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Tourist arrivals seen to breach pre-COVID-19 levels
The country’s tourism sector is expected to sustain its recovery this year, with international arrivals hitting 8.21 million, effectively closing in to pre-COVID levels, according to a unit of Fitch Solutions......»»
PHL gross gaming revenues breach P200B in 2 straight years
PHL gross gaming revenues breach P200B in 2 straight years.....»»
Philippine bank assets swell to P30 trillion
The total resources of the country’s financial system went up by almost 10 percent to breach the P30-trillion level, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said......»»
Israel to appear before ICJ to counter South Africa’s Gaza case
South Africa asks the International Court of Justice for an urgent order declaring that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its crackdown against Hamas.....»»
Breach of privacy : Bianca Manalo issues statement over alleged affair with Rob Gomez
Beauty queen-turned-actress Bianca Manalo released a statement after being dragged into the controversy with her "Magandang Dilag" co-star Rob Gomez. .....»»
Comelec probing Smartmatic’s alleged meeting with a candidate’s team in 2022
The Commission on Elections is currently investigating allegations that the president of Smartmatic met with allies of a presidential candidate during the campaign season of the 2022 national elections — a breach of electoral rules......»»
FACT CHECK: No senator identified as behind alleged leak of executive session information
There are no official reports disclosing the identity of the person behind the alleged information breach. The Senate ethics committee is set to investigate the incident......»»
7 cops relieved over Crame breach
Seven police officers were relieved from their posts after a 50-year-old armed man snuck past security and fired a shot in the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Friday......»»
Ombudsman ordersDA Asec dismissed
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from the service of Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista in connection with a dubious deal with an onion supplier that led to a spike in the price of the commodity last year. The Ombudsman found Evangelista and John Gabriel Benedict Trinidad III, vice president for operations of Food Terminal Inc., guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. They were dismissed for grave misconduct and negligence of duty, respectively. Moreover, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Evangelista, Trinidad, and several others for breach of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and for “falsification by private individuals and use of falsified documents (Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code).” The criminal and administrative charges against DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, chief accountant officer-in-charge Lolita Jamela, administrative officer V Eunice Biblanias, and budget division head Juanita Lualhati were dropped due to lack of probable cause and insufficiency of evidence. Likewise, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of both criminal and administrative charges against FTI president Robert Tan, who will stand as a witness for the prosecution. Back in August, the Ombudsman placed Evangelista, Trinidad, and several others, except for Panganiban and Tan, under preventive suspension in connection with the onion supply shortage in the country’s markets, price manipulation, and the dubious procurement of onions by FTI from Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative. Ombudsman records showed the DA entered into a memorandum of agreement with FTI for the Food Mobilization or Kadiwa Food Hub project. FTI, on the other hand, entered into a letter of agreement with Bonena for the delivery of 8,845 bags (approximately 28 kilograms/bag) of onions as part of the Kadiwa Food Hub. They were accused of violating RA 3019 and the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) due to the lack of parameters in the selection of a cooperative that would supply and deliver the onions; the questionable advance payment of 50 percent of the contract price; non-compliance of the MoA; partial implementation of the contract; and doubtful deliveries by Bonena.” The country experienced an agricultural shortage, primarily in onions, which soared to as high as P500 to P700 per kilo during the last quarter of 2022. The post Ombudsman ordersDA Asec dismissed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sept. auto sales surge 27% — CAMPI
Reflecting the robust economic rebound, the automotive industry reported sales in the year to September posted a strong double-digit growth from 2022. In a joint report on Sunday, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said industry sales in the first nine months were 314,843, which was 26. 9 percent higher than the 248,154 units sold last year. For this year, CAMPI said it is targeting to sell 423,000 units, including imported vehicles. “We recorded the highest monthly sales in September, and we hope that positive consumer outlook will be sustained in the fourth quarter,” according to CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez. On the other hand, sales of locally assembled vehicles in September 2023 posted an uptick of 9.5 percent or 38,628 units compared to 35,282 units sold in 2022. Cars selling hot anew The sales of passenger cars also surged to 9,558 units in September 2023, improving 19.8 percent from 7,976 units a year ago. The industry group also stated that commercial vehicle sales went up by 6.5 percent year-on-year to 29,070 units from 27,306 units. Moreover, sales of passenger cars managed a 33.2 percent increase to 80,009 units from 60,058 units in September 2022. Commercial vehicle sales jumped by 24.8 percent to 234,834 units from 188,096 units last year. “The auto market has remained resilient since 2021 and the current trend indicated that we will breach the highest pre-pandemic sales performance and achieve full industry recovery in 2023,” Gutierrez said. The brand with the greatest number of units sold in September 2023 was Japanese brand Toyota with a 45.81 percent market share, trailed by Mitsubishi with an 18.44 percent market share, followed by American brand Ford with 7.33 percent; Japan’s Nissan, with 6.36 percent; and Suzuki, with 4.28 percent market share. The post Sept. auto sales surge 27% — CAMPI appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Observe ‘cyber hygiene,’ judicial personnel urged
The Supreme Court has directed all judiciary officials and personnel to strengthen the courts’ cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and minimize the risk of cyber threats. Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen issued the directive as Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo is on official travel abroad, citing the recent data breach involving the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. In Administrative Order 150-2023 on “Proper Cyber Hygiene in Judiciary,” the SC said, “One of the most common ways of ransomware attacks is done through phishing emails, which usually contain malicious links or attachments.” The SC warned, “Do not open these links or attachments unless they have been verified to be legitimate.” Court officials and employees were advised to examine carefully the sender’s email address to avoid being victimized. “Phishers often use email addresses that look similar to ones used by legitimate organizations but may have small misspellings or inconsistencies. Always take a close look at the sender’s display name when checking the legitimacy of an email,” the SC said. Court officials and personnel were also instructed to protect personal information and double-check email attachments by scanning the same for viruses. On password security, the SC suggested that “under no circumstances should judiciary personnel use personal information and dictionary words in creating passwords.” Judiciary officials and employees were also urged to use a longer password containing numbers, symbols, and both uppercase and lowercase letters; to avoid the same password for multiple accounts; to consider passphrases or a sequence of random words instead of passwords; to use a password manager; and to enable a multifactor authentication system in their accounts. They were advised never to share their passwords with others, even those who claim to be from trusted institutions, and to ensure that any written passwords are stored securely. In protecting important files and ensuring their recovery in case of data loss, the guidelines recommend that court officials and personnel follow the “3-2-1 backup rule” to ensure data redundancy and availability in case of hardware failure, data corruption, or other catastrophes. The rule requires users to keep three copies of their data on two different media types, with one copy stored offsite. The post Observe ‘cyber hygiene,’ judicial personnel urged appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Helper woes
Dear Atty. Joji, Our house helper absconded from her job without prior notice. While having to find her replacement is one issue, the bigger concern is that she owes us almost P100,000. We want to take legal action because such amount of money is hard to come by. What type of case can we file to pursue this matter legally? Maris *** Dear Maris, Based on the facts you provided, filing a “Small Claims” case before the lower-level court or the Metropolitan Trial Court is applicable in your case. A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC or “The 2016 Revised Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Cases” provides: Small claims refer to cases involving monetary disputes where the amount in question does not exceed P1,000,000, excluding interest and costs. The purpose of a small claims process is to provide a simpler and a more inexpensive and expeditious means of settling disputes involving purely money claims. The claim or demand may be: (a) For money owed under any of the following: Contract of Lease; Contract of Loan and other credit accommodations; Contract of Services; or Contract of Sale of personal property, excluding the recovery of the personal property, unless it is made the subject of a compromise agreement between the parties. The procedure on small claims cases was promulgated for faster resolution of claims. Since the amount of claim is relatively small, it is the court’s policy not to keep these cases from dragging for long periods before finally being decided. Since the proceedings must be speedy, inexpensive, and informal, the procedure was simplified. However, it is important to note that in Small Claims Cases, parties are generally not allowed to be represented by lawyers. A case for Small Claims may be commenced as follows: SEC. 6. Commencement of Small Claims Action. — A small claims action is commenced by filing with the court an accomplished and verified Statement of Claim (Form 1-SCC) in duplicate, accompanied by a Certification Against Forum Shopping, Splitting a Single Cause of Action, and Multiplicity of Suits (Form 1-A-SCC), and two (2) duly certified photocopies of the actionable document/s subject of the claim, as well as the affidavits of witnesses and other evidence to support the claim. No evidence shall be allowed during the hearing which was not attached to or submitted together with the Statement of Claim, unless good cause is shown for the admission of additional evidence. Alternatively, an action for breach of her employment contract, if any, may be filed against her for her sudden departure without providing proper notice. Hope this helps. Atty. Joji Alonso The post Helper woes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The importance of cyber security
Cyberattacks are on the rise! In the past, we associated this terrifying incident with online banks and payment platforms. However, even government websites, not known as financial institutions, from which money may be stolen, or unauthorized payments are also targets. Last Sunday, 15 October, the website of the House of Representatives was vandalized before noon by a group calling itself “3MUSKETEERZ.” A face with a mocking meme with the phrases “You’ve been hacked” and “Have a nice day” appeared on the website. Below the face was the message, “Happy April Fullz Kahit October palang (even if it’s still)! Fix your website.” A few minutes later, the website went down and became inaccessible. Shortly after, the House of Representatives issued a statement assuring the public that the House had already taken action and coordinated with the government agencies concerned to deal with the matter. “While we work to restore the website fully, we ask for patience and understanding. We are committed to ensure the security and integrity of our digital platforms, and we will implement additional measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” the statement said. Relatedly, also recall that on 22 September, a system of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation was similarly attacked, preventing access for a week. Reports stated the data breach affected employees’ workstations, application servers, and users’ data, including names, addresses, dates of birth, gender, phone numbers and PhilHealth identification numbers. On 31 August, the Department of Science and Technology’s OneExpert portal was also subjected to a cyberattack. In a statement on 13 October, the DoST assured the general public that the virtual assault compromised no personal data. In all the above instances, whether personal data or sensitive information were stolen, it causes alarm to us Filipinos. The call to government agencies and ordinary Filipinos to be vigilant and careful with our online information and accounts has become louder than ever. The same holds true for institutions and businesses, which, by the nature of their activities, are entrusted with and tasked to safeguard large amounts of personal information and are responsible for keeping this trust by whatever means appropriate. I now want to stress the importance of cyber security not just for individuals and juridical entities but for the entire nation holistically. Protection against cyber threats: In today’s digital age, cyber threats like hacking, data breaches, and identity theft are becoming more prevalent. Implementing robust cyber security measures helps protect us from these threats. Safeguarding sensitive information: Cyber security also helps protect sensitive information such as personal data, financial details and intellectual property. This is crucial for maintaining privacy and preventing unauthorized access or misuse of information. Maintaining trust, reputation, and credibility: Cyber security is essential for building trust with customers, clients, and partners. Organizations can maintain a positive reputation and avoid potential legal and financial consequences by committing to protecting their data and privacy. Compliance with regulations: Many industries have specific regulations and standards regarding data protection and privacy. Compliance with these regulations is not only important for avoiding penalties but also for ensuring ethical practices and responsible handling of data. Business continuity: Cyber attacks can disrupt operations, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and even business closure. Implementing effective cyber security measures helps minimize these risks and ensures business continuity. Finally, I want to end by being deliberately redundant in stating that cyber security is crucial for protecting individuals, organizations, and society from the growing threat landscape in the digital world. Cyber attackers are on the prowl; we must be alert to the possibility of attack, ready even now to implement measures to effectively counter-act or prevent the same. The post The importance of cyber security appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hackers ‘too good’ nowadays, businesses must strengthen security: expert
Threat actors are just waiting for the right timing to attack and harvest precious data. This was the warning of Palo Alto country manager Oscar Visaya in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the VST-ECS CXO Tech Summit on Friday in Mactan, Cebu. “Threat actors nowadays are too good. They find the weakest link in the organizations. They find time and the right opportunity to enter to spread the virus,” he said. The cybersecurity expert said that with adversaries seeking to exploit vulnerabilities at every step of the application life cycle, it has become more crucial than ever for organizations to strengthen their security measures. “Right now, generative artificial intelligence is used to send effective phishing emails. And with AI, cyber threats can evolve. That is the reason we are asking all organizations to go along with the evolution to protect organizations. Legacy technology should be changed to the latest and safest one. This will put organizations to be at par with others. Cybersecurity is all about mindset as all dealings in the future will be digitalized and your organization will be left behind, then the future is not good for you,” said Visaya. On Monday, Senator Risa Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution 829, seeking to find out why three government institutions were penetrated by hackers, which led to the leaking of individuals’ personal information and raising doubts about the agency's capability to protect the data of citizens. “The breach of personal and sensitive information kept by government agencies endangers the safety and security of all Filipinos -- leaving us even more vulnerable to increasingly nefarious schemes involving text message spams, online scams, phishing, financial fraud, extortion, blackmail, and identity theft,” the resolution read. Last month, state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corporation was reportedly attacked by Medusa Ransomware, compromising some members' personal and sensitive information such as addresses, and social security numbers, among others. A separate cyberattack targeted the Philippine Statistics Authority, which announced on 12 October that personal and sensitive data from its Community-Based Monitoring System had been accessed by "bad actors." Meanwhile, the website of the House of Representatives was also hacked last Sunday. Palo Alto Networks, a leader in the cybersecurity domain with a presence in the Philippines, introduced the CI/CD Security module to its Prisma Cloud platform. The CI/CD Security module is a groundbreaking addition to Prisma Cloud, as it offers seamless integration of software delivery pipeline security into organizations' cloud-native environments. Attacks on software supply chains are on the rise due to the prevalence of open-source usage and the complexity of software dependency, which makes securing the software supply chain difficult. In 2022, more than 7,300 malicious Open-Source Software packages were discovered across all major package manager registries. ra The post Hackers ‘too good’ nowadays, businesses must strengthen security: expert appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PhilHealth: 13 million members affected by data breach
At least 13 million Philippine Health Insurance Corp. members have been affected by the Medusa ransomware cyberattack......»»
DICT eyes local hackers in House website breach
The cybersecurity breach on the web portal of the House of Representatives may have been carried out by local hackers, the Department of Information and Communications Technology announced yesterday......»»
Jordan says Palestinian displacement pushes region to ‘abyss’ of wider conflict
Jordan Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi says Israel's blocking of humanitarian aid to Gaza and forcing its residents to leave their homes as it escalates its military action are a 'flagrant' breach of international law.....»»
Maroons yet to reach full potential even after 5-0 start, says Cagulangan
The UP Fighting Maroons are looking unstoppable so far as they were the first team to breach the century mark in their 110-79 demolition of the UST Growling Tigers in their UAAP Season 86 clash on Saturday......»»
NPC launches online tool for PhilHealth data breach detection
The National Privacy Commission launched the "PhilHealthLeak Search Tool" portal, which allows members of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to determine whether their data was compromised in the cyberattack that targeted the country's national health insurer......»»
RAT found on PhilHealth data breach
Spreading like wildfire, sinister operators in the “dark web” from here and abroad have initiated attacks on the most vulnerable targets they could find in Philippine cyber space......»»