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Shear line, monsoon to bring rains in Luzon, Visayas
The shear line or meeting of cold and hot air will continue to bring rain in parts of Southern Luzon and the Visayas today, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration......»»
Delivery bag checklist before giving birth
Mary Mason once said, “A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years and in your heart till the day you die.” During a woman’s pregnancy, one of the things she meticulously prepares is her delivery bag. A delivery bag consists of new mother’s and baby’s essentials when the baby is born in a hospital or clinic. If you are nearing your delivery due date, around eight months, and haven’t had any idea what to bring, check out this basic list. [gallery size="large" columns="1" ids="200378,200381,200382"] For newborn Baru-baruan or newborn clothes set — At least two pieces of tops (either sleeveless or with sleeves), shorts or long pants, a pair of mittens and booties and a baby cap. Liquid soap — To wash off some fluids or vernix (the white, cheesy-looking substance that coats the newborn’s skin), a mild liquid soap is necessary. The baby’s first bath will be done by a lying in or hospital staff after giving birth. Diapers — Bring at least two to five pieces of newborn diapers. A good quality diaper should be super absorbent, gentle on baby’s skin, great fit and made of eco-friendly materials. Bib or small, soft cloth — This can come in handy to protect the baby’s delicate skin and clothes from spit-up, breastmilk and drool. Have at least three pieces. Receiving blanket — A thick blanket helps protect the baby from the cold air. Choose colors either blue or pink for easy gender identification. Plain white is also good. [caption id="attachment_200379" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] THE baby’s first bath will be done by the lying-in or hospital staff.[/caption] For mommy Dress — Bring at least two to five nursing clothes to make your breastfeeding journey more manageable and comfortable. It’s easy to put on, easy to loosen and easy to take off again since it doesn’t put any pressure on your postnatal body. Adult diapers — Carry at least six to eight pieces of adult diapers to help absorb leakage of excess blood after giving birth. Maternity pads — After the adult diaper phase, maternity pads give extra protection after child birth. Toiletries — These include liquid soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, bath towel, deodorant and cotton buds. You can add wet wipes and tissue, too. Slippers — Wear your slippers before going to the hospital or lying in. Scrunchie, comb and mirror — Stay clean to avoid any infection and you also feel better after giving birth. Comb your hair to look good as well. Liters of water — Be extra hydrated by drinking at least 16 cups of water a day to help you produce breastmilk round the clock. Documents and IDs — These are given requirements from the hospital or lying in, as well as your baby’s identification for birth certificate. Bring at least two government IDs. Speaking of government IDs, update your PhilHealth contributions to avail of maternity hospital coverage. Ideally, keep the delivery bag by your house door or any accessible place so it’s easy to grab and go when the time comes. Start ticking off this checklist now! The post Delivery bag checklist before giving birth appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
HCPTI to ‘make Subic port push NorthPhil economy to new highs’
The development and digitalization of the Subic port can help the economy of North Philippines (NorthPhil) and the rest of the country reach new highs. This projection came from economist and teacher Ronilo Balbieran of the University of Asia and the Pacific, citing the vast expanse and strategic location of NorthPhil’s constituent regions north of Metro Manila. Balbieran said Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Ilocandia and the Cordilleras could gain unprecedented economic growth from the Subic Port’s development into a truly world-class international gateway vis-a-vis a similarly ongoing modernization of the Clark Freeport Zone, creating a logistical superhighway and growth corridor, whose benefits would spill over to the rest of the archipelago. Poised to modernize the Subic Port is Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. (HCPTI), making its operation fully digitalized and serve as the centerpiece and crowning jewel of the entire Freeport zone. The HCPTI’s development plan envisions the Subic Port as the main draw in the marketing of Subic as an investment destination, the facility being a supposedly world-class international gateway and a catalyst of global trade and commerce. Underscoring the significance of distance in logistics, particularly involving marine freight, Balbieran said the Subic port would highlight the strategic location of NorthPhil in relation to six of the countries in the ASEAN and most of those in the Pacific Rim, including Central America. Balbieran also echoed the “sales pitch” of the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board hailing NorthPhil as an undisrupted land mass of diverse nature, culture and adventure, featuring a wealth of resources of four large regions between the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific, or from ridge to reef and from coast to coast. “Those regions account for 18 percent of the country’s total GDP (Gross Domestic Product), adding P3.9 trillion to the national economy just for 2022. And in the last two years, these (regional economies) have grown faster than Metro Manila and the entire nation,” Balbieran explained. “With larger investments in expansion and digitalization, the Subic port can further ignite domestic and international trade to and from Luzon, which will expand the economy of NorthPhil even faster.” NorthPhil comprises 84,526 square kilometers, accounting for 28.2 percent of the country’s entire 300,000 sqkm. NorthPhil’s total land mass alone is equivalent to 76.9 percent of Luzon’s 109,965 square kilometers and 87 percent of Mindanao’s 97,530 sqkm. At the same time, the HCPTI’s modernization of the Subic port is also “consistent and fully aligned” with the PBBM administration’s infrastructure and logistics development policy thrust. Balbieran said the National Logistics Strategy of the Department of Trade and Industry included both public and private investments in Logistics 1 of the 6 pillars of improving the country’s logistics efficiency. “The Strategy emphasizes massive investments in ports nationwide, as more than 90 percent of goods pass through the ports,” Balbieran said of what was revealed by the DTI at the recent conference of the Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines. The DTI’s National Logistics Strategy is also expected to incorporate or be seamlessly integrated with those of the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Public Works and Highways, and Interior and Local Government as part of another plan to develop a food logistics chain, a cold chain industry, port infrastructure, and farm-to-market roads, thus ensuring affordable availability of food to consumers in real time by reducing logistics cost through investments in appropriate infrastructure and digital technologies. “Thus, the ‘expansion and digitalization of the Subic Port’ by the HCPTI is consistent with the National Logistics Strategy and Food Logistics Plan of the DTI, both getting the nod of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' R. Marcos Jr. recently,” Balbieran said. “Specifically, though, HCPTI’s modernization of the Subic port will help bring down logistics costs, not just for the businessmen in Northern Luzon, but also for (those in) the rest of the Philippines who will use such facility to trade internationally.” Balbieran said both the DTI and the World Bank had described the Philippines’ logistics cost as “one of the highest” in Southeast Asia at more than 20 percent of sales, compared with Thailand’s only 11 percent. The post HCPTI to ‘make Subic port push NorthPhil economy to new highs’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Survey drop, disinformation, or portent?
The political whirlwind that swept the Marcos-Duterte tandem to a smashing victory in the May elections of 2016 and the air of euphoria following it appears to have gradually dissipated one year and three months following their assumption to office as President and Vice President, respectively. There has been almost a whispery voice of discontent among those in the populating bearing the brunt of the escalating prices of basic commodities and a crescendo of pessimism felt by those who have been used to responsive and aggressive governance. What could have produced the huge fall in the approval and trust ratings of the redeeming and resurrected Marcos scion and the redoubtable charming yet feisty daughter of the controversial but beloved former President? Could it be the systematic and relentless barrage of negative propaganda against the current administration unleashed by the vociferous left inside and outside Congress helped, unsurprisingly, by the ominous silence of the political allies of the two, who obviously are following the baton of the one who wields and disburses the funds and largesse they need for their districts and their own evolution? The conductor’s body language speaks volumes of the obsession to be the heir apparent of the leader of the present dispensation. The fall in the trust and approval ratings of PBBM is not his own doing. The spiraling of prices of almost all commodities, including oil and gasoline, is global. The Russia-Ukraine war, the China-Taiwan friction, the US-Russia cold war, the China-US increasing bilateral tension, and other conflicts involving other countries have affected the trade and commerce of the world, putting a monkey wrench on the best-laid plans and programs of those who run the business of the world. They contribute to the present dislocation in the world’s economy. While PBBM has envisioned a program of government that — as he puts it in his first State of the Nation Address — would bring to fruition the dream of the Filipino people to live comfortable lives under a regime of peace and orderly society, he cannot, however, do this alone. He needs competent, dynamic, creative, selfless, and honest co-government workers who will implement the plans he has laid down. Unfortunately, while there are members of his Cabinet and allies in Congress who are doing well in their respective domains quietly and efficiently, there are, however, not a few of them who either have lackluster performance or are dead woods whose incompetence and grandstanding derail his visions and frustrate the expectations of the people. PBBM has been dragged down by these dead weights, triggering this fall in the surveys. Vice President and Secretary of Education Inday Sara Duterte’s fall on the surveys presents a different dimension. Her competent handling of her department has brought dramatic changes in the public educational system. Not only has she quelled the irregular, inefficient, and corrupt practices in the education sector, but she has even initiated and launched activities protecting the safety and health of the students and public school teachers, even as she improves the quality of education. Her enormous popularity, however, has become a magnet for orchestrated and systematic false disinformation and untruthful narratives about her and her office. This early — those eyeing the presidency five years from now have sent demolition forces to tarnish her popular image and taint her unblemished reputation. Those who are gullible among those respondents in the surveys apparently have been misled or hoodwinked into believing the falsities thrown at her. On the other side of the coin, could this abrupt and sizable decrease in the approval and trust survey be a portent? Could it be a foreshadow of an oncoming political upheaval? Could it be a handwriting on the wall? Could it be a wake-up call? The post Survey drop, disinformation, or portent? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
COVID’s back: Here’s what you need to know
As colder weather sets in, COVID rates are once more rising across the Northern Hemisphere, with several new variants on the scene. Here's what you need to know. Covid versus seasonal nasties? The COVID pandemic extracted a terrible toll, with nearly seven million deaths worldwide. But thanks to vaccines, prior immunity, and better treatments, the virus is now far more manageable. In the United States, excess deaths -- the total number of people dying for any given cause -- has been normal since spring. "If you asked me to choose between getting flu and COVID, I would pick COVID because each individual case of flu is more dangerous," said Ashish Jha, a former White House COVID coordinator and dean of public health at Brown University. But while COVID is now less deadly to individuals, "it also seems to have higher rates of long-term complications." COVID is also less seasonal than the flu, more contagious, and over the last three US winters peaked from December to January, while flu peaks later. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, placed COVID "on par" with flu and RSV, but stressed it was more severe than the common cold. To boost or not to boost? Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax have developed new vaccines that more closely target current variants, all offshoots of Omicron which became dominant in late 2021. There is broad consensus that annual boosters will benefit the most vulnerable. But whether they bring added value to everyone is debated. Nearly everyone has already been infected, studies show. And prior infections combined with vaccines have trained immune systems to stop severe outcomes even when they can't ward off infection. One-size-fits-all recommendations no longer make sense, and could decrease trust in public health, said Monica Gandhi, author of "Endemic: A Post-Pandemic Playbook." For example, the mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna carry small risks of heart inflammation in younger men. European nations advise annual shots only for higher-risk groups, but some experts don't see downsides in wider recommendations. "People at low risk still derive benefit from boosters," said Ziyad Al-Aly, an epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis. The United States recommends that nearly everyone get annual COVID shots. Are masks still useful? Experts diverge on this subject, one of the most controversial of the pandemic. A review of clinical trial data by the respected nonprofit Cochrane on whether promoting mask-wearing helped slow respiratory viruses found inconclusive results. Whether broad mandates have a significant effect, therefore, hasn't been proven. What researchers do know -- thanks to lab experiments -- is that well-fitted, high-caliber masks such as N-95s protect individuals. "Individuals can therefore choose to wear well-fitted and filtered masks indoors to provide personal protection from respiratory pathogens," said Gandhi, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco -- though she believes in vaccines to prevent severe disease, including among the high-risk. Test, or go to work? Experts agree that it makes sense for people at risk -- the elderly and those with conditions such as cancer, obesity, and diabetes -- to test when they have symptoms. That's because these groups "would benefit from antiviral therapy within the five-day window," said Adaja. The most prominent treatment is Paxlovid, which has been shown to reduce the risk of severe disease and death among high-risk people. Some health systems have decided testing at-risk people is all that's needed. "Most people no longer need to take a coronavirus test. To prevent the spread of infection, you should try to stay at home if you're unwell," says the UK's National Health System. What about long COVID? Research around long COVID -- symptoms that linger for weeks or months -- remains nebulous and hampered by a lack of standardized definitions for a condition that has multiple causes, said Adalja. Al-Aly estimates prevalence at between 4 to 7 percent, or 65 million people worldwide. "Unfortunately, we have not made progress on treating long Covid. This should be an urgent priority for research," he said. It does appear that prior vaccination reduces the risk of long COVID and that the condition is correlated with the severity of infection. The US government has funded several trials into the condition, with one recent study finding a diabetes drug called metformin reduced the risk of ongoing symptoms by 40 percent. Jha said he was hopeful of more data on treatments in the coming months. The post COVID’s back: Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US, Chinese and Russian officials gather at Southeast Asia summit
US Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend an East Asia summit in Indonesia on Thursday, offering an opportunity for direct, high-level diplomacy between the rivals. The 18-nation meeting will bring Washington and Beijing into contact a day after Premier Li Qiang warned major powers must manage their differences to avoid a "new Cold War", ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi this week where Chinese President Xi Jinping will be absent. Interactions between the officials from the world's top two economies will be closely watched as they seek to control tensions that risk flaring anew over issues ranging from Taiwan to ties with Moscow and the competition for influence in the Pacific. "To keep differences under control, what is essential now is to oppose picking sides, to oppose bloc confrontation, and to oppose a new Cold War," Li told regional leaders on Tuesday. Harris held her own talks with Southeast Asian leaders on "the importance of upholding international law in the South China Sea", according to a statement from her office, the disputed waterway where Chinese claims have angered several Southeast Asian nations. Thursday's summit will be the first time top US and Russian officials have sat around the same table in almost two months after US and European officials condemned Lavrov at a July ministerial meeting over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $1 billion in new assistance to Ukraine in a surprise visit to Kyiv on Wednesday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Canada's Justin Trudeau, and Australian PM Anthony Albanese will attend the summit, as well as leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. G20 host Modi addressed ASEAN leaders on Thursday morning, telling them it is essential to "build a post-Covid rules-based world order" and make collective efforts to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific", using another term for the Asia-Pacific region. Thursday's talks come several months after Blinken traveled to Beijing, the first visit by the top US diplomat in nearly five years, where he met Xi as well as former foreign minister Qin Gang. - 'Broken' - The meeting was not expected to be a fiery affair despite the differences between the major powers, according to a Southeast Asian diplomat who will attend. "They will state their positions, these meetings are not tense. Especially at the leaders' level where some degree of decorum will be observed." The group will issue a negotiated joint statement after the summit. While the gathering can bring major players together, its ability to help resolve a range of regional and global disputes is limited, experts say. "It's a sign of the ASEAN convening power but lately we can say that the East Asia summit is broken. It has been turned into a forum for talking points," said Aaron Connelly, senior fellow at Singapore-based think tank IISS. While Thursday's meeting will be more geopolitical in scope, big powers used earlier talks in Jakarta to shore up alliances and lobby the Southeast Asian bloc. Li traveled on a Chinese-funded high-speed train project between the capital Jakarta and the Javan city of Bandung with a senior Indonesian minister on Wednesday. Harris held separate meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. -- both ASEAN members -- on the sidelines of the summit. "The Vice President reaffirmed the United States' ironclad alliance commitment to the Philippines, and highlighted the role the US-Philippines alliance plays in ensuring a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific," her office said in a statement. South Korea's Yoon reportedly pushed for the bloc to counter North Korea's nuclear threats, calling for any military cooperation with the country to stop. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also give an address on the sidelines of the summit later on Thursday. ASEAN members are holding bilateral meetings with India, Australia, and the UN on Thursday. The post US, Chinese and Russian officials gather at Southeast Asia summit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cooking is in his Spanish blood
Sometime in 2017, a veterinarian from the province of Valencia in Spain went on vacation with three of his best friends to the island of Siargao in the Philippines. They enjoyed surfing a lot and fell in love with the place so hard that by the end of their 15-day holiday, they promised to return and even considered relocating. [caption id="attachment_178310" align="aligncenter" width="1707"] CHEF Luis Martinez | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DOñA ELENA[/caption] A year later, the four amigos made their “final decision.” They made the big move to Siargao and “luckily” found work. The veterinarian, though, ended up becoming a chef and opened a restaurant he called Alma. Then the pandemic struck and, soon, a super typhoon hit the island. The newbie chef had to close down his first culinary venture. Fast-forward to 2023: Chef Luis Martinez is coolly directing his staff at Terraza Martinez restaurant in Bonifacio Global City this late morning of 30 August for an event in collaboration with Doña Elena brand of olive oil. He then introduces the menu he’s specially prepared for the media representatives covering the event. Martinez maintains his coolness as he sits down for an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE and another publication. He says his three friends of 35 years who came with him to Siargao six years ago are still on the island. “We’ve known each other for 35 years. I have my little family from Spain here.” Back in Spain, he has his parents, four siblings and other relatives that make up his “core family” of 25 members who can all cook. He fondly remembers growing up bonding with his family around the kitchen “cooking, eating, drinking wine” particularly every Sunday and on Christmas. He mentions a couple of his comfort food, such as paella, which traces some of its origins in Valencia, and cocido, a beef soup that he likens to the Pinoy bulalo. That’s how Martinez learned how to cook around age nine. “I never studied culinary arts. I never worked in a kitchen before. My first kitchen was Siargao three years ago. Now, this one,” he says of Terraza Martinez, which he set up in 2022 with the Nikkei Group that runs several restaurants. He also admits to making a lot of mistakes along the way of his trial-and-error ways while trying a lot of flavors. [gallery size="full" columns="2" ids="178311,178312"] In terms of culinary, he says he brings “almost everything” of the Spain he grew up into Terraza Martinez. “My idea is I want to make our guests to feel like having lunch or dinner in Spain,” he explains, “with the same kind of ambience, with the same kind of essence where you have a little of tapas, paella, where you can enjoy not only the food but the company of your friends and the comfort of the food. So I’m trying to bring some Spanish culture here as we eat there.” Martinez turns candid when asked about his observations of Filipino cuisine: “The flavors are a little bit sweet than we’re used to. Also, I need to put a little bit less of what I’ll put in Spain. I use a little bit of sugar to make it a little sweet. “I need to adjust, yes. When I opened my first place, I got a lot of complaints because they were saying my food was little bit salty. They were expecting a little bit of sweetness. So I need to adjust, yes. Even here in Terraza Martinez. It has a little bit of Filipino taste.” The chef, for instance, had to take out gazpacho, a cold soup, from the menu because Filipinos tend to prefer hot soups. Overall, though, the reception to Terraza Martinez has been overwhelmingly positive by diners who are made up of “90 percent Filipinos and 10 percent foreigners.” This makes Martinez truly “surprised and happy,” saying, “I wasn’t expecting this a lot of people. All our customers really like the place. They like the food. For me, because I’m the chef, wow!” Next on the chef’s plate is a new restaurant in Siargao he hopes to open soon. That means he’ll be dividing his time, about 15 days each, in Siargao and in Manila. Spain can wait in the meantime. “I try to visit my family and friends every two months, maximum three… I spend summer here because right now I’m opening a restaurant, so I cannot go.” Meantime, Martinez continues to learn more about the Philippines with some help from his Filipina girlfriend, who’s teaching him a bit of the national language. He also picks up words here and there from conversations. He also looks forward to surfing in Siargao, but, when he’s in Manila, just swims and has recently taken up boxing to burn the calories he consumes eating. The post Cooking is in his Spanish blood appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pope arrives in Mongolia to back tiny Catholic presence on China’s doorstep
Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday, beginning the first papal visit to the vast Asian nation landlocked between China and Russia. The 86-year-old pontiff's trip through Monday to the Buddhist-majority nation is a gesture of support for the tiny community of Catholics numbering about 1,400. The Argentine pontiff left Rome at 1640 GMT Thursday bound for the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, arriving Friday morning local time following a nine-hour journey. He was greeted by a line of Mongolian honor guards in traditional blue, red, and yellow attire and foreign minister Batmunkh Battsetseg. Aboard the papal plane soon after take-off, Francis described the vast, sparsely populated country of Mongolia as one that "can be understood with the senses." Asked by a journalist whether he found diplomacy difficult, the pope answered: "Yes, you don't know how difficult it is. "Sometimes you need a sense of humor." The nine-hour flight passed over Chinese airspace and the pontiff, following custom, sent a telegram to President Xi Jinping, bearing "greetings of good wishes" to him and the Chinese people. "Assuring you of my prayers for the well-being of the nation, I invoke upon all of you the divine blessings of unity and peace," he wrote. The voyage -- Francis' second to the region in a year after a September trip to Kazakhstan -- is geopolitically strategic. It is seen as encouraging Mongolia's fragile democracy and potentially helping the Church make inroads with the country's more powerful neighbors. "This is a clear effort of the Holy See to take care of Central Asia and not abandon it to Russia or China," Michel Chambon, a scholar of Catholicism in Asia, told AFP. The visit -- Francis' 43rd voyage in his decade as head of the Catholic Church -- is also crucial in keeping the door open for improved Vatican ties with Beijing and Moscow, which have yet to offer the Pope an invitation. "It's a way to not give up, to remind them 'I'm here!'" Chambon said. "It's a way not to just stay in Rome and wait for things to happen but to jump in." Stamina test The trip will be a stamina test for the pope, who continues to travel widely despite undergoing a hernia operation in June and pain in his knee that has forced him to use a wheelchair. After a day of rest, the pontiff's itinerary on Saturday includes a welcome ceremony, meetings with President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, and a first address to authorities, diplomats, and members of civil society. He will meet the Catholic community -- which includes just 25 priests and 33 nuns, only two of them Mongolian -- later Saturday in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. Its circular nave resembles a "ger", the Mongolian nomads' traditional tent dwelling. The Jesuit pope addresses an interreligious meeting Sunday, where the rector of Ulaanbaatar's Russian Orthodox Church is expected to be present with a delegation, and later presides over a mass inside a newly built ice hockey arena. Pilgrims from nearby countries are expected at the mass, the Vatican said, including from Russia, China, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan. Not taking sides Once part of the empire of Genghis Khan, Mongolia is dependent on Russia for energy imports and on China for the export of its raw materials, primarily coal. But while toeing a neutral line with its powerful neighbors, it has engaged in a "third neighbor" policy, strengthening relations with other nations, including the United States, Japan, and South Korea, for balance. That makes Mongolia potentially helpful for Vatican relations with both Beijing and Moscow. The Holy See last year renewed a deal on the thorny issue of bishop appointments with China, and Francis has sought to broker an end to the war in Ukraine with Russia. Francis may use his trip to the former Soviet satellite state, a democracy since just 1992, to hammer home democratic principles. A major coal industry corruption scandal provoked street protests in December, eroding public trust amid a weak economy, high inflation, and major gaps between rich and poor. Chambon, a fellow at Singapore's Asia Research Institute, said Francis may take a page from last year's Kazakhstan visit, during which he warned authorities they have a responsibility to govern well. "The pope is not taking sides but is really putting politicians in front of their responsibilities," Chambon said. "'Who are we serving, are we honest, are we caring for the poor and marginalized, are we taking care of the entire nation in its religious and ethnic diversity?' "He plays the games but he asks the hard questions." Francis, who plans in October to publish an update to his seminal 2015 "Laudato Si'" a global call to action for the environment, will also likely bring attention to the impact of climate change on Mongolia's ecosystems. Together with mining and overgrazing, rising temperatures and their effects are fuelling desertification across swathes of the country. Severe cold, flooding and drought have killed off herds on the vast grasslands, forcing nomads who make up one-third of the population to migrate to Ulaanbaatar, now surrounded by shantytowns inhabited by displaced herders. The post Pope arrives in Mongolia to back tiny Catholic presence on China’s doorstep appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Battle for the Arctic
The Arctic is a very sensitive environmental area. They say that if the Arctic sneezes, the whole world catches a cold. The Arctic also holds vast amounts of oil and gas. Energy is the arch-enemy of the Environment. The Arctic Council was established in 1996 in the Ottawa Declaration “as a high-level forum to provide a means for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the (eight founding) Arctic States” (arctic-council.org). The eight Arctic States are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. For some reason, Greenland, the largest island, was not among the eight. The agreement stood until the war in Ukraine. The international spirit of cooperation suddenly vanished. The war in Ukraine made everyone edgy, with two factors as catalysts — energy and security. An intense energy crisis ensued. And security concerns triggered polarizations similar to the ones that preceded World Wars I and II, namely, between the East, led by Russia and China, and the West, led by US-NATO-EU. There was panic over getting new energy resources, and, in fear of wars, panic over procuring new sophisticated weapons, such as hypersonic missiles, killer drones, precision lasers that can take out satellites. Weapons makers like the US and Russia had a field day selling arms to allies. There is now a sudden focus on the vast energy resources of the Arctic, with its billions of dollars in untapped oil and gas — about 13 percent of the world’s oil and about 30 percent of the world’s gas — not to mention uranium, gold, and rare metals, all sitting there under the primordial ice. No wonder the environment is no longer a concern — it has been replaced by the lust for energy. The Arctic Circle The military map above gives an overview situationer on the Arctic Circle. (Source: International Institute for Strategic Studies — Arctic Portal.) There is UN-NATO in the west and Russia in the east. There are two existing shipping routes — the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage — which converge at the northern tip of the Arctic Circle. There is a third Future Trans Arctic Route in between west and east. There are 27 US-NATO bases in the west, in blue, and 28 Russian bases in the east, in black. The US-NATO bases are scattered over a wide area, while the Russian bases are concentrated along its northern shores. Note the concentration of both East and West bases in the Norway-Finland area where they face each other eyeball-to-eyeball. Many geopolitical and military analysts consider this the powder-keg for future confrontations. US-NATO cannot build bases near the Russian shorelines, so they concentrated their bases in the Norway–Finland chokepoint. Current energy extractions Russia leads the pack in energy extraction. Its turf covers about 40 percent of the Arctic Circle and 53 percent of coastal areas. There are about two million Russians living in the Arctic Circle in thriving mining communities servicing Liquid Natural Gas Projects 1 and 2. Project 1 is the Yamal LNG Plant. Project 2 is the newer $21-billion Arctic LNG2 Plan, whose goal is to extract 19.8 tons of LNG a year. Global warming has melted a considerable amount of Arctic ice in the last decade, which has triggered a more frenzied exploration and mining among the Arctic States. This is especially true for the ice corridor north of the Russian coastal area, which has triggered more daring Russian ships cutting through the melting ice. There is a 21,000-kilometer passage for Russian ships to bring their export gas to Asian markets through the Suez Canal, a long arduous route through the West, which makes the gas more expensive to deliver. Because of the melting ice, Russia now has an alternative of 13,000 kilometers through the east, 40 percent shorter than the western route. The mining activities of the Western nations will be covered in the next article due to space limitations. Future conflicts The goal of the Arctic military bases is defensive, namely, to protect the mining activities. But an Arctic encounter can be catalyzed by trigger-happy generals, or even by accidental encounters, which have happened before. The first step towards the nuclearization of the Arctic is the introduction of small tactical nukes, similar to those in Belarus, facing Poland, which can be an option if one of two contending forces is “cornered.” Tactical nukes may draw an equal response from the other side in a rapid escalation. Once tactical nukes proliferate on both sides, and an incident occurs, the next steps are the big ICBMs and the war with no winners. The post Battle for the Arctic appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
First border inspection facility for agri to rise in Bulacan
The Department of Agriculture over the weekend said it had partnered with Pacific Roadlink Logistics Inc. (PRLI) for the construction of the country’s first border inspection facility on its property at General Alejo Santos Highway in Angat, Bulacan. On July 20, the DA and PRLI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the establishment of the Cold Examination Facility in Agriculture (CEFA), which will house state-of-the-art testing laboratories for the examination of all imported animal, fish, plant, and other agricultural commodities. The MOU signing was led by DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban, Senate Committee on Agriculture Chairperson Senator Cynthia A. Villar, House Committee on Agriculture Mark Enverga, and PRLI President Edgar Dominic Milla. “We must continuously assert our vigilance in protecting the industry from pests and diseases that pose serious threats to agricultural productivity in the country. This partnership is a testament to our commitment,” Panganiban said. The Department allotted P2.3-billion in its 2023 budget for the construction of the said facility, which would include hubs in Cebu and Davao. The CEFA aims to strengthen the country’s capability to conduct first border inspections and improve its examination of containerized agricultural commodities. It also seeks to prevent the proliferation of agricultural smuggling. Under the MOU, the PRLI allows the government to use for a maximum of 25 years, its 10-hectare land for the CEFA, which will include a laboratory, incinerator, container yard, and truck parking, among others. The facility will be operated by the DA’s Food Safety and Regulatory Agencies (FSRA): Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). “Consistent with the President’s vision of a prosperous Philippine agricultural sector, we will continue to work to ensure the completion of this project so that we could protect our industry and the many people who depend on it, including the health of our consumers, as the project is deemed to warrant the food safety for the general populace,” Assistant Secretary James Layug said. Meanwhile, BAI and CEFA Project Director Paul Limson said the construction is expected to be finished within 6 to 8 months. The facility will initially function as a 24-hour Off-Dock Custom Facility to handle agricultural importations from the country’s two main ports: Port of Manila and Manila International Container Port. Apart from protecting livelihood and ensuring quality and safe food for Filipinos, the said facility is anticipated to create jobs and bring about economic transformation to the province of Bulacan. Once operational, the facility is expected to employ about 1,500-2,000 unskilled workers in the province. In her message, Senator Villar announced that the national government will set aside budget for the construction of CEFA to other areas particularly in Southern Luzon. The post First border inspection facility for agri to rise in Bulacan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Drought scuppers salmon fishing season in California
Gazing out at San Francisco harbor from her wooden fishing boat, Sarah Bates looks glum. In happier times, she would head out to sea every morning. But for much of this year, she has remained hopelessly docked, due to a ban on salmon fishing as a result of California's drought. "Salmon is my main fishery and it's 90 per cent of my income," says the 46-year-old. In force since April along the entire coast of the Golden State, and parts of neighboring Oregon, the moratorium will last until the end of the salmon fishing season in September. It was brought in as the number of salmon expected to return to the region's rivers has plummeted close to historic lows. The decades-long drought gripping the American West, aggravated by climate change, has seen the levels of California's rivers drop, and their waters grow warmer. With many dams already constructed on these waterways, these inhospitable conditions mean salmon are struggling to swim upstream to reproduce, and their offspring often die before reaching the ocean. The ban is a significant blow to California, where salmon fishing generates $1.4 billion per year, and supports 23,000 jobs, according to the Golden State Salmon Association. On the San Francisco harbor front, several restaurants have been forced to import salmon from further afield, including Canada, in order to keep the popular fish on their menus. "Salmon is king... that's what people want," says Craig Hanson, a 60-year-old chartered boat operator specializing in sport fishing. "They're also a very spectacular fish to catch... the salmon is going to fight you to the end." 'Marine heat waves' In summers past, Hanson would take his boat out every day. This season, the sailor weighs anchor only four times a week He blames a lack of enthusiasm among customers for fishing halibut or striped bass. Despite the loss of income, Hanson approves of the ban if it helps the future of the industry, and is optimistic that salmon can rebound soon thanks to recent months of heavy rain and snow. Yet many fishermen fear another ban next year. "The Chinook salmon that are fished here in California typically have a three- or four-year life cycle," explains Nate Mantua, a scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "So when things happen to them in freshwater, as eggs or juveniles, we see it impacting the fishery two or three years later." The decline in salmon numbers has been precipitous for at least a decade. Low river water levels -- which authorities have tried to work around, by trucking baby salmon down to the ocean -- are only part of the problem. Between 2014 and 2016, the Pacific reached temperatures never before seen off the west coast of North America. "Marine heat waves" created "really poor growth and survival conditions for salmon", says Mantua. Deprived of cold ocean currents that bring essential nutrients, the fish fell prey to other hungry species. "It's not just a California problem. It's really the entire Pacific, except for a few exceptions," such as certain Alaskan species, he adds. 'Climate shocks' But in California, "our fish were already predisposed to being vulnerable to any kind of climate shocks," says Mantua. This is because the state -- with a giant 40-million population, and a sprawling agricultural sector essential for feeding the United States -- has relentlessly developed its rivers, in order to support its cities and farms. Due to countless dams and canals, salmon have lost 80 percent of the habitats in which they can spawn. Water management, and the priority afforded to farmers in central California, is now a major source of grievance for fishermen. In San Francisco, many are calling for water to be re-diverted into rivers, rather than supplying producers of water-intensive crops like almonds, pistachios and walnuts -- which are often grown for export. "When it comes down to it, water is more important for the fish than it is for nuts," says Ben Zeiger, a 23-year-old deckhand working on a local sport-fishing boat. Salmon fishers are waiting to receive financial compensation from federal authorities for this year's fishing ban. But their priority is efforts to improve salmon habitats. Along northern California's Klamath River, a giant project has just begun to demolish four hydroelectric dams, potentially reopening 400 miles of river for migratory fish. "If we don't fix the water policy, we're going to be here again" in future drought years, says Bates, back on the wharf. "Climate change is happening. And it's happening faster than I think any of us expected." The post Drought scuppers salmon fishing season in California appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Family attack TikTok amateur sleuths after UK woman’s ‘accidental’ death
A British woman whose mystery disappearance earlier this year sparked a social media frenzy by online sleuths and conspiracy theorists fell into a river and drowned accidentally, a coroner concluded at an inquest on Tuesday. Nicola Bulley went missing in January, apparently vanishing "into thin air". After dropping her two young daughters at school she was seen walking her dog along a river in the rural village of St Michael's on Wyre in northwestern England. The 45-year-old mortgage adviser's phone was later found on a bench still dialed into a work conference call. Her unexplained disappearance saw the online true crime world become awash with speculation about what might have happened to her. One TikTok user even had himself filmed digging up potential burial sites and then captured the moment Bulley's body was pulled from reeds in the river over three weeks later. But ruling that her death had been accidental, coroner James Adeley said she had suffered "cold water shock" after going into the river. He said the exact circumstances of how she fell in could not be known, but evidence showed there had been a steep grassy slope around the bench with an "almost vertical drop" to the water. The river bank itself had no footholds that would have allowed someone in trouble to climb out, he added at the hearing in Preston, northwestern England. In addition, the flow of the river on the day she disappeared would have made it almost impossible to swim against the current, he said. After the hearing, Bulley's family hit out at the social media speculation over her case. "It's upsetting that we've continued to receive negative targeted messages and still witness wildly inaccurate speculation being shared over numerous platforms," the family's lawyer Terry Wilcox said in a statement on their behalf. "We encourage people to look at the facts, the evidence which has been heard during the inquest, and the conclusion reached by the coroner, to ignore any amateur views and opinions, and be mindful of the impact words bring." Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables of Lancashire Police said she hoped the coroner's finding would "put an end to ill-informed speculation and conspiracy theories which have been so damaging to Nikki's family". Lancashire Police were criticized over their handling of Bulley's disappearance, including sharing personal information such as her struggles with alcohol and perimenopause. But the police watchdog said in May that they would face no further action. Coroners' inquests are held in England and Wales to try to establish the causes and circumstances of sudden or unexplained deaths based on the balance of probability. They do not determine criminal or civil liability but set out facts in the public interest. The post Family attack TikTok amateur sleuths after UK woman’s ‘accidental’ death appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Central Luzon: Burgeoning industrial hotspot
AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. strengthens its foothold in Central Luzon with Pampanga Technopark. The 270-hectare development is the first master-planned agro-industrial township in this region. The development will be home to manufacturing and logistics locators, a bagsakan or agricultural wholesale market and commercial-retail spaces for the township’s social and recreational activities. With 270 hectares of gross land area, Pampanga Technopark will serve as a mixed-use development. Currently, phases 1 and 2 are registered with the Board of Investments as Domestic Industrial Zones, with phase 3 lined up next. With shopping, dining and recreational spaces soon to rise in Pampanga Technopark, the development is designed to bring lifestyle experiences to the communities working and residing within or around the area. Pampanga Technopark is allotting 2,000 sqm of gross leasable area across over 30 retail spaces featuring homegrown Kapampangan restaurants, plus several retail and service merchants. On top of this, lots are also available for commercial uses such as shops and outlets, medical centers, offices, co-working spaces, business hotels and more. There will also be a variety of quick service restaurants and a gas station for motorists. Moreover, Pampanga Technopark will be a new location of a bagsakan (agricultural wholesale market) which will be complemented by ALLHC’s ALogis and ALogis Artico facilities, all slated for completion within the first half of 2024. The ALogis ready-built facilities will span 8,000 sqm of warehouse space, while ALogis Artico cold storage will feature 5,000 pallet positions with temperature ranging from 10°C to -20°C. The bagsakan will cover 3,000 sqm of space, offering both wholesale and retail of agricultural produce and local products within the marketplace. All components will support the agriculture supply value chain in Luzon. Accessibility and convenience Located in Mabalacat City, one of the biggest transportation hubs in Central Luzon, Pampanga Technopark will be accessible through various major road networks including the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and MacArthur Highway. Additionally, the North-South Commuter Railway project will soon connect the existing Tutuban (Manila) Station to Clark, thereby contributing to the city’s economic progress. Pampanga Technopark is poised to serve as a gateway to the international markets. Strategically located near major infrastructures, it is approximately 30 minutes away from Clark International Airport and an hour away from Subic Bay International Terminal. The upcoming New Manila International Airport will be roughly an hour away from the development. A sustainable development For many years, ALLHC has been a trusted industrial real estate company for creating sustainable environments that support businesses. The soon-to-rise Pampanga Technopark bears with it the promise of connecting commerce and communities. As a dynamic center for business and leisure activity, Pampanga Technopark ensures pedestrian mobility and transit connectivity with allocated sidewalks throughout the township and an easily-accessible public transport terminal serving both in-city and regional transit routes. Helping improve the property’s resilience to environmental stress and geohazards are native trees to be used for landscaping, five detention ponds serving as spaces for rainwater absorption and green and open spaces including a dedicated 1.2-hectare park area. Countryside development ALLHC aims to build its national footprint by being in 10 key areas by 2025, creating a network of industrial and logistics developments by following the key road infrastructure and the nautical highway. “We will introduce a modern food terminal and this will be supported by our cold storage and dry warehouse facilities. Farmers from Northern Luzon and all over Central Luzon can bring their produce here, and we can preserve and store them with the proper facilities. We hope this would help all the farmers and our supply chain,” shared ALLHC president and chief executive officer Jose Emmanuel H. Jalandoni. He added, “What is happening here in Pampanga Technopark is a new township. Industrial park, agro hub, commercial, retail — beneficial to all Pampangueños. Through Pampanga Technopark, we are committed to work together to create employment opportunities for all Filipinos.” BOI executive director for Investment Promotion Services Evariste M. Cagatan stated, “ALLHC has been a steadfast partner of the BOI in providing location options for potential investors, and our partnership has been proven effective in matching investment-ready locations to our local and foreign investors. We are very excited with this project as it shows support in the government’s proactive stance to promote economic activities outside of Metro Manila. There has never been a better place and a better time to make it happen in the Philippines, and this time, we will make it happen right here in Pampanga.” The post Central Luzon: Burgeoning industrial hotspot appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hot and sticky in Metro Manila with a chance of rains
A frontal system, or the boundary between cold and hot air masses, will bring in the rains over parts of Luzon on Wednesday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Metro Manila may experience rains late in the afternoon. It is mostly cloudy with a heat index reaching 37 degrees Celsius. Rains will be exacerbated by southwesterly winds, causing Batanes and Babuyan Islands to have cloudy skies with rains. Flash floods or landslides may result. Zambales and Bataan are expected to have scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. The post Hot and sticky in Metro Manila with a chance of rains appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LPA, shear line bring rain to Bicol, Visayas, Mindanao
Residents of Bicol region, Visayas, and Mindanao will experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the LPA and the shear line. Shear line is formed when cold and warm winds converge......»»
As onion prices soar, gov’t urged to invest on cold storage facilities
"It would lessen our cost surplus. We would also be able to guarantee the benefits of these cold storage facilities that it would bring to our farmers, especially here in Nueva Ecija who plant and harvest onions." The post As onion prices soar, gov’t urged to invest on cold storage facilities appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
NDRRMC: 44 dead, 28 missing in Christmas floods
The floods were triggered by the rains dumped by the shear line—where cold and warm winds converge and bring rain......»»
Coldest temperature recorded in Baguio during Christmas Day at 12.2 °C
MANILA, Philippines — The coldest temperature recorded since the onset of the northeast monsoon, locally known as “amihan,” was registered in Baguio City on the day of the Yuletide, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). According to Pagasa, the northeast monsoon are the cold winds from the northeast that usually bring […] The post Coldest temperature recorded in Baguio during Christmas Day at 12.2 °C appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Obet to dump heavy rain; cold season starts
Tropical Depression Obet is expected to bring heavy rain over parts of Northern Luzon throughout the weekend, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said......»»
Colder days ahead due to amihan
The northeast monsoon or amihan has strengthened and is expected to continue to bring cold weather over most parts of the country, particularly in northeastern Luzon......»»