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Cebu Daily Newscast: Who was Hannah Jay Cesista, the Bar Passer killed in Bohol clash?
Listen to Cebu Daily Newscast and get the latest stories in and around Cebu. Here’s what you need to know on Monday, February 26, 2024. Who was Hannah Jay Cesista, the Bar Passer killed in Bohol clash? A Bar Passer was among those killed in the recent clash between state troops and suspected communist-rebel groups.....»»
6 killed in clash in central Philippines
MANILA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Government forces clashed with suspected rebels in Bohol province in the central Philippines on Friday, killing five rebels and a police officer, the military said. The military reported that fighting broke out between a combined force of soldiers and police officers and the New People's Army (NPA) rebels before 7 a.m. local time in a village in Bilar town. Troops recovered a n.....»»
5 suspects NPA rebels, 1 cop killed in clash in Bilar, Bohol
5 suspects NPA rebels, 1 cop killed in clash in Bilar, Bohol.....»»
6 killed in clash in central Philippines
MANILA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Government forces clashed with suspected rebels in Bohol province in the central Philippines on Friday, killing five rebels and a police officer, the military said. The military reported that fighting broke out between a combined force of soldiers and police officers and the New People's Army (NPA) rebels before 7 a.m. local time in a village in Bilar town. Troops recovered a n.....»»
Bohol encounter: Police on full alert following clash with ‘NPA fighters’
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Bohol encounter on Friday between government forces and NPA rebels has put the province’s entire police force on full alert status. Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Norman Nuez said the Bohol encounter occurred in Bilar town. Nuez also relayed the agency’s official statement in a video posted.....»»
Cop, 5 NPA rebels slain in Bohol clash
Five New People’s Army rebels, including a ranking NPA member, and a policeman were killed in an encounter in Bilar, Bohol yesterday morning......»»
Apolinar, Xia clash for WBO Oriental featherweight strap on Friday in mainer of ‘Prime Fight 3’
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Boxing prospect Pete “Prime Fight” Apolinar will have his hands full as he guns for the vacant WBO Oriental featherweight title in Friday’s main event of the “Prime Fight 3” card at the SM Seaside City Cebu Sky Hall. Waiting for an ambush is equally determined Lingjie Xia of China who.....»»
Amparo, Taduran lock horns for world title eliminator clash
TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The stage is set for the much-awaited International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight title eliminator showdown between Jake “El Bambino” Amparo and Pedro “Kid General” Taduran in the main event of “Kumong Bol-Anon XIII” of the PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions tomorrow, Thursday, December 28, 2023, at the Bohol Wisdom School gymnasium......»»
Domestic aviation rebounds this year
The local aviation industry, which was badly hit by the global health crisis, is seen to achieve full recovery this year. This was according to the International Air Transport Association in a recent forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. During the Aviation Forum last week, Yuli Thompson, area manager for the IATA in Southeast Asia, said the Philippines and the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s aviation market is swiftly recovering and seeing a consistent rise in terms of growth in international and domestic travel. Thompson said passenger traffic trends for international flights in the Philippines were logged at 75 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023. As for the Asia Pacific passenger forecast, Yuli maintained that domestic travel will fully recover in 2023, while international travel will occur sometime in 2026. Further, Asia Pacific will be seen to lead in traffic growth in the next 20 years. “However, overcoming current challenges riding on the current momentum, and meeting full recovery will require strong interventions from all players in the aviation sector,” he said. Infra investments For his part, Cebu Pacific Air chief executive officer Michael Szucs emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, citing that “Philippine carriers will need to quadruple in size to cater to growing demand.” In her keynote speech, Secretary Grace Poe urged stakeholders to support necessary infrastructure investments, especially following the air system glitch incident earlier this year. The senator called for the acquisition of a new Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management. Poe also recommended the hiring of a third-party maintenance provider for the CNS/ATM system. “It is my hope that the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders can work together and collaborate on air transport projects which will not only generate economic growth but also provide our people with excellent and affordable public services that can improve the quality of life for all,” she said. Also filed by Poe is Senate Bill 1121 which proposes the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. Under the directive of the current Marcos administration, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim highlighted the government’s key priorities, including aviation safety and strengthening of learning institutions. Lim further noted the agency’s priority of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Center and engaging with the private sector as close partners for Air Transport Skills Training and Development. “If we are able to train our air traffic controllers, we would not only meet our own requirements, but the requirements of other countries. We can develop this on an institutional basis,” said Lim. Open up the industry Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council, also raised the fact that much could be gained “by opening the industry and making it more known to people.” In terms of managing safety risks, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, shared initiatives to advance safety capabilities in the aviation sector through the State Safety Program. The program employs a risk-based approach to regulations, capacity building and integration of a new organizational structure for monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista stressed that the DOTr’s goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through a public-private partnership agreement, which he said, will present a “landmark opportunity for economic growth, improved infrastructure, and a world-class travel experience.” Added Bautista, “We are also developing regional airports, such as the unsolicited proposals for the operations and maintenance of the Bicol International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport.” The post Domestic aviation rebounds this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Save Cebu Movement’ launched
Political democracy is back in Cebu Province as the “Save Cebu Movement” was launched on Friday that will focus on feeding starving Cebuanos. This comes as Dr. Rowena Burden — a known philanthropist and political strategist — disclosed that she will challenge incumbent Governor Gwendolyn Garcia in the 2025 gubernatorial race. Burden stressed that the healthcare system of the province is so minimal that until now availability of “cottons” and medicines are needed by patients in district and provincial hospitals. “Since 2022, I’ve been contacted by a lot of constituents from the province for a host of problems such as health care, business, whatever, I am the sumbungan ng bayan,” Burden said. She also revealed that a group of businessmen had asked her to run for the position in 2022 against Garcia as she constantly called the governor out online. But Burden then told the group that she had no interest in the governorship and turned down the offer. “Being governor is not something that is actually an ambition for me. It’s local. Its scope of power is limited but I have to do it,” Burden said. “I’ve been offering a lot of Cebuanos. I ran the longest privately funded Yolanda relief. I ran the longest privately funded Bohol earthquake relief. Every day, I did more for Filipinos than any politician has ever done,” she added. Save Cebu Movement Coordinator Pamela Baricuatro, on the other hand, disclosed that while the province has been bragging on being the “richest” province, it has the highest poverty incidence in the country. The land properties of the province were pegged at P166 billion in 2022 and the Commission on Audit declared Cebu province as the richest in the country. “The province of Cebu tops the list of provinces with the highest magnitude of poor households,” Baricuatro said. The post ‘Save Cebu Movement’ launched appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Aboitiz Foundation empowers communities
Aboitiz Foundation highlighted the importance of empowering recovering communities. “We in the Aboitiz Foundation try our best to help the communities where we operate. We want to see the communities rise and succeed. Our goal is to help them recover and become more resilient communities. We thank our local partners, the Aboitiz business units, who came together to extend valuable assistance,” president and chief operating officer Maribeth Marasigan said. The group’s integrated agribusiness and food subsidiary is always ready to extend assistance across the nation. “At Pilmico, we’re not just supporting farmers, we’re aiming to elevate the agriculture industry as a whole. With the help of the Aboitiz Foundation, our commitment to empowering farmers nationwide extends beyond this project. It’s a testament to our unwavering dedication to advancing business and communities,” Greg Canoy, CSR supervisor, Pilmico Foods Corporation, said. This year the foundation extended more livelihood kits to several families in Samar, Leyte, Negros Oriental and Misamis Oriental in addition to last year’s beneficiaries in Cebu and Bohol. Each kit includes an egg machine, 144 ready-to-lay hens, Pilmico feeds, a weighing scale, and animal health products. “I thank Pilmico, Aboitiz Foundation and RAFI-MFI for choosing me as one of the beneficiaries for this project (Padayon sa Pagbusay). This huge opportunity will be of great help to us. Thank God for this blessing,” Marietta Cadayday, one of the beneficiaries, said. Livelihood opportunities offered “Padayon sa Pagbusay” is part of RAFI-MFI’s livelihood program which aims to empower families by providing them with sustainable livelihood opportunities. “This is the start of our rebuilding, which includes rebuilding our businesses and lives, not just ours but our families and communities where we belong. These livelihood kits, which I am thankful for, would be impossible without our partners. We have our grantors who unselfishly helped us in Leyte, Negros Oriental, and Misamis Oriental,” Iris Dorado, vice president for Business Development, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. — Microfinance, said. Pilmico Foods Corporation and Gold Coin Management Holdings are the integrated agribusiness and food companies of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. Gold Coin is now fully-managed and owned by Pilmico International and to date, it is the largest investment in the Asia-Pacific region in their shared history. Pilmico comprises four divisions: Flour, Feeds, Farms, and Trading; enabling growth to its partners through its consistent quality products and unparalleled supporting services. Meanwhile, Gold Coin is a pioneer in animal nutrition and the manufacturing of scientifically-balanced animal feed in Asia. The post Aboitiz Foundation empowers communities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden leads US tech push in Vietnam
President Joe Biden and senior executives from top US tech firms including Google and Intel met Vietnamese business leaders Monday after the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation as Washington seeks to counter China's growing clout. Biden and Vietnam's ruling Communist Party chief -- the country's paramount leader -- struck a "comprehensive strategic partnership" as Washington pushes to boost its network of allies around Asia and the Pacific. The United States sees manufacturing dynamo Vietnam as an important part of its plan to decrease reliance on China for supplies of strategic resources, and the new pact includes agreements on semiconductors and rare earths. Executives from tech behemoth Google, chip makers Intel and GlobalFoundries, and aviation giant Boeing joined Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for an "innovation and investment summit". They held talks with senior figures from a host of leading Vietnamese tech and manufacturing companies including electric car maker VinFast, internet firm VNG and digital wallet Momo. At the talks, Biden announced that flag-carrier Vietnam Airlines had agreed a $7.8-billion deal with Boeing to buy 50 medium-haul 737 airliners. Other deals announced include Microsoft developing a "generative AI-based solution tailored for Vietnam" and NVIDIA teaming up with local companies to deploy artificial intelligence in the cloud, automotive and healthcare sectors. Semiconductor security The new partnership includes an agreement on semiconductors, with the United States committing to help Vietnam develop its capabilities and expand production, including by funding workforce training. Tiny semiconductors are vital to modern life, found in every electronic device from children's toys and smartphones to electric cars and sophisticated weapon systems. Biden moved last month to restrict US investment in Chinese technology in sensitive areas including semiconductors, quantum computing and AI. With Washington looking to diversify and strengthen its supply chains after a series of shocks hit the global economy, it is increasingly looking to Vietnam, which has the world's second-largest deposits of rare earths -- another strategically vital resource -- after China. The White House highlighted US investment in chipmaking in Vietnam, pointing to a new $1.6 billion factory near Hanoi due to start operations soon. China difficulties Biden insisted Sunday that he did not want to "contain" China, but accused Beijing of seeking to change the rules of the international order. And in their joint statement, Biden and Trong launched a fresh broadside at Beijing in the sprawling, multi-state territorial row over the South China Sea. They warned against "threat or the use of force", days after the latest clash involving Chinese vessels, and insisted the competing claims to the strategic waterway must be settled under international norms. Beijing claims almost the entire sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. The president met Chinese Premier Li Qiang -- the country's number two leader -- on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Delhi on Sunday. Biden said the major economic problems Beijing was wrestling with would limit its scope for action, particularly on Taiwan -- which China regards as a renegade province. "China has a difficult economic problem right now for a whole range of reasons that relate to the international growth and lack thereof and the policies that China has followed," he said, pointing to high youth unemployment and real estate issues. "I don't think it's going to cause China to invade Taiwan. As a matter of fact, the opposite -- it probably doesn't have the same capacity that it had before." Vietnam has its own squabbles with Beijing, notably over the contested South China Sea. Hanoi's state media on Monday hailed the deal with former war foe the United States as "historic". Biden will end his visit by paying his respects at a memorial to his friend John McCain, the former US Senator shot down in Hanoi as a pilot during the Vietnam War. The post Biden leads US tech push in Vietnam appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bottoms up!
Meaning: An encouragement to drink or to finish one’s drink. Did you know that the term “Bottoms up” originated in an era when English sailors were encouraged to drink? There is a popular story behind its history where English sailors used to be bribed with coins to join the navy and many times, they would be tricked into joining by being given a beer with a coin at the bottom of the glass. Sounds fun, right? There is a reward after drinking a reward. I can drink to that! According to the legend, men began to say “Bottoms up” to their drinking buddies so they could see if there were coins in the glasses before the drinks were finished. Now, in modern times, most people say, “Bottoms up!” to cheer their buddies when drinking alcohol, having fun, and celebrating an event. It used to be a happy term, but did you know that it could also be a negative phrase? In some situations, people say “Bottoms up!” to encourage drinking something unpleasant. For example, you need to drink your medicine despite its bitter so someone will say to you “Bottoms Up!” until you finish it. Yes, my dear readers, how are you after the long weekend? Have you recharged and had fun together with friends and families? Nothing wrong with having fun, of course, as long as it does not hurt anyone or as long as it is after working hours. Speaking of “Bottoms up!,” it has been all over the news recently, have you seen it? In case you haven’t, then let me fill you in on some spicy information. Last week, on 16 August, acting port managers and seven other officials of the Philippine Ports Authority assigned to the Port Management Office of Bohol were caught on CCTV drinking inside the PPA office multipurpose hall to celebrate the acting port manager’s birthday. That’s not the worst of it. Aside from drinking on the premises of a government facility, they used the office chairs and tables (supposedly for meetings and official functions) for their drinking session with lots of bottles of alcohol, an invited band, and the attorneys and port police dancing as shown on the CCTV footage. Like I said, having fun is not bad at all, celebrating birthdays is okay, and being together with friends or co-workers on a special day is totally fine.... but not to the extent of using government facilities and resources to fuel that fun. These eight officials of PPA Bohol, including the acting port manager/birthday celebrator, two legal attorneys, four port police officials, and the Port Services Department Bohol head, were removed from their posts pending an investigation. Recently, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago issued a memorandum reiterating Memo Circular No. 013-2023, otherwise known as the “Strict prohibition on the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the workplace.” The memorandum was first issued in 2018 under the same management after the former DoTr officials issued a directive prohibiting alcoholic beverages in the workplace — all in accordance with Civil Service Commission Memorandum No. 4, series of 2011, stating the policy guidelines on the prohibition of alcoholic beverages among government officials and employees. See? No government official or employee is excused for drinking inside a government office. An official is expected to serve the public, to give assistance, to make their lives easier, to be of great service to the community, and not to be another source of conflicts and problems within their areas of responsibility. Ports operate 24/7, thus there is no need to be complacent at any moment. Thank goodness for the high-tech surveillance system of the PPA, serious negligence and deliberate negative acts like these can be monitored from the head office. To be fair, drinking has long been the center of workplace culture, whether for socialization or to gain each other’s trust. In fact, in China, drinking with business partners serves as a moral contract in which the potential work partners get drunk together until they become friends and gain each other’s trust and professional interests. But we are not in China, we are here in our beloved country striving to always change to rise from the difficulties of being in a third-world country. A lot of people, or even more deserving people, need jobs, hence, any job, especially a government position, should not be taken for granted and abused. Now this brings us to a question: Does alcohol have a place at work and should it? Your guess is as good as mine. Let us not normalize alcohol drinking at work or the pressure to participate. It may seem like a nice gesture to subsidize alcohol at events to build camaraderie, but it is not necessary in carrying out government functions, especially inside office areas. There you go, fellow boat riders, yes, we either sink or swim all together because we are in the same boat, but this time we’re not in the same boat because no one wants to be bonding with booze and boss in an office setup on a weekday. Smells like a “Bottoms up!” disaster. Yikes! The post Bottoms up! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nothing can drag a Boholana down
No pandemic, nor deadly natural catastrophe can bring down a Boholana: this is the living faith by which Lourdes Sultan, managing director of Travel Village Tours and Travel and owner of several vessels which comprise the Loboc River Cruise in Bohol, lives by. Sultan, a tour operator in Loboc for the past 35 years, is a perfect epitome of a resilient Filipina who did not falter while going through such major upheavals as typhoon “Odette” in 2021 that wrecked her vessels; the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Bohol in 2013 and the perennial flooding in Loboc, and the global pandemic that shut down international borders, barring the arrival of tourists in the country. “The floating restaurant business here in Loboc started 30 years ago but in 2000, we decided to dwell in the floating restaurant operation. We used to have eight vessels, but after typhoon “Odette” hit us in December 2021, we are now left with four,” said Sultan in an interview. She said that pre-pandemic, there were 26 vessels plying the Loboc River serving foreign and local tourists, but the number was diminished because of the unfortunate wrath of natural catastrophes. Pandemic, ‘Odette’ challenge She said the strong earthquake in 2013, the declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and the pummeling of the province by typhoon “Odette” in 2021 were the worst challenges that her enterprise has endured. “The pandemic made us totally close operations. During that time, we tried to maintain and improve our vessels in preparation for the reopening of borders. Indeed, losses with Odette and the pandemic were in the millions,” she told the Daily Tribune. Aside from that, Sultan said operators of floating restaurants were also required by the local government to update their vessels, making them shell out additional costs. In 2021, Sultan said tourist arrivals trickled, as some restrictions were modified and eased by the Inter-Agency Task Force of the national government. “Even if we only cater to domestic customers, we were more hopeful back then. But amid the high hopes, typhoon “Odette” hit us on 16 December 2021—a strong typhoon during an enduring contagion. We decided to let go of some workers. But luckily, we hired them back when things got better in March 2022,” she shared. Typhoon “Odette,” that pummeled Bohol before Christmas Day, was considered by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office as the worst ever to hit the province, prompting the Provincial Capitol to declare a state of calamity after incurring massive devastation on agriculture and infrastructure and inundated swaths to the island. Not yet pre-pandemic She said, however, that the tourism industry in Loboc is not yet in the pre-pandemic state, saying that foot traffic is only at 70 percent to date, even if they are fully booked during daily operations, especially weekends. “Revenge travel is real. The influx of domestic travelers is greater now compared to pre-pandemic. Aside from local tourists, European and Asian tourists are now coming back,” she said. As of July 2023, the Department of Tourism logged a total of 3,000,079 international visitor arrivals. On the other hand, the country’s inbound tourism receipts from 1 January to 30 June 2023 climbed to P212 billion or 502.02 percent higher than the P35-billion tourism revenue generated from the same period last year. Support for DoT program Sultan, also the president of the Bohol Federation of Travel and Tour Operators and an officer of the Bohol Provincial Tourism Council, said she is backing the DoT program Faith-based Tourism Circuits, as part of the department’s thrust to develop new tourism circuits and multi-dimensional tourism products. Last 14 to 17 August, the DoT Central Visayas, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Bohol, organized a familiarization tour of Bohol’s Faith-based Tourism Circuits, with the aim to promote and showcase Bohol’s historical and cultural assets specifically its century-old churches, heritage houses, religious landmarks and living cultural traditions. Through Bohol’s Faith-based Tourism Circuits, participants, including members of the media, visited some of Bohol’s heritage churches declared as National Historical Landmarks or cultural treasures and experienced a few of their inherent traditions such as Asin Tibuok, among others. The main highlight of the tour was the canonical crowning of the image of the Virgen de la Asunción of the Municipality of Dauis, officiated by Papal Nuncio Charles Brown last 15 August. “The direction is we do not want the churches to be just tourist spots, but for tourists to have a glimpse of the spiritual component,” according to Sultan. The post Nothing can drag a Boholana down appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Salt maker request: Redeem our dying industry, amend ‘Asin’Law
A gourmet salt manufacturer in Albuquerque, Bohol is asking for the country’s lawmakers to amend Republic Act 8172, otherwise known as the Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide or ASIN Law, as the statute continues to kill their industry that has been operating in Albuquerque for more than a century now. In an interview, Nestor Manungas, proprietor of ASINAN ni Tan Inong, the maker of the unique Asin Tibuok, said RA 8172 has been hindering them to manufacture the condiment because the law mandates that salt produced in the country should contain iodine. “We cannot do that in our product because our way of producing Asin Tibuok is completely different from the normal way of making salt. We use direct heat, so minerals, like iodine, will definitely wear out or destroy the product,” he said. Signed into law by late-President Fidel V. Ramos in 1995, RA 8172 seeks to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders by mandating all salt producers and manufacturers to iodize their products. Ease of Doing Business Also, Manungas hit the Food and Drug Administration for being so sluggish in releasing approvals on their product, despite the presence of the Ease of Doing Business Law. “The US FDA is even better, we got it quickly. But here, we got them (FDA permit) more than two years ago. Although the Department of Trade and Industry helped us in the process, but it’s still too long. Other manufacturers have already given up on operating here because of bureaucratic hardships in acquiring business operation permits,” according to Manungas. Manungas’ Asin Tibuok, under the company Tan Inong Manufacturing Corporation, is currently making waves in terms of exports in various parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan and China. “This year we have a huge demand in Europe. Foreigners appreciate our salt as they find it totally different from Himalayan salt because it has a smoky flavor that they like in the taste of their food. But hopefully, we can sell on a large scale here in the country. I hope the business founded by our ancestors will not be dissolved,” he said. Stringent process Making Asin Tibuok, said to be on the brink of extinction, is not easy as it is very labor-intensive. Traditionally, Asin Tibuok making begins by soaking coconut husks for three months in saltwater coming from pools by the mangrove at the back of the manufacturing house of Manungas in Albuquerque. These husks will go through the burning process in a highly controlled manner. Subsequently, the ashes collected from the burnt are manually poured on large filters and more seawater will be poured through the ashes to make a very highly concentrated brine. After this, specially made clay pots are placed over a wood fire, and the concentrated brine is transferred continuously for eight hours into the boiling pots. Manungas and his assistants usually keep a close eye on evaporation so that the pots will not crack, resulting in a smoky sphere of salt that can weigh as much as one kilo. These pots of rocky salt are priced at P800. Business group support Since last year, the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. has been urging lawmakers to amend Republic Act 8172 to revive the country’s salt production industry. Its president, Danilo Fausto said the country continues to import 93 percent of its salt requirement, even though the Philippines has the second longest shoreline in the world. “We have 36,000 kilometers of shoreline. It’s really embarrassing that we are importing salt from Australia and China, and some also in Thailand and New Zealand,” Fausto said. Fausto added the country in 2021 imported 646,000 metric tons of salt, which is being used as fertilizer for coconut trees. On the other hand, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also pushing for amendments to the Asin Law to help local manufacturers in the country, aside from other monumental reforms that would help micro, small, and medium enterprises to recoup from the ill effects of the pandemic and economic headwinds. But during his second State of the Nation Address, the proposed amendment for the ASIN Law was not included on the priority bills President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. requested for lawmakers of the House of Representatives to focus on. The post Salt maker request: Redeem our dying industry, amend ‘Asin’Law appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Coffee venture expands wings
Homegrown coffee producer Allegro Beverage Corporation, or ABC, will soon bring its brands to Palawan and Legazpi City in Albay to provide more of its imported, industry-preferred espresso machines, brewers, coffee beans, syrups, sauces, and teas. On Monday, ABC unveiled its new Mandaluyong headquarters while announcing its collaboration with UCC Japan, which owns a 65 percent share of UCC Philippines. In 2018, ABC entered a strategic alliance with UCC Japan, the 5th largest coffee company in the world, which now owns majority ABC stake. ABC chief executive officer Yasmin Vasquez said synergy with UCC sets them apart from competitors. “ABC is the only coffee distributor in the Philippines that is backed by a global brand. It is looking into expansion in terms of the types of products we carry, so we are covering it right now with traditional and fully automatic espresso machines. We have premium brewed coffee from Italy, freshly roasted by UCC for us,” she said. Vasquez said they are now selling espresso machines to those who want to have freshly brewed coffee in the comfort of their home, apart from the machines supplied to hotels and coffee shops. “We will try to bring in more home-use equipment and other products that we think meet our goal of being a holistic coffee provider in the country,” she stated. Vasquez said their products are not only seen in restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels in Metro Manila but also in provinces, including Cebu, Davao and Pampanga, while their dealers have branched out in Iloilo, Bohol, Quezon, Laguna, Cavite and in Pangasinan. Synergy with UCC UCC is an integrated family-owned coffee business from plantations, roasting facilities, and product distribution to equipment maintenance services. “UCC Japan is involved in coffee equipment manufacturing in Japan, called Lucky Coffee Machine, as well as involved in coffee manufacturing, coffee shops, and education as it has its own Coffee Academy. On the other hand, UCC Philippines is into manufacturing and creating business-to-business programs and has another company that handles the coffee shops and another company that owns an academy. UCC Philippines is basically duplicating what UCC Japan has been doing,” UCC Philippines president and chief executive officer Hubert Young said. Young said UCC has been “very picky” with franchisees and does not just entertain those franchisees that have a lot of money to spend but do not have a passion for coffee. “Because at the end of the day, it’s the branding of the UCC that I am making sure maintained,” Young maintained. He said owning a franchise costs P16 million for a 150 square meters stand-alone coffee shop, with a break-even return of investments of five years maximum. The post Coffee venture expands wings appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Restaurant Gerry’s still not feeling pre-pandemic sales
lockdown forced restaurant owners nationwide to rethink their business models as dine-in business was brought to a standstill. But despite the full-swing reopening of economic activities, the industry has yet to return to its pre-pandemic level. A flicker of hope, though, the restaurant space is pinning on revenge dining that will see an industry resurgence in major cities like Hong Kong and New York. Commented Francis Villaluz, Gerry’s vice president for marketing, “Still, the sales are not as much as in 2019. Though we see an improvement compared to 2021 and 2022.” He added the restaurant chain would aggressively open 15 more branches this year and next year, adding to their more than 90 branches that have been ushering customers their infamous crispy pata and sisig, among other delectable dishes. According to the Philippine Franchisers Association, the food industry is the segment in the retail business to be the first to recoup from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic due to improving food traffic and revenge travel. “If we have 15 restaurants, with a mix of free-standing and mall-type branches in mind to be opened this year, seven will be opened toward the end of the year while the rest are set to be unveiled by 2024,” Villaluz revealed. He said the mall-type branches have fewer investments, as no land acquisitions are needed to open those edifices. Millions of investments “But sizes still vary. For a mall-type, the rough investment is about P15 million for a 200 meters restaurant. The price for investment includes franchise fees, furniture, and staff training. While for a free-standing, P20 million is the usual cost because it is like putting up a multi-story house,” he said. He said they are not yet unveiling other food products for their offerings but will stick to what Gerry’s is known for — Filipino food and some fusion of international cuisines. “There are many steps involved in rolling out types of cuisines, such as proper training for cooks. It will be hard to introduce new products if other branches cannot follow. We are careful about that,” Villaluz said. “Our sisig and crispy pata, plus cold beer, has been on our menu since day one of 1997. But we are balancing it by ensuring that we have enough pork, seafood, and vegetable delicacies that should be on our customers’ tables,” he added. Villaluz said Gerry’s still caters to various Filipino family events after rebranding from the OG (original) Gerry’s Grill to Gerry’s three years ago. “Though our OG customers still see us as the Gerry’s Grill, they know that we offer drinks and pulutan. Families are coming in even if the other tables beside them are drinking barkadas. I guess they have embraced our rebranding efforts,” he said. He said as the country still reels from inflation, they have imposed a minimal price surge to avert further losses. In an earlier interview, the restaurant’s president Gerry Apolinario said the Covid-19 pandemic had forced them to close 20 stores in 2020. Last 2022, various Gerry’s branches were opened in Panglao, Bohol, San Fernando, Mexico in Pampanga, and Sierra Valley in Marikina. Towards the end of the year, Villaluz said they will open Gerry’s branches in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Sumulong Highway in Antipolo; Ilagan, Isabela; Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig City; in SM City Balanga, Bataan; in Estancia Mall in Pasig; Robinson’s Gapan, Nueva Ecija; in Catarman, Samar; in Tacloban; SM City Sto. Tomas, Batangas; in Taft Avenue; Carmona, Cavite and other provinces outside the National Capital Region. The post Restaurant Gerry’s still not feeling pre-pandemic sales appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Royal Blood’ GMA 7’s answer to ABS-CBN’s ‘Dirty Linen’?
The Dingdong Dantes-topbilled new drama-thriller series Royal Blood must be GMA 7’s match-up with ABS-CBN’s long-airing Dirty Linen, bannered by Janine Gutierrez and the network’s seasoned stars John Arcilla, Janice de Belen, Joel Torre, Zanjoe Marudo, Tessie Tomas and Angel Aquino. Just like Dirty Linen, Royal Blood is about a wealthy and largely contemptuous but glamorous family — except for Napoy (Dantes), a widower and illegitimate son of the Royales family patriarch, Gustavo (Tirso Cruz III) who insists on having Napoy and his very young daughter Lizzie (child actress Sienna Stevens, a Filipina-New Zealander) stay with the family and live with his siblings who are all younger than he is. [caption id="attachment_145497" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GMA-7 | ‘ROYAL Blood’ cast (from left) Megan Young, Mikael Daez, Tirso Cruz III, Dingdong Dantes, Rhian Ramos, Dion Ignacio and Lianne Valentin.[/caption] Napoy has to learn to relate to the peculiarities of his half-siblings, headed by the competitive (or insecure) Kristoff (Mikael Daez), the witty and materialistic Beatrice (sultry Lianne Valentin), the conservative and mysterious Margaret (Rhian Ramos) and their respective spouses and children. (Sidebar: Ramos is the flatmate for a year now of new Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Dee, who has announced that she is bisexual.) Kristoff’s wife is Diana (Megan Young, Mikael’s real-life wife), who was once Napoy’s girlfriend-great love. They have a son, Archie (Aidan Veneracion), who constantly seeks his father’s approval. Andrew (Dion Ignacio) is the ambitious and business-savvy husband of Margaret. Andrew has a rebellious son, Louie (James Graham) with his first wife. Royal Blood premieres on 19 June as a replacement for the romance series Hearts on Ice, topbilled by Xian Lim and Ashley Ortega. Royal Blood is helmed by Dominic Zapata, who also directed Hearts on Ice. The new series airs weeknights at 8:50 p.m. on GMA 7 and at 11:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and at 11 p.m. every Friday on GTV. Global Pinoys can also catch the program via GMA Pinoy TV. ‘Dirty Linen’ fancon in US And what is Dirty Linen up to these days? It’s prepping for a fan convention (fancon) in Sacramento, California on 24 June. The venue is the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The first-ever Kapamilya convention will feature performances by Dirty Linen cast members Zanjoe Marudo, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Janine Gutierrez and John Arcilla. [caption id="attachment_145501" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ABS-CBN | ‘DIRTY Linen’ stars (from left) Seth Fedelin, Francine Diaz, Janine Gutierrez and Zanjoe Marudo.[/caption] Dirty Linen has consistently been in the top 10 shows in cable and satellite, and on iWantTFC in the US since its launch on January 23, 2023, according to content maker ABS-CBN. The fancon will feature a variety of games and activities for guests to participate in immersive exhibits where guests can experience the world of Dirty Linen, an exclusive sneak peek of new episodes and so much more. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, or fans may call the box office at 916-808-5181 Mondays–Wednesdays from 12 noon to 5 p.m. The event is presented by World Remit and MX3. ‘Love at First read’ Now also airing on GMA 7 is the network’s second collaboration project with Wattpad Webtoon: LUV IS: Love at First Read. The series is bannered by one of the most sought-after Sparkle loveteams today, Mavy Legaspi and Kyline Alcantara, who play the lead roles of Kudos and Angelica/Abby. [caption id="attachment_145498" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF gma-7 | MAVY Legaspi and Kyline Alcantara in ‘Luv Is: Love At First Read.’[/caption] Love at First Read is based on the hit Wattpad webnovel with the same title, which has amassed 23.3 million reads. Written by “Chixnita” (a pseudonym), it follows the story of Kudos, a secret romantic searching for the perfect girl. He finds a diary and believes that its owner, Abby, is the one for him. However, he also meets Angelica, a jaded girl who distrusts men and has no interest in love. They clash at first but as they get to know one another, their feelings begin to grow. Kudos is soon torn between Angelica and Abby — not knowing that they are actually one and the same person. Completing the cast of the adaptation are Josh Ford as Train; Pam Prinster as Hazel; Bruce Roeland as Risk; Larkin Castor as Shield; Therese Malvar as Abigail; Mariel Pamintuan as Sandy; and Gabby and Kiel Gueco as the mysterious Psalm and Philemon, who are Kudos’ cousins. Also starring are engaging thespians Maricar de Mesa as Yumi, Abby’s mom; Jestoni Alarcon as Hector, Kudos’ dad; and Jackie Lou Blanco as Truly, Kudos’ mom. LUV IS: Love at First Read is directed by Mark Sicat dela Cruz with Carlo Cannu as associate director. It airs Mondays to Fridays at 5:40 p.m. on GMA-7. With Maria Regina M. Amigo as head writer, the writing pool is composed of Liberty L. Trinidad, Benjamin Benson A. Logronio and Loi Argel R. Nova. Happily, there is no mayhem or murder in Love at First Read. The post ‘Royal Blood’ GMA 7’s answer to ABS-CBN’s ‘Dirty Linen’? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
First Panambal Festival promotes Siquijor’s folk healing practices
[caption id="attachment_123658" align="aligncenter" width="558"] Photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the daily tribune | Common healing oils, concoctions, haplas and tambal used in Siquijor.[/caption] At the junction of Tañon Strait, Cebu Strait and Bohol Sea, in Central Visayas, the island of Siquijor has been inspiring fascination and curiosity mainly because of its reputation of being a home to many practitioners of sorcery, witchcraft and folk medicine, and its often being described as “mystic.” Whenever I was in Dumaguete City, in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental, I could see the island from the coastal boulevard, a fuzzy landscape floating on the sea, shrouded in mystery. My only images about it were culled from television shows featuring sorcery practices, particularly of a man who made paper dolls dance. Last Holy Week, through the very first Panambal Festival, I was able to step foot on the island province, which is about an hour’s ferry ride from Dumaguete City, and know more about the culture, particularly the folk and traditional healing practices, of one of the smallest provinces of the Philippines. [caption id="attachment_123661" align="aligncenter" width="747"] photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the daily tribune | Olang Arts Park in Maria was the venue for the first Panambal Festival.[/caption] We arrived at night in the town of Maria, in the southeast portion of the island, and during late dinner, we heard the story of Maria Nico, the resident engkanto of the town, together with his sisters Maria Nica and Maria Luisa, told by the town’s tourism officer, the loquacious and always flamboyantly dressed Aldrin “Aldrina Braxton” Daguman. Said to be tall, handsome and fair-complexioned, Maria Nico seemed to be a benevolent character, often granting wishes of people. Aldrina said that once millions of pesos worth of furniture was delivered to Maria but the recipient was unknown. People attributed this to Maria Nico. Stories about him bear some similar details to stories of Maria Kakaw of Cebu, Olayra of Antique and other engkanto characters in other parts of the Visayas. Local lore of mystical beings before we got to see the island was a very apt introduction. [caption id="attachment_123664" align="aligncenter" width="742"] The opening of the Panambal Festival led by Maria mayor Roselyn Asok.[/caption] The folk and traditional practices are what many people in Siquijor want to highlight and promote, and a cultural and touristic festival was created for that. Using the Cebuano word for “to heal” or “healing,” “tambal,” the Panambal Festival was held in the town of Maria, spearheaded by the local government, led by its mayor Roselyn Tancio Asok and co-organized with Eufemia “Minnie” Solomon Crouse and Anna Lacpao Tabujara Cornelia of the Olang Arts Park, the main venue of the festival in the barangay of Olang. The festival was conceptualized by veteran events organizer and tourism planner Nilo Agustin, who lives in Metro Manila but considers Siquijor a home, with the crucial help of 43-year-old folk healer and visual artist Junel Tomaroy. [caption id="attachment_123660" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Junel Tomaroy, one Siquijor’s traditional healers.[/caption] The Panambal Festival is not Siquijor’s first festival highlighting local pananambal. The province has been holding the Pahi-uli Festival since 2010 in Mount Bandilaan, a 212-hectare forest reserve in Maria. The mountain is the highest point of the island and is an important source of plants used in folk medicine and concoctions. According to Agustin, the event has become too commercialized, and Panambal Festival aims to present more authentic practices and spotlight the traditional healers. Both festivals are held on Holy Week, particularly from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, which is a very important time for local folk healing. During this time, haplas or healing oil, tambal or remedy and other potions are concocted. According to Tomaroy, considered one of the most reputable mananambal or practitioner of folk and traditional medicine, in Siquijor, they start gathering ingredients on Friday after Ash Wednesday and continue only every Friday, culminating on Good Friday. They can only gather ingredients and make concoctions during this time of the year, the Lenten season, on seven Fridays. [caption id="attachment_123665" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Traditional healer Ricardo Oyog doing the haplas.[/caption] Folk healing in Siquijor is a blend of practices that appear old, animistic and of pre-Christianization and Catholic religiosity, with the use primarily of concoctions, prayers and rituals and faith. The people of Siquijor are predominantly of Cebuano ethnicity as much of Central Visayas which includes Cebu, Negros Oriental and Bohol. Catholicism is a strong presence in the island, which has a number of old churches, as in most parts of the country. The neighboring Cebu is where Christianity first gain foothold. But remnants of native Visayan Cebuano culture survive. The Panambal Festival opened on 7 April with a short program at the three-and-half-hectare Olang Arts Park, which was established in 2005 by Crouse, who hails from Pangasinan. According to organizers, the festival aims to feature the arts as well as traditional healing. A visual arts exhibit was also opened, showcasing works, mostly depicting healing practices, by Siquijodnon artists of the Pahiuli Artists Collective—Tomaroy, Joven Y. Ansing, Vicente C. Looc, Jr., Peter G. Agan, Dubonga Jorom, Louie Gabucan, Malvin E. Lomosad and Dondon dela Victoria. Performances of the young Olang Arts Park Orchestra were also featured. The next day, Good Friday, healers demonstrated steps in making concoctions and oils, and conduction healing sessions in a cluster of huts surrounded by mahogany trees. One common healing practice is the tuob or suob, a kind of body fumigation, for a variety of ailments and to drive away general bad vibes or spirits. The minasa, a black dry concoction, is burned inside a dry coconut husk to create palina or healing smoke and is place under the patient who is wrapped with a blanket or malong. [caption id="attachment_123666" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Tuob using fumigation is a common healing practice.[/caption] In one corner, Ricardo “Ricky” Oyog doing the haplas, application of healing oil on the feet and legs, massaging them with their version of reflexology. The 55-year-old mananambal, a former radio operator from Caitican, Siquijor, Siquijor, also had common oils and remedies for sale. These concoctions include himughat, a dry mixture of wood chips and bark of different plants believed to be medicinal. At P250 per bag, the himughat is mixed into vino or wine or any alcoholic drink, letting it steep. A shot or a tablespoon or two is recommended for fatigue or general tiredness, for headache, dysmenorrhea and kidney ailments. The haplas sa panuhot is an oil concoction for lamig or bodily aches. It is also used for buntis (pregnancy), pamanhod (numbness), pamaol (muscle ache), and arthritis. The tambal sa hilo ug daot is a treatment for as well as panagang or defense against poisoning and paninira (slander, defamation) and jealousy and envy, which is a kind of poisoning. It is also used to treat pangatol or itching. There were also concoctions in small vials, to be placed in the cash box to bring luck in business, and in amulets, a general charm. Other participating healers were Daniela Sartin, Gibrint Edd D. Reyes, Dodong Amboludto, Jomar Enanor, Dean Mark Enanor, Tessie Calimpon and Delia Bajo. On Good Friday, the mananambals performed the adlip on the gathered woods, stems and branches of different plants and trees, which they have gathered during the season. There were several kinds and the healers know by their local names such as tagnipas, duguan, tabun-hangin, etc. There are kinds they call pahiuli or restoration plants. According to Josel B. Mansueto, a professor at the Siquijor State College who have conducted studies on the island’s folk healing practices, mananambals use 377 varieties or kinds of plants. The forests and mountains are sources of these. Other sources of other ingredients are caves (stalactite, earth, etc.), the sea (anything that causes itching or irritation, bearing toxins, etc.), the church (holy water, flowers offered on funerals, candles, etc.). Pag-aadlip involves chopping the woods and stems into smaller pieces. On this day, they also do the pag-uuling, the burning of collected materials to be used as ingredients in the making of minasa. On Black Saturday, Tomaroy led in pagmamasa, the preparation of the minasa. A large kawali was placed over fire and ingredients were put in, which included beeswax, candles, incense, tawas, kamanyang, tuba, honey, soil from the floor of a langub (cave), lana or coconut oil, pahi-uli wood, uling and many others. [caption id="attachment_123662" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Preparing the minasa to used to make palina for the tuob.[/caption] The black mixture was frequently stirred until the healer deemed it ready. Aside from tuob, the minasa is also used in producing anting-anting or amulet or charm. On Easter Sunday, the paglalana was done. It is the process extracting coconut oil. They scraped off the meat out of coconuts using the kudkuran. The most potent coconut comes from the “bugtong na niyog na nakaharap sa silangan,” or a lone coconut facing the east. Every batch must contain at least one. If more, they must be in odd numbers, such three or five. Lana made with coconuts facing the west and used in even numbers (two, four, etc) is for pangkukulam/pambabarang or witchcraft. They squeezed the milk out of the grated coconut meat. Only kakang-gata, the milk of the first squeezing or extraction, is used. The milk was boiled over fire until the oil came out after about two hours and was then separated from other particles. The lana or coconut oil is an attracting agent as well as a vehicle to deliver the efficacy of the herbs and other ingredients. The popular lumay is also concocted during Easter Sunday. It is also known as gayuma or love potion but lumay gererally is meant to attract positive vibes and good fortune not only in love and romance but also in business, career and even marital and family life. [caption id="attachment_123657" align="aligncenter" width="752"] Flowers, seeds, twigs and other ingredients for making lumay, popularly known as gayuma.[/caption] Lumay is concocted during Easter Sunday because many ingredients are gathered from materials used in salubong and other Easter events and practices of the church such as leaves and flower decors. It can be concocted by anyone if one knows the ingredients. Some of the ingredients in making lumay include tawa-tawa, amorseko, buhok sa hangin, lagay-lagay, makahiya or mimosa, rosary pea seeds, sampinit, kadena de amor, and likup-likup. These are gathered and put in a bottle together with perfume or honey. Dab some perfume on the skin or smear a little honey on the lips, the healer advised. Tawa-tawa is used maybe because the fruits are phallic, and the likup-likup, maybe because they cling to the trees. The plants’ perceived characteristics as well as their names indicate what powers they can add to the potion. One ingredient is the curious, bag-shaped plant called lagay-lagay sa amo, the Hydnophytum plant that grows on tree branches and trunks, and is structured like an ant colony, thus it is called the ant plant. The mananambal includes it their healing oil concoctions to treat bukol or swellings or tumor-like symptoms as well as goiter, and certain types of cancer. The name means testicles and it is also included in the concoction of lumay because of its sexual connotation. While the lumay making was going on, an Easter egg hunt was organized for the children, a seemingly incongruent inclusion in the festival. But the hunt is also a practice with old, paganistic roots, with eggs and bunnies as symbols of fertility, like the healing practices, an amalgam of native and Catholic beliefs. Agustin has been planning for the next holding of the Panambal Festival. He has invited the Aralan ng Gamutang Pilipino, led by Dr. Isidro C. Sia, convenor and executive director of Integrative Medicine for Alternative Healthcare Systems Philippines, to hold its national convention during the festival. Organizers also envisioned having traditional healers from different parts of the country, such as mumbaki of the Ifugao and healers of the Ati of Negros Island, as guest participants. An herbarium has been started, with an ambition of growing all the plant ingredients used in pananambal. All these are for the vision of making Siquijor the healing center of the country. The post First Panambal Festival promotes Siquijor’s folk healing practices appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Central, Western Visayas insurgents ‘leaderless’
CEBU CITY — The Visayas Command revealed on Sunday that the New People’s Army in Central and Western Visayas is now left without a head following the death of their top leader, Rogelio Posadas. To recall, Posadas died in an armed encounter with troops of the 94th and the 62nd Infantry Battalions in the boundaries of Isabela and Binalbagan in Negros Occidental on Thursday and VisCom said that the death of Posadas left the NPA, the Communist Party of the Philippines’ armed wing, and the National Democratic Front operating in Negros Island, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor “leaderless” and will no longer have “clear operational direction on the ground.” It added that Posadas’ death will further contribute to the leadership vacuum that the organization has been suffering. “Justice is served to Mr. Posadas. The CPP-NPA-NDF can never run away from the atrocities that they have committed against our country and people. Sooner or later the long arm of the law will be able to catch up with them,” Viscom said. Posadas, who carried the alias “Putin,” is the top leader of Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and secretary of the Unified Regional Committee for Negros island, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor. The military has tagged him responsible for various atrocities and illegal activities in the region, including assassinations, extortions, kidnappings, arsons, and other forms of violence against innocent civilians and government personalities. The 303rd Infantry Brigade said Posadas’ body was positively identified through the help of informants and former rebels who have surrendered to 94IB. Posadas’ death came less than a year after Juanito Magbanua, the NPA regional commander in Negros island, was also killed in a clash with the 94IB in October 2022. Viscom urged the remaining members of the communist rebels in Central and Western Visayas regions to surrender and “return to the fold of the law while there is still time.” The post Central, Western Visayas insurgents ‘leaderless’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»