Japanese tycoon Kazuo Okada removed from Okada Manila after SC ruling
The Supreme Court lifted the status quo ante order which temporarily reinstated Kazuo Okada as the chief executive officer of casino resort Okada Manila......»»
Makati petitions status quo ante vs Taguig
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay yesterday filed an “Urgent Motion for Clarification with Prayer for the Issuance of a Status Quo Ante Order” before Branch 153 of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court in a case entitled “Municipality of Taguig (Now City of Taguig) v. Municipality of Makati (Now City of Makati) et al.,” Civil Case No. 63896. The lady mayor, in an ambush interview, said there should be a smooth transiton because they don’t want disruption of delivery of basic services to the residents. In the Urgent Motion, Makati City asked RTC-Taguig to issue a status quo order against Taguig City citing its attempts to unilaterally and arbitrarily implement the Supreme Court’s decision without any writ of execution from the trial court and even prior to the metes and bounds of parcels 3 and 4 of Psu-2031 being determined. Binay filed the Urgent Motion accompanied by City Administrator Claro Certeza and City Legal Officer Michael Camiña. The status quo order, which is similar to a cease-and desist order, is an order to maintain the last actual, peaceable, uncontested state of things which preceded the controversy. It was noted in the Urgent Motion that the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that a “status quo order is warranted in order to promote common good as well as protect the public interest.” Binay said the court is the best avenue to address the matter as far as they are concerned because Taguig City doesn’t want to sign the writ of execution and the memorandum of agreement Makati City is proposing to have a smooth transition. “Even the issue of ownership they don’t want to tackle and it seems they have a different interpretation of the SC ruling and we also have a different view and the best solution is for the court to determine this matter,” Binay said. According to Mayor Binay, “Makati only wants an orderly administration of the Supreme Court decision with the least disruption to the residents and the uninterrupted delivery of basic services in the affected areas.” EMBO residents At the moment, Makati City continue to provide the needed services to the affected enlisted men’s barrio residents because they don’t want interruption and they are the ones giving the funding not Taguig City. “The problem with them they are choosing what they want to take over what about disaster, garbage collection, school, health services, electricity? There are so many things that should be settled first and as long as there is no writ of execution we will continue to provide services to the residents,” Binay said. Makati City cited a number of “alarming and highly confusing incidents” caused by Taguig’s attempt to forcibly execute the SC Decision without a valid writ of execution. These include attempts to enter the premises of a housing project owned by Makati City, as well as to forcibly take possession of several school buildings and health centers in the affected barangays. “Taguig cannot simply take the law into its own hands and act as it pleases without any writ of execution issued by the court. Because of Taguig’s arbitrary, whimsical, and capricious attempts to unilaterally implement the SC Decision in a piece-meal manner, the people’s welfare has been unduly prejudiced by Taguig City and has created unwarranted tension and confusion among the residents and various government agencies,” Mayor Binay said. Makati City noted that the Supreme Court did not expressly order any part of the SC Decision to be immediately executory, nor did it expressly mention in the dispositive part the exact metes and bounds of Parcels 3 and 4 of PSU-2031. Makati City, therefore, asked the trial court to clarify and confirm the necessity of Taguig City first obtaining a writ of execution as well as the court determining the exact metes and bounds of Parcels 3 and 4 of PSU-2031 before the SC Decision can be implemented. The Urgent Motion will also allow Makati to assert its rights as owner of properties located in the disputed areas. As stated by Mayor Binay, “[t]he present case involves a territorial dispute. It does not involve ownership of properties located within the disputed territory.” The post Makati petitions status quo ante vs Taguig appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Declare MIF unconstitutional, group asks SC
Several lawmakers petitioned the Supreme Court yesterday to declare unconstitutional the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023 under Republic Act No. 11954 signed into law by President Marcos last 18 July to be managed by the Maharlika Investment Corporation which has a seed capital of P150 billion. The petition was filed by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, former congressman and Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Javier Colmenares, and former Bayan Muna congressmen Carlos Isagani Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite. The group in their petition also asked the high bench to issue a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction or status quo ante order (SQAO) to stop immediately the implementation of RA 11954, and to conduct oral arguments. Named respondents in the petition were Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Three “serious grounds” were cited in the petition in seeking the unconstitutionality of Maharlika Investment Fund Act, namely: “RA 11954 is void because it was passed in violation of Section 26 (2), Article VI, of the 1987 Constitution; the test of economic viability as mandated under Section 16, Article XII of the Constitution was not complied with prior to the creation of the Maharlika Investment Corporation; and RA 11954 violates the independence of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as provided for under Section 20, Article XII of the Constitution.” The petition claimed on alleged violation of Section 26 (2), Article VI of the Constitution, that “the Presidential certification of the Maharlika Bill in the House of Representatives and Senate did not comply with the constitutional requirement” and since the bill was not enacted in accordance with the Constitution, it “therefore did not become a law.” The petition pointed out “the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023 therefore requires intense congressional scrutiny, genuine consultation with stakeholders, and a careful study by independent economic experts.” It said that “both Houses of Congress, however, went on the opposite direction and rushed the Maharlika bills and short-circuited the constitutionally mandated legislative processes, through an unnecessary and constitutionally infirm Presidential certification of urgency.” The post Declare MIF unconstitutional, group asks SC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Upping the ante
Beijing always ups the ante when it senses that its rival for the region’s security, the United States, is making its move to challenge its dominance in the region, which was probably how the 10-dash line came to be. With the release of the new map showing an expanded “historical” claim that included parts of India, China issued a strong criticism of the Americans with Senior Col. Wu Qian, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, saying the US should “stop meddling in the South China Sea issue, stop sowing discord and fanning the flames, and stop disrupting regional peace and stability.” The comment was in response to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III’s statement that “the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling is binding on all parties” and “the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces — to include those of its Coast Guard — in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea.” Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, backed the American position, saying the recent use of a water cannon by China’s Coast Guard against a Philippine vessel “must be challenged and checked.” He also “assured the Philippines of US backing.” Wu reiterated China’s position that the Philippines infringed on its sovereignty and violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to justify the China Coast Guard’s action. “We hope regional countries can stay vigilant, faithfully implement the DoC, and work with the Chinese side to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Chinese military will resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the spokesperson stressed. The increasing challenge from China should be matched by the US, according to geopolitical experts. A former Pentagon official, Michael Rubin, suggested the “reflagging” of islands in the disputed areas to send a clear message to China. Rubin recalled an incident in 1987 when President Ronald Reagan ordered the reflagging of nearly a dozen Kuwaiti tankers to stop Iran from attacking them to force the emirate to cease its trade with and loans to Iraq. “Reagan ignored criticism that reflagging the tankers could embroil the United States in war because he understood that at stake were not only Kuwait’s oil exports but also freedom of navigation and the rules-based order,” Rubin explained. He said that while skirmishes did occur, “once the ayatollahs understood Reagan stood firm, Iranian forces suspended their provocations.” Rubin believes that since China challenges the freedom of navigation and the broader liberal order, “perhaps the US could take a page from Reagan’s playbook and reflag not ships but rather some of the rocks, reefs, and atolls over which China now erroneously claims sovereignty.” The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated in 2016 the historical claim of China through its nine-dash line as being without basis. The root of the claim was a 1947 map the authenticity of which historians dismissed. “That Beijing bases its claim on supposed historic Chinese fishing activity further displays the emptiness of the Chinese Communist Party’s logic. After all, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Malay, Filipino and Indonesian fishermen also plied the same waters and perhaps even some closer to China,” Rubin noted. “Regardless, using the fictional map, China, in one fell swoop, claimed the bulk of the South China Sea and its considerable fishing and oil reserves,” he said. His proposal would be based on “leases drawn between the US government and its regional partners.” The leases would be backed by the arbitral award. “While the current US legal position supports the 2016 Hague tribunal judgment that finds no power can legally exercise sovereignty over disputed territories, the White House might reconsider this (stance),” Rubin added. But Rubin admitted that a greater problem might be the unwillingness of the regional states to offer leases. The proposal breaks with the usual conventions in the settling of disputes. Americans have a term for that, however: “It’s so crazy, it just might work.” The post Upping the ante appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lasers, drones vs China
If you may remember, the Afghans beat back the superior Russians from Afghanistan by secretly obtaining portable heat-seeking missiles from the US, which eventually changed the tide of the war. The missile device was so portable, it was smuggled by donkey to remote mountains. It was so user-friendly, even ordinary foot soldiers could use it. The missiles destroyed dozens of Russian warplanes, and eventually forced the Russians to withdraw from Afghanistan. We can use the same tactic in the West Philippine Sea against the superior Chinese warships and warplanes. If Marcos Jr. can somehow obtain lasers and drones, not necessarily from the US, not necessarily in secret, for the Philippine Coast Guard, Chinese warships may think twice before bullying us with their lasers and water cannons. China is currently harassing Filipinos in the Ayungin Shoal, triggering diplomatic protests. This aggression is virtually an act of war. Responding with legal arguments for China to respect the UNCLOS and The Hague court decision is useless. Social media exposés and campaigns cannot solve the problem. We have to face them in our territory in the West Philippine Sea. If we do not, we might as well concede. If we do, are we ready for the consequences of escalation? Has China secretly discovered oil in Ayungin, so it has to keep Filipinos away? Another strategy is to get a US firm as a partner in oil exploration in the Ayungin Shoal, escorted by US warships. Let’s get to the oil before China does. If there are competing explorations and oil rigs, this will prevent war. There is, however, a risk of a full-blown US-China naval confrontation. If we up the ante, China may back out or resort to an unpredictable escalation. Can we handle the escalation? Are we ready to go into this new stage of war, not just physically in terms of possible collateral damage, but also spiritually in terms of the political will to fight? This remains to be seen. Asymmetrics as a Game Changer “Asymmetric” weapons refer to small cheap high-tech weapons that can take out big expensive weaponry. For example, hypersonic missiles taking out aircraft carriers, killer drones neutralizing an entire naval base, super lasers shooting down satellites in outer space, silent electro-magnetic pulse bombs jamming an enemy assault. This is called the equalizer, the use of asymmetrics against far superior foes. Lasers and drones on our coast guard ships are asymmetrics. Asymmetrics are becoming popular. Ukraine is using them against Russia, and Iran against the US in the Strait of Hormuz. China is now able to jam the electronic signals of US warplanes in the WPS. These new sophisticated asymmetrics have evolved as powerful game changers in modern warfare in favor of the underdog. The Vietnam Model Vietnamese water cannons faced Chinese water cannons, forcing the latter to abandon an oil rig close to the Vietnamese shore. We can learn from the Vietnamese, adopt its warrior ways, its spiritual orientation of defiance and belligerence. But we must be cautious as there may be consequences we are not yet ready for. Vietnam has been fighting China for centuries. China respects Vietnam’s audacity while it looks down on Filipinos whose leaders can easily be offered quid-pro-quo deals (Duterte) and whose tin can coast guard vessels they can easily step on. Can we change China’s attitude through a new type of belligerence using asymmetrics? Vietnam is the epitome of David defying Goliath, two Goliaths, in fact, the French and the Americans. France surrendered its colonization of Vietnam in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. The Americans gave up Vietnam after a 20-year guerrilla war, an embarrassing blow for a superpower falling to its knees to a “lowly” Third World country. Centuries before that, at its birth, Vietnam defied and splintered from the powerful Chinese Empire. Viet means south, nam means kingdom — the kingdom south of the empire. From where does Vietnam draw its strength? Vietnam is monolithic, one solid land mass. The Philippines is granulated, a scattered archipelago. It took more than 10,000 years of slow migration (the so-called Austronesian Dispersal) for Malays in improvised boats (balanghays) to populate the Philippines. While this was happening, Vietnam was growing in strength by defying the Chinese empire. Vietnam is a single neutral gray, the Philippines a rainbow. Vietnam has one central language, the Philippines 125-odd dialects. Except for the Hmong, Vietnam has few ancient ethnic groups. We have 85 ethnic groupings. Anthropologically, Vietnam and the Philippines are complete opposites. The Vietnamese is a natural warrior, the Filipino a natural adventurer. The French and the Americans failed to colonize Vietnam. The Filipino was conquered by the Spaniards, Americans and Japanese. The Vietnamese was defiant, the Filipino subservient. The Filipino absorbed colonization and foreign culture, the Vietnamese kept its culture intact. The post Lasers, drones vs China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rebels turning into cops
A cornerstone of any peace pact between the government and rebels is the delivery of promises made by both parties. It is a give-and-take process, a sort of quid pro quo, where one party gives in to the demands of the other and vice versa. The fulfillment of the commitments is the supreme test of the sincerity of the parties to make peace. On the part of the dissidents, they vowed to rein in their rebellious mindset in favor of peace. On the government’s side, it offered a package of promises to prepare them for integration into society, including issuing transitional justice. The failure of either to do their part may jeopardize the whole process, forcing the parties to return to condition ante and back to hostilities that could lead to further fratricide and the dystopian situation that was hoped to be resolved by the process. Among the principal terms of the peace pact between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF was the integration of the latter’s fighters into the state’s uniformed forces. This was supposed to happen after the détente. That it took years for its implementation due to the stringent selection process imposed by the government on former rebels who wanted to be soldiers or policemen. They had to undergo physical and psychological screening tests just like any ordinary applicant. We imagine the former rebels could easily hurdle the strenuous physical tests but would have difficulty satisfying the educational and psychological criteria. The latter test would be tough considering the rebels had nurtured and developed through years of fighting a deeply ingrained mindset of antipathy and hostility against the entity they would now be serving. We suppose they had to undergo rigid teach-ins and seminars for value reformation and psychological counseling to upend their rebellious minds. These thoughts cascaded in our minds upon reading about former Moro rebels being sworn in as policemen in an elaborate “historic rite” attended by the Secretary of Local Government who read the message of the President. A total of 102 former rebels qualified — 52 from the MILF and 50 from the MNLF (it was a clever decision to include former rebels of the MNLF who had made peace with the administration of President Fidel Ramos). It is sad that only 1 percent out of 11,033 applicants made it to the final selection process and were later inducted by the DILG Secretary who described them as “the best of the best and the cream of the crop of the young generation of Bangsamoro police.” President Marcos had a poignant message for them: “The moment you take your oath, you pledge your allegiance not just to the Philippine National Police, you pledge your commitment and dedication to the public, to the Filipino people (whom) you promise to serve and protect. You will be issued arms, which you will be using for the protection of Filipinos, the arms of protection, which you will now use with the government and not against it.” Never mind that a paltry number was taken in. What is important is that the other party has started delivering on its promise on this particular concern. The DILG Secretary promised that about 400 former rebels would be inducted as cops before 2024, igniting a flicker of hope to other rebels. And we expect a follow-through with more qualified rebels being enticed for integration into the government security and defense cadre. This may well define the profound policy of the new administration towards political and social dissidents. We look forward to the fulfillment of more commitments provided in the terms and conditions of the peace agreement. We should take a leaf from what happened with the peace pact with the MNLF where the struggle and pocket skirmishes continued because of the failure of the government to deliver fully the major and substantial stipulations of the agreement. This should be avoided. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Rebels turning into cops appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators propose exempting AFP from procurement rules
With China’s upping the ante in asserting its maritime claims within Philippine territory, senators have proposed exempting the Armed Forces of the Philippines from government procurement rules so it can acquire weapons and equipment easier and faster......»»
DENR’s Loyzaga meets with US-ASEAN Business Council
“Climate change adaptation is very important to us, and any contributions by way of nature-based solutions for adaptation and for disaster risk reduction are what we’d like to build our relationship with you on." This is what Environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga told the delegates from the United States-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) when she recently met them to discuss how both organizations can work together in the fields of climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and plastic pollution. The meeting, held on July 12 in Taguig City, was a follow-through of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and US-ABC to strengthen collaboration on sustainability, climate change, green finance, and environmental protection. Loyzaga said the DENR is looking at investment in prevention or ex-ante value from the private sector, particularly nature-based solutions such as forest conservation, control of river erosion, water conservation efforts, and investment in gray and green infrastructure. “We realize that the goal of the private sector has been primarily in providing relief during disasters, which we understand is valuable but is essentially an ex-post value to the country and to the communities. We hope that the (US-ABC) can also be an advocate for adaptation and not just mitigation which are both sides of the same coin,” Loyzaga told the US-ABC delegation. The other end of the stake, Loyzaga said, would be DRR which is ultimately what would impact the country’s trajectory toward economic and social development. Loyzaga encouraged the private sector to look beyond compliance to environmental, social, and governance or ESG in terms of emissions reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and pollution management. She also urged them to look to adaptation and resilience-building of the communities where they work, as well as the ecosystems that they rely on. Loyzaga likewise reminded the private sector to help “clean up whatever it is you produced and released.” She said that one of the calls of the DENR is the need for businesses to look at investment and research towards the replacement of plastic. “What we want to do is to look for ways to produce materials which are sustainable, which are biodegradable, which are affordable but have the same functionality as the packaging materials that we now are using because they are optimal in terms of the products that we produce. That investment in the chemistry that is needed, I think, is within your reach and so that is one of the big pushes,” she said. Loyzaga also expressed hope the US-ABC can help the DENR bring forward the upliftment of the informal waste sector consisting of waste pickers in dumpsites and communal waste collection points. “The sector is particularly impacted by hazardous environments because of the waste that we generate and their involvement in the solid waste management industry,” Loyzaga said. “We hope that we can share that advocacy and we look for ways to actually innovate.” She added: “Waste picking, waste collection, waste sorting is a phenomenon not just in the Philippines, but in all countries in ASEAN. And so, we’re not the only ones who have that informal sector involved in this whole circular economy. They have been locked out of the value chain but they are part of the supply chain of the circular economy.” Loyzaga has been pushing for the integration of the informal waste sector into the expanded producer responsibility or EPR system for plastic packaging waste to ensure that no one is left behind as the country transitions toward a circular economy. US-ABC is the premier advocacy organization for American corporations operating within the Southeast Asian region. Worldwide, the Council's membership of nearly 170 companies generates almost US$7 trillion in revenue and employs more than 14.5 million people. The post DENR’s Loyzaga meets with US-ASEAN Business Council appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘One-stop platform’ connects PH cooperatives by the hundreds
Theirs is a story worth reveling in. After all, from a start-up capital of P5,300 in 1986, they now own assets valued at over 1.7 billion pesos. From an initial 37 founder-members, they are now over 27,000 strong, where members now make most of their saving, lending, paying, selling, and voting activities online. What makes the story of Barangka Credit Cooperative (BCC) members stand out is that they are not engaged in a capitalist business. As gathered from its name, BCC is a primary multi-purpose cooperative run, governed, and owned by members from all walks of life. Today, BCC is primed to up the ante for its members. It has shifted part of its operations and product offerings toward an online platform called DigiCOOP. It is also one of the first Philippine cooperatives to install a cardless, QRPh-enabled cooperative teller machine onsite. "The COOPNET Teller Machine has been of great help to us. It's like we have our teller on standby," said Imee Mascariña, BCC's treasury supervisor. "Our members can now make cash transactions anytime." Tech and Efforts to Enable the Poor Barangka Credit Cooperative, however, is one of many taking the digitalization route. Other cooperatives follow a similar track by creating their closed-loop platform or joining a shared platform for cooperatives. DigiCOOP, a cooperative management system and platform for primary and secondary cooperatives, belongs to the second type. Traxion Technology Service Cooperative, the technology service cooperative managing DigiCOOP, has slowly brought more cooperatives into its platform in the last two years. On May 1 this year, however, TTSC saw a surge in applications from cooperatives following its announcement of an end-to-end solution to digitalize cooperatives. First, among its existing applications, TTSC offered the COOPNET Remittance System and the Digital Membership Enrollment System (or DIMES) for free to cooperatives. Second, it launched new products that could enable both cooperatives and members to earn more. For instance, Ventamo, a BIR-accredited point-of-sale (POS) app for mobile phones, was launched to cater to coop members who have brick-and-mortar stores. Other offerings in the pipeline—a delivery app for interested rider-partners and for-members e-stores inside DigiCOOP—are expected to create more entrepreneurs out of cooperative members. Enabling people with low incomes, in particular—that is, creating "opportunities for themselves and improving their economic well-being"—is one aim of the country's biggest federation of cooperatives, the National Confederation of Cooperatives. "Cooperatives have a good grasp of the issues at the grassroots. Some of these issues—inefficiencies, limited market access, and lack of livelihood opportunities—can be addressed by cooperatives that know how to take advantage of digitalization," said Hon. Felimon Espares of the COOP-NATCCO party list. One-stop shop model DigiCOOP has been set up, unlike other digital platforms, to factor in cooperative-specific operations. Given the depth and breadth of the products and processes offered by all types of primary cooperatives, it is no surprise that DigiCOOP has been releasing a slew of solutions in the past two years. "We need to look at all processes that can be digitalized, automated, streamlined, made faster," explained TTSC CEO Ann Cuisia. "For instance, in geographically distant areas, cooperative members used to pay so much for a tricycle ride to the poblacion to transact. Today, we simplified their process by giving them the tools to transact through their smartphones." The one-stop shop as a business model, done well and equitably, is a boon to the cooperatives and their members. To individual members with mobile phones, it spells c-o-n-v-e-n-i-e-n-c-e. To the cooperatives themselves, the convergence of varied services on one platform reduces their administrative burden. For instance, the regular election of officials was a logistical challenge in the past. The burden finally eased up after adding an e-voting functionality on the platform. "DigiCOOP Elexion is truly God-sent to us," said Luz Clarin, general manager of Mary Help Christians Credit Cooperative. "Initially, our members thought the voting process would require much technical know-how." They proved themselves wrong, to their relief. "All they needed to do was type their voter's code and tap their candidates' photos on their mobile phones' screens. The voting results came out quickly." "Embracing technologies is a way for organizations, including cooperatives, to stay relevant and survive a competitive financial landscape," added Cuisia. "I also believe that the more cooperatives join an ecosystem, the more the money circulates amongst cooperatives and the more the profit is shared among their members. The more new businesses flourish as an offshoot, the more jobs can be created for other cooperators." The post ‘One-stop platform’ connects PH cooperatives by the hundreds appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Showbiz Politik
There appeared to be political turbulence ahead as we approached the one-year mark of the presidency of Bongbong Marcos Jr., which is on the 30th of June, a year from the Presidential Inauguration after the May 2022 elections. This will now come on a positive note, however, with the welcome appointments of two Cabinet members, one of whom ran in the elections but lost and has now surpassed the mandated one-year election ban for losing candidates, Atty. Gilbert Teodoro. He has slid into the role of Defense secretary, a position seemingly reserved for him since last year. On the other hand, the newly appointed Health secretary, Dr. Ted Herbosa, did not run in the 2022 elections. The distinguished Secretary Herbosa is a high-ranking official of the University of the Philippines and served as undersecretary in the Department of Health during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He is the brother of my former boss at ACCRALAW, former SEC Chairperson, Atty. Tess Herbosa. This begs the question — why did it take so long for President Marcos Jr. to appoint a Health Secretary? It was rumored that the secretary position was reserved for Dr. Willie Ong, the running mate of Isko Moreno, who obviously lost in the vice-presidential race. It may be possible that Dr. Ong, upon being invited, respectfully declined the appointment. This was headline-grabbing news, supposedly. But the biggest news of the week came from the world of showbiz and involved very political personalities. The bolting of Tito, Vic and Joey, the hosts of the noontime show “Eat Bulaga,” from TAPE Productions and, effectively, GMA 7, to join TV5 was as enthralling as any political drama given the undisputed heavyweights entangled in this mess that was months in the making. Further, it is difficult not to think that the reasons for the departure of TVJ, or their removal by TAPE, had political motivations. The TVJ machinery created the Filipino noontime show as we know it today. It helped mold the Filipino entertainment industry through its creative segments and talents. Countless Filipinos have benefitted from “Eat Bulaga,” be it monetarily or emotionally. The show has churned out several politicians on the local and national levels, with Senate President Tito Sotto at the forefront of it all. Notably, Tito Sotto’s daughter, Ciara, is the chairperson of the MTRCB, while his son, Gian, is the vice mayor of Quezon City. Vic Sotto’s son, Vico, is the mayor of Pasig City. TAPE Productions, on the other hand, is owned by the Jalosjos family from Zamboanga del Norte. The patriarch, Romeo Jalosjos, a former congressman, is no stranger to controversy. His son, Romeo Jr., the president of TAPE, won the congressional elections in 2022 but was later delisted from the roster of the House of Representatives by a status quo ante order. Another son, Seth Jalosjos, CFO of TAPE, is a former congressman and is now mayor of Dapitan City. With the undetermined fate of Romeo Jr. in the House, we can safely assume that their stronghold in the district is not as fortified as before. In an interview with Senator Tito Sotto, it was insinuated that one of the reasons for their dispute with the Jalosjos family was the planned use of the “Eat Bulaga” brand to jumpstart a party-list group, taking a page from the playbook of the Tulfo brothers who almost instantly built their own political dynasty from media. The bolting of TVJ to TV5, owned by tycoon Manny Pangilinan, has political and business ramifications that have yet to be felt. All this merely proves that in our country, showbiz is king and the line between politics and showbiz has been blurred now more than ever. For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com The post Showbiz Politik appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Euro firms targeted for big-ticket projects
The Department of Transportation is targeting to draw up more European investments in the country’s big-ticket transport projects to keep its massive infrastructure goals on track amid budgetary constraints. “The biggest obstacle has always been fund-sourcing, considering the strained national budget of our government after coming out of the pandemic,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday. Bautista met top officials of the European Union-Association of South East Asian Nations Council and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines to discuss various possibilities in generating investments in the transport sector. “We offered various infrastructure transport projects to international financial institutions, private investors, and professional associations and industry groups,” Bautista said. Viable option Bautista pointed out that project financing from foreign business groups has been a viable option to undertake massive projects locally. Among others, the Transportation chief also reiterated that the proposed privatization of the operation and management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and New Manila International Airport can be a rosy option for the private sector to invest in. “Other regional airports across the country are in the pipeline for privatization,” he said. He also cited other infrastructure projects in various transport sectors such as railways, maritime and road, including the Metro Manila Subway, North-South Commuter Railway, LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, MRT-7, and MRT-4. “They can assist us in financing the projects through PPP so, we hope investors from their countries can be supportive of many projects of the DoTr. We have public-private partnerships projects for airports, rails and for roads and for maritime,” Bautista said. PPP revitalization The Marcos administration has revitalized public-private partnerships to ante up its infrastructure program. Last March, the National Economic and Development Authority announced a P9-trillion flagship infrastructure program —many of which will be funded via the public-private partnership mode. Based on targets, the government plans to build 194 infrastructure projects. Of these, 123 were proposed by the incumbent administration, while the other 71 were carried over from the previous one. As indicated in the NEDA report, about 45 of these projects will be financed through the help of the private sector. PHilMech expects youth embracing machines The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization or PHilMech targets the youth in embracing the mechanization program for farms. “We’re doing this to spark the interest of the youth in operating machines and training others. This is by far the biggest project we have for the future of agriculture,” Dr. Dionisio Alvindia, PHilMech Director IV, said Wednesday during the center’s 45th anniversary. Alvindia said the country now has a bigger pool of young farmers to tap as the average age of Filipino farmers is now younger at 47 from 57 previously. He added the new farmers will be critical in the application of PHilMech’s climate machines with less emitting carbon Euro 3 and 4 engines, and predictive technologies with artificial intelligence that analyzes the health of the soil and plants. Available in 4 yrs Alvindia expects the technologies to be available within four years and help farmers reduce postharvest losses and fight climate change, which causes extreme drought, floods and forest fires. “We don’t only think of productivity but also saving the planet. This is the heart of the fourth industrial revolution. We will transform agriculture and today is the beginning of that future.” Alvindia said the Filipino youth will also benefit from other machines to be rolled out from the Agricultural Machinery Design and Prototyping Center in Nueva Ecija, which is now being built under the Philippines’ partnership with Korea International Cooperation Agency of South Korea. In the center, South Korean scientists will share their knowledge on farming mechanization with Filipinos so they can build their own machines in the future. Leocadio Sebastian, Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for rice industry development, was grateful for this collaboration but stressed the Philippine officials must carefully study which agricultural areas mostly need mechanization. The post Euro firms targeted for big-ticket projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Comelec to adhere SC’s status quo order on Rosal
The Commission on Elections on Thursday said that it will comply with the Supreme Court’s Status Quo Ante Order decision that effectively reinstates Carmen Rosal as mayor of Legazpi City, Albay a day after the poll body certified her disqualification as “final and executory.” “The Commission on Elections, through the Clerk of the Commission, received from the Supreme Court its Status Quo Ante Order in the Carmen Rosal Disqualification Case. As we have consistently committed, the Commission on Elections will abide by and comply with any order, ruling or directive of the Highest Court of our Land,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said. Comelec’s statements come as the Supreme Court acted on the two petitions for certiorari under Rule 65 in relation to Rule 64 of the Rules of Court assailing the Comelec resolutions that disqualified Rosal as candidate for mayor of Legazpi City, Albay in the 2022 polls. The assailed resolutions — dated 4 October 2022 and 4 May 2023 in SPA 22-032 (DC) — directed the Special City Board of Canvassers of Legazpi City to proclaim second placer Alfredo A. Garbin Jr. as the duly-elected mayor of Legazpi City. The SC en banc — in its Status Quo Ante Order dated 11 May 2023 given by authority of Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, upon the written recommendation of the Member-in-Charge — deemed it necessary and proper to consolidate the two petitions docketed as G.R. 266775 (Oscar Robert H. Cristobal v. Comelec, Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr., Joseph San Agustin Armogila, and Carmen Geraldine Rosal) and G.R. 266796 (Carmen Geraldine Rosal v. Comelec, Joseph San Agustin Armogila, Alfredo A. Garbin Jr. and Oscar Robert H. Cristobal); require respondents Comelec, Garbin, Armogila, Rosal, and Cristobal to file a consolidated comment within 10 days from notice; and issue a status quo ante order requiring the parties to observe the status quo prevailing before the issuance of the Comelec resolutions. Armogila and Rosal were candidates for councilor and mayor of Legazpi, respectively, in the 2022 national and local elections. Armogila filed a petition for disqualification against Rosal before the Comelec on the grounds of vote buying under Section 68(a) of the Omnibus Election Code and violation of the prohibition on release, disbursement, and expenditure of public funds under Section 261(v) of the same law. A ’status quo ante order’ calls for a return to previous affairs, which effectively sets aside the poll body’s decision to disqualify Rosal over violation of Section 68(a) of the Omnibus Election Code, or on ‘giving money to influence, induce and corrupt the voters.’ Rosal announced on Wednesday that he filed a petition before the Supreme Court to stop the poll body’s execution of their decision to disqualify her. In a press conference, she questioned Comelec on their ruling which said that she violated a provision on the Omnibus Election Code on ‘calling the decision ‘arbitrary.’ Her husband, disqualified Albay Governor Noel Rosal, insisted that the act in question – the cash assistance payout to tricycle drivers – was not vote buying as it was part of the ‘ayuda’ mandated in Bayanihan 1. The post Comelec to adhere SC’s status quo order on Rosal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IOGP slot bolsters Prime Energy clout
Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. or Prime Energy, a Razon-led natural gas exploration and development company, seeks to ante up its expertise following its recent membership in a global group of upstream industry stakeholders. Sebastian C. Quiniones Jr., managing director at Prime Energy, disclosed Wednesday that the company has become the 88th member of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers or IOGP The group is a global forum for the upstream industry in the areas of health, safety, security, environment, engineering, industry, and energy transitions. Collectively, members of the organization produce 40 percent of the world’s oil and gas. Expertise, operations strengthened Prime Energy now has access to technical standards and guidance, reliable data, talent development opportunities, and representation in key industries that will further strengthen its expertise and operations. “Our membership of the IOGP, alongside other industry trailblazers, cements our position as an exploration company with established expertise and credibility, especially as the operator of the Malampaya project,” Quiniones said. “Our vision for a cleaner energy Philippines aligns with IOGP’s advocacy to promote a reliable and sustainable energy supply,” he added. IOGP has been serving the petroleum industry since 1974, pioneering excellence in safe, efficient, and sustainable energy supply. It works with over 2,250 experts from its member organizations to share knowledge and practices to improve performance across the global industry. EKR: Future requires caution Prime Energy parent International Container Terminal Services Inc. has committed to staying cautious in managing capital expenditures to maintain the steadfast growth of the business despite recurring economic headwinds. “For several years now, we have been prudent in controlling our capital expenditures, allocating funds for ongoing projects and terminals demonstrating imminent growth.” “At the same time, we continue with our cost optimization efforts in this inflationary environment,” ICTSI chairman and president Enrique Razon Jr. said during the company’s Annual Stockholders Meeting. “We remain steadfast in our strategy and approach in ensuring that our portfolio continuously performs and to transform any additions to the portfolio,” he added. The company’s continuous vigilance in its management was evident in its financial performance last year. Revenues grow 20% ICTSI booked a 20 percent growth in revenues from global port operations in 2022, which clocked in at $2.24 billion from the previous year’s $1.87 billion. The company attributed the topline improvement to volume growth and market recovery, favorable container mix, tariff adjustments, new contracts with shipping lines and services, and higher revenues from ancillary services. It also booked a $618.46 million net income attributable to equity holders, which was 44 percent higher than the recorded $428.57 million a year ago due to higher operating income. “2022 was a relatively quiet year for acquiring new terminals. However, we expect that to change in the near future,” Razon said. ICTSI handled a consolidated volume of 12,216,190 twenty-foot equivalent units last year, which was 9 percent more than the 11,163,473 TEUs handled last year. The post IOGP slot bolsters Prime Energy clout appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makabayan bloc challenges Maharlika fund at Supreme Court
Leftist lawmakers file the first petition against an initiative by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., upping the ante against the dictator's son.....»»
La Jornada – Británicos recurren a mantas eléctricas y velas ante llegada del invierno
Londres. Los británicos se están abasteciendo de mantas eléctricas, velas y ollas de bajo consumo, ya que el aumento de las facturas del gas y.....»»
‘My daughter is a poet’
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Philippines renews call for return of ‘status quo ante’ in Myanmar
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Adidas ups the ante on running shoes with latest adizero collection
Building off the success of the Adizero Pro last year, where the shoe helped athletes like Peres Jepchirchir and Kibiwott Kandie brea records, the athletic brand giant introduces four new performance shoes......»»
Locsin calls UN ‘hypocrites’ on Myanmar
After the Philippines disassociated from the United Nations Human Rights Council’s call for Myanmar to free Aung San Suu Kyi, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. yesterday accused the rights body of deliberately misinterpreting his statement calling for “a complete restoration of the status quo ante” with the leader reinstalled in power......»»
Chooks-to-Go 3×3 organizers up ante for Prexy Cup
With the 2021 FIBA 3X3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament closing in, Ronald Mascariñas is making sure that the Philippine team is armed to the teeth. That is why in the upcoming 12-team Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup powered by TM, the league put another reason for the 11 other teams in the league to go hard […].....»»