Record-high for 2021: 5,404 new COVID-19 infections bring active cases to 53,479
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 5,404 new COVID-19 infections recorded on Monday pushed the number of active cases to 53,479, the Department of Health (DOH) said. According to DOH’s COVID-19 bulletin, the total number of confirmed cases in the country is now at 626,893, with 560,577 of them tagged as recoveries. Eight new deaths […] The post Record-high for 2021: 5,404 new COVID-19 infections bring active cases to 53,479 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting
The president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Nina Lim-Yuson, grew up in a family and home of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, was one of the co-founders of the GSP. “It was actually my Lola Pilar who suggested to Josefa Llanes Escoda, the GSP founder, to go to America to learn about girl scouting.” This tidbit of history, Nina shared in an online interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim became GSP president, and so did Nina’s mother, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, who served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Nina’s sister too, the eminent broadcast journalist, Cheche Lazaro, was a Girl Scout. Coming from a lineage of women achievers, Nina could not have chosen a different path. It was scouting that formally introduced the family to social responsibility, skills development and citizenship. Her brothers were also Boy Scouts. “I started when I was six years old and it was my Lola Pilar who inducted me as a Brownie. It used to be called Brownie because we were still using the American pattern,” she related. She belonged to Troop Number One, the first to be organized by the GSP national headquarters. In high school at the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School of the Philippine Women’s University, she became a junior and later a senior Girl Scout. College would briefly end her Girl Scouting as she focused on her studies. Along the way, she also danced with the Bayanihan Folk Dance Company. It was not unexpected that she would return to scouting, her first love, and her first extra-curricular activity. For the last 36 years, she has been active in various organizations and volunteer work. She founded the Museong Pambata. She is a recipient of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service and is active in its various social development efforts. What Nina brings to her post is the legacy of leadership that had been passed on to her through generations of women leaders in the family. “My Lola Pilar was my idol. She was such a nice person and I never knew her totally as a president. I knew her more as a loving lola from all the stories she related when we rode up to Baguio. “My mother, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was very career-minded. I learned naman from her a lot of things, like being thrifty and having a list of things to do. In terms of organization, she was like that. Because she was in government. And, you know, when we started Museo, while it was actually my concept, I learned a lot from her. She would call me up at 5 o’clock in the morning and she would rattle off what needed to be done, like ‘number one, number two and so on.’ That was her. And I’m glad that I worked with her for six years in Museo. She was the president and I was the executive director for six years. I took over in 2000 as president and chief executive officer. And then, I stepped down in 2017.” Girl Scouts who read and tell stories Nina was elected president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines for the term 2021-2024 during its 2021 national convention. From day one, she shared, “My purpose was to reach out to the community-based troops because we have always been school-based. Many young women now have social problems so we need to reach out to the communities through our community-based troops.” Also on top of her priorities is literacy development, a cause that she addressed even in the Museo Pambata. She explained, “My advocacy has always been education. So, I was very concerned because the Asian Development Bank reported in 2022 that the World Bank found out that our Filipino children at ages 9 and 10 cannot read. So, I felt that because girl scouting is all over the country, with 96 local councils, the organization could serve as a vehicle for improving literacy in our country. “We started the Girl Scout Storyteller project because storytelling affects the heart first before the mind. When young people start with storytelling, they will love the stories and then the written word. They would then want to read. “We now have storytelling in economically challenged communities and we have partners. We sent out 2,500 books throughout the country with the help of our partner couriers.” Initially, she sought the help of her family foundation “to give a donation. I also sought the help of Ging Montinola, who is into literacy development. Together, we founded the literacy program. We are building this fund to cover the cost of buying children’s books. We will have a storytelling contest next year.” Raising funds for Camp Escoda Nina then shifted the conversation to another major endeavor that she is spearheading as GSP president — fundraising for the 27-hectare Camp Josefa Llanes Escoda in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, which was donated by the provincial government during the term of Governor Amado Aleta, the father of consul and civic leader Fortune Ledesma. “Palayan is beautiful because it has rolling hills, but it doesn’t have electrical and water facilities and roadworks. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, and it’s so hot in Nueva Ecija. It also does not have a conference hall. This is a big one-time fundraising project because it’s for the future of the girls who are going to the camp. Because as of now, if you go camping there, you have to walk up the hills to get your drinking water. You have to make buhos to take a bath.” She recalled, “In my time as a young Girl Scout, which was of another era, we had to walk in the dark to fetch water to fill up two drums. I was so scared because there were tuko in Los Baños. That taught me to be courageous. Camps really build up your lifetime skills and attitude. Camping is very integral in girl scouting and boy scouting. So, this camp will serve a purpose. It just needs various basic facilities to make it world-class and convenient with the proper amenities, but the girls will continue to learn all those survival techniques and appreciate nature right on the camp.” She praised architect Pippo Carunungan, “who is an environmental planner. He surveyed the site and drew up everything. It will be a beautiful camp, he said, because it’s a gift of nature.” First Lady as Chief Girl Scout Nina recently led the Girl Scouts in a fundraising ball attended by the “First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, who is our Chief Girl Scout. It’s mandated in the GSP constitution that whoever is the female president of the country or the First Lady is the Chief Girl Scout. In the past, we had Imelda Marcos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. All the first ladies were all Chief Girl Scouts. “Mrs. Liza Marcos spoke before us and she promised to help. She said, ‘We will make it the best campsite.’ Everyone was excited to see her and she obliged everyone who asked to have selfie with her. She is very friendly. She is really a Girl Scout.” Nina shared, “A generous couple is sponsoring the swimming pool at P6 million, while a gentleman entrepreneur is sponsoring the perimeter fence at P1.5 million. Many other businessmen and leaders have pledged to help build this dream GSP project. “We really need to raise about 50 million to have a very good camp. But when the First Lady heard about it, she said, ‘It has to be P250 million.’ But, really, when we have the funds, we can have deep toilets that have running water instead of tabo-tabo. Since we have a little Pampanga river that runs across the camp, we can build a bridge that crosses it and then the girls can have white-water rafting there in the Pampanga river. “Camp Escoda will be a very important and significant venue for our Girl Scouts to gather, bond, learn new skills and develop as morally upright citizens of the country and the world. It is especially so because camping is integral in any Girl Scout’s life. If you don’t have camping, it’s like half of your scouting life is missing. Every Girl Scout remembers that time of her youth. And being the national camp, it will welcome Girl Scouts representing the 96 councils from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who will participate in various events and trainings.” Girl Scouts of all ages As GSP president, Nina travels to various parts of the country. “We have regional conferences aside from the meeting of the Central Board when regional heads and executives come to Manila. “I had just come from Baguio where I stayed for two-and-a-half days. I met our young Girl Scout representatives from ages 14 to 18. I enjoyed listening to them and exchanging ideas with them. I am so happy that we have a wealth of intelligent girls who want to serve the country. They are the ones who are going to take over. “It’s amazing that GSP is no longer limited to old people on the board. We finally have young ones on the board. Our Escoda committee is headed by Jade Delgado from Iloilo. Then we have Justine Bautista. She’s a psychometrician. She heads the Program Committee, which is a big committee because when we were in Baguio, we had 86 girls from all the councils throughout the country. Many of them are running for SK. “So, in my 70s now, which I don’t feel at all, I don’t take any medicines or something like that. Being with young people is what inspires me. Because at 15, 16 or 17, they already know that they have some kind of a mission.” Nina proudly shared that the venue of the Baguio conference, 'Ating Tahanan' on the South Drive was bought during the tenure of my Lola Pilar. We have four buildings there, including the houses of Senator and actor Rogelio de la Rosa and Carlos Valdes, the accountant. Lola Pilar, according to Carlos Valdes, twisted his arm to get a low price. I’m so thankful for all those who preceded me because they bought these places. It’s on South Drive which is so valuable. We even have a reserved forest behind us.” As she looks forward to the next camping and gets even busier raising funds for Camp Escoda, Nina feels elated that “every one of us in the Girl Scouts has been together in our various undertakings. The nice thing is we are now intergenerational because we try to bring in the old with experience, institutional memory and their wisdom born of their long life, and the young who are full of enthusiasm, energy and new ideas.” A star scout for a granddaughter While Nina does her part for the bright future of girl scouting in the country, her personal family too has not stopped contributing to the roster of members to this worldwide organization. Today, a granddaughter of hers, seven-year-old Rocio Yuson de Guzman, is a Star Scout. She is the daughter of Nina’s daughter, Nicky. No grandmother could have been prouder. Nina said, “Rufio loves being a star scout. When I arrived from the recent world conference in Cyprus, I came back with some badges and I gave some to Rufio who is very proud of the little badges that I got for her.” For sure, Nina will pass on not just the badges to Rufio. More importantly, she will give her granddaughter the once-in-one’s-childhood experience of being a Girl Scout and learning “the values that are identified in the Girl Scout Promise and Laws. I think that while there is so much to enjoy and learn, it is the inculcation of these values that would mold her into a well-rounded human being. As we all know, a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal, thrifty, courteous… and so on. It’s like a mantra -- the values that one lives by. “I have reached that point when it is not about success or what one accumulates in life, whether awards or accomplishments or material things. It is more about what I can share and scouting gives me that honor and privilege — to do my part in helping mold our young girls and making them aware even at an early age that they have a mission and worthy purpose in life. It is not just about being good and outstanding on your own but it is also about helping others to become better in what they’re doing and live better lives. “And I need not look far. As a grandmother, I dote on my Star Scout granddaughter, Rufio. There’s a world out there for her to discover and in which she has a role to play and use the skills and values she will learn from scouting.” The post Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NTF-ELCAC gives Church a seat
The Catholic Church will play a more significant role in the anti-insurgency effort through a recalibrated National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, or NTF-ELCAC, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said yesterday. The task force will now have the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs as a member. “We welcome the CBCP through its Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs to the NTF-ELCAC Executive Committee and we look forward to working with them in pursuing peace and development in all parts of the country, especially in conflict-affected areas,” Año said. The task force indicated an openness to suggestions from the Church in adopting “moral and ethical approaches in addressing the communist insurgency,” as cited by CBCP president and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David in a recent statement. “We are opening the door of NTF-ELCAC to the Church because it has an important role to play in ending violence and terrorism in the country,” Año said. “For more than 50 years, we have lived with the scourge of the communist armed conflict. With peace now in sight, the Church has an important role to play in ensuring peace and development in the long term,” he added. With the CBCP in the NTF-ELCAC, Año believes that concerns raised by the Church or by cause-oriented groups supported by them could be immediately addressed. “Because of this development, the Church will have more opportunity to relay its concerns, since its mandate is to act as a liaison of the CBCP to the government,” he said, citing the attendance of Fr. Jerome Secillano at the NTF-ELCAC executive committee meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Friday. Año reiterated that the task force’s main mandate is to formulate “whole-of-nation” policies to end armed conflict in the country. “CBCP’s membership in the task force ensures a whole-of-nation’s participation because the religious sector is an important component of the nation,” he said. Intervention in influenced areas Año sees the CBCP making significant contributions to the development of areas previously under the influence of the New People’s Army, as well as facilitating social inclusivity in the pursuit of peace. “Given that we are now on the road to total victory, it’s necessary that we recalibrate the way we do things and the entry of the CBCP to the NTF-ELCAC is one of the changes we have implemented under the Marcos administration,” he said. More rebels rejoin society NTF-ELCAC also expressed optimism the government can sustain its peace-building effort to encourage more rebels to reintegrate into mainstream society. At a forum on Saturday, NTF-ELCAC director Alexander Umpar said that in 2023, a total of 959 villages cleared of the insurgency were included in the Barangay Development Program or BDP, an initiative that aims to bring sustainable development programs to conflict-prone and conflict-affected communities. Under the BDP, each village recipient receives a package of programs, activities, and projects worth a maximum of P20 million. BDP beneficiaries in 2021 and 2022 numbered 822 and 1,406, respectively, he said. Umpar said the NTF-ELCAC is confident that by 2028, it would have attained its goal of achieving lasting peace and development in areas that are vulnerable to armed conflict. “‘By 2028, it is about sustaining the momentum of NTF-ELCAC gains with regard to the dismantling of guerrilla fronts, the reintegration of former rebels, and most of all, building resiliency for our communities under the ambit of good governance toward unity, peace and development,” he said. The government, he said, has dismantled 69 of 89 guerrilla fronts since the creation of the task force in 2018. One of the 20 remaining guerrilla fronts, he said, is active while 19 others had weakened. “‘When we say strategic victory, this (because) of the 19 weakened guerrilla fronts and only one is left to be confronted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he said. “There are still concerns about the armed groups but they are no longer able to initiate an armed struggle or to topple our government. So, that’s the strategic victory,” Umpar said. On the other hand, NTF-ELCAC director Jose Descallar urged rebels to give up and join the government in its goal of transforming the country into a “new Philippines.” He said the military could shift its focus to “external threats,” once the government is able to address the local insurgency. Meanwhile, Director Emmanuel Santos of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity said the conduct of localized peace engagements has been proven to be the “most effective” approach in addressing the communist insurgency. “We’re localizing the engagement so we will be closer to the people to make them feel that the government is really here,” Santos said. He added, however, that there should be “clear directions” to ensure the full reintegration of FRs into mainstream society. The post NTF-ELCAC gives Church a seat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NTF-ELCAC to sustain peace-building efforts
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict over the weekend expressed optimism that the government would be able to sustain its peace-building efforts to encourage more rebels to reintegrate into mainstream society. At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, NTF-ELCAC director Alexander Umpar said that in 2023, a total of 959 villages cleared of insurgency threats were included in the Barangay Development Program (BDP), an initiative that aims to bring sustainable development programs to conflict-prone and conflict-affected communities. Under the BDP, each village recipient will receive a package of programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) worth a maximum total of P20 million. BDP beneficiaries in 2021 and 2022 were pegged at 822 and 1,406, respectively, he said. Umpar said the NTF-ELCAC is bullish that by 2028, it would attain its goal of achieving lasting peace and development in areas that are vulnerable to armed conflicts. “By 2028, it is about sustaining the momentum of NTF-ELCAC gains with regards to the dismantling of these guerilla fronts, the reintegration of our FRs, and most of all, building resiliency for our communities under the ambit of good governance towards the unity, peace, and development,” he said. Umpar added that the government has dismantled 69 of 89 guerilla fronts since the creation of the task force in 2018. One of the 20 remaining guerilla fronts, he said, is active while 19 others are already weakened. “‘When we say strategic victory, this is the 19 weakened guerilla fronts and only one is left to be confronted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines),” he said. “There are still concerns about the armed groups but they are no longer able to initiate an armed struggle or topple down our government. So, ‘yun ‘yung (that’s the) strategic victory,” Umpar said. On the other hand, NTF-ELCAC director Jose Descallar urged rebels to give up and join the government in its goal of transforming the country into a “new Philippines.” He said the military could shift its focus on “external threats,” once the government is able to address local insurgency. Meanwhile, Director Emmanuel Santos Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity said the conduct of localized peace engagements has been proven to be the “most effective” approach in addressing communist insurgency. “We're localizing the engagement so we will be closer to the people to make them feel that the government is really here,” Santos said. However, he added that there should be “clear directions” to ensure the full reintegration of former rebels (FRs) into mainstream society. The post NTF-ELCAC to sustain peace-building efforts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Joining innovation frontiers
The innovative energy throughout the Philippine startup ecosystem is pulsating strongly more than ever. Even startup scenes across the world are beginning to feel it. This month, I met with the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco and the Philippine Trade & Investment Center in Silicon Valley as IPOPHL aims to explore collaboration opportunities in the Bay Area. Intellectual property or IP protection and registration in the Philippines were topics of particular interest. The presence of IPOPHL was an excellent opportunity to organize a forum to discuss the advantages of the Philippine IP regime for companies and startups. At the forum, I shed light on the thrilling progress of the Philippine startup ecosystem, driven by a vibrant, tech-savvy and educated young population, combined with strong government and private sector support. In 2022, the Philippines proudly ranked fifth among ASEAN member states in the Global Innovation Index and remained to be an innovation achiever, a testament to the innovative energy that courses through our veins despite limited resources. The country’s startups also accounted for nearly 4 percent of the total $15.8 billion in startup equity funding raised in Southeast Asia, highlighting our increasing significance on the regional stage. Remarkably, despite a worldwide investment downturn, our investment landscape expanded to a substantial 9 percent, proving our resilience and commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. According to the 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, Manila alone has grown its startup ecosystem to $3.5 billion, rising 85 percent from the $2.1 billion reported in the 2022 GSER. But it’s not just Manila that is showing promise. Highly urbanized cities such as Naga, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao are also emerging as exciting startup destinations. However, we need to reach more innovation companies to help them protect their IP assets. Recently, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies assessed innovation activities of 11,500 firms based on their engagement and types of innovation pursued (product or process innovation). The study showed that, as of 2021, a third (33.6 percent) of firms were innovation active, with innovation practiced more among medium and large establishments than micro and small ones. Of the innovation-active firms, only a quarter filed for IP rights. But we hoped things to be different starting 2022. Last year, applications for patents — which indicates the appetite to bring possibly commercially viable inventions to market — booked the fastest growth among all types of IP as volumes expanded 9.3 percent to 4,403. In the first half of this year, IPOPHL saw registrations for innovation-focused types of IP expand as public and private support dedicated to foster innovation are in full swing. Preliminary data from IPOPHL show that patent and industrial design filings grew year-on-year almost every month during the January to June period while utility models have seen consistent growth every month, positioning 2023 as a year for innovation. The expanded appetite for innovation may be attributed to the host of policies to streamline government processes, harmonize resources and support strategic innovation investments, such as through the passage of the Innovative Startup Act, Philippine Innovation Act, Ease of Doing Business Act, Foreign Investments Act, and CREATE Law. For its part, IPOPHL’s initiatives for startups such as IPOPHL’s Juan and Juana projects, Innovation and Technology Support Office, IPOPHL-Asian Institute of Management-Dado Banatao Incubator, free capacity building activities, were presented at the meeting with PCG-SF and the PTIC-SV. Trade Commissioner at the Philippine Consulate General May Nina Celynne Layug expressed interest in further discussing IPOPHL’s initiatives in the future and how PTIC-SV and IPOPHL can work together, especially in marketing the country to potential startup locators. These further collaborations could in the future make the Philippines among the innovation frontiers as ranked by the Global Innovation Index. In the next GII, to be released this September, we’re optimistic the country will be taking a few giant steps towards that goal. The post Joining innovation frontiers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference
Donald Trump was indicted Tuesday on charges of racketeering and a string of election crimes after a sprawling, two-year probe into his efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden in the US state of Georgia. The case -- relying on laws typically used to bring down mobsters -- is the fourth targeting the 77-year-old Republican this year and could lead to a watershed moment, the first televised trial of a former president in US history. Prosecutors in Atlanta charged the Republican leader with 13 felony counts -- compounding the legal threats he is facing in multiple jurisdictions as a firestorm of investigations imperils his bid for a second White House term. Eighteen co-defendants were indicted in the probe, including Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who pressured local legislators over the result after the election, and Trump's White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. "Trump and the other defendants charged in this indictment refused to accept that Trump lost, and they knowingly and willfully joined a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump," the indictment read. "That conspiracy contained a common plan and purpose to commit two or more acts of racketeering activity in Fulton County, Georgia, elsewhere in the state of Georgia, and in other states." With Trump already due to go on trial in New York, south Florida and Washington, the latest charges herald the unprecedented scenario of the 2024 presidential election being litigated as much from the courtroom as the ballot box. The Trump campaign released a statement as the charges were being processed calling Fulton County's chief prosecutor Fani Willis, who is a Democrat, a "rabid partisan" who was "persecuting" the former president with "bogus indictments." The twice-impeached Trump was charged with violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as well as six conspiracy counts over alleged efforts to commit forgery, impersonate a public official and submit false statements and documents. He is also accused of lying in statements and filing fake documents, as well as soliciting public officials to break their oaths. - Most serious threat - Georgia, which Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes, presents perhaps the most serious threat to Trump's liberty as he leads the field comfortably for his party's nomination to bid for reelection. Even if he is returned to the Oval Office, he would have none of the powers that presidents arguably enjoy in the federal system to pardon themselves or have prosecutors drop cases. The harsh penalties associated with RICO cases can be an incentive for co-defendants to seek cooperation deals, and the statutes are usually used to target organized crime. Under federal law, anyone who can be connected to a criminal "enterprise" through which offenses were committed can be convicted under RICO. The broader Georgia law doesn't even require the existence of the enterprise. Atlanta-area authorities launched the probe after Trump called Georgia officials weeks before he was due to leave the White House, pressuring them to "find" the 11,780 votes that would reverse Biden's victory in the Peach State. Meadows, who is accused of trying to get a public official to violate his oath, was on the call. Willis empaneled a special grand jury that heard from around 75 witnesses before recommending a raft of felony counts in a secret report in February. She alleges that Trump's team worked with local Republicans on a scheme to replace legitimate slates of "electors" -- the officials who certify a state's results and send them to the US Congress -- with fake pro-Trump stand-ins. - Criminal intent? - Giuliani, who faces 13 felony counts, was being investigated over accusations of harassment of two Fulton County poll workers while other Trump allies were charged over the accessing of sensitive data from an election office in a rural county south of Atlanta, one day after the 2021 Capitol riot. Trump is already facing dozens of felony charges after being federally indicted over the alleged plot to subvert the election, and further prosecutions over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and keeping allegedly fraudulent business records. Authorities in Atlanta installed security barricades outside the downtown courthouse in anticipation of a potential influx of Trump supporters and counter-protesters in the latest case. Lawmakers investigating Trump's efforts to cling to power heard evidence in a series of congressional hearings last summer that would challenge his potential defense that he genuinely believed he had been cheated of the election. ft/sst © Agence France-Presse The post Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service
If life were a train, then Michael Ted Macapagal’s has been quite a ride. Raised by a labor leader and human rights lawyer father who served the people of Olongapo, including the workers of the US American Base in Subic, Michael Ted Macapagal had always wanted to become a public servant. It took Ted, though, a long journey to reach his goal, first achieving success in the insurance field in the United States where he lived for 20 years starting in 1991. Today, he is the chairman of the Philippine National Railways, a position “that allows me to make a difference in the lives of my countrymen,” he shared during his recent visit to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. Ted, good-looking and affable, proudly spoke of a father, his namesake, Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal who, early on, exposed his son to a firsthand view of a gentleman who looked beyond himself and his personal interests, and instead dedicated his career to protecting the common man and bettering their lot. The elder Ted served as a city councilor for 10 years. In 1984, he ran for the Batasang Pambansa, and in the late 1980s, for city mayor. “In all these electoral processes, I was involved and saw for myself how my father related to the people. He was a sincere man who helped them in the best way he could. He provided free legal services to those in need,” Ted recounted. Ted grew up in Olongapo, his place of birth. It was in the neighboring province of Pampanga, though, at the Don Bosco Institute in Bacolor town, where he first studied, but he eventually returned home to Olongapo, where he finished high school at the St. Columban. Aiming to become a lawyer, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he majored in History, which he intended as his pre-law course. Not unexpectedly, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi, his father’s fraternity. He also joined rallies where he stood with those who wanted the retention of US bases in the Philippines, in keeping with the sentiments of his townsmen. “It was the one concern where the whole of Olongapo was united,” he recalled, “because the people’s livelihood was connected to the base and the American presence in the community.” As a lawyer who specialized in labor, his father himself handled cases for the base employees. In 1988, his father lost his mayoralty bid in Olongapo. He fought against his fraternity brother, Richard Gordon. Actually, the two had been fighting it out for decades. “Olongapo became too small for them,” shared Ted. “A vivid memory to me to this day was the night I cried after my father lost. I was heartbroken because, for the most part of my life, I saw him give his all to the people. Throughout all those years, I just loved assisting my father. I followed him whenever he visited his constituents. I was a witness to everything that happened to him, his conflict with his political adversary and the loyalty of the people who believed in him and saw in him the man who would change the face of politics in our city.” The elder Macapagal became OIC-Mayor in 1986, but only two months after he received his appointment from the new president because the incumbent mayor did not easily give up his post which he was required to vacate under the new revolutionary government. “The next local election was the most expensive political exercise that our family ever waged,” Ted recounted. “It was then that my father decided that I pursue a new life in the United States, away from politics back home. “All the while, my heart never left the Philippines. Even before I left, I promised myself I would return to continue what my father started.” First non-white president Ted stayed in San Francisco for 20 long years. He had a tough time at the beginning of his new life. “I started off doing odd jobs. I worked as a security guard, janitor and waiter in a pizza parlor. “I also guarded the heavy equipment in a construction site in San Francisco. Thievery was a problem in that kind of situation. We would sleep in a trailer. “I transferred to a construction firm because I found out it offered a bigger salary. But I didn’t know the technical aspects of construction. Once, I made a portable ladder, but it fell apart, for which I was scolded by the owner of the company. I was fired on my third day on the job. Too bad because it paid high.” Ted then decided to pursue another degree, one that would be more useful in the United States. He took up Human Resource Management, a four-year course at the University of California in Berkeley. When he finally entered the corporate world, his first job was as a clerk. It wasn’t long before he became Division President of Stewart Title Company, one of the largest underwriters in the world, with offices across the United States, and in some 80 countries around the globe. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I may have been the first non-white president,” he said. “And I was a division president for the whole of North America. I was the first Filipino to reach that level.” Of his trailblazing accomplishments, he shared, “I was able to bring cultural diversity to the company, which enhanced its value. I got the top post because I asked for a meeting with the president. I told him we were not diverse enough to appeal to the non-white clients, and there were many of them who were first-time home buyers. Then, I told him to make the rounds. He would see that none of the home buyers was white. They were of different ethnic groups. I told him that if he appointed me as vice president, I would give him multi-cultural buyers because I would appeal to them and they would be our first-time buyers. So, he appointed me, and one month later, he made me president.” As an adjunct, he lectured on the topic of title insurance and escrow procedures in several community colleges in and around the San Franciso Bay Area. Through it all, he chose to keep his Filipino citizenship. The ‘Railway President’ For all the successes he was enjoying, the Philippines beckoned. He felt he still had a mission to accomplish. “My father was surprised. He asked me why I would still want to go home when I was doing well in the States. I insisted, so I came back and I plunged into political life. I worked on difficult campaigns, like the one for Rodrigo Duterte.” Back to his first love and passion, the political arena, he was in his element and served as president of PDP LABAN in Olongapo City from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he joined LAKAS-CMD as its local chairman. This engagement led to his original target, as his father had achieved in his lifetime — serving the people. This time, he would be appointed to key posts in the government. He became director of the Clark Board and Gulf Oil Philippines. He took his oath of office as chairman of the Philippine National Railways on 28 April 2023. It is a job in a government agency where he is confident “I could make a difference because I can see that President Bongbong Marcos is really intent on improving the railway system of the country. “On my part, I want to make a difference. I want to be able to contribute whatever I can to help the president to achieve that objective. I call him now the ‘Railway President’ because I consider him the father of the railway system in our country.” Of course, he noted that many plans have been formulated during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte. Moreover, he recognized that President Gloria Arroyo “navigated our country through the global crisis. I was in the United States when the global economic crisis happened, and the Philippines was one of the countries spared, and I give credit to her. The economic fundamentals were very strong during her time. Being an economist, she was there at the right time when the country needed her the most.” With President BBM at the helm, he is confident “we will be able to push through with our development plan and finish the projects we have started, like the North-South Commuter Railway, which is a 147-kilometer stretch from Clark to Laguna. We hope to have the dry run in 2026 and it will be fully operational in 2027.” He also looks forward to the completion of the Bicol South Long Haul project. He is equally hopeful for the North Long Haul, the Subic-Clark and the Mindanao railways. He clarified that “we are now talking with the proponents, while some negotiations are being undertaken.” Working boots and a hard hat It would seem that this successful insurance executive was out of place in the railway sector. He pointed out, though, that “coming from the outside, I have the technical advantage of being able to look outside the box. So, I’m looking at it from outside the box, looking in. I am able to see the problems that need to be fixed. Stoppage is one of the problems so we have a bus augmentation program. We will also deploy UV Express units. We are closely coordinating with the LTFRB to provide emergency alternative transportation.” On the other hand, his exposure to people of all backgrounds from his youth, being his father’s son, has given him the advantage of “knowing how it is to be one of the boys. Something that I also experienced in the United States. “When people ask me what my management style is, I tell them straight I like to go down to the ground. I like hands-on supervision. I want my hands to be dirty. If you open the trunk of my car, you will find my working boots and my hard hat. I enjoy going to the construction sites and seeing for myself the progress, the problems, whatever it is that needs to be attended to. “Finally I want those working in the field doing the most difficult tasks to be satisfied and never to be hungry. Gusto ko, busog sila lagi. I am not happy when I get invited by the constructors and I am honored with a feast-like lunch or dinner, and not knowing what the workers are eating. I am on a diet anyway, so I make sure that my hosts bring the food to where the workers are eating. I can only eat so much and I would rather that the workers and the staff are full and happy. I am vocal about my displeasure when the construction workers are not eating the same food that is served to me. I may not be able to invite them to where I am eating but I can have the food brought to them.” Smiling from heaven Without a doubt, the old man Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal is smiling happily from his heavenly perch. He had served his fellowmen well, but he had done right as well by raising a son who took after his heart, to whom service to the people and compassion for the less fortunate matter more than any personal gain. His father, according to Ted, “died a broken man at the young age of 63. But whatever he lacked in longevity and riches, he made up for it with his compassion for others, for the free legal services that he gave to the people of Olongapo. “If you didn’t have money, you went to him because he was generous with his time and expertise. He would even give you some cash to use for your transportation fare to go home. That was my father. “The people whom he helped in turn would come to our home and bring him gifts like eggs, fruits, fish, vegetables and native chickens that they raised in their backyards. My father accepted them all. When I came home and saw all this, I teased him and said that he should probably open a sari-sari store so he could resell them. “Of course, we had a good laugh. But beyond the laughter, we both knew in our hearts that doing good to one’s fellowmen is its own reward and nothing in this world can take the place of personal fulfillment for having put a smile on people’s faces because you somehow made their lives better. “I am grateful that I have been raised by such a great father.” The post Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wiping out private armies?
Our otherwise contented political class is definitely on edge with the terrorist branding of suspended Congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. While the innovative terrorist branding seemingly solely targets mainstream politician Mr. Teves, the branding is actually also a live political grenade thrown right onto the laps of the mainstream political class. Mr. Teves’s case is the first time an elected official is officially designated a terrorist by the nascent Anti-Terrorism Council or ATC. Previously, the ATC consistently tacked terrorist tags on red-tagged activist groups and armed extremist groups. But obviously, now it’s on the right side of the political spectrum. As a matter of course, Mr. Teves — the suspected mastermind in the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo — is vehemently contesting the terrorist tag and is trying to reverse it. Anyway, we don’t see yet any telltale signs of mainstream politicians taking serious notice of the terrorist branding, much less starting to scamper for cover. But they will certainly have to. Without a doubt, the unfamiliar use of the anti-terror law complicates matters for politicians, particularly provincial-based pols who maintain private armed groups to ensure their political dominance. And, going by how it describes its intention, the ATC is clearly going after private armed groups. “The tragic incident on 4 March 2023, which claimed several lives and left many others injured, is a stark reminder of the threat posed by private armed groups within our country,” the ATC said in its resolution. ATC’s move also comes after Mr. Marcos Jr., in the wake of Degamo’s killing, ordered the dismantling of “private armies.” Mr. Marcos Jr.’s order shouldn’t be surprising. He actually has no choice but to interdict. Otherwise, he violates the Constitution. The 1987 Constitution provides in Article XVIII, Section 24 that “private armies and other armed groups not recognized by duly constituted authority shall be dismantled.” Private armed groups, of course, had long been an ugly blight on our electoral politics, not only on violence-prone Negros Island. In fact, because of private armies, politicians from North to South, both historically and at present, have been paying a deadly price, with probably 100 politicians killed every year. And in most cases, says a 2022 study, “the principals ordering the killings are not investigated, remain in the shadows and enjoy almost complete impunity. As a result, in the vast majority of cases, it cannot be proven who actually ordered the killings.” Such impunities have, of course, morphed into a violent “culture of fear” all over the country. A point ATC emphasizes in its Teves resolution: “The numerous killings and harassments in Negros Oriental which culminated in the assassination of Gov. Degamo must not be taken as isolated and random incidents of violence. A closer evaluation of these killings and harassments have an unmistakable pattern of a rather organized and orchestrated action. These killings and harassments are meticulously and deliberately planned and executed for the purpose of intimidating the residents of Negros Oriental as well as to create an atmosphere or spread a message of fear.” Despite these substantial political issues, no law — oddly enough despite repeated attempts — has been enacted to penalize private armies and other armed groups, which the Philippine National Police says numbered some 155 in 2021. Of that number, police say they consider almost half as “highly active.” Clearly, something sweeping needs to be done against private armed groups to dramatically change the political landscape. Inadvertently, the Teves camp decries the “weaponization” of the Anti-Terror Act, claiming that the government is using it “for the purpose for which it was not designed.” Yet, a private army is unquestionably designed for terror. This fact leaves us with one provocative question: If this government had accidentally found a powerful weapon, does this mean now this government is bold enough to totally wipe out all entrenched private armies? The post Wiping out private armies? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump expects arrest, more indictments
WASHINGTON (AFP) — As special counsel Jack Smith winds down his high-stakes investigation of Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the former US president faces a slew of potential charges. The 77-year-old Trump said Tuesday he had received a letter from Smith confirming he was a target of the probe and added that he expected to be arrested and indicted soon. The special counsel, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November, declined to comment, but US media reports said the letter cited three federal criminal statutes: conspiracy to defraud the United States; obstruction of an official proceeding, and deprivation of rights. Trump has already been indicted and pleaded not guilty in two other criminal cases — for mishandling top secret government documents after leaving the White House and for allegedly paying 2016 election-eve hush money to a porn star. Here is a look at the charges Trump — the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination — may face in connection with efforts to overturn his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden and the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol by his supporters: The conspiracy statute makes it a crime if “two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States.” Daniel Richman, a former federal prosecutor who now teaches at Columbia University, said the statute is “very broad” and can be applied in a number of ways to Trump’s conduct before and after the election, which he baselessly claimed was “stolen.” “I’m assuming that a fraudulent effort to mislead Congress and to delay or prevent the certification of the election would be very plausible,” Richman told AFP. It could be applied to Trump’s attempts to pressure Mike Pence into not certifying Biden’s election victory at the January 6 joint session of Congress — which the then-vice president ultimately refused to do. It could also be used to prosecute Trump for another failed bid to stay in power — the submission of false slates of electors in seven states which Biden won. Michigan charged 16 “false electors” this week with conspiracy, forgery and fraud for their role in the scheme, which was guided by two attorneys close to Trump, Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman. Trump also called the secretary of state in Georgia and urged him to “find” enough votes to reverse Biden’s victory in the southern state, according to a recording of the phone call. Giuliani and Eastman, along with other Trump associates, are believed to be a focus of Smith’s investigation and there would need to be other defendants in addition to Trump for prosecutors to bring a conspiracy charge. Conspiracy to defraud the government is punishable by up to five years in prison. The charge of corruptly obstructing, influencing or impeding an official proceeding — the January 6 joint session of Congress — has been brought against more than 300 Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol that day. When it comes to Trump, “there could be multiple obstruction counts, there could be a multiple-prong obstruction conspiracy with different aspects to it,” Richman said. “One basis for an obstruction charge might be dealings that Trump and those around him had with witnesses in the case, those testifying before congressional committees, or doing other things to cover their tracks after January 6,” he said. Trump did not personally go to Congress on 6 January, but before his supporters stormed the Capitol he delivered a fiery speech nearby repeating his election-fraud falsehoods and urging the crowd to “fight like hell.” Obstruction of an official proceeding carries a maximum prison term of three years. Deprivation of rights This statute stems from the post-Civil War era in US history when it was used to prosecute attempts to prevent formerly enslaved African Americans from exercising their voting rights. It makes it a crime “for a person acting under color of law to willfully deprive a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.” That includes the right to vote and have it counted. “In more recent times, the statute has been used against election fraud or election misconduct,” Richman said. “What’s important about this charge, unlike the others, is it really puts front and center that the victims are not just government actors,” the former prosecutor said, but ordinary Americans who risked being deprived of their votes. Deprivation of rights is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The post Trump expects arrest, more indictments appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IPOPHL: Rising, Shining, Beckoning
At the onset of the pandemic when businesses and offices were forced to close down, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines or IPOPHL, was one of the few government offices to resume its service with little disruption and almost in a heartbeat. We swiftly adopted technologies that streamlined end-to-end client transactions in the new normal. Many partners in government and even our clients lauded our resilience, asking how we were able to do what we did. I’d say this is mostly thanks to the digitalization initiatives which previous IPOPHL leaders laid out as early as a decade ago but which we accelerated during the crisis. And it’s also because the entire agency was involved in the success of our business continuity. For one, the entire 17-member Executive Committee consisting of deputy directors general, directors, assistant directors, and yours truly, quickly regrouped, held weekly virtual meetings, reviewed the policies and budget, and issued appropriate guidelines to ensure clients can comply with due dates and other rules and regulations with utmost consideration of the hard times. More importantly, we responded to client queries with urgency, forming an online services team to complement our contact center agents. Together, they ensured clients were given the right responses at the soonest possible time. We were able to pivot our seminars and trainings to webinars increasing the reach to those in the provinces. We immediately adopted online hearings for the adjudication of pending cases and launched our mobile app IPOPHL Mobiliz. But beyond our thrust towards digitalization, we carried out activities that centered on the recovery of MSMEs, independent artists, startups, and everyone who needed IP the most. We immediately launched the “Survive and Rebuild as One Project” for the creative sector or those in the gig economy affected by Covid-19. We extended our Juana Make a Mark which aids women and women-led MSMEs in their trademark applications, as well as our “Patent Cooperation Treaty Filing Assistance Program,” to continue giving inventors a silver lining in safeguarding their technologies in foreign markets. We also proudly launched our Juan for the World trademark incentive package which sought to bring Philippine brands to global markets. We excitedly introduced the Youth Intellectual Property Incentive or YIPI Program, through which we recognize the energy and ingenuity of the youth as a fundamental foundation for our way forward as a nation. With our improved e-services and intensive efforts to bridge more people to IP, IPOPHL ranked 9th out of 60 countries surveyed in the 2021 IP Office Innovation Ranking of the World Trademark Review, jumping from 24th in 2020. This leap made the Philippines the only developing country to be part of its top 10 IP offices that have good standing in online capabilities, value-added propositions, and public outreach efforts. During these tough times for IPOPHL — and surely for the entire world — we launched our tagline, “Rising, Shining, Beckoning.” We find these three words as the most fitting to capture our experience in the crisis and describe how IPOPHL stood tall amidst it all. We rose to the circumstances. We shined brighter than ever as shown through our breakthrough achievements. And we beckoned others to be inspired by IPOPHL’s steadfast determination to deliver quality public service even when the going gets tough. The post IPOPHL: Rising, Shining, Beckoning appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sunlife promotes 200 advisors
Over 200 Sun Life advisors were conferred with the Associate Wealth Planner and Certified Wealth Planner designations by the Wealth Management Center, the leading educational institution in the Philippines for financial services professionals. The designations were conferred following a comprehensive learning program that covered life insurance planning, investment planning, risk, healthcare and estate planning. Discussions, which revolved around actual cases, covered local laws that apply to succession and inheritance in the Philippines, the different tools used in estate planning, and how to manage the impact of estate taxation. To ensure that the lessons are well internalized, participants were assigned cases which they need to present and defend. They likewise underwent an exam after each module and a final revalida. Sun Life’s engagement with WMC is part of its efforts to continuously upskill its advisors, especially those looking to specialize in high-net-worth business. The two organizations have been working together since 2021, with an initial batch of advisors and employees taking their Certified Wealth Planner and Certified Estate Planner Philippines courses. The current batch bring the total number of Sun Life graduates to over 700. “We chose WMC because of their impeccable lineup of educators and thorough curriculum. Our previous collaborations have always proven to be impactful among our advisors, who have gone on to become among the most productive and committed in the field,” says Alex Narciso, president of Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. “As such, it was no surprise that this program was, likewise, well-received, especially by those looking to grow their high-net-worth business. We look forward to seeing them apply the lessons and grow further in this profession.” The post Sunlife promotes 200 advisors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaysia, your good neighbor
Editor’s note: The ambassador has the refreshing modesty of Mr. Fix It, the proverbial heart of a statesman, and an outstanding track record, the last being his visionary representation of Malaysia in Italy. The newly minted head of mission shares his overtures in improving Malaysia’s kindred ties with the Philippines and communal aspirations for the region, with the same bounded optimism that inspired Kuala Lumpur’s winning deeds in the development of the Bangsamoro. While Malaysia’s foreign-policy approaches may have differed over the years due to changing domestic and external factors, the basic principles have continued since independence. Asean remains the cornerstone of Malaysia’s foreign policy; the establishment of the Asean community in 2015 has significantly elevated the country’s approach and engagement regionally. Malaysia has shared to countries like the Philippines its experience and knowledge through various foreign-policy mechanisms, including the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program, and linkages such as the Langkawi International Dialogue and bilateral humanitarian assistance. The country advocates the “Prosper thy neighbor” policy to enhance economic relations and cooperation with its adjacent countries through Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area, Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle and other entities. The predominantly Muslim country and the Philippines have been friendly nations since the establishment of the diplomatic relations in 1959. Bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and the Philippines covers education; culture, arts and heritage; communication; defense; health; youth and sports; trade; agriculture; labor, and security. Malaysia’s last high-level visit was when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with President Marcos in March this year. Malaysia regards the Philippines as a very important trading partner, the 15th-largest globally and 5th-largest among Asean countries, with total bilateral trade reaching almost $8 billion. Our close and long-existing relations provide a strong foundation for a more active and meaningful economic cooperation in the future that would bring tremendous benefits to our people. Two practical and viable areas that would benefit from closer cooperation are the halal industry and digital economy. In 2022, total trade between the two countries increased by 27.3 percent to $9.42 billion, compared to $7.85 billion in 2021. Malaysia’s exports to the Philippines increased by 24.6 percent to $6.41 billion. Main exports include electrical products, petroleum, palm oil and ancillary agricultural products. Malaysia remains a major global leader in the halal economy, sustaining its top position in the Global lslamic Economic Indicators for the 9th consecutive year. It has exported $13.51 billion to the world in 2022, up by 63.8 percent from the previous year. Major exports of halal products include food and beverages, ingredients, cosmetics and healthcare. Thus, with the Philippine government encouraging more halal business expansion and investment to serve 12 million Muslims, as well as non-Muslims, here, it is definitely one of the areas where Malaysians and Filipinos can collaborate. Acquiring quality education through world-class institutions is essential, from undergraduate to postgraduate levels. Malaysia is home to more than 200 universities and colleges with 10 international university branch campuses. Malaysian universities are not only ranked top in Asia; it is also progressing in international world rankings, providing a conducive academic environment with affordable international exposure and global career gateways. The country also takes pride in being one of the global pioneers in Islamic banking. Leveraging on existing capacities and expertise, Malaysia is offering tertiary education in Islamic banking and finance through International Center for Education in Islamic Finance. INCEIF has been collaborating with government institutions, such as the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program, in providing training on Islamic banking products like Islamic securities, unit trust funds, stock broking and financial derivatives. Since Philippines and Malaysia have so many common denominators, Filipinos would feel at home studying in Malaysia. In tourism, last year we saw 80,046 Filipino tourists coming to Malaysia and 46,805 Malaysians coming to the Philippines. We have high hopes that the numbers will increase this year, looking forward to working together with the Philippine government on this front. Asean remains the cornerstone of Malaysia’s foreign policy and the establishment of the Asean community in 2015 has significantly elevated the country’s approach and engagement at the regional level, the nation’s well-being founded on the strong and friendly relations with other countries and its commitment to the multilateral system. The country’s record in peacekeeping under the UN is a testimony of its dedication in carrying out the mandate of the international community in advancing global peace and security. The post Malaysia, your good neighbor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sudan fighters open ‘humanitarian corridor’ as toll mounts
Sudan's army and rival paramilitaries on Sunday began an hours-long humanitarian pause on the second day of urban battles that killed at least 56 civilians and three UN staff. The raging battles between the powerful armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) sparked an international outcry and regional concern. Neighbors Egypt and Chad closed their borders with Sudan. After the killing of the three World Food Programme workers, the agency said it was suspending operations in the impoverished country. Deafening explosions and intense gunfire rattled buildings in the capital Khartoum's densely-populated northern and southern suburbs as tanks rumbled on the streets and fighter jets roared overhead, witnesses said. Violence erupted early Saturday after weeks of power struggles between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who heads the heavily-armed RSF. Each accused the other of starting the fight. The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors reported 56 civilians killed as well as "tens of deaths" among security forces, and around 600 wounded. Late Sunday afternoon the army said they had "agreed to a United Nations proposal to open a safe passage for humanitarian cases", including the evacuation of wounded, for three hours from 1400 GMT. RSF confirmed the measure, though they said it would last four hours, and both sides maintained their right to "respond in the event of transgressions" from the other side. One hour into the agreed pause, heavy gunfire could still be heard in central Khartoum near the airport, and dense black smoke billowed from the surrounding area. "The gunfire and explosions are incessant," said Ahmed Hamid, 34, from a northern Khartoum suburb. "The situation is very worrying and it doesn't seem like it will calm any time soon," said Ahmed Seif, another Khartoum resident. Daglo's RSF says they have seized the presidential palace, Khartoum airport, and other strategic locations, but the army insists they are still in control. Footage obtained by AFP showed heavy smoke billowing from a building near the army headquarters in Khartoum, with the military saying a building had "caught fire" but that it had been contained. On Sunday, the stench of gunpowder wafted through Khartoum's streets deserted except for soldiers as frightened civilians sheltered inside their homes. Medics pleaded for safe corridors for ambulances and a ceasefire to treat the victims because the streets were too dangerous for transporting casualties to the hospital. 'Appalled' Fighting also erupted in the western Darfur region and in the eastern border state of Kassala, where witness Hussein Saleh said the army had fired artillery at a paramilitary camp. The UN said its WFP employees had been killed Saturday in clashes in North Darfur and announced a "temporary halt to all operations in Sudan". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had warned that an escalation in the fighting would "further aggravate the already precarious humanitarian situation". The UN says one-third of Sudan's population needs humanitarian aid. UN Special Representative Volker Perthes condemned the killings and said he was also "appalled by reports of projectiles hitting UN and other humanitarian premises in several locations in Darfur". WFP said an aircraft managed by the organization "was also significantly damaged" at Khartoum airport. "We cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed," WFP head Cindy McCain said. 'No negotiations' Created in 2013, the RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then-president Omar al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in Darfur a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes. The RSF's planned integration into the regular army was a key element of talks to finalize a deal that would return the country to civilian rule and end the political-economic crisis sparked by the military's 2021 coup. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the fighting "threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians". Similar appeals came from Britain, China, the European Union, and Russia, while Pope Francis said he was following the events "with concern" and urged dialogue. After a meeting on the situation in Sudan, the African Union said a senior official would "immediately" travel there on a ceasefire mission. But the two generals appear in no mood for talks. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Daglo, also known as Hemeti, said, "Burhan the criminal must surrender". The army declared Daglo a "wanted criminal" and the RSF a "rebel militia". There "will be no negotiations or talks until the dissolution" of the group, it said. The October 2021 coup triggered international aid cuts and sparked near-weekly protests met by a deadly crackdown. Burhan, who rose through the ranks under the three-decade rule of now-jailed general Bashir, has said the coup was "necessary" to include more factions in politics. Daglo later called the coup a "mistake" that failed to bring about change and reinvigorated remnants of Bashir's regime ousted by the army in 2019 following mass protests. The post Sudan fighters open ‘humanitarian corridor’ as toll mounts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Alcoy closes beaches to non-residents
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Municipality of Alcoy, in the southern part of Cebu, has closed off its famous beaches from non-residents to prevent a further rise in COVID-19 cases. In Executive Order (EO) No. 2021-034, Mayor Michael Angelo Sestoso said that the town has already recorded 35 active cases of the infection and six […] The post Alcoy closes beaches to non-residents appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
EOC: Unvaccinated individuals make up 90% of COVID cases in Mandaue
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Ninety percent of Mandaue City’s active COVID cases are unvaccinated individuals, according to the Mandaue City Emergency Operations Center (EOC). As of Wednesday, August 11, 2021, Mandaue City has 1,629 active cases of COVID-19, according to data from the Department of Health in Central Visayas. Lawyer Julius Ceasar Entise, EOC deputy […] The post EOC: Unvaccinated individuals make up 90% of COVID cases in Mandaue appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Mandaue mulls strictly enforcing health protocols amid rise in cases
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City government is considering to strictly enforce the health protocols against COVID-19 amid the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases. As of July 22, 2021, the city’s total number of active cases is at 560 after 66 new cases were added yesterday. Mayor Jonas Cortes said he would be issuing […] The post Mandaue mulls strictly enforcing health protocols amid rise in cases appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Hospital queue grows longer, rise in COVID-19 cases in Cebu City worries EOC
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is worried about the persistently increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the city. The city recorded 211 new cases on July 22, 2021, and the active cases rose to 1,748, surpassing that of Bohol and Negros Oriental provinces in the region. The hospital utilization […] The post Hospital queue grows longer, rise in COVID-19 cases in Cebu City worries EOC appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
EOC implements granular lockdown in Guadalupe
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center or EOC has implemented a granular lockdown in Barangay Guadalupe on Sunday, July 18, 2021, due to the increase in the number of its COVID-19 active cases. Cebu City Councillor Joel Garganera, EOC chief implementor, told CDN Digital on Monday, July 19, that they […] The post EOC implements granular lockdown in Guadalupe appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Rising cases in Cebu City worries EOC
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is already feeling the effects of the third wave of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Central Visayas this month. On July 9, 2021, the city recorded 111 new COVID-19 cases raising its active cases to 1,005, the first time the city broke the 1,000-mark of cases again since […] The post Rising cases in Cebu City worries EOC appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
With COVID cases down, Mandaue lifts liquor ban
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — With the active COVID-19 cases in Mandaue City going down, the city government decided to lift the liquor ban today, May 10. Mayor Jonas Cortes signed Executive Order No. 14 on Monday, May 10, lifting the liquor ban that was implemented last February 20, 2021. This followed after the city only […] The post With COVID cases down, Mandaue lifts liquor ban appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Mandaue City’s EOC chief notes ‘slight drop’ in active cases
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines- Mandaue City still has 964 active cases of the coronavirus disease as of March 28, 2021, data from the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) showed. But the accommodation of individuals who tested positive for the coronavirus disease is no longer a problem because of the availability of three isolation facilities […] The post Mandaue City’s EOC chief notes ‘slight drop’ in active cases appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»