New Movies & Series Coming To Netflix In Feb 2021 | lifestyle
All the news prepared by the platform with the largest number of users around the world is already known: Netflix. If you are one of.....»»
MMFF 2023 movies Rewind, GomBurZa, Mallari coming to Netflix
Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entries "Rewind," "GomBurZa" and "Mallari" are soon going to be available for streaming on Netflix. .....»»
Old habits die hard
In a 2018 article, I wrote about how I spent most of my weeknights playing video games and streaming random TV series, reality shows and movies......»»
Save the date: 7 MMFF 2023 movies na babandera sa Netflix
SINO sa inyo ang mga hindi pa nakakanood ng mga pelikula na official entries ng Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023? Nako, pwedeng-pwede pa kayo humabol! Pitong pelikula ang ipapalabas ulit simula ngayong buwan hanggang sa darating na Hunyo at ito ay libre lang na masisilayan sa Netflix. Kabilang na riyan, siyempre, ang highest-grossing Filipino.....»»
Next Attraction: Movies, series showing this April 2024
It's not just the summer sun blazing across the country, brand-new movies and series are headed to the Philippines this April......»»
DavOr guv takes helm as RDC-Davao chair
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has designated Governor Niño Sotero L. Uy, Jr. of Davao Oriental as the new chairperson of the Regional Development Council-Davao Region (RDC-Davao). This appointment follows the succession of Jayvee Tyron L. Uy, the former governor and current Vice-Governor of Davao de Oro. In his End-of-Term State of the Region Address on June 21, 2022, Jayvee acknowledged the challenges faced during his term, particularly the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the Davao Region witnessed a notable economic recovery, with a 5.9 percent GRDP growth rate in 2021. The Davao Regional Development Plan (DRDP) for 2017-2022 aimed to enhance the moral and social fabric, reduce inequality, and boost growth potential. Succeeding the late Governor Corazon Nuñez-Malanyaon, incoming chairperson Gov. Niño Sotero Uy wasted no time in spearheading the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with RDC-Davao for livelihood projects in Davao Oriental on January 4. The Energy Regulations (ER) No. 1-94 Program will finance the nine approved projects, benefiting farmers and cooperative members. Expressing gratitude for the approval, Niño emphasized the positive impact of the projects on the province's development and expressed optimism for the future. This transition in leadership marks a significant development for the Davao Region, with expectations of continued progress and sustainable development in the coming years......»»
Lapid urges legislation of early voting for seniors, PWDs during BSKE
Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid is pushing the passage of a measure that would allow qualified senior citizens and persons with disabilities to vote earlier than the dates scheduled for local and national elections. Senate Bill 2361 grants the “vulnerable sectors” to cast their votes at more accessible establishments or areas—duly designated by the Commission on Elections—within seven working days before the dates set for local and national polls. Lapid reiterated this call for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on 30 October. “Eleksyon na naman po sa Oktubre 30. Ako po ang nahihirapan na makita ang ating mga lolo at lola, kasama na ang mga may kapansanan, na nakikipaggitgitan sa pilahan upang magamit lamang ang kanyang karapatang bumoto (Elections are coming up on October 30. It’s hard to see our grandparents, including those with disabilities, struggling in line just to exercise their right to vote),” he said. Senator Cynthia Villar also made the same call, allowing elderly people and PWDs to early voting. Citing the 2021 estimated data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Lapid said there are 2,754,813 females and 3,635,271 males with ages ranging from 65 years and above, who are qualified voters nationwide. “We don’t want to disenfranchise these millions of our countrymen this coming election. I hope we can pass this bill before the next elections,” Lapid stressed. He emphasized that the right to vote is a fundamental pillar of any democratic society. Lapid said it is imperative for the government to ensure that every eligible citizen “has the opportunity to participate in the electoral process and have their voices be heard.” “In our country, senior citizens and PWDs comprise a significant portion of the population and deserve special attention to guarantee the realization of their voting rights,” he added. He lamented that elders and PWDs are experiencing physical limitations or health conditions, making it difficult for them to participate in the regular voting process with the general population on the designated election day. These challenges, he added, may include mobility issues, visual impairments, or other conditions that require additional attention or accommodations Hence, the passage of the SB 2361 is crucial, Lapid underscored. “By providing an opportunity for senior citizens and PWDs to vote on a separate day prior to the national election, we can ensure that these individuals are given the necessary time and support to exercise their voting rights,” he explained. For the senator, allowing early voting for senior citizens and PWDs is not “only safe but also practical, noting that separate voting days will alleviate overcrowding at polling stations on the national election day and will reduce potential long queues as well as waiting times. “With COVID-19 still around, this arrangement will also help mitigate the risk of exposure to contagious diseases, as senior citizens and PWDs would be able to vote in a less crowded environment, where health and safety measures can be implemented more effectively,” Lapid said. The SB 2361 “hereby declared the policy of the State to make voting convenient for senior citizens and PWDs by giving them the option to vote earlier than the date set for the election.” It mandates the conduct of a nationwide registration for senior citizens, PWDs, lawyers, and human resources for health to qualify them to avail of this early voting privilege. Those who are not registered under this Act shall vote with the rest of the eligible population on election day. The post Lapid urges legislation of early voting for seniors, PWDs during BSKE appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP fending off cyber attacks — Brawner
Hackers have been regularly trying to attack the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ cyber system and networks, but they have not succeeded so far. This was confirmed by AFP chief General Romeo Brawner during an interview in a news forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines. “We experience this almost every day. They are trying to infiltrate our networks, but we’re happy to note that so far, these are not successful,” he said. “We believe that some of the attacks are foreign, and some of them are local,” he added. Recently, several government agencies have been targeted in a spate of cyber attacks, including the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Science and Technology, and the House of Representatives. Brawner said the AFP has already investigated the reported cyber attack in 2021, which caused the leakage of military data on the dark web. He, however, assured the public there was no reason to be alarmed since the information leaked was only “routinary and old documents.” “We had hacking before, I think about two years ago, and some of the files—not really the sensitive files—are still circulating on the dark web. We investigated them right away, and we found out that these are old files,” the AFP chief emphasized. Loopholes Brawner said the military organization has so far warded off attacks due to the establishment of cyber defense mechanisms. “We’re hoping that we could sustain that; The hackers are always looking for loopholes,” he added. Brawner said the AFP targets establishing a Cyber Security Command, an improvement to the military’s current Cyber Security Group. “With the increased threats that we are facing and the importance of the cyber domain as a new domain in warfare, we thought of coming up with these changes, like the development of the Cyber Command,” he said. Brawner said the plan still needs a thorough study and the approval of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as some changes in the AFP organization are expected upon the establishment of the new service command. The post AFP fending off cyber attacks — Brawner appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP endures cyberattacks ‘almost daily’, none successful so far — Brawner
Hackers have been regularly trying to attack the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ cyber system and networks, but none of it has been successful, said AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner during an interview in a news forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Thursday. “We experience this almost everyday. Gusto nilang pasukin ang ating (They are trying to infiltrate our) networks, but we’re happy to note that so far, these are not successful,” he said. “We believe that some of the attacks are foreign, some of them are local,” he added. Recently, several government agencies have been the victim of cyber attacks, including the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Science and Technology as well as the House of Representatives. A reported cyber attack in 2021, which caused the leakage of military data on the dark web, has been investigated, according to Brawner. The public has no reason to be alarmed since the information leaked was only “routinary and old documents," he said. “We had a hacking before, I think about two years ago, and some of the files — not really the sensitive files — are still circulating in the dark web. We investigated this right away, and we found out that these are old files.” Brawner said the military organization has so far warded off attacks due to the establishment of cyber defense mechanisms. “We’re hoping that we could sustain that, the hackers are always looking for loopholes,” he added. AFP Cyber Command Brawner said the AFP targets to establish a Cyber Security Command, an improvement on the military’s current Cyber Security Group. “With the increased threats that we are facing and the importance of the cyber domain as a new domain in warfare, we thought of coming up with these changes like the development of the Cyber Command,” he said. Brawner said this plan still needs thorough study and approval by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as some changes in the AFP organization are expected upon the establishment of the new service command. The AFP eyes to complete the study within the year, he added. Brawner said they are also eyeing the recruitment of “cyber warriors”, or a squad of soldiers with excellent cyber defense capabilities. He, however, said the cyber command services will only be limited to the AFP and not to the entire nation. “We cannot do that, it's impossible with the current facilities and the equipment that we have,” he added. “That’s why we are closely working with the DICT on that matter.” The post AFP endures cyberattacks ‘almost daily’, none successful so far — Brawner appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
European companies sold spyware to despots: media
European companies sold powerful spyware to authoritarian regimes which have used it against dissenters, a group of investigative media said Thursday. According to the probe -- by European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) and spearheaded by the French site Mediapart and Germany's Der Spiegel weekly -- European companies "supplied dictators cyber-surveillance tools for more than a decade", EIC said in a statement. "During the last decade the Western world has encouraged and applauded the digital tools that empower democracy activism in countries under authoritarian regimes," it said. "But at the same time European companies have supplied such authoritarian regimes the digital back doors to turn any digital device into powerful spying tools against dissenters," it said. The Predator Files investigation, named after the software, said the sellers benefited from "the passive complicity of many European governments". The investigation focused on the Intellexa Alliance, a group of companies through which EIC said Predator software had been supplied to authoritarian states. Intellaxa is run by former Israeli intelligence officials mostly based in Europe, and was targeted by US sanctions in July. "Activists, journalists and academics have been targeted, as have European and US officials," it said. The findings of the investigation run by 15 media are based on hundreds of confidential documents obtained by Mediapart and Der Spiegel and analyzed with the help of the Security Lab of Amnesty International, a human rights organization. Amnesty called Intellexa "a complex, morphing group of interconnected companies" and Predator "its highly invasive spyware". "Intellexa alliance's products have been found in at least 25 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa and have been used to undermine human rights, press freedom, and social movements across the globe," Amnesty said. "Highly invasive surveillance products are being traded on a near industrial scale and are free to operate in the shadows without oversight or any genuine accountability," it added. Mediapart said that a French company, Nexa, had sold Predator to "at least three autocracies: Egypt, Vietnam and Madagascar". Mediapart said the spyware had also been sold to Qatar, Congo Brazzaville, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan "under the complacent eyes of the French secret services". Criminal charges against Nexa and four of its managers, brought in 2021 over spyware sales, were downgraded a year later, making their trial unlikely, legal sources told AFP. EIC said its members would publish further details over the coming days. The recent revelations follow a 2021 scandal around Pegasus, a spyware sold by Israeli company NSO Group, with several media reporting that it had been used to illegally spy on more than 50,000 individuals. The post European companies sold spyware to despots: media appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Anak Datu’ opens a rush of truth from ripples of trauma
A year after it premiered, Anak Datu is returning to the stage, opening the 37th season of Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. When it debuted, it immediately became a landmark production in several ways. It was one of the first plays to be mounted with a live audience after the lockdowns and restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021. And it was the first play to be staged at the newly opened CCP Black Box Theater or Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Anak Datu is one of the few plays on the Tausug and Moro people and cultures of Mindanao, portrayed with marked sensitivity and apparent diligence. It was lauded by critics and audiences, with former Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo as one of the prominent people who trooped to CCP to watch the play on 1 October 2022. The play went on to win six awards at the 13th Gawad Buhay and five at the 35th Aliw Awards. [caption id="attachment_192618" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] the tausug pangalay dance is incorporated into the play.[/caption] Fine-tuned production Despite the accolades and being one of the most important theatrical events in 2022, the play was faulted by some for what was seen as its confusing storytelling, its shifts in timeline and milieus, and the cumbersome sets. The second staging afforded the creative team the opportunity to fine-tune these and other aspects of the production. According to director Chris Millado, former CCP vice president and artistic director, they were able to make the storytelling clearer and supply an elevated platform to make the designs of the light projections more visible. For Dennis N. Marasigan, current CCP vice president and artistic director, “[o]n its rerun, Tanghalang Pilipino's Anak Datu is tighter, its storytelling and technical aspects clearer and crisper, and its staging even more affecting, effectively overlaying story, myth and history.” The restaging marks another milestone in the journey of the play, which started in 2018 from talks that artist Toym Imao, son of the late National Artist for visual arts Abdulmari Asia Imao, had with Millado and veteran actor and TP artistic director Fernando “Nanding” Josef about making a stage adaptation of the elder Imao’s short story for children, written in 1968, the year Toym was born. The team recruited award-winning playwright Rody Vera to write the script. The plan became more concrete when Josef decided to make the project TP’s first original play after the pandemic lockdowns. By then, the play has evolved into something larger than the original story. Serving as Anak Datu’s set designer, Imao recalled the anxieties they felt during the first stages of production, especially the prospect of one of them getting sick and shutting down the show. “But we were able to tell an essential story that was important, especially for a nation that was coming out of the devastating election of May 2022 for a lot of people. It is something important for us na nakapagkuwento kami (we were able to tell a story),” he said. [caption id="attachment_192619" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Ramli Abdurahim as the pirate Jikiran.[/caption] Three stories Anak Datu tells three stories — Toym’s childhood with his father (Paul Jake Paule) and mother, Grace de Leon (Toni Go-Yadao); his father’s short story; and the recent history of his father’s people, the Muslim Tausug in Sulu Archipelago and the Moro, the collective Muslim ethnic groups, of Mindanao. The Imao family portion shows Toymie (Carlos Dala) growing up with Voltes V and other preoccupations of middle-class children in Metro Manila. Then there is the story of the disputed 1968 Jabidah Massacre, told through Jibin Arula (Gie Onida), the lone survivor — how young Tausug men, mostly illiterate, were recruited by the military, transferred to Corregidor and then massacred upon the discovery of a suspicious plot. Also dramatized is the 1974 Palimbang Massacre, in which the military allegedly murdered more a thousand Moro men inside the Malisbong masjid in the province of Sultan Kudarat, while 3,000 women and children were detained and about 300 homes were burned down. These incidents were said to have sparked the conflicts and armed struggle in Mindanao that would scar the region for decades. Along with the contemporary scenes is the retelling of the short story Anak Datu, set in a pre-colonial time and rendered in mythical mode, combining both the familial and the tragic. The Tausug village of datu Karim (Hassanain Magarang) and his wife Putli Loling (Tex Ordoñez-De Leon and Lhorvie Nuevo) is attacked by pirates, led by Jikiran (Ramli Abdurahim), who kidnaps the pregnant Putli Loling. She gives birth to Karim, who grows up knowing Jikiran as his father but later learns the truth. [caption id="attachment_192620" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Artist Toym Imao taking a picture with the cast and creative team.[/caption] Graceful movements All throughout, the play shifts among these threads of stories, each one compelling and multi-layered. Counterbalancing the oral storytelling is the dramatization through graceful movements, choregraphed by Magarang using the pangalay or Tausug traditional dance, a shared art form with the Yakan (pamansak) and Sama (igal) peoples, thus rendering the stories more visual and adding allure and distinctive cultural flavor to the play. The dances are accompanied by a live kulintangan or gong ensemble. The stark interiors of the theater come alive and burst with colors courtesy of the lighting by Katsch Catoy and projection design of GA Fallarme, who uses Abdulmari Imao’s paintings and traditional Tausug and Meranaw motifs such as the okir as inspirations. Toym’s set pieces are highly movable to keep up with the constant shifts in storytelling, and the bigger ones are like art installations, contributing to the visual richness of the production. Harnessing memory, myth and history, Anak Datu is able to weave its stories into an enthralling whole, establishing interconnectedness and consolidating the story of a person, a family and a community into the very story of a nation, like three or more streams converging into a great river. Tanghalang Pilipino’s Anak Datu runs 29 September to 15 October at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). The post ‘Anak Datu’ opens a rush of truth from ripples of trauma appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos OKs P12.7-B cash aid to rice farmers
Malacañang on Saturday announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the release of P12.7 billion worth of cash aid to farmers under the government's Rice Farmers Financial Assistance program. Marcos also ordered the immediate distribution of assistance to augment the productivity challenges confronting rice farmers in the country. “[This would] help them cope with the increasing cost of production and sustain their productivity even in the face of challenges like the coming El Niño [phenomenon],” P Marcos said. Under the RFFA, the government has identified about 2.3 million small-time rice farmer beneficiaries, who signed up to the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, on 30 June 30, 2023. Each beneficiary will receive P5,000 in financial assistance, which will sourced through the excess tariff collection from rice importations in 2022, amounting to around P12.7 billion. Among the qualified RFFA beneficiaries include farm cooperatives associations, irrigators associations, agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations, small water impounding systems associations, and other farm groups. RFFA is an unconditional financial assistance for farmers tilling below two hectares of land, as mandated under Republic Act 11598 or the Cash Assistance to Filipino Farmers Act of 2021. Marcos also approved the utilization of P700 million in excess tariff collections for the “Palayamanan Plus” conditional cash transfer under the Household Crop Diversification Program. This targets to ensure "food, nutrition and income security" to be provided to RSBSA-registered farmers, who are also listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Around 78,000 beneficiaries are expected to each receive P10,000 from the Palayamanan Plus conditional cash transfer program. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the two proposed financial assistance packages support the government's Masagana Rice Industry Development Program. Marcos earlier said his administration would be "relentless in finding sustainable solutions to address the agricultural issues in the country gearing toward a New Philippines.” "The President also emphasized that providing financial assistance to affected farmers is just one of the steps of the administration to sustain their source of income," said Garafil. The post Marcos OKs P12.7-B cash aid to rice farmers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CHEd eyes internationalized Phl higher education schools
The Commission on Higher Education has been conducting various initiatives to promote the internationalization of Philippine higher education institutions, its chairperson Prospero de Vera III said during the launching of this year's European Higher Education Fair at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City on Friday. "We engaged in international benchmarking activities and assessments by reputable international brands. We linked Philippine HEIs with international university networks through participation in training programs, summer schools, forums, cross-visits and faculty and student mobilities," De Vera said. "We have forged educational partnerships with various foreign educational institutions to expand educational opportunities and enhance professional development," De Vera added. De Vera said the EHEF helps in linking Philippine universities to the best higher education institutions from the European Union. "It allows Filipino participants to have an opportunity to explore and master their chosen fields of study from the best universities and colleges in Europe proving that education knows no geographic bounds," he said. "Through our collective action with our partners in Europe, we look forward to reengineering Philippine higher education for the better, learning more relevant innovations and helping reimagine higher education -- here and abroad, working on the premise that the pursuit of higher education paves the way for a better future," the CHED chief added. In 2021, around 9,710 students, academicians, researchers and university officials from across the country attended the virtual EHEF launch. In 2022, in a hybrid setup, it gathered 1,900 on-site participants and 6,000 online participants. "These figures show that EHEF and our pursuit of academic excellence for higher education in the Philippines can surmount the limitations of the pandemic," De Vera said. "This year, our coming here together means that we continue to create a more diverse and more connected classroom of global citizens working together to redefine higher education under the new normal," he added. According to De Vera, the EHEF 2023 indicates the European Union’s continuing commitment to extending a trail or platform for Filipino students to explore diverse fields of study on a global scale. "It reinforces the mission of the Commission on Higher Education to globalize and internationalize the higher educational institutions and students in the country," he said. De Vera likewise said that CHED has already been implementing Transnational Higher Education or TNHE. "Now this has become a declared national policy and priority since the TNHE Act was enacted," he said. Under this law, higher education is eyed as a means to build the capacities of Philippine students, especially in underserved and niche areas. "While it is seen as a means to introduce new technologies and knowledge into the country, TNHE can also be used as a tool to spur foreign investment in the Philippines. The law, even before the pandemic, also explores new modes of delivery," De Vera said. "TNHE partnerships give Filipino students access to foreign credentials, even as they enter programs at Philippine universities," the CHED chief added. The post CHEd eyes internationalized Phl higher education schools appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tanduay optimistic about entry into competitive Taiwan rum market
Tanduay has a positive outlook about its entry into Taiwan amid stiff competition from other rum brands. “Based on early reviews, we think that the brand will perform well since the Taiwanese market already has a sophisticated taste and is very accepting of brands that offer them something new and unique,” said Marc Ngo, Tanduay International Business Development manager and senior brand manager. He compared the Taiwanese rum market to that of Singapore where people are willing to spend on quality spirits and cocktails. In entering Taiwan, Tanduay partnered with the distributor, Mr. Mixer, Ltd., one of the leading spirits and other liquor distributors in the country. “They believe in the brands and they share our passion for bringing our world-class rums to the Taiwan market,” Ngo said. Mr. Mixer, Ltd recently held a grand launch of Tanduay at Driftwood Bar in Ximending District and invited Taiwan’s premier mixologists Mars Chang and the members of “To Infinity and Beyond Team”, the 2021 World Class competition Taiwan champions, to showcase their outstanding mixology skills as they infused Tanduay rums into unique signature cocktails. Seven world-class rums Tanduay is making its award-winning and best-selling rums available in Taiwan. These include the Tanduay Asian Rum Gold, Tanduay Asian Rum Silver, Tanduay Double Rum, Boracay Rum Coconut, Boracay Rum Cappuccino, Tanduay Dark and Tanduay White. Ngo said they are currently focused on opening and partnering with on-trade accounts to feature their brands and for consumers to try. “At the same time, we are having discussions with big chain accounts for them to carry Tanduay rums in their stores. We are also planning to join the Tainan Cocktail Event on 20-21 October to feature our brands more to local consumers,” he said. The brand’s international business has been on a steady growth trajectory in recent years. Taiwan is the 19th country where Tanduay rums are being sold. In Asia, it is already available in China, Singapore, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In Europe it is being distributed in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Austria, Poland, Georgia, Armenia and the Czech Republic. It is also available in the United States and Canada in Northern America and Costa Rica in Central America. Apart from its increasing global footprint, Tanduay has received numerous accolades from international competitions, such as the World’s Number 1 Rum recognition from Drinks International Magazine for six consecutive years, and Brand of the Year from the World Branding Awards. Not one to rest on its laurels, Tanduay is eyeing further international expansion in the coming months. The post Tanduay optimistic about entry into competitive Taiwan rum market appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms
Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms in a new regulation, its trade minister said Wednesday, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses. Calls had grown in recent months for a regulation governing social media and e-commerce, with offline sellers seeing their livelihoods threatened by the sale of cheaper products on TikTok Shop and other platforms. "This trade regulation has been in force (since yesterday)," Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan told a news conference in the capital Jakarta. He said social commerce platforms would have a week to comply with the new rule. "Any government would protect local small businesses," he said, saying the regulation was passed to ensure "equality in business competition". The regulation means social media firms will not be able to conduct direct transactions but only promote products on their platforms. "Social commerce can place ads like TV, but it mustn't be transactional. (They) can't open shop, can't directly sell," he said, without mentioning TikTok by name. Laws in the archipelago nation did not cover direct transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram before the new regulation. The new regulation is yet another setback for TikTok, which has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations in recent months over users' data security and the company's alleged ties to Beijing. "Other countries are banning, we don't, (we're) regulating," Hasan said. Indonesia is one of the world's biggest markets for TikTok Shop and was the first to pilot the app's e-commerce arm. But Indonesia is now the first country in the region to act against the platform's growing popularity in social media commerce. The ministerial-level regulation -- an amendment to a trade regulation issued in 2020 -- did not need approval by lawmakers. Chinese technology giant and TikTok owner ByteDance and TikTok Indonesia did not respond immediately to a request for comment Wednesday. But a TikTok Indonesia spokesperson told AFP on Monday the ban would harm as many as six million local sellers who market their products on the platform. Meta -- which owns Facebook and Instagram -- did not respond to a request for comment. 'Markets are quiet' How the ban will work exactly remains unclear but experts said it could mean social media firms would have to obtain a separate approval for their e-commerce arms. "It could be that their license will be rearranged," said Tauhid Ahmad, executive director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. Offline sellers at Tanah Abang market in Jakarta applauded the government's decision. "The government should... dare to innovate given the current situation, where markets are quiet like this," said Stevanie Ahua, a 60-year-old wholesale denim jeans seller. She said her revenue had dropped by 60 percent in recent months as buyers turned to online shops. Others like 29-year-old cookie baker Panji Made Agung in Bali said he was disappointed by the ban. "For sellers like me, TikTok can be used for soft selling. We can become influencers and sellers at the same time," he said. Indonesia's e-commerce market is dominated by platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada but TikTok Shop gained a significant market share since launching in 2021. Indonesia, with 125 million users, is TikTok's second-largest global market after the United States, according to company figures. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the coming years. The post Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Regulate them’: Hard-up Indonesia traders urge TikTok sales ban
As clothing seller Hendri Tanjung struggles to hawk his tunics to Indonesian buyers outside his market shop, he says customers are turning to cheaper versions on TikTok, pummeling his income. The 35-year-old sells his wares at Tanah Abang, Southeast Asia's largest textile market, where sellers are desperately calling out to passersby. The market in the capital Jakarta is less crowded than usual, with some outlets shuttered, as many of its thousands of merchants selling products made in factories or by tailors and weavers complain about the impact of TikTok's booming e-commerce arm on their business. "We want the government to close TikTok Shop, or at least regulate them. I feel bad for my employees," said Tanjung. Indonesians spent more money on the Chinese-owned app than anywhere else in the region over the past year, as TikTok Shop rapidly gained a substantial regional market share and millions of sellers since its 2021 launch. But government ministers in Southeast Asia's biggest economy have threatened to ban the app outright because of its impact on local sellers, including those at Tanah Abang who rely on offline buyers. Tanjung said a tunic he sells at 60,000 rupiah ($3.90), can be found for 40,000 rupiah on TikTok Shop, undercutting his business. "I don't know where they source their products to sell at such low prices. Ours are our own products and we cannot sell them at that price," he said. After a daily revenue drop of more than 80 percent from 30 million rupiah ($1,948) to five million ($324) in recent months, he was forced to lay off five of his 30 employees. Laws in the archipelago nation do not cover transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram. But President Joko Widodo said new regulation on social media transactions could come as early as Tuesday. The draft regulation, expected to be presented soon after Widodo said Monday it was "being finalized in the trade ministry", will aim to curb what Jakarta says are monopolistic practices. Level playing field Experts say such regulation would create a level playing field for local businesses. "The key is to regulate social commerce to be on par with e-commerce and traditional offline retailers," said Nailul Huda, a researcher at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. "The government should enhance protection for local products by tightening regulations on imported goods and offering disincentives for imports." TikTok has criticized calls for a ban, saying it would harm Indonesian merchants and consumers. "Close to two million local businesses in Indonesia use TikTok to grow and thrive through social commerce," Anggini Setiawan, TikTok Indonesia's head of communications, told AFP earlier this month. Indonesia is TikTok's second-largest market, with 125 million users, according to company figures. It is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance. The country represented 42 percent of TikTok's $4.4 billion regional gross merchandise value last year, according to Singapore-based consultancy Momentum Works. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the coming years. But the market sellers want TikTok's rise restricted. Atinah, a 21-year-old who sells clothing, said she could no longer hope for high weekend sales at her shop at Tanah Abang, which used to bring in around 10 million rupiah per day. "We are happy if the government can regulate TikTok Shop since now we can only make around three million rupiah on weekends," said Atinah, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "Buyers always compare the prices here with what they see on TikTok Shop." The post ‘Regulate them’: Hard-up Indonesia traders urge TikTok sales ban appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
France to withdraw ambassador, troops from Niger after coup
President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced that France would withdraw its ambassador from Niger, followed by the French military contingent in the coming months, a move welcomed by Niger's military leaders as a "step towards sovereignty". Macron's announcement comes two months after a coup in the West African country that ousted the pro-Paris president. "France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France," Macron told French television in an interview, without giving details about how this would be organized. Macron added that military cooperation was "over" and French troops would withdraw in "the months and weeks to come" with a full pullout "by the end of the year". Niger's military rulers responded swiftly in a statement read out on national television, "This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger," said the statement from the military rulers, who seized power by overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26. "This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people," the Niger statement added. Ban on French aircraft Earlier Sunday the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) said on its website that the military rulers had banned "French aircraft" from flying over the country's airspace. It was not clear if this would affect the ambassador being flown out. In his comments, Macron said, "In the weeks and months to come, we will consult with the putschists, because we want this to be done peacefully," he added. France keeps about 1,500 soldiers in Niger as part of an anti-jihadist deployment in the Sahel region. Macron said the post-coup authorities "no longer wanted to fight against terrorism". Niger's military leaders had told French ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country after they overthrew Bazoum in July. But a 48-hour ultimatum for him to leave, issued in August, passed with him still in place as the French government refused to comply, or to recognize the military regime as legitimate. Earlier this month, Macron said the ambassador and his staff were "literally being held hostage" in the mission eating military rations with no food deliveries taking place. In Sunday's interview, Macron in the interview reaffirmed France's position that Bazoum was being held "hostage" and remained the "sole legitimate authority" in the country. "He was targeted by this coup d'etat because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a largely ethnic settling of scores and a lot of political cowardice," he argued. 'Very worried about region' The coup against Bazoum was the third such putsch in the region in as many years, following similar actions in Mali and Burkina Faso in 2021 and 2022 that also forced the pullouts of French troops. But the Niger coup is particularly bruising for Macron after he sought to make a special ally of Niamey and a hub for France's presence in the region following the Mali coup. The US also has over 1,000 troops in the country. Macron regularly speaks by phone to Bazoum who remains under house arrest in the presidential residence. The French president has repeatedly spoken of making a historic change to France's post-colonial imprint in Africa but analysts say Paris is losing influence across the continent, especially in the face of a growing Chinese, Turkish, and Russian presence. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened military action to restore Bazoum but so far its threats, which were strongly supported by France, have not transferred into action. "We are not here to be hostages of the putschists," said Macron. "The putschists are the allies of disorder," he added. Macron said that jihadist attacks were causing "dozens of deaths every day in Mali" after its coup and that now such assaults had resumed in Niger. "I am very worried about this region," he said. "France, sometimes alone, has taken all its responsibilities and I am proud of our military. But we are not responsible for the political life of these countries and we draw all the consequences." The post France to withdraw ambassador, troops from Niger after coup appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Laguna tourists visit EK
Enchanted Kingdom, the first and only world-class theme park in the Philippines, was recently cited by the government of Laguna for generating the highest number of same-day visitors in 2022. The recognition was conferred during the province’s celebration of the National Tourism Week 2023 and the 123rd CSC Anniversary last September 19 at the Cultural Center of Laguna — ahead of EK’s celebration of its 28th anniversary this coming October. According to Ms. Lynne Adante, EK’s head of Sales, the world-class theme park is steadfast in enhancing its products and services to create magical experiences for all its guests. “Ultimately, our goal is to provide as many magical experiences among our guests from all over the Philippines, and encourage them to keep coming back to Enchanted Kingdom and Laguna with their family and friends,” Ms. Adante said. Enchanted Kingdom can cater to in-park group reservations ranging from personal milestone celebrations to big corporate bookings, as they enjoy various themed environments in the Park’s nine zones with a variety of rides and attractions, as well as food and retail outlets. It also houses the first flying theater in the Philippines called Agila: the EKsperience, which promotes national pride as it takes guests on a thrilling journey across the Philippines. EK’s latest ride attraction, Twin Spin, a major spinning coaster, was launched in 2021 despite the challenges of the pandemic. The post Laguna tourists visit EK appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Central banks in no rush to cut interest rates
Investors were hoping to hear central banks finally signal this week that they were close to being done raising interest rates in their battle against inflation. Instead, policymakers indicated that high rates are here for a while yet, with more hikes on the cards and few, if any, cuts in the near future. The US Federal Reserve set the tone on Wednesday when it paused its rate-hike campaign but caused a stir by leaving the door open to another increase before the end of the year. The central bank also unsettled investors by saying that only two cuts were expected next year instead of four as anticipated. The Fed has more room to keep its "hawkish" stance as the US economy has performed better than feared despite the rate increases. This firm position is shared by other central banks. Norway's rate hike Thursday was anticipated, but it also warned further tightening was "likely" in December, while ruling out any easing before next year. Growth or inflation This firm tone came "as a surprise to the markets," which have "decided that the peak" of rate hikes is "happening right now," HSBC economist Fabio Balboni told AFP, even though "central banks' communications leave the door open to the possibility to further hikes". It leaves "real uncertainty about the level of inflation next year", he said. Their decision "reflects a compromise between growth and inflation", he added. The rate hikes raise the cost of credit for businesses and consumers, which theoretically in turn reduces demand and inflationary pressures. But if demand slows too much, it runs the risk of triggering a recession. Faced with this dilemma, the European Central Bank (ECB) chose inflation-limiting measures, with a 10th consecutive rate hike. That took its benchmark rate to 4.0 percent, the highest since 1999. "We can't say we have peaked," ECB president Christine Lagarde said, although other officials indicated that the cycle of raising rates might be coming to a close. "Our future decisions will ensure that the key ECB interest rates will be set at sufficiently restrictive levels for as long as necessary," the bank's chief economist Philip Lane said Thursday in New York. Return to lower rates There are other signs, however, that rates are reaching their peak. The Bank of England on Thursday announced its first pause on raising rates since December 2021, following a slight decline in UK inflation in August. Switzerland and Japan -- like half of all central banks -- have also chosen to halt raising rates in the past 10 days. "We expect no more rate hikes in the future" for the US, England and Europe central banks, said Balboni. Jennifer McKeown of Capital Economics said she expected the last hikes to come in the fourth quarter, and that the easing cycle would take hold as 2024 approaches. "By this time next year, we anticipate that 21 out of the world's 30 major central banks will be cutting interest rates," she wrote. Although Balboni, taking a more measured stance, said "in the context of weak growth, it will be very complicated to reduce rates" while inflation remains "too high". Instead, he believes reductions to US rates won't be seen until the third quarter of 2024, while the rest of the world will have to wait until 2025 for rate relief. The post Central banks in no rush to cut interest rates appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM lauds Filipino civil servants for quality service to fellow countrymen
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked the Filipino civil servants for their dedication and commitment to delivering quality service to the Filipino people. In a video message posted on state-run Radio Television Malacañang on Tuesday, Marcos paid tribute to the country's 1.8 million public servants on the occasion of the 123rd Philippine Civil Service Anniversary. "Thank you for your dedication despite the numerous challenges that we experience in our respective occupations. Let us strive harder in achieving our united goal of providing a better future for our country," he said. Marcos also highlighted the importance of public service in nation-building. "Public service is a noble calling. It is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our fellow Filipinos," he said. "I urge all public servants to continue to uphold the highest standards of excellence and integrity in their work," he added. The President also recognized the Civil Service Commission for its steadfast commitment and continuous efforts to transform the Philippine bureaucracy into an agile and future-ready organization. "My appreciation also goes to the CSC for the steadfast commitment and continuously transforming the human resource and organization of the Philippine bureaucracy. In this way, we will hone agile and future-ready servant heroes," he said. Marcos' message comes as the country celebrates the Civil Service Anniversary, commemorating the CSC's establishment via Public Law No. 5 on 5 September 1900. The CSC spearheaded the observance of the 123rd anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service, in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 1050, which was issued in 1997 and designates September as Civil Service Month. In 2021, the CSC introduced a 10-year overarching theme, "Advancing Public Service in the Coming Decade: Enhancing Adaptability and Preparing for the Future among Public Servants." This theme reflects the shared experiences of government employees in adapting to the new normal and emphasizes the promotion of digital transformation and innovations to maintain high standards of public service and continuity. This year's Philippine Civil Service Anniversary celebration centers on the significance of nurturing dynamism among government personnel to promote sustainable management and reinforce organizational resilience. The post PBBM lauds Filipino civil servants for quality service to fellow countrymen appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting
The president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Nina Lim-Yuson, grew up in a family and home of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, was one of the co-founders of the GSP. “It was actually my Lola Pilar who suggested to Josefa Llanes Escoda, the GSP founder, to go to America to learn about girl scouting.” This tidbit of history, Nina shared in an online interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim became GSP president, and so did Nina’s mother, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, who served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Nina’s sister too, the eminent broadcast journalist, Cheche Lazaro, was a Girl Scout. Coming from a lineage of women achievers, Nina could not have chosen a different path. It was scouting that formally introduced the family to social responsibility, skills development and citizenship. Her brothers were also Boy Scouts. “I started when I was six years old and it was my Lola Pilar who inducted me as a Brownie. It used to be called Brownie because we were still using the American pattern,” she related. She belonged to Troop Number One, the first to be organized by the GSP national headquarters. In high school at the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School of the Philippine Women’s University, she became a junior and later a senior Girl Scout. College would briefly end her Girl Scouting as she focused on her studies. Along the way, she also danced with the Bayanihan Folk Dance Company. It was not unexpected that she would return to scouting, her first love, and her first extra-curricular activity. For the last 36 years, she has been active in various organizations and volunteer work. She founded the Museong Pambata. She is a recipient of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service and is active in its various social development efforts. What Nina brings to her post is the legacy of leadership that had been passed on to her through generations of women leaders in the family. “My Lola Pilar was my idol. She was such a nice person and I never knew her totally as a president. I knew her more as a loving lola from all the stories she related when we rode up to Baguio. “My mother, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was very career-minded. I learned naman from her a lot of things, like being thrifty and having a list of things to do. In terms of organization, she was like that. Because she was in government. And, you know, when we started Museo, while it was actually my concept, I learned a lot from her. She would call me up at 5 o’clock in the morning and she would rattle off what needed to be done, like ‘number one, number two and so on.’ That was her. And I’m glad that I worked with her for six years in Museo. She was the president and I was the executive director for six years. I took over in 2000 as president and chief executive officer. And then, I stepped down in 2017.” Girl Scouts who read and tell stories Nina was elected president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines for the term 2021-2024 during its 2021 national convention. From day one, she shared, “My purpose was to reach out to the community-based troops because we have always been school-based. Many young women now have social problems so we need to reach out to the communities through our community-based troops.” Also on top of her priorities is literacy development, a cause that she addressed even in the Museo Pambata. She explained, “My advocacy has always been education. So, I was very concerned because the Asian Development Bank reported in 2022 that the World Bank found out that our Filipino children at ages 9 and 10 cannot read. So, I felt that because girl scouting is all over the country, with 96 local councils, the organization could serve as a vehicle for improving literacy in our country. “We started the Girl Scout Storyteller project because storytelling affects the heart first before the mind. When young people start with storytelling, they will love the stories and then the written word. They would then want to read. “We now have storytelling in economically challenged communities and we have partners. We sent out 2,500 books throughout the country with the help of our partner couriers.” Initially, she sought the help of her family foundation “to give a donation. I also sought the help of Ging Montinola, who is into literacy development. Together, we founded the literacy program. We are building this fund to cover the cost of buying children’s books. We will have a storytelling contest next year.” Raising funds for Camp Escoda Nina then shifted the conversation to another major endeavor that she is spearheading as GSP president — fundraising for the 27-hectare Camp Josefa Llanes Escoda in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, which was donated by the provincial government during the term of Governor Amado Aleta, the father of consul and civic leader Fortune Ledesma. “Palayan is beautiful because it has rolling hills, but it doesn’t have electrical and water facilities and roadworks. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, and it’s so hot in Nueva Ecija. It also does not have a conference hall. This is a big one-time fundraising project because it’s for the future of the girls who are going to the camp. Because as of now, if you go camping there, you have to walk up the hills to get your drinking water. You have to make buhos to take a bath.” She recalled, “In my time as a young Girl Scout, which was of another era, we had to walk in the dark to fetch water to fill up two drums. I was so scared because there were tuko in Los Baños. That taught me to be courageous. Camps really build up your lifetime skills and attitude. Camping is very integral in girl scouting and boy scouting. So, this camp will serve a purpose. It just needs various basic facilities to make it world-class and convenient with the proper amenities, but the girls will continue to learn all those survival techniques and appreciate nature right on the camp.” She praised architect Pippo Carunungan, “who is an environmental planner. He surveyed the site and drew up everything. It will be a beautiful camp, he said, because it’s a gift of nature.” First Lady as Chief Girl Scout Nina recently led the Girl Scouts in a fundraising ball attended by the “First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, who is our Chief Girl Scout. It’s mandated in the GSP constitution that whoever is the female president of the country or the First Lady is the Chief Girl Scout. In the past, we had Imelda Marcos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. All the first ladies were all Chief Girl Scouts. “Mrs. Liza Marcos spoke before us and she promised to help. She said, ‘We will make it the best campsite.’ Everyone was excited to see her and she obliged everyone who asked to have selfie with her. She is very friendly. She is really a Girl Scout.” Nina shared, “A generous couple is sponsoring the swimming pool at P6 million, while a gentleman entrepreneur is sponsoring the perimeter fence at P1.5 million. Many other businessmen and leaders have pledged to help build this dream GSP project. “We really need to raise about 50 million to have a very good camp. But when the First Lady heard about it, she said, ‘It has to be P250 million.’ But, really, when we have the funds, we can have deep toilets that have running water instead of tabo-tabo. Since we have a little Pampanga river that runs across the camp, we can build a bridge that crosses it and then the girls can have white-water rafting there in the Pampanga river. “Camp Escoda will be a very important and significant venue for our Girl Scouts to gather, bond, learn new skills and develop as morally upright citizens of the country and the world. It is especially so because camping is integral in any Girl Scout’s life. If you don’t have camping, it’s like half of your scouting life is missing. Every Girl Scout remembers that time of her youth. And being the national camp, it will welcome Girl Scouts representing the 96 councils from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who will participate in various events and trainings.” Girl Scouts of all ages As GSP president, Nina travels to various parts of the country. “We have regional conferences aside from the meeting of the Central Board when regional heads and executives come to Manila. “I had just come from Baguio where I stayed for two-and-a-half days. I met our young Girl Scout representatives from ages 14 to 18. I enjoyed listening to them and exchanging ideas with them. I am so happy that we have a wealth of intelligent girls who want to serve the country. They are the ones who are going to take over. “It’s amazing that GSP is no longer limited to old people on the board. We finally have young ones on the board. Our Escoda committee is headed by Jade Delgado from Iloilo. Then we have Justine Bautista. She’s a psychometrician. She heads the Program Committee, which is a big committee because when we were in Baguio, we had 86 girls from all the councils throughout the country. Many of them are running for SK. “So, in my 70s now, which I don’t feel at all, I don’t take any medicines or something like that. Being with young people is what inspires me. Because at 15, 16 or 17, they already know that they have some kind of a mission.” Nina proudly shared that the venue of the Baguio conference, 'Ating Tahanan' on the South Drive was bought during the tenure of my Lola Pilar. We have four buildings there, including the houses of Senator and actor Rogelio de la Rosa and Carlos Valdes, the accountant. Lola Pilar, according to Carlos Valdes, twisted his arm to get a low price. I’m so thankful for all those who preceded me because they bought these places. It’s on South Drive which is so valuable. We even have a reserved forest behind us.” As she looks forward to the next camping and gets even busier raising funds for Camp Escoda, Nina feels elated that “every one of us in the Girl Scouts has been together in our various undertakings. The nice thing is we are now intergenerational because we try to bring in the old with experience, institutional memory and their wisdom born of their long life, and the young who are full of enthusiasm, energy and new ideas.” A star scout for a granddaughter While Nina does her part for the bright future of girl scouting in the country, her personal family too has not stopped contributing to the roster of members to this worldwide organization. Today, a granddaughter of hers, seven-year-old Rocio Yuson de Guzman, is a Star Scout. She is the daughter of Nina’s daughter, Nicky. No grandmother could have been prouder. Nina said, “Rufio loves being a star scout. When I arrived from the recent world conference in Cyprus, I came back with some badges and I gave some to Rufio who is very proud of the little badges that I got for her.” For sure, Nina will pass on not just the badges to Rufio. More importantly, she will give her granddaughter the once-in-one’s-childhood experience of being a Girl Scout and learning “the values that are identified in the Girl Scout Promise and Laws. I think that while there is so much to enjoy and learn, it is the inculcation of these values that would mold her into a well-rounded human being. As we all know, a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal, thrifty, courteous… and so on. It’s like a mantra -- the values that one lives by. “I have reached that point when it is not about success or what one accumulates in life, whether awards or accomplishments or material things. It is more about what I can share and scouting gives me that honor and privilege — to do my part in helping mold our young girls and making them aware even at an early age that they have a mission and worthy purpose in life. It is not just about being good and outstanding on your own but it is also about helping others to become better in what they’re doing and live better lives. “And I need not look far. As a grandmother, I dote on my Star Scout granddaughter, Rufio. There’s a world out there for her to discover and in which she has a role to play and use the skills and values she will learn from scouting.” The post Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»