Casama, Ponteras headline Sanman fight card in S. Cotabato
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Sanman Boxing’s prospect Michael Casama and Ryan Rey Ponteras lock horns in the main event of Sanman Boxing’s fight card in Norala, South Cotabato on March 9, 2023. Casama and Ponteras will battle for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) featherweight title. Casama, 22, has a record of eight wins with eight […] The post Casama, Ponteras headline Sanman fight card in S. Cotabato appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
PBF 122-pound crown at stake in Blow-By-Blow
The 14-fight card will also feature the duel between Ali Canega of the Elorde Fight team against Jhunback Carcedo of Sanman Boxing of General Santos City......»»
All systems go for Paradero vs Mama bout in South Cotabato
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The battle of ex-world title challengers is officially a go as Jayson “Smasher” Mama and Robert “Kapitan Inggo” Paradero both passed the mandatory weigh-in on Monday at the Sanman Boxing Gym in General Santos City. Mama and Paradero, both tipped the weighing scales exactly at 112 pounds. Both well known boxers will fight […] The post All systems go for Paradero vs Mama bout in South Cotabato appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Carcosia bags PBF super featherweight title with unanimous decision win against Baconaje
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Sanman Boxing Gym’s Presco “Carjun” Carcosia became the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) super featherweight champion after beating Arnel Baconaje to win the title. The 26-year-old Carcosia defeated Baconaje via unanimous decision after 12 rounds to earn the PBF super featherweight belt in the main event of Sanman Boxing Gym’s fight card […] The post Carcosia bags PBF super featherweight title with unanimous decision win against Baconaje appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cataraja’s fight against Heno is a good test if he’s ready for bigger fights, says promoter
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Sanman Boxing Promotions’ chief JC Manangquil will test the mettle of Cebuano world-ranked prospect Kevin Jake “KJ” Cataraja to check if he’s ready for bigger fights, particularly for a world title. Manangquil and Sanman Boxing recently announced Cataraja being featured in the main event of a fight card they’re promoting in General Santos […] The post Cataraja’s fight against Heno is a good test if he’s ready for bigger fights, says promoter appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Double Trouble: Plania makes comeback against Francisco in Tagum fight card
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Filipino boxing prospect, Mike “Magic” Plania makes his return in the ring on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2022, against Jeffrey Francisco in Sanman Boxing Promotions’ “Double Trouble” fight card in Tagum, Davao del Norte. Plania, a world-rated prospect from General Santos City, fights for redemption following his loss against American […] The post Double Trouble: Plania makes comeback against Francisco in Tagum fight card appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Robles puts unbeaten record on the line vs Mama in main event clash
CEBU CITY, Philippines — ARQ Boxing Stable’s Berland “The Trigger Man” Robles will face an acid test as he fights Sanman Boxing Gym’s Jerven Mama in the main event of Sanman’s fight card on October 15, 2022, at the Consolacion Sports Complex, north Cebu. The 22-year-old unbeaten Robles will try to upset the more experienced […] The post Robles puts unbeaten record on the line vs Mama in main event clash appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Vitor, dangerous Thai headline Kumong Bol-anon 7 with WBO Oriental featherweight title on the line
BOHOL, Philippines — Expect fireworks to explode in the “Kumong Bol-Anon 7” fight card as main event protagonists Boholano prospect John Vergil “Valiente” Vitor and Arnon Yupang of Thailand both vow to win the WBO Oriental super featherweight title in front of Boholano boxing fans this Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. The slam-bang affair promoted by […] The post Vitor, dangerous Thai headline Kumong Bol-anon 7 with WBO Oriental featherweight title on the line appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
‘Sanman Bubble X’ fights: Zip-Sanman boxers pull out big wins
CEBU CITY, Philippines — ZIP-Sanman Boxing Gym’s stalwarts in Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem, Kevin Jake “KJ” Cataraja, and Alex Santisima pulled off stellar performances in their respective bouts last Wednesday evening in the “Sanman Bubble X” fight card in General Santos City. The 28-year-old Jerusalem of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon scored a second-round technical knockout against Michael […] The post ‘Sanman Bubble X’ fights: Zip-Sanman boxers pull out big wins appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Bornea to fight in Mexico – Probellum
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Top-ranked super flyweight contender Jade “Hurricane” Bornea will make his second fight in Mexico after global boxing outfit, Probellum announced it on Friday, August 12, 2022. The 27-year-old Bornea of Arakan, North Cotabato who fights under Probellum and General Santos City-based Sanman Boxing is making waves abroad recently. He is unbeaten […] The post Bornea to fight in Mexico – Probellum appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
‘Bubble X’ to feature Sanman Boxing’s Jerusalem, Cataraja, Santisima
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Zip Sanman stalwarts will strut their wares in Sanman Boxing’s “Sanman Bubble X” on August 24, 2022, at the Sanman Gym in General Santos City. Headed by top-ranked minimumweight contender and former world title challenger Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem, the stacked fight card features some of the best boxers of Sanman Boxing […] The post ‘Bubble X’ to feature Sanman Boxing’s Jerusalem, Cataraja, Santisima appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Santisima, Alberca ready to slug it out in SanMan’s Talisay fight card
CEBU CITY, Philippines—- Former world title challenger, Jeo “Santino” Santisima will face Alan Alberca in the undercard of the Zip SanMan Promotions fight card slated this Friday, July 16, 2021 at the Tabunok sports complex in Talisay City, South Cebu. Santisima, one of the top prospects of the disbanded ALA Boxing Gym, was initially pitted […] The post Santisima, Alberca ready to slug it out in SanMan’s Talisay fight card appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Canega outpoints Carcedo to claim PBF 140-lb belt in Blow-By-Blow
In an action-packed duel, Ali Canega of the Elorde Fight Team carved out a hard-earned 10-round majority decision win over Jhunrick Carcedo of SanMan Boxing-General Santos City......»»
Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay
The biggest Asian Games in history, boasting about 12,000 competitors -- more than the Olympics -- will open on Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after a year's delay because of Covid. Athletes including world and Olympic champions will fight for medals in 40 sports from athletics, swimming and football to eSports and bridge. Nine sports, among them boxing, break dancing and tennis, will serve as qualifiers for next year's Paris Olympics. The Games were supposed to take place last September but were postponed because of China's strict zero-Covid rules, before China's ruling Communist Party abruptly abandoned the policy. The 19th edition of the Games, which were first held in New Delhi in 1951, throws together competitors from 45 countries and territories across Asia and the Middle East. For China, which hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics in a Covid-secure "bubble" in Beijing, it is a chance to show off its organizational, sporting and technological prowess after the pandemic years cut the country off from the sporting world. "We have overcome a lot of challenges but we are now fully conditioned to hold a successful Games," Chen Weiqiang, chief spokesperson for the Games, said on Wednesday. Sport meets politics The Games will be staged at 54 venues -- 14 newly constructed -- mostly in Hangzhou but also extending to cities as far afield as Wenzhou, 300 kilometres (180 miles) south. The centerpiece is the "Big Lotus" Olympic stadium with a capacity of up to 80,000 where athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies will be staged. President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and meet Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad there, along with other visiting leaders, Chinese state media says. Assad is making his first visit to ally China since the war erupted in Syria in 2011. Russian President Vladimir Putin likewise attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, along with Xi, and weeks later launched the invasion of Ukraine. Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people an hour's bullet train from Shanghai, is famed in China for its ancient temples, gardens and its beloved West Lake. It is also the unofficial home of China's tech industry, notably the birth place of Jack Ma's Alibaba. The Games will showcase some of the latest tech to come out of the city, including driverless buses, robot dogs and facial recognition. China medal dash Hosts China have topped the medals table at every Asian Games since 1982 and are expected to do so again by the time the curtain comes down on October 8. They should reign in swimming, with Qin Haiyang fresh from his heroics at the world championships, where he announced himself as the new undisputed breaststroke king. The 24-year-old swept all three men's events and set a new world record in the 200m. In athletics, another of the most closely watched sports, India's Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will defend his Asian Games javelin crown. His nearest competitor should be world silver medalist Arshad Nadeem from arch-rivals Pakistan and the countries are also on a collision course in cricket and hockey. ESports, in what is seen as a step toward Olympic inclusion one day, will make its full Asian Games debut having been a demonstration sport five years ago. Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as "Faker", has god-like status in League of Legends and will lead the South Korean charge at the futuristic-looking China Hangzhou Esports Centre. There is an added incentive which has caused controversy in South Korea -- winning gold will exempt them from having to do military service. A feature of the Asian Games is that it includes sports that are a little more quirky than the Olympics. Xiangqi -- also known as "Chinese chess" -- the card game bridge and the ancient wrestling discipline of kurash are all on the menu. Although the Games officially open on Saturday, the sporting action began on Tuesday, when North Korea returned to major international competition for the first time since the pandemic with a 2-0 win over Taiwan in men's football. The post Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ombudsman vindicates (2)
The Ombudsman was correct in his unsolicited recommendation that Audit Observation Memorandum or AOMs should not be published to prevent prejudging those involved. But AOMs with biased, political undertones and color, if released within a conspired time frame and raising issues as critical as huge Department of Health or DoH money intended to combat Covid-19 being stolen, can cause a rebellion. More than ever, these justify graft buster Martires’ anger over the publication of AOMs. Amazingly, this scenario reappeared with an almost repeat performance by the same personalities like the lady who poured out her tears over the plea bargaining agreement, Heidi Mendoza, who suddenly appeared from nowhere crying again and asking everyone to pray for the soul of her colleague, UN Auditor, Atty. Jake Cimafranca, who worked hard on the DoH report, died of a heart attack. She posted about it in time for Cimafranca’s burial. Also suddenly appearing was Grace Pulido Tan of the “kahindik-hindik (hideous)” PDAF audit report, echoing the same statement of her tandem Heidi that the release of the DoH audit report was regular and not premature. Astonishing everyone, including CoA state auditors, was the rebuff by no less than CoA Chair Michael Aguinaldo of the directive of President Duterte telling him to audit the Philippine National Red Cross. He said the CoA needed more authority to audit the PNRC. State auditors were shocked by the answer of their chief to a presidential order. Something must be cooking. And there emerged the resounding call for an immediate investigation by the senators of the Republic on the DoH’s P67.32- billion fund intended to fight Covid-19. Soon, the call for an inquiry sounded worldwide. The internet showed news flashes in the world’s capital cities of allegedly massive Department of Health funds of the Philippines intended to protect the people of the archipelago from the onslaught of Covid-19 being stolen. But former fiscal and President Rodrigo Duterte could not be intimidated. “Pure bullshit”: Duterte says CoA-flagged DoH funds not stolen. Duterte tells Cabinet secretaries to ignore CoA reports: “Nothing will happen there.” All probes against DoH “can continue,” Palace says after Duterte scores CoA. In effect, Fiscal Digong was saying, you can go on with your investigation. Catch the crooks, but do not hinder government efforts to provide our people with the supplies they need to protect them from Covid-19. Here is how it all started. The annual audit report on the accounts and financial operations of the Department of Health for the calendar year ending 31 December 2020 disclosed, among other things, the following most significant observations contained in one of the collections of AOM released as an annual audit report on 11 August 2021: “1. Various deficiencies involving some P67,323,186,570.57 worth of public funds and intended for national efforts of combatting the unprecedented scale of the Covid-19 crisis were noted. These deficiencies contributed to the challenges encountered and mixed opportunities by the DoH during the state of calamity and national emergency and cast doubts on the regularity of related transactions. “We requested that the SoH (Secretary of Health) implement the recommendations contained in the Consolidated Management Letter on the audit of Covid-19 funds for the year ending 31 December 2020 and submit a status report on the actions taken on the audit recommendations stated therein.” On 11 August 2021, the preceding observation was reported by a local stream media as a blazing headline: “CoA finds DoH lacking in managing P67.32-B Covid funds.” “The Commission on Audit found deficiencies in how the Department of Health managed the P67.32 billion fund to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that it contributed to challenges that the country faced during the crisis. “CoA’s annual audit report for DoH in 2020 revealed that the deficiencies are caused by non-compliance with pertinent laws and regulations, which led to missed opportunities for the department primarily tasked with managing the pandemic.” (To be continued) The post Ombudsman vindicates (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES — Mananquil emerges as Phl boxing’s top power broker
When boxing promoter-manager Jim Claude Mananquil is not attending to his stable of fighters, he can be seen just before daybreak minding his family’s tuna export business in General Santos City. “This is what keeps my boxing promotion going,” said the 29-year-old Mananquil, who started promoting at the tender age of 15. Of course, Mananquil didn’t have the proper license to put up fights owing to his being a minor and somebody with a license had to pose as the promoter-on-record. But it was he who assembled all the fighters and took care of the finances, quite a feat for someone whose main weapon for staging a card was his unparalleled love for the fight game. Instead of celebrating, Mananquil had to endure 16 straight losses as most of his boxers — though solidly built — were all as raw and green as a harvested broccoli. “We got kids who had muscular bodies thinking that they would do well in the ring. But everyone lost and I was devastated,” recalled Mananquil, who manages two-belt world super-bantamweight Marlon Tapales. Born and bred in General Santos City, Mananquil fell in love with the fight game at an early age. “I looked up to, of course, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather and Zab Judah,” he said. Mananquil didn’t just like boxing. He was so obsessed with the sport that he even wanted to proceed with a professional career after a triumphant debut in 2018. “But my mom objected and told me to just get involved in boxing as long as I don’t fight.” Mananquil was already busy promoting even before he turned 20 and in just a few years he was crisscrossing the United States accompanying his boxers signed up to see action under different promoters. At one time, his boxers set up camp in Miami under a Florida-based Cuban trainer but soon found himself relocating to southern California and Las Vegas with influential American fight guy Sean Gibbons lending a hand. Just a few months ago, Mananquil had two reigning world champions: Tapales and Melvin Jerusalem. But Jerusalem’s reign as World Boxing Organization minimumweight titlist was short-lived. After winning the World Boxing Organization 105-lb title in Tokyo in January, he surrendered the championship in Indio, California, several months later. Following Jerusalem’s loss, Mananquil is now left with Tapales, who is being groomed to figure in a megabuck matchup with Japanese Naoya “Monster” Inoue sometime in December. “My responsibility is to give Marlon the very best preparation so he can win this very important fight,” Mananquil said. The odds are stacked against the southpaw but Mananquil swears nothing is impossible. ‘It’s a tough decision but I really love boxing.’ Whether that multi-million dollar showdown happens or not will be known in the coming days and weeks as both camps are going to hold another round of talks very soon in the hopes of putting a deal in place. The youngest of three kids, Mananquil admits he is torn between the family business and boxing. And if somebody’s going to put a gun to his head, Mananquil would not hesitate to make his choice. “It’s a tough decision but I really love boxing.” Coming from a well-to-do family, Mananquil went to five schools during college. Once, he tried studying in America but went home after just a few weeks, saying his heart was not there. Back in the Philippines, Mananquil enrolled at Ateneo de Davao University, Enderun College and even tried schooling in a small college in General Santos City. Likewise, he went to school at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig but wound up backing out for the nth time and returned to General Santos City. He was always on-the-go. But one thing’s clear, though. Mananquil insists his first and only love is boxing. And if that big fight down the road happens in Tokyo before the end of the year, Mananquil says that would end up becoming the highlight of his young career provided his fighter emerges victorious. But in the meantime, Mananquil will continue to look after the tuna business in the morning to assure that boxing gets the sustenance it badly needs. Right now, Mananquil is rolling with the punches as the family business and boxing seem to be blending well. And if things fall into place, there could come a time when Mananquil won’t even have to be forced to sacrifice one but winds up mastering both. The post ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES — Mananquil emerges as Phl boxing’s top power broker appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dante, WBF champ, to fight in Japan in September
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The reigning World Boxing Foundation (WBF) International minimumweight champion Lito “Naruto” Dante will try his luck anew in Japan on September 12, 2023. This as the 33-year-old Dante of Sierra Bullones, Bohol will face an unbeaten Japanese prospect in Takeshi Ishii in an eight-rounder bout in a fight card promoted by The post Dante, WBF champ, to fight in Japan in September appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
BARMM inflation down 5.1%
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has recorded a decline in inflation in the region — 5.1 percent as compared to the 6 percent rate observed in June. Philippine Statistics Authority-BARMM released the data on 9 August 2023, indicating a decline in BARMM’s inflation rate to 5.1 percent in July 2023. PSA-BARMM director Engr. Akan Tula on Thursday attributed the drop in inflation to multiple factors, including reduced costs of food and non-food beverages, transport services, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels. “The continuous deceleration in the overall inflation rate in the BARMM during this period of July 2023 is again, a good indicator not only of the region’s economic impact but also of our communities in the region because the value of purchasing power of their money is becoming slightly higher,” Tula said. “Our people’s money now could buy a little bit more commodities compared to the previous months,” he added. Among the provinces that comprise BARMM, Lanao del Sur exhibited the lowest inflation rate at 2.9 percent, followed by Tawi-Tawi at 4.1 percent, Basilan at 4.6 percent, Sulu at 5.8 percent while Maguindanao was the highest with 7.0 percent. PSA-BARMM’s report also disclosed a decrease in Cotabato City’s inflation rate, measuring 4.3 percent in July 2023, down from June’s 4.7 percent. The headline inflation rate across the Philippines declined to 4.7 percent this month, as compared to the 5.4 percent rate in June. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Cotabato City bank officer II Jherus de Guia said that the July 2023 outturn of 4.7 percent is within the BSP’s forecast range of 4.1 to 4.9 percent consistent with the overall assessment that the inflation will gradually decelerate back to the target range by the fourth quarter in the absence of further supply-shocks.Across the country, Region 8, or Eastern Visayas boasted the lowest inflation rate at 2.4 percent, trailed by Cordillera Administrative Region at 2.9 percent, and Region-IX or Zamboanga Peninsula at 3.0 percent. Meanwhile, Region 6 or Western Visayas recorded the highest inflation rate at 5.8 percent. The post BARMM inflation down 5.1% appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Aboitiz Group furthers ‘Great Transformation’ into 2023
The Aboitiz Group has seen exceptional performance in the first half of 2023, showcasing its "Great Transformation" into the Philippines’ first techglomerate. Leveraging innovation as well as synergies across its diverse business portfolio, the group has solidified its position as a trailblazer of industry. With a strong foundation in place, the Aboitiz Group eagerly sets its sights on forthcoming projects that promise further success and innovation. AboitizPower. The Aboitiz Group’s holdings in power generation and distribution, AboitizPower, continues to support the country’s energy transition and socioeconomic development with its diverse portfolio of thermal and renewable energy power plants, as well as internationally certified asset management capabilities from its distribution utilities. With close to 1,000 megawatts (MW) of ongoing and disclosed energy projects, it is en route to accomplishing its 10-year growth strategy of having at least 9,200 MW in its generation portfolio equally split between RE and thermal sources of energy by the next decade. This journey includes the development of the 17 MW Tiwi Binary Geothermal Power Plant, the 94 MW Cayanga-Bugallon solar facility, and the 167 MW Laoag solar facility. AboitizPower is also looking to begin the construction of its Calatrava Solar project and Olongapo Solar project within the year. These RE investments are complemented by other developments in Battery Energy Storage Systems, like the SN Aboitiz Power 24 MW Magat Battery in Isabela, which — much like the commercially operational 49 MW Maco Battery in Davao de Oro — will help provide regulating and contingency reserve power to the country’s grids. Subsidiaries. Meanwhile, subsidiaries Davao Light and Power Company, Visayan Electric Company, Cotabato Light and Power Company and Subic EnerZone Corporation were the first power DUs in the Philippines to be certified with an ISO 55001:2014 certification for Asset Management, an international standard that attests to the efficiency of how they manage the lifecycle of their assets, i.e., power lines, transformers and substations. This validates the reliability of their services and strengthens the uninterrupted provision of electricity in their respective service areas. Efficient asset management is essential for DUs to successfully manage their infrastructure and optimize maintenance and costs, thereby ensuring regulatory compliance and a reliable bridge between transmission lines and businesses, communities and homes. UnionBank. Union Bank of the Philippines continues on its trajectory of becoming a Great Retail Bank as it has consistently been recognized as one of Asia’s leading companies. Among the many recognitions for the 1st half of 2023 that UnionBank has reaped are: Best Retail Bank in Southeast Asia (Cfi.co), 4-time Best Retail Bank in the PH (The Asian Banker) and 6-time Digital Bank of the Year PH (The Asset). In line with its nation-building “Tech-UP Pilipinas” advocacy, UnionBank’s strategic partnerships have been focused on digitization as an essential element for client success. UnionBank’s determination to be an enabler of the Philippines’ bid to be a G20 country by 2050 is apparent as it continues to nurture and grow its diverse client portfolio that includes corporate, MSME, high net worth as well as local and national government entities. As a recognized trailblazer that embraces technological innovations that empower its customers, UnionBank together with its digital banking arm UnionDigital Bank (UnionDigital), fintech arm UBX and thrift arm City Savings Bank (CitySavings) showcased its expertise in artificial intelligence at the first AI Summit PH 2023 last May. The first half of the year also saw UnionBank’s commitment to offering clients amazing and exclusive experiences through partnerships with Live Nation (for world-tour concerts) and GMG productions (for the Hamilton musical). “The investments we made last year have exceeded our expectations. UnionDigital is already profitable after less than a year in operation. There is strong momentum in the acquired credit cards business from Citi. New-to-bank card customers are at a record level. We are geared up to grow our retail banking business. Our infrastructure is ready for scale. We have sufficient capital coming from the recent stock rights offering to further grow our earning asset capital base,” said UnionBank president and CEO Edwin R. Bautista. Aboitiz InfraCapital. Aboitiz InfraCapital remains on track with its purpose of enabling businesses and uplifting communities. AIC Economic Estates maintains its position as the leader in industrial-anchored mixed-use development nationwide, with the largest footprint of developed industrial estates as well as the single largest privately owned industrial estate in Lipa-Malvar, Batangas– LIMA Estate. 2023 marked LIMA Estate’s 25th anniversary, as well as the 30th year of West Cebu Estate in Cebu. These estates are undergoing industrial and commercial expansion to accommodate more locators and create approximately 90,000 employment opportunities. Water business. For AIC’s water business units, Apo Agua can now produce safe and reliable water for the Davao City Water District’s water reservoirs. Apo Agua’s laboratory has also obtained accreditation for drinking water analysis from the Department of Health. AIC's LIMA Water, on the other hand, continues to operationally benefit from its SMART Water Network, leading to reduced fuel consumption and high facility uptime. Digital infrastructure. In the digital infrastructure landscape, Unity Digital Infrastructure completed the first closing of a total of 250 sites from its acquisition of over 1,000 telecom towers from Smart-PLDT and Globe Telecom. Additionally, Unity marked a major milestone by successfully co-locating three Mobile Network Operator tenants (Globe, Smart and DITO) in one of its towers in Cebu. The three-tenant tower is the first in the Philippines and showcases the effectiveness of the shared tower model in support of the government's drive to improve digital connectivity through the common tower initiative. Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Mactan-Cebu International Airport surpassed expectations with significant growth in passenger traffic, peaking at around 5 million passengers in the first half of this year, more than double the previous year. The resumption of major international routes, such as Shanghai and Taipei, and improved aircraft availability are expected to further boost traffic in the second half of the year. MCIA's excellence in promoting the airport and in ensuring customer experience was also recognized, as it received the Routes Asia 2023 Marketing Award in the 5 million category and became the first airport in the Philippines to be accredited by the Airports Council International for its Airport Customer Experience. The post Aboitiz Group furthers ‘Great Transformation’ into 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sangiao loses via stoppage to Mongolian foe in ONE Thailand card
Filipino Jhanlo Sangiao suffered his first loss in his MMA career after being forced to tap by Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs Grigorian at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday......»»
Marcos’ anti-drug focus must improve
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa hopes President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will put more focus on the drug problem during the remainder of his term. “Just a little attention. I hope the drug situation will be taken care of,” Dela Rosa said shortly before Marcos delivered his second State of the Nation Address. “It is different if the Chief Executive himself will pay attention to the drug problem,” he stressed. In his SoNA, Marcos said the battle against illegal drugs will continue after the government launched the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” or BIDA program and will put up 102 Balay Silangan Reformation Centers nationwide. “The campaign against illegal drugs continues — but it has taken on a new face. It is now geared towards community-based treatment, rehabilitation, education, and reintegration, to curb drug dependence among our affected citizenry,” the President said. Marcos said the government will be relentless in the fight against drug syndicates by “shutting down their illegal activities and dismantling their network of operations.” “Unscrupulous law enforcers and others involved in the highly nefarious drug trade have been exposed. I will be accepting their resignations,” he said. The President vowed to install individuals of unquestionable integrity who will be effective and trustworthy in the task of eliminating the drug problem, which he described as a “dreaded and corrosive social curse.” “We cannot tolerate corruption or incompetence in government,” he added. Meanwhile, Dela Rosa believes Marcos will continue to support the push to revive the Reserve Officers Training Corps. “He already mentioned the ROTC [program] during his first SoNA. The ROTC bill is still pending, but I will continue pushing for it,” Dela Rosa said. Wowing ‘em all Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte wore a traditional Maguindanaon dress for the annual event. Her SoNA outfit was a Bangala paired with trousers and a flowing inaul or malong. It featured gold accessories that symbolize the wealth and abundance of Mindanao’s natural resources. The inaul is a Maguindanao fabric intricately handwoven using cotton and silk. It is a treasured cultural gem that profoundly reflects the pride, bravery, heritage, and history of the people of Maguindanao. During the first SoNA, Duterte wore a traditional Bagobo Tagabawa dress. She thanked Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur and Jearson Demavivas for their creative input that inspired her to wear a Maguindanaon traditional dress. Cotabato City-based designer Israel Ellah Ungkakay designed the dress. Ungkakay has been promoting the culture and tradition of the Moro people of Mindanao through his designs for 16 years after finishing college at the University of Southern Mindanao. He was recently recognized for his contributions to the promotion of Mindanao by the local government of Cotabato City. Travel sector highlighted Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco rated exceptional the President’s address as he highlighted the crucial role that tourism plays as a reliable pillar of economic growth, providing livelihood to more than 5 million Filipinos. “The President’s ‘whole-of-nation’ approach to development we take as an affirmation of his administration’s thrust towards strengthened tourism governance between and among all stakeholders of the tourism industry,” she said. “As an industry that banks and thrives on the scale of infrastructure development, we are elated to know the President’s continuing commitment to connect all prospective sites of economic development,” she added. Marcos said the stress on tourism will spur the sector’s development countrywide, and consequently, create more livelihood opportunities for Filipinos. The post Marcos’ anti-drug focus must improve appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»