US Asian Post February 17, 2017

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World condemns DPRK’s missile test-firing

BEIJING, Feb 14 (PNA/Xinhua) – The international community has generally denounced the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) over its latest testlaunch of a ballistic missile on Sunday.

The presumed intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile was launched at around 7:55 a.m. local time (2255 GMT Saturday) near Banghyeon in the DPRK’s northwestern North Pyongan province.

The projectile, capable of putting the entire Japan and the U.S. military base in Guam within its target range, flew about 500 km and landed in waters off the DPRK’s east coast.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the launch was clearly a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and such “acts of provocation” were “intolerable.”

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, currently accompanying Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a visit to the United States, told the press that Japan is asking the

U.N. to issue a “strong message” against the DPRK. U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday pledged U.S. support to Japan after the launch.

“I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent,” Trump said in a hastily called joint press conference with Abe in Florida.

In Seoul, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the launch was a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resoSee CONDEMNS, page 12

Night Lights: An AV-8B Harrier II lands on the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 8, 2017.

The ship is conducting unit-level training to ensure warfighting readiness to prepare for a routine patrol to support security and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific region. The Harrier II is assigned to the Marine Attack Squadron 311. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Quinlan

US, Japan, S. Korea request urgent UN SC meeting on DPRK missile test MOSCOW, Feb. 13 (PNA/Sputnik) – The United States, Japan and South Korea have requested an urgent United Nations Security Council consultations on North Korean Sunday’s ballistic missile test fire, Reuters reported citing an official in the US mission to the United Nations.

The official also said that the United States expects a meeting to take place on Monday.

North Korea launched a missile earlier from an airbase in the

western province of North Pyongan. The ballistic missile travelled around several hundreds of miles before plunging into the Sea of Japan outside of the Japanese exclusive economic zone. DPRK government has declared the launch successful.

North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the missile was nuclear-capable and could engage in evasive maneuvers. The balSee MISSILE, page 12

ASEAN meetings in Boracay kick off

By Karen V. Bermejo

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan, Feb. 13 (PNA) –The 23rd senior officials meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) has officially kicked off Monday in this resort island.

Some 100 delegates coming from the 10 ASEAN countries namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines are participating in the meeting spearheaded by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The three-day event which will be held at Paradise Garden Resort until February 15 will kick off with a welcome dinner and a cultural presentation Monday night.

Delegates from different ASEAN countries started arriving in the island over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of Site Task Group Boracay, the overall security in charge the ASEAN meeting, said “everything is going smoothly in terms of security.”

Gorero stressed that there is no security threat for Boracay and Western Visayas in line with the ASEAN hosting.

He said that some 3,000 combined security forces of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army are currently deployed in See ASEAN MEETINGS, page 12

N. Korea claims successful test of new medium-range missile BEIJING, Feb 13 (PNA/Kyodo) – North Korea said Monday it has successfully test-fired a new medium-range ballistic missile, with leader Kim Jong Un hailing what he claimed is another way for the country to launch a nuclear attack.

The test a day before of “a surface-to-surface medium long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2, See SUCCESFUL TEST, page 12

Surigao quake aftershocks can still trigger landslides

By Catherine J. Teves

MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – Potentially deadly landslides are still possible from aftershocks of last week’s magnitude 6.7 earthquake off Surigao del Norte province.

“Aftershocks that are strong enough can trigger such landslides there,” said geologist Bryan Marfito from State-run Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

He said Surigao del Norte’s western portion is susceptible to landslides due to its hilly terrain so communities there must prepare accordingly.

“Slope stability there is low unlike in Surigao del Norte’s cenSee SURIGAO QUAKE, page 12

Photo shows damage caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao province at 10:03 p.m. Friday (Feb. 10, 2017). (MNS photo)

Duterte leads distribution of relief goods for quake victims in Surigao City

By Cris Diaz

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Feb. 12 (PNA) – President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Surigao City, 301 kilometers northeast of here, past 1:00 p.m. Sunday to personally assess the damages from the 6.7-magnitude earthquake that struck that eastern city Friday night.

In a report monitored from here, President Duterte, together with some Cabinet Secretaries, led the distribution of relief goods to 500 evacuees who were housed in the city’s gymnasium.

The city government has listed a total of 1,034 evacuees, but the members of the 4Ps were given See RELIEF GOODS, page 12

DPWH report: Bridges and roads damaged by earthquake in Surigao MANILA, Feb 11 (PNA) – A bridge in Surigao del Norte has collapsed due to the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the Caraga Region Friday night, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

Based on the Situational Report No. 1 (Partial Damage Report) as of 8 a.m. Saturday, the Anao-aon Bridge in the Municipality of San

Francisco under the Provincial Road of the said province had collapsed and not passable to all types of vehicles.

It added that the Daang Maharlika Road (Surigao-Agusan Section and Surigao-Ipil-Lipata Section) suffered cracks/buckling/ blow up of concrete/asphalt pavement.

See DPWH, page 12

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Sen. Grace Poe urges DOTr to go after ex-officials responsible for MRT-LRT common station delay

By Azer N. Parrocha

MANILA, Feb 13 (PNA) – Sen. Grace Poe on Monday urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to go after former government officials responsible for the delays in the construction of the MRT-LRT common station.

Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services that led an inquiry into the common station, said former Transport officials, kept the common station from being completed.

She said that if former officials who were at fault should be charged.

“Let’s not forget that because of them, we were tied for eight years (from completing the common station).

The government should not

get into agreements and change the plan later on because investors will not come in. This should be a lesson learned,” Poe said during the hearing.

She asked the DOTr to furnish her committee a copy of the previous agreements on the common station. She wanted them reviewed to find out who was responsible for delays.

“In the past, whoever has approved the previous agreement with naming rights as well as those who whimsically reneged on the same, all without public consultations and due regard to public interest should be held accountable because of the undue delay that plagued this project,” Poe said.

Senate panel starts probe on MRT-LRT common station: Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of Committee on Public Services (left) and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (2nd from left) preside over the public hearing on transparency in the design and construction of the PHP2.8-billion Common Station project for the LRT 1, MRT 3 and MRT 7 on Monday (Feb. 13, 2017) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. Also in right photo are Department of Transportation’s Asst. Secretary Leah Quiambo, senior project developer officer Timothy Batan, Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator Reynaldo I. Berroya and Light Rail Manila Corporation president and CEO Rogelio Lazo Singson. Monday (Feb. 13, 2017) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

She meanwhile expressed hope that the common station would serve the interest of the public and not the interest of the government

BAE systems inks $64-M to produce parts for F-35 Jet’s self-defense system WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (PNA/Sputnik) – Defense contractor BAE Systems has won a contract to produce transmitter countermeasures for the F-35 joint strike fighter, the Department of Defense announced in a press release.

Defense contractor BAE Systems has been awarded nearly USD 64 million to manufacture transmitter

countermeasures for the US Air Force air expendable countermeasures program for the F-35 combat jets and includes foreign military sales.

“BAE Systems Information and Electronic System Integration Inc., Nashua, New Hampshire, is being awarded USD 63,969,918 for the new manufacture of transmitter T-1687/ALE-

70(V) countermeasures for the Advanced Tactical Aircraft Protection Systems Program Office, Air Expendable Countermeasures Program,” the release said on Monday.

BAE Systems explained the effort combines purchases for the US Air Force, but also for Australia, Israel and Norway under the Foreign Military Sales program.

PHL mobile Internet speeds up to 8.24Mbps in Q4 ‘16 MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – Mobile Internet in the country accelerated as telco operators have undertaken major network investments in the past year to further improve the Internet speed in the country.

Latest findings from the Asia Network Quality Report of J.P. Morgan Securities for the fourth quarter of 2016 show that the average LTE download speeds in the country went up to 8.24 megabits per second (Mbps) in the last quarter of 2016, from the 7.27 Mbps national LTE average posted in the previous quarter.

This is ahead of fellow archipelagic country Indonesia’s LTE average speed of 6.66 Mbps for the same period. Smart posted the highest overall LTE download speeds at 9.17 Mbps according to the same report which cited crowd-sourced data gathered by wireless coverage research firm OpenSignal.

The company has also taken the lead in NCR for 3G, with download speeds of 2.85 Mbps, the report shows.

LTE download speeds across areas ranged from

7.39 Mbps in the Visayas to 9.99 Mbps in Metro Manila.

These improvements have been driven as operators ramp up their investments to upgrade their data networks.

Smart’s network rollout took a big bulk of parent company PLDT’s ramped-up capital expenditure program of USD 1 billion for 2016, with an additional USD 100 million allocated to utilize the new frequencies freed up with the acquisition of San Miguel Corporation’s telco assets.

“This rollout is elevating the bar for mobile internet services in the country and serves as a more powerful platform for advanced and relevant digital services that will help transform the country into a more competitive, digitally-empowered nation,” according to Ray C. Espinosa, Chief Corporate Services Officer at PLDT and Smart.

“We are asking for our customers’ patience and understanding while we are making a lot of changes in our network facilities. These activities are being done during the most inactive

hours of the day, and we are putting systems in place to keep to a minimum the impact on our subscribers.

In the end, our commitment to all our subscribers is that they will enjoy progressively better mobile data services in the next few months, particularly for those using LTE devices,” said Joachim Horn, chief technology and information advisor for PLDT and Smart.

Horn added that this acceleration of LTE deployment is because LTE, an all-IP network, delivers superior experience for users, particularly for data.

It can also be quickly upgraded to LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), which can provide even faster speeds and greater capacity.

Smart began rolling out its first LTE-A service in April 2016 in preparation for the rise of bandwidth-heavy services such as video streaming and gaming, using a capability called “Carrier Aggregation.”

Initially rolled out in Boracay, Smart’s LTE-A service delivers peak speeds of more than 100 Mbps to users with LTE-A capable.

DICT launches migration plan for digital TV broadcasting MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) will launch the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) Migration Plan in a two-day Digital TV Summit to be held at Novotel Manila, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City from February 14 to 15, 2017.

The DICT’s DTTB Migration Plan consists of comprehensive policies and regulations as well as technical and financial considerations that are essential for the Philippine’s migration to digital TV broadcasting.

The plan will help ensure seamless transition from analog to digital that will further lead to a complete Analog Switch Off (ASO).

This shall be done through partnership with national government agencies such as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for implementation and regulation, the Department of Finance (DOF) for funding, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for giving incentives to small scale broadcasters, the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR)

for e-waste management, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for economic impact, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for financial subsidy in purchasing digital set top boxes.

DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima said the switch to digital transmission will not only pave the way for a better TV viewing experience for Filipinos but will also ensure a more efficient and richer information dissemination in times of calamities.

It has an Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS) feature that allows the system to send early warnings for disaster preparedness and disseminate advisories and guidance on evacuation, food provisions, and medical assistance in times of disasters.

Furthermore, migrating to digital from analog will free very high frequencies (VHF) that can be maximized for future broadband deployment for Internet. It will also foster a competitive environment for the broadcasters to offer new services through datacasting and Broadcast Markup Language (BML).

“A better Philippines in terms of broadcasting can only be achieved when there is collaboration among the government, its stakeholders, civil organizations, and private industries,” according to Salalima.

The first day of the Digital TV Summit is dedicated for the launching of the DTTB Migration Plan and the Ceremonial Digital TV Switch On. Partners from the broadcast industry are expected to grace the event to express their support and commitment in the comprehensive national implementation of the DTTB Migration Plan.

Moreover, exhibitors from different segments of the broadcast sectors (production, manufacturing, and content) will showcase emerging trends in Digital TV to educate the public on the latest Digital TV technology available in the market.

On the second day of the summit, experts from local and international broadcast firms will exchange best practices and knowledge regarding the current trends in the production, transmission, policy, and regulations that concern the transition from analog to Digital TV.

and private corporations.

After eight years, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed last Jan. 18, 2017 to finally start construction

of the project on December 2017.

The common station, that will link LRT Line 1 and MRT Lines 3 and 7 and

provide seamless transfer of passengers and interconnectivity between the railway lines, is expected to be completed by April 2019.

EDSA-Guadalupe jeepney ban on; vendors, parked vehicles out

By Aerol B. Patena

MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has conducted clearing operations of sidewalk vendors and illegally parked vehicles in Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City as the agency starts the implementation of jeepney regulation along EDSA Monday.

MMDA supervising operations officer Bong Nebrija said the vendors’ stalls located along the side streets were removed while their goods and wares were confiscated by the MMDA.

Aguirre mulls installment of CCTVs inside AFP detention facility MANILA, Feb. 12 (PNA) – The Department of Justice (DOJ) plans to install CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Detention Center where some high profile inmates are temporarily detained.

DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the move is due to reports stating that some high profile inmates are living lavish lifestyles at the military’s detention facility. ”I think its not hard to do and it is necessary I think because of this and we put CCTV,” Aguirre told reporters during a press conference last Friday.

He explained that some inmates were detained at the AFP Detention Center due to the congestion inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Building 14 in Muntinlupa City and also to avoid the conflicts between some inmates. ”Alam po ninyo its only because of the congestion of the BuCor that’s why we were forced the get annex of the new bilibid sa Camp Aguinaldo (and) kasi the very reason they were put there because of the riot dalawang riot yun, namatay yung isa for which reason until now they could not be put together dun sa bldg. 14 where they are supposed to be housed before dun sila nag-rumble eh, dun sila nagsaksakan,” he noted.

He also recalled that he decided to transfer high profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian from the NBP to the National Bureau of Investigation Detention Center due to safety reasons. The DOJ chief added that Sebastian’s wife asked to have him transferred for fear for his life after the riot at the NBP’s Building 14. ”As a matter of fact that is the very reason why Jaybee Sebastian was also taken out of bldg. 14 and put sa NBI because of Jaybee Sebastian was complaining, his family was complaining that his life was very much in danger,” he added.

Furthermore, the agency has towed four vehicles for illegal parking.

Nebrija reiterated that jeepneys will no longer be allowed to pass through EDSA and they should only traverse through streets adjacent to the major thoroughfare.

“We will continue coordinating with barangay officials of Guadalupe Nuevo,” he said.

Starting today, public utility jeepneys (PUJs) are no longer allowed to pass EDSA-Guadalupe as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reviews

the franchise of passenger jeepneys passing through the thoroughfare as part of efforts to ease traffic congestion.

The initiative aims to lessen traffic in EDSA by diverting buses and jeepneys to other routes.

The regulation would be implemented by sector and initially, in the Guadalupe area since PUJs making a turn to Cloverleaf Park were causing heavy traffic up to Estrella.

MMDA has earlier coordinated with Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo officials about the closure of the P. Burgos exit to EDSA.

Mindanao solon dares Lopez to develop touted ‘green economy’ first before closing mines MANILA, Feb. 12 (PNA) – Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday challenged Environment Sec. Gina Lopez to start developing her “green economy” first as he welcomed the Duterte administration’s decision to put on hold the closure and suspension orders on 28 mines purportedly to give way to due process.

Barbers, whose constituents are affected by the closure and suspension order, urged Lopez to first put up and develop her “green economy”” and show that it can be done to employ mining workers under responsible mining.

“Put up your ‘green economy’ first, develop it and employ these people, then you can tell the mining companies to stop,” the Mindanao lawmaker said.

At the same time, Barbers lauded President Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet for collectively deciding to observe the right to due process of the affected mining firms.

“We welcome the move of the President and his men because this will provide due process and justice,” Barbers stressed, explaining that tens of thousands of workers are expected to be affected should the DENR implement the order to close 23 mining firms and suspend five others without giving them the opportunity to respond.

Barbers acknowledged the legitimate grievances of the affected sector, explaining the order will bring more harm than good because mining has been very important to the economy.

He also joined House Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza, a former DENR Secretary, in calling for Lopez to make a full public disclosure of the audit report against the mining firms.

“This is a very serious matter, the immediate full public disclosure of the report will provide answers to our basic questions and for the sake of transparency and accountability,” Barbers said.

Earlier, Barbers assailed Lopez for her decision, explaining the audit results were purportedly made secret and many of the firms affected by the ruling are legitimate and responsible in their operations.

He said Lopez could have been misled by one of her alleged consultants, former DENR Undersecretary and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) chief Leo Jasareno, who headed the audit team but was later on sacked

by President Duterte.

According to Barbers, the so-called environmental violations, if true, could be the result of years of alleged neglect or tolerance of former Environment Secretary Ramon Paje and the Jasareno-led MGB. The lawmaker from Surigao del Norte said there was no alleged transparency in the audit of mining firms and Lopez was “apparently fed highly-technical information that only Jasareno et al could understand and interpret.”

Related to this, Kalinga Rep. Allen Jesse Mangaoang and Coop-Natcco Partylist Rep. Anthony Bravo have formally filed House Resolution (HR) No. 756 to conduct a congressional investigation for Lopez to explain her alleged selective order and supposed absence of due process in her orders which could affect the country’s economy.

Mangaoang and Bravo said the inquiry is aimed at protecting the mining industry which is a great partner towards the country’s economic development.

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Tax reform to create buffer vs global protectionism wave MANILA, Feb 13 (PNA) – Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III underscored Monday before lawmakers the urgency of passing early this year the Duterte administration’s proposed Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) to help create a strong buffer that will shield the domestic economy from the surge of protectionism sweeping across the globe.

Speaking at the resumption of the tax reform hearing conducted by the House ways and means committee, Dominguez also said that unless the tax reform bill endorsed by the Department of Finance (DOF) is passed soon enough, millions of the country’s “hardcore poor, those with no skills and no opportunities,” will remain trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty for years to come.

“Given the uncertainty created by resurgent protectionism, we are likely to see volatility and risk-aversion among many of our trading partners. Slowing global trade translates into weaker global growth. We should seize the ‘Cinderella moment’ we now have to quickly move the fiscal reform package and create a buffer for the most vulnerable among our people,” the finance chief said at the hearing of this panel chaired by Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua. Cua is author of House Bill No. 4774, which contains the CTRP’s first package that aims to make the tax system more progressive by lowering personal income tax (PIT) rates to make these on the par with those of other economies in the region, expanding the Value Added Tax (VAT) base but retaining exemptions for seniors and persons with disabilities, and adjusting the excise taxes on oil and automobiles, among other measures.

Dominguez assured the House committee that most cars “will still be affordable” under the CTRP, while the more expensive ones will be charged higher excise taxes to “ensure progressivity” of the proposed tax system.

“We are at a critical juncture today. The easier path is to continue with existing policies that might bring high growth but will also sadly maintain high poverty and economic exclusion.

The more challenging path is to reform the fiscal and economic policies so that growth happens with equity,” he said.

Dominguez said that to attain this goal, the government needs to undertake a tax reform program that will enable the government to raise an additional Php 718 billion for education, Php 139 billion for health, Php 267 billion for social protection, welfare, and employment, and Php 1.73 trillion for urban and rural infrastructure.

“By failing to act boldly at a most opportune moment, we will betray our people. We will condemn our nation to the vicious cycle of high inflation, high interest rates and inhospitable business conditions that we endured before,” he said.

Dominguez pointed out that: “Without the tax reform package, our GDP growth cannot be sustained by at least 7 percent.

Without a dramatic increase in investments, the country will be consigned to growth below 6 percent—a purgatory for an emerging economy with great potential.”

“Our economic simulation studies validate this,” he said.

“We can no longer maintain high income tax rates. Our people expect relief from them. We cannot attract the investments we need until we bring our tax rates to the regional average. To compensate for lower rates, we intend to broaden the tax base and introduce new revenue measures. The entire package needs to be passed to ensure gains in revenues to fund the President’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda and maintain our strong macroeconomic fundamentals,” Dominguez said. .

“More expensive cars will be charged higher excise taxes to ensure progressivity. When taken as part of the package, most cars will still be affordable,” he added.

Dominguez said the growing uncertainty in global prospects as a result of recent external developments means the country would “need to prepare well and build a solid fiscal buffer to keep us strong when the storm comes.” “We must be fiscally prepared to invest more heavily in our human capital and in much needed infrastructure,” Dominguez said.

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OPINION

US Army to spend millions on bonuses, ads to recruit 6k more soldiers

MOSCOW, Feb 14 (PNA/Sputnik) – The United States commonly boast about having the strongest military in the world, yet they still seek to recruit additional 6,000 people to the Army.

The United States have 1.3 million active military personnel and enormous USD 600 billion military budget. Yet this year, the US Armed Forces wants to increase its yearly recruitment by 6,000, from last year’s 62,500 to 68,500 recruits. While 6,000 might look like a relatively small number, the US Armed Forces are forced go to great lengths to achieve this goal.

You might want to use a calculator as you read the figures.

According to Major General Jeffrey Snow, who leads Army Recruiting Command, recruiting just 6,000 people will cost US Army USD 200 million for bonuses for new recruits. That’s some USD 33,333 for every recruit.

But it looks like this money is not enough to convince recruits join the US Army, as Snow also claims the need of some USD 100 million just for advertising.

There is also the need for recruitment personnel, so Snow added some USD 10 million to bolster the corps of recruiters.

That’s some USD 1,666 reward for every recruited army rookie.

The bottom line will be USD 310 million for 6,000 men.

“In order to do this, it’s going to require an awful lot of funding,” Snow said.

The US Army, however, is not

the only branch of US Armed Forces that plans to beef up its personnel. According to their respective spokespersons cited by the media, the Air Force will recruit 4,000 more, the Navy seeks to get 2,000 more and the Marine Corps will add nearly 800 more Marines to their ranks. If we imagine their prices the same as US Army, that doubles the amount of money to more than USD 620 million.

In fact, the US Army aims even higher. Currently, there is 460,000 active personnel, and the goal it thrives to reach by October 1st 2017 is 476,000, which is 16,000 more soldiers, which is, in turn, almost thrice the USD 310 million figure we calculated earlier.

But US President Donald Trump aims for even higher figure, as much as 60,000 more soldiers than there are now. You might want to calculate how much would that cost yourself.

Now comes the fun part. The money US Army is going to spend is not actually there. In order to increase its spending, the Army must first secure an approval by the US Congress, and which reportedly is not in a hurry to approve the plan.

“The Army may be getting a little ahead of itself here,” says Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonpartisan think tank. “The money has not been appropriated.”

Despite this, the Army already has a somewhat elaborated plan in

the works. According to media reports, the Army is going to double the bonuses for new recruits, from some USD 20,000 per recruit to USD 40,000. The USD 100 million put in advertisement is needed to produce adverts that will mention the new USD 40,000 bonus, according to Snow.

But even that is not enough to lure people into the Army ranks, as the enlistments themselves will be shortened to two-year term for the first time (before this year, the Army made contracts for three, four and more years of service).

The idea behind that is to lure more high school graduates who are not so eager to go to college right away. According to Snow, the Army hopes the former students stay in the Army after the short two-year demo version.

Snow also pointed out that the Army has been lowering its standards for recruits for a considerable of time. This has summoned a large number of “sub-par” soldiers, many of whom had to be culled right after training. Snow pointed out that standards need to be brought to its former level.

“There is very clear guidance from the leadership in our conversations that there is no desire to lower standards,” Snow said.

Despite all that, Snow and one of his top aides, Command Sergeant Major Anthony Stoneburg, expressed confidence that the Army would hit its target by October 1st with recruits of proper quality.

Trump vows to deal with DPRK ‘very strongly’ after Pyongyang’s missile launch WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (PNA/ Xinhua) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to deal with Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) “very strongly”, calling the Asian country a “big, big problem.”

Trump made the remark at a joint press conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, after the DPRK launched its ballistic missile on Sunday.But the U.S. president did not elaborate on what actions he planned to take in relation to the DPRK. “We have problems all over the Middle East. We have problems just about every corner of the globe no matter where you look,” Trump

said when asked about the most important national security issues facing the United States.

Trump on Saturday vowed U.S. support to Japan in a hastily called joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Florida.

“I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent,” Trump said.

The DPRK claimed on Monday it had successfully test-fired Pukguksong-2, a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile, and its top leader Kim Jong Un guided the test firing, according to the state news agency

KCNA. On Monday, China said it is opposed to the DPRK’s test-launch of the ballistic missile, which is in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

China calls for all parties concerned to exercise restraint and jointly maintain stability in the region, Geng Shuang, a spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a routine press briefing.

Earlier Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement issued by his spokesman, strongly condemned the latest move by Pyongyang, saying “this action is a further troubling violation of (UN) Security Council resolutions.”

Eco overdrive to create enough jobs for PHL ‘demographic sweet spot’ DAVAO CITY, Feb 13 (PNA) – With the Philippines “nearing its demographic sweet spot,” the government needs to sustain its economic overdrive to create enough jobs for the ever-increasing ranks of young Filipinos joining the work force, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said.

Dominguez said under the Duterte administration, the government is spending big not only on infrastructure and social protection for the poorest families, but also on education, health and skills training in order to prime the country’s youth for the challenges of a globally competitive job environment.

Speaking at the Manila Times Business Forum held at the Marco Polo Hotel, Dominguez stressed the urgency for government to improve the job-related skills of young Filipinos because our ever-expanding labor force is one comparative advantage that can make the Philippines catch up with its more vibrant Southeast Asian neighbors and best compete with them for foreign investments.

“Investment-led growth creates meaningful employment. It draws our younger workers into jobs that require globally competitive skills.

It allows us to optimize assets that are scarce such as land. It draws us to our advantages such as a young labor force capable of learning and doing new things,” Dominguez said.

“Our population is nearing a demographic ‘sweet spot’ where millions of young Filipinos will be joining the workforce. We need to

train them in the high skills required for a 21st century economy,” he said.

Dominguez said that to fulfill President Duterte’s pledge of sustaining high growth and making it truly inclusive, especially for those at society’s fringes, the government must spearhead efforts to make growth investment-led rather than consumption-led.

The Duterte administration’s unmatched spending on these three areas--infrastructure, human capital development and social protection—would help realize its inclusive-growth agenda and reduce the rate of poverty incidence from the current 22 percent to 14 percent by 2022.

“To produce investment-led growth, however, we need to rapidly upgrade our infrastructure.

After many years, of spending less than our neighbors for quality infra, we now face a huge backlog that this administration aspires to close in the medium term,” Dominguez said. But to achieve that, “the government must be armed with ample revenues to do a groundbreaking public investments program. This is where the Finance Department comes in and where its role becomes absolutely critical,” he added.

Dominguez said that to collect enough revenues needed for this unprecedented public investments program, the government must institute reforms not only in tax administration but in tax policy as well, which is why it is vigorously pushing the swift approval of a Comprehensive Tax Reform

Program (CTRP) in the Congress.

The first package under the CTRP fulfills President Duterte’s campaign pledge to cut personal income tax rates, Dominguez said.

“We are going to do that not only because it was a campaign promise but, more important, because it makes good economic sense.”

The succeeding package under the CTRP aims to lower corporate income tax rates, he said.

“We cannot hope to attract investment flows into our economy if our tax rates are substantially higher than in neighboring economies. We seek to bring income taxes from the top rate of 32 percent to a more reasonable 25 percent,” he said. But the reductions in income taxes should also be accompanied by a corresponding set of revenue compensating measures, which, under the new bill now pending in the Congress, seeks to adjust the excise taxes on fuel and automobiles and expand the Value Added Tax (VAT) base, while retaining the exemptions enjoyed by seniors and persons with disabilities, among other measures, Dominguez said.

“Apart from removing a disincentive to investment, lower income tax rates reduce the incentive to evade taxation. Combined with a program to overhaul our tax system to make it simpler for the taxpayers to comply, we hope to broaden the tax base. It is difficult to imagine that an economy as complex and as dynamic as ours has a large taxpayer base of less than 3,000 individuals and companies,” Dominguez said.

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SC affirms Sandiganbayan’s forfeiture of Marcos jewelry collection

By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan

MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The Supreme Court denied the petition for certiorari of the family of former President Ferdinand Marcos seeking to reverse the decision of the Sandiganbayan ordering the forfeiture in favor of the government of the jewelry collection and also called Malacanang jewelry collection, one of three collections confiscated from former first lady Imelda Marcos in 1986.

In a 21-page decision penned by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, the SC’s First Division, affirmed that the Sandiganbayan’s decision issued on Jan. 13, 2014 and denied the petition filed by Mrs. Marcos and her daughter Irene Marcos-Araneta.

The SC said “the forfeiture was justified and that the Malacanang Collection was subject to forfeiture.”

“We reiterate what we have already stated initially in Republic v. Sandiganbayan, and subsequently in Marcos v. Republic: that ‘whenever any public officer or employee has acquired during his incumbency an amount of property which is manifestly out of proportion to his salary as such public officer or employee and to his other lawful income and the income from legitimately acquired property, said property shall be presumed prima facie to have been unlawfully acquired,” the SC said. “Petitioners failed to satisfactorily show that the properties were lawfully acquired; hence, the prima facie presumption that they were unlawfully acquired prevails,” it added.

The Court also did not give credence to the claim of the Marcoses that they were deprived of due process since there has been no trial

or hearing for to be able to prove that the jewelry were legally acquired.

The Malacanang collection is composed of smaller, less expensive pieces that the Marcoses left behind when they fled during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

The Malacañang jewelry collection is kept in the vaults of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas along with the Roumeliotes and Hawaii collections.

The 60-piece Roumeliotes Collection was seized from Demetriou Roumeliotes, a Greek national, at the Manila International Airport as he was about to leave the country in March 1986.

The Hawaii collection, meanwhile, comprises jewelry found in the family’s luggage when they arrived at the Honolulu International Airport on February 25, 1986.

Customs to probe smuggling of top three imported products

By Ferdinand G. Patinio

MANILA, Feb 11 (PNA) – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is set to probe revenue losses amounting to billions of pesos from smuggling of top three imported products.

Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon has directed the intelligence and investigation service to look into reports of rampant oil, luxury vehicle, and cigarette smuggling in many parts of the country.

BOC records show that motor vehicle, oil, and cigarette smuggling are currently top sources of revenue leaks feared to hit more than Php50 billion per year, or almost 10.68% of the annual revenue target of Php467.9 billion.

“We are ready to use all available options in the probe against erring companies of oil, motor vehicle, and cigarette to make sure we control all forms of revenue leaks that are seriously detrimental to hitting revenue targets including proper trade facilitation processes of BOC,” the BOC head said in a statement.

Oil smuggling, common through pilferage (siphoning-off of oil from tankers to barges in high seas and then to oil trucks on land delivery to depots), is reportedly rampant while luxury vehicle smuggling is carried out through misdeclaration, misclassification, and/or undervaluation, both of which result in huge losses of government

revenues.

Also cigarette smuggling robs the income of the government from non-payment of duties and taxes, aside from use of fake tax stamps of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Data also show that revenue losses from these three big tickets in Philippine imports contributes to the almost USD 3.85 billion (or Php165.5 billion, at Php45/ US dollar exchange rate) revenue loss from smuggling yearly, or 35.4 percent of the current annual revenue target.

The report indicated that rampant luxury cars smuggling in the country were attributed to interests of Filipinos on modish and majestic vehicles.

Closer look at hot air balloons: Visitors take pictures near colorful hot air balloons at the 21st Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga on Sunday (Feb. 12, 2017)(PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

House approves bill extending passport validity to 10 years MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The House of Representatives on Monday night approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to lengthen the validity of the Philippine passport from five years to 10 years.

With 216 votes on the affirmative, zero negative votes and zero abstention,

the lower chamber passed House Bill No. 4767, which introduces an amendment to the Philippine Passport Law (Republic Act 8239) that will extend the passport’s validity.

Under Section 10 of RA 8239, the passport is valid for a period of five years, regardless of the age of the

applicant.

The present law refers to passport as “a document issued by the Philippine government to its citizens and requesting other governments to allow its citizens to pass safely and freely, and in case of need to give him/her all lawful aid and protection.”

Baguio City temperature drops to 8.0ºC on Valentine’s Day BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 14 (PNA) – Temperature in Baguio City dropped to 8.0ºC (46.4 ºF), recorded at 6 a.m. on Valentine’s Day, the lowest recorded since January.

Ian Jasper Pelayo of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the temperature is expected to drop lower.

6ºC was recorded at Mount Santo Tomas, standing 2,260 meters above sea level (MASL).

At Mount Pulag (2,922 masl), temperature as low as 2ºC have been experienced in January 2017.

Low temperatures may still be experienced until the end of February.

The average temperature is between 10 and 12ºC in Baguio City and is attributed to the northeast monsoon from China and Mongolia, Pelayo said.

Pelayo added that Baguio City and Benguet province will experience isolated light rains but will generally have a good weather condition throughout the week.

PAGASA – Baguio is anticipating a low temperature of about 7.5ºC until end of February.

The coldest temperature recorded in 2016 was at 5

a.m. on Jan. 26 with a low 10.8ºC at the Central Business District (CBD).

The lowest recorded temperature in Baguio City was 6.3ºC on Jan. 18, 1961.

PNP holds mass wedding on Valentine’s Day MANILA, Feb. 14 (PNA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) held a mass wedding coinciding with the celebration of Valentine’s Day. The mass wedding dubbed as “Kasalang Bayan” also coincided with the celebration of the PNP’s 26th Founding Anniversary.

PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa stood as the principal sponsor for the 21 couples who took the sacrament of marriage at the St. Joseph Chapel in Camp Crame,

Quezon City on Tuesday.

Rev. Fr. Senior Supt. Eligo Mativo, PNP chaplain, and Rev. Fr. Jose Borja officiated the concelebrated mass for the sacrament of marriage to 21 couples consisting of PNP officers and non-uniformed personnel (NUP) with their respective partners in life during the traditional “Kasalang Bayan” of the PNP. In his homily, Mativo said that love, which brings in marriage, serves as an inspiration to the policemen to strive even better in delivering public service.

Police Inspector Ariel Gupana, who was the highest ranking officer among the newly-wedded couples, had exchanged “wedding vows” in front of the altar with his bride Pinky Gupana.

Dela Rosa, together with the PNP command group, served as the principal sponsors during the conduct of the simple mass wedding.

The PNP chief was accompanied by his wife Nancy Dela Rosa when he stood as a principal sponsor for the newly-wedded police couples.

DOLE issues rules vs age discrimination in employment

By Ferdinand G. Patinio

MANILA, Feb. 11 (PNA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has reminded employers and other stakeholders to strictly comply with the Republic Act (RA) 10911, which promote equal employment opportunities for everyone.

This, after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III signed Department Order No. 170, or the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 10911 or the anti-age discrimination law.

“The provisions of this order apply to all employers, publishers, labor contractors or subcontractors, and labor organizations, whether or not registered,” he said in statement.

Bello noted that the law prohibits an employer to print or publish, or cause to be printed or published, in any form of media, including the internet, any notice of advertisement relating to employment suggesting preferences, limitations, specifications, and discrimination based on age.

Likewise, it is unlawful for an employer to require the declaration of age or birth date during the appli-

cation process; decline any employment application because of the individual’s age; or discriminate against an individual in terms of compensation, terms and conditions or privileges of employment on account of such individual’s age.

An employer should also give promotion or training opportunity to an employee regardless of age; forcibly lay off an employee or worker because of old age; or impose early retirement on the basis of such employee’s or worker’s age.

On the other hand, labor contractors or subcontractors are not allowed to refuse to refer for employment or otherwise discriminate against any individual because of such person’s age.

The same with labor organizations, as its unlawful for them to deny membership; to exclude from its membership; or to cause or attempt to cause an employer to discriminate any individual because of an individual’s age.

Although RA 10911 prohibits discrimination in employment on account of age, it also sets exceptions or situations when it shall

be lawful for an employer to set age limitations in employment.

Violation of the anti-age discrimination law shall be punished with a fine of not less than PHP50,000 but not more than PHP500,000, or imprisonment of not less than three months but not more than two years, or both, at the discretion of the court.

The IRR was signed on Feb. 2 and shall take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

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UTREACH Time gets more risky for immigrants

By Abner Galino

The time has become more precarious for immigrants, legal or undocumented, in the United States of America.

This is according to immigration lawyers and advocates who participated in a national press call hosted

by New America Media and Ready California on Wednesday (February 8).

Sally Kinoshita, deputy director of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), advised undocumented immigrants under detention not to sign any document that they don’t understand; to invoke their rights to remain silent when necessary; and to ask for legal representation.

Kinoshita stressed that authorities needed to show warrants or lawful orders from courts to get inside residences of people.

“So if they were not breaking your door, there is no reason for you to open your door to them,” Kinoshita said.

Esther Sung, staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), said she was a member of the legal team that successfully worked for the release of two Iraqis held at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as a consequence of a travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump on seven Muslim-majority countries.

Sung said despite the continuing hostilities against

immigrant communities, there were indications that it is backfiring as manifested by an unprecedented number of amicus briefs (document that is filed in a court by someone who is not directly related to the case under consideration) that have been filed in court arguing against Trump’s executive orders.

“Many of them came from the tech industry,” Sung disclosed, which she said, “only shows that the importance of immigrants in both the local and national economy.”

The lawyers said Trump’s immigration enforcement order would affect immigrants who were convicted of any criminal offense, regardless of what the offense was, when it occurred, or the circumstances of the conviction; those who haven’t even been convicted of a crime, but have been charged with one; those who have broken a law, with no charges or convictions resulting from it; and those with final administrative deportation orders.

It appears that the executive order does not make so much allowance or provide considerations for immigrants to be allowed to stay – not their length of time in the United States, whether they are married to a US citizen or have children who are citizens, or the content of their character and the contributions they have been making to their com-

munities and the society, in general.

Meanwhile, the third member of the panel Grisel Ruiz, staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), reported that as developments unfold, state legislators are stepping up and are doing everything they can to protect immigrants.

Ruiz cited Senate Bill 54 that seeks to prohibit state and local law enforcement from using their resources to investigate, arrest or detain suspects for immigration enforcement purposes.

The immigrant rights advocate lamented that the current system does not provide public defenders in immigration cases. Ruiz said such a situation is unfortunate as she pointed out that about “82% of cases represented by lawyers were won while 24% were lost due to absence of legal representation.”

Currently, Senate Bill 6 is being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure seeks to establish legal aid for immigrants and has an urgency provision to take effect immediately.

Another proposal, Senate Bill 31, seeks to forbid state and local agencies from providing personally identifiable information about an individual’s religious beliefs to the federal government.

The press call was moderated by Odette Keeley, NAM’s national media network director.

Last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched a series of targeted enforcement operations across the country. These operations targeted public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who illegally re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges.

Hundreds of undocumented immigrants arrested in at least 6 US states WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 (PNA/Xinhua) – Hundreds of undocumented immigrants from a dozen Latin American countries have been arrested in at least six US states this week, following President Donald Trump’s executive order to broaden the scope of immigration enforcement targets.

They were netted in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials confirmed Saturday.

Among them 161 arrests were made in Los Angeles and some 200 in Atlanta, said local media reports. The authorities didn’t reveal the total number of the arrests.

Gillian Christensen, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE,

said the crackdown was part of “routine” immigration enforcement actions.

A majority of those detained were serious criminals, including some who were convicted of murder and domestic violence, she said.

“We’re talking about people who are threats to public safety or a threat to the integrity of the immigration system,” she said.

However, a Washington Post report said some of the detained are without criminal records, calling it the first large-scale crackdown under the Trump administration.

On January 25, Trump issued an executive order ending the previous “catch and release” policy. Under the new order, the immigration enforcement are allowed to target undocumented immi-

grants with minor offenses or no convictions.

Immigration officials acknowledged that as a result of Trump’s executive order, authorities had cast a wider net than they would have last year, said the report.

The Obama administration has also pursued a more aggressive deportation policy than any previous presidents, sending over 400,000 people back to their birth countries in 2012.

However, in his second term, Obama prioritized convicted criminals for deportation.

On the 2016 campaign trail, Trump pledged to deport two to three million undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

There are estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living across the United States.

DFA: Filipinos not among arrested

by US immigration officials MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said it has not received any information that there were Filipinos rounded up by immigration authorities in the United States.

US President Donald Trump has given the green light to immigration officers to round up illegal migrants working in the US.

“So far, we haven’t received reports of Filipinos being among those rounded up,” DFA spokesman and Assistant Sec. Charles Jose said in a text message.

US authorities has started arresting hundreds of undocumented migrants, the first large-scale raids under President Trump, triggering panic in immigrant communities nationwide.

Reports reaching DFA said the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency rounded up undocumented individuals living in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and other nearby cities.

The nightmare of illegal migrants started two weeks ago after Trump signed an executive order to deport undocumented immigrants.

Carson City Council unanimously approves veteran’s housing project Housing project to provide affordable housing for more than 50 veterans and their families

The Carson City Council unanimously approved a development agreement with a subsidiary of Thomas Safran & Associates, a Los Angeles area -based housing developer. The agreement provides financial assistance for the development of a 51-unit affordable housing community that will provide leasing preference to Veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The project will include top market-rate amenities such as a community room, outdoor courtyard with grill and seating areas, a fitness center, a computer room and also offer social services and classes for the residents.

Programming will include financial planning assistance; vocational programs; social activities; and various educational, recreational, social and fitness courses. These

services will be provided to the residents free of charge.

The City’s assistance will consist of providing land for the project and providing up to $5.5M in financial housing assistance towards the project development costs. The developer will also seek a 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) to finance the project. If the developer is successful in obtaining the 9% TCAC award in the first application round of 2017, construction of this Veteran’s housing development would begin later this year.

The City of Carson already currently provides a number of vital services for our Veterans, and now with this project Carson will also provide much needed high quality affordable housing for Veterans and their families.

“When it comes to our Veterans and their family, the City of Carson is putting its money where its mouth is,” said Carson

Mayor Albert Robles. “We hope that other communities and especially the Federal government find a way to assist those who so bravely and unselfishly served our country. We can’t wait until this beautiful and much needed project is built.”

Thomas Safran & Associates has developed over 6,000 units of luxury, affordable and mixed-use rental housing in Southern California. For over 40 years, they have specialized in developing and managing high-quality and award-winning properties. They have developed several projects in Carson, including the Avalon Courtyard, a 92-unit building; the Villaggio, a 149-unit property; The Gateway, an 86-unit building; and also the very successful Renaissance at City Center, a 150-unit market rate luxury apartment development, which they sold in 2016.

For more information, please contact John Raymond at (310) 952-1773 or jraymond@carson.ca.us.

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Bulacan receives Central Luzon excellence awards for health MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan, Feb. 9 (PNA) – This province has proven once again its excellence in providing health services to the community after receiving several recognitions in the Central Luzon Excellence Awards for Health (CLExAH) 2016 of the Department of Health held at the Royce Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Thursday afternoon.

Bulacan received the National Tuberculosis Control Program Achievement Award for having achieved its target in both case detection rate and success rate and was hailed as one of the top performing provinces on community-based donations.

The municipalities of Bustos and Plaridel and the City of San Jose del Monte were also named top performing on community-based donations.

Likewise, the municipalities of Plaridel and San Rafael were recognized as best mental health program implementers for being able to sustain communities’ well-being, prioritizing the promotion of mental health, protecting human rights and freedom of persons with mental diseases and the reduction of the burden and consequences of the aforementioned.

“We are so happy and there are more municipalities which were able to do well in terms of good governance and were given recognitions. Recently, the DOH has launchd a program on drugs, more on rehabilitation, cure, and reform. We are always in support with the government health programs,” Alvarado said.

The governor also said that the government is determined to achieve a peace-

ful and progressive community and will always be willing to fight against those who wish otherwise.

The DOH Region 3 also recognized the “Luntiang Silong” of the Bulacan Medical Center, “Gintong Kanlungan” of the Guiguinto RHU II, and the Ospital ng Lungsod ng SJDM as “HIV satellite treatment hubs with best response on HIV and STI prevention and control”.

Meanwhile, the Bulacan Medical Center was cited for being active in advocating expanded newborn screening.

With the theme, “Sustaining Excellence in Health in 2016 and beyond”, CLExAH aims to give recognition to partners in health for their outstanding performances and significant contributions to maintaining a healthy community.

Nat’l screening program eyed to win war vs cancer

By Leilani S. Junio

MANILA, Feb. 9 (PNA) – The war against cancer could be won if the government comes up with a policy that will put in place a comprehensive national screening program for the early detection of the dreaded disease, an oncologist has said. Dr. Dennis Sacdalan of Manila Med (Medical Center Manila) said the best strategy to reduce cancer cases remains to be early detection, for instance through colonoscopy for colon cancer,

mammography for breast cancer, and Pap smear for cervical cancer.

“We do promote screening. We try to promote it with relatives of patients because they may be at risk.

To raise awareness, I hope we can promote some cancer prevention strategies or cancer screening procedures that can help detect cancer early, at the point where it is curable, even before it develops,” Sacdalan said.

He noted that cancer continues to be one of the

biggest health problems in the country. Last year, the Philippines had the highest incidence rate of breast cancer among 197 countries, according to the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. A total of 12 Filipinos die of cervical cancer every day. The Department of Health (DOH) has ranked colon cancer as fourth in terms of incidence and mortality, while lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and third in women.

Pasig River: ‘Now you see it, now you don’t’: From a distance this stretch of Pasig River -- as seen from the Barkadahan Bridge in Pasig City -- appears just like an open field. It’s time of the year once more when this free-floating weed from Laguna Lake accumulates in the Pasig River before eventually flowing out into Manila Bay. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

Mega drug rehab facility in Nueva Ecija only has 133 patients: DOH

By Leilani S. Junio

MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The Department of Health (DOH) reported Monday that three months after its opening, the Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija only has 133 patients.

“Almost every week however, there is a steady flow of referrals from local government units,” Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Ubial said during a press briefing held at the DOH media relations unit in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila.

The facility, which has a 10,000-bed capacity, was inaugurated in November last year to cater to drug surrenderers who need in-patient

treatment.

Ubial attributed the low number of patients in the rehabilitation center to the fact that admission is on a voluntary basis.

“Unfortunately, as I mentioned, that would be on a voluntary basis. Not much drug dependents volunteered. I think only less than 10 of the patients from Bicutan actually went to Nueva Ecija,” she said.

She further pointed out that the low turn-out of rehab patients could also be because out of the 16,000 drug surrenderers in Central Luzon assessed to need rehab, only 1 percent of them had to undergo inpatient rehabilitation.

The rest, she said, were

admitted to community-based treatment and rehabilitation that were jointly facilitated by local government units, civil society organizations and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Given the current situation in the mega drug rehab center, Ubial said they are considering “downsizing” future rehab centers.

“We’re now thinking that the biggest treatment center that we will build is one with a 500-bed capacity, not a mega facility,” Ubial said.

She also said that they have realized that there is really no need for residential-type facilities because community-based programs are already operational.

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KITCHENOMICS

Mighty Mushroom Blended Burger Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 1/2 pound any variety mushroom 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 buns Finely dice mushrooms or gently pulse in food processor.

In skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and add mushrooms, cooking 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Transfer cooled mushrooms to medium bowl. Add ground beef and salt, mixing until combined. Make four patties.

Add remaining olive oil to pan and cook burger patties on medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches at least 160 F. Plate and add desired toppings to bun.

Recommended toppings include: pickled red peppers, crumbled blue cheese and watercress greens.

FAMILY FEATURES

I

t’s not always easy to create meals that are both nutritious and satisfying. Managing intake of added sugar and saturated fat takes effort and planning, but transforming your favorite recipes into more nutritious family meals can be simpler than you imagined.

The nutrient-dense mushroom masterfully bridges that divide, RIIHULQJ ULFK DQG PHDW\ Ă€DYRU ZKLOH VWLOO EHLQJ IDW IUHH ORZ FDORULH and low-sodium. All mushrooms contain vitamin D at various levels, which helps build strong bones. Additionally, mushrooms are a source RI % YLWDPLQV LQFOXGLQJ ULERĂ€DYLQ DQG QLDFLQ ZKLFK KHOS SURYLGH energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. “Mushrooms are an incredibly versatile ingredient,â€? said Mary Jo Feeney, MS, RDN, nutrition research consultant for the Mushroom Council. “They can be the meaty star of a vegetarian dish or a nutritious complement to burgers and other hearty recipes.â€?

For a healthy weekday lunch, consider building a salad bowl around the earthy mushroom. Pair roasted or marinated mushrooms with crunchy vegetables and nutty grains, beans and pulses, and top with a simple vinaigrette or squeeze of citrus.

For lightened-up versions of classics such as burgers and meatballs, try adopting a culinary technique known as “The Blend.� Simply chop any mushroom variety to match the consistency of ground meat, blend the mushrooms into the meat and cook the mushroom-meat blend to complete the recipe. Substituting at least 25 percent of the meat for mushrooms can enhance the taste of your favorite meaty meals, deliver an extra serving of nutrient-rich vegetables and trim calorie and fat intake.

For additional mushroom recipes that incorporate the blending technique, visit mushroominfo.com.

Roasted Mushroom and Wheat Berry Salad with Orange Curry Vinaigrette Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 8 ounces white button mushrooms, halved 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil WHDVSRRQ ÂżQHO\ JURXQG VHD VDOW 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups cooked wheat berries, warm 2 green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped Dressing: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon curry powder WHDVSRRQ ÂżQHO\ JURXQG VHD VDOW Heat oven to 400 F. Place mushrooms on baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Bake 10 minutes. Carefully stir mushrooms and bake 5 more minutes, until tender.

Transfer mushrooms to medium bowl.

Add wheat berries, green onions and cranberries.

In small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.

Pour dressing over salad. Toss to mix all ingredients. Serve warm.

Marinated Mushroom Bowls with Lentils and Wild Rice Prep time: 40 minutes Servings: 4 Mushrooms: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil 1 teaspoon chili oil 1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice pinch of salt 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 cups cooked French lentils 1 cup cooked wild rice 1 cup chopped cucumber To marinate mushrooms: In shallow bowl, whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil.

Stir in green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Add mushrooms and gently toss in marinade. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.

Place cabbage in bowl and toss with lime juice and pinch of salt. Set aside.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to both lentils and wild rice.

To serve, arrange equal amount of mushrooms, cabbage, lentils, wild rice and cucumbers in each bowl. Drizzle with remaining marinade and garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced green onions and black sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges.

Note: Can be served at room temperature or cold.

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2K PRVW EHDXWLIXO À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enny

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Friday - Thursday, February 17 - 23, 2017

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ENTERT Liza Soberano admits she feels ugly ‘all the time’ Liza Soberano may be widely considered as one of the most beautiful actresses in local showbiz today, but even she has some insecurities.

Soberano acknowledged that she can relate to the image issues her character has in the upcoming romantic comedy “My Ex and Whys.”

“Oo naman, all the time,” she said after being asked if she has ever felt ugly. “To be honest, humans are never content with how they feel and there are some days when you just don’t feel your best.”

“Especially when I’m on my period. ...You feel bloated, and you just feel bad about yourself the whole time. I don’t know why but girls are like that,” she added.

In the movie, she plays Cali, whose boyfriend Gio

Liza Soberano

(Enrique Gil) cheated on her. A trailer for the film went viral after Soberano, as her character, was seen confronting Gio over his other girls, saying: “Am I not enough? Pangit ba ako?

Kapalit-palit ba ako?”

Many quipped that Soberano didn’t quite fit the role of a hopeless romantic as she clearly has the looks that was once described by Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe

2015, as worthy of becoming a future title-holder.

“I saw the meme and nakakatuwa (sila),” Soberano said. “Out of all my lines, hindi ko naisip na iyon iyong magiging viral.”

She added that the scene was one of the most emotionally heavy ones in the movie so she was surprised to learn that many of her fans were laughing when they watched it.

“All I have to say is that it is one of the most emotional scenes in the whole movie, and a lot of women who have been cheated on will be able to relate to that scene,” she said. Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, “My Ex and Whys” will premiere in cinemas nationwide on February 15. It is Star Cinema’s Valentine’s Day offering. It is also Gil and Soberano’s third movie as a love team. (MNS)

Daniel Matsunaga on breakup with Erich Gonzales: Not about money Daniel Matsunaga denies that he and Erich Gonzales broke up because of money.

“It was never about money like what a lot of people are thinking right now,” he said after Gonzales revealed to the media that their relationship had come to screeching halt.

Rumors about their split first surfaced after Gonzales deleted all of her photos with him from her Instagram account.

Their decision to not directly address their love troubles paved the way for more speculation, with some

Daniel Matsunaga

claiming that financial troubles were a factor.

There were also sugges-

tions that a third party was involved, but both Gonzalez and Matsunaga have repeatedly struck those down.

Matsunaga again refused to detail his breakup with his leading lady. He only said that he is leaving everything to God at this point.

Matsunaga, who rose to fame after he won “Pinoy Big Brother: All In,” was in relationship with Gonzales since 2015.

The two have starred in the hit morning series “Be My Lady,” which concluded after nearly a year on air.

(MNS)

THE US ASIAN POST

INMENT How Luis, Jessy will spend first Valentine’s Day together MANILA, Feb 13 (Mabuhay) -- For their first Valentine’s Day together, celebrity couple Jessy Mendiola and Luis Manzano have decided to go scuba diving.

Asked for their plans, Mendiola revealed to reporters that she and her boyfriend will be exploring the waters of Anilao in Batangas to celebrate the occasion.

“Iyon lang naman iyong ginagawa namin kasi busy siya ngayon,” she said. “So nag-plan lang kami ng mabilisang celebration.”

It was Manzano who introduced Mendiola to scu-

Jessy Mendiola

ba diving back in December. Clearly hooked, the actress shared that she will

be spending the remaining of her time off from doing projects to finish her diving lessons. After a busy 2016, Mendiola announced that she will be taking a short break. “For now, tatapusin ko muna iyong advanced diving course,” she said.

Mendiola spoke to the media after signing a two-year extension with ABS-CBN. “Blessed ako kasi napili nila ako and nandoon iyong trust nila sa akin to continue working in the same network. So for that, I’m very grateful and thankful,” she said. (MNS)

Lea gives update on reunion movie with Aga Broadway star Lea Salonga admitted that she is not optimistic about the prospect of doing a movie with Aga Muhlach this year.

In a press conference on Tuesday for her concert “Songs from the Stage” on February 17 and 18 at PICC Plenary Hall in Pasay City, Salonga said she would love to do a reunion movie with Muhlach if her schedule permits.

“I mean I would love to, again, if schedules work out.

But I’m looking at my year and certain prospects and possibilities, and I’m not optimistic about our prospect for doing a film this year,” she said.

“So for me kung mag-

Lea Salonga

karoon ng pelikula, kapag nagkaraoras kami pareho nang sabay, eh di no problem. Pero kung hindi talaga magkatugma, eh di wala, okay lang. It’s no great loss.

It will be fun, I will admit, because we have a good time together, but we’ll see.

“It has to really be right, I mean, we are approaching late 40s na. So kailangan hindi na pa-cute, ‘di na kami bagay doon. I’m not cute anymore,” Salonga explained. Salonga and Muhlach’s reunion movie was confirmed last August 2015 by Star Cinema.

Aside from “Sana Maulit Muli,” Muhlach and Salonga starred in the movie “Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal.”

In a previous interview, Salonga said that she only wants to be paired with Muhlach because she is already comfortable working with the actor. (MNS)

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday, February 17 - 23, 2017

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MOTORING Roughing it in style CHICAGO, Feb. 9, 2017 - - Families on the go, TRD style! Toyota’s Tundra fullsize pickup truck and Sequoia large SUV have long been ideal for adventuresome families in need of that unique combination of performance, utility, towing ability and comfort. For 2018, the experts at Toyota Racing Development (TRD) have developed the new TRD Sport grade for Tundra and Sequoia, offering active families an extra dose of sportier styling and performance for added fun and excitement on their next journey.

In addition to the new TRD Sport grades, Tundra and Sequoia will receive new styling, convenience and safety features for all 2018 models, including Toyota Safety Sense-P (TSS-P) as standard equipment.

Outdoor family fun isn’t exclusive to Toyota’s two largest truck and SUV models.

For the 2018 model year, the popular RAV4 compact crossover adds a new Adventure grade for young families looking for fun in out-of-theway places.

Already a fun-to-drive crossover for young families with active lifestyles, the new RAV4 Adventure adds a sportier takeme-anywhere attitude for the weekend warrior.

Tundra TRD Sport The new Tundra TRD Sport is available on 4x4 and 4x2 grades in CrewMax and Double Cab configurations

2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure

and powered by the proven 381-horsepower 5.7-liter i-Force V8 engine. Driving performance will be enhanced with the addition of TRD Sport Tuned Bilstein Shocks and TRD front and rear anti-sway bars. Key exterior features for the TRD Sport include: Color-keyed mirrors, front and rear bumpers Color-keyed hood scoop 20-inch alloy silver sport wheels LED Headlights with smoked chrome bezel, Daytime Running Lights (DRL), and LED Fog Lights Mesh grille with body color surround TRD Sport bedside graphic Exterior colors for the TRD Sport will include Super White, Magnetic Gray, Midnight Black Pearl, Blazing Blue Pearl and Barcelona Red Metallic.

The exterior styling is complemented with interior features that include a TRD shift knob and TRD Sport floor mats.

The TRD Sport is just part of an overall refresh for the 2018 Tundra.

Safety will be enhanced on all Tundra models with the addition of Toyota Safety Sense™ (TSS-P) as standard equipment. This multi-feature advanced active safety suite bundles a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Auto High Beams (AHB) and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC). Drivers can view the status of TSS-P through an upgraded Multi-information Display.

The 2018 Tundra will receive exterior updates that include a new mesh grille on select trims while the Tundra Limited and 1794 Edition will receive a new billet style grille.

The Limited, Platinum and 1794 Edition will be equipped with new LED Headlights and Daytime Running Lights (DRL), and LED Fog Lights. LED headlights and Fog Lights are also available when the TRD Off-Road Package is selected on SR5 models.

The SR and SR5 grades will receive halogen headlights with a black bezel and LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

Sequoia TRD Sport The brawny 2018 Sequoia TRD Sport will be available in 4x4 and 4x2 models equipped with the 5.7-liter i-Force V8 engine.

Toyota global hybrids sales surpass 10 million Plano, Texas (February 13, 2017) – Toyota announced today that it has achieved more than 10 million cumulative units of hybrid vehicle (HV) sales, including plug-in hybrids, as of January 31. The latest milestone was achieved just nine months after total sales reached 9 million units at the end of April 2016.

Toyota Motor North America also saw its sales of hybrids and plugin hybrids reach a cumulative total, exceeding three million units as of December 31, 2016.

“The Prius stands as an icon for sustainability and efficiency, and is a shining example of what you can achieve when you have the right idea to help solve a problem,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor North America. “Hybrids remain an important part of our lineup of vehicles, with over 246,000 units sold last year, and we have

seen continued demand with the release of the RAV4 Hybrid variant of the popular compact SUV, accounting for nearly 13 percent of its total sales volume in 2016.”

Takeshi Uchiyamada, known as the father of the Prius and co-chairman of the Board of Directors at Toyota said, “When we launched Prius, no one even knew what a hybrid was, but, thanks to early adopters, hybrids have ridden a wave of success into the mainstream.” He added, “We are grateful to each and every one of our customers who have helped us achieve this important [global] milestone.”

As of January 31, Toyota estimates that the use of Toyota’s hybrid vehicles, as an alternative to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance has resulted in approximately 77 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions and has saved approx-

imately 7.66 million gallons of gasoline (29 million kiloliters).

More than a numerical milestone, the results demonstrate the staying power of hybrid powertrain technology, which has emerged as a mainstream solution to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

Toyota values activities to help reduce the environmental effects of automobiles. This achievement builds on the belief that widespread adoption of more environmentally-friendly vehicles can make a significant positive impact worldwide.

To learn more about the history, development, and future of hybrid technology at Toyota, please visit http:// www.toyota-global.com/ To view Toyota Motor Corporation’s release, go to: http:// newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/14940871/.

Life and Leisure News for Filipino-Americans

Mag-

tayo!

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LOS ANGELES

Friday - Thursday, February 17 - 23, 2017

THE US ASIAN POST

DPWH

From page 1

The DPWH has installed warning signs and barricades on the affected areas while clearing operations/removal or debris, is on going.

The report revealed that the one lane of the Malico Bridge (Lipata-Surigao Section) is passable to light vehicles as the structure found to have depressed approach slab/damaged concrete railings.

Steel plate and warning signs were also put up at the bridge’s approaches.

Heavy vehicles are diverted to Surigao Wharp Road connecting Surigao City-San Juan Coastal in going to and from Lipata Port and Surigao-Agusan Road.

The DPWH said that the Regional/District Risk Management Team is continuously monitoring the effects

of the tremor particularly in Surigao City.

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Caraga Region with an epicenter in Surigao City.

RELIEF GOODS

From page 1

Photo shows damage caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao province at 10:03 p.m. Friday (Feb. 10, 2017). (MNS photo)

SURIGAO QUAKE From page 1

tral and eastern portions which are mainly lowlands,” he noted. West-lying San Francisco and Malimono municipalities are among the province’s most landslide-prone areas, he said.

Landslides can also occur in Surigao del Sur province if the aftershocks are strong enough and near that area, Marfito continued.

“Heavy rainfall can likewise trigger landslides in Surigao,” he said.

Marfito said Phivolcs hasn’t yet received reports of landslides directly triggered by the 10:03 p.m. earthquake off Surigao del Norte last Friday (Feb. 10).

He, however, noted that communities in Surigao del Norte must still be alert to possible landslides as Phivolcs monitoring so far shows the earthquake’s af-

tershocks are still concentrated in this province.

“Avoid elevated areas as much as possible,” he urged people there.

Phivolcs reported already monitoring, as of 9 a.m.

Monday (Feb. 13), 151 aftershocks from the Surigao earthquake.

Six of those aftershocks were reported felt, said Phivolcs science research analyst Wilmer Legaspi.

He noted some of the aftershocks occurred at depths deeper than the 11 kms Phivolcs reported for Friday’s earthquake.

Several aftershocks were also moderately strong as these ranged from magnitude 4.0 to 4.9, Phivolcs data show.

In its latest available situation report this week, National Disaster Risk Re-

duction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday’s earthquake affected almost 5,200 people in Surigao del Norte.

Eight persons were reported dead due to that earthquake while 202 people sustained injuries, noted NDRRMC. NDRRMC also said the earthquake damaged school facilities, an airport runway, a hospital, roads, bridges and around 1,034 houses in Surigao del Norte.

San Francisco, Malimono and other municipalities in Surigao del Norte experienced total blackout and water service interruptions due to the earthquake, NDRRMC further reported.

Authorities already placed Surigao del Norte’s capital Surigao City under a state of calamity.

priorities in the distribution of the relief goods, a social welfare official said.

In his short message, President Duterte thanked God that the earthquake damage to properties and the loss of lives were minimal. Local disaster officials reported that only six people were killed in the earthquake last Friday while about 100 people were slightly injured and were treated as out-patients.

President Duterte said that he was thankful that the earthquake did not inflict so much damages compared to other past calamities in the country.

The President recounted the incident after typhoon Yolanda struck the city of Tacloban in Leyte sometime in November 2013 where

unidentified dead bodies scattered around.

“One could not drive a vehicle on the street of Tacloban after the typhoon Yolanda because of the dead bodies,” the President said.

Aside from the distribution of the relief goods, the President also extended financial assistance to the family where a member of the family died during the earthquake.

President Duterte also ordered Secretary Mark Villar, from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to clear all the roads affected by the earthquake to ensure smooth delivery of relief goods to Surigao City.

He also ordered the restoration of the power in the city after electricity was

restored in most parts of the Surigao although other areas remained in darkness.

“I want power restored in Surigao City and Surigao Del Norte tonight,” Duterte said.

He said that his party landed at the alternate airport in Butuan City, where he took a Presidential helicopter and conducted an aerial assessment of the effects of the earthquake.

The President was accompanied by some cabinet members, particularly the DPWH, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

SUCCESSFUL TEST

From page 1

Korean style new type strategic weapon system,” was supervised by Kim at the scene, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.

The U.N. Security Council is making arrangements to convene an emergency meeting as early as Monday afternoon in New York

following a request from Tokyo, Seoul and Washington, according to Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga.

were in breach of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

North Korea has conducted several missile launches

in the past months, including its biggest nuclear test last September, prompting condemnation from international community.

MISSILE

From page 1

listic missile test fire led to protests from the country’s closest neighbors, Japan and South Korea, both stating that Pyongyang’s actions

ASEAN MEETINGS

From page 1

different locations in the island.

Aside from them, thousands of emergency responders and other elements are deployed to secure the safety, peace and order and the smooth conduct of the meetings.

After the first meeting,

all members of the STG Boracay will remain activated until the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat scheduled on February 19 to 21 which will be held at Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort.

Security for the said meeting will be more intensified because of higher number

of high profile delegates, Gorero said. At least 300 ministers from the 10 ASEAN countries will attend the meeting to be spearheaded also by the DFA. Gorero said the STG is expected to remain activated five days after the last day of the ASEAN meetings.

adding that “in current situations, we call on all parties concerned to keep calm and refrain from actions that could further escalate tensions.”

The ministry said it sees no alternative to political and diplomatic means for the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issues, including the denuclearization in the region.

However, a senior Russian lawmaker warned Sunday that unilateral responses to the missile test will only increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“Unilateral actions taken by the United States, the Republic of Korea or Japan will only ratchet up the already high tensions,” Konstantin Kosachev, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian upper house of parliament, was quoted by the RIA Novosti agency as saying on Sunday.

Any response of the international community to the DPRK’s missile launch should be made jointly within the frame of the U.N. Security Council or the Six-Party Talks, said Kosachev.

The Six-Party Talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan, were a multilateral mechanism aimed at solving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

The talks began in 2003 and

stalled in December 2008.

The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009.

The European Union (EU) on Sunday lashed out at the DPRK for the test-launch of the missile, slamming the “provocative and unacceptable” move as yet another violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

“The DPRK must halt all launches using ballistic missile technology and abandon once and for all its ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, as required by the U.N. Security Council,” a spokesperson of the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic service, said in a statement.

Urging the DPRK to reengage in talks with the international community, in particular the Six-Party Talks, the spokesperson said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will further discuss international response with her counterparts.

China is opposed to the test-launch of the ballistic missile by the DPRK, which is in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday.

China calls for the parties concerned to exercise restraint and maintain regional stability, spokesperson Geng Shuang told a routine press briefing.

CONDEMNS

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lutions and a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the international community.

The statement said the repeated DPRK provocations are a direct challenge to the international community’s concerted will reflected in Resolution 2321, unanimously adopted by the U.N. Security Council.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday strongly condemned the launch, saying it is “a further troubling violation of (U.N.) Security Council resolutions”.

“The DPRK leadership must return to full compliance with its international obligations and to the path of denuclearization,” Guterres said in the statement, calling “the international community to continue to address this situation in a united manner.”

The U.N. Security Council is expected to hold consultations on the missile test, diplomats said at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday that the ballistic missile launch by the DPRK “cannot but cause regret and concern.”

“We deem the DPRK’s missile launch on Sunday as another defiant disregard of relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions,” said a foreign ministry statement,

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