Geoff & Maya: 3rd child coming up
Even before the pandemic, Geoff Eigenmann and his fiancée, singer Maya Flores, have decided to postpone their April wedding because not all members of the family were available. It would have been either a beach wedding or, as Geoff had told Funfare, “in a cliff with an amazing panoramic view.” Held until maybe next year......»»
ChatGPT AI getting chatty with voice prompts
The company behind ChatGPT on Monday said it is adding voice and image capabilities to the generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform long limited to written prompts. Capabilities being added to paid versions of the service allow users to have conversations with the AI and even "show" it what they are talking about, according to OpenAI. "Voice and image give you more ways to use ChatGPT in your life," OpenAI said in a post. "Snap a picture of a landmark while travelling and have a live conversation about what's interesting about it." Examples of how the new features could be used included taking a photo of the inside of a refrigerator to get meal recipe suggestions or a picture of a child's math homework to get help solving problems. Voice and image capabilities are being rolled out to ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise users over the course of the coming weeks, and are eventually heading for Apple and Google's smartphone operating systems, according to Open AI. "You can now use voice to engage in a back-and-forth conversation with your assistant," the ChatGPT creator said. "Speak with it on the go, request a bedtime story for your family, or settle a dinner table debate." OpenAI collaborated with voice actors to make spoken interactions more realistic, according to the startup. Generative AI programs burst into the spotlight late last year, with ChatGPT demonstrating an ability to generate essays, poems and conversations from the briefest prompts. Tech titans Google, Meta and Microsoft are among those racing to capitalize on the promise of generative AI while trying to avoid perils such as the technology's potential as a weapon for misinformation and cyber crime. In a separate announcement, Sweden-based music streaming platform Spotify on Monday said that it is taking advantage of OpenAI technology to enable podcasts to be translated into a variety of languages while maintaining the original speaker's style. "By matching the creator's own voice, Voice Translation gives listeners around the world the power to discover and be inspired by new podcasters in a more authentic way than ever before," Spotify vice president of personalization Ziad Sultan said in a release. Spotify is starting in coming weeks with English language episodes translated into Spanish, French and German, according to the company. The post ChatGPT AI getting chatty with voice prompts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Focusing on the beauty of daily life
The paintings on display at the ongoing exhibit at ARTablado in Robinsons Galleria are by an artist with a strong faith in a higher power. In fact, when asked who her favorite artist is, Marie Claire Olondriz chose God. “He’s the ultimate artist who created everything… matter, space, time, the entire universe.” In the years that she has spent honing her painting style, she has come up with canvases awash in color and light. Some of them are of Marian images like Our Lady of Aranzazu and Our Lady Star of the Sea but there are also her floral paintings including a beautiful one of a magnolia flower in full bloom. Another theme is the Madonna and Child although the artist opts to leave their faces blank, inscrutable. When she was younger, she would grab a sketch pad and her pencils and draw whatever caught her eye — sketching and coloring based on how she felt. [caption id="attachment_185923" align="aligncenter" width="525"] 'Floracion.'[/caption] Marie Claire came up with her style of painting when she was confined in the hospital. She started out scribbling in her sketch pad which led to continuous circles that initially seemed directionless. “Later, I expanded this to my paintings, using contrasting colors against the backdrop to create a textured look. What I enjoy is the sense of playfulness these scribbles bring to my art,” she said. “Amidst the sea of realist styles in my art group, mine feels unique. That’s why I began calling it ‘olondrizism,’ after my own name. It reflects my heart and soul when doing art.” When the time came to pick a title for her ARTablado exhibit, she chose Obra ni Maria Clara. Coming up with new paintings for the exhibit, however, took a while as she struggled with tennis elbow as well as carpal tunnel syndrome, the latter afflicting both hands. “On top of that, fibromyalgia would give me pain every single day,” she recounted. [caption id="attachment_185922" align="aligncenter" width="525"] 'Amor Y Cuidado.'[/caption] She took a break for a while and entertained thoughts she might not be able to meet the deadline. “Instead of having an operation, I tried therapy and kept trusting in God, believing He’d bless this exhibit somehow. I couldn’t let the doctors operate on my hands [because] that would mean no painting for over a month, or maybe even no more painting at all.” The exhibit that runs until 15 September will highlight Marie Claire’s take on “the beauty of everyday life, of common things we seldom appreciate.” The artist is grateful to Roseann Villegas, corporate public relations director of Robinsons Land Corporation for approaching her after spotting a painting Marie Claire had made for a group show. Established in 2020, Robinsons Land ARTablado, a portmanteau of “art” and “entablado” is Robinsons Land’s very own stage in showcasing the Filipino ingenuity and creativity. The post Focusing on the beauty of daily life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Katya Angara – The journey of a woman and artist
The promising artist that Katya is today is the latest phase in a lifelong journey that began at an early age when she began drawing characters from cartoon comics. All the while she was growing up in a home that nurtured her interest in the arts, as much as it prepared her for rigorous academic training. She read early in life, in a house filled with books. In this second part of our interview, Katya shares with us how she made a number of choices that would lead to where she is today. But once upon a time, for all that had been given to her on a silver platter, she was in a quandary as to what to do with her life. But when she finally decided on what she wanted, there was no stopping the talented and smart girl who, it turned out, possessed an intellectual prowess not unlike those of her parents, the lawyer, and senator Edgardo Angara, whose affinity for the land had been impressed on his daughter, and the lady educator Gloria Manalang Angara, who opened up her daughter’s eyes and minds to the wonders of world literature and the other arts. And it was in art that the young girl did not only find solace but also healing. Here is the final part of our interview: DT: After high school, did you immediately leave for London? KA: To be honest, and I don’t want filters here, I had mental health issues at that time. I was severely depressed. Before I went to London, I went through a tumultuous period of deciding where to go with my education. So, after Poveda, I went to Woldingham (boarding school). then I did half of my BA Psychology degree at UP Diliman from late 2000 to 2002. I loved my time at Diliman but it was a tumultuous transitional period for me, so I decided to revisit pursuing university in London. Central Saint Martins, to be precise, is one of the most prestigious and distinguished art and design schools in the world DT: Around what time was this? KA: It was in 2002. I was bouncing around like I couldn’t anchor myself to one thing. Like, okay, I’m here in London already. And then, okay I’m going to study Psychology in UP. So, what’s with the leap, the sudden jump, the sudden shift? I couldn’t make up my mind. And I think that frustrated my parents for the longest time. I was also being hard on myself because I ended up causing a lot of frustration for myself. And I think that depressed me. So, you know, I’ve been diagnosed with different things. I’m bipolar. And then, I had the hallmarks of ADHD. Let’s just say that my brain works differently DT: Well, one can never be sure about oneself. KA: No, you can never be sure about yourself. And I was questioning myself. For the longest time, all those years I thought, what’s wrong with me? Why am I making all these strange decisions? Why am I behaving this way? Why do I react to people this way?”. You know, parang I shouldn’t be talking or reacting to people like this in this kind of situation. And I’m not just saying with family or what. But with my classmates in school. What drew me to art was it being a place that has its own language e. It’s a place where I can express myself. Art is also a way of healing your own wounds. It’s also a way of revealing those aspects of yourself that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. It really was a way of healing for me. And I didn’t even know that I needed it. Because again, I was a very quiet and introverted kid. I don’t know why. I couldn’t rely on people, talk to people the way I thought, or maybe people thought I should. So, you know, I kept to myself. I’d hide away in the library every recess or lunch. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. So, that carried on until my university years. Daily Tribune (DT): What did you finally take up in college? Katya Angara: Well, first I just wanted to do a purely art course. So, my foundation course to get me a degree was an Art and Design course. My first choice for this was Central Saint Martins, which continues to be ranked as one of the best art and design schools in the world. I was over the moon when I made it in. DT: What did you have to show to qualify? KA: I needed to show my work. I had some already since I was drawing a lot in my childhood and teenage years. DT: Your works are not the usual ones that use oil, watercolor, acrylic, and all that. KA: I was drawing mostly. And for some reason, I have always been more of a draftsman eh. I’m always more into drawing. I have more illustrating tendencies. DT: Like pen and paper? KA: Yes, pen and paper. Pencil, charcoal. I’ve always had a thing for dry media and pen and ink. It’s more about the control and the precision. That’s my personality. DT: That’s not easy ah. KA: It’s not easy. But you have an affinity for it. And your hands have to be steady. Which is unlikely for someone with pasmado hands like me. But that’s where I find my control eh. That’s why I like it so much. DT: So, what was it like when you showed your drawings at Central Saint Martin? KA: So, I showed my drawings because that was required during the interview. And so I went through the ropes. They asked questions like, "why do you want to do this course here?" DT: Your work must have been good to get you accepted. KA: They were fine. I think it was good enough. But there was a lot I had to improve on. I only knew that once I got into the school. Then, you told yourself, Ah, oo nga pala. There was so much I had to learn. That I could be taught. DT: How was your learning experience? KA: From the beginning, as a child, I always copied from cartoons. And they didn’t like that. They didn’t want to see any cartoons or anything like that. They wanted to see me. They wanted to see my work. My drawing from life. DT: So, how did you do that? It must have been challenging KA: So, I gave them the best of my life drawings. But when I showed them my other works, they weren’t happy with them. So, I learned from that. Being young, you got a bit crushed. But then, you realize it’s a different way of thinking. It’s a different way of doing things. Okay, there’s still so much to learn in terms of art. And it’s not the be-all and end of it all. And then, they said, “This is where you should be learning from.” And they showed me art books. They said, “Go to this gallery or this museum.” DT: How was it like living abroad? Back home, you were the daughter of a senator. KA: Which means nothing when you’re abroad. It meant nothing. Which I actually loved. It was something that I was looking for. Because I lived in a bubble back home. To my parents’ credit naman there’s a reason for that. I was very protected. They wanted to keep me safe and secure given my father’s position. So, I’d always lived in a bubble. I’d always have bodyguards and drivers and all that. And it just felt at times a little restrictive. DT: So, it was a welcome thing? KA: It was a welcome thing. Really, I felt different. I felt normal na parang my family name didn’t mean a thing. And that was refreshing. I could be anything I wanted to be. I could experiment and nobody would judge. Because in schools like that and abroad, especially in Europe, they’re so open-minded. They’re so liberal. DT: How were the teachers? KA: Oh, wonderful. Of course, you always have your favorites, right? Very varied. Depending also on what course you were taking up, whether industrial design or sculpture which I was horrible at when I tried it. I didn’t really get close to my tutors until I moved on to my actual degree. Funny enough, instead of ending up in a practical course. Which would have been like Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or even Illustration because I love drawing. You would think that I would end up in a more practical course like Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or even Illustration, I did a complete shift and I did a theoretical course. I did Curation, Art Criticism, and Art History. So, my training is as a curator and an art critic. DT: Wow, that was very intellectual. It’s good that you always read a lot. KA: Yes, I think that helped because you have to read a lot. You have to love reading. You have to like doing the research. And that served me well. Who would have known, right? But if you think about it, as long as you follow what you want to do in life, it just opens up even if you don’t intentionally seek it. Somehow it just finds you It just fell into place for me in that sense. This is not what I initially set out to do. But I think you have to allow yourself to change your mind. Parang whatever happens at the time, you change with it. You adjust to it. And it worked out beautifully for me. DT: So, were the teachers terrors? KA: Mabait naman sila. But they have very different personalities. My course leader was a lovely older lady who was really into Victorian arts and culture. As in, Victoriana lahat. She would tell you everything about English Victorian history. And she was very passionate about it. And you know, it involved a lot of writing and research. But my favorite tutor was someone who was writing about comic books. Comic books and Pop culture. So, for me, that was a revelation because I didn’t think you could take comics books and put them in the academe. You know, academic level like intellectual. Pwede pala e. Because he showed me a way. He took me under his wing and he showed me his work and from there I learned to write. And because I love comic books. I’m actually a huge geek. I’m a nerd, I’m a dork. DT: What was your thesis? [caption id="attachment_165427" align="aligncenter" width="463"] Roger Sabin was Katya's pop culture mentor at Central Saint Martins in London.[/caption] KA: Because I wanted Roger Sabin, my pop culture tutor, as my professor for my thesis, it was about a 1990s Japanese animated film called Ghost in the Shell 101. It was an animated film based on a very heavy graphic novel, a manga or Japanese comics, by Masamune Shirow. And for me, his work is revelatory. It wasn’t just the style of the Ghost in the Shell. And to think just one man could draw like this. I mean it was a very thick graphic novel. He could draw like that. And he wrote the story too. And to think you had the mental stamina to be able to write something like that and to draw. DT: You must enjoy doing comics. KA: Since I was a kid, I’ve made my own comic books. You know, I would sell my own comic books and people would actually buy them. I taught myself to draw in the comic book style. I learned them all. You know, there’s like Stan Lee of Marvel. DT: You really had it in you. KA: I had it in me. My love for comic books started by reading the ones my brother had collected over the years. He had a stash of them, so, I just devoured them. It was all very amazing to me. Kasi the drawings, the stories, these are worlds written by someone else. So, you have Marvel comics, DC comics, Dark Horse comics. [caption id="attachment_165417" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] With brother, Senator Sonny Angara, whose comic books she devoured for their cartoon figures.[/caption] Q: You didn’t idolize anybody? A: Well, I wasn’t particularly huge on the American comics. I think it was until I stumbled upon the Japanese comics or manga. That really piqued my interest to a degree I never felt before. Kasi it wasn’t just the style, which at first for me was very girly. I mean, I love the romantic comics. But I also felt myself leaning toward the darker stuff. DT: What did you like about Ghost in the Shell? KA: It’s a cyberpunk graphic novel. So, ang galing, ang ganda ng style. It was like, wow. You know, the sheer amount of detail that he puts into the drawings. I said I want to draw like this. I want to tell a story like this. But I don’t know if I was capable of telling if I had the stamina to tell something so intricate and complex. DT: When did you graduate? KA: In 2008. The BA in the UK is only three years. That’s why you take a foundation course. There’s a BA in Curation, and Communication, and criticism in Arts and Design. DT: I am told that you graduated at the top of your class. But you’re not telling me. KA: It sounds so funny kasi eh. Anyway, I graduated with first-class honors for my degree. So, basically, I was Suma Cum Laude in my batch in my year. So, that was what sealed the deal for me and my dad. Kasi for the longest time, I was kind of meandering. I was kind of flip-flopping. My mom knows this eh She goes, “You know Katya you have a tendency to be whimsical.” I am an artist eh, what can I do? Besides, I was young and I wasn’t sure. I knew what I wanted to do, which was to be in the arts but not where I wanted to go. I was asking myself if I had the stamina, the commitment, the fortitude to see it through. [caption id="attachment_165415" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Katya and mom Gloria Angara, who first ignited her interest in the arts.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_165419" align="aligncenter" width="854"] Katya with her dad, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara from whom she learned to apply the principles of nature to her art[/caption] DT: College made you really bloom. KA: Yes. It was the environment. it was the people I was with. Because I was able to go into something I really enjoyed. I wasn’t just doing homework because I was told to do homework. I loved what I was doing. I was invested in it. DT: What did you do after you graduated? KA: Apart from community work, I also worked for some small galleries. I did some work for the Victoria and Albert Museum. I tried to have experiences in bigger institutions, bigger museums, and small independent galleries. I thought that experience would hone me and make me well-rounded. With the smaller galleries, I was able to practice my curatorial background. I was able to help a lot of young artists. They don’t know how to talk about their work or they’re not confident enough to do so. So anyhow, apart from helping them put together shows, I help them speak about their work. Or offer them a perspective they have never seen or thought about. And I feel that that was helping them and I think that’s where I have been able to engage with them. It was fulfilling to help them find their voice as an artist. DT: All the while, you were all alone in London? KA: I was married actually. To a Filipino who was born in the UK, in London. He’s an Englishman, for all purposes. It didn’t work out. We have a daughter. I had a beautiful little girl with him. She lives in London with her father. She’s been here. She lived here in her early years. After she was born in 2010, I decided to move back here. Then, after four years, we went back to London because it was what my husband wanted. He and my dad had a falling out. DT: When was your first exhibit? KA: Last year. Earlier, I did a group show at the Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint Martins. So, I did it with other emerging artists. My next group show was at The Crucible. But it was for a book that Sari Ortiga had commissioned me to do. He wanted to do a series of children’s books about Philippine artists. I did mine. Mine was about Anita Magsaysay-Ho. I did the illustration. It wasn’t new to me because I had been making my own books. I would staple them myself. Although up until that point I didn’t know how to really do it professionally. I found out it could be lucrative and fulfilling. This was in 2008 when I didn’t have a daughter yet. DT: Tell me about your forthcoming show. (The current show had yet to be opened). What paintings are you showing? KA: They’re not paintings, they’re not just drawings. They’re an amalgamation. They’re what you call a compendium of everything I’ve ever done as an artist. The book illustration, and then I dabbled a bit in black-and-white photography. I like the look of black and white photography. So, I do it with my phone or a simple camera. It’s also good for taking reference photos for my work. Because if you can’t sit in the park drawing people or objects, or subjects, the next best thing is you take pictures. And you can draw from those pictures. Kaya maganda siya for reference. So, my work is that, actually. DT: So, what about your subjects? KA: Well, I’m a very central person. We live in a very conservative culture. And I have subjects that would make people say ay, you know, you shouldn’t talk about that. So, there’s no filter, it’s very raw, very natural. In London, I was able to talk to people about things like BDSM or Bondage Sado-Masochism. And you know, that can get a bad rap. Because if you do it wrong, it would look strange to anyone who is not familiar with it. Among the Japanese, there is a subculture that does that. DT: Do they consider BDSM an art form? KA: There’s a particular Japanese artist whose work I used to admire. He’s a photographer. And his subject is BDSM. There were pictures of women tied up and then there were flowers and reptiles. So it was very sexual. I found myself drawn to that because there’s the element of the dark side. Carl Jung, the psychoanalyst, talked about how we have to make our unconscious conscious. The darkness in us is unconscious. And if you don’t make your darkness conscious, it’s going to come out in other ways at some point. Meaning to say, you shouldn’t repress those sides of you. I think it is a side that’s intertwined with the creative side of me. I can’t be an artist without being sensual. Without that aspect, all that would be macabre. Which brings me to my mom again. She used to chide me for reading Stephen King when I was a kid. I’m a huge Stephen King fan. She was like, “It’s so macabre, so dark.” And I’m like, “I like it, I like his work.” He’s such a skilled writer. And I like how he could take something so mundane and make it terrifying and frightening on all levels. Stephen King said that he writes two thousand words every morning. I’m not sure if I can do that. I wanted to write na rin eh because the natural partner of my art is my writing. Because as a curator, I didn’t just read. I had to write a lot. And that’s where I honed my skills. Kasi siyempre, it’s a sword that you have to sharpen every now and then. So, for the show. I did a lot of writing. I did my own writing. DT: While we're on the talk of artists, what about the Filipino artists? Who among them do you admire? Do you have any mentors and idols? KA: Among Philippine artists, Junyee is my second father and my first artistic mentor. He is my OG sage and shaman of Philippine art, the Father of Philippine Installation Art. I'm actively lobbying for him to become National Artist soon, as no one deserves it more than he does, with his magnificent oeuvre. I'll always remember how, in a fleeing moment of impostor syndrome, he consoled me by saying that making art for myself always comes first. Love the process and the rest follows. The maverick attitude is very Junyee! And yet, he lives a modest life in the forest-like setting of his home in Los Banos, echoing the nature-loving ethos of our favorite Japanese animator, Hayao Miyazaki, creator of Toroto, Nausicaa, Spirited Away, among many other magical films. Since I was a child, Junyee saw my potential and continued to push me to have my own gallery shows, as did his longtime friend and one of my other mentors, Sari Ortiga. Sari's daughter Yasmin is a good friend and batchmate of mine from Poveda. Sari owns and runs the distinguished Crucible Gallery, and he hired me to illustrate one of the children's books for his series "Growing up with Philippine art" in 2009. It's thanks to Sari that I pushed myself to evolve as an artist, to grow outside of my comfort zone. The acclaimed visual artist and sculptor Jinggoy Buensuceso is something of a bad boy du jour of the Philippine art scene, and his dissident attitude is something I can identify with. I love the unorthodox, the sensual, the macabre, the dark stuff that delves deep into the psyche. I'm so bored of the "covers" or "riffs" of the countless Amorsolo, Basquiat, Picasso, or Rothko-type artworks that I see so much of in the local art scene. As wtih Junyee and Sari, Jinggoy has taught me how to navigate the perilous seas of art and life, echoing Junyee's advice to remain myself, in a world that often pushes us to be someone else. My three mentors, by example, taught me how to be original. DT: How many are you exhibiting? How many works? KA: Now, I have 9 complete pieces. I’d like to add another one. Honestly, medyo cramming ito because I only had two months to do the show. Normally for this kind of work - especially with the big piece I am doing - it’s a seven-foot piece. I would need, preferably to be comfortable, at least four to six months to do all this work. Kasi, there is so much nicer when you give it time to compost. To come together, to become fertile. DT: Is there enough time for one more work? A: Yes. I have one more work that I want. Because I feel that it rounds it up eh. If I do ten, I love the work that I’ve already done. Again, it’s not a painting, it’s a collage. So, I’d call it a photographic collage with paper cuttings on canvas. I wanted to treat canvas in a way that is not painting DT: Shouldn’t someone curate for you? KA: For now, I’m happy to have to do it myself. Because I feel that I’m the only one who can portray myself in a way that I feel I should be portrayed. Kasi it’s art eh. You’re trying not so much to explain yourself as you’re trying to convey who you are to somebody without being obvious. That’s art. DT: Where does Stephen, your partner, come in? [caption id="attachment_165418" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] With her partner and anchor, Stephen Lu.[/caption] KA: Stephen is somewhat of an anchor for me. So, I feel comfortable, I feel more confident when he’s around. But I guess I’m okay. DT: Now, as we wind up, let’s talk about how you are like your parents and not like them. You said that your interest in the arts came from the exposure that you received from your mother, and of course, the presence of books at home. Tell me more about your father’s role in your becoming the person that you are. KA: One of my fondest memories of my father was his love of nature, gardening, and farming, which I learned from him. He was at his best and calmest when he was at his farm in Nasugbu and Baler. Whilst my father was a “man of the soil”, I learned to be an “artist of the soil”, a gardener who applies the principles of nature to my art. Hence the overlying themes of nature in my oeuvre of artwork. And the most resonant themes of philosophy (which my father also studied and applied in his life) are the themes relating to lessons learned from nature: patience, fortitude, temperance. From this I’ve become more acutely aware of life’s transience, making our time all the more precious, being grateful for small and simple pleasures, and the opportunities that come my way. The naïveté of my younger years meant that I didn’t have a complete grasp of the opportunities presented to me by my father, I took much for granted. Now I see why he did what he did, he gave me the tools to be able to achieve my full potential. Only now that I’m embracing that fire and heading in a direction that makes the most of my talents. I had impostor syndrome for the longest time. Always questioning and doubting myself. Now I can fully embrace who I am and it is cathartic. DT: In what way are you like them? KA: I have the different strengths of my parents. I’ve inherited their academic minds and cultured tastes, with an eye for detail and beauty. I have many mannerisms and behavious in common with my mum, in terms of poise and self-possession. But, she is like Audrey Hepburn and I am infinitely more of a Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn was also a very private person and something of a poet and writer. I guess it’s no surprise that I am drawn to art and writing; I am highly introspective, painfully self-aware and attuned to my moods and to the moods of others; like my Dad, I’m intuitive and know how to read people. DT: My last question is, how has art influenced you in your direction in life? And where are you going from here? KA: Being an introvert, I don’t always translate into easy social interactions with most people. So I channel it all into my art. It’s a language that best expresses my psyche, thoughts, and emotions. Working with my hands is healing and consolation for the isolation, depression, and anxiety attacks that grip me on bad days. That’s why as an artist of the soil, gardening and art go hand in hand. In the future, I can see myself tending to the land and becoming a farmer as my father was. It’s like coming home. The post Katya Angara – The journey of a woman and artist appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Father’s golden legacy
The first time one meets Avelino “Ave” Tolentino III, Undersecretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, one is easily impressed by his good looks and pleasant mien. One gets surprised that someone as young as he should already occupy a top position in the government. Until one finds out he is already 42 years old, which, to belabor the point, hardly shows in the man’s appearance, neither in his voice, mannerisms, and unbridled enthusiasm for his life’s purpose. He could pass for someone who had seen only three decades so far. But as he talks with you, you also realize he is very articulate and knows whereof he speaks. Brilliance is a mark of this man. But on the day that we interviewed him at the Daily Tribune office in Makati when he accompanied his boss, Secretary Gerry Acuzar, to an online guest in our early morning online show, we chose to veer away from the expected questions about his duties in the bureaucracy. Instead, we focused on the man behind the official title and function. And since Father’s Day was coming in a few weeks, we wondered as to the kind of father who would raise such a remarkable son — so young and yet so significant in the affairs of the Filipino — or make that common tao, the man on the street who deserves to live happily in a pleasant home he and his family could call their own. What makes Ave Tolentino tick? We surmised that he is the upshot of parents who instilled in him the right values from day one. And we were not wrong, except that if one imagined the father to be a strong figure, the master of his home, we were in for a surprise. As Ave revealed, theirs was not the typical family. This, in the sense that “it was our father, Avelino Jr. who kept us, four sons and a daughter, company at home, while our mom was busy at the office,” Ave shared. Given their family dynamics, his father worked from home by engaging in trading, which did not require his full-time attention. It had been an arrangement, if one could use the word, of his parents who both realized early on as they were building a family that “my mother had a future in the corporate world.” There was no doubt about her breaking the so-called glass ceiling as she was one woman who knew she would succeed as a business executive. His mom, Jenette, was a Certified Public Accountant and, at the time of her retirement, was the chief executive officer of a company that was engaged in the selling of ammunition. His father, according to Ave, “was very kind. He was what I would call a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. He was cool. Someone you could relate to. When we were younger, we could talk to him about almost anything. What I thought was normal was quite unconventional. At that time, my mom was the breadwinner. So, my dad was bringing us to school in the morning and picking us up in the afternoon.” But he was also working as a trader. He was juggling work and yet he was also raising his sons. “Well, he was practically watching over us,” Ave remembered. Just being there Being present to his children turned out to be a blessing, as “seeing him every afternoon, we made sure we would behave well, and not get into trouble. His presence was a deterrent to any of us getting into trouble or behaving foolishly. Because if we did, he would find out when he came to fetch us. Ave’s right at the gate of Colegio de San Agustin in Makati. It would have been different if we were not supervised.” As an added benefit to the family, he and his siblings grew closer as they came home together with their Dad in one car. On the other hand, just like most fathers, he had his list of don’ts. “Don’t do vices. No smoking, no drinking at a young age. And don’t give him any trouble. He made clear he did not like going to the principal’s office because any one of us needed to be disciplined.” Equally important to Ave’s father was family togetherness and awareness of their roots. “We spent a lot of time with our relatives. We had a lot of weekends at my grandfather’s, my father’s side, in Parañaque. We would all congregate there. And we also played a lot of table tennis growing up. Our games were for bonding, more than competing with one another. “He was the quintessential family man. He just enjoyed spending time with his family. He was very close to all his relatives, cousins, and second cousins. His friendship even extended to the neighbors of his cousins.” Go to guy Sharing his time and his listening ears was his idea of giving. “Dad was not too big on gifts. He showed he cared through service, or being there when you needed him. So, if you needed anything or you were in a situation, he was the person to call,” although he does not recall “having to call him at any point. But I knew that if I had to, he would have answered. He was very reliable.” And if there was one oddity about him, Ave pointed to his being a cockfighting aficionado. “As a kid, I would join him and my uncles and the rest of his relatives when they went to the cockpit in our home province, Mauban. In Parañaque, there would be cockfights right in our backyard. Our uncles would arrive with their fighting cocks.” What I thought was normal was quite unconventional. At that time, my mom was the breadwinner. So, my dad was bringing us to school in the morning and picking us up in the afternoon. If it was clean fun tinged with occasional rowdiness and incessant ribbing, Ave early on realized “it is a gentleman’s game. But for me, what I learned about cockfighting is that you have to raise the fighting cocks, you have to raise the chickens. I remember that when I was growing up, we had to help raise and take care of the chickens. I would help feed them like they were athletes. Their food was measured. It could not be more and it could not be less.” Ave was the middle child. “We had two batches,” he explained. “My two older brothers were 7 and 5 years ahead of us. And then myself and another brother. We were two years apart. My parents raised the first batch and then they raised us, the second batch, I believe they raised us well.” The post Father’s golden legacy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Feel like royalty at Tivoli’s Royal Lounge
When you’re starving, you want to wolf down on great food. You crave the familiar, the basic but lip-smacking delicious. You naturally pick your comfort food and wish to be satisfied, happy and full. [caption id="attachment_156739" align="aligncenter" width="525"] country burger.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_156741" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Pot roast beef braised in red wine.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_156742" align="aligncenter" width="525"] BBQ Pork Ribs.[/caption] That’s the idea behind the Royal Lounge, Tivoli Royale Country Club’s banner restaurant located on Yakal Street, Tivoli Royale Subdivision, Quezon City. It understands the concept of great food in a way that it does not need to impress. It just wants to make you happy. The al fresco poolside restaurant is unpretentious. Right next to a glistening turquoise pool, aesthetically pleasant dining tables and chairs are invitingly open to the hungry, or to big families with little kids, or to corporate yuppies for a hearty lunch meeting. The atmosphere at Royal Lounge is chill and friendly. The menu consists of familiar Filipino favorites but upgraded to an edgy hotel experience. Their chicken pork adobo, for example, has boiled egg and pickled papaya. They have pancit canton, beef nilaga, sinigang na sampaloc (pork or salmon, your choice) and even beef and ox tripe kare-kare. Their free-range chicken inasal with java rice is finger-licking good. At P580, it can serve up to three people. This popular Visayan dish of marinated chicken grilled over hot coals is mouthwatering, perfect for lunch after a dip in the pool. For shrimp enthusiasts, I highly recommend the Po’Boy — Louisiana-inspired crispy chunks of deep-fried freshwater shrimp sandwiched between Pistolet buns (all their yummy bread is baked in-house!), but made even more deliriously good with the Cajun spice blend, topped with pickle relish and remoulade sauce. Sous chef Jomhar Marcial’s Nasi Goreng is perhaps the ultimate breakfast meal. Inspired by Indonesia’s national dish, the rich and flavorful fried rice is cooked in a wok and served like a surprise underneath a perfectly concocted omelet and served with a side of chicken satay. Just opened a little over a year ago, the restaurant revamped its menu. Since then it has become quite popular not only among the country club members, but a favorite venue for social and corporate events for its pleasant and spacious area — and the scrumptious food. Thanks to executive chef Emmanuel “Jonnel” Roxas who specializes in Mediterranean cuisine and backed by experience in both hotel dining (the Sheraton Manila Bay, Pan Pacific Hotel Manila) and casual American dining (TGI Friday’s), the restaurant experience at Royal Lounge has elevated ever since his arrival. Chef Jonnel shared that he is collaborative, allowing his chefs in the kitchen to be creative and imaginative in putting their signature twist to already well-known dishes. But chef Jonnel says that he still makes sure that the food served to the members and guests is still familiar, because familiarity brings comfort. “Siyempre po, sa country club, normally, the families would want to have a place where they can relax and unwind, to bond,” he said. “Yung tema kasi dito is: ‘I want to eat something I can eat, and my family can eat’. The concept is familiarity.” “The guests are not going to spend a lot of time thinking what to eat, so they will get a burger, club sandwich, pizza — the familiar, humble and simple everyday favorites,” he further explained. But chef Jonnel’s creativity in these “simple” dishes is notable. His European taste, for example, is evident in his pot roast beef, braised in red wine sauce, as if you are tasting Julia Child’s recipe of Beef Bourguignon — designed for family dining. It is a savory delight, the beef melts in the mouth and you are suddenly transported to east-central France, in Burgundy. For young kids, the menu does not disappoint with a wide selection of meals that will keep them coming back: beef and bacon sliders, cheesy macaroni, mozzarella sticks and chicken tenders and fries, spaghetti and a lot more. The country club burger, meanwhile, is a sight to behold. Towering and crammed with cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, bacon and a fat, juicy patty in the center of it all, which is so thick it’s like meatloaf. I had to break it down just so I can fit every single layer in my mouth. The BBQ pork ribs with a side of corn is another memorable experience — fall-off-the-bone tender. But what truly made an impact on me was the new experience: Chef Jonnel’s Tapa Don Galo, a recipe close to his heart as he grew up in the coastal town of Don Galo in Paranaque, where tapas are the specialty. One spoonful of the Tapa Don Galo is like eating the complete tapsilog experience with fried garlic sprinkled on top. It is heavenly. It comes with four kinds of dipping sauces: banana ketchup, white vinegar, chopped chili and rock salt. Mix, match, ignore, you can customize your dipping sauce. But, personally, the tapa alone is a winner. Believe me, you will dream about it for days. If you are on the hunt for afive-star hotel dining experience of your all-time favorites and more, the Royal Lounge is the ideal place. Sure, you can get a burger anywhere, or a gising-gising, or a country-fried chicken, but what the Royal Lounge does is that it adds a magic sprinkle of specialness to every dish, making it still comfortable but deliciously unique. The post Feel like royalty at Tivoli’s Royal Lounge appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Alfred Vargas reveals wife’s difficult 4th pregnancy, asks for prayers
Actor-politician Alfred Vargas revealed in a recent post that his wife Yasmine is pregnant with their fourth child. “With immense gratitude to God, the Vargas family is elated to share that my Amore, @yasmine_vargas2307 is now 13 weeks pregnant with our fourth child!," wrote Vargas on Instagram. “God has blessed me with a wonderful life. This is mainly because He has not only given me a beautiful wife, inside and out, but a brave one as well. Yasmine is truly a fighter," he added. Vargas then went on to reveal that Yasmine is suffering from a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, along with generalized anxiety disorder. The illness causes "severe nausea and vomiting," said Vargas. “She can’t even drink water nang hindi nagsusuka after. She lost several kgs in the first 3 weeks." “This is her 2nd pregnancy with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). And she experiences relentless anxiety and panic attacks (without any triggers)," he added. Vargas asked for prayers from readers and fans for his wife and baby's "great perfect health and well-being." "We're also counting on your support and understanding on this journey of ours as we welcome the newest member of the family this coming January," he said. And to his wife Yasmine, he said: "I'm here for you always. Mahal na mahal kita." The post Alfred Vargas reveals wife’s difficult 4th pregnancy, asks for prayers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
COMING EMZOOM
GAC Motor Philippines, under the management of Astara Philippines, held a grand ceremony at the Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan, Quezon City, to introduce the all-new GS3 Emzoom to the world. The event signified a significant stride in the brand's ongoing expansion and growth strategy within the Philippine market. "We are proud to host the international debut of the all-new GS3 Emzoom after its reveal in China last December. The GS3 Emzoom is the newest challenger in the scene, set to drive the GAC brand to new heights and zoom through Philippine roads with its fierce and sporty character," said Jun Cajayon, brand head of GAC Motor, Astara Philippines. The launch was attended by Astara executives from both GAC and Peugeot, GAC dealer principals, friends from the banking industry and the motoring media. Also present was newly announced ambassador for the GAC brand, Dingdong Dantes. The GS3 Emzoom launch is a clear testament to GAC's aggressive growth strategy in the Philippines. Astara Philippines, the new distributor of GAC Motor, is rapidly expanding the brand's dealership network. They have increased the number of dealerships from six in January of this year, to 16 dealerships as of this writing, with a target of 20 by the end of 2023. The current dealerships are in Alabang, Bacoor, Tarlac, Pampanga, Pasig, and Davao. New ones are set to open in E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue (C5), Manila Bay, Quezon Avenue, Lipa City, Cainta, Makati, BGC, Batangas City, Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod. The GS3 Emzoom is a trendy and intelligent SUV, perfect for the dynamic and mobile generation. The vehicle carries GAC’s bold and futuristic design language. Angular edges, geometric textures and a dynamic stance give it a sporty yet futuristic industrial aesthetic. Its look is completed by 19-inch alloy wheels, an exhaust sound package and a sporty body kit, exclusive to the top of the range GL variant. The vehicle's front face features what the brand calls the Flying Wing Front Grille and Laser-Eye LED headlights, geometric executions that give the car a sporty attitude while maintaining its sleek and futuristic appearance. Its sides are led by arc shadow blades that lead to its light dart tail lamps. The GS3 Emzoom’s interior combines a trendy aesthetic with functionality and comfort. It includes advanced technological features such as dual screens, a multi-function steering wheel, leather seats, wireless charging, and futuristic AC vents. A sunroof with electric shades provides additional daylight and an airy cabin experience. The wide cabin offers more legroom and shoulder space than its competitors in the sub-compact crossover segment. Ample storage spaces and compartments can fit up to 21 items across the entire vehicle, while its luggage compartment provides a vast amount of cargo space when rear seats are folded flat. Safety has not been compromised in the GS3 Emzoom. It comes packed with industry-standard safety features, including Dual Front Side and Curtain Airbags, seatbelts with Pretensioner and Force Limiters, Hill-start Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Parking Brake with Autohold, Electronic Stability Program, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, ISOFIX Child Safety Seat Anchors, and Engine Immobilizer. Moreover, the GS3 Emzoom features a wide range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems including cruise control,parking sensors, a reverse camera, and other intelligent systems such as High Beam Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning. The GS3 Emzoom is powered by a third-generation 1.5 Turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine mated to a seven-speed Wet Dual Clutch Transmission. The robust engine delivers 174 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque, combining power and efficiency for a smooth, energetic drive. The GS3 Emzoom is available in three variants: 1.5L GS DCT priced at P 998,000, 1.5L GB DCT at P1,098,000, and the top-of-the-range 1.5L GL DCT at P 1,198,000. Five colors are on offer, namely, Salt Lake Blue (the launch color), Graphene Grey (matte finish), Moonlight Grey, Ivory White, and Superstar Silver. Potential customers can book their reservations for the all-new GS3 Emzoom at all GAC Motor dealerships nationwide or through their website. All units come with a five-year warranty and customer deliveries will commence next month. The post COMING EMZOOM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cashing in on ‘boring’
The new owner of Pornhub, Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners, has called on governments to stop cracking down on the infamous adult entertainment website. Their ingenious call? Make porn “normal” and even “boring” by mainstreaming it. One cannot help but marvel at the pure comedic genius of this proposition as the echoes of laughter resound across the globe. The founder of ECP, Solomon Friedman, thinks that governments ought to value sexual expression and help turn the provocative world of porn into a snooze-fest. He has argued, with a straight face, that operating systems should be responsible for coming up with a solution, rather than websites being held accountable for determining the ages of users. Yes, operating systems come to mind when we think of dependability and trustworthiness. Huh? But let’s go further than that. Friedman suggests outright that age verification be left in Google’s and Apple’s capable hands as if they have a track record of flawlessly carrying out such matters. Maybe we should entrust the care of our kids to the same businesses that fight to keep fake news, cyberbullying, and privacy violations from taking over their platforms. Isn’t that a surefire formula for success? Pornhub’s controversial history is inescapable, so let us discuss that as well. Remember when we shuddered on learning from The New York Times about websites that hosted material with rape and juvenile sexual content? Yes, that’s Pornhub. Naturally, regulators all over the world took notice and wreaked havoc on the sleazy empire. In a rare act of moral rectitude, Visa and MasterCard even stopped taking payments for Pornhub. Readers need not worry, however, as the new owners are eager to deny these “slanderous accusations.” It’s as if they want us to think that a few personnel adjustments and some ethical fairy dust will be enough to restore the reputation of a seedy $97 billion-a-year company. Let’s not overlook oligarchs like Hugh Hefner and Larry Flynt, of Playboy and Hustler infamy, respectively, who came up with clever ways to satisfy people’s prurient needs while filling their own pockets with gold. Simply put, the Pornhub owners are their legacy’s contemporary heirs, preying on people’s baser desires to further their own financial interests. They try to persuade us that making porn “boring” is a noble endeavor while hiding their greed behind a façade of progressive ideals. But we can see right through their front. Their true motivation is to protect their bottom line, not to promote healthy sexual expression. Forgive us for this poor attempt at satire, as there is still a pressing problem that needs our attention. The Netflix documentary exposing Pornhub’s failure to verify the ages of those submitting adult materials has brought into stark relief the exploitation and harm that can result from unrestricted access to explicit content. While it may be amusing to laugh at Pornhub’s absurd suggestions, we must not ignore the very real effects of their carelessness. In order to make money, they have created an environment where predators can prey on the weak. As people can easily trick the system and share explicit content involving minors, Pornhub maintains a system where harm and exploitation flourish. Here, we speak of child pornography, forced prostitution, and human trafficking — matters that Pornhub cannot downplay with comedic antics or vapid calls for normalcy. While it may be tempting to write off Pornhub’s request for “boring” porn as a joke, we must recognize the gravity of its actions and the extent of its impact. Profit maximization is its top priority, and that’s all there is to it. Instead of governments and regulators easing the pressure off Pornhub, they, on the contrary, must be compelled to act more swiftly to ensure strict age verification procedures, to protect the weak from exploitation and harm, are put in place by ECP. The post Cashing in on ‘boring’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Short film explores cooking, coming out and letting go
To commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride month, Noontime Drama, an award-winning Filipino short film on coming out, will be screened for free online and in select cinemas nationwide. Noontime Drama explores how the meticulous slow cooking of the traditional Filipino comfort food symbolizes parents coming to terms with their child’s sexuality or gender identity. The 14-minute piece follows single mother Sonia (Susan Africa) as she struggles to prepare the perfect kare-kare together with her daughter Leslie (Zar Donato) in time for a family reunion. As the tension simmers between the protagonists, unresolved issues resurface and deflection fills each conversation. [caption id="attachment_149096" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Zar Donato[/caption] The film is written and directed by creative duo Kim Timan and Sam Villa-Real, both homegrown talents from the Digital Filmmaking Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. [caption id="attachment_149094" align="aligncenter" width="828"] ‘Noontime Drama’ filmmakers Kim Timan and Sam Villa-Real.[/caption] “I first wrote this film after having an intense outburst with my mom in 2017,” Timan admitted. “I knew that I needed to start being honest with myself so I decided to come out to her. I did it and was bombarded with conservative biblical preaching. She was my best friend and I felt betrayed.” “Over the course of the years, my perspective about her gradually changed. I realized that I need to respect her process of trying to make sense of my ‘coming out,’” she shared. “I tried to understand where she was coming from and that became the goal of the film.” A study on the frustration experienced by parents of newly out LGBTQ+ children, Noontime Drama, according to the young artist, is more of a “letting go” than a “coming out” story. “Making this film with my girlfriend and queer friends helped me cope and accept the things that cannot be changed and finally, move on from them,” Timan noted. “I know that my Mom is slowly coming to terms with who I am, and so am I with her. I know she needs time to process it the way I did.” Noontime Drama was a grantee of the 2020 CineMarya Women’s Film Festival (Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino), where it was hailed as the Best Film and Best Screenplay. It likewise nabbed the Best Short Film and Best Performer Awards at the 2021 Dreamanila International Film Festival, the Third Best Short Film at the 2021 CineKabalen Culinary Cinema. The work was an official selection at the 2021 Chennai International Short Film Festival in India, 2021 International Queer Film Festival Merlinka in Serbia, 2021 Les Femmes Underground Film Festival, 2021 Internacional Queer Film Festival de Playa del Carmen in Mexico, 2021 Pink Love LGBT Film Festival, 2021 Alvsbyn Film Festival in Sweden, 2021 KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival in India and 2021 Stockholm City Film Festival in Sweden. It likewise finished as a finalist at the 2021 Festival de films féministes de Montréal in Canada and 2021 Boden International Film Festival in Sweden, semi-finalist at the 2021 Seattle Film Summit in the USA and quarter-finalist at the 2021 Crossroads International Short Film Festival in Turkey. It has also earned an Honorable Mention at the 2021 Paris Film Festival in France. It was lauded as the Best Short Film at the 2022 CineKabalen Film Festival and was exhibited at the 2022 Cine Filipina and 2022 UP Pride Film Festival. It was a Best Short Film Nominee at the 44th Gawad Urian Awards. Noontime Drama will be screened as part of the 2023 Pelikulaya Film Festival from 23 to 30 June at the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Cinematheque Centres nationwide, online on JuanFlix: The FDCP Channel. It can also be viewed in select cinemas in Metro Manila. The short film will also be on view at the MIYERKULET Freedom Extravaganza on 30 June, 7 p.m., at the Penthouse of Fil Garcia Tower, Quezon City. The post Short film explores cooking, coming out and letting go appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia volcano draws thousands for ritual sacrifice
Thousands of Hindu worshippers scaled an active Indonesian volcano on Monday to toss livestock, food and other offerings into its smoking crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony. Swarming the thin rim around the basin of Mount Bromo, devotees heaved goats, chickens and vegetables slung across their backs up to the dusty peak as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival. Every year Tengger tribe members from surrounding highlands gather at the top of the volcano -- famed for its stunning sunrise views -- in hope of pleasing their gods and bringing luck to the Tenggerese, an Indigenous group in eastern Java. Slamet, a 40-year-old farmer who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, brought a baby cow as an offering. "We have a lot of cows back home and this one can be considered excess, so we are bringing it here... to return it back to God," he told AFP. "This is also an act of gratitude to God for giving us prosperity... We return it back to God so we can come back here next year." The calf had a lucky escape as it was handed to a villager after Slamet's prayers instead of being sacrificed to the volcanic cauldron. Some villagers who do not belong to the Tengger tribe took to the crater's steep slopes equipped with nets in an attempt to intercept offerings thrown into the abyss and avoid them going to waste. Farmer Joko Priyanto brought some of his own produce in the form of cabbages and carrots to lob down into the smoky void. "I hope I will receive a reward from the almighty God," the 36-year-old said. 'Better income' Monday's ritual was the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that authorities had allowed tourists to the site after the festival was limited to worshippers last year. The event has its roots in 15th-century folklore from the Majapahit kingdom, a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empire that stretched across Southeast Asia. Legend has it that Princess Roro Anteng and her husband, unable to bear children after years of marriage, begged the gods for help. Their prayers were answered when they were promised 25 children, as long as they agreed to sacrifice their youngest child by throwing him into Mount Bromo. Their son is said to have willingly jumped into the volcano to guarantee the prosperity of the Tengger people. For shopkeeper Rohim, who travelled from a nearby Javan city on Monday to launch potatoes, leeks and cash into the lava, it was a chance to pray for good luck. He said his fortunes had improved following previous visits. "Business has been better than before, hence my coming here," the 32-year-old said. "I'm hoping my business can improve so next year I can come back." The post Indonesia volcano draws thousands for ritual sacrifice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kyiv strikes kill 3, Russian town shelled
Missiles struck Ukraine’s capital early Thursday killing three people while shelling of the Russian region of Belgorod injured eight people. A dozen people were also wounded in the 3 a.m. missile strikes on Kyiv. “In the Desnyanskyi district: three people died, including one child (born in 2012) and 10 people were injured, including one child,” the Kyiv City Military Administration wrote on Telegram. Shebekino is facing uninterrupted shelling. “In the Dniprovskyi district: two people were injured,” it added. In Russia’s western Belgorod region, at least two people were wounded Thursday morning in an attack on the town of Shebekino blamed on Ukrainian troops, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. “Shebekino is facing uninterrupted shelling” with rocket launchers, Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram, accusing Ukrainian forces of bombarding “the center and periphery” of the town. “Eight people were injured. There were no fatalities,” he said, revising his earlier toll of five. Russia said Wednesday it was evacuating hundreds of children from villages due to the intensifying attacks. The first 300 evacuated children would be taken to Voronezh, a city about 250 kilometers further into Russia, Gladkov said. Over 1,000 more children would be moved to other provinces in the coming days, he added. Show of unity Meanwhile, European leaders staged a show of unity in the face of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Moldova on Thursday, holding a strategy summit on the continent’s political frontline in Bulboaca. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived first, making the short journey from the border of the two countries. Moldova President Maia Sandu welcomed the leaders to the second summit of the European Political Community hoping to boost her country’s bid to join the European Union. The post Kyiv strikes kill 3, Russian town shelled appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Minor tagged in 4-year-old boy’s death
A four-year-old boy was found dead inside a washing machine two days after he was reported missing on 26 May in Las Piñas City. The body of the victim, police said, was discovered at around 7 a.m. on Sunday, 28 May inside the house of his 15-year-old uncle in Kalamansi Street, Barangay CAA, Las Piñas City. The uncle told his mother that the boy fell from the stairs and that out of fear, he hid the body inside the washing machine. The suspect’s mother discovered the body from the foul smell coming from the washing machine. A deleted social media post of the suspect reportedly revealed he killed the child. Las Piñas City police chief, Col. Jaime Santos, said the family of the victim claimed the child was left in the custody of his uncle on 26 May and the child was reported missing by his father at around 4 p.m. The police were told by the father of the victim that the child was last seen playing with his cousins. As the suspect is a minor, he was handed to the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The post Minor tagged in 4-year-old boy’s death appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tereso Panga: PEZA’s homegrown leader
By combining his excellent communication skills, commitment to serving his country, and his long experience as a government executive, Tereso O. Panga, director-general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, has distinguished himself as a public servant. His recent appointment to this top post in an agency that has contributed significantly to the coffers of the national government affirms the confidence of the current national leadership in his excellent record, high acceptance of his fellow workers in the bureaucracy, and, most importantly, his credibility in the trade and industry sector, the number one partner of PEZA in pushing development forward. Tereso joined the Philippine government armed with an educational background that has proved vital toward his understanding of human nature, whether he is dealing with executives of multinational companies that are locators in economic zones or their workers. At the University of the Philippines, he first graduated with a BA in Comparative Literature and then obtained his master’s degree in Industrial Relations. “Since my father was a judge, I wanted to take up Law. I was told that the best prelaw course was AB English since one needed to be both articulate and proficient in writing. I eventually majored in Comparative Literature.” Among his professors were the legendary masters of language like National Artists Franz Arcellana and Jimmy Abad, Thelma Kintanar and Nieves Epistola. He found UP both challenging and rewarding. He adapted to the rigors of academic life, he said, “owing to my strong educational foundation first at the Naga Parochial School, and then Ateneo de Naga.” Strong-willed in a quiet way The Pangas, he said, “are original families of Bicol, particularly Camarines Sur in Iriga town, where the superstar Nora Aunor grew up. He admitted to singing a little, but not with the same intensity as that of his golden-voiced townsman. Coming from Pili town, he swore by Pili being a favorite of his. The basic trait that stood him in good stead “in UP and in future challenges,” he said, “is my being a Bicolano. Born and raised in Bicol, I am strong-willed, resilient, and yet determined. But in a quiet way.” Asked if it also meant being feared, he said, “Well, just spicy, which can be fierce, but wonderful like laing (taro leaves stewed in coconut oil and garnished with red hot chili).” The fourth among eight children of a judge, six of whom graduated from the University of the Philippines, he recalled being a “playful child, but at a young age, I was already into music. I loved playing the guitar and keyboards, but it was all by ear or ‘oido.’” To balance his artistic inclination, he also engaged in sports — chess and table tennis. Not much of a student politician, he nevertheless became president of one organization. His twin brother and another brother were officers of the student government, “so it would not look good if I became an officer too.” In UP, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1986. He also became active in UP Ibalon, an organization of Bicolanos, and the Psychology Society of UP. When it came to campus politics, he supported the Tugon party. While he earned good grades, despite giving more than ample time to his extracurricular activities, he felt he could have done better. “By any standards, I don’t think I did well as a student because I extended my stay for another year.” “My Waterloo was Math,” he confided. “I had no need for Math in my BA English course but I was hoping to shift to Economics. The hardest subject for me was Math 17.” A good writer While he was exposed to creative writing, he learned more about how to do business letters. “Of course, I wrote my thesis,” he emphasized. Fast forward to the future, he joined an Aboitiz- sponsored pilot class at the Development Academy of the Philippines that was attended by undersecretaries and assistant secretaries where he was the most junior. To his credit, his capstone paper on aquamarine and renewable energy, a pioneering venture in ecozone development, was declared the best. It was an achievement that he attributed to his exposure to composition writing at UP. Not much of a student politician, he nevertheless became president of one organization. Later, he would make his own reports and speeches, while reaching out to the various publics of PEZA through Facebook and online media. To recall, he had begun his professional life in the office of then-Congressman Aping Yap of Tarlac. “I stayed for seven years and then moved to the office of his son, Victor, who was then Vice Mayor. We organized and managed social development projects benefitting families of former Hukbalahap commanders and foot soldiers.” It was while inspecting his company’s construction project, a bowling center along Roxas Boulevard, that he came upon the headquarters of the Export Processing Zone Authority. “I had heard already of this government office and its hardworking Director General, Atty. Lilia de Lima. She was the first DG. I walked in and I applied. They called me to take the exams and go through an interview.” In less than a month, he joined PEZA in 1998. Walking the talk He has been with PEZA for 25 years. While he describes his PEZA career as “going up through the ranks,” his rise had been quite swift. He started as a planning officer 3 and went on to become Assistant Division Chief for policy and planning. By then, he had earned units leading to his master’s degree at the University of the Philippines. In time, he passed the qualifications for the Career Executive Service office, one of the youngest of his rank, and soon went up to positions requiring more responsibilities. At age 30, became the zone manager for the Batangas Economic Zone. Next, he became Zone Administrator in Baguio where he stayed for four years. He was 34 years old. “It was the time when Texas Instruments was expanding. Our office facilitated the Big Ticket Project in Clark.” His next assignment was in Cavite where he occupied the concurrent positions of Zone Manager and Administrator. He was 38 and his post required dealing with 350 locator companies. It was not surprising that the Civil Service Commission included him as a finalist in its search for outstanding Civil Service Executives. He ranked second. Soon, he returned to the Manila office, this time as Deputy Director General of Policy and Planning in 2010. It was a post that would prepare him for the highest position in the agency. At first, he served in an OIC capacity until March this year, when he was appointed as Director General by President Ferdinand R. Marcos. Panga had the support of captains of industry, among them the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry bigwigs Sergio Luis Ortiz and George Barcelon, who expressed their belief in his leadership based on his accomplishments. It has indeed been a long way for the young man from Bicol who has preferred to be “low-key” and not one to make a spectacle of his career success. It is an attitude that, he said, “I inherited from my parents, who were both public servants.” His father was a provincial judge and his mother was a public school teacher. “My mother was particular about the discipline of her children.” In keeping with his unassuming attitude, his management style is anchored on “keeping it simple by walking the talk.” I would say it is more of a transformational leadership. Because I can walk the talk I don’t need to direct people. “So, when you want to achieve something, you lead by setting an example. The direction is also clear so there are no misunderstandings or misinterpretation of the goals and objectives of the agency.” “Let’s not get distracted. Let’s just focus on doing our work,” he once told the top officials of PEZA. “Even when I was the OIC, I was presiding over a board meeting composed of 10 full-fledged Undersecretaries. Thankfully, as an insider, and being home-grown, I know how to navigate. My edge is I did not need to have a learning curve.” As part of his job, he has been traveling to promote international investments in the country. “We are always on a trade mission, showing the rest of the world what we can offer. Many of those President Marcos talked to have signed up as locators.” Through it all, he has kept the lines between work and family life. He found a lifetime partner in a lady I met because we were both working in the same building on Quezon Avenue. Happily married He was 26 years old when he married his wife, Edna, a 23-year-old Bulakena who belongs to the politically prominent Pagtalunan family of Guiguinto town. At that time, she was working in an export company. “It was love at first sight,” he recalled. “I was the only suitor not afraid of her father who was a barangay captain. I’d bring a fighting cock for him when I was courting his daughter, even if I was not an enthusiast.” “As I got to know her better, I became more enamored because she was sweet and she knew how to cook. And to this day, she does soups very well, which I love.” All said by a man who has found fulfillment at home and in the office. He is special and has found his mission in life and for his country, which can be said of Panga. And this country, in turn, is fortunate to have such a man serving in an agency that contributes billions to the government coffers. Officials of such caliber, enthusiasm, zeal, and upright moral bearing make this country a better place to live in and a magnet for international investors. The post Tereso Panga: PEZA’s homegrown leader appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DILG seeks probe over ‘balete’ collapse
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection to investigate incident on Thursday night where several houses near a creek in Recto, Manila collapsed after a tree fell on them. In a statement on Friday, Abalos directed the BFP to submit its recommendation as soon as possible to his office to prevent similar incidents from occurring anew. “I gave the BFP a directive to investigate the incident and I expect them to submit their report and recommendations in the coming days,’’ Abalos said. Initial reports from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office disclosed that three persons died and nine others were injured from the incident that occurred at Alvarado Street in Barangay 294. The fatalities included a two-year-old child. Aside from the BFP and the MDRRMO, other fire volunteer groups responded to the incident and assisted in bringing the affected residents to safer grounds. Abalos sympathized with the families of the victims and instructed the local officials to provide the necessary assistance to them. “We condole with the family of the victims of this tradegy. We also call on the local officials to ensure that the affected residents are provided with the assistance and to do everything to make sure that similar tragedies of this nature do not happen or occur again,’’ Abalos said. The DILG chief also commended the BFP and the MRRDMO for their immediate response to the incident. The post DILG seeks probe over ‘balete’ collapse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name
Anyone who had come of age in the late 1970s and the 1980s would surely know about the most famous names and faces of the younger set of the era known for the coming of age of feminism and women’s lib. The 1960s may have ushered in a cultural revolution but it was in the succeeding decades that the cataclysmic events of the decade that was, in the Philippines, would manifest in the ways and attitudes of Filipino women. I mention this phase in our history because I am sharing my thoughts on one woman whom many consider as one of the country’s most powerful, influential and successful. She is Katrina Ponce Enrile. I may not privy to the growing-up years of Katrina Ponce Enrile, and I would not have the advantage of seeing her from the point of view of someone old enough to observe the growth of a child, but as a teenager, I would occasionally read about her and see her on photographs published in newspapers and magazines, although not too frequent. I just knew she was not only well-bred and beautiful in the mestiza sense being the daughter of a striking beauty of a mother (and the granddaughter of a handsome playboy of a paternal grandfather), but that, she too was brilliant. I would assume that she got her brains from her father, one of the wonder boys of the Marcos administration. Katrina would, in time, be mentioned in juicy gossip now and then, but it was her smarts in enterprise and management that she would eventually be recognized, this notwithstanding the controversial stories that one occasionally heard of her family members. [caption id="attachment_134172" align="aligncenter" width="525"] KATRINA Ponce Enrile has always lived up to her parents ‘ expectations.[/caption] ‘Treat everybody with respect’ But to imagine her childhood and teenage years, one would suppose that for all the comforts that she might have enjoyed while living first in Urdaneta and then Dasmarinas Village, she had had to assert herself, she had once been overheard to say: “At 10, I had to fight a little bit harder to be heard” -- which was expected if one were the only daughter of a famous lawyer of a father and a lovely talented mother, herself a respected stage actress. But no matter that she had to deal with being the daughter of awe-inspiring parents, what she had been showered with, aside from her parents’ affection, was well-meaning advice. For one, it was from her dad and mom that she first heard the word of wisdom. “Treat everybody with respect — everybody. Because you don’t know what fate will bring you or them. People that you meet when you are going up, you also meet when you are going down.” No wonder that years later, as a businesswoman, she was very thoughtful in making decisions whether she was dealing with other top businessmen, her executives or the employees who served the family company at her beck and call. “I always think of how my actions and decisions would affect others,” she said in an interview with the Daily Tribune Lifestyle. No, for all the feisty woman that we know her to be, Katrina, was not advised to be aggressively pro-active when facing a conflict. The legendary Juan Ponce Enrile, instead, cautioned his daughter: “Never throw the first punch. But if they throw the first punch, then…” This, she would take to heart whenever she had had to face corporate, social or emotional bullies, not that she is one to attract people prone to violating her rights. [caption id="attachment_134173" align="aligncenter" width="525"] As the only daughter of Juan Ponce Enrile, the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley.[/caption] One imagines her father might have preferred her to be a boy, JPE being a man’s man, but to which she would have retorted: “Dad, I don’t have to be a boy to be what I am now… Girls can do it too.” Call it outright confidence, or chutzpah, or maybe it’s Pinay pride, but Katrina is not one to be cowed. And yes, she could lead and fight and attack, but as her father would most likely say: “Only if they attack first.” Self-assured executive What I have heard of Katrina, especially from my dear friend, Carol Mercado, who was her classmate at St. Paul College, is her signature confidence. “From our youth, when she could be stubborn, she has matured steadily into a self-assured executive no wonder that she has accomplish much as an entrepreneur. “It’s a paradox that while she may have been underestimated at times and even flat out rejected, she knows how to overcome these challenges because she is one creative person and she is not one to easily bow down or to say no. But then, she is not even outright assertive. She could be very charming and before any nemesis would know it, she has gotten what she wants without lifting a finger.” It would seem that the lady would have aimed for political eminence, being the daughter of the powerful JPE, but to everyone’s surprise, she had chosen to create a name outside of her inherited box (or confines), so to speak. While she takes pride in being an Enrile, she has not taken advantage of her family name as though an amulet that would do wonders for her. Instead, she has chosen to rely on the old-fashioned values of industry, respect for others, commitment and determination. She might as well be girl scout, except more courageous, daring and trailblazing. Flexing her risk-taking muscles In her 20s, when her friends were disco dancing, she was, to use another friend’s words, “flexing her risk-taking muscle and sharpening her foresight for the first time — pivotal experiences that would shape her business sense now admired by many.” She surprised everyone when, at 26, she bought properties in Palawan. “It was a big joke to many,” she recalled. “They could not see any reason I should take the risk and invest in a place where no one dared go. It was then no man’s country and perceived to be mosquito-infested.” Today, Palawan is a safe haven from the pandemic, and, of course, an investors’ paradise. On the other hand, her parents saw a promise in her, someone who would play a key role in the family enterprises. They appointed her as Group Treasurer even before her 30th birthday, and with it the added role of overseeing the many concerns of the JAKA Group of Companies. It is quite a daunting responsibility given its extensive industrial reach –- food manufacturing and product distribution to marketing and logistics; forest plantation management; safety match manufacturing, property management and development; as well as IT, security and financial services. It would seem that, for a “beginner” in the big league, it was beyond Katrina’s grasp, and yet she lived up to her parents’ expectations. [caption id="attachment_134175" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SOME of Delimondo’s best products.[/caption] In time she would qualify as the firm’s COO and eventually CEO. Not one used to trumpeting her achievements, Katrina candidly shared: “I was able to turn around the company, helping navigate it through the debilitating Asian Financial Crisis in the mid-1990s. And when the peso devalued in 2008 to 2009, when we had [a] one dollar denominated loan which I had to quickly deal with, I was able to restructure our company and keep it afloat.” Soon, she would be trusted to manage JAKA’s investments, which “allowed me to dream of bigger things, this in the midst of an economic crisis and the pressure to survive it.” Her baby Delimondo When shopping in a supermarket or a grocery, the Filipino consumers, especially those who take their corned beef seriously, would pick the Delimondo brand. They would also put the brand’s Bolognese Pasta, Luncheon Meat, Yellowfin Tuna spreads and aromatic oils in their cart or shopping bags. Katrina confides, “Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture.” Her was a one-woman team that managed the brand’s marketing, sales and R&D. To introduce it to the market, she gave away cans of their initial recipes for free. “I wanted to offer something deliciously different, one that I enjoyed from my travels abroad.” [caption id="attachment_134174" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SHE is most proud of her baby, Delimondo.[/caption] It wasn’t long before investors would come in too aware that Delimondo operates its own plants that produce and package its own products. The company would soon expand and offers its manufacturing services to other products all the way to exporting them. In time and with Katrina at the helm, JAKA shifted to investing in other companies. But if her JAKA performance is impressive, anyone should take a look at her other achievements. To cite one, as the Philippines Overseas Telecommunications Operations director and CEO/president. She led the efforts to renew the company’s franchise that would allow it to provide the Philippines satellite services. For another, as director and president, she has brought into the Montemar Resorts Development Corporation and Montemar Beach Club Inc. not only her management expertise, but her exposure to top international resorts as a frequent guest. No wonder that Manila’s well-heeled consider these resorts as standard-bearers of local luxury travel. [caption id="attachment_134171" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture,’ said Katrina.[/caption] Transforming the upper east corner of Luzon Katrina also sits as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s vice chairperson. In this role, she envisions making the province a model destination that easily rivals the country’s capital. “They’re considering appointing me as administrator. Once that post is confirmed, I will be fully committed to transforming the upper east corner of Luzon into another business area that the Philippines will be proud of.” As part of her vision, she plans to build a stronger point of economy with the available freeport and expand its potential by constructing an airport. To attract investors, she plans to boost incentives to encourage more players to relocate. “We plan to make smart cities there. I plan to make it very green. I plan to protect the lush forests. It’s really also known as the rice granary of the Philippines. I plan to push the transition from GMOs (genetically modified organism) to non-GMOs. I know that that will be a hard task but I plan to do it. I want to give the Filipinos healthy food for the next generations to come,” she states. Worthy and deserving As the only daughter of the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley. She may have grown up in Manila, travelled the whole world, but her heart has always remained in the home of her father, Juan Ponce Enrile, and it is among his people, relatives and townsmen that she intends to pursue her next dream. There is no stopping this feisty Cagayanon. For her home province, she is out to conquer the world. But then, I must insist that this is not about being her father’s daughter, although there is no denying the great influence of JPE on Katrina becoming the woman that she has become -- strong-willed, passionate, forward-thinking. Still, Katrina could only thank herself most for being herself. That she accepted the challenges that came her way and faced them head on using her own gifts and advantages – which undoubtedly brought her to her destiny, one that she has arrived at and one that she has yet to fulfill. Indeed, if the women’s movement has reached this far, and women today now enjoy key positions in government, private sector and civil society, this may be attributed to the generations of women who have looked toward the future and embraced their destinies as key players in the affairs of humanity. Katrina is one of these women and we wish her all the best. No one could be more worthy of the challenge and deserving of the honor. The post Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A mother’s love
Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan Sana’y di nagmaliw ang dati kong araw Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni nanay Nais kong maulit ang awit ni inang mahal Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako’y nasa duyan Sana’y di nagmaliw ang dati kong araw Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni nanay Nais kong maulit ang awit ni inang mahal Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako’y nasa duyan [Refrain:] Sa aking pagtulog na labis ang himbing Ang bantay ko’y tala, ang tanod ko’y bituin Sa piling ni nanay, langit ay buhay Puso kong may dusa sabik sa ugoy ng duyan Sana’y di nagmaliw ang dati kong araw Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni nanay Nais kong maulit ang awit ni inang mahal Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako’y nasa duyan Sa aking pagtulog na labis ang himbing Ang bantay ko’y tala, ang tanod ko’y bituin Sa piling ni nanay, langit ay buhay Puso kong may dusa sabik sa ugoy ng duyan Nais kong matulog sa dating duyan ko, inay O! Inay Each year, we celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May for the unconditional love and the support we get or have gotten from our first teachers, our biggest fans, and oftentimes our true friends — our respective mothers. For Filipinos, in and out of the country, the song Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (music by Lucio San Pedro and lyrics by Levi Celerio) is a beautiful and classic homegrown lullaby that perfectly captures the love between a mother and a child. San Pedro composed the piece during the World War 2 Japanese occupation of the Philippines, inspired by the melody that his mother, Soledad Diestro, hummed in putting him to sleep as a boy. Completing the melancholic melody would be Celerio who, as fate would have it according to accounts, found himself joining San Pedro aboard the SS Gordon in a stopover in Honolulu, Hawaii on a trip back to Manila in 1947. Coming from the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, San Pedro would embark on his first and, as it turned out, greatest collaboration with Celerio in finishing the song sa Ugoy ng Duyan as we know it today rendered by such artists like Lea Salonga. Celerio’s lyrics are powerful in their simplicity in speaking to the deep bond that exists between mothers and their children. There’s so much yearning in the singer’s wish to never forget a childhood filled with a mother’s memories, of wanting to hear the mother sing again and again. Sleep — a luxury in today’s fast-paced world marked by a rat race that has never been as frenetic — becomes heavenly and sublime, peaceful and quiet under the stars when touched off by a mother’s lullaby. In the line, “Puso kong may dusa sabik sa ugoy ng duyan,” we are reminded that hardships become bearable when there’s a mother or a mother’s memories to guide us. Sa Ugoy ng Duyan reminds us of the love and comfort that mothers provide their children, a song that all people, Filipino or not, could relate to no matter what age or background one has. As we honored mothers yesterday, let us make it more meaningful by making it a continuing celebration of their lives and their contributions in our chartering our own paths. Let Mother’s Day be every day. The post A mother’s love appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Princes Harry, Andrew out in the cold at coronation
Princes Harry and Andrew will both attend the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday but will have no formal role in proceedings -- confirming they remain out in the cold. Charles's younger son Harry and his American wife Meghan quit royal duties in 2020 and have since unleashed a string of barbed attacks on the monarchy. Andrew, the king's brother, has been frozen out over his past association with the disgraced late US financier Jeffrey Epstein and a related sexual abuse allegation which was settled out of court. Harry, 38, the Duke of Sussex, and 63-year-old Andrew, the Duke of York, will attend the coronation service at London's Westminster Abbey but will not perform any duties. The pair will also be absent from the public procession behind the Gold State Coach carrying the newly crowned king from the abbey back to Buckingham Palace after the ceremony. But they may yet appear on the palace balcony. Harry is fifth in line to the throne, following his brother Prince William, and William's three children -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Wales. Andrew is eighth in line, coming after Harry and his children -- Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. After finally deciding to attend, Harry's every move will be heavily scrutinized. He rejoins his family for the first time since subjecting them to a torrent of stinging criticism in his memoir "Spare" and in a series of television interviews. Meghan has remained in California with the children, thereby avoiding potentially awkward interactions with her in-laws. At the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the royal dukes each paid personal homage and allegiance to the monarch, in a public vow of loyalty. They pledged to "become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. So help me God." But this time, only William, the heir to the throne, will speak "the words of fealty" and pay "the homage of royal blood", as the coronation liturgy calls it -- sparing Harry from having to kneel before his father. Buckingham Palace has not said whether Harry and Andrew will or will not appear on the palace balcony following the ceremony. At Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last June for her 70 years on the throne, the balcony appearance was restricted to working royals only. But her coronation in 1953 featured multiple balcony appearances, so Harry and Andrew might potentially appear in a wider royal family gathering. Saturday marks Archie's fourth birthday, so Harry might make a swift exit back to his home in California. Andrew's links with Epstein -- boyfriend of the prince's friend Ghislaine Maxwell -- came back to haunt him. A US woman, Virginia Giuffre, said she was pressured to have sex with Andrew when she was 17 after being delivered by Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution. Andrew denied the allegations in a November 2019 BBC interview that nonetheless went down badly. Within days, he stepped back from his patronages and in May 2020 he permanently resigned from all public roles. The case was settled out of court in February 2022, with Giuffre accepting a donation to her charity and no admission of liability from Andrew. Andrew took part in events surrounding Queen Elizabeth II's funeral but, beyond mourning his mother, Charles has shown no sign of allowing him a return to public life. The post Princes Harry, Andrew out in the cold at coronation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India to surpass China this week as world’s most populous nation
India will overtake China as the world's most populous country in the coming week, hitting almost 1.43 billion people, the United Nations said Monday. "By the end of this month, India's population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850 people, matching and then surpassing the population of mainland China," the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs said. Last week the UN's annual State of World Population report said the milestone would come by midyear 2023. India is topping China due to both rapid growth in its own population and a decline in China's after hitting 1.426 billion last year. Regarded as the world's most heavily populated country since the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century CE, China is expected to decline steadily to around one billion people by the end of this century, according to UN projections. The China data does not include Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macau. Meanwhile, India's population "is virtually certain" to continue to grow in the coming decades, according to the United Nations. The median UN projection sees India hitting 1.5 billion by mid-century -- though officials stressed it could be much lower or higher. China's fall is heavily tied to decades of maintaining a strict one-child policy for married couples, which ended in 2016. In addition, its slower growth is attributed to the rising cost of living and the growing number of Chinese women going into the workforce and seeking higher education. Last year, China's fertility rate fell to one of the lower levels in the world at 1.2 births per woman. For India, which has taken much longer than China to get population growth under control, the fertility rate was 2.0 births per woman, just below the 2.1 replacement level. Yet both countries had about the same level of fertility, just under six births per woman, in 1970, said John Wilmoth, director of the Population Division and the Economic and Social Affairs Department. "It took three and a half decades for India to experience the same fertility reduction that occurred in China over just seven years during the 1970s," he said. A key reason for the difference was Beijing's one-child policy; another was India's lower human capital investment and slower economic growth during the 1970s and 1980s, according to the UN. Wilmoth said that the reason the population report last week said India would surpass China by midyear was that it was using a projection made based on data last year. The projection announced Monday is based on more recent data -- though still a projection, Wilmoth stressed. "The precise timing of when this crossover occurs is not known for sure and it will never be known," he told reporters. Ageing populations and jobs Both countries must confront rapidly ageing populations, China more so than India. India faces huge challenges providing electricity, food and housing for its growing population, with many of its massive cities already struggling with water shortages, air and water pollution, and packed slums. Surpassing China shines a spotlight on the challenge facing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide jobs for the millions of young people entering the job market every year. Meanwhile, China's economy is increasingly challenged to fill positions due to its ageing population. Beijing said last week that its national strategy is designed "to actively respond to population ageing, promotes the three-child birth policy and supporting measures, and actively responds to changes in population development." "China's demographic dividend has not disappeared. The talent dividend is taking shape, and development momentum remains strong," said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. The post India to surpass China this week as world’s most populous nation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P5 million in prizes up for grabs for your child s education and future
With the aim to give everyone something to be hopeful about, Colgate is coming in like a breath of fresh air with big surprises in tow. That’s because their #SmileStrong Promo for Millions is giving away P5 million in prizes for your kids’ bright future!.....»»
P5 million in prizes up for grabs for your child s education and future
With the aim to give everyone something to be hopeful about, Colgate is coming in like a breath of fresh air with big surprises in tow. That’s because their #SmileStrong Promo for Millions is giving away P5 million in prizes for your kids’ bright future!.....»»