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Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»
Philippine scientists harassed by China helicopter
Another case of harassment at sea by the Chinese has been reported – this time near Pag-Asa Island last Saturday – involving a helicopter, which hovered dangerously close to a group of Filipino scientists doing research work on a sand bar called Sandy Cay, causing minor injuries......»»
Philippine scientists harassed by China helicoper
Another case of harassment at sea by the Chinese has been reported – this time near Pag-Asa Island last Saturday – involving a helicopter, which hovered dangerously close to a group of Filipino scientists doing research work on a sand bar called Sandy Cay, causing minor injuries......»»
Consider alliances with Netherlands, Norway, DFA urged
The Department of Foreign Affairs should consider alliances with non-defense allies like Norway, the Netherlands and other countries for maritime exploration, research and development amid conflict with China over the West Philippines Sea (WPS), Sen. Francis Tolentino said yesterday......»»
WPS tension: Chinese vessel blocks PH research ship
A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel again made “dangerous maneuvers” on Thursday and tried to block a Philippine fishery vessel carrying marine scientists conducting research in the West Philippine Sea or WPS. Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the WPS, told a press briefing on Friday that CCG vessel 5204 crossed the.....»»
Senator calls out loitering China vessels in Philippines Rise
Chinese vessels were caught “loitering” and doing research in Benham Rise, also called Philippine Rise, which is within the country’s exclusive economic zone, Sen. Francis Tolentino said yesterday......»»
China’s military and government acquire Nvidia chips despite US ban
The sales by largely unknown Chinese suppliers highlight the difficulties Washington faces, despite its bans, in completely cutting off China's access to advanced US chips that could fuel breakthroughs in AI and sophisticated computers for its military.....»»
Philippines, Japan start talks on joint military drills
President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida yesterday agreed to cooperate for the early completion of talks for the planned Reciprocal Access Agreement and to strengthen their coast guards in the face of China’s increasingly aggressive maneuvers in the South China Sea......»»
Marcos raises plight of Philippines fishermen in Xi meeting
Filipino fishermen should have access to fishing grounds in the South China Sea, President Marcos yesterday told Chinese President Xi Jinping here during their meeting where they again reaffirmed commitment to dialogue but admitted challenges remain......»»
Biden prodded on joint WPS patrols
Members of the United States House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee condemned China’s “unlawful” actions in the West Philippine Sea that led to collisions of a Philippine resupply boat and its Philippine Coast Guard escort ship. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), along with Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Chairwoman Young Kim (R-CA) and Ranking Member Ami Bera (D-CA), issued a joint statement to express their support for the Philippines. “We unequivocally support the Philippines and condemn the unlawful actions by the Chinese Coast Guard in the South China Sea,” the US lawmakers said. “The Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels intentionally hit PCG ships over the weekend and continue to violate international law, endanger Filipino crew members, and obstruct Philippine vessels’ access to their own exclusive economic zone,” they added. The 22 October incident was “part of a larger pattern of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, its maritime militia, and the Chinese Coast Guard’s aggressive and provocative behavior in the South China Sea, where it actively intrudes in other states’ exclusive economic zones,” they said. Over the weekend, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea accused the CCG of performing “dangerous blocking maneuvers” that resulted in a collision with the Unaiza May 2, an indigenous boat contracted by the AFP for its routine resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre. During the mission, a Chinese maritime militia vessel “bumped” the PCG ship, BRP Cabra, on its port side. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the PCG to investigate the incident. The American legislators also backed US President Joe Biden’s announcement of increased joint patrols with the Philippines and other partners in the South China Sea and his administration’s reaffirmation to uphold its commitment under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Earlier this week, the White House said US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan assured Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo Año of US support in safeguarding its sovereign rights in the WPS under the two nations’ MDT. Signed in 1951, the Philippines and the US agreed under the MDT that an armed attack on either of the parties would be considered an attack on the other, thus, joint actions may be taken by the US and the Philippines to protect each other. Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the collisions would convince more countries to undertake freedom of navigation sorties with the Philippines in the WPS. “I believe it will invite more countries that have an interest in freedom of navigation to participate not only in joint patrols but in other security engagements with the Philippines,” Teodoro said. Teodoro said the Philippine government is considering many options to address China’s increasing aggression in the WPS. The post Biden prodded on joint WPS patrols appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl monitors many CMM ships in WPS, slams China’s maligned info ops
The Philippines has monitored "a large number of Chinese maritime militia vessels” swarming in the features of the West Philippine Sea, National Security Council spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, said Tuesday. In a television interview, Malaya said these vessels were spotted “not only in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc but also in other features, including (Scarborough Shoal) and Sabina (Escoda) Shoal.” "We are alarmed by the environmental degradation our Coast Guard ships were able to monitor in these areas,” he told the ANC. Malaya noted that environmental degradation or coral destruction would have a direct impact on the livelihood of the fishermen in the WPS areas. “Sometimes we forget the reasons why we are pushing our rights in the WPS, some critics are saying this is just posturing on the part of the Philippines or a tug-of-war between China and the Philippines. No this is not,” he stressed. “This is a battle for the resources of our country, particularly those for our fishermen so when we monitor coral destruction in other parts of the WPS, it alarms the Philippine government because it directly impacts the livelihood of our fishermen in WPS upon their livelihood relies,” he added. Hence, the Philippines has increased its maritime patrols and freedom of navigation missions in the WPS amid “limited capacity.” On the other hand, Malaya slammed China’s “maligned information operation” and sharing of “false narratives” on its sweeping claims on the WPS—as shared with the public. “Definitely, there’s a maligned information operation going on nowadays that is shared to the public and we are just happy it is not just the Philippine government that is sharing our side here—we have allies—if we may call them witnesses from the media,” he said. “We have witnesses from the media who were there on the spot, who had access to the deck and who had access to the control center of the Philippine Coast Guard vessels, who listened to the radio challenges, who saw what was really happening, who were witnesses themselves to the overwhelming number of Chinese vessels acting in concert,” he added. Malaya asked the public should see the facts for themselves and not be urged by the information coming from Beijing. Philippine officials have repeatedly called out China for its “propaganda” on its expansive claims in the South China Sea, which overlaps the country’s exclusive economic zone in the WPS......»»
2 Koreans wanted for telecom, wire fraud arrested
Two fugitives were captured by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) after being sought by South Korea and the US for their involvement in fraud-related operations. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco confirmed the arrests of the two South Korean fugitives, who were identified as Kwon Junyoung, 38, and Seok Jongmin, 48. The two were arrested last Saturday in Brgy. Cuayan, Angeles City, Pampanga, by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. Tansingco said that the operation was conducted in collaboration with the South Korean authorities, government intelligence groups, and the Angeles City Police Station. According to the South Korean authorities, Kwon is wanted for telecommunications fraud in South Korea, while Seok is wanted in Texas for engaging in wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. The BI chief said that as the BI board of commissioners has already issued summary deportation orders against them, soon they will be deported to face the crime they committed. Tansingco added that their names were also placed on the bureau’s blacklist of undesirable aliens, so they are now banned from re-entering the Philippines, the BI chief added. According to information obtained from Interpol's National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, the Suwon District Court in Korea issued an arrest order for Kwon on 12 December 2019. Authorities claimed that Kwon was part of a telecom fraud syndicate operating in Dalian, China, that used voice phishing to call random victims. Based on reports, the callers impersonated investigators from the Seoul Central Prosecutor's Office in order to harass the victims and trick them into transferring money to the syndicate's accounts. In contrast, the NCB revealed that Seok is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the US district court in Western Texas. He is accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiring to commit money laundering, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Seok is accused of working with other suspects to gain access to the websites of the US Departments of Defence and Veterans Affairs using thousands of US military veterans' stolen personal identification information (PII), depriving the victims of their benefits. The BI-FSU also reported that Seok was arrested after posting bail at the Angeles City regional trial court, where he was charged with robbery and extortion, and will be transferred to the BI’s facility in Bicutan, Taguig. While Kwon will remain in the custody of the Angeles City police due to his ongoing local case, he will continue to be under the BI’s legal custody for deportation proceedings. The post 2 Koreans wanted for telecom, wire fraud arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Amazon launches test satellites in challenge to Musk’s Starlink
Amazon launched two satellites on Friday as part of its plan to deliver the internet from space and compete with Elon Musk's Starlink service. The Atlas V rocket carrying the satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 2:06 pm local time (6:06 pm GMT). The launch was carried out by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) industrial group, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Once up and running, the company founded by Jeff Bezos says its Project Kuiper will provide "fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world," with a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). "We've done extensive testing here in our lab and have a high degree of confidence in our satellite design, but there's no substitute for on-orbit testing," said Rajeev Badyal, Project Kuiper's vice president of technology. The company has said it would invest $10 billion in the project and has booked 77 heavy-lift launches with commercial providers Arianespace, ULA, and Bezos-owned Blue Origin. The first operational satellites of the Kuiper project are due to be launched in early 2024, according to Amazon, which hopes for initial tests with customers at the end of next year. The test on Friday attempted to establish contact between the probes and Earth, deploy their solar panels, and confirm that all instruments are operating correctly and at the desired temperatures. The two prototypes will then be removed from orbit and disintegrated in the Earth's atmosphere at the end of the test mission. These services are designed to provide internet access to even the most remote and underserved areas around the world, including war zones or disaster-struck areas. Musk's SpaceX launched the first batch of its more than 3,700 operational Starlink satellites in 2019 and is by far the biggest player. Musk's ownership of Starlink caused uproar in Ukraine last month when it was revealed that he refused to turn on the service for a planned attack by Kyiv forces on Russia's Black Sea navy fleet last year. London-headquartered OneWeb is another early entrant in the emerging sector. Given the technology's strategic importance, governments are also keen to join the rush into the sector. China plans to launch 13,000 satellites as part of its GuoWang constellation, while Canada's Telesat will add 300 and German start-up Rivada is eyeing 600. That will be in addition to the European Union's Iris project -- 170 satellites -- and the 300-500 satellites planned to be launched by the US military's Space Development Agency. The post Amazon launches test satellites in challenge to Musk’s Starlink appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Herbosa no-show, but DOH 2024 budget hurdles Senate Finance panel
The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday approved the proposed P311.3 billion budget of the Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year without the attendance of Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa. Herbosa skipped the DOH’s budget deliberation, normally led by the agency’s head, days after he failed to secure the approval of the Commission on Appointment. During the budget deliberation, DOH senior officials led by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, former Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario-Vergeire and Undersecretary Gloria Balboa presented the agency’s proposed budget. Senator Francis Tolentino specifically questioned Herbosa’s absence in the budget deliberation, fearing that the agency is now in an “auto-pilot mode”. Senator Pia Cayetano, who presided over the agency’s budget deliberation, quickly clarified that the DOH is not “headless”. “Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago and they acknowledged that, of course, it is a bit of an awkward situation,” Cayetano said. “But as you all know, Usec Dr. Vergeire was the OIC for many years and was very actively exercising her leadership not just in the past year, but even during the time of President Duterte. Dr. Usec. David is the most senior undersecretary. So I’m quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer,” she added. Tolentino explained that he is asking for Herbosa’s presence because “budget presentations would require answers concerning accountability.” “And perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing that. Otherwise, it would be in an auto-pilot mode,” he said. For her part, Senator Loren Legarda also expressed confidence in the senior officials of the DOH. “Let me just say that I’m certain that our very competent Usecs. and Asecs. down the line would be able to communicate the policies of the Secretary who still has to be confirmed,” Legarda said. “I am very confident that they will be able to answer our questions. I do not think that they would divert from any policy of the Secretary or say anything that would be against his policies,” she added. Cyber-attack on PhilHealth Senators also touched on the recent cyber-attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. Legarda quizzed PhilHealth officials about the effect of the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s operation, as well as the steps being taken by the agency to prevent similar cases in the future. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos, PhilHealth’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said the agency has yet to restore its online system. “All transactions are offline, and we've resume operations meaning membership, employer submission, and payment over the counter,” Santos said. “Our benefits availment continues. We have already informed our partner providers that while the system is turned off, they can still submit claims or prepare the submission of claims,” he added. “At present, to confirm the statement of our President, we are set to turn on our systems today, but we are still completing the preventive measures before we turn it on. We are targeting to turn on our PhilHealth website, member portal, as well as the e-claims.” Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system, which prompted them to turn it off as part of its “containment measures”. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. A multinational cyber security software company, Trend Micro, defines “ransomware” as a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing a system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. The Medusa ransomware group was demanding $300,000 from PhilHealth in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. The state-run health insurer previously stated that it would not give in to the group’s demand. The post Herbosa no-show, but DOH 2024 budget hurdles Senate Finance panel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOH budget for 2024 hurdles Senate Finance panel without Herbosa
The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday approved the proposed P311.3 billion budget of the Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year without the attendance of Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa. Herbosa skipped the DOH’s budget deliberation, normally led by the agency’s head, days after he failed to secure the approval of the Commission on Appointment. During the budget deliberation, DOH senior officials led by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, former Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario-Vergeire, and Undersecretary Gloria Balboa, presented the agency’s proposed budget. Senator Francis Tolentino specifically questioned Herbosa’s absence in the budget deliberation, fearing that the agency is now in an “auto-pilot mode”. Senator Pia Cayetano, who presided over the agency’s budget deliberation, quickly clarified that the DOH is not “headless”. “Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago and they acknowledged that of course, it is a bit of an awkward situation,” Cayetano said. “But as you all know, Usec Dr. Vergeire was the OIC for many years and was very actively exercising her leadership not just in the past year, but even during the time of President Duterte. Dr. Usec. David is the most senior undersecretary. So I’m quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer,” she added. Tolentino explained that he is asking for Herbosa’s presence because “budget presentations would require answers concerning accountability.” “And perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing that. Otherwise, it would be in an auto-pilot mode,” he said. For her part, Senator Loren Legarda also expressed her confidence in the senior officials of the DOH. “Let me just say that I’m certain that our very competent Usecs. and Asecs. down the line would be able to communicate the policies of the secretary who still has to be confirmed,” Legarda said. “I don't think that the DoH body institution system comprised of career people who -- it may be a headless agency this is insofar other secretaries concerned -- but all the systems are covered by the Usecs. and Asecs,” she added. She continued: “I am very confident that they will be able to answer our questions. I do not think that they would divert from any policy of the secretary or say anything that would be against his policies.” Cyber-attack on PhilHealth Senators also touched on the recent cyber-attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. Legarda quizzed PhilHealth officials about the effect of the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s operation, as well as the steps being taken by the agency to prevent encountering a similar case in the future. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos, PhilHealth’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said that the agency has yet to return its online system. “All systems now are all transactions are offline and we resume operations meaning membership, employer submission, and payment over the counter,” Santos said. “Our benefits availment continues. We have already informed our partner providers that while the system is turned off, they can still submit claims or prepare the submission of claims,” he added. He continued: “At present, to confirm the statement of our President, we are set to turn on our systems today, but we are still completing the preventive measures before we turn it on. We are targeting to turn on our PhilHealth website, member portal, as well as the e-claims.” Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system, which prompted them to turn it off as part of its “containment measures”. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. A multinational cyber security software company, Trend Micro defined “ransomware” as a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. The Medusa ransomware group was demanding $300,000 from PhilHealth in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. The state-run health insurer previously stated that it would not give in to the group’s demand. The post DOH budget for 2024 hurdles Senate Finance panel without Herbosa appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Despite House vow, VP Sara’s confidential funds still ‘intact’
The confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education totaling P650 million have yet to be transferred to security and intel agencies. Lawmaker Johnny Pimentel of Surigao on Thursday disclosed in an interview that the multi-million CF initially allocated to the OVP and DepEd remains within the purview of Vice President Sara Duterte, who governs the two agencies. Duterte sought P2.395 billion for OVP and P758.6 billion for DepEd in the proposed 2024 budget, including P500 million and P150 million in confidential funds, respectively. "At the moment [the OVP's and DepEd's CF is] not yet [transferred] because of time constraints. The budget was passed last night. The confidential funds allocated in each agency [are] still intact," he said. "However, there will be a small committee of four that will tackle the proposed amendment. It could be done there, or it could be done during the bicameral conference," he said. Pimentel was one of the party leaders in the House who decided to realign Duterte's P650 million to agencies involved in security and intelligence, such as the Philippine Coast Guard, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Security Council, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources amid China's persistent assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea. The most recent was the installment of a floating barrier in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough shoal off the coast of Zambales by the Chinese Coast Guard. The Senate leadership, according to Pimentel, concurs with the House's proposal and has expressed willingness to reallocate such funds to other agencies that most need them. "If you recall, Senate President Migz Zubiri also issued a statement that they will follow suit or follow the direction of the proposal of the lower house to reallocate the confidential intelligence funds," Pimentel said. "So, this will be up for discussions during the bicameral conference meeting or probably during the deliberations in the Senate," he added. The House leadership said it will reallocate Duterte's P650 million confidential funds following a consensus by the chamber's party leaders to augment funds for security and intel agencies to better safeguard Philippine territorial waters and guarantee Filipino fishermen rights and access to their traditional fishing grounds. House committee on appropriations chairperson Elizaldy Co confirmed on Wednesday that the lower chamber agreed to eliminate the confidential and intelligence of several agencies and that the OVP and DepEd were the first to be identified to received the budget cuts. "The country's safety and security are of paramount importance. To protect our territorial integrity from external threats, Congress is giving top priority to agencies directly in charge [of] protecting the country's safety and securing its borders," he stressed. "As discussed, we will realign the confidential funds of various civilian agencies. Now is the time to give our intelligence community the means to perform their duties, especially in these pressing times when we’re facing serious concerns in the West Philippine Sea," Co explained. Marathon deliberations in the proposed P5.768 trillion budget for 2024 have led to intense debates in the House, particularly on the grant of multi-million confidential funds to numerous civilian agencies, including the OVP and DepEd, that have nothing to do with surveillance. Last week's deliberations revealed that Duterte's office spent P125 million in confidential funds in 2022 in merely 11 days— not 19 days-- as initially claimed by some opposition lawmakers. The P125 million CF was part of the P221.42 million contingent fund of the OP transferred to the OVP in 2022, with the opposition claiming it was unconstitutional since there was no line item in the OVP's 2022 budget on confidential funds in the 2022 General Appropriations Act. The post Despite House vow, VP Sara’s confidential funds still ‘intact’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Spins, deceptions, barrage
Chinese propaganda was in full force yesterday as the country’s state media again referred to the Philippines’ removal of the floating barrier as done to further the interest of the Americans. The narrative that China wants the world to follow is that the actions of the Philippines are all being dictated by the United States, to which the country has a long history of subservience. Thus, the Philippines’ sovereign interests are really at stake in the challenges to China’s aggressive assertions. Beijing’s propaganda mill has been busy since the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement increased from five to nine the number of Philippine military bases US forces have access to. It initially raised the bogey of the broader military pact being the launch pad for an American defense of Taiwan if China attacked, which is farthest from the truth since it presumes that Filipinos would be stupid enough to risk their country for another’s interest. The latest volley from China was related to removing the floating barrier that cordoned off Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc to Filipino fishermen. The Philippine Coast Guard should check the contraption to determine where it was manufactured. Recall the suspicion that the rocks and other materials used for China’s reclamation of Philippine islands had come from Zambales with the collusion of local government officials. Wang Wenbin, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said the Philippine statement was just what it wanted to believe itself. “China’s resolve in safeguarding its sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) is unwavering. We call on the Philippines not to make provocations or stir up trouble,” Wang said. Moreover, China parrots the line that opening four additional military bases was a move “to win US support for its claims in the South China Sea.” The US then wants to exploit the Philippines so that “it can intervene in the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue from a closer range.” The US is using the Philippines as a pawn in its campaign to “contain China,” according to the propaganda minions. EDCA was an offshoot of the Mutual Defense Treaty, a post-World War II pact in which the Philippines and the United States committed to come to each other’s aid in case of attack. Based on the hype generated in Beijing, the Philippines has made several “failed” attempts to deliver building materials to reinforce the “grounded warship” on China’s Ren’ai Jiao, also known as Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, since August. Indeed, attempts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre ended in a cat-and-mouse chase that succeeded, revealing that China is out of touch with reality. Also, the Sierra Madre is not a warship but a landing craft. It is an LST 542-class tank landing ship, previously known as the USS Harnett County, built for the United States Navy during World War II. The paid hacks and lapdogs of the Chinese government want to create an image that the venture between the Philippines and the US is meant to contain Beijing. The fundamental issue, however, remains the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, that has under it the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, or ITLOS. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, issued the 2016 ruling favoring the Philippines was formed under ITLOS. Thus, UNCLOS invalidated China’s historical claims and upheld the exclusive economic zone from which the Philippines can derive economic benefits. Any argument that strays from the guiding principle must be treated with a grain of salt, if not doused with cold water. The post Spins, deceptions, barrage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate to reallocate CIFs to agencies engaged in WPS patrol too — Zubiri
The Senate on Wednesday mimicked the House of Representatives’ plan to reallocate confidential and intelligence funds to government agencies involved in protecting the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea such as the Philippine Coast Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. According to Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, senators have agreed to follow the same path the lower chamber has taken regarding the controversial allocation of secret funds to non-security and defense agencies in the upcoming fiscal year. Zubiri said the “intelligence community” would also receive additional secret funds. “We have agreed in the Senate to do the same. We also will [be] reallocating funds that we feel are not necessary for the use of certain agencies and allocate them to our Intelligence Community as well as our Coast Guard and AFP,” he said in a Viber message sent to reporters. The decision came after various political party leaders in the lower chamber issued a joint statement to push the redirection of secret funds to agencies in charge of intelligence and security amid China’s latest actions in the West Philippine Sea. Citing China’s moves which include the installation of the floating barrier in Scarborough Shoal, political party leaders sought the allocation of more secret funds for the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the National Security Council, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. “Recognizing the rising security threats in the West Philippine Sea and the need to secure top officials, these agencies are better positioned to counteract security threats, protect our territorial waters, and secure the rights and access of Filipino fishermen to traditional fishing grounds,” the joint statement read. "This decision also underscores the need to ensure that resource allocation aligns with national priorities and the urgent needs of the citizenry, reflecting our commitment to a budget that is balanced, equitable, and serves the true needs and aspirations of the Filipino people,” it added. The joint statement was signed by Rizal Rep. Michael John Duavit of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel of the PDP Laban, Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Jose Joboy Aquino of the Lakas CMD, BHW Party List Rep. Angelica Natasha Co of the Party List Coalition, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona of the Nacionalista Party, and Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte of the National Unity Party. How about OVP, DepEd? Zubiri was asked if the same thing would happen to the secret funds allocated to the offices headed by Vice President Sara Duterte. “We shall review all agencies,” he simply replied. Duterte, who heads the OVP and Department of Education, is requesting a total of P650 million worth of confidential funds for the two agencies, P500 million and P150 million, respectively. Under the proposed P.768-trillion National Expenditure Program for next year, a total of P9.2 billion was allocated for confidential and intelligence funds of government agencies and offices. The post Senate to reallocate CIFs to agencies engaged in WPS patrol too — Zubiri appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UniSQ in Toowoomba
Just recently, the 13th Australian Media Traditions Conference was held on the 20th and 21st of September at the University of Southern Queensland, or UniSQ, in the Garden City of Toowoomba in Brisbane on the theme “Beyond Boundaries.” Thirty-six paper presenters, who were largely PhDs and PhD candidates from various universities on the Australian continent and beyond, each had 20 minutes to share their research and scholarly works in the field of communication in the context of the digital age. Most conferees came from the universities of Southern Queensland, Queensland, Macquarie, La Trobe, RMIT, Monash, James Cook, Swinburne, Deakin, South Australia, Melbourne, Canberra and QUT — all in Australia — while two were from the University of China and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, and one from the University of the Philippines (the only Filipino in the pack). Each day featured a keynote speaker, a morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Everyone received a ring-bound booklet that contained the individual abstracts and biographies of every participant. The various subthemes delved into — literature, journalism, television drama, civic engagement, music industry, radio, cinema, mobile developments, media/politics/issues, technologies and globalization, SVODs in Australia, creation and content production, and archives (i.e., collection of digital/social media at the National Library of Australia) — were all reflective of the contemporary communication and media ecosystem. For one, this author presented his paper titled, “Scoping the reformative and transformative impact of media traditions.” Let me share, dear readers, what my seminal and expository paper was all about. The terms reformative and transformative simply refer to access to news, entertainment, or information in various modalities, while impact, as a term, refers to “hit,” it denoting who are adversely affected in an era of digital media (i.e., print newspapers, periodicals, magazines and other forms of publishing). These social and economic dimensions are on opposite ends of a continuum. There’s no need to be an apologist for print newspapers since the notion that the “editor is dead” in this digital age is a myth. Neither is there such a thing as the “golden age of journalism,” as one presenter embraced the view — with some authority based on her research — that it never existed. In fact, if it were any consolation, there had been a common point when the portion who got its news via social media was about equal to the portion who got its news from newspapers and that was in 2017. Therefore, if there was a crucial paradigm shift to the digital or social media platform, it must have been an entirely slow and gradual process where the readership of print newspapers slid down and the readership on social media climbed, not to mention that such transformation was only of recent memory or origin. In the case of Americans, and it may be a universal phenomenon elsewhere in the world, television dominates as a news source followed by news websites, in turn followed by radio then social media, in turn followed by print newspapers — in this pecking order. As well articulated with evidence-based data, two age groups, namely, those between 50-54 and those 65 and over, still preferred print newspapers as their news source with lower percentages in the younger age groups (i.e., 18-29, 30-48). More particularly, while most Americans get their news often from social media rather than print newspapers, there is only a marginal variance of 20 percent and 16 percent, respectively, over the period 2016 to 2018. In other words, we can embrace the view that print newspapers “will never die,” very much so in countries with aging populations to the extent possible that it might even overcome social media at some point as a source for news in this…. “digital divide” as well as “age divide.” This media traditions conference at the UniSQ in Toowoomba was probably the most fulfilling intellectual experience for experts, scholars, and practitioners in the present-day communication and digital landscape. The post UniSQ in Toowoomba appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati cries foul over Taguig’s ‘rejection’
The local government of Makati City on Sunday lamented the local government of Taguig’s alleged “unreasonable” rejection of Makati proposals which impedes the smooth transfer of city-owned health facilities and services. Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza said that the Makati local government proposed memorandums of agreement pertain to eight barangay health centers and the health data of their patients, and Ospital ng Makati. However, it was allegedly rejected by the local government of Taguig. “We have initiated a series of correspondence and memorandum of agreement proposals to the City of Taguig aimed to facilitate the smooth transfer of Makati-owned health facilities to its jurisdiction. However, these have been rejected outright, without valid reason. Unfortunately, Taguig seems adamant about taking over our hospital and health centers without acknowledging our ownership rights,” Certeza said. In a letter to Mayor Lani Cayetano, a MoA was proposed by Mayor Abby Binay for Ospital ng Makati, which contains an offer extending a substantial credit line to Taguig. The credit line is intended to ensure that affected residents can continue to access the essential health care services at the city-owned and managed hospital. Certeza said that as stated in the draft MoA, the credit line will “function as a financial safety net, enabling Taguig City to provide essential health care services to its residents without immediate upfront payments, particularly in cases where beneficiaries may not have the means to cover their medical costs themselves.” “Makati is even willing to allocate millions in funding for this credit line to Taguig to avoid any disruption in health care services. Yet, Mayor Cayetano refused to even consider the proposal, opting to put off any discussions regarding OsMak, purportedly in deference to the wishes of the Health secretary,” Certeza said. To recall, the Taguig City mayor said in her letter that Department of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa himself would take the lead in any discussions regarding Ospital ng Makati, and that both cities must defer to his wishes. In another letter to Cayetano, Binay also offered Taguig the option to lease or to purchase the land and improvement of eight health centers, subject to the appraisal of the Commission on Audit. However, Cayetano has allegedly declined the offer, again citing a supposed directive from the Health Secretary to “exclude the issue of ownership in the transition process.” “Makati is willing to let Taguig use its properties without asking them for immediate payment. We are, in fact, deferring to CoA to determine the reasonable amount to be charged,” Certeza said. The post Makati cries foul over Taguig’s ‘rejection’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»