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China Coast Guard water-cannons anew Ayungin-bound civilian Philippine boat
A China Coast Guard vessel again blasted a Filipino supply boat with water cannons during the latter's attempt to bring much needed supplies to soldiers stationed at the Ayungin (Scarborough) Shoal......»»
Malacañang heritage concerts to bring students closer to arts
Malacañang will hold concerts at the Goldenberg Mansion to bring students closer to the arts......»»
Magic Men Australia to delight Manila audience through dance come March
Dance is their creative expression to delight the audience. They are personable, good-looking lads who will bring their own brand of entertainment to Manila on March 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. The venue is the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Newport World Resorts......»»
6 Catholic bishops demand protection for Filipino fishers from Chinese aggression
Six Catholic bishops in dioceses with fisher communities have issued a rare appeal for the government to bring the full might of the law against Chinese vessels harassing Filipino fisherfolk, backing international action to stem China’s “forcible occupation” of Philippine maritime zones......»»
Kapuso Divas promise ‘queenable’ performances
Thea Astley, Rita Daniela, Mariane Osabel, Hannah Precillas, Julie Anne San Jose, and Jessica Villarubin bring their Diva-esque talent in performing and singing tonight at 8, Dec. 2, to the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Their show’s title is Queendom: Live......»»
Gaza genocide may trigger nuke war
The genocide by Israel in Gaza is ongoing: 1. An Israeli ground assault that would duplicate and surpass the viciousness of the Hamas ground assault in terms of the number of casualties, a ten-eyes-for-an-eye biblical vendetta; 2. Intensifying random airstrikes killing civilians and 3. The deadliest — a food, water, and electricity blockade leading to genocide — if not stopped. Only about 700,000 have evacuated Gaza. The rest of the 400,000 have nowhere to go. They will be the victims of genocide by slow starvation. Sending two aircraft carriers with troops to the war region and promising total support during his recent visit to Israel, U.S. President Biden failed to stop Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from continuing the genocide. In the eyes of the entire Arab and Persian worlds, both conservatives and radicals, this was tantamount to the U.S. being part of the crime. Instantly, the Arabs unilaterally boycotted a scheduled U.S.-Arab summit. Biden was left talking only to the Israelis in his Middle East tour. The U.S. is now geopolitically isolated in the entire Middle East. Rocket attacks on U.S. bases immediately ensued — two in Saudi Arabia and one in Syria. Also, Iran and Saudi Arabia, historically arch enemies, are now talking to each other. The genocide may unite all Islamic splinters into one scary solid mass. Now, the U.S. is as much a target of Islamic anger as the Israelis. It was a knee-jerk diplomatic blunder by Biden, who could have played more of a referee by openly warning Israel to stop the genocide. Now, the U.S. is part of that genocide, the critical ingredient to a possible nuclear war. As the reality of genocide emerges, it is inevitable for Iran and the Arabs to make a vicious response. There are protests in Israel against Netanyahu’s war moves, but the peacemakers are overwhelmed by the screams of the bloodthirsty. The genocide is virtually unstoppable. The Arab-Iran response may trigger a nuclear war if Israel is “cornered.” The U.S. will use its carriers to attack Iran. These carriers can quickly be taken out by a massive rain of Iranian hypersonic missiles from underground silos if these missiles are long-range enough to reach the carriers, which they will not hesitate to use in the name of survival. Existential survival is the catalyst to a nuclear holocaust. Once Iran is “cornered” by a U.S. counter-response, Russia will come into the picture, completing the elements for a full-blown proxy war beyond imagination. Russia will never permit Iran to fall into the hands of the U.S. The fall of Iran will mean the fall of Russia. The Russian response may be nuclear. China may now take the opportunity to launch the Taiwan war to weaken the U.S. in a “war on two fronts.” Many may think this scenario is an exaggeration. But this may be a valid warning if you put it side by side with the prophecies of Fatima, Medjugorje, and the Book of Revelation. There is total fear of a nuclear holocaust among the big powers — U.S.-NATO, Russia, China, and even lesser nuclear-capable nations such as Iran and India — which has been a deterrent to a nuclear war. But these prophecies may become a reality once fear evolves into anger or survival. There are violent street protests worldwide, especially in EU and U.S. cities, for and against Israel. Nations are uniting for or against Israel, a seeming new biblical event. This ongoing rapid intensifying polarization is the preview to World War III, as it was for World Wars I and II. But this new one is ten-fold in size. The Lord saved the Chosen People from their enemies in Old Testament accounts. But He punished them for turning away from Him, as in the Babylonian exile. Now, we do not know what the Lord has in store for Israel — salvation or punishment. If it is punishment, Israel may bring the entire human race down with it. Pope Francis is in a panic, launching global prayer campaigns, because he has an insight into the looming hand of God in the expanding war in the Middle East. His move in telling humanity to pray, pray, pray, and return to the Lord’s fold may be the only option. It may take the Hand of God to bring peace if prayers and a change of heart somehow appease His wrath. eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post Gaza genocide may trigger nuke war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chip maker Intel beats earnings expectations as it pursues rivals
US chip giant Intel on Thursday said it made more money than expected in the recently ended quarter as it continued to invest in a "geographically balanced" supply chain. Intel shares jumped more than 7 percent to $34.88 in after-market trades. "We delivered a standout third quarter, underscored by across-the-board progress on our process and product roadmaps; agreements with new foundry customers, and momentum as we bring AI everywhere," said Intel chief executive Pat Gelsinger. Intel reported revenue of $14.2 billion, which was 8 percent less than the amount seen in the same quarter a year earlier but ahead of forecasts. Net income tallied $300 million, compared with $1 billion profit in the same period in 2022, earnings figures showed. "Our results exceeded expectations," said Intel chief financial officer David Zinsner, who said earnings benefited from "expense discipline." Intel has been working to catch up with rivals, especially Nvidia, when it comes to powerful chips needed to handle the computing demands of artificial intelligence. Intel touted investments being made in chip production facilities with an aim of creating a "geographically balanced, secure, resilient supply chain." California-based Intel is seen as a key tool for the United States to reduce its dependence on major global producers, such as Taiwan's TSMC. Earlier this year, Intel announced it would spend $25 billion on a new plant in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it the country's single largest foreign investment. The "agreement in principle" would see the semiconductor firm build the facility in the southern city of Kiryat Gat that would open by 2027 and operate at least until 2035, Israel's finance ministry said. Intel has been operating in Israel since the 1970s with development centers and a production site that employs some 12,000 people, the finance ministry said. In 2017, Intel acquired Israel-based Mobileye, which makes technology for automated driving systems in vehicles, for just over $15 billion. Gelsinger said Intel teams have kept operations going despite the war between Israel and Hamas. "Our utmost priority is the safety and welfare of our people in Israel and their families," Gelsinger said. "Despite all of these challenges, they're performing extremely well. I am praying for a swift return to peace." China Gelsinger said Intel was carefully studying updated rules in the United States that tighten curbs on exports of state-of-the-art AI chips to China. "We do believe that we'll have plenty of opportunity in China," Gelsinger said. "We are continuing to deploy our products there broadly, even as we comply and work with (the United States) around the regulations that they're putting in place." The new rules tighten measures from a year ago that banned the sale to China of microchips crucial to manufacturing powerful AI systems. Calls to further close the supply chain grew after the popularity of generative AI platform ChatGPT. When announcing the beefed-up curbs, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo insisted they were intended to close loopholes and prevent China's development of AI for military use. "It's true that AI has the potential for huge societal benefit. But it also can do tremendous and profound harm if it's in the wrong hands and in the wrong militaries," she told US media. The rules will not affect chips used in consumer goods such as laptops, smartphones, and gaming consoles, though some will be subject to export licensing requirements. China has said it is "strongly dissatisfied" and "firmly opposes" the curbs. "The US continues to generalize the concept of national security, abuse export control measures, and implement unilateral bullying," the commerce ministry said in a statement. The post Chip maker Intel beats earnings expectations as it pursues rivals appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Barrio boy Pedro Penduko becomes an urban warrior
The original Pedro Penduko was a comic book character created by the posthumously awarded National Artist for Literature Francisco V. Coching. Serialized in Liwayway, the Filipino magazine of choice in the mid-‘50s to ‘70s, Coching’s Penduko is an ordinary young man from the barrio who is bumbling and cowardly but also resourceful, quick-witted and pure-hearted. Lamentably, no prints are known to exist of the first Pedro Penduko film made by the great Gerry de Leon, National Artist for Film, who directed from a screenplay by Coching himself. Efren Reyes Sr. was the original actor who played Penduko on the silver screen. The second motion picture incarnation of Coching’s comic book character happened in the late ’70s, with the Philippines’ Bruce Lee counterpart Ramon Zamora as lead under Celso Ad Castillo’s direction. More recent incarnations include remakes that starred Janno Gibbs, plus the successful ABS-CBN series that catapulted Matt Evans to teen stardom. Pedro Penduko will once again be reborn this December with the Metro Manila Film Festival entry Penduko, starring Matteo Guidicelli as the iconic character and Jason Paul Laxamana writing and directing the film. Laxamana said he has uprooted Pedro Penduko from the barrio and made him an urban daily survivor. Guidicelli’s Penduko is now an everyday Juan in the city struggling to make ends meet because he does not want to follow the footsteps of his arbularyo father, Apo Tisot (John Arcilla), offering a millennial story of the main character journeying to find one’s self and the hero within. “Majority of people now have seen so many superheroes from Marvel, DC, Disney and the like. So, in this Penduko, we have expanded his story. The common threads in all the Penduko movies and TV show are its folklore and mythical elements. That is what we maintained in this film, but we added a fuller story to strengthen the folklore and magical elements.” Guidicelli, who said he was “overwhelmed and grateful” to be doing the role, trained hard to be physically fit, undergoing extensive arnis, eskrima and kali sessions with a Philippine martial arts master. He also worked closely with his acting coach Ruby Ruiz to get the character right, especially his feelings and sense of truth. “When I was presented the screenplay by direk Jason Paul, I was blown away,” recalled Guidicelli. “Anything and everything about Penduko, how he envisioned him to be and the world we are presenting in the movie, was in the script. And it was written in the old style, almost lyrical Tagalog. Nakaka-intimidate! As an actor, pag ganun ka-kumpleto na ‘yung ibinigay sa iyo (if you were given something that complete), you really need to bring your A-game.” Guidicelli is bullish about thebox-office prospects of his film. “It has been quite some time for an action-fantasy movie to be part of the annual MMFF. Aside from that, we have a gripping and relatable narrative. There are twists to the folklore and mythical creatures. Its sensibilities, passion and heart are truly Filipino.” Penduko is the first MMFF venture of Epik Studios and Sari-Sari Network Inc., in collaboration with Viva Films. It opens in cinemas this 25 December as an official MMFF entry. The post Barrio boy Pedro Penduko becomes an urban warrior appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Phl has right to repair BRP Sierra Madre, China can’t tell us otherwise
The Philippines has the right to repair its commissioned navy warship, BRP Sierra Madre grounded in Ayungin in the West Philippine Sea and China cannot tell no, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Wednesday. In an interview during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Brawner stressed that the Philippines has the sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the waters around Ayungin shoal and so the repair of BRP Sierra Madre must be fitting. “I really believe that we have the right to repair the ship because that is a Philippine-commissioned Navy ship. Kahit andoon siya sa Ayungin Shoal, karapatan natin na ayusin (Even if it was stuck in Ayungin Shoal, it’s our right to repair that),” he said. Brawner lamented that the Philippines did not even bother China when it had gone as far as installing a missile system and even building artificial islands in the WPS. “So, for me, China has no right to tell us not to repair that while they themselves have created these artificial islands,” he said. Brawner criticized China’s audacity to block the Philippines’ legitimate actions in its territorial waters in WPS. “Hindi naman tayo nakialam. Hindi naman natin sinabi, 'Don't do that.' Hindi naman natin sinabi, 'Don't bring missile systems into these artificial islands.' Sila ngayon kinalampag. Napakalaking imbalance (We did not interfere. We didn’t say ‘don’t do that’. We didn’t tell them ‘don't bring missile systems into these artificial islands’. Now they’re being shaken. A huge imbalance),” he said. The AFP chief believes that China is persistent in harassing and blocking the country’s rotation and resupply mission in the BRP Sierra Madre because it wants to insist their claims over Ayungin Shoal, which was invalidated by the Arbitral Tribunal ruling of the Hague-based Court on 12 July 2016. China has repeatedly ignored the ruling as it constantly insists that Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin shoal) is part of China’s Nansha Qundao and is under China’s territory. The National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya has also noted that China “has no legal authority or basis” to enforce anything in Ayungin Shoal because it is constituted “well within” the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. The shoal is located 105.77 nautical miles from the nearest Philippine province of Palawan. The post Brawner: Phl has right to repair BRP Sierra Madre, China can’t tell us otherwise appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S., Canada lambast PRC
The United States on Sunday denounced China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea that led to the collision of its ships with Philippine boats en route to a resupply mission to the Ayungin Shoal. In a tweet, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson described China Coast Guard’s actions as a “disruption” of a “legal” resupply mission of the Philippines to the BRP Sierra Madre, its permanent military post in the West Philippine Sea. She tweeted on X that the US “condemns” China’s “latest disruption of a legal Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, putting the lives of Filipino service members at risk. One of two boats contracted by the Philippines to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre was bumped by a China Coast Guard Ship before a Chinese militia vessel did the same to a Philippine Coast Guard escort ship. Carlson said Washington “stands” with Manila in “protecting Philippine sovereignty and in support of a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific.” Over the past months, the US had reiterated its “ironclad” alliance commitment to the Philippines amid the escalating tension in the WPS, a portion of the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines and China. In August, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III stressed that the Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and Manila extends to the latter’s public vessels. Unlawful conduct Canada also condemned what it described as “unlawful and dangerous conduct” of the People’s Republic of China in the WPS, which “provoked two collisions with Philippine vessels engaged in routine operations inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.” “The PRC’s actions are unjustified. China has no lawful claim to the West Philippine Sea. Its actions are incompatible with the obligations of a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the Canadian Embassy in Manila said. “Continuing acts of intimidation and coercion undermine safety, stability, and security across the region and increase the risk of miscalculation,” it added. Canada said it welcomed the news that no injuries resulted from the collisions and commended the “professionalism and restraint exercised” by the Philippine Coast Guard. “Canada affirms its support for a rules-based order in the South China Sea consistent with international law, including UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral decision, which is final and binding on the parties,” it said. Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. On 12 July 2016, the Philippines won its arbitral case against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration — a landmark decision that China continues to reject. Germany also expressed concern over the incident in the WPS. Senators enraged “Germany is very concerned about recent confrontations in the SCS involving Chinese coast guard ships and maritime militia vessels in the Exclusive economic zone of the Philippines,” German Ambassador to the Philippines Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke said in a separate tweet. Pfaffernoschke called on “all parties to act in accordance with UNCLOS-rules and to respect the 2016 arbitral award. Senators also condemned China’s actions. In separate statements, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Tolentino expressed anger over the collisions that put the safety of the Filipino crew at risk. “I am one with peace-loving Filipinos in strongly condemning this latest abhorrent actions of the China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia that put in danger the lives of our brave countrymen who were on a routine resupply mission to our troops in Ayungin Shoal,” Zubiri said. Zubiri called on CCG to “respect human lives and abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other international laws governing safe maritime travel.” “This latest collision is squarely the China Coast Guard’s fault,” Hontiveros said. “The 2016 Arbitral Award has resolutely invalidated China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, making this incident a clear violation of international law.” For his part, Tolentino said the recent confrontation between the Philippines and China clearly shows China’s continuous disregard for international law. He noted that the incident should be investigated by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the Code for Investigation ng Marine Casualties and Incidents of the International Maritime Organization. The post U.S., Canada lambast PRC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rice sufficiency a pipe dream?
An Indian agricultural economist advised the government to secure investments in rice farmland abroad as it believes the Philippines’ goal of rice self-sufficiency through domestic production is impossible. Dr. Samarendu Mohanty, former principal scientist at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, said the country has smaller arable land to grow enough rice to satisfy consumer demand for the commodity amid its expanding population. “In other countries, they have arable land. The Philippines doesn’t have it because the country is an island nation,” he said during the recent 6th International Rice Congress in Pasay City. “You can take all the measures to expand productivity here, like having certified seeds and fertilizer, but I don’t think you’ll be self-sufficient with the population you have,” Mohanty added. The agricultural economist said the solution is to invest in farmland abroad under a backward linkage method. This distributes inputs from the farm sector to the non-farm sector, which includes agrochemicals, processing, and trading. “You need to find a country where this can be done legally and where there is land and water. Many African countries — Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar — have bigger land the Philippines can invest in and get back the supply to the country,” Mohanty explained. “There’s an Indian company producing rice in Africa and exporting it somewhere else. The Philippines cannot invest in land in India because of land restrictions,” he added. ‘Out of luck’ According to the World Economic Forum, India is the world’s second-top rice producer after China. However, India and other countries recently announced they would limit their rice exports as consumer demand and commodity prices have risen in their local markets. “If you have to address it through imports and the exporting countries have food restrictions, then you’re out of luck. But if you have backward linkages, you can be assured that your rice was produced in Vietnam or another country. Nobody can take that away because that’s your investment,” Mohanty said. He said the government must create policies and conduct discussions with its foreign counterpart and business community abroad to negotiate investments in external rice production. “The government has to facilitate that. The private sector will enter if there’s assurance from the government that they can bring back rice to the country,” Mohanty explained. He said India will resume rice exportations in May next year, with the country’s total production of at least 135 million tons. A portion amounting to 25 million tons is usually left as surplus. The Indian embassy in Manila said on 18 October that India allocated 295,000 metric tons of rice to the Philippines, the biggest share of its non-basmati white rice export, following its bilateral talks with the Marcos administration in August. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla said the two governments and the private sector will still discuss the rice imports’ price terms. She, however, was optimistic that the rice imports would help stabilize the prices of the commodity in the domestic market. Mohanty said India will likely export more rice in the future. “There’s a green revolution happening in the eastern part now. I expect India to have more than 30 million tons of surplus,” he said. The post Rice sufficiency a pipe dream? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korean defectors meet world in ‘Beyond Utopia’
Earning your subject's trust is never easy for a documentary filmmaker -- but it is even harder when they think you want to kill them. That was the challenge faced by US director Madeleine Gavin, whose movie "Beyond Utopia" follows newly escaped North Korean defectors as they flee. These include the Roh family and their elderly grandmother, who Gavin met just weeks after they bolted from their deeply repressive, reclusive homeland, and lifetimes of being fed propaganda. "I'll never forget the way that she would look at me," Gavin told AFP. In their minds at the time, "Americans practically only exist to make North Koreans miserable and to kill and attack North Koreans. "We aren't even human beings... that's what they've been taught." Soon after the Rohs sneaked across the closely guarded border into China, a local farmer connected them to an "Underground Railroad" for defectors, run by a South Korean pastor whom Gavin happened to be filming. The pastor arranged for the family to travel in secret through Communist-ruled China, Vietnam and Laos, braving police checkpoints and a treacherous jungle border crossing. The movie uses footage shot in China by the pastor's "brokers," before Gavin was able to meet and film them face-to-face herself in south-east Asia. At first, Gavin felt "a deep distrust and suspicion" from the family. But despite the powerful brainwashing they had endured in North Korea, even the 80-year-old grandmother's attitude quickly began to shift as she saw the outside world with her own eyes. "She was having none of it... She'd always been told that relative to the rest of the world, North Koreans are the luckiest people on Earth," said Gavin. "Then to be seeing a world where there are animals, and life, and toilets, even! We were a piece of that puzzle." - 'The worst thing' - When Gavin first set out to make her film -- in US theaters Monday -- it focused on North Koreans already living for many years in South Korea. On arrival in the south, many defectors attend a "resettlement facility" where they are taught about the rest of the world, the lies of Kim Jong Un's brutal regime, and basic modern practices such as how to use an ATM. But after meeting Pastor Kim Sung-eun, a prominent South Korean missionary involved in the underground network that brings escapees to the South, Gavin restructured the film to chronicle two families as they flee the north. The documentary follows Soyeon Lee, a mother who has long since escaped North Korea, but is now trying to smuggle out the son she had to leave behind. Tragedy strikes as he is captured in China, and sent back to North Korea to face punishment. Filming the mother's anguish "was really the most difficult thing," said Gavin. "What she has gone through and continues to go through is the worst thing that anyone can go through." - 'Guilt' - The other part of the film follows the Roh family as they embark on their harrowing, 3,000-mile overland journey toward Thailand, and freedom. One slip-up could see them also repatriated to North Korea, lending the documentary a dramatic tension more associated with Hollywood thrillers. But Gavin also set out to make something "experiential and present tense," which gives a "voice to actual North Koreans," whose country is mainly known to the rest of the world for its nuclear arsenal and terrifying politics. Even as they flee, the Rohs express a complex mixture of emotions, from wonder and excitement, to anger at what they have long been deprived of, to shame. Despite witnessing prosperity unthinkable back home, the grandmother "did not let up on the idea that Kim Jong Un was this incredible person, with the most difficult job before him," said Gavin. "She had enormous guilt for leaving, and that anyone who defects is basically abandoning him, and how heartbreaking it is for him." Perhaps more powerful still is the family's homesickness for the friends, neighbors, traditions and land they left behind. The movie includes -- and ends with -- footage secretly shot inside North Korea and smuggled out by the pastor's network, showing everything from the country's barbaric gulags, to the bleakness of everyday life. "As Grandma says at the end of the film, 'we're so lucky, but it keeps me up at night thinking about the people who are still there,'" said Gavin. "And so I wanted to leave the film remembering those people. Because those people are there, and they need us to help bring their voices forward." (Andrew MARSZAL) amz/hg/md © Agence France-Presse The post North Korean defectors meet world in ‘Beyond Utopia’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM brings home $120-million investment contract from Saudi Arabia trip
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said he secured a $120-million investment contract for the Philippines amid a short trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In his arrival speech at Villamor Airbase in Pasay, Marcos said Saudi Arabia expects to invest in the Philippines, making their partnership a "two-way street." "It's time that they bring investment to the Philippines to support their food supply situation, and to support the industries that they are going to expand," Marcos said. Still, the Philippines relies on its labor export background. The country signed multiple Saudi investment deals. Marcos claimed $4.26 billion in deals will help 15,000 Filipinos "in training and employment opportunities across a wide range of professions in the construction industry." A $120 million investment in the Philippines will train at least 2,000 Filipinos in construction crafts. To work on Saudi projects, Filipino skilled laborers are to be sent. Marcos' backing for these ventures reflects the Philippines' long-standing labor export program, which has produced billions in remittances. Marcos also told Filipinos that he would continue to promote the Philippines as a dynamic economic environment and deepen links with the Arab country on his overseas journey. "Let me assure you that we will continue to advance our national interest as we further expand our partnerships abroad," he added. Marcos also assured that his administration promoted the country's priority abroad. He emphasized collaboration in food and energy security, logistics and supply chains, digital transformation, and free trade. President Marcos declared he wanted to protect and upskill 2 million hardworking Filipinos in the Middle East. Marcos asked his fellow leaders from the two blocs to preserve a rules-based international order to ensure world harmony, especially with the Israeli-Hamas war. "The summit also provided ASEAN and GCC leaders an opportunity to convey their views on the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. I shared our hope for peace, that it should prevail, and for the welfare and safety of civilians to be upheld in accordance with international humanitarian law," he said during his arrival speech. He urged Gulf governments to collaborate with ASEAN to promote "peace, security, and stability in both our regions, the South China Sea, and the Arabian Sea, grounded on the rules-based international order to ensure stability and prosperity of our countries and the rest of the world." The post PBBM brings home $120-million investment contract from Saudi Arabia trip appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan singers won’t let curtain fall on Hakka opera
Dressed in a robe fringed with beaded tassels, traditional Taiwanese opera singer Jen Chieh-li applies the final touches to her heavily painted face as she prepares to take the stage. The 34-year-old is a member of Jing Sheng Opera, one of a handful of troupes in Taiwan still staging traditional dramas in the Hakka language -- a dialect that is not widely spoken on the island because of its dwindling ethnic population. Taiwan's traditional Hakka opera, usually performed at religious festivals, dates back to the late Qing Dynasty and was brought to the island by migrants from mainland China. Even as its popularity dwindles, Jen, who has trained at a drama school since the age of 12, said she would not give up the fading art. "I could find a regular job but it would be a waste of all the time and effort I have devoted to studying and performing Hakka opera," she told AFP. That sweltering night in northern Taoyuan county, Jen was performing "Legend of the White Snake", a famous Chinese folk tale about a romance between a man and a serpent spirit. Around 100 people, mostly elderly, sat on plastic stools to watch the show on a makeshift stage outside a temple in a reflection of Hakka opera's struggle to capture the attention of a shrinking audience. "It is a niche performance art as many people don't even understand the language," said Chiang Yu-ling, who founded the Jing Sheng Opera with her husband 19 years ago. There are only eight Hakka troupes in Taiwan that can keep regular staff, albeit with financial support from the government and private sponsors, according to Chiang. She is counting on new blood, such as Jen, who is studying for a master's degree in performance art, to help bring in more and younger audiences. "My husband and I are in our 50s and we have limited ideas. We hope to get more young people on board... to make Hakka opera more different," Chiang told AFP. 'People are nostalgic' Hakka shares similarities with Peking opera, the most dominant form of traditional Chinese opera that has UNESCO heritage recognition, but language is one of the main reasons for its flagging popularity. In Taiwan, where Mandarin is widely spoken, Hakka people make up less than 20 percent of its 23 million population, and even those within the community are no longer fluent in the dialect. "My father's generation speak mostly Mandarin already and I speak very little Hakka," said Louis Lo, 30, who was accompanying his elderly relatives to the show. "The opera doesn't appeal to young people due to the language barrier," he told AFP. To attract more fans, Jing Sheng's troupe has incorporated modern elements into traditional performances. One example is their update of a Chinese folk drama involving a dragon princess and her human lover, which now includes street dance sequences, fire acts, and acrobatics. "We are getting the audiences to know Hakka opera through more innovative performances and hopefully they would also want to watch the traditional ones," Jen said. Despite their dwindling audience numbers, fellow performer Shih Yu-tsen, 31, said the art form "definitely won't vanish". "There may be fewer Hakka operas but people are nostalgic," she told AFP. "They will recall the past all of a sudden and they will want to watch it." Besides, Jen said, a show ticket costs as little as $200 Taiwan dollars ($6.30) with student discounts. "We often say it just takes the same amount of money to buy a Starbucks to support traditional art, to keep it alive," she said. The post Taiwan singers won’t let curtain fall on Hakka opera appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoT’s Philippine Experience Program to help LGUs develop, enhance tourist spots
Albay — The Department of Tourism on Monday maintained that the Philippine Experience Program, which brings hundreds of delegates to various tourist attractions in the country, is its way to make local government units, especially those with underdeveloped tourist spots, to be at par with other known local destinations. During her speech in Albay for the third leg of the DoT’s Philippine Experience Program on Sunday night, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the program is in line with Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order to bring countryside development through tourism. “Recognizing how strong as a social economic tool tourism can be given the right tool to succeed in making the countryside grow, PEP gives opportunities to local government units, provinces, cities and municipalities all over the Philippines to be equally developed and promoted,” she said. The program seeks to reintroduce the Philippines to the world, “not only our natural resources, our stunning landscapes, our beautiful coastlines, our majestic mountainscapes, but also, our heart and soul as Filipinos.” Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman expressed support for the Philippine Experience Program and its swing through Bicol. “Parading the call to experience Bicol, a tapestry of history, tradition, and arts, this program embodies the essence of what makes a region unique and exceptional. Albay, with its enchanting landscape, rich cultural heritage and untapped potential plays a pivotal role in the national tourism industry,” Lagman said. In a video message, Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman also expressed his confidence that the visit from the DOT chief will “inspire” the tourism industry in Albay. “Thank you for your visit, Secretary Frasco, and we are certain that your visit will be both memorable and productive,” the congressman said. The third leg of the Philippine Experience Program started with the official opening of the Kasanggayahan Festival in the Provincial Capitol of Sorsogon, followed by a visit to the pristine sceneries of Bulusan and Barcelona Ruins in Sorsogon. On Day 2, delegates of the Philippine Experience Program Bicol on Monday revved up for an adrenaline-fueled all-terrain vehicle adventure in Legazpi City, the booming capital of Albay dubbed as the "City of Fun and Adventure," followed by a visit to Daraga Church or the Nuestra Señora dela Porteria, then a visit to the famous Cagsawa Ruins and Sumlang Lake in Camalig. The Philippine Experience Program highlights the Filipino brand and identity in all aspects of the travel and tourism experience, focused on heritage, culture and arts to enhance current tour and domestic circuit offerings with thematic experiences on Food and Gastronomy, Pilgrimage and Wellness, Festivals, Living Cultures and Heritage, and the Arts. It also aims to link key destinations to lesser-known destinations, as well as expand the country’s tourism portfolio, which includes sun and beach offerings, nature-based tourism, diving, food, education, health, MICE and farm tourism. The post DoT’s Philippine Experience Program to help LGUs develop, enhance tourist spots appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
75: Diamond love for a rich, incomparable life
Seventy-five: More than it being the digits that scream seasoned and being on this planet for more than seven decades and five summers, this is the most opportune time to be grateful. This feeling stems from the fact that, by that time, I would still be alive and kicking ass, and a true survivor of personal and domestic battles, health crises, financial boom and gloom, the political landscape, leaders of this so-called democracy — the golden ones and greedy lot, imploding economies and falling regimes, the see-sawing peso, perhaps another pandemic, plus earthquakes, coup d’etats, volcanic eruptions, super typhoons, drought, famine, pestilence, wars, and also digital technology, creativity, the evolving arts and many more. [caption id="attachment_194558" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Seventy-five means being surrounded by loved ones. | PHOTOGRAPH Courtesy of unsplashpatricia prudente[/caption] Good old times Hitting 75 will make me more nostalgic of the good old times, when life was simpler and one had that drive and hunger to realize one’s dreams. It will make me long for friends and colleagues who have been gone to soon, felled by affliction or shocking tragedy, thus allowing me to appreciate lasting friendships and loyalties that are still with me. I will smile as I recollect the follies of my youth, the trials and triumphs of my adult life and, as they say in a song, “ang mga nakalipas na di na maaari at pwedeng balikan.” These feelings, of course, also bring some pangs of pain. But I get to appreciate all my experiences, good or bad, happy or sad, because I am what I am by then because of them. Seventy-five means being surrounded by loved ones — my partner, children, grandchildren, up to the apo sa tuhod and talampakan. The successes of my loved ones are also my success. Their pains I likewise carry, though I do not let them know about it. The reason I have become successful at this point is because I worked hard on being a good person first. Call me a sentimental fool, but success earned that also destroyed your humanity and corrupted your morality is not my definition of success and being successful. The people I love, those that I hold dearest in my heart and who are with me and surround me now, are the manifestations of the goodness at the core of my success. Legacy and vocation Seventy-five also means I have made a name for myself. And it is a name that not only is admired but respected and trusted. Whatever career I had chosen during my wonder years, it is now my legacy and has become my vocation. This name has been a product of blood, sweat and errors, sacrifices and victories. Of sticking to my core values always being kind, fair, honest and sincere, and making people feel good, important and treated with dignity. Whatever riches I have, I have earned and gained them through hard work, determination, tenacity and passion to be the best in my profession and personal vocation. My name is the most precious bequeathal I can make. When all else fails, I want people to remember me as a man who had a good name, a good heart and made a lot of people feel good. But 75 also means there are still so many years ahead to be curious, to learn new things, to be naughty if my body still permits it, to share stories, make people laugh, mentor others, teach and exclaim that indeed, life and the world are beautiful and wonderful. One’s diamond year deserves diamond-caliber love and celebration — for the rich life thus far, and the (hopefully) richer life still ahead. The post 75: Diamond love for a rich, incomparable life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl economy still strongest this year — RCBC
The Philippine economy will remain among Asia’s strongest in the fourth quarter despite a possible higher interest rate because of strong consumer demand for certain products and services and more employed Filipinos, the chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation said Saturday. “This growth forecast is still among the fastest in the region because our economy is doing well,” RCBC’s Michael Ricafort said. The World Bank recently downgraded this year’s Philippine economic growth to 5.6 percent from 6 percent due to inflation risks, apart from lower government spending and weaker demand for exports. However, it is still higher than China’s 5.1 percent, Indonesia’s 4.9 percent, and Malaysia’s 4.3 percent growth forecast. Ricafort said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) might raise its policy rate this year to slow inflation to 4 percent by year-end after it accelerated again to 6.1 percent last month. “The BSP is working to bring down prices of goods and services. As an unintended consequence, the economy could slow down. Borrowing costs for business owners also increase and consumer demand weakens,” he said. Ricafort said global oil prices have started falling which could discourage the central bank from raising its rate drastically. “Global oil prices have declined to $82 to $83 per barrel from a peak of $95 per barrel last month or since the war between oil-rich countries Russia and Ukraine began,” the economist said. He also expected a downtrend in rice prices starting this month as he said local farmers have begun collecting fresh harvests. “Inflation quickened last month mainly from higher prices of rice which accounted for nearly 9 percent of the inflation basket and grew 17 percent year-on-year,” Ricafort said. While a higher interest rate aims to slow consumption, Ricafort said the continued flow of remittances from overseas Filipino workers, or at least 3 percent growth yearly will still support substantial levels of consumer spending, especially during the Christmas season. “That is more than $40 billion a year. That’s the fourth largest in the world after India, China and Mexico,” the economist said. He added more Filipinos or 800,000 could earn from business process outsourcing or BPO this year as the industry’s revenue could rise from $32.5 billion to $59 billion based on data from the Contact Center Association of the Philippines. Another growth area is tourism, which Ricafort said saw 4 million foreign visitors last month, nearing the 4.8 million full-year target of the government. He added higher productivity among Filipinos is also expected as the country’s unemployment rate declined to 4.4 percent in August from 4.8 percent in July, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Moving forward, Ricafort said the government must improve science and technology education for higher quality jobs and increase spending on infrastructure amid the full reopening of most economies. “We are now fully reopened. Students are also back in schools which encourages putting up food businesses. Labor market in the US also improved which will affect export trade,” he said. Ricafort added the government could continue distributing financial and other assistance to farmers to control inflation. He believed the inflation rate will approach 3 percent next year, close to the ideal 2 percent for healthier economic growth. The post Phl economy still strongest this year — RCBC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lester Pimentel Ong: The ‘Iron Heart’ director is also a restaurateur
When action films came to a screeching halt around year 2000 because of piracy, then stuntman Lester Pimentel Ong bravely ventured into the food business. For him, it was like wading into untested waters. “Nagsimula ako sa (I started in) Rice-In-A box 23 years ago. I started in the film industry as a stuntman. Nakatrabaho ko si Victor Neri, sa mga films ni direk Toto Natividad. Nawala ‘yung raket namin sa stunts kasi nauso ‘yung piracy sa film. Humina ‘yung action film so wala kaming raket. (I worked with Victor Neri, in the films of director Toto Natividad. We lost our stunt jobs because film piracy became prevalent. Action films slowed down, so we didn’t have a job). With his P80,000 savings, he started his rice-in-a-box business at Masagana City Mall, in Pasay, recalled Ong during the opening of the ninth branch of Wangfu, his Chinese-Singaporean restaurant that’s been up for 11 years now. That small rice-in-a-box business now has more than 100 stores consisting of food carts and food stalls. “That business financed all of our other businesses, all our other restaurants,” said Ong proudly. A foodie, Ong was exposed to street food when he was a wushu athlete who represented the country in many competitions abroad. He reveled in the street foods of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. “I would go around to different places and tuwing may break kami, we would explore the street food market ng different countries. I fell in love with different kind of food, Asian food,” he said. Wangfu came about because, after shoots, “kapag late night, wala kaming makakainan. Nasa food business naman ako, so nagtayo kami ng restaurant sa Tomas Morato. Iyon ang first branch (of Wangfu),” he said. He was joined in the venture by business partner Ace Wang. Wangfu serves Singaporean cuisine like laksa, Hainanese chicken and salted egg fried chicken. From Sir Chief to Sir Chef Actor Richard Yap is also one of Ong’s partners in Wangfu. Yap disclosed that when he was young, he “used to cook at home because my mom cooks very well.” It was his love for food that drove him to study culinary arts. But he discovered along the way that cooking was not for him. “When I took up a culinary course, I found out na hindi pala para sa akin ang pagluluto (that cooking is not for me). Ang hirap ng preparations. It takes a long time. Kung ako ang magluluto (If I will do the cooking), it will take three to four hours if you do it by yourself,” he said. In college, Yap took up a pre-Med course, Medical Technology, for two years, and then stopped because his father asked him to take up Business Management instead. When he applied for Med studies at UST, he was told that he had to go back to first year again. “I said never mind. I’ll just finish my Business Management course at La Salle,” he recalled. Getting into showbiz 12 years ago was something that Yap didn’t see coming. “When I started out with “My Binondo Girl”, after that nagdadalawang isip ako (I had second thoughts). So, I had to ask around. One of my directors, direk Jeffrey Jeturian, said, ‘You know, you have to make a choice kasi it’s either you go full-time sa showbiz or not.’” Yap’s apprehensions were not without basis, since not a lot of people would make it at his age then, around 40. “Ako, sabi ko, late na ako (I’m late), wala pa akong experience. It would take me a lot of time to catch up with veteran actors and actresses,” he said. Fortunately, those around him told him he had a future in showbiz for as long as he persevered. And that he did — and now he’s Richard Yap, a popular actor and household name, forever remembered by many as Sir Chief of the blockbuster TV series Be Careful With My Heart. The post Lester Pimentel Ong: The ‘Iron Heart’ director is also a restaurateur appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Typhoon Koinu brings record winds, knocks out power in Taiwan
Typhoon Koinu grazed the southern edge of Taiwan on Thursday, lashing the island with the strongest winds it has ever recorded and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes. Koinu made landfall in the island's southernmost Cape Eluanbi Thursday morning and was weakening as it moved 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast by 1:00 pm local time (0500 GMT), according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration. Pan Huang Kui-chun, a 68-year-old temple keeper in southern Pingtung county, said it was "terrifying" watching powerful winds bring down power poles in his neighborhood. "It nearly dismantled my house. I had to move all my deities to the side," he told AFP. "This time the typhoon was especially big. Really big. The wind was really strong. And it blew for a very long time. It took a long time for it to pass." Overnight, the eastern volcanic islet of Orchid Island -- home mostly to fishermen and farmers -- experienced wind gusts overnight equivalent to 342.72 kilometers per hour (212 mph) as Koinu moved west towards Taiwan's southern tip, according to the Central Weather Administration. "The maximum wind gusts of 95.2 meters per second measured in Orchid Island last night is a new record in Taiwan," a forecaster told AFP. Local media said some 2,400 homes on Orchid Island were without power, while the classrooms of an elementary school were damaged by the powerful gales. Taiwan experiences frequent tropical storms from May to November. Authorities had closed schools and offices on Thursday in anticipation of Koinu's impact. Experts say climate change has made the paths of tropical storms harder to forecast while increasing their intensity -- leading to heavy rains, flash floods and strong gusts. Downed power lines Rain-drenched streets were deserted Thursday in Taiwan's southern Taitung and Pingtung counties, with strong winds knocking over street signs and tearing off metal roofing. Around 190 people were injured, the government said without providing any further details. Local media said some injuries were caused by falling trees. Across Taiwan, more than 300,000 homes temporarily lost power, with authorities still working to restore electricity to about 80,000 households. Downed electricity lines littered the roadside in Pingtung as work crews attempted to bring in fresh poles by truck. A supervisor told AFP it would take at least two days to restore the power. More than 200 international and domestic flights were cancelled, while nearly 3,000 people in mostly mountainous regions were evacuated as a precaution. Koinu comes about a month after Taiwan suffered a direct hit from Typhoon Haiku, the first in four years and which forced nearly 8,000 people to evacuate from their homes. It is expected to weaken as it moves towards the coastal waters of China's eastern Guangdong province, according to the weather observatory in nearby Hong Kong. The Chinese territory, which was skirted by a typhoon last month before being flooded by the heaviest rainfall in 140 years days later, issued its lowest typhoon signal on Wednesday night. The post Typhoon Koinu brings record winds, knocks out power in Taiwan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dignitaries hail tourism program
An attaché with the Embassy of India and other foreign dignitaries assigned here in the country have given the Department of Tourism a tap in the back for conceptualizing the Philippine Experience Program which showcases the country’s tourist attractions and provinces’ rich traditions and sumptous delicacies. In an interview, Shikha Kumari, Political Attache of the Embassy of India, also extolled the warmth and hospitality of their hosts in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon where the second leg of the Philippine Experience took place. “We love the smiles and greetings of people in the locales. Indeed, we felt the love of the Philippines. There’s so much to explore with the Philippines and we can deliver this to our nationals who would want to visit this wonderful country,” she told the DAILY TRIBUNE. Other dignitaries that joined the CALABARZON leg of Philippine Experience and were the recipients of warm Filipino hospitality are Hanada Takihiro, minister and consul general, the Embassy of Japan; Huang Yaping and Liang Hao from the Embassy of China; Indian Attache Saurav Kumar; and representatives from the Embassies of Japan and Indonesia, among other delegates such as social media influencers, tour operators and the mainstream media, including the Daily Tribune. Seeking DoT’s intervention Meanwhile, two local executives in the provinces of Batangas and Quezon have sought the help of the DoT to back and further boost tourism initiatives in their respective municipalities and provinces. Taal, Batangas Mayor Fulgencio Mercado sought the support of Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco in realizing the province’s tourism efforts. “We really need these projects in order for us to show our local and foreign tourists what more we can offer to them aside from the wonders of Taal Volcano,” he said during a program at the Taal Heritage Village on Sunday. To recall, Taal Lake is now closed to tourists because of the continuous activities of Taal Volcano. For his part, San Pablo City Vice Mayor Justin Colago expressed his gratitude to the DoT for choosing the city as one of the venues in the second leg of the Philippine Experience. “We want to collect the help that we needed to be able to develop further our destinations, particularly our Seven Lakes. We still need to promote our coconut industry, as well as its by-product ‘buko pie’ as makers of this delicacy were affected by the Covid pandemic,” Colago said. Villa Escudero San Pablo City is also where the famous Villa Escudero is situated; the famed tourist spot closed doors when the contagion hit the country in March 2023. Other places visited by Philippine Experience participants were Museo ni Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite; Bakood Festival of Bacoor, Cavite; Casa San Pablo in San Pablo City; Pagsanjan Falls (Cavinti Falls) in Pagsanjan, Laguna; Paete, Laguna for its famous wood carvers and Luman, Laguna, to see local weavers making barongs and ternos. The Philippine Experience Program is one of the many projects of Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco; it is a program that facilitates a cultural tourism development focused on heritage, culture, and the arts to enhance current tour and domestic circuit offerings, which include food and gastronomy, pilgrimage and wellness, living cultures and heritage, and an arts caravan. The program also aims to diversify Philippine cultural tourism product offerings, equalize opportunities across regions, support the preservation of the country’s heritage, artistic resources and assets, and most importantly, instill a sense of pride and patriotism among Filipinos through a greater appreciation of the country’s inheritance and legacy. The post Dignitaries hail tourism program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»