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Faith Da Silva, Lianne Valentin proud and empowered by Sparkle 10 inclusion
The past two years have seen Sparkle GMA Artist Center become more committed to discovering new faces and forming unique groups from its crop of talents. Thus, there are Sparkle 8, Sparkada, and Sparkle Sweethearts......»»
FEU Theater Guild presents eight monologues on love
The Far Eastern University Theater Guild, being the oldest theater organization in Manila’s University Belt, has already established a solid reputation in the country for its numerous productions, such as Confessions, Usapang X, Ang Pinakamakisig na Nalunod sa Buong Daigdig, Kung Paano Maghiwalay, Halu Halo, and laboratory productions like the Saltik and Tamdula. Closing the organization’s 89th theater season, the FTG proudly presents Tamdula VI: Love-Oratory, a series of eight monologues on love — ranging from the romantic and sexual to the intimate and familial. Tamdula VI: Love-Oratory is a laboratory production intended to train the FTG members in further enhancing their acting, stage designing, stage management, marketing and branding skills. The production is directed by the FTG’s artistic head, Raffaelle Pascua (BS Psychology, 2024), with FTG’s company manager and assistant director Jonas Cunanan (BA Communication, 2024). Both directors are student artists who have been members of the FTG and have been gaining artistic experience inside and outside of the organization. They are directly guided by FTG’s artistic director Dudz Teraña. Monologues The first play, Against Any-Body written by Drea Achas (BS Psychology, 2024), delves into the imperfections of womanhood and makes a social statement on how their self-acceptance transcends the opinions of everyone else. Starring Julia Ramas (BS Multimedia Arts, 2026) and Gwen Temprosa (BS Psychology, 2026). Ang Pinakawalang Kwentang Kwentong Pag-ibig ni Tanga, written by Teraña, is about the difficulty of moving on from a non-committed relationship. Featuring Adam Labador (BFA Studio Arts, 2026) and Meldy Malig (BS Psychology, 2024). It’s Always You, written by Davewyn Macawile (BA Communication, 2025), is a narrative from the point of view of someone who has been abruptly abandoned by their partner (or what is more popularly called as “ghosting”). Starring Maria Mayano (BA Communication, 2026), Jhoan Gemora (BA International Studies, 2026) and Ryana Azurin (BS Medical Technology, 2025). Shake, Rattle, and Fall, written by Aaron Bayani (BS Computer Science, 2024), explores the twisted nature of one’s obsession and desperation towards finding love. Starring Drea Achas (BS Psychology, 2024) and Jharelle Villalobos (BS Medical Technology, 2025). Mama Kong May Tama, written by Brigitta Marilla (BA International Studies, 2025), tells the story behind the unconditional bond a daughter has with her mother. Starring Heleina Li and Bjorn Pestaño, both BA Communication students from the Class of 2026. Teraña’s Dear God is a comedy that explains the thoughts of an 18-year-old wishing for a boyfriend. Starring Dianne Andallo (BS Tourism Management, 2026) and Renz Dotillos (BA Communication, 2026). Colorblind, written by Franz Luis (BS Hotel and Restaurant Management, 2026), is about a character being medically — and romantically — colorblind. Starring FTG’s surprise guest artist. Paghihintay ng Isang Libong Minuto Para sa Pag-ibig by Teraña is a narrative about the definitions of romantic love and what or how much a person can give. Starring Arvin Javier (BA Communication, 2026). Tickets are priced at P100 for the FEU community including the other branches of FEU, FTG alumni and FEU alumni (with an alumni ID) and P150 for guests. Tamdula VI: Love-Oratory play dates are 29, 30 and 31 August and 1, 2, 4 to 9 September, 6 p.m., at the FEU Center for the Arts Studio, G/F Engineering Building, FEU Manila, Nicanor Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila. The post FEU Theater Guild presents eight monologues on love appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
All Stars raring to inspire kids, wow fans
There’s an air of nostalgia as captains Mark Barroca and Japeth Aguilar led the entourage that arrived here yesterday for the weekend’s PBA All Star festivities......»»
Sweet! John Lloyd Cruz, Isabel Santos exhibit artworks together at ALT 2024
Artworks by actor John Lloyd Cruz and girlfriend, artist Isabel Santos, are among the opuses to see at ALT 2024, an art collective that opened in Hall 4 of SMX Convention Center in Pasay City and runs until February 25......»»
WATCH: Korean traditional music instrument artist kicks off mini house concert for K-lovers
In celebration of the 75th diplomatic ties between South Korea and the Philippines, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) is set to host mini concerts from January to June this year in its office in Taguig. .....»»
Araneta takes on Magramo for IBF world title eliminator in Cebu
CEBU CITY, Philippines — World-rated knockout artist Christian “The Bomb” Araneta will test his mettle against an equally dangerous foe in the main event of “Kumbati 16” on January 26 at the plush Nustar Resort and Casino’s convention center at the South Road Properties, here. The 28-year-old native of Borbon town in north Cebu will.....»»
33 miyembro ng StarKada ipinakilala na: ‘Meron silang ibubuga, ipapakita!’
MULING ipinakilala isa-isa ang 33 miyembro ng StarKadas via zoom ng NET 25 Star Center Artist Management head na si Direk Eric Quizon kamakailan. Kitang-kita kung gaano ka-proud si direk Eric sa mga anak-anakan niya na base sa kanilang pananalita kung paano nila prinesenta ang kani-kanilang mga sarili ay sure kami na sisikat ang mga.....»»
Sparkle GMA talents show what they’re made of in ‘triple-plot’ Lovers/Liars
Sparkle GMA Artist Center talents Lianne Valentin, Shaira Diaz, and Yasser Marta are part of the ensemble cast of the GMA Telebabad drama series Lovers/Liars......»»
NCCA accepting nominations for national artist
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Cultural Center of the Philippines are again accepting nominations for the Order of National Artist......»»
Stage set for Asian Awards 2023
Asian superstars, including NewJeans, ZEROBASEONE and LE SSERAFIM, take center stage as the Philippines hosts the Asia Artist Awards (AAA) 2023 for the first time ever at the Philippine Arena on December 14......»»
Deceased Maine shooter had mental health problems: police
Police in Maine said Saturday that the man who gunned down 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley and later committed suicide, suffered serious mental health issues, but was able to buy weapons legally because he had never been forcibly committed to treatment. The body of Robert Card, a 40-year-old army reservist, was discovered Friday night inside a tractor-trailer near a recycling center where he used to work, said Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck. Card had shot himself. Investigators are still struggling to determine Card's motive for carrying out Wednesday's massacre in the town of Lewiston. However, Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia. "Clearly there's a mental health component to this," Sauschuck told reporters. Investigators found a "paper-style" note that Card had left to a loved one which contained a password to his phone and bank account information, Sauschuck said, adding that the note had the tone of a suicide letter. Card was found in possession of three weapons, one of them a long gun, all purchased legally because he had never been forcibly committed to a mental institution. Despite the apparently clear mental health issues and a reportedly recent psychiatric evaluation undergone by Card, "a background check is not going to ping that this individual was prohibited," Sauschuck added. The sigh of relief The discovery of Card's body ended a massive two-day manhunt, which had this quiet city of 38,000 people on lockdown, with businesses and schools closed and residents terrified. Sauschuck acknowledged the help Card's family had provided to the investigation, saying his relatives were among the first people to call the police and identify the suspect. "This family has been incredibly cooperative with us," he said. Lewiston finally breathed a sigh of relief with businesses beginning to open and people appearing on the streets Saturday. Several posters reading "Lewiston strong" were seen in the city. Shukri Abasheikh, 60, was finally able to reopen her halal grocery store after the lockdown. "This morning I'm so happy because the last two days, we were worried a lot and we were scared," Abasheikh told AFP. "My customers were calling me saying we don't have milk, we don't have anything, can you open and I said, 'I'm scared.'" Upon learning that Card was dead, Sheri Withers, 44, owner of a Lewiston art gallery, said she felt "a balance of relief and remembering how to breathe, but also just being sad because, you know, it was a human life." For now, residents are "just trying to rebuild the pieces, and getting on from here is gonna be the next step for our community," she added. A local resident named Danica, who was buying coffee at a drive-through, said she was happy Card was dead, but at the same time wished he had first been brought to justice. "I think he took the coward's way out of doing it by suicide," Danica, who declined to give her last name, told AFP. "I think he should be held accountable for his crimes." In a statement issued shortly after Card's body was discovered Friday night, President Joe Biden vowed to renew efforts to curb gun violence in the United States. "Americans should not have to live like this," Biden said. "I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic." Biden said the shooting brought "a tragic two days -- not just for Lewiston, Maine, but for our entire country." Authorities on Friday identified the victims, ranging from a husband and wife in their 70s to a 14-year-old boy killed alongside his father. This was one of the deadliest shootings in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people Mass shootings are alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance. The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. The post Deceased Maine shooter had mental health problems: police appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Experience next-level fun at SM Game Park MOA
It’s time to level up the fun and get ready for an action-packed experience at the newest sports destination in SM Mall of Asia—SM Game Park! Gear up for this brand new recreational and active lifestyle facility, and get ready to jumpstart your sporty era with an electrifying line-up of games and activities. SM Game Park Mall of Asia will be the fourth branch in the country following SM Southmall, SM City Fairview and SM CDO Downtown, and is set to be the brand’s flagship branch. Located at the 3rd Level of the South Entertainment Mall of SM Mall of Asia, SM Game Park MOA is situated on a 1,947sqm space of everything fun: some topnotch amusements and the best amenities for every one of all ages. 16-lane Regular Bowling (artist’s perspective) 4-lane Private Bowling (artist’s perspective) At SM Game Park MOA, let the good times roll at its massive 16-lane Regular Bowling area. Plus, have an unforgettably exclusive and intimate experience with your social circles at the new 4-lane Private Bowling, equipped with a state-of-the-art Augmented Reality technology that is a first in the country. Gather the hoop crew and shoot your shots at the Mini Indoor Basketball Court that can accommodate a team of 3 x 3 players. If you’re exploring other sports to go for, test your skill with a bow & arrow at the Archery zone by PANA. Mini Indoor Basketball Court (artist’s perspective) Archery by PANA (artist’s perspective) Billiards area (artist’s perspective) Try mastering the art of Billiards at any of the six billiard tables available. Serve up intense rallies over at the Table Tennis area, or challenge a friend over a game or two of Basketball Hoops or E-Darts at the Arcade games corner. There’s really no shortage of heart-pumping thrills at SM Game Park MOA as you can also sing, dance and play your hearts out to your favorite songs and games inside the Game Room, with karaoke and gaming consoles coming in soon. Game Room (artist’s perspective) Sports Bar by Taters (artist’s perspective) If you need to wind down or want to simply chill with the squad after a fun day at the center, grab some delicious grub and refreshing drinks from the Sports Bar by Taters. Catch the much-awaited grand opening of SM Game Park MOA on 10 November 2023. Exciting promos await customers on Grand Opening Day, as well as for the rest of whole opening weekend on 11-12 November so make sure to check out the official social media accounts of SM Game Park on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok for more information. The post Experience next-level fun at SM Game Park MOA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Young stars shine at SM Little Stars 2023 Grand Finals
Representatives from SM City San Pablo and SM City Dasmarinas were hailed as boy and girl Grand Prize winners of the recently concluded SM Little Stars 2023 Grand Finals held at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on 14 October 2023. [caption id="attachment_202093" align="aligncenter" width="935"] Grand Prize winners Aljon Christoff Banaira from SM City San Pablo (2nd from left) and Jourdanne Baldonido from SM City Dasmarinas (center) with, from left to right, 1st runner-up Eduardo Joson II from SM Megacenter Cabanatuan, 3rd runner-up Joachim Gale Olpindo from SM Center Muntinlupa, and 2nd runner-up Mara Hestia Caballero from SM City Cebu. Back row, left to right: National University Senior Director for Admissions Dr. Christina Corpuz, Goldilocks Bakeshop Head of Corporate Communications Ley Laksamana, Goldilocks Bakeshop Public Relations and Partnerships Associate Kyleth Paralejas, GMA Consulting Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Lawrence Tan, SM Supermalls’ Senior Vice President for Marketing Joaquin San Agustin, SM Supermalls’ Assistant Vice President for Marketing Hanna Carinna Sy, and SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202094" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Grand Prize winners Aljon Christoff Banaira from SM City San Pablo (2nd from left) and Jourdanne Baldonido from SM City Dasmarinas (center) with, from left to right, 1st runner-up Eduardo Joson II from SM Megacenter Cabanatuan, 3rd runner-up Joachim Gale Olpindo from SM Center Muntinlupa, and 2nd runner-up Mara Hestia Caballero from SM City Cebu. Back row, left to right: Hosts Xian Lim and 2017 Girl Grand Winner Gaea Mischa, judges Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy of G-Force, Direk Joey Reyes, Sam Concepcion, 2013 3rd runner-up Esang de Torres, and 2013 Boy Grand Winner Nhikzy Calma[/caption] It was a night to remember for seven-year-olds Aljon Christoff Banaira and Jourdanne Baldonido, who emerged as winners among the 28 grand finalists in the competition. It was a fierce battle of talent, confidence, and personality, with every participant showcasing their skills in dancing, singing, acting, declaiming and playing instruments. With over P9 Million worth of prizes up for grabs, the two Grand Winners went home with a brand-new Suzuki S-presso Special Edition MT MC worth over P600,000, a one-year talent contract at Sparkle GMA Artist Center, a full college scholarship at National University, and a five-day and four-night trip for two to Hong Kong. Additional prizes include a total of P100,000 in cash and SM gift certificates (P50,000 in cash and P50,000 worth of SM gift certificates), P30,000 worth of Toy Kingdom gift cards, an annual pass certificate for unlimited bowling and skating valid for one year, 30 regular ride tickets at SM by the Bay Amusement Park / Sky Ranch, and gift vouchers for a two-night stay with breakfast for two at Radisson Blu Cebu. Completing the list of winners were SM Megacenter Cabanatuan's Eduardo Joson II (1st runner-up), SM City Cebu's Mara Hestia Caballero (2nd runner-up), SM Center Muntinlupa's Joachim Gale Olpindo (3rd runner-up), SM City Clark's Hayley Cairee Miclat (Top 6), SM City Masinag's Jayson De Paz, Jr. (Top 7), SM City Bicutan's Graciella Zahzih Flojo (Top 8), SM City Cebu's Karlyle Miguel Corbeta (Top 9), and SM City Batangas' Marrem Angel Martinez (Top 10). [caption id="attachment_202095" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] 2013 Boy Grand Winner Nhikzy Calma[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202096" align="aligncenter" width="400"] 2013 3rd runner-up Esang de Torres[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202097" align="aligncenter" width="394"] SM City Clark’s Hayley Cairee Miclat[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202098" align="aligncenter" width="342"] SM City Masinag’s Jayson De Paz Jr.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202099" align="aligncenter" width="377"] SM City Bicutan’s Graciella Zahzih Flojo[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202100" align="aligncenter" width="367"] SM City Cebu's Karlyle Miguel Corbeta[/caption] [caption id="attachment_202101" align="aligncenter" width="633"] SM City Batangas’ Marrem Angel Martinez[/caption] Now on its 14th year, the SM Little Stars is a celebration of young talent and a testament to the outstanding platform that SM provides for these budding stars. This year alone, the competition saw over 33,000 young individuals who shared their talents from 70 SM malls nationwide. [caption id="attachment_202102" align="aligncenter" width="1430"] The 28 grand finalists showcase their skills and talents.[/caption] To know more about SM Little Stars 2023, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM Supermalls on social media. .....»»
Argentina court acquits nuns of sex abuse
Two nuns and seven other female employees of an Argentine institute for deaf children were acquitted by a court Wednesday of sexual abuse and rape. The ruling, broadcast on public television, concluded a trial of two-and-a-half years in a case that has shocked the home country of Pope Francis. Two priests in charge of children at the Antonio Provolo center — Horacio Corbacho and Nicola Corradi — have been convicted and handed sentences of more than 40 years each for sexual abuse, including rape, of some 20 minors. The victims were aged four to 17 when the crimes were committed from 2004 to the closure of the institute in 2016. The institution’s gardener, Armando Gomez, has also been jailed for 18 years for sexual abuse, and a former altar boy pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse of five children. Several staff were taken into custody after allegations of abuse first surfaced in 2016, and the institute was shut down. The latest case focused on the alleged abuse of 11 of the children. In the dock were Japanese nun Kumiko Kosaka and Paraguayan Asuncion Martinez, as well as a former cook, a psychologist, a legal representative and school director, and three other employees. Kosaka stood accused of aggravated sexual abuse and covering up the crimes, and Martinez of “corruption of minors,” among other alleged offenses. A panel of three judges on Wednesday acquitted Kosaka, Martinez, and all seven others. Ariel Lizarraga, father of one of the accusers, described the outcome as “total injustice.” The post Argentina court acquits nuns of sex abuse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PEZA chief lures potential Rotarian investors with ecozone perks
Members — particularly those in such business enterprises as manufacturing — of the Rotary Club of Manila, Asia’s oldest and biggest Rotary organization, were personally enticed by Philippine Economic Zone Authority director-general Tereso Panga of the benefits, particularly tax perks if they expand operations in the country or poured in investments in the ecozone. Panga, who served as guest speaker at RC Manila’s 14th General Membership Meeting at the Manila Polo Club, Makati City, on 5 October 2023, relayed to the prospective ecozone investors the various fiscal and non-fiscal Incentives offered by PEZA. He said the investment promotion agency offers income tax holidays or ITH of four to seven years depending on the industry tier and location, once onboard PEZA-run ecozones. For the National Capital Region, locators are entitled to four years of ITH for those that are in Tier 1; five years of ITH for Tier 2, and six years for those belonging to Tier 3. For locators in Metropolitan areas or areas contiguous and adjacent to NCR, a five-year ITH is given to Tier 1; six years for Tier 2, and seven years for Tier 3. “A five percent Special Corporate Income Tax holiday is also provided for 10 years for export-oriented projects, while enhanced deductions for five years are given to locators involved in domestic-oriented project activities,” Panga said. Other notable benefits awaiting interested PEZA locators include Customs duty exemption on importation of capital equipment, raw materials, spare parts, or accessories directly and exclusively used in the registered project/activity for a maximum period of 17 years unless otherwise extended under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan of the Philippine government; domestic sales allowance of up to 30 percent of total sales for export-oriented companies; value-added tax exemption on importation and VAT-zero rating on local purchases of goods and services directly and exclusively used in the registered project or activity for a maximum period of 17 years, unless otherwise extended under the SIPP; and exemption from payment of national and local government taxes and fees for the period of availment of the 5 percent special corporate income tax incentive Also, PEZA locators are entitled to employ foreign nationals; can enjoy long-term land leases of up to 75 years, and are entitled to the PEZA 2-year special non-immigrant visa issued to expatriates and their dependents as well as foreign workers. [caption id="attachment_194752" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Tereso O. Panga[/caption] PEZA performance Panga earlier reported that the investment promotion agency had reaped an overwhelming 114 percent increase in investments in the second quarter of the year, following the approval of 61 new and expansion projects for the period of April to June 2022. PEZA records showed that total investments are expected to bring in a total of P14.347 billion, 114.93 percent higher than the P6.675 billion approved investments for the second quarter of 2022. Of the 61 approved new and expansion projects, 16 are for the Information Technology industry, 15 for export/manufacturing, 13 for facilities, 13 for ecozone development, and two for IT Facilities and Logistics. Meanwhile, expected jobs to be created by those projects total 11,186, which is 29.06 percent higher compared to the 8,667 projected jobs in the 2nd quarter of 2022. For the January to June period of 2023, a total of 90 new and expansion projects have been approved and are expected to bring in P22.488 billion in investments, $747.093 million in exports, and 14,354 jobs. Japan remains PEZA’s top country investor in the first half with P8.007 billion in investments followed by Singapore with P2.169 billion. Also, Panga said that Japan topped the countries with the highest approved foreign investments at 27.34 percent, followed by Filipino companies at 23.19 percent, and American companies in the third spot at 14.82 percent. “PEZA accounted for 60.5 percent of the total foreign investment commitments in Q2 2023 with P35.75 billion,” he told the Rotary Club of Manila members. From 1995 to 2022, PEZA’s total dividends turned in to the National Treasury was a total of P26,889,567,738.07. Ecozones on the rise To date, Panga said PEZA hosts 422 ecozones and 4,352 locator companies/projects throughout the country. Of said number of ecozones, 299 are dedicated to IT Parks and Centers, 79 to manufacturing firms, 24 to agro-industrial parks, 17 are to tourism and three are to medical tourism ventures. Based on the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has projected that “the creation of ecozones will…maximize investments and promote industrial dispersion, especially outside metropolitan areas. Further, the ecozones will be integrated into the local economy by relaxing the requirements, facilitating the free flow of parts, components, and other inputs, and increasing open trade between zone locators and firms outside the zones.” In the coming years, various ecozones will be sprouting, while the ecozones that have already been officially proclaimed by the Office of the President include Robinsons Cyberpark Bacolod, Lima Technology Center (Expansion), Hermosa Ecozone Industrial Park (Expansion), Philtai Central Luzon Industrial Park, Felcris Centrale IT Park, ECCO 4 Building, Lopue’s Mandalagan IT Center, Marina Town Dumaguete, Naga City Industrial Park and Kamanga Agro-Industrial Economic Zone (Expansion), altogether with investments totaling P3.418 billion. Ecozones pending approval are MetroCas Industrial Estates-Special Economic Zone, Suyo Economic Zone and the expansions of Kamanga Agro-Industrial Economic Zone and Lima Technology Center, with a total investment amount of P773.962 million. As of September 2023, the governing board of PEZA has approved big-ticket investments with a total committed investment of P193.200 billion, and these are the First Pangasinan Property Development Corp., Raedang International Builders and Development Corp., Green Energy with Torrefaction Technology Inc., Dyson Electronics PTE, Ltd. Philippine Branch, Sunpower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd., Isla Import Terminals Inc., MJ Landtrade Development Corp., YCO Cloud Malvar Inc., Savya Land Development Corporation, RLGB Land Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation, TDK Philippines, P. Imes Corp., Best-one Ever Luck Realty Corp., Knowles Electronics (Phil) Corporation, WIPRO Phils. Inc., Glensworth Development Inc., ACI Inc., Megaworld Corporation and Kyungshin Pampanga Philippines Inc. Currently, Panga said PEZA is focused on seven priority sectors, that is, advanced manufacturing, extractives (green ores processing), agriculture and blue industries, IT services and frontier technologies, eco-industrial park development (renewable energy and alternative energy, clean water and wastewater treatment, circular economy, sustainable development goals, green buildings, smart systems integration), Science, Technology and Innovation and the integration of small and medium enterprises into the ecozone value chain. Cannot be done alone by PEZA Panga, in conclusion during his speech at the Rotary Club of Manila meeting remarked that attracting foreign direct investments cannot be done by PEZA alone or by any other investment promotion agency left to its own devices. He emphasized that what is needed to make things work is a whole government, industry and society approach to lessen the cost and improve ease of doing business in the country. “Through our collaborations and strategic alliances, PEZA, together with the Rotary Club of Manila, other ecozone industries, and stakeholders, will strive for success in attaining our country’s goals and objectives, and continue to push for eco-zoning the Philippines towards inclusive and sustainable development,” Panga said. The post PEZA chief lures potential Rotarian investors with ecozone perks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu Capitol transfer draws near
The provincial government of Cebu disclosed that the site development for the new Cebu Provincial Capitol in Barangay Cambuhawe in the municipality of Balamban is now at 70 percent. On Thursday, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia conducted a site inspection with Balamban Mayor Ace Binghay and said that the construction of the province’s new capitol in the shipbuilding town of Balamban is expected to create more economic activity in the western corridor of the island. The new capitol building will be an exact replica of the original facility in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City, but with modern amenities. The site development of the new capitol building will stand on a 2-3 hectare and 135-meter above-sea-level lot. Garcia said that she is eyeing to acquire an additional 50 hectares of land around the new capitol site to accommodate provincial and regional offices of national line agencies, as well as departmental offices of the provincial government. Balamban is a first-class municipality but is vying for cityhood status. The national government allocated P200 million from the General Appropriations Act for the project. Meantime, the Cebu governor expressed gratitude to Senator Sonny Angara who committed another P100 million for the edifice construction while Senator Francis Tolentino promised P80 million for developing access roads leading to the site. “An amount of P500 million was earmarked by the provincial government for the new capitol building project,” Garcia said. Balamban is situated right at the center of the province and is accessible from both north and the south and just an hour drive from Cebu City, the capital city through the Transcentral Highway. The post Cebu Capitol transfer draws near appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
No remorse for drag artist Pura
Drag artist Pura Luka Vega has no remorse whatsoever for her controversial impersonation of the Nazareno when the Daily Tribune interviewed her inside his detention cell at MPD -PS 3 Thursday afternoon. Claiming that it was never her intention to hurt the feeling of anyone, Pura said: “I am willing to face the charges against me ‘coz I believe that I have not committed any crime,” she said. The drag artist, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pugante is 33 years old, male and single. He is a senior health program officer at the Department of Health and a resident of #1606 M. Hizon Street, Barangay 339, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Regente’s arrest was issued by Hon. Czarina Encarnacion Samonte-Villanueva, Presiding Judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 36 Manila dated 4 October 2023 for his immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions and indecent shows (2)(B)(3) AND (2)(3)(5) OF RPC Art. 201 as amended by P.D. 960 and PD 969 in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act 10175 with P72,000 as bail recommended. The post No remorse for drag artist Pura appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Arrested Pura Luka Vega not sorry: ‘I have not committed any crime’
Controversial drag artist Pura Luka Vega, who was arrested by the Manila Police District on 4 October based on a court warrant, maintained his innocence in an interview with Daily Tribune inside his detention cell at MPD -PS 3 on Thursday afternoon, saying it was not his intention to hurt anyone's feelings. “ I am willing to face the charges against me because I believe I have not committed any crime,” said Vega, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente, a senior health program officer of the Department of Health and and a resident of Sta Cruz, Manila. His arrest was based on the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Czarina Samonte-Villanueva of Regional Trial Court Branch 36 Manila dated 4 October 2023 for for "immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows," with P72,000 as recommended bail. The warrant was issued because Pagente had not appeared at his court hearing. But the drag artist said he had not received any notice of hearing or subpoena from the court, since the notice of hearing was sent by to his old address where he no longer stayed. Pagente said he will ask the court through his lawyer for a motion to reopen the case. “Andoon na po tayo sa punto na dapat ko ihayag sa korte ang niloloob ko, that it is an art of expression as we are in the free country, and most of all I have not committed any crime.” Vega is currently detained at MPD-PS 3. The post Arrested Pura Luka Vega not sorry: ‘I have not committed any crime’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Anak Datu’ opens a rush of truth from ripples of trauma
A year after it premiered, Anak Datu is returning to the stage, opening the 37th season of Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. When it debuted, it immediately became a landmark production in several ways. It was one of the first plays to be mounted with a live audience after the lockdowns and restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021. And it was the first play to be staged at the newly opened CCP Black Box Theater or Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Anak Datu is one of the few plays on the Tausug and Moro people and cultures of Mindanao, portrayed with marked sensitivity and apparent diligence. It was lauded by critics and audiences, with former Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo as one of the prominent people who trooped to CCP to watch the play on 1 October 2022. The play went on to win six awards at the 13th Gawad Buhay and five at the 35th Aliw Awards. [caption id="attachment_192618" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] the tausug pangalay dance is incorporated into the play.[/caption] Fine-tuned production Despite the accolades and being one of the most important theatrical events in 2022, the play was faulted by some for what was seen as its confusing storytelling, its shifts in timeline and milieus, and the cumbersome sets. The second staging afforded the creative team the opportunity to fine-tune these and other aspects of the production. According to director Chris Millado, former CCP vice president and artistic director, they were able to make the storytelling clearer and supply an elevated platform to make the designs of the light projections more visible. For Dennis N. Marasigan, current CCP vice president and artistic director, “[o]n its rerun, Tanghalang Pilipino's Anak Datu is tighter, its storytelling and technical aspects clearer and crisper, and its staging even more affecting, effectively overlaying story, myth and history.” The restaging marks another milestone in the journey of the play, which started in 2018 from talks that artist Toym Imao, son of the late National Artist for visual arts Abdulmari Asia Imao, had with Millado and veteran actor and TP artistic director Fernando “Nanding” Josef about making a stage adaptation of the elder Imao’s short story for children, written in 1968, the year Toym was born. The team recruited award-winning playwright Rody Vera to write the script. The plan became more concrete when Josef decided to make the project TP’s first original play after the pandemic lockdowns. By then, the play has evolved into something larger than the original story. Serving as Anak Datu’s set designer, Imao recalled the anxieties they felt during the first stages of production, especially the prospect of one of them getting sick and shutting down the show. “But we were able to tell an essential story that was important, especially for a nation that was coming out of the devastating election of May 2022 for a lot of people. It is something important for us na nakapagkuwento kami (we were able to tell a story),” he said. [caption id="attachment_192619" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Ramli Abdurahim as the pirate Jikiran.[/caption] Three stories Anak Datu tells three stories — Toym’s childhood with his father (Paul Jake Paule) and mother, Grace de Leon (Toni Go-Yadao); his father’s short story; and the recent history of his father’s people, the Muslim Tausug in Sulu Archipelago and the Moro, the collective Muslim ethnic groups, of Mindanao. The Imao family portion shows Toymie (Carlos Dala) growing up with Voltes V and other preoccupations of middle-class children in Metro Manila. Then there is the story of the disputed 1968 Jabidah Massacre, told through Jibin Arula (Gie Onida), the lone survivor — how young Tausug men, mostly illiterate, were recruited by the military, transferred to Corregidor and then massacred upon the discovery of a suspicious plot. Also dramatized is the 1974 Palimbang Massacre, in which the military allegedly murdered more a thousand Moro men inside the Malisbong masjid in the province of Sultan Kudarat, while 3,000 women and children were detained and about 300 homes were burned down. These incidents were said to have sparked the conflicts and armed struggle in Mindanao that would scar the region for decades. Along with the contemporary scenes is the retelling of the short story Anak Datu, set in a pre-colonial time and rendered in mythical mode, combining both the familial and the tragic. The Tausug village of datu Karim (Hassanain Magarang) and his wife Putli Loling (Tex Ordoñez-De Leon and Lhorvie Nuevo) is attacked by pirates, led by Jikiran (Ramli Abdurahim), who kidnaps the pregnant Putli Loling. She gives birth to Karim, who grows up knowing Jikiran as his father but later learns the truth. [caption id="attachment_192620" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Artist Toym Imao taking a picture with the cast and creative team.[/caption] Graceful movements All throughout, the play shifts among these threads of stories, each one compelling and multi-layered. Counterbalancing the oral storytelling is the dramatization through graceful movements, choregraphed by Magarang using the pangalay or Tausug traditional dance, a shared art form with the Yakan (pamansak) and Sama (igal) peoples, thus rendering the stories more visual and adding allure and distinctive cultural flavor to the play. The dances are accompanied by a live kulintangan or gong ensemble. The stark interiors of the theater come alive and burst with colors courtesy of the lighting by Katsch Catoy and projection design of GA Fallarme, who uses Abdulmari Imao’s paintings and traditional Tausug and Meranaw motifs such as the okir as inspirations. Toym’s set pieces are highly movable to keep up with the constant shifts in storytelling, and the bigger ones are like art installations, contributing to the visual richness of the production. Harnessing memory, myth and history, Anak Datu is able to weave its stories into an enthralling whole, establishing interconnectedness and consolidating the story of a person, a family and a community into the very story of a nation, like three or more streams converging into a great river. Tanghalang Pilipino’s Anak Datu runs 29 September to 15 October at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). The post ‘Anak Datu’ opens a rush of truth from ripples of trauma appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ukraine military to collapse without U.S. aid, experts warn
Defense and national security experts are sounding the alarm on the cutting of United States assistance to Ukraine’s military after the US Congress passed a stopgap budget law without funding for Kyiv. “It would be devastating for the Ukrainians” if US aid is halted, Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the national security think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. “The Ukrainian military would weaken and then ultimately perhaps collapse,” though it “might be able to just hold on on the defensive,” Cancian said. The United States has committed more than $43 billion in security aid since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 — over half the total from all Western donors. It has supplied a vast arsenal to help Kyiv fight to regain territory seized by Russia, ranging from small arms ammunition and artillery rounds to vehicles, sophisticated rocket launchers, tanks and mine-clearing equipment. “Militaries in conflict need a continuous flow of weapons and supplies and munitions to replace what’s destroyed and gets used up,” Cancian said. The European Union is prepared to stand by Ukraine “for as long as it takes” and the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reiterated this during the gathering of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Kyiv on Monday. Dozens of countries — especially in Europe — have provided military aid to Ukraine, and while they could increase support, picking up all the slack left by Washington would be a major long-term challenge. It would require a “years and decades-long effort to get Europe to a place where (it) could fully replace the US as a kind of military power, or a defense industrial power,” James Black, assistant director of the defense and security research group at RAND Europe, said. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin — who played a key role in forging an international coalition to back Ukraine, and then in coordinating assistance — called over the weekend for Congress to take action. Lawmakers should make good on “America’s commitment to provide urgently needed assistance to the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their own country against the forces of tyranny,” Austin said in a statement. “America must live up to its word and continue to lead.” WITH AFP The post Ukraine military to collapse without U.S. aid, experts warn appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»