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Palace urged to include P25-B pension hike fund in 2023 budget
MANILA - Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel has asked Malacanang to include in the proposed 2023 national budget the extra PHP25 billion needed to pay for the PHP500 increase in the monthly pension of indigent senior citizens."We are hoping that the PHP25 billion will be factored into the.....»»
Philippine eyes rice deal with Cambodia
The Philippines is eyeing a possible rice supply deal with Cambodia as it braces for the effects of the El Niño phenomenon on its food supply......»»
House eyes bigger wage hike of up to P350 a day
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is considering a daily minimum wage hike for all private sector workers higher than the P100 proposed by the Senate, including a bill seeking a P350 increase. In a statement on Sunday, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe pointed out that the chamber’s members arrived at a consensus.....»»
SSS surpasses 2023 target
State-run pension fund Social Security System saw its net income reach a record P83 billion in 2023 on the back of the mandatory contribution hike and the increase in new members......»»
PhilHealth premium hike still under review — Palace
Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to greenlight any increase in PhilHealth’s premium rates to ensure the fairness of any additional cost for its members......»»
SSS revenue soars to P362 billion in 2023
The mandatory contribution hike and the increase in new members boosted the revenues of state-run pension fund Social Security System to P362 billion last year......»»
Senate eyes OK of P100 minimum wage hike
Senators are hoping to approve this week the proposed P100 increase for minimum wage earners as a Valentine’s gift to Filipino workers, Sen. Nancy Binay said yesterday......»»
Unless stopped by Palace, PhilHealth premium hike proceeds
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has started implementing the increase in premium contributions this month, in the absence of an order from Malacañang stopping the hike......»»
Stock markets dip as US inflation comes into view
Stock markets drifted lower on Monday as investors eyed the release this week of key US inflation data that could guide Federal Reserve plans for interest rates going into the new year. Oil prices fell nearly two percent before bouncing higher and then sliding back lower as dealers awaited a delayed meeting of OPEC and its allies to decide over output levels. With Wall Street seeing little action at the back of last week owing to the Thanksgiving break, traders had few catalysts to drive action, though analysts were upbeat about the end of the year. "Although there isn't much buying interest at the moment, it's more notable that there still isn't much selling interest," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. The retreat in equities comes after a recent run-up across world stock markets fuelled by bets the US central bank has finished lifting interest rates as inflation comes down and the jobs market comes off the boil. Expectations that the Federal Reserve is done with hiking rates continued to weigh on the dollar Monday. The main focus this week is the release Thursday of the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation. "These numbers will be closely scrutinized for insights into inflation trends and their potential implications for monetary policy decisions," said SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes. "While the current backdrop does not signify 'mission accomplished' in terms of addressing inflation, policymakers must now focus on planning for the next phase of the economic battle." Still, observers were upbeat about the outlook, with the latest weakness blamed on traders taking a breather after a strong month. Tony Sycamore, at IG Group, said early December could see some selling as investors "rebuild energy and (look) to set up for the end-of-year fireworks". Others said a drop in Wall Street's VIX "fear gauge" -- a measure of equity volatility -- to its lowest since January 2020 suggested investors were getting their mojo back. Eyes are also on developments at OPEC after the group and its allies, notably Russia, delayed a meeting aimed at agreeing production quotas, with some African countries said to be baulking at Saudi Arabian calls for more cuts. The group is thought to be close to reaching an agreement that could see the Saudis and Russia extend output reductions into the new year. OANDA analyst Craig Erlam said the OPEC+ group has shown in the past it usually can get a deal done, even if Saudi Arabia and Russia need shoulder bigger cuts. "But the question is how far they'll push it, given the recent trend in oil prices and increasing concerns around global growth next year," said Erlam. Crude prices have fallen in recent weeks as demand is seen coming down owing to slowing economies, particularly China's, and the Middle East conflict appears to not have expanded to include other countries in the region. Key figures around 1630 GMT New York - DOW: DOWN 0.2 percent at 35,338.58 points London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,460.70 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,265.49 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.4 percent at 15,966.37 (close) EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.4 percent at 4,354.41 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.5 percent at 33,447.67 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.2 percent at 17,525.06 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,031.70 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0935 from $1.0922 Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2611 from $1.2585 Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.70 pence from 86.79 pence Dollar/yen: DOWN at 148.94 from 149.56 yen West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $75.44 per barrel Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $80.36 per barrel .....»»
Phoenix Petroleum eyes P9 billion from sale, lease deal with BDO
Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy plans to raise over P9 billion from a sale and leaseback deal with BDO Unibank Inc......»»
Christiane Benner, first woman to lead Germany’s biggest union
Christiane Benner will become the first woman to lead Germany's biggest union when she takes the helm at IG Metall next week. But the milestone comes as the once mighty industrial sector battles a series of crises. Soaring energy costs due to Russia's war in Ukraine, high inflation, and weaker demand from key trade partner China have culminated in a manufacturing slump that has raised fears about Germany's future as an industrial powerhouse and export champion. Benner's appointment is set to be confirmed at an IG Metall congress on Monday. As she prepares to go to bat for IG Metall's more than two million members in sectors including the automotive, machine tool, and electrical industries, Benner is clear about her priorities. "The most important thing is keeping industry in Germany and Europe," she told AFP in an interview in her Frankfurt office. Asked why it took so long for IG Metall, founded in 1949, to install a woman at the top, Benner chuckled. "Ask the men!" smiled the bespectacled 55-year-old. Benner has been a member of IG Metall since her early 20s after starting work as a foreign-language secretary at a mechanical engineering firm. After taking time out to study sociology, she rose through the ranks at IG Metall and became the union's vice president in 2015. Eighty percent of IG Metall's members are men. Deindustrialization fears A work and study stint in the United States in the 1990s opened her eyes to the "weakness" of American unions, Benner recalled. The contrast with Germany was stark, where the model of co-determination gives labor representatives a significant say in workplace decisions. As Germany's most powerful trade union and the largest in Europe, Benner is well aware of IG Metall's influence. "We're strong," she said. IG Metall flexed its muscles last year and won an 8.5-percent wage increase over two years to help compensate for inflation, a benchmark deal covering around four million workers across several sectors. Even more daunting challenges lie ahead, as Germany's long-vaunted economic model is called into question and an end-of-year recession looms. Companies in Germany's energy-intensive industries are already weighing whether to shift production to cheaper shores, a problem compounded by the lure of US green subsidies through Washington's Inflation Reduction Act, Benner said. "We're seeing a creeping dismantling of industry and jobs," she warned. To prevent a dreaded "deindustrialization" of Europe's biggest economy, Benner is in favor of discounted electricity prices for industrial firms. The proposed subsidy has been a topic of fierce debate within Germany's coalition government in recent months. But Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who like Benner is a member of the center-left Social Democrats, has yet to back the idea, fearing it could slow the transition towards renewable energies. Retaining talent Adding to Germany's woes are long-running structural problems such as a shortage of skilled workers in an aging country, and foot-dragging on digitization. More than 2.6 million young adults in Germany under the age of 35 have no vocational qualification, despite a growing need for highly qualified employees as new technologies transform businesses. IG Metall was working hard to increase the number of apprenticeships and make on-the-job training more attractive, Benner said. Hoping to make heavy industry a more appealing career choice, Benner also advocates a better work-life balance and supports a four-day workweek for those who want it. She also wants to narrow the gender pay gap in a country where men still earn seven percent more than women doing the same job. But first up on her to-do list will be next month's wage negotiations with steel bosses. Benner will be pushing for a similar 8.5-percent salary bump for the sector and a reduction in working hours from 35 to 32 hours a week, without loss of pay. The post Christiane Benner, first woman to lead Germany’s biggest union appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Saudi ink $4.26-B investment agreements
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Malacañang on Friday said that business delegations from the Philippines and Saudi business leaders inked investment agreements worth $4.26 billion. In a statement, Marcos was said to be present at the agreements' signing earlier this week, which took place on the fringes of a conference of Gulf and Southeast Asian countries in Saudi Arabia. Malacañang said that EEI Corp. of the Philippines and Samsung Engineering of Saudi Arabia have reached a deal for the export of construction services valued at $120 million. Al-Jeer Human Resources Company (ARCO) also inked a $3.7 billion human resource services contract with the Association of Philippine Licensed Agencies for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Palace added. A $191 million agreement for human resource services was also inked by Maharah Human Resources Co. of Saudi Arabia, Staffhouse International Resources of the Philippines, and E-GMP International Corp. of the Philippines. President Marcos acknowledged the valuable contributions of the companies that took part in the effort to strengthen the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, which served as home to over one million Filipino migrant workers. “To our current and future business partners, I hope that this meeting has served as an excellent platform for building greater and closer partnerships between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” President Marcos said. President Marcos also assured the business community that the Philippines will remain steadfast in its commitment to continuously support current and prospective Saudi investors as he emphasized that the Philippine government has amended existing laws to further open its economy to foreign investments. The post Phl, Saudi ink $4.26-B investment agreements appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos offers Namibia agri boost help
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines can significantly help Namibia in advancing its agricultural industry's growth, Malacañang said on Friday. In a statement, the Palace said Marcos made the offer during the acceptance of credentials from Namibia's Non-Resident Ambassador to the Philippines, Herman Pule Diamonds, at Malacañan earlier this week. Marcos told Diamonds that the Philippines possesses its own rice institute and educational institutions specializing in agricultural research and development. "We take pride in the fact that many of the agriculturists and agronomists around Southeast Asia trained with us and we can claim credit for some of the success that they are enjoying now. So, I think that is something that we could certainly look into," he added. Marcos also discussed matters of trade and industry and technical cooperation as Namibia and the Philippines try to fortify bilateral ties. "What is left to us now is for us to find those complementarities. Those areas that we can help each other," Marcos said. In response, Diamonds expressed Namibia's interest in broadening its trade and investment portfolio and acknowledged that the Philippines possesses technological advancements that its country still needs to acquire. “So, my task is to see how we can perhaps, maybe turn this around and make most space for us to cooperate [in terms of] trade and investment. So, this is the reason why we are here … So, I was the one saying look here we have to diversify. And that is precisely what I’m looking at coming,” Diamonds said. “So, we are mostly in those areas. We also have the same challenges. As the Philippines [there are] technologies, which we do not have. So, this is also an area where we can see technical cooperation,” he added. The Ambassador also expressed his appreciation for the Philippine government in ensuring the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community in Namibia. Responding to Namibia’s observation about Filipino workers abroad, President Marcos took pride in the Filipinos’ hospitality as he emphasized that they are very industrious employees around the world. “We’re very proud of our overseas workers. They do a great deal for our country and they have polished and made our reputation all over the world and again, we’re very proud of them,” Marcos said in response to Diamond’s remarks about the OFWs. The post Marcos offers Namibia agri boost help appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go honors police at PNP Service PSBRC Class 1998-Alpha’s 25th Anniversary
Senator Bong Go reiterated his support for the brave men and women who dedicated their lives to maintaining peace and order in the country during the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Philippine National Police Service Public Safety Basic Recruit Course Class 1998-Alpha at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City. “Alam n’yo ang suporta ko sa inyo noon pa. Full support talaga kami sa mga pulis. Hindi magiging successful ang administrasyon ni former president (Rodrigo Duterte) kung hindi dahil sa inyong lahat,” Go said. Go affirmed his commitment to continuing these efforts, pledging to create more programs and measures that will uplift the lives of police officers and their families. It can be recalled that prior to his election in the Senate, Go served as a Special Assistant to the President during the Duterte administration, during which, he helped Duterte fulfill the salary hike of the government's military and uniformed personnel. The senator has also introduced Senate Bill No. 422, aiming to provide free legal assistance to members of the armed forces and police who face charges related to their official duties. Recognizing the heavy responsibilities placed on these uniformed personnel, the senator emphasized the importance of ensuring they receive proper legal support. Go also agreed with Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro, Jr.'s position opposing the introduction of mandatory contributions and elimination of automatic indexation for military pensioners. “Masaya ako na nakausap ko si Sec. Gibo, speaking of the Armed Forces, hindi talaga siya pumayag sa mandatory contribution sa mga active at retirees dahil sabi niya mayroong exemption. Buhay ninyo ang inyong isinakripisyo sa panahon ng pandemya, sa panahon (ng giyera sa) Marawi. Gumawa na lang ng ibang pamamaraan. Mayroong government assets diyan para gawin nilang pension, maraming assets ang gobyerno at stop corruption para magamit ang pera ng gobyerno,” Go cited. Meanwhile, Go urged all those who serve in the various branches of the nation's defense and security forces to maintain their focus on serving the Filipino people. The senator assured them that he will continue to stand by their side and provide support to the best of his capacity. “Happy 25th Anniversary sa PNP service PSBRC Class 1998 – Alpha. Congratulations sa inyong lahat at salamat sa inyong sakripisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Magtulungan lang tayo, nandito lang ang inyong senador as vice chairman rin sa Peace and Order sa Senado. Bukas ang aking opisina para sa inyo lalong-lalo na po in line of duty. In my own small capacity lapitan n’yo lang ang aking opisina, bukas talaga ‘yan para sa mga kababayan kong Pilipino,” Go highlighted. “At ating tatandaan, minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito. Ako ang inyong Senador kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat. Dahil ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Diyos. Salamat at magandang hapon sa inyong lahat,” he concluded. The post Bong Go honors police at PNP Service PSBRC Class 1998-Alpha’s 25th Anniversary appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia, Ukraine face off at UN court
A representative of Moscow told the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday that it lacks jurisdiction in ordering Russia to suspend its military offensive against Ukraine because Kyiv’s reason for it to issue the order is flawed. Gennady Kuzmin was sitting only meters from the Ukrainian delegation at the court in Peace Palace when he presented Russia’s argument and said that mere “statements” about genocide are not admissible under international law including the United Nations Genocide Convention. In March 2022, the ICJ ordered Russia to “immediately suspend” its military action as petitioned by Ukraine. The case stemmed from Kyiv’s suit disputing Russia’s accusation of bullying and genocide. Kyiv argued that Russia’s use of “genocide” as a pretext for the invasion of Ukraine went against the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. According to Russia, Ukraine’s argument falls outside the scope of the UNGC. Ukraine’s legal position is “hopelessly flawed” and “at odds with the longstanding jurisprudence” of the court, Kuzmin concluded. Ukraine will issue its response on Tuesday. More than 30 other countries — all Western allies of Ukraine — will also have the chance to make statements in support of Kyiv. The ICJ dismissed a bid by the United States to join the case. The court, created after World War II to deal with disputes between UN member states when they cannot resolve matters themselves, could take months to decide whether it has jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Ukraine said Monday its air defense systems had downed a swarm of Russian attack drones and nearly 20 cruise missiles in Russia’s latest aerial barrage overnight. “A total of 24 strike unmanned aerial vehicles were recorded around the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. Eighteen attack drones were shot down by air defence units along the tracking route,” the Ukrainian air force said on social media, adding that: “All 17 missiles were shot down.” Russia said it repelled Ukrainian drone attacks over several parts of Crimea, outer Moscow and two border regions on Sunday. “Drones were intercepted over the western, southwestern, northwestern and eastern parts of the Crimean peninsula; Istra and Domodedovo districts of Moscow region, Belgorod and Voronezh regions,” Russia’s defense ministry said on Telegram in the round-up of Sunday’s attacks. WITH AFP The post Russia, Ukraine face off at UN court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chronic bureaucratic lapses
The entire bureaucracy suffers from serious lapses. Let’s borrow the phrase, “seven deadly sins,” as a handle to better understand how they indicatively fail to inform public policy on what government “should do or should not do,” to wit: First: “Tight fiscal space.” A little over 60 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) is reserved for foreign lending institutions with which the country has huge borrowings. Consequently, the government has to make do with the remaining less than 40 percent in terms of public spending. It’s no urban legend that about 45 percent of these allocable public funds is siphoned off due to massive corruption across all levels of government. Second: “Good governance.” The term, as often used, is an oxymoron. Whenever presidential appointees in any line department, agency, or bureau introduce reforms or new management ideas into state affairs, it’s unfortunate that outcomes and impacts go in the opposite direction — or bad governance overshadowing good. Isn’t it a paradox that the “top brass” of the Manila International Airport Authority were dismissed by the Ombudsman even as key stakeholders and captains of industry (i.e., the Makati Business Club) vetted and vouched for their performance par excellence on the job? Contrivedly, a purely management issue just shouldn’t be within the purview of the Ombudsman. For another, how is it that the housing program has become too costly for the government? Reportedly, P36 billion in interest is accrued by the government every year if one million houses are built. With a target of three million houses, the onerous interest is pegged at P100 billion every year, a “sunk cost” that the economy can ill afford to sustain. Why even start a program that demands that humongous amount of interest on a year-by-year basis? Third: “Street-level bureaucracy.” Nearly the whole range of public affairs appears to be manned by those we can compare to a typical traffic enforcer, gate guard, or utility aide, who, if given a chance to exercise a little authority, tend to behave as their actuations come directly from above. Fourth: “Tax hike.” Some strange mathematicians in Congress thought of taxing vehicles per kilo of weight, coupled with jacking up taxes on vehicle users by as much as 90 percent. Worse, how can there be an increase in the road users’ tax – year in and year out? Fifth: “45 seconds turnaround time.” This is the kind of rhetoric that rests on the “big bluff” or what one legislator calls a “promissory note,” or the carrot, to get what they want in their agency budgets. Scenes like offloading, missed flights, and logjams would never be a thing of the past since the Bureau of Immigration operationalized its new set of guidelines that are essentially racist, if not anti-poor, against outbound Filipino travelers, while sparing foreign travelers. Sixth: “Privatization overdrive.” There’s a dangerous pattern or trend of government aiming to privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, all 45 casinos of PAGCOR, some mass transport systems (e.g., LRTs), and the toll expressways. Whether or not this privatization track is driven by the “gospel of efficiency” is another story. More likely, it’s because it opens doors to raising “windfall capital” and making available “alternative investments.” Seventh: “Multiple allotments.” As if a mere afterthought, there are “double entries,” even multiple ones, in the National Expenditure Plan that bloat the budget and such entries by various agencies even insulate them from any accountability. This explains why what is budgeted — twice or thrice — cannot be disbursed over and over again, not to mention the perennial failure of most line departments to fully utilize their budgets. In the voluminous General Appropriations Act the President signs, every budget cycle has become a “hiding place” for public funds that only trained eyes can declassify as “significant others,” for lack of a better term. It isn’t remote to say that when an agency prepares its budget, it knows under which item in its “shopping list” the money is. The post Chronic bureaucratic lapses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Meralco generation arm eyes hike in renewable energy capacity
Meralco PowerGen Corp. the power generation arm of the Manila Electric Co., is stepping on the gas pedal to support the country’s sustainable energy transition as the company looks at potentially raising its renewable energy capacity target by the end of the decade......»»
Palace: Malaysian-based Valiram eyes dev’t of airport outlets in Phl
Malacañang confirmed that the Malaysian retail specialist, Valiram Group, is eyeing the expansion of its operations in the Philippines by developing airport outlets for duty-free retail tourism. The commitment was made during the meeting of Valiram Group officials with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Singapore on Saturday, according to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil. Garafil said that Valiram’s development priorities include having duty-free access at the airports. “The company is building more airport walk-through stores personalized to provide customers with a pleasant shopping experience,” she added. Present during the meeting with Marcos were Valiram Group executive directors Mukesh Valiram, Ashvin Valiram, and Sharan Valiram; Esquire Financing chairperson and chief executive officer Rajan Uttamchandani; and Ayala Corp. chief sustainability and risk officer Jaime Zobel Urquijo. Citing the statement of one of the Valiram executives, Garafil said the Malaysian retail specialist is seeking the immediate expansion of its operations in the Philippines in the next five years. She added that Valiram wants to bring some of its brands that are not yet represented in the Philippines, “in an effort to elevate customer experience to another level” by giving them more space at the nation’s gateways, removing the stress and hassles of security checks. “Things like… complementing Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works, and some of our partners' work in Southeast Asia have expressed interest. Their business is small, currently in the Philippines. And they want to see if we can help us over there and try and amplify them in the local market,” Garafil said, quoting one of the Valiram executives. Marcos acknowledged the vital role of retail business in the Philippine economy, adding that Valiram could also help boost the country’s tourism industry. “It’s an important sector of the economy. It’s what’s driving the economy now, it’s consumer spending,” he told Valiram officials, as quoted by the PCO. Philippine officials who were at the meeting included Garafil, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Special Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go, and Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Antonio Macaraig. Romualdez, for his part, expressed support for the President’s thrust to encourage more investors to come to the Philippines. The house speaker noted that Congress is focusing on crafting legislation or laws that govern the treatment and appreciation of foreign investments into the country. Romualdez stressed that “Congress is moving under his leadership by streamlining those laws.” “And we are also looking at the totality of the body of laws and looking at older, or laws that are either obsolete or archaic, or those are so-called timely to encourage more foreign investors,” Romualdez said, partly in Filipino. He said the administration’s efforts are aligned with the “Foreign Investments Act and the details to open up the economy for foreign direct investments.” Established in 1935 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Valiram is Southeast Asia’s leading luxury goods and retail specialist with a presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam. Operating more than 350 stores, a number which continues to grow, the group represents more than 200 brands across various categories, from fashion and accessories, timepieces and jewelry, perfume, and cosmetics to confectionery and dining concepts. The post Palace: Malaysian-based Valiram eyes dev’t of airport outlets in Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teodoro pushes for protection of Phl sovereignty, sovereign rights over EEZ
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday stressed the need to upgrade efforts to protect the country’s sovereignty and its sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone. Teodoro also mentioned the pressing need to back up the use of politics and diplomacy with a strategic defense posture. “The intensity of the need to focus on protecting our sovereignty and sovereign rights is paramount in the global race for resources and influence,” he said, during the deliberation of his ad interim appointment by the Committee on National Defense of the Commission on Appointments. Under his helm, Teodoro expressed the Department of National Defense’s desire to modernize the entire defense organization and leverage the country’s security partnerships in promoting the Philippines’ national interests. “There is a need for cognizance of sovereignty and sovereign rights. We need to principally use politics and diplomacy, backed up by a strong backbone of a strategic defense posture,” he said. Part of his policy direction he said was to put a premium on the DND Proper and its civilian bureaus “to better manage resources and services”—on top of the continuing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. "We need managerial solutions to managerial problems, not military solutions to managerial problems,” Teodoro said. He also stressed the need to set up a Trust Fund when reforming the pension system of the military and uniformed personnel. Teodoro likewise assured that the men and women of the AFP are “cognizant of the consideration given by Congress for their welfare.” “Matagal na proseso po ito, dahil matagal din po namang nahinog ang sitwasyon na ito. Sa ngayon po kailangan nating balansehin ang morale and welfare ng ating kasundaluhan (This is a long process, because there was a long need to ripen the situation. For now, we need to balance the morale and welfare of our soldiers),” he said. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appointed Teodoro as DND chief on 5 June, after Carlito Galvez Jr.’s stint as the defense department’s officer-in-charge. Marcos administered Teodoro’s oath to the office on 6 June at the Malacañan Palace. Teodoro was the DND chief from 2007 to 2009 under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He was the youngest to hold the position at the age of 43 at that time. Teodoro, a bar exam top-notcher in 1989, also assumed the role of Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council during his tenure in the DND. The post Teodoro pushes for protection of Phl sovereignty, sovereign rights over EEZ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hollywood strikes sap glamour of Venice Film Festival
Historic Hollywood strikes have robbed the Venice Film Festival of some of its usual glitz as it launched its 80th edition Wednesday, but a raft of big-name -- and controversial -- directors are keeping the film world buzzing. The world's longest-running film festival was due to start with "Challengers", a tennis romance with one of the biggest stars of her generation, Zendaya. But it was replaced at the last minute by an Italian war drama, "Comandante", due to the ongoing strikes by Hollywood actors and writers -- primarily over pay and the threat of AI -- that has barred them from publicity work. The rest of the line-up was largely unaffected: the festival will see Emma Stone as a Frankenstein-like creature in "Poor Things" and Bradley Cooper as legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein in "Maestro", among several Oscar contenders. But the strikes mean those stars will not be lighting up the red carpet. Adam Driver has been given an exemption to show up for "Ferrari" on Thursday because the biopic by Michael Mann ("Heat") was made outside the studio system. Jessica Chastain is also expected for the premiere of "Memory" at the end of the festival, according to Variety. It is her first outing since her Oscar-winning turn in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye". 'Apocalyptic ideas' All are competing for the top prize Golden Lion, to be awarded on 9 September by a jury led by Damien Chazelle, director of "La La Land". He told AFP he understood the anxiety around AI -- which many fear could lead to computer-generated actors and scripts replacing humans -- but said some of the fears may be overblown. "People have some apocalyptic ideas about it," said Chazelle a few hours before the festival opening. "I agree it's a major technological change like the internet or radio, and it will overturn a lot of things, but the art will survive." Other attention-grabbing entries include Sofia Coppola's "Priscilla", about Elvis Presley's wife, and "The Killer" by David Fincher, who returns to the Lido two decades after "Fight Club" was famously booed at the festival only to become a cult hit later. 'Absolutely incomprehensible' But with less star gossip, a lot of attention risks being absorbed by the inclusion of Woody Allen with "Coup de Chance" (his 50th film and first in French) and Roman Polanski with "The Palace", both in the out-of-competition section. Allen, 87, was investigated for an alleged assault on his adopted daughter in the 1990s. Though cleared by police, he has been effectively blackballed by Hollywood. Festival director Alberto Barbera defended Allen's inclusion, telling AFP: "He has been completely absolved. Twenty-five years have passed and, for me, the hostility towards him, especially in the United States, is absolutely incomprehensible." Polanski, 90, remains a fugitive from the United States over a conviction for raping a minor in the 1970s. The victim has long since forgiven him, but he faces other assault allegations. The festival says he is not attending. Barbera acknowledged it was more complex with Polanski but said: "The history of art is full of artists who were criminals, and we nonetheless continue to admire their work." There are also out-of-competition premieres for a 40-minute Wes Anderson film, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar", based on a Roald Dahl tale, and a new feature from indie favorite Richard Linklater, "Hit Man". "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial", the final film from William Friedkin ("The Exorcist"), who died this month at 87, is also playing out of competition. The post Hollywood strikes sap glamour of Venice Film Festival appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»