Talisay City bans karaoke, loud sound systems during daytime
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas ordered the banning of the use of karaoke machines and other loud sound systems from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays to Saturdays. In his Executive Order (EO) No. 33, Gullas said that these measures are implemented to allow students taking online classes […] The post Talisay City bans karaoke, loud sound systems during daytime appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Minglanilla ends 22-year title drought, wins Gullas Cup in dominating fashion vs. Talisay
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Abante Minglanilla hoisted the Rhea Gullas Cup 2024 First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament title after routing the visiting Talisay Aksyon Agad, 72-58, on Saturday evening, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Minglanilla, also known as the Archangels, beat Talisay in their do-or-die Game 3 of the finals, and.....»»
Minglanilla’s ‘6th man’ crucial for Gullas Cup finals— Velez
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Jesus “Boyet” Velez, the head coach of Abante Minglanilla, admitted that their sixth man, their home crowd, would be a massive factor for the winner-take-all Game 3 of the Rhea Gullas Cup First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament Best-of-Three finals on Saturday, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Talisay Aksyon.....»»
Taguig bans e-trikes along national roads
The city government of Taguig has started implementing the guidelines set by the Land Transportation Office on the use of electronic tricycles or e-trikes as a form of public transport along national roads......»»
TD Kabayan: PCG bans vessels from sailing in E. Samar, S. Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY — Due to threats of Tropical Depression Kabayan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) offices in Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte provinces have prohibited vessels from venturing into the sea. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) also asked all local government units in Eastern Visayas to activate their respective disaster units and monitor the weather.....»»
Sulu bans commercial fishing boats
JOLO, Sulu Province — The provincial government here announced on Monday that commercial fishing companies in the Zamboanga Peninsula and from other regions in the country were banned from entering and fishing inside their territorial waters. This comes as Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan ordered to seize fishing boats found entering and fishing inside the Sulu Sea effective on 13 September. Tan said talks between officials from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and officials from major fishing companies in ZamPen and other parts of the country are ongoing. Pending results from their ongoing talks, the provincial government will ban all fishing boats from entering and fishing inside the Sulu Sea and if they are inside, authorities will seize their fishing vessels. The governor stressed that the presence of big commercial boats or vessels fishing inside the Sulu Sea is depriving local fishermen earnings for their families. A formal advisory was also issued to fishing ports in Zamboanga City informing the management of fishing ports that “fishing boats caught entering and fishing their territorial waters would be seized and confiscated.” While Tan is considering that about 20,000 workers of these fishing companies will temporarily lose their job or income, he insisted that the province have more than one million residents and most of them defend fishing as their primary source of livelihood. The affected fishing company workers are under no work, no pay arrangements with most of them being poor farmers from the province across the Visayas and Mindanao regions. “If we continue to allow these fishing boats to fish inside the Sulu Sea, our people will also suffer and lose their income,” Tan said. “Sulu is predominantly agricultural with farming and fishing as its main livelihood activities and fishing is the most important industry since the Sulu Seas is one of the richest fishing grounds in the country,” he added. The post Sulu bans commercial fishing boats appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2015 Vatican decree on Mediatrix not binding!
The claims of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the Vatican that Pope Pius XII had officially decreed that the Mediatrix apparitions were of “no supernatural character or origin” is not exactly true. If it is proven not true, the Papal “decree” is not binding and the faithful are allowed not to follow the decree, based on Canon Law. The CBCP released Circular 23-04 dated 14 July 2023 — quoting the official Dicastery document Protocol 226/1949 — stating that “in 1951, the Dicastery, the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy See, after due examination of the documents made available, declared the alleged apparitions in Lipa (of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace) to have no supernatural character or origin, a decision directly approved by Pope Pius XII.” There has been no document in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official Vatican publication, that said that Pope Pius XII had indeed approved the decree. It was never formalized into an official “promulgation,” which is a requirement of Canon Law, to be binding. In other words, the Dicastery Decree is official, but not the Papal Decree. Protocol 226/1949, authored by the Dicastery, did not clarify that the Pope Pius XII Decree had not yet been official and binding in a formal promulgation. Then apostolic administrator Bishop Rufino Santos said, in his decree of 12 April 1951, that he was still awaiting the Vatican decision regarding Lipa, contradicting Protocol 226/1949 that said a decision had been made. I, therefore, challenge the CBCP and the current Dicastery to produce documentary evidence that there was indeed an existing official Papal Decree of Pope Pius XII in fulfillment of the Canon Law ruling. The decree of Pope Pius XII is important because it was the basis for the recent order of Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera to suppress Mediatrix activities in all churches in Lipa. “Vatican directs CBCP to cease 75th celebration of Lipa apparition” (CNN Philippines 28 July 2023). The CNN article reported that the Vatican reaffirmed its 1951 decree, precisely the questionable Pope Pius XII decree. Only the Pope has the authority to confirm and declare a Marian apparition. If the 1951 Pope Pius decree is now in question, so also are all the recent bans and suppressions of Mediatrix activities in Lipa. The added sentence reads, “The Confraternity of the Mediatrix of All Grace is a movement with dozens of chapters nationwide.” Confraternity members report that a Filipino priest very close to Pope Francis approached him to forward the sentiments of the Mediatrix devotees. He said the Pope simply passed the ball to the Dicastery. And since the Dicastery is vehemently anti-Mediatrix, it was a dead end, a failed attempt. Many Confraternity members were disappointed. The Confraternity has a nationwide presence, although its membership keeps moving dynamically forward and backward. There are chapters whose memberships are strong and keep growing, but there are some whose memberships have decreased. The dynamic chapters include Cebu, Iloilo, Guimaras, Kidapawan, Davao City, General Trias, and Jaro, to name a few. However, the Confraternity is different from the devotees. Confraternity members are essentially professionals, educated and articulate. They are well organized and subject to meetings and activities. The ordinary Mediatrix devotees are peasants, farmers, and fishermen, and are simply humble churchgoers, not so organized. But there are so many who have a strong faith and devotion to Mama Mary in their hearts. They do not even know the issues in the conflict. Their devotion is based on their hearts, not their minds. When the entire Philippine Church was held in submission by the Vatican under threat of excommunication or alienation, it was the laity that took up the cudgels, out of reach of the clutches of the Vatican and the CBCP. The Confraternity distributed hundreds of life-size Mediatrix statues nationwide. They laid the infrastructure for devotion to spread like wildfire to the sea of marginal devotees. It is estimated from Confraternity reports that Mediatrix devotees are broadly around four million nationwide. Herein lies the victory of the Virgin over the Vatican. Despite 70 long years of suppression and repression since the 1951 apparitions to this very day, Mediatrix devotion proliferates. The Vatican and the CBCP have succeeded in silencing Filipino nuns, priests, bishops, and cardinals but they are helpless against the true Marians among the masses. Even the suppressed Church prelates still believe in the silence of their hearts in the Mediatrix. Suppression has ironically strengthened the Filipino Marians. The Confraternity says it has devised a simple strategy. They will suffer and ignore the suppression without opposition, and discern the will of the Lord and Our Lady, and focus on divine messages, teachings, and pray, pray, pray, especially for the Pope, the Vatican and the CBCP. *** eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post 2015 Vatican decree on Mediatrix not binding! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Western Canada wildfires force tens of thousands to flee
Officials in western Canada's British Columbia implored tens of thousands of residents to heed warnings and evacuate Saturday as "severe and fast-changing" wildfires threatened large parts of the scenic Okanagan Valley, including the city of Kelowna. The situation in the popular boating and hiking destination was "highly dynamic," said Bowinn Ma, the province's minister of emergency management. Around 30,000 people were under evacuation orders while another 36,000 were under alert to be ready to flee, she said. "We cannot stress strongly enough how critical it is to follow evacuation orders when they are issued," Ma said at an afternoon news conference. "They are a matter of life and death not only for the people in those properties but also for the first responders who will often go back to try to implore people to leave." Kelowna, a city of 150,000, was choked with thick smoke as it became the latest population center hit in a summer of dramatic wildfires across Canada that has left millions of acres scorched. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had spoken with British Columbia Premier David Eby about the "rapidly evolving and incredibly devastating wildfire situation" and pledged federal resources in responding to the disaster. Blazes far away in the neighboring Northwest Territories have meanwhile prompted the evacuation of regional capital Yellowknife, leaving the remote city of some 20,000 largely a ghost town. Winds have been fanning the wildfires toward Yellowknife, but Saturday saw some relief after overnight rain brought a sharp dip in temperatures. Since the evacuation was ordered Wednesday, most people have fled by road with several thousand taking emergency flights, Northwest Territories environment minister Shane Thompson said Saturday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Approximately 1,000 essential staff remaining in the city and surrounding area," he added. Those crews were remaining to erect defenses from the flames, while water bombers have been seen flying low over the city, with the Canadian military also helping out. - 'Incredible' exodus - Tony Whitford, a former commissioner for the Northwest Territories and a longtime resident of Yellowknife, arrived in the city of Calgary on one of the first flights out and gave the evacuation high marks. "My compliments to them all," Whitford, who is 82 and wheelchair-bound, said of the organizers. "It's so complex -- 20,000 people -- it's incredible. It went smoothly." Several towns and Indigenous communities were evacuated earlier. The exodus from Yellowknife means half the population of the near-Arctic territory has been displaced. The ongoing fires have caused "terrible loss," Trudeau told reporters after meeting Yellowknife evacuees Friday as they arrived in Edmonton, Alberta, with no idea when they may return home. Martha Kanatsiak, who has lived in Yellowknife for 28 years, arrived late Friday in Calgary. "I'm okay, but I feel sad and depressed and worried. I never saw something like this," the 59-year-old Inuit retiree told AFP. Some 40 flights carrying around 3,500 passengers from Yellowknife have arrived in Calgary, said officials in the city, which has made nearly 500 hotel rooms available. - Northwest US threat - In British Columbia, blazes have already destroyed several properties in West Kelowna, separated by Okanagan Lake from its larger, eponymous neighbor. Among them is the Lake Okanagan Resort, according to local media, which is known for having hosted high-profile politicians such as British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Eby on Saturday announced an emergency order halting non-essential visits to the area. The order, which bans visitors from checking in at hotels and other temporary accommodations, covers Kelowna and the nearby towns of Kamloops, Oliver, Penticton and Vernon as well as Osoyoos near the US border. "If you are currently in accommodations in these areas, we are asking you to voluntarily check out early and free up those spaces for evacuees and responders," Ma added. Meanwhile across the border in the United States, several thousand people were forced to flee wildfires in Washington state, with at least one death reported, local media said. An evacuation was ordered for Medical Lake, a town outside Spokane and next to a US Air Force base, while a section of the vital I-90 highway was closed, authorities said. Canada is experiencing a record-setting wildfire season, with official estimates of over 14 million hectares (34.6 million acres) already burned -- roughly the size of Greece and almost twice the area of the last record of 7.3 million hectares. Four people have died so far. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more frequent and more deadly. bfm/bbk/des/acb The post Western Canada wildfires force tens of thousands to flee appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bontoc town bans pigs, pork products entry
BAGUIO CITY — The local government of Bontoc town in Mountain Province announced that it is temporarily banning the entry of hogs and pork products from the lowland municipalities amid reported cases of the African swine fever in other areas, particular in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. In a public advisory, Bontoc Mayor Jerome Tudlong Jr. warned residents of the town to be aware of ASF cases logged in backyard farms of Cervantes and is said to be fast spreading in nearby areas. “To prevent further spread of this disease and to help protect the livelihood of our swine raisers against the re-infection of ASF in our municipality, the entry of live swine/pigs, pork, locally processed pork products and by-products from the said area is hereby temporarily suspended,” Tudlong said. To recall, the hog disease was earlier detected in a barangay in Cervantes last July this year, which prompted other towns of Ilocos Sur to safeguard their borders to ensure that no pigs or pork products can enter their areas of responsibility. On 24 July 2023, the provincial government of Benguet issued a temporary ban of entries of hogs and swine products from Cervantes. In the first week of August, Abra Province and Bauko, Mountain Province did the same. Checkpoints were setup in the boundaries of Ilocos Sur and nearby provinces. On 12 August, three hog traders were intercepted transporting 11 pigs from Cervantes. The post Bontoc town bans pigs, pork products entry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tacloban intensifies plastic ordinance info drive
The local government of Tacloban City disclosed on Sunday that it has embarked on a massive education drive to inform the residents on an ordinance regulating the use of plastics and styrofoam on packaging that will take effect next year. Tacloban’s City Environment and Natural Resources Office chief Jonathan Hijada stressed that the information and education campaign has already started with establishments in the downtown area and will soon commence outside of the commercial center. He added that the CENRO and the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Division are set to conduct a joint seminar that will target large establishments such as malls and hardware stores to ensure their compliance of the ordinance. “As early as now, people should already start reducing their garbage to increase the lifespan of our sanitary landfill,” Hijada said. The CENRO chief revealed that at least 120 tons of garbage is generated in the city every day of which over 13 tons is composed of single-use plastics. “If this continues, the holding capacity of our sanitary landfill will soon be on a critical level and may only be able to accommodate until next year,” Hijada said. To recall, Tacloban’s sanitary landfill in Barangay San Roque opened in 2019 and there are already plans to expand it by 20 to 30 meters to increase its lifespan by two to three years. “We appeal for the cooperation of everybody to be responsible with their garbage. Households can start with waste segregation and not throw away those that can still be recycled and use eco-friendly alternatives such as reusable bags when they do their grocery or go to market,” Hijada said. The city ordinance bans the use of single-use plastics, plastic bags and styrofoam in groceries, fast food chains, food kiosks, sari-sari stores, markets and among ambulant vendors. The post Tacloban intensifies plastic ordinance info drive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cluster munitions showdown looms
Russia’s military is ready to use its own stockpile of cluster munitions against Ukrainian forces should the latter use the same weapon supplied by the United States in the battlefield. “If they are used against us, we reserve ourselves the right to tit-for-tat actions,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published Sunday. “Russia has a sufficient stockpile of various kinds of cluster munitions,” Putin told a state-television journalist. Cluster munitions disperse up to several hundred small explosive charges, which can remain unexploded in the ground. Europe bans its use under the 2008 Oslo Convention, but Russia, the US and Ukraine are not parties to the international treaty. Meanwhile, Moscow accused Kyiv of bombing a bridge in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. A Ukrainian source told Agence France-Presse that a water drone was used in the attack that Moscow said killed two people on Monday. “Two civilians died: a man and a woman, driving a car on the bridge,” the Russian Investigative Committee said. “Their minor daughter was wounded.” The roadway on the Crimea side of the bridge had been “damaged,” Russia’s transport ministry said on Telegram. Traffic has been halted in the bridge used for transporting supplies to Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The Kremlin blamed Ukraine for the attack on the Russian-built bridge linking Crimea to Russia’s Krasnodar region. “Today’s attack on the Crimea bridge was carried out by the Kyiv regime,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on social media. “Today’s attack on the Crimean bridge is a special operation of the SBU and the navy,” a source from Ukraine’s security service told AFP on Monday. The overnight strike was carried out using waterborne drones, according to the same source. Near the contested Bakhmut city in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have retaken seven square kilometers of the city, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malyar said on Telegram. Ukraine has recently acknowledged difficult battles and called on the US and other allies to provide long-range weapons and artillery. Putin, however, said the counteroffensive has failed. “All enemy attempts to break through our defenses... they have not succeeded since the offensive began. The enemy is not successful,” Putin said. The Russian army announced that it advanced 1.5 kilometers near the town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine. WITH AFP The post Cluster munitions showdown looms 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......»»
Cebu City school bans lato-lato
Bringing lato-lato, also known as clackers or clankers, to the Abellana National School in Cebu City is prohibited......»»
Valenzuela bans POGOs
The local government of Valenzuela has approved an ordinance banning the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs in the city......»»
Muntinlupa to penalize vulgar, sexist people
Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon yesterday signed an ordinance that bans catcalling, whistling, unwanted sexual advances, misogynistic and homophobic slurs. The measure, known as the “Respect for Fellow Muntinlupeño Ordinance” also prohibits gender-based sexual harassment in workplaces, educational and training institutions and online. “Vulgar or rude people are not welcome in Muntinlupa!” Biazon said in Filipino during the ceremonial signing of the ordinance enforcing provisions of Republic Act 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act. “This ordinance is a step towards creating a safe and respectful environment for all Muntinlupeños,” he added. The ordinance defines gender-based sexual harassment as “any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any person, regardless of the motive for committing such action or remarks.” It also defines the different forms of gender-based sexual harassment, including catcalling, shouting or making unwanted sexual comments to a person in a public place. Also penalized by the ordinance is whistling or making sound to get a person’s attention in a sexual manner. Making unwanted sexual advances is also not allowed in the city. On the other hand, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist slurs refer to the use of derogatory language to insult or demean a person based on gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The penalties under the Safe Spaces Act, on the other hand, vary depending on the severity of the offense. For gender-based sexual harassment, the penalties are as follows: First offense: Fine of not less than P10,000 and community service of 12 hours, inclusive of attendance to a gender sensitivity seminar. Second offense: Fine of not less than P15,000 or imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than one year, or both. Third and subsequent offenses: Fine of not less than P20,000 or imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than two years, or both. For online sexual harassment, the penalties under RA 11313 are as follows: First offense: Fine of not less than P100,000 and imprisonment of not less than 6 months but not more than 2 years. Second and subsequent offenses: Fine of not less than P200,000 or imprisonment of not less than 2 years but not more than 4 years, or both. In addition to the above penalties, the Safe Spaces Act also provides for administrative sanctions, such as suspension or termination of employment, for employers who fail to implement the law’s provisions. The post Muntinlupa to penalize vulgar, sexist people appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Legal gun owners keep criminals at bay — Bato
Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa said Thursday that members of his family all know how to use guns as a necessary tool or instrument for peace — only to be used to defend people against criminals. “I am ready. I am always ready,” De la Rosa said in Filipino during the opening of the 29th AFAD Defense and Sporting Arms Show running until Monday at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. As a lawmaker who has to blow the whistle on criminals during Senate investigations, De la Rosa said he considers himself to be constantly in the crosshairs of syndicates and other dregs of society. He cited the assassination of Negros Oriental Roel Degamo and the pilferage of portions of a P1.6 billion worth of shabu in Manila last October as examples of controversies he is investigating. De la Rosa, the first chief of the Philippine National Police under the Duterte administration, chairs the Senate Committee on Public Order. Interviewed by Daily Tribune, Alaric Topacio, president of the Association of Firearms and Ammunitions Dealers of the Philippines, said over 98 percent of firearms sold in the Philippines are for self-defense. He stressed that AFAD has been pushing responsible gun ownership and that most of those who legally purchase guns do so only to protect themselves as a last recourse, or to engage in sports shooting. Criminals, both Topacio and De la Rosa agreed, mostly use unlicensed firearms. Topacio pointed out that criminals do not leave their guns behind just because there’s a gun ban. On the other hand, licensed gun owners, as law-abiding citizens, leave their guns at home during gun bans at the risk of being at the mercy of criminals, he added. “Criminals rejoice when they’re the only ones, aside from the police, who have guns. It’s party time for them because they can always evade the cops while having easy pickings on the streets, victimizing civilians,” Joel, a gunsmith tending one of the stalls, said. For the Sangguniang Kabataan and Barangay Elections, the Commission on Elections set the gun ban period from 28 August 2023 to 29 November. Government data placed at about 1.5 million licensed gun owners in the Philippines. Estimates put the number of unlicensed firearms circulating at four times the number of licensed guns. Legal gun owners need to regularly pass drug and neuro-psychiatric exams and to be without criminal records to keep their guns. De la Rosa said the firearms and ammunition industry in the Philippines contributes to the economy in terms of jobs created and taxes paid. The post Legal gun owners keep criminals at bay — Bato appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pig’s blood on fish
Octogenarians are not easily provoked. They are ever protective of their mental and physical health, fragile as they are. Their low immune system is vulnerable to being compromised if negative emotions are aroused. Science and medicine tell us that these emotions could trigger chronic diseases and cardiac, respiratory and other related medical issues common to the elderly. A bad temper leads to blood pressure rising and if untreated angina and myocardial infarction or stroke. Hence, when they cannot suppress anger, it means their tolerance level has reached rock bottom. Muslim elderly had experienced this outburst of anger recently. A bit of news, pedestrian it may seem in media reporting has provoked the ire of this writer. It was a bad hair day. This may have skipped notice from readers who are more focused on headline-hugging news. It was buried in the inside pages. And in the print media of yore, perhaps along with obituaries. A report last week datelined General Santos, Philippines says “A group of inspectors uncovered a deceitful practice . . .on which several market vendors were found coating fish slices with pig’s blood to make them look fresh. Plastic packs of pig blood were seized from the vendors involved. The discovery sparked controversy among Muslims and other non-pork eaters . . .” This has opened Pandora’s box. It triggered indignation and condemnation from Muslims and non-Muslims. It was most deceitful and malevolent. This should not be treated only as a “public health issue.” It is an attack upon the sensitivity and religious beliefs of some sectors of society. The Muslims, Seventh Day Adventists, and others shy away from eating pork and its derivatives because of their religion. We suggest that the local government of General Santos City impose the corresponding penalty commensurate to the gravity of the crime. It should not stop from merely imposing administrative sanctions like canceling the license of vendors but also filing a criminal case for fraudulent misrepresentation or other deceit. Allow me to quote part of the article I wrote earlier about the same issue. “What is in pork that makes it an abhorrent animal? Why is it specially mentioned in the Holy Koran as prohibited for consumption by Muslims? For one, it is considered one of the dirtiest animals which thrives on filth and unsanitary environment. Pig is considered garbage and waste eliminators. . . “which eat its own feces, as well as dead carcasses of sick animals, including their own young.” The scientific reasoning is that “Swine serves as a vector for pathogenic worms to enter the human body. Infections by Trichinella spiralis and Taenia solium are not uncommon. Fatty acids and composition of pork fat have been mentioned as incompatible with human fat and biochemical systems.” In other words, the strong underlying reason for this religious proscription is its damaging effect on humans which could cause a variety of medical issues like “increased cancer risk” and many health problems. It is for this reason that Islam is not the only religion that bans pork from its adherents. Other religious sects like the Seventh Day Adventists, the United Church of God, the Orthodox Jewish Kosher, etc., prohibit pork consumption. In an article by Dr. Josh Axe he mentioned that “in the Old Testament, God warned us that the pig was an unclean animal. Why? Because pig is a scavenger and not meant for human consumption.” The greatest fear among Muslims and non-pork-eating citizens is that this may have been going on in several markets in the country without being detected. The local government units should be uncompromising in the exercise of their supervisory and monitoring power over market operations to prevent a repeat of this criminal act. It should never abdicate its inherent oversight duty. How can one person be possessed of so much greed to resort to a reprehensible way that violates the belief of a fellow human being? It reflects a social malady that government must help to address. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Pig’s blood on fish 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......»»
Negros Or. bans entry of pigs, pork products from Cebu, ASF-hit areas
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Pigs and pork products from Cebu and other areas with confirmed cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) will not be allowed entry to Negros Oriental. This after Gov. Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes issued Executive Order (EO) No. 23 on Wednesday, April 19, that implements a total ban on the importation of […] The post Negros Or. bans entry of pigs, pork products from Cebu, ASF-hit areas appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Ilocos Norte town bans ‘topless’ loiterers
LAOAG CITY — A town in the easternmost part of Ilocos Norte province has banned loitering in public places half-naked or without upper garments by virtue of Municipal Ordinance 2023-668, signed by Solsona Mayor Joseph de Lara recently. The order prohibits individuals from roaming around topless in public places such as the streets, parks, plazas, market and public utility vehicles where “decency and self-respect is a must.” “First impressions last hence the need to observe proper decorum as well as decency in all facets of life,” said De Lara in the anti-topless ordinance sponsored by town councilor Lourdines de la Cruz. Except for those performing religious rites and ceremonies, indigenous peoples wearing customary or ethnic dress, and people in swimming pools, resorts, rivers and creeks, or in cases of medical emergencies and other cases where the non-wearing of upper garments is indispensable, anyone found violating the anti-topless ordinance will be fined from P500 to P2,500 on the first, second, third and succeeding offenses or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or its equivalent community service. For the safety of visitors, the local government unit of Solsona also requires visitors to register and pay for an environment fee for the upkeep of the Solsona viewdeck. As an emerging tourist destination still recovering from the pandemic, Solsona boasts of its river resorts and scenic natural resources to lure visitors to the area. The post Ilocos Norte town bans ‘topless’ loiterers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Barili temporarily bans swine trading as measure against ASF
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The local government unit (LGU) of Barili in Southwest Cebu is temporarily banning swine trading in Mantalongon Livestock Market starting March 16, 2023, the LGU’s information office announced on Friday, March 10. The measure is implemented due to the confirmed African Swine Fever (ASF) case reported in Carcar City, a neighboring […] The post Barili temporarily bans swine trading as measure against ASF appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»