Cavite Spartans secure back-to-back wins in PCAP Chess tourney
Cavite Spartans scored back to back wins after beating Rizal Batch Towers, 12.5-8.5, in the third match of the All Filipino Conference Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) on online tournament at the lichess platform......»»
Philippines beats India for back-to-back wins in women’s Asia ice hockey tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey team picked up where they left off after their opening win in the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a 7-0 shutout of India at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday......»»
Aloguinsan nabs back-to-back wins in Cabaron hoops
Aloguinsan nabs back-to-back wins in Cabaron hoops.....»»
Canino back on top
Prodigious Ruelle Canino, regarded as the future of Philippine women’s chess, sustained her fine form in the Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship in Malolos, Bulacan.....»»
Perpetual Help chessers retain NCAA crown
University of Perpetual Help completed seniors back to back titles, while Lyceum of the Philippine University General Trias campus clinched the juniors crown at the end of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99 chess championships last Nov. 30 inside the Letran campus in Intramuros......»»
Dignitaries hail tourism program
An attaché with the Embassy of India and other foreign dignitaries assigned here in the country have given the Department of Tourism a tap in the back for conceptualizing the Philippine Experience Program which showcases the country’s tourist attractions and provinces’ rich traditions and sumptous delicacies. In an interview, Shikha Kumari, Political Attache of the Embassy of India, also extolled the warmth and hospitality of their hosts in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon where the second leg of the Philippine Experience took place. “We love the smiles and greetings of people in the locales. Indeed, we felt the love of the Philippines. There’s so much to explore with the Philippines and we can deliver this to our nationals who would want to visit this wonderful country,” she told the DAILY TRIBUNE. Other dignitaries that joined the CALABARZON leg of Philippine Experience and were the recipients of warm Filipino hospitality are Hanada Takihiro, minister and consul general, the Embassy of Japan; Huang Yaping and Liang Hao from the Embassy of China; Indian Attache Saurav Kumar; and representatives from the Embassies of Japan and Indonesia, among other delegates such as social media influencers, tour operators and the mainstream media, including the Daily Tribune. Seeking DoT’s intervention Meanwhile, two local executives in the provinces of Batangas and Quezon have sought the help of the DoT to back and further boost tourism initiatives in their respective municipalities and provinces. Taal, Batangas Mayor Fulgencio Mercado sought the support of Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco in realizing the province’s tourism efforts. “We really need these projects in order for us to show our local and foreign tourists what more we can offer to them aside from the wonders of Taal Volcano,” he said during a program at the Taal Heritage Village on Sunday. To recall, Taal Lake is now closed to tourists because of the continuous activities of Taal Volcano. For his part, San Pablo City Vice Mayor Justin Colago expressed his gratitude to the DoT for choosing the city as one of the venues in the second leg of the Philippine Experience. “We want to collect the help that we needed to be able to develop further our destinations, particularly our Seven Lakes. We still need to promote our coconut industry, as well as its by-product ‘buko pie’ as makers of this delicacy were affected by the Covid pandemic,” Colago said. Villa Escudero San Pablo City is also where the famous Villa Escudero is situated; the famed tourist spot closed doors when the contagion hit the country in March 2023. Other places visited by Philippine Experience participants were Museo ni Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite; Bakood Festival of Bacoor, Cavite; Casa San Pablo in San Pablo City; Pagsanjan Falls (Cavinti Falls) in Pagsanjan, Laguna; Paete, Laguna for its famous wood carvers and Luman, Laguna, to see local weavers making barongs and ternos. The Philippine Experience Program is one of the many projects of Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco; it is a program that facilitates a cultural tourism development focused on heritage, culture, and the arts to enhance current tour and domestic circuit offerings, which include food and gastronomy, pilgrimage and wellness, living cultures and heritage, and an arts caravan. The program also aims to diversify Philippine cultural tourism product offerings, equalize opportunities across regions, support the preservation of the country’s heritage, artistic resources and assets, and most importantly, instill a sense of pride and patriotism among Filipinos through a greater appreciation of the country’s inheritance and legacy. The post Dignitaries hail tourism program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Foreign dignitaries receive ‘Love from the Philippines’
The attache of the Embassy of India and other foreign dignitaries assigned here in the country have given the Department of Tourism a tap at the back for conceptualizing the Philippine Experience Program which showcases the country's tourist attractions and provinces' rich traditions and sumptuous delicacies. In an interview, Shikha Kumari, Political Attache of the Embassy of India, also extolled the warmth and hospitality of the locales of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon where the second leg of the Philippine Experience took place. "We love the smiles and greetings of the locales. It's indeed we felt the love of the Philippines. Indeed there's so much to explore with the Philippines and we can deliver this to our nationals who would want to visit this wonderful country," she told the DAILY TRIBUNE. Other dignitaries that joined the CALABARZON leg of the Philippine Experience and felt the warm Filipino hospitality are Hanada Takihiro, minister and co sul general from the Embassy of Japan, Huang Yaping and Liang Hao from the Embassy of China, Indian Attache Saurav Kumar, and representatives from the Embassies of Japan and Indonesia, among other delegates such as social media influencers, tour operators and the mainstream media, including the DAILY TRIBUNE. Seeking for DoT's interventions Meanwhile, two local executives in the provinces of Batangas and Quezon have sought the help of the DoT to back and further boos tourism initiatives in their respective municipalities and provinces. Taal, Batangas Mayor Fulgencio Mercado sought the support of Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco in making their province's tourism efforts to be realized. "We really need these projects in order for us to show our local and foreign tourists what more we can offer to them aside from the wonders of Taal Volcano," he said during a program at the Taal Heritage Village on Sunday. Taal Lake is now closed to tourists because of the continuous activities of Taal Volcano. On the other hand, San Pablo City Vice Mayor Justin Colago expressed gratitude to the DoT for choosing the city as one of the venues in the second leg of the Philippine Experience. "We want to collect the help that we need to be able to develop further our destinations, particularly our Seven Lakes. We still need to promote our coconut industry, as well as its by-product buko pie as makers of this delicacy were indeed affected by the Covid pandemic," Colago said. San Pablo City is also where the famous Villa Escudero is situated, which closed doors when the contagion hit the country in March 2023. Other places visited by the Philippine Experience were Museo ni Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite; Bakood Festival of Bacoor, Cavite; Casa San Pablo in San Pablo City; Pagsanjan Falls (Cavinti Falls) in Pagsanjan, Laguna; the wood carvers in Paete, Laguna, and the weavers of Lumban, Laguna, home of the famous barongs and ternos. The Philippine Experience Program is just one of the many projects of Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco, a program that facilitates a cultural tourism circuit development focused on heritage, culture, and arts to enhance current tour and domestic circuit offerings, which include: Food and Gastronomy, Pilgrimage and Wellness, Living Cultures and Heritage, and an Arts caravan. The program also aims to diversify the cultural tourism product offerings of the country, equalize opportunities across the regions, support the preservation of the country’s heritage, and artistic resources and assets, and most importantly, instill a sense of pride and patriotism among the Filipino people through a greater appreciation of the country’s inheritance and legacy. The post Foreign dignitaries receive ‘Love from the Philippines’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos ‘relative’ sued for estafa
An entrepreneur who introduced himself as a second cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is facing syndicated estafa and estafa charges before the Department of Justice for allegedly amassing millions of pesos from three individuals, including a public relations practitioner and a retired general. The entrepreneur was identified as Mario Pacursa Marcos, chief executive officer of Smart Citi Teknologi, who earlier announced a partnership with TESLA Technologies on industrial development projects in the country, including an ambitious project in Roxas, Palawan which would turn an island into a smart city. One of the “victims,” the president of a PR firm, said she was duped by Marcos into financing the PR events and press conferences she planned and conducted for him in the belief that he was a “real Marcos.” According to the victim, she spent P13 million on various press conferences at the Manila Hotel. “All the checks he gave me bounced. I communicated with him several times, but he kept making false promises,” the victim said in a press conference. Another complainant, identified in the complaint sheet as Phebe Dy, a contractor, said Marcos got P12 million from her when she was promised a contract from his big-ticket projects. “I gave him P12 million in two tranches, the last one at BGC, The Fort. But when I decided to get my money back, he gave me an unnotarized certificate of title with a deed of absolute sale. It turned out Marcos had no valid ownership in the title,” she said. The third victim, retired Army Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Jose Marcos, said he was tricked by his namesake Marcos into investing P800,000 in the partnership with TESLA Technologies. “I borrowed the money from the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loans Association Inc. It turned out the TESLA partnership and project were a hoax. That money was meant for the studies of my son,” he told reporters. The respondent Marcos supposedly sealed an agreement with TESLA Technologies to enable the transfer of Czech technology to the Philippine partner for the assembly of two Tesla products in the country — a unique diagnostic health device and a magnetic engine either in Subic or Cavite. The partnership would supposedly create an Internet-based platform for the smart city program that would provide connectivity for various applications, including households, smart homes, and smart cities. Smart Citi Teknologi was to invest $5 million for the transfer of technology and another $3 million for the production of small electronic products. The post Marcos ‘relative’ sued for estafa appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI arrested 3 foreign fugitives in Cavite
The Bureau of Immigration arrested one Taiwanese and two Nigerian nationals in the back-to-back operations it conducted this week. The BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office - National Capital Region, National Bureau of Investigation - Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (NBI-TFAID), and government intelligence units conducted a joint buy-bust operation on September 13 at a popular mall in Imus, Cavite, which led to the arrest of two Nigerian nationals who were identified as John Chukwuemeka Enuka, age 41, male; and Ugochukwu Christopher Nwabufo, age 31, male. The two were arrested after being caught selling illegal drugs in violation of Section 5 in relation to Section 26, paragraph B, and Section 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, during the operation conducted by the authorities. The authorities seized a large stash of marijuana and heroin with an estimated street value of P8 million. The BI said that based on their records, Nwabufo has already overstayed his visa. He arrived in the Philippines in 2022 and never left the country. Menuka, Enuka has worked for a company in the country, but he failed to present his documents during checks. Moreover, on 14 September in General Trias, Cavite, BI-FSU operatives arrested a Taiwanese national identified as Chen Kai-Wun, a 55-year-old male. According to the BI, the Taiwanese authorities designated Chen as a wanted alien and declared him a fugitive from justice. Based on the report of the Taiwanese authorities, Chen is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Shilin District Prosecutors Office in violation of the Controlling Guns, Ammunition, and Knives Act of Taiwan in May 2023. He is allegedly the leader of a notorious Taiwanese arms trafficking organization. Chen is also involved in facilitating the illegal entry of other Taiwanese fugitives into the country. Nwabufo and Enuka were detained at the PDEA National Office in Quezon City, while Chen will remain in the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong, Taguig City pending his deportation proceedings. The post BI arrested 3 foreign fugitives in Cavite appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Five groups target NAIA takeover
Five companies have signified their intention to take over the operations and management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA a few weeks after the Department of Transportation or DoTr opened the bidding for the P170.6-billion project. In a text message to the Daily Tribune on Wednesday, the DoTr confirmed that five potential bidders have bought bid documents for the project. As of 13 September, the interested companies include San Miguel Corp. or SMC, Spark 888 Management Inc., and Asian Airport Consortium. Two others who submitted bids — Manila International Airport Consortium or MIAC and GMR Group — have previously vied for the NAIA rehabilitation. MIAC is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation, Alliance Global — Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corporation along with Global Infrastructure Partners. Super consortium in running In 2018, the government awarded the Original Proponent Status for the NAIA rehabilitation to a “super-consortium” formed by seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates: Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation; Alliance Global Group Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation; Filinvest Development Corporation; and JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. It was, however, terminated. Thus, Megawide Construction Corp. and partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd. also submitted an unsolicited proposal to upgrade and rehabilitate the highly congested NAIA. Despite the substantial progress, the much-needed NAIA rehabilitation was back to square one after the previous administration also rejected the proposal. According to the MIAA, the Megawide consortium failed to convince the government of its financial ability to support the project. Meanwhile, the SMC., an Asian conglomerate led by businessman Ramon S. Ang, is currently taking on the P740-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan. Award out by December Previously, the DoTr conveyed that the contract may be awarded to the winning bidder as early as December if the government stays on schedule. The National Economic and Development Authority or NEDA, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the solicited bid to privatize the operations of NAIA. NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the project will help address the long-standing issues at the country’s main air hub such as congestion and limited aircraft movements that usually cause inconvenience to passengers. The DoTr and the Manila International Airport Authority submitted a joint proposal to the NEDA Board to privatize the operations and management of NAIA within 15 years. The project is expected to improve the overall passenger experience and increase the current annual passenger capacity of NAIA to at least 62 million from the current 32 million. Previously, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista floated the possibility of closing down the airport — only if nearby airports become operational. Bautista explained that the government can have the option to close NAIA if airports in adjacent provinces like Cavite and Bulacan are ready to accommodate the travel-hungry tourists in the country — both local and international. “If there will be new airports, then the government can decide to close the Manila International Airport or MIA because it can be a valuable government asset. On the other hand, it is possible to continue its operations because of its prime location in the Metro,” Bautista told reporters. “So yes, it is possible to close, it is also possible not to close MIA,” he added. Bautista also assured that in case the airport continues its operations, SMC’s Bulacan Airport can still drive up profits despite the competition. The post Five groups target NAIA takeover appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Groups back DOTr’s multi-airport strategy
Several groups expressed support for the Department of Transportation’s plan to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and develop other airports in Sangley Point, Cavite and in Bulakan, Bulacan, saying these would boost tourism and the economy, and subjecting the projects under solicited bidding process is consistent with the President’s good governance directive......»»
Philippine Army wins PCAP Inter-Commercial chess tilt
Philippine Army turned back Philspada A, 11-4, in the finals of the 1st PCAP Inter-Commercial Chess Tournament......»»
How ‘Here Lies Love’ co-producer found his mark on Broadway
When Here Lies Love, the hit musical about former First Lady Imelda Marcos, made history by debuting on Broadway debut with an all-Filipino last July, one of its co-producers, Don Michael H. Mendoza, also reached a career milestone. His goal of putting his name on a Broadway show before turning 40 came true now that he’s 34. [caption id="attachment_172743" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Don Michael Mendoza with Daily Tribune’s (from left) Dinah Ventura, Jojo G. Silvestre, Gigie Arcilla, Vangie Reyes, Marc Reyes, Raffy Ayeng, Gibbs Cadiz and Nick Giongco.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_172742" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Always ask for what you want because the worst that can come back is a no.’ | Photographs Courtesy of Daily Tribune.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_172741" align="aligncenter" width="525"] DON Mike Mendoza with Daily Tribune’s Jojo G. Silvestre and Dinah Ventura.[/caption] It happened, and it’s not just any show. It’s the first Filipino musical on Broadway,” he tells Daily Tribune’s Dinah Ventura and Jojo Silvestre in an interview on their online show Pairfect. “It’s very important to me because a lot of my career is based on the idea of D,E & I — diversity, equity and inclusion — especially in a country like America that’s a melting pot. “It’s very important to make sure that unrepresented voices and communities are brought to the front. To be part of that, for me personally, is an incredible honor because it’s exactly aligned with how I live my professional life every day, every year.” “For the Fil-Am community,” he adds, “I think it’s important for people to see themselves in that arena, whether be as a producer, an actor, or a stagehand, or on the creative team as an assistant director. You know, it says a lot when someone tries to reach that can see themselves in a role that they want to achieve. “Because for a long time, my role models were very few. They’re mostly Americans, they’re white people. And I wanted to be an actor and my only acting influences in the media was Paolo Montalban. He was in Cinderella, American Adobo… He’s now a friend — which is amazing! But I didn’t really have many role models. So, to our community, both Filipino and Fil-Am, they can now look at this production and say, whatever they feel is their career path, ‘I can do it, too.’ So, it’s very powerful.” Beginnings Don Michael Hodreal Mendoza, nicknamed Don Mike, was born in Washington D.C., the capital city of the United States, to immigrant parents. His father Donald Mendoza’s family hails from Cavite and is involved in local politics. His mother Maria Leonila Hodreal has families in Marinduque (maternal side) and Bicol (paternal side). His grandfather Querubin Hodreal created what is now known as the Easy Rock Manila radio station. “My mom, who’s part of that legacy, says even though we’re in the States I somehow ended up doing what our family does, in entertainment and media,” he says, beaming. From Washington D.C., Mendoza’s nuclear family moved to the city of Pittsburgh in the Pennsylvania state, where he grew up. “But I was also raised here in Manila, in Ayala Alabang, for a couple of years,” he points out. He was then between the ages of six and eight, also starting his education at Montessori Manila in BF Homes. “We’re lucky we’re able to come home a lot, so even though I grew up on majority in America, we’d come home every other year.” That explains why he also has exposure and gets inspiration from Filipino movies and entertainment. Mendoza started performing in school plays and high school musicals “for fun.” For college, though, he “needed to study that wasn’t the arts because immigrant families want you to do something that makes money in their eyes.” So he took up broadcast journalism and political science at the American University in D.C. But he didn’t like political science, so he dropped it and added musical theater to his studies without telling his parents until he got into the program. After graduation, he was torn between two goals: becoming a Broadway actor like Jose Llana, who currently plays the late President Ferdinand Marcos in Here Lies Love, and becoming the “Filipino Anderson Cooper.” He ended up staying in D.C with a job in marketing, which eventually became his master’s degree. Mendoza started auditioning and trying to get into shows. “But I wasn’t getting cast the way I wanted to,” he recalls, “because it’s very hard for a Filipino, an Asian male actor to get parts, unless you decided to be in Miss Saigon, which was one of the only very few shows that hire Asian people. So, I kinda fell into producing.” That was when he met a fellow Fil-Am, Regie Cabico, who’s 20 years older than him and became his mentor. He remembers Cabico telling him, “The way to be successful for someone like us in the arts is to start your own opportunities.” Thus, the birth, in 2012, of their company, La Ti Do, which is into production of cabarets and concerts. “I met so many people and worked with so many actors and performers without knowing it’s producing,” he says, smiling at the memory. “I just realized producing means organizing. It means you’re in charge, you’re putting things together and hire people. In those 10 years, I was able to produce small musicals and concerts and special events.” He then put up his own DMH Mendoza Productions, which has La Ti Do as its cabaret-concert arm, to allow him to “produce bigger and more incredible things.” For starters, he produced the off-Broadway play Hazing U that tackles violence in fraternities. Around that time, February 2023, he heard about Here Lies Love being restaged, this time on Broadway. The musical created by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim originally premiered off-Broadway in 2013 at The Public Theater in New York City. A year later, it moved to the Royal National Theater in London, England, and then was restaged at Seattle Repertory Theater in the US in 2017. Mendoza admits with regret that he missed seeing Here Lies Love’s off-Broadway premiere and thought he’d never see it ever again “just because Filipino things don’t usually last very long in America.” So when he heard it was coming to Broadway, he basically called everybody he knew who’s involved in the production to ask how he could help. “I wasn’t really looking for a producer stature,” he says. “I said to many people I’m willing to sell t-shirts in the lobby just to support this show.” It turned out his good friend Lora Nicolas Olaes, who he stayed with in New York, was in the first workshop of the show in 2011, and she personally knows one of the lead producers, Clint Ramos. Olaes then connected Mendoza and Ramos via email, which led to Mendoza joining the Here Lies Love production team. “I’m still having trouble today saying I’m a co-producer. I’m so used to just doing rather than labeling,” he says. “It’s been a wild ride from then till now. I don’t regret any of it. It’s been the best experience so far.” He then shares that having an all-Filipino cast and a predominantly Filipino production team is very important for the lead producers. Two of the five are Filipino: Clint Ramos, a Tony award-winning costume designer, and Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist. This extends to other producers, such as Hal Luftig, Diana DiMenna and Patrick Catullo, as well as to musical writers David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. “They wanted to reach beyond the cast and make sure that the show is escorted into Broadway by Filipinos because it’s a Filipino story,” Mendoza points out. Aside from Llana, the main cast is made up of Arielle Jacobs (as Imelda) and Conrad Ricamora as (Ninoy Aquino), with Lea Salonga (as Ninoy’s mother Aurora) in a limited run until 19 August. “It’s beyond the cast. So our creative team, our production team, our stagehands, everybody. Even our house staff, some of them are Filipinos. We really wanted to make a mark on Broadway. That’s how it came about. So that was an early decision. Because the off-Broadway production was mixed. It was not all-Filipino. It had Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda. She’s not Filipino. It was hard to move from her and bring in Arielle Jacobs, who is just as amazing, but, you know, it was very important for the team to be culturally accurate. Because it’s our story.” “It’s our show,” he reiterates. “Let’s bring it to the world. Our people are playing themselves. I’ve said this in an interview: The general public is trained to love Filipino as other ethnicities. This is the first time we’re training them to love us, Filipinos, as ourselves.” Musical textbook Mendoza’s fellow co-producers include Salonga and Fil-Am celebrities like comedian Jo Koy, musical artist H.E.R. and rapper Apl.de.ap. “Our show is a musical textbook,” he explains. “It’s a musical built around facts, what happened historically during her lifetime. Our whole goal for the show is to present to you what happened with, of course, entertainment attached to it. There’s a misconception that it’s a documentary. It is not. It’s musical theater. It’s supposed to be fun. You see what happened. “We empower our audience to make their own decision. We don’t tell them, ‘This was a bad person. This was a good person.’ Here’s what this person did in their life and how she was affected by her surroundings, and go home and do the research. You figure it out. We liken it to giving someone a Zip file of Philippine history in the 21th century and you go home and unzip the Zip file to get into the details. “But we give you an overview. It’s really up to the audience when they leave the show. I know it’s the goal of our writers and directors to not impose an opinion. We’re just here to entertain and make you learn. When you leave, it’s up to you.” Mendoza happily reports that Here Lies Love is being received “very well.” He adds, “The critics have come and said really wonderful about the show, especially the ones we’re nervous about, like the New York Times, or The Washington Post, or the Wall Street Journal. It trickles down to everyone who’s seen the show. I think we’re so proud and excited that it’s well-received. Audience members love it, they keep coming back.” He also notes that audiences are “pretty diverse. You see Filipinos, you see Americans, you see visitors. It’s really a big hodge-podge of different people. We’re happy about that, too. It’s not biased to just one community.” Indeed, Mendoza is living his dream and he has this piece of audience for the younger generation who also hopes to break into theater or arts in general: “Always ask for what you want because the worst that can come back is a no.” He then shares what she’s picked up from Kris Jenner: “If somebody says no to you, you’re asking the wrong person. Keeping asking for what you want. Not just manifesting, but really it’s just speaking up. Nobody can read your mind. Nobody can see what’s happening in your mind and in your heart. So if you express it, you ask and you’ll get there. It may not happen in the timing that you want, but it will happen if you keep pushing.” The post How ‘Here Lies Love’ co-producer found his mark on Broadway appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Torre stamps class in Guam Chess Open
Filipino Grandmaster Eugene Torre came back from retirement in topping the 2023 Guam International Open Chess Tournament at the Dusit Beach Resort in Guam over the weekend......»»
LRT riders brace for fare hike
Passengers of Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 should start allocating additional budget for their daily expenses as the line’s fare increase officially takes effect starting tomorrow, 2 August. The Department of Transportation’s Rail Regulatory Unit approved the petitions seeking to increase the trains’ boarding fee by P2.29 — with an additional 21 centavos for every kilometer traveled. The two line’s minimum boarding fees will now be P13.29 from P11, plus an additional P1.21 per km. traveled from P1 per km. The adjustments were supposed to be implemented sooner but no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appealed to the DoTr to defer the fare adjustment until it fully reassessed its economic impact on the riding public. Last month, the President approved the implementation of the delayed fare increase, citing the “improving” employment figures and easing headline inflation rates, which he said would allow passengers to cope with the fare increase. According to Light Rail Manila Corp., which operates the LRT-1, the company will use the earnings from the fare adjustment to deliver efficient services. “We are determined to give people back their time through efficient transport and put more value to every single peso that our passengers spend for every LRT-1 ride,” LRMC chief operating officer Rolando J. Paulino III said. “Despite the absence of fare adjustments in previous years, we have established major improvements in the 38-year-old railway line with the increase in trains deployed to service more commuters; improved headway or waiting time; station rehabilitation and expansion; and the construction of LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project,” he added. By Wednesday, LRT-1’s revised fare matrix will show a minimum fare of P14 and a maximum fare of P35 for Stored Value Cards or SVCs. On the other hand, Single Journey Tickets or SJT will range from P15 to P35. Meanwhile, in LRT-2, fares will now range from P14 to P33 for SVCs and P15 to P35 for SJTs. The current minimum fare for SVC is P12 and a maximum of P30, while SJT is at P15 minimum fare and P30 maximum fare. The post LRT riders brace for fare hike appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Passengers brace for LRT fare hike starting Wednesday
Passengers riding Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 should start allocating additional budget for their daily expenses as the line's fare increase officially takes effect starting Wednesday, 2 August. The Department of Transportation’s Rail Regulatory Unit approved the petitions seeking to increase the trains' boarding fee by P2.29 — with an additional 21 centavos for every kilometer traveled. The two lines' minimum boarding fees will now be P13.29 from P11, plus an additional P1.21 per km traveled from P1 per km. The adjustments were supposed to be implemented sooner, but President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appealed to the DoTr to defer the fare adjustment until it fully had assessed its economic impact on the riding public. Last month, the President approved the implementation of the delayed fare increase, citing the “improving” employment figures and easing headline inflation rates, which he said would allow passengers to cope with the fare increase. According to Light Rail Manila Corp., which operates the LRT-1, the company will use the earnings from the fare adjustment to deliver efficient services. “We are determined to give people back their time through efficient transport and put more value to every single peso that our passengers spend for every LRT-1 ride,” LRMC Chief Operating Officer Rolando J. Paulino III said. “Despite the absence of fare adjustments in previous years, we have established major improvements in the 38-year-old railway line with the increase in trains deployed to service more commuters; improved headway or waiting time; station rehabilitation and expansion; and the construction of LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project,” he added. By Wednesday, LRT-1’s revised fare matrix will show a minimum fare of P14 and a maximum fare of P35 for Stored Value Cards or SVCs. On the other hand, Single Journey Tickets or SJT will range from P15 to P35. Meanwhile, in LRT-2, fare will now range from P14 to P33 for SVCs and P15 to P35 for SJTs. The current minimum fare for SVC is P12 and a maximum of P30, while SJT is at P15 minimum fare and P30 maximum fare. The post Passengers brace for LRT fare hike starting Wednesday appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM: Forget farm imports
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is making sure the calamity that struck Northern Luzon as a result of typhoon “Egay,” which primarily devastated vegetable farms, will not be taken advantage of as he barred imports. The President declared on Saturday the country “would not import vegetables” despite many agricultural areas having been affected by the recent onslaught of storms. “That will not become a policy. We will not import any agricultural product unless we see that the supply is so low that the prices will become out of reach of ordinary consumers,” Marcos said, after receiving reports of many vegetable farms in Benguet having been affected by “Egay.” Marcos led the situational briefing with different agencies and local officials in Abra, which has been placed under a state of calamity along with the Mountain Province. No repeat of past In the aftermath of past typhoons, prices of agricultural products spiked, which, in turn, was used by unscrupulous traders to push the Department of Agriculture to allow importations. Later, it turned out that in several cases, such as with the recent onion shortage, the market was manipulated by cartels in the sector. Marcos, who is concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture, said the government will review the local vegetable supply to determine remedial measures to stabilize prices. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that “Egay” caused P833.88 million worth of agricultural damage. NDRRMC said some 76,093 fisherfolk and farmers were reeling from the impact of the typhoon as well as the ongoing effects of the southwest monsoon or habagat. The agricultural production loss in volume due to “Egay” was placed at 103,958 metric tons, affecting over 91,651.56 hectares of crop area. A state of calamity was declared over the Ilocos provinces, Cavite, Sanchez Mira in Cagayan and Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro due to the destruction from the tropical cyclone. The declaration put in effect an automatic price freeze on basic commodities. The government said it has distributed P39.69 million worth of assistance in the form of family food packs, financial aid, blankets and others. Marcos led the distribution of various assistance to the affected farmers and fishers such as seeds, medicines, and biologics for livestock and poultry and fingerlings. The President ordered the DA to prepare the department’s Survival and Recovery Loan Program and the quick response fund to promptly assist the typhoon victims. He said the government will also provide building materials to affected families. Agencies and local governments were ordered to prioritize the provision of assistance to families affected by “Egay,” as he assured that the government will immediately follow through with recovery and rehabilitation efforts. Rice gets priority During the distribution of government assistance in Abra province, the President directed the government to find rice suppliers “so that the National Food Authority could provide all the emergency support.” “Again, rice for me is the most important,” he said, adding that more assistance and food packages were on the way. Marcos directed the government to find rice suppliers “so that the National Food Authority could provide all the emergency support.” The President noted that the authorities were only waiting for the areas to be cleared of the aftermath of the typhoon, including landslides and floods. “It will be followed through with recovery and rehabilitation efforts and then rebuilding initiatives. That is why we are looking as to how big was the damage and how many houses were destroyed so we can provide them building materials so they can rise again and go back,” Marcos said. He said the government will also prioritize the restoration of the power supply in the typhoon-hit areas in the Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region. Although the government wants to restore power quickly, Marcos said the “huge number of toppled poles and power lines will make immediate electricity restoration difficult.” “That is why it is going to take a little time. So, of course, we are going to do it as quickly as possible but that can’t be rushed. It needs to be restored, if not the substations will be destroyed,” he added. The post PBBM: Forget farm imports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Comelec debunks ‘rigged’ 2022 polls claim
Commission on Elections chairperson George Garcia branded as lies the claims that the 2022 election was rigged. He said the allegations made by former Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. that the voting was rigged had no basis. “In all of this, the strong basis for the accuracy, integrity, and legitimacy of the elections is the ballot. Let us set aside the printed copies and electronically transmitted election returns. We can go back to the ballots which are in the custody of the city and municipal treasurers nationwide and the secured scanned images which are at the Comelec,” Garcia said. He added that the random manual audit of votes counted by the machines against the Comelec’s random manual audit posted a 99.9493-percent overall accuracy rate, meaning that nearly all of the votes were read and tallied correctly. Rio, in particular, had raised concerns about the transmission of results from “private and similar IP addresses” in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Batangas following last year’s polls. “There’s no requirement in the law stating that all modems should have different or similar IP addresses,” Garcia said. The poll chief explained that there were around 20,300 modems with the same IP address last year. The 4G network modems, he said, were purchased for the Comelec-leased vote counting machines as well as to cover the 5,000 damaged modems from VCMs purchased in 2016 that were refurbished for last year’s polls. All the modems, he said, underwent the necessary tests but noted that it would have taken the Comelec many more months if it opted to change all the IP addresses of the 20,300 modems. “There’s no effect or difference in accuracy, legitimacy, and functionality of transmission, whether the modems have similar or different IP addresses,” Garcia said. He also refuted allegations of a “man-in-the-middle” in the transmission of national and local election results and said that if this was the case, there should have been inconsistencies in the results. He said there was no intermediary or man-in-the-middle in the transmission of NLE 2022 results because the results from the polling precincts were accurate and tallied with the results transmitted to the Comelec servers. The post Comelec debunks ‘rigged’ 2022 polls claim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Poll chief Garcia debunks ‘rigged’ 2022 polls claim
Commission on Elections chairman George Erwin Garcia debunked the claims made questioning the results of the 2022 elections are all lies. Garcia said allegations made by former Department of Information and Communications Technology Usec. Eliseo Rio Jr. about the rigging of votes has no basis. “In all of these, the strong basis is the accuracy, integrity, and legitimacy of the elections is the ballot. Let us set aside the printed copies and electronically-transmitted Election Returns, we can go back to the ballots which were in the custody of the city and municipal treasurers office nationwide and the secured scanned images which are at the Comelec,” said Garcia. He also pointed out that the random manual audit of votes counted by the machines against the Comelec’s random manual audit posted a 99.9493% overall accuracy rate, meaning nearly all of the votes were read and tallied correctly. Rio in particular raised concerns about the transmission of results from a "private and similar IP address" in areas of Metro Manila, Cavite, and Batangas in last year's polls. "There's no requirement in the law stating that all modems should be different or similar IP addresses," Garcia said. The poll chief explained that there were around 20,300 modems which have the same IP address last year. These 4G network modems, he said, were purchased for the Comelec-leased vote counting machines as well as to cover the 5,000 damaged modems from VCMs purchased in 2016 and were later refurbished for last year's polls. Garcia assured that all these modems underwent necessary tests but noted that it would take the Comelec more months if it opted to change all IP addresses of the 20,300 modems. "There's no effect or difference in accuracy, legitimacy, and functionality of transmission, whether the modems have similar or different IP addresses," Garcia said. Garcia also refuted allegations of a "man-in-the-middle" in the transmission of NLE results and said if this was the case, there should have been inconsistencies in the result. He said the is no intermediary or man-in-the-middle in the transmission of NLE 2022 results because the results from the polling precincts are accurate with the results transmitted to Comelec servers. The post Poll chief Garcia debunks ‘rigged’ 2022 polls claim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LRT-1 extension right on track
Light Rail Manila Corp. or LRMC said the first phase of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project is right on track to start testing and commissioning before the year ends. The company said Thursday that if the planned timeline is followed, commuters may conveniently go back and forth between Cavite and Metro Manila by 2024 through the project. The first phase covers 6.7 kilometers of the 11-km. extension project. The construction of five new stations is in various stages of development with Redemptorist Station now 59.8 percent complete; MIA Station, 66.8 percent; Asia World, 54.6 percent; Ninoy Aquino Station, 59.3 percent; and Dr. Santos Station, 71.1 percent. “We give credit to the hardworking men and women of LRMC and our contractors who are tirelessly working on the ground for this milestone of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Phase 1 Project,” LRMC president and CEO Juan F. Alfonso said. “This is a testament that we at LRMC remain highly attuned to our common goal of upgrading the commuter experience, especially in the southern part of Metro Manila with Phase 1 traversing the cities of Pasay and Parañaque,” he added. Last week, Alfonso disclosed that finishing the entire stretch of the train line is possible by 2027 if right-of-way or ROW issues will be immediately resolved. LRMC had previously conveyed that the undelivered RoW hampers the completion of the entire train line alignment, which is why the construction of the last three stations is still pending. Alfonso also pointed out that LRMC already spent about P30 billion for the first five stations — Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station — alone. The entire extension project covers major cities such as Quezon City, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Parañaque. It is designed to cater to up to 800,000 passengers daily. The post LRT-1 extension right on track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos hits NGCP over delayed transmission projects
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has reprimanded the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the country’s lone transmission system operator, for the delay of numerous projects that could have further improved the power services in the country. “The one grid, one market will enable more efficient transfers and more competitive pricing of electricity throughout the country. However, 68 grid connections are much delayed according to the ERC's (Energy Regulatory Commission) count. We are conducting a performance review of our private concessionaire the NGCP,” Marcos said at his second State on the Nation Address on Monday, 24 July. Thus, the President vowed to look into the NGCP to ensure that “all of its deliverables” starting with the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project or MVIP and the Cebu-Negros-Panay interconnection will be delivered. NGCP is undertaking the P52-billion MVIP, which was supposed to launch within the first half of the year. The MVIP will link together all three major Philippine islands to create one grid. The NGCP was authorized by the ERC to start building the project way back in 2017. It was initially scheduled to be completed in 2020 but it was delayed due to the pandemic. Reacting to the President’s report, the NGCP said it will “concentrate all available resources toward the completion of ongoing transmission projects while expediting others in the pipeline.” “We agree with the President’s sentiments. Even before the SONA, NGCP has already been working towards the vision that he mentioned,” NGCP President and CEO Anthony Almeda was quoted as saying in a press statement. “After hearing it straight from him -- his vision that is completely aligned with ours -- we know we are on the right track and we’re more motivated to complete all our objectives in a prompt manner,” he added. The operator said the MVIP will be “fully energized to 450MW by the third quarter of this year.” Meanwhile, ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta reiterated that the NGCP’s performance review is part of the ongoing regulatory rate reset process. “We expect to complete a significant portion (for years 2016-2020) very soon. We also reported to the President, and included in his address, the efforts regarding ensuring timely implementation of transmission projects,” Dimalanta said in a text message to the Daily Tribune. “Out of the 68 delayed projects identified, ERC already issued a show cause order to NGCP issued on 4 July 2023 for 37 projects requiring explanation for the delay,” she added. The ERC recently ordered the NGCP to explain the delay of more than 30 projects supposed to enhance the country's transmission system. In a show cause order dated 14 June 2023 and issued on 4 July 2023, the ERC pointed out that the NGCP’s approved capital expenditure or capex for projects was not followed. Hence, projects have been delayed. Thus, it required the NGCP to submit a “verified explanation” within 15 days from receipt of the order “why no administrative penalty should be imposed upon it.” According to ERC, some 37 projects with many days delayed ranging from 21 to as high as 2,561 days. Among those projects with a high number of days delayed is the Tuy (Calaca)-Dasmariñas 500-kilovolt Transmission Line Project. The project was supposed to be completed on 11 July 2016, but it remains 82.48 percent complete as of date. Per ERC, the project has been delayed by 2,528 days. The Bataan-Cavite/Metro Manila Transmission Line Project (Phase 1) Feasibility Study is 2,561 days delayed, the ERC added. As mandated by the power regulator, the NGCP should submit a “detailed explanation on the cause of delay per project, as well as the actual timeline of implementation per project.” The NGCP holds a 25-year franchise to solely operate the power transmission assets of the government and secure power reserves for contingency. The post Marcos hits NGCP over delayed transmission projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»