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NEWS

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JULY 2018

More OFW families turning to investments

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ore households are investing instead of saving the money sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFW), the results of a quarterly survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

Redentor Paolo Alegre, head of the BSP’s Department of Economic Statistics (DES), said the 2nd Quarter Consumer Expectation Survey showed the percentage of OFW households using remittances to invest as of the second quarter improved to 5.2 percent from 4.2 percent in the first quarter.

The ratio of OFW households using remittances for investments was more than double the 2.3 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2007 when the CES was launched.

On the other hand, Alegre said the percentage of OFW households saving remittances further declined to 33.9 percent in the second quarter from 38.3 percent in the first quarter.

The percentage of OFW households

using remittances to save as of the second quarter of the year was almost five times the 7.2 percent recorded when the CES was launched 11 years ago.

“OFW households that utilize their remittances for savings decline while those for investment increase for Q2 2018,” Alegre said.

Of the 446 households included in the survey that received OFW remittances for second quarter, he said 94.2 percent used the remittances that they received to purchase food and other household needs.

He added the proportion of households that allotted part of remittances for education reached 64.1 percent, medical expenses with 46.9 percent, and debt payments with 22.9 percent.

The CES survey for the second quarter was conducted between April 2 and 14 covering 5,339 respondents. More than eight percent of the total respondents or 446 households received remittances from

abroad.

Latest data showed the amount of money sent home by overseas Filipinos posted its steepest decline in almost 15 years on the continued repatriation of Filipino workers and the fewer banking days in March due to the Holy Week.

Personal remittances fell 9.9 percent to $2.63 billion in March from $2.91 billion in the same month last year, while cash remittances coursed through banks dropped 9.8 percent to $2.36 billion from $2.61 billion.

This was the biggest decline since April 2003 when remittances booked a double-digit decline of 10.9 percent.

For the first quarter of the year, personal remittances inched up 1.3 percent to $7.81 billion from $7.71 billion in the same quarter last year, while cash remittances inched up 0.8 percent to $7.01 billion from $6.95 billion.

The decline was traced to the continued repatriation of Filipino workers from the Middle East countries as data from the

Department of Labor and Employment indicated that a total of 1,124 OF workers were repatriated from Kuwait as of Feb. 8.

In February, the Department of Labor and Employment issued a total deployment ban as ordered by President Duterte due to a series of reports involving abuse and death of Filipino workers in Kuwait.

Despite this, the Philippines and Kuwait signed a memorandum of agreement providing additional protection for Filipino workers in the Gulf country. This could pave the way for the partial lifting of the deployment ban on Filipino workers to Kuwait.

There were also fewer banking days in March due to the Holy Week.

The BSP has set a growth target of four percent for this year. Remittances sent home

by Filipinos abroad account for about 10 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and provides the country with much needed buffer to survive external shocks. —Philstar

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applicants to pay in advance or prepay the processing fees through selected payment centers and, eventually, through debit and credit cards and over-the-counter cash transactions in selected banks.

The new payment system is convenient since applicants can pay the fees anywhere, any time and it will also maximize the capacity of DFA consular offices. The DFA said only 60 to 65 percent of applicants appear at DFA

consular offices on their date of appointment under the old system.

“With ePayment, we expect that no-shows in our consular offices will be significantly reduced, if not totally eliminated.

By prepaying, applicants are encouraged to show up lest they forfeit their passport processing fee,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

The ePayment tests at DFA Aseana in

Parañaque City posted a show-up rate of 94-97 percent compared to the current 6065 percent. The new payment system will also eliminate fixers and scammers since the scheme requires applicants to pay the fee prior to their personal appearance at their consular office of choice. The appointment made is non-transferable.

New passport payment scheme to ease application process

he new system involving the advance payment of passport processing fees will encourage applicants to appear at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) consular offices on their date of appointment to avoid forfeiture of their payment.

The DFA launched its passport ePayment Portal to help increase its capacity to receive and process passport applications.

The ePayment Portal requires passport

APPLICATION

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NEWS

JULY 2018

Surviving versus living: The Filipino family’s monthly budget

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fter the National Economic and Development Authority received flak after it was misquoted for supposedly claiming that a family of five needs P10,000 to survive each month, the agency clarified that P42,000 would be the estimate for a decentenough living—and not simply for survival.

Two family members would need to each earn at least P21,000 per month under the estimated figure to have a rather comfortable lifestyle, noted Ernesto Pernia, the country’s socioeconomic planning secretary.

Pernia said, however, that P42,000 is not an official figure by his agency. “That number was just top of mind,” he said.

He also explained that NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon used P10,000 as an example before since the figure is easier to multiply with other numbers to see an estimated effect of the rising inflation rate.

He explained in an interview the supposed P10,000 estimate that caught on even if it

was just used as a sample income at a press conference. “The average Filipino family size kasi is five, kaya na-coconnect. ‘Yung P10,000 is illustrative lang iyon eh, kasi madali mo increase by two times, three times, ganoon.”

Pernia added that the estimated P42,000 figure can change if one of the two family members is not working.

Meanwhile, Renato Reyes Jr. of the leftleaning of left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Makabayan noted that living with P10,000 per month is attainable but the family would be close to the “poverty line.”

NEDA has clarified its computation. Para sa kumportableng buhay, P42,000 a month ang kailangan. Ang hiling ng manggagwa ay P750/day o P18,750/month. Pero kahit ito ay ayaw ibigay. Meanwhile, ang poverty line ay mahigit P9,000/month lang. Kaya pala sa P10,000 ay hindi ka mahirap.

So, sa P10,000/month ay technically, hindi ka mahirap, pero malayo ka din sa

kumoportable. Ikaw marahil ay “hirap na hirap” at survival mode lang.

Breakdown of costs

For a family of five, a budget of P42,000 per month can be broken down into the following: Food

Partido ng Manggagawa declared that a family needs to allot P3,150 per month to buy themselves 2.5 kilos of the cheapest rice available in the market. For other types of food, around P17,160 is needed.

Non-food items Non-food items are further broken down into different purchases: Clothing, Electricity and water bills, and Transportation and funds for the children’s education, among others.

Renato Magtubo or the workers’ group said that a family can survive on around P21,840 for non-food items.

In total, families would spend P39,000

per month, close to what Pernia has estimated for a family to live decently.

An average Filipino family spends much on food, followed by education of the children.

Considering Pernia’s unofficial estimated budget of P42,000 per month, a family of five can have some extra fund amounting to P3,000.

Magtubo noted that the group’s estimates do not include miscellaneous expenses:

“Our cost of living study is, in fact, an underestimation as it does not provide for leisure and recreation, savings or social security which should comprise 10 percent as a standard or for a house help, which is a necessity if the government insists that both parents must work to sustain the family.”

The P3,000 may be further broken down into: l Leisure and recreation l Social security l Income for the household help —Interaskyon

However, Cimatu said that only establishments that are compliant with government and environmental regulations shall be allowed to operate. “Those establishments that are not compliant and still face cases — that is a big ‘no’ for them,” he said.

Of the 2,269 establishments on the island, only 95 are compliant, said Department of the Interior and Local Government Officerin-Charge Eduardo Año.

“Marami silang aayusin bago sila

makapag-continue ng business nila (They have to fix many things before they could continue to operate),” said Año. With six days before the second month of the closure, Cimatu likewise said that more than 50 percent of the rehabilitation work is already done.

“We have already identified everything.

Implementation na lang ito. It is only a matter of time,” he told members of the media, adding that various government agencies have been on track in meeting the different

key result areas (KRAs) that are part of the task force’s mandate.

Rehab works update

Cimatu said water quality on the island’s White Beach is already improving based on the regular monitoring conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB).

Boracay to reopen by October: Task force

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usinesses in this resort island may already accept bookings for Oct. 27 onwards, said Roy Cimatu, environment secretary and head of the interagency task force for Boracay’s rehabilitation.

Boracay’s closure will not be extended beyond Oct. 26, Cimatu said during a press conference after the task force meeting held in Boracay on June 19. Tourism activities on the island ceased since April 26 to give way for its cleanup and rehabilitation.

REOPEN

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MOL streamlines passport information updates for migrant workers

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igrant workers who register their change of information with the National Immigration Agency (NIA) when they obtain a new passport are no longer required to also file that information with the Ministry of Labor (MOL), the ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said that in an effort to simplify the procedure for the employment of migrant workers, it has removed the requirement with immediate effect and instead has established a link with the NIA database.

Through that database link, the MOL said, it automatically will be able to update passport information for migrant workers, who were required in the past to register new passports with both the NIA and MOL.

In 2017, some 88 percent of employers of migrant workers registered passport data changes with both the NIA and MOL for their foreign employees, according to Chiu Yue-yun, head of the MOL Workforce Development Agency.

Going forward, the average number of such data changes per year is estimated at about 65,000, according to the labor ministry.

Double attraction effect naranasan

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i Maria Biaco, matagal nang nagtatrabaho dito sa Taiwan ay nagkaroon ng magandang karanasan ng dahil sa paggamit ng sexual na pabango na gawa sa England, ang upgraded version Dream Love 1000. Nabasa niya mula sa “The Migrants” ang mga testimoniya ng mga kababaihan na nakaranas ng epektibong resulta nito.

Nahikayat siya na bumili ng nasabing pabango mula sa EEC Elite Mart sa halagang NT$560 lamang. Naging palagian na niya itong gamit bago lumabas ng bahay. Araw ng kaniyang day off ay napadaan siya sa harapan ng dalawang Amerikano, nadinig niyang nasambit ng mga ito na,”smells so good” pagkalampas sa mga ito at napuna niyang nakasunod pa din ng tingin ang

Maria Biaco

mga ito kahit nakalayo na siya.

Napangiti na lamang sapagkat batid na epekto ito ng nasabing pabango, na di maiiwasang humalimuyak sa kanyang

pagdaan sa kanila.

Napansin din niyang naging malumanay ang kanyang mga amo kapag nakikipag-usap at nag-uutos. Napuna din niyang panay ang titig ng among lalaki sa kaniya at minsan ay isinama pa siya sa pagsundo ng alaga mula sa school. Habang nasa loob sila ng kotse ay panay ang komento ng amo na ang bangu-bango niya at nasabi pang siya ay sexy kahit may asawa na. Ngumiti at nagpasalamat siya sa kanyang amo, na sa kanyang saloobin ay naiisip niya na talagang epektibo ang pabango niyang natuklasan.

Nakapag-pagaan ng kanyang pang-araw araw na pamumuhay ang feeling na siya ay malinis at mabango, bagay na naging inspirasyon niya sa araw araw na pagta-trabaho.

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enator Aquilino Pimentel III on Monday welcomed the agreement between the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which would enable the use of “dark fiber” in the National Broadband Plan (NBP). Dark fiber refers to the unused portion of the fiber-optics in the transmission grid which could be utilized to establish optical connections among locations.

“This is one step closer to the fulfillment of the promise for free internet in the country.

The implications for trade is enormous, as it will unlock a vast market that hitherto was unable to access the benefits of electronic commerce in the country,” Pimentel said.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship said a nationwide free internet will spur the creation of more enterprises and increase the trade volume of existing companies.

“The internet opens lines of communication between entrepreneurs and consumers, while at the same time empowers those with marketable ideas to enter the entrepreneurial ranks. This is the power of the internet which the Duterte Administration has opened for the use of every Filipino,” Pimentel said. In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year, President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered the development of a NBP to improve the internet speeds in the country.

According to the DICT website, the NBP

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III would “give everyone the chance to reap the advantages of high-speed internet.”

Meanwhile, Pimentel also expressed optimism that the NBP will spur the decrease of internet access price in the country.

The Philippines has often been cited as a case where consumers pay more for lower quality service of internet service providers (ISPs). “While not intended as a competitor to the current telcos, the existence of a free alternative should bring prices down and the quality of service up,” Pimentel said.

The tripartite agreement on “dark fiber” between the DICT, TransCo and NGCP was signed last Friday. The “dark fiber” is 6,154 kilometers long and spans from Luzon to Mindanao. According to the DICT, the agreement will accelerate the deployment of fiber optic cables and shorten the period in the run-up to the actual implementation of the NBP. —pna.gov.ph

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Undying ‘paluwagan’ system revived as scam in social media age

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ant to have some money tucked away? Try the paluwagan system, but be cautioned about online

scams.

A recently released Securities and Exchange Commission advisory warning the public against groups sending invitations to invest in “online paluwagan” circles reveals how the familiar group and investments savings system has survived and evolved to embrace the rise of the internet and social media.

There are groups in social media luring investors to give money in exchange for huge return. These are professional scammers and are illegal. If you have information about these, report to the proper authorities.

The SEC advisory lists 30 groups allegedly involved in the ponzi scheme.

The groups supposedly lure investors into joining paluwagan circles with promising returns upon their payout schedules. The scammers peddle promises of returns based on exorbitant interest rates, ranging from as 10 percent up to 757 percent.

1.1.Road – RoadTo To Stockmarket/Dreambuilders Stockmarket/Dreambuilders Rtsm 2; 2 – Rtsm 2.2.Steady Onpal; Steady Money Money Onpal 3.3.G-Funds; G-Funds 4.4.Team Grace; Team Amazing Amazing Grace Donatos Team 5.5.Donatos Team––Gig Gig; Team Donatos; Donatos 6.6.Team Building Bridge 7.7.Building Bridge; GbsNew New Hope; Hope 8.8.Gbs GbsTrust Trust Traders 9.9.Gbs Traders; 10.Whilmz Whilmz Team 10.

TeamInternational International; 11.Whilmz Whilmz International Online Paluwagan 11.

International Online Paluwagan; 12.Rosca Rosca–– Money’s Money’s Worth 12.

WorthOnpal Onpal; 13.Warriors Warriors Team 13.

TeamOnpal Onpal; 14.Team Team Warriors 14.

Warriors; 15. Xplosion 15.

Xplosion; 16. Red Packet 16.

Red Packet; 17. Elite Savers Club 17. Elite Savers Club; 18. Share Ko Profit Ko 18. Share Ko Profit Ko; 19. Sutm & Boj 19. Sutm & Boj; 20. Real Team Angel International 20. Real Team Angel International; 21. Original Team Angels 21. Original Team Angels; 22. Return Of The Comeback Team 22. Return Of The Comeback Team Angels Internationals Angels Internationals; 23. Cone Weekly Investment 23. Cone Weekly Investment; 24. 2Do Marketing Services 24. 2Do Marketing Services; 25. Power7 M2g 25.

Power7 M2g; 26. Onpal Adhoc 26.

Adhoc;Guild 27.Onpal Swift Earners 27.

Earners 28.Swift Exclusive CircleGuild; Of Earners 28.

29.Exclusive Old Tbc Circle Of Earners; 29.

Tbc;Profit AndSharing.

30.Old Lover’s 30. Lover’s Profit Sharing.

However, the administrators in charge of redistributing the payouts are unable to refund the entire amount owed to the participants. Social media is abound with

APPLICATION Continued from Page 2 Heping West Rd. Sec. (和平西路三段)

Xiyuan Rd. Sec. 1 (西園路一段)

Longshan Temple MRT Station Exit 1

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JULY 2018

‘Dark fiber’ deal will hasten free internet in Philippines: Pimentel

Pap Smear Pregnancy Test Prenatal Care

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Chung Shan Women’s Clinic

Gui Lin Road (桂林路)

HOW TO GET CHUNG SHAN WOMEN’S CLINIC

By Bus: - From St. Christopher’s Church Take Bus 218 at Tatung University stop and get off at Guei Lin Road stop (10 mins.)

- From Taipei Main Station South Exit to Zhonghsiao West Road. Take Bus 218 or 265 get off at Guei Lin Road Stop (5 mins)

By MRT: From Taipei Main Station, take the Bannan Line (blue) to Longshan Temple Station, get out from Exit 1, turn right to Xi Yuan Road, walk to the clinic for 3 mins.

The new payment system will also eliminate fixers and scammers since the scheme requires applicants to pay the fee prior to their personal appearance at their consular office of choice. The appointment made is non-transferable.

Applicants can pay the passport processing fee through any of the following payment centers: Bayad Center; EcPay; Pera Hub; Robinsons Business Center and Department Store; Walter Mart Department Store; 7-Eleven; USCC Western Union and

stories of similar organizations using deceit to profit at the expense of others.

The SEC has warned against organizations that turn online paluwagan circles into ponzi schemes.

One Facebook user related how her passport picture was used by a certain Melody Joy Rivas as identification to gain the trust of potential investors in a paluwagan circle called “Millionaires Club” last year. The group does not appear on the list circulated by the SEC. What is paluwagan?

Paluwagan is a popular system of saving money in Filipino social circles.

One Reddit user provides a concise explanation of how the system works.

Ideally, paluwagan functions as a money pool to encourage close-knit circles to help each other save money. But as recent stories reveal, it has provided scammers a means for profiting off the unwitting.

In 2002, former Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. recognizing the prevalence of the paluwagan system in small communities advocated a nationwide paluwagan system that would discourage individuals from patronizing jueteng gambling circles. He cited the success of the “Bayanihan Banking Centers” then set up in Pasay City to argue for the paluwagan system.

Yes, there’s paluwagan outside the Philippines.

The system is not endemic to the Philippines.

Internationally, paluwagan circles are known as “rotating savings and credit associations” or ROSCAs.

A paper published in 1989 claims that the system may have started as early as the 13th century, a precursor to modern finance.

According to Yoichi Izumida, author of the paper, the Japanese called it “kou.”

Meanwhile, a World Bank study published in 2014 observed that 17 percent of adult males in developing countries participate in semiformal systems such as the ROSCAs.

Tech author Sunil Sanchev, who cited both articles in discussing the possibility of digital ROSCAs recognized the risks to the system. “Early attrition is an obvious risk and there’s no way to guarantee that an individual’s turn in the rotation will coincide with their need for financing,” writes Sanchev in his 2016 article.

Why do people still support the paluwagan system?

Despite the risks, many still participate in the tradition. One Reddit user in another discussion on paluwagan gave an explanation for its continued patronage. Finance blog Collaborative Finance claims that ROSCA participants join so as to commit to saving, since participants cannot use the money after they deposit their contribution.

—Interaksyon Villarica Pawnshop.

Other payment centers as well as credit/ debit card payment facility will be made available soon.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Frank Cimafranca said the ePayment portal will initially apply to applications lodged at the DFA Aseana Consular Office beginning June and would be rolled out in Metro Manila in July and nationwide by August.

“The ePayment system is just one of the programs the DFA is introducing to improve people’s access to its passporting services,” Cimafranca said.

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Simple instructions nakatulong sa kababayan upang pumuti at maging sexy

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binahagi ni Leny Avano ang kaniyang magandang karanasan sa paggamit ng orihinal na upgraded Dream Love 1000 5 in 1 body essence lotion, gawa sa England na may 3D hologram model image silver seal. Katulad ng karamihan sa atin, karaniwang tumataba si Leny kapag panahon ng tag-lamig dahil napapadami ang kanyang pagkain.

Mas lalo niya itong naramdaman nang hindi na siya komportable sa mga isinusuot niyang damit. Kaya sinimulan niyang magbawas sa pagkaing nakakapag-pataba.

Matagal na niyang nababasa mula sa EEC Now ang patungkol Leny Avano (Before) Leny Avano (After) sa 5 in 1 lotion kalakip ang mga siya nito mula sa EEC Elite Mart sa instruction sheet at pagkaraan ng before at after photos ng mga Pinay halagang NT$590 lamang. ilang linggo ay nagkaroon ng hugis na gumamit nito at napatunayang Ginamit niya ito ng ayon sa ang kaniyang katawan. Lumiit din epektibo. Naengganyo at bumili

ang kaniyang puson at nabawasan ng 10 pounds ang kanyang timbang.

Two inches na taba ang nabawas mula sa baywang at 1½ inches naman sa kanyang balakang. Pumuti at nagmukha siyang younger looking.

Ngayon ay komportable na siyang isuot ang kahit na anong damit na naisin niya. Ang natural na sangkap nito ay garantisadong walang side effects at nakapagbibigay ng mabilis na resulta.

Naging maselan ngayon si Leny na Dream Love na lamang ang kanyang gamit na lotion. Wala na siyang hahanapin pang iba dahil naging epektibo ito sa kanya at naranasan na niya mismo nang mangyari ang mga inaasam-asam na hugis ng katawan at malasutlang kutis na kanya na ngayong inaalagaan at ini-enjoy!

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NEWS New terminal in Philippines’ Cebu airport to open on July 1

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he Mactan-Cebu International Airport’s (MCIA) brand new Terminal 2 in the Central Philippines will open on July 1. The new terminal hopes to meet the region’s growing popularity. Cebu and Visayan islands were ranked the second best island in the world by Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2017. Eva Air and Air Asia offer direct flights to MCIA from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte chaired the opening ceremony, which was attended by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of Tourism, Secretary of Transportation and local politicians. “I was awed when I started to walk towards this place. This airport is so beautiful,” said Duterte according to the Philippine Star. The new terminal will allow the airport to service 12.5 million passengers per year. The new terminal takes design cues from local fauna and Cebu’s iconic landscapes.

Kenneth Cobonpue, an internationally recognized industrial designer and Cebu local was part of the design team. The exiting terminal, Terminal 1, will be converted to service domestic travel only. The airport has plans to expand further. A proposal to build an additional runway and a third terminal is being considered.

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Pinoy designer wins big in toilet paper wedding contest

Duterte vows to hike teachers’ pay, but says gov’t cannot double it

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fter doubling the salaries of government forces, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to hike the pay of public schools teachers but admitted he the government could not double it. “Ang inyo, kayo ang isunod ko,” Duterte said during the 37th Principals Training and Development Program and National Board Conference in Davao City. The pledge was met with applause. And then the President said, “Pero hindi naman masyadong doblado, hindi talaga kaya. Hindi talaga kaya.” The President then explained that while he initially wanted to double the pay of teachers in January, the country is lacking the resources to hike their salary. “I’m not blaming anybody but simply there are too many Filipinos. Ang resources natin wala,” he said.

In January, Budget Secretary Ben Diokno said doubling teachers’ salary in 2019 would require an additional national budget of ₱343.7 billion, which may lead to raising taxes and sacrificing other country programs such as the “Build, Build, Build” program. Entry-level teachers in public schools earn ₱20,000. They will get an additional ₱7,000 per annum under the salary standardization law. With the tax reform law in effect, entry level teachers are also expected to get around ₱35,000 per year increase in their take-home pay.

Duterte to arm community leaders in bid to fight crime in the Philippines

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he Philippines interior ministry said that handguns will be provided to community leaders, known as “barangay captains” who are willing to confront crime throughout the Philippines on June 13. Under the plan, handguns will be provided for free, or subsidies given for private purchases by barangay captains who are not involved in illegal activities, the interior ministry told Reuters. Martin Dino, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary said that under the 1991 Local Government Code, community leaders are legally allowed to carry firearms in an interview with ABS-CBN. The plan comes after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said he was considering the measure during a speech on June 12. Between January and May this year, at least 20 barangay captains have been killed. The government claims that barangay captains are too afraid of reporting crime to the authorities and the measure is hoped to reduce crime.

Duterte had also previously claimed that thousands of the 42,000 total barangay captains are involved in illicit activities. Edgar Erice, District Representative for Caloocan City’s Second District described the plan as “a wild, wild west scenario” and Representative Tom Villarin said it was a “recipe for disaster”.

Safety in the Philippines at par with South Korea, Australia, research firm says

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he Philippines maintained its ranking in the upper half of the research firm Gallup’s 2018 Global Law and Order report, which determines people’s sense of personal security and experience with crime and law enforcement. The Gallup report assigned the Philippines an index score of 82, the same score it got last year. The country is at par with Croatia, Poland, Israel, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Serbia, Australia, South Korea, Romania, Iran and Sri Lanka.

This, despite the thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings linked to the government’s brutal drug war. According to the latest government data, there were 4,279 alleged drug dealers and users who had died since the start of the government’s ferocious anti-narcotics campaign.

This is significantly lower than the estimate of human rights groups at more than 12,000 drug personalities dead. In the 2016 report, the Philippines garnered an index score of 76.

Malacañang welcomed the Gallup report. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the results show that Filipinos feel safe under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. In the Global Peace Index 2018 released, the Philippines was considered one of the least peaceful countries in the world after ranking 137th out of the 163 nations. Singaporeans feel safest; Venezuelans least likely to feel safe. Gallup interviewed more than 148,000 adults in 142 countries and areas in 2017.

DoT: ‘Buhay Carinderia’ project suspended

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epartment of Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat reiterated the suspension of Buhay Carinderia Redefined project of the Tourism Promotions Board and private firm Marylindbert International, following the reported staging of its North Luzon Roadshow. “Given the suspension of the program, and pending its review by the Commission on Audit [CoA], any activities of the private proponent of Buhay Carinderia at this point are not sanctioned by the DoT and should not in anyway be considered as connected with the Department,” Romulo-Puyat said in a statement. “DoT has not disbursed any further funds since the suspension,” she added. Once verified, Romulo-Puyat said the agency will take “appropriate steps,” including formally informing the other party about “DoT’s actions.” The secretary did not elaborate. Buhay Carinderia Redefined’s Facebook page outlined an upcoming event titled “Buhay Carinderia: Vigan City” at the Vigan City Convention Center set from June 29 to June 30. Within the first week of June, Buhay Carinderia Redefined has concluded pre-qualifying events in North Luzon. In a memorandum dated May 18, 2018, Romulo-Puyat instructed the “suspension of the implementation of all ongoing TPB projects” subject to CoA review, including the Buhay Carinderia project. The review was requested after questions were raised on TPB’s P80- million payment for the Filipino food tourism project. It was later discovered that the project has not gone through the regular bidding process.

Ronaldo "Roy" Cruz, Filipino floral designer from Chesapeake, Virginia.

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ifty-one-year-old Ronaldo “Roy” Cruz who was laid off from his job of 13 years at Farm Fresh, is a Filipino floral designer from Chesapeake, Virginia. On June 20, he won $10,000 for creating the best toilet paper wedding dress in New York. He bested nine other finalists who showcased their toilet paper bridal gown creations at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City.

The gowns were made from toilet paper, tape, glue, needle and thread.

Cruz’ creation is a two-piece floor length gown with beaded halter top and pleated detachable skirt. It was modeled by his niece Danika Enriquez, with makeup done by Carmel Cruz, also his niece.

The veil is made of paper flowers, beads, and crown. It took Cruz 28 rolls of toilet paper to complete his winning bridal gown.

Cruz came to the United States from the Philippines in 2003 and is now a US citizen.

He plans to use his winnings to visit the Philippines. “I would go to the Philippines and treat my nephews and nieces.”

“When they called my name I can’t really stand because I’m shaking because I’ve been

A close-up of the wedding gown for the 2018 Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest.

waiting on this for like - five times already, this is my fourth time being on the top ten. So I’m really amazed and thankful, grateful,” Cruz said. The Philippines is where Cruz learned to sew, making gowns of waste materials and creating pageant dresses before coming to the United States in 2003 and eventually gaining his citizenship, he said. He is confident in his artistry, referencing his win as fan favorite in 2015, 2016 and 2017 in the contest. The contest is a joint venture by Quilted Northern and Cheap Chic Weddings.

Last year Cruz used 42 rolls of toilet paper. This year, he scaled down, calling it the simplest of the designs he’s entered.

However, making it was still tedious. The twotiered gown and headpiece required 28 rolls.

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JULY 2018

Sotto asks Inquirer to take down stories on Pepsi Paloma rape, slay

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enate President Vicente Sotto III has asked Inquirer.net to take down articles linking him to the rape and killing of ‘80s star Pepsi Paloma.

In a Facebook post, US-based columnist Rodel Rodis bared copies of Sotto’s letter asking the website, the online platform of leading broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer, to remove the stories titled “The Rape of Pepsi Paloma,” “Was Pepsi Paloma murdered?” and “Tito Sotto denies whitewashing Pepsi Paloma rape case.”

As of this posting, Rodis’ public post has been shared more than 10,000 times and has received nearly 9,000 reactions.

The letters were dated May 29, 2018, just a few days after Sotto was elected Senate President. The articles, two of which were written by Rodis, were published between 2014 and 2016.

Sotto explained that the articles had a

“malicious imputation of a crime” against him.

“These kinds of unverified articles have been negatively affecting my reputation for the longest time,” Sotto said in his letter.

Inquirer.net confirmed that Sotto did make such a request but has yet to make any decision on the matter.

“INQUIRER.net believes it is within Sen. Sotto’s right to make this request, citing particularly his claims that the articles contain unverified facts and baseless allegations,” the website said in a statement.

It added that it has received Rodis’ comment on the matter on Saturday, June 16, and clarified that it was the columnist’s personal decision to post a copy of Sotto’s letter on social media.

“In relation to Sen. Sotto’s request, INQUIRER.net has not made any decision,” it said.

Rodis, in a Facebook post, argued that if Inquirer heeds Sotto’s request, it would set a

dangerous precedent.

“If the Inquirer agrees to his requests, a dangerous precedent will be set. Sotto is cyberbullying the Inquirer,” he said.

Inquirer.net clarified that Sotto’s staff had relayed the same request “much earlier” and noted that the lawmaker’s plea is not the first of its kind.

“We had received and have been receiving similar requests from people and organizations to have articles written about them and posted on the site be taken down, citing reasons ranging from inaccuracy to being unduly vilified in public and threatened with harm not only to them but also to their family. Some had filed libel suits,” it said.

“We have acted on these requests judiciously and made decisions based on our own investigation and based on our journalistic values and principles,” it added.

—ABS-CBN

statement. The operator then asked a baggage inspector and a policeman to validate the x-ray image of the bullet before Moran was asked to remove the bag’s clear plastic wrap.

The bag was searched in Moran’s presence while screening personnel took a video to allay fears of a “tanim-bala” scheme. The inspection yielded a caliber 9mm ammunition, which was confiscated, the DOTr said.

Airport personnel assured Moran and her 2 companions that they will be allowed to board their Zamboanga-bound flight after the documentation process, but she “created

a scene and uttered foul allegations to the airport personnel, which she also posted on Facebook,” the agency said.

“There was no irregularity on the actions of screening personnel, who simply strictly followed standard operating procedures,” the DOTR said. Duterte has ordered probe into ‘tanim-bala’ incident at NAIA, official says In previous instances, passengers whose luggage yielded bullets have been allowed to board their flights after the contraband items were confiscated and documented, the agency added. “Note that since the

Duterte administration took over, not a single passenger has missed a flight due to a piece of ammunition. Not a single passenger was asked to pay any amount to anyone, which is what the ‘tanim bala’ scheme is all about,” it said.

The agency asked the public to “refrain from making assumptions as investigations are being conducted.” “Let us also bear in mind that there are airport personnel — hard working Filipino workers like the rest of us — whose livelihood, name, and dignity are put to question because of unfair allegations,” it said.

—ABS-CBN News

(Above) Pepsi Paloma was born Delia Smith, born to Lydia Duenas, a native of Borac, and Kenneth Smith, an American letter carrier.

(Upper left) Senator Tito Sotto.

No irregularity in alleged new ‘tanim-bala’ case - DOTr

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ecurity personnel did not commit any irregularity in connection with an alleged case of “tanim-bala” or bulletplanting incident at the country’s main airport, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said. Passenger Kristine Moran shared on Facebook that a bullet was discovered in her baggage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

Moran’s luggage was “still wrapped in plastic” when an x-ray operator noticed a bullet inside the bag as it passed through initial screening before check-in, the DOTr said in a

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Ang matalino at hangal sa buhay

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imula nanaman ng Tag-ulan at pagsapit ng mga bagyo. Naalala ko tuloy ang kalamidad na dulot nang bagyong Yolanda na kumitil ng maraming buhay at kawasakan ng mga ari-arian sa Visayas.

Mababawasan sana ang mga kalamidad nitong taon 2018 kung magiging matalino sapagkat natural at inaasahan ang pagdating ng mga bagyo lalo na at mas malalakas ngayon ito o kaya pagsambog ng Bulkan o pagyanig gawa ng Lindol. Ang bawat isa (ikaw at ako) ay kinakailangang matalino kung nais iwasan ang kalamidad. Ang nakakalungkot, marami ay nagwawalang bahala sapagkat kinalakhan na nila ang dating ugali at pananaw. Ang pilosopya sa buhay ay “Bahala na.” Subalit kapag dating ng kalamidad, luha at pighati ang tiyak na laging kasusuungan. Huli na ang pagsisisi. Ngunit hindi lamang ang panahon ng tag-ulan at bagyo ang tinutukoy ko dito.

May iba pang klase ng bagyo at Tag-ulan na nangyayari kahit tag-araw ang panahon.

Ang ibig kong sabihin ay ang mga bagyo ng kahirapan sa buhay. Ang bagyo sa pagkawala nang mahal sa buhay. Bagyo ng pasakit sa trabaho, kaibigan o kapamilya. Bagyo ng mga dalamhati sa puso. Bagyo ng pagkabigo at kawalan ng pag-asa. Bagyo ng sama ng loob o depresyon. Kangino ka sasandal?

Saan ka pupunta? Saan ka sisilong? Sino ang dadamay sa iyo sa mga bagyong ganito sa buhay? Ang mabuting balita ay mayroon

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kang talinong mapupulot para sa kaligtasan o sanggalang mo at ng iyong pamila. Ganito ang pahayag ni Jesus, “Kaya’t ang bawat nakikinig at nagsasagawa ng mga salita kong ito ay maitutulad sa isang taong matalino na nagtayo ng kanyang bahay na ang pundasyon ay bato. Umulan nang malakas, bumaha, at binayo ng malakas na hangin ang bahay na iyon, ngunit hindi nagiba sapagkat nakatayo iyon sa bato. Ang bawat nakikinig ng aking salita ngunit hindi naman nagsasagawa ng mga ito ay maitutulad naman sa isang taong hangal na nagtayo ng kanyang bahay sa buhanginan. Umulan nang malakas, bumaha at binayo ng malakas na hangin ang bahay. Ito ay bumagsak at lubusang nawasak” (Mateo 7:24-27). Dalawang bagay ang gagawin kung nais maging matalino sa harap ng mga bagyo sa buhay.

Una: MAKINIG SA SALITA NI JESUS. Nasa mga tagubilin ni Jesus ang paghahanda sa buhay sapagkat naruruon ang kapangyarihan upang tumindig sa harap ng mga bagyo. Ang unang hakbang ay bigyan mo ng panahon na makinig kay Jesus. Kung nakaka-ubos ka ng panahon sa iba’t bang bagay, kaya mo rin magbigay ng panahon kay Jesus lalo na kung Siya nga ang kaligtasan mo sa panahon ng bagyo mo sa buhay. Take time na mag-imbestiga kung sino nga ba si Jesus. Kilalanin mo Siya sa pamamagitan ng mga pahayag niya sa Biblia. Magtabi ka ng kinse menutos sa pagbabasa o pakikinig sa Salita ni Jesus at least araw-araw. Dumalo ka sa mga gawain kung saan pinag-aaralan ang Salita ni Jesus. Mag hang out ka sa mga kaibigan na may alam sa Salita ni Jesus. Sa iyong pagbabasa o pakikinig, magtanong ka ng ganito: Nauunawaan ko ba ang aking binabasa? Mayroon bang pangako sa binabasa ko na dapat kong angkinin? May utos ba na dapat kong sundin? May kasalanan ba na dapat kong iwasan? Ano ang gagawin ko sa mga nabasa ko? Sa tutuo lang magiging matalino ka kung makikinig ka ng totohanan.

Dahil sa mga pangako ni Jesus, makakaranas ka ng tutuong pagpapala. Ganito ang sinabi ng Biblia ,“Higit na pinagpala ang mga nakikinig sa salita ng Diyos at tumutupad nito!” (Luke 11:28). Makikilala kang Tagasunod ng Diyos sapagkat sinabi ni Jesus, “ “Nakikinig sa akin ang aking mga tupa; nakikilala ko sila, at sumusunod sila sa akin” (John 10:27). Magbubunga ang pakikinig nang pananampalataya sa iyo sapagkat sinabi ng Biblia, “Kaya’t ang pananampalataya ay bunga ng pakikinig, at ang pakikinig naman ay bunga ng pangangaral tungkol kay Cristo” (Roma 10:17). Magsanay kang makinig kay Jesus.

Ikalawa, ISAGAWA MO ANG NAPAKINGGAN KAY JESUS. Malimit kong nababalitaan na nagbigay ng babala ang mga autoridad na maghanda o lumisan sa sasagasaan lugar ng bagyo o kaya sa pagsabog ng bulkan. Ngunit sa gitna ng mga babala, dedma o nagsawalang bahala ang mga ilan sa mamamayan. Nang sumagasa ang bagyo o sumabog ang bulkan, sino kamo ang unang nadale o napahamak?

Walang iba kundi iyong mga nagwalang bahala o hindi umaksyon. Kaya nga ganito ang babala ni Jesus, “Ang bawat nakikinig ng aking salita ngunit hindi naman nagsasagawa ng mga ito ay maitutulad naman sa isang taong hangal na nagtayo ng kanyang bahay sa buhanginan. Umulan nang malakas, bumaha at binayo ng malakas na hangin ang bahay. Ito ay bumagsak at lubusang nawasak.” (Mateo 7:26-27)

Ibig sabihin, ang nakinig at nagsagawa ng mga Salita ni Jesus ang maliligtas sa sakuna ng buhay. Ang pagsasagawa ng mga Salita ni Jesus ang pagmumulan nang kaligtasan sa buhay sapagkat si Jesus ang eksperto o autoridad tungkol sa mga bagyo sa buhay. Magiging matalino ka kung Diyos ang tutugunin mo kaysa sa sarili mong pananaw o mga dating gawi o turo ng tao.

Mas maykapangyarihan ang Diyos kaysa sa mga tao. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kapag

tumawag ka sa Diyos sapagkat alam niya paano ka tutulungan. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kung patatawarin mo ang kapwa mo. Aalisin ng Diyos ang sama ng loob mo at patatawarin ka ng Diyos. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kapag hindi ka naghuhukom sa kapwa sapagkat hindi ka rin huhukuman ng Diyos. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kapag hindi ka nandadaya sapagkat walang magagalit sa iyo. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kapag marunong kang maawa sa kapwa. Kaaawaan ka rin g Diyos. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kung hindi ka nananamantala sa kapwa. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kapag mamahalin mo ang iyong mga kaaway sapagkat Diyos ang magiging kalaban nila at hindi na ikaw. Ititindig ka ng Diyos kapag nagpakumbaba ka sapagkat itatas ka ng Diyos. Kapag isinagawa mo ang sinabi ni Jesus, hihina, mababawasan o mawawala na ang mga bagyo mo sa buhay. Mahalaga na...

ITAYO MO NA ANG BUHAY KAY JESUS BILANG PUNDASYON MO. Puede kang magtiwala sa mga Salita ni Jesus dahil Siya ang Makapangyarihang Diyos. Siya mismo ang gumawa sa iyo. Walang nakapipigil ng rumaragasang bagyo liban kay Jesus. Walang nakapagpapalayas ng diablo sa buhay kundi si Jesus. Walang nakapagpagaling ng mga imposibleng sakit, gaya ng mga bulag na muling nakakita, pilay na nakalakad muli liban kay Jesus. Walang kasalanan hindi kayang patawarin ni Jesus liban lamang sa kawalan ng pananampalataya sa kanya.

Tanging si Jesus lamang ang kalasag mo sa harap ng mga bagyo sa buhay. Hangal ka kapag hindi ka nakinig at di mo isinagawa ang tagubiling ito. Matalino ka kapag tumugon ka.

Ano ka ba talaga ngayon, matalino o hangal?

-------------------------------------------------------Kung nais ng panalangin ipadala sa paul@launchpoint.cc . Gayun din kung may katanungan. Kung nais humingi ng counseling o libreng babasahin, mangyari, tumawag sa 2833-7444 at hanapin si Ptr. Obet Awaoa.

Filipino died a ‘hero’ in Slovakia after thugs beat him for defending women

enry John Acorda. Picture from a gofundme page set up to help support his family.

A Filipino man died a “hero” in Slovakia after he was attacked by a pair of men whom he had confronted in a bid to defend two women.

Henry John Acorda, aged 36, died on Thursday (May 31) five days after he was beaten up in the capital city of Bratislava, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

A 28-year-old local man, identified only as Juraj H, has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the incident. The Philippine Embassy in Vienna said Mr Acorda was attacked by the men against after he tried to stop them harassing two women. Eyewitnesses said he was pushed to the ground and repeatedly kicked in the head.

The embassy said they had assisted Mr Acorda’s mother and siblings who flew to Slovakia at the weekend. The Philippine Consulate in Bratislava will also assist the family in repatriating his remains.

The DFA expressed condolences the family of Mr Acorda, whom they described as a “hero” for trying to rescue the women.

Henry John Acorda. Picture from a gofundme page set up to help support his family.

“We mourn the loss of another of our own who by all accounts is a hero who came to the rescue of the defenceless in a land that is not even his,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family

of our kababayan (compatriate) Henry John Acorda.” Expats living in Slovakia have expressed their outrage over the assault.

Black and Asian people have shared stories on Facebook about how they too had experienced racist attacks in Bratislava.

A spontaneous gathering of a few dozen people took place at the place where Mr Acorda was attacked. People lit candles and silently commemorated the victim of the attack. “The information that we have about Juraj H makes it clear that he is inclined to support the far right,” organisers have said. “Let’s make sure this brutal murder does not go without consequences for him.”

A gofundme page set up by a British friend of Mr Acorda to help his family has already raised more than £14,000, outstripping the stated goal of £11,000.

Meanwhile, The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) assured on Monday it will provide cash assistance to the family of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was killed in Slovakia last month.

OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac said they are ready to extend death and funeral benefits to the beneficiaries of Henry John Acorda. Under regulations, the OWWA can provide P200,000 for death due to accident and P20,000 as burial benefits.

Cacdac also said they will give livelihood aid to Acorda’s family, which usually amounts to P15,000.

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JULY 2018 REOPEN Continued from Page 3

The task force, he said, is focused on removing the illegal settlers in the different wetlands on the island to improve water quality in Bulabog. “Habang andyan sila, ang coliform level andyan. Kung mawala ang tao dyan, lilinis na yun (While the illegal settlers are there, the coliform level will not improve. Once the settlers are relocated, the area will become clean),” he said, adding that removal of some illegal structures in wetland numbers 3 and 6 has begun. The DENR and the local government of Malay town in Aklan province has identified a relocation site for those who will be displaced. “It will be in a 10-hectare property in mainland Malay,” Cimatu said. While the relocation site has been set, families who will be displaced will be sheltered first at the temporary evacuation center of Malay’s local government in the mainland, he said.

Cimatu said food and other assistance shall be provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development for those who will be transferred to evacuation centers.

Come July, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will also begin constructing the 5-km. main road, said DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

The road construction shall be done parallel to the construction of the drainage along the main road.

Clearing operations along the main road for the road widening project is ongoing, according to the DPWH. The DPWH has also begun building the 452-meter road in Bulabog that links the circumferential road from Cagban to Mt. Luho. The road will serve as an alternative route to decongest traffic along the main road. —PTV News

Duterte signs Mental Health Law

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resident Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill providing basic mental health services down to the barangay level while increasing the capacities of mental health professionals, his top aide said.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go confirmed that the President approved Republic Act 11036, or the Philippine Mental Health Law, a measure that was shepherded in the Senate by opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Hontiveros’ office said Duterte enacted the bill on June 20.

The senator said the law will integrate mental healthcare in the country’s public healthcare system.

“Every day, seven Filipinos turn to suicide. One in five Filipino adults also suffer from a form of mental disorder. The Mental Health Law cements the government’s commitment to a more holistic approach to healthcare: without sound mental health there can be no genuine physical health,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“No longer shall Filipinos suffer silently in the dark. The people’s mental health issues will now cease to be seen as an invisible sickness spoken only in whispers. Finally, help is here,” she added.

For presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the signing of RA 11036 is “a testament of the President’s commitment to provide accessible and affordable mental health care and services to all Filipinos.”

“We hope this policy will help neutralize the stigma attached to mental illness,” Roque said.

“Implementing a universal mental

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healthcare system in the country would provide more awareness regarding mental health among Filipinos, especially given the rising number of suicide cases among the youth.”

Aside from providing mental health services to the barangays, the law will secure the rights and welfare of persons with mental health needs and mental health professionals; integrate psychiatric, psychosocial, and neurologic services in regional, provincial, and tertiary hospitals; improve mental healthcare facilities; and promote mental health education in schools and workplaces.

Senator JV Ejercito lauded the signing the bill into law.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, one of the authors, commended Duterte, saying that the law will be a huge step in making mental health care more affordable, accessible and equitable.

“We renew our call to PhilHealth to cover fees for psychiatric consultations and medicines, as early intervention and prevention is crucial in treating mental illness,” he said in a press

PINOY.COM

statement.

He said under the Mental Health Act, PhilHealth must “ensure that insurance packages equivalent to those covering physical disorders of comparable impact are available to patients affected by mental disorders.”

He said currently, PhilHealth only covers hospitalization brought about by acute attacks of mental and behavioral disorders at a package rate of P7,800.

“We hope that in the drafting of the IRR, free psychiatric consultations and medicines shall be made available for all Filipinos,” he said.

Angara said with the Mental Health Law, the public can now paint a clearer picture of a Philippines where every citizen is able to maintain a stable emotional balance to handle daily tasks.

“We hope that this law will help Filipinos overcome the stigma of mental illness, and enable them to seek professional help. This law gives people with mental health problems and their families the opportunity to hope for better lives,” he said. —GMA News

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Cocon Gummy Candy (2) Max Mallows Fat Free Vanilla 150g Mariani California Raisins 1.13kg Spam Luncheon Meat (2) 77 Dark Chocolate Lux Soap 85g (6) Yoko Spa Salt (2) Mr. Brown Coffee Cappuccino Stuffed Toys worth NT$300-NT$500

Dove Beauty Bar Soap 100g (6) Armour Vienna Sausage (2) Mixed Beans and Nuts (2) Snickers Chocolate Minis 1.13kg Kirkland Sliced Peaches Kirkland Golden Sweet Corn Aijia Milk Chocolate Bar (2) Elastine Shampoo Yoko Spa Salt (2) Nescafe Granules 500g Wasuka Wafer Stick Locksy Vaccum Plastic Container (2) Stuffed Toys worth NT$300 - NT$500

Spam Luncheon Meat (2) R-Series Hand & Body Lotion Nutella Hazlenut Cocoa Spread 750g Elastine Conditioner Nestle Coffeemate Creamer 1.41kg Kirkland Sunsweet Dried Plums 1.58kg

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Free financial and business planning learning resources for OFWs

n Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) turned entrepreneur, Ronelyn Achacoso suffered cruel treatment from her employers while working as a housekeeper in Brunei. Despite her difficult situation, she managed to rise above it.

When Ronelyn returned to the Philippines, she started her own handicraft business in Davao City. She learned how to run a business by attending trainings by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Her enterprise has grown and now supplies products to local department stores.

Another inspiring OFW success story is that of Rodolfo Valenzuela, a former hardware salesman in Saudi Arabia. He now owns two hardware stores in Quezon City where he’s applying his learnings from his work experience abroad. In a documentary by the National Reintegration Center for OFWs, Rodolfo shares a simple advice with fellow OFWs who want to open a business in the Philippines and stay home for good.

“Kung may ipon na kayo, kahit maliit lang na pera, ‘wag kayong matakot na umuwi.

‘Yung iba sa inyo, natatakot na pagdating dito, walang maisip na magandang negosyo.

Ang negosyo rito ay napapag-aralan naman.”

(Return home as soon as you’ve saved enough, even if it’s just small. Don’t be afraid that you wouldn’t come up with a good business idea. Running a business can be learned anyway.) Indeed, learning financial and business management can help OFWs build their life anew when they go home for good. Putting up a successful business doesn’t happen overnight—it has to be

planned and prepared thoroughly.

Want to settle down in the Philippines to become your own boss? Before setting up a business, learn proper financial and business planning first. Here are some of the free resources available to OFWs today.

OWWA Enhanced Entrepreneurial Development Training

Are you an OWWA member? Maximize your membership—avail of its livelihood and loan programs for OFW members. When you apply for an OWWA loan or seek financial assistance for starting your own business, you’ll be required to attend a free business planning training. OWWA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) hold the Enhanced Entrepreneurial Development Training (EEDT) every other Tuesday of the month.

Here’s what you’ll learn from the training:

l How to start and sustain a business l Financial and business management l Hands-on experience with the Department of Agriculture or Department of Agrarian l Reform (for agricultural businesses) l Management, networking, and technical skills with DTI and TESDA (for nonagricultural businesses)

How to prepare a business plan

If you want to know more about the EEDT, you can reach OWWA through the following: SMS: 0917 898 6992 Trunkline: 8917601-24 local 5516/5517 Email: owwa_opcenter247@yahoo.com

OFW Personal Finance Blogs

Learn how to achieve financial freedom and business success straight from former

OFWs themselves and OFW financial literacy advocates. Follow these influential bloggers.

RockToRiches

After working abroad for two years, Burn Gutierrez went home to the Philippines to become an investor and online entrepreneur. He now shares his knowledge through his blog, which covers business ideas, extra income opportunities, and financial tips for OFWs and their families.

Must-read blog posts

by Burn Gutierrez: l What’s the Best Business for OFWs? l 5 Common Mistakes That OFW Entrepreneurs Have Made l Why OFWs Need To Invest in P.E.R.A. While Abroad Nolanlazaro.com

Nolan Lazaro is an entrepreneur and personal finance blogger who used to work in Saudi Arabia and Singapore. He writes about the common struggles of Pinoys working abroad, OFW-entrepreneur success stories, and business ideas.

Must-read blog posts

by Nolan Lazaro: l OFW Tips: How to Save Money and be Financially Free l 5 Things That Drain an OFW’s Wallet l OFW Success Story: From Domestic Helper to Full-Time Mushroom Entrepreneur Randelltiongson.com

Randell Tiongson is a veteran personal finance coach in the Philippines who strongly advocates financial literacy for OFWs. On his

blog, he shares investment and financial advice. OFWs can send him their questions, and he posts his responses on his blog.

Must-read blog posts by Randell Tiongson: l OFWs and Their Financial Future l OFWs: Make Your Sacrifices Count l A Day in the Life of an OFW Hero

OFW Financial Education Groups

Another way to learn more about financial and business planning is to join online communities for OFWs.

The Global Filipino Investors

The Global Filipino Investors(TGFI) Facebook group features videos and other posts about money matters such as getting life insurance and investing in stocks. It also posts various business and investment seminars in the Philippines that OFWs or their families can attend.

TGFI is formed by Floi Wycoco, a former OFW, whose team holds seminars and webinars for Filipinos here and abroad.

Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors

The Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors (OFSI) is a group of Kuwait-based Filipinos that holds free financial literacy seminars for OFWs in Kuwait. The learning sessions focus on stock investing. OFSI is accredited by the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.

Final Thoughts Learning is the first important step for any OFW who plans to return home to achieve financial and business success.

Take advantage of the different learning opportunities available to OFWs. —MoneyMax.Ph

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No need for chemo in many breast and lung cancers: studies

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With results of this groundbreaking study, we now can safely avoid chemotherapy in about 70 percent of patients who are diagnosed with the most common form of breast cancer.

Co-author Kathy Albain

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wo major studies released show that many people with breast and lung cancers may forgo chemotherapy and still live longer, signaling a waning need for what was long seen as the standard of cancer care.

The findings were released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago, the world’s largest annual cancer conference.

The first study, described as the largest breast cancer treatment trial to date, found that the majority of women with a common form of breast cancer may be able to skip chemotherapy and its toxic, and often debilitating, side effects after surgery depending on their score on a genetic test.

As many as 65,000 women in the United States alone could be affected by the findings.

Until now, women have faced considerable uncertainty about whether to add chemo to hormone therapy after a diagnosis with hormone-receptor positive, HER-2 negative breast cancer when found at an early stage, before it has spread to the lymph nodes.

“With results of this groundbreaking study, we now can safely avoid chemotherapy in about 70 percent of patients who are diagnosed with the most common form of breast cancer,” said co-author Kathy Albain, an oncologist at Loyola Medicine in a Chicago suburb.

A 21-gene test called Oncotype DX, available since 2004, has helped guide some decisions on proper care after surgery.

A high recurrence score, above 25, means

—An oncologist at Loyola Medicine in a Chicago suburb.

chemo is advised to ward off a recurrence, while a low score, below 10, means it is not.

The current study focused on those whose scores were in the middle range, from 11 to 25. More than 10,000 women, aged 18 to 75, were randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy followed by hormone therapy, or hormone therapy alone.

Researchers studied their outcomes, including whether or not cancer recurred, and their overall survival.

No Significant Difference “For the entire study population with gene test scores between 11 and 25 -- and especially among women aged 50 to 75 -there was no significant difference between

the chemotherapy and no chemotherapy groups,” said the findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The results show that all women over 50 with a recurrence score of 0 to 25 can be spared chemotherapy and its toxic side effects. For women under 50 with a score of 0 to 15, chemo can be skipped.

However, among younger women with scores 16 to 25, outcomes were slightly better in the chemotherapy group, so in those cases doctors may urge patients to consider a chemo regimen.

The results “should have a huge impact on doctors and patients,” Albain said.

“We are de-escalating toxic therapy.”

According to first author Joseph Sparano of Montefiore Medical Center in New York, “any woman with early-stage breast cancer 75 or younger should have the test and discuss the results” with her doctor.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, causing some 1.7 million new cases annually and over half a million deaths.

The study’s primary funding came from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Lung Cancer The second study tested a form of immunotherapy against chemo, in the most common lung cancer worldwide, known as non-small-cell lung cancer.

It found that Merck pharmaceutical’s drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab) -- which famously helped former US president Jimmy

Carter stave off advanced melanoma that had spread to his brain -- helped lung cancer patients live 4 to 8 months longer than chemo.

More than 1,200 people enrolled in the study, the largest clinical trial to date of pembrolizumab as a stand-alone therapy for lung cancer. The drug was approved in 2014 for melanoma and in 2015 for lung cancer.

“These are responses that are unlike anything we have seen in the past for nonsmall-cell lung cancer,” said lead author Gilberto Lopes, a medical oncologist at the University of Miami Health Center.

Still, he acknowledged that most patients with this form of advanced cancer will die within months, and “we need to do a lot more work.” Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, taking 1.7 million lives per year.

John Heymach, a professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who was not involved in the Merckfunded study, described it as a “true milestone” and “a real important advance for patients.”

“We are now leaving an era where the only choice for non-small-cell lung cancer patients was to start with chemotherapy,” he told reporters at the ASCO conference.

“Now, the vast majority of patients can potentially receive benefits from immunotherapy instead,” he added.

“Immunotherapy is here to stay for the vast majority of non-small-cell lung cancer patients as a first-line treatment.”

—Agence France-Presse

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JULY 2018

Guard: Bakit ka dumumi dyan?

Pulubi: Hindi Ahh! Guard: Kita ko nasa dyaryo!

Pulubi: Bilis ah, kadudumi ko lang nasa balita agad.

--------------------------------------------------------Usapang adik sa Internet Pedro: ‘Tol mag-iinternet ako! Bubuksan ko account mo sa facebook!

Juan: Alam mo ba password ko kuya?

Pedro: Oo naman, nakita ko! LIMANG ASTERIS! :D --------------------------------------------------------Girl 1: Nag-dinner kami ng BF ko kagabi.

Grabe! Na-impressed ako!

Ang laki ng resto at ang dami pang choices.

Girl 2: Talaga?! Anong pangalan ng resto?

Girl 1: FOODCOURT! --------------------------------------------------------Anak: Mama, buntis po ako Inay: Okay, matulog ka na Anak: Di ka man lang magagalit sakin? Di mo ako sasampalin?

Anong klaseng ina ka? Walang pakialam sa anak “YOU DON’T DO THAT TO ME?” Inay: Tumigil ka ARTURO ha! Yang kabaklaan mo pinayagn ko na… Tapos kung makakerengkeng ka Wagas!

--------------------------------------------------------Itay: Oh anak, bakit ka umiiyak?

Anak: Pumasa po kasi ako sa test… huhuhu!

Itay: Aba, magaling! Anong subject yun anak?

Anak: Pregnancy test po itay…

--------------------------------------------------------Pulis: Lola bakit nyo po sinaksak ang rapist?

Lola: Damuhong yun! Gago!... lapastangan!

Abusado, nilamutak ako at pinunit ang damit ko na parang sanggol na walang dami tapos bigla niya sasabihin na joke lang po lola, sabay nag mano!

Eh serious kaya ako! Papikit-pikit pa naman ako at pakagat-kagat ng labi ko! Kaya yun nainis ako inupakan ko na!!!

--------------------------------------------------------Madre: Father, tell your seminarian not to urinate along the fence…

Father: Sister naman, maliit na bagay lang papansinin mo pa…

Madre: No malalaki Father.. malalaki!

Shocked --------------------------------------------------------Parishioner: Father, bakit may nakasampay na daster, bra at panty sa may kumbento?

May asawa ka?

Father: Kung aasa ako sa mga donasyon

niyo, di ako mabubuhay! Tumatanggap ako ng labada…

--------------------------------------------------------Sakristan: FATHER!!! May pumasok na bulag, pagdating sa altar nagdasal siya, tinapon ang saklay at naglakad!!!

Father: Ha? Diyos ko po… (closes his eyes and makes the sign of the cross) ISA ITONG MILAGRO! Asan na siya?

Sakristan: Ayun po, nakadapa! Duguan ang mukha…

--------------------------------------------------------Pedro: Itay, pinagalitan ako ng ng titser ko po!

Tatay: Bakit naman anak?

Pedro: Hinalikan ko po ang seatmate ko.

Tatay: Tong anak ko, manang mana. Hehehe.

Eh, masarap ba?

Pedro:Opo, Pogi po siya eh (^_^) --------------------------------------------------------Wife: Hon, gusto mo bang magpadagdag ako ng boobs?

Husband: Wag na, tama na sa’kin yung dalawa…

--------------------------------------------------------Pare 1: Pare, hiwalay na kami ni misis.

Pinapili niya ako. Pag-ibig daw ba o kaibigan?

Pare 2: So, kaya ka nandito ngayon dahil pinili mo ang kaibigan?

Pare 1: Nagkakamali ka Pare. Pag-ibig ang pinili ko. I love you Pare!

--------------------------------------------------------Anak: Tay, natatakot po ako. Lumulubog na po ang barko!

Tatay: Ano ba ang ipinag-aalala mo anak, eh hindi naman sa atin to!

Anak: Waaahhhh!

--------------------------------------------------------Babae: Magsusuot ako ng yellow.

Lalaki: Magsusuot naman ako ng green.

Sa araw ng eyeball Dumating ang pangit na babae sa venue, Ngunit walang naka-green.

Nilapitan niya ang nag-iisang lalaki pero naka-red.

Babae: Excuse me. Are you my textmate?

Lalaki: HUH? HALLER? NAKA GREEN BA ‘KO? --------------------------------------------------------Bakit ang mga Pinoy, hindi tama sumagot maski maayos ang tanong?

Kumain ka na? BUSOG PA AKO. Nandyan ba ang nanay mo? BAKIT PO? Anong oras na? MAAGA PA. Paano mo ginawa yan? MADALI LANG. Bakit wala ka kahapon? ABSENT AKO.

And my favorite: Saan ka na? MALAPIT NA KO! WAIT LANG! --------------------------------------------------------Madalas na sinasabi kahit saan: ARAY! – Kahit di naman talaga masakit HA? – kahit narinig naman talaga ANO ANO? – gusto pa paulit ulit EWAN – pag tamad mag explain BAHALA KA – pero talagang ayaw niya SIGE NA NGA – kunyari napipilitan, pero gusto naman talaga.

--------------------------------------------------------DOY: Ganda ng rolex mo, ah…

BOK: Napanalunan ko sa karera..

DOY: Talaga? Ilan kayong tumakbo?

BOK: Tatlo lang. Yung pulis, yung may-ari at ako.

--------------------------------------------------------PULIS 1: Pre, lam mo na ba ang usap-usapan?

PULIS 2: Bakit pre anong balita?

PULIS 1: May bading daw ditto sa campo natin?

PULIS 2: Sino daw pre?

PULIS 1: KISS muna… hehe --------------------------------------------------------ITAY: Bakit may pasa ka anak?

BOY: Nakipag-away po ako!

ITAY: Astig! Sino ba nakaaway mo?

BOY: Yung lalake diyan sa tapat..

ITAY: Tara resbak tayo!

BOY: Wag nap o tay, nakipag-break na ko!

I HATE HIM SO MUCH TAY! I hate him! I hate him!

--------------------------------------------------------Isang gabi hot si misis..

Kinalabit ilong ni mister, Kiniliti sa ears, Kiss sa leeg, Saka sabi: “Hon, ala na ako panty.”

Mister: “Matulog ka na, bili tayo bukas.”

--------------------------------------------------------JUAN: ‘Tay, what is the square root of 9 plus the cube root of 16?

TATAY: Paturo ka sa hardinero natin, wala akong alam sa mga ugat ng halaman!

--------------------------------------------------------Gwapo: Hey! Miss may boyfriend ka ba?

Girl: (Kinikilig) hmmmm wala. Bakit?

Gwapo: Hahaha.. Buti pa ako meron!

--------------------------------------------------------Magsyota sa Motel BF: Alam mo love, ikaw ang first girl na dinala ko rito.

GF: Weh, sinungaling! Sabi nila lagi ka dito eh.

BF: Oo nga, pero ikaw lang ang girl.

--------------------------------------------------------2 ladies, isang matalino, isang bobo nagapply ng trabaho Matalino: “Buti ka pa natanggap, ano ba ginawa mo?

Bobo: “ Wala, nung nag fill-up ako ng form nilagay ko sa sex, SIGE. --------------------------------------------------------BED TALK… Boy: Is this your first time?

Girl: (angrily) Oo naman noh! You guys talaga… so kulet!!!

Always asking me the same question!

--------------------------------------------------------DONYA: Kase bago ka pa lang dito, gusto kong malaman mo na ang almusal dito ay alas sais empunto!

MAID: Wala pong problema nyora! Pagtulog pa po ako ng ganoong oras, mauna na po kayong kumain.

--------------------------------------------------------BOY: Sir mag apply po akong boy.

AMO: Tanggap ka na… Sa umaga pakakainin mo aso ko ng corned beef, sa tanghali ham at sa gabi sausage.

BOY: Eh sir pwede po ba apply na lang akong aso?

--------------------------------------------------------Junior: Itay, bakit yung ‘bird’ ng classmate ko parang champoy?

Tatay: Hahaha! Bakit anak maliit ba??

Anak: Hindi po, maalat!

--------------------------------------------------------Amo ni Dong magpa-park ng kotse…

AMO: Dong, tingnan mo sa likod nito kung babangga ang kotse ha?

DONG: Opo, ser.

AMO: Umatras na ako, puwede na?

DONG: Kunti pa, ser.

AMO: (umatras ulit), o ayan?

DONG: Kunti na lang ser.

AMO: (umatras ulit, nang biglang BLAG!) DONG: Ayan! Bangga NA! --------------------------------------------------------BF: Bakit ka nanginginig?

GF: Sorry babe, ngayon lang ako nakapasok sa motel.

BF: San kaya yung remote ng aircon?

GF: Dyan nakatago sa gilid ng drawer sa bandang kanan kulay gray.

--------------------------------------------------------DAD: Anak! Bakit gabi ka na naman umuwi?

Anong oras na!? Di na tama yang ginagawa mo!

ANAK: Dad naman…

Nag-group study lang kami!

Exam po naming bukas!

DAD: Group study ka dyan!

Eh kinder ka pa lang! Sipain kita dyan eh!

--------------------------------------------------------Mister: (Kissing wife’s shoulder) Hon, sige na Misis: (Naiirita) Bumabagyo!

Mister: Ayaw mo nun malamig? Sige na…

Misis: T@nga! Di ka na nahiya! Ang daming tao dito sa evacuation center!

16

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Invest in PERA, save for sunset years, OFWs told

S

enator Juan Edgardo Angara has urged the Filipinos working abroad to save money for their retirement by investing their earnings in a Personal Equity Retirement Account or PERA, the country’s first-ever voluntary retirement account with tax incentives. He said the Filipinos who leave their families and work abroad to give them a good life are making a big sacrifice.

“This is why we encourage our [workers] to save and invest their earnings here in the country so they can secure a comfortable retirement and be with their families,” said Angara, one of the authors of the PERA Law

or Republic Act 9505. PERA is a voluntary and personal account specifically for retirement, in which they can invest up to P200,000 annually. Non-workers may only make a maximum contribution of P100,000 annually.

Even if the worker is abroad, his or her spouse and children may open a PERA account in his or her behalf.

“PERA is a big help in ensuring that our workers abroad have money once they return to the Philippines,” Angara said.

Once a Filipino worker abroad reaches the retirement age of 55, all payments or distributions will be tax-exempt. This can be

either in lump sum, a pension for a definite period or for a lifetime.

Early withdrawals are allowed, if the worker has made contributions for at least five years, but it will be subject to a penalty― except in cases when the individual is totally disabled due to an accident or hospitalization.

“PERA investments have higher returns because it is a tax-free investment income,” Angara said. “PERA supplements the social pension Filipinos can get from the SSS or GSIS. It especially targets (the Filipinos working abroad) who may not be contributing to either of these funds.” A national survey on

financial inclusion conducted by the central bank showed that only 11 percent of Filipinos save for retirement or old age.

Angara said PERA will help and encourage Filipinos to save for their sunset years or for emergency medical situations.

The central bank has accredited Banco de Oro and Bank of the Philippine Islands as PERA institutional administrators. PERA investment products include unit investment trust funds, shares of stock of mutual funds, insurance pension products, government securities and other financial products.

—Manila Standard

Migrant labor agencies not allowed to charge Southeast placement fee twice: Taiwan Ministry of Labor Asian language

T

aiwan’s Ministry of Labor reminds foreign worker/caregiver staffing agencies not to raise another placement fee or the equivalent against migrant workers/caregivers when they find new employers or renew the contract with the same employers upon expiration of a previous contract.

Following a protest by migrant caregivers in Taipei on June 10, Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor issued a press release urging employers to give foreign caregivers at least one day off a week. The ministry also issued another statement the next day saying the placement fee must not be charged twice if a migrant worker/caregiver changes employers or renews an expired contract with the same employer.

Violators will face a maximum fine which will be 20 times the amount that the

migrant workers/caregivers are overcharged.

A temporary suspension of manpower business for three months or higher may also be included in the penalties.

The ministry urged those being overcharged or charged a placement fee twice, to call the complaint hotline 1955, which is available in several languages such as Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese and English.

In 2016, the Legislative Yuan passed the Employment Services Amendment Act, which removes the requirement that foreign workers must leave the country for one day after three years of employment, and must subsequently re-enter the country to continue work in Taiwan.

The amendment act also bans staffing agencies from charging workers further placement fees for re-entry. However, the ministry found that some staffing agencies

have in many cases implemented new placement fees, which are often referred to by other names. This practice is illegal based on the new regulations, as it adds to workers’ financial burdens. New employers can appoint manpower agencies to hunt for suitable foreign workers, but expense placed on the foreign worker, such as registration fee and referral fee must all be covered by the employer, according to the statement.

The ministry emphasizes that the staffing agencies can charge foreign workers/ caregivers fees only when there exists an actual service, and only after the new employment contract has been completed and signed. The service charges placed upon foreign workers may not exceed NT$1,800 (US$60), NT$1,700 (US$56), and NT$1,500 (US$50) for the first, second, and third year in Taiwan, respectively.

—Taiwan News

government to make it (the New Southbound Policy) a reality,” said Ignacio, who has served in his position for 11 months. Under the New Southbound Policy and Manila’s strategy to engage economically with Taiwan, partnerships are starting to materialize, he said. In terms of industry capacity building, for example, Taiwan has helped train Filipino engineers to develop the Philippines’ industrial capabilities and bolster its participation in the global electronics, manufacturing, and Internet of Things supply chains, he said.

Both sides also cooperate in industries where the Philippines has the best chance for success, such as shared service facilities aimed to improve the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, known as MSMEs, and IC design, he said.

Ignacio said the Philippines also wants to promote greater two-way trade and exchanges in education to create more benefits. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Taiwan ranked as the Philippines’ eighth major trading partner (with bilateral trade of US$7.19 billion), 10th largest export market and eighth largest supplier of imports.

A key initiative, Ignacio said, has been to intensify efforts to get Filipino products into Taiwan’s mainstream market, a shift from what he called the “xenocentric” approach of importing products to Taiwan to sell in Filipino stores and to Philippine expatriates.

MECO is currently hosting an in-store promotion at city’super in Taipei for a second

year running to showcase a variety of Filipino specialties, including snacks that go back to Spanish colonial days, such as chicharron, and ethnic products, like dried mangoes, pineapple juice, mango liquors, and coconut oil. Ignacio said his office was involved in handpicking the items that have the most potential to succeed with Taiwanese consumers.

The in-store promotion follows a visit by a delegation of Filipino food exporters in March to explore Taiwan’s market at the annual “Sourcing Taiwan” trade show and will be followed by a large exhibition of Filipino products at the upcoming Taipei International Food Show from June 27 to 30.

In terms of education exchanges, Ignacio said his office has promoted the Philippines as a destination for Taiwanese students to study English, communications, literature, and the humanities and arts.

“We want to promote our expertise so we can help each other,” he said.

“The Philippines offers excellent education and studying in the Philippines is very cheap,” Ignacio said. “We have a successful proof of concept with Japan and Korea. Japanese and Koreans have been studying English in the Philippines for maybe 20 years. Why not Taiwanese?”

A first-ever event to promote study in the Philippines is scheduled for later this year, probably in September, in Taiwan for Taiwanese students to learn more about the quality of education offered in the Philippines, he said.

—Taiwan News

PH repositioning itself in ties with Taiwan: MECO

T

he Philippines is positioning itself as Taiwan’s “gateway” to Southeast Asia and hopes to spur two-way economic and educational exchanges with Taiwan, an official with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei (MECO) said recently.

Michael Alfred Ignacio, director for commercial affairs at MECO, said he has seen “very strong interest” from Taiwan’s government in advancing its New Southbound Policy, partly shown by Taiwan being the second largest source of foreign direct investment in his country last year.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Taiwanese FDI in the Philippines was 10.833 billion Philippine pesos (US$223 million) in 2017, about a seven-fold increase from 1.608 billion pesos in 2016, and about double the amount Taiwan invested in 2015.

“We want to become Taiwan’s gateway to Southeast Asia and New Southbound countries,” Ignacio said, referring to the strategy adopted by Taiwan since May 2016 to forge links with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, countries in South Asia, and Australia and New Zealand.

The Philippines is Taiwan’s closest neighbor, its economy is growing at a strong pace, English is the main language of business, and it has a market of 104 million people, making it a good country for Taiwan to partner with to further engage with New Southbound countries, Ignacio contended.

The Philippines has already “been working very closely with Taiwan’s

program set for fall 2019

T

o promote the native languages of new immigrants, elementary-school students will have to choose one of seven Southeast Asian languages to study, starting in the fall of next year, the Ministry of Education said (June 19).

The languages are Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai, Burmese, Cambodian, Bahasa Malaysia and Filipino, and students would be required to take one class per week, the ministry said.

The K-12 Education Administration is creating four textbooks for each of the three language levels elementary school students are expected to study, it said.

The language classes would also be offered as elective subjects for junior-high students, with six books for the fourth level, the ministry said.

The textbooks would be created based on the ministry’s guidelines and, to ensure that students learn the authentic language and culture, the contents would be based situations that take place in each respective nation, it said.

The textbooks would respect cultural differences and are designed to promote cultural diversity, it said.

The textbooks for level one are finished and approved, it said.

The books teach different ways to address people at school, exchange greetings and other useful phrases, and include six to eight nursery songs and lessons about differences between the respective nation and Taiwan, it said.

In level one, students would be expected to learn 50 words, but would also be introduced to 50 more that they would not be expected to memorize, it said.

The seven languages have been offered in 21 cities and counties under a trial program that began in August last year, the ministry said.

Improvements would be made to the textbooks based on feedback from the 110 classes conducted since then.

The National Central University and the Institute for Information Industry have been working to digitalize the textbooks for level one so the public can access them online, and the project is expected to be completed

by August, it said. —Taipei Times

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Newsbits Taiwan to evaluate results of visa-free treatment for 3 Asian nations

T

aipei, June 6 (CNA) Taiwan will hold an inter-ministerial meeting next week to evaluate the results of its trial period of visa-free privileges to three Southeast Asian nations and will decide whether to continue the preferential treatment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Wednesday. MOFA spokesman Andrew Lee said the meeting will assess the effect on Taiwan’s economic, tourism and social development, and on social order, resulting from the visa-free trial period for the Philippines, Thailand and Brunei, which will expire on July 31.

The meeting will also try to determine whether any possible negative effects on the various sectors are under control, Lee said. Taiwan introduced visa-free treatment for Thai and Bruneian citizens on a trial basis in August, 2016 and extended it last year to July 31, 2018.

The visa-free trial program for the Philippines began on Nov. 1 last year and will also run through July 31. According to statistics from Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau, the number of Philippine visitors to Taiwan increased from 172,475 in 2016 to 290,784 last year, while arrivals from Thailand soared from 195,640 to 292,534 over the same period.

Sexual assault of migrant workers in Taiwan up to 633 in 6 years: Control Yuan

A

pproximately 633 sexual assault cases involving migrant workers have been reported in Taiwan over the past six years, and 70 percent of the victims are domestic caregivers, said the Control Yuan, Taiwan’s highest investigatory agency. Last week the Control Yuan hosted a cross-departmental meeting during which a report was passed documenting the dire conditions facing migrant workers in Taiwan. The report calls for several measures to be implemented to address and help victims of sexual assault, including emotional and psychological trauma treatments, and placing more counseling psychologists in asylums for the victims. “The responsible authorities should also amend local laws to protect the victims who were sexually assaulted at work in order to avoid contact with their assailants,” said Control Yuan member Wang Mei-yu. Wang said there are currently over 676,000 migrant workers in the country, and a total of 633 sexual assault cases involving migrant workers were reported between 2012 and February of 2018. More than 70 percent of the victims are domestic caregivers and nearly 60 percent were attacked by their employers. Wang added that the migrant workers are usually forced to take no action and conceal the incident or run away due to the difficulty of terminating a work contract. A hotline to report sexual assault and harassment was established in March: +886-2-33221350.

Eight Filipino workers found after losing way in Taiwan mountains

A

group of eight workers from the Philippines turned up safely after losing their way in the dark in the mountains of Taichung in Central Taiwan Friday (June 8). One man and seven women had joined forces to walk the trail on Mount Tangmadan, known as one of the Seven Heroes of Guguan in the Heping District, the Central News Agency reported. However, the group misinterpreted the amount of time they would need to leave the mountains, thus ending up in the dark without any lights. At 8:39 p.m. on June 8, the Taichung Fire Department received the message that they were lost. They sent out a search party which also included English speakers, since the Filipinos were unable to describe their location in Chinese, CNA reported. With the help of Google Maps, the group was able to pinpoint its location and to tell the rescue team where to come looking for them, according to the CNA report. At 9:59 p.m., the team found the Filipinos about 200 meters from the entrance to the trail and provided them with food and water before leading them to Guguan police station. The eight were employees of companies in Taichung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli who had found each other on Facebook and organized the trip to climb Mount Tangmadan.

Contractor sentenced for migrant worker deaths

T

he Keelung District Court has ruled that a man who illegally hired migrant workers for a road expansion project be held in custody for 50 days and sentenced to six months in prison after two of the workers died in an accident at the construction site. The sentence can be commuted to a fine. The case can still be appealed. The 58-year-old employer surnamed Chen, a formwork contractor working on the expansion project, hired four Indonesian workers who had left their original employers and no longer had valid work permits. On March 27, 2017, Chen directed three of them to dismantle the formwork for a tall concrete column and the trio fell to the ground when the steel forms collapsed, the court said in its judgment. One died on the spot and another one was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead later in the day, according to the court. The court said the sentence for the contractor’s offense would normally have been heavier, but it was reduced because Chen admitted to professional negligence that led to the two workers’ deaths and paid compensation to the workers’ families.

First stage of Taiwan’s plastic straw ban to begin on July 1, 2019

T

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he Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced Friday that the first stage of the single-use plastic straw ban will enter into force on July 1, 2019, targeting the public sector, schools, department stores and fast food restaurants. The first stage of the ban will bar these four groups from providing single-use plastic straws to customers drinking within the premises. The initial ban is expected to impact around 8,000 stores. The total abolition of single-use plastic straws is hoped to take place by 2025. Stores who continue to provide the banned tube after July 1, 2019 will first receive a written warning. If the offense continues, they will be fined between NT$1,200 (US$40) and NT$6,000. The move comes after mounting national and international concern over ocean pollution caused by disposable plastic. In cities where similar plastic straw bans have been announced, some companies have switched to single-use straws made from paper, reported Yahoo News. A draft communique by the EPA outlining the expected nature and extent of the ban will be released soon. The public are encouraged to respond to the communique to improve the legislation.

Labor groups urge Taiwanese gov’t to make law requiring separation of dorms from factories for migrants

M

igrant workers interest groups on Wednesday demanded that the government make law to require separation of dormitories for migrant workers from factories, pointing out the fact that so far this year eight migrant workers have died in their dormitories due to a factory fire.

The Migrant Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT) held a press conference in front of the Ministry of Labor in Taipei on Wednesday to make the demand. Hsu Wei-dong, a member of the Hope Workers’ Center in Hsinchu, said during the event that eight migrant workers have died in the Sican factory fire and the Chin Poon factory fire in the last six months all because their dormitories were located within the factories.

Hsu said that currently there are nearly 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan, of whom 410,000 are industrial workers. This group of people not only have to deal with long working hours and low salaries, they also have to deal with the working environment of the so-called “3D” industry that stands for “dirty, difficult, and dangerous.” For those whose dormitory is located inside the factory, they are facing danger all day long, he added.

Therefore, he insisted that only by separating migrant workers’ dormitories from factories can the danger they face during their rest and sleep be significantly lowered, and can the scenarios of firefighters getting

into factories to save people be decreased.

Taiwan International Worker’s Association representative Wu Jing-ru said that the “Foreign Workers Living/Caring Service Planning Book,” which serves not only as the guidelines for employers to provide their migrant workers with sanitary food, living space, and other necessities but also as the penal code for employers who violate the guidelines.

She said the Foreign Workers Living/ Caring Service Planning Book should be translated into migrant workers’ native languages, and so should the Labor Standards Act and Employment Service Act, to ensure their right to know.

Wu said the government should also enforce the Foreign Workers Living/Caring Service Planning Book, penalize those who violate it, and make the results of the investigations into Sican and Chin Poon public as soon as possible.

Workforce Development Agency Crossborder Workforce Management Division senior specialist Su Yu-kuo told reporters that there will be interdepartmental discussion about the feasibility of separation of dormitories from factories next month.

He also said that the MOL has begun translation of the Foreign Workers Living/ Caring Service Planning Book, adding that the translation will be completed by the end of June and the translated versions will be put online.

—Taiwan News

Miaoli to introduce YouBike bicycle sharing service in June

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he highly popular YouBike bicycle sharing service will soon be available in Miaoli County, with the first 10 automated rental stations to be installed by the end of June, the county’s Public Works Department announced. The locations of the 10 stations will include Miaoli train station, Miaoli County Public Library, Miaoli City Office, National Miaoli Senior High School, and National Miaoli Agricultural and Industrial Vocational High School. The department said it plans to install 30 stations in the northern county by the end of September, with about 1,200 bicycles provided near schools, parks, train stations and administrative buildings in local cities and townships, including Miaoli, Toufen and Chunan. The objective is to make it easier for local residents to ride around town and promote a healthy leisure activity, the department said. Bikes can be rented for NT$10 (US$0.33) every 30 minutes of use for the first four hours, NT$20 per 30 minutes when used 4-8 hours, and NT$30 for every 30 minutes thereafter. Originally launched in Taipei in 2009 as part of an effort to promote the city as an eco-friendly international metropolis, the bicycle sharing service is currently also available in Hsinchu City and County, Changhua County, Taoyuan City, and Taichung City.

Duterte to ‘extortionists’ in immigration: One mistake and I will kill you

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resident Rodrigo Duterte warned immigration officials against extorting money from foreigners.

“Itong immigration, kapag ang turista nakalabas na ng airport, nakakatak na, given so many days, huwag na huwag niyong lapitan lalo na ang mga Koreano at Intsik,” Duterte said in a speech in Cabatuan, Iloilo.

(People from immigration, if the tourists are already outside the airport, their passports already marked, don’t approach them anymore, especially Koreans and Chinese).

The President said immigration personnel would sometimes make up some “drama” and then ask for money from the

unwitting tourists.

“So there’s a lot of stupid things going on. Do not do that because isang mali lang, hihiritan kita. Either patayin kita o sampulan kita o itapon kita sa Jolo,” he said.

(So there’s a lot of stupid things going on. Do not do that because one mistake, I will either kill you or send you to Jolo.)

It was not immediately clear what specific incident triggered Duterte’s ire, but he has slammed abusive practices in the country’s airports in the past, such as the planting of bullets in a passenger’s baggage and pilferage of baggage of arriving passengers.

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Duterte: I did not order ‘tambay’ arrests

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mid widespread criticism that police operations against loiterers or loafers were another antipoor campaign similar to the bloody war on drugs that had killed thousands, an angry President Rodrigo Duterte said he never ordered the police to arrest “tambay.”

“Those sons of bitches were not listening,” he said, referring to his critics. “I never said, ‘arrested.’ But if you are drinking in the alley, in the squatters area and making a living room out of the road there, you’ll really get nabbed.” “So that these deranged constitutionalists would know that loitering is not a crime – of course it is not,” the President said.

In his remarks at the oath-taking ceremony of newly promoted police, coast guard and jail officers on June 13 in Malacañang, the President said: “My directive is, if you’re just standing by (in the streets), tell them, ‘Go home. If you don’t go home, I’ll bring you to the office in Pasig.’”

He added: “I’ll take care of it. Tie their hands together and I’ll throw them in (the river).”

Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo, 22-year-old Quezon City resident

Nearly 7,300 people have been rounded up in the anti-tambay sweep by the police in just a week since June 13, according to Sen. Richard Gordon, Senate justice and human rights committee chair, who opposes the drive.

The President’s directive was met with criticism from human rights groups, who warned that his order might be used as an excuse to make arbitrary arrests and detention.

Malacañang later defended the order, stressing that it was meant to enforce city and

municipal ordinances, such as those against drinking and gambling in the streets and walking around shirtless.

Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde, said the police would continue its anti-tambay operations despite the protests against the roundup of loiterers or loafers in mostly urban poor neighborhoods.

Derived from “stand by,” the term “istambay,” or tambay, has over the years referred to bums who hang around street corners.

Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde, said those arrested had violated local ordinances, such as smoking in public, being half-naked and karaoke singing past 10 p.m.

“Maybe it became controversial because no less than the President has said it—that loiterers should be arrested,” the PNP chief said. He said the death of 22-year-old Quezon City resident Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo, who was picked up by the police near his home, was under investigation. Two jail inmates are facing murder charges in connection with Argoncillo’s death. Gord on, an administration

ally, said the government should create jobs for loafers instead of arresting them.

“If they have jobs, they won’t have the time to loiter in the streets. So we should create more jobs so they have somewhere to go,” he said in a statement.

Opposition lawmakers deplored the new anticriminality campaign that resembles the bloody antidrug drive, “Oplan Tokhang,” which had targeted mostly the poor. Police have killed more than 4,200 people in the war on drugs since 2016.

The anti-tambay drive is spreading to the Visayas and Mindanao, police said.

Lawyer Arvin Odron, director of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Central Visayas, said the regional CHR office has asked police officials to suspend the antitambay campaign because there were no clear guidelines. “The CHR wants to know what constitutes tambay because giving the law enforcement the discretion to interpret it without defining it on the guidelines is very dangerous and prone to abuse,” he said.

—Inquirer

The protest was held to mark International Domestic Workers’ Day on June 16, which commemorates the passing of the Domestic Workers Convention by the International Labor Organization in 2011 that sets labor standards for domestic workers.

It stipulates that domestic workers shall have at least 24 continuous hours of free time per week. Taiwan does not impose a mandatory weekly rest day for migrant domestic workers because they are not covered by the nation’s Labor Standards Act, despite repeated calls from international and local human rights advocates.

The population of migrant caregivers and helpers in Taiwan was about 250,000 as of April. Citing an MOL survey, 60 percent of these workers do not get a weekly day off, according to the union.

For those who are allowed one day off a week, most of them have a rest period of no longer than 12 hours, or just five or six hours in some cases, the union added.

This is due to a common misconception

among employers that caregivers are not allowed to stay out overnight on days off and the requirement has forced caregivers to be called upon to work when they are at home, even on days off.“I am here to voice support for caregivers who do not have a weekly day off,” Learnie, a Filipino caregiver, told CNA. “For me, it’s OK. I can have a good rest on a Sunday or go out to meet with my friends.”

Learnie joined the protest with the senior Taiwanese citizen she takes care of.

“Ah gong (grandfather) wanted to come with me. My employer and ahgong also support our appeal,” she said.

The organizer held the protest outside the MOL, even though the office was closed, to highlight the fact that government civil servants have a day off, but many migrant workers do not. As domestic caregivers in Taiwan, “we badly need the support of the MOL to implement our right to days off,” they said in a written petition to the ministry, urging it to meet with them to address the longterm issue.

Migrant caregivers demand 24 consecutive hours of time off

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igrant caregivers in Taiwan, mostly from the Philippines, demanded that the government guarantee their basic rights -- weekly days off of at least 24 consecutive hours -- an internationally accepted standard not enjoyed by 60 percent of foreign in-home caregivers and helpers in Taiwan.

“I want days off, I am a human. I am a foreign worker,” read one piece of cloth on a “petition patchwork quilt” displayed at a protest in front of the Ministry of Labor Affairs (MOL). The quilt was made of approximately 1,000 pieces of cloth mailed to the Taoyuan Domestic Caretaker’s Union by migrant caregivers, according to the organizer.

“The pieces of cloth came from caregivers who couldn’t participate in the event because they do not have a weekly day off. They cut a piece of cloth to represent their presence,” a Filipino caregiver who identified herself as “Aileen” told CNA.

In-home caregivers and helpers should be given at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every

calendar week, during which time, employers cannot assign them mandatory overtime and they can choose to stay out overnight.

They also demanded that families with patients taken care of by migrants be given a government subsidy with which to manage replacement care for their loved ones when the caregivers are on leave, to encourage employers to grant them reasonable time off.

Currently, families with special needs can apply for respite care, part of a long-term care policy under which short-term care at home or in a nursing facility is available for such families, but families dependent on migrant caregivers are not eligible for the service.

“We want a day off, because we are human,” the protesters chanted, led by Ver Marie Dimalaluan, director of the union. “As humans, we are tired,” said Dimalaluan, adding that what they are demanding is already stipulated in their employment contracts.

“We know how to follow the law. Why do the employers not know how to follow the law?”

Showbiz

Heart Evangelista, kinumpirma na siya ay nakunan sa kanyang pagbubuntis

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arami ang natuwa nang know it’s important to share ibalita ni Heart Evangelista this because it’s part of my na siya ay buntis na sa motherhood journey. At this panganay nila ni Chiz Escudero. week’s Doctor appointment, Excited na rin ang mag-asawa at just as we hit the 3 month mark, madalas magbigay si Heart ng update we found out that her heart patungkol sa kanyang pagbubuntis sa stopped beating. “For some it social media. might be early on but for us,

Nauna nang ibinahagi ni Heart we were so ready to meet you, na kambal sana ang ipinagbubuntis little one. Carrying you made niya, pero hindi na nag-develop at me feel like a completely new nawala ang isa dahil sa tinatawag na person. Just the thought of you “Vanishing Twin Syndrome.” taught me what unconditional Actress Heart Evangelista and Sen. Chiz Escudero Pero nag-hold-on pa sila sa ang isang love feels like. The Doctor ng kanyang baby sa pamamagitan ng isang embryo raw na healthy at nagpapakita told me that there really Instagram post. ng positive signs of development. wasn’t anything we could’ve done, that this

Base sa post ni Heart, nalaman nila na

Subalit, kamakailan ay ibinahagi rin ni happens to a higher percentage of first time wala ng heartbeat ang baby sa ika-tatlong Heart ang malungkot na balita na wala nang moms. I know this is true because so many buwan nito. heartbeat ang isa pa nilang baby at for a first of you have been open with sharing your “There are not enough words to time mom sana, nagka-miscarriage na siya experiences. Your kindness and positivity express how heavy my heart feels but I o nakunan. ibinalita ni Heart ang pagkawala in sharing about your own miscarriages

remind me to be strong. “I am so grateful for all your love throughout this entire journey.

It’s not the end, just another chapter. I take comfort knowing that you’re up there with your twin. I don’t question God about this sad time, I trust in His timing and plan. I hope you all understand that I’ll be taking some time off but your support and kind words will be felt, even if I’m not able to reply. “I’m not looking for answers, just peace. For what it’s worth, I already had a name for you. My Mira, funnily enough, I already loved your smile. I know you’ll find your way back to me.”

Kinasal si Heart Evangelista at Senator Chiz Escudero sa Balesin Island Club noong February 15, 2015. Si Chiz ay meron ng dalawang anak sa una niyang asawa na si Christine Elizabeth Flores. Isang araw bago ang Mother’s Day ay isinapubliko ni Heart ang kanyang pagbubuntis.

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Pokwang galit na galit sa basher

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alit na galit ang komedyanang si Pokwang sa isang netizen na nambash sa kanyang American live in partner na si Lee O’Brian.

Pero mas na-bad trip si Pokey nang idamay na rin ng nasabing hater ang anak nila ni Lee na si Baby Malia.

Narito ang comment ng Instagram follower ng komedyana tungkol sa tatay ng kanyang anak, “Asawa ni pokwang puti nga pero palamunin naman nya… wawa naman pokwang sya pa nag wo work ang asawa wla lang.”

Resbak naman ni Pokey, “Ano problema mo? ikaw ba nagpapalamon? kung wala kang kaligayahan sa buhay, sa impierno ka pumunta!

“Tapos kapag sumagot at lumaban kaming artista sa mga pangdadaot nyo, sasabihin nyo agad masama pala ugali ng artista? Ano? Kayo lang may karapatan masaktan at sumagot? Hunghang! eto lang masasabi ko bilang tao at hindi ako Dios!!!”

Ipinagdiinan din ni Pokwang na hindi issue sa relasyon nila ni Lee ang tungkol sa pera at kung sino sa kanila ang mas malaki ang kinikita.

“Sorry ha hindi kasi ako patay gutom sa pera! at hindi sa pera nasusukat tunay na pagmamahal &^%#^*% ka!” pahayag pa ng komedyana.

“Kung sa bagay nasa itsura mo ang sabik sa pera pang bili ng whitening lotion mo na mukha kang anan na kumalat! Ikaw ang kawawa kasi patay gutom ka sa pera, pero wala kang pagmamahal na tunay dyan sa puso mo kung meron man!

“At wag ka dito sa accnt ng inosente

EEC Elite Express

Lee O’Brien at Pokwang kong anak mag kalat ng kademonyohan mo! mahiya ka naman kung meron ka non!” ang galit na galit pang pahayag ng komedyana.

Nag-post din si Pokey ng throwback photo nila ni Lee sa kanyang IG account, kasabay nito ang pagsasabing hindi siya papayag na basta na lang apihin at insultuhin ang kanyang pamilya.

Caption niya sa nasabing IG photo, “May mga tao talagang hindi masaya sa kaligayahan ng kapwa, may panghuhusga, panglalait, pero basta kami masaya at nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng biyaya lalo na sa aming nabuong pamilya (heart emoji).

“Kay @malia_obrian at @maesubong sila ang aming kaligayahan at dahilan para maging matatag (smiley). Sa mga hindi masaya para samin, salamat kasi mas pinagtitibay nyo kami (heart emojis),” aniya pa.

May plano na rin daw na magpakasal sina Pokwang at Lee at pinaghahandaan na raw nila ito.

Maine binatikos sa panggagaya sa babaeng namatayan

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inira-tira si Maine Something sa social media for being insensitive.

Sa Sugod-Bahay kasi ay ginaya-gaya niya in a comic way ang pagsasalita ng winner na naiyak dahil namatayan siya.

“I find this part so insensitive knowing that the sugod bahay winner’s son/daughter (not sure) just recently died and they still continue this sick joke of replicating her emotions on what she felt during that moment. You guys are so inconsiderate. @mainedcm @AngPoetNyo #JoseManalo,” tweeted one netizen.

Nagpaliwanag pa si Maine sa kanyang tweet and said, “Nakikiramay po kami kay ate. Hindi po namin alam nung una na ganun pala ang pinagdadaanan niya bilang hindi po namin naintindihan yung una niyang sinabi.”

With that, lalo siyang na-bash.

“Ang insensitive naman talaga.

Ako naintindihan ko kaagad. Ang sabi niya masayang masaya daw siya dahil mapapalibing na niya ang anak niya. Bakit hindi niyo naintindihan?” “Anong hindi alam?

Sinabi ni ate yung tungkol sa anak nya na namatay habang umiiyak after that ginaya ni yaya dub yung pag-iyak ni ate. Malinaw ang pagkakasabi ni ate.”

“I find it bastos. Kahit pa hindi sensitive yung sinabi ni ate habang umiiyak, mimic-king a person like that is bastos.”

“Asaan ang apology dito? I’ve re-read this tweet several times and it sounds like an excuse more than an apology. How hard is it to say ‘I apologize.’ or ‘I’m sorry.’ It’s for you to do better next time.” Marami rin namang nagtanggol kay Maine at nagsabing walang masamang ginawa ang kanilang idol.

Pinalalaki lang ng mga haters.

Jolo nagpaalam na kay Jodi: Thanks for the wonderful 8 years!

“I WISH you all the happiness in this world that you deserve. Thank you for bringing out the best in me. Thanks for the wonderful 8years! Happy birthday Jods! God Bless always!”

‘Yan ang pagbati ni Jolo Revilla sa star ng Sana Dalawa Ang Puso na si Jodi Sta. Maria.

Naniniwala ang Instagram followers ni Jolo na hiwalay na ang dalawa dahil wala na ang term of endearment nila sa isa’t isa. Dati kasi ay “my love” ang tawag ni Jolo kay Jodi.

With that, bumuhos ang panghihinayang ng fans sa dalawa.

“Almost 8years…sana maging ok pa ren.

God bless sa inyong dalawa miss Jodi and Jolo. Sayang.”

“Ohhhh my gosh bakit ikaw pamandin ang inaasahan ko na mamahalin mo sha habang buhay kakatanggal pa nga lang ng

tinik ng puso ko may tinik na naman. Alam ko na wala akong karapatan sa relationship nyo pero nasasaktan ako para sa inyo.

“Hindi nyo ba alam ipinag tanggol ko pa kayo dahil sabi nila di kayo bagay pero sabi ko sa kanila hindi yun sa bagay kundi sa pagmamahalan kaya ba di ka kasama sa birthday nya? Grabe 8 years kayo mag kasama bakit pa kayo bumitaw?

“Nalulungkot ako para sa inyo mahal ko kayo parehas message mo palang kasi ehhhh alam na agad kasi walang love walang I love you. Grabe talaga. sana maayos nyo pa,” ang mahabang komento ng kanilang supporter.

Sa Sana Dalawa Ang Puso ay in love ang characters ni Jodi. As Mona, nahuhulog na ang loob ni Martin (Richard Yap) sa kanya.

As Lisa, pinakasalan naman siya ni Leo Tabayoyong (Robin Padilla).

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JULY 2018 SHOWBIZ Kiefer Ravena suspendido dahil sa droga

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inuspinde ng International Basketball Federation (FIBA) ang PBA star rookie ng 18 buwan bunsod nang pagpositibo sa illegal na droga. Epektibo ang suspensyon simula Pebrero 25, 2018 hanggang Agosto 24, 2019. Sa opisyal na pahayag ng FIBA, nagpositibo si Ravena sa isinagawang doping test sa laro ng Gilas Pilipinas laban sa Japan nitong Pebrero 25 na ginanap sa MOA Arena. Nitong Marso 16, lumabas sa pagsusuri na positibo si Ravena sa ipinagbabawal na gamot.

Kiefer Ravena Isinagawa ang re-evaluation nitong Marso 29, ngunit nanatiling positibo ang resulta. Sa kanyang sulat sa FIBA, sinabi ni Ravena na ang tanging ininom niya ay pre-workout drink na tinatawag na C4 na aniya’y napag-alaman niya nang maglaro siya sa NBA G-League at nabili niya sa isang tindahan sa Manila. Bago ang laro ni Ravena sa Australia, kinapos umano ito sa supply ng c4, at inirekomenda sa tindahan na palitan niya ng DUST na pinaniniwalaan na pinagmulang ng naturang illegal na substance. Iginiit ni Ravena na isang pagkakamali ang naging desisyon, ngunit aniya ay wala siyang intension na mandaya sa paglalaro sa Gilas Pilipinas. Nitong April 26, sinabi ni Ravena sa FIBA na nagkamali siya at hindi masyadong pinag-aralan ang laman ng naturang pre-workout drink. Iginiit din ng Ateneo Blue Eagle at ngayo’y star guard ng NLEX sa PBA na ikinalulungkot niya ang kaganapan at walang intenyon na labagin ang FIBA anti-doping policy, gayunman tatanggapin umano niya ang anumang desisyon ng organisasyon sa kanya.

Walang pang linaw kung apektado ang resulta ng laro ng Gilas laban sa Japan gayundin sa lisensiya ni Ravena bilang pro player sa Games and Amusement Board. Hindi pa rin nagbibigay ng opisyal na pahayag ang PBA at NLEX Road Warriors.

Cedric Lee found guilty of kidnapping daughter with Vina Morales

“

Guilty beyond reasonable doubt” ang naging hatol ng Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court sa kasong kidnapping na isinampa ng actress-singer na si Vina Morales laban sa dati niyang karelasyon na si Cedric Lee. Base sa dokumentong nakuha ng ABS-CBN News reporter na si MJ Felipe, ang desisyon na nilagdaan ni Presiding Judge Anthony Fama ay lumabas ngayong May 28. Nakasaad dito: “The action of the accused in not immediately returning the custody of minor Ceana was premeditated, intentional and malicious, as he adamantly refused to return the custody of minor Ceana to the private complainant, through her sister, when he is legally obligated to do so.” Si Ceana ang anak ni Vina kay Cedric. Dahil dito, pinatawan ng korte si Cedric ng PHP300 na fine. Kailangan din siyang magbayad kay Vina ng kabuuang PHP50,000 para sa moral at nominal damages. Taong 2016 nang ihain ni Vina ang reklamong kidnapping laban kay Cedric dahil sa sapilitang pagtangay nito kay Ceana, noon ay pitong gulang lamang.

Nanatili kay Cedric ang kanilang anak sa loob ng siyam na araw nang walang pahintulot mula sa singer-actress. Ito ay labag sa naunang napagkasunduan nilang visitation rights, na magaganap sana tuwing Sabado. Ayon kay Vina, nagkaroon ng hindi magandang epekto sa menor de edad nilang anak ang ginawa ng kanyang dating boyfriend. Sabi ni Vina sa isang pahayag noon, “She is only 7 years old and was confused with what happened and a bit traumatized.” Pinabulaanan naman ito ng kontrobersiyal na businessman. Idiniin pa niyang may kulang na 10 araw si Vina sa kanya kaugnay ng napagkasunduan nilang visitation rights. Kasunod nito, naghain si Cedric ng six counts of libel laban sa dating girlfriend. Dalawa sa mga ito ang na-dismiss na sa korte.

Diego Loyzaga, nilinaw ang panig sa kinasangkutang ‘away-kalsada’

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giniit ng aktor na si Diego Loyzaga nitong Sabado na hindi nabangga ng kaniyang sasakyan ang kotse na nakarehistro sa isang transport network vehicle service (TNVS). Diego Loyzaga, inireklamo ng isang TNVS driver Kuwento ni Loyzaga, binabaybay ng sasakyan niya ang kahabaan ng Taft Avenue nang sumingit umano ang kotse na minamaneho ng Grab driver na si Ronnel Paglalunan. “Napaliko talaga ‘yong driver ko sa kaliwa at nagpreno siya nang malakas...bumaba ako para kausapin ‘yong driver,” ani Loyzaga. “Pagbaba ko, I said peace to him, and what did he do, he just put up his phone and started taking a video of me,” dagdag ng aktor. Ani Loyzaga, kalauna’y pinauwi rin siya ng pulis dahil hindi aniya lumalabas ng sasakyan ang Grab driver. Pinabulaanan din ng aktor ang mga alegasyon ng Grab driver laban sa kaniya.

“Bakit niya sasabihin na walang damages ‘yong car niya then five hours later ang allegations nila sa akin sinira ko ‘yong sasakyan, nagbato ako ng bato, at nag-trip ako nang walang dahilan,” saad ni Loyzaga. Hinihintay pa ng aktor ang pormal na reklamo ng Grab driver at ang kopya ng CCTV sa lugar ng insidente. Nakapalitan na ng mensahe ni Loyzaga ang Grab driver at sinabing handa itong humingi ng tawad sa aktor kung mapapatunayan na ito ang may kasalanan.

John Lloyd Cruz attends preliminary hearing of complaints vs Ellen Adarna

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umalo si John Lloyd Cruz sa rescheduled preliminary investigation ng mga reklamong child abuse and cybercrime na isinampa laban sa kanyang girlfriend na si Ellen Adarna ng mga magulang ng teenager na si Eleila Santos. Nangyari ang hearing sa Pasig City Office of the Prosecutor Lunes ng hapon, June 11. Kasamang dumating ni John Lloyd ang legal counsel ni Ellen, ayon sa tweet ng ABS-CBN entertainment reporter na si MJ Felipe. Naroon rin daw ang kampo ni Eleila. Tumagal ang preliminary investigation ng less than 30 minutes at hiniling ng kampo ng respondent na muli itong ma-reschedule sa June 25. Itinakda ang unang hearing noong June 4, na dinaluhan ng mga magulang ni Eleila na sina Myra at Roel Santos kasama ang kanilang abogado.

Pero hindi nakasipot ang kampo ni Ellen na ngayon ay buntis sa anak nila ni John Lloyd. Inilipat ang hearing nitong June 11 upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang kampo ni Ellen. Sinampahan ng reklamong paglabag sa R.A. 7610 o Anti-Child Abuse Law at R.A. 10175 o Anti-Cybercrime Law si Ellen ng mga magulang ni Eleila noong May 15. Ito ay dahil sa pag-post sa Instagram account ni Ellen ng video ng menor na edad na dalagita. Sa post ni Ellen, inakusahan niya ang dalaga na kinukunan umano silang dalawa ni John Lloyd ng video habang kumakain sa isang ramen restaurant sa Makati City, noong May 4. Pagkalipas ng tatlong araw, nag-post ng open letter ang ina ni Eleila na si Myra at nag-demand kay Ellen ng public apology para sa diumano’y maling akusasyon ng aktres laban sa anak. Pero hindi ito ginawa ni Ellen. Pagkalipas ng isang linggo ay sinampahan ng kampo ng dalaga si Ellen ng child abuse at cybercrime complaints.

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03-327-8770

TAOYUAN Tel.: (03) 331-1899

●Mon-Sun : 8:30AM-9:30PM

●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

No. 2-12, Lane 48, Zhongzheng Rd., Taoyuan City 桃園市中正路48巷2號之12

No.129, Wenhua 2nd Rd., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 桃園市龜山區文化二路129號

●Mon-Sun : 8:30AM-9:30PM

GUISHAN Tel.: (03) 367-4658 ●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

No. 372, Taoying Road Taoyuan City Taoyuan County 桃園縣,桃園市桃鶯路372號

ZHONGLI Tel.: (03) 422-5959

NEILI Tel.: (03) 435-2182

GUANYIN Tel.: (03) 476-1281

●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

●Mon-Sun :9AM-9PM

No. 567, Zhenggong Road, Sec. 1, Guanyin Dist., Taoyuan City

No. 30, Zhongzheng Road, Zhongli City, Taoyuan County 桃園縣中壢市中正路30號

HSINCHU CITY Tel.: (03) 526-2550

No. 903, Zhonghua Rd., Sec. 1, Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City 桃園市中壢區中華路一段903

No. 54, Zhongzheng Road, East Dist. Hsinchu City 新竹市東區中正路54號

桃園市觀音區成功路１段567號

HUKOU Tel.: (03) 597-8686

GBD Tel.: (03) 699-3778

No.169, Ren-le Road Hukou Township, Hsinchu County 新竹縣湖口鄉鳳凰村仁樂路 169號

No. 235-2 Chung Lun, Hsin Fong Township, Hsinchu County 新竹縣新豐鄉中崙 235-2號

●Mon-Sat : 8AM - 9PM ●Sun :8-12; 17-21

●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

●Mon-Sun :9AM - 9PM

●Mon-Sun: 07:30-11:30/17:00-21:00 ●Tues & Fri CLOSED

Tel.: (037) 272-172

Tel.: (037) 370-570

MIAOLI STATION 3 Tel.: (037-260-293)

●Mon-Sun : 9AM - 9PM

●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

MIAOLI 1

MIAOLI 2-TK

No. 93, Zhongzheng Road, Miaoli City 苗栗市中正路93號

No. 847, Zhongzheng Rd., Miaoli City, Miaoli County 苗栗縣苗栗市中正路847號

ZHUNAN Tel.: (037) 551-605 ●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

SHALU Tel.: (04) 2635-2601

No. 119 Zhongshan Road, Zhunan Township, Miaoli County 苗栗縣竹南鎮中山路 119號 TEPZ Tel.: (04) 2535-8888 ●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

No. 480-3, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Road., Tanzi District, Taichung City 台中市潭子區中山路2段480之3

TAINAN Tel.: (06) 223-8260 ●Mon-Sun :9AM-9PM

No. 184, Zhongshan Rd.,

West Central Dist.,Tainan City 台南市中西區中山路184號

NEPZ Tel.: (07) 364-0036

●Mon-Sat :9AM-7PM ●Sun: 9AM-6PM No. 563, Dexian Rd., Nanzi Dist. Kaohsiung City 高雄市楠梓區 德賢路563號

●Mon-Sun : 9AM-9PM

No. 24-1, Datong St., Shalu Dist., Taichung City 台中市沙鹿區大同街 24號之1 DOULIU Tel.: (05) 533-2190 ●Mon-Sun : 9AM-10PM

No.4, Zhanqian, Miaoli City, Miaoli County 苗栗縣苗栗市站前4號

TAICHUNG CITY Tel.: (04) 2227-1100 ●Mon-Sun :9AM - 9PM

No. 32, Li-chuan East St., Central Dist.,Taichung City 台中市中區綠川東街32號

CHIAYI Tel.: (05) 225-2928 ●Mon-Sat :10:30AM - 9PM ●Sun: 9AM - 9PM

DALIN Tel.: 05-295-1119

No. 114, Minsheng Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County 雲林縣斗六市民生路114號

No. 216, Linsen West Road East Dist., Chiayi City 嘉義市東區林森西路216號

●Mon-Sun: 9AM - 9PM No.19-1, Huzhu Community, Dalin Township, Chiayi County 嘉義縣大林鎮互助社區19-1號

TAINAN-TK Tel.: (06) 222-7281

YONGKANG Tel.: (06) 201-5660

RENDE Tel.: (06) 270-2212

No. 31, Gongyuan S. Road, North District, Tainan City 台南市北區公園南路31號

No. 1102-1, Wangxing Road, Yongkang Dist., Tainan City 台南市永康區王行路1102-1號

●Mon-Sun: 9AM-9PM

GANGSHAN Tel.: (07) 622-9903

●Mon-Sat :12PM-9PM ●Sun : 9AM-9PM No.1, Lane 101, Gangyan Rd., Gangshan Dist., Kaoshiung City 高雄市岡山區岡燕路101巷1號

●Mon-Sun: 9AM-9PM

DALIAO (07) 787-8310

●Mon-Sat :11AM-8PM ●Sun :9AM-8PM No. 1235, Guangming Rd., Sec. 1, Daliao Dist., Kaohsiung City 高雄市大寮區光明路一段1235號

7

●Mon-Sun: 9AM-9PM No. 180-1, Zhongshan,

Rende District, Tainan City

台南市仁德區中山路180-1號

DEXIAN (07) 360-1381 (07) 360-1383

●Mon-Sun: 9AM 7PM No. 108, Dexian Road, Nantzu District, Kaohsiung City 高雄市楠梓區德賢路108號

3 9

4 8 9 2 3 6 7 9 6 1 5 7

1 8

1

6 5

8 3 7 6 1 3 4 5 7 9 6

6 4

2

Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces.

Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3 x 3 square.

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3 x 3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive

Solution to last issue

1 4 2 6 9 7 5 8 3

3 6 7 8 5 4 2 9 1

9 5 8 2 1 3 7 4 6

2 8 6 7 3 9 4 1 5

7 1 9 5 4 8 3 6 2

5 3 4 1 2 6 9 7 8

6 2 1 9 7 5 8 3 4

4 7 5 3 8 1 6 2 9

8 9 3 4 6 2 1 5 7

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JULY 2018

EEC Elite Express

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31 NEWS

32 NEWS

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EEC Elite Express

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JULY 2018