We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Senate Cha-cha proponents: No political changes
Joining the fray to have the Charter changed, several senators have vowed to focus on its economic provisions and to steer clear of politics to ensure their initiative will have better chances of getting approved......»»
Has President Marcos changed his tune on charter change?
In February, President Marcos said charter change was not a priority. When asked again months later about the topic, he said there have been some preliminary discussions......»»
Global governance is stuck in time
We confront a host of existential threats — from the climate crisis to disruptive technologies — and we do so at a time of chaotic transition. For much of the Cold War, international relations were largely seen through the prism of two superpowers. Then came a short period of unipolarity. Now we are rapidly moving toward a multipolar world. This is, in many ways, positive. It brings new opportunities for justice and balance in international relations. But multipolarity alone cannot guarantee peace. At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe had numerous powers. It was truly multipolar. But it lacked robust multilateral institutions and the result was World War I. A multipolar world needs strong and effective multilateral institutions. Yet global governance is stuck in time. Look no further than the United Nations Security Council and the Bretton Woods system. They reflect the political and economic realities of 1945, when many countries were still under colonial domination. The world has changed. Our institutions have not. We cannot effectively address problems as they are if institutions do not reflect the world as it is. Instead of solving problems, they risk becoming part of the problem. And, indeed, divides are deepening. Divides among economic and military powers. Divides between North and South, East and West. We are inching ever closer to a Great Fracture in economic and financial systems and trade relations; one that threatens a single, open Internet; with diverging strategies on technology and artificial intelligence; and potentially clashing security frameworks. It is high time to renew multilateral institutions based on 21st century economic and political realities — rooted in equity, solidarity and universality and anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. That means reforming the Security Council in line with the world of today. It means redesigning the international financial architecture so that it becomes truly universal and serves as a global safety net for developing countries in trouble. At the same time, divides are also widening within countries. Democracy is under threat. Authoritarianism is on the march. Inequalities are growing. And hate speech is on the rise. In the face of all these challenges and more, compromise has become a dirty word. We have just survived the hottest days, the hottest months, and the hottest summer on the books. Behind every broken record are broken economies, broken lives and whole nations at the breaking point. Actions are falling abysmally short. There is still time to keep rising temperatures within the 1.5-degree limits of the Paris [Climate] Agreement. But that requires drastic steps now — to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and to ensure climate justice for those who did least to cause the crisis but are paying the highest price. The fossil fuel age has failed. If fossil fuel companies want to be part of the solution, they must lead the transition to renewable energy. No more dirty production. No more fake solutions. No more bankrolling climate denial. Climate chaos is breaking new records, but we cannot afford the same old broken record of scapegoating and waiting for others to move first. And to all those working, marching and championing real climate action, I want you to know that you are on the right side of history and that I am with you. I won’t give up this fight of our lives. *** Excerpts from the UN Secretary-General’s address to the General Assembly, 19 September 2023. The post Global governance is stuck in time appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fancy word ‘revisionism’
Were there widespread abuses during the martial law years spanning 21 September 1972 to 17 January 1981, or nine years under President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.? Certain groups consider the narrative of the period being the dark ages of civil rights as sacrosanct and should never be challenged. Anything different from their storyline would be revisionism. These are the hypocrites who consider themselves as having the divine appointment to decide what is best for the country after the 1986 EDSA revolt. “I am ready to debate with anyone, and it is my duty to explain to the people,” Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, who was the martial law administrator, said on the necessity of the controversial 1972 imposition. The situation then called for the declaration of powers to address an extraordinary threat to the nation. Everything was done according to the provisions of the 1935 Constitution, stressed Enrile on his weekly morning show “Bayan ni Juan.” “I was ordered by then — President Marcos Sr., who was acting under the commander-in-chief provision of the law, to study what was contained in the Constitution on the powers of the President,” he said. He pointed out that martial law covering the entire country was necessary at that particular period. Our country, not only today but in the future, is guaranteed always to be stable. “The time will come when there will again be a need to impose martial, and it will be the people who would clamor for it, I’m telling you,” he predicted. Enrile said that all forms of government leave something to be desired; even China, which is fast developing, faces several criticisms. The government, however, is responsible for preventing chaos, anarchy, and disorder. “We should be thankful that martial law was declared, or Mr. Jose Maria Sison would have taken over the government,” Enrile recalled. “Our economy then was hit by a global crisis. America was on a downturn, and it brought down the Philippines with it,” he said. “History will give us a fair picture of the past, such as what happened in Roman times, the Persian period and the Assyrian period.” Similarly, history will bear out that martial law was what was called for. According to the seasoned public servant, he could vouch for the Marcos military rule being fair and far from what was painted by the opportunists. “If they call the declaration of martial law a dictatorship, then what was the description of the government when President Cory Aquino took over? She was the legislator and the executive. Cory, the supposed saint of democracy, changed the 1973 Constitution that the Filipinos voted for,” Enrile said. With a single signature, she changed the Constitution and assembled 60 individuals who were supposedly knowledgeable on the laws to craft the 1987 Constitution, Enrile said, recounting the forming of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Charter. Even though he held the executive and legislative functions, Enrile said Marcos made sure “we were all working under a system of democratic procedure.” Marcos, he said, did not monopolize the government. “All the laws created under martial law were deliberated, debated, and discussed.” As proof of the just creation of the presidential decrees by Marcos, Enrile said that most are still being used by the government “because they were well thought out.” “Compare that with the laws being passed now. After a few years, these are required to be revised because of mistakes,” he said. The Supreme Court was always there to balance the executive and the legislative. “Can anyone say how many decrees passed during martial law were turned down by the SC as unconstitutional?” Of course, all were correctly upheld and in accord with the Basic Law. The post Fancy word ‘revisionism’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SONA should focus on what’s good for the ‘common tao’
Rosalie Medina, is a regular figure at a public market in Quezon City's First District. She obliged to give her observation on the coming 2nd State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to the Daily Tribune, provided that the market where her stall is located should not be named in this article. Popularly known in that market as "Aling Osang", she said her meat stall has been her constant companion in her daily life even when she was still single. Aling Osang inherited the meat stall from her parents who were one of the 'original magbababoy' in that market in the '60s, Now that she has a family of her own, Aling Osang said nothing has changed except the prices of what she sells. "Walang nagbago, kundi yung presyo. Yung paghihirap ko, na gumising ng maaga, magtinda, umuwi at magluto para sa pamilya, then, magtinda uli sa hapon. Yun pa rin ang aking ginagawa ko. (Nothing has changed except the prices of meat. I do the same routine, woke early to vend, go home to cook for the family then vend again)," Medina said. She added, she can no longer live the life they are living before, when their mother and father were able to save money for a house to be their shelter with her six other siblings. "Di ko na magagawa ang nagawa nila. Nagpapasalamat na lang ako at naiwanan nila kami ng matitirahan. Pati itong meat stall. Natulungan ako nito na pag-aralin din ang aking mga anak, gaya nila nanay at tatay (I can't duplicate what they did for us with this small meat stall, but it helps me a lot in sending my kids to school just like my mom and dad,)" Medina said, stressing that no one help them, neither local or national leaders. "SONA, para sa mayayaman lang yan. Di naman namin alam ibig sabihin ng mga pinagsasabi ng mga Presidenteng nagdaan sa buhay natin o namin. Nagdaang lang nang walang nangyari sa amin. Kung di kami magsusumikap, mas mahirap pa ang lagay namin malamang ngayon (SONA are for the rich only. We can't understand what the other presidents' say or have said. They just passed by in our lives. If we don't persevere, we were poorer than what we are now)," she explained, adding that if ever this time, President Marcos would mentioned the lowly people like her, she expects that it must do good to her situation. "Yun may pangako na matutupad. Gaya pag-nagkasakit ako, libre ba ang aking ospital? Yun kapitbahay ko namatay nang nanghihingi ng tulong ang pamilya sa mga pulitikong ito ( I want to hear a promise that can be fulfilled. Like, if I got sicked, will the goverment take care of my hospitalization? I have a neighbor who died asking for help from these politicians)," she said. Mang Danny, an almost 80-year-old scavenger who could no longer remember his surname and age, said he will die without experiencing a good life. His family left him because of his heavy drinking, and he ended up as "nagkakalakal". He said he is now waiting the time of his death. "Inaantay ko na lang ang aking kamatayan para mapahinga na rin (I am just waiting for my death to come, to have an eternal rest)," Danny said. He said he is not interested to hear the President's plan for someone like him. "Isa lang ang gusto ko marinig, bahay sa mga walang bahay. Wala kami nun, kaya napilitan silang palayasin ako (One thing I want to hear is a house for those who do not have one. We don't have a house, that's why they were force to throw me out)," he said. This is what the other poorest of the poor also wanted, who claimed they left out in the 4PH Program. Urban poor groups criticized the administration’s social housing program, Sunday, the eve of the President's SONA, for its being “overly dependent” on private developers and “downright discriminatory” against the poorest of the poor. Declared as the administration’s flagship program, the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) aims to produce one million “affordable” housing each year to address the cumulative housing backlog of some 6.8 million Filipinos. But leaders of urban poor organizations, in a joint statement, stated, “The program is neither affordable nor equitable for the poorest among the homeless Filipinos. Pagkatapos ng anim na taon, maaring nagkabahay ang mga naka-aangat pero ang mahihirap ay hindi." The urban poor network explained that under this private-led housing development program, only the lower- to middle-income families can avail of the P1.1 to P1.5 million housing loan from Pag-IBIG Fund as the poorest of poor, estimated to be 1.7 million of the 6 million beneficiaries, cannot afford a monthly amortization of at least P4,000. Housing loans under 4PH is significantly higher than the current loanable amount of up to P750,000 for socialized housing under Pag-IBIG Fund, with a monthly amortization of P2,445 available for minimum wage earners and low-income families. But informal settler families (ISFs) live under vulnerable conditions of unemployment and underemployment as most of them work in the informal economy with irregular income, the groups said. The P4,000 estimated monthly amortization, the groups said, was based on the one percent interest rate which is the only cost that will be assumed by the government. Pag-IBIG Fund, meanwhile, imposes three percent interest rate for socialized housing loans; but under the 4PH, only one percent shall be paid by the applicant. The rest of the costs in building the units will be assumed by private developers which shall also be charged to household beneficiaries through Pag-IBIG. But since the proposed housing design is high-rise, urban poor leaders said additional costs for the maintenance and operations of said buildings, like elevators and other amenities, shall be borne collectively and may incur additional monthly dues of P2,000 per household. This would mean a family’s total monthly expenditure for housing is at P6,000. “Records would show, however, that even for existing NHA projects, only 22 percent of informal settlers are able to meet the monthly amortization of P300. The P6,000 monthly amortization is 20 times higher than the current NHA cost, making a 4PH's house an impossible dream house for the poorest of the poor. "Hindi pa nagsisimula ang proyekto ay disqualified na ang mahihirap,” said the group. Alternatives Citing a dire need to address the burgeoning housing crisis, urban poor leaders said they are willing to work with the government with an alternative mechanism that they would like to propose. These include a major proposal for the government to make land acquisition and site development for socialized housing a grant to drive down the cost further and make the program more affordable for the poorest of the poor. The groups also want the framework of “People’s Plan” adopted by the government through the enactment of the People’s Plan bill filed in Congress to ensure that ISFs are not merely treated as a “market” in the socialized housing industry but as a major partner and participants for realizing the social objective of eliminating homelessness in the country. It is in the People’s Plan, they said, that a flexible housing program can be formulated democratically which may include, among others, lower cost and mixed-use development of housing estates. Lastly, the groups also opposed to extending the NHA Charter because of the agency’s failure to solve the housing problem for decades and the creation lately of DHSUD. As an alternative, they propose that the housing projects under the NHA be distributed free for the beneficiaries in the same way lands were condoned for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the rural areas. “Kung ang ARBs sa kanayunan ay nabigyan ng Pangulo ng condonation at emancipation sa kanilang mga utang, maari din itong gawin para sa mga ISFs ng kalunsuran,” the group concluded. The post SONA should focus on what’s good for the ‘common tao’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Veterans bank to raise capital from postwar veterans, AFP retirees
Philippine Veterans Bank’s (PVB) capital-raising efforts go full-swing this June targeting new shareholders coming from post-war II veterans, AFP Retirees and their families. This comes after the passage of Republic Act 11597, or the Philippine Veterans Bank Act, into law last December 2021. Until recently, PVB was owned by over 385,000 World War II veterans and their compulsory heirs. But the Bank’s new Charter changed this provision and now allows other veterans as defined by the law to become stockholders. This includes post-war veterans such as Korean & Vietnam War veterans and their widows and descendants, as well as retirees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and their immediate family members. Under the same law, the authorized capital of the Bank was increased from P100 million to P10 billion. Working under this expanded definition of “veterans”, the Bank has already initiated talks with interested AFP retirees’ groups but plans are underway to ramp up activities to solidify its capital and be able to reach out to individual veterans and to even more AFP retirees’ groups nationwide. To help generate awareness for the capital-raising endeavors, PVB has also developed a shareholder campaign entitled “Invest in Heroism, Invest in PVB” which aims to invite retired military personnel to buy PVB shares at P110/share at a minimum lot of 100 shares. The Bank is targeting to raise P4.4B from the new veterans and retiree groups and said funds will be used to further strengthen PVB’s core businesses and to fuel expansion. Currently, PVB remains very viable with total assets of PHP 66B with P29.9B in excess liquidity as of March 2023. Last 2022, Veterans Bank reported a net income of P268M. The new PVB charter also highlights the provision that maintains PVB’s status as an authorized government depository bank. Under Sec. 28 of R.A. 11597, national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) can make deposits with PVB and recent circulars from the Department of Finance, namely Circular Nos. 002-2022 and 003-2022 have affirmed PVB’s status as an authorized government depository. By extension, being an AGDB allows PVB to continue offering its products and services such as loans and cash management services to government clients. The post Veterans bank to raise capital from postwar veterans, AFP retirees appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Above all, we need peace
It is a great honor to stand before you today to receive the Carlos V European Award. Naturally, I am well aware that this award is not for me alone. I am receiving it also on behalf of the entire United Nations, and for that reason I feel even prouder. Carlos V was not only an emperor but also a man — a man of contrasts. Someone who represented, as few people could, both the progress as well as the challenges and constraints of his era. His reign contributed to the emergence of globalization, thanks in part to the first circumnavigation of the globe which, as you know, served to demonstrate that the Earth is a sphere. That circumnavigation was initially led by a compatriot of mine, Ferdinand Magellan, but was completed by a Spaniard, Juan Sebastián Elcano. We have just celebrated the 500th anniversary of that event. And since commemoration means bringing the past into the present, taking stock and seeing how we are faring, what better occasion to reflect on how much our planet has changed since then. Five centuries later, how would one go about explaining how our world has changed? No doubt he would be fascinated to see how Europe has changed, the union that has been achieved despite centuries of conflict. To see that today, on this continent and beyond, former enemies are now partners in trade, leadership and progress. But he would probably also be surprised to know that, today, those values are still being put to the test. That war is not a thing of the past. That divisions remain and are even growing. That we are burning down our only home. That families are being forced to flee — from war or extreme climate events — on a scale we have not seen in decades. That hunger and poverty are still with us. Yes, some things are difficult to explain — and even more difficult to excuse — to someone that lived more than 500 years ago. As we consider the complex legacy of Carlos V and the global nature of his empire, we can find inspiration to rediscover the universal values, principles and ideas that unite us as a human family. Never since the creation of the United Nations and the European Union have these values been so threatened. Therefore, we must raise our voices today and reaffirm those values. And above all, we need peace. The United Nations, as well as the European Union, were created in the name of peace, after the horror of two world wars. Peace remains our North Star and our most precious goal. Yet the struggle for peace may seem at times like a Sisyphean task. We live in a world today in which peace is elusive and fragile. Violence is rampant in too many corners of the globe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, is causing massive suffering and devastation to the country and its people and comes on top of the worldwide economic dislocation triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Wars and humanitarian crises are spreading, sometimes before our very eyes, but often far from the spotlight. They are more complex, and interconnected, and their impact is growing by the day. Peace must never be underestimated or taken for granted. We must work to make peace and to keep it, every day, tirelessly. In a world that is tearing itself apart, we must heal divisions, prevent escalation and listen to grievances. Instead of bullets, we need diplomatic arsenals. This is what is set out in the Charter of the United Nations. Negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration: We must try everything to settle our disputes by peaceful means. Of course, there will be lasting peace only if we achieve the full participation and leadership of women at the decision-making table. Now is the time to reaffirm the primacy of peace. Peace among people and peace with nature. Because the war we are waging against our planet is putting humanity’s very survival in danger. Climate chaos is unleashing fires, floods, drought, like here in Spain, and other extreme weather events on every continent. Each year these events are uprooting millions of people who often have to seek refuge in countries and communities that are equally vulnerable. We know that this exacerbates tensions and ignites conflicts. Taking action for our planet is taking action for peace. Hate speech, the polarization, racism and xenophobia are spreading at the speed of a mouse click. In the face of rising xenophobia, racism and extremism, we must defend our common humanity. Today more than ever, in our divided world, building bridges is the only option. *** Excerpts from the UN Secretary-General’s remarks to the Carlos V European Award, Yuste Monastery, Spain, 9 May 2023 The post Above all, we need peace appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PMMA grad opposes rename
A graduate of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, the country’s only state-run nautical school, has expressed opposition to a House bill renaming it. Under House Bill 6503 filed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, PMMA will be renamed to Philippine National Maritime Academy to emphasize its naval defense and maritime law enforcement roles. The proposed PNMA will provide basic maritime training and theoretical requirements for naval and coast guard reservists. “The institution is not anymore responding to its merchant or commercial needs and having a limited merchant marine image due to its name from 1963 reduces its ability to get more funding from the national government for its requirement, resulting to depleting foreign flag employment of Filipinos,” Rodriguez explained. Capt. Reynaldo Casareo, president of Cargo Safeway Inc. and an alumni of PMMA, said the bill replaces the word “merchant” with “national” to justify the need to produce hands for the military. “But what really is the importance of our graduates in the Philippines? Isn’t it that we are the ones at the forefront of the industry now? The maritime industry is being led by mostly PMMA alumni, which means we are aiding to enrich the economy,” the member of the PMMA Class of 1967 said. “They can change the curriculum, change the charter, remove the academy from the reach of CHEd (Commission on Higher Education) but do not change the name. They could try but as we reiterate, never use the name of PMMA as a stepping stone just to gain their personal goal,” Casareo added. He warned that if the name PMMA will be changed for reasons that cannot be justified but only for the interest of politicians, many foreign shipowners may change their preference for Filipino seafarers “and the name PMMA being the only government academy may be relegated to the dustbin of history and forgotten.” The post PMMA grad opposes rename appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sotto: Only economic Cha-cha has chance in Senate
Charter change is likely to succeed at the Senate only if economic provisions are changed, but the chamber can address President Duterte’s concerns over the country’s party-list system through amendments to the law, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said yesterday......»»
5 players withdraw, 1 tests positive, nerves frayed on virus
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer Brooks Koepka and Webb Simpson were among five players who withdrew from the Travelers Championship, four of them out of a chain-reaction abundance of caution over the coronavirus that put the PGA Tour on notice. “The snowball is getting a little bit bigger,” Graeme McDowell told The Associated Press after withdrawing Wednesday because his longtime caddie, Ken Comboy, tested positive for the virus. The tour released results that showed three positive tests at the TPC River Highlands in Connecticut — Cameron Champ and the caddies for Koepka and McDowell. There were no positive tests on the Korn Ferry Tour event in Utah. As it enters the third week in its return from the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down golf for three months, the tour has administered 2,757 tests at PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events in five states, with seven positive results. On the PGA Tour alone, there have been 1,382 tests and four positive results. “It's a low number on a percentage basis, but every number hurts,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “I think we all need to remind ourselves that we're all learning to live with this virus. "It's pretty clear that this virus isn't going anywhere.” Nick Watney was the first player to test positive last week at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, which was teeming with people on summer vacation. Champ tested positive on Tuesday at the Travelers and immediately withdrew. Four more players withdrew even with negative test results. Koepka said his caddie, Ricky Elliott, tested positive and then took another test that came back negative. No matter. He chose to withdraw, and was especially gutted that his younger brother, Chase Koepka, withdrew after earning a rare chance to play through a Monday qualifier. When his brother made it, Koepka arranged a house for him to stay in starting Tuesday, so he had his brother stay with him in the meantime. Then, the brothers played a practice round with McDowell and British Open champion Shane Lowry. Both Koepkas said they felt they should withdraw because they were in close contact with someone who tested positive. “I feel terrible for Chase,” Koepka said. “This course is made for him, he's playing as good as I've ever seen him. And I put him in that situation. It's one thing if I withdraw. He doesn't get this opportunity very often.” Simpson, who won the RBC Heritage last week with a record score that moved him to No. 5 in the world, withdrew when he learned a family member had tested positive. Monahan said the tour would continue, and that there was no set number of positive tests that would lead to golf shutting down again. “We feel like we're on a path that's going to allow us to continue to sustain our return to golf,” Monahan said. “But rest assured, there won't be many sleepless nights. When you're working in a world of uncertainty, these are the things you worry about.” Monahan sent a memo to players that outlined increased measures in its health and safety protocols. Those include testing players before and after they take charter flights. Swing coaches now face mandatory testing each week and will be considered part of the bubble, and the fitness trailer will be at tournaments to keep players from going to gyms. He also said the tour will no longer pay for players or caddies to be in self-isolation for positive tests if they have not followed the health and safety plan. “All of us have an extraordinary responsibility to follow these protocols,” Monahan said, adding he has been guilty at times as he adjusts to a new way of living. “For any individual that does not, there will be serious repercussions.” He did not say what the punishment would be. The tour does not publicize disciplinary actions or fines. McDowell says his caddie flew on a commercial flight that was packed from Dallas to Orlando, Florida, after he missed the cut at Colonial. That Monday, they went to a memorial service — along with Elliott, who grew up with McDowell in Northern Ireland, and McDowell's trainer — and then they all drove six hours to Hilton Head. “The problem is, people are out here passing tests when they could still have the virus,” McDowell said. “That’s what we’re learning. Ricky passed a test on Monday and he just failed it this morning.” The PGA Tour's return to tournaments started with a perfect record — 487 tests for players arriving at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas; 98 players on the charter flight to South Carolina; 369 tests at Hilton Head Island. All came back negative. But there now has been four positive tests in the last six days, and Monahan said no one should be surprised if there are more next week in Detroit, or the following two weeks in Ohio. “I think this is the reality of what we're all living under,” he said. “We are doing everything we can to make that not be the case. But I don’t think anybody should be surprised. I’m certainly hopeful we won’t. But to be able to say that we’re going to not have any cases ... would be disingenuous because we're all learning as we're going.” McDowell said he would take two weeks off and hoped to return in July for the first of two weeks in Ohio. So much depends on the virus and whether it reaches a level that it's not prudent for golf to continue. “Do we shut down, start up in a month's time, two months' time? You come back and what's changed?” McDowell said. “I think the tour is doing a pretty good job. It's just so difficult to control everybody outside the gates. “We have to get through to the other side of this.”.....»»
Golf makes a conservative return with an eye on the long run
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan went from wondering if any golf would be played this year to a schedule that resumes next week with a calendar filled through Thanksgiving. What hasn't changed is his belief that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic isn't over just because golf is back. “I don't think it's over," Monahan said Friday in a telephone interview. “I'm really confident in the plan. But you spend a lot of your time, given the uncertainty, thinking through scenarios that could play out. That's what we'll continue to do. We won't be comfortable until we're told we can be comfortable. That will be when we have a vaccine and there's no risk.” Golf is the second major sports league to return behind NASCAR, which began racing three weeks ago and ran nine national series races in a span of 14 days. The Charles Schwab Challenge next week in Fort Worth, Texas, has one of the strongest fields in Colonial's rich history, starting with the top five players from the world ranking. There will be no spectators for at least a month, even though Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this week moved the state to Phase III in the recovery that allows outdoor events at 50% capacity. “We've developed a safety plan that doesn't include spectators. That's what we stand by,” Monahan said. “We want to have a sustained return. If you think about a run to go through the FedEx Cup, we want to make sure week to week we're not taking on unnecessary risk.” Monahan said he is “not the arbiter of confidence,” rather it comes from guidance of health experts at all levels and a plan that involves testing players, caddies and essential personnel as much as twice a week — trying to create a bubble for the traveling circus that is golf. Players were mailed a test kit and were recommended to use it before they travel. They will be tested when they arrive at tournaments and before they leave if they're on charter flights the tour has arranged, and then the process is repeated at the next tournament. Thermal readings and health surveys are required daily, along with sanitizing and social distancing. “It's the only manner we could return,” he said. The tour added another layer this week in a deal with South Dakota-based Sanford Health to have mobile labs at every tournament, with capacity to get results in a matter of hours without taking away resources from the markets where they play. Monahan said CBS Sports is creating its own bubble for the telecast, with Jim Nantz the only person in the booth and other analysts working remotely. Ninety days will have passed from the opening round of The Players Championship, which was canceled the next day, until the first tee shot at Colonial. “We all went home dealing with the same questions,” he said. “How do I get a complete understanding of where we are with the virus and all the elements? How do we recognize that we're turning off (canceling) 11 events? How do you think about resumption and at the same time develop a safety and testing program, not our area of expertise?" The reset began with the majors picking new dates — the British Open was canceled — with the PGA Championship in San Francisco moving to Aug. 6-9, the U.S. Open in New York on Sept. 17-20, and the Masters on Nov. 12-15. “At that time it was very unclear where we would be with safety and testing,” Monahan said. “It could have been earlier than we are, it could have been through points of next year. Information was changing by the minute.” Now that golf is returning, Monahan couldn't predict when spectators would return. He said the tour has worked with tournaments the last several years on building a reserve fund for a crisis such as this. “If you’re not selling tickets, and there’s not hospitality, you don’t have the pro-am experience or the honorary observer program for the sponsor ... that’s a significant financial impact on those tournaments, and the impact on the way tournaments connect with their communities,” he said. Tournaments and their title sponsors still have managed to raise money for their local charities. The Zurich Classic matched last year's donation of $1.5 million to a children's services foundation. The John Deere Classic expects $10 million in donations, even though it canceled its July event. The pandemic is not the only talking point as golf tries to get back on track. The tour on Friday posted Monahan's letter to staff and players on the nation's civil unrest, which the AP first reported on Tuesday. He had a 10-minute video conversation with Harold Varner III, one of three PGA Tour members of black heritage, who wrote passionately on social media on George Floyd, killed when a white police officer held a knee to the back of Floyd's neck while the black man was handcuffed. The conversation was scheduled before the protests began, and Varner was chosen because he's on the Player Advisory Council and golf was ready to resume. “We'll be talking about COVID and civil and social unrest for some time,” Monahan said. “Next week will not be an exception on that front.”.....»»
88% of Pinoys oppose Cha-cha – Pulse Asia
Public opinion on Charter change, which last year was roughly divided among Filipinos, is now largely skewed toward those opposed to changing the country’s Constitution, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed......»»
Yogi Ruiz: Salaries, incentives for City Hall employees must be paid on time
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Job order (JO) employees at the Cebu City Hall have not been paid their salaries from January to March 2024. They have not also received their share of the Charter Day incentive amounting to P5, 000 each. Councilors Noel Wenceslao and Nestro Archival have raised a concern on the delay in.....»»
Most Filipinos reject Charter change, lifting foreign ownership restrictions
An overwhelming majority of Filipinos oppose changing the 1987 Constitution at this time, according to a new Pulse Asia Survey, with results showing Filipinos in all regions and all socio-economic classes did not support the lifting of foreign ownership restrictions in key industries......»»
Public utility trike operators urged to renew franchise, warned vs overpricing
THE Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) conducted a dialogue with the different Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Associations (Todas) of Toril District to remind drivers of the provisions of the Traffic Code of the City......»»
‘Senate rules on Cha-cha on the right track’
The Senate rules on amending the 1987 Constitution are “on the right track” and ready even before the sub-committee wraps up its discourse on the Resolution of Both Houses 6 pushing Charter change, a senator said......»»
On April 2, Rappler interviews Patricia Evangelista on the craft of storytelling
Watch the interview and get to ask Patricia a question by registering as a Rappler user and downloading the Rappler Communities app.....»»
WATCH: Patricia Evangelista on the craft of storytelling
Registered users and Rappler Communities app users can sign up here for the virtual interview and live chat with the 'Some People Need Killing' author.....»»
SC allows UN expert to act as friend of the court in Maria Ressa s cyber libel plea
Irene Khan, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, has been allowed by the Supreme Court (SC) to sit as an "amicus curiae" to the court in the appeal for the cyber libel case of Rappler.com chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos......»»
Rappler Talk: Leila de Lima, a woman of faith
In this Holy Week episode, former senator Leila de Lima opens up about faith, forgiveness, and the godsent pets who kept her company in nearly seven years in jail.....»»