Three Filipino students have been selected as one of the four winning teams in the World Robot Olympiad

Filipino Students Win International Award for Tech Designed to Ease Nurses’ Workload

Three students developed CARED in response to the heavy workloads facing nurses, combining routine patient measurements into one system.

World Robot Olympiad Association
EINPresswire
October 28, 2026

OLONGAPO, PHILIPPINES -- Three Filipino students have been selected as one of the four winning teams in the World Robot Olympiad™ (WRO®) STEM Entrepreneur Program after developing a patient-monitoring system designed to automate routine measurements and reduce repetitive work for nurses.

The WRO STEM Entrepreneur Program, powered by Aramco, is a new initiative to bridge the gap between STEM education and entrepreneurship by giving students the opportunity to defend how their technologies work, why they matter, and how they would take their solutions from the competition arena to the market with the objective of solving real-world challenges.

Project CARED was among four winners of the WRO STEM Entrepreneur Program, powered by Aramco, receiving $5,000 and six months of mentoring to further develop their patient-monitoring system.

John Lee Bacoco, 16, Ahmika Julia Reyes, 15, and Katarina Sening Parungao, 16, from Regional Science High School III developed CARED, an integrated system that brings several routine patient-monitoring functions together and transmits the information to healthcare personnel.

The idea grew from the students’ concern about the heavy workloads facing nurses in the Philippines. The team wanted to explore whether several repetitive monitoring tasks could be brought together in one device, giving nurses easier access to patient information.

“In one sentence, it is the future of patient care. What we did was create an all-in-one medical device to lessen nurses’ workload, so nurses can have the vital signs of the patient in one place and the information can then be transmitted to the hospital database,” said Katarina Sening M. Parungao, Project CARED.

The prototype combines heart rate and oxygen-saturation monitoring, blood-pressure measurement, urine-output tracking and medication reminders. The team has built and tested a working prototype, comparing some of its measurements with commercial medical devices to understand where the system performs well and where it still needs improvement.

The students also see potential for the concept beyond larger healthcare facilities. In Hyderabad, India they highlighted rural health centers as an important long-term focus for the project.

Three Filipino students developed CARED, a patient-monitoring system that combines routine measurements into one device designed to reduce repetitive work for nurses.

“Our main goal is to reach rural health centres. We really believe that, no matter who you are or where you are, accessible healthcare is a right and not a privilege. That is the main goal of our project,” said John Lee C. Bacoco, Project CARED.

The WRO STEM Entrepreneur Program challenged the team to think beyond the technology itself. After presenting CARED to entrepreneurs, investors and industry professionals, the students said questions about how the project could reach users made them consider its potential beyond the Philippines and strengthened their ambition to continue improving the device.

22 student teams from 13 countries took part in the program, pitching both the technical and practical value of robotics projects developed through WRO’s Future Innovators competition.

“Project CARED stood out because the students connected their technical work to a challenge they see in their own country. They are using robotics not just to build something for a competition, but to explore how technology could respond to a real need in healthcare, particularly in Intensive Care Units. That is the kind of learning we want young people to experience through WRO in the Philippines,” said Mylene Abiva, President and CEO of FELTA Multi-Media, the National Organizer for WRO in the Philippines.

Project CARED was selected as one of the four equal winning teams, alongside teams from India, Italy and South Korea. Each receives a $5,000 award and six months of mentoring from industry experts, including investment professionals from Aramco Ventures, the global venturing arm of Aramco, as well as experts from India STEM Foundation and WRO, to help further develop their projects.

The WRO STEM Entrepreneur Program, powered by strategic partner Aramco, bridges STEM education and entrepreneurship by challenging young people to explain not just how their technology works, but why it matters and how it can evolve beyond the competition.

“At Aramco, we believe the future lies in empowering young people. Our STEM Education Global Program enables students to understand science and technology and use it to create, build, and solve. Our strategic partnership with WRO continues to expand, allowing students to take their ideas outside of the classroom, from ideation and prototyping to execution and real-world innovation,” said Hadeel Al-Eisa, Aramco Corporate Citizenship Manager.

Following the inaugural event in Hyderabad, WRO plans to bring the STEM Entrepreneur Program format to National Organizers around the world.

Ascott Properties won the World Travel Awards held in the Maldives

2 Philippine Properties Recognized at the World Travel Awards 2026

When In Manila
28 October 2026

The Ascott Limited (Ascott), a Singapore-headquartered global hospitality company wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), won three accolades at the World Travel Awards 2026 in the Philippine market.

Photo: The Ascott Limited Philippines

Its flagship namesake brand, Ascott, which embodies the Art of Living through refined residences, fine art, and curated experiences, was named the Philippines’ Leading Serviced Apartment Brand for the 10th consecutive year.

Two properties in the Philippines were also honored: Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila was named Asia’s Leading Serviced Apartment for the fourth time, and Ascott Makati was named Philippines’ Leading Serviced Apartment for the seventh time.

Ascott received the awards at the Asia, Oceania & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony on September 27, 2026, in the Maldives. At the same event, Ascott was crowned Asia’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand for the 11th consecutive year, cementing its position as a leader in serviced apartments and extended stay accommodation.

Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards honors excellence across all sectors of travel, tourism, and hospitality, with industry professionals and consumers worldwide determining the winners.

Photo: Ascott Bonifacio Global City

In the Philippines, Ascott has established a distinctive approach to luxury, where sophisticated accommodation, fine art, and alluring experiences come together to create memorable stays for long-term guests and discerning travelers.

Patrick Vaysse, country general manager, Philippines, The Ascott Limited, said: “Celebrating 10 consecutive years as the Philippines’ Leading Serviced Apartment Brand is a proud milestone for Ascott and a testament to the dedication of our teams. This recognition belongs to every team member who brings our commitment to excellence to life each day, whether through thoughtfully curated spaces, meaningful guest interactions, or the care that goes into every stay. Here’s to another decade of creating memorable experiences, reaching new milestones, and raising the standard of hospitality in the Philippines.”

Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila retained its title as Asia’s Leading Serviced Apartment, marking the fourth time the property has received the prestigious accolade since 2020.

Centrally located in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig, the distinguished serviced residence places guests within easy reach of thoughtfully designed parks, shopping boutiques, dining destinations, fitness facilities, and a variety of lifestyle experiences. Its residences, ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments, offer spacious, modern accommodations with the comforts and conveniences today’s discerning guests expect.

Photo: Ascott Bonifacio Global City

Located in the heart of Makati and directly connected to Glorietta at Ayala Center, the luxury serviced residence offers accommodations ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments, along with exceptional convenience and easy access to a diverse selection of restaurants, shopping boutiques, and entertainment destinations. Its thoughtfully appointed residences combine the comforts of home with elevated hospitality, creating a luxurious home-away-from-home experience.

Photo: Ascott Makati

The Philippines' top diplomat leads a humanitarian mission to Myanmar

The Philippines' top diplomat leads a humanitarian mission to Myanmar

The Manila Times
Associated Press
28 October 2026

BANGKOK — The Philippines’ top diplomat arrived in Myanmar on Wednesday to oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid, as Myanmar’s military-backed government seeks to improve strained relations with its neighbors and other countries.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro is making the two-day visit in her capacity as Special Envoy on Myanmar for ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Myanmar is part of the regional bloc but has been rebuked by it since the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, plunging the country into a civil war that has displaced millions.

The Philippine Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lazaro will lead an ASEAN Monitoring Team mission to distribute humanitarian support in Myanmar’s Kayin State, Southern Shan State and Northern Shan State.

The aid operation is expected to distribute 50-kilogram (110-pound) bags of rice, personal hygiene kits and other essential items to more than 11,000 households through November, said the statement.

Lazaro’s visit comes as Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing seeks to improve the image of his military-backed government to gain political legitimacy abroad. China and Russia have been allies since he led the 2021 takeover, but Western nations treated Myanmar as a pariah state and enacted sanctions against its leaders.

Min Aung Hlaing faced years of isolation and was barred from ASEAN summit meetings for failing to comply with the bloc’s April 2021 peace plan, which called for an end to violence, dialogue among contending parties, mediation through a special envoy, humanitarian aid, and full access to stakeholders.

Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president in April following an election in December and January. Critics dismissed the polls as a sham designed to consolidate the military's grip on power while ostensibly restoring civilian rule. His efforts to end diplomatic isolation have included visits to Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia.

He has also tried to ease concerns about Suu Kyi, who has not been seen publicly since she was detained in 2021 when her government was ousted. She is serving an 18-year prison sentence on charges that her followers and right groups consider bogus.

The 81-year-old Suu Kyi on Thursday was allowed her first telephone call in more than five years with her son, Kim Aris. On Monday, the military-backed government said it delivered two books sent by Britain’s King Charles III to Suu Kyi, along with diplomatic correspondence.

She was moved from prison in the capital Naypyitaw to house arrest at an undisclosed location in April, and in August, a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Suu Kyi, marking her first contact with an independent international humanitarian organization since her detention.

New Philippine growth centers beyond Manila

 OPINION

The Philippines beyond Manila

By Stephen Hale
Malaya Business Insight
October 27, 2026

For generations, Metro Manila has been the center of the Philippines’ economic ambitions. It is where many of the country’s largest companies are headquartered, where professional opportunities are concentrated, and where young Filipinos have traditionally looked to build successful careers. But across the country, a different economic story is gradually taking shape.

Makati City, Metro Manila

In cities such as Iloilo, Bacolod, Clark, and Cagayan de Oro, new commercial districts, residential developments, hotels, and entertainment venues reflect changing local economies. These places are not simply growing in size. They are developing the businesses, services, and amenities that make them increasingly attractive places to work, live, and invest.

An important part of this transformation involves Filipinos now in their late twenties and thirties. Many are educated, professionally ambitious, digitally connected, and increasingly interested in what a successful life should look like. A good career remains important, but so does time for family, enjoying weekends, traveling, and pursuing interests beyond the workplace.

These aspirations are hardly unique to the Philippines. What makes them particularly interesting here is their potential to influence where economic growth occurs.

Consider Iloilo, where universities, healthcare institutions, and an expanding business district contribute to a more diversified local economy. Bacolod, long associated with agriculture and its distinctive cultural identity, has attracted investment in business services, retail, and residential development. Clark, meanwhile, benefits from major infrastructure investment and its growing role as a transportation and commercial hub.

Iloilo City

Bacolod City

Clark, Angeles City

Each has a different economic foundation, but all illustrate the possibility of building opportunity beyond the capital.

For young professionals, the appeal is not necessarily another shopping mall or high-rise condominium. It may be the prospect of a rewarding career without spending hours commuting, purchasing a home within reasonable distance of work, or having the flexibility to enjoy an evening with friends while still spending meaningful time with family.

The most promising provincial cities may not be those that become smaller versions of Manila, but those that offer something Manila increasingly struggles to provide: a balance between opportunity and quality of life.

There is an important economic dimension to these changing expectations. A growing population of professionals, entrepreneurs, and young families creates demand for goods and services, encouraging investment and supporting local businesses. As those businesses expand, they generate employment, attract additional investment, and contribute to a broader local economy.

This is how regional growth can become self-reinforcing. A new employer attracts skilled workers. Those workers support local businesses. Improved services make the city more appealing to other employers and residents. Over time, a provincial economy can develop greater depth and become less dependent on a handful of traditional industries.

Of course, this transformation is neither uniform nor guaranteed. Many provincial communities continue to face limited employment opportunities, modest wages, unreliable infrastructure, and gaps in essential services. New commercial developments alone do not establish a prosperous local economy, and the lifestyles enjoyed by some young professionals remain beyond the financial reach of many families.

That is why the next stage of regional development will require more than private investment in buildings and retail centers. Reliable transportation, effective local government, quality education, healthcare, and a business environment that encourages entrepreneurship are equally important. Better connections to domestic and international markets can also help local enterprises grow beyond their immediate communities.

There is a broader opportunity here for the Philippines. Rather than concentrating so much economic activity in one metropolitan region, the country can cultivate several strong regional centers, each drawing upon its own industries, institutions, culture, and geographic advantages.

This need not diminish Manila’s importance. The capital will remain an economic powerhouse. But a country with multiple thriving urban centers offers businesses more places to invest, families more choices about where to settle, and young people more ways to pursue their ambitions.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of this emerging story is that it is about more than economic statistics or construction projects. It is about the expectations of a generation that wants not only to earn a living, but to enjoy the life that comes with it.

The future of the Philippine economy will not be measured solely by how much Manila continues to grow, but by how many other places become cities where young Filipinos can build careers, raise families, enjoy life, and imagine a future.

PH ube industry receives grant from US gov

Philippine ube industry bolstered by international funding

Liam O'Callaghan

Fruitnet.com (Australia)

27 October 2026

US grant to support plans to double production and increase exports

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has welcomed a US$34.1mn grant from the US to develop the country’s ube industry, complementing a separate P300mn (US$4.7mn) government initiative to expand production as global demand for the purple yam grows.

The five-year US-funded programme is expected to benefit more than 12,500 Filipino farmers and strengthen the country’s participation in international food and beverage supply chains, while the DA’s domestic expansion plan seeks to at least double output and lay the groundwork for wider cultivation.

Agriculture secretary Francisco P Tiu Laurel Jr said the US assistance would reinforce government efforts to increase production, improve farmers’ incomes and foster rural development by connecting growers to expanding overseas markets.

“We are grateful to the US government and the US Department of Agriculture for this support, which will help us scale up ube production, meet growing global demand, realize the tuber’s potential as an export winner, and create better income opportunities for our farmers,” said Tiu Laurel.

“By strengthening the entire value chain, we can turn ube into a more competitive agricultural product while fostering inclusive growth in rural communities.”

The US government, through the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food for Progress Program, awarded the grant for the development of the Philippine ube value chain.

US ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton announced the funding on 22 October.  US-based nonprofit TechnoServe will implement the project and provide technical expertise to support industry development.

The DA had earlier earmarked P300mn for the initial expansion of ube production, targeting a doubling of the area currently planted to the crop. The first phase forms part of a broader plan to add 1,000ha in the first year.

The department is budgeting about P850,000 per hectare for farm development, support facilities, and production. The initial rollout is timed for the November 2026 harvest and propagation cycle, with ten ube varieties identified for large-scale cultivation.

Tiu Laurel said the government intends to expand the industry gradually as Philippine ube gains international attention, avoiding the supply imbalances and production problems that have affected other high-value crops following sudden surges in overseas demand.

The DA chief had earlier underscored that the government is developing the ube industry at a steady pace to limit, if not avoid, the missteps the Philippines made with previous high-value crops that drew strong overseas demand.

To this end, the government indefinitely suspended exports of fresh purple yam, or ube, in mid-August to shore up scarce planting material as the Philippines seeks to expand domestic production and turn the crop into a bigger export earner. 

The suspension covers fresh ube and propagative planting materials regardless of whether shipments are intended for consumption, planting, or research. 

Filipino artists in Baltimore art scene

In Baltimore, Filipino American artists are finally taking the spotlight

Wesley Case
The Baltimore Banner (USA)
26 October 2026

Sitting in her Greenmount West art studio, Thea Canlas can’t help but smile when asked about the moment Filipino American artists in Baltimore are having right now.

“I love it,” Canlas said last week from Area 405, the studios on East Oliver Street.
“I mean, I don’t want to be the only one, right?”

For a group that’s often felt collectively overlooked, that’s not a concern in Charm City today.

Canlas made headlines this summer by winning the Janet and Walter Sondheim Art Prize, along with $30,000, for her thoroughly researched textile installations.

In the same competition, Anna Divinagracia was named a semifinalist for her layered, often photo-driven sculptural objects. Meanwhile, composer and musician Mark Kent Navarro became a finalist for the Baker Artist Awards — another annual competition for the area’s best artists — for the third time since 2023.

What do they all have in common? They’re thriving in Charm City by exploring deeply personal themes like Filipino American identity, assimilation and perseverance through inventive, thoroughly considered pieces of art.

In turn, they’re making the region’s arts scene, and beyond, take closer notice of a vibrant culture.

“It’s an incredibly exciting moment for any historically underrecognized group to be recognized in these institutional spaces and also so supported by their local communities,” said Dylan K. Hill, a contemporary art curator at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

And it goes beyond awards: Baltimore’s Ralph Bernabe, who moved to America from the Philippines at 13, performs charming indie-pop as Plant Dad, while Tara Cariaso has made a name for herself as a queer theater artist, directing plays and crafting striking masks for the stage.

Earlier this month — fittingly Filipino American History Month — I caught up with Canlas, Divinagracia and Navarro to hear how they use their art practices to better understand themselves and their heritage’s worth.

Thea Canlas

When Thea Canlas learned she was moving from the Philippines to America, she was ecstatic. The pre-teen was already enamored with “Baywatch” and other Western pop culture that had made its way east.

“It was exciting,” Canlas, now 43, recalled. “It was a privilege.”

Did reality match up with her fantasy? Canlas burst out laughing at the question.

“Let’s just say all the work has been reckoning with all of it,” she said. “It’s like, why did I grow up thinking all of this was of less value?”

She’s unpacking this question, and much more, through “Value Studies,” an ongoing series that reimagines items like overseas Filipino workers’ uniforms, detailed with pearls and human teeth, and flags made from Filipino textiles to explore the effects of colonialism and global capitalism on the Southeast Asian country.

Baltimore artist Thea Canlas made uniforms and flags from embroidered piña cloth in her “Value Studies” series, shown here at the Walters Art Museum’s Hackerman House. (David Sloan)

Thea Canlas created a military uniform with pineapple cloth. (Jerry Jackson/The Banner)

A child’s school uniform created with pineapple cloth was part of the portfolio of work created by Filipina American artist Thea Canlas that won the Janet and Walter Sondheim Art Prize. (Jerry Jackson/The Banner)

Canlas has found a rush of success through her thoughtful work, having made the transition from marketer to artist just during the pandemic.

The former Walters Art Museum employee returned to the Mount Vernon institution in August to receive the annual Sondheim Art Prize, one of the top awards for visual artists in the region. Jurors look to award contemporary artists “on the cusp of making a leap in their work,” according to Create Baltimore, which presents the Sondheim with the Walters.

Canlas is still processing the full-circle win.

“It was very weird. Surreal,” said Canlas, a Maryland Institute College of Art graduate.

Next year will be focused on recharging and working on a Baltimore exhibition for 2028, she said, with plans to visit the Philippines to buy materials and learn how to basketweave for future work.

It’s a time to take stock of her accomplishment, but Canlas plans to only dig deeper into her art in order to better understand her place in the world. “I’m barely scratching the surface,” she said.

Anna Divinagracia

At age 12, it didn’t take Anna Divinagracia long to realize that her new home of Baltimore was a far, far cry from her native Davao City in the southern Philippines.

Food servings. Interstate highways. Clothes. “Everything is just bigger in America,” Divinagracia said recently.

Divinagracia first turned to photography to help make sense of her new reality. But these days she creates rich three-dimensional works, often using materials both familiar — wood, photographs of Baltimore and the Philippines — and unexpected, such as documents from the green card application process.

The latter, “A Game of Dreams,” reimagines Pabitin, a traditional Filipino game similar to a piñata. Instead of candy or toys, she tied dollar bills and “Welcome to the United States” pamphlets to barbed wire.

“I was thinking about what made me want to stay here,” Divina said.

She was used to telling other people’s stories through photos. The switch to these sculptural installations helped the 29-year-old artist, who prefers to go by Divina, realize she had her own story to tell.

“It took an intentional shift around 2020, for me to look internally and think about like, what does my story look like and what would it look like to tell that?” she said.

Her 2025 solo exhibition at Creative Alliance, “Pandarayuhan: Home is a Memory,” offered a tantalizing view of Divina’s narrative. “Mom’s Ref,” a highlight, allowed viewers a peek into her mother’s actual refrigerator, filled with leftovers in tupperware and condiments bought from H-Mart and American grocery stores.

To Divina, who’s “into the idea of people being preserved in the objects that they touch,” it’s a self-portrait of her mother.

“Memory is a fleeting thing for me,” the Morgan State alumna said. “So creating these objects and making magic out of it — imbuing it with them, their spirit — I think, is the art process right now.”

Like Canlas’ work, Divina’s intricate art is best seen in person. Readers can view some of it now in “A Case for the Muse,” a group exhibition at the Compound in East Baltimore on display through Oct. 30.

Mark Kent Navarro

What does home mean to Mark Kent Navarro?

The Filipino American musician and composer returned to the streets that raised him to find out.

For his new album, “Long Live,” Navarro went back to each Baltimore street where he once lived to record whatever sounds he picked up. The field recordings became the catalysts for each track, with Navarro playing every instrument, including piano, guitar and bass.

Growing up in Remington with his sister, Kat, Navarro remembers a sheltered childhood as the only Asian family on their Hampden Avenue block. His mother and grandmother worried about nearby violence.

“I remember when I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to play outside,” Navarro says over dramatic piano notes and a staccato drum pattern early on in the nine-track EP. Recorded sounds of birds chirping and passing cars murmur in the distance, recalling a faint memory.

“Moving between homes is a very big aspect of someone’s life,” Navarro said. “I was just thinking about like, even my family changing their home from the Philippines and coming here and just starting all over again.”

Throughout his life, Navarro and his family moved a lot. They scraped by to put Navarro and Kat through private school. Revisiting these stops on a path to a better life reminded Navarro of “the gravity of that kind of sacrifice.”

“I just have such a deeper appreciation for my family in a way that I should have had this entire time,” said Navarro, who’s also an arts technologist at the Baltimore School for the Arts and regularly collaborates with local theatre company Truepenny Projects.

Count the judges of the Baker Arts Award — another competitive contest for the Baltimore area’s rising artists — among Navarro’s fans. He’s been a finalist in 2023, 2025 and 2026 for the honor, which in April whittled down more than 1,000 portfolios to 36 finalists in visual arts, performing arts, photography and other categories. (Canlas was also a finalist.)

Looking ahead, Navarro is planning a listening party for “Long Live” this winter before its release in January.

The 33-year-old will continue to use his music to untangle the “weird struggle” of often feeling more American than Filipino. He looks forward to developing a stronger connection to his cultural roots.

“It’s really me just trying to figure out who I am,” he said.

PH achieves milestone in international aviation safety

PH achieves milestone in international aviation safety

Bernadette E. Tamayo
The Manila Times
26 October 2026

THE Philippines marked another milestone in the country’s commitment to strengthening international aviation safety and security following its accession to the 2014 Montreal Protocol.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) over the weekend said the Philippines deposited its Instrument of Accession to the 2014 Montréal Protocol with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Oct. 16.

The Philippines’ accession follows the completion of its domestic approval process, including the Senate’s concurrence in September 2026, and reflects inter-agency coordinated efforts. “The deposit of our Instrument of Accession underscores the Philippines’ continued support for ICAO’s efforts to promote a safe, secure, and rules-based international civil aviation system,” Philippine Ambassador to Canada Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga said in a statement.

“It also reinforces the country’s commitment to international cooperation in addressing unlawful and disruptive conduct on board aircraft, safeguarding passengers and crew, and strengthening confidence in global air transport,” he said.

The 2014 Montréal Protocol, formally known as the Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offenses and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, updates the 1963 Tokyo Convention to address emerging challenges in international civil aviation, particularly incidents involving unruly and disruptive passengers.

The Protocol strengthens the international legal framework for addressing offenses committed on board aircraft by expanding jurisdiction to include, under specified conditions, the State of Landing and the State of the Operator, in addition to the State of Registration. These provisions help address jurisdictional gaps that may otherwise prevent the effective prosecution of offenses committed during international flights.

Alternate Permanent Representative to ICAO Mary Jaselle Menteer deposited the Instrument of Accession on behalf of the Philippine government. The instrument was received by ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar at the ICAO’s headquarters in Montréal, Canada. Salazar noted that the Philippines is the 65th country to accede to the 2014 Montreal Protocol.