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Push with audit
An audit of the country’s electricity grid should not even be the subject of debate as it is a necessity considering that the operating system is practically compromised in favor of the State Grid Corporation of China or SGCC, the 40-percent partner in the consortium. Equipment bearing Western brand names such as Asea Brown Boveri, General Electric, and Siemens were all discarded a year after NGCP took over the National Transmission Corp. assets in 2009. The NARI system from a group that is a unit of the SGCC took its place. The main difference is that the earlier equipment allowed for independent operations, in contrast to NARI which is centralized. The use of a single system exposes the electricity network to outside threats, an industry expert said. The NARI system provides electronic control that makes it possible to switch on and off the circuit breakers of power plants. Based on the source in the energy sector, NGCP officials’ claims about the safety of the power backbone from intrusion are dubious since the installed system allows remote access to the network. The apprehension of industry insiders is based on the fiber optic communication system that has a coverage that rivals those of the two major telecommunications giants Smart and Globe which is accessible to SGCP. Since the entire network is interconnected, tapping into the entire power operations is possible. It can be shut down or started by those in control and this can be done remotely through the Internet. The source said that if a hacker penetrates the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition domain, which is what happened in Ukraine in 2015, outside forces can gain control and run the TransCo network. In the Ukraine experience, a Russian operation was suspected. Forces of President Vladimir Putin knocked out Ukraine’s power system, among the key targets of the 2022 invasion. China has dismissed as baseless the allegations that it can manipulate the country’s transmission grid. Resolution of the issue can only happen through a comprehensive audit of the system that NGCP has consistently blocked by indicating that it will allow only a review by the Energy Regulatory Commission. After the yellow and red alerts in the first week of May, the Department of Energy again indicated its plan to conduct an audit which NGCP met with its consistent argument that only ERC has such power. “We will be issuing the necessary orders to commence within the year. We’re just waiting for all the audit reports to be in and accepted by the Energy Regulatory Commission,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said. Lotilla reiterated that a comprehensive review is needed to get to the bottom of all the country’s transmission problems, which sometimes cause power interruptions. “Our job is to make sure that we have the proper, called for comprehensive study and audit,” the Energy chief said. An earlier proposal was for the government and NGCP to each assemble a technical working group that would jointly conduct the audit. The Department of Energy has been restricted under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act from initiating a probe of the concessionaire as the law specifies the agency is limited to policy making. ERC, however, according to the source, lacks the teeth to enforce an audit. Energy officials should muster the will to go through with the review of NGCP. It is absurd that the government has to go through an ordeal just to inspect a property it owns since NGCP is merely a tenant based on its 25-year concession. The audit involves a matter of national security that the government must uphold. The post Push with audit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PCOO junks Duterte link to Ressa conviction
Presidential Communications Operation Office Secretary Martin Andanar denounced as “unfounded and baseless” allegations linking President Rodrigo Duterte to the conviction of Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former writer and researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. of cyber libel. Following the facts of the case, Andanar said the cyber libel suit against the defendants was filed […] The post PCOO junks Duterte link to Ressa conviction appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
FOCAP condemns Chinese embassy’s claims on ‘manipulated’ West Philippine Sea videos
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88% of Pinoys oppose Cha-cha – Pulse Asia
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Opinion - South China Sea- Philippines must softly manage disputes or miss out economically
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[OPINION] Education for life: Weaving ethics in all subject areas
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Kapuso loveteams lead Sparkle’s first overseas show
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Ralph Recto’s 4Ms: How to survive the Cabinet – and the role of media
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto gets wise advice on how to survive as a member of the Cabinet, and adds a piece of his own.....»»
Substantiate your opinion : Students join NCCA workshop on film reading
Students in Zamboanga, however, learned a few tips on how to appreciate or read a film better in a workshop facilitated by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts when the national agency visited the southern city last March 8 in celebration of the National Arts Month every February......»»
Rappler exposes Duterte family s stash of guns
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Trump predicts the end of U.S. democracy if he loses 2024 election
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Donald Trump said on Saturday if he does not win November’s presidential election it will mean the likely end of American democracy. The Republican presidential candidate, speaking to supporters in Ohio, made the claim after repeating his baseless assertion that his 2020 election defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result.....»»
Romualdez slams Quiboloy’s ‘baseless accusations’ over ‘assassination plot’
Romualdez slams Quiboloy’s ‘baseless accusations’ over ‘assassination plot’.....»»
House balks at ‘absurd’ Senate allegations about cash aid program
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Warrantless arrest on Jade Castro ‘baseless’ — FLAG chair
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Kazakhstan: Baseless Extremism Case Heads to Court
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‘Baste’s bashing of Marcos baseless, disrespectful’
Deputy Speaker David Suarez and other leaders of the House of Representatives yesterday lashed back at Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, saying his call for the resignation of President Marcos is uncalled for, baseless and, worse, disrespectful......»»
Tell it to SunStar: ‘Baseless’ and damaging
Tell it to SunStar: ‘Baseless’ and damaging.....»»
Robin Padilla sinabing ‘baseless’ ang pagsuspinde ng NTC sa SMNI
“BASELESS” para sa actor-senator na si Robin Padilla ang pagkakasuspinde ng National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) sa SMNI o Sonshine Media Network International. Sa kanyang pahayag na inilabas nitong Biyernes, December 22, sinabi niyang nakatutulong ang mga program ng SMNI sa pamahalaan. Para kay Robin, nakakatulong ito sa “anti-terrorism campaign” ng pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng “pagmulat”.....»»
Hong Kong: Free Pro-Democracy Publisher Jimmy Lai
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Guatemala’s president-elect Arevalo slams attempt to scrap election results
President-elect Bernardo Arevalo blasts the allegations as 'absurd, ridiculous, and perverse,' and vowed to take office as scheduled on January 14, 2024.....»»