The right to disconnect

A LIFE WITHOUT CELL PHONE? I remember the time, when one of my first Japanese friends kept on complaining, why I didn't operate a cellphone. Believe me, during that time, sometime in 2000 or 2001, I was even typing my articles on an old typewriter from Germany.

My Japanese friend then bought me a computer - and a cellphone! Some other friends congratulated me: "Welcome back to the world!" 

Sometimes, I observed (business-)people operating with two or even more cellphones at the same time. I asked them: "How did you survive doing business before without these units?" Believe me or not. The answers have been mostly: I really don't know!

Doing business nowadays without a cellphone? Even a very private life? I can't imagine it anymore. Philippines' cellphone companies really provide us with the widest distribution and the broadest coverage to very affordable charges or even for free. I really enjoy, for example, the unlimited call experience - just to mention one.

Two handsets or even three. Ok lang, as long as it keeps my business running. 

Journalist Chris Stokel-Walker explained it very well: for the average working person, there’s no greater feeling than powering down your computer and kissing goodbye to your avalanche of work emails for the day. If we’re lucky enough to disconnect from the job on evenings and weekends, we’re overjoyed to leave work emails and the stress that comes with it in the office.

But experts say we’re increasingly failing to do so, instead bringing the burden home with us and fielding emails during our free time. Unsurprisingly, this routine has some serious consequences.

Now, it is a reflex, like checking my Facebook or Twitter timeline. Yes, it's indeed so - but never 24/7.

Working abnormal or long hours has long been linked with depression, anxiety and even coronary heart disease. Crucially, the importance of weekend recovery has also been correlated with weekly job performance and personal initiative. While further research revealed psychological detachment during off-work time, reduced emotional exhaustion caused by high job demands and helped people stay engaged.

So, if we know all this, it begs the question: why are we still letting work invade our precious weekends? 

According to Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology at Manchester Business School and president of the CIPD, the recent trend even spills into the way we access our work communications and projects.

Today, says Cooper, work emails are just a tap of a smartphone away. “You don’t carry your laptop around when you’re out to dinner, but you do carry your mobile phone,” he says. “The smartphone changed everything.”

The right to disconnect is a proposed human right regarding the ability of people to disconnect from work and primarily not to engage in work-related electronic communications such as e-mails or messages during non-work hours. The modern working environment has been drastically changed by new communication and information technologies. The boundary between work life and home life has shrunk with the introduction of digital tools into employment. While digital tools bring flexibility and freedom to employees they also can create an absence of limits, leading to excessive interference in the private lives of employees

If we don’t switch off from work we don’t recover from work. We should get the right to be disconnected. At night or during weekends.

Reaching the academic top means fixing school problems from the ground up

by Manila Bulletin

President-elect Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. recently made a comment, reminiscing the “glory days” of the Philippines when it comes to academics. With the still ongoing pandemic ravaging the country’s—the world’s, in fact—academic systems, such a call for improving the academic standing of Filipino learners is a welcome one.

In recent years, much has been said about the state of education in the country, with issues such as public school textbooks riddled with errors as well as international and regional academic rankings that place the Philippines in positions that leave much for improvement.

This does not, however, take away from the fact that there are individuals and institutions that perform quite well academically, recognized for achievements in various fields. These are testament to, perhaps, the inherent intellectual prowess of the Filipino. But, as the saying goes (and loosely translating it), talent is bested by effort—and adding to this, effort is more effective if the environment and the situation is more ideal.

Hence, the need for improving the academic situation of the country. It is an almost perennial pursuit, one that any well-meaning government should pursue with the sincerest of efforts and the most liberal of budgets. That there remains a more than palpable distinction between schools run privately and those managed by the government is one such situation that needs to be remedied. Public education, after all, should not seem like an academic disadvantage for a lack of a better option because it truly isn’t. How many of the country’s top minds today have a public education background? To say that there is a lot would be an understatement.

Still, this does not take away from the fact that there are many public schools that sorely lack modern or updated equipment.

There are public schools that do not have enough classrooms to cater to the number of learners enrolled. There are public schools where teachers lack the basic materials necessary for a smoother delivery of lectures. Perhaps it is time to de-romanticize the sad fact that Manila paper is still being used by many teachers—neither is this an example of being “ma-diskarte” (innovate).

In a strange sense, the learning-from-home setup (and now the hybrid one) was a welcome respite from the realities of public school education, realities that should not have been so in the first place. But now that restrictions are easing up and education is slowly returning to the way things were, albeit with face masks and isopropyl alcohols as souvenirs, the Department of Education must sooner than later face and change these sad realities.

In order for Filipino learners to reach the proverbial academic top, there is a need to improve education from the ground up.

Philippine Quality of Life

 

Tourists rescue sea turtle off Aurora

By Leander C. Domingo, Manila Times

Tourists and paraglider pilots from Nueva Vizcaya province helped find a mother sea turtle on its way home to the ocean after laying its eggs offshore in the coastal town of  Dinalungan in Aurora province.

PHOTO BY AMBAGUIO MUNICIPAL TOURISM OFFICE IN NUEVA VIZCAYA

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: A mother sea turtle has been successfully returned to the Pacific Ocean after it was rescued in Barangay Ditawini, Dinalungan in Aurora province by local tourists from the upland town of Ambaguio in this province.

Nuepe Manuel Jr., municipal tourism officer of Ambaguio town, said they were at a resort in Dinalungan town in Aurora with some paraglider pilots from Nueva Vizcaya when they saw a turtle that had just laid eggs under a tree.

Manuel said he did not immediately post the photos and videos they took on social media until Tuesday, June 21, after some residents in the area became interested in the eggs when they heard that they helped the turtle return to the sea.

Other than Manuel's group, only the caretaker of the resort knows the place where the turtle laid its eggs.

Manuel's group spotted the turtle and immediately worked to help the reptile find its way to the sea for fear that the residents might see it.

"This mother turtle just laid eggs on the shore, and we immediately guided and even pushed her way back to the ocean to prevent it from being captured by locals," Manuel said.

He said residents who learned about this expressed dismay at failing to catch the turtle because they believe that eating turtle meat and eggs can cure some diseases.

Although the caretaker of the resort promised that he would keep an eye on the turtle eggs, the guests were still worried about the condition of the eggs.

"In the landlocked province of Nueva Vizcaya, we are hundreds of kilometers away from the ocean but we are aware that the turtle is considered endangered and we know that our government is doing so much effort to help save endangered species," he said.

Endangered species such as turtles are protected under Republic Act 9147, better known as the "Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act."

The law provides that anyone found to be involved in the capture, assault, killing, sale, or purchase of endangered species will be subject to appropriate penalties such as imprisonment.

"We were excited and even told about the turtle to an elderly woman selling halo-halo and learned that the locals truly hunt turtles whose meat the woman said tastes like beef," Manuel said.

He said he lied when he was asked where the turtle laid its eggs, especially when he heard that its meat and eggs are also hunted for human consumption and believed to have medicinal value.

"We were happy to have seen through this mother turtle's tough journey back home to the ocean after laying eggs on the shore. We believe we prevented it from being captured by poachers who could have easily taken it," Manuel said.

He said is hoping that nobody finds the eggs until they hatch and that all the hatchlings eventually find their way home to the ocean alive, like their mother.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐝𝐎𝐂, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭-𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬

 

The Provincial Government of Davao de Oro, recently recognized the milestones of “𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑫𝒅𝑶𝑪", acknowledging its front-liners and partners in delivering genuine services to the constituents during the hardest of times.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hits the province, after one week or two, one of the programs initiated by the head of provincial hospitals, with the help of the technical working group of the province, was the formulation of “𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑫𝒅𝑶𝑪 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆” which is in response to limit the face-to-face contact during the pandemic intensification. Under the program, the patients, even if they are only in the comfort of their home, will be able to consult medical specialists from four (4) Provincial Hospitals in Pantukan, Laak, Montevista, and Maragusan through online modality and phone calls as well. 

In a statement by Governor Uy, “who would have thought of the onset of the pandemic, an innovative program developed by the young province can be made sustainable.”  The governor also highlights the achievement of the province within the 2-year time since the program has been developed, “September last year, we already catered all 250+ barangays, including the special barangays … as of today, the service has reached, served and treated almost 50,000 cases for free”.

The cost-free program garnered “3𝒓𝒅 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑬 𝒊𝒏 𝑫𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 & 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅 𝑷𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆” which is the first national award given by DICT last 2020  and it was also awarded as “𝑻𝑶𝑷 20 𝑺𝒆𝒎𝒊-𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒐𝒐𝒌” for sustainability out of 200 nominees. Thus, this could not be achieved without the untiring support of the Teleconsults/Doctors, Executive Committee, Government Internship Program, TWG especially for the Provincial Information and Communications Technology Office (PICTO) “the brains behind technology integration”, and even outside partners including APEX Mining Inc. for the administrative support, Globe Telecom for the implementation and UP Mindanao for the research and development of the program.

During the recognition and thanksgiving, medical front-liners shared their experiences during the darkest of times in protecting the lives of others and their families. Despite it, they were very much happy, the numbers tell, not only for the achievements and rewards of the program but also for the lives that have been saved. 

The ceremony also served as the appreciation of Governor Tyron Uy for Call DdOC’s partners during his term as Governor of the province.

“This is the result of our ingenuity and innovation sa atong probinsya and tungod pud sa atong mga dekalidad nato nga mga doctors and medical staff nga walay lain gihunahuna kon dili ang welfare gyud sa atong mga katawhan. Thank you kaayo sa atong partners,  we wish to continue this program, hopefully we can find ways that we can collaborate still under the Vice-Governor’s Office. This is not the end of our journey but rather this is just start of our journey towards attaining quality healthcare for all sa atong probinsya. Kanatong tanan, daghang salamat!” Gov Uy added. (𝐽𝑎𝑦𝑛𝑢𝑠 𝐹𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑧, 𝑃𝐴𝑂-𝐼𝑃𝑅𝐷, 𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜s 𝑏𝑦 𝐽. 𝐶𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑧)

Climate change the 'real threat' for PH

By Kristina Maralit

(UPDATE) CLIMATE change, not the territorial dispute with China or the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is the real threat to the country's security, incoming national security adviser (NSA) Clarita Carlos said Thursday.

Carlos said environmental concerns create a chain reaction affecting food, human and national security, especially among developing countries like the Philippines which bear the brunt of the effects of global warming.

The 76-year-old Carlos said the so-called powerhouse nations' vow to cut carbon emissions by 2030 will remain a promise since many of them have gone back to using sources of energy that are harmful to the environment.

"India is going back to coal, some countries are going back to using fossil fuel. That is the reality on the ground," Carlos said during a roundtable discussion with the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR) in Pasig City.

"The promises of de-carbonization by 2030, 2050, they are by the wayside in the meanwhile because human survival is at the highest premium," she said.

Carlos said the government must start recalibrating policies on environmental protection.

The Philippines, she noted, has one of the best environmental laws in the world. The problem is that they are not being fully enforced.

The Marcos administration, she said, can consider giving tax breaks to buyers of electric vehicles to entice more motorists to switch from fossil fuels whose prices have been skyrocketing.

Further pushing the use of solar energy is another solution, taking advantage of the Philippines being a tropical country, especially amid disasters and calamities, Carlos said.

PH, China to act on climate change

One proposal is to establish solar farms in military camps to reduce their dependence on power from grids that are disrupted during typhoons or earthquakes.

All these make up the "broad strokes" of a general security strategy Carlos said she will present to President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

"I will have the President design the national strategy. I can present to him a draft, in broad strokes," she added.

The Philippines has been strongly urging developed nations to ramp up their assistance to developing countries that continue to grapple with climate change.

Marcos invited to UN Climate Change meet

Several weeks ago, President Rodrigo Duterte called on wealthier nations to be held accountable for failing to reduce their carbon emissions.

Marcos, meanwhile, has been invited to attend the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP27, to be held at the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in November.

Inflation 'shock' hits euro economy

By Agence France-Presse

BRUSSELS: Economic growth in the eurozone plummeted in June, a key survey showed on Thursday, as high prices took the wind out the strong recovery from the deep lows of the coronavirus pandemic.

The closely watched monthly purchasing managers' index by S&P Global fell from 54.8 in May to 51.9 this month. A figure above 50 indicates growth; below that, a contraction.

The slowdown, caused by a "cost-of-living shock," is "the most abrupt recorded by the survey since the height of the global financial crisis in November 2008," excluding the pandemic-caused lockdown, said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global.

Since the beginning of the year, the European economy has recovered strongly from the lifting of restrictions linked to the Covid-19 crisis. The move revived tourism in countries like Spain and Greece, as well as transport.

It also benefited from household spending, as consumers burned through savings accumulated during many months of confinement, offsetting the negative impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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But in June, the "tailwind" of this pent-up demand "is already fading," Williamson warned.

The latest data "is now consistent with gross domestic product (GDP) growth of just 0.2 percent for the second quarter, compared to quarterly growth of 0.6 percent at the start of the year," he said.

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘄 “𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆-𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲”

After years of fighting against the communist movement, the entire Province of Davao de Oro is now free from insurgency after the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) recently passed a resolution declaring the province as 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆-𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲.  

The declaration also came after the combined forces of the 1001st and 701st Infantry Brigades of the Philippine Army successfully dismantled all the Guerrilla Fronts, which were all under the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the province since 2016.

10th Infantry Agila Division Commander Major General Nolasco Mempin said that "the total defeat of all the CTGs in the province is attributed not only to the dedication and aggressiveness of the commanders on the ground but to the strong leadership of Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, in his exemplary efforts in achieving its ultimate goal of lasting peace in the province.”

In response, Governor Uy expressed gratitude to all the members of the PPOC, national agencies, private partners, local government units, and the security sector – the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police for their unwavering commitment and relentless efforts to counter and weaken the influence of communist rebels.

“𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑠𝑎 𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛-𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑦𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝑔𝑜𝑏𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑜, 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑎 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑦 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑏-𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑎ℎ𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑤 𝑠𝑎 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑦𝑎, 𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑤𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑠𝑎 𝐷𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑜 𝑑𝑒 𝑂𝑟𝑜,” Governor Uy said.

The Oplan Pagbabago to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, a localized whole of nation approach program of the province, also takes a significant stride in transforming conflict-affected areas into peaceful and developed communities. Among the intervention programs implemented are the conduct of Serbisyo caravans, building of Bayanihan schools, and infrastructure projects to the areas which were hard to reach and seemingly left out of much-needed government services. 

The ceremonial declaration was also attended by National Security Adviser, GEN Hermogenes Esperon Jr., GEN Jose Faustino, Former 10th ID Commander, and appointed OIC of the Department of National Defense, LTGEN Greg Almerol, Eastern Mindanao Command Commander, PMGEN Filmore Escobal, Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib, Brigades and Battalion Commanders, Provincial Officials, and other key dignitaries. (𝑅ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑛𝑜 – 𝐼𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑠 𝑏𝑦 𝑅𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑙 𝐴𝑙𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑧)

A star-studded red carpet movie premiere for ‘Ngayon Kaya'

by Manila Bulletin Entertainment

The romantic film “Ngayon Kaya”—starring rumored sweethearts Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez as “almost lovers” trying to reclaim their past—had its premiere night at SM Megamall a day before the movie’s opening day of June 22.

Producers T-Rex Entertainment and Paulo’s own company, WASD Films, pulled out all the stops to herald the return of Filipino films in commercial theaters this year and make the premiere festive with a red carpet, soundtrack blaring from the speakers, win-premiere-tickets promotions, festive decor, a program and a mini-party right before the screening. 

“Ngayon Kaya” is the first locally-produced film to have a wide theatrical release this year as it screens in almost 100 cinemas all over the Philippines.

This milestone was celebrated by the Paunine (Paulo and Janine) fans, friends, family and supporters who flocked to Megamall Cinema 1 to get a first look of director Prime Cruz and screenwriter Jen Chuaunsu’s latest masterpiece.

Aside from Janine and Paulo’s movie co-stars Gabby Padilla, Iana Bernardez, and Donna Cariaga, among those who graced the premiere included Jake Cuenca, Enchong Dee, Edward Barber, Jake Ejercito, Ria Atayde, directors JP Habac and Chad Vidanes, photographer BJ Pascual, Film Development Council of the Philippines Chair Liza Diño, Ice Seguerra, Janine’s father Ramon Christopher, the members of the band Mayonnaise, talent manager Tyrone Escalante and his artists, Angellie Nicole Sanoy, and many other celebrities.

Janine acknowledged the presence of the crowd and made special mention of their (hers and Paulo’s) family, friends and fans.

She said, “Thank you so much sa naglaan ng oras… to be here. It means so much to us.” Paulo was visibly overwhelmed with emotion to see an eager audience filling up the theater as he said, “I’m out of words. It’s been a while since I attended a premiere in a moviehouse. Masaya ako na nandito kayo at masaya ako na may pelikulang Pilipino ulit na pinalalabas sa sinehan.”

“Ngayon Kaya” is now showing in movie theaters nationwide. For updates, like and follow the social media accounts of T-Rex Entertainment.

Marcos recalls PH glory days in academics: 'Kailangan natin balikan yan'

by Ellson Quismorio, Manila Bulletin

President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wants to bring back the glory days of the Philippines when it comes to academics.

President-elect Bongbong Marcos (left) and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN)

“We have to do a lot to recover our very good grading before,” Marcos said in a press conference Monday, June 20.

“Pag ka tayo tinitignan ng Asia, yung literacy rate, yung pagsalita ng english, pati sa science, sa math, mataas tayo noon eh (Whenever our Asian neighbors looked at us in the past, they would see that our literacy rate, our english speaking skills, as well as our science and math proficiency were high),” he said. "Kailangan natin balikan yan. Mahirap mag-compete kung hindi natin ayusin yung training ng mga kabataan natin (We need to go back to that. It will be hard to compete if we can’t fix the training of our youth),” the 64-year-old son of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. said.

One of the first major decisions that Marcos made coming out of the May 9 elections was to designate his UniTeam running mate, Vice President-elect Sara Duterte as incoming Department of Education (DepEd) secretary.

This made Duterte the first name in the incoming Marcos Cabinet.

In the same presser, Marcos bared his instruction to Duterte to assist and train the country’s teachers.

“Ang aking laging pinapaalala sa kanya ay yung mga teacher. Kailangan alalayan ang mga teacher, kailangan i-training ang mga teacher para maganda ang maging trabaho nila (What I always remind her about are the teachers. The teachers must be assisted, they must be trained so they may perform their jobs better),” Marcos said.

“Ang mga teacher naman, yan ang pinakamadaling turuan, yung teacher eh (Teachers are the easiest people to teach),” he said, adding that there must be a “a program in place to support our teachers not only in terms of their benefits, of course that’s an important part of it…but also in terms of other support, in terms retraining, in terms of supplies, equipment.”

Marcos earlier expressed confidence that Duterte would do “a great job“.