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Niño Muhlach super proud na umabot ng 5 dekada sa showbiz: ‘Not everyone can say that they have been here for 50 years’
HINDI man ganoon ka-active sa mundo ng showbiz, hindi pa rin naman nawawala sa sirkulasyon ang dating child wonder na si Niño Muhlach. Napapanood pa rin ng madlang pipol si Niño sa ilang programa sa telebisyon at napapasama sa mga pelikula ng Viva Films at iba pang movie companies. Pero kahit na hindi na masyadong.....»»
50 years later, wounds of Pinochet regime are still raw
In the basement of the presidential palace in Chile's capital, Patricia Herrera was detained and tortured for months before being sent into exile. It was early in a military dictatorship that would kill or cause the disappearance of thousands of people. Fifty years after the US-backed coup that snuffed out Chile's democracy, the wounds from all that suffering are still raw. - Torment - As she returned from class at the university, Herrera was detained by officers in plain clothes because she was "a woman and a socialist." She was 19. Herrera was taken, blindfolded, to the basement of La Moneda, as the presidential palace is called. It was then also known as "El Hoyo," or the pit, as it was one of the first detention and torture centers set up by General Augusto Pinochet's new regime after the ouster of Socialist president Salvador Allende on September 11, 1973. Allende committed suicide rather than be captured. "From the very first night we got there, there was sexual humiliation. At first I thought it was just the guard who was overdoing it with me. I did not think it was an established thing that women had to suffer sexual, in addition to political, violence," said Herrera, now 68 and a historian. Herrera was held for 14 months at the palace and in two other buildings in Santiago that were converted into torture centers by the Pinochet regime. She was then sent into an exile that would last 15 years, first in France and then in Cuba. Two commissions created to study the dictatorship concluded that at least 38,254 people were tortured under the Pinochet regime, which lasted until 1990. The basement in the presidential palace where Herrera was held was also known as Cuartel, or barracks, N°1 and is now used as office space. People taken there blindfolded could identify it because of its curved wall. On 30 August of this year, the current president, Gabriel Boric, had a plaque installed in the basement space to mark the horrors endured by around 30 people who were held there. "We want to put up a marker for everyone to see," Herrera said, "that here, in the political heart of the nation, there was a torture center." - Disappearance - Agents of the dictatorship killed 1,747 people, and detained and made another 1,469 disappear, according to an official government tally. While 307 of the disappeared have since been identified, the other 1,162 remain missing. Fifty years later, their families still wonder where they are. In 1974, when Pinochet's police detained a man named Luis Mahuida -- a 23-year-old university student active in leftist politics and the father of two young daughters -- they also brought an abrupt end to the childhood of his sister Marialina Gonzalez, who was then nine years old. Their mother, Elsa Esquivel, spent all her time looking for her son; it was a full-time occupation. she dedicates herself to caring for her elderly mother and expects to carry suffering with her into her own old age. "There is no closure just because my brother is still missing. There will be no closure." looked after her brother's daughters, who were three and 11 months old when he vanished. "I stopped playing with dolls. My nieces were dolls for me," said Gonzalez. She never finished her education. She went to hundreds of places asking for her brother. Gonzalez even staged a hunger strike and recalls being arrested several times while taking part in protest marches in honor of missing people. She regrets the childhood she never had. "I was not capable of saying: 'Stop, let me be. I want to go out dancing. I want to have friends.' I kept quiet," she said. Now 59, she dedicates herself to caring for her elderly mother and expects to carry suffering with her into her own old age. "There is no closure just because my brother is still missing. There will be no closure." - Exile - The dictatorship triggered the biggest migratory movement in Chilean history. Just over 200,000 people went into exile, according to the non-governmental Chilean Human Rights Commission. Employees of the Allende government, union leaders, workers, students and farmers left the country, taking their families with them. Sweden, Mexico, Argentina, France and Venezuela were the main recipient countries. Most of the exiles were able to return home starting September 1, 1988, when the regime issued a decree allowing them back, a year and a half before the dictatorship ended. A communist activist named Shaira Sepulveda was tortured in secret prisons called Villa Grimaldi and Cuatro Alamos. After her release she left in 1976 for France, along with her husband at that time. She left relatives and friends in Santiago. "My family was here, my sister, my parents. But what really hurt was having to go to a country where you are a nobody," Sepulveda recalls. She returned to Chile 17 years later with two children, but again her family was broken apart. The eldest child could not adapt to life in Chile and returned to Europe. "I am an old woman, so my grandchildren there will barely know me," said Sepulveda, who is 74. bur-pa/vel/gm/dga/dw/bbk © Agence France-Presse The post 50 years later, wounds of Pinochet regime are still raw appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Make way for a new Atayde in showbiz: Gela, the younger sibling of Arjo and Ria
There are now five Ataydes in Pinoy showbiz, although two of them do not use the surname for their showbiz work. There used to be only two actor Ataydes: Arjo and Ria. A third one will be introduced on 28 August as an actor in the latest ABS-CBN series Senior High: Gela Atayde, who has just made a name for herself as part of a team that emerged world champion in an international hip-hop dancing competition in the US. So who are the two Ataydes who don’t go by that surname in showbiz? Sylvia Sanchez and Maine Mendoza. The former is the mother of Arjo, Ria and Gela, while Maine is the brand-new Mrs. Arjo Atayde. She married Arjo on 28 July in Baguio City. [caption id="attachment_175680" align="aligncenter" width="893"] Sylvia Sanchez And Maine Mendoza-atayde. | Photograph Courtesy of Ig/sylvia Sanchez[/caption] Businessman Art Atayde is the father of Sanchez’s actor children. They have another son, Xavi, the youngest in the family. There are no talks (yet?) about Xavi wanting to join showbiz. Sanchez having three children active in front of the camera may be matched by Pen Medina, who has four sons who are actors, too, though not as prominently as Sanchez’s children. Medina’s thespian sons are Ping, Karl, Alex and Victor. Ping now appears with his father Pen in ABS-CBN’s Batang Quiapo. Alex, Karl and Victor, meanwhile, have played major roles in indie films. We personally know that Pen also has a lovely grown-up daughter, but she is not interested to become an actor. (Pen and I had theater workshops in our youth conducted by Joonee Gamboa and the late Adul de Leon. It was in those workshops that Pen met the would-be mother of their children.) Further back, it’s actually actor Eddie Gutierrez who used to have three sons and one daughter in showbiz: Tonton Gutierrez, Ramon Christopher (who started in showbiz without using a surname), Ruffa Gutierrez, Richard Gutierrez and his twin Raymond Gutierrez. Just a few years ago, another female Gutierrez — Janine — joined showbiz. She is the daughter of Ramon Christopher, more popularly known as “Monching,” whose mom is the singer Pilita Corrales. Janine’s mother is actor Lotlot de Leon, one of the two adopted daughters of then-couple Nora Aunor and Christopher de Leon. Tonton is Eddie’s oldest child, and his mother is beauty queen-actress Liza Lorena. A few years after he had a son with Corrales, the elder Gutierrez married Annabelle Rama, and Ruffa is their first child and only daughter. They had another son, nicknamed Rocky, before they had the twins Richard and Raymond. World championship Gela Atayde has just gotten back from the World Hiphop Dance Championship in Phoenix, Arizona where her team, Legit Status, won the world championship on 6 August by beating 54 other teams. Gela, 21, speaks with as much overflowing self-confidence as her Kuya Arjo and Ate Ria. At her media launch in Morato, Quezon City a few days ago, Gela declared that she really likes to be recognized as a dancer and to be able to hone her acting career at the same time. “One of the big reasons why I really wanted to enter showbiz was to introduce dance. I guess as a dancer, I realized that it is not as appreciated as we hope it would be. So I guess for me since I was given the opportunity to do it, I want to explore and show everyone what dance is all about — not just hip-hop but maybe other styles so it can be talked about more often,” she said. Her first ABS-CBN project is the series Senior High, which will see her playing a campus dancer and acting alongside her mother Sylvia as well as young stars Andrea Brillantes and Kyle Echarri. The series, produced by Dreamscape Entertainment, replaces Iron Heart, topbilled by Richard Gutierrez. The upcoming show recently trended on social media as it featured SB19’s hit song “Bazinga.” Also in the show’s cast are Juan Karlos, Elijah Canlas, Zaijian Jaranilla, Xyriel Manabat, Daniela Stranner, Miggy Jimenez and Tommy Alejandrino, along with Angel Aquino, Baron Geisler and Mon Confiado. Senior High will be released on 28 August, 9:30 p.m. via the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, JeepneyTV, A2Z and TV5. It will also stream on iWantTFC and on TFC. It’s a season of “revenge” entertainment at ABS-CBN. The just-concluded series Dirty Linen had a family avenging the death of their loved ones in the hands of a greedy well-off family, while the forthcoming film A Very Good Girl, starring internationally acclaimed actor Dolly de Leon and Kathryn Bernardo, is likewise powered by a revenge yarn. The post Make way for a new Atayde in showbiz: Gela, the younger sibling of Arjo and Ria appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NSC condemns NPA land mine attack in Masbate
The National Security Council condemned on Monday the detonation of an improvised land mine by the New People's Army that wounded three people, including a barangay captain, by the roadside of Barangay Bonifacio in Uson, Masbate last week. In a virtual press briefing by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya read the statement of NSC chair and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año who said the incident in Masbate "is another violation" of the CPP-NPA-NDF committed against International Humanitarian Law. "NSC would like to emphasize that our fight against terorrist groups is unrelenting. CPP-NPA-NDF is the Number 1 violator of IHL by executing civilians, ambuscades, etc.," Malaya said. "Over the past decade, 373 people were killed by NPAs. [They] detonated 141 illegal landmines that killed 24 people. By 2010, 524 were recruited by them as child warriors. There are also 270 events of targeting civilians, forced disappearance, sexual assaults." The government has slapped 293 cases of violation of IHL and RA 9851 against the NPA, with 82 already in court, according to Malaya. The rebel amnesty program being offered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is "now being crafted and going through a process." However, the amnesty will only be for former rebels without court conviction or active court cases. "Those who have specific crimes , have probable cause, trials ongoing or facing cases" are not covered by the amnesty, said Malaya. He said the NSC and NTF-ELCAC' condemnation of CPP-NPA-NDF activity carries the conviction that "justice will be served" for the victims. Democrito Rivera, 62, chairman of Barangay Bonifacio; Romneck Lumabab, 32, and Alex Balayan, 39, were on a motorcycle when the land mine explosion occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on 8 August. Five men reportedly opened fire on the victims following the explosion. The gunmen escaped as state security forces and first aid responders arrived and brought the victims to the hospital for treatment. Noel Legaspi alias Ka Efren, a former CPP/NPA cadre, said the rebel groups' violations of IHL are "historical", citing the Plaza Miranda bombing in the early 70's and even their own purging campaign where thousands of NPA members suspected of conniving with the military were killed, including civilian supporters. The post NSC condemns NPA land mine attack in Masbate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Davao deploys ‘Jr.’ youth officials
DAVAO CITY — The City Social Welfare Development Office here — in partnership with the Pederasyon ng Sangguniang Kabataan — kicked off last Monday the first-ever City Junior Officials program. CSWDO child and youth welfare division chief Gilda Salvaña disclosed that the initiative is part of the Linggo ng Kabataan on 4 to 11 August. A total of 50 young people between the ages 13-17 will be taking on the role of junior city government executives for a week. Salvaña said that after a systematic filtering process, one of them was chosen as the junior city mayor, a vice mayor, 27 city councilors, while the rest will act as junior city department heads. “This aims to develop and hone leadership skills among the youth and to encourage their active participation in policy-making and local governance,” Salvaña said. From 7 to 11 August, the chosen junior officials will assume their assigned roles and learn the functions and mandate of their office. Through their executive roles, the participants will have the privilege of observing the bureaucratic processes of the local government up close. The post Davao deploys ‘Jr.’ youth officials appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Treatment first
Dear Atty. Chris Liquigan, My sister was rushed to the ER due to dehydration. She needed the dextrose because she was really, really pale. The nurse told us we need to pay first before giving treatment to my sister. Is this right? Help me Atty. Vil Dear Vil, To answer your question directly, no, it is not right to demand any deposit. According to the Republic Act 10932, otherwise known as “An Act Strengthening the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law,” succinctly, Section 1 of the law dictates that it is unlawful for any proprietor, president, director, manager or any other officer and/or medical practitioner or employee of a hospital or medical clinic to request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment as a prerequisite for administering basic emergency care to any patient, confinement or medical treatment of a patient in such hospital, viz: “Sec. 1. In emergency or serious cases, it shall be unlawful for any proprietor, president, director, manager or any other officer and/or medical practitioner or employee of a hospital or medical clinic to request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment as a prerequisite for administering basic emergency care to any patient, confinement or medical treatment of a patient in such hospital or medical clinic or to refuse to administer medical treatment and support as dictated by good practice of medicine to prevent death, or permanent disability, or in the case of a pregnant woman, permanent injury or loss of her unborn child, or non-institutional delivery: Provided, That by reason of inadequacy of the medical capabilities of the hospital or medical clinic, the attending physician may transfer the patient to a facility where the appropriate care can be given, after the patient or his next of kin consents to said transfer and after the receiving hospital or medical clinic agrees to the transfer: Provided, however, That when the patient is unconscious, incapable of giving consent and/or unaccompanied, the physician can transfer the patient even without his consent: Provided, further, That such transfer shall be done only after necessary emergency treatment and support have been administered to stabilize the patient and after it has been established that such transfer entails less risks than the patient’s continued confinement: Provided, furthermore, That no hospital or clinic, after being informed of the medical indications for such transfer, shall refuse to receive the patient nor demand from the patient or his next of kin any deposit or advance payment: Provided, finally, That strict compliance with the foregoing procedure on transfer shall not be construed as a refusal made punishable by this Act.” (Emphasis and underscoring supplied) In this connection, Article 2 of the cited law defines basic emergency medical care as follows: “(i) ‘Basic emergency care’ — the response to a situation where there is urgently required medical care and attention, and shall include procedures required for initial diagnosis, use of equipment and supplies in sufficiently addressing the emergency situation, considering the welfare of the patient. It also includes the necessary medical procedures and treatment administered to a woman in active labor to ensure the safe delivery of the newborn.” Consistent with the prohibition against actually adding further features to the Act, Section 5 provides for death, disability or serious injury resulting from the refusal to provide basic emergency medical care on the basis of the policy advance payment or bond. It provides for the presumption of liability in the event of serious medical injury. In summary, Section 5 says: “Sec. 5. Presumption of Liability. — In the event of death, permanent disability, serious impairment of the health condition of the patient-complainant, or in the case of a pregnant woman, permanent injury or loss of her unborn child, proceeding from the denial of his or her admission to a health facility pursuant to a policy or practice of demanding deposits or advance payments for confinement or treatment, a presumption of liability shall arise against the hospital, medical clinic, and the official, medical practitioner, or employee involved.” Therefore, applying the above law, it is already known that advance deposits or payments are required in various practices of hospitals, except where appointment of transfer due to incompetence of the hospital or clinic is impermissible and punishable. Hope this helps. Atty. Chris Liquigan The post Treatment first appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump-appointed judge, to preside over his case
When Aileen Mercedes Cannon was appointed a judge by Donald Trump three years ago, she could hardly have imagined she would preside over his trial. But on Friday she set May 20, 2024 as the date to start the unprecedented federal criminal prosecution of a former president in her small Fort Pierce, Florida courtroom. Her assignment to the high-stakes trial has added another layer of controversy to the case, in which Trump is charged with 37 counts of willfully keeping highly classified US documents in his Mar-a-Lago, Florida home, obstruction of justice, and lying to federal law enforcement officials. Some of the charges bring up to 20 years in prison, with Cannon to decide the sentencing if a jury finds Trump guilty. The pressure is even higher because the trial will start in the middle of an already intense battle before the November 2024 presidential election, with Trump leading the race for the Republican nomination. It remains to be seen how Cannon will accommodate the courtroom requirements and election campaign needs of the man who gave her the job. Lifetime appointment Cannon was relatively young -- 38 years old -- when Trump nominated her to the lifetime position in 2020. Born in Cali, Colombia, she grew up in Florida. Her mother immigrated to the United States from Cuba as a child. Cannon obtained her undergraduate degree at Duke University and her law degree from the University of Michigan, routinely ranked among the top 10 law schools in the country. A member of the Federalist Society, which brings together conservative attorneys, judges, and law experts, Cannon worked for three years at a private law firm in Washington and for seven years as an assistant US attorney prior to becoming a judge. Random pick Her selection to handle the Trump case was random, blindly drawn from the pool of several active federal judges in the Justice Department's southern Florida district. Some legal experts have argued she should have recused herself because she allegedly displayed bias towards Trump last year when she was assigned a lawsuit he filed over the FBI raid to recover the Mar-a-Lago documents. She has broad powers to determine the pace of the trial, and her 20 May start date comes smack in the middle of the presidential campaign. If the trial is ongoing and Trump wins the November 2024 election, he could conceivably take action to intervene or even pardon himself upon taking office. Daniel Richman, a law professor at Columbia University, said the presiding judge wields enormous power over a trial and plays a critical role in how it unfolds. "Even in a run-of-the-mill case, the judge can have a significant and sometimes even dispositive effect on proceedings," Richman said. Others contend that Cannon will ensure that he gets a fair shake. "It's impossible now for Trump to complain that he's got a judge that is biased against him," said Edward Foley, a constitutional law professor at Ohio State University. Thomas Holbrook, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said Cannon is in a "tough position." "Almost no matter what she does, she's going to either feed into existing concerns about her potential bias or disappoint Trump supporters," Holbrook said. The post Trump-appointed judge, to preside over his case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chona Mejia Lopez: tireless club woman
I recently interviewed Angelina “Chona” Lopez, a dear friend whose daughter, Bettina Osmeña, is as much a dear friend of mine, and the grandmother of, yes, another chum, Eduardo Lopez, a champion polo player. I have had the opportunity to see Chona on many social occasions, a number having to do with her involvement in the Zonta International. A long time ago, I worked for a club woman who was hosting the awarding ceremonies of the Best Asian Leaders. At one point of the program, I realized that the person assigned to give the flowers to the honoree had not arrived, so I was in a quandary as to who I should ask to do the honors. Then, I saw Chona, who sat quietly in one corner, happy being part of the audience, and asked her if she would go up the stage later to hand over the bouquet. She smiled and said that she couldn’t do it because “I may be performing a role that is intended for someone else.” I had no time to think of her answer but, later, I realized this was one lady who knew her manners and protocol. In what I would learn as her typically gracious way, she told me she could not do it, while reminding me that someone should be up there on the stage, and not she. Talk about propriety and grace and Chona Mejia Lopez comes to my mind to this day. Of course, here is one lady who does not care about any opportunity to shine. Almost self-effacing but simply relaxed and unmindful of attention, Chona remains in my book to be one of the sweetest ladies of Manila’s 400. I wish there were more women like her! Networking Recently, I had a brief tete-a-tete with the ageless Chona. As our conversation geared toward her involvement in civic work, I asked her why she joined Zonta, originally a club for professional women. Or, for that matter, why did she join clubs at all? Her response: “I join clubs for various reasons. As a minority Asian woman working in the United States as a financial advisor at Prudential Bache, I joined the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco as a way of networking. Prudential Bache was then the third largest investment house in the world. After a few years as a member of the chamber, I was elected as the first woman president in the 20-year history of the chamber. Its membership was made up of top executives of US companies with presence in the Philippines, such as Bechtel, Bank of American, Citibank, Dole Foods, etc., and Filipinos working in top level positions in San Francisco. “But business networking is just one aspect of joining clubs. I also join as a way of giving back to society or serving the less fortunate. While living in San Francisco, California, I joined The Little Jim Club, a non-profit fund-raising auxiliary for Child Development Services of the California Pacific Medical Center. The main objective of the club is to support orthopedic and other medical services for children of indigent families who do not have medical insurance coverage. Eventually, I became a director of the club, whose members are women movers and shakers of San Francisco society.” 'I do club work to have a meaningful life, a purpose for my existence. We are here not just to indulge ourselves but to help others.' “When I returned to the Philippines after 11 years living in California, I joined the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs Foundation. It is part of Zonta International, a leading global organization of professionals whose main objective is to advocate for women’s rights and to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy. After two years of joining the club, I was elected as a director, and the following biennium, I became president of the club. I was later on elected as Area 5 director, with 19 clubs under my supervision. I have been a member for 19 years now.” Scholarship She next talked about the Zonta projects that she is so passionate about. She said, “The three projects of Zonta Club of Makati and Environs that are closest to my heart are the DUYAN project in Marillac Hills, which provides psychological care and assistance to minors who are victims of sexual abuse. Another project is our 30 unit Zonta-GK Village in Taguig, It provided funds for building homes for 30 indigent families. This was a project during my term as president of our club. The pride of having a decent home has had great impact on the lives of these 30 families. We also have an educational project that funds the scholarship of young women taking up male-dominated courses like engineering. This has greatly improved the lives of the scholars and their families when after graduation, they got employed in large corporations. Some are now gainfully employed in Europe.” While club work occupies much of her time, Chona knows her priorities. In their order, she said: “These are family, business and club work.” That she has kept to the last instead of enjoying life as a lady of leisure, she explained, “I do club work to have a meaningful life, a purpose for my existence. We are here not just to indulge ourselves but to help others. By joining a club, your job or position has clear-cut responsibilities, time set aside for meetings and project work, etc. It is a structured way of giving back to society which relieves me of the effort of thinking and planning how to do so.” “Because I am now in my rather late senior years, I am no longer as active and as busy as I have been the past 30 years. For the past five biennia, I was always appointed as chair of a district committee. I now devote my time more for the club, not in the district level anymore. Even in the club level, we have so many younger, active, dynamic and very efficient members so the older ones can relax a bit and guide the highly motivated younger ones to take over the reins of the club. The club is truly in good hands to continue Zonta’s work and mission in the next 10 years and beyond.” The post Chona Mejia Lopez: tireless club woman appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive
Four Indigenous children who had been missing for more than a month in the Colombian Amazon rainforest were found alive and flown to the capital Bogota early Saturday. The children, who survived a small plane crash in the jungle, were transported by army medical plane to a military airport at around 00:30 am Saturday (0530 GMT). They were immediately taken off the plane on stretchers with ambulances waiting to bring them to hospital. "Today we have had a magical day," President Gustavo Petro told the media earlier on Friday, after announcing their rescue. "They are weak. Let's let the doctors make their assessment," he added. The president had posted a photo on Twitter showing several adults, some dressed in military fatigues, tending to the children as they sat on tarps in the jungle. One rescuer held a bottle to the mouth of the smallest child, whom he held in his arms. "A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle were found alive," he wrote on Twitter. Video shared by the Defense Ministry late Friday showed the children being pulled up into a helicopter as it hovered over the tall trees in almost complete darkness. Originally from the Huitoto Indigenous group, the children -- aged 13, nine, four and one -- had been wandering alone in the jungle since May 1, when the Cessna 206 in which they were traveling crashed. The pilot had reported engine problems only minutes after taking off from a jungle area known as Araracuara on the 350-kilometer (217-mile) journey to the town of San Jose del Guaviare. The bodies of the pilot, the children's mother and a local Indigenous leader were all found at the crash site, where the plane sat almost vertical in the trees. Officials said that the group had been fleeing threats from members of an armed group. A massive search involving 160 soldiers and 70 Indigenous people with intimate knowledge of the jungle was launched after the crash, garnering global attention. The area is home to jaguars, snakes and other predators, as well as armed drug smuggling groups, but ongoing clues -- footprints, a diaper, half-eaten fruit -- led authorities to believe they were on the right track. Worried that the children would continue wandering and become ever more difficult to locate, the air force dumped 10,000 flyers into the forest with instructions in Spanish and the children's own Indigenous language, telling them to stay put. The leaflets also included survival tips, and the military dropped food parcels and bottled water. Rescuers had also been broadcasting a message recorded by the children's grandmother, urging them not to move. According to the military, rescuers found the children about five kilometers (three miles) west of the crash site. 'Absolute survival' Huitoto children learn hunting, fishing and gathering, and the kids' grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, had told AFP the children are well acquainted with the jungle. News of the rescue came as Petro returned home from Cuba, where he signed a six-month truce with Colombia's last active guerrilla group, the ELN. "Getting closer and attaining peace in the agreement that is moving forward with the ELN... And now I return and the first news is that indeed the Indigenous communities that were in the search and the military forces found the children 40 days later," he told reporters in Bogota. "They were alone, they made it on their own. An example of absolute survival that will go down in history," he said. Seventeen days after the children went missing, Petro announced that they had been found alive, but he retracted the statement a day later, saying he had been given false information. On Friday, he praised "the effective coordination between the military and the Indigenous people" during the search, saying it was an "example of an alliance for the country to follow." Valencia told AFP that the children had been found by a native of Araracuara who had been participating in the search. Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez paid tribute to the various army units' "unshakeable and tireless" work, as well as to the Indigenous people who took part in the search. Army rescuers "immediately took charge of and stabilized" the four siblings, who were transferred to San Jose del Guaviare, according The post Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia volcano draws thousands for ritual sacrifice
Thousands of Hindu worshippers scaled an active Indonesian volcano on Monday to toss livestock, food and other offerings into its smoking crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony. Swarming the thin rim around the basin of Mount Bromo, devotees heaved goats, chickens and vegetables slung across their backs up to the dusty peak as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival. Every year Tengger tribe members from surrounding highlands gather at the top of the volcano -- famed for its stunning sunrise views -- in hope of pleasing their gods and bringing luck to the Tenggerese, an Indigenous group in eastern Java. Slamet, a 40-year-old farmer who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, brought a baby cow as an offering. "We have a lot of cows back home and this one can be considered excess, so we are bringing it here... to return it back to God," he told AFP. "This is also an act of gratitude to God for giving us prosperity... We return it back to God so we can come back here next year." The calf had a lucky escape as it was handed to a villager after Slamet's prayers instead of being sacrificed to the volcanic cauldron. Some villagers who do not belong to the Tengger tribe took to the crater's steep slopes equipped with nets in an attempt to intercept offerings thrown into the abyss and avoid them going to waste. Farmer Joko Priyanto brought some of his own produce in the form of cabbages and carrots to lob down into the smoky void. "I hope I will receive a reward from the almighty God," the 36-year-old said. 'Better income' Monday's ritual was the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that authorities had allowed tourists to the site after the festival was limited to worshippers last year. The event has its roots in 15th-century folklore from the Majapahit kingdom, a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empire that stretched across Southeast Asia. Legend has it that Princess Roro Anteng and her husband, unable to bear children after years of marriage, begged the gods for help. Their prayers were answered when they were promised 25 children, as long as they agreed to sacrifice their youngest child by throwing him into Mount Bromo. Their son is said to have willingly jumped into the volcano to guarantee the prosperity of the Tengger people. For shopkeeper Rohim, who travelled from a nearby Javan city on Monday to launch potatoes, leeks and cash into the lava, it was a chance to pray for good luck. He said his fortunes had improved following previous visits. "Business has been better than before, hence my coming here," the 32-year-old said. "I'm hoping my business can improve so next year I can come back." The post Indonesia volcano draws thousands for ritual sacrifice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pay now, help later
Dear Atty. Chris, My sister was rushed to the ER due to dehydration. She needed the dextrose because she was really pale and needed it. The nurse told us we need to pay first before providing treatment to my sister. Is this right? Help me Atty. Vil ***** Dear Vil, To answer your question directly, no, it is not right to demand any deposit. According to the Republic Act 10932, otherwise known as “An Act Strengthening the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law.” Succinctly, Section 1 of the law dictates that it is unlawful for any proprietor, president, director, manager or any other officer and/or medical practitioner or employee of a hospital or medical clinic to request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment as a prerequisite for administering basic emergency care to any patient, confinement or medical treatment of a patient in such hospital, viz: “Sec. 1. In emergency or serious cases, it shall be unlawful for any proprietor, president, director, manager or any other officer and/or medical practitioner or employee of a hospital or medical clinic to request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment as a prerequisite for administering basic emergency care to any patient, confinement or medical treatment of a patient in such hospital or medical clinic or to refuse to administer medical treatment and support as dictated by good practice of medicine to prevent death, or permanent disability, or in the case of a pregnant woman, permanent injury or loss of her unborn child, or non-institutional delivery: Provided, That by reason of inadequacy of the medical capabilities of the hospital or medical clinic, the attending physician may transfer the patient to a facility where the appropriate care can be given, after the patient or his next of kin consents to said transfer and after the receiving hospital or medical clinic agrees to the transfer: Provided, however, That when the patient is unconscious, incapable of giving consent and/or unaccompanied, the physician can transfer the patient even without his consent: Provided, further, That such transfer shall be done only after necessary emergency treatment and support have been administered to stabilize the patient and after it has been established that such transfer entails less risks than the patient’s continued confinement: Provided, furthermore, That no hospital or clinic, after being informed of the medical indications for such transfer, shall refuse to receive the patient nor demand from the patient or his next of kin any deposit or advance payment: Provided, finally, That strict compliance with the foregoing procedure on transfer shall not be construed as a refusal made punishable by this Act.” (Emphasis and underscoring supplied) In this connection, Article 2 of the cited law defines basic emergency medical care as follows: “(i) ‘Basic emergency care’ — the response to a situation where there is urgently required medical care and attention, and shall include procedures required for initial diagnosis, use of equipment and supplies in sufficiently addressing the emergency situation, considering the welfare of the patient. It also includes the necessary medical procedures and treatment administered to a woman in active labor to ensure the safe delivery of the newborn.” Consistent with the prohibition against actually adding further features to the Act, Section 5 provides for death, disability or serious injury resulting from the refusal to provide basic emergency medical care on the basis of the policy advance payment or bond. It provides for the presumption of liability in the event of serious medical injury. In summary, Section 5 says: “Sec. 5. Presumption of Liability. — In the event of death, permanent disability, serious impairment of the health condition of the patient-complainant, or in the case of a pregnant woman, permanent injury or loss of her unborn child, proceeding from the denial of his or her admission to a health facility pursuant to a policy or practice of demanding deposits or advance payments for confinement or treatment, a presumption of liability shall arise against the hospital, medical clinic, and the official, medical practitioner, or employee involved.” Therefore, applying the above law, it is already known that advance deposits or payments are required in various practices of hospitals, except where appointment of transfer due to incompetence of the hospital or clinic is impermissible and punishable. Hope this helps. Atty. Chris Liquigan The post Pay now, help later appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tereso Panga: PEZA’s homegrown leader
By combining his excellent communication skills, commitment to serving his country, and his long experience as a government executive, Tereso O. Panga, director-general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, has distinguished himself as a public servant. His recent appointment to this top post in an agency that has contributed significantly to the coffers of the national government affirms the confidence of the current national leadership in his excellent record, high acceptance of his fellow workers in the bureaucracy, and, most importantly, his credibility in the trade and industry sector, the number one partner of PEZA in pushing development forward. Tereso joined the Philippine government armed with an educational background that has proved vital toward his understanding of human nature, whether he is dealing with executives of multinational companies that are locators in economic zones or their workers. At the University of the Philippines, he first graduated with a BA in Comparative Literature and then obtained his master’s degree in Industrial Relations. “Since my father was a judge, I wanted to take up Law. I was told that the best prelaw course was AB English since one needed to be both articulate and proficient in writing. I eventually majored in Comparative Literature.” Among his professors were the legendary masters of language like National Artists Franz Arcellana and Jimmy Abad, Thelma Kintanar and Nieves Epistola. He found UP both challenging and rewarding. He adapted to the rigors of academic life, he said, “owing to my strong educational foundation first at the Naga Parochial School, and then Ateneo de Naga.” Strong-willed in a quiet way The Pangas, he said, “are original families of Bicol, particularly Camarines Sur in Iriga town, where the superstar Nora Aunor grew up. He admitted to singing a little, but not with the same intensity as that of his golden-voiced townsman. Coming from Pili town, he swore by Pili being a favorite of his. The basic trait that stood him in good stead “in UP and in future challenges,” he said, “is my being a Bicolano. Born and raised in Bicol, I am strong-willed, resilient, and yet determined. But in a quiet way.” Asked if it also meant being feared, he said, “Well, just spicy, which can be fierce, but wonderful like laing (taro leaves stewed in coconut oil and garnished with red hot chili).” The fourth among eight children of a judge, six of whom graduated from the University of the Philippines, he recalled being a “playful child, but at a young age, I was already into music. I loved playing the guitar and keyboards, but it was all by ear or ‘oido.’” To balance his artistic inclination, he also engaged in sports — chess and table tennis. Not much of a student politician, he nevertheless became president of one organization. His twin brother and another brother were officers of the student government, “so it would not look good if I became an officer too.” In UP, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1986. He also became active in UP Ibalon, an organization of Bicolanos, and the Psychology Society of UP. When it came to campus politics, he supported the Tugon party. While he earned good grades, despite giving more than ample time to his extracurricular activities, he felt he could have done better. “By any standards, I don’t think I did well as a student because I extended my stay for another year.” “My Waterloo was Math,” he confided. “I had no need for Math in my BA English course but I was hoping to shift to Economics. The hardest subject for me was Math 17.” A good writer While he was exposed to creative writing, he learned more about how to do business letters. “Of course, I wrote my thesis,” he emphasized. Fast forward to the future, he joined an Aboitiz- sponsored pilot class at the Development Academy of the Philippines that was attended by undersecretaries and assistant secretaries where he was the most junior. To his credit, his capstone paper on aquamarine and renewable energy, a pioneering venture in ecozone development, was declared the best. It was an achievement that he attributed to his exposure to composition writing at UP. Not much of a student politician, he nevertheless became president of one organization. Later, he would make his own reports and speeches, while reaching out to the various publics of PEZA through Facebook and online media. To recall, he had begun his professional life in the office of then-Congressman Aping Yap of Tarlac. “I stayed for seven years and then moved to the office of his son, Victor, who was then Vice Mayor. We organized and managed social development projects benefitting families of former Hukbalahap commanders and foot soldiers.” It was while inspecting his company’s construction project, a bowling center along Roxas Boulevard, that he came upon the headquarters of the Export Processing Zone Authority. “I had heard already of this government office and its hardworking Director General, Atty. Lilia de Lima. She was the first DG. I walked in and I applied. They called me to take the exams and go through an interview.” In less than a month, he joined PEZA in 1998. Walking the talk He has been with PEZA for 25 years. While he describes his PEZA career as “going up through the ranks,” his rise had been quite swift. He started as a planning officer 3 and went on to become Assistant Division Chief for policy and planning. By then, he had earned units leading to his master’s degree at the University of the Philippines. In time, he passed the qualifications for the Career Executive Service office, one of the youngest of his rank, and soon went up to positions requiring more responsibilities. At age 30, became the zone manager for the Batangas Economic Zone. Next, he became Zone Administrator in Baguio where he stayed for four years. He was 34 years old. “It was the time when Texas Instruments was expanding. Our office facilitated the Big Ticket Project in Clark.” His next assignment was in Cavite where he occupied the concurrent positions of Zone Manager and Administrator. He was 38 and his post required dealing with 350 locator companies. It was not surprising that the Civil Service Commission included him as a finalist in its search for outstanding Civil Service Executives. He ranked second. Soon, he returned to the Manila office, this time as Deputy Director General of Policy and Planning in 2010. It was a post that would prepare him for the highest position in the agency. At first, he served in an OIC capacity until March this year, when he was appointed as Director General by President Ferdinand R. Marcos. Panga had the support of captains of industry, among them the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry bigwigs Sergio Luis Ortiz and George Barcelon, who expressed their belief in his leadership based on his accomplishments. It has indeed been a long way for the young man from Bicol who has preferred to be “low-key” and not one to make a spectacle of his career success. It is an attitude that, he said, “I inherited from my parents, who were both public servants.” His father was a provincial judge and his mother was a public school teacher. “My mother was particular about the discipline of her children.” In keeping with his unassuming attitude, his management style is anchored on “keeping it simple by walking the talk.” I would say it is more of a transformational leadership. Because I can walk the talk I don’t need to direct people. “So, when you want to achieve something, you lead by setting an example. The direction is also clear so there are no misunderstandings or misinterpretation of the goals and objectives of the agency.” “Let’s not get distracted. Let’s just focus on doing our work,” he once told the top officials of PEZA. “Even when I was the OIC, I was presiding over a board meeting composed of 10 full-fledged Undersecretaries. Thankfully, as an insider, and being home-grown, I know how to navigate. My edge is I did not need to have a learning curve.” As part of his job, he has been traveling to promote international investments in the country. “We are always on a trade mission, showing the rest of the world what we can offer. Many of those President Marcos talked to have signed up as locators.” Through it all, he has kept the lines between work and family life. He found a lifetime partner in a lady I met because we were both working in the same building on Quezon Avenue. Happily married He was 26 years old when he married his wife, Edna, a 23-year-old Bulakena who belongs to the politically prominent Pagtalunan family of Guiguinto town. At that time, she was working in an export company. “It was love at first sight,” he recalled. “I was the only suitor not afraid of her father who was a barangay captain. I’d bring a fighting cock for him when I was courting his daughter, even if I was not an enthusiast.” “As I got to know her better, I became more enamored because she was sweet and she knew how to cook. And to this day, she does soups very well, which I love.” All said by a man who has found fulfillment at home and in the office. He is special and has found his mission in life and for his country, which can be said of Panga. And this country, in turn, is fortunate to have such a man serving in an agency that contributes billions to the government coffers. Officials of such caliber, enthusiasm, zeal, and upright moral bearing make this country a better place to live in and a magnet for international investors. The post Tereso Panga: PEZA’s homegrown leader appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name
Anyone who had come of age in the late 1970s and the 1980s would surely know about the most famous names and faces of the younger set of the era known for the coming of age of feminism and women’s lib. The 1960s may have ushered in a cultural revolution but it was in the succeeding decades that the cataclysmic events of the decade that was, in the Philippines, would manifest in the ways and attitudes of Filipino women. I mention this phase in our history because I am sharing my thoughts on one woman whom many consider as one of the country’s most powerful, influential and successful. She is Katrina Ponce Enrile. I may not privy to the growing-up years of Katrina Ponce Enrile, and I would not have the advantage of seeing her from the point of view of someone old enough to observe the growth of a child, but as a teenager, I would occasionally read about her and see her on photographs published in newspapers and magazines, although not too frequent. I just knew she was not only well-bred and beautiful in the mestiza sense being the daughter of a striking beauty of a mother (and the granddaughter of a handsome playboy of a paternal grandfather), but that, she too was brilliant. I would assume that she got her brains from her father, one of the wonder boys of the Marcos administration. Katrina would, in time, be mentioned in juicy gossip now and then, but it was her smarts in enterprise and management that she would eventually be recognized, this notwithstanding the controversial stories that one occasionally heard of her family members. [caption id="attachment_134172" align="aligncenter" width="525"] KATRINA Ponce Enrile has always lived up to her parents ‘ expectations.[/caption] ‘Treat everybody with respect’ But to imagine her childhood and teenage years, one would suppose that for all the comforts that she might have enjoyed while living first in Urdaneta and then Dasmarinas Village, she had had to assert herself, she had once been overheard to say: “At 10, I had to fight a little bit harder to be heard” -- which was expected if one were the only daughter of a famous lawyer of a father and a lovely talented mother, herself a respected stage actress. But no matter that she had to deal with being the daughter of awe-inspiring parents, what she had been showered with, aside from her parents’ affection, was well-meaning advice. For one, it was from her dad and mom that she first heard the word of wisdom. “Treat everybody with respect — everybody. Because you don’t know what fate will bring you or them. People that you meet when you are going up, you also meet when you are going down.” No wonder that years later, as a businesswoman, she was very thoughtful in making decisions whether she was dealing with other top businessmen, her executives or the employees who served the family company at her beck and call. “I always think of how my actions and decisions would affect others,” she said in an interview with the Daily Tribune Lifestyle. No, for all the feisty woman that we know her to be, Katrina, was not advised to be aggressively pro-active when facing a conflict. The legendary Juan Ponce Enrile, instead, cautioned his daughter: “Never throw the first punch. But if they throw the first punch, then…” This, she would take to heart whenever she had had to face corporate, social or emotional bullies, not that she is one to attract people prone to violating her rights. [caption id="attachment_134173" align="aligncenter" width="525"] As the only daughter of Juan Ponce Enrile, the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley.[/caption] One imagines her father might have preferred her to be a boy, JPE being a man’s man, but to which she would have retorted: “Dad, I don’t have to be a boy to be what I am now… Girls can do it too.” Call it outright confidence, or chutzpah, or maybe it’s Pinay pride, but Katrina is not one to be cowed. And yes, she could lead and fight and attack, but as her father would most likely say: “Only if they attack first.” Self-assured executive What I have heard of Katrina, especially from my dear friend, Carol Mercado, who was her classmate at St. Paul College, is her signature confidence. “From our youth, when she could be stubborn, she has matured steadily into a self-assured executive no wonder that she has accomplish much as an entrepreneur. “It’s a paradox that while she may have been underestimated at times and even flat out rejected, she knows how to overcome these challenges because she is one creative person and she is not one to easily bow down or to say no. But then, she is not even outright assertive. She could be very charming and before any nemesis would know it, she has gotten what she wants without lifting a finger.” It would seem that the lady would have aimed for political eminence, being the daughter of the powerful JPE, but to everyone’s surprise, she had chosen to create a name outside of her inherited box (or confines), so to speak. While she takes pride in being an Enrile, she has not taken advantage of her family name as though an amulet that would do wonders for her. Instead, she has chosen to rely on the old-fashioned values of industry, respect for others, commitment and determination. She might as well be girl scout, except more courageous, daring and trailblazing. Flexing her risk-taking muscles In her 20s, when her friends were disco dancing, she was, to use another friend’s words, “flexing her risk-taking muscle and sharpening her foresight for the first time — pivotal experiences that would shape her business sense now admired by many.” She surprised everyone when, at 26, she bought properties in Palawan. “It was a big joke to many,” she recalled. “They could not see any reason I should take the risk and invest in a place where no one dared go. It was then no man’s country and perceived to be mosquito-infested.” Today, Palawan is a safe haven from the pandemic, and, of course, an investors’ paradise. On the other hand, her parents saw a promise in her, someone who would play a key role in the family enterprises. They appointed her as Group Treasurer even before her 30th birthday, and with it the added role of overseeing the many concerns of the JAKA Group of Companies. It is quite a daunting responsibility given its extensive industrial reach –- food manufacturing and product distribution to marketing and logistics; forest plantation management; safety match manufacturing, property management and development; as well as IT, security and financial services. It would seem that, for a “beginner” in the big league, it was beyond Katrina’s grasp, and yet she lived up to her parents’ expectations. [caption id="attachment_134175" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SOME of Delimondo’s best products.[/caption] In time she would qualify as the firm’s COO and eventually CEO. Not one used to trumpeting her achievements, Katrina candidly shared: “I was able to turn around the company, helping navigate it through the debilitating Asian Financial Crisis in the mid-1990s. And when the peso devalued in 2008 to 2009, when we had [a] one dollar denominated loan which I had to quickly deal with, I was able to restructure our company and keep it afloat.” Soon, she would be trusted to manage JAKA’s investments, which “allowed me to dream of bigger things, this in the midst of an economic crisis and the pressure to survive it.” Her baby Delimondo When shopping in a supermarket or a grocery, the Filipino consumers, especially those who take their corned beef seriously, would pick the Delimondo brand. They would also put the brand’s Bolognese Pasta, Luncheon Meat, Yellowfin Tuna spreads and aromatic oils in their cart or shopping bags. Katrina confides, “Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture.” Her was a one-woman team that managed the brand’s marketing, sales and R&D. To introduce it to the market, she gave away cans of their initial recipes for free. “I wanted to offer something deliciously different, one that I enjoyed from my travels abroad.” [caption id="attachment_134174" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SHE is most proud of her baby, Delimondo.[/caption] It wasn’t long before investors would come in too aware that Delimondo operates its own plants that produce and package its own products. The company would soon expand and offers its manufacturing services to other products all the way to exporting them. In time and with Katrina at the helm, JAKA shifted to investing in other companies. But if her JAKA performance is impressive, anyone should take a look at her other achievements. To cite one, as the Philippines Overseas Telecommunications Operations director and CEO/president. She led the efforts to renew the company’s franchise that would allow it to provide the Philippines satellite services. For another, as director and president, she has brought into the Montemar Resorts Development Corporation and Montemar Beach Club Inc. not only her management expertise, but her exposure to top international resorts as a frequent guest. No wonder that Manila’s well-heeled consider these resorts as standard-bearers of local luxury travel. [caption id="attachment_134171" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture,’ said Katrina.[/caption] Transforming the upper east corner of Luzon Katrina also sits as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s vice chairperson. In this role, she envisions making the province a model destination that easily rivals the country’s capital. “They’re considering appointing me as administrator. Once that post is confirmed, I will be fully committed to transforming the upper east corner of Luzon into another business area that the Philippines will be proud of.” As part of her vision, she plans to build a stronger point of economy with the available freeport and expand its potential by constructing an airport. To attract investors, she plans to boost incentives to encourage more players to relocate. “We plan to make smart cities there. I plan to make it very green. I plan to protect the lush forests. It’s really also known as the rice granary of the Philippines. I plan to push the transition from GMOs (genetically modified organism) to non-GMOs. I know that that will be a hard task but I plan to do it. I want to give the Filipinos healthy food for the next generations to come,” she states. Worthy and deserving As the only daughter of the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley. She may have grown up in Manila, travelled the whole world, but her heart has always remained in the home of her father, Juan Ponce Enrile, and it is among his people, relatives and townsmen that she intends to pursue her next dream. There is no stopping this feisty Cagayanon. For her home province, she is out to conquer the world. But then, I must insist that this is not about being her father’s daughter, although there is no denying the great influence of JPE on Katrina becoming the woman that she has become -- strong-willed, passionate, forward-thinking. Still, Katrina could only thank herself most for being herself. That she accepted the challenges that came her way and faced them head on using her own gifts and advantages – which undoubtedly brought her to her destiny, one that she has arrived at and one that she has yet to fulfill. Indeed, if the women’s movement has reached this far, and women today now enjoy key positions in government, private sector and civil society, this may be attributed to the generations of women who have looked toward the future and embraced their destinies as key players in the affairs of humanity. Katrina is one of these women and we wish her all the best. No one could be more worthy of the challenge and deserving of the honor. The post Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NEDA greenlights RCEP tariff sked
Following the deposit of the Instrument of Ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP agreement to the Secretary-General of ASEAN last 3 April 2023, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan announced that the National Economic and Development Authority Board has approved the Executive Order operationalizing the Philippines’ tariff commitment under RCEP. Balisacan was joined by Trade Secretary Fred Pascual Balisacan was in a press briefing in Malacañang on Thursday with Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual during which the latter said the RCEP agreement will enter into force for the Philippines, 60 days from said deposit of the instrument of ratification and that date of effectivity will be on 2 June 2023. “In the issuance of the EO that we presented to the NEDA Board Meeting this morning, said EO will operationalize the implementation of the Philippines tariff commitments under the RCEP agreement. Once issued, the EO shall be the basis of the Bureau of Customs for the issuance of a Customs Administrative Order which shall be distributed to all ports to allow for the implementation of the preferential tariffs on e-ports from RCEP member countries,” Pascual said. Issuance of the EO implements the Philippines’ schedule of tariff commitments pursuant to a provision in the Republic Act that created the Customs Modern Tariff Act or CMTA. “This section provides that the President shall, upon recommendation of the NEDA Board, modify import duties including any necessary change in classification and other import restrictions as required appropriate to carry out and promote foreign trade with other countries,” the Trade Secretary said. EO draft endorsed Earlier, the Joint Cabinet Committee endorsed the draft of the EO subject to Senate concurrence and the EO presented for endorsement to the NEDA Board on Thursday, which will implement Annexes A to F –the meat of the EO, Annexes A to F of the Philippine schedule of tariff commitments under RCEP agreement. Essentially, Pascual said the EO will maintain current preferential tariffs on about 98.1 percent of the 1,718 agricultural tariff lines and 82.7 percent of the 8,102 industrial tariff lines. Of the 1,685 agricultural tariff lines, retained at current rates 1,426 tariff lines are maintained at zero while 154 tariff lines will remain in their respective most favored nation rates and excluded from any tariff concession. For his part, Balisacan said the NEDA Board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is also geared to greenlight the recommendation for the Social Protection Floor or SPF endorsed by the Cabinet-level of the Social Development Committee. Improve initiatives “These recommendations aim to institutionalize and improve the government’s current initiatives that cater to the needs of the most vulnerable Filipinos,” Balisacan told reporters. Explaining the SPF, which refers to a nationally defined set of basic social security guarantees that aim to prevent or alleviate poverty vulnerability and social exclusion, Balisacan said it is comprised of four basic guarantees covering the entire life cycle: health (including maternity care), children, active age, and older persons. The SPF for health advocates for the complete implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC) to ensure that all individuals have access to adequate and accessible healthcare services, the NEDA chief said. On the other hand, the SPF for children includes initiatives aimed at providing access to child nutrition, education, and care, while the SPF for active age compromises initiatives that support Filipinos who are unable to earn sufficient income, including those who are part of the informal economy. The SPF for children recommends enhancing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, conducting a supplemental feeding program, addressing teenage pregnancy, providing children special protection, and extending healthcare and mental health support and other services. The SPF for older persons, on the other hand, aims to extend social assistance and social pension programs to senior citizens. The post NEDA greenlights RCEP tariff sked appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-US soldier faces 22 years behind bars for sexually abusing Filipino children
A former active-duty US soldier was sentenced to 22 years in prison after admitting his involvement in the sexual abuse of children and in producing child pornography in the Philippines......»»
Pertussis or whooping cough: 40 child deaths so far this year – DOH
MANILA, Philippines — Assistant Health Secretary Albert Domingo reported on Wednesday that as of March 16 this year, some 40 children had died of whooping cough — a respiratory infection also called pertussis. An increase in new pertussis cases nationwide had been observed nationwide, with 28 cases reported from March 10 to 16. READ: What.....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
Davao police clueless on Quiboloy’s whereabouts
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — Police authorities in the Davao region claim they are still clueless on the whereabouts of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. The Senate had earlier ordered the arrest of Quiboloy for his continued refusal to attend its investigation of alleged human trafficking and child abuse. Police major Catheine Dela Rey, Police […].....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
Dating child star na si Krystal Reyes engaged na sa non-showbiz BF
ENGAGED na ang former child star na si Krystal Reyes sa kanyang non-showbiz boyfriend na si Lawrence dela Cruz. Ibinandera ni Krystal sa kanyang Instagram account kahapon, March 25, ang ginawang marriage proposal sa kanya ng partner. Makikita sa photo na ipinost ng dating child actress sa IG ang kanyang fiancé na nakaluhod sa harapan.....»»