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Pacquiao, Sulaiman honor Filipino champs, eye PH-Mexico tiff
Invited by Manny Pacquiao to the Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman announces that he will stage a dual meet involving the Philippines and Mexico.....»»
China Coast Guard water-cannons anew Ayungin-bound civilian Philippine boat
A China Coast Guard vessel again blasted a Filipino supply boat with water cannons during the latter's attempt to bring much needed supplies to soldiers stationed at the Ayungin (Scarborough) Shoal......»»
Miss Saigon cast embrace full circle moments in Philippine return
Excited is an understatement for what the "Miss Saigon" cast feels in bringing the musical back to Philippine shores......»»
Solons confident of lower prices in October despite September 6.1% inflation
September inflation rate soared to 6.1 percent, but lawmakers are optimistic that prices of goods and services will likely dissipate this month. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda and Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, who head the House Committee on Ways and Means, and Agriculture and Food Committee, respectively, were saying that the inflation, or the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services, will not be perceptible this October due to the lifting of rice price ceiling and the ongoing harvest season. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported on Thursday that commodity prices jumped anew in September, with the inflation rate rising to 6.1 percent from 5.3 percent in August, bringing year-to-date inflation to 6.6 percent. September's inflation rate was the sharpest in four months. Salceda said the uptick can be solely attributed to rice price spikes and the global surge oil price spike in September. However, he believes that this could dissipate this month as global oil prices experienced a significant decline towards the end of September and with compliance with the rice price ceiling imposed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The price cap on rice, recently enforced by the President via Executive Order 39, intends to exert pressure on individuals or entities holding rice inventories to sell it at a reasonable price in hopes that this move will purge the supply shortage and price increase. EO 39 sets the price of regularly milled rice to P41 while P45 is for well-milled rice. However, Mr. Marcos lifted the price cap on Wednesday, or a day before the imposition mark its first month. While rice prices went up 17.9% year-on-year in September, Salceda noted global rice prices took a nosedive in late September and are now at their lowest point since early August. Salceda, however, forecasted that September inflation is "probably the worst inflation rate we will record for the "ber" months, and it gets better from here." Despite having optimistic forecasts for the inflation rate in October and subsequent periods, the economist-lawmaker asserts the necessity of implementing measures to alleviate potential risks. "Food prices still need to be watched out for, especially because the ber months typically tend to be bonus season, which is naturally inflationary," he said. In the same vein, Enverga anticipates a steady decline in inflation rates, and this month's will be on a downward trend due to the ongoing harvest season, which "historically plays in stabilizing prices and alleviating economic pressures on the public." Harvest season starts in September and will last up to November. "As the harvest season approaches, we can anticipate stabilization and, eventually, a decrease in inflation rates. Our nation's agricultural sector is a cornerstone of our economy, and the bountiful harvests ahead will undoubtedly have a significant impact on curbing inflation," Enverga pointed out. Moreover, he emphasized the decrease in the pricing of crucial agricultural commodities, such as sugar, attributable to strategic changes implemented within the farming industry. September inflation is primarily attributed to higher food prices, which surged 10 percent from 8.2 percent in August. Key contributors include rice (17.9% from 8.7%), meat (1.3% from -0.1%), fruits (11.6% from 9.6%), and corn (1.6% from 0.9%). In contrast, the prices of sugar, fish, vegetables, eggs and dairy products, and bread and cereals experienced slower inflation. The post Solons confident of lower prices in October despite September 6.1% inflation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Budget season
Marathon meetings were held this week in the Senate and the House of Representatives in line with the budget season leading to the approval of the ever-increasing P5.7-trillion budget for 2024. The yearly “budget-serye” (budget series) never fails to disappoint in bringing out issues that extract the tiniest of details in our government that are given monetary figures in the form of public funds, amounting to millions and even billions of pesos. And every year, we see how the majority gets its way, especially early in the Administration, such as where we are right now. My biggest pet peeve in these sessions is the consistent usage of incompetent sponsors for specific government offices who deserve much better. These sponsors, whose mandate is to defend their sponsored government office before the increasingly knowledgeable and wise interpolators, must be technically and legally verbose and experts in the Philippine budget process. Clearly, this is all wishful thinking since we see neophyte, inarticulate, incapable, yet extremely loyal sponsors who would do anything to prove their worth to the powers that be, even if it means being humiliated and trending on social media for the wrong reasons. Indeed, this is the time for the opposition lawmakers to shine and feast on the mental shortcomings of their counterparts. The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives finds itself in the limelight as it engages in its own “hunting season” against willing victims, may they be Cabinet secretaries or, gasp, the Office of the Vice President, whose massive confidential and intelligence funds are being questioned repeatedly anew. Lo and behold, we have a statement from the House Appropriations Committee chairman that these OVP allocations will be realigned to more deserving government agencies, i.e., the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard. However, we have yet to see the indisputable evidence to prove this happened. Nevertheless, it is a fair and conclusive presumption to say that the majority will still get its way despite the awkward and unconvincing defenses and sponsorships in favor of the government agencies. Is the budget process faulty? It appears not since the correct agencies still receive what is due them. The problem, in my humble opinion, lies in the implementation of these budgets granted to them. For instance, the alleged spending by the OVP of its confidential funds amounting to P125 million in 19 days or 11 days, whichever is true, is a problem of implementation, not allocation. What prevented the OVP from spending this amount earlier? What’s likely is that the OVP rushed the spending so they would not be accused of failure in spending public funds for the right and correct reasons. The other issue on the alleged unconstitutional transfer of funds by the Office of the President to the OVP, while the GAA of 2023 was in effect, is likewise the product of faulty, inefficient implementation of the law. It is illegal for a government office, such as the Office of the President, to casually assign a portion of its fund to the OVP because this renders the budget process faulty and even useless. If there is something that may be attributed to faulty implementation, it can be its failure to set proper safeguards that would lead to the enforcement of new ones. In fact, a Supreme Court decision on the alleged unconstitutional transfer made by the OP to the OVP is in the works. This would place the 2023 “budget-serye” on record as the landmark budget season that would define those in the coming years. For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com. The post Budget season appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Our team
The 19th Asian Games have yet to start, but Gilas Pilipinas is already winning the hearts and minds of Filipinos. Gilas coach Tim Cone swept local fans off their feet when he allowed them to watch their joint training session with the Gilas Women team last Thursday at the PhilSports Arena. After their workout, San Miguel Corporation director Alfrancis Chua gave the fans five minutes to have their pictures taken with their basketball idols. But when Cone approached Chua, he suddenly changed his mind and increased the allotted time to 15 minutes. Seeing Gilas — a collection of the country’s most popular and wealthiest athletes — go out of their way to mingle with fans is truly heartwarming. And it won’t be the last time they will see their basketball heroes as Cone has invited them anew to watch their friendly match against Changwon LG Sakers on Friday. But just a few weeks ago, this beautiful bond between Gilas and their fans was unthinkable. Gilas struggled to gain public support during the country’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup. At the same time, their head coach, Chot Reyes, was being bashed and heckled mercilessly due to their forgettable performance. Fans questioned Reyes’s integrity as a coach, especially when he benched Kai Sotto in their first game against the Dominican Republic. He was also criticized for relying too much on National Basketball Association star Jordan Clarkson, raising speculations that he was unprepared for the world’s biggest and most prestigious basketball event. The fans inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum made their presence felt. They booed Reyes during the player introductions against Italy, prompting some of his players, like Kiefer Ravena, Rhenz Abando and Clarkson, to rush to his defense. Even Reyes’s outfit didn’t escape the eyes of the public. Social media exploded with insults, adverse reactions, and comments after Reyes flaunted an ultra-expensive Thom Browne suit during their game against Angola. The money he spent, reportedly around P200,000, wasn’t worth it as Gilas suffered a 70-80 loss to the Angolans, dealing a major blow to their chances of advancing to the knockout stages. But his manner of coaching and posh outfit were not the only reasons Reyes struggled to deodorize his public image. When Gilas was preparing for the World Cup, Reyes shut the doors of their practice facility to fans and sportswriters. Instead of making the team available, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas assigned a media liaison who disseminated information and narrated what was happening through short videos and photos regularly posted on social media. That was the practice when Gilas trained at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, as well as when they were in Estonia and Lithuania. Gilas also played friendly matches against Ivory Coast, Mexico, and Montenegro at the PhilSports Arena with no one but a very few team staffers and federation officials in attendance. With the friendly matches being inaccessible, sportswriters had to resort to checking the social media pages of Gilas’s opponents and the SBP to get information and avoid the wrath of their editors. They jokingly called it “socmed journalism.” That’s why the appointment of Cone as Gilas’ head coach is a breath of fresh air. The 65-year-old Cone may be an American, but he knows the importance of gaining public approval. In fact, he started his career as a villain in the eyes of the masses after engaging with the charismatic Robert Jaworski in numerous coaching battles. But he let his coaching do the talking as he led Alaska to a grand slam in 1996 before winning another triple crown with San Mig Coffee in 2014. At Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the most popular professional team in the country, Cone further cemented his reputation as a well-loved, well-respected coach when he turned the likes of LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee into fan favorites. Now, Cone is at the helm of Gilas Pilipinas, armed with a mission of not only winning an Asian Games medal but also bringing the national players closer to the public. It’s a tough order. But Cone is carrying it out to perfection. The post Our team appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shell Pilipinas profitable anew despite snags
Driven by continued innovation in serving a growing customer base, Shell Pilipinas Corp. or SPC, the local unit of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell, has returned to profitability in the first half of the year. In a report over the weekend, the company disclosed that its net income as of end-June reached P123 million, translating to a significant improvement from a net loss of P310.22 million in the first quarter. The first-half bottom line profit, however, was still far from the P7.8 billion it posted in the same period last year. Meanwhile, SPC said its core earnings from January to June reached P1.4 billion due to marketing rebounds. Total marketing volume increased by 9 percent while premium products increased across key sectors. Non-fuel retail also posted a double-digit growth of 14 percent from last year and is 33 percent higher than the pre-pandemic period. However, this remarkable marketing delivery was tempered by the aforesaid factors that affected the industry. “We have built momentum and we will finish strong in 2023 with exceptional customer experience and continued innovation in serving our growing customer base with world-class Shell products and services,” SPC President and Chief Executive Officer Lorelie Quiambao-Osial said. “We are committed to delivering value to our customers, to our shareholders, and to our staff and business partners. This includes our commitment to deliver shareholder return.” Across its mobility business, SPC also grew its total volume delivery by 9 percent while premium fuel, lubricants, and bitumen products penetration remain high. Within the second quarter, the company opened seven new sites — bringing the total to 14 new mobility destination sites for the year. The post Shell Pilipinas profitable anew despite snags appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DILG seeks probe over ‘balete’ collapse
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection to investigate incident on Thursday night where several houses near a creek in Recto, Manila collapsed after a tree fell on them. In a statement on Friday, Abalos directed the BFP to submit its recommendation as soon as possible to his office to prevent similar incidents from occurring anew. “I gave the BFP a directive to investigate the incident and I expect them to submit their report and recommendations in the coming days,’’ Abalos said. Initial reports from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office disclosed that three persons died and nine others were injured from the incident that occurred at Alvarado Street in Barangay 294. The fatalities included a two-year-old child. Aside from the BFP and the MDRRMO, other fire volunteer groups responded to the incident and assisted in bringing the affected residents to safer grounds. Abalos sympathized with the families of the victims and instructed the local officials to provide the necessary assistance to them. “We condole with the family of the victims of this tradegy. We also call on the local officials to ensure that the affected residents are provided with the assistance and to do everything to make sure that similar tragedies of this nature do not happen or occur again,’’ Abalos said. The DILG chief also commended the BFP and the MRRDMO for their immediate response to the incident. The post DILG seeks probe over ‘balete’ collapse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate urged to commend Obiena, women s football team
MANILA - Senators Lito Lapid and Jinggoy Estrada have filed separate resolutions seeking for the Senate to formally commend the Philippine Women's National Football Team and Ernest John Uy for bringing pride and honor anew to the Philippines.Lapid said on Thursday that Obiena capturing a his.....»»
Korean Film Fest goes digital anew
In celebration of the Family Month in Korea in May, Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines will be bringing back the crowd-favorite Korean Film Festival, running from May 7 to 27. .....»»
PH media slam Chinese foreign ministry’s claims of manipulating WPS reports
Philippine media groups criticized the Chinese foreign ministry for suggesting that recent reports on Chinese harassment of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea involved video manipulation and sensationalism to portray the Philippines as a victim. The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) expressed offense.....»»
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.....»»
Philippines beats India for back-to-back wins in women’s Asia ice hockey tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey team picked up where they left off after their opening win in the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a 7-0 shutout of India at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday......»»
Penitentes take centerstage anew in Leyte Holy Week rituals
Penitentes take centerstage anew in Leyte Holy Week rituals.....»»
Marc Pingris speaks out vs affair rumors with Kim Rodriguez
Former Philippine Basketball Association star player Marc Pingris denied having an affair with actress Kim Rodriguez......»»
Mommy Dionisia, Mike Yamson 10 years nang magdyowa: Thank you, Lord!
SAMPUNG taon nang magkarelasyon ngayon ang nanay ni Manny Pacquiao na si Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao at ang boyfriend niyang si Mike Yamson. Yes, yes, yes mga ka-Marites! Ten years nang magdyowa ang dalawa at in fairness, going strong pa rin ang relasyon at mas lalo pa raw nagiging solid sa paglipas ng panahon. Twenty-seven years.....»»
Kaspersky Shares Cybersecurity Tips for a Peaceful Getaway during the holy week
As the holiday season approaches, the urge to unwind and kick back is natural. And it’s all too common for people to let their guard down completely when connecting to the Internet too– but shouldn’t. Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group shared its findings on identity theft cases in the country. Between November […].....»»
All Hail the Camera King! HONOR Magic6 Pro Ranks Number 1 in Camera Global Rankings
The leading global provider of smart devices, HONOR, claimed the top spot as the best camera smartphone in the recent DxOMark ranking test, dethroning its competitors with a high-ranking score of 158. DxOMark, an independent camera testing organization that provides comprehensive evaluations of camera performances, has awarded HONOR Magic6 Pro as the top contender in […].....»»
ANZ raises Philippine inflation forecast to 3.8% this year
ANZ Research hiked its inflation forecast for the Philippines to 3.8 percent this year, from 3.5 percent previously, as risks may drive inflation up to above the central bank’s two to four percent target in the coming months......»»