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BSP: Home prices up in second quarter
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Thursday reported prices of new housing units nationwide increased in the second quarter by 5.3 percent from 1.4 percent in the previous quarter, while availability of home loans improved to -4.3 percent from -9.1 percent during this period. Compared to the second quarter last year, overall housing prices grew by 14.1 percent as more consumers recovered from the pandemic. Residential prices in the National Capital Region or NCR were up to 15.4 percent, while those outside this region grew to 13.8 percent year-on-year. Quarter-on-quarter, residential prices rose to 7.7 percent in the NCR from -4.3 percent and steadied at 4.4 percent in the provinces. The highest growth in prices was seen in single-detached/attached houses with 6.7 percent, followed by duplex units with 4.8 percent, condominiums with 3.8 percent, and townhouses with 3.7 percent. The average appraised value of housing units in the NCR stood at P127,884 per square meter between the first quarter of 2016 and the second quarter this year. The BSP said this is higher than both the national average and the average appraised value in the provinces at P54,496. Home loans nationwide Meanwhile, home loans granted nationwide improved to -4.3 percent from -9.1 percent on a quarterly basis. Home loans approved in Metro Manila increased to 0.6 percent from -13.2 percent, while those in the provinces also grew to -6.3 percent from -7.1 percent. Majority of these loans were used to purchase single-detached/attached houses with 49.1 percent share, followed by condominiums with 33.6 percent, and townhouses with 16.8 percent. Majority of home loans came from the CALABARZON Region with 34.1 percent share, followed by the NCR with 29 percent. The rest of the loans came from Central Luzon (13.4 percent), Central Visayas (7.1 percent), Western Visayas (5.7 percent), Davao Region (3.4 percent) and Northern Mindanao (1.8 percent). The post BSP: Home prices up in second quarter appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘13 Going on 30’: From classic rom-com to 2024 London musical
A new generation of viewers will experience the 2004 classic chick flick 13 Going on 30 in a different light — as a musical adaptation. According to Variety, Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, the film’s original writers, will be in charge of the musical adaptation, while Andy Fickman will direct the show. “When we poured our middle school pain into the movie 13 Going on 30, we never quite imagined it would stick around to this day as a rom-com parents show their kids, a Halloween costume, a scene in an Ariana Grande music video and a teen sleepover staple. Now we’re thrilled to be bringing our pain across the pond with 13 Going on 30 The Musical,” said Goldsmith and Yuspa, who are thrilled to reinvent the story for the London stage. First announced in 2016, the show will premiere in the summer of 2024. The coming-of-age film revolves around the story of a 13-year-old girl named Jenna Rink, an average teenager who wishes to fit in with the popular crowd. After her 13th birthday party ends in a disaster, a disappointed Jenna prays to be a confident 30 years old, and her wish comes true. She wakes up 17 years into the future and discovers she is now a 30-year-old successful magazine editor with an expensive apartment and a fabulous life she didn’t see coming her way. Jennifer Garner played the iconic role of Jenna Rink. The 2004 romantic comedy film also starred Christa B. Allen, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson, Judy Green and more. The cast and details of the musical are yet to be announced, but with the source film’s cult classic status, it’s sure to generate major buzz among London theatergoers. The post ‘13 Going on 30’: From classic rom-com to 2024 London musical appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sara Duterte’s P2.7B confidential expenses as Davao mayor should be probed—Castro
Davao City’s confidential expenses that ballooned to P2.697 billion during Vice President Sara Duterte’s stint as mayor should be probed by the Commission on Audit, a lawmaker said Monday. The call for investigation was prompted by the 2022 report of the CoA, which found that Davao City spent P2.697 billion on confidential expenses between 2016 to 2022, or an average of PP385.3 million per year over the preceding six years. Duterte served as the Davao City mayor from 2016 to 2022 before she assumed the VP post in July of last year. Based on CoA findings, Davao City incurred P144 million of confidential expenses in 2016, which was more than doubled to P293 million in 2017 and further climbed to P420 million in 2018. The city’s confidential fund expenses further grew to P460 million in 2019 and were maintained consistently for the subsequent years of 2020, 2021, and 2022. In an interview on Monday, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, who sought the CoA probe, stressed that the P2.697 billion totality of confidential expenses of Davao City in the previous six years “could have been utilized more effectively to benefit the education sector, specifically by providing much-needed support to teachers.” “We were shocked also [by] the report of the CoA. With this controversy of confidential funds, we are thinking of asking the CoA to investigate,” she said. “The CoA should file an audit observation memo and then ask them to explain maybe the misuse of funds and then file necessary legal action.” She added, “Imagine more than a million a day spent for the confidential funds in a city. I just wonder how it was spent and where it was spent. So, we want the CoA to review if the city government of Davao City led by Vice President Sara Duterte by then really followed the guidelines or the joint circular 2015-01.” The said joint circular outlined by CoA with the Departments of Budget and Management, National Defense, and of the Interior and Local Government, and Governance Commission for GOCCs, contains guidelines on the entitlement, release, use, reporting, and audit of confidential and intelligence funds that are in the General Appropriations Act. Daily Tribune has been asking for Duterte’s comment, but she remained mum on the issue. While Castro admitted that the local government units are entitled to confidential funds for peace and order maintenance, it was “ironic” that Duterte sought allocation of such funds given that she claimed Davao City was “very peaceful, disciplined, and well” during her tenure. "So why is it necessary to have an increasingly confidential fund?" the lawmaker stressed, noting such a fund should be used for other fruitful endeavors. "I remember the time the teachers of Davao City were asking for city allowance, but she did not grant it. Instead, she refused and even got mad with ACT (Alliance of Concerned Teachers) during that time," Castro pointed out. While none in the law limits the amount of confidential funds, the militant lawmaker pointed out that it should be rationalized. A proposed law aimed at imposing a cap and limit on confidential funds, streamlining the allocation of such that would promote transparency and accountability, is currently being crafted, according to Castro. It will be filed in Congress when the session resumes in November. The post Sara Duterte’s P2.7B confidential expenses as Davao mayor should be probed—Castro appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
World’s oceans set new surface temperature record: EU monitor
The world's oceans set a temperature record in the past week, with their surface hitting 20.96 degrees Celsius (69.7 Fahrenheit), European Union climate observatory data showed on Friday. Ocean surface temperature reached 20.96C on July 30, according to the ERA5 database, while the previous record was 20.95C in March 2016, a spokeswoman told AFP. The samples tested excluded polar regions. Oceans have absorbed 90 percent of the excess heat produced by human activity since the dawn of the industrial age, according to scientists. Globally, the average ocean temperature has been besting seasonal heat records on a regular basis since April. "The ocean heatwave is an immediate threat to some marine life. We are already seeing coral bleaching in Florida as a direct result and I expect more impacts will surface," said Piers Forster of the International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds. The post World’s oceans set new surface temperature record: EU monitor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
RREPI increases by 10.2% in first quarter of 2023
The house prices in the country increased year-on-year during the first quarter of the year on strong demand for duplex housing units and condominium units. Data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday showed that the Residential Real Estate Price Index increased by 10.2 percent in the first quarter of 2023 from a year ago. On a year-on-year basis, growth in residential property prices in the National Capital Region slowed to 7.3 percent as the price decline in condominium units dampened the price increases in duplexes, single-detached/attached houses, and townhouses. Meanwhile, residential property prices in the Areas Outside the NCR rose by 11.4 percent, with prices of all housing units rising, except those of townhouses. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, residential property prices expanded by 4.4 percent in the AONCR but contracted by 4.3 percent in the NCR. By housing type, prices of duplex housing units, single-detached/attached houses, townhouses, and condominium units contributed positively to the year-on-year growth in the nationwide RREPI as the indices increased by 22.1 percent, 17.0 percent, 1.8 percent, and 1.2 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, BSP attributed the 1.4 percent quarter-on-quarter growth in the RREPI to the higher prices of single-detached/attached houses (by 4.7 percent) and townhouses (by 3.8 percent). However, prices of duplex housing units and condominium units declined by 16.4 percent and 5.1 percent QoQ, respectively. The RREPI is a measure of the average change in the prices of various types of housing units, such as single-detached/attached houses, duplex housing units, townhouses, and condominium units, based on banks’ data on actual mortgage loans granted to acquire new housing units only. It is a chain-linked index, which is computed using the average appraised value per square meter, weighted by the share of the floor area of each type of housing unit to the total floor area of all housing units. The RREPI is used as an indicator for assessing the real estate and credit market conditions in the country. The BSP has been releasing the report since June 2016. The post RREPI increases by 10.2% in first quarter of 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl cinema in the first year of BBM
Here, we look back at the state of the Philippine film industry since he took the seat of power 13 months ago. When President Marcos Jr. became the 17th leader of the nation, the country was on the brink of the “new normal.” The campaign elections even saw multitudes of crowds in the streets, the Filipinos’ political passion overpowering the fear of a Covid-19 infection. Covid-pandemic viewing By May 2022, the month of the presidential campaigns, the Department of Health said the country was at “minimal-risk case classification” with an average of only 159 cases per day. By June 2022, when the President took his oath, 69.4 million Filipinos had been fully vaccinated. Along with the country, the Philippine film industry started healing. On the same month, the country went under Covid-19 Alert Level 2, with 50-percent allowed capacity in indoor cinemas. Live film festivals The Marcos administration saw the return of Filipino film festivals in theaters. On Marcos’ fifth month as president, the QCinema International Film Festival, with the theme “in10City,” held hybdrid screenings — in-person and online. The Metro Manila Film Festival in December 2022, six months into the new presidency, went full force in cinemas for the second time during the pandemic. Earlier, in 2020, during the Duterte administration, the festival was held online for the first time, and the following year, in December 2021, after level alert measures in the Philippines were relaxed, the MMFF finally went back to the cinemas. However, only around 300 cinemas (down from the usual 900) were allowed to screen the MMFF entries. Meanwhile, the 18th edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival was held from 5 August to 31 October 2022 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in select mall cinemas and online. But what made a mark during the Marcos administration’s first year was the inaugural edition of the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. The SMMFF was held in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines. Organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines, the first MMFF was supposed to be held in 2020, but was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2023, held from 8 to 18 April 2023 with the theme “Tuloy-tuloy ang Saya,” the summer festival featured eight entries and, like its December counterpart, even held a Parade of Stars. About Us But Not About Us by Jun Lana, produced by The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films and Quantum Films, emerged as the first Best Picture of the summer festival. [caption id="attachment_161372" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] About Us But Not About Us by Jun Lana[/caption] The Film Development Council of the Philippines’ sixth edition of its own mini-film festival, held during the Marcos administration’s third month, headed back to cinemas, offering free access to award-winning classic films of the new National Artists for Film and Broadcast Arts at TriNoma Cinema in Quezon City and in all Cinematheque centers nationwide (Manila, Iloilo, Negros, Davao and Nabunturan). CCP closes for renovations On 1 September 2022, CCP president Margarita Moran-Floirendo announced during a hearing of the Senate committee on cultural communities, that The Cultural Center of the Philippines — home to the Cinemalaya festival — will close its doors starting January 2023 for renovation and structural retrofitting works, and will reopen in March 2025. This marks the first time that Cinemalaya, on its 19th year, which has the theme “ilumiNasyon,” will be held at various venues inside the adjacent Philippine International Convention Center, from 4 to 13 August 2023. The rise of political films With the country deeply driven by polarized political views, the Marcos administration saw a war between political commercial films. [caption id="attachment_161370" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] ‘MAID in Malacanang’ stars Cristine Reyes, Diego Loyzaga and Ella Cruz. | Photograph courtesy of viva[/caption] On 29 July 2022, Darryl Yap’s period drama Maid in Malacañang, touted as “the most controversial film of the year,” was released to packed cinemas. The movie, about the Marcos family’s last three days in Malacañang Palace before they were forced into exile, premiered at SM North EDSA and was released nationwide on 3 August 2022. Yap, who passionately campaigned for Marcos, became a controversial filmmaker with the release of his Marcos film. Leni Robredo supporters tried to boycott the film, with some Filipino movie critics exposing themselves as heavily political and non-neutral with their reviews, accusing the film of propaganda and historical revisionism. The attempt to quash the movie’s release failed and it became a box-office hit, with producer Viva Films releasing a statement that it earned a whopping P21 million on its opening day and P63 million three days after its release. It was the first time in Philippine cinema history that local theaters nationwide saw a deluge of moviegoers lining up to watch a movie on the big screen, mostly driven by political affiliation. Another unsuccessful political attempt to diminish the film’s release was Vince Tañada’s re-release of his Martial Law film Katips to counter Maid in Malacañang. Tañada’s film eventually won Best Picture at the Famas Awards. MIM actress Ella Cruz’s remark during a press conference, that “history is like tsismis,” further fanned the flames of political debate online. Eight months later, in March 2022, Viva released Yap’s second installment in his Marcos trilogy, Martyr or Murderer, which now focused on Ferdinand Marcos and the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. Two anti-Marcos movies rose to combat the film — Joel Lamangan’s Oras de Peligro, released on the same day, and Tañada’s movie adaptation of his musical play Ako Si Ninoy, released one week earlier. Movie buffs, political analysts, film critics, the press and social media influencers dove into feverish commentaries on the three films, and Philippine cinemas were ignited and, for a while, became alive with social discourse. New FDCP head On 21 July 2022, Tirso S. Cruz III officially assumed his position as the head of the country’s national film agency, the Film Development Council of the Philippines. He replaced Liza Diño, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as FDCP chairperson on 12 August 2016. [caption id="attachment_161368" align="aligncenter" width="736"] FDCP chair Tirso Cruz III. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FDCP[/caption] Cruz, a veteran actor, said that the target of the FDCP under the Marcos administration was to support local films, not just in Metro Manila, but also from regional filmmakers. He also professed support for film students and highlighted archiving as part of the FDCP’s agenda, with 42,000 materials in its archives to be salvaged. MTRCB In September 2022, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board released a statement addressing the controversy about its proposal to expand its jurisdiction to online streaming services like Netflix, Vivamax, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms. The MTRCB said it was responding to multitudes of complaints from parents and other concerned groups demanding that the agency regulate movie and TV online platforms to protect children from harmful viewing. The Marcos administration has seen a continuous boom in streamers, which began during the pandemic, with Vivamax becoming one of the leading local streamers due to the popularity of Filipino sexploitation films. On 23 February 2023, MTRCB chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio expressed her gratitude to Senators Francis “Tol” Tolentino, Grace Poe and Sherwin Gatchalian for the separate bills they filed that would amend and expand the board’s mandate. “We welcome the move to amend the charter of the MTRCB as it will allow the agency to adequately adapt to changes in technology and the ever-evolving needs of the viewing public and our other stakeholders,” Sotto-Antonio said before the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media chaired by Senator Robinhood C. Padilla. Eddie Garcia Act In January 2023, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 1270, or the proposed Eddie Garcia Act, at the House plenary session. [caption id="attachment_161367" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] HOUSE Bill 1270 has been proposed in honor of the late actor Eddie Garcia. | Photograph courtesy of gma-7[/caption] Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte authored the bill, which aims to provide workers in the movie, television and radio entertainment industry opportunities for well-paid employment and protect them from economic exploitation, abuse and harassment, as well as hazardous working conditions. The bill was named after the late veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 after suffering a neck injury while shooting the television series Rosang Agimat, produced by GMA Network. According to Villafuerte, productions would go from 16 to 24 continuous work hours per set and would rush productions to save costs. The proposed law mandates that normal work hours of the worker or talent shall be eight hours a day; overtime work should not exceed more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period; and the total number of work hours shall not exceed 60 hours in a week. Paul Soriano Relatively unknown to most Pinoy moviegoers, filmmaker Paul Soriano was put on the limelight as the man behind the President’s advertisements — way back from campaigns since Marcos started out as vice governor, and then, governor of Ilocos Norte, up until his senatorial campaign, and eventually his campaign for the vice presidency and presidency. [caption id="attachment_161371" align="aligncenter" width="781"] PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ig/PAUL SORIANO[/caption] Of course, the opposition in the film industry predictably canceled Soriano, the blood nephew of First Lady Liza Cacho Araneta-Marcos. Dolly de Leon It was also during the BBM era that Filipina actress Dolly de Leon gained international fame for her performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness. [caption id="attachment_161366" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Dolly de Leon gained international fame for her performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner ‘Triangle of Sadness.’ | Photograph courtesy ofig/dolly de leon[/caption] The 54-year old film, television and theater actress made history by becoming the first Filipino actor to be nominated at the British Academy Film Awards and Golden Globe Awards. Filipino movie fans and critics, having been exposed to global content since the rise of the streamers, plus the proliferation of self-published movie reviews, are generally still disappointed with the output and system of the Philippine film industry, but filled with hope that, with full support from the government, Philippine cinema will finally become truly internationally competitive, sustainable and recognized. The post Phl cinema in the first year of BBM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Preps advised vs. possible mudflow near erupting Mayon amid rains
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has advised Albay residents to take precautionary measures as there’s a threat of mudflow or lahar amid the continuous monsoon rains enhanced by tropical storm Dodong. In a radio interview, Phivolcs chief, Teresito Bacolcol, warned residents nearby the quietly erupting Mayon Volcano to prepare against the hazards brought by possible deadly mudflows. Bacolcol recalled Mayon mudflows killed around 1,300 people during the onslaught of Typhoon Reming in 2016. According to Phivolcs, the lahar, an Indonesian term, is a mixture of volcanic sediment, debris, and water that flow down a volcano's slopes through rivers and channels and are sometimes called volcanic mudflows or debris flows. Bacolcol said evacuation plans for residents living near rivers must be readied should a mudflow event happens. He explained that lahar contains hardened volcanic materials such as superhot lava and ash which could reach waterways and river channels near the volcano when heavy rains continue to pour. "Kung nasa dalisdis lamang po sila ng bulkan na nasa taas, hindi po ito makaka-damage. Pero kung tuloy-tuloy ang pag-ulan puwede silang bumagsak katulad nung nangyari noong 2006 (If lahars are only on the slope of the volcano that is high up, it won't cause any damage. But if it rains pour continuously, these can fall like what happened in 2006),” Bacolcol warned. But, he added, the mudflow is already a “recurring” event “so more or less people are quite aware of the situation.” In a separate public briefing, Phivolcs resident volcanologist Dr. Paul Alanis also warned the Albay residents against the possible scenario as inclement weather continues. This as lahars is mainly generated by torrential rainfall on unconsolidated deposits from a past eruption. "Since we are experiencing a low-pressure area affecting the province of Albay, we are reminding the public who are residing in the rivers nearby the Mayon Volcano to prepare and be alert because we may experience lahars,” Alanis said. As of Saturday, the Mayon Volcano continues a very slow lava effusion with the lava flows running from the summit crater to 2,800 meters along the Mi-isi gully, and 1,400 meters along the Bonga gully. Restive Mayon also exhibited 362 rockfall events and 39 volcanic earthquakes and dome-collapsed generated 5 pyroclastic density currents while the steam-laden plumes became obscured. The volcano emitted sulfur dioxide at an average of 2,132 tons daily since 02 July. Phivolcs said Mayon Volcano is maintained at Alert Level 3 due to the presence of magma at the crater, with the possibility of a “hazardous eruption within weeks or even days.” The six-kilometer permanent danger zone remained off-limits for the public due to the risk of PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards. The post Preps advised vs. possible mudflow near erupting Mayon amid rains appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dengue health reminders
The dengue virus, also known as DENV, is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Due to the frequent rainy seasons, the virus is commonly present in tropical and subtropical countries like ours. To protect our communities from dengue, Watsons wants to raise the alarm on the severity of this infection and educate the public on the preventive measures against it. The Philippines has an average of 185,008 cases of dengue over a five-year period of 2012 to 2016, and an average death count of 732. As of 25 April, a total of 39,947 dengue cases were recorded in 2023. Compared to the same period in 2022, this number is 43-percent higher. Children between ages five and nine years old made up almost half of the fatalities in the 2019 Philippine dengue virus outbreak. Although there is no cure for dengue, the disease can be managed early and there are many ways to prevent getting infected by it. Watsons recommends using products that will keep you and your family safe from mosquito bites. Since the virus originates from the bite of a dengue-carrying mosquito, it is also advisable to take preventive measures to keep mosquitoes away from your home. To keep you protected against dengue, here are some easy tips from Watsons that you can follow: Remove standing water around your house where mosquitoes could lay eggs. Cover and change the water in any storage containers. Make sure to repair any cracks or gaps in pipes or septic tanks. Use an insect spray made to kill mosquitoes in areas where they rest. Mosquitoes rest in dark, humid areas like under patio furniture, carports or garages. Prevent mosquitoes from entering your home by installing or repairing window and door screens. Do not leave doors propped open. The first line of defense against the dengue virus is boosting our immune system. Multivitamins such as Watsons Vitamin C + Zinc can help strengthen body’s defense and heal wounds faster by protecting and keeping cells healthy, and also maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels and bones and cartilage. Zinc also helps grow cells, build proteins and heal damaged tissues. To also protect yourself from other potential disease-carrying insects, insect repellent lotions and patches provide a safe and skin-friendly repellant that you can have on your person. These work great for traveling or when you’re outside frequently. Putting small drops of citronella essential oil around your home is a stylish and a more organic way to keep your home safe from disease-carrying insects. It’s also safe to apply on your skin. After being exposed to harsh weather changes or when we work ourselves beyond what our body can handle, getting sick can’t be avoided. If you start getting headaches or body pains, or you’re starting to feel a fever setting in, Watsons Paracetamol is always available. The rainy season brings various illnesses so make sure you stock up on Watsons Ambroxol and some lozenges as well to combat colds and coughs. Ambroxol clears congestion in respiratory diseases because it thins down and breaks up phlegm. Meanwhile, lozenges relieve sore throat, throat irritation and also help with cough relief. The post Dengue health reminders appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Optimism anchored on accomplishments! (1)
The accomplishments of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and those of President Rodrigo Duterte are the reasons for the optimism of the Filipino people that Bongbong Marcos as president and Sara “Inday” Duterte as vice president, will perform just as well. Like their great parents, who fulfilled their promises, they, too, will do the same. They will reciprocate, with solid performance, the support of the 30 million youth who toiled with them in their campaign and together with the masses, gave them the whopping 32 million votes and the paralyzing margin of over 16 million over their rivals, a “loving mandate” that catapulted “Bongbong” and “Inday” to their exalted posts. President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. brought happiness to the people of Leyte and Samar, by building the San Juanico Bridge, the longest in the country in 1972, spanning 2.16 kilometers from Barangay Cabalawan, Tacloban City to the Municipality of Sta. Rita, Western Samar. Like the Taj Mahal of India, which was built as a “Monument of Love,” the San Juanico Bridge was built as “the birthday gift of Ferdie to Imelda” — his expression of love for her, who was known as the “Rose of Tacloban”. In midyear 1960, President Marcos Sr., out of his love for the people traveling to and from the North, built the Candaba viaduct, six-kilometer-long and 15-meter-high bridge, carrying North Luzon Expressway across the Candaba swamp in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, which was extremely difficult for land transports to traverse, without the bridge, passing Central Luzon. President Marcos Sr. was widely known for having built not only bridges but also highways in Northern and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The following government buildings, among many others, were constructed: The Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in 1966; the Philippine International Convention Center in 1974; the Philippine Heart Center in 1975; the Lung Center of the Philippines; and the National Kidney and Transplant Center. President Rodrigo R. Duterte has also “his monuments of love for the Filipino people” who gave him an overwhelming mandate in the 2016 presidential elections with an unprecedented victory, the first time in the history of Philippine politics, for a mayor in the local government unit in Mindanao, to win the presidency of the Republic of the Philippines without the support of even a single oligarch. He managed himself perfectly. He had “no big man to behold and to obey.” He gave it all to the Filipino people, who loved him even more in return. The Filipinos accorded Mayor Digong the unprecedented acceptability rating of 87 percent at the end of his term, an amazing feat for a leader in this part of the world, easily the envy of the heads of state in the Western World. What are the monuments of love of Mayor Digong to the Filipino people? First, Digong fulfilled his promise to decongest EDSA’s traffic. Through his massive “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, he eased the heavy traffic in Metro Manila. Passing through the work of art skyways, travel time from Parañaque City to Quezon City was cut from four hours to only an hour and a few minutes. How swift, comfortable, and amazing! Under the Duterte administration, 40,080 kilometers of roads were constructed, maintained, widened, upgraded, and rehabilitated. Among them 3,101 km of tourism roads, 999 km of completed roads leading to industries and trade corridors; 573 kms. of access roads that enhanced linkages toward seaports, airports, and railways. The BBB program was the centerpiece of the Duterte administration intended to usher in the Golden Age of Infrastructure” in the Philippines. The lack of infrastructure was long cited as the weakness of the Philippine economic development. The BBB program accelerated public infrastructure expenditure from an average of 2.9 percent of the gross domestic product during the Aquino regime to about 7.3 percent at the end of the Duterte administration. This costs around P8 trillion to P9 trillion from 2016 to 2022, to address the huge infrastructure backlog in the country. (To be continued) The post Optimism anchored on accomplishments! (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gov’t reviews business perks
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is studying fiscal incentives reforms with the Department of Finance as part of his administration’s efforts to boost economic growth, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said during a Malacañang press briefing on Tuesday. This, after data from the International Monetary Fund Tax Reform Database showed that the Philippines posted the lowest VAT efficiency ratio in the Southeast Asian region from 2016 to 2020, or 0.40 efficiency level despite having the highest VAT rate in the region at 12 percent. Comparatively, Indonesia has a VAT efficiency level of 0.50 with an 11 percent VAT rate, Singapore achieves a level of 0.71 with an 8 percent VAT rate, Vietnam maintains a level of 0.70 with an 8 percent VAT rate, and Thailand has a level of 0.79 with a 7 percent VAT rate. Highest rate vs other countries “The Philippines (has) the highest VAT rate compared to other countries in this part of the world but our VAT collection is the most inefficient,” Diokno said. “We only collect 40 percent (of all expected VAT collection), and that’s because of a lot of exemptions,” Diokno pointed out. The DoF also cited a 2018 World Bank study which said that the Philippines’ tax system faces challenges due to exemptions granted outside the tax code. According to the Finance chief, the government collected P723 billion from VAT annually from 2016 to 2020 on average. BBM issues order Diokno said the President has instructed the DoF to review the country’s fiscal incentives system to ensure that it is effective and efficient. He added that the government will lose collection revenues when it gives more tax incentives and exemptions. Prior to tax reforms, the Philippines have 56 lines of exemptions and an additional 84 exemptions under special laws, he added. “We actually talked with the International Monetary Fund and we asked them to conduct a study on where we can improve on broadening the tax base meaning maybe find areas where we can recover from too much exemptions,” Diokno said. “I say at 0.40, that’s really poor performance, but you know the value-added tax is the best tax in the world. It’s I think being imposed in 90 percent of the countries in the world, so it is in our best interests to improve on the efficiency of the VAT,” he added. Potential improvements Diokno pointed out that the government is currently looking into potential improvements in its medium-term fiscal framework but he insisted that the country’s revenue system is doing well. We actually talked with the International Monetary Fund and we asked them to conduct a study on where we can improve on broadening the tax base meaning maybe find areas where we can recover from too much exemptions. He added that the government is also pushing collection agencies to improve in order to create “better” revenues. “So we are studying it, it’s not a perfect system so we’ll look for improvements but right now our revenue system is doing well,” Diokno said. The post Gov’t reviews business perks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Next five years set to be hottest period ever: UN
It is near-certain that 2023-2027 will be the warmest five-year period ever recorded, the United Nations warned Wednesday as greenhouse gases and El Nino combine to send temperatures soaring. Global temperatures are soon set to exceed the more ambitious target set out in the Paris climate accords, with a two-thirds chance that one of the next five years will do so, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said. The hottest eight years ever recorded were all between 2015 and 2022 -- but temperatures are forecast to increase further as climate change accelerates. "There is a 98-percent likelihood that at least one of the next five years, and the five-year period as a whole, will be the warmest on record," the WMO said. The 2015 Paris Agreement saw countries agree to cap global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius above average levels measured between 1850 and 1900 -- and 1.5C if possible. The global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15C above the 1850-1900 average. The WMO said there was a 66 percent chance that annual global surface temperatures will exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels for at least one of the years 2023-2027, with a range of 1.1C to 1.8C forecasted for each of those five years. ' Uncharted territory' While this does not mean that the world will permanently exceed the Paris benchmark, "WMO is sounding the alarm that we will breach the 1.5C level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency", said the agency's chief Petteri Taalas. "A warming El Nino is expected to develop in the coming months and this will combine with human-induced climate change to push global temperatures into uncharted territory. "This will have far-reaching repercussions for health, food security, water management and the environment. We need to be prepared." El Nino is the large-scale warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. The weather phenomenon normally occurs every two to seven years. Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina, with neutral conditions in between. The WMO said earlier this month that the chances of El Nino developing were 60 percent by the end of July and 80 percent by the end of September. Typically, El Nino increases global temperatures in the year after it develops -- which in this cycle would be 2024. Despite the cooling influence of La Nina conditions over much of the past three years, the warmest eight years on record have all been from 2015 onwards, with 2016 the hottest. Heat gets trapped in the atmosphere by so-called greenhouse gases, which are at a record high. The three major greenhouses gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Temperatures rising since 1960s Global land and sea mean near-surface temperatures have increased since the 1960s. The chances of temperatures temporarily exceeding 1.5C above the 1850-1990 average have risen steadily since 2015, a year when they were considered close to zero. Britain's Met Office national weather service is the WMO's lead center on yearly to 10-yearly climate predictions. While there is a 66-percent chance that one year between 2023 and 2027 will exceed the 1.5C threshold, there is now a 32 percent chance that the entire five-year mean will do so, the Met Office said. "Global mean temperatures are predicted to continue increasing, moving us away further and further away from the climate we are used to," said Met Office expert scientist Leon Hermanson. Temperatures in 2023 are likely to be higher than the 1991-2020 average in almost all regions except for Alaska, South Africa, South Asia and parts of Australia, the WMO said. Parts of the South Pacific Ocean are likely to be cooler than average. The post Next five years set to be hottest period ever: UN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
When passion led to affordable education for children
Looking at the history of education, learning from home is one of the earliest ways of teaching children. “It has since evolved to a better and standardized process that is now being enjoined by a lot of families globally,” Dr. Richard Paolo B. Deluria, Woodlands International Homeschool chairman and CEO, said. Homeschooling has installed discipline in children in following their school’s curriculum. It also provides them with positive and appropriate socialization skills. “Homeschooled children are largely free from peer pressure. Homeschooled children are comfortable interacting with people of all ages,” Frances Deluria, his wife, added. The couple, both registered pediatric nurses in the Philippines and United Arab Emirates, founded Woodlands International Homeschool to provide quality yet affordable education for Filipino children of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE. “We have our own Learning Management System that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Likewise, mobile application and websites are meticulously designed to serve not just as a marketing tool but as another way to create a meaningful learning experience for all its students,” Dr. Deluria said. Woodlands International Homeschool does quarterly assessments and aims to follow the best practices of all its counterparts across the globe. Dr. Deluria cites that more than a thousand students in UAE has since been converted into enrolling in Woodland’s curriculum which is well-certified by the Department of Education in the Philippines and the United States. At Woodland’s, the average cost of homeschooling per child is P75,000 per year. It can be adjusted depending on the needs of the families. Additional tutors are optional. “As a parent, I feel how a day will go home without a single nag to our naughty kids. Yet if you allow exploring homeschooling and the benefits of it, like us, you should be able to feel comfort, safety, and close attachment to your children. Attending one of our orientations may somehow ease your worries as we have a very interactive session prior to enrollment. Homeschool-based education shall be the future of education,” Dr. Deluria concluded. Woodlands International Homeschool is the latest venture of SRK Education Group International. [caption id="attachment_119138" align="aligncenter" width="2016"] PHOTOgraphs courtesy of woodlands international(FROM left) Dr. Richard Paolo Deluria, RPm president, Frances Louise Deluria, RN, HAAD-RN (Asst. academic director), Atty. Roviel Nepomuceno (director/corporate secretary), Maria Carmencita Burgos-Nepomuceno, MBA (corporate treasurer), Kathrina Lopez, LPT (school administrator).[/caption] The post When passion led to affordable education for children appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Free Wi-Fi rollout increased by 500% in 2020; 80% total DICT 2019 budget utilized
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has achieved dramatic improvements in the rollout of its Free Wi-Fi for All Program (FW4A) in 2020, achieving a rate that is 500% greater than its previous average of 800 sites per year from 2016 to 2019......»»
Ookla: Steady improvement in PH internet speed
Ookla Speedtest Global Index Report for November 2020 indicated a 262.20% improvement on the Philippines’ internet average download speed for fixed broadband and 148.52% for mobile broadband compared to its 2016 speed......»»
Ookla Speedtest: Internet speed sa Pinas, patuloy na bumubuti
Patuloy na bumubuti ang internet speed sa bansa, ayon sa pinakabagong ulat ng “Ookla Speedtest Global Index”. Sa nasabing report ng Ookla, mula sa 7.44Mbps noong July 2016 ay tumaas sa 25.07Mbps noong July 2020 ang average download speed para sa fixed broadband. Nangangahulugan ito ng 216.94% na improvement. Ang average download speed naman para […] The post Ookla Speedtest: Internet speed sa Pinas, patuloy na bumubuti appeared first on Bandera......»»
Rays hold Yankees to 2 hits in 1-0 win
By The Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Perez hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on his 28th birthday, six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a two-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 1-0 on Friday night. Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a leadoff walk from Adam Ottavino (2-1) in the eighth and went to second with one out when Kevin Kiermaier walked. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before Perez put the Rays up 1-0 on his fly to center. Chaz Roe (2-0) went the final two innings for the win. Masahiro Tanaka allowed one hit and struck out five over five innings, retiring his final 13 batters after giving up a first-inning single to Yandy Diaz. The Yankees’ right-hander needed just 59 pitches in his second start after beginning the season on the concussion list after being struck in the head by Giancarlo Stanton’s liner during a July 4th summer camp simulated game. Three New York pitchers also limited the Rays to just two hits. MARLINS 4, METS 3 NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Cervelli hit a three-run homer, Humberto Mejia impressed in his abbreviated major league debut and Miami kept up its surprising surge. The Marlins won their sixth in a row and improved to 7-1 — they’re 5-0 since missing more than a week because of the team’s coronavirus outbreak. Cervelli waved and pointed to the imaginary fans in the seating areas after hitting his second homer of the season. Jonathan Villar added an RBI double in Miami’s four-run second. Dominic Smith homered for the Mets, who have lost seven of nine. New York scored its other runs in the eighth on a throwing error by third baseman Brian Anderson and RBI single by J.D. Davis. Stephen Tarpley (2-0) pitched two innings for the win. Nick Vincent escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and finished for his first save since 2016 with Seattle. Michael Wacha (1-2) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. WHITE SOX 2, INDIANS 0 CHICAGO (AP) — Dylan Cease worked his way through five shutout innings, and the Chicago White Sox beat Aaron Civale and Cleveland. Cease walked the leadoff man four times and hit a batter, but wiggled out of trouble each time. The right-hander allowed two hits and struck out four. The Indians went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base, continuing a season-long problem and wasting a terrific start by Civale. They had won three in a row. Civale (1-2) allowed five hits, struck out five and walked one in seven innings. Cleveland played without manager Terry Francona and hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo. Francona missed his sixth straight game while addressing a gastrointestinal issue he has been dealing with for months. The team announced before the series opener that Van Burkleo had opted out of the 2020 season because of the coronavirus. RED SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 3 BOSTON (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit two solo homers over the Green Monster, Mitch Moreland had a two-run shot and Boston’s beleaguered staff rebounded to lift the Red Sox past Toronto. Verdugo also robbed Travis Shaw of a homer with a leaping grab and Moreland had a bases-loaded walk to help Boston win its second straight following a four-game losing streak. Cavan Biggio hit a solo homer, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette each had an RBI double for Toronto, which has dropped five of six. Moreland’s homer sailed just over the 380-foot sign at the edge of the Blue Jays’ bullpen in right off starter Tanner Roark (1-1) in the third inning for his fourth homer. Reliever Heath Hembree (2-0) got three outs for the victory and Brandon Workman the final three for his third save. ROYALS 3, INDIANS 2 KANSAS CITY, Mo, (AP) — Ryan McBroom hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning and Kansas City held Minnesota to a pair of solo homers. Nick Heath and Nicky Lopez also drove in runs for the Royals, who have won two straight after a six-game slide. Jakob Junis served up homers to Byron Buxton and Marwin Gonzalez before leaving with two outs in the fifth inning, and Greg Holland (2-0) led four relievers in holding down the Twins the rest of the way. Trevor Rosenthal retired the final three batters in order for his second save. Matt Wisler (0-1) served up McBroom’s homer as Minnesota lost a one-run game for the second consecutive night. REDS 8, BREWERS 3 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trevor Bauer turned in another stellar outing, and Matt Davidson and Nick Castellanos homered to lead Cincinnati. Bauer (2-0) gave up three hits and one run in six innings while striking out 12. The Reds scored six runs in the second off Milwaukee starter Eric Lauer (0-1), ending a 24-inning scoring drought. Cincinnati had pushed across three runs before Davidson’s three-run homer, his first of the season, which barely cleared the wall in center field. The Reds (6-8) lost 13-0 to Cleveland on Thursday night, failing to score in the last 23 innings of the home-and-home series. PADRES 3, DIAMONDBACKS O SAN DIEGO (AP) — Zach Davies retired the first 13 Arizona batters, Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a leadoff homer and rookies Jake Cronenworth and Edward Olivares also went deep to lead San Diego. Davies (2-1) took a perfect game into the fifth before giving up consecutive one-out singles to Eduardo Escobar and David Peralta. He got out of the jam by retiring the next two batters on popups. Davies allowed three singles in 5 2/3 innings, struck out six and walked none. Four relievers finished the combined four-hitter for San Diego’s first shutout. Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his second save in two chances. Luke Weaver (0-3) went only three innings, allowing two runs and two hits with three strikeouts and one walk. TIGERS 17, PIRATES 13, 11 INNINGS PITTSBURGH (AP) — Niko Goodrum drove in five runs, two on a double in a big 11th inning that sent Detroit past Pittsburgh. Both teams finished with 16 hits, surprising since each club had four players in the starting lineup batting under .190. Those numbers soon changed as Detroit played its first game in five days. Erik Gonzalez drove in six runs. He homered, doubled and singled twice as Pittsburgh lost for the eighth time in nine games and fell to 3-11. It was 12-all after nine innings and Jeimer Candelario broke a 13-all tie with an RBI single in the 11th. Austin Romine singled home another run and Goodrum capped the inning with his line drive to right field. Candelario finished with three hits and three RBIs. Rookie Bryan Garcia (2-0) got the win despite giving up the 10th-inning run. Dovydas Neverauskas (0-2) allowed all four runs in the 11th. ATHLETICS 3, ASTROS 2, 13 INNINGS OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Marcus Semien singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 13th to lift Oakland to its seventh straight win in a game that matched the longest this season with baseball’s new extra-innings rule. Alex Bregman hit an RBI double in the top of the 13th inning only for the A’s to tie it on Austin Allen’s single in the bottom half against Cy Sneed (0-2). J.B. Wendelken (1-0) worked three strong innings and the A’s finally delivered after squandering bases-loaded chances in the 10th and 12th. Houston lost its third straight. The Astros were supposed to visit Oakland months ago in late March for their first road trip of 2020 after a sign-stealing scam that blemished baseball during the offseason. Coronavirus delayed the Bay Area trip. Robbie Grossman hit a tying homer in the seventh and Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman made a terrific stop on Jose Altuve’s sharp grounder to keep the game tied in the 10th. ROCKIES 8, MARINERS 4 SEATTLE (AP) — Daniel Murphy had a key two-run single and later hit a two-run home run, Garrett Hampson and Charlie Blackmon added solo shots, and Colorado won for the sixth time in seven games. Murphy’s hit with two outs in the sixth ended the night for Seattle starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) and gave Colorado a 4-1 lead. Colorado then feasted on Seattle’s shaky bullpen. Hampson hit his first home run of the season with two outs in the seventh, and Blackmon led off the eighth with his third long ball. Murphy capped his night lining the first pitch from reliever Yohan Ramriez into the right-field seats with one out in the eighth. Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela (3-0) threw six strong innings, allowing two earned runs and struck out five. DODGERS 7, GIANTS 2 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts homered for the first time at Dodger Stadium, and Max Muncy, Will Smith and Edwin Ríos went deep to lead Los Angeles. The Dodgers have won three in a row and eight of 10. Betts was back in the lineup for the first time since injuring his left middle finger last Sunday in Phoenix. He didn’t waste any time, doubling in his first at-bat. He homered into the left-field pavilion in the third, tying the game 1-all. Two batters later, Justin Turner’s RBI single gave Los Angeles the lead for good, 2-1. The Dodgers pummeled Jeff Samardzija in the fourth. Muncy homered to the right-field pavilion leading off. Smith slugged his second homer of the season — both against the Giants — that eluded a leaping Darin Ruf in left field, extending the lead to 5-1. Samardzija (0-2) struggled again in the fifth, and was pulled after loading the bases with no outs. Samardzija was charged with six runs (five earned) and seven hits in four-plus innings. Dylan Floro (1-0) got the victory, giving up one hit in one inning with two strikeouts. RANGERS 4, ANGELS 3 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Trout homered again on his birthday, but Robinson Chirinos drove in two runs without a hit and Texas snapped a three-game losing streak. Trout turned 29, and homered for the fifth time in the seven big league games he has played on his birthday. The three-time AL MVP put the Angels up 2-0 in the first with his 444-foot drive over their bullpen in left-center. Chirinos had a sacrifice fly in the second inning, then walked with the bases loaded as part of a three-run fourth when the Rangers went ahead to stay when all of those runs were unearned. Jordan Lyles (1-1), one of three offseason additions to the Rangers rotation, struck out five in 5 1/3 innings. Rafael Montero, activated from the injured list earlier in the day, worked a perfect ninth for his first career save capped by Trout’s game-ending strikeout. Angels starter Griffin Canning (0-2) threw more balls (45) than strikes (43) while walking six batters in 3 2/3 innings. ORIOLES 11, NATIONALS 0 BALTIMORE (AP) — Even Chris Davis got in on the act for the suddenly slugging Orioles, doubling his season total by collecting two of Baltimore’s 19 hits and raising his average from .087 to .143 in a big win over Washington. Seven of the Orioles’ nine starting position players each got at least a pair of hits. José Iglesias led the way by going 4 for 4 with three RBIs, and Renato Núñez added a three-run homer to back left-hander Tommy Milone (1-1), whose six-inning outing was the longest by an Orioles pitcher this year. Milone, who was drafted by the Nationals in 2008 and briefly pitched for them in 2011 and 2018, allowed just three hits and didn’t walk anyone. The Orioles were coming off getting swept in four games at home by the cobbled-together, coronavirus-struck Miami Marlins. But after scoring a grand total of once through the first three games of that series, Baltimore put up seven runs in the finale Thursday, then kept on swinging well Friday against the reigning World Series champion Nationals and starter Aníbal Sánchez (0-2)......»»
How Hackett and Harris went beyond 100 points
(This story was originally published on June 30, 2016) One-hundred-point explosions are a rarity in professional basketball. Even in the NBA, no one has ever eclipsed Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points in his game with the Philadelphia Warriors in trouncing the New York Knicks, 169-147, on March 2, 1962. So when you learn that two men, Americans playing as imports in the Philippine Basketball Association, had scored more than Wilt, you’d certainly be awed and astonished that such incredible feats in the history of the sport had actually occurred in our shores. Legends These legends, Michael Hackett, the man-mountain who leisurely takes care of business in the paint while reinforcing Ginebra San Miguel, and Tony Harris, the “Hurricane” who brings down opponents with his devastating scoring sprees through quick, shifty on court moves while playing for Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs, definitely left an indelible mark in PBA annals with those historic barrages that surely left everyone, foe or fan, stupefied and dazzled. Hackett, the hulking yet amiable giant, achieved the first-ever milestone on November 21, 1985 as Ginebra faced Great Taste in a battle for third place in the PBA Reinforced Conference. His burly 6’5” frame would always have its way in the shaded lane, barreling his way through thick defensive walls and converting—all in bewildering succession. He pumped in 48 points at halftime, before scoring another 33 in the third quarter, and swishing 22 in the final period—for an eye-popping record-setting total of 103 points in one game. Breaching the Chamberlain record, Hackett had been praised as pro ball’s greatest scorer ever, even if he had not made the cut in the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup during the Showtime era after being the 22nd pick in the 3rd round of the 1982 NBA Draft. During that conference, Hackett averaged 50 points, 20 rebounds and 6 assists in 24 games that made him a hands-down choice for Best Import. With this lofty achievement, who would even think, much less imagine that this record would be broken seven years later. Best scorer Perhaps the all-time best performing scorer in the PBA’s history walked into a packed town gym in Iloilo City on October 10, 1992 in the elimination round of the PBA Third Conference to show Robert Jaworski and his Ginebra squad what he’s got. And, it was simply merciless. Scoring relentlessly from the field through lane incursions, midrange jumpers, slam dunks off the fastbreak and baskets from beyond the arc, the Hurricane already reached the highest score anyone could produce at halftime, 59 points. Harris continued his romp in the last two quarters, just leaving the never-say-die squad in the dust with another 46 points, leading Swift to a 151-147 victory and achieving a record-breaking single-game individual score of 105, surpassing Hackett’s record by two points. This scoring record remains to this day. Indeed, a double heartbreak for the country’s most popular team and a historic achievement by the flamboyant and perplexing import. Tough fouls But what was really exceptional was that he accomplished this feat despite Ginebra players fouling him a record 52 times, which he claimed in an NBA Philippines interview two years ago as “tough fouls” with “knees purposely extended to hit my groin, or the spitting on my face.” He was unfazed and this motivated the Monroe, Louisiana native even more by converting most of his points in his amazing 105-point game from the free throw area, where he made 45 out of 53 attempts. But what’s even more mind-blowing about Harris is that this was no single-game fluke or a stroke of luck. He scored 98 points only seven days after his 105-point game to lead Swift to a 157-147 victory over Presto Ice Cream. Harris also scored 82 points in Swift’s conquest of Purefoods in Davao City a day before that record-breaking feat. Before all of these scoring exploits, he actually “introduced” himself to the league with an 87-point performance in his debut in routing the San Miguel Beermen, 134-106. He also had 69, 57, and 54-point games throughout the season, ending up with a record 60.4 scoring average. Best achievement The best achievement of them all was that he steered the Mighty Meaties to the RFM franchise’s first-ever PBA championship by sweeping the 7-Up Uncolas in the Finals, 4-0. It was the current Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao’s first title. After his high-flying PBA stint, Harris tried his luck in the NBA via short 10-day deals with the Boston Celtics, but fell short with a mere 5-point clip in 14 games—a far cry from the fearsome offensive form he displayed in the PBA. He has since distanced himself from professional play, and now heads a sports apparel, supplies and equipment company in Los Angeles. Hackett, on the other hand, also did not engage in competitive basketball after his spectacular PBA run from 1985 to 1988, although he had once served as an assistant coach for a school in his native Jacksonville, Florida, and is now a sales consultant for a wine and beverage firm. But even if Harris or Hackett’s storied scoring feats and iconic stints did not replicate on their real home courts and since hung their jerseys for other careers, their astounding on-court achievements in the PBA remain an inspiration for greatness in this basketball-crazy nation......»»
Philippines sees increase in hotel bookings from overseas in 2023 — report
Hotel bookings from overseas rose in the Philippines in 2023, a report on hotel booking trends by hotel channel manager SiteMinder found......»»
Kaspersky Shares Cybersecurity Tips for a Peaceful Getaway during the holy week
As the holiday season approaches, the urge to unwind and kick back is natural. And it’s all too common for people to let their guard down completely when connecting to the Internet too– but shouldn’t. Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group shared its findings on identity theft cases in the country. Between November […].....»»
No Pinoy hurt in Baltimore bridge collapse
The Philippine embassy in Washington has not received any report of Filipinos hurt in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday......»»