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PLDT, SMART fastest Internet provider, most valuable Filipino brand
PLDT and SMART continue to receive recognition from various international consulting organizations for their technical prowess and stable financial strength, affirming their dominance as the leading telco in the country. Last month, Global benchmarking company Ookla® announced that PLDT had dominated the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™, achieving a top speed score of 86.52 in 2022, affirming the telco’s dominance and consistent performance in delivering the country’s fastest Internet speeds for the fifth consecutive year. This was the result of PLDT’s aggressive network expansion and drive to lift the quality of customer experience. The PLDT Group has been supporting the country’s digitalization by bringing the benefits of connectivity and other digital services to more areas in the Philippines. In 2022, PLDT recorded a total of 6.08 million fiber-powered ports, covering around 17,700 barangays across the country. PLDT president and CEO Al Panlilio said PLDT is committed to helping build and empower the nation by setting the bar high in providing world-class digital services to Filipinos PLDT delivers a fiber-optic speed of up to 10 Gbps, which was made available to the public as early as 2021. This move has placed the Philippines alongside first-world nations in terms of ultra-fast Internet speeds, including South Korea, Japan, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, and the USA. As of end-2022, PLDT had added 1.1 million new fiber subscribers, capturing 59 percent of fiber customer industry growth for 2022. This brought PLDT Home’s total fiber subscribers to 2.9 million. This week, a London-based business valuation and strategy consulting firm, Brand Finance, feted PLDT with the distinction of the Most Valuable Filipino Brand for 2023. Like famous global brands, PLDT’s proactive efforts at creating brand loyalty, awareness, associations, and maintaining the international standards of its products and services among its stakeholders have paid off. The recognition is a testament that over the years, PLDT has made itself a household name as one of the most trusted and credible telco companies in the country. Since its inception, it has unceasingly worked to help the nation’s push for digitalization by providing vital connectivity to help transform the Philippines into a globally competitive and digitally-empowered country. Brand Finance adopted a structured methodology in giving the distinction to PLDT. In valuing the brand, it meticulously reviewed every brand’s revenue and earnings before interest and taxes and arrived at the decision that PLDT led other brands surveyed. As one of the main drivers of its improved year-on-year revenue, PLDT Group’s investments in fiber technology was a key factor in its garnering the prestigious award from Brand Finance, with a total fiber footprint of over 1.1 million kilometers as of end-March 2023. With a 2 percent annual increase in brand value to US$2.6 billion, the performance of the country’s largest integrated telco contributed to the brand capturing a higher market share of the fiber industry, which led to a 45 percent improvement in year-on-year revenue. The Brand Finance report cited PLDT’s consistent focus on innovation as a driver to improve customer service and propel the nation toward becoming a financial and technology hub. Besides investing in fiber technology, Brand Finance also lauded PLDT’s deployment of carbon fiber cell towers, an environmental initiative that seeks to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced by up to 70 percent, as compared to using traditional steel towers. Carbon fiber towers also take up less land space, reducing the need for land repurposing. “PLDT is a socially responsible corporation that seriously cares for our environment by deploying the country’s first carbon fiber cell towers, as well as solar panels, in our facilities across four cities to reduce over 137 tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” Panlilio said. In support of the government’s digitalization goals, the citation also reinforces PLDT and Smart’s commitment to bridging the digital divide — a mandate of the Private Sector Advisory Council or PSAC Digital Infrastructure Group, on which Panlilio sits as a founding member. PLDT and Smart’s efforts recognized by Brand Finance are among the broad range of initiatives undertaken by the group in its continuing drive to elevate the customer experience and become the region’s leading ESG telco. These objectives are two of the five pillars of PLDT and Smart’s multi-year transformation launched in 2022, in response to the rapidly shifting market conditions in the Philippines. The post PLDT, SMART fastest Internet provider, most valuable Filipino brand appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN talks aim to harness AI power and potential
The United Nations is convening this week a global gathering to try to map out the frontiers of artificial intelligence and to harness its potential for empowering humanity. The UN hopes to lay out a clear blueprint for the way forward for handling AI, as the development of the technology races ahead the capacity to set its boundaries. The "AI for Good Global Summit", being held in Geneva on Thursday and Friday, will bring together around 3,000 experts from companies like Microsoft and Amazon as well as from universities and international organizations to try to sculpt frameworks for handling AI. "This technology is moving fast," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, head of the International Telecommunication Union, the UN's information and communications technology agency that convened the summit. "It's a real opportunity for the world's leading voices on AI to come together on the global stage and to address governance issues," she told reporters. "Doing nothing is not an option. Humanity is dependent upon it. So we have to engage and try and ensure a responsible future with AI." She said the summit would examine possible frameworks and guardrails to support safe AI use. Listed participants include Amazon's chief technology officer Werner Vogels, Google DeepMind chief operating officer Lila Ibrahim and former Spain football captain Iker Casillas -- who suffered a heart attack in 2019 and now advocates for AI use in heart attack prevention. They will be joined by dozens of robots, including several humanoids like Ai-Da, the first ultra-realistic robot artist; Ameca, the world's most advanced life-like robot; the humanoid rock singer Desdemona; and Grace, the most advanced healthcare robot. Benefiting humanity? The Geneva-based ITU feels it can bring its experience to bear on AI governance. Founded in 1865, the ITU is the oldest agency in the UN fold. It established "SOS" as the Morse code international maritime distress call in 1906, and coordinates everything from radio frequencies to satellites and 5G. The summit wants to identify ways of using AI to advance the UN's lagging sustainable development goals on issues such as health, the climate, poverty, hunger and clean water. Bogdan-Martin said AI must not exacerbate social inequalities or introduce biases on race, gender, politics, culture, religion or wealth. "This summit can help ensure that AI charts the course that benefits humanity," UN chief Antonio Guterres said. However, while AI proponents hail the technology for how it can transform society, including work, healthcare and creative pursuits, others are worried by its potential to undermine democracy. 'Perfect storm' "We're kind of in a perfect storm of suddenly having this powerful new technology -- I don't think it's super-intelligent -- being spread very widely and empowered in our lives, and we're really not prepared," said serial AI entrepreneur Gary Marcus. "We're at a critical moment in history when we can either get this right and build the global governance we need, or get it wrong and not succeed and wind up in a bad place where a few companies control the fates of many, many people without sufficient forethought," he said. Last month, EU lawmakers pushed the bloc closer to passing one of the world's first laws regulating systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot. There is also growing clamor to regulate AI in the United States. ChatGPT has become a global sensation since it was launched late last year for its ability to produce human-like content, including essays, poems and conversations from simple prompts. It has sparked a mushrooming of generative AI content, leaving lawmakers scrambling to try to figure out how to regulate such bots. Juan Lavista Ferres, chief data scientist of the Microsoft AI For Good Lab, gave an example of how AI could be used "to make our world a better place". He compared the more than 400 million people diagnosed with diabetes, a major cause of blindness, with the small number of ophthalmologists. "It's physically impossible to diagnose every patient. Yet we and others have built AI models that today can take this condition with an accuracy that matches a very good ophthalmologist. This is something can even be done from a smartphone. "Here AI is not just a solution, but it's the only solution." The post UN talks aim to harness AI power and potential 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......»»
Japan seeks remaining ‘nikkei-jins’ in Palawan
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Minister and Consul General of the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines Hanada Takahiro recently conducted a visit here to look for more second-generation descendants or “nikkei-jins” who have not been awarded their Japanese nationalities after World War II. “Nikkei-jins,” a term referring to Japanese emigrants and their descendants who have formed families and communities in host countries like the Philippines, include the wives and children of Japanese citizens who were forcibly repatriated to Japan following the war. Hanada stressed that the aim of his visit is to offer humanitarian aid to “nikkei-jins” who are in need but have not yet been recognized or identified because they’re still hiding in remote areas in Palawan. He added that the Japanese Embassy is ready to help in their application journeys as long as they make themselves known so they can assist them in their applications through the Philippine Nikkei-jin Legal Support Center. “The problem is we cannot identify the exact number — that is why we are asking for help to spread the information all over the Philippines, not only in Palawan. We are trying to reach out to those second-generation who might still be living in rural areas,” said Hanada. He also cited that based on their post-World War II estimates, more than 30,000 “nikkei-jins” remained in the Philippines. As of April 2023, they have been assisting approximately 1,548 “nikkei-jins” in the process of acquiring Japanese nationality. The post Japan seeks remaining ‘nikkei-jins’ in Palawan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mike Enriquez honored by PMAP with posthumous award
For his contributions to the industry as one of the country’s most trusted broadcast journalists, Miguel “Mike” Enriquez was posthumously conferred a Makatao Award for Media Excellence by the People Management Association of the Philippines. The award was personally received by his wife, Lizabeth “Baby” Enriquez, together with GMA Network first vice president for radio Glenn Allona and assistant vice president for GMA Integrated News John Ray Arrabe, during a ceremony held at GMA Network last 15 September. Presenting the award to Mrs. Enriquez were 2022 PMAP president and board of trustees for Media and Communications member Ellen Fullido; PMAP communication specialist and Makatao Awards for Media Excellence program lead Martin Alcantara; training head Richard Mamuyac; and HR Head Bernadette Tan. A five-time Makatao awardee and Hall of Famer, Enriquez was recognized by PMAP for his dedication to and enduring legacy in advancing public knowledge, as well as his promotion of sound people management in the country through his years of service as broadcaster. Enriquez was recognized as Best TV Male Newscaster at the 3rd Makatao Awards in 2013. He achieved back-to-back Best Radio News Anchor wins at the 6th and 7th Makatao Awards in 2017 and 2018. He then took home the Best Radio News Program Host award during the 8th and 10th Makatao Awards in 2018 and 2022. Enriquez. who passed away last 29 August at the age of 71, was the president of RGMA Network, Inc. and GMA Network's senior vice president and consultant for Radio Operations. He anchored DZBB's “Super Balita sa Umaga” and “Saksi sa Dobol B." He was one of the anchors of GMA's flagship newscast “24 Oras” and of the late-night newscast “Saksi.” He also hosted the long-running public affairs program “Imbestigador.” Several Kapuso news personalities and shows were also recognized at PMAP’s 11th Makatao Awards held last 30 August. State of the Nation anchor Atom Araullo won Best TV News Program Host, while GMA Integrated News Digital Strategy and Innovation Lab's online newscast Stand for Truth was named the Best Online Broadcast for its "Emergency Landing" episode. In the radio category, the tandem of Arnold Clavio and Connie Sison were recognized as Best Radio Public Affairs Program while “Dobol Weng sa Dobol B” was named Best Radio Public Affairs Program. Joey Reyes Zobel and Melo Del Prado completed the awards by winning Best News Program Hosts. For more stories about the Kapuso Network, visit www.GMANetwork.com. The post Mike Enriquez honored by PMAP with posthumous award appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Korean Film Festival to delight Manila
The Korean Film Festival is set to bring moviegoers and fans on a memorable cinematic trip to Korea. “At this year’s KFF, we do not only have some award-winning films lined up, but we also chose movies that will take you to some of Korea’s picturesque landscapes,” the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines announced on their social media accounts. Presented by the Korean Embassy in the Philippines and the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, the film festival, themed “Ka-ja! Korea Through Films,” will feature seven stellar films. The film festival is also in collaboration with the Korean Film Council, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Korea Tourism Organization Manila Office and SM Cinema. Here is KFF’s lineup of films that will be shown on the big screens for free: Bori (2020), directed by Kim Jinyu. This coming-of-age film is about an 11-year-old girl living in a seaside village named Bori, the only member of a family who is not deaf. [caption id="attachment_181135" align="aligncenter" width="950"] ‘DIRECTOR’S INTENTION.’[/caption] Director’s Intention (2021), directed by Kim Min-geun. A romantic comedy about the complicated relationship between exes who have to work on the same project. [caption id="attachment_181132" align="aligncenter" width="950"] ‘EVERGLOW.’[/caption] Everglow (2021), directed by So Joon-moon. Set in Juju, the film trains its lens on a 70-year-old female diver as the focus of a documentary. [caption id="attachment_181134" align="aligncenter" width="950"] ‘GYEONGJU.’[/caption] Gyeongju (2014), directed by Zhang Lu. Another romantic comedy, about a Beijing-based professor who returns to Korea for a funeral and spends time with a teahouse owner. [caption id="attachment_181138" align="aligncenter" width="950"] ‘JUKDO Surfing Diary.’[/caption] Jukdo Surfing Diary (2020), directed by Lee Hyun-seung. The film features a beach that has become a famous destination spot for surfers. Life is Beautiful (2022), directed by Choi Kook-hee. Starring Sky Castle’s Yum Jung-ah and Moving’s Ryu Seung-ryong, about a terminally-ill wife who asks her husband to find her first love as a birthday present. The Book of Fish (2021), directed by Lee Joon-ik. Set in 1801, the black-and-white historical film features a Josean-era scholar who is exiled to Heuksando Island. The KCC is also set to host a film production workshop titled “Meet the Mentor: K-Movie Production Talk Show” on 21 September at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde campus. This workshop is part of the “Meet the Mentor” series, whose panel includes Filipino director Perci Intalan and Korean directors-producers Park Eun-kyung and Lee Yeon-hwa. KCC’s Korean Film Festival will run 22 September to 26 September, with participating cinemas, screening schedules and ticketing guidelines to be announced soon. The post Korean Film Festival to delight Manila appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Annyeonghaseyo, Philippines! Manila to host Asia Artist Awards 2023
Get ready to say “Annyeonghaseyo” as the Philippines prepares to host the prestigious Asia Artist Awards on 14 December at the Philippine Arena. Organized by Money Today, StarNews and MTN, the Asia Artist Awards have honored outstanding accomplishments in the entertainment sector every year since 2016. The awards have traveled to South Korea, Vietnam and Japan, and the eighth edition is about to make its debut in the Philippines. Hallyu fans all over the nation are in for a treat as Asian stars converge for this vibrant celebration. The event will be orchestrated by the AAA organizing committee, TONZ Entertainment and PULP Live World. Happee Sy-Go of PULP Live World confirmed the exciting development on her social media platform and expressed appreciation for PULP’s selection as the Philippine partner to host this year’s awards. The event serves as a tribute to Asian artists working in music, television and film, with a focus on South Korean idols in particular. Prizes like the Grand Prize, Asia Celebrity, Idol Plus Popularity Award and Rookie of the Year will be given to the best in the business. Famous Korean idol groups, musicians and actors have graced the awards’ stage to accept accolades, host segments and give dazzling performances. Last year’s star-studded event saw NewJeans, SEVENTEEN, TREASURE, IVE, Han Sohee, Bona, Lee Jae Wook and many more. Legendary performers like BTS, SEVENTEEN, Lim Young-woong, TWICE and Kang Daniel are on the list of musicians who’ve been feted at the awards, along with international artists such as MAX and Anne-Marie, who won the Best Pop Artist Award in 2020. The Philippine Arena has a 50,000-seating capacity, so the Asian Artist Awards evening will certainly be a monumental event celebrating Asian heritage — all set to unfold right here in the Philippines. The post Annyeonghaseyo, Philippines! Manila to host Asia Artist Awards 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Veteran broadcast journalist Mike Enriquez dies at 71
Award-winning television and radio newscaster and host Mike Enriquez, has passed on at age 71. This was announced at the closing minutes yesterday of 24 Oras, the primetime newscast on GMA 7 that Enriquez anchored for 19 years. His fellow anchors Mel Tiangco, Vicky Morales and Emil Sumangil couldn’t hide their sadness as they read the network’s statement announcing Enriquez’s passing on 29 August. Enriquez spent a total of 29 years on the GMA Network, as news anchor of 24 Oras and its predecessor Saksi, and as host of the long-running investigative docudrama Imbestigador and head of its regional and radio subsidiaries. He became a household name with his unique brand of delivering the news, which commanded authority but was not too formal, allowing him to inject casual remarks. Famous for the catchphrases “excuse me po” and “hindi namin kayo tatantanan,” his booming newscasting style became material for fond parodies and spoofs. Born Miguel Castro Enriquez on 29 September 1951, the multi-awarded broadcaster began his career as a staff announcer at the Manila Broadcasting Company in 1969. He went on to work as disc jockey, reporter, desk editor, program director and station manager in various stations, including Radio Mindanao Network where he steered to success DWKC 93.9 on FM radio as station manager and DJ. Enriquez left RMN in 1994 and joined GMA in the same year to lead its radio operations, but was soon convinced by his GMA bosses to be a news anchor. He first worked on-cam in the network’s coverage of the 1995 senatorial elections. The veteran radio-TV anchor went on medical leave in December 2021 to undergo kidney transplant. In a previous interview, Enriquez shared that aside from battling diabetes, he also underwent heart bypass surgery in 2018. After his medical hiatus, Enriquez headlined GMA-7’s Eleksyon 2022: The GMA News and Public Affairs’ Election Coverage with fellow GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco, Vicky Morales, Arnold Clavio, Howie Severino and Jessica Soho. Shortly after, he returned to his regular programs on GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB 594. Enriquez also hosted Super Balita sa Umaga and Saksi sa Dobol B. In addition to his on-air duties, Enriquez served as RGMA Network Inc. president and GMA Network’s consultant for Radio Operations. Among other awards in his five-decade career, Enriquez won the Most Outstanding Male News Anchor at the De La Salle Araneta University’s Gawad Lasallianeta Awards for four consecutive years. He is survived by his wife Lizabeth “Baby” Yumping. (With additional reporting by Pauline Songco) The post Veteran broadcast journalist Mike Enriquez dies at 71 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump
With a historic three-way summit with Japan and South Korea, President Joe Biden has further deepened the web of US partnerships in a determined signal to adversaries despite question marks on the political climate at home. Since Biden took office in 2021, NATO has expanded and mostly closed ranks over Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- and, in clear if unstated responses to an assertive China, the United States forged a new three-way defense pact with Australia and Britain and ramped up work through the four-way Quad involving Australia, India and Japan. The United States already has security alliances with Japan and South Korea, together the bases for some 84,500 troops, but will now also plan three-way, multi-year military exercises across all domains along with real-time information-sharing and a crisis hotline. Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that alliances were "baked" into the mindset of Biden, who was a senator at the end of the Cold War. Partnerships can increase other countries' faith in the direction of the United States, Alterman added. "This administration believes deeply in the centrality -- not the importance, the centrality -- of partnerships," he said. "The challenge is, all of our partners remember the previous administration, they look at the polling numbers, and they have absolutely no confidence in where the US is going to be in two years' time, five years' time or 10 years' time," he said. Previous president Donald Trump loudly questioned the value of alliances, insisting that countries such as Germany and South Korea were not paying enough for the US troop presence and scoffing at NATO's commitments of mutual defense to all allies. Trump is again seeking the White House and recent opinion polls have also shown softening support for US military assistance to Ukraine, which has totaled $43 billion since Russia's attack. Asked about Trump at a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat, Biden said that his predecessor's "America First policy, walking away from the rest of the world, has made us weaker, not stronger." "America is strong with our allies and our alliances, and that's why we will endure," Biden said. Tougher task in Asia Whereas in Europe the United States has led a common defense for decades under NATO, in Asia -- seen by Biden as the critical region -- Washington has navigated individual alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. One reason for the hodgepodge has been historical animosity between Japan and South Korea, with the Camp David summit until recently unthinkable. Yoon has turned the page by resolving a dispute over Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans. Yoon, Kishida and Biden said they shared the same vision of a "rules-based international order" -- a nod to China's muscle-flexing in Asia but also to Ukraine, of which Japan and South Korea have been prominent non-Western supporters. China denounced the Camp David initiative, with state media saying the United States was raising tensions by creating a "mini-NATO," although there was no three-way mutual defense promise. Shihoko Goto, acting director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center, doubted that the three countries were even aspiring to collective self-defense but said their new cooperation was part of an "interweaving" with existing alliance arrangements. "As a single thread it may be weak, but because it is going to be part of that fabric and making it into a multi-layered approach, it would actually be really strong," she said. Risks await Biden has also moved bilaterally with countries concerned about Russia and China. He has said he plans to travel shortly to boost ties with Vietnam, whose tensions with Beijing run deep. But one of his big bets, India, has stood firm on its historic refusal to join alliances and is also taking part this week in a summit with Russia and China of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies. Trump is not the only wild card for the future. In South Korea, Yoon is only allowed a single term, which ends in 2027. "If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the US, then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work the three countries are putting in right now," said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. The post Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tale of two cities
If Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano of Pasay City aspires to make her city the first “Eco-City” of the Philippines, Mayor Eric L. Olivarez of Parañaque City wants his city to be the first with the eGov Super App in the country. If Mayor Emi will have her iconic Manhattan in Pasay City, Mayor Eric has his equally iconic Fisherman’s Wharf in Parañaque City. Behind this backdrop of local initiatives, creative planning and responsible leadership are amazing changes in the economy and infrastructure of the two surging cities complementing wonderfully the overwhelming optimism of the national government to transform the Republic of the Philippines into the richest and most beautiful country in the world. Pasay aspires to be the very first eco-sustainable city or “eco-city” in the Philippines, as it continues to strive for excellence and growth while taking utmost consideration of its environment. “To serve its constituents and stakeholders with enthusiasm and efficiency, with a firm commitment to adhering to the principles of good governance, and providing services and infrastructure essential to making the city progressive, healthy and peaceful, worthy of respect and emulation” is the mission of Pasay City. The focus of its mission is ensuring that development ultimately benefits every individual in the City of Pasay, that the service is characterized by the willingness to serve, transparent and responsive to the needs of the constituents. The identified goals to be achieved included: 1) that Pasay City shall be recognized as the new international center for business, knowledge process outsourcing, meetings-incentives-conferences-exhibitions tourism and a model for governance; 2) a safe, secure, livable and inspiringly built environment; 3) efficient infrastructure; 4) carefully managed image of the city; 5) affordable housing to qualified beneficiaries. Why did Pasay City go into reclamation? Pasay City is one of the smallest cities in the National Capital Region. Much of its land is occupied and utilized by the national government. The rest is too limited for the population of the city. It has no choice but to expand its land area by reclamation. The City of Pasay was granted Environment Compliance Certificate, or ECC, No. ECC-CD-1601-003 dated 2017. The reclamation project covers 265 hectares involving two islands with areas of 210 hectares and 55 hectares, respectively. The important landmarks adjacent to the project site include the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Coconut Palace, the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel, the Philippine International Convention Center, the Government Service Insurance System, Mall of Asia, casinos Okada Manila and Solaire Resort, and Diosdado Macapagal Avenue. Reasons for the 265-hectare reclamation The increasing demand for readily developable land for urban expansion has pushed the real estate market in Metro Manila to its highest since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Since the other urban centers of Mega Manila have no other way of expanding their existing inventory of land, the increasing requirements for areas to accommodate and satisfy the demand for rapid commercial and residential growth fall on the coastal LGUs. This, therefore, necessitates the creation of more land for economic activities through reclamation developments along the coastal areas of Manila Bay. The Pasay City reclamation project, near the SM Mall of Asia complex, can produce millions of square meters of additional buildable and developable space. This could translate to millions of square meters of building gross floor area, based on the existing buildable vis-a-vis to open space/public area ratio. The additional millions of open meters of building gross floor area can be allocated to tourism, office, residential, commercial and other non-industrial mixed uses. (To be continued) The post Tale of two cities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US surgeons say pig kidney functional in human for more than a month
US surgeons who transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient said Wednesday the organ was still working well after a record 32 days -- a significant step in the quest to close the organ donation gap. The latest experimental procedure is part of a growing field of research aimed at advancing cross-species transplants, testing the technique on bodies that have been donated for science. There are more than 103,000 people waiting for organs in the United States, 88,000 of whom need kidneys. "We have a genetically edited pig kidney surviving for over a month in a human," Robert Montgomery, director of the New York University Langone Transplant Institute, told reporters. "I think there's a very compelling story that exists at this point that I think should give further assurances about starting some initial studies... in living humans." Montgomery carried out the first genetically modified pig kidney transplant to a human in September 2021, followed by a similar procedure in November 2021. There have since been a handful of other cases, with all the experiments running for two or three days. While previous transplants have involved body parts with up to 10 genetic modifications, the latest had just one: in the gene involved in so-called "hyperacute rejection," which would otherwise occur within minutes of an animal organ being connected to a human circulatory system. By "knocking out" the gene responsible for a biomolecule called alpha-gal -- a prime target for roving human antibodies -- the NYU Langone team was able to stop immediate rejection. "We've now gathered more evidence to show that, at least in kidneys, just eliminating the gene that triggers a hyperacute rejection may be enough along with clinically approved immunosuppressive drugs to successfully manage the transplant in a human for optimal performance -- potentially in the long-term," said Montgomery. They also embedded the pig's thymus gland -- which lies around the neck and is responsible for educating the immune system -- in the kidney's outer layer. Adam Griesemer, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, added that this practice allowed immune cells in the host's body to learn to recognize the pig's cells as its own, preventing a delayed rejection. Both of the patient's own kidneys were removed, then one pig kidney was transplanted and started immediately producing urine. Monitoring showed that levels of creatinine, a waste product, were at optimal levels, and there was no evidence of rejection. No evidence of pig virus Crucially, no evidence of porcine cytomegalovirus -- which may trigger organ failure -- has been detected since the transplant, and the team plan to continue monitoring for another month. The research was made possible by the family of the 57-year-old male patient, Maurice "Mo" Miller, who was found unresponsive in his bathroom in July. Doctors determined he had an aggressive form of brain cancer, and would not wake up. "Though my brother cannot be here, I can say with confidence he would be proud of the fact in the tragedy of his death, his legacy will be helping many people live," his sister Mary Miller-Duffy told reporters. In January 2022, surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical School carried out the world's first pig-to-human transplant on a living patient -- this time involving a heart. He died two months after the milestone, with the presence of porcine cytomegalovirus in the organ later blamed. The donor pig in these experiments came from a herd from Virginia-based biotech company Revivicor. The herd was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a source of meat for people with hypersensitivity to the alpha-gal molecule, an allergy caused by tick bites. These pigs are bred, not cloned, meaning the process can be more easily scaled. Early so-called xenotransplantation research focused on harvesting organs from primates -- for example, a baboon heart was transplanted into a newborn known as "Baby Fae" in 1984, but she survived only 20 days. Current efforts focus on pigs, which are thought to be ideal donors for humans because of their organ size, their rapid growth and large litter, and the fact they are already raised as a food source. The post US surgeons say pig kidney functional in human for more than a month appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Manhattan of Pasay City (2)
Pasay City aspires to be the first eco-sustainable city or “eco-city” of the Philippines, taking utmost consideration of its environment for the sake of its people. Pasay City is a super-active global metropolis, a host for every foreign visitor coming to or leaving the Philippines. Its mayor is the Honorable Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano. She is that notable lady you will often see among government officials at the airport every time President Bongbong Marcos leaves or arrives from abroad. For every great stride that the national government takes, be it for the economy and infrastructure, the city government complements that with its own. The city government of Pasay always prefers to move along with the national government. When the Duterte administration launched its “Build, Build, Build” program to achieve the golden age of infrastructure in the Philippines, to enhance mobility and connectivity, the city government of Pasay swung along the same spirit by enlarging its limited space by reclaiming a total of 625 hectares, with a blueprint for building two islands and establish connectivity with a bridge between them. And wonder of all wonders, that only the intrepid can do, the city will even erect an iconic Manhattan in Manila Bay! Believe it or not, it’s true. It’s ongoing. And with the advent of digitalization during the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, the pace of construction could go faster. Soon the office of the city auditor of Pasay will be advocating an automated audit system for e-collection and e-payment, and the use of artificial intelligence to process big data to determine patterns and detect fraud. The Office of the City Auditor has been trying its best to make it easy for the Office of the Chief Accountant to cleanse the accounts and eliminate discrepancies and reconcile the accounts with their subsidiaries to reduce to an easy and manageable level the difference between the accounting records and the general service office reports. The Office of the Chief Accountant should start studying how to imbibe the development by CoA of an easy-to-implement and technology-driven government accounting system compliant with the international standard to ensure that all revenues and expenditures are recorded accurately and promptly and enhance auditing guidelines for engagements to cover contracts entered into via social media. Digitalization will enhance transparency, prevent corruption and expedite economic activity. President Bongbong Marcos has launched a continuation of President Duterte’s program of building more, providing sustainable economic activities, and more bridges to establish linkages among islands and our people in the farmlands. Proper utilization and management of resources for the greatest benefit of its constituents are the takeoff point for development planning strategies of the city of Pasay. Since it aspires to be the very first eco-sustainable city or “eco-city” in the Philippines, Pasay City is taking utmost consideration of its environment and the people. The City of Pasay is strictly cognizant of its mission statement: “To serve its constituents and stakeholders with enthusiasm, efficiency, and a firm commitment to adhering to the principles of good governance; and to provide services and infrastructure essential to making the City a progressive, healthy and peaceful place worthy of respect and emulation.” This serves to guide the City in its decision-making and formulating strategies for development. The focus of its mission is ensuring that development ultimately benefits every Pasayeño and the kind of service rendered is one that is characterized by willingness to serve, transparent and responsive to the needs of its constituents. The post Manhattan of Pasay City (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hedcor, Luzon Hydro aid ‘Egay’-stricken communities
Aboitiz Power Corporation subsidiaries Hedcor and Luzon Hydro Corporation, together with Aboitiz Foundation Inc., recently donated rice and fuel to its host communities hit by super typhoon “Egay.” “Egay,” known internationally as Doksuri, devastated communities in northern parts of Luzon after its landfall on 26 July, destroying crops, displacing entire villages and leaving many roads impassable. Responding to requests from LGUs for assistance, Luzon Hydro distributed 150 sacks of 50-kilogram rice, benefiting 750 families in Ilocos Sur. [caption id="attachment_167827" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Hedcor Group’s external relations manager for Luzon Geraldine Ronquillo (center) turning over the company’s rice donation to Ilocos Sur Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Officer Rhon Arquelada (left) and staff member Tereza Zaragosa (right).[/caption] Hedcor, on the other hand, extended over 1,700 liters of fuel to the municipalities of La Trinidad, Tuba, Sablan, Itogon and Bakun in Benguet, while Hedcor Sabangan aided the municipalities of Bauko and Sabangan with 780 liters of fuel. The fuel is intended for heavy equipment vehicles and chainsaws that will help clear debris in affected roads, ensuring faster mobilization of relief goods, and for generators in sitios without electricity. “Hedcor is honored to contribute to the rebuilding of our communities. Our bayanihan spirit furthers our cause to help each other during this period of recovery,” said Hedcor president and COO Rolando Pacquiao. “We join hands with the local government to provide essential aid and relief. We stand in solidarity with our kababayan.” Previously, Hedcor helped strengthen the disaster preparedness and risk management capabilities of Benguet by providing training and donating first aid equipment. Through this, community-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management offices were established in localities to improve the resiliency and prompt response capability of authorities in times of emergency. “Hedcor is driven by its strong sense of responsibility. By collaborating closely with the different host communities, we are better equipped to support each other,” Pacquiao added. Earlier this month, Hedcor and fellow AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South Inc. also mobilized relief efforts for over 560 families in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, after the municipality was hit by flash floods due to rain showers and thunderstorms. The post Hedcor, Luzon Hydro aid ‘Egay’-stricken communities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
French paper launches first edition under far-right editor
France's only national Sunday newspaper this weekend published its first edition under the leadership of a controversial far-right editor, whose appointment had prompted an unprecedented and lengthy staff walkout. Geoffroy Lejeune's appointment to the post of editor-in-chief at the Journal du Dimanche, one of France's biggest-selling papers, triggered a mass strike by staff that lasted 40 days and only ended on Tuesday. A large number of employees are expected to resign in protest at the arrival of Lejeune, whose rise to prominence underlines the rightwards shift of the country's media and politics. Sunday's publication came as a surprise as it had been scheduled to appear in mid-August, ending several weeks of paralysis and missed issues since staff walked out on June 22. The 32-page edition of the paper, which is an institution in France known for high-profile interviews across the political spectrum, devoted its front page to insecurity and judicial issues following the fatal knifing of a 15-year-old boy in northwest France in July. Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, France's new secretary of state for cities, was the first member of the government to grant an interview to the JDD under its new leadership. The edition was produced mainly by freelance journalists and "volunteers". Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said the strike was the longest in French media history since a 28-month stoppage by staff at Le Parisien daily that began in 1975. Lejeune, 34, was until recently editor of far-right weekly Valeurs Actuelles, which in 2021 was found guilty of racist hate speech. He endorsed provocative far-right media commentator Eric Zemmour during the latter's campaign to become president last year. The Lagardere Group -- which owns the JDD, Paris Match magazine, and Europe 1 radio -- is being taken over by French billionaire Vincent Bollore, who is reported to hold ultra-conservative views. Bollore, a conservative Catholic, has been expanding his empire to take in TV channels and now print media. The JDD, which has weekly sales of around 140,000, has in recent years toed a centrist line and been seen as generally sympathetic to the government of President Emmanuel Macron. The post French paper launches first edition under far-right editor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Myrna Segismundo: Chef to ABS-CBN stars, bigwigs
All showbiz stars and talents, as well as journos and v/bloggers, who have attended a media conference at the ABS-CBS compound in South Triangle, QC, most likely may have done so at the cozy and classy restaurant on the 14th floor of the building there. But were they ever aware that the building is called the Eugenio Lopez Jr. Communication Center and the restaurant goes by the mysterious name 9501? If they knew those two names, would they also know the name Myrna Segismundo? Most likely, no unless the journos and v/bloggers who cover showbiz also go to lifestyle media events. Segismundo is one of the country’s foremost chefs of international renown. She was managing director of 9501 for almost 20 years,with the rank of vice president. Security Bank, the Zonta Club of Makati and a group known as Environs recently cited her among their Bravo Empowered Women Awards recipients. [caption id="attachment_166629" align="aligncenter" width="666"] CHEF Myrna Segismundo | Photograph Courtesy Of Relaxlangmom.com[/caption] First project The private 9501 restaurant was conceived in 1995 as the first project of the year, which is why it was given that name by then ABS-CBN head Gabby Lopez, a son of “Kapitan Geny,” who sat on top of the broadcast empire almost up to the time it lost its franchise (Gabby is legally Eugenio Lopez III and is now the chairman emeritus of ABS CBN). The 9501 corporate dining facility produced everything from weekday lunch buffets, formal haute cuisine dinners and board meeting meals to celebrity-studded press conferences. It was never opened to the public, only to ABS-CBN employees and their guests. In August this year, the restaurant ceased operations but went on to be a venue for media conferences with goods catered by other suppliers. That was where Hori7ons (the number stands for “s”) was launched as a K-pop-inspired boy group managed by ABS-CBN with a Korean company. The contract signing of transwoman talent KaladKaren was also held at 9501 weeks ago. Frequent diner Monchet Olives, Gabby Lopez’ s former chief executive, said in an interview that he has never forgotten the very first meal served at 9501 in 2001, with just Gabby Lopez and himself seated at table 001 in the corner: rack of lamb, potato purée reminiscent of Alain Ducasse, gazpacho and the famous quezo de bola cheesecake — prepared by Chef Miguel Yadao who was one of the chefs Segismundo took along with her to 9501 from another private restaurant, PCI Bank’s the Sign of the Anvil. “Sitting there in the corner, window glass on both sides, overlooking Quezon City… It was a sunny day, you could see Manila Bay. I said, wow, this is ABS-CBN,” Olives said. Gabby Lopez was a frequent diner at 9501, usually entertaining guests or meeting with company executives in the wine room. Segismundo, in another interview, remembered Lopez as a “flexible” diner who loved good wine and enjoyed Japanese, Italian, French and especially Mediterranean fare, and occasionally Filipino. The 9501 chefs could prepare any kind of cuisine, but Segismundo was most proud of the prominence of Filipino food there. Many of its most famous dishes came from the Sign of the Anvil, including the bestselling Turon, Quezo de Bola Cheesecake, Potato Bread and Adobo Paté. In fact, 9501’s bestsellers were almost all Filipino, including its Chicken and Pork adobo and Beef Tapa — “in the service of Filipino food,” she recalled in one interview. Segismundo started “dissecting and deconstructing” traditional Filipino dishes with her chefs during her Anvil days, creating her iconic Lechon Roulade (using suckling pig, not liempo) in 1995, years before the lechon roll trend came about. Lecturer on Filipino cuisine The Christmas parties of ABS-CBN executives and employees were held at the restaurant, all the parties of the bigwigs like the birthdays of Gabby Lopez and ABS-CBN top executive Freddie Garcia, and “birthdays ng lahat ng mga sikat,” as Olives once put it. A graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management of the University of the Philippines, Segismundo began her professional career at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, USA. After several years, she went back to Manila and headed Sign of the Anvil. Under the sponsorship of the Department of Foreign Affairs, she has held demonstrations and lectures abroad to promote Filipino cuisine in countries like Spain, Portugal, France, Netherlands, Japan and more. She became the first ever Filipino lecturer on Filipino cuisine at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and Filipino presenter in the prestigious Madrid Fusion in Spain. She has written several books such as the The Party Cookbook and Philippine Cuisine – Home-cooked Recipes Wherever You May Be and co-authored Kulinarya (A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine). She is known for promoting heritage recipes while also transforming them into contemporary interpretations without losing their authentic taste. She was editor of Food Magazine of ABS-CBN and the founder of the Doreen Fernandez Food Writing Awards, an annual food writing competition which aims to encourage food writing and research in the country. Most importantly, she developed the Kulinarya Program of the Department of Tourism to teach the rural folk basic cooking, service and accounting concepts to help uplift their lives and their families. Tastes and flavors Instead of saying certain Filipino dishes are “like” a particular dish from a different country, Segismundo encourages Filipinos to describe them through tastes and flavors. “Talk about our vinegars, our citruses — ingredients that are indigenous to us. Dishes that are truly Filipino that will have a universal appeal.” Meanwhile, the other awardees of Security Bank and Zonta are Celia Baltazar-Elumba for Arts, Culture and Heritage; Lourdes Delos Reyes for Business and Entrepreneurship; Jennie Jocson for Education; Cheryll Ruth Soriano for Media and Public Affairs; Rebecca Angeles for Social Services; Maria Caterina Cristina Lopa for Sports; and Rose Maria Mendoza for STEM. Segismundo received her award for Tourism and Hospitality. A special recognition was also given to the Philippine women’s football team during the awards ceremonies held 27 July at the Security Bank Center in Ayala Avenue, Makati. The post Myrna Segismundo: Chef to ABS-CBN stars, bigwigs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden to host Japan, South Korea leaders 18 Aug — White House
US President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol for a summit at his retreat outside Washington on 18 August, the White House said Friday. "The leaders will celebrate a new chapter in their trilateral relationship as they reaffirm their strong bonds of friendship and the ironclad alliances between the United States and Japan, and the United States and the Republic of Korea," an official statement said. The summit, held at the Camp David presidential retreat in rural Maryland near Washington, DC, will be a chance to "discuss expanding trilateral cooperation across the Indo-Pacific and beyond," the White House said. They will address the "continued threat" from North Korea and "advance a shared trilateral vision for addressing global and regional security challenges, promoting a rules-based international order, and bolstering economic prosperity." Biden has made a priority of getting close US allies Japan and South Korea to overcome years of tension and work together in the face of nuclear-armed North Korea's ongoing saber rattling and fear of confrontation with superpower China. Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul are at one of their lowest points, with diplomacy stalled and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for increased weapons development, including tactical nukes. In response, Yoon has pulled South Korea closer to long-standing ally Washington and sought to bury the hatchet with former colonial power Japan. In April, Seoul and Washington said that if Pyongyang ever used its nuclear weapons against the allies, it would face a nuclear reaction and the "end" of its regime. The post Biden to host Japan, South Korea leaders 18 Aug — White House appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating
In a private dating group on Facebook, Renee flaunts herself to like-minded singles as a fit, adventurous Kizomba dancer who at 35 exudes "inner child vibes." But her main draw? She is unvaccinated. The Covid-19 pandemic may have receded, but dating apps, websites and social media groups still offer to unite vaccine-hating singles who believe debunked falsehoods such as that coronavirus jabs alter DNA or cause infertility. The trend underscores how anti-vaccine sentiment has become an entrenched identity for many who willfully resist or ignore scientific assertions that inoculations saved tens of millions of lives globally when the pandemic was raging. A prospective match's vaccination status determines compatibility not just for Renee, a self-employed Australian, but for many posting in "unvaxed singles" groups that have cropped up on Facebook. Dating decisions there are driven by chemistry but not science. In one closed group breached by AFP, many listed "no jabbies" as their top dating criteria, while others cheered anti-vaccine advocates as "pure blood freedom fighters." One meme popular in the group described their ideal partner: "She's curvy, funny, intelligent, unvaccinated." It demonstrates how the pandemic turned rejecting vaccines from a personal health decision to the way "people express their personal brand," said Timothy Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta in Canada. "It shows how high the walls of their echo chambers are. Being anti-vaccine has become an ideological flag -- a way to demonstrate which team you belong to," Caulfield told AFP. "It is less and less about science and more and more about the values being antivax signal." 'Swipe left' According to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center, about half of US adults who used a dating site or app said it was important to see the vaccination status on profiles. "Why is your vaccination status such a big deal? I've even seen it listed as a 'dealbreaker' on some profiles," said a post in a dating discussion group on the online messaging board Reddit. "The profiles I see most state the following: 'if you're vaccinated then please swipe left.'" Some comments in the group referred to vaccinated singles as people carrying "biological weapons," an apparent reference to the debunked claim the vaccinated spread "super strain" variants. Vaccine falsehoods often overlap with other types of misinformation, introducing believers to those espousing the QAnon conspiracy theory and anti-LGBTQ narratives. "Studies have consistently shown that if a person is anti-vaccine – or unvaccinated – you can make a strong guess about that person's positions on a host of other issues," Caulfield said. Spreading falsehoods can also be profitable. The Florida-based Wellness Company sells a detoxification supplement that it claims counteracts the harmful effects of coronavirus jabs, destroying spike proteins to get back "that pre-Covid feeling." But experts and public health authorities told AFP's fact-checkers there is no evidence the nearly $65 supplement does that. The same company also backs a dating website for unvaccinated people called Unjected. Before being accepted, its members are required to have their "vaccination status certified by a medical professional," according to the website. In 2021, US media reported the Unjected app, dubbed as the "Tinder for anti-vaxers," was removed from Apple's App Store over Covid-19 misinformation. A slew of similar apps for unvaccinated singles are available on the Google Play Store. One such platform is called Unjabbed, whose user reviews expressed concern about bugs and phone hacking attempts after the app was downloaded. 'Tall, dark, handsome' At the height of the pandemic in 2021, conventional online dating platforms including Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid sought to boost vaccinations. As part of a White House-backed effort, many platforms allowed users to create badges displaying vaccination status, with OkCupid calling the inoculated the "new tall, dark and handsome." Users who were vaccinated or planned to be saw a spike in matches and engagement, OkCupid said in a blog, adding the "vaccine is really helping people find love." But any future inoculation drive could be jeopardized by anti-vaccine sentiment, which appears resilient even as the pandemic ebbs and travel restrictions are lifted around the world. The allure of finding an unvaccinated partner is reinforced by false social media posts sharing unfounded fears that vaccines can be "shed" or passed onto people through body fluids, threatening fertility. "The only real utility a dating platform like this could have is finding a partner that aligns with your 'medical freedom' views," Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told AFP. "There is no clinical reason to do so." The post Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go vows pro-poor programs’ support
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s accomplishments in the past year as he underscored the urgency of continuing pro-poor programs and initiatives for the benefit of the marginalized sectors in the country. Go also pledged his continued support for the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers. This, following the passage of Regional Specialty Centers Act that he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate, which provides for their creation. The measure is now awaiting the president’s signature. In an ambush interview on Tuesday, 11 July after aiding poor residents in Trece Martires City, Cavite, Go highlighted his commitment to ensure sustained funding for healthcare facilities nationwide including the establishment of the Regional Specialty Centers. Such centers are intended to be located in Department of Health regional hospitals across the country. Each center will host a different specialty, bringing services such as those available in Metro Manila-based hospitals like the Heart Center, Lung Center and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, closer to the people in the regions. The legislation is an integral part of the health-related legislative agenda of the Marcos administration, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028. Go expressed his anticipation for continued and increased focus on pro-poor initiatives by the administration in the forthcoming second State of the Nation Address of Marcos scheduled on 24 July. Reflecting on the harsh effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Go emphasized the necessity of ensuring food security and job creation for all Filipinos, especially those most affected by the health crisis. Meanwhile, Go emphasized the urgency of finding a solution to Davao del Norte’s power supply outages during a public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Energy on Wednesday, 12 July. Go appealed to the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative to provide immediate solutions after its commitment to resolve the issue by 30 June 2023, has apparently not been met. A native Davaoeño, Go cited a specific incident from 13 June when an unscheduled brownout disrupted his speech in Tagum City in Davao del Norte. Go demanded an update on NORDECO’s earlier promise to resolve the brownout issue by 30 June. In response, a representative from NORDECO extended their apologies for the interruptions. They explained that the unscheduled interruption on 13 June was a result of an issue with the Mindanao grid, which affected the 400-megawatt supply of power. The post Go vows pro-poor programs’ support appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Monsters in Phl volleyball
Philippine volleyball is again in trouble. The country’s lone professional volleyball league — the Premier Volleyball League — is under fire after the Philippine National Volleyball Federation penalized it for staging a tournament “within the national team period without authorization.” Based on the calendar of the International Volleyball Federation, no commercial tournaments will be held around the world from 16 May to 15 October to give way to the national teams’ participation in various tournaments. The PVL, however, kicked off its Invitational Conference last week to run till 30 July with guest teams from Japan and Australia said to be joining to jack up the level of competition in the semifinals. The biggest casualty is the national squad that competed in the AVC Women’s Challenge Cup in Indonesia recently. With the core of the team that saw action in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games like Alyssa Valdez, Kat Tolentino, Jia de Guzman, and Mylene Paat busy with their respective mother teams in the PVL, the PNVF had no choice but to send young and untested players to the prestigious continental tournament. Bannered by Faith Nisperos, Michelle Cobb, AC Miner, and Roma Doromal with Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Bang Pineda as the only veterans, the national squad had a forgettable seventh-place finish. This didn’t sit well with the PNVF. In a memorandum that Daily Tribune obtained last Thursday, the federation cracked the whip by barring PVL clubs from securing the International Transfer Certificates of foreign players in the reinforced conference. Sideliners see the penalty as a declaration of war by the PNVF leadership as it will prompt the PVL organizers to either alter their format or scrap the season-ending conference altogether. But more than that, the sanction will disrupt PVL operations, hurting the players, coaches, officials, utility, and other personnel who are banking on professional volleyball to make ends meet. But let us remember that the PVL is the federation’s last remaining ally. When the PNVF was formed at the height of the pandemic in 2021, the PVL rallied behind it while other leagues such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League refused to toe the line. The PVL had also been very cooperative and supportive of the national team program by deploying its players to major international tournaments. In fact, when the PNVF leadership threw a tantrum and fired National University players from the national squad, it was the PVL that cleaned up the mess by sending its players to the AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup that the country was set to host. During the buildup to the SEA Games, the PVL made the major sacrifice of halting its operations so its players could go to Japan for a 15-day training. Although it could have easily refused since the Osaka training was scheduled from 13 to 28 April, which was outside the national team window, the PVL still agreed to lend its players to help the federation regain a SEA Games medal. The PVL has also been very gracious, allowing national team head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito of Brazil to coach one of its marquee clubs, Akari, even though there are many local coaches available who can easily do the job. And now this? The PNVF is penalizing the PVL for something that could have been resolved with a mere phone call or a 30-minute meeting. You don’t do that to your partner, especially your most loyal — and last remaining — ally. What if — only what if — PVL team owners fire back and bar their stars from playing for the national team in the 19th Asian Games? Can the PNVF still form a competitive team? The monsters that have been terrorizing Philippine volleyball are again starting to appear. And, sad to say, they are destroying the relationship between the PVL and PNVF, greatly affecting the country’s chances to form a stronger, more competitive national team. Unless local officials slay the monsters — pride, greed, arrogance, and lust for power — Philippine volleyball will forever be a source of punchlines in the international arena. The post Monsters in Phl volleyball appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Saudi Arabia’s Guest of the King program (2)
Saudi Arabia’s “Guest of the King” program epitomizes the commitment of the Kingdom to serve Islam. It is a continuing program sustained through the years, interrupted only by the Covid-19 pandemic. Target beneficiaries are those making a pilgrimage to Holy Mecca and Madinah. They are treated as “guests” in the truest sense of the word, with the host leaving no stone unturned to make their pilgrimage successful and meaningful with little hassle. Obviously, the raison d’etre of the program is to help Muslims fulfill their Islamic obligation (one of the pillars of Islam); enhance “Ummah Islamiyyah” or the fraternity of global Muslims through person-to-person contact with the millions of believers gathered in the biggest congregation of the faithful; and the promotion and strengthening of relations with other countries. This writer is in the dark about the criteria for selecting grantees for the program. There is a dearth of materials about it. I haven’t come across literature fully describing the program. Perhaps it is partly done at random. We can only venture a guess based on a profile of this year’s Filipino participants. As we have written, no information on it was supplied by the Embassy. We conjectured that the reason for the lack of published information was so their choice process would not be unnecessarily restricted and they could enjoy a wide latitude of discretion and autonomy in making their choices. I can surmise that after the information on the would-be guests is gathered, this is forwarded to Riyadh where the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance makes the final selection. In the case of the Filipinos, the participants represented a cross-section of Filipino Muslim society. Let me give you a glimpse of the profiles of the chosen Filipinos. They represented various tribes and interest groups. There was a batch from the academe and the judiciary — Law Dean Norhabib bin Suod Barodi of Mindanao State University, Professor Luqman bin Usman Imam of the Faculty of Islamic Affairs, University of the Philippines, and Regional Trial Court Judge Jamel Mamutuk. Another was a group of peace-keeping uniformed officers headed by Police Col. Zainalabiden Ismael; and from the media, Al-Aleem Abdul Hannan Tago, a former journalist of Arab News; Noroddin Magindanao of Radio Salam, and this writer. There were Islamic scholars like Said Acmad Bashier and Suwaib Ibrahim; from the government, Executive Director Taher Lidasan Jr. of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, and others who were “balik-Islam” or Muslim converts (I didn’t have the chance to ask the others). There seems to be no hard and fast rule. But from the sampling above, I could only guess that among the criteria for selecting guests are the prominent and eminent Muslim personalities; those who have contributed to the propagation of the Islamic faith; the solicitous so-called “balik Islam” or Muslim converts; those who have rendered government or personal services for the betterment of Muslims; those influencers who have in one way or another contributed or have the potential to contribute to the promotion and strengthening of the political and cultural relationship between the Kingdom and the Philippines, and those who would be unable to perform the hajj pilgrimage without financial assistance from benevolent sponsors. I read somewhere that the Kingdom played host to the family of the martyred and injured Palestinians who suffered at the hands of the murdering and abusive Israeli authorities, as well as the recent victims of the war in Yemen and Syria. The Kingdom is no doubt enjoying economic and financial autarky. This is thanks to its oil resources, the main source of its petro-dollars, although His Majesty Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman has launched an ambitious Vision 2030 program that will reduce its economic reliance on oil. But no doubt, its wealth is being expended to good use and this is exemplified by the Kingdom’s budget for the Guests program. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Saudi Arabia’s Guest of the King program (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»