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Insurance penetration rate slips further to 1.6 percent
The insurance industry saw its net income rise to P48 billion last year, but its contribution to the overall economy slipped further for the second straight year to only 1.6 percent......»»
Shares gain anew on rate cut hopes
The stock market advanced for a second consecutive session yesterday, buoyed by indications that the vs Federal Reserve will make interest rate cuts later this year......»»
Sarah Lahbati shows off beach body anew; dad calls out barking dogs amid split rumors with Richard Gutierrez
Kapuso artist Sarah Lahbati recently showed off her beach body as rumors of her break-up with husband Richard Gutierrez continue to spread......»»
Phivolcs raises Bulusan’s alert level anew
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Alert Level 1 over Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon yesterday amid its heightened activity......»»
House to stabilize prices of rice, onions
The House of Representatives has vowed to mobilize efforts to lower the prices of rice and onions in light of the recent reports that the commodities are subject anew to hoarding and price manipulation. Driven by a high satisfaction rating from a recent poll, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Sunday that "the House would remain focused on stabilizing the prices of rice, onions, and other staples" to assist Filipinos, particularly retailers, small traders, and market stallholders, who were at receiving ends of the soaring prices of the said commodities. "Needless to say, if there is enough supply, we would not be having problems with prices," Romualez said. Previously, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. imposed a rice price ceiling via Executive Order 39, which sets the price of regularly milled rice to P41 while P45 for well-milled rice. The price cap took effect on 5 September. Marcos imposed the directive to ensure a reasonable price of rice amid the current surge in its retail prices in the Philippines, "which resulted in a considerable economic strain on Filipinos, particularly the underprivileged and marginalized." Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, chairperson of the House committee on agriculture and food, said the President's move of imposing a price cap on rice, complemented by a series of warehouse inspections on suspected rice hoarders by authorities along with members of the House has contributed to the stabilization of rice despite uncertainties prevailing in the global market. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, an economist and chairman of the House committee on ways and means, meanwhile, believes that the EO 39 ended the price spike of the staple grain in the Philippine market. "It is now clear that soaring cost of the grain is artificial, driven by market speculation and rice traders driven by greed. Now, we have to manage our rice inventory better to avoid fueling the speculation here and in the global rice market," Salceda stressed. According to Salceda, Marcos' intervention and Congress' assistance are a "testament to their ability" to navigate complex economic terrains as the global market shifted following the imposition of EO 39. "It highlights the Philippines' capacity to influence and contribute positively to international food markets," Salceda pointed out. The Department of Agriculture, headed by Marcos himself, earlier denied reports of a rice shortage in the country even as the price of the staple grain ranged from P42 to P60 per kilo, way higher than the government's "aspiration" of P20 per kilo. In light of the woes linked to the staple grain, Agri Partylist Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Bill 9020, or the proposed "Cheaper Rice Act," to help alleviate the financial strain on consumers while making rice production profitable for 2.6 million rice farmers through a subsidy program. Under the bill, the DA, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry and other relevant government agencies, will establish a subsidy program to incentivize rice farmers to augment their production by enabling them to sell palay at a higher price. The post House to stabilize prices of rice, onions appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl not meddling in China-US conflict — NSC
The National Security Council on Saturday slammed China for framing a narrative that the Philippines is interfering in its conflict with the United States. In a news forum in Quezon City, NSC Assistant Director-General, Jonathan Malaya, said China wants to make it appear that the Philippines would also like to engage in a war with them by taking the side of the US. “That is the position of China which the President clearly denounced — the President said there’s no tension between conflicting powers na nakikisawsaw lang ang ating bansa (that the country is meddling),” he said, reiterating the previous remarks of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the recent ASEAN summit. Malaya said that Marcos clearly pointed out that “this is legitimate Philippine interest — there is a territorial dispute not between China and the United States but the Philippines and China.” “So, when we say that nakikisawsaw lang ang Pilipinas sa isang tunggalian (the Philippines is interfering in conflict ) between China and the United States, it denigrates the position of the Philippines and it’s unfair to the Philippines and is a wrong narrative framing,” he added. Malaya said the Philippines remains firm on its stand to protect sovereign rights and interests within the West Philippine Sea. This after the Chinese Coast Guard’s continued aggression on the country’s territorial waters in Ayungin Shoal, with its most recent dangerous maneuvers trying to block anew the country’s rotation and resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre by the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard last 7 September. China is "misplaced bully" In the same forum, AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar described CCG as a “misplaced bully” after it again harrassed the Philippine vessels in its EEZ. “What we see there is the presence of the CCG is misplaced and a bully. The CCG is a misplaced bully at the WPS,” he said. Aguilar slammed China for claiming that the Philippines is intruding into their territory, prompting them to conduct law enforcement activity against the AFP and the PCG. “After an incident happened in the West Philippine Sea, they will come up with a narrative—internal for Chinese people, that the Philippines is intruding into their territory and that’s why they are conducting law enforcement activity, they want to regulate our actions—that’s not true!” Aguilar pressed. He lamented that such a narrative increases tensions over the WPS. “So, I think these are simple reasons why we are having this trouble. There is no indisputable claim. The China Coast Guard is a misplaced bully at the West Philippine Sea,” he said. The AFP, meanwhile, announced the successful conduct of the RoRe mission in the BRP Sierra Madre amid the latest blocking attempts and harassment of the CCG and Chinese Maritime Militia against the Philippine vessels. The post Phl not meddling in China-US conflict — NSC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BRP Sierra Madre resupplied amid new CCG harassment
China attempted anew to block a Philippine resupply mission to the latter’s permanent outpost in the West Philippine Sea, the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal. The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed this yesterday, saying that Chinese ships conducted dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels conducting a third rotation and logistics run to the Sierra Madre. Nonetheless, the AFP Western Command and the Philippine Coast Guard successfully delivered fresh troops and supplies to the World War 2-era ship, according to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS). AFP spokesperson, Col. Medel Aguilar, said the government will remain firm in asserting the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal, it being part of its exclusive economic zone. “The unprofessional acts and dangerous maneuvers conducted by the China Coast Guard and its maritime militia will never prevail over our conduct of legal and legitimate operations that support a rules-based international order,” he added. Nansha Islands China defended its attempt to intercept the Philippine vessels by saying the two replenishment ships and two PCG vessels entered waters adjacent to Ren’ai Reef in its so-called Nansha Islands. It claimed the PCG and AFP boats entered the area “without the permission of the Chinese government.” “The China Coast Guard strictly warned the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law, tracked and monitored the vessels all the way and effectively regulated them,” CCG spokesperson Gan Yu said in an interview. Yun averred that Beijing has “indisputable sovereignty” over the Nansha Islands, including Ren’ai Reef and its adjacent waters, and firmly opposes the illegal transportation of construction materials by the Philippines to the grounded warship. “The China Coast Guard will continue to carry out law enforcement activities in the sea areas under China’s jurisdiction according to the law,” Yu said. Yu’s comments earned a rebuke from the NTF-WPS, describing the CCG actions as illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing. It may be remembered that the CCG used a water cannon against a Sierra Madre resupply mission earlier. “We reiterate and reemphasize that these operations are pursuant to our government’s legitimate exercise of its administrative functions and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea, firmly anchored on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” the NTF-WPS said. Humanitarian mission Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the Senate is “constantly monitoring” developments in the WPS. “This is a humanitarian resupply mission. Only barbarians at the gate will delight in seeing soldiers on a peaceful mission denied food,” he said. “As long as the law and truth are on our side, illegal barriers to what is ours will continue to be pierced — by the sharp tip of world opinion that upholds our cause as just,” he added. He said the Senate is ready to assist the AFP and the PCG through their budgets for the coming fiscal year “with the aim of developing a credible self-defense posture that will allow them to continue protecting our country and our people.” The post BRP Sierra Madre resupplied amid new CCG harassment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3 typhoons keep Phl drenched
The estimated damage to infrastructure and farms in four regions has risen to P442.34 million as the rains continued yesterday, with three typhoons ringing the country. The weather remained critical because of the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat and the effects of typhoon “Goring.” The Department of Public Works and Highways, or DPWH, said Saturday that of the total damage in the Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and MIMAROPA regions, P146.28 million involved damage to roads, P14.68 million to affected bridges, and P281.38 million to destroyed flood-control structures. ‘Hanna’ gathers strength Meanwhile, typhoon ‘Hanna’ slightly intensified as it accelerated west-northwestward toward the sea east of Taiwan, while the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat will bring heavy rains over the western portion of Luzon in the next three days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Saturday. PAGASA said the convergence of the southwest monsoon, enhanced by “Hanna” and two other typhoons near the country, namely, “Saola” (Goring), and severe tropical storm “Kirogi” are causing the adverse weather. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported more than P421.19 million worth of damage in the agricultural sector, affecting some 10,196 farmers and fisherfolk. Estimated damage to infrastructure amounting to P130.25 million was reported in Region 2, MIMAROPA, Region 6 and CAR. The NDRRMC counted 502 houses damaged in the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas and CAR, while 25 roads and nine bridges remained unpassable. Two areas in CALABARZON and Western Visayas still have no water supply. Eighty-nine seaports have canceled operations in Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Western Visayas amid the continuing inclement weather. Taiwan-bound anew PAGASA said “Hanna” is forecast to move west-northwestward or westward while intensifying until it makes landfall on the east coast of southern Taiwan late on Sunday. “Hanna” will considerably weaken after crossing the rugged land mass of Taiwan. PAGASA said “Hanna” will exit the Philippine area of responsibility and emerge over the Taiwan Strait around Monday morning or afternoon. Outside the PAR, the weather disturbance is forecast to move erratically and may even become slow-moving or almost stationary over the Taiwan Strait while continuously weakening due to land interaction and an increasingly unfavorable environment. The post 3 typhoons keep Phl drenched appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP likely to extend rate pause
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is seen extending its prudent pause by keeping interest rates unchanged anew next week amid the inflation downtrend and slower economic growth in the second quarter of the year......»»
Sky-high irony
Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific, a budget airline that always manages to raise eyebrows, has once again blessed us with a seat sale. Oh, how lucky can we be? The airline has hyped up anew its marketing mantra that “Every Juan flies,” only weeks after being forced during a congressional hearing to confront 3,000 complaints of irate customers over its endearing practice of overbooking flights and offloading passengers. To be obstinately hooked on the jingle of cash registers while ignoring the suffering of your paying customers takes a unique kind of expertise, of being able to remain deadpan and sleep at night through the turmoil of your aggravated passengers. For many of those who attended the hearings, Cebu Pacific only cares about the cold ca-ching of its cash registers. No doubt, the seat sale it resurrected last week would result in more passengers being kicked off flights. Overbooking and the accompanying forced passenger dumping, in Cebu Pacific’s vision of reality, well, there’s just a “slight chance” of that. That’s a joke, right? But no one’s laughing, as the joke is on us, the public. Let the sentence hang there for a while. “Slight chance,” they say in an entry on airlineratings.com, as though they’re talking about the prospect of seeing a rare unicorn galloping around the departure gate. But no, this is not about fantastical creatures; rather, it is about reservations piling up on a shaky table like a house of cards. It involves accepting the idea of reserved seating as merely a suggestion, a fun idea to play around with. That is if your idea of fun is being forced to reprise the role of Tom Hanks in the movie, The Terminal. Speaking of whimsical, have you ever heard of their brilliant response to situations in which appeals to “volunteers not to travel on their booked flights” fall on deaf ears? Cebu Pacific has your inconvenience covered, so do not be alarmed. They’ve cleverly reserved the power to refuse boarding to travelers “involuntarily,” or against their will, if involuntarily is not clear enough. This translates to passengers gnashing their teeth, pulling their hair, and tearing up their shirts all they want at CebuPac’s check-in counters, without any chance of boarding a flight for which they’d been sold “reserved” seats. However, let’s not limit our discussion to Cebu Pacific’s poetic handling of passenger interactions. Let’s explore the drama that occurred during the probe of the Senate Committee on Tourism. Senators turned their attention to the airline’s fervent devotion to overbooking as the cause of this comedy of errors, becoming unimpressed by the inventive justifications offered by the company for canceled flights and interminable delays. One senator related tales of suffering and annoyance from her own staff as well as from other passengers. Inevitably, as the hours passed, the hearing evolved into a “grief-sharing session.” People stepped up, spilling stories of delayed flights and canceled hopes. If you will, picture a traveler hoping to leave Tokyo but being compelled to crash on the chilly, hard floor of Narita International Airport. Her offense? Having faith in Cebu Pacific to deliver even the most basic amenities. Then there was the dentistry board exam that was almost missed. How about the flight to Cebu from Manila that was diverted to Busuanga and the haggling that followed to force Cebu Pacific to honor its “Passenger Rights” guarantee of free hotel accommodations? The cherry on top? While those who had been put through the wringer were left wondering how the airline’s priorities seemed to be joyously dancing in the skies, the examinee’s lucky aunt, all the way from Australia, managed to score a ticket for a lovely fee. The spokespersons of Cebu Pacific did, however, exhibit some artistic talent. Lightning strikes, bird crashes, and even runway debris were included in the gallery of “freak incidents” they presented as the causes of their errors. During the sleeper hearing, the way Cebu Pacific’s flight operations unfolded resembled an elaborate opera, complete with loud fights and dramatic exits, as if the cosmos had conspired to make it happen. But what was the highlight of Cebu Pacific’s ludicrous theater? Respect for the “Air Passenger Bill of Rights.” To pledge loyalty to rights that seem to exist only in the world of press releases is a truly great gesture. Amid this flying fiasco, passengers may wonder if they are only pawns in a much bigger game when the airline offers its earnest apologies, makes a few promises, and reveals plans for standby aircraft as if they were doing magic. So here we are, seeing the re-erection of Cebu Pacific’s circus tent of antics. Seat sale? Rubbish. The post Sky-high irony appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go pushes mandatory nationwide evac centers anew
Amid the ongoing restiveness of the Mayon volcano in Albay province, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday renewed his call for the establishment of mandatory evacuation centers nationwide so that people will be better served during disasters or when emergencies occur. The senator lamented the lack of adequate facilities available in times of crisis such as during the onslaught of typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even fire incidents, which “really affects the social welfare” of the affected families. Hence, Go stressed that the passage of Senate Bill 193, mandating the establishment of evacuation centers throughout the country, must be very crucial in the country’s disaster response efforts. If passed into law, the lawmaker said that there is no need for the local government units to convert basketball courts and public gymnasiums, or even repurpose schools into makeshift evacuation centers during calamities. Under SB 193, the construction of evacuation centers will be overseen by the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The DPWH will be in charge of constructing the evacuation centers based on standards, issuances, and guidelines set by the DPWH. The DENR, on the other hand, will determine the location of each evacuation center, in close coordination with the LGUs concerned. The post Go pushes mandatory nationwide evac centers anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go urges anew for legislation of mandatory evac centers nationwide
Amid the ongoing restiveness of the Mayon volcano in Albay province, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Monday renewed his call for the establishment of mandatory evacuation centers nationwide so that people will be better served during disasters or when emergencies occur. Go lamented the lack of adequate facilities available in times of crisis such as during the onslaught of typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even fire incidents, which "really affects the social welfare" of the affected families. Hence, Go stressed that the passage of Senate Bill 193, mandating the establishment of evacuation centers throughout the country, must be very crucial in the country's disaster response efforts. If passed into law, Go said there’s no need for the local government units to convert basketball courts and public gymnasiums, or even repurpose schools into makeshift evacuation centers during calamities. Under SB 193, the construction of evacuation centers will be overseen by the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The DPWH will be in charge of constructing the evacuation centers based on standards, issuances, and guidelines set by the DPWH. DENR, on the other hand, will determine the location of each evacuation center, in close coordination with the LGUs concerned. “These centers should not only offer adequate space but also prioritize hygiene and sanitation to prevent the spread of diseases and ensure the well-being of evacuees,” Go said. The minimum requirements for every evacuation center are also specified in the bill, including amenities and recreation areas. Each center should accommodate a large number of evacuees. Go also reiterated his call for the passage of SB 188, which will establish the Department of Disaster Resilience, aimed at centralizing efforts, streamlining coordination, as well as to ensure a rapid and effective response to emergencies. If enacted, the new department shall concentrate on three key results areas such as disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness as well as response, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno previously said that they are supporting Go's proposed measure as he pointed out the importance of improving the country’s disaster and humanitarian response operations. The post Bong Go urges anew for legislation of mandatory evac centers nationwide appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP to keep rates steady
Monetary authorities are likely to keep interest rates unchanged anew this Thursday amid the inflation downtrend, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla......»»
BuCor denies suspending NBP visitation
A senior official of the Bureau of Corrections yesterday clarified that there was no order to suspend the visitation privileges at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. J/SINSP. Angelina L. Bautista, OIC-deputy director general for Operations and ODG-head executive assistant, made the clarification amid reports that the visitation privileges of persons deprived of liberty at the said compound in Muntinlupa have been suspended anew until 9 June. “Wala po ayaw lang nila magpadalaw kasi kakatapos lang ng 6 days stay in tapos sa 10 June stay in sila ulit,” (None, they just don’t want to be visited because they have already enjoyed the 6-day stay and it will be implemented again on 10 June,” Bautista said. “I am the NBP supt. no cancellation of visit only the visitors opt not to visit coz they just stayed for a week inside,” Bautista added. To recall, a report was published that the BuCor has suspended visitation rights quoting a social media post, the Bureau of Corrections — which manages and supervised NBP and six other detention facilities in the country — did not state the reason for the suspension. BuCor merely announced: “Pansamantala pong kinakansela ang pag-bisita sa Maximum Security Compound, New Bilibid Prison mula 2-9 Hunyo 2023 (Visitations are temporarily suspended at the Maximum Security Compound, New Bilibid Prison from 2 to 9 June 2023).” It advised the relatives of PDLs to check its social media posts for further announcements. The visitation privileges of PDLs both at the NBP and the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City were restored last 25 May after a two-week suspension due to Covid-19 infections among PDLs and personnel. The 25 May restoration of visitation privileges was ordered by BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. after he received reports from BuCor’s Health and Services Director CT/SSupt. Maria Cecilia Villanueva and CIW Superintendent CT/Supt. Elsa A. Alabado that both facilities “are now Covid-free.” The post BuCor denies suspending NBP visitation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Major Mayon eruption unlikely
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Tuesday warned that the minor eruptions of Mayon Volcano are inevitable amid its increased unrest, but major eruption remains “unlikely.” In a television interview, Phivolcs-Bicol resident volcanologist, Dr. Paul Alanis, noted that sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions are expected over the Mayon Volcano given its current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes. “Right now, the scenario of a major eruption is quite remote… But of course, there is still a possibility of small eruptions,” he said. Mayon Volcano is currently emitting moderate plumes at 200 meters tall drifting to the west-southwest slowly curving to the north. Alanis said ashfall events may affect the west and north of the Albay province, including municipalities of Camalig Giunobatan, Ligao and Oas. Residents are advised to cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask should ashfall events occur within their communities. “So far we are looking at two possible scenarios with the ongoing activity in Mayon,” he said, citing the 2014 Mayon eruption that posed a “quiet explosion” with rockfall and minor lava flow of the Mayon and the major eruption with small bursts and a major lava flow-like in 2018. Alanis said the pressure in the volcano remained in the peak part, while there is a weak pressure on the lower slopes. At least 74 rockfall events have been recorded in the Mayon volcano. The latest Phivolcs bulletin showed that the volcano edifice is inflated, but no crater glow has been observed. Phivolcs warned anew that entering within the six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone is not allowed as explosions, rockfall, and landslides are expected with the Mayon’s ongoing unrest. Also, flying any aircraft close to the volcano’s summit is prohibited as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. The post Major Mayon eruption unlikely appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teves blasts House over Arroyo demotion
Negros Oriental Rep. Arnies Teves lashed out at the leadership of the House of Representatives anew, this time saying the chamber was rude in its decision to demote Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Teves, who has been tagged by authorities for alleged involvement in the Degamo murder case and remains abroad, protested that Arroyo was "very qualified" for the role. "For me, what they did was rude. [She's a ] former president, her work is great, then you will demote her? It's not good. For me, there is no respect for fellow congressmen, especially for people of very high morale, very esteemed persons. I really felt bad about that," he said. Last week, Arroyo was demoted from senior deputy speaker to deputy speaker and was replaced in her previous post by Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., amid talks that Arroyo was plotting to oust Romualdez from the Speakership. Arroyo, in a subsequent statement, said she had no intention of succeeding Romualdez and that she respects President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s choice to support his cousin as leader of the House. Teves said he is not returning home to physically attend the House ethics panel motu proporio on Monday, citing serious threats to his life. "Why won't they allow me to attend via Zoom?," he demanded. "Why are other congressmen allowed to attend via Zoom? In fact, I have screenshots of recent meetings, sessions and hearings showing that other congressmen were joining via video teleconferencing. How come they were allowed and I'm not?" Teves had earlier complained that he was considered absent by the House despite attending legislative proceedings via teleconference, which he said was permitted by Congress. However, the ethics panel's chairperson, Felimon Espares, pointed out that Teves "was deemed absent because his travel clearance was unauthorized. When you are absent, you cannot participate in all the affairs here in the House." Teves is being implicated in the murder of his political foe, Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, and eight others, who were gunned down on 4 March in the governor's residence in Negros Oriental. The post Teves blasts House over Arroyo demotion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash crashes anew amid probe on possible glitch
Virtual wallet provider, GCash, suffered another glitch Saturday morning, even as the National Privacy Commission was making its announcement to conduct an in-depth investigation of the glitch last 10 May 2023 which forced the temporary halt of GCash’s app operations following complaints by GCash users on social media regarding money losses from their accounts. On Saturday rants of irate subscribers filled social media platforms Twitter and Facebook when they weren’t able to open their accounts, airing concerns that funds on their GCash accounts might be compromised. At about 11:39 a.m., GCash on its official Twitter announced that the GCash app was temporarily unavailable, apologizing for the inconvenience to subscribers. “GCash assures you that your account and your funds are safe. We are working on restoring the services as soon as possible,” he said. The app was accessible again after a few minutes of temporary glitches. Deeper probe Also on Saturday, the NPC said it is investigating a potential personal data breach involving compromised accounts of GCash, in light of the temporary halt of GCash app operations last Wednesday. “The NPC’s Complaints and Investigation Division has been closely monitoring this incident since 9 May 2023 amidst circulating reports of GCash users on suspicious transactions on their GCash accounts, to determine the existence of a breach and its extent, and whether there are any other violations of the provisions of the Data Privacy Act of 2012,” said NPC commissioner and chairperson Atty. John Henry D. Naga. He said on Friday that the NPC had issued a notice to explain, and an order addressed to G-Xchange Inc., the company managing GCash, requiring GXI to appear before the NPC for a clarificatory meeting and to provide additional information and documents. During the meeting, Naga said GXI presented information to the NPC about their own investigation and the measures that they have taken to speedily address the incident. Verify claims He said the Privacy Commission will issue another order instructing GXI to provide further information and documents to enable an independent assessment and verify the claims presented by GXI on the supposed phishing being the cause of the glitch. He then assured the public that all necessary steps have been made by the NPC to protect the rights of GCash clients as data subjects. “The NPC is committed to safeguarding the privacy of all individuals and will continue to provide guidance on how the public can better protect themselves from violations of their data privacy rights, even as these threat actors are also becoming more sophisticated in the pursuit of their criminal design,” stated. He further emphasized, “The NPC will diligently exercise its powers under the law against any party found to be in violation of the Data Privacy Act.” The post GCash crashes anew amid probe on possible glitch appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P150 wage increase gaining traction — Revilla
Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla on Wednesday stressed anew the importance of legislating a wage hike that will help workers cope with the rising costs of basic commodities. Revilla, speaking at the public hearing, said it is imperative to recalibrate and reassess the present wage policies amid the continuing price increase in basic goods, including the spike in prices of petroleum products. The Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development on Wednesday tackled Revilla’s Senate Bill 2018, seeking an “across-the-board” P150 increase in the private sector, agricultural and non-agricultural, regardless of capitalization and number of employees across all regions. Revilla earlier expressed optimism that the proposal to raise wages by P150 in the private sector will soon be legislated “as it is now gaining attention from both houses of Congress.” “Our workers are the backbone of our economy. Without their hard-working attitude and dedication to their jobs, business and our trade industry won't work, and our economy won't improve. We owe a lot of trading developments from our workers," he said. Revilla has been advocating the legislation of wage increase and authored SB 2179 during the 14th Congress, SB 1981 in the 15th Congress, SB 937 in the 16th Congress, SB 71 in the 18th Congress; and SB 2018 in the 19th Congress. All of them calling for wage hike for private workers. "It is important that we have a living wage. We have been longing for the passage of this measure. I am optimistic,” he said. Also, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri previously filed Senate Bill 2002, or the Across-the-Board Wage Increase Act of 2023 as he called for “collective bargaining of employees' unions for increased benefits, in accordance with the rising costs of commodities.” The post P150 wage increase gaining traction — Revilla appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hotel industry will follow mask policy if needed
The country’s hotel operators are willing to adhere to whatever decision the government will impose on calls to implement anew the mask policy following the spike in Covid-19 cases these past few days. This comes amid forecasts by a research group that Covid-19 cases may spike in the middle of May this year, putting the positivity rate to 19.3 percent over the weekend. “On the part of the hotel industry, it’s fairly simple, we follow the guidelines. But regardless of the guidelines, our sector as well as tourism-related establishments have been always maintaining very strict minimum health standards that are in place and making sure that we provide our guests with a safe and good experience,” said Benito Bengzon Jr., president of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association Inc. He added that his group is seeing that hotel occupancies are going back to the pre-pandemic levels. “Apart from hotel occupancy, which is seen as a major indicator, we are looking at the revenue side of it. And the good news that we have heard from our members, many or some of them have already exceeded their 2019 levels,” Bengzon told reporters during the Business Networking and Luncheon hosted by the Philippine Furniture Furnishings Market on Monday at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay. Overall, he stressed that the hotel industry in urban or city destinations “is slowly improving or much better compared to 2022.” “But the current foot traffic that we are getting now is just 25 percent of what we got in 2019. In 2019, we got 8.2 million foreign visitors, but last year, we only got 2 million. We still have a long way to go. The official target for this year in terms of foreign tourist traffic for the industry is 4.8 million,” Bengzon said. Meantime, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines president Eugene Yap said masks are now indeed part of citizen’s daily outfit, even if World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that Covid-19 was no longer qualifies as a global emergency. “But definitely, the Covid-19 virus is still there going around, but no longer a pandemic and just an endemic. The mask will always be an important part of our attire and for some countries a form of courtesy, such as in Japan and in Taiwan. I can see that masks are still an important part, especially in food serving areas,” Yap said. “We hope there will not be much mask requirement, but I think we leave it now to the establishments for their own use,” he added. Philippine Retailers Association chairperson Paul Santos, on the other hand, echoed the sentiments of the hotel and restaurant industry on heeding the guidelines but will also leave it to the retailers what to impose on their employees and own enterprise. “We can impose that on our employees, but we cannot impose wearing masks on our customers. Generally speaking, we will follow what the government recommends,” Santos said. To recall, the Department of Health last week maintained that they have already recommended to the Office of the President, based on the agreements coming from the IATF discussions, that there is no need to return the mask mandate as they need to shift the mindset of Filipinos when it comes to the Covid-19 virus. The post Hotel industry will follow mask policy if needed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Demand for T-bills down anew
Demand for the government’s short-term securities declined for the sixth consecutive week amid signals of continued rate hikes from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as inflation remains stubbornly high......»»