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Carlo Paalam outclasses Irish foe to zero in on guaranteed Olympic boxing medal

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 22:35

WINNER. Boxer Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in action against Jude Gallagher of Ireland in the round of 16 of the men's 57kg division in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Piroschka Van De Wouw/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam stands a win away from being a two-time Olympic medalist. Paalam moved closer to that goal in the Paris Games after advancing to the quarterfinals of the men’s 57kg division, beating Ireland’s Jude Gallagher via unanimous decision at the North Paris Arena on Wednesday, July 31. Seeking to repeat as an Olympic medalist after bagging silver in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, Paalam claimed his place in the quarterfinals with scores of 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Up next for Paalam is fourth seed Charlie Senior of Australia as they tangle on Saturday, August 3, for a spot in the semifinals. All of the four semifinalists are guaranteed of at least a bronze. Despite moving up to 57kg after competing in the lighter 52kg class in Tokyo, Paalam remained light on his feet as he proved to be an elusive target for the 22-year-old Gallagher, who debuted in the Olympics. Paalam earned the nod of three of the five judges in the opening round then clinched the second round with a 5-0 score to virtually seal the deal. The taller Gallagher went for broke in the third round, hoping to land a knockout but to no avail as Paalam wasted precious time by circling the ring and dodging attacks from the Irish. Paalam got the Philippine boxing team back on track after Eumir Marcial (men’s 80kg) and Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg) both dropped their opening bouts in the round of 16. Marcial suffered an upset loss at the hands of 20-year-old Turabek Khabibullaev of Uzbekistan, while Bacyadan bowed to top seed Li Qian of China. Aiming to join Paalam in the quarterfinals are Nesthy Petecio (women’s 57kg) and Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg) as they return to action on August 3 and 4, respectively. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Fishing banned in Limay, Bataan due to oil spill

Iya Gozum

30/07/2024 16:02

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard create improvised oil spill booms as part of containment efforts after oil tanker MT Terranova capsized and submerged off Limay, Bataan. PCG BATAAN, Philippines – A fishing ban is already in place in Limay, Bataan, Governor Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia III said on Tuesday, July 30, days after MT Terranova capsized and submerged off Lamao in Limay last July 25. Garcia said the fishing ban was imposed by Limay Mayor Nelson David. Water samples taken from four barangays in Limay, Bataan, were also found to have levels of oil and grease that exceeded standard limits set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, deeming them unsuitable for fishing and swimming. Water bodies are suited for fishing if oil and grease concentration found in samples only amounted to 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or below, and safe for swimming if oil and grease concentration is only 2 mg/L or below. Based on a presentation on Tuesday by Raphael de Leon, officer-in-charge of Bataan’s Environment and Natural Resources Office, the four areas not suitable for fishing and swimming are: Samples from Barangay Francis I, Barangay Wawa, and Barangay Luz Kitang were taken on July 25, while the water sample from Lamao was taken on July 26. There were two stations in Barangay Luz Kitang where samples were taken. The water sample from the other station only registered 2.4 mg/L of oil and grease. Results were shown to reporters in Balanga, Bataan, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, water samples taken from three barangays in Mariveles (namely Batangas II, Lucanin, and Townsite) did not exceed standard limits for fishing and swimming. Bataan, especially Lamao, is grappling with the oil spill caused by the sunken MT Terranova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil. In the days that followed, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had deployed oil spill booms and is currently sealing the valves before contracted salvor Harbor Star can start siphoning operations. Experts had forecasted that the oil spill could reach Metro Manila by Tuesday, July 30. But in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gavan said based on their aerial inspection earlier in the day, no oil sheen was seen going toward Manila. While the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said around 11,000 fisherfolk would be affected by the oil spill, Garcia estimated that at least 14,000 fisherfolk from nine coastal municipalities in Bataan could bear the brunt of the maritime incident. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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No POGOs inside Cagayan special economic zone, says CEZA

Joann Manabat - CMS

31/07/2024 17:40

'NO POGOS IN CEZA.' Cagayan Economic Zone Authority administrator and chief executive officer, Katrina Ponce Enrile delivers her 20-minute opening remark at the third joint committee hearing of the House on public order and safety, and games and amusement on July 31, 2024. Screenshot via House of Representatives YouTube PAMPANGA, Philippines – “There are no POGOs (Philippine offshore gaming operations) in the Cagayan special economic zone and freeport. There never was and never will be.” This was part of the 20-minute opening statement of Katrina Ponce Enrile, administrator and chief executive officer of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) during the joint hearing on Wednesday, July 31, of the House committees on public order and safety, and games and amusement. Also in the hearing was her father, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former senator Juan Ponce Enrile. The Enrile patriarch authored Republic Act 7922 or the Cagayan Special Economic Zone Act of 1995. This law established CEZA as both a gaming authority and a special economic zone. CEZA oversees and regulates offshore interactive gaming (iGaming) operations which predates the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (Pagcor) POGOs by over a decade. Katrina said CEZA maintained a record free of the criminal activities associated with POGOs such as kidnapping, torture, human trafficking, and murder. “There has not even a single instance of crimes associated with POGOs under CEZA’s watch. It never had any instances of kidnapping, human trafficking, torture, scams, and murder,” she said. “CEZA established itself as the first interactive gaming jurisdiction in Asia and stood at the forefront of regulatory innovation. The intention was to attract established and credible gaming operators in Europe and North America to outsource their services,” she said. Katrina presented in the hearing a dozen key distinctions between the CEZA’s regulation of iGaming operations and POGOs. “”I believe that the distinction between CEZA and PAGCOR are some of the keys to our orderly regulation of iGaming,” she said. The distinction she referred were: The Cagayan special economic zone also hosts  seaport operations, tourism, real estate development, and upcoming industrial parks. Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker and Isabela 1st District Representative Antonio Albano asked the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) to issue a public apology on the alleged presence of POGOs near Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites. The Camilo Osias Naval Base Camilo in Sta. Ana town in Cagayan province is about 7.8 kilometers from CEZA according to Google Maps. Although PAOCC refused to provide comment as of this writing, PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio has said the information was based on intelligence reports and documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Pizza for a cause! a mano and Toyo Eatery collab for 3 new Filipino-inspired pies

Steph Arnaldo

31/07/2024 17:59

MANILA, Philippines – Ever had tortang talong pizza? Or Neopolitan pizza with banana ketchup-tomato sauce? What about lechon on a pizza? Amado Forés’ a mano and Chef Jordy Navarra’s Toyo Eatery have teamed up to create “Kamayan Pizza,” three unique pizza pies to celebrate a mano’s fifth anniversary while honoring the Filipino farmers of Good Food Community. “We admire Jordy Navarra and Toyo Eatery so much,” shared Forés. “Toyo Eatery has always championed Filipino ingredients and those who produce them. We agreed that we wanted to give back to those who farm the ingredients we use every day.” Starting end of July until August 26, a mano’s Kamayan Pizzas are available in all a mano’s branches, melding Toyo’s innovative Filipino takes with a mano’s traditional Italian techniques. All profits from the collaboration will go to Good Food Community, which advocates for ethical and ecological farming, supporting smallholder farmers through initiatives like deliveries and markets. Two of the three inventive flavors may not be for the picky eaters, but adventurous foodies may enjoy them! You can’t go wrong with the Si Margarita Pizza (P650), a classic and simple overall favorite that’s perfect for kids. that Using a mano’s crispy-thin Neopolitan crust, the toppings include banana-tomato red sauce (which adds a subtle sweetness to the conventional pizza sauce), creamy Kesong Puti, FiordiLatte Latteria Sorrentina, sulasi (holy basil), and fresh basil. If you love eggplant in any way, shape, or form, maybe the Tortang Talong Pizza (P810) would pique your interest? The same pizza crust and banana-tomato sauce feature thinly-sliced grilled eggplant kesong puti-ricotta blend, and egg yolk sauce drizzled on top. Because of the grilled talong, this pizza leans towards a smokier flavor profile. The Lechon & Pinya Pizza (P940) could be seen as a different and “localized” spin on the Hawaiian pizza. Strips of soft lechon porchetta are placed atop banana-tomato sauce and FiordiLatte Latteria Sorrentina. I liked the dehydrated pinya crisps on top – similar to paper-thin dried mangoes almost – that offered a sweet and tart, chewy element to the porky pizza. It’s topped with bits of crispy lechon skin, and is meant to be dipped in the homemade spiced vinegar on the side. “Because we are a mano diners to begin with, when we were asked if a collaboration pizza was something we were interested in, it was a no-brainer for us to say yes,” Chef Jordy said. Last September, AF Hospitality’s a mano made it to the 50 Top Pizza’s 2023 list of the 100 best pizzerias in the world. It was recognized as the 12th best pizzeria in the Asia-Pacific region and awarded the Best Pasta Proposal in 2024, five years after opening in 2019. a mano has branches in Bonifacio Global City, Gateway Mall, and Power Plant Mall. Celebrating humble ingredients and traditional techniques, Makati City’s Toyo Eatery has earned accolades such as the Miele One to Watch Award and the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award from the Asia’s Best Restaurants Academy. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Tiramisu inventor Roberto Linguanotto dies at 81

jreyes0314

31/07/2024 18:15

TIramisu inventor Roberto Linguanotto dies at 81. Screenshot from Tiramesù Linguanotto's YouTube page MANILA, Philippines – Italian pastry chef and owner of renowned restaurant Le Beccherie, Roberto Linguanotto, died at 81 due to a long-term illness. In a Facebook post, the Italian restaurant announced the death of the culinary legend. “We join the mourning for the passing of Roberto ‘Loli’ Linguanotto, who marked the history of Beccherie and the most beloved dessert in the world. His memory lives in our restaurant! Thank you, Loli,” the restaurant wrote in Italian. According to Le Beccherie, the Tiramisu or Tiramesù was first introduced to their menu in 1972 but its experimentation dates back to 1955. It has become a restaurant staple since then. The beloved dessert was “accidentally” born when Linguanotto spilled mascarpone, a key ingredient of Tiramisu, into a bowl of sugar and eggs. The ladyfingers soaked in espresso were then added through the help of Alba di Pillo-Campeol, perfecting the recipe that we know and enjoy. It was first served on a round tray with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and two layers of cream and mascarpone. More than ten years since it was introduced, it was published in a Treviso gastronomic magazine. When it was taken to Venice by the restaurant, its popularity grew bigger and was eventually dubbed as the culinary symbol of Italy and Veneto, a region in northeastern Italy. In honor of the late inventor, Veneto’s president Luca Zaia shared his sentiments on a Facebook post. “I join in mourning for the passing of Roberto “Loli” Linguanotto, pastry chef who marked the breakthrough of the Trevigiana and Veneta pastry shop by rediscovering and relaunching tiramisu, a traditional product today of culinary excellence recognized worldwide,” Zaia wrote in Italian. President Zaia also acknowledged the inventor’s contribution to the success of the region’s cuisine and called it “inimitable.” “To his family and friends, as well as those who appreciated him, my closeness and sympathy goes to him,” he added. – with reports from Fore Esperanza/Rappler.com Fore Esperanza is a Rappler intern. She’s taking up English language studies at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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SALN TRACKER: House of Representatives

Jodesz Gavilan

31/07/2024 17:03

MANILA, Philippines – Government officials and employees are required to submit their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs). Journalists have always engaged in a back and forth with public officials to obtain copies of their SALNs. This is because “the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests,” according to the to Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. The Rappler research team has sent letters requesting copies of these SALNs, and we want to take readers every step of the way. Below is the tracker for SALN requests sent to each House leader, including Speaker Martin Romualdez. As of July 31, none of them has released their SALNs to Rappler. Each status refers to the following: Rappler is publishing in the coming days story pages containing trackers of SALN requests sent to each House member, categorized by province. The pages will be updated each time we receive a response. Track Rappler’s request for the SALN of other officials: – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Joanie Delgaco races for final time in Olympics, vies for 19th to 24th places

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 17:37

IN FORM. Rower Joanie Delgaco in action for the Philippines. Philippine Rowing Association Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – Filipina rower Joanie Delgaco will race for the last time in the Paris Olympics. Delgaco dropped to the classification final D of the women’s single sculls after placing fifth in her semifinal C/D race with a time of 8 minutes and 00.18 seconds at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Wednesday, July 31. Crossing the first 500m at fourth place, Delgaco fell to sixth midway through but pushed herself in the final 500m to avoid finishing last in the race topped by Serbia’s Jovana Arsic (7:44.60). Slovenia’s Nina Kostanjsek (7:48.86) and Brazil’s Beatriz Cunha Tavares Cardoso (7:49.96) were second and third as they joined Arsic in the final C, where the 13th to 18th places will be contended. Paraguay’s Alejandra Alonso Alderete (7:56.50) beat Delgaco for fourth, while Iran’s Fatemeh Mojallaltopraghghale (8:06.23) ended up sixth. It was the slowest finish for Delgaco in the Olympics after clocking 7:56.26 in the heats, 7:55.00 in the repechage, and 7:58.30 in the quarterfinals. Delgaco, though, can end her campaign on a high note as she vies for the 19th to 24th places in the final D set on Saturday, August 3. Only Benjamin Tolentino secured a top-20 finish among the three previous rowers that represented the Philippines in the Olympics as he placed 18th in the men’s single sculls in the 2000 Sydney Games. Also competing in the men’s single sculls, Ed Maerina (1988 Seoul) and Cris Nievarez (2020 Tokyo) ranked 22nd and 23rd, respectively. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Cynthia Villar eyes return to Las Piñas politics in 2025

Bonz Magsambol

31/07/2024 17:44

File photo of Senator Cynthia Villar Rappler.com MANILA, Philippines – Senator Cynthia Villar is eyeing a return to Las Piñas politics in 2025 as her second term in the Senate ends next year. In a chance interview with reporters on Wednesday, Julu 31,, the senator said that she has yet to decide if she would run for Las Piñas mayor or as congresswoman. “Gusto ko magmayor. Si senator [Manny] Villar gusto niya mag-congresswoman ako,” Villar said.(I want to run for mayor but former senator Manny Villar wants me to run for congresswoman.) “Tingin ko malaki ang maitutulong ko sa Las Piñas. Tingin naman ni Manny mas may value ako sa Congress,” she added. (I think I can make a significant contribution to Las Piñas. Manny, on the other hand, believes I have more value in Congress.) The senator said that she will decide on which position to run for by October, when the filing of certificates of candidacy begins. She said she wants to continue her environmental advocacies in Las Piñas, among others. “May farm school ako sa Las Piñas, may river rehabilitation program, may Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, may drug rehab center kami doon,” she said. (I have a farm school in Las Piñas, a river rehabilitation program, the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, and a drug rehabilitation center there.) Prior to winning a seat in the Senate in 2013, Villar served as Las Piñas representative. Villar’s niece, Las Piñas Vice Mayor April Aguilar, is said to be running for mayor in 2025. Villar’s daughter, Deputy Speaker Camille Villar Genuino, is gunning for a Senate seat next year. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Carlos Yulo shoots for Olympic gymnastics medal in loaded all-around final

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 6:16

BALANCE. The Philippines' Carlos Edriel Yulo in action during the men's floor exercise final in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Yves Herman/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – If things go his way, Carlos Yulo may end up as the Philippines’ first medalist in the Paris Olympics. Yulo hopes to capitalize on the first of his three shots at a medal as he competes in the men’s artistic gymnastics individual all-around final at the Bercy Arena on Wednesday, July 31. The reigning Asian all-around champion, Yulo showed he can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world after placing ninth in the qualification with a total of 83.631 points. Yulo aims to bank on his pet events as he placed second in floor exercise with 14.766 points and sixth in vault with an average of 14.683 points to reach the finals of both apparatuses. His performances in the other apparatuses were promising, with Yulo posting 14.333 in parallel bars, 13.466 in horizontal bar, and 13.066 in pommel horse – marks that were all higher than his scores in the Tokyo Games. Yulo netted his lowest score in still rings with 13.000. Former world champion Zhang Boheng of China topped the all-around qualification with 88.597 points, followed by Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka (86.865) and Daiki Hashimoto (85.064), who led their country to the team gold. His Olympic title defense in horizontal bar crushed after surprisingly failing to make the final, Hashimoto hopes to bounce back by retaining the individual all-around gold he won in the Tokyo Games. China’s Xiao Ruoteng, who finished as runner-up to Hashimoto, placed fourth in the qualification with 84.898 points, while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman (84.897) and Joe Fraser (84.666) landed fifth and sixth, respectively. Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev netted 84.631 points for seventh and Italy’s Yumin Abbadini edged Yulo for eighth with 83.933 points. Other notable names in the 24-man all-around final include World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medalists Illia Kovtun of Ukraine and Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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WATCH: ‘And So It Begins’ trailer

Angelo Gonzales

31/07/2024 14:36

AND SO IT BEGINS. Former vice president Leni Robredo at a campaign rally during the 2022 presidential election campaigns Screenshot from And So It Begins documentary trailer MANILA, Philippines – Ramona Diaz’s And So It Begins is a documentary that looks deeper in the political scene in the Philippines leading up to the 2022 presidential election, which saw former vice president Leni Robredo and her grassroots “pink” movement go up against the machinery of eventual victor Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. It highlights as well Rappler CEO and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa in the fight for press freedom and the fight against disinformation, a subject that Diaz also tackled in the earlier A Thousand Cuts documentary. And So It Begins premieres in the Philippines in August. Watch the trailer here: – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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[Just Saying] Marcos administration must assist ICC investigation

Chay Hofilena

31/07/2024 9:30

Solicitor General Meynard Guevarra, referring to the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of the alleged mass killings during the Duterte administration’s drug war, said that the “Philippine government through the president has repeatedly stated that we have no legal duty to cooperate or to lend assistance” to the ICC prosecutor. He also said that “that does not mean that the ICC prosecutor cannot continue his investigation, he can do so, he can interview these five people directly…all that we’re saying is that the government will not be involved.” The Philippine Government is wrong. The present Marcos administration is duty-bound to assist the ICC prosecutor. The Philippine Constitution recognizes two international law sources: treaty law and the general principles of international law, which are automatically part of the law pursuant to Section 2 of Article II of the Constitution. Between these two, there is no hierarchy. They may operate independently, or even co-exist. Let us take the Rome Statute, for example. It created the ICC and defined genocide as a crime within ICC jurisdiction, making it a ground for universal liability (Article 6). However, the idea that genocide is a universal crime obligating every state to prohibit and not commit is not dependent on the Rome Statute. It exists separately from any treaty which says so. It is a matter of jus cogens — peremptory international norms to be observed by the civilized international community. As it is with genocide, so too, it is with crimes against humanity, defined under Article 7 of the Rome Statute as including murder, extermination, and enforced disappearance of persons “when committed as a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack.” Party to the Rome Statute or not, the Philippines, as a member of the community of civilized nations has a good faith obligation to prevent, or at the very least, account for, these crimes and aid in their investigation. The Philippine government is obliged under customary international law, to facilitate whatever processes ensuring  accountability for the same. Let us turn closer to home. In Pangilinan et al. v. Cayetano et al. (G.R. No. 238875), the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the ICC “retains jurisdiction over any and all acts committed by government actors until March 17, 2019. Hence, withdrawal from the Rome Statute does not affect the liabilities of individuals charged before the International Criminal Court for acts committed up to this date.” Our own SC has stated that the government has this duty that is now being asked of it. Republic Act No. 9851, known as the “Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity” provides that Philippine courts have exclusive/original jurisdiction to hear the cases for crimes such as Crimes Against Humanity. However, Section 17 allows waiver of the investigatory part of the process in certain instances. Thus: In the interest of justice, the relevant Philippine authorities may dispense with the investigation or prosecution of a crime punishable under this Act if another court or international tribunal is already conducting the investigation or undertaking the prosecution of such crime. Instead, the authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court, if any, or to another State pursuant to the applicable extradition laws and treaties. This is exactly the Philippine situation. An international body, the ICC prosecutorial arm, is already conducting the investigation of the crimes charged relating to Duterte’s drug war. The Marcos administration, under RA No. 9851, can waive the Philippine’s prerogative to investigate, and allow the ICC to finish its own. That is the better course of action for three reasons: FIRST. The people being investigated held high government positions. Considering the scope of the crimes charged and their immense implications for the country’s own law enforcement system, an international investigation inspires more confidence, and is better insulated from destabilization, threats, violence or undue influence. SECOND. The Philippine justice system is, unfortunately, slow. While the Supreme Court and the justice department are remedying this, crimes of this magnitude may be better served by a system that can give a significant amount, if not all, of its attention to the case. THIRD. The ICC investigators are professionals, having these very crimes as their areas of expertise. This is not to look down on our own prosecutors, but it would be adding more injustice to the victims if the government will not take advantage of the chance to have highly specialized experts on this case, when the opportunity presents itself. Assisting the ICC prosecutor is a win-win situation for the Marcos administration. A finding that no ICC-cognizable crimes were committed means the redemption of the Philippines’ global reputation from a lawless and violent country. A finding, however, that crimes were committed signifies the country’s readiness to accept the truth as a first step to providing justice for all victims. Internationally, the Philippines will stand as an example for other countries that it can rise from a bloody past into a new future, an image which President Marcos Jr. seems uniquely fixated on. – Rappler.com Mel Sta Maria is former dean of the Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Law. He teaches law at FEU and the Ateneo School of Law, hosts shows on both radio and Youtube, and has authored several books on law, politics, and current events. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. I doubt that the Marcos administration will assist the ICC prosecutor as long as there are government officials close to PBBM who might be affected by the ICC’s actions. Additionally, I do not believe that President Marcos Jr. is truly fixated on portraying the image of the Philippines as a country that has risen from a bloody past into a new future. This portrayal seems to be for show only, as his true fixation appears to be amassing the greatest amount of wealth and power in his lifetime. How does this make you feel?

Rappler

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2024 Paris Olympics: Meet Team Philippines

Jasmine Payo

26/07/2024 22:35

MANILA, Philippines – After the Philippines’ historic four-medal romp in the Tokyo Games, 22 Filipino athletes look to match, or even surpass, the country’s record run in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Weightlifting superstar Hidilyn Diaz, who captured the country’s breakthrough Olympic gold, won’t be back, but boxing medalists Nesthy Petecio (silver), Carlo Paalam (silver), and Eumir Marcial (bronze) return to spearhead the Philippines’ campaign, as EJ Obiena (athletics) and Carlos Yulo (gymnastics) also stand as medal contenders. Here’s the elite roster vying for more glory on the world’s biggest sporting stage: – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Recto says transfer of P90-B PhilHealth funds allowed under 2024 budget

Kaycee

31/07/2024 9:25

HEALTH. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto attends the Senate inquiry on Universal Health Care and the utilization of PhiliHealth Funds, payment of Health Emegency Allowance for health workers, on July 30, 2024. Angie de Silva/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Ralph Recto told a Senate panel on Tuesday, July 30, that the transfer of around P90 billion excess funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to the national treasury is authorized under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2024. In addressing the uproar over the Department of Finance’s directive to the state insurer to remit billions of excess PhilHealth funds, Recto, in a committee on health and demography hearing at the Senate on Tuesday, July 30, emphasized that the DOF is merely implementing what the law empowers them to do. “Hindi ito iligal (This is not illegal),” Recto said in his opening statement. “Ito ay naaayon sa batas na RA 11975 o ang General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2024. Tumatalima lang kami sa batas na pinagtibay ninyo at hindi automatic naming iniimplement ito dahil binusisi muna namin kung may merito ba ang kautusan,” Recto said. (This is according to the law, which is RA 11975 or the General Appropriations Act of 2024. We are just following the law you adopted and we are not automatically implementing this because we had to study first if the law has any merit.) The government is allowed to tap reserve funds of government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) to be reallocated as standby funds of the government for projects or when the need arises, thanks to a new provision in the 2024 GAA. When asked if PhilHealth can be spared from the collection, Recto said: “‘Pag inutos ng Kongreso, gagawin namin. (If the Congress asks us to, then we will do it.)” Healthcare workers’ groups and advocates have raised alarm over the DOF’s instructions, arguing that this violates the Universal Health Care Act. Under the law, PhilHealth’s reserve fund is separate from the national government’s general fund and should be used to increase PhilHealth benefit coverages. However, Recto assured his former colleagues that the DOF consulted legal experts before giving marching orders to PhilHealth. “Kami ay naabisuhan na hindi kasama ang subject PhilHealth remittance sa mga pondong ipinagbabawal gamitin ng gobyerno ayun sa Universal Healthcare Act. Ito ang payong legal na aming sinusunod at hindi lamang ito legal, ito ay makakatulong sa paglago ng ekonomiya at pagbibigay ng trabaho,” Recto said. (We were advised that the subject PhilHealth remittance is not among the funds that are not allowed to be used by the government according to the [UHC]. This is the legal advice that we are following and [the decision] is not only legal, but it will also help our economy grow and offer more job opportunities.) PhilHealth also did its own legal consultations. However, Tony Leachon, independent health advocate and former adviser of the Department of Health, pointed out that “such move must have undergone a public consultation and not merely followed a government agency’s directive.” PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said the state insurer will remit the excess funds back to the national government in four tranches: The P20 billion from the first tranche was used to cover the unpaid Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) of the country’s healthcare workers who served during the pandemic. Recto said that “as much as possible,” the DOF will use the excess funds for health-related projects and initiatives. Prior to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address on July 22, healthcare professionals asked the president to block the directive. Over 60 groups noted that the funds could have been used to finance healthcare needs of the Filipino people, especially indigent patients. Antonio Dans, president of the Asia Pacific Center for Evidence-based Healthcare, said that by giving away excess funds, contributing members may end up shouldering costs. “This is unjust… marami sa formal payors ang naghihirap din (a lot of formal payors don’t have it easy too.)” “PhilHealth is an insurance fund. It’s not a bank. We cannot withdraw our premiums from insurance,” Dans said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. R.A. 11975, or the General Appropriations Act (AA) of 2024, can be considered a General Law, while R.A. 11223 can be viewed as a Specific Law. The maxim: “lex specialis doctrine,” states that “if two laws govern the same factual situation, a law governing a specific subject matter (lex specialis) overrides a law governing only general matters (lex generalis).* (Google search: legal maxim specific over general.) Further, a paragraph of Section 11 of R.A. 11223 states that “no portion of the reserve fund or income thereof shall accrue to the general fund of the National Government or to any of its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations.” Have the legal experts of DOF (intentionally or unintentionally) overlooked this? How does this make you feel?

Rappler

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/recto-philhealth-fund-transfer-under-2024-budget-law/

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OGCC upholds LWUA takeover of Cagayan de Oro water firm

Herbie G

31/07/2024 10:31

WATER. The office of the Cagayan de Oro Water District on Corrales Avenue in Cagayan de Oro. Franck Dick Rosete/Rappler CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – The Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) upheld on Tuesday, July 30, the takeover of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). In a legal opinion signed by Government Corporate Counsel Solomon Hermosura and Government Corporate Attorney Owen Vidad, the OGCC said LWUA’s full intervention on May 29 was based on provisions under its Financial Assistance Contract (FAC) with the local water district. Based on the contract, it said, LWUA is entitled to exercise its rights, powers, privileges, and remedies in case of “any event of default” by the COWD. It said that if there is a default, one of the cited remedies is the power of LWUA to cancel COWD’s certificate of conformance, which equates to “operating the facilities” of the water district. The OGCC opinion indicated that the LWUA’s intervention can be subsumed under this remedy. LWUA Chairman Ronnie Ong earlier said addressing the COWD’s non-revenue water (NRW), or water going to waste due to leaks, is part of the conditions stipulated in the contract between the agency and COWD. He said COWD’s NRW, which reached 49.08% by the end of 2023, was one of the major reasons that led to LWUA’s takeover decision. The LWUA intervention was also in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to LWUA to address the problem between the COWD and its primary supplier, the Manny V. Pangilinan-controlled Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI), and to consider a takeover. The OGCC said the COWD, under the assistance contract, is obliged to ensure its generation of adequate revenues. However, the OGCC said the COWD “violated its obligation to periodically conduct reviews of water rates at least once every two years, which necessitates the conduct of public hearings before it can submit water adjustment proposals.” In 2023, the COWD was supposed to implement a 60% water rate adjustment for the next three years, but the plan was deferred due to appeals from city government officials and water consumers. The OGCC advised COWD General Manager Antonio Young and the members of the water district’s board to comply with the LWUA decision and allow the interim officers to perform their tasks. “The contractual power, rights, and remedies of LWUA under the FAC should be upheld since they are in line with the LWUA’s purpose, and regulatory and supervisory powers over water districts,” a part of the OGCC opinion read. Young, who has barred the LWUA-installed interim officers from the COWD, has declined to comment, explaining that he was still discussing the OGCC’s position with his lawyer. COWD Interim General Manager Fermin Jarales, who has been subjected to sharp criticisms following the takeover, said, “LWUA’s intervention is legal and transparent, with no hidden interests as sometimes portrayed by [sidelined] General Manager Young.” Meanwhile, COBI welcomed the OGCC legal opinion, saying that it confirmed they were dealing with the proper group in addressing their corporate dispute with the water district, which involves a debt claim exceeding P400 million. “This opinion should also give the interim board some comfort to move forward with their investigation of COWD and negotiations with us,” lawyer Roberto Rodrigo, senior legal counsel for Metro Pacific Water, which controls COBI, told Rappler. Local officials, a consumers’ group, and organized COWD workers have been calling on LWUA to keep out of COWD’s affairs and organized street protests after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a legal opinion on June 18, which they saw as an opinion against the takeover. The DOJ, however, clarified in the same document that the OGCC, being the statutory legal counsel of all government-owned and controlled corporations, including the COWD, has the primary jurisdiction over queries pertaining to the LWUA takeover. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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10 Chinese POGO workers rescued in Clark

Joann Manabat - CMS

31/07/2024 11:14

RESCUE. The Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group implements seven search warrants in an alleged small-scale POGO in a villa at The Villages in Clark Freeport, Pampanga on July 30, 2024. Joann Manabat/Rappler CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines – Ten Chinese men who had escaped from a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) were rescued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in a villa in Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga on Tuesday, July 30. The CIDG carried out the operation in coordination with the Public Safety Division (PSD) of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) after securing seven warrants to search alleged small-scale POGOs in The Villages along Prince Balagtas Avenue in the former US military air base. Authorities believe the Chinese are victims of human trafficking who escaped from the POGO Lucky South 99 Gaming Incorporated in Porac last June. The ten Chinese were in Room 701 of Family Tree Building of The Villages, where authorities also found and confiscated various computers and gadgets used in POGO activities. Following their rescue, the individuals were brought to Camp Crame in Quezon City and were set to be handed over to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for profiling and verification. As of 10 pm Tuesday, no Chinese had yet been transferred to the BI, according to spokesperson Dana Sandoval. Two Chinese women, the mothers of three babies, along with their three Filipino helpers, were left in the villa with representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) due to their family status. Other buildings were still being searched by the CIDG, as of writing. Lucky South 99 and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated in Bamban, Tarlac are under investigation by the Senate. Both were raided earlier this year by an inter-agency team led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and CIDG for alleged illegal detention, torture, human trafficking, and scam operations. Authorities seized eight safety vaults, documents, cellphones, computers, and other gadgets used in POGO operations during that raid. Rappler reached out to CDC for information on Tuesday’s operation, but it declined to comment as of writing. The crackdown follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent order to ban all POGOs which was announced during his third State of the Nation Address last July 22. –Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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SM Prime at 30: A legacy of innovation and shared prosperity

cmorales0331

26/07/2024 17:31

30 YEARS OF GROWTH. SM Prime Holdings executives mark three decades of groundbreaking innovation, service, and shared prosperity in the Philippine retail industry. On July 23, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. proudly commemorated its 30th anniversary as a publicly listed company at the Philippine Stock Exchange, BGC, marking three decades of service and transformative growth in the Philippine real estate industry. Founded in 1994 by the visionary Henry Sy, SM Prime has remained steadfast in its mission to develop world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, residential, and amusement destinations throughout the country and beyond. From the initial offering of four malls, SM Prime has expanded into a dominant force in Southeast Asia’s property sector. The company now has a multi-sector Philippine portfolio of 22 lifestyle cities that include 91 residential developments, 86 malls, 22 office towers, 10 hotels and 8 convention centers. This robust growth trajectory has been fueled by the trust and support of its investors and the flourishing capital market provided by the Philippine Stock Exchange. Incorporated in January 1994, SM Prime has remained committed to shared prosperity. Raising approximately P5.89 billion during its IPO, SM Prime is now one of the most active stocks in the Philippine market, alongside its parent company SM Investments Corp., and subsidiaries BDO and Chinabank. Over the years, SM Prime has faced and overcome significant challenges, including the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these hurdles, the company has remained resilient, continuing to drive system growth. On its 30th anniversary year, SM Prime is opening three malls: SM City Caloocan, SM City J Mall in Cebu and SM City Laoag in Ilocos Norte. This year also marks the start of the redevelopment and expansion of SM Megamall and ongoing projects at SM Mall of Asia, SM City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, and SM City Bacolod. Additionally, SM Prime will enhance its Leisure Homes in Tagaytay and Batangas, establish new hotels with around 1,700 rooms, and continue developing mixed-use commercial buildings that combine office and retail spaces. As a leading property developer in major Philippine cities, SM Prime continues to help Filipino communities thrive. With MSMEs making up 63% of its commercial tenants, SM Prime developments offer significant job and business opportunities through various support programs and job fairs, fostering economic growth for local enterprises and the LGUs. This commitment to sustainable growth is a testament to the collective efforts of SM Prime’s shareholders, customers, business partners, and employees. The steadfast support of shareholders has been a driving force behind SM Prime’s achievements, while the loyalty and trust of customers have inspired ongoing innovations. The collaborative spirit of business partners has been instrumental in reaching new heights, and the dedication of SM Prime’s employees has been foundational to its continued success. SM Prime is dedicated to continuously integrating sustainable practices across its operations, from energy-efficient building designs to comprehensive waste management programs. SM Prime’s commitment to sustainability ensures that it maintains its positive impact on the environment and society, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future. As SM Prime celebrates this significant milestone, it extends heartfelt gratitude to all forces who have been part of its journey. Looking ahead, the company is poised to further its growth and innovation, continuing its legacy of delivering exceptional value, enriching communities, and contributing to socio-economic development as it aims for a more sustainable and prosperous Philippines. SM Prime remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people. For more information, visit www.smprime.com. – Rappler.com PRESS RELEASE Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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How Chinese incursion in West PH Sea pushes Filipino fisherfolk ‘deeper into poverty’

Dwight de Leon

31/07/2024 8:03

BREAK. Filipino fishermen rest after arriving from a week-long trip to the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in Infanta, Pangasinan province, Philippines, July 6, 2021. REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – Filipino fisherfolk bearing the brunt of escalating Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea had the opportunity to narrate their struggles during a House human rights committee meeting on Tuesday, July 30. The common theme of their anecdotes, on top of assessments by other invited experts on maritime issues, is that Beijing’s activities in the country’s territorial waters have made it difficult for fishermen to make a living. “Our fishermen have not only lost income intermittently but are now essentially continuously finding it harder and harder to even make their own livelihoods. They cannot even break even on their efforts to fish,” said Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea. China has tremendously limited Filipinos’ access to Scarborough Shoal (also called Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc), a feature that is rich in aquatic resources off the waters of Zambales province. The Chinese Coast Guard has deployed patrols in the area since 2012, and its tactics to block fishermen drew national headlines in September last year, when Philippine Coast Guard personnel had to remove a floating barrier installed by the CCG to stop Filipinos from entering the lagoon of Scarborough Shoal. Infanta, Pangasinan Mayor Marvin Martinez said that based on his dialogue with his constituents, the last time fishermen were able to access the lagoon was in May, the start of China’s unilateral four-month fishing ban in the South China Sea. “They say if they try to sail there, rubber boats (from China) would come near them 15 to 20 miles (from the lagoon) to stop them,” the local chief executive said. The lagoon of Scarborough Shoal was their traditional fishing ground, and it is known as a haven for fisherfolk during stormy weather. “Scarborough Shoal is where they go when they can’t catch enough fish in the deep sea,” Mayor Martinez said. “That is where they can catch fish the safest during the typhoon season from July to October.” Henrelito Empoc, representative of Bigkis Mangingisda, said that before China’s presence in Scarborough Shoal, they only needed to spend P70,000 to P80,000 for fuel, ice, and other fishing resources for every trip. These days, the costs have more than doubled to up to P200,000 per operation. “What was the cause of the increase?” human rights committee chairman Bienvenido Abante asked. “We fish far from Scarborough Shoal these days, unlike before when we could enter the lagoon and had plenty of harvest,” Empoc replied. Empoc added that one operation in the past took them only three to four days; now, it takes them 10 to 15 days at sea. “That is why our budget for consumption ballooned, because we had to increase the volume of diesel, the amount of ice, and the food (for our fishermen) due to the length of time at sea,” Empoc said. Filipinos had set up fish aggregating devices – floating objects with nets – in areas farther from the lagoon to avoid Chinese patrols, but even these efforts are becoming futile. Batongbacal noted that in recent years, China has stepped up its efforts to prevent Filipinos from fishing “as far as 25 nautical miles away from the shoal” by dismantling fish aggregating devices. “They’re deliberately destroying the resources there so that Filipinos, particularly our fishermen, will have no reason to go there anymore,” Batongbacal said. “Perhaps in the future, [they will] convert it into an artificial island which is what they did in the Spratlys and essentially take control of the waters.” The Department of Agriculture acknowledged that some fishermen have turned to other means of livelihood to stay afloat. “Some have been forced to seek alternative sources of income such as construction work to avoid the tension in the sea,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said in a message that was read by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director for Central Luzon Wilfredo Cruz. For a nongovernmental organization, Beijing’s presence in the West Philippine Sea has just made it more complicated for Filipino fishermen to get out of the financial hole they are in. “The families of our fisherfolk are being pushed deeper into poverty due to China’s encroachments, resulting in the reduction of their fish catch that leads to the diminishing income,” the Peoples Development Institute said. The group is demanding economic support services from the government for fishermen and their families, and the full implementation of the 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected China’s expansive claims in the West Philippine Sea. The latter is easier said than done, as Beijing refuses to recognize the Philippines’ landmark victory in The Hague. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Has PBBM and the DA Secretary replied to this matter? “The group is demanding economic support services from the government for fishermen and their families and the full implementation of the 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected China’s expansive claims in the West Philippine Sea.” Or will they just snub these demands? How does this make you feel?

Rappler

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Carlos Yulo shoots for Olympic gymnastics medal in loaded all-around final

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 6:16

BALANCE. The Philippines' Carlos Edriel Yulo in action during the men's floor exercise final in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Yves Herman/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – If things go his way, Carlos Yulo may end up as the Philippines’ first medalist in the Paris Olympics. Yulo hopes to capitalize on the first of his three shots at a medal as he competes in the men’s artistic gymnastics individual all-around final at the Bercy Arena on Wednesday, July 31. The reigning Asian all-around champion, Yulo showed he can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world after placing ninth in the qualification with a total of 83.631 points. Yulo aims to bank on his pet events as he placed second in floor exercise with 14.766 points and sixth in vault with an average of 14.683 points to reach the finals of both apparatuses. His performances in the other apparatuses were promising, with Yulo posting 14.333 in parallel bars, 13.466 in horizontal bar, and 13.066 in pommel horse – marks that were all higher than his scores in the Tokyo Games. Yulo netted his lowest score in still rings with 13.000. Former world champion Zhang Boheng of China topped the all-around qualification with 88.597 points, followed by Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka (86.865) and Daiki Hashimoto (85.064), who led their country to the team gold. His Olympic title defense in horizontal bar crushed after surprisingly failing to make the final, Hashimoto hopes to bounce back by retaining the individual all-around gold he won in the Tokyo Games. China’s Xiao Ruoteng, who finished as runner-up to Hashimoto, placed fourth in the qualification with 84.898 points, while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman (84.897) and Joe Fraser (84.666) landed fifth and sixth, respectively. Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev netted 84.631 points for seventh and Italy’s Yumin Abbadini edged Yulo for eighth with 83.933 points. Other notable names in the 24-man all-around final include World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medalists Illia Kovtun of Ukraine and Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Ad agency Gigil apologizes for controversial ‘Gil Tulog’ street signs

Russell Ku

30/07/2024 13:12

MANILA, Philippines – Ad agency Gigil, the firm behind the controversial ‘Gil Tulog’ street signs, broke its silence Tuesday, July 30, and issued a public apology to the Puyat family. “Understanding the distress the project caused, we have personally reached out to members of the Puyat family to convey our regrets and express our respect for former Senate president Gil Puyat’s legacy,” Gigil said in a statement. The agency added that it “will be putting in place more stringent measures to ensure this does not happen again.” The Puyat family filed a complaint with the Ad Standards Council of the Philippines against Gigil on Friday, July 26, saying the street signs were a “total disrespect” to the legacy of former Senate president Gil Puyat. Puyat’s son Victor said the marketing campaign, done to promote the melatonin brand Wellspring, goes against Section 1 of Article IV of the Ad Standards Council’s Code of Ethics. He added that he wanted Gigil to be “suspended or banned” from the ASC. Eagle-eyed Makati residents and social media users noticed that the street signs along various parts of Gil Puyat Avenue, named after the late political leader, were altered to “Gil Tulog Ave. (formerly Gil Puyat).” The move angered the Puyat family. “Our name is not to be violated by reasons that are financial, political, or otherwise,” Victor said in a note exclusively sent to Rappler on July 26. Makati City Mayor Abby Binay ordered the mock street signs be taken down, saying the proposals and permits for the project did not reach her office. She added that she reprimanded city officials behind its approval. “Even as all the necessary permits and clearances were secured, our approach had resonated differently and so the campaign was immediately discontinued,” Gigil said. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority passed MMDA Regulation 24-001 in January 2024 that prohibits commercial advertisements from being posted on lampposts. However, it only applies to those maintained by the MMDA. The regulation was signed by all 17 Metro Manila mayors. The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines suspended Gigil in 2021 over a controversial ad involving the Belo Medical Group. Wellspring apologized for this latest fiasco, saying it “made a misstep” and never intended to disrespect Gil Puyat’s legacy. Gil Puyat served as senator from 1951 until 1972. He was the last Senate president before late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared martial law. He died on March 23, 1980. Gil Puyat Avenue was renamed from Buendia Avenue through Batas Pambansa Blg. 312 on November 14, 1982. — Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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ICC prosecutor requests to talk with Philippine officials ‘under suspicion’

Jairo Bolledo

30/07/2024 15:37

FILE PHOTO: An exterior view of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands, March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo MANILA, Philippines – The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested an interview with Philippine officials it considers as “under suspicion” in its ongoing investigation of Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, the Solicitor General has confirmed. “[The individuals] are under suspicion, not suspects. The request is not the same as a summons. The subject may agree or refuse to be interviewed,” Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra told Rappler on Tuesday, July 30. Guevarra said that the request was also sent to the Philippine government “to facilitate the interview by the ICC prosecutor of certain individuals named in the request, either at The hague or in the Philippines.” Guevarra refused to name the officials being requested for an interview, but his revelation of this stage was prompted by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV publishing a confidential document from the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) naming five police officials, both active and retired: Rappler has not independently verified Trillanes’ document. Guevarra said he “cannot confirm nor deny” the document. The ICC OTP told Rappler it also cannot verify documents shared by outside sources, but the Office did confirm that this is something they do in their process. “While pursuing its investigation, the Office seeks to engage and establish dialogue with all relevant stakeholders, including national authorities and civil society,” the OTP told Rappler. It’s important to note that the document is a request from the OTP and not an order of the ICC. ICC has a chamber, or the court itself, and OTP is the prosecutor. They are independent of each other. Prosecutor Karim Khan’s investigation of Duterte’s drug war is at a stage where he can request either summons or arrest warrants against individuals. This latest update tells us that they have identified individuals “under suspicion,” although Guevarra said it cannot be equated to summons. The ICC’s process is a very complex one, and some of its features are unexplored even to lawyers practicing international law. It evolves and is known through time to those who are part of it. Another major consideration for the pace of investigation is whether it is a priority of the OTP, which is a small and underfunded office if you consider the magnitude of its investigations. The OTP’s two major investigations are the wars in Ukraine and Palestine. “The Philippine government cannot stop him [Khan] from proceeding any way he wants. He can directly interview persons of interest online, through the phone, by email, or face to face, subject to the consent of these persons. But the ICC prosecutor cannot expect that the Philippine government will facilitate it for him,” Guevarra said. This is another variation of the Marcos government’s wishy-washy position toward the ICC, at least in public: they are not against it, but they will not facilitate it. Albayalde, who attended a continuing House of Representatives inquiry into the drug war, said he was ready to face the ICC. “Kung talaga pong ganyan ang kahihinatnan ng ating serbisyo sa publiko for more than 37 years, then handa po tayong harapin (If that is really my fate after 37 years in public service, then I am ready to face it),” said Albayalde. Guevarra said his office has submitted a recommendation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but did not provide other details, citing privileged communication. Marcos has so far refused to return the Philippines to the ICC, although he once said he was studying the option. It was Duterte who pulled out the country from the Rome Statute after former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda opened the examination in 2018. The ICC prosecutor’s investigation covers the drug war until our effective exit from the ICC in 2019, and the mysterious killings of the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS) when Duterte was mayor and vice mayor of Davao City. Self-confessed DDS hitman Arturo Lascañas has already been given limited immunity by the ICC. Duterte has so far not been named in any known requests by the prosecutor, but he’s been constantly identified in all of the reports that has led to the investigation. Under the Rome Statute, which Philippine government officials always invoke, the ICC can step aside if there is a genuine domestic investigation. Rappler has found that in the showcase 52 cases that the Philippines reinvestigated, out of 7,000 police killings and total 30,000 killings, most cases or 32 of them were closed with no further action. You may visit Rappler’s database of the 52 cases here. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Nesthy Petecio takes taller Indian to school for breezy win in Olympic opener

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 1:01

HEAD SHOT. Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines in action against Jaismine Lamboria of India in the round of 32 of the women's 57kg division in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Maye-E Wong/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – Nesthy Petecio schooled a foe 10 years her junior for a rousing opening win in the Paris Olympics. Petecio, 32, proved to be too experienced as she beat India’s Jaismine Lamboria via unanimous decision in the round of 32 of the women’s 57kg class at the North Paris Arena on Tuesday, July 30 (Wednesday, July 31, Manila time). The five judges scored it 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 in favor of the Filipina, who put on a boxing clinic against the 22-year-old Lamboria. Petecio faced a significant height and reach disadvantage, although she ended up controlling the tempo of the fight as Lamboria struggled to land clean shots. With the victory seemingly in the bag after winning the first two rounds, Petecio took it slow in the final salvo – perhaps to save her energy for her upcoming bouts – but not without showcasing her ring prowess. At one point in the third round, Petecio flaunted impressive head movement, leaving Lamboria punching the air. Up next for Petecio is reigning European Games champion Amina Zidani of France as they lock horns in the round of 16 on Friday, August 2 (Saturday, August 3, Manila time). If Petecio advances, she will be up against formidable opponents, with Italy’s Irma Testa and Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova, who went one-two in the previous world championships, also in the same bracket. The national boxing team got off to a promising start as Aira Villegas aced her first test in the women’s 50kg class, defeating Morocco’s Yasmine Mouttaki in the round of 32. Eumir Marcial (men’s 80kg), Carlo Paalam (men’s 57kg), and Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg) open their respective campaigns on Wednesday. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Joanie Delgaco last in Olympic quarterfinal race, bows out of contention

delfin.dioquino editor

30/07/2024 16:59

LONE BET. Rower Joanie Delgaco in action for the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Philippine Rowing Association Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – Joanie Delgaco bowed out of contention in the Paris Olympics after finishing sixth in her quarterfinal race in the women’s single sculls at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Tuesday, July 30. The first female rower to represent the Philippines in the Summer Games, Delgaco placed last in quarterfinal 3 with a time of 7 minutes and 58.30 seconds as she got relegated to the semifinals C/D. Reigning Olympic champion Emma Twigg of New Zealand topped the race with hardly any challenge, clocking 7:26.89 to secure her semifinals A/B spot. Switzerland’s Aurelia-Maxima Katharina Janzen (7:31.12) and Spain’s Virginia Diaz Rivas (7:34.01) also advanced, with the top three in each of the four quarterfinal races qualifying for the semifinals A/B. One of only four Asians to reach the quarterfinals, Delgaco crossed the first 500m at fifth before she got overtaken as the rest of the field battled for the top three spots. Azerbaijan’s Diana Dymchenko (7:53.76) and Serbia’s Jovana Arsic (7:56.18) ended up at fourth and fifth, respectively. It was the slowest performance for the pride of Iriga, Camarines Sur, in the Olympics after she registered 7:56.26 in the heats and 7:55.00 in the repechage. But Delgaco can still redeem herself in her last two races as she can attain the highest possible ranking of 13th place. The semifinals C/D are scheduled on Wednesday, July 31. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Another heartbreaker as PH judoka Kiyomi Watanabe suffers early Olympic exit

delfin.dioquino editor

30/07/2024 18:14

PINNED DOWN. Judoka Kiyomi Watanabe of the Philippines (blue) in action against Tang Jing of China in the round of 32 of the women's -63kg class in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – A return trip to the Olympics proved to be another heartbreaker for Filipina-Japanese judoka Kiyomi Watanabe. Watanabe suffered an early exit from the Paris Olympics as she bowed to China’s Tang Jing in the round of 32 of the women’s -63kg division at the Champ-de-Mars Arena on Tuesday, July 30. The contest lasted just 51 seconds as Tang, who is ranked No. 22 in the world and bagged silver in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year, won via ippon. In judo, an ippon can be scored by throwing an opponent on their back with force, compelling an opponent to submission with a choke or joint lock, or pinning an opponent down on their back for 20 seconds. Going to work early, Tang accomplished the last as she advanced to the round of 16. The swift defeat of Watanabe brought back memories of her painful campaign in the Tokyo Games, where she also got the boot in the round of 32, losing to Spain’s Cristina Cabana Perez via ippon in the first 38 seconds. Despite her exit, Watanabe, who delivered a silver for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games, still achieved a rare distinction. The four-time Southeast Asian Games champion became just the third judoka from the Philippines – and the first in over three decades – to compete in multiple Olympic editions. John Baylon and Jerry Dino were the last to achieve the feat when they donned the national colors in the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Games. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Sara Duterte appeals for protection of family from ‘any violence’

Bonz Magsambol

30/07/2024 15:39

TURNOVER. Vice President Sara Duterte delivers her message during the turnover ceremony on Thursday, July 18. DepEd Facebook Page MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 30, appealed for protection for her family members from ‘any violence,” after the Philippine National Police (PNP) recalled its 75 personnel from her security detail. “Isa lang ang hiling ko sa inyo — ang kaligtasan ng aking pamilya. Huwag ninyong payagan ang anumang karahasan sa aking ina, asawa, at apat na anak, personal man o sa internet. At kung sakali man, huwag ninyong palampasin ang sinumang gagawa ng kapahamakan laban sa kanila,” Duterte said in a statement. (I only have one wish — the safety of my family. Don’t allow any violence against my mother, husband, and four children, physically or online. And just in case, do not let anyone who causes harm to them get away with it.) The Vice President issued the statement after Senator Bato dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, encouraged former members of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “who are good at unarmed combat and volunteering” to volunteer for the security detail of the Vice President. “Bayanihan lang walang suweldo (Volunteer work, no salary),” Dela Rosa posted on his Facebook account on Monday, July 29. The Vice President thanked Dela Rosa and senators Robin Padilla and Bong Go, PNP and AFP staff, and ordinary people who offered to provide security for them. In a separate Facebook post on Monday, the Vice President called the removal of 75 cops from her security detail a “clear case of political harassment.” In a lengthy open letter, she called out PNP chief Rommel Marbil for allegedly “spreading lies” about the pullout of the cops. “Ang relief ng mga PNP personnel ay dumating pagkatapos ko magresign sa DepEd, pagkatapos ko inihambing ang SONA sa isang catastrophic event, at pagkatapos lumabas ang cocaine video. Let us spare our people from all the lies,” she said. (The relief of the PNP personnel came after I resigned from DepEd, after I compared the SONA to a catastrophic event, and after the cocaine video came out. Let us spare our people from all the lies.) She was referring to the video that circulated hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address. (READ: Face-swapped? Deepfake detector flags alleged Marcos video as ‘suspicious’) Duterte also refuted Marbil’s claim that her security detail was reduced as they saw “no threat” to her lift. Marbil had also said that the PNP lacked personnel to do ground duties, forcing others to do overtime work. “Hindi ba’t mayroong malisyosong pagpapalabas ng video footage noong ako’y nasa NAIA? Kuha sa isang lugar kung saan pawang mga empleyado lamang ng paliparan at piling mga tao ang maaring nandoon,” she said/ She was referring to the viral photo on social media which showed the Vice President and her family at the airport leaving for a “personal overseas trip” while parts of the country experienced calamitous floods. Duterte also claimed that PNP operatives recently visited the house they were renting to do “casing” activity. “Pilit pang inaalam kung nasaan mismo ang bahay na inuupahan ko. Bahay kung saan rin nakatira ang aking mga anak. Kung hindi ito napigilan ng mga nagmagandang loob na opisyal ng homeowners’ association, hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang maaring mangyari,” she said. (They were trying to find out the exact location of the house I’m renting. A house where my children also live. If it weren’t for the intervention of officials of the homeowners’ association, I don’t know what might have happened.) In a statement on Tuesday, Senator Imee Marcos called for the return of the cops to the security detail of the Vice President. “First, she is the second highest elected official in the country whose safety must never be compromised. Second, she is a Duterte, who, like her father, is a staunch defender of law and order, hence topping the CPP-NPA’s order of battle,” the senator said. In 2022, the AFP activated for Duterte the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), which is a separate unit from the PSG. Duterte then thanked the AFP for activating tje VPSG, saying that it “may be expected to solve the challenges if, in future elections, the vice president and the president face the misfortune of having strained relations.” A Commission on Audit Report in 2022 showed that Duterte had 433 personnel for VPSPG, which was 63% of the total number of OVP staff. Her predecessor, former vice president Leni Robredo, only had 78 military personnel assigned for her security. Duterte then defended the VPSPG’s numbers, saying that additional security was needed for her roles in the Marcos Cabinet, such as the education secretary and co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. The Vice President resigned from both positions, effectively leaving the Marcos Cabinet, on July 19. Reporters have reached out to OVP to get the current number of personnel under the VPSPG, but it has yet to respond as of posting time. This page will be updated once we get a response. When she was vice president, Leni Robredo had far less security detail but did not make a fuss about it, said her former spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez. “VP Duterte started with 433 security personnel, over 4x that of VP Leni who only had 108 in 2016,” Gutierrez said on X on Tuesday. With the removal of 75 personnel from Duterte’s security detail, she would now have 350 people left, Gutierrez said. Leni’s security detail was down to 83 by 2020, or four years into her VP term “We never made an issue of it. No ‘open letter.’ No tantrum. No drama,” Gutierrez said. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said that the Vice President still has a substantial number of security personnel at her side. “I don’t think it’s a bad matter to recall some of the personnel. And she still has 300 bodyguards. It’s bigger than the President’s,” Remulla said on Thursday, August 1. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. 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Swimmer Kayla Sanchez ends Paris Olympics bid after semifinal exit

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 5:31

PROUD. Swimmer Kayla Sanchez of the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kayla Sanchez Instagram page MANILA, Philippines – Swimmer Kayla Sanchez concluded what many hope is just the first of many Olympic stints for the Philippines. Sanchez, 23, exited the Games after finishing 15th out of 16 semifinalists in the women’s 100-meter freestyle at the Paris La Defense Arena on Tuesday, July 30 (Wednesday, July 31, Manila time). Clocking 54.21 seconds, Sanchez missed the top-eight cutoff for the final and became the eighth member of the 22-strong Team Philippines to get eliminated. Gymnasts Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar, fencer Samantha Catantan, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, rower Joanie Degalco, and boxer Eumir Marcial all bowed out of medal contention in their respective events. Hong Kong’s Siobhan Bernadette Haughey topped the semifinals with 52.64 seconds followed by Australia’s Shayna Jack (52.72) and Mollie O’Callaghan (52.75) at second and third, respectively. World record holder Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden, who recorded the fastest time in the heats, made the final with a sixth-best semifinal mark of 52.87. seconds. Sanchez finished over a second off for the last final spot, with the USA’s Gretchen Walsh (53.18) making the cut at eighth. Despite her exit, Sanchez enjoyed a memorable Olympic debut for the Philippines as she shared 10th place in the heats and reset her own national record, clocking 53.67 seconds to erase her previous mark of 54.25 seconds. Sanchez made her way back to the Olympics after helping Canada win a 4x100m freestyle silver and a 4x100m medley bronze in the Tokyo Games. Born in Singapore to Filipino parents, Sanchez represented Canada from 2016 to 2022 before she decided to compete for the Philippines. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Carlos Yulo shoots for Olympic gymnastics medal in loaded all-around final

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 6:16

BALANCE. The Philippines' Carlos Edriel Yulo in action during the men's floor exercise final in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Yves Herman/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – If things go his way, Carlos Yulo may end up as the Philippines’ first medalist in the Paris Olympics. Yulo hopes to capitalize on the first of his three shots at a medal as he competes in the men’s artistic gymnastics individual all-around final at the Bercy Arena on Wednesday, July 31. The reigning Asian all-around champion, Yulo showed he can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world after placing ninth in the qualification with a total of 83.631 points. Yulo aims to bank on his pet events as he placed second in floor exercise with 14.766 points and sixth in vault with an average of 14.683 points to reach the finals of both apparatuses. His performances in the other apparatuses were promising, with Yulo posting 14.333 in parallel bars, 13.466 in horizontal bar, and 13.066 in pommel horse – marks that were all higher than his scores in the Tokyo Games. Yulo netted his lowest score in still rings with 13.000. Former world champion Zhang Boheng of China topped the all-around qualification with 88.597 points, followed by Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka (86.865) and Daiki Hashimoto (85.064), who led their country to the team gold. His Olympic title defense in horizontal bar crushed after surprisingly failing to make the final, Hashimoto hopes to bounce back by retaining the individual all-around gold he won in the Tokyo Games. China’s Xiao Ruoteng, who finished as runner-up to Hashimoto, placed fourth in the qualification with 84.898 points, while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman (84.897) and Joe Fraser (84.666) landed fifth and sixth, respectively. Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev netted 84.631 points for seventh and Italy’s Yumin Abbadini edged Yulo for eighth with 83.933 points. Other notable names in the 24-man all-around final include World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medalists Illia Kovtun of Ukraine and Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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No medal repeat as Eumir Marcial drops opening bout in Paris Olympics

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 4:36

FACE TO FACE. Boxer Eumir Felix Marcial of the Philippines in action against Turabek Khabibullaev of Uzbekistan in the round of 16 of the men's 80kg in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Maye-E Wong/REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial bid goodbye to his medal repeat bid after a shocking exit from the Paris Olympics. In a stunning turn of events, Marcial bowed to Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev via unanimous decision in the round of 16 of the men’s 80kg at the North Paris Arena on Tuesday, July 30 (Wednesday, July 31, Manila time). One of the Philippines’ top medal bets, Marcial – who won bronze in the Tokyo Games – got the boot in his opening bout as Khabibullaev won with scores of 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Marcial, 28, held the advantage in experience over the 20-year-old Uzbek, but the 5-foot-11 Filipino found the taller Khabibullaev a tough nut to crack. The 6-foot-1 Khabibullaev kept Marcial at bay with his jab and rock-solid defense to win the first two rounds, including a shutout in the opening salvo, and practically seal the deal. Although Marcial clinched the third round, Khabibullaev did enough to claim the unanimous decision victory and advance to the quarterfinals. Marcial had to move up to 80kg after his original weight class of 75kg, where he bagged bronze in Tokyo, got scrapped for Paris. The pride of Zamboanga City qualified for his second straight Olympics by reaching the finals of the Asian Games, where he lost to China’s Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan, another taller foe. With Marcial eliminated, only four boxers remain in the running as the Philippines hopes to capture an elusive Olympic boxing gold medal. Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg) and Nesthy Petecio (57kg) won their opening fights, while Carlo Paalam (men’s 57kg) and Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg) start their respective campaigns on Wednesday. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Swimmer Kayla Sanchez ends Paris Olympics bid after semifinal exit

delfin.dioquino editor

31/07/2024 5:31

PROUD. Swimmer Kayla Sanchez of the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kayla Sanchez Instagram page MANILA, Philippines – Swimmer Kayla Sanchez concluded what many hope is just the first of many Olympic stints for the Philippines. Sanchez, 23, exited the Games after finishing 15th out of 16 semifinalists in the women’s 100-meter freestyle at the Paris La Defense Arena on Tuesday, July 30 (Wednesday, July 31, Manila time). Clocking 54.21 seconds, Sanchez missed the top-eight cutoff for the final and became the eighth member of the 22-strong Team Philippines to get eliminated. Gymnasts Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar, fencer Samantha Catantan, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, rower Joanie Degalco, and boxer Eumir Marcial all bowed out of medal contention in their respective events. Hong Kong’s Siobhan Bernadette Haughey topped the semifinals with 52.64 seconds followed by Australia’s Shayna Jack (52.72) and Mollie O’Callaghan (52.75) at second and third, respectively. World record holder Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden, who recorded the fastest time in the heats, made the final with a sixth-best semifinal mark of 52.87. seconds. Sanchez finished over a second off for the last final spot, with the USA’s Gretchen Walsh (53.18) making the cut at eighth. Despite her exit, Sanchez enjoyed a memorable Olympic debut for the Philippines as she shared 10th place in the heats and reset her own national record, clocking 53.67 seconds to erase her previous mark of 54.25 seconds. Sanchez made her way back to the Olympics after helping Canada win a 4x100m freestyle silver and a 4x100m medley bronze in the Tokyo Games. Born in Singapore to Filipino parents, Sanchez represented Canada from 2016 to 2022 before she decided to compete for the Philippines. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Fishing banned in Limay, Bataan due to oil spill

Iya Gozum

30/07/2024 16:02

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard create improvised oil spill booms as part of containment efforts after oil tanker MT Terranova capsized and submerged off Limay, Bataan. PCG BATAAN, Philippines – A fishing ban is already in place in Limay, Bataan, Governor Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia III said on Tuesday, July 30, days after MT Terranova capsized and submerged off Lamao in Limay last July 25. Garcia said the fishing ban was imposed by Limay Mayor Nelson David. Water samples taken from four barangays in Limay, Bataan, were also found to have levels of oil and grease that exceeded standard limits set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, deeming them unsuitable for fishing and swimming. Water bodies are suited for fishing if oil and grease concentration found in samples only amounted to 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or below, and safe for swimming if oil and grease concentration is only 2 mg/L or below. Based on a presentation on Tuesday by Raphael de Leon, officer-in-charge of Bataan’s Environment and Natural Resources Office, the four areas not suitable for fishing and swimming are: Samples from Barangay Francis I, Barangay Wawa, and Barangay Luz Kitang were taken on July 25, while the water sample from Lamao was taken on July 26. There were two stations in Barangay Luz Kitang where samples were taken. The water sample from the other station only registered 2.4 mg/L of oil and grease. Results were shown to reporters in Balanga, Bataan, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, water samples taken from three barangays in Mariveles (namely Batangas II, Lucanin, and Townsite) did not exceed standard limits for fishing and swimming. Bataan, especially Lamao, is grappling with the oil spill caused by the sunken MT Terranova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil. In the days that followed, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had deployed oil spill booms and is currently sealing the valves before contracted salvor Harbor Star can start siphoning operations. Experts had forecasted that the oil spill could reach Metro Manila by Tuesday, July 30. But in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gavan said based on their aerial inspection earlier in the day, no oil sheen was seen going toward Manila. While the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said around 11,000 fisherfolk would be affected by the oil spill, Garcia estimated that at least 14,000 fisherfolk from nine coastal municipalities in Bataan could bear the brunt of the maritime incident. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Japan pioneer Filipino import Thirdy Ravena heads to EuroLeague, signs with Dubai

jisaga0269

30/07/2024 16:04

FIERY. San-En's Thirdy Ravena looks to get past his defender in Japan B. League action. JAPAN B. LEAGUE MANILA, Philippines – Four years after sparking a Filipino basketball player surge into Japan, Thirdy Ravena moves on to a new career challenge. The former San-en NeoPhoenix import – the first Filipino reinforcement in Japan B. League history – officially signed with the newly formed Basketball Club Dubai (BC Dubai) of the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) League under the EuroLeague umbrella on Tuesday, July 30. Only formed early this year, BC Dubai now parades a growing collection of international talent, including former NBA G League player Nate Mason, Croatian-German Leon Radosevic, Serbian former NBA draftee Nemanja Dangubic, and Turkish-Jordanian Ahmet Duverloglu. Ravena figures to be a foundational piece among the veterans, especially after breaking out in his fourth B. League season and helping former cellar-dweller San-En NeoPhoenix transform into a consistent playoff contender. In the 2023-2024 season, the 27-year-old all-around guard averaged 12.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 0.9 steals on a stellar 52% shooting. The NeoPhoenix, with Ravena fully ingrained in the rotation at 27.1 minutes per game, skyrocketed to a third-place, 46-19 record before being stunned out of the quarterfinals by underdog Hiroshima. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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[Time Trowel] The Philippine origins of mezcal and tequila distillation

Miriam Grace Go

30/07/2024 11:00

Guia Abogado/Rappler A trowel (/ˈtraʊ.əl/), in the hands of an archaeologist, is like a trusty sidekick – a tiny, yet mighty, instrument that uncovers ancient secrets, one well-placed scoop at a time. It’s the Sherlock Holmes of the excavation site, revealing clues about the past with every delicate swipe. I was sharing some distilled libations with Marlon Martin, Earl John Hernandez, and Kristian Cordero recently to celebrate our small successes in the past year. During this regular ritual, we discussed our work on decentering historical narratives to forefront Philippine contributions to humanity. And since we were enjoying some distilled spirits, I brought up the argument that the technology of distilling mezcal, and later tequila, came from the Philippines via the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. The Galleon Trade, which lasted from 1565 to 1815, was an epic maritime trade route that connected Asia, the Americas, and Europe. This trade route played a central role in the early globalization of trade, culture, and technology. Despite the overarching influence of Spain, the direct and strong connections between the Philippines and Mexico were more pronounced due to practical, economic, and strategic reasons. In today’s column, I explore the history of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, its significance in connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic, and the reasons behind the strong connections between the Philippines and Mexico. More importantly, I highlight an interesting historical connection between tequila and the Philippines, emphasizing the role of the Manila-Galleon Trade in the introduction of distillation techniques to Mexico. In a previous article, I also argued that the Galleon Trade facilitated the introduction of many of the plants mentioned in the song, “Bahay Kubo.” The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade began in 1565, an offshoot of the torno viaje, a relatively safe route across the Pacific, discovered by the navigator Andrés de Urdaneta. This facilitated regular trans-Pacific trade that would operate for 250 years, until Mexican independence. The trade route operated with an annual or semi-annual galleon (large, multi-decked sailing ship) voyage between Manila and Acapulco on the west coast of Mexico. From Acapulco, goods were transported overland to Veracruz, where they were then shipped to Spain and other parts of Europe. This route effectively connected the Pacific and the Atlantic, enabling the flow of goods, people, ideas, and technology across vast distances. The galleons carried a wide variety of goods, reflecting the diverse resources and products available in Asia and the Americas. From Manila, the ships transported luxury goods such as silk, spices, porcelain, ivory, and gemstones from China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia. These goods were highly sought after in the Americas and Europe, fetching high prices in markets as far away as Madrid and Amsterdam. From Acapulco, the galleons brought silver from Mexican mines (mostly to supply the insatiable demand in China), which was used to purchase Asian goods. Other products included cacao, cochineal (a red dye), and other valuable commodities from the Americas. The trade route thus facilitated a complex exchange network that linked multiple continents and economies. While Spain was the colonial power overseeing the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, the direct and strong connections between the Philippines and Mexico were particularly pronounced due to several factors. The Pacific Ocean posed a formidable barrier to direct trade between Spain and its Asian colonies. The route from Manila to Acapulco was the most feasible and direct trans-Pacific path, leveraging favorable currents and winds. From Acapulco, goods could be transported relatively easily across Mexico to the Atlantic coast and onward to Spain. Mexico, with its abundant silver mines, provided the primary currency for trade with Asia. The flow of silver from Mexican mines to the Philippines and then to China and other parts of Asia created an efficient economic loop. This system allowed the Spanish Empire to capitalize on its resources more effectively than a direct Spain-Asia route would have permitted. The Spanish colonial administration in the Americas, particularly in New Spain (modern-day Mexico), was well-established and capable of managing the logistics of the galleon trade. The infrastructure and governance in Mexico were more developed than in the Philippines or other parts of the Spanish Empire, facilitating smoother operations and better management of the trade route. The galleon trade also promoted significant cultural and human exchanges between the Philippines and Mexico. Many Filipinos, known as “Manilamen,” settled in Mexican coastal areas, contributing to the local culture and economy. These communities further strengthened the bonds between the two regions through shared practices, traditions, and intermarriage. One of the key pieces of evidence supporting the Filipino origins of mezcal distillation is the observation of old-fashioned distillation techniques among indigenous communities in the Americas. John G. Bourke, an American soldier and ethnologist, documented his observations of this type of distillation among the Tarascans in Mexico. He noted the simple construction of the stills used for distillation, suggesting a longstanding tradition of alcohol production among indigenous communities. This observation opens up the possibility that similar indigenous practices existed in the Philippines, where distillation was a well-established process long before European contact. It is worth noting that mezcal is a general term that refers to spirits made from agave plant, while tequila is a type of mezcal made from blue agave; its production is protected by Mexican law. Tequila is largely produced in Jalisco, but there are areas in neighboring states that are authorized to produce tequila, namely, in Guanajuato, Michoacán, and Nayarit.  A small region in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas is also allowed to produce the distilled spirit. In the Philippines, the distillation of tuba (fermented coconut sap) into lambanog (coconut arrack) was a well-established practice. This process involves the fermentation of tuba, which is collected from the inflorescence of coconut palms, followed by distillation to produce a high-proof spirit. The simplicity and effectiveness of these distillation methods indicate a sophisticated understanding of alcohol production that could have easily been transferred across the Pacific. The agave plant, indigenous to Mexico, was traditionally used in the production of pulque, an alcoholic beverage. However, with the introduction of Philippine distillation methods, agave began to be used to create what we now know as tequila. The distillation technique used by Filipinos, involving clay stills, was adapted by the local Mexican population to distill agave, resulting in the creation of mezcal and eventually tequila. This cultural and technological exchange was a significant outcome of the Manila-Galleon Trade, demonstrating the global interconnectedness even in the early modern period. The trade not only impacted the economies of the involved regions but also left a lasting cultural legacy that includes the origins of tequila. Historical accounts from Loarca and Rios y Coronel provide further evidence of the potential connections between Philippine and Mexican distillation practices. These accounts underscore the versatility of local resources and traditional drinks in the Philippines, hinting at long-standing indigenous traditions that could have similarities to mezcal production. The similarities between the distillation of tuba into lambanog and the distillation of agave into mezcal suggest a transfer of knowledge and techniques. This comparative analysis of materials and methods strengthens the argument for the Philippine origins of mezcal distillation, highlighting the interconnectedness of indigenous practices across different regions. Another possible influence in the distillation process is the presence of Japanese craftsmen in New Spain and how this might have been related to the introduction of palm-leaf techniques. This cross-cultural exchange could have played a role in shaping the distillation processes in both regions. The influence of Japanese techniques further complicates the narrative, suggesting a multi-faceted exchange of knowledge and practices. Japanese settlers and craftsmen in New Spain could have contributed to the refinement and development of distillation techniques, incorporating their own methods into the existing practices. This influence, combined with the Philippine distillation techniques, could have resulted in a unique hybrid process that led to the creation of mezcal, and later, tequila. The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade was a cornerstone of early global trade, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic worlds in an unprecedented way. While Spain was the overarching colonial power, the strong connections between the Philippines and Mexico were driven by geographic, economic, administrative, and cultural factors. The trade route not only facilitated the exchange of goods but also encouraged significant cultural and technological exchanges that have left a lasting legacy on both sides of the Pacific. This period of extensive interaction laid the groundwork for the interconnected global economy that we recognize today. The introduction of tequila distillation techniques from the Philippines demonstrates the importance of the Manila-Galleon Trade, reflecting the intricate web of global interactions that shaped the early modern world. The emergence of mezcal distillation technology also underscores that the Philippines is not just a mere recipient of things imported but a contributor to worldwide celebrations as well. Note: A PhD dissertation in 1960 by Dr. Pablo Guzmán-Rivas (University of Texas-Austin) provides the historical basis for this argument. A conversation with Dr. John A. Peterson of the University of San Carlos (Cebu) over a decade ago (over some distilled spirits) initiated the development of this concept. — Rappler.com Stephen Acabado is professor of anthropology at the University of California-Los Angeles. He directs the Ifugao and Bicol Archaeological Projects, research programs that engage community stakeholders. He grew up in Tinambac, Camarines Sur. Follow him on IG @s.b.acabado. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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8 years after ‘sham inquiry,’ a different House welcomes Leila de Lima

Dwight de Leon

30/07/2024 13:35

FORMER SENATOR. Leila de Lima sits down with senior multimedia reporter Paterno Esmaquel II for Rappler Talk, on March 22, 2024. Rob Reyes/Rappler It was a scene that was unimaginable during the previous administration: former senator Leila de Lima being warmly welcomed and even lauded by members of the same chamber that had vilified her nearly eight years ago. The former lawmaker, jailed for almost seven years on trumped-up charges during the administration of her political nemesis Rodrigo Duterte, attended the House of Representatives investigation into the former president’s bloody drug war. She had been invited by human rights committee, chaired by Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido, which is leading the inquiry. “I am delighted to see [former] senator De Lima who is still active,” a cordial Abante said of the human rights champion at the start of the hearing. Had she accommodated a similar invitation in 2016, the reception towards her would have been entirely different. In the first year of the Duterte administration, the man from Davao had it out for De Lima. There was a lot of animosity in that relationship after the latter conducted a probe into the supposedly Duterte-backed Davao Death Squad when she was head of the Commission on Human Rights in 2009. As Duterte’s anti-drug campaign kicked into high gear only a few days into his presidency, De Lima called for a Senate investigation into the summary killings, a move that angered the chief executive, who subsequently promised to “destroy” the senator. The attacks from the House of Representatives — dominated by Duterte’s allies — soon followed. Eleven lawmakers, led by then-speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, filed a resolution calling for an investigation into the proliferation of drug syndicates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) when De Lima was secretary of the Department of Justice, which supervises the state penitentiary. In marathon hearings beginning September 2016, the justice committee invited at least a dozen witnesses – many of them granted immunity from criminal prosecution – who pinned De Lima as the culprit of the narcotics trade at the NBP. At least five of them had pending clemency applications, posing a conflict of interest that the House just downplayed. Worse, the lawmakers dug into De Lima’s personal life, feasting on her romantic relationship with her former bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan. The congressmen asked Dayan nonsense questions, some filled with sexual innuendos. They also floated the possibility of playing an alleged sex video featuring De Lima, a plan that drew condemnation from De Lima’s female colleagues in the Senate. “It is a blow to our collective struggle to uplift the dignity of the woman, respect her agency and her autonomy over her own body, and is a form of slut-shaming that will not set a good example for the country,” read the resolution unanimously signed by four female senators back then. De Lima snubbed the House hearings, calling them a “sham inquiry” aimed at destroying her, “upon orders of the President.” In February 2017, a court ordered her arrest on drug charges, based on allegations that were echoed during the congressional probe. Eight years later, the political climate in the country has significantly changed. Duterte finished his term in 2022, ushering in a new era of leadership under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Initially seen by critics as someone who would continue the policies of his authoritarian predecessor, the late dictator’s son went a different route, and has been trying to rebrand himself on the international stage as a human rights supporter, even though drug war killings just significantly slowed down, and didn’t necessarily stop under his watch. The Marcos and the Dutertes – two dynasties in Philippine politics with a complicated relationship – have also had a falling out in the past year. In November, the court finally granted De Lima’s petition for bail, marking her release from detention for the first time in nearly seven years. “This is a breathing room from the seven years of nightmare that we thought was all over in 1986,” De Lima said in February. “Under [Marcos], we are given the opportunity to make use of a democratic space in transition from the authoritarian regime that was Duterte’s.” In June, she was cleared of all drug charges. “We are very appreciative of the former senator for gracing this affair, and congratulations for winning all your cases in court,” Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, human rights committee vice chairperson, told De Lima during Monday’s hearing. “Allow me to commend our former secretary of justice and former senator whose strength we really admired,” Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin added. “Women are usually perceived to be less stronger than men, but in the case of former senator De Lima, she has proven otherwise.” Some of the lead actors in the House probe against De Lima have faced either political or personal misfortune. Then-House justice committee chairperson Rey Umali died in January 2021 after a battle with liver cancer and COVID-19. Rudy Fariñas of Ilocos Norte, Doy Leachon of Oriental Mindoro, and Salvador Belaro Jr. of 1-Ang Edukasyon lost in their respective races in 2022. Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez was censured by his colleagues in May for disorderly behavior. Harry Roque of party-list group Kabayan, who later became Duterte’s spokesman, is among the subjects of a Senate investigation into various anomalies surrounding Philippine offshore gaming operators. Other congressmen who initiated the probe against De Lima, however, remain part of the 19th Congress. But eight years since House lawmakers launched misogynistic attacks against her, the chamber — or perhaps one committee — finally afforded De Lima the respect that she deserves, acknowledging her for, at least, the portfolio that she carries: a subject matter expert who extensively investigated the pattern of vigilante killings that persisted under the leadership of Duterte – whether as a city mayor, or president of the republic. On Monday, House members listened – when she revived her calls for the establishment of a truth commission, when she called Duterte the mastermind of the drug war killings, when she rebutted the Philippine National Police for second-guessing whether to include homicide cases in the death toll, when she called out the “practically non-existent” investigation of drug war killings by local authorities, and even when she lamented that the House may be too late the hero. “You cannot blame me if I say that we are actually better off waiting for the results of the International Criminal Court investigation, which is light years ahead of our local investigation,” she said. “I appreciate the efforts of this committee, at least we now have these proceedings, although I must say it’s rather late. But better late than never.” – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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DA chief says ASF risk now higher as rain, floods hit outbreak areas

gdecastro0289

30/07/2024 22:12

CULLED. A pig is being brought to an undisclosed culling site in Aklan after it was reportedly exposed to the dreaded African swine fever virus. Courtesy of OPVET-Aklan MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) sees higher risk of African Swine Fever (ASF) affecting the country’s swine industry as the rainy season makes it easier for the virus to spread via flooding in areas where pigs were culled and buried. “ASF has always been there, hindi naman nawala ‘yan e. Pero since tag-ulan at sa mga flooding, the chances of it na lalabas ay malaki na ulit because nasa groundwater na ‘yan, nabaon dati,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a joint press conference with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where they announced the “controlled rollout” of Vietnamese-made vaccines to fight ASF starting third quarter of 2024. (ASF has always been there, it never disappeared. But since it’s the rainy season and there’s flooding, the chances of it coming out again is big because the virus is in the groundwater, where it was previously buried.) He said there were already signs of ASF possibly reappearing in Batangas and Mindoro island, although he said there was “no reason to panic as of the moment.” The difference now, he said, was that he expected the vaccines that the Department of Agriculture (DA) would be procuring possibly next month could help lower the risk of ASF outbreaks. “We’re hopeful na, at least ngayon, may panlaban na tayo kung sakaling magkaroon ng major outbreak again. That’s why bibilisan natin ‘yung pag-procure nito dahil tuloy-tuloy na ‘yung ulan,” Tiu Laurel said. (We’re hopeful that, at least now, we have a weapon in case there’s a major outbreak again. That’s why we will speed up the procurement of this vaccine because the rain will continue.) He said areas susceptible to ASF would be part of “red or pink zones,” where Vietnam’s AVAC vaccine will be rolled out under controlled conditions. Veterinarian Dr. Constante Palabrica has seen how floods affect areas previously hit by ASF, given his long years of working in commercial farms for more than 40 years before he was appointed last March by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the DA, where he is now assistant secretary for swine and poultry. “Ang binaon kong baboy sa Robina [Farms] ay libo-libo. Kasi tinamaan ako e, I have to be honest about it. ‘Pag binaon mo ‘yung baboy, ‘pag bumagyo, aakyat ‘yung patay na baboy, maglolobo, makikita mo ‘yung paa, ulo. Ang mabigat sa ASF, dekada bago mamatay ‘yung mikrobyo, ‘yung virus na ‘yan. In my 44 years experience, ngayon lang ako nakakita ng ganitong sakit, na talagang aatras ka. Uubusin ang baboy mo. So, ‘pag may binaon ka, bumagyo, lahat bubungkalin ‘yan. ‘Pag bungkal niyan, kakalat na ‘yan – sa daan, sa mga biyaheros,” he said. (I buried thousands of pigs when I was with Robina Farms. Because we were hit, I have to be honest about it. When you bury the pig, when there’s a storm, the dead pigs will move up, they’ll bloat, and you’ll see their feet, head. What’s bad about ASF, it takes decades before the microbes die, that virus. In my 44 years experience, it’s only now that I’ve seen this kind of virus, where you’ll really retreat. It’ll wipe out your pigs. So, if you bury the pigs and there’s a typhoon, when they’re tilled, it will scatter on the roads, carried by travelers.) ASF first emerged in 2019 with devastating impact on commercial farms and backyard growers in countries that got hit, including the Philippines. ASF outbreaks led to mandatory culling even of hogs that were not infected since a single infection would wipe out a whole drove. The Philippines hog population declined from 12.7 million in 2018 to 9.9 million in September 2023, according to the DA, causing higher pork prices. As of July 26, the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has identified active cases in 45 towns in 18 provinces. Tiu Laurel said the DA has a budget of P350 million for the procurement of around 600,000 doses of Vietnam’s AVAC vaccine possibly by August. Around 150,000 initial doses may be ready by September this year. A public bidding will be held for the remaining 450,000 doses, he said. He said he has visited Vietnam twice and personally witnessed that the vaccine is already being used there. The vaccines will be given free to select hog farms, with priority to those in red and pink zones identified by the DA. “We prioritize eligible clustered backyard farms, semi-commercial farms, and commercial enterprises, aiming to mitigate ASF’s impact and stabilize the swine industry,” he said. Samuel Zacate, director general of the FDA, said his office granted Vietnam’s AVAC vaccine a certificate of product registration under monitored release (CPR MR), for restricted use only by the BAI. The CPR MR is valid for two years and subject to “strict monitoring and annual evaluation.” He said the Vietnamese vaccine underwent clinical trials in 2023 and that the BAI found it to be “100% safe and efficacious.” Independent experts will recommend either to revoke or proceed with the vaccine, depending on the result of the controlled rollout. It would only be given a full certificate of registration if the results are positive. Zacate warned traders against selling the vaccine, saying the FDA would run after them in case this happens. Tiu Laurel said that a best-case scenario would see the vaccine working in the red and pink zones and achieving herd immunity. This would be a “confidence-building measure” that would inspire businesses to reinvest and repopulate their swine, which could lead to lower pork prices in 2025, he said. The DA said BAI is finalizing with stakeholders the guidelines for the controlled use of ASF vaccines, after which public consultations will be held to “ensure the guidelines are comprehensive and effectively implemented.” The BAI will evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy based on a “predefined criteria before endorsing them to the FDA for final approval and registration,” it said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Cyberattacks against media aided by tools ‘offered openly’ by companies – report

Jodesz Gavilan

30/07/2024 21:30

MANILA, Philippines – Individuals and groups who aim to suppress press freedom and access to information are now finding it easy to do so with the aid of tools “offered openly by for-profit companies.” The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in its latest analysis published Tuesday, July 30, said that this reality makes it hard for media organizations around the world to defend themselves. “Their use appears to be part of an emerging censorship strategy that poses a serious transnational threat to press freedom and access to information,” CPJ senior researcher Jonathan Rozen wrote in his piece, adding that these tools ensure the anonymity of the perpetrators. The distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, commonly carried out against news outlets, makes use of an amount of simulated traffic to overwhelm a website, possibly resulting in it going down. This means that readers will not be able to open or access the website, and the duration depends on the news outlet’s capability to address the attack. Attackers use the following “to source and direct online traffic en masse,” according to CPJ: Proxy providers may not necessarily be malicious since it can be used for different things, including privacy protection, “but they have also been abused.” Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, warned that proxy services are “known for being vectors of DDoS attacks.” “If you can large-scale anonymize many, many internet connections, there’s a lot of bad things you can do,” he told CPJ. The CPJ analysis cited several media outlets that were constantly attacked using proxy providers, including Rappler. In October 2023, Rappler was subjected to DDoS attacks that reached 26 million requests, peaking at 250,000 requests per second within a two-minute window. In a report published in the aftermath, with the help of Swedish group Qurium, it was discovered that the proxy service providers used were US-based Rayobyte and Russia-based Fineproxy. At least 10% of the proxy IP addresses or proxy IPs involved in the attack were tracked to these companies. Aside from Rappler, CPJ also said exiled Russian news website Meduza and the International Press Institute were also at the receiving end of similar DDoS attacks. IPI’s website was down for three days following an attack in September 2023, while Meduza said that its “largest” DDoS attack in April 2024 resulted in them being unable to publish for four hours. Qurium was able to identify that the attack on IPI and other Hungarian sites used the services of White Proxies (also called White Solutions). The attacks on Meduza, meanwhile, were facilitated by at least two proxy providers, Vietnam-based MIN Proxy and Hong Kong-based RapidSeedbox. In a statement to CPJ, RapidSeedbox said that they have “both automated and manual systems in place to monitor illicit activity” and that it does not “intend to work with clients who abuse our IPs in attacks.” Media organizations in the Philippines have long been the subject of DDoS attacks in recent years, including ABS-CBN, Vera Files, CNN Philippines, Bulatlat, and AlterMidya. In a 2021 report, Qurium said that the attacks on Bulatlat and AlterMidya had links to the Department of Science and Technology and the military. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, meanwhile, briefly took down its website in November 2023 in response to an “active hacking attack.” CPJ’s Rozen wrote that DDoS attacks “could pose additional problems for online media trying to monetize journalism.” “As news outlets work to block potentially malicious traffic, they may prevent actual readers from coming to their sites, hindering their ability to make money from viewership and ads,” Rozen said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

MEDAL TALLY: Paris Olympics 2024

delfin.dioquino editor

27/07/2024 19:35

MANILA, Philippines – The biggest names in all of sports vie for Olympic glory as they seek to bring their countries honor in the 33rd edition of the Summer Games in Paris, France. Gold, silver, and bronze medals in 329 events across 32 sports are up for grabs, with breaking – or breakdancing – making its Olympic debut. With 22 athletes in tow, Team Philippines aims to surpass its historic haul of one gold, two silvers, and one bronze in the previous Tokyo Olympics. The United States, which boasts of the biggest delegation with 594 athletes, looks to maintain its dominance after claiming the overall championship in the last three editions. Perennial contenders China, Great Britain, Japan, and host France also aim to make a splash. Here is the medal tally: – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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8 key moments on the fourth day of the House probe into Duterte’s drug war

Dwight de Leon

30/07/2024 7:52

PROBE. Former congressman Neri Colmenares and former senator Leila de Lima attend a House panel inquiry into the drug war deaths under the Duterte administration, on July 29, 2024. House of Representatives MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives’ human rights committee resumed its inquiry into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war on Monday, July 29. The hearing was notable for many reasons, from Duterte’s continued absence, to former senator Leila de Lima’s first appearance before the committee. Rappler enumerates the highlights of Monday’s session that lasted for six hours. House human rights committee chairman Bienvenido Abante said in June that he would invite former president Rodrigo Duterte to attend its inquiry into drug war-related killings, but the Davao City kingpin was not present in Monday’s hearing. Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas decried his absence. “We’ve been requesting the former president to come here to explain the accusations against him, but it still hasn’t happened,” Brosas said. “This probe should not stop until (he shows up).” Abante, however, stopped short of issuing a show-cause order to Duterte, which would have compelled the latter to formally explain his absence from the hearing. Other Davao cops, however, who snubbed Monday’s hearing despite invitations sent by the House were issued show-cause orders – Charles Owen Molino, Michael Maderable, Ronnie Banggat, and June Ralph Piñero. The panel approved a motion to invite self-confessed former Davao Death Squad (DDS) members Edgar Matobato and Arturo Lascañas to the next hearing. Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the chief implementer of Duterte’s anti-narcotics drive until he retired from the police force, blasted the House in June for kickstarting the probe, saying it had no authority to do so since its goal was not to hold a hearing in aid of legislation, but only to hold certain cops liable. Abante opened the fourth day of hearing with a direct response to Dela Rosa. “Let me tell the good senator, you’re a senator, we have the right according to our rules,” Abante said. “Senator Dela Rosa, being interviewed, also admitted that there were human rights violations done during his time as director general of the Philippine National Police, and he even calls that collateral damage.  Now, you know the killing of so many people to me is not just collateral damage, it could have been prevented,” he added. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Francisco Marbil was the first guest to be interrogated by lawmakers, as he had to leave early due to another commitment. Questions thrown at him were rather simple, and were basically an opportunity for him to tout President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recalibrated anti-illegal drug strategy in comparison with Duterte’s bloody drug war. Marbil, however, sidestepped questions, and answered vaguely despite repeated follow-ups from lawmakers, leaving congressmen visibly exasperated. There was no Duterte during Monday’s inquiry, but his staunchest critic was present: former senator Leila de Lima. In 2017, at the height of the drug war, De Lima became front and center of a messy House investigation into the alleged drug proliferation in the state penitentiary. De Lima’s female colleagues in the Senate accused the men who led that probe of “unparliamentary,” “misogynistic,” and “insulting conduct,” while De Lima herself called it a “sham inquiry” orchestrated by Duterte aimed at demolishing her reputation. She was jailed for nearly seven years and freed by a court only in November last year. On Monday, a different House welcomed De Lima, affording her a certain level of respect for accepting the House’s invitation. “I am delighted to see [former] senator De Lima who is still active,” Abante said of the former senator. “We are very appreciative to the former senator for gracing this affair, and congratulations for winning all your cases in court,” committee vice chairperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur 1st District added. “Allow me to commend our former secretary of justice and former senator whose strength we really admired,” Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin also said. “Women are usually perceived to be less stronger than men, but in the case of former senator De Lima, she has proven otherwise.” Two years have passed since Duterte stepped down from office, and seven years since his administration wrapped up his first year as president, yet authorities have yet to reconcile the exact number of drug war-related deaths. The Presidential Communications Office said consolidated numbers from four agencies as of November 2017 put the death toll at about 20,000 – 3,167 from anti-drug operations, and 16,355 homicide cases under investigation. A PNP representative in the hearing confirmed those numbers. But should the over 16,000 deaths be counted under drug war-related killings? That was among the discussions. “They’re trying to imply that the homicide cases are not drug-related,” De Lima said. “I don’t understand why authorities are not willing to confirm that these are indeed drug-related killings. These may be vigilante killings… encouraged by police elements.” Abante argued it doesn’t necessarily mean that policemen were behind the vigilante killings. “Not necessarily, but there are indications that many of them are in connivance or in coordination with the police,” De Lima replied. Former police chief Oscar Albayalde was present during the hearing, and was also asked to clarify discrepancies in reports on the drug war death toll, but said he couldn’t answer the question as he had no personal access to government records. Santa Rosa Representative Dan Fernandez, member of the panel, claimed that the outcome of the House investigation “can be used as evidence for the ICC.” “This is the reason why what we wanted in this investigation is to fast-track these different loopholes that can be helpful as well with the proceedings being done at the ICC,” Fernandez said. Such a statement did not escape De Lima, who interpreted it as the House’s effort to show its independence from the executive branch. President Marcos, after all, adopted the position that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. The panel immediately distanced itself from Fernandez’s statement though. “That is the personal statement of Congressman Fernandez,” Abante clarified. The House hearing featured numerous testimonies from relatives of drug war victims, and saw De Lima call for a genuine, independent probe into the drug war. “An ideal setup is an independent truth commission whose only task is to know the facts, determine the people involved, identify the pattern,” De Lima said. “I am not trying to denigrate the capacity of this body to also do the same, but given the complexities and the gargantuan task that this committee is faced, it could help if there is a truth commission.” “There is no doubt in my mind that former President Rodrigo Duterte is the mastermind, as he was the instigator and inducer of the drug war killings,” she added. Duterte, during his time in office, was known for his foul-mouthed, off-script tirades, and pronouncements that were sometimes interpreted as policy statements, and later downplayed by his spokesperson as a “joke.” At the end of Monday’s hearing, Adiong spoke out about the power of words that a president has. “When you have certain degree of power entrusted to you by the people, you don’t simply personalize the office, because that is not yours in the first place. Your office that you occupy is owned by the people. So nobody has the right to personify that office and then say ‘This is my position,’ jokingly. Whatever you say, the whole people would take it as something, as a policy. You cannot disregard that,” Adiong said. – Rappler.com * All quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. First, regarding the ICC’s jurisdiction, the HOR committee is simply following the directive of PBBM. PBBM is opposed to the ICC having jurisdiction over our country because he fears it could be used against him in the future. Second, concerning the Truth Commission, the HOR Committee on Human Rights does not have a strong commitment to agree on the creation of a Truth Commission. Its members seem to be using the committee for political gain in next year’s election. Third, on Gen. Marbil’s avoidance of questions, it seems like he’s wary of offending his former boss Sen. Bato De La Rosa. Fourth, Sen. De La Rosa’s opposition appears to be driven by self-preservation. Lastly, former President Duterte’s absence indicates his inclination to portray himself as being above the law. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

What are the most powerful passports in 2024?

lkyu0285

30/07/2024 8:53

MANILA, Philippines – Passports open doors, but some open far more than others. More often than not, the “power” that a passport yields is a reflection of its issuer’s political standing in the world stage and the relations it has with other countries. For this reason, the world’s most influential nations often issue the most powerful passports, which can be measured by the number of destinations that the passport holder can visit visa-free. In the latest 2024 Global Passport Ranking by Henley & Partners, Singapore emerged as the world’s most powerful passport, providing its holder access to an “unprecedented” 195 of 227 travel destinations visa-free. Before Singapore took the top spot, Japan held the title of most powerful passport from 2018 until 2023. Meanwhile, 34 different passports are tied for the rest of the spots in the top 10: But it’s not just citizens from these countries who are getting to enjoy visa-free privileges. On average, travel around the world is getting less restrictive. According to the Henley & Partners, the global average for the number of visa-free destinations that a citizen can travel to has nearly doubled from 58 countries in 2006 to 111 countries today. “Over the past two decades of us publishing this data, the trend has been towards greater travel freedom,” Henley & Partners managing director Scott Moore said during a briefing on July 24. As frequent flyers might now, the Philippine passport is not all that powerful. The Philippine passport is ranked 73rd among the 199 passports evaluated. Philippine passport holders have access to 67 travel destinations, which fortunately includes Southeast Asian tourist hotspots like Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. According to Moore, the Philippines is “right in the middle of the pack” when compared to its Asian neighbors. The Philippine passport scores higher than India (82nd), Vietnam (88th), Sri Lanka (93rd), Bangladesh (97th), and Pakistan (100th). However, Indonesia (65th), Thailand (60th), Malaysia (12th), and Singapore (1st) all have much stronger passports. But the Philippines does seem to be on the right track as it has improved its passport ranking by 5 places from last year’s 78th. “From 2015 until now, besides COVID-19, the general trend is up for the Philippines passport ranking. The Philippines is viewed as quite stable right now, and as the Philippine economy continues to grow, it should continue to see improvements on the passport’s visa-free access,” Moore said on July 24. Meanwhile, the Philippines has also been working to loosen its own visa restrictions for visitors in a bid to revive its still-recovering tourism industry. Manila has, however, stopped short of offering visa-free entry to Chinese nationals, which has historically been among the country’s top source of tourist arrivals. (READ: Should the Philippines roll out the red carpet for Chinese tourists?) – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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New education chief, decades-old problems as public schools open

Bonz Magsambol

29/07/2024 21:30

PRAYER. Students pray as they attend the first day of classes at Iloilo Central Elementary School in Iloilo City on July 29, 2024. Arnold Almacen/Iloilo City Mayor’s Office MANILA, Philippines – Jose Samson, principal of Carmona National High School (CNHS) in Cavite, pointed to a classroom shortage as the major challenge for their school on Monday, July 29. “Kulang tayo [ng] 27 classrooms (We lack 27 classrooms),” Samson said. It was a brief answer that likely reflects the situation in most, if not all, public schools that started classes on Monday for school year 2024-2025. Samson relayed the issue to newly installed Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara, who visited them on school opening day. “Yes. It’s a very big [problem],” Angara said. To make up for the classroom shortage, CNHS is implementing class shifting. The first shift starts at 5:50 am and the second begins at 1 pm. Angara said that another school he visited — Casimiro A. Ynares Sr. Memorial National High School in Taytay, Rizal — also lacks classrooms for its special education program. The classroom shortage is just one of the decades-old problems confronting the Philippine education system. During Vice President Sara Duterte’s stint as DepEd chief, the government was able to build only 3,600 new classrooms. Education Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas had said that public schools lacked some 159,000 classrooms before they opened in August 2023. At this rate, the government would be able to address the classroom shortage in 40 years, and by that time, more problems in the education sector may have cropped up. Asked about solutions to the classroom shortage, Angara pledged faster construction under his watch by strengthening the coordination between the DepEd and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). “‘Yung…early procurement activities na tinatawag, ginagawa ho ‘yan sa [DPWH]. Sana gawin din namin dito sa — in coordination with DepEd and DPWH. Mag coordinate ‘yung dalawang ahensiya,” he said. (The early procurement activities are being done at the DPWH. We hope that we will also do these activities at the DepEd in coordination with the DPWH. The two agencies will need to coordinate.) Early procurement activities, Angara explained, include validating of school sites. “May problema kung hindi pala kaya nung lupain ‘yung multistory building, so ‘yung tinatawag na soil test,” he said. (There would be a problem if the land weren’t suitable for a multistory building, so we need what’s called a soil test.) For construction to even inch forward, however, the funds have to be there. Bringas had said that the government would need P397 billion. Will Angara, a former senator who is no stranger to the budget process, be able to get the necessary funds for classroom construction? The 2025 budget deliberations for government agencies are underway at the House of Representatives. Due to the impact of severe flooding, not all 47,000 public schools in the country were able to start classes on Monday. Hundreds had to postpone their opening because of the lingering effects of the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was enhanced by Typhoon Carina (Gaemi). In Santa Mesa, Manila, Elpidio Quirino High School was able to welcome back students, but some textbooks and other materials had to be dried following the flooding. Angara himself got a glimpse of the distressing situation on the ground whenever it rains. He was supposed to visit Biñan Elementary School in Laguna, but classes got suspended after rain brought more floods early Monday. “Nalungkot nga ako na kailangan pa ring ipagpaliban ‘yung pasukan do’n sa ibang lugar. Pero naiintindihan natin ‘yun dahil malakas pa rin ‘yung ulan kanina,” he told reporters. (I was saddened that some areas had to postpone the school opening. But I understand the situation as well because the rain was still heavy earlier.) Still, Angara said the school opening was “so far, so good.” Latest DepEd data show that 20,598,072 students have enrolled, so far. This figure is expected to go up in the coming weeks as students can still enroll until September. Another issue that Angara has to find a solution to is the mismatch between teachers’ expertise and their actual workload. In some schools, teachers have no choice but to handle subjects that don’t match their expertise. “That’s a problem that we have to address, like the science subject. We don’t have specialists on this so we really need to work and be prepared for the coming Programme for International Student Assessment. Some institutions help in training our teachers. In case that we’re not able to hire immediately, at least we will be able to train them,” he said. According to a World Bank study in 2016, the knowledge of teachers and the method they use to teach a subject are “important determinants of student learning outcomes in the Philippines.” The study showed, however, that “knowledge of subject matter among elementary and high school teachers is low in most subjects.” For instance, a mathematics teacher in high school was only able to answer 31% of questions “completely correctly,” far from even half of the questions. “Since the tests are closely aligned with the curriculum, the results suggest that teachers face significant challenges in teaching a considerable portion of the current K to 12 curriculum,” the study said. The school opening gave Angara a snapshot of his colossal task as the new DepEd leader. Will he be able to deliver? – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Chinese fugitive caught in Benguet house linked to Harry Roque

Lian Buan

29/07/2024 20:08

CHINESE? Senator Risa Hontiveros says Khuon Moeurn is a false identity being used by a Chinese fugitive. Sourced photo MANILA, Philippines – The man caught in a house in Tuba, Benguet, on Saturday, July 27, was not Cambodian but a Chinese fugitive, according to Senator Risa Hontiveros. “The Cambodian passport held by the man is fake. He’s really Chinese and as per our Chinese informant, he’s a red notice fugitive, very high-level, and he has already defrauded 100,000 people,” Hontiveros said on Monday, July 29, as the Senate continued its inquiry into illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). The Bureau of Immigration executed a mission order to raid a house in Barangay Poblacion in Tuba, Benguet, on Saturday. The BI said it was acting on information that one of the house occupants was a Chinese woman who is a person of interest in the Bamban, Tarlac POGO investigation. The BI found instead a supposed Cambodian, Khuon Moeurn, and a Chinese woman named Wang Keping, neither of whom was the target of the operation. Moeurn is really Sun Liming, who, Rappler has learned, is on the red notice list of the Interpol for financial fraud in China over internet P2P business. Sun Liming is known as an expert in how to develop apps, which could have been used for scamming operations, according to Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) chief Gilbert Cruz. Harry Roque, who was spokesperson for former president Rodrigo Duterte, confirmed to the Senate that he “has interest” in the Tuba house. It is owned by a corporation called PH2, which is owned by Roque’s family corporation, Biancham Holdings and Trading. Roque said, however, that the house has been leased to a Chinese national named Wan Yun. Roque told a House panel on Wednesday, July 31, that he has since found out that his lessee is in a relationship with Moeurn/Sun Liming. The lease contract was signed in January 2024, said Roque. “Tinirahan ko po ‘yan nung ako po’y umalis ng gobyerno, and I do have an interest in the corporation that owns it. Pero wala po sa akin ang possession ng bahay na ‘yan,” said Roque. (I once lived in that house when I left the government, and I do have an interest in the corporation that owns it. But I do not have possession of that house.) When BI agents got there, they apprehended a man carrying a supposed Cambodian passport, who turned out to be Chinese. They also apprehended the female Chinese who was with him for allegedly harboring an illegal alien. The BI confirmed to the Senate that their personnel neither had a search nor arrest warrant during the raid, which Roque continuously pointed out as a violation of constitutional rights. This shows the quandary of law enforcement in cracking down on POGO suspects. If they apply for a warrant, they risk a leak or waiting too long that the suspects already flee. But if they conduct an operation without a warrant, they court legal trouble. “Nang sinabi nila na sinalakay ang bahay ko at may mga wanted na mga POGO bosses doon, eh ako po’y talagang nag-conclude na meron talagang pilit na naninira sa akin (When they said my house was raided because there were wanted POGO bosses there, I concluded that there really was a demolition job against me),” Roque said during the Senate hearing, which got heated between him and Hontiveros. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian had to intervene and tell Roque that if he “disrespects” Hontiveros one more time, “I will cite you in contempt.” Biancham was incorporated by Roque, his wife Mylah, his former law firm partner Joel Butuyan, and two others. Roque’s former assistant, Alberto Rodulfo “AR” dela Serna, was a qualifying stockholder. It means that these were stockholders with minimal shares, and tapped only to comply with the requirement that there should be five stockholders. Roque said that because a one-person corporation is now allowed, he is on his way to buying out everybody in Biancham. Dela Serna is the aide whom Roque sponsored for a visa to Europe in 2023. Dela Serna was present in Monday’s hearing and he said his visa documents were found in the Lucky South 99 POGO in Porac, Pampanga, because he used to be a boarder there while attending a flying school in the province. Dela Serna said he did not know that there was a POGO there, and that he lodged for free because he requested Katherine Cassandra Li Ong or Cassy Li Ong to be able to board rent-free. Prompted by Hontiveros’ interpellation, Dela Serna said he knew Ong through Roque. Ong may be the next most hunted after Bamban Mayor Alice Guo. Ong, who is now in Singapore according to the BI, is an owner of a POGO called Xinsheng which preceded Lucky South. For Lucky South, Ong appears in some Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) documents as having transacted for them. It was also Ong who got Roque as a lawyer for Whirlwind Corporation, the real estate firm that leased its Porac compound to Lucky South. Roque maintained he is a lawyer only for Whirlwind, and not for the Lucky South POGO even though an organizational chart names him as legal representative. According to Pagcor chief Alejandro Tengco, Ong had said before that the fee meant to be remitted to Pagcor by Lucky South, totaling $900,000, had been pocketed by their consultant, Dennis Cunanan. Cunanan is a former government official who had been convicted for his role in the pork barrel scam. He is the common link for the Porac and Bamban POGOs. On Monday, Cunanan appeared in the Senate for the first time, where he confirmed that he consulted for the two POGOs, but denied that he pocketed the Pagcor fee. “If that happened, there are only two things that can happen to me: either I am dead by now, or two, I may have a court case already happening,” said Cunanan. Senator Jinggoy Estrada paid much attention to Cunanan because the latter testified against him during the pork barrel scam trial. Roque is still linked to the accusation against Cunanan. It was the former presidential spokesperson who had accompanied Ong to meet with Pagcor’s Tengco to complain that Cunanan had not been remitting Lucky South’s fees. Roque said this did not mean he lawyered for Lucky South because he just accompanied Ong to a meeting with Pagcor. Hontiveros said, “Ayaw ‘nyo mang aminin na abogado kayo ng POGO, malinaw na abogado kayo ng taga-areglo ng POGO.” (While you may not want to admit that you’re a lawyer for a POGO, it is clear that you are a lawyer for a POGO fixer.) Hontiveros pointed out that Lucky South was already raided as early as 2022. The senator asked Roque why he would want to be involved in a POGO that already has a shady record. “Wala naman akong nalaman na na-raid sila noon dahil nakilala ko sila matapos ang eleksiyon noong 2022,” said Roque. (I did not know they were raided because I met them after the elections in 2022.) During the House hearing on Wednesday, a Pagcor executive revealed that aside from facilitating a meeting, Roque also made at least six calls on behalf of Ong. Never was Whirlwind mentioned in these conversations, only Lucky South, said Pagcor’s offshore gaming department assistant vice president, Jessa Fernandez. Despite this, Roque invoked his strict definition of a client-lawyer relationship, which is one that exists only on contract — the one he has with Whirlwind. Lawmakers spent time pointing out that someone as prominent as Roque who deals with Pagcor on behalf of a POGO representative, “by common sense,” may be a form of using “political influence.”  – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Tarlac investigates report of bird flu outbreak

Joann Manabat - CMS

29/07/2024 21:23

BLOOD SAMPLING. The Tarlac provincial veterinary office conducts blood sampling of the chickens at the two commercial poultry farms in Capas, Tarlac on July 29, 2024 Contributed photo PAMPANGA, Philippines – The Tarlac provincial veterinary office, on Monday, July 29, said it is investigating recent claims of a bird flu outbreak following a report of positive cases in the province. Dr. Maria Lorna Baculanta, Tarlac provincial veterinarian, said no evidence of avian influenza has been found so far. No adverse health effects have been reported in chickens or people, she said. “We have been actively collecting blood samples from the farms, and so far, no mortalities have been reported, and the chickens are healthy. Our ongoing blood tests will confirm this,” Baculanta told Rappler in Filipino. Blood samples from two poultry farms in Capas were conducted on Monday and results are expected by Wednesday, she said. According to a Philippine Star report, the Philippine Egg Board Association (PEBA) said chickens at a commercial farm tested positive for bird flu. “The chickens were being transported when they died. Upon examination, the chickens tested positive for bird flu,” Star quoted PEBA president Francis Uyehara as saying. “We are considering that there are other farms that do not report or test their chicken for bird flu. This is the reason why we don’t have a clear reference on the extent of the bird flu problem,” he also said. Rappler reached out to PEBA for an updated response. We will update this story once we hear from them. According to Baculanta, the initial report from the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory mentioned that there was a case of culled chicken in Benguet that had been detected positive for bird flu last week and traced the source to a poultry farm in Capas. However, the address provided was incorrect and belonged to a different farm. Culled chickens are identified as non-laying or low producing hens from a laying flock. “If there were indeed an outbreak, we would have seen a significant increase in mortalities within days. From time to time we conduct blood sampling,” she added. Baculanta said they are already expediting the laboratory analysis as the recent weather disruptions caused by Typhoon Carina had delayed sample collection. Baculanta also assured the public that measures are in place to ensure the health and safety of poultry in the province. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Nesthy Petecio begins golden quest in Paris Olympics vs Indian

delfin.dioquino editor

29/07/2024 22:12

WINNER. Nesthy Petecio in action for the Philippines in the Boxam Elite Tournament in Spain. Federacion Espau00f1ola de Boxeo Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – It might be the final Olympics for Filipina boxer Nesthy Petecio. And she hopes to end it at the top of the podium as Petecio looks to complete her unfinished business after settling for a silver medal in the Tokyo Games three years ago. Petecio begins her golden quest in the Paris Olympics against India’s Jaismine Lamboria when they lock horns in the round of 32 of the women’s 57kg class at the North Paris Arena on Tuesday, July 30. “I want to exit boxing on a high note. I want to leave the sport by making history,” said Petecio in Filipino in June. While the Philippines won 8 of its 14 Olympic medals overall in boxing, no Filipino boxer has struck gold. Petecio and the rest of the national boxing team, which includes Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial, Aira Villegas, and Hergie Bacyadan, aim to change that. But achieving that goal does not come easy despite the absence of Japan’s Sena Irie, who retired from the sport a year after besting Petecio for the gold in Tokyo. If Petecio manages to overcome Lamboria, she will face European Games titlist Amina Zidani of France in the round of 16. Also in the same bracket are Italy’s Irma Testa and Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova, who went one-two in the previous IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Drawn in the other bracket is top seed and two-time world titlist Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei. The boxing team got off to a promising start as Villegas advanced to the round of 16 of the women’s 50kg division after a unanimous decision win over Morocco’s Yasmine Mouttaki. Marcial (men’s 80kg), Paalam (men’s 57kg), and Bacyadan (women’s 75kg) begin their campaigns in the coming days. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Davao hospital faces backlash over insensitive handling of boy’s death

Herbie G

30/07/2024 16:09

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – A Davao City hospital is under fire over its treatment about two weeks ago of the grieving family of a boy who died hours after he was rushed to the medical center because of seizures. The Metro Pacific Health-owned Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH) announced on Saturday, July 27, that it has started an investigation into the allegations, following a viral social media post by the child’s brother that raised serious questions about its management and priorities. The 55-year-old DDH is a tertiary level hospital that boasts on its website of being the largest and most modern hospital in Southern Philippines. On Facebook, Jade Mark Capiñanes said his five-year-old brother had cardiopulmonary arrest in the DDH on July 17, and that physicians there suspected that it was a case of encephalitis. Despite the doctors’ efforts to control the seizures with intravenous medication, the boy passed away that afternoon. He said the way the staff dealt with them reflected poorly on the hospital’s management and priorities. “We are grieving – but they failed to see it,” said the boy’s brother. Capiñanes’ post ignited a wave of public outrage, with many calling for an investigation into the hospital’s practices, alleged insensitivity, and accountability for the staff involved. Capiñanes criticized the hospital staff for lack of transparency regarding intensive care unit  admissions. He said when the child’s seizures became uncontrollable, doctors recommended transferring him to the ICU. However, he said, the hospital staff focused primarily on the cost of the ICU, estimated at P50,000 to P80,000 per day, without disclosing room availability. “If my brother needed the ICU, why were we having a conversation that always circled back to the cost?” Capiñanes said. After a stressful discussion, Capiñanes said they were informed there were no vacant ICU rooms, making the family feel that its availability depended on their ability to pay rather than medical urgency. Capiñanes also recounted that after his brother’s death, the initial bill of about P79,000 included charges for procedures not done, like an MRI and an x-ray. After requesting an itemized invoice and checking it, he said, the bill was reduced to about P56,000, showing an overcharge of around P23,000. He said if one of his brothers didn’t ask for details, “we would have been overcharged by around P23,000. That’s a lot of money, which we needed. But based on how they handled the billing, who knows what else was there that needed reviewing and removing?” he said. He alleged that the hospital left the child’s body overnight in the morgue unattended and even tried to charge for it. “We couldn’t transfer our little brother’s body to the funeral home that day. The funeral home required a medical certificate, which the hospital said they could only provide the next morning. The next day I went back to the hospital to claim it. The first thing they told me was about money: ‘Sir, you need to pay additional fees for the preservation of your brother’s body because you didn’t retrieve it yesterday,” he said. Capiñanes said he just wanted to bring his brother’s remains out of the hospital and agreed to pay only to learn later that the body was left unattended and hadn’t been preserved. “Basically they were about to charge us for a service they didn’t provide,” he said. “Although my brother was dead, the fact remained that he had once been a human being, a little kid at that. A little humanity would have been nice. But all they were concerned about was money, money, money.” Capiñanes expressed his frustration with the hospital’s apparent prioritization of profit over compassion and proper care. He said the hospital management’s handling of the situation during their time of grief was very disappointing. Responding to the viral post, DDH stated, “We are aware of the concerns that have been shared on social media, and we want to assure the public that we are taking these concerns seriously.” The hospital said it shared in the family’s grief and was in touch with them, adding that “the situation is being urgently and thoroughly investigated.” “We will communicate our findings to the family privately,” read part of the DDH statement. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel?

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San Miguel Shipping subsidiary chartered MT Terranova

Iya Gozum

30/07/2024 17:18

CLEANUP. Members of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau collect oil slick wash along the beach of Brgy. Amaya 7 in Tanza, Cavite on July 30, 2024. The oil is believed to be from the MT Terranova sank off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan on July 25, 2024. Rappler Rappler BATAAN, Philippines – SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corporation, chartered the MT Terranova to transport 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officials confirmed to reporters on Tuesday, July 30. Asked for the owner of the cargo oil, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan confirmed that it was SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation. Gavan said their priority now is to respond to the oil spill before they proceed to investigation and enforcement. “And when the smoke has cleared, all efforts will be directed toward the investigation and enforcement of all laws applicable to this,” he said. SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation had also chartered the MT Princess Empress which sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, last year. According to Bataan Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III, the cargo owner has not reached out to the local government in relation to providing assistance of affected communities. A fishing ban in Limay is in place. The Bataan governor did not name the cargo owner during the presser. The PCG said earlier that the Philippines’ largest oil firm, Petron Corporation, has volunteered to help in the oil spill response. Petron, part of the San Miguel Group of companies, operates a refinery in Limay. Shipowner Shogun Ships Company Incorporated, owner of MT Terranova, had tapped Harbor Star to siphon the oil and salvage the sunken tanker. Siphoning operations have yet to begin. Harbor Star was one of the companies tapped in the 2023 Mindoro oil spill. Environmental groups are calling for accountability from both owners of the tanker and the cargo oil. “This is already the second massive oil spill under President Marcoss term, and lessons should have already been learned,” Gerry Arances, executive director of think tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development, said in a statement on July 26. “We should not let this be another case where polluters escape accountability, as it has so far been the case for RDC (Reield Marine Services) and San Miguel Corporation last year.” A youth group based in Bataan is calling for assistance for affected coastal communities. “Kailangan talaga natin itong subaybayan, panagutin kung sino man ‘yung nagkasala at mabigyan ng kompensasyon ‘yung mga mangingisda at ‘yung komunidad na pinaka-apektado nito,” Eric Beren, a resident of Limay and member of the Young Bataeños for Environmental Advocacy Network, told Rappler in an interview. (We need to monitor this, make those who did wrong accountable, and give compensation to fisherfolk and communities most affected by this.) The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources estimated that 11,000 fisherfolk may be affected by the oil spill incident, while Bataan Governor Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia said the number of affected fisherfolk may reach 14,000 across nine coastal municipalities in the province. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Manalo: No notification, just ‘exchange of info’ on missions to Ayungin Shoal

Bea Cupin

30/07/2024 18:36

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro pose for a photo during their arrival at Camp Aguinaldo, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Tuesday, July 30, that Manila’s “provisional arrangement” with Beijing for mission to Ayungin Shoal covers an “exchange of information,” and not “notification” — contrary to the claims of the Asian superpower. “Yes, we will, of course, continue our… resupply missions. On the issue of notification, I think the more accurate term is exchange of information, which is exactly what we did with China — both of us,” said Manalo in a joint press conference after he and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. met with their United States counterparts in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. “The fact that the [resupply] was a relative success, I think indicates that it’s something that we are committed to pursue in succeeding supply missions. Provided, of course, [that] China also adheres to the understanding,” added the Philippines’ foreign affairs chief. While several Chinese ships remained in the vicinity of the shoal during the resupply mission, the Philippines said these did not disrupt Philippine ships. Manalo was asked about disagreement over the terms of an arrangement or agreement between the Philippines and China on the missions to bring supplies to and rotate troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting warship that has been grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999. Missions to the BRP Sierra Madre, especially in recent months, have often turned dangerous for Filipino soldiers – with the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia routinely using water cannons and dangerous maneuvers in a bid to stop Philippine vessels. The worst incident yet took place in June 2024, when the CCG towed the Philippine Navy’s boats before boarding them and destroying equipment on board. A Philippine soldier lost his thumb as a result of China’s boat ramming. The provisional arrangement or agreement was announced weeks after Manila hosted Chinese diplomats in early July 2024 for a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting on the South China Sea. The first resupply mission to Ayungin after the agreement was finalized was completed without incident, according to the Philippines. China has insisted that the Philippines agreed to prior notice and an on-site inspection of its vessels. The Philippines – from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the National Security Council – denied these were the terms of the agreement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken “welcomed” the agreement and the results of the July 2024 resupply mission to Ayungin, emphasizing that it should “be the standard, not the exception.” Blinken said he had told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a meeting in Laos that “China must uphold its commitments to not obstruct the Philippines in their resupply missions.” The Philippines is the United States’ oldest treaty-ally in the region. Blinken reiterated Washington’s “ironclad defense commitment” to the Philippines, telling media that the Mutual Defense Treaty covers “armed attacks on Filipino armed forces, public vessels or aircraft, including the coast guard, anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.” Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced during their visit to Manila that Washington has committed a “once-in-a-generation” amount of $500 million in foreign military financing. The money, said US officials, would be used to help the modernization efforts of both the military and coast guard. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Elusive Olympic gold serves as ‘North Star’ for PH boxers in Paris journey

delfin.dioquino editor

25/07/2024 17:35

Eumir Marcial Facebook page Boxing has produced the most number of Olympians for the Philippines. Except for the 1924 and 1928 Games, the Philippines has sent a boxing representative in each of the last 20 editions it participated in, with Filipino boxers accounting for eight of the 14 medals the country has won in the history of the Olympics. So as it celebrates 100 years of Olympic participation, highlighted by a breakthrough gold medal courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in the previous Tokyo Games, it should be fitting for the Philippines to capture that slippery boxing mint. That is the goal in the Paris Games as Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial get another shot at Olympic glory, with debutants Hergie Bacyadan and Aira Villegas in tow. It marks the Philippines’ biggest boxing delegation since it also sent five boxers to the 1996 Atlanta Games, where Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco settled for silver following what many felt an incorrectly judged final loss to Bulgaria’s Daniel Petrov. “That’s everyone’s hope, for us to be able to finally get that elusive gold medal,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary general Marcus Jarwin Manalo. “Of course, all of us want that. That’s the North Star of the team.” But winning an Olympic gold is no easy feat. And if there is one who knows that it takes great pains to achieve that, it is Petecio, who came oh-so close in Tokyo as she bagged silver after bowing to Japan’s Irie Sena via unanimous decision in the final. While Sena will not be coming back to defend her throne following her retirement last year, the women’s 57kg division still provides an arduous challenge, with Petecio regarding Tokyo bronze medalist Irma Testa of Italy, two-time world champion Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, and Asian titlist Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan as her strongest rivals. “The boxers now are on a different level. If I went through the eye of the needle last time, it will be harder this time around,” said Petecio. It goes the same for Paalam, who will compete at the heavier men’s 57kg after nailing a silver in the men’s 52kg in Tokyo. Taller foes await Paalam, including world champions Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan, who demolished the Filipino in the quarterfinals of the last Asian Games, Jahmal Harvey of the United States, and Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan. What Paalam lacks in height, though, he aims to make up with guile. “They’re tall, so I rely on my smarts and self-belief. I won’t win if I don’t believe in myself,” said Paalam. “I’ll do my best every fight so I won’t have any regrets.” Marcial also moved up to the men’s 80kg after the men’s 75kg category where he won bronze in Tokyo got scrapped for Paris. Initially harboring doubts about an Olympic return due to the need for a weight class switch, Marcial – who is undefeated in five fights as a professional boxer – has grown optimistic as he seeks to complete his unfinished business in Paris. Standing in his way are the likes of two-time Olympic champion Arlen Lopez of Cuba, reigning world champion Nurbek Oralbay of Kazakhstan, and Tokyo silver medalist Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine, who edged Marcial via split decision in the semifinals. “I’m confident in my preparation,” said Marcial, who trained in the United States before joining the national team in its training camps in Metz, France, and Saarbrucken, Germany. “When it comes to boxing, we all know that we have no control of the results because we have judges and referees. But with the training I’m doing, I know for myself that we have a good chance of getting the gold medal in the Paris Olympics.” After many detours, all roads seemed to lead to Paris for Bacyadan. Originally a wushu athlete, the pride of Kalinga tried her hand at boxing and made the national team, even striking gold in the 2019 ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships in Xiamen, China. But in the same year she won her biggest prize in boxing, Bacyadan left the sport and eventually pursued vovinam, the Vietnamese martial art where she won a world title and a silver in the Southeast Asian Games last year. Given another chance by ABAP to return to the national team, Bacyadan seized the moment in the second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, in June as she became the last Filipino boxer to qualify for Paris. “It’s probably the Lord’s will to bring me back here and finish the plans that I failed to do before,” said Bacyadan, who needs just two wins in the women’s 80kg to guarantee herself of an Olympic medal. “I got depressed because I didn’t know which sport I should pursue. Everything that happened to me worked to my advantage. I’m proud of myself that I overcame all of the challenges I went through.” Like Bacyadan, Villegas also battled self-doubt. Starting in boxing at the young age of nine years old as she followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Villegas said she had never won a gold medal in a competition before her breakthrough victory in the Boxam Elite Tournament in Alicante, Spain, in February. A month later, the Tacloban native secured a top-four finish in the women’s 50kg category of the first World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, to clinch her Paris berth. The pair of accomplishments only proved Villegas belonged. “I never saw my own potential. A lot of people are saying that I’m good, but I never saw it that way,” said Villegas. “But I realized that I should believe in the people who see something in me.” A lot of factors come into play in winning an Olympic gold. Injuries, seedings, pairings, and even judges’ preferences affect how far a boxer will go, but Manalo said the squad is focused on things it has control of. “The gold is not completely under our control. What is completely under our control is the preparation, our own performances, how we take care of our bodies, how we support their well-being,” said Manalo. “It will just be a natural byproduct of all the hard work and the efforts of the whole team – boxers, coaches, support staff, officials, sponsors, everyone.” For national team coach Ronald Chavez, the Philippines put together the best crew for Paris. “Out of all the teams I coached in the Olympics, this five is the strongest,” said Chavez, who represented the country in the 1992 Barcelona Games. “I won’t say what color of medal they’re going to win, but I’m sure this five will deliver.” – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Joanie Delgaco last in Olympic quarterfinal race, bows out of contention

delfin.dioquino editor

30/07/2024 16:59

LONE BET. Rower Joanie Delgaco in action for the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Philippine Rowing Association Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – Joanie Delgaco bowed out of contention in the Paris Olympics after finishing sixth in her quarterfinal race in the women’s single sculls at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Tuesday, July 30. The first female rower to represent the Philippines in the Summer Games, Delgaco placed last in quarterfinal 3 with a time of 7 minutes and 58.30 seconds as she got relegated to the semifinals C/D. Reigning Olympic champion Emma Twigg of New Zealand topped the race with hardly any challenge, clocking 7:26.89 to secure her semifinals A/B spot. Switzerland’s Aurelia-Maxima Katharina Janzen (7:31.12) and Spain’s Virginia Diaz Rivas (7:34.01) also advanced, with the top three in each of the four quarterfinal races qualifying for the semifinals A/B. One of only four Asians to reach the quarterfinals, Delgaco crossed the first 500m at fifth before she got overtaken as the rest of the field battled for the top three spots. Azerbaijan’s Diana Dymchenko (7:53.76) and Serbia’s Jovana Arsic (7:56.18) ended up at fourth and fifth, respectively. It was the slowest performance for the pride of Iriga, Camarines Sur, in the Olympics after she registered 7:56.26 in the heats and 7:55.00 in the repechage. But Delgaco can still redeem herself in her last two races as she can attain the highest possible ranking of 13th place. The semifinals C/D are scheduled on Wednesday, July 31. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Why do Filipinos still ‘feel’ poor despite economic growth and lower unemployment?

lkyu0285

30/07/2024 19:00

POVERTY. High-rise buildings dwarf residential shanties in Barangay Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City, on January 17, 2023. Jire Carreon/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – During a Senate briefing on the state of the economy, the country’s chief economist had to grapple with a difficult question: despite the Philippines having one of the fastest economic growth rates in Asia, why hasn’t this rapid growth translated into better living conditions for ordinary Filipinos? “The country has made remarkable strides in reducing poverty levels between 2021 and 2023,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said on Tuesday, July 30. On paper, it was true. The poverty incidence rate for individuals had fallen to 15.5% in 2023 from 18.1% in 2021, which is equivalent to 2.45 million Filipinos being lifted out of poverty between those years. But that was certainly not what most Filipinos felt. A Q2 2024 self-rated poverty survey by Social Weather Stations found that 58% of families considered themselves poor, and 12% considered themselves on the borderline. Only 30% of families surveyed said they did not feel poor. “Although the numbers are quite rosy, all surveys with self-rated poverty are high. That means they’re employed, but what they bring home isn’t enough to cover the daily needs of their families,” Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, chairman of the Senate committee on economic affairs, said in a mix of English and Filipino. How did Balisacan explain the discrepancy? The chief economist pins it on job quality. As of May 2024, the unemployment rate is only at 4.1% while the underemployment rate has reached a record low of 9.9%, figures which Balisacan said were almost at par with developed economies. But these may not tell the full picture. “The way employment here is measured doesn’t take into account the quality of your employment. Whether you’re working 2 hours a day or 8 hours a day, it’s the same count,” the NEDA secretary said. Even if an individual is technically employed, Balisacan said this is “not the kind of employment that we really want our population to have.” “Many of these employed people are in the very informal sector, highly unproductive sectors, like watching your sari-sari store that hardly sells P500 a day. But you’re still employed,” he added. The solution that he pitched was to diversify the sources of growth so that the economy is not just dependent on consumption and services. Foreign direct investments are one way to get there. “There is no shortcut. You need massive investment — not just domestic, but also foreign,” he said. Another question raised during the hearing was the status of the investment pledges touted after every foreign trip that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. makes. In 2023 alone, the jet-setting President made 11 trips to 9 countries. According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Marcos’ foreign trips have brought in $76.6 billion or nearly P4.5 trillion in foreign investments as of June 2024. Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual also confirmed that $19 billion worth of those pledged investments are “already cleared and registered” with investment promotion agencies. However, when the economic team was called to the Senate, none from NEDA, DTI, or the Department of Finance could immediately explain the exact status of the investment pledges made during Marcos’ trips. Pascual did not join the briefing. The latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows that net foreign direct investments reached more than $3.5 billion from January to April 2024, which was an 18.7% increase from the same period a year ago. However, the central bank does not indicate whether these investments were tied with the pledges made during Marcos’ trips. Meanwhile, Balisacan tried to temper expectations, emphasizing that it takes a long time to actualize investment pledges. “Understandably, there’s quite a long period from pledges to actual realization because some of these will require due diligence by the investing public, feasibility studies, financing,” the NEDA secretary said. “It’s not something pledged in one year and in that same year, you see the investment. It doesn’t work that way,” he added. Balisacan also said that when it comes to some renewable energy projects, it could take up to five years to go from intention to actual realization. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Ad agency Gigil apologizes for controversial ‘Gil Tulog’ street signs

Russell Ku

30/07/2024 13:12

MANILA, Philippines – Ad agency Gigil, the firm behind the controversial ‘Gil Tulog’ street signs, broke its silence Tuesday, July 30, and issued a public apology to the Puyat family. “Understanding the distress the project caused, we have personally reached out to members of the Puyat family to convey our regrets and express our respect for former Senate president Gil Puyat’s legacy,” Gigil said in a statement. The agency added that it “will be putting in place more stringent measures to ensure this does not happen again.” The Puyat family filed a complaint with the Ad Standards Council of the Philippines against Gigil on Friday, July 26, saying the street signs were a “total disrespect” to the legacy of former Senate president Gil Puyat. Puyat’s son Victor said the marketing campaign, done to promote the melatonin brand Wellspring, goes against Section 1 of Article IV of the Ad Standards Council’s Code of Ethics. He added that he wanted Gigil to be “suspended or banned” from the ASC. Eagle-eyed Makati residents and social media users noticed that the street signs along various parts of Gil Puyat Avenue, named after the late political leader, were altered to “Gil Tulog Ave. (formerly Gil Puyat).” The move angered the Puyat family. “Our name is not to be violated by reasons that are financial, political, or otherwise,” Victor said in a note exclusively sent to Rappler on July 26. Makati City Mayor Abby Binay ordered the mock street signs be taken down, saying the proposals and permits for the project did not reach her office. She added that she reprimanded city officials behind its approval. “Even as all the necessary permits and clearances were secured, our approach had resonated differently and so the campaign was immediately discontinued,” Gigil said. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority passed MMDA Regulation 24-001 in January 2024 that prohibits commercial advertisements from being posted on lampposts. However, it only applies to those maintained by the MMDA. The regulation was signed by all 17 Metro Manila mayors. The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines suspended Gigil in 2021 over a controversial ad involving the Belo Medical Group. Wellspring apologized for this latest fiasco, saying it “made a misstep” and never intended to disrespect Gil Puyat’s legacy. Gil Puyat served as senator from 1951 until 1972. He was the last Senate president before late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared martial law. He died on March 23, 1980. Gil Puyat Avenue was renamed from Buendia Avenue through Batas Pambansa Blg. 312 on November 14, 1982. — Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Swimmer Kayla Sanchez out to honor roots in Olympic stint for Philippines

delfin.dioquino editor

26/07/2024 21:23

Kayla Sanchez Instagram page MANILA, Philippines – Swimmer Kayla Sanchez is back on the Olympic stage, but she carries a different flag this time around. Sanchez will compete for the Philippines in the Paris Olympics three years after helping Canada win a pair of medals in the Tokyo Games as she hopes to honor her roots. “It has always been on my mind being able to represent the Philippines,” the 23-year-old Sanchez told PlayItRight TV. “It is a part of my heritage.” Born in Singapore to Filipino parents Noel and Susana, Sanchez and her family moved to Canada, where she started swimming at the age of four initially as a weekly activity until she got better and took the sport more seriously. Sanchez boasts of a long list of credentials highlighted by a women’s 4x100m freestyle silver and a women’s 4x100m medley bronze in Tokyo, making her the only multiple Olympic medalist out of the 22 Filipino bets in Paris. Her other accolades include three golds in the short course and two silvers in the long course editions of the World Aquatics Championships, two silvers in the Commonwealth Games, and two bronzes in the Pan Pacific Championships. For Sanchez, her success in swimming would not be possible without her parents, who not only provided her support but also served as role models when it came to putting in the work. “I learned from my parents to be very hardworking. My parents worked a lot,” said Sanchez. “They were also a big part of the decision for me moving to the Philippines. I want to represent their country and make them proud.” Opting to make the nationality switch in 2022, Sanchez completed a one-year residency before she debuted for the Philippines in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, last year. There, Sanchez came close to becoming the first Filipino swimmer to win an Asian Games medal since 1998, finishing fifth in the women’s 100m freestyle and sixth in the women’s 50m backstroke. She currently owns the Philippine records in those two categories plus another one in the women’s 50m freestyle. While coming from a diverse background, Sanchez is as Filipino as it gets. Sanchez said she enjoys the company of relatives, loves Filipino food, and is in the process of learning how to speak fluent Tagalog. “This will be so special for me because both my parents and my whole family is Filipino. I’ve grown up very Filipino – the Filipino parties, karaoke, Filipino ulams (viands),” Sanchez told Radyo Sports Pilipinas. “I think this time, now that I finally get to represent the flag, it is going to be very special for me and my family.” Qualifying for the Olympics alongside Filipino-American Jarod Hatch through the universality rule, Sanchez will see action in the women’s 100m freestyle, with the goal of reaching at least the semifinals. Sanchez said she wants to inspire young Filipino swimmers and make them believe that they can also excel on the world stage. “I’m just super excited because it is the Filipino flag that gets to advance, not just me, it is all of the Philippines. If I can do that for the country, it will be such an honor,” said Sanchez. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Negros Occidental mayor, 18 others cleared of 6-year-old graft complaint

Herbie G

30/07/2024 11:58

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed graft complaints filed six years ago against the mayor of a Negros Occidental town, six municipal legislators, and a dozen other local officials. The town officials, including Mayor Marvin Malacon of EB Magalona, were accused of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by giving financial aid of P300,000 each to various barangays in EB Magalona a month before the 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. Based on the agreement between the municipal government and each barangay, the P300,000 was to be used for flood control projects, reforestation, road rehabilitation, or other development projects. In the July 2018 administrative and criminal complaints, former vice mayor Robert “Rob” Acaling said the act of releasing some P6.9 million in town government funds to the barangays a month ahead of the village and youth elections constituted illegal use of public funds, dishonesty, grave abuse of authority, and grave misconduct. In a 14-page decision penned by Graft Investigator Emilyn Cristina Castillo and approved by Ombudsman Samuel Martires, the town councilors cleared together with Malacon were the following: The other officials cleared by the ombudman are as follows: The ruling was signed on April 18 but was made public on Monday, July 29. In the complaint, Acaling said the town councilors conspired to give Malacon the authority, through a resolution, to sign the agreement with the barangay officials without enough deliberation. Acaling said the town council resolution was passed when he was absent, with the special session presided over by  Councilor Matulac. He said the town’s budget officer and treasurer then released the funds to 23 barangays without an appropriation ordinance. Acaling, however, executed an affidavit of desistance on October 26, 2018, stating that he was no longer interested in pursuing the complaints after an evaluation, showed records from the ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman, however, continued the investigation despite Acaling’s withdrawal until it found that the evidence was insufficient to establish criminal and administrative liabilities. Malacon told a news conference on Monday that the accusations were fabricated and meant to tarnish his reputation. He hinted at suing Acaling and those who stood as witnesses against them, including barangay chairpersons Edilberto Nallos of Alacaygan, Arthur Paez of Dos Poblacion, and Mariovic Santibañez of Latasan, and village councilors Romeo Quiñones and Romeo Abrenica of Barangay Consing. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Fishing banned in Limay, Bataan due to oil spill

Iya Gozum

30/07/2024 16:02

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard create improvised oil spill booms as part of containment efforts after oil tanker MT Terranova capsized and submerged off Limay, Bataan. PCG BATAAN, Philippines – A fishing ban is already in place in Limay, Bataan, Governor Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia III said on Tuesday, July 30, days after MT Terranova capsized and submerged off Lamao in Limay last July 25. Garcia said the fishing ban was imposed by Limay Mayor Nelson David. Water samples taken from four barangays in Limay, Bataan, were also found to have levels of oil and grease that exceeded standard limits set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, deeming them unsuitable for fishing and swimming. Water bodies are suited for fishing if oil and grease concentration found in samples only amounted to 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or below, and safe for swimming if oil and grease concentration is only 2 mg/L or below. Based on a presentation on Tuesday by Raphael de Leon, officer-in-charge of Bataan’s Environment and Natural Resources Office, the four areas not suitable for fishing and swimming are: Samples from Barangay Francis I, Barangay Wawa, and Barangay Luz Kitang were taken on July 25, while the water sample from Lamao was taken on July 26. There were two stations in Barangay Luz Kitang where samples were taken. The water sample from the other station only registered 2.4 mg/L of oil and grease. Results were shown to reporters in Balanga, Bataan, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, water samples taken from three barangays in Mariveles (namely Batangas II, Lucanin, and Townsite) did not exceed standard limits for fishing and swimming. Bataan, especially Lamao, is grappling with the oil spill caused by the sunken MT Terranova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil. In the days that followed, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had deployed oil spill booms and is currently sealing the valves before contracted salvor Harbor Star can start siphoning operations. Experts had forecasted that the oil spill could reach Metro Manila by Tuesday, July 30. But in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gavan said based on their aerial inspection earlier in the day, no oil sheen was seen going toward Manila. While the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said around 11,000 fisherfolk would be affected by the oil spill, Garcia estimated that at least 14,000 fisherfolk from nine coastal municipalities in Bataan could bear the brunt of the maritime incident. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Sara Duterte appeals for protection of family from ‘any violence’

Bonz Magsambol

30/07/2024 15:39

TURNOVER. Vice President Sara Duterte delivers her message during the turnover ceremony on Thursday, July 18. DepEd Facebook Page MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 30, appealed for protection for her family members from ‘any violence,” after the Philippine National Police (PNP) recalled its 75 personnel from her security detail. “Isa lang ang hiling ko sa inyo — ang kaligtasan ng aking pamilya. Huwag ninyong payagan ang anumang karahasan sa aking ina, asawa, at apat na anak, personal man o sa internet. At kung sakali man, huwag ninyong palampasin ang sinumang gagawa ng kapahamakan laban sa kanila,” Duterte said in a statement. (I only have one wish — the safety of my family. Don’t allow any violence against my mother, husband, and four children, physically or online. And just in case, do not let anyone who causes harm to them get away with it.) The Vice President issued the statement after Senator Bato dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, encouraged former members of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “who are good at unarmed combat and volunteering” to volunteer for the security detail of the Vice President. “Bayanihan lang walang suweldo (Volunteer work, no salary),” Dela Rosa posted on his Facebook account on Monday, July 29. The Vice President thanked Dela Rosa and senators Robin Padilla and Bong Go, PNP and AFP staff, and ordinary people who offered to provide security for them. In a separate Facebook post on Monday, the Vice President called the removal of 75 cops from her security detail a “clear case of political harassment.” In a lengthy open letter, she called out PNP chief Rommel Marbil for allegedly “spreading lies” about the pullout of the cops. “Ang relief ng mga PNP personnel ay dumating pagkatapos ko magresign sa DepEd, pagkatapos ko inihambing ang SONA sa isang catastrophic event, at pagkatapos lumabas ang cocaine video. Let us spare our people from all the lies,” she said. (The relief of the PNP personnel came after I resigned from DepEd, after I compared the SONA to a catastrophic event, and after the cocaine video came out. Let us spare our people from all the lies.) She was referring to the video that circulated hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address. (READ: Face-swapped? Deepfake detector flags alleged Marcos video as ‘suspicious’) Duterte also refuted Marbil’s claim that her security detail was reduced as they saw “no threat” to her lift. Marbil had also said that the PNP lacked personnel to do ground duties, forcing others to do overtime work. “Hindi ba’t mayroong malisyosong pagpapalabas ng video footage noong ako’y nasa NAIA? Kuha sa isang lugar kung saan pawang mga empleyado lamang ng paliparan at piling mga tao ang maaring nandoon,” she said/ She was referring to the viral photo on social media which showed the Vice President and her family at the airport leaving for a “personal overseas trip” while parts of the country experienced calamitous floods. Duterte also claimed that PNP operatives recently visited the house they were renting to do “casing” activity. “Pilit pang inaalam kung nasaan mismo ang bahay na inuupahan ko. Bahay kung saan rin nakatira ang aking mga anak. Kung hindi ito napigilan ng mga nagmagandang loob na opisyal ng homeowners’ association, hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang maaring mangyari,” she said. (They were trying to find out the exact location of the house I’m renting. A house where my children also live. If it weren’t for the intervention of officials of the homeowners’ association, I don’t know what might have happened.) In a statement on Tuesday, Senator Imee Marcos called for the return of the cops to the security detail of the Vice President. “First, she is the second highest elected official in the country whose safety must never be compromised. Second, she is a Duterte, who, like her father, is a staunch defender of law and order, hence topping the CPP-NPA’s order of battle,” the senator said. In 2022, the AFP activated for Duterte the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), which is a separate unit from the PSG. Duterte then thanked the AFP for activating tje VPSG, saying that it “may be expected to solve the challenges if, in future elections, the vice president and the president face the misfortune of having strained relations.” A Commission on Audit Report in 2022 showed that Duterte had 433 personnel for VPSPG, which was 63% of the total number of OVP staff. Her predecessor, former vice president Leni Robredo, only had 78 military personnel assigned for her security. Duterte then defended the VPSPG’s numbers, saying that additional security was needed for her roles in the Marcos Cabinet, such as the education secretary and co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. The Vice President resigned from both positions, effectively leaving the Marcos Cabinet, on July 19. Reporters have reached out to OVP to get the current number of personnel under the VPSPG, but it has yet to respond as of posting time. This page will be updated once we get a response. When she was vice president, Leni Robredo had far less security detail but did not make a fuss about it, said her former spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez. “VP Duterte started with 433 security personnel, over 4x that of VP Leni who only had 108 in 2016,” Gutierrez said on X on Tuesday. With the removal of 75 personnel from Duterte’s security detail, she would now have 350 people left, Gutierrez said. Leni’s security detail was down to 83 by 2020, or four years into her VP term “We never made an issue of it. No ‘open letter.’ No tantrum. No drama,” Gutierrez said. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said that the Vice President still has a substantial number of security personnel at her side. “I don’t think it’s a bad matter to recall some of the personnel. And she still has 300 bodyguards. It’s bigger than the President’s,” Remulla said on Thursday, August 1. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. 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Ad agency Gigil apologizes for controversial ‘Gil Tulog’ street signs

Russell Ku

30/07/2024 13:12

MANILA, Philippines – Ad agency Gigil, the firm behind the controversial ‘Gil Tulog’ street signs, broke its silence Tuesday, July 30, and issued a public apology to the Puyat family. “Understanding the distress the project caused, we have personally reached out to members of the Puyat family to convey our regrets and express our respect for former Senate president Gil Puyat’s legacy,” Gigil said in a statement. The agency added that it “will be putting in place more stringent measures to ensure this does not happen again.” The Puyat family filed a complaint with the Ad Standards Council of the Philippines against Gigil on Friday, July 26, saying the street signs were a “total disrespect” to the legacy of former Senate president Gil Puyat. Puyat’s son Victor said the marketing campaign, done to promote the melatonin brand Wellspring, goes against Section 1 of Article IV of the Ad Standards Council’s Code of Ethics. He added that he wanted Gigil to be “suspended or banned” from the ASC. Eagle-eyed Makati residents and social media users noticed that the street signs along various parts of Gil Puyat Avenue, named after the late political leader, were altered to “Gil Tulog Ave. (formerly Gil Puyat).” The move angered the Puyat family. “Our name is not to be violated by reasons that are financial, political, or otherwise,” Victor said in a note exclusively sent to Rappler on July 26. Makati City Mayor Abby Binay ordered the mock street signs be taken down, saying the proposals and permits for the project did not reach her office. She added that she reprimanded city officials behind its approval. “Even as all the necessary permits and clearances were secured, our approach had resonated differently and so the campaign was immediately discontinued,” Gigil said. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority passed MMDA Regulation 24-001 in January 2024 that prohibits commercial advertisements from being posted on lampposts. However, it only applies to those maintained by the MMDA. The regulation was signed by all 17 Metro Manila mayors. The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines suspended Gigil in 2021 over a controversial ad involving the Belo Medical Group. Wellspring apologized for this latest fiasco, saying it “made a misstep” and never intended to disrespect Gil Puyat’s legacy. Gil Puyat served as senator from 1951 until 1972. He was the last Senate president before late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared martial law. He died on March 23, 1980. Gil Puyat Avenue was renamed from Buendia Avenue through Batas Pambansa Blg. 312 on November 14, 1982. — Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Tokyo trio attempts one last punch for gold

Jasmine Payo

30/07/2024 14:35

WINNERS ONLY. The Philippines' boxing medalists (from left) Eumir Marcial, Carlo Paalam, and Nesthy Petecio in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Eumir Marcial Instagram page MANILA, Philippines – It was in Tokyo in 2021 when the Philippines had its best-ever showing in the Olympics. Although superstar weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz will no longer have a shot at a third medal after falling short in the Paris Games qualification, the three other medalists from Tokyo will aim to fill in the shoes left by the greatest Olympian the Philippines has ever produced. The Tokyo trio – Olympic boxing silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, and bronze winner Eumir Marcial – will be among those leading the 22-athlete Philippine delegation bidding to surpass its record medal output four years ago. Before the historic Tokyo Games run, the country’s previous best Olympic performance was in the 1932 Los Angeles Games where the Philippines brought home three bronze medals courtesy of Simeon Toribio in athletics (men’s high jump), Jose Villanueva in boxing (men’s bantamweight), and Teofilo Yldefonso in swimming (men’s 200-meter breaststroke). Every four years, boxing has perennially provided the Philippines its biggest hopes for the elusive Olympic gold. Petecio, Paalam, and Marcial continue this tradition as they are among the country’s brightest medal prospects in Paris. They, too, share a number of things in common. The three are all proud Mindanaoans. Marcial, like Diaz, comes from the Latin City of the South, Zamboanga City. Petecio is from Sta.Cruz, Davao del Sur. Born in Bukidnon, Paalam moved to Cagayan de Oro when he was six years old. The Tokyo trio will all be humming what could possibly be the final verses of their swan song in the Paris Olympics. The 28-year-old Marcial moved up to the men’s 80 kilogram after his bronze finish in Tokyo in the men’s 75kg, a division that has been scrapped from this year’s edition. Marcial is already in the early stages of what is shaping up to be a promising professional boxing career. He is unbeaten since 2020 in the pro ranks after five bouts, three of which did not go the distance. His last fight was last March 23 when he knocked out Thoedsak Sinam of Thailand at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Marcial has been vacillating between the pro ranks and the amateur ranks the past four years, but the plan had always been to win the gold in Paris before concentrating full-time on his pro career. “My goal is not just to participate in the Paris Olympics, but to win the gold,” said Marcial in Filipino. Petecio, meanwhile, knows that time is not on her side. “I am so blessed. This is very important for me because maybe this is my last Olympics,” Petecio said in Filipino after clinching a Paris Games berth in Busto Arsizio, Italy. At 32 years old, Petecio has practically accomplished everything there is to accomplish in boxing, bagging a gold and silver in the World Championship, ranking world No. 2 in the women’s 57kg, copping one silver and two bronzes from the Asian Championships, and becoming a two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. But there is one more thing missing in her medal cabinet that may be within reach in Paris. “I will not stop until I get the Olympic gold medal” said a determined Petecio. Like Marcial and Petecio, the 26-year-old Paalam knows it’s important to make the most of his Paris stint as getting to the Olympics a third straight time will not be an easy feat, considering he will be 30 when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics rolls around. Already, the wear and tear has been creeping up on Paalam, who had to overcome injuries just to book a ticket to Paris. He will also be going up in weight at 57kg from 52kg, so it will be interesting to see how Paalam deals with bigger and heavier foes. Paalam has shown he has adjusted to his new weight class when he won the 2022 Asian Championships and the 2023 SEA Games gold. The challenge now for Paalam is to prove he could do the same in Paris against the best competition in the world. It is the thought that they could be making their final Olympic stand that fuels the Tokyo trio in their Paris quest. While others would be happy to just have made it to Paris, the standards have been set higher for Petecio, Paalam, and Marcial. The goal is the gold. There is no other medal in their sights. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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RESULTS: June 2024 Licensure Examination for Dentists

lfangeles0309

01/07/2024 22:26

The following is a press release from the Professional Regulation Commission. The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 673 out of 1,207 passed the Licensure Examination for Dentists given by the Board of Dentistry in NCR, Baguio, and Cebu last June 2024. The members of the Board of Dentistry who gave the licensure examination are Dr. Merlin A. Go, Officer-In-Charge; Dr. Melinda L. Garcia, Dr. Rodolfo R. Drapete, Dr. Carlito D. Paragas and Dr. Gloria M. Bumanlag, Members. The results were released in six (6) working days after the last day of examination. Starting July 26, 2024, registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will be done on-line. Please go to www.prc.gov.ph and follow instructions for initial registration. Those who will register are required to bring the following: downloaded duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, notice of admission (for identification only), 2 pieces passport sized pictures (colored with white background and complete name tag), 2 sets of documentary stamps and 1 piece short brown envelope. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals. The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the successful examinees in the said examination will be announced later. The top performing school in the June 2024 Licensure Examination for Dentists as per Commission Resolution No. 1814 series of 2024: The successful examinees who garnered the ten (10) highest places in the June 2024 Licensure Examination for Dentists are the following: Here’s the full list of passers: – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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In shock move, Mason Amos leaves Ateneo after just one season

delfin.dioquino editor

01/07/2024 21:09

DRIVE. Mason Amos in action for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 86. UAAP MANILA, Philippines – In a stunning turn of events in UAAP basketball, Mason Amos left the Ateneo Blue Eagles as he is reportedly set to join rival La Salle Green Archers. Amos – who is with Gilas Pilipinas in Riga, Latvia, for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament – announced his departure from Ateneo on Monday, July 1, after news of his transfer to La Salle broke. “I will forever be proud to have represented the school and thankful. I love you Ateneo. It may be a goodbye, but you will always have a place in my heart,” Amos wrote on Instagram. The move came as a surprise, as the Filipino-Australian standout spent just one season with the Blue Eagles in the UAAP. He helped Ateneo reach the Final Four in Season 86, averaging 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds, before they were booted out by the UP Fighting Maroons in the semifinals. A 6-foot-7 big man who boasts a sweet stroke from beyond the arc, Amos is the latest player to depart the Blue Eagles’ nest after the likes of Kai Ballungay, Jared Brown, and Geo Chiu also bid the school goodbye. “To my teammates – with a heavy heart, I would like to express that you guys have been a huge part of my life. I am thankful for everything that we were able to share,” said Amos. “I have no regrets having fought by your side. I am thankful that you guys taught me lessons and that we were able to create memories I will cherish forever. I love you guys and that’ll never change.” At La Salle, Amos bolsters an already stacked team that is also set to welcome former San Beda Red Lions guard Jacob Cortez and former NU Bulldogs guard Kean Baclaan. He is eligible to play for the Green Archers in Season 88 in 2025. “To the Ateneo community, I am grateful for the opportunities you have given me. I am grateful for the memories I have been able to create and cherish. I am grateful to all the great people I have met during my time,” he said. “I am grateful for all the challenges you have presented me. I am grateful that I was able to be apart of something bigger than myself. I am forever thankful for the love you have given me constantly day in and day out.” In the meantime, Amos is focused on helping the Philippines qualify for the Paris Games as they battle Latvia and Georgie the group stage of the OQT, which will run from July 2 to 7. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Ateneo will come out of this more stronger. Perhaps not a champipm team this year but definitely better. I would say this is not a good decision for Amos. He shows that he does not value team loyalty and his new teammates are well aware of this. How does this make you feel?

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While pleased with progress, Cone aims to squeeze more out of Gilas in FIBA OQT bid

delfin.dioquino editor

01/07/2024 17:53

COMMAND. Head coach Tim Cone calling the shots for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – Now that Gilas Pilipinas has shown it can go toe-to-toe with top teams from Europe, the next goal for the squad is to actually pull off wins when the “real fight” – as head coach Tim Cone calls it – begins. Although delighted with the way the Nationals battled against Turkey and Poland in a pair of friendly games, Cone aims to squeeze more out of his wards in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia. The road to a coveted spot in the Paris Games is an uphill climb for the Philippines as it faces world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia in the group stage. “I’ve been pleased with our progress in the games. We’re proving to ourselves that we can play with these guys, but we can’t be satisfied with getting close,” Cone said through a message exchange. “We need to get over the hump and that means more attention to detail.” Sticking with their 11-man roster minus injured guard Scottie Thompson, the Filipinos gave world No. 24 Turkey a run for its money before absorbing a 73-84 loss in Istanbul. The Philippines played better against Poland – ranked 15th in the world and reinforced by NBA player Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs – as it fell short of a massive upset in an 80-82 defeat in Sosnowiec. Protecting the ball is a major concern for Gilas after it totaled more turnovers (40) than assists (39) in the two tune-up matches. There is little room for error in the OQT, with host Latvia determined to reach the Olympics for the first time since 1936 as it put together a solid team led by Charlotte Hornets forward Davis Bertans, Arturs Zagars, and Rodions Kurucs. Georgia is also bringing its NBA players, with Goga Bitadze (Orlando Magic) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (San Antonio Spurs) leading its bid for a maiden Olympic appearance. “This is not supposed to be a fun trip, it’s supposed to be the hardest thing we will ever do in our basketball lives,” said Cone. “The guys are pushing and I love it. But we still need more.” Cone and Gilas arrived in Latvia on Sunday, June 30, and he hopes for the team to settle down amid a grueling European trip that saw it travel to three countries in less than a week. “Hopefully, now that we’re here in Riga, things will normalize for us the next couple of days and we can catch our breath and focus on the tournament,” said Cone. The Philippines will play two games in less than 24 hours as it tangles with Latvia and Georgia at 12 am and 8:30 pm, respectively, on Thursday, July 4 (Manila time). – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Philippine eagles Carlito and Uswag released in Leyte

Jee Geronimo

28/06/2024 13:24

FREE. Philippine eagle Carlito faces the small group of people on the wooden platform before flying into the wild. Iya Gozum/Rappler LEYTE, Philippines – Philippine eagles Carlito and Uswag flew free from captivity on Friday, June 28, reintroducing the majestic raptor’s species into the Anonang-Lobi mountain range of Leyte. It was the first time a pair of Philippine eagles were released outside Mindanao and into the Visayas as part of the Philippine Eagle Foundation’s (PEF) translocation program. “They shall return to their old home and hopefully, we will establish a self-sustaining population in the next five years,” Jayson Ibañez, director of PEF, told Rappler. Carlito and Uswag’s release was a reintroduction of the species (Pithecophaga jefferyi) into the area, where sightings of the raptors died down after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreaked havoc on the island in 2013. Carlito was a 6-year-old female Philippine eagle rescued in the mountains of Agusan del Sur, while Uswag was a 3-year-old found in Mt. Apo. Anonang-Lobi is a key biodiversity area that covers 110,000 hectares of forest land. A pair of Philippine eagles typically need around 7,000 hectares to thrive. “We believe that this is a milestone for Philippine eagle conservation,” said Ibañez. “We’re very excited about this project because we think that it can help raise awareness. But then, at the same time, it would level up our conservation work by reintroducing birds from Mindanao to Leyte.” Both raptors had lightweight GPS trackers installed on their backs. On the day of their release, Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga took off the magnets of the transmitters, effectively starting the tracking of the eagles. According to Ibañez, they had fewer encounters of the birds in the area based on their annual counts. PEF was thinking of doing a restocking initiative “but then [Super] Typhoon Yolanda came,” Ibañez said. “In our annual counts, we didn’t see the Philippine eagles anymore. We believe that [Super] Typhoon Yolanda, with its strong winds, decimated the remaining few individuals of Leyte. So, that’s when we thought about transforming the restocking project to a reintroduction.” A reintroduction means reestablishing the founder population in an area where the raptors once roamed. In a span of 10 years, PEF conducted biological and social feasibility studies. They had to check if the area was large enough and had adequate prey base and nesting trees. The group had to check for the community’s support too, and address shooting and hunting practices. While they worked with pockets of locals within the 6-kilometer radius from where the raptors were released, PEF mostly had to engage the village of Kagbang, which serves as the gateway to Anonang-Lobi. “I think that’s one strength of this area as a release site, because you need to only work with a single community rather than a lot of communities,” said Ibañez. “They’re strategically positioned so that they’re the gateway or entry point to the whole watershed.” An hour away from the release site was the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) campus in Burauen, where a new arboretum rises. A day before the eagles were released, EVSU signed a memorandum of agreement with PEF and the Energy Development Corporation (EDC). According to Ibañez, the arboretum was an offshoot of the translocation project for Carlito and Uswag. The Binhi Arboretum Project in EVSU would feature endangered species of native trees that can also be found in Anonang-Lobi. “[Philippine native trees] support a wide variety of other native [plant] and [animal] species, many of which are endemic in their respective regions, including our mighty Philippine eagle,” said forester Erwin Magallanes from EDC. Aside from being a showcase of native trees, the arboretum would serve as a gene bank as well as a learning environment for EVSU students. – Rappler.com All quotes in Filipino were translated into English for brevity. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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FACT CHECK: No retired warships donated by US to PH

jpcruz0306

01/07/2024 20:27

Claim: The United States donated 13 of its strongest and largest retired ships to the Philippines. Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video containing the claim was posted on June 20 and has garnered 16,475 views, 376 likes, and 61 comments as of writing. The title of the video states: “Ang PH ay tumanggap ng donasyon ng 13 pinakamalakas at pinakamalaking retiradong barko mula sa US (PH receives donation of 13 strongest and largest retired ships from US).” The bottom line: The Philippines did not receive 13 retired ships from the US. No announcements or reports from the Philippine Navy nor the defense departments of the Philippines and the United States confirm the supposed donation. The video heavily features clips of the USS Robert Smalls (CG-62), formerly known as the USS Chancellorsville. Contrary to the claim, this Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is still in service with the US Navy. Clips of the USS Robert Smalls used in the misleading video were taken from a YouTube video originally posted by the US Navy on May 29, 2015, when the ship was still known as the Chancellorsville. In the original video, the ship was departing San Diego for Yokosuka, Japan, for its deployment to the US 7th Fleet’s Forward Deployed Naval Forces. To be decommissioned: The US Navy earlier announced plans to decommission its 13 remaining Ticonderoga-class warships by 2027. The cruisers are the last of 27 ships that were commissioned between 1983 and 1994. This includes the USS Robert Smalls, which was commissioned in 1989 and is projected for retirement in 2026. There are no announcements regarding plans to donate the decommissioned cruisers. According to Naval News, the ships are slated to become Logistical Support Assets or spare parts sources. They will then be either scrapped or used in sinking exercises. No new donations: There are no reports of new donations of military equipment from Washington to Manila. In May, the US funded a Coast Guard Repair Facility at the Cavite Buoy Base in Sangley Point. Rising tensions: The video, which falsely implied new US support to bolster the Philippine Navy’s maritime capabilities, was posted a few days after the latest clash between the Philippines and China in Ayungin Shoal. According to the Philippines’ National Security Council, Chinese vessels performed dangerous maneuvers, including ramming and towing, to disrupt a routine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal. The collision resulted in a Filipino soldier’s thumb getting cut off after being caught in between Philippine and Chinese boats. Following the incident, the US reaffirmed that armed attacks on the Philippines’ forces and vessels could be the basis for invoking the Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries. The US has expressed its support for its ally amid worsening tensions in the region, with China continuing to reject a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating its sweeping claims over nearly the entire South China Sea. (READ: [EXPLAINER] South China Sea: Why are China and Philippines tensions heating up?) – Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com Katarina Ruflo is a Rappler intern. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science with a major in International Relations and Foreign Service at the University of San Carlos, Cebu. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

FACT CHECK: USS Philippine Sea in service with US Navy, not PH

jpcruz0306

01/07/2024 20:15

Claim: The USS Philippine Sea is a commissioned ship of the Philippine Navy. Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video bearing the claim was posted on June 24 by a channel with 1.05 million subscribers. As of writing, it has 535,468 views, 7,800 likes, and 2,638 comments. The video discusses a study on China’s simulation tests for its Fire Dragon 480 tactical ballistic missile, which is reportedly capable of destroying US Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The narrator then says: “Samantala, kung ito naman ay itatama sa mga malalaking barko kagaya ng USS Philippine Sea, anim na missiles lang din ang kailangang itira ng China upang tuluyang masira ang warship na pagmamay-ari ng Pilipinas.” (Meanwhile, if these missiles are ever targeted towards ships like the USS Philippine Sea, China would only need to fire six missiles to totally destroy the warship owned by the Philippines.) The bottom line: The USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser on active commission with the US Navy, not the Philippine Navy. The vessel is named after the World War II Battle of the Philippine Sea between American and Japanese naval forces in June 1944. Ships commissioned into the Philippine Navy bear the prefix “BRP” or “Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas.” The “USS” or “United States Ship” prefix is used for commissioned ships of the US Navy. The video references reports on a study by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) claiming that China’s Fire Dragon 480 missile can sink a US Ticonderoga-class cruiser patrolling the Red Sea. A June 21 article from The EurAsian Times mentions the USS Philippine Sea as the type of ship targeted in the PLA’s simulation drills. The article does not mention any Philippine ship being involved in the Chinese missile simulation. US Ticonderoga-class cruisers: The USS Philippine Sea was part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group deployed to patrol the Middle East. As of June 17, the USS Philippine Sea is homeported at the Naval Station Norfolk. The guided-missile cruisers are the US Navy’s longest-serving class of warships. To keep them in service, the US Navy undertook a massive program to modernize its fleet of cruisers, but soaring costs have prompted plans to retire all the remaining cruisers in the next five years. Tensions with China: By falsely mentioning the USS Philippine Sea as a Philippine commissioned vessel in the context of China’s missile simulation study, the video alludes to ongoing tensions and Beijing’s growing aggression in the South China Sea. Several countries, including the US, have expressed support for the Philippines’ sovereign claims following the 2016 arbitral ruling rejecting China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea. Rappler has already published several fact-checks about China and the South China Sea issues: – Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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2 Negros Occidental cities shine in national anti-hunger initiative rankings

Herbie G

01/07/2024 16:38

ANTI-HUNGER. Bago, Negros Occidental Mayor Nicholas Yulo (2nd from right) with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials after his city was recognized as one of the top local governments for their anti-hunger initiatives. There are nine others recognized by the national government. RTVM BACOLOD, Philippines – Two of the 13 Negros Occidental’s component city governments were hailed by Malacañang as among the top 10 local governments across the country as this year’s Walang Gutom (No hunger) champions. Cadiz City’s Pagkaon Aton Tatapon or Project PAT and Bago City’s Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP) received the judges’ nod out of 101 entries nationwide, becoming two of 17 national finalists. Both initiatives by Cadiz and Bago were anchored on a commitment to solving malnutrition, hunger, and poverty in their respective localities. Malacañang awarded Cadiz and Bago, along with eight other local governments, P2 million each for their noteworthy anti-hunger and poverty initiatives during the 1st Walang Gutom Awards ceremony held at Malacañang on June 26. The other eight Walang Gutom awardees and their programs are as follows: Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said their initiative, Project PAT, is a holistic, whole-of-government approach toward sustainable food security. Conceptualized in 2010, the project started as a mere feeding program aimed at reducing the school dropout rate of 4.11% (631 out of 15,355 students) in all of Cadiz’s public elementary schools from Grades 1 to 3. A year later, Cadiz saw its school dropout rate decreasing to 0.90%. In 2013, the Cadiz city council passed Resolution No. 2013-198, expanding the coverage of Project PAT from schools to communities. It was then called Project PAT-Bagsik (Pagkaon Aton Tatapon-Bata Aton Giyahan sa Iya Kaalam). The city government also launched Project Bading or Busong Aton Depensahan, Ika-ayong lawas sang Nanay aton Gina-tipigan (Let’s defend our bodies, safeguard the health of our mothers), making the initiative a twin-track or “womb-to-tomb” program in Cadiz. The local government involved various city departments to create synergy, collaboration, and overall capacity to address interconnected issues in food security, poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. Escalante said concreting all farm-to-market roads, implementing farm mechanization, and providing sustainable aid to farmers and fisherfolk were key to achieving the city government’s “zero hunger” goal. In Bago, dubbed as the “rice granary of Negros Occidental,” the Planting for Productivity Project (P4P) also became part of the city’s transformative journey towards food sufficiency and community empowerment in solving hunger and poverty. Bago Mayor Nicholas Yulo said, “Beyond cultivating rice (the lifeblood of Bago) and high-value vegetables, we are also cultivating resilience and sustainability for our people.” Through the Ayala Foundation-supported P4P, the local government noted a significant increase in the city’s rice production by 215.70%. Implementing P4P with women beneficiaries in three pilot barangays resulted in a yield of about 4,983.85 kilograms of high-value vegetables. “It really contributed to the reduction of our child malnutrition rate and zero hunger goal,” Yulo said. Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the winning initiatives will be used as templates for other local governments to follow. “This is a bottom-up social technology development from the local government units rather than from the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development),” Gatchalian said. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed the critical role of local governments in addressing social ills like hunger and poverty, ensuring these efforts reach the grassroots level. Marcos noted that around three million households across the country still suffer from involuntary hunger. In October 2023, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 44, establishing the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program as a flagship initiative of the national government to address hunger and stunting among children. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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View from Manila: What’s next for the Philippines’ transparency push?

Bea Cupin

01/07/2024 14:20

INDEPENDENCE DAY. Philippine Coast Guard personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua hold a flag-raising ceremony while deployed in Sabina Shoal or Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Philippine Coast Guard MANILA, Philippines – In the past week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año made explicit mention of the role of the press in the Philippine government’s transparency initiative to assert the country’s sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea. “A free press, reporting on events as they are, is the hallmark of a true democracy. And we are grateful for our partnership with you. Your work has helped to put the spotlight on what is really happening in the West Philippine Sea,” said Manalo in his keynote speech on June 26, at the East-West Center’s 2024 International Media Conference in Manila. Days later, during a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-hosted thanksgiving dinner aboard the BRP Melchora Aquino, Año told a crowd of mostly journalists, a handful of academics, and select diplomats:  “You are our valued and steady partners in documenting what has been really happening in those waters, and in our desire to just let the truth come out.” It wouldn’t be the first time for a government official to emphasize the importance, or praise the role, of a free press in the Philippines’ push to uphold its sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea. But Manalo’s and Año’s words resonate more in the aftermath of a June 17 military resupply mission that resulted in the loss of one soldier’s thumb, was anything but transparent, and exposed cracks in the cohesion of the different personalities and agencies in the Philippine government. And so while both Manalo and Año praise the role of the media and the public in battling disinformation, malign influence operations (according to Año), or false narratives (according to Manalo) related to the West Philippine Sea, what’s next for the much-hyped transparency initiative? On and off record, Philippine government officials have said that it’s going to continue. But how this would play out is a little more difficult to answer because, apparently, it has yet to be fleshed out. Transparency is easy (or it can be) when one has his ducks in a row. But if not, what happens? A June 17 incident at Ayungin Shoal – when information came in trickles and was mostly siloed, even for key officials. It was – and still is – a confusing time for everyone involved, especially the Philippine public. It didn’t help that Malacañang flip-flopped in a matter of days, between a press conference with the Executive Secretary then a joint press conference with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Tess Lazaro, and Año. The transparency initiative – a term for the Philippines’ decision to publicize China’s harassment within the Philippines’ own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) – has helped the Philippines’ cause. It’s made local and international media’s reporting of the West Philippine Sea richer. Nothing beats seeing events unfold before your very eyes, after all. It has also made it much easier for both a domestic and international audience to rally behind the Philippines – videos and photos, after all, trump claims by talking heads (even those from the Philippines). But it’s not the entirety of the Philippine strategy. If anything, transparency has made it more difficult for other aspects of the administration and government to flex their muscle. We’ve seen both politicians and diplomats, in public and private, do their darndest to bring tensions down through (sanctioned) talk and diplomacy, despite – and because of – China Coast Guard’s bolder actions in the West Philippine Sea. The hope is that as the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea and the National Maritime Council figure out what transparency now means moving forward, they do not make free press a casualty. Speaking of diplomacy – it’s going to be a busy July ahead. July kicks off with a visit from Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan’s visit to Manila. The minister, better known as Tok Mat or Mat Hasan, will be meeting with Manalo, then will pay a call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang. Minister Mat Hasan’s visit is significant because Malaysia, a co-claimant in the South China Sea, is among the countries with whom the Philippines wants to have a bilateral “code of conduct.” Manila had earlier signed separate maritime cooperation agreements with Hanoi and Bandar Seri Begawan, both during Marcos’ visits to the Southeast Asian neighbors. Manila will also be welcoming this week Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See (the equivalent of a Foreign Minister). In the Philippines, Gallagher will be meeting Manalo, then attend the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ gathering in Bukidnon. More are coming. The Philippines and China are set to finally convene the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Manila. On July 8, Manila will be playing host to the second 2+2 meeting between Japanese and Philippine defense and foreign affairs ministers. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Will the “transparency initiative” again fall victim to President Marcos Jr.’s or his minions’ flip-flopping? How does this make you feel?

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Cagayan de Oro Pride celebration ends with vibrant march, strong call for equality

Herbie G

01/07/2024 15:14

PRIDE. A member of an LGBT organization raises a Pride rainbow flag during the Pride March in Cagayan de Oro on Sunday, June 30. Franck Dick Rosete/Rappler CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Hundreds took to the streets, calling for equality and the passage of a bill that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, during the culmination of the Pride Month celebration in Cagayan de Oro on Sunday, June 30. Spearheaded by the city government in collaboration with the LGBTQIA+ groups Mindanao Pride and Kahilwayan, participants marched from the Rodelsa Circle, passing through Don Apolinar Velez Street, to the Community Amphitheater in Plaza Divisoria at the heart of Cagayan de Oro, concluding the annual observance with renewed hope for achieving equality. They were joined by human rights groups and even several companies that sent representatives, showcasing their creativity through their colorful outfits, props, and mini-performances along the streets. The call for the sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) bill was prominently featured on placards carried by those who took part in the Cagayan de Oro Pride March. For this year’s Pride celebration, the local government, for the first time, gave 10 LGBTQIA+ couples a platform to share their love stories, challenges, and vows. Organizers said the couples, who have been together for more than 10 years, demonstrated that long-term relationships are possible within the community. Barbie Lindelle Neri, president of the LGBTQ Federation of Cagayan de Oro, said the event showed that the predominantly Catholic city and its local government were beginning to promote the concept that love knows no gender or boundaries. “Hopefully, we can continue this because there’s still discrimination and prejudice in our society,” Neri said. Sheila Lumbatan, Cagayan de Oro City Gender, and Development focal person, said they were anticipating a bigger Pride Month celebration in 2025 to promote a better understanding of gender equality, especially among people with conservative views. Samantha Tan, legal counsel for LGBT Pilipinas Incorporated, said the group has had initial discussions with Cagayan de Oro Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez about a SOGIE ordinance in the city, which would be apart from the 2020 Diversity and Equality Ordinance in the city. “If this is passed by the city council of Cagayan de Oro, the number of local ordinances would increase, and senators could no longer turn a blind eye and a deaf ear,” Tan said. She appealed to the country’s lawmakers to fulfill the LGBTQIA+ sector’s long-standing demands. Cagayan de Oro Councilor Joyleen Mercedes Balaba, chair of the women and family relations committee, said local legislators need to study the SOGIE bill, and only when it is passed can the city council proceed with crafting and approving a counterpart ordinance. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Actor-director Manny Castañeda dies

Ysa Abad

01/07/2024 15:02

Photo from Manny Castañeda IMDB page MANILA, Philippines – Actor and director Manny Castañeda has died, according to a Facebook post on Monday, July 1 by Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairperson Jose “Joey” Javier Reyes. Reyes took to social media to mourn the passing of Castañeda. Sharing a black-and-white photo of them together, Reyes penned a tribute to Castañeda, whom he said was his “friend for sixty-one years.” “Honestly, I do not know how it is going to be without my best friend just sitting out there ready to bitch it out with me. We may have our differences in political beliefs, we may have our arguments but we were there for each other… all the way,” he wrote. No age, date, or cause of death was disclosed in Reyes’ post. The FDCP chairperson ended his tribute by leaving a message for Castañeda. “You are such a great part of my life because you are my irreplaceable BFF. I am going to miss you big time,” he said. Other celebrities such as Agot Isidro, Pops Fernandez, Wilma Doesnt, Jed Madela, and Vickie Rushton expressed their condolences in the comments section. Castañeda was part of films Aliw (1979), Oro Plata Mata (1981) and Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas (1986). He also appeared in television series Makiling and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano. As a filmmaker, he directed the movies Sa Kabilugan ng Buwan (1997), May Isang Pamilya (1999), and Shame (2000). – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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State of HR 2024: Sprout Solutions talks AI and HR integration in latest summit

Saab Lariosa

01/07/2024 15:52

From Great Resignation to Quiet Quitting, the Human Resources (HR) industry has had its fair share of new concepts, trends, and challenges over the past few years. This time, they’re also one of the many industries affected by the rise of Artificial Intelligence. But does it have to be a problem to face or a tool to use? Sprout Solutions, one of the Philippines’ most trusted HR tech providers, attempted to answer this question with their latest State of HR Summit held last June 19 at the Marquis Events Place in BGC. The summit is an annual gathering of HR leaders and practitioners nationwide to catch up on the latest trends and share best practices. With automation, hybrid work, and work-life integration serving as buzzwords amid the post-pandemic workforce shift, this year’s State of HR Summit focused on Artificial Intelligence and its effects on HR. “As we navigate the digital age, it’s clear that embracing technology and AI is critical for organizational success,” said Sprout Solutions CEO Patrick Gentry. “It’s not just managing payroll anymore, but improving the entire employee life cycle and providing life-changing benefits for employees’ daily lives.” “By embracing digital transformation, prioritizing employee well-being, and ensuring government compliance, companies can create a more engaged and productive workforce,” he said. The event featured insightful keynote speakers and panel discussions featuring industry leaders to discuss current trends and best AI practices in employee acquisition, engagement, and retention. One of the key highlights of the day was the discussion of Sprout’s State of HR Report,  an annual report answered by over a hundred HR professionals nationwide. This year’s report not only examines the top HR practices in the Philippines but also highlights the industry’s acceptance of digital tech and AI integration. The report found that 83% of employees already use personal AI tools at work, however, 88% of HR professionals in the country report minimal exposure to AI. And only 30% of companies feel ready to integrate generative AI into HR strategies. While AI adoption is still fairly slow among Filipino companies, Sprout shares that the potential for growth is still ripe for experimentation. The report also highlighted the importance of balancing AI integration with robust governance to address data privacy and ethical use. “Just like any world-changing piece of technology, AI needs ethical use,” shared Sprout chief product officer and head of Sprout AI Labs, Gian Paulo dela Rama. “And in order for us to ensure this ethical use, we need to ensure the people building it have a very very strong sense of fairness.” You can access the State of HR 2024 report here. The event also recognized the 2024 Sprout Awards winners, celebrating workplace excellence and honoring employers in different fields. Here are the 2024 Sprout Awardees: Best Workplace Culture Employee Loyalty Builder Employee Engagement Champion – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Marcos, the inaccessible president

Gaby Baizas

01/07/2024 16:15

MARCOS AND THE MEDIA. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is asked about his family’s plunder during a sit-down interview for the ABC News program 7.30 on March 4, 2024. Screenshot from ABC News In late June, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. spoke to Filipino journalists about Vice President Sara Duterte’s exit from his Cabinet, what this means for the Uniteam, and his thoughts on the Duterte family’s plans to run for Senate positions in 2025. Media interviews with the President, like this one, don’t happen very often. “It’s a cause for concern, because you want to be able to hear regularly from the President outside of his speeches,” said an online news outlet reporter, who spoke to Rappler on condition of anonymity. A newspaper reporter, who also requested anonymity, told Rappler that the media was “pleasantly surprised” the President entertained all their questions. “Covering the Marcos administration, I would call it a mixed bag…. President Marcos, from time to time, grants ambush interviews, but there are times when he doesn’t entertain them,” the newspaper reporter said. Marcos has consistently been difficult to reach and access for journalists who cover him has been challenging. In the lead-up to his 2022 presidential victory, Marcos and his campaign made calculated efforts to shun the media. On his first day as president-elect, he invited only three reporters to a “press conference.” The first few months of his presidency saw pro-Marcos vloggers attempting to lobby for access to official Malacañang events, but they later disbanded. When Marcos became president, media access remained managed. “If you recall, during Marcos’ candidacy, their strategy was, ‘less talk, fewer mistakes,’ right? The President was criticized for avoiding debates and not granting interviews to some media entities. I think they are applying the same strategy now,” the newspaper reporter added. Rappler spoke to two Palace reporters about their firsthand experiences covering the President, as well as two experts familiar with the media landscape in the Philippines. How difficult is it for reporters to get in touch with President Marcos, and what does this mean in the bigger scheme of things? For the two Palace reporters who spoke to Rappler, among the biggest hurdles in covering the Marcos administration is the lack of a presidential spokesperson. Marcos abolished the position of presidential spokesperson in his second executive order. Instead, Marcos appointed a press secretary, and later the head of his Presidential Communications Office (PCO), whose functions are different from that of a spokesperson who can directly speak for the President. “In past administrations, if the president doesn’t speak [on a certain matter], there’s a designated spokesperson who can speak on behalf of Malacañang. These days, we don’t have that,” the online reporter explained. The newspaper reporter also said relaying of information is more “centralized” in the Palace, which can also be an issue for Palace reporters trying to source firsthand information. “For example, in the House of Representatives, there are more than 300 lawmakers to choose from to interview, right? Or the Senate, you’ll have over 20 senators to talk to…. In the Palace, you don’t interview the President often, so ideally, they’ll have a talking head. And if the talking head doesn’t speak, that’s when we’ll have a problem,” the newspaper reporter explained. So what do press briefings look like without a presidential spokesperson? Now, Palace press briefings under the Marcos administration typically cover updates from different government agencies, which can make it difficult for reporters who are expected to write about issues related to Malacañang. “Because these agency secretaries come to Malacañang, we Malacañang reporters – who aren’t familiar with those beats and agencies – are sometimes caught off-guard,” the online reporter said. Malacañang also currently has a “pool” system, which means only a handful of news organizations get access to certain events, the newspaper reporter explained. Prior to the Marcos administration, official Palace events were open to all media outlets, but now some events only have two, three, or five slots allocated to reporters. Sometimes slots are limited due to security reasons, such as when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Philippines. Here’s how it works: The PCO informs the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) about the number of available slots for a certain event, and MPC members get to signify whether they want to cover the said event. If the list of MPC members interested in covering goes beyond the number of allocated slots, the MPC draws lots using a randomized app. (Editor’s note: A previous version of this article said the PCO drew lots instead of the MPC. This has been corrected.) “In fairness to the Palace, they don’t dictate who covers the event. Fate will decide via the random app,” the newspaper reporter said. One-on-ones are also rare for Marcos. Arguably Marcos’ most memorable one-on-one with the media is his March interview with ABC journalist Sarah Ferguson, who called him out for laughing after she asked him about his family’s ill-gotten wealth. Ferguson later revealed in a TikTok video that Marcos’ staff had even tried to stop the interview. Danilo Arao, associate professor of journalism at the UP College of Mass Communication, said Ferguson was praised for confronting Marcos with tough questions as journalists in the Philippines aren’t typically given the same privilege. “The bigger question is why Filipino journalists – at least the more critical ones – are not given the same opportunity to have a one-on-one with Marcos Jr.,” he said. But the newspaper reporter explained that foreign media have more leeway to be critical of Marcos, as their interviews with the Philippine President are typically one-shot deals. Meanwhile, Malacañang reporters who have to maintain a good working relationship with the Palace have to be more practical and strategic about asking critical questions, so they avoid getting cut off for the rest of the President’s term. “If foreign journalists piss off Malacañang, and should Malacañang decide, ‘No, we’re not going to grant interviews to Ferguson anymore’…. They have nothing to lose. ABC can go on with its life covering other issues…. Malacañang reporters, especially, will not do that because of fear of loss of access,” the newspaper reporter said. Compared to his immediate predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos appears to be friendlier towards the press. But does this mean Marcos is a champion of press freedom? Far from it, experts say. Arao said the Marcos administration still lacks a clear policy in terms of promoting and upholding press freedom. “Their claims of being press freedom champions from time to time, as in the case of World Press Freedom Day, are obviously not enough,” he said. Jonathan de Santos, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), acknowledged that Marcos has “been saying a lot of the right things” regarding press freedom. However, he’d like to see concrete follow-throughs, such as certifying the decriminalization of libel as urgent. “[It] would really be helpful to show that, ‘Yeah, we have a free press. We protect our journalists. Freedom of expression is alive….’ They’re already making that claim, but we know that isn’t true,” De Santos said. During Marcos’ first year as president, the Philippines received its highest World Press Freedom Index ranking in six years. Marcos may not curse and threaten the media the way Duterte did, but that doesn’t mean covering his administration is easy. For instance, the Marcos administration holds fewer press briefings. Under the Duterte administration, what was then the Presidential Communications Operations Office held daily briefings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Duterte’s spokespeople, such as Harry Roque and Salvador Panelo, also frequently faced the media. Now, the Palace typically only holds press briefings once a week. The newspaper reporter – who covered both Duterte and Marcos – said the current administration is slower to respond to, and issue statements about, sensitive breaking events, such as the June Ayungin Shoal incident and Sara Duterte’s resignation. Sometimes issues pass by without the Marcos administration ever issuing an official statement. The PCO also asks reporters to send in questions in advance, and insiders said the PCO will even refuse to entertain certain questions, especially if they’re about events that just happened. Ambush interviews are also closely managed by the PCO, where moderators call reporters one by one to ask questions. Despite his reputation as a press freedom predator, former president Duterte was open to talk about many issues with the press, the newspaper reporter told Rappler. Duterte usually accommodated questions from the media about any topic, except one – his health. Beyond accessibility and transparency, attacks and harassment against journalists have persisted under the Marcos administration. Alternative news sites Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly remain blocked two years after the National Telecommunications Commission order. “If we’re talking about a government that says, ‘We prefer a critical press,’ these two websites are very critical, which is why they were targeted…. It would be a good move or a good indicator of how free we are, or how tolerant [the] government is of the press,” De Santos said. An NUJP study released earlier this year found that more than half of red-tagging cases against journalists in the past eight years were state-sponsored. Out of a total of 159 incidents recorded between 2016 and 2024, 90 cases involved journalists from alternative media, while 69 cases involved journalists from dominant or mainstream media. De Santos also said media harassment may not be common in Manila, but that harassment against community journalists is “the same, if not worse” under Marcos. For instance, the Marcos administration has not taken any steps to free Tacloban-based journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who marked her fourth year in jail after she was arrested over trumped-up charges. As of writing, a total of four journalists have been killed under Marcos’ term as president – Rey Blanco, Percy Lapid, Cresenciano Bunduquin, and Juan Jumalon. Blanco, Bunduquin, and Jumalon were based in different provinces across the country. Lapid was the only one killed in Metro Manila, and NUJP said this had “[indicated] how brazen the perpetrators were.” “There is a tendency for the government and those in power to label journalists as, at the very least, troublemakers…. That’s our common struggle as journalists. Whether you’re from mainstream media or alternative media outlet, or whatever your politics are, it’s the same. We shouldn’t be labeled as enemies or treated as such,” De Santos said. Arao said media repression has been “normalized” in today’s media landscape, no thanks to laws weaponized against journalists. “In the same way that a journalist’s obligation is to make the uninteresting interesting, a journalist cannot afford to make the unacceptable acceptable,” he said. The Philippines still has a long way to go in protecting journalists and allowing them to do their job to the fullest of their ability. The World Press Freedom Index saw the Philippines fall two places in 2024, and Reporters Without Borders said the country remains “one of the world’s most dangerous” for journalists. “Even after ’86, even if we say that was the return of democracy, of course, there were always attempts to, well, control the press. That’s why we need to keep fighting,” De Santos said. – Rappler.com This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth reports assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). *Quotes in Filipino were translated into English and some were shortened for brevity. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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‘Laughable’: Labor groups slam meager P35 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila

Ralf Rivas

01/07/2024 15:03

LABOR. Minimum wage workers perform tasks at a construction site in Quezon City on February 20, 2024. Jire Carreon/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Minimum wage earners in Metro Manila will see a slight increase in their income, as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region (NCR) approved an increase of P35. These sectors will see the following increases: The wage order will take effect after 15 days from publication, or on July 17, 2024. The release of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said that the 5.7% minimum wage increas was based on wage determinations, as well as the three petitions filed by various labor groups amid escalating prices of basic goods and commodities. DOLE said the new rates “remain above the latest regional poverty threshold for a family of five.” “The wage order is expected to directly benefit around 988,243 minimum wage earners in NCR. About 1.7 million full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may also indirectly benefit as a result of upward adjustments at the enterprise level arising from the correction of wage distortion,” DOLE said. Labor group Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) called the P35 increase “a disgrace.” SENTRO said that despite several legislative proposals put forward by labor groups, the increase was “nothing short of a heartless disregard for the economic crises faced by our workers and families.” The National Wage Coalition earlier demanded that the minimum wage go up by P150. “Our minimum wages do not amount to liveable wages. We have presented our arguments based on factual and credible research. And yet our efforts amount to a low increase,” SENTRO said. The group called on lawmakers to pass proposed bills which aim to have an across-the-board increase of at least P150. “You know the worth of your labor and more importantly, the value of your personal life and needs. And while this laughable P35 increase may be a setback, so long as we persevere, the fight for a higher wage continues,” the group said. Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is pushing for an across-the board increase of P150 through House Bill 7871 or the Wage Recovery Act. “The workers are humiliated by the P35 increase! It is a slap on the face of every worker, even the resource persons, who underscored the imperative of raising workers’ wages against the big lie that any increase is ‘catastrophic,'” TUCP said. TUCP countered claims of DOLE that the increase is enough and can sustain a family of five, noting a study by the Ateneo Policy Center which underscores that a family needs P693.30 per day to have healthy meals. “Worse, in 2008, the National Wages and Productivity Commission, chaired by no less than the Labor Secretary, estimated the daily family living wage at P917,” TUCP said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Is the increase of P35 truly laughable? How does it affect these labor groups emotionally? How does this make you feel?

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[OPINION] Power of mimicry: How human rights are covertly undermined in PH

Jodesz Gavilan

01/07/2024 10:00

Graphics by Nico Villarete/Rappler Following the overthrow of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the 1980s, it became commonplace for political leaders in the Philippines to claim to stand for democracy and human rights. Yet the recent global trend of democratic erosion has shifted this pattern, as exemplified by the presidencies of Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022) and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of Marcos Sr. In the Philippines, as in many parts of the world, there appears to be a resurgence in leaders’ use of discourses that seek to undermine the value of human rights, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These discourses work overtly, through brazen attacks against human rights systems, principles, and actors, and covertly, through attempts to mimic and distort the meaning of human rights. Many of former President Duterte’s speeches (my research has so far been on the period from 2016 to 2022 and is ongoing) exemplify overt tactics to undermine human rights. Although Duterte said throughout his presidency that he did not care about human rights, the term featured in many of his speeches. In my research analyzing Duterte’s official speeches, I have found at least 300 in his six-year term where he mentioned the word “human rights” at least once. In some, he mentioned the term human rights as much as 15 times. In most instances when these words were used, it was in defense of the “war on drugs” that he championed, and to disparage human rights advocates, who saw this “war” as enabling severe human rights violations, such as the widespread killing of civilians. In his speeches, Duterte characterized human rights as a tool of Western imperialism, accused human rights advocates of conspiring with criminals and terrorists, and justified the killing of criminals as a necessity that he would be glad to do. In a move unprecedented in past presidencies, Duterte through these discourses removed all pretense of respecting human rights standards and instead actively worked to justify their violation. Paradoxically, despite such brazen rhetoric, Duterte in some instances also feigned to embrace human rights. After all, it is not easy to sustain an outright rejection of human rights, which still carry normative power. When Duterte did so, however, he would often interpret rights in exclusionary terms, by claiming to solely protect the rights of “innocent” people against the threat of “criminals”. We see this interpretation in his speech during the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he said, “the Philippines will continue to protect the human rights of its people, especially from the scourge of illegal drugs, criminality, and terrorism.” (Emphasis added.) This tactic embraces human rights only to justify their violation, aligning well with what scholars have called the “(mis)appropriation of human rights.” This describes the use of human rights language “in the service of ends which are exclusionary, repressive, or anti-pluralist in character,” as well as in ways that are “highly retrogressive…[and/or] evasive of “external monitoring or accountability.” It commonly manifests in “human rights mimicry” in which the language of human rights and its commitments is co-opted, precisely to undermine it. Mimicry functions in a more sophisticated way than overt attacks against rights, as it presents a facade that makes attacks harder to identify and combat. This highlights the importance of constantly remaining vigilant about political discourses on human rights. In the Philippines, we can see such strategies of (mis)appropriation at play under Bongbong Marcos’ leadership. Since assuming the presidency, Marcos has sought to brand himself as a “human rights supporter.” Differing from Duterte, he has not brazenly disparaged rights, sworn at human rights institutions, or threatened human rights activists. On the contrary, Marcos has vowed to protect human rights in the Philippines and has even recently formed a “super body” on human rights aimed at strengthening efforts to protect and promote human rights in the country. At the same time, however, Marcos has engaged in the distortion of human rights history and evaded mechanisms of accountability that can bring justice to victims of violations. For example, he has not taken steps to redress the human rights violations committed during his father’s term, often evading discussions about these atrocities. Moreover, the Marcos family has distorted this history by re-narrating Marcos Snr.’s presidency as a period of “economic prosperity and political order” while erasing the realities of “corruption and human rights violations.” Marcos has also eschewed mechanisms of accountability for addressing the “human rights crisis” that has occurred more recently. In particular, he has refused to cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity that had been committed during Duterte’s “war on drugs.” Moreover, drug-related killings persist under Marcos’ leadership.  Documentation shows that between the start of Marcos’ presidency on June 30, 2022 and June 7 this year, there were 679 drug-related killings reported. Such contradictory actions signal that Marcos’ alleged endorsement of human rights, indicate not so much a commitment to these ideals, but to justifying his family’s hold on power, while evading accountability for human rights violations, both past and present. – Rappler.com This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth stories assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). Syme de Leon is a PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute. Her thesis focuses on better understanding human rights discourses in the Philippines under former Rodrigo Duterte’s Presidency. This article is part of an Asia Institute/Asialink series on democracy in Southeast Asia to accompany the University of Melbourne’s upcoming Southeast Asia Oration to be delivered by Mr Pita Limjaroenrat MP, Member of the Thai House of Representatives and former leader of the Move Forward Party on 4 July.  It was first published here. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. I agree: “Marcos’ alleged endorsement of human rights, indicate not so much a commitment to these ideals, but to justifying his family’s hold on power, while evading accountability for human rights violations, both past and present.” In other words, it is “for show only.” How does this make you feel?

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[Free to Disagree] De Lima stood firm. But some men are trash.

Glenda Gloria

01/07/2024 12:13

On June 24, 2024 the last  of the trumped-up drug cases against former senator Leila de Lima was dismissed. The same court that granted her bail after almost 7 years of detention, Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 206, finally allowed her to walk completely free. I did not know much about Leila de Lima until late 2016. At that time, then-president Rodrigo Duterte had started his killing spree and it was going strong. Normally sane and decent people seemed to be happy that all these alleged drug addicts were being killed. Duterte was at the height of power and popularity and it seemed the nation had succumbed to its darker side. The idea that peace and order and national development could be achieved by a man who had taken to killing without due process had somehow taken hold. That idea is, to put it bluntly, guano crazy. But we were there. And then De Lima drew the line. On August 2, 2016, she delivered a privileged speech on the floor of the Senate calling a stop to the extrajudicial killings committed in the course of the drug war, and calling for a Senate investigation. After that, the misogynist bullying began. On August 11, 2016, Duterte said that he had a government official in sight, whom he would destroy in public. He said he was spying on this official with the help of a foreign power. Yes, indeed, yippee. The President confessed to spying on a government official with the help of a foreign power and all these machos who voted for him because of his toxic masculine approach to uber-nationalism, let it ride. Given a choice between national freedom and freedom to slutshame, guess which one they chose? On August 17, 2016, Duterte named Leila de Lima and called her an “immoral, dirty woman.” He accused her further of being “hooked on drugs because of the close association” with her driver with whom she was having an affair. This President, who had bragged continuously of his own sexual escapades outside of marriage, enjoyed rape jokes featuring himself as an aspiring rapist, and talks about sexually abusing a maid, was slut-shaming a woman for having an affair. And all the machos were orgasmic in their support of the revival of the double standard for men and women. Sexual servitude of women, the key to good governance! Shortly thereafter, then-speaker Pantaleon Alvarez filed House Resolution No. 105, which started a House panel investigation into allegations that de Lima had a hand in the proliferation of drug syndicates at the New Bilibid Prison. Those hearings proved to all that the House of Representatives can easily be turned into a beer garden. It turned into a series of “hearings” about de Lima’s personal life. The men in the committee had even scheduled to watch a sex video of de Lima. Let us name these men and endorse their actions to the judgment of history. Apart from former Speaker Alvarez, they are:Rudy Fariñas of Ilocos Norte Raneo Abu of Batangas Michael John Duavit of Rizal Romeo Acop of Antipolo Karlo Nograles of Davao City Abraham Tolentino of Cavite Paulino Salvador Leachon of Oriental Mindoro’s 1st District Eric Martinez of Valenzuela Danilo Suarez of Quezon province Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City And this is when some of us showed we were brave. Irritated by the kabastusan of these honorable men, I asked a few feminist friends to start a Twitter (now X) campaign with the following message: “I would like to testify in the HOR. It was me in the sex video. #EveryWoman.” A dozen or so of us tweeted this message at 12 noon on September 30. It took off. I would like to believe that the popularity of the tweet took the stiffness out of the nether lands of  the tawdry House committee. Then, the drug charges came from the Department of Justice under Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in February 2017, which resulted in her arrest and detention a week later. Promoters of this inequity included former legal counsel and spokesperson Sal Panelo and all-around Duterte cheer leader Harry Roque. The prosecution of the charges against De Lima was when the crime of violence against women got compounded by other criminal activities like the coercion of witnesses. Duterte came to power on a law and order platform, but that obviously meant a harsh form of law and order for people they considered less important like drug addicts, women and political enemies and the order of the brothel for the President and his allies. EveryWoman, which started as a hashtag, eventually became a coalition of women’s groups fighting against Duterte’s hatred of women. It also stood by Leila de Lima through the long years of her struggle. We visited her in prison, attended hearings and mobilized various forms of support. It took bravery because during the years when a murderous, testosterone-fueled rage took over the nation, there were times when, even among women’s groups, we stood alone in support of her. We have documentation of those men and what they said in the slut shaming of the former senator. But we also have documentation of Duterte’s abusive and violent language in general.  What we cannot document fully is the cowardice that took over the government institutions meant to protect people from getting killed without due process or those meant to protect women from violence. Many people copped out by saying “let the courts decide.” This, when the infirmities of the case, the slut-shaming and character assassination, were so obvious. I will take particular note of our Supreme Court who denied  De Lima’s habeas corpus petition to stop Duterte’s violence against her in October 2019. But we do have a list of men and what they said. I hope someday, in a perfect world, all of them, down to the last actor, can be held accountable. Meanwhile, gentlemen, you are pieces of ordure. Lest anyone accuse me of being a man hater, let me tell you that some of us who were brave, were men. Men like Chel Diokno who served as de Lima’s counsel for her habeas corpus petition. Men like Justice Marvic Leonen who dissented on the habeas corpus decision calling it a double standard in the guise of presidential immunity. There were also men like Teddy Rigoroso, who served as legal counsel for De Lima in all her court cases. During the long years of her prosecution, many men were outside the courts urging for her release. Not all men are trash. It was a tragedy though that during the Duterte years, many of the men close to him, would have had me fearful for my safety even in a well-lighted cafe at noon. In one of her speeches after her release on bail, De Lima noted that justice is not only about those who are innocent being set free, it is also about those who falsely accuse being held accountable. I hope she files a case against Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court gets him. I hope the likes of Vitaliano Aguirre can be charged too. Perhaps her search for justice and the search of all the victims of Duterte’s evil can serve as one project for national redemption. Because some of us are brave, but some men belong in jail. – Rappler.com Sylvia Estrada Claudio is a doctor of medicine who also has a PhD in psychology. She is Professor Emerita of the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She currently serves as head convenor of EveryWoman. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. In our midst we really should stand up against dictators. Not only for those who brazenly wield power but also for those who are accomplices and enablers of rotten politicians who will do everything to stay in power. Worst of all they just don’t rob our money gained through our sweat and blood but also our future and the future of those who will come after us. Jail may not be enough punishments for these politicians. God forbid crush their necks. These misogynists probably go to church regularly on Sundays and pretend to be pious. I know two. And the whole nation have seen them. 1 with neck brace and the other a serial killer. As a man, and a foreign national, I agree with you 100%. I spend my time trying to get more young girls to enter a career in government. I also noticed that there were only 2 women in the highest paid government positions. Time is overdue for a change in the government from the ground up. This change needs to include a LOT more women until there is parity. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

[OPINYON] Thesis for sale

Miriam Grace Go

01/07/2024 8:00

Alyssa Arizabal/Rappler Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba panahon ng graduation ngayon kaya nagsulputan sa newsfeed ko ang mga pages na nag-aalok ng ng serbisyong gumawa ng thesis para sa mga kumukuha ng master’s degree at dissertation para sa anumang doctorate programs na kailangan ng paglikha ng dissertation. Kung seseryosohin, hindi naman kasi madali talaga ang thesis at dissertation with all the rigors and rigid structure sa pagbuo nito batay sa requirement ng institusyong maggagawad ng degree sa estudyante. Idagdag pa ang hahanapin ng mga panelist mula proposal hanggang sa pasadong final defense at sa mismong paglalakip ng mga rebisyon bago pirmahan ang karaniwang pangwakas na requirement para matawag na master o doktor ang isang mag-aaral ng higher learning. Marami akong kakilalang kumuha ng MA at PhD ang nabalaho at tuluyang hindi umusad dahil sa painstaking process ng pananaliksik. And for that reason marahil kaya may enterprising social media pages na nag-aalok ng serbisyo para igawa ka ng thesis mo. For a fee, of course. Habang isinusulat ko ito, as advertised, naglalaro sa P30,000 hanggang P40,000 ang halaga ng serbisyo para sa dissertation. P20,000 naman ang sa master’s thesis. Para makakuha ng maraming kliyente, may promo pa. Dadaigin ang nagbebenta ng kotse sa zero downpayment scheme at unli-revision ng manuskrito. Kung pagbabatayan ang mga nag-inquire ng serbisyo, pawang mga teacher na naghahangad makabuo ng MA thesis. Sa karanasan ko, mas madali ang course work sa MA at PhD kung ihahambing sa pagsulat ng thesis at dissertation na subjects unto itself (Thesis Writing 1 – Proposal Defense, Thesis Writing 2 – Colloquium, Thesis Writing 3 – Final Defense, etc.). Sa course work, may mumunting requirement kada semestre ang bawat subject na kukuhanin. May grade kada semestre. Nabibilang ang natatamong units pagkatapos ng bawat semestre hanggang mabuo ang certain number of units na required ng programa. Kapag natapos ang course work, naghihintay na ang comprehensive examination na, kung maipapasa, saka pa lamang bibigyan ng pagkakataong buuin ang huling requirement na thesis o dissertation nga. Ang thesis o dissertation ang ambag ng mag-aaral sa knowledge production na requirement naman ng akademya sa sinumang magkakadiploma worthy of his iodized salt. Sa thesis o dissertation, inaasahang magagamit lahat ang natamong karunungan at disiplina sa course work. Ito ang culmination. Sa pagsulat ng thesis at dissertation, kadalasan, ipinauubaya na sa mag-aaral ang panahon kung kailan ito matatapos. Say, minimum tatlong semestre o isang taon para sa thesis kasama na ang pagkalap ng datos at paghahanay nito bilang manuskrito. Anim na semestre o dalawang taon naman para sa dissertation. Maaaring tumagal ito depende sa tiyaga at sigasig ng estudyante. Bukod pa rito ang iba pang salik, gaya ng trabaho, panggastos, hirap sa pagkalap ng datos, availability ng mga awtoridad, personal na buhay. Love life. Marami. Kaya nga sa yugtong ito ng higher learning madalas nagtatagal ang estudyante. Oo nga’t may thesis o dissertation adviser, pero dahil karaniwa’y uncharted territory ang pinapasok na paksa at pamamaraan sa pananaliksik, kaya naliligaw ang estudyante. Maraming datos na matiyagang kinalap na, kalaunan, hindi pala kailangan. Maraming binasa, kinapanayam, sininop. Maraming naubos na oras at pera. May ibang bumalik na sa trabaho dahil naubos na ang study leave. Dahil sa mga dahilan ng delays na ito, lalo kung wala namang kontrata buhat sa funding agency o sa nagbigay ng scholarship grant, kaya minsan tinatamad na ang estudyante na harapin ang kanilang thesis o dissertation. Kaya naman wala akong judgment sa mga huminto nang matagal o tuluyan nang tumigil. Sa iba, praktikal ang dahilan ng pagtatamo ng mataas na pinag-aralan. Ma-promote. Tumaas ang posisyon at suweldo. Sa iba, personal. Gustong malaman pa ang kakayahan. Kung hanggang saan pa ang mararating. O kaya may gustong paghigantihang nangmaliit sa kanila dati. Oo, mayroon akong naengkuwentrong ganito. May ibang ang inspirasyon para sa thesis o dissertation ay pagtuklas at paglandas ng bagong karunungan o larangan. May ibang gustong palalimin ang dati nang karunungan sa mas tiyak na paksa ng pag-aaral. Doing so, kikilalanin din naman sila. Mabibigyan ng titulo at karangalan. By-product ng mga pagtuklas na ito ang posisyon at suweldo. At papuri kung talagang magbibigay ng pagbabago sa pag-unawa ng buhay ang natuklasan sa pananaliksik. Walang problemamg maghangad ng mataas na suweldo o posisyon na kayang idulot ng mataas na pinag-aralan. Ang problema ay kapag nakamit ito sa paraang walang talino o integridad na inilaan. Bakit ba kasi tayo umabot sa ganito? Sa larangan ng edukasyon, lalo sa mga abang guro na target ng mga nagbebenta ng thesis o dissertation, kasabay ng mataas na pinag-aralan ang posibleng pagtaas din ng posisyon at suweldo. At bahagi ng pagtaas ng posisyon ang paglawak ng nasasakupan ng kapangyarihan. Kasabay nito ang pagbigat ng responsibilidad, may mabigat nang pagpapahalaga sa desisyon bilang administrador. Pero ngayon, hindi na lang thesis at dissertation ang mabibili. May awards at naglipanang instant publication sa tabi-tabi. Lahat ito ay malalaking puntos para kilalanin at ma-promote ang isang karaniwang titser patungo sa pagiging administrador. Iniaasa sa isang administrador na may master’s o PhD degree ang isang erya ng karunungan o administrasyon ng mismong paaralan o distrito o dibisyon o – huwag naman sanang makarating dito – rehiyon, thereby iniaasa ang kinabukasan ng edukasyon. Alam naman nating lubhang kailangan ng talino at dignidad sa ganitong posisyon. Dito na magba-bisect ang paghahangad ng titulong nakabatay sa disiplina, sa tiyaga, sa galing at talino, at ang pagbabayad para mapadali lahat ito. Yes, magkakaroon ang sinumang papatol sa mga nagbebenta ng thesis na, chances are, hinugot din lang sa AI ang isinulat. Maaaring hindi nahalata sa oral defense na hindi siya ang gumawa kaya ipinataw ang titulo. Pagbalik nga sa trabaho, gaya ng inaasahan, na-promote, kinilala. Binigyan ng responsibilidad para ayusin ang edukasyon ng nasasakupan. Hahanapin ba ng nakaposisyong ito ang integridad at talino kung siya mismo ay wala nito kaya nga bumili ng thesis? Anong disiplina at pagsisikhay ang maipapayo niya kung siya mismo ay walang tiyaga at kakayahan? Huwag nang itanong kung may natutuhan sa mas mataas na antas ng pag-aaral. Sa mga suliranin upang mapabuti at mapataas ang kalidad ng edukasyon, anong dangal at galing ang kaya niyang ihain? Pero siyempre, wala nang pakialam ang nagka-PhD o master’s degree sa mga kritikal na tanong para mapabuti ang edukasyon. Bakit pa nila hahangarin kung assured na ang kanilang papalaking suweldo, papataas na posisyon, papalawak na kapangyarihan hanggang magretiro? Magtataka pa ba tayo kung bakit ganito tayo kababa? – Rappler.com Associate professor ng seminar in new media, writing for new media, at creative writing sa Faculty of Arts and Letters at sa Graduate School ng University of Santo Tomas si Joselito D. De Los Reyes, PhD. Siya rin ang program coordinator ng BA Creative Writing program ng nasabing unibersidad. Recipient siya ng 2020 Philippine Normal University Gawad Sulo for Eminent Alumni in the Field of Teacher Education. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

‘We have to be at our best’: Little room for error as Gilas shoots for Olympics

delfin.dioquino editor

30/06/2024 23:10

ADORED. Gilas Pilipinas in action in the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – There is little room for error as Gilas Pilipinas tries to do something special in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga, Latvia. Team manager Richard del Rosario said the Nationals have to be at the top of their game against Latvia and Georgia after getting a feel of what to expect in the OQT following a pair of friendly matches versus Turkiye (Turkey) and Poland. Although Gilas dropped both tuneup games, with Turkey earning an 84-73 win and Poland escaping with an 82-80 victory, the Filipinos showed they have a fighting chance against top European teams. “We were good against Turkey, we were better against Poland, but we have to be at our best from here on out,” said Del Rosario. Minimizing its mistakes is a priority for the Philippines after it coughed up a combined 40 turnovers against Turkey and Poland. That is more than the 39 assists the Filipinos totaled in the same two matches. Defending the three-point line is also a point of concern as Turkey and Poland sank 14 and 11 triples, respectively, with their proficiency from beyond the arc spelling the difference in their triumphs. In terms of strength, Gilas has been dominant on the boards as it recorded twice as many rebounds against Poland, 42-21. The Philippines won the rebounding battle against Turkey as well, 39-29. “We need to limit our turnovers and get locked in defensively. It’s not just about competing, it’s all about winning,” said Del Rosario. Through the OQT, the Nationals hope to end the Philippines’ decades-long absence in Olympic basketball since the country last sent a team to the Summer Games in 1972. Standing in the Filipinos’ way are two formidable squads in world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia, which both made the last 16 in the previous FIBA World Cup. “We will put them under the microscope and look for ways to win,” said Del Rosario. Gilas will play two games in less than 24 hours as it tangles with Latvia at 12 am and Georgia at 8:30 pm on Thursday, July 4 (Manila time). – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Ex-Sarangani governor Migs Dominguez assumes role as Alsons top honcho

Herbie G

01/07/2024 13:54

NEW ROLE. Former Sarangani governor Miguel Rene Dominguez takes on a new role as head of the Alsons Development and Investment Corporation. Alsons Dev GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Former Sarangani governor Miguel Rene “Migs” Dominguez took over as the president and chief executive officer of Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev), a part of one of the country’s largest and most diversified conglomerates, on Monday, July 1. The 47-year-old Dominguez’s new role put an end to speculations that he will try to reclaim his former seat or seek General Santos City’s mayoralty in the 2025 elections. Alsons Dev is the real estate arm of the Alcantara Group, a business conglomerate comprising dozens of companies involved in power and energy, real estate ventures and property development, agriculture and aquaculture business, value-added processing, and fresh fruit exports. The appointment of Dominguez “signals a new era of leadership that marks a pivotal moment for the company as it continues to expand its footprint in the real estate development sector,” read part of an Alsons Dev statement released ahead of his assumption as one of the top executives of the conglomerate. (A previous version of this story misstated that Alsons Dev, instead of the Alcantara Group, is one of the country’s largest and most diversified conglomerates. This has been corrected. – Editors) In a way, Dominguez replaced his retiring mother, Rosie Alcantara Dominguez, who led Alsons Dev only as executive vice president – she did so as the highest-ranking executive before her son’s assumption. The younger Dominguez served as a director of Alsons Dev and vice president for operations of the Alcantara Group’s Agribusiness Unit that runs the Philippines’ largest fully integrated aquaculture farm, value-added processing, and exports of fresh bananas and pineapples. The Alcantara Group is considered the country’s second-largest producer of pineapples, which it grows in a plantation in General Santos. “We must always give credit to those whose shoulders we stand on, not just professionally but also for the experiences that shaped us as individuals,” said the agriculture-inclined Dominguez. The announcement of his appointment was met with mixed reactions by his political supporters in Sarangani who have been hoping for his return as governor of the province, where he served a full nine-year term from 2004 to 2013. “It is unfortunate for Sarangani,” said retired business executive Edmundo Cejar, who had worked closely with Dominguez’s father Paul in the past. Paul Dominguez served as presidential adviser on Mindanao during the Ramos administration. Cejar, now a Sarangani farmer, said that with the elections fast approaching, many have been asking if the former governor will again throw his hat into the political arena. “People in the (Sarangani) capitol, grossly overestimating my connection with Governor Migs, ask me if he entertains going back to serve Sarangani as he is the only one who can bring down the [present leaders] in the province,” he said. When he first sought the gubernatorial post, the then 27-year-old Dominguez unseated a seasoned politician whose administration was tainted with controversies. He became the youngest Mindanao governor at that time and introduced innovative programs and initiatives in Sarangani that were recognized and earned him three presidential awards and the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) Award for Governance and Public Service in 2013. Dominguez earned his economics degree from Boston College in 1999 and completed his master’s degree in public administration at Harvard University. He was the first recipient of the Jesse Robredo Leadership Award in 2013. Dominguez is currently the president of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GSCCCI). Before he became Alsons Dev’s top honcho, talks were also rife about him gunning for the city’s mayoral post. “I really have no idea about his political plans. It’s been a long time since I last saw and talked to him. Better to wait for Governor Migs himself to make the announcement if indeed he is running or not,” Cejar said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Tensions rise in BARMM as Marcos allies allegedly threaten COA use vs Murad’s foes

Herbie G

01/07/2024 12:11

MEETING. Local officials share a light moment with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a June 24, 2024 meeting in Manila. From left: Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Tawi-Tawi Governor Yshmael Sali, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Marcos, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Gambar, and Basilan Governor Jim Salliman. MILG-BARMM COTABATO, Philippines – Allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allegedly threatened to weaponize the Commission on Audit (COA) against local leaders in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) unless they supported BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim’s group in the 2025 parliamentary elections. Speaking during the provincial launch of the BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) in Bongao, Tawi-tawi, on Saturday, June 29, Mayor Raida Maglangit of Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur, alleged that South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. warned that BARMM local governments with local chief executives who do not support the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) would be subjected to strict audit. The UBJP is the political party of the Ebrahim-led Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has allied with the administration Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) headed by Tamayo. One of the leaders of the BGC, Maguindanao del Sur Governor Mariam Mangudadatu, sharply criticized Tamayo and other officials closely associated with Marcos in Basilan on Sunday, June 30, accusing them of name-dropping the President to weaken the political dissent against Ebrahim and the UBJP. Mangudadatu claimed that she had exchanged text messages with Tamayo who allegedly told her about the Marcos administration’s plans in the BARMM, which would need support from local officials to Ebrahim’s group. According to Maglangit, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo called a meeting with local officials in the BARMM at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on June 24, where they were allegedly threatened that the Marcos administration would weaponize the COA against them if they did not support Ebrahim’s group. Marcos came and met with them. “Last week lang po pianatwag kami sa Manila. Para po ano yan pilitin kami na suportahan ang UBJP…. Ang masakit po doon, tinatakot po nila kami na pag hindi kami sumuporta sa UBJP ay ipapa-audit nila kami,” Maglangit alleged. (Just last week, we were called to Manila. They pressured us into supporting the UBJP… What’s bothersome was that they threatened to have us audited if we didn’t support UBJP.) Maglangit alleged that the warning came from Tamayo, the PFP national president. She said she responded to Tamayo’s threat by daring him to immediately send state auditors to investigate her town government’s finances and work. Maglangit and Mangudadatu lambasted Tamayo for allegedly interfering in BARMM politics, pointing out he is a provincial governor from another Mindanao region. “Bakit po kayo sobrang nakikialam sa BARMM? Bakit taga-BARMM po ba kayo? Nararamdaman niyo po ba ang aming nararamdaman? Nararanasan niyo po ba ang hirap na pinagdadaanan namin?” Maglangit said in reference to the South Cotabato governor from the neighboring Soccsksargen region. (Why are you so involved in BARMM? Are you from BARMM? Do you feel what we feel? Do you experience the hardships we go through?) In Maluso, Basilan, on Sunday, June 30, Mangudadatu, Governor Abdusakur Tan of Sulu, and Basilan Representative Mujiv Hataman said they doubted that Marcos was aware of the alleged political maneuverings of people closely associated with him in favor of the UBJP. “Stop name-dropping the President. There are a few people in his circle destroying the name of the President,” said Mangudadatu, citing text messages allegedly sent to her by Tamayo. Tan, who has declared his intention to challenge Ebrahim’s likely bid to get elected as BARMM’s chief minister in 2025, said he and his allies in the BGC think Marcos was unaware of the maneuverings and that the President only wanted to do away with the political discord in the BARMM and unify the region’s political groups. “The BGC calls for the truth to come out. It calls for those who subvert the truth to be held accountable, along with those who would go against the principles of fair, transparent, and peaceful elections – principles that have been espoused by the national leadership,” read part of a statement released by BGC about the allegations against Tamayo. Mangudadatu said the BGC has already picked Tan as its bet for the BARMM chief minister’s post in the 2925 elections. Addressing Tamayo, she said, “Kaya ‘wag mo kami piliting ipakain sa amin ang bagay na ayaw namin gawin. Dahil meron na po kaming napili kung sino ang mamuno sa BARMM region.” (So don’t force us to swallow something we don’t want. We have already chosen who will lead the BARMM region.) Tamayo denied warning local officials in the BARMM that the COA would be weaponized against those who would refuse to join the UBJP. He said he used the word “ipinasisilip” (cause to be looked into), which was then taken out of context. “There was a misinterpretation. We have not said that. What I meant by ipinasisilip are the success stories of every local government unit in BARMM that are model practices for the push for a federal form of government,” Tamayo told Rappler. As the party’s name suggests, the PFP has been advocating for a shift from the present presidential form of government to parliamentary by 2034. BARMM, is a special and predominantly Muslim region in Mindanao with a parliamentary form of regional government, the result of a political settlement between the government and the Ebrahim-led MILF. UBJP spokesperson Mohajirin Ali accused Maglangit of resorting to fabrications at the expense of the UBJP. “We are used to her old rhetoric and malicious attacks. It’s not new to us,” said Ali. According to Ali, Maglangit is the same local official who allegedly made up stories about teachers’ positions for sale in the BARMM Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE). He said Maglangit chose not to cooperate and substantiate her allegations when the BARMM looked into her accusations. Ali said the meeting in Manila, which Maglangit referred to, was meant to help ensure the success of the elections in the BARMM and had nothing to do with the UBJP. “It was for a peaceful, accountable, and transparent BARMM elections, and not to force anyone to join the UBJP,” he said. BARMM has a history of turbulent elections, and concerns are rising that next year’s polls could be even more contentious. UBJP is on a collision course with the BGC, an alliance formed by entrenched political dynasties from various provinces in the region. Included in the BGC are the Al-Ittihad-UKB Party of the Mangudadatu family, the SIAP Party of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., the Bangsamoro People’s Party (BPP) of Hataman, and Tan’s Salam Party. The UBJP, meanwhile, counts the support of Tawi-Tawi Governor Mang Sali, Basilan Governor Jim Salliman, Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Macacua, and Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Ex-Sarangani governor Migs Dominguez assumes role as Alsons top honcho

Herbie G

01/07/2024 13:54

NEW ROLE. Former Sarangani governor Miguel Rene Dominguez takes on a new role as head of the Alsons Development and Investment Corporation. Alsons Dev GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Former Sarangani governor Miguel Rene “Migs” Dominguez took over as the president and chief executive officer of Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev), a part of one of the country’s largest and most diversified conglomerates, on Monday, July 1. The 47-year-old Dominguez’s new role put an end to speculations that he will try to reclaim his former seat or seek General Santos City’s mayoralty in the 2025 elections. Alsons Dev is the real estate arm of the Alcantara Group, a business conglomerate comprising dozens of companies involved in power and energy, real estate ventures and property development, agriculture and aquaculture business, value-added processing, and fresh fruit exports. The appointment of Dominguez “signals a new era of leadership that marks a pivotal moment for the company as it continues to expand its footprint in the real estate development sector,” read part of an Alsons Dev statement released ahead of his assumption as one of the top executives of the conglomerate. (A previous version of this story misstated that Alsons Dev, instead of the Alcantara Group, is one of the country’s largest and most diversified conglomerates. This has been corrected. – Editors) In a way, Dominguez replaced his retiring mother, Rosie Alcantara Dominguez, who led Alsons Dev only as executive vice president – she did so as the highest-ranking executive before her son’s assumption. The younger Dominguez served as a director of Alsons Dev and vice president for operations of the Alcantara Group’s Agribusiness Unit that runs the Philippines’ largest fully integrated aquaculture farm, value-added processing, and exports of fresh bananas and pineapples. The Alcantara Group is considered the country’s second-largest producer of pineapples, which it grows in a plantation in General Santos. “We must always give credit to those whose shoulders we stand on, not just professionally but also for the experiences that shaped us as individuals,” said the agriculture-inclined Dominguez. The announcement of his appointment was met with mixed reactions by his political supporters in Sarangani who have been hoping for his return as governor of the province, where he served a full nine-year term from 2004 to 2013. “It is unfortunate for Sarangani,” said retired business executive Edmundo Cejar, who had worked closely with Dominguez’s father Paul in the past. Paul Dominguez served as presidential adviser on Mindanao during the Ramos administration. Cejar, now a Sarangani farmer, said that with the elections fast approaching, many have been asking if the former governor will again throw his hat into the political arena. “People in the (Sarangani) capitol, grossly overestimating my connection with Governor Migs, ask me if he entertains going back to serve Sarangani as he is the only one who can bring down the [present leaders] in the province,” he said. When he first sought the gubernatorial post, the then 27-year-old Dominguez unseated a seasoned politician whose administration was tainted with controversies. He became the youngest Mindanao governor at that time and introduced innovative programs and initiatives in Sarangani that were recognized and earned him three presidential awards and the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) Award for Governance and Public Service in 2013. Dominguez earned his economics degree from Boston College in 1999 and completed his master’s degree in public administration at Harvard University. He was the first recipient of the Jesse Robredo Leadership Award in 2013. Dominguez is currently the president of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GSCCCI). Before he became Alsons Dev’s top honcho, talks were also rife about him gunning for the city’s mayoral post. “I really have no idea about his political plans. It’s been a long time since I last saw and talked to him. Better to wait for Governor Migs himself to make the announcement if indeed he is running or not,” Cejar said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Philippines’ dependency on coal-fired power surpasses China, Indonesia

Victor Barreiro Jr.

01/07/2024 11:52

COAL IN TONDO. A truck unloads coal inside a warehouse in Tondo city, Metro Manila, on January 11, 2016. Romeo Ranoco/Reuters SINGAPORE – The Philippines surpassed Indonesia and China to break into the world’s top ten economies most dependent on coal-fired power, data from energy think tank Ember showed, underlining the challenges it faces to achieve its green energy goals. The country’s share of coal in electricity generation rose for the fifteenth straight year in 2023, the data showed, despite a target to cut dependence on the fuel to less than half of total power output by 2030. Kosovo had the highest coal dependence in 2023 according to the data released by Ember, with 88.21% of its power coming from the polluting fuel. Mongolia, South Africa, India and Kazakhstan followed by the Philippines ranked 7th on the list. Coal accounted for 61.92% of all electricity generated in the archipelago in 2023, from 59.07% in 2022 – the highest jump in dependence on the fossil fuel since 2016. The Philippines wants to double solar additions and triple wind capacity in 2030 from current levels and is betting on a rapid build out of offshore wind farms. While the Philippines surpassed Indonesia, ranked 8th, in terms of share of coal in power generation, coal continued to be Indonesia’s preferred fuel. China fell outside of the top 10 in 2023 as an acceleration in renewables helped cut the share of coal in its electricity generation, but it remained the largest overall generator of coal-fired power, with India second. “Both Indonesia and the Philippines lag behind other countries in the ASEAN region in their wind and solar deployment,” Ember said in a statement on Monday. Indonesia and the Philippines have struggled to boost renewable capacity due to the costs involved. Indonesia became the world’s fifth largest generator of coal-fired power, with output growing at an average pace of 7.1% over 8 years to overtake South Korea for the first time. “This ascent included surpassing Australia in 2018, Germany in 2019, Russia in 2020 and South Africa in 2022,” Ember said. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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LIST: Filipino athletes who qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics

jisaga0269

30/06/2024 19:55

WINNING MOMENT. Wheelchair racer Jerrold Pete Mangliwan celebrates after a thrilling win in the 400m T52 race in the Asian Para Games. PSC Media Pool MANILA, Philippines – Riding the hype surrounding the 2024 Olympics, the Philippines’ best para athletes are also gearing up for their own dates with destiny as the Paris Paralympics kicks off on August 28, three weeks after the conclusion of the Summer Games. A handful of the country’s top representatives have already clinched their tickets to Paris, carrying along with them the hope of adding to the nation’s small war chest of two bronze medals since joining the Paralympics in 1988. One of the Philippines’ greatest para athletes ever, swimmer Ernie Gawilan is set to dive into his third career Paralympics after qualifying through the Minimum Qualifying Standard. The first-ever Filipino Asian Para Games gold medalist back in 2018, the 33-year-old Gawilan is also a multiple-time ASEAN Para Games gold medal winner and is primed for arguably his best shot at a Paralympics medal this year. Swimmer Angel Otom is set to parlay her incredible 2023 ASEAN Para Games four-gold haul for a bigger shot at glory as she prepares for her first career Paralympics appearance in Paris at the young age of 20. Qualified through the Minimum Qualifying Standard like Gawilan, the swimming prodigy is set to battle veterans and other young prospects in what looks to be the continuation of a long and prosperous career. Another pillar of Philippine para sports, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan is set to banner the Filipino delegation once more as a strong medal bet with his third career Paralympics appearance. Guaranteed of a spot in Paris last June 29, the decorated 44-year-old is expected to give everything he’s got in what may just be his final Paralympic Games. Mangliwan is coming off a successful 2022 Asian Para Games where he claimed his first career gold in the continental level. Marking her first career Paralympics appearance, Cendy Asusano heads to Paris as the Philippines’ top bet in javelin throw, after qualifying around the same time as her compatriot Mangliwan. In the prime of her career at 34 years old, Asusano is another multi-time ASEAN Para Games gold medalist. Age is just a number for Agustina Bantiloc as she competes in her first career Paralympics at 55 years old, also marking the first time in history a Filipino para archer reached the sport’s biggest stage. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, the world’s No. 30 para archer is out to prove it is never too late to pursue your dreams at the highest levels. Already a Paralympics veteran at just 25 years old, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin is set for his second career Paralympics appearance after qualifying last March 20. This trip to Paris, however, marks a revenge tour of sorts as Ganapin failed to compete in the 2021 Tokyo edition of the Games due to an untimely positive test for COVID-19. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Kris Aquino opens up on split with Mark Leviste, new relationship with PH-based doctor

Ysa Abad

01/07/2024 9:32

UPDATE. Kris Aquino appears on 'Fast Talk With Boy Abunda' on her 53rd birthday to share a health update. Screenshot from GMA Network's YouTube page MANILA, Philippines – After her on-and-off publicized relationship with Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste, Kris Aquino confirmed that she’s dating someone new! In an interview with Ogie Diaz released on Sunday, June 30, the former TV host revealed that her new beau is a doctor based in Makati. “He’s a doctor. And I think that’s part of the reason why it’s easy. Kasi alam niya kung anong pinagdadaanan ko (Because he knew what I’m going through),” she told Diaz. She added, “He’s part of the reason why I’m confident na pwede akong umuwi kasi alam ko (that I can go home because I know that) there’s someone who will help in taking care of me.” In the vlog, the TV personality also shared that she might have the go-signal to return to the Philippines if the results of her upcoming tests are clear. “Hopefully sa last quarter ng taon, bago mag-Pasko (in the last quarter of 2024, before Christmas), I’ll be back in the Philippines,” she said. Aquino, however, didn’t give other details about her new partner, adding that she prefers to keep her new romance private. Her son Bimby, who was also present in the interview, described her mom’s new partner as “makulit” but a “very good guy.” He also added that “[his] mom’s heart is peaceful” now. Aquino then emphasized that her sons’ opinions on her relationship is important to her. She also disclosed that Bimby and her ex-boyfriend, Leviste, weren’t getting along that well. The actress continued that she no longer had plans to get back with the local politician as she also learned about some things that she didn’t like. “We’re still friendly but at a distance na,” Aquino said of her current status with Leviste. Dating rumors between Aquino and Leviste started in January 2023, when the politician visited her in the US during the New Year. At one point, the host-actress clarified that Leviste was only her “male best friend.” Then, months later, she said that her relationship with him was publicized without her “knowledge and consent.” In July 2023, Aquino revealed that she had broken up with Leviste, saying that a long-distance relationship was difficult to maintain given her health condition. In November 2023, she disclosed that it was her who initiated the break-up. Since 2018, Aquino has been battling a number of autoimmune diseases. She was first diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria, and was additionally diagnosed with erosive gastritis and a gastric ulcer in March 2022. She went to the US in June 2022 to receive treatment for her autoimmune diseases and has been there since. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Credible

Sean Chambers: The ace up Gilas’ sleeves

Jasmine Payo

30/06/2024 22:11

DEPUTY. Gilas Pilipinas assistant coach Sean Chambers at the sidelines during a tuneup match. Sean Chambers Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – As Gilas Pilipinas warmed up for their tuneup game against the Mustangs of Taiwan on June 24, a face known to the older generation of Filipino hoop fans quietly walked onto the sidelines of the PhilSports Arena. He looked around to scan the entire scene. The hallways, every corner, even the cracks on the floors and walls were all too familiar to him, summoning memories of bruising hard court battles, of triumphs and defeats, of friendships made and respect earned. It was an atmosphere he basked in many times over in the past, in a place where some of the greatest accomplishments of his playing career happened. It was in the same venue, then still known as Ultra, where Sean Chambers led the Alaska Milkmen to a 3-1 romp over former LA Lakers backup point guard Wes Matthews and Ginebra San Miguel in the finals of the 1991 Third Conference, earning for the Uytengsu franchise its first ever PBA title. It would be the first of six championships that Chambers and coach Tim Cone bagged together as they transformed Alaska into one of the winningest PBA ballclubs of the 1990s. Included in their list of feats was clinching the 1996 PBA Grand Slam when Chambers played in both the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governor’s Cup. Four years ago, Chambers already told Rappler the he’d likely “retire in the Philippines eventually.” But talks of retirement will have to wait a little further down the road. A couple of new missions beckon, and as he has done so many times in his storied career, Chambers responded to the calls the only way he knows how – by going all in. Not a surprise from the second recipient of the PBA’s Mr. 100% award. After briefly being part of the TNT Tropang Giga coaching staff tasked with player development in 2023 upon the invitation of his former Alaska teammate Jojo Lastimosa, Chambers returned to the Philippines this year for a lengthier assignment. He had been handed the coaching reins of the FEU Tamarraws, who finished seventh out of eight teams in the UAAP the previous season. This early, Chambers’ imprint is already evident in the rejuvenated FEU squad which finished third in the recent FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup. When Cone found himself two assistants short in his Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff because of the unavailability of LA Tenorio and Josh Reyes, it was an easy decision for the winningest coach in PBA history to recruit Chambers on board to the national team braintrust. “Sean steps in, he’s played with me for 13 years, he knows me personally as well as anybody I’ve ever met,” said Cone. “He knows our system, he knows the triangle, so he’s just the perfect guy.” “And if you have ever been around him… he’s one of the most valuable people around you. We begged him and we begged FEU, and thank goodness he said yes, and FEU said yes.” It was also an easy decision for Chambers to accept the invitation to join the Gilas Pilipinas squad that was bound for the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers to be held from July 2-7 in Riga, Latvia. “To represent the Philippines on an international stage has always been a dream of mine,” said Chambers. Cone could not have picked for the Gilas players a better mentor of the system he wants to implement than the import who has played the longest under his tutelage. Not only did Chambers master the triangle offense when he was a player, but he now teaches it to his young boys in FEU where he has instilled parts of the triangle. His knowledge of the nuances of Cone’s offensive and defensive schemes, plus his keen understanding of Cone’s thought processes in devising strategies and game plans that need to be executed on the floor make him an invaluable asset on the Gilas bench. Cone + Chambers is an equation that for a decade, produced winning results. Gilas fans hope this partnership once again delivers the goods. What was unique about Chambers’ game during his playing career was that despite standing at just around 6-foot-2, he did the most damage close to the basket. He was effective as he was efficient, outworking taller frontliners and even thriving in conferences that featured big imports. This expertise in the low block will be helpful to the Gilas frontline, which is still rather undersized compared to the long, hefty and athletic European bigs. But Chambers’ biggest contribution to Gilas Pilipinas, perhaps, may not even be the technical expertise he shares with the team. His mere presence exudes a positive influence that was born out of years of hard work that resulted in a sustained level of excellence. It is rare that an import is able to build a career in the PBA that spans more than 10 years. Long before Justin Brownlee became Cone’s reinforcement of choice for Barangay Ginebra, Chambers defined the standard of the quintessential resident import. The task ahead for Gilas Pilipinas is obviously laden with difficulties. But it does help that someone with Chambers’ pedigree is on the bench. He knows the pressure of the big moments. He is a proven winner. His character and mindset should give the Gilas players a template to emulate. – with a report from Delfin Dioquino/Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Marcos put his foot down on jeepney consolidation. Was it a success, and what’s next?

lkyu0285

01/07/2024 8:25

Nico Villarete/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – A few weeks before the controversial deadline for jeepneys to consolidate, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised that this time, there would be no more extension. “Asahan ninyo, wala na pong extension ‘yung modernization. Kailangan na kailangan na natin ‘yan (Believe me, there will be no more extension for modernization. We really need it),” he told a cheering crowd of transport leaders. In his second year in office, this was perhaps Marcos’ most important declaration regarding the transport sector. Until that point, some jeepney operators, manufacturers, and financiers were still second-guessing the government’s commitment to the transport modernization program. After all, the first step of the entire modernization program – industry consolidation – had already been extended at least six times. But the April 30 deadline went and came, and the government stood firm. Now, over a month later, questions remain: has consolidation truly been effective, and where does the modernization program go from here? The Department of Transportation (DOTr) considers industry consolidation a success. Latest figures provided by the DOTr show that 159,914 out of 191,730 (83.41%) public utility vehicles (PUVs) consolidated before the deadline. Consolidation involves operators of individual jeepneys forming either transport cooperatives or corporations. So far, 1,749 transport cooperatives with around 262,870 members, and 1,088 corporations have been formed. "Consolidation should have ended 2020 pa siguro (perhaps). But [with] seven or eight extensions, it reached after April 30. Finally, it's done," DOTr Undersecretary of Road Transport and Infrastructure Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said on June 17. Studies of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) show that a consolidation rate of 65% is already sufficient since there is an “oversupply of public utility jeeps.” The modern jeepneys that will eventually replace traditional ones will also be able to seat up to 30% more passengers, according to Ortega. Since talks about consolidation began heating up again in early 2023, protesting transport groups have held multiple strikes, often led by PISTON and Manibela. Their concerns mainly revolved around the costs of forming a consolidated entity and purchasing modern jeepneys. Other jeepney drivers also told Rappler that they disliked being "forced" into cooperatives and losing direct ownership of their franchise and vehicle. (READ: Anti-poor? How gov’t defends PUV modernization, why jeepney stakeholders oppose it) That has prompted the government to go back on its word and extend the deadline multiple times after what was supposed to be the "final" extension. But the government finally stuck to its April 30 deadline because in their eyes, jeepney operators had been given long enough time to comply. “Based on the extension from December to April 30 which the president extended, I would say, lahat ng totoong interesado, lahat ng gustong sumama, nasa loob na po. I need to say it kasi nasa back of our mind, kawawa naman yung mga iba hindi nakasama. Hindi po. Lahat ng gusto nakasama na po,” Ortega told reporters during the Monday Circle Financial Forum, a forum for market research analysts, private sector heads, government executives, and reporters. (Everyone who is truly interested, who wanted to join, are now part of the consolidation. I need to say it because at the back of our mind, we feel bad for those that were not able to join. No. Everyone who wanted to join is in.) Ortega has dealt with the problems surrounding consolidation firsthand. Before recently taking his position as undersecretary, he sat as chairman of the Office of Transport Cooperatives, the lead government agency tasked with consolidating jeepney operators into cooperatives. During that time, Ortega attempted multiple times to negotiate with the two groups most vocally opposed to consolidation, Manibela and PISTON. Certain members of the group remain unconsolidated until now. “If we see certain groups or personalities na nasa labas, kahit anong extension, they will never join. Tapos na po yung consolidation (that remain outside, whatever extension we give, they will never join. Consolidation is done),” he said. According to Ortega, whether an operator opts to consolidate or not is a “business decision.” “My mindset when this consolidation was happening, it is a business decision by the operator. And we should respect their decisions,” he said. “‘Ay, matanda na ako, retired na ako.’ That's fine. ‘Ay, I'll change business from operator. I'll just do business sa palengke or sari-sari store.’ Pwede.” ('Oh, I'm getting old, I'll retire.' That's fine. 'Oh, I'll change my business as an operator. I'll just do business as a wet market vendor or a sari-sari store owner.' Sure.) There were also other operators who described the idea of cooperatives and corporations as too “complicated” for them. “For them, parang komplikado ang tingin nila sa kooperatiba o korporasyon. Ayaw po nila maging sa ilalim ng isang organisasyon. Ang jeepney driver-operator ang kanilang mas gustong sistema, which is one-on-one, so ayaw nila sumama sa isang bagay na parang komplikado,” Ortega explained in a Senate hearing on the PUV modernization program last June 21. (For them, they view cooperatives and corporations as complicated. They don’t want to be under an organization. They prefer the jeepney driver-operator system, which is one-on-one, so they don’t want to join something like this which seems complicated.) But for some operators, the issue of consolidation highlights an ideological divide about how a public service like transportation should be managed. PISTON, which brands itself as a “progressive and anti-imperialist federation” has long opposed franchise consolidation, fearing that it would lead to the “corporate capture of mass transportation.” “The government’s insistence on consolidation is unjustified. They are just rushing to benefit their accomplice businessmen and corporations in public transport,” Mody Floranda, PISTON national president, said in a statement weeks after the supposed December 31 deadline passed. In Bacolod, opposition to consolidation is especially strong. Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition president Lilian Sembrano claimed that more than 50% of jeepney operators remain unconsolidated in the city. Sembrano also alleged during the Senate hearing that officials from the local government unit (LGU) and the LTFRB connived to grant routes to those close to them. (READ: Bacolod legislators make last-ditch effort to avert jeepney crisis, unrest) “‘Yung 81%, kahit ipatawag natin dito sa Kongreso ‘yung mga operator, magsasabi ‘yan na ‘napilitan lang kami mag-consolidate kasi mawawalan na kami ng kabuhayan after April 30,’” the local transport leader said. (The 81%, even if we call the operators to Congress, they will say, 'We were forced to consolidate because we would lose our livelihood after April 30.') Whether jeepney operators were threatened by the state into consolidation or not is a question that the Senate hearing is likely to pursue. Still, figures show that the majority of jeepneys in the country have consolidated. And for those that have done so, they continue to cling on to the President’s word. “Si Presidente na po ang nagsabi na wala nang extension. Ang tanong ko lang po, papaano naman po kaming sumunod?” ALTODAP president Boy Vargas said during the Senate hearing. (The President has already said there will be no more extensions. My only question is, what about those of us who complied?) “Madidismaya naman po kami o madidisorganize kung sakaling i-extension pa po ito (We will be diswayed and disorganized if this gets extended again),” he said. “Dito po sa consolidation, ‘yun po ‘yung gusto ng gobyerno natin (Consolidation is what our government wants).” For Marcos, making this jeepney modernization program successful is more than just about continuing an old government policy, which has its roots in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. (READ: Duterte to jeepney drivers, operators: Modernize by year-end or get out) In many ways, the PUV modernization program can be viewed as a continuation of what prominent transport groups believe is former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s “legacy” in the transportation sector. It was Marcos Jr.’s dictator father who established the Office of the Transport Cooperative in the 1970s and 1980s. Marcos Jr. appealed to this memory during his 2022 presidential campaign, capturing the support of many of the major transport groups in the country. “Talagang binigyan ng pansin ni Pangulong Marcos ang transportasyon, kami sa Pasang Masda ang kauna-unahang nagkaroon ng jeepney for the drivers, sa tulong ‘yan ni Pangulong Marcos,” Pasang Masda national president Obet Martin, a long-time Marcos loyalist, said in 2022 about Marcos Sr. (President Marcos gave attention to transportation. Pasang Masda was the first to have a jeepney for drivers program with the help of President Marcos.) Getting past the consolidation phase is a delicate balance of allowing just enough extensions while also exerting the political will necessary to enforce the deadline. Marcos, however, seems to have weathered the political backlash that might arise from the transport sector. When the President announced that the government would stick to its April 30 deadline, he was greeted with cheers from transport leaders in attendance, many of whom had pledged to support him during the 2022 elections. PISTON, however, remains strongly opposed to the Marcos administration's decision to stick with the current modernization program. “The Marcos government has yet to lay out concrete plans for supporting and sustaining the livelihoods of PUV drivers and operators who fail and refuse to consolidate their franchises. This underscores the failure of the corporate-driven and foreign-oriented public transport modernization program – a program that has left many transport workers and commuters in dire straits,” PISTON said in a statement two weeks after the April 30 deadline. Now that the consolidation deadline is over, the DOTr is shifting its focus to route rationalization. Undersecretary Ortega said that LGUs in the Philippines are still finalizing their local public transport route plans (LPTRP), which outline the number of PUV units assigned per route. Under the modernization program, jeepneys are supposed to follow these new routes. So far, only around 24% of LPTRPs in all LGUs have been approved. Ortega said that the government is giving itself until 2026 to finish all LPTRPs since many local governments still need to be capacitated on how to come up with a rationalized route plan. So, when will operators be required to buy expensive modern jeepneys? According to Ortega, cooperatives and corporations are only required to modernize their fleets after they obtain their LPTRP. From that point on, they will have 27 months to get modern jeepneys. “Just to be clear, wala pa pong bilihan ngayon ng sasakyan (there's no requirement to buy vehicles right now),” Ortega told reporters on June 17. The DOTr estimates it may take until 2030 before the majority of jeepney fleets are modernized. “We expect it to happen 2030. And we're talking about upgrading almost or more than 150,000 vehicles. That’s how many they are. That's why it's not something that could be done in a few years,” Ortega said in a mix of English and Filipino. Within that timeframe, manufacturers are expected to be able to scale up and meet demand, lowering the price of jeepneys. Time will tell whether famed local manufacturers, like Francisco Motors and Sarao Motors, can bring a modern look to the aging King of the Road. – Rappler.com This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth stories assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Gilas Boys fall to 0-2 in FIBA U17 World Cup after 62-point loss to Spain

Jasmine Payo

01/07/2024 9:01

TOUGH. Gilas Boys’ Edryn Morales battle for rebound position against Spain in the FIBA U17 World Cup. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – Spain proved why it is ranked No. 2 in the world as it handed the Gilas Pilipinas under-17 team a ruthless 96-34 beating in the FIBA U17 World Cup on Sunday, June 30, at the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Turkiye (Turkey). Coming off a 59-point loss to Lithuania in their opening assignment, Gilas Boys were simply no match for Spain right from the get-go as the Spanish immediately broke the game wide open with a 16-0 lead in just the first four minutes of the contest. Playing minus their go-to guy Kieffer Alas – who suffered a knee injury prior to the start of the World Cup – Gilas Boys struggled mightily on offense as they were held to just 2 points the whole opening period, with their lone basket coming from Joaquin Ludovice at the 5:17 mark of the quarter. The Philippines managed to score in double-digits in the next three quarters, but the game was practically out of reach as early as the first frame, thanks to Spain’s massive 30-2 start. Gilas Boys ended the game shooting just 14-of-63 from the field, including a dismal 3-of-30 clip from three-point land. Aside from steals, where the Philippines tallied 12 versus Spain’s 11, the Spanish dominated all other statistical categories, including a whopping 71-22 difference in the rebounding department and a 52-13 edge in bench points. For the second straight contest, only one Gilas Boys player reached double figures in scoring, with Bonn Daja dropping 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. Ludovice finished with 7 points, while Elijah Williams and Edryn Morales contributed 4 apiece in the 62-point defeat. On the other side, Maximo Garcia-Plata led Spain’s onslaught with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Guillermo Del Pino had 14 markers. Now at 0-2, the Josh Reyes-mentored Gilas Boys return to the drawing board as they wrap up their group phase campaign in Group A versus fellow winless squad Puerto Rico on Tuesday, July 2. Spain 96 – Garcia-Plata 15, Del Pino 14, Campoy 13, Del Castillo 13, Balde 9, Platteeuw 8, Kemu 6, Blanco 6, Gomez 5, Gimenez 4, Huelves 3, Villar 0. Philippines 34 – Daja 12, Ludovice 7, Williams 4, Morales 4, Chua 3, Velasquez 2, Alegre 2, Banal 0, Diao 0, Arejola 0, Amos 0, Gomez de Liaño 0. Quarters: 30-2, 57-13, 76-24, 96-34. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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What to expect in Palarong Pambansa 2024: Schedules, venues, athlete ‘perks’

jsitchon0312

30/06/2024 12:32

PALARO. Workers are seen getting the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) ready for the 2024 Palarong Pambansa, on June 25, 2024. The CCSC will be the venue for the July 9 opening ceremony where some 12,000 attendees from 17 participating regions is expected. Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler CEBU, Philippines – Preparations for the annual Palarong Pambansa to be held in Cebu City are now in full swing and officials are confident that athletes will be greeted with a variety of fun activities and unique perks. “We are very much prepared and we will make sure that our preparations will lead to a successful hosting of the Palaro,” acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia told reporters on Friday, June 28. Based on the finalized schedule, the national sports event will be held in the first half of July, with the opening ceremony set on July 9 and the closing ceremony on July 16. The competition proper will be from July 11 to 15. Delegates will arrive between July 1 to 5, and will join a welcome dinner on July 7. The Palarong Pambansa also includes a grand athletes parade along Osmeña Boulevard heading to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) on July 9. The city government has also prepared a hosting of the Palaro ng Lahi, a showcase competition of traditional Filipino games, at the G Mall of Cebu on July 10 and a series of tours to Cebu’s heritage structures, museums and galleries on July 12 and 16. According to Garcia, the city is expecting around 25,000 visitors, which include officials, school representatives, athletes and their family members. Adolf Aguilar, the assistant schools division superintendent of Cebu City, said during a press conference that it will also be the first time that the Palarong Pambansa will see delegates from the National Academy of Sports and the Philippine Schools from Overseas. This brings the total number of participating delegates from across the country to 19. Another first for the Palarong Pambansa, Aguilar said, is the debut of dancesport as a regular sport for the national event. A majority of the playing venues are found within the downtown area of Cebu City. Only the basketball 3×3 will take place at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City. Basketball 5×5 boys secondary division will be held at the University of San Carlos (USC) main campus while the basketball girls secondary division will be at the USC north campus. The basketball 5×5 boys elementary games will be at the University of the Visayas main campus. All of the volleyball games are going to be at the University of San Jose-Recoletos Basak campus while the athletics events are at the CCSC. Both opening and closing ceremonies will be at CCSC as well. “The admission for all the venues is free, subject to venue limitations,” Aguilar said. Aguilar added that there will also be a “mini-hospital” at the CCSC to cater all basic physical therapy needs of all athletes. Meanwhile, local school board head Kimberly Marie Esmeña told reporters that there are a total of 20 schools that will be utilized as billeting quarters for athletes. Esmeña stated that they have upgraded the quarters with Wi-Fi connection, hand-washing areas, mosquito nets, portable toilets and baths, renovated drainage systems, and improved lighting. “We are ready to receive guests,” the local school board head said. According to the organizing committee, there will be a designated athletes lounge located at the CCSC’s badminton area that has free internet connectivity and a variety of food concessionaires. “This Palaro, we’ll be providing sim cards for athletes, courtesy of DITO Telecoms, that will allow them to have unlimited calls [and texts] to other networks and also 10 gigabytes of data – that’s enough connectivity that will allow our athletes to connect to their parents at home,” Aguilar said. The city government has also procured special tumblers for athletes to help reduce the amount of waste produced from plastic drinking bottles. The assistant schools division superintendent mentioned that they will also be launching an app that contains all the information needed about the grand sports event. The organizing committee said all of the games will be live-streamed on separate Facebook pages dedicated for each of the sports events. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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‘We want to play against the best’: Brownlee embraces daunting task in FIBA OQT

delfin.dioquino editor

30/06/2024 18:41

ALL SMILES. Justin Brownlee (32) and Kai Sotto (11) in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas needs to go through the eye of the needle if it wants to end a decades-long absence in the Olympics. For Justin Brownlee, it is supposed to be like that. The beloved naturalized player embraced the daunting task that awaits the Nationals in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be staged in Riga, Latvia, from July 2 to 7 as they go up against a pair of top 25 squads. Bunched in Group A with the Philippines are world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia. “It is going to be very tough for us but that is why we’re here. We want to play against the best in the world, and of course, if you want to be in the Olympics and qualify, you got to play with the best in the world,” Brownlee said. “I think it is going to be a great experience for us and we’re definitely not going to take it lightly. We’re definitely going in there to win.” Brownlee and the national team got a taste of the level of competition that is expected in the OQT as they tangled with world No. 15 Poland and No. 24 Turkey in a pair of tuneup games. Although the Filipinos came out winless in those friendlies, they showed that they can go toe-to-toe with European squads. Gilas Pilipinas gave the Turkish a scare before absorbing an 84-73 loss then fell short of a massive upset against a Polish side bolstered by NBA player Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs in a nail-biting 82-80 defeat. Foes in the OQT pose a tougher challenge. Latvia – bannered by Charlotte Hornets forward Davis Bertains and former NBA players Rodion Kurucs and Dairis Bertans – aims to bank on its home advantage in its bid to reach the Olympics for the first time since 1936. Meanwhile, Georgia shoots for a maiden Olympic appearance behind NBA players Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic and Sandro Mamukelashvili of the Spurs. Brownlee, though, feels the Philippines is up to the task as it seeks to send a basketball team to the Olympics for the first time since 1972. “No matter if they’re ranked higher than us, they put on their shoes just like we put on our shoes,” said Brownlee, who averaged 25.5 points and 4 rebounds against Turkey and Poland. “We come in to represent the country in the right way, in the best way we can.” – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Golden boy: Who stands in the way of an EJ Obiena pole vault Olympic gold?

jisaga0269

30/06/2024 15:40

Heading to the 2024 Olympics, Filipino pole vault sensation EJ Obiena has taken the sport by storm, poising himself for a historic performance in Paris this July, and quite literally, rising to be one of the best in the world. Keyword: one of the best. Also heading to Paris is a man who has the luxury of having no qualifiers attached to his descriptions. He is simply the best at what he does – backed up by smattering of records to his name, consistent performances, and to top it all off, an Olympic gold medal to defend against the likes of Obiena. He is Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the prodigious 24-year-old reigning Olympic pole vault champion, who is widely expected to defend his crown against all comers this July in Paris. Boasting a yet-unbeatable world record of 6.24 meters (and still owning the next seven world record increments below it), the Swedish-American superstar blazed his way to Paris with no less than nine gold medal finishes, highlighted by the 2024 Xiamen Diamond League where he set his new high mark. Still standing on a peak not even sniffed by the sport’s greatest like Sergey Bubka and Renaud Lavillenie, Duplantis is a young, hungry, and proven winner who – if all goes right in Paris – will more likely than not cruise to his second career Olympic championship. He remains Obiena’s lone unreachable target, which in itself is already a massive accomplishment. Three years removed from his Olympics debut in Tokyo, Obiena is a whole new beast this time around, heading back to the big stage for another crack at the ultimate athletic glory. After settling for an 11th-place finish in his first Games, the 28-year-old standout has been relentless in his grind, powering through a controversial 2021 dispute with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and winning multiple gold medals in the three seasons that passed since Tokyo. The ultimate validation came in June 10, 2023, when the University of Santo Tomas product joined the exclusive 6-meter club upon winning the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway, setting a new Asian record in the process. His place among the greats would then be solidified a little over a month later on July 20, when he rose as the world No. 2 pole vaulter just behind Duplantis after another string of consistent performances and top finishes. Despite recent setbacks, like a ninth-place finish in the World Athletics Indoor Championships and unlucky battles with broken poles, Obiena has proven multiple times over that he is as ready as can be for Paris, and that he only needs to play his game to stay in the realm of Olympic history-makers. The competition will be stiff, yes. There are many other names to look out for, like former world No. 2 Chris Nielsen of the US, Australian star Kurtis Marschall, and American juggernauts Sam Kendricks and KC Lightfoot, but these are all men who have already fallen to Obiena amid his stratospheric rise. The men’s pole vault competition in Paris is practically a fight for silver, but to have Obiena’s name firmly in that conversation is a cause of celebration in itself. And the cold, hard reality of all sports still remains, even for a godlike figure like Duplantis: anything is possible. “For me, that’s why we go to the games – to win. Anything can happen when it’s time to play,” mused former pole vaulter Emerson Obiena, EJ’s father. “As long as the games haven’t happened and are not yet over, you have to have hope.” Duplantis will remain a great barometer far beyond these next Olympics – an idol to look up to and a ghost to chase, until the day comes when he and Obiena can finally look each other eye-to-eye as equals. The greats are never satisfied, after all, but that’s a story for another day. Right now, history still beckons in Paris, and medals – gold or otherwise – are ripe for the taking. “Mondo is one of the greatest. He’s a league above the rest and the world record holder, but again, he’s just human,” Emerson continued. “Sometimes there are ups, sometimes downs. We cannot say what may happen in the games. I just hope we get a medal, whatever color, I’ll be happy with it.” With the weight of the Philippines on his shoulders, can Obiena rise one more time for all his countrymen and clear the bar of their expectations? – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Northern Mindanao voices: Urgent reforms, focus needed as Marcos enters 3rd year

Herbie G

01/07/2024 8:49

CHIEF EXECUTIVE. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who chairs the National Economic and Development Authority Board, presides over a meeting in Malacañang in April 2024. Presidential Communications Office CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. enters his third year in office, Northern Mindanao’s public transport groups, labor advocates, LGBTQIA+ leaders, and anti-drug campaigners demanded focus and urgent action on reforms and unfulfilled promises that continue to impede their sectors. They said they were still hopeful that Marcos would listen to their pleas before completing his six-year presidential term to improve the lives of Filipinos. A local public transportation group in Cagayan de Oro, for instance, said it remains hopeful the Marcos administration would soften and consider their appeal to do away with the franchise consolidation component under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. Since the franchise consolidation deadline two months ago, fewer public jeepneys are operating in Cagayan de Oro, displacing many drivers who relied on them for their livelihood. In one community in Opol town, Misamis Oriental, for example, the number of jeepneys serving residents dropped from over a dozen to just two in May. The consolidation has also increased costs for commuters. Previously, jeepneys took them directly to downtown Cagayan de Oro. Now, with fewer jeepneys and drivers finding other jobs, commuters must take motorcycle taxis to the highway, three kilometers away, to catch rides to Cagayan de Oro. Joel Gabatan, chairperson of the United Drivers Association (UNIDA), stressed that they were into modernizing their jeepneys for the betterment of the riding public, but he said it was disheartening for individual jeepney operators to surrender their hard-earned franchises. “Pila ka tuig among antos anang franchise sige bayad kada tuig, renewal pero pag-abot sa modernization, ibalhin lang sa coop. Wala nami gahom,” Gabatan told Rappler in an interview, emphasizing that all they want is for government to get rid of the franchise consolidation policy. (We have been working for so many years for our franchises, paying every year for renewal, but when the modernization program came, it all went to the cooperatives. We no longer have the power.) The deadline for franchise consolidation was April 30, and there was no extension provided. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had said that franchises for individual PUV operators who failed to consolidate had to be revoked, preventing them from operating their routes. Meanwhile, a Cagayan de Oro-based labor leader said there were no major changes in the labor sector from past administrations until the leadership of Marcos Jr. Lawyer Proculo Sarmen, the legal counsel of the Federation of Freedom Workers, told Rappler that the workers are having difficulty exercising their basic rights because of “labor-only contracting,” which he said is the same practice that former president Rodrigo Duterte promised to remove but failed to fulfill. Sarmen said the government needs to strengthen policies to uphold the right of workers to self-organization, the right to collective bargaining and negotiation, and the right to stage strikes. “Mao kana ang pagkaluluoy nga kahimtang sa mga trabahante,” he said. (That’s the pitiful condition of the workers because without those rights, [the workers] are at the mercy of the businessmen and oligarchs),” he said. He said Marcos should have a labor secretary who would remove  “anti-labor union department orders.” For a local LGBTQIA+ group, the Marcos administration should institutionalize national governnent-funded standard assistance programs, campaigns, and activities, to help their sector. “We have not felt these. Hopefully, in the future, this would be included in their agenda,” Barbie Lindelle, president of the LGBTQ Federation of Cagayan de Oro, told Rappler. She said there were livelihood grants and other campaigns intended for the community but these were insuffiicient. On June 25, about 20 LGBTQIA+ members received P15,000 each in cash grants during the annual Pride Reception hosted by the Office of the Vice President in partnership with LGBT Pilipinas Incorporated. Other than that, they said there has not been much help from the national governnent. The federation said it has intensified a campaign that promotes the welfare of the LGBTQIA+ sector in Cagayan de Oro with the help of the local government and other stakeholders, but not much from the national governnent. Lindelle said the campaign includes an advocacy meant to make the Marcos Jr. administration see the “true value” of a bill against gender-based discrimination. She said they were dismayed because the bill was excluded from the administration’s priority measures for passage in Congress before May 2025. The Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) in Northern Mindanao, an anti-crime and anti-corruption watchdog, also urged the administration to intensify a non-violent campaign against illegal drugs. The group said illegal drug activities have become rampant in the last two years. Kennmarc Francisco, director of CCW Northern Mindanao, differentiated the anti-illegal drug campaign of Marcos Jr. from that of his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who implemented a more focused but bloody approach to combat the drug menace. CCW strongly criticized the extrajudicial killings that happened under the administration of Duterte. “Dili pud ta maka-ingon nga napabayaan. Wala lang gyud natutoki sa insakto; wala mafocusi ang kampanya laban sa droga,” Francisco told Rappler. (We cannot say that there is neglect. It’s just not being focused on; the campaign against drugs has not been given enough focus.) But Brigadier General Ricardo Layug Jr., director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Northern Mindanao, said they have been intensifying their anti-illegal drug operations in the region. He said this in a June 28 statement after police operatives confiscated P136,000 worth of alleged shabu in Barangay Igpit, Opol town, Misamis Oriental, on Thursday, June 27. “Again, we will not tolerate illegal drug activities in the region,” he said. – Rappler.com This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth stories assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Himamaylan City first LGU to digitalize business transactions in Negros Occidental

Kaycee

01/07/2024 8:00

COMMENDED. Himamaylan City mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson receives the plaque of commendation from the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on June 25 in Himamaylan City, for digitalizing business transactions using the eBOSS. ARTA NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – With emerging technology and the need to expedite every transaction in the government, Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental adopted the electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) online portal of the government. Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA)-Western Visayas chief administrative officer Josephine Venus Castillo said the eBOSS allows clients to access all necessary services and information for business registration — from submission of business license applications, online payment, and electronic issuance of relevant documents. Only Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental and Pavia town in Iloilo province have met requirements set by ARTA in Western Visayas to implement eBOSS under the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Law, she said. Castillo said ARTA oversees the government-owned and -controlled agencies in implementing the program, and they are determined to digitize government processes, reduce processing times and extensive requirements, simplify frontline service procedures, and eliminate fixers and collusion. Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson said Himamaylan City’s adoption of eBOSS was a result of strong collaboration among stakeholders. “I am very hopeful that we can continue this momentum, and that our other projects can also receive support from the people. The more support we receive for the program, the easier it will be for us to achieve success and to implement more programs that will make our work in the government easier,” Tongson said. Meanwhile, Teodora Sumagaysay, the Provincial Director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Negros Occidental, said that “embracing this initiative would attract a lot of investors due to the program’s key feature of being able to obtain a business permit within just 20-40 minutes. This would also limit human intervention, subsequently reducing corruption and improving efficiency.” Ralph Joseph Moncatar, the regional director of the Department of Information and Communication Technology – Western Visayas (DICT-6), said that the system is closely monitored by the cyber security bureau that consistently evaluates its vulnerabilities to ensure the security of the data encoded in the system. Moncatar added that eBOSS includes various features to ensure security and transparency for users. These features include an audit trail, which logs and monitors every action in the system; session expiration, which automatically logs out accounts that are not in use to prevent unauthorized access; and a strong password policy to secure the accounts of all users. The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez aims to have 200 LGUs fully comply with the electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) system by the end of this year. The ARTA chief also identified the LGUs that have the fastest processing times for business permit applications: Navotas City at 20 minutes; Valenzuela, Marikina, and Mandaluyong at 30 minutes; Quezon City at 50 minutes; Manila, Parañaque, and Malabon at one hour; Pasay at 1.5 hours; Batangas City at two hours; and Balanga City at 2.5 hours. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Former transport officials embroiled in PDAF scam get 6 years for fake procurement in 2005

Kaycee

01/07/2024 8:30

ANTI-GRAFT. File photo of Sandiganbayan in Quezon City taken on June 30, 2018. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Former government officials who worked for then Department of Transportation and Communication’s (DOTC) Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and a businessman are convicted of graft because of a fraudulent P5.9-million procurement deal for mobile phone units. The Sandiganbayan on June 7 released the 172-page decision penned by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, with Associate Justices Bernelito Fernandez and Ronald Moreno concurring. Former DOTC Directors Elmer Soneja, Venancio Santidad, Ildefonso Patdu Jr., and Rebecca Cacatican; DOTC legal officer Geronimo Quintos; and businessman Domingo Samuel Jonathan Ng were found guilty of one count for violating Section 3 (e) of RA 2019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. All ex-government officials and Ng were sentenced to six to 10 years of imprisonment on top of being perpetually disqualified from holding public office. They, however, were acquitted of a charge of malversation of public funds due to lack of evidence. The 2016 case stemmed from allegations that funds from former Iloilo Representative Judy Syjuco’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) were used for a fraudulent transaction involving 1,582 units of Nokia 1100. The anti-graft court’s Third Division noted that the P5.9-million transaction did not even follow the country’s official procurement process under RA 9184 as no public bidding was held to procure the mobile phones. The Nokia 1100 units were also not delivered to the intended beneficiaries. It was the DOTC officials who approved the deal, even with the transaction not following the usual process. “In sum, the Court finds accused BAC members Santidad, Quintos, Patdu, Cacatan, and Soneja’s brazen disregard of the explicit provisions of the procurement law… and obliviousness to patent irregularities surrounding the subject procurement resulted in the illegal award of the subject contract to accused Ng,” Sandiganbayan’s decision read. West Island Beverages Distributor, which is owned by Ng, got the contract despite only supplying prepaid cards. Meanwhile, Syjuco, who was a co-accused in the two cases, entered into a plea bargain deal with the Office of the Ombudsman and pleaded guilty to Frauds Against Public Treasury and Failure of Accountable Officer to Render Accounts. She also paid P5.9 million to the court in September 2022 to cover the contract cost of the fraudulent transaction. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Gilas Girls complete FIBA U18 Asia Cup sweep, earn Division A promotion

Jasmine Payo

30/06/2024 17:00

BIG W. Gilas Girls celebrate their sweep of the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup Division B. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – The Gilas Girls’ quest for a Division A promotion is finally complete. Led by Alyssa Rodriguez, the Gilas Pilipinas U18 women’s team completed the sweep of the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup Division B tournament following a 95-64 demolition of Lebanon in the championship on Sunday, June 30, at the Futian Sports Park in Shenzhen, China. Rodriguez put on a shooting clinic for the Philippines as she exploded for 22 points on a sizzling 6-of-10 clip from beyond the arc. The sharpshooting Rodriguez caught fire from long distance early, firing 17 of her 22 points in the first half built on five treys. Margarett Villanueva and Naomi Panganiban also joined Gilas Girls’ three-ball party with two long bombs each to finish with 15 and 13 points, respectively, as they officially move up to Division A of the Women’s Asia Cup. With the score knotted at 20-all in the early stages of the second quarter, Rodriguez knocked down a booming triple at the 7:06 mark, which ignited a furious 17-0 Gilas Girls rally. In that pivotal 17-0 run, Rodriguez and Panganiban combined for 13 points to help the Philippines build a sizable 37-20 margin, before pushing it even further to 53-26 at halftime. Gilas Girls then showed no signs of slowing down in the second half, even expanding its lead to its largest at 41 points, 89-48, off a triple by Panganiban with 7:09 to go in the fourth frame. Overall, the Filipinas connected on 15 of their 39 three-point attempts, while limiting the Lebanese to just a 1-of-8 clip from downtown. Aside from their red-hot shooting, Gilas Girls tallied 21 steals and forced Lebanon to commit 31 errors, which ultimately led to 39 points off turnovers. The Philippines overcame a huge double-double performance by Lebanon’s Reem El Ghali, who racked up game-highs of 31 points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, Ava Fajardo and Sophia Canindo also scored in double figures for the Julie Amos-mentored Gilas Girls with 10 points apiece. The victory marks the Filipinas’ seventh straight win, dating back to the SEABA Qualifiers in May, where it also completed a dominant 3-0 sweep of the tournament. With its promotion to Division A, the Philippines joins Asian powerhouses such as China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. Philippines 95 – Rodriguez 22, Villanueva 15, Panganiban 13, Fajardo 10, Canindo 10, Duenas 8, Impreso 7, Lapasaran 5, Reyes 3, Ramos 2, Abong 0, Quinte 0. Lebanon 64 – El Ghali 31, Naassan 19, Hoteit 8, Barakat M. 2, Ajami 2, Al Nakib 1, Jaoude 1, Barakat N. 0, Bado 0, Faraj 0, Mosleh 0. Quarters: 20-17, 53-26, 80-46, 95-64. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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‘Tough Day 1’: Alas Pilipinas braces for KO match in Challenger Cup opener

Jasmine Payo

28/06/2024 16:09

FIGHTERS. Alas Pilipinas players celebrate after a game in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women. PVL IMAGES/JOAQUI FLORES MANILA, Philippines – After a historic bronze finish in the AVC Challenge Cup for Women, Alas Pilipinas gears up  for an even tougher challenge. The Philippine women’s volleyball team hopes to harness its home advantage anew when the country hosts the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup from July 4 to 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila. Still led by Angel Canino and Jia de Guzman, Alas Pilipinas battles Vietnam in a knockout game at 6:30 pm on Friday, July 5. Czech Republic and Argentina tangle in the first game at 3 pm. “It’s tough on Day 1 for Alas Pilipinas, but we’re very sure they’ll give the Vietnamese a tough fight,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara. The tournament kicks off on Thursday, July 4, with Puerto Rico and Kenya battling at 3 pm, followed by Belgium and Sweden slugging it out at 5 pm. Winners advance to the semifinals until the finale, also under a win-or-go-home format. The tournament champion qualifies for next year’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL). Canino (Best Opposite Spiker) and De Guzman (Best Setter) emerged as the national team’s best performers in the AVC, and they will be reinforced this time by pro star Jema Galanza and UAAP aces Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon. Alas’ Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito will also rely on Thea Gagate, Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Faith Nisperos, Vanie Gandler, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Fifi Sharma, Julia Coronel, Jen Nierva, Dell Palomata, Cherry Nunag, and Arah Panique. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Gilas Pilipinas falls short of upset vs Poland in final friendly before FIBA OQT

delfin.dioquino editor

30/06/2024 10:09

DEFENSE. Justin Brownlee of Gilas Pilipinas guards Jeremy Sochan of Poland during a tuneup game on June 29, 2024. WOJCIECH FIGURSKI/Polish Basketball Federation MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas gave Poland a run for its money before absorbing an 82-80 loss in its final tuneup game for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday, June 29 (Sunday, June 30, Manila time). Trailing by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Filipinos rode on a gritty comeback led by Dwight Ramos and Justin Brownlee, but the Polish – ranked 15th in the world – held on to defend their turf at the Arena Sosnowiec. Brownlee finished with a game-high 30 points, while Ramos posted 16 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals as they took turns to bring the Philippines back into the contest after Poland pulled away early in the final frame. Poland held a slim 58-56 edge through the first three quarters before it erected a blazing 18-6 run highlighted by four triples to mount its biggest lead of the game at 76-62 with five minutes left. That sloppy start in the fourth period prompted Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone to give his players a piece of his mind during a timeout. “We’re not even trying anymore,” a fuming Cone told his wards as heard through the broadcast. “If we’re going to play like this, we have no chance.” His pep talk seemed to have worked as the Filipinos chipped away at their deficit behind Ramos, who took over late and unloaded 10 points in a 16-6 rally that pulled his side within 78-82. The gallant fightback, though, fell short after Ramos missed a long three-pointer inside the final 50 seconds that would have made it a one-point game, with Poland hanging on by milking the clock. Michal Sokolowski churned out 21 points on a 3-of-4 clip from beyond the arc to go with 5 assists and 4 steals for Poland, which escaped with the win on the back of its deadly three-point shooting (11-of-24). Half of those treys came in the decisive fourth quarter as the Polish shot an ultra-efficient 6-of-8 from long distance in the period. Aleksander Balcerowski backstopped Sokolowski with 12 points, while NBA player Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs tallied 8 points and 4 rebounds before sitting out the entire second half. June Mar Fajardo put up 10 points and Kai Sotto chimed in 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists for the Philippines, which frittered away a nine-point lead, 23-14, in the opening quarter. Gilas Pilipinas ended the first period up 23-16 but got outscored 25-15 in the second quarter as Poland entered the break with a 41-38 lead. The loss was the second in a row for the Filipinos in their European trip after they suffered an 84-73 loss to world No. 24 Turkiye (Turkey) in Istanbul two days prior. Although winless in its back-to-back friendly matches, the Philippines hopes to apply the lessons it learned from battling two top 30 squads in the OQT that will be staged in Riga, Latvia, from July 2 to 7. Standing in its way are world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia in Group A, with the Filipinos needing a top-two finish to advance to the crossover semifinals. Poland, which crushed New Zealand in another tuneup game, will also vie for a Paris Games berth in the OQT in Valencia, Spain. Poland 82 – Sokolowski 21, Balcerowski 10, Sochan 8, Pluta 8, Ponitka 7, Zyskowski 6, Milicic 5, Dziewa 5, Michalak 5, Niziol 5, Mazurczak 2, Zolnierewicz 0. Philippines 80 – Brownlee 30, Ramos 16, Fajardo 10, Sotto 8, Newsome 6, Aguilar 4, Tamayo 4, Perez 2, Oftana 0, Quiambao 0. Quarters: 16-23, 41-38, 58-56, 82-80. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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With tons of lessons learned, Carlos Yulo goes for glory in Olympic return

delfin.dioquino editor

29/06/2024 17:00

Kim Kyung-hoon/Reuters One thing Filipino gymnastics star Carlos Yulo has learned as he sees action in his second Olympics is that it all comes down to him, no one else. Yulo heads into the Paris Games in France with the same medal aspirations, but this time, he is more sure of himself three years after going home empty-handed from his maiden Olympic stint in Tokyo, Japan. “I should focus on myself and let the other gymnasts do what they do,” said Yulo in a mix of Filipino and English when asked about the lessons he picked up from his Tokyo Games run. “We all worked hard and we all worked ourselves to exhaustion in training. I should focus on where I’m at and be confident of my moves,” he added. “I should not get carried away by my mood and I should trust what I practiced.” Then 21 years old, Yulo competed in Tokyo as a legitimate medal contender, having won bronze and gold in floor exercise in the 2018 and 2019 editions of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, respectively. But Yulo surprisingly finished a distant 44th place in the floor exercise qualification. He gave himself a medal chance by reaching the vault finals, although he fell a fraction of a point short of a podium spot as he placed fourth. As painful as it was not being able to meet those lofty expectations, his campaign in Tokyo helped Yulo become braver and smarter in his approach. “I learned to move confidently and perform what I worked hard for in practice,” said Yulo in an episode of Rappler Talk Sports. “I noticed I was a bit shy back then, so I was not able to truly show what I was capable of doing.” In Paris, Yulo is expected to vie for gold in the floor exercise and vault – apparatuses where he is a former world champion. And his impressive showing in the previous Asian Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where he emerged as the best performing gymnast with four golds, augurs well for his Olympic chances. Yulo ruled the floor exercise with 14.933 points and topped the vault with an average of 14.883 points. If he recorded the same scores in Tokyo, Yulo would have tied floor exercise titlist Artem Dolgopyat of Israel (14.933) and edged vault winner Shin Jea-Hwan of South Korea (14.783). But it should be noted that Yulo competed in the Asian championships without the pressure of having to go up against some of the best gymnasts in the continent, with powerhouse Japan missing action in the senior division. The caliber of competition in Paris is a different beast altogether, with a lot of the medalists in Tokyo returning for another crack at Olympic glory. Daiki Hashimoto, the reigning individual all-around and horizontal bar champion, leads a Japan side determined to capture the team all-around crown after settling for second behind the Russian Olympic Committee in Tokyo. Other champions Dolgopyat (floor exercise), Liu Yang (still rings) and Zhou Jingyuan (parallel bars) of China, and Max Whitlock (pommel horse) of Great Britain are back as well. Still, Yulo, 24, is up to the challenge. “I discovered new skills and I know for myself that I can pull them off this time,” said Yulo. “I’m really aiming to win a medal this time and to have a better performance compared to before.” Yulo endured a bumpy journey back to the Olympics as he dealt with issues concerning his career and personal life in the lead-up to Paris. Probably at the top of that list is his separation with longtime Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, who mentored Yulo for almost a decade and guided him in his rise to gymnastics stardom. They went their separate ways last year before the previous world championships in Antwerp, Belgium, where Yulo coincidentally saw his medal streak halted after winning at least one in each of the last four editions. Although Yulo got the job done in Antwerp as he punched his ticket to Paris, his followers saw his split with Kugimiya as a major factor in his supposed drop in performance. Estranged relationships with some of his family members also surfaced and Yulo recently parted ways with his management group. For Yulo, though, every experience – be it good or bad – has contributed to his growth. “I’ll bring everything that I’ve learned from my past mistakes to this Olympics so that I’ll be able to produce better results,” he said. Yulo will be joined by Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar in Paris as the Philippines matched its biggest gymnastics delegation to the Olympics. “For me, I see they’re all capable of winning a medal,” said Yulo. “I’m happy and grateful that we qualified, but I’m also motivated… I want to win a medal.” – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Reunion soon? Winston hopes to team up with Baltazar again

Jasmine Payo

29/06/2024 20:27

STALWARTS. Justine Baltazar (left) and Schonny Winston in action for La Salle in the UAAP. UAAP MANILA, Philippines – Is a Green Archer reunion in the works? Converge FiberXers guard Schonny Winston anticipates a potential joining of forces with former La Salle teammate Justine Baltazar, who is reportedly planning to join the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft. If they do reunite in Converge, they would be coached by Aldin Ayo, who led the Green and White to the UAAP Season 79 championship in 2016. “That’d be dope. I mean if he joins, that’ll be cool. We played together in La Salle. We have some chemistry,” Winston said during the “Hennessy In the Paint” event in Pasay on Friday, June 28. “We’re just waiting on the news to see what happens or what happens next,” the Fil-Am guard added. “But if he does end up joining, I would love to play with him again.” Baltazar, a skilled 6-foot-9 forward who had also suited up for Gilas Pilipinas, is projected as the consensus top pick, while Converge holds the best odds of nabbing the No. 1 overall pick. Baltazar and Winston were teammates for just one season, when the Archers were halted by eventual UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball champion UP Fighting Maroons in the Final Four. Winston played one more year with La Salle and was drafted ninth overall in 2023, while Baltazar played in various leagues such as the Japan B. League, MPBL, and the NBL. Baltazar led hometown Pampanga Giant Lanterns to their first MPBL championship in 2023, with the big man being feted as the season and Finals Most Valuable Player. Under the tutelage of Ayo, Winston averaged 9.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game during his rookie PBA season. As the FiberXers wallowed at the bottom tier of the PBA standings, the team will have an immediate boost if an exceptional talent like Baltazar is drafted by the team. “I feel like the last few games of our season and our conference, we started to jell as a team so we got a few wins,” said Winston. “That kind of gave us the momentum to go into this offseason and focus on the things we did well, so I think some new players and stuff like that will definitely help the team out a lot.” –  Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Russell gifted Austrian F1 win after Verstappen, Norris collide

Jasmine Payo

30/06/2024 23:58

CHAMP. Mercedes' George Russell celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Austrian Grand Prix. Florion Goga/REUTERS George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, June 30, after Red Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris collided late in the race while fighting for the lead. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished second with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz third at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring. The gifted win was a first for Mercedes since November 2022, when Russell triumphed in Brazil, and the second of the Briton’s career. “It’s not over until it’s over,” declared the jubilant winner after taking the checkeered flag in a race that stored up its excitement until the last 20 laps when the battle between Verstappen and Norris boiled over. A slow 6.5 second pitstop for Verstappen on lap 52 brought Norris right back into range and the ensuing duel saw the McLaren enjoying a drag reduction benefit as Norris tried to overtake. “The team have done an amazing job to put us in this fight. You’ve got to be there at the end to pick up the pieces and that’s where we were,” Russell said before stepping up to the top of the podium. “We were only about 12 seconds behind and I knew it (the collision) was a possibility. You are always dreaming,” the 26-year-old Brit added. Russell had started third, with Verstappen on pole and Norris alongside on the front row, but the win was handed to him after 64 of the 71 laps. Both frontrunners suffered punctures, Norris limping back to the pits and retiring while Verstappen rejoined and finished fifth behind Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Stewards handed the Dutch driver a 10-second penalty for causing the collision but that made no difference to Verstappen’s result and he increased his championship advantage to 81 points over Norris. Nico Hulkenberg was sixth for Haas, a major boost for that team, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez seventh and Kevin Magnussen eighth for Haas. Daniel Ricciardo gave RB two points in ninth and Pierre Gasly took the final point for Renault-owned Alpine. Verstappen 💥 Norris Incredible scenes at the Red Bull Ring 😵#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/YvD0dg2TUH – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Sean Chambers: The ace up Gilas’ sleeves

Jasmine Payo

30/06/2024 22:11

DEPUTY. Gilas Pilipinas assistant coach Sean Chambers at the sidelines during a tuneup match. Sean Chambers Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – As Gilas Pilipinas warmed up for their tuneup game against the Mustangs of Taiwan on June 24, a face known to the older generation of Filipino hoop fans quietly walked onto the sidelines of the PhilSports Arena. He looked around to scan the entire scene. The hallways, every corner, even the cracks on the floors and walls were all too familiar to him, summoning memories of bruising hard court battles, of triumphs and defeats, of friendships made and respect earned. It was an atmosphere he basked in many times over in the past, in a place where some of the greatest accomplishments of his playing career happened. It was in the same venue, then still known as Ultra, where Sean Chambers led the Alaska Milkmen to a 3-1 romp over former LA Lakers backup point guard Wes Matthews and Ginebra San Miguel in the finals of the 1991 Third Conference, earning for the Uytengsu franchise its first ever PBA title. It would be the first of six championships that Chambers and coach Tim Cone bagged together as they transformed Alaska into one of the winningest PBA ballclubs of the 1990s. Included in their list of feats was clinching the 1996 PBA Grand Slam when Chambers played in both the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governor’s Cup. Four years ago, Chambers already told Rappler the he’d likely “retire in the Philippines eventually.” But talks of retirement will have to wait a little further down the road. A couple of new missions beckon, and as he has done so many times in his storied career, Chambers responded to the calls the only way he knows how – by going all in. Not a surprise from the second recipient of the PBA’s Mr. 100% award. After briefly being part of the TNT Tropang Giga coaching staff tasked with player development in 2023 upon the invitation of his former Alaska teammate Jojo Lastimosa, Chambers returned to the Philippines this year for a lengthier assignment. He had been handed the coaching reins of the FEU Tamarraws, who finished seventh out of eight teams in the UAAP the previous season. This early, Chambers’ imprint is already evident in the rejuvenated FEU squad which finished third in the recent FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup. When Cone found himself two assistants short in his Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff because of the unavailability of LA Tenorio and Josh Reyes, it was an easy decision for the winningest coach in PBA history to recruit Chambers on board to the national team braintrust. “Sean steps in, he’s played with me for 13 years, he knows me personally as well as anybody I’ve ever met,” said Cone. “He knows our system, he knows the triangle, so he’s just the perfect guy.” “And if you have ever been around him… he’s one of the most valuable people around you. We begged him and we begged FEU, and thank goodness he said yes, and FEU said yes.” It was also an easy decision for Chambers to accept the invitation to join the Gilas Pilipinas squad that was bound for the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers to be held from July 2-7 in Riga, Latvia. “To represent the Philippines on an international stage has always been a dream of mine,” said Chambers. Cone could not have picked for the Gilas players a better mentor of the system he wants to implement than the import who has played the longest under his tutelage. Not only did Chambers master the triangle offense when he was a player, but he now teaches it to his young boys in FEU where he has instilled parts of the triangle. His knowledge of the nuances of Cone’s offensive and defensive schemes, plus his keen understanding of Cone’s thought processes in devising strategies and game plans that need to be executed on the floor make him an invaluable asset on the Gilas bench. Cone + Chambers is an equation that for a decade, produced winning results. Gilas fans hope this partnership once again delivers the goods. What was unique about Chambers’ game during his playing career was that despite standing at just around 6-foot-2, he did the most damage close to the basket. He was effective as he was efficient, outworking taller frontliners and even thriving in conferences that featured big imports. This expertise in the low block will be helpful to the Gilas frontline, which is still rather undersized compared to the long, hefty and athletic European bigs. But Chambers’ biggest contribution to Gilas Pilipinas, perhaps, may not even be the technical expertise he shares with the team. His mere presence exudes a positive influence that was born out of years of hard work that resulted in a sustained level of excellence. It is rare that an import is able to build a career in the PBA that spans more than 10 years. Long before Justin Brownlee became Cone’s reinforcement of choice for Barangay Ginebra, Chambers defined the standard of the quintessential resident import. The task ahead for Gilas Pilipinas is obviously laden with difficulties. But it does help that someone with Chambers’ pedigree is on the bench. He knows the pressure of the big moments. He is a proven winner. His character and mindset should give the Gilas players a template to emulate. – with a report from Delfin Dioquino/Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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‘We have to be at our best’: Little room for error as Gilas shoots for Olympics

delfin.dioquino editor

30/06/2024 23:10

ADORED. Gilas Pilipinas in action in the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – There is little room for error as Gilas Pilipinas tries to do something special in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga, Latvia. Team manager Richard del Rosario said the Nationals have to be at the top of their game against Latvia and Georgia after getting a feel of what to expect in the OQT following a pair of friendly matches versus Turkiye (Turkey) and Poland. Although Gilas dropped both tuneup games, with Turkey earning an 84-73 win and Poland escaping with an 82-80 victory, the Filipinos showed they have a fighting chance against top European teams. “We were good against Turkey, we were better against Poland, but we have to be at our best from here on out,” said Del Rosario. Minimizing its mistakes is a priority for the Philippines after it coughed up a combined 40 turnovers against Turkey and Poland. That is more than the 39 assists the Filipinos totaled in the same two matches. Defending the three-point line is also a point of concern as Turkey and Poland sank 14 and 11 triples, respectively, with their proficiency from beyond the arc spelling the difference in their triumphs. In terms of strength, Gilas has been dominant on the boards as it recorded twice as many rebounds against Poland, 42-21. The Philippines won the rebounding battle against Turkey as well, 39-29. “We need to limit our turnovers and get locked in defensively. It’s not just about competing, it’s all about winning,” said Del Rosario. Through the OQT, the Nationals hope to end the Philippines’ decades-long absence in Olympic basketball since the country last sent a team to the Summer Games in 1972. Standing in the Filipinos’ way are two formidable squads in world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia, which both made the last 16 in the previous FIBA World Cup. “We will put them under the microscope and look for ways to win,” said Del Rosario. Gilas will play two games in less than 24 hours as it tangles with Latvia at 12 am and Georgia at 8:30 pm on Thursday, July 4 (Manila time). – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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WATCH: Prime Infra automates waste management in Pampanga to eventually turn trash into fuel

Ralf Rivas

30/06/2024 19:41

MANILA, Philippines – A subsidiary of Enrique Razon-led Prime Infrastructure recently switched on its P1-billion automated materials recovery facility in Porac, Pampanga, with the goal of eventually turning stored waste into fuel. In an episode of Business Sense, Prime Infra’s market sector lead for waste Cara Peralta gave Rappler a tour of the 10-hectare facility of Prime Integrated Waste Solutions (PWS). The facility can process up to 5,000 tons of waste per day from the various barangays of Porac, Pampanga. The Pampanga facility is PWS’ first greenfield development and second operational facility next to Cebu City. PWS said the facility is not a landfill, as they aim to eventually sell the waste, which is tightly sealed through a “bailing” process, to companies that can convert it into fuel. Check out how tons of waste are sorted, wrapped, and stored by machines in this video. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel?

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Beatdowns continue: Puerto Rico thrashes winless Gilas Boys by 45 in FIBA U17 World Cup

jisaga0269

02/07/2024 23:07

LEAGUES APART. Gilas Boys' Wacky Ludovice attempts a jump shot over the Puerto Rico defense in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup FIBA MANILA, Philippines – The Gilas Pilipinas under-17 team remained winless in the FIBA U17 World Cup after suffering yet another lopsided defeat, this time at the hands of Puerto Rico, 98-53, on Tuesday, July 2, at the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Turkiye (Turkey). In contrast to their first two outings, where Gilas Boys were immediately put away by their opponents in just the opening period, the Filipinos actually got off to a great start against Puerto Rico with a 24-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. Gilas Boys were firing from all cylinders in the first 10 minutes of the ball game, shooting an efficient 8-of-13 field goal clip, including a near-perfect 5-of-6 mark from the two-point area. Unfortunately, the Philippines failed to sustain its fiery start as Puerto Rico turned things around in the second frame and outscored Gilas Boys, 32-6, for a 48-30 edge at halftime. Gilas Boys never got back to within single digits the rest of the way as the Puerto Ricans cruised to their first win of the tournament and handed the Filipinos – coached by Josh Reyes – their third loss in as many games. Jordan Dill spearheaded Puerto Rico’s balanced attack with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, while Vincent Stewart posted a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jahrel Vigo, Rogny Santiago, and Justin Roman, meanwhile, all had 10 markers each for the Puerto Ricans. For the first time in three matches, two players scored in double figures for Gilas Boys, with Joaquin Ludovice finishing with 13 and Kurt Velasquez tallying 11 on a combined 8-of-26 shooting. CJ Amos – who led Gilas Boys’ furious start – dropped all his 8 points in the first quarter, while Bonn Daja chipped in 7 markers. After a fourth-place finish in Group A, the Philippines hopes to pull off an improbable upset when it goes up against world No. 1 USA in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, July 3. The Americans are coming off a historic 146-62 thrashing of China on Tuesday, setting a new record for most points scored in an U17 World Cup game. The winners in the Round of 16 move up to the quarterfinals, while the losers fall to the classification games. Puerto Rico 98 – Dill 15, Stewart 11, Vigo 10, Santiago R. 10, Roman 10, Santiago M. 9, Quinones 7, Cruz 6, Rosa 6, Montes 6, Pino 4, Colon 4. Philippines 53 – Ludovice 13, Velasquez 10, Amos 8, Daja 7, Banal 3, Chua 3, Alegre 3, Gomez de Liaño 3, Diao 2, Morales 1, Williams 0, Arejola 0. Quarters: 16-24, 48-30, 78-34, 98-53. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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‘We want to play against the best’: Brownlee embraces daunting task in FIBA OQT

delfin.dioquino editor

30/06/2024 18:41

ALL SMILES. Justin Brownlee (32) and Kai Sotto (11) in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. FIBA MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas needs to go through the eye of the needle if it wants to end a decades-long absence in the Olympics. For Justin Brownlee, it is supposed to be like that. The beloved naturalized player embraced the daunting task that awaits the Nationals in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be staged in Riga, Latvia, from July 2 to 7 as they go up against a pair of top 25 squads. Bunched in Group A with the Philippines are world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia. “It is going to be very tough for us but that is why we’re here. We want to play against the best in the world, and of course, if you want to be in the Olympics and qualify, you got to play with the best in the world,” Brownlee said. “I think it is going to be a great experience for us and we’re definitely not going to take it lightly. We’re definitely going in there to win.” Brownlee and the national team got a taste of the level of competition that is expected in the OQT as they tangled with world No. 15 Poland and No. 24 Turkey in a pair of tuneup games. Although the Filipinos came out winless in those friendlies, they showed that they can go toe-to-toe with European squads. Gilas Pilipinas gave the Turkish a scare before absorbing an 84-73 loss then fell short of a massive upset against a Polish side bolstered by NBA player Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs in a nail-biting 82-80 defeat. Foes in the OQT pose a tougher challenge. Latvia – bannered by Charlotte Hornets forward Davis Bertains and former NBA players Rodion Kurucs and Dairis Bertans – aims to bank on its home advantage in its bid to reach the Olympics for the first time since 1936. Meanwhile, Georgia shoots for a maiden Olympic appearance behind NBA players Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic and Sandro Mamukelashvili of the Spurs. Brownlee, though, feels the Philippines is up to the task as it seeks to send a basketball team to the Olympics for the first time since 1972. “No matter if they’re ranked higher than us, they put on their shoes just like we put on our shoes,” said Brownlee, who averaged 25.5 points and 4 rebounds against Turkey and Poland. “We come in to represent the country in the right way, in the best way we can.” – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Dave Ildefonso follows in father Danny’s footsteps, declares for PBA draft

jisaga0269

02/07/2024 20:57

KBL STINT. Dave Ildefonso in action. Suwon KT Sonicboom MANILA, Philippines – With two days to spare before the deadline, Dave Ildefonso expressed his intention to join the upcoming PBA Rookie Draft on Tuesday, July 2. The son of former PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso said he is returning to local hoops after not receiving any new overseas offers. “I didn’t have offers from abroad, and [playing in the PBA] has been a dream of mine,” said Ildefonso during Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas’ media day in Mandaluyong City. “Ever since my father played in the PBA, I want to follow his footsteps and try to achieve what he achieved. I will apply for this upcoming draft, but I don’t know if I could still submit, that’s the problem,” he added, referring to the Thursday, July 4, 5 pm deadline. Ildefonso, who exhausted his playing years with Ateneo following the Blue Eagles’ UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball title win over UP, played in limited minutes with Korean Basketball League team Suwon KT. During his second and final season with the team, he averaged 4.4 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.7 turnovers in 10.6 minutes. Suwon KT replaced Ildefonso with Fil-Italian guard Dalph Panopio, a former Gilas Pilipinas prospect, as its Asian import. “As a player, if you know you’re not being used much in the last season of your contract, you begin to think of what’s next in the future…. Plan A, Plan B…what will I do if I got signed?” said Ildefonso. “If I won’t get signed, what’s next? We were trying to negotiate [for a return], but the team went in a different direction with Dalph, which is, I think, a much better fit for them.” If he had his way, Ildefonso mentioned that he would like to be drafted by Converge, where his dad coaches as an assistant, Rain or Shine with brother Shaun, or San Miguel, where he would be the second Ildefonso to wear a Beermen jersey. Danny, who played from 1998 to 2013 under the San Miguel Beermen franchise, won eight PBA titles, three Finals MVPs, two league MVPs, and five Best Player of the Conference awards, cementing his legacy as one of the best ever. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Ex-Shiga veteran Kiefer Ravena finds new Japan B. League home, signs with Yokohama

jisaga0269

02/07/2024 21:50

ON A ROLL. Shiga Lakes guard Kiefer Ravena in action in the Japan B. League. Japan B. League MANILA, Philippines – After three years with the Shiga Lakes, Kiefer Ravena is moving to another Japan B. League team, signing with the Yokohama B-Corsairs on a two-year deal. “Unfortunately, we had different directions…. I made a move,” said Ravena during Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas’ media day on Tuesday, July 2. “It’s my first time going back to Tokyo and staying there [with] Yokohama,” he added. Ravena, who played with the Shiga franchise from 2021 to 2024, experienced the highs and lows of B. League play, having his team relegated to Division 2, and helping raise his team back to Division 1 by winning the B2 crown. He posted averages of 12.4 points, 5.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals during his final campaign with the Lakes. The 30-year-old guard had also been named as one of the league’s Asia All-Stars during the Japan B. League All-Star Weekend in 2024. “Hopefully I can bring the same luck that I was able to bring Shiga last year to the next season,” said the former Ateneo Blue Eagle. Ravena, along with Gilas Pilipinas teammate Rhenz Abando, former San Miguel import Chris McCullough, and RJ Abarrientos, among others, are gearing up for the upcoming William Jones Cup in Taipei. The annual single round-robin tournament will be held from July 13 to 21, featuring teams such as the Ukrainian national squad, and the Chinese Taipei A and B delegations. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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Gilas prospect AJ Edu continues Japan journey, signs with Nagasaki after Toyama stint

jisaga0269

02/07/2024 18:46

KEY COG. Filipino import AJ Edu in action with Toyama in the Japan B. League. Japan B. League MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas prospect AJ Edu is set to continue his career with the Japan B. League, signing with the Nagasaki Velca on Tuesday, July 2, at the conclusion of his stint with the Toyama Grouses. This marks the 6-foot-10 forward’s second stop in his budding professional career, one year after linking up with Toyama – fellow Gilas star Dwight Ramos’ former team. Nagasaki, in turn, was Gilas gunner Jordan Heading’s former squad. Edu now joins a team that marked a rapid ascent in the B. League ranks since its formation in 2020. After setting a Division 3 winning percentage record of 93% off a 42-3 season romp in 2021, the Velca were elevated to Division 2 in 2022 before rising to Division 1 this year. The 24-year-old highflyer is expected to further boost Nagasaki’s contention bid after standing out in his rookie season with averages of 13.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks. Edu, however, is currently out of commission with a torn meniscus. He is set to miss Gilas’ Olympic Qualifying Tournament bid in Riga, Latvia, which starts on Thursday, July 4. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. How does this make you feel?

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