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Subservient no more
While the United States and China face off in the West Philippine Sea, the balanced diplomatic policy of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. enables him to keep the lines open to both superpowers. The Philippines has a “traditional” alliance with the United States imbued, as a former colony, with a cultural affinity that had resulted in deep relations. Both countries share experiences in history, primarily in World War 2 where the commitments of both countries to defend each other emanated. Former President Rodrigo Duterte tried to deviate from the norm and sought closer relations with China while asserting that the Philippines should not be subservient to the Americans, which was a track that showed success but Beijing fell short of its commitments. A more pragmatic tack was taken by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. which is gaining recognition as the right approach with China and the United States. The country has resumed its normal relations with the US while BBM works for deeper economic and diplomatic relations with the mainland. The direction President Marcos has taken is meant to prove to the two superpowers that it is in the best interest of the Philippines that its relations remain strong and balanced with all countries. The US helps with military modernization, while both countries maintain assistance with various development projects, mainly infrastructure. The country’s role in the volatile West Philippine Sea issue is then relegated to the background. The Philippines has the international community behind it as a result of the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling which, even as it avoided settling the territorial claim, favored the Philippines in terms of the exercise of maritime rights. The 2016 arbitral award significantly invalidated the nine-dash line claim of China on the West Philippine Sea. Enforcing the ruling is difficult since China did not recognize the proceeding but the importance of the decision has emerged in terms of being a reference of countries in addressing the incursions in the West Philippine Sea. Elbridge Colby, former Pentagon Deputy Assistant Secretary and co-founder of the think tank Marathon Initiative, said in a recent forum that the Philippines is “on the right track in building up its defense capabilities.” Building such capabilities will “blunt” potential aggressions in the region, he added. Colby, who engineered the United States 2018 National Defense Strategy, said, “The Chinese are not going to take your diplomacy seriously if you’re operating from a position of weakness; they take it seriously if it’s backed by force that they don’t think they can mess around.” The twin moves of President Marcos to strengthen defense capabilities through the long-held pacts with the US while modernizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines have become a cornerstone of the defense strategy in deterring maritime aggression. Colby underlined the importance of effective deterrence which is meant to avoid the escalation of conflict in the region. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro is firm in asserting the position of the country to be independent of the superpowers as it tracks its course amid the heightened geopolitical tensions in the region. President Marcos added that he will not allow provocative actions by any country nor allow the Philippines to become a staging post for any kind of military action. The position of strength comes from the ability of the nation to express what it wants within its international rights that other countries should learn to respect. The post Subservient no more appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Twitter quits EU disinformation code: commissionner
Twitter has decided to leave the EU's disinformation code, a voluntary pact that groups together the major social platforms, but "its obligations remain," EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton tweeted Saturday. Launched in 2018, the EU's code of practice on disinformation counts nearly three dozen signatories including the giants in the sector such as Meta, Google, Twitter, Microsoft, and TikTok. It also covers smaller platforms, as well as advertisers and fact-checkers, and non-governmental organizations. The code was written by the industry players themselves and contains over three dozen pledges such as better cooperation with fact-checkers and not promoting actors distributing disinformation. "You can run but you can't hide. Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be a legal obligation under DSA (digital services law) as of August 25," he wrote. "Our teams will be ready for enforcement," he warned. Since buying the social network six months ago, billionaire Elon Musk has relaxed the moderation of problematic content, which appears to have amplified the voices of notorious propagators of disinformation on the platform. "If (Elon Musk) doesn't take the code seriously, then it's better that he quits," a European Commission official told AFP on Friday. The post Twitter quits EU disinformation code: commissionner appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CEZA cancels license of online casino operator
The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority has cancelled the 25-year license agreement with Foremost Cagayan Development and Leisure Corp. after an evaluation showed it is “grossly disadvantageous” to the government and it failed to deliver on its investment commitments......»»
Catriona Gray napiling judge sa reality show na Supermodel Me; may movie offer kasama si Sam Milby
ISA sa mga dahilan kung bakit umuwi rin kaagad ng Pilipinas si 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray ay dahil marami pa siyang commitments dito sa Pilipinas. Isa na nga riyan ang Binibining Pilipinas 2021 Coronation Night na gaganapin sa Smart Araneta Coliseum bukas ng gabi, Hulyo 11. Makakasama ni Catriona bilang host sa buong pageant […] The post Catriona Gray napiling judge sa reality show na Supermodel Me; may movie offer kasama si Sam Milby appeared first on Bandera......»»
Majoy Baron in FIVB website feature article: Enjoying both volleyball and fashion worlds
Filipino volleyball stars continue to make headlines in the FIVB website. Majoy Baron’s humble volleyball journey to her slaying it on the catwalk and her incredible story of striving to be at her best in both worlds is the latest Filipino volleyball feature article on the site. The F2 Logistics middle blocker shared the news on her Instagram post on Sunday. View this post on Instagram Thank you FIVB for the feature. I am humbled to be able to share my journey not only as a volleyball player but also as a model. I hope to inspire others to go beyond their limitations. Pursue your passions and don’t be afraid to do the things you love. You are limitless ?? Click full article on my bio! A post shared by Majoy Baron (@majoybaron) on Jun 6, 2020 at 6:20pm PDT “Thank you FIVB for the feature,” she posted. “I am humbled to be able to share my journey not only as a volleyball player but also as a model. I hope to inspire others to go beyond their limitations. Pursue your passions and don’t be afraid to do the things you love. You are limitless.” Baron, who is a mainstay in the national team since 2018, told the website that she fell in love with beauty pageants growing up. It was her first love. “Before I became a volleyball player, I used to enjoy joining beauty pageants,” the 5-foot-10 stunner on and off the court told the website. “In the Philippines, beauty pageants are very popular. Miss Universe is our Super Bowl and is one of the major events the Filipinos look forward to every year. Growing up with that energy and enthusiasm, pageants and modelling easily became my first love.” Baron added that walking on the ramp puts her on a different high. “There was a rush every time I would put on a beautiful designer garment and walk down an elevated ramp in front of an audience,” she said. “What I enjoyed the most was transforming into a different person that was totally removed from my real self even just for a few minutes.” Her modelling career had to take a backseat when the Concepcion, Tarlac native was recruited to play for the Ramil De Jesus-mentored De La Salle University Lady Spikers in the UAAP. “My skills in high school weren't sufficient to make me stand out, I was tall and that was it. After a national tournament, only two schools scouted me for college. I was very grateful to even receive an offer from two schools with well-known and established volleyball programmes,” she said. “Going to DLSU for college turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Baron continued. “It still gives me goose bumps remembering the time I was playing for the them. Those championships, trophies and individual awards we got were the fruits of our unending hard work and dedication to the sport.” Her first two years with the green and white were disappointing with DLSU losing to archrival Ateneo de Manila University in Season 76 and 77. Baron became a UAAP champion in 2016 in her third year and in her fourth year with the squad, she bagged Season 79 Most Valuable Player award as well as leading the Lady Spikers to a back-to-back. She left a winning legacy after closing her collegiate career as a three-peat champion. Baron also enjoyed a flourishing career in the commercial league, helping the Cargo Movers collect titles in the Philippine Superliga. Her talents and skills also landed her a spot in the national team. Baron saw action in the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and was named Best Middle Blocker twice in the two-leg 2019 ASEAN Grand Prix. She returned to modelling after college, squeezing in photo shoots for magazines, product endorsements and fashion shows, in between her commitments with her club and national squad. “It was not hard juggling volleyball and modelling duties, but the determination and discipline that I honed while playing volleyball took over. Know your priorities, pursue excellence, and push to be better than before,” said Baron, who was the fourth Filipino featured in the website after Jaja Santiago, Sisi Rondina and Bryan Bagunas. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @fromtheriles.....»»
ED attaches asset worth Rs 70 lakh in bank fraud implicating Hyderabad-based Jasleen Enterprises
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached an immovable property valued at Rs 70 lakh in a bank fraud case involving Jasleen Enterprises headquartered in Hyderabad. The Hyderabad division of the ED attached the fixed asset in accordance with the stipulations outlined in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. ED initiated investigation on the basis of First Informati.....»»
Belmonte, Binay call for climate action funding from development banks
The C40 coalition of cities, a network of nearly 100 mayors, asked MDBs to increase urban climate investment, integrate urban climate action into their strategies, and implement tailored programs to support city projects. .....»»
Sy family invests P5 billion in Megawide affiliate
The Sy family is once again playing a big brother role to a company led by businessman Edgar Saavedra, this time investing in Megawide’s affiliate renewable energy real estate investment trust......»»
Opinion - South China Sea- Philippines must softly manage disputes or miss out economically
Manilas assertive transparency strategy is touted as a model for managing maritime disputes but it diminishes key economic opportunities. As Chinese investment pours into other Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines must reduce geopolitical risks without acquiescing to Beijing......»»
Cebu City buy-bust: Over P12M ‘shabu’ seized from 2 HVIs
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police confiscated over P12 million worth of suspected shabu from the possession of two men during a bust-bust operation in Brgy. Bulacao, Cebu City on Tuesday evening, March 26. The buy-bust operation was conducted at around 10 p.m. in Lower Sario in Brgy. Bulacao. One of the suspects was identified as.....»»
Mandaue drug bust: P476,000 ‘shabu’ seized from HVI
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Authorities seized suspected shabu worth at least P476,000 from a 45-year-old man described as a high-value individual during an anti-illegal drugs operation in Mandaue City early on Wednesday morning, March 27, 2024. The operation took place along Realty Road in the North Reclamation Area in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, Cebu. The.....»»
Pia binasag nga ba si Heart sa ‘worth ng kababaihan’ campaign?
MAY “silent war” nga ba sina 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach at Kapuso international fashion icon na si Heart Evangelista? Yan ang nakakaintrigang tanong ng mga netizens nang mapansin nilang tila sinagot ni Pia ang lumang Instagram post ni Heart noong January, 2024. Usap-usapan ngayon ng mga Marites ang matapang na statement ni Pia para.....»»
Man-made disasters cost Philippines 164.87 mln USD in 2023
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Man-made disasters caused the total damage in the Philippines worth 9.29 billion pesos (164.87 million U.S. dollars) in 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday. The agency said that out of the total annual damage, 4.93 billion pesos (87.5 million dollars), or 53.1 percent, was due to the oil spill. "The reported oil spill in various regions resulted in dam.....»»
KATRIBU on the impact of Maharlika Investment Fund on the Moro and Indigenous Peoples
A speech delivered by Beverly Longid, KATRIBU National Convenor, during the Maharlika Investment Fund forum organized by the First Quarter Storm (FQS) Movement......»»
Shohei Ohtani says interpreter stole money, denies knowledge of gambling debts
Shohei Ohtani says he was unaware Ippei Mizuhara had gambling debts and that he had been lied to repeatedly by the interpreter who had been by his side since he joined Major League Baseball in 2018.....»»
WATCH: Patricia Evangelista on the craft of storytelling
Registered users and Rappler Communities app users can sign up here for the virtual interview and live chat with the 'Some People Need Killing' author.....»»
Old habits die hard
In a 2018 article, I wrote about how I spent most of my weeknights playing video games and streaming random TV series, reality shows and movies......»»
Philippine food firms’ sales hit $133 million in Dubai fair
Philippine food companies generated $133 million worth of export sales from a food trade show held in Dubai last month, according to the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions......»»
PUBG Mobile continues steady rise in Philippines
PUBG: Mobile has been a steady shooting game that Filipinos have been playing since its release back in 2018. Since then, the game has had Filipino-centric initiatives in 2022......»»
P4-M smuggled cigs seized, 2 arrested
THE Bureau of Customs-Davao Region (BOC-Davao) confiscated smuggled cigarettes worth P4 million in Barangay Lacson, Calinan District, Davao City on March 22, 2024......»»