Boracay Reborn

By Philippine Star

Another one of the country’s beautiful paradises, Siargao, was recently named “Best Island in Asia” by Conde Nast 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards. Though its popularity is sure to surge thanks to this lofty endorsement, one island remains to be a sentimental favorite – Boracay.

With its reopening, beach-goers and sun-worshippers are waiting with bated breath, curious about what’s in store in the new chapter of the island's life. 

Known for its glorious stretches of soft, baby-powder white sand and crisp, cool waters, with a night life that would rival the party scenes of Ibiza, Boracay has come to be known as a true island paradise. It’s a destination fit for everyone, for the children who frolic its beaches to the young singles ready to mingle, and the retirees who have found bliss sipping whisky or mojito by the seaside.  

But over time, with the rise of its popularity, Boracay — though still beautiful — had started to show signs of abuse. It was on April 26 when President Rodrigo Duterte ordered full closure of the island for its complete and immediate rehabilitation. 

Tasked to lead the preservation program is Mark Villar, secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who mandated the demolition of structures that sit within the 30-meter easement from the shoreline.

He led the laying down of drainage pipes, sewerage systems and road widening projects to ease the traffic and congestion which had become a growing burden on tourists and locals. One of DPWH’s key rehabilitation works is the Circumferential Road, which has been built to be 12-meters wide, and is designed with proper bike lanes and sidewalks.

Villar worked closely with Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, secretary of Tourism and Roy Cimatu, secretary of Environment, to beat the “impossible” deadline. 

Recently, Romulo-Puyat shared with the media that upon Boracay’s reopening, the local government will strictly enforce existing ordinances and laws. In addition, to preserve the cleanliness and ease the flow of travelers, the government has limited the number of flights to Boracay, restricting daily tourist entrance to 6,405. 

Through the shared photos online, we’ve seen glimpses of the new Boracay, and it’s a stunning reflection. But is it the Boracay that the locals and tourists are still expecting? Here, we take a listen to what they have to say. 

Emer Ibabao, Sun Village Resort & Spa Boracay 

As someone who has worked on the island for years, I’ve seen the aches and challenges that many have had to go through. But it’s a new Boracay now! The closure was good for the island, and we’re hoping for more tourists to be heading here, which is better for the stakeholders and locals. 

We just hope that (the local government) seriously and strictly implements the laws and ordinances. If they do, we will never go wrong. I recommend though that perhaps the LGUs can formulate stricter policies, impose high penalties for the violations and ensure religious monitoring and implementation of the rules and guidelines. Let us all be responsible tourists to Mother Nature. We truly believe in the vision of sustainable tourism. 

As part of the business community, I can say that it’s been difficult, but we understand that, once in a while, the island needs rest just like humans do. This is only the beginning and we hope that we sustain the cleanliness of the island and keep its waters and beaches pristine. 

Danille Villanueva, multimedia content developer

I was in Boracay before the rehab, from February to March 2018, and was here when they officially announced the closure. I’m currently staying in Boracay for work and I can say it’s still a bit chaotic due to the ongoing construction projects. But the beach is beautiful, and it’s seen a complete turnaround. I’m staying at Station 3 and this is the cleanest I’ve ever seen the waters. 

I hope tourists won’t expect everything to be completely done, and that they do their part in ensuring the island stays clean and healthy. The other day I noticed a resort staff asking someone who passed by to pick up his trash. So we have to remind people to be more responsible. 

I haven’t seen a piece of trash, cigarette butt, and the like since I got here. Also, I’ve noticed more trucks cleaning and clearing the sand every now and then.

I think the greatest challenge now for the island and the LGUs is to maintain the cleanliness and continue what they’ve started. Right now, it seems easy, but when tourists start pouring in, they’ll have to double their efforts. The LGUs cannot do it alone; people need to do their part.  

Anne Mae yu Lamentillo, Build, Build, Build Committee

When I visited Florida as part of the US Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) — I learned that beach closures were part of a standard operating procedure relevant to Algal Bloom Monitoring. Recently, it closed Jupiter Beaches in Palm Beach County and Hobe Sound Beach and Bathtub Beach in Martin County.

In the State of Rhode Island, the moment the concentration of Enterococci bacteria in beach water exceeds 60 colony-forming units per 100 ml, they issue a temporary closure.

In 2018 alone, there were at least 40 beach closures in Rhode Island, including Briar Point Beach in Coventry, Camp Beach, in Kingston, Bristol Town Beach, Oakland Beach in Warwick and Sandy Point Beach in Porstmount. More recently, Thailand’s Maya Bay, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The Beach was also closed indefinitely.

At the onset, critics pointed out that the Boracay beach closure seemed to be a drastic move — an isolated strategy. But the statement is nothing but a myth. 

Sonny Dacumos, retiree

It was last year that I had first flown to Boracay for my 60th birthday, and I was more than thrilled by the scene. It was perfect for a senior citizen like me who likes to walk along the beach in the morning, and spend the afternoon just lazing around.

But it was also perfect for the young ones. I had planned to go back again with my wife and family for a future trip, so when I had heard that it was undergoing a major rehabilitation, a part of me felt that I would never get the chance to enjoy the Boracay that I had first experienced. 

I followed the news closely when it came to the Boracay rehab. At first, I was bummed out by the closures of the bars and the removal of many of the sights and activities along the beachfront. I also felt bad for the vendors who not only made a living on the beach, but also brought a homey sense of community. But after reading all the news, I understood it was necessary. It was only a matter of decades for the island to deteriorate.

Now it looks healthy. Viewing the video clips and photos online, I’m quite relieved and excited to be able experience Boracay maybe a few more times in my lifetime, and it may even be better than my first memory of it. 

Diz Perez, fashion photographer

I’ve been going to Boracay since 1999, and I loved heading there almost every year because of the chill vibe it had. It was the perfect getaway. The first time I was there, it was before D’Mall had even opened and there were more local places to eat in and be in. At that time, there was just a really small community of locals that called Boracay home. The prices then were, of course, cheaper, and it was harder to get to.

But over the years, small changes happened, which led to its rise in popularity and commercialization. Soon, it became too crowded and it became a money-machine. 

That’s why I’m actually looking forward to seeing the rehabilitated Boracay. No more parties and they’ll be imposing stricter laws, which were all in place anyway before the rehab happened, and just needed to be implemented.

I look forward to rediscovering Boracay, the island that I used to know. While others may think the six-month closure was a drastic move, I think it’s a long time coming. It would be great to see how this plan of the government pushes through. Sana maayos, for everyone’s sake. 

All Saints' Day

Facebook daily visits growth slows as sales miss forecasts

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Facebook's user growth has slowed and its revenue has missed forecasts, according to the firm's latest results.

An average of 1.49 billion people used Facebook's social network on a daily basis in September, up 9% on last year but below expectations of 1.51 billion.

Growth was flat in the US and Canada and fell in Europe.

Facebook said sales rose by 33% to $13.7bn (£10.7bn), however they fell short of expectations and trailed the prior quarter's 42% gain.

The company, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, is grappling with a shift in its business as user growth slows in its most profitable markets.

• Facebook shares dive as growth disappoints
• Facebook security breach: Up to 50m accounts attacked

Growth is stalling in developed markets while an increasing amount of activity is happening via private messages or temporary "stories".

The firm is yet to turn those features into an advertising business on the same level as the newsfeed on its original Facebook network.

'Significant investment'

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, said he is confident that the company's advertising sales will catch up to the change in users' behaviour.

However, he warned investors that 2019 would be another year of "significant investment".

"It will take some time," he said.

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Facebook, which has been hit by data breaches and concerns about "fake news", told investors in July that growth would slow.

It cited the shift in users and its own increased spending on security and privacy.

Managing problems

During the third quarter to 30 September, Facebook said India, Indonesia and the Philippines showed the strongest gains in users.

It also said that expenses increased 53% year-on-year to $7.9bn.

Facebook expects revenue growth to continue to decelerate and costs to grow between 40% and 50% in 2019.

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Image captionFacebook also owns Instagram

Mr Zuckerberg said expenses should begin to moderate after that but cautioned that investments in anti-hacking and abuse efforts will continue.

"I do think we are up against sophisticated adversaries who will continue to evolve so there is a large element of this that is an arms race," he said.

"These are not problems that you fix. These are problems that you manage over time."

Profits in the third quarter were $5.1bn, up 9% due in part to a lower-than-expected tax rate.

Typhoon prompts Philippine evacuation ...

... in storm-prone provinces

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• WRITER: BLOOMBERG NEWS

Filipino workers take down a large billboard sign in anticipation of strong winds brought by an upcoming typhoon in Bacoor city, Cavite province, Philippines, on Monday. (EPA photo)

MANILA: Philippine authorities started to move people to safer grounds as Typhoon Yutu approaches, tracking a path similar to last month’s storm that devastated rice-producing provinces in the main island of Luzon.

Yutu, which last week became the strongest storm since 1950 to hit the US territories in the Northern Mariana Islands, is now the equivalent of a Category 2 storm on the US Saffir-Simpson scale. Its maximum winds have slowed to 167 kilometres per hour, according to the latest Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast.

The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Tuesday either in the province of Isabela or Aurora in northern Philippines, according to the local weather bureau. Mangkhut, which killed more than 120 people in the Philippines and damaged about 26.7 billion pesos ($498 million) of the nation’s farm output, slammed into Cagayan province, also in north Luzon, in September.

Storm signal No. 3 was raised in the provinces of Isabela, Quirino and Aurora. Under the third-highest alert, rice and corn crops may suffer heavy losses and widespread disruption of power and communication lines may happen, according to the Philippine weather bureau.

More than two dozen areas including the capital region of Metro Manila are under lower alert levels. About 20 cyclones pass through disaster-prone Philippines each year. In 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people in the Southeast Asian nation.

As many as 12 million people in 290 cities and towns in Luzon are along the storm’s path, Edgar Posadas, spokesman for the Philippine disaster-monitoring agency, said at a televised briefing.

Cebu Air Inc. canceled several local flights ahead of the Halloween break. Yutu, named Rosita in the Philippines, was about 355 kilometres from Luzon’s east coast on Monday afternoon.

Last month, Mangkhut hit the Philippines main island before striking Hong Kong. At their peak, both Mangkhut and Yutu had winds of 180 miles per hour, making them the strongest in the world this year.

“Manila will get a little bit of rain but the worst of it is well to the north,” said Jason Nicholls, a meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania.

The mountains of Luzon will tear at Yutu’s structure and significantly weaken the storm before it emerges into the South China Sea Wednesday, Nicholls said.

Yutu is forecast to drift north, possibly bringing rain to China’s southeast coast in the coming days.

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