Gov& rsquo;t to bring in imported pork priced cheaper in supermarkets
The government has approved the importation of 388,740 metric tons (MT) of pork from foreign sources not affected by the African swine fever (ASF) to bridge the gap between supply and demand as the highly infectious disease has decimated local pig stocks......»»
Meta putting AI in smart glasses, assistants and more
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday said the tech giant is putting artificial intelligence into digital assistants and smart glasses as it seeks to gain lost ground in the AI race. Zuckerberg made his announcements at the Connect developers conference at Meta's headquarters in Silicon Valley, the company's main annual product event. "Advances in AI allow us to create different (applications) and personas that help us accomplish different things," Zuckerberg said as he kicked off the gathering. "And smart glasses are going to eventually allow us to bring all of this together into a stylish form factor that we can wear." Smart glasses are one of the many ways that tech companies have tried to move beyond the smartphone as a user-friendly device, but so far with little success. The second-generation Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses made in a partnership with EssilorLuxottica will have a starting price of $299 when they hit the market on 17 October. The smart glasses also add the ability for users to stream what they are seeing in real-time, Zuckerberg said. "Smart glasses are the ideal form factor for you to let AI assistants see what you're seeing and hear what you're hearing." Meta also introduced 28 "AIs" that people can message on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram with "personalities" based on celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton, and YouTube star MrBeast. Zuckerberg demonstrated an interaction with one such AI from the stage in a type-written chat promising that the new bots would soon be voiced. "This is our first effort at training a bunch of AI that are a bit more fun," Zuckerberg said. "But look, this is early stuff and these still have a lot of limitations, which you will see when you use them." The event was the first in-person edition of Connect since 2019, before the pandemic, and announcements on generative AI were widely expected. Meta has taken a much more cautious approach than its rivals Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to push out AI products, prioritizing small steps and making its in-house models available to developers and researchers. 'Best value' Meta also unveiled the latest version of its Quest virtual reality headset with richer graphics, improved audio, and the ability for a wearer to see what is around them without taking the gear off, a demonstration for AFP showed. "This is going to be a big game changer and a big capacity improvement for these headsets," Zuckerberg told developers gathered in a Meta headquarters courtyard. Quest 3 headsets were priced starting at $499 and will begin shipping on 10 October, according to Meta. This is substantially cheaper than Apple's Vision Pro, which will cost a hefty $3,499 when it is available early next year in the United States only. The Quest 3 "is going to be the best value on the market for a long time to come", said Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, to laughter from the audience. New game titles for Quest 3 included "Assassin's Creed Nexus" from Ubisoft as well as a Roblox game. "Meta is trying to bring a much-upgraded version of (mixed-reality) to the masses," said Insider Intelligence principal analyst Yory Wurmser. The post Meta putting AI in smart glasses, assistants and more appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Regulate them’: Hard-up Indonesia traders urge TikTok sales ban
As clothing seller Hendri Tanjung struggles to hawk his tunics to Indonesian buyers outside his market shop, he says customers are turning to cheaper versions on TikTok, pummeling his income. The 35-year-old sells his wares at Tanah Abang, Southeast Asia's largest textile market, where sellers are desperately calling out to passersby. The market in the capital Jakarta is less crowded than usual, with some outlets shuttered, as many of its thousands of merchants selling products made in factories or by tailors and weavers complain about the impact of TikTok's booming e-commerce arm on their business. "We want the government to close TikTok Shop, or at least regulate them. I feel bad for my employees," said Tanjung. Indonesians spent more money on the Chinese-owned app than anywhere else in the region over the past year, as TikTok Shop rapidly gained a substantial regional market share and millions of sellers since its 2021 launch. But government ministers in Southeast Asia's biggest economy have threatened to ban the app outright because of its impact on local sellers, including those at Tanah Abang who rely on offline buyers. Tanjung said a tunic he sells at 60,000 rupiah ($3.90), can be found for 40,000 rupiah on TikTok Shop, undercutting his business. "I don't know where they source their products to sell at such low prices. Ours are our own products and we cannot sell them at that price," he said. After a daily revenue drop of more than 80 percent from 30 million rupiah ($1,948) to five million ($324) in recent months, he was forced to lay off five of his 30 employees. Laws in the archipelago nation do not cover transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram. But President Joko Widodo said new regulation on social media transactions could come as early as Tuesday. The draft regulation, expected to be presented soon after Widodo said Monday it was "being finalized in the trade ministry", will aim to curb what Jakarta says are monopolistic practices. Level playing field Experts say such regulation would create a level playing field for local businesses. "The key is to regulate social commerce to be on par with e-commerce and traditional offline retailers," said Nailul Huda, a researcher at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. "The government should enhance protection for local products by tightening regulations on imported goods and offering disincentives for imports." TikTok has criticized calls for a ban, saying it would harm Indonesian merchants and consumers. "Close to two million local businesses in Indonesia use TikTok to grow and thrive through social commerce," Anggini Setiawan, TikTok Indonesia's head of communications, told AFP earlier this month. Indonesia is TikTok's second-largest market, with 125 million users, according to company figures. It is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance. The country represented 42 percent of TikTok's $4.4 billion regional gross merchandise value last year, according to Singapore-based consultancy Momentum Works. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the coming years. But the market sellers want TikTok's rise restricted. Atinah, a 21-year-old who sells clothing, said she could no longer hope for high weekend sales at her shop at Tanah Abang, which used to bring in around 10 million rupiah per day. "We are happy if the government can regulate TikTok Shop since now we can only make around three million rupiah on weekends," said Atinah, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "Buyers always compare the prices here with what they see on TikTok Shop." The post ‘Regulate them’: Hard-up Indonesia traders urge TikTok sales ban appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Net metering catches on among power users
The Manila Electric Co. or Meralco reported a spike in the number of customers joining the net-metering scheme, which empowers them to generate their electricity for consumption and export any excess generation to the distribution grid. In his speech on the second day of the three-day Giga Summit organized by Meralco Power Academy, Meralco senior vice president and chief revenue officer Ferdinand Geluz said the annual number of net-metering customers and its capacity are “increasing rapidly.” “To date, we have 8,544 net-metering customers with 50.3 megawatts of installed capacity. Year-on-year net-metering numbers and capacity are increasing rapidly,” Geluz said. “For the whole of 2022, these customers exported 20.3 GWh, while as of July this year, 16.2 gigawatt-hours in energy export was already generated and can be projected to exceed last year’s aggregate number,” he added. Energy-efficient practice Geluz also noted that the boost in net-metering initiatives complemented Republic Act 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, which institutionalizes energy efficiency and conservation, enhances the efficient use of energy, and grants incentives to energy efficiency and conservation projects. The net-metering program allows customers to export their excess electricity to the grid in exchange for electricity bill credits. To further encourage the use of cleaner and cheaper energy, the government previously said it will expand the program to more areas — especially in far-flung provinces that are not yet connected to the grid. Last Monday, Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla said the adoption of modern technologies, smart grid systems, and demand-side management to bring down overall energy consumption and cut down greenhouse gas emissions will be included in the 2023-2050 Philippine Energy Plan or PEP supposed to be out this month. Lotilla disclosed that public consultations on the draft PEP are ongoing. The post Net metering catches on among power users appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Group urges return of NFA inspection power
The Federation of Free Farmers urged the government to re-implement the inspection power of the National Food Authority over warehouses of rice traders to prevent price manipulation by illegal hoarders. Leonardo Montemayor, FFF board chairman and former agriculture chief, last Friday told the DAILY TRIBUNE the inspectorate and enforcement division of the Department of Agriculture headed by assistant secretary James Layug has insufficient manpower to inspect the warehouses. “That office is too small for the job. Warehouse inspections are important because prices have gone up and we must ensure that there is no hoarding of rice. Besides, I believe NFA only has stocks good for a few days,” Montemayor said. Hoarding creates an artificial insufficient supply of rice that forces market vendors to hike prices to fill consumer demand. Prices of regular milled rice have risen to over P50 per kilo, above the recommended price of just P32 to P36 per kilo, following the end of the harvest season in mid-year. Agriculture officials said the next season will begin next month or in October. On the other hand, Montemayor said the government must automatically and strictly implement the 35-percent minimum tax requirement on imported rice under the Rice, Tariffication Law or RTL to ensure local farmers are not deprived of decent incomes. “This will help prevent imported rice from flooding the local market as they are often cheaper, forcing vendors of local rice to bring down their prices to compete with the imports. I’m not sure if the government is imposing the tariff because local production remains low,” he said. Signed into law in 2019, the RTL requires proceeds from the 35-percent tariff on exporting countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to be used in purchasing machinery and other farm inputs for local farmers to increase their production. NFA stocks fell 27.1 percent to 99,030 metric tons in April, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. However, the total volume of local rice increased by 3 percent to 9 million metric tons from January to June. This is much lower than those of its neighboring countries, such as Vietnam’s 43.4 million tons and Thailand’s 28.3 million tons. President and Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to make the country food self-sufficient in the next two years by consolidating farms and innovating the agriculture industry, among others. Agriculture spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the government is open for a review of the RTL, which Montemayor said is a step forward toward real agricultural development. These statements came after Agriculture senior undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said the government discussed with India and Vietnam their importation of rice to augment stocks for any possible shortage due to El Nino and other weather disturbances. “The FFF welcomes the incumbent administration’s long-overdue recognition of the serious infirmities in the RTL. Essentially, it has left food security and farmers’ and consumers’ welfare to the vagaries of the so-called free market and the humanitarian graces of rice-exporting countries,” Montemayor said. The post Group urges return of NFA inspection power appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rise of the machines: AI spells danger for Hollywood stunt workers
Hollywood's striking actors fear that artificial intelligence is coming for their jobs -- but for many stunt performers, that dystopian danger is already a reality. From "Game of Thrones" to the latest Marvel superhero movies, cost-slashing studios have long used computer-generated background figures to reduce the number of actors needed for battle scenes. Now, the rise of AI means cheaper and more powerful techniques are being explored to create highly elaborate action sequences such as car chases and shootouts -- without those pesky (and expensive) humans. Stunt work, a time-honored Hollywood tradition that has spanned from silent epics through to Tom Cruise's latest "Mission Impossible," is at risk of rapidly shrinking. "The technology is exponentially getting faster and better," said Freddy Bouciegues, stunt coordinator for movies like "Free Guy" and "Terminator: Dark Fate." "It's really a scary time right now." Studios are already requiring stunt and background performers to take part in high-tech 3D "body scans" on set, often without explaining how or when the images will be used. Advancements in AI mean these likenesses could be used to create detailed, eerily realistic "digital replicas," which can perform any action or speak any dialogue its creators wish. Bouciegues fears producers could use these virtual avatars to replace "nondescript" stunt performers -- such as those playing pedestrians leaping out of the way of a car chase. "There could be a world where they said, 'No, we don't want to bring these 10 guys in... we'll just add them in later via effects and AI. Now those guys are out of the job." But according to director Neill Blomkamp, whose new film "Gran Turismo" hits theaters August 25, even that scenario only scratches the surface. The role AI will soon play in generating images from scratch is "hard to compute," he told AFP. "Gran Turismo" primarily uses stunt performers driving real cars on actual racetracks, with some computer-generated effects added on top for one particularly complex and dangerous scene. But Blomkamp predicts that, in as soon as six or 12 months, AI will reach a point where it can generate photo-realistic footage like high-speed crashes based on a director's instructions alone. At that point, "you take all of your CG (computer graphics) and VFX (visual effects) computers and throw them out the window, and you get rid of stunts, and you get rid of cameras, and you don't go to the racetrack," he told AFP. "It's that different." The human element The lack of guarantees over the future use of AI is one of the major factors at stake in the ongoing strike by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and Hollywood's writers, who have been on the picket lines 100 days. SAG-AFTRA last month warned that studios intend to create realistic digital replicas of performers, to use "for the rest of eternity, in any project they want" -- all for the payment of one day's work. The studios dispute this, and say they have offered rules including informed consent and compensation. But as well as the potential implications for thousands of lost jobs, Bouciegues warns that no matter how good the technology has become, "the audience can still tell" when the wool is being pulled over their eyes by computer-generated VFX. Even if AI can perfectly replicate a battle, explosion or crash, it cannot supplant the human element that is vital to any successful action film, he said, pointing to Cruise's recent "Top Gun" and "Mission Impossible" sequels. "He uses real stunt people, and he does real stunts, and you can see it on the screen. For me, I feel like it subconsciously affects the viewer," said Bouciegues. Current AI technology still gives "slightly unpredictable results," agreed Blomkamp, who began his career in VFX, and directed Oscar-nominated "District 9." "But it's coming... It's going to fundamentally change society, let alone Hollywood. The world is going to be different." For stunt workers like Bouciegues, the best outcome now is to blend the use of human performers with VFX and AI to pull off sequences that would be too dangerous with old-fashioned techniques alone. "I don't think this job will ever just cease to be," said Bouciegues, of stunt work. "It just definitely is going to get smaller and more precise." But even that is a sobering reality for stunt performers who are currently standing on picket lines outside Hollywood studios. "Every stunt guy is the alpha male type, and everybody wants to say, 'Oh, we're good,'" said Bouciegues. "But I personally have spoken to a lot of people that are freaked out and nervous." The post Rise of the machines: AI spells danger for Hollywood stunt workers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Growth, typhoon backlash will guide BSP — economists
Economists believed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, or BSP, might raise its policy rate this month amid prospects of high economic growth in the second quarter and faster inflation in August. “If we see a hot GDP or gross domestic product reading for the second quarter, this could be a precursor to more tightening ahead. We think GDP will come in at 6.1 percent year-on-year for the second quarter, and the BSP doing an insurance hike of 25 basis points to bring policy rate to 6.50 percent,” Dan Roces, chief economist of Security Bank Corp., told the Daily Tribune. The Asian Development Bank forecasted the GDP at 6 percent this year, higher than Indonesia’s 4.8 percent and Malaysia’s 4.7 percent. GDP stood at 6.4 percent in the first quarter this year, while it surged to 7.4 percent in the second quarter last year as the global economies started reopening from the pandemic, hiking demand for various goods and services and the inflation rate to 6.1 percent during that period. Last month, inflation continued slowing to 4.7 percent from 5.4 percent in June due to cheaper food prices. Critical factor Roces said the downtrend will be impeded if food supply turns insufficient due to recent typhoon “Egay” and forces businesses to raise prices in offsetting costs for imports. “There might be higher importation to fill the void in food items as well as construction repair materials which may pressure the Philippine peso,” he said. Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said a likely higher BSP rate will prevent jumps in prices of imports as it would keep the peso from weakening against the US dollar. “A possible local policy rate hike to match the latest US.Federal Reserve hike would aim to maintain healthy interest rates differentials to stabilize the peso exchange rate versus the US dollar, import prices, and overall inflation,” he explained. If this materializes, Roces said inflation will likely dip below 4 percent by October, within the BSP’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent this year. Ricafort said the peso has been strong which indicates currency resiliency and sound policy decisions by the BSP. “An offsetting positive factor for inflation would be the relatively stronger peso exchange rate versus the US dollar recently, to among the strongest in three months, thereby could somewhat help ease import prices and overall inflation,” he said. The post Growth, typhoon backlash will guide BSP — economists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Viable aggie solution needed
It was a soporific SoNAta from the halls of Congress. But there were sudden drumbeats that perked up his audience. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. surely knows how to spice up his speeches. “The campaign against illegal drugs shall continue,” “bilang na ang araw ng mga smuggler,” amnesty to rebels, national integration of the power grid, digitalization of the government bureaucracy, continuation and expansion of infrastructure projects of the PRRD administration, and the creation of a Department of Water Resource Management, among others. But how can we reconcile the good news about the economic growth PBBM has boasted about against the backdrop of inflation? Dispersing Kadiwa rolling stores all over the country will not provide relief from the high cost of consumer commodities. It is a Band-aid solution at best. It is a consolation, however, that President Marcos cited agriculture as the backbone of the Philippine economy and that increasing agricultural productivity must be addressed. His approach, however, is not too comforting as it looks like it was discussed in an air-conditioned room rather than proven in the field by actual practice. He wants farmers to use biofertilizer which, according to him, is cheaper. The fact is, it is not. Biofertilizer as the name suggests is made up of micro-organisms that increase the supply of essential nutrients in plants. Whether this type of fertilizer is available in the country is a big question and if it is, will the volumes suffice? Biofertilizer collects nutrients around the root system of plants. In the process, which could take long, the basic elements needed by the plant, among these, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium or NPK, are fed to the plants although the levels of each are not ascertained. With chemical fertilizer, NPK levels are set and are immediately available to the plants. Furthermore, in preparing fields for planting, either by direct seeding or transplanting seedlings, farmers actually spray biocides first to eliminate the pesky snails that eat the growing seedlings. Biocides will effectively kill microorganisms as well so there goes your expense on biofertilizer. Furthermore, in the stages of palay growth, various infestations happen, among them, stem borers and black bugs, which prompt farmers to spray insecticide. Admittedly, biofertilizer is an excellent soil conditioner. Moreover, not all biofertilizers are created equal. Some producers cook their raw materials, like chicken dung and animal manure, killing all the microorganisms and still calling it biofertilizer. In Davao City, the Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation, a pioneering firm engaged in the processing of biodegradable garbage waste into fertilizer, is currently producing biofertilizer through a special process by composting hyperthermophilic bacteria that drive the temperature up to over 100 degrees C naturally. The hyperthermophilic microbes heat that high in the second week and fix the basic nutrients, the NPK, on the finished product. The product has proven excellent to apply to cacao trees. It has also given dramatic results in experimental Cavendish banana plantations. But we are in a crucial stage. Rice-producing countries, among them, Vietnam, Thailand, and India, are not in the mode of exporting rice. What we need is an immediate solution to address the impending rice shortage. Marcos should jettison the “Tontos” who told him that biofertilizer was cheaper than chemical fertilizer. He should move fast and strike a government-to-government deal with China, the biggest fertilizer producer in the world. This would bring down the cost of fertilizer by more than 50 percent. Fertilizer should be available by mid-September in time for the next planting season. Toward the end of the year, we will see bumper rice harvests and stave off a rice shortage. In the meantime, let us see smugglers and hoarders of agricultural products going to jail. We are tired of the empty rhetoric. The post Viable aggie solution needed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Policy rate hike possible by Aug
BSP could match any Fed rate decision to maintain healthy interest rate differentials to support the stability of the peso exchange rate, import prices and overall inflation Economists see a possibility the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP will increase rates next month to match a US Federal Reserve’s move to maintain a healthy currency exchange rate and rein in inflation. Dan Roces, chief economist at Security Bank, forecasted an increase of 25 basis points or bps which would bring the current guidance to 6.5 percent. “This may likely occur in August at 25 bps, following an anticipated similar-sized hike by the US Federal Reserve on 26 July,” Roces told the Daily Tribune last Friday. “BSP could match any Fed rate decision to maintain healthy interest rate differentials to support the stability of the peso exchange rate, import prices, and overall inflation,” Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., added. Effect on peso stength A higher BSP rate tends to strengthen the peso value against the dollar, making prices of imported goods and services cheaper while discouraging some consumers from borrowing from banks. BSP aims to bring down inflation further from the latest figure of 5.4 percent in June to 2 percent to 4 percent this year. Meanwhile, Roces said the likely higher BSP rate should impact Philippine banks only minimally and enable them to still fulfill their loan, deposit and savings obligations to customers. “The Philippines is in a good position to withstand another rate hike though, with a well-capitalized and liquid banking system and robust private consumption.” Roces said the inflation rate might accelerate again as businesses increase prices to meet even stronger consumer demand for goods and services to be likely driven by higher salaries. “Considering the June inflation print, wage and fare hikes, and the upside risks to the inflation outlook especially in the core, the data suggests that the BSP may consider further policy rate adjustments.” The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region last month approved an additional P40 to the minimum daily wage of workers in this area which will be effective starting 16 July. This came also amid a downtrend in the unemployment rate in the country. Employment situation improves Jobless rate further improved to 4.3 percent in May from 4.5 percent in April, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. It was the second lowest jobless rate since April 2005. Considering the June inflation print, wage and fare hikes, and the upside risks to the inflation outlook especially in the core, the data suggests that the BSP may consider further policy rate adjustments. Similarly, the US had 497,000 more workers in the private sector last month which was double the forecast among market analysts. Global analysts said this tempts the Federal Reserve to resume raising its rate on 26 July to prevent inflation from rising again as an effect of higher consumer demand for goods and services. The local economists said BSP would consider this and the other aforementioned factors in deciding its own rate on 17 August. The post Policy rate hike possible by Aug appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Inflation eases further to 5.4%
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said a collaboration with farmers is crucial to reducing inflation which has eased for the fifth straight month in June. Marcos made the statement as data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the consumer price index had eased from 6.1 percent in May to 5.4, mostly due to cheaper prices of food, transportation, housing, and utilities. Overall food prices decelerated to 6.7 percent in June from 7.4 percent in May, with the most notable declines in the prices of sugar, meat, and other animal products. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Livestock Philippines 2023 in Pasay City, Marcos said the government is working with farmers to lower prices, improve production efficiency, and take full advantage of new technologies. “If you remember, inflation increased in January and February, particularly due to the rise in the cost of agricultural products,” Marcos said. “That’s why this kind of collaboration and exchange of ideas being done now is important because we are helping the producers of agricultural commodities to lower prices, improve production efficiency, and take full advantage of new technologies.” Marcos cited the example of sugar, which contributed significantly to inflation in recent months. He said the government has stabilized the price of sugar by making a clear importation schedule. “This is the kind of thing that is helping to bring down the inflation rate,” he said. “That’s why doing this, improving the technologies, helping our farmers at both ends of that value chain, there is an advantage because the farmers will make more money because they are spending less because they are more efficient,” he said. Ensure stability The government, he said, will continue to work with farmers to reduce inflation. He said the goal is to ensure that prices are stable and that consumers can plan for the future. The latest overall inflation rate was the lowest since June last year although fish prices were up 6.2 percent from 5 percent, while the prices of vegetables and rice increased slightly by only decimal points. Fuel prices were also down to -3.1 percent from -0.5 percent, while electricity costs for households dropped to 10.3 percent from 13.6 percent. Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and fuel, also decreased to 7.4 percent from 7.7 percent. Prices of restaurant and financial services, clothing and footwear, and telecommunications remained stable, while personal care products increased slightly to 5.8 percent from 5.7 percent. The National Economic and Development Authority or NEDA expects the continued downtrend in inflation to approach the government’s target of 2 percent to 4 percent by the end of the year. “The government remains committed to protecting the purchasing power of the Filipino people by ensuring food security, reducing transport and logistics costs, and lowering energy costs for households,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said. Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said government agencies must monitor the factors that could potentially derail the inflation trajectory from the aforementioned target. “The El Niño or drought, especially in the latter part of this year to early 2024, could reduce agricultural production and supplies, such as rice, thereby leading to a pickup in prices and overall inflation,” she said. She added that the recent P40 increase in the minimum wage in Metro Manila could push up consumer prices again as the public has more cash to spend. “The latest increase in the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers in Metro Manila would lead to some pass-on inflation effects or higher prices of other goods and services in the economy, similar to last year,” he noted. He said government agencies must have other strategies in place to prevent a reversal of the inflation trend as “the wage hike had been somewhat anticipated.” @tribunephl_tiz The post Inflation eases further to 5.4% appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pat Robertson, who made Christian right a political force, dead at 93
Pat Robertson, the soft-spoken televangelist who helped make America's Christians a powerful political force while demonizing liberals, feminists, and gays as sinners, died Thursday at the age of 93, his organization announced. The longtime host of "The 700 Club" on his huge Christian Broadcasting Network and one-time presidential candidate died at his home in Virginia Beach, according to a network statement. Robertson promoted "a worldview that believes in the inerrancy of the Bible," CBN said. "Today, his influence and legacy crisscross interests and industries that have broken barriers for countless Christian leaders and laypeople." Broadcasting "The 700 Club" daily since 1966, the avuncular Robertson promoted a literal belief in "end of times" prophecies of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel that forecast the destruction of the world to become a Christian paradise. In practice, he advocated for an extremely conservative Christianity focused on "traditional" families and a country founded on the Bible, rejecting the longstanding US principle of separation of church and state. He defined the world as riven by an epochal fight between Islam and Christianity, and meanwhile spearheaded US Christian support for Israel as the land of the "chosen" Jewish people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once called Robertson "a tremendous friend of Israel and a tremendous friend of mine." But he also drew loathing from progressives with his condemnations of feminism and LQBTQ culture as destroying America. His powerful support in 2016 for Donald Trump -- arguably helping seal Trump's presidential victory -- further widened the cultural chasm dividing the country. Marine, lawyer, minister Robertson was born on 22 March 1930 in Lexington, Virginia, the son of a conservative Democratic member of the US House of Representatives and then the Senate for 34 years. After graduating from Virginia's Washington and Lee University, in 1948 he joined the US Marines, serving in Korea. He then graduated from Yale Law School, was ordained a Baptist minister, and in short order launched in 1961 what became the massive CBN empire from a small television station in Tidewater Virginia. After CBN's early financial struggles, he named "The 700 Club" for an early core of 70 supporters who pledged $10 each month. The program mixed news, spiritual and lifestyle stories along with interviews of public figures, and became a hit, especially in rural communities across the country. That made it a mainstream stop for political candidates courting Christian voters: guests included Republican Ronald Reagan and Democrat Jimmy Carter. Robertson expanded into other media businesses, launching what became the popular, conservative "Family Channel" on cable television, and the influential Christian-based Regent University in Virginia Beach. Push into politics In 1987, he launched the Christian Coalition, seeking to bring together different Christian denominations as a force for the conservative values he espoused. Ever since, the organization has been at the forefront of the US culture wars, pressuring Congress and the White House on moral and religious issues such as abortion and the separation of church and state. In 1990, he launched the American Center for Law and Justice, a legal lobby to advance Christian religious rights against secularism in the courts. Robertson himself sought political office, running unsuccessfully in the Republican presidential primary in 1988. But what he built had a lasting impact: a conservative Christian voter bloc instrumental in bringing Trump to power and still exercising enormous influence over the Republican Party. "He shattered the stained glass window," TD Jakes, a Dallas pastor said in CBN's statement. "People of faith were taken seriously beyond the church house and into the White House." Controversies But there were controversies along the way. He courted Democratic Republic of the Congo dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, hoping to convert their countries to Christian states where gay people were banned -- while investing in diamond mining in a deal with Mobutu. In 2001, as America reeled from the September 11 attacks, Robertson endorsed the view that tolerance for lesbians, gays, and doctors carrying out abortions had drawn God's wrath on the country. In 2005, he called for the United States to assassinate then-Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war," he quipped on "The 700 Club." And last year, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "compelled by God" to attack Ukraine because it was predicted in the Book of Ezekiel as a step toward the end of times. Washington's political establishment was remarkably quiet Thursday in response to Robertson's death. Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, said Robertson "touched so many lives and changed so many hearts." "He stood for America -- and more importantly, for truth and faith," she said. But on the left, there was little sympathy. "Robertson's death doesn't mean we must overlook his long record of extremist rhetoric," wrote Rob Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "Robertson spent most of his time spreading hate, conspiracy theories, and lies," he said. The post Pat Robertson, who made Christian right a political force, dead at 93 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gov& rsquo;t to bring in imported pork priced cheaper in supermarkets
The government has approved the importation of 388,740 metric tons (MT) of pork from foreign sources not affected by the African swine fever (ASF) to bridge the gap between supply and demand as the highly infectious disease has decimated local pig stocks......»»
Milk tariff collections rise by 31% to P2.4 billion
Revenues raised by the government from various imported milk products jumped by 31 percent to P2.36 billion in 2023, the highest in at least eight years, from P1.8 billion in 2022......»»
iPhone 16 Pros A18 Pro Chip Rumored to Boost AI, Retain 6-Core GPU
Apple’s upcoming A18 Pro chip for the iPhone 16 Pro models is set to bring significant improvements in artificial intelligence performance, according to analyst Jeff.....»»
Singaporean embassy in India extends Holi wishes, shares images of celebrations in Barsana
New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): As Indians across the world geared up to ring in the festival of colours, the Singaporean embassy in the national capital extended its greetings for Holi, wishing that the festival would bring peace and joy to all. It also shared mesmerising pictures of Holi celebrations in one of India's oldest and most popular pilgrimage sites, Barsana, in Uttar Pradesh. A post on the official X handle.....»»
Kapuso loveteams lead Sparkle’s first overseas show
For its first-ever international show, Sparkle GMA Artist Center has tapped six of its brightest stars to bring a piece (and an experience) of home to Filipinos in Canada and regale them. Hence, it is titled “Sparkle Goes To Canada” on April 5 and 7, with Southview Alliance Church, Calgary, and Toronto Pavilion, Toronto, as venues, respectively......»»
Singaporean embassy in India extends Holi wishes, shares images of celebrations in Barsana
New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): As Indians across the world geared up to ring in the festival of colours, the Singaporean embassy in the national capital extended its greetings for Holi, wishing that the festival would bring peace and joy to all. It also shared mesmerising pictures of Holi celebrations in one of India's oldest and most popular pilgrimage sites, Barsana, in Uttar Pradesh. A post on the official X handle.....»»
SC affirms ruling granting bail to ex-Masbate lawmaker, Napoles
The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed a ruling of the Sandiganbayan that allowed businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and former Masbate congresswoman Rizalina Seachone-Laneta to post bail in the plunder charges filed against them in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork scam......»»
Tolentino to PPA: Hire veterinarians to assist travelers with pets
Senator Francis Tolentino has urged the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to hire veterinarians to vet on-site the pets travelers bring along in their trips and making the boarding process on sea vessels a lot easier......»»
Balik-Tanaw | The dissident love of Jesus
The readings for Palm Sunday begin with narrating the triumphant entry of Jesus and His disciples to Jerusalem. According to the story, Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread is coming in two days’ time and a lot of Jews will go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast. As observant Jews, Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem in observance of the feast that will take place (John 12: 12-16; Mark 14:1-15). When they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus instructed his two disciples to go to a village where they will find an ass and to bring it to him. Jesus rode on the ass when he entered Jerusalem. The people accompanied him and they held palm branches while crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our Father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!’ (Mark 11:1-10). The post Balik-Tanaw | The dissident love of Jesus appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
China Coast Guard water-cannons anew Ayungin-bound civilian Philippine boat
A China Coast Guard vessel again blasted a Filipino supply boat with water cannons during the latter's attempt to bring much needed supplies to soldiers stationed at the Ayungin (Scarborough) Shoal......»»