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Ababa seizes lead as Davao aces make move
Jhonnel Ababa charged to the top with a two-under 70 in another challenging day at the Apo course here yesterday, grabbing a one-stroke lead over Korean Gwon Minwook halfway through the 2024 ICTSI Apo Golf Classic......»»
US experts carry out second pig-to-human heart transplant
A 58-year-old man this week became the world's second patient to receive a transplant of a genetically modified pig heart, the latest milestone in a growing field of medical research. Transplanting animal organs into humans, called xenotransplantation, could offer a solution to the chronic shortage of human organ donations. More than 100,000 Americans are currently on waiting lists for organ transplants. Both heart procedures were carried out by experts from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with the first patient dying two months after his transplant last year due to "a multitude of factors including his poor state of health" prior to the operation, the university said in a statement Friday. The latest operation took place on Wednesday, with patient Lawrence Faucette ineligible for a donated human heart due to pre-existing vascular disease and internal bleeding complications. Without the experimental transplant, the father of two and a Navy veteran was facing near-certain heart failure. "My only real hope left is to go with the pig heart, the xenotransplant," Faucette was quoted as saying prior to the procedure. "At least now I have hope, and I have a chance." Following the transplant, Faucette was breathing on his own and the new heart was functioning well "without any assistance from supportive devices," the university said. He was taking conventional anti-rejection drugs as well as receiving a new antibody therapy to prevent his body from damaging or rejecting the new organ. Xenotransplants are challenging because the patient's immune system will attack the foreign organ. Scientists are trying to circumvent the problem by using organs from genetically modified pigs. In the past few years, doctors have transplanted kidneys from genetically modified pigs into brain-dead patients. The NYU Langone Hospital Transplant Institute in New York announced this month that a pig kidney transplanted into a brain-dead patient had functioned for a record-breaking 61 days. Early xenotransplantation research focused on harvesting organs from primates -- for example, a baboon heart was transplanted into a newborn known as "Baby Fae" in 1984, but she survived only 20 days. Current efforts focus on pigs, which are thought to be ideal donors for humans because of their organ size, their rapid growth and large litter, and the fact they are already raised as a food source. The post US experts carry out second pig-to-human heart transplant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl-U.S. bilateral sail eyes stronger maritime cooperation
The Philippines and the United States are currently conducting a “bilateral sail” in waters off the western Palawan within the South, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Monday. AFP Public Affairs chief Lt.Col. Enrico Gil Ileto narrated that the activity is part of the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board framework that aims to develop operational interoperability between the navies of the two countries. He added that the event also highlights the “robust maritime cooperation” between the US and the Philippines. During the bilateral sail, the AFP deployed the Navy’s guided-missile frigate, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) while the US Navy deployed the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114). Meanwhile, the AFP Western Command’s Naval Task Force 41 and the US 7th Fleet will also carry out “division tactics” using the BRP Jose Rizal and the US Navy’s USS Ralph Johnson to improve their cooperation capabilities, which involves practicing ship maneuvering near other vessels to boost bridge team confidence in handling challenging sailing conditions. “This event aims to provide an opportunity for the Philippine Navy and the US Indo-Pacific Navy to test and refine existing maritime doctrine and demonstrate their defense capabilities in line with the shared commitment of upholding peace and security in the Indo-Pacific Region,” Ileto said. He added that the AFP will continue to be involved in “bilateral and multilateral activities” that will contribute to further developing its capability to perform its mission to the country’s national sovereignty and national territory. “The AFP continues to engage in joint training and exercises with other nations, using existing agreements to further improve its defense and maritime capabilities,” Ileto said. The post Phl-U.S. bilateral sail eyes stronger maritime cooperation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mandaue biz chamber seeks waste reduction collab
The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry disclosed on Monday that it is prepared to work with the city government to come up with a “win-win” solution to reduce plastic waste in Mandaue City, Cebu province. “The Mandaue City Government understands this predicament. Thus, they are willing to discuss with us to come up with a win-win solution, to ensure better compliance and ultimately, to move forward in our sustainability goals. We are working with them to create an enabling environment to follow the spirit of the law,” said MCCI president Kelly Ko in a statement. This comes as Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Architect Araceli Barlam announced that they will talk with City Councilor Jennifer del Mar — chairperson of the City Council’s Committee on Environment — about proposing a local ordinance patterned with Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 or Republic Act 11898. Under the EPR law, large businesses must properly and effectively recover, treat, recycle or dispose of their products once they have been sold and consumed. Medium-scale enterprises are likewise urged to adhere to the guidelines, although they are not required to. The law covers flexible plastic — whether single-layer or multi-layered with other materials such as sachets, labels, laminates and other packaging used to carry, protect, or pack items for transportation, distribution or sale. However, Ko acknowledged that should the rule will be put into practices, the Mandaue plastic makers may have trouble coming up with effective strategies to speed up plastic recycling. He pointed out that some city-based plastic producers distribute their goods outside of Mandaue, adding that a lot of high-value garbage which include PET bottles used for soft drinks and mineral water are collected and taken to junkyards and recycling facilities, making it challenging to monitor and assign credit to any particular company. Barlam said that in addition to meeting with MCCI, they will coordinate with the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office to identify how many plastic-producing companies in Mandaue may be impacted once the law is implemented. The post Mandaue biz chamber seeks waste reduction collab appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl-US ‘bilateral sail’ to boost maritime cooperation
The Philippines and the United States are currently conducting a “bilateral sail” in waters off the western Palawan within the South China Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Monday. AFP Public Affairs chief Lt.Col. Enrico Gil Ileto said the activity is part of the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board framework that aims to develop operational interoperability between the navies of the two countries. Ileto added that the event also highlights the "robust maritime cooperation" between the US and the Philippines. During the bilateral sail, the AFP deployed the Navy's guided-missile frigate, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) while the US Navy deployed the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114). Meanwhile, the AFP Western Command's Naval Task Force 41 and the US 7th Fleet will also carry out "division tactics" using the BRP Jose Rizal and the US Navy's USS Ralph Johnson to improve their cooperation capabilities, which involves practicing ship maneuvering near other vessels to boost bridge team confidence in handling challenging sailing conditions. "In particular, this event aims to provide an opportunity for the Philippine Navy and the US Indo-Pacific Navy to test and refine existing maritime doctrine and demonstrate their defense capabilities in line with the shared commitment of upholding peace and security in the Indo-Pacific Region," Ileto said. The AFP, he added, will continue to be involved in "bilateral and multilateral activities" that will contribute to further developing its capability to perform its mission to the country's national sovereignty and national territory. "The AFP continues to engage in joint training and exercises with other nations, using existing agreements to further improve its defense and maritime capabilities," Ileto further stressed. *CAPTION: BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) conducted bilateral sail on September 4 to enhance interoperability. Philippine Navy’s BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and US Navy’s USS Ralph Johnson sail through Philippine waters to carry out Division Tactics rehearsal. (Photo courtesy of AFP-Western Command)* The post Phl-US ‘bilateral sail’ to boost maritime cooperation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
From the moon to the sun: India readies next space mission
India's space agency takes aim at another milestone Saturday with the launch of a probe to study the Sun, a week after its successful unmanned landing on the Moon. Aditya-L1 will carry scientific instruments to observe the Sun's outermost layers, blasting off at 11:50 am (0620 GMT) for its four-month journey. The United States and the European Space Agency have sent numerous probes to the center of the solar system, beginning with NASA's Pioneer program in the 1960s. But if successful, the latest mission from the Indian Space Research Organisation will be the first by any Asian nation to be placed in solar orbit. "It's a challenging mission for India," astrophysicist Somak Raychaudhury told broadcaster NDTV on Friday. Raychaudhury said the mission probe would study coronal mass ejections, a periodic phenomenon that sees huge discharges of plasma and magnetic energy from the Sun's atmosphere. These bursts are so powerful they can reach the Earth and potentially disrupt the operations of satellites. Aditya will help predict the phenomenon "and alert everybody so that satellites can shut down their power", he said. "It will also help us understand how these things happen, and in the future, we might not need a warning system out there." Aditya -- the name of the Hindu Sun deity -- will travel 1.5 million kilometers (930,000 miles) to reach its destination. It is traveling on the ISRO-designed, 320-tonne PSLV XL rocket that has been a mainstay of the Indian space program, powering earlier launches to the Moon and Mars. The mission also aims to shed light on the dynamics of several other solar phenomena by imaging and measuring particles in the Sun's upper atmosphere. Budget program India has been steadily matching the achievements of established spacefaring powers at a fraction of their cost. The South Asian nation has a comparatively low-budget space program, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008. Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages. Last month's successful landing on the lunar surface -- a feat previously achieved only by Russia, the United States, and China -- cost less than $75 million. The touchdown was widely celebrated by the public, with prayer rituals to wish for the mission's success and schoolchildren following its final descent from live broadcasts in classrooms. India became the first Asian nation to put a craft into orbit around Mars in 2014 and is slated to launch a three-day crewed mission into the Earth's orbit by next year. It also plans a joint mission with Japan to send another probe to the Moon by 2025 and an orbital mission to Venus within the next two years. The post From the moon to the sun: India readies next space mission appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pakistan failing in every economic index
Pakistan failed to meet any economic growth targets for the fiscal year 2022-23, according to a key government report released Thursday -- a day before the new budget is to be presented to the national assembly. GDP growth was a miserly 0.3 percent, while agriculture, industrial output, and exports all failed to meet their targets. Pakistan's economy has been stricken by a balance-of-payments crisis as it attempts to service high levels of external debt, while months of political chaos have scared off potential foreign investment. Inflation has rocketed, the rupee has plummeted and the country can no longer afford imports, causing a severe decline in the industry. The country was also ravaged by record monsoon floods last year that left almost a third of its territory underwater, laying waste to vast swathes of farmland and leaving tens of millions homeless. Pakistan's standing on the global economic rank of nations has fallen from 24th in 2017 to 47th today, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told a news briefing while releasing the results of the survey. "That says it all," he said. The grim data gives the cash-strapped government little room to introduce populist vote-attracting measures in Friday's budget ahead of an election due to be held in October. The government is also under enormous pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to tighten the purse strings to unlock another last tranche of a vital bailout package. Under the IMF's terms, Pakistan had to do away with subsidies on energy and other sectors, allow the rupee to float against the US dollar, raise taxes and duties, and restrict imports. "It was extremely challenging for the government to carry out such strict reforms and we had a political cost," Dar said. "We have averted looming default for now." Pakistan's key economic indicators for the year ending June 30, 2023, show economic growth declined to 0.29 percent against 6.1 percent a year earlier. Agriculture, a key driver of the economy, grew just 1.55 percent, while the industrial sector showed negative growth of 2.94 percent. "It was a year of force majeure," said Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan's Planning Minister, adding that the floods had the key impact. Pakistan is expected to set a growth target of 3.5 percent for the upcoming fiscal year, to be announced in the national budget on Friday. The World Bank set a less-ambitious target of two percent in its latest Global Economic Prospects report issued earlier this week. The post Pakistan failing in every economic index appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Peace hopes up in flight disputes
The South China Sea has long been a major field of contention between the United States and China, with the US actively challenging China’s claim to sovereignty over most of the sea within a nine-dash line, and constantly sending ships and planes into the area asserting freedom of navigation in what it considers international waters. China, however, sees these flights as provocations. The South China Sea is bounded by the Philippines in the east, Vietnam in the west, and Malaysia and Brunei in the south. To the northeast is the East China Sea between China and Japan. Farther north of that is the Yellow Sea between China and North and South Korea. Last month, an international incident in that far-off area came to involve the Philippines — a US surveillance aircraft flying over the Yellow Sea allegedly used codes belonging to Philippine aircraft. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said this is a serious security issue as it could entangle the Philippines in the rising tension between China and US. A report from the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSSPI) said a US RC-1355 reconnaisance aircraft using a code assigned to the Philippines flew over the Yellow Sea between China and Korea. The detected Philippine code could have made China suspicious as the Philippines does not conduct patrol operations over that area. The US pilots may have been trying to test China’s reaction, Esperon said as he expressed his concern. “What could happen is it could implicate or incriminate the Philippine side. We simply have to remind our US counterparts of the implications. The Philippines has sent a communication to the US embassy in Manila. This is something that must be discussed. Nonetheless, we hope this could be settled satisfactorily between the parties,” he said. In a press conference, China’s foreign ministry said, “Since the beginning of this year, US reconaissance aircraft have electronically impersonated civil aircraft of other countries in the South China Sea for more than a hundred times. This threatens the security of China and countries in the region.” The flights over the Yellow Sea near Korea, like the ones over the East China near Japan, and the South China Sea near the Philippines have long been part of US operations around the world as it asserts freedom of navigation and flight over international waters. We hope these two nations will be able to carry on without any incident that may lead to a violent confrontation and we hope they do not unduly involve and endanger any other nation like the Philippines which is friend to both sides......»»
Casio plays hero as Alaska breaks bubble curse
Jvee Casio was excellent in crucial moments. (PBA Images) Alaska bounced back from two losses to open the bubble campaign by grinding out an 87-81 victory over Magnolia Saturday night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center. Jvee Casio produced some of the keys in the final minutes as the Aces defeated one of the PBA’s top contenders to barge into the win column after falling short against the TNT Tropang Giga and Meralco Bolts. Casio finished with 17 points, including a three-pointer that put Alaska ahead 79-75 with 2:40 remaining in the fourth. He also blocked a rainbow attempt by Jackson Corpuz while the Aces were protecting an 85-81 lead. Jeron Teng scored eight of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Aces take the lead for good while Mike DiGregorio and Abu Tratter added 10 points apiece. The Aces won in the first game since announcing that forward Kevin Racal will miss the rest of the conference due to an ACL injury he suffered in their 100-95 loss to the Tropang Giga last Oct. 11. That game certainly was still in the mind of coach Jeffrey Cariaso, who told his team to carry a mentality as if the Aces had a 1-1 record. “When you approach that game than being 0-2, I think their mindset’s different,” he said. “We came to this game facing a well-coached and very tough Magnolia team. They have superstars that we really have to worry about and to be able to step up and be better defensively is my biggest take on this game.” Alaska bucked a 39-28 second quarter deficit to inch its way back into the game, cooling Magnolia’s offense after making 63-percent of its shots in the first quarter. Mark Barroca was one of the few bright spots for the Hotshots with 16 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals. Rookie big man Aris Dionisio scored 10 points in 17 minutes. But Magnolia saw Paul Lee being held to a 4-of-16 shooting despite 14 points, thus falling to a 1-2 record this conference. The scores: ALASKA 87 — Teng 19, Casio 17, Tratter 10, DiGregorio 10, Manuel 9, Herndon 7, Galliguez 6, Ebona 5, Brondial 4, Ayaay 0, Marcelino 0, Publico 0. MAGNOLIA 81 — Barroca 16, Lee 14, Banchero 13, Jalalon 11, Dionisio 10, Sangalang 8, De la Rosa 7, Corpuz 2, Reavis 0, Melton 0, Abundo 0. Quarters: 21-29, 43-45, 62-64, 87-81......»»
After 30 years, a farmer now owns three gardens and provides jobs amid crisis, part 2
In part 1, Mary Ann Cogollo, a farmer from Iloilo, shares about how her 30-year gardening story began and evolved. Here, she talks about the hurdles she had to face that molded her for who she is today. Trials behind the triumphs At the back of her success is an unsteady, challenging voyage that she had to endure. “It’s 30 years in the making and looking back to what I’ve been through and endured, my heart is full,” said Cogollo. Growing up, Camille, her eldest daughter, saw how she fell and risen many times, she says, “I witnessed how she carried the pails from our wells to water her plants, pull the weeds every day, carried potted plants to hide them because of the heavy storms, how she failed and endured everything, how she learned from her experiences, and how she managed to be a farmer, a gardener, and a mother to us.” A throwback photo of Cogollo taken in 1994 with her 5-year old daughter. Before the birth of the gardens, Cogollo had been gardening alone for 10 years. She did the propagation, watering, and application of fertilizers. It was a challenge for this gardener to find suppliers and to travel the plants from the city to their place, but the hardest to deal with is the weather. “Typhoons and extreme summer are two of the most difficult situations to handle as well as dealing with plant diseases and pests. I failed a lot, some of my plants weren’t a success, but I learned from them,” Cogollo added. Blooming profits The price for the plants in the flower farm ranges from P25 to P10,000 and up. On normal days, they get to sell hundreds of plants every month that differ based on the demand. Most of it is purchased by co-gardeners too. Cogollo said that this season has the highest sales so far to the point that they travel some plants to the other garden to fill the demand. When they opened last month, they were able to dispose of 3000 to 5000 pots, which allowed them to generate a minimum of 50k per day from all the gardens. A mother, farmer, and businesswoman As a mother of two, she lets her children participate in farmwork and immerse themselves in nature at a young age. As per Camille, Cogollo taught her how to plant when she was four and let her have her mini garden at home. Their youngest also helps in raising livestock since he was in grade six. “They let us oversee the farm the same way that my lolo did before. She’s taught me how to plant and to marcot, how to fertilize and water correctly, and educated me what plants can grow from cuttings and what plants need to be in full sun or in shade,” Camille added. Despite the crisis, Cogollo added that God still made a way to provide for her family and their farm workers. She finds herself staring at the sky and thanking God for not leaving her family and the families working for them after two months of farm closure. When many people began growing plants to improve lifestyle amid the crisis, her children told her, “Nay your dream is coming true, farming and gardening are taking its shape, gakatabo na nay (it’s finally happening).” Cogollo only hopes for the public to continue appreciating nature and to start growing plants. Farming has been her life ever since. The life she chose is the same life lived by her parents and grandparents and according to her, to be able to help others while pursuing your passion is a blessing. Current situation As the government implemented enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to halt the spread of COVID-19, they had to close their gardens for two months. Since they only allow walk-ins and do not offer delivery services, they had no income from the garden. For Cogollo, those two months were the hardest; there were no landscaping projects but they had to give salaries to the employees every weekend. They thought of stopping their daily farm operations, but their musings brought them back to their primary goal, which is to provide the workers’ livelihood. They hired five more people who lost their jobs during those two months and didn’t stop propagating and maintaining the gardens. All smiles on her farm – As per Cogollo, the crisis allowed them to pause and see what they can do better. Living on a farm is an advantage because it’s COVID-free and their staff live nearby so they carry on with their daily work in the gardens and farm. Fortunately, after two months, a sudden increase in demand for plants began. The crisis has become as she calls it, “a ‘plantdemic’ for Ilonggos.” Their gardens re-opened for visitors when Iloilo was placed under GCQ (general community quarantine). From then on, the farm was amplified by different networks through social media and word of mouth. Despite their location, they were shocked that people kept visiting or asking about their gardens’ location. At some point, they were afraid due to the increasing numbers of visitors and of the risks it can entail that might harm their whole community. However, it was all worth it because according to Cogollo, “We know our dream is coming true. Farming/Gardening is taking shape.” They were also supposed to put up a garden café and park last May but due to these circumstances, things didn’t go as planned. In the future, they see the garden as a haven where people can stroll and appreciate and realize the beauty of nature. Photos from Dafalongs Flower Farm. For more information, visit the Dafalongs Flower Farms......»»
Mommy Dionisia, Mike Yamson 10 years nang magdyowa: Thank you, Lord!
SAMPUNG taon nang magkarelasyon ngayon ang nanay ni Manny Pacquiao na si Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao at ang boyfriend niyang si Mike Yamson. Yes, yes, yes mga ka-Marites! Ten years nang magdyowa ang dalawa at in fairness, going strong pa rin ang relasyon at mas lalo pa raw nagiging solid sa paglipas ng panahon. Twenty-seven years.....»»
Milk tariff collections rise by 31% to P2.4 billion
Revenues raised by the government from various imported milk products jumped by 31 percent to P2.36 billion in 2023, the highest in at least eight years, from P1.8 billion in 2022......»»
2 ex-James Bond actors approve of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as next 007
Former James Bond actors George Lazenby and Pierce Brosnan have stated their approval for Aaron Taylor-Johnson should the latter be the next individual to carry the Agent 007 mantle......»»
Cebuano Larz Dawson first runner-up for Mister Tourism Universe 2024
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Another Cebuano is putting Cebu on the centerstage of pageants. Larz Kent Dawson, 22, from Tisa, Cebu City recently bagged the first runner-up title for this year’s Mister Universe Tourism. Dawson, who was crowned Ginoong Pilipinas 2023, added another title in his bag, this time on the international stage. “Joining Mister Universe.....»»
Boxing trainer Domingo is confident Jerusalem will upset Shigeoka
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Veteran boxing trainer, Michael Domingo of ZIP Sanman Boxing Team, is confident that his prized ward Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem will make a repeat of the latter’s January 2023 world title victory in Japan. The Cebu-based Jerusalem will face the defending World Boxing Council (WBC) world minimumweight champion, Yudai Shigeoka, in Nagoya,.....»»
Amparo steps in to replace Andales for the IBF world title bout in Japan
CEBU CITY, Philippines — In a surprising turn of events, world-ranked Jake “El Bambino” Amparo of the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable stepped in as a last-minute replacement for countryman ArAr Andales in facing the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight champion Ginjiro Shigeoka on March 31 in Nagoya, Japan. This was confirmed by PMI.....»»
Red carpet to be rolled out for FIVB world meet
The Philippines will leave no stone unturned for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025 – in terms of hosting the event for the first time ever and competing anew after 50 long years......»»
PLDT puts up new unit for data centers
Telco leader PLDT Inc. has formed a new unit under its technology arm, delegating it with the task of building and operating data centers......»»
Philippines FDI ‘bound to improve’ in coming years – HSBC
The Philippines would be able to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI) in the coming years amid reforms that improved the country’s business climate, HSBC Global Research said......»»
2 Best Ways to Save Up for Something
Sometimes, you find yourself unable to afford something you desire. While resorting to debt might seem convenient, it’s far from ideal. Saving money is a superior alternative, albeit challenging. Often, the struggle lies in maintaining savings, as funds intended for one purpose end up diverted elsewhere. We’re all familiar with the difficulty of saving money. […].....»»