New CDO boxers charge up for Palaro VisMin tourney
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Ten amateur boxers here are expected to show their mettle in the ring as they prepare to represent the city in the Palarong Pambansa Visayas-Mindanao Boxing tournament from July 12 to 15 in Cebu City.Head trainer and coach Elmer Pamisa, in a radio interview Monday, sai.....»»
CVFA booters back in PFF first division after strong showing in Zamboanga U-19 tourney
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The undermanned Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) is officially back in the first division of the Philippine Football Federation’s (PFF) after finishing as the first runners-up in the PFF U-19 VisMin National Group Stage in Zamboanga City. CVFA wrapped up their last match against the Camiguin-Misamis Oriental Regional Football Association (CMORFA) […] The post CVFA booters back in PFF first division after strong showing in Zamboanga U-19 tourney appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Brew Authoritea hand Buffalo Braves 3rd straight loss
CEBU CITY, Philippines— The MisOr Brew Authoritea inflicted Kapatagan Buffalo Braves’ their third straight defeat after beating the latter,111-105, in their match of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go PIlipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao leg, Sunday at the Pagadian City Gymnasium in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. Former PBA cager Ronjay Buenafe took charge of the Brew Authoritea’s […] The post Brew Authoritea hand Buffalo Braves 3rd straight loss appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Marcial, 3 others settle for bronze in Dubai tourney
Four national boxers finished with bronze medals in the ASBC Asian Elite Championships in Dubai, UAE......»»
PSC OIC Fernandez, national boxers undergo COVID-19 swab tests
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner and newly appointed Officer-In-Charge Ramon Fernandez led the coronavirus (COVID-19) swab testing on Thursday at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City. Fernandez was accompanied by his wife Karla Kintanar-Fernandez and is expected to complete the 14-day quarantine while doing his OIC functions until July 17. “We will comply with the standard procedures to ensure that we are helping in curbing the spread of the virus,” shared Fernandez. Aside from Fernandez, national boxers from Baguio City, including 2021 Tokyo Olympics qualifier Irish Magno and 2019 AIBA Women’s World Champion Nesthy Petecio with 10 more boxers - six males and four females - and one coach, also went through swab testing. Athletes residing in Philsports from boxing and fencing, and para-athletes from athletics, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, table tennis, and chess also underwent swab tests. The boxers who are coming off a training camp in Baguio City are on a 14-day quarantine and are under observation until their test results are out. They will be provided with food, shelter, and necessary assistance from the PSC staff. “Hindi muna sila pinalalabas ng assigned rooms nila. Until lumabas swab test results nila, hinahatiran sila food,” shared Philsports Dormitory manager Roselle Destura. “Kung may ipapabili, ipapa-withdraw, at ipapadala sa pamilya, pinapaiwan namin sila ng note sa harap ng room nila and then kami na gagawa for them,” she added. The PSC will also assist the athletes in securing their travel passes going back to their hometowns once their results turn out clear and flights become available......»»
Preserving heritage: Ethiopian quest to recreate ancient manuscripts
Armed with a bamboo ink pen and a steady hand, Ethiopian Orthodox priest Zelalem Mola carefully copies text in the ancient Ge'ez language from a religious book onto a goatskin parchment. This painstaking task is preserving an ancient tradition, all the while bringing him closer to God, says the 42-year-old. At the Hamere Berhan Institute in Addis Ababa, priests and lay worshippers work by hand to replicate sometimes centuries-old religious manuscripts and sacred artwork. The parchments, pens, and inks are all prepared at the institute, which lies in the Piasa district in the historic heart of the Ethiopian capital. Yeshiemebet Sisay, 29, who is in charge of communications at Hamere Berhan, says the work began four years ago. "Ancient parchment manuscripts are disappearing from our culture, which motivated us to start this project," she says. The precious works are kept mainly in monasteries, where prayers or religious chants are conducted using only parchment rather than paper manuscripts. "However, this custom is rapidly fading... We thought if we could learn skills from our priests, we could work on it ourselves, so that is how we began," adds Yeshiemebet. 'It's hard work' In the institute's courtyard, workers stretch the goatskins tightly over metal frames to dry under a weak sun that barely pierces the milky sky. "After the goatskin is immersed in the water for three to four days, we make holes on the edge of the skin and tie it to the metal so that it can stretch," says Tinsaye Chere Ayele. "After that, we remove the extra layer of fat on the skin's inside to make it clean." Alongside two other colleagues, the 20-year-old carries out his task using a makeshift scraper, seemingly oblivious to the stench emanating from the animal hide. Once clean and dry, the skins are stripped of the goat hair and then cut to the desired size for use as pages of a book or for painting. Yeshiemebet says most of the manuscripts are commissioned by individuals who then donate them to churches or monasteries. Some customers order for themselves small collections of prayers or paintings to have "reproductions of ancient Ethiopian works", she adds. "Small books can take one or two months. If it is a collective work, large books can take one to two years. "If it's an individual task, it can take even longer," she says, leafing through books clad in red leather, their texts adorned with brightly colored illuminations and religious images. Sitting in one of the institute's rooms, with parchment pages placed on his knees, Zelalem patiently copies a book entitled "Zena Selassie" ("History of the Trinity"). "It is going to take a lot of time. It's hard work, starting with the preparation of the parchment and the inks. This one could take up to six months to complete," the priest says. "We make a stylus from bamboo, sharpening the tip with a razor blade." The scribes use different pens for each color used in the text -- black or red -- and either a fine or broad tip, with the inks made from various local plants. 'Talking to saints and God' Like most other religious works, "Zena Selassie" is written in Ge'ez. This dead language remains the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and its alpha syllabic system -- where the characters represent syllables -- is still used to write Ethiopia's national language Amharic as well as Tigrinya, which is spoken in Tigray and neighboring Eritrea. "We copy from paper to parchment to preserve (the writings) as the paper book can be easily damaged, while this one will last a long time if we protect it from water and fire," says Zelalem. Replicating the manuscripts "needs patience and focus. It begins with a prayer in the morning, at lunchtime, and ends with prayer." "It is difficult for an individual to write and finish a book, just to sit the whole day, but thanks to our devotion, a light shines brightly within us," Zelalem adds. "It takes so much effort that it makes us worthy in the eyes of God." This spiritual dimension also guides Lidetu Tasew, who is in charge of education and training at the institute, where he teaches painting and illuminations. "Spending time here painting saints is like talking to saints and to God," says the 26-year-old, who was brought up in a church. "We have been taught that wherever we paint saints, there is the spirit of God." The post Preserving heritage: Ethiopian quest to recreate ancient manuscripts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
G in NGCP: Grid or Greed?
There’s a news article that came out in a national broadsheet entitled “Why, the NGCP executive wonders, did making money become so ‘demonized’? It was quoting the ‘sentiment’ of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines assistant vice president Cynthia Alabanza after her appearance in the Senate Committee on Energy chaired by Senator Raffy Tulfo.” Apparently, Senator Tulfo pounded the NGCP executives on its huge profits for its investors (State Grid of China, Henry Sy Jr., and Robert Coyuito, Jr.) and giving a very high percentage of its net income as dividends (return on equity of about 36 percent and a dividend payout of about 90 percent) leaving little for reinvestments. Do the senators have the basis to “demonized” the way NGCP makes money? Consider the following facts: In the Year 2015, the cash dividends declared and paid to NGCP shareholders amounts to P21 billion while the total electricity consumption for the same year is at 82.413 billion kilowatt hours. With that as a benchmark, it shows that NGCP shareholders directly pocket about P0.25 per kwh consumed by the public or 25 percent of the whole transmission charge collected (for P1.00 transmission charge per kilowatt hour). Despite these multi-billion pesos yearly cash dividend payout among the three owners, Filipino consumers still suffer from blackouts and delays in more than a dozen of projects, including the Visayas Mindanao Interconnection Project. The senators found out too that NGCP has been allowed to collect transmission charges from projects that have not been completed yet when ERC during the time of Chairman Agnes Devanadera authorized NGCP to increase its income ceiling from P43 billion in 2019 to P47.1 billion in 2020. While other corporations in the energy sector are subjected to the usual tax and are facing competition, Republic Act 9511 or the NGCP Franchise Law granted NGCP exemption from income tax and any and all taxes, duties, fees, and charges of any kind, in lieu of the 3 percent franchise tax. What that meant in practical terms is that the national government is foregoing about P7 billion to P10 billion in annual tax revenues. Consider the following matrix: In the years 2007 and 2008 when TransCo was operating the transmission grid, it paid the national government a total amount of taxes worth almost P19 billion. In the years 2010 and 2011 when NGCP took over TransCo in the operations of the transmission business, it paid the total amount of taxes in the amount of only P4.45 billion. A difference of about P14.55 billion in 2 years! Moreover, the NGCP franchise law had the effect of exempting NGCP from taxes that had nothing to do with the operations, maintenance, and development of the transmission grid. (Per BIR Ruling No. 019-2009 dated 14 October 2009) These include the following: The 20 percent Final Withholding Tax or FWT on interest income is derived from Philippine currency bank deposits and yields from deposit substitutes, trust funds, and similar arrangements derived from sources within the Philippines; The 7 ½ percent FWT on interest income, and yield from deposit substitutes, trust funds, similar arrangements, and other transactions with Offshore Banking Units and depository banks under the expanded foreign currency deposit system; and The documentary stamp tax imposed under Sections 179 and 180 of the Tax Reform Act of 1997, on those deposits, deposit substitutes, trust funds, and similar instruments. While TransCo, a government-owned and controlled corporation, is subjected to ALL taxes imposed by the national government up to this date, NGCP was granted exemption from ALL taxes (save for the 3 percent franchise tax) including interest income on all kinds of deposits and yields on such deposits. All of these are taken together in the context of the national government granting a private entity the monopoly of the national transmission business which is now earning a gross income of more than P44 billion annually, and that has declared and paid a total cash dividend to its shareholders of about P230.8 billion from 2009 to 2021, these exemptions are truly excessive and unconscionable. The post G in NGCP: Grid or Greed? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-FIFA vice-president Temarii charged over 2022 World Cup vote
FIFA's disgraced former vice-president Reynald Temarii of Tahiti has been charged with corruption by French prosecutors probing Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid process. The charge, the first to emerge from the years-long investigation, is for passive corruption and was confirmed by France's financial crimes prosecutors. Temarii is a former president of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). But he was forced out in 2010 after being implicated in a vote-selling scandal during an undercover newspaper sting before the controversial awarding to Qatar of last year's football showpiece. Temarii was banned for a year by FIFA on November 17, 2010, ruling him out of the infamous December 2 vote at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich. The OFC was entitled to organize someone to vote in his place, with the first of their votes designated for Australia and then if necessary to the United States, the favorites for the 2022 staging rights over Qatar. But Temarii appealed his ban on the night of 30 November, having initially accepted his suspension. His appeal, as per FIFA rules, deprived the OFC of a vote on 2 December, with Qatar eventually winning the ballot over the USA 14-8. The French investigation, set up in 2019, was particularly interested in a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on 23 November 2010, just over a week before the vote, between then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Qatari prince Tamim ben Hamad al-Thani –- who became Emir in 2013 –- and UEFA president at the time Michel Platini who subsequently voted for Qatar. Temarii was hit with a separate eight-year ban in 2015 for receiving 300,000 euros to cover his legal expenses for his 2010 appeal from former FIFA executive member Mohamed bin Hammam, a key player in securing the World Cup for his home country, Qatar. Bin Hammam was banned for life from football in 2012. The post Ex-FIFA vice-president Temarii charged over 2022 World Cup vote appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Garbage swamping canals — MMDA
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday strongly urged residents in the National Capital Region to exercise discipline in disposing of their garbage. This was the call made by MMDA officer-in-charge Atty. Romando Artes as Metro Manila braces for super typhoon another typhoon approaching the Philippine Area of Responsibility. The MMDA chief lamented that residents indiscriminately throw their waste into waterways, clogging creeks and canals, thereby causing flooding. “In our daily cleaning, we collect truckloads of garbage from the canal, so again I appeal that we do not throw trash indiscriminately because that ends up in the canal and causes flooding,” Artes said. The MMDA has already embarked on the cleanup of sewers and tributaries on a year-round basis to prevent flooding during storms. However, due to the indiscriminate throwing of garbage by residents, waterways are clogged resulting to flooding, Artes said. The call for proper waste disposal is being spearheaded by barangay leaders under Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. “I’m calling on our fellow countrymen to have a little discipline in the disposal of garbage because Metro Manila is so vast, we can’t always clean those sewers because our personnel are limited,” Artes said. The post Garbage swamping canals — MMDA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NoLCom assures sufficient relief assistance for Luzon islands
The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Northern Luzon Command or NoLCom said Friday it has already transported some 850 boxes of relief items to Basco, Batanes via the Philippine Air Force’s C130 aircraft in anticipation of the onslaught of Typhoon "Mawar" in the country this weekend. NoLCom Commander, Lt.Gen. Fernyl Buca, said the advance delivery of the relief goods to the province was coordinated among the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Office of the Civil Defense, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police, and the PAF's Tactical Operation Group 2. Buca said the member agencies of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council are also closely coordinating with the local government units and non-government organizations in the Luzon provinces. He assured of the continuous transportation of sufficient relief goods "before and after the typhoon hit the islands of Luzon." “All units under NoLCom are on standby to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations as soon as the need arises,” Buca added. NoLCom is the AFP’s unified command in charge of the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon, including the indifferent maritime areas in the West Philippine Sea, Batanes Group of Islands, and Philippine Rise in the Pacific Ocean. Based on the latest PAGASA weather bulletin, the center or the eye of Typhoon "Mawar" with local name "Betty" was last tracked over 1,475 kilometers east of Central Luzon (15.8°N, 135.9°E). It packs maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center with gustiness of up to 250 km/h and a central pressure of 910 hPa. The post NoLCom assures sufficient relief assistance for Luzon islands appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unbeaten squads clash in Shakey’s Girls volleyball tourney semis
Unbeaten heavyweights collide as National University-Nazareth School, California Academy, Bacolod Tay Tung High School and Naga College Foundation figure in the 2023 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League knockout Final Four......»»
Phl, Japan sign loan pact to finance MRT rehabilitation
In a significant move to enhance transportation infrastructure, the Department of Finance said the Philippines and Japan have inked a loan agreement worth JPY17.4 billion (approximately $130 million) to finance the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Sakamoto Takema, the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in the Philippines signed the agreement on Friday. Originally approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board on August 22, 2018, the project seeks to address the ongoing challenges faced by the MRT 3. Under the rehabilitation plan, provisions for capacity expansion include upgrading the rolling stock, rail tracks, signaling system, power supply system, overhead catenary system, communications system, and depot and station equipment. The additional scope of work submitted by the Department of Transportation led to an increase in the total project cost to P29.6 billion, prompting the approval of the JPY17.4 billion (approximately US$130 million) supplemental loan by the NEDA Board on 2 February 2023. With the loan agreement signed, Japan's total loan net commitment now stands at around US$10.3 billion, reflecting a total ODA commitment of $10.5 billion. In the first quarter of 2023, JICA already signed two loans totaling JPY377 billion ($2.8 billion) for critical projects such as the North-South Commuter Railway Project (Phase I) (II) and the NSCR Extension Project (II). The ceremonial signing of the loan agreement was witnessed by DOTr Undersecretary Reinier Paul Yebra, Assistant Secretary Jorjette B. Aquino, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan to the Philippines Matsuda Kenichi, and Economic Minister Nihei Daisuke. The post Phl, Japan sign loan pact to finance MRT rehabilitation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM: Gov’t ready to help LGUs amid Mawar threat
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said that the national government is prepared to help local government units amid the incoming super typhoon Mawar. He made this statement in a media interview following the 125th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Navy in Manila as Mawar threatens to unload heavy rains to several parts of the country. Around Friday noon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s latest bulletin showed that Mawar has slightly intensified and may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday night or Saturday morning. “We have already instructed the LGUs to prepare in case of heavy rains and flooding. So what we are doing now is to leave it to the LGUs to decide what they will do," Marcos said. "But we are here, we are saying that the national government is here to help. We are in constant contact with the local governments so we can see what the situation is in their place," he added. Marcos mentioned that he has already discussed typhoon preparations with Defense Officer-in-charge Undersecretary Carlito Galvez. He added that the national government will assess the needs of local government units after the typhoon hits so that it can provide the appropriate assistance. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has also released a statement saying that the whole government is ready for the possible impact of Super Typhoon Mawar. PAGASA said that Super Typhoon Mawar could bring heavy rains to Northern Luzon starting Sunday or Monday. The typhoon is also expected to bring strong to storm-force winds to Extreme Northern Luzon, and strong gale-force winds to the northern and eastern portions of Northern Luzon mainland. Super Typhoon Mawar is expected to strengthen the southwest monsoon, which could bring heavy rains to the western parts of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas starting Sunday or Monday. The post PBBM: Gov’t ready to help LGUs amid Mawar threat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How much do Pinoys tip in restaurants?
Americans emerged as the biggest tippers in restaurants, according to a recent tweet by World of Statistics which didn’t even mention the Philippines – for a reason that is quite understandable. While the United States topped the list with an average of 20 percent gratuity for restaurant staff, many Asian nations were listed as not even “bad tippers,” but “also non-tippers.” China, Japan, Singapore, and Korea – the richest countries in the continent – appeared to have no tipping standard just like the Philippines. Strangely, they were joined by other wealthy countries like Australia and Denmark. “Tipping in restaurants in the Philippines is not expected, but it is fairly common. Some upscale restaurants in the bigger cities will usually have a service charge, which is pretty much the tip included in the bill. When there is a service fee on the bill, you don’t have to tip your servers anything,” said an article in expertworldtravel.com. It added that Filipinos would usually give 10 percent tip in restaurants when there’s no service charge on the bill. Canada took the No. 2 spot with 15-20 percent, followed by Norway (10-20 percent), Mexico (15 percent), Argentina, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (10-15 percent). Israel gives 12 percent tips, while Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Kenya, Sweden, South Africa, Turkey, Uruguay, United Kingdom, and Ukraine would leave 10 percent of the total restaurant bill, according to the list. The post How much do Pinoys tip in restaurants? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Super typhoon ‘Mawar’ maintains strength
Super typhoon “Mawar” maintained its strength while moving westward after battering Guam, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration. Based on the latest PAGASA weather bulletin on Thursday, the center of the eye of the super typhoon was last tracked over east of southern Luzon, moving westward at 10 kilometers per hour. PAGASA forecasts that “Mawar” will accelerate westward and enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility likely by Friday evening or Saturday evening. It will hence be named “Betty.” It will move west-northwestward throughout the forecast period towards the sea area east of Extreme Northern Luzon. “Mawar” is forecast to continue intensifying in the next three days and may reach a peak intensity of 215 km/h by Sunday. Afterward, the super typhoon is expected to weaken but it will remain a typhoon by the end of the forecast period. PAGASA said the current track scenario shows that the rain bands of the typhoon may bring heavy rains over Cagayan Valley between Sunday and Tuesday next week. The Office of the Civil Defense Cordillera reminds different local government units through their respective disaster risk reduction management formations to gear up for the possible effects of typhoon “Mawar” to the region. Relief items The OCD Cordillera advised the public and the DRRM councils and offices not to let their guard down even if “Mawar” is not expected to make a landfall. The OCD said it has already pre-positioned relief items to areas that will likely be hit by the incoming typhoon so that assistance will be immediately given to affected families. Diego Mariano, OCD Joint Information Center head, said all necessary equipment for clearing operations as well as the rescuers have already been deployed along with personnel and air assets of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council likewise geared up for the possible onslaught of the super typhoon. MMDA acting chairman and concurrent MMDRRMC Chairperson Atty. Don Artes assured close and prompt coordination among concerned government agencies and Metro Manila local government units. “MMDRRMC members shall monitor round-the-clock weather updates and situations, while disaster response units will monitor potential flooding in flood-prone areas and waterways,” Artes said. In Davao City, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office assured that the city has prepared for the possible effect of the super typhoon. In an interview, Alfredo Baloran, head of the CDRRMO, said they have already issued advisories in the barangays to prepare for the howler. “We are still on high alert because the weather disturbance is expected to become a super typhoon that will affect almost all of the country,” he added. Meanwhile, in anticipation of the entry of super typhoon “Betty,” the Philippine Coast Guard said it has already placed all units on a heightened alert status. During the Laging Handa Public Briefing on Thursday, PCG officer-in-charge, Vice Admiral Rogelio Lizor Punzalan Jr. said they have already raised the status after PAGASA has raised Tropical Cyclone Advisory number 2A. “All districts of the PCG are all on heightened alert and we already reach out to the shipping industry, and the shipping lines so that they are aware, and that they could also consider seeking shelter. There is also deployment in advance to flood-prone areas,” he said. The post Super typhoon ‘Mawar’ maintains strength appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Acuzar: House all-out behind 4PH housing
Housing czar Jose Rizalino Acuzar has assured the public that the House of Representatives intends to bankroll the Marcos administration’s campaign to wipe out the country’s 6.5 million housing backlog. Secretary Acuzar, who heads the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development, revealed that Speaker Martin Romualdez guaranteed his support for the government’s “Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino program” or 4PH. Acuzar guested in this week’s Straight Talk, Daily Tribune’s digital show, where he laid down the government’s socialized housing program being implemented by DHSUD. “Speaker Romualdez is very supportive of providing interest subsidies. He said he will even file a bill to make 4PH sustainable,” he said. The House gets the first crack at combing through the projects under the Executive Department’s National Expenditures Program, thus it is considered to hold the “power of the purse.” “We are also in constant communication with the Department of Budget and Management for them to release the budget, so that next year, we will have the allocation for the interest subsidy,” he said. Last April, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that a total of 30,000 units would be built in six sites in Bulacan, namely in San Jose Del Monte City and the municipalities of San Rafael and Pulilan. A total of 1,890 residential vertical housing units to be named Aria Estate Housing Development will be built on a 4.5-hectare land at Heroesville in Barangay Gaya-Gaya, city of San Jose Del Monte. The project will be comprised of nine residential towers and eight-story buildings with commercial areas on the ground floor. Acuzar said all edifices and houses that will be built will be resilient against earthquakes and other natural calamities. He said local government units will play a role in ensuring the units constructed are of high quality in terms of materials used and workmanship. “They (the LGU) are the ones who will make sure that all buildings are strong. The DHSUD cannot check all those construction permits. From there, these LGUs can check if the construction of the buildings is sub-standard or not,” Acuzar said. He also urged the private sector to help the government realize the dream to provide decent homes to underprivileged families. On bringing back war-torn Marawi City to its feet, Acuzar said reconstruction works there are nearly done. He said all sectors of the government were tapped in rebuilding Marawi. “Roads will be handled by the Department of Public Works and Highways, schools are for the Department of Education, and the resident’s health problems, they’re for the Department of Health to handle it. It’s a multi-agency approach,” he added. All concerns about issues on salaries of the Task Force Bangon Marawi had been addressed and resolved, he averred. This March, Task Force Bangon Marawi officer-in-charge and DHSUD assistant secretary Melissa Aradanas said many projects have been achieved and are now enjoyed by the residents. The post Acuzar: House all-out behind 4PH housing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EastSide Band holds one-night-only show at Newport World Resorts
Internet sensation EastSide Band is returning to the metro for a special one-night only performance at Newport World Resorts. The six-piece band from Mindanao graces the pioneer entertainment destination with warm vocals and masterful instrumentals, which has captured the attention of millions of Filipinos since 2018. Experience the EastSide Band live on the grand stage at Bar 360 on 26 May, 11:15 p.m., for a minimum cover charge of P1,000 consumable on food and drinks. Through expressive cover videos recorded on their signature veranda, the EastSide Band continues to serenade their online audience of millions. The band’s growing popularity has earned them a performing stint at ABS-CBN’s Sunday Variety Show, ASAP Natin ‘To, a back-to-back concert with the band Music Travel Love featuring members of quintessential 90s pop band, The Moffatts, in Cagayan De Oro City, and a primetime two-night act at Newport World Resorts last year. Escape the ordinary at Newport World Resorts. For more information on the EastSide Band at Bar 360, visit www.newportworldresorts.com and follow @newportworldresorts on Facebook and |Instagram, and @nwresorts on Twitter. Make the most of your visit and sign up for an Epic Membership or download the Newport World Resorts Mobile App for free at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The post EastSide Band holds one-night-only show at Newport World Resorts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong sentences student bomb plotters
A Hong Kong court sentenced Thursday four students, including two minors, to five years and eight months imprisonment and juvenile rehabilitation for plotting to bomb public areas in 2021. Defendant Alexander Au, now 21, received the severest punishment for renting the room where the bombs would be made, planning and preparation, and reconnaissance of targeted buildings, senior judge Alex Lee said. His three accomplices aged 17 to 20 will be sent to training centers for rehabilitation that can last up to three years. Police arrested the four members of “Returning Valiant,” a group that promoted independence from China and called for resistance after the national security law was imposed, before they could procure explosive materials in July 2021. They had pleaded guilty this month to one count of “conspiracy to cause an explosion” instead of the primary charge of “conspiracy to carry out terrorist activities.” The former can be punished by up to 20 years in jail under the Hong Kong crimes ordinance, but the latter can lead to a life sentence under the security law. Further legal proceedings are pending for four other individuals, aged 19 to 26, in the bomb plot case. The post Hong Kong sentences student bomb plotters appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-Adamson cager Jan Colina s Cavite Hoops tourney back for 2023 season
Former Adamson Falcons star Jan Colina’s grassroots basketball league is back for its second season......»»
To `sow fear’ among scalawags, Go proposes Duterte anti-drug czar
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday raised the idea of making former president Rodrigo Duterte the country’s anti-drug czar to “sow fear” among cops involved in criminalities. Go made this suggestion during the discussion of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on the possible cover-up by the Philippine National Police among its ranks involved in the P6.7-billion “shabu” haul in Manila last year. At the hearing, Go asked former PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. if Duterte would be helpful should he be tapped as the country’s anti-drug czar by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “If ever, well. It’s a prerogative of the President as the appointing authority. If ever, do you think it would be helpful if President Duterte will be appointed as drug czar?" Go said in vernacular. Azurin responded that he will be supportive of any government initiative to eliminate the distribution of illegal drugs in the country. “I don’t know if I can comment on that, what the setup would be, but anything on the campaign against illegal drugs, I will be supportive,” he said. Considering the number of cops allegedly involved in the supposed “recycling” of confiscated drugs, Go sees the efforts of the Duterte administration against drug activities and criminalities might be put to waste “if it continues to proliferate.” “Let’s not waste what former President Duterte started to fight against illegal drugs. Once the illegal drugs return, we know that criminality and corruption will also go back,” Go said. Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, the committee chairperson, expressed dismay and frustration over the alleged involvement of policemen in the “shabu” mess considering that the country’s war on drugs campaign has already reached the international scene. “I feel bad about it, you listen to me all policemen, my case has already reached the ICC because of our fight against illegal drugs. Despite this, all you think about is money. You are even in a syndicate. I can't digest this if this is happening to the police—joining a syndicate,” Dela Rosa said in vernacular. Dela Rosa said the Senate panel has acquired substantial basis to conclude that there was “really an attempt to cover up” the arrest of PMSgt. Rodolfo Mayo during an illegal drug operation last year. “For me, it is an attempted cover-up. It was not fully consummated by the fact that in the end, Mayo was also charged,” he said. Mayo was physically present during the second and third hearings on his case. But he did not divulge anything nor implicate anyone in the illegal matter. The senators cited Mayo in contempt for refusing to cooperate with Dela Rosa warned the attempted cover-up “has yet to be seen.” Senators also cited Mayo’s superior, National Capital Region Drug Enforcement officer-in-charge Lieutenant Colonel Arnulfo Ibañez, in contempt for testifying that he was not aware of his subordinate’s activities. The post To `sow fear’ among scalawags, Go proposes Duterte anti-drug czar appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pupil started deadly Guyana dorm fire over confiscated phone: source
The weekend school dormitory blaze that killed 19 minors in central Guyana is believed to have been started by a disgruntled pupil angry at having her mobile phone confiscated, a government source told AFP on Tuesday. Sunday's inferno gutted the building in the regional capital of Mahdia, which housed girls aged 11-12 and 16-17. Some are still hospitalized. An official police report confirmed that "a female student is suspected of having set the devastating fire because her cellular phone was taken away." The government source, speaking anonymously, said the teenage pupil in question had admitted to the arson attack and was under police guard at the district hospital in Mahdia. Police are seeking advice on whether to charge her, the official said. On Monday, Guyana Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken had already stated that investigators believed the fire was "maliciously set." According to the government source, students aren't allowed to have phones in the dormitory. After the staff took away the girl's phone, she "threatened the same night that she will burn down the building and everybody heard her," the government source said. The official said that minutes later the girl went to the bathroom area and sprayed insecticide on a curtain before lighting a match. Several pupils had recounted the same version of events, the official said. The girls were locked in for the night, and a house mistress told police that in her panic she could not find the front door key. The building had metal bars on the windows preventing pupils from escaping through them. The house mistress "locks up every night at nine o'clock to ensure the girls don't get away from the building," the official said. "According to the female students, they were asleep and were awakened by screams," said the police report. Despite efforts by other students to extinguish the blaze, the official said the fire quickly swept through the wooden ceiling and eventually engulfed the entire building. Some pupils, including the girl who allegedly started the fire, managed to escape when some men broke down a door. "Upon checking, they saw fire/smoke in the bathroom area, which quickly spread in the building, causing several students to receive burns to their bodies and smoke inhalation, while several managed to escape," the police report said. The police report said there were 57 pupils in the dormitory, which was "a one-flat concrete building measuring about 100 feet by 40 feet, with several windows, all grilled, and five doors." Firefighters did not arrive on the scene until 25 minutes after the fire took hold. The house mistress' son apparently also died in the fire. Thirteen young girls and a boy died in the building, while five more pupils died later at the hospital. As well as the dead, around 20 children were taken to hospital. Seven remain hospitalized, with two in critical condition, according to a hospital source. Six autopsies performed so far revealed the minors died from smoke inhalation and burns, according to the police. The other 13 unrecognizable bodies were being transported to the capital, Georgetown, for DNA testing to confirm their identities. National security advisor Gerry Gouveia said that a forensic team from Barbados had arrived in Guyana to help with the identification. Another team from the United States is expected. Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said that Cuba also offered to provide medical support. Guyana, with a population of 800,000, is South America's only English-speaking nation. It is a former Dutch and British colony, which recently discovered it holds the world's largest per-capita oil reserves. The post Pupil started deadly Guyana dorm fire over confiscated phone: source appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»