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‘Dogged pragmatism’ needed to save Ocean: UN Special Envoy

Author: UN News | Date: 2 June 2020

‘Dogged pragmatism’ is needed to save the Ocean as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, according to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean.

Peter Thomson, who hails from the Pacific Ocean island of Fiji, spoke to UN News ahead of World Oceans Day marked annually on 8 June, and explained why it’s crucial not to forget how important the Ocean is, to the future of the planet.

Where are we right now in terms of the physical health of the Ocean?

Peter Thomson, President of the 71st session of the General Assembly during the reception by co-hosts (Sweden and Fiji) at The Ocean Conference at the UN on June 05, 2017., by UN Photo/Ariana Lindquist

The Ocean is in trouble. Some 60 percent of the world’s major marine ecosystems have been degraded or are being used unsustainably. We know that the Ocean is getting warmer, that it is losing oxygen and becoming more acidic. These changes, driven by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, are incrementally making life underwater more difficult, with big implications for life on land. 

Deep cuts in our greenhouse gas emissions are required if we want to reverse the declining health of the Ocean.

As we approach the massive task of socio-economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the self-interest of our species lies in investing public funds into a future of sustainable projects that help the environment and the climate. 

Why should we care so much about the Ocean?

Billions of people depend on the Ocean for their main source of protein and millions of others draw their livelihood from the seas. It’s estimated that marine fisheries provide 57 million jobs globally.

Covering 70 percent of the earth’s surface, absorbing 25 percent of all carbon dioxide CO2 emissions and 90 percent of the heat generated by our greenhouse gas emissions, the Ocean is the planet’s largest biosphere and climate regulator.  

It generates 50 percent of the oxygen we breathe and is often described as the lungs of this planet. It is also the planet’s largest carbon sink, making it one of our greatest allies as we face the challenges of global warming.

But the Ocean’s resistance and resilience are not infinite, and we cannot expect it to endlessly absorb the effects of unsustainable human activities. 

It is said that trouble for the Ocean means trouble for the people, for we cannot have a healthy planetary ecosystem without having a healthy Ocean. 

To what extent do you see the current COVID-19 crisis as a way to provoke a rethink of the way humankind treats the Ocean?

Coral reefs like this one in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt generate income as underwater tourist attractions., by Coral Reef Image Bank/Fabrice Du

In this respect I urge you to think about the six principles that UN Secretary-General Guterres laid down in his Earth Day address this year, principles that included ending fossil fuel subsidies, polluters being made to pay for their pollution, and investing public funds into a future of sustainable projects that help the environment and the climate. 

The future of human health, of sustainable food and socio-economic systems, of renewable energy and of a stable climate relies on a healthy Ocean. Therefore, I trust that the tragedies suffered through the COVID-19 crisis will not be repeated by returning to the planet-polluting policies that preceded the pandemic. The best interests of our countries and communities lie in investing in the clean, green transition.

 At this time, decisions on massive financial commitments are in train, and before the seal is set upon them, we should ensure the consequences of taking the low road back to the polluting fossil-fuel dependant world we knew, are understood and avoided. Governments, development banks, agencies, corporations, none should allow themselves to avoid long-term responsibilities in the name of short-term expedience.

Humankind will continue to rely on the Ocean for a wide variety of resources, but can this reliance be more sustainable?

It absolutely can, as long as we take the approach of blue-green recovery and give the Ocean the respect it deserves. This approach is all about getting the balance right between protection and production.

The Ocean will provide us with the future we want, be it through better medicines, nutrition, or sources of renewable energy. Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine biotechnologies, ecotourism, the greening of the global shipping fleet and more, these will give us the resilience and sustainability we seek.

A sustainable ‘blue economy’ which takes into account the well-being of our Ocean will give us a healthy future, but only if we first correct our bad habits on land. 

How does that look on a small island developing state?

SDG Goal 14: Life Below Water., by United Nations

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are particularly vulnerable to global economic shocks and they are in need of special assistance at this time.

Many of these countries are highly dependent on tourism for foreign exchange earnings and employment. As lockdown measures ease, urgent attention is required to restore travel connections between compatible countries in order to allow some resumption of tourism. The same relaxation is required for trade and services between compatible countries.

How optimistic are you about the Ocean in the light of the coronavirus pandemic?

I try to be neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but instead concentrate on the dogged pragmatism required for us to implement our internationally agreed goals.

A 2018 report on global warming by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change told us that limiting global warming to sustainable levels would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society. While life-altering pandemics are not the prescription for mitigation of climate change, the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated possibilities for unprecedented change. 

Perhaps the greatest risk of the pandemic would be that we lose sight of the most fundamental challenge facing humanity, which is the effect that climate change is having on our planet, now and in the future.

We must stay focused on the rapid reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions to levels that will keep global warming to no more than 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels. Without such action, we will be placing the wellbeing of future generations of humans in great jeopardy. 

The good news is that we have a universally agreed plan to save life in the Ocean which will also fight climate change and reduce rates of global warming. I refer to SDG 14, one the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

SDG 14 sets out to conserve and sustainably use the resources of the Ocean. Taken together with the Paris Climate Agreement, the faithful implementation of SDG 14 and the Sustainable Development Agenda will lead us to the future we want for people and for the Ocean.

Life Below Water and the UN

  • Conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources is the central focus of SDG 14 one of 17 goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 
  • The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. 
  • Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea.
  • Over 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihood.
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Time for nature

Author: United Nations

Panda Base, Chengdu, China.The Base is famous for the protection and breeding of endangered wild animals that are unique to China, including giant pandas and red pandas. UNDP/Dylan Lowthian

The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from nature. For instance, each year, marine plants produce more than a half of our atmosphere’s oxygen, and a mature tree cleans our air, absorbing 22 kilos of carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen in exchange. Despite all the benefits that our nature gives us, we still mistreat it. That is why we need to work on that. That is why we need this Observance.

World Environment Day, hosted by Colombia this 2020, is the most renowned day for environmental action. Since 1974, it has been celebrated every year on 5 June: engaging governments, businesses, celebrities, and citizens to focus their efforts on a pressing environmental issue.

This year, the theme is biodiversity – a concern that is both urgent and existential. Recent events, from bushfires in Brazil, the United States, and Australia to locust infestations across East Africa – and now, a global disease pandemic – demonstrate the interdependence of humans and the webs of life, in which they exist.

Biodiversity and its connection to humans

Biodiversity is the foundation that supports all life on land and below water. It affects every aspect of human health, providing clean air and water, nutritious foods, scientific understanding and medicine sources, natural disease resistance, and climate change mitigation. Changing, or removing one element of this web affects the entire life system and can produce negative consequences.

Human actions, including deforestation, encroachment on wildlife habitats, intensified agriculture, and acceleration of climate change, have pushed nature beyond its limit. It would take 1.6 Earths to meet the demands that humans make of nature each year. If we continue on this path, biodiversity loss will have severe implications for humanity, including the collapse of food and health systems.

The emergence of COVID-19 has underscored the fact that, when we destroy biodiversity, we destroy the system that supports human life. Today, it is estimated that, globally, about one billion cases of illness and millions of deaths occur every year from diseases caused by coronaviruses; and about 75 percent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic, meaning that they are transmitted to people by animals.

Nature is sending us a message.

For more information on World Environment Day visit: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/

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National Resilience Council COVID-19 Knowledge Series

(Clockwise, from top left) Hon. Carlito Galvez, Jr., Chief Implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19; Ms. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, President of the National Resilience Council; Hon. Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of National Defense and NRC Co-Chair for Government; Dr. Manuel Dayrit, Adjunct Professor and Former Dean of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health

In April 2020, the National Resilience Council (NRC), in partnership with ARISE Philippines, Zuellig Family Foundation, and the Makati Business Club, launched its 4-part COVID-19 Knowledge Series: Expert Dialogue on Resilience, Public Health, and Human Security. This series aims to provide a platform for informed multi-stakeholder dialogue; bridge global knowledge and expertise with local practice; and catalyze evidence-informed decisions and actions by bringing together representatives from the national and local government, the health sector, the private sector, and experts in leadership and governance.

The first webinar on the theme “Pandemic Frontliners: Health Emergency Practice and Crisis Leadership” was held on April 3, and established the need to have a unified course of action for the COVID-19 pandemic through an understanding of the interdependence between socially-engineered systems and natural systems. It highlighted the importance of resilient leadership and governance in building systems and a network of decisions that will actually lead to everyone’s desired impact. In a series of presentations, experts explored the ramifications of COVID-19 in the way we govern, the way we run businesses, and the way society will adapt in the aftermath of disaster-related trauma. Three critical management functions surfaced at the end of the session: management of innovation, management of logistics, and management of the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic. The overall takeaways from the session include the importance of command structure and key task groups, stronger national and local government collaboration, stronger public-private collaboration, and improved communication and collaboration with all stakeholders.

The second webinar on the theme “Pandemic Public Safety and Security” was held on April 17 to address the rapid evolution of the traditional and non-traditional roles of the safety and security sector in decreasing exposure and vulnerability to this biological hazard. COVID-19 has triggered cascading impacts across interdependent systems and has disrupted the operation of critical infrastructure. When compounded, these impacts may threaten social and economic stability and a nation’s resilience and security. This complexity has imbued the roles of the safety and security sector with even greater nuance and importance. The second session of the COVID-19 Knowledge Series highlighted the ways by which resilience, public health, safety, and security intersect and how frontliners meet these challenges. Ultimately, insights that can inform and align strategic and operational efforts in support of government containment and mitigation policies and programs were developed.

A special session featuring national government leaders, key decision-makers, and local chief executives was held on April 28. This session on the theme “Voices From the Frontline: Bayanihan in Action” highlighted the importance of harmonizing local actions when implementing evidence-informed national actions and establishing a list of priority actions by local government units in close collaboration and alignment with the Philippine National Task Force Against COVID-19’s mission and program of implementation.

The third webinar on the theme “Resilient Recovery of the Most Vulnerable: Challenges and Opportunities” was held on May 12 to address the challenges of social protection and the recovery of informal livelihoods and micro and small enterprises. Key decision makers presented government social protection programs, microfinance opportunities, and private sector strategies on the restoration of livelihoods among the informal sector and micro and small enterprises, using socio-economic infrastructure system to reinforce or sustain community action. It also established the critical role of the private sector in partnering with the government to address the impact of COVID-19 on various vulnerable groups. Experts provided context on the urban poor population in the country, vulnerability profile of Metro Manila, informal livelihoods, and the urban economy. The role of the informal sector’s solidarity networks and the pathways to resilience building of the urban poor were also highlighted.

The fourth webinar on the theme “Recovery & Resilience: Rethinking Growth Post-COVID-19” was held on May 22 and brought together industry leaders from both the government and the private sector as they discussed the recovery and resilience of the country post-pandemic in the context of macroeconomics. Some of the highlights from the discussion include the need to modernize and upgrade the Philippines’ health system, agriculture, supply chain management, protection of the Filipino workforce, support for digital transactions, and the national ID system. Digital upskilling, educational training, and wage subsidy programs were put forward as essential to create more jobs. The session highlighted the need for public-private partnerships to accelerate data-driven decision-making so as not to risk losing momentum in response and recovery. These partnerships could have far-reaching effects on society, economy, and politics. Digital technology was seen as key to strengthening the government’s monitoring and evaluation systems for policy responses and actions. There was a consensus that it is important to future proof the workforce by strengthening the Philippine educational system, sustain upskilling, and ensure adequate health protection. The national ID system was viewed to enable inclusive and innovative digital finance and ensure reliable databases for the design and impact assessment of policies. The moderator for this session was Mr. Coco Alcuaz, Executive Director of the Makati Business Club.

*****

Webinar 1: Pandemic Frontliners: Emergency Health Practice and Crisis Leadership

Moderator:

  • Dr. Manuel Dayrit, former Philippine Secretary of Health and “SARS Czar”. He is an Adjunct Professor and former Dean at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and Trustee of the Zuellig Family Foundation.

Speakers:

  • Dr. Eric Rasmussen, CEO of Infinitum Humanitarian Systems
  • Dr. Frank Fuh-Yuan Shih, Attending Physician at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the National Taiwan University Hospital and COO for the Taipei Region Emergency Operations Center in the Taiwan Department of Health.
  • Mr. Edgar Chua, Chairman of Makati Business Club. He is also the Vice Chair for the Private Sector of the National Resilience Council, Trustee of the Zuellig Family Foundation, and President of De La Salle Philippines.

Reactors:

  • Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, Undersecretary for Public Health Services of the Department of Health
  • Hon. Jerry Trenas, Mayor of Iloilo City
  • Dr. Jaime Almora, President of the National Hospital Association

Webinar 2: Pandemic Public Safety and Security

Lead Discussant:

  • MGen Restituto Padilla, Jr. (Ret.), Spokesperson of the Philippine National Task Force Against COVID-19.  

Panelists:

  • Hana Akselrod, MD, MPH, Infectious Disease Physician and Asst. Professor of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
  • Hon. Ma. Isabelle Climaco, Mayor of Zamboanga City
  • Mr. Austere Panadero, Executive Director of the Zuellig Family Foundation and former Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government
  • Maria Carissa Alejandro, MD, Strategy & External Affairs Head of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc.

Reactor:

  • VAdm Alexander Pama (Ret.), DRR Consultant for SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and NRC. He is the former Executive Director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Council and Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense.

Special Session: Voices from the Frontline: Bayanihan in Action

Moderator:

  • Ernesto D. Garilao, Chairman and President of the Zuellig Family Foundation. He is the Vice Chair for CSOs/NGOs of NRC and is former Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Lead Discussants:

  • Hon. Carlito Galvez, Jr. (Ret.), Chief Implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19. He is the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
  • Dr. Manuel Dayrit, former Philippine Secretary of Health and “SARS Czar”. He is an Adjunct Professor and former Dean at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and Trustee of the Zuellig Family Foundation.
  • Hon. Oscar Moreno, Mayor of Cagayan de Oro City
  • Hon. Ronnel Rivera, Mayor of General Santos City
  • Hon. Richard Gomez, DPA, Mayor of Ormoc City

Statements of Support:

  • MGen Restituto Padilla, Jr. (Ret.), Spokesperson of the Philippine National Task Force Against COVID-19. 
  • Engr. Dexter Lo, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan
  • Sergio Bernal, Jr., Vice President for External and Government Relations of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation

Webinar 3: Resilient Recovery of the Most Vulnerable

Moderator:

  • Mr. Austere Panadero, Executive Director of the Zuellig Family Foundation and former Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government

Speakers:

  • Dr. Anna Marie Karaos, Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ateneo de Manila University and Member, Council of Advisors, Coastal Cities at Risk in the Philippines (CCARPH)
  • Undersecretary Danilo G. Pamonag of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
  • Secretary Jose Ma. Concepcion III, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Founder of GoNegosyo
  • Dr. Aristotle Alip, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of CARD-MRI
  • Mr. Jorge Consunji, President and CEO of D.M. Consunji, Inc.

Webinar 4: Recovery & Resilience: Rethinking Growth Post-COVID-19

Moderator:

  • Mr. Coco Alcuaz, Executive Director of Makati Business Club

Speakers:

  • Dr. Benjamin Diokno, PhD, Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
  • Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corp.

Reactors:

  • Mr. Nestor V. Tan, President and CEO of BDO Unibank
  • Mr. Ignacio Mijares, President and CEO of CEMEX Holdings Philippines
  • Mr. Gerardo A. Borromeo, Vice Chairman and CEO of Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc.

For more information about the COVID-19 Knowledge Series and details on future sessions, please email [email protected] or visitwww.resiliencecouncil.ph.

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Urban resiliency: Key to sustainability in 21st century Philippines

Source: The Philippine Star | Author: Hans T. Sy | Date: May 30, 2020

Filipinos have direct experiences with the devastating effects of climate change.

According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Philippines ranks fourth among countries worldwide most affected by extreme weather events over a 19-year period, from 1998 to 2017. In terms of disaster risk, the Philippines also ranked high globally – placing third among all other countries, according to the World Risk Report in 2018. Given the archipelagic nature of our country, at least 60 percent of our total land area is exposed to multiple hazards, and as much as 74 percent of our total population – now a little over 100 million – is susceptible to these adverse impacts.

With 25 percent of the people living in Metro Manila, the need to build resilient cities cannot rest on the government alone. The private sector has to do its share in building critical infrastructure to help communities thrive above the effects of climate change.

This became very apparent to me when I saw one of our malls in Pangasinan go under the flood along with the whole town during Typhoon Pepeng (international name: Parma). I realized that resilience is important to our stakeholders – our employees, tenants, customers, suppliers and communities surrounding our malls. I was determined to help our stakeholders bounce back better and stronger.

In the Philippines, the private sector contributes a majority of capital investment on facilities for safety and security, transportation, communication and other services like power and water. As such, private-private public partnership plays a vital role in ensuring the sustainability of cities by ensuring their resiliency against disasters and climate threats.

The private sector can share the role in adopting responsible and sustainable business practices. In particular, businesses should take a closer look at integrating disaster risk reduction into its business models and processes.

In SM, we need a holistic approach to disaster resilience.

First, we integrated disaster risk reduction in our malls, allotting 10 percent of our capital expenditure to disaster resilient features in the design and construction.  We employ disaster risk management methods such as risk assessments, early warning systems, business continuity management systems and continuous efforts for capacity building.

With each event, we have had to assess the impact of climate change against what we prepared for such as during Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) and other typhoons, where the higher design elevation of the Mall of Asia complex proved able to withstand the large waves and storm surges. For our future developments, we are using peak disaster events based on data reaching back 100 years or more and providing for buffers even beyond that.

In our malls and property developments such as offices, not easily apparent features such as energy efficiency, waste management and even traffic control measures create substantial positive impact in the overall environmental sustainability and safety of our operations. This in turn contributes to the collective sustainability of the communities we are located in.

Secondly, we had to develop the resilience of our stakeholders especially our tenants. In order to help our tenants and locators preserve data integrity that is vital to their business operations, we have built the first SM Resilience Center in SM Clark, Pampanga as a centralized data and digital information hub and repository. We currently provide free data storage of five gigabytes for around 1,600 SMEs from all around the country that serves as a vital backup during disaster recovery and business continuity. As a result, SMEs can access digitized copies of their contracts, permits, policies and other important documents to help them bounce-back better after a business disruption.

Our malls have also evolved to serve as the modern-day version of the town plaza where residents of our communities gather and converge. Recognizing that our malls are resilient structures that can offer refuge in times of calamities, SM pioneered community services such as free parking and basic shelter during extraordinary natural disasters.

Thirdly, an important approach toward urban resiliency is multi-sectoral cooperation and collaboration. I have taken an active role in UNISDR’s ARISE, a private sector alliance that promotes collaboration towards disaster risk reduction. In support of our commitment to UN ARISE, we engaged with the public sector, in partnership with other colleagues in the business community.

Among the partners we work with are the National Resilience Council, APEC Emergency Preparedness Capacity Building Center, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and Global Education and Training Institute, Department of Trade and Industry, and many others. These partnerships not just directly address immediate disaster risk reduction needs but also provide longer-term capacity building and technical assistance to community stakeholders and beneficiaries.

ACHIEVING TRUE RESILIENCE is a COMBINED EFFORT of the government, the private sector and civil society. We in the private sector should do our part in adopting responsible and sustainable business practices to help fortify our urban centers – integrating disaster risk reduction into business models and processes, and making investments that not only translate to financial return but shared value that safeguards the lives and interests of all our stakeholders.

Hans Sy is the chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holding, Inc. His involvement with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) was first, as a member, the only Filipino, of its Private Sector Advisory Group, and currently, as an international board member of UNISDR “ARISE” – Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, a platform for businesses to share knowledge and strategies toward investing particularly in disaster resilience and management.

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The digital challenge

Source: The Philippine Star – Filipino Worldview | Author: Ambassador Roberto R. Romulo | Date: May 29, 2020

Recently, the National Resilience Council (NRC) held its 4th Webinar conference hosted by the Makati Business Club, this time focusing on economic recovery and resilience. The guest speaker was BSP Governor Ben Diokno. DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and I made opening remarks on behalf of NRC.

In my opening remarks, I did not dwell on BSP’s policy response to the coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19 crisis, but rather shared my personal experiences in online banking necessitated by the quarantine which will be the new normal even after the pandemic as more and more transactions are made online. I raised the issue of legacy requirements for physical presence or documents to effect banking transactions. I asked what the BSP policy was with regards to digital cash; paperless exchange and “presenceless” authentication being adopted by an increasing number of countries.

As it turns out, the BSP’s policy response, aside from the monetary and prudential tools in its arsenal, included an emphasis on the extensive use of digital technology moving forward. The Governor is well suited to spearhead this effort. He had demonstrated his being tech-savvy when as budget secretary, he collaborated with DOST on a project called DIME (Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation). The objective was, using satellite imagery, to monitor the status and implementation of government projects (e.g. public works projects, irrigation projects).

Allow me to quote portions of the Governor’s expansive presentation on this topic:

“With the increased usage of non-bank channels to send/receive money, the BSP has been improving channels of remittances with the approval of new technologies in remittance transfers (mobile phones, internet, cash cards). However, insufficient IT infrastructure is leading to the slow internet connection, additional costs (e.g. online service fees), data privacy and cybersecurity risks, and lack of knowledge on new technologies may pose challenges in the implementation of financial digital services.”

“To expand the reach of digital transactions, we need to increase contactless payment facilities, such as PayMaya and GCash can be expanded to include wet markets, retail stores and public utility vehicles (jeep, taxis, tricycles, bus). The adoption of the QR code standard must be expedited to enable interoperable payments of person to person and person to merchant transactions. The scale of the recently launched EGOV Pay Facility can be expanded to enable ordinary citizens to digitally pay government taxes, fees and charges.”

Beyond banking, he cited that the demand for digital technology in the post-Covid world will increase exponentially as companies, schools and government agencies implement learn and work from home arrangements and virtual meetings. He further stressed that digital technology is key to strengthening the government’s monitoring and evaluation systems for policy responses and actions.

From my personal perspective, I was delighted that he stressed the importance of future proofing our workforce by strengthening the educational system, sustained upskilling and adequate health protection. As I said in the virtual conference, I recommend that BSP hire a cadre of young IT professionals (as stated by UN, our median age is 27.5) versed in today’s digital technology, employ them with competitive wages and train for the future, even sending them abroad.

The Governor also cited the expeditious implementation of the National ID system will enable inclusive and innovative digital finance and ensure reliable database for the design and impact assessment of policies, including those for taxation and social safety net purposes. Acting NEDA Secretary Karl Chua is also pushing for the acceleration of the National ID project.

The Governor will be well supported in his digital endeavor by competent BSP officers like Lilia Guillermo and Pia Roman-Tayag.

I have written about how supportive Sonny Dominguez is about our transition to the digital economy. Three government officials seem to have embraced the concept: “It’s the Digital Economy Stupid”. I hope the President listens.

Much has been written about the surprise acceptance by the President of Undersecretary Eliseo Rio’s resignation which was filed last January. For a time, Rio was the only visible DICT official.  Secretary Gringo Honasan has been barely visible in contrast. But no worry, his replacement, my irrepressible friend, RJ Jacinto, is guaranteed to generate headlines with his controversial stance on issues like common cell towers.

I would like to see DICT take a leadership and more assertive role in leading us to the digital economy as is their mandate. But I am reminded to be careful what you wish for. With both DICT Secretary Honasan and RJ admitting they are not ICT experts, we may see a classic case of the Blind leading the Blind.

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Urban Poor Vulnerabilities, Solidarity Networks, and Pathways to Resilience

“Urban Poor Vulnerabilities, Solidarity Networks, and Pathways to Resilience” was presented by Dr. Anna Marie Karaos at the National Resilience Council COVID-19 KNOWLEDGE SERIES Webinar 3 – Resilient Recovery of the Most Vulnerable: Challenges and Opportunities on 12 May 2020.

Dr. Karaos’ presentation has been transcribed and the full documentation may be accessed below along with the video recording of her discussion.

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

 Page 3 - Where the urban poor are 
 Page 6 - Vulnerability profile of Metro Manila’s urban poor
 Page 8 - Urban poor livelihoods and the urban economy
 Page 12 - The role of informal solidarity networks
 Page 14  - Pathways to resilience-building of the urban poor

Access the presentation below:                

Urban Poor Vulnerabilities, Solidarity Networks, and Pathways to Resilience.PDF

Watch the presentation below:

Dr. Anna Marie “Jing” Karaos is a social development professional and academic specializing in urban poverty research and policy advocacy. She is the Associate Director and Head of the Urban Poverty and Governance Program of the John J Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues, an advocacy-oriented research center under the Philippine Jesuits. She is a former Chair of the Caucus of Development NGO Networks, or CODE NGO, an umbrella network of 12 national and regional NGO networks in the Philippines, and a former Chair and currently a member of the Board of PHILSSA (Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies) which is a network of NGOs engaged in urban poverty-focused development work.
As an academic, she is a Professorial Lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the Ateneo de Manila University and a member of the University’s Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Council of Advisors of the Coastal Cities at Risk Philippines Project. She obtained her Doctorate in Sociology from the New School for Social Research in New York City and Master of Philosophy on Economics and Politics of Development from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

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Typhoon Vongfong (Ambo) Report #1

Date: May 14 2020, 6PM PHT | Source: The Manila Observatory

Summary

WHAT

  • TY Vongfong (Ambo) intensified to Cat 3 (max 1-min sustained winds ~185 kph) and is located over Samar Island (JTWC) as of 14 May 2PM.
  • TY Vongfong made landfall over Eastern Samar on 14 May 12:15PM (PAGASA).

WHEN AND WHERE

  • Multi tracks from different agencies show consensus in the west-northwestward track of TY Vongfong.
  • Forecasts show that it will cross the Bicol Region on 15 May 2PM, north Luzon on 16 May 2PM, and exit the country after 17 May 2PM.
  • Strong winds (~150 kph; 15 May 2PM) will be experienced in Bicol Region as Vongfong passes
    through

CURRENT RAINFALL

  • As of 14 May 4PM, moderate (5 mm) to heavy rainfall (20 mm) over Samar, Bicol region, and Northeast Mindanao.

MODEL FORECAST

  • From 8AM, May 14, high rainfall (>250mm) is expected with the next 24 hours over Northern Samar and Bicol. For the next 48 to 72 hours, the area of high rainfall

Current status of Typhoon Vongfong (Ambo)

  • As of 2 PM 14 May, TY Vongfong intensified to Cat 3 (max 1-min sustained winds ~185 kph) and forecasted to weaken to Cat 2 (max 1-min sustained winds ~167 kph) as it passes along Bulan/Irosin Sorsogon.
  • Bicol and Samar will continue to experience strong winds as Vongfong passes southern Luzon until tomorrow May 15 morning. Vongfong will traverse entire Luzon on May 16 and exit the country on May 17 evening.
Integrated Multi-Agency Tropical Cyclone Forecast from typhoon2000.ph

Potential rainfall associated with Typhoon Vongfong (Ambo)

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COVID-19: Opportunities for Resilient Recovery

Date: May 7, 2020 | Source: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction – Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (UNDRR Asia Pacific) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia (UNESCAP) and the Pacific International Recovery Platform co-organized a webinar on: COVID-19: Opportunities for Resilient Recovery as part of UNDRR Asia-Pacific’s Webinar Series on COVID-19. The webinar was conducted on May 7, 14:00 (Bangkok Time).

As countries continue to meet the immediate needs of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis is forcing policymakers to consider the unavoidable trade-offs between saving lives and preserving jobs and livelihoods. Throughout Asia-Pacific, governments are considering options for restarting their economic engines and putting people back to work, including in key sectors that have been most impacted by the pandemic. Experts are considering what recovery might look like once the virus is contained but also how countries can use this recovery opportunity to achieve longer-term resilience goals, including decarbonization of the world economy.

The webinar highlighted lessons learned from past disaster recovery events, and consider how countries can start preparing for a recovery that is climate-sensitive, inclusive, and contributes to global efforts to build more resilient systems that are better placed to prevent such crises in the future.

The full video recording of the webinar may be accessed by clicking here

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The ultimate vaccine: A resilient health care system

Source: The Philippine Star – Filipino Worldview | Author: Ambassador Roberto R. Romulo | Date: May 8, 2020

Former health secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral compels us to think beyond today’s crisis. Scientists predict a second wave. The development of a cure and a vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 is going to take time. Even then, new pandemics and disease transmission are going to be a fact of life in a globalized world. Dr. Cabral’s words are simple and challenges us to do the right thing.

“Since the crisis that has caused our economy to stop on its tracks is a health issue, maybe there are things to say on how developing a resilient health care system, able to deal with shocks like this, is the ultimate solution to similar health, turned socioeconomic disasters, that are really just around the corner, threatening our way of life the same way that coronavirus has done.

This makes the case for why increasing our health care system’s capacity should be part of the national stimulus strategy. If we do not, we will simply repeat the experience we are going through now, maybe next year, maybe two years from now, who knows? For sure, however, it will be sooner rather than later.

Let’s get ready by spending on improving our health care system. Spend on improving hard infrastructure, BUILD, build, build! The kind of hospital where you would want to be admitted if you ever have a serious illness. Spend on training, recruiting and retaining more human health resource, Employ, employ, employ! The kind of doctor you would want taking care of you and the kind of nurse who will provide expert assistance to your physician. Spend on research and development of medical equipment, drugs, vaccines, supplies and materials such as personal protective equipment. Spend on production and stockpiling of these so that we are not forever dependent on imports. In a global crisis, we are going to get what we need only after the needs of the producing countries and the richer buying countries are satisfied.

Let’s spend on our health. Invest in family planning, or we will have an extra four million people to take care of when the next contagion comes along. Invest in waste management or we will drown in a tsunami of used personal protective equipment (they are made of plastic) that will pollute the land forever. Invest in water so that we can at least have some to wash our hands with. Invest in housing so that when we call for social distancing and home isolation, they will have some space to do this properly. Invest in data technology so that we can know where we are and can plan our next steps confidently. Otherwise, we will repeat this cycle of spending trillions that we don’t have, to protect business and our workers and revive our economy. As we always say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

“It’s the public health care system, stupid” is what former secretary Cabral is saying – a twist of James Carville’s campaign slogan for Bill Clinton. The key takeaway from what Dr. Cabral says is that a resilient health care system will prevent a health issue – and the next one is just around the corner – from becoming a socioeconomic disaster. A resilient health care system will spare our country the terrible dilemma of choosing between loss of life or loss of livelihood.

Digital response to COVID-19

To me, a key component of health and economic resilience is the application of digital technology to more effectively address the health challenges and its economic consequences.

With lockdowns and other social distancing measures in effect, more and more people are relying on the internet for information and advice and hence, deploying effective digital technologies can help contain the outbreak, meet the needs of people for accurate information and soften the impact of the crisis on their lives.

Data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to give an accurate picture of infections, and allow government and business to react and plan accordingly. Digital applications can help trace and test people who have come into contact with an infected person. I understand IATF has issued a “rapid pass” with digital tracing potential. Digital communication channels can provide reliable information on global and national COVID-19 developments, information about the outbreak, travel restrictions, practical guidance on protection, and governmental response. A comprehensive supply chain data application can facilitate the movement of goods such as food and essential services in an optimal way and avoid long lines at checkpoints. Digital ID and digital signature can help ensure the effective delivery of unemployment assistance, food relief and other social benefits.

But before we can unlock the promise of digital technology, however, we have to feed it with baseline data. One of the most basic data is a unique lifetime ID number for each and every Filipino. I understand that the Philippines and six other countries are the only ones who do not have a national identity system in place. In other places like Singapore and Taiwan, a unique ID number is used for the various cards and permits for health services, social security, passports, tax ID, drivers’ license and many others. That way, data can be consolidated and be easily accessible, while balancing health and public service imperatives and privacy concerns.

As an aged veteran of technology, I can foresee the many uses of a National ID System. But I may have to wait a while. About a year and a half ago, I heard a presentation by NEDA on the planned National ID System to be implemented by multiple agencies such as the Philippine Statistics Authority, NEDA and DSWD.

Frankly, as the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. Worse yet, as of today, the respective agencies are still in the bidding process. I would suggest that President Duterte light a fire under the relevant bureaucracies to give this the highest priority and get this completed at the soonest possible time. According to the timetable, trials are underway and targets to cover the entire population by 2025. Indonesia, with almost three times the population of the Philippines is set to complete their identity card issuance soon.

We fought so hard for a DICT since the time of FVR, Erap, GMA, and PNoy. DICT presence NOW is an imperative.