We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Rama reconsiders, unites with councilors for 2025 midterm elections
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Despite previously expressing doubts about his confidence in some incumbent councilors due to their cooperation with his vision, City Mayor Michael Rama appears to have reconsidered his stance. He recently announced that these councilors would still be part of his alliance for the 2025 midterm elections. READ: Rama: 2025 election candidates.....»»
Second graft case filed vs Magalong
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong is facing another graft case before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly anomalous improvement and rehabilitation of a P50-million multipurpose building in Barangay Irisan......»»
Rama wants state of calamity declared in Cebu City due to El Niño
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Mayor Michael Rama wants to place Cebu City under a state of calamity or a state of emergency due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon. The declaration will allow City Hall to use government funds to assist those who are badly affected by the worsening El Niño, especially the.....»»
Rama: No need to rush RPT revision
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said revising the Real Property Tax (RPT) wasn’t yet necessary, showing a sudden change in his position. At first, Rama said the RPT revision had to be done this month. Later, he told the council that imposing the RPT suddenly wasn’t necessary, showing a change in.....»»
Rama asks Malacañang to suspend Gwen over CBRT dispute
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Preventive Suspension. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is seeking the suspension of Governor Gwen Garcia over issues related to the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT). Rama filed an administrative complaint before the Office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Garcia after the governor issued a cease and desist order to the.....»»
Wearing of PNP uniforms is illegal, police exec reminds civilians
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Civilians are prohibited by law from wearing police uniforms or other uniforms of law enforcement agencies in the Philippines. This was the reminder of Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO). READ: ‘Policewoman’ nabbed, charged for unauthorized use of PNP uniform, ID.....»»
Japanese national nabbed for ‘lewd act’ released after posting bail
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – A Japanese national, who was arrested for allegedly committing a lewd act while on a plane to Cebu, was released on Friday after he posted bail of P3,000. Police Lieutenant Colonel Christian Torres, spokesperson of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), said that the 20-year-old suspect was charged for the violation.....»»
‘Policewoman’ nabbed, charged for unauthorized use of PNP uniform, ID
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – A 44-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday night, February 27, for the unauthorized use of the athletic uniform of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Myrlin Plandes Beard, a resident of BSP Camp Upper Banica, in Brgy. Lahug, Cebu City, was arrested at a police checkpoint along Zuellig St. in Barangay Subangdaku at.....»»
Extortionist nabbed, charged with estafa in Mandaue
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 53-year-old extortionist was arrested and charged with estafa for extorting money from old female victims by pretending to have personal connections at the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Mandaue City, Cebu. After one of her victims sought the help of authorities, the woman was arrested during an entrapment operation on.....»»
Pelare tells motel, lodge operators to prohibit entry of minors on Valentine’s Day
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Minors should never be allowed to enter lodges and motels, especially this Valentine’s Day, so that they won’t be victimized by human traffickers. Those who will defy this mandate will be charged for conspiracy in relation to Republic Act 7610 or “An Act Providing For Stronger Deterrence And Special Protection Against.....»»
BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday advised all foreign travelers who are leaving the country during the upcoming Undas holiday break to comply with their immigration departure requirements early to avoid unnecessary queuing at the airport on the date of their departure. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reminded registered foreigners who are studying, working, or living permanently in the Philippines that they can obtain their special return certificate (SRC) or re-entry permit (RP) prior to departure at any of the various BI's district, field, satellite, or extension offices nationwide. While foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months may also secure their emigration clearance certificates (ECC) before departure, Tansingco said securing the required permits early will decrease queueing time by half, as they will not have to line up at the BI’s airport cashiers anymore. The BI chief added that with the complete elimination of all COVID-related travel restrictions, the bureau is anticipating a spike in passengers at all international airports in the country, especially at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), this upcoming December, and this time they are also experiencing a big increase in the volume of New Year's Day travelers. During this peak season, the bureau reminded all travelers that other immigration services are also available online via the BI’s e-services portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph. Tansingco shared that the bureau also has a one-stop shop (OSS) facility located at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City, where departing aliens may also secure the said documents. He also reiterated previous reminders for passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight and go straight to immigration after check-in. The BI is confident that its operations will be smoother this holiday season as it has deployed additional immigration officers and assigned a rapid response team as well as mobile counters for immediate deployment as necessary. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 24 October, BI agents detained a South Korean wanted person who was allegedly part of a major narcotics ring that smuggled contraband into Korea from the Philippines. Commissioner Tansingco identified the suspect as Choi Sun Hyeok, a 56-year-old male who was arrested at his residence in Bgy. Lahug, Cebu City by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. The BI-FSU operatives were armed with a warrant of deportation, which Tansingco issued pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against Choi in 2017. Tansingco said that Choi would be immediately deported to Seoul, South Korea after the bureau had secured the necessary clearances for his departure. According to the South Korean government, Choi was tagged as a high-profile fugitive, as he is believed to be a member of the so-called MS Alliance syndicate that facilitates the illicit transport of narcotics to Korea. A red notice for his capture was also issued by Interpol this year after an investigation confirmed that he was in the country. According to Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, Choi is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Changwon District Court in Korea, where he is charged with violating his country’s narcotics control act. Investigators have also established that this year alone, Choi’s accomplices in the syndicate managed to smuggle into Korea more than 265 grams of methamphetamine by concealing the drug in their underwear. It was gathered that the passport of Choi, who will be committed to the BI detention facility in Taguig City, was already revoked by the Korean government, thus making him an undocumented alien. Choi's name was also placed on the BI blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the Philippines. The post BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Visayan Electric pushes EVs
Metro Cebu’s power distribution firm Visayan Electric on Monday announced that it has adopted the electric vehicle system among its service vehicles. According to Visayan Electric president and chief operating officer Engr. Raul Lucero, the Aboitiz Power distribution company is slowly transitioning the use of zero-emission vehicles as commuting service to their engineers, technicians and repair crew. He cited that the battery-powered vehicles are cleaner and more efficient compared to fuel-powered vehicles. “We believe that electric-vehicles provide benefits to the environment, benefit to the economy, and to the overall quality of life. Why? Because these electric vehicles do not produce tailpipe emissions. It reduces air pollution and this is a significant step towards combating climate change and improving the air quality in our cities,” Lucero said. “They are also very efficient and possibly lower maintenance cost for these vehicles,” he added. Aboitiz Power in a statement said aside from reduction of emissions, EVs contribute to the company’s bottom line of improved energy efficiency and transportation economics as the cost per kilometer traveled of a unit is at least half compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. The EVs were imported from China-based BYD Company and the cost per unit ranges from P2-P2.5 million including the battery which cost about P700,000. The battery lifespan is seven years. BYD is said to be the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the world. When fully charged, the EVs run about 120 kilometers. It is fast-charging, which allows to reach a full 100 percent charge in less than an hour. “We aim to achieve 40 percent electrification for our four- wheeled vehicles and motorbikes by 2030 and finally transform and electrify 100 percent of the Aboitiz Power DU fleet by 2040,” said Aboitiz Power Distribution Utilities chief operating officer Anton Perdices. The post Visayan Electric pushes EVs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CAB chided over surcharge
Lawmaker and lawyer Rufus Rodriguez chided the Civil Aeronautics Board for imposing a higher aviation fuel surcharge, slated to go into effect next month, that would likely result in higher airfares. Considering that airline firms have already imposed “unreasonably very high prices for their plane fares,” Rodriguez wanted the CAB to defer implementing the planned increase. The CAB’s move, according to Rodriguez, indicates a prioritization of airline firms over the welfare of the millions of travelers. Thus, he proposed it should cease the imposition of a higher aviation fuel surcharge to maintain plane fares low. Public first “The CAB is quick in giving more to airlines at the expense of the Filipino riding public,” the Cagayan de Oro solon said. “It has been remiss in penalizing airlines for flight cancellations, overbooking resulting in bumping off of passengers, delays, inordinate baggage policies, and failure of customer service availability,” he added. The CAB, in an advisory dated 16 August, announced that passenger and cargo fuel surcharges for domestic and international flights would increase to Level 6 in September owing to higher fuel prices. Substantial surcharge hike Depending on the distance, the CAB said the increased surcharge would range from P185 to P665 per ticket for domestic flights and from P610.37 to P4,538.40 for international travel. In the current Level 4, passengers are charged P117 to P342 for domestic flights and P385.70 to P2,867.82 for international flights, varying based on the flight distance. While the CAB said that the collection of the higher charge would be optional on the part of airlines, Rodriguez appealed to Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, and other carriers to forego the collection of the increased surcharge given that the travel and tourism industry starts to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. “Higher plane fares will dampen both domestic and international travel. I appeal to the carriers to defer the higher surcharge to encourage more tourists,” he said. The post CAB chided over surcharge appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PRO-7 joins SRP money probe, to help identify those who did not return cash
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The PRO-7 has warned those who picked some cash that fell off from the bag of a collector at the SRP to return them. Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of PRO-7 Director Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, said those who will not do so will be charged with theft. […] The post PRO-7 joins SRP money probe, to help identify those who did not return cash appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Janitor who stole soup bones worth P100 charged with simple theft
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A janitor who stole soup bones in a mall in Cebu City has been charged with simple theft by the Mabolo Police Station. Police Senior Master Sergeant Enrique Manolong said the suspect, Junever Dejito Vercede, who was arrested on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, for allegedly stealing soup bones worth P116.38 underwent […] The post Janitor who stole soup bones worth P100 charged with simple theft appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess
Growing complaints from various passengers against budget carrier, Cebu Pacific’s overbooking, offloading, and booking glitches have reached the Senate inquiry on Wednesday. This came after Senate committee chairperson, Senator Nancy Binay, filed Senate Resolution No. 575 pushing for an investigation on the customers’ complaints against Cebu Pacific due to recent flight cancellations. During the hearing, Binay said her office was able to compile at least 3,000 complaints from the passengers, which have been aired through social media platforms. “We have since seen it fit to invite our other airlines to this hearing because these problems, it seemed, have only grown in number. Our passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancelations, offloading, and overbooking,” Binay stressed. Overseas worker, James Bartolome, said he has yet to receive his refund from Cebu Pacific after his flight going to Qatar was canceled. After knowing that his original flight was canceled, Bartolome opted to book another airline as the budget carrier won’t be able to give him an earlier flight. Senator JV Ejercito said the airport and airline operations will provide the “first and last impressions” to the tourists and potential investors entering the country. “We need to systematize this for our tourism and business climate,” he said, sharing that he was not even spared from experiencing flight delays. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said that Cebu Pacific and other similar airline companies should acknowledge the impacts of flight cancellations and other airline mess. “Incidents like these could discourage tourists so this hearing should serve as a platform to air the grievances of the frustrated and helpless passengers,” Go said, citing that these may affect the country’s tourism industry and the economy. “Remember that we are still reviving from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Go said the airlines must immediately act and rectify these issues by imposing proper mechanisms for compensating affected passengers—which includes food provisions during flight cancellation and alternative flight schedules. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers also complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, explained that there is a part of the flow where if a passenger clicks proceed, it commits the changes even before the passenger pays. “We recognize that and we are taking that feedback as well,” Iyog said. The Cebu Pacific, she added, is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. “Depending on when it's ready, we're looking at possibly, end of July that we will be able to implement this change in the user experience,” she said. Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that in several instances when passengers’ original flights were canceled, Cebu Pacific offered flight rebooking and passengers were immediately made to pay before they could confirm their purchase of travel tickets. Citing a passenger’s experience, the airline’s website technical issue made them pay a bill of P16,000-worth of add-ons after availing of Cebu Pacific’s free rebooking option, following the cancellation of flights. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” “We don’t want to cancel flights for our passengers. It’s bad business and we don’t want to disrupt our passengers—that’s why we give options,” Iyog noted. Tougher passengers’ rights Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe slammed the budget carrier for lacking customer service agents directly responding to these complaints. Poe called on for a tougher policy on air passengers' rights to address the cancellations and delays in flights by local airlines besetting travelers. "This pressing public service issue calls for urgent effective solutions as it involves not only the air passengers' rights but also the overall impact on the country's tourism and economy,” she added. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, Poe said "systematic delays and cancellations are not." Also, Hontiveros pressed that the government agencies should step in to prevent more passengers from being disrupted in their travels due to canceled, rescheduled, and delayed flights in Cebu Pacific and other airline companies. “These kinds of inconveniences disrupt the travel experiences also of tourists, and as the chair said, could negatively affect the tourism sector,” she added. Aside from the reported overbooking, offloading, booking, and flight cancellations, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that adding extra flights daily amid lacking proper airplane maintenance can be called “abuses of the airline companies.” He lamented that it could pose danger and compromise the safety of all airline passengers, “There were safety issues surrounding the uploading, overbooking, and flight cancellations of airlines. If these airlines don’t care about fulfilling their obligations to provide air transport for their passengers, I will not be surprised that they are cutting corners when it comes to safety as well,” Tulfo pressed on. Tulfo said extra flights can also cause fatigue in pilots and flight attendants. For his part, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to become proactive in resolving the massive airline mess in the country. Dela Rosa asked CAB if it is amenable to institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal. “But it seems it is not among the priorities of Congress,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is mulling to proposed the bill in the Senate “not to discourage the airline industry but to protect the public interest. The post Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go: Food, hotel stay, reimbursement for inconvenienced flyers
Senator Christopher “Bong" Go on Wednesday called on airlines to provide passengers affected by canceled or delayed flights with food and water, alternative flights, accommodation in nearby hotels, and prompt reimbursement of expenses they incurred from disrupted trips. The senator made the call during the Senate inquiry on passenger complaints against Cebu Pacific, including the airline's overbooking, offloading, and online booking glitches. Senator Nancy Binay chaired the hearing of her Committee on Tourism. Earlier, she filed Senate Resolution 575 that called for the investigation after her office compiled at least 3,000 complaints from passengers from social media platforms. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Go told the Committee that even former president Rodrigo Duterte experienced a flight scheduled at five o'clock but changed to 9:30 last Saturday. The senator also cited his own experience that caused him to celebrate his birthday on an airplane at midnight of 14 June. "Last Saturday, I have an 11:25 p.m. flight. I received the boarding time on my cellphone at 10:40 p.m. It means you have to get ready. Then all of a sudden, when you are in the door, you will be told that the airplane has not yet arrived?" he said in another instance of delayed flight. "Why is that? What the online advisory said was different, that the plane was already there when the truth was that it was not there. Passengers should be given proper information to have a comfortable travel." Go added, "The situation is also difficult for our OFWs who are working tirelessly abroad to support their families. Delayed or canceled flights may jeopardize their employment and livelihood." He also lamented the practice of selling more airline tickets than available seats, which has led to situations where passengers with confirmed reservations have been denied boarding, disrupting their plans and causing immense inconvenience. "The airline should compensate affected passengers for their inconvenience," Go said. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions, yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, told the committee that the airline is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” The post Bong Go: Food, hotel stay, reimbursement for inconvenienced flyers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SEC Cebu cracks down on bogus investment firms
The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday warned Cebuanos on fraudulent investment companies amid its crackdown against unlicensed securities sellers. “The prevalence of fraudulent investment solicitations is something we have to keep in mind. Never invest in companies that have no secondary license from the SEC,” Atty. Sheara Lupangco-Tamayo, director of the SEC Cebu Extension Office, said. “Our mandate to investigate and take out these criminals who threaten the public’s financial safety is never-ending. The public can cooperate by reporting violators, companies and/or individuals,” Tamayo added. SEC Cebu’s Enforcement and Investor Protection Department has filed a criminal complaint against two companies for soliciting investments from the public without the proper license from the SEC, in violation of Republic Act 8799 or the Securities Regulation Code. The EIPD charged Astral Fuel, Apollo Drugstore and Diagnostics Center Inc., One Oasis Premier Holdings Corporation and Kalahari Leisure Farm Club Inc. for violating Sections 8.1, 26, 28 and 51.3 of the SRC. The complaint is directed at Astra Fuel and Apollo president and chairman Ramon Julius Grajo, who also established One Oasis and Kalahari. Included in the complaint were 50 other beneficial owners, directors and officials of the mentioned companies. The case stemmed from various inquiries from the public in March 2021 regarding the authority of Astral Fuel and Apollo to solicit investments from the public. On 23 September 2021, the EIPD posted an advisory on the SEC website, warning the public against investing in Apollo. SEC received several complaint-affidavits from the public stating that Astral Fuel and Apollo conducted investment solicitation activities through social media sites such as Facebook, Youtube and Google which were verified by the EIPD. Both Apollo and Astral Fuel are registered with SEC, but they don’t have license to solicit investments nor applied for such license. The SRC prohibits the sale or distribution of securities in the Philippines without a registration duly filed with and approved by SEC. Brokers engaged in the business of buying or selling securities are likewise required to be registered with the SEC. The Daily Tribune tried to interview Grajo for his side, but he has not replied as of presstime. The post SEC Cebu cracks down on bogus investment firms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Belga woes piling up
Things are getting rougher for Beau Belga. Rain or Shine extended Belga’s suspension to 15 days after finding out that he also played in other unsanctioned tournaments in Cebu, Davao and Laguna despite having a live contract in the Philippine Basketball Association. In a statement, the Elasto Painters stressed that they found out that Belga breached his PBA Uniform Players’ Contract, prompting them to extend his suspension from six to 15 days. Belga, the bruising 33-year-old slotman, was in hot water after being involved in a brawl in an exhibition game in Carmen, Cebu. The tournament, branded as “Northball Basketball League, pitted some PBA players like Belga, JR Quiñahan, Robert Bolick, and Jio Jalalon against a group of American streetball players. But the game turned into a brawl after Quiñahan got entangled with an American baller during a rebound play. Belga rushed to his teammate’s defense by throwing the ball at his attacker. The incident was caught on tape and drew the attention of the Elasto Painters and the PBA. “Rain or Shine Team Management has concluded its internal investigation and found that Beau Belga breached his PBA Uniform Players' Contract by participating in exhibition games in Cebu, Davao, and Laguna. A fine of 15 days’ worth of salary has been imposed on Beau,” the team said. Meanwhile, the Road Warriors are currently conducting an internal investigation into Quiñahan while the Batang Pier and Hotshots have yet to release a statement on the involvement of Bolick and Jalalon, respectively. According to a league memorandum, a player caught playing in other leagues without permission will be charged P50,000 or suspension. “They didn’t get permission from their teams to play outside the league so there will definitely be fines,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said in a previous interview. “Let’s see what happens but I need to talk to them first.” The post Belga woes piling up appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore case drags PBA into game-fixing mess
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) was dragged into a case involving a Singaporean businessman, who was charged in his home country for allegedly offering several players to influence games during the league’s 2018 season. Already aware of the report that came out in The Straits Times, commissioner Willie Marcial said the league will look into accusations […] The post Singapore case drags PBA into game-fixing mess appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»