LTFRB-7 reduces number of buses plying inter-city routes
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-7 has reduced the number of buses plying within the inter-cities. The inter-cities consist of Cebu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, and Lapu-Lapu City. LTFRB-7 regional director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said that currently, 92 buses are plying in different routes of the said areas. […] The post LTFRB-7 reduces number of buses plying inter-city routes appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Davao Metro Shuttle declines offer to manage bus system
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — The Davao Metro Shuttle Corporation has declined the offer of the City Government of Davao to operate the Davao City Public Transport Modernization Project (DCPTMP), a public mass transportation project that will replace the jeepneys with buses, an executive of the bus company said. In an interview at […].....»»
7 dead after Davao City Mayor Duterte declares war vs. drugs
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said. This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March […].....»»
Minglanilla ends 22-year title drought, wins Gullas Cup in dominating fashion vs. Talisay
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Abante Minglanilla hoisted the Rhea Gullas Cup 2024 First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament title after routing the visiting Talisay Aksyon Agad, 72-58, on Saturday evening, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Minglanilla, also known as the Archangels, beat Talisay in their do-or-die Game 3 of the finals, and.....»»
Minglanilla’s ‘6th man’ crucial for Gullas Cup finals— Velez
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Jesus “Boyet” Velez, the head coach of Abante Minglanilla, admitted that their sixth man, their home crowd, would be a massive factor for the winner-take-all Game 3 of the Rhea Gullas Cup First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament Best-of-Three finals on Saturday, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Talisay Aksyon.....»»
Maco landslide: Apex Mining says 3 buses, jeepney waiting to shuttle workers accounted
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 February) – The three buses and a jeepney waiting for workers of Apex Mining Corp. were found buried in the landslide that hit Barangay Masara in Maco, Davao de Oro, the company said. In a statement sent to MindaNews Saturday, Ma. Teresa Lopez Pacis, Apex Mining assistant vice president for […].....»»
53% drop in Davao City’s road accidents: DCPO-TEU
The Davao City Police Office-Traffic Enforcement Unit (DCPO-TEU) has reported a significant 53% decrease in road accidents during the first 16 days of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Deputy Chief Pcpt. Raymundo B. Bacera Jr. revealed these statistics during the ISpeak media forum, citing 213 recorded incidents in 2023, compared to only 102 in 2024. He noted a reduction in the number of vehicles involved, from 120 to 51. Human error was identified as the primary cause of accidents, accounting for 97% of cases, while vehicle defects and road defects contributed to 2% and 1% of incidents, respectively. Private vehicles were involved in 40% of the accidents, with common human errors including texting/calling while driving, overtaking, and speeding. The peak hours for accidents were identified as between 2 pm to 4 pm. Despite the implementation of the New Speed Limit Ordinance, which came into effect on January 11, 2024, Dionisio Abude, head of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), emphasized that the ordinance cannot guarantee the absence of road incidents, highlighting the critical role of driver behavior and driving habits. Since the ordinance's enforcement, CTTMO and DCPO-TEU have issued citations to 730 violators, with private vehicles constituting 49% of the total, followed by motorcycles, taxis, trucks, public utility jeepneys, buses, and public utility vans......»»
39 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli Ofer prison
© Provided by Xinhua GAZA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Buses carrying about 39 Palestinian prisoners departed on Friday night from the Israeli Ofer prison, which is located near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Xinhua correspondent on-site confirmed.The 39 Pal.....»»
Xinhua world news summary at 0700 GMT, Nov. 25
GAZA -- Buses carrying about 39 Palestinian prisoners departed on Friday night from the Israeli Ofer prison, which is located near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Xinhua correspondent on-site confirmed. The 39 Palestinians, including 24 women and 15 minors, were released as part of a Qatar-mediated truce deal between Israel and Hamas, local media reported, referring to the first temporary humanitarian truce betw.....»»
39 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli Ofer prison
© Provided by Xinhua GAZA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Buses carrying about 39 Palestinian prisoners departed on Friday night from the Israeli Ofer prison, which is located near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Xinhua correspondent on-site confirmed.The 39 Pal.....»»
Transport strike: Cebu City govt to deploy green buses to ferry passengers
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City government is set to roll out green buses on November 22, as a response to the one-day transport strike of several Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) in Cebu. This is after the Cebu Chapter of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) decided to participate in.....»»
Contractor questioned over Cubao asphalt work
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday questioned a contractor in Cubao, Quezon City for an asphalt overlay project without presenting a schedule. The project was conducted in New York Avenue according to the report of the MMDA, that resulted in a traffic jam in the northbound lanes of EDSA along with the inner roads in Cubao. According to Bong Nebrida, chief of the MMDA Task Force for Special Operations, they saw the asphalt work at dawn yesterday which earned the ire of motorists in the northbound lane of EDSA. Nebrida said the main arterial route of New York Avenue is being used by provincial buses to reach their respective terminals. Due to the asphalt project the exit of the buses was delayed because New York Avenue was closed to traffic and they opted to go to EDSA resulting to traffic jam that reached Santolan Avenue. The post Contractor questioned over Cubao asphalt work appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EDSA bus carousel violators face higher fines
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will soon impose a higher fine and penalty to motorists violating the EDSA Bus Carousel lanes reserved for buses and other emergency vehicles only. This after the Metro Manila Council, the policy making body of the MMDA, approved Resolution No. 23-002, increasing prescribed fines for violation of the “Exclusive City Bus Lane/Bus Carousel Lane” regulation along EDSA. According to MMC president and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, despite the constant warning and reminders issued by MMDA that “Exclusive City Bus Lane/EDSA Bus Carousel Lanes” are for the exclusive use of Public Utility Buses and exempt motor vehicles, it has been observed that many errant drivers of privately owned vehicles, motorcycle riders and other unauthorized motor vehicles continue to disregard the police. Presently, the prescribed fines imposed on drivers of motor vehicles, either publicly or privately owned, for the violation of the “Exclusive City Bus Lane/Bus Carousel Lane” is P1,000 for each offense, to become an effective deterrent measure, there is a perceived need to increase the fines and penalties of its violation. The fines and penalties approved by the MMC: 1st offense — P5,000 2nd offense — P10,000 plus one month suspension of driver’s license, and required to undergo a road safety seminar 3rd offense — P20,000 plus one year suspension of driver’s license 4th offense — P40,000 plus recommendation to the Land Transportation Office for revocation of driver’s license. The MMDA said if the violator refused to stop or attempt to escape authorities, the offense shall be “automatically treated as if it was his/her 3rd offense and shall be meted the penalty corresponding thereof.” The post EDSA bus carousel violators face higher fines appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
On the edge of Gaza, Israeli soldiers brace for battle
After 16 days of mobilising and massing near the Gaza Strip, an eerie calm lingers among Israeli troops as they await the highly anticipated invasion of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory. The parched desert floor is now filled with hundreds of armoured vehicles along with columns of tanks primed for the expected onslaught. The mechanised steel is adorned with the blue and white Israeli flags, while soldiers labour away with the everyday maintenance of their vehicles. This entire first line is protected by an immense trench, about two kilometres (more than a mile) long, that was dug by engineering units outfitted with heavy machinery. Like most ground offensives, the combat engineering corps will lead the armoured formations when they enter Gaza -- breaching defences and clearing mines and booby traps to pave the way for ground troops. "Military engineering is essential. Without us, no one enters Gaza," explained a soldier serving with unit 601 of the military engineering corps, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "There are a lot of obstacles. The enemy is spraying rockets and other things that I cannot detail to prevent us from progressing," he added. Jammed Israel's general staff said their troops are "ready" for a ground incursion, after more than two weeks of heavy bombardment of Gaza by Israeli warplanes and artillery that the Hamas-run health ministry says has killed more than 5,700 people. The campaign follows the bloodiest day in Israel's 75-year history, when hundreds of Hamas fighters rampaged through communities across southern Israel, killing around 1,400 people and taking more than 200 others hostage, according to Israeli officials. The decision to launch a ground invasion is now in the hands of the Israeli government, even as pressure builds from its allies over the shape and parameters of the operation. As its forces wait to strike, Israel has jammed signals near the Gaza border, rendering navigation applications like Google Maps and Waze useless throughout the militarised zone that has been sealed off from civilian use. AFP journalists on the ground noted that the attempts to pin their locations with the apps resulted in errant positions, including the airport near Tel Aviv or the Egyptian capital of Cairo. To reach the sprawling Tze'elim base some 20 kilometres from Gaza, a steady traffic jam leads to the entrance of the largest military facility in the country's southern desert. For kilometres (miles), tourist buses, family cars, tanks and army jeeps form an seemingly endless convoy en route to the base. Tze'elim has long been renowned as one of the premier training grounds for urban combat, which includes life-size replicas of Gaza neighbourhoods, including a mosque and minarets. The forces that have spent years honing their skills at the base will likely be instrumental in the expected ground campaign. Israeli forces last entered Gaza on foot in 2014, allowing Hamas ample time since then to fortify and expand their defences, including a maze of tunnels snaking under the city. In Tze'elim, "tens of thousands" are believed to be on hand in addition to the 169,500 Israeli soldiers already serving in active duty, while an estimated 360,000 reserves have been mobilised to assist in the fight. "Many are already on the ground," explains a senior officer on condition of anonymity referring to the Gaza border. The families of conscripts flock to the base to deliver meals or join their relatives on brief stints of leave, as they lounge on camping chairs lining the road to the base. 'We have to face this' At the entrance to the facility, Omer, a 23-year-old artillery reservist, searches through the masses of troops hoping to find a friend who is taking him on 24-hour leave. "I have been cut off from everything for 14 days -- two weeks in the field, shooting day and night," explained the artilleryman, with a dirt-smeared face and an Indian necklace hanging from his neck. Before the war, the gunner was a yoga teacher and had been studying in northern India when he received his marching orders. Since then, Omer has been manning his battery during "impossible" nights filled with the repeated concussion of heavy artillery and clouds of dust kicked up by passing armoured vehicles. "The worst thing is being in this shit and not even having time to grieve. I have two friends from Nova killed and a friend of a friend kidnapped," said the Israeli soldier, referring to the desert rave where around 270 people were gunned down by Hamas. "When all this is over, we will also have to face this," he added. "But right now, we don't have time." The post On the edge of Gaza, Israeli soldiers brace for battle appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Free ride at Edsa Bus Carousel back next month
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III on Monday happily announced that Libreng Sakay (free ride) for Edsa Bus Carousel and jeepneys will return this November until the end of 2023. At a press conference in Quezon City where jeepney associations are supposed to air their grievances over the government subsidy, Guadiz said the free ride program for jeepneys and buses will return on 1 November. Guadiz said this was after the joint circular for releasing the P1.3 billion fund for the service contracting program had been approved. The particular vehicles offering free rides will ply across the National Capital Region, and not just along Edsa. "This month we will release the budget. We will bring back Libreng Sakay. We will start with Metro Manila. It will include jeepneys," he said. "Iyong P1.3 billion tapos na po iyong joint memorandum circular. Ibaba na po ang pera. Alam mo ang hinahabol namin doon November-December para maagang pamaskong handog ng LTFRB," he added. The fund he explained is intended to pay the service contracting program. “Kung dati po, hanggang sa mga bus sa Edsa Carousel, ngayon pati mga jeepneys," the LTFRB Chair said. The post Free ride at Edsa Bus Carousel back next month appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
18 migrants killed in Mexico bus crash
A bus carrying migrants overturned in southern Mexico on Friday, leaving at least 18 passengers dead and 27 injured, authorities said -- the latest fatal road crash involving US-bound migrants. The dead, three of them minors, were from Venezuela and Haiti, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office in Oaxaca state. The accident happened at around dawn on a highway linking Oaxaca and the neighboring state of Puebla, it said. The injured were taken to hospital for treatment, it added. Images released by state authorities showed the wreckage of the bus lying on its side on a highway winding through hills. Thousands of migrants from different countries have been traveling across Mexico in buses, overcrowded trailers and atop freight trains in an attempt to reach the US-Mexican border. They run the risk of fatal accidents, kidnapping by criminal groups and extortion by corrupt officials. More than 8,200 migrants have died or disappeared in the Americas since 2014, most of them while trying to reach the United States via Mexico, according to the International Organization for Migration. The US-Mexican border is the "world's deadliest migration land route," with 686 deaths and disappearances in 2022, the IOM said last month. On Sunday, at least 10 Cuban migrants were killed and 25 injured when a cargo truck carrying them overturned in the southern state of Chiapas. In early August, at least 18 people died and 23 were injured after a bus carrying local passengers and migrants from countries such as India, the Dominican Republic and some African nations plunged into a ravine in the state of Nayarit. And in December 2021, 56 mostly Central American migrants were killed and dozens injured when a people smugglers' truck carrying around 160 people overturned in Chiapas. The Mexican government has admitted to being overwhelmed by the number of migrants crossing its territory, the vast majority of whom are from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti. Mexican authorities said they detained more than 189,000 migrants last month, while the US border patrol has reported 1.8 million apprehensions between October 2022 and August 2023. Senior US and Mexican officials pledged Thursday to redouble their efforts to tackle irregular migration through measures such as modernizing border security, increasing legal avenues and addressing the root causes. The two countries were committed to expanding "safe, orderly and lawful pathways for migrants" but with "strict consequences" for those who enter the United States illegally, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said after talks in Mexico City. The post 18 migrants killed in Mexico bus crash appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LTO monitoring EDSA bus lane violators
Land Transportation Office chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II on Monday said he has ordered the deployment of additional personnel in some areas of the EDSA Bus Carousel amid rampant violations of motorists. Mendoza directed the LTO-National Capital Region to identify the operator and the driver of a taxi that blocked several buses when a 19-inch flood hit the Camp Aguinaldo Gate 3 portion of EDSA on 23 September. Aside from that, Mendoza said they are now conducting investigation into the incident wherein a motorist almost hit a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic enforcer while trying to escape after he was caught using the EDSA Bus Carousel lane last 21 September. “It’s becoming a habit for motorists to use the EDSA Bus Carousel. We recognize the limited manpower of the MMDA to strictly enforce and while the LTO has the same problem, we will tap some of our enforcers to reinforce our brothers in the MMDA in keeping an eye on the EDSA Bus Carousel,” Mendoza said. “We assure immediate action against violators,” he added. Mendoza said the office of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista was already informed of the request of the MMDA. The MMDA has repeatedly warned motorists that no private vehicles should use the EDSA Bus Carousel lane or the innermost lanes of EDSA that has been reserved for city buses and vehicles being used for emergency response like ambulance, fire trucks and police cars. The post LTO monitoring EDSA bus lane violators appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LAWMAKER ON WHEELS — Ejercito’s love for Phl sports is one of a kind
Senator JV Ejercito’s love for cycling is hard to miss. From interviews to his social media posts, the 53-year-old lawmaker would always find a way to display his love for cycling — and sports in general. That’s why in a recent interview with Daily Tribune, Ejercito took the opportunity to preach the benefits of cycling and how he wants to spearhead the staging of more local and international tournaments that would encourage a lot of enthusiasts to take the sport seriously. “We need to have more competitions like Ronda Pilipinas. I hope somebody picks up the cudgels for it to continue because competition improves the quality of our athletes,” said Ejercito, referring to the annual professional road cycling competition that covers major cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The prestigious bikefest started in 2011 and has drawn the interest of the best local and international riders. It, however, got canceled this year as it prepares to transition from being an annual to a biennial event. “We need competitions,” Ejercito stressed. But batting for the staging of a professional cycling competition is just a mere fraction of Ejercito’s love for the sport. In fact, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Ejercito took the cudgels for the cyclists when he slammed the Inter-Agency Task Force for raising the proposal of requiring cyclists to wear face shields on the road. Ejercito stressed that this proposal will put the cyclists’ lives at risk as they might suffer hypoxia or lack of oxygen. Having first-hand experience on the challenges of the sport, Ejercito asserted that the proposal might create more harm than good. “I am not in favor of requiring face shields to those who are biking and exercising. This might cause hypoxia or lack of oxygen. While breathing hard, intake of oxygen is already minimized with masks so what more if they will require them to wear face shields? This can be fatal,” Ejercito said. “Cyclists usually are away from each other. Face shields should be required in enclosed and crowded places. There is already a mask that is required anyway.” “Wearing a face shield while cycling is dangerous. The mask is enough.” But that’s not all. Ejercito also fought hard for the rights of cyclists through Senate Bill 393 that pushes for more bicycle lanes in major thoroughfares. He believes that by putting up bicycle lanes, the government would encourage the public to bike to their respective schools or offices instead of riding cars, buses or trains. The public would also get to save a lot on their transportation expenses while helping the government solve the worsening traffic situation. “This legislation is one way to help unburden commuters who are choosing to ride their bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles in order to escape the worsening traffic situation and save money on fares and fuel, especially now that prices of petroleum products have skyrocketed,” the bill’s explanatory note said. Ejercito said the government will also benefit from this proposal. “Though we admire such resilience and innovation, the government should also look into improving road conditions for alternative means of transportation,” Ejercito, the son of former President Joseph Estrada, said. “Until such a time that the government has finished its goal to provide mass transportation that is people-centered and accommodating to every walk of life, there will always be room for alternative forms of travel.” Ejercito admitted that he even considered riding his bicycle to work. “Even I couldn’t bear it each time I load up on gas. I shell out P5,000 every time. It’s hard on my pockets. Hopefully, I can save by biking to work,” Ejercito said. As of May 2023, about 546 kilometers of bike lanes were already established in Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, according to the Department of Transportation. Aside from cycling, Ejercito also plays golf and boxing. He is also an avid fan of basketball. In fact, he was at the sidelines when Gilas Pilipinas battled China in the FIBA Basketball World Cup together with other senators in Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Joel Villanueva and Juan Miguel Zubiri. Ejercito said if there will be a chance, he will gladly lend a helping hand to Philippine sports. After all, he is no stranger to grassroots sports after serving as chairman of the committee on youth and sports when he was still representing San Juan City in the House of Representatives. With him in charge, he was able to help the Philippine Sports Commission with its funding that led to the rise of promising athletes like Hidilyn Diaz, who went on to become the country’s first Olympic gold medalist. “There’s no specific NSA (national sports association) but if there is an opportunity, I will help. I box, I cycle and I even played basketball before,” the mild-mannered Ejercito said. Truly, sports, especially cycling, occupies a very special place in Ejercito’s heart. And he will keep on helping Filipino athletes — one pedal at a time. The post LAWMAKER ON WHEELS — Ejercito’s love for Phl sports is one of a kind appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MORE readies bill deposit refund to over 700 customers
MORE Electric and Power Corp. — Iloilo City’s exclusive electricity provider owned by the group of businessman Enrique K. Razon Jr. — is on track to complete an industry-leading bill deposit refund to more than 700 additional customers by the end of the year. In a press statement on Wednesday, the company said about 175 customers have already received their bill deposit refunds since the program started in June. P5M this year MORE Power has readied about P5 million this year for the program. To date, it has successfully returned a total of P539,000 bill deposits to all eligible customers. “Since we have no intention of using or retaining these funds for our operations, it’s only fair to promptly return them to our customers,” MORE Power’s president and CEO Roel Z. Castro said. The Bill Deposit is a payment by the consumer by the time they apply for their electric service. ERC-mandated The refund of the bill deposit is mandated by the Energy Regulatory Commission or ERC to all distribution utilities, may it be private or electric cooperatives. This was stated in Article 7 of the Magna Carta for residential electric consumers, promulgated by the ERC, where they should refund the bill deposit after three years or 36 months of paying on time and with no record of disconnection. Zero-emission electric shuttle service Recently, MORE Power announced that it invested around P40 to P45 million to launch an innovative zero-emission and fully electric shuttle service in the city. MORE Power collaborated with SM City Iloilo to launch 10 initial units of electric buses last 15 September, each costing around P4 to P4.5 million. The shuttle service offers an initial route from the city hall to the Ceres Northbound Terminal, stopping at various SM locations from Monday to Saturday. The post MORE readies bill deposit refund to over 700 customers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay
The biggest Asian Games in history, boasting about 12,000 competitors -- more than the Olympics -- will open on Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after a year's delay because of Covid. Athletes including world and Olympic champions will fight for medals in 40 sports from athletics, swimming and football to eSports and bridge. Nine sports, among them boxing, break dancing and tennis, will serve as qualifiers for next year's Paris Olympics. The Games were supposed to take place last September but were postponed because of China's strict zero-Covid rules, before China's ruling Communist Party abruptly abandoned the policy. The 19th edition of the Games, which were first held in New Delhi in 1951, throws together competitors from 45 countries and territories across Asia and the Middle East. For China, which hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics in a Covid-secure "bubble" in Beijing, it is a chance to show off its organizational, sporting and technological prowess after the pandemic years cut the country off from the sporting world. "We have overcome a lot of challenges but we are now fully conditioned to hold a successful Games," Chen Weiqiang, chief spokesperson for the Games, said on Wednesday. Sport meets politics The Games will be staged at 54 venues -- 14 newly constructed -- mostly in Hangzhou but also extending to cities as far afield as Wenzhou, 300 kilometres (180 miles) south. The centerpiece is the "Big Lotus" Olympic stadium with a capacity of up to 80,000 where athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies will be staged. President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and meet Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad there, along with other visiting leaders, Chinese state media says. Assad is making his first visit to ally China since the war erupted in Syria in 2011. Russian President Vladimir Putin likewise attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, along with Xi, and weeks later launched the invasion of Ukraine. Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people an hour's bullet train from Shanghai, is famed in China for its ancient temples, gardens and its beloved West Lake. It is also the unofficial home of China's tech industry, notably the birth place of Jack Ma's Alibaba. The Games will showcase some of the latest tech to come out of the city, including driverless buses, robot dogs and facial recognition. China medal dash Hosts China have topped the medals table at every Asian Games since 1982 and are expected to do so again by the time the curtain comes down on October 8. They should reign in swimming, with Qin Haiyang fresh from his heroics at the world championships, where he announced himself as the new undisputed breaststroke king. The 24-year-old swept all three men's events and set a new world record in the 200m. In athletics, another of the most closely watched sports, India's Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will defend his Asian Games javelin crown. His nearest competitor should be world silver medalist Arshad Nadeem from arch-rivals Pakistan and the countries are also on a collision course in cricket and hockey. ESports, in what is seen as a step toward Olympic inclusion one day, will make its full Asian Games debut having been a demonstration sport five years ago. Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as "Faker", has god-like status in League of Legends and will lead the South Korean charge at the futuristic-looking China Hangzhou Esports Centre. There is an added incentive which has caused controversy in South Korea -- winning gold will exempt them from having to do military service. A feature of the Asian Games is that it includes sports that are a little more quirky than the Olympics. Xiangqi -- also known as "Chinese chess" -- the card game bridge and the ancient wrestling discipline of kurash are all on the menu. Although the Games officially open on Saturday, the sporting action began on Tuesday, when North Korea returned to major international competition for the first time since the pandemic with a 2-0 win over Taiwan in men's football. The post Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoE advice: Find cheaper fuel amid coming price hike
The Department of Energy on Saturday advised motorists to look for gasoline stations that are selling affordable fuel products amid the upcoming surge in prices this coming Tuesday A whopping more-than-P2 increase in the price of diesel and gasoline fuel, as well of kerosene will hit consumers next week. “Let’s be wise and use the power of choice. According to the price monitoring of the DoE, there are gasoline stations that provide as much as a P4 discount per liter,” said DoE’s Assistant Secretary for Oil Industry Management Bureau Rodela Romero in a radio interview on Saturday. Price hikes start Tuesday The forecast for diesel and kerosene starting Tuesday, 18 September, said diesel will have price spikes between P2.30-P2.60 per liter, while kerosene will have a P2-P2.30-per liter increase. Gasoline prices, meanwhile, will be jacked up from between P1.70 to P2 per liter. Among independent fuel players providing lower prices are gasoline stations located in Quezon City’s Commonwealth area. As of 14 September, the prevailing price of diesel provided by independent players was at P60.85 and 61.80, while gasoline was at P63.25 and 63.25. Private motorists will feel more The price spikes will be felt more by private motorists; for their part, public transport drivers and operators are set to receive fuel subsidies from the government. Earlier this week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said it has already commenced distributing P2.95 billion in fuel subsidies for operators of public utility vehicles to ease the impact of fuel price spikes. The LTFRB said it would facilitate handing out fuel subsidies to 280,000 beneficiaries, namely jeepneys, taxis, buses, and other public utility vehicles. Operators of modern jeepneys and modern UV Express, meanwhile, will receive P10,000 in subsidies while traditional jeepneys, taxis, buses, and other PUVs will receive P6,500. The DoE said among the reasons for the price spikes is the enduring tight supply of oil after Saudi Arabia and Russia announced their extension of voluntary production cuts through the end of 2023, and United States crude stocks showing a larger-than-expected decline. The post DoE advice: Find cheaper fuel amid coming price hike appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»