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Saturday, November 30, 2024

CTI-CFF 19th Senior Officials’ Meeting and 9th Ministerial Meeting to Convene in Dili, Timor-Leste


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The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) will hold its 19th Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM-19) and 9th Ministerial Meeting (MM-9) in Dili, Timor-Leste, from 2-6 December 2024. Hosted by Timor-Leste as Chair of the CTI-CFF for the 2023-2024 period, the event represents a critical opportunity to advance regional cooperation in marine conservation and sustainable resource management.

The event will commence with the Pre-Senior Officials’ Meeting (Pre-SOM) on 2-3 December 2024, followed by the Annual SOM on 4-5 December.

Culminating the series will be the bi-annual Ministerial Meeting on 6 December, where high-level representatives from the six member countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste—will convene to approve key decisions for the region's marine resources.





"This year’s Senior Officials’ Meeting and Ministerial Meeting represent a significant milestone in our collective efforts to safeguard the Coral Triangle's marine resources," said Dr. Frank Keith Griffin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat.

"In collaboration with the National Coordinating Committee of Timor-Leste, we aim to deliver a Joint Ministerial Statement that addresses the pressing challenges facing the Coral Triangle precious resources, from illegal fishing to climate impacts and pollution.
 
Together with our member countries and strategic partners, we will chart actionable, collaborative solutions to ensure the resilience of our ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions who depend on them."

In addition to country delegations, the meeting will be attended by strategic partners, including representatives from USAID, GIZ, IUCN, Coral Triangle Center (CTC), WWF Coral Triangle Program (WWF CTP), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA), and Blue Institute. Their participation underscores the importance of partnerships in advancing CTI-CFF’s objectives, fostering knowledge exchange, and aligning efforts toward sustainable marine resource management.

The meetings will review progress and achievements in marine conservation efforts, both at the national and regional levels, including the protection of ecologically significant marine areas, initiatives contributing to the global 30x30 conservation target, protection of endangered marine species, combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, adapting to climate change, and addressing ocean pollution, particularly plastic waste.

Additionally, the discussions will emphasize the importance of mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) into marine conservation strategies while ensuring the livelihoods of millions of people living within the Coral Triangle area are preserved. Senior officials will also finalize the CTI-CFF 2025 workplan and budget, setting a roadmap for sustained action toward achieving targets of the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) 2.0.

As one of the world’s most biologically diverse and resource-rich marine regions, the Coral Triangle plays a pivotal role in global food security. Its ecosystems support the livelihoods and well-being of more than 120 million people and supply fisheries that are critical for the global economy.

The CTI-CFF Secretariat invites media and stakeholders to support this significant event and its mission to protect and sustainably manage the Coral Triangle. By strengthening regional collaboration and championing conservation efforts, the initiative contributes to the long-term resilience of ocean ecosystems and the food security of millions worldwide.

Celebrating Filipino Greatness: DOST Delegates Received Multiple Awards at SIIF 2024


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The DOST Team Philippines won several awards from the Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) 2024 this November 29, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea. From 519 inventions and products from 32 countries, our fifteen (15) technologies won three (3) gold awards, three (3) silver awards, four (4) bronze awards, and thirteen (13) special awards from Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Korea.

SIIF 2024 Gold Awardees

 One of the inventions that won a gold medal is Covert Security Yarns & Markings for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications developed by a team of inventors from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI). This invention integrates glow-in-the-dark materials embedded into its textile fibers which imitated textiles from authentic ones. With this, it increases the security features for textile products and these markings emit colors when exposed to UV radiation creating traceability of the fabric’s origin.

Engr. Jeremy De Leon’s MAKE-roscope also received a gold award in SIIF 2024, this microscope keychain uses a smartphone’s camera to magnify small objects, allowing the users to observe intricate details without the need to buy types of equipment seen in the science lab. This innovation also bridges the gap in science education, wherein traditional microscopes are often out of reach for many schools due to high cost and space constraints.

Completing the pool of gold awardees, Engr. Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon’s Pili Seal is a technology derived from discarded Pili tree resin that offers a sustainable, dual-purpose solution as both an adhesive and a sealant. Its organic composition minimizes environmental risks associated with synthetic sealants. The Pili Seal adheres to various materials, including metal, glass, wood, ceramics, bricks, tiles, and composites. This makes it suitable for various industries, such as aviation, construction, and building and roofing.

SIIF 2024 Silver Awardees

The silver award was given to the 2024 NICE First Prize Winner of the Sibol Award for Outstanding Student Creative Research - High School Level - Smart Helmet: The Head Covering Emergency Alarm System, Life Saver, and Monitoring Device invented by Peter John R. Bacani and Miraleih S. Jaime from the Isabela State University - this high-tech helmet uses sensors and AI which keep riders safe and secured. It also primarily focuses on Bluetooth connectivity for calls and music access, and rider-safety features for the detection of overspeeding, drunk driving, and fatigue. It can also allow the rider to analyze surrounding data and can send an emergency alert to the rider’s phone if it senses danger.

2024 NICE First Prize Winner of Sibol Award for Outstanding Student Creative Research - College Level which is the IET Pro: the effective and affordable Impulse Excitation Technique Prototype, the invention of Ms. Beatrice V. Bayan, offers an affordable and non-damaging tool compared to commercially available IET tools. These tools are used for measuring how materials bend and stretch. It has three components: a mainframe, USB microphone, and impulse or mallet. The IET Pro is essential for small-scale research, helping engineers choose suitable project materials.









Forest Products Research and Development Institute’s (DOST-FPRDI) Multifunctional School Furniture/Silyang Pinoy represented by Engr. Edward Paul S. Marasigan is made of engineered bamboo and serves multiple purposes, turning from a student desk and chair into a makeshift bed for evacuees in evacuation centers during emergencies. Engineered bamboo, or an improved version of bamboo, is an excellent alternative to traditional wood due to its properties.

SIIF 2024 Bronze Awardees and Special Awards

Bronze awards were given to these inventions: Smarter and Integrated Local Health Information System (SMILHIS) - eHATID represented by Mr. Jaztine A. Calderon, iPOND represented by Ms. Zalda R. Gayahan from the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), Bamboo Textile Fiber Technology represented by Ms. Marie Antonette V. Berces, from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), and Herbal Cream preparation DEBCC Cream in Removing of Basal Cell Carcinoma or Skin Cancer using Cashew Nut Extract represented by Inv. Lorena B. Dela Cruz-Chiu.

Below is the list of the special awards that the DOST team of delegation got in the said event:

Special Awardee Country conferring the Award

Pili Seal by Engr. Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon Innovation Award Winner from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Pili Seal by Engr. Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon Best Inventor of the Year from the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA)

Smart Helmet: The Head Covering Emergency Alarm System, Life Saver, and Monitoring Device by Peter John R. Bacani and Miraleih S. Jaime Innovation Award Winner from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

MAKE-roscope by Engr. Jeremy De Leon Innovation Award Winner from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Turbo Rice Steamer by Francisco Gecosala Best International Invention and Innovation Award from the National Research Council of Thailand

Equipment System and Process for Treating Wastewater from Wet-type Finishing Spray Booth by Engr. Edward Paul S. Marasigan from the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) Best International Invention and Innovation Award from the National Research Council of Thailand

IET Pro: the effective and affordable Impulse Excitation Technique Prototype by Beatrice V. Bayan Best International Invention and Innovation Award from the National Research Council of Thailand

Herbal Cream preparation DEBCC Cream in Removing of Basal Cell Carcinoma or Skin Cancer using Cashew Nut Extract by Inv. Lorena B. Dela Cruz-Chiu Outstanding Innovation Award from Singapore

Herbal Cream preparation DEBCC Cream in Removing of Basal Cell Carcinoma or Skin Cancer using Cashew Nut Extract by Inv. Lorena B. Dela Cruz-Chiu Best International Invention from the Malaysian Association of Research Scientists

iPOND represented by Zalda R. Gayahan from the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) Best International Invention from the Malaysian Association of Research Scientists

Smarter and Integrated Local Health Information System (SMILHIS) - eHATID by Jaztine A. Calderon Special Prize for the Best International Invent from SIIF 2024

HormoGroe(R) Nanoformulated Plant Growth Regulators by Dr. Lilia M. Fernando-Corpuz Special Award: Best Inventor from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

DOST-Philippine Textile Research Institute’s Covert Security Yarns & Markings for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications and Bamboo Textile Fiber Technology Best Inventor Award from the Takharuj Law Firm, Saudi Arabia

The inventions showcased in the SIIF 2024 exhibition are a collective group of recent winners of the 2024 National Invention Contests and Exhibits (NICE) 2022. DOST-supported technologies across various industries including textiles, water security, disaster risk reduction, environmental conservation, and education, self-funded inventors, and DOST-TAPI’s TECHNiCOM grantees.

The Philippines' triumph at the SIIF 2024 underscores its growing prominence in the global innovation arena after competing with five hundred and nineteen (519) inventions from thirty-two (32) countries in this year's exhibition.

With the nation continuing to nurture a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, Filipino inventors, researchers, and technopreneurs stand poised to make significant contributions to addressing global challenges and bringing local innovation into the spotlight, where it shines the brightest.



What's Happening to Filipino Morals? The Alarming Rise of Online Gambling Among Gen Z and Celebrity Endorsements


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The moral fabric of Filipino society is under siege, as online gambling infiltrates the daily lives of many, particularly our impressionable Gen Z population. Once regarded as bastions of family values and discipline, Filipino culture is now being tainted by the widespread normalization of gambling—a phenomenon exacerbated by young celebrities, and even influencers like bloggers and vloggers, content creators and other social media personalities, who serve as endorsers. The allure of quick money and flashy lifestyles is enticing, but the social and moral costs are staggering.


The Problem: Gambling Disguised as Entertainment

Online gambling apps, often disguised as harmless “scatter games” or online casinos, lure users with promises of excitement and easy wins. However, the reality is much darker: lives are being destroyed, families are falling apart, and hard-earned money is vanishing into the digital void.

Young people, especially Gen Z, are particularly vulnerable to these platforms. With access to smartphones and digital wallets, they can fall prey to relentless advertising and peer pressure. This troubling trend erodes not only their financial stability but also their moral compass, as they begin to view gambling as a legitimate pastime rather than the vice it truly is.


Celebrities at the Helm of a Moral Crisis

The most disheartening aspect of this issue is the involvement of high-profile celebrities—individuals who wield immense influence over the public. Endorsers like Piolo Pascual, Alden Richards, Ivana Alawi, Maine Mendoza, Kim Chiu, and others have lent their faces and names to these gambling platforms, appearing on massive billboards and digital campaigns. Their endorsements send a dangerous message: If your idols approve, it must be okay.

But is it? These celebrities, revered for their beauty and talent, have become unwitting accomplices to a social epidemic. Their promotions glamorize gambling, normalizing a practice that has been proven to break families, ruin finances, and damage mental health.


The Government’s Role—or Lack Thereof

While the Philippine government has sanctioned certain forms of online gambling, this doesn’t make the practice ethical. The lack of stringent regulations and effective awareness campaigns only exacerbates the problem. Gambling platforms exploit loopholes, targeting vulnerable groups with aggressive marketing strategies.

The government’s inability to curb these activities raises questions: Are our leaders truly committed to protecting the moral and social well-being of the Filipino people? Or are they turning a blind eye in favor of the revenues generated by these platforms?


A Call to Accountability: Celebrities, Take Responsibility

It’s time for endorsers to reflect on their moral responsibilities. No amount of fame or financial gain justifies promoting a vice that destroys lives. By choosing to endorse gambling platforms, these celebrities align themselves with an industry that thrives on exploitation and desperation.

The reference to “Satanista” in connection with these endorsers may seem extreme, but it underscores a sobering truth: Promoting gambling is akin to selling one’s soul for profit. When celebrities abandon their values for the sake of financial gain, they risk becoming agents of societal decay.


Breaking the Cycle

To address this crisis, several steps must be taken:

Stronger Government Policies

Stricter regulations must be implemented to limit the reach of online gambling platforms, particularly among the youth.


Celebrity Accountability

Public figures must be held accountable for their endorsements. Fans can demand that their idols uphold ethical standards and promote positive practices.


Public Awareness Campaigns

Nationwide campaigns should educate Filipinos about the dangers of gambling, its impact on families, and the deceptive nature of endorsements.


Community Support Systems

Families and communities must create safe spaces for dialogue and support to help individuals affected by gambling addiction.


The Final Word: Choose Values Over Vanity

The rise of online gambling is a wake-up call for the Philippines. While the allure of wealth and status may seem tempting, true success lies in upholding values that strengthen—not destroy—our society. It’s time for all stakeholders, from the government to celebrities and influencers, to take a stand.

After all, what good is fame or fortune if it comes at the cost of the very people who look up to you? Let’s choose integrity over greed and work together to restore the moral compass of our nation.

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