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Asian Institute of Management appoints Erramon Aboitiz as new chairman
UnionBank of the Philippines chairman of the Board of Directors Erramon "Montxu" I. Aboitiz has taken on a pivotal role as the new chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Asian Institute of Management beginning 1 September 2023. Aboitiz joins an esteemed group of accomplished business leaders who share the commitment to advance the growth and well-being of Asia and its people. Montxu is the seventh chairman of AIM, succeeding Peter Garrucho who assumed the role in 2017. Montxu served as the president and CEO of Aboitiz Equity Ventures for a decade from 2009 to 2019, and briefly as the CEO of Aboitiz Power Corporation in 2018. Additionally, Montxu is a former trustee of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation before Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz assumed the same role. Montxu earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and Finance from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, USA. In 2011, he received the Management Man of the Year award from the Management Association of the Philippines and was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. Seven years later, AIM conferred an honorary doctorate degree in management on Montxu. In 2019, the Aboitiz Group, through its social responsibility arm the Aboitiz Foundation, made a $10 million donation to AIM, marked as the Aboitiz 100th Anniversary Commitment Fund. The said fund is being used to address the local and regional gap in data science and innovation. With this donation, AIM’s Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship conducts world-class teaching and research with real-world applications with data science professionals and leaders. The post Asian Institute of Management appoints Erramon Aboitiz as new chairman appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
This writers’ workshop loves Filipino literature
The Palihang Rogelio Sicat discussion on 21 June held in UP Diliman looked and sounded like an art class session. Manolo Sicat, the well-known artist and sculptor, was delivering a demo-lecture on printmaking. He said figures and words can go together in a work of art. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="175634,175632"] He had a PowerPoint presentation of print images. A pair of prints of a couple of dancers were passed around. One was in black and white, the other in color. Texture and motion were their immediate charm. “But what has printmaking to do with us?,” said Christian Balagoza, a boyish writer. “We’ll know when we get the printmaking session,” said sir Reuel Aguila, director PRS 16 (2023). Art collab This is the latest PRS innovation. When the session was held a few days later, Sicat conducted an honest-to-goodness printmaking workshop at the UP College of Fine Arts. A colleague, Prof. Ambie Abano, welcomed the group and opened her atelier to show mural-sized prints made from wooden originals. It is the artist’s impressive collection of prints featuring landscapes of lush trees in dark, brooding background. Fellows from the previous online batch joined the art activity. During the three-hour session, everyone polished her rubber board, chiseled images and texts, and finally print the works on paper. They were amazed to pick up the skill fast and admire the results in no time. Thumbs and nails got smudged with sticky ink yet everyone was smiling at the wet and black artworks clipped on wires that crossed the studio. 16 years of PRS This is one of the activities that make PRS unique. Thanks to its founders -- dramatist Reuel Aguila, retired professor now a lecturer at the UP, and fictionist Jimmuel Naval, dean of the UP College of Arts and Letters. The partner is always on the lookout for ingenious ways to improve the workshop, all for the good of young writers. PRS began as an informal workshop of a number of young writers held in the mansion of Ligaya Tiamson Rubin in Angono, Rizal, in 2008. Today, fellows accepted in the workshop are pegged at 15. Fellows like the idea that they are the main commentators of the manuscripts. During workshops, they get to be the lead discussant. “They learn to be critical and not rely too much on the opinion of the panelists,” said Aguila. The PRS is the only writers’ workshop that aspires to be mobile, going around the country to make its appellation ‘national’ true. It literally brings the creative writing life closer to practitioners. PRS collaborates with local governments, and with their support the workshop had been to Palayan City, Nueva Ecija (2009); Baler, Aurora (2010); Alfonso, Cavite (2011); Sta. Cruz, Marinduque (2012); Angeles City, Pampanga (2014); and Makati City (2015). It also cooperates with the academe as in UP Visayas-Tacloban (2017), UP Baguio (2018) and UP Los Baños (2019). There were times PRS stayed at its home base UP Diliman like during the 50th anniversary of the UP Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature (UP-DFPL) in 2017. It went online as Zoom conference twice during the pandemic. With the renowned writer Rogelio Sicat as PRS idol, the workshop chooses Filipino language as its medium of writing literature. It also accepts works from the region’s translated into Filipino. Institutional support PRS is the official outreach program of the UP-DFPL whose incumbent chair Schedar DT Jocson said that from the beginning, it has supported PRS and its objectives. Many of its panelists are from the department, including alumna Dr. Lulu Torres-Reyes, the PRS 16 guest of honor. Other PRS supporters include the UP Sentro ng Wikang Filipino (UP-SWF). “We are honored to be part of a movement that brings Philippine literature closer to the common people. PRS writers enrich the catalog of our website,” said director Jayson Petras. Friends and business people also support PRS, like Palawan Pawnshop / Palawan Express Padala company. Lively discussion about literature An hour of PRS discussion on a story or poem does not exhaust its reading or interpretation. To address the gap, sessions are set beyond the allotted time and well into almost midnight. Fellows do not seem to mind as they are very eager to huddle with seniors who are just as willing to forego of an early bedtime. PRS goes one more step. In 2022, it created post-workshop online sessions. Here, senior and beginning writers discuss new works. Everyone is excited to have these disquisitions that aim to improve writing skills. Dedication is demanded from both sides. The recent PRS workshop had the Sicat siblings Luna and Manolo beaming with pride. They were quite surprised to know that almost 300 young writers had already experienced the workshop. PRS is also proud that esteemed writers served as its panelists, including Bienvenido Lumbera, Edgardo Reyes, Ricardo Lee, Rogelio Ordoñez, Lualhati Bautista, Rosario Lucero, Elmer Ordoñez, Jose Dalisay, Marne Kilates, Jess Santiago, Fidel Rillo, Edgardo Maranan, Lilia Quindoza Santiago, Delfin Tolentino, Bonifacio Ilagan, Frank Cimatu, Joi Barrios-Le Blanc, Chris Millado, Jerry Gracio, Richard Gappi, Eros Atalia, Joselito delos Reyes, Choi Pangilinan and Junley Lorenzana Lazaga. PRS connects the lives of senior and beginning writers. Rogelio Sicat would be proud of this long -running project named after him. The post This writers’ workshop loves Filipino literature appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go continues efforts to improve public service delivery
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go remains committed to supporting economic recovery and bolstering the healthcare system in various communities. Being an adopted son of Zambales, he continues to help improve public service delivery in the province. In a speech during his visit to Olongapo City, Zambales, on Saturday, 19 August, Go reiterated his dedication to providing immediate aid to communities in need especially the poor. “Huwag po kayong magpasalamat sa akin. Parati naming naririnig ‘salamat Senator Bong Go, salamat (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte sa mga tulong.' Sa totoo lang po, kami po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil kami po’y mga probinsyano na binigyan n’yo po ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo po sa inyo. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat,” Go said. “Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin ‘yung pagkakataong ibinigay ninyo sa akin, magtatrabaho po ako para sa Pilipino. Wala po akong piling oras, Lunes hanggang Linggo, umaga hanggang gabi magtatrabaho po ako para sa Pilipino sa abot ng aking makakaya,” he added. Go and his team distributed grocery packs, vitamins, masks, and snacks to 2,000 struggling residents, composed of persons with disabilities, solo parents, and transport workers, at the Rizal Triangle Multipurpose Center. The senator likewise gave away bicycles, shoes, mobile phones, watches, shirts, and basketball and volleyball balls. Meanwhile, financial support was also extended by the DSWD to assessed beneficiaries. The relief operation was in partnership with the Olongapo City local government, in coordination with Congressman Jay Khonghun and Mayor Rolen Paulino, Jr. “Ang tawag po sa kanya ay Mr. Malasakit. Alam niyo kung bakit? Kasi po yung puso niya (ay may malasakit), malapit sa tao si Senator Bong Go. At maliban po diyan, siya ang nagsulong ng mga Malasakit Centers… At gusto ko lang din ipaalam sa inyo na si Senator Bong Go po ay matagal na niya akong tinutulungan upang magkaroon tayo ng Malasakit Center dito sa hospital natin,” Paulino said in his speech, referring to ongoing efforts to establish a Malasakit Center in Olongapo in coordination with DOH. “Thank you very much po. Napakalaking tulong po ng ginagawa niyo sa amin… Siya po yung nagiging susi para marami pa tayong matulungan. Ang totoo po diyan, ang tinutulungan niya po ay hindi lang Olongapo, buong Zambales ang natutulungan ninyo,” Mayor Paulino continued. To further help alleviate the burden of poor and indigent patients, Go maintained his support for the continued operations of Malasakit Centers nationwide, including the one at President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Iba town. Initiated in 2018 and institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go in 2019, these centers serve as a vital bridge between the government and the people, offering streamlined access to medical assistance programs from concerned agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Currently, there are 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide and, according to DOH, these centers have helped more than seven million Filipinos nationwide. “Ang Malasakit Center po is a one stop shop. Nasa loob na po ng ospital ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno – PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, DSWD na handang tumulong sa ating mga kababayan. ‘Yan po ang Malasakit Center, batas ‘yan na isinulong ko noon, pinirmahan ni dating Pangulong Duterte. One stop shop po ‘yan, lapitan n’yo lang po, para po ‘yan sa poor and indigent patients,” said Go in an interview after the event. Go's vision for a stronger healthcare sector continues through his advocacy for the establishment of more Super Health Centers (SHCs). Recognizing the importance of accessible healthcare services, especially after experiencing a global health crisis, Go has championed the cause of establishing these centers to provide primary care, early detection of diseases, and needed medical consultations to a broader range of citizens. Go cited that necessary funds have been allocated last year for DOH to construct SHCs in Iba, Botolan, and Castillejos, while another center will be established in Castillejos under the 2023 budget. The SHCs are medium versions of polyclinics and are bigger than rural health units, which offer basic services, such as database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center, and telemedicine where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done. “Ang ikinaganda po nito, (pwede na) diyan na po magpapakonsulta. It will help decongest the hospital. Importante ang early detection ng sakit para hindi na lumala at hindi na kailangan dalahin sa ospital. Magpakonsulta po kayo sa Super Health Center para mabigyan kayo agad ng primary care,” Go encouraged. Through Resolution No. 205 dated 8 August 2022, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Zambales pronounced Go as its adopted son, noting that the senator has "embodied the spirit of good governance and public service" by exerting great efforts to help the whole province. To ensure the progress of the city, Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the road rehabilitation along Elicano Street East Bajac-Bajac and the improvement of drainage canals in Barangay Barretto. On the same day, Go was in Subic where he was the guest speaker during the commencement exercise of Kolehiyo ng Subic, Class Matalaghay 2023. The post Bong Go continues efforts to improve public service delivery appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New jail chief to follow ‘BJMP Plan 2040’
The incoming 10th Chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology on Tuesday said he will continue working on the BJMP’s J.A.I.L. Plan 2040, the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” Program, and the Marcos administration’s Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. BJMP J.A.I.L. Plan 2040 stands for Journey for Advancement Innovation and Long-term Development Plan 2040. Jail director Ruel Rivera was appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Monday evening. In his new role as BJMP chief, Rivera said he is committed to the BJMP’s mandate of providing secure, reformation-oriented, and well-managed jail facilities across the country. Rivera said he will work closely with BJMP personnel, stakeholders, and partners to uphold the BJMP commitment to professionalism, integrity and service excellence. Rivera will be leading the BJMP’s 20,813 personnel in taking care of 126,606 persons deprived of liberty confined in 479 jails and with a nationwide congestion rate of 365 percent. A member of PATNUBAY Class of 1995, Rivera received his degree in Public Safety from the Philippine National Police Academy. He pursued a Master’s in Public Administration at Batangas State University and acquired Doctorate units in Philosophy on Educational Management at the University of Rizal System. The Daily Tribune learned that throughout Rivera’s career, the new BJMP chief has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges faced by the Jail Bureau. He played a vital role in implementing innovative programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the BJMP’s operations and the rehabilitation of PDL. In his 28 years in public service, Jail Director Rivera brings a distinguished career in jail management to this position. With his years of experience in various capacities within the BJMP, he displayed exemplary dedication and commitment to the bureau’s mission of ensuring safe and humane custody of PDL. He never shied away from being deployed to various regional offices as a staff officer, Regional Chief of Directorial Staff and Assistant Regional Director, until his eventual ascent to the seat of the Regional Director of BJMP-MIMAROPA from 2013 to 2014. Rivera also became the NHQ’s Chief of the Finance Service Office, Director for Investigation and Prosecution, Director for Logistics, and Director for Comptrollership, before joining the BJMP’s Command Group, the decision-making body of the Jail Bureau, serving as the Chief of Directorial Staff in 2017, Deputy Chief for Operations in 2018, Deputy Chief for Administration in July 2019, and Acting Chief, BJMP on March 27, 2023. Rivera replaced General Allan Iral who optionally retired from the service at the age of 54 after reaching the maximum tour of duty of four years as BJMP chief last June 23, 2023. The post New jail chief to follow ‘BJMP Plan 2040’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go bats for better fire prevention, sends aid to Parañaque fire victims
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go remains committed to help Filipinos affected by crisis situations as he sent his team to assist fire victims residing in Barangays La Huerta and San Dionisio in Parañaque City on Friday, 9 June. Go’s team held the relief activity at Villanueva Village Basketball Court and distributed grocery packs, snacks, vitamins, shirts and masks to a total of 76 affected households. The senator's personnel also gave away shoes and mobile phones to select recipients. Aside from the senator’s team, a team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance to further help the victims recover from the damage caused by the fire incident. Through his video message, Go maintained that the government continues to prioritize better fire prevention efforts as the Bureau of Fire Protection is currently undergoing a modernization program, following the enactment of Republic Act No. 11589 in 2021. The BFP Modernization Act, which was primarily authored and co-sponsored by Go, mandates the agency to undergo a 10-year modernization program to transform the bureau into a world-class institution that would significantly improve its capability to respond to fire-related incidents by recruiting more firefighters, acquiring new fire equipment and developing specialized training, among others. “Sa pag-iikot ko ng bansa para makatulong sa mga nasunugan, nakita ko po talaga ang importansya ng pagpapalakas ng ating fire prevention campaigns. Kaya naman nagpapasalamat ako sa dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa pag-apruba ng BFP Modernization Act para mas lalo pang lumakas ang kapasidad ng ahensya,” expressed Go. “Sa mga nasunugan naman po, alam ko pong napakahirap ng panahon ngayon at kayo po ay nasunugan pa pero huwag po kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Ang pera naman po ay kikitain pero ang pera ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya mag-ingat po tayo palagi,” he reminded. Go then offered additional assistance to any resident in need of medical care as he encouraged them to seek the services of the Malasakit Center located at Ospital ng Parañaque. After he witnessed the struggles of financially disadvantaged Filipinos in settling their medical expenses, Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 and was institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463 in 2019, which he principally authored and sponsored. The center houses relevant agencies where patients can conveniently avail medical assistance programs, such as DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. There are now 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide. Go likewise mentioned that Super Health Centers will be strategically located in the city as identified by the DOH, including two in different barangays. Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. The DOH, as the lead implementing agency, identifies strategic areas where these centers will be built. Services offered in Super Health Centers include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray and ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done. Aside from the assistance provided, Go, who is Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported several initiatives in the city to ensure its progress amid crisis situations. Among the projects are the rehabilitation and construction of several multipurpose buildings, rehabilitation of drainage in Brgy. Don Bosco, improvement of the Parañaque River Promenade Bridge and acquisition of an ambulance unit. Last 2 June, Go’s team also assisted more fire victims in the city. The post Bong Go bats for better fire prevention, sends aid to Parañaque fire victims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BCDA marks new milestone
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority recently clinched two Gold Awards from the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards as the agency continues to intensify efforts on uniting people. The BCDA won the award for its innovative storytelling and creative design in the highly prestigious award. The “One Nation, One Legacy” BCDA annual report series from 2019 to 2021 was awarded the Gold Stevie Award for Innovation in Annual Reports. Meanwhile, the annual report of “We Build As One” garnered the Gold Stevie Award for Innovation in Government Publications. According to BCDA president and chief executive officer Aileen R. Zosa, these awards signify additional feathers to BCDA’s cap, three years after winning two bronze medals in the 2020 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards for the 2018 Annual Report, “Clark. It Works. Like A Dream,” and the BCDA external newsletter, “Collective.” She added that the annual report is an important tool to connect the BCDA and its stakeholders as the agency continues to look for ways to make their content more accessible and engaging. “With these publications, we ask our readers to look beyond the data and see how BCDA’s accomplishments are also the accomplishments of the Filipino people. All these, while not forgetting to exercise transparency and accuracy in reporting our financial performance, as is our duty as a government institution,” Zosa said. “We are happy and very honored that the vastly prominent Stevie Awards has recognized our efforts. This inspires us to carry on with our task of ensuring effective communication with our stakeholders, including the military, our investors, and the public,” she added. Adopting elements of a lifestyle magazine both in terms of content and design, BCDA’s One Nation, One Legacy annual report series tells the story of BCDA and how its projects have impacted Filipinos before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic. The reports include human-interest stories anchored on corporate governance, business development, project management, and corporate social responsibility initiatives to communicate BCDA’s role as a catalyst of national growth and provider of economic opportunities for Filipinos. “We Win As One” (2019) featured New Clark City’s world-class sports complex completed in record time for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. “We Heal As One” (2020) focused on BCDA’s role in the whole-of-nation approach in dealing with the pandemic and lastly, “We Build As One” (2021) highlighted how BCDA exercised political will amid a crippling health crisis to push for the completion of big-ticket infrastructure projects, such as the Clark International Airport terminal. The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace in all 29 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. The post BCDA marks new milestone appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lebanon court orders ex-car boss Ghosn out of Beirut home: official
A Lebanese judge has decided to evict former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn from his luxury home, a judicial official said Saturday, four years after an investment firm accused him of "trespassing". Ghosn, who took up residency in the Beirut property after fleeing prosecution in Japan in 2019, appealed the ruling on Friday, the official added. A spokesperson for Ghosn confirmed he had appealed. Ghosn and his wife must "vacate the property... within a month", according to a copy of the decision seen by AFP and dated 16 October. The home with pink walls in the Lebanese capital's upscale Ashrafieh neighborhood is worth some $19 million and is registered to Lebanese company Phoinos Investment, the judicial official said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media. Phoinos initiated the legal action in 2019 and has accused Ghosn of "trespassing on private property and living in the home without legal basis", the official added. According to the court document, Ghosn said the company was affiliated with Nissan and that "the property was purchased... for his residence, and there is a signed agreement with Nissan that grants him the right to reside" there. Ghosn occupied the home "according to a contractual relationship linking... Ghosn and Nissan", the decision said. However, the end of that relationship and the plaintiff's wish to retake the property invalidates "the legal basis" of his occupancy, it added. In a written statement to AFP, a Ghosn spokesperson said documents that had been unavailable for prior hearings in the cast would support his appeal. "He will now be able to present all the documents held up in Japan that he was unable to secure on time," the statement said. Ghosn, the former chairman and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board in a unanimous decision. He jumped bail late the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains an international fugitive. Ghosn has always denied the charges against him, arguing they were cooked up by Nissan executives who opposed his attempts to more closely integrate the firm with French partner Renault. Japan and France have sought his arrest, but Lebanon does not extradite its citizens, and judicial authorities have slapped a travel ban on Ghosn, who holds Lebanese, French, and Brazilian nationality. The post Lebanon court orders ex-car boss Ghosn out of Beirut home: official appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LGUs’ classification, revenue basis codified
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a bill classifying local government units based on their revenues to establish a basis for their separate financial allocations and other forms of assistance. Republic Act 11964 seeks to institutionalize the automatic income classification of LGUs as a “more responsive approach” to support the local economy and “enable LGUs to realize their full economic potential.” “In line with this, the State recognizes the need to determine the financial capability and fiscal position of local government units,” the new law read in a statement released on Friday. The government determines the level of administrative and statutory help, financial grants, and other forms of support to be given to an LGU on the LGU revenue classification system. Likewise, the revenue categorization of LGUs is used to ascertain its financial capacity to carry out projects and programs, as well as how it would carry out administrative orders on allowances and salary regulations. The first general income reclassification would take place six months after RA 11964 goes into force, and afterward, every three years, Malacañang said. According to the law, municipalities are divided into five classes based on their annual average regular income for three fiscal years before the LGU’s general income is reclassified. The classifications of municipality based on annual average income are as follows: first class: P200,000,000; second class: P160,000,000 to P200,000,00; third class: P130,000,000 to P160,000,00; fourth class: P90,000,000 to P130,000,000; and fifth class: less than P90,000,000. This will determine the “LGU capability to undertake development programs and projects” and the overall yearly supplemental appropriation for personal services for all units. Compensation adjustments for LGU employees will also be predicated on classification following the “Salary Standardization Law of 2019.” The classification also includes the following: Minimum wages for domestic workers, bases for the creation of new local government units (LGUs), the number of elective members in Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Sangguniang Bayan, free patent titles for residential land, government service insurance system coverage for LGU properties, and the maximum percentage of agricultural land area that can be reclassified and used. On January 1st of the year following the Finance Secretary’s release of the income classification table, the provinces, cities, and municipalities will undergo their first income reclassification. Within three months of the law’s enactment, the Department of Finance will draft the rules and regulations that will carry out its provisions in collaboration with the Department of Budget and Management and after consulting with the local government leagues. The post LGUs’ classification, revenue basis codified appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ilocos Sur micro-entreps get help from Bong Go
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go’s team, in coordination with Governor Jeremias “Jerry” Singson, Vigan City Mayor Jose Bonito Singson Jr., Caoayan Mayor Germelina Goulart and other local government officials, provided assistance to micro-business owners at the Vigan Conservation Complex and Caoayan municipal gymnasium in Ilocos Sur on Monday, 23 October. A total of 68 individuals received masks and snacks, while select recipients were given shoes, shirts and balls for basketball from Go’s team. Aside from the assistance from Go, the beneficiaries also qualified for the Department of Trade and Industry’s program that Go supported which provides livelihood kits to assist communities affected by crises in their recovery efforts. “Patuloy tayong sumusuporta sa mga programang pangkabuhayan lalo na yung mga makakatulong sa mga mahihirap na nahaharap sa krisis. Sa ating pakikipagtulungan, ang DTI ay nagbibigay ng mga negosyo kits sa mga kwalipikadong benepisyaryo at tinuturuan sila kung paano palalaguin ang kanilang mga negosyo para mapakinabangan ng pamilya ang kanilang kikitain. Nagbigay naman tayo ng karagdagang suporta sa mga benepisyaryo ng programang ito,” he explained in a video message. Also in attendance were DTI 1 Regional Director Grace Falgui-Baluyan and Provincial Director Charry Quodala. Go acknowledged how the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected businesses in the country. In response to this, Go is one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act 11960, known as the One Town, One Product Philippines Act. This legislation serves to institutionalize the OTOP Philippines Program, a strategic initiative tailored to nurturing the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises throughout the country. The essence of the OTOP Program centers on the identification and promotion of distinctive products originating from various towns and municipalities. In doing so, it not only encourages entrepreneurship but also effectively harnesses local resources while preserving our rich cultural heritage. This approach facilitates increased visibility, market access, and enhanced competitiveness for micro-businesses, thereby making a substantial contribution to our country’s economic resilience. "Hindi lamang ito tungkol sa pag-angat ng MSMEs. Ito'y pagkakataon para sa bawat Pilipino, kahit saan man sila naroroon, na magtagumpay sa negosyo," he elaborated. "When communities take the lead in product development, we see more sustainable and culturally relevant outcomes. This is what OTOP aims to achieve," Go said. Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, emphasized the role played by Malasakit Centers in ensuring convenient access to the government's medical assistance programs. As part of his commitment to alleviating the struggles faced by individuals and families while improving their access to essential healthcare services, Go initiated the establishment of Malasakit Centers in 2018. This was institutionalized in 2019 through the passage of RA 11463, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go. Since its inception, the Malasakit Centers have helped more than seven million poor and indigent patients nationwide. Currently, there are 159 Malasakit Centers, including those at Ilocos Sur Provincial Hospital (formerly known as Gabriela Silang General Hospital) in Vigan City and Ilocos Sur Medical Center in Candon City. Moreover, Go also supported the construction of more than 600 Super Health Centers in strategic locations nationwide including four in Ilocos Sur as identified by the Department of Health which is the lead implementing agency. The initiative was a collaborative effort among lawmakers, LGUs and the DOH. According to Go, Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation, and early detection of diseases, further strengthening the healthcare sector in the country, especially in rural communities. It will also help decongest hospitals. Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, also supported various infrastructure projects, including the road improvements in Magsingal and Narvacan; acquisition of medical equipment for public health facilities in Cervantes, Magsingal, Narvacan, Salcedo, Sinait and Sta. Lucia; acquisition of ambulance units in Burgos, Nagbukel, San Emilio and Tagudin; and construction of multipurpose buildings, halls and gyms in Bantay, Cabugao, Santa, Sigay and Sugpon. The post Ilocos Sur micro-entreps get help from Bong Go appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go assists Talitay displaced workers
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in coordination with Mayor Sidik Amiril, provided assistance to residents of the Municipality of Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte on Monday, 23 October. Go’s outreach staff joined a distribution activity at the Talitay-covered court and provided snacks, masks, and vitamins to 268 indigents, particularly displaced workers. They also gave away shirts, balls for basketball and volleyball, a mobile phone, and shoes to select recipients. The beneficiaries also qualified for livelihood support from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) after they have completed DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. "Patuloy po tayong magtulungan upang mas mapabuti pa ang kalagayan ng ating mga disadvantaged at displaced workers. Magkasama tayo sa layuning ito na makabuo ng mas maginhawa at mas matatag na lipunan para sa lahat ng Pilipino," he said. To ensure that those who reside in rural areas lacking job opportunities are taken care of, Go also filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 420, which seeks to offer temporary employment to eligible members of low-income rural households who are ready to perform unskilled physical labor for a period of time if enacted into law. Meanwhile, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, shared his continuing efforts to bring government health services closer to Filipinos. He encouraged the beneficiaries to make use of the Malasakit Centers if they are in need of assistance in settling their hospital bills. “Kung mayroon po kayong karamdaman, halimbawa masakit ang dibdib ninyo, at kailangan n’yo pong magpaospital at kailangan n’yo pong magpaopera sa Davao o sa Maynila sa Philippine Heart Center, magsabi lang po kayo. Tutulungan ho namin kayong magpaopera, pati pamasahe po ninyo tutulungan ho namin kayo,” Go said. Within Maguindanao del Norte, Malasakit Centers are housed in Sanitarium Hospital in Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City. Residents of Maguindanao del Sur can access the Malasakit Center at Maguindanao Provincial Hospital in Shariff Aguak. “Ang target po ng Malasakit Center ay ma-cover ang inyong billing. Kaya huwag po kayong mahihiyang lumapit sa Malasakit Center dahil para po yan sa inyo, mga kababayan kong Pilipino. At ngayon po, meron na po tayong 159 na Malasakit Centers sa buong Pilipinas na handang tumulong po sa inyo,” he said. As a one-stop shop where poor and indigent patients can access government medical assistance, the Malasakit Center was initiated by Go in 2018 and institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463 in 2019, a legislation he principally sponsored and authored. The center is home to various agencies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), ensuring accessibility to medical assistance programs. Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, has also supported several projects in the province, including the construction of public markets in Buldon and Matanog; and the construction of a multipurpose building in Matanog. The post Bong Go assists Talitay displaced workers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go calls on DSWD, concerned agencies to update list of indigent senior citizens
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go emphasized the need to update the list of indigent senior citizens, in accordance with Republic Act No. 11916. The said law also mandates an increase in the pension of indigent senior citizens -- from PHP500 to PHP1,000. RA 11916 or an Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens amended RA 7432, the first Senior Citizens Act. The law was co-authored by Go in the Senate. “This amendment is a step forward in ensuring a better quality of life for our senior citizens. It's crucial that we provide them with the necessary support to live comfortably,” Go said. “Nandiyan na ang batas. Dapat maimplementa ito ng maayos para mapakinabangan ng taumbayan lalo na ng mga matatanda na sakop ng batas na ito. Ibigay dapat ang nararapat sa kanila at huwag patagalin pa,” he stressed. Go then cited Section 6 of RA 11916 which mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), transitioning later to the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC), to annually update and validate the beneficiary list with the aid of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the local government units. Go expressed his concern regarding the need to urgently update the list of beneficiaries, as the number of indigent seniors may have increased over time. "It's imperative that we review and promptly update the list of beneficiaries to ensure that the aid reaches the senior citizens who are truly qualified to benefit from the law," Go remarked. Go also co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2028, which was principally sponsored by Senator Imee Marcos. The bill aims to provide additional support to individuals who have reached the age of 80 and 90 years old. This proposal amends the Centenarian Act of 2016, acknowledging that not everyone reaches the milestone of a century. He emphasized the cultural significance of caring for the elderly in the country and highlighted the importance of providing them with financial support while they can still benefit from and enjoy it. “Nasa kultura na nating mga Pilipino na alagaan ang ating mga nakakatanda. Dapat natin silang suportahan at bigyan ng pagkilala. Habang kaya pang pakinabangan at ma-enjoy ng senior citizen ang cash gift, ibigay na natin sa kanila,” said Go. Just recently, the Office of Senator Go, together with United Senior Citizens Partylist Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay, the Office of Senator Robin Padilla, and volunteer organizations, spearheaded an activity for senior citizens on Monday, October 16, during the United Senior Citizens Association-Quezon City (USCAQC) General Assembly held at White Twins Court, Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. Around 1,000 attendees were provided with essential goods from Senator Go such as grocery packs, snacks, and shirts while a select recipient likewise received a cellular phone. The participants were also given various forms of assistance from the participating offices to promote the welfare of the elderly. Meanwhile, Go urged senior citizens to utilize the services of Malasakit Centers for medical assistance they might need. Initiated by Go in 2018, the Malasakit Centers program was institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which he principally authored and sponsored. There are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have helped more than seven million Filipinos. “Prioritizing the needs of the underprivileged, especially senior citizens, in public service delivery is paramount. Rest assured, I will continue to support programs aimed at improving the lives of the elderly,” concluded Go. The post Bong Go calls on DSWD, concerned agencies to update list of indigent senior citizens appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life
That Taylor Swift is a great songwriter is no longer in question. What’s up for debate is whether she’s a great concert artist as well. By artist we don’t mean a gifted vocalist. The era of the pop concert as a singing showcase and a straightforward live onstage performance of recorded music ended in 1990 with Madonna’s third concert tour. Called Blond Ambition, the highly theatrical show combined music, spectacle and, most crucially, storytelling with a several-act structure based on themes or narrative arcs, deconstructed songs and elaborate sets to redefine the pop concert as performance art. It has since been the template and gold standard by which all concerts, especially those by female superstars, have been measured. Yes, even Madonna’s own subsequent tours have been assessed through the Ambition lens and, arguably, none of them has quite equaled the one that gave the world the cone bra as an icon of female sexuality and woman power. [caption id="attachment_201371" align="aligncenter" width="1987"] LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 on October 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)[/caption] Feast for the eyes Swift’s The Eras Tour, as seen in the filmed concert currently showing in cinemas worldwide, certainly serves up a feast for the eyes. Most of it is courtesy of the massive stage consisting of a backdrop that stands several stories high, a huge main platform and a long runway that juts well into the audience floor and features its own diamond-shaped mini-stage with a “hyperactive” central hydraulic platform consisting of several mobile blocks that rise to various heights throughout the almost three-hour show. It’s not only one of the biggest stages ever built for a pop concert, but is also probably the biggest LED installation ever assembled in and outside the music world. And it’s never not in use, lighting up the cavernous 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (where the movie was filmed over three shows) with eye-popping digital images, pre-recorded videos and live footage from the concert itself. The set is so massive that it makes Swift and her troupe of dancers look like ants. But thanks to the big screens, she literally looks larger than life to the live audience at different points in the show. The film does the opposite, and is the better for it: It brings Swift into the intimate space of the cinema and, thus, closer to the audience. Eras further highlights and celebrates the main thing that has helped the 33-year-old singer-songwriter conquer the pop world, the core attribute that makes Taylor Swift Taylor Swift: relatability. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="201372,201370"] It’s all over her music: a repertoire of mostly slow and mid-tempo ballads that tell about the blush, excitement, joy, ecstasy, frustrations, confusion, sadness, heartbreak, anger and regrets of modern-day romantic relationships, in creative confessional journal prose that listeners of all ages, colors and persuasions find no difficulty accessing and plugging into. It’s all over her wholesome, winsome, non-threatening all-American girl-next-door public persona. This is on fuller display in her performance in Eras than even in her 2020 documentary movie, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince, which chronicled mostly the period between her Reputation Tour in 2018 and the release in 2019 of her seventh studio album, Lover. Between the many floral, even pastoral, and fluid graphic images onscreen and the tasteful, immaculate set pieces, between the squarely schematic album-era sectioning and the billowy ball gowns and sparkly and sexy but modest bodysuits, between the Cheshire-Cat grin Swift wears through most of the show, even during moments in some heartbreak songs, and her dorky cheerleader energy, The Eras Tour plays like Little Miss Sunshine & The Hearty Princess. It’s all what anyone would expect from the reigning America’s Sweetheart. Thoroughly entertaining It’s a great Taylor Swift show, for sure — thoroughly entertaining and one that sends stans to Swift heaven. But it stops at being a Taylor Swift show with a faithful rendition of her songs when, for something called Eras, it should be giving audiences, both fans and casuals alike, more to chew on than what they already know and are familiar with — a recast, a reinterpretation, a recontextualization of her music and impact. [caption id="attachment_201373" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs onstage on the first night of her "Eras Tour" at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 31, 2023. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP)[/caption] The show is content to be a pop concert about Taylor Swift. Coming almost 20 years into her career, it should’ve reached for the world outside of Taylor Swift, or even just a small part of it: What do Taylor and her songs, for instance, say about the times we are living in? The Eras Tour could have aspired to life and art, or at least something approaching it, and thereby become a truly era-defining experience. The post ‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
POUND-FOR-POUND — Good guy Gibbons gives Filipino boxers the chance to shine
If you’re a talented fighter nursing dreams of becoming a world champion, there is one guy you need to get in touch with. If you’re a promoter who has got a bevy of promising fighters but with no strong connections to the guys who matter in the world of big-time boxing, you have to meet the fellow who makes things happen. That dude is no other than Sean Gibbons, who heads MP Promotions and a sprinkling of other influential outfits in the United States that gives boxers from all over the opportunity they deserve. Having trouble with your boxer’s stagnant world rating? Call Sean Gibbons. Can’t seem to get the big breaks? Call Sean Gibbons. Being given the run-around by a scammer, give Sean Gibbons a call. You see, Gibbons is a do-it-all boxing man who is a big daddy to just about any major Filipino fighter. He has got a deep knowledge of the fight game since he used to fight during his heyday. But before you start conjuring up images of Gibbons battling it out with boxing’s marquee names, pinch yourself first. Gibbons never achieved greatness as a boxer. He was more of a pretender than a contender, having racked up a 14-7-3 win-loss-draw record with seven knockouts before finally calling it a day in 1996. He never even fought in Las Vegas and instead showcased his wares in obscurity, hopping into one small town and city after another. After spending his first five pro bouts in Oklahoma City, Gibbons brought his act elsewhere and in places he never knew existed: Hugo, Purcell, Waubeek. A year before he retired in 1995, Gibbons, now 56, even traveled to Germany and fought and lost by knockout to local boy Ruediger May. Two more bouts on American soil — the first in Des Moines, Iowa, and the second in Miles City, Montana — paved the way for one final stop in Denmark against Peter Madsen. Gibbons would lose that by stoppage again and decided that enough was enough. Pretty soon, Gibbons got himself doing odd jobs in boxing through a relative — uncle Pat O’ Grady — father to former world lightweight champion Sean O’Grady. “I got the boxing bug from him. I would set up the ring, help sell tickets and train fighters… I started from the bottom,” Gibbons, born in Long Beach, California, said, noting that the first fighter he trained was heavyweight Wimpy Halstead. Oftentimes, Gibbons “would jump in as one of the fighters in the card and I was able to travel the world.” He also got aligned with Top Rank and credits Hall of Fame Bruce Trampler and fight coordinator Pete Susens as his mentors and takes great pride in his close association with eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao. Gibbons actually came to the Pacquiao show rather late. But his seven-year stint working for Pacquiao was the most memorable, saying it doesn’t compare with the 35 other years of involvement with boxing. “Seven years I spent with him were better than the other 35 years,” Gibbons, who graduated from Simi Valley High, said. Gibbons revealed that after Australian banger Jeff Horn elbowed and butted and wrestled his way in carving out a controversial points win in Brisbane in July 2018, “Pacquiao had pretty much been left for dead by some people.” It was right at this time when Gibbons entered the scene as Pacquiao’s go-to-guy for meaningful fights while also providing other Filipino boxers the break they need to become successful. Gibbons didn’t disappoint and was instrumental in striking a deal for fights involving Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman that resulted in a “tremendous run.” The victory over Thurman would go down as an epic as it made Pacquiao the oldest to win a world welterweight crown in July 2019 in Las Vegas. Now that Pacquiao has sailed into the sunset, Gibbons is dedicating his time and effort to the betterment of the other talents under MP Promotions, the Pacquiao-owned company that has majority of the country’s top ring talent under contract. And this is where Gibbons wields his expertise and proof of his savvy can be seen on Jerwin Ancajas, Pedro Taduran, Rene Cuarto, Mark Magsayo and current two-belt world super-bantamweight titleholder Marlon Tapales. Also under Gibbons’ care are Jonas Sultan, Vincent Astrolabio, Jade Bornea and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist and Asian Games silver medalist Eumir Marcial. Though not every one of them managed to win a world title, Gibbons draws utmost satisfaction from the helping hand that he had extended to them. “The most satisfying thing is to change lives of the fighters and take fighters who wouldn’t normally get these opportunities.” Also, Gibbons points to Pacquiao as a reason why he was able to pull it off. “I had the name Manny Pacquiao promotions and Manny Pacquiao was behind me but the biggest, biggest key was Al Haymon and he took my word for guys like Jerwin Ancajas, Mark Magsayo, Jonas Sultan and many, many others.” And there is no stopping Gibbons from doing the same thing especially when his clients’ welfare is on the line. A few months ago, Gibbons earned the ire of a state commission and got slapped with a ban. Still, Gibbons swears it is his way of showing that he always got his clients’ back. So how does he want people to remember him? “I would like to be remembered as someone who gave his all, no regrets. Just you know, when I work with someone, I put all my heart and soul into it. I got suspended for five for screaming at referees but I would like to be remembered for a guy who always had his client, fighters and boxers’ back and that when we went at it, we gave it our all.” If you end up going to war, you’d certainly want somebody like Sean Gibbons right by your side. The post POUND-FOR-POUND — Good guy Gibbons gives Filipino boxers the chance to shine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Youth backsliding on tobacco use feared
Public health advocates in the Philippines expressed growing concern on Thursday over the escalation of influence by the tobacco industry, which they say threatens the health and welfare of young Filipinos. At the launch of the 2022 and 2023 Tobacco Industry Interference Index Country Reports, the advocates warned that the downward trend of smoking in the country could be reversed, and more young people could become addicted to nicotine products if the situation is not addressed. “The tobacco industry has proven just how relentless they are in using their political and marketing machinery to assert their interests via interactions with the government,” said Rom Dongeto, convenor of the Child Rights Network and executive director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development. “We need to stop tobacco companies from targeting children and youth, especially through online platforms, in the propagation of their deadly vapes and cigarettes,” he added. The 2022 and 2023 TII Index Reports found that the Philippines’ score has consistently increased over the years, indicating the increasing influence of the tobacco industry and the government’s failure to combat interference. The country’s score rose from 45 in 2017 to 54 in 2018 and 57 in 2019. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, scores rose to 54 in 2020 and 58 in 2021. By 2022, the country’s score was up another notch at 59 and moved up further to 60 in 2023. The post Youth backsliding on tobacco use feared appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Anak Datu’ opens a rush of truth from ripples of trauma
A year after it premiered, Anak Datu is returning to the stage, opening the 37th season of Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. When it debuted, it immediately became a landmark production in several ways. It was one of the first plays to be mounted with a live audience after the lockdowns and restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021. And it was the first play to be staged at the newly opened CCP Black Box Theater or Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Anak Datu is one of the few plays on the Tausug and Moro people and cultures of Mindanao, portrayed with marked sensitivity and apparent diligence. It was lauded by critics and audiences, with former Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo as one of the prominent people who trooped to CCP to watch the play on 1 October 2022. The play went on to win six awards at the 13th Gawad Buhay and five at the 35th Aliw Awards. [caption id="attachment_192618" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] the tausug pangalay dance is incorporated into the play.[/caption] Fine-tuned production Despite the accolades and being one of the most important theatrical events in 2022, the play was faulted by some for what was seen as its confusing storytelling, its shifts in timeline and milieus, and the cumbersome sets. The second staging afforded the creative team the opportunity to fine-tune these and other aspects of the production. According to director Chris Millado, former CCP vice president and artistic director, they were able to make the storytelling clearer and supply an elevated platform to make the designs of the light projections more visible. For Dennis N. Marasigan, current CCP vice president and artistic director, “[o]n its rerun, Tanghalang Pilipino's Anak Datu is tighter, its storytelling and technical aspects clearer and crisper, and its staging even more affecting, effectively overlaying story, myth and history.” The restaging marks another milestone in the journey of the play, which started in 2018 from talks that artist Toym Imao, son of the late National Artist for visual arts Abdulmari Asia Imao, had with Millado and veteran actor and TP artistic director Fernando “Nanding” Josef about making a stage adaptation of the elder Imao’s short story for children, written in 1968, the year Toym was born. The team recruited award-winning playwright Rody Vera to write the script. The plan became more concrete when Josef decided to make the project TP’s first original play after the pandemic lockdowns. By then, the play has evolved into something larger than the original story. Serving as Anak Datu’s set designer, Imao recalled the anxieties they felt during the first stages of production, especially the prospect of one of them getting sick and shutting down the show. “But we were able to tell an essential story that was important, especially for a nation that was coming out of the devastating election of May 2022 for a lot of people. It is something important for us na nakapagkuwento kami (we were able to tell a story),” he said. [caption id="attachment_192619" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Ramli Abdurahim as the pirate Jikiran.[/caption] Three stories Anak Datu tells three stories — Toym’s childhood with his father (Paul Jake Paule) and mother, Grace de Leon (Toni Go-Yadao); his father’s short story; and the recent history of his father’s people, the Muslim Tausug in Sulu Archipelago and the Moro, the collective Muslim ethnic groups, of Mindanao. The Imao family portion shows Toymie (Carlos Dala) growing up with Voltes V and other preoccupations of middle-class children in Metro Manila. Then there is the story of the disputed 1968 Jabidah Massacre, told through Jibin Arula (Gie Onida), the lone survivor — how young Tausug men, mostly illiterate, were recruited by the military, transferred to Corregidor and then massacred upon the discovery of a suspicious plot. Also dramatized is the 1974 Palimbang Massacre, in which the military allegedly murdered more a thousand Moro men inside the Malisbong masjid in the province of Sultan Kudarat, while 3,000 women and children were detained and about 300 homes were burned down. These incidents were said to have sparked the conflicts and armed struggle in Mindanao that would scar the region for decades. Along with the contemporary scenes is the retelling of the short story Anak Datu, set in a pre-colonial time and rendered in mythical mode, combining both the familial and the tragic. The Tausug village of datu Karim (Hassanain Magarang) and his wife Putli Loling (Tex Ordoñez-De Leon and Lhorvie Nuevo) is attacked by pirates, led by Jikiran (Ramli Abdurahim), who kidnaps the pregnant Putli Loling. She gives birth to Karim, who grows up knowing Jikiran as his father but later learns the truth. [caption id="attachment_192620" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Artist Toym Imao taking a picture with the cast and creative team.[/caption] Graceful movements All throughout, the play shifts among these threads of stories, each one compelling and multi-layered. Counterbalancing the oral storytelling is the dramatization through graceful movements, choregraphed by Magarang using the pangalay or Tausug traditional dance, a shared art form with the Yakan (pamansak) and Sama (igal) peoples, thus rendering the stories more visual and adding allure and distinctive cultural flavor to the play. The dances are accompanied by a live kulintangan or gong ensemble. The stark interiors of the theater come alive and burst with colors courtesy of the lighting by Katsch Catoy and projection design of GA Fallarme, who uses Abdulmari Imao’s paintings and traditional Tausug and Meranaw motifs such as the okir as inspirations. Toym’s set pieces are highly movable to keep up with the constant shifts in storytelling, and the bigger ones are like art installations, contributing to the visual richness of the production. Harnessing memory, myth and history, Anak Datu is able to weave its stories into an enthralling whole, establishing interconnectedness and consolidating the story of a person, a family and a community into the very story of a nation, like three or more streams converging into a great river. Tanghalang Pilipino’s Anak Datu runs 29 September to 15 October at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). The post ‘Anak Datu’ opens a rush of truth from ripples of trauma appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
S. Korean migrant’s tale to open Asia’s biggest film festival
The world premiere of Jang Kun-jae's "Because I Hate Korea" will open Asia's largest film festival Wednesday night as it looks to rally from a year marked by scandal and budget cutbacks. The South Korean director's tale of a disillusioned young woman who relocates to New Zealand is among 209 official entries from 69 countries set to unspool at the Busan International Film Festival, which runs until 13 October. Eighty will be making their world premieres in the southern port city. This year's edition comes as organizers grapple with the fallout from former festival director Huh Moon-yung's resignation in May amid accusations of sexual misconduct. The scandal saw BIFF's 2023 budget reduced by about 10 percent as sponsors withdrew in the wake of the allegations, according to organizers. Kang Seung-ah, now serving as acting deputy director, acknowledged they had endured a "difficult phase" before assembling a lineup she said was "more substantial than ever before". Opening night director Jang, who noted he'd attended BIFF far more as an audience member than a filmmaker, told a late afternoon news conference he had sought to address serious questions with his film. "I believe it's necessary to pay attention to the fact that many young people are finding it difficult to navigate through Korean society. I started questioning whether our society is providing a fair and equitable foundation for young people to pursue their dreams," he told reporters after a preview screening. Based on the best-selling Chang Kang-myoung novel, "Because I Hate Korea" received support from BIFF's Asia Project Market back in 2016. South Korea has transformed itself into a cultural powerhouse since then thanks to the explosive success of the Oscar-winning "Parasite" and the Netflix series "Squid Game". "Many people are now showing great interest in Korean content such as K-pop, K-movies, and K-dramas. Living in such an era, they might develop a certain fantasy about South Korea, I think," Nam Dong-chul, the festival's acting interim director, told reporters. But "I thought it might be good to consider these views from the perspective of people living in Korea and especially the youth in South Korea", he said of the opening night choice. "They might have different thoughts and experiences." Frequent Bong Joon-ho collaborator Go Ah-sung, who delivered a memorable performance as the protagonist of "Because I Hate Korea", was unable to attend the festival due to a back injury. 'Dear Jinri' Despite Go's absence, the festival will still feature serious star power, with acclaimed Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat scheduled to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award. Three of Chow's films -- "A Better Tomorrow" (1986), "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000) and 2023's "One More Chance" -- will be screened in his honour. Other highly anticipated screenings include "Dear Jinri", a documentary that features late K-pop star Sulli's last and incomplete project. Sulli, born Choi Jin-ri, took her own life in 2019 after a long struggle with online bullying. The film includes her final media interview, which has not been disclosed previously. Korea's filmmaking diaspora will also be showcased with a special series of screenings that includes "Searching" (2018), starring John Cho, and director Celine Song's Sundance favorite "Past Lives". Netflix's highly anticipated "Yellow Door: 90s Lo-fi Film Club" will also have its world premiere at BIFF. The documentary spotlights South Korea's renowned cinephile generation of the 1990s, acclaimed "Parasite" director Bong among them. "The Movie Emperor", director Ning Hao's satirical take on the Chinese film industry starring Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, is set to close the festival. Ning's comedy "deftly captures the fine line between the film industries in Hong Kong and mainland China", as well as the "delicate relationship between Western film festivals and Asian filmmakers", according to the program notes. The post S. Korean migrant’s tale to open Asia’s biggest film festival appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trio wins physics Nobel for illuminating electrons
France's Pierre Agostini, Hungarian-Austrian Ferenc Krausz, and Franco-Swede Anne L'Huillier won the Nobel prize in physics on Tuesday for research using ultra-quick light flashes that enable the study of electrons inside atoms and molecules. Their technique employs pulses measured in attoseconds, a unit so short that there are as many in one second as there have been seconds since the universe's birth over 13 billion years ago, the jury said. The laureates' research has made it possible to examine moves or changes so rapidly that they were previously impossible to follow, with potential applications in both electronics and medical diagnostics. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences likened the process to how the flapping wings of a hummingbird turn into a blur for the human eye but can be slowed and examined using high-speed photography. "We can now open the door to the world of electrons. Attosecond physics gives us the opportunity to understand mechanisms that are governed by electrons," Eva Olsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, said in a statement. 'Not so many women' In 1987, L'Huillier "discovered that many different overtones of light arose when she transmitted infrared laser light through a noble gas," the Nobel Committee noted, adding that her exploration of the phenomenon laid "the ground for subsequent breakthroughs". In the early 2000s, Agostini and Krausz worked on how to isolate light pulses that lasted only a few hundred attoseconds. Agostini is a professor at Ohio State University in the United States, while Krausz is a director at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. "It was just atomic physics interacting with lasers," Agostini said of his early work, in an interview released by his university. "We were not really aware it would go that far, but a lot of people were interested both in the method and the result." L'Huillier, only the fifth woman to be awarded the Physics Prize since 1901, is a professor at Lund University in Sweden. She told reporters she was in the middle of teaching a class when she received the call from the Academy, making it "difficult" to finish the class, to whom she did not reveal the news. "I am very touched ... There are not so many women that get this prize so it's very, very special," she said. Before L'Huillier, Marie Curie (1903), Maria Goeppert Mayer (1963), Donna Strickland (2018), and Andrea Ghez (2020) were the only women to have won the award. Speaking later at a press conference, she encouraged young women interested in science to "go for it" and said it was possible to combine a research career with an "ordinary life, with a family and children." French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the trio. "What a source of pride for our nation!" Macron said in a post to X, formerly known as Twitter. L'Huillier and Krausz had been seen as contenders for the honor, having been awarded the prestigious Wolf Prize last year together with Canadian physicist Paul Corkum. Fellow Hungarian However, Krausz said he had not been expecting a call. "I was not sure whether I was dreaming or whether it was reality," he told the Nobel Foundation in an interview. The physics award is the second Nobel of the season after the Medicine Prize on Monday, awarded to messenger RNA researchers Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their groundbreaking technology that paved the way for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Krausz said he had actually been listening to an interview with Kariko when he received the call, adding he was especially impressed with her determination as she toiled away at her research despite struggling to achieve recognition and secure funding for it. "That's what I would like to convey to future generations," Krausz said. The Physics Prize will be followed by the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday, with the highly watched Literature and Peace Prizes to be announced on Thursday and Friday. The Economics Prize -- created in 1968 and the only Nobel not included in the 1895 will of Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel, which founded the awards -- closes out the 2023 Nobel season on Monday. The post Trio wins physics Nobel for illuminating electrons appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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......»»
Trio wins physics Nobel for illuminating electrons
France's Pierre Agostini, Hungarian-Austrian Ferenc Krausz and Franco-Swede Anne L'Huillier won the Nobel prize in physics on Tuesday for research using ultra quick light flashes that enable the study of electrons inside atoms and molecules. Their technique employs pulses measured in attoseconds, a unit so short that there are as many in one second as there have been seconds since the universe's birth over 13 billion years ago, the jury said. The laureates' research has made it possible to examine moves or changes so rapid that they were previously impossible to follow, with potential applications in both electronics and medical diagnostics. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences likened the process to how the flapping wings of a humming bird turn into a blur for the human eye, but can be slowed and examined using high-speed photography. "We can now open the door to the world of electrons. Attosecond physics gives us the opportunity to understand mechanisms that are governed by electrons," Eva Olsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, said in a statement. 'Not so many women' In 1987, L'Huillier "discovered that many different overtones of light arose when she transmitted infrared laser light through a noble gas," the Nobel Committee noted, adding that she has continued to explore this phenomenon, "laying the ground for subsequent breakthroughs". In the early 2000s, Agostini and Krausz worked on experiments that made it possible to isolate light pulses that lasted only a few hundred attoseconds. Agostini is a professor at Ohio State University in the United States, while Krausz is a director at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. L'Huillier, only the fifth woman to be awarded the Physics Prize since 1901, is a professor at Lund University in Sweden. L'Huillier told reporters she was in the middle of teaching a class when she received the call from the Academy, making it "difficult" to finish the class, to whom she told nothing. "I am very touched ... There are not so many women that get this prize so it's very, very special," she said. Before L'Huillier, Marie Curie (1903), Maria Goeppert Mayer (1963), Donna Strickland (2018) and Andrea Ghez (2020) are the only women to have won the award. Speaking later at a press conference, she encouraged young women interested in a career in science to "go for it". The laureate, who is married and has two sons, stressed it was possible to combine a research career with an "ordinary life, with a family and children." French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the trio, noting that "two of our brilliant French researchers" had been honoured. "What a source of pride for our nation!" Macron said in a post to X, formerly known as Twitter. L'Huillier and Krausz had been seen as contenders for the honour, having been awarded the prestigious Wolf Prize last year together with Canadian physicist Paul Corkum. Fellow Hungarian However, Krausz said he had not been expecting a call. "I was not sure whether I was dreaming or whether it was reality," he told the Nobel Foundation in an interview. Speaking at a press conference a few hours later, he said: "There are signs that it could be reality". The physics award is the second Nobel of the season after the Medicine Prize on Monday, awarded to messenger RNA researchers Katalin Kariko, a Hungarian like Krausz, and Drew Weissman for their groundbreaking technology that paved the way for mRNA Covid-19 vaccines. Krausz said he had actually been listening to an interview with his compatriot when he received the call, adding he was especially impressed with Kariko's determination as she toiled away at her research despite struggling to achieve recognition and even secure funding for it. "That's the most important lesson for me, that's what I would like to convey to future generations, that if you believe in something and are convinced it's the right thing to do ... the important thing is to keep believing in it," Krausz said. The Physics Prize will be followed by the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday, with the highly watched Literature and Peace Prizes to be announced on Thursday and Friday. The Economics Prize -- created in 1968 and the only Nobel not included in the 1895 will of Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel, which founded the awards -- closes out the 2023 Nobel season on Monday. The post Trio wins physics Nobel for illuminating electrons appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. asserts safe WPS passage for all
It has nothing to do with that particular country, or so they claimed rather cautiously and diplomatically. Navies of the Philippines and the United States opened their bilateral naval exercises yesterday, along with six other countries, at Naval Station Jose Andrada on Roxas Boulevard, Manila. The drills involve at-shore events at the Philippine Navy’s headquarters before going out to sea for exercises intended to improve the allied naval forces’ interoperability. Dubbed Exercise Sama-Sama, or Together, the exercise, according to Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci, has nothing to do with a particular country that has figured in increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea. But Adaci was obviously referring to China whose coast guard had used water cannons on Philippine Coast Guard-led resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in the WPS. Adaci opened the exercise with US Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Karl Thomas. “The exercise is designed to be conducted here in Manila and the southern Luzon area,” Adaci said. Thomas, for his part, stressed the need to recognize the rules-based international order. Strong word “I think it is important that all nations have a right to sail and operate in the West Philippine Sea — free from worrying about being attacked,” Thomas said. “And attack is probably a strong word.” “I would say, free from being coerced, free from being intimidated. You know we want the commons to be common and open and free. And so long as our nations operate in accordance with the rule of law, in accordance with the rules and regulations, with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said. Like Adaci, Thomas did not mention China, but it is common knowledge that the United States military has been conducting “freedom of navigation” patrols to keep the South China Sea open to international commerce. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last week ordered the PCG to cut the 300-meter floating barrier installed by Chinese militia vessels at Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. PN assets in action A 2016 arbitral ruling deemed China’s territorial claim on nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas that overlap the WPS, invalid. The ruling stemmed from a 2013 case filed by the Philippines against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, after Beijing seized control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012. As the PCA junked China’s nine-dash line South China Sea claim, it affirmed the Philippines’ entitlement to its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Around 700 sailors and marines from different PN units are participating in the exercise, which will see in action, among other assets, the BRP Antonio Luna, and an AW109 naval helicopter. For the second straight year, the exercise will include the navies of Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Australia. They will be participating mainly in humanitarian assistance and disaster response drills. Observers Meanwhile, the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Indonesian Navy are also joining as observers the naval exercise that dates back to 1994 when it was known as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. In 2017, its name was changed to Exercise Sama-Sama. Subsequently, the exercise was conducted annually across various regions: In 2017 at Naval Forces Central; in 2018 at Naval Forces Northern Luzon; in 2019 at Naval Forces West; and in 2021 at the Northern Luzon Command. Last year, it was held alongside Exercise Lumbas — the bilateral navy-to-navy exercise between the Philippines and Australia — with the limited participation of France, Japan and the United Kingdom. According to the PN, the primary objective of the exercise is to enhance the capabilities of both nations in responding to regional crises. Additionally, it aims to strengthen its capacities to address non-traditional challenges, including territorial defense, natural and man-made disasters, counterterrorism, maritime security and transnational crimes. The post U.S. asserts safe WPS passage for all appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»