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CA junks telco’s frequency plea, mandamus case vs. NTC
The Court of Appeals junked the petition for mandamus filed by NOW Telecom Company Inc. against the National Telecommunications Commission or NTC over the company's provisional authority or PA application to operate a cellular mobile telephone service within specific frequency ranges. In a 16-page decision, the appellate court's Special Ninth Division said "the court is powerless" to grant NOW Telecom's plea, especially since the company failed to show a clear legal right to the frequencies it sought. The CA said the decision, penned by Associate Justice Tita Marilyn B. Payoyo-Villordon and concurred in by Associate Justices Myra V. Garcia-Fernandez and Walter S. Ong, followed a careful examination of the case. The case began from NOW Telecom's request for NTC's automatic approval issued by the Anti-Red Tape Authority or ARTA. NOW Telecom had filed a petition for mandamus under Rule 65 of the Revised Rules of Court to compel the NTC and former Commissioner Gamaliel Asis Cordoba to stick to ARTA's resolution and OAA both dated 1 March 2021. These ARTA documents stated that NOW Telecom's application for a PA to operate in the frequency range 1970 Mhz-1980 Mhz paired with 2160 Mhz to 2170 Mhz and 3.6 GHz to 3.8 GHz frequency ranges was automatically approved by operation of law. It followed Republic Act 11032, otherwise known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. However, an ARTA resolution dated 17 June 2022 reversed the previous decisions and formally recommended NOW Telecom's application for frequency assignment to the NTC. NOW Telecom's mandamus petition was notably based on its claim for the rights to specific frequency ranges, alleging that the NTC had unjustly neglected its duty to assign them. Yet, court records showed that as early as December 2005, NTC already found NOW Telecom to be non-compliant and was disqualified from the assignment of 3G frequency bands due to unpaid supervision and regulation fees or SRF and spectrum user fees or SUF amounting to P2.6 billion. NOW Telecom has a pending petition filed before the Supreme Court for this penalty imposed by the NTC. NOW Telecom received its PA in January 2006, but it was not specific to 3G and under the condition of paying its outstanding SRF and SUF obligations. In December 2017, NOW Telecom was designated the 20MHz contiguous bandwidth, 3520 to 3540 MHz, under the 3.5 GHz on the same condition that it resolved its outstanding SUF and SRF fines. NOW Telecom's Provisional Authority was extended until September 2020, but the NTC reiterated that the company failed to fulfill the conditions regarding SUF and SRF. Despite the issues hounding the company, NOW Corp. CEO Mel Velarde said he hopes the "Marcos administration" will aid the immediate settlement of its cases as a way of maintaining a "level playing field." _ The post CA junks telco’s frequency plea, mandamus case vs. NTC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fashion seeks dedicated followers with influence online
Once kept firmly at arm's length by the fashion world, influencers are now courted alongside big celebrity names by emerging talents keen to leverage their millions of online followers. "Influencers will have a leading role in building the legitimacy of creators," Delphine Dion, professor at France's ESSEC Business School, told AFP. "It is thanks to them that many designers will manage to break through." The cream of TikTok and Instagram flocked to Masha Popova's show on Sunday as part of London Fashion Week. The young Ukrainian designer counted TikTok superstar Abby Roberts, who has more than 16 million followers, among her guests. "I was in the front row with six other influencers, so I think we are doing well," said TikTok, Instagram and YouTube content creator Emma Winder after the show. Avant-garde To be a fashion influencer who matters, you first have to be "trusted by the big names" in the industry, said Dion. Next you can build a name for yourself as someone with "extremely cutting-edge tastes who can help new fashion players emerge". "It's exactly like the avant-garde dynamics you get in art. You look for the very niche to show you are even more fashionable than the rest," she added. The phenomenon is particularly visible on the catwalks at London Fashion Week, known worldwide for giving emerging talents a platform. Fashionable influencers and stars such as Zendaya, Billie Eilish, Hailey Bieber or Kylie Jenner have been seen wearing outfits by the new generation of designers including Masha Popova, Di Petsa, Chet Lo, Feben, or Yuhan Wang. 'Instant reaction' It's a win-win situation for influencers as it's now much "cooler" to wear clothes by young designers than a luxury brand, said Elizabeth Stiles, a consultant for fashion brands. And from the designer's point of view, it's "definitely faster to grow your brand through social media just through the way it works", she said. When an influencer posts content "you get an instant reaction, versus magazines where even on-line, it still takes time to write that article and upload it and maybe go through an approval process as well with an editor", she added. Social media content creators can also benefit from a good engagement rate, which measures how well their posts interact with their community. An influencer with a high engagement rate posting a photo, dressed by a young label, is more likely to generate sales for the brand. 'Everyone welcome'? Competition between traditional media -- including specialist fashion magazines -- and former fashion bloggers who are now influencers on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube is not new. The influential British journalist Susie Lau began with her fashion blog "Style Bubble" in 2006. Now she writes notably for the British magazine Pop and The Business of Fashion and is also followed by nearly 700,000 people on Instagram. In an article published in Grazia in 2017 titled "Everyone should be welcome in fashion", she said she regretted the "negative connotations" that had attached themselves to fashion bloggers, influencers and content creators. Even as recently as February, she denounced the "gall of most print media" who still in 2023 sneered at influencers. This, she said, was "hilarious, considering how many have adopted social media modus operandi". The post Fashion seeks dedicated followers with influence online appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK media investigate sex assault claims against comedian Brand
The BBC and Channel 4, former employers of British actor and comedian Russell Brand, said Sunday they were investigating claims of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse over a seven-year period, which the 48-year-old has denied. Four women have alleged sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013 when Brand was at the height of his fame working as a presenter for BBC Radio 2, Channel 4 and acting in Hollywood movies, a joint media investigation said Saturday. The broadcasters BBC and Channel 4, along with the production company Banijay UK, said Sunday that they would open internal inquiries into the claims. "We are urgently looking into the issues raised," a BBC spokesperson told AFP. The allegations were made in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, the Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches. "Banijay UK has launched an urgent internal investigation and will cooperate with any requests for information from broadcast partners and external agencies," the production firm said. According to the Times investigation, several women have made a range of accusations about Brand's alleged controlling, abusive and predatory behavior. In a video released Friday, Brand denied the "very serious criminal allegations". He said he had received letters from a TV company and a newspaper listing "a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks". "Amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute," he said in the video clip posted online. According to the media reports, one woman alleged that Brand raped her in his Los Angeles home, while another claims he assaulted her during a three-month relationship while she was 16 and still at school. Known internationally as the former husband of pop star Katy Perry, Brand began his career as a stand-up comedian in the early 2000s. He was the host of the chat show Big Brother's Big Mouth, a spin-off of the popular reality series, for three years from 2004. He also played rock star Aldous Snow in the 2008 film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and its 2010 sequel "Get Him To The Greek". London's Metropolitan Police told AFP that while it was aware of the allegations, "At this time, we have not received any reports in relation to this". "If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, we would encourage them to contact police," it said. The post UK media investigate sex assault claims against comedian Brand appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘All Star’ Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56
Steve Harwell, the former lead vocalist of the American rock band Smash Mouth, has passed away at age 56. His manager, Robert Hayes, announced in a statement that Harwell died “peacefully and comfortably” at his home in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by his family and friends. He died of acute liver failure on 4 September. A day before his death, it was announced that Harwell was receiving hospice care for final-stage chronic liver failure and only had a few days to live. Harwell’s musical career began when he played in a rap group called F.O.S (Freedom of Speech). Later on, Smash Mouth was formed along with drummer Kevin Coleman, whom he met in 1990, guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul De Lisle. Rock music While largely performing rock music during their earlier years, record labels saw the group’s potential after a demo of their song “Nervous in the Alley” was played at a local radio station. After signing with Interscope Records, they released their debut album, Fush Yu Mang, in 1997. A ska, reggae, pup-punk album that includes their first major hit, “Walkin’ on the Sun,” which has a distinctive, psychedelic soul and soul-funk music style. Their sophomore album, Astro Lounge, became a global success and one of their most critically acclaimed albums. It included the band’s biggest single, “All Star,” which was frequently featured in films like Inspector Gadget (1999), Mystery Men (1999), Digimon: The Movie (200), Rat Race (2001) and Shrek (2001). “All Star” also earned its first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The Grammy-nominated rock band released five more studio albums in the following years: Smash Mouth (2001), Get the Picture? (2003), The Gift of Rock (2005), Summer Girl (2006) and Magic (2012). Amid his band’s skyrocketing popularity, Harwell’s son, Presley, died in 2001 from acute lymphocytic leukemia. His son was only six months old. Health issues The former rock singer had been battling numerous health issues. In 2013, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that can lead to heart failure; and acute Wernicke encephalopathy, a neurological disease that impairs speech, memory and muscle coordination. The “All Star” singer also struggled with alcoholism throughout his adult life. Harwell announced his retirement from the band in 2021 over ongoing physical and mental health issues. With the band’s iconic ‘90s legacy and Harwell’s unique music influence, the rock singer lived a “100-percent full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out,” said Hayes. Smash Mouth’s official Instagram account paid tribute to Harwell: “Steve Harwell was a true American Original. A larger-than-life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom.” The post ‘All Star’ Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bob Barker, 99
Bob Barker, longtime host of The Price Is Right, has passed away according to his publicist. He was 99. “It is with profound sadness that we announce that the World’s Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker, has left us,” publicist Roger Neal said in a statement on Saturday. USA TODAY reports that the game show emcee died of natural causes at his longtime Hollywood Hills home. No specific cause of death was given. Barker, whose real name is Robert William Barker, was born in South Dakota on 12 December 1923. He attended Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, on a basketball scholarship. He dropped out two years later to join the US Navy during World War II. He went back shortly to Drury as war ended long before he even made it to the field. He worked his first media job at KTTS-FM Radio in Springfield. In 1950, Barker was given his own program, The Bob Barker Show. Game show producer Ralph Edwards was looking for a new host to replace Jack Bailey in Truth or Consequences as Barker was hosting the audience-participation radio show KNX (AM). Barker started headlining the program on 31 December 1956 until 1975. In 1972, CBS expressed interest in modernizing the revival of The Price Is Right with Barker as host. However, Barker offered to present another game show on the network, The Joker’s Wild. CBS did not accept the proposal. He began hosting The Price Is Right on 4 September 1972. He announced his retirement on 31 October 2006 saying that he would retire from The Price Is Right by June 2007. He taped his final episode on 6 June 2007. The show aired twice on 15 June. After his retirement, Barker made three return appearances to the program: On 16 April 2009 to promote his autobiography, Priceless Memories; on 12 December 2013 to celebrate his 90th birthday; and on 1 April 2015 for an April Fools’ Day special. The post Bob Barker, 99 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Clarence Avant, ‘Godfather of Black Music,’ dies at 92
Clarence Avant, the entertainment executive who is counted among the music world's most impactful figures, died over the weekend, a statement from his family said Monday. He was 92 years old. Avant "passed away gently at home" in Los Angeles on Sunday, said his children Nicole and Alex Avant, as well as Nicole's husband, Netflix executive Ted Sarandos. "Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as 'The Black Godfather' in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports," the statement said. "Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates that have changed the world and will continue to change the world for generations to come. The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss." Avant was born on 25 February 1931 in small-town North Carolina, the oldest of eight. After spending most of his childhood in North Carolina he moved to New Jersey as a teenager, getting his start in the music business as a club manager of Teddy P's Lounge in Newark. He later was mentored by the longtime Louis Armstrong manager Joe Glaser. He went on to become one of the most revered players in music and beyond, an advocate and mentor who pushed the boundaries for Black entertainers in an industry rife with racism. Avant helped establish Venture Records, the first joint effort between a Black-owned music company and a major record label, in this case, MGM. He later launched Sussex Records and signed the likes of Bill Withers. Avant worked at an array of other labels, produced films, and also brokered deals for Black athletes including baseball superstar Hank Aaron. "He's the perennial godfather of our business," Quincy Jones said in 2006, in an interview with Billboard. "Everyone in our business has been by Clarence's desk if they’re smart." 'True pioneer' Avant also consulted at Motown and worked with other top producers including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as well as Babyface. He's been credited with burnishing the careers of countless artists, including Jones as well as Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg, and Whitney Houston. "Clarence Avant connects us all through his incredible impact since before I was born up until now. He's the godfather to so many of us -- and not just African Americans, most of the industry," Pharrell said in a statement in 2019, ahead of the release of the Netflix documentary "The Black Godfather." In 2021, Avant's wife of over 50 years, Jacqueline, was fatally shot at age 81, during a break-in of the couple's Beverly Hills home. Earlier that year Avant received special accolades from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Recording Academy has also bestowed a number of honors on him and in 2007 he received the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP. Tributes to Avant began pouring out upon news of his death, including from Jay-Z's company Roc Nation, which hailed him "a true pioneer" who "burst through doors and tore down ceilings, changing lives and providing opportunities for generations." "Clarence Avant isn't just the 'Godfather Of Black Music,' he is our cultural Godfather," the company said. Bill and Hillary Clinton, the former US president and secretary of state, said in a joint statement they were "saddened by the passing of our friend." "It was impossible to spend time with him and not come away feeling more positive and wanting to follow his example." The post Clarence Avant, ‘Godfather of Black Music,’ dies at 92 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thai reformist Pita’s PM bid crashes on establishment opposition
Thai reformist leader Pita Limjaroenrat's bid to become prime minister ended Wednesday, despite his party winning the most votes in May elections, after the military and pro-royalist establishment blocked his bid for power. Pita's Move Forward Party (MFP) has ridden high on the support of young and urban Thais frustrated by nearly a decade of army-backed rule, but its efforts to form a government have stumbled. The 42-year-old was dramatically suspended from parliament while seated in the chamber for discussions on his candidacy, which came to an end when lawmakers voted to refuse considering him for a second ballot. "I would like to say goodbye until we meet again," he said, raising his fist as he left the assembly floor to the cheers of party allies. Pita's suspension came when Thailand's Constitutional Court said it would proceed with a case that could see the leader disqualified from parliament altogether for owning shares in a media company. Lawmakers are forbidden from doing so under Thailand's constitution, though the television station in question has not broadcast since 2007. Pita, Harvard-educated and wealthy from a family-run agrifood business, has said the shares were inherited from his father. He has 15 days to respond to the case. After he left the parliament, lawmakers voted by a large margin to rule that he could not be considered for the post a second time. "Pita can't be nominated twice in this parliamentary session," speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said, over howls of protest from within the chamber, immediately before the day's proceedings were called to an end. Dozens of supporters cried and shouted abuse at a large riot police cordon guarding the gates of parliament after news of Pita's suspension broke. "Why even ask people to go to the polls?" one protester, who did not give his name, told AFP. Protesters began gathering in the evening for a public rally near Bangkok's Democracy Monument and police said they were prepared for any unrest. "No matter what their opinions are, they need to follow rules and orders set by the police," said Archayon Kraithong, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Police. Roadblocks Pita's first tilt at the premiership failed when he fell dozens of votes short of the required support in a joint parliamentary sitting. Thailand's senate is stacked with military appointees, with only 13 of 249 serving senators voting for Pita last week. Other roadblocks have been thrown in front of his Pita's candidacy. The court has also agreed to hear a case alleging that MFP's campaign promise to amend Thailand's royal defamation law is tantamount to a plan to "overthrow" the constitutional monarchy. Pita's party has refused to compromise on its pledge to revise the law, which can allow convicted critics of the monarchy to be jailed for up to 15 years. The MFP's reformist platform also poses a threat to family-owned business monopolies that play an outsized role in the kingdom's economy. The Constitutional Court has intervened in Thai politics before. The billionaire leader of MFP's predecessor party, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, was disqualified as an MP in 2019 after falling afoul of the same shareholding rule. Compromise candidate Pita has vowed to step aside to make way for another party to form a government if his second attempt fails. The coalition backing him is expected to fall in line behind property tycoon Srettha Thavisin, potentially relegating MFP to serve in opposition. Srettha's Pheu Thai party is seen as a vehicle for the Shinawatra political clan, whose members include two former prime ministers ousted by military coups in 2006 and 2014. But as a successful entrepreneur liked by fellow business leaders, the 60-year-old is seen as a potential compromise acceptable to the Thai elite. Prawit Wongsuwan, 77, a former Thai army chief who served as number two in the junta that took power in 2014, has also been floated as a candidate by parliament's military bloc. Thai voters roundly rejected army-backed parties in May's election. Political analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak told AFP the prospect of a military presence in the next government could spark a backlash in a country that is no stranger to political unrest. The post Thai reformist Pita’s PM bid crashes on establishment opposition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russian reporter ‘savagely’ beaten in Chechnya
An award-winning Russian investigative journalist is in hospital after being badly beaten by armed assailants during a trip to Chechnya, her newspaper and a rights group said. The attack happened early on Tuesday as well-known journalist Elena Milashina and Alexander Nemov, a lawyer, were traveling from the airport. Her newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, published a video of Milashina in hospital with her head shaven and covered in a green-colored dye -- used to target Kremlin critics -- and her hands bandaged. She said the attack, which included having a gun held to her head, was linked to her "professional activity in Chechnya." Milashina has covered rights abuses in Chechnya, the Caucasus republic ruled by former warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, for years. She came to Grozny on Tuesday to attend the sentencing of Zarema Musayeva, whose husband and sons have fallen foul of the Kadyrov regime but did not make it there. "It's a sensitive case," she said, calling Musayeva a "hostage." Musayeva later was handed 5-and-a-half years on fraud charges widely seen as political revenge against her family. Milashina recounted the attack in a video shared by Novaya Gazeta: "They came, they threw out the driver, the taxi driver from the car. They jumped in, pushed our heads down, they tied my hands, put us on our knees with a gun to the head," she said. "They did everything nervously. They didn't manage to tie my hands properly." The Memorial human rights group said the pair were "savagely" beaten. She said she was taken to neighboring Ossetia for safety and the newspaper said she will go back to Moscow once a medical team examines her. Not welcome Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a briefing that President Vladimir Putin had been informed. "We are talking about a very serious attack that requires vigorous measures," Peskov said. Kadyrov, who has been accused of persistent rights abuses in his restive region, said in a statement online he had instructed officials to determine who was behind the attack. "The authorities began to work immediately after the announcement of the incident," the statement read. But his rights ombudsman Mansur Soltayev said Milashina was "not welcome by a large part of the public" in Chechnya. He said this was especially true during Moscow's Ukraine offensive, during which "the Chechen nation supports the efforts of the president of Russia." The media rights group Reporters Without Borders said it was "horrified by the savage attack" on Milashina. And the rights group Amnesty International urged Russia to investigate the "vicious" beating. Milashina's paper Novaya Gazeta, Russia's top independent publication, said she and Nemov were in a hospital in the Chechen capital Grozny. Novaya Gazeta in February last year said that Milashina had to leave Russia temporarily after receiving death threats from the Chechen leadership. The paper, whose chief editor Dmitry Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, has since 2000 seen six journalists and contributors killed, including investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya. By focusing on rights abuses in Chechnya, Milashina has followed in the footsteps of Politkovskaya, a fierce critic of the Kremlin's policies in Chechnya, who was shot dead in 2006. Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that the incident "should be carefully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice". The post Russian reporter ‘savagely’ beaten in Chechnya appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Filipina fashion designer carves a name in Osaka
A young Filipina fashion designer based in Osaka, Japan, has continuously etched a name for herself – and for the country – as she faithfully upholds unique craftsmanship in all her creations. Her name: Pamela Madlangbayan. [caption id="attachment_141460" align="aligncenter" width="525"] FASHION DESIGNER: Pamela Madlangbayan[/caption] Pamela’s father was once an OFW. Longing to be together, the family relocated to the Land of the Rising Sun in 2006. However, come college, Pamela wished to alleviate some of her parents’ financial burdens. Thus, she earnestly searched for scholarships all across Japan and beyond. She was accepted into the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, where she finished her Fashion Design and Merchandising degree. As the worrisome pandemic halted the world into an absolute standstill, Pamela, on her final year, had serious second thoughts on her specialization. “I didn’t know whether I should even pursue fashion since nobody really needs designer clothes during a global crisis — at least that’s what it felt like,” she earlier admitted. Still, she continued to tread on her chosen path. Before long, she found herself back in Japan, a fashion capital of the world, creating bespoke pieces for the Japanese fashionista crowd. Today, she is an essential component of EINS, a curated vintage shop in Osaka. Armed with black suits, she breathes new life into these coats as she paints, embroiders and reshapes them. [caption id="attachment_141463" align="aligncenter" width="525"] MASTERFUL EMBROIDERY: Hand-stitched detailing on a vintage jacket[/caption] “I feel almost like Dr. Frankenstein, busily stitching together different suits and trousers to construct new hybrids. We gained a niche circle of clients who ordered these deconstructed avant-garde garments, as well as the custom painted suits to don for special occasions,” she said. She has likewise began teaching part-time at a major fashion institute, as an interpreter for Oleg Mitrofanov, a professor at various universities and colleges across continents. The duo covers courses from Introduction to Fashion and Concept Creation to reviewing student portfolios for the students’ graduate collection. As of recent, Pamela is busy with what is perhaps one of the most important projects in her career so far – the TAYO Fashion Showcase as part of the Filipino-Japanese Friendship affair, the first of its kind in Osaka. Founded by the illustrator and textile designer Feanne, Pamela was then tapped by the Philippine Consulate General as the event coordinator. TAYO, with a double meaning — us or to rise in Filipino and diverse or multicultural in Nihongo — will host a group of established fashion and jewelry designers from the Philippines, joining sustainable fashion designers from Japan in a celebration of craftsmanship. “I couldn’t be more excited to be able to bridge two of my homes through the fields I’m most passionate about,” she said. “The idea that we can be anything and everything all at once” is what continues to inspire the young fashion prodigy. “I can be anything as long as the hunger and passion to learn is present. The thought that I can grow and evolve into someone with an enriched mind and enhanced soul through arts is what keeps me truly going,” she disclosed. During her free time, she loves to stroll across the city and take pictures with her film camera — I repeat, film camera! She likewise makes an effort to use less social media, plus a term called touching grass which means to unplug and enjoy real life, which allows her more opportunity to appreciate nature and meet new people. On the other hand, she acknowledges that as a self-labeled “Official Grown Up,” pressure is internal. She breaks down steps one by one – and her anxiety disappears. “Pressure is something that we instill into ourselves. You’d be surprised how little people expect from you because they’re too busy tending to their own.” Let us hear from Pamela Madlangbayan on all the various aspects of her interesting life in Japan: [caption id="attachment_141462" align="aligncenter" width="525"] TOKYO FASHION SCENE: EINS bondage suits Photo credit: SHIN (@s.yoshi8024)[/caption] On EINS: After a year and a half, we got the attention of a popular high-end curated vintage store within the Shimokitazawa neighborhood in Tokyo. They currently hold my pieces with the EINS label tag and my artist alias Sabotten as the signature on all painted items. I’m very proud of the creations that I was able to produce with only little resources, a lot of imagination and many hours of manual labor. Therefore, to have those stocked in the heart of Tokyo’s alternative fashion scene is such a huge motivation for me to continue slowly, but surely! [caption id="attachment_141465" align="aligncenter" width="525"] CLASSIC REBIRTH: An EINS painted apparel[/caption] Her alter ego: Sabotten is alive and well! I’ve used that alias as my artist identity because I feared that Pamela Madlangbayan as a person might change the perception of the clients towards the art I create. The reason I kept my identity anonymous for my work at the brand is because I do not submit to the MODE-KEI fashion tribe — which is our main clientele. With fashion, it’s never just about the clothes, people buy the personality and the perception that comes with it. But now that my namesake label is in the works, I am gradually bringing the two artist identities together. After all, despite the contrasting elements, these are all a body of my field. I embrace everything now, without trying too hard to set them apart. [caption id="attachment_141466" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ALTER EGO CREATION: Custom-made Sabotten illustrated garment[/caption] Teaching: It’s been an honor and a privilege to work with Oleg Mitrofanov. Last December, we went to the most prestigious fashion school in Tokyo to conduct a week-long winter seminar. I’ve dreamt of – and even made it a goal at one point – to enroll at this school and it feels surreal to be teaching there. [caption id="attachment_141464" align="aligncenter" width="525"] NOBLE INITIATIVE: Pamela’s designs are brought to life by members of the FIBERS community Photo credits: Pamela Mejia/FIBERS[/caption] TAYO collection: The latest collection that will be unveiled at TAYO is a love letter to our laborers. My grandfather and those who came before him were produce farmers, mainly coffee, fruit and vegetables in Silang, Cavite. My great-grandmother was a seamstress during and after the war. They are my roots. Therefore, I want to honor my family, as well as those who continue to work in these sectors. Since the event will take place right after the Philippine Independence Day, I should shed the spotlight on our farmers and textile industry workers and craftsmen. I believe that they are the pillars of our society, often overlooked. However, they are the ones who keep our nation’s traditional agriculture and culture alive. My creations will be the “friendship show piece” of the event, one that binds both cultures. I am aware with the issues surrounding cultural appropriation and tokenization. I see both the Philippines and Japan as my homes, having lived here for almost two decades. Yes, I did a lot of research as to how I can pay homage to both cultures with the utmost respect. [caption id="attachment_141467" align="aligncenter" width="525"] FILIPINO-JAPANESE ELEMENTS: The Kimonoterno, a combination of two national dresses[/caption] Advocating Filipino craftsmanship: When talking to my Japanese peers, most of them do not really have an idea of what the Philippine fashion scene is like. I think it’s always worth talking about how much talent and skill our craftsmen and designers have, as well as our very rich culture and heritage. I’ve always wanted to share this aspect of the Philippines here in Japan and I believe the best way to do it is to, just do: Put out works, talk about Philippine fashion, promote my Filipino friends’ brands to Japanese friends. Empowering marginalized women: Though charity is altruistic and wonderful, it’s still a temporary fix to deep-seated social issues. I think the best way to uplift less-privileged communities is to connect and cultivate new groups where everyone can share their skills and experiences for the betterment of everyone involved. Through a referral of Allesandra Gutierrez, currently based in the Philippines, I was given the privilege to work with Fashion Innovative Businesses for the Environment, Reformation and Sustainability, a collective actively moving across countries in Southeast Asia -- from the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. I likewise connected with Pamela Mejia who spearheads a communal project that empowers marginalized women through needlework and other crafts. [caption id="attachment_141468" align="aligncenter" width="525"] IN HER WORLD: Pamela on a business trip in Tokyo[/caption] Advice to aspiring fashion designers: Being a designer is not a race. It’s a discipline that you hone over the years through practice, coupled with a lot of research. Stay grounded, remain eager to learn, try to look outwards, not inwards. See the world and think of what you can offer. Otherwise, we’re just creating more landfill. The post Filipina fashion designer carves a name in Osaka appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu welcomes new Customs provincial chief
The Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu has welcomed its new district collector, Ciriaco DG Ugay, who has an extensive experience in Customs administration as he began his career in the agency as a Customs police. Prior to his appointment, Ugay was deputy collector of the Subport of Mactan from 2006-2013 then district collector of the Ports of Iloilo, Subic and Surigao. “Transparency and professionalism are the pillars of effective customs operations. Let us practice honesty and integrity in all our dealings and ensure that our operations are carried out with utmost efficiency. I want everyone to work as one team,” said Ugay, during his meeting with the Port of Cebu’s staff and employees. As Iloilo district collector, he surpassed its monthly target collections from January to April 2023 and now, his challenge is to surpass its target collection of Cebu of P56 billion as against P38 billion in 2022. Ugay replaced Atty. Elvira Cruz, who was reassigned as district collector of the Port of Clark. In his second day in office, Ugay conducted an ocular inspection of the new port facility at the Cebu South Harbor Container Terminal Corporation in Talisay City. The facility is scheduled to start operations next month and has a capacity to handle approximately 5,000 TEUs of containers. This development will enhance the Port’s revenue collection and alleviate container congestion at the Cebu International Port. The post Cebu welcomes new Customs provincial chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Time doesn’t heal’: Ukraine’s war widows count the cost
Olga Slyshyk began to fear the worst in January this year when her husband, Mykhailo, a military engineer serving on the front line in eastern Ukraine, didn't contact her on her birthday. It wasn't unusual for the 40-year-old trained lawyer to be offline for days at a time, but Slyshyk knew he would reach out -- one way or another -- on January 14 if he was alive and well. "I was sure he would call or find some way to congratulate me. But I had had a very bad dream and I already knew something was wrong," she told AFP in Kyiv wearing black and holding her two-year-old son Viktor. "On January 15, I found out he had died." More than one year after Moscow invaded, Slyshyk is among a growing number of women widowed by Russian forces and left to count the cost of Ukraine's determination to hold out and push Moscow's invasion back. Neither side has disclosed the exact figures of troops killed, though recently leaked US intelligence documents suggest as many as 17,500 Ukrainian servicemen have been lost. Slyshyk said a social media group for war widows she joined had more than 300 members after her husband was killed defending Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region, but it had doubled in size since. President Volodymyr Zelensky last August hosted widows and their children at an honors ceremony to reassure next of kin their loved ones' sacrifice had not been in vain. "They will remain forever at battle. But they live on in the memory of their relatives," he said, greeting mourning women and their children one by one. Thirty-year-old Slyshyk, who was born in Mariupol -- a port city besieged and captured by Russian forces last spring -- said she often evokes the memory of her killed husband. "All the time. Both in my head and aloud. I'll be unable to open a tin can, weeping from frustration, and I cry out: 'Misha, I'm not even able to do this' and then suddenly, it opens." Daria Mazur, 41, said she learned of her husband's death in 2014 from graphic pictures of his bloodied corpse published on Russian media after fierce fighting with Kremlin-backed separatists. He was killed while withdrawing from Ilovaisk, an infamous and costly chapter of the conflict for Ukraine that saw hundreds killed that August as Kyiv troops pulled back in the face of advancing pro-Russian forces. "Time does not heal. You just get used to it. You accept it. You learn to live with it. And that pain just becomes a part of you," she told AFP in her kitchen in Kyiv, next to pictures showing her husband smiling with their child in his arms. They met on a beach in 2006, fell in love and married in 2010 in the southern region of Kherson, where Mazur fled from when Russia invaded last February. Her hometown is currently occupied by Russian forces. She said her final conversations with her husband, Pavlo, who was 30 when he was killed, betrayed a sense of foreboding. He knew the situation was precarious. "He told me: 'please promise me that no matter what happens to me, you will be happy,'" she recounted to AFP. "These guys are giving their lives so we can live on," she added, referring to Ukrainian servicemen fighting now. It was precisely this need to go on that pushed Oksana Borkun, who also lost her husband to the Russian invasion, to create "We Have to Live," an organization that supports widows -- the same group that Slyshyk joined. Borkun said that while the government offers financial and psychological support, she wanted to go a step further. "The girls face a huge amount of pain. You can say it's possible to go crazy from it. Life is going on around you, and you want to talk to those who understand." The organization gathers money for widows, offers logistical and moral support, too, but chiefly it provides a platform -- mainly online -- for already nearly one thousand widows country-wide to share. For Slyshyk, her husband's family has proven a stronger pillar of support than her own. Her mother, who is also a widow of two years, lives in Donetsk, a pro-Russian stronghold city captured by separatists in 2014 and does not support Ukraine in the war. The fact they have both lost their husbands has not brought them together, she said. Months after Mykhailo's death, Slyshyk is torn when weighing whether his sacrifice was worth it. "He said he was going there for me and Viktor," she recounted, explaining her husband believed Ukraine had no choice but to fight back and win. "But if you want me to be safe, to be ok, I need you by my side, not somewhere else," she added, swallowing back tears. "For now, I'm emotionally conflicted". The post ‘Time doesn’t heal’: Ukraine’s war widows count the cost appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Read: Read!
In anticipation for World Book Day, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the Embassy of Spain and Intramuros Administration invite visitors on 22 April (from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) to Instituto Cervantes de Manila in Intramuros to enjoy a bevy of activities promoting the joy of reading. From fiction to non-fiction, poetry to prose, thousands of books will be gathered around Instituto Cervantes’ premises in Intramuros. Día del Libro will feature Manila’s top bookstores and publishing houses that will be selling a wide array of books with 20-percent discount. Following the tradition in Spain, every book purchase comes with a free rose. Apart from the book market, visitors to Día del Libro will be treated to poetry recitals, free Spanish classes, book presentations, street art, games, exhibits, storytelling sessions, and Spanish food. First introduced in Manila by Instituto Cervantes in 2006, the tradition of Día del Libro began in Barcelona, Spain. The tradition is celebrated on St. George’s Day (23 April), during which Spanish people exchange roses and books. This date also honors two of history’s greatest writers—Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare—who coincidentally died on the same day, 23 April 1616. These significant incidents prompted Unesco to declare 23 April as “World Book and Copyright Day” to instill the love of reading among the youth and promote respect for the rights of authors over their works. April is also the birth month of the classic Filipino poet Francisco Balagtas. To honor him, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts declared April as National Literature Month. In the spirit of this year’s celebration, Unesco has chosen the theme “Read for the Future” to emphasize the role of books in shaping our collective future. In a world that is constantly changing, books provide us with the knowledge and imagination to navigate the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. In this edition, to commemorate the Day of Miguel de Cervantes, Instituto Cervantes is challenging visitors to join a Quixotic attempt: to handwrite Don Quixote de La Mancha. The final hand-written book will be deposited in the Library of Instituto Cervantes. People interested in taking part in the writing of Don Quijote can join on the same day with no prior registration. Participants in the handwriting chain will receive a rose. Through the 2nd Recital of Filhispanic Poetry, Instituto Cervantes is inviting poetry lovers to recite verses written in Spanish by Filipino poets. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet authors who will be signing their works. Among the writers who will be signing copies are Jessica Zafra, Charlson Ong, Wilfredo Liangco, Katrina Martin, Kannika Claudine D. Peña, or Vince Groyon. Día del Libro is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines and Intramuros Administration. Admission to all Día del libro activities is free. The post Read: Read! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Allianz backs Olympics, Paralympics
Allianz officially began its eight-year worldwide partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Movements on Jan. 1, building on a collaboration with the Paralympic Movement since 2006......»»
Allianz begins 8-year worldwide Olympic, Paralympic partnership
Munich---Allianz officially began its eight-year worldwide partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Movements on Jan. 1, building on a collaboration with the Paralympic Movement since 2006......»»
Things You Didnt Know About Rhian Ramos
RHIAN RAMOS or legally known as Rhian Denise Ramos Howell has been gracing the covers of nationwide magazines even before her debut as an actress and endorser. Although she began her acting career in 2006, she already blessed our eyes and captured our hearts during her first magazine cover with Candy Magazine in 2004. From […] The post Things You Didnt Know About Rhian Ramos appeared first on Pinoy Parazzi......»»
Reflecting on Your Business Setbacks
Challenges are an inevitable part of any endeavor, especially a business one. From unforeseen economic shifts to internal operational hurdles, every business owner will inevitably face obstacles that test their resolve. As we live in a fast-paced world, we sometimes forget about looking back, and what better time to do it than the Holy Week? […].....»»
Marvin hell-bent on punching way to Paris Olympics
Not to take part, but to take over......»»
RCBC to surrender trust license
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) is looking to surrender its license to engage in trust and other fiduciary business as part of its efforts to make RCBC Trust Corp. a stand-alone trust entity......»»
Fisherfolk raise alarm over demolition of Navotas City fishing structures
“Affected fisherfolk and other residents ‘highly believe’ that the dismantling order is part of the 650-hectare reclamation project in the area.” The post Fisherfolk raise alarm over demolition of Navotas City fishing structures appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
‘Oplan Harabas’ starts
THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Davao Region (PDEA-Davao) has started its surprise drug test on bus and van drivers under “Oplan Harabas”, part of Oplan Biyaheng Ayos, on Tuesday morning, March 26, 2024......»»