Praybeyt Benjamin backs out from MMFF 2020; here s complete list
The complete list of entries to this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has been revealed to the media earlier today......»»
Vice, Vic, Coco pahinga muna sa filmfest; Nora, Jinggoy, Sylvia, Vhong, Iza bakbakan sa MMFF 2020
DAHIL sa COVID-19 pandemic, walang entry sina Vice Ganda, Coco Martin at Vic Sotto sa Metro Manila Film Festival 2020. Unang nagpahayag ang Star Cinema at Viva Films na hindi na nila maisasali ang pelikulang “Praybeyt Benjamin 3” ni Vice dahil mahihirapan silang mag-shooting sa “new normal”. Sumunod namang in-announce na hindi na rin makakasali […] The post Vice, Vic, Coco pahinga muna sa filmfest; Nora, Jinggoy, Sylvia, Vhong, Iza bakbakan sa MMFF 2020 appeared first on Bandera......»»
Vice Ganda hindi na mapapanood sa MMFF 2020
HINDI na mapapanood si Vice Ganda sa gaganaping Metro Manila Film Festival 2020 sa Disyembre kahit naunang naaprub ang entry niyang “The Super Praybeyt Benjamin”. Kasabay na in-announce ng MMFF organizers ang pelikula ni Vice na pumasok sa Top 4 kasama ang iba pang entries na “Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan”, “Magikland” at “The […] The post Vice Ganda hindi na mapapanood sa MMFF 2020 appeared first on Bandera......»»
Vice Ganda, hindi pa sigurado sa 2020 MMFF
HINDI PA 100 percent sure kung sasali si Vice Ganda sa 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) ngayong December. Nasa planning stage pa lang daw kasi hanggang ngayon ang Praybeyt Benjamin 3 na balak i-produce ng Viva Films at Star Cinema. “Mayrong plan ang Viva at Star Cinema for this December, hindi pa lang napa-finalize […] The post Vice Ganda, hindi pa sigurado sa 2020 MMFF appeared first on Pinoy Parazzi......»»
Erik Matti nagalit sa pagpasok ng ‘Praybeyt Benjamin’ sa MMFF 2020; fans ni Vice umalma
BASAG na basag si Vice Ganda sa patutsada ng direktor na si Erik Matti sa pagpasok ng “Praybeyt Benjamin” sa 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival. Pero kasabay nito, “sinunog” din siya nang bonggang-bongga ng mga tagasuporta ng TV host-comedian at tinawag pang bitter at inggitero. Hindi aprub kay Direk Erik ang pagkakapili ng Selection Committee […] The post Erik Matti nagalit sa pagpasok ng ‘Praybeyt Benjamin’ sa MMFF 2020; fans ni Vice umalma appeared first on Bandera......»»
‘Praybeyt Benjamin 3’ ni Vice sa MMFF 2020 hindi na pwede sa bata
PASOK na bilang isa sa mga official entry ng 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival sa December ang pelikula ni Vice Ganda. Kasama sa in-announce ng MMFF Executive Committee ang “Praybeyt Benjamin 3” ni Vice produced by Viva Films and Star Cinema sa first Magic 4 ng taunang filmfest. Taun-taon ang inaabangan talaga ng fans […] The post ‘Praybeyt Benjamin 3’ ni Vice sa MMFF 2020 hindi na pwede sa bata appeared first on Bandera......»»
DoLE flagged over CAMP distribution
The Department of Labor and Employment has been tagged by the Commission on Audit over the distribution of their one-time financial support program dubbed as the “Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program” or CAMP. CAMP, which was first launched during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, was intended to provide one-time P5,000 cash assistance to workers in the private sector displaced by business closures brought on by the health crisis. The audit agency, however, said more than P70 million funds in CAMP-Bayanihan 2 went to 14,052 beneficiaries who were reported to have also received other forms of financial assistance which, as per guidelines, should have been excluded from the list of beneficiaries. The program was funded with a P10.89-budget allocation divided into CAMP-Bayanihan 1 and CAMP-Bayanihan 2, with the latter intended as an expansion of the first distribution period. CoA, in its performance audit report of the program, reported a 100-percent progress toward its target to distribute cash aid to 2.17 million workers, and a 100-percent and 99.87-percent in its disbursement of cash assistance in CAMP-Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2, respectively. The audit agency, however, said more than P70 million funds in CAMP-Bayanihan 2 went to 14,052 beneficiaries who were reported to have also received other forms of financial assistance which, as per guidelines, should have been excluded from the list of beneficiaries. These include 6,181 who have also received a Small Business Wage Subsidy or SBWS, and 33 who received both SBWS and the Social Amelioration Program or SAP. Another batch of 7,838 beneficiaries was tagged by COA as “probable ineligible beneficiaries,” with 5,260 people who have received both CAMP-Bayanihan 2 and SAP, and 2,578 people whose salaries are above P40,000. “Based on the interview, DoLE only relied on applicants’ self-declaration since there was no available and complete centralized database that would serve as a basis for determining whether an applicant already received financial assistance from other programs,” CoA said in the report. “Only the DoLE, Department of Finance, and the Social Security System were able to have a data sharing agreement on their beneficiaries,” it added. It said the existence of ineligible beneficiaries, among other things, was because of manual cross-checking of SBWS recipients and lack of awareness among some DoLE regional offices over the SBWS program. “The evaluators of the said (regional offices) only relied on the attestation of the applicant,” CoA said. Of at least 147 CAMP beneficiaries, for instance, more than 120 said they have also received aid through SAP by the Department of Labor and Employment, while 10 are reportedly part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. The rest were beneficiaries of other programs, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation or AICS and the DoLE-AKAP for Overseas Filipino Workers, as well as the Department of Agriculture’s own SAP program and the Barangay Financial Assistance. Daily Tribune sought DoLE’s comment regarding the CoA observations but has not yet responded as of writing. The post DoLE flagged over CAMP distribution appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Behind the Scenes: The Heroes of ABS-CBN Sports
While the general public sees or hears the finished product on-air or online, most do not witness or appreciate those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes at ABS-CBN Sports. There’s an African proverb that says it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it took almost exactly that to make ABS-CBN Sports work. As we commemorate National Heroes Day in the country on the final day of ABS-CBN Sports, it is only fitting to acknowledge and thank those behind-the-scenes heroes who have been part of the amazing journey (DISCLAIMER: I may have left out some names, but it is purely unintentional so my apologies). Thank you, first and foremost, to our Chairman Emeritus Gabby Lopez, whose passion and love for sports led to the initiative that is ABS-CBN Sports. Thank you to our former President and CEO, Charo Santos-Concio, our current President and CEO, Carlo Katigbak, a true tennis fan, and our Chairman Mark Lopez, who showed us composure, class and grace as leaders. Thank you to our beloved COO, Cory Vidanes, who allowed ABS-CBN Sports to reach a broader audience when it aired special events on Channel 2 as well as feature athletes and sports personalities on entertainment programs. Thank you to the voice of ABS-CBN and former ABS-CBN Sports head, Peter Musngi, for leading the division during its early years. Thank you to Narrowcast head, Antonio “March” Ventosa, as well as his executive assistant, Trina Magallanes, for helping us navigate during the transtition period of ABS-CBN Sports. Thank you to the captain of our ship, ABS-CBN Integrated Sports head, Dino Laurena, who inspired us to work harder and better to serve our audience. Thank you to Sir Dino’s gatekeeper, his executive assistant, Donna Seat, who was our bridge whenever we needed to reach out to the boss. Thank you to S+A channel head and production head, Vince Rodriguez, LIGA channel head, Jojo Neri-Estacio and Business Unit Head, Jun Martinez. They were our constant guides who enabled us to provide quality content on broadcast despite immense internal and external pressure. Thank you to the people who made sure we never went beyond our budget and reached our targets – our Finance team made up of Berg Capiz, Jem Castro and Lorna Gendrano. Thank you to our S+A On-Air team of Rommel Noviza, Janice Rulloda, Princess Basye, Biboy Diga, Mark Marinay, Arnold Saclolo, Borge Raval and Hans Espiritu as well as our Liga Channel team of Anna Santos, Francis Patawaran, Aprille Signo and Joramie Roque, for ensuring everything airs on time. Thank you to our Digital Head, Mico Halili, for his innovative and fresh ideas on the digitial space. Thank you to the men and women who made our broadcast coverage as close to flawless – our Production Manager, Jennifer Jimenez, our directors, which include THE Abet Ramos, Al Neri, Raul de Ocampo and Rommel Pedrealba, and our technical directors made up of Elmond Salvahan, Jhonnald Garcia, Marvin Chavez, Bingbong Pangan, Arnold Bulaong and Joseph Vega. Thank you to the men and women who made sure our partner properties were happy with our coverage, and that everything was in place for each and every game or show we put out there – our Executive and Associate Producers Vic Caridad, Malou Neri, Ada Bayuga, Diana Sayson, Oxy del Rosario, Mae Mañalac, Aries Galot, Apples Dela Vega, Kristina Manzana, Roy Briones, Ledz Cahinhinan, JC Gonzales, Gab Gonzales and Manny Gabutina. Thank you to those who crafted and produced memorable segments – our segment producers Eva Evangelista, Carlo Grajo, Cha Lucero, Mark Morados, Jeff Sta. Maria, Jet Montebon, Sharon Muli, Alex Brocoy, Mika Barrios, Bill Barrinuevo and Volta delos Santos as well as our video editors Pido Cruz and Fonz Fajatin. Thank you to those who put the right words into play – our writers Monica Magpantay, Paul Loyola, Jigs Guardiano, Adrian Dy, Sheiden Dela Cruz, Ken Natividad, Syjin Reyes and Migs Gomez. Thank you to those who gave the right cues to our anchors, analysts and courtside reporters – our panel director Larry "Care Mo Naman" Deang, our floor directors Miky "Gandara" Mirabueno, Lyanne Ocampo-Tan and Fritz Dizon. Thank you to the people who made sure that the right moments were captured – our Camera Control Unit made up of George Austria, Joel Supremo and Edgar Guarte, our Cameramen Lloyd Villamor, Rovic Pacis, Gerald "Superman" Fermin, Ron Fermin, Ronald Mangcoy, Michael Pico, Emman Andes, Butch Pineda and Mark Nicolas. Thank you to those who made sure we heard the sounds and voices loud and clear – our audio engineers Elias Javier, Ramil Ciruano, Albert Agbay, Jancel Abobo as well as our audiomen Joseph Nicolas and Ameng Atienza. Thank you to the guys who allowed us to get another look at the action – our EVS/Slomo Operators Joejay Abarquez, Raymond Biojon and Dido Batallion and VTR men Christian Abarquez, Kenneth Abarquez and Oliver Sañez. Thank you to the people responsible for making things more visible on our screens –our Electrician/Lighting Directors Alvin Saavedra and Jorge Paraon and our lightman Calvin Liong. Thank you to those who create those cool graphics and effects that catch our attention during games and shows - our Graphic Artists/Operators Jam Memdoza, Denice Ylagan, Erol Corpuz, Sara Concepcion, Jeff Jugueta and Kevin Camero. Thank you to the team who put the little things in order – our set-up assistants Jerald Testor, Ivan Castillo, Ferdie Mangaong, Remus Taniengra, Daniel Dimaculangan, Eduardo Dacumos, Ryan Ancheta, Allan Porsioncula, Laurence Sosa, Illac Alvarez, Benjo Asiatico, Manny Cajayon, Lepoldo Bofill, Victor Taniegra, Caleb Bautista, Jeremiah Mallari and Bennett Cabus. Thank you to the guys who provided the correct statistics and graphics – our panel scorers/GFX feeders Rico Bayuga, Ronaldo Serrano, Arvin Estabillo and Gilbert Serrano. Thank you to those who made our on-cam talents look good – our makeup artists Mylyn Concepcion, Nina Concepcion, Estrella Besabe, Norma Calubaquib and Nizel Reduta and our stylist Lyle Foz. Thank you to those who were always ready to lend a helping hand – our production assistants, Lian Salango, Pau Hiwatig, Helen Trinidad, Riri Gayoma, Jade Asuncion and Lovely Dela Cruz. Thank you for the imagination and artistry of our Creative Communications Management (CCM) team composed of Elirose Borja, Jerome Clavio, Djoanna San Jose, Lara Mae Allardo, Robin Lorete, Cristy Linga, Christopher Eli Sabat, Archimedes Asis (the voice of S+A), Jan Dormyl Espinosa, Aila Onagan and Nyro Mendoza. They say that advertising is the lifeblood of media and that we wouldn’t be able to deliver high-quality content if not for advertisers brought in our by our Sports Sales team, so thank you to our Sports Sales Heads Jojo Garcia, Nicole Moro and Ken Ti, along with our account executives Tin Saw, Annalyn Herrera, Trina Vallarta, Joey Tang, Karlo Miguel, Paul Sembrana, Mike Tan, Ray Del Castillo, and Jason Gaffud. Thank you to those who constantly pitched ideas and presented to clients on our behalf, our Business Development Executive, Tonyo Silva, and our Sports Marketing team made up of Thirdy Aquino, Maui Tang, Jason Roberto, Danica Jose, Lala Cruz and Hanz Trajano. Thank you to the people who looked out for the wellfare and concerns of our division members – our Human Resources squad made up of Arvin Crisol, James Lee, Anika Gregorio and Donna Yabut. Social media has been a game changer and enabled people to relive key moments in sports events, so thank you to our social media team made up of Jon Rodriguez, Alvin Laqui, Danine Cruz, Aia del Mundo, Melvin Rodas, Clev Mayuga, Migs Flores and Lloydie Moreno. We would also like to give special thanks to our former bosses and colleagues who have moved on from this world, Rolly V. Cruz, Danilo A. Bernardo, George G. Padolina, Marco Franco, Gerald Gicana, Rhodora "Dhanda" Panganiban, Vernie Calimlim and Erwin Evangelista. Lastly, I personally want to thank the website content team made up of sub-section editors Santino Honasan, Mark “Mr. Volleyball” Escarlote, Norman Benjamin Lee Riego (Yes, it has to be his complete name) and Paul Lintag, former sub-section editor Milan Ordonez, former writer Philip Matel, videographers Nigel Velasquez, Rocio Avelino and Steph Toben, photographers Arvin Lim, Richard Esguerra and Joshua Albelda, former NBA Philippines website managing editor Adrian Dy, contributing writers Anton Roxas, Marco Benitez, “Doc Volleyball” AJ Pareja, Migs Bustos, Mikee “Diliman Legend” Reyes and Ceej Tantengco. While our journey in telling these stories with ABS-CBN Sports will abruptly come to a halt, it has been an honor and a pleasure serving the Filipino sports fans worldwide. We may no longer be around as an organization, but the great athletes will keep playing and inspiring and the games will continue. And so, with a sense of immense gratitude, we say: Maraming Salamat Kapamilya! Hanggang sa muli! --- Lorenzo Z. Manguiat has been the Editor-in-Chief of sports.abs-cbn.com since 2014 and Sports News Desk Head since 2015. He started as game writer for ABS-CBN Sports in 2000 and served in various other capacities within ABS-CBN. He is among the thousands of employees who will be retrenched on August 31, 2020. .....»»
2020 king of recruiting crown remains on UP’s head
Who was our King of Recruiting in 2018? Find out here. Who was our King of Recruiting in 2019? Find out here. --- From 2007 to 2015, the University of the Philippines only had 13 wins to show in 126 games total. That time is self-deprecatingly called in Diliman as the dark days. Due to that disappointing standing, the Fighting Maroons had the toughest time bringing in recruits. And due to that lack of pieces to the puzzles, they lost even more. Safe to say, State U was stuck in a vicious cycle in the dark days. That’s not to say they didn’t have blue-chip recruits back then as in their time, all of Woody Co, Mark Juruena, Mike Gamboa, Kyles Lao, Jett Manuel, and Mikee Reyes were among the best high school players. Only, a blue-chip recruit or two does not make a team. Fast forward to now and oh, how things have changed. Last year, UP was hailed as ABS-CBN’s King of Recruiting alongside University of the East. “On the strength of the transfers of Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero, the Fighting Maroons… are worthy of the title,” it said then. And the season before that, the maroon and green was also up there with the best of them in terms of recruitment, having brought in the likes of eventual Season MVP Bright Akhuetie, Will Gozum, and Jaydee Tungcab. Indeed, there was nowhere to go but up. That has only continued this year as UP has left no doubt that it is now a force to reckon with in terms of recruitment. Early on, they already had a solid haul in Joel Cagulangan, once the best point guard in high school, and tireless workhorse Malick Diouf. And then, the shock of shocks. As it turned out, Nazareth School of National University stalwarts Carl Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano were going to be Fighting Maroons. Meaning, for the first time in recent history, the most promising prospect coming out of high school is headed to Diliman. Not only that, State U also answered its biggest question heading into next season – the question at point guard, filling in for Jun Manzo. But as it turned out, they weren’t done just yet - no, our friends, they weren’t done just yet. Tamayo and Abadiano’s departure from National U was shocking, without a doubt, but CJ Cansino’s exit from University of Sto. Tomas was even more so. Cansino, against his will, decided to move on from his alma mater since 2015 due to personal reasons. Fortunately for him, he landed on his feet. Now, the Fighting Maroons have ready-made replacement for Rivero as well as a leader in the shades of Paul Desiderio for UAAP 84. And that, our friends, is why we have no choice but to put the 2020 King of Recruiting crown on UP’s head once more. Tamayo and Abadiano are the bluest of blue-chip recruits this year and Cagulangan, Cansino, and Diouf are among the most talented transferees, but also joining them in the maroon and green will be scoring machine RC Calimag from La Salle Green Hills, burly big Miguel Tan from Xavier High School, Filipino-American playmaker Sam Dowd, Filipino-Australian tower Ethan Kirkness, physical forward Jancork Cabahug from University of Visayas, and versatile wing CJ Catapusan from Adamson University. The former Bullpups are guaranteed ato be contributors even as rookies while Calimag, Tan, and Dowd are going to shore up a bench that had just lost Gomez de Liano brothers Javi and Juan. Of course, Diouf, Kirkness, Cansino, Cabahug, and Cagulangan are still serving residency, but when they will be eligible, they will get a shot at a squad that will look brand new. All of Bright Akhuetie, J-Boy Gob, David Murrell, Noah Webb, and Rivero are graduating players while Paras is only guaranteed to play one more year. That means that after Season 83, the Fighting Maroons may very well have to fill six spots. That means that UP is not only beefing up for UAAP 83, it is also securing its future. If not for the shock of shocks, though, the crown would have been claimed by De La Salle University which sent a statement that it is back and better than ever. Justine Baltazar and Aljun Melecio may be playing their fifth and final years in college, but the green and white’s future has only brightened following this prolonged preseason. First and foremost, Kevin Quiambao, the third leg in that National U tripod of talent out of high school, has the capability and confidence to follow in the footsteps of Baltazar. Hopefully, he will be eligible for Season 83, but if not, what’s certain is he will be playing in UAAP 84. Alongside him as pieces for the future are super scorers CJ Austria and Emman Galman, all-around swingman Joshua Ramirez, and Filipino-Americans Jeromy Hughes, Kameron Vales, and Philips bros. Benjamin and Michael. Among all those, Jonnel Policarpio, likened to a young Arwind Santos, has the highest upside, but the Fil-Ams have much potential as well. And don’t forget that Evan Nelle, the primetime playmaker from San Beda University, is just getting primed and prepped to take the reins when Melecio leaves. Of course, the caveat here is that we are all in uncharted territory due to the continuing COVID-19 crisis. And in that light, the next season of the UAAP remains far away and a lot could still happen until then. While majority of the local blue-chip recruits have already committed, talents from abroad and transferees from other schools could still come and change the game. With that being said, there remains no doubt that UP and La Salle have made the biggest noise in the offseason. However, it’s not actually the Fighting Maroons or the Green Archers who got the lion’s share of the best graduating players in the 2020 NBTC 24. Yes, that honor belongs to Lyceum of the Philippines University which is finally reaping the rewards of its rising Jrs. program with NCAA 95 Jrs. MVP John Barba and Batang Gilas playmaker Mac Guadana being promoted as full-fledged Pirates. Guadana could do it all and looks like the next great guard in the Grand Old League while fearless slasher is Barba is a perfect complement to him. Add another fiery guard in John Bravo and sweet-shooting big man Carlo Abadeza and LPU has restocked its coffers after losing Marcelino twins Jaycee and Jayvee and Cameroonian powerhouse Mike Nzeusseu. In all though, the 2020 NBTC 24 was dominated by UP… and San Beda. Of the annual rankings’ 15 graduating players, four would be Fighting Maroons and another four would be Red Lions. Yes, San Beda’s grassroots program is back on track with its Jrs. championship core all remaining in red and white. Rhayyan Amsali, ranked no. 1 in the 2020 NBTC 24, is the most college-ready high school player while Justine Sanchez is a long-limbed forward who could turn out to be the next Calvin Oftana, you know, the NCAA 95 MVP. Yukien Andrada, meanwhile, is only continuing to develop his two-way game and Tony Ynot is a 3-and-D weapon who had even left an impression on Jalen Green. And hey, as somebody said, don’t sleep on the UAAP’s three-time defending champions. Ateneo may already be missing Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, Adrian Wong, and Nieto twins Mike and Matt and they may not be making noise as of late, but they are still welcoming Dave Ildefonso and Dwight Ramos with open arms. Ildefonso will only be good to go come UAAP 84, but Ramos is already being seen by head coach Tab Baldwin as a difference-maker for the Blue Eagles in Season 83. Eli, Dwight’s younger brother, is also in the mix to backstop SJ Belangel and Tyler Tio. Note also that former blue-chip recruit Inand Fornilos may very well finally get his shot while both Jolo Mendoza and Raffy Verano are also back. Ateneo’s foe in the Finals last year also reloaded quite a bit as for the third year in a row, UST will be sending the Tiger Cubs’ best player to the Srs. squad. Following in the footsteps of Cansino and Mark Nonoy, post player Bismarck Lina will be a Growling Tiger next season. Alongside him to fortify the frontcourt are Christian Manaytay, Bryan Samudio, and Bryan Santos while bolstering the backcourt are Joshua Fontanilla and Paul Manalang. Speaking of fortifying the frontcourt, Far Eastern University is the team that got the biggest boost in terms of size. With 6-foot-7 Nigerian Emman Ojoula’s residency over and done with, the go-go guards of the Tamaraws have yet another weapon to burn opponents with. CESAFI MVP Kevin Guibao and transferee Simone Sandagon are no slouches either while Cholo Anonuevo has a roster spot waiting for him if and when he decides to come home after trying his luck in the US. RJ Abarrientos no longer appears here as he was already in FEU’s list last year. These are the new faces to see for the other teams: CSB Blazers LETRAN Knights JRU Heavy Bombers MAPUA Cardinals ADAMSON Soaring Falcons UE Red Warriors --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Poe to LTFRB: Show routes affected in PUVMP
Sen. Grace Poe is urging the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to publicize a complete list of routes and ensure mobility of the commuting public once the public utility vehicle modernization program is implemented......»»
FULL LIST: Winners, 2023 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal
'Firefly' wins Best Picture and Best Screenplay.....»»
Marcos to national agencies: List functions devolved to LGUs
President Marcos has ordered national government agencies to complete the list of functions and services to be devolved to local government units and to finish the study on the full devolution initiative by the first quarter of 2024 in line with the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling......»»
LIST: CAMANAVA road closures for MMFF 2023 Parade of the Stars
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is set to enforce temporary lane closures and counterflow measures along key CAMANAVA roads in preparation for the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival's much-awaited "Parade of the Stars" happening next week......»»
NEDA backs Radio Control Law amendment
The National Economic and Development Authority plans to recommend the inclusion of the amendment of the Radio Control Law in the government’s list of priority bills for approval......»»
DTI-Davao reiterates mandatory certification for Christmas lights
The Department of Trade and Industry-Davao Region (DTI-Davao) has reminded the public about the importance of buying certified Christmas lights. The agency has updated the list of valid Product Standard (PS) Certification Mark License and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Certificates and Stickers for Christmas Lights. The DTI regulates Christmas lights and has implemented measures to protect consumers, including mandatory certification for manufacturers and importers. The law requires companies to use the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and/or Safety Certification Mark and the issuance of ICC for import shipments. Manufacturers and importers can apply online through the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) website. Certain types of Christmas lights are exempt from mandatory certification. The DTI-Davao Regional Director emphasized the importance of buying licensed and certified Christmas lights for quality and safety. The DTI-Davao offices are monitoring and enforcing product standards to ensure consumer safety. The complete list of licensed/certified Christmas Lights can be accessed on the BPS website. For concerns, the DTI-Davao can be reached through their landline number or official Facebook page......»»
Israel reviews list of hostages set to be freed by Hamas on Saturday
Israel has received a list of hostages to be freed from Gaza on Saturday by Palestinian militant group Hamas, officials said, following the release of 24 hostages the previous day, the first of a planned four-day truce.Israeli security officials were reviewing the list, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, after his government's vow to work for the release of all hostages taken by.....»»
Israel reviews list of hostages set to be freed by Hamas on Saturday
Israel has received a list of hostages to be freed from Gaza on Saturday by Palestinian militant group Hamas, officials said, following the release of 24 hostages the previous day, the first of a planned four-day truce.Israeli security officials were reviewing the list, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, after his government's vow to work for the release of all hostages taken by.....»»
OSG backs Comelec on Guanzon party-list substitution
The Commission on Elections did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it allowed former Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon as a substitute nominee for a party-list group for persons with disabilities, the Office of the Solicitor General said yesterday......»»
SEC extends amnesty program deadline til end of 2023
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced an extension of the amnesty program deadline for non-compliant and suspended or revoked corporations. The deadline to file amnesty applications and settle amnesty fees has been extended until the end of 2023. The amnesty program offers reduced penalties for corporations that have incurred fines for late or non-filing of their General Information Sheet (GIS), Annual Financial Statements (AFS), and official contact details. Corporations can avail of the amnesty by submitting an Expression of Interest form on their SEC Electronic Filing and Submission Tool (eFAST) accounts. Additional requirements must be submitted by January 31, 2024. Failure to submit the complete set of requirements will result in forfeiture of the amnesty fee and petition fee. The SEC has also released a list of corporations at risk of having their certificates of incorporation revoked for failure to submit their GIS. The updated scale of fines and penalties for reportorial requirements will be implemented on January 1, 2024. The SEC will strictly enforce the submission of reportorial requirements and impose penalties, including monetary fines, delinquency status, and suspension or revocation of a corporation's certificate of incorporation. Corporations can visit the SEC Amnesty Microsite for guidance on how to avail of the program......»»
Barrio boy Pedro Penduko becomes an urban warrior
The original Pedro Penduko was a comic book character created by the posthumously awarded National Artist for Literature Francisco V. Coching. Serialized in Liwayway, the Filipino magazine of choice in the mid-‘50s to ‘70s, Coching’s Penduko is an ordinary young man from the barrio who is bumbling and cowardly but also resourceful, quick-witted and pure-hearted. Lamentably, no prints are known to exist of the first Pedro Penduko film made by the great Gerry de Leon, National Artist for Film, who directed from a screenplay by Coching himself. Efren Reyes Sr. was the original actor who played Penduko on the silver screen. The second motion picture incarnation of Coching’s comic book character happened in the late ’70s, with the Philippines’ Bruce Lee counterpart Ramon Zamora as lead under Celso Ad Castillo’s direction. More recent incarnations include remakes that starred Janno Gibbs, plus the successful ABS-CBN series that catapulted Matt Evans to teen stardom. Pedro Penduko will once again be reborn this December with the Metro Manila Film Festival entry Penduko, starring Matteo Guidicelli as the iconic character and Jason Paul Laxamana writing and directing the film. Laxamana said he has uprooted Pedro Penduko from the barrio and made him an urban daily survivor. Guidicelli’s Penduko is now an everyday Juan in the city struggling to make ends meet because he does not want to follow the footsteps of his arbularyo father, Apo Tisot (John Arcilla), offering a millennial story of the main character journeying to find one’s self and the hero within. “Majority of people now have seen so many superheroes from Marvel, DC, Disney and the like. So, in this Penduko, we have expanded his story. The common threads in all the Penduko movies and TV show are its folklore and mythical elements. That is what we maintained in this film, but we added a fuller story to strengthen the folklore and magical elements.” Guidicelli, who said he was “overwhelmed and grateful” to be doing the role, trained hard to be physically fit, undergoing extensive arnis, eskrima and kali sessions with a Philippine martial arts master. He also worked closely with his acting coach Ruby Ruiz to get the character right, especially his feelings and sense of truth. “When I was presented the screenplay by direk Jason Paul, I was blown away,” recalled Guidicelli. “Anything and everything about Penduko, how he envisioned him to be and the world we are presenting in the movie, was in the script. And it was written in the old style, almost lyrical Tagalog. Nakaka-intimidate! As an actor, pag ganun ka-kumpleto na ‘yung ibinigay sa iyo (if you were given something that complete), you really need to bring your A-game.” Guidicelli is bullish about thebox-office prospects of his film. “It has been quite some time for an action-fantasy movie to be part of the annual MMFF. Aside from that, we have a gripping and relatable narrative. There are twists to the folklore and mythical creatures. Its sensibilities, passion and heart are truly Filipino.” Penduko is the first MMFF venture of Epik Studios and Sari-Sari Network Inc., in collaboration with Viva Films. It opens in cinemas this 25 December as an official MMFF entry. The post Barrio boy Pedro Penduko becomes an urban warrior appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China to send youngest-ever crew to space station
Tiangong is the crown jewel of Beijing's space program, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon and made China the third country to put humans in orbit. The station is constantly crewed by teams of three astronauts, who are rotated out every six months. The Shenzhou-17 module carrying the trio to the station is scheduled to blast off at 11:14 a.m. (0314 GMT) Thursday from the Jiuquan launch site in China's arid northwest. "It is the crew of astronauts with the youngest average age since the launch of the space station construction mission," Beijing's State Council Information Office said in a statement. The all-male trio will be led by Tang Hongbo, who is on his first return mission to the Tiangong space station. "Throughout the past two years, I have often dreamt of going back to space," Tang said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The space station is our other home that takes us away from Earth and into the universe," he added. Accompanying him will be Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, both in their thirties and each making maiden space voyages. The crew has an average age of 38, compared to 42 for the crew of Shenzhou-16 when it launched. "According to the plan, the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft will conduct autonomous rendezvous and docking procedures after entering orbit," Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for China's space program, said during a Wednesday morning press briefing. It will dock with the station's core module "about six-and-a-half hours" after first initiating the procedure, he added. 'Space dream' Plans for China's "space dream" have been put into overdrive under President Xi Jinping. The world's second-largest economy has pumped billions of dollars into its military-run space program in an effort to catch up with the United States and Russia. In June, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 spaceship touched down at a landing site in the northern Inner Mongolia region, with state media hailing the mission as a "complete success". That month also saw the launch of the Shenzhou-16 capsule, which carried the first Chinese civilian -- Beihang University professor Gui Haichao -- into orbit. That crew will return to Earth on October 31 after completing a handover, officials said Wednesday. Beijing also aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and plans to build a base on the lunar surface. Spokesperson Lin reiterated that aim Wednesday, saying that the "goal of landing Chinese people on the moon by 2030 will be realized as scheduled". Lunar plans The country's lunar plans were dealt a setback in 2017 when the powerful Long March-5 Y2 rocket failed to launch on a mission to put communication satellites into orbit. That forced the postponement of the Chang'e-5 launch, originally scheduled to collect Moon samples in the second half of 2017. Another robot, the Chang'e-4, landed on the far side of the Moon in January 2019 -- a historic first. Chang'e-5 eventually landed on the Moon in 2020, raising a Chinese flag on the lunar surface and returning to Earth with the first lunar samples in four decades. The final module of the T-shaped Tiangong -- which means "heavenly palace" -- successfully docked with the core structure last year. The station carries several pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment, according to state news agency Xinhua, including "the world's first space-based cold atomic clock system". The Tiangong is expected to remain in low Earth orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometers (250 and 280 miles) above the planet for at least 10 years. China will send its youngest-ever crew of astronauts to the Tiangong space station this week, officials said Wednesday, as Beijing pursues plans for a manned mission to the Moon by the end of the decade. Tiangong is the crown jewel of Beijing's space program, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon and made China the third country to put humans in orbit. The station is constantly crewed by teams of three astronauts, who are rotated out every six months. The Shenzhou-17 module carrying the trio to the station is scheduled to blast off at 11:14 am (0314 GMT) Thursday from the Jiuquan launch site in China's arid northwest. "It is the crew of astronauts with the youngest average age since the launch of the space station construction mission," Beijing's State Council Information Office said in a statement. The all-male trio will be led by Tang Hongbo, who is on his first return mission to the Tiangong space station. "Throughout the past two years, I have often dreamt of going back to space," Tang said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The space station is our other home that takes us away from Earth and into the universe," he added. Accompanying him will be Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, both in their thirties and each making maiden space voyages. The crew has an average age of 38, compared to 42 for the crew of Shenzhou-16 when it launched. "According to the plan, the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft will conduct autonomous rendezvous and docking procedures after entering orbit," Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for China's space program, said during a Wednesday morning press briefing. It will dock with the station's core module "about six-and-a-half hours" after first initiating the procedure, he added. 'Space dream' Plans for China's "space dream" have been put into overdrive under President Xi Jinping. The world's second-largest economy has pumped billions of dollars into its military-run space program in an effort to catch up with the United States and Russia. In June, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 spaceship touched down at a landing site in the northern Inner Mongolia region, with state media hailing the mission as a "complete success". That month also saw the launch of the Shenzhou-16 capsule, which carried the first Chinese civilian -- Beihang University professor Gui Haichao -- into orbit. That crew will return to Earth on October 31 after completing a handover, officials said Wednesday. Beijing also aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and plans to build a base on the lunar surface. Spokesperson Lin reiterated that aim Wednesday, saying that the "goal of landing Chinese people on the moon by 2030 will be realized as scheduled". Lunar plans The country's lunar plans were dealt a setback in 2017 when the powerful Long March-5 Y2 rocket failed to launch on a mission to put communication satellites into orbit. That forced the postponement of the Chang'e-5 launch, originally scheduled to collect Moon samples in the second half of 2017. Another robot, the Chang'e-4, landed on the far side of the Moon in January 2019 -- a historic first. Chang'e-5 eventually landed on the Moon in 2020, raising a Chinese flag on the lunar surface and returning to Earth the first lunar samples in four decades. The final module of the T-shaped Tiangong -- which means "heavenly palace" -- successfully docked with the core structure last year. The station carries several pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment, according to state news agency Xinhua, including "the world's first space-based cold atomic clock system". The Tiangong is expected to remain in low Earth orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometers (250 and 280 miles) above the planet for at least 10 years. The post China to send youngest-ever crew to space station appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»