New cases breach 8k mark: Rody calls for balancing act vs. virus
Closing the economy through coronavirus lockdowns would be disastrous for the country, President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday night, as he called for a balancing act amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic......»»
Chinese hackers breached US govt email accounts: Microsoft
Chinese-based hackers seeking intelligence information breached the email accounts of a number of US government agencies, computer giant Microsoft said. "The threat actor Microsoft links to this incident is an adversary based in China that Microsoft calls Storm-0558," the company said in a blog post late Tuesday. Microsoft said Storm-0558 gained access to email accounts at approximately 25 organizations including government agencies. Microsoft did not identify any of the targets but a US State Department spokesperson said the department had "detected anomalous activity" and had taken "immediate steps to secure our systems." "As a matter of cybersecurity policy, we do not discuss details of our response and the incident remains under investigation," the spokesperson said. According to The Washington Post, the breached email accounts were unclassified, and "Pentagon, intelligence community and military email accounts did not appear to be affected." In the blog post, Charlie Bell, a Microsoft executive vice president, said "We assess this adversary is focused on espionage, such as gaining access to email systems for intelligence collection. "This type of espionage-motivated adversary seeks to abuse credentials and gain access to data residing in sensitive systems," Bell said. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan addressed the hack in an appearance on Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America, and said it had been detected "fairly rapidly." "We were able to prevent further breaches," Sullivan said. "The matter is still being investigated, so I have to leave it there because we're gathering further information in consultation with Microsoft and we will continue to apprise the public as we learn more," Sullivan said. Microsoft said Storm-0558 "primarily targets government agencies in Western Europe and focuses on espionage, data theft, and credential access." The Redmond, Washington-based company said it had launched an investigation into "anomalous mail activity" on June 16. "Over the next few weeks, our investigation revealed that beginning on May 15, 2023, Storm-0558 gained access to email accounts affecting approximately 25 organizations including government agencies as well as related consumer accounts," it said. "They did this by using forged authentication tokens to access user email using an acquired Microsoft account consumer signing key," the company said. "Microsoft has completed mitigation of this attack for all customers." US Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the panel is "closely monitoring what appears to be a significant cybersecurity breach by Chinese intelligence." "It's clear that the PRC is steadily improving its cyber collection capabilities directed against the US and our allies," Warner said in a statement. The post Chinese hackers breached US govt email accounts: Microsoft appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Belmonte lauds QCJ Male Dormitory
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte over the weekend lauded the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory for bagging the best jail institution in the entire metropolis. The QCJMD under the leadership of Supt. Michelle Ng-Bonto bagged anew the ‘Top 1 - Best City Jail’ award given by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology - National Capital Region (BJMP-NCR). "Quezon City is very happy that our QCJ Male Dormitory won as the best jail institution that received the recognition for the second time. This is proof that they have effectively implemented their duty to be a temporary home for our countrymen who are bouncing back from the cases they are facing,” Belmonte said. The all-male QCJMD is led by a female warden. Bonto said she could not carry out her job as jail warden effectively without the support of the BJMP higher-ups and the city government led by Mayor Belmonte and City Administrator Mike Alimurung. She also lauded the detainees who have been cooperative in respecting the policies as well as rules and regulations being enforced at the detention facility. “Gone are the days that there were riots and violent confrontations among detainees who belong to different groups or what they call gangs, they have been cooperative to the jail authorities,” Bonto said. BJMP-NCR Director Chief Supt. Efren Nemeno handed the recognition on Bonto during the bureau’s 8th Regional Management Meeting and Awarding Ceremony as the former hailed her for keeping the QCJMD drug-free. The BJMP said QCJMD’s achievement could be attributed to the "winning hearts and minds approach” being advocated by the female jail warden toward the persons deprived of liberty (PDL) and jail personnel. “She has been effective in espousing positive engagement of jail personnel in the implementation of welfare and development programs for PDL,” the BJMP said. Meanwhile, the QCJMD remains to be a "drug-free jail" following the latest greyhound operation that yielded no illegal drugs but improvised bladed weapons and other nuisance contrabands. The latest operation was carried out by Bonto's team and members from the nearby Kamuning Police Station (PS-10) as well as Explosive Ordnance Disposal/K9 Units from the police district headquarters, the jail warden said. Bonto added that greyhound operations are being conducted almost daily in order to ensure that no illegal contrabands particularly illegal drugs will be kept inside the detention facility. “Our campaign inside QCJMD is also in support to the ‘Buhay, Ingatan, Ayawan’ (BIDA) program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government which calls for the support of local government units, partner government agencies, local stakeholders, and organizations in order to effectively advocate drug demand reduction to all sectors of the community,” the jail warden said. The post Belmonte lauds QCJ Male Dormitory appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go lauds current admin’s pandemic recovery efforts
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, expressed his appreciation and support for the pandemic recovery efforts undertaken by the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. As the country continues to grapple with the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Go commended the administration's proactive approach and strategies to address the challenges faced by the Filipino people since President Marcos took oath last year. “So far, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is doing very good, especially in steering the country towards recovery from the pandemic as an immediate goal on his first year in office,” expressed Go. The Senator also stressed the importance of the efforts done by the past administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte in ensuring that the country is now able to better cope with the challenges brought about by the health crisis. “Sana ay ipagpatuloy ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ang mga magagandang nasimulan nito sa kanilang unang taon at pati na rin yung mga magagandang programa ng nakaraang administrasyon ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Sana ay madagdagan pa ang mga ito, lalo na yung mga proyekto at programang nakakatulong talaga sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan,” he continued. Meanwhile, Go has urged the Department of Health (DOH) to carefully assess the prevailing situation before making any decision regarding the lifting of the state of public emergency due to COVID-19 in the country. Recognizing the importance of balancing public health and the gradual resumption of economic activities, the senator emphasized the need for a cautious and data-driven approach, saying, “We have to consider everything and make sure that the proposed lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency due to COVID-19 is evidence-based and dictated by good science.” “This includes ensuring that our present healthcare system is strong enough should there be an alarming increase again in the number of COVID-19 cases,” he emphasized. Go likewise stressed the significance of considering key indicators such as infection rates, vaccination coverage, hospital capacity, and the readiness of local health systems before easing restrictions. The post Bong Go lauds current admin’s pandemic recovery efforts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Abortion hotline ringing nonstop
The Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline is ringing nonstop since the United States Supreme Court’s revocation of the federal right to abortion a year ago led to 15 states banning or severely curtailing access to the procedure, Linda Prine, a New York doctor who co-founded the helpline in 2019, said. The USSC decision triggered a “huge bump” in call volume to the hotline, the physician told Agence France-Presse. The hotline also is now staffed by around 70 health care professionals on a voluntary rotational basis, providing advice and fielding questions from American women seeking to end their pregnancies. It started with 12 volunteers. Callers were women who must perform their own abortions alone at home, without seeing a doctor, because the procedure is now illegal in their states. Many patients call the hotline after taking the pills, to make sure the abortion actually worked. Pregnancy tests can remain positive for up to several weeks after an abortion, sometimes causing confusion. “Most of the time, we’re not really giving medical advice, we’re giving reassurance,” Prine said. Many women who call have not spoken to anybody else about their abortions for fear of being reported, she said. “You can just hear it in people’s voices, they are so grateful to have a place to talk to somebody who can answer their questions,” explained Prine. The telephone line is open 18 hours a day, every day. Most of the volunteers are general practitioners, and the patients remain anonymous. One of the patients that morning mentions calling from Texas, where abortion is now illegal, even in cases of rape. In the hotline’s first three years, they had only one or two calls from someone using pills at 18 weeks. “And now we will get a call like that once or twice a day sometimes,” she said. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved abortion pills for use up to 10 weeks since the end of the patient’s last menstrual cycle. For second trimester abortions, patients can be “in a total state of panic, because they’ve just passed a recognizable fetus and the umbilical cord is still there,” she said. The post Abortion hotline ringing nonstop appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tagle suspended anew
Barangay Pasong Tamo chairperson Mae Tagle was suspended for another 30 days without pay on Thursday by the Quezon City local government’s legal office. This after the Quezon City Council confirmed the resolution of the Special Investigation Committee in the case of Jalandoni vs. Tagle, docketed as Administrative Case 424-23. The SIC found Tagle guilty of simple negligence for allowing a perya or carnival to operate in the barangay for several days, even though it was causing traffic congestion. It was the second administrative case for misconduct that Tagle was found guilty of in the past year. In July 2022, she was suspended for 30 days for firing the entire fire brigade of the village. Tagle has refused to comment on the charges against her. In addition to the two administrative cases, Tagle is also facing seven other cases of abuse of power. The cases have led to calls for her resignation from the barangay chairmanship. The post Tagle suspended anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rights group calls on CHR to probe secret prisons
“If there is anything that recent abduction cases prove, it is the existence of secret prisons maintained by state forces, in violation of Republic Act 10353 or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012." The post Rights group calls on CHR to probe secret prisons appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Thousands flee flooded homes after Ukraine dam destroyed
Thousands were fleeing their homes Wednesday after the destruction of a frontline Russian-held dam in Ukraine flooded dozens of villages and parts of a nearby city, sparking fears of a humanitarian disaster. Downstream from the breached Kakhovka dam, Ukrainian police and troops in the southern city of Kherson were bringing people out from inundated areas in inflatable boats, most clutching only a few documents and pets. Despite the evacuations, officials said Russian forces have kept shelling the residential neighborhoods. Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for the dam being ripped open early Tuesday, prompting Turkey's president to propose to both nations' leaders an international probe of the breach. The destruction has also raised fears of an environmental disaster and nuclear safety risks as it provides cooling water for Europe's largest nuclear plant. One woman, Nataliya Korzh, 68, had swum part of the way to escape from her house. She emerged from a rescue boat barefoot, her legs covered with scratches, her hands trembling from cold. "All my rooms are underwater. My fridge is floating, the freezer, everything. We're used to shooting, but a natural disaster is a real nightmare. I wasn't expecting that," she told AFP. She feared for her two dogs and cat, which she was unable to save. "To get to the room where the dogs were, I would have had to dive. I don't know what's happened to them." The water was waist-deep in the central streets of Kherson and the ground floors of buildings were submerged. A spokesman for Ukraine's emergency services, Oleksandr Khorunzhyi, said that "currently there is no information about the dead or injured". Water levels in Kherson have risen by five meters (16 feet), he said. While finger-pointing continued over the dam's destruction, Moscow accused Kyiv of blowing up a key pipeline that Russia used before the war to export ammonia and whose re-activation it has requested as part of grain deal talks. Continued shelling The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said 1,700 people had been evacuated so far and reported that ongoing shelling was endangering rescuers and locals. Moscow-installed officials on the Russian-occupied side of the river said on Tuesday that more than 1,200 people had been evacuated. A policeman, Sergiy, 38, was using a radio to coordinate the rescue boats. "Today we've already saved 30 people, 10 pets. There was one child. We will work until we've brought out all the people," he told AFP. Washington warned there would be "likely many deaths" due to the breach of the Kakhovka dam. Kyiv said the destruction of the dam -- seized by Russia in the early hours of the war -- was an attempt by Moscow to hamper its long-awaited offensive, which Ukraine's leader stressed would not be affected. The United Nations warned that hundreds of thousands could be affected on both sides of the frontline. The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said 1,852 houses had been flooded by early Wednesday. "According to our forecasts, the water level will increase by one meter within the next 20 hours," he warned. An official in President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, Daria Zarivna, said that in the occupied territory "the Russians simply abandoned people" and in the town of Oleshky on the opposite bank from Kherson, "many spent the night on the roofs of houses". 'Environmental bomb' Zelensky accused Russia of detonating an "environmental bomb of mass destruction", saying authorities expected up to 80 settlements with tens of thousands of residents to be flooded and urging the world to "react". "This crime carries enormous threats and will have dire consequences for people's lives and the environment," Zelensky said. But the explosion would "not affect Ukraine's ability to de-occupy its own territories", he added. Last October, Zelensky accused Russia of planting mines at the dam, warning that its destruction would spur a new wave of refugees into Europe. Kyiv said 150 tonnes of engine oil had spilled into the river, and the agricultural ministry said about 10 thousand hectares of farmland on the right bank of the river would be flooded and "several times more" on the left bank. China expressed "serious concern" over the dam destruction, while EU chief Charles Michel called it a "war crime" and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg condemned it as "outrageous". Russia has said the dam was partially destroyed by "multiple strikes" from Ukrainian forces and urged the world to condemn Kyiv's "criminal acts". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said he proposed setting up an international commission to investigate the destruction of the dam in calls with Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The Soviet-era dam, built in the 1950s, sits on the Dnipro River, which provides cooling water for the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant some 150 kilometers (90 miles) away. The UN nuclear watchdog agency said the dam break was posing "no short-term risk" to the plant. Separately, Moscow accused a Ukrainian "sabotage" group of blowing up a section of the Togliatti-Odesa pipeline that Russia used to export ammonia and that is part of the international talks on allowing grain exports from Ukraine amid the conflict with Russia. Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of firing at the ammonia pipeline. The post Thousands flee flooded homes after Ukraine dam destroyed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Experts warn bird flu virus changing rapidly in largest ever outbreak
The virus causing record cases of avian influenza in birds across the world is changing rapidly, experts have warned, as calls increase for countries to vaccinate their poultry. .....»»
Go calls for continuing campaign vs illegal drugs, criminality
Amid the prevalence of drug cases even involving some members of the Philippine National Police, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has called on the government to adopt stricter and more robust measures to address the persistent challenges of illegal drugs and criminality in the country. In an ambush interview after his visit to Sta. Cruz, Manila on Wednesday, 24 May, Go acknowledged that eradicating illegal drugs and criminality requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing both law enforcement and social reform. Drawing inspiration from the successful campaigns during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, Go expressed that similar strong-arm tactics and approaches are necessary to continue building a safer society. He likewise added that a renewed focus on combating drug issues will contribute to a safer and more secure country. “Ako po ay nasasayangan kung mawala ang inumpisahan ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, ‘yung inumpisahan niyang labanan po itong iligal na droga. Alam n’yo kapag bumalik po ang iligal na droga, babalik po ang korapsyon sa gobyerno, nabibili eh. At babalik po ang kriminalidad, ‘yun po ang takot ko dito. Itong kapulisan medyo kamay na bakal ang kailangan dito. Kailangan talagang takutin,” Go urged. During the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing on Tuesday, 23 May, Go asked the PNP leadership about the possibility of tapping former president Duterte as the government’s anti-drug czar, considering the latter’s campaign saw a notable decline in crime rates. “Ako naman, sabi ko nga prerogative po ‘yan ng appointing authority, ang mahal na Pangulong Bongbong Marcos. Kung saka-sakali naman, malaking tulong po si former president Duterte. Ibig sabihin ang kailangan dito ay talagang kamay na bakal, takutin mo talaga. Pero kailangan may ngipin. Kung gagawin man siyang drug czar dapat may ngipin kasi kapag walang ngipin hindi katatakutan ‘yan,” Go asserted. “Napag-usapan lang po ‘yun dahil talagang dismayado tayo sa mga nadiskubreng kalokohan. Mga pulis pa naman itong mga ito, dapat nga kayo ang magprotekta sa taumbayan, kayo pa ang pumasok sa droga. Alam n’yo bawat isang gramo na kumalat diyan sa daan, ito napakalaking quantity po ito ng droga, ilang buhay na naman kaya ang sisirain nito kapag kumalat ‘yan sa daan. Ilang pamilya ang masisira, ilang buhay ang wawasakin, ilang pamilya ang wawasakin kapag kumalat ang droga na ‘yan. Alam n’yo salot talaga ang droga na ‘yan,” he lamented. Go’s colleague, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, then expressed his support for the idea, saying, “Ako, personally, maganda sana kasi babalik ang takot ng mga drug syndicates, particularly ‘yung mga pulis na involved—‘yung mga ninja cops. Matatakot at matatakot talaga ‘yan.” The senator also stressed the importance of immediately addressing underlying issues that contribute to these problems. He has called for stronger coordination among various law enforcement agencies to ensure a holistic approach in combating these issues. “Dapat talagang himayin nang mabuti, kasuhan na po ang dapat kasuhan. Ihiwalay po ang mga bulok para hindi makahawa at lumabas po ang katotohanan. At suportado ko si Sen. Bato dela Rosa sa kanyang layuning malaman po ang katotohanan,” underscored Go. “Kaya nga po nagdidinig sa Senado, kaya nga po nagkakaroon tayo ng public hearing sa Public Order Committee para malaman ang katotohanan. Kaya lang parang pinapaikot-ikot na lang po ang istorya at ang iba po’y hindi nagko-cooperate,” he continued. In the end, Go said that he is convinced that President Marcos possesses the necessary determination to implement effective measures that will address the drug problem at its core, highlighting, “Alam ko naman na seryoso po ang ating administrasyon na sugpuin po ang iligal na droga. Nagtitiwala po ako sa leadership ng Philippine National Police, disente po itong taong ito.” “Importante lang dito talaga ay medyo strong position na takutin mo, dapat takutin mo talaga. Kapag hindi mo takutin mamayagpag po ang mga sindikato na ‘yan,” he concluded. The post Go calls for continuing campaign vs illegal drugs, criminality appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Digital ‘budol-budol’
Often for kicks, I open the “Spam” folder of my Email and entangle myself with what digital fraudsters are up to lately in messing up people’s lives. I precisely did that after apprising the big news about the potential personal data breach at GCash, the popular digital payments platform of Globe Telecom Inc. and immediately searched for fake GCash emails. Usually, for safety’s sake, I quickly delete such fakeries. But I took a conscious effort at scrutinizing a message I got last month which purportedly came from the “GCash Help Center.” The message urgently asked me to activate my account by clicking the provided link. Helpful missive that was, innocent-sounding even. Only it was a head-scratcher: I never applied for a GCash account nor have no intentions whatsoever of enrolling into one. I often wonder how these people could assume I wasn’t strictly a cold-cash-paying Luddite struggling with where to place in my all too-small billfold those new-fangled unfoldable one thousand peso bills. Anyway, since I was also often bombarded by National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) text alerts imploring me to be ever watchful with digital fraud, or in the more suitable and folksier digital “budol-budol,” I had become suspicious enough to spot dead giveaways showing fraud. By the way, all of us really have to keep up with fraudsters’ ways. In fact, in our digital era “face-to-face fraud doesn’t really happen anymore. It’s all digital,” says Louis Smith, credit card Visa’s chief risk officer for Southeast Asia. At any rate, in the case of those fake emails, technically known as “phishing” emails, the dead giveaways I learned were: a. the email usually has a generic greeting like “Hi”; the email says your account is on hold because of a billing problem; and the email invites you to click on a link to update your payment details by sending all your personal data. Those raise fakery alarms since legitimate companies, even if they might communicate with you by email, won’t ever email or text you with a link to update your payment information. So there. Still, the growing sophistication and sheer volume of digital “budol-budol” every day catches us off-guard. Nowadays, the risks of digital fraud are alarmingly high. In fact, Globe Telecoms, which owns GCash, reported that it has already blocked 4.07 million malicious bank-related messages in the first quarter of the year, 2.7 percent higher than the number of malicious messages from last year. Last year, too, Globe blocked 85 million bank-related spam and scam messages, part of the record-high 3 billion scam and spam messages filtered by the giant telecom firm between January 2022 and January 2023. In another report, TransUnion, an American credit reporting outfit, says the nation had the third-highest rate of suspected fraudulent digital transactions among all countries and regions analyzed in 2022, with as much as 8.7 percent of digital transactions suspected as fraudulent. TransUnion also reported that from a three-month survey, 71 percent of Filipinos had been targeted by digital fraud attempts through emails, phone calls, online messaging, or texts. Eleven percent of those surveyed admitted to falling victim to fraud. The common fraud schemes experienced by Filipinos were “phishing (fraudulent emails, social posts, websites and QR codes), “smishing” (fraudulent mobile text messages), third-party seller scams, and identity theft. Now if all these scams make it our personal responsibility not to be duped, companies and the government also have to do all they can not to make things worse than it already is. Companies really have to beef up their cybersecurity measures and the government can’t content themselves with launching useless probes after a digital disaster or with registering cellphone SIMs. Where, for instance, is a government-run digital facility where the public can quickly report text or email scams? The US, for example, has SPAM (7726), a sort of 911 where Americans can forward any “smishing” text message. Here, we’re still resorting to reporting digital fraud on social media. The post Digital ‘budol-budol’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Drug trafficking charge against De Lima dismissed
Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner Leila de Lima was acquitted Friday on one of two remaining drug trafficking charges filed against her under the Rodrigo Duterte administration, court officials said, putting her a step closer to freedom. De Lima, a former senator, and justice minister, has been detained since February 2017 on charges she and human rights groups say were fabricated as payback for going after Duterte and his deadly war on drugs that left thousands dead. About 50 supporters chanted "Free Leila Now" and "Junk the Fake Evidence" as they gathered outside the heavily guarded courtroom, which was off limits to the media. The former senator and justice minister, 63, and another defendant "are hereby acquitted of the crime charged on the ground of reasonable doubt," said a written copy of the ruling released by regional trial court judge Abraham Alcantara. "Glorious day," a relieved de Lima told reporters as police escorted her back to a police coaster after the court session, describing the result as the "beginning of my vindication". Despite the acquittal, she will stay in jail as her trial in the other criminal case continues. She has applied for bail and is waiting for the judge's decision. De Lima, 63, faces life in prison if convicted of the remaining charge. She is accused of taking money from inmates inside the country's largest prison in exchange for allowing them to sell drugs while she was justice minister from 2010-2015 under then-leader Benigno Aquino. But the prosecution's case has been falling apart as two of their witnesses died and one of the three charges against her was dismissed. Multiple witnesses have recanted their testimonies, claiming they were coerced into making allegations against de Lima. A UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded in 2018 that de Lima's detention was "arbitrary given the absence of a legal basis" and that her right to a fair trial had not been "respected". Since President Ferdinand Marcos took power, there have been renewed calls from diplomats and rights defenders for de Lima to be released. Before her arrest in 2017, de Lima had spent a decade investigating "death squad" killings allegedly orchestrated by Duterte during his time as Davao City mayor and then in the early days of his 2016-2022 presidency. She conducted the probes while serving as the nation's human rights commissioner, and then from 2010 to 2015 as justice secretary in the Benigno Aquino administration that preceded Duterte's rule. De Lima won a Senate seat in 2016, becoming one of the few opposition voices as the populist Duterte enjoyed a landslide win. But Duterte then accused her of running a drug trafficking ring with criminals. The charges were an act of "vengeance" by Duterte to silence her and warn others not to oppose him, de Lima told AFP previously. Campaigning from behind bars, de Lima made a failed bid for re-election to the Senate in last year's elections. The lawyer and mother of two has been held in a compound for high-profile detainees, rather than in one of the Philippines' overcrowded jails. It is not unusual for court cases to drag on for years in the creaky justice system, which is overburdened, underfunded and vulnerable to pressure from the powerful. The post Drug trafficking charge against De Lima dismissed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kuwait ‘temporarily’ bans OFWs
A local business magazine published in Dubai reported that overseas Filipino workers are temporarily not welcome in Kuwait after the Kuwaiti government reportedly suspended the granting of entry and work visas to Filipinos. The Arabian Business reported on Wednesday that the temporary suspension came from Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, saying that the Philippines is not compliant with some parts of the labor pact between the two countries. Filipinos in Kuwait are reportedly around 268,000, according to a previous statement by Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac, 88 percent of which are household service workers. Arabian Business also reported that groups such as the Kuwait Progressive Movement viewed the decision as ‘discriminatory,’ adding that foreign workers have been receiving unfair treatment from local employers. However, the labor ties between the Philippines and Kuwait have soured this year with the gruesome death of 35-year-old Jullebee Ranara, whose body was discovered burned in a desert last January. Another notable case was the abuse experienced by Myla Bagbag who jumped off from a building unit to escape her employer. Such cases caused outrage leading to calls for a deployment ban and the eventual instatement of a deployment ban for first-time household service workers. Previously, DMW Secretary Susan Ople expressed her disapproval over a deployment ban, arguing that it should be addressed through a diplomatic review of the two countries’ labor agreement. Daily Tribune sought comment from the DMW but has not yet responded. Arabian Business also reported that groups such as the Kuwait Progressive Movement viewed the decision as ‘discriminatory,’ adding that foreign workers have been receiving unfair treatment from local employers. The post Kuwait ‘temporarily’ bans OFWs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hotel industry will follow mask policy if needed
The country’s hotel operators are willing to adhere to whatever decision the government will impose on calls to implement anew the mask policy following the spike in Covid-19 cases these past few days. This comes amid forecasts by a research group that Covid-19 cases may spike in the middle of May this year, putting the positivity rate to 19.3 percent over the weekend. “On the part of the hotel industry, it’s fairly simple, we follow the guidelines. But regardless of the guidelines, our sector as well as tourism-related establishments have been always maintaining very strict minimum health standards that are in place and making sure that we provide our guests with a safe and good experience,” said Benito Bengzon Jr., president of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association Inc. He added that his group is seeing that hotel occupancies are going back to the pre-pandemic levels. “Apart from hotel occupancy, which is seen as a major indicator, we are looking at the revenue side of it. And the good news that we have heard from our members, many or some of them have already exceeded their 2019 levels,” Bengzon told reporters during the Business Networking and Luncheon hosted by the Philippine Furniture Furnishings Market on Monday at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay. Overall, he stressed that the hotel industry in urban or city destinations “is slowly improving or much better compared to 2022.” “But the current foot traffic that we are getting now is just 25 percent of what we got in 2019. In 2019, we got 8.2 million foreign visitors, but last year, we only got 2 million. We still have a long way to go. The official target for this year in terms of foreign tourist traffic for the industry is 4.8 million,” Bengzon said. Meantime, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines president Eugene Yap said masks are now indeed part of citizen’s daily outfit, even if World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that Covid-19 was no longer qualifies as a global emergency. “But definitely, the Covid-19 virus is still there going around, but no longer a pandemic and just an endemic. The mask will always be an important part of our attire and for some countries a form of courtesy, such as in Japan and in Taiwan. I can see that masks are still an important part, especially in food serving areas,” Yap said. “We hope there will not be much mask requirement, but I think we leave it now to the establishments for their own use,” he added. Philippine Retailers Association chairperson Paul Santos, on the other hand, echoed the sentiments of the hotel and restaurant industry on heeding the guidelines but will also leave it to the retailers what to impose on their employees and own enterprise. “We can impose that on our employees, but we cannot impose wearing masks on our customers. Generally speaking, we will follow what the government recommends,” Santos said. To recall, the Department of Health last week maintained that they have already recommended to the Office of the President, based on the agreements coming from the IATF discussions, that there is no need to return the mask mandate as they need to shift the mindset of Filipinos when it comes to the Covid-19 virus. The post Hotel industry will follow mask policy if needed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Calls for probe into killing of BPO union organizer mount
"[J]ust days before he was killed, Dolorosa helped his colleagues win four labor cases in Bacolod City," Conde said. .....»»
McDonald’s profit climbs as consumers digest price hikes
McDonald's reported another strong quarter of profits on Tuesday, as affordability concerns boosted sales while the chain gingerly increased prices. The fast-food giant pointed to a policy of "strategic menu price increases" that resulted in modest pushback in some cases, executives said, while diners continued buying from the restaurant as they grapple with cost-of-living pressures. "We have to be very disciplined on where we take pricing," Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski said on a conference call with analysts. McDonald's works with outside experts to identify -- by item and restaurant -- where to lift prices, said Kempczinski. "When you go off-script and you start to take pricing in areas that would not be suggested" by models, the company can see "more resistance," he said. But profits in the first quarter jumped 63 percent to $1.8 billion on a four percent increase in revenues to $5.9 billion. Comparable store sales surged 12.6 percent. Chief Financial Officer Ian Frederick Borden said cost pressures are on a "downward trend" in the United States, although inflation remains elevated. While inflation in Europe has not yet moderated in a meaningful way, he added, some improvement is expected in the second half of the year. Kempczinski said the company's base-case expectation calls for a "mild recession" in the United States, with a slightly weaker outlook in Europe. As guests confront higher prices, the chain is seeing modest changes in consumer behavior, such as skipping french fries or ordering fewer items. "We perform well in good times and in bad and so that's what gives us optimism as we go through the rest of the year," Kempczinski said. Shares dipped 1.0 percent to $290.16 in afternoon trading. The post McDonald’s profit climbs as consumers digest price hikes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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Poe calls for proactive policies for arrivals from China
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A year since her arrest, calls to free detained dev’t worker Sally Ujano continue
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Philippines COVID-19 cases breach 4 mln mark in total
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