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Battle for the Arctic
The Arctic is a very sensitive environmental area. They say that if the Arctic sneezes, the whole world catches a cold. The Arctic also holds vast amounts of oil and gas. Energy is the arch-enemy of the Environment. The Arctic Council was established in 1996 in the Ottawa Declaration “as a high-level forum to provide a means for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the (eight founding) Arctic States” (arctic-council.org). The eight Arctic States are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. For some reason, Greenland, the largest island, was not among the eight. The agreement stood until the war in Ukraine. The international spirit of cooperation suddenly vanished. The war in Ukraine made everyone edgy, with two factors as catalysts — energy and security. An intense energy crisis ensued. And security concerns triggered polarizations similar to the ones that preceded World Wars I and II, namely, between the East, led by Russia and China, and the West, led by US-NATO-EU. There was panic over getting new energy resources, and, in fear of wars, panic over procuring new sophisticated weapons, such as hypersonic missiles, killer drones, precision lasers that can take out satellites. Weapons makers like the US and Russia had a field day selling arms to allies. There is now a sudden focus on the vast energy resources of the Arctic, with its billions of dollars in untapped oil and gas — about 13 percent of the world’s oil and about 30 percent of the world’s gas — not to mention uranium, gold, and rare metals, all sitting there under the primordial ice. No wonder the environment is no longer a concern — it has been replaced by the lust for energy. The Arctic Circle The military map above gives an overview situationer on the Arctic Circle. (Source: International Institute for Strategic Studies — Arctic Portal.) There is UN-NATO in the west and Russia in the east. There are two existing shipping routes — the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage — which converge at the northern tip of the Arctic Circle. There is a third Future Trans Arctic Route in between west and east. There are 27 US-NATO bases in the west, in blue, and 28 Russian bases in the east, in black. The US-NATO bases are scattered over a wide area, while the Russian bases are concentrated along its northern shores. Note the concentration of both East and West bases in the Norway-Finland area where they face each other eyeball-to-eyeball. Many geopolitical and military analysts consider this the powder-keg for future confrontations. US-NATO cannot build bases near the Russian shorelines, so they concentrated their bases in the Norway–Finland chokepoint. Current energy extractions Russia leads the pack in energy extraction. Its turf covers about 40 percent of the Arctic Circle and 53 percent of coastal areas. There are about two million Russians living in the Arctic Circle in thriving mining communities servicing Liquid Natural Gas Projects 1 and 2. Project 1 is the Yamal LNG Plant. Project 2 is the newer $21-billion Arctic LNG2 Plan, whose goal is to extract 19.8 tons of LNG a year. Global warming has melted a considerable amount of Arctic ice in the last decade, which has triggered a more frenzied exploration and mining among the Arctic States. This is especially true for the ice corridor north of the Russian coastal area, which has triggered more daring Russian ships cutting through the melting ice. There is a 21,000-kilometer passage for Russian ships to bring their export gas to Asian markets through the Suez Canal, a long arduous route through the West, which makes the gas more expensive to deliver. Because of the melting ice, Russia now has an alternative of 13,000 kilometers through the east, 40 percent shorter than the western route. The mining activities of the Western nations will be covered in the next article due to space limitations. Future conflicts The goal of the Arctic military bases is defensive, namely, to protect the mining activities. But an Arctic encounter can be catalyzed by trigger-happy generals, or even by accidental encounters, which have happened before. The first step towards the nuclearization of the Arctic is the introduction of small tactical nukes, similar to those in Belarus, facing Poland, which can be an option if one of two contending forces is “cornered.” Tactical nukes may draw an equal response from the other side in a rapid escalation. Once tactical nukes proliferate on both sides, and an incident occurs, the next steps are the big ICBMs and the war with no winners. The post Battle for the Arctic appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Perspective: Investing in IT
In today’s digital age, technology is a fundamental aspect of any business’s success. However, while most companies have an IT team in place, many still struggle to bridge the gap between their business performance and IT operations. This can lead to internal pain points such as inefficient processes, poor data management, and security breaches — and may also adversely affect your customers. To avoid these pitfalls, it is critical for businesses to work in tandem with their IT teams to identify gaps and stumbling blocks in their operations. This ensures that technology is implemented strategically and effectively, addressing the needs of the business and the customer. Role of IT in business growth Historically, the role of IT may have been treated as more of a support function with limited impact on critical business operations. Today, it wields a substantial influence on the growth trajectory of a business. We commissioned market research firm Frost & Sullivan to conduct a survey on the perspectives of more than 1,000 IT decision-makers last year from companies with less than 1,000 employees across markets and industries. The survey found the three main business objectives of SMEs this year, to be increasing revenue (38 percent), improving operational efficiencies (29 percent) and increasing customer satisfaction (28 percent). Prioritizing IT could be a game-changer in achieving these goals. Working with various SMEs over the years, I’ve seen first-hand how they’ve benefited from better productivity and customer satisfaction from investing in the right IT tools. It is encouraging then that the survey also uncovered the influence that IT teams now have in the purchase of tools — 47 percent for IT support and management tools, 39 percent for communication and collaboration, and 37 percent for customer engagement tools. A study by International Data Corporation predicts that by 2025, 65 percent of Asia-based organizations will prioritize cloud infrastructure as their primary location for data storage and analysis. Additionally, by 2027, digital infrastructure is projected to generate 43 percent of business revenue in the Asia-Pacific region. As technology advances, IT will undoubtedly play an integral role in ensuring the safety and resilience of these digital spaces. Mixed perceptions of SMEs on IT Sixty-five percent of IT teams have responded that they have seen workloads surge in the last year, owing to added responsibilities, and complications arising from remote/hybrid work. Survey respondents also indicated that their time is mostly wasted on operational tasks such as supporting employees working remotely/in hybrid mode, calling the customer support, and supporting and troubleshooting employee issues. Ninety-two percent of our survey respondents say that reducing IT burden is an important initiative. With 64 percent seeing an increase in IT budgets by almost 60 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, more than half (56 percent) consider IT spending an investment. However, 42 percent remain unconvinced and still perceive it as a cost; so much so that value for money is the main driver when choosing new IT software, especially among SMEs with sub-50 employee size (41 percent). A recent piece by the World Economic Forum revealed that Philippine SMEs, despite comprising 99.5 percent of the country’s businesses, underperform having to account for only 36 percent of value added to the economy. WEF suggests that transforming to digital and shifting to new ways of doing business can stop the growth of this gap. However, local firms (54 percent) consider a lack of financial means as the top concern in adopting new technology, according to a 2021 survey by the World Bank with the Department of Finance and the National Economic and Development Authority. These challenges prevent local businesses from reaching their full potential in the digital economy. There needs to be an urgent shift in the way we perceive IT and recognize its potential to help build a resilient and successful business for the future. IT consolidation can alleviate the burden of IT teams The survey found that 83 percent of SMEs consider the consolidation of tools an important initiative for 2023, with the top three reasons being an increase in employee productivity (50 percent), ease of management for IT teams (49 percent), and cost savings (41 percent). To achieve these, 41 percent plan to switch vendors. However, switching vendors can be a challenging task with so many choices out there. Having been through this myself, I would say that the top factors for any vendor-customer relationship are reliability and trust. Majority of respondents also say they work with managed service providers as they provide trusted advice on the right technology, help in the deployment process and maintenance of the software. And its not just IT that benefits from consolidation. When it comes to customer support, we found that on average, SMEs use 2 different platforms/solutions to manage all customer communication, whether it’s via phone, SMS, social media or email. A consolidated tech stack can help offer more streamlined customer support which can improve the overall customer experience. Lindsay Brown is the vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific and Japan, at GoTo. The post Perspective: Investing in IT appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Filinvest Invests P16B in Ciudad BTO Project
The development of Ciudad will finally be realized after the Province of Cebu turned over Friday a parcel of the property to homegrown developer Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI) through a build-transfer-operate (BTO) engagement. Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Tristan Las Marias, FLI president and CEO, formally kicked off the project in simple ceremonies onsite on […].....»»
Marcos admin eyes building 20 new dams by 2028
To meet the country’s growing demand for water and power, the government is eyeing to build 20 medium and three to five large dams by 2028, the end of President Marcos’ term, according to National Irrigation Administration head Eduardo Guillen......»»
SamPan: Making her mark
Samantha Panlilio, eldest daughter of Jose Marcel “Jocel” Panlilio, is embarking on an ambitious career path to revitalize and expand the family’s real estate investments as chief operations officer of both the family’s publicly listed Boulevard Holdings Inc. and Puerto Azul Land Inc., even as she sets a parallel course to build her own beauty line, photography studio, and a furniture business under the brand “House of Marrakesh.”.....»»
All residents in no-build zone prioritized for relocation
All residents in no-build zone prioritized for relocation.....»»
ADB approves USD 100 mln loan to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Sri Lanka
Manila [Philippines], March 19 (ANI): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 100 million loan to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka more access to finance and build their resilience to external shocks, such as the economic crisis and climate change. SMEs play a critical role in Sri Lanka's economy, contributing 52 per cent to the country's gross domestic product and employ 45 per c.....»»
Lapu-Lapu City to build 5 residential buildings in Pusok
Lapu-Lapu City to build 5 residential buildings in Pusok.....»»
Romualdez: Philippines WEF hosting to spur more foreign investments
The Department of Transportation said it needs at least P12.5 billion to build 200 more ports under the Marcos administration, underscoring the need to improve connectivity in remote islands......»»
DOTr needs P12.5 billion to build 200 ports
The Department of Transportation said it needs at least P12.5 billion to build 200 more ports under the Marcos administration, underscoring the need to improve connectivity in remote islands......»»
BSP prodded to build up forex reserves
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas should continue rebuilding its gross international reserves amid the wide current account deficit and heavy reliance on debt funding, according to Bank of America Global Research......»»
Samar I continues to build road connectivity in Calbayog City
A 350-meter Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) with a width of five (5) meters is built in the said area to replace the footh path that residents would trudge in order to reach said barangays......»»
SMC scraps plans to build P100 billion Pasig River tollway
Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. will no longer pursue its plan to build a toll road on the Pasig River, succumbing to pressure from opposition groups......»»
Capitol signs deal to build 150-MW solar farm
Capitol signs deal to build 150-MW solar farm.....»»
DOJ releases guidelines on case-buildup for online sexual harassment
The Department of Justice said that it crafted guidelines for gathering evidence and case build-up of gender-based online sexual harassment. .....»»
Lufthansa to build 2nd hangar in Philippines
MANILA, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Germany's flag carrier Lufthansa is looking to build a second hangar in the Philippines, as part of its expansion plans in the Southeast Asia region, said Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual on Thursday. Pascual said the plan was discussed during a meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos and Lufthansa's managers in Berlin where Marcos was o.....»»
Nokia offers tech solutions for data centers
Technology leader Nokia Corp. wants to build up its ties with local telcos by providing them solutions they require in running their data centers......»»
DILG chief urges industry players to build resilent structures
Housing and real estate industry players should build resilient structures with the necessary facilities for proper sewage management, water and sanitation as well as drainage and wastewater treatment, according Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr......»»
A woman s femininity
During this Women’s Month, we appreciate with gratitude, the significance of the role of women in society, mainly through their important contribution in helping build pleasant and well-managed family life and in forming children, our future......»»
GPS 2024: Over $20 billion to get transport back on track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government's plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely. "Over the next three years, our investment of around $7 billion per year prioritises economic growth and productivity, increased.....»»