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Steve Martin defends Jo Koy following horrid Golden Globes hosting
Comedian-actor Steve Martin is the latest high-profile individual to back Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy after the latter was criticized for his underwhelming hosting of the 2024 Golden Globes......»»
Janno Gibbs claps back at netizen questioning his mourning for dad Ronaldo Valdez
Comedian Janno Gibbs answered a social media user questioning his mourning for the passing of his dad Ronaldo Valdez. .....»»
Bankman-Fried to testify at his US crypto trial
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, plans to make another high-stakes gamble and testify in his defense on Thursday at his criminal fraud trial. Bankman-Fried's decision to take the stand comes after three weeks of devastating testimony for the 31-year-old known as SBF, who has been accused of stealing billions of dollars from clients. His lawyer, Mark Cohen, told Judge Lewis Kaplan he expected Bankman-Fried's testimony to last for four or five hours. He is expected to begin around 2:00 p.m. (1800 GMT). Prosecutors were wrapping up their case on Thursday and handing it over to the defense, which said it plans to call four witnesses, including Bankman-Fried. Bankman-Fried, once one of the most respected figures in crypto, has been charged with seven counts of fraud, embezzlement, and criminal conspiracy. If convicted, he could face a de facto life sentence of more than 100 years in prison. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate had, in just a few years, turned his FTX platform into the world's second-biggest crypto exchange -- making him a tech-world billionaire wunderkind. But his empire began to crumble last November when a news report pointed to unhealthy ties between FTX and Alameda Research, Bankman-Fried's personally owned trading company. Amid growing revelations, major investors pulled their money out of FTX, sinking it swiftly into bankruptcy. Some $8.7 billion was still unaccounted for after the dust settled, according to the receiver appointed to manage the liquidation. Bankman-Fried has denied taking other people's money, blaming former colleagues for the situation. But key witnesses in recent weeks, all former FTX or Alameda employees, refuted his account. Supported by internal documents compiled by the prosecution, they said he was behind the breaches and did not lose sight of the financial situation of FTX and Alameda. Ex-girlfriend offers evidence Among those taking the stand was Caroline Ellison, Bankman-Fried's former business partner and girlfriend. She offered conclusive evidence against him and delivered details on his management, saying he was involved in all major decisions. Ellison, a Stanford University mathematics graduate, was appointed by Bankman-Fried in 2021 to head Alameda, whose activities were largely financed by money from customers of FTX without their knowledge. She has pleaded guilty to fraud charges and agreed to cooperate with the prosecution, as have two other close associates of Bankman-Fried. Bankman-Fried's decision to testify in his defense is unusual in a country where criminal defendants generally decline to do so because they have to face cross-examination and run the risk of incriminating themselves. Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, comedian Bill Cosby, singer R. Kelly, and drug trafficker Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman were among high-profile defendants who declined to testify at their recent trials. A Cornell University study of hundreds of trials published in 2009 found that 77 percent of defendants who chose to testify were convicted while 72 percent of those who declined to take the stand were found guilty. The post Bankman-Fried to testify at his US crypto trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New U.S. speaker rallies support for Israel
The United States House of Representatives is back in business with the newly-elected Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, introducing a resolution supporting Israel in its war with Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. The resolution passed with support from all but nine Democrats and just one Republican dissenter. The first successful act of Johnson signals a stable leadership despite being the least experienced speaker in the post Civil War era, having never chaired a committee or held a senior leadership role. “We all know that the world is in turmoil — but a strong America is good for the entire world,” Johnson told lawmakers after his election on Wednesday that ended the paralysis of Congress. Biden congratulated the new speaker and vowed to work with him, adding that the US now needed “to move swiftly to address our national security needs and to avoid a shutdown.” Ahead of the filing of the Israel resolution, the Louisiana congressman said in his acceptance speech that the bill is overdue as America’s “greatest ally in the Middle East is under attack.” The little-known ally of Donald Trump who spearheaded legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election won the unanimous support of his party to replace Kevin McCarthy who was ousted in a right-wing coup on 3 October. The post New U.S. speaker rallies support for Israel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Stray animal adoption urged to lessen abandonment cases
Senator Mark Villar on Thursday expressed concern about the increasing cases of animal abandonment in the country. Villar has filed a proposed measure strengthening the adoption of stray and impounded animals. Senate Bill 2257 seeks the provision of incentives to those who would adopt stray and impounded animals to lessen abandonment cases. Citing data from the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, Villar underscored the need to improve the government’s program for rescuing abandoned animals. According to PAWS, there were around 12 million stray cats and dogs in 2019, which are either logged as former family pets or those who have reproduced in the streets due to lack of proper shelter. Villar said the rising numbers of abandoned animals remain highly disproportionate to the support they ought to receive. “This 12 million number of strays we have in record was back in 2019. Apat na taon na po ang nakalipas. With the pandemic placing a great burden to Filipinos, we can only expect na mas dumami na po ang mga stray animals na walang proper care and shelter,” Villar said. “We must act on this and extend our aid in securing safe animal shelters,” he said. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA said animal homelessness in the Philippines “has reached a crisis point” as stray animals struggle to live unsupervised in the streets and impounded ones are euthanized every month in municipal pounds. The unfortunate fates of strays and impounded animals are due to the limited resources of both public and private shelters, it added. Villar cited the case of a certain local government unit in the National Capital Region which previously reported that its city pound captures an average of 200 stray animals weekly, yet “they do not have sufficient resources to maintain their care.” Villar stressed the need to exhaust all means to ensure that proper aid is given to animals left in shelters. “My heart goes to these animals who are forced to these unfortunate living situations, and some of them to their untimely deaths because they cannot be cared for. Bilang isang animal lover at pet welfare advocate, I will do my best to lessen these rising numbers of strays and euthanized impounded animals,” he said. SB 2257 or the Act Strengthening the Adoption of Stray and Impounded Animals, seeks to encourage the adoption of stray and impounded animals by providing tax incentive benefits to any individual or group that shall adopt stray and impounded animals, to reduce cases of euthanasia for stray and impounded animals. The bill also outlines the provision for adoption, highlighting the role of LGUs in facilitating the implementation of animal adoption programs. “Through this bill, we are hoping that the number of strays and impounded animals will decrease as it will provide guidelines for adoptions in close coordination with LGUs,” Villar said. “We are also looking forward to more Filipinos who will be encouraged to adopt, not just because of the tax incentives this bill provides, but also because of their love and care for animals,” he added. The senator lamented that while there are multiple non-government organizations and private shelters that encourage the adoption of rescued animals, “the pet adoption rate in the country remains at a concerning low rate, less than one percent in particular.” “I hope that the bill will increase the adoption rate of stray pets so as to ensure that animals will be brought up in comfortable homes rather than being forced to survive in the streets,” said Villar. The post Stray animal adoption urged to lessen abandonment cases appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
REVIEW: ‘KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON’ Pure cinematic delight
The plot of Killers of the Flower Moon is rather simple: the shocking true story of the series of mysterious deaths of Native Americans from 1910s to 1930s in the oil-rich Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Called the “Reign of Terror,” this horrific period in American history is marked by the uninvestigated murders of the Osage tribe — the richest people in the world per capita at the time due to the vast deposits of oil found in their reservation. As black gold richly flows in their land, white men descend into the territory and begin to systematically murder the Osage tribe to steal their oil money, or headrights. Greed takes the form of grisly, nonchalant murders, compounded by racial injustice. Director Martin Scorsese takes us to Fairfax 1920s, where one such greedy white man, Ernest Buckhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in the Osage county from a non-combatant role in World War I. His guts destroyed in the war, he seeks a job from his uncle, King Bill (Robert de Niro), the powerful boss in the area and the mastermind behind the Osage killings but pretending to be a “friend to the Osage.” King Bill tells his nephew to marry a beautiful Osage woman, Mollie (Lily Gladstone) in a scheme to get her headrights. The movie focuses on the “love story” of Ernest and Mollie, and how Mollie is slowly poisoned to death. The colossal running time (3.5 hours) is barely felt. This epic revisionist Western drama is a visual spectacle and should be seen on the big screen to experience Scorsese’s glorious cinematic vision. Scorsese adapted David Grann’s 2017 bestselling non-fiction book on this grim chapter in American history. I haven’t read Grann’s book, but research revealed that it’s chiefly a detective story, with the murders viewed from the lens of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI) headed by Tim White. In The Irish Times interview with Scorsese, the director shared that he and co-writer Eric Roth initially wrote a script that was faithful to the book, with Scorsese’s muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, set to play White. But two years into the writing process, DiCaprio made a suggestion that completely overhauled the script, shifting the focus to Ernest (DiCaprio’s modified role) and Mollie. Lacking momentum The script often feels like it lacks momentum and depth, reducing Ernest and King Bill, and even Jesse Plemons as White, to stock characters. Roth is known for overhyped shallow films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Forrest Gump and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so he’s partly to blame for the lack of insight into the psychology of the film’s fascinating characters. Plemons came in too late into the show, nearly in the third hour. The film feels like it took its leisurely time to establish the greed and the machinations of the non-threatening King Bill, then realized it is getting too long and finally crammed the investigations into the last hour. Punctuated with dark humor, the movie is crafted to entertain rather than to appeal to our sympathy. This feels rather conflicting and mildly disturbing, as the Osage, victims of greedy white men, and whose story is just now spreading into public consciousness, are merely the sideshow. If they were robbed back then, this film also robs them of central attention, choosing to focus instead on their killers, particularly DiCaprio, with a strong supporting role from Gladstone’s Mollie. The Osage are also depicted as gullible and helpless, and we often crave to understand what goes on in their minds, which the movie does not really provide us. But Scorsese’s films have always been from the POV of the criminals, and the title says it all — so perhaps it is unfair to expect a different narrative. Compelling vision Thankfully, Scorsese, despite the oftentimes frustrating script, manages to redeem the entire film with his compelling vision, orchestrating pure cinematic delight with the film’s stunning cinematography, production design and costume. Despite the focus on the killers, he still redeems the Osage by showcasing, with reverence, their culture and pantheistic religion — their belief in the invisible world of Wah-kon-tah and eventual blend with Christianity. The era’s racism and greed are also profoundly felt in the movie — from the white guardians that controlled the Osage money, to the insurance frauds they were subjected to and, most chilling of all, the calm way the whites murdered the Native Americans, as if these people were mere nuisances. Di Caprio, with his fake sordid teeth, delivers, as always, a competent performance. But it is Gladstone, with her regal beauty and intelligent eyes, that truly shines in the film. Killers of the Flower Moon, despite its imperfections, triumphs in fully immersing the viewer in its story and putting the spotlight on an important chapter in American history. It reminds us that theaters are still a necessity for this kind of epic movie experience. 3.5 out of 5 stars/ In cinemas The post REVIEW: ‘KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON’ Pure cinematic delight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pure cinematic delight
The plot of Killers of the Flower Moon is rather simple: the shocking true story of the series of mysterious deaths of Native Americans from 1910s to 1930s in the oil-rich Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Called the “Reign of Terror,” this horrific period in American history is marked by the uninvestigated murders of the Osage tribe — the richest people in the world per capita at the time due to the vast deposits of oil found in their reservation. As black gold richly flows in their land, white men descend into the territory and begin to systematically murder the Osage tribe to steal their oil money, or headrights. Greed takes the form of grisly, nonchalant murders, compounded by racial injustice. Director Martin Scorsese takes us to Fairfax 1920s, where one such greedy white man, Ernest Buckhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in the Osage county from a non-combatant role in World War I. His guts destroyed in the war, he seeks a job from his uncle, King Bill (Robert de Niro), the powerful boss in the area and the mastermind behind the Osage killings but pretending to be a “friend to the Osage.” King Bill tells his nephew to marry a beautiful Osage woman, Mollie (Lily Gladstone) in a scheme to get her headrights. The movie focuses on the “love story” of Ernest and Mollie, and how Mollie is slowly poisoned to death. The colossal running time (3.5 hours) is barely felt. This epic revisionist Western drama is a visual spectacle and should be seen on the big screen to experience Scorsese’s glorious cinematic vision. Scorsese adapted David Grann’s 2017 bestselling non-fiction book on this grim chapter in American history. I haven’t read Grann’s book, but research revealed that it’s chiefly a detective story, with the murders viewed from the lens of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI) headed by Tim White. In The Irish Times interview with Scorsese, the director shared that he and co-writer Eric Roth initially wrote a script that was faithful to the book, with Scorsese’s muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, set to play White. But two years into the writing process, DiCaprio made a suggestion that completely overhauled the script, shifting the focus to Ernest (DiCaprio’s modified role) and Mollie. Lacking momentum The script often feels like it lacks momentum and depth, reducing Ernest and King Bill, and even Jesse Plemons as White, to stock characters. Roth is known for overhyped shallow films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Forrest Gump and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so he’s partly to blame for the lack of insight into the psychology of the film’s fascinating characters. Plemons came in too late into the show, nearly in the third hour. The film feels like it took its leisurely time to establish the greed and the machinations of the non-threatening King Bill, then realized it is getting too long and finally crammed the investigations into the last hour. Punctuated with dark humor, the movie is crafted to entertain rather than to appeal to our sympathy. This feels rather conflicting and mildly disturbing, as the Osage, victims of greedy white men, and whose story is just now spreading into public consciousness, are merely the sideshow. If they were robbed back then, this film also robs them of central attention, choosing to focus instead on their killers, particularly DiCaprio, with a strong supporting role from Gladstone’s Mollie. The Osage are also depicted as gullible and helpless, and we often crave to understand what goes on in their minds, which the movie does not really provide us. But Scorsese’s films have always been from the POV of the criminals, and the title says it all — so perhaps it is unfair to expect a different narrative. Compelling vision Thankfully, Scorsese, despite the oftentimes frustrating script, manages to redeem the entire film with his compelling vision, orchestrating pure cinematic delight with the film’s stunning cinematography, production design and costume. Despite the focus on the killers, he still redeems the Osage by showcasing, with reverence, their culture and pantheistic religion — their belief in the invisible world of Wah-kon-tah and eventual blend with Christianity. The era’s racism and greed are also profoundly felt in the movie — from the white guardians that controlled the Osage money, to the insurance frauds they were subjected to and, most chilling of all, the calm way the whites murdered the Native Americans, as if these people were mere nuisances. Di Caprio, with his fake sordid teeth, delivers, as always, a competent performance. But it is Gladstone, with her regal beauty and intelligent eyes, that truly shines in the film. Killers of the Flower Moon, despite its imperfections, triumphs in fully immersing the viewer in its story and putting the spotlight on an important chapter in American history. It reminds us that theaters are still a necessity for this kind of epic movie experience. 3.5 out of 5 stars/ In cinemas The post Pure cinematic delight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Canada firm on online news act, but ‘optimistic’ of Google buy-in
Canada "will not back down" in the face of opposition from tech giants to a new law requiring companies like Google and Meta to pay publishers for news content, Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said Friday. She said she was "optimistic" that Google would come around, while Meta continues to take a hard line against the bill. The Online News Act builds on similar legislation introduced in Australia and aims to support a struggling Canadian news sector that has seen a flight of advertising dollars and hundreds of publications closed in the last decade. "We've seen two different types of reactions," St-Onge told press bosses gathered in Toronto for a media conference. "Google has been participating and collaborating throughout the entire process and on the other hand, Meta chose to ban news in Canada even though the act is not even currently enforced." Meta has called Bill C-18 "fundamentally flawed" and, starting in August, blocked news access in Canada to news articles on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Google has also voiced opposition to the Online News Act, adopted in June but only set to come into force in December. The two companies control about 80 percent of all online advertising revenues in Canada. The government has estimated it could cost the pair a combined Can$230 million (US$170 million) by requiring them to make fair commercial deals with Canadian outlets for the news and information that is shared on their platforms, or face binding arbitration. St-Onge acknowledged that Google "does not wish to end up in an arbitration process" for commercial agreements, while Facebook "doesn't want to regulate content." "We are trying to strike the right balance," she said, aware that other nations are watching and interested in how this will play out. The minister commented that this is "new territory." "Canada is only the second jurisdiction in the world to enact this type of bargaining framework," after Australia. "We are leading the way but we're also facing a lot of resistance from tech giants," she said. Contacted by AFP, Google Canada maintained Friday that "critical structural issues" with the bill "have not been sufficiently addressed." "We continue to be concerned that these fundamental issues cannot be resolved through regulation and that legislative changes may be necessary," a spokesman said in an email. The post Canada firm on online news act, but ‘optimistic’ of Google buy-in appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BOC, PCG, PNP bust P2.2-B shabu from Mexico shipment
Combined elements of the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, among other enforcement units, uncovered a shipment from Mexico containing 323 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) at the Manila International Container Port terminal in Manila on 4 October, Wednesday. A belated report from the BOC said the contraband's estimated street value was P2.2 billion, concealed in a jerky beef shipment from Mexico. The shipment arrived at the MICP on 24 February 2023 from Logistica Integral Aduanal Meyma and Aime Express Logistics SA DE CV, Mexico, and was consigned to a certain Salesbeat Within OPC. Incidentally, the BOC Intelligence and Investigation Service received “derogatory information that the subject shipment contain illegal drugs”, and accordingly monitored closely the declaration, processing, and/or movement of the same. However, despite considerable lapse of time, no goods declaration was filed for the subject shipment. On 29 September 2023, CIIS-MICP requested the District Collector of MICP to issue a Pre-Lodgment Control Order against the subject shipment described in the covering Bill of Lading to contain laminated beef jerky. Pursuant to PLCO issued by District Collector Romeo Rosales dated 29 September 2023, in the presence of operatives from the Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, BOC-X-Ray Inspection Project, Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group, BOC-Enforcement and Security Service, PCG), Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc., and CIIS-MICP, the shipments were subjected to X-ray scanning last 2 October 2023 and 100 percent physical examination, which yielded more or less 323 kilograms of shabu concealed inside the laminated beef jerky. Thereafter, the identified shabu was temporarily loaded back inside the subject container, padlocked, and sealed with the signatures of the assigned Customs examiner and afore-identified witnesses. Deputy Commissioner for Customs Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy said that this latest operation is not only a coordinated response to the President’s call but also a fulfillment of the agency’s mandate to protect the country’s borders and ensure the security of all ports of entry. On the other hand, District Collector Romeo Rosales stressed that: “Our officers continue their dedication to our border security mission, which led to this latest shabu interception. Their drive, vigilance, and alertness on a daily basis made this operation possible. We remain committed to keeping our communities safe from these narcotics while facilitating lawful goods entries.” The post BOC, PCG, PNP bust P2.2-B shabu from Mexico shipment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Budgetary leverage
By passing a financing bill at the last minute, the United States Congress avoided a federal government shutdown this week. However, the Biden administration’s top priorities, including defense financing for Ukraine, were left out of the final package. For countries like the Philippines, which has cozied up anew to Uncle Sam, this is cause for concern because America has practically left Ukraine high and dry without the full backing it needs to defend itself against Russia. Okay, so Biden said they “will not walk out of Ukraine.” Still, without funding, that’s just lip service. Having perfected the art of emotional suasion at one end of the pole and brinkmanship on the other, we would not be surprised if Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky would tell Biden: “Show us the money.” Sacrificing Ukraine casts doubt on America’s dependability as a coalition partner and ally, even as it stakes a claim to a long tradition of backing democracies in their fight for independence. The Philippines should take note. In the US, it’s clear that whatever the executive branch pledges, the US Congress can always override or, as made apparent again now, starve of funding. That’s the power of holding the purse string that could certainly affect America the mighty’s projection of power. From propping up South Vietnam with billions of dollars in war materiel only to leave Saigon in a huff — with choppers flying off the rooftop of the US Embassy in a hasty, humiliating retreat in 1975 — to giving substantial aid to Israel and Middle Eastern countries, the US has not stopped its posturing as the “policeman of the world.” As in Vietnam and Afghanistan, where in the latter it also abruptly pulled out its forces, thereby allowing the Taliban to retake the country in 2021, the US, for all its fire-and-brimstone statements at the start of the Ukraine-Russia war, may have turned its back on its legal and moral responsibility to aid Kyiv. As an adversarial state under madman Vladimir Putin, Russia has been destabilizing international norms, and Ukraine, by fighting back, has been sending the strong message that autocratic governments cannot make the globe their playground. By not including money for Ukraine’s defense in the 2024 spending bill, the US has lost the chance to demonstrate its dedication to the defense of democracy. But such are the vagaries of the budgeting process in the United States and, of course, the Philippines, with the latter’s form of government and jurisprudence loosely patterned after America’s. In the US, government shutdowns have happened before and will happen again when the legislature and the executive branches are unable to reach an agreement on priorities and lawmakers do not enact a budget in a timely manner. The budget can also be wielded as a political baton with which to make the executive branch more malleable. An example would be the 2013 shutdown in an attempt to defund the Affordable Care Act. Frequent disagreements on spending priorities between the two parties in the US Congress have led to stalemates, with neither side willing to pass the budget unless their demands were met. Budget delays had caused negative effects on the economy and public services. Some may argue that past shutdowns of the US federal government would show the Philippines has a more mature budgetary system in place, as a failure to pass the budget for a new fiscal year only results in a reenacted budget. But the problems associated with a reenacted budget abound. There’s the delayed implementation of new programs and projects. This, as a reenacted budget only allows for the funding of existing programs and projects. A reenacted budget also limits government flexibility to respond to changing needs. For example, if the economy experiences a downturn, the government may need to increase spending on social programs or infrastructure projects. However, this is not possible under a reenacted budget. But probably the biggest risk associated with a reenacted budget would be corruption, as it can give the executive branch more leeway or elbow room to fund projects while reallocating “savings” from projects that had been funded previously. In the shadow of budgetary bludgeoning and political brinkmanship, the recent passage of the US funding bill left Ukraine’s defense hanging by a thread, a stark reminder of the capriciousness of budgeting processes in both the United States and the Philippines, where legislative complexities often take precedence over strategic imperatives. The budget’s power to shape policy and dictate priorities, as seen in the Philippines with past reenacted budgets, illustrates the pitfalls of wielding fiscal levers as political weapons. In both nations, the budgeting process, while designed to reflect the will of the people, is susceptible to political posturing, causing disruptions and imperiling the very ideals of democracy it should be upholding. The post Budgetary leverage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fools in suits
When a ranking Department of Agriculture official was asked in a recent Congress hearing what steps the agency had taken to break the rice cartel, he replied that he did not believe that a “mafia” existed. Coming from a high DA official, the statement revealed that nothing was being done to stop the syndicate that everyone in the industry knows about since, to the authorities, it does not exist. In the reenacted Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and forming cartels for agricultural and fishery products are considered economic sabotage and are non-bailable offenses for which a long jail term could be meted out. The strengthened law, however, lacks strong teeth against government officials who are in cahoots or protect the syndicates. Contained in the proposed bill is a provision indicating that any government officer or employee found to be an accomplice in the commission of the crime will “suffer the additional penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, exercising the right to vote, from participating in any public election, and forfeiture of employment monetary and financial benefits.” The bill is pending in both houses of Congress. With the slow grind of justice in the country, a public official looking for a fast buck will not hesitate to risk his job in exchange for a huge payback. The recent series of events showed the markets are being manipulated by the big players in the sugar, vegetable and rice businesses. These syndicates are known to be deeply entrenched due to their connections with government bigwigs who facilitate their domination of the markets either through edicts or the use of public resources. In the most ridiculous situation, the recent spike in onion prices was found to be artificial since farmers were even throwing away their harvests because of low farmgate prices, thus there was no reason for prices to surge. Later, it was exposed in a congressional hearing that a cartel had succeeded in manipulating the onion market to create a condition that would require its importation, from which its members would make a killing. The warehouse and storage facilities are controlled by the mafia which makes it easy to create artificial conditions to which the market reacts by raising retail prices. The ultimate goal is to coax the government to allow importation from suppliers in overseas markets that are also flooded with the commodity, The cartel rakes in profits from both the high markup and the kickbacks from the overseas suppliers desperate to sell their surplus. The woeful victims are the Filipino farmers whom the cartel boxes out of the market. In extreme cases, these farmers just throw away their harvest since they cannot afford to transport their products without the middlemen who are also in the pocket of the cartel. The same goes for the rice industry, where the market was manipulated for a different reason, which was to kill the rice tariffication law that kicked the National Food Authority out of the import business. Rice prices then surged to as high as P56 a kilo, which pushed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to impose price ceilings. The NFA used to have a monopoly on importation, but that resulted in acrimonious confrontations at the apex of government. The tariffication law, in turn, opened importation to all grain traders and relegated the NFA to buying rice from local farmers. Under the new anti-smuggling bill which has the endorsement of Mr. Marcos, an Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council headed by the President or his designated permanent representative will be formed. The proposed body will have the power to investigate and file charges, as well as freeze violators’ funds, properties, bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records. The creation of the body looks good on paper but in the real world, it might just add another layer of bureaucracy and source of corruption unless the cartel, which DA officials claim does not exist, is dismantled. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile has a simple solution for breaking the cartel, which is for the government to confiscate all the rice overstock and let the owners of the warehouses prove that their huge inventory is legitimate. Such a move would prompt the traders to release more rice into the market to avoid confiscation. The imposition of the price cap on rice indicated that the prices are artificial since the markets are now selling at lower than the manipulated prices despite conditions being constant. An expected bumper harvest is also prompting the prices to go back to normal, after the attempt of the cartel to create a price shock to support their effort to return to the old ways. To know the real situation, President Marcos goes out of his way to see what is on the ground. His underlings, particularly at the Department of Agriculture, should do better. The post Fools in suits appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Major asteroid sample brought to Earth in NASA first
A seven-year space voyage came to its climactic end Sunday when a NASA capsule landed in the desert in the US state of Utah, carrying to Earth the largest asteroid samples ever collected. Scientists have high hopes for the sample, saying it will provide a better understanding of the formation of our solar system and how Earth became habitable. When they learned that the capsule's main parachute had deployed, "I literally broke into tears," the Osiris-Rex mission's principal investigator Dante Lauretta told a press conference. "That was the moment I knew we made it home... For me, the real science is just beginning." The 3.86-billion-mile (6.21-billion-kilometer) journey marked the United States' first sample return mission of its kind, the US space agency said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. NASA chief Bill Nelson hailed the mission and said the asteroid dust "will give scientists an extraordinary glimpse into the beginnings of our solar system." The Osiris-Rex probe's final, fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere was perilous, but NASA managed to engineer a soft landing at 8:52 am local time (1452 GMT), in the military's Utah Test and Training Range. Four years after its 2016 launch, the probe landed on the asteroid Bennu and collected what NASA estimated is roughly nine ounces (250 grams) of dust from its rocky surface. Even that small amount, NASA says, should "help us better understand the types of asteroids that could threaten Earth." The sample return "is really historic," NASA scientist Amy Simon told AFP. "This is going to be the biggest sample we've brought back since the Apollo moon rocks" were returned to Earth. Osiris-Rex released its capsule early Sunday from an altitude of more than 67,000 miles. The fiery passage through the atmosphere came only in the last 13 minutes, as the capsule hurtled downward at a speed of more than 27,000 miles per hour, with temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius). NASA images showed the tire-sized capsule on the ground in a desert wash, with scientists approaching the device and taking readings. Eventually, they concluded the capsule was not breached, meaning its all-important air-tight seal remained intact, avoiding any contamination of the sample with desert sands. The team then lifted the capsule by helicopter to a nearby "clean room." Meanwhile, the probe that made the space journey fired its engines and shifted course away from Earth, NASA said, "on its way" for a date with another asteroid. Japanese samples On Monday, the sample heads to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for additional study, and NASA plans to announce its first results at a news conference 11 October. Roughly one-fourth of the sample will be immediately used in experiments, and a small amount will be sent to mission partners Japan and Canada. But most of it will be saved for future generations -- a "treasure for scientific analysis for years and years and years to come, to our kids and grandkids and people that haven't even been born yet," Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Sciences division, said. Japan had earlier given NASA a few grains from asteroid Ryugu, after bringing 0.2 ounces of dust to Earth in 2020 during the Hayabusa-2 mission. Ten years before, it had brought back a microscopic quantity from another asteroid. But the sample from Bennu is much larger, allowing for significantly more testing, Simon said. Earth's origin story Asteroids are composed of the original materials of the solar system, dating back some 4.5 billion years, and have remained relatively intact. They "can give us clues about how the solar system formed and evolved," said Osiris-Rex program executive Melissa Morris. "It's our own origin story." By striking Earth's surface, "we do believe asteroids and comets delivered organic material, potentially water, that helped life flourish here on Earth," Simon said. Scientists believe Bennu, about 500 meters (1,640 feet) in diameter, is rich in carbon -- a building block of life on Earth -- and contains water molecules locked in minerals. Bennu surprised scientists in 2020 when the probe, during its brief contact with the asteroid's surface, sank into the soil, revealing an unexpectedly low density, like a children's pool filled with plastic balls. Understanding its composition could come in handy, for there is a slight -- but non-zero -- chance (one in 2,700) that Bennu could collide catastrophically with Earth, though not until 2182. NASA last year successfully deviated the course of an asteroid by crashing a probe into it in a test, and it might at some point need to repeat that exercise -- but with much higher stakes. The post Major asteroid sample brought to Earth in NASA first appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age
Joe Biden, America's oldest president, received support from an unexpected ally over his age: Donald Trump said the Democrat was "not too old" to seek a second term, while quickly adding: "I think he's incompetent." The former president's comments, made in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" to be aired Sunday, come as America faces a profound debate over the aging of its political class, a major factor ahead of the 2024 elections -- when Biden will be just shy of 82 and Trump himself 78. Polls show that while the age gap between the two men is small, Americans worry more about Biden's age, with one survey finding that three in four people doubt his ability to last a second term. That Trump ended his own term in office as the second-oldest president ever (Ronald Reagan was 77 at the end of his term) presents the real estate magnate with a challenge, however, in repeatedly portraying Biden as too "sleepy" to do the job. But that hasn't stopped the Republican, who would be 82 at the end of a second term, from trying to thread that needle. "Some of the greatest world leaders have been in their 80s," he told NBC. "I'm not anywhere very near 80, by the way. "And Biden's not too old," Trump added. "But I think he's incompetent, and that's a bigger problem." Biden, who overcame a stuttering problem as a youth, has often been mocked for his verbal stumbles. But he remains trim, physically active, does not drink and is often seen riding his bicycle during weekends at his Delaware home. Democrats say he also fares well on the competency front, having overseen the passage of major legislation, including a massive infrastructure bill, the largest gun-safety bill in decades, and the Build Back Better social spending program. Biden has also been active on the global stage. Indeed, during his just-ended trip to Vietnam -- which analysts say was staged partly to highlight his vigor -- that country's 79-year-old Communist leader smilingly complimented Biden on his relative youth. Trump, for his part, has gotten mostly positive marks during annual physicals -- though he has been classed as overweight and does no exercise other than golf. Like Biden, he does not drink. Trump, too, has had his share of bizarre verbal moments, mangled pronunciations and physical stumbles. But in the NBC interview, he said his own age does not concern him, noting that his parents had long lives. "So genetically, that's a good thing." His insistence on his own competency was ridiculed during the 2020 presidential campaign when Trump said he had scored an "amazing" result on what he said was a test of mental acuity. He said he had to remember, in order, these words: "Person, woman, man, camera, TV." His proud and repeated recitation of those five words was ridiculed by political rivals and went viral on social media. Still, in an apparent reference to that test made in the NBC interview, Trump said, "I aced it. I got everything right." The post Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age
Joe Biden, America's oldest president, received support from an unexpected ally over his age: Donald Trump said the Democrat was "not too old" to seek a second term, while quickly adding: "I think he's incompetent." The former president's comments, made in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" to be aired Sunday, come as America faces a profound debate over the aging of its political class, a major factor ahead of the 2024 elections -- when Biden will be just shy of 82 and Trump himself 78. Polls show that while the age gap between the two men is small, Americans worry more about Biden's age, with one survey finding that three in four people doubt his ability to last a second term. That Trump ended his own term in office as the second-oldest president ever (Ronald Reagan was 77 at the end of his term) presents the real estate magnate with a challenge, however, in repeatedly portraying Biden as too "sleepy" to do the job. But that hasn't stopped the Republican, who would be 82 at the end of a second term, from trying to thread that needle. "Some of the greatest world leaders have been in their 80s," he told NBC. "I'm not anywhere very near 80, by the way. "And Biden's not too old," Trump added. "But I think he's incompetent, and that's a bigger problem." Biden, who overcame a stuttering problem as a youth, has often been mocked for his verbal stumbles. But he remains trim, physically active, does not drink and is often seen riding his bicycle during weekends at his Delaware home. Democrats say he also fares well on the competency front, having overseen the passage of major legislation, including a massive infrastructure bill, the largest gun-safety bill in decades, and the Build Back Better social spending program. Biden has also been active on the global stage. Indeed, during his just-ended trip to Vietnam -- which analysts say was staged partly to highlight his vigor -- that country's 79-year-old Communist leader smilingly complimented Biden on his relative youth. Trump, for his part, has gotten mostly positive marks during annual physicals -- though he has been classed as overweight and does no exercise other than golf. Like Biden, he does not drink. Trump, too, has had his share of bizarre verbal moments, mangled pronunciations and physical stumbles. But in the NBC interview, he said his own age does not concern him, noting that his parents had long lives. "So genetically, that's a good thing." His insistence on his own competency was ridiculed during the 2020 presidential campaign when Trump said he had scored an "amazing" result on what he said was a test of mental acuity. He said he had to remember, in order, these words: "Person, woman, man, camera, TV." His proud and repeated recitation of those five words was ridiculed by political rivals and went viral on social media. Still, in an apparent reference to that test made in the NBC interview, Trump said, "I aced it. I got everything right." The post Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thousands stuck in mud at Burning Man festival, one dead
Tens of thousands of festival-goers were stranded Sunday in deep mud in the Nevada desert after rain turned the annual Burning Man gathering into a quagmire, with police investigating one death. Video footage showed costume-wearing "burners" struggling across the wet gray-brown site, some using trash bags as makeshift boots, while many vehicles were stuck in the sludge. All events at the counterculture festival, which drew some 70,000 people, were canceled after rain tore down structures for dance parties, art installations and other entertainment. Police said they were probing one death, without giving further details. Road gates in and out of the Black Rock City venue were closed, but some desperate attendees trudged on foot for hours to reach the nearest road and hitch a lift out. "It was an incredibly harrowing 6 mile (10 kilometer) hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out," lawyer Neal Katyal said on social media. "It is very slippery and the mud is like cement and sticks to your boots. "No one should try this unless in good shape and part of a group. These are dangerous conditions to hike and will likely get worse." Festival crowds were asked to shelter in place and conserve food and water after the heavy rains started Friday night, with more downpours forecast on Sunday. "You can't really walk or drive," a young woman with dreadlocks named Christine Lee, a circus performer, said on TikTok. Internet service was not available or patchy, she said. "My boots are five inches, and the mud became five inches so I was kind of on stilts," Lee said, adding people were being told they may be stuck until Tuesday. "We have enough tuna for a week so we're OK." A video posted on social media showed comedian Chris Rock hitching a ride in the back of a pickup truck after managing to leave. Pershing County Sheriff’s Sargent Nathan Carmichael told CNN the conditions are difficult. The muck "seems to stick to people, stick to tires (and) makes it very, very difficult to move vehicles around," he said, adding that most RV motorhomes were stranded. Organizers urged festivalgoers to "conserve food, water and fuel, and shelter in a warm, safe space," saying the "playa" -- the huge open-air esplanade where the event unfolds -- was impassable. "Look out for your neighbors, introduce yourself," they added. The festival was scheduled to conclude on Monday. 'Survival guide' The organizers warned only some four-wheel drive vehicles with all-terrain tires were able to move. "Anything less than that will get stuck. It will hamper exodus if we have cars stuck on roads in our camping areas, or on the Gate Road out of the city," they said on a "2023 Wet Playa Survival Guide" special webpage. If necessary, they said it was possible to walk to the nearest road, where buses would be provided to take people to Reno. Mobile cellphone trailers were being deployed and the site's wireless internet was opened for public access. "We have done table-top drills for events like this. We are engaged full-time on all aspects of safety," organizers said. Last year, the festival contended with an intense heat wave and strong winds. Launched in 1986 in San Francisco, Burning Man aims to be an undefinable event, somewhere between a celebration of counterculture and a spiritual retreat. The festival -- for which tickets cost hundreds of dollars -- culminates each year with the ceremonial burning of a 40-foot (12-meter) effigy. It has been held since the 1990s in the Black Rock Desert, a protected area in northwest Nevada, which the organizers are committed to preserving. The post Thousands stuck in mud at Burning Man festival, one dead appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Road rage
Those with sharp memories and local crime story buffs will never forget three road rage cases that hogged print and broadcast news headlines toward the end of the 20th century and into the millennium. These high-profile cases involving detainees Inocencio Gonzales, Rolito Go, and Jason Ivler ended in their conviction and sentencing to long prison terms, with their names forever etched in the annals of heinous crimes recorded in the country. A brief refresher. On 2 July 1991, a De La Salle University engineering student was driving on a one-way street in San Juan City, Metro Manila, when he ran into construction firm executive Rolito Go, plying the road from the opposite direction. After a brief altercation, Go shot Eldon Maguan in the head, who died in the aftermath. Go served 25 years in prison before he was released. Seven years later, in the middle of a heated argument over a parking slot, real estate developer Inocencio Gonzales Jr. lost his cool, which led to the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman and the wounding of two younger children with her and her husband at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City on 21 October 1998. Gonzalez was meted a 14-year prison term. In 2009, a nephew of music celebrity Freddie Aguilar, Jason Ivler, shot dead a son of former Malacañang official Renato Ebarle Sr. after a tiff on a Quezon City road. An earlier road incident in 2004 that snuffed the life of another Malacañang official, Nestor Ponce, also pointed to Ivler as the accused in Ponce’s death. A Quezon City court found Ivler guilty of the murder of Renato Ebarle Jr. and sentenced him to 40 years in jail. There are no available statistics on road rage incidents in the Philippines, but observers have noted an alarming increase in recent years. But in the United States, statistics show 413 people were hurt in road rage shootings in 2022, or a 135 percent increase from 2018. US traffic experts say confrontational driving is more often the case that could be caused by traffic conditions, inconsiderate motorists, and high stress levels among motorists with ages ranging from 19 to 39. Not too long ago, two road rage incidents that have gained public attention because of social media posts that had gone viral involved men in uniform. In the viral video of an incident in Quezon City, Wilfredo Gonzales, a policeman dismissed from the service for grave misconduct in 2018, was shown brandishing a gun and threatening a cyclist in a traffic row. Even more controversial was a press conference conducted by the QC police days later that suggested they were “lawyering” for Gonzales, a former QC policeman. The PNP has no mandate to host such a press conference, it was later learned. In a separate incident, a Pasay City policeman, SSgt. Marsan Dolipas was also shown in a video post holding down an armed Angelito Velasquez Rencio, who said he was an Intelligence agent, after a traffic dispute in Makati City when the latter allegedly sideswiped the policeman. Both incidents prompted the usual calls for an investigation. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Rafael Tulfo have called for a Senate probe into the escalation of road rage cases in the country. It is interesting to note that even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. filed Senate 2923 when he was still a senator back in 2011. The bill “hopes to once and for all stomp rood rage as on unnecessary and reprehensible evil, and define such as a circumstance that could aggravate, or even qualify, on offense occasioned by it. The incidents involve public order and safety, particularly “road sharing,” a concept that they said is often ignored or alien to many Filipino motorists, added the senators. For his part, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, whose jurisdiction includes the control of the PNP, said: “For the sake of a peaceful and orderly society, we cannot allow a culture of impunity. We cannot allow bullies to intimidate people with deadly weapons. There must be consequences here.” Still, the incidents persist. Behavioral scientists attribute road rage to several reasons: A need to control other drivers who violate their space, unchecked anger or aggression, huge egos, or a need to be dominant. Others think the rise in incidents lately came about by the advent of Covid-19 when stress levels reached abnormally unreachable heights caused by depression, the loss of jobs or loved ones to the pandemic, and the inability to cope with such. Solutions have been suggested. Push for continuing driver anger management education. Discard the “it’s the other driver’s fault” excuse. Don’t allow anyone to push your “rage buttons” by staying calm and collected when an altercation appears to be headed your way. Yield to others. These may be easier said than done, but why not take the chance? As an anger management expert said: Realize road rage is ridiculous, life-threatening, and not something you have to participate in — ever. And you can arrive at your destination safe and sure. The post Road rage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CA confirms Brawner, 29 military officers
The Commission on Appointments, led by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, confirmed Wednesday the ad interim appointment of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of four-star general and the nomination of other 29 generals, flag officers, and senior military officers. Zubiri lauded the soldiers for their loyalty to the Philippine flag and their willingness to make sacrifices for the country. “Once again, you are the vanguards of democracy in our country. We cannot have hearings today, we cannot have these institutions in place without the brave men and women of the Armed Forces,” Zubiri said. During the bicameral CA deliberation of his appointment, Brawner vowed the AFP military officials are ready to defend and protect the country and Filipino people against any security threats. Senator Risa Hontiveros started the deliberation by asking Brawner about his primary objectives intended to be accomplished through the AFP's revolving door policy and Republic Act 11939. Brawner responded by enumerating his priority thrusts for the armed forces embodied in an acronym U.N.I.T.Y, which stands for unification, normalization, territorial defense, internal security operations and youth programs. Brawner said the AFP will focus on the the normalization of the Bangsamoro region, particularly the decommissioning, disarmament and reintegration of the former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. “Now that we believe that we are winding down with our internal security operations, we will have to sustain the gains that we had,” he added. Brawner also noted that the AFP will have to recalibrate its doctrines, training and the entire organization in order to be able to cope with the demands of defending the country’s territory. The AFP, he added, will focus on developing the Filipino youth through programs such as the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Brawner said the AFP will make sure that those who will handle the ROTC activities “are prepared and are professional” to prevent a repeat of abuses, including grades for sale, hazing and maltreatment of students. “We are anticipating the passing of that bill for the mandatory ROTC. Naghahanda na po ang inyong armed forces and we want to make sure that we will not repeat the mistakes that we had, the abuses that happened during the past when we had the ROTC program,” he said. On sending military officers to China Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino scrutinized the AFP’s engagements with China, particularly the sending of senior officials and cadets to Chinese military schools. Brawner explained that the Philippines’ military-to-military relationship with China is covered by a memorandum of agreement on Defense Cooperation that was forged in 2004. “That is why we are allowed to send officers to China to study and vice versa, they are sent here because we find value in sending our officers abroad not just to China but in fact to so many countries in order for them to train and to bring back the knowledge that they gain so that we can learn from them and probably apply the best practices that they are applying in other countries,” he said. However, Brawner noted that the AFP is currently studying the revisitation of the memorandum following the blocking and water cannon actions by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships last 5 August in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. “I ordered the temporary stop to sending officers to China. Just last week there was a communication, an invitation from China for us to send cadets to China to join a conference of cadets from all over the world,” he said. Tolentino urged Brawner to provide updates on the results of the study. Senator Imee Marcos also pushed for the local production and procurement of firearms and equipment for the AFP to lessen the country's dependence on foreign suppliers for its national defense. Brawner said the AFP is eyeing the revival of the country’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture program. Meanwhile, the number of military personnel filing for early retirement has increased due to the bill on the reform of the pension system for military and uniformed personnel. "Tumaas po 'yung nagfa-file ng early retirement dahil nga po they are anticipating na kapag lumabas yung batas, 'yung unang version po, they are basing it on the early versions (The number of personnel filing for early retirement increased because they are anticipating the law on the reform of the MUP pension system. They are basing it on the early version),” the AFP chief. "Gusto nila na mapaloob pa sila sa lumang sistema (They want to be covered by the old system). They want to avail of the old system wherein they will receive one-rank higher pay when they retire and indexation,” he added. However, Brawner said there is no cause for concern as many Filipinos are willing to join and apply for the AFP service. "The alarming situation would be 'yung mawawala po 'yung ating senior non-commissioned officers. So kung puro bata naman yung ating Armed Forces, it will not be a healthy organization (The alarming situation would be when our senior non-commissioned officers leave the AFP. So we will be left with mostly young personnel, it will not be a healthy organization),” Brawner said, noting that the military organization also needs the leadership of its non-commissioned officers. According to Brawner, he already advised AFP personnel “to just wait for the final version of the law before making a decision on their retirement.” He added that soldiers are always willing to sacrifice a portion of their pay for the country's benefit. Brawner stressed the Department of National Defense has developed a plan that would enable the AFP to generate pension funds, including utilizing available real estate assets. The post CA confirms Brawner, 29 military officers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go files OFW Ward bill to support medical needs of Overseas Filipino Workers
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has introduced on August 17, Senate Bill No. 2414 which aims to further promote the welfare and support the medical needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The OFW Ward bill, if enacted into law, mandates the establishment of an OFW ward in every Department of Health (DOH)-retained hospital across the country. These wards will be exclusively for OFWs and their dependents in need of hospital confinement due to health conditions. DOH will determine the number of beds in the OFW Wards based on the distribution of OFWs in their respective catchment areas. The Act covers all OFWs and their dependents, including land-based OFWs, seafarers, and other sea-based workers. Dependents are defined as parents, legal spouse, legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated, and legally adopted children who are unmarried, not gainfully employed, and not over 18 years old, or those over 18 but incapacitated due to mental or physical defects. The Act provides for the coordination between DOH and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other concerned government departments and agencies, along with Local Government Units (LGUs), to promulgate rules and regulations for its implementation. Go emphasized the importance of the bill, saying, "OFWs are our modern-day heroes, and their well-being is a priority for our country.” “Through the establishment of wards dedicated to OFWs, we guarantee immediate and efficient health care services. This is not just a dream but a commitment to our OFWs,” he added. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted OFWs, affecting their profession, livelihood, health, and safety. The OFW Ward Act is a response to these challenges, ensuring that OFWs and their dependents have access to healthcare services during these trying times. "In light of the unpleasant circumstances faced by our OFWs and their families, we must take necessary steps to ensure their safety and well-being," Go explained. Go’s commitment to OFWs has previously materialized with the establishment of a dedicated OFW Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga. Through his filed Senate Bill No. 2297, he now seeks to institutionalize the hospital and secure its long-term operations to cater to OFWs and their families. The hospital, generously donated by the provincial government of Pampanga, began operations in May 2022. It comprises six stories with a capacity of 100 beds, primarily dedicated to OFWs and their eligible dependents. Earlier, Go cited that the establishment of the Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital in the city demonstrates his and former president Rodrigo Duterte's commitment to improving the country’s healthcare system and promoting the welfare of Filipino migrant workers and their families. “Naisakatuparan po ang pangarap natin na magkaroon ng sariling departamento, ito pong Department of Migrant Workers. Co-sponsor po ako diyan at isa sa mga author… pangarap natin ito noon na naisakatuparan na. Ang pangarap natin magkaroon ng isang OFW hospital, naisakatuparan din. Hindi na po panaginip. Ngayon po, mayroon na rin po tayong Malasakit Center sa inyong OFW Hospital,” he added. Then president Duterte had signed Republic Act No. 11641 on December 2022, creating the DMW. The Senate version of the Act, Senate Bill No. 2234, was authored and co-sponsored by Go. It is a consolidated version of an earlier bill he introduced to establish the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers. Meanwhile, Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program back in 2018. He is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019. The centers provide a one-stop shop of various government agencies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, DOH, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. The 158 operational centers across the country aim to minimize hospital costs for impoverished patients and have assisted over seven million Filipinos so far, according to the DOH data. The post Bong Go files OFW Ward bill to support medical needs of Overseas Filipino Workers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Extra rice, please
If only it were possible to give up rice, perhaps Filipinos once again grappling with rising prices of the grain would prefer something else to go with their daing or adobo. Alas, kare-kare, caldereta, and most sauce-y Pinoy dishes are no good without steaming white rice. It’s not all about taste or eating habits either. Most Filipinos eat a lot of rice because it is filling. A movie starring the comedian Dolphy featured a family sharing a plateful of rice, taking turns sniffing at a piece of salted fish before gobbling down a mouthful of the kanin (cooked rice). It filled their bellies and certainly fired up their imaginations. In fact, jokes abound about the Pinoy getting by with unli (unlimited) rice, a little soup, or even that fried chicken gravy. It is no laughing matter, however, that many of our kababayans cannot afford a balanced meal containing proper amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables regularly. Rice is supposed to be cheap and readily available. Yet here we are, still on the hunt for the P20 per kilo rice promised during the last State of the Nation Address. We sent someone out to buy that rice, but he came back empty-handed. The cheapest kilo of rice, he said, cost P50. And news lately of rice prices expected to continue rising until September leaves us wondering — once again — how in the world did the agricultural Philippines end up importing rice in the first place? Vietnam, which learned rice technology from us, currently pegs the price at “$540 per metric ton, (or) about P30 to P32 per kilo,” said Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. president Danilo Fausto in a dzBB Super Radyo interview, as reported in a news article. This, he added, is higher than its prices at other times of the year, at “$420 to $440, about P23 to P24 per kilo.” We need to import rice so that the country will have enough supply, he said, suggesting that government should “intervene” and discuss the supply issue with our ASEAN neighbors. Some sources blame the rise in rice prices on “the effects of price manipulation and price speculation,” pointing a finger at businessmen who use the supply and demand equation to make more profit. On the other hand, price watchdogs say it’s the government that has failed to keep a tight rein on prices, letting the fluctuations happen because of inaction. But, perhaps, it is more of slow action that is ailing our government. The Commission on Audit’s latest report released this month flagged the Department of Agriculture over one, “its failure to distribute a total of 855,493 bags of rice seeds meant for farmers under the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund;” and two, failure “to distribute 2,088 pieces of farm machinery, out of the total 22,520 procured equipment.” Also, some “14,192 bags of rice seeds were damaged” while the rest were either donated or kept for the next planting season. Whatever may have caused these incidents, the fact remains that our farmers were “deprived of their needed assistance,” said CoA, and state funds have been likely wasted over damaged goods and equipment rusting in their yards. A review of the Rice Tariffication Law is once more called for. Better prioritization is also demanded of the agencies concerned tasked to support our farmers and the local production of rice, as well as those tasked to protect consumers from price hikes. If the world supply is low, we could try to eat less rice and try other alternatives. There’s always a choice of bread or corn, or even the much-derided kamote, to eat with your Iberian roast chicken — but for bangus, bistek, and sinigang — extra rice, please. The post Extra rice, please appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bill gives ERC more teeth
The Senate has proposed a bill to establish an Energy Regulatory Commission, or ERC, charter to equip the power sector to become a regulator with more fangs in addressing industry problems. Senate Bill 487 or An Act Enhancing The Governance Structures Of The Energy Regulatory Commission, if enacted into law, gives more power to the ERC in fulfilling its mandate to regulate the energy sector. The birth of ERC came about because of EPIRA or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. “But if you read EPIRA, there is much room for improvement especially given the recent developments in the industry, so I am going to push for the creation of the ERC charter,” a senator said. Regulator function enhanced “ERC is one of the most important actors in the energy sector, so we have to make sure that it has enough power to penalize,” he added. The senator noted that both Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta agreed that there is a need to revisit the powers of the ERC. Likewise, the creation of the ERC Charter also bodes well with another proposed legislation to rightsize the government bureaucracy. The ERC charter, for instance, would help the regulator properly address completion delays in projects such as transmission projects of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. He earlier urged the ERC to penalize NGCP for its failure to complete transmission projects on time, leading to disruption in the flow of electricity. According to the ERC, the completion of about 66 transmission projects is currently delayed, excluding six projects of national significance. One is the Mindanao-Visayas interconnection project which was due for completion in 2019. The project will link together all three major Philippine islands to create one grid. “That’s one of the most critical infrastructure projects because we have surplus power in Mindanao of about 200 to 400 megawatts that can be delivered to the Visayas region,” legislator noted. The NGCP was authorized by the ERC to start building the project way back in 2017. It was initially scheduled to be completed in 2020 but it was delayed due to the pandemic. The NGCP holds a 25-year franchise to solely operate the power transmission assets of the government and secure power reserves for contingency. The post Bill gives ERC more teeth appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»