Moderna applies for EUA
American pharmaceutical company Moderna Inc. is seeking emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 vaccine......»»
UN barking upthe wrong tree
Negotiations with the terror group Hamas, the crux of the humanitarian pause being pushed in the Gaza Strip by the United Nations, or UN, are backed by groups with an ax to grind against the United States and Israel. The UN said the halt in hostilities is needed to bring in aid and provide fuel primarily to run the electricity for hospitals to maintain medical operations. At the height of the terror attack, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said Hamas bandits ransacked the UN office and carted away provisions, including fuel. The UN agency, which provides aid to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and is the only specialized UN agency for a particular group of refugees, warned it would have to halt operations if no fuel was delivered. The lack of fuel means hospitals and water desalination plants will not function. While there have been limited deliveries of food, water, and medicines, no fuel has been allowed, as Israel is concerned about Hamas’ possible diversion of fuel deliveries. White House national security spokesman John Kirby described Israel’s concerns as legitimate. A satellite image provided by the Israel Defense Forces showed Hamas owns fuel tanks near the Rafah border crossing, containing 500,000 liters of fuel. The IDF suggested that the United Nations ask Hamas for fuel after it showed the satellite images on social media. “Ask Hamas if you can have some,” the IDF wrote. Rafah is the main crossing in and out of Gaza that does not border Israel. It has become the focus of efforts to deliver aid since Israel imposed a “total siege” of the enclave in retaliation for an attack by Hamas militants on 7 October. Israel’s military spokesperson Daniel Hagari recounted that Hamas has been stealing fuel from UNRWA, prompting the decision to block the fuel supply to Gaza. “Petrol will not enter Gaza. Hamas takes the petrol for its military infrastructure,” he said. Another IDF spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said the photographs belied Hamas’s claims that “it does not have enough fuel to support hospitals and bakeries.” The IDF added: “Hamas-ISIS steals this fuel from civilians and transfers it to its tunnels, rocket launchers, and leaders. This is what Hamas’s list of priorities looks like.” Hamas propaganda said that a power outage at the Indonesian Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip was a “crime against humanity” and called on Arab and Muslim countries and the UN to address the crisis. A power outage hit the hospital on Monday night due to a fuel shortage. It was news network Al Jazeera which reported that electricity was restored during the night, but the hospital only had fuel to operate generators for 48 more hours, after which lifesaving medical devices such as respirators and incubators would cease functioning. The fuel supply from Israel was halted after the 7 October terror assault. Under the cover of a barrage of thousands of rockets, over 2,500 gunmen crossed the border and rampaged murderously through southern Israeli towns, killing more than 1,400, most of whom were civilians. More than 220 were taken hostage. Now, Hamas is trying to deceive the world by crying in violation of human rights with the denial of fuel to the territory it controls. The outrageous twist Hamas applies to the atrocities it initiated then is swallowed lock, stock and barrel by the UN, which is pounding on Israel for a humanitarian pause. “Residents of Gaza, the address for your complaints is not Israel. It’s Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Deif, and other Hamas-ISIS members who pushed Gaza into this abyss,” according to the IDF. The IDF has disputed the so-called humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip that the UN and Hamas are peddling. “As of now, I can tell you that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There are hardships in moving people within days to the south of the Gaza Strip, but the population is getting along,” an IDF official said. Another indicator that the terror organization controlling Gaza has little concern for the civilians is their obstructing the movement of the Gaza residents south as Israel had directed to the extent of confiscating the car keys of individuals. Hamas is the source of the crisis that the UN said should be solved, which is precisely what Israel is trying to do in committing to wipe out the terror group from the planet. The post UN barking upthe wrong tree appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ABAP applies to join World Boxing
Defection from the discredited International Boxing Association, stripped of recognition by IOC, continues at a global scale and affiliation with the newly-formed, Swiss-based World Boxing is growing as the balance of power has taken a major turn, involving more and more countries that realize the only way to keep the sport in the Olympics is to establish a fresh corruption-free regime built on fair play......»»
Taxpayer’s right to present supporting documents
Imagine being in an examination. The instructions are clear: “You have two hours to complete the exam.” At the end of the first hour, you were surprised. The bell rang, and everyone was asked to submit their paper. This is analogous to the case of Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Maxicare Healthcare Corporation (G.R. 261065, 10 July 2023). In the beginning, there was nothing outside the ordinary. A Letter of Authority was issued. A tax audit ensued, leading to the issuance of a Preliminary Assessment Notice or PAN. Maxicare filed a response to the PAN. The Bureau of Internal Revenue issued a Formal Letter of Demand and Final Assessment Notice. Maxicare filed a protest against the FLD/FAN requesting a reinvestigation. Maxicare made it explicit that it will submit the pertinent supporting documents and additional explanations within 60 days from the date of filing the protest. However, the BIR issued the Final Decision on Disputed Assessment after the lapse of only 30 days. The Supreme Court declared the assessment against the taxpayer null and void for the manifest violation of the taxpayer’s right to due process. The Court took the opportunity to definitely settle that the reckoning point of the 60-day period for the submission of relevant supporting documents is from the filing of the administrative protest to the FLD/FAN, when such protest constitutes a request for reinvestigation and not from the response or reply to the PAN. The Court clarified that the pronouncement in the Minute Resolution in Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Roca Security and Investigation Agency (G.R. 241338, 10 April 2019) wherein the 60-day period was reckoned from the filing of the response to the PAN was a glaring error. By failing to observe the statutory period, the taxpayer was denied the opportunity to present evidence, tantamount to denial of a genuine opportunity to be heard. The Court then dissected Section 228 of the Tax Code and Revenue Regulations No. 12-99, as amended. It emphasized the following points: The “pre-assessment notice” mentioned in Section 228 of the Tax Code corresponds to the PAN. The taxpayer shall be required to respond within a period of 15 days from receipt of the PAN; and Section 228 of the Tax Code explicitly sets the period for an “administrative protest of the assessment” at 30 days, which refers specifically to an FLD/FAN protest. This protest may take the form of either a request for consideration or reinvestigation. The Court strongly noted that it is the request for reinvestigation that carries the 60-day period to submit relevant supporting documents. Such an option was not provided with regard to the response to the PAN. Hence, there could be no other conclusion that the 60-day period to submit relevant supporting documents applies to and should be reckoned from filing the protest against the FLD/FAN. The Supreme Court brushed aside the BIR’s plea to apply leniency to the rules of procedure in the name of substantial justice. The Supreme Court reminded the tax authorities, in no uncertain terms, of the clear necessity for the strict observance of procedural rules to safeguard the due process rights of the concerned parties. This is a necessary check against the exercise of the government’s expansive power of taxation. *** For more of Dean Nilo Divina’s legal tidbits, please visit www.divinalaw.com. For comments and questions, please send an email to cabdo@divinalaw.com. The post Taxpayer’s right to present supporting documents appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Canada withdraws 41 diplomats from India in row over separatist killing
Canada said Thursday it had withdrawn 41 diplomats from India as a result of the fallout from a bitter dispute over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. New Delhi planned to revoke diplomatic immunity for all but 21 of Canada's diplomats and their families by Friday, forcing Ottawa to pull out the others, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said. "We have facilitated their safe departure from India," Joly added. "This means that our diplomats and their families have now left." Relations between India and Canada have plunged since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month publicly linked Indian intelligence to the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, allegations New Delhi has called "absurd". Nijjar, who advocated for a separate Sikh state carved out of India, was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. "Revoking the diplomatic immunity of 41 diplomats is not only unprecedented, but also contrary to international law," Joly said Wednesday, but added Canada did not plan to retaliate in kind, so as to not "aggravate the situation." "Canada will continue to defend international law, which applies to all nations and will continue to engage with India," she said. India's foreign ministry said in a statement that the government's pressing for a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence was within "international norms". "The state of our bilateral relations, the much higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence," it added. Canada has called for India to cooperate in the investigation but New Delhi has rejected the allegations and taken countermeasures, such as shutting down visa services for Canadians. Ottawa also expelled an Indian diplomat over the affair. 'Badgering the Canadians' Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said last month in New York that his country would be willing to examine any evidence presented by Canada. "We have actually been badgering the Canadians. We've given them loads of information about organized crime leadership which operates out of Canada," Jaishankar said, referring to Sikh separatists. "We have a situation where actually our diplomats are threatened, our consulates have been attacked," he added. The Indian government has called the accusations over the killing "absurd" and advised its nationals not to travel to parts of Canada "given the increase in anti-Indian activities." New Delhi also temporarily stopped processing visa applications in Canada. Nijjar, who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a Canadian citizen in 2015, was shot dead by two masked assailants in the parking lot of a Sikh temple near Vancouver in June. Canada is home to some 770,000 Sikhs, who make up about two percent of the country's population, with a vocal minority calling for creating a separate state of Khalistan. The Sikh separatist movement is largely finished within India, where security forces used deadly force to put down an insurgency in the state of Punjab in the 1980s. Hundreds of Sikh protesters rallied outside Indian diplomatic missions in Canada last month, burning flags and trampling on pictures of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi have created a delicate situation for close Canadian ally Washington, which is seeking closer ties with India in a bid to limit Chinese influence in the region. The post Canada withdraws 41 diplomats from India in row over separatist killing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Violence in lesbian relationships
This is a case about Republic Act 9262 or the law on violence against women and children, which usually involves a husband committing violence against his wife. The issue resolved here is whether said law applies to lesbian relationships......»»
Canada withdraws 41 diplomats from India in row over separatist killing
Canada said Thursday it had withdrawn 41 diplomats from India as a result of the fallout from a bitter dispute over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. New Delhi planned to revoke diplomatic immunity for all but 21 of Canada's diplomats and their families by Friday, forcing Ottawa to pull out the others, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said. "We have facilitated their safe departure from India," Joly added. "This means that our diplomats and their families have now left." Relations between India and Canada have plunged since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month publicly linked Indian intelligence to the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, allegations New Delhi has called "absurd". Nijjar, who advocated for a separate Sikh state carved out of India, was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. "Revoking the diplomatic immunity of 41 diplomats is not only unprecedented, but also contrary to international law," Joly said Wednesday, but added Canada did not plan to retaliate in kind, so as to not "aggravate the situation." "Canada will continue to defend international law, which applies to all nations and will continue to engage with India," she said. India's foreign ministry said in a statement that the government's pressing for a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence was within "international norms". "The state of our bilateral relations, the much higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence," it added. Canada has called for India to cooperate in the investigation but New Delhi has rejected the allegations and taken countermeasures, such as shutting down visa services for Canadians. Ottawa also expelled an Indian diplomat over the affair. 'Badgering the Canadians' Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said last month in New York that his country would be willing to examine any evidence presented by Canada. "We have actually been badgering the Canadians. We've given them loads of information about organized crime leadership which operates out of Canada," Jaishankar said, referring to Sikh separatists. "We have a situation where actually our diplomats are threatened, our consulates have been attacked," he added. The Indian government has called the accusations over the killing "absurd" and advised its nationals not to travel to parts of Canada "given the increase in anti-Indian activities." New Delhi also temporarily stopped processing visa applications in Canada. Nijjar, who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a Canadian citizen in 2015, was shot dead by two masked assailants in the parking lot of a Sikh temple near Vancouver in June. Canada is home to some 770,000 Sikhs, who make up about two percent of the country's population, with a vocal minority calling for creating a separate state of Khalistan. The Sikh separatist movement is largely finished within India, where security forces used deadly force to put down an insurgency in the state of Punjab in the 1980s. Hundreds of Sikh protesters rallied outside Indian diplomatic missions in Canada last month, burning flags and trampling on pictures of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi have created a delicate situation for close Canadian ally Washington, which is seeking closer ties with India in a bid to limit Chinese influence in the region. The post Canada withdraws 41 diplomats from India in row over separatist killing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How international law applies to war, and why Hamas and Israel are both alleged to have broken it
How international law applies to war, and why Hamas and Israel are both alleged to have broken it.....»»
Taiwan singers won’t let curtain fall on Hakka opera
Dressed in a robe fringed with beaded tassels, traditional Taiwanese opera singer Jen Chieh-li applies the final touches to her heavily painted face as she prepares to take the stage. The 34-year-old is a member of Jing Sheng Opera, one of a handful of troupes in Taiwan still staging traditional dramas in the Hakka language -- a dialect that is not widely spoken on the island because of its dwindling ethnic population. Taiwan's traditional Hakka opera, usually performed at religious festivals, dates back to the late Qing Dynasty and was brought to the island by migrants from mainland China. Even as its popularity dwindles, Jen, who has trained at a drama school since the age of 12, said she would not give up the fading art. "I could find a regular job but it would be a waste of all the time and effort I have devoted to studying and performing Hakka opera," she told AFP. That sweltering night in northern Taoyuan county, Jen was performing "Legend of the White Snake", a famous Chinese folk tale about a romance between a man and a serpent spirit. Around 100 people, mostly elderly, sat on plastic stools to watch the show on a makeshift stage outside a temple in a reflection of Hakka opera's struggle to capture the attention of a shrinking audience. "It is a niche performance art as many people don't even understand the language," said Chiang Yu-ling, who founded the Jing Sheng Opera with her husband 19 years ago. There are only eight Hakka troupes in Taiwan that can keep regular staff, albeit with financial support from the government and private sponsors, according to Chiang. She is counting on new blood, such as Jen, who is studying for a master's degree in performance art, to help bring in more and younger audiences. "My husband and I are in our 50s and we have limited ideas. We hope to get more young people on board... to make Hakka opera more different," Chiang told AFP. 'People are nostalgic' Hakka shares similarities with Peking opera, the most dominant form of traditional Chinese opera that has UNESCO heritage recognition, but language is one of the main reasons for its flagging popularity. In Taiwan, where Mandarin is widely spoken, Hakka people make up less than 20 percent of its 23 million population, and even those within the community are no longer fluent in the dialect. "My father's generation speak mostly Mandarin already and I speak very little Hakka," said Louis Lo, 30, who was accompanying his elderly relatives to the show. "The opera doesn't appeal to young people due to the language barrier," he told AFP. To attract more fans, Jing Sheng's troupe has incorporated modern elements into traditional performances. One example is their update of a Chinese folk drama involving a dragon princess and her human lover, which now includes street dance sequences, fire acts, and acrobatics. "We are getting the audiences to know Hakka opera through more innovative performances and hopefully they would also want to watch the traditional ones," Jen said. Despite their dwindling audience numbers, fellow performer Shih Yu-tsen, 31, said the art form "definitely won't vanish". "There may be fewer Hakka operas but people are nostalgic," she told AFP. "They will recall the past all of a sudden and they will want to watch it." Besides, Jen said, a show ticket costs as little as $200 Taiwan dollars ($6.30) with student discounts. "We often say it just takes the same amount of money to buy a Starbucks to support traditional art, to keep it alive," she said. The post Taiwan singers won’t let curtain fall on Hakka opera appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DBM denies new procurement rules prevented renewal of Philhealth’s antivirus software
PhilHealth's failure to renew its subscription for an antivirus software was due to its own procurement management decision and not the new government procurement rules, the Department of Budget and Management clarified on Thursday. Earlier this week, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. said it failed to renew its antivirus software licenses last year, making its computer system outdated and vulnerable to cyberattacks. The delay, it claimed, was due to new government procurement rules from the Government Procurement Policy Board. In a statement, DBM stated that the Government Procurement Policy Board's Resolution No. 05-2022, which Santos cited as the cause of the failure, applies only to online subscriptions where there is no locally available provider and can only be purchased directly online using a credit card. DBM added that a locally available provider pertains to any supplier or distributor, whether local or foreign, authorized to do business in the Philippines. "As PhilHealth earlier stated, they have an existing subscription for an antivirus software. This means that they have an existing contract with a locally available supplier, which means that the cited GPPB Resolution will not apply," DBM said. "Hence, PhilHealth is authorized to conduct Public Bidding or adopt any of the alternative methods of procurement, as may be applicable, depending on their project requirements, or, at their option, avail the Guidelines on the Renewal of Regular and Recurring Services issued through GPPB Resolution No. 06-2022," the department added. DBM underscored that the decision on the project requirements and procurement modality to be adopted is based on the procurement management decision of PhilHealth as the procuring entity. It added that the procurement rules, particularly the modalities available, are not limiting and are designed to enable the adoption of the most appropriate modality given the requirements of the procuring entity, which they themselves set in their Bidding Documents. "Rest assured that the communication lines of the GPPB are always open for our colleagues in government, as well as our other stakeholders, should they have questions or needed information for purposes of clarification to avoid similar confusion," DBM said. "We also conduct procurement trainings, similar to what we have been providing Philhealth, for various national government agencies, GOCCs and other institutions, to help equip their personnel with the relevant and necessary skills and knowledge in procuring goods and services," it added. The post DBM denies new procurement rules prevented renewal of Philhealth’s antivirus software appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P1 jeepney fare hike starts Sunday
Public commuters, especially those riding public utility jeepneys or PUJs, have to slightly adjust their daily expenses once the government-approved fare increase starts on Sunday. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board or LTFRB on Tuesday confirmed that jeepney fares will temporarily increase by P1 starting 8 October as both a response to the request of the transport groups and the complaints of the commuters. This means passengers should prepare P13 pesos as minimum payment for riding traditional jeeps from the current P12. As for those riding modern jeepney units, they should pay P15 from the current P14. The agency said the decision followed the petition filed by transport groups to adjust the fare due to the unrestrained increase in the price of petroleum products. Led by LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III, Board Member Engr. Riza Marie Paches, and Board Member Atty. Mercy Jane Paras-Leynes, the Agency heard this afternoon the petition to increase the PUJ fare for both modern and traditional units. "We only approved a peso provisional fare increase for the first four kilometers, but there is no additional increase for the succeeding kilometers. This applies to modern and traditional public utility jeepneys throughout the country starting October 8," Guadiz clarified. It was the General Counsel Manila & Suburbs Drivers Association Nationwide, Inc., Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization who filed for the fare increase. The groups’ petition included the plea for a P5 fare hike but the LTFRB said it would be discussed in the next hearing on 7 November. The LTFRB also conveyed to all operators, drivers, and commuters that it is necessary to implement the said fare increase on the set date while the Agency hears the main petition of the said transport groups. As such, the LTFRB also reminded operators and drivers to provide discounts for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, students, and others. The post P1 jeepney fare hike starts Sunday appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SSS extends deadline of contribution remittance in distressed areas
The Social Security System extended in selected areas the payment deadline for the June 2023 contribution of business employers and the second quarter contributions of household employers, coverage and collection partners, and individual members from 31 July 2023 to 2 October 2023. According to SSS Circular No. 2023-005 signed by SSS President and CEO Rolando Ledesma Macasaet, the said applicable month and quarter were extended until 30 September 2023, but since it falls on a Saturday, the deadline was further extended to the next working day, which is 2 October 2023. “We understand that these calamities have affected the ability of some of our members, covered employers, and CCPs in selected areas to pay their contributions on or before their original schedule. For consideration, we are giving them more time to pay their SSS contributions so that payment gaps or late payments can be avoided,” Macasaet said. The extension applies to employers, CCPs, and members in areas declared under State of Calamity by various local government offices due to the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Tropical Cyclones Egay and Falcon, such as the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Cavite, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao and Mountain Province. The said extension also covers other areas that may be declared under a state of alamity by local government units, local disaster risk reduction management offices, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council or the national government. Likewise, employers with approved installment proposals must deposit their post-dated checks that fall due in June and July 2023 on or before 2 October 2023. However, no contribution paid retroactively by individual members will be used in determining their eligibility to any benefit arising from a contingency wherein the date of payment is within or after the semester of contingency. The original contribution payment deadlines and guidelines in the said areas will resume starting with the applicable month of July 2023. # The post SSS extends deadline of contribution remittance in distressed areas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
San Miguel applies for shelf registration of P65-B preferred share offering
San Miguel [SMC 105.50 up 0.5%; 118% avgVol] [link] disclosed that it applied for a shelf registration to list up to 866,666,700 Series 2 preferred shares at P75.00/share......»»
Aboitiz unit applies SMR, G2G focus
Aboitiz Power Corp., the investment arm of the Aboitiz Group for energy-related investments, is actively pushing for more government-to-government or G2G agreements to strengthen the country’s exploration as a key enabler of energy security. Speaking at an energy forum spearheaded by the Meralco Power Academy on Monday, AboitizPower President and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said such agreements can potentially boost the country’s energy development. “We actively engage with the government to initiate discussions and develop necessary protocols. We also recognize the importance of establishing country-to-country agreements for our energy initiatives,” Rubio said. Energy initiatives pushed “Our active participation in these discussions aims to identify viable options to ensure a continuous supply of reliable energy as our nation grows and thrives,” he added. He pointed out that the industry should be open to adopting “cutting-edge, clean, and zero-emissions technologies” to generate a cleaner power supply that would cater to the needs of the consumers. “In this context, we are actively exploring Small Modular Reactors, or SMR, for quick capacity deployment and flexibility when they become commercially viable and can be deployed in the country,” he said. Unlike other power sources, SMRs can deliver affordable electricity supply in the country, especially during summer months when demand is historically higher. For instance, Rubio noted that one megawatt or MW of solar installed capacity typically requires 1.2 hectares of land. However, he said such a requirement could pose a potential downside in the country, where the average farmer holds just 1.29 hectares of land. Rubio added that pursuing clean energy goals should not lead to potential social issues. The Philippines has a vast potential for power development. With the sector’s opening for foreign investors, even the Department of Energy or DoE said it is confident it can meet its objective of increasing the contribution of clean energy in our power generation mix by 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. To complement this, AboitizPower also aims to expand its portfolio to support this goal by investing P190 billion until 2030 to have a portfolio of 9,200 MW evenly split between renewable energy and thermal sources. The post Aboitiz unit applies SMR, G2G focus appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Maguindanao del Norte: Caused by wrong legal advice (3)
These government lawyers who rendered the legal opinion that Section 50 of Republic Act 11550 is not applicable to Acting Governor Sinsuat and Acting Vice-Governor Mastura, who assumed their respective offices in obedience to the aforementioned law, have forgotten that if there is vagueness in a particular law, they must look for the intent of the lawmakers who crafted and passed it, to make it operative and effect the very purpose it intended to serve. They must take heed of the recent decision promulgated on 26 June 2023 in G.R. No. 265373 by the Supreme Court in granting the petition for mandamus and making permanent the writ of preliminary mandatory injunction filed by Acting Governor Sinsuat against the Bureau of Local Government Finance or BLGF Regional Office XII, for refusing to process the designation of Badorie M. Alonzo as Provincial Treasurer of Maguindanao del Norte in a concurrent capacity as Provincial Treasurer of the Mother Province of Maguindanao, in accordance with Section 51, of Republic Act 11550. This case is intertwined with the present impasse on the acting governorship of Maguindanao del Norte and their legal opinion and advice that triggered the current controversy. In the said case, the highest tribunal of the land, among others, clearly stated: “Albeit the plebiscite was conducted only after the May 2022 National and Local Elections, this does not invalidate Section 50. As one of the transitory provisions, Section 50 is intended to operate upon the effectivity of the law. Indeed, it would be in keeping with the spirit and intention of the law to give life to its transitory provisions for we cannot simply allow the already existing Provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur to be without a set of officials or without any funds for their operations. In Lecaroz v Sandiganbayan, we reiterated the strong presumption against a legislative intent to create a vacuum in public offices, xxxx, viz.: “Indeed, the law abhors a vacuum in public offices, and courts generally indulge in the strong presumption against a legislative intent to create, by statute, a condition which may result in an executive or administrative office becoming. for any period of time, wholly vacant or unoccupied to one lawfully authorized to exercise its functions. (talons) This is on obvious considerations of public policy, for the principle of holdover is specifically intended to prevent the public from suffering because of a vacancy and to avoid a hiatus in the performance of public functions. “The rule of holdover applies where there is express or implied legislative intent to the contrary. But it cannot be applied if there is such a legislative intent. “Here, the intent of Congress is made clear in Section 50 of Republic Act 11550. it did not intend in the interim for a vacuum to exist in the public offices of the newly created Provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, Indeed, it will absurd, nay (italics) contrary to the intent of Congress and and the will of the sovereign constituents of these new provinces, to interpret the law in a manner which unduly and unreasonably delays its operation and corporate existence.” The government barristers should realize by now that their legal theory and advice, which was the basis of the appointment of the acting OIC Macacua, has been repudiated. It behooves them therefore to recommend the recall of the said appointment so that the rule of law shall prevail in Maguindanao del Norte. They cannot invoke legal technicality to derail or delay the enforcement of the grant of the writ of mandamus. There is a newly created Maguindanao del Norte, and the people have expressed their sovereign will as to who will govern them in the interim Thus the Supreme Court in the mandamus case ruled: “The Court, nonetheless, must render judgment despite the silence, obscurity, or insufficiency of the law. Here, an indubitable fact: The Provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur have already ipso facto been created and defeated upon the approval of majority of the voters during the plebiscite. It is this very operative act that created the provinces. The people had clearly pronounced their will.” When the people of the undivided Mindanao went to vote in the plebiscite to ratify the division of their provinces into two, they were well aware that under Section 50, RA 11550, they would be voting for the transitional provincial officials of Maguindanao del Norte, meaning whoever won as Vice-Governor and the board member getting the highest number of votes would serve as Acting Governor and Acting Vice-Governor, respectively, until their successors have been elected and qualified in the next local elections. That particular provision doesn’t say that the two acting provincial officials shall serve until their successors are appointed. It distinctly and expressly says “until their successors are elected and qualified xxx.” It therefore follows that the appointment of Macacua contravenes the said provision. (To be continued) The post Maguindanao del Norte: Caused by wrong legal advice (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gov’t seeks Indon capital
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno presented to Indonesia’s business community the Philippine economic plans for securing investments in infrastructure, energy and technology. In a statement by the Department of Finance on Thursday, it said Diokno conducted the talk in Jakarta City on Wednesday ahead of the 10th ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting from 24 to 25 August. The listeners included members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Philippine Business Club Indonesia, and officials of foreign embassies in Jakarta. Diokno said the Philippine lawmakers are now studying all measures for faster public-private partnerships or PPPs as the Marcos administration aims to build 197 infrastructure flagship projects, including railways, airports and water management, among others. PPP crucial “The PPP Act, which is currently pending in the Senate, consolidates all legal frameworks on PPP and creates a unified system for investors to refer to when engaging in PPP projects,” DoF said. To build more capital for Philippine infrastructure development and diversify investment channels, Diokno said government agencies are now crafting the rules and regulations of the Maharlika Investment Fund. “This is the Philippines’ first sovereign investment fund that will serve as a platform for investors to engage in direct equity investments in Philippine ventures,” he said. Diokno said both the legislative proposal and newly approved sovereign fund will support economic expansion from liberalized investment laws passed by the previous Duterte administration. Diokno shared amendments to the Public Service Act which now allows full foreign ownership from 40 percent previously of various businesses, such as airlines and telecommunications. Amid growing concerns with climate change, the finance chief said this applies also to renewable energy facilities, such as solar plants. Indonesia, along with China and India, is among the world’s largest exporter of coal, according to the International Energy Agency. However, Indonesia vowed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, while it is 2050 for the Philippines. To ensure efficient management and profitability of infrastructure, Diokno said the government also eased processes for foreign investors under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law. “To help foster the development of high quality, modern, and sustainable infrastructure in the country, we wasted no time in building a fertile business and investment ecosystem for private players,” Diokno said. The post Gov’t seeks Indon capital 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......»»
DAR bolsters ARC dev’t program
The Department of Agrarian Reform announced over the weekend that it is strengthening its agrarian reform communities' (ARCs) development program by evaluating the framework and proposed programs for approval and integration. To achieve this goal, DAR has planned two batches of the "National Agrarian Reform Community Task Force (NARCTF) Deliberations on ARCs/ARC Clusters for Confirmation and Approval for 2023" to assess the proposed ARCs and ARC clusters. The first batch is scheduled from 7 to 11 August 2023, and the second batch will take place from 4 to 8 September 2023. DAR Undersecretary for Support Services, Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal, said the activity focuses on the level of development of potential ARCs and ARC clusters, taking primarily into account their social capital or organizational cohesion and human and financial resources. “We need to gauge their capacity, preparedness, and readiness to handle new responsibilities and obligations to ensure that they are up for the new challenges,” Cristobal said. So far, DAR has launched a total of 2,156 ARCs and 193 ARC clusters under its agrarian reform communities’ development program. On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has confirmed and approved the applications of 96 ARCs. The ARC development strategy was adopted in 1993. It has been focusing on priority agrarian reform areas to maximize resource allocation, complementation, and mobilization for greater efficiency and impact taking into consideration the limited financial and material resources of the government. An ARC is a barangay or cluster of contiguous barangays within a municipality where the majority of the CARP-covered lands have been awarded to a critical mass of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). The ARC strategy applies the integrated area development approach where the ARBs and their communities are the primary focal points of development interventions. The post DAR bolsters ARC dev’t program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LandBank doubles daily transfers limit
State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines or LandBank has increased the limit for InstaPay-enabled fund transfers from P50,000 to P100,000 per day. “We continue to extend the limits of our digital banking solutions to meet the growing needs of our diverse client base. LandBank is driven to promote greater digital adoption to help accelerate financial inclusion in the country and build a cashless society,” bank president and CEO Lynette Ortiz said. The bank also removed the limit to the number of transactions customers can do in a day to transfer funds up to the required maximum amount using LandBank’s mobile app. Transactions unlimited The unlimited number of transactions also applies to bills payment. Depositors can now also pay bills amounting to over P50,0000 a day through its online retail banking platform iAccess. To help clients manage their finances, LandBank said its team is developing a digital banking option that will allow clients to set their own limits for fund transfers and bills payment. Clients continue to adopt online banking as LandBank recorded 66.7 million transactions amounting to P123.4 billion from January to May. The post LandBank doubles daily transfers limit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gray zone conflict (1)
American policymakers are laying out a scenario of heightened posturing in the West Philippine Sea that is being referred to as a gray zone conflict in which China’s aggressiveness will heighten short of an actual armed conflict. US defense officials classify a gray zone conflict as an activity that is coercive and aggressive in nature, but that is deliberately designed to remain below the threshold of conventional military conflict and open interstate war. The Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Program on National Security senior fellow Hal Brands, who is a Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, said gray zone approaches are mostly the province of revisionist powers, which are “those actors that seek to modify some aspect of the existing international environment — and the goal is to reap gains, whether territorial or otherwise, that are normally associated with victory in war.” Gray zone approaches, he explained, are meant to achieve those gains without escalating to overt warfare, without crossing established red lines, and thus without exposing the practitioner to the penalties and risks that such escalation might bring. The concept of gray zone conflict has generated significant attention and controversy recently, within both the US government and the broader strategic studies community. Analysts have identified gray zone conflict as a new phenomenon that will increasingly characterize and challenge the international system in the years to come, according to Brands. Gray zone features unconventional tactics, from cyberattacks to propaganda and political warfare, to economic coercion and sabotage, to the sponsorship of armed proxy fighters, to creeping military expansionism. Brands said the tactics, in turn, are frequently shrouded in misinformation and deception and are often conducted in ways that are meant to make proper attribution of the responsible party difficult to nail down. Gray zone challenges, in other words, are ambiguous and usually incremental aggression. Real situation Defense experts said the gray zone is not an illusion contrary to what skeptics argue. But if the concept does pack a punch, it is also elusive and even paradoxical. Edward Luttwak has written about the paradoxical logic of strategy — the fact that it seems to embody multiple, and seemingly contradictory, truths at once. In dealing with the gray zone, this basic proposition applies in spades. The gray zone concept may seem relatively straightforward at first glance. But upon closer inspection, it is fraught with complexities, contradictions, and ironies. These characteristics do not make the concept worthless or meaningless. They do, however, make it quite slippery. Brands then listed factors that shed greater light on a concept that he said: “is at once deeply controversial and deeply important to debates about the future of warfare and US policy.” A common critique of the gray zone principle is that theorists have lumped together a dizzyingly diverse array of behaviors, from irregular warfare and unconventional warfare to coercion. “This is a valid critique. There is indeed a tendency for gray zone enthusiasts to define the concept expansively. One prominent piece on the subject includes the activities of Russia, China, and Iran — as well as the activities of ISIL and Boko Haram — within this category,” he said. He submits, however, that it makes no sense to cram China’s expansionism in the South China Sea and the Islamic State’s reign of terror in Iraq and Syria into the same analytical category. The former activity is a subtle campaign of pressure and expansion that seems carefully calibrated not to resemble open warfare or flagrant territorial expansion. “The latter activity is unabashed, quasi-genocidal warfare that involves maneuvers, combined-arms assaults, and theatrical atrocities designed to bring as much attention as possible. In other words, making the gray zone concept a repository for everything short of conventional, state-on-state warfare risks turning that concept into something that is both amorphous and analytically useless,” he explained (To be Continued.) The post Gray zone conflict (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU tries again with new framework for data flows to US
The European Commission said Monday it has adopted a new legal framework to protect Europeans' personal data in exchanges with the United States -- its third attempt to get past legal challenges. "Today we take an important step to provide trust to (EU) citizens that their data is safe, to deepen our economic ties between the EU and the US, and at the same time to reaffirm our shared values," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said. The announcement was made possible after US President Joe Biden last year issued an executive order updating US intelligence agencies' rules when it came to snooping on international data flows to give "safeguards" to European Union citizens and residents, the EU executive said. Biden on Monday said the deal reflected a "joint commitment" by both the EU and the US to guaranteeing privacy for citizens. It would also deepen transatlantic ties that were "founded on our shared democratic values and vision for the world," a statement said. Umbrella groups representing tech companies, whose business models depend on transatlantic data exchanges, hailed the announcement of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework It was "good news for thousands of businesses," one of them, DigitalEurope, said in a statement. A US grouping, The Software Alliance (BSA), said it would "bolster the management of data across borders –- a cornerstone of our modern economy –- and improve safeguards for citizens of the EU and US alike". Challenge looming But Max Schrems, an Austrian legal activist whose challenges led to EU courts shooting down two previous EU-US attempts on data transfers, said this one, too, would fail to satisfy EU law. The latest framework still has "the fundamental problem" that the United States "takes the view that only US persons are worthy of constitutional rights" protecting them from American electronic snooping, he said. He vowed to challenge the latest effort, predicting the case "will be likely back at the Court of Justice (of the EU) in a matter of months". EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders told journalists he had "no illusion" about the coming likely legal challenge. "But it's maybe useful to test the new US system before to challenge such an adequacy decision," he said. Reynders added, in an apparent swipe at Schrems's non-profit European Centre for Digital Rights, that "maybe the access to the court of justice is a small part of the business model of some civil society organizations". Presidential order The European Commission argued that the new framework offered "significant improvements" over the previous data-transfer mechanism, called Privacy Shield, which the EU court deemed inadequate. The commission said US companies signing onto the EU-US Data Privacy Framework would be required to delete Europeans' personal data when it was no longer needed for the purpose it was collected. Its scope applies to citizens of the 27-nation EU and of associated countries Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, as well as residents in all those countries. They would have the right to redress if they found their data was wrongly handled by US companies. Under US law, Americans are protected from electronic spying by US intelligence agencies by their constitution, but all other nationalities are fair game. While Biden's October 2022 executive order does not extend that same protection to Europeans, it does oblige US intelligence agencies to show that data collection on foreigners is "proportionate" to a specified US national security objective. It also adds oversight to the handling of personal data collected and offers a path to "redress" for citizens of "qualifying states", which is meant to include those of the EU. A new US Data Protection Review Court made up of experts from outside the American government, would be able to review data decisions made inside the US office of the Director of National Intelligence. The European Commission said the US measures would underpin standard contractual clauses that so many online platforms, including those run by Meta, Amazon, and Google, rely on to transfer Europeans' data to the United States. The post EU tries again with new framework for data flows to US appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»