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Philippine sports body allays fears of Olympic, Asiad, SEA Games ban
Fears of a potential ban from participating in the Olympics, Asian and Southeast Asian Games were quashed by the Philippine Sports Commission, saying it has adhered to what were required by the World Anti-Doping Agency and close to completing everything it was asked for......»»
‘I couldn’t breathe’: Seoul crowd crush survivor writes to heal
Kim Cho-long escaped death by chance last October -- pulled from packed streets in South Korea's capital by a friend, as those around her were swept into an alley where 159 people later died in a crowd crush. Kim, 33, told AFP she'd been going to Halloween parties in Seoul's Itaewon district for years, but there were more people at the 2022 event -- the first post-pandemic celebration -- than she'd ever seen before. The crowd was so dense that she was quickly swept off her feet by the pressure, trapped and unable to breathe until her friend saw her and somehow managed to drag her into a nearby bar. "I was completely stuck in the crowd as I was pushed back and forth," said Kim, who has written a book about her Itaewon experience called "Am I a Disaster Survivor?" "The pressure first started from behind, and then pressure came from the front so hard that my feet were lifted off from the ground and I couldn't breathe." By chance, she was swept to the side of the street, and when her back hit a wall, she was able to catch her breath, before her friend saw her and pulled her out of the melee. With no police or official crowd control measures in sight -- an official investigation would later slam "massive failings" of preparation and response -- Kim said the confusion and chaos continued for hours, as she sheltered in a nearby bar with her friend. She had no idea what was happening or how close she had been to death. "I went out to the streets of Itaewon and saw people lying on the street receiving CPR. Ambulances were parked disorderly on the road and people were being taken away, but even then I didn't think that all those people were dead," she said. Writing to heal Kim walked for hours to get home, in a state of shock. "I couldn't sleep for two days. As if obsessed with something, I couldn't turn off the news on TV. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I only drank water and kept watching the news." Kim, a writer, struggled with feelings of survivor's guilt, and eventually, her therapist suggested that writing about her feelings might allow her to process what had happened. At first, she shared her writing only in private forums online, where she received overwhelmingly positive feedback, including from others who said it had helped them with their own Itaewon-linked trauma. After one of her posts went viral, local newspapers asked her to write for them, which she eventually agreed to -- but the reaction from the general public was overwhelmingly negative. "When it was released to the public, I did not receive comfort from the reactions I received. Personally, it was good as a way to release my feelings and it was helpful in relieving my depression," she said. Critics showered her with personal insults and told her she was spoiled and shouldn't have been out partying. But despite the onslaught of online attacks -- which are also aimed at families of victims campaigning for an independent inquiry into the disaster -- Kim remains positive. 'All survivors' "I believe that all citizens living in South Korea are survivors of the Itaewon disaster," she said. The police probe did not find any senior officials were to blame for the disaster, and none of the lower-level officials who are being prosecuted have yet been convicted or jailed. "Looking at this disaster from a survivor's point of view for a year, I don't think anything has been resolved and the truth has not been revealed legally, socially, or at any government level," Kim said. But her near-death experience has totally changed her view of society, for the better. "In the past, I never once imagined how bereaved families would live on. I thought it had nothing to do with me and it was none of my business," she said. "But now I realize it could have happened to me, and their pain could be mine someday. So I started to sympathize with them and took more interest in their lives." Kim, who hopes to have her book translated into English, said she plans to continue writing about what happened at Itaewon, to keep the memories of all the victims alive. "I will keep thinking hard about what I can do so that they are remembered for a long time." The post ‘I couldn’t breathe’: Seoul crowd crush survivor writes to heal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’ to combatting external threats
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday said the military organization needs to acquire modernized defense equipment and weapons so it can better protect and defend the country against any external threat. Aside from modernized weapons, Brawner also cited the need to equip soldiers with the resources and skills to prepare them for any challenges of fighting and neutralizing threats. Brawner said the AFP is also envisioning the creation of “citizen warriors” or recruiting more reservists that can be readily tapped during emergencies. “‘Yung taong bayan ay kailangang ihanda natin, tingnan nyo po yung nangyari sa Israel nung umatake yung Hamas, ang mga unang dumepensa sa bansa nila ay yung mga citizen warriors, yung mga reservists, yun din po ang gusto nating mangyari dito,” he said in an interview over the DZRH. “Gusto po natin talagang ihanda yung ating mga kababayan mga mamamayan for any eventuality whether it is man made or even natural,” he added. Asked if the AFP is ready for any external aggression, Brawner said: “When it comes to Filipinos’ fighting spirit, we number one, because for the longest time—we have been fighting for years, so we are one of the most fighters in the world so we just need modern equipment, modern weapons and that’s what we are doing in our modernization effort.” Brawner said an allocation of huge funds is needed to acquire more modern defense equipment and weapons. “Because really mahal po kasi yung mga kagamitan na kailangan natin but we have to invest in our defense kasi kung hindi po natin gagawin yan, kahit na anong gastos natin sa ibang mga bagay pero kung may mangyari man, kung may umatake sa atin mawawala lahat ito,” he added. Brawner earlier said the AFP is targeting to acquire “multi-role fighter aircraft, naval assets, command and control or C-2 systems, shore-based deterrent capabilities, submarines and the like” under the third Horizon of the AFP modernization program. The Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 up to 2028. Horizon 2 was undertaken from 2018 to 2022 and the Horizon 1 was pushed from 2013 to 2017. Brawner said such procurement tranches are designed to acquire equipment, weapons systems, and platforms geared at enhancing the external or territorial defense capability of the military organization. Among the platforms procured in the ongoing AFP Modernization Program include the S-70i "Black Hawk" combat utility helicopters, missile frigates, close air support aircraft, air defense surveillance radars, unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, corvettes, anti-submarine helicopters, light tanks, tactical radios, amphibious assault vehicles, civil engineering equipment, and modern pistols......»»
PSALM 75
Psalm chapter 75 opens with thanks to the Almighty God. It’s a prayer of gratitude. The words offer praises to God for all of His wonderful deeds. Sometimes life takes a dark turn, stunning you with a horrifying plot twist. It could be bad news about your health or your loved one’s health. It could be sudden unemployment or loss of income. The death of someone close to you. A heartbreak. The grief or anguish is so bad it’s like being thrown into a dark, endless, boundless sea. You try and stay afloat. Not a soul in sight. Just the vast, blackness of the ocean. Your face is above the water. The rest of your body? You cannot see. You have no idea what creatures lurk beneath the waters, ready to pull you in, to drown you or eat you alive. And you don’t know when the rescue boat will arrive. It is exhausting. You have lost all control. The physical, mental, emotional turmoil is getting worse by the hour. Such is the sensation I feel when I am going through a terrible hardship. Sure, I could still breathe, as my face is above the water. But my problem is as overwhelming and borderless as the great sea. All-consuming. [caption id="attachment_194550" align="aligncenter" width="525"] As the Bible also advised — when you’re confused and panicking, pause. Then pray.[/caption] I feel lost at sea. Panicking. Agitated. Trapped. Stranded. Fearing for my life or sanity. Terrified of all the uncertainties. Feeling insecure and unsafe. Even hope seems like an enemy. Every day, I wake up, hoping for relief. Gasping for rest. But it never seems to arrive. I am still floating in the middle of the dark ocean and unable to hold on to anything. That’s when I always remember Psalm 75. I pause and remember the first verse in that chapter in the Bible. I look back at all the wonderful deeds God showed me in the past. The countless times when He saved me. The many times He healed me. The many times He threw me a life raft. And this soon relaxes me. As the Bible also advised — when you’re confused and panicking, pause. Then pray. Give all your worries to God. Put your trust in Him. Then, gradually, my head clears. The ocean may still be treacherous, but when you look up, there’s a constellation of stars. You become bewildered by the beauty of a black velvet sky littered with diamonds. We may be so focused on the negative, on what we are lacking, on what we are suffering from, that we forget that there are still plenty of things to be thankful for. Things that we take for granted. A supportive parent, a joyful niece, a family to come home to. Warm meals. That hot cup of coffee. The laughter in the living room. The ability to walk outdoors and enjoy nature. The ability to work, to earn. The friends that cheer you up. There are many, many reasons to praise God. Psalm 75 — specifically verse 1 — reigns us in and redirects our focus to the positive. To the silver lining. SCIENCE-BACKED Harvard Health Publishing posted a study on an online article titled, “Giving thanks can make you happy.” The article described a research conducted by two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami. The doctors asked all participants to write a few sentences each week. They facilitated three groups: one group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily, and the third wrote about events that had affected them, according to the article. After 10 weeks, the research discovered that those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. In June, The New York Times published a story titled “Gratitude Really is Good for You. Here’s What the Science Shows.” The author, Christina Caron, quoted Emmons: “Gratitude heals, energizes and changes lives. It is the prism through which we view life in terms of gifts, givers, goodness and grace.” Expressing gratitude to people who show kindness to us already benefits our well-being, what more if we are grateful to God? So when you find yourself in tough times? Just turn to Psalm 75:1. The post PSALM 75 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The 10-year-old fashion influencer
Taylen Biggs has close to 1.5 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and 15 fashion weeks under her belt -- and she's 10 years old. Taylen arrived at last week's Balmain show, one of the hottest tickets of Paris Fashion Week, in a luxurious white jacket-and-skirt combo by the French label, black boots and bag by Karl Lagerfeld and her favourite Vintage Frames shades. She was followed, as always, by her cameraman. Also keeping a discreet distance was her "bodyguard", as she calls him, who also happens to be her father. "I love fashion and I love meeting new people and interviewing them and seeing what they have to say," she told AFP, before getting down to business with her microphone. Taylen, who lives in Miami, has interviewed the likes of DJ Khaled, popstar Kali Uchis and American Football star Patrick Mahomes, as well as a huge number of models, designers and fellow fashionistas. She is practically a veteran of red carpets, appearing at everything from the MTV Music Awards to the Superbowl, a regular at New York and Miami fashion weeks, and all over Milan and Paris for the past fortnight. "I really miss my family a lot," she said. "And I miss Miami. But I don't miss the food from Miami. I'm in love with the food here." Influencers are now the fashion industry's favoured form of media -- a direct line to the public and happy to trade goodies for coverage -- and age is no obstacle. Taylen's father, Josh Biggs, says he has largely given up his job as a construction contractor in Miami to work full-time as his daughter's assistant. "I travel with her everywhere she goes, I am her shadow," he told AFP. Asked if his daughter has become a business, he says: "People see her through the camera lens... but in real life, she's a child first and foremost." 'No qualms' Taylen landed her first modelling gig when she was 18 months old after her fashion-loving mother, a Colombian who came to the United States when she was 13, posted pictures of her on social media that were spotted by an advertising agency. She now runs her daughter's social media accounts and oversees home-schooling for Taylen and her two younger brothers. "We take school very seriously, it's priority number one," said her father. They worked through the summer so that Taylen could take a long break during the back-to-back fashion weeks in Milan and Paris in September. Taylen's father -- who says he has little interest in fashion -- says there is no pressure on his daughter to continue if she gets bored. "If she's ready to change and pursue a different career, then it's up to her," he said. "We will leave the fashion world in a second. There's no qualms about it." But Taylen seems to enjoy her job. "I'm really good with anyone," she said. "I'm really good with kids. I loooove children! And I really love adults -- I don't even get annoyed." The post The 10-year-old fashion influencer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Governor’s fight vs EDCA
Despite political pressure, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba continues to oppose the Enhanced Defense Cooperative Agreement or EDCA sites in his province. Since April this year, he has been announcing publicly his opposition. Mamba also urged Cagayanos to make a united stand and voice their opposition following the announcement by the Presidential Communications Office that EDCA sites were to be established at Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana and the Lal-lo Airport in the province. I had a chance to meet Mamba last 25 August, and he said he is against any form of neo-colonialism, which is perhaps why he is not in favor of having American military personnel, facilities, and structures in the country, particularly in his province. During the occasion, he was also commended by a retired Philippine National Police general. I suppose we are aware that Governor Mamba is under heavy political oppression due to his opposition to PH-US military relations and new EDCA sites. To Cagayanos, Governor Mamba is undoubtedly the national hero of the new century because his courage and determination are worthy of admiration. Observers said his opposition to the military ties with the US and the new EDCA sites had alienated him from President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., to whom he was once close. In early May, in reaction to Governor Mamba’s opposition to the new EDCA sites, House Speaker Martin Romualdez reiterated that the President’s determination to strengthen cooperation with the US with new EDCA sites was “unshakable.” There were rumors the Speaker asked the Governor to keep quiet on the matter. To Governor Mamba’s supporters, this was a severe warning and a humiliation from the President and the US. On 9 February this year, US embassy personnel met with an assistant of Cagayan Vice Governor Melvin Vargas, named Agatep, mainly to get an update on Governor Mamba’s alleged “irregular vote buying” in the last election. During the meeting, dissatisfaction was expressed with the Governor’s public opposition to the new EDCA sites in Cagayan. Well, should the vote-buying case push through, what could we expect? Should Governor Mamba’s election be overturned, Vice Governor Vargas, who supports the PH-US alliance, would be the likely successor. A friend from the north told me that Katrina Enrile, like her father Juan Ponce Enrile, the Presidential Chief Legal Adviser, is pro-EDCA. To eliminate the local opposition to EDCA, Katrina Enrile allied with Governor Mamba’s political rivals — Vice Governor Vargas and the Lara family. Vice Governor Vargas met with Katrina Enrile on 19 April and stated that he had garnered the support of a majority of the provincial officials regarding the establishment of the two EDCA sites in Cagayan. The new EDCA sites were the President’s decision, and they should not speculate on this. Katrina Enrile’s efforts paid off, as the President appointed her Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of CEZA, the office that manages the Cagayan Special Economic Zone. Interestingly, the Cagayan Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 was proposed and drafted by Juan Ponce Enrile. On 7 April, representatives of the US government met with Mayor Florant Pascual of Lal-lo and president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Cagayan Chapter. During the meeting, the American government promised to carry out energy projects through USAID and provide local assistance in exchange for Pascual’s support of the new EDCA sites. On 20 April, Pascual and 18 other mayors publicly announced their support for the new EDCA sites in Cagayan. Soon after, on 15 June, USAID representatives visited the Philippines and announced a $65-million fund for Cagayan and Isabela to support local energy planning and introduce renewable energy technologies, such as solar roofs. The US embassy said the communities near the new EDCA sites in Santa Ana and Lal-lo would also benefit from the grant. The post Governor’s fight vs EDCA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pope appoints 21 new cardinals to fill highest ranks of Church
Pope Francis on Saturday elevated 21 clergymen from distant corners of the world to the rank of cardinal, saying diversity was indispensable to the future of the Catholic Church. Under sunny skies and with a crowd that filled half of Vatican City's grandiose, colonnaded St Peter's Square, the 86-year-old pope welcomed the new, so-called "Princes of the Church" -- one of whom could one day become the successor to the current pontiff. "The College of Cardinals is called to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony and synodality of the Church," said Francis, seated under a canopy before the gathered cardinals on the steps of St Peter's Basilica. "Diversity is necessary; it is indispensable. However, each sound must contribute to the common design," said the Argentine Jesuit. The choice of the new cardinals, who include diplomats, close advisers and administrators, is closely watched as an indication of the priorities and position of the Church. One of them could also one day be elected by his peers to succeed Francis, who has left the door open to stepping down in the future should his health warrant it. Saturday's ceremony, known as a consistory, is the ninth since Francis in 2013 was named head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. One by one, the scarlet-clad cardinals knelt before the pope, who bestowed on them the two symbols of their high office: a scarlet four-cornered cap known as a biretta, and a cardinal's ring. To some, a grinning Francis uttered an encouraging "Bravo!" or "Courage!" as he shook their hand. Eighteen of the 21 newly made cardinals are under the age of 80 and thus currently eligible to vote as "cardinal electors" in the next conclave, when Francis' successor will be decided. They are among 99 cardinal-electors created by Francis, representing about three-quarters of the total That has given rise to speculation that the Church's future spiritual leader will be cast in the same mold as Francis, preaching a more tolerant Church with a greater focus on the poor and marginalized. Bishops taking action Throughout his papacy, Francis has sought to create a more inclusive, universal Church, looking past Europe to clergy in Africa, Asia and Latin America to fill the Church's highest ranks. With his latest roster of cardinals, Francis has again looked to the world's "peripheries" -- where Catholicism is growing -- while breaking with the practice of promoting archbishops of large, powerful dioceses. "He is looking for cardinals who correspond to the times. These are people who have all taken a step away from the Church of the past, who positively ensure a break," an informed observer of the Holy See who asked to remain nameless told AFP ahead of the ceremony. The array of cardinals represent "a richness and a variety of experience, and that's what the Church is all about," the Archbishop of Cape Town, Stephen Brislin, told AFP Thursday before his elevation to cardinal. "The Church encompasses all people, not just a certain group of people," he said. There are three new cardinals from South America, including two Argentinians, and three from Africa, with the promotion of the archbishops of Juba in South Sudan, Tabora in Tanzania, and Cape Town's Brislin. Asia is represented by the Bishop of Penang in Malaysia and the Bishop of Hong Kong, Stephen Chow, who is seen as playing a key role in seeking to improve tense relations between the Vatican and Beijing. Diplomats and managers Some of the new cardinals, like Chow, have experience in sensitive zones of the world where the Holy See hopes to play an important diplomatic role. The list includes the Holy Land's top Catholic authority, Italian Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the first seated Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to be made cardinal. "Jerusalem is a small laboratory, interreligious and intercultural, and that's a challenge that the whole world is facing at this point," Pizzaballa told AFP. Also promoted was the apostolic nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States, France's Christophe Pierre, whose decades-long diplomatic career includes posts in countries including Haiti, Uganda and Mexico. Francis also tapped top administrators in the Curia, the Holy See's government. His new choices include Claudio Gugerotti, the Italian prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; Argentina's Victor Manuel Fernandez, whom Francis recently named head of the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; and Chicago-born Robert Prevost, a former missionary in Peru who leads the Dicastery for Bishops. Following the ceremony, the new cardinals were congratulated by members of the public at the Vatican's sumptuous Apostolic Palace. The post Pope appoints 21 new cardinals to fill highest ranks of Church appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pope to appoint 21 new cardinals, looking past the West
Pope Francis will on Saturday elevate 21 clergymen from all corners of the world to the rank of cardinal -- most of whom may one day cast ballots to elect his successor. The choice of the new "Princes of the Church", who include diplomats, close advisers, and administrators, is closely watched as an indication of the future direction of the Catholic Church. One of them could also one day become the successor to 86-year-old Francis, who has left the door open to resigning -- although he says he is not there yet. Saturday's ceremony, known as a consistory, is the ninth since Francis was elected pope by his peers in 2013. He has since sought to create a more inclusive, universal Church, looking past Europe to clergy in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to fill the Church's highest ranks. Beginning at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) in St Peter's Square in Vatican City, the new cardinals will kneel before the pope to receive the two symbols of their high office: a scarlet four-cornered cap known as a biretta, and a cardinal's ring. Eighteen of the 21 new cardinals are under the age of 80 and thus currently eligible to vote as "cardinal electors" in the next conclave, when Francis' successor will be decided. They are among 99 cardinal electors created by the Argentine pontiff, representing about three-quarters of the total. That has given rise to speculation that the future spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics will be cast in the same mold as Francis, preaching a more tolerant Church with a greater focus on the poor and marginalized. Bishops taking action With his latest roster of cardinals, Francis has again looked to the world's "peripheries" -- where Catholicism is growing -- while also breaking with the practice of promoting archbishops of large, powerful dioceses. "He is looking for cardinals who correspond to the times. These are people who have all taken a step away from the Church of the past, who positively ensure a break," an informed observer of the Holy See who asked to remain nameless told AFP. "He likes bishops who take action." There are three new cardinals from South America, including two Argentinians, and three from Africa, with the promotion of the archbishops of Juba in South Sudan, South Africa's Cape Town, and Tabora in Tanzania. Asia is represented by the Bishop of Penang in Malaysia and the Bishop of Hong Kong, Stephen Chow, who is seen as playing a key role in seeking to improve tense relations between the Vatican and Beijing. "Traditionally, (the Church) was focused on Europe or the United States, but now we need to hear from Africa and Asia," Chow told reporters Thursday. Diplomats and managers Some cardinals-to-be, like Chow, have experience in sensitive zones of the world where the Holy See hopes to play an important diplomatic role. The list includes the Holy Land's top Catholic authority, Italian Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the first serving Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to be made cardinal. "Jerusalem is the center of the world, but it is also the periphery. We know that Pope Francis pays attention to the periphery," Pizzaballa told AFP. "Jerusalem is a small laboratory, interreligious and intercultural, and that's a challenge that the whole world is facing at this point," he said. Also to be promoted is the apostolic nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States, France's Christophe Pierre, whose decades-long diplomatic career includes posts in countries including Haiti, Uganda, and Mexico. Top administrators in the Curia, the government of the Holy See, who are considered close to Francis are also being recognized. There is Italy's Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; Argentina's Victor Manuel Fernandez, whom the pope recently named head of the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; and Chicago-born Robert Prevost, a former missionary in Peru who leads the Dicastery for Bishops. The last consistory was held in August 2022. The post Pope to appoint 21 new cardinals, looking past the West appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bersamin: ‘Phl can live without China’
Executive Secretary Justice Lucas Bersamin on Thursday said that the Philippines can live without China and that it should avoid overdependence on its Asian neighbor despite the two countries' strong economic ties. In a recent interview with journalist Ka Tunying, he asked Bersamin whether the Philippines is dependent on China. He responded that the question has many aspects and that he is not in a position to speak about it because he is too close to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. However, Bersamin did say that the Philippines is dealing with the issue of its relationship with China diplomatically. He also said that it is still possible for the Philippines to go with China but that the country should not be too dependent on its Asian neighbor. "We are dealing with (several) issues diplomatically. It is still possible for us to go with China, but about the economic viability of our relations or the economic dimensions if we were to go against China. You know, we can't say that we are dependent on China," Bersamin said. "China might be our trading partner or supplier, or it gives us some products that we may need, but we should not be too dependent on China. I don't think China will even want us to be dependent because China knows that we have a multilateral approach," Bersamin added. Bersamin's statement comes when the Philippines is facing increasing pressure from China in the South China Sea. China has been militarizing islands and reefs in the disputed waters despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated its claims. When asked if he thinks China needs the Philippines more than the Philippines needs China, Bersamin said that the Philippines has exclusive rights to the fisheries and natural resources in that area. "Perhaps China is acting this way because they know that in the eyes of other countries, we are the ones who should be recognized as having the exclusive right to own these fisheries and natural resources in that area," Bersamin said. "That's probably why China is acting like that. But beyond that, we do not want to have a conflict with China. We do not want to provoke a conflict with China because we can coexist with China." Ka Tunying, meanwhile, said that more countries are siding with the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea dispute because the current administration is being more transparent about what China is doing. "The biggest news today regarding China's aggression is that more countries are siding with us because this administration is becoming transparent about what China is doing in the WPS (West Philippine Sea). Did you notice that during the previous administration, they intentionally did not report what China was doing because we didn't want to upset China back then?" Ka Tunying asked Bersamin. Bersamin said that he was not paying much attention to the issue during the previous administration. Still, he said that he wants to avoid comparing the two administrations' foreign policy directions. "I don't want to compare," he said. "We leave that to the Presidents to make those decisions, the directions that they take," he added. Despite the dispute, the Philippines and China have maintained close economic ties. Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that China has become the Philippines' primary trade partner, representing a significant portion of the nation's exports and serving as the leading provider of imported products. As of May, exports reached a total of $6.44 billion, with China carrying out 16.6 percent of total exports during the month. Import costs, meanwhile continued to surpass export receipts, hitting $10.84 billion during the month. China was also the country's biggest source of imported goods, supplying 24 percent of the country's total imports. The post Bersamin: ‘Phl can live without China’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trafficking victims have to pay for freedom
The Bureau of Immigration reported that a male trafficking victim was repatriated on 22 September after being forced to work as a scammer for a Chinese company in Myanmar. The authorities identified the victim as “Gio,” 33 years old. He left the country in September 2022 with two other friends, claiming that they were merely traveling to Thailand for a vacation. However, the victim admitted that after his repatriation, he was recruited by a certain “Liza” whom he met on Facebook and was lured to work as a customer service representative. He was promised a salary of up to P100,000 per month. Gio said that his recruiter asked him to pay P20,000 for his travel expenses, which were deducted from his salary. He added that after arriving in Thailand, he was transferred to Myawaddy, Myanmar southeast of the country and close to the border with Thailand. According to Gio, he was forced to work as an online love scammer by attracting foreign victims to invest in pseudo-cryptocurrency accounts. He received a salary of P60,000 a month for six months, far from what was promised to him by his recruiter. He was only able to go back home after collecting P200,000 from his friends and family to pay his company for his release. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the same modus has been observed since last year, and victims are often promised high salaries but end up in debt. As early as October 2022, the BI chief had already sounded the alarm on the modus targeting Filipinos to work for companies that operate online scams such as catfishing. Tansingco added that this is a case of double trafficking, wherein the victims are trafficked by making them agree through false promises, and then they will be forced to be part of a scamming syndicate, making it hard for them to seek help and repatriation. The National Bureau of Investigation and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration provided assistance to the victim. The post Trafficking victims have to pay for freedom appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trafficking victim pays P200K for freedom
The Bureau of Immigration reported that a male trafficking victim was repatriated on 22 September after being forced to work as a scammer for a Chinese company in Myanmar. The authorities identified the victim as "Gio", 33 years old. He left the country in September last year with two other friends, claiming that they were merely traveling to Thailand for a vacation. However, the victim admitted after his repatriation that he was recruited by a certain "Liza" whom he met on Facebook. Liza offered him a customer service representative job with a monthly salary of up to P100,000. The victim admitted to accepting the offer. Gio said that his recruiter asked him to pay P20,000 for his travel expenses, which were deducted from his salary. He added that after arriving in Thailand, he was transferred to Myawaddy, Myanmar, which is close to the border of Thailand. According to Gio, he was forced to work as an online love scammer by attracting foreign victims to invest in pseudo-cryptocurrency accounts. He received a salary of P60,000 a month for six months, far from what was promised to him by his recruiter. He was only able to go back home after collecting P200,000 from his friends and family to pay his company for his release. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the same modus has been observed since last year, and victims are often promised with high salaries but end up in debt. As early as October 2022, the BI chief had already sounded the alarm on the modus targeting Filipinos to work for companies that operate online scams, such as catfishing. Tansingco added that this is a case of double trafficking, wherein the victims are trafficked by making them agree through false promises, and then they will be forced to be part of a scamming syndicate, making it hard for them to seek help and repatriation. The National Bureau of Investigation and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration provided assistance to the victim. The post Trafficking victim pays P200K for freedom appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trafficking victim pay P200K for freedom
The Bureau of Immigration reported that a male trafficking victim was repatriated on 22 September after being forced to work as a scammer for a Chinese company in Myanmar. The authorities identified the victim as "Gio", 33 years old. He left the country in September last year with two other friends, claiming that they were merely traveling to Thailand for a vacation. However, the victim admitted after his repatriation that he was recruited by a certain "Liza" whom he met on Facebook. Liza offered him a customer service representative job with a monthly salary of up to P100,000. The victim admitted to accepting the offer. Gio said that his recruiter asked him to pay P20,000 for his travel expenses, which were deducted from his salary. He added that after arriving in Thailand, he was transferred to Myawaddy, Myanmar, which is close to the border of Thailand. According to Gio, he was forced to work as an online love scammer by attracting foreign victims to invest in pseudo-cryptocurrency accounts. He received a salary of P60,000 a month for six months, far from what was promised to him by his recruiter. He was only able to go back home after collecting P200,000 from his friends and family to pay his company for his release. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the same modus has been observed since last year, and victims are often promised with high salaries but end up in debt. As early as October 2022, the BI chief had already sounded the alarm on the modus targeting Filipinos to work for companies that operate online scams, such as catfishing. Tansingco added that this is a case of double trafficking, wherein the victims are trafficked by making them agree through false promises, and then they will be forced to be part of a scamming syndicate, making it hard for them to seek help and repatriation. The National Bureau of Investigation and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration provided assistance to the victim. The post Trafficking victim pay P200K for freedom appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nigeria bandits raid university, kidnap 24 students, 8 others
Dozens of gunmen raided a university in northwestern Nigeria at predawn Friday, kidnapping 24 female students and eight other people while holding pursuing troops at bay. Six of the abducted students were rescued while one of six kidnapped welders escaped, a military officer, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the rescue operation, said on Saturday. The bandits broke through the windows of three female hostels of a Federal University near Sabon Gida village outside the state capital Gusau and took the occupants away, residents told Agence France-Presse. “They took away at least 24 female students from the hostels along with two male neighbors, one of whom is a staff (member) of the university,” Sabon Gida resident Sahabi Musa said. The attackers went into the university and seized nine welders working on a new building while they were sleeping, Shehu Hashimu, another resident who corroborated Musa’s account, said. “The attackers had a field day. They operated in the village from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. unchallenged before troops arrived,” Hashimu said. Troops deployed from Gusau, 20 kilometers away and engaged the attackers in a gunfight but a group of the kidnappers herded the hostages away while another group faced the soldiers, the two sources said. Yazid Abubakar, Zamfara state police spokesperson, confirmed the attack but declined to provide details, saying security personnel were working to free the captives in a forest close to the nearby town of Tsafe. WITH AFP The post Nigeria bandits raid university, kidnap 24 students, 8 others appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ships for maritime studes targeted
The government is working doubly hard to make sure that maritime students will have a ship to board once they graduate, Commission on Higher Education chairperson Prospero de Vera III said. De Vera admitted that there is a shortage in ships that serve as training ground for maritime students, saying the lack of shipboard training is now being addressed by the government. “We’re still discussing the shipboard training because it’s difficult to solve,” De Vera told DAILY TRIBUNE in an interview over the weekend. “We’re discussing it together with the shipping industry.” He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the shipping industry and the new ships sailing on to the Philippines to help solve the government in solving this problem. “We don’t have a resolution yet; we’re still waiting for it. We want all maritime graduates to board a ship,” De Vera said. “I just inherited this problem. The shipboard problem has been around for a long time, so we’re trying to solve that,” he added. De Vera said the CHEd has implemented the new curriculum for maritime education starting this academic year. “We enhanced the curriculum for maritime education. We are now laying out the catch-up plan because we added more skills-based subjects,” he said. “To the new first-year students, they will all use the new curriculum. But the upper-level students will have to catch up because they’re still using the old curriculum,” De Vera added. He said the Commission is also creating a better monitoring system to measure the outcomes of the country’s maritime education on a year-to-year basis. “We are creating such a monitoring tool,” he said, adding that the European Union has pledged to give some funds for this. De Vera also said that CHEd continues to evaluate and re-evaluate all the country’s maritime schools to ensure they comply with international standards. “If there are not compliant programs, we will close them,” De Vera said. “The technical panel will report to the commission en banc on their findings soon,” he added. De Vera also disclosed that 15 maritime programs were shut down last year for being non-compliant with the standards. “I think there are still non-compliant maritime programs,” he added. The post Ships for maritime studes targeted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Suspending excise tax on petroleum only benefits the rich — Diokno
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that the proposals on suspending the collection of excise taxes on petroleum products would only benefit the rich and would cause "huge damage" to the economy. Diokno warned against the politicians' call to oil firms to lower oil prices amid skyrocketing fuel cost, where House Speaker Martin Romualdez asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the collecting of the fuel excise tax. The House of Representatives met with oil industry players to discuss the country's energy crisis and look into possible remedies, such as suspending excise taxes for three months. In a Viber message to reporters, Diokno said that the 10 percent of households with the highest incomes, who consume close to 50 percent of all fuel, are the primary beneficiaries of the suspension of fuel taxes. On the other hand, he said the lower half of homes only use approximately 10 percent of the gasoline. Diokno added that suspending the excise tax will not help combat inflation in the long run. "Any of the proposals will adversely affect our economic and fiscal recovery, our international credit ratings, and our overall debt management strategy," Diokno said. In a separate television interview, Diokno said the government would lose billions in revenue if the government suspended the VAT and excise tax on fuel. "First of all, when you continue with that, what will be lost in the government is P72.6 billion for the fourth quarter only. That's the last quarter of 2023," Diokno said. "In total, for the whole year of 2024, it will reach P280.5 billion that will be lost from the government," he added. Diokno said the foregone revenues will lead to a higher budget deficit – from 5.1 percent to 6.2 percent of GDP, and higher debt-to-GDP ratio in 2024 from a projected 60.2 percent to 61.3 percent. The solution, Diokno said, is to give targeted subsidies to those who will be most negatively affected by increased fuel prices, such as jeepney drivers, farmers, and fishermen. Additionally, Diokno said that eliminating fuel taxes requires time-consuming legislative action. “Once the elevated oil prices subside, it may not be easy to restore taxes on oil product. It is politically unpopular. That’s the political economy of tax legislation,” Diokno said. “This has serious implications on fiscal sustainability,” he added. The post Suspending excise tax on petroleum only benefits the rich — Diokno appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go urges more sports funding for grassroots dev’t, facilities, and athletes
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, underscored during a budget hearing on Tuesday, 12 September, the critical role of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in promoting sports as a key factor in national development. He emphasized the necessity of adequate funding for both grassroots sports development and the country's participation in international competitions. “Noong nakaraan ay ipinaglaban natin sa deliberasyon ng ating 2023 budget ang karagdagang pondo para sa PSC. Sa katunayan, ang budget lang sana ng PSC ngayong taon ay nasa humigit-kumulang P200 million lamang. Tayo ang nagsulong ng dagdag sa pondo nila kaya nabigyan pa ito ng P1 billion, kasama na ang dagdag pondo sa pagdaraos ng FIBA 2023, budget para sa grassroots sports programs, at suporta sa mga lalahok sa iba pang international competitions,” he cited earlier. Go, in his opening statement, expressed his strong belief that sports can serve as a deterrent for the youth against engaging in illegal drugs and other harmful activities. He also mentioned that sports can be a way to continue the campaign against illegal drugs initiated by former president Rodrigo Duterte. “Sabi ko nga, get into sports, stay away from illegal drugs to keep us healthy and fit. At isa rin po ito sa paraan na ilayo natin ang mga kabataan sa iligal na droga. Isang paraan ito na maipagpatuloy ang kampanya ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na labanan ang iligal na droga dahil kapag bumalik po ang iligal na droga, babalik po ang kriminalidad, babalik po ang korapsyon sa gobyerno,” Go said. The senator also highlighted the recent achievements of the Philippines in the international sports community, including the successful hosting of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He praised the event organizers and shared his experience participating in a dry-run before the opening, emphasizing that "’pag nandyan po ang disiplina, kaya natin, gugustuhin natin na maging well-organized po tayo." Go likewise underscored the international attention that the Philippines has garnered through its successful hosting of sports events, particularly the FIBA World Cup. "Malaking tulong po iyon sa pag-promote po ng kagandahan ng ating bansa. For 17 days, nakatutok po sa ating bayan ang buong mundo dahil napakaganda po ng ating bansa," he said. The senator then expressed his pride in Gilas Pilipinas for earning a spot in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. "Alam ko po na ibinigay ninyo ang lahat, ginawa ninyo po ang lahat para lumaban. Puso po ang ginamit ninyo at 'never say die' ang attitude ng ating Gilas Pilipinas," he said. Go also took the opportunity to commend the country’s performance in the Southeast Asian Games. He then extended his well wishes for the upcoming Asian Games scheduled from 25 September to 8 October. However, the senator also hinted at areas for improvement, suggesting that while the country has had successes, there is still work to be done. "Though mayroon mang dapat ayusin, may panahon pa kayong ayusin ang mga ito," Go added while stressing the importance of supporting both grassroots and elite sports development. "For this year’s budget, with the support of our Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Senator Sonny Angara, we allocated funding for PSC’s grassroots program and the preparation, training, and participation of our national athletes in international sports competitions," he revealed. The PSC proposed a budget of P3.3 billion for 2024, but the DBM only approved P210 million. This is a reduction of more than 93 percent from the agency’s proposal. Go also touched on the need for proper training facilities for athletes. He mentioned the need for repairs at the Philippine Institute of Sports Multi-Purpose Arena (PhilSports Arena) and comfortable barracks for athletes. “Mahalaga na magkaroon ng tama at sapat na training ang ating mga manlalaro. Kaya naman gusto ko ring pagtuunan ng pansin na mayroon tayong sports facilities na maaaring maging training center ng ating mga atleta,” he said. “Ako po'y saksi mismo, napasyalan ko ang inyong matagal ng pasilidad, itong Phil Sports, nakapaglaro na kami doon, medyo tumutulo na rin ang gym. Kailangan na sigurong magkaroon ng repair, at yung mga barracks ng atleta, dapat komportable, dahil iba talaga kapag suportado sila, mula pagkain, yung kanilang tirahan at bago sila sumabak sa competition, dapat kumbaga lahat ng laban naman ay dapat alagang-alaga po ang ating mga atleta,” he shared. Go noticed that the facilities that were presented during the hearing are in bad condition and that they really need to be improved. He urged the government to allocate funds for the construction of comfortable housing for the athletes, instead of spending on flood control projects in areas where there are no people. “Napapansin ko ang mga pasilidad na pinakita kanina. Talagang kailangan po, the more we should invest sa mga sports facilities natin na sira,” he added. “Bigyan naman natin ng maayos at komportable na tirahan ang ating mga atleta. Nananawagan ako sa DPWH, instead of flood control projects sa mga lugar na walang tao, dito na lang sa ating mga atleta na kailangan nila ng komportableng tirahan man lang. Baka pwede ninyo mapaglaanan ng pondo,” said Go. Meanwhile, he also discussed the National Academy of Sports (NAS) at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, established under Republic Act No. 11470 that he authored and co-sponsored, which allows students to train while getting quality secondary education. The law provided for the establishment of the NAS System and Main Campus. The NAS also offers a secondary education program with an integrated special curriculum on sports which was developed in close coordination with PSC and the Department of Education. “Pwede silang mag-training, at the same time, mag-aral. Pwede silang mag-aral, at the same time, mag-training. Wala pong masasakripisyo. 'Yan po ang National Academy of Sports, batas na po at may sariling pasilidad,” he said. The senator then called on the PSC to maximize the facilities at New Clark City, initially used for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. He also reiterated his support for the establishment of the Philippine Sports Training Center and asked for updates on its status. Go urged his colleagues to fight for a sufficient budget for PSC’s programs to ensure continuous sports development in the country. “Kaya naman po hinihimok ko ang ating mga kasamahan na suportahan ang budget ng Philippine Sports Commission at GAB para tuluy-tuloy lang po ang sports development sa ating bansa,” concluded Go. The post Bong Go urges more sports funding for grassroots dev’t, facilities, and athletes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Government raises P10 billion from T-bonds
The government borrowed close to P10 billion from long-term securities, short of its target even as investors asked for lower rates......»»
Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years
Hong Kong was flooded by the heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years on Friday, leaving the city's streets and some subway stations under water and forcing its schools to close. Just across the border, authorities in China's tech hub Shenzhen recorded the heaviest rains since records began in 1952. Climate change has increased the intensity of tropical storms, experts say, with more rain and stronger gusts leading to flash floods and coastal damage. The heavy rains in Hong Kong started on Thursday and in the hour leading up to midnight, the city's weather observatory recorded hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimeters at its headquarters, the highest since records began in 1884. On Friday afternoon, the Hospital Authority said at least 110 people were hospitalized due to injuries, with four in serious condition. A man was found unconscious off the shore of western Hong Kong Island and declared dead at the hospital, though authorities were still investigating if the death was flood-related. The city's highest rainstorm warning level, "black", was hoisted for a record-breaking 16 hours before being lowered at 3:40 pm Friday, with rainfall mostly easing by late afternoon. "It's absolutely shocking," said Jacky, 52, who lives in the Wong Tai Sin district with his elderly parents. "I don't remember floods ever being this bad in our district." "The bottom floor of the mall is completely flooded, the water level is higher than the storefronts... it's turned our day into chaos," he added. Authorities issued flash flood warnings, with emergency services conducting rescue operations in parts of the territory. "Residents living in close proximity to rivers should stay alert to weather conditions and should consider evacuation" if their homes are flooded, the observatory said. It also warned of potential landslips, telling motorists to "keep away from steep slopes or retaining walls". Hong Kong's stock exchange cancelled all trading sessions on Friday. 'Once in a century' Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan described the deluge as "a once-in-a-century heavy rainstorm", adding that extreme conditions would continue until midnight local time (1600 GMT). "It's like putting four bathtubs of water into one bathtub... it will spill," Chan said at a press conference, when asked if the government had done enough to prevent flooding. The Hong Kong Observatory said it recorded more than 600 millimeters of rainfall at its headquarters over 24 hours -- roughly a quarter of the city's annual average. Earlier in the day, taxis struggled through flooded roads as commuters attempted to make their way to work, with some cars stranded in the deluge. "It felt like the whole neighborhood was isolated by the floodwater. One of the underground car parks is totally under water," Olivia Lam, who lives on the eastern side of Hong Kong Island, told AFP. "The water was almost waist-deep outside my building, and that's not the worst (case) in the neighborhood." An AFP reporter saw boulders and mud from a landslide block off a two-lane road in the Shau Kei Wan district, with mud also spilling over into a nearby basketball court. Residents of a public housing block just 30 meters from the landslide lined up with buckets to collect fresh water after the building's supply was disrupted. Roads were also flooded on the island of Lantau, where rivers swelled over their banks. Southern China was hit the previous weekend by two typhoons in quick succession -- Saola and Haikui -- though Hong Kong avoided a feared direct hit. Tens of millions of people in the densely populated coastal areas of southern China had sheltered indoors ahead of those storms. Hong Kong's weather observatory said the latest torrential rain was brought by the "trough of low pressure associated with (the) remnant of Haikui". Authorities suspended schools and cargo clearance services on the city's border with Shenzhen were paused. The border disruption came hours after Hong Kong authorities announced that Shenzhen was preparing to discharge water from its reservoir, which they said could lead to flooding in northern parts of the city. Hong Kong's subway operator said there was a service disruption on one of its lines after a station in the Wong Tai Sin district was flooded. A handful of other stations were also affected by the rain. Footage posted on social media showed a subway train not stopping at Wong Tai Sin station, which had floodwater on its platform. The flooding could cost Hong Kong at least $100 million, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence estimate, compared to $470 million in damage when the city was hit by typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. The post Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
France evacuates five Afghan women ‘threatened by Taliban’
Paris, France — France on Monday was due to receive five Afghan women “threatened by the Taliban” after repeated requests it create a humanitarian corridor for women shut out of public life, an official said. Since returning to power in August 2021, Taliban authorities have imposed a strict interpretation of Islam, with women bearing the brunt of laws the United Nations has labelled “gender apartheid.” Women and girls have been banned from attending high school and university as well as barred from visiting parks, fairs and gymnasiums. They have also mostly been blocked from working for UN agencies or NGOs, with thousands sacked from government jobs or paid to stay at home. French immigration authority chief Didier Leschi told AFP that by presidential order, “special attention is being paid to women who are primarily threatened by the Taliban because they have held important positions in Afghan society... or have close contacts with Westerners.” “This is the case for five women who will arrive today,” Leschi said. The women include a former university director, an ex-NGO consultant, a former television presenter, and a teacher at a secret school in Kabul. One of the women was accompanied by three children. The women had been unable to leave Afghanistan on airlifts to Western countries when the Taliban returned to power in 2021. They fled to neighboring Pakistan where they sought temporary refuge. From there, the French authorities organized their evacuation, Leschi said. Once they arrive in France, they will be registered as asylum seekers and given housing while their applications for refugee status are considered, Leschi said. Leschi said that such evacuations were “likely to be repeated” for other Afghan women with a similar profile. However, Delphine Rouilleault, the head of the France Terre D’Asile NGO working for refugees, said the evacuations were “not the fruit of a political decision” but gained “after a hard fight” to obtain visas for them. The women will be initially housed in a center run by her organization, which has been rallying for months for the evacuation of more Afghan women facing a similar situation. Rouilleault said “hundreds” of Afghan women were “hiding” in Pakistan. In the middle of 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged that France would “be by the side of Afghans.” French authorities say nearly 16,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since then. An NGO working for Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, Accueillir les Afghanes, in April deplored that Afghan women, especially those who were single, had been largely abandoned and asked Paris to put in place an “emergency” program to take them in. The post France evacuates five Afghan women ‘threatened by Taliban’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Over 100 collapse-prone schools told to close
Education authorities in the United Kingdom has told at least 104 schools and colleges to shut their buildings that are prone to collapse. The education ministry said Thursday that affected schools buildings are those made with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete which was widely used for school and college constructions from the 1950s to the mid-1990s. RAAC poses collapse risk over time and schools were warned about this and told to implement mitigations as early as 2018, according to the ministry. In its new guidance, the ministry asked that affected buildings be vacated and to either fully or partially relocate to alternative accommodation. The announcement comes as millions of pupils in England are returning to school after the lengthy summer holidays. “Nothing is more important than making sure children and staff are safe in schools and colleges, which is why we are acting on new evidence about RAAC now, ahead of the start of term,” Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said. Education officials, public-sector unions and opposition parties hit out at the government. Unison union’s head of education Mike Short said it “squandered valuable months hiding this crisis when they should have been fixing dangerous school buildings.” WITH AFP The post Over 100 collapse-prone schools told to close appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»