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Trending tickers: Trump Media, Tesla, Bitcoin and DS Smith
Former US president Donald Trump’s media firm, Trump Media & Technology Group, had a successful stock market debut in New York, with shares soaring past.....»»
Watsons brands and Naturals by Watsons take center stage at the Watsons BeautyCon 2024
Watsons brands and Naturals by Watsons take center stage at the Watsons BeautyCon 2024.....»»
Basketball dreams take center stage with new barangay grassroots program
Eleven-year-old “Jared” finds inspiration in basketball......»»
PPP Code IRR out; 20 projects up for approval
Around 20 solicited projects that are part of the government’s infrastructure flagship program are expected to be submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee for approval this year, the Public-Private Partnership Center said, following the signing of the implementing rules and regulations of the PPP Code......»»
Deceased Maine shooter had mental health problems: police
Police in Maine said Saturday that the man who gunned down 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley and later committed suicide, suffered serious mental health issues, but was able to buy weapons legally because he had never been forcibly committed to treatment. The body of Robert Card, a 40-year-old army reservist, was discovered Friday night inside a tractor-trailer near a recycling center where he used to work, said Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck. Card had shot himself. Investigators are still struggling to determine Card's motive for carrying out Wednesday's massacre in the town of Lewiston. However, Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia. "Clearly there's a mental health component to this," Sauschuck told reporters. Investigators found a "paper-style" note that Card had left to a loved one which contained a password to his phone and bank account information, Sauschuck said, adding that the note had the tone of a suicide letter. Card was found in possession of three weapons, one of them a long gun, all purchased legally because he had never been forcibly committed to a mental institution. Despite the apparently clear mental health issues and a reportedly recent psychiatric evaluation undergone by Card, "a background check is not going to ping that this individual was prohibited," Sauschuck added. The sigh of relief The discovery of Card's body ended a massive two-day manhunt, which had this quiet city of 38,000 people on lockdown, with businesses and schools closed and residents terrified. Sauschuck acknowledged the help Card's family had provided to the investigation, saying his relatives were among the first people to call the police and identify the suspect. "This family has been incredibly cooperative with us," he said. Lewiston finally breathed a sigh of relief with businesses beginning to open and people appearing on the streets Saturday. Several posters reading "Lewiston strong" were seen in the city. Shukri Abasheikh, 60, was finally able to reopen her halal grocery store after the lockdown. "This morning I'm so happy because the last two days, we were worried a lot and we were scared," Abasheikh told AFP. "My customers were calling me saying we don't have milk, we don't have anything, can you open and I said, 'I'm scared.'" Upon learning that Card was dead, Sheri Withers, 44, owner of a Lewiston art gallery, said she felt "a balance of relief and remembering how to breathe, but also just being sad because, you know, it was a human life." For now, residents are "just trying to rebuild the pieces, and getting on from here is gonna be the next step for our community," she added. A local resident named Danica, who was buying coffee at a drive-through, said she was happy Card was dead, but at the same time wished he had first been brought to justice. "I think he took the coward's way out of doing it by suicide," Danica, who declined to give her last name, told AFP. "I think he should be held accountable for his crimes." In a statement issued shortly after Card's body was discovered Friday night, President Joe Biden vowed to renew efforts to curb gun violence in the United States. "Americans should not have to live like this," Biden said. "I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic." Biden said the shooting brought "a tragic two days -- not just for Lewiston, Maine, but for our entire country." Authorities on Friday identified the victims, ranging from a husband and wife in their 70s to a 14-year-old boy killed alongside his father. This was one of the deadliest shootings in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people Mass shootings are alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance. The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. The post Deceased Maine shooter had mental health problems: police appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US police launch huge manhunt for shooter who killed at least 22
A massive manhunt was under way Thursday for a gunman who a local official said killed at least 22 people and wounded "many" more in mass shootings in the US state of Maine, the deadliest such incident this year. Police said Robert Card -- seen in surveillance footage pointing a semi-automatic weapon with an extended clip as he walked into a bowling alley in the town of Lewiston -- "should be considered armed and dangerous." Card is a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserve, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources. Lewiston city councilor Robert McCarthy told CNN that law enforcement had "confirmed 22 dead, many, many more injured", with local media reporting shootings had occurred at multiple locations. Swathes of Lewiston were locked down, with businesses urged to shutter and people ordered to shelter in place, as the scourge of horrifying gun violence once again ripped through an American community. Maine public safety official Mike Sauschuck said he was not prepared to give a death toll, calling it "a very fluid situation." He told reporters police were flooding the streets as they sought the gunman. "We have literally hundreds of police officers working around the state of Maine to investigate this case, to locate Mr. Card," he told reporters. Rescue vehicles rushed in from around central Maine to tend to the wounded, city councilor McCarthy said, and the two Lewiston hospitals "have called in every off-duty staff member that they could to deal with this." President Joe Biden made calls -- stepping away from a state dinner honoring Australia's prime minister -- to Maine's governor, its two senators and a local congressman to offer federal support, the White House said. Early on Thursday, armed police were seen guarding the Central Maine Medical Center, where some of the wounded were being treated. Several Maine school boards and educational institutions, including Bates College, said they would not be holding classes on Thursday, according to statements. Multiple locations Police and rescuers reportedly arrived at the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley at about 7:15 pm local time (00:15 Thursday GMT) in response to an active shooter, and then received reports of another shooting at the Schemengees Bar & Grille, according to the Sun Journal local newspaper. Police issued a number of photographs of 40-year-old Card at the bowling alley, where he appears calm and composed as he moves through the doorway with his rifle raised. "Please contact law enforcement if you are aware of his whereabouts," they said. Sauschuck said officers had located a "vehicle of interest" they had been looking for -- a white sport utility vehicle (SUV) -- in Lisbon, a town around eight miles (12 kilometers) from Lewiston, where residents had also been warned to stay off the streets. Card was not in the vehicle, reports said. Law enforcement "are investigating two active shooter events," the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department said on social media. "We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate. The suspect is still at large." Maine Governor Janet Mills said she was "aware of and have been briefed on the active shooter situation in Lewiston." CNN reported that at least 50 people were wounded in the incidents, citing multiple law enforcement sources, but said it was unclear how many of the injuries were the result of gunfire. It was unclear if initial reports of shots being fired at a third site, a Walmart distribution center, were accurate. My hometown Maine Congressman Jared Golden wrote on social media that "like all Mainers, I'm horrified by the events in Lewison tonight. This is my hometown." "Right now, all of us are looking to local law enforcement as they gain control of the situation and gather information. Our hearts break for those who are affected," he said. Distraught citizens flocked to local hospitals. "I'm just overwhelmed. I've been here trying to spread, you know, some kind of comfort, some kind of support," Cynthia Hunter, a local resident, told CBS affiliate WGME. The shooting is one of the deadliest since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing about 60 people. Gun violence is alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance. The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. Wednesday's attack was the deadliest mass shooting in 2023 so far, according to the GVA's data. Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. Lewiston is the second most populous city in Maine located some 30 miles north of the largest city, Portland. The post US police launch huge manhunt for shooter who killed at least 22 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Israel aims to crush Hamas but vague on Gaza’s post-war future
Israel is determined to crush Hamas but has said little about what would replace its rule in Gaza after the war, with observers expecting Washington will play a decisive role. "One thing is clear: the Gaza Strip will not be ruled by Hamas once this war is over," Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy told AFP as Israel's military steps up strikes in preparation for a widely-expected ground offensive. In the wake of the 7 October attacks, when militants from the Palestinian Islamist movement began a deadly cross-border assault that has killed 1,400 people, Israel has laid out just one objective: "Destroying Hamas". Since then, it has embarked on a brutal retaliatory bombing campaign, which Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says has now killed more than 5,000 people. Despite four previous wars with Gaza's Hamas rulers -- in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2021 -- Israel has never before threatened to completely overthrow the movement which rules this tiny territory of 2.4 million people. The territory, which has been languishing under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since Hamas took control in 2007, has since October 7 suffered a spiraling humanitarian crisis, largely deprived of water, food and other basic supplies and more than a million people displaced. Although Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005, ending an occupation that began in 1967, the international community considers it responsible for the tiny territory's primary needs -- energy, food and medicine. 'Handing over the keys' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called it a "do or die" war. And his government is hoping to end all responsibility for Gaza as part of a "new regional reality" it hopes will emerge after the war. After the current air strikes and action inside Gaza, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said a "third phase" would involve "the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel". But no minister talks about Gaza's future government. And nobody has raised the possibility of a new Israeli occupation of the enclave, the military and financial burden of such an eventuality being too high to bear. "We are discussing possibilities with our partners," said government spokesman Levy. Israel wants to "hand over the keys" to a third party, a foreign ministry source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. According to Eitan Shamir, a former Israeli government security specialist and now director of Jerusalem's Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Washington will have a decisive say in Gaza's future. The US, he said, already has an "overview" role in Israel's action against Hamas. "The favourite option of the Americans and Israelis would be an international structure with Palestinian Authority, with Saudi funding, for example," Shamir told AFP, saying it could include US and European administrative help. Regional players silent US President Joe Biden has given Netanyahu strong support, visiting Israel last week and warning other regional players not to get involved while lining up almost $15 billion in military aid, even if he has warned Israel against letting its "rage" go too far. But Washington has also not been clear about how it sees Gaza's future. "Something needs to be found that ensures Hamas can't do this again but also doesn't reverse to an Israeli governance of Gaza which they do not want," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS television on Sunday. "There are different ideas out there about what could follow and all of that needs to be worked, even as Israel is dealing with the current threat." The Israeli foreign ministry source raised Egypt as a possible saviour, although Cairo has resisted decades of pressure to take a greater role. Egypt and Jordan are deeply concerned about the war unleashing a new flood of Palestinian refugees. No Arab or Muslim state has so far proposed an intervention. One option supported by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid is for Mahmud Abbas' Palestinian Authority to take control. The authority already cooperates with Israel in running parts of the occupied West Bank, but the ageing Palestinian leader has faced growing criticism since the war began. But a report by the International Crisis Group said there was "little hope that the already deeply unpopular PA could return to Gaza on the back of an Israeli invasion and not be treated as an enemy. "Moreover, it is not clear that Israel would want the West Bank and Gaza under a single authority," the think tank said. The post Israel aims to crush Hamas but vague on Gaza’s post-war future appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New film on historical Native American murders reflects universal themes: Scorsese
Martin Scorsese, best known for his action-packed thrillers and gangster epics, now depicts an investigation into the murders of Native Americans in his latest film, "Killers of the Flower Moon", which previewed in New York on Wednesday. Adapted from a nonfiction book of the same name, "Killers of the Flower Moon" tells the true story of the 1920s murders and disappearances of members of Osage Nation on oil-rich lands in the central US state of Oklahoma. At a red carpet event at Manhattan's Lincoln Center, Scorsese told AFP his film about the 100-year-old crimes touched on broad themes. "It's about a clash of cultures, misunderstanding each other, the sense of entitlement -- and it could be (about) not only Americans," Scorsese told AFP about the film, which he shot on Oklahoma's prairies with around 40 Osage Native Americans included in the cast. The $200-million film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart, a man in love with a Native American woman (played by Lily Gladstone) who finds himself embroiled in a plot hatched by oil-hungry cattle magnate William Hale, played by Robert De Niro. An FBI agent, Jesse Plemons, is assigned to solve the murders. "Killers of the Flower Moon" will be released in North American cinemas on October 20, before being made available on Apple TV+. The violence and crimes depicted in the film "could be in any part of the world," Scorsese said. "It just so happens to be a story that actually reflects through the millennia." "It's good to tell this kind of story now because people are trying to shy away from this stuff. Show it, talk about it," the "Gangs of New York" and "Taxi Driver" director added. American writer David Grann, whose book the film was based on, told AFP that the story covers "one of the most monstrous crimes and racial injustices committed by white settlers against Native Americans for their oil money." "What it is fundamentally about is what happens when greed is fused together with the dehumanization of other people," the New Yorker journalist said. "And what that led to were these genocidal crimes." Grann believes that the history of the Osage Tribe, and of many Native Americans across the United States, has been "largely erased from our conscious". "It was not taught in any of my schoolbooks. I never learned about it," he said. In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first US president to issue a proclamation for Indigenous Peoples' Day, which coincides with the increasingly controversial national holiday celebrating explorer Christopher Columbus. Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear also appeared at the red carpet event. "It's not just the Osage people -- all of the Native peoples have had their hard times for 500 years," the North American leader said. "And this movie shows us it still goes on. "It wasn't that long ago. It was my grandparents' generation when this movie, the facts in it, occurred." The post New film on historical Native American murders reflects universal themes: Scorsese appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire approaches main city
Residents of Yellowknife in Canada's far north on Friday raced to evacuate ahead of a midday deadline as wildfires bear down on the remote city and other parts of the vast country. Since authorities in the Northwest Territories issued the city-wide evacuation order late Wednesday, long lines of cars have snaked along the lone highway connecting the area to Alberta province to the south ahead of the 12:00 pm (1800 GMT) cutoff. About 1,500 people have so far left Yellowknife, the regional capital, by plane, with an increased number of flights scheduled Friday to evacuate more of the city's 20,000 residents. The nearest evacuation center is 1,150 kilometers (700 miles) away, in Alberta, where several sites have been set up. Crews have scrambled to erect fire barriers as the flames approached Yellowknife, while water bombers have been seen flying low over the city and swooping in to fill up at a nearby lake. Northwest winds over the next two days will send the fire, already close to the city's perimeter, "in directions we don't want," Northwest Territories' fire information officer Mike Westwick said Thursday. Several military aircraft have already been dispatched, along with more than 120 soldiers to help beat back the flames. In what had already been declared the Northwest Territories' largest-ever evacuation, the emptying of Yellowknife now means half the population of the near-Arctic territory will soon be displaced. Several towns and Indigenous communities were also already under evacuation orders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau interrupted his summer vacation Thursday to convene an incident response group. In British Columbia in western Canada, evacuation orders were also put in place for areas near Kelowna, as a different fire threatened the city of around 150,000. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more frequent and more deadly. The evacuation of Yellowknife is the second time a sizeable Canadian city has been cleared due to wildfires since 100,000 residents of Fort McMurray in Alberta's oil and gas-producing heartland were forced out in 2016. Earlier this year, suburbs of Halifax on the Atlantic coast were also evacuated. Canada is experiencing a record-setting wildfire season, with official estimates of over 13.7 million hectares (33.9 million acres) already scorched. Four people have died so far. Waves of smoke have also intermittently descended on the United States, prompting several air alert warnings in large swaths of the country's center and east. The Yellowknife evacuation comes amid heightened awareness about the deadly speed of wildfires after a town on the Hawaiian island of Maui was razed by a fast-moving inferno, killing more than 100 people. The post Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire approaches main city appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nepal celebrates 70 years since first Everest summit
The sons of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa led celebrations in Nepal on Monday to mark the 70th anniversary of the historic first ascent of Everest. The scaling of the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak on 29 May 1953 changed mountaineering forever and made the New Zealander and his Nepalese guide household names. "In a whole lot of ways, it was not just Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay that reached the summit of Mount Everest, it was all of humanity," Peter Hillary said at a school founded by his father in the remote village of Khumjung at 3,790 meters. "Suddenly, all of us could go," he said. And gone they have. In the past seven decades, more than 6,000 climbers have climbed the world's highest mountain, according to the Himalayan Database. It remains dangerous, with more than 300 losing their lives in the same period, including 12 this year. Five others are missing, putting 2023 on course to be a record deadly year. As well as supporting tourism, the rapid growth in the climbing industry has raised revenue for Nepal, which today charges foreigners an Everest permit fee of $11,000. Family members of both the climbers joined locals and officials at the school on Monday morning to inaugurate the Sir Edmund Hillary Visitors Centre, housed in the original building, which opened in 1961. Butter lamps were lit in front of a photograph of Hillary and Tenzing, and their sons, Peter Hillary and Jamling Norgay, cut a red ribbon to open the doors to the center. A renovated museum also opened in Tenzing Norgay's name in Namche Bazaar, the largest tourist hub in the trek to the Everest base camp. In Kathmandu, officials and hundreds from the mountaineering community joined a rally with celebratory banners. Top Nepali climbers, including the record holder for most Everest ascents Kami Rita Sherpa, were honored in a ceremony. Sanu Sherpa, the only person to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks twice, called on the government to support the Nepali guides, who bear huge risks to carry equipment and food, fix ropes and repair ladders. "The government has not done much for the Sherpa. I think it would be of great help and we would be happy if the government helps educate children of those climbers who died on mountains," Sherpa told AFP. The post Nepal celebrates 70 years since first Everest summit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Relocating the seat of BARMM
It was an idea long awaited. Past Moro leaders of note had toyed with it but it remained just that — an idea. It never saw the light of day nor was it transmuted into fiat. Until recently when the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM took the bull by the horns to legislate it into law. It was no mean feat considering the political dynamics of the region. The problem of selecting the seat of the autonomous government had been a long drawn-out issue. It was a problem of President E. Marcos Sr.’s version of the autonomous government down to the present BARMM. It was a ticklish issue because of the multi-tribal identities of the stakeholders who would be affected. Distance and easy accessibility to the seat of power were essential elements in the choice of venue. Unfortunately, the topography of the BARMM is not contiguous but separated by water. The residents are dichotomized into, for lack of a better term, the “mainlanders” for residents of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and the “islanders” for residents of the so-called BASULTA (Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) islands. In fact, this geographical oddity was one of the main reasons the Marcos Sr. administration had to separate the autonomous government into Autonomous Government for Central Mindanao and another for Western Mindanao. The center of government of the former was Cotabato City, while for the latter it was Zamboanga City. Not that they could not co-exist harmoniously, after all, they were part of Ummah Islamiya or the Islamic community. But it was more for convenience and the practical reason for effective governance. With the BARMM replacing the defunct autonomous governments, Cotabato City became the de facto seat of government without any formal executive or legislative decree. The principal reason for this was the availability of government buildings and other infrastructure needed by the regional government. Since then, proposal after proposal were drawn up to search for a permanent administrative seat of the autonomous government. Until recently, when it was finally decided and legislated that it would be in the coastal town of Parang, Maguindanao del Norte. Some gadflies, however, raised their eyebrows. The selected venue, by accident or design, is the home base of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which now dominates the leadership of the BARMM. Did this move bear the stamp of the consent of the “islander” residents of BARMM? This column fully agrees with the relocation site. The reason is not only because of its convenient accessibility to the Maranaws of Lanao del Sur but the decision was a product of study, planning, and consultation among stakeholders. Parang is a coastal town in the northern part of Mindanao which borders Lanao del Sur. It is traditionally a fishing community whose progress was propelled more by the logging industry because of its thick virgin rainforest. Its mountain ranges with huge forests were the reason why Camp Abubakar, the main military camp of the MILF, is nestled thereat. When this writer was the Speaker of the Regional Assembly of then President Marcos’ version of the autonomous government, we frequented the place because of its mini golf course constructed by the Philippine National Police within its regional center. There are negligible murmurs of displeasure over the BARMM decision. And these come from the unrepentant opposition who cannot see anything right in everything the BARMM does. They had even questioned the constitutionality of creating the BARMM. In this case, however, any discordant voices against the move are sure to be drowned out by the merits and popularity of the decision. There will always be naysayers and gadflies. But what counts is that due process as an essential element of a representative democratic government was observed. Meaning, the legislative protocol of consultation was observed giving everyone their “day in court.” What remains to be debated is: whether or not the town of Parang is ready for the challenge and the toll the transfer will exact upon the peace and social life of the residents. Whatever it lacks in terms of infrastructure will be filled in by the BARMM government. And we anticipate the transformation of the once laid-back town into a city. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Relocating the seat of BARMM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
First Panambal Festival promotes Siquijor’s folk healing practices
[caption id="attachment_123658" align="aligncenter" width="558"] Photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the daily tribune | Common healing oils, concoctions, haplas and tambal used in Siquijor.[/caption] At the junction of Tañon Strait, Cebu Strait and Bohol Sea, in Central Visayas, the island of Siquijor has been inspiring fascination and curiosity mainly because of its reputation of being a home to many practitioners of sorcery, witchcraft and folk medicine, and its often being described as “mystic.” Whenever I was in Dumaguete City, in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental, I could see the island from the coastal boulevard, a fuzzy landscape floating on the sea, shrouded in mystery. My only images about it were culled from television shows featuring sorcery practices, particularly of a man who made paper dolls dance. Last Holy Week, through the very first Panambal Festival, I was able to step foot on the island province, which is about an hour’s ferry ride from Dumaguete City, and know more about the culture, particularly the folk and traditional healing practices, of one of the smallest provinces of the Philippines. [caption id="attachment_123661" align="aligncenter" width="747"] photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the daily tribune | Olang Arts Park in Maria was the venue for the first Panambal Festival.[/caption] We arrived at night in the town of Maria, in the southeast portion of the island, and during late dinner, we heard the story of Maria Nico, the resident engkanto of the town, together with his sisters Maria Nica and Maria Luisa, told by the town’s tourism officer, the loquacious and always flamboyantly dressed Aldrin “Aldrina Braxton” Daguman. Said to be tall, handsome and fair-complexioned, Maria Nico seemed to be a benevolent character, often granting wishes of people. Aldrina said that once millions of pesos worth of furniture was delivered to Maria but the recipient was unknown. People attributed this to Maria Nico. Stories about him bear some similar details to stories of Maria Kakaw of Cebu, Olayra of Antique and other engkanto characters in other parts of the Visayas. Local lore of mystical beings before we got to see the island was a very apt introduction. [caption id="attachment_123664" align="aligncenter" width="742"] The opening of the Panambal Festival led by Maria mayor Roselyn Asok.[/caption] The folk and traditional practices are what many people in Siquijor want to highlight and promote, and a cultural and touristic festival was created for that. Using the Cebuano word for “to heal” or “healing,” “tambal,” the Panambal Festival was held in the town of Maria, spearheaded by the local government, led by its mayor Roselyn Tancio Asok and co-organized with Eufemia “Minnie” Solomon Crouse and Anna Lacpao Tabujara Cornelia of the Olang Arts Park, the main venue of the festival in the barangay of Olang. The festival was conceptualized by veteran events organizer and tourism planner Nilo Agustin, who lives in Metro Manila but considers Siquijor a home, with the crucial help of 43-year-old folk healer and visual artist Junel Tomaroy. [caption id="attachment_123660" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Junel Tomaroy, one Siquijor’s traditional healers.[/caption] The Panambal Festival is not Siquijor’s first festival highlighting local pananambal. The province has been holding the Pahi-uli Festival since 2010 in Mount Bandilaan, a 212-hectare forest reserve in Maria. The mountain is the highest point of the island and is an important source of plants used in folk medicine and concoctions. According to Agustin, the event has become too commercialized, and Panambal Festival aims to present more authentic practices and spotlight the traditional healers. Both festivals are held on Holy Week, particularly from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, which is a very important time for local folk healing. During this time, haplas or healing oil, tambal or remedy and other potions are concocted. According to Tomaroy, considered one of the most reputable mananambal or practitioner of folk and traditional medicine, in Siquijor, they start gathering ingredients on Friday after Ash Wednesday and continue only every Friday, culminating on Good Friday. They can only gather ingredients and make concoctions during this time of the year, the Lenten season, on seven Fridays. [caption id="attachment_123665" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Traditional healer Ricardo Oyog doing the haplas.[/caption] Folk healing in Siquijor is a blend of practices that appear old, animistic and of pre-Christianization and Catholic religiosity, with the use primarily of concoctions, prayers and rituals and faith. The people of Siquijor are predominantly of Cebuano ethnicity as much of Central Visayas which includes Cebu, Negros Oriental and Bohol. Catholicism is a strong presence in the island, which has a number of old churches, as in most parts of the country. The neighboring Cebu is where Christianity first gain foothold. But remnants of native Visayan Cebuano culture survive. The Panambal Festival opened on 7 April with a short program at the three-and-half-hectare Olang Arts Park, which was established in 2005 by Crouse, who hails from Pangasinan. According to organizers, the festival aims to feature the arts as well as traditional healing. A visual arts exhibit was also opened, showcasing works, mostly depicting healing practices, by Siquijodnon artists of the Pahiuli Artists Collective—Tomaroy, Joven Y. Ansing, Vicente C. Looc, Jr., Peter G. Agan, Dubonga Jorom, Louie Gabucan, Malvin E. Lomosad and Dondon dela Victoria. Performances of the young Olang Arts Park Orchestra were also featured. The next day, Good Friday, healers demonstrated steps in making concoctions and oils, and conduction healing sessions in a cluster of huts surrounded by mahogany trees. One common healing practice is the tuob or suob, a kind of body fumigation, for a variety of ailments and to drive away general bad vibes or spirits. The minasa, a black dry concoction, is burned inside a dry coconut husk to create palina or healing smoke and is place under the patient who is wrapped with a blanket or malong. [caption id="attachment_123666" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Tuob using fumigation is a common healing practice.[/caption] In one corner, Ricardo “Ricky” Oyog doing the haplas, application of healing oil on the feet and legs, massaging them with their version of reflexology. The 55-year-old mananambal, a former radio operator from Caitican, Siquijor, Siquijor, also had common oils and remedies for sale. These concoctions include himughat, a dry mixture of wood chips and bark of different plants believed to be medicinal. At P250 per bag, the himughat is mixed into vino or wine or any alcoholic drink, letting it steep. A shot or a tablespoon or two is recommended for fatigue or general tiredness, for headache, dysmenorrhea and kidney ailments. The haplas sa panuhot is an oil concoction for lamig or bodily aches. It is also used for buntis (pregnancy), pamanhod (numbness), pamaol (muscle ache), and arthritis. The tambal sa hilo ug daot is a treatment for as well as panagang or defense against poisoning and paninira (slander, defamation) and jealousy and envy, which is a kind of poisoning. It is also used to treat pangatol or itching. There were also concoctions in small vials, to be placed in the cash box to bring luck in business, and in amulets, a general charm. Other participating healers were Daniela Sartin, Gibrint Edd D. Reyes, Dodong Amboludto, Jomar Enanor, Dean Mark Enanor, Tessie Calimpon and Delia Bajo. On Good Friday, the mananambals performed the adlip on the gathered woods, stems and branches of different plants and trees, which they have gathered during the season. There were several kinds and the healers know by their local names such as tagnipas, duguan, tabun-hangin, etc. There are kinds they call pahiuli or restoration plants. According to Josel B. Mansueto, a professor at the Siquijor State College who have conducted studies on the island’s folk healing practices, mananambals use 377 varieties or kinds of plants. The forests and mountains are sources of these. Other sources of other ingredients are caves (stalactite, earth, etc.), the sea (anything that causes itching or irritation, bearing toxins, etc.), the church (holy water, flowers offered on funerals, candles, etc.). Pag-aadlip involves chopping the woods and stems into smaller pieces. On this day, they also do the pag-uuling, the burning of collected materials to be used as ingredients in the making of minasa. On Black Saturday, Tomaroy led in pagmamasa, the preparation of the minasa. A large kawali was placed over fire and ingredients were put in, which included beeswax, candles, incense, tawas, kamanyang, tuba, honey, soil from the floor of a langub (cave), lana or coconut oil, pahi-uli wood, uling and many others. [caption id="attachment_123662" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Preparing the minasa to used to make palina for the tuob.[/caption] The black mixture was frequently stirred until the healer deemed it ready. Aside from tuob, the minasa is also used in producing anting-anting or amulet or charm. On Easter Sunday, the paglalana was done. It is the process extracting coconut oil. They scraped off the meat out of coconuts using the kudkuran. The most potent coconut comes from the “bugtong na niyog na nakaharap sa silangan,” or a lone coconut facing the east. Every batch must contain at least one. If more, they must be in odd numbers, such three or five. Lana made with coconuts facing the west and used in even numbers (two, four, etc) is for pangkukulam/pambabarang or witchcraft. They squeezed the milk out of the grated coconut meat. Only kakang-gata, the milk of the first squeezing or extraction, is used. The milk was boiled over fire until the oil came out after about two hours and was then separated from other particles. The lana or coconut oil is an attracting agent as well as a vehicle to deliver the efficacy of the herbs and other ingredients. The popular lumay is also concocted during Easter Sunday. It is also known as gayuma or love potion but lumay gererally is meant to attract positive vibes and good fortune not only in love and romance but also in business, career and even marital and family life. [caption id="attachment_123657" align="aligncenter" width="752"] Flowers, seeds, twigs and other ingredients for making lumay, popularly known as gayuma.[/caption] Lumay is concocted during Easter Sunday because many ingredients are gathered from materials used in salubong and other Easter events and practices of the church such as leaves and flower decors. It can be concocted by anyone if one knows the ingredients. Some of the ingredients in making lumay include tawa-tawa, amorseko, buhok sa hangin, lagay-lagay, makahiya or mimosa, rosary pea seeds, sampinit, kadena de amor, and likup-likup. These are gathered and put in a bottle together with perfume or honey. Dab some perfume on the skin or smear a little honey on the lips, the healer advised. Tawa-tawa is used maybe because the fruits are phallic, and the likup-likup, maybe because they cling to the trees. The plants’ perceived characteristics as well as their names indicate what powers they can add to the potion. One ingredient is the curious, bag-shaped plant called lagay-lagay sa amo, the Hydnophytum plant that grows on tree branches and trunks, and is structured like an ant colony, thus it is called the ant plant. The mananambal includes it their healing oil concoctions to treat bukol or swellings or tumor-like symptoms as well as goiter, and certain types of cancer. The name means testicles and it is also included in the concoction of lumay because of its sexual connotation. While the lumay making was going on, an Easter egg hunt was organized for the children, a seemingly incongruent inclusion in the festival. But the hunt is also a practice with old, paganistic roots, with eggs and bunnies as symbols of fertility, like the healing practices, an amalgam of native and Catholic beliefs. Agustin has been planning for the next holding of the Panambal Festival. He has invited the Aralan ng Gamutang Pilipino, led by Dr. Isidro C. Sia, convenor and executive director of Integrative Medicine for Alternative Healthcare Systems Philippines, to hold its national convention during the festival. Organizers also envisioned having traditional healers from different parts of the country, such as mumbaki of the Ifugao and healers of the Ati of Negros Island, as guest participants. An herbarium has been started, with an ambition of growing all the plant ingredients used in pananambal. All these are for the vision of making Siquijor the healing center of the country. The post First Panambal Festival promotes Siquijor’s folk healing practices appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Risky exposure (1)
In a review of banks’ exposure in energy projects, undertaken by the environmental think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, conglomerate San Miguel Corporation’s energy arm SMC Global Power Corp., which maintains a host of power plants, including those using coal as fuel, received prominent space. In the discussion, the dilemma that banks face was brought to light amid their financial exposure to SMCGP that may be affected by the maneuvers of SMC and its subsidiaries to, ironically, turn around the unfavorable state of the group. It said that apart from issues of supply, local fossil fuel companies are also feeling the impact of volatile fuel prices. SMCGP, the report said, suffered P15 billion in losses in 2022 due to the rising prices of fossil fuel. In May 2022, two of SMCGP’s subsidiaries filed motions for price adjustment before the Energy Regulatory Commission due to the rising fuel costs that they claimed they could no longer bear and wanted to pass on to consumers. The motions, according to the report, have since been denied, and SMC has brought the matter up to the Court of Appeals. Following the ERC denial of the price adjustment petitions, a Bloomberg intelligence report was released finding that SMCGP risks a funding shortfall as high as $1 billion by next June. The same intelligence report also projected that SMCGP’s current coal exposure might make refinancing more difficult and more costly, as investors increasingly shun coal-fired power plants as a result of the international effort to remove polluting fossil fuel as an energy source. Last year also saw SMC withdrawing the ECC applications for the three proposed fossil gas projects in the Visayas, including a liquefied natural gas project in Negros Occidental that had originally targeted a 2022 commissioning date. Despite its already large fossil fuel portfolio, the report said SMCGP issued Series K Bonds due in 2025, Series L. Bonds due in 2028, and Series M. Bonds due in 2032 with a principal amount of P30 billion and an oversubscription option of up to P10 billion in July 2022. Part of the proceeds of these bonds are allocated for SMCGP subsidiary-owned fossil fuel projects, including the Mariveles Power Generation Corporation’s four 150 megawatt or MW circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in Mariveles, Bataan and Excellent Energy Resources Inc.’s 1.3 gigawatt or GW combined-cycle LNG power plant in Barangays Ilijan and Dela Paz Proper, Batangas. Recently, however, Manila Electric Co. or Meralco announced the termination of its power supply agreements with two subsidiaries of SMCGP, Excellent Energy Resources Inc. and Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. The same power supply agreements would have secured revenue for the two SMCGP power plants to be financed by these bonds. Since the contracts were terminated, these subsidiaries would have to go through the competitive selection process again, where it will be up against fossil fuel and renewable energy or RE generation projects. According to the CEED report, the banks that purchased bonds had essentially exposed themselves and their shareholders, to whom they have a fiduciary responsibility, to fossil fuel projects “at risk of stranding.” “Changing policy, economic, geopolitical, and energy landscapes in the country and around the world demand that banks and financial institutions pay closer attention to and take the necessary action to mitigate these risks and protect their shareholders.” The report indicated that important developments show the tide turning in renewable energy’s or RE’s favor locally. According to the DoE, the Green Energy auction program will hold its second round of bids in June this year. The country will auction off rights to build 3,600 megawatts or MW of new capacity to be installed in 2024, 3,600 MW in 2025, and 4,400 MW in 2026. In all, this will result in an additional 11,600 megawatts of RE on top of the 2,000 MW auctioned off last year, an unprecedented scale of development for renewables in the country. (To be continued) The post Risky exposure (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Spend the holiday season at SM Southmall’s Happiness Factory
Celebrate the busiest time of the year here! Step into the futuristic workshop where Santa and his robo-squad “gifts” love to the world through instagrammable displays, a selfie room, and a gifting area care of SM Cares Bears of Joy. Each bear bought will benefit the SOS Children’s Village. At the heart of the production is a 32-feet towering Christmas tree decorated with gears and hundreds of sparkling lights. The Happiness Factory is located at the mall’s Food Street Concourse. SM Southmall has more happiness in store for shoppers, so make sure to mark your calendars with these activities/events. South Yuletide Markets The Christmas bazaar will have a display of different knickknacks and gifts you can take home to the family. The South Yuletide Markets are there for the holidays so check them out at the Event Center and South Yard (near Door 4). Santa’s Here Santa and the squad are visiting SM Southmall. Catch Santa by the Christmas centerpiece and the Outdoor Holidrive on Dec. 24 to 25 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. Snap a photo and get a special treat! Take a trip at SM Southmall’s Outdoor HolidriveBack by popular demand, SM Southmall is bringing back Outdoor Holidrive: an immersive drive-thru Christmas experience! It will run from Nov. 4 until Jan. 8 at the mall’s West Parking Area. The drive-thru has four main attractions. Glee Town with large Christmas displays, welcoming toy soldiers and snowmen will surely put a smile on your face. The Sweet Forest will satisfy any Southies’ sweet tooth with its giant dessert displays and festive elves. Find toys, gifts, and smiles at the Happiness Overload Station, and The Light Tunnels will surely a bright spectacle you wouldn’t want to miss. Wave at the Christmas characters from the comfort of your car or come hang out with the crew, and try out other activities such as the Philippines’ first Donut Slide, Nitrodrift car racing, and more. Walk-in entrance to the Outdoor Holidrive is free. However, each ride and activity has its own fees; the Drive-thru Outdoor Holidrive has a purchase requirement of Php 2,500.00 worth of single or accumulated receipts dated from November 4, 2022 to January 8, 2023. Rides such as the Donut Slide, Nitrodrift cost about Php 100 – 150 per turn. Happiness SquadSanta’s squad will be at the Outdoor Holidrive on all Sundays starting Nov. 20 until Dec. 24 to 25, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Come and watch their special performances and be entertained. They will definitely put you in a merry mood! Outdoor Holidrive, in partnership with VIYLine Group of Companies and URC is open at the mall’s West Parking from Nov. 4 to Jan. 8, 2023, from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.. Visit @smsouthmall on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more information......»»
PLDT, Smart named among world’s leading employers
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Jollibee invests $28 million in beverage tech firm
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Unlock business success at Franchise Asia Philippines Expo
The Franchise Asia Philippines Expo 2024 is set to hold a series of dynamic seminars designed to empower entrepreneurs, investors and business enthusiasts with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the ever-evolving world of franchising. Slated from April 12 to 14 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, these seminars offer invaluable insights into key aspects of franchising and business growth......»»
Infrastructure projects get better loan terms from Japan
The Philippines has secured better financing terms for two big-ticket infrastructure projects funded by the Japanese government aimed at improving public transport and road connectivity......»»
Killua
News on the brutal killing of Killua, the Golden Retriever from Bato, Camarines Sur, has ignited a wave of public outcry, particularly among animal-loving Filipinos......»»
Unilab launches hub for health policy issues
Unilab Foundation recently launched the Unilab Center for Health Policy to serve as a venue for stakeholders to examine health policy issues.....»»