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Tech advancements in agri sans job threats in Date 2024
Despite the pivotal role of technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) in agricultural development, farmers and laborers in Davao Region face no immediate threat......»»
BOI boosts PH’s role as green metals hub
BOI boosts PH’s role as green metals hub.....»»
PM s Prizes for Space to showcase sector s talent
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand's growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister's Prizes for Space today."New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am excited to announce these prizes which will help foster talent, which plays an important role in.....»»
Volleyball MVPs Belen, Ybanez named UAAP Players of the Week
Leaders are expected to be counted upon when their teams need them the most, and that is exactly the role Bella Belen and Josh Ybañez filled as the crucial second round got going in the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments......»»
Sibol exec wants improved conditions for women in esports
Esports has once been dubbed as a male-dominant industry, both in competitions and within top positions in different related organizations. Recent years have seen a shift in the role of women in the industry but like in traditional sports, the change is considered minimal, and more could be done......»»
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.....»»
Cillian Murphy definitely returning for Peaky Blinders film, says creator
"Peaky Blinders" creator Steven Knight is confident that newly-minted Best Actor Oscar winner Cillian Murphy will reprise his role of Thomas Shelby in the planned movie to wrap up the series......»»
Role of women athletes acknowledged
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann championed the women athletes and their unparalleled role in elevating the local sports development in the inaugural Women in Sports Awards Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum......»»
ADB approves USD 100 mln loan to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Sri Lanka
Manila [Philippines], March 19 (ANI): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 100 million loan to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka more access to finance and build their resilience to external shocks, such as the economic crisis and climate change. SMEs play a critical role in Sri Lanka's economy, contributing 52 per cent to the country's gross domestic product and employ 45 per c.....»»
3 TLRC execs get 26 years for ‘pork’ scam
The Sandiganbayan yesterday sentenced three ranking officials of the abolished state firm Technology and Livelihood Resource Center to serve up to 26 years in prison for graft and malversation of public funds in connection with their involvement in the “pork barrel” fund scam......»»
Group hits Imee reaction on NTF-ELCAC
The progressive group Karapatan criticized the reactions of Sen. Imee Marcos and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict to the call of UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan to have the NTF-ELCAC abolished......»»
Sandigan upholds sentence for Nabcor execs in ‘pork’ scam
The Sandiganbayan has upheld the conviction of three officials of abolished state firm National Agribusiness Corp. (NABCOR) in connection with the pork barrel scam......»»
North Luzon Railways Corp abolished
Malacañang has ordered the abolition of the North Luzon Railways Corp., the state-run firm mandated to operate and manage a railway project that was supposed to be funded by China, but was tainted with allegations of overpricing......»»
Napoles convicted anew on P20.91-M graft case
The Sandiganbayan has found convicted plunderer Janet Lim Napoles guilty of graft and malversation of the P20.91-million pork barrel of ex-South Cotabato lawmaker Arthur Pingoy intended for livelihood projects that turned out to be ghost or non-existent projects. In a 66-page ruling handed down on Friday, the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division sentenced Napoles to up to 60 years in prison on four counts each of graft and malversation. Pingoy, however, walked free from the same charges, including direct bribery — notwithstanding whistleblower Benhur Luy’s testimony — “for the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.” Aside from Napoles, the anti-graft court also convicted erstwhile officials of the now defunct National Agribusiness Corporation’s Rhodora Mendoza, Maria Ninez Guanizo and Victor Roman Cacal; and Evelyn de Leon of the Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. Pingoy, who served three terms in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2010, was accused of funneling his P20.91-million Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel to bogus non-government organizations set up by Napoles in exchange for kickbacks. The Ombudsman’s probe showed the projects supposedly to finance farm implements, livelihood materials, and training turned out to be “ghost” projects as borne out by Commission on Audit reports and the testimonies of whistleblowers. The Sandiganbayan, however, ruled that “there was no sufficient evidence” that Pingoy had received kickbacks or commissions from Napoles. The PDAF was a lump sum discretionary fund allocated to lawmakers “to identify and fund key projects that local government units could not fund.” The Supreme Court abolished it in November 2013 after it became a source of corruption and was declared unconstitutional. Napoles, the principal suspect in the case, has been detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City since 2018 on plunder charges involving the unlawful disbursement of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.’s pork barrel worth P224 million. She is still facing several graft charges, all related to the pork barrel scam. The post Napoles convicted anew on P20.91-M graft case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Janet Napoles to serve 60 more years imprisonment sentence
The Sandiganbayan found convicted plunderer Janet Lim Napoles guilty of graft and malversation anew for her involvement in the P20.91 million pork barrel of ex-South Cotabato lawmaker Arthur Pingoy intended for livelihood projects that turned out to be ghost or non-existent. In a 66-page ruling handed down on Friday, the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division sentenced Napoles to up to 60 years in prison for four counts each of graft and malversation. Pingoy, however, walked free from the same charges, including direct bribery -- notwithstanding whistleblower Benhur Luy's testimony -- " for the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt." Aside from "pork barrel queen" Napoles, the anti-graft court likewise convicted erstwhile officials of the now-defunct National Agribusiness Corporation Rhodora Mendoza, Maria Ninez Guanizo, Victor Roman Cacal, and Evelyn de Leon of the Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. Pingoy, who served three full terms as a member of the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2010 -- was accused of funneling his P20.91 million Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel through bogus non-government organizations allegedly governed by Napoles in exchange for kickbacks. The Ombudsman’s probe disclosed that the projects nominated as financial assistance for farm implements, livelihood materials, and training turned out to be "ghost” projects as borne out by the Commission on Audit report and testimonies of the whistleblowers. The Sandiganbayan, however, ruled that "there is no sufficient evidence" that the erstwhile lawmaker indeed received kickbacks or commissions from Napoles. PDAF allocated to lawmakers is lump-sum and discriminatory funds intended to empower them "to identify key projects that local government units could not fund." It was later abolished by the Supreme Court in November 2013 after it became a source of corruption and was declared unconstitutional. Napoles, the principal suspect in the case, has been detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City since 2018 for plunder charges involving the unlawful disbursement of Senator Bong Revilla Jr.'s pork barrel worth P224 million. She is still facing several graft charges, all related to the pork barrel scam. The post Janet Napoles to serve 60 more years imprisonment sentence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Pork’ scam: 3 ex-TLRC officials get 28 years
Three former officials of the abolished state firm Technology and Livelihood Resource Center have been found guilty of misusing nearly P10 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel of the late Negros Oriental congressman Herminio Teves in 2007......»»
Ombudsman vindicates
Ombudsman Samuel Martires has found probable cause to file graft charges against former Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management, or PS-DBM, officials and Pharmally executives over Covid-19 purchases. Graft buster Martires, thus, is seeking reforms to the procurement law amid the PS-DBM controversy. The move of the Ombudsman vindicated the eight-part series of this column entitled: “PS-DBM is a catastrophe.” The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to file graft charges against former PS-DBM undersecretary Lloyd Cristopher Lao, former PS-DBM procurement group director and now Overall Deputy Ombudsman Warren Rex Liong, and other officials for their involvement in the irregular procurement of Covid-19 test kits from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation. The 14 August 2023 decision signed by Martires called for the filing of three graft charges against Lao, Liong, and PS-DBM Procurement Management Officer Paul Jasper de Guzman and Pharmally executives Mohit Dargani, Lincoln Ong, Huang Tsu Yen and Justin Garado. Martires wants the PS-DBM abolished for, according to him, corrupt practices. The PS-DBM was created during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to solve the problem of supplies but this was abused, Martires noted. Now do not mistake an audit observation memorandum for an annual audit report. An AOM contains observations that auditors want a particular government agency to explain, justify and substantiate with documents within 60 to 90 days. Hence, it is preliminary and tentative finding that may be explained in the course of an audit. It is when the AOM is not satisfactorily explained or justified that the Commission on Audit considers it a finding and it would be put in the annual audit report, which is published and posted on the CoA website that is accessible to the public. Martires made his unsolicited suggestion not to publish AOMs during a House hearing on his office’s budget, saying that it would prevent the public from prejudging those involved. A regular provision in the yearly General Appropriations Act requires government agencies and state corporations to submit audited financial statements, annual audit reports and reports on the utilization of their funds to the Department of Budget and Management and Congress or to post these on their websites. The AOM came to public and global prominence when a compilation of audit observation memoranda, including the findings on the P67-billion DoH funds for Covid-19, was released as the annual audit report on the accounts and financial operations of the Department of Health for calendar year ending 31 December 2020. This drew an immediate public statement from former CoA commissioner Heidi Mendoza — from her exalted post as Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations for Internal Control Oversight — saying that the CoA audit report had gone through the formal process of review and approval. This was reported by local media on 18 August 2021. The report, “Heidi Mendoza: Release of CoA findings on P67-billion DoH funds not premature,” brought her to global prominence, showing indeed that she was a “glorified incompetent.” The assertion globally by Mendoza that the release of AOMs as audit reports was not premature did not sit well with the rank and file of the CoA. Retired and senior auditors of the commission opined that the sudden emergence of Heidi Mendoza, Grace Pulido Tan and Michael Aguinaldo, who refused to obey the president, and Senators Risa Hontiveros, Franklin Drilon, Richard Gordon and Kiko Pangilinan who were the discordant choral voices against the government was part of a grand conspiracy to embarrass President Duterte before the president of the United States and the whole world and to destabilize his administration. There are many other valid reasons why AOMs should not be published. (To be continued) The post Ombudsman vindicates appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Savoy dynasty daily life on display with Geneva auction
Porcelain figurines, a white faux-leather sofa and a foosball table: these are among the items in a House of Savoy auction, providing a rare glimpse into the everyday life of royals. More than 200 objects are going under the hammer this week, drawn from the former Geneva home of Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy -- the son of the last king of Italy, Umberto II -- and his wife Marina. Royal aficionados may be interested in a delicate 18th century tea cup, a modernist game of chess, or two motorcycles owned by the couple's 51-year-old son, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy. A portion of the lots are being sold off online until September 18, while others will feature in an in-person auction two days later hosted by the Geneve Encheres auction house. In all, the objects being sold by the couple are expected to fetch between 100,000 and 150,000 Swiss francs ($112,000-$168,000). But Cyril Duval, a partner at Geneve Encheres, told AFP the value estimates were not really important, since the collection was more about "falling in love". This auction, he said, "makes it possible for collectors to obtain certain objects they may have dreamt about after seeing them in magazines or on the screen". The collection comprises of historical memorabilia and some household items from the villa the Savoy family had built in the 1970s in Vesenaz, on the outskirts of Geneva. Vittorio Emanuele is the 86-year-old head of the House of Savoy, whose family was forced to leave Italy after the monarchy was abolished in 1946. 'Rock and roll' Among the items for sale is "a 19th century dinner set used during a ball hosted by Queen Victoria in London City Hall", Duval said. There are also objects linked to the Savoy family heritage, including engraved silver coat of arms and porcelain figurines, but also bronze statuettes recalling the modernist interior style of the Geneva villa. The collection also includes items that are "much more pop", Duval said. He highlighted one of the two motorcycles, a 1941 Indian Sport Scout, with an asking price of 15,000-20,000 Swiss francs ($16,800-$22,400). "It belonged to crown prince Emanuele Filiberto, a 20th century rock and roll prince with tattooed arms," he said. The grandson of Italy's last king, who is married to French actress Clotilde Courau, enjoyed riding his motorcycles with Johnny Hallyday, the late French rock legend, he added. Duval explained that the auction was taking place after "the prince and princess left and sold" the Geneva villa this year, opting to stay in their residence in the luxury Swiss ski resort town of Gstaad instead. Vittorio Emanuele was born in Naples in 1937, less than a decade before the monarchy ended and his family was forced to leave Italy. He and other male heirs of the Savoy family were sent into exile because his grandfather Vittorio Emmanuele III had collaborated with the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini on anti-Jewish laws during World War II. Vittorio Emmanuele III abdicated in May 1946 after 46 years on the throne, and his son Umberto II succeeded him, but only for a month before a June referendum abolished the monarchy. The Italian parliament only ended a constitutional ban on the House of Savoy's male heirs returning to Italy in 2002, after Vittorio Emanuele and Emanuele Filiberto swore loyalty to the republic, but they have continued living mainly in Switzerland. The post Savoy dynasty daily life on display with Geneva auction appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OP budget breezes through House
Owing to a “parliamentary courtesy,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s P10.70 billion proposed budget for his office for 2024 swept through the House committee on appropriations on Tuesday in less than 40 minutes. Tensions flared, however, when members of the Makabayan bloc tried — but failed — to oppose the termination of the deliberations without scrutinizing the OP’s budget. “The highest form of courtesy in this country should be extended to the Filipino people, that the people have the right to know how the public funds are spent, and that should prevail at all times,” Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said in his manifestation. ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro first objected to Abra Rep. Ching Bernos’ motion to terminate the hearing but later withdrew, prompting Manuel to intervene to make their manifestation first before ending the budget deliberations. “I don’t believe that it’s proper for us to terminate the deliberations without the manifestations becoming part of the records of the House. We should give the members their right and the time to pursue their objections. We can’t rush it again, Madam Chair. Again, the budget that is being discussed here is the Office of the President,” Manuel said. Presiding chairperson Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, however, carried Bernos’ motion and terminated the hearing before allowing the members of the Makabayan bloc to raise their concerns in a two-minute manifestation. “At the point that the objection was withdrawn, then automatically the motion to terminate the budget briefing was carried,” Quimbo said. The three-member Makabayan bloc, namely, Manuel, Castro and Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, mainly argued why the OP approved the P1.25-million confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte notwithstanding that it was excluded under the General Appropriations Act in 2022. Excessive travel expenses They also questioned the “excessive” travel expenses of the OP worth P1.15 billion and its P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds. “Regarding the confidential and intelligence funds, for the record, there are many of our compatriots do not agree with this, given the record high confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President. But if we compare the OP’s CIF, it is significantly larger (than the OVP),” Manuel stressed. Manuel said the confidential funds under the OP are P2.25 billion, while the intelligence funds are P2.31 billion. In total, he said, the CIF constitutes 43 percent of the OP’s proposed budget. Echoing Manuel, Castro, meanwhile, argued that instead of giving the OP a “courtesy” and “respect,” members of Congress must not allow secrecy and silence to prevail when the concerns of the Filipino people are too loud and echoing. “Why are there billions in secret funds when the urgent needs for aid, free education and medical services, affordable housing, and so on are piling up?” Castro said. The teacher solon also quizzed the OP if their P4.56 billion CIF would lower the price of rice, other food in the market, electricity, water, and basic commodities. According to Castro, the OP must not go with the CIF trend, which first ballooned during the Duterte administration, as it goes against the Constitution and deprives the Filipinos of transparency and full public disclosure. “This trend must not continue. This is against the policies of transparency and full public disclosure especially in matters related to public money, the government’s obligation to fight graft, corruption, plunder, and other hocus pocus on the public’s wealth, and other mandates of the Constitution,” she said. Black budget We believe that the refusal of the OP, as well as the OVP, to undergo public deliberations regarding their budget especially their confidential and intelligence funds is just one of the increasing reasons why instead of approving their ‘black budgets,’ they should even be abolished.” The post OP budget breezes through House appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OP budget sails through House, Makabayan tries to oppose termination of deliberations
Owing to a "parliamentary courtesy," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s P10.70 billion proposed budget for his office for 2024 swept through the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday in less than 40 minutes. Tensions flared, however, when members of the Makabayan bloc tried--but failed—to oppose the termination of the deliberations without scrutinizing the OP's budget. "The highest form of courtesy in this country should be extended to the Filipino people, that the people have the right to know how the public funds are spent, and that should prevail at all times," Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said in his manifestation. ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro first objected to Abra Rep. Ching Bernos' motion to terminate the hearing but later withdrew, prompting Manuel to intervene to make their manifestation first before ending the budget deliberations. "I don't believe that it's proper for us to terminate the deliberations without the manifestations becoming part of the records of the House. We should give the members their right and the time to pursue their objections. We can't rush it again, Madam Chair. Again, the budget that is being discussed here is the Office of the President," Manuel said. Presiding chairperson Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, however, carried Bernos’ motion and terminated the hearing before allowing the members of the Makabayan bloc to raise their concerns in a two-minute manifestation. “At the point that the objection was withdrawn, then automatically the motion to terminate the budget briefing was carried,” Quimbo said. The three-member Makabayan bloc, namely, Manuel, Castro and Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, mainly argued why the OP approved the P1.25 million confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte notwithstanding that it was excluded under the General Appropriations Act in 2022. They also questioned the “excessive” travel expenses of the OP worth P1.15 billion and its P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds. “Regarding the confidential and intelligence funds, for the record, there are many of our compatriots who do not agree with this, given the record high confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President. But if we compare the OP's CIF, it is significantly larger [than the OVP],” Manuel stressed. Manuel said the confidential funds under the OP are P2.25 billion, while the intelligence funds are P2.31 billion. In total, he said, the CIF constitutes 43 percent of the OP's proposed budget. Echoing Manuel, Castro, meanwhile, argued that instead of giving the OP “courtesy” and “respect,” members of Congress must not allow secrecy and silence to prevail when the concerns of the Filipino people are too loud and echoing. “Why are there billions in secret funds when the urgent needs for aid, free education and medical services, affordable housing, and so on are piling up? Castro said. The teacher solon also quizzed the OP if their P4.56 billion CIF would lower the price of rice, other food in the market, electricity, water, and basic commodities. According to Castro, the OP must not go with the CIF trend, which first ballooned during the Duterte administration, as it goes against the Constitution and deprives Filipinos of transparency and full public disclosure. “This trend must not continue. This is against the policies of transparency and full public disclosure especially in matters related to public money, the government's obligation to fight graft, corruption, plunder, and other hocus pocus on the public's wealth, and other mandates of the Constitution,” she said. “ "We believe that the refusal of the OP, as well as the OVP, to undergo public deliberations regarding their budget especially their confidential and intelligence funds is just one of the increasing reasons why instead of approving their ‘black budgets,’ they should even be abolished.” In a similar vein, Brosas voiced concern that Mr. Marcos may have a hand in the unprogrammed funds and even the special purpose funds, given that the P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence funds are only part of the more than P1 trillion funds that the President will control next year. "The numbers are overwhelming, but at the end of the day, the Filipino people are making ends meet while Marcos Jr. has more than P1 trillion under his control," Brosas said. Panel chairperson, Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co, prior to the manifestation of the Makabayan bloc members, stressed the importance of the role of the OP, saying it “bears the immense duty of upholding the rule of law, ensuring justice, and preserving the unity and welfare of our nation.” “The presidency is not merely a symbolic figurehead or a ceremonial role; rather, it is the epicenter of governance, the fulcrum upon which the entire nation pivots. It is a position laden with responsibilities, obligations, and the immense weight of leadership,” Co said. The post OP budget sails through House, Makabayan tries to oppose termination of deliberations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»