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What s Wrong With Secretary Kim star Park Min Young making first-ever Manila visit in May
The Korean star of "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim" and "When The Weather Is Fine" Park Min Young will be having her first-ever fan meeting in the Philippines this May......»»
Philippines braces for La Nina, continues to deal with El Nino
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will continue to implement measures to lessen the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, as it braces for the opposite La Nina weather pattern, Philippine Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum said Tuesday. Solidum said in a news conference that the Department of Science and Technology's record showed that as of Sunday, 37 provinces across the country hav.....»»
Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, March 26
MANILA -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. (Philippines-Clash) - - - - BEIRUT -- Two people were killed and nine other civ.....»»
NEWS BRIEFS | 26 March 2024
P101-M sea wall to rise in Surigao Sur town A P101.3 million sea wall will be constructed in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur to protect lives and properties from storm surges there. Rep. Romeo Momo (1st District, Surigao del Sur) led the ground breaking of the Marihatag Seawall Project last Sunday, March 24. “The project is a […].....»»
‘Charlie’s Angels’ star Cameron Diaz may baby boy na: ‘He’s really cute!’
MAY baby boy na ang Hollywood actress na si Cameron Diaz! Ang exciting news, ibinandera mismo ni Cameron at ng kanyang mister na musikero na si Benji Madden sa social media. Sa Instagram, sinabi ng mag-asawa na sila ay “blessed and grateful” sa bagong miyembro ng kanilang pamilya. Hindi na sila nagpa-face reveal, pero pinangalanan.....»»
Stars galore in Bacolod
Like their kuyas in the PBA All-Star Game, the league’s young guns have no intention of wearing kid gloves when they duke it out in the Team Greats versus Team Stalwarts match today at the University of St. La Salle......»»
Microsoft Stock Surges with AI PCs and Copilot News
Microsoft made waves in the tech world today as it announced its first AI-powered PCs at a digital event. The new devices, the Surface Pro.....»»
Philippines booters face Iraq foes
Debuting Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet aims to harness the trademark Filipino fighting heart as new-look Philippines resumes its FIFA World Cup Qualifiers drive Thursday (today in Manila) against fancied Iraq on the road in Basra......»»
Xinhua world economic news summary at 0900 GMT, March 17
MANILA -- The number of Chinese inbound travelers to the Philippines surged by 235 percent year-on-year in the first two months of 2024, a Philippine lawmaker said Sunday. Citing data from the Philippines' Department of Tourism, Representative Marvin Rillo, vice chairperson of the committee on tourism in the House of Representatives, said that 82,314 Chinese travelers entered the Philippines in January and Febru.....»»
March 2024: Ed Sheeran for the third time in Manila
Global music sensation Ed Sheeran is set to enthrall Manila once again by bringing his record-breaking Mathematics Tour to the Philippines, and to Europe and Asia, in 2024. The British singer-songwriter’s Manila concert is scheduled for 9 March 2024 at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City. Adding to the excitement, the event will also feature another talented singer-songwriter, Callum Scott, as a special guest. Sheeran last serenaded his Filipino fans in April 2018, following a brief setback in his personal life due to a cycling accident. Originally scheduled for November 2017, the concert was rescheduled and finally pushed through. His very first Manila performance was at the Mall of Asia Arena in 2015, marking the beginning of a profound connection between the massively popular singer and his Filipino admirers, among the most ardent fans of his hits such as “Perfect,” “Photograph,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Lego House” and many others. Ticket sales for the Mathematics Tour will commence on 26 October 2023, 12 noon, at ovationtickets.com and smtickets.com. The post March 2024: Ed Sheeran for the third time in Manila appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A resounding FIBA World Cup hosting success
In 2007, sports patron and prominent business executive Manny V. Pangilinan flew to Geneva to mend the country’s scarred relationship with FIBA when the Philippines was suspended due to a struggle between the Basketball Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic Committee. Over the years, MVP, along with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas or SBP, were able to make amends and formed a strong bond with FIBA. And as they say, the rest was history. MVP’s vision to host the FIBA World Cup in a tri-nation bid was approved. The country, together with Japan and Indonesia, was granted to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup, with 32 teams competing for the coveted Naismith trophy for the 2023 Last Sunday, the World Cup curtain finally closed, with several records written, erased, and etched in FIBA history. First, the expanded World Cup adopted by the organizers successfully achieved a more competitive playing field. Nine of the 32 that came to this World Cup did not play in the previous World Cup. After two weeks of grueling competition, six of the eight countries that previously entered the quarterfinals in the 2019 World Cup failed to advance to the next round. Argentina, France, Spain, Poland, Australia, and the Czech Republic were eliminated earlier in the group stages, with only the US and Serbia moving to the semi-final round. Second, for the first time since it participated in the tournament, Germany won the World Cup championship, beating all its opponents in the elimination rounds for an immaculate 7-0 and completing an 8-0 game sweep by beating Serbia in the final, 83-77. FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis was quoted by AP saying the expanded qualification field “has changed global basketball on the men’s side.” Third, the three host countries had record-breaking attendance, a rousing success for the tri-nation hosting of the world’s biggest basketball show. Across 92 games in 15 days in five different venues (three in Manila, one each in Okinawa and Jakarta), Zagklis said the World Cup drew a total of 700,000 fans pending the final numbers from the bronze-medal match between USA and Canada and Serbia-Germany finale. In the opener on 25 August, the Philippines tallied a World Cup record featuring 38,115 fans who witnessed the thrilling battle between home team Gilas Pilipinas and the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. The milestone highlighted the Philippines’ hosting and smashed the previous record of 32,616 spectators who watched the gold medal match between the USA and Russia in the 1994 games in Toronto, Canada. Zaglis was all praises for the three countries, especially the Philippines, whom he described as an excellent host. “I don’t think it’s easy to find anywhere in the world that has this kind of service to the visitors. Always with a smile and kindness and with a solution-oriented approach. I can only express how grateful FIBA is to the Philippines,” Zaglis said. SBP president Al S. Panlilio had mixed emotions as the FIBA World Cup ended. “We have proven that our country can host a global basketball event as huge as the FIBA World Cup. Everyone involved — the local organizing committee, various private and public stakeholders, volunteers, peace and order personnel, traffic enforcers, the LGUs, and basketball-loving Pinoys who bravely trooped to the venues to watch the games — must be congratulated for making the event a whopping success.” “But there’s also a feeling of extreme bittersweetness as it comes to an end, yet overshadowed by extreme hopefulness for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar,” he added. Panlilio spearheaded the country’s bid for the multiple-nation hosting of the World Cup along with MVP, SBP chairman emeritus, in 2017. He acknowledged what MVP did to bring the FIBA World Cup to the Philippines with his creative vision of bidding for multi-nation hosting. “It was a privilege to help realize that creative vision by collaboratively working with various groups and stakeholders and successfully hosting the World Cup. We are proud of the effort everyone contributed to make this huge undertaking a monumental and amazing feat,” Panlilio said. The post A resounding FIBA World Cup hosting success appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’
US director William Friedkin, who died Monday, will forever be remembered for his Oscar-winning "The Exorcist" in 1973, one of the most controversial horror films of all time that still chills new generations of moviegoers. The taboo-breaking scene of a 12-year-old girl believed to be possessed by the devil, foul-mouthed and feverishly masturbating with a crucifix on her bed, provoked frenzy in audiences and sparked a global debate about the occult in the Catholic Church. "It was shocking," wrote Rolling Stone in 2018, recalling the first reactions. It "had people lining up at the entrances of movie theatres while the exits were soppy with puke from the previous showing." Remarkably for a horror film, it was nominated for 10 Oscars and took home two. Pact with the devil Friedkin, who passed away in Los Angeles on Monday at the aged of 87, after suffering health issues in recent years, first hit the pinnacle in Hollywood a few years before "The Exorcist" -- with his stomping, stylish 1971 thriller "The French Connection." Starring Gene Hackman as a cop in gritty, corrupt New York City, the film won five Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture. It was a pearl of the "New Hollywood" wave of socially and politically charged filmmaking associated with emerging directors such as Robert Altman, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. Friedkin was asked to direct "The Exorcist" -- based on a novel inspired by a reported case of possession of a 14-year-old boy -- after other star directors including Stanley Kubrick had turned it down. "I thought it was a film about the mystery of faith... but I didn't set out to make a horror film," Friedkin was quoted saying in The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. "But by now, I have accepted that it is." His film was followed by four sequels, based on the same novel but without Friedkin's participation, together grossing more than $600 million worldwide. A television series began in 2016. Real power Friedkin was born in Chicago in 1935. His mother was a nurse and his father held several jobs, from merchant seaman and semi-professional softball player to discount-clothes salesman. He singled out viewing in his twenties of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" (1941) as having a radical impact. "It changed my life," he said in a 2014 interview published on the website of respected US critic, Roger Ebert. "It made me understand that film was an art form and a unique way of storytelling that I had never considered". Friedkin started working in television as a runner and then directed TV shows before making his own documentary in 1962, "The People vs Paul Crimp", about a real-life death row prisoner. The film would contribute to Crimp's death sentence being commuted, convincing Friedkin of "the power of cinema", he told AFP in an interview in 2017. In 1967 he made his first feature, "Good Times", a musical starring the popular pop duo Sonny and Cher. Eclipse from the A-List After his heyday in the 1970s, came a spectacular fall from the Hollywood A-List. It was his ambitious "Sorcerer" (1977), that would prove Friedkin's undoing. After a difficult shoot that went wildly over budget to cost $22 million, the film bombed at the US box office, grossing just under $6 million. It was also eclipsed by the first installment of George Lucas's "Star Wars", released at the same time. Amongst his other flops from a total of about 20 features was "Cruising" (1980) with Al Pacino as an undercover cop hunting down a serial killer in New York's S&M scene. But "Killer Joe" in 2011, starring Matthew McConaughey as a man plotting to kill his own mother, brought renewed critical praise. In 2018, decades after his most famous hit, Friedkin revisited the themes of "The Exorcist" with the documentary "The Devil and Father Amorth", about a priest performing an exorcism in Italy. "The life of a filmmaker is one film to another," Friedkin told the LA Times in 1989 about how he picked himself up after his career had taken a tumble. "There's a great reward when you connect with the public and people are lining up around the block to see your film. But the real joy is making the film." Friedkin was married four times, the first time to one of France's top actresses, Jeanne Moreau. The post William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China reports record temperature for mid-July at 52.2C
China on Monday said the mercury hit 52.2 degrees Celsius (126 degrees Fahrenheit) in the northwest of the country over the weekend, setting a record for mid-July. A weather station in the Xinjiang region's Sanbao village "recorded a temperature peak of 52.2 degrees Celsius at 19:00 on July 16, breaking the historic heat record for the same period of the year", the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said in a statement. The previous record of 50.6C was set in July 2017, according to the statement. Xin Xin, an analyst working for the CMA, said in post on his verified Weibo account that 52.2C was the "highest measured temperature at a regional station in our country that I have ever seen". Sanbao lies on the outskirts of Turpan city, where authorities have told workers and students to stay home and ordered special vehicles to spray water on major thoroughfares, the meteorological body said. Ground surface temperatures reached 80C in parts of Turpan on Sunday, according to the statement. The Northern Hemisphere has endured record-setting summer heat waves in recent weeks, which scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change. Chinese authorities have warned of extreme weather and "multiple natural disasters" this summer. The post China reports record temperature for mid-July at 52.2C appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Oppressive’ heat wave scorches US West and South
Swaths of the United States home to more than 80 million people were under heat warnings or advisories Sunday, as relentless, record-breaking temperatures continued to bake western and southern states. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of "a widespread and oppressive heat wave" in parts of the Southwest, western Gulf Coast and southern Florida, with sizzling temperatures carrying into the coming week raising health risks for millions. Southern Californians, who saw thermometers peak at 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit (41-43 Celsius) on Saturday, faced a second day of similarly brutal temperatures Sunday, with the mercury expected to top 115F (46C) in parts of California, Nevada and Arizona, the NWS said. By Sunday afternoon, California's famous Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, had reached the near-record temperature of 126F (52C). Tourists visited the national park to get a glimpse of what the NWS warned would be "life-threatening daytime heat" set to last until Tuesday night. Visitor Eliana Luna told broadcaster MSNBC on Sunday the heat felt like a "burning sensation" on her body. "The heat, you can feel it dripping through the back, all the way down," she said. The NWS has said heat is the leading weather-related killer in the United States and urged Americans to take the risk seriously. "In total, from South Florida and the Gulf Coast to the Southwest, over 80 million people remain under either an Excessive Heat Warning or Heat Advisory as of early this morning," the NWS said in a Sunday morning bulletin. The day before, the town of Idyllwild, east of Los Angeles and some 5,400 feet (1,645 meters) above sea level, blew past its previous record to reach 100F. - 'It's hell' - Authorities have been sounding the alarm for days, advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the daytime and to avoid dehydration, which can quickly become fatal in such temperatures. In Arizona, the state capital Phoenix has recorded 17 straight days above 109F, as temperatures hit 113F (45C) on Sunday afternoon. The city, home to over 1.6 million people, is under an Excessive Heat Warning until Wednesday evening, according to the NWS, which said the record seven-day average was likely to be broken. Volunteers have been organized to direct Phoenix residents to cooling centers and distribute bottles of water and hats, but program head David Hondula told the local ABC station that its three-days-per-week schedule is "clearly... not enough." In Miami, the NWS on Sunday issued its first-ever Excessive Heat Warning for the region, in effect until 7:00 pm, as heat and humidity mixed to create a "feels-like" temperature expected to hit 112F. "It's hell, it's hot, it's crazy hot," Miami visitor Lola Cee told AFP along the famed Ocean Boulevard. "I've never experienced this heat before," she added. Residents of the sprawling Texas city of Houston have been asked to conserve electricity from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm Saturday through Monday, in an attempt to mitigate pressure on the electricity grid. - 'Not typical' - Heat waves are occurring more often and more intensely in major US cities, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, with a frequency of six per year during the 2010s and 2020s compared to two per year during the 1960s. "This heat wave is NOT typical desert heat," the NWS's Las Vegas office tweeted Thursday, specifying that "its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights" were unusual. In Canada, which is suffering from warm temperatures combined with months of below-average rainfall, the amount of land burned by devastating wildfires so far in 2023 climbed to an-all time high of 24.7 million acres (10 million hectares) on Saturday. "We find ourselves this year with figures that are worse than our most pessimistic scenarios," Yan Boulanger, a researcher at Canada's natural resources ministry, told AFP. On Sunday, a firefighter died while working in Canada's Northwest Territories, authorities announced, only days after a 19-year-old woman lost her life working to extinguish a fire in nearby British Columbia. While it can be hard to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, scientists insist human-linked global warming is responsible for the multiplication and intensification of heat waves. Flooding has also ravaged parts of the northeastern US in recent weeks. Officials in eastern Pennsylvania's Bucks County reported on Sunday that five people had died and two children were missing after a storm the day before unleashed up to seven inches (18 centimeters) of rain in one hour, causing flash flooding that swept away vehicles. bur-mlm/des/caw © Agence France-Presse The post ‘Oppressive’ heat wave scorches US West and South appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Moment of legacy’:Pinoy producers making B’way history with ‘Here Lies Love’
[caption id="attachment_157582" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Don Michael Mendoza and Georgina Pazcoguin.GIRLIE Rodis[/caption] [caption id="attachment_157584" align="aligncenter" width="193"] Giselle Tongi[/caption] [caption id="attachment_157583" align="aligncenter" width="351"] Adam Handyman, Bobby Garcia,[/caption] Here Lies Love, the Broadway musical about former First Lady Imelda Marcos and the People Power Revolution, is not only the first Broadway production to have a cast composed entirely of Filipinos. It is also the first to have so many Filipinos on its producing team. The latest HLL Pinoy producers are Black Eyed Peas singer Apl.de.Ap and DJ CherishTheLuv. They are part of a distinguished group that includes celebrated performers, renowned artists and accomplished advocates who are of Filipino blood and are proud to be part of the innovative show. Named as producers are Hal Luftig, Patrick Catullo, Diana DiMenna and Plate Spinner Productions, Clint Ramos, and Jose Antonio Vargas, with Aaron Lustbader as executive producer. They are joined by Lea Salonga (who is in the cast), H.E.R., Jo Koy, Bobby Garcia, Giselle “G” Töngi, Celia Kaleialoha Kenney, Girlie Rodis, Miranda Gohh, Rob Laqui, Georgina Pazcoguin, Don Michael H. Mendoza, Adam Hyndman, Yasuhiro Kawana, Triptyk Studios, Shira Friedman, James L. Nederlander, Kevin Connor, Patrick Trettenero, Elizabeth Armstrong, Cathy Dantchik, Wendy Federman/Suzzane Niedland, Luke Katler/Ryan Solomon, Laura Ivey/Janet Brenner and Hunter Arnold/TBD Theatricals. David Byrne, co-founder of the ‘80s New Wave group Talking Heads and the brains behind the concept and music of HLL, said to The Washington Post’s Gina Apostol that this was what he intended. The Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician explained, “I wanted producers who understand what it means, not just to them personally but to the Filipino community.” ‘Phenomenal musical’ Getting the producers on board was not difficult because of HLL’s history. In 2013, HLL premiered off-Broadway at New York City’s The Public Theater where it played until 2015. It also had runs at London’s National Royal Theatre from 2014 to 2015, and at the Seattle Repertory Theater in 2017. Tony Award-winning producer Adam Hyndman was among the audience of HLL’s off-Broadway debut. “I was so impacted that I saw it three times and brought everyone I knew!” he recalled. When he was invited to bring the project to the world’s most famous theater circuit — Adam had produced the Broadway musicals Aladdin, Once On This Island, Hadestown and The Inheritance — his response was immediate: “I jumped on board because I knew HLL would be more than just another show, but rather a moment of legacy.” G Töngi, who had made a name for herself as an actress/host/VJ in the Philippines in the 1990s, was likewise fired up when she witnessed HLL at Seattle Repertory. “I walked away from that experience feeling so seen,” she said. The musical brought her back to 1986 when she, as a child, marched in the streets outside Malacañang with her mother. Atlantis Productions founder Bobby Garcia, who mounted the Philippine productions of Rent and Angels in America, has been involved with HLL since 2014, when it premiered at London’s National Theater. Bobby said, “(Director) Alex Timbers kept me in the loop of potential productions. Patrick Catullo and Clint Ramos approached me about joining the team as co-producer and talked to me about how the show would have a revolving door of Filipino artists from Manila to play Aurora Aquino (the mother of Ninoy Aquino).” The opportunity was simply too good to pass up, said Garcia. “As an advocate of Filipino talent, I wanted to be part of bringing this phenomenal musical to the Broadway stage and opening the door for talent from the Philippines to cross the ocean and make their Broadway debuts.” Breaking ground Garcia’s friend, veteran talent manager and stage and film producer Girlie Rodis, certainly understands what he meant. “Whether you’re someone on stage or someone working behind the scenes, the big break doesn’t come often,” said Rodis. “So when Bobby talked to me in 2021 about joining him as co-producer, no questions asked. More than the prospect of giving breaks to our talented Filipino artists, it’s the chance to carve a legacy that made me tell Bobby, ‘Count me in!’ Who would have thought that a Broadway musical production would have an all-Filipino cast and depict the history of the Philippines? Now it’s finally happening.” HLL’s Broadway debut is set to break ground in American media and performing arts. “This visibility of Filipino performers in leading roles on Broadway just fills my heart,” said Georgina Pazcoguin, New York City Ballet’s first Asian-American female soloist and co-founder of the diversity initiative Final Bow for Yellowface. For actor and stage/TV/new media producer Don Michael H. Mendoza, the impact will definitely be long-term. “Like Hamilton does for actors of color, Here Lies Love will provide employment to countless Filipino performers, musicians and production staff for many years to come. Moreover, it will teach the audience about a people that was always in front of them for decades, but playing other ethnicities. Now it’s our turn to be seen and loved by the audiences for who we are as Filipinos. Not as anyone else.” Bayanihan spirit The bayanihan spirit, or cooperative spirit that Pinoys are known for, is very present among the HLL producers. A number of them are based outside of New York and a few — like Rodis — are outside the US. But thanks to technology and fueled by a united passion, they have formed a strong bond and have achieved their tasks outstandingly. “Being a Here Lies Love co-producer has, at long last, connected me with my culture in a way I’ve been craving. For the first time ever I’m surrounded by co-workers who share a part of my identity,“ said Pazcoguin. Rodis added, “Collaborating with this incredible group of Filipino co-producers has already given me so much. Tony award-winning designer Clint Ramos and producer Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, have been supportive and generous. It’s a blessing to be in this company.” A few days before Here Lies Love opens on Broadway, the producers already feel ecstatic. “We are excited that there is so much enthusiasm both in the Broadway and Filipino and Fil-Am communities to see HLL,” said New York-based creative producer Rob Laqui. “One of our jobs as producers is to translate this buzz to getting people to the theater so HLL will have a long and successful run… We are confident and have faith in our process, and in the incredible team assembled, that HLL will be the gold standard for what Broadway can be.” The post ‘Moment of legacy’:Pinoy producers making B’way history with ‘Here Lies Love’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh, Tim Tebow visit Philippines to build shelter for sex exploitation victims
Celebrity couple Demi-Leigh and Tim Tebow is currently in the Philippines for the ground breaking ceremony of the Compassionate Hope Tebow Village......»»
‘Rolly’ may pass close to Metro Manila after Quezon landfall Sunday
After its landfall over Quezon province this Sunday, typhoon “Rolly” (international name: “Goni”) will possibly pass close to Metro Manila between Sunday evening and Monday morning. In its weather bulletin Saturday morning, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Benison Estareja said Rolly will move west-southwest this Saturday toward the sea off the coast of Bicol region. (DOST PAGASA / MANILA BULLETIN) The typhoon was already around 540 kilometers east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, moving at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) around 7 a.m. Beginning early Sunday, it will gradually turn west-northwest, bringing its inner rainbands-eyewall region near or over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur during the morning-afternoon hours and over Quezon-southern Aurora area during the afternoon-evening hours. The center of the eye of the typhoon may pass very close or over the Calaguas Islands by Sunday afternoon and make landfall in Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon in the evening. Estareja said the eye of Rolly will likely pass directly over Quezon-Aurora, entire Central Luzon, “where Metro Manila and Rizal will be closest,” and over parts of Ilocos Region, particularly Pangasinan and La Union. After crossing Central Luzon, the center of Rolly may exit the mainland Luzon landmass, most likely through the Zambales-Bataan area by Monday morning, Estareja said. Signal No. 2 up; Metro Manila under signal No. 1 The wind signal in some provinces in the Bicol region were upgraded to tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 as damaging gale-force to storm-force winds is expected to affect these areas in the next 24 hours. Signal No. 2 has been hoisted over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, and the southeastern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Mulanay, Catanauan, Buenavista, Lopez, Guinayangan, Calauag, Tagkawayan). More areas were also placed under signal No. 1 in anticipation of strong breeze to near gale conditions associated with the approaching typhoon. These areas were Metro Manila, the rest of Masbate including Ticao Island, the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Marinduque, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, southern portion of Isabela (Aurora, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, San Mariano, Palanan, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Cordon, Santiago City, Ramon, San Isidro, Angadanan, Alicia, Cauayan City, Cabatuan, San Mateo), Northern Samar, northern portion of Samar (Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Nino, Tarangnan, Catbalogan City, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao), the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo), and the northern portion of Biliran (Kawayan, Maripipi). PAGASA said signal No. 3 may be raised over portions of Bicol region late Saturday. Based on the intensity forecast, the highest possible wind signal to be raised will be signal No. 4 for very destructive typhoon-force winds. Elsewhere, areas that are not under not under tropical cyclone warning signal may experience strong breeze to near gale conditions due to the northeasterlies, particularly over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and the coastal and mountainous areas of Cagayan and Isabela. Nears super-typhoon status As of Saturday morning, Rolly has maximum sustained winds of 215 kph and gustiness of up to 265 kph. It is close to reaching the 220 kph maximum wind speed to be classified as a supertyphoon. PAGASA is not ruling its possible intensification into a supertyphoon within 12 hours. Estareja said Rolly has a high chance of intensifying into a supertyphoon while on its way to the country, but there is still a slim probability that it may make landfall as a supertyphoon. However, it is still expected to remain a strong typhoon or near supertyphoon strength by the time it makes landfall over Quezon. While traversing Luzon, the tropical cyclone may weaken considerably to a minimal typhoon (120 kph to 140 kph yung maximum sustained winds), Estareja said. Nonetheless, Rolly is still possibly destructive. It may emerge as a severe tropical storm over the West Philippine Sea. Typhoon impacts This Saturday, the trough or extension of Rolly will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Central Visayas, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Palawan, including Cuyo Islands, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Sulu archipelago. From late Saturday throughout Sunday, heavy to intense rains due to the direct impact of Rolly will already be felt over Bicol region, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Metro Manila, Central Luzon Marinduque, and the northern portions of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro. Moderate to heavy rains will also be experienced over Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. PAGASA warned that flooding, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows or lahar may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall, especially in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards. There is a moderate to high risk of storm surge of up to 3.0 meters (m) over the northern coastal areas of Quezon including Polillo Islands and up to 2.0 m over the coastal areas of Aurora, Marinduque, Bicol region, and Northern Samar, and the other coastal areas of Quezon in the next 48 hours which may result in life-threatening and damaging coastal inundation. PAGASA said this storm surge may be accompanied by swells and breaking waves reaching the coast. Rough to “phenomenal” seas (2.5 to 15.0 m) will be experienced over the seaboard of areas where tropical cyclone warning signal is in effect and rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 5.0 m) over the remaining seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Eastern Visayas (that are not under tropical cyclone warning signals) and Caraga. Sea travel is risky for all types of seacraft over these waters, especially those under storm warning signals. Meanwhile, moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 2.5 m) will be experienced over the remaining seaboards of the country. Mariners of small sea vessels were advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea, while inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions. Another cyclone approaching While Rolly is raging over Luzon, Estareja said the tropical depression with international name “Atsani” could enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Sunday afternoon. It will be assigned its local name “Siony” once inside the PAR. It was estimated at 1,605 km east of Visayas around 4 a.m. Saturday. Atsani has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph, while moving west-northwestward at 25 kph. It is likely to re-intensify into a tropical storm in the next 24 to 48 hours, and further into a typhoon in the next few days. It remains less likely to affect any portion of the country over the next three days. But Estareja said PAGASA is not ruling out a possible landfall in Central or Southern Luzon, before recurving toward the southern islands of Japan in the coming days. He also reiterated that a Fujiwhara effect is unlikely between Rolly and Atsani. Fujiwhara effect happens when two typhoons pull each other in a seesaw-like motion......»»
Improved right-of-way acquisition key to timely Skyway 3 completion — Villar
Improved acquisition of road right-of-way was among the key reasons behind the recent completion of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said Saturday. Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar (MARK VILLAR FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) In a statement, Villar commended the department’s task force responsible in speeding up the road right-of-way (RROW) acquisition for the elevated expressway that links the southern and northern parts of Metro Manila. “We are now on the final stage of the Skyway Stage 3 Project that will link the southern and northern portions of Metro Manila by connecting SLEX and NLEX before the end of 2020. This would not be possible if not for the commitment of our DPWH ROW Task Force who have worked relentlessly with concessionaire CITRA Central Expressway Corporation (CCEC) to speed up delivery of needed ROW,” Villar said. Right-of-way acquisition, the secretary stressed, is the most common cause of project delay, especially under public-private partnership. This prompted the creation of a task force for each flagship program and decentralization of ROW operations under Department Order No. 65, series of 2017. According to Villar, prior to the issuance of DO 65, “ROW acquisition for the Skyway Stage 3 was sluggish at 8.64 percent, even though it had been 35 months since it commenced in 2015.” The improved system, he said, allowed them to acquire 95 percent of ROW in two years and seven months. It is instrumental in facilitating the ROW acquisition, particularly on the issue of National Grid Corporation (NGCP) and Meralco on the removal and relocation of their respective facilities, the secretary said. As of September 2020, 40 out of the scheduled 47 service utilities of NGCP had been completely removed/relocated, five ongoing, and two for expropriation. Out of the 1,312 Meralco utilities affected, 1,090 were completely removed or relocated, 24 ongoing, and 198 not to be relocated anymore, while 95.0 percent site possession had been delivered. “We recognize the need to speed-up ROW acquisition for the timely realization of our Build, Build, Build program and with our formed ROW task forces, the public can expect more big-ticket projects to be completed in the coming months and years,” Villar said. He bared that a fifth segment had been introduced at the north end of the project from Balintawak Cloverleaf at Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). This will connect to the North Luzon Expressway Footbridge to avoid traffic congestion along A. Bonifacio Street and EDSA......»»
DFP employees turn the table, file graft raps vs Belgica
Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica has been slapped with a complaint for graft and several administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman by nine employees of Duty Free Philippines (DFP). Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica Alexander Sablan, Ernesto Mangalindan, Romeo Silva Jr., Eric Oracion, Rizalino Santos, Nilo Duarte, Joaquin Vibal, Francis Daco, and Carlito Ardales want Belgica to be held liable for violations of Section 3(b), (e), (f), and (k) of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Grave Misconduct, Conduct Prejudicial to the Service, and Gross Inexcusable Negligence. The DFP employees said they were “very frustrated and disappointed” in Belgica for taking on their case of “smuggling” against DFPC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Vicente Pelagio Angala. They said in the complaint that they sought Belgica’s help after listening to his program with DZRH called “Ireklamo Mo Kay Greco.” They then went to his house in San Miguel Avenue near Malacañang and sought help regarding allegations of anomalies and corruption within DFP. He listened to their concerns and introduced his father, Gregor Belgica, and his lawyer sibling, Atty. Jeremia Belgica. The Belgica clan assured the DFP employees that they have their support, and they said they were lucky because they do not have to pay for any legal fees. However, when they filed the plunder complaint before the Ombudsman on March 16, 2017, with the help of the firm of Belgica’s brother – Belgica Aranas ALim Dela Cruz and Association – they had to pay P1,000 per page or a total of P130,000. Things went downhill when Belgica contacted Angala and set up a meeting with them. During the meeting, they were made to sign a “waiver” which they did not get to read and they were also kept in the dark. In the end, Belgica made recommendations to President Duterte against officials of DFP. However, they said the recommendations did not really include the names of those involved, but just mentioned that charges be filed against “public officials.” The money which they used to pay the Ombudsman was also returned. “Ginamit niya ang aming kaso para magkaroon ng koneksyon sa mga malalaking negosyante sa Duty Free upang gamitin niya sa kanyang pansariling interest. (He used our case to connect with big business owners in Duty Free so that he could use it for his own personal gain),” the complaint read. Contacted by the Manila Bulletin for his side, Belgica said he is ready to defend himself and provide answers “anywhere and anytime.” He added that the complaint that he asked for money is a “fabricated story,” and he said that he had been very generous to the DFP employees. The fact that the group has besmirched his reputation, Belgica said he is going to file counter-charges and “pray hard that they all go to jail.” Belgica likewise made some accusations of his own: “This group is being sponsored by the same people who also filed a case against me on the entrapment operations and anti-corruption initiatives that we have been doing. This group has been trying to rally more people to fabricate cases and allegations in order to undermine the anti-corruption initiatives of the administration.”.....»»
CHR wants to ensure the security of remaining Parojinogs in prison
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) wants to ensure the security of the remaining Parojinog clan members who are still in detention. Commission on Human Rights (Facebook / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) This after former Ozamiz City councilor Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog and his elder sister Melodina Parojinog Malingin recently died just two days apart while under government custody. Melodina died due to cardiogenic shock, and Ricardo suffered the same and was found dead in his jail cell on September 4. Ricardo and Melodina are both siblings of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog, who was killed together with 15 others in a police raid back in July 2017. The Parojinogs have been tagged as politicians involved in the illegal drug trade. While the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the CHR are looking into the true causes of their deaths, the CHR issued an urgent advisory and recommended that authorities “secure the protection of Reynaldo Jr. and Nova Parojinog who are still in detention.” “We note that Reynaldo’s two children – former Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. – remain in government custody. The CHR emphasizes that while criminality should not be countenanced, due process should not be compromised in the wake of deaths in custody,” the advisory stressed. The CHR also called on the government to “ensure a full and impartial autopsy as requested by the family, and guarantee that the remains of the Parojinog siblings will not be buried until such autopsy is undertaken.” While doing so, the CHR recommended that extra protection and security be given to medical examiners and pathologists conducting the autopsy. Should there be any more occurrences of deaths, custodial authorities are urged to report these to the CHR as part of their obligation under R.A. 9745 or the Anti-Torture Act. “The human rights of all persons, including suspects, detainees, and prisoners must be respected at all times. Accountability must be established following the deaths in custody,” the advisory read. It was signed on September 7 by Commissioner Chairperson Jose Luis Martin Gascon and Commissioners Karen Gomez-Dumpit, Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana, and Roberto Eugenio-Cadiz......»»