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NAIA sale to pay debts
Amid the excitement over the successful privatization of NAIA’s rehab and operation, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto mused about the future of NAIA beyond the 15-year San Miguel concession period......»»
LRT-1 pilots exclusive lanes for QR, Beep users
The Light Rail Manila Corp. has opened exclusive lanes for commuters paying via QR or with Beep at select stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 to minimize long queues amid the Christmas rush......»»
Bitcoin Slips to $27K amid Escalating Hamas-Israel Conflict and Diminished Investor Confidence
Bitcoin’s recent attempt to break the $28,000 level faced a wave of selling pressure, according to market analysts at FxPro. This surge in selling resulted.....»»
No new chief yet — Agri exec
Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban on Tuesday said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not discuss the appointment of a new Agriculture Secretary during their latest sectoral meeting. In a Malacañang Press Briefing, Panganiban said that he could not confirm the reports on appointing a new Agriculture Secretary and that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is doing an “excellent job” leading the department. Panganiban’s statement comes amid reports that President Marcos is considering appointing fishing tycoon Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. as the new Agriculture Secretary. Laurel is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “With (Marcos) at the helm, everything is integrated, and all government efforts are coordinated. We can no longer say to the Department of Agriculture, ‘This is your job, not ours.’ We are all collaborating now, and we are even talking to you in the media to work together because, once again, food security is not the responsibility of one agency alone but of all of us,” Panganiban said. “I think that’s what sets him apart from his predecessors,” he added. Panganiban also said that he could not comment on whether the rice price cap affected the Pulse Asia Survey results, which showed President Marcos’s approval rating declined in September. “I cannot comment on that one,” he said. “What I can say is that our President is truly committed to serving everyone. I believe he is the President for all, not just for the farmers but also for the consumers.” Panganiban also praised Marcos for his engagement with the public, saying that the President is the first one to really meet with the people and participate in rice distribution. “So, I think people can sense our President and his plans and programs. Hopefully, we can reciprocate that. Even for the media, I hope you can help us promote the good news, not just our problems but also what we are doing for our fellow countrymen,” he added. The post No new chief yet — Agri exec appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash keeps fee’s subsidy
Financial super application GCash will continue to subsidize the convenience fee for cash-ins to provide a financial cushion to users amid the rising cost of goods. At a recent media briefing of the Globe Group, GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon said that while users are still charged a fee for cash-ins, it is still “much lower” than the P25 that other financial institutions usually charge for cash transfers because of the subsidy. “The P5 convenience fee is only 1/5 of what is normally charged by other financial institutions. As GCash continues to scale, we still subsidize most of the charges as well as heavily invest in upgrading our infrastructure and reinforcing security services,” Sazon said. “This also ensures that our operations will remain seamless for all customers,” Sazon said. “Even with this fee, we will continue to subsidize part of the operating cost for cash-ins as we remain committed to keeping our services accessible to many Filipinos,” she added. More cash-in options Later this year, GCash is set to charge a cash-in or convenience fee of P5 for every cash-in via linked BPI and UnionBank accounts. Cash-ins via linked bank accounts are one way to add funds to a GCash account. Over-the-counter cash-in is also available through cash-in machines, partner convenience stores, pawnshops, supermarkets, department stores, drug stores, gas stations, sari-sari stores and retail stores, among others. Meanwhile, GCash has waived fees for QRPH transactions for merchants until the end of the year, giving micro-entrepreneurs extra earnings while using convenient cashless transactions. Other payment platforms charge up to 2 percent for QR-based or card payments. GCash also continues to offer micro-merchants access to a wallet with a limit of up to P500,000 monthly. GCash also waives the 1.5 percent transaction fee for up to P100,000 in gross sales. The post GCash keeps fee’s subsidy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Credit card literacy revs up as use rises
The Credit Information Corporation continues its campaign for wise and safe use of credit cards as more Filipinos shift to cashless payments. CIC, along with the Credit Card Association of the Philippines, or CCAP, will hold the “Swipesmart” free webinar on 31 August on their Facebook page from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CIC on its website announced the webinar will discuss the responsible use of credit cards to build a good credit rating for easier access to loans and cybersecurity for prevention of financial theft. CCAP executive director Alex Ilagan said cases of credit card fraud have risen by 21 percent in 2021 amid the pandemic as interactions were conducted through remote technology. During this period, Visa Philippines said more Filipinos or 52 percent preferred online credit card payments while 44 percent chose card payments at physical stores. Rise in cards use inevitable CCAP expects more Filipinos to use credit cards as the Philippine Statistics Authority projected more income earners in the country with a 1.52 percent population growth each year and more businesses both online and physical open post-pandemic. Currently, 64 percent of the population own credit cards, CCAP reported. “As the economy continues to reopen and becomes more robust, pent-up demand for consumer goods and services will persist, feeding into the growth of the e-commerce, retail and services, travel and tourism, automotive, and housing sectors, among others,” Ilagan said. “A credit card is one way to extend your purchasing power,” he continued. Credit cards are used for small to medium purchases. For long-term and bigger purchases, banks strictly evaluate borrowers’ credit card histories submitted by the CIC as required by law. CIC shared it has obtained credit data of 41.8 million individuals as of 30 June 2023. Visit www.creditinfo.gov.ph for the registration link to the webinar. The post Credit card literacy revs up as use rises appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OSG special team formed to study legal options on WPS
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra yesterday said a special team was formed that will study and propose legal and diplomatic options over the disputed West Philippine Sea. He said the team is composed of solicitors with expertise in public international law, the law of the sea and other maritime laws, and international arbitration. The SolGen said they formed a special team of solicitors to study and propose legal and diplomatic options for handling WPS issues with China. Guevarra said that raising the matter to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly is also “one of the options.” However, when asked if the government is leaning towards this option, Guevarra said it would be premature to comment. In May, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said it is time for the government to submit a resolution to the UN General Assembly to have China comply with the 2016 arbitration ruling that rejected its claims in the West Philippine Sea. The retired SC associate justice is of the belief that the Philippines will “win there.” The Philippines in 2013, challenged China’s legal basis for its vast claim in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. The Philippines won the case in a landmark decision in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated Beijing’s assertions. China has stated that they do not recognize the ruling. As for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the Philippines will not give up an inch of its territory, including the West Philippine Sea, amid the aggression of China in the area. The post OSG special team formed to study legal options on WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China snubs Canada as restrictions on tourism travel lifted
China — a major source of outbound tourists — has left Canada off a list of countries now approved for travel by tour groups, its embassy in Ottawa said Wednesday, due to anti-Beijing rattling by Ottawa. Last week Beijing lifted a Covid-era ban on group tours to dozens of countries including the United States, Germany, Japan, and Australia, but not Canada. Travel agents turn to the list of approved destinations when promoting and arranging foreign vacations for Chinese nationals. There are currently 138 countries on the list. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa said in a statement that the reason behind the snub was "the Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called 'Chinese interference.'" It said "rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada" and "the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights of overseas Chinese citizens and wishes they can travel in a safe and friendly environment." The United Nations tourism agency (UNWTO) says China grew to be the biggest tourism source market in the world prior to the pandemic. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent a collective US$255 billion on international travel. Group tours from China to Canada were first approved in 2010. In 2018, nearly 700,000 Chinese visitors came to Canada, spending an average of Can$2,600 (US$1,922) per visitor, or a total of Can$2 billion -- out of Can$22 billion spent collectively by all foreign travelers, according to a report by the Canada China Business Council. That same year, tit-for-tat arrests of a top Huawei executive in Vancouver on a US warrant and two Canadians living in China, accused of espionage, dealt a serious blow to bilateral relations. Ottawa accused Beijing of engaging in "hostage diplomacy," before a deal was eventually reached with US prosecutors that saw all three people released in 2021. China-Canada relations hit a new low this year amid accusations of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections and the attempted intimidation of MPs that led to the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat in May. Beijing responded by sending home a Canadian diplomat from Canada's consulate in Shanghai. Canadian government officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Janice Thomson, the head of tourism at Niagara Falls -- the top tourism destination in Canada -- said China's decision to leave Canada off its approved destinations list was "disappointing." She expressed hope that Canada would make it onto the list in a future round of country additions. The post China snubs Canada as restrictions on tourism travel lifted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Justice Dept names special counsel to probe Biden’s son
The US Justice Department on Friday escalated its investigation into President Joe Biden's son Hunter, naming a special counsel amid allegations he engaged in illicit business deals overseas. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Delaware federal prosecutor David Weiss, who recently investigated Hunter Biden on tax and gun charges in a case that remains open. Weiss, who opened his probe in 2019, recently revealed that he was investigating Biden along other lines, and Garland said Weiss had requested special counsel status to be able to pursue his probe more widely. "Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel," Garland said. Deals in China, Ukraine Hunter Biden has come under investigation in Congress over business deals he did in China, Ukraine, and elsewhere during and after his father's 2009-2017 term as vice president. A former business associate told Congress recently that Hunter had gotten his father involved in telephone calls with his foreign partners several times. Republicans allege Joe Biden used his political position to help his son -- a claim the president denies. The move comes as Joe Biden is running for reelection, possibly in a rematch with former president Donald Trump, himself accused of felony crimes in the investigation by another Justice Department special counsel, Jack Smith. Garland gave no hint on the subject matter of Weiss' expanded probe, saying his elevation to the special counsel "reaffirms" the independence and authority of his investigation. Last month, the 53-year-old Hunter aborted a plea deal with Weiss over gun and tax charges after a judge pointed out inconsistencies in the agreement. The deal would have seen Biden avoid prison: he would have been sentenced to probation on two tax avoidance counts, and be forced into a counseling and rehabilitation program for the firearms charge. But the deal fell apart after Judge Maryellen Noreika queried why the gun charge was included in a tax case, and whether the agreement protected Biden from charges that might arise from a wider investigation of his business dealings. Biden then entered a not-guilty plea, and the two sides were expected to work out a new agreement. But in a filing in Delaware court on Friday, Weiss said those talks had reached an impasse and withdrew the offer of a plea deal. Instead, he indicated that the tax charges could be expanded to other venues. Republicans say DOJ protecting Biden There was no comment from the White House on Weiss's elevation to special counsel. In a social media post, a Trump spokesperson alleged that the Biden family had been "protected by the Justice Department for decades." "There is overwhelming evidence and credible testimony detailing their wrongdoing of lying to the American people and selling out the country to foreign enemies for the Biden Cartel's own financial gain," the spokesperson said, without offering evidence. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy indicated that the Congressional probe of Hunter Biden will continue. "This action by Biden's DOJ cannot be used to obstruct congressional investigations or whitewash the Biden family corruption," he said on social media. The post US Justice Dept names special counsel to probe Biden’s son appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
T-bonds auction oversubscribed,hits P55B
The Bureau of the Treasury on Wednesday partially awarded bids for the new seven-year Treasury bonds or T-bonds. The coupon rate was set at 6.375 percent. The auction was 1.8 times oversubscribed as the total submitted bids amounted to P55.1 billion. The BTr raised P24.8 billion out of the P30-billion offering. In a comment, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said the average auction yield was higher than the comparable 7-year PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service or BVAL yield at 6.28 percent. Rate traced “This is still higher compared to 6.097 percent in the previous 7-year Treasury bond auction on 20 June 2023 as the PHP BVAL yields corrected higher since June 2023 due to higher US Treasury yields since then,” he said. Ricafort traced the rate results to the hawkish signals locally in terms of possible local policy rate hikes to better manage inflation. Headline inflation settled at 5.4 percent in June, still above the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target. “(This) is also after hawkish local signals recently, particularly on no possible premature local policy rate cut and even a possible local policy rate hike amid market expectations of a possible +0.25 Fed rate hike on July 26, 2023, but reduced odds of a second Fed rate hike after July 26, 2023,” Ricafort said. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas maintained key rates in the last two consecutive rate-setting meetings. The Monetary Board is scheduled to hold its next rate setting meeting on 17 Aug. The post T-bonds auction oversubscribed,hits P55B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US regulator investigating ChatGPT over bad content
The US Federal Trade Commission is investigating OpenAI to determine if its hugely popular ChatGPT app harms consumers by generating false information and whether its technology mishandles user data. Microsoft-backed OpenAI was notified of the investigation in a 20-page questionnaire in which the company is asked to describe incidents in which users were falsely disparaged, and share any company efforts to ensure this does not happen again. The investigation by the US regulator was first reported by The Washington Post. OpenAI's release of ChatGPT last November stunned the world as it displayed the power of large language models (or LLM), a form of artificial intelligence known as generative AI that can churn out human-like content in just seconds. Amid the marvel at the technology's capacities, reports came in that the models could also churn out offensive, false or just strange content, sometimes called "hallucinations." FTC chair Lina Khan addressed a congressional committee hearing on Wednesday, and while she did not mention the investigation, she told lawmakers that her agency had concerns about ChatGPT's potentially libellous output. "We've heard about reports where people's sensitive information is showing up in response to an inquiry from somebody else," Khan said. "We've heard about libel, defamatory statements, flatly untrue things that are emerging. That's the type of fraud and deception that we are concerned about," she added. The FTC's investigation is mainly focused on how this aspect could harm users, according to the questionnaire, but also delves into OpenAI's use of private data to build its world-leading model. The company's GPT-4 is the bedrock technology behind its own ChatGPT as well scores of other programs from companies that pay a fee to OpenAI to access its model for their own uses. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a tweet that he regretted news of the investigation was leaked to the press, which "does not build trust." He added that "of course" OpenAI will work with the FTC and that "it's super important to us that our technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law." An FTC probe does not necessarily bring further action and the regulator can close the case if it is satisfied by the target company's answer. If the FTC perceives illegal or unsafe practices, it will demand remedial action and possibly launch a lawsuit. OpenAI and the FTC did not respond to a request for comment. The post US regulator investigating ChatGPT over bad content appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Musk threatens to sue Meta over Threads
Elon Musk’s Twitter is threatening to take Facebook’s parent company, Meta, to court over its new rival social media app, Threads. In a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, accused Meta of using “Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property” to build Threads. Spiro also suggested that Meta had been “crawling and scraping” Twitter data on users and followers by reminding the company such activity is “expressly prohibited.” A spokesman for Meta denied the allegations, saying that no former Twitter employees are working on Threads and that the app is not powered by Instagram. Twitter representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The letter comes amid growing tension between Musk and Zuckerberg. The two men have been trading barbs on social media, and Zuckerberg has even taken shots at Twitter and Musk in public. It remains to be seen whether Twitter will actually sue Meta. However, the letter is a sign of the increasing legal battles between the two tech giants. Threads is a new social media app from Meta that is designed for close friends and family. The app allows users to share photos, videos, and text messages with a select group of people. Twitter is concerned that Threads may be a copycat of its own app, Fleets. Fleets was a short-lived feature on Twitter that allowed users to share ephemeral posts that disappeared after 24 hours. In the letter to Zuckerberg, Spiro accused Meta of using “Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property” to build Threads. Spiro also suggested that Meta had been “crawling and scraping” Twitter data on users and followers by reminding the company such activity is “expressly prohibited.” A spokesman for Meta denied the allegations, saying that no former Twitter employees are working on Threads and that the app is not powered by Instagram. The post Musk threatens to sue Meta over Threads appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Making MIF work
There has been no let-up in the criticism that has been hurled against the government’s push to legislate into reality the Maharlika Investment Fund. Amid the constant brickbats coming from business groups, from some of our country’s esteemed economists led by UP School of Economics professors, and of course the political opposition, our legislators have finally dutifully passed the bill creating the MIF and have handed the baton to the President for the final coup de grace. Of all the articles opposing the MIF, I think the 28-page position paper of the UP professors has succinctly and clinically dissected the bill and come up with convincing arguments for why BBM should seriously reconsider the passage of the MIF at this time. But let’s face it, this is unlikely to happen. The reality is that the MIF is here to stay. So, given such a scenario, the next best thing the critics can hope for is that the MIF’s board and management will consider the various issues raised by the economists and react accordingly. What are the critical points that need to be reviewed and addressed? The first is the supposed lack of clarity of the fund’s objectives which is violative of the Santiago Principles, MIF’s avowed governance benchmark, and which could result in a confused operating model. This should be fairly easy to remedy when the MIF board convenes and tackles its first task, which is to articulate the MIF’s mission and vision statement that will be the basis for the goals and objectives of the fund. In this regard, I have to say that having a developmental purpose combined with a desire to generate the most optimal returns is not an unrealistic aspiration. It is perfectly feasible to create several sub-funds with different and distinct underlying assets which in turn would become the basis for the investment strategies of the respective sub-funds. This is no different from several unit trust funds available in the market. For instance, some funds focus only on equity, some solely local, while some others, the US equities. Funds that focus on fixed income, some only on Philippine government and corporate debt issuances, while others, purely US Treasuries. Then some funds combine both equity and fixed income. Bottomline, investors will essentially have a menu to choose from depending on their investment objective and appetite for risk. I believe there is nothing in the MIF law that prevents the creation of sub-funds with different investment strategies and risk-reward mix. It can have a sub-fund focusing solely on infrastructure projects that in turn could attract long-term oriented institutional developmental investors such as multilateral funds, e.g., IFC or ADB. Or MIF could create a joint venture with a strategic investor interested in a particular infrastructure project. It is perfectly feasible to create several sub-funds with different and distinct underlying assets which in turn would become the basis for the investment strategies of the respective sub-funds. Another criticism is that the MIF could upend the budgetary processes of the government. All I can say in this regard is that with the kind of politically motivated horse-trading and haggling that is a common occurrence during budget hearings, having an alternative funding process that expedites and cuts back on all that nuisance trumps anytime in my book the traditional long drawn-out congressional budget approval process. Another adverse commentary is that the MIF proponents have not yet proven its “additionality” or, in other words, it will be redundant with the investment and developmental functions of other government agencies such as the NDC, DPWH, or LandBank. My comment on this: I think it’s of public record that neither NDC nor DPWH has had a sterling record insofar as investments and public work projects are concerned. And LandBank has been similarly pilloried by our legislators for not doing enough insofar as its mandate is concerned. If the government agencies have been performing below expectations, perhaps a new entity like MIF with (hopefully) significant private equity participation and private-led management could make a difference and be more effective and efficient in the delivery of its mandate. (To be continued) Until next week… OBF! For comments, email bing_matoto@yahoo.com. The post Making MIF work appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
beep powers QR payment in LRT1, enhancing commuting experience
AF Payments, Inc., the operator of the beep card, is pleased to announce the successful launch of Maya’s and Light Rail Manila Corporation’s (LRMC) QR payment system in LRT1. This new and convenient payment option—which is enabled by beep’s technology—was warmly received by train commuters, who can now effortlessly purchase QR codes through their smartphones. “The overwhelming adoption of QR since the service’s launch demonstrates commuters’ willingness to embrace more diverse payment options that facilitate faster and more convenient commutes. Alongside the tap-in and tap-out functionality of beep cards, QR offers an excellent alternative to Single Journey Ticket users, allowing them to skip the lines and enjoy faster travel times. The core mission of AF Payments, Inc. is to provide commuters with convenient, fast, and secure payment solutions, transforming daily commuting into a more efficient, productive, and pleasant experience for everyone,” says JJ Moreno, the president & CEO of AF Payments, Inc. Making payments via QR is made incredibly simple by following these steps: 1. Open your Maya app and navigate to the Services section. 2. Select the LRT-1 tile under the Lifestyle category. 3. Choose your desired route (Northbound or Southbound) and set both the origin and destination. 4. Click on Pay Now. Your QR ticket will be instantly generated. 5. Scan your QR ticket using the turnstile QR scanners at LRT1 stations. LRT1 QR tickets, which will be valid for 24 hours, may be conveniently purchased through the Maya and LRMC’s ikotMNL apps, and eventually through the beep app. The LRT1 trains cater to passengers from Monumento to Baclaran. “Fast lane” turnstiles with QR readers are located in all LRT1 stops, including Balintawak and Roosevelt stations along EDSA. “AF Payments remains committed to providing innovative enabling technologies to projects that enhance the commuting experience of Filipinos. We strongly believe that Filipino commuters deserve nothing less than the best and latest micropayment solutions that cater to their evolving needs,” Mr. Moreno added. The recently launched QR ticketing setup at LRT1 was based primarily on the QR Code Application for Transport (QCAT) format, an open-source set of specifications and documents published by AFPI that defines a QR code-based ticketing system applied to different modes of transportation. QCAT defines the structure and format of the QR Code payload of a ticket. The QR ticket is generated and issued through a mobile-based application and is then scanned and validated as trip fare media or ticket. A backend repository captures these QR ticket transactions and are processed, cleared, and settled based on agreed business rules between the QR ticket issuer, acceptor, and transport operator. Before its introduction in the rail sector, QCAT was successfully applied in both bus transport (with the BGC Bus network in Taguig) and inter-island ferry terminals (with Topline Express Ferry in Cebu). These two transport use cases replaced the manually validated paper ticketing process to ensure quicker validation and a hassle-free commuting experience. With QR ticketing based on the QCAT format, passengers are given another cashless option for a fast, seamless, hassle-free, and convenient commuting experience. The post beep powers QR payment in LRT1, enhancing commuting experience appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Eat Bulaga’s fate hangs — IPOPHL
The trademark application of Television and Production Exponents Inc. or TAPE Inc., is still pending at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, IPOPHL director-general Atty. Rowel Barba said on Saturday, amid the ongoing fracas between the owners of Eat Bulaga’s production outfit, the Jalosjos Family, and its original hosts, former Senator Vicente Tito Sotto, his brother Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon. “Case is now pending so we cannot comment. A sub judice rule (is in effect). Magkakaron ng hearings pa yan before our adjudication officer can decide. Let us wait for the decision on the case,” Barba told the Daily Tribune. It was learned that TAPE Inc. first applied for registration of its “Eat Bulaga” brand with the IPOPHL in 2011. On the other hand, TAPE Inc.’s former president and CEO Tony Tuviera lodged a separate petition to own the “Eat Bulaga” trademark, but this time, at the World Intellectual Property Organization last 27 February 2023, which was confirmed to the Daily Tribune by another source. On Friday, former lawmaker Sotto said in a television interview that the Jalosjos-owned TAPE Inc. cannot continue the segments conceptualized by its former staff, saying that “as based on the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, inventors are the rightful owners of their creations.” In terms of copyright, he said “TAPE is only limited to “Eat Bulaga” merchandise covered by Sections 16, 21 and 25 of the Intellectual Property Law.” Sotto said the program title was theirs based on Section 41 of the IP Law, and even revealed that they (Tito, Vic and Joey) are the ones who coined the program title “Eat Bulaga” when it first aired in July 1979 over RPN 9. “Kaya sige, gamitin muna nila habang nag-iisip pa kami kung anong susunod naming steps. Pagkatapos eh bayaran. Dali lang naman maningil eh. Singilin natin mga gumagamit ng property natin,” he said. (Okay, let them use it while we think of our next step. Then we go to payments. It’s so easy to ask what is due us.) Tito further revealed that TAPE’s trademark registration for Eat Bulaga with the IPOPHL already lapsed on 14 June 2023. TAPE Inc. still has a valid block time contract with the GMA Network until 2024. In a statement on Friday, TAPE Inc. said they assured that the show will continue but with new hosts, a day after the entire Eat Bulaga team, including all their hosts and crew, relinquished their posts at TAPE Inc. The post Eat Bulaga’s fate hangs — IPOPHL appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A new era for Bitcoin?
Bitcoin was the first decentralized cryptocurrency created and is now the most traded and well-known among crypto-enthusiasts and the general public. Without the creation of Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency space would not be what it is today, and this is why we have been researching the future and sustainability of Bitcoin. Despite other coins consistently taking the headlines, Bitcoin has retained its dominant position atop the crypto market capitalization charts. Nonetheless, Bitcoin’s sustainability is worth discussing. How will the falling block rewards (halved every four years) and relatively low transaction fees impact Bitcoin’s security model? While Bitcoin has held its lead till now, will this continue in the future without a Bitcoin-native smart contract market? Ordinals and Inscriptions Ordinals and Inscriptions, which emerged at the start of 2023, might bring some answers to that. The Ordinals protocol, which was launched in January 2023, allows users to inscribe data on satoshis — the smallest units of Bitcoin — with each such inscription called an Ordinal. The inscribed data can include smart contracts, which enable arbitrary data, such as images, videos, and texts, to be inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain, creating digital artifacts or, effectively, NFTs. With this latest innovation, not only are we witnessing the start of “Bitcoin NFTs,” we are seeing a resurgence in excitement and attention across the entire Bitcoin ecosystem. Inscriptions have a noticeable impact on Bitcoin’s on-chain metrics and transaction fees are rising. Perhaps most importantly, innovation is increasing and developers are shipping updates everywhere. With increased activity and the opening up of many new use cases for Bitcoin, the very natural question of scalability follows. How will Bitcoin handle the increased traffic? Enter Bitcoin Layer-2s. Bitcoin smart-contract market For many years, Bitcoin has dealt with a need for developer tooling, stagnant infrastructure, and limited innovation relative to smart contract giants such as Ethereum, BNB Chain and Solana. However, things are changing. With names like Yuga Labs, DeGods and Magic Eden having entered the Bitcoin NFT space within weeks of Ordinals while Celestia builds Rollkit to scale Bitcoin, the wheels are turning. Builders finally have something to do with their Bitcoin. Developers are staying up late and shipping updates at a rate not seen in Bitcoin in a while — all of it driven by organic demand. This is the critical part. When an ecosystem goes through a period where organic, genuine user demand essentially forces innovation and product development, a virtuous cycle can ensue, and things can escalate quickly. Ordinals and Inscriptions have introduced a fresh vibrancy to developing Bitcoin, instilled a new set of stakeholders with differing voices and opinions, and ultimately, injected life and enthusiasm into an ecosystem that has been somewhat lagging in the age of monkey NFTs and perpetual swap-driven DeFi markets. In Binance Research’s latest Insights & Analysis report, we take a closer look into the world of Bitcoin and cover all there is to know and look forward to in Bitcoin’s new era. In this report, we provide a brief update on Bitcoin’s recent performance, deep dive into Ordinals & Inscriptions, discuss Bitcoin’s nascent layer-2 ecosystem, and provide a view of what we expect next for Bitcoin. A fully-fledged Bitcoin intelligent contract market, Bitcoin rollups, and the upcoming Bitcoin halving are also some key themes covered. The post A new era for Bitcoin? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
John Estrada’s daughter Inah de Belen sends love to Priscilla Meirelles
Inah de Belen, daughter of John Estrada and Janice de Belen, appeared to have expressed support to Priscilla Meirelles amid the beauty queen’s marital problems with the actor. Inah left a comment on Meirelles’ Instagram post last March 29, in which the latter can be seen visiting a cosmetics store. “Love you Ate Pri,” the […] The post John Estrada’s daughter Inah de Belen sends love to Priscilla Meirelles appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
BSP urges gift givers to go digital
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is urging Filipinos to use digital money when sending e-aguinaldo to families and friends during the holiday season even as it assured the sufficient supply of fresh banknotes and coins amid the seasonal surge in currency demand......»»
Little change expected as Fed finishes first meeting
Washington---The Federal Reserve will on Wednesday conclude its first meeting since US President Joe Biden took office, and while the central bank is certain to comment on the health of the country’s economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, analysts say it’s unlikely to change its main policies......»»
Kung gusto may paraan : VP camp hits Duterte absence amid Ulysses
Vice President Leni Robredo's spokesman on Sunday said leaders should be seen and felt in times of crisis in an apparent comment on government's response to Typhoon Ulysses, which had left many asking for help in submerged provinces......»»