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Under the surface
They say that Mayon — that perfectly shaped volcano in the Bicol region — only shows her full glory to those arriving in the city of Albay if (and only if) those people are truly “welcome.” It’s just a fun little myth, of course, which invites visitors to look at the volcano first thing, as soon as they land at the airport where an aerial first view is possible before a full-on feast for the eyes on the ground. I dare say it is still the most glorious-looking volcano in the world, with cracks, dents, and all. It was a sight I took for granted growing up, however. But never again after I saw it shed fiery tears some years ago. By a highway leading to my mother’s hometown, we stood awestruck at its destructive beauty. A lava flow in 2018 brought tourists to the province and we saw the vehicles parked at the same vantage point. It was some other reason that compelled me to visit that year. Should hot lava feel like the tears that fell then, the sear is nothing compared to the pain of loss. Under the surface, cracks form and create wounds that never quite heal. A report on Mayon that year by the Global Volcanism Program described the volcano as being in a “new eruptive episode.” Bicolanos heaved a sigh of relief when the situation did not worsen. For residents, every “episode” means a run of some anxiety, though I personally feel that those who had felt its occasional rumble through the decades are not so easily shaken by the prospect of an earthquake. An eruption is another matter, as Bicolanos have seen gigantic rocks flatten houses in their path. Some of those boulders are still around to remind us all that life is transitory. That we should all blaze a path and not care too much for gathering dust. This and other wisdom are worth gaining from mother nature. This week, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised to number two the alert level on Mayon Volcano. This means, Phivolcs said, “increasing unrest.” The Phivolcs statement went: “This means that there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to phreatic eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.” The term “hazardous” is giving me worries I never felt before. Perhaps it is the thought of rocks falling increasingly “from the volcano’s summit lava dome.” Such seismic activity has been noted since the last week of April, reports say. Phivolcs also said, “Mayon’s lava dome increased in volume by approximately 83,000 square meters (m3) since 3 February and a total of nearly 164,000 m3 since 20 August 2022.” Vigilance is an understatement, as I believe experiences from the past should make residents of the province more proactive. Gone should be the extra effort to evacuate forcibly those within the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone. The animals will warn farmers within the area, but the local government may need to assure people of a safe haven, provisions, and the hope of having future sources of income. That last bit is iffy, to say the least — more like a dream, perhaps. Meanwhile, Taal Volcano remains at alert level 1 although “an increased degassing activity in the volcano, which produced steam-rich plumes that rose 3,000 meters above Taal volcano island,” has been noted. There is heat beneath the surface, aggravated by extreme weather due to climate change. Mother nature can be destructive, yes, but its volatility can often be read or measured ahead. The danger in human actions and reactions is that they are volatile, the destruction measured and felt over time. The post Under the surface appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan tribe despairs as drought shrinks bamboo crop
Hacking at a bamboo plant with a machete, Avayi Vayayana peels back the shoot's stiff bark as he scans southern Taiwan's mountains, anxious for more of the money-making crop his Indigenous tribe increasingly struggles to find. Generations of the Tsou tribe have lived off Alishan township's bamboo forests, which Vayayana says were planted by his forefathers and typically harvested in April and May. But "the weather in the last few years has really been out of whack", the 62-year-old tribal chief tells AFP. "The rainfall has been delayed and the bamboo shoots' growth is noticeably affected." In the Indigenous village T'fuya, the dark-brown cones of the island's native stone bamboo -- or Phyllostachys lithophila -- have become harder to spot. "The little young shoots will not sprout if there's no rain. After a while, they will die inside the ground," Vayayana says. The February-to-April rains are crucial to the growth of bamboo shoots -- which are popular in Asian cuisine -- but since late last year, there have not been any significant downpours. The Tsou tribe, which has a population of 7,000 in Alishan, has seen their bamboo shoot harvest steadily decline. On a misty May morning, a welcome drizzle finally blankets the bamboo forest Vayayana is working in, but he tells AFP it is too late. This year, his haul is one-third of 2022's harvest. Worse, Vayayana and his family must now also contend with crop-raiding monkeys, he explains after an airgun shot rings out in the distance: his cousin trying to scare away the marauders. "Because many surrounding bamboo forests have died, now where there are bamboo shoots, all the monkeys will go," he says. 'Frontline victims' Southern Taiwan is experiencing its worst drought in decades. Water levels in the Tsengwen reservoir serving the southern Tainan and Chiayi regions plummeted below 10 percent this year, the third such drop since 2018, leaving reservoir beds cracked and exposed. The Tsengwen serves as a primary water source for a massive foundry making the island's precious semiconductors -- soaring in demand globally -- and also supplements the region's rice-growing plains. But for the third year in a row, the government is providing subsidies to farmers not to plant their crops -- a sign of the severe water needs. An hour's drive from the reservoir, Alishan too is experiencing drastic weather changes. From January to April, rainfall declined to 226.5 millimeters (8.9 inches), a more than 50 percent drop compared to the same period last year, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Station. For the Tsou -- whose lifestyle is entwined with nature -- the impact is "comprehensive", says Greenpeace Taiwan's Lena Chang. "They are the frontline victims of climate change," Chang tells AFP. Data compiled by Greenpeace Taiwan shows the drop-off in rain to be persistent. In the past three decades, Alishan has lost an average of 2.6mm of rainfall per year in February and 1.2mm in March -- a vital period for bamboo shoot growth. At T'fuya's crop collection point, villagers offload sacks of bamboo shoots from trucks, weighing them before sending them to factories to be boiled and tinned for mass consumption. "This year, the rain came too late and many bamboo trees are sick. The harvest is very bad," Voyu Baniana, 24, tells AFP. "In my family's plantation, we have none. I can only work for other people this year." New cash crop Those who returned to their villages after a period of working in cities are finding it harder to live off of crops they grew up cultivating. Voyo Yulunana, 43, still remembers the long days he spent as a child harvesting bamboo shoots, the sale of which bolstered the community's living standards. "Buying a car or building a house, we counted on the bamboo," he says. Since Yulunana returned from a brief stint in the city working in construction, he has noticed "the rains don't come when they should". Luckily, his grandfather made a switch to growing coffee beans, which Yulunana and other younger Tsou have shifted toward in the past decade. "Coffee is slowly replacing bamboo shoots as the cash crop" in Alishan, says Yulunana. But even it is not immune to climate change -- a late spring rain affects the plant's flowering season, and the erratic weather last year nearly devastated his family's 400-shrub crop, he said. "At this point, I can get by with just growing coffee," Yulunana said. "Who knows what new crops will appear after coffee?" The post Taiwan tribe despairs as drought shrinks bamboo crop appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shanghai records hottest May day in 100 years
Shanghai recorded its hottest May day in 100 years on Monday, the city's meteorological service announced, shattering the previous high by a full degree. Scientists say global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with many countries experiencing deadly heatwaves and temperatures hitting records across Southeast and South Asia in recent weeks. "At 13:09, the temperature at Xujiahui station hit 36.1 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking a 100-year-old record for the highest temperature in May," a post on the service's official Weibo account read, referring to a metro station in the center of China's largest city. The temperature at the bustling station climbed even higher to 36.7C (98F) later in the afternoon, Shanghai's meteorological service said. That put it a full degree above the old record, 35.7C, which has been recorded four times previously, in 1876, 1903, 1915 and 2018, according to the weather service. Shanghai residents sweltered under the early-afternoon sun, with some apps showing a "feels like" temperature estimate of more than 40C (104F). "I headed out at noon to pick up a delivery, and got a headache after coming back," read one post from Shanghai on Weibo. Another said: "I almost got heatstroke, it's really hot enough to explode." Deadly heat Parts of India saw temperatures above 44C (111F) in mid-April, with at least 11 deaths near Mumbai attributed to heat stroke on a single day. In Bangladesh, Dhaka suffered its hottest day in almost 60 years. The city of Tak in Thailand recorded its highest-ever temperature of 45.4C (114F), while Sainyabuli province in Laos hit 42.9C (109F), an all-time national temperature record, the study by the World Weather Attribution group said. A recent report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that "every increment of global warming will intensify multiple and concurrent hazards". In May, the United Nations warned that it is near-certain that 2023-2027 will be the warmest five-year period ever recorded, as greenhouse gasses and El Nino combine to send temperatures soaring. There is a two-thirds chance that at least one of the next five years will see global temperatures exceed the more ambitious target set out in the Paris accords on limiting climate change, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said. The 2015 Paris Agreement saw countries agree to cap global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius above average levels measured between 1850 and 1900 -- and 1.5C if possible. The global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15C above the 1850-1900 average. The WMO said there was a 66 percent chance that annual global surface temperatures will exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels for at least one of the years from 2023-2027. The post Shanghai records hottest May day in 100 years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
On Earth Day: DBM pushes climate change planning
As the world observed Earth Day, the Department of Budget and Management on Saturday called on its fellow government agencies to intensify climate change planning and programming. “The serious implications that climate change pose are not just a problem for the next generation but also a present danger that is undeniably felt in our time,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said. “We need to act now by protecting our planet and its natural resources before it’s too late,” she added. The DBM chief said stakeholders must identify environment-related programs and projects in the preparation of the national budget in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. “May we keep in mind that we are doing all these to ensure that our economic progress is moving towards a track that is truly inclusive and sustainable for all,” she pointed out. The DBM allocated P2.39 billion for the National Greening Program, which includes provisions for the Protected Areas Development and Management Program, Manila Bay Rehabilitation, and Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Management Program. It also increased the 2023 budget for climate change initiatives. Earth Day is observed every 22 April to mobilize policymakers and society to address the climate crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlighted in 2018 the scale of the challenge required to keep warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade. This year, it stressed that global greenhouse gas emissions “have continued to increase, with unequal historical and ongoing contributions arising from unsustainable energy use, land use and land-use change, lifestyles, and patterns of consumption and production across regions, between and within countries, and among individuals.” In addition, it warned that the pace and scale of climate action are still insufficient to tackle climate change. The post On Earth Day: DBM pushes climate change planning appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Change-of-command rites, retirement honors set for Azurin
The Philippine National Police has tentatively set the change-of-command ceremony and retirement honors for PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on his birthday on April 24......»»
On April 2, Rappler interviews Patricia Evangelista on the craft of storytelling
Watch the interview and get to ask Patricia a question by registering as a Rappler user and downloading the Rappler Communities app.....»»
PNP prepares for Acorda’s retirement
The Philippine National Police has started preparations for the change-of-command ceremony and retirement honors for PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr......»»
Sen. Imee fooled?
It is not April Fools Day yet. But to Senator Imee Marcos, she claims being fooled, not just once but twice. This she found out belatedly, one after the other. She confessed falling victim to a “web of lies” spun allegedly by the brains behind the Charter change through people’s initiative mode......»»
Pilmico on World Bread Day: Bread’s transformative impact on communities
Every year on 16 October, the world celebrates “World Bread Day” to honor all kinds of bread around the world. A dietary staple in people’s lives for centuries, bread plays a much more significant role in the lives of those who bake bread as their primary source of livelihood. Pilmico has been a steadfast partner of bakers since 1962. It has given out 108 bakery kits nationwide since it started distributing livelihood kits in 2016. In honor of the “World Bread Day,” Pilmico reflects on how it has helped change the lives of several people through bread. Feeding the future Pilmico’s “Kutitap Feeding Program” was launched as a sustainable initiative to address malnutrition in public schools while at the same time supporting local bakeries. The program was made possible through the help of its partner bakeries, who went through technical training and received equipment from Pilmico. They provided bread to public schools within their communities. The Kutitap Feeding Program started in Iligan City in 2015 and in Tarlac in 2018. Since then, the program has progressively evolved through the years. Due to pandemic restrictions, it was turned into the “Kutitap Care Package,” where students received baked goods and eggs through its partner bakery, Aguila Bakeshop. Now, the program has also started incorporating meats in the meals served to the daycare students in Bamban, Tarlac. Aside from feeding students with nutritional bread, this initiative also contributed to the success of some partner bakeries such as C&G Bakery from Iligan City. Marlon C. Gecale, owner of C&G Bakery, has devoted his life to baking — from when he was a teen working as a baker to an adult owning his bakery. In between, he worked as an OFW and his passion for baking grew stronger, prompting him to have his own bakery. After buying an oven with his first salary, Gecale and his wife spent the next five years building their small bakery while he worked abroad. In 2017, they applied to become a bakery partner for Pilmico’s “Kutitap Feeding Program.” They were determined to prove that their small bakery could fulfill the demands of the program despite their new and small bakery. By partnering with Pilmico for the Kutitap Feeding Program, C&G Bakery, owned by Marlon Gecale, was able to expand to three more branches in Mindanao. Gecale underwent a month-long training with Pilmico where he earned new technical skills in baking and new recipes, which he still uses in his bakery. Since then, their bakery has grown and has been a reliable partner of Pilmico in various programs including the Iligan Community Pantry. Today, C&G Bakery has expanded to three branches in Iligan City, Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga del Sur. 'Tinapay Ti Uno' program Aside from Pilmico’s own initiatives, it has partnered with local government units such as the Department of Agrarian Reform Tarlac for the “Tinapay Ti Uno” program in partnership with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry and the Office of Congressman Jaime Cojuangco from the 1st District of Tarlac province. This program aims to create healthy buns using locally sourced ingredients from Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations and provide them to public school students in the 1st district of Tarlac. A total of 11 ARBOs participated in a bun and special bread competition where the winners will be responsible for the distribution of buns to the students. In the competition held last 24 2023, three ARBOs were hailed as the grand winners: Cabayaoasan Farmer Agriculture Cooperative from Paniqui, Tarlac; Bacabac Farmers Producers Cooperative from Brgy. Bacabac, Camiling, Tarlac; and Sinulatan 1st Agriculture Cooperative from Brgy. Sinulatan 1st, Camiling, Tarlac. Each winner received a bakery livelihood package from Pilmico that included an oven, stainless steel table, bread rack, bread showcase, proofer with cover, spiral mixer and 10 Pilmico flour sacks. In addition to the equipment, the winners were to receive technical assistance and bakery management training from Pilmico as they set up their bakery business. During the winners’ onsite bakery training in Camiling, Tarlac last 3 October, it was revealed that two out of the three ARBOs have already opened their bakeries within their communities. In celebration of “World Bread Day,” Pilmico emphasizes its unwavering commitment to providing high-quality flour that helps create nutritional bread products. “We believe in the transformative power that a simple loaf of bread can bring to people’s lives, especially those who rely on it as their main source of livelihood. Pilmico is dedicated to delivering the finest flour for the community’s bread making needs,” said Ma. Katrina Bayog, Pilmico Corporate Social Responsibility manager. The post Pilmico on World Bread Day: Bread’s transformative impact on communities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
California governor presses China’s Xi on climate cooperation
California governor Gavin Newsom said he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on climate cooperation at a meeting on Wednesday in Beijing, the latest in a string of visits to China by US politicians. The head of the US economic powerhouse state is on a week-long tour of China, which Newsom has said will focus on climate change. "We are not going to move needles on climate change unless the United States and China collaborate together," the governor, who has long been touted as a future presidential candidate, told reporters after meetings with Xi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. China and the United States are the two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. Newsom arrived in the southern semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong on Monday, where he held a talk on climate change. He then traveled to the neighboring city of Shenzhen, which has pioneered the use of renewable energy in public transport, touring an electric bus station. Newsom described his talks on Wednesday with Xi and Wang as "very productive". "Not only the MOUs in the last couple days but the fact that I'll be meeting with five governors tomorrow... engaging and advancing our collective efforts on low carbon green growth," Newsom told reporters, referring to memorandums of understanding signed with Chinese counterparts. Newsom said he also raised the issue of human rights with Wang and spoke with Chinese leaders about China's role in the fentanyl drug addiction crisis in the United States. Washington has imposed sanctions on China-based firms for producing and distributing chemicals used to make fentanyl, though Beijing has insisted the root of the opioid problem lies in the United States. "Governor Newsom's topics of discussion also included human rights violations and anti-democratic efforts in Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Taiwan, as well as David Lin, a California pastor who has been imprisoned in China since 2006," the governor's office said in a statement. String of visits Newsom's visit came amid a flurry of diplomacy between Beijing and Washington as the two sides seek to improve strained ties. Xi met with a group of US senators in Beijing earlier this month, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Foreign Minister Wang will pay a rare visit to Washington this week. Wang will be returning from a visit in June to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was the highest-ranking US official to travel to China since 2018. Blinken huddled for 11 hours with the top Chinese leadership including Xi. Diplomats say Wang will be expecting a similar meeting with President Joe Biden, who is in Washington this week. Biden, who last saw Xi last November on the sidelines of G20 talks in Bali, has invited the Chinese leader to travel next month to San Francisco where the United States will host an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Newsom on Wednesday said of Xi's potential visit that he was "very hopeful that he makes it". The post California governor presses China’s Xi on climate cooperation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
5 climate change adaptation projects worth P540.3M given the nod
The People’s Survival Fund Board approved at least five climate change adaptation projects, endorsed by the Climate Change Commission amounting to P540.3 million, geared toward increasing the adaptive capacity of local government units to climate change adaptation. Robert E.A. Borje, the CCC Vice-chairperson and executive director, welcomed the latest development in the country’s fight against climate change. “The PSF Board’s approval of these five projects signals a pivotal message on the value of advancing adaptation measures at the local and community level, especially at a time when risks and challenges posed by climate change demand immediate and urgent actions,” he underscored. Borje cited Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the PSF board chairperson, for his leadership and commitment to advancing the objectives of the survival funds. “I also thanked the PSF Board members for their sustained effort and collaboration throughout the review and evaluation, and field validation exercises, which led to CCC endorsement and PSF Board’s project approvals,” he said. The submissions of LGUs from the PSF Board-issued Call for Proposals from February to April 2023 are included in the five projects. Borje said adaptation interventions to be implemented by LGUs include the establishment of climate field schools for farmers, flood protection, river ecosystem management, installation of solar-powered pumps, and mangrove rehabilitation. “With the benefits to be provided by these projects, the PSF will be able to demonstrate effective and sustainable practices on local climate actions, championing the resilience of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change,” he added. The PSF Board approved a Php 2-million Project Development Grant or PDG for the Municipality of Besao, Mountain Province to undertake project preparatory activities such as hydrological and geotechnical studies to establish the rationale of the LGU’s adaptation intervention. The projects’ approval enabled 17 LGUs to receive support from the PSF and its PDG. Among the previously approved projects are from Lanuza, Surigao del Sur; Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; Gerona, Tarlac; Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte; Sarangani Province; and San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu. Borje noted that the CCC, in coordination with the Department of Finance, is working on further streamlining the accession of PSF through enhancement of the processes entailed by project proposals from submission until the approval stage. The PSF was institutionalized in 2012, through the Republic Act 10174, which amends the Climate Change Act of 2009—to include the provision of long-term finance streams to enable the government to effectively address the problem of climate change. It aims to enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change. The CCC is likewise mandated to conduct the Climate Rationale Review and Evaluation or CRRE of project proposals submitted for PSF, convening the National Panel of Technical Experts to look into the climate rationale of projects. The CRRE process takes into consideration the historical and present data, ensuring that projects are fit-for-purpose and responsive to specific climate risks and vulnerabilities of an LGU. The post 5 climate change adaptation projects worth P540.3M given the nod appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How nations allow or restrict legal gender change
A small number of countries have made it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender, while other nations have restricted such changes, notably Russia and Pakistan. Here is a snapshot of the situation around the world. Exception, not the rule According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), 24 UN member states have legally allowed people to change their gender on the basis of self-identification. In about 40 other countries, the legal and administrative process can take years and may include requirements such as psychiatric diagnosis, hormone treatment, gender confirmation surgery, or even sterilization. Making it easier Argentina has led the way on transgender rights, allowing a change of gender on national ID cards with a simple declaration since 2012. Several Latin American countries have followed suit. Denmark was the first European country in 2014 to allow adults to apply for a gender change without undergoing medical or psychological assessments, with Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, and most recently Spain following suit. Since 2017, France has allowed transgender people to change their status on their ID documents without treatment, surgery, or sterilization but they must receive court approval. The issue of trans rights sparked a fierce row in 2022 in Scotland, where parliament passed a bill making it easier for people to self-identify their gender that was sensationally vetoed by London. The German cabinet in August 2023 signed off plans under which Germans will be able to change their name or legal gender by making a simple application to their local registry office. The law still has to go to parliament. Hesitating Sweden, one of the world's most liberal countries, was the first in the world to authorize physical and legal gender reassignment for adults in 1972. But last year it began restricting hormone therapy available for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, such as puberty blockers, citing the need for caution following a strong increase in demand. It also restricted access to mastectomies for teenage girls wanting to transition. Finland in 2020 had already restricted hormone treatment for minors. Making it harder Russia adopted new legislation in July 2023 banning "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person" and "the state registration of a change of gender without an operation". President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly railed against transgender rights in his speeches. Pakistan's religious judiciary ruled in May that landmark transgender legal protections from 2018 are un-Islamic and therefore void. An appeal is being sought with the Supreme Court. Pakistan continues to recognize the existence of a third gender, neither masculine nor feminine, as do India and Nepal. Restricting gender-affirming treatment, such as puberty blockers for minors, has become a major campaign of US conservatives. Arkansas in 2021 became the first US state to ban physicians and health workers from offering transition-related treatment to transgender minors. A federal judge in June overturned the ban. Around 20 states, including Florida and Texas, have passed similar laws. Anti-LGBTQ sentiment in Hungary has escalated during the rule of Viktor Orban's right-wing government. In May 2020, the country passed a law making it impossible for transgender people to change their name and gender on their ID documents. The post How nations allow or restrict legal gender change appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., on Tuesday said the military organization needs to acquire modern defense equipment and weapons so it can better protect and defend the country against external threats. Aside from modern weapons, Brawner cited the need to equip soldiers with the resources and skills to prepare them for any challenges in fighting and neutralizing threats. Brawner said the AFP also envisions the creation of “citizen warriors” or recruiting more reservists that can be readily tapped during emergencies. Asked if the AFP is ready to meet any external aggression, Brawner said: “When it comes to Filipinos’ fighting spirit, we are number one because, for the longest time, we have been fighting for years, so we are one of the most capable fighters in the world so we just need modern equipment, modern weapons and that’s what we are doing in our modernization effort.” Brawner said an allocation of huge funds is needed to acquire more modern defense equipment and weapons. He said the AFP is targeting to acquire “multi-role fighter aircraft, naval assets, command and control or C-2 systems, shore-based deterrent capabilities, submarines and the like” under the third Horizon of the AFP modernization program. Five-year program The Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 up to 2028. Horizon 2 was undertaken from 2018 to 2022, and Horizon 1 was pushed from 2013 to 2017. Brawner said such procurement tranches are designed to acquire equipment, weapons systems, and platforms to enhance the military organization’s external or territorial defense capability. The post Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’ to combatting external threats
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday said the military organization needs to acquire modernized defense equipment and weapons so it can better protect and defend the country against any external threat. Aside from modernized weapons, Brawner also cited the need to equip soldiers with the resources and skills to prepare them for any challenges of fighting and neutralizing threats. Brawner said the AFP is also envisioning the creation of “citizen warriors” or recruiting more reservists that can be readily tapped during emergencies. “‘Yung taong bayan ay kailangang ihanda natin, tingnan nyo po yung nangyari sa Israel nung umatake yung Hamas, ang mga unang dumepensa sa bansa nila ay yung mga citizen warriors, yung mga reservists, yun din po ang gusto nating mangyari dito,” he said in an interview over the DZRH. “Gusto po natin talagang ihanda yung ating mga kababayan mga mamamayan for any eventuality whether it is man made or even natural,” he added. Asked if the AFP is ready for any external aggression, Brawner said: “When it comes to Filipinos’ fighting spirit, we number one, because for the longest time—we have been fighting for years, so we are one of the most fighters in the world so we just need modern equipment, modern weapons and that’s what we are doing in our modernization effort.” Brawner said an allocation of huge funds is needed to acquire more modern defense equipment and weapons. “Because really mahal po kasi yung mga kagamitan na kailangan natin but we have to invest in our defense kasi kung hindi po natin gagawin yan, kahit na anong gastos natin sa ibang mga bagay pero kung may mangyari man, kung may umatake sa atin mawawala lahat ito,” he added. Brawner earlier said the AFP is targeting to acquire “multi-role fighter aircraft, naval assets, command and control or C-2 systems, shore-based deterrent capabilities, submarines and the like” under the third Horizon of the AFP modernization program. The Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 up to 2028. Horizon 2 was undertaken from 2018 to 2022 and the Horizon 1 was pushed from 2013 to 2017. Brawner said such procurement tranches are designed to acquire equipment, weapons systems, and platforms geared at enhancing the external or territorial defense capability of the military organization. Among the platforms procured in the ongoing AFP Modernization Program include the S-70i "Black Hawk" combat utility helicopters, missile frigates, close air support aircraft, air defense surveillance radars, unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, corvettes, anti-submarine helicopters, light tanks, tactical radios, amphibious assault vehicles, civil engineering equipment, and modern pistols......»»
High expectations from winners (4)
Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio took very seriously the job given to her by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to prepare a curriculum relevant to producing competent, job-ready, active, and responsible citizens. In her report on basic education in the Philippines, she revealed in detail the problems confronting it, the teachers, and learners; and crafted means to overcome them, guided by the Constitution and the convention on the rights of the child, reaffirming our country’s commitment to improving the quality of basic education in the Philippines. “The four learners at home — one in kindergarten, one in Grade 4, one in Grade 7, and one in Grade 9 — enable me to see different kinds of problems being experienced by learners every day.” “In my work as Secretary of Education, I am in the company of 28 million Filipino learners throughout the country. I can see numerous problems faced by them every day.” “Four learners at home, plus 28 million more throughout the land, these, my countrymen, make my interest in the future of Philippine education a very personal matter.” “Filipino learners are not academically proficient. In time, Filipino learners experience emotional abuse and exhaustion. Some of them suffer from psychological fatigue. And being academically insecure, many of them may fail to meet the standards of a demanding and competitive world. These are caused and triggered by conditions present at home, in our communities, and even in our schools as a result of problems ingrained in our system. This is the truth. This is our future. But this is a future that we can change. That is why we are here.” “We have to take good care of our teachers. They are the lifeblood of the Department of Education. Without our teachers, our mission to carve a better future for our children will fail.” “And to empower our learners with the relevant skills and knowledge, we shall focus on upscaling their knowledge and capacities as public servants. The assessment of the K-12 curriculum revealed the weak teaching methods of our teachers in addressing 21st-century skills. Studies done by the Research Center of Teacher Quality, the World Bank, and UNICEF showed that our teachers need further support, particularly in explicitly and strategically teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills.” “While critical thinking was the most evident in the curriculum, it was also the least taught to students by the teachers. Instead, lessons leaned towards conceptual or content-based teaching. And lessons lacked in-depth processing to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving. Finally, there appears to be insufficient knowledge on developing 21st-century skills, including higher-order thinking skills among learners. This is not the fault of our teachers—whose dedication, integrity, and commitment to serving Filipino children and the country strengthen our collective effort to achieve our shared dreams for our learners. The sad reality is that the system has failed them.” “This is the system that burdens them with backbreaking and time-consuming administrative tasks, a system that provides no adequate support and robs them of the opportunity to professionally grow and professionally teach, assist and guide our learners.” “Our teachers must return to our classrooms and they must teach.” Studies and tests were conducted to measure the literacy of the learners. It was discovered that the issue of literacy is alarming in our basic education. We must address it appropriately and effectively. The 2018 study results showed that 81 percent of Filipino learners could not deal with basic math problems, 81 percent had trouble understanding texts of moderate length, and 78 percent could not recognize correct explanations for scientific phenomena or draw valid conclusions from given data. “We can do better than this,” Sara said. “We are better than this. Studies like these are opportunities for us to thoroughly examine our system and defects that hurt our children’s abilities.” (To be continued) The post High expectations from winners (4) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PCG’s problematic dualism
There is a world of difference between the roles of a civilian agency and those of a military command. No civilian agency or military command should be doing the role of the other, lest they overlap, conflict, or render redundant their authority. The role of the Philippine Coast Guard is a good subject for legislative review — whether it fulfills a purely civilian function or a purely military one. The fact that it’s an attached agency of the Department of Transportation as much as an attached service of the Department of National Defense “confers” upon it a dualism that may be at cross purposes. While the PCG can fit either role, it shouldn’t. For in so doing, the line between maritime law enforcement and national defense is blurred. One may be led to think that, perforce, the PCG is unadulteratedly a military organization as it used to be part of the Philippine Navy, a major branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Something explains this duality, but it may require assessment as to whether it must continue to have this dual character. In principle, any individual or unit that performs a task or mandate that essentially belongs solely to the military must forthwith be under a military commander or military organization. Who can even begin to fathom what it means when the Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard reports directly to the Transportation Secretary in the enforcement of maritime law, but also reports to the Defense Secretary if not the President in wartime? If one should take a cursory look at those who served as commandants of the PCG since its founding in 1967 under different presidents, one would find, viz.: 1) During Rodrigo Duterte’s term, only three served for over a year, while four served for less than a year, and one for only 18 days; 2) Under Benigno Aquino, four barely completed a year, one just a year, and one more than two years; 3) Under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, three served for barely a year, two served over two years or so; 4) Under Joseph Estrada, one served for two years; 5) In Fidel Ramos’ time, five served for less than a year, one for 32 days, and one for almost three years; 6) Under Corazon Aquino, two served for two years, one for three years, and two for a week or so; 7) Under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., four served for over a year, three served for 3, 4, 5 years, respectively. This tells us that commandants, as presidential appointees, must be the personal choices of the presidents they serve. With a change of the occupant in Malacañang, a change in the leadership of the PCG also takes place, good or bad. It’s said that the PCG’s “transformation into a non-military organization” and its “civilian character” allowed it “to receive offers of vessels, equipment, technology, services, cooperation and other needed assistance from other countries,” that otherwise would not have been feasible were it a military agency. President Fidel Ramos signed Executive Order 475 on 30 March 1998 to separate the PCG from the Philippine Navy, and Executive Order 477 to transfer it from the DND to the DoTC, a month thereafter. Thus, even FM Jr. has been heard saying, “Our friends from other countries will help strengthen the PCG’s capabilities.” Today, the President envisions the PCG as a “central actor” insofar as West Philippine Sea matters are concerned; thus, he ordered several 40-foot long patrol vessels to be built in Cebu to improve the PCG’s capabilities in maritime territorial disputes. In the face of China’s unprecedented coast guard expansion — the largest in the world — “civilianizing” the PCG makes little sense. It’s a Catch-22 on how to “reinvent” the PCG. Military strategists had miserably failed. The post PCG’s problematic dualism appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hyundai announces ‘Revive and Drive’ promo
Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. has launched a new initiative, the "Revive & Drive Promo," aimed at ensuring that Hyundai owners continue to enjoy the reliability and efficiency of their vehicles, even past the warranty period. The promotional campaign, which runs from 15 October to 15 December, is available at all authorized Hyundai dealerships across the nation. The "Revive & Drive Promo" is tailored to cater to the needs of customers who own Hyundai vehicles purchased in the year 2018 or earlier, covering range of models including the i10, Santa Fe, Eon, Grand Starex, Accent, Sonata, Elantra, Veloster, Tucson, and H100. The primary focus of this program is to offer qualified owners an opportunity to bring their vehicles in for an oil change, which then entitles them to a complimentary care package. This package includes free labor, an oil filter, and a drain plug washer. Moreover, the vehicles will undergo a comprehensive 23-point check-up and a GDS scan, along with a courtesy exterior wash and interior wipe-down, all at no extra cost. These services are to be rendered by Hyundai-trained and certified technicians, ensuring that only Hyundai Genuine Parts are used in the process. This approach aligns with the brand’s endeavor to maintain the manufacturer standards and quality, aimed at delivering a safer and smoother performance for all Hyundai vehicles involved in the program. Cecil Capacete, the managing director of HMPH, expressed the brand’s dedication towards supporting the needs of their loyal customer base, not just the new ones. He stated: “We wish to show all our customers, not just the new ones, that Hyundai is here for them throughout the entire lifecycle of their vehicles. This particular program is meant to support the needs of our loyal out-of-warranty customers.” He further acknowledged a common oversight where maintenance of vehicles aged five years and beyond is often neglected. Through this initiative, Hyundai aims to break this cycle and instill a sense of proactiveness among its customers towards regular maintenance, which in turn contributes to safer roads and ensures the well-being of the occupants. Besides the aforementioned benefits, this limited time offer can also be availed in conjunction with other ongoing local dealer promotions, making it a more attractive proposition for Hyundai owners. Booking an appointment in advance is highly recommended and can be done through the Booking Service on the Hyundai Service Network. Alternatively, customers can also reach out directly to their preferred dealership. The post Hyundai announces ‘Revive and Drive’ promo appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
POUND-FOR-POUND — Good guy Gibbons gives Filipino boxers the chance to shine
If you’re a talented fighter nursing dreams of becoming a world champion, there is one guy you need to get in touch with. If you’re a promoter who has got a bevy of promising fighters but with no strong connections to the guys who matter in the world of big-time boxing, you have to meet the fellow who makes things happen. That dude is no other than Sean Gibbons, who heads MP Promotions and a sprinkling of other influential outfits in the United States that gives boxers from all over the opportunity they deserve. Having trouble with your boxer’s stagnant world rating? Call Sean Gibbons. Can’t seem to get the big breaks? Call Sean Gibbons. Being given the run-around by a scammer, give Sean Gibbons a call. You see, Gibbons is a do-it-all boxing man who is a big daddy to just about any major Filipino fighter. He has got a deep knowledge of the fight game since he used to fight during his heyday. But before you start conjuring up images of Gibbons battling it out with boxing’s marquee names, pinch yourself first. Gibbons never achieved greatness as a boxer. He was more of a pretender than a contender, having racked up a 14-7-3 win-loss-draw record with seven knockouts before finally calling it a day in 1996. He never even fought in Las Vegas and instead showcased his wares in obscurity, hopping into one small town and city after another. After spending his first five pro bouts in Oklahoma City, Gibbons brought his act elsewhere and in places he never knew existed: Hugo, Purcell, Waubeek. A year before he retired in 1995, Gibbons, now 56, even traveled to Germany and fought and lost by knockout to local boy Ruediger May. Two more bouts on American soil — the first in Des Moines, Iowa, and the second in Miles City, Montana — paved the way for one final stop in Denmark against Peter Madsen. Gibbons would lose that by stoppage again and decided that enough was enough. Pretty soon, Gibbons got himself doing odd jobs in boxing through a relative — uncle Pat O’ Grady — father to former world lightweight champion Sean O’Grady. “I got the boxing bug from him. I would set up the ring, help sell tickets and train fighters… I started from the bottom,” Gibbons, born in Long Beach, California, said, noting that the first fighter he trained was heavyweight Wimpy Halstead. Oftentimes, Gibbons “would jump in as one of the fighters in the card and I was able to travel the world.” He also got aligned with Top Rank and credits Hall of Fame Bruce Trampler and fight coordinator Pete Susens as his mentors and takes great pride in his close association with eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao. Gibbons actually came to the Pacquiao show rather late. But his seven-year stint working for Pacquiao was the most memorable, saying it doesn’t compare with the 35 other years of involvement with boxing. “Seven years I spent with him were better than the other 35 years,” Gibbons, who graduated from Simi Valley High, said. Gibbons revealed that after Australian banger Jeff Horn elbowed and butted and wrestled his way in carving out a controversial points win in Brisbane in July 2018, “Pacquiao had pretty much been left for dead by some people.” It was right at this time when Gibbons entered the scene as Pacquiao’s go-to-guy for meaningful fights while also providing other Filipino boxers the break they need to become successful. Gibbons didn’t disappoint and was instrumental in striking a deal for fights involving Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman that resulted in a “tremendous run.” The victory over Thurman would go down as an epic as it made Pacquiao the oldest to win a world welterweight crown in July 2019 in Las Vegas. Now that Pacquiao has sailed into the sunset, Gibbons is dedicating his time and effort to the betterment of the other talents under MP Promotions, the Pacquiao-owned company that has majority of the country’s top ring talent under contract. And this is where Gibbons wields his expertise and proof of his savvy can be seen on Jerwin Ancajas, Pedro Taduran, Rene Cuarto, Mark Magsayo and current two-belt world super-bantamweight titleholder Marlon Tapales. Also under Gibbons’ care are Jonas Sultan, Vincent Astrolabio, Jade Bornea and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist and Asian Games silver medalist Eumir Marcial. Though not every one of them managed to win a world title, Gibbons draws utmost satisfaction from the helping hand that he had extended to them. “The most satisfying thing is to change lives of the fighters and take fighters who wouldn’t normally get these opportunities.” Also, Gibbons points to Pacquiao as a reason why he was able to pull it off. “I had the name Manny Pacquiao promotions and Manny Pacquiao was behind me but the biggest, biggest key was Al Haymon and he took my word for guys like Jerwin Ancajas, Mark Magsayo, Jonas Sultan and many, many others.” And there is no stopping Gibbons from doing the same thing especially when his clients’ welfare is on the line. A few months ago, Gibbons earned the ire of a state commission and got slapped with a ban. Still, Gibbons swears it is his way of showing that he always got his clients’ back. So how does he want people to remember him? “I would like to be remembered as someone who gave his all, no regrets. Just you know, when I work with someone, I put all my heart and soul into it. I got suspended for five for screaming at referees but I would like to be remembered for a guy who always had his client, fighters and boxers’ back and that when we went at it, we gave it our all.” If you end up going to war, you’d certainly want somebody like Sean Gibbons right by your side. The post POUND-FOR-POUND — Good guy Gibbons gives Filipino boxers the chance to shine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
March 2024: Ed Sheeran for the third time in Manila
Global music sensation Ed Sheeran is set to enthrall Manila once again by bringing his record-breaking Mathematics Tour to the Philippines, and to Europe and Asia, in 2024. The British singer-songwriter’s Manila concert is scheduled for 9 March 2024 at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City. Adding to the excitement, the event will also feature another talented singer-songwriter, Callum Scott, as a special guest. Sheeran last serenaded his Filipino fans in April 2018, following a brief setback in his personal life due to a cycling accident. Originally scheduled for November 2017, the concert was rescheduled and finally pushed through. His very first Manila performance was at the Mall of Asia Arena in 2015, marking the beginning of a profound connection between the massively popular singer and his Filipino admirers, among the most ardent fans of his hits such as “Perfect,” “Photograph,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Lego House” and many others. Ticket sales for the Mathematics Tour will commence on 26 October 2023, 12 noon, at ovationtickets.com and smtickets.com. The post March 2024: Ed Sheeran for the third time in Manila appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brownlee formula
The issue surrounding Justin Brownlee is a major blackeye to Philippine basketball. It is yet another heartbreaker for Filipinos, who were hoping and praying to see the national team reassert its dominance in the international arena. For the longest time, the Filipinos had struggled internationally. In the Asian Games, for instance, the Philippines emerged victorious in its first four editions — 1951 in New Delhi, 1954 in Manila, 1958 in Tokyo, and 1962 in Jakarta before suffering a string of frustrating finishes. The closest we got to the gold medal was in 1990 when the Basketball Association of the Philippines tasked the Philippine Basketball Association with assembling a team that would reclaim our Asian glory. It was a tall order at the time as the Philippines was coming off a bitter setback at the hands of Malaysia in the 1989 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur. The BAP knew that only an Asian crown would soothe the pain of a nation craving revenge. But it didn’t happen. Coached by Robert “Sonny” Jaworski, the team bannered by Allan Caidic, Benjie Paras, Ramon Fernandez, Samboy Lim, and Chito Loyzaga surrendered to powerhouse China featuring Shan Tao and Ma Jian in the gold medal match. Eight years later, Tim Cone was given the marching orders to assemble another star-studded squad to represent the country in the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998. But like Jaworski, his bitter coaching nemesis at the time, Cone was also unsuccessful as his Centennial Team had to settle for bronze behind China and South Korea. In the next edition in Busan in 2002, hopes were high. Despite a sudden coaching change after American mentor Ron Jacobs suffered a stroke in the final stretch of preparations, Jong Uichico was still able to form a solid team that had a mix of Filipino-foreign stars like Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, and Rudy Hatfield, as well as homegrown stars like Olsen Racela, Kenneth Duremdes, and Danny Ildefonso. But fate wrote a cruel script. The Philippines was ahead, 68-66, in the final 23.9 seconds of the semifinal clash against South Korea. A victory would have sent the Filipinos to the gold medal match against China, while a setback would relegate them to a battle for bronze against Kazakhstan. Racela was at the charity stripe for a chance to ice the game and seal the victory. But he missed both free shots. In a shocking — and heartbreaking — turn of events, Korean gunner Lee Sang Min buried a long three-pointer off a broken play at the buzzer that sent the host country to the finals. The players were crushed while a river of tears flowed through the streets of Manila as the entire country couldn’t believe how merciless the basketball gods could be. Since then, Philippine basketball has been reduced to a mere footnote in Asian basketball. We bombed out of the medal podium in Doha in 2006 and Guangzhou in 2010. We even suffered international embarrassment when head coach Chot Reyes instructed naturalized player Marcus Douthit to shoot at our own basket in Incheon in 2014. In 2018, a legitimate National Basketball Association campaigner, Jordan Clarkson, came along and was billed as the hero who would save Philippine basketball. But he was unsuccessful. The Filipinos’ string of misfortunes continued as Gilas Pilipinas settled for fifth place. Then here came Brownlee, tapped to see action as a naturalized player in the Hangzhou Asian Games. The 35-year-old American was tasked to power a team already familiar to him — guys he had been playing with for more than five years. The coach — Cone — had been his mentor since he arrived in Manila in 2016 and led Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to six PBA titles while winning three Best Import honors. There was no honeymoon period to speak of. He hit the ground running. The result was impressive as Brownlee dropped 36 points to lead Gilas Pilipinas to a razor-thin 84-83 win over Iran in the quarterfinals, before dropping back-to-back three-point bombs in their miraculous 77-76 victory over host China in the semifinals. The Filipinos won their first gold medal in 61 years following a 70-60 victory over Jordan in the final, but an asterisk was attached to the victory after Brownlee tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a banned substance linked to the use of cannabis. At this point, it is unknown whether Brownlee will contest the findings or how long his possible suspension will be. What is clear is that Brownlee made a tremendous impact on Philippine basketball as he proved that the best way to win an international title is to field a naturalized player who is very familiar with the Filipinos’ style of play. Brownlee may not be as exciting and flashy as Clarkson or as tall as Douthit and Blatche, but he knows Philippine basketball like the back of his hand. It’s time for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to create more Justin Brownlees by recruiting young foreign players who are willing to stay in the country for a longer period — not just to earn and play as imports in the PBA — but to win the hearts and minds of these basketball-crazy Filipinos. Brownlee’s professional career is in great peril, and we may not see him don the Gilas or Ginebra jerseys again. But we should always remember his most significant contribution to Philippine basketball. Nope, it wasn’t the incredible play he delivered against China or how he stood his ground against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the powerful Jordanians that led to the country’s first Asian Games title in 61 years. His most important contribution was the idea that to gain international success, the federation must recruit a naturalized player not based on skills, height, or popularity but on his love, respect, and dedication to the country he wishes to represent. The post Brownlee formula appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»