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National Museum, Archdiocese of Cebu agree to prioritize conservation of panels

Victor Barreiro Jr.

21/04/2024 12:50

CONDITION OF PANELS. NMP officials share a condition report on the pulpit panels during their meeting with the Archdiocese of Cebu. Max Limpag The National Museum of the Philippines and the Archdiocese of Cebu have agreed to prioritize the conservation of four pulpit panels from the heritage church of Boljoon that are now with the NMP. NMP officials, led by Board of Trustees Chair Andoni Aboitiz, met with Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma last April 16 at the Archbishop’s Residence in Cebu City. Aboitiz said the question of ownership of the panels came up but the focus was on the conservation of the 19th century wood panels. Aboitiz told Rappler in an interview that the meeting went “really well.” He said they presented a report on the condition of the four panels to Palma. The report by NMP notes “checking” or formation of cracks on the religious panels. NMP said these “usually occur due to the contraction and expansion of wood as a result of fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity.” The panels have a polychrome and gilt finish, NMP said. There is “slight to marked paint loss, lifting, tenting, and blister in all regions,” the report said. The paint layers in these areas, according to NMP, are “not stable and require intervention.” The NMP report recommended “remedial conservation” of the panels. NMP also said it “may request for technical assistance from institutions that have expertise on technical analysis of the pigments and wood used.” Fr. Brian Brigoli, who chairs the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, said that they explained to NMP during the meeting that Archbishop Palma is precluded by church laws and regulations from giving up the archdiocese’s claim on the panels. Aboitiz said the NMP board will meet early in May and the panels will be among the issues that would be discussed. In an earlier interview with Rappler, NMP Director General Jeremy Barns proposed that the discussion on ownership be set aside so that the panels can be displayed at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon. The four panels were part of six that used to be installed on the heritage church’s pulpit. One panel is kept at the parish museum while one more is still unaccounted for. Installed in their place are replicas that the church ordered made. They were lost in the late 1980s. Church officials said they were stolen. The NMP said they were sold by the priest, which Barns said was a common practice in those times. – 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 thanks G7’s support in rejecting China’s ‘baseless, expansive claims’ in disputed sea

Bonz Magsambol

21/04/2024 13:02

MARITIME TENSION. A Chinese Coast Guard ship is seen blocking the direction of a Philippine Coast Guard ship conducting a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed at a grounded warship in the South China Sea, October 4, 2023. Adrian Portugal/Reuters MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines expressed its gratitude to the G7 foreign ministers for rejecting China’s “baseless and expansive” claims of the West Philippine Sea. “The Philippines welcomes the G7 Foreign Ministers’ reiteration of their collective commitment to the rule of law and to the rules-based maritime order anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a April 19 statement that was made public on the DFA website on Sunday, April 21. The DFA noted that the Philippines appreciated the G7’s reaffirmation that the “2016 Arbitral Award is a significant milestone and a useful basis for the peaceful management and resolution of differences at sea.” The Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. It has the exclusive right to exploit and take care of resources in those areas. But China claims practically all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, ignoring a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that deemed that claim invalid. “The Philippines is firmly committed to UNCLOS and the binding Arbitral Award of 2016. Respect for international law, particularly for the recognized maritime entitlements of coastal states in the South China Sea and the freedom of navigation enjoyed by the international community, is essential to ensuring global prosperity, peace and stability,” the DFA said. It added that the country shares the G7’s vision of a “stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, and stands firm against any actions that undermine international security and stability.” G7 is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies, namely Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union. The Philippines said that it was ready to cooperate with the G7 in its efforts to support economic growth in the country and the Indo-Pacific. – 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, team standings: UAAP Season 86 volleyball

Jasmine Payo

05/05/2024 21:02

ROARING. NU's Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball finals UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments reach a tipping point with the men’s and women’s finals! LOOK: UAAP volleyball championship schedule Here are the results in the men’s and women’s divisions: MAY 15 May 11 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 – 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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Unstoppable Duplantis breaks pole vault world record again in Xiamen Diamond League

Jasmine Payo

20/04/2024 23:40

UNRIVALED. Sweden's Armand Duplantis celebrates after setting a a new world record and winning the men's pole vault in the Diamond League in Xiamen. Tingshu Wang/REUTERS XIAMEN, China – Armand Duplantis put down a marker ahead of this year’s Paris Olympics as the Swede broke his own pole vault world record with a 6.24-meter effort in the first Diamond League meeting of the 2024 season on Saturday, April 20. Duplantis bettered his previous mark of 6.23 meters set at the Eugene Diamond League finale in September, clearing the bar with ease before leaping up off the sponge mat below and racing off in celebration at his first outdoor event of the year. It was the eighth time that Duplantis broke the world record and the 24-year-old, who was the only man to clear six meters at the Egret Stadium, said he could do even better. “It’s definitely possible, conditions willing. I’m going to try to maximize the most out of every day,” Duplantis said. “There’s definitely more to give. I don’t think the jumping was really perfect today even leading up to the 6.24. The 6.24 felt really nice. “I think there’s still some way to go and still more to push and some higher heights in me for sure.” The Olympic and two-time world outdoor champion had added a second world indoor title to his impressive resume in March, and he is set to head into his second Games in July and August as the firm favorite. American Sam Kendricks, who was second with a best effort of 5.82m, heaped praise on the Louisiana-born Duplantis. “He’s got God’s hand on his back,” Kendricks said. “I’ve been a champion before. ‘Mondo’ has been my vice-champion. I’ve seen him from (when he was) a 14-year-old come all the way up. “I’m ever joyous to be second behind a world record-holder. I know he works so hard. He goes all over the place and he’s becoming the true champion we all want him to be.” In the women’s 200m Australian Torrie Lewis enjoyed a stunning Diamond League debut, as the 19-year-old beat a strong field of American rivals that included Sha’Carri Richardson to claim gold with an effort of 22.96 from lane nine. Richardson, winner of the 200m bronze at last year’s world championships, finished second in 22.99 ahead of her compatriots Tamara Clark, Anavia Battle and Twanisha Terry. World champion Marileidy Paulino earlier captured the first track gold of the Diamond League season in the women’s 400m as the Dominican eased home in 50.08 seconds ahead of Natalia Kaczmarek (50.29) and Britton Wilson (51.26). Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn then set the pace in the women’s 100m hurdles, the Puerto Rican cruising to victory in 12.45 seconds. “I’m real glad I got this race out of the way. I was telling my coach earlier ‘I don’t think I’m ready, I don’t know what I’m about to bring’ and then 12.45 knowing it wasn’t even a clean race from myself,” Camacho-Quinn said. “I’m ready to go back and fix what I need to do. I’ve got things to do this year.” Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, the world-record holder in the event, only managed fifth place in 12.58 seconds. In the men’s 100m event Christian Coleman began his Diamond League title defence with a solid sprint of 10.13 seconds to beat fellow American Fred Kerley who came in at 10.17. Gudaf Tsegay won the women’s 1500m in 3:50.30 – the third-fastest time ever behind Kenyan Faith Kipyegon’s world record 3:49.11 and Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba’s 3:50.07. “This was a big surprise because it’s my first outdoor meeting of the season,” Tsegay said. The Diamond League resumes next week with the Shanghai meeting, which returns to the calendar this year with a change of location to the neighboring city of Suzhou due to a stadium renovation. This year’s calendar features 15 meetings, including 10 ahead of the July 26-August 11 Olympics, with the season finale in Brussels on September 13-14. – 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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PVL chaos: How Cignal’s win over PLDT pushed Petro Gazz, Creamline, Choco Mucho to semis

jisaga0269

20/04/2024 22:53

INTERTWINING FATES. Creamline's Alyssa Valdez and Cignal's Ces Molina in action in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference PVL Images MANILA, Philippines – In the late stages of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, one wrong move can cost a team an entire tournament’s worth of wins and sacrifices, while changing the fortunes of many others waiting in the wings. Such is the case on Saturday, April 20, as the Cignal HD Spikers – just two hours after being eliminated from the semifinal race – dragged down sister team PLDT High Speed Hitters in a thrilling four-set conquest, 24-26, 26-24, 25-17, 28-26, at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna. With the win, Cignal not only sent PLDT on the outside of the Final Four looking in, but also sealed the semis berths of the Petro Gazz Angels, defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers, and reigning runner-up Choco Mucho Flying Titans. Each holding identical 8-2 records, Petro Gazz, Creamline, and Choco Mucho can no longer fall past fourth place due to their high game point totals (25, 24, and 24, respectively), thus sealing their semifinal berths. Conversely, No. 5 PLDT, now with a 7-3 record and still only 20 points after the crucial loss, can no longer go higher than fourth place. Each three-to-four-set win gives 3 points, while a five-set win gives 2. Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, the fourth team boasting an 8-2 record, only have 23 points, leaving the door open for PLDT to steal the fourth seed via superior set ratio – the second tiebreaker in the event of a game points tie. Both Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz clinched their 8-2 slates after respectively sweeping Galeries Tower (25-7, 25-21, 25-17) and Akari (25-17, 25-20, 25-17) immediately before the Cignal-PLDT sister team main event. For added context, Cignal’s semifinal hopes were dashed right after Chery Tiggo joined the four-team 8-2 logjam since the HD Spikers can go no higher than 7-4 in the standings. Should PLDT sweep its final assignment against Creamline, and massive underdog Galeries somehow sweeps its last game against Chery Tiggo, then the High Speed Hitters will force a 23-game point tie and narrowly complete the semifinal cast instead of the Crossovers through the set ratio path. Interestingly, both games are scheduled on Thursday, April 25, at the PhilSports Arena, with the Galeries-Chery Tiggo clash serving as the double-header opener at 4 pm. For its part, Cignal now just aims to finish strong in its failed podium return bid after scoring back-to-back bronze medals in the last two conferences of the 2023 season. Jovelyn Gonzaga continued her resurgent run at PLDT’s expense with 16 points, backstopped by 15 and 12, respectively, from Ces Molina and Vanie Gandler. Possible MVP candidate Savi Davison, meanwhile, went down swinging with a game-high 29 points, supported by 22 excellent digs and 16 excellent receptions from captain Kath Arado. In the other games of the Laguna triple-header, Brooke Van Sickle led Petro Gazz past Galeries with 17 points, while Eya Laure topscored for Chery Tiggo against Akari with 14. – 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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Negrosanon artist Tey Sevilleno says ‘art is best when started young’

Victor Barreiro Jr.

21/04/2024 11:12

EXHIBITS. Negrense youth stroll around the art exhibit area of the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros at Balay Kalamay in Bacolod City. Province of Negros Occidental NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The appreciation and presentation of art has evolved through the years. Everything – from vibrant canvases to mural paintings and from wall art to body piercings and tattoos – is an expression of the people’s culture and individuality. For Tey Sevilleno, the President of the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros (AAB-Negros), “Art making and art appreciation are best started when one is still young.” Sevilleno told Rappler on Saturday, April 20, that younger Negrense artists should dive more into their culture where their identity was embedded as it contributes to the artwork’s significance and color. “As I say, art has become our language in our celebration and in our most challenging times. Just like every Filipino, our positivity becomes apparent whether in joy or sadness,” she said. Thus, in an effort to inspire more creative pursuits among Negrense people and artists, AAB-Negros organized the “Artehan Arts Fest,” which takes place during the province’s annual Panaad Festival celebration. The art festival ran from April 15-21. It featured various activities such as face painting, watercolor painting workshops, artwork exhibits, an art merchandise bazaar, an art contest, and a music jam at Balay Kalamay in Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City. Sevilleno said that the concept of the festival came from the traditional Negrense way of market day, in which all people converge into one place to do business and exchange goods. In Hiligaynon, the convergence is called as “Tinabuanay.” “ARTEHAN is a play on words. As Ilonggos, we refer to it as moving in an artsy way. The art festival was a convergence of people from different local government units of the province in the name of art, just like what we do every Panaad,” Sevilleno said. She added, “This year’s theme for Panaad is Living the Promise. I think we Negrense artists need to bear this in mind. We are chroniclers of our times, and we continue to live each day to bring back the bounty to the island in the best way we can. Art what gives our culture and traditions identity as a people. And we, as artists, are agents of that identity.” In April 1975, the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros was first established by a self-taught and versatile artist, Edgardo “Budot” Lizares, alongside Negrense artists Jess Ayco, Nunelucio Alvarado, Charlie Co, Larry Tronco, Ely Santiago and Rodney Martinez. Sevilleno said that the AAB-Negros were behind the birth of the well-known MassKara festival in the 1980s, the time when the entire province was economically struggling under the administration of late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. Aside from merry-making, the MassKara celebration also brings together artists to showcase their skills and craftsmanship through the crafting of different colorful masks. “I believe every Negrense knows how to appreciate art naturally. Because as we can see in the Panaad Festival and MassKara Festival and all the festivals of the province, we can see their expression of their love of life and art through this celebration,” Sevilleno said. With the evolution of art alongside with various festivals in the province, it would not be as exciting as it is now without the Negrosanon artists who added so much substance, spice, and color to every celebration. – 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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LOOK: Angelica Panganiban and Gregg Homan hold second wedding in Siargao

Ysa Abad

21/04/2024 10:15

MARRIED. Angelica Panganiban and Gregg Homan wed anew in Siargao. Pat Dy's Instagram MANILA, Philippines – Actress Angelica Panganiban celebrated her love with businessman Gregg Homan once more with a second wedding held on Saturday, April 20, in Siargao. Their beach destination wedding came four months after they first tied the knot through an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles, California on December 31, 2023. Photographer Pat Dy shared snaps from the wedding, including first-look photos of the bride wearing her Rosa Clara wedding gown. Several celebrity guests that were present include Anne Curtis, Glaiza de Castro, Bela Padilla, Kim Chiu, Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo, Maxene Magalona, and Kean Cipriano. Panganiban and Homan first confirmed their relationship in January 2021. They announced their engagement in October 2022. Panganiban gave birth to their daughter Amila in September 2022. – 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 PHOTOS: Official portraits of Binibining Pilipinas 2024 Top 40

Ysa Abad

14/04/2024 11:53

MANILA, Philippines – The search for the next Binibining Pilipinas queens is heating up! Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) unveiled on Friday, April 12, the official portraits of its 40 delegates for the 2024 pageant. In photos taken by Owen Reyes, the aspiring beauty queens donned black shirts with the pageant’s 60th anniversary logo and their official candidate numbers. The organization first introduced its official candidates on April 5 after their final closed-door screening. Notable names in this year’s roster include Miss Philippines Earth 2021 Top 20 finalist Zeneth Khan, Miss Tourism Philippines 2021 and Binibining Pilipinas Top 11 candidate Trisha Martinez, and Binibining Pilipinas 2021 candidate and Miss Rotary 2023 runner-up Shaira Rona. The 40 candidates will battle it out to represent the country in the following two pageants: Miss International and Miss Globe. Reigning queens Angelica Lopez and Anna Valencia Lakrini will be crowning their successors. Lopez will be representing the Philippines in the Miss International 2024 pageant while Lakrini finished as 2nd runner-up in the Miss Globe 2023 competition. As of writing, BPCI has yet to announce its schedule of activities. Take a look at the official portraits of the candidates 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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Tradisyon, Purple Patch put their spin on Filipino cuisine

Michelle Abad

21/04/2024 10:00

This story is published in partnership with SoJannelleTV, a magazine show about Filipinos in North America There are few things that connect Filipinos to their culture more than food. The month of April was declared Filipino Food Month in 2018 through Presidential Proclamation 469, giving a platform for Filipinos to celebrate their rich culinary history. Filipino food takes on even greater significance abroad, with restaurants serving as unofficial Filipino cultural hubs. So Jannelle TV took a look at two standout Filipino restaurants in the United States – Tradisyon in New York City and Purple Patch in Washington D.C. – and how they have put their own spin on staples of Filipino cuisine. Tradisyon, which is based in Midtown Manhattan, started out of necessity for a pair of New York-based chefs, Anton Dayrit and Bianca Vicente. The two couldn’t find any Filipino restaurants that delivered to Midtown, so they decided to start their own. They partnered with former Philippine Department of Tourism marketing coordinator Joey Chanco and settled on the idea of developing a fast casual restaurant which was accessible to other audiences while remaining faithful to the traditional flavors. A post shared by SoJannelleTV (@sojannelletv) They opened in March of 2020 – just a week before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the world – but have survived thanks to the public’s love for their dishes. “We want to do traditional Filipino food on an upscale level. We wouldn’t want super Filipino food that only Filipinos and Asians could eat, and we didn’t want to do Americanized Filipino food the Filipinos are not going to love. We wanted to be right smack in the middle where everyone can appreciate it,” Chanco told Filipino-American media pioneer Jannelle So-Perkins in an interview with So Jannelle TV, a Filipino-American lifestyle magazine show which airs US-wide on cable channels The Filipino Channel (TFC) and ANC; as well as on local Southern CA digital channel KNET 25.1; and is also available on social media platforms. Among their most popular dishes are kare-kare, which has a thicker than usual sauce that is made from a base that includes their preferred brand of bagoong. Another crowd favorite is squid adobo, which uses squid ink sparingly so as to avoid being overwhelming. What’s the secret to their flavorful dishes? It begins with the ingredients, of course. The chefs select the best soy sauce, fish sauce, rice, and other ingredients, even if the brand isn’t a Filipino company, to get the right taste that they’re after. Another priority is making the presentation appear more lively, using herbs and other vegetables to break out of the monotony of brown-colored dishes, while making them more healthy and nutritious as well. “Our goal is to really brighten up that brown, unhealthy food and actually make it really appetizing to other people,” said Chanco. When people hear the name Purple Patch, they usually assume that it has to do with the color of the ube yams or halo-halo. But Patrice Cleary, who opened up this Filipino restaurant in 2015, says the inspiration for the name comes from a British term her Australian ex-husband once told her which means a period of success and good fortune. Cleary, who was born in Bicol to a Filipino mother and an Irish-American father, says the inspiration for her menu has always been the dishes her mother had cooked for her as a child. She adds her own spin to the dishes, making them stand out from the traditional fare. “My direction for Purple Patch really was to just represent Filipino food in my own way. Highlight the food that I grew up on and then elevate it right but stay true to who I am at the same time. I will change directions and maneuver back and forth when I feel comfortable and not when somebody else thinks I should do it,” said Cleary, who is also the restaurant’s head chef. Some of the most popular dishes in the restaurant include mushroom adobo, a completely vegan dish that blends oyster, trumpet, and shiitake mushrooms in coconut milk. Purple Patch also offers a miso caesar salad, which combines romaine lettuce and kale with poached shrimp, hard boiled egg yolk and parmesan with white miso dressing, and a red snapper relleno, which is comprise of red snapper fillet with panko, lump crab, tomatoes, onions, and scallions in beurre blanc sauce. After nearly a decade running her own restaurant, Cleary has learned that there are plenty of ups and downs to overcome in order to stay the course. She advises people who are opening their own business to find mentors who will give them honest advice, and to always stay in their own lane and remain true to their mission. “You really have to have the intestinal fortitude to know that things happen and you’ve got to find your way back,” said Cleary. “When opening up a business you can’t pretend to know everything. There isn’t a restaurant 101 book that you can grab off the shelf and it tells you if this happens and to do this. Because I think everything is happening as it goes.” – Jannelle So Productions | Rappler.com Rappler is partnering with Jannelle So Productions Inc (JSP), founded by Filipino-American pioneer and Los Angeles-based journalist Jannelle So, to publish video and written stories from SoJannelleTV about the journeys, successes, and challenges of Filipinos living in America. Check out So Jannelle TV daily for stories that make you pause, reflect, and appreciate who we are and what we are as a people. Sundays, 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET on The Filipino Channel (TFC)Mondays, 6:00pm on KNET Channel 25.1 Southern CaliforniaReplay on Saturdays, 7:30pm PT / 10:30pm ET on ANC North AmericaAny time on YouTube.com/SoJannelleTV 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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Here’s a rundown of changes to the Miss Universe Philippines pageant since 2020

Ysa Abad

03/03/2024 19:22

In December 2019, Filipino pageant fans and aficionados were surprised when it was announced that the Miss Universe franchise would no longer be under the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc (BPCI) after 55 years. BPCI, under the leadership of Stella Araneta, had led the search for the Philippines’ representative to the Miss Universe competition since 1964. During those times, it was through the annual Binibining Pilipinas pageant that the Miss Universe Philippines queen was crowned, alongside candidates to at least five more international pageants. However, with the establishment of the Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) organization came a new team that took charge in choosing the country’s representative to the prestigious international tilt. As the pageant is set to hold its fifth edition under the Miss Universe Philippines organization this 2024, let’s look back at the notable changes that they’ve introduced in the competition since 2020: During its 2021 edition, MUPH announced that there’ll be no height requirement for its screening process. Prior to this, the minimum height requirement for interested candidates was 5’4. Height requirement was also removed in its succeeding editions. It was also in 2021 when Miss Universe Philippines kicked off the competition with the Top 100 delegates – the biggest number of candidates in the pageant’s history. These 100 delegates would undergo several online and remote challenges and then get narrowed down to the Top 75 and 50 and eventually 30 based on their performances in the challenges and votes from supporters. Twenty-seven of the Top 30 for the 2021 edition were chosen by panelists while the three remaining delegates were the ones who garnered the highest number of fan votes. Scores of the Top 30 all went back to zero in the lead-up to the preliminaries and coronation night. Only the Top 30 delegates participated in the in-person pageant activities. The 2021 competition remains to be the only edition where 100 delegates participated. In 2022, the Miss Universe Philippines started with 50 delegates. According to MUPH, they’re “narrowing the field to get [them] closer to our Final 30 delegates.” Only 32 finalists from the initial 50 delegates made it to the in-person pageant activities. Since the Miss Universe Philippines organization introduced a huge number of delegates for their pageants, they’ve been whittling down the participants through a series of online and remote challenges. In the 2021 edition, the candidates had to participate in the headshot challenge, video introduction challenge, runway challenge, casting video challenge, and virtual interview challenge. Each candidate had to showcase their strengths in these challenges as pageant fans vote for their respective bets. Those who garnered the highest number of fan votes will also have a higher chance of advancing in the competition. For its succeeding editions, the delegates participated in the photoshoot, swimsuit, and runway challenges. In the 2023 competition, the MUPH organization only announced the Top 5 delegates for each challenge, with the first placer only being disclosed during the finals night. The winner for each of the online challenge also secured a semifinal spot in the competition. In lieu of the Miss Universe organization’s decision to allow moms and wives in the international competition, the local team also opened the MUPH pageant to women who are married and with children. In its more than 70-year history, the Miss Universe organization had only allowed single women, aged between 18 and 28, who “must not have ever been married, not had a marriage annulled, nor given birth to, or parented a child” to compete. Out of the 38 Miss Universe Philippines 2023 delegates, three were mothers. Notably, MUPH was the first of the local pageants in the Philippines to open the competition to beauty queens of any civil status – married and with children. Meanwhile, the recently-launched The Miss Philippines pageant followed through with the initiative, also opening their 2023 edition to mothers and wives. The Miss Philippines competition chose the country’s representatives for the Miss Supranational and Miss Charm pageants. After opening the competition to mothers and wives, the Miss Universe organization became more inclusive as it removed the age restrictions across all of its associated pageants. Previously, the MUO had only allowed women aged between 18 to 28 to participate in the competition. With the age limit being eliminated, even women aged 29 and above can compete in the pageant. In the Philippines, 69-year-old fashion designer Jocelyn Cubales was one of the official candidates of the Miss Universe Philippines-Quezon City pageant. The Miss Universe Philippines 2024 competition is also looking to be an interesting edition as it also introduced another change aside from the removal of age limit. For the 2024 edition, the delegates for the national competition were chosen through the Accredited Partners Program, wherein only accredited partners approved by the MUPH organization selected the candidates from their respective localities through local pageants or appointments. According to the MUPH organization, this change in the selection process will make the competition more “streamlined and efficient.” Additionally, having accredited partners select the candidates from their respective areas will also gave MUPH access to a “wider and more diverse pool of potential candidates.” With this, the 2024 roster also includes candidates representing overseas Filipino communities for the first time. Delegates include representatives from Australia, northern and southern California, Florida, Hawaii, Miami, Sydney, the United Kingdom, Virginia, and Washington. As the 2024 edition is still underway, pageant fans are still anticipating how these new developments will affect the competition. – 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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As Marcos-Duterte clans clash, should Sara resign from the Cabinet?

Bonz Magsambol

01/02/2024 16:16

WILL SHE RESIGN? File photo of Vice President Sara Duterte during the school opening in Cebu City in August 2023 Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – It was an alliance that critics and political observers had jinxed as doomed from the start. The only questions were, when and what would happen to Vice President Sara Duterte, who is still a member of the Marcos Cabinet. They got a partial answer on January 28. The day that Marcos launched “Bagong Pilipinas” in Manila and promised to transform the country into a new and better version, down south, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte called for his resignation while former president Rodrigo Duterte branded the President as a “drug addict.” The Vice President attended the Bagong Pilipinas launch but she also went to the prayer rally against charter change where her family members took turns lambasting the President she served as a Cabinet member. A day later, she released a statement defending her younger brother’s tirade against Marcos as “brotherly love,” in protest of her “despicable treatment” by people in the President’s circle. It was a sentiment that she apparently shared. Uniteam, the marriage of political convenience that brought the Marcos-Duterte tandem to victory in the 2022 elections, crumbled on Sunday, January 28. The word war between the Dutertes and the Marcoses has sparked calls for Sara to resign as education secretary, a job that commands 900,000 teaching staff scattered across the country. Despite her family’s attacks against Marcos and her own sentiments of being ganged up on by administration allies, Sara has no plan, as yet, to leave DepEd. Her messaging, based on her January 29 statement, is that she would strive to endure the “attacks, black propaganda, and smear campaign” against her because she was elected by millions and that she would remain in the Cabinet for as long as she’s wanted. In an interview on Tuesday, January 31, political analyst Cleve Arguelles said that calls for Sara to leave the DepEd did not come as a surprise, as being part of the Marcos Cabinet should mean unequivocal support for the President. “But I think the more interesting question here is why is the President still keeping her after all that happened?” Arguelles said, adding, this means that “she still enjoys the confidence, the trust, and the support of the President.” Marcos said as much on Tuesday, in response to questions in a media interview. He also said that his professional relationship with the Vice President is “exactly the same,” sounding like a showbiz personality trying to cover up a rocky relationship with a love team partner. Just like any other popular tandem, they have to stick to each other despite their differences to keep their support bases intact. Mindanao remains a stronghold of the Duterte family and delivered votes for Marcos in the 2022 elections. Likewise, the Marcoses’ “Solid North” delivered votes for Sara. Marcos got 7.2 million votes in Mindanao, while Sara obtained 3.5 million votes in the Solid North. “They need each other,” Arguelles said. “I think this is a paradox of the Uniteam that they’re starting to dislike each other but then they also need each other. At this point, they are stuck with each other.” Sara is undeniably more popular than Marcos. Despite their ratings plunging amid a string of issues in 2023, Sara still got a 73% approval rating while Marcos got 65%, according to a Pulse Asia survey in September 2023. Arguelles also cited the seeming “tradition” in Philippine politics that vice presidents who break off with the president do not fare so well among voters. “They don’t like a vice president [who] is not cooperative with the president,” he said. This is what happened to then-vice presidents Jejomar Binay and Leni Robredo. They were initially part of the Cabinet but later resigned because of divergent views. Binay had been leading the surveys for the presidency that time but he became the subject of attacks. Meanwhile, Robredo became the casualty of online propaganda discrediting her work as vice president. Sara would be on the losing end if she resigns from the Marcos Cabinet this early. The DepEd is a platform that can help her maintain a national profile, especially if she has ambitions for higher office. Based on DepEd data, there are 876,842 teaching personnel and 60,429 schools all over the country. “She will stay there for as long as she could,” Arguelles said. “If you’re no longer in the Cabinet, what will you do as vice president? What power and resources will [you have]?” The Philippines is among the countries that produced the lowest proficiency for young learners in reading, mathematics, and science, as indicated by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 rankings. That fact, however, has not rubbed off on public perception of Sara’s work as education chief. In December, the same month the PISA rankings were released, pollster WR Numero conducted a survey which showed that 57% of Filipinos still think Sara is doing a good job at DepEd. In her second basic education report, Sara also promised reforms in the education sector and more benefits for teachers. Arguelles said this may be a calculated move especially if she has an eye to the 2028 elections. “It will always be helpful for her to be able to say that she delivered to the education sector,” Arguelles said. Amid the political bickering, there are concerns that the DepEd, which has under its care millions of Filipino students and the very future of the country, would be placed at greater risk. If Sara’s attention is further distracted by her political plans, the learning crisis in the country would worsen. Her qualifications as education chief have been in question in the first place. “It’s really one of my worries, we can look at it from the perspective that, ‘Oh this is exciting,’ ‘di ba kasi (because) we’re watching a showdown between these two powerful dynasties. Si Vice President, isang araw lang na malingat siya (If the Vice President gets distracted by even just one day), it will define the future of millions of Filipino students,” Arguelles said. Critics have been calling for the President to appoint a DepEd secretary who has an education background. In her January 29 statement, Sara said she will endure the attacks against her out of respect for the Filipinos who had voted her into office, evoking an image of a punching bag. This is far from the image that gained her infamy over a decade ago: that of the feisty female mayor who grabbed a sheriff by the collar and punched him repeatedly after he led the demolition of shanties in a community in Davao City. Political analyst Arjan Aguirre said that the ongoing rift in the Uniteam coalition can be advantageous for Sara, who can play the “underdog card.” “While staying as a Cabinet member, she can still draw sympathy from the people by appearing as the underdog and bullied personality within the coalition. She just has to look like she is being bullied by the House Speaker and other personalities and use the anti-elite or anti-oligarchy card that is consistent [with] the Duterte brand of politics,” Aguirre said. “I think what she wants to happen here is for the President to fire or dismiss her or openly go against her. That would mean an open war is finally happening and that it would look like the Marcos faction caused it,” he added. As the Vice President has said, the ball is in Marcos’ court. On a political stage where two popular figures are at play, whoever flinches first loses. – with a report from Patrick Cruz/Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. 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[Newsstand] Duterte vs Marcos: A rift impossible to bridge, a wound impossible to heal

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 19:00

Marian Hukom For the second time, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos has appeared in a candid and controversial video. Unlike the first one, which came out in January 2023 and which she herself recorded on the grounds of the presidential palace, the second video was an extended interview; it was released Friday and hosted by Anthony Taberna. The most talked-about portion of the interview was her direct answer to the question about her relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband’s running mate. She said Sara was now a “bad shot,” Philippine English for someone who’s in disfavor. She explained that she was hurt when the vice president attended a political rally in Davao City last January and was seen laughing when the former president and Sara’s father Rodrigo Duterte called President Marcos Junior a drug addict. (Mrs. Marcos used the term Duterte used, “bangag” or stoned.) “You went to a rally, then your President gets called a drug addict, right, and you’re going to laugh? Is that right?” she asked in a mix of Filipino and English. Then she added in English, for good measure: “Even Leni [Robredo] never did that.” As people say these days, “Shots fired!” Why did Mrs. Marcos agree to do the interview – and why now? To answer that, we need to understand whether the alliances headed by the running mates can still be reconciled, and what options her husband the President retains. Anything, famously, is possible in politics. In his last year in office, President Duterte said many unflattering things about Marcos Junior – and yet that did not stop Marcos from teaming up with Sara. Marcos continues to this day to be not only civil but friendly with his vice president. At most, he has acknowledged that their relationship is “complicated,” and he has sought to tamp down any speculation about the meaning of the Vice President’s studied silence on West Philippine Sea issues by asserting that the younger Duterte is part of the administration’s stand. Can the Marcos and Duterte families still reconcile? Can the UniTeam recover unity? There may be only four paths to peace between the dynasties. Marcos takes the lead. President Marcos may read the signs of the times and conclude that it would be in his and his family’s best interests to remain allied with the Dutertes. This conclusion will lead him to insist that his family and their allies make peace with Davao. The most important step in peace-making is forcing his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, to give up his presidential ambitions and, with the rest of the clan, support Sara Duterte for president in 2028. Romualdez steps aside. On his own, Romualdez can make a grand gesture and set aside his presidential ambitions, not necessarily to the extent of supporting Sara in 2028 but only removing himself from the equation. This will calm turbulent waters. Imee brokers a deal, again. Senator Imee Marcos remains very close to the Dutertes, and is politically wily enough to broker a deal similar to what she helped craft in 2022: a winning tandem for president and vice president, this time with a Duterte as the standard bearer. Without necessarily depending on how she will do in her reelection campaign in 2025, she might offer herself as Sara’s running mate in 2028, with the backing of the Marcos clan. The Dutertes step back. The Vice President may read the signs of the times and conclude that, with the emergence of Senator Raffy Tulfo as a potential presidential candidate, it would be in her and her family’s best interests to remain allied with the Marcoses. This conclusion will lead her to insist that her family, including her father but especially her brother the mayor, to apologize profusely to President Marcos for their many impertinences and insults. But how likely is it that the two dynasties take any of these possible paths? The short answer is not at all. The long answer is that the Dutertes have already come to the conclusion that the Marcoses (and the Romualdezes) not only cannot guarantee their long-term safety, but are in fact an actual threat to their dynasty’s long-term viability as a national, rather than merely a local, power. Several factors serve together as cause. Romualdez’s stealth campaigns to change the Constitution was conducted so efficiently and so suddenly it caught Duterte and his original allies, who tried to change the Constitution themselves, completely off guard. (Having failed so badly at their own attempt, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and others like him must surely have recognized the risk that Romualdez, who came so close and is still not done, presents to the political class.) The President’s re-pivot to the United States undid the Duterte administration’s pro-China policy, exposed the former president to accusations of treason (which may yet gain traction, though one can never tell when it comes to the most popular politician ever surveyed), and (in Duterte’s view) undermined the true basis of regional stability: alignment with Beijing. Not least, Mrs. Marcos’ influence on the President continues to unsettle the Vice President and her family’s allies, in part because they thought they only needed to deal with Sen. Imee Marcos, and in part because Mrs. Marcos, when she intervenes, has proven to be decisive (for instance, removing the first executive secretary) and strategic (the Taberna interview). The usual suspects in the alternative information infrastructure on social media have taken sides, as per usual. Those who have turned against the President (whom they call “kuting,” or kitten, a deliberate signal of their contempt for the “junior” Marcos) predictably said the interview had reaped a whirlwind of criticism. But even if that were true, that wasn’t the point of it. With her interview, Mrs. Marcos was signaling to the Marcos allies that the point of no return has been crossed. I think she has recognized that the Dutertes will never step back; that the insults from the Duterte men can never be unsaid, and will in all likelihood be followed by more insults; that the Dutertes no longer trust the Marcoses; above all, that the Dutertes see President Marcos Junior as fundamentally weak – a “kuting,” no match against the Duterte tiger. The reference to Robredo was deliberate, not so much a ploy to win sympathy from Leni supporters in the Marcoses’ battle with the Dutertes, but a twist of the knife stuck into one side of the Duterte base. The one politician that base sees as even weaker than Marcos Junior is Robredo. As Duterte demonstrated when he was president, the powers of the presidency remain overwhelming even under the many constraints of the post-EDSA Constitution, if you wield them with a combination of political will and a lack of concern with niceties. In this sense, President Marcos enjoys a clear advantage over the Dutertes – but he has not deployed all his weapons against the Dutertes yet. Remove the VP from the Cabinet. The vice president remains on the Cabinet, as secretary of the largest department, education. It is a challenge, even for her closest supporters, to argue that she is doing an outstanding job in that position; the President can replace her at anytime, with a much more qualified (read: non-political) appointee. Disband the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group. In an astonishing display of political muscle-flexing, the then newly-elected vice president lobbied for the creation of a much larger close-in protection unit to serve her office, separate (as its predecessor unit was) from the Presidential Security Group. Citing operational or financial reasons, the President can disband the unit or restore the Vice Presidential Security Detachment of yesteryears, which was about a fifth of the current size. Isolate China supporters. President Marcos can retract his blanket statement offering cover for the Vice President on China issues, painting her, her family, and her allies into a corner. Philippine public opinion since at least 2012 has been consistent and clear: The majority of voting-age Filipinos want the Philippines to be more assertive in its relationship with Beijing, especially as far as our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea are concerned. The former president’s China pivot was always one of his weakest links. Arrest Duterte. Allow the arrest by the national police of former president Duterte and others implicated in the drug-related extrajudicial killings if and when the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant. It is possible that the interview with Mrs. Marcos was designed to clear the path for any of these acts. Any one of them, however, will turn the war of attrition between the dynasties into a war of annihilation. – Rappler.com Veteran journalist John Nery is a Rappler columnist, editorial consultant, and program host. “In the Public Square” airs on Rappler platforms every Wednesday at 8 pm. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Sir John Nery has provided many scenarios. However, the critical factors are as follows: 1) President Marcos Jr. is developing a trait of being the “great pretender,” and 2) Speaker Martin Romualdez will not back down. This war of attrition will turn into a battle of annihilation. It is all because of “a rift impossible to bridge, (and) a wound impossible to heal.” How does this make you feel?

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Masungi foundation to DENR chief: Prove resort claims or resign

Jairo Bolledo

20/04/2024 19:54

GOSSAMER. 'Sapot ni Ric' is one of the most famous spots in Masungi Georeserve, overlooking Laguna de Bay. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – The Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc. (MGFI) has asked Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga to substantiate her allegations against the foundation, including the supposed presence of a resort on the protected area. If she could not, she should tender her resignation, MGFI president Ben Dumaliang said in a statement on Saturday, April 20. “We dare the DENR Secretary to come with the media to the site on April 22 or any day of her convenience to show to the public where the alleged hotel, swimming pool, and resort are in Masungi Georeserve and to substantiate her false and unfounded allegations against Masungi and Blue Star,” Dumaliang said. “If she cannot come and substantiate her resort claims and other allegations, then she should resign. The office of DENR Secretary is crucial to the future of our nation and it must have the highest integrity,” he added. Dumaliang issued the challenge after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released a press statement on Saturday that Blue Star Construction and Development Corporation (BSCDC), which maintains the protected area, has billed the government more than P1 billion for the government’s “failure to deliver lands in the government’s own territory.” “The [April 11] billing cited legal, security, and miscellaneous expenses, damages incurred from the delay of the delivery of the lot, and even a monthly rental of P100,000 paid to a ‘professional squatter.’ The statement also indicated that the expenses were incurred starting in June 2018,” the DENR said. “The Masungi Georeserve resort collects entrance fees from tourists (P1,500 per person on weekdays and P1,800 on weekends). It offers accommodations starting at P5,000 a night and hosts events like weddings and company events with rates starting at P120,000. The resort has a restaurant,” the department also said. In explaining its side, MGFI said the statement of account is a record of the expenses that BSCDC had unnecessarily incurred “because of the DENR’s failure to deliver Lot 10 free and clear of illegal occupants and encumbrances in accordance with its contract with DENR.” The foundation added that BSCDC had no choice but to submit a monthly account of the said expenses to urge the DENR perform its obligations under the joint venture agreement. According to MGFI, the DENR and BSCDC had previously entered into a joint venture agreement, which meant both parties have equity shares or equal opportunity to use resources and share benefits from the geopark. As to the resort allegation, the foundation said: “The Masungi Georeserve is a non-profit conservation initiative run by the MGFI which is a non-stock, non-profit Foundation duly registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Masungi is therefore not a resort, which is built for the primary purpose of entertainment and profit.” Aside from threats and violence against its workers, Masungi foundation has been facing a string of challenges. In early 2023, Bureau of Corrections chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. revealed the plan to use the georeserve as the BuCor’s new headquarters. Catapang statement came after Masungi foundation sounded the alarm over the presence of BuCor personnel in their area. Months later, Catapang announced the postponement of the plan to build its headquarters and transfer the New Bilibid Prison to the georeserve, citing the need for further study and the plan’s impact on the environment. The DENR recently spoke about the Masungi fiasco and said the 2017 contract between the foundation and her agency was void ab initio or void from the beginning. Yulo said the void ab initio finding was based on the opinion of the Department of Justice. The DENR, then led by the late Gina Lopez, and MGFI signed an agreement in 2017 that gave the foundation the responsibility to reforest 3,000 hectares of land in Rizal. Amid the impending cancellation, several environmental groups have urged the DENR to explore formal negotiations and hold a dialogue with the MGFI. “The 2017 MOA must be strengthened, not undermined, as it gave way to a pioneering public-private conservation initiative that needs to be replicated and scaled throughout the Philippines given the country’s dire environmental situation,” the foundation 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: May 2024 special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns

Miriam Grace Go

19/04/2024 14:50

MANILA, Philippines – This is a compilation of special non-working days in various localities in the Philippines for May 2024, as proclaimed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Bookmark this page for possible additional announcements from Malacañang. – 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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Sparking joy: NU keeps mood light as title redemption bid heads to Final Four

jisaga0269

20/04/2024 19:43

ALL SMILES. The NU Lady Bulldogs react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – As an old adage goes, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That is the mantra the NU Lady Bulldogs are trying to embody now as their UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball title pursuit approaches must-win territory in the upcoming Final Four wars. After falling short of defending their championship in Season 85, the mighty spikers of Sampaloc have learned to leave all pressures and worries in the backseat and just keep the mood light inside the court, no matter the opponent. The result? NU now holds the top spot with one elimination round game left in its schedule, and on-court leader Alyssa Solomon couldn’t be prouder of her teammates’ stellar play as of late. “I think our enjoyment every game is key because in the first round, we lacked in that area,” she said in Filipino after the Lady Bulldogs destroyed helpless Adamson, 25-16, 25-14, 25-18, on Saturday, April 20, for win No. 11. “We also credit our maturity to still not relax in every game. We still need to go all out no matter who the opponent is,” added Solomon, who tied partner-in-crime Bella Belen with a game-high 14 points against the Lady Falcons. Disarming is a word to best describe the Lady Bulldogs in their undefeated second-round stretch, as they clearly enjoy goofing away on the court and in postgame press conferences, and yet they still play elite volleyball with the star trio of Solomon, Vange Alinsug, and former MVP Belen. Already battle-tested beyond their years both in local and international competitions, Solomon and Belen have not taken for granted the lessons they’ve learned in the past few years, and remain hungry for more winning runs in their third UAAP season. “We’ve learned to stay mature, tune out the noise of big crowds, and remember to always communicate with one another,” Solomon continued. “Most importantly, we always need to enjoy every moment, because that is the big thing we need in order to achieve our goals here.” “We need to keep our playing desire up and stay hungry near the end of the season,” Belen added in Filipino. “We shouldn’t fall to complacency and think we’re unbeatable. The eagerness to win should always be there.” All smiles, all wins. These things characterized the Season 84 Lady Bulldogs who completed a stunning tournament sweep in 2022 to win the championship. In Season 86, the wins are still there, and the smiles are back. If NU keeps this up, another title is certainly within arm’s reach. – 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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Wishing for surot-free airport sofas like these

gdecastro0289

20/04/2024 20:30

NO FRILLS. Travelers, mostly Filipinos, wait for a flight back to Manila from Nagoya in one of the gates of Terminal 2 of Chubu Centrair International Airport, Japan, on April 18, 2024. Isagani de Castro Jr./Rappler NAGOYA, Japan – One can’t help but wish that the renovated Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will have surot-free (bed bug-free) airport sofas like the ones they have in the departure area of Terminal 2 of Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its Terminal 2, which opened in September 2019, is used by low-cost carriers (LCC), but you won’t feel you’re in an LCC terminal, especially if you’re from the Philippines. Many Filipinos must have already experienced this clean, efficient, and no-frills airport terminal since it’s used by the Gokongweis’ Cebu Pacific and Qantas subsidiary Jetstar, which have regular Manila-Nagoya flights. Cebu Pacific moved again to this terminal on October 23, 2019 for its Manila-Nagoya flights. Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 2’s blue airport sofas in the departure area, for instance, have power and port outlets where you can charge laptops, mobile phones and other gadgets. The sofas are also large enough to allow passengers to take a nap prior to boarding. Each sofa can comfortably fit eight people. It has six 110V outlets and six ports for mobile phone charging. The blue sofas are made of leather, and the gaps in between the cushions don’t allow for insects to thrive. If there are insects on the sofas, a person can easily spot them due to the monotone color and the tight-fit leather with no creases and buttons. The terminal has common work spaces with spacious long tables situated near the boarding gates. There are also restaurants and duty-free shops near the work spaces. Typical of Japan, Chubu’s Terminal 2 has squeaky clean toilets with high-tech toilet sets and taps that never run dry. It’s a start contrast to the NAIA, where ports for charging mobile phones are few and far between. If you need work space, you’ll have to go to restaurants or cafés which offer WiFi, unless you’re traveling business class. To top it all, Chubu’s Terminal 2 is where the airplane theme park Flight of Dreams is located. The park exhibits the first-ever Boeing 787 – the ZA001. It has Boeing 787 and Boeing 747 simulators where visitors can experience driving an airplane, as well as rides and playground equipment for kids. NAIA’s problem with bed bugs went viral last February after several travelers complained of getting bitten by the pests. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has since removed the rattan chairs infested by bed bugs and disinfected the metal chairs in NAIA. Billionaire Ramon Ang and his consortium won the bid for NAIA’s much-needed facelift last month or on March 18. The operations and maintenance of the airport are set to be handed over to Ang’s group on or before September 2024. NAIA has been designated one of the world’s worst airport for a number of years by various review sites. – 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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Groups urge gov’t to address mining issues as PH transitions to renewable energy

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 17:00

WIND FARM. A wind farm in Rizal, Philippines. Ranieljosecastaneda via Wikimedia Commons NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The Philippine government should address issues in the mining sector as the country joins the transition from fossil fuel-based energy to renewable sources, several groups said. Bantay Kita, a coalition of civil society organizations working on the extractive sector in the Philippines, said the transition to renewable sources may worsen the impacts of large-scale mining operations in the Philippines. The group said that “the government vulnerabilities and issues within the mining sector should be addressed before the country decides to commit to a head-on energy transition.” The group cited nickel, cobalt, and copper as significant minerals in the country, referred to as transition minerals used by processing companies to develop products and technologies needed in the energy transition. “Globally, the Philippines is ranked fourth in copper reserves, fourth in cobalt reserves, and sixth in nickel reserves, making the country one of the main targets of global investors scrambling for transition minerals, which also contains risks associated with free trade and bilateral agreements,” the group said in their statement. John Edison Ubaldo, Bantay Kita’s Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, citing the result of their study, said, “The Philippine government also lacks an institutionalized policy framework that upholds the state’s duty to safeguard host communities from human rights issues rooted from extractive activities.” Ubaldo said that as the need for renewable energy grows, so does the probability of putting communities’ lives and resources at risk. Thus, a “just energy transition” is suggested to focus on the equitable and ethical transformation of energy use towards a low-carbon economy. According to Ubaldo, their study also stressed the importance of creating a “Just Energy Transition-Transition Mineral Accountability Roadmap” that will outline the goals and significant steps beneficial “for a community-centered energy transition.” Bantay Kita’s study recommended the passage of Senate Bill No. 1125 or An Act Providing for the Creation of the Philippines Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI), as a regulatory body for the extractive industries. Under the proposed bill, the PH-EITI must disclose all data on material, national, and local payments, revenues sourced from the extractive activities; and all concessions, contracts, licenses, agreements, and joint ventures available to the public. Ubaldo said that this will address the Philippines’ lack of financial transparency in revenues collected by the government from the extractive sector. Bantay Kita also recommended an administrative order on the a credible CSO selection process at the local level in mining oversight committees, such as the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) and the Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC) to ensure equity and meaningful engagement and representation. As of now, there is only one seat available for CSOs in mining oversight committees, Bantay Kita 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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Magnolia streak snaps Rain or Shine’s 5-game run

Jasmine Payo

20/04/2024 22:08

BIG NUMBERS. Magnolia’s Ian Sangalang splits the defense of Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga and Nick Demusis. PBA IMAGES MANILA, Philippines – The Magnolia Hotshots picked up their fourth straight victory and stopped the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ five-game winning run following a 108-102 triumph in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Tiaong Convention Center in Quezon on Saturday, April 20. Ian Sangalang turned in a monster performance for Magnolia as he racked up a double-double of 25 points on an ultra-efficient 11-of-14 field goal clip and 12 rebounds off the bench. Mark Barroca also came up huge for the Hotshots with an all-around outing of 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists as they improved their record to 5-2. With the score knotted at 82-all in the early goings of the fourth quarter, the Hotshots uncorked a fiery 14-2 blast to create a much-needed separation over the gritty Elasto Painters, 96-84, with 6:36 to play. Rain or Shine refused to give up, cutting the deficit back to just 5, 98-103, thanks to a pair of free throws by Andrei Caracut with still 1:01 left on the game clock. The Elasto Painters had an opportunity to inch closer to just a single possession after Calvin Abueva was called for an offensive foul with 58 seconds remaining, but Caracut failed to convert on his runner in the following play. Barroca then put Rain or Shine away for good with his trademark fadeaway jumper over the outstretched arm of Santi Santillan with only 34 ticks left. Aris Dionisio, Jed Mendoza, and Paul Lee also finished in double-digit scoring for Magnolia with 13, 12, and 11 points, respectively. Adrian Nocum led the way for Rain or Shine – which fell to an even 5-5 slate – with 19 points, while Santillan added 17 markers. Magnolia 108 – Sangalang 25, Barroca 18, Dionisio 13, Mendoza 12, Lee 11, Eriobu 10, Abueva 8, Balanza 5, Tratter 4, Jalalon 2, Reavis 0, Escoto 0, Laput 0. Rain or Shine 102 – Nocum 19, Santillan 17, Belga 16, Mamuyac 13, Caracut 12, Aistio 9, Borboran 6, Clarito 4, Demusis 3, Belo 2, Ildefonso 0. Quarters: 16-21, 54-43, 78-74, 108-102. – 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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PVL chaos: How Cignal’s win over PLDT pushed Petro Gazz, Creamline, Choco Mucho to semis

jisaga0269

20/04/2024 22:53

INTERTWINING FATES. Creamline's Alyssa Valdez and Cignal's Ces Molina in action in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference PVL Images MANILA, Philippines – In the late stages of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, one wrong move can cost a team an entire tournament’s worth of wins and sacrifices, while changing the fortunes of many others waiting in the wings. Such is the case on Saturday, April 20, as the Cignal HD Spikers – just two hours after being eliminated from the semifinal race – dragged down sister team PLDT High Speed Hitters in a thrilling four-set conquest, 24-26, 26-24, 25-17, 28-26, at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna. With the win, Cignal not only sent PLDT on the outside of the Final Four looking in, but also sealed the semis berths of the Petro Gazz Angels, defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers, and reigning runner-up Choco Mucho Flying Titans. Each holding identical 8-2 records, Petro Gazz, Creamline, and Choco Mucho can no longer fall past fourth place due to their high game point totals (25, 24, and 24, respectively), thus sealing their semifinal berths. Conversely, No. 5 PLDT, now with a 7-3 record and still only 20 points after the crucial loss, can no longer go higher than fourth place. Each three-to-four-set win gives 3 points, while a five-set win gives 2. Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, the fourth team boasting an 8-2 record, only have 23 points, leaving the door open for PLDT to steal the fourth seed via superior set ratio – the second tiebreaker in the event of a game points tie. Both Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz clinched their 8-2 slates after respectively sweeping Galeries Tower (25-7, 25-21, 25-17) and Akari (25-17, 25-20, 25-17) immediately before the Cignal-PLDT sister team main event. For added context, Cignal’s semifinal hopes were dashed right after Chery Tiggo joined the four-team 8-2 logjam since the HD Spikers can go no higher than 7-4 in the standings. Should PLDT sweep its final assignment against Creamline, and massive underdog Galeries somehow sweeps its last game against Chery Tiggo, then the High Speed Hitters will force a 23-game point tie and narrowly complete the semifinal cast instead of the Crossovers through the set ratio path. Interestingly, both games are scheduled on Thursday, April 25, at the PhilSports Arena, with the Galeries-Chery Tiggo clash serving as the double-header opener at 4 pm. For its part, Cignal now just aims to finish strong in its failed podium return bid after scoring back-to-back bronze medals in the last two conferences of the 2023 season. Jovelyn Gonzaga continued her resurgent run at PLDT’s expense with 16 points, backstopped by 15 and 12, respectively, from Ces Molina and Vanie Gandler. Possible MVP candidate Savi Davison, meanwhile, went down swinging with a game-high 29 points, supported by 22 excellent digs and 16 excellent receptions from captain Kath Arado. In the other games of the Laguna triple-header, Brooke Van Sickle led Petro Gazz past Galeries with 17 points, while Eya Laure topscored for Chery Tiggo against Akari with 14. – 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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[Newsstand] Duterte vs Marcos: A rift impossible to bridge, a wound impossible to heal

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 19:00

Marian Hukom For the second time, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos has appeared in a candid and controversial video. Unlike the first one, which came out in January 2023 and which she herself recorded on the grounds of the presidential palace, the second video was an extended interview; it was released Friday and hosted by Anthony Taberna. The most talked-about portion of the interview was her direct answer to the question about her relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband’s running mate. She said Sara was now a “bad shot,” Philippine English for someone who’s in disfavor. She explained that she was hurt when the vice president attended a political rally in Davao City last January and was seen laughing when the former president and Sara’s father Rodrigo Duterte called President Marcos Junior a drug addict. (Mrs. Marcos used the term Duterte used, “bangag” or stoned.) “You went to a rally, then your President gets called a drug addict, right, and you’re going to laugh? Is that right?” she asked in a mix of Filipino and English. Then she added in English, for good measure: “Even Leni [Robredo] never did that.” As people say these days, “Shots fired!” Why did Mrs. Marcos agree to do the interview – and why now? To answer that, we need to understand whether the alliances headed by the running mates can still be reconciled, and what options her husband the President retains. Anything, famously, is possible in politics. In his last year in office, President Duterte said many unflattering things about Marcos Junior – and yet that did not stop Marcos from teaming up with Sara. Marcos continues to this day to be not only civil but friendly with his vice president. At most, he has acknowledged that their relationship is “complicated,” and he has sought to tamp down any speculation about the meaning of the Vice President’s studied silence on West Philippine Sea issues by asserting that the younger Duterte is part of the administration’s stand. Can the Marcos and Duterte families still reconcile? Can the UniTeam recover unity? There may be only four paths to peace between the dynasties. Marcos takes the lead. President Marcos may read the signs of the times and conclude that it would be in his and his family’s best interests to remain allied with the Dutertes. This conclusion will lead him to insist that his family and their allies make peace with Davao. The most important step in peace-making is forcing his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, to give up his presidential ambitions and, with the rest of the clan, support Sara Duterte for president in 2028. Romualdez steps aside. On his own, Romualdez can make a grand gesture and set aside his presidential ambitions, not necessarily to the extent of supporting Sara in 2028 but only removing himself from the equation. This will calm turbulent waters. Imee brokers a deal, again. Senator Imee Marcos remains very close to the Dutertes, and is politically wily enough to broker a deal similar to what she helped craft in 2022: a winning tandem for president and vice president, this time with a Duterte as the standard bearer. Without necessarily depending on how she will do in her reelection campaign in 2025, she might offer herself as Sara’s running mate in 2028, with the backing of the Marcos clan. The Dutertes step back. The Vice President may read the signs of the times and conclude that, with the emergence of Senator Raffy Tulfo as a potential presidential candidate, it would be in her and her family’s best interests to remain allied with the Marcoses. This conclusion will lead her to insist that her family, including her father but especially her brother the mayor, to apologize profusely to President Marcos for their many impertinences and insults. But how likely is it that the two dynasties take any of these possible paths? The short answer is not at all. The long answer is that the Dutertes have already come to the conclusion that the Marcoses (and the Romualdezes) not only cannot guarantee their long-term safety, but are in fact an actual threat to their dynasty’s long-term viability as a national, rather than merely a local, power. Several factors serve together as cause. Romualdez’s stealth campaigns to change the Constitution was conducted so efficiently and so suddenly it caught Duterte and his original allies, who tried to change the Constitution themselves, completely off guard. (Having failed so badly at their own attempt, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and others like him must surely have recognized the risk that Romualdez, who came so close and is still not done, presents to the political class.) The President’s re-pivot to the United States undid the Duterte administration’s pro-China policy, exposed the former president to accusations of treason (which may yet gain traction, though one can never tell when it comes to the most popular politician ever surveyed), and (in Duterte’s view) undermined the true basis of regional stability: alignment with Beijing. Not least, Mrs. Marcos’ influence on the President continues to unsettle the Vice President and her family’s allies, in part because they thought they only needed to deal with Sen. Imee Marcos, and in part because Mrs. Marcos, when she intervenes, has proven to be decisive (for instance, removing the first executive secretary) and strategic (the Taberna interview). The usual suspects in the alternative information infrastructure on social media have taken sides, as per usual. Those who have turned against the President (whom they call “kuting,” or kitten, a deliberate signal of their contempt for the “junior” Marcos) predictably said the interview had reaped a whirlwind of criticism. But even if that were true, that wasn’t the point of it. With her interview, Mrs. Marcos was signaling to the Marcos allies that the point of no return has been crossed. I think she has recognized that the Dutertes will never step back; that the insults from the Duterte men can never be unsaid, and will in all likelihood be followed by more insults; that the Dutertes no longer trust the Marcoses; above all, that the Dutertes see President Marcos Junior as fundamentally weak – a “kuting,” no match against the Duterte tiger. The reference to Robredo was deliberate, not so much a ploy to win sympathy from Leni supporters in the Marcoses’ battle with the Dutertes, but a twist of the knife stuck into one side of the Duterte base. The one politician that base sees as even weaker than Marcos Junior is Robredo. As Duterte demonstrated when he was president, the powers of the presidency remain overwhelming even under the many constraints of the post-EDSA Constitution, if you wield them with a combination of political will and a lack of concern with niceties. In this sense, President Marcos enjoys a clear advantage over the Dutertes – but he has not deployed all his weapons against the Dutertes yet. Remove the VP from the Cabinet. The vice president remains on the Cabinet, as secretary of the largest department, education. It is a challenge, even for her closest supporters, to argue that she is doing an outstanding job in that position; the President can replace her at anytime, with a much more qualified (read: non-political) appointee. Disband the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group. In an astonishing display of political muscle-flexing, the then newly-elected vice president lobbied for the creation of a much larger close-in protection unit to serve her office, separate (as its predecessor unit was) from the Presidential Security Group. Citing operational or financial reasons, the President can disband the unit or restore the Vice Presidential Security Detachment of yesteryears, which was about a fifth of the current size. Isolate China supporters. President Marcos can retract his blanket statement offering cover for the Vice President on China issues, painting her, her family, and her allies into a corner. Philippine public opinion since at least 2012 has been consistent and clear: The majority of voting-age Filipinos want the Philippines to be more assertive in its relationship with Beijing, especially as far as our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea are concerned. The former president’s China pivot was always one of his weakest links. Arrest Duterte. Allow the arrest by the national police of former president Duterte and others implicated in the drug-related extrajudicial killings if and when the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant. It is possible that the interview with Mrs. Marcos was designed to clear the path for any of these acts. Any one of them, however, will turn the war of attrition between the dynasties into a war of annihilation. – Rappler.com Veteran journalist John Nery is a Rappler columnist, editorial consultant, and program host. “In the Public Square” airs on Rappler platforms every Wednesday at 8 pm. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Sir John Nery has provided many scenarios. However, the critical factors are as follows: 1) President Marcos Jr. is developing a trait of being the “great pretender,” and 2) Speaker Martin Romualdez will not back down. This war of attrition will turn into a battle of annihilation. It is all because of “a rift impossible to bridge, (and) a wound impossible to heal.” How does this make you feel?

Rappler

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PVL chaos: How Cignal’s win over PLDT pushed Petro Gazz, Creamline, Choco Mucho to semis

jisaga0269

20/04/2024 22:53

INTERTWINING FATES. Creamline's Alyssa Valdez and Cignal's Ces Molina in action in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference PVL Images MANILA, Philippines – In the late stages of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, one wrong move can cost a team an entire tournament’s worth of wins and sacrifices, while changing the fortunes of many others waiting in the wings. Such is the case on Saturday, April 20, as the Cignal HD Spikers – just two hours after being eliminated from the semifinal race – dragged down sister team PLDT High Speed Hitters in a thrilling four-set conquest, 24-26, 26-24, 25-17, 28-26, at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna. With the win, Cignal not only sent PLDT on the outside of the Final Four looking in, but also sealed the semis berths of the Petro Gazz Angels, defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers, and reigning runner-up Choco Mucho Flying Titans. Each holding identical 8-2 records, Petro Gazz, Creamline, and Choco Mucho can no longer fall past fourth place due to their high game point totals (25, 24, and 24, respectively), thus sealing their semifinal berths. Conversely, No. 5 PLDT, now with a 7-3 record and still only 20 points after the crucial loss, can no longer go higher than fourth place. Each three-to-four-set win gives 3 points, while a five-set win gives 2. Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, the fourth team boasting an 8-2 record, only have 23 points, leaving the door open for PLDT to steal the fourth seed via superior set ratio – the second tiebreaker in the event of a game points tie. Both Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz clinched their 8-2 slates after respectively sweeping Galeries Tower (25-7, 25-21, 25-17) and Akari (25-17, 25-20, 25-17) immediately before the Cignal-PLDT sister team main event. For added context, Cignal’s semifinal hopes were dashed right after Chery Tiggo joined the four-team 8-2 logjam since the HD Spikers can go no higher than 7-4 in the standings. Should PLDT sweep its final assignment against Creamline, and massive underdog Galeries somehow sweeps its last game against Chery Tiggo, then the High Speed Hitters will force a 23-game point tie and narrowly complete the semifinal cast instead of the Crossovers through the set ratio path. Interestingly, both games are scheduled on Thursday, April 25, at the PhilSports Arena, with the Galeries-Chery Tiggo clash serving as the double-header opener at 4 pm. For its part, Cignal now just aims to finish strong in its failed podium return bid after scoring back-to-back bronze medals in the last two conferences of the 2023 season. Jovelyn Gonzaga continued her resurgent run at PLDT’s expense with 16 points, backstopped by 15 and 12, respectively, from Ces Molina and Vanie Gandler. Possible MVP candidate Savi Davison, meanwhile, went down swinging with a game-high 29 points, supported by 22 excellent digs and 16 excellent receptions from captain Kath Arado. In the other games of the Laguna triple-header, Brooke Van Sickle led Petro Gazz past Galeries with 17 points, while Eya Laure topscored for Chery Tiggo against Akari with 14. – 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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Around 50,000 households affected by water shortage in Cebu – water district head

jsitchon0312

20/04/2024 16:44

WATER. Residents of Barangay Pasil in Cebu City struggle to fill their containers as water crisis looms due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, on Thursday, April 18. Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler CEBU, Philippines – As officials continue to quarrel over the leadership of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), severe water shortages have affected around 50,000 households in Cebu. Lawyer Jose Daluz III, the embattled MCWD head, told Rappler on Thursday, April 18, that a majority of the households affected are in Cebu City. Daluz has been up against Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama who wants him out of the water district since May 2023, due to his alleged “unsatisfactory” performance and insubordination. In March, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) enforced a takeover of the MCWD. Amid the water district feud, Susan Garcia, a 69-year-old resident of Sitio Mahayahay I, in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, told Rappler that they have had little to no water flowing into their homes for more than a month. Rappler visited Barangay Pasil and found that residents have resorted to opening the main consumer pipes found at the opposite end of MCWD’s water meters. Garcia shared that she pays around P100 per day to get a porter to deliver 10 buckets of water, about a gallon each, to her home. On top of that, her family pays up to P1,000 a month to the MCWD for water that, she said, “never comes.” “Di na lang mi makapalit bugas kay ibayad nalang para sa tubig kay wala nay kwarta,” Garcia said. (We’ll just decide to not buy rice because we have to pay for water and because we don’t have enough money) Garcia said that she needs water every day since she has no choice but to do her laundry every morning. She explained that because of the intense heat, her family has to bathe and change clothes twice a day. Brian Marinay, the team leader of the Pasil Fire Brigade, told Rappler on Thursday that they are on “red alert” for the entire barangay. Marinay said that they are aware of the residents’ opening the main pipes and understand that they are doing it to survive the heat. “Based on what I got from a few residents, there would be water flowing at around 3 am but by 5 am, there would be no more water,” he said in a mix of English and Cebuano. According to Marinay, the fire brigade has been delivering water to every sitio in Pasil but was forced to limit distributions in consideration of their fire truck’s water supply capacity and preparations for fire incidents. “Kinahanglan og tubig, labi na sa mga bata ug tiguwang. Labi na karon nga need ang tubig kay init kaayo. Mas prone man gud sila sa heatstroke,” Marinay said. (Water is so important, especially for the kids and the elderly. Water is needed even more because it is so hot. They are prone to heatstroke.) Cebu City Administrator Collin Rosell told Rappler on Friday, April 19, that they are working with the city disaster response unit and other city departments in addressing the water shortage. He added that the city is exploring alternative sources of water. “We are dispatching a lot of equipment, the water tanks, of course, there’s also the siphoning tanks that will hull and distribute water,” Rosell said. There are four operating dams that supply water to MCWD. These include the Jaclupan Dam in Talisay City, the Buhisan Dam and Lusaran Dam in Cebu City, and the Carmen Bulk Water Supply in Carmen town. Daluz told Rappler that each of the dams has lost almost half of its operating capacity, except for the Carmen Bulk Water Supply which still provides 30,000 cubic meters of water per day. Based on data from MCWD, the Jaclupan Dam, now only provides 20,000 cubic meters of water per day from the usual 35,000 cubic meters of water per day. The Buhisan Dam provides half of its original 6,000 cubic meters per day while the Lusaran Dam provides 15,000 of its normal 30,000 cubic meters per day. “In March, the deficit reached 20,000 cubic meters. Then, the deficit became 30,000, 40,000, and now almost 50,000,” Daluz said. According to him, one cubic meter serves one household, which means that the deficit of 50,000 cubic meters of water per day equates to 50,000 affected households. Daluz explained that the MCWD was supposed to address the deficit through desalination plants that would provide an external source of water but were delayed due to “difficulties” in obtaining permits. “Supposedly the delivery date for the Barangay Mambaling desalination plant was September 2023 but when the contractor filed for a permit at Cebu City it was not given. They got the permit in December so they were not able to meet their schedule,” Daluz 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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Wishing for surot-free airport sofas like these

gdecastro0289

20/04/2024 20:30

NO FRILLS. Travelers, mostly Filipinos, wait for a flight back to Manila from Nagoya in one of the gates of Terminal 2 of Chubu Centrair International Airport, Japan, on April 18, 2024. Isagani de Castro Jr./Rappler NAGOYA, Japan – One can’t help but wish that the renovated Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will have surot-free (bed bug-free) airport sofas like the ones they have in the departure area of Terminal 2 of Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its Terminal 2, which opened in September 2019, is used by low-cost carriers (LCC), but you won’t feel you’re in an LCC terminal, especially if you’re from the Philippines. Many Filipinos must have already experienced this clean, efficient, and no-frills airport terminal since it’s used by the Gokongweis’ Cebu Pacific and Qantas subsidiary Jetstar, which have regular Manila-Nagoya flights. Cebu Pacific moved again to this terminal on October 23, 2019 for its Manila-Nagoya flights. Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 2’s blue airport sofas in the departure area, for instance, have power and port outlets where you can charge laptops, mobile phones and other gadgets. The sofas are also large enough to allow passengers to take a nap prior to boarding. Each sofa can comfortably fit eight people. It has six 110V outlets and six ports for mobile phone charging. The blue sofas are made of leather, and the gaps in between the cushions don’t allow for insects to thrive. If there are insects on the sofas, a person can easily spot them due to the monotone color and the tight-fit leather with no creases and buttons. The terminal has common work spaces with spacious long tables situated near the boarding gates. There are also restaurants and duty-free shops near the work spaces. Typical of Japan, Chubu’s Terminal 2 has squeaky clean toilets with high-tech toilet sets and taps that never run dry. It’s a start contrast to the NAIA, where ports for charging mobile phones are few and far between. If you need work space, you’ll have to go to restaurants or cafés which offer WiFi, unless you’re traveling business class. To top it all, Chubu’s Terminal 2 is where the airplane theme park Flight of Dreams is located. The park exhibits the first-ever Boeing 787 – the ZA001. It has Boeing 787 and Boeing 747 simulators where visitors can experience driving an airplane, as well as rides and playground equipment for kids. NAIA’s problem with bed bugs went viral last February after several travelers complained of getting bitten by the pests. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has since removed the rattan chairs infested by bed bugs and disinfected the metal chairs in NAIA. Billionaire Ramon Ang and his consortium won the bid for NAIA’s much-needed facelift last month or on March 18. The operations and maintenance of the airport are set to be handed over to Ang’s group on or before September 2024. NAIA has been designated one of the world’s worst airport for a number of years by various review sites. – 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, team standings: 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, Spikers’ Turf Open Conference

jisaga0269

02/05/2024 19:25

CHAMPS. The Creamline Cool Smashers celebrate a winning play. PVL IMAGES MANILA, Philippines – Hard-hitting volleyball rolls off at the professional and semi-pro levels as the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference and the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference hit the homestretch! Here are the results and team standings of both leagues: FINALS MAY 12 MAY 9 BATTLE FOR BRONZE MAY 12 MAY 9 SEMIFINALS Standings (win-loss-points) Results MAY 5 MAY 1 APRIL 30 ELIMINATIONS Wins-Losses (Points | Set Ratio) * – Semifinalsx – Eliminated FINALS SEMIFINALS Standings (win-loss-points) * – Finals ELIMINATIONS Wins-Losses (Points) * – Semifinalsx – Eliminated – 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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[Newsstand] Duterte vs Marcos: A rift impossible to bridge, a wound impossible to heal

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 19:00

Marian Hukom For the second time, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos has appeared in a candid and controversial video. Unlike the first one, which came out in January 2023 and which she herself recorded on the grounds of the presidential palace, the second video was an extended interview; it was released Friday and hosted by Anthony Taberna. The most talked-about portion of the interview was her direct answer to the question about her relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband’s running mate. She said Sara was now a “bad shot,” Philippine English for someone who’s in disfavor. She explained that she was hurt when the vice president attended a political rally in Davao City last January and was seen laughing when the former president and Sara’s father Rodrigo Duterte called President Marcos Junior a drug addict. (Mrs. Marcos used the term Duterte used, “bangag” or stoned.) “You went to a rally, then your President gets called a drug addict, right, and you’re going to laugh? Is that right?” she asked in a mix of Filipino and English. Then she added in English, for good measure: “Even Leni [Robredo] never did that.” As people say these days, “Shots fired!” Why did Mrs. Marcos agree to do the interview – and why now? To answer that, we need to understand whether the alliances headed by the running mates can still be reconciled, and what options her husband the President retains. Anything, famously, is possible in politics. In his last year in office, President Duterte said many unflattering things about Marcos Junior – and yet that did not stop Marcos from teaming up with Sara. Marcos continues to this day to be not only civil but friendly with his vice president. At most, he has acknowledged that their relationship is “complicated,” and he has sought to tamp down any speculation about the meaning of the Vice President’s studied silence on West Philippine Sea issues by asserting that the younger Duterte is part of the administration’s stand. Can the Marcos and Duterte families still reconcile? Can the UniTeam recover unity? There may be only four paths to peace between the dynasties. Marcos takes the lead. President Marcos may read the signs of the times and conclude that it would be in his and his family’s best interests to remain allied with the Dutertes. This conclusion will lead him to insist that his family and their allies make peace with Davao. The most important step in peace-making is forcing his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, to give up his presidential ambitions and, with the rest of the clan, support Sara Duterte for president in 2028. Romualdez steps aside. On his own, Romualdez can make a grand gesture and set aside his presidential ambitions, not necessarily to the extent of supporting Sara in 2028 but only removing himself from the equation. This will calm turbulent waters. Imee brokers a deal, again. Senator Imee Marcos remains very close to the Dutertes, and is politically wily enough to broker a deal similar to what she helped craft in 2022: a winning tandem for president and vice president, this time with a Duterte as the standard bearer. Without necessarily depending on how she will do in her reelection campaign in 2025, she might offer herself as Sara’s running mate in 2028, with the backing of the Marcos clan. The Dutertes step back. The Vice President may read the signs of the times and conclude that, with the emergence of Senator Raffy Tulfo as a potential presidential candidate, it would be in her and her family’s best interests to remain allied with the Marcoses. This conclusion will lead her to insist that her family, including her father but especially her brother the mayor, to apologize profusely to President Marcos for their many impertinences and insults. But how likely is it that the two dynasties take any of these possible paths? The short answer is not at all. The long answer is that the Dutertes have already come to the conclusion that the Marcoses (and the Romualdezes) not only cannot guarantee their long-term safety, but are in fact an actual threat to their dynasty’s long-term viability as a national, rather than merely a local, power. Several factors serve together as cause. Romualdez’s stealth campaigns to change the Constitution was conducted so efficiently and so suddenly it caught Duterte and his original allies, who tried to change the Constitution themselves, completely off guard. (Having failed so badly at their own attempt, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and others like him must surely have recognized the risk that Romualdez, who came so close and is still not done, presents to the political class.) The President’s re-pivot to the United States undid the Duterte administration’s pro-China policy, exposed the former president to accusations of treason (which may yet gain traction, though one can never tell when it comes to the most popular politician ever surveyed), and (in Duterte’s view) undermined the true basis of regional stability: alignment with Beijing. Not least, Mrs. Marcos’ influence on the President continues to unsettle the Vice President and her family’s allies, in part because they thought they only needed to deal with Sen. Imee Marcos, and in part because Mrs. Marcos, when she intervenes, has proven to be decisive (for instance, removing the first executive secretary) and strategic (the Taberna interview). The usual suspects in the alternative information infrastructure on social media have taken sides, as per usual. Those who have turned against the President (whom they call “kuting,” or kitten, a deliberate signal of their contempt for the “junior” Marcos) predictably said the interview had reaped a whirlwind of criticism. But even if that were true, that wasn’t the point of it. With her interview, Mrs. Marcos was signaling to the Marcos allies that the point of no return has been crossed. I think she has recognized that the Dutertes will never step back; that the insults from the Duterte men can never be unsaid, and will in all likelihood be followed by more insults; that the Dutertes no longer trust the Marcoses; above all, that the Dutertes see President Marcos Junior as fundamentally weak – a “kuting,” no match against the Duterte tiger. The reference to Robredo was deliberate, not so much a ploy to win sympathy from Leni supporters in the Marcoses’ battle with the Dutertes, but a twist of the knife stuck into one side of the Duterte base. The one politician that base sees as even weaker than Marcos Junior is Robredo. As Duterte demonstrated when he was president, the powers of the presidency remain overwhelming even under the many constraints of the post-EDSA Constitution, if you wield them with a combination of political will and a lack of concern with niceties. In this sense, President Marcos enjoys a clear advantage over the Dutertes – but he has not deployed all his weapons against the Dutertes yet. Remove the VP from the Cabinet. The vice president remains on the Cabinet, as secretary of the largest department, education. It is a challenge, even for her closest supporters, to argue that she is doing an outstanding job in that position; the President can replace her at anytime, with a much more qualified (read: non-political) appointee. Disband the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group. In an astonishing display of political muscle-flexing, the then newly-elected vice president lobbied for the creation of a much larger close-in protection unit to serve her office, separate (as its predecessor unit was) from the Presidential Security Group. Citing operational or financial reasons, the President can disband the unit or restore the Vice Presidential Security Detachment of yesteryears, which was about a fifth of the current size. Isolate China supporters. President Marcos can retract his blanket statement offering cover for the Vice President on China issues, painting her, her family, and her allies into a corner. Philippine public opinion since at least 2012 has been consistent and clear: The majority of voting-age Filipinos want the Philippines to be more assertive in its relationship with Beijing, especially as far as our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea are concerned. The former president’s China pivot was always one of his weakest links. Arrest Duterte. Allow the arrest by the national police of former president Duterte and others implicated in the drug-related extrajudicial killings if and when the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant. It is possible that the interview with Mrs. Marcos was designed to clear the path for any of these acts. Any one of them, however, will turn the war of attrition between the dynasties into a war of annihilation. – Rappler.com Veteran journalist John Nery is a Rappler columnist, editorial consultant, and program host. “In the Public Square” airs on Rappler platforms every Wednesday at 8 pm. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Sir John Nery has provided many scenarios. However, the critical factors are as follows: 1) President Marcos Jr. is developing a trait of being the “great pretender,” and 2) Speaker Martin Romualdez will not back down. This war of attrition will turn into a battle of annihilation. It is all because of “a rift impossible to bridge, (and) a wound impossible to heal.” How does this make you feel?

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Roadkill: RJ Jazul, hot-shooting Phoenix steamroll NLEX by 35

Jasmine Payo

20/04/2024 20:08

ON TARGET. Phoenix's RJ Jazul fires a shot against NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup. PBA IMAGES MANILA, Philippines – When it rains, it pours for the Phoenix Fuel Masters. Led by RJ Jazul’s three-point barrage, the hot-shooting Fuel Masters cruised to a 112-77 win over the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday, April 20. Jazul was on target from long distance, knocking down 6 of his 9 three-point attempts to finish with a game-high 19 points in just 22 minutes of play. Kenneth Tuffin backed up Jazul with 17 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc, while Jayjay Alejandro and Kent Salado hit two triples each to wind up with 16 and 11 markers, respectively. Overall, Phoenix shot an efficient 17-of-33 clip from deep as a team, a far cry from NLEX’s ice-cold 11-of-50 three-point shooting. With Phoenix leading by only 7 points at the end of the first quarter, 24-17, Jazul suddenly caught fire and unloaded three of his six long bombs in just the first two minutes of the second period to help the Fuel Masters extend their lead to 18, 35-17. The Road Warriors managed to crawl back within 8 points early in the third frame, 46-54, but that was the closest they could get as the Fuel Masters continued to sizzle from three-point land, even extending their lead to as many as 39 points late in the fourth quarter. Enoch Valdez was the lone bright spot for the Road Warriors as he came up with a near double-double of 16 points and 9 rebounds. Phoenix’s stifling defense held NLEX star Robert Bolick to just 11 points on a dismal 3-of-13 clip from the field. The Fuel Masters improved to a 3-5 slate, while the Road Warriors – who suffered their second straight loss – fell to a 5-3 card. Phoenix 112 – Jazul 19, Tuffin 17, Alehandro 16, Salado 11, Perkins 10, Camacho 8, Rivero 8, Mocon 6, Garcia 6, Daves 3, Verano 3, Muyang 3, Lalata 2, Soyud 0. NLEX 77 – Valdez 16, Nermal 12, Bolick 11, Amer 11, Semerad 11, Fajardo 11, Herndon 3, Anthony 1, Napoles 1, Pascual 0, Nieto 0, Pascual 0, Rodger 0. Quarters: 24-17, 51-39, 79-62, 112-77. – 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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Sparking joy: NU keeps mood light as title redemption bid heads to Final Four

jisaga0269

20/04/2024 19:43

ALL SMILES. The NU Lady Bulldogs react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – As an old adage goes, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That is the mantra the NU Lady Bulldogs are trying to embody now as their UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball title pursuit approaches must-win territory in the upcoming Final Four wars. After falling short of defending their championship in Season 85, the mighty spikers of Sampaloc have learned to leave all pressures and worries in the backseat and just keep the mood light inside the court, no matter the opponent. The result? NU now holds the top spot with one elimination round game left in its schedule, and on-court leader Alyssa Solomon couldn’t be prouder of her teammates’ stellar play as of late. “I think our enjoyment every game is key because in the first round, we lacked in that area,” she said in Filipino after the Lady Bulldogs destroyed helpless Adamson, 25-16, 25-14, 25-18, on Saturday, April 20, for win No. 11. “We also credit our maturity to still not relax in every game. We still need to go all out no matter who the opponent is,” added Solomon, who tied partner-in-crime Bella Belen with a game-high 14 points against the Lady Falcons. Disarming is a word to best describe the Lady Bulldogs in their undefeated second-round stretch, as they clearly enjoy goofing away on the court and in postgame press conferences, and yet they still play elite volleyball with the star trio of Solomon, Vange Alinsug, and former MVP Belen. Already battle-tested beyond their years both in local and international competitions, Solomon and Belen have not taken for granted the lessons they’ve learned in the past few years, and remain hungry for more winning runs in their third UAAP season. “We’ve learned to stay mature, tune out the noise of big crowds, and remember to always communicate with one another,” Solomon continued. “Most importantly, we always need to enjoy every moment, because that is the big thing we need in order to achieve our goals here.” “We need to keep our playing desire up and stay hungry near the end of the season,” Belen added in Filipino. “We shouldn’t fall to complacency and think we’re unbeatable. The eagerness to win should always be there.” All smiles, all wins. These things characterized the Season 84 Lady Bulldogs who completed a stunning tournament sweep in 2022 to win the championship. In Season 86, the wins are still there, and the smiles are back. If NU keeps this up, another title is certainly within arm’s reach. – 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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[Vantage Point] Joey Salceda says 8% GDP growth attainable

Glenda Gloria

20/04/2024 13:30

The country’s realignment to the West and Japan, a policy adopted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will shield the Philippines from the ill-effects of a flagging Chinese economy. It will keep the country’s inflation in check, with Filipino consumers continuing to enjoy cheap imported products, due in part to the export subsidy the Chinese government resorts to in order to keep its products competitive. This is what Congressman Joey Salceda believes, as he expressed optimism on the economic prospects of the Philippines in the immediate foreseeable future, “[if] we can build on our strengths.” As one of the most dynamic economies in the East Asia and Pacific region, the Philippines is taking advantage of increasing urbanization, a growing middle class, and a large young population that result in a strong consumer demand, buoyed by a vibrant labor market and robust remittances. The Filipino workforce enjoys a unique edge over other Asian countries in terms of labor quality. Aside from 51% of the population aged 25 and younger, the country also has a 94.6% literacy rate. This year, the Philippine economy is estimated at ₱26.55 trillion, making it the world’s 32nd largest by nominal gross domestic product (GDP) and the 13th largest in Asia, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The country’s economy is also transitioning from one based on agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing. Records show that it has experienced significant economic growth and transformation in recent years. The IMF also noted that the Philippines has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with an average annual growth rate of around 6% since 2010, BusinessWorld reports in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) that the IMF upwardly revised its Philippine growth forecast to 6.2% for this year from 6% previously. This is within the government’s revised 6-7% growth target. “Real GDP growth for 2024 was revised slightly to 6.2% from the January WEO forecast of 6%, reflecting carryover from a better-than-expected outturn in the last quarter of 2023.” IMF Representative to the Philippines Ragnar Gudmundsson said in an e-mail to BusinessWorld. The Philippine economy grew by 5.5% in both the fourth quarter and full-year 2023. Based on IMF projections for emerging and developing Asia, the Philippines is expected to post the second-fastest GDP growth this year, just behind India (6.8%). It is ahead of Vietnam (5.8%), Indonesia (5%), China (4.6%), Malaysia (4.4%) and Thailand (2.7%). “Growth in emerging and developing Asia is expected to fall from an estimated 5.6% in 2023 to 5.2% in 2024 and 4.9% in 2025, a slight upward revision compared with the January 2024 WEO Update,” according to the report. China, the world’s second largest economy, is facing challenges, such as declining property investment, debt risk, and weak consumption growth. Growth is slowing, prices are falling, and exports and imports have plummeted. The real estate crisis has deepened, and foreign investors have fled the stock market. “Even if we do nothing right, our growth rate will not go below 4.0 percent,” Salceda said. Salceda said that China is experiencing an economic downturn which will negatively affect ASEAN countries, but not the Philippines. It is against this backdrop that Salceda based his forecast. In a brief speech delivered on April 8 this year before the Monday Circle Financial Forum, the economist-turned-lawmaker predicted that the Philippines will clock in the fastest growth among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), except Vietnam (the unchallenged economic powerhouse). That is, “if we don’t create self-restraints, such as slow disbursement of government funds.” He, however, advised his audience at the forum not to put too much weight on the announcement made by the Development Budget Coordinating Committee, that it is adjusting its GDP growth target downward from 6.5% to 8.0% to 6.5% to 7.5%. As Salceda puts it, it is “too much ado about nothing.” The country should always aim for an 8% growth, Salceda believes, just as Gloria Macapagal Arroyo did when she was president. As a result, the growth rates during the last two quarters of her presidency were 8% and 8.1%, respectively. According to Salceda, growth has always been easy for the Philippines due to the country’s high fertility rate, expected to decline only by 2992, which is a good thing for the economy as it creates a young and strong labor force. In the Philippine context, inflation is driven by the increase in rice prices. The good news is that the Indian government will immediately lift the ban on rice export after the national elections, and that will depress the prices in the world market to the advantage of rice-importing countries like the Philippines. The government of India has imposed the ban to keep the prices of the cereal down and placate their electorate. – 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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Año: ‘Gentleman’s agreement’ with China harmful to PH interests, Constitution

Jairo Bolledo

20/04/2024 18:08

NATIONAL SECURITY CHIEF. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año is also co-vice chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – If proven true, the so-called “gentleman’s agreement” between former president Rodrigo Duterte and China is harmful to Philippine interests and the Constitution, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said on Saturday, April 20. “The President has been very clear: This administration is not aware of any secret or gentleman agreement and if there was such done under a previous administration, the same has been rescinded,” said Año. “Moreover, any such agreement, if proven to be true, are inimical to the national interest and the Constitution. If there is any such agreement, it is the responsibility of those responsible for it to explain it before the Filipino people but it is not and will never be binding upon this administration,” he added. Año reiterated the Marcos government’s position amid what he called discussions on the subject supposedly intended to sow divisions among Filipinos. “The persistent discourse about alleged, unsubstantiated or imaginary promises; of secret non-binding gentleman agreement or deals has been used to create  distractions, divisions, and conflict among our people,” Año said. “We should not fall  into a trap which clearly seeks to sow division in our country and weaken our resolve in asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine  Sea,” he said. Año was a member of the Duterte Cabinet. After retiring from the military as Armed Forces chief in 2017, Duterte appointed him an undersecretary, then later as chief, of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Marcos had earlier said, in response to media questions, that Año was not part of the Duterte government’s discussions with China on Ayungin Shoal. According to Duterte’s spokesperson, Harry Roque, the former administration supposedly agreed with China to keep the status quo in the territorial waters. Under the deal, only basic supplies, and not building materials, would be sent to the BRP Sierra Madre, the old Philippine Navy ship that serves as the country’s military outpost in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), in the West Philippine Sea. The Chinese embassy and Duterte confirmed this “verbal” agreement. The so-called deal is contrary to the 2016 arbitral ruling that Ayungin Shoal is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Earlier this month, Marcos said he was “horrified by the idea” that his predecessor had compromised the territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights of the Filipinos through an alleged secret deal, which was not relayed to them when they took over from the Duterte administration in mid-2022. Marcos later said he had several questions to his predecessor, including why he kept it secret from the Filipino people and what the agreement entailed. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva had labeled the so-called agreement as “Chinese propaganda.” – 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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Sparking joy: NU keeps mood light as title redemption bid heads to Final Four

jisaga0269

20/04/2024 19:43

ALL SMILES. The NU Lady Bulldogs react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – As an old adage goes, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That is the mantra the NU Lady Bulldogs are trying to embody now as their UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball title pursuit approaches must-win territory in the upcoming Final Four wars. After falling short of defending their championship in Season 85, the mighty spikers of Sampaloc have learned to leave all pressures and worries in the backseat and just keep the mood light inside the court, no matter the opponent. The result? NU now holds the top spot with one elimination round game left in its schedule, and on-court leader Alyssa Solomon couldn’t be prouder of her teammates’ stellar play as of late. “I think our enjoyment every game is key because in the first round, we lacked in that area,” she said in Filipino after the Lady Bulldogs destroyed helpless Adamson, 25-16, 25-14, 25-18, on Saturday, April 20, for win No. 11. “We also credit our maturity to still not relax in every game. We still need to go all out no matter who the opponent is,” added Solomon, who tied partner-in-crime Bella Belen with a game-high 14 points against the Lady Falcons. Disarming is a word to best describe the Lady Bulldogs in their undefeated second-round stretch, as they clearly enjoy goofing away on the court and in postgame press conferences, and yet they still play elite volleyball with the star trio of Solomon, Vange Alinsug, and former MVP Belen. Already battle-tested beyond their years both in local and international competitions, Solomon and Belen have not taken for granted the lessons they’ve learned in the past few years, and remain hungry for more winning runs in their third UAAP season. “We’ve learned to stay mature, tune out the noise of big crowds, and remember to always communicate with one another,” Solomon continued. “Most importantly, we always need to enjoy every moment, because that is the big thing we need in order to achieve our goals here.” “We need to keep our playing desire up and stay hungry near the end of the season,” Belen added in Filipino. “We shouldn’t fall to complacency and think we’re unbeatable. The eagerness to win should always be there.” All smiles, all wins. These things characterized the Season 84 Lady Bulldogs who completed a stunning tournament sweep in 2022 to win the championship. In Season 86, the wins are still there, and the smiles are back. If NU keeps this up, another title is certainly within arm’s reach. – 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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[Newsstand] Duterte vs Marcos: A rift impossible to bridge, a wound impossible to heal

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 19:00

Marian Hukom For the second time, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos has appeared in a candid and controversial video. Unlike the first one, which came out in January 2023 and which she herself recorded on the grounds of the presidential palace, the second video was an extended interview; it was released Friday and hosted by Anthony Taberna. The most talked-about portion of the interview was her direct answer to the question about her relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband’s running mate. She said Sara was now a “bad shot,” Philippine English for someone who’s in disfavor. She explained that she was hurt when the vice president attended a political rally in Davao City last January and was seen laughing when the former president and Sara’s father Rodrigo Duterte called President Marcos Junior a drug addict. (Mrs. Marcos used the term Duterte used, “bangag” or stoned.) “You went to a rally, then your President gets called a drug addict, right, and you’re going to laugh? Is that right?” she asked in a mix of Filipino and English. Then she added in English, for good measure: “Even Leni [Robredo] never did that.” As people say these days, “Shots fired!” Why did Mrs. Marcos agree to do the interview – and why now? To answer that, we need to understand whether the alliances headed by the running mates can still be reconciled, and what options her husband the President retains. Anything, famously, is possible in politics. In his last year in office, President Duterte said many unflattering things about Marcos Junior – and yet that did not stop Marcos from teaming up with Sara. Marcos continues to this day to be not only civil but friendly with his vice president. At most, he has acknowledged that their relationship is “complicated,” and he has sought to tamp down any speculation about the meaning of the Vice President’s studied silence on West Philippine Sea issues by asserting that the younger Duterte is part of the administration’s stand. Can the Marcos and Duterte families still reconcile? Can the UniTeam recover unity? There may be only four paths to peace between the dynasties. Marcos takes the lead. President Marcos may read the signs of the times and conclude that it would be in his and his family’s best interests to remain allied with the Dutertes. This conclusion will lead him to insist that his family and their allies make peace with Davao. The most important step in peace-making is forcing his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, to give up his presidential ambitions and, with the rest of the clan, support Sara Duterte for president in 2028. Romualdez steps aside. On his own, Romualdez can make a grand gesture and set aside his presidential ambitions, not necessarily to the extent of supporting Sara in 2028 but only removing himself from the equation. This will calm turbulent waters. Imee brokers a deal, again. Senator Imee Marcos remains very close to the Dutertes, and is politically wily enough to broker a deal similar to what she helped craft in 2022: a winning tandem for president and vice president, this time with a Duterte as the standard bearer. Without necessarily depending on how she will do in her reelection campaign in 2025, she might offer herself as Sara’s running mate in 2028, with the backing of the Marcos clan. The Dutertes step back. The Vice President may read the signs of the times and conclude that, with the emergence of Senator Raffy Tulfo as a potential presidential candidate, it would be in her and her family’s best interests to remain allied with the Marcoses. This conclusion will lead her to insist that her family, including her father but especially her brother the mayor, to apologize profusely to President Marcos for their many impertinences and insults. But how likely is it that the two dynasties take any of these possible paths? The short answer is not at all. The long answer is that the Dutertes have already come to the conclusion that the Marcoses (and the Romualdezes) not only cannot guarantee their long-term safety, but are in fact an actual threat to their dynasty’s long-term viability as a national, rather than merely a local, power. Several factors serve together as cause. Romualdez’s stealth campaigns to change the Constitution was conducted so efficiently and so suddenly it caught Duterte and his original allies, who tried to change the Constitution themselves, completely off guard. (Having failed so badly at their own attempt, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and others like him must surely have recognized the risk that Romualdez, who came so close and is still not done, presents to the political class.) The President’s re-pivot to the United States undid the Duterte administration’s pro-China policy, exposed the former president to accusations of treason (which may yet gain traction, though one can never tell when it comes to the most popular politician ever surveyed), and (in Duterte’s view) undermined the true basis of regional stability: alignment with Beijing. Not least, Mrs. Marcos’ influence on the President continues to unsettle the Vice President and her family’s allies, in part because they thought they only needed to deal with Sen. Imee Marcos, and in part because Mrs. Marcos, when she intervenes, has proven to be decisive (for instance, removing the first executive secretary) and strategic (the Taberna interview). The usual suspects in the alternative information infrastructure on social media have taken sides, as per usual. Those who have turned against the President (whom they call “kuting,” or kitten, a deliberate signal of their contempt for the “junior” Marcos) predictably said the interview had reaped a whirlwind of criticism. But even if that were true, that wasn’t the point of it. With her interview, Mrs. Marcos was signaling to the Marcos allies that the point of no return has been crossed. I think she has recognized that the Dutertes will never step back; that the insults from the Duterte men can never be unsaid, and will in all likelihood be followed by more insults; that the Dutertes no longer trust the Marcoses; above all, that the Dutertes see President Marcos Junior as fundamentally weak – a “kuting,” no match against the Duterte tiger. The reference to Robredo was deliberate, not so much a ploy to win sympathy from Leni supporters in the Marcoses’ battle with the Dutertes, but a twist of the knife stuck into one side of the Duterte base. The one politician that base sees as even weaker than Marcos Junior is Robredo. As Duterte demonstrated when he was president, the powers of the presidency remain overwhelming even under the many constraints of the post-EDSA Constitution, if you wield them with a combination of political will and a lack of concern with niceties. In this sense, President Marcos enjoys a clear advantage over the Dutertes – but he has not deployed all his weapons against the Dutertes yet. Remove the VP from the Cabinet. The vice president remains on the Cabinet, as secretary of the largest department, education. It is a challenge, even for her closest supporters, to argue that she is doing an outstanding job in that position; the President can replace her at anytime, with a much more qualified (read: non-political) appointee. Disband the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group. In an astonishing display of political muscle-flexing, the then newly-elected vice president lobbied for the creation of a much larger close-in protection unit to serve her office, separate (as its predecessor unit was) from the Presidential Security Group. Citing operational or financial reasons, the President can disband the unit or restore the Vice Presidential Security Detachment of yesteryears, which was about a fifth of the current size. Isolate China supporters. President Marcos can retract his blanket statement offering cover for the Vice President on China issues, painting her, her family, and her allies into a corner. Philippine public opinion since at least 2012 has been consistent and clear: The majority of voting-age Filipinos want the Philippines to be more assertive in its relationship with Beijing, especially as far as our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea are concerned. The former president’s China pivot was always one of his weakest links. Arrest Duterte. Allow the arrest by the national police of former president Duterte and others implicated in the drug-related extrajudicial killings if and when the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant. It is possible that the interview with Mrs. Marcos was designed to clear the path for any of these acts. Any one of them, however, will turn the war of attrition between the dynasties into a war of annihilation. – Rappler.com Veteran journalist John Nery is a Rappler columnist, editorial consultant, and program host. “In the Public Square” airs on Rappler platforms every Wednesday at 8 pm. Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Sir John Nery has provided many scenarios. However, the critical factors are as follows: 1) President Marcos Jr. is developing a trait of being the “great pretender,” and 2) Speaker Martin Romualdez will not back down. This war of attrition will turn into a battle of annihilation. It is all because of “a rift impossible to bridge, (and) a wound impossible to heal.” How does this make you feel?

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Año: ‘Gentleman’s agreement’ with China harmful to PH interests, Constitution

Jairo Bolledo

20/04/2024 18:08

NATIONAL SECURITY CHIEF. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año is also co-vice chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – If proven true, the so-called “gentleman’s agreement” between former president Rodrigo Duterte and China is harmful to Philippine interests and the Constitution, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said on Saturday, April 20. “The President has been very clear: This administration is not aware of any secret or gentleman agreement and if there was such done under a previous administration, the same has been rescinded,” said Año. “Moreover, any such agreement, if proven to be true, are inimical to the national interest and the Constitution. If there is any such agreement, it is the responsibility of those responsible for it to explain it before the Filipino people but it is not and will never be binding upon this administration,” he added. Año reiterated the Marcos government’s position amid what he called discussions on the subject supposedly intended to sow divisions among Filipinos. “The persistent discourse about alleged, unsubstantiated or imaginary promises; of secret non-binding gentleman agreement or deals has been used to create  distractions, divisions, and conflict among our people,” Año said. “We should not fall  into a trap which clearly seeks to sow division in our country and weaken our resolve in asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine  Sea,” he said. Año was a member of the Duterte Cabinet. After retiring from the military as Armed Forces chief in 2017, Duterte appointed him an undersecretary, then later as chief, of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Marcos had earlier said, in response to media questions, that Año was not part of the Duterte government’s discussions with China on Ayungin Shoal. According to Duterte’s spokesperson, Harry Roque, the former administration supposedly agreed with China to keep the status quo in the territorial waters. Under the deal, only basic supplies, and not building materials, would be sent to the BRP Sierra Madre, the old Philippine Navy ship that serves as the country’s military outpost in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), in the West Philippine Sea. The Chinese embassy and Duterte confirmed this “verbal” agreement. The so-called deal is contrary to the 2016 arbitral ruling that Ayungin Shoal is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Earlier this month, Marcos said he was “horrified by the idea” that his predecessor had compromised the territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights of the Filipinos through an alleged secret deal, which was not relayed to them when they took over from the Duterte administration in mid-2022. Marcos later said he had several questions to his predecessor, including why he kept it secret from the Filipino people and what the agreement entailed. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva had labeled the so-called agreement as “Chinese propaganda.” – 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, Japan eye signing of reciprocal troops pact within 2024 – Malaya

Michelle Abad

20/04/2024 14:29

ALLIES. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shake hands during the Commemorative Summit on the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. Presidential Communications Office MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Japan are looking to sign their Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a visiting forces pact, before the end of 2024, National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said on Saturday, April 20. “Yes, target is before the end of the year,” Malaya confirmed to Rappler, when asked about an earlier report quoting him. An ABS-CBN tweet also quoted Malaya as saying that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed their negotiators to “proceed immediately.” The two countries agreed in November 2023 to start negotiations on the bilateral defense deal that would allow both nations to deploy troops to each other’s countries. Such an agreement may also allow joint drills and other forms of defense cooperation. Marcos earlier said that an RAA would be “extremely significant” between the two countries, noting the greater capability it would grant “in terms of not only security but also in terms of disaster preparedness, alleviation, and adjustment.” “And that is something that is I believe is very, very significant and that it will bring to us greater capacity to maintain the peace in [the South China Sea],” Marcos said in December 2023. While similar, the RAA is distinct from the Visiting Forces Agreement of the Philippines with the United States. During a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on April 15, Marcos described the RAA’s differences. “It’s not going to be as if it’s their base and they, their seamen, will come down and will go into the city and go – I don’t think that that’s a part of the agreement,” Marcos had said. Philippine defense officials earlier said that the RAA was slated to be signed by March 2024. The Philippines, Japan, and the United States recently concluded a trilateral summit, with one of the focus areas cooperation in the West Philippine Sea, particularly amid China’s hostility towards Philippine vessels. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also earlier said it “opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea” after Chinese and Philippine government vessels collided during a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal. Japan has RAAs with just two other countries: Australia and the United Kingdom. Tokyo has been seen as a balancing force in tempering China’s growing aggression in the region. – 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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Año: ‘Gentleman’s agreement’ with China harmful to PH interests, Constitution

Jairo Bolledo

20/04/2024 18:08

NATIONAL SECURITY CHIEF. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año is also co-vice chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – If proven true, the so-called “gentleman’s agreement” between former president Rodrigo Duterte and China is harmful to Philippine interests and the Constitution, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said on Saturday, April 20. “The President has been very clear: This administration is not aware of any secret or gentleman agreement and if there was such done under a previous administration, the same has been rescinded,” said Año. “Moreover, any such agreement, if proven to be true, are inimical to the national interest and the Constitution. If there is any such agreement, it is the responsibility of those responsible for it to explain it before the Filipino people but it is not and will never be binding upon this administration,” he added. Año reiterated the Marcos government’s position amid what he called discussions on the subject supposedly intended to sow divisions among Filipinos. “The persistent discourse about alleged, unsubstantiated or imaginary promises; of secret non-binding gentleman agreement or deals has been used to create  distractions, divisions, and conflict among our people,” Año said. “We should not fall  into a trap which clearly seeks to sow division in our country and weaken our resolve in asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine  Sea,” he said. Año was a member of the Duterte Cabinet. After retiring from the military as Armed Forces chief in 2017, Duterte appointed him an undersecretary, then later as chief, of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Marcos had earlier said, in response to media questions, that Año was not part of the Duterte government’s discussions with China on Ayungin Shoal. According to Duterte’s spokesperson, Harry Roque, the former administration supposedly agreed with China to keep the status quo in the territorial waters. Under the deal, only basic supplies, and not building materials, would be sent to the BRP Sierra Madre, the old Philippine Navy ship that serves as the country’s military outpost in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), in the West Philippine Sea. The Chinese embassy and Duterte confirmed this “verbal” agreement. The so-called deal is contrary to the 2016 arbitral ruling that Ayungin Shoal is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Earlier this month, Marcos said he was “horrified by the idea” that his predecessor had compromised the territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights of the Filipinos through an alleged secret deal, which was not relayed to them when they took over from the Duterte administration in mid-2022. Marcos later said he had several questions to his predecessor, including why he kept it secret from the Filipino people and what the agreement entailed. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva had labeled the so-called agreement as “Chinese propaganda.” – 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, team standings: UAAP Season 86 volleyball

Jasmine Payo

05/05/2024 21:02

ROARING. NU's Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball finals UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments reach a tipping point with the men’s and women’s finals! LOOK: UAAP volleyball championship schedule Here are the results in the men’s and women’s divisions: MAY 15 May 11 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 – 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, team standings: 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, Spikers’ Turf Open Conference

jisaga0269

02/05/2024 19:25

CHAMPS. The Creamline Cool Smashers celebrate a winning play. PVL IMAGES MANILA, Philippines – Hard-hitting volleyball rolls off at the professional and semi-pro levels as the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference and the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference hit the homestretch! Here are the results and team standings of both leagues: FINALS MAY 12 MAY 9 BATTLE FOR BRONZE MAY 12 MAY 9 SEMIFINALS Standings (win-loss-points) Results MAY 5 MAY 1 APRIL 30 ELIMINATIONS Wins-Losses (Points | Set Ratio) * – Semifinalsx – Eliminated FINALS SEMIFINALS Standings (win-loss-points) * – Finals ELIMINATIONS Wins-Losses (Points) * – Semifinalsx – Eliminated – 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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Bangsamoro Airways to launch maiden flight on April 24

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 15:10

BANGSAMORO AIRWAY. One of the planes of Bangsamoro Airways. Bangsamoro Airways COTABATO CITY, Philippines – New local airline Bangsamoro Airways will embark on its maiden flight on Wednesday, April 24. Bangsamoro Airways will initially fly to Zamboanga City and Sulu. It will carry six to 10 passengers, including the pilots, according to a press statement of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) posted on its official website. Bangsamoro Airways, based in Cotabato City, is operated by Federal Airways Incorporated. Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI) Chairperson Mohammad Pasigan said in a phone interview on Saturday, April 20, that the trips will “mainly to cater government officials, medical supplies, and investors who are deeply challenged by the long travel time and  routes when they plan to visit island towns and communities or deliver services.” Pasigan said the opening up of the routes would reduce the days spent in the island towns as the Tawi Tawi-Cotabato schedule is only available on Thursdays and Mondays. Bangsamoro Airways may extend its services to the municipalities of Sibutu and Mapun in Tawi-Tawi after three months of operation, and is also eyeing flights to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia later on. Pasigan said this development is expected to bring more investors to BARMM. “We will leave now the next step to the transportation ministry on how they will arrange the next move to fully operationalize or expand the interisland connectivity airways,” he said. BARMM said in its press statement that based on the BBOI report, the region “recorded a total of P3.7 billion of investments, already surpassing the office’s 2024 target of P2.6 billion, in this current fiscal year as of April 2024, primarily encompassing Islamic banking, tourism, agriculture, marine, and industrial sectors.” These investments created 1,155 job opportunities in BARMM, it added. – 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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Jun Lana’s ‘Your Mother’s Son’ is not what it says it is

Steph Arnaldo

20/04/2024 16:11

Screenshot from trailer Spoilers ahead. MANILA, Philippines – In his essay on Ruben Abalos’s Hayok, a Bomba film released in 1970, Ishmael Bernal notes the use of the phrase “pagnanasang kaibaiba,” which roughly translates to “strange desire,” to illustrate bisexual desire. It’s a euphemism my mind keeps drifting to as I mull over Jun Lana’s R-18 erotica, Your Mother’s Son, which I read as the director’s elaborate attempt at the Bomba genre, most notable for inducing spectatorial pleasure out of the explicit display of sexual and sexualized bodies – women’s bodies in particular. In this case, though, Lana stretches that desire, minus the bisexuality, into a May-December romance that definitely warrants a stronger adjective than “strange.” Your Mother’s Son opens the inaugural EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival, marking a decade since the inception of the production company, the brainchild of film producer Percival Intalan and Lana himself. The film is originally titled Anak Ka ng Ina Mo, alluding to Ina Ka ng Anak Mo, a 1979 film by Lino Brocka. Much like the social realist master, Lana is eager to discourse on the grand by situating the story at the height of Rodrigo Duterte’s reign of terror, hardened by the pandemic. The result, however, measures up only to an extent. It’s not that the preoccupation at the film’s core lacks interest. If anything, works of art that explore morally gray areas could be springboards to generate more thoughtful conversations. Reality, after all, is complex. If the point of our media consumption is solely to project our moral high ground, then our imagination is doomed. Moral absolutism hinders us from truly understanding our past and how it shapes our present, from seeing what humanity really is. Naturally it’s way easier to imagine monsters in the context of myths, instead of actual human beings that exist among us, that lead ordinary, uneventful lives. If the viewer, out of sheer discomfort, exits the theater gathering that the film asserts that sexually grooming a minor is despicable, the takeaway is of course rational. But if the work, or for that matter the entire 100 minutes of it, merely elicits what should be a universal knowledge by now, then it breaks little ground as far as insight is concerned. What is exposed in the process are the fractures obscured by the film’s broad pronouncements. In the opening frame alone, the viewer could outright discern that Lana gestures towards a larger discussion. He eases us into the terrain, with a snappy campaign jingle, a common fixture of the Philippine electoral system, playing in the background. It’s from a leader gunning for a local post in a remote town, where Sarah (Sue Prado) and her “son” Emman (Kokoy de Santos) find a home, away from prying eyes. Before taking on two jobs, venturing into the food business and tutoring foreign students online, Sarah used to be a school teacher. Emman, meanwhile, tries to land a new job after a sudden layoff due to the pandemic, perhaps a factor why he gets into illegal drugs, alongside Amy (Elora Españo), who works for Sarah. Such is the plain shape of the premise. These lives seem mundane and placid, until the film exposes its central subject — the secret “affair” that shatters the facade of a healthy, normal relationship. Of course, “affair” is a loaded word in this context, with issues of consent and power dynamics coming into play. As it turns out, Emman is Sarah’s former student. How this relationship comes about, the “sacrifices” that needed to be made, the violent reactions to the controversy the film eschews altogether, save for a close-up of a graduation photo depicting the two. The real point of conflict, or perhaps more urgent than Emman no longer wanting to keep the relationship private, begins when Oliver (Miggy Jimenez), one of Sarah’s tutees, shows up, after abandoning his abusive father, only to fall into the clutches of another abuser. The film positions itself the way a Vivamax story plays out, raging with hormones, suffused with unbridled suspicion. Here, parallel to Todd Haynes’s May December, a woman is the figure of authority, a domesticated woman in particular (layer: Filipino, working class, living in the global south), and the film owes its appeal to how it examines such dynamics, the force that informs this woman’s pleasure and how she tricks the boys into wanting it. For instance, when Oliver caves into Sarah’s advances, it’s not out of desire, it’s hardly love, but out of a favor he thinks needs to be returned – consent being jeopardized by material precarity. The effect is essentially a sex thriller, not to mention the inclusion of a content by a local porn star at one point. Sue Prado at the center of it is impressive and unsettling at the same time. As Sarah, she’s highly astute and on guard, commanding what goes in and out of the sheltered space, a maternal instinct of sorts. Her demeanor is that of an adult who knows exactly what she’s doing, which makes predators like her all the more culpable and dangerous. As with Lana’s previous work, About Us But Not About Us, which shares a similar thematic thread with this film, Your Mother’s Son holds a full-throated promise of arriving at a grander discourse, the sweeping statement that supposedly magnifies every little detail. In fact, Lana declares in a talkback that the film is an allegory of the Filipino people’s attachment to abusers like the Dutertes and the Marcoses. But the claim winds up like a vague, spur-of-the-moment shower thought because the film steers clear of any sustained discussion of it and uses it merely as a backdrop. There’s Emman donning a Duterte shirt; there’s a note about the dictator’s routine tirades; there’s also a point when Amy’s name figures in the drug watchlist. But despite all of it, there’s a towering disconnect between the actual experience of the film and our supposed, if not limited, response to it. The film adds a political layer to the story, as though it were hyperlinking a few keywords to a Guardian explainer, and thinks that it solves the issue. The broader themes are all but sanded down into nothing, barely affording the viewer any room for introspection, the film’s most glaring lapse. The good thing, though, is that Lana still knows how to write a compelling endnote, leading to the final burst of emotion, to the inevitable thrust, with Kokoy de Santos at his most terrific. Over the years, Lana has shown us how prolific he is as writer and director. But as much as I hate to admit it, he is tired, folks. His recent outputs, for a host of reasons, tend to collapse into his habitual tendencies. Of course, this is not to discredit some superb titles he’s offered us: Bwakaw (2012), Mga Kuwentong Barbero (2013), Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (2015), Kalel, 15 (2019). With this latest sight, however, it’s difficult not to miss Lana’s unbridled inquiry and clarity of vision – one that pushes the viewer to rethink and refuse the fixities of their responses, especially to things they do not know. Will a collaboration with the culturally ubiquitous Vice Ganda bring back that caliber of Lana we’ve come to admire? Only time will tell. Substance, it seems, cannot be done in haste. – 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, team standings: UAAP Season 86 volleyball

Jasmine Payo

05/05/2024 21:02

ROARING. NU's Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball finals UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments reach a tipping point with the men’s and women’s finals! LOOK: UAAP volleyball championship schedule Here are the results in the men’s and women’s divisions: MAY 15 May 11 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 – 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, team standings: 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, Spikers’ Turf Open Conference

jisaga0269

02/05/2024 19:25

CHAMPS. The Creamline Cool Smashers celebrate a winning play. PVL IMAGES MANILA, Philippines – Hard-hitting volleyball rolls off at the professional and semi-pro levels as the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference and the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference hit the homestretch! Here are the results and team standings of both leagues: FINALS MAY 12 MAY 9 BATTLE FOR BRONZE MAY 12 MAY 9 SEMIFINALS Standings (win-loss-points) Results MAY 5 MAY 1 APRIL 30 ELIMINATIONS Wins-Losses (Points | Set Ratio) * – Semifinalsx – Eliminated FINALS SEMIFINALS Standings (win-loss-points) * – Finals ELIMINATIONS Wins-Losses (Points) * – Semifinalsx – Eliminated – 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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Filipino-made game ‘Fallen Tear: The Ascension’ dazzles with beautiful hand-drawn animation

Angelo Gonzales

20/04/2024 12:42

FALLEN TEAR: THE ASCENSION Images from CMD Studios Hand-drawn Metroidvania meets epic JRPG in Manila-based CMD Studios’ debut title, Fallen Tear: The Ascension.The game is certainly quite one to put in your radar, having become the first Filipino-made video game to clinch the Global Play Showcase Award, an international accolade from the Game Developers Conference given to promising titles in development. The team, which previously worked on AAA titles and with world-class animation studios, says that they are “thrilled at the incredible news,” as they hope to inspire gaming communities both in the Philippines and abroad. “It’s such an incredible game, coming from the Philippines, that it can stand head and shoulders with any of the other major Metroidvanias that exist out there in the world,” says Jun Shen Chia of ID@Xbox’s Global Expansion team. Seeing clips of the game in action, CMD Studios’ experience in animation shines through. Check out the game in action: Fallen Tear: The Ascension follows the adventures of Hira, a mysterious boy with a forgotten past. His magical world, Raoah, is packed with puzzles, combat, and secret treasures. He can unleash devastating attacks both in his human form, and as a fearsome monster called Overgrowth. Dangerous beasts and corrupt gods lurk in the lands of Raoah – and it is up to Hira to confront 150 enemies with individualized attack styles. To survive, the player is pushed to unlock skill trees and create diverse strategies. Stephen Manalastas, head of CMD Studios, says that they aim to differentiate from combat-centric Metroidvania by emphasizing character development and storytelling. Unlike classic games in the genre, the towns in Fallen Tear: The Ascension are brimming with interaction, from NPCs to discoverable locations. The game’s 26 biomes harbor environmental hazards and obstacles that require both skill and wit to surmount. Hira is not alone on his journey. Joining him are Fated Bonds, which are recruitable allies with distinct powers, quests, and storylines. Once they’re on Hira’s team, the player can blend their abilities to exploit their opponent’s weaknesses. With dynamically-changing gameplay, the player’s decisions ultimately shape Hira’s destiny. Fallen Tear: The Ascension has been in development since 2020, and is set to be released in 2025.Aside from the Global Play Showcase Award, the team has also won the Audience Choice Award in the Level Up KL Sea Game Awards back in 2021. They were recently featured in the Xbox Indie Showcase, the console brand’s spotlight on promising independent games. “We want to see and hear more stories from the Philippines, and so it was vitally important that we wanted to support developers like Stephen and his team at CMD Studios,” says Jun Shen Chia. “The other real reason is that Fallen Tear is such an exciting game. It’s a Metroidvania that has a lot of things promised – [from] the open world that you can explore, to all the monsters you can fight.” With enthusiastic support coming from ID@Xbox, Manalastas says that they are the first to do “this big” of a PH-based indie game. “We would like to be the beacon of the Philippine gaming community,” says Nexus Borjal, user experience and tech artist. He wants to see through the game’s success to provide a sense of “Pinoy pride” to local gamers, an acknowledgment of the vast talent present in the country. For Manalastas, the game aims to be “what gamers [from everywhere] want.” Even then, the team sprinkled some culture-inspired easter eggs for attentive Filipino gamers to discover.“Southeast Asia’s development scene as a whole is comprised of so many different countries, and so naturally we think that there’s such a complexity of nuances and culture,” says Jun Shen Chia. “I think the biggest challenge that most developers face actually has less to do with conveying culture or stories, more so than it is any of the challenges that developers around the world face, which are things like awareness and marketing.” Following the success of Xbox-supported games like Coral Island from Indonesia, Chia says that Southeast Asia has the talent, drive, and ambition to tell global stories while supporting one another. “My sort of aspiration for the region is that with our combined talents, we can be the next great game development hub for original games, just like Japan and Korea.” For CMD Studio’s Gabriel Cruz, publishing Fallen Tear: The Ascension will not only inspire other local game devs to create original works but also prompt producers to invest in Philippine game development. “Because, [I’m] not going to lie,” he says, “from story to game design to art, to programming, I think we have a lot of that covered here. A demo of Fallen Tear: The Ascension is available on Steam. You may also support the game via its kickstarter page 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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[Newspoint] The lucky one

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 11:00

Alejandro Edoria Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is one lucky president, indeed, probably luckier than any other – so far, anyway. Gloria Arroyo had her own share of unusually good fortune, stepping up from vice-president to replace an impeached president in midterm (2001), then managing to stay on for a regular six-year term (up to 2010) – by a rigged vote. But after that she had to spend nearly four years in detention, charged with plunder, although again, a Supreme Court she had time to pack during her long presidency invalidated the case against her. Her home district has voted her to Congress multiple times, allowing her to keep no small measure of power, but in a power realignment recently, having picked the wrong side, she was marginalized from the coalition. Now 77 and little heard from lately, she appears resigned to her fate. Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Sr., had had a good ride himself, but once he lost his grip he plunged straight to his tragic finish. The plunge began when his health declined terminally in the last three or four years of his 14-year dictatorship. Not a second kidney transplant could save him, and neither could his 10-billion-dollar (P560-billion) stash of loot buy him more time. Less than three years after being booted out into exile in Hawaii, in 1986, he was dead, at 72. It was from that ignominious past that Junior has risen with incredible luck. As a first heir, he surely got a prime share in the loot. Half of that supposedly has been recovered by the state, but still, $5 billion is $5 billion – and that’s not yet counting any interest and other gains that may have been made on it over the years. For some idea of how much Junior got for himself, and further gets to preside over as an executor, the Supreme Court has a standing order for him to pay the P203-billion, fines included, in estate taxes assessed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. But of course, president now, he feels even more entitled to not pay, and nobody is telling him. And that’s not even half his luck. (The law professor Mel Sta. Maria writes in this site about two other cases in which Junior avoids paying debts in defiance of court rulings: one, reparation for victims of torture and for orphans of those murdered or disappeared and presumed killed during his father’s Martial Law rule; and, two, a forfeiture for the state of 658-million-plus plundered dollars – around P37 billion. READ: [Just Saying] Marcos: A flat response, a missed opportunity). Luck in fact has rained generously on the Marcoses since their return from exile, in 1991. Their repatriation was part of an arrangement under which their Swiss bank accounts were to be kept frozen until after their cases had been decided by a Philippine court. It turned out to be just the perfect deal for them. Coming home to a generally quiet acquiescence by the nation they had robbed and a lapdog embrace from old friends and cronies, they knew they were back in business. The widowed matriarch, Imelda, was flagrantly remorseless, strutting around without missing a step. She would be found guilty of graft years later, but, already 89 at the time of her sentencing, although kept active by luxurious living, she gave the court an excuse to spare her jail. Ninety-five in July, she would have by then served the minimum six years if she had actually gone in. Since their homecoming, mom and children Imee and Junior had been elected regularly to Congress. Their rehabilitation became consecrated with first-son Junior’s ascension to the presidency. He was the obvious anointed, not first-born Imee – she may have lost out because of her immodest tendencies, notably her limelight-hogging and her streak of condescension. And luck does seem to ride with the choice. Junior’s loss to Leni Robredo in the vice-presidential contest of 2016 would seem itself a lucky loss. Being from the opposition, Robredo was sidelined, starved of budget and other resources, by President Rodrigo Duterte. Junior, meanwhile, had time on his own to ripen for his presidential run uncontaminated by Duterte. The autocratic narcissist that he is, Duterte simply could not be stopped leaving a mess that would make a scarcely capable and sincere successor look good. Again, perfect for Junior. On Duterte, even a pandemic had no chastening effect at all. Using it as a pretext for militarization, he recycled newly retired generals for top posts in the civil service. He also allowed the emergency to be exploited for corruption, looking the other way as the health insurance agency was mismanaged and fat contracts for medical services and supplies were cornered by the well connected for insane profits. But President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tends to align his priorities to the public mood and at the same time avoid issues that could inspire ugly recollections, like militarization and corruption precisely. And also drugs, to which Duterte associates him, as an indulger. No wonder, the heed he has paid Duterte’s war on drugs is out of all proportion to its monstrous brutality. That war left a trail of blood that reached the International Criminal Court, in The Hague. In its first year alone, it got 20,000 killed, mostly drug users, street retailers, and other small fry, earning Duterte a citation from that court. Yet again, as luck would have it, Junior has found the one issue tailor-made for his PR presidency: the West Philippine Sea. Right upon taking office, President Duterte surrendered control over it to China, which, after agreeing to international arbitration, refused to accept the arbitral court’s ruling affirming the Philippine claim on those strategic and resource-rich waters. Duterte’s treason opened the territory for military occupation and commercial exploitation by the Chinese, deprived Filipino fisherfolk of their traditional living off it, and cramped Philippine Coast Guard operations there. It has also caused anxiety among other nations with territorial disputes with China in the neighborhood as well as nations accessing the sea as a waterway. Marcos is now reasserting Philippine sovereignty over the territory and rallying allies to the cause. He has allowed American troops to take up positions inside Philippine military camps located in strategic relation to the West Philippine Sea. Ports are similarly made accessible. The Philippines has a long-standing treaty with the United States for mutual defense. With Australia, a robust neighbor, the Philippines oftener than usual now holds military exercises, as it does with the US, and lately with France too. Only last week President Marcos met in the US capital, Washington, DC, with the US President, Joe Biden, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, of Japan, another old ally. Although trade and  investment were reported in the public disclosures as the subjects that dominated the talks, the signal could not have been lost on China. By the surveys, Junior seems doing better than the number shows on its face: 79% is with him on the West Philippine Sea – that’s nearly eight in 10 citizens of a nation with an economic elite sizably made up of Chinese descendants, not to say a nation made uncomfortable by its long colonial history hosting foreign armed forces. The mood, I guess, reflects a sense of exigent pragmatism. But what about the rest of life? What about issues of daily survival like prices, wages, and health, and of decent living like education, morals, justice? – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. There are no comments yet. 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Philippines, Japan eye signing of reciprocal troops pact within 2024 – Malaya

Michelle Abad

20/04/2024 14:29

ALLIES. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shake hands during the Commemorative Summit on the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. Presidential Communications Office MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Japan are looking to sign their Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a visiting forces pact, before the end of 2024, National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said on Saturday, April 20. “Yes, target is before the end of the year,” Malaya confirmed to Rappler, when asked about an earlier report quoting him. An ABS-CBN tweet also quoted Malaya as saying that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed their negotiators to “proceed immediately.” The two countries agreed in November 2023 to start negotiations on the bilateral defense deal that would allow both nations to deploy troops to each other’s countries. Such an agreement may also allow joint drills and other forms of defense cooperation. Marcos earlier said that an RAA would be “extremely significant” between the two countries, noting the greater capability it would grant “in terms of not only security but also in terms of disaster preparedness, alleviation, and adjustment.” “And that is something that is I believe is very, very significant and that it will bring to us greater capacity to maintain the peace in [the South China Sea],” Marcos said in December 2023. While similar, the RAA is distinct from the Visiting Forces Agreement of the Philippines with the United States. During a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on April 15, Marcos described the RAA’s differences. “It’s not going to be as if it’s their base and they, their seamen, will come down and will go into the city and go – I don’t think that that’s a part of the agreement,” Marcos had said. Philippine defense officials earlier said that the RAA was slated to be signed by March 2024. The Philippines, Japan, and the United States recently concluded a trilateral summit, with one of the focus areas cooperation in the West Philippine Sea, particularly amid China’s hostility towards Philippine vessels. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also earlier said it “opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea” after Chinese and Philippine government vessels collided during a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal. Japan has RAAs with just two other countries: Australia and the United Kingdom. Tokyo has been seen as a balancing force in tempering China’s growing aggression in the region. – 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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PDP without ‘Laban’ endorses Go, Dela Rosa, Tolentino for 2025 polls

jsitchon0312

20/04/2024 13:50

REELECTIONISTS. The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) announced its endorsements for reelectionists Senators Bong Go, Francis Tolentino, and Ronald Dela Rosa during the party's National Council Meeting on Friday, April 19 in Cebu City. Partido Demokratiko Pilipino CEBU, Philippines – The Duterte-led Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) officially removed “Laban” from its name and endorsed the reelection bid of Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Francis Tolentino, and Bong Go for the 2025 midterm elections. The endorsements for the reelectionists and amendments to the party constitution were discussed during the PDP national council meeting held at NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu City on Friday, April 19. “Most of these have been already discussed and thoroughly debated upon in a series of national executive committee (meetings),” PDP chairperson of international affairs Raul Lambino said as moderator for the event. One of the major amendments was the removal of “Laban” in the party name which belonged to the Lakas ng Bayan (Laban) party founded by the late Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in 1978. “In February 1983, the PDP and Laban merged, making it a national political party with members from all over the country,” the PDP-Laban’s official website read. Dela Rosa, in a short speech, addressed the “elephant in the room,” referring to attempts of members moving to other political parties, and some incumbent officials leaving the party to form their own. “We have a notion that ang PDP-Laban ay nagkakaroon ng mass exodus, going to other parties, lalong-lalo’t na sa House of Representatives…pero at the local level, ‘andiyan pa rin kayo so we have to stay strong,” Dela Rosa told party members during the meeting. (We have a notion that there is a mass exodus leaving PDP-Laban, going to other parties, especially in the House of Representatives…but at the local level, you are still there so we have to stay strong.) Since November 2023, PDP membership in the House of Representatives dropped to just 15, from more than a 100 during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term. Amid the political turmoil, the party decided to add to their roster of senatorial bets actor Phillip Salvador, a known supporter of Duterte who told the former president’s critics “to all die.” PDP president Jose Chaves Alvarez told reporters in a Friday press conference that the PDP-Laban faction headed by former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and chaired by Duterte, continues to be the only PDP-Laban in existence. It can be recalled that the PDP-Laban faction led by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and then-presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao filed a motion for reconsideration to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on its decision affirming the Cusi-wing as the “legitimate faction.” On January 27, 2023, the Comelec denied the Pimentel faction’s motion over the leadership of the party. In February 2023, the Pimental-wing filed an appeal to the Supreme Court to reverse the Comelec’s decision. “Since the Supreme Court has not issued a restraining order, we consider the en banc of the Comelec as final,” Alvarez said. The origins of the PDP go way back in the early 1980s. The late senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., the father Koko Pimentel, founded the party and formed PDP-Laban with the assassinated opposition senator. Together with the United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) party, PDP-Laban became a huge part of the coalition that helped Corazon Aquino become the 11th president of the Philippines. After the national meeting on Friday, the party would now be identifying itself without the name Laban, signaling a departure from their ties to Aquino’s party. In the past, Pimentel slammed the Cusi-wing for being “total strangers” to the party that was supposedly established to oppose the Marcos dictatorship. When asked about the party’s thoughts on Duterte’s toxic exchanges with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Alvarez refused to be involved in the matter. “Our party chairman being a former president can say anything he wants but us in the party hierarchy, we are consolidators, we are peacemakers…so whatever other rhetoric about us, please do not involve us,” the party president said. During the national meeting, Duterte said that Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama would never need Marcos “in a thousand years.” In February, Rama joined Duterte’s Cebu Prayer Rally and expressed his opposition to the charter change under the president’s administration. “Alam mo bakit? Mas mayaman ang Cebu kaysa national money (You know why? Cebu is richer than national money),” the former president 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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Labor groups call for heat-specific protection policies for workers

Michelle Abad

20/04/2024 11:09

WORKERS. Workers at the recovery and fencing project of PNR contractors at the Alabang station, on April 4, 2024. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – As heat indexes stay above 40°C in various parts of the country, labor groups urged employers and lawmakers to create and implement policies specifically catering to workers dealing with heat stress. Groups representing workers in construction and public services have said that some of their members have suffered heat stroke and difficulty in coping with the heat, whether on the field or in an office. “Current laws and regulations fall short in addressing the challenges and stresses faced by workers due to extreme heat,” the Nagkaisa labor coalition said on April 10. The Department of Health (DOH) has advised the public to take precautions as threats of heat-related illnesses rise. Construction workers easily come to mind when imagining sun-exposed labor. But even at times when the heat is not as extreme, construction workers are exposed to various hazards and risks. Santiago Nolla, secretary general of the National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW), said construction workers are among the most vulnerable as they are exposed to harsh weather conditions and toxic materials. His group represents more than 3,000 construction workers nationwide. Now with El Niño, a weather phenomenon that occurs when ocean surface temperatures warm up in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, construction workers experience heightened risks. Nolla said that the union has so far monitored a handful of heat stroke cases in Metro Manila and Central Luzon. Even though the numbers may not indicate a sharp rise, this is still unusual, he noted. The International Labor Organization uses the term “3D” to describe the hazardous conditions that construction workers regularly face: dirty, difficult, and dangerous conditions. “Kahit wala tayong El Niño o La Niña, tuwing papasok sila sa trabaho, lagi nga nilang sinasabi na ang isang paa nila nasa hukay na. Kasi hindi mo alam kung lalabas ka pa nang buhay…kasi puwede kang maasksidente anumang oras,” Nolla said in an interview with Rappler on Wednesday, April 17. (Even if there is no El Niño or La Niña, when they go to work, they always say that they have one foot in the grave. Because you never know if you’re going to come out of it alive…because you might run into an accident at any given time.) It does not help that many construction workers do not have security of tenure, serving short-term contractual jobs that often do not have social protection and benefits. The NUBCW’s estimate is 95% of the industry with no social security. Annie Geron, president of the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), said their members have reported heat-related ailments like dizziness, high blood pressure, and dehydration during work. Their confederation represents over 114,000 rank and file employees from public sector worker unions from national government agencies, state and local universities and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, and local government units. The top-of-mind examples Geron gave among their heat-affected members are public school teachers, sanitation inspectors, local healthcare workers, and other government workers who often do field work. “Yung mga nasa frontline services na pumupunta sa field, nahihirapan sila kasi doon sa pagkukomyut nila, going to and from doon sa kanilang assigned areas…. So hindi naman sila makapamili ng oras kasi ‘yun ‘`yung trabaho nila. Pupunta talaga sila at exposed talaga sila dun sa pagkokomyut at dun sa init ng araw,” she told Rappler on Wednesday. (Those on frontline services and going to the field, they have a hard time during their commute, going to and from their assigned areas…. They can’t just choose their schedules, because that’s what their job demands. They really have to go, and they are exposed to the heat of the sun when they commute.) Like Nolla, Geron said that these recent heat-related reports did not usually show up in more neutral temperatures. In 2023, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued Labor Advisory No. 8, which provides for safety and health measures to prevent and control heat stress in workplaces. In the advisory, employers are directed to assess risk exposure of workers alongside their existing comorbidities and implement control measures like ventilation and heat insulation, and adjustment of rest breaks and work locations to allow recovery from heat exposure, provision of “temperature-appropriate uniforms,” and provision of free and adequate potable water. The DOLE also advises employers to consider implementing flexible work arrangements to limit workers’ exposure to extreme heat and strenuous activities. This includes the possible adjustment of work hours. “[Employers must] provide relevant and useful information about heat stress, its symptoms, and how to avoid it, [as well as] implement occupational safety and health programs and have an emergency preparedness and response plan in the event of heat-related incidents,” the Occupational Safety and Health Center said in an email to Rappler. Nolla said that adjustment of working hours to nighttime would be especially useful for the construction sector, noting that this is occasionally done among road builders for the reason of not disrupting traffic in the day. “Kakaunti ang maaabala mo, hindi pa masyadong mainit, tapos makapagtrabaho nang maayos ‘yung mga manggagawa. Kasi kung isasabay mo ‘yan ngayon sa panahon ngayon, sobrang init. ‘Yung performance nila hindi na talaga quality,” he said. (You would bother less people, it isn’t too hot, and the workers would be able to do their jobs better. Because if you make them work amid the weather now, it’s so hot. Their performance will no longer be of quality.) PSLINK, meanwhile, has a comprehensive list of recommendations for heat-related stress, including: “Panahon na para kilalanin natin na ‘yung climate change, ‘no? ‘Yung environment, ito na ‘yung kongkretong epekto. Kung baga, kung sa bagyo at saka sa mga calamities, mas severe, ito naman, pagdating doon sa heat, mas mataas,” said Geron. (Now is the time for us to recognize climate change. This is the concrete effect on our environment. As storms and calamities are more severe, so are heat indexes getting higher.) The Nagkaisa coalition went beyond employer responsibilities and called for a comprehensive strategy to mitigate impacts of extreme heat on workers. While some collective bargaining agreements address concerns from typhoons, floods, fires, and earthquakes, the coalition said there was a “gap” for heat waves. The coalition pushed for several bills pending in Congress which may address this, such as Senate Bill 652 that sought a five-day special emergency leave, House Bill 988 for an increased incentive leave, and House Bill 663 proposing a two-day calamity leave. “By advocating for a unified and robust policy that includes provisions for heat waves… Nagkaisa is championing a proactive and protective stance for the health and welfare of Filipino workers against the evolving challenges posed by climate change,” said Nagkaisa chairperson Sonny Matula. – 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, team standings: UAAP Season 86 volleyball

Jasmine Payo

05/05/2024 21:02

ROARING. NU's Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball finals UAAP Season 86 Media Team MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments reach a tipping point with the men’s and women’s finals! LOOK: UAAP volleyball championship schedule Here are the results in the men’s and women’s divisions: MAY 15 May 11 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 MAY 8 MAY 5 MAY 4 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 ** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated APRIL 27 APRIL 24 APRIL 21 APRIL 20 APRIL 17 APRIL 14 APRIL 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 9 APRIL 4 APRIL 3 MARCH 24 MARCH 23 MARCH 20 First round MARCH 17 MARCH 16 MARCH 13 MARCH 10 MARCH 9 MARCH 6 MARCH 3 MARCH 2 FEBRUARY 28 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 17 – 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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GAME SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball

jisaga0269

08/05/2024 20:35

It’s down to the last two teams standing as the University of Santo Tomas and National University battle for the UAAP volleyball championship in both the women’s and men’s divisions! The league’s best separate themselves from the pack as the Final Four showdown kicks off! Here’s the schedule: UAAP Season 86 volleyball action intensifies as the second round of the men’s and women’s divisions begins on Wednesday, March 20. The contenders will separate themselves from the pack, with each game determining which teams will make the Final Four. Here’s the schedule: Volleyball action is back in the UAAP! Stars from both men’s and women’s divisions are set to ply their growing skill sets once again in front of thousands of fans, beginning on Saturday, February 17 and Sunday, February 18, both at the Mall of Asia Arena. Here are the first-round schedules for both divisions: *The March 13 games will be played at the Mall of Asia Arena. Notable matches include women’s champion La Salle’s debut against contending Adamson on Saturday, 4 pm, at MOA, while men’s three-time defending titlist NU rolls into an immediate finals rematch with UST on Sunday, 12 pm, also at the same venue. La Salle and NU – finalists in the last two women’s tournaments with one title won each – will wrap up their first-round schedule on March 16, 2 pm at Araneta. – 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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Dry spell losses exceed P300 million in Cotabato province

Herbie G

20/04/2024 9:53

FEELING THE HEAT. A nearly empty street in General Santos City in the Soccsksargen region which is suffering the effects of the El Niño phenomenon. Rommel Rebollido/Rappler GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – The prolonged dry spell is also wreaking havoc in Mindanao’s Soccsksargen region, with Cotabato province alone seeing more than P300 million in agricultural losses due to the rising temperatures and dry weather conditions. Ruel Villanueva, administrative officer of Cotabato’s Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG), said on Thursday, April 18, that six local governments in the province reported a combined P306 million in damage to agricultural crops. The worst-hit areas are the hilly towns of Arakan, Alamada, Aleosan, Magpet, Pigcawayan, and Kidapawan City. The town council of Arakan, Cotabato, declared the municipality under a state of calamity on Monday, April 15. Aleosan was placed under a calamity state on April 8, while the same declaration for Alamada was made on April 1. These declarations will allow the local governments to use their reserve funds for emergencies to provide aid to affected families and for other mitigation measures. The Arakan town council passed a measure, initiating a price freeze on basic commodities and imposing stiff fines of up to P1 million and a 10-year jail term against violators. During a Thursday meeting with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza ordered the provincial agriculturist’s office to collaborate with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to provide more aid to farmers suffering from the dry spell. While Cotabato officials are still contemplating putting the province under a state of calamity, their counterparts from another area in the Soccsksargen region, Sultan Kudarat, issued the declaration on April 15. Sultan Kudarat was declared under a state of calamity weeks after two of its towns – President Quirino and Lutayan – had their own separate declarations. President Quirino was the earliest to be declared under a calamity state on March 27, while the Lutayan declaration was made on April 3. The Sultan Kudarat provincial board declared the entire province to be in a state of calamity, citing the intense heat affecting crop productivity, food security, and scarce water supply as reasons for the declaration. The legislature passed Resolution No. 136-2024, citing the assessment made by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) on the continuing weather condition that has already caused widespread damage to crops and livelihoods, affecting all residents of Sultan Kudarat. The effects of the El Niño phenomenon are also being felt in other parts of the Soccsksargen region such as Surallah, in South Cotabato, where local officials declared the town under a state of calamity, also on April 15. South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said the provincial government has been preparing for a worst-case scenario to cushion the effects of a calamity on the province’s agriculture. Officials said irrigation dams in South Cotabato have been drying up due to the intense heat exacerbated by the lack of rainfall in the past weeks. There has also been a noted receding of the water level of the Allah River that traverses the towns of Tboli, Surallah, Santo Niño, and Norala in South Cotabato, as well as Isulan and Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat. The Allah River is one of those that drains into the Ligawasan Marsh. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) in Surallah town, South Cotabato, reported losses to crops, fisheries, and livestock amounting to at least P71.8 million. The Municipal Agriculture Office in Surallah listed 1,178 farmers and over 900 hectares of farmlands that sustained El Nino damages. Surallah Mayor Pedro Matinong Jr. said nine villages in his town had earlier declared a state of calamity after farmlands sustained damages from the effects of intense heat and reduced rainfall. In Alabel town, Sarangani province, municipal agriculturist Giselle Gestupa said more than 500 hectares of farms have dried up in the eight villages. Alabel alone, officials said, suffered more than P40 million in agricultural damage. Eight of Alabel’s barangays – Datal Anggas, New Canaan, Pag-asa, Paraiso, Spring, Tokawal, Dumulok, and Alegria – have been placed under the state of calamity. Regionwide, agriculture officials have yet to provide exact figures and data about the extent of the damage. The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Soccsksargen region said they were still waiting for the damage reports from the town and provincial governments. “There are no El Niño reports from LGUs in the Soccsksargen region,” read an article on the website of DA-Soccsksargen. John Pascual, DA-Soccsksargen executive director, said the department was prepared to support the local governments in the region needing assistance. “We are currently revitalizing, repairing, and rehabilitating irrigation systems in the region,” he 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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Efforts underway to bring home Filipinos killed in UAE floods

Michelle Abad

20/04/2024 12:04

AFTERMATH. A drone view of cars and trucks lying partially submerged following heavy rainfall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 19, 2024. REUTERS MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government is working towards the repatriation of the three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were confirmed dead following the massive flooding in the United Arab Emirates earlier this week, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said late Friday, April 19. The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) met with the three OFWs’ next of kin and explained the procedures for repatriation. A strong storm first hit Oman over the weekend, killing at least 20 people, before pounding the UAE on Tuesday, April 16, with its heaviest rains in 75 years. The DMW earlier confirmed the deaths of at least three OFWs, one 47-year-old Filipino male who died in a vehicular accident, and two women who died while their vehicle was submerged in floodwaters. The three reportedly died on Wednesday, April 17. In a new update, the DMW said two other OFWs suffered injuries when they fell into a sinkhole. They are recuperating in the hospital. The DMW and OWWA, together with the Philippine consulate in Dubai, are also assisting Filipinos whose flights were affected by the storm through food packs, essential personal items, and airline flight assistance. Airlines with delayed or rescheduled flights include Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Emirates. The MWO in Abu Dhabi has also distributed food and relief packs to some 800 OFWs living and working in the Al Touba district in Al Ain, one of the remote areas badly ravaged by the storm. While the weather is improving, many areas in the UAE remain flooded. In an experience he shared to the overseas-filipinos chat room on the Rappler Communities app, John Elton Jornales, an OFW in Dubai, said on early Saturday, April 20, that he and other work companions were already back to work. “We’re fine and baha pa rin ‘yung karamihan sa area namin pero onti-onti nang nagsa-subside ‘yung tubig. Good thing din second floor ‘yung flat namin. Pinasok ng tubig onti noong Tuesday kasi umapaw at stuck yung tubig sa balcony,” he said. (We’re fine, and many areas in our area that are still flooded, but the water is slowly subsiding. Good thing our flat is on the second floor. A little water got inside on Tuesday because it got stuck and overflowed on the balcony.) Jornales recalled an eventful April 16. From the beginning of their day at 8:15 am, they were on the way to work with no advice from the office about the weather. But during the commute, the rain heavily poured down with zero visibility. In the Al Quoz area, they were stuck in traffic for over four hours as floodwaters began to rise. “Buti nakasuong ‘yung bus namin dahan-dahan, pero nakakatakot din kapag mastuck sa gitna ng tubig (Good thing our bus was able to move forward slowly, but it’s scary if you get stuck in the middle of the water).” Upon reaching the office at 1 pm, Jornales said they only stayed for less than an hour before receiving an update from management that they could go home using the company’s transport service. Around 3 pm, still on the road, heavy rains began pouring again. “Need namin magpatuloy kahit wala nang makita sa highway, and rinig na rinig na may onting, maliliit na yelo/hail storms na tumatama sa bintana namin na may kasamang sobrang lakas na hangin,” he said. (We needed to forge on even if we couldn’t see anything on the highway anymore, and we could clearly hear ice/hail storms that were hitting our window along with the sound of strong gusts of wind.) “Nakakatakot na kasi ‘yung iba walang baon na pagkain or tubig, kahit payong wala kasi ‘di namin ine-expect ‘yung nangyari. May matatanda na ayaw din maglakad kasi takot din,” he added. (It was scary because others didn’t have packed food or water, not even an umbrella, because we didn’t expect what happened. There were also some elderly people who did not want to walk because they were also afraid.) After four hours in traffic, Jornales, together with some other Filipinos and Indians, made the decision to wade through the mostly-flooded International City complex to make their way home. “Naglalakad kami may baha, malakas na ulan at hangin na may kasamang kidlat at kulog. ‘Di na namin ininda lahat ‘yun at nagpatuloy umuwi ng bahay,” he said. (We walked through floods, heavy winds and rains accompanied by lightning and thunder. We endured all of it, and we continued until we got home.) It was a 30-minute unprotected journey, but the workers were able to make it home safely. Rains are uncommon in the UAE, known for a hot desert climate and temperatures that can soar above 50°C in the summer. – with reports from Reuters/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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[Newspoint] The lucky one

Mia Gonzalez

20/04/2024 11:00

Alejandro Edoria Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is one lucky president, indeed, probably luckier than any other – so far, anyway. Gloria Arroyo had her own share of unusually good fortune, stepping up from vice-president to replace an impeached president in midterm (2001), then managing to stay on for a regular six-year term (up to 2010) – by a rigged vote. But after that she had to spend nearly four years in detention, charged with plunder, although again, a Supreme Court she had time to pack during her long presidency invalidated the case against her. Her home district has voted her to Congress multiple times, allowing her to keep no small measure of power, but in a power realignment recently, having picked the wrong side, she was marginalized from the coalition. Now 77 and little heard from lately, she appears resigned to her fate. Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Sr., had had a good ride himself, but once he lost his grip he plunged straight to his tragic finish. The plunge began when his health declined terminally in the last three or four years of his 14-year dictatorship. Not a second kidney transplant could save him, and neither could his 10-billion-dollar (P560-billion) stash of loot buy him more time. Less than three years after being booted out into exile in Hawaii, in 1986, he was dead, at 72. It was from that ignominious past that Junior has risen with incredible luck. As a first heir, he surely got a prime share in the loot. Half of that supposedly has been recovered by the state, but still, $5 billion is $5 billion – and that’s not yet counting any interest and other gains that may have been made on it over the years. For some idea of how much Junior got for himself, and further gets to preside over as an executor, the Supreme Court has a standing order for him to pay the P203-billion, fines included, in estate taxes assessed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. But of course, president now, he feels even more entitled to not pay, and nobody is telling him. And that’s not even half his luck. (The law professor Mel Sta. Maria writes in this site about two other cases in which Junior avoids paying debts in defiance of court rulings: one, reparation for victims of torture and for orphans of those murdered or disappeared and presumed killed during his father’s Martial Law rule; and, two, a forfeiture for the state of 658-million-plus plundered dollars – around P37 billion. READ: [Just Saying] Marcos: A flat response, a missed opportunity). Luck in fact has rained generously on the Marcoses since their return from exile, in 1991. Their repatriation was part of an arrangement under which their Swiss bank accounts were to be kept frozen until after their cases had been decided by a Philippine court. It turned out to be just the perfect deal for them. Coming home to a generally quiet acquiescence by the nation they had robbed and a lapdog embrace from old friends and cronies, they knew they were back in business. The widowed matriarch, Imelda, was flagrantly remorseless, strutting around without missing a step. She would be found guilty of graft years later, but, already 89 at the time of her sentencing, although kept active by luxurious living, she gave the court an excuse to spare her jail. Ninety-five in July, she would have by then served the minimum six years if she had actually gone in. Since their homecoming, mom and children Imee and Junior had been elected regularly to Congress. Their rehabilitation became consecrated with first-son Junior’s ascension to the presidency. He was the obvious anointed, not first-born Imee – she may have lost out because of her immodest tendencies, notably her limelight-hogging and her streak of condescension. And luck does seem to ride with the choice. Junior’s loss to Leni Robredo in the vice-presidential contest of 2016 would seem itself a lucky loss. Being from the opposition, Robredo was sidelined, starved of budget and other resources, by President Rodrigo Duterte. Junior, meanwhile, had time on his own to ripen for his presidential run uncontaminated by Duterte. The autocratic narcissist that he is, Duterte simply could not be stopped leaving a mess that would make a scarcely capable and sincere successor look good. Again, perfect for Junior. On Duterte, even a pandemic had no chastening effect at all. Using it as a pretext for militarization, he recycled newly retired generals for top posts in the civil service. He also allowed the emergency to be exploited for corruption, looking the other way as the health insurance agency was mismanaged and fat contracts for medical services and supplies were cornered by the well connected for insane profits. But President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tends to align his priorities to the public mood and at the same time avoid issues that could inspire ugly recollections, like militarization and corruption precisely. And also drugs, to which Duterte associates him, as an indulger. No wonder, the heed he has paid Duterte’s war on drugs is out of all proportion to its monstrous brutality. That war left a trail of blood that reached the International Criminal Court, in The Hague. In its first year alone, it got 20,000 killed, mostly drug users, street retailers, and other small fry, earning Duterte a citation from that court. Yet again, as luck would have it, Junior has found the one issue tailor-made for his PR presidency: the West Philippine Sea. Right upon taking office, President Duterte surrendered control over it to China, which, after agreeing to international arbitration, refused to accept the arbitral court’s ruling affirming the Philippine claim on those strategic and resource-rich waters. Duterte’s treason opened the territory for military occupation and commercial exploitation by the Chinese, deprived Filipino fisherfolk of their traditional living off it, and cramped Philippine Coast Guard operations there. It has also caused anxiety among other nations with territorial disputes with China in the neighborhood as well as nations accessing the sea as a waterway. Marcos is now reasserting Philippine sovereignty over the territory and rallying allies to the cause. He has allowed American troops to take up positions inside Philippine military camps located in strategic relation to the West Philippine Sea. Ports are similarly made accessible. The Philippines has a long-standing treaty with the United States for mutual defense. With Australia, a robust neighbor, the Philippines oftener than usual now holds military exercises, as it does with the US, and lately with France too. Only last week President Marcos met in the US capital, Washington, DC, with the US President, Joe Biden, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, of Japan, another old ally. Although trade and  investment were reported in the public disclosures as the subjects that dominated the talks, the signal could not have been lost on China. By the surveys, Junior seems doing better than the number shows on its face: 79% is with him on the West Philippine Sea – that’s nearly eight in 10 citizens of a nation with an economic elite sizably made up of Chinese descendants, not to say a nation made uncomfortable by its long colonial history hosting foreign armed forces. The mood, I guess, reflects a sense of exigent pragmatism. But what about the rest of life? What about issues of daily survival like prices, wages, and health, and of decent living like education, morals, justice? – 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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Labor groups call for heat-specific protection policies for workers

Michelle Abad

20/04/2024 11:09

WORKERS. Workers at the recovery and fencing project of PNR contractors at the Alabang station, on April 4, 2024. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – As heat indexes stay above 40°C in various parts of the country, labor groups urged employers and lawmakers to create and implement policies specifically catering to workers dealing with heat stress. Groups representing workers in construction and public services have said that some of their members have suffered heat stroke and difficulty in coping with the heat, whether on the field or in an office. “Current laws and regulations fall short in addressing the challenges and stresses faced by workers due to extreme heat,” the Nagkaisa labor coalition said on April 10. The Department of Health (DOH) has advised the public to take precautions as threats of heat-related illnesses rise. Construction workers easily come to mind when imagining sun-exposed labor. But even at times when the heat is not as extreme, construction workers are exposed to various hazards and risks. Santiago Nolla, secretary general of the National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW), said construction workers are among the most vulnerable as they are exposed to harsh weather conditions and toxic materials. His group represents more than 3,000 construction workers nationwide. Now with El Niño, a weather phenomenon that occurs when ocean surface temperatures warm up in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, construction workers experience heightened risks. Nolla said that the union has so far monitored a handful of heat stroke cases in Metro Manila and Central Luzon. Even though the numbers may not indicate a sharp rise, this is still unusual, he noted. The International Labor Organization uses the term “3D” to describe the hazardous conditions that construction workers regularly face: dirty, difficult, and dangerous conditions. “Kahit wala tayong El Niño o La Niña, tuwing papasok sila sa trabaho, lagi nga nilang sinasabi na ang isang paa nila nasa hukay na. Kasi hindi mo alam kung lalabas ka pa nang buhay…kasi puwede kang maasksidente anumang oras,” Nolla said in an interview with Rappler on Wednesday, April 17. (Even if there is no El Niño or La Niña, when they go to work, they always say that they have one foot in the grave. Because you never know if you’re going to come out of it alive…because you might run into an accident at any given time.) It does not help that many construction workers do not have security of tenure, serving short-term contractual jobs that often do not have social protection and benefits. The NUBCW’s estimate is 95% of the industry with no social security. Annie Geron, president of the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), said their members have reported heat-related ailments like dizziness, high blood pressure, and dehydration during work. Their confederation represents over 114,000 rank and file employees from public sector worker unions from national government agencies, state and local universities and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, and local government units. The top-of-mind examples Geron gave among their heat-affected members are public school teachers, sanitation inspectors, local healthcare workers, and other government workers who often do field work. “Yung mga nasa frontline services na pumupunta sa field, nahihirapan sila kasi doon sa pagkukomyut nila, going to and from doon sa kanilang assigned areas…. So hindi naman sila makapamili ng oras kasi ‘yun ‘`yung trabaho nila. Pupunta talaga sila at exposed talaga sila dun sa pagkokomyut at dun sa init ng araw,” she told Rappler on Wednesday. (Those on frontline services and going to the field, they have a hard time during their commute, going to and from their assigned areas…. They can’t just choose their schedules, because that’s what their job demands. They really have to go, and they are exposed to the heat of the sun when they commute.) Like Nolla, Geron said that these recent heat-related reports did not usually show up in more neutral temperatures. In 2023, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued Labor Advisory No. 8, which provides for safety and health measures to prevent and control heat stress in workplaces. In the advisory, employers are directed to assess risk exposure of workers alongside their existing comorbidities and implement control measures like ventilation and heat insulation, and adjustment of rest breaks and work locations to allow recovery from heat exposure, provision of “temperature-appropriate uniforms,” and provision of free and adequate potable water. The DOLE also advises employers to consider implementing flexible work arrangements to limit workers’ exposure to extreme heat and strenuous activities. This includes the possible adjustment of work hours. “[Employers must] provide relevant and useful information about heat stress, its symptoms, and how to avoid it, [as well as] implement occupational safety and health programs and have an emergency preparedness and response plan in the event of heat-related incidents,” the Occupational Safety and Health Center said in an email to Rappler. Nolla said that adjustment of working hours to nighttime would be especially useful for the construction sector, noting that this is occasionally done among road builders for the reason of not disrupting traffic in the day. “Kakaunti ang maaabala mo, hindi pa masyadong mainit, tapos makapagtrabaho nang maayos ‘yung mga manggagawa. Kasi kung isasabay mo ‘yan ngayon sa panahon ngayon, sobrang init. ‘Yung performance nila hindi na talaga quality,” he said. (You would bother less people, it isn’t too hot, and the workers would be able to do their jobs better. Because if you make them work amid the weather now, it’s so hot. Their performance will no longer be of quality.) PSLINK, meanwhile, has a comprehensive list of recommendations for heat-related stress, including: “Panahon na para kilalanin natin na ‘yung climate change, ‘no? ‘Yung environment, ito na ‘yung kongkretong epekto. Kung baga, kung sa bagyo at saka sa mga calamities, mas severe, ito naman, pagdating doon sa heat, mas mataas,” said Geron. (Now is the time for us to recognize climate change. This is the concrete effect on our environment. As storms and calamities are more severe, so are heat indexes getting higher.) The Nagkaisa coalition went beyond employer responsibilities and called for a comprehensive strategy to mitigate impacts of extreme heat on workers. While some collective bargaining agreements address concerns from typhoons, floods, fires, and earthquakes, the coalition said there was a “gap” for heat waves. The coalition pushed for several bills pending in Congress which may address this, such as Senate Bill 652 that sought a five-day special emergency leave, House Bill 988 for an increased incentive leave, and House Bill 663 proposing a two-day calamity leave. “By advocating for a unified and robust policy that includes provisions for heat waves… Nagkaisa is championing a proactive and protective stance for the health and welfare of Filipino workers against the evolving challenges posed by climate change,” said Nagkaisa chairperson Sonny Matula. – 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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https://www.rappler.com/philippines/labor-groups-appeal-heat-specific-protection-policies-workers/

Town shuts down dental clinic as NBI arrests fake dentist in Negros Occidental

Herbie G

18/04/2024 12:46

Shutterstock NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A town government in Negros Occidental shut down a dental clinic on Tuesday, April 16, following the arrest of a 30-year-old woman who allegedly posed as a dentist. Hinigaran Mayor Nadie Arceo issued the closure order against the Happy Smile Dental Clinic in Barangay Tagda, a day after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Ana Marie Sanipa for allegedly practicing dentistry without credentials. Renoir Baldovino, NBI-Bacolod chief, said Sanipa, a resident of Barangay Tugis, Hinigaran, was the subject of a complaint filed by the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) in Negros Occidental. Baldovino said investigators confirmed that Sanipa was not a licensed dentist registered with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). An undercover NBI agent posed as a patient and visited Sanipa’s clinic on Monday, April 15, leading to her arrest. A complaint was filed against Sanipa at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for operating a dental clinic and practicing dentistry without a certification, registration, and professional identification card. Sanipa, who posted bail on Wednesday afternoon, April 17, declined to give comments about her arrest, the closure of her clinic, and the accusations leveled at her. Arceo, who expressed surprise about the operation of the dental clinic, said the local government would be stricter in issuing permits to private health facilities as a result of the shocking discovery. He warned about the danger posed by unqualified dental and medical practitioners to public health and safety. – 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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Scaling the heights of Mount Pulag

Herbie G

20/04/2024 8:30

'SURVIVORS.' The tour group welcoming the morning at the highest point in Luzon. Mari-An Santos/Rappler “I’m in my forties and about to climb the highest peak in Luzon. What am I doing here?” This thought popped into my head as I put on my third layer of clothing at midnight, while outside, below 10 degrees Celsius awaited me. As I laced my hiking boots, I knew I was at the point of no return. Born in Manila, I was not raised to be outdoorsy. I preferred (still do) reading or watching movies or shows. I never learned to climb trees and summers spent with my cousins in Zamboanga City mostly entailed hanging out in my grandmother’s garden. The most time I spent in nature (if you can even call it that) while growing up was running in the grass in Luneta Park or a Makati park. As a girl scout in grade school, camping was held at the field within the school walls. Our high school culmination included camping at Lemery Beach in Batangas. We had a canvas tent and my partner and I took time trying to get it to stand. When it was time to sleep, a light rain started, and the tent went down around us. We decided to sleep with our tent, now a blanket, on top of us. I spent college on one of the most beautiful campuses in the Philippines, but the University of the Philippines-Diliman cannot be considered hilly by any stretch of the imagination. But I have always loved nature. I like sitting under the forest canopy and hearing the songs of birds; I like sitting by streams and rivers, listening to the rhythmic sound that waters make as they flow over rocks; I like lying on the ground and looking up at the dark sky profuse with stars and a planet. When I worked for a Baguio-based nongovernmental organization serving Cordillera communities, I had the chance (and no choice but) to hike, trek, and climb in all five provinces – but not without difficulty. I was lampa (clumsy) even on paved surfaces, overweight, and tentative about going up or down landforms. But because I loved the work, I learned and managed. Going up to Mount Pulag has been a dream for more than a decade. I learned about it from my mountaineer friends. They spoke reverently of the punishing but fulfilling experience of taking the Akiki Trail, one of the most difficult trails that traversed majestic and awe-inspiring sites. I thought I would like to do that one day, not take the “easy” Ambangeg trail that “just anyone” can take. But I never felt I was ready for it. After the COVID-19 pandemic, my first outdoor trip was up to Mount Ulap in Itogon, Benguet: 1,846m above sea level. My friend (who is much more physically fit than I am) agreed to join me, though she had already been there. It took us more than eight hours to go up and down several peaks and took lots of photos along the way. Last year, I went up to Doi Inthanon. At 2,565 meters above sea level, it is the highest point in Thailand. I found it more accessible because we went in a vehicle and went through the mossy forest walking on a wooden elevated walkway. This year, I decided that it was time to finally go up the mountain of my dreams! I am in my forties, after all, recovered from pneumonia in my lower right lung due to Delta/COVID-19, and, to my surprise, in the best relationship with my body that I have been all my life. I’m no athlete, but I feel that I know my body’s needs and capabilities and, in a deeper sense, know myself better. Three months before my trek, I started doing exercises targeted toward hiking and backpacking, though not consistently. A month prior, I was disciplined in my physical training. I got my gear ready. After Mount Ulap, I saw the value of investing in a trekking pole. I already had my well-fitted and worn hiking boots. I checked that my lightweight thermal and wool wear still fit, plus packed a quick-dry shirt. Then, of course, I booked my tour. The plan started with a bunch of school friends who wanted to join, too, but eventually, they were derailed and I was the last woman standing, so to speak. That’s why I was grateful that I decided to go with a tour group instead of planning the logistics dependent on my peer group. I am not an affiliate, but I gladly endorse Freesia Travel and Tours, which is owned by Kabayan locals, and their accommodations, Trekkers’ Homestay. Our local guide, a Kalanguya named Lorna, is a cousin of theirs. We started our “assault” (as they call it) at the appointed 2 am. As we ascended to Camp 1, I found myself catching my breath and falling back to the end of my group. Our sweeper, Lorna, reassured me that I would manage – after all, one of her recent guests was a 66-year-old man who completed the trek. Our tour coordinator, Roxanne, also said her mother, who was in her mid-fifties, had just come back from the same trip last month. Apart from the physical conditioning, the task requires a lot of mental strength and humility. In the face of nature, you cannot help but appreciate the beauty of a blanket of stars and changing landscapes, and acknowledge that, as a human being, you are a tiny part of that ecosystem. We made it to the summit just as the grassland was bathed in an orange light and the ball of fire rose surrounded by fluffy, white clouds. I shed my warm clothes and eventually changed into a quick dry shirt for the last part of the descent, walking past a pine forest and picking some ripe wild blueberries along the way. As a reward for making it back to the homestay before noon, we had some carrot ice candy. So, what’s next? Am I dreaming of going up to Mount Apo and then Mount Everest now? Let me just bask in my achievement, surrounded by a cloud of mentholated bliss, and decide later. Much later. – Rappler.com Error. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. This is a wonderful piece. It has suspense, frustration, triumph and grace. It’s also a great example for writers, especially young and developing ones, re how to write in the first person, without turning a story into an Oprah show, which too many do. Bravo and thanks to Ms. Santos. How does this make you feel?

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Caloocan court acquits jeepney drivers sued for protesting during lockdown

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 23:35

PISTON 6. Jeepney drivers dubbed "Piston 6" were cleared of their charge after a Caloocan City court acquitted them. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – A Caloocan City court acquitted jeepney drivers who were sued for protesting during the coronavirus pandemic-driven lockdowns in 2020. In a resolution on Friday, April 19, Caloocan City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 83 Presiding Judge Marlo Bermejo Campanilla granted the demurrer to evidence filed by Piston deputy secretary general Ruben Baylon Severino Ramos, Wilson Ramilla, Ramon Paloma, Elmer Cordero, and Arsenio Ymas dubbed “Piston 6.” UPDATE: A Caloocan City court sides with Piston 6 and acquits them with their simple resistance and disobedience case. The court grants the six's demurrer to evidence, which effectively junked the charge. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/tgUaQXVKar The six faced simple resistance and disobedience case. Granting the demurrer to evidence has the same effect as acquittal. “Patunay ito ng kawastuhan ng ating mga pagkilos laban sa PUVMP (public utility vehicles modernization program)! Lalo lamang nitong inilalantad ang walang habas na panunipil ng estado sa militanteng sama-samang pagkilos para pagtatanggol ng ating kabuhayan!” PISTON said in a statement. (This is a proof of the legality of our movement against the PUVMP. This case further highlights the state’s brazen crackdown against the militant movement to fight for our livelihood.) The six drivers were arrested in Caloocan on June 2, 2020, amid the lockdown, for holding a demonstration calling for the resumption of jeepney operations. The Piston 6 were brought to a precinct, and then to the Caloocan City Hall, where they learned they were charged with “disobedience to social distancing” and fined P3,000 each. Piston refuted the police’s claim, asserting that the drivers observed proper physical distancing and wore face masks during the protest. The six gained sympathy, especially Cordero, who was 72 years old at the 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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Exploring an avian haven in Victorias’ Gawahon Ecopark

Herbie G

20/04/2024 8:00

MAJESTIC. Water flows at one of seven falls at Gawahon Ecopark in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. courtesy of Victorias Councilor Dino Acuña NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Amid its lush landscapes and cascading waterfalls, a new haven for bird watchers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts is emerging in Victorias City – the Gawahon Ecopark. Located some 34 kilometers north of Bacolod, Gawahon Ecopark is a gem within Victorias, boasting not only its natural splendors but also the city’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. The sanctuary, named after the Hiligaynon word for “overlooking,” lies within the North Negros Natural Park (NNNP), showcasing seven majestic waterfalls and a plethora of endemic and endangered avian species. Among the popular species that call Gawahon home are the Visayan hornbill (Penelopides panini), Yellow-faced Flameback (Chrysocolopades xanthocephalus), Flame-templed Babbler (Dasycrotapha speciosa), Negros Bleeding-heart pigeon (Gallicolumba keayi), and the Negros Scops Owl (Otus nigrorum). These winged inhabitants add vibrant hues and melodious tunes to the park’s rich tapestry of life. Victorias Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said the local government would further develop the park and promote bird watching activities there, with the aim of making it a major tourism destination in the province. The local government has secured a P13-million fund for the ecopark support from the Department of Tourism (DOT) after Victorias won fourth among the top five local governments in the Visayas during the recently concluded nationwide Tourism Champion Challenge (TCC). A significant boost came in the form of a P13-million fund from the Department of Tourism (DOT), following Victorias’ performance in the nationwide Tourism Champion Challenge (TCC). The TCC, a pioneering initiative in Philippine tourism, empowers local governments to unlock the tourism potential of their regions. Victorias’ proposal, “A Birder’s Paradise: Haven for Sustainable and Inclusive Eco-Tourism,” captured the judges’ attention, earning the city a prestigious spot among the top performers in the Visayas region. In recognition, Victorias received an P8-million prize from the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), with an additional P5 million pledged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Benitez said the funds would serve as catalysts for the city’s ambitious plans to further develop Gawahon Ecopark into a model of sustainable tourism. He said the city government is bent on continuing its program to promote the biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability of Gawahon Ecopark. To this end, Victorias has forged a partnership with the University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV) to spearhead conservation efforts within the ecopark. Together, they aim to promote environmental education, conduct research, and foster community engagement, ensuring the long-term preservation of Gawahon’s natural treasures. As Gawahon Ecopark opens its gates to visitors, it not only offers a sanctuary for avian enthusiasts but also shows the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. In the heart of Negros Occidental, a haven of biodiversity beckons, inviting all to explore, discover, and cherish the wonders of Gawahon. – 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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Over 1,500 Chinese secured student visas in Cagayan in 2023 – BI

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 14:08

IMMIGRATION CHIEF. In this photo, Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco attends the Senate investigation of human trafficking involving immigration officers, on November 29, 2022. Angie de Silva/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that a total of 1,516 Chinese were granted student visas in Cagayan, north of the Philippines, in 2023. The BI chief said on Friday, April 19, that all the Chinese were endorsed by a major Philippine university. Tansingco, however, said they received reports that only 400 Chinese are onsite, because the school is said to be implementing distance learning. Earlier, senators urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to investigate the “degree for sale” scheme in Cagayan. Under the scheme, Chinese students allegedly paid up to P2 million in exchange for a degree. University of the Philippines professor Chester Cabalza first exposed the alleged scheme, saying that Chinese students are not attending classes but still get their diplomas. Tansingco said the rise in the number of foreign students may be attributed to “post-pandemic rebound” and to the “aggressive marketing of schools and government agencies to boost the country’s educational tourism.” But amid this influx, Tansingco said these foreigners may be subjected to the government’s intelligence probe if they will be found involved in illegal activities. He added that Philippine laws allow the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to check on these foreigners’ activities that “appear to be inimical to the security of the State.” Tansingco explained that their basis is Executive Order (EO) No. 285, series of 2000. The EO established an interagency committee on foreign students composed of the CHED, BI, NICA, NBI, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Department of Education. The immigration chief also said that the BI may only issue student visas to foreigners who secured endorsements from a legitimate school and CHED. Aside from that, all schools that will accept foreigners are required to submit a regular report to the BI for monitoring. The BI will then monitor the foreigners’ visa compliance. The CHED will ensure that all education-related policies will be followed, while the NICA will probe suspicious activities. Tansingco added that the actions of foreign students “is worth looking at by government intelligence agencies” because this is part of the intelligence bodies’ mandate to ensure national security. “We hope that these concerns do not scare away legitimate students whose stay in the country could greatly help re-boost our economy,” Tansingco 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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3 Negros Occidental cities brace for 12-hour power outage this weekend

Herbie G

18/04/2024 16:05

BLACKOUT. Residents and workers do their tasks under candlelight after a massive blackout hits Iloilo City on January 2. Arnold Almacen/Iloilo City Mayor's Office BACOLOD , Philippines – Power consumers in three cities in Negros Occidental will experience a 12-hour power outage this weekend, but it will have nothing to do with the power crisis now gripping the Visayas following the shutdown of several power generation plants. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) announced the power supply interruption scheduled from 6 am to 6 pm this Sunday, April 21. It will affect the cities of Bacolod, Silay, and Talisay. In their advisories, the NGCP and Ceneco said the scheduled supply interruption would allow them to conduct line maintenance, improve electric poles, and substations. Talisay Mayor Nilo Antonio Neil Lizarez expressed dismay, saying a 12-hour blackout at a time when temperatures are rising due to the El Nino phenomenon-induced drought would inconvenience people and take a toll on local businesses. “Still, we can do nothing,” Lizares said, expressing exasperation. The announcement came on the third day of a power crisis that gripped Visayas and resulted in rotational blackouts blamed by the NGCP on the shutdown of 13 power plants and the derated capacities of nine others. The NGCP has raised the alert level due to the thinning power supply – or the loss of 696.7 megawatts –  in the Visayas grid. Luzon is also facing a similar crisis. As of Thursday, April 18, the NGCP said Visayas’ power capacity stood at 2,662 MW against a peak demand of 2,465 MW, leaving it only with a 197-MW reserve. The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) called for an explanation about how it was possible for nearly three dozen power plants in the Visayas and Luzon, according to NGCP, to suspend operations early this week. “We are in a power crisis right now. But it’s crazy and funny to declare that 19 power plants in Luzon and 13 others in the Visayas simultaneously shut down… This is really next to impossible,” said Frank Carbon, MBCCI’s chief executive officer. He added, “Where are these power plants? Can NGCP name them one by one? Power consumers in the Visayas need to know the truth. And where’s the DOE (Department of Energy) now?” Carbon said he was worried that the situation in Visayas would worsen if the national government prioritized the Luzon power grid. The MBCCI called on Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to call for an emergency meeting among stakeholders to immediately map out contigency measures. Carbon and his group also called for the creation of a power supply coordinating council under the Provincial Development Council to focus on addressing the problem about the local power supply. Without a sufficient power supply, according to Carbon, NGCP’s Mindanao-Visayas Interconnectivity Project and the newly inaugurated P67-billion, 230-kilovolt Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) backbone project will be rendered “inutile.” “What’s the use of such transmission facilities if there is no power to transmit?” Carbon pointed out. –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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Caloocan court acquits jeepney drivers sued for protesting during lockdown

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 23:35

PISTON 6. Jeepney drivers dubbed "Piston 6" were cleared of their charge after a Caloocan City court acquitted them. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – A Caloocan City court acquitted jeepney drivers who were sued for protesting during the coronavirus pandemic-driven lockdowns in 2020. In a resolution on Friday, April 19, Caloocan City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 83 Presiding Judge Marlo Bermejo Campanilla granted the demurrer to evidence filed by Piston deputy secretary general Ruben Baylon Severino Ramos, Wilson Ramilla, Ramon Paloma, Elmer Cordero, and Arsenio Ymas dubbed “Piston 6.” UPDATE: A Caloocan City court sides with Piston 6 and acquits them with their simple resistance and disobedience case. The court grants the six's demurrer to evidence, which effectively junked the charge. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/tgUaQXVKar The six faced simple resistance and disobedience case. Granting the demurrer to evidence has the same effect as acquittal. “Patunay ito ng kawastuhan ng ating mga pagkilos laban sa PUVMP (public utility vehicles modernization program)! Lalo lamang nitong inilalantad ang walang habas na panunipil ng estado sa militanteng sama-samang pagkilos para pagtatanggol ng ating kabuhayan!” PISTON said in a statement. (This is a proof of the legality of our movement against the PUVMP. This case further highlights the state’s brazen crackdown against the militant movement to fight for our livelihood.) The six drivers were arrested in Caloocan on June 2, 2020, amid the lockdown, for holding a demonstration calling for the resumption of jeepney operations. The Piston 6 were brought to a precinct, and then to the Caloocan City Hall, where they learned they were charged with “disobedience to social distancing” and fined P3,000 each. Piston refuted the police’s claim, asserting that the drivers observed proper physical distancing and wore face masks during the protest. The six gained sympathy, especially Cordero, who was 72 years old at the 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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Rowers Cris Nievarez, Joanie Delgaco inch closer to Paris Olympics

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 20:10

FILIPINO BET. Rower Cris Nievarez in action for the Philippines. Philippine Rowing Association Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – Cris Nievarez and Joanie Delgaco inched closer to a Paris Games berth as they reached the semifinals of the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, on Friday, April 19. Eyeing a return trip to the Olympics after being the lone Filipino rower in the Tokyo Games, Nievarez earned his place in the semifinals of the men’s singles sculls by placing third in the repechage. Nievarez, who missed the top two semifinal cutoff in the heats as he finished fourth with a time of 7:32.26, clocked 7:32.84 in the repechage to advance. Meanwhile, Delgaco ended up at second in the heats of the women’s singles sculls with 8:04.96 to make the semifinals. Nievarez and Delgaco both need to finish in the top five of their respective categories to join the Philippines’ growing athlete roster for Paris. The men’s lightweight doubles sculls tandem of Rynjie Penaredondo and Zuriel Sumintac are also still in the running for the Olympics as they hope to stay alive through the repechage. Penaredondo and Sumintac placed fifth in the heats with 7:08.95. Nievarez, Delgaco, and the Penaredondo-Sumintac duo resume their campaigns on Saturday, April 20. – 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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Cone hails Thompson return a ‘breath of fresh air’ as Ginebra wins 3 in a row

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 23:01

TAKE OVER. Scottie Thompson in action for Barangay Ginebra in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA Images MANILA, Philippines – The all-around play that Scottie Thompson provides has felt like a “breath of fresh air” for Ginebra. And that has been evident since he returned from an injury as Thompson steered the Gin Kings to their third straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup by way of an 87-83 victory over TNT at the PhilSports Arena on Friday, April 19. Thompson stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks to help Ginebra improve to 6-3 and secure its spot in the quarterfinals. Also coming through down the stretch, Thompson drained a crucial three-pointer with a minute left that broke an 83-83 tie and gave the Gin Kings just enough separation to fend off the Tropang Giga. “When Scottie came back, it was like a breath of fresh air. Everything came back with it,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. “Suddenly, the ball is whizzing around, we’re getting almost 30 assists a game. He is all over on the rebounds. The effort level that he brings is infectious with everybody else.” Thompson dealt with back issues and missed the first half of the elimination round as the Gin Kings lost three of their first six games, including a rare defeat to Terrafirma. But Ginebra has turned its fortunes around since Thompson came back, beating Blackwater, NorthPort, and TNT to climb to third place and stay in the hunt for a top-two finish that merits a win-once bonus in the quarterfinals. Over those three consecutive wins, Thompson averaged 10.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. “We put a lot of demands on Scottie and he delivers almost consistently, tremendously well all the time. It is very obvious the value he brings to us and how much we need him,” said Cone. Christian Standhardinger shared the spotlight with Thompson after churning out 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Japeth Aguilar also put up a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ralph Cu added 12 points and 6 rebounds for the Gin Kings, who got the job done despite frittering away a 21-point lead in the first half. Ginebra tasted its biggest lead of the game at 37-16 off a Sidney Onwubere triple early in the second quarter before the Tropang Giga knotted the score at 41-41 going into the break off a 25-4 run, setting up the tight finish. Roger Pogoy and Calvin Oftana fired 19 points each for TNT, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped and fell to 4-4. Barangay Ginebra 87 – Standhardinger 20, J. Aguilar 20, Thompson 17, Cu 12, Pinto 7, Ahanmisi 6, Onwubere 3, Pringle 2, David 0, Tenorio 0. TNT 83 – Pogoy 19, Oftana 19, B. Ganuelas-Rosser 12, K.Williams 10, Castro 9, Reyes 5, Montalbo 5, Galinato 4, Aurin 0, Ponferrada 0, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0. Quarters: 30-13, 41-41, 63-59, 87-83. – 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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Lassiter catches fire for unbeaten San Miguel, closes in on Yap in PBA 3-point list

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 21:17

VETERAN. Marcio Lassiter in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA Images MANILA, Philippines – No wonder Marcio Lassiter continues to climb the PBA all-time three-pointers list. Unfazed by his scoreless first half, Lassiter presided over a blistering third quarter to help San Miguel nail its quarterfinal seat in the Philippine Cup via a 112-103 win over Converge at the PhilSports Arena on Friday, April 19. Lassiter missed all of his five field goals in the first half, including four from beyond the arc, before he exploded for 17 of his 19 points in the third quarter as he knocked down five triples. His exploits from long distance allowed the Beermen to score a whopping 51 points in the third quarter that swung a 43-50 deficit to a commanding 94-70 lead on the way to their sixth win in as many games. “I just told him to keep on shooting because his hand is a waste if he does not shoot that ball,” said San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent of Lassiter. With five long bombs against the FiberXers, Lassiter moved just one trey away from tying Blackwater veteran James Yap, who has 1,194 career three-pointers and counting, for fourth place in the all-time list. Jimmy Alapag holds the PBA record with 1,250 triples followed by Allan Caidic (1,242) and Barangay Ginebra stalwart LA Tenorio (1,218 and counting). “I’m always confident in my shot. I just got to get it going, wake up, and that was kind of what I did,” said Lassiter. CJ Perez paced the unbeaten Beermen with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Don Trollano put up 19 points and 8 rebounds as they conspired with Lassiter in that huge third quarter. Perez and Trollano dropped 11 points each in the third period. Terrence Romeo chimed in 18 points and June Mar Fajardo supplied 14 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks to extend his double-double streak to 14 games. Alec Stockton reset his career high for the second straight game by firing 36 points on top of 6 rebounds and 4 assists, but Converge still remained winless and fell to 0-8 to officially bow out of playoff contention. San Miguel 112 – Perez 25, Lassiter 19, Trollano 19, Romeo 18, Fajardo 14, Brondial 4, Tautuaa 4, Teng 4, Enciso 3, manuel 2, Ross 0 Converge 103 – Stockton 34, Arana 18, Santos 14, Caralipio 13, Maagdenberg 6, Nieto 6, Fleming 3, Fornilos 2, Winston 2, Delos Santos 0, Andrade 0, Ambohot 0, Zaldivar 0. Quarters: 20-29, 43-50, 94-70, 112-103. – 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: Forbes’ best Philippine banks in 2024

lkyu0285

18/04/2024 19:40

BUSINESS HUB. A view of the Makati City skyline on June 2, 2022. Mau Victa/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – From being named the second-best bank in the Philippines in 2023, Philippine National Bank (PNB) rose to claim the top spot in 2024. PNB is 2024’s best bank in the Philippines according to Forbes. The Tan-owned bank is far from being the biggest bank in the country or even the biggest in Forbes’ ranking. It is, however, the largest and oldest among the top five in the list. Here is the full list of Forbes’ top banks in the Philippines. Aboitiz-owned UBP came in as the second top bank in the list. It was followed by digital banks Maya, OFBank, and UnionDigital Bank to round out the top five. CIMB Bank, which was Forbes’ top Philippine bank in 2023, did not make it to the 2024 list. Two of the country’s largest banks – Bank of the Philippine Islands and BDO Unibank – also did not make the list this year. Instead, Forbes’ 2024 list is dominated by digital banks. The Philippines has seen a rise in digital banking since 2021, which was when the central bank allowed new financial institutions to go all-digital and drop their physical bank branches. Among the six digital banks in the Philippines, only Tonik Digital Bank did not make it to the list. (READ: Digital bank Maya expects to break even in 2024) “Faced with a confluence of shifting factors – including tech advancements, generative AI, high interest rates, increased institutional oversight, and evolving customer expectations – banks are being called on to adjust their business and operating models,” Forbes said, which could explain why young, digital banks have ranked highly. To determine the world’s best banks, Forbes partnered with market research company Statista. More than 49,000 individuals were surveyed across 33 countries and in 17 languages. Participants were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with each bank, along with scoring the banks based on five criteria: Banks with the highest final scores in their respective countries were the ones included in the list. – 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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Caloocan court acquits jeepney drivers sued for protesting during lockdown

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 23:35

PISTON 6. Jeepney drivers dubbed "Piston 6" were cleared of their charge after a Caloocan City court acquitted them. Rappler MANILA, Philippines – A Caloocan City court acquitted jeepney drivers who were sued for protesting during the coronavirus pandemic-driven lockdowns in 2020. In a resolution on Friday, April 19, Caloocan City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 83 Presiding Judge Marlo Bermejo Campanilla granted the demurrer to evidence filed by Piston deputy secretary general Ruben Baylon Severino Ramos, Wilson Ramilla, Ramon Paloma, Elmer Cordero, and Arsenio Ymas dubbed “Piston 6.” UPDATE: A Caloocan City court sides with Piston 6 and acquits them with their simple resistance and disobedience case. The court grants the six's demurrer to evidence, which effectively junked the charge. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/tgUaQXVKar The six faced simple resistance and disobedience case. Granting the demurrer to evidence has the same effect as acquittal. “Patunay ito ng kawastuhan ng ating mga pagkilos laban sa PUVMP (public utility vehicles modernization program)! Lalo lamang nitong inilalantad ang walang habas na panunipil ng estado sa militanteng sama-samang pagkilos para pagtatanggol ng ating kabuhayan!” PISTON said in a statement. (This is a proof of the legality of our movement against the PUVMP. This case further highlights the state’s brazen crackdown against the militant movement to fight for our livelihood.) The six drivers were arrested in Caloocan on June 2, 2020, amid the lockdown, for holding a demonstration calling for the resumption of jeepney operations. The Piston 6 were brought to a precinct, and then to the Caloocan City Hall, where they learned they were charged with “disobedience to social distancing” and fined P3,000 each. Piston refuted the police’s claim, asserting that the drivers observed proper physical distancing and wore face masks during the protest. The six gained sympathy, especially Cordero, who was 72 years old at the 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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Bank funding for renewables exceeds coal, gas in past 3 years – report

Iya Gozum

19/04/2024 18:26

Wind turbines in a modern windmill farm. Photo from Shutterstock Photo from Shutterstock MANILA, Philippines – Total renewables financing from Philippine banks is now twice than that of fossil fuels, a report by policy think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) found. From 2009 to 2020, local banks funded $4.3 billion for the renewable industry. But after the coal moratorium in 2020, financing drastically increased in just a span of three years, amounting to $3.7 billion. This is more than double of what the coal industry got from local banks in the same period, which is $1.4 billion. Before that, coal financing from 2009 to 2020 reached $13.8 billion. While the decline in coal financing had been “drastic,” said Avril de Torres, deputy executive director of CEED, they are still concerned because a huge amount of money is still coming in. “Despite being lower than what it was before the coal moratorium, would that crowd out renewable energy?” De Torres said during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 17. “That’s a question that we want to keep answering as we continue scoring the banks,” she said. “But we do believe that the end of coal is near.” Gas, touted as the transition fuel towards renewables, is getting momentum as financing also increased after the coal moratorium. The report said that from 2021 to 2023, gas financing amounted to $1.2 billion from local banks, compared to the $296.5 million from 2009 to 2020. Mostly, however, it is the international banks that are funding gas expansion in the Philippines. However, despite this trend, banks continue to finance coal. In the past 14 years, the 15 banks in the report financed the coal industry with $15 billion. Meanwhile, the renewable industry got $8 billion in 14 years. CEED’s fossil fuel divestment scorecard this year accounts local banks’ renewable energy financing. The top five banks financing fossil fuels are: Bank of the Philippine Islands and Banco de Oro are both leading renewable energy financing, but they still remain the biggest funders for coal and gas. “China Bank and AUB’s massive gas financing from 2009 to 2020, and their lack of fossil fuel phaseout plans and sustainability policies earn them the high spots in the 2024 Scorecard,” the report read. The group noted that there were no coal or gas transactions recorded from April to December 2023. In December 2008, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the Renewable Energy Act which established the framework the development, advancement, and utilization of renewables in the country. Renewables make up 22% of the Philippines’ energy mix, according to the latest report from the Department of Energy. To reduce emissions, governments are working double time to shift to renewables. Renewable energy sources are naturally occurring. They replenish over time, like sunlight, water, wind, biomass, and geothermal resources. – 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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Cone hails Thompson return a ‘breath of fresh air’ as Ginebra wins 3 in a row

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 23:01

TAKE OVER. Scottie Thompson in action for Barangay Ginebra in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA Images MANILA, Philippines – The all-around play that Scottie Thompson provides has felt like a “breath of fresh air” for Ginebra. And that has been evident since he returned from an injury as Thompson steered the Gin Kings to their third straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup by way of an 87-83 victory over TNT at the PhilSports Arena on Friday, April 19. Thompson stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks to help Ginebra improve to 6-3 and secure its spot in the quarterfinals. Also coming through down the stretch, Thompson drained a crucial three-pointer with a minute left that broke an 83-83 tie and gave the Gin Kings just enough separation to fend off the Tropang Giga. “When Scottie came back, it was like a breath of fresh air. Everything came back with it,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. “Suddenly, the ball is whizzing around, we’re getting almost 30 assists a game. He is all over on the rebounds. The effort level that he brings is infectious with everybody else.” Thompson dealt with back issues and missed the first half of the elimination round as the Gin Kings lost three of their first six games, including a rare defeat to Terrafirma. But Ginebra has turned its fortunes around since Thompson came back, beating Blackwater, NorthPort, and TNT to climb to third place and stay in the hunt for a top-two finish that merits a win-once bonus in the quarterfinals. Over those three consecutive wins, Thompson averaged 10.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. “We put a lot of demands on Scottie and he delivers almost consistently, tremendously well all the time. It is very obvious the value he brings to us and how much we need him,” said Cone. Christian Standhardinger shared the spotlight with Thompson after churning out 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Japeth Aguilar also put up a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ralph Cu added 12 points and 6 rebounds for the Gin Kings, who got the job done despite frittering away a 21-point lead in the first half. Ginebra tasted its biggest lead of the game at 37-16 off a Sidney Onwubere triple early in the second quarter before the Tropang Giga knotted the score at 41-41 going into the break off a 25-4 run, setting up the tight finish. Roger Pogoy and Calvin Oftana fired 19 points each for TNT, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped and fell to 4-4. Barangay Ginebra 87 – Standhardinger 20, J. Aguilar 20, Thompson 17, Cu 12, Pinto 7, Ahanmisi 6, Onwubere 3, Pringle 2, David 0, Tenorio 0. TNT 83 – Pogoy 19, Oftana 19, B. Ganuelas-Rosser 12, K.Williams 10, Castro 9, Reyes 5, Montalbo 5, Galinato 4, Aurin 0, Ponferrada 0, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0. Quarters: 30-13, 41-41, 63-59, 87-83. – 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: May 2024 special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns

Miriam Grace Go

19/04/2024 14:50

MANILA, Philippines – This is a compilation of special non-working days in various localities in the Philippines for May 2024, as proclaimed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Bookmark this page for possible additional announcements from Malacañang. – 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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From P13-B, PNP says confiscated shabu went down to P9-B. How did this happen?

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 12:30

DRUG HAUL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspects the seized drugs in Batangas on April 16, 2024. Presidential Communications Office Early this week, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. boasted of its achievement: seizure of P13.3-billion worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine) in Batangas. The Philippine National Police (PNP) even called it “a historic milestone in Philippine law enforcement.” But in less than a week, authorities retracted their count of the seized drugs, raising questions about integrity. The police said that after their inventory with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) the actual weight of their seized drugs on April 15 was 1,424.253 kilos, and not 1.8 tons. This means that the estimated value should be P9.8 billion, and not P13.3 billion, as earlier reported. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos, who oversees the PNP, was quick to explain and held a press conference to clear the air. Abalos said the initial value was only based on their estimation. “Dahil ito’y napakarami, mahirap tantiyahin dito. So tinanong po namin, of course, kailangang i-assess mo ‘yan kung gaano karami. Puro estimate-estimate lang po ‘yan. Kung maririnig ‘nyo, paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, ‘Ito’y more or less, ito’y in-estimate ng PDEA, higit-kumulang…We just based it on experience of PDEA,” the DILG chief said on Thursday, April 18. (Since the drugs were a lot, it’s hard to estimate. So we asked, because we need to determine the quantity. We only did estimations. If you heard it, I said repeatedly, “More or less, the PDEA estimated this, more or less.” We just based it on PDEA’s experience.) PNP Calabarzon chief Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas has the same explanation. PDEA Deputy Director General Renato Gumban, meanwhile, explained how they do their estimations. “Mag-estimate lang naman, titingnan ang number of sacks, ilang average ang number of sacks. I-multiply mo lang naman ‘yon, tapos kunin mo ‘yong average per box na ‘yan. Usually mga one kilo, estimate average no’n. I-multiply mo siya sa street value ng meth, which is P6.8 million per kilo. ‘Yon ang lumabas na figures,” Gumban said during the press conference. (We only estimated by checking the number of sacks, what is the average number of sacks. You multiply the number and then you get the average per box. Usually, the estimate average is one kilo. You multiply it by the street value of meth, which is P6.8 million per kilo. That’s how we computed the figures.) Authorities said the drugs were seized during an operation in Barangay Pinagkrusan, in Alitagtag town at around 8 am. They arrested a certain “Al” for alleged violation of section 5 of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The PNP said the Alitagtag municipal police conducted a checkpoint operation based on intelligence that led to the illegal drugs’ confiscation. The national police added that the suspected shabu tested positive for Methamphetamine Hydrochloride during an initial screening conducted by the PDEA. The suspect now faces complaints for alleged violation of RA No. 9165 and Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code Rules. He is also under the custody of the Batangas provincial police. One can argue that the mistake can simply be attributed to human error; an honest mistake. But the PNP manual is clear: for warrantless seizures of drugs such as in buy busts, the integrity of the seized items must be preserved. According to the PNP Operational Procedures: “The photographing, markings, and physical inventory must be done at the place of apprehension, unless for justifiable reasons, the photographing, markings, and physical inventory may be made at the nearest police station or office of the apprehending officer or team, ensuring that the integrity and evidentiary value of the seized items remain intact and preserved.” Marcos was mighty proud of the Monday drug operation. In fact, Marcos himself went to Batangas to inspect the confiscated shabu. The operation came in handy for him to highlight his “different approach” against illegal drugs. “This is the biggest shipment of shabu na nahuli natin, but not one person died. Walang namatay, walang nagputukan, walang nasaktan. Basta’t inoperate natin nang dahan-dahan, ‘yon naman dapat ang approach,” Marcos said. (This is the biggest shipment of shabu that we’ve seized, but not one person died. No one died, no one was shot, no one was hurt. All we did was to operate carefully, because that should be the approach.) Human rights group iDEFEND pointed out the government’s continuing war on drugs policy. So far, Marcos has yet to repeal or retract former Rodrigo Duterte’s memorandum that operationalized Oplan Tokhang, where police officers were told they can “neutralize” resisting suspects. “This should be the norm, not the exception. Ph (Philippine) drug war continues to kill with impunity. Without repealing national policy on Tokhang, without prosecution of EJKs (extrajudicial killings), it remains lethal to Filipinos,” the group said. Former senator Leila de Lima, one of the fiercest critics of Duterte and his drug war, also reacted to Marcos’ remarks: “Puwede naman talagang magtagumpay ang kampanya laban sa droga nang walang patayan o karahasan. Mamamatay-tao lang kasi ‘yong dating pangulo.” (The campaign against drugs can really be successful without killings or violence. It just so happened that the former president is a killer.) When Marcos took office, he said his drug war would be slightly different – focusing on prevention and rehabilitation rather than law enforcement. Despite this, people continue to be killed. There have been 621 drug-related killings under the Marcos administration, as of April 15, based on the monitoring of Dahas Project. The initiative is led by the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies center and aims to monitor and record drug-related killings in the country. – 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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Rowers Cris Nievarez, Joanie Delgaco inch closer to Paris Olympics

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 20:10

FILIPINO BET. Rower Cris Nievarez in action for the Philippines. Philippine Rowing Association Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – Cris Nievarez and Joanie Delgaco inched closer to a Paris Games berth as they reached the semifinals of the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, on Friday, April 19. Eyeing a return trip to the Olympics after being the lone Filipino rower in the Tokyo Games, Nievarez earned his place in the semifinals of the men’s singles sculls by placing third in the repechage. Nievarez, who missed the top two semifinal cutoff in the heats as he finished fourth with a time of 7:32.26, clocked 7:32.84 in the repechage to advance. Meanwhile, Delgaco ended up at second in the heats of the women’s singles sculls with 8:04.96 to make the semifinals. Nievarez and Delgaco both need to finish in the top five of their respective categories to join the Philippines’ growing athlete roster for Paris. The men’s lightweight doubles sculls tandem of Rynjie Penaredondo and Zuriel Sumintac are also still in the running for the Olympics as they hope to stay alive through the repechage. Penaredondo and Sumintac placed fifth in the heats with 7:08.95. Nievarez, Delgaco, and the Penaredondo-Sumintac duo resume their campaigns on Saturday, April 20. – 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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Miko Calo of Metronome resigns as executive chef

Steph Arnaldo

19/04/2024 16:35

CHEF MIKO CALO. EAT Public Relations MANILA, Philippines – Chef Miko Calo has resigned from her position as executive chef of French fine dining restaurant Metronome, effective Thursday, April 18. Calo, on March 18, tendered her resignation from the award-winning restaurant in Makati City, which she helped bring to fame and acclaim since its inception in August 2019. In a press statement, Calo shared that it was a “difficult decision” to part ways with Metronome, but the chef felt the need “to explore new paths for her personal and professional well-being.” She also thanked the establishment for providing her the stage to “showcase her creative talents.” “For the past several months, the direction regarding Metronome’s future has led to divergent opinions among its leadership team. This situation had created a climate of unease and doubt,” she said. “I have always advocated for women in my industry to find their own space. A place where they can freely express their creativity and find fulfillment in their craft. Today, I walk the talk,” Calo added. Prior to Metronome, the Butuan-born chef built her stellar career abroad as a junior sous chef at L’ATALIER de Joël Robuchon and Restaurant Joël Robuchon in Singapore, as well as in various Joël Robuchon restaurants in Paris and London. She was first mentored by master chef Joël Robuchon at an internship in LA LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon, after being accepted at the prestigious FERRANDI Paris in Paris, France (formerly known as Ecole Grégoire-Ferrandi). Before moving abroad, Calo took entry-level jobs at Tivoli Grill at the Mandarin Oriental Manila and Hyatt Hotel Manila. As a young girl, Calo’s inspiration for cooking started at her grandmother’s home in Butuan, where she spent most of her time observing the daily routines of her large household – “memories of her aunts roasting home-grown cacao to be made into tsokolate or afternoons spent snacking on sea salt with her nanny while the cooks prepared the evening’s meal.” At the age of 13, Calo moved to Manila and lived with her aunt Susan Calo Medina, who showed young Miko the breadth of the gastronomic world and supported her future life in food. Located in Legazpi Village, Makati City, Metronome is a modern French restaurant known for its dégustation menus and collaborations with other notable chefs, such as Margarita Forés, Johanne Siy, Metiz’s Stephan Duhesme, Toyo Eatery’s Jordy Navarra, and Mōdan’s Jorge Mendez. – 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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Lassiter catches fire for unbeaten San Miguel, closes in on Yap in PBA 3-point list

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 21:17

VETERAN. Marcio Lassiter in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA Images MANILA, Philippines – No wonder Marcio Lassiter continues to climb the PBA all-time three-pointers list. Unfazed by his scoreless first half, Lassiter presided over a blistering third quarter to help San Miguel nail its quarterfinal seat in the Philippine Cup via a 112-103 win over Converge at the PhilSports Arena on Friday, April 19. Lassiter missed all of his five field goals in the first half, including four from beyond the arc, before he exploded for 17 of his 19 points in the third quarter as he knocked down five triples. His exploits from long distance allowed the Beermen to score a whopping 51 points in the third quarter that swung a 43-50 deficit to a commanding 94-70 lead on the way to their sixth win in as many games. “I just told him to keep on shooting because his hand is a waste if he does not shoot that ball,” said San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent of Lassiter. With five long bombs against the FiberXers, Lassiter moved just one trey away from tying Blackwater veteran James Yap, who has 1,194 career three-pointers and counting, for fourth place in the all-time list. Jimmy Alapag holds the PBA record with 1,250 triples followed by Allan Caidic (1,242) and Barangay Ginebra stalwart LA Tenorio (1,218 and counting). “I’m always confident in my shot. I just got to get it going, wake up, and that was kind of what I did,” said Lassiter. CJ Perez paced the unbeaten Beermen with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Don Trollano put up 19 points and 8 rebounds as they conspired with Lassiter in that huge third quarter. Perez and Trollano dropped 11 points each in the third period. Terrence Romeo chimed in 18 points and June Mar Fajardo supplied 14 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks to extend his double-double streak to 14 games. Alec Stockton reset his career high for the second straight game by firing 36 points on top of 6 rebounds and 4 assists, but Converge still remained winless and fell to 0-8 to officially bow out of playoff contention. San Miguel 112 – Perez 25, Lassiter 19, Trollano 19, Romeo 18, Fajardo 14, Brondial 4, Tautuaa 4, Teng 4, Enciso 3, manuel 2, Ross 0 Converge 103 – Stockton 34, Arana 18, Santos 14, Caralipio 13, Maagdenberg 6, Nieto 6, Fleming 3, Fornilos 2, Winston 2, Delos Santos 0, Andrade 0, Ambohot 0, Zaldivar 0. Quarters: 20-29, 43-50, 94-70, 112-103. – 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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Miko Calo of Metronome resigns as executive chef

Steph Arnaldo

19/04/2024 16:35

CHEF MIKO CALO. EAT Public Relations MANILA, Philippines – Chef Miko Calo has resigned from her position as executive chef of French fine dining restaurant Metronome, effective Thursday, April 18. Calo, on March 18, tendered her resignation from the award-winning restaurant in Makati City, which she helped bring to fame and acclaim since its inception in August 2019. In a press statement, Calo shared that it was a “difficult decision” to part ways with Metronome, but the chef felt the need “to explore new paths for her personal and professional well-being.” She also thanked the establishment for providing her the stage to “showcase her creative talents.” “For the past several months, the direction regarding Metronome’s future has led to divergent opinions among its leadership team. This situation had created a climate of unease and doubt,” she said. “I have always advocated for women in my industry to find their own space. A place where they can freely express their creativity and find fulfillment in their craft. Today, I walk the talk,” Calo added. Prior to Metronome, the Butuan-born chef built her stellar career abroad as a junior sous chef at L’ATALIER de Joël Robuchon and Restaurant Joël Robuchon in Singapore, as well as in various Joël Robuchon restaurants in Paris and London. She was first mentored by master chef Joël Robuchon at an internship in LA LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon, after being accepted at the prestigious FERRANDI Paris in Paris, France (formerly known as Ecole Grégoire-Ferrandi). Before moving abroad, Calo took entry-level jobs at Tivoli Grill at the Mandarin Oriental Manila and Hyatt Hotel Manila. As a young girl, Calo’s inspiration for cooking started at her grandmother’s home in Butuan, where she spent most of her time observing the daily routines of her large household – “memories of her aunts roasting home-grown cacao to be made into tsokolate or afternoons spent snacking on sea salt with her nanny while the cooks prepared the evening’s meal.” At the age of 13, Calo moved to Manila and lived with her aunt Susan Calo Medina, who showed young Miko the breadth of the gastronomic world and supported her future life in food. Located in Legazpi Village, Makati City, Metronome is a modern French restaurant known for its dégustation menus and collaborations with other notable chefs, such as Margarita Forés, Johanne Siy, Metiz’s Stephan Duhesme, Toyo Eatery’s Jordy Navarra, and Mōdan’s Jorge Mendez. – 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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Rowers Cris Nievarez, Joanie Delgaco inch closer to Paris Olympics

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 20:10

FILIPINO BET. Rower Cris Nievarez in action for the Philippines. Philippine Rowing Association Facebook page MANILA, Philippines – Cris Nievarez and Joanie Delgaco inched closer to a Paris Games berth as they reached the semifinals of the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, on Friday, April 19. Eyeing a return trip to the Olympics after being the lone Filipino rower in the Tokyo Games, Nievarez earned his place in the semifinals of the men’s singles sculls by placing third in the repechage. Nievarez, who missed the top two semifinal cutoff in the heats as he finished fourth with a time of 7:32.26, clocked 7:32.84 in the repechage to advance. Meanwhile, Delgaco ended up at second in the heats of the women’s singles sculls with 8:04.96 to make the semifinals. Nievarez and Delgaco both need to finish in the top five of their respective categories to join the Philippines’ growing athlete roster for Paris. The men’s lightweight doubles sculls tandem of Rynjie Penaredondo and Zuriel Sumintac are also still in the running for the Olympics as they hope to stay alive through the repechage. Penaredondo and Sumintac placed fifth in the heats with 7:08.95. Nievarez, Delgaco, and the Penaredondo-Sumintac duo resume their campaigns on Saturday, April 20. – 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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Bank funding for renewables exceeds coal, gas in past 3 years – report

Iya Gozum

19/04/2024 18:26

Wind turbines in a modern windmill farm. Photo from Shutterstock Photo from Shutterstock MANILA, Philippines – Total renewables financing from Philippine banks is now twice than that of fossil fuels, a report by policy think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) found. From 2009 to 2020, local banks funded $4.3 billion for the renewable industry. But after the coal moratorium in 2020, financing drastically increased in just a span of three years, amounting to $3.7 billion. This is more than double of what the coal industry got from local banks in the same period, which is $1.4 billion. Before that, coal financing from 2009 to 2020 reached $13.8 billion. While the decline in coal financing had been “drastic,” said Avril de Torres, deputy executive director of CEED, they are still concerned because a huge amount of money is still coming in. “Despite being lower than what it was before the coal moratorium, would that crowd out renewable energy?” De Torres said during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 17. “That’s a question that we want to keep answering as we continue scoring the banks,” she said. “But we do believe that the end of coal is near.” Gas, touted as the transition fuel towards renewables, is getting momentum as financing also increased after the coal moratorium. The report said that from 2021 to 2023, gas financing amounted to $1.2 billion from local banks, compared to the $296.5 million from 2009 to 2020. Mostly, however, it is the international banks that are funding gas expansion in the Philippines. However, despite this trend, banks continue to finance coal. In the past 14 years, the 15 banks in the report financed the coal industry with $15 billion. Meanwhile, the renewable industry got $8 billion in 14 years. CEED’s fossil fuel divestment scorecard this year accounts local banks’ renewable energy financing. The top five banks financing fossil fuels are: Bank of the Philippine Islands and Banco de Oro are both leading renewable energy financing, but they still remain the biggest funders for coal and gas. “China Bank and AUB’s massive gas financing from 2009 to 2020, and their lack of fossil fuel phaseout plans and sustainability policies earn them the high spots in the 2024 Scorecard,” the report read. The group noted that there were no coal or gas transactions recorded from April to December 2023. In December 2008, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the Renewable Energy Act which established the framework the development, advancement, and utilization of renewables in the country. Renewables make up 22% of the Philippines’ energy mix, according to the latest report from the Department of Energy. To reduce emissions, governments are working double time to shift to renewables. Renewable energy sources are naturally occurring. They replenish over time, like sunlight, water, wind, biomass, and geothermal resources. – 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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Over 1,500 Chinese secured student visas in Cagayan in 2023 – BI

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 14:08

IMMIGRATION CHIEF. In this photo, Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco attends the Senate investigation of human trafficking involving immigration officers, on November 29, 2022. Angie de Silva/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that a total of 1,516 Chinese were granted student visas in Cagayan, north of the Philippines, in 2023. The BI chief said on Friday, April 19, that all the Chinese were endorsed by a major Philippine university. Tansingco, however, said they received reports that only 400 Chinese are onsite, because the school is said to be implementing distance learning. Earlier, senators urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to investigate the “degree for sale” scheme in Cagayan. Under the scheme, Chinese students allegedly paid up to P2 million in exchange for a degree. University of the Philippines professor Chester Cabalza first exposed the alleged scheme, saying that Chinese students are not attending classes but still get their diplomas. Tansingco said the rise in the number of foreign students may be attributed to “post-pandemic rebound” and to the “aggressive marketing of schools and government agencies to boost the country’s educational tourism.” But amid this influx, Tansingco said these foreigners may be subjected to the government’s intelligence probe if they will be found involved in illegal activities. He added that Philippine laws allow the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to check on these foreigners’ activities that “appear to be inimical to the security of the State.” Tansingco explained that their basis is Executive Order (EO) No. 285, series of 2000. The EO established an interagency committee on foreign students composed of the CHED, BI, NICA, NBI, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Department of Education. The immigration chief also said that the BI may only issue student visas to foreigners who secured endorsements from a legitimate school and CHED. Aside from that, all schools that will accept foreigners are required to submit a regular report to the BI for monitoring. The BI will then monitor the foreigners’ visa compliance. The CHED will ensure that all education-related policies will be followed, while the NICA will probe suspicious activities. Tansingco added that the actions of foreign students “is worth looking at by government intelligence agencies” because this is part of the intelligence bodies’ mandate to ensure national security. “We hope that these concerns do not scare away legitimate students whose stay in the country could greatly help re-boost our economy,” Tansingco 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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‘The reason I can’t give up’: What Kris Aquino and Bimby’s relationship is like, as told on social media

jreyes0314

25/01/2024 18:02

Kris Aquino's Instagram MANILA, Philippines – It’s no secret that Kris Aquino has always been a doting mother to her two sons, Josh and Bimby, whom she would regularly post about on social media and unapologetically speak lovingly about on her past television appearances. Kris has been battling several autoimmune diseases since 2018. The 52-year-old moved to the US in 2022 to receive treatment and has remained there since. She has consistently been documenting her journey to recovery on her Instagram page – and her posts, including her replies to the comments under them, usually include anecdotes that paint a picture of her relationship with her youngest son, Bimby, who has stepped up to take care of her. In April 2023, Kris shared that Bimby is the reason why she has worked so hard to improve her health. A post shared by Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino (@krisaquino) “YOU are the reason I can’t give up, and I continue fighting what at times feels like a losing battle. BUT if there’s one thing I’m proud of, since the day you were born – 5 weeks early, weighing barely 4 pounds, I’ve kept my word, never breaking any promises I made to you,” Kris wrote. The Feng Shui star also thanked Bimby for being “so responsible and caring,” as their roles had now been reversed, with Bimby taking care of her. Kris also admitted that she prayed to still be “alive and cognizant” in 2025 when he turns 18. Bimby began helping take care of Kris in the US when she first began receiving treatment for her autoimmune diseases. In the same Instagram post, Kris shared that Bimby would usually do homeschooling from 7 am to 1 pm so he could allot the rest of his time helping Kris’ nurses take care of her. “Because you’re the one who can so easily lift, shift, move, and position me when my inflammation is awful and my entire body hurts,” Kris said. In June 2023, he flew back to the Philippines to celebrate his 16th birthday with his family and friends. Kris shared in a separate post that he “deserved to enjoy being 16” as he has had to watch her go from battling three autoimmune diseases to five within the span of a year. A post shared by Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino (@krisaquino) “Bimb and I discussed it, nakikita ko ‘yung (I could see the) stress and anxiety my bunso was feeling. He’s had to grow up so fast because he needed to learn to be responsible in helping [take] care of me. Kawawa kasi nakikita niya (I feel bad for him because he sees) the many new physical manifestations, because from 3 when we came to the [US] a year ago, naging 5 na ‘yung diagnosed autoimmune conditions ko (My diagnosed autoimmune conditions grew to 5). As his mama I felt for a few months he deserves to enjoy being 16,” Kris wrote. In July 2023, Kris revealed that she experienced “deep bone pain” in her joints and also had a swollen knee and lower back pain. She told Bimby that he would have to come back to the US earlier from his trip back to the Philippines. A post shared by Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino (@krisaquino) Her older son, Josh, had also volunteered to visit her in Los Angeles with Bimby. On January 21, Kris revealed that her current health condition has become more complex after an onset of lupus, another type of autoimmune disease. When Cornerstone Entertainment, Inc. handler Cristine Calawod commented her well wishes for Kris, the actress-TV host admitted that there is a possibility Bimby would go home after her birthday to start working. “He needs to work because my medical bills are getting higher and higher. But Tin, the stage mom is already saying NO to a name change. He’ll stay as Bimb. No last name, like Drake,” Kris said in her reply to Calawod. GET WELL SOON, KRIS! 😷In an Instagram exchange, Kris Aquino tells Cornerstone Entertainment artists handler Cristine Calawod that her son Bimby will return to the Philippines to work as her medical bills are “getting higher and higher.”The former TV host, now based in the… pic.twitter.com/2olhmxQzRo In July 2023, Kris’ longtime co-host Boy Abunda accompanied Bimby to meet with Cornerstone Entertainment executives to see if Bimby could possibly begin a career in show business. “Totoo po ‘yan na sa pag-uusap namin, we were trying to explore the possibilities, kung pwede bang mag-artista si Bimb, ano ba ang aming gagawin…but it was more of an exploratory meeting. Mayroon po ‘yang permisyo ng kanyang ina, ang aking kaibigan na si Kris Aquino,” Boy explained in Episode 116 of Fast Talk With Boy Abunda. (It’s true that during our discussion, we were trying to explore the possibilities of Bimb becoming a celebrity and what we should do…but it was more of an exploratory meeting. We got permission from his mother, my friend Kris Aquino.) Boy also mentioned that since the Cornerstone team was in the US, he hoped that Kris, Bimby, and the agency would discuss matters further regarding Bimby’s possible showbiz career. While Kris, Boy, and Cornerstone have yet to share the details of Bimby’s possible foray into the same industry his mother has made a name for herself in, it’s clear that he has grown up to be a responsible son who wouldn’t think twice about caring for Kris. – 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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BDO nets P73.4 billion in 2023

Ralf Rivas

27/02/2024 10:38

Shutterstock MANILA, Philippines – The Sy family’s BDO Unibank posted a net income of P73.4 billion in 2023 – a 28.5% jump from last year’s P57.1 billion – on the back of growth from its core business. BDO’s net interest income reached P186.4 billion as loans from customers increased by 9% to P28.5 trillion. Meanwhile, total deposits went up by 11% to P3.5 trillion. Non-interest income reached P84 billion on the back of fee-based, treasury, and foreign exchange businesses. The bank’s non-performing loan ratio, a measure of souring debt, continued to decline to 1.85%. The latest earnings figures were above analyst estimates. “This was above COL estimates at 106% of our full-year forecast, while in line with consensus estimates at 100.2%. On our part, the outperformance was due to higher-than-expected revenues,” COL Financial said in a research note to investors. – 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 chickens feel the heat, shrink eggs

Herbie G

19/04/2024 15:30

ENOUGH BUT SMALL. The egg supply at the Bacolod Central Market is sufficient, but the eggs are smaller. Erwin Delilan/Rappler BACOLOD, Philippines – People are not the only ones frying eggs these days in Negros Occidental. The scorching heat has turned the province into a poultry sauna, leaving chickens clucking about their miniaturized offerings. Chicken egg sizes in Negros Occidental are shrinking due to “excessive heat,” and the pricing has also been affected, Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana said on Thursday, April 18. “There are no more jumbo eggs available in the markets in the province right now because of the El Niño phenomenon,” Lemano said. The largest eggs buyers can find in the local market are actually medium-sized, which command prices ranging from P6 to P8.25 a piece, showed data from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bantay Presyo. A drought has been wreaking havoc in Negros Occidental and at least four other provinces in Western Mindanao, and agriculture officials were worried that the situation would worsen in the coming days. One province, Antique, has been declared under a state of calamity on Thursday. The website www.kalmbachfeeds.com explains that when a hen breathes heavily to cool down, it produces a lot of carbon dioxide, which upsets the balance of pH in its bloodstream. Such an imbalance causes calcium in the hen’s blood to mix with other nutrients, affecting how eggshells are formed. Lemana said the rising temperatures have started to adversely affect the P8-billion poultry industry in Negros Occidental, a province that produces an average of 1.2 million eggs daily. Negrenses alone consume 900,000 to a million eggs each day, data from both the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) and Negros Occidental Layers’ Association (NOLA) showed. Lemana advised the province’s poultry raisers to provide their chickens with enough water mixed with sugar to maintain their energy amid intense and rising temperatures. She also advised poultry raisers to reduce the number of chickens per cage for better ventilation. Aside from smaller eggs and stunted chicken growth, Lemana said they have not documented chickens dying of heat stroke in the province. Eric Magdato, an egg vendor at the Bacolod Central Market, confirmed that large eggs have become a rare sight in the public market where he works. Magdato, however, said he was told by suppliers that the egg sizes were being affected not necessarily because of the El Niño, but because of the aging chickens. He pointed out that it’s culling season now for old chickens. He said he and other vendors were also buying eggs from Bantayan Island in Cebu, and Barangay Dulao in Bago City. Aljun Cabalfin, the head cook at the Turf Cafe on San Juan Street, Bacolod, said the establishment was not affected by the shrinking eggs, because they prefer to serve medium-sized eggs, and these are available in the market. – 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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Cagayan schools deny allegations on Chinese students

gdecastro0289

19/04/2024 12:35

VIGAN CITY, Philippines – Several higher education institutions (HEIs) in Cagayan refuted a House of Representatives resolution that raised concerns about the supposed increasing number of Chinese students enrolled in tertiary schools in the province. Representatives Joseph Lara and Faustino Dy V had filed separate resolutions urging the lower house to investigate the situation in Tuguegarao City, the capital of Cagayan. House Resolution 1666, filed by Lara, described the situation as “highly suspicious and alarming.” However, the heads of St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP), Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines (MCNP), University of Cagayan Valley (UCV), and University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao (USLT) criticized the allegations and concerns as “a display of racism and Sinophobia.” “The insinuation that the presence of Chinese students in the City’s Universities poses a threat to national security is not only baseless but also deeply offensive. It is a blatant display of racism and Sinophobia that has no place in our society, especially within the realm of education,” the schools said in a Thursday, April 18 joint statement. They also disputed the reported 4,600 Chinese students enrolled, claiming the figure was “not only grossly overstated but completely baseless.” According to them, as of April 17, SPUP had 486 foreign graduate students, while the three other schools “do not have foreign students at the moment.” In their statement, the four Cagayan HEIs explained that they have “stringent admission criteria and screening process” to ensure that applicants are qualified. They also presumed regularity in accepting the students since the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration vetted the applicants. “We take the safety and security of our students and faculty seriously, and any insinuation otherwise is not only unfounded but also insulting,” the schools said. They also denied allegations that Cagayan universities are “diploma mills,” rejecting claims that Chinese students spend up to P2 million to obtain degrees. The schools said this is “not only insulting but may also be libelous.” They also criticized the suggestion that the Chinese students are spies, stating that this is “unfounded” and “perpetuates harmful stereotypes.” In a statement also on Thursday, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said that while SPUP has a “significant number of Chinese students enrolled,” no other colleges and universities in Cagayan have Chinese students. “SPUP is a higher educational institution granted autonomous status by CHED since 2002 and has an Authority to Accept Foreign Students by the Bureau of Immigration,” said CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera. He also said the agency had not received any complaints regarding SPUP’s alleged violation of Joint Memorandum Order No. 01-2017 of the Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students. “On the security aspect, we leave the matter to the expertise of our security agencies to investigate and recommend appropriate actions. We will support and attend congressional investigations and other inter-agency meetings concerning these allegations,” De Vera 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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Antique now under state of calamity due to drought

Herbie G

19/04/2024 13:27

CALAMITY. Kabankalan City senior agriculturist Frieda Paclibar reports about the affects of the drought in the city on Thursday, April 18. The city in Negros Occidental has been declared under a state of calamity. Miguel Zayco FB page BACOLOD, Philippines – The provincial board of Antique declared the province under a state of calamity due to a drought affecting five provinces in Western Visayas. Raul Fernandez, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) director for Western Visayas, said on Friday, April 19, that Antique’s legislature made the declaration during an online session a day earlier based on the recommendation of the province’s disaster risk reduction team. The declaration would allow the provincial government to tap into its reserve funds to cushion the effects of the scorching heat and dry weather conditions exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon. Officials said Antique has so far suffered damage to crops, fishery, and livestock estimated at P213 million. Provincewide, about 50,292 people or about 12,552 families from 281 barangays have seriously suffered as a result of the weather conditions. Before the Antique declaration, five local governments in Western Visayas separately declared a state of calamity in the towns of San Enrique in Negros Occidental, Sibalom, Anini-y, and Laua-an in Antique, and Sara in Iloilo province. The city council of Kabankalan, a component city of Negros Occidental, also passed a resolution on Thursday afternoon, placing the entire city under a state of calamity. Officials said the dry weather conditions and rising temperatures adversely affected 42.5% of the agricultural livelihood of Kabankalan residents. Kabankalan senior agriculturist Frieda Paclibar said the number of impacted farmers and fisherfolk in the city reached 4,414, and about 3,239 hectares of farmland were damaged. Kabankalan Mayor Benjie Miranda said almost all the 32 villages of the southern Negros city received rations of water after their sources of water dried up due to the extreme heat. Kabankalan City has an agricultural land area of over 7,582 hectares with 10,384 farmers and fisherfolk. The data exclude data on affected sugarcane farms and farmers. A report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) shows that the damage caused by the drought to the city’s rice and corn fields has reached more than P40 million. Kabankalan acting agriculturist Ricky Muscosa told Rappler said they were anticipating the number of affected farmers and the amount of damage to increase as the weather conditions worsen. Muscosa said the village of Tampalon was among the worst hit, with 343.99 hectares of damaged farms. Kabankalan Vice Mayor Miguel Zayco said the local government should provide aid even to sugarcane farmers, noting the absence of data regarding the damage to the local sugarcane industry. Meanwhile, Fernandez, chairman of the region’s disaster risk reduction and management council, said the Task Force El Niño in Western Visayas will convene in Iloilo City on Monday, April 22, to make an overall assessment of the effects and damage caused by the scorching heat and dry weather conditions in the region. – 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: May 2024 special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns

Miriam Grace Go

19/04/2024 14:50

MANILA, Philippines – This is a compilation of special non-working days in various localities in the Philippines for May 2024, as proclaimed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Bookmark this page for possible additional announcements from Malacañang. – 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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Over 1,500 Chinese secured student visas in Cagayan in 2023 – BI

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 14:08

IMMIGRATION CHIEF. In this photo, Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco attends the Senate investigation of human trafficking involving immigration officers, on November 29, 2022. Angie de Silva/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that a total of 1,516 Chinese were granted student visas in Cagayan, north of the Philippines, in 2023. The BI chief said on Friday, April 19, that all the Chinese were endorsed by a major Philippine university. Tansingco, however, said they received reports that only 400 Chinese are onsite, because the school is said to be implementing distance learning. Earlier, senators urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to investigate the “degree for sale” scheme in Cagayan. Under the scheme, Chinese students allegedly paid up to P2 million in exchange for a degree. University of the Philippines professor Chester Cabalza first exposed the alleged scheme, saying that Chinese students are not attending classes but still get their diplomas. Tansingco said the rise in the number of foreign students may be attributed to “post-pandemic rebound” and to the “aggressive marketing of schools and government agencies to boost the country’s educational tourism.” But amid this influx, Tansingco said these foreigners may be subjected to the government’s intelligence probe if they will be found involved in illegal activities. He added that Philippine laws allow the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to check on these foreigners’ activities that “appear to be inimical to the security of the State.” Tansingco explained that their basis is Executive Order (EO) No. 285, series of 2000. The EO established an interagency committee on foreign students composed of the CHED, BI, NICA, NBI, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Department of Education. The immigration chief also said that the BI may only issue student visas to foreigners who secured endorsements from a legitimate school and CHED. Aside from that, all schools that will accept foreigners are required to submit a regular report to the BI for monitoring. The BI will then monitor the foreigners’ visa compliance. The CHED will ensure that all education-related policies will be followed, while the NICA will probe suspicious activities. Tansingco added that the actions of foreign students “is worth looking at by government intelligence agencies” because this is part of the intelligence bodies’ mandate to ensure national security. “We hope that these concerns do not scare away legitimate students whose stay in the country could greatly help re-boost our economy,” Tansingco 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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Over 1,500 Chinese secured student visas in Cagayan in 2023 – BI

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 14:08

IMMIGRATION CHIEF. In this photo, Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco attends the Senate investigation of human trafficking involving immigration officers, on November 29, 2022. Angie de Silva/Rappler MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that a total of 1,516 Chinese were granted student visas in Cagayan, north of the Philippines, in 2023. The BI chief said on Friday, April 19, that all the Chinese were endorsed by a major Philippine university. Tansingco, however, said they received reports that only 400 Chinese are onsite, because the school is said to be implementing distance learning. Earlier, senators urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to investigate the “degree for sale” scheme in Cagayan. Under the scheme, Chinese students allegedly paid up to P2 million in exchange for a degree. University of the Philippines professor Chester Cabalza first exposed the alleged scheme, saying that Chinese students are not attending classes but still get their diplomas. Tansingco said the rise in the number of foreign students may be attributed to “post-pandemic rebound” and to the “aggressive marketing of schools and government agencies to boost the country’s educational tourism.” But amid this influx, Tansingco said these foreigners may be subjected to the government’s intelligence probe if they will be found involved in illegal activities. He added that Philippine laws allow the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to check on these foreigners’ activities that “appear to be inimical to the security of the State.” Tansingco explained that their basis is Executive Order (EO) No. 285, series of 2000. The EO established an interagency committee on foreign students composed of the CHED, BI, NICA, NBI, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Department of Education. The immigration chief also said that the BI may only issue student visas to foreigners who secured endorsements from a legitimate school and CHED. Aside from that, all schools that will accept foreigners are required to submit a regular report to the BI for monitoring. The BI will then monitor the foreigners’ visa compliance. The CHED will ensure that all education-related policies will be followed, while the NICA will probe suspicious activities. Tansingco added that the actions of foreign students “is worth looking at by government intelligence agencies” because this is part of the intelligence bodies’ mandate to ensure national security. “We hope that these concerns do not scare away legitimate students whose stay in the country could greatly help re-boost our economy,” Tansingco 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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Amid piling DLSU woes, Shevana Laput leans on RDJ system that has ‘worked for 20 years’

jisaga0269

17/04/2024 18:43

DOWN BUT NOT OUT. La Salle spikers Angel Canino (left) and Baby Jyne Soreño in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament. UAAP SEASON 86 MEDIA TEAM MANILA, Philippines – The La Salle Lady Spikers are now in the thick of twice-to-beat Final Four contention in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament alongside fellow title hunters NU and UST. Beneath the facade of an encouraging 10-2 win-loss standings card, however, lies a mounting list of problems for the defending champions, including another untimely injury to opposite hitter Baby Jyne Soreño early in La Salle’s four-set win over Adamson on Wednesday, April 17. Already missing injured MVP Angel Canino for the third straight contest, which the Lady Spikers won 17-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-22, the battered champions are now bracing for the possibility that Soreño may have dislocated her left shoulder after colliding with a teammate on a dig attempt in the first set. Shevana Laput, one of La Salle’s few remaining consistent wingers, remained unfazed, however, as she bared her simple mindset ahead of the Lady Spikers’ last two elimination round games in pursuit of a coveted twice-to-beat berth. “We just need to listen to what the coaches are saying and stick to our system,” she said after powering down a game-high 24 points. “No matter what happens, no matter if there’s an injury on the court, or we lose a set, if we go back to our system, which has worked for over 20 years, we can win this.” “When we give our all, when we give our effort, when we play with our hearts as well as our minds, we can do anything.” Without Canino and Soreño, La Salle’s wing rotation is now thinner than ever, as veteran outside hitter Maicah Larroza has since moved to the starting six alongside Laput, captain setter Julia Coronel, and middle blockers Thea Gagate and Amie Provido. Beyond those players, no other Lady Spiker has played significant minutes this season to warrant a big role in the Final Four and perhaps beyond. Still, Laput remains convinced that no matter who is left in the trenches, they still have what it takes to live up to their lofty title-or-bust expectations under coaching legend Ramil de Jesus. “We’re working on our lapses. But that’s not only on just skills, because volleyball is really a mental game,” Laput continued. “We always need to play with confidence. That’s something that we’re still learning as a team, which is fine, obviously. This is all still experience.” “When we get to the semis, finals, all that, that’s when we need to be adjusted and ready for it.” – 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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Big bounce back as Carlos Yulo reaches vault, parallel bars finals in Doha World Cup

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 10:20

FOCUS. Carlos Yulo in action for the Philippines in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. Linee Yeo/Artistic Gymnastics World Championships MANILA, Philippines – It did not take long for Carlos Yulo to show that on his best days, he is still a force to be reckoned with. Redeeming himself from his floor exercise flub, Yulo reached the finals of vault and parallel bars in the Doha, Qatar leg of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series on Thursday, April 18. He placed second in the qualification for both apparatuses, earning 14.966 points in vault and 14.633 points in parallel bars to get a crack at two medals as he continues to gear up for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, France. Yulo wowed in his first vault with 15.3 points – the highest out of the 25 competitors – and scored 14.633 points in his second vault to finish behind Armenia’s Artur Davtyan in the apparatus where he is a former world champion. Davtyan, the Tokyo Games bronze medalist in vault, topped the field with 15.116 points. In parallel bars, only Uzbekistan’s Rasuljon Abdurakhimov recorded a higher score than Yulo with 14.9 points. Yulo – who already booked his Olympic ticket in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship last October – quickly regained his bearings a day after surprisingly failing to reach the floor exercise final, considering he won bronze in the apparatus in the Baku, Azerbaijan leg in March. A former floor exercise world champion, Yulo tallied just 12.666 points in the qualification on Wednesday, April 17, to end up at 21st place out of 28 participants. Joining Yulo and Davtyan in the vault final are Audrys Nin Reyes of Dominican Republic, James Bacueti of Australia, Niccolo Vannucchi of Italy, Chun Chen Ng of Malaysia, Aurel Benovic of Croatia, and Yahor Sharamkou of Belarus. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei’s Hung Yuan-Hsi, Brazil’s Diogo Soares and Caio Souza, Kazakhstan’s Milad Karimi, and Italy’s Lay Giannini and Nicolo Mozzato complete the cast in the parallel bars final. The vault and parallel bars finals are set on Saturday, April 20. In women’s action, Levi Jung-Ruivivar placed 11th in the qualification for balance beam with 12.566 points, securing the third reserve spot in the final. Jung-Ruivivar resumes her campaign on Friday, April 19, as she competes in the uneven bars final with hopes of punching her ticket to the Paris 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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Emma Malabuyo awaits Olympic fate after falling short of floor exercise final in Doha World Cup

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 11:39

PERFORM. The Philippines' Emma Malabuyo in action for the UCLA Gymnastics Team in the US NCAA. UCLA Gymnastics Instagram page MANILA, Philippines – The prospect of qualifying for the Paris Olympics remains promising for Emma Malabuyo, but her fate is now out of her hands. The Filipina-American bet can only hope for the best as she fell short of reaching the final of the women’s floor exercise in the Doha, Qatar leg of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series on Thursday, April 18. She narrowly missed the top eight cutoff for the final, placing 10th in the qualification with 12.533 points. Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour emerged as the top qualifier with 13.5 points followed by Great Britain’s Ruby Evans (13.266) and Sweden’s Jennifer Williams (13.133) at second and third, respectively, Spain’s Laura Casabuena (13.066), Austria’s Charlize Moerz (12.933), Kazakhstan’s Aida Bauyrzhanova (12.8), Egypt’s Jana Mahmoud (12.733), and Italy’s Chiara Barzasi (12.733) completed the final cast. Nevertheless, Malabuyo is still in the hunt for a coveted Paris berth as she aims to stay in the top two of the uneven bars rankings to conclude the four-leg World Cup Series, which ends in Doha. Malabuyo ranks second in uneven bars with 69 points after garnering 30 points in Cairo, Egypt, 14 points in Cottbus, Germany, and 25 points in Baku, Azerbaijan. Only the three highest scores out of the four World Cups will be considered for the Olympic qualification rankings, so those 69 points will remain unchanged as Malabuyo is set to receive just 12 points for her finish in Doha. The corresponding points for each placing in the World Cup are 30 for first, 25 for second, 20 for third, 18 for fourth, 16 for fifth, 14 for sixth, 12 for seventh, and 10 for eighth. Malabuyo got 30 points in Cairo despite finishing second and 25 points in Baku despite finishing sixth since gymnasts who already qualified or whose countries have qualified teams for Paris are excluded in the rankings. With Moerz punching her ticket to Paris as she is guaranteed to top the uneven bars rankings with at least 80 points, the last Olympic seat up for grabs in the apparatus will be disputed by Malabuyo and Casabuena. Casabuena has 45 points earned from two World Cup legs and must gain 25 or 30 points in order to unseat Malabuyo. Since Nemour is already qualified for the Olympics and Evans and Barzasi come from countries who have qualified teams in Paris, Malabuyo needs Casabuena to finish as the third-highest eligible gymnast at best. Malabuyo awaits her Olympic fate as the uneven bars final unfolds on Saturday, April 20. – 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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Cagayan schools deny allegations on Chinese students

gdecastro0289

19/04/2024 12:35

VIGAN CITY, Philippines – Several higher education institutions (HEIs) in Cagayan refuted a House of Representatives resolution that raised concerns about the supposed increasing number of Chinese students enrolled in tertiary schools in the province. Representatives Joseph Lara and Faustino Dy V had filed separate resolutions urging the lower house to investigate the situation in Tuguegarao City, the capital of Cagayan. House Resolution 1666, filed by Lara, described the situation as “highly suspicious and alarming.” However, the heads of St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP), Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines (MCNP), University of Cagayan Valley (UCV), and University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao (USLT) criticized the allegations and concerns as “a display of racism and Sinophobia.” “The insinuation that the presence of Chinese students in the City’s Universities poses a threat to national security is not only baseless but also deeply offensive. It is a blatant display of racism and Sinophobia that has no place in our society, especially within the realm of education,” the schools said in a Thursday, April 18 joint statement. They also disputed the reported 4,600 Chinese students enrolled, claiming the figure was “not only grossly overstated but completely baseless.” According to them, as of April 17, SPUP had 486 foreign graduate students, while the three other schools “do not have foreign students at the moment.” In their statement, the four Cagayan HEIs explained that they have “stringent admission criteria and screening process” to ensure that applicants are qualified. They also presumed regularity in accepting the students since the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration vetted the applicants. “We take the safety and security of our students and faculty seriously, and any insinuation otherwise is not only unfounded but also insulting,” the schools said. They also denied allegations that Cagayan universities are “diploma mills,” rejecting claims that Chinese students spend up to P2 million to obtain degrees. The schools said this is “not only insulting but may also be libelous.” They also criticized the suggestion that the Chinese students are spies, stating that this is “unfounded” and “perpetuates harmful stereotypes.” In a statement also on Thursday, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said that while SPUP has a “significant number of Chinese students enrolled,” no other colleges and universities in Cagayan have Chinese students. “SPUP is a higher educational institution granted autonomous status by CHED since 2002 and has an Authority to Accept Foreign Students by the Bureau of Immigration,” said CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera. He also said the agency had not received any complaints regarding SPUP’s alleged violation of Joint Memorandum Order No. 01-2017 of the Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students. “On the security aspect, we leave the matter to the expertise of our security agencies to investigate and recommend appropriate actions. We will support and attend congressional investigations and other inter-agency meetings concerning these allegations,” De Vera 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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Ex-SunStar Bacolod workers face allegations of estafa, theft of over P2.3M

jsitchon0312

19/04/2024 11:42

NEWS GROUP. SunStar Bacolod filed qualified theft and estafa charges against its former employees before the Bacolod City Prosecutor's Office on Tuesday, April 16, in relation to overpriced transactions and tampered receipts from January to June 2023. SunStar Bacolod Publishing Inc. CEBU, Philippines – SunStar Bacolod filed a complaint for qualified theft and estafa before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, April 16, against two of its marketing and business executives for allegedly costing the news group some P2.3 million in unaccounted transactions. SunStar Bacolod lawyer Jasper Pelayo identified those being held liable by the media company as Leilanne Kho and Quinly Golez, former business manager and marketing assistant, respectively, of the newspaper. Pelayo told Rappler on Thursday evening, April 18, that Kho conspired with Golez in allegedly tampering with official receipts and overpricing advertisement placement rates. “They were caught in the act of tampering with official receipts,” he said. After an internal audit of transaction records, the SunStar Bacolod management alleged that the tampering occurred several times from January 2023 to June 2023. The media company alleged that the amount included P1.87 million worth of ads published in the newspaper without contracts and an underdeclaration of P474,351 of overpriced ads. Pelayo said some of the advertisements that did not have contracts were paid for by government entities that supposedly required official contracts. Prior to the termination of their employment on September 1, 2023, the former employees were served a notice to explain on August 2, 2023. In a letter of explanation and resignation dated August 4, 2023, Golez admitted that it was her idea to tamper with the receipts, according to the media company. In another letter, also dated August 4, 2023, Kho admitted that she agreed with Golez’s proposition and received a cut from the funds, alleged SunStar Bacolod. The management also alleged that Golez acted as a SunStar agent and accepted advertisement materials despite being suspended in August. “The custody of the contracts was with the business manager and marketing assistant… Through their powers, they tampered with the contracts and abused the trust of the company,” he said. Pelayo said the acts also qualify for estafa because “the stolen funds did not enter the company’s coffers and were instead used by Golez and Kho.” SunStar Bacolod is seeking at least P300,000 in exemplary damages from Kho and Golez. Kho started work with SunStar Bacolod on November 18, 2013 while Golez was with the company since May 17, 2017 until their services were terminated.. Rappler repeatedly tried to call Golez and Kho on the phone for a comment but they have yet to respond. This article will be updated once their statement is received. – 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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Liza Marcos laughs off rumors of future senatorial bid

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 11:01

SPOUSE. First Lady Liza Marcos poses for a selfie during "Indak ng Musika," the second show from “Goldenberg, The Concert Series," in Malacañang in April 2024. Social Secretary's Office MANILA, Philippines – First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos brushed aside speculations that she is considering a political bid in the future. In an interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna aired on Friday, April 19, Marcos denied that her projects were fueled by her desire to become part of the Senate. “My favorite is, ‘Oh I’m doing Lab for All because I’m going to run for Senate.’ Pati ba naman ‘yan nilagyan ng [malisya] (Why would they even attach malice to that?),” she said. Marcos explained that the Lab for All program – an outreach medical exam for underprivileged individuals – started because she had time to spare while waiting for her class to start at the West Visayas State University in Iloilo City. Marcos said she is no stranger to being the subject of speculations about her political plans, especially when her husband – now-President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – was still a local politician in Ilocos Norte. Sometime later in the interview, when asked about the attacks against her now that she’s the First Lady, she quipped: “Hindi naman ako tatakbo (I won’t run anyway).” A Rappler profile of Marcos in July 2023 said there had been an “exploratory team” evaluating whether the First Lady could jumpstart a political career of her own, according to several sources. A 2025 run, if ever, could complicate the senatorial race, as her sister-in-law Senator Imee Marcos is seeking reelection. It is an open secret that Liza and Imee don’t always see eye to eye, and the strained relationship was evident during her interview with Taberna. “Well, every Sunday, we have a family lunch. Once my mother-in-law (Imelda Marcos) said, ‘Hija, ‘di mo iniimbita si Imee sa mga ano (You don’t invite Imee to our gatherings).’ ‘Mom, ako pa? May group chat kami. Lahat sila nandiyan (We have a group chat, mom. All of them are there),'” Liza recalled. “She’s always invited.” – 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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From P13-B, PNP says confiscated shabu went down to P9-B. How did this happen?

Jairo Bolledo

19/04/2024 12:30

DRUG HAUL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspects the seized drugs in Batangas on April 16, 2024. Presidential Communications Office Early this week, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. boasted of its achievement: seizure of P13.3-billion worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine) in Batangas. The Philippine National Police (PNP) even called it “a historic milestone in Philippine law enforcement.” But in less than a week, authorities retracted their count of the seized drugs, raising questions about integrity. The police said that after their inventory with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) the actual weight of their seized drugs on April 15 was 1,424.253 kilos, and not 1.8 tons. This means that the estimated value should be P9.8 billion, and not P13.3 billion, as earlier reported. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos, who oversees the PNP, was quick to explain and held a press conference to clear the air. Abalos said the initial value was only based on their estimation. “Dahil ito’y napakarami, mahirap tantiyahin dito. So tinanong po namin, of course, kailangang i-assess mo ‘yan kung gaano karami. Puro estimate-estimate lang po ‘yan. Kung maririnig ‘nyo, paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, ‘Ito’y more or less, ito’y in-estimate ng PDEA, higit-kumulang…We just based it on experience of PDEA,” the DILG chief said on Thursday, April 18. (Since the drugs were a lot, it’s hard to estimate. So we asked, because we need to determine the quantity. We only did estimations. If you heard it, I said repeatedly, “More or less, the PDEA estimated this, more or less.” We just based it on PDEA’s experience.) PNP Calabarzon chief Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas has the same explanation. PDEA Deputy Director General Renato Gumban, meanwhile, explained how they do their estimations. “Mag-estimate lang naman, titingnan ang number of sacks, ilang average ang number of sacks. I-multiply mo lang naman ‘yon, tapos kunin mo ‘yong average per box na ‘yan. Usually mga one kilo, estimate average no’n. I-multiply mo siya sa street value ng meth, which is P6.8 million per kilo. ‘Yon ang lumabas na figures,” Gumban said during the press conference. (We only estimated by checking the number of sacks, what is the average number of sacks. You multiply the number and then you get the average per box. Usually, the estimate average is one kilo. You multiply it by the street value of meth, which is P6.8 million per kilo. That’s how we computed the figures.) Authorities said the drugs were seized during an operation in Barangay Pinagkrusan, in Alitagtag town at around 8 am. They arrested a certain “Al” for alleged violation of section 5 of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The PNP said the Alitagtag municipal police conducted a checkpoint operation based on intelligence that led to the illegal drugs’ confiscation. The national police added that the suspected shabu tested positive for Methamphetamine Hydrochloride during an initial screening conducted by the PDEA. The suspect now faces complaints for alleged violation of RA No. 9165 and Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code Rules. He is also under the custody of the Batangas provincial police. One can argue that the mistake can simply be attributed to human error; an honest mistake. But the PNP manual is clear: for warrantless seizures of drugs such as in buy busts, the integrity of the seized items must be preserved. According to the PNP Operational Procedures: “The photographing, markings, and physical inventory must be done at the place of apprehension, unless for justifiable reasons, the photographing, markings, and physical inventory may be made at the nearest police station or office of the apprehending officer or team, ensuring that the integrity and evidentiary value of the seized items remain intact and preserved.” Marcos was mighty proud of the Monday drug operation. In fact, Marcos himself went to Batangas to inspect the confiscated shabu. The operation came in handy for him to highlight his “different approach” against illegal drugs. “This is the biggest shipment of shabu na nahuli natin, but not one person died. Walang namatay, walang nagputukan, walang nasaktan. Basta’t inoperate natin nang dahan-dahan, ‘yon naman dapat ang approach,” Marcos said. (This is the biggest shipment of shabu that we’ve seized, but not one person died. No one died, no one was shot, no one was hurt. All we did was to operate carefully, because that should be the approach.) Human rights group iDEFEND pointed out the government’s continuing war on drugs policy. So far, Marcos has yet to repeal or retract former Rodrigo Duterte’s memorandum that operationalized Oplan Tokhang, where police officers were told they can “neutralize” resisting suspects. “This should be the norm, not the exception. Ph (Philippine) drug war continues to kill with impunity. Without repealing national policy on Tokhang, without prosecution of EJKs (extrajudicial killings), it remains lethal to Filipinos,” the group said. Former senator Leila de Lima, one of the fiercest critics of Duterte and his drug war, also reacted to Marcos’ remarks: “Puwede naman talagang magtagumpay ang kampanya laban sa droga nang walang patayan o karahasan. Mamamatay-tao lang kasi ‘yong dating pangulo.” (The campaign against drugs can really be successful without killings or violence. It just so happened that the former president is a killer.) When Marcos took office, he said his drug war would be slightly different – focusing on prevention and rehabilitation rather than law enforcement. Despite this, people continue to be killed. There have been 621 drug-related killings under the Marcos administration, as of April 15, based on the monitoring of Dahas Project. The initiative is led by the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies center and aims to monitor and record drug-related killings in the country. – 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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Liza Marcos laughs off rumors of future senatorial bid

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 11:01

SPOUSE. First Lady Liza Marcos poses for a selfie during "Indak ng Musika," the second show from “Goldenberg, The Concert Series," in Malacañang in April 2024. Social Secretary's Office MANILA, Philippines – First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos brushed aside speculations that she is considering a political bid in the future. In an interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna aired on Friday, April 19, Marcos denied that her projects were fueled by her desire to become part of the Senate. “My favorite is, ‘Oh I’m doing Lab for All because I’m going to run for Senate.’ Pati ba naman ‘yan nilagyan ng [malisya] (Why would they even attach malice to that?),” she said. Marcos explained that the Lab for All program – an outreach medical exam for underprivileged individuals – started because she had time to spare while waiting for her class to start at the West Visayas State University in Iloilo City. Marcos said she is no stranger to being the subject of speculations about her political plans, especially when her husband – now-President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – was still a local politician in Ilocos Norte. Sometime later in the interview, when asked about the attacks against her now that she’s the First Lady, she quipped: “Hindi naman ako tatakbo (I won’t run anyway).” A Rappler profile of Marcos in July 2023 said there had been an “exploratory team” evaluating whether the First Lady could jumpstart a political career of her own, according to several sources. A 2025 run, if ever, could complicate the senatorial race, as her sister-in-law Senator Imee Marcos is seeking reelection. It is an open secret that Liza and Imee don’t always see eye to eye, and the strained relationship was evident during her interview with Taberna. “Well, every Sunday, we have a family lunch. Once my mother-in-law (Imelda Marcos) said, ‘Hija, ‘di mo iniimbita si Imee sa mga ano (You don’t invite Imee to our gatherings).’ ‘Mom, ako pa? May group chat kami. Lahat sila nandiyan (We have a group chat, mom. All of them are there),'” Liza recalled. “She’s always invited.” – 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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All business: Revilla, De Leon hide emotions in 1st-ever match versus old Choco Mucho team

jisaga0269

18/04/2024 21:49

TITAN SMASHERS. Creamline libero Denden Lazaro-Revilla (left) and middle blocker Bea de Leon react in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference PVL Images MANILA, Philippines – On Thursday, April 18, PVL stars Denden Lazaro-Revilla and Bea de Leon found themselves in very familiar territory as sister teams Creamline and Choco Mucho met for another high-stakes match in a jam-packed Araneta Coliseum. The environment was practically the same from all their previous encounters: thousands upon thousands of fans leaving little to no seats unoccupied, earsplitting cheers piercing the air, and both teams gearing up for another round of elite volleyball action. The lone stark difference, however, was Revilla and De Leon donning the bright pink Creamline colors after carving their reputation as fierce Choco Mucho leaders who stuck with the “ube girls” through thick and thin. It was certainly a noteworthy sight, a reality that still needs some time getting used to, and even the players themselves were not shy to admit so. “So weird. In a way, it feels weird, because it’s still kind of fresh. We’ve only been with Creamline for a few months,” Revilla said in Filipino. At such a big-energy setting with emotions running high, Revilla felt they had no more room for nostalgia or other personal sentiments, and it paid off, as Creamline once again had Choco Mucho’s number by way of a 25-17, 25-22, 25-19 surprise blowout. Overall, it was the Cool Smashers’ 12th straight win over the Flying Titans dating back to the latter’s 2019 inception, with their previous meeting being Game 2 of the 2023 All-Filipino finals. “When we’re inside the court, it’s all business. Outside, we’re happy for one another,” Revilla continued. “I knew it was a big game, and I was nervous at some point,” De Leon chimed in. “But I saw and felt the guidance and trust of my teammates and coaches. They were literally behind my back like Ate Ly (Alyssa Valdez), whispering wisdom.” As Creamline evaded falling to fifth place and diverted from a difficult climb to the semifinals, both Revilla and De Leon are thankful that the Cool Smashers have constantly made them feel that they’re not outsiders and former rivals, but rather important members of their family. “It really feels like home. The moment I stepped in training, they made me feel welcome,” Revilla said. “The coaches, my teammates, and the management, they made it feel like I’m part of Creamline even though I was from Choco Mucho. Yeah, one big happy family.” “I’m really at peace at where I am,” De Leon added. “Not a day goes by where I’m not thankful of my teammates and my coaches who gave me a new chance. It’s an honor to be here, and yeah, my heart is at peace.” – 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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It all started with ‘bangag’: How rift between Liza Marcos, Sara Duterte began

Dwight de Leon

19/04/2024 10:25

RIFT. Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Marcos. Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler Photos by Eloisa Lopez and Angie de Silva/Rappler; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler This ongoing telenovela in Philippine politics has a new episode after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos broke her silence to attack Vice President Sara Duterte in a revealing, no-holds-barred interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna. “She crossed the line,” she said in the YouTube video uploaded in the wee hours of Friday, April 19. The rift began after Sara attended a protest in Davao against charter change in January. In a rally that saw former president Rodrigo Duterte accuse his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of drug use, the First Lady couldn’t take it anymore. At one point during that rally, Mr. Duterte rambled onstage, saying: “Si Bongbong, bangag ‘yan (Bongbong is high on drugs).” According to Liza, she saw the Vice President laugh at her father’s jab in one of the video feeds, a response that did not sit well with her. (It is unclear if Sara indeed laughed during that exact moment, as the professional livestream from Rodrigo Duterte’s Facebook page did not pan to the Vice President.) “You are getting suweldo (salary) from the government, you are supposed to be the alter ego,” Liza said. “That’s not right. That’s entitled politics. You’re in the government. You’re the vice president. Bad shot na ‘yan sa akin (I already have a bone to pick with her), unless she says sorry. She crossed the line.” “Nasaktan ako, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, ‘di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagan iyong presidente mong bangag, you’re going to laugh. Tama ba ‘yun? Even Leni Robredo never did that,” she added. (I was hurt, because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? Our motto was we would rise together. Then you will attend a rally where your president is being called high. Then you’re going to laugh. Is that right? Even Leni never did that.) The tensions between the First Lady and the second-in-command are not exactly surprising, as their body gestures in the past months have indicated a rough patch in their relationship. During the departure ceremony for Marcos’ trip to Vietnam a few days after the Davao rally, Liza and Sara were seen ignoring each other despite being seated next to each other. The two had also ignored or declined requests for comment on the status of their relationship since January. The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families resulted in a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, but maintaining that “marriage of convenience” – as some analysts call it – has been everything but easy. Sara has feuded with the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose House of Representatives later denied Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds. President Marcos also once said the government was studying the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. The former president accused Marcos of being part of a drug watch list; the incumbent chief executive fired back by saying the old man from Davao was suffering the longterm effects of continued use of fentanyl. President Marcos has still defended Sara publicly, and shrugged off calls to remove her (she is concurrent education secretary) from his Cabinet. When asked earlier this week about his relationship with the Duterte family, Mr. Marcos could only describe it like a Facebook status: “It’s complicated.” – 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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Big bounce back as Carlos Yulo reaches vault, parallel bars finals in Doha World Cup

delfin.dioquino editor

19/04/2024 10:20

FOCUS. Carlos Yulo in action for the Philippines in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. Linee Yeo/Artistic Gymnastics World Championships MANILA, Philippines – It did not take long for Carlos Yulo to show that on his best days, he is still a force to be reckoned with. Redeeming himself from his floor exercise flub, Yulo reached the finals of vault and parallel bars in the Doha, Qatar leg of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series on Thursday, April 18. He placed second in the qualification for both apparatuses, earning 14.966 points in vault and 14.633 points in parallel bars to get a crack at two medals as he continues to gear up for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, France. Yulo wowed in his first vault with 15.3 points – the highest out of the 25 competitors – and scored 14.633 points in his second vault to finish behind Armenia’s Artur Davtyan in the apparatus where he is a former world champion. Davtyan, the Tokyo Games bronze medalist in vault, topped the field with 15.116 points. In parallel bars, only Uzbekistan’s Rasuljon Abdurakhimov recorded a higher score than Yulo with 14.9 points. Yulo – who already booked his Olympic ticket in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship last October – quickly regained his bearings a day after surprisingly failing to reach the floor exercise final, considering he won bronze in the apparatus in the Baku, Azerbaijan leg in March. A former floor exercise world champion, Yulo tallied just 12.666 points in the qualification on Wednesday, April 17, to end up at 21st place out of 28 participants. Joining Yulo and Davtyan in the vault final are Audrys Nin Reyes of Dominican Republic, James Bacueti of Australia, Niccolo Vannucchi of Italy, Chun Chen Ng of Malaysia, Aurel Benovic of Croatia, and Yahor Sharamkou of Belarus. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei’s Hung Yuan-Hsi, Brazil’s Diogo Soares and Caio Souza, Kazakhstan’s Milad Karimi, and Italy’s Lay Giannini and Nicolo Mozzato complete the cast in the parallel bars final. The vault and parallel bars finals are set on Saturday, April 20. In women’s action, Levi Jung-Ruivivar placed 11th in the qualification for balance beam with 12.566 points, securing the third reserve spot in the final. Jung-Ruivivar resumes her campaign on Friday, April 19, as she competes in the uneven bars final with hopes of punching her ticket to the Paris 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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Town shuts down dental clinic as NBI arrests fake dentist in Negros Occidental

Herbie G

18/04/2024 12:46

Shutterstock NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A town government in Negros Occidental shut down a dental clinic on Tuesday, April 16, following the arrest of a 30-year-old woman who allegedly posed as a dentist. Hinigaran Mayor Nadie Arceo issued the closure order against the Happy Smile Dental Clinic in Barangay Tagda, a day after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Ana Marie Sanipa for allegedly practicing dentistry without credentials. Renoir Baldovino, NBI-Bacolod chief, said Sanipa, a resident of Barangay Tugis, Hinigaran, was the subject of a complaint filed by the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) in Negros Occidental. Baldovino said investigators confirmed that Sanipa was not a licensed dentist registered with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). An undercover NBI agent posed as a patient and visited Sanipa’s clinic on Monday, April 15, leading to her arrest. A complaint was filed against Sanipa at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for operating a dental clinic and practicing dentistry without a certification, registration, and professional identification card. Sanipa, who posted bail on Wednesday afternoon, April 17, declined to give comments about her arrest, the closure of her clinic, and the accusations leveled at her. Arceo, who expressed surprise about the operation of the dental clinic, said the local government would be stricter in issuing permits to private health facilities as a result of the shocking discovery. He warned about the danger posed by unqualified dental and medical practitioners to public health and safety. – 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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