Bing Kimpo | Undercovered + Regional Roundup + The Bing Kimpo Show

In this episode of Regional Roundup, our focus is on BARMM, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Following the recent oath-taking of their interim governing body, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), we spoke about the road ahead for the region, with their Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim.

On the agenda: the BTA’s priorities until 2025, when its term ends; Islamic Finance; Halal Products and Services; the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA); transportation and telecommunications connectivity; Polloc Port; and plans for a Metro Cotabato.

In Episode 1, we began with an overview of the Philippine Textile Research Institute - and got introduced to some Philippine Tropical Fibers.

In Episode 2, we found out which regions produce these fibers, what they are used for - and what we are doing, to take advantage of their availability.

In Episode 3, we looked into the demand for Philippine Tropical Fibers - as well as the obstacles to addressing these opportunities. And we were also introduced to the TELA Pilipinas initiative. TELA is an acronym for Textile Empowering Lives Anew.

This Episode, our fourth and final of the series, we’ll get introduced to the Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Centers or RYPICs. We’ll also talk about blending Philippine Topical Fibers with cotton, about how industry players can work with the Philippine Textile Research Institute, and about the road ahead for Philippine Tropical Fibers.

In Episode 1, we began with an overview of the Philippine Textile Research Institute - and got introduced to some Philippine Tropical Fibers. 

In Episode 2, we found out which of our regions produce these fibers, what these fibers are used for - and what we are doing, to take advantage of their availability here in our country.

In this Episode, we’ll discuss the demand for our Philippine Tropical Fibers.

In this second of 4 episodes on Philippine Fibers, Regional Roundup continues its conversation with Celia Elumba, Director of the Department of Science and Technology's Philippine Textile Research Institute: where in the country are these fibers abundant, and what can we make from and with them?

Last month, the Catholic Church launched a two-year listening process, leading up to the Synod of Bishops on 2023.

According to the Vatican, "Pope Francis wants it to be a truly bottom-up process starting from the local up to the national, regional and finally the universal level.  It starts with, and involves, all the faithful at the diocesan levels across the world, promising to listen to all, especially to laypeople."

The Synod will take up Synodality itself, which the Pontiff says is the path which "God expects of the Church of the third millennium”.

Undercovered spoke with Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, for his views on the Synod, on Synodality - and what the Filipino faithful can look forward to, as the local process begins.