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Hope for more survivors from Baltimore bridge collapse fades
BALTIMORE – The coast guard announced on Wednesday that hope of finding more survivors of the Baltimore bridge collapse has dimmed, and efforts have switched to searching for the bodies of the missing persons, as well as seeking more answers as to why a container ship crashed into the span. The coast guard announced on.....»»
2 activists kidnapped in Pangasinan
The Commission on Human Rights has called for a search for two environmental rights defenders and church workers who were reportedly kidnapped in Pangasinan last weekend......»»
EAM Jaishankar visits Indian Coast Guard Ship Samudra Paheredar in Manila
Manila [Philippines], March 27 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Indian Coast Guard Ship Samudra Paheredar on Tuesday during its port call to Manila and said that India's Act East policy and Indo-Pacific vision will continue to give it a more contemporary form. He presented his remarks at the Indian Coast Guard Ship Samudra Paheredar on Tuesday and said that his visit and the ship's presence signify th.....»»
Six presumed dead after ship destroys major US bridge
Authorities on Tuesday suspended their search for six people missing after a packed cargo ship slammed into a Baltimore bridge, causing it to collapse and blocking one of the busiest US commercial harbors......»»
‘Trade with China should continue’
The Philippines should continue to pursue stronger trade ties with China despite rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea, according to the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. and the Department of Trade and Industry......»»
'We firmly support Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty': EAM Jaishankar in Manila
Manila [Philippines], March 26 (ANI): External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, who is on a formal visit to Manila, said on Tuesday that India firmly supports the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty and will continue to further enhance cooperation in various fields, including defence and security. "We firmly support the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty. So I think our position is very clear......»»
Philippines braces for La Nina, continues to deal with El Nino
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will continue to implement measures to lessen the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, as it braces for the opposite La Nina weather pattern, Philippine Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum said Tuesday. Solidum said in a news conference that the Department of Science and Technology's record showed that as of Sunday, 37 provinces across the country hav.....»»
Speaking up for survivors of human trafficking: Victoria Nyanjura s story
The UN Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking (UNVTF) provides humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims of trafficking in persons through the awarding of grants to civil society organizations. Victoria Nyanjura was recently elected as Chair of the UNVTF and is the first-ever survivor of human traffi.....»»
Women shaping Philippine monetary policy
Women have made significant strides as leaders in the Philippine financial services industry even as challenges continue to persist. At the helm are two distinguished female members of the Monetary Board (MB) – the policy-setting body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) –both of whom are breaking the bias for women in finance......»»
Top 10 e-commerce sites in the Philippines 2019 - ASEAN UP
With a dynamic economy and a large population proficient with digital technologies, the Philippines is a fast-growing market for e-commerce in Southeast Asia. Several websites and digital applications are already fighting for market share, with global, regional and national players. The growing connectivity of the Philippines, rapidly overcoming the countrys infrastructure difficulties, enable more and Continue reading &q.....»»
Bryan Dy teases Biringan cast, wants to continue Mallari success
Mentorque Productions owner John Bryan Diamante revealed the studio's upcoming movie "Biringan" now has a planned cast. .....»»
Addressing the Philippines’ 2024 Threat Landscape: Kaspersky Launches KUMA Platform
To help Filipino businesses and organizations stay safe in cyberspace while embracing digitalization, Kaspersky announces today the launch of Kaspersky Unified Monitoring and Analysis Platform (KUMA), its integrated software solution that includes a set of functions for security information and event monitoring and management. The Philippines is expected to continue its double-digit growth towards $35B […].....»»
Princess Diana’s ‘Black Sheep’ sweater sells at auction for $1.1 mn
An iconic red sweater worn by Princess Diana shortly after her engagement to then-Prince Charles, featuring rows of fluffy little sheep, sold at auction for more than $1.1 million following a frenetic bout of final bidding, Sotheby's announced Thursday. The 19-year-old sported the knit garment -- which includes one black sheep amid dozens of otherwise white wooly creatures -- at a June 1981 polo match during her whirlwind days as a shy royal-in-the-making. The playfully patterned "Black Sheep" sweater became one of the most emblematic articles of clothing worn by Diana, which in hindsight seems to foretell her troubled journey as a member of the British royal family. The garment nabbed $1.1 million -- which includes fees and commission -- after a fierce battle by internet bidders. The total was over ten times more than Sotheby's initial estimate of between $50,000 to $80,000. Due to an avalanche of bids, the auction house extended the sale by several minutes, with the price leaping from $190,000 to $1.1 million in the final 15 minutes. According to Sotheby's, it is the highest price ever paid at auction for a garment belonging to Princess Diana -- eclipsing her Infanta-style ball gown sold in January for $604,000 -- as well as the most valuable sweater ever sold at auction. The sweater was created by then-little-known designers Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne and their knitting company Warm and Wonderful, which was subsequently catapulted to fame. Weeks after Diana was photographed in the top, the designers received a letter explaining that one of the sweater's sleeves had suffered damage, and asking if it could be repaired or replaced. The designers sent her a new one and had assumed the original was repaired and sent to a customer, but in March 2023 Osborne found the sweater in a small box in her attic. In addition to the sweater, the auction included the letter requesting repair, as well as a thank you note from Diana's private secretary, Oliver Everett. The sweater was so iconic that it even appeared (via replica) in the fourth season of Netflix drama "The Crown," chronicling the House of Windsor's recent history. The post Princess Diana’s ‘Black Sheep’ sweater sells at auction for $1.1 mn appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3 Popes: JP2, Benedict, Francis
Author’s Note. My perspective in this article is as a Catholic. Readers are warned that the Catholic Church is as human as it is divine. The human frailty and errors among Popes and Cardinals should not scandalize the faithful into leaving the Church, join the growing non-Catholic sects, led by the Born Again movement, and deepen the crisis. Rather, we should pray for the human Church to have the grace to reform itself. Note also that the term “Conservative” and “Liberal” are used as generic terms and do not necessarily apply to certain individuals. There is a vast rainbow of theological positions among Popes and Cardinals. St. Pope John Paul II or “JP2” (1978-2005) was a staunch Liberal. When Vatican journalists exposed the “Vatican mafia,” dominated by Conservatives, who embezzled Vatican Bank funds on a massive scale, JP2 shrewdly chose Conservative Cardinal Ratzinger (future Pope Benedict XVI) to contain his fellow Conservatives. Ratzinger partly succeeded, for which he was labeled the “German Shepherd,” but the Conservatives had been too big and powerful in the last few centuries to be easily extinguished totally. When JP2’s Parkinson’s disease worsened, Ratzinger advised him to resign. Instead, JP2 formed a commission to handle the Vatican mafia problem. The commission also gave him the same advice — resign. So it was a dead-end in the effort to weed out the mafia. When Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013), he still could not control his fellow Conservatives, especially the powerful Roman Curia, the central government of the Catholic Church. The corrupt Cardinals were the modern-day Pharisees who were causing a Church crisis, which was prophesied by Our Lady of Fatima. Benedict was forced to resign because he was helpless in handling the Vatican Bank scandals and the growing pedophile epidemic, two raging Church issues. In the latter, there were growing cases of pedophile prelates, from priests to cardinals, who were simply transferred to other dioceses to cover up their crimes, where they continued their evil ways. Thus, the pedophile epidemic spread even more. The cases were swept under the rug, until a massive avalanche of court cases, especially in Europe and America, was bleeding the Vatican coffers dry. Pope Benedict, before resigning, wanted the next Pope to solve the problems that he failed to solve. He chose Cardinal Bergoglio (future Pope Francis). But Bergoglio was a staunch Liberal and Benedict a staunch Conservative. Their theological perspectives were like oil and water. In spite of this, in despair, Benedict campaigned for Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis (2013-present). Benedict knew Bergoglio would easily win because he was a close runner-up in the last Papal conclave (election) where he was elected Pope. In spite of their differences, Benedict and the future Francis became intimate friends as they forged a strategy to contain the growing Church crisis. The movie “Two Popes” accurately featured the drama of their violent debates and gentle friendship. When the Liberal Bergoglio became Pope Francis, he was the first Jesuit Pope of history. The Jesuits have been the epitome of radical reforms ever since the days of the Counter Reformation (1517), a response to Luther’s Reformation, the largest splinter of the Church ever. The Jesuits led the era of counter-reforms to restore the Church. Upon ascending to St. Peter’s chair, the Liberal Pope Francis quickly suppressed the Conservatives in a deadly Blitzkrieg, especially in the Roman Curia, within six short months, shocking the Vatican media. Francis did it quickly but not totally, and he paid a dear price for it. The Conservatives exacted deep vengeance that led to the accusations of Papal “heresy” and “blasphemy’.” An eye for an eye. This was the “apostasy” (civil war) that Our Lady of Fatima also prophesied. That Satan works within the Vatican to cause havoc is a theological fact and a matter of history. Some Church historians point out that the Inquisition was the prime example of the work of the devil, where thousands were randomly beheaded without trial. Do not fret about the Church crisis. God is on top of that situation. We need only to pray for everyone, on both sides of the civil war, and God will take care of everything in His time in His way. Avoid joining the theological debates which tend to confuse. It is better to remain neutral in such complex theological issues. Let the Conservatives and Liberals fight it out. Faith has two aspects — the intellectual and the spiritual, the mind and the heart. On the mind level, it is easy to be confused (dogma, canon law, etc.). You have to prove or disprove. But on the heart level, everything becomes crystal clear, because it is simply a matter of faith. “Praise to you, Oh Father, for what you have hidden from the wise, you have revealed to little children” Luke 10:21. The post 3 Popes: JP2, Benedict, Francis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Optimism amidst negative prognoses
Against an avalanche of negative prognoses, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno remains optimistic that the Philippine economy will be able to catch up despite the totally unexpected 4.3 percent sluggish growth exhibited during the second quarter of 2023......»»
Trash your indifference
Tons of plastic waste are disposed of daily, and most people don’t mind, don’t care, or don’t know about it until they see inorganic matter washing up on our shores or floating in our flooded houses come typhoon season. Plastic bags, bottles, food wrappers, and containers are part of our daily lives. We throw them in the trash, unmindful of where they go. Up to now post-post-‘Ondoy’ and all the other terrible typhoon names we remember people still chuck a candy wrapper out a vehicle window or carelessly kick a plastic cup out of the way. Trash bags from residential and commercial establishments are groaning. Broken plastic pails and dirty drinking tumblers are rejected in a pile that goes into garbage bins or the waterways. Plastic wrap, bubble wrap, nifty little individual packs that provide such convenience — they meet the trash can pretty quick and we never hear of them again. The planet is dying. As for our lovely islands surrounded by vibrant oceans that amaze divers from around the world, a plastic crisis is at hand. The Philippines reportedly generates some “2.7 million tons of plastic waste per year.” What does this mean? It means we are destroying our environment. We are guilty of taking the quick and easy way and sacrificing our very home, our Mother Earth, to get immediate gratification. Millions and tons are words alone that should alarm anyone — but, really, what is most alarming is that plastics are non-biodegradable. They “stick around the environment for ages,” says Friends of the Earth, and the way they go into our food chain, they can even be in some “food we eat.” One day, a plastic avalanche will overcome the planet. Long have environment warriors fought to make “recycle, reuse, reduce” a lifestyle mantra. Yet following the recent typhoons, we can say we have a long way to go. Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga during World Environment Day said the country is “not winning the war” against single-use plastics. In a report, she said, “The daily waste generation has increased to 61,000 metric tons from only 16,000 MT in 2016.” DENR-Environmental Management Bureau data reveals that “at least 12 percent or 7,090 MT of the total garbage being produced every day are plastic waste.” Now the government is pushing for reforms — from policies and laws made to suit each person’s daily personal habits. First should come consumption and proper waste disposal. Another aspect is production and corporate responsibility. In his second State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for prioritization and solutions to address the plastic crisis. This year, Congress proposed measures to solve the problem of plastic waste. Tax measures are being proposed to reduce its use. It is also calling for companies to “take responsibility for the plastic packaging waste they produce.” A refill system — one that countless companies have been undertaking for years — should cause businesses to change their game. Aside from refill stations, they should moreover encourage reusable packaging. Like everything else the Marcos government is trying to fix, this environmental problem will need everyone’s cooperation and commitment. There really isn’t much of a choice if we want the planet to prosper. The post Trash your indifference appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
(Not) remembering things past
Many lamented the destruction of the iconic building housing the Manila Central Post Office when it was razed to the ground after a car battery exploded in one of its storage rooms a few weeks ago. The huge blaze was put out after 30 hours and the damage was estimated at P300 million. The incident also broke the hearts of countless employees who had worked most of their professional lives in the building. But after the usual outcry, the many columns, editorials, and a flurry of outrage on social media, the usual cries for “an investigation,” as in most cases, the issue appears to have died down, buried under an avalanche of political bickering, the brouhaha about quarrels between popular noontime television show hosts and their former partners, and the latest round of fuel and food price increases. So how serious really are we as a people in preserving our cultural heritage? The list of old landmarks and buildings that have been obliterated by way of wrecking balls, natural disasters, alleged acts of arson, sheer negligence, or lack of appreciation for history or the past continues to grow. In Manila alone, where the Post Office built in 1926 once stood, rising proudly after it was heavily damaged during the horrific Battle of Manila in World War II between American and Japanese forces, several buildings or homes that we often referenced as links to the past, or had evoked childhood memories and a fascination for nostalgia can no longer be found, restored, or visited. Think of the Paco Railway Station built in the first two decades of American rule, with its huge clock hands frozen in time; the Jai-Alai building on Taft Avenue where fortunes were found or lost; the cinema palaces with impressive lobbies on the Escolta and Rizal Avenue; the beautiful homes in Binondo and Tondo where once lived national heroes, freedom fighters, writers and poets before these were converted into dirty warehouses, crumbling apartments, and food stalls; the Manila Grand Opera House, site of the newly inaugurated 1907 first Philippine Assembly, and later a venue for stage shows and post-war musical extravaganzas. The list goes on and on. Why preserve these buildings in the first place? Because these old structures provide us with a link to the past, a sense of place and continuity, a connection with our cultural heritage, and a legacy for future generations. These are sources of pride and testimony as to how we evolved as a nation. Apart from being made of more durable (and often not readily obtained now, if not no longer available) materials crafted by artisans of exceptional workmanship, they made for visually attractive works of art that appealed not only to local but international visitors or they could have been easily transformed into adapted use venues for vintage markets and office spaces with an Old-World appeal. Although not all seems lost — look at the heritage cities and towns of Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Silay and Bacolod in Negros Occidental; Iloilo City’s and Taal’s carefully preserved homes of old — the few owners who do not demolish these old buildings or their new tenants would rather renovate than restore, perhaps thinking that new buildings are more attractive or better investments than old ones, thus effacing not only architectural integrity but one’s original roots, so to speak. We continue to forge on in this relentless path of destroying or not revering mementos or souvenirs of the past, choosing instead skyscrapers, huge malls, and fast food outlets, reclaiming what once was pristine and marine-rich waters and turning it into man-made land for more towering and not environmentally friendly structures. When will we ever learn? The post (Not) remembering things past appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC opens cycle park at former dumpsite
The Quezon City government has opened a new bike park at the Payatas Controlled Disposal Facility, the former Payatas dumpsite, Mayor Joy Belmonte said. The bike park has four designated routes utilizing its asphalt roads and off-road trails. Routes range from beginner to advanced and offer stunning views of the surrounding area. The park also features a bamboo park, a dog park, an open-air museum, and a plant nursery. The dumpsite closed down in 2010 following an avalanche of trash that killed over 200 informal settlers. Belmonte’s office said the opening of the bike park is part of the city’s efforts to promote environmental awareness and provide more green spaces for its residents. Likewise, the city has also established 167 kilometers of protected bike lanes and over 200 parks and open spaces, it added. The city is conducting a Geotechnical Investigation and Slope Stability Analysis of the PCDF to ensure the safety of the area. Under normal conditions, the old mound and portions of the landfill can be utilized for various activities such as biking, jogging and Zumba, but with strict limitations on the number of visitors to avoid crowding. The opening of the bike park is a welcome development for the city of Quezon City. It provides a safe and enjoyable space for residents to enjoy the outdoors and learn about environmental conservation. The post QC opens cycle park at former dumpsite appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Renowned climber Noel Hanna dies on Nepal peak
Renowned Northern Irish climber Noel Hanna has died in Nepal while descending from the top of the treacherous Annapurna mountain range, officials said Tuesday. The 56-year-old adventurer was returning after a successful summit of the 8,091-metre (26,545-foot) peak when he died at Camp 4 on Monday night. "His body has been brought down and flown to Kathmandu," Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP from Annapurna base camp. Hanna had summited Everest 10 times and climbed the highest point on all seven continents. In 2006, he climbed the world's highest peak and then cycled from the route's base camp to the sea in eastern India, reaching the Bay of Bengal after a marathon two-week bike ride. Annapurna, the world's tenth highest mountain, is avalanche-prone, technically difficult and has a higher death rate than Everest. Rescuers and helicopters were busy on the mountain on Tuesday in efforts to locate three other Indian climbers. Record-holding Indian climber Baljeet Kaur, 28, and compatriot Arjun Vajpai, 30, were both rescued after a search lasting hours, the tourism department said. Another 34-year-old Indian climber, who fell into a crevasse on Monday, is yet to be found. The spring Himalayan climbing season had a tragic start last week with the death of three Nepali climbers on Everest. The trio were crossing the treacherous Khumbu icefall on Wednesday as part of a supply mission when a block of glacial ice fell and swept them into a deep crevasse. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring climbing season, when temperatures are warm and winds are typically calm. The government has issued more than 700 climbing permits for various Himalayan mountains this season, including 319 for Everest. The post Renowned climber Noel Hanna dies on Nepal peak appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Avalanche of learning competencies
The World Bank noted that the Philippines was experiencing an education crisis even before the pandemic hit our shores. According to its research, just 10 percent of our Grade 5 students are capable of meeting global academic standards due to their lack of proficiency in the instructions’ primary language, typically English, while the majority of […] The post Avalanche of learning competencies appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»