From the Newsrooms: December 11 to 16, 2023
BEIJING'S RISING belligerence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has dampened the mood of seasonal merry-making, especially for the Filipino troops stationed in the area and the fisherfolk who have borne the brunt of China's aggression. Media reports have quoted a security expert describing the shadowing of the country's re-supply missions along with the swarming of Chinese militia boats in Philippine waters as a "calcul.....»»
From the Newsrooms: March 10 to 16, 2024
THE STATE of the ruling alliance has taken back the news spotlight as the President and his predecessor engaged in yet another sharp exchange, suggesting that all is not well in Team Unity. The depth of hostility between the two remains the subject of public speculation.The media this week reported yet another back-and-forth between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the former president, Rodrigo Duterte. The ex.....»»
From the Newsrooms: February 4 to 10, 2024
MARCOS' VISIT on February 7 fixed the news spotlight on Davao. Although bad weather had caused quite severe flooding and landslides in the area, the President's schedule which had been set earlier did not include stops in any of the disaster sites, although he did an aerial inspection and attended a briefing on the situation.The media did keep a close watch for signs of heightened or lighter tension between the.....»»
From the Newsrooms: February 4 to 10, 2024
MARCOS' VISIT on February 7 fixed the news spotlight on Davao. Although bad weather had caused quite severe flooding and landslides in the area, the President's schedule which had been set earlier did not include stops in any of the disaster sites, although he did an aerial inspection and attended a briefing on the situation.The media did keep a close watch for signs of heightened or lighter tension between the.....»»
From the Newsrooms: February 11 to 17, 2024
WITH PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr's clear signal of his approval, it was no surprise for the media to pick up the heightened discussion of charter change (Chacha) in the Senate.On February 12, the Senate was clearly engaged in the process as its Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes began its second deliberation of the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 amending three constitutional provi.....»»
From the Newsrooms: February 11 to 17, 2024
WITH PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr's clear signal of his approval, it was no surprise for the media to pick up the heightened discussion of charter change (Chacha) in the Senate.On February 12, the Senate was clearly engaged in the process as its Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes began its second deliberation of the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 amending three constitutional provi.....»»
From the Newsrooms: January 15 to 20, 2024
MEDIA REPORTED earlier this month the reshuffle in the Department of Agriculture (DA). The retirement of two senior career undersecretaries, Leocadio Sebastian and Domingo Panganiban, caused ranking officials to be shifted around. Reports noted that some of the.....»»
From the Newsrooms: February 18 to 24, 2024
IN 2019, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, founder and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, made a bold claim that he had successfully prevented a 6.8 magnitude earthquake by simply yelling "Stop". But more recently, the self-proclaimed "appointed son of God" has not been able to halt the tremor of charges involving human trafficking for labor and sex, and sexual molestation filed against him by former members and workers of h.....»»
Southwestern University PHINMA’s Recognition of Topnotchers and Homecoming of Newly Licensed Optometrists
Southwestern University PHINMA has reaffirmed its position as the best optometry school in the country by producing 32 newly licensed optometrists and 5 topnotchers in the October 2023 Optometrists Licensure Examination. The university welcomed back these newly-licensed doctors of Optometry in a memorable ceremony on December 12, 2023 at the SWU PHINMA Campus, right after.....»»
AAA 2023 in the Philippines
Last December, Pulp Live World made history with the 2023 Asia Artist Awards......»»
PAL secures spot among top 10 most punctual airlines in 2023
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines secured the second spot for punctuality among Asia-Pacific airlines in December 2023, according to London-based aviation analytics Cirium......»»
Kaspersky Report: 1 in 3 Filipinos Face Threats from USBs, Removable Devices
Global cybersecurity company Kaspersky is urging Filipinos to be wary of careless plugging of USBs into their computers unless they have been scanned following the release of data that 36.80% of users in the Philippines were attacked by local threats from January to December 2023. Local threats are malware spread through removable media such as […].....»»
‘Polvoron’ campaign emerges amid Marcos-Duterte political tussle
From late December 2023 to January 2024, anonymous accounts flooded several social media platforms with hundreds of posts and videos claiming, without proof, that the president had been caught on video using illegal substances and that this would be used to unseat him from office......»»
Delivery drivers urge Mayor Baste for business permit exemption
Title: Delivery Drivers Seek Exemption from Business Permit Requirement A group of delivery drivers in Davao is urging Mayor Sebastian Duterte to exempt them from the mandatory business permits. The drivers, including those from various delivery apps such as Grab and FoodPanda, are concerned about the financial burden imposed by the business permits, which range from P2,000 to P6,000. They argue that this requirement is unique to Davao City among all cities and provinces in the Philippines. Grab rider Rolando Atico emphasized the need for solidarity among all delivery drivers, regardless of the app they work for. He urged fellow drivers to support each other, as the financial impact may extend beyond just Grab and FoodPanda. Atico also requested Mayor Duterte to reconsider the requirement and reinstate the previous occupational permit, which only cost P125. The group is facing a 30-day deadline to obtain the business permits, and they are citing financial constraints as a reason for their request for an extension. Failure to comply could result in their removal from the delivery platforms, jeopardizing their livelihoods. Additionally, they are advocating for changes to Davao City's Revenue Code, proposing a model similar to Cebu City, where only an occupational permit is required. The drivers are also calling for an inquiry into the lack of transparency and unilateral actions of food delivery companies, particularly concerning rider capitalization and financial concerns. They believe that a thorough investigation will help ensure fairness and equity in their financial obligations and working relationship with the delivery companies. Maribel Paguican, the Business Bureau officer-in-charge, stated that non-certified delivery riders categorized as service contractors must obtain a business permit. She mentioned two permits for occupational and business activities, with a discounted structure for delivery riders. However, concerns have been raised about increased taxes, potentially ranging from P3,000 to P6,000, along with an additional tax on top of the declared income of P1,400. The delivery drivers' plea for exemption from the business permit requirement reflects their concerns about the financial impact and the potential threat to their livelihoods. Their call for solidarity and support from fellow drivers highlights the urgency of the situation. This story sheds light on the challenges faced by delivery drivers in Davao and the implications of the business permit requirement on their financial well-being. It also underscores their efforts to seek fairness and equity in their working relationship with the authorities and delivery companies......»»
10th ID bashes Canadian gov’t for travel advisory vs Mindanao
The 10th Infantry Agila Division (10ID) of the Philippine Army criticized the Canadian government for issuing a travel advisory against all parts of Mindanao, which includes their area of responsibility. Major Mark Anthony Tito, spokesperson for the 10th ID, emphasized that the regions under their jurisdiction are peaceful and free from terrorism and violent threats, contrary to the Canadian embassy's advisory. The division oversees 12 provinces, seven cities, and 72 municipalities in various parts of Mindanao. Tito expressed bewilderment at the basis of the travel advisory, asserting that the Canadian government lacks awareness of the actual situation on the ground. He highlighted the peaceful nature of the entire Davao Region throughout 2023, with no recorded incidents of terrorism or insurgency. Despite the exclusion of Davao City from the advisory, Tito noted that the region would still be impacted. The Canadian embassy's advisory warned its citizens to avoid visiting Mindanao due to ongoing terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, high levels of violence, and encounters between rebel forces and government security authorities. Specific provinces and regions were singled out for caution or non-essential travel, including Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Eastern Mindanao. Contrary to the advisory, the 10th ID has been actively weakening and eliminating guerilla forces within its jurisdiction as part of the Philippine Army's efforts to establish an insurgency-free zone. In fact, on October 27, 2023, the Davao Region celebrated its first anniversary as an insurgency-free region in the Philippines. This dispute has led to other related stories, including the Chamber's intention to engage in discussions with the Canadian government regarding the travel advisory, as well as refutations from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and celebrations of the Davao Region's insurgency-free status by the Regional Peace and Order Council. In summary, the 10th ID vehemently opposes the Canadian government's travel advisory, citing the peaceful and secure nature of the regions under their jurisdiction, and highlighting the significant strides made in eradicating insurgency in the Davao Region......»»
Philippines jobless rate increases to 4.5 pct in January
MANILA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' unemployment rate increased to 4.5 percent in January from 3.1 percent in December last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday. PSA head Dennis Mapa told a press conference that there were 2.15 million jobless Filipinos in January. "This was lower than the reported number of unemployed persons in January 2023 of 2.38 million," Mapa said......»»
Philippines jobless rate increases to 4.5 pct in January
MANILA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' unemployment rate increased to 4.5 percent in January from 3.1 percent in December last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday. PSA head Dennis Mapa told a press conference that there were 2.15 million jobless Filipinos in January. "This was lower than the reported number of unemployed persons in January 2023 of 2.38 million," Mapa said......»»
Israel sees decrease in foreign trade in 2023
Tel Aviv [Israel], January 23 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported on Israel's foreign trade in 2023 as compared to 2022. The countries to which exports of goods (excluding diamonds) from Israel had the largest increases in 2023 were Morocco, Egypt, Hungary, Romania, Uruguay, Lithuania, Hong Kong and Poland. In contrast, the countries with the largest decreases in exports from Israel were Malays.....»»
Israel sees decrease in foreign trade in 2023
Tel Aviv [Israel], January 23 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported on Israel's foreign trade in 2023 as compared to 2022. The countries to which exports of goods (excluding diamonds) from Israel had the largest increases in 2023 were Morocco, Egypt, Hungary, Romania, Uruguay, Lithuania, Hong Kong and Poland. In contrast, the countries with the largest decreases in exports from Israel were Malays.....»»
2.4M Dabawenyos working as of Oct 2023
The October 2023 Preliminary Employment report by the Philippine Statistics Authority-Davao Region (PSA-Davao) reveals that 64 percent of the 3.780 million Dabawenyos aged 15 and above are part of the labor force, indicating that 2.42 million individuals are employed. This represents a 1.8 percentage point increase from the previous year. The report also highlights a 97.1 percent employment rate in the Davao Region as of October 2023, with a 2.9 percent unemployment rate, lower than the national average. Despite this, the region still maintains the highest employment rate in the Philippines. Additionally, the report compares employment rates across different regions, with Soccsksargen, Barmm, Central Luzon, CAR, Caraga, Western Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, and Central Visayas surpassing the national average. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) records the highest labor force participation rate among 17 regions, while the Zamboanga Peninsula has the lowest rate. The data is collected through the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted quarterly and monthly by the PSA central office and its regional statistical services offices. The Davao Region, with nearly 6 million inhabitants, remains the 7th most populous region in the country......»»
Jobless Filipinos balloon to 2.15 million in January 2024
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the number of unemployed persons ages 15 and above climbed to 2.15 million in January 2024, down from 1.6 million in December 2023. .....»»