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Bill seeks review of rules on reckless imprudence
The country’s road safety laws must be reviewed to address the liability of drivers in cases of traffic violations and accidents, a lawmaker from Bukidnon said yesterday, citing the high number of vehicular crashes in Metro Manila......»»
MAP wants Metro under ‘state of traffic calamity’
Business group Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) is calling on the government to declare a “state of traffic calamity” in Metro Manila, citing the economic losses from the congestion on roads......»»
Electric cute
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian raised a valid point when he said last week that the use of purely electric vehicles, or EVs, in this country will never become widespread unless and until an extensive infrastructure for charging their batteries is put in place. Indeed, unlike hybrids — whose owners can always count on the vehicle’s ICE or internal combustion engine to get them back home should the battery go flat — battery-only cars will leave you stuck should your lithium-ion cell’s charge go kaput. This concern has given rise to a new addition to the lexicon: Range anxiety, the worry an EV owner feels when his car’s battery is about to be depleted during a trip. This is ironic, considering how the Philippines is presently being flooded with affordable EVs, and how, almost a decade ago, cities like Manila under then-Mayor Erap Estrada took the lead in adopting EVs for public transport by subsidizing the purchase of e-tricycles and e-jeepneys. Indeed, although the “green-ness” of EVs is still open to question (with critics saying that you still need power generated by fossil fuels to charge them), EV enthusiasts are quick to point out its many advantages over ICE vehicles: Zero emissions, lower maintenance costs, better road performance, among other things. Charging under present circumstances, however, is a bitch. An EV comes equipped upon purchase with a cable that allows you to plug the car into an ordinary wall socket, but this takes eight to nine hours for a full charge. A fast charger is available (although not always) that will charge the unit in an hour or so, but the cost is prohibitive and will negate whatever tax incentives the government is giving on EVs. The solution in other countries is to provide fast charging outlets all over their cities, and to require owners of private parking lots to provide dedicated EV parking with fast chargers. As things are, however, only SM malls have so far provided charging ports for EVs. As for public charging stations, well, not to denigrate our people, but how long will it take for some a-holes to tap into them for free electricity or to vandalize them? With an average range of 350 kilometers (and under ideal conditions at that), EVs can only be used around town. It will take a generation or two before we can build fast charging stations out of town in convenient places, let alone in urban centers, enough to encourage EV owners to use their cars daily and on provincial jaunts. And then, the durability and reliability of EVs over ICE vehicles are yet untested. While EVs have fewer parts to wear out and have lower maintenance costs, the car is run by sophisticated electronics and is practically a rolling computer that requires highly trained technicians to fix. We still don’t know how the microchips will hold up in the Philippines’ tropical weather and bumpy roads. Parts are also expensive; the cost of the battery alone is a third of the price of the car. Heaven help you if that should conk out. Whereas with older ICE vehicles and newer lower end ones, parts are cheap and aplenty, and your friendly neighborhood “taller” around the corner has someone who can repair your regular car in a day or two. Unless these problems and concerns are addressed, EVs will remain relegated to novelty: for rich kids flexing their supposed environmental consciousness; or for the smaller, cheaper EVs, a toy for zipping around the immediate environs of your home. In the final act, EVs will remain as second or third cars, to be used during coding days (since they are exempt), and for showing off to friends. In other words, pampa-cute. The post Electric cute appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MPIC, Hartasuma target transport deals
The recently signed strategic partnership between infrastructure investment firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp. or MPIC and Malaysian firm Hartasuma Sdn Bhd is anticipated to introduce new transportation modes including cable cars and monorails that would help ease gridlock conditions in the country. Hartasuma Group executive director Tan Sri Ravindran Menon and MPIC’s chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan signed an agreement on Monday, with the two parties formalizing their interest in fostering economic growth through joint ventures and cooperation. Among others, the strategic partnership paves the way for various initiatives, including rolling stock refurbishment and development projects as well as exploration of a cable car system for tourism and urban transport. “If we look at other modes of transportation, cable cars and monorails can be good. The country should be open to more efficient modes of transportation, to ease the traffic situation in the Philippines like in Manila and other urban cities,” Pangilinan told reporters. Not just a supplier “What we are looking at is that they will not just be a supplier to us for transportation projects. They (are building) new modes of transportation like monorails and cable cars in Malaysia and we’d like to explore that also to upgrade our overall transport network in the country. We would like to see whether we can invest in this company,” he said. Pangilinan, however, did not disclose how much MPIC is willing to invest in Hartasuma, adding that the plan is still in the initial stage. MPIC, through its subsidiary Light Rail Manila Corp., which operates and maintains 20 stations, is expanding its business with the construction of five new stations for the Cavite Extension Project. It assumed operations and maintenance of LRT-1 in September 2015 through a P65-billion 32-year concession agreement with the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority. For his part, Menon noted that Hartasuma can leverage its expertise to help build and introduce new modes of transportation in the local market. “We also build cable cars and we are going to operate one in Malaysia very soon. I think it is an area that we should look at. It’s cheaper than the rail and it can carry a lot of people so you don’t start acquiring land in the middle of the city, especially in places like Baguio where there is terrain issue. In cities like Manila, we need to look at different places. It is just a possibility,” Menon conveyed. Rail excellence center “The city of Paris has a cable car being built now. And the other thing that we want to do in the Philippines is to put up a rail excellence center. We have great talents in Malaysia and we want to replicate that in the Philippines,” he added. Citing the projected growth of the local construction market, Menon also noted that MPIC and Hartasuma collaboration will cater to the growing demand and interest in rail infrastructure projects as the government looks to improve regional connectivity through the development of transport infrastructure. The partnership will likewise support the Marcos administration’s renewed commitment to Public-Private Partnerships. Hartasuma, a leading local integrated rolling stock and rail services company, was the first Malaysian rail company to deliver fully locally assembled passenger coaches to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd. To date, it has delivered more than 500 LRT cars and passenger coaches and is currently supplying 27 new LRT trains to Prasarana Malaysia, which will service the Kelana Jaya Light Rail Transit. The post MPIC, Hartasuma target transport deals appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children trapped in cable car dangling over Pakistan ravine
Six children are among the eight people who have been trapped all day Tuesday in a cable car dangling over a deep valley in Pakistan, with military helicopters hovering nearby ahead of a possible rescue attempt. The children were using the chairlift to get to school when a cable broke at a height of around 1,200 feet (about 365 meters) midway through its journey in a remote, mountainous part of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. "The evening is coming nearer. Tell us why the helicopters are going back?" Gul Faraz, one of the adults stuck in the cable car, said to AFP by phone. "For God's sake help us," he earlier told local media. Several military helicopters flew reconnaissance sorties and an airman was lowered by harness to deliver food, water and medicine, Tanveer Ur Rehman, a local government official, told AFP. "This is a delicate operation that demands meticulous accuracy. The helicopter can not approach the chairlift closely, as its downwash (air pressure) might snap the sole chain supporting it," he said. Anxious crowds gathered on both sides of the ravine, which is several hours from any sizeable town. "Every time the helicopter lowered the rescuer closer to the chairlift, the wind from the helicopter would shake and disbalance the chairlift making the children scream in fear," Ghulamullah, chairman of the Allai valley area, told Geo News. 'What can they do?' The gondola broke down at around 7:00 am local time, with residents using mosque loudspeakers to alert neighborhood officials across the Allai valley. Headmaster Ali Asghar Khan told AFP by phone that the children were teenage boys and students at his government high school Battangi Pashto. "The school is located in a mountainous area and there are no safe crossings, so it's common to use the chairlift," Khan said. "The parents are gathered at the site of the chairlift. What can they do? They are waiting for the rescue officials to get their children out. We are all worried." Abid Ur Rehman, a teacher from another school in the area, said around 500 people had gathered to watch the rescue mission. "Parents and women are crying for the safety of their children," he told AFP. Syed Hammad Haider, a senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial official, said the gondola was hanging about 1,000 to 1,200 feet above the ground. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar issued a directive for all chairlifts in mountainous areas to be inspected and for those that are not "safety compliant" to be immediately closed. Cable cars that carry passengers and sometimes cars are common across the northern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Gilgit-Baltistan, and are vital in connecting villages and towns in areas where roads cannot be built. In 2017, 10 people were killed when a chairlift cable broke, sending passengers plunging into a ravine in a mountain hamlet near capital Islamabad. The post Children trapped in cable car dangling over Pakistan ravine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Baghdad shuts advertising screens after porn screening
Iraqi authorities on Sunday ordered the shutdown of LED advertisement screens installed across Baghdad after a hacker managed to show a pornographic film on one, security forces said, announcing the arrest of a suspect. On Saturday evening, "a person managed to hack into an advertising screen in Uqba bin Nafia Square", a major intersection at the centre of the Iraqi capital, a security source who requested anonymity told AFP. The hacker "showed a pornographic film for several minutes before we cut the power cable," he said. Videos of the pornographic film being screened as cars passed by in central Baghdad were widely shared on social media. These "immoral scenes" prompted the authorities to "turn off all advertising screens in Baghdad" while they review security measures, explained the security official. The interior ministry also announced in a statement that a suspect had been arrested, without giving details. Several screens that usually show advertisements for household goods or political candidates before elections were switched off on Sunday morning, according to an AFP photographer. Largely-conservative Iraq announced in 2022 that it was planning to block pornographic websites, but many have been left accessible. The Iraqi government, which is dominated by pro-Iranian parties, has targeted several YouTubers and TikTokers since last year, accusing them of sharing "indecent content" that goes "against morals and traditions". Some of them have been imprisoned, including a young woman who posted videos dancing to pop music. The post Baghdad shuts advertising screens after porn screening appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cable cars to alleviate traffic, benefit environment: Palafox
MANILA - Urban planner Felino "Jun" Palafox Jr. supported a proposal of Senator Robin Padilla to use cable cars in urban centers to help alleviate traffic congestion."An aerial cable car system will not only help alleviate the traffic situation in Metro Manila and other urban centers in the.....»»
Cable car sa NCR, ‘di basta naisip lang, dumaan sa pag-aaral-Padilla
MANILA, Philippines – Hindi basta-bastang hugot sa ere, kundi pinag-aralan na ang mungkahi para sa ropeway o aerial cable cars bilang tugon sa matinding problema ng trapik sa Metro Manila at ibang bahagi ng bansa, ayon kay Sen. Robin C. Padilla. Ayon kay Padilla, aprubado na ng nakaraang administrasyon ang mungkahing magkaroon ng cable car […] The post Cable car sa NCR, ‘di basta naisip lang, dumaan sa pag-aaral-Padilla appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
Robin Padilla s cable car proposal explored by DOTr earlier
MANILA - The proposal of Senator Robinhood Padilla to use aerial cable cars as a solution to the traffic problems in Metro Manila was also suggested by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under the previous administration.In 2018, the DOTr said it was exploring the possibility of securin.....»»
US reaffirms support for Philippines sovereignty amid its tensions with China
Washington, DC [US], March 28 (ANI): US Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila in defending its sovereignty while criticising China's "dangerous" water cannon attack at the Philippine supply mission vessel on Saturday. In a telephonic conversation between Austin and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the US Secretary reiterated the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.....»»
Philippines announces decisive measures amid tensions with China
Manila [Philippines], March 28 (ANI): Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr has announced decisive measures to protect his country's sovereignty and maritime rights while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marcos, known as Bongbong, said that the measures, aimed at addressing what he said is the "open, unabating, and illegal" actions by China's Coast.....»»
Contagious pertussis disease continues spreading in Philippines
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The contagious pertussis has continued spreading in the Philippines, where it has caused at least 40 death cases, after a province near the capital region reported an outbreak of the disease. In a social media post on Wednesday night, the Cavite government posted a resolution declaring the province under a state of calamity "due to the outbreak of pertussis" after logging 36 cases an.....»»
Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Akbayan said on Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte does not have to be a president of the country for her to call out China’s intrusive actions over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Empathy and a moral backbone is just what it takes to stand up with fisherfolk and frontline.....»»
China: PH is ‘straying down a dangerous path’
MANILA, Philippines — China continued to blame the Philippines and its ally, the United States, for the continued tensions in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian warned that the Philippines is going down a dangerous path. READ: No letup in Chinese water cannon attacks.....»»
7 lumang simbahan sa Metro Manila na swak pang-‘Visita Iglesia’
TUWING sasapit ang Semana Santa, isa sa mga tradisyon ay ang “Visita Iglesia.” Para sa mga hindi aware, isa ito sa mga taunang ginagawa ng mga Katoliko na bumisita sa pito o higit pang simbahan upang magdasal at magmuni-muni sa mga istasyon ng Krus. Sa pamamagitan nito, ibinabandera ng mga deboto ang kahalagahan ng pananampalataya,.....»»
Philippines logs 40 pertussis deaths this year
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Forty children have died of whopping cough, a respiratory infection also called pertussis, since this year, the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) has reported. The DOH said in a statement on Wednesday that cases have continued to increase since the start of this year, recording 568 cases from Jan. 1 to March 16. "The total number of cases for the same period in 2023 was.....»»
DMK criticises Election Commission for being biassed in allocating symbols to political parties
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 28 (ANI): The Deputy Secretary of the Student Wing of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Ka Amutharasan, has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of having a biassed attitude towards opposition parties by allocating election symbols as per their wishes. "ECI has allocated the symbols for the Tamil Manila Congress and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhgam that those parties wished for. Th.....»»
Unlock business success at Franchise Asia Philippines Expo
The Franchise Asia Philippines Expo 2024 is set to hold a series of dynamic seminars designed to empower entrepreneurs, investors and business enthusiasts with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the ever-evolving world of franchising. Slated from April 12 to 14 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, these seminars offer invaluable insights into key aspects of franchising and business growth......»»
Baltimore Bridge collapse: Police had about 90 seconds to stop traffic before bridge fell
BALTIMORE — It was the middle of the night when a dispatcher’s warning crackled over the radio: A massive cargo ship had lost its steering capabilities and was heading toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Within about 90 seconds, police officers who happened to be nearby responded that they managed to stop vehicle traffic over.....»»
Dela Rosa considers war with China but admits: ‘Hindi naman natin kaya’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is already fed up with China’s persistent harassments in the West Philippine Sea, prompting thoughts of engaging in war with Beijing. But he knows, war is not an option. “Naubos na ang sasabihin ko dapat dyan. Short of declaring war na tayo dyan against sa kanila e,.....»»