Unraveling the Quantum: UP Mathematician Develops Framework to Describe Complex Quantum Operators

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

A thrilling breakthrough at the intersection of abstract mathematics and quantum mechanics is set to redefine our understanding of the universe's most complex operations. Dr. Arvin Lamando of the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s Institute of Mathematics (UPD-CS IM) and Dr. Henry McNulty of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have unveiled a groundbreaking framework that simplifies and decodes the intricate operators—the mathematical "machines" that are the very heartbeat of quantum mechanics and signal processing.

Their revolutionary study proves that even the most elaborate of these operators can be decomposed into simpler parts and then faithfully reconstructed , offering profound new insights for quantum systems and technologies.

Harmonic Analysis: The Symphony of Signals

Dr. Lamando's work is rooted in the field of mathematics known as harmonic analysis. To understand this, we can think of a complex signal—like a musical chord.

The Fourier Transform: Just as the Fourier transform breaks a musical chord down into its individual, pure notes (sines and cosines) , classical harmonic analysis can decompose an arbitrary signal f as a sum of these pure frequencies.

Reconstruction: And, just as the original chord can be replayed by combining those notes , the abstract signal can be perfectly reconstructed from its "pure frequencies".

This elegant and powerful mathematical idea, surprisingly, connects to many different branches of abstract mathematics, despite its historical foundation in real-world applications.

The Leap to Quantum Harmonic Analysis

If classical harmonic analysis deals with signals and their frequencies, quantum harmonic analysis applies these same foundational ideas to operators. This specialized field focuses on operators that follow specific mathematical rules essential for translating concepts from classical physics into the bizarre and fascinating world of quantum physics.

Dr. Lamando and Dr. McNulty introduced a crucial new concept: the 'modulation' of an operator in the phase space. This idea aligns with the core themes of quantum harmonic analysis. Dr. Lamando explained that the operator Fourier transform of this operator modulation results in a translated operator Fourier transform, showing its consistency within the existing framework.

Simplifying the Complex

The mathematicians concentrated their efforts on a specific, challenging class of operators: those that remain unchanged (invariant), even when they are translated or modulated over lattices on the phase space.

Their breakthrough revealed that these invariant operators possess properties remarkably similar to those found in the classical case. To achieve this deep understanding, they employed a highly specialized mathematical structure: the Heisenberg module.

The Crucial Discovery

The most compelling result of their research is the realization that these complicated invariant operators can be closely approximated using a much simpler category of operators known as finite-rank operators.

In plain terms, this means that the outputs of the most complex quantum operations can essentially be described using only a finite number of dimensions. This incredible finding effectively bridges abstract algebraic concepts with concrete, tangible structures within quantum mathematics.

The Impact

This research, titled “On Modulation and Translation Invariant Operators and the Heisenberg Module,” has been published in the Journal of Fourier Analysis and Applications. This prestigious journal publishes articles ranging from abstract harmonic analysis to real-world applications and partial differential equations, cementing the significance of the Filipino mathematician’s contribution.

The ability to break down and approximate complex quantum operators with simpler, finite-rank operators paves the way for a deeper theoretical grasp of quantum systems. Practically, this could have major implications for the development of quantum technologies and advanced signal processing.

The plot of a time-frequency shifted Gausssian function is an example of a wavelet , a tool central to decomposing signals, a substantial effort in harmonic analysis. The work of Dr. Lamando and Dr. McNulty is poised to carry this legacy into the quantum realm, providing the essential framework for a new era of scientific discovery.

The Smuggler's Loophole: Weak Enforcement, Not High Taxes, Fuels Philippines' Illicit Cigarette Trade

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Manila, Philippines – A new, bombshell study has decisively dismantled the tobacco industry's long-standing narrative that high excise taxes are the primary driver of illicit cigarette trade in the Philippines. Instead, the research points a damning finger at weak enforcement and gaping governance holes, particularly in Southern Mindanao, as the true culprits.

The comprehensive nationwide study, conducted by the Action for Economic Reforms (AER) in partnership with Economics for Health of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is based on a rigorous audit of over 7,500 cigarette packs collected from more than 1,000 sari-sari stores across eight key cities.

The findings present a stark, regional picture: illicit trade is rampant in some areas while being low and manageable in most others—a variation that cannot be explained by the nation's uniform tax rates.

The Mindanao Outlier: Where Smuggling Thrives

The study identified Zamboanga City and General Santos City in Southern Mindanao as the undeniable hotspots of illicit tobacco trade, effectively skewing the national average and distorting the overall picture.

The numbers are alarming:

Zamboanga City: Nearly 80% of audited packs were sold at prices below the combined applicable taxes (Php 71.42), a definitive indicator of tax evasion. Up to 96% of inspected packs had fake or missing tax stamps, the highest prevalence recorded.

General Santos City: Reported similar, though less extreme, figures, with 38.5% of packs priced below applicable taxes and 85.4% showing tax stamp violations.

This extreme disparity between Mindanao and the rest of the country strongly suggests that the issue is not tax policy, but rather the lack of credible and consistent enforcement. The region's historical open borders, cultural factors, and the involvement of local and national officials in the lucrative trade further compound the problem, creating an "unbroken line" for smugglers.

In contrast, illicit cigarette sales in Luzon, Visayas, and Metro Manila were found to be low. For example, in Batangas, Dagupan, Navotas, Pasay, Quezon City, and Mega Cebu, illicit trade was deemed at "manageable levels".

Three Faces of Illicit Trade

The study identified three primary forms of illicit tobacco trade observed across the Philippines:

Pricing Below Applicable Taxes (Tax Evasion): The sale of cigarettes below the sum of excise and value-added taxes (Php 71.42), which constitutes outright tax evasion. This was overwhelmingly concentrated in Zamboanga and General Santos.

Tax Stamp Violations: Cigarette packs bearing counterfeit or missing tax stamps. The high share of packs without tax stamps in Mindanao was driven by both unregistered brands and specific registered brands (Cannon Menthol 100s and Fort Menthol 100s).

Smuggling of Unregistered Brands: The circulation of brands and variants not declared to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) by any registered manufacturer or importer. Unregistered brands of foreign origin were found in Batangas and Mega Cebu, but were most prevalent in General Santos (58.6%) and Zamboanga (47.5%).

AER's Urgency: Reject Tax Rollbacks

The AER vehemently urged the government to reject proposals to lower tobacco excise taxes, such as House Bill 11360, warning that such a move would reward smugglers, worsen smoking rates, and erode crucial public revenue.

"The results disprove the tobacco industry's narrative that high taxes cause smuggling," said Daffodil Santillan, AER lead researcher. "The evidence shows the real issue is weak law enforcement and regulatory oversight, especially at ports and borders. Lowering tobacco taxes will only make cigarettes cheaper and Filipinos sicker".

Since 2012, tobacco tax reforms have been hailed as a public health achievement, funding the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law and reducing adult smoking prevalence from 29.7% in 2009 to 19.5% in 2021. A tax rollback would risk reversing a decade of health and fiscal progress.

Policy Recommendations for Stronger Enforcement

To effectively combat illicit trade and secure the gains of tobacco tax reform, AER calls for a multi-pronged approach focused on strengthening enforcement and governance:

Upgrade to an Independent Track-and-Trace System: Replace the current tax stamp with a comprehensive, user-friendly system featuring both physical and digital markers, operating independent of the tobacco industry.

Empower the BIR: Expand the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) authority to suspend or close businesses for tax violations on all excisable products.

Retailer Accountability: Implement a nationwide licensing system requiring all tobacco retailers, including sari-sari stores, to obtain permits to ensure compliance and accountability.

Tighten Coordination: Strengthen coordination among Customs, BIR, local government units (LGUs), and national enforcement agencies, and deputize local police to conduct raids in enforcement hotspots.

Global Cooperation: Strengthen regional cooperation with neighboring countries to stem illicit trade at its source.

The AER report sends a clear message to policymakers: the fight against illicit tobacco trade is fundamentally a fight for better governance and stronger rule of law.

AI in the Newsroom: The Dawn of a New Broadcasting Era in the Philippines

 

The 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report has shed light on how audiences around the world view artificial intelligence (AI) in news production. The verdict? People are cautiously optimistic — open to the idea of AI, but only when it helps human journalists, not replaces them.

According to the report, readers are most interested in using AI to make news easier and faster to consume. The top uses include summarized versions of news articles (27%) and automatic translations (24%). This shows a clear preference for AI as a supportive tool, not a takeover mechanism.

Interestingly, this global shift aligns perfectly with a bold move happening right here in the Philippines. The Presidential Broadcast Service - Bureau of Broadcast Services (PBS-BBS) has officially introduced Aivan and Aira, the country’s first AI-powered government news reporters.

Meet Aivan and Aira: The New Voices of Philippine Government Media

These AI reporters were created to help broadcast government news with greater speed, consistency, and accuracy - a step toward using technology to make public information, from programs to policies, more accessible to every Filipino.

Aivan and Aira now headline AI Talks with The VoiceMaster, a pioneering radio program on Radyo Pilipinas airing every Saturday. Their mission: deliver fast, factual, and bias-free news to the public.

PBS-BBS Director General Fernando Amparo Sanga explained in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that AI can help government media keep up with the demands of today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

“AI helps deliver content faster so we can adapt to people’s growing demand for more digital content,” said Sanga. “Whoever gets the first video or visual out there gets the audience’s attention.”

A Human-AI Partnership Built on Trust and Accountability

The PBS-BBS partnership with Pocholo De Leon Gonzales, widely known as The VoiceMaster of the Philippines and the Godfather of Filipino AI Voices, gave birth to this groundbreaking initiative. Gonzales also serves as the producer and host of AI Talks with The VoiceMaster and is behind the creation of Aivan and Aira.

“This isn’t just a radio show - it’s a revolution in how news and knowledge are delivered,” Gonzales told the Philippine News Agency. “Balitang AI, the world’s first AI-animated news reporter, proves that Filipinos can be pioneers, not just followers.”

Director Sanga emphasized that while AI handles the delivery, human journalists remain at the heart of content creation and verification. All AI-read scripts undergo the same strict editorial process as any government news release.

“We’ll be very strict in implementing AI reporting protocols. Every piece of content still goes through the same vetting process done by our newsroom,” he clarified.

Aivan and Aira will never express personal opinions -  their sole function is to deliver facts. “AI reporters won’t editorialize. They will only read verified facts written by journalists,” Sanga added. “This ensures the information remains objective and accurate.”

AI Is Not Here to Replace — It’s Here to Enhance

The partnership between PBS-BBS and Gonzales is grounded in one simple belief: AI is a tool for innovation, not a threat to jobs.

“AI is here to partner with humans, not replace them,” said Sanga. “That’s why through this radio program, we want to demystify AI and help ordinary Filipinos appreciate its benefits.”

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez echoed the same message, reminding communicators to use AI responsibly.

“Use AI to improve efficiency, but never lose the human touch. Empathy and judgment can’t be replaced by any algorithm,” Gomez emphasized. He also pointed out that while AI can be a powerful tool for analysis, monitoring, and production, it can never replace authenticity and emotional connection in communication.

A Vision for the Future: Empowerment Through Innovation

The Marcos administration continues to champion digitalization across government sectors — from improving internet connectivity to developing smart applications that make public services easier to access. In line with this, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has announced plans to develop a national AI engine designed to assist Filipinos in gathering information and reporting crimes, with multi-language support in local dialects.

As AI becomes more integrated into news and governance, the message is clear: the future of work isn’t about replacement but enhancement. When technology and human creativity work hand in hand, the result is faster, smarter, and more inclusive communication — the kind that empowers citizens rather than alienates them.

With Aivan, Aira, and the visionary leadership of the PBS-BBS and The VoiceMaster, the Philippines is taking a confident step into a new era of broadcasting - one where human passion meets machine precision, and where every Filipino can hear the future, loud and clear.

“AI TALKS WITH THE VOICEMASTER” HONORED AS ASIA’S MOST INNOVATIVE AI PROGRAM ON RADIO AND SPOTIFY AT THE ASIA’S PINNACLE AWARDS 2025

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