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‘Palestinian children should be killed’
No, that heartless advice did not come from a mentally deranged man or an ordinary man on the street. It came from a top Filipino diplomat who has worn many hats in government. He is in fact a lawyer, journalist, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to the United Nations, Press Secretary, Congressman, and presently Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s (United Kingdom) and concurrently Special Envoy to China for special concerns. In my book, those bona fides could easily qualify him as a revered Filipino statesman — but for his indiscretion, uncouth words, and disrespect for the feelings of others. I refer, dear readers, to Teodoro Lopez Locsin Jr. I have to emphasize the descriptive word “Jr.” because, from accounts I have read, he is far different from his namesake, Teodoro Locsin Sr., who fought the Japanese and the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., a fearless publisher of the news magazine Philippines Free Press for which he was imprisoned during the Marcos martial law regime. Did the “apple fall far from the tree?” In his Twitter account, Locsin Jr. said: “That’s why Palestinian children should be killed: they might grow up to become as gullible as innocent Palestinians letting Hamas launch rockets at Israel ...They are Muslims...” In the diplomatic community, we call that a faux pas. Perhaps realizing the callousness of his gaffe, he immediately deleted the tweet with the following lame expression of mea culpa: “I immediately deleted my sarcastic response to a tweet as I realized it could be misconstrued ...My apologies to those who did misconstrue my sentiments and did, in fact, get triggered...” That statement did not wash away the disastrous effect of his slip. If one reads between the lines, they were subtle words to camouflage the booboo, not a real entreaty for clemency. His admission of his mistake, though, may work to mitigate the imprudence. Remarkably, the Department of Foreign Affairs, anticipating its far-reaching negative effect, disassociated itself from the statement, saying it was made in Locsin’s “personal capacity.” I wanted to distance this column from the ensuing uproar. But being the de facto medium for Filipino Muslims’ concerns and sentiments on political and social issues, it cannot default from its moral responsibility. I was afraid that repeating the obnoxious remark might gain traction — and psychologists warn about the “repetition-induced truth effect.” I did not want to dignify it. After all, he had shown remorse and apologized for the impropriety of his words, and, as a sage says, “There is no need to beat a dead horse.” But the storm of controversy has spread like wildfire in Morolandia that I have to add my voice of indignation. Silence amid the din of protest is a sin. I have not seen in a long time such a display of revulsion and rage from the Moros, reminiscent of the time foreign invaders came to their shores and, for 300 years, the Moros dug in, resisted, and repelled the hegemonistic colonization campaign. Muslim netizens promptly denounced the statement as xenophobic, insensitive, and unbecoming of a diplomat. Their protest and outcry reverberated from the halls of the Houses of Congress, the Regional Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the cramped temporary shanties of the Marawi war evacuees and the shores of the Sulu seas. For a single moment in their lives, the tribes of Morolandia set aside their tribal identities. They spoke in one thunderous voice, calling for a sanction for what they perceived was the misconduct of a diplomat who, to preserve his honor, must perform a Japanese seppuku or self-sacrifice by resigning from his post. Articulating the collective position of the Deputies of the BARMM interim Regional Parliament, Speaker Pangalian Balindong issued a public statement rich in a poignant message condemning the “insensitive and irresponsible social media post ...for its Islamophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic undertones.” (To be continued) amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post ‘Palestinian children should be killed’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Innovation, health top Asian concerns
The government aims to spur innovation among industries and the health sector in the country to catch up with the projected economic boom of its Southeast Asian neighbors and achieve an upper middle-income society by 2040. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan last Friday urged the faculty of the University of the Philippines Diliman to help the government raise technologically-skilled Filipinos toward more agile industries amid the information and digital age. “Our infrastructure sector and the emerging industries — agribusiness, mining, tourism, manufacturing, education, creatives, health and IT-BPM — will require a deep pool of skilled workers and professionals, which the university is in a position to contribute to,” he told the UPD alumni in their council meeting last Friday. As a planning and advisory agency, the National Economic and Development Authority, or NEDA, last month presented the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document 2023 to 2032 to other government agencies its strategies for better public-private partnerships, innovation research and development, commercialization of products and support for small businesses. “We must find ways to harness fast-evolving technologies as opportunities are waiting to be tapped by our young labor force. We must take two, even three steps forward, even as other forces — populism and political expediency — take us one step backward,” Balisacan told the university’s alumni during his speech entitled “If We’re So Smart, Why Aren’t We Rich?” Balisacan said government agencies will organize more in-person and online forums and surveys with academic institutions, businesses and marginalized groups and technical studies to achieve those goals. According to the United Nations, science researchers in the Philippines are much fewer with 174 per 1 million residents compared with Singapore’s 7,287 and Thailand’s 2,070. As the government capitalizes on human resources, Balisacan added the Marcos administration will be expanding nutrition programs and health facilities across the country. Lessons from Covid “The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to sustainably secure and equitably distribute health infrastructure and human resources and promote health-seeking behavior and health literacy,” he said. According to World Development Indicators, vaccination rates in the Philippines range 57 percent to 92 percent, lower than the 95 percent and 99 percent of Singapore and Thailand, respectively. Malnutrition, however, has improved among Filipino children below five years old as stunting was found in 26.7 percent of households in 2021 from 33.4 percent in 2015, according to the Department of Science and Technology. Underweight children in this age group were also fewer at 5.5 percent from 7.1 percent during that period. Without improvements in the education and health sectors, Balisacan said Filipinos cannot secure quality jobs and help the country obtain higher GDP per capita or economic output per person. By 2050, the Philippines will see $22,700 GDP per capita, lower than Indonesia’s $37,400 and Vietnam’s $33,800, research from the Asian Development Bank showed. The post Innovation, health top Asian concerns appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Survey shows Filipinos view the challenge of health longevity with growing concern
Health longevity, or the length of a time people think they will remain in good health, is an emerging concern among Filipinos surveyed, especially as they consider the financial costs of critical illnesses amid a backdrop of economic uncertainties, according to a new study by Manulife. The new Manulife Asia Care Survey 2023 shows that while the surveyed Filipinos on average expect to retire at 59 years of age, they anticipate only remaining healthy for three years post-retirement. Of those surveyed, Filipino millennials aged 25 to 34 are the most pessimistic, believing they will only remain healthy until they are 55, below the average perceived health longevity. The study noted that the financial risk posed by poor health lies in the cost of medical treatment, a significant concern for many Filipinos. Nearly half (49 percent) of those surveyed said that the expense of treatment was their number one health management worry. Other concerns of those surveyed include loss of income or job because of illness (37 percent) and not knowing who will take care of them in the event of illness (26 percent). Almost all of those surveyed are worried about at least one illness, with heart disease, diabetes and cancer being their top three main fears. It also found that around a third of Filipinos surveyed believe they currently enjoy excellent physical and mental health. With concerns about both their current health and health longevity, nearly all Filipinos surveyed claim that they are taking actions to manage their well-being through exercise (65 percent), better diet (62 percent), regular body checks (52 percent), and closer self-monitoring (50 percent). Despite their concerns about the future, especially with regard to health, most of those surveyed (57 percent) feel confident about their current finances, with more than three quarters (77 percent) expecting their finances to improve in the coming 12 months. Almost three-quarters expressed confidence in being able to achieve their financial goals (72 percent), such as saving for retirement (55 percent), paying for healthcare and medical treatment costs (43 percent) and emergencies (36 percent). This optimism, which may be reflective of a post-Covid euphoria and, to an extent, the mobility of the workforce, is tempered by the threat of inflation (75 percent), which emerged as the most prominent financial concern among Filipinos surveyed, more than in any of the other markets surveyed in the region. The other main threats cited are an economic slowdown (56 percent) and rising healthcare costs (38 percent). These concerns may have merit given that 81 percent of Filipinos surveyed said that cash and bank deposits are the primary ways they believe will help achieve their goals. The Manulife study showed that the majority of Filipinos surveyed (80 percent) view positively the idea of retirement planning, well above the regional average (68 percent) and, for many, it is their top personal finance goal (55 percent). Yet, despite that, only a third of them (30 percent) have such a plan in place. However, including those with plans already in place, 70 percent said they will have plans set up within three years. Most are looking at relying on their cash savings or deposits (46 percent), potential inheritance from family members (18 percent), government or state subsidy (18 percent), or support from their children (17 percent). With their interwoven concerns about their health, finances and the economy, the Filipinos surveyed are clearly interested in insurance (80 percent), the highest in the region (average 68 percent), mainly because of the protection it offers against financial risk (54 percent). However, their current ownership of insurance (59 percent) is the lowest in the region (average 70 percent). During the coming 12 months, however, 87 percent of those surveyed said they intend to buy insurance, with health (36 percent), life (34 percent) and hospitalization (33 percent) insurance topping the list. To address the heightened need for health protection, Manulife Philippines and Manulife China Bank Life offer HealthFlex, an affordable and customizable health insurance plan that allows customers to choose their critical illness coverage depending on their needs and budget. Customers may choose which types of illness will be covered by their insurance: cancer only; cancer, heart attack, and stroke (the top three critical illnesses); cancer plus other elderly and critical illnesses; or the top three illnesses, plus other elderly and critical illnesses. It also provides guaranteed coverage until the age of 100 for more than 112 critical illnesses and may be further upgraded through protection riders. The Manulife Asia Care Survey was conducted via online self-completed questionnaires in seven markets: mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. A total of 7,224 people, aged 25 to 60 years old, were surveyed in late December 2022 and early January 2023. In the Philippines, 1,004 people were surveyed. Each person surveyed either owns insurance or intends to buy insurance. The post Survey shows Filipinos view the challenge of health longevity with growing concern appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rights groups slam MMDA spox for ‘drama serye’ remark on detained activist
Human rights groups slammed Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Spokesperson Celine Pialago following her “drama serye” remarks at detained activist Reina Mae Nasino who recently buried her three-month-old daughter River. Kapatid, a support group for families and friends of political prisoners, said those who downgrade what happened to the political prisoner are only trying to “cover the government’s gross violation of human rights.” “The story of Reina Mae Nasino and her 3-month-old child who died last week is not ‘drama-serye.’ It is a real story that exposed the countless injustices committed by the government,” it said in a statement released on Sunday. “MMDA Chair Danny Lim, a former political prisoner himself, should have long shown the door to his spokesperson. It should be obvious by now that sensitivity cannot be taught nor proper manners and right conduct if one is empty-headed,” it added. Meanwhile, National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) President Edre Olalia was more restrained, saying they would “do the same thing if she was in Ina’s position and circumstance. “To start with, we will never ever wish this horrible tragedy and injustice to visit the Asec, her mother, her daughters, her sisters and her aunts,” he said in a Facebook post. Despite having nothing to do with traffic, Pialago felt the need to “use her voice as a Filipino” to share her two cents on Nasino’s case. “Hindi lahat ng inang nakakulong ay nakapunta sa libing ng kanyang anak. Kaya yung mga sumisimpatya kay Reina Mae Nasino, pag aralan niyo mabuti ang dahilan bakit siya nakulong at kilalanin niyong mabuti kung sino siya sa lipunan (Not all jailed mothers get to visit their children’s funeral. So all of those who sympathize with Reina Mae Nasino, study well why she was imprisoned and know who she is and what her role is in society),” she said in a Facebook post on Sunday morning. “Masyado ninyong ginagawang pang drama serye sa hapon ang paghihinagpis niya. Tigilan niyo (You are trying to make her grief like an afternoon drama serye. Stop it)!” she added. Nasino was five months pregnant with River when she was arrested in November 2019 for allegedly being found with firearms and explosives at the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Manila Office in Tondo, Manila. Her lawyers have insisted that the pieces of evidence were planted and that the charges filed against her are trumped-up. She gave birth to River on July 1 at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Medical Hospital on July 1. She and her baby were returned to the Manila City Jail 48 hours later. Before this, she filed a motion before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) to allow her to breastfeed her daughter for a year at the hospital or a prison nursery. But Manila RTC Branch 20 Judge Marivic Balisi-Umali denied this, saying that the jail has “very limited resources” for the care of her child. Nasino was also among 22 elderly and medically-compromised detainees who filed a motion for their compassionate release amid the pandemic on April 8 before the Supreme Court. But months later, the High Court ruled that the trial courts will be the ones to decide on their temporary release. On August 13, the activist-mother was ordered to turn her child over to her relatives. River was admitted at the Philippine General Hospital for fever and diarrhea on September 24. She was placed in the intensive care unit on October 9 where she died a few hours later. A few hours before her daughter died, Nasino filed a very urgent motion for furlough so she can be with her child in her dying moments. On October 13, Manila RTC Branch 47 Judge Paulino Gallegos granted her three full days from October 14 to 16 to be by her daughter’s side during the wake and burial. But the next day, he cut Nasino’ furlough down to only six hours from 1 to 4 p.m. on October 14 and 16 after receiving opposition from the Manila City Jail. The Manila City Jail cited lack of personnel, health concerns, and a guideline stating that detainees can only be at their loved ones’ burial and wake for a maximum of three hours. For both the wake and the funeral, Nasino was clad in a full set of personal protective equipment, handcuffed, and flanked by numerous uniformed personnel. Tensions rose during the wake after her escorts tried to pull her away twice before her time was up, eventually escorting her out with 20 minutes to spare before 4 p.m. On October 16, Marites Asis, Nasino’s mother, had to kneel and beg in front of the police to allow them to hold funeral at 11:30 a.m. The cops wanted to delay it until 1 p.m. Police also sped off with River’s hearse to the Manila North Cemetery, leaving her family behind and thwarting activists’ plan to conduct a caravan around the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals before burying her at the cemetery. Nasino’s counsels at NUPL earlier said that they will file charges against those involved in the activist’s treatment during her daughter’s wake and burial. .....»»
JG Summit core profit soars in 2023
Core earnings of conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. soared in 2023 following a significant turnaround in its airline business, with Cebu Pacific returning to full-year profit for the first time since the pandemic......»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
PSA opens PhilSys registration for ages 1 to 4
Children ages one to four years old can now register with the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) for the national ID......»»
Cebu Pacific receives fuel-efficient A321 aircraft
Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific continues to ramp up its commitment to advance sustainability and strengthen its operational resiliency amid the rising demand in air travel as it received another Airbus A321neo last Thursday......»»
Xinhua world economic news summary at 0900 GMT, March 11
TOKYO -- Tokyo stocks closed significantly lower on Monday amid a strong yen and concerns for an overheated market following the overnight losses of tech-related shares in the Wall Street market. Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 868.45 points, or 2.19 percent, from Friday to close the day at 38,820.49, the lowest level since Feb. 21. (Japan-Tokyo Stocks).....»»
Xinhua world economic news summary at 0900 GMT, March 11
TOKYO -- Tokyo stocks closed significantly lower on Monday amid a strong yen and concerns for an overheated market following the overnight losses of tech-related shares in the Wall Street market. Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 868.45 points, or 2.19 percent, from Friday to close the day at 38,820.49, the lowest level since Feb. 21. (Japan-Tokyo Stocks).....»»
Gaza: Starving children should be ‘an alarm like no other’, says UN
The United Nations on Tuesday called on the international community to “flood” Gaza with aid amid reports that children are dying of starvation in the war-torn territory. “With children starting … to die from starvation, that should be an alarm like no other,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency, told reporters in Geneva......»»
Military personnel banned from using TikTok
Military personnel are banned from using TikTok amid concerns over its possible use for espionage by China......»»
Garcia halts MCE project amid concerns
Garcia halts MCE project amid concerns.....»»
Dabawenyos raise evacuation concerns amid flooding
CONCERNS have risen among several Dabawenyos affected by the trough of the Low-Pressure Area (LPA) due to the significant impact of heavy flooding in their homes......»»
Ship-breaking operations of stranded vessel stopped amid health concerns
Ship-breaking operations of stranded vessel stopped amid health concerns.....»»
Philippines expands US military presence amid growing China concerns
Manila [Philippines], December 30 (ANI): Against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions and growing unease over China's assertiveness, the Philippines is taking strategic steps to bolster its defence capabilities, Voice of America reported. The Philippines' decision to enhance its military collaboration with the United States, particularly the expansion of US military presence at key locations, is a calculated res.....»»
Philippines expands US military presence amid growing China concerns
Manila [Philippines], December 30 (ANI): Against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions and growing unease over China's assertiveness, the Philippines is taking strategic steps to bolster its defence capabilities, Voice of America reported. The Philippines' decision to enhance its military collaboration with the United States, particularly the expansion of US military presence at key locations, is a calculated res.....»»
Teach financial literacy in senior high, bill proposes
MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Lordan Suan suggests adding financial literacy education, covering savings, investing, insurance, and taxes, to the senior high school curriculum for better-informed financial decisions by the youth. Suan filed House Bill No. 9162, or the Financial Literacy Education bill, amid concerns that few Filipinos have a good grasp.....»»
Gain our trust:’ Students urge MSU to suspend in-person classes amid safety concerns
Student leaders at the Mindanao State University have called on school officials to temporarily allow classes to be held remotely after the university ordered a resumption of face-to-face classes starting Monday, more than a week since a deadly bombing incident took place on campus......»»