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Philippine sports body allays fears of Olympic, Asiad, SEA Games ban
Fears of a potential ban from participating in the Olympics, Asian and Southeast Asian Games were quashed by the Philippine Sports Commission, saying it has adhered to what were required by the World Anti-Doping Agency and close to completing everything it was asked for......»»
PSC working on WADA Code
The Philippines faces the risk of being barred from competing at the Paris Olympics and the Paralympic Games and in all regional and continental meets, including the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games and the world championships, unless the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) complies with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code......»»
DDB backs PDEA efforts to restore integrity
The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) aired its support for efforts to restore integrity among the government’s anti-narcotics personnel......»»
‘Be BIDA ambassadors’: Abalos told Asiad medalists
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Friday urged the 33 Filipino medalists at the recent 19th Asian Games in China to serve as ambassadors of the government's flagship anti-illegal drugs advocacy program "Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan" (BIDA). The call was made by Abalos to encourage and inspire more Filipino youth to focus on sports and other healthy and productive activities and turn away from the scourge of illegal drugs. Abalos appealed as he joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the "Gabi ng Parangal at Pasasalamat sa Bayaning Atletang Pilipino" ceremony held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. “Inaanyayahan namin kayo na makibahagi at tumulong sa programang BIDA bilang mga ambassador. Kayo ang magiging boses ng BIDA para himukin ang mga kabataan na maging aktibo sa sports at ayawan ang droga,” he said. Abalos said the 33 Filipino athletes who brought home medals from the recent 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China can serve as positive and effective role models for the Filipino youth, “as they have shown that engaging in sports can both be rewarding and beneficial for one’s health and well-being”. "One of the strategies of the BIDA program is to promote health and wellness activities to encourage people, especially the youth to lead healthy lives. At nakakasigurado ako na malaki ang maitutulong ng ating mga atletang Pilipino sa bagay na ito,” he said. For his part, President Marcos said that the victorious Filipino athletes made the country proud and boosted the morale of the entire nation. “To our hardworking coaches, the leaders of various sports associations, and of course, to our athletes, congratulations. On behalf of a proud and grateful nation, I salute and recognize the excellent performances that you displayed in the 19th Asian Games,” he said after conferring Presidential Citation Awards to the medalists. He also promised to increase the national government’s funding support for the athletes going forward, in pursuit of achieving better results in future international competitions. The post ‘Be BIDA ambassadors’: Abalos told Asiad medalists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
WADA warns of ‘consequences’ over North Korean flag at Asian Games
The World Anti-Doping Agency warned the Olympic Council of Asia of "consequences" on Friday for allowing the North Korean flag to be repeatedly flown at the Asian Games, saying they were treating it "extremely seriously". WADA declared North Korea's national anti-doping body "non-compliant" in 2021 and imposed sanctions that remain today. They include not being able to fly its flag at any regional, continental, or world sports event, excluding the Olympics and Paralympics. Despite this North Korea carried the flag at the Asian Games opening ceremony and it has been routinely hoisted in Hangzhou when their athletes won medals. OCA chief Raja Randhir Singh last week defended allowing the North Korean flag to be flown, saying the governing body of the sport in Asia had written to WADA "explaining their position". In a statement to AFP, WADA said the OCA had breached its obligations as a signatory to its anti-doping code. "WADA takes this matter extremely seriously and has written to the OCA on several occasions before and after the opening ceremony of the Games, explaining in clear terms the possible consequences that could arise for the OCA if this matter is ignored," it said. "WADA is disappointed that the OCA has to date not taken steps to comply with the terms of the DPRK's non-compliance," it added, using an acronym for North Korea. "WADA will follow due process to ensure that the appropriate consequences are imposed for the OCA's refusal to meet its signatory obligations." There are a range of punishments WADA could impose on the Kuwait-based OCA. They include having International Olympic Committee (IOC) funding withdrawn, OCA events losing their status as qualifying events for the Olympic or Paralympic Games, and the imposition of fines. OCA declined to comment when approached by AFP. 'Protecting athletes' The Montreal-based WADA sanctioned North Korea while its already tight borders were shut following the outbreak of COVID-19, which prevented international testing authorities from being able to enter. North Korea recently began slowly reopening and WADA said it had started to allow them back in to collect samples. "However, the broader political status of the country means verification and quality control activities are not straightforward," it added. "WADA will continue to work to strengthen the anti-doping system in DPRK in order to protect all athletes." Despite its years-long isolation from the global sporting arena, North Korea has produced some eye-opening results on its return, notably in weightlifting, where its competitors have smashed six world records. Several rival lifters said they were "shocked" or "surprised" at the results. No North Korean weightlifters will participate in next year's Paris Olympics because they failed to take part in mandatory qualifying events earlier this year. The International Weightlifting Federation said all athletes in the sport had been tested at least once at the Hangzhou Games. While the IWF does not hold jurisdiction over the Asian Games, it does have responsibility for verifying athlete whereabouts submissions under anti-doping rules. That rule required information to be provided for a minimum of three months before any competition. Two North Koreans failed to comply and were barred, the IWF said. The post WADA warns of ‘consequences’ over North Korean flag at Asian Games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Uzbek cyclist Fomovskiy tests positive at Hangzhou Asian Games
HANGZHOU, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The International Testing Agency (ITA) announced on Thursday that Uzbekistan's cyclist Aleksey Fomovskiy has tested positive for banned substances anabolic androgenic steroids. "The sample was collected by the ITA at the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 during an in-competition anti-doping control performed on 28 September 2023 during the Cycling Track Men's Omnium-Points Race," the ITA sai.....»»
Pascual backs pass-thru fees suspension
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual has expressed support to an executive order suspending the collection by local government units of pass-through fees on cargo movers. “The Department (of Trade and Industry) is supportive of the implementation of Executive Order 41 which prohibits the collection of pass-through fees as these fees are often passed on to consumers,” Pascual said in a press conference on Wednesday at the Board of Investments office in Makati City. “This is also aligned with the DTI’s aim of facilitating a sound trade environment for businesses while protecting consumers’ interests,” he said. “President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 41 to reduce food logistics costs that will ensure the welfare of the Filipino people by easing the burden of the rising prices of goods and commodities in the country. This EO is also another step forward in realizing one of the pillars of Marcos Jr.’s 8-point socio-economic agenda of reducing transport and logistics costs,” Pascual added. The DTI chief said EO 41 is fully supported by external stakeholders, particularly manufacturers, transport agencies and consumers as it is aimed at lowering the inflation rate in the country. Moreover, he said the EO also ensures the efficient movement of goods across regions as laid out under the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028. “We recognize the challenges faced by the private sectors, particularly in the transportation and logistics sector. This EO should help alleviate truckers and manufacturers from the high cost of logistics. We commit to further reduce such costs in order to make prices more affordable for Filipino consumers,” Pascual said. Aligned with the Three-Year Food Logistics Action Agenda presented by the DTI, Secretary Pascual said that EO 41 aims to address a long-standing problem raised by the private sector. The EO emphasized that building a robust and collaborative partnership between the national government and LGUs is essential in effectively addressing the impacts of inflation and promoting economic prosperity across all regions. To ensure the effective implementation of EO 41 across all parts of the country, the DTI together with the Departments of Interior and Local Government, Transportation, Public Works and Highways, Finance, and the Anti-Red Tape Authority are currently formulating the implementing rules and regulations of the order. The IRR will be issued within 30 days from the EO’s effectivity. The post Pascual backs pass-thru fees suspension appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippines cyclist fails doping test at Hangzhou Asiad
HANGZHOU, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Wednesday that Philippine cyclist Ariana Thea Patrice Dormitorio Evangelista has tested positive for non-specified prohibited substance erythropoietin (EPO) during the Hangzhou Asian Games. "Two samples (blood and urine) were collected by the ITA at the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 during an out-of-competition anti-doping control perfo.....»»
Afghan boxer first reported doping case at Asian Games
An Afghan boxer has been provisionally suspended for failing a doping test at the Asian Games, the International Testing Agency said, the first reported drugs case at the event. The 37-year-old Mohammad Khaibar Nooristani, who was defeated on Monday in the preliminary rounds of the 71kg weight class in Hangzhou, tested positive for two banned substances, the ITA said. Both were anabolic steroids. The boxer was tested four days before his bout but it takes time for positive results to come through. "The sample was collected by the ITA at the Asian Games Hangzhou during an out-of-competition anti-doping control performed on September 21, 2023," the body said Thursday. "The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect. He has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample." Speaking earlier this week, Mani Jegathesan, an adviser to the Olympic Council of Asia's anti-doping committee, warned that drug cheats at the Games would be rooted out. "Every athlete participating in these Games must understand that they could be picked at any time," Jegathesan warned. "That is the best step to ensuring we have a clean event." There are about 12,000 athletes at the 19th Asian Games, more competitors than at the Olympics, and Jegathesan admitted it would be impossible to test them all. Instead, they will prioritize, including picking out those who break world or Asian records. They will also home in on athletes if they receive "intelligence". The post Afghan boxer first reported doping case at Asian Games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fighting gun violence, Kamala’s new task
“We know true freedom is not possible if people are not safe,” United States Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday in announcing her new role to combat gun violence. The 58-year-old Democrat will lead the new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which will coordinate on the issue but lacks significant enforcement authority to combat the epidemic in a nation with more firearms than people. “We do not have a moment to spare nor a life to spare” while the United States is “torn apart” by gun violence, she said at the White House on Friday. “After every mass shooting, we hear a simple message, the same message all over the country,” she added, saying Americans are begging for their leaders to “‘do something, please do something.’” Despite the new push, the White House does not have unilateral power to meaningfully limit gun use in the United States, such as by banning assault weapons. Any substantial moves would have to come from Congress, where fiercely anti-gun regulation Republicans control the House of Representatives. Biden has tried to work around legislative requirements and imposed certain regulatory and administrative restrictions, which have only a limited scope. The new role adds a significant job to Harris’s portfolio just a little over a year ahead of the 2024 race, in which she and the 80-year-old president are facing re-election. The vice president has already been tasked with handling other politically sensitive issues such as immigration. Tackling gun violence gives the former California prosecutor the chance to work on a visible issue that often garners more widespread consensus from the American public. According to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-governmental organization, 44,374 people were killed by guns across the United States last year. Gun deaths have slowed slightly this year, at 28,793 for the first eight months, according to the archive. Harris — the first woman to become vice president as well as the first Black person and person of South Asian descent to hold the job — also recently embarked on the so-called Fight for Our Freedoms College Tour, in which she visited several US universities. She was generally received with enthusiasm, in contrast to her often-flagging favorability poll numbers. with AFP The post Fighting gun violence, Kamala’s new task appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IPOPHL launches site-blocking mechanism vs piracy
The Intellectual Property of the Philippines has announced the release of rules on site blocking, the measure that disrupts access to pirated sites, seen to delist the Philippines from being third in East and Southeast Asia in having the highest piracy rate. The release of Memorandum Circular 23-025 or the Rules on Voluntary Administrative Site Blocking, signed by IPOPHL director general Atty. Rommel Barba, signals the celebration of the Philippine Creative Industries Month this September. Barba said Memorandum Circular 23-025 was signed last 20 September 2023, effective two months from publication Result of years-long work “The rules are a result of years-long work with the National Telecommunications Commission and several internet service providers who refuse to sit down and watch while our creative industry suffers. With the site blocking mechanism soon up and running, IPOPHL, as an ex-officio member of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, is ecstatic to say the Philippines now has an essential tool to protect the creativity that drives our economy and defines our cultural landscape,” Barba said. With site blocking to be soon in place, Barba hopes to replicate the success of Indonesia where more than 50 percent of consumers have stopped or now rarely access pirate services because of its government’s blocking measures which started in 2019. “We encourage rights holders to optimize this tool and protect the value of your creative assets,” Barba said. Under the rules, the process is initiated once a rights holder or a duly authorized representative files a written request with the IP Rights Enforcement Office or IEO followed by the payment of filing fees. The application will immediately be evaluated by an officer from the IEO who is given ten working days to submit an Evaluation Report. The report carries a recommendation on the issuance or non-issuance of a site-blocking order and is elevated to the Supervising Director or Deputy Director General for approval within five working days. Collaboration vs piracy To effectively implement the rules, IPOPHL signed on Wednesday partnership agreements with the NTC and ISPs, namely Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc., PLDT Inc., Sky Cable Corp. and DITO Telecommunity Corp. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, ISPs commit to willingly block sites directly upon IPOPHL’s request issued after a determination of violation, thereby streamlining the current process which requires the involvement of the NTC, the agency being the primary regulator of ISPs. Meanwhile, the memorandum of agreement with the NTC widens IPOPHL’s oversight to over 300 ISPs who are not part of IPOPHL’s site blocking MOU with ISPs, obligating them to disable access to piracy sites. Also at the event were the Motion Picture Association, Asia Video Industry Association and the GMA Network Inc. as observers and partners. IPOPHL launched the new rules at a time when site blocking is gaining traction around the world as an effective anti-piracy tool. That same year, AVIA’s Coalition Against Piracy released a YouGov survey showing that 49 percent of Filipinos admit to using streaming piracy websites or torrent sites, placing the Philippines third among East and Southeast Asian countries in terms of visiting piracy streaming sites. The post IPOPHL launches site-blocking mechanism vs piracy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash backs bills running after scams
GCash is expressing its full support for the urgent passage of a proposed law that will boost the fight against scammers and fraudsters. “As we place utmost priority on trust and security, we believe that House Bill 7393, or the ‘Anti-Financial Scamming Act’ and Senate Bill 2039, or the ‘Anti-Mule and Financial Fraud Act of 2023’ will greatly help deter financial cybercrimes in the country,” Ren-Ren Reyes, president and CEO of G-Xchange Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash, said. The proposed legislations will primarily punish cybercriminals and their accomplices such as the so-called money mules who are used by scammers to receive stolen or illicit money and obscure the source of funds while keeping the criminals’ identity secret. While some money mules are aware that what they’re doing is illegal, others are more unwitting. “If urgently passed and implemented, the measures penalizing money mules and scammers can further accelerate the country’s digitalization and financial inclusion agenda,” Reyes indicated. GCash has been proactively blocking suspicious accounts to keep these bad actors from victimizing customers. Rounding up mules From January 2022 to June 2023, GCash had barred 4 million accounts from accessing the platform for fraud. The leading e-wallet is also in close coordination with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the National Bureau of Investigation to ensure scammers and fraudsters are stopped in their tracks. House Bill 7393, once passed, will penalize any person who acts as a money mule or performs social engineering schemes. When done by a group of three or more persons, perpetrators will also face charges of economic sabotage. As for Senate Bill 2039, it expressly prohibits phishing and account takeovers — two of the most common schemes that criminals use to steal money from unsuspecting users. The post GCash backs bills running after scams appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash backs urgent passage of legislation against scammers
In line with its thrust of building the safest platform for its users, GCash is expressing its full support for the urgent passage of a proposed law that will give a big boost to the fight against scammers and fraudsters. “As we place utmost priority on trust and security, we believe that House Bill 7393, or the ‘Anti-Financial Scamming Act’ and Senate Bill 2039, or the ‘Anti-Mule and Financial Fraud Act of 2023’, will greatly help deter financial cybercrimes in the country,” said Ren-Ren Reyes, president and CEO of G-Xchange, Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash. The proposed legislation will primarily punish cybercriminals and their accomplices such as the so-called money mules who are used by scammers to receive stolen or illicit money and obscure the source of funds while keeping the criminals’ identity secret. While some money mules are aware that what they’re doing is illegal, others are more unwitting. “If urgently passed and implemented, the measures penalizing money mules and scammers can further accelerate the country’s digitalization and financial inclusion agenda,” noted Reyes. GCash has been proactively blocking suspicious accounts to keep these bad actors from victimizing customers. In fact, from January 2022 to June 2023, GCash has already barred four million accounts from accessing the platform for fraud. The leading e-wallet is also in close coordination with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ensure scammers and fraudsters are stopped in their tracks. House Bill No. 7393, once passed, will penalize any person who acts as a money mule or performs social engineering schemes. When done by a group of three or more persons, perpetrators will also face charges of economic sabotage. As for Senate Bill No. 2039, it expressly prohibits phishing and account takeovers — two of the most common schemes that criminals use to steal money from unsuspecting users. Both proposed measures define money mules as persons who sell, buy, or lend e-wallets or other financial accounts, including those who register for such accounts using fake names or stolen identities to commit a crime. Other bills in the Senate aimed at beefing up the fight against fraudsters and scammers are SB 336, SB 2171, SB 2306, and SB 2407. “We look forward to collaborating with our legislators and other stakeholders for the protection of the Filipino people against evolving threats in this increasingly more digital world,” emphasized Reyes. The post GCash backs urgent passage of legislation against scammers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Southeast Asian air force chiefs to snub Myanmar meeting
Several Southeast Asian air force commanders will shun an upcoming meeting chaired by Myanmar's military rulers, officials told AFP, deepening the junta's regional isolation as it struggles to crush resistance. The annual ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference gathers top air force leaders from the 10-nation bloc to discuss cooperation in defense, combating extremism, and disaster relief. Current chair Myanmar is set to host the meeting next week but at least three Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries told AFP they will not send their top officials. The junta has been accused of war crimes over air strikes carried out by its jets -- mostly Chinese and Russian-built -- in support of ground troops battling opponents of its 2021 coup. Its air force chief Htun Aung, who will chair the conference, has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain. The air force chiefs of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will not attend the meeting, officials told AFP. Malaysia's air force chief will not attend, a spokesperson said, while the Philippine commander will send a video message to his counterpart rather than go in person. Indonesia's air force chief "will not be attending and won't be sending anyone to represent him either," air force spokesperson Agung Sasongkojati told AFP without giving a reason. At a summit this week, ASEAN accused the junta of targeting civilians in the grinding conflict sparked by its coup, and of ignoring a peace plan agreed with the bloc to end violence. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said there had been "no significant progress" in the five-point plan agreed with the junta more than two years ago. ASEAN has barred junta officials from high-level meetings over their refusal to engage with the plan and their opponents. Cambodian air force commander Soeng Samnang declined to comment on whether he would attend, and the defence ministry could not be reached for comment. The air forces of Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam did not respond to requests for comment. But Thailand's air force chief will make the trip to neighboring Myanmar, a defense ministry official told AFP. While ASEAN has halted high-level meetings with Myanmar's generals, Thailand has held its own bilateral talks with the junta and deposed democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in recent months, further dividing the bloc. War crime claims Amnesty International said last year the junta was likely using air strikes as "collective punishment" against civilians supporting anti-coup fighters, and in March the United Nations said the military had carried out more than 300 air strikes in the past year. Also in March, the junta held a parade to mark Armed Forces Day, with flyovers by Russian-made Yak and Sukoi Su-30 jets. The military bombed a gathering in northern Sagaing region in April that media and locals said killed about 170 people, sparking renewed global condemnation of the isolated junta. Human Rights Watch said it had evidence the military had used a thermobaric "vacuum bomb" in the attack, saying it likely amounted to a war crime. Air strikes on a concert held by a major ethnic rebel group in northern Kachin state killed around 50 people last October. The junta has said reports civilians were among the dead were "rumors". AFP has contacted a Myanmar junta spokesman for comment. The post Southeast Asian air force chiefs to snub Myanmar meeting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BOC exceeds official targets
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has surpassed the official target collection that the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) set for August 2023 due to better operations and strong collection measures. Preliminary data over the weekend showed that the BOC collected P75.64 billion, exceeding the DBCC's target of P72.28 billion by 4.7 percent, equivalent to P3.367 billion. From January to August 2023, the Bureau generated P582.133 billion in revenue, surpassing the target of P567.74 billion by 2.54 percent, equivalent to P14.39 billion. BOC's revenue this year grew by 4.24 percent to P23.68 billion from P558.46 in the same period last year. Aside from better operations and strong collection revenues, BOC attributed its collection performance to "enhanced trade activities." "The BOC's performance above revenue targets demonstrates the agency's commitment to fiscal responsibility and its role in contributing to the country's economic growth and stability," the Bureau said. "These achievements will fund essential government projects and services in the coming months, benefiting the Filipino people," it added. Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, for his part, lauded the Bureau "for their exceptional performance, which undeniably is instrumental in achieving this revenue milestone." "We will continue to monitor trade activities and implement measures to sustain this positive momentum in revenue collection as part of the Bureau's collaborative effort in further strengthening the nation's financial standing," said Commissioner Rubio. Aside from better collection, BOC also conducted 687 anti-smuggling operations, yielding P31.118 billion worth of various smuggled goods, the highest in the last five years. In a similar milestone in trade facilitation, the BOC secured the second spot among Southeast Asian nations in the 2023 United Nations Global Survey with an impressive total Trade Facilitation score of 87.10 percent. These milestones underscore the Bureau's vital role in bolstering the nation's financial stability and promoting efficient trade practices. The post BOC exceeds official targets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner backs NTF-ELCAC, says no let-up in anti-insurgency campaign
The Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue its efforts to achieve total annihilation of the insurgency problem in the country. This was the commitment of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. during the Commission on Appointments panel’s deliberation of his promotion as the AFP chief of staff with the rank of four-star general and other AFP officers on Wednesday. During the deliberations, Rep. Johnny Pimentel, CA assistant Minority floor leader, backed Brawner’s endeavor to continue supporting the program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, lamenting that the insurgency has been halting community development in the country. “Gen. Brawner, the biggest challenge that you will be facing is not the problem on the West Philippine Sea, but rather how to end the communist insurgency which has been with us for more than 50 years, I believe,” he said. Pimentel said the insurgency problem may not be felt in Metro Manila but “insurgency problems in rural areas are real.” He then asked about Brawner’s plans to end insurgency in the country. “I’ve always been saying that the best thing to our counter-insurgency efforts is the NTF-ELCAC,” said Brawner, noting that the whole-of-nation approach was able to address not just the armed component but also the root causes of the problem.” Brawner also recognized the local government chief executives and barangay officials who have been playing a “big role” in the pursuit of the anti-insurgency convergence under the ambit of Executive Order 70 or NTF-ELCAC. “So ipagpapatuloy po natin iyon. Dahil po dun sa NTF-ELCAC natutugunan natin 'yung basic needs nung ating mga kababayan especially in geographic isolated areas, at habang ginagawa po natin iyan with the local government leading and andun po 'yung government agencies also supporting, ‘yung inyong armed forces are capable now of focusing on the armed element,” he said. Brawner said the inter-agency efforts through NTF-ELCAC are making the AFP’s efforts “very effective” in reducing the number of the armed component of the CPP-NPA-NDF. “We have so many accomplishments on these because of our better relations with communities; they are the ones leading us to the armed groups,” he added. Brawner said the AFP has been successful in inviting rebels to come down and surrender through the NTF-ELCAC’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. “So we will continue all of this. We gave our units an ultimatum again, but it looks like very achievable, and right now we don’t monitor any active guerilla front,” he said. “What we have is a weakened guerilla front and we also have a few vertical units—a group of remnants gathered together. Wala no ho silang halos suporta mula sa komunidad and the only ones supporting them, right now, are their relatives,” he added. “That is why we are reaching out to their relatives to convince their family members to go down.” Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri cited the AFP for a “job well done” in improving the security situation in Budkidnon province. “They did not totally eradicate the communist insurgency there but brought it down drastically,” he said. The post Brawner backs NTF-ELCAC, says no let-up in anti-insurgency campaign appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Spam-blocking app launched in the Philippines
Whoscall, an app with anti-fraud features and that has been used in various Asian countries, has officially launched in the Philippines......»»
China keeps ban on group tours to Canada
China’s Covid-era ban on group tours to a dozen countries was lifted last week but travel agents cannot arrange such visits to Canada. The Chinese embassy in Ottawa said Wednesday the exclusion of Canada was due to its anti-Beijing rattling. “The Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called ‘Chinese interference,’” according to a statement from the embassy. “Rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada” and “the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights of overseas Chinese citizens and wishes they can travel in a safe and friendly environment,” the embassy added. China-Canada relations hit a new low this year amid accusations of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections and the attempted intimidation of lawmakers that led to the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat in May. Beijing responded by sending home a Canadian diplomat from Canada’s consulate in Shanghai. Janice Thomson, the head of tourism at Niagara Falls — the top tourism destination in Canada — said China’s decision to leave Canada off its approved destinations list was “disappointing” but expects the country to be added to the list in the future. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent a collective US$255 billion on international travel. In 2018, nearly 700,000 Chinese visitors came to Canada, spending an average of Can$2,600 (US$1,922) per visitor, or a total of Can$2 billion — out of Can$22 billion spent collectively by all foreign travelers, according to a report by the Canada China Business Council. That same year, tit-for-tat arrests of a top Huawei executive in Vancouver on a United States warrant and two Canadians living in China, accused of espionage, dealt a serious blow to bilateral relations. Ottawa accused Beijing of engaging in “hostage diplomacy,” before a deal was eventually reached with US prosecutors that saw all three people released in 2021. WITH AFP The post China keeps ban on group tours to Canada appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China snubs Canada as restrictions on tourism travel lifted
China — a major source of outbound tourists — has left Canada off a list of countries now approved for travel by tour groups, its embassy in Ottawa said Wednesday, due to anti-Beijing rattling by Ottawa. Last week Beijing lifted a Covid-era ban on group tours to dozens of countries including the United States, Germany, Japan, and Australia, but not Canada. Travel agents turn to the list of approved destinations when promoting and arranging foreign vacations for Chinese nationals. There are currently 138 countries on the list. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa said in a statement that the reason behind the snub was "the Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called 'Chinese interference.'" It said "rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada" and "the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights of overseas Chinese citizens and wishes they can travel in a safe and friendly environment." The United Nations tourism agency (UNWTO) says China grew to be the biggest tourism source market in the world prior to the pandemic. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent a collective US$255 billion on international travel. Group tours from China to Canada were first approved in 2010. In 2018, nearly 700,000 Chinese visitors came to Canada, spending an average of Can$2,600 (US$1,922) per visitor, or a total of Can$2 billion -- out of Can$22 billion spent collectively by all foreign travelers, according to a report by the Canada China Business Council. That same year, tit-for-tat arrests of a top Huawei executive in Vancouver on a US warrant and two Canadians living in China, accused of espionage, dealt a serious blow to bilateral relations. Ottawa accused Beijing of engaging in "hostage diplomacy," before a deal was eventually reached with US prosecutors that saw all three people released in 2021. China-Canada relations hit a new low this year amid accusations of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections and the attempted intimidation of MPs that led to the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat in May. Beijing responded by sending home a Canadian diplomat from Canada's consulate in Shanghai. Canadian government officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Janice Thomson, the head of tourism at Niagara Falls -- the top tourism destination in Canada -- said China's decision to leave Canada off its approved destinations list was "disappointing." She expressed hope that Canada would make it onto the list in a future round of country additions. The post China snubs Canada as restrictions on tourism travel lifted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Showstopper
Concert patrons are back with a vengeance in another sign that the Covid-19 pandemic is over and life is back to normal. Pop superstar Taylor Swift, with her ongoing 146-stop Eras Tour, leads the live band entertainment must-watch list, but other groups too are getting a share of the crowds, albeit in controversial fashion. The British band “The 1975” headlined the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 21 July. It would be its last performance in the Southeast Asian country as it was banned by local authorities after frontman Matt Healy gave a profanity strewn speech on stage. Healy criticized the Malaysian government for the country’s anti-gay law that punishes homosexuality with 20 years imprisonment. Healy then kissed the band’s bassist Ross McDonald in front of the audience. The same-sex kiss breached performance guidelines, prompting the concert organizers to stop the show. The government also ordered the organizers to cancel the 3-day gig. The festival’s organizers are now demanding that “The 1975” pay $2.72 million in damages or face legal action. In China, Shijiazhuang city hosted the Rock Home Town music festival featuring Violent Champagne on 22 July. After the band’s set, its frontman Ding was detained by police for “damaging social morality” and the show organizer was fined $28,000 and suspended from hosting concerts, CNN reported. Ding had pulled down his pants during the performance, prompting his arrest and the punishment of the festival organizers. The audience egged Ding to also drop his briefs, but he kept it on. In a statement after the incident, the Shijiazhuang culture bureau reminded performers and staff to consciously abide by laws and regulations, strengthen morality, and provide healthy and positive entertainment for audiences, according to CNN. WJG @tribunephl_wjg The post Showstopper appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»