Who wants to be a billionaire?

My column in Mindanao Daily - the Mindanao wide circulated publication

Some people have money to burn! Every time, I observe them, I feel that their money is going down their drain. Yes, "money talks". The more money you have, the more you might become avaricious. Every time, we have to dig deeper into our pockets, we might longing to be like those people, who don't see the difference between a 500 or 1,000 bill.

On the other hand, the number of billionaires worldwide rises rapidly.

Last year saw the rise of some 200 additional billionaires who contributed to boosting the collective wealth of the super rich. A fresh report -just on my desk- showed that growth was led by the world's second-largest economy, China.

    

The number of billionaires rose to 2,158 in 2017, Swiss banking giant UBS and consultancy PwC said in a report last Friday (October 26, 2018). It showed that a total of 199 new billionaires were created over the year globally.

Their collective wealth increased by 19 percent to the staggering total of $8.9 trillion (€7.83 trillion), led by growth in China.

Nearly a third of the new billionaires gained their wealth through some form of innovation, while the rest did so by scaling up businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, the report noted.

According to the Billionaires Insight Report, "China's billionaire entrepreneurs are leading their country's economic transformation, and by extension that of the rest of Asia."

It added that over little more than a decade, they had created some of the world's largest companies, raised living standards and made fortunes at an unprecedented pace.

UBS and PwC emphasized that there were already more billionaires in Asia than in the United States, and they were on course to be wealthier than their US peers within three years.

"A new cohort of Chinese entrepreneurs is challenging Silicon Valley amid rising tensions over trade and intellectual property," the survey argued. "They are developing new business models, moving rapidly between sectors."

"Ongoing urbanization and productivity growth would help the young entrepreneurs at the forefront of China's wealth creation continue to reach the ranks of the billionaires in the coming years," the report concluded.

Yes, money can give you a wonderful sleep, and you might stay in one of the most luxurious beds - but being awake, while your poorest neighbor sleeps better and more peaceful on the floor. There are many sayings about money. I like this one: Money can buy books but not brains. You might study a lot and get a lot of experiences; it's just a pity, if you don't use them at the right time for the right people in your surroundings.

'YUTU' weakens ...

Gillan Ropero, ABS-CBN News

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MANILA - Typhoon Yutu weakened on Thursday evening as it continues to approach the Philippine area of responsibility.

PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said the typhoon was last spotted 2,230 kilometers east of Central Luzon (outside PAR) as of 8 p.m.

It is now packing maximum sustained winds of 185 km per hour from 210 kph at 4 p.m, and gusts of up to 225 kph from 260 kph.

The typhoon, which will be named Rosita, is forecast to enter PAR by Saturday morning if it continues to move west at 15 kph.

According to ABS-CBN resident meteorologist Nilo Millanes, Yutu is considered as a "violent typhoon" by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

A violent typhoon is the highest category on the agency’s scale, with its strength of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of 305 kph 

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), meanwhile, categorized Yutu as a supertyphoon, with a strength of 270 kph and gusts reaching up to 325 kph.

Track of Typhoon Yutu. PAGASA

Yutu slammed into US Western Pacific territories on Wednesday. It was the second major typhoon to hit the islands after Mangkhut struck in September, bringing strong winds and rains that caused damage in Hong Kong and Macau and triggered landslides that killed dozens in the Philippines.

Millanes said the probability of the typhoon to make landfall in Northern Cagayan, Philippines is low as of posting time due to the wide spread in the forecast tracks after the 72-hour forecast time.

Having a mistaken impression

HAVING A MISTAKEN IMPRESSION

A mistaken belief accompanies each and every one of us daily. Incorrect decisions and wrong doings are part of our daily life.

It is almost a ridiculous fact that man wants to know certain truths about mundane things. But really he seems least interested in even mundane truths as can be read many times in newspapers for example. There seem to be too much rash judgments, and the readers absorb these and make these their own. A fatal attraction!

This is sometimes referred too as journalistic mentality wherein accusations are generously made without proof. Evolution started this trend, when scientists stated for example that man evolved from the apes, without proof. The only proof they had was the missing link, and if I am not mistaken, it's still a missing proof until now.

To look for proofs is a mental activity, which is no longer a common thing nowadays, because it takes really time, effort and is too serious to think about. Yet in Christian education, thinking right is very important.That's why Philosophy is important in Christian life. To avoid error in thinking, the rules of right reasoning must be studied and mastered. It is really totally neglected in today's modern education?

Thinking is actually an enjoyable activity but when one is pressured to get a good job for one's sustenance, then the other more mundane become attractive. After all, great thinkers many time do not get (good?) jobs... .

Spiritual writers like the British Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) noticed that mankind had stopped thinking even two centuries ago. That was during his age. Man probably stopped thinking even earlier. He has ceased many times to search for the truth. It's easier to listen to gossip and believe in it. What a sign of weak minds!

Too often are we blind to the truth and as a consequence we easily believe in lies we only have to like it. Too bad, if people always like to close their eyes and ears especially while experiencing the delusion of error.

Ballet Manila sets sail on a pirate adventure with 'Le Corsaire'

By: Anjie Ureta, ABS CBN

The Pasha and his Odalisques are among the many colorful characters in 'Le Corsaire.' Handout

MANILA -- For its 23rd performance season, Ballet Manila brings back one of the world’s most breathtaking ballet productions, "Le Corsaire," which goes onstage for one weekend only – at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 20, and at 3 p.m. on October 21 at the Aliw Theater.

“Amongst ourselves, we often joke about 'Le Corsaire' being a ‘full-length pirate adventure on pointes’ simply because that is exactly what it is — the thrilling escapade of a dashing pirate whose romance with a beautiful harem girl unfolds amidst a backdrop of sword fights and shipwrecks, abduction and conspiracy, passion and betrayal -- all highlighted by an impressive array of some the most dazzling choreographic centerpieces ever assembled in a full-length production,” BM artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde says.

Macuja-Elizalde reveals that it has been five years since Ballet Manila last staged "Le Corsaire" because of its highly challenging production and artistic demands. 

But they also found it to be the perfect ballet to showcase two prize-winning jewels in the BM crown: Katherine Barkman, who recently won back-to-back silver medals from two of the world’s most prestigious international ballet competitions, the USA IBC in Jackson and the Varna IBC in Bulgaria; and Nicole Barroso, who made it to the finals of the USA IBC and came home with a Jury Encouragement Award.

Katherine Barkman debuts as Medora partnered by Joseph Phillips as the pirate Conrad. Handout

The opening gala of "Le Corsaire" will also serve as the farewell performance Barkman, who has recently signed up with The Washington Ballet, following a personal invitation from the company’s artistic director, Julie Kent. 

The 21-year-old American ballerina moved to the Philippines in 2015 to join Ballet Manila as the company’s youngest principal dancer. Under the guidance of Macuja-Elizalde herself, Barkman has since performed every major female role in the classical ballet repertoire, closing the loop with her upcoming debut as Medora.

“We will miss her terribly but we know that she has made the right decision, moving forward and opening herself to new adventures that can only enrich and embolden her as a dancer and as a person. We are happy to have been part of her artistic journey and would like to send her off with our very best wishes. We are extremely proud of her. She will always be part of the BM family,”
Macuja-Elizalde says.

For the Saturday gala, Barkman will be dancing with guest principal Joseph Phillips as Conrad. Newly promoted soloist Barroso makes her debut as Gulnara, joining the all-star cast that includes BM principals Gerard Francisco as Ali, Elpidio Magat as Lankadem, and Romeo Peralta as Birbanto.

Gerardo Franciso reprises his award-winning role as Ali. Handout

Meanwhile, an equally stellar line-up awaits Sunday matinee audiences, led by principals Abigail Oliveiro (Medora) and Rudy de Dios (Lankadem), with soloists Mark Sumaylo (Conrad), Pia Dames (Gulnara), and Rudolph Capongcol (Ali), and company artists Godwin Merano (Birbanto) and John de Dios (Ali).

“One unique attribute of 'Le Corsaire' is that allows many more dancers to shine and to familiarize themselves with this incredibly difficult, yet exhilarating two-hour spectacle,” explains Macuja-Elizalde. 

“While the storyline is pretty straightforward, it is actually a highly demanding ballet where the principal characters are challenged to display pyrotechnics at every turn. They share the limelight in several grand pas de deux, pas de trois, and extremely demanding solo variations. Moreover, it’s one of the few male-centered ballets that provide danseurs ample opportunity to show off their technique and strength in fierce choreographic duels onstage!”

Power of a nap

If ever there is a chance, I take a nap. Five minutes, maybe ten. Without it, I would be giddy, grumpy, or both.

Spencer, a neuro-scientist focusing on sleep at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, wanted to investigate the science behind this anecdotal experience. “The observation of a lot of people is that a napless kid is emotionally dysregulated,” she says. “So that spurred us to ask this question of, ‘Do naps actually do something to process emotions?’”

Research has already shown that, in general, sleep helps us make sense of emotions. Sleep plays a key role in encoding information based on experiences from the day, making sleep critical for preserving memories. And emotional memories are unique because of the way they activate the amygdala, the brain’s emotional core.

“Amygdala activation is what allows your wedding day and the funeral of your parents to be a day better remembered, more than just any other day of work,” Spencer says.

The amygdala tags these memories as significant, so that during sleep they’re processed for longer and reiterated more than more trivial memories. The upshot is that the memories of emotional significance become easier to retrieve in the future.

As we could learn from a BBC-report researchers are learning that even a nap can improve how we process emotional experiences. At sleep labs like this one, researchers are learning that even a nap can improve how we process emotional experiences.

Ultimately, the best prescription for a broken heart or a clouded mind may be having a kip. Five minutes "nalang" ...

LTFRB approves 10 Pesos minimum jeepney fare

ByL (philstar.com) - October 17, 2018 - 5:14pm

MANILA, Philippines — The minimum fare for jeepneys will be P10 starting in November, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

The LTFRB has approved the petition by transport groups for an increase of fare for public untility jeepneys in the National Capital Region, as well as in Central Luzon and in the Southern Tagalog.

The decision issued by the LTFRB granted the fare increase "to make permanent the provisional increase of ONE PESO granted on 06 July 2018 and an additional ONE PESO for the first four kilometers or a minimum fare of TEN PESOS from the original fare of EIGHT PESOS."

In July, the LTFRB granted the P1 provisional fare increase for jeepneys in Metro Manila and adjoining regions, making the minimum fare for jeepneys P9.

Transport groups have been asking for a P2 hike in the base fare of jeepneys.

The LTFRB, however, denied the groups' request for a P1 increase for every succeeding kilometer after the first four kilometers due to lack of factual and reasonable basis.

The approval of the fare hike came after a September petition filed by the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization, Land Transportation Organization of the Philippines, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines and Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburb Drivers Asso. Nationwide, Inc.

LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III and board member Ronaldo Corpus signed the decision while board member Aileen Lourdes Lizada dissented. — Patricia Lourdes Viray

Global competitiveness report: Philippines ranks 56th!

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By: Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines ranked 56th out of 140 countries in the latest Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum.

WEF’s Global Competitiveness Index 2018 released by partner institute Makati Business Club (MBC) to the media yesterday showed the Philippines as the fifth most competitive economy in Southeast Asia.

Within the region, the Philippines was behind neighbors Singapore (second), Malaysia (25th), Thailand (38th) and Indonesia (45th), but ahead of Brunei Darussalam (62nd), Vietnam (77th), Cambodia (110th) and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (112th).

The US topped this year’s WEF Global Competitiveness Report. Singapore was in second place, with Germany in third spot. Chad, meanwhile, was the bottom-dweller, at 140th spot. 

For the rankings, the report looked at 12 pillars: institutions, infrastructure, information and communication technology adoption, macroeconomic stability, health, education and skills, product market, labor market, financial system, market size, business dynamism and innovation capability.

Of the 12 pillars, the Philippines was strong in market size (32nd), labor market (36th), financial system (39th) and business dynamism (39th).

Business dynamism includes the time to start a business as well as the cost of starting a business and insolvency rates.

“While the time and cost of starting a business remain as problematic factors for the business community, it is worthy to note that the Philippines ranks high in e-participation or the use of online platforms to link government information to citizens,” MBC chairman Edgar Chua said.

“With the recently passed Ease of Doing Business Act, we remain optimistic that the government will be able to sustain these gains and address the concerns of efficiency in doing business,” he added.

Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act, which was signed into law by President Duterte in May, provides a required number of days for processing government transactions to address bureaucratic red tape.

Meanwhile, the country was weak in institutions (101st), health (101st) and infrastructure (92nd).

Under the institutions pillar, critical indicators where the Philippines ranked poorly include terrorism incidence, homicide rate, organized crime and reliability of police services.

In infrastructure, the Philippines had low rankings in road connectivity, exposure to unsafe drinking water, efficiency of train services and electrification rate.

“While we continuously build on our strong pillars, it is equally important to address our weak spots. The business community remains committed to work with the government to address these gaps, especially in our weakest links in ease of doing business, corruption incidence and infrastructure, particularly in road connectivity,” Chua said.

As the WEF transitioned to a new index for this year’s report, the rankings are not comparable with previous reports.

This year’s report focused on what a country should prioritize, whether a country is making progress over time and what a country can learn from high-performers.

Hunger

My column in BusinessWeek Mindanao

Global hunger relief back-tracking, especially in war zones.

World efforts to lower hunger to zero by 2030 are being negated by warfare and climate change, warn nutritionists. Their latest global index categorizes 51 nations, mainly in Asia and Africa, where hunger is alarming.

It's hard for me and my family to believe and understand  that millions of people worldwide are dying because of hunger. What a crazy world.

    

Germany's Welthungerhilfe (World Hunger Relief) aid organization published the Global Hunger Index (GHI) in Berlin Thursday, warning that gains made since 2000 have gone into reverse, with 821 million people, many of them children, undernourished.

Zero hunger by 2030 is one of 17 UN-agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Data from 119 countries, including child stunting, was used to calculate the placing of each nation on the GHI scale.

"Without political solutions the battle [against hunger] will not be won," Welthungerhilfe President Bärbel Dieckmann said, adding that the African Union, the UN and the EU were primarily responsible, not non-governmental organizations.

One of the most known reasons of hunger: land losses threaten indigenous communities. Data on undernourishment, child wasting, stunting and mortality, which last decade showed average improvements, began receding early last year.

Warfare as well climate change are the key factors.

"And this is mainly due to war zones: where there are armed conflicts and some areas that are suffering massively from the consequences of climate change.

Yes, it's painful to accept reality, but hunger double in war zones.

Hunger was twice as prevalent in war-torn countries. Drought in eastern Africa, once at 10-yearly intervals, now struck every two years. Corruption and poor governance were also factors.

Worst-placed on the GHI hunger severity index was as we could learn in today's news (October 12, 2018) the Central African Republic - where inter-militia conflict lingers despite a French-led UN intervention - followed by Madagascar, Chad, Zambia and war-torn Yemen.

Sixteen nations exhibiting no improvements and even regressive trends were identified in the data sets from 2016 and 2017 analyzed by the International Food Policy Research Institute, the Irish entity Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, which is based in Bonn alongside numerous UN agencies including its climate secretariat.

Strong improvements in tackling hunger were, however, recorded in Angola, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Myanmar, said the authors of the GHI report.

Child mortality and undernourishment due to insufficient calorific intake prevailed in Africa south of the Sahara. South Asia exhibited stunting and wasting among children under five, in part due to  lack of essential vitamins and minerals, the report concluded. 

Gerd Müller, federal development aid minister and Bavarian conservative in Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet, the resurgence in world hunger was a "scandal because our planet has the potential to feed all people." Yes, the German minister is very much right. I strongly agree. It's indeed a scandal.

The Honorary Consulate of Hungary in Davao opens

By

 Kennet Irvin Ong

 -EDGEDAVAO-

Suddenly, Durianburg is closer to the world with the establishment of the Honorary Consulate of Hungary in Davao in a simple reception last October 12 at the function room of Verdon Parc.

The third Honorary Consulate of Hungary of the Philippines after the establishment of Honorary Consulates in Angeles and Cebu, the new office provides a live local connection between Hungary and the Mindanao region of the Philippines. The establishment of the new Honorary Consulate is part of  The Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines thrust to be closer to the Filipino. Reopened in March 2017, The Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines is bridging a gap of more than 21 years since the closing of the Embassy back in 1995.

Appointed as the new Honorary Consul of Hungary is businesswoman, advocate, mentor, and tourism advocate Mary Ann “Baby” Montemayor.  Well known in local circles, Baby holds several managing director positions in hospitality and tourism industry, supports local and regional arts and crafts, mentors indigenous initiatives and eagerly participates in the bustling business and tourism activities of Davao.

Officiating the ceremony was Ambassador to of Hungary to the Philippines H.E. Ambassador Dr. József Bencze, who previously served as Ambassador of Hungary to Skopje, Macedonia between 2011-2016 and was Hungary’s National Chief of Police between 2007-2010. Ambassador Bencze presented his credentials to President Rodrigo Duterte on 6 December 2016.

In attendance were members of the diplomatic corps including Hon. Li Lin of China, Hon. Endah Yuliarti Farry of Indonesia, Hon. Maria Lourdes Monteverde of Mexico, Hon. Guilbert Go of the Czech Republic, Hon. Klaus Doring of Germany, Hon. Joji Ilagan-Bian of Bangladesh, Hon. Vicente Lao of New Zealand, and Mr. Ariel Decena representing the honorary consul of South Korea; business leaders; friends from the tourism industry; as well as members of the local government unit with Assistant City Administrator Atty. Tristan Dwight Domingo representing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

A toast to warmer Hungary-Philippine relationships and congratulations!

Mary Ann Montemayor: Honorary Consul of Hungary in Mindanao