FREE RANGE AND CAGE FREE

FREE RANGE AND CAGE FREE It seems that anyone can just start selling free range and cage free chickens and table eggs in the market today, without knowing where these came from, and what standards are being used to make such claims. And as if that is not bad enough, these are being sold at prices that are much higher than the supposedly “regular” choices. Since we are all fully aware that there are so many scams out there now, and there are so many bogus products out there, we should be careful about what we are buying, especially if we are paying higher prices than what we usually pay. In theory, it should either be the DA or the DTI that should have jurisdiction over the packaging and labeling of food products. But if they could not agree on which one of them should be on top, then perhaps that is something that the President could decide in a Cabinet meeting. Being free range implies that the chicken only eats organic and natural food within the “range”, but that is not always the case, because they could still be fed with feeds that are mixed with GMOs and chemicals. Being cage free implies that the chicken was raised under “humane” conditions, but there is no way to guarantee that, until standards are set. In the meantime, the producers and the marketers of these products should study this matter. IKE SENERES/5-1-2024

REFUGEES FROM RISING SEA LEVELS

REFUGEES FROM RISING SEA LEVELS At first, I thought that refugees from areas affected by climate change and rising sea levels can only be found abroad, and not here in the Philippines. To my surprise, I found out that there are already some islands that are already threatened, and some are already affected by it. I am referring to Tubigon, Bohol and some nearby islands. Typical of many Filipino communities, the people who live in these islands may have already gotten used to the perennial floods in their homes and in their streets, perhaps not even realizing that sooner or later, their islands could be completely engulfed or swallowed by rising sea waters. But who knows when the waters will finally rise to critical levels? And who is keeping watch? Does the government know? Is the government keeping watch? If the answer is yes, which agency is keeping watch? Is it the DRRMC? The DND? The DENR? Or the BFAR? Or the Philippine Coast Guard? Or perhaps even the Philippine Navy? I dread to see the day when a disaster would happen over there, and the outcome would just be a lot of finger-pointing and blame throwing as to who is responsible as the lead agency, so to speak. That is the reason why we should know who that agency is, as soon as possible. And is there a timetable or a timeframe as to when an evacuation should already happen at the soonest? IKE SENERES/04-30-2024

BRIBERY AND SOLICITATION

BRIBERY AND SOLICITATION Bribery and solicitation are different from each other, but there could be a symbiotic relationship between the two. Bribery is directly related to corruption, because when a bribe is offered, the person of influence becomes corrupt, and graft happens consequently. That is the reason why it could be said that bribery could be the cause of corruption, which is in turn the cause of graft. Solicitation on the other hand is different, because it is the “applicant” who offers something of value to the person of influence, in exchange for a favor or some kind of approval. Although it goes through another route, the result of solicitation is the same, when the person of influence grants the favor or approval to the “applicant”. What can a good Christian do when he or she encounters a corruptible person of influence? Obviously, the good Christian should not be the first to offer a bribe, because bribery is clearly a sin. But what if the person of influence is the first to demand a bribe? I think that could already be considered as a solicitation, and the good Christian may now decide in his conscience what to do, in the best interests of his or her business or employer. This goes without saying that a good Christian who is in a position of influence should not solicit anything from an applicant. There is no other way around that. IKE SENERES/04-29-2024

CLINICAL TRIALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

CLINICAL TRIALS IN THE PHILIPPINES I am looking for an expert who could help me understand how clinical trials are being conducted in the Philippines, or how they ought to be conducted. I took an interest in this matter when I heard from some sources that some clinical trials are being conducted either by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or by the DOH. I then took the trouble to send queries to both the FDA and the DOH, but so far, I have not received their replies. I am curious what their reply would be, because I really think that there would be a conflict of interest in doing the tests, if the outcome of the tests could potentially favor a private company of any kind. We should still wait for the reply of both the FDA and the DOH before we judge them, but in the meantime, I suggest that these two agencies should instead enable the private sector to conduct their own tests, especially those small companies that have limited funds for product development. Since the FDA has a regulatory function, I think that it may not be able to go into product development. That role might be more appropriate for the DOH but only as an enabler or policy maker. The DOH could also choose to fund the research of nonprofit companies, in which case there would be no conflicts of interests. IKE SENERES/04-28-2024

LOCALIZING FIRE PROTECTION

LOCALIZING FIRE PROTECTION I think that the Philippines might be one of the few countries in the world wherein the fire services are nationalized or federalized, instead of being localized. Why is that so? I recall that the reason why police services were nationalized was because the local politicians supposedly took advantage of their positions to use the policemen for their own private armies. That supposed problem does not affect firemen, to be sure. To be clear, I am not against the idea of retaining the PNP as the national police, because it could even co-exist with local police departments, in the same way that the old Philippine Constabulary (PC) co-existed with local police departments at that time. Having said that, I do not see the need for a nationalized Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) that will co-exist with local fire departments. It is ironic that while the government is talking about devolution of functions to the LGUs, no one seems to be talking about devolving fire services. It is time I think that the devolution of fire services should already start, because fire protection is really a local concern. It is disappointing to note that up to now, there are still some LGUs that do not have fire trucks, and even if they do, these are already too old to be useful. This problem could be avoided if the fire services were devolved. IKE SENERES/4-27-24

STUNTING AND MALNUTRITION

STUNTING AND MALNUTRITION Obviously, there is a symbiotic relationship between stunting and malnutrition. To be clear, malnutrition does not necessarily result in stunting. In theory, stunting affects only infants and younger children who are malnourished, or are extremely malnourished, in other words. Also in theory, juveniles and adults are no longer prone to stunting. It is important to know the difference between stunting and malnutrition, and to know the difference between infants and adults, so that we can isolate what the problem really is. When the problem could be isolated, then the government would know how much money to allocate, to provide nutrition, that is the only solution to stunting. How can life be fair if the growth of children is stunted starting from their infancy? How can these children even compete with other children in the schools, when they have a serious handicap in the first place? Since we know that most of these children are born out of poverty, we could almost be sure that they have no other way to go but down to even deeper poverty. As soon as possible, the government should create a database of stunted children, so that we will know who they are, where they are, and how many there are. Right away, the LGUs should be mobilized to solve this problem right away at the local level. IKE SENERES/04-26-2024

SOLID LINES AND TRAFFIC RULES

SOLID LINES AND TRAFFIC RULES What could be the reason why drivers do not obey traffic rules? Is it because they are ignorant of these rules? Or is it because they simply choose to ignore these rules? As far as I am concerned, it could be a combination of these two reasons. But first, let me take you back to where the process of issuing driver’s licenses should start. As of now, the present process starts with a written exam that would supposedly test the applicant’s knowledge of the traffic rules. However, we all know that these exams are not entirely secure, such that anyone could pass these if they get a little help from some fixers. I think that the correct beginning of the process should be driver education, such that the applicants will be taught first about traffic rules, before they could take the tests that will measure how much they have learned about the lessons that were taught to them. Among these lessons should be staying in their lanes, and not crossing the solid yellow lines that are in the middle of the street. We should include basic lessons such as what a stop sign is, and what is the importance of reading and understanding the traffic signs. These lessons are all good, but I think the best way for these errant drivers to learn is to cancel their licenses if necessary. IKE SENERES/04-25-2024

HAZARD MAPPING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

HAZARD MAPPING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS Many local government units (LGUs) already have geographic information systems (GIS) installed, but it seems that most of them are not maximizing the potential of these software assets. For example, most of them are using GIS to support their real property tax systems, (RPTS), but other than that, they are not using GIS for anything else. It does not require a genius to realize that at the very least, GIS could be used for preparing their comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs), a requirement that they must comply with. Technically, CLUPs are supposed to be part of the LGU’s local development plans (LDPs), but it seems that many of them do not see the direct connection between the two. Additionally, all LGUs are required to prepare their own disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) plans, which could very well use GIS, but the systems integration almost always does not happen. To put it simply, GIS could be used not only for tax mapping, but also for hazard mapping. If only the LGUs could learn to use GIS for hazard mapping, then it would be easy for them to produce electronic three-dimensional topographic maps, instead of their ancient analog flat maps. Since I have a lot of experience with this technology, I can help any LGU that needs it. IKE SENERES/04-24-2024

THE ROOTS OF CORRUPTION

THE ROOTS OF CORRUPTION It is generally known that about one third of the national budget is eaten up by graft and corruption, and that does not even include the local budgets of LGUs. What are the causes of graft and corruption and how do we prevent it? Or probably just reduce it if we could? It seems that we have already passed all the laws and have already created all the government agencies that we could, to prevent or reduce graft and corruption, but it persists, and has become so pervasive that it now affects every aspect of our life. For example, it is graft and corruption that is the cause of our very high poverty rate. I always say that corruption is the cause of graft, but what is the cause of corruption? Without any doubt, I say that the cause of corruption is sin, or the propensity to commit sin, because corruption is simply just stealing, and stealing is a sin. But who are the thieves? Are they not the civil servants who probably belong to a church? And who are supposedly opposed to sin? I think that the real problem here is that these “church goers” have created a wall between their “faith”, and their thievery. This wall allows them to dichotomize what they do inside their churches and inside their public offices, thinking perhaps that these two worlds are not connected, thinking as well that stealing is not a sin, and that they could get away with it. The only way that they could save their souls is to break down these walls and ask forgiveness from God. IKE SENERES/04-23-24

INCENTIVES FOR HERITAGE RESTORATION

INCENTIVES FOR HERITAGE RESTORATION Construction and project development is a business, and no one will invest any money in it unless there is an assured return of investment. It is as simple as that, and there is no way around it. Of course, there could be other factors to consider such as the love of arts and culture or even a profound love for our country, but the project proponents would still have to make money, otherwise it’s a no go. That is precisely the dilemma of developers who are planning to restore, preserve or rehabilitate some historic or cultural sites that are located all over the country. Because of their love for arts and culture, it becomes a “damn if you do, damn if you don’t” situation for them. Damn if they do, because they could possibly lose money, but also damn if they don’t, because these national treasures could be lost forever. It would not be realistic to depend on the government to fund these projects, because there are too many sites to save, and there is usually very little money to spend. The solution therefore is a public and private partnership (PPP) approach, perhaps in the form of a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme. I have always liked the idea of a BOT scheme because it is a win-win situation wherein both the private proponent and the government partner could make money. Other than the funding, what is needed is an adaptive use approach, wherein the project still becomes commercially viable, even if the architectural design is kept intact. IKE SENERES/ 04-22-24

OVERKILL CONSUMER PACKAGING

OVERKILL CONSUMER PACKAGING Who has the jurisdiction over the use of non-biodegradable materials in consumer packaging? Is it the DENR, or is it the DTI? Or is it neither? I know that there is no such thing as a “packaging police”, but in the absence of that, who is watching over all manufacturers as they use too much pollutant materials in their packaging, such as plastics? While some might say that common sense is no longer common nowadays, I think that most of us could tell with just one look that many consumer products are overpackaged, with overkill plastics, so to speak. It really does not make sense, because the manufacturers could actually save money by decreasing the packaging overload, but why are they still doing it? While there is possibly still a gray area as to who has the real jurisdiction between the DTI and the DENR, there is a chance that it could be a shared responsibility between the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) under the DTI, and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR. It seems that the BPS can approve the products before these are released to the market, and the EMB can check for violations. There is really nothing wrong with overkill packaging, for as long as the materials used are biodegradable. However, there is a caveat to that, because the more overkill, the more the carbon footprint is created. Eventually, the consumers will decide what products they will buy. IKE SENERES/03-21-24

NATIONAL MANGROVE MAP

NATIONAL MANGROVE MAP Why in the world would Indonesia create a National Mangrove Map (NMM) and why in the world is the Philippines not creating its own? The Indonesian NMM was created by their Ministry of the Environment which gives us a clue that it should be our own Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that should be creating it too. Not that we wish to be known as copycats, but what is wrong with that, if it is for the good of Mother Earth and for the good of the environment? And if you know what good mangrove forests could do, you will be convinced that it is also for the common good, not only for our country, but also for the whole world. If you could take the time to check online about what is going on around the world, you will find out that most countries around us already have one form of mangrove restoration and conservation here and there. In fairness, there are some NGOs that are planting mangroves here and there, but it is not clear what the DENR is doing anywhere. So why does Indonesia even bother to create an NMM? Do they know something that we don’t? Surely, it’s no top secret that mangroves are not only good for disaster risk reduction, it is also good for food production, because mangroves bring back the planktons that attract not only fish, but also crabs and shrimps. To be clear, I am not just talking about planting a few mangrove trees. I am talking about mangrove forests. IKE SENERES/03-20-2024

GEOSPATIAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT

GEOSPATIAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT The good news is, PHIVOLCS has already started the Geospatial Information Management Project for Hazards and Risk Assessment in the Philippines, also known as the GeoRiskPH Project. The bad news is, there seems to be no mention of acquiring and integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data from municipal, provincial and international sources. To build or to buy is always the classic crossroads decision to make in database management. It is always the choice of building a database using internal sources, sometimes even creating the data from scratch. The other option is to acquire existing data from external sources, either by buying it, or getting access to it through some kind of information sharing agreements. In most access, the objective is not really to acquire data cheaper or faster, but to get data that is more accurate and more updated. In the case of geospatial data, the primary consideration is not really the cost of building it or buying it, but the cost of lives and properties that could be saved by having accurate and current data. If I can be given the chance to help with the project, I will suggest to the PHIVOLCS to open diplomatic channels so that they could acquire data from overseas sources such as APEC, ASEAN and even the UN. There are also excellent data that could be shared by Japan and the USA. It’s also good to integrate the GIS data from the LGUs. IKE SENERES/3-19-24

IS GRAFT AND CORRUPTION A SIN?

IS GRAFT AND CORRUPTION A SIN? I wonder why there is so much graft and corruption in our country, despite the fact that we are claiming to be a Christian country. Jokingly, I have often said that there is no such thing as a Christian country because countries do not go to heaven. Only people go to heaven, their souls I mean, if God wills it, that is. Seriously however, the math simply does not compute, because if the majority of the people in this country, then only a minority of the people will be engaging in graft and corruption. One possible explanation for this great contradiction is that the Christian people in this country do not see a direct connection between their faith, and the sins and wrongdoing that they are committing in their daily lives. Either that, or they might have perfected their daily routine of committing sin and asking forgiveness from God, and then back to committing sin again. But what if these Christians do not even consider graft and corruption to be a sin? What if they think that it is simply just a way of life that they are so used to? Strictly speaking, corruption is the cause of graft, because it is the act of temptation. Graft on the other hand is the outcome of corruption, meaning that it is indirectly the outcome of temptation. The bottom line is that graft is an act of stealing, therefore it is nothing else but sin. Since it is actually theft, the sinner needs not only have to repent, he or she also has to have remorse and then offer restitution. IKE SENERES/04-18-2024

POLICE INTEGRITY, ANYONE?

POLICE INTEGRITY, ANYONE? If you have lost all hope that integrity could ever become a strong point of the PNP again, think again because there is now a reason to believe why it would happen again, if it has not happened already. PNP Director General Benjamin C. Acorda has created the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), headed by Director Warren F. De Leon. Its mission is “to undertake the monitoring, investigation and cause the arrest and prosecution of rouge PNP personnel and prevent other personnel from committing other illegal activities”. I do not know exactly how the IMEG is different from the National Internal Affairs Service (NIAS), also of the PNP. There appears to be an overlap between the two, but as the saying goes, “two heads are better than one. In theory, it is the NIAS that watches over the police, but could it be that the IMEG is the one that we could now expect to watch over the NIAS? Whatever is the coordination between the IMEG and the NIAS, we are now reading a lot of good news about corrupt and criminal cops being apprehended and charged within the ranks of the PNP, including those who are already separated from the service. In the past, we have heard so much about a seemingly endless procession of the rouge policemen, more commonly known as “scalawags”. I hope that this procession will already end. Kudos to the new PNP leadership for making this happen, and may good finally triumph over evil. IKE SENERES/03-17-24

REVIVING AN ENDANGERED LANGUAGE

REVIVING AN ENDANGERED LANGUAGE Butuanon or “Binutuanon” is the native language spoken in Butuan City and in some neighboring towns. Legend has it that once upon a time, three distinct tribes lived in the general area of what is now known as Butuan City. All three tribes spoke one form of Binutuanon or another, and were therefore linguistically related, if not also related culturally. The three tribes were the “Lapaknon” (the people of the marshlands), the “Tausug” (the people of the river currents) and the “Kamayo”. It is said that the “Tausug” people migrated to what is now Sulo, and the “Kamayo” people migrated to what is now Surigao. It is also said that the “Lapaknon” people stayed behind, eventually becoming the modern day “Binutuanon” speaking people today. That would explain why up to now, there are very close similarities between “Tausug”, “Kamayo” and “Binutuanon”. Today, Cebuano has become the lingua franca of Butuan City, and very few “Binutuanon” speakers remain. Now comes Mr. Aljon Cocon, a young man who is a native speaker of “Binutuanon”. He has started a crusade to revive the language. Having viewed his posted video, I contacted Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) Chairman Arthur Casanova through my Butuanon friend Blas Tabaranza, Jr. to help Mr. Cocon. Chairman Casanova reported that the orthography for “Binutuanon” was already finalized. Meanwhile, I have also reached out to other Butuanons to help. IKE SENERES/4-16-24

SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION

SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION Mayor Benjamin Magalong of Baguio City recently posted a video online, where he told a story about what happened when he spoke to an audience of mayors during a conference. He said that he had everyone’s attention when he started talking about using technology for governance, but he lost their attention when he started talking about graft and corruption in government. Without alluding to anyone, Mayor Magalong asked why is it that some mayors could not seem to satisfy their desire to get hold of public funds for their own gains. He said that despite the fact that these mayors already get a kickback from each project, they still want to become not only the contractor, but also the supplier to the contractors. They want everything. Going straight to the point, committing graft is not only a crime, it is also a sin. Considering that there are only a few atheists in this country, it would be safe to assume that most of those who are serving in government positions believe either believe in God, or belong to a church, mosque or temple as the case may be. So why are the incidents of sin so high among them? The answer to my question is very simple. The incidents of sin nowadays are very high, because the system itself is corrupt. It is a system that not only enables graft and corruption to prosper, it also allows the sinners to get away with their crimes. As a matter of fact, nobody really sees them as criminals nowadays. IKE SENERES/04-15-2024

CORAL REEF PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION

CORAL REEF PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION We may not be able to eat the sea corals, but we can eat the fish and other marine life that are able to survive because of their dependence on these corals. And so, the math for this is very simple. The less corals in the sea, the lesser fish there will be, and that would not only mean lesser food for us to eat, it would also mean lesser livelihood for the fishermen who depend on the seas for their survival. And so that is my answer to the greedy people who would ask me “what’s in it for me?”. What’s in it for them is the food that the fishermen could harvest to bring to their tables, even if they may not care for the livelihoods of these fishermen. And if that is not enough for them, I could tell them that if there are more corals in the seas, there will be lesser warming of sea temperatures that could also lessen global warming. Years ago, my late friend Ernie Pelaez started an artificial coral reef project in Duka Bay Resort in Medina, Misamis Oriental. It is now being managed by his cousin, Jessie Pelaez. The idea behind the project is very simple. After introducing the “fake” coral reefs, it will create the right environment for the real, natural coral reefs to grow back, and because of that, the fish will come back and survive. A similar project was started by the Filipino Inventors Society in Malabrigo, Lobo, Batangas. It is aptly named the “Sea Bliss Artificial Coral Reef Rejuvenation Project, implemented in cooperation with the BFAR and the local government. IKE SENERES/04-14-2024

QUIAPO HERITAGE ZONE ADVOCACY

QUIAPO HERITAGE ZONE ADVOCACY Just when I thought that local heritage groups have either weakened or have withered out, I was very happy to hear that a coalition of heritage home owners, heritage advocates and community members have been formed to advocate for the creation of a Quiapo Heritage Zone. One of the members of the coalition is Dakilang Pamana ng Lahi (PAMANLAHI). The coalition, aptly named “Quiapo ng Puso Ko” is a non-stock, non-profit organization that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The coalition is advocating for conservation, and not demolition. Apparently, there are some efforts to demolish some of the heritage buildings by some people who are either ignorant of the law, or too emboldened to break those laws. As part of their advocacy, they are looking for funds that could be used to restore and repair the sites. They are also asking for lower business permit fees, which is understandable because these properties may not be earning enough now. They are also advocating that the design to restore the sites should follow standard designs that should be based on historical references that should also regulate the size of the buildings and the character of the environs, as well as the quality of the materials used. They also said that all designs and all improvements should be done in consultation not only with the recognized experts, but also with the local community that has a stake in it more than anyone else. IKE SENERES/4-13-24

REPORTING OF EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION

REPORTING OF EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION After a recent earthquake in Northern Mindanao, I received a forwarded message in my Viber app, notifying me that there was an earthquake down south. That message came from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Perhaps it’s just me, or I may have missed a similar message from our own Philippine Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Either way, it made m wonder how and why the USGS was able to send an earthquake alert seemingly ahead of the PHIVOLCS. Although I did not receive an alert from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the ASEAN Earthquake Information Center (AEIC), I know for a fact that these two agencies have earthquake data that they could share with us. Could it be that both JMA and the AEIC might have shared that data already but we did not know about it? It is public knowledge that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding some of our earthquake monitoring programs, and one of the conditions for that is for us to share our data with them. But is there a condition that would require Japan to share data with us? If so, we should be getting that data regularly from the JMA. As a member of the ASEAN, we should also be getting earthquake data from the AEIC, but is that happening? Perhaps the PHIVOLCS needs the assistance of the DFA in getting the data from both the JMA and the AEIC? IKE SENERES/4-12-24

LET’S DO CHARACTER CHANGE FIRST

LET’S DO CHARACTER CHANGE FIRST I do not know how you are looking at ways to solve our country’s political and economic problems, but I do not think that some defects in our Constitution are to blame for these problems. That is like saying that our traffic problems are getting worse because our traffic laws are defective. But is that really the case? As some sectors in our society are calling for charter chance, could it be that we should be calling for character change instead? To change the character of every citizen? Although it might seem too far-fetched, there is actually a direct connection between graft and corruption, and our political and economic problems. As I understand it, graft and corruption have a cause-and-effect relationship. What I mean by that, is that corruption is the cause of graft, and not the other way around. To compare this with the story of the garden of Eden, the temptation initiated by Eve is the cause of the graft committed by Adam, graft being the sin that was in violation of God’s laws. Rough estimates say that about one third of our national budget is stolen by government officials who violate graft laws. Although these officials may well be capable of committing graft without anyone corrupting them, it’s more likely that there is someone who is tempting them by way of corrupting them to commit graft. Perhaps character change could help reduce the temptation to commit graft? IKE SENERES/4-11-24

STOPPING ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING

STOPPING ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING By definition, sex trafficking is merely a subset of human trafficking. Although human trafficking is now the popularly used terminology, it is actually the same as slavery or the slave trade, long banned in many countries but is still being practiced everywhere, despite many strict laws against it. For some reason, a lighter version called white slavery has come into play, but nonetheless it is still slavery. In the same way that slavery has existed since time immemorial, sex trafficking has also existed since time immemorial. With the emergence of the internet however, all these old terminologies have taken on new meanings. Anything done online is now termed as “cyber”, such that sexual actions online are now called “cybersex”. In other words, what used to be the old crime called “sex trafficking” is now called “online sex trafficking” and this new version is now considered as a “cybercrime” because it uses the internet to perpetuate the crimes. While it appears that the national offices of both the NBI and the PNP have already upgraded their computer systems to fight cybercrime in general and online sex trafficking in particular, more budgets are apparently needed to empower their regional, provincial and municipal offices. The Congress should therefore increase their budget allocations, because otherwise, we could be losing the war against this very powerful threat to national security and public safety. IKE SENERES/04-10-2024

GEARING UP AGAINST CYBERCRIME

GEARING UP AGAINST CYBERCRIME The bad news is, incidents of cybercrime are increasing, and the cybercriminals are seemingly getting bolder and smarter. The good news is, the government is very serious about combatting cybercrime, and it now has the right organizations to do it, coupled with the right laws to back them up. Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is a newly established government agency that has its own charter, but is attached to the DICT. The CICC lists the DICT, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as its “affiliated” agencies, and the PNP and NBI as its law enforcement agencies. Perhaps it is just a billing issue, but technically, the CICC is attached to the DICT, therefore it is not simply an “affiliate”, so to speak. It is clear that in this pecking order, the DICT is “primus inter pares” simply because it is a cabinet level department, and in fact, both the NPC and the NTC are attached to it. While the CICC appears to have its own law enforcement powers, both the PNP and the NBI also have their own powers. As a matter of fact, both of these agencies also have their own anti-cybercrime groups. While its good to have an apparent duplication of functions, it is also better if these are well coordinated. By the way, the DOJ also has its own anti-cybercrime group, but only for purposes of international coordination. IKE SENERES/04-09-2024

JUST ANOTHER WAY TO PAY YOUR TAXES

JUST ANOTHER WAY TO PAY YOUR TAXES If you pay your taxes in the usual manner, the money will go directly to the National Treasury and from there, the Congress will decide how and where it will be spent. But if you donate your money to a local government unit with a tax credit scheme, your taxes will go directly to a project of your choice, to a locality of your choice. Same obligation, same money. The only difference is that you and only you can decide where your money should go, and for what project. We all complain about graft in the government, amid reports that about a third of the national budget is eaten up by graft and corruption. Being the ones who contribute money to the government by way of mandatory taxes, we can usually do nothing except to complain how it is stolen by some government officials, and how it is not being spent the way we want to. While we also complain about many shortcomings in law enforcement, we also note that our uniformed services are also always lacking in money to spend for vehicles, weapons and other equipment that could make the do their jobs better. That is the reason why I am encouraging individual and corporate taxpayers to donate directly to law enforcement agencies such as the PNP, the NBI, the BOC and the PCG, in cash or in kind. If any individual or corporate taxpayer would like to try this other approach of paying your taxes, please let me know via email iseneres@yahoo.com . IKE SENERES/04-08-2024

NOT SO HAPPY WITH HAPPY PLUS

NOT SO HAPPY WITH HAPPY PLUS Why is it that in this country, the rules always seem to favor big business and not the ordinary customers? Well, let me put that in the right context. Based on the laws, the rules are supposed to be in favor of the ordinary customers, but somehow, the owners of the big businesses are almost always able to twist the laws in their favor, to the disadvantage of the customers. What is it about big business that somehow causes them to give way to unfair practices even if generally speaking, they are perceived to be well-behaved, law-abiding citizens? Is it the lust for more profits, even if they already have to much of it? Or is it the desire to make their stockholders happy at the expense of making their customers sad? Happy Plus is a loyalty card that was introduced to the market many years ago. It is a very good product that made many of their customers happy too, presumably because it brought in more loyal customers, as it was honored by the Jollibee Group and by other participating merchants. There is really nothing wrong with the product, except perhaps that there is something wrong with their customer relations policies. My Happy Plus card had expired, and I was told that there were still some credits in it. I was told by the staff of a Jollibee branch that I had to go to their main office to renew it. So I went, only to be told that I could no longer get my credits, because my old card had already expired. I say that the card expired, yes, but my money is not supposed to expire. IKE SENERES/04-07-2024

NO VIDEO, NO REFUND POLICY IS ILLEGAL

NO VIDEO, NO REFUND POLICY IS ILLEGAL Long before online orders became part of our lives, we already had a problem with errant merchants making up their own “no return no exchange” policies. Even back then, laws have been passed to counter those policies, but I guess the world never runs out of bad people who always come up with bad rules. According to DTI Undersecretary Amanda Nograles, the no returns no refund or no exchange policy falls under deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts or practices, which is in violation of Republic Act 7394, also known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines. In the old days, all that we needed as proof of purchase were the official receipts that we get when we buy any product in the stores. That was the way it was then, and that is the way it should still be now. But again, no thanks to the bad merchants, that is actually not the way it is now. And to some extent, it may have even gotten worse now. It appears that requiring customers to present videos as proof of delivery and identity is just another way of violating the law. Refusing to refund or exchange for any reason boils down to the same thing, and that means not honoring the rights of consumers to either get a refund or get a good replacement. Violating the rights of consumers is a crime even when there were no online orders, and it is still a crime now, more so with online orders, except that now, we are talking about serious cybercrime. IKE SENERES/04-06-2024

GENETICALLY MODIFIED BANANAS

GENETICALLY MODIFIED BANANAS As far as I can remember, I have always been against using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to produce food. That has always been my belief, because I did not like the idea of splicing animal DNA into plant DNA. That was my belief, because I knew that the food companies were splicing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes from an animal DNA (from bacteria) into the DNA of the corn plant. As much as I would rather not eat genetically modified corn, I have no way of knowing now which are GMO corn and which are not in the markets, because of very poor enforcement of labeling laws in this country. By now, I seem to have no choice but to accept the fact that the battle against GMO foods is all but lost. Although I still would not want to stop fighting it if I still could, I am now willing to tolerate certain GMO foods only if one plant DNA is mixed with another plant DNA. And now, scientists from Australia have created a new strain of bananas by adding a gene from a wild banana. In other words, from plant to plant, from banana to banana. That is why I think that there is perfectly nothing wrong with doing that. And now, the new strain is resistant to the Panama disease, a virus that affects both banana and abaca plants. Can you imagine what that can do to boost our agriculture? Aside from being able to produce and export more bananas, we can now do the same with abaca products. It is a good time to do that now, to replace many plastic materials. IKE SENERES/04-05-2024

ADDICTION TO ELECTRONIC GADGETS

ADDICTION TO ELECTRONIC GADGETS Microsoft Bing defines addiction to electronic gadgets as the “uncontrollable urge or impulse to continue using technology to the point that it starts to interfere with the individual’s mental, physical and social life”. Take note that the operative word here is “uncontrollable”, meaning to say that the definition excludes regular and customary use, within what is generally perceived to be normal or “controlled” use. In theory, electronic gadgets are supposed to be used as “tools” that could help us improve our “mental, physical and social life”. It is supposed to enhance what we are normally doing, meaning that these are not supposed to replace what we are doing with actions and activities that could already be considered as abnormal. Microsoft Bing also says that “gadget addiction affects all age groups and people of all races, and can lead to mental, physical, emotional and even political consequences”. While it is generally believed that the problem of addiction to gadgets affect the young people more, that is not true. That belief could be due to the fact that young people are more adept in using social media, internet surfing, video games and everything online. Just like any other addiction, the solution to the problem could eventually lead to treatments such as therapies, and even confinements in specialized facilities. Perhaps it is time to deal with this problem before it gets out of hand? Shall we call the attention of the DOH? IKE SENERES/04-04-2024

QUESTIONING THE LEGAL AGE OF CONSENT

QUESTIONING THE LEGAL AGE OF CONSENT Republic Act 11846 has raised the age of consent in the Philippines from 12 to 16. The new law, signed about two years ago by former President Rodrigo Duterte, was hailed as a major breakthrough by many sectors, considering that it put the Philippines at par with other countries that also has 16 as the age of consent. But should we be happy about that? The age of voting in the Philippines is 18, and so is the age of drinking, although some LGUs have raised the minimum age to 21. Any Filipino citizen aged 16 years old and above could apply for a student permit, and anyone aged 17 years old and above could apply for a non-professional driver’s license if they are allowed by their parents. As for me, I suggest that the permit be extended up to 18 years old, after which the licensees could apply on their own, even without parental consent. Since the age of majority in the Philippines is 18 years old, it goes without saying that that anyone who is under 18 is technically a child, and therefore should neither be allowed to vote nor drink. He or she may be allowed to drive, but only with a student permit. That said, I think that anyone below the age of 18 should not be legally allowed to consent to sex, on the simple argument that he or she is still a child. Statistics show that teen pregnancy is increasing, and it could be partly due to the age of consent being below 18. Depression among the youth is also increasing, and could be a contributing factor to higher teenage suicides rates. IKE SENERES/04-03-2024

MINIMUM SIZE OF FISH CATCH ALLOWED

MINIMUM SIZE OF FISH CATCH ALLOWED What are the laws that are in place to regulate the size of fish that could be legally caught? Are there such laws and what are they? It seems to me however that catching fish in this country is a free for all, such that anybody can catch any size of fish anywhere, and everybody can just get away with it. Just recently, I bought a dozen baby milkfish from a supermarket that is too small to be caught or harvested. A friend told me that milkfish that are grown in fishponds can be harvested by the owner at any time at any size, but should there not be regulations regarding that? As I understand it, we have a shortage of milkfish fingerlings so much so that we already have to import these. If that is so, then why are we wasting these fingerlings by not growing them to full size? I understand that fishpond owners can harvest any size they want, but how do we monitor and control the fish that comes from the wild? It would be easy for anyone to claim that his fish was harvested from a fishpond, and not from the wild. That is similar to the problem of anyone claiming that his lumber is harvested from a tree plantation, and not from a forest. The bottom line in this issue is two-fold. We are protecting our food security, and our wildlife assets. If we allow anyone to harvest any fish at any size or age, we might run out of some fish species before we know it. I am calling the attention of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Coast Guard, the BFAR, and the BMB to attend to this matter. IKE SENERES/04-02-24