Baby boom expected in January 2021 — Popcom-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Population and Development in Central Visayas (POPCOM-7) is anticipating a “baby boom” or an increase of newborn babies starting January next year. Lawyer Bruce Ragas, regional director of Popcom-7, told CDN Digital that these were products of quarantine or lockdown measures that were implemented in the country […] The post Baby boom expected in January 2021 — Popcom-7 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
& lsquo;Lockdown spurs baby boom& rsquo;
The increase in babies born during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is expected to boom within the first six months of 2021, the chief of the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) has said......»»
Baby boom expected in January 2021 — Popcom-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Population and Development in Central Visayas (POPCOM-7) is anticipating a “baby boom” or an increase of newborn babies starting January next year. Lawyer Bruce Ragas, regional director of Popcom-7, told CDN Digital that these were products of quarantine or lockdown measures that were implemented in the country […] The post Baby boom expected in January 2021 — Popcom-7 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Baby boom seen due to pandemic
A baby boom is expected by 2021 with 751,000 babies to be born due to unplanned and teenage pregnancies during lockdown brought about by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said yesterday, citing a university study......»»
Katya mas inuna ang pagbuo ng baby kesa sa kasal nila ni Paulo Pilar
MAS inuna ng engaged couple na sina Katya Santos at Paolo Pilar ang pagkakaroon ng baby kesa ang kanilang pagpapakasal. Iyan ang bonggang rebelasyon ng dating sexy actress nang matanong tungkol sa estado ng relasyon nila ngayon ng kanyang non-showbiz fiancé. Ayon kay Katya, kahit nag-propose na sa kanya si Paolo last January sa Japan,.....»»
Glaiza de Castro: Motherhood can wait
More and more millennials are delaying motherhood. Take Glaiza de Castro, 35, who married David Rainey in 2021. The singer-actress and co-founder of Wide International Film Productions is not rushing to have her first baby......»»
Britney Spears set to hit bestseller list with tell-all memoir
Two years after escaping her father's guardianship, Britney Spears recounts her years as a superstar who became a victim of her success in a highly anticipated memoir being published on Tuesday. One revelation from "The Woman in Me" has already made headlines: Spears saying she felt pressured into having an abortion while dating fellow popstar Justin Timberlake between 1999 and 2002. "If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it," she writes. "It's one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life." The publishers have kept a tight lid on most of the contents -- unsurprising since Simon & Schuster reportedly paid more than 15 million dollars for the rights. It was not a risky bet, however -- the book is already topping the pre-sale chart at Amazon US. It is being released on Tuesday in around 20 countries and 10 languages. "Reliving everything has been exciting, heart-wrenching, and emotional, to say the least," Spears told People magazine. The emotional turmoil means the 41-year-old singer has only recorded a small section for the audiobook, leaving the rest to actress Michelle Williams. "There are so many hard things to read in the news about my book," she wrote on her Instagram this week. "Then I woke up this morning and said it's all relative... nothing really matters at this point." Up and down Spears came from a very humble background and found early fame on "The Mickey Mouse Club" alongside other future stars Ryan Gosling and Christina Aguilera. At 16, she became one of the most famous women on the planet with 1998's iconic "...Baby One More Time", which sold 10 million copies to become one of the biggest hits of all time. Eight more albums followed, often selling in the millions, including "Oops!...I Did it Again" and "In the Zone", combined with spectacular world tours. Growing up in the media glare, relentlessly sexualized by her marketing from a young age, Spears lost her footing in 2007. A highly public breakdown in which she shaved her head and was filmed attacking a paparazzi's car led to her father, Jamie Spears, taking legal control over her life. It meant he controlled her finances, career decisions, and even whether she could see her children or marry -- which Spears described as tantamount to "abuse". Her fans organized a campaign -- #FreeBritney -- aided by media investigations that finally led a court to remove her father as guardian in September 2021. She apparently no longer speaks to her family. Her life has hardly been smooth sailing since then -- her marriage to model Sam Asghari ended in August after just 14 months. But Spears at least looks set to add a number one bestselling book to her list of artistic accomplishments. The post Britney Spears set to hit bestseller list with tell-all memoir appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Britney Spears memoir says she had abortion while dating Justin Timberlake
LOS ANGELES—Britney Spears recounts in a forthcoming memoir that she had an abortion to end a pregnancy by fellow pop star Justin Timberlake while the two were dating in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to excerpts published on Tuesday in People magazine. Spears, 41, recalled in her autobiography, “The Woman in Me,” that the pregnancy “was a surprise” but she wanted to have the baby and agreed to an abortion at Timberlake’s insistence. “I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day,” Spears wrote. “But Justin definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy. He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young.” READ MORE: The turbulent life of Britney Spears Had it been her decision alone, Spears wrote, “I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.” She described the episode as “one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.” Representatives for Timberlake, 42, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Timberlake and Spears, who met as young cast members on television’s “The Mickey Mouse Club,” dated for about three years in their late teens and early 20s, becoming tabloid sensations, before splitting abruptly in 2002. Spears was questioned relentlessly in the media about her virginity, while Timberlake said he had slept with her and then wrote a song “Cry Me a River,” in which he implied she had been unfaithful to him in their relationship. In 2021, following a TV documentary about Spears that included a segment on how she was shamed in the media when their relationship ended, Timberlake publicly apologized to Spears on social media, saying he had “failed” her. Spears went on to become a mother to two sons, now aged 18 and 17, with her second husband, Kevin Federline, a singer and onetime backup dancer to whom she was married for two years. READ MORE: ‘Their goal is to make me feel like I’m crazy,’ tearful Britney Spears tells court In April 2022, Spears said she was expecting a third child with then-fiance Sam Asghari but the following month she said she suffered a miscarriage. She and Asghari wed in June 2022, but he filed for divorce 14 months later, in August of this year. Spears’ highly anticipated memoir comes.....»»
Glaiza De Castro, mister na si David Rainey nagdiriwang ng wedding anniversary: ‘Can’t believe it’s been 2 years!’
TILA hindi makapaniwala ang Kapuso actress na si Glaiza De Castro na dalawang taon na ang nakalipas mula nang ikinasal siya sa Irish husband na si David Rainey. Sa isang Instagram post, ibinandera ni Glaiza ang ilang throwback pictures nsang ikinasal siya sa Northern Ireland. Caption pa niya, “Can’t believe it’s been 2 years since I said yes on a windy clifftop in Ireland [happy face emoji].” “Well, I still do [smiling face with hearts emoji],” dagdag pa niya sa post. Baka Bet Mo: Magulang ni Glaiza hindi boto noon kay David Rainey: Parang nag-worry sila sa akin kasi… Bumati naman sa kanila ang libo-libong netizens at narito ang ilan sa mga nabasa namin sa comment section: “Happy 2nd Wedding Anniversary Raineys [heart emojis] Keep the love growing & glowing [emojis] Love u both [smiling face with heart-eyes emoji].” “Happy 2nd Anniversary to the beautiful couple! [white heart emoji]” “Happy Anniversary to you and David on choosing forever!” “Sana magka-baby na kayo para mas masaya ang buhay mag-asawa, God bless!” Matatandaang taong 2021 nang unang nagpakasal sina Glaiza at David sa Northern Ireland. Hindi nakadalo ang pamilya ng aktres doon kaya talagang nagplano ang couple na magkaroon ng isa pang wedding dito sa Pilipinas. Star-studded ang second wedding ng couple na naganap sa Sundowners Beach Villas sa Botolan, Zambales noong January 23. Kabilang sa mga nagsilbing ninong at ninang sa kasal ay ang TV host na si Willie Revillame at ang GMA executive na si Annette Gozon-Valdes. Naroon din si Angelica Panganiban na naging Maid of Honor, at sina Alessandra de Rossi, Isabel Oli-Prats, Chynna Ortaleza, Rochelle Pangilinan at Sheena Halili na nagsilbing bridesmaids. Present din ang asawa ni Chynna na si Kean Cipriano, Maxene Magalona, pati na ang mga kasamahan ni Glaiza sa “Running Man PH” na sina Ruru Madrid kasama ang dyowang si Bianca Umali, Kokoy de Santos, Lexi Gonzales, Mikael Daez, Angel Guardian at Buboy Villar. Umattend din si Gabby Eigenmann with his wife na si Apples Arizabal-Eigemann, Ketchup Eusebio, at marami pang iba. Taong 2018 nang unang nagkakilala ang dalawa sa Siargao at noong 2020 naman nang mag-propose si David kay Glaiza. Related Chika: Glaiza umamin: Mahal talaga yung relationship namin ni David dahil… Angelica, Glaiza wish na makapag-bonding pa rin nang bonggang-bongga kahit may sarili nang pamilya.....»»
Beauty queens congratulate Miss Intercontinental 2021 Cinderella Obeñita for first baby
Miss Intercontinental 2021 Cinderella "Cindy" Faye Obeñita has given birth to her first child with fiancé Henri Lopez......»»
US surgeons report longest successful pig-to-human kidney transplant
US surgeons who transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient announced Thursday they had ended their experiment after a record-breaking 61 days. The latest experimental procedure is part of a growing field of research aimed at advancing cross-species transplants, mainly testing the technique on bodies that have been donated for science. There are more than 103,000 people waiting for organ transplants in the United States, 88,000 of whom need kidneys. "We have learned a great deal throughout these past two months of close observation and analysis, and there is great reason to be hopeful for the future," said Robert Montgomery, director of the New York University Langone Transplant Institute, who led the surgery in July. It was the the fifth so-called xenotransplant performed by Montgomery, who also carried out the world's first genetically modified pig kidney transplant in September 2021. Tissue collected during the study indicated a mild rejection process had begun, requiring intensification of immunosuppression medication. By "knocking out" the gene responsible for a biomolecule called alpha-gal -- a prime target for roving human antibodies -- the NYU Langone team were able to stop immediate rejection. The donor pig in this experiment came from a herd cultivated by Virginia-based biotech company Revivicor. The herd has also been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a source of meat for people with hypersensitivity to the alpha-gal molecule, an allergy caused by some tick bites. These pigs are bred, not cloned, meaning the process can be more easily scaled. Early xenotransplantation research focused on harvesting organs from primates -- for example, a baboon heart was transplanted into a newborn known as "Baby Fae" in 1984, but she survived only 20 days. Current efforts focus on pigs, which are thought to be ideal donors for humans because of their organ size, their rapid growth and large litters, and the fact they are already raised as a food source. In January 2022, surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical School carried out the world's first pig-to-human transplant on a living patient -- this time involving a heart. He died two months after the milestone, with the presence of porcine cytomegalovirus in the organ later blamed. Last week, Chinese scientists published a paper showing they had succeeded in hybrid pig-human kidneys in pig embryos, an alternative approach that also has the potential to one day help address organ donation shortages. But the development raised ethical issues -- especially since some human cells were also found in the pigs' brains, experts said. The post US surgeons report longest successful pig-to-human kidney transplant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM sends heartfelt condolences to Mike Enriquez’s bereaved family
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday morning extended his condolences on the passing of veteran journalist Mike Enriquez. Enriquez, a household name in the Philippines for his decades-long career in broadcasting, died on Tuesday at the age of 71. He was a news anchor for GMA Network's flagship newscast "24 Oras" and hosted the long-running public affairs program "Imbestigador." In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Marcos Jr. said that Enriquez was a "pillar in our broadcasting industry" who "dedicated his life to delivering unbiased news to the Filipino people." "Our heartfelt thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this time," the president said. Former journalist and now Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil also extended her condolences to Enriquez's family. In a statement Tuesday evening, Garafil said Enriquez was one of the journalists they consider an ally in delivering honest and unbiased news. "Truly, his contribution to the field of journalism is immeasurable," Garafil said. Enriquez, who is survived by his wife Lizabeth “Baby” Yumping, began his career as a staff announcer at the Manila Broadcasting Company in 1969. He subsequently worked in various other broadcasting networks, including Freedom Broadcasting Radio Network and Radio Mindanao Network. Enriquez then joined GMA in 1994. He underwent heart bypass surgery in 2018 and a kidney transplant in 2021. Before he passed away, he took another leave of absence shortly after returning to work to cover the 2022 elections. Enriquez has received multiple awards throughout the course of his five-decade career, including four straight years as the Most Outstanding Male News Anchor at the De La Salle Araneta University's Gawad Lasallianeta Awards. The post PBBM sends heartfelt condolences to Mike Enriquez’s bereaved family appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Veteran broadcast journalist Mike Enriquez dies at 71
Award-winning television and radio newscaster and host Mike Enriquez, has passed on at age 71. This was announced at the closing minutes yesterday of 24 Oras, the primetime newscast on GMA 7 that Enriquez anchored for 19 years. His fellow anchors Mel Tiangco, Vicky Morales and Emil Sumangil couldn’t hide their sadness as they read the network’s statement announcing Enriquez’s passing on 29 August. Enriquez spent a total of 29 years on the GMA Network, as news anchor of 24 Oras and its predecessor Saksi, and as host of the long-running investigative docudrama Imbestigador and head of its regional and radio subsidiaries. He became a household name with his unique brand of delivering the news, which commanded authority but was not too formal, allowing him to inject casual remarks. Famous for the catchphrases “excuse me po” and “hindi namin kayo tatantanan,” his booming newscasting style became material for fond parodies and spoofs. Born Miguel Castro Enriquez on 29 September 1951, the multi-awarded broadcaster began his career as a staff announcer at the Manila Broadcasting Company in 1969. He went on to work as disc jockey, reporter, desk editor, program director and station manager in various stations, including Radio Mindanao Network where he steered to success DWKC 93.9 on FM radio as station manager and DJ. Enriquez left RMN in 1994 and joined GMA in the same year to lead its radio operations, but was soon convinced by his GMA bosses to be a news anchor. He first worked on-cam in the network’s coverage of the 1995 senatorial elections. The veteran radio-TV anchor went on medical leave in December 2021 to undergo kidney transplant. In a previous interview, Enriquez shared that aside from battling diabetes, he also underwent heart bypass surgery in 2018. After his medical hiatus, Enriquez headlined GMA-7’s Eleksyon 2022: The GMA News and Public Affairs’ Election Coverage with fellow GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco, Vicky Morales, Arnold Clavio, Howie Severino and Jessica Soho. Shortly after, he returned to his regular programs on GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB 594. Enriquez also hosted Super Balita sa Umaga and Saksi sa Dobol B. In addition to his on-air duties, Enriquez served as RGMA Network Inc. president and GMA Network’s consultant for Radio Operations. Among other awards in his five-decade career, Enriquez won the Most Outstanding Male News Anchor at the De La Salle Araneta University’s Gawad Lasallianeta Awards for four consecutive years. He is survived by his wife Lizabeth “Baby” Yumping. (With additional reporting by Pauline Songco) The post Veteran broadcast journalist Mike Enriquez dies at 71 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Acai craze: Threat for the Amazon?
ABAETETUBA, Brazil (AFP) — Working in the sweltering heat of the Brazilian Amazon, Jose Diogo scales a tree and harvests a cluster of blackberries: Acai, the trendy “superfood” reshaping the world’s biggest rainforest — for better and worse. Diogo, 41, who lives in a poor, remote community founded by escaped slaves, is a world away from the upscale supermarket aisles of New York or Tokyo, where berries like these are sold in sorbets, smoothies, juices, powders and pills, popularized by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Meghan Markle. But he has a front-row seat of the changes the acai craze is bringing to the Brazilian Amazon. Since acai rose to international fame in the 2000s, touted for its rich nutritional and antioxidant properties, it has unleashed an economic boom for traditional farmers in the Amazon region, and been lauded as a way to bring “green development” to the rainforest without destroying it. But experts say it is also threatening the Amazon’s biodiversity, as single-crop fields of acai palms become increasingly common. Diogo, who lives in the village of Igarape Sao Joao, in the northern state of Para, is building himself a brick house thanks to the money he has made from acai. “Things get a lot better for us every harvest season,” he says, scraping the small berries into a large basket. He can fill 25 such baskets on a good day, bringing home between 300 and 625 reais ($60 to $128), he says. The berries are brought by boat to Belem, the state capital, where sweating workers carry huge loads of them to market to be sold as quickly as possible, before the fragile fruit goes bad. Long eaten by Indigenous groups, acai is a culinary mainstay in northeastern Brazil, eaten with manioc flour or used to accompany fish and other dishes. Its deep-purple pulp shot to popularity across Brazil over the past two decades, often drunk as juice or made into a sweetened sorbet and served with fruit and granola. From there, acai went on to win fans worldwide, from the United States to Europe, Australia and Japan, where it can sell for around $5 per bowl to upwards of $20 for a 100-gram packet of organic acai powder. Brazilian exports of acai and its derivatives surged from 60 kilograms in 1999 to more than 15,000 tons in 2021. Para, the source of 90 percent of Brazil’s acai, produced almost 1.4 million tons of it in 2021, worth more than $1 billion for the state’s economy. But studies show the expansion of acai palms in the Amazon is causing a loss of biodiversity in some regions by replacing other species. “Leave nature to its own devices, and you get 50 or maybe 100 acai plants per hectare,” says biologist Madson Freitas of the Museu Goeldi research institute in Belem. The post Acai craze: Threat for the Amazon? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Embo public school teachers will no longer enjoy Makati benefits
Teachers at the public schools located in the enlisted men's barrios or embo barangays will no longer enjoy the benefits they receive from the local government of Makati City starting this year after the disputed barangays became part of the territory of Taguig City. A teacher of a public elementary school in one of the embo barangays said, that apart from the financial aid that they receive from Makati City, they were also given hair salon gift vouchers to make themselves look beautiful during National Teachers' Day. "Even teachers have nothing to wait for during teachers' day. It's complete—with jacket and everything else. We were also given a voucher for David Salon to pamper ourselves and look beautiful," the teacher, whose identity was withheld, told The Daily Tribune. "Now, all of these benefits that we receive from Makati City are gone. We are not also included to receive the living allowance," she added. Aside from the P3,000 monthly incentive allowance, Makati City has also provided public school teachers with brand new laptops and internet load that they used for online classes during the pandemic. Public school teachers were also given teachers' kits containing a bluetooth speaker, wireless presenter, tumbler, teachers' plan, students data record, first aid kit, Makatizen pouch with school supplies, notepad, 64GB flash drive, voice amplifier, laptop bag and a Makatizen jacket, P500 worth of gift certificate for healthy foods and drinks, P700 worth of gift certificates for salon make-over, and P1,500 worth of gift certificates for groceries and vitamins given every World Teachers’ Day. During the 2021 World Teachers' Day celebration, the city government gave teachers digital teachers' kits that contained a jacket, boom microphone, numeric keypad, mini tripod, ring light, external sound card, backpack with UV sterilizer, tumbler holder, and pen tablet. There is also the possibility that the provision of instructional materials could be taken away from the teachers because they are no longer under the care of Makati City. "Definitely, one of the challenges is the provision of instructional materials for teachers. We just heard that the laptops, television sets, and projectors will be taken away from them," Alma Cayabyan Adona, principal of West Rembo Elementary School, told this reporter in an earlier interview. Adona also said they have already coordinated with the local government of Taguig City regarding the provision of instructional materials that they need for teaching. "They are now processing the requests of our teachers because they [teachers] need that. They are used to using it for how many years of teaching," she said. "But we can wait because we know it won't be given right away. It will really entail a lot of processes to procure that kind of equipment— the teachers were told to just wait because they will find ways to provide all these things to our teachers gradually." The post Embo public school teachers will no longer enjoy Makati benefits appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Innovation, health top Asian concerns
The government aims to spur innovation among industries and the health sector in the country to catch up with the projected economic boom of its Southeast Asian neighbors and achieve an upper middle-income society by 2040. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan last Friday urged the faculty of the University of the Philippines Diliman to help the government raise technologically-skilled Filipinos toward more agile industries amid the information and digital age. “Our infrastructure sector and the emerging industries — agribusiness, mining, tourism, manufacturing, education, creatives, health and IT-BPM — will require a deep pool of skilled workers and professionals, which the university is in a position to contribute to,” he told the UPD alumni in their council meeting last Friday. As a planning and advisory agency, the National Economic and Development Authority, or NEDA, last month presented the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document 2023 to 2032 to other government agencies its strategies for better public-private partnerships, innovation research and development, commercialization of products and support for small businesses. “We must find ways to harness fast-evolving technologies as opportunities are waiting to be tapped by our young labor force. We must take two, even three steps forward, even as other forces — populism and political expediency — take us one step backward,” Balisacan told the university’s alumni during his speech entitled “If We’re So Smart, Why Aren’t We Rich?” Balisacan said government agencies will organize more in-person and online forums and surveys with academic institutions, businesses and marginalized groups and technical studies to achieve those goals. According to the United Nations, science researchers in the Philippines are much fewer with 174 per 1 million residents compared with Singapore’s 7,287 and Thailand’s 2,070. As the government capitalizes on human resources, Balisacan added the Marcos administration will be expanding nutrition programs and health facilities across the country. Lessons from Covid “The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to sustainably secure and equitably distribute health infrastructure and human resources and promote health-seeking behavior and health literacy,” he said. According to World Development Indicators, vaccination rates in the Philippines range 57 percent to 92 percent, lower than the 95 percent and 99 percent of Singapore and Thailand, respectively. Malnutrition, however, has improved among Filipino children below five years old as stunting was found in 26.7 percent of households in 2021 from 33.4 percent in 2015, according to the Department of Science and Technology. Underweight children in this age group were also fewer at 5.5 percent from 7.1 percent during that period. Without improvements in the education and health sectors, Balisacan said Filipinos cannot secure quality jobs and help the country obtain higher GDP per capita or economic output per person. By 2050, the Philippines will see $22,700 GDP per capita, lower than Indonesia’s $37,400 and Vietnam’s $33,800, research from the Asian Development Bank showed. The post Innovation, health top Asian concerns appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Britney Spears’ husband says marriage over, files for divorce
Britney Spears' husband said Thursday his marriage to the troubled pop star is over, filing for divorce just 14 months after the pair wed. Sam Asghari said the couple would "hold onto the love" they have, but that they were going their separate ways. "After 6 years of love and commitment to each other my wife and I have decided to end our journey together," the Iranian-born model wrote on Instagram. "We will hold onto the love and respect we have for each other and I wish her the best always," the 29-year-old added. "Asking for privacy seems ridiculous so I will just ask for everyone including media to be kind and thoughtful." Court documents lodged in Los Angeles show Asghari cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for ending the marriage. The couple wed in 2022, about a year after a California judge dissolved a controversial 14-year conservatorship that had barred Spears from handling her own life and finances, a legal arrangement many fans considered exploitative. Under the conservatorship -- which was largely managed by her father Jamie Spears -- the now-41-year-old singer said she was prevented from having a contraceptive IUD removed despite her desire for more children, claimed she was forced to work and said her phone was tapped. "I just want my life back," Spears told the court in 2021. The singer -- whose hits include "Oops!... I Did It Again," and "Toxic" -- reportedly has a prenuptial agreement in place that will protect her assets. Asghari's divorce petition says the two have been separated since last month. Spears rocketed to fame in her teens on hits like "...Baby One More Time," becoming one of the world's reigning pop stars at the turn of the millennium. But she suffered a highly publicized 2007 breakdown, which included attacking a paparazzo's car at a gas station, and the conservatorship began just a year later. Asghari and Spears met in 2016 when he appeared in a music video for her single "Slumber Party." The couple announced a surprise pregnancy in 2022 but said it had ended in miscarriage only weeks later. Spears has two teen sons, Sean and Jayden, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline. She was also briefly married -- for less than three days -- to childhood friend Jason Alexander. After reports of her split with Asghari began to surface, Spears posted on Instagram Wednesday night that she was planning to buy a horse, but made no mention of her marital status. Her memoir, "The Woman In Me," is due to be released in October. The post Britney Spears’ husband says marriage over, files for divorce appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EV sector needs more infrabuildup
The electric vehicle industry still needs infrastructure support to boom in the coming years, an industry group leader said on Wednesday. In a press briefing for the upcoming 11th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit this October, Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines President Edmund Araga said even if more and more car owners are switching to EVs, infrastructure for its development still needs a further push. “Implementation remains a big challenge as it involves extensive output and promotion. The EV industry is still making necessary adjustments in terms of supplies and infrastructure. Transitions are on the way in terms of regulations being set by different government agencies involved,” he said. Based on data from Statista, 1,013 EVs were sold locally in 2022 — higher than the 843 in 2021 and 378 in 2020. Lapsed into law This could mainly be attributed to the implementation of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, or EVIDA, or the Republic Act 11697, which lapsed to become law in April 2022 and was enacted in May 2022 (with implementing rules and regulations taking effect in September 2022). EVIDA incentivizes EV adoption nationwide — by allocating dedicated parking slots in establishments, assigning green routes across cities and municipalities, and exempting vehicles from traffic coding schemes, among other perks. Public and private sectors have also been working to make charging stations more conveniently accessible to EV owners. Gov’t, sectoral support Araga also pointed out that currently, the Department of Energy is setting the pace in the government sector through rolling out necessary programs especially those aligned with the law pertaining to renewable energy so “Such initiatives are related to the development of local EV infrastructures. One I can cite is the e-App program that maps out locations of active EV charging stations across the country,” Araga explained. He also cited the Department of Energy for the ongoing development of the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry, which comes with inter-agency support. Araga stated that the department is also facilitating public consultations regarding the Vehicle Fuel Economy Labeling Program and the Fuel Economy Performance Rating. The Department of Trade and Industry is still preparing its Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy and the Department of Transportation is keeping its focus on public utility vehicles modernization, with EV as the priority. Other government agencies are taking their share by including EVs into their fleets, namely the Department of Public Works and Highways or DPWH which is leading the pack in terms of compliance to this commitment. For the part of the private sector, it is also actively investing in putting up more charging stations in strategic locations nationwide and using the latest innovative EV charging technology. “Many private companies are also taking the initiative to procure EVs for enhancing their own fleets, highlighting their efforts to lower carbon emissions and lower energy dependency on gasolines,” according to Araga. 11th PEVS EV development is among the highlights of the upcoming Philippine Vehicle Summit, or PEVS 2023. The gathering will push for for wider EV adoption in the country will be its biggest to date—a three-day summit featuring trade exhibitions and a conference to occupy three halls of the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. “Not to be missed is the establishment of the Philippine Battery Consortium, which be launched during PEVS 2023. It is aimed at addressing the important concerns and issues about battery supplies and costs,” Araga concluded. The post EV sector needs more infrabuildup appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US surgeons say pig kidney functional in human for more than a month
US surgeons who transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient said Wednesday the organ was still working well after a record 32 days -- a significant step in the quest to close the organ donation gap. The latest experimental procedure is part of a growing field of research aimed at advancing cross-species transplants, testing the technique on bodies that have been donated for science. There are more than 103,000 people waiting for organs in the United States, 88,000 of whom need kidneys. "We have a genetically edited pig kidney surviving for over a month in a human," Robert Montgomery, director of the New York University Langone Transplant Institute, told reporters. "I think there's a very compelling story that exists at this point that I think should give further assurances about starting some initial studies... in living humans." Montgomery carried out the first genetically modified pig kidney transplant to a human in September 2021, followed by a similar procedure in November 2021. There have since been a handful of other cases, with all the experiments running for two or three days. While previous transplants have involved body parts with up to 10 genetic modifications, the latest had just one: in the gene involved in so-called "hyperacute rejection," which would otherwise occur within minutes of an animal organ being connected to a human circulatory system. By "knocking out" the gene responsible for a biomolecule called alpha-gal -- a prime target for roving human antibodies -- the NYU Langone team was able to stop immediate rejection. "We've now gathered more evidence to show that, at least in kidneys, just eliminating the gene that triggers a hyperacute rejection may be enough along with clinically approved immunosuppressive drugs to successfully manage the transplant in a human for optimal performance -- potentially in the long-term," said Montgomery. They also embedded the pig's thymus gland -- which lies around the neck and is responsible for educating the immune system -- in the kidney's outer layer. Adam Griesemer, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, added that this practice allowed immune cells in the host's body to learn to recognize the pig's cells as its own, preventing a delayed rejection. Both of the patient's own kidneys were removed, then one pig kidney was transplanted and started immediately producing urine. Monitoring showed that levels of creatinine, a waste product, were at optimal levels, and there was no evidence of rejection. No evidence of pig virus Crucially, no evidence of porcine cytomegalovirus -- which may trigger organ failure -- has been detected since the transplant, and the team plan to continue monitoring for another month. The research was made possible by the family of the 57-year-old male patient, Maurice "Mo" Miller, who was found unresponsive in his bathroom in July. Doctors determined he had an aggressive form of brain cancer, and would not wake up. "Though my brother cannot be here, I can say with confidence he would be proud of the fact in the tragedy of his death, his legacy will be helping many people live," his sister Mary Miller-Duffy told reporters. In January 2022, surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical School carried out the world's first pig-to-human transplant on a living patient -- this time involving a heart. He died two months after the milestone, with the presence of porcine cytomegalovirus in the organ later blamed. The donor pig in these experiments came from a herd from Virginia-based biotech company Revivicor. The herd was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a source of meat for people with hypersensitivity to the alpha-gal molecule, an allergy caused by tick bites. These pigs are bred, not cloned, meaning the process can be more easily scaled. Early so-called xenotransplantation research focused on harvesting organs from primates -- for example, a baboon heart was transplanted into a newborn known as "Baby Fae" in 1984, but she survived only 20 days. Current efforts focus on pigs, which are thought to be ideal donors for humans because of their organ size, their rapid growth and large litter, and the fact they are already raised as a food source. The post US surgeons say pig kidney functional in human for more than a month appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Beauty queen Shaila Rebortera shares photos of alleged domestic abuse vs Kapuso actor Rob Gomez
After revealing that she and Kapuso actor Rob Gomez are parents to baby girl Amelia, Miss Multinational Philippines 2021 Shaila Rebortera posted photos of alleged domestic abuse......»»
Phl cinema in the first year of BBM
Here, we look back at the state of the Philippine film industry since he took the seat of power 13 months ago. When President Marcos Jr. became the 17th leader of the nation, the country was on the brink of the “new normal.” The campaign elections even saw multitudes of crowds in the streets, the Filipinos’ political passion overpowering the fear of a Covid-19 infection. Covid-pandemic viewing By May 2022, the month of the presidential campaigns, the Department of Health said the country was at “minimal-risk case classification” with an average of only 159 cases per day. By June 2022, when the President took his oath, 69.4 million Filipinos had been fully vaccinated. Along with the country, the Philippine film industry started healing. On the same month, the country went under Covid-19 Alert Level 2, with 50-percent allowed capacity in indoor cinemas. Live film festivals The Marcos administration saw the return of Filipino film festivals in theaters. On Marcos’ fifth month as president, the QCinema International Film Festival, with the theme “in10City,” held hybdrid screenings — in-person and online. The Metro Manila Film Festival in December 2022, six months into the new presidency, went full force in cinemas for the second time during the pandemic. Earlier, in 2020, during the Duterte administration, the festival was held online for the first time, and the following year, in December 2021, after level alert measures in the Philippines were relaxed, the MMFF finally went back to the cinemas. However, only around 300 cinemas (down from the usual 900) were allowed to screen the MMFF entries. Meanwhile, the 18th edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival was held from 5 August to 31 October 2022 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in select mall cinemas and online. But what made a mark during the Marcos administration’s first year was the inaugural edition of the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. The SMMFF was held in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines. Organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines, the first MMFF was supposed to be held in 2020, but was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2023, held from 8 to 18 April 2023 with the theme “Tuloy-tuloy ang Saya,” the summer festival featured eight entries and, like its December counterpart, even held a Parade of Stars. About Us But Not About Us by Jun Lana, produced by The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films and Quantum Films, emerged as the first Best Picture of the summer festival. [caption id="attachment_161372" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] About Us But Not About Us by Jun Lana[/caption] The Film Development Council of the Philippines’ sixth edition of its own mini-film festival, held during the Marcos administration’s third month, headed back to cinemas, offering free access to award-winning classic films of the new National Artists for Film and Broadcast Arts at TriNoma Cinema in Quezon City and in all Cinematheque centers nationwide (Manila, Iloilo, Negros, Davao and Nabunturan). CCP closes for renovations On 1 September 2022, CCP president Margarita Moran-Floirendo announced during a hearing of the Senate committee on cultural communities, that The Cultural Center of the Philippines — home to the Cinemalaya festival — will close its doors starting January 2023 for renovation and structural retrofitting works, and will reopen in March 2025. This marks the first time that Cinemalaya, on its 19th year, which has the theme “ilumiNasyon,” will be held at various venues inside the adjacent Philippine International Convention Center, from 4 to 13 August 2023. The rise of political films With the country deeply driven by polarized political views, the Marcos administration saw a war between political commercial films. [caption id="attachment_161370" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] ‘MAID in Malacanang’ stars Cristine Reyes, Diego Loyzaga and Ella Cruz. | Photograph courtesy of viva[/caption] On 29 July 2022, Darryl Yap’s period drama Maid in Malacañang, touted as “the most controversial film of the year,” was released to packed cinemas. The movie, about the Marcos family’s last three days in Malacañang Palace before they were forced into exile, premiered at SM North EDSA and was released nationwide on 3 August 2022. Yap, who passionately campaigned for Marcos, became a controversial filmmaker with the release of his Marcos film. Leni Robredo supporters tried to boycott the film, with some Filipino movie critics exposing themselves as heavily political and non-neutral with their reviews, accusing the film of propaganda and historical revisionism. The attempt to quash the movie’s release failed and it became a box-office hit, with producer Viva Films releasing a statement that it earned a whopping P21 million on its opening day and P63 million three days after its release. It was the first time in Philippine cinema history that local theaters nationwide saw a deluge of moviegoers lining up to watch a movie on the big screen, mostly driven by political affiliation. Another unsuccessful political attempt to diminish the film’s release was Vince Tañada’s re-release of his Martial Law film Katips to counter Maid in Malacañang. Tañada’s film eventually won Best Picture at the Famas Awards. MIM actress Ella Cruz’s remark during a press conference, that “history is like tsismis,” further fanned the flames of political debate online. Eight months later, in March 2022, Viva released Yap’s second installment in his Marcos trilogy, Martyr or Murderer, which now focused on Ferdinand Marcos and the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. Two anti-Marcos movies rose to combat the film — Joel Lamangan’s Oras de Peligro, released on the same day, and Tañada’s movie adaptation of his musical play Ako Si Ninoy, released one week earlier. Movie buffs, political analysts, film critics, the press and social media influencers dove into feverish commentaries on the three films, and Philippine cinemas were ignited and, for a while, became alive with social discourse. New FDCP head On 21 July 2022, Tirso S. Cruz III officially assumed his position as the head of the country’s national film agency, the Film Development Council of the Philippines. He replaced Liza Diño, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as FDCP chairperson on 12 August 2016. [caption id="attachment_161368" align="aligncenter" width="736"] FDCP chair Tirso Cruz III. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FDCP[/caption] Cruz, a veteran actor, said that the target of the FDCP under the Marcos administration was to support local films, not just in Metro Manila, but also from regional filmmakers. He also professed support for film students and highlighted archiving as part of the FDCP’s agenda, with 42,000 materials in its archives to be salvaged. MTRCB In September 2022, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board released a statement addressing the controversy about its proposal to expand its jurisdiction to online streaming services like Netflix, Vivamax, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms. The MTRCB said it was responding to multitudes of complaints from parents and other concerned groups demanding that the agency regulate movie and TV online platforms to protect children from harmful viewing. The Marcos administration has seen a continuous boom in streamers, which began during the pandemic, with Vivamax becoming one of the leading local streamers due to the popularity of Filipino sexploitation films. On 23 February 2023, MTRCB chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio expressed her gratitude to Senators Francis “Tol” Tolentino, Grace Poe and Sherwin Gatchalian for the separate bills they filed that would amend and expand the board’s mandate. “We welcome the move to amend the charter of the MTRCB as it will allow the agency to adequately adapt to changes in technology and the ever-evolving needs of the viewing public and our other stakeholders,” Sotto-Antonio said before the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media chaired by Senator Robinhood C. Padilla. Eddie Garcia Act In January 2023, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 1270, or the proposed Eddie Garcia Act, at the House plenary session. [caption id="attachment_161367" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] HOUSE Bill 1270 has been proposed in honor of the late actor Eddie Garcia. | Photograph courtesy of gma-7[/caption] Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte authored the bill, which aims to provide workers in the movie, television and radio entertainment industry opportunities for well-paid employment and protect them from economic exploitation, abuse and harassment, as well as hazardous working conditions. The bill was named after the late veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 after suffering a neck injury while shooting the television series Rosang Agimat, produced by GMA Network. According to Villafuerte, productions would go from 16 to 24 continuous work hours per set and would rush productions to save costs. The proposed law mandates that normal work hours of the worker or talent shall be eight hours a day; overtime work should not exceed more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period; and the total number of work hours shall not exceed 60 hours in a week. Paul Soriano Relatively unknown to most Pinoy moviegoers, filmmaker Paul Soriano was put on the limelight as the man behind the President’s advertisements — way back from campaigns since Marcos started out as vice governor, and then, governor of Ilocos Norte, up until his senatorial campaign, and eventually his campaign for the vice presidency and presidency. [caption id="attachment_161371" align="aligncenter" width="781"] PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ig/PAUL SORIANO[/caption] Of course, the opposition in the film industry predictably canceled Soriano, the blood nephew of First Lady Liza Cacho Araneta-Marcos. Dolly de Leon It was also during the BBM era that Filipina actress Dolly de Leon gained international fame for her performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness. [caption id="attachment_161366" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Dolly de Leon gained international fame for her performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner ‘Triangle of Sadness.’ | Photograph courtesy ofig/dolly de leon[/caption] The 54-year old film, television and theater actress made history by becoming the first Filipino actor to be nominated at the British Academy Film Awards and Golden Globe Awards. Filipino movie fans and critics, having been exposed to global content since the rise of the streamers, plus the proliferation of self-published movie reviews, are generally still disappointed with the output and system of the Philippine film industry, but filled with hope that, with full support from the government, Philippine cinema will finally become truly internationally competitive, sustainable and recognized. The post Phl cinema in the first year of BBM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»