Long-term study proves BENEO’s Orafti®Synergy1 reduces infection duration for infants in first year of life

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

A recently published study from an EU-funded project[i] demonstrates that the prebiotic enrichment of infant formula milk with oligofructose-enriched inulin (Orafti®Synergy1) reduces the duration of infections in the first year of a baby’s life.

The study is part of the EARNEST[ii] project (EARly Nutrition programming-long term follow up of Efficacy and Safety Trials), an EU-funded integrated initiative. It was conducted across multiple sites and was a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. It involved 160 healthy term infants who were exclusively formula-fed and aged younger than 4 months at the outset of the study. The infant formula was either enriched with 0.8 g/100 mL of BENEO’s Orafti®Synergy1, a chicory root derived prebiotic, or an unsupplemented control formula. These were given until the babies were 12 months old.

The findings showed that both formulas were well-tolerated and safe. However, the babies that consumed the infant formula enriched with Orafti®Synergy1 had significantly shorter infection episodes, compared to the control group. In addition, the total daily crying time for those consuming the prebiotic formula was lower and their stools were significantly softer throughout the 12-month period.

Anke Sentko, Vice President Regulatory Affairs & Nutrition Communication at BENEO, comments: “The research results are especially exciting because they reflect the first year in a baby’s life for the first time and show that the duration of infections was significantly reduced by the group consuming formula enriched with Orafti®Synergy1. Without a doubt, this is good news for both babies and their parents. With the right choice of ingredients, formulas can be improved by enriching them with prebiotic oligofructose-enriched inulin and brought closer to the gold standard of breast-feeding.”

This is the third study using 0.8 g/100 mL Orafti®Synergy1 with infants proving safety, good tolerance and health benefits, but is the first study with Orafti®Synergy1 of such a long duration. It also adds to the growing evidence of the positive effects of prebiotics on a baby’s gut microbiota linked to their inner defence system. In this respect, a healthy colonisation of the gut microbiota with beneficial bacteria seems to be of high importance for the proper development of the immune system.

As a recognised prebiotic, oligofructose-enriched inulin, BENEO’s Orafti®Synergy1, feeds beneficial Bifidobacteria in the gut and thus positively influences the microbiota. Breast-fed babies’ microbiota is characterised by a high count of Bifidobacteria, which positively influences the gut environment. While not every child is able to benefit from breast feeding, this study shows that with the prebiotic enrichment of infant formula, it is possible for them to gain a stronger inner defence system, improved stool consistency and other benefits.

Louie Sangalang keeps his cool amid physical ordeals, roller coaster emotions and nerve wracking mind games

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Louie Sangalang is literally the last man standing in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition -- the last male candidate in the running for the US$250,000 job offer to be the protégé of ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong and his chief of staff at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore.

Sanggalang has had a strong performance so far in the reality series, impressing no less than Sityodtong with his business acumen and creativity, especially in his team’s business proposal for a travel insurance app that would give travelers peace of mind and convenience once travel is resumed. Sangalang was project leader for that task.

Other candidates took note of his strategic and seemingly scheming game in the first eight episodes, however. But Sangalang is unperturbed by other people's opinions of him.

Truth be told, he's just going with the flow, he says. He knows all too well the unpredictability of being in what is touted as the toughest The Apprentice in history.

"I didn’t really have a gameplan coming into the competition because I didn’t know what to expect," he said. "So my preparation was quite simple: I told myself that I’m just going to be my best professional self and practice mental toughness, then I will adapt to the situation along the way."

From there, Sangalang’s mantra was to “expect the unexpected”. His strong belief in and practice of stoicism toughened him up and gave him a sense of balance from which he can draw from an inner strength.

It is the same mindset that saw him weather failures and life challenges that would have easily felled others. His rebellious youth, a bout with alcoholism and depression, and then stomach cancer in his 20s were formidable setbacks for Sangalang. But phoenix-like he conquered all those and went on to be the first Filipino cancer survivor to finish the North Pole Marathon. He became an MMA champion in 2018, an Iron Man finisher the same year and is now a successful business person.

In The Apprentice, Sangalang made it a point to give 110-percent in every physical task and boardroom challenge and is the only candidate among the 16 to stay undefeated as a project manager. Six male candidates from the United States, Singapore, New Zealand, and Japan have been eliminated as were female candidates from Singapore, Germany, Thailand, the United States and the Philippines. Now Sangalang is up against all-female competitors from the US, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela.

Being the thorn among roses means nothing to Sangalang. What matters is proving one's self, especially with what's hanging in the balance, he said. "Chatri found strong characteristics and abilities in each one of us, So, it doesn’t matter whether you're male or female. We're here and there's a reason why we're here. Probably Chatri sees some greatness in us that he believes he can unlock once he chooses 'the one.'"

Sangalang, however, is in it to win it and he vows to do everything in his power to win The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.


The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is showing across Asia on AXN, the show’s official Asian broadcast partner, with markets to include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes and will be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays, 8:50 pm on AXN cable network and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sport.

Completion of construction works of the Bicol International Airport

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Sec. Art Tugade assured that the construction works of the Bicol International Airport will be completed within the year while the partial operability segment of the PNR Bicol is targeted up to the second quarter of 2022.

To ensure that the big-ticket infrastructure projects in the region remain on track, Secretary Tugade visited Albay yesterday, 13 May 2021, to lead a series of inspections with other DOTr and local government officials.

*BIA Inspection*

First stop of the scheduled inspections is the much-awaited Bicol International Airport (BIA), of which construction works are 24/7 since last year on the directive of Secretary Tugade. The transportation chief said the DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), under Director General Jim Sydiongco, will be pushing for the nonstop construction works at the airport to meet its target completion date within the year.

“Hangarin ko ho na matapos ang konstruksyon, at maging operational ang Bicol International Airport bago matapos ang taong ito,” Secretary Tugade said.

The BIA, known as the “Most Scenic Gateway” of the country, is now at 82.22% overall progress rate after 13 years of delay. Once operational, it is expected to serve a total of two (2) million passengers every year.

“Matagal na panahon na pong hinintay ng sambayanan, lalo’t higit ng mga Bicolano, ang pagtatapos nitong Bicol International Airport. Bago pa tayo dumating, mayroon nang tatlong groundbreaking ang nagawa rito. Ngayon ho, malapit nang matapos ang aktwal na konstruksyon nito,” Secretary Tugade added.

Moreover, in terms of job generation, 755 jobs were created during the airport's construction phase while 1,100 more indirect jobs await locals once the airport becomes operational.

“Dahil sa tuloy-tuloy na trabaho, inaasahan natin na makapagbibigay ang proyektong ito ng kabuhayan sa ating mga kababayang Bicolano,” Secretary Tugade said.

At present, the Package 2A of the BIA, which covers the construction of landside facilities and other buildings, is 94.40% complete, and is targeted to be completed this month.

Meanwhile, Package 2B, covering the construction of the PTB and runway extension, as well as the construction of the taxiway, drainage, and other site development works, is 68.14% complete, and is slated to be completed by June this year.

In addition, ongoing works for the embankment, and construction of access road and slope protection is now at 52.50% and is being eyed for completion this coming October.

*PNR Bicol inspection*

Secretary Tugade and team DOTr also inspected the alignment and the future location of the depot station of the PNR Bicol or the PNR South Long-Haul Project in Legazpi City, Albay.

The DOTr and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) eye the partial operations of the San Pablo, Candelaria, Lucena, and Pagbilao segments between the first and second quarter of next year. Meanwhile, the full operation of the PNR Bicol Project is slated for the third quarter of 2025.

To recall, the DOTr signed a contract for the Project Management Consultant of the PNR Bicol in 2018. Moreover, the basic detailed design for the Civil Works Package 1 (Banlic, Laguna to Daraga, Albay) is already finished.

The DOTr and the PNR also target to publish within May and to award the Civil Works Contract Package 1 in the third quarter of this year.

Additionally, the on-site activities are ongoing for the PNR Bicol project, including a Land Parcellary Survey, and the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment.

“Inaasahan po natin na makapag-award po tayo ng unang contractor itong 3rd quarter ng 2021. Ongoing na rin po ang pag-aacquire natin ng mga lupa,” said DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan.

About 560-kilometers long, the PNR Bicol railway line runs from Sucat, Parañaque in Metro Manila to Matnog in Sorsogon, and from Calamba to Batangas. Once operational, PNR Bicol is expected to reduce travel time between Manila and Legazpi from 14-18 hours to just 6 hours with regular commuter trains and 4.5 hours with express trains.

Around 20,000 jobs were generated during the construction phase of the rail project and is expected to generate 10,000 more local jobs once it becomes operational.

*Turnover of Pantao Port from PPA to Albay LGU*

Meanwhile, during the Bicol visit, Secretary Tugade, with Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago, also committed the turnover of the administration and operation of the Pantao Port in Libon to the Provincial Government of Albay under Governor Al Francis Bichara effective June 1 this year.

Secretary Tugade assured that the transfer of the Pantao Port from the PPA to the Albay LGU was the subject of a thorough study.

“Matagal na hong mayroong exchange of communications, negotiations, at mga dayalogo d'yan. ‘Yung dayalogo kanina nagbigay ng punto pinal sa matagal nang pinag-uusapan,” the DOTr Secretary explained.

“Sa pamamagitan po ng paglilipat ng administrasyon at operasyon ng Pantao Port ay inaasahan po natin na ito ay mas mapapakinabangan ng Lalawigan ng Albay dahil ito po ay magagamit doon sa mismong pangangailangan ng probinsya para po mapaunlad rin ang ekonomiya at komersyo 'di lamang sa Libon kundi sa buong Albay,” GM Santiago said.