PM Boysen Paints
Engr. Kim Andrew Tampo, Technical Service Engineer
Creative Renovation Solutions
3:15PM Technal Manuel Rebollar Ferrer, Technical Manager SEAPAC Innovative Aluminum Solutions

Top 10 Architects and Developers 2020/2021
Partners Assembly and Recognition
Time: 1:15PM-5:00PM (1:00PM Standby/Pre-Program)
Hear insights regarding Build, Back, Better Philippine Construction Recovery Strategies and
Opportunities from:
• Hon. Vice President Leni Robredo
• Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines Dir. Jeremy Marquez
• DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez and Select Directors
• NEDA/BCDA: Presidential Adviser on Flagship Programs and Projects Sec. Vince Dizon
vent Zoom Link to Share to Interested Team Members (Limited slots only) 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89618346999? pwd=SHpJTXAzbHJ0dHdDdjZRbGhYMnNydz09
Meeting ID: 896 1834 6999
Passcode: 033759

June 17 - Technology Hub
1:45PM Standby/Pre-Program
2:00PM Program Proper
June 18 - Partners Assembly & Recognition
1:00PM Standby/Pre-Program
1:15PM Program Proper
Instructions for the Main Spokesperson Only
▪ Please rename your zoom account name using this format:
o 1 COMPANY, Name
o 1 BCI Karlo Calleja
▪ If the Main Spokesperson will not log in before the start of the program, a coordinator should
have this format:
o 2 COMPANY, Name
▪ A BCI Coordinator will send a private message when to turn on the cam and mic/audio for the
Live Conversation with the Host, 2-3mins max
▪ After the group’s last awardee (WTA / VISTA LAND), please standby for the gallery view
(group presentation), make sure camera is on but mic/audio is on mute, all through out.
Instructions for Team Members and General Attendees
▪ Please rename your zoom account name using this format: Company, Name
▪ Make sure to turn off mic/audio all through out
▪ Make sure to turn on cam only when requested

Official Hashtags: #BCIAAPH2021 #BuildBackBetterPH

Thank you all for the support and look forward to seeing you all online. Stay safe!

PhilippinesTruth To ActionSTATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF CEBU GOVERNOR GWEN GARCIA AND HER COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES

An Appeal to the Tens of Thousands of Readers of This Website

Late this afternoon, 14 June 2021, the President of the Philippines demanded “Cebu must follow IATF protocols on arriving passengers”.[1]  In the past weeks, as detailed by this article, there has been tension between the IATF and the Province of Cebu regarding what safety procedures to follow in the case of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) arriving in the Philippines. 

From all that we have published and written in this website for over a year, it is our conclusion that Governor Gwen Garcia in Cebu has a better understanding than the IATF regarding the nature of the COVID-19 challenge and what to do with it. From this it follows that Gov. Gwen Garcia has implemented and is implementing more meaningful procedures than the IATF to deal with the disease. 

We have covered the Cebu experience in this website. We will not detail this experience here as all can access the necessary information at https://covidcalltohumanity.org. 

What is important at this point is not the science that supports the COVID-19 response of Gov. Garcia. Rather, we are deeply concerned with the creeping totalitarianism that is in full display in this current case. As it stands, the government lockdowns are violating 38 provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.[2]

The suppression of Cebu’s policies by the national government is BLATANTLY ILLEGAL and should be condemned as such by the general public. If we let this pass without expressing our dissent, then this dictatorial style of governancewill invade every facet of our lives and freedoms. 

Section 105 of the Local Government Code (LGC) clearly specifies that the Department of Health, under the directive of the President, can only demand compliance for a cumulative period of six months. We are way pass that prescriptive period of six months. We are now 14 months into various forms of lockdowns throughout the country. To continue dictating procedures on LGUs beyond 6 months would require the consent of the LGU concerned. 

By the way, this section assumes that we have a real national health emergency. But we do not have health emergency. I have continuously point this out in this website.[3]

Gov. Garcia is fully aware of Section 105 of the LGC.[4] On the basis of this law, she crafted the province’s innovative COVID-19 response policy that the IATF is now questioning. Now, in cases of such a conflict, the law, Section 5 of the LGC, Rules of Interpretation, clearly supports the position of Gov. Garcia. 

“(a) Any provision on a power of a local government unit shall be liberally interpreted in its favor, and in case of doubt, any question thereon shall be resolved in favor of devolution of powers and of the lower local government unit. Any fair and reasonable doubt as to the existence of the power shall be interpreted in favor of the local government unit concerned;” [Emphasis added.]

So we strongly demand that the national government respects the rule of law in this country. We cannot afford another authoritarian unscientific style of governance that has already effectively destroyed the middle class, wiped out millions of jobs, forced the economy into recession, worsened the plight of those already in poverty, punished millions of children and young Filipinos by closing schools, plunged thousands into depression, jacked up the suicide rate of this country to 26% in 2020, and is now killing and harming tens of thousands of Filipinos with dangerous experimental vaccines.  

Gising Na! National government, do not interfere with Governor Gwen Garcia. Allow her to manage her province the way she sees fit. After all, her style is consultative, scientific, compassionate, balanced, nuanced, effective and has already produced more health, economic, and social benefits than all the mostly failed IATF policies. 

And for Governor Garcia herself, we encourage you to stick with these powerful inspiring words of yours: 

‘Instead of going back to that repressive quarantine for our returning Filipinos and OFWs, in line with their whole-of-nation approach, I take a position as a governor of the Province of Cebu.[5] …. Don’t mess with us.  We can take care of ourselves. I will not and never again accept lockdown. I will fight for Cebu and the Cebuanos because Cebu is moving on and moving forward.”[6]

Giving this brazen and totally illegal attempt by national government to force Gov. Garcia into submission, we at Covid Call to Humanity encourage all our readers to express their support for Governor Gwen Garcia and her team. We urge you to share this statement of support with all your friends and networks as well as in all your social media accounts. Let millions know about this naked display of raw power and condemn it.

The fate of Governor Garcia is intimately tied with our fate. Her suppression will be our suppression. Her vindication will ultimately bring us closer to the day when this country’s senseless lockdowns will come to a grinding halt and our full freedoms will  be restored with great joy to all!

In behalf our Covid Website team,

Nicanor Perlas

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher

Covid Call to Humanity