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‘One More Chance’ reincarnated as musical
Musical theater is booming. Pinoys are not lacking for shows to watch anymore......»»
No longer hipon ? Herlene Budol reacts
Kapuso actress Herlene Budol reacted to people's comments that she's not "Hipon Girl" anymore......»»
Leadership integrity check
One day, two golf players had a conversation: “John, why don’t you play golf with Harry anymore?” asked his friend......»»
Not so ‘Batang Gilas’ anymore: Kai Sotto relishes growth beside Quiambao, Tamayo, Edu
Kai Sotto, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, and AJ Edu continue to be the pillars of Philippine basketball's future, with Sotto loving every moment they spend together on the court.....»»
Gusto ko rin magpabebe : Why Beauty Gonzalez doesn t want to have kids anymore
Kapuso actress Beauty Gonzalez revealed that she doesn't want to have a baby anymore. .....»»
Five things to watch for at COP28 climate talks
Deadly floods in the Horn of Africa. Summer wildfires that ravaged Canadian forests. Global temperature records unprecedented in the history of humanity. Environmental activists say there’s no doubt anymore that urgent collective action is needed to preserve a livable planet. As the COP28 UN climate talks begin in Dubai on Thursday, here are five things.....»»
Miss Grand International founder ‘bans’ MJ Lastimosa: ‘Don’t come to Miss Grand anymore’
Nawat Itsaragrisil, founder of Miss Grand International (MGI), appears to have banned MJ Lastimosa from attending the Thailand-based competition, after he accused the actress-beauty queen of “laughing” at and “joking” about the beauty pageant. Days after his tirades against the Philippines’ MGI bet Nikki de Moura for allegedly being “very unprofessional,” Itsaragrisil went on another TikTok live and.....»»
Settle fees early,departing aliens told
The Bureau of Immigration on Wednesday advised all foreign travelers leaving the country during the upcoming Undas holiday break to comply with immigration departure requirements early to avoid unnecessary queuing at the airport on the date of their departure. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reminded registered foreigners who are studying, working or living permanently in the Philippines that they can obtain their special return certificate or re-entry permit prior to departure at any of the various BI’s district, field, satellite, or extension offices nationwide. While foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months may also secure their emigration clearance certificates before departure, Tansingco said securing the required permits early will decrease queuing time by half, as they will not have to line up at the BI’s airport cashiers anymore. The BI chief added that with the complete elimination of all Covid-related travel restrictions, the Bureau is anticipating a spike in passengers at all international airports in the country, especially at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, this upcoming December, and this time they are also experiencing a big increase in the volume of New Year’s Day travelers. During this peak season, the Bureau reminded all travelers that other immigration services are also available online via the BI’s e-services portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph. Tansingco shared that the bureau also has a one-stop shop facility located at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City, where departing aliens may also secure the said documents. He also reiterated previous reminders for passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight and go straight to immigration after check-in. The Bureau is confident that BI operations will be smoother this holiday season as it has deployed additional immigration officers and assigned a rapid response team as well as mobile counters for immediate deployment as necessary. The post Settle fees early,departing aliens told appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday advised all foreign travelers who are leaving the country during the upcoming Undas holiday break to comply with their immigration departure requirements early to avoid unnecessary queuing at the airport on the date of their departure. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reminded registered foreigners who are studying, working, or living permanently in the Philippines that they can obtain their special return certificate (SRC) or re-entry permit (RP) prior to departure at any of the various BI's district, field, satellite, or extension offices nationwide. While foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months may also secure their emigration clearance certificates (ECC) before departure, Tansingco said securing the required permits early will decrease queueing time by half, as they will not have to line up at the BI’s airport cashiers anymore. The BI chief added that with the complete elimination of all COVID-related travel restrictions, the bureau is anticipating a spike in passengers at all international airports in the country, especially at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), this upcoming December, and this time they are also experiencing a big increase in the volume of New Year's Day travelers. During this peak season, the bureau reminded all travelers that other immigration services are also available online via the BI’s e-services portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph. Tansingco shared that the bureau also has a one-stop shop (OSS) facility located at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City, where departing aliens may also secure the said documents. He also reiterated previous reminders for passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight and go straight to immigration after check-in. The BI is confident that its operations will be smoother this holiday season as it has deployed additional immigration officers and assigned a rapid response team as well as mobile counters for immediate deployment as necessary. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 24 October, BI agents detained a South Korean wanted person who was allegedly part of a major narcotics ring that smuggled contraband into Korea from the Philippines. Commissioner Tansingco identified the suspect as Choi Sun Hyeok, a 56-year-old male who was arrested at his residence in Bgy. Lahug, Cebu City by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. The BI-FSU operatives were armed with a warrant of deportation, which Tansingco issued pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against Choi in 2017. Tansingco said that Choi would be immediately deported to Seoul, South Korea after the bureau had secured the necessary clearances for his departure. According to the South Korean government, Choi was tagged as a high-profile fugitive, as he is believed to be a member of the so-called MS Alliance syndicate that facilitates the illicit transport of narcotics to Korea. A red notice for his capture was also issued by Interpol this year after an investigation confirmed that he was in the country. According to Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, Choi is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Changwon District Court in Korea, where he is charged with violating his country’s narcotics control act. Investigators have also established that this year alone, Choi’s accomplices in the syndicate managed to smuggle into Korea more than 265 grams of methamphetamine by concealing the drug in their underwear. It was gathered that the passport of Choi, who will be committed to the BI detention facility in Taguig City, was already revoked by the Korean government, thus making him an undocumented alien. Choi's name was also placed on the BI blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the Philippines. The post BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Market Watch | Farmers cannot afford rice these days, says group
“We are justified in opposing high rice prices that burden consumers and even farmers who cannot afford it anymore. The public must strongly oppose and protest against exorbitant rice and food prices. However, Marcos Jr’s price ceiling and other palliative measures do not explain why rice is expensive in the country, and more importantly, none of these address the most basic problems of rice farmers." The post Market Watch | Farmers cannot afford rice these days, says group appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Animal shelter faces closure for ‘baseless complaint’
An animal shelter in Davao City is at risk of being permanently closed over a “baseless complaint” filed by their neighbors before the City Government of Davao. In a Facebook video, Ken Amante, owner and founder of Happy Animals Club, said that they cannot rescue any other animal anymore due to orders from the local government to permanently close their shelter. He claimed that officials of the City Health Office (CHO), who padlocked the animal shelter, said “they will confiscate their animals and take them to the dog pound”. Closed-circuit television footage was also included in the video, in which officials can be heard saying that “the shelter could be abandoned, their license may be revoked, and the animals inside their shelter will be confiscated.” The owner also emphasized why “the CHO had been so eager to act on a baseless complaint”. “It makes no sense to shut down an animal shelter for no reason. What is the motivation of the City Health Inspector in ordering us to close? Something definitely smells fishy here but it’s not the shelter,” Amante said. Amante also said that their neighbors bought.....»»
Vacation mode Pinoys
With the annual commemoration of the historic EDSA People’s Power anniversary on Feb. 25, 2024 falling on a Sunday, a lot of hullaballoo arose after Malacañang did not include it anymore in the list of “special non-working” days in our country. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. got a lot of flak for excluding the EDSA Day next year under Proclamation 368 issued on Oct.11......»»
Young Cubans spurn role as guardians of the revolution
In Cuba, thousands of neighborhood cells set up as the eyes and ears of Fidel Castro's communist revolution are trying to find ways to lure young people who have little interest in the cause. It has been six decades since Castro created the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution to keep watch for his then-shaky government, and the 138,000 CDR remain an enduring symbol of communism on the island. However, enthusiasm for the neighborhood associations has waned in recent years, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, the boosting of American sanctions, and a severe economic crisis that has eroded purchasing power. "The new generation wants nothing to do with all that," a female student told AFP, asking not to be named. Every citizen automatically becomes a member at 14, but getting them to engage is a challenge. "Today, young people sleep with their phone in their pocket, and as soon as they turn it on, there is a media bombardment against our (socialist) process," CDR national coordinator Gerardo Hernandez, 58, told AFP. He was one of the "Cuban Five" spies who were imprisoned in the United States in 1998, and whose release helped pave the way for a 2014 thaw in ties between the Cold War foes. A local hero, he has been given the tricky task of revitalizing the CDRs, at a time when the island is undergoing a transformation, opening up to private small businesses, allowing citizens to buy and sell houses, and the arrival of internet access. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have fled the economic crisis. "We are trying to reverse this situation and make young people understand that the CDRs offer them an extraordinary opportunity to develop their vocation and to have an influence on their community," said Hernandez, as the CDR held its tenth annual congress in September, at which it held a debate on how to make the cells "attractive to young people". 'More pragmatic' Initially set up as a surveillance network to denounce "counter-revolutionaries," the CDRs organize community projects and coordinate services like vaccination campaigns and blood drives. The defense committees are particularly visible during elections, presiding over neighborhood meetings and scrupulously controlling citizens' participation. Surveillance is still a key part of their work, and they keep a lookout for drug trafficking, tax evasion, and other crimes. Cells exist in every neighborhood and village, and the government counts around eight million members -- more than three-quarters of the island's population -- including those who are not active. Manuel Cuesta Morua is a dissident who suffered "acts of repudiation" in the 2000s, when large groups of CDR members would verbally and physically abuse opponents. "Young people today are much more pragmatic, much more transactional," Cuesta Morua told AFP. "They participate when it is to their advantage." "The youth are apolitical, they don't identify with the government, which they associate with the CDR." He said no-one in his family had taken over from his mother, who he described as a "CDR activist". Seated at a cafe in Old Havana, Lazaro, 43, who did not want to give his last name, criticizes the association: "The CDR has never helped me. I always had to get by on my own." Every year, on the night of September 27, CDR members get together in their neighborhood for a party around a stew cooked on an open fire. Everyone brings what they can. Ernesto Lemus, 56, president of a CDR in Old Havana, said the party was an important "continuity" of the 1959 revolution which saw a radical shift to communism, heightening tensions with the United States during the Cold War. "A few years ago, it was a party, but not anymore. Today there is nothing and everything is expensive, there is no more unity in this regard," said gardener Rafael Caballero Lopez, 35, who is planning to emigrate to Colombia. The post Young Cubans spurn role as guardians of the revolution appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Musk’s X strips headlines from news links
Elon Musk's social media platform X has stripped headlines from news articles shared by users, in a move likely to further worsen relations with media groups. The tycoon has long railed against the "legacy media" and claims X, formerly Twitter, is a better source of information. However, he said the latest change was for "aesthetic" reasons -- news and other links now appear only as pictures with no accompanying text. Musk took over Twitter last year in a $44 billion deal and has since renamed it X, sacked thousands of staff and drawn criticism for allowing banned conspiracy theorists and extremists back on the platform, sending advertisers fleeing. He has also banned -- and reinstated -- various journalists with mainstream outlets including the Washington Post and CNN, as well as appearing to delay posts from accounts including the New York Times. "I almost never read legacy news anymore," Musk posted on Tuesday. "What's the point of reading 1,000 words about something that was already posted on X several days ago?" Souring relations Some media groups have stopped posting to X altogether because of the rise in hate speech and the behavior of Musk. AFP and other French news outlets launched a legal case in early August accusing X of copyright breaches. When the changes to links were first mooted in August, Musk posted: "This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics." The changes appear to have been introduced gradually this week. Instead of seeing a headline along with a picture, users now see only a picture with a small watermark. The changes brought a good deal of criticism, journalist Tom Warren of The Verge website posting on X: "It's the latest in a long line of dumb changes on this platform." Some users have already commented that it is now difficult to distinguish between news and other kinds of information, which is likely to raise questions about the trustworthiness of the site. In September, the European Commission said X had a higher ratio of misinformation and disinformation than any other social media. The souring relationship between media and tech companies is not limited to X. Both Google and Meta have pushed back against laws forcing them to pay media companies to show stories. The changes are having a real-world effect, with Axios news site reporting on Tuesday that referrals to media websites from X and Meta's Facebook had collapsed in the past three years. Ads 'decimated' Musk said in July the platform had lost roughly half its advertising revenue, though a month earlier he had claimed that almost all advertisers had returned and that 90 percent of bots had been removed. According to a Media Matters report released Wednesday, most of the top 100 advertisers at Twitter in the weeks prior to Musk's takeover are spending dramatically less at the platform. "Media Matters found that the company's ad revenue is still decimated," the report stated. Since Musk purchased the company, it has earned 42 percent less ad revenue than before his tenure, according to Media Matters. Market tracker Insider Intelligence estimates that X's share of the worldwide digital ad market has fallen nearly 28 percent to about a half a percent in the past year. Musk has suggested charging all users of X, which would be the biggest shake-up since he took over the site, but experts say he might struggle to get most users on board. The post Musk’s X strips headlines from news links appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl Army belies abduction of 3 IP advocates; insists “they were NPAs”
The Philippine Army on Thursday belied reports that soldiers abducted three individuals “falsely identified” as Indigenous People’s defenders, insisting that they were members of the New People’s Army. Bgen Randolph Cabangbang, commander of the PA’s 203rd Infantry Battalion-2nd Infantry Division lambasted the Karapatan Group for accusing the military of abducting Alia Encelo, Job Abednego David, and Peter Del Monte. Cabangbang said the Karapatan’s claims on the disappearance of supposed rights advocates are “distorted and full of lies.” Karapatan group condemned the arrest of three personalities who were conducting a probe on “human rights violations in connection to reports of bombings and shelling by the 203rd IB around the area earlier this year.” In response, Cabangbang said the three individuals "were captured and arrested” during a legitimate military operation in Barangay Lisap, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro on 23 September. He then insisted that the three individuals were members of the NPA’s Main Regional Guerrilla Unit as he cited the guerilla’s combatant profile and gallery. “During the capture, they attempted to resist and reach for some objects inside their bags and upon seeing that they have been surrounded, decided to heed the soldiers' call not to move anymore,” he said. “They were in possession of improvised landmines and grenades inside their bags that they probably planned to use in ambushing government troops,” he added. The Army official said the three would be facing charges of violating Republic Act 9516 (An act Further Amending the Provisions of PD No. 1866, As Amended, Entitled to Codifying the Laws on Illegal/Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives or Instruments Used in the Manufacture of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives, and Imposing Stiffer Penalties for Certain Violations Thereof, and For Other Relevant Purposes) and Violation of Section 4(a) and 4(d), Republic Act No. 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020). Cabangbang said one of the captured, Alia Encelo, 19, was an active member of Gabriela Youth prior to joining the NPA in January this year. While Job Abednego David and Peter Del Monte, both 29 years old, have been with the NPA for more than 6 years, he added. “Job, from Quezon City, is a Fine Arts student at a prestigious school, and Peter, a high school drop-out from Tondo, Manila. They were later on identified by former rebels, who have surrendered, to be NPA members," Cabangbang said. “The captured rebels claimed that they have been in hiding for months, owing to the continuous military operations, and have not eaten a decent meal for two months,” he added. The post Phl Army belies abduction of 3 IP advocates; insists “they were NPAs” appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hardline US Republican launches bid to oust House speaker
A far-right lawmaker launched a bid on Monday to oust US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post, triggering the most serious showdown yet within the Republican party as it battles to contain firebrand supporters of ex-president Donald Trump. Matt Gaetz, a representative from Florida, entered his resolution from the House floor, later telling reporters McCarthy "doesn't have my support anymore, and he doesn't have the support of a requisite number of Republicans to continue as the Republican Speaker." "Bring it on," McCarthy quickly responded on X, formerly known as Twitter. The resolution, a rare maneuver that requires a simple majority to pass, could force a vote within days and comes after McCarthy brokered a last-gasp budget deal with Democrats over the weekend temporarily avoiding a government shutdown. Gaetz has been vowing retribution since the deal was struck. The Florida congressman and Trump loyalist is a leading figure within the small group of far-right Republican legislators who ignited the shutdown crisis with their refusal to adopt fresh federal funding without deep spending cuts. The group also opposes sending additional support to Ukraine, saying the money would be better spent in the United States on combatting illegal immigration. Republicans have such a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress, that the hardliners -- though they are a small minority -- hold a de facto veto over legislation there. "The American people are tired of Washington DC not having a budget, running $2 trillion annual deficits sitting atop a $33 trillion debt," Gaetz told reporters Monday after introducing his motion. "If this country's going down, I'm going down fighting," he said. 'Stop playing games' The resolution throws up fresh obstacles as lawmakers race to cut a new deal on funding for the federal government, with the stopgap brokered by McCarthy over the weekend running out by mid-November. The last-ditch "continuing resolution" came as millions of public workers looked set to be sent home unpaid, upending government functions from military operations to food aid to federal policymaking. US President Joe Biden has lambasted both McCarthy and the hardliners for failing to live up to an agreement forged around a debt crisis months ago that was meant to avoid a damaging shutdown fight -- and for stripping out support for Ukraine. "Stop playing games, get this done," Biden said during a press conference on Sunday, adding that he was "sick and tired of the brinksmanship, and so are the American people." The timeline for the next steps on Gaetz's resolution is variable, and it is not yet clear if Democrats would come to McCarthy's aid. Gaetz allowed for the possibility as he talked with reporters Monday, but vowed McCarthy "is not going to be speaker in power as a consequence of Republican votes." He added that "if the Democrats want to own Kevin McCarthy, they can have him. Because one thing I'm at peace with is -- when we stand here a week from now, I won't own Kevin McCarthy anymore." Gaetz on Monday called for the border funding and Ukraine aid to be voted on separately. "Regardless of how you feel about Ukraine money or border money, these two things should not be lumped together. They deserve their own dignity and their own vote," he said. McCarthy had made concessions to the far-right bloc in January in return for their support in his quest to gain the speaker's gavel -- among them, a rule change that allows just one member to file such a "motion to vacate." The post Hardline US Republican launches bid to oust House speaker appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP to redesign reserve force to complement regular force
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said there’s an ongoing redesign of the reserve force paradigm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to “fit in the current security situation” confronted by the country. Teodoro made the statement during the culmination of the National Reservist Week held at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Saturday, 30 September. The defense chief cited the calibration should be based on what the country needs to further improve its credible deterrent posture and the ability to protect its interests, “not only on the ground but particularly in the maritime domain.” “In doing so, this time, we have to rethink our reservists' paradigms. And so we are in the process of redesigning the reserve force based on the leads of the time and not based on an old-dated paradigm…that may not be valid anymore,” he added. Teodoro has ordered the “designing of future reserve force” that should complement the regular force of AFP and ensure service continuity, in which civilian parallels business service continuity “so that there’s a subdivision of functions.” The redesigning, he said, also includes effectively tapping of reserve force’s various human skills and building up land military civil defense units within communities. “This is to secure our communities through the benefits of the laws of war that they may not be combatants’ end-targets for hostile actions,” he added. Teodoro said he already tasked the Office of the Civil Defense to merge and synergize the development of the civil defense units which will be based in the communities, municipalities and provinces. These CDUs will manage local disaster risk reduction systems, provide security, and enhance first responders' capabilities in communities, in cooperation with military forces as well as the inclusion of the reserve forces. “We encourage our reservists to help in formulating plans for our strategic development in the future as this is a collaborative effort,” he added. Meanwhile, AFP Chief Gen Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military organization is open to the redesigning reserve force paradigm. “Well, we welcome that. Because we saw that the problems we are confronting now in our country are really different from the previous problems we faced before—this time, we are facing more challenges that are global in nature,” he said in a media interview. Brawner pointed out that the AFP is not only focusing on improving the reserve force organization but also working on the enhancement of the military’s regular force. “We wanted to develop our total force. That means the reserve force and regular force are not separated from each other. We are one Armed Forces of the Philippines, if ever that emergency or any threat comes to our country…reserve forces, even the citizens of our country should get together, and work together for the defense of our country and for the promotion of our national interest,” he said. This effort would help the entire country in addressing emerging security threats, whether internal or external, he added. Further, Brawner confirmed the AFP still plans to tap fishermen in the West Philippine Sea to become part of the military reserve force. “Yes. In fact, many fisherfolk have already expressed willingness to help us. It doesn’t mean that have to fight because they were in the area. That’s not the concept,” he said. “But they can help us in terms of gathering information and making sure that we have a presence in those areas so we can say that those areas are ours,” he added. Earlier, AFP Western Command Chief Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos the military is exerting key efforts to further improve the country’s presence in its territorial waters. Carlos said AFP is eyeing to increase Filipino boats and fishermen in the country’s exclusive economic zone in WPS. “We have ongoing efforts to convince our Filipino fishermen to fish in the WPS para ma-exercise natin ‘yung atin (so we can exercise our) sovereign rights to fish,” he said. Carlos said among these efforts include the effective control of all islands now occupied by the Philippines in the WPS, establishing a stronger naval presence, and enhancing maritime domain awareness in these areas. The AFP previously reported more than 400 foreign vessels are swarming in the features of WPS, including the massive destruction of corals in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal after the resurgence of foreign ships in the area. The post AFP to redesign reserve force to complement regular force appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NIA must focus on its mandate
Congress has allocated P40 billion more than the National Irrigation Administration initially requested. NIA administrator Eduardo Guillen says he will spend the money on solar pump irrigation projects. Guillen tried to ego-massage President Bongbong Marcos by saying that number one in the 8-point socio-economic agenda of the President is food security. Then he went on to pat his own shoulder by boasting that the number-one thing needed for food security is irrigation infrastructure. Enough with the ego tripping (‘Tama na ang bolahan’). Among the factors contributing to the plummeting rice production is NIA’s total neglect of the present irrigation systems, plus poor management of water allocation. President Marcos should know that his father had constructed about 90 percent of the irrigation systems for all the arable lands in the country. In Mindanao, for example, only two systems were added after the late Apo Ferdie — the Malmar irrigation system in Carmen, North Cotabato, and the Catiil, Davao Oriental irrigation system. Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez should know that the irrigation systems had deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. The canals are heavily silted, the embankments that had served as farm-to-market roads had eroded, and wild grass had grown, impeding the flow of irrigation water. Marcos and Romualdez should, therefore, direct Guillen to rehabilitate all existing irrigation systems before buying solar panels for his cute ideas. In case he missed the duties and obligations expected of his office, Guillen should be reminded that NIA is tasked with exploring and developing all available water resources primarily for irrigation purposes and constructing dams and irrigation canals to convey water to the rice fields. It is also tasked to operate and MAINTAIN (in capital letters) the irrigation systems and allocate water to farmers during the planting season. These are merely the primary responsibilities of the NIA. Guillen claimed the President also directed the NIA to deliver the right input to farmers. “So this will help to lower their input; they won’t buy all their inputs anymore,” he said. Then he was quoted by government media as saying, “And of course, I said to the DA, give us your high-yielding varieties first, especially here in the dry season so that we can immediately double your yield or your output of rice production.” That’s a lot of hot air there. I do not precisely comprehend what Guillen was referring to when he talked about “right input” to farmers, “to lower their input, they won’t buy all their inputs anymore.” It’s kind of garbled. I think he is going through an information overload. Guillen proudly claimed that “we have many more projects at NIA that we are doing right now to teach our farmers how to save money and use the right rice variety for El Niño.” Marcos should put a gag on Guillen, as the poor guy merely adds to the confusion. Does he want to be an agriculture secretary? Well, that is a legitimate ambition, but NIA, which he heads, is such a poorly managed agency one wonders why he is still there. He should advise Guillen to focus on his job first as administrator of NIA before he straddles into rice production. He is facing a gargantuan task to provide and allocate water to farmers through the irrigation systems, which have badly deteriorated through the years. The post NIA must focus on its mandate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NPA rebels better off joining military reserve force—Zubiri
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday raised a suggestion that members of the New People Army’s are better off joining military reserve forces to support their pro-people advocacies. “My appeal to the left, to the opponents of the government from the left. We are all Filipinos here. Isa lang namana ng hanay natin. We all wanted ang mabuhay ng mapayapa at mabigyan ng pagkakatapon ang ating mga kababayan na mabuhay ng disente through education through livelihood we are all in the same end games,” Zubiri said during the deliberation of the Senate Committee on Finance on the 2024 proposed P229.9-billion budget of the Department of National Defense and its attached agencies, . Zubiri lamented that overthrowing the government through political ideologies has been long gone. “Yung mga nagnanais na masira ang ating bansa through political means through ideological means—wala na yan sa ibang parte ng mundo wala na yan (Those who want to destroy our country through political means through ideological means—it does not exist anymore in other parts of the world),” he said. Zubiri said, “These rebellions have already failed and they decided to come together and move forward with the political solution.” “Mas maganda na sumama na lang sila sa atin para mawala yung korapsyon para mawala yung kagutuman at kahirapan (It’s better that they join us to eliminate corruption to get rid of the hunger and poverty) he added. Zubiri urged NPA members to become military reserve forces. “Imbes na mamaril pa ng kapwa Pilipino, mas maganda mag volunteer na lang sila sumama na lang sila sa reserve force, doon sila ideploy sa Pag-asa Island. Samahan nila ang mga mangingisda natin doon. Mas maganda po ‘yun (Instead of shooting your fellow Filipinos, its better that they would volunteer to join us and become part of our reserve force. They can be deployed in Pag-asa Island. They should accompany our fishermen there. It will be better),” he said. Pag-asa Island, also known as Thitu Island, is 37.2 hectares of rock located in the Spratly Islands and is the largest of the Philippine-administered islands. It lies about 500 kilometers west of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Amid the ongoing tensions in the Philippine territorial waters, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said NPA members should instead join the Reserve Officers' Training Corps to help defend the country against external threats. “Sana mag-ROTC na lang sila para makatulong (Hopefully, they will join ROTC so they can help),” said Dela Rosa. On the other hand, Zubiri urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take note of the consequences of insurgency-free declaration in various NPA-infiltrated areas. “May mga recidivist pa rin. Yung mga diehard, hindi mawawala iyon. Kaya minsan, hindi maganda na ina-announce niyo na NPA-free yung probinsya kasi pag ina-announce niyo gumagawa sila ng hakbang, maski nagaling sa labas papasok dooon nanggugulo para lang ipakita na mali ang mga annoucements so we have to be careful (There are still recidivists. Those diehards won't go away. So sometimes, it's not good that you announce that the province is NPA-free because when you announce it, they take steps—even though people from the outside come in there causing trouble just to show that you announcements are wrong, so we have to be careful.),” Zubiri said. Brawner explained that the declaration of insurgency-free is intended to help the previously NPA-infiltrated areas to attract investment opportunities “after being deprived for long decades due to the security threats posed by rebels.” “We need to declare first the area insurgency-free so that the investors will also come in. They’ll feel secure coming into that provinces or regions,” he said. Brawner confirmed Zubiri’s remarks that leftists are messing up with the declaration of insurgency-free areas. “Nangyayari po iyon. Totoo po iyon Mr. Senate President na once we declared an area insurgency-free, ang ginagawa ng makakaliwa is that from the outside nag-iinfiltrate sila (That happens. That's true Mr. Senate President that once we declared an area insurgency-free, what the leftists are doing is that from the outside they are infiltrating in that area),” he said, citing one recent incident in Bicol region where a group of NPA rebels attacked a military detachment to sow fear in the communities. The success of the Barangay Development Program within identified conflict-affected areas and geographically- isolated and disadvantaged areas, resulted in the "demolition" of rebels is one of the military's parameters in the declaration of insurgency-free. Brawner noted the huge contributions of the BDP in addressing the root causes of insurgency. He said the government’s BDP allows basic services more accessible to the communities previously infiltrated by the NPA rebels, including farm-to-market roads, and education facilities, among others. The post NPA rebels better off joining military reserve force—Zubiri appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate eyes increase of DND’s 2024 budget
The Senate on Wednesday assured the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines that it will push for the allocation of more funds for next year to further strengthen the country’s defense operations. After extensive deliberation, the Senate Committee on Finance has approved the 2024 proposed budget of the DND and its attached, including the revised AFP Modernization Program, “subject to possible budgetary adjustments.” The DND’s proposed budget will then be again submitted to the Senate plenary for deliberation and approval. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed full support for the defense sector’s efforts to defend the country amid the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea. With this, Zubiri committed to increasing the DND and AFP’s budget for next year for more heightened defense initiatives. “But you know my dear friends, courage can only take us so far. And that is why, if we really want to truly defend our country and our seas, we must support their budget. Not only the budget that they have now… We’re going to support, through the efforts of the Senate, an increase in their budget, especially in the defense spending,” he said. In his presentation, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the DND is seeking a total of P229.9 billion in funding under the 2024 National Expenditure Program. Teodoro presented a 12 percent increase compared to the P204.5 billion DND budget allocated under its 2023 General Appropriation Act. Of the budget, the AFP will get P221.6 billion, which will be divided among its major service units including the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Navy, as well as the general AFP headquarters and AFP-wide service support units. The DND will get P1.2 billion while the remaining P7 billion will go to civilian bureaus, like the Government Arsenal, Office of Civil Defense, National Defense College of the Philippines, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, and Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Teodoro said the DND initially requested P115.1 billion for the AFP Modernization Program but was only granted P50 billion. Meanwhile, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Estrada stressed the need to fast-track equipping the AFP with modern assets to protect the country’s territorial integrity, given the current situation in the West Philippine Sea. Hence then asked Teodoro about the ongoing military modernization: “We are supposed to be in Horizon 3 of the AFP modernization program in 2023. I think we are still in Horizon 2 or Horizon 1. Where are we now?” In response, Teodoro said about 10 percent of the project remains to be accomplished in Horizon 1 while 51 out of 97 projects were already finished in Horizon 2 with some projects will be carried over under Horizon 3. “That’s why we really have to re-strategize it because the paradigms for Horizon 2 may not be valid anymore,” Teodoro said. The military modernization program's Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 up to 2028 while Horizon 2 is from 2018 to 2022 and Horizon 1 is from 2013 to 2018. All these horizons are geared toward acquiring equipment and weapon platforms that would equip the AFP to perform its external defense mandate. An executive session was conducted with the DND after the Senate panel’s approval of its proposal to discuss some adjustments to the funding, particularly those allocated for defending the WPS. Zubiri stressed that he will not allow the Philippines to be bullied. “Hindi tayo pumayag na ma-bully tayo ng ating kapitbahay sa Norte (we didn’t allow our neighbor in the North to bully us). Because of that, we hear you loud and clear. We need more defense spending in our modernization project… We’re here to support you. You’ll see a drastic difference in your budget come this December,” Zubiri said. Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa likewise rallied for the increase of both DND and AFP’s intelligence funds for surveillance and reconnaissance assets. In 2022, DND got P2.3 billion worth of confidential intelligence funds. The agency requested only P1.8 billion in 2023. “With this new defense strategic direction, refocused on archipelagic defense and protection, will there be a corresponding shift, change, or retrofitting of our forces because right now our organization is heavy on the land-based army?” Dela Rosa asked. Teodoro said no changes are needed at the moment as the country needs to sustain internal security. However, he noted the need to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities to cope with the “challenges of time.” The post Senate eyes increase of DND’s 2024 budget appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»