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Earth Hour 2024 Calls for Filipinos to Switch Off Lights and Switch Off Single-use Plastics
Filipinos can help in solving two of our planet’s biggest problems, biodiversity loss, and climate change, by doing their part in conserving energy and putting an end to the problem of plastic pollution. Earth Hour 2024, set on March 23, Saturday will once again bring together millions of people across the world so they can […].....»»
Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms
Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms in a new regulation, its trade minister said Wednesday, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses. Calls had grown in recent months for a regulation governing social media and e-commerce, with offline sellers seeing their livelihoods threatened by the sale of cheaper products on TikTok Shop and other platforms. Indonesia is one of the world's biggest markets for TikTok Shop and was the first to pilot the app's e-commerce arm. "Now, e-commerce cannot become social media. It is separated," Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan told a news conference in the capital, Jakarta, adding that the trade regulation came into force on Tuesday. Hasan said social commerce platforms would have a week to comply with the new rule. "Any government would protect local small businesses," he said, describing the regulation as a way to ensure "equality in business competition". The regulation means social commerce companies are now "prohibited to facilitate payment transactions in its electronic system", according to the regulation document seen by AFP. "Social commerce can place ads like TV, but it mustn't be transactional. (They) can't open shop, can't directly sell," Hasan said, without mentioning TikTok by name. Companies that did not comply would be warned first and would finally have their license to do business in Indonesia revoked, he said. Laws in the archipelago nation did not cover direct transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram before the new regulation. The new regulation is yet another setback for TikTok, which has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations in recent months over users' data security and the company's alleged ties to Beijing. "Other countries are banning, we don't, we're regulating," Hasan said. Indonesia is now the first country in the region to act against the platform's growing popularity in social media commerce. The ministerial-level regulation -- an amendment to a trade regulation issued in 2020 -- did not need approval by lawmakers. TikTok Indonesia said the company was "deeply concerned" about the policy, which would impact millions of sellers and creators using TikTok Shop. "We respect local laws and regulations and will be pursuing a constructive path forward," it said in a statement. Meta -- which owns Facebook and Instagram -- did not respond to a request for comment. 'Markets are quiet' Hasan appeared to confirm the companies would have to choose between separate social media and e-commerce licences. "It's clear... there are no permits for social commerce. If (they) want social commerce, please, only for promotion and ads. If (they) want to sell, there are e-commerce (permits)." The regulation also sets a minimum price of $100 for certain foreign goods bought from Indonesian sellers on e-commerce platforms, according to the regulation document seen by AFP. Some offline sellers at the Tanah Abang market in Jakarta applauded the government's decision. "The government should... dare to innovate given the current situation, where markets are quiet like this," said Stevanie Ahua, a 60-year-old wholesale denim jeans seller. She said her revenue had dropped by 60 percent in recent months as buyers turned to online shops. Others such as 29-year-old cookie baker Panji Made Agung in Bali said he was disappointed by the ban. "For sellers like me, TikTok can be used for soft selling. We can become influencers and sellers at the same time," he said. Experts said the transaction ban would hit the coffers of social media platforms such as TikTok, which takes a commission from every sale. "They will definitely incur losses," said Tauhid Ahmad, executive director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. Indonesia's e-commerce market is dominated by platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada but TikTok Shop gained a significant market share since launching in 2021. Indonesia, with 125 million users, is TikTok's second-largest global market after the United States, according to company figures. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the years ahead. The post Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms
Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms in a new regulation, its trade minister said Wednesday, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses. Calls had grown in recent months for a regulation governing social media and e-commerce, with offline sellers seeing their livelihoods threatened by the sale of cheaper products on TikTok Shop and other platforms. "This trade regulation has been in force (since yesterday)," Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan told a news conference in the capital Jakarta. He said social commerce platforms would have a week to comply with the new rule. "Any government would protect local small businesses," he said, saying the regulation was passed to ensure "equality in business competition". The regulation means social media firms will not be able to conduct direct transactions but only promote products on their platforms. "Social commerce can place ads like TV, but it mustn't be transactional. (They) can't open shop, can't directly sell," he said, without mentioning TikTok by name. Laws in the archipelago nation did not cover direct transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram before the new regulation. The new regulation is yet another setback for TikTok, which has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations in recent months over users' data security and the company's alleged ties to Beijing. "Other countries are banning, we don't, (we're) regulating," Hasan said. Indonesia is one of the world's biggest markets for TikTok Shop and was the first to pilot the app's e-commerce arm. But Indonesia is now the first country in the region to act against the platform's growing popularity in social media commerce. The ministerial-level regulation -- an amendment to a trade regulation issued in 2020 -- did not need approval by lawmakers. Chinese technology giant and TikTok owner ByteDance and TikTok Indonesia did not respond immediately to a request for comment Wednesday. But a TikTok Indonesia spokesperson told AFP on Monday the ban would harm as many as six million local sellers who market their products on the platform. Meta -- which owns Facebook and Instagram -- did not respond to a request for comment. 'Markets are quiet' How the ban will work exactly remains unclear but experts said it could mean social media firms would have to obtain a separate approval for their e-commerce arms. "It could be that their license will be rearranged," said Tauhid Ahmad, executive director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. Offline sellers at Tanah Abang market in Jakarta applauded the government's decision. "The government should... dare to innovate given the current situation, where markets are quiet like this," said Stevanie Ahua, a 60-year-old wholesale denim jeans seller. She said her revenue had dropped by 60 percent in recent months as buyers turned to online shops. Others like 29-year-old cookie baker Panji Made Agung in Bali said he was disappointed by the ban. "For sellers like me, TikTok can be used for soft selling. We can become influencers and sellers at the same time," he said. Indonesia's e-commerce market is dominated by platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada but TikTok Shop gained a significant market share since launching in 2021. Indonesia, with 125 million users, is TikTok's second-largest global market after the United States, according to company figures. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the coming years. The post Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trans fat ban iffy sans DTI-FDA deal
Even if the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Health’s order is already in effect for manufacturers to reformulate their products to remove trans fatty acids or trans fat from their products, the DTI said it cannot mandate the pull-out of existing products in supermarkets nor supervise how traders are heeding the order. Issued in 2021, DoH Administrative Order 2021-0039 and FDA Circular 2021-028 and 2021-028A gave food manufacturers until 18 June 2023 to heed the orders to tweak the formulation of their food products and totally eliminate trans fat from their products. Speaking for DTI Assistant Secretary for Legal Agaton Uvero, Trade Undersecretary for Communications Kim Bernardo-Lokin said the full force of the order and circular should be imposed by the FDA and the DoH which have the power to do so. “The issue is under the jurisdiction of the FDA and the DoH. DTI cannot enforce the DoH and FDA regulations on its own in the absence of an agreement between the two agencies,” Lokin said. Based on the DoH and FDA order, food manufacturers were given two years to reformulate and remove TFAs from their products or face sanctions. Even if products with high trans fat are usually found in supermarkets and grocery stores that are under the jurisdiction of the DTI, Lokin said a memorandum of agreement is needed for them to check if the trans fat content of manufacturers’ products is reformulated, or pull them out from supermarkets and groceries. Products that are traditionally high in iTFA or industrial trans fat, include margarine, coffee creamer, instant noodles, and baked goods such as donuts and cookies, among others. “We cannot easily pull them out since many products in supermarkets have trans fat in them,” Lokin said. iTFA is created by adding hydrogen to oil and, based on medical studies, it has no known health benefits and is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and stroke worldwide, estimated to cause around 540,000 deaths every year. 564 food products Last week, Michael Pelagio, a science research specialist at the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute chemical laboratory revealed that based on a chemical examination of 564 food products tested, 17 percent had high trans fatty acid or TFA content that was risky for consumers. He said oils and fats such as sesame oil and mayonnaise, unsalted butter, all-purpose cream, and bread and pastry products such as cookies and doughnuts have a TFA content of more than two grams per 100-gram serving. “Based on our results, 17 percent of sample foods contain more than two grams per 100-gram fat. 564 samples were analyzed for TFA content. Average results in the food category showed that fats and oils had the highest TFA content, followed by milk and dairy products,” Pelagio revealed during the DoST-FNRI seminar at the Dusit Thani Manila on Friday. On the other hand, Atty. Mikhail Millan of ImagineLaw urged the public to join in the effort to enforce the DoH and FDA orders and report any manufacturers violating the orders. According to the FDA, if a company violates a provision of the circular, it will be basis for disapproval of the company’s application for a Certificate of Product Registration, or if already issued a CPR, it will be a ground for suspension or revocation of the CPR, Millan said. Late enforcement The Philippines is already late in enforcing the ban given that the World Health Organization said new laws should protect more than 3.2 billion people from TFAs by the end of 2020. Many countries, including Canada, the European Union and South America have implemented bans or restrictions on trans fats in food products. Trans fat, according to medical experts, is the worst type of fat to eat. Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats, which are artificial, raise “bad” cholesterol and lower “good” cholesterol. Cardiologists will always tell you that a diet laden with trans fats increases the risk of heart disease, the top killer of Filipinos, aside from hunger. The post Trans fat ban iffy sans DTI-FDA deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP bans six money service firms for violations
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has banned six money service businesses from registering their companies further in the Philippines they were caught operating without a license. In a statement released on Monday, BSP’s policy-making body Monetary Board has disqualified the entities and any sole proprietorship owned and/or controlled by their respective owners/operators from registering with, and/or obtaining a license from the BSP to engage in any activity that is authorized or supervised by the BSP for operating as MSB without prior BSP registration. "The (disqualification) is pursuant to Section 901-N of the Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions, and is part of BSP’s efforts to address the proliferation of entities engaged in the operation of unauthorized MSBs," the Central Bank explained. Of the six MSBs that BSP recently banned, three are located in Makati City, two in Pasay City and one in San Fernando, Pampanga. Last February, the BSP also disqualified one MSB in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, and another one in Panglao, Bohol. Last year, the BSP disqualified 10 MSBs from obtaining a license to operate because they failed to register with the BSP. MSBs are non-bank entities that provide remittance, money changing and foreign exchange dealing services. MSBs can also deal in virtual assets, which are digital representations of value that can be traded or used for payment. As of the end of 2022, the BSP has registered 7,584 MSBs, an 0.18 percent increase from 7,570 in 2021. The BSP said it is committed to ensuring that MSBs are properly regulated and supervised to protect the public. The post BSP bans six money service firms for violations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU lawmakers to back world’s first AI rules
European Parliament lawmakers will vote Wednesday to kickstart talks to approve the world's first sweeping rules on artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, aiming to curb potential harms while nurturing innovation. Although the EU's plans date back to 2021, the draft rules took on greater urgency when ChatGPT exploded onto the scene last year, showing off AI's dizzying development and the possible risks. There is also growing clamour to regulate AI across the Atlantic, as pressure grows on Western governments to act fast in what some describe as a battle to protect humanity. While AI proponents hail the technology for how it will transform society, including work, healthcare and creative pursuits, others are terrified by its potential to undermine democracy. Once adopted by the EU parliament, officials say negotiations for a final law with the bloc's 27 member states will begin almost immediately, starting later Wednesday. The race is on to strike an agreement on final legislation by the end of the year. Even if that ambitious target is achieved, the law would not come into force until 2026 at the earliest, forcing the EU to push for a voluntary interim pact with tech companies. Brussels and the United States agreed last month to release a common code of conduct on AI to develop standards among democracies. Lawmakers have hailed the draft law as "historic" and pushed back against critics who say the EU's plans could harm rather than encourage innovation. "Is this the right time for Europe to regulate AI? My answer is resolutely yes -- it is the right time because of the profound impact AI has," MEP Dragos Tudorache said during Tuesday's parliamentary debate in Strasbourg. "What we can do here is to create trust, legal certainty, to enable AI to develop in a positive manner," European Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said. - 'Common' approach - The law will regulate AI according to the level of risk: the higher the risk to individuals' rights or health, for example, the greater the systems' obligations. The EU's proposed high-risk list includes AI in critical infrastructure, education, human resources, public order and migration management. The parliament has added extra conditions before the high-risk classification would be met, including the potential to harm people's health, safety, rights or the environment. There are also special requirements for generative AI systems -- those such as ChatGPT and DALL-E capable of producing text, images, code, audio and other media -- that include informing users that a machine, not a human, produced the content. Another MEP spearheading the law in parliament, Brando Benifei, called for a "common approach" to tackle AI risks. "We need to compare notes with lawmakers all around the world," he said. Tudorache added that the law was needed "because hoping that companies will self-regulate is not enough to safeguard our citizens". - Risks versus rights - Throughout the parliament's scramble to reach an agreement that began last year, rights defenders have urged the EU to protect rights. Under the parliamentary committee text approved last month, lawmakers propose bans on AU systems that use biometric surveillance, emotion recognition and so-called predictive policing. But Mher Hakobyan of Amnesty International warned this was at risk because "parliament may upend considerable human rights protections" that were agreed on by parliamentary committees last month. There are still fears that, even if lawmakers agree on those bans, they may not make it into the final law after negotiations with EU member states. "There's a real risk that when the state representatives get involved, a lot of these protections could be removed or significantly watered down," Griff Ferris, senior legal and policy officer at the non-governmental group Fair Trials, told AFP. raz/rmb/imm © Agence France-Presse The post EU lawmakers to back world’s first AI rules appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China jails US citizen for life on espionage charges
China has sentenced a 78-year-old US citizen to life in prison for espionage, a court said Monday, but revealed few details about the previously unreported case. Such heavy terms are relatively rare for foreign citizens in China, and the jailing of American passport holder John Shing-wan Leung is likely to further strain already-damaged ties between Beijing and Washington. Leung, who is also a Hong Kong permanent resident, "was found guilty of espionage, sentenced to life imprisonment, deprived of political rights for life", said a statement from the Intermediate People's Court in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou. Suzhou authorities "took compulsory measures according to the law" against Leung in April 2021, it said, without specifying when he had been taken into custody. It was unclear where Leung had been living at the time of his arrest. A spokesperson for the US embassy in Beijing said they were aware of reports that a US citizen had been recently convicted and sentenced in Suzhou. "The Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas," the spokesperson said. "Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment." The court statement provided no further details on the charges, and closed-door trials are routine in China for sensitive cases. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin declined to comment further on the case at a regular press briefing on Monday. In Hong Kong, security minister Chris Tang told a news conference Monday the city's authorities were notified of Leung's arrest in 2021. "The Hong Kong police have carried out follow-up action according to the notification," Tang said, refusing to elaborate further. Rights activist jailed The jailing is likely to further damage relations with Washington, which are already severely strained over issues such as trade, human rights and Taiwan. Washington and Beijing have just ended an unofficial pause in high-level contacts over the United States' shooting down in February of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi held eight hours of talks in Vienna in an apparent breakthrough last week, with both sides describing the meeting as "candid, substantive and constructive". On Friday, Washington issued a statement condemning the reported sentencing of a Chinese human rights activist for "inciting subversion of state power". Guo Feixiong, also known as Yang Maodong, was jailed for eight years, according to rights groups. There has been no official confirmation of the sentencing from China. The US State Department said in its statement its diplomats had been barred from attending the trial in southern China. "We urge the PRC to live up to its international commitments, give its citizens due process, respect their human rights and fundamental freedoms including freedom of speech, and end the use of arbitrary detentions and exit bans," said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday the country's "judicial authorities act in accordance with the law, and their actions brook no interference". US President Joe Biden is due to head to Hiroshima for a meeting of leaders of the G7 group of major developed economies. The G7's relationship with China is expected to be high on the agenda at the May 19-21 summit. Other high-profile espionage cases in recent years include the arrest in 2019 of Chinese-born Australian writer Yang Jun. Australia called last week for another of its nationals, jailed journalist Cheng Lei, to be reunited with her family after 1,000 days in detention over "supplying state secrets overseas". In April, authorities formally charged a prominent Chinese journalist with spying, more than a year after he was detained while having lunch at a Beijing restaurant with a Japanese diplomat, a media rights group said. Revised anti-espionage law Also in April, China approved an amendment to its anti-espionage law, broadening its scope by widening the definition of spying and banning the transfer of any data related to what the authorities define as national security. The changes to the law will come into force on July 1. "Chinese authorities have long had an essentially free hand in addressing national security concerns," Chinese law expert Jeremy Daum wrote. "The laws involved are sometimes amorphous and vague, leading to selective, or even arbitrary, enforcement," he said, adding that the definition of "espionage" was already so broad "it isn't immediately clear what the impact of the expanded definition will be". The post China jails US citizen for life on espionage charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOLE bans `no vaccine, no work’ policy
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has banned companies from implementing the “no vaccine, no work” policy. According to the DOLE Labor Advisory No. 3 Series of 2021, or the Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces, “the vaccination policy in the workplace is not […] The post DOLE bans `no vaccine, no work’ policy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu City bans pork from Region 8
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is now banning pork and pork-related products from Eastern Visayas following reports of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the area. Mayor Edgardo Labella has announced the ban on February 2, 2021, as the hog disease continues to affect more areas in the country except for Cebu island. Labella said […] The post Cebu City bans pork from Region 8 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Immigration bureau bans port employees from filing leaves during holiday season
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente the ban on filing of applications for vacation leave for BI port personnel will take effect on December 1 to Jan. 15, 2021......»»
Tothapi may bagong single, ka-join na sa Sony Music family
LEVEL up ang breakthrough Bicol-based band na Tothapi! Sila kasi ang pinakabagong pamilya ng Sony Music Entertainment na kinabibilangan ng ilan sa mga biggest OPM acts ng bansa, katulad ng Ben&Ben, SB19, Denise Julia, Clara Benin, Ace Banzuelo, The Itchyworms, Sponge Cola, at marami pang iba. “It has been an amazing ride with Sony Music.....»»
54 buses to offset LRT-1 shutdown for Cavite extension, Holy Week
The Department of Transportation will be deploying passenger buses starting Wednesday to offset the shutdown of LRT-1 operations during the Holy Week and in preparation for the opening of five new stations this year......»»
Cebu bans for 45 days entry of live birds from Leyte
Cebu bans for 45 days entry of live birds from Leyte.....»»
Max Collins may manliligaw pero dedma, hugot na hugot sa true love
MAS gusto muna ngayong maging single ng Kapuso actress na si Max Collins kaya dedma muna siya sa mga lalaki at pakikipag-date. Matagal-tagal na ring walang dyowa si Max matapos silang maghiwalay ng kanyang asawang aktor na si Pancho Magno. Sa panayam kay Max ng “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” ay diretsahan siyang tinanong kung.....»»
Sharon Cuneta gives updates on ‘Mega’ mansion planned to withstand intensity 10 earthquake
“Megastar” Sharon Cuneta shared updates on her “Mega” mansion and “forever home” that she declared in an Instagram post in 2021 had been master-planned to withstand even an intensity 9 or 10 earthquake. .....»»
Al-Shifa Hospital raid one of the single largest operations in the war: Israeli military sources
Israeli military sources have hailed the weeklong raid on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza as one of the most successful operations in the ongoing conflict with.....»»
Pagasa debunks ‘three days of darkness’ hoax
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) dismissed claims that the Earth will experience three days of darkness due to passing the “Photon Belts” starting April 8 as false. The state weather and astronomy bureau said Friday there is no scientific evidence to support the claim. “DOST-PAGASA would like to.....»»
LTO-7 on high alert for Holy Week
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) is on high alert starting March 24 to 31, for the Holy Week. The LTO-7 announced their “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2024” in a press release last Friday. Director Glen Galario has instructed all LTO-7 district and extension offices.....»»
Cops on heightened alert, NLEX ready for Lenten break
Police units across the country are on heightened alert starting tomorrow, as part of security preparations for the safety of the public during the Holy Week break......»»
AboitizPower names new president
Aboitiz Power Corp. the listed power arm of the Aboitiz Group, has announced the appointment of Danel Aboitiz as the next president and CEO of the company starting July 1......»»