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Holidays set in 4 areas
Malacañang has declared holidays in four areas to allow residents to participate in local festivities......»»
Stocks retreat as investors stay on sidelines
Share prices retreated yesterday as investors opted to stay on the sidelines with trading shortened to three sessions this Holy Week......»»
MMDA suspends number coding scheme on March 28, 29
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will be temporarily lifting its number coding scheme on March 28 (Maundy Thursday) and March 29 (Good Friday), which were earlier declared as regular holidays......»»
Remove the chaff from the grains
Other than the questioned selling of the buffer stock of rice to traders, what’s happening at the National Food Authority (NFA)? With 132 of around 2,000 NFA officials and employees all around the country suspended for six months without pay, this agency attached to the Department of Agriculture (DA) is struggling to stay relevant in the over-all schemes of the government on food security......»»
National women s chess tilt: Frayna stops Canino to stay in title contention
Janelle Mae Frayna restored some order in the Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship after she stopped wonder girl Ruelle Canino in the ninth round Friday to remain in the title race in Malolos, Bulacan......»»
Addressing the Philippines’ 2024 Threat Landscape: Kaspersky Launches KUMA Platform
To help Filipino businesses and organizations stay safe in cyberspace while embracing digitalization, Kaspersky announces today the launch of Kaspersky Unified Monitoring and Analysis Platform (KUMA), its integrated software solution that includes a set of functions for security information and event monitoring and management. The Philippines is expected to continue its double-digit growth towards $35B […].....»»
Extra rice, please
If only it were possible to give up rice, perhaps Filipinos once again grappling with rising prices of the grain would prefer something else to go with their daing or adobo. Alas, kare-kare, caldereta, and most sauce-y Pinoy dishes are no good without steaming white rice. It’s not all about taste or eating habits either. Most Filipinos eat a lot of rice because it is filling. A movie starring the comedian Dolphy featured a family sharing a plateful of rice, taking turns sniffing at a piece of salted fish before gobbling down a mouthful of the kanin (cooked rice). It filled their bellies and certainly fired up their imaginations. In fact, jokes abound about the Pinoy getting by with unli (unlimited) rice, a little soup, or even that fried chicken gravy. It is no laughing matter, however, that many of our kababayans cannot afford a balanced meal containing proper amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables regularly. Rice is supposed to be cheap and readily available. Yet here we are, still on the hunt for the P20 per kilo rice promised during the last State of the Nation Address. We sent someone out to buy that rice, but he came back empty-handed. The cheapest kilo of rice, he said, cost P50. And news lately of rice prices expected to continue rising until September leaves us wondering — once again — how in the world did the agricultural Philippines end up importing rice in the first place? Vietnam, which learned rice technology from us, currently pegs the price at “$540 per metric ton, (or) about P30 to P32 per kilo,” said Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. president Danilo Fausto in a dzBB Super Radyo interview, as reported in a news article. This, he added, is higher than its prices at other times of the year, at “$420 to $440, about P23 to P24 per kilo.” We need to import rice so that the country will have enough supply, he said, suggesting that government should “intervene” and discuss the supply issue with our ASEAN neighbors. Some sources blame the rise in rice prices on “the effects of price manipulation and price speculation,” pointing a finger at businessmen who use the supply and demand equation to make more profit. On the other hand, price watchdogs say it’s the government that has failed to keep a tight rein on prices, letting the fluctuations happen because of inaction. But, perhaps, it is more of slow action that is ailing our government. The Commission on Audit’s latest report released this month flagged the Department of Agriculture over one, “its failure to distribute a total of 855,493 bags of rice seeds meant for farmers under the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund;” and two, failure “to distribute 2,088 pieces of farm machinery, out of the total 22,520 procured equipment.” Also, some “14,192 bags of rice seeds were damaged” while the rest were either donated or kept for the next planting season. Whatever may have caused these incidents, the fact remains that our farmers were “deprived of their needed assistance,” said CoA, and state funds have been likely wasted over damaged goods and equipment rusting in their yards. A review of the Rice Tariffication Law is once more called for. Better prioritization is also demanded of the agencies concerned tasked to support our farmers and the local production of rice, as well as those tasked to protect consumers from price hikes. If the world supply is low, we could try to eat less rice and try other alternatives. There’s always a choice of bread or corn, or even the much-derided kamote, to eat with your Iberian roast chicken — but for bangus, bistek, and sinigang — extra rice, please. The post Extra rice, please appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Guess who brought the fun back
It was early March and I just returned from a quick trip to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my hubby. I wasn’t as sad as I usually am when returning to Manila, because I had my dear friend’s birthday party marked in my calendar. At the time, despite the pandemic still looming over our lives, I was pretty convinced that Covid-19 no longer existed. In fact, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Almost everyone I know was so ready to party like rock stars after taking a long cumbersome break. So last 10 March, Nicole Whisenhunt — our very own "hostess of the mostest," and one of Manila’s most sought-after jewelry designers, gathered all her friends to do just that. She celebrated at Leon Gallery with the simplest goal of making everyone happy, and WOW! She sure did bring the fun back from the good old pandemic-free days when friends would come together to celebrate and enjoy life, worry-free. It was no doubt a night to remember! [caption id="attachment_132227" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photographs Courtesy of Dara Roa | (from left) Sheila Romero, the columnist and Bubbles Bermudez.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_132222" align="aligncenter" width="525"] with the birthday celebrator Nicole Whisenhunt.[/caption] The party invite said eight o’clock but getting ready on time is something I need to re-master. But I sure am glad I arrived at 10 p.m. It was the perfect time to get to the party. The band was playing while everyone was in a state of love and happiness. Entering the party was a high in itself as my date (the hubby — Daniel) and I were showered with hugs, merry greetings, and lingering handshakes from friends we haven’t seen in a while. In the middle of this heartwarming entrance, I saw Nicole barefoot and beaming in bliss! I immediately gave her a hug and greeted her, “Happy Birthday.” What a sight! My first instinct from that experience was to head to the bar, while Daniel (my hubby) went straight to the buffet. I must say, we were such a great tandem as there was no time to waste. We had to catch up! The first person I saw after grabbing our drinks was Loralee Soong, and we never separated since then. Daniel and I naturally gravitated towards the lounge set up on the right side of the band. We settled on that spot with our group of friends who have claimed that space before everyone else had. Daniel enjoyed the food and drinks while he chatted with friends. I, on the other hand, barely even sat. The band made it impossible for me to do so. They played '90s music that we all sang along with and danced to. The dance floor became my home. [caption id="attachment_132226" align="aligncenter" width="525"] with Camille Ongpauco.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_132225" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Vania Romoff and Jerika Ejercito.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_132224" align="aligncenter" width="525"] with Loralee Soong.[/caption] Everyone was filled with euphoric energy that brought about loads of laughter, chatter, singing, dancing, and togetherness. The atmosphere didn’t have an ounce of negativity in it. It was that kind of night. To top it all off, our bellies were spoiled by the delicious dishes of Happy Ongpauco. If only we all had bottomless pits as our tummies, we could’ve eaten more. But there was no feeling guilty over what we ate since we definitely worked on our calories dancing the night away to the tunes of the Yellow Lane band. The party ended, but all the guests talked about it for about a week. We laughed at all the stories that popped up from our conversations with most of them extremely funny. I will always remember this birthday party to be a time when I truly felt like we were finally enjoying ourselves without worry. Just like the good old days. It left me hopeful for the future and more confident that only good things will come our way. The post Guess who brought the fun back appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GUESS WHO BROUGHT THE FUN BACK
It was early March and I just returned from a quick trip to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my hubby. I wasn’t as sad as I usually am when returning to Manila, because I had my dear friend’s birthday party marked in my calendar. At the time, despite the pandemic still looming over our lives, I was pretty convinced that Covid-19 no longer existed. In fact, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Almost everyone I know was so ready to party like rockstars after taking a long cumbersome break. So last 10 March, Nicole Whisenhunt — our very own "hostess of the mostest," and one of Manila’s most sought after jewelry designers, gathered all her friends to do just that. She celebrated at Leon Gallery with the simplest goal of making everyone happy, and WOW! She sure did bring the fun back from the good old pandemic-free days when friends would come together to celebrate and enjoy life, worry-free. It was no doubt a night to remember! [caption id="attachment_132227" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photographs Courtesy of Dara Roa | (from left) Sheila Romero, the columnist and Bubbles Bermudez.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_132222" align="aligncenter" width="525"] with the birthday celebrator Nicole Whisenhunt.[/caption] The party invite said eight o’clock but getting ready on time is something I need to re-master. But I sure am glad I arrived at 10 p.m. It was the perfect time to get to the party. The band was playing while everyone was in a state of love and happiness. Entering the party was a high in itself as my date (the hubby — Daniel) and I were showered with hugs, merry greetings and lingering handshakes from friends we haven’t seen in a while. In the middle of this heartwarming entrance, I saw Nicole barefoot and beaming in bliss! I immediately gave her a hug and greeted her, “Happy Birthday.” What a sight! My first instinct from that experience was to head to the bar, while Daniel (my hubby) went straight to the buffet. I must say, we were such a great tandem as there was no time to waste. We had to catch up! The first person I saw after grabbing our drinks was Loralee Soong, and we never separated since then. Daniel and I naturally gravitated towards the lounge set up on the right side of the band. We settled on that spot with our group of friends who have claimed that space before everyone else had. Daniel enjoyed the food and drinks while he chatted with friends. I, on the other hand, barely even sat. The band made it impossible for me to do so. They played '90s music that we all sang along with and danced to. The dance floor became my home. [caption id="attachment_132226" align="aligncenter" width="525"] with Camille Ongpauco.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_132225" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Vania Romoff and Jerika Ejercito.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_132224" align="aligncenter" width="525"] with Loralee Soong.[/caption] Everyone was filled with euphoric energy that brought about loads of laughter, chatter, singing, dancing and togetherness. The atmosphere didn’t have an ounce of negativity in it. It was that kind of night. To top it all off, our bellies were spoiled by the delicious dishes of Happy Ongpauco. If only we all had bottomless pits as our tummies, we could’ve eaten more. But there was no feeling guilty over what we ate since we definitely worked on our calories dancing the night away to the tunes of the Yellow Lane band. The party ended, but all the guests talked about it for about a week. We laughed at all the stories that popped up from our conversations with most of them extremely funny. I will always remember this birthday party to be a time when I truly felt like we were finally enjoying ourselves without worry. Just like the good old days. It left me hopeful for the future and more confident that only good things will come our way. The post GUESS WHO BROUGHT THE FUN BACK appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»