Ombudsman’s central office in Quezon City closed until May 2
Even prior to this announcement, the ombudsman's central office was already closed and was to remain so until April 18, due to increased infections among its employees, 17 of whom tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. .....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
LTO-7 on high alert for Holy Week
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) is on high alert starting March 24 to 31, for the Holy Week. The LTO-7 announced their “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2024” in a press release last Friday. Director Glen Galario has instructed all LTO-7 district and extension offices.....»»
PRO-7 warns against use of marijuana-flavored vapes
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has issued a stern warning against the use and proliferation of marijuana-flavored vape products. Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, the PRO-7 spokesperson, said that they will arrest individuals who sell vapes mixed with marijuana oil. The sale and use of marijuana remains.....»»
PDEA-7: No marijuana-flavored vapes in Central Visayas
CEBU CITY, Philippines – No marijuana-flavored vapes have been monitored so far in Central Visayas, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the region, said. This was according to Intelligence Agent IlI Jonar V. Cuayzon, chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Section of PDEA Regional Office 7. Cuayzon, however, said that they are not discounting the.....»»
DA chief orders transfer of suspended NFA supervisors’ authority
The transfer of authority of suspended warehouse supervisors of the National Food Authority has been ordered by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. yesterday as NFA facilities remain closed amid the suspension order of the Office of the Ombudsman......»»
First relief convoy enters Gaza devastated by ‘nightmare’ war
The first aid trucks arrived in war-torn Gaza from Egypt on Saturday, bringing urgent humanitarian relief to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave suffering what the UN chief labelled a "godawful nightmare". Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group carried out the deadliest attack in the country's history on October 7. Hamas militants killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death, and took more than 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel has retaliated with a relentless bombing campaign on Gaza that has killed more than 4,300 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. An Israeli siege has cut food, water, electricity and fuel supplies to the densely populated and long-blockaded territory of 2.4 million people, sparking fears of a humanitarian catastrophe. AFP journalists on Saturday saw 20 trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is responsible for delivering aid from various UN agencies, pass through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into Gaza. The crossing -- the only one into Gaza not controlled by Israel -- closed again after the trucks passed. The lorries had been waiting for days on the Egyptian side after Israel agreed to a request from its main ally the United States to allow aid to enter. UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Friday that the relief supplies were "the difference between life and death" for many Gazans, more than one million of whom have been displaced. "Much more" aid needs to be sent, he told a peace summit in Egypt on Saturday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the aid and urged "all parties" to keep the Rafah crossing open. But a Hamas spokesman said "even dozens" of such convoys could not meet Gaza's needs, especially as no fuel was being allowed in to help distribute the supplies to those in need. 'Reeling in pain' Tens of thousands of Israeli troops have deployed to the Gaza border ahead of an expected ground offensive that officials have pledged will begin "soon". As international tensions soar, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was hosting a peace summit in Cairo on Saturday attended by regional and some Western leaders. "The time has come for action to end this godawful nightmare," Guterres told the summit, calling for a "humanitarian ceasefire". The region "is reeling in pain and one step from the precipice", he said. Guterres said "the grievances of the Palestinian people are legitimate and long" after "56 years of occupation with no end in sight". But he stressed that "nothing can justify the reprehensible assault by Hamas that terrorised Israeli civilians". "Those abhorrent attacks can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," he added. Egypt, historically a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, has urged "restraint" and the relaunch of the long-frozen peace process. But diplomatic efforts to end the violence have made little headway, without the participation of Israel and its enemy Iran, a supporter of Hamas and other armed groups. 'Sliver of hope' A full-blown Israeli ground offensive carries many risks, including to the hostages Hamas took and whose fate is shrouded in uncertainty. So the release of two Americans among the hostages -- mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan -- offered a rare "sliver of hope", said Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross. US President Joe Biden thanked Qatar, which hosts Hamas's political bureau, for its mediation in securing the release. He said he was working "around the clock" to win the return of other Americans being held. Natalie Raanan's half-brother Ben told the BBC he felt an "overwhelming sense of joy" at the release after "the most horrible of ordeals". Hamas said Egypt and Qatar had negotiated the release and that it was "working with all mediators to implement the movement's decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions allow". Traumatised families with loved ones missing in Gaza demanded more action. "We ask humanity to interfere and bring back all those young boys, young girls, mothers, babies," Assaf Shem Tov, whose nephew was abducted from a music festival where Hamas killed hundreds, said Friday. Devastation Almost half of Gaza's residents have been displaced, and at least 30 percent of all housing in the territory has been destroyed or damaged, the United Nations says. Thousands have taken refuge in a camp set up in the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. Fadwa al-Najjar said she and her seven children walked for 10 hours to reach the camp, at some points breaking into a run as missiles struck around them. "We saw bodies and limbs torn off and we just started praying, thinking we were going to die," she told AFP. In Al-Zahra in central Gaza, Rami Abu Wazna was struggling to take in the destruction wreaked by Israeli missile strikes. "Even in my worst nightmares, I never thought this could be possible," he said. Israel's operation will take not "a day, nor a week, nor a month" and will result in "the end of Israel's responsibilities in the Gaza Strip", Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned on Friday. Regional tensions flare In Gaza, retired general Omar Ashour said the destruction was "part of a clear plan for people to have no place left to live". "This will cause a second Nakba," he added, referring to the 760,000 Palestinians who were expelled from or fled their homes when Israel was created in 1948. The United States has moved two aircraft carriers into the eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran or Lebanon's Hezbollah, both Hamas allies, amid fears of a wider conflagration. Fire across Israel's border with Lebanon continued overnight, with one Israeli soldier killed, Israeli public radio said. The military said it hit Hezbollah targets after rocket and missile fire. Violence has also flared in the West Bank, where 84 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The post First relief convoy enters Gaza devastated by ‘nightmare’ war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Israel says at ‘war’ after rocket barrages, militant infiltration
Palestinian militants have begun a "war" against Israel, the country's defense minister said Saturday after a barrage of rockets were fired and fighters from the Palestinian enclave infiltrated Israel, a major escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Violence between Israel and the Palestinians has been surging for almost two years, with fatalities in the occupied West Bank hitting a scale not seen in years. At least two people were killed in Israel, officials said. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Palestinian militant group Hamas has "launched a war against the State of Israel." "Troops are fighting against the enemy at every location," he said in a statement. AFP journalists said Israel's military began air strikes on Gaza, following the rocket barrage from inside the territory which is sealed off from Israel by a militarized border barrier. "Dozens of IDF fighter jets are currently striking a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," the military said. Rockets had earlier streamed across the sky repeatedly after the first launches from multiple locations across the Palestinian territory from 6:30 am (0330 GMT), AFP journalists in Gaza City reported. The armed wing of Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it was behind the aerial assault, saying its militants had launched thousands of rockets and its fighters seized an Israeli tank. Israel's army did not immediately comment on the tank claim when contacted by AFP. Israeli security chiefs convened over the violence, which occurred on Shabbat and during a Jewish holiday. Air raid sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, and the army urged people to stay near bomb shelters. AFP journalists in Jerusalem heard multiple rockets being intercepted by Israeli air defense systems. Sirens blared across the city on more occasions than in any Gaza conflict in the past three years. "We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel). Their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said. "We announce Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets." Hundreds of Gazans flee Hundreds of residents fled their homes in eastern Gaza to move away from the border with Israel, an AFP correspondent said. Men, women and children carrying blankets and food left their homes, mostly in the northeastern part of the territory, the reporter said. Israel's military said Hamas launched "massive shooting of rockets", while at the same time "terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations". Hamas "will face the consequences and responsibility for these events", it said in a statement. In Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, some Palestinian residents cheered and blew their car horns as sirens blared. A regional council for Israeli communities northeast of Gaza said its president was killed in an exchange of fire with attackers from Gaza. Separately, a woman in her 60s was killed "due to a direct hit" in Israel, the Magen David Adom emergency services said. Fifteen others were wounded, two of them seriously, medics said. An AFP photographer in the coastal city of Tel Aviv saw a gaping hole in a building, with residents gathered outside. Hamas calls to 'join battle' Hamas called on "the resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as "our Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle, in a statement posted on Telegram. The United States condemned the Hamas fire and urged "all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks." "Terror and violence solve nothing," the US Office of Palestinian Affairs wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007 after Hamas took power. Palestinian militants and Israel have fought several devastating wars since. The latest violence follows heightened tensions in September, when Israel closed the border to Gazan workers for two weeks. The shutdown of the crossing came as Palestinian demonstrators along the border burned tires and threw rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli troops, who responded with tear gas and live bullets. Resuming workers' passage on 28 September had raised hopes of calming the situation in impoverished Gaza, home to 2.3 million people. In May, an exchange of Israeli air strikes and Gaza rocket fire killed 34 Palestinians and one Israeli. So far this year at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners have been killed in the conflict, including combatants and civilians on both sides, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. The vast majority of fatalities have occurred in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. There has been a rise in army raids, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property. The rising violence this year came against the backdrop of divisive judicial reforms introduced by the hard-right government of President Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges he denies. Several far-right ministers in Netanyahu's cabinet live in West Bank settlements deemed illegal under international law. The post Israel says at ‘war’ after rocket barrages, militant infiltration appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lauryn Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers draw fans to rainy Central Park aid fest
Lauryn Hill, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jungkook drew tens of thousands of fans to Central Park despite torrential rains, as part of a marathon concert urging global development aid. Majestic rap icon Lauryn Hill graced the stage as her seminal album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" turns 25, performing her smash single "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and reuniting The Fugees during the Global Citizen festival in New York. The legendary hip-hop trio performed tracks including "Killing Me Softly" and "Ready Or Not." "Africa needs to control their own natural resources. Haiti needs to control their own natural resources. The world, we need to stop famine," said member Wyclef Jean to cheers, as fans waved their lit phones. The message was in line with the aims of the day, which marries musical performance with calls to increase funding against global ills including poverty and climate change. The Red Hot Chili Peppers closed out the night with a set throwing back to their classics including "Can't Stop," "Scar Tissue," "Dani California," "Snow (Hey Oh)" and "Californication." And Jungkook had the poncho-clad crowd screaming and swaying along as he serenaded them with hits including "Still With You." Wearing acid-wash jeans and a brown shirt, the megastar told fans it was necessary to "make an impact together to make sure everyone, everywhere has access to their basic rights like food and education." He wasn't billed as a headliner but Jungkook was a major draw of the night: many drenched concertgoers streamed out of the park just after his set ended, even though the evening at that point was scheduled to continue for another three hours. Earlier Anitta brought her impressive twerks and dance party of a show to the stage, performing hits including her recent "Funk Rave." Brazil's biggest pop star called attention to the importance of protecting the Amazon rainforest, reminding fans it's "the lungs of our planet." Just prior to kicking off her booty-shaking set, she said that governments must do more to "protect the people there, the indigenous people, the communities there... whose only reality is the Amazon." Rappers including Busta Rhymes and Common put on a tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, one of many the city has hosted in recent months. Fight against hunger Taking place since 2012 as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, Global Citizen distributes free tickets to supporters who pledge to take action such as sending letters to their governments in support of development aid. Pledges came from leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced via video message a $150 million commitment to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). "We have to fight together against poverty, climate change, and for biodiversity," Macron said. "This is why we want to take our part as well." The Rome-headquartered IFAD is an arm of the United Nations aimed at addressing poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Global Citizen welcomed Macron's commitment in a statement, adding that "much more needs to be done to provide crucial support to millions of smallholder farmers around the world, who produce 70 percent of food in low and middle-income countries." The institution urged governments to double their climate adaptation funding and make sure IFAD reaches its funding target of $2 billion by the end of 2023. Along with Macron, the organization said Norway had pledged $90 million to IFAD. The post Lauryn Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers draw fans to rainy Central Park aid fest appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Storm ‘Haikui’ heads to China
Typhoon “Haikui” toppled hundreds of trees, damaged coastal roads and dumped torrential rains across Taiwan Monday before it weakened into a severe storm and headed for southern China. “Haikui” had initially appeared to depart the island but made a second landfall early Monday in southwest Kaohsiung, before it was downgraded to a severe tropical storm as it moved out into the Taiwan Strait. There were no reports of deaths, but destruction was seen in coastal Taitung, a mountainous county in lesser-populated eastern Taiwan where the storm directly hit the day before. “I’ve lived here for so long and I have never seen such wind gusts,” said Chen Hai-feng, 55, a village chief in Taitung’s Donghe township, where he was with an early-morning work crew removing trees from a road. Although “Haikui” is considered to be less severe than previous storms, Chen said it felt more powerful. “It came straight through us.” Workers carefully maneuvered diggers to move downed tree branches and electrical wiring that had snapped and splayed across the rain-drenched road. Further north in coastal Changbin township, workers ferried massive concrete blocks to a coastal highway that had partially collapsed from the force of waves slamming into it, hoping they would absorb the impact. Heavy orange-colored barriers were placed near the edge to prevent cars from skidding over on the slippery roads. “Haikui” — the first typhoon landfall in Taiwan in four years — forced the evacuation of more than 7,000 people across the island, particularly from landslide-prone mountainous regions. Hundreds of flights were cancelled and businesses were closed. More than 217,000 households temporarily lost power through Sunday and overnight. By midday Monday, 11,000 homes still had no electricity, while schools and businesses remained closed in 14 cities as torrential rain bucketed down. A forecaster with Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau said “Haikui” initially appeared to track away from the island and out to sea but made a second landfall in Kaohsiung at around 4 a.m. During the night “the center of the typhoon was almost circling” the port city, but as it moved along the coastline “the structure of the typhoon is damaged by the terrain and gradually weakens,” she said. with afp The post Storm ‘Haikui’ heads to China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Storm Haikui heads to China after double landfall in Taiwan
Typhoon Haikui toppled hundreds of trees, damaged coastal roads and dumped torrential rains across Taiwan Monday before it weakened into a severe storm and headed for southern China. Haikui had initially appeared to depart the island but made a second landfall early Monday in southwest Kaohsiung, before it was downgraded to a severe tropical storm as it moved out into the Taiwan Strait. There were no reports of deaths, but destruction was seen in coastal Taitung, a mountainous county in lesser-populated eastern Taiwan where the storm directly hit the day before. "I've lived here for so long and I have never seen such wind gusts," said Chen Hai-feng, 55, a village chief in Taitung's Donghe township, where he was with an early-morning work crew removing trees from a road. Although Haikui is considered to be less severe than previous storms, Chen said it felt more powerful. "It came straight through us." Workers carefully maneuvered diggers to move downed tree branches and electrical wiring that had snapped and splayed across the rain-drenched road. Further north in coastal Changbin township, workers ferried massive concrete blocks to a coastal highway that had partially collapsed from the force of waves slamming into it, hoping they would absorb the impact. Heavy orange-colored barriers were placed near the edge to prevent cars from skidding over on the slippery roads. Haikui -- the first typhoon landfall in Taiwan in four years -- forced the evacuation of more than 7,000 people across the island, particularly from landslide-prone mountainous regions. Hundreds of flights were cancelled and businesses were closed. More than 217,000 households temporarily lost power through Sunday and overnight. By midday Monday, 11,000 homes still had no electricity, while schools and businesses remained closed in 14 cities as torrential rain bucketed down. A forecaster with Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said Haikui initially appeared to track away from the island and out to sea but made a second landfall in Kaohsiung at around 4:00 am (2000 GMT Sunday). During the night "the center of the typhoon was almost circling" the port city, but as it moved along the coastline "the structure of the typhoon is damaged by the terrain and gradually weakens", she said. By mid-day, the storm had moved southwest of Taiwan's outlying island of Penghu, but was still bringing torrential rain and strong winds to the south and northeast. In picturesque Hualien county, waterfalls cascaded down the lush cliffs along Taiwan's east coast, while market vendors in Keelung -- a northern port city surrounded by mountains -- braved the rain to sell fruit to raincoat-clad shoppers. In Kaohsiung, the local government reported hundreds of toppled trees and flooding in dozens of locations, although the situation was easing as the storm departed and the weather conditions improved. Nearly 80 people suffered injuries during the typhoon, according to authorities, though they were minor -- mostly due to fallen trees and car accidents. The post Storm Haikui heads to China after double landfall in Taiwan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Manhattan of Pasay City (4)
Critics of land reclamation must learn from the vast experience of the Netherlands, the mother of all reclaimed land in the world. There is a Dutch adage: “While God created the earth, the Dutch created the Netherlands.” The Netherlands became the world’s second largest exporter of food and agricultural products, next to the United States of America, because of the vast land it reclaimed from the sea, which turned fertile for agriculture and grazing cows. The Netherlands’ efforts to control and conquer its landscape were driven by its aggressive need to create land for dairy and agricultural production. The development of the Netherlands’ system of dikes and reclaimed lands were driven by its need to keep its feet dry and survive. The Dutch had always controlled and conquered water for their own economic benefit. Like colonization, which led to a massive expansion of Dutch land overseas, water management and land reclamation was a process of domestic expansion. EPC contractor Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., a leading global dredging contractor and marine services provider, was hired by the City of Pasay to build its iconic Manhattan project on Manila Bay because of its vast experience with huge reclamation projects. More than 50 percent of the Netherlands is below sea level, and a system of dikes has been in constant use for many years to reclaim and to protect the land. The Dutch created a system of dams and dikes, land reclamation and water drainage, in total the largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken in the twentieth century. Huge areas of reclaimed land were closed off with dikes some 20 miles long. The soil on the reclaimed land, once desalinated, were found to be fertile and suited for cow grazing and agricultural production. Because of this, the Netherlands became the world’s second largest producer of agricultural products. In addition to the fertile soil, the land is flat. The Netherlands enjoys temperatures and a moderate climate suitable for farming. Therefore, crop growth and livestock and poultry raising are done with the utmost ease and effectiveness. They employ robots to pick up fruits and to process vegetables. Their focus is on sustainable farming, keeping in mind the environment and their social responsibility. The Netherlands is keenly focused on educating its agricultural and other work force in the latest technology and research. Its universities engage in agriculture studies, education, and research. The world’s biggest food and beverage companies have their research and development laboratories in the Netherlands. The country is in central Europe which is an ideal spot geographically for exporters. The country also has exceptional infrastructure and the most remarkable logistics and supply teams. This has led the Netherlands to become the second largest exporter in the world. The Dutch nation has become an expert in the trading sector. They have developed a sustainable and profitable agriculture sector which has made them No. 2 in the world. The Netherlands’ agriculture industry had a net worth of 85 billion in 2021. It exports its food products to far-flung areas, like its organic eggs to America. Germany receives 25 percent of all its agriculture imports from the Netherlands. Today, around 27 percent of the Netherlands is actually below sea level. This area is home to over 60 percent of the country’s population of approximately 17 million people. The Netherlands is approximately 41,543 square kilometers, while the Philippines is 300,000 sq. km., making the Netherlands seven times smaller than the Philippines. A large part of the Netherlands is highly susceptible to flooding. Time will tell if the North Sea Protection Works are strong enough to protect the country from the onslaught of a storm surge like that experienced by Filipinos with “Yolanda.” The post Manhattan of Pasay City (4) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Manhattan of Pasay City (3)
The iconic Manhattan of Pasay City along Manila Bay, world-class and impressive, well-planned and eco-friendly, is set to affirm the city’s reputation as the first “Eco-City” in the Philippines. To date, the project has reclaimed more than 117 hectares of submerged lands above water, a testament to the technical capabilities and synergy of the Pasay Harbor City Corporation and its EPC contractor, Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. — one of the world’s top dredging companies. The project is set to be completed a decade and a half from today, with its horizontal development, including roads, bridges, drainage water, power, sewerage, communications, and other primary utilities and facilities. Pasay Harbor City Corporation or PHCC, the joint venture partner of the City of Pasay for the 265-hectare Pasay Reclamation Project with a closed P57-billion syndicated loan agreement, with five of the country’s largest banking institutions. With the loan in place, PHCC has secured funding for the completion of the project, the future site of Metro Manila’s premier central business district by the bay. The project is part of the Pasay Eco City Grand Vision to build a sustainable, eco-friendly, and world-class metropolis consistent with its mission to promote the quality of life of its people. The signing was led by PHCC’s chairman Carlos S. Gonzalez, its president Manuel S. Gonzalez, and counsels, Atty. Roan Libarios of Libra Law and Atty. Santiago T. Gabionza Jr. of VGD Law. This investment is a much-needed boost to the economy still saddled by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic by creating jobs and economic multipliers and positioning Pasay as the next leading business, investment, and tourism hub in the country. The loan agreement was made possible due to the approvals of the bank lenders following months of required due diligence, particularly, PNB Capital led by its president/ CEO Gerry B. Valenciano and PNB executive vice president Cenon C. Audencial Jr.; BDO Unibank led by executive vice president Jeannette S. Javellana; Metrobank led by First Vice President Christopher Hector L. Reyes and First Vice President Mercedes P. Uyboco; Landbank led by Senior Vice President Gonzalo Benjamin A. Bongolan; DBP led by President/ CEO Emmanuel G. Herbosa; and the Lenders’ Counsel, Marievic G. Ramos-Añonuevo of SyCip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan. The solid, visible, and incontrovertible proof of the completion of the project is the stunning success of the Mall of Asia, as envisioned by its father, the late visionary and father of the global metropolis of Pasay, Mayor Duay Calixto. For indeed, one can just marvel at the great transformation of the reclaimed area, now the home of SM and Mall of Asia. Manhattan of Pasay City is following Mayor Duay’s vision which turned into reality when Pasay City, in 2015 alone, earned P3.2 billion in real property taxes, business and work permits. With the project in progress, the city could double or even triple its income in taxes alone. The integrity and quality of workmanship in the erection of the iconic project are assured by the technical capability of the EPC contractor Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., one of the world’s top dredging companies. The Netherlands is a country built partly on reclaimed land by dredging companies with the likeness of the firm hired by the planners of the iconic Manhattan Tower in Pasay City. The post Manhattan of Pasay City (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu’s National Museum inaugurated
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of museums in preserving and promoting a nation’s cultural heritage as he led the inauguration of the National Museum of the Philippines in Cebu City on Friday. The President stressed that museums can help people understand the past, appreciate the present, and build a better future. “Every country, a young country such as the Philippines, has to find its identity,” said Marcos. “And we need to answer the question; if we are to unite together, we need to answer the question: What does it mean to be Filipino?” He added that museums “shine a very, very strong light on where Filipinos came from, what we had done since, and what is the trend, where are we headed” as pointed out that the exhibits would attract the interest of museum-goers. Marcos also urged local and foreign visitors to include the NMP Cebu in their itinerary whenever they visit the province and encouraged his fellow government officials to support the initiatives of the NMP. “Let us persuade the local and foreign visitors alike to include the NMP Cebu in their itinerary whenever they visit our beautiful country and this vibrant, ancient province,” Marcos said. “That is also ensured that our cultural institutions and establishments are accessible to Filipinos from all walks of life.” The President said that it might require around a week of going to the museum religiously before one ultimately sees all the exhibits. From being a customs building to Malacañang sa Sugbo, one of Cebu City’s architectural treasures has been transformed into a National Museum which will be open to the public for free starting 1 August 2023 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesdays to Sundays. It will feature exhibitions that capture the Cebuano spirit and heritage, including the island’s rich and diverse biodiversity, geology, archeological treasures, art, and ethnographic and maritime traditions. NMP-Cebu said this would host a special exhibition featuring artworks from the Philippine Center in New York and will soon feature artworks by Cebu master Martino Abellana. Aside from the five galleries, the National Museum will be boasted a lobby and reception hall featuring arts by Cebuanos with Cebuano culture and history, a terrace, a courtyard, and the NMP’s first-ever regional Museum shop. In 1910, Architect William Parsons designed and built the Customs (Aduana) building. It served its purpose as the old Customs house for 94 years and even survived the World War II bombings. In 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo converted it into Malacañang sa Sugbo to bring the national government closer to the people in the region. The building was closed in 2013 due to a 7.1-magnitude earthquake. In 2019, the Old Customs House was declared a National Cultural Treasure. And in December of the same year, NMP was given the right to convert it into the National Museum- Central Visayas Regional Museum. With RICO MIRASOL OSMEñA The post Cebu’s National Museum inaugurated appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thousands flee Greek island fires as southern US swelters
Around 30,000 people were moved to safety on the Greek island of Rhodes where a wildfire burned on Saturday, while people in the southern United States struggled under a record-breaking heatwave. Tens of millions of people have been suffering through intense heat this summer and the world looks set for its hottest July on record. As temperature records tumble, experts have pointed to climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels, arguing that global warming is playing a key role in the devastating heat. On the Mediterranean island of Rhodes, where a wildfire has been blazing for days, boats carried 2,000 people to safety from beaches in the east of the popular tourist island. Greek fire service spokesman Vassilis Varthakogiannis told Skai TV: "This is not a fire that will be over tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It'll be troubling us for days." Three coastguard ships led more than 30 private vessels in the evacuation, while a Greek navy boat was heading to the area. Island officials arranged for dozens of buses to take people to safety, but where fires had cut off road access, others had to walk. Authorities have opened up gyms, schools and hotel conference centers to serve as makeshift accommodation, while firefighters battle the blaze. In Athens, the foreign ministry said it had activated its crisis management unit to facilitate the evacuation of foreign citizens due to the ongoing forest fires. Greece is fighting dozens of forest fires 11 days into a heatwave that has seen temperatures soaring above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Meteorologists have warned it could be the longest hot spell the country has ever seen. - 80 million Americans sweltering - Across the southern United States, about 80 million Americans will swelter in temperatures of 41C and above this weekend, the National Weather Service said. The southwestern city of Phoenix, Arizona hit 46C on Saturday, extending a record-breaking streak to 22 consecutive days of highs above 43C. Tourists have been flocking to Death Valley National Park, which straddles California and Nevada, to post selfies with a temperature display outside the visitor centre. Many are hoping to see it break a world record of 56.7C, which was set in July 1913 but was likely the result of a faulty measurement, according to several meteorologists. Further north, in Canada, which has been suffering wildfires that left Montreal blanketed in smog, torrential rain hit the eastern province of Nova Scotia, cutting off roads and threatening to burst a dam. Four people were reported missing, including two children who had been in a car engulfed by flood waters. Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 active wildfires were burning across Canada, with 11.3 million hectares scorched this season by the deadly blazes. Across the border in the US state of Washington, a wildfire burned more than 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) in less than a day. - Hottest month - July 2023 is on track to be the hottest month -- not only since records began, but also in "hundreds, if not thousands, of years", said leading NASA climatologist Gavin Schmidt. The effects cannot be attributed solely to the El Nino weather pattern, which "has really only just emerged" and isn't expected to strengthen until later in the year, he added. El Nino is associated with the warming of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. Schmidt said the trend of extreme heat was expected to persist, "and the reason why we think that's going to continue, is because we continue to put greenhouse gases into the atmosphere". The exceptional temperatures in Greece also meant key tourist sites such as the Acropolis closed during the hottest part of the day. A 46-year-old man was reported to have succumbed to heatstroke on the central Greek island of Evia after being admitted to Chalkida hospital. Staff there said cardio-respiratory failure following exposure to high temperatures appeared to have been the cause. Emergency health officials told the state broadcaster they had admitted at least 38 heatstroke patients in the last three days, while hospitals were also seeing cases of fainting and other heat-related conditions. Greece is just one of many countries battling a prolonged spell of extreme heat around the globe in recent days. burs/jj/acb © Agence France-Presse The post Thousands flee Greek island fires as southern US swelters appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Task force lays out contingency plans for 3-day transport strike
The Inter-Agency Task Force Monitoring Team yesterday said it has put in place contingency plans for the three-day transport strike that will start on 24 July, the day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address. Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra, MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes and MMDA General Manager Undersecretary Procopio Lipana today presided over an inter-agency meeting at the MMDA head office with various government agencies and Metro Manila traffic bureau heads to discuss plans to ensure that the commuting public will not be inconvenienced by the transport strike, and provide traffic and security management since the strike will coincide with the SONA. "We request the LGUs to cooperate with the single dispatching system of the rescue assets at the MMDA Command Center on the day itself, said Guevarra. "During the last transport strike, we were able to monitor through the CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras the convergence of rallyists, and can easily call the PNP (Philippine National Police) to maintain peace and order." The MMDA chief said the team is also more than prepared because of the best practices and lessons learned from the previous transport strike held in March. "We were able to address the needs of the riding public before because of the united efforts of the government with agencies and 17 Metro Manila local government units," said Artes. He said inter-agency monitoring of the situation will be at the newly inaugurated MMDA Communications and Command Center at the MMDA head office in Pasig City. Meanwhile, Lipana said a central dispatch of rescue units shall be observed to get stranded passengers so that other transport groups and drivers who will not join the transport strike can continue their usual services and gain income. On Monday, transport operators belonging to the “Magnificent 7” group made a commitment to MMDA officials that they will not be joining the transport strike that the group Manibela plans to hold on 24-26 July 24 in protest at the PUV modernization program. The post Task force lays out contingency plans for 3-day transport strike appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Life threatening’ floods lash New York
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Heavy rains caused “life threatening” flooding on Sunday in New York state, turning streets into raging waterways, washing out bridges and leading the governor to declare a state of emergency. A woman was killed while trying to leave her house with her dog in the Hudson Valley when she was swept away in a flash flood, multiple media reports said. Governor Kathy Hochul declared states of emergency in Orange County, northwest of New York City, and in Ontario County in the central part of the state, noting that up to eight inches (200 mm) of rain had created “life threatening conditions due to flash flooding.” “We are approaching a critical point in this weather event,” Hochul said. By Sunday evening, more than 12,000 customers had lost electricity, her office said. The heavy rains washed out roadways and stranded people in their cars and homes. The National Weather Service said it was “receiving multiple reports of significant flooding and persons trapped in vehicles in eastern Orange county.” “Remember Turn Around Don’t Drown,” it warned drivers. As of 8:00 pm (2400 GMT), highways were closed in at least five counties, including Westchester County, which is immediately north of New York City, and borders the Hudson River. The post ‘Life threatening’ floods lash New York appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
State troops recover ‘incomplete’ IED
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Soldiers have recovered an incomplete component improvised explosive device in Cotabato which they believe to be aimed at instilling fear to the citizens in the village and adjacent vicinity. Joint Task Force Central commander Major General Alex S. Rillera on Friday narrated that the soldiers recovered the IED along the barangay road at Sitio Proper in Barangay Inug-ug, Pikit town. Rillera said the soldiers responded to a report by a resident in the village about the IED placed along the barangay road. Troops immediately cordoned off the area, closed the barangay road and coordinated with the 33rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team for inspection and possible disruption of the IED. Recovered components include unexploded ordnance, electronic wires and one 9-volt battery. The EOD team took the IED components to their headquarters for technical investigation and proper disposition. The EOD team further confirmed that the IED has incomplete components. Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said an investigation is currently being conducted to identify the perpetrators. “We believe that the perpetrators want to instill fear in the citizens, but we will never allow them to execute their terror ploys,” Galido said. “Rest assured that we will continue to take preemptive and decisive actions to counter the desperate attacks of the remaining terrorists who seek to attract attention and support from the communities.” The post State troops recover ‘incomplete’ IED appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Visayan growth
This piece is being written as I traverse the Visayan region which is carrying greater prospects for future economic growth. For the past months, I’ve written on Mindanao and Central Luzon and how these regions have experienced rapid development thanks to the nationally elected political leaders who hail from their provinces, Vice President Sara Duterte and the former president now Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, respectively. At times neglected in the discussions is the Visayas region. This time around, I was able to spend time in Iloilo and Cebu – both highly urbanized regional growth areas outside of Metro Manila. Iloilo is a wonderful city as it exists harmoniously with its bodies of water. Esplanades and walkways allow everyone to enjoy the river, which serves as a leisure area, transportation hub, and entry for goods, which is quite uncommon in the Philippines. Usually, Philippine rivers are either for people or for goods, not both, since our rivers are easily polluted. But in Iloilo, as well as neighboring Guimaras, their rivers bring life to the province. The only eyesore in Iloilo would be the “sinking” Ungka flyover located in Pavia. This project cost the government P680 million but it was closed shortly after it opened because motorists experienced a “wavy” sensation while driving on it. It was later learned that some of its pillars were sinking at the rate of two centimeters per day. A study showed it would take an estimated P250 million to repair the flyover and make it safely usable to the public. One reason to be excited about Iloilo should be the proposed revival of the Panay Railway, which was mentioned by President Bongbong Marcos Jr. in his SoNA last year and included in the Infrastructure Flagship Projects approved by NEDA. On this trip, I learned that Panay used to have a working railway that connected Iloilo City to Roxas City, and that plans for its revival would further connect Iloilo to Caticlan thus, the resort island of Boracay. Imagine having tourists land in Boracay, spend a few days there, then take a train to Iloilo where they would further be immersed in Philippine culture in one of the oldest cities of the country. Cebu is an established gem of a city, with traffic nearing Manila levels. Walking around Cebu feels like being in Alabang or BGC. One thing missing in Cebu is tollways to connect its cities and municipalities. This may change soon with the inclusion of the Metro Cebu Expressway in the NEDA-approved IFPs. The 72-kilometer project, once completed, will connect Naga City to Danao City, cutting travel time from three hours to 50 minutes. The project was started years ago, but only a reported five kilometers of it have been finished so far due to lack of funding. At this rate of budget allocation, it will take 20 years to finish it. Now, the project will continue and be finished sooner via a PPP arrangement after Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. — the same company that built the iconic Cebu Cordova Link Expressway bridge — has expressed interest in it. Whenever I visit Cebu, it seems that a major development had taken place. This time was no different. Even in Iloilo, there are new buildings erected almost monthly. One notable building is the 14-story Stronghold Insurance Building in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, an area surrounded by Ayala, SM, Vista Land, and Megaworld developments. As this Administration has heralded, this time the purpose is to “Build, Better, More” for the benefit of all Filipinos nationwide. For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com. The post Visayan growth appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu City retains CVIRAA crown in runaway fashion
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Niños as expected emerged on top of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet which officially closed its curtains on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Carcar City, South Cebu. Cebu City bagged a combined 110 gold medals with 93 silvers, and 84 bronze medals in the five-day […] The post Cebu City retains CVIRAA crown in runaway fashion appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»