Nuclear energy has a bad reputation in the Philippines. That the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is unfit and unsafe is what Carlo A. Arcilla, director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), calls "the greatest piece of fake news in the history of the Philippines."

In this B-Side episode, Dr. Arcilla tells BusinessWorld reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana that nuclear technology is a "mature and old technology" contrary to Hollywood's dire depictions. "A jet plane is more complicated than a nuclear power plant," he said.

Aside from elaborating on its advantages, Dr. Arcilla explains the state of nuclear power in the Philippines — from its rocky history in the 1970s to its potential role in helping safeguard the country’s energy security in light of the depletion of the Malampaya gas field and the threat to coal exports because of the Russia Ukraine war.

Recorded at PNRI in August 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia, Earl R. Lagundino, and Sam L. Marcelo. 

Antonio G. M. La Viña, a constitutional law professor at the University of the Philippines, thinks that the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 made a mistake in giving Congress the power to decide on the prohibition of political dynasties instead of imposing limitations right then and there.

“Congress cannot be trusted to change the Constitution," he said. “We have all of these husbands and wives and daughters and sons in multiple positions. It’s scandalous.”

In this B-Side episode, Mr. La Viña talks to BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol about family dynasties, federalism, and structural change. 

This is third and final episode in an Explainer series that previously featured Bernardo M. Villegas, an economist and one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, and Norberto B. Gonzales, a former National Defense Secretary and National Security Adviser who ran for president in the 2022 elections. 

This episode was recorded in September 2022 at the Manila Observatory in Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia and Sam L. Marcelo.

How do you know when it’s time to change careers and quit the rat race? 

In this B-Side episode, BusinessWorld reporter John Victor D. Ordonez speaks with Lance S. Cham and Matthew R. Yu, the founders and hosts of the Project Offbeat podcast, where two corporate 9-to-5 professionals interview non-corporate guests with unique careers. 

Included in this episode is an excerpt of Project Offbeat's conversation with Stephen G. Tan, a former analyst at consultancy firm Deloitte who became a pastor.

Recorded remotely in August 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia and Sam L. Marcelo.

In this B-Side episode, former presidential candidate Norberto B. Gonzales talks to Businessworld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol about charter change, federalism, and social democracy.

“Every region [must be able to] economically survive ... Let’s go with regional autonomy first, and then, later on, let the people decide if they want to become a state,” said Mr. Gonzales, a former defense secretary and national security adviser who co-founded and chairs the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas.

He also floated the idea of making the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) a federal state in order to withstand potential conflict between the twin superpowers of the United States and China. “The small guys should get together because neutrality is no longer an option,” he said.

Recorded in the BusinessWorld Studio in New Manila, Quezon City, in August 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia, Sam L. Marcelo, and Jino D. Nicolas.

In this B-Side episode, playwright, historian, and educator Dr. Paul A. Dumol talks about the birth of the Filipino nation, a relatively new concept that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century.

In this conversation with BusinessWorld reporter Diego C. Robles, Dr. Dumol touches on the writing of National Hero Jose P. Rizal, author Nicomedes "Nick" M. Joaquin, and historian Teodoro A. Agoncillo to answer the questions: Who was the Filipino then? Who is the Filipino now? Where are we, the Filipinos of today, headed as a nation?

"What does 'being Filipino' mean," Dr. Dumol said in the vernacular. "I think it means, at the very least, love for everybody else."

Recorded remotely August 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia, Earl R. Lagundino, and Sam L. Marcelo.

Teleperformance Philippines (TP) received its fifth consecutive “Great Place to Work” certification this year, based on responses from a 2022 trust index survey conducted by Great Place to Work, an international institute that does research on company culture.

In this B-Side episode, TP senior vice president for human capital resource management Jeffrey Johnson tells BusinessWorld reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana how companies can keep a human touch in the hybrid workplace. 

“It’s really important that you listen to employees because the employees will tell you what it is they want when it comes to engaging from a digital perspective,” said Mr. Johnson. “As long as you’re listening and then actively applying solutions for that, I think that’s a key success factor to making sure that you’re able to drive the right engagement.” 

Recorded remotely in August 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino and Sam L. Marcelo.

In this B-Side episode, Alice G. Laborte, a senior scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), explains to BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol how satellite imagery can make the farming industry more resilient, especially in the face of climate change.

Recorded remotely in July 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino and Sam L. Marcelo. 

With every change of administration comes the question of what needs to change and what needs to be retained. B-Side takes a look back at how the 1987 Philippine Constitution was drafted with Bernardo M. Villegas, an economist and one of its framers, who speaks to BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol about foreign ownership liberalization, the additional factors driving foreign direct investments, and the key area the next administration needs to focus on.

“Except for vital issues like the right to life and the family as a foundation of society, all other issues are debatable and should not be enshrined in the constitution,” Mr. Villegas said in response to possible drawbacks to the recent constitutional amendments pertaining to foreign ownership and liberalization.

Recorded remotely in April 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia and Sam L. Marcelo.

(This B-Side episode is sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services Philippines.)

Data analytics and consulting company GlobalData recently projected that the Philippine cloud market will reach $2.8 billion by 2025 from $1.8 billion in 2020, as more enterprises migrate their workload online.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Philippines Country Head Shiju Varghese and Eastern Communications Product and Innovation Head Edsel Paglinawan speak with BusinessWorld contributor Santiago J. Arnaiz about ICT (information and communications technology) solutions and the consequences of falling behind the competition.  

“Digital transformation is not just a matter of capital investment. It’s also about developing strategies, executing, and addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with it,” said Mr. Varghese.

Recorded remotely in June 2022. Produced by Earl R. Lagundino and Sam L. Marcelo.

The mainstream adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected to gain traction after the previous Congress passed a law that seeks to develop the Philippines’ EV industry.

The law facilitates a shift to e-vehicles by imposing a 5% EV fleet quota for industries that operate vehicles such as cargo logistics, food delivery companies, tour agencies, and utilities providers, among others, within a timeline that will be set by regulators.

In this B-Side episode, Terry L. Ridon, an investment analyst and convener of InfraWatchPH, speaks with BusinessWorld reporter Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza about the adoption of EV vehicles and whether or not the country is capable of developing its own EV industry.

Recorded remotely June 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia and Sam L. Marcelo.