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DENR suspends protected area accord with Socorro village
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga yesterday ordered the suspension of the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement of the controversial Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. in Sitio Kapihan in Socorro town, Surigao del Norte amid various allegations against the group, including child marriage in the hillside community......»»
Lawyer disbarred after refusing child support
The Supreme Court has disbarred a lawyer after refusing to provide child support. The high bench said the protection of women and children extends to the cleansing of the ranks of lawyers with the audacity to evade the duty to support one’s family and who violate court directives, including those who unlawfully conceal properties beyond the reach of their families and the courts. Sitting en banc, the Supreme Court in a Per Curiam Decision, imposed the supreme penalty of disbarment on then Atty. Wilfredo A. Ruiz for economic and emotional abuse; gross immorality; committing falsehood and exploiting court processes; unduly delaying a case; impeding the execution of a judgment; and misusing court processes. In 2008, AAA sued her husband, then Atty. Ruiz, for violation of Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (AntiVAWC Law). AAA accused Ruiz of inflicting on her physical violence, emotional stress, and economic abuse by depriving her and her children of support. She also applied for a Permanent Protection Order granted by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court granted the PPO, which included a directive to Ruiz to provide AAA and their children, BBB and CCC, support equivalent to 50 percent of his income. His employers were thus directed to withhold and automatically remit directly such amount to AAA. Despite the said directive in the PPO, however, Ruiz still failed to provide for his family. This prompted AAA to enforce the PPO, resulting in the issuance by the RTC of a writ of execution in 2013. But Ruiz continued to refuse to provide support even with the writ of execution from the RTC. The RTC also had difficulty enforcing the writ of execution as Ruiz could not be found on the five different addresses he provided the Court. Ruiz also attempted to hide his earnings and properties by executing an agreement with Radelia C. Sy, a woman he was living in with as his common-law spouse. The post Lawyer disbarred after refusing child support appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fear no China
One could find reason to disagree with the view that a warship of the Philippine Navy at Ayungin Shoal had been deliberately run aground as a “symbol of Philippine sovereignty over that area.” The ongoing word war between Beijing and Manila only strains diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation through confrontational media hype over deference to China as the “natural leader of the Third World.” A few well-defined observations may be drawn and serious questions may be raised. China’s averment of the Philippines’ commitment to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, beached the past 24 years, and the latter’s refusal since it never expressed any commitment to do so only aggravates the growing tension that has hogged the headlines recently and instilled an ideological clash of world views. Wasn’t there a “bilateral code of conduct” signed to put to rest such a dispute or conflict, at least in the case of Mischief Reef? Call to mind that in November 1995, Chinese President Jiang and President Fidel V. Ramos, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Osaka, reportedly discussed the joint development of marine resources in the disputed regions. Ramos also proposed an “interim solution” where “each littoral state assumes stewardship over the sea closest to it without prejudice to the sovereignty claims.” In fact, when a new Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States was signed in 1999, the Philippines practically shelved its plans to strengthen its fortifications in the Spratlys. Whereas China would want the Sierra Madre removed to bring Ayungin Shoal back to its unoccupied state, an irreverent National Security Council official only amplified the rhetoric by saying that such removal is tantamount to “abandoning our sovereign rights and jurisdiction over West Philippine Sea.” It must invite a congressional review as to whether or not — using the same ploy at Scarborough Shoal — another Philippine Navy ship (LST 507) was towed away when the China Coast Guard made a veiled threat to blow it up. It becomes understandable why the China Coast Guard that monitors its claim over the South China Sea deems in accordance with “maintaining China’s ‘national face’ on the world stage” its response to Philippine vessels on a resupply mission to the Sierra Madre. China also believes that the “introduction of third-party forces will only complicate the situation,” its reference to the G7 (US, UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Germany) — consequent to President Benigno Aquino’s unilateral move “to humiliate China before the global public.” Note that Chinese nationalism cannot be undermined as the prime mover behind its tough stance against “recalcitrant neighbors” (e.g. Vietnam). The truth is that we failed to reach a level of “bilateral harmony” with China’s rise, a thing that Malaysia has done so effortlessly. If scholars are to be believed, the dynamics in play differ, viz., Malaysian politicians aim at giving face to China while Filipino politicians actively aim at destroying China’s public image to the pitch of a “global flashpoint.” Still, it’s best not to miss the forest for the trees. It sounds like a child’s game for the country’s national security official to unabashedly dismiss as a “figment of the imagination” the statement made by China’s envoy of a purported Philippine commitment to tow its grounded navy vessel from Ayungin. The dilapidated hulk is in a dismal state — gaping holes, corroded decks, unseaworthy, even worse than a decommissioned ship. How can you call that a “symbol of Philippine sovereignty?” Wherever these unfolding developments lead, the absolute fact remains that there is no single navy, marine, or soldier that the China Coast Guard has killed. If the Sino-Malaysian relationship resulted in highly profitable bilateral relations over the past four decades, why don’t we reconfigure Philippine threat perceptions of China precisely “to deny any external power’s hegemonial grip on the regional order,” as scholars suggest? Ought we follow what Brantly Womack describes as the “positive equilibrium between asymmetrical neighbors,” as well as Malaysia did? Perhaps let’s write new laws, draw new maps, then build installations over our territorial claims?” The post Fear no China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Call of Duty’ to remain on Playstation
Tech giants Microsoft and Sony reached a deal to keep releasing the popular "Call of Duty" video games on the Playstation game console, Microsoft announced Sunday. Microsoft, the owner of the rival Xbox console, moved to acquire game studio Activision Blizzard -- which produces "Call of Duty" -- in January 2022. That move sparked fears of consolidation in the gaming industry, leading US and British regulators to hold up the finalization of the acquisition. Sunday's "binding agreement" means that "Call of Duty" games will continue to be released on both the Xbox and the Sony Playstation. "We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard," tweeted Microsoft's gaming head Phil Spencer. "From Day One of this acquisition, we’ve been committed to addressing the concerns of regulators, platform and game developers, and consumers," said Microsoft President Brad Smith. "Even after we cross the finish line for this deal’s approval, we will remain focused on ensuring that 'Call of Duty' remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before." In December, ahead of the merger, Spencer had announced that Microsoft was committed to bringing "Call of Duty" to Nintendo, another console maker, following the completion of the acquisition. Sony had previously sought to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which also produces mega-hits "Candy Crush" and "World of Warcraft." The acquisition would make Microsoft the third biggest company in the gaming industry, in terms of revenue, behind Tencent and Sony. The post ‘Call of Duty’ to remain on Playstation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chona Mejia Lopez: tireless club woman
I recently interviewed Angelina “Chona” Lopez, a dear friend whose daughter, Bettina Osmeña, is as much a dear friend of mine, and the grandmother of, yes, another chum, Eduardo Lopez, a champion polo player. I have had the opportunity to see Chona on many social occasions, a number having to do with her involvement in the Zonta International. A long time ago, I worked for a club woman who was hosting the awarding ceremonies of the Best Asian Leaders. At one point of the program, I realized that the person assigned to give the flowers to the honoree had not arrived, so I was in a quandary as to who I should ask to do the honors. Then, I saw Chona, who sat quietly in one corner, happy being part of the audience, and asked her if she would go up the stage later to hand over the bouquet. She smiled and said that she couldn’t do it because “I may be performing a role that is intended for someone else.” I had no time to think of her answer but, later, I realized this was one lady who knew her manners and protocol. In what I would learn as her typically gracious way, she told me she could not do it, while reminding me that someone should be up there on the stage, and not she. Talk about propriety and grace and Chona Mejia Lopez comes to my mind to this day. Of course, here is one lady who does not care about any opportunity to shine. Almost self-effacing but simply relaxed and unmindful of attention, Chona remains in my book to be one of the sweetest ladies of Manila’s 400. I wish there were more women like her! Networking Recently, I had a brief tete-a-tete with the ageless Chona. As our conversation geared toward her involvement in civic work, I asked her why she joined Zonta, originally a club for professional women. Or, for that matter, why did she join clubs at all? Her response: “I join clubs for various reasons. As a minority Asian woman working in the United States as a financial advisor at Prudential Bache, I joined the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco as a way of networking. Prudential Bache was then the third largest investment house in the world. After a few years as a member of the chamber, I was elected as the first woman president in the 20-year history of the chamber. Its membership was made up of top executives of US companies with presence in the Philippines, such as Bechtel, Bank of American, Citibank, Dole Foods, etc., and Filipinos working in top level positions in San Francisco. “But business networking is just one aspect of joining clubs. I also join as a way of giving back to society or serving the less fortunate. While living in San Francisco, California, I joined The Little Jim Club, a non-profit fund-raising auxiliary for Child Development Services of the California Pacific Medical Center. The main objective of the club is to support orthopedic and other medical services for children of indigent families who do not have medical insurance coverage. Eventually, I became a director of the club, whose members are women movers and shakers of San Francisco society.” 'I do club work to have a meaningful life, a purpose for my existence. We are here not just to indulge ourselves but to help others.' “When I returned to the Philippines after 11 years living in California, I joined the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs Foundation. It is part of Zonta International, a leading global organization of professionals whose main objective is to advocate for women’s rights and to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy. After two years of joining the club, I was elected as a director, and the following biennium, I became president of the club. I was later on elected as Area 5 director, with 19 clubs under my supervision. I have been a member for 19 years now.” Scholarship She next talked about the Zonta projects that she is so passionate about. She said, “The three projects of Zonta Club of Makati and Environs that are closest to my heart are the DUYAN project in Marillac Hills, which provides psychological care and assistance to minors who are victims of sexual abuse. Another project is our 30 unit Zonta-GK Village in Taguig, It provided funds for building homes for 30 indigent families. This was a project during my term as president of our club. The pride of having a decent home has had great impact on the lives of these 30 families. We also have an educational project that funds the scholarship of young women taking up male-dominated courses like engineering. This has greatly improved the lives of the scholars and their families when after graduation, they got employed in large corporations. Some are now gainfully employed in Europe.” While club work occupies much of her time, Chona knows her priorities. In their order, she said: “These are family, business and club work.” That she has kept to the last instead of enjoying life as a lady of leisure, she explained, “I do club work to have a meaningful life, a purpose for my existence. We are here not just to indulge ourselves but to help others. By joining a club, your job or position has clear-cut responsibilities, time set aside for meetings and project work, etc. It is a structured way of giving back to society which relieves me of the effort of thinking and planning how to do so.” “Because I am now in my rather late senior years, I am no longer as active and as busy as I have been the past 30 years. For the past five biennia, I was always appointed as chair of a district committee. I now devote my time more for the club, not in the district level anymore. Even in the club level, we have so many younger, active, dynamic and very efficient members so the older ones can relax a bit and guide the highly motivated younger ones to take over the reins of the club. The club is truly in good hands to continue Zonta’s work and mission in the next 10 years and beyond.” The post Chona Mejia Lopez: tireless club woman appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Garland denies Hunter Biden probe being interfered with
US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday denied allegations that the Justice Department interfered with an investigation of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. Prosecutors announced earlier this week that Hunter Biden had reached a plea deal on minor tax and gun charges with the US Attorney in his home state of Delaware. Hunter Biden is due to appear in court on 26 July after agreeing to plead guilty to two federal tax charges and admitting to illegally possessing a gun despite having a history of drug use. A whistleblower from the Internal Revenue Service alleged in testimony before the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee released this week that the Justice Department headed by Garland had slowed the probe into Hunter Biden. Garland, in remarks to reporters on Friday, noted that the US Attorney in Delaware, David Weiss, had been appointed by former President Donald Trump, a Republican. Garland said he personally had given Weiss the authority to continue his investigation into Hunter Biden and “prosecute any way in which he wanted to.” Joe Biden’s son is also facing one count of illegal possession of a firearm. “I don’t know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution given that he has this authority,” the attorney general said. “He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own.” Hunter Biden, 53, is the only surviving child of Joe Biden’s first marriage, which tragically ended in 1972 when his wife and baby daughter were killed in a car accident. Hunter Biden’s business dealings, especially during the time his father was vice president, have been a major target of Joe Biden’s political opponents, and continue to be probed by congressional Republicans. Hunter Biden became a regular focus of Trump’s attacks ahead of the November 2020 presidential election for his work in Ukraine and China. In his memoir, “Beautiful Things,” Hunter Biden insisted he has never done anything unethical and dismissed allegations that he displayed a lack of judgment by accepting a lucrative position on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was Barack Obama’s vice president. Under the plea agreement, Hunter Biden is unlikely to face prison time but will be sentenced to probation. According to the charges, Hunter Biden, a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist, failed to file his tax returns on time on earnings of more than $1.5 million for 2017 and 2018. In both years, he owed more than $100,000 in taxes on those earnings. Hunter Biden is also facing one count of “possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.” Hunter Biden has admitted having drug problems in the past and detailed his struggles with crack cocaine in his 2021 memoir, released months after his father took office. Hunter Biden and his wife attended a state dinner at the White House on Thursday for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Asked about his attendance at the event, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “it is not uncommon for family members to attend events at the White House.” The post Garland denies Hunter Biden probe being interfered with appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive
Four Indigenous children who had been missing for more than a month in the Colombian Amazon rainforest were found alive and flown to the capital Bogota early Saturday. The children, who survived a small plane crash in the jungle, were transported by army medical plane to a military airport at around 00:30 am Saturday (0530 GMT). They were immediately taken off the plane on stretchers with ambulances waiting to bring them to hospital. "Today we have had a magical day," President Gustavo Petro told the media earlier on Friday, after announcing their rescue. "They are weak. Let's let the doctors make their assessment," he added. The president had posted a photo on Twitter showing several adults, some dressed in military fatigues, tending to the children as they sat on tarps in the jungle. One rescuer held a bottle to the mouth of the smallest child, whom he held in his arms. "A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle were found alive," he wrote on Twitter. Video shared by the Defense Ministry late Friday showed the children being pulled up into a helicopter as it hovered over the tall trees in almost complete darkness. Originally from the Huitoto Indigenous group, the children -- aged 13, nine, four and one -- had been wandering alone in the jungle since May 1, when the Cessna 206 in which they were traveling crashed. The pilot had reported engine problems only minutes after taking off from a jungle area known as Araracuara on the 350-kilometer (217-mile) journey to the town of San Jose del Guaviare. The bodies of the pilot, the children's mother and a local Indigenous leader were all found at the crash site, where the plane sat almost vertical in the trees. Officials said that the group had been fleeing threats from members of an armed group. A massive search involving 160 soldiers and 70 Indigenous people with intimate knowledge of the jungle was launched after the crash, garnering global attention. The area is home to jaguars, snakes and other predators, as well as armed drug smuggling groups, but ongoing clues -- footprints, a diaper, half-eaten fruit -- led authorities to believe they were on the right track. Worried that the children would continue wandering and become ever more difficult to locate, the air force dumped 10,000 flyers into the forest with instructions in Spanish and the children's own Indigenous language, telling them to stay put. The leaflets also included survival tips, and the military dropped food parcels and bottled water. Rescuers had also been broadcasting a message recorded by the children's grandmother, urging them not to move. According to the military, rescuers found the children about five kilometers (three miles) west of the crash site. 'Absolute survival' Huitoto children learn hunting, fishing and gathering, and the kids' grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, had told AFP the children are well acquainted with the jungle. News of the rescue came as Petro returned home from Cuba, where he signed a six-month truce with Colombia's last active guerrilla group, the ELN. "Getting closer and attaining peace in the agreement that is moving forward with the ELN... And now I return and the first news is that indeed the Indigenous communities that were in the search and the military forces found the children 40 days later," he told reporters in Bogota. "They were alone, they made it on their own. An example of absolute survival that will go down in history," he said. Seventeen days after the children went missing, Petro announced that they had been found alive, but he retracted the statement a day later, saying he had been given false information. On Friday, he praised "the effective coordination between the military and the Indigenous people" during the search, saying it was an "example of an alliance for the country to follow." Valencia told AFP that the children had been found by a native of Araracuara who had been participating in the search. Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez paid tribute to the various army units' "unshakeable and tireless" work, as well as to the Indigenous people who took part in the search. Army rescuers "immediately took charge of and stabilized" the four siblings, who were transferred to San Jose del Guaviare, according The post Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia says repels attack on border as three killed in Kyiv
Moscow said Thursday it thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to penetrate its southwestern border as it pounded Kyiv with missiles, killing three including a child. The Ukrainian capital has faced nearly nightly air raids in May, and an unusual daytime attack on Monday that sent residents running for shelter. As Kyiv deployed its air defences against a fresh volley of Russian missiles, Moscow said it pushed back an attempt by Ukrainian troops to invade its southwestern Belgorod region at about 3:00 am local (0000 GMT). "Overall, the attack involved up to 70 militants, five tanks, four armoured vehicles, seven pickup trucks and a Kamaz truck," the Russian defence ministry said in the evening, reporting at least three attempted crossings. It said it used air force and artillery to repel the attacks, killing more than 50 Ukrainian fighters. The Belgorod region, which saw an unprecedented two-day armed incursion last week, has come under intensified fire in the past days. Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said 12 people had been wounded in the previous 24 hours in the district of Shebekino, whose residents poured into centres for displaced people in Belgorod city. "There are many families with children, including infants and disabled people. We will try to provide them with as much care as possible," Belgorod mayor Valentin Demidov said. Two people were wounded in the city when a drone crashed near a petrol station, Demidov said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was being constantly informed of the situation. "The main question now is to provide assistance to people, and support resettlement for those who need it," he added. Peskov also denounced the silence from the international community over the strikes. Despite "every opportunity to see the footage describing strikes on residential buildings, social infrastructure... there is not a single word criticising Kyiv," Peskov said. Russia has seen repeated attacks on its soil, with a drone attack in Moscow last week. After at least eight drones were used in that attack, the Russian foreign ministry accused the West of "pushing the Ukrainian leadership towards increasingly reckless acts." Ukraine has denied "direct involvement." Moscow's latest attack on Kyiv began just before 3 a.m. local time when missiles were fired from Russia's Bryansk region. Ukraine's air force said it intercepted and destroyed all 10 missiles. Three people, including a nine-year-old child, were killed in Kyiv's northeastern Desnyanskyi district as a result of falling rocket fragments. Another 16 people were wounded. The husband of one of the victims, Yaroslav Ryabchuk, said the shelter where they routinely hid from Russian strikes was closed on Thursday, and he ran to seek help. "When I came back there was a lot of blood, children and women were lying there. There were screams and dust," he told AFP. "Nothing matters any more," he said, adding his children have been "left without a mother." Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the three people were killed when a fragment of a rocket fell close to a clinic as they ran for cover after an air raid alert. "A closed shelter in wartime is not just indifference, it is a crime," said Interior Minister Igor Klymenko, adding that an investigation had been opened. In a press conference in Moldova, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said people would be "held responsible" for the closed shelter. Moscow says that it only targets military installations in Ukraine. Meanwhile the UN secretary-general's office on Thursday expressed concern over a drop in Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea, citing the "specter of food inflation". A crucial agreement allowing Ukrainian grain to reach the global market despite Moscow's invasion was renewed again in May but for only two months. "We are concerned about the continuous slowdown of the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "In May, 33 vessels departed Ukrainian ports, half of the number compared to April." He linked part of the slowdown to Russian demands that its own exports of fertilizer components be freed up despite strict sanctions. The post Russia says repels attack on border as three killed in Kyiv appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Taj Mahal’ of Negros Occidental
“Ancient ruins,” said Mary Jo Arnoldi, chair of the anthropology department at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, “give us a connection to the past that’s visceral. This was a real place, and you can walk through it.” This could be why Raymund Javellana, the man who wanted The Ruins, which is listed by oddee.com as “one 12 most fascinating ruins of the world,” restored to its former glory. The Ruins was a mansion built in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. “I am so glad that it was not destroyed completely. With the blessings of The Lord, we were able to restore the mansion itself. I challenge people who keep on destroying the old structures to please stop and make some good use of it,” Javellana said when he accepted the award for The Ruins as Best Destination (Heritage Sites category) at the first Choose Philippines Awards in 2016. Javellana is the great-grandson of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, the Negrense sugar baron who built the mansion for love. How the mansion came to be Love, goes a famous song, comes from the most unexpected places. This is what happened to Mariano Ledesma Lacson, a sugar baron from Negros. The most-sought after bachelor was visiting Hong Kong with a friend when he met Maria Braga, a Portuguese lady from Macau and daughter of a ship captain. Smitten by her beauty, he courted her earnestly until she said yes. To make the long story short, they got married and he brought her to his ancestral house in Talisay, where they raised their family together. Children came after one another: Victoria, Rafael (who later became the governor of Negros Occidental), Mercedes, Natividad, Sofia, Felipe (who became a mayor of Talisay), Consolacion, Angelina, Ramon and Eduardo. Maria was pregnant with their 11th child when she slipped in the bathroom. She was bleeding; her condition was so precarious that traveling outside of the house was out of question. Mariano summoned some of his men to get a resident doctor from a nearby town. He told them to use a horse-drawn carriage, then the fastest mode of transportation. It was the 1920s and it took two days to traverse the various sugar farms to Silay. By the time the doctor arrived, on the fourth day, Maria and her child were dead. Mariano was so devastated, he went into a depression for a time m. Yet knowing he still had children needing his attention, he began to focus instead on building a house in memory of his beloved wife. He consulted his father-in-law about the idea, who fully supported his plans. Being a ship captain, he brought in many items from Europe and China — ranging from machuca or handmade custom cement tiles, chandeliers and china wares. He even brought with him some construction workers from China just to help build the mansion. A local builder was entrusted to make the design and building specifications. Mariano asked his son Felipe to supervise the project and ensure an A-grade mixture of concrete was precisely poured. The marble-like effect of high-grade concrete can be felt by touching the posts and walls of what remains now of the mansion. The entire property has a floor area of 900 square meters: 450 sq.m. upstairs and the same on the lower ground. Ten rooms occupied the mansion: eight for children, a Master’s bedroom and a family room. The house was of Italianate architecture as evidenced by its neo-Romanesque columns all around. “Since the engineer was a Filipino, it is believed the design came from that of Maria’s ancestral mansion which was given by her father to Mariano as sample,” an inflight magazine said. “The imprimatur of Maria’s father, a ship captain, is now clear from the shell-inspired décor all around the top edges of the mansion – the same ones that identified the homes of ship captains in New England at that time.” It took about three years to finish the Don Mariano Lacson Mansion. Because it was built out of a husband’s devotion to his wife, Javellana likens it to the Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife. The initials engraved on every post of the mansion — two Ms facing each other — stand for Mariano and Maria. [caption id="attachment_134716" align="aligncenter" width="525"] The two M's facing each other stand for Mariano and Maria.[/caption] At that time, the mansion was the largest residential structure ever built in the area. It was constructed at the center of a 440-hectare farm. The Lacson family lived in the mansion happily, but it was not “ever after” as Japanese forces invaded the country in December 1941 after Japan’s declaration of war upon the United States, which controlled the Philippines at the time and possessed important military bases. In anticipation of the war, the Lacson family fled their home. They left behind all their furniture, china wares, home décor and some personal belongings, locked up the place and left a caretaker to watch over the mansion. The soldiers of the US Armed Forces in the Far East came to the place. Sensing that it might be used as headquarters of the Japanese troops, it was decided that it would be burned just like other big houses in the area. While it took three years to build the mansion, it took only three days to consume all of its roofs, ceilings, two-inch wooden floors, doors and windows, which were all made of hardwood of tindalo, narra and kamagong. Still, the three-day inferno was not able to flatten the whole mansion. Thanks to its oversize steel bars and the meticulous way of pouring A-grade mixture of concrete, the skeletal frame remains. The four-tiered fountain in front of what remains of the mansion makes it a perfect replica of the ancient homes with spacious gardens – like those you see in the old city of Savannah, Georgia in the United States. Joy Gallera Malaga, an independent writer who visited the place, wrote: “And most likely you would appreciate the mansion even if it was already reduced to its skeletal frame, or maybe it is its present condition that adds to its character and beauty. That’s the charm of old structures; it invites you to engage in an experience just by being there, getting to know it better through the stories it continues to tell.” [caption id="attachment_134715" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Water fountain.[/caption] Love and legacy Filipinos would have never seen The Ruins – which was abandoned for 67 years! – had it not been for Javellana. He is the son of Ramon, who was the son of Mercedes, the daughter of Mariano. Raymund had a travel agency in Manila when his mother requested him to come back to Negros and help her manage their sugar plantations. He now settles in Silay but in one of his trips to Talisay, he saw the abandoned mansion, which is located in Hacienda Sta. Maria. He decided to make it one of the province’s tourist attractions. Although people were not too keen about the idea, Javellana pursued his plans. In January 2008, he opened The Ruins to the public. People flocked to the place. Aside from being a tourist attraction, The Ruins is fast becoming a favorite venue for weddings and photo shoots. It was a good Javellana, inspired by his father and their forebears, kept his dream alive, never giving up on it. That’s love. The post ‘Taj Mahal’ of Negros Occidental appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan NGO taps Cavite agri-coop for nutrition drive
A Cavite's province-based agricultural cooperative is now a partner of a Taiwan non-government organization giving nutritional help to children and mothers here in the country. The Tres Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers Association Inc. will now regularly supply The Taiwan Fund for Children and Families with the required agricultural products for their child care program, which aims to improve maternal, infant and child nutrition in the Philippines. James Arthur T. Dubongco, Cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, said this was a result of the marketing agreement facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform-Cavite and signed between Danilo Arnes, President of the Tres ARBs Farmers Association Inc., and Kai Li Chang, TFCF Philippines Branch Director. TFCF is an international non-governmental organization that provides support to vulnerable children and their families, which has its main headquarters in Taichung, Taiwan and its corresponding Philippine branch in Mandaluyong. TFCF has been established in Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Swaziland, Vietnam, Cambodia, Jordan and the Philippines, providing various welfare services and programs with the local government units to help poor children, youth and families. Dubongco said the project was implemented to support the government’s commitment and responsibility of ensuring ready markets for the agricultural products of agrarian reform beneficiaries. The project is aligned with the national goal of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to improve the lives of the farmers, he added. Based on the agreement, the association will supply the TFCF with harvested agricultural products such root crops, fruits and vegetables. “This partnership has assured the ARBs of the association of a steady market for their products and opened opportunities to further expose their products to other target buyers,” said Dubongco. Arnes thanked the TFCF for the marketing agreement that was made possible through the DAR. “The TFCF will get a supply of fresh vegetables at a reasonable price, which will eventually make the earnings of the association and its ARB members bigger,” Arnes said. The post Taiwan NGO taps Cavite agri-coop for nutrition drive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NEDA greenlights RCEP tariff sked
Following the deposit of the Instrument of Ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP agreement to the Secretary-General of ASEAN last 3 April 2023, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan announced that the National Economic and Development Authority Board has approved the Executive Order operationalizing the Philippines’ tariff commitment under RCEP. Balisacan was joined by Trade Secretary Fred Pascual Balisacan was in a press briefing in Malacañang on Thursday with Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual during which the latter said the RCEP agreement will enter into force for the Philippines, 60 days from said deposit of the instrument of ratification and that date of effectivity will be on 2 June 2023. “In the issuance of the EO that we presented to the NEDA Board Meeting this morning, said EO will operationalize the implementation of the Philippines tariff commitments under the RCEP agreement. Once issued, the EO shall be the basis of the Bureau of Customs for the issuance of a Customs Administrative Order which shall be distributed to all ports to allow for the implementation of the preferential tariffs on e-ports from RCEP member countries,” Pascual said. Issuance of the EO implements the Philippines’ schedule of tariff commitments pursuant to a provision in the Republic Act that created the Customs Modern Tariff Act or CMTA. “This section provides that the President shall, upon recommendation of the NEDA Board, modify import duties including any necessary change in classification and other import restrictions as required appropriate to carry out and promote foreign trade with other countries,” the Trade Secretary said. EO draft endorsed Earlier, the Joint Cabinet Committee endorsed the draft of the EO subject to Senate concurrence and the EO presented for endorsement to the NEDA Board on Thursday, which will implement Annexes A to F –the meat of the EO, Annexes A to F of the Philippine schedule of tariff commitments under RCEP agreement. Essentially, Pascual said the EO will maintain current preferential tariffs on about 98.1 percent of the 1,718 agricultural tariff lines and 82.7 percent of the 8,102 industrial tariff lines. Of the 1,685 agricultural tariff lines, retained at current rates 1,426 tariff lines are maintained at zero while 154 tariff lines will remain in their respective most favored nation rates and excluded from any tariff concession. For his part, Balisacan said the NEDA Board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is also geared to greenlight the recommendation for the Social Protection Floor or SPF endorsed by the Cabinet-level of the Social Development Committee. Improve initiatives “These recommendations aim to institutionalize and improve the government’s current initiatives that cater to the needs of the most vulnerable Filipinos,” Balisacan told reporters. Explaining the SPF, which refers to a nationally defined set of basic social security guarantees that aim to prevent or alleviate poverty vulnerability and social exclusion, Balisacan said it is comprised of four basic guarantees covering the entire life cycle: health (including maternity care), children, active age, and older persons. The SPF for health advocates for the complete implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC) to ensure that all individuals have access to adequate and accessible healthcare services, the NEDA chief said. On the other hand, the SPF for children includes initiatives aimed at providing access to child nutrition, education, and care, while the SPF for active age compromises initiatives that support Filipinos who are unable to earn sufficient income, including those who are part of the informal economy. The SPF for children recommends enhancing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, conducting a supplemental feeding program, addressing teenage pregnancy, providing children special protection, and extending healthcare and mental health support and other services. The SPF for older persons, on the other hand, aims to extend social assistance and social pension programs to senior citizens. The post NEDA greenlights RCEP tariff sked appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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