SINGAPORE - A new Omicron subvariant, known as XBB, has been behind the increase in Covid-19 cases here in recent weeks.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that this new strain is responsible
Singapore is watching the XBB strain of Covid-19 "very closely", but there is no evidence that the new sub-variant is leading to more severe outcomes, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung says. (Healthworld)
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ALL MEMBERS of K-pop super group BTS will go to the military to fulfill mandatory service, start-
ing with the oldest member Jin, the band’s agency said.
“Bright Music is proud
to announce that the members of BTS are currently moving forward
‘Largest employer in region with over 7,000 employees’DAVAO CITY - VXI Global Solutions, a leading BPO Continue on page 5Continue on page 5 VXI SVP and Country Manager Eppie Titong with VXI VP for Operations Jamie Salazar during a news conference attended by Davao City Councilor Bernie Alag who represented Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is now seeking an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 4Ps, noting that under Republic Act No. 11310 or the 4Ps Act, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) is mandated to conduct an impact evaluation every three years to assess the implementation of the program.
gains in the rollout of the 4Ps which include, among others, increased school enrolment and attendance among children of household-beneficiaries to comply with the conditions of the program.
review of the 4Ps during a recent hearing on the proposed P194.63 billion DSWD budget for next year.
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1 in Malacañang, Garafil was asked if there is a directive from Marcos regarding the POGO industry considering the controversies surrounding its operations.
“Of course, the President is closely monitoring this. And as far as the President is concerned, ang PNP po ang in-charge dito sa usapin na ito,” Garafil said.
She also welcomed the statement from the Chinese Embassy in Manila clarifying that the Philippines was not blacklisted as a destination for Chinese tourists.
According to the embassy, the report (made by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri who quoted Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian) of the tourist blacklist is misinformation.
“Nakita na natin iyong paglilinaw nga ng Chinese Embassy, at nag-post na rin sila ng official statement nila sa kanilang social media accounts. And we share the sentiment of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines that tourism is an important facet to our relationship,” Garafil said.
“And we look forward to continuing with that relationship as we continuously welcome our friends from China, and we anticipate more of them to come in the months and years ahead,” she added.
The Marcos administration sees the tourism industry as a significant income generator for the country as it reopens following the imposition of restrictions due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
Beijing has strongly opposed the operation of POGO - mostly by Chinese gamblers and financiers - in the Philippines.
Huang has repeatedly warned that the proliferation of crimes linked to POGO are harmful to relations between the two nations, adding Beijing strongly opposes all forms of gambling and will continue to take strong measures against it.
“According to the Chinese laws and regulations, gambling in whatever form by Chinese citizens, be it online gambling or gambling overseas, is illegal. Crimes induced by and associated with online gambling not only harm China’s interests and China-Philippines relations, but also hurt the interests of the Philippines,” he said.
Even Senator Francis Escudero said since POGO operation was approved during Duterte’s term, there were a total of 496,620 POGO-related criminal incidents in 2019; and in 2020, there were 394,468 criminal incidents reported; and in 2021, there were 375,731 cases. Among them were trafficking in person; kidnap-for-ransom, kidnapping with serious illegal detention, serious physical injuries. Most of the victims were Chinese gamblers.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is campaigning for the continuation of the POGO.
Senator Grace Poe also chided PAGCOR for allowing the POGO operations despite
its awareness that such form of gambling has been declared illegal in China. She noted that PAGCOR’s position is that POGOs should not be banned in the Philippines.
She said PAGCOR also insisted that it does not allow the marketing of online gambling in jurisdictions where it is not allowed, even as most POGOs and service operators in the Philippines cater to Chinese nationals.
“Are you just turning a blind eye? Because if you can tell us categorically that there are no players from China, because it is prohibited, that's a big lie. Basically, we are condoning them to violate their own laws. You are allowing these POGOs to operate here knowing full well that their clients or their customers are from a country where online gaming is illegal,” Poe told PAGCOR officials during a recent hearing.
POGO operations started during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte despite the proliferation of crimes such as money laundering, prostitution, and human trafficking.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council also reported that P14 billion of the P54 billion in transactions by POGO operators from 2017 to 2019 was linked to suspicious activities, including drug trafficking.
Duterte had refused to shut down the POGO operations, citing the huge revenues the government gets from the gambling industry. (Mindanao Examiner)
The program is being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its data submitted to the Senate panel, however, showed that despite the some P900 billion shelled out for the 4Ps since 2007, only 97,000 beneficiaries “graduated” from poverty.
DSWD Sec. Erwin Tulfo said the impact evaluations previously conducted by the PIDS found
But Gathalian said despite the effectiveness of participation rates of students, the challenge of breaking intergenerational poverty is not happening. “Despite the students going to school, they're still poor," Gatchalian said.
Gathalian said he will call for another hearing on the 4Ps, adding the PIDS impact assessment will give lawmakers a complete view on the program. “That needs to be analyzed deeply, why inter-generational poverty is not breaking,” he said.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito also suggested a
Ejercito wanted to have an honest assessment on how effective the program is as a strategy in alleviating poverty in the country during the past several years. “Of course, we must help our fellow Filipinos, especially the poorest of the poor but it seems that we are encouraging a culture of mendicancy,” he said, adding that the government should have an exit mechanism for 4Ps recipients.
Tulfo has vowed to execute a program evaluation along with the DSWD’s sustainable livelihood program and exit mechanism for graduating 4Ps beneficiaries.
(Bibo Nueva España, Mindanao Examiner)
OVER 2,500 prospective students, parents, and teachers explored opportunities to study in the United States at the 6th EducationUSA Philippines Fair organized by the U.S. Embassy and the Philippine-American Education Foundation at the Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City.
“After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we are thrilled to welcome everyone back to the EducationUSA Fair in person. The exchange of students, researchers, scholars, and educators, along with broader international education efforts between the United States and other countries, strengthens relationships between current and future leaders. These relationships are necessary to address shared challenges and contribute to global peace and security,” said U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Heather Variava at the event’s opening ceremony held this month.
EducationUSA Advisors and representatives from 32 U.S. universities and colleges offered information on academic programs, admission procedures, scholarship and financial aid options, and student visa applications. The EducationUSA Fair is held annually and is free and open to the public.
“I know firsthand that selecting and applying for admission to U.S. universities can be a daunting process. I recently went through this process with my own son, who is a high school student. The U.S. Embassy’s EducationUSA Advising team is available to help you navigate the process with free, unbiased information on U.S. higher education,” Variava said.
EducationUSA also hosted a networking lunch that enabled officials from Filipino universities and high schools to meet visiting U.S. university representatives and discussed the study interests of Filipino students, scholarship opportunities, U.S. school offerings, and potential institutional partnerships.
American university representatives recognized the high quality of students in the Philippines and noted that Filipino youth seem more prepared than ever to pursue educational opportunities.
“Prospective students can position themselves well in the U.S. college and university application process due to the excellent preparation they receive in Filipino high schools and universities,” said David Danenberg, Associate Director for Admissions and Financial Aid at
Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. “We are excited to welcome more students from the Philippines.”
“EducationUSA opens doors to tremendous opportunities,” student Jose Miguel Villegas said. “The EducationUSA Fair featured enthusiastic representatives from U.S. colleges and universities and an overwhelming number of programs that cater to every student’s interests.”
EducationUSA is the U.S. government’s official resource for students interested in higher education in the United States. It provides free advising services to prospective international students in more than 170 countries and offers students resources and tools to help navigate the five steps to U.S. study: researching schools, financing, completing the application, obtaining a student visa, and preparing for departure.
An EducationUSA adviser can help students narrow their options, define their priorities, and plan their college careers. While EducationUSA does not offer scholarships, it can assist students in identifying scholarship and financial assistance opportunities. (Mindanao Examiner)
for these healthy young men to serve with their countrymen, and that’s now. Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government,” Bighit said.
Jin, born in 1992, had his conscription delayed till the end of this year under the Military Service Act revised in 2020.
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1 in and nearby Iligan City where participants used NASA’s open-source data to develop applications addressing the impacts of climate change and other environmental challenges.
Founded in 2012, the NASA Space Apps Challenge is the world’s largest science hackathon that creates solutions to challenges related to Earth science and space exploration. In 2021, 28,000 participants from 162 countries joined the competition.
Team Baybayin - composed of marine biology and computer engineering students from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) won the hackathon hosted by the U.S. Embassy and FAB LABs Philippines at the American
Corner at Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.
The team developed a web application that provides visual representations of coastal degradation to monitor coastal hazards and raise public awareness on mitigation methods.
“With the Philippines having the third longest coastline in the world, we will continue to develop this project and explore data-driven solutions for the benefit of coastal communities,” said Team Baybayin co-founder Preus Prixor Manulat.
To prepare them for the hackathon, participating students received guidance from experts from MSUIIT, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, and iDEYA, the U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology Innovation Hub.
EducationUSA also hosted an information session for students interested in completing their studies in the United States. Some 54 students joined the challenge.
“Skills building is an important pillar of our American Spaces programs. This hackathon, including the mentoring to participants provided by NASA, increases the ability of Filipinos to address global challenges through science and technology,” said U.S. Embassy Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Pauline Anderson.
Team Baybayin will compete at the final stage of the competition where NASA experts will assess all submitted projects. The global winners are expected to be announced by December. (Mindanao Examiner)
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1 up Covid-19 vaccination in different areas and urged locals to take advantage of the free inoculation to protect them from the deadly respiratory disease.
But the inclement weather conditions, armed conflicts, and unreliable electric supply hamper the delivery of basic health services. As a result, only about 28.88% of the province’s target population have been vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the Ministry of Health.
Controlling the spread of the virus requires that everyone is included in vaccination efforts. Governor Sakur Tan has repeatedly called on residents to get vaccinated and even ordered a massive information drive to allay fears and counter false news about the medicine.
Dr. Farah Omar, chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office, said they are committed to ramp up the vaccination campaign in the province’s geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
various islands. All these are expected to help ramp up the vaccination in Sulu.
“I am happy to see this MOU push through today. The ICRC handed over significant material support to the IPHO Sulu for its Covid-19 vaccination efforts. This support will enhance the capacity of IPHO Sulu to vaccinate more people, especially those living in far-flung areas,” said Arshid Amin Khan, head of the ICRC Sub-Delegation in Zamboanga.
Omar thanked the ICRC for the support and donations. “We are very thankful for this partnership with ICRC, an organization that protects victims of armed conflicts and assists areas affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The ICRC has been a reliable partner of IPHO Sulu and the MoU we signed today strengthens our partnership.”
The ICRC turned over 19 units of tricycles and
21 units of laptops to the IPHO Sulu. It also supports the Philippine Red Cross in the mobilization of vaccination teams and a government mobile vaccination bus in Mindanao, including places of detention.
PRC chapters in at least 11 cities and provinces in Mindanao have been augmenting their local government with mobile vaccination teams and support staff to reach more communities. Three fixedsite vaccination centers in the cities of Iligan, Zamboanga and Davao have been supported as well.
The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance, regardless of their political affiliation. (Mindanao Examiner)
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1 with plans to fulfill their military service. After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve.”
“Since the creation of BTS over ten years ago, the band has risen to international success, broken records, and catapulted K-Pop into the global stratosphere. Bighit Music has focused on the milestone moment when it would be possible to respect the needs of the country and
Bighit Music said other members of the BTS plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual projects. “As part of the HYBE family, we support and encourage our artists and are beyond proud that they will each now have time to explore their unique interests and do their duty by being of service to the country they call home,” it said. (Mindanao Examiner)
She said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will also support health authorities in the setting up of mobile vaccination sites in areas of low vaccine coverage, including detention facilities.
ICRC donated syringes, personal protective equipment, health communication materials, electronic equipment, rickshaw vehicles, and resources for mobile teams that will go to municipalities located on
The report also underscores that while the government builds resilience to climate change impacts, it should also ensure that the country’s emissions of greenhouse gases (e.g. methane and carbon dioxide) remain in check.
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1 and CX provider, unveiled its fifth site in Davao City, cementing its current legacy as the largest employer in the region.
The company announced the new location at SP Dacudao Loop, Agdao, Davao Park District, which will add to VXI’s over 40 global service locations and generate new job opportunities for citizens in the region.
cannot wait to grow our team even further with the launch of this new site in Davao Finance Center,” said Eppie Titong, VXI SVP and Country Manager.
SENATOR IMEE Marcos expressed dismay over the failure of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to allocate any budget to address the effects of climate change.
During the Finance Subcommittee A hearing on the proposed P718.36 billion DPWH budget, Marcos said the situation of the Philippines does not show too much progress in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation in terms of infrastructure.
“Is there no effort to embark on China’s style of sponge cities, the Malaysian river clean up, or the effort in India? Because I haven’t seen anything new, we need to be very aggressive in this area and more innovative…We still have the old notion that we can actually change the course of the river but the bitter lesson is we can’t fight Mother Nature. I see nothing on your budget that attempts to pilot some new technology,” Marcos pointed out.
In response, DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan admitted that there are lots of things that need to be done to address climate change but vowed that they will try their best to at least mitigate its effects.
According to a World
Bank report, the Philippines is among the most vulnerable countries to climate-related weather events.
The report entitled Getting a Grip on Climate Change in the Philippines looks at the innovations as well as gaps in policy and financing of climate change programs since the country adopted the Climate Change Act.
The report – done at the request of, and in close collaboration with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) – provides detailed analysis and recommendations on how the country could accelerate reforms for managing the growing climate change impacts and increasing greenhouse gas emissions while contributing to poverty reduction.
The report provides recommendations along three themes:
• Strengthening the planning, execution, and financing framework for climate change;
• Enhancing leadership and accountability through monitoring, evaluation, and review of climate change policies and activities; and
• Building the country’s capacity and managing change
Though a minor contributor to climate change globally, the Philippines’ greenhouse gas emissions rank in the top 25% among low- and middle-income countries, with significant increases projected in the coming decades. Emissions from the energy sector are projected to quadruple by 2030, with the transport sector expected to double its emissions.
The World Bank said that implementing the country’s climate change programs with increased financing, improved design, and greater focus and coordination contributes significantly to the country’s development goals.
It added that promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, for instance, boosts energy security and can lower energy costs, thus improving the country’s competitiveness. In agriculture, adaptation activities like conserving water and improving water quality will enhance food security.
Labor-intensive activities like developing climate-resilient farming and retrofitting infrastructure for flood control will build resilience while increasing job opportunities, especially for the poor. Climate change adaptation is very important in achieving inclusive growth, according to the World Bank. (Voltaire Domingo, Mindanao Examiner)
“We are very proud of our achievements here in Davao. Our standing as the largest employer in this region not only allows us to employ and provide a livelihood to thousands of Davaoeños and their families, but also contributes to the growth and development of the community at large. We
The Davao City Investment Promotion Center has recently recognized VXI Davao for its outstanding contributions to the success of the city’s economic development programs. VXI is currently the largest employer in the region with more than 7,000 employees in existing sites at SM Ecoland, Felcris Centrale, Robinsons Cybergate, and Robinsons Cybergate Delta.
“VXI is a great partner to the Davao Government and we’re happy to see their consistent growth throughout the years. VXI
is one of the first BPO companies who believed in the talent of Davaoenos and we are in full support of their expansion as they showcase local capabilities at the world stage,” said Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
Jared Morrison, VXI Chief Operating Officer, said Davao is a key part of their business and see this region growing even further in the next few years. “In our nearly ten years operating in Davao, the passion of Davaoenos to customer service is something we can truly rely on. We are also very thankful for the support of the local government for allowing us to set up world-class operations in this amazing location,” he said. (Richard Ebona)
AGP International Holdings, Inc. (AG&P) has partnered with Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. (BMFI) to help rebuild communities struck by Typhoon Rai (Odette) in December last year.
Typhoon Rai swept through the Southern Philippines shortly before Christmas, affecting 16 million people and leaving seven provinces severely damaged. The typhoon impacted Dinagat Island the most, damaging over 14,000 houses and affecting over 34,000 residents.
The Dinagat Island continues to face limited electricity supply, with only an estimated 8% of the area with access to electricity. AG&P said it donated 30 solar-powered generator sets across 12 villages in Dinagat Islands to reinstate power and
communication lines to 1,500 families.
The villages of Columbos, Coring, Kanihan, Poblacion, Imee, Roxas, Carmen, Catadman, Dinagat Province, Laguna, Santa Rita and BMFI Disaster Risk-Reduction, Resiliency-building, and Emergency Assistance Mission hub received the gener-
ator sets, providing residents with the electricity needed to power critical infrastructure, including hospitals, health centers, and domestic households.
Anupam Ahuja, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services, AG&P Group said: “It is our responsibility to make sustainable energy solutions available and support our communities. AG&P is committed to paving the way for the country’s transition to cleaner energy as well as working as a dependable partner of the renewable sector, and fostering a healthier environment for all of us, including our children.”
Earlier this year, AG&P, in partnership with BMFI, helped rebuild over 100 homes in Santo Nino Basilisa and Loreto villages in Dinagat Island. (Mindanao Examiner)
Coffee lovers in the Philippines may now enjoy the best and the most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak - but not as pricey as every connoisseur thinks.
Kopi Luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet’s intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected.
In Manila, a kilogram of Civet coffee sells for as high as P15,000 and over $500 dollars abroad.
But Kopi Luwak can now be enjoyed by every coffee lover for as low as P150 for a 16 oz. cup that comes with a drip bag, ground organic Civet coffee beans, two packets of brown sugar and a stirrer in a beautiful Kraft paper bag – thanks to the Mindanao Civet Coffee seller in Zamboanga City.
The new market player in the coffee business, although small, is now offering affordable organic Kopi Luwak – sourced and picked by farmers from the highlands of Mindanao, cleaned and dried and roasted to perfection to give coffee lovers that distinct aroma of Civet coffee berries – chocolaty and nutty and smooth bodied brewed drink.
Mindanao Civet Coffee, which started as a backyard reseller of coffee beans, now offers organic Kopi Luwak in 250 grams ground Civet coffee and 250 grams
Civet coffee beans – all medium roasted to perfection.
Kopi Luwak is also available now in 3rd Cup Café at LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City, and resellers in Luzon, Cebu and other parts of Mindanao.
The Mindanao Civet Coffee is a favorite among travellers and tourists and coffee connoisseurs. And for those who want the perfect gift for all occasions, Kopi Luwak is the best choice.
And those who are interested to resell or perhaps enjoy a daily hot cup or cold brew of Kopi Luwak may call the Mindanao Civet Coffee at this mobile number 0915-3976197. (AJC)
YAHOO ANNOUNCED the launch of new features for Yahoo Mail, providing consumers with “first-to-market” experiences for their inbox, to save time and improve productivity.
Yahoo Mail’s new updates meet the needs of consumers who are doing more online since the pandemic, and want to manage and personalize their inbox to support their digital lifestyle.
The new updates further amplify Yahoo Mail’s core offerings connecting millions of users daily — including the user-favourite feature of 1 TB free storage. The New Yahoo Mail App makes users’ lives easier based on their interactions and interests, while providing world-class utilities to offer users quick and easy access to the information that matters most.
“Yahoo Mail has been a part of consumers' lives for 25 years, so we know how important it is for people to quickly find what they need, whether it’s tomorrow’s flight departure time or how much was spent during a weekend getaway with friends. These new features are a culmination of listening to our people to better understand what they need and what makes Yahoo Mail an integral part of it,” said Josh Jacobson, GM & SVP Yahoo Communications.
The new first-to-market features include: Group by Sender: This feature will allow you to ‘group’ emails by domain to quickly find important messages, deals, or delete all messages from a sender at once.
Updated Top-of-Inbox Navigation: This feature with contextual filters is designed to drive awareness and findability for what matters most to you and reduce the signalto-noise ratio. Receipts View: See receipts from all orders at once, to make returns faster
and track your purchase history.
An Organized Inbox That Saves You Time. The new Yahoo Mail app includes new utility features that make managing the inbox easier than ever before.
Updated Top-of-Inbox Navigation: User testing by Yahoo Mail showed people spend more time looking at the top area of the screen on email, rather than the bottom. To help users find what they need faster, the new Yahoo Mail app’s updated top-of-inbox navigation has contextual filters — users can toggle between ‘Inbox,’ ‘Attachments,’ ‘Starred’ and more.
Once a user clicks and begins scrolling, the contextual filter adapts their screen to give them maximum viewability based on what they want to see. With more users managing their travel itineraries through email, it also includes a ‘Travel’ filter, where users can easily keep track of all their upcoming travel reservations in one place.
Group by Sender: Thousands of emails to delete feels overwhelming? The new ‘group by sender’ feature will allow users to group emails by domain to quickly delete all messages from a sender, at once. This came up as a big pain point for users, who wanted a more efficient way to clean up the clutter in their inbox, without wasting hours. Say goodbye to digging around in your inbox for individual emails from send-
ers. Group by Sender offers a faster and hassle-free way to view emails from one sender without the hassle of typing into a search bar.
One-tap unsubscribe: Users can unsubscribe from one or many brand promo emails and newsletters all in one place, with a single tap.
Connect All Your Accounts: Access your Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, Microsoft, or other account(s) in one place and take advantage of extra features.
Attachments: Displays all attachments in your inbox with the ability to filter by files (pdfs, word docs, jpeg) and photos. A huge time saver that spares opening email after email to check for an attachment.
Subscriptions Renewal Reminders: The new Yahoo Mail app’s top-of-inbox alerts remind you when a free trial is expiring or a paid subscription is about to renew.
Efficiency for the Everyday Online Consumer: In this new update, Yahoo Mail has also introduced features that help make shopping online and managing purchases easier for users around the world.
New features include: Receipts View - a view that allows you to see receipts from all of your orders. It makes returns faster and provides a handy view of spending patterns. The new Yahoo Mail app is available on iOS and Android. (Mindanao Examiner)
THE SENATOR who has played the role of a gangster in several movies demanded respect from an undersecretary of foreign affairs whom he described as a “barumbado” during a budget hearing at the Senate on Friday.
It takes one to know one, some would say. But watching a recording of the hearing on YouTube, it was Sen. Robinhood Padilla who was rude to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega, not the other way around.
De Vega, a lawyer and longtime diplomat, was smiling when he answered Padilla’s question about the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States.
This happened when the Senate subcommittee on finance was hearing the proposed budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs for 2023. Padilla joined the hearing via Zoom while DFA officials, including De Vega, were at the Senate in Pasay City.
Those attending the hearing at the Senate were in formal attire while Padilla was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
At one point, Padilla lectured DFA officials that they should inform the public about the MDT and the VFA, as well as the 2016 arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea.
The senator lamented that the US did not provide adequate support to the Philippines during the siege of Marawi City in 2017 despite the military agreements.
Initially, it was Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo who replied to Padilla’s concerns. He said the U.S. is committed to defend the Philippines, as provided for under the MDT, adding that “clarificatory talks” have been going on about the MDT implementation, particularly as to how the U.S. would come to the defense of the Philippines.
De Vega then butted in, saying: “Don’t be worried, Sen. Robin Padilla. ‘Yung DFA at saka ‘yung gobyerno handang ipagtanggol ang bansa kung sino man ang lulusob sa atin, maging sino man sila (The DFA and the government is ready to defend the country against whoever will invade us, whoever they are).”
Manalo and De Vega were speaking in mixed English and Filipino. The undersecretary was smiling as he was responding to Padilla. “The DFA will
always fight diplomatically. We will always use diplomatic means to defend our country,” he assured.
Padilla appeared to have been pissed off by de Vega’s reference to one of his popular movies, “Maging Sino Ka Man,” in which he shared top billing with megastar Sharon Cuneta.
De Vega did not sound provocative, nor was he disrespectful. Padilla probably thought the undersecretary was trying to make light of the situation while he was speaking about serious matters such as the MDT, the VFA and the 2016 arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea.
Padilla wants to be taken seriously. Well, he got the highest number of votes, 27 million votes, or 48.18% of the votes cast, in the May elections. But is that enough for him to be respected?
Because he topped the Senate election, he demanded that he be given the chairmanship of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes. And he got it. He became the first non-lawyer and neophyte senator to head the panel since it was created in 1987.
As an actor, Padilla was known as the “bad boy” of Philippine cinema. He portrayed the roles of a hoodlum, or anti-hero gangster. In fact, he had movies titled “Bad Boy “and “Barumbado.”
Days after assuming office in July, Padilla sent a letter to Senate Secretary Myra Villarica, saying that he preferred to be “addressed as Robinhood C. Padilla for all Senate communications and correspondence.”
Padilla may be going through a serious identity crisis, from being known as the Philippine cinema’s bad boy to being the country’s No. 1 senator. That’s probably why he lost his temper when the undersecretary made a subtle reference to one of his movies in response to his concerns.
It sends a message that Robinhood Padilla, the senator, wants to be different from Robin Padilla, the actor. As the country’s top senator, he wants to earn the “honorable” title.
Mr. Senator, respect is earned. Honorable men do not demand respect. They act respectable. Always remember the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated yourself.(Via Vera Files. The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of VERA Files. This column also appeared in The Manila Times.) OPINION
CHRIST reminded us about this need of ours when he said: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (Lk 12,39-40)
We have to be keenly aware that our life here on earth is a testing ground God uses to see if what he wants us to be is also what we ourselves would want to be. God wants us to be his image and likeness, to be sharers of his divine life and nature, thus, he gave us our spiritual powers of intelligence and will so we can know him and love him, and want to be one with him. Besides, he gives us his grace, so we can attain the supernatural level of his life and nature.
Every event in our life is actually an occasion to test us if we also would like to be like him. Thus, he gave us his commandments to guide us. Much more than that, he gave us Christ himself, “the way, the truth and the life,” so we would know how to be with God given our wounded condition.
We need to be always vigilant and do abiding accounting of how we are doing, given this original and ultimate condition and purpose of our earthly life. Since God has made us stewards of our own life, we need to learn how to manage the many resources entrusted to us so that we can be fruitful and productive in this life. Let’s remember that God will always ask us to account for what he has given us.
Among these resources, our time occupies a prominent and crucial place and plays a strategic role. It has been said that time is very precious because once it has passed, it can never be recovered. Some saints have regarded time not only as a treasure but also as glory, depending on how it is used.
We have to be really good in managing our time, being clear about the proper motives, priorities and standards in the use of time. The motives should be none other than love of God and others. The priorities should always be God first, then others, then ourselves.
And we should all have an abiding concern for accounting everything that we are and that we have. We just cannot go on with our life as if we are not answerable to anybody, especially to God, from whom we all come and to whom we all belong.
This is an indispensable part of our life, an unrelinquishable duty to perform. Our problem is that many still are ignorant of this duty, and of those who already know about this, the tendency is to take it for granted or to do it badly or to avoid it if given the chance.
We need to find a way of instilling this duty in everyone, starting with oneself and then encouraging others to do the same, in the context of the families, schools, parishes, offices, etc.
We have to be most aware of where we come from, what dignity and status we are given, what duties and responsibilities are entrusted to us, etc. And let’s remember that we need to handle them properly.
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1 for half of all daily cases now compared to none just three weeks ago.
“So (it is) obviously outcompeting BA.2.75 and also BA.5," Mr Ong told reporters on Tuesday (Oct 11), after he had received his bivalent vaccine at the Commonwealth joint testing and vaccination center.
On the same day, the Ministry of Health (MOH) refuted rumours circulating on messaging platform WhatsApp that there is a rapid and large increase in Covid-19 cases here with severe illness and deaths due to the XBB strain.
“While there is an increase in local cases driven by XBB, including the post-weekend spike this Tuesday, the number of severe cases has remained relatively low,” it said.
But is this increase driven by the new strain a cause for concern and should Singapore retighten Covid-19 safety measures?
TODAY spoke to experts to find out more. WHAT IS THE XBB SUBVA SUBVARIANT?
The XBB variant, also known as BA.2.10, evolved from the existing BA.2 Omicron subvariant strain.
Dr Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said: “The XBB variant is the latest of a series of variants that has emerged in countries with high vaccination rates.”
He added that it is the natural result of the virus' evolution to avoid the protection provided by immunisation.
“All viruses evolve and become more transmissible and less virulent over time,” Dr Tambyah said.
Dr Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, director of A*Star’s Bioinformatics Institute, said that the new variant is a result of an accumulation of changes in the virus' spike surface protein. “It is like the virus getting a new coat, and our immune system needs to learn again how to recognise it. Although this makes the virus stealthier, it is typically not more virulent,” he said.
When asked why XBB was named this way, Dr Maurer-Stroh said that XBB is not an official World Health Organization
(WHO) name for variants. Instead, the name is being used by researchers and public health agencies to discuss the emerging variants before they have grown to globally relevant numbers. For example, they use letters and numbers such as B.1.1.529, which later became Omicron, the official WHO variant name.
Dr Maurer-Stroh added: “'X' here stands for a recombinant (one of the variations observed for the virus) and 'BB' for the chronological appearance.”
Experts agreed that the XBB variant is more transmissible than previous Covid-19 strains.
Dr Tambyah noted: “Although we do not have all the genomic data on the current wave of cases, that (XBB being more infectious compared to other variants) is most likely the case as the number of infections has risen quite significantly over the last few weeks.”
Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease expert from Rophi Clinic, said the fact that it has become the leading virus in Singapore shows that it can outrun and outdodge the other strains. “Just like how Omicron replaced Delta, but at a much faster pace,” he said.
When asked if the strain would lead to more severe outcomes among those infected, the experts said that it is not likely the case.
Associate Professor Alex Cook, vice-dean of research at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said: “So far, it doesn’t seem to be leading to worse outcomes. Hospitalisation numbers are slowly going up, as we would expect with more cases, but so far, the growth in severe outcomes seems slower than the growth in cases.”
Dr Tambyah also noted that the number of cases in intensive care has "not risen appreciably" despite the increase in the number of cases.
“Anecdotally, most of the patients I have seen infected in the last couple of days have (had) very mild (symptoms),” he added.
However, Dr Leong said he suspects that this strain may be causing more people to get sore throat, which he has been noticing in his
Assoc Prof Cook said that for people who are not up to date with vaccinations for their age group, it would be sensible to get the bivalent vaccine, “unless you are recently recovering from infection and therefore already have pretty good immunity.”
Agreeing, Dr Leong said that the vaccine should protect one from the XBB strain in theory, though it has not been proven in the laboratories or clinically yet.
Dr Tambyah pointed out that based on laboratory data, the XBB variant seems to be able to avoid the protection of vaccines, including those targeting BA.1. However, he added that it is "reasonable" to get the new vaccine as a booster since it is possible that the next variant to emerge may be derived from BA.1.
Despite the rise in cases driven by XBB, the experts said that there is no need to retighten Covid-19 safety measures here.
Dr Tambyah said: “I think we should continue doing what we are doing right now. Focus on basic public health measures and ensure that those who are ill get the care that they need.”
He also noted that the XBB strain does not appear to have an impact on the healthcare system.
Both Assoc Prof Cook and Dr Leong agreed that tighter measures should only be reinstated if there is an excessive number of severe cases requiring hospitalisation and intensive care, and hospitals are unable to manage.
Assoc Prof Cook added: “The main difference between now and late 2021 when the Omicron variant was first emerging is that by now, most of us have been infected, most are boosted and more kids are protected.
“Thus even when new variants emerge and cases go up, we still expect to have a lot of protection from severe outcomes. So we should not 'freak out' when a new wave starts.”
(Charlene Goh / Today Online)
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CEBU Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Lt Gen Rodolfo Azurin Jr hasEBU – National Police (PNP) Chief Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has named Brig Gen Roderick Augustus Alba as the new regional director fornamed Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba as the new director for Central VisayasCentral Visayas.
Alba, who was formerly the chief of the PNP Public Information Office (PIO), replaced Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo DP Vega who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56.
“For more than a year, we had established a good and professional working relationship. I thank you for all your support, cooperation, and patience. I hope I have helped you in accomplishing your tasks as a journalist and member of the media,” Alba said in a message posted in the Viber group of members of the PNP Press Corps and PNP-PIO officials.
Azurin led the installation of Alba at Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. in Cebu City.
CEBU – Low-cost airlines AirAsia Philippines and Cebu Pacific (CEB) are backing calls to scrap the “One Health Pass” (OHP), saying some alternatives may be considered, citing the improved health situation in the country.
“As we head towards a strong air travel rebound, our passengers deserve a more convenient, reliable and hassle-free customer journey without sacrificing the safety net in our day-to-day operations," AirAsia spokesperson Steve Dailisan told the Philippine News Agency.
Dailisan said AirAsia supports initiatives that will en-
customer friendly and accessible for arriving passengers.
Senator Nancy Binay also called on the lifting of the OHP, saying this has become impractical and inconvenient for many travellers.
Passengers bound for the Philippines are required to register to the OHP, which Binay said has been a hassle to many returning Filipinos and overseas workers because this only adds to the screening procedures even if they are already quarantine-cleared and fully vaccinated with boosters.
She said even overseas Fil-
lines in the country's airports.
This was also observed by Carmina Romero of CEB. “Usually, there is a line of passengers who are unaware of the OHP, in check-in counters in our international destinations. I am sure they were sent an email about (OHP registration), but some passengers don't read notifications,” she said.
Romero noted that OHP registration is also not easy for many, especially for foreign travelers. “It is not easy for them to tick the boxes about specific details of their destination in the Philippines, such as which National Capital Region district, which barangay. A foreign national usually has a hard time answering that,” she said.
She said without the OHP, a foreigner could instead be made to fill out an arrival card before landing. A returning Filipino, on the other hand, needs to prove that he or she is fully vaccinated or boosted against Covid-19. “Maybe we should start considering these too,” Romero said. (Maria Cristina Arayata)
“I am confident that Central Visayas is in good hands with General Alba at the helm. His competence, commitment and work ethics bespeak his leadership approach, and so, I entrust him to lead the more than 11, 000 strong personnel of Police Regional Office 7 to
raise the bar of excellence in public service,” Azurin said.
Alba is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class of 1992. Before being assigned as PNPPIO chief, Alba was the deputy director for the administration of the PNP Information Technology Management Service.
He also served as the officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, provincial director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, chief of the Regional Operations and Plans Division of the Police Regional Office 6, and other commands, staff, and training assignments as a senior PNP officer.
Col. Redrico Maranan, meanwhile, was named acting chief of the PNP-PIO. Maranan will serve the functions of being the publicist and mouthpiece of the PNP on information matters and other strategic communication concerns. He also holds graduate degrees in
Management major in Development and Security and Business Administration at Wesleyan University.
Maranan, a member of PNPA Class of 1995, served as deputy district director for operations of the Quezon City Police District. He briefly served as Chief of Staff of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group in 2021, and held other command positions as provincial director of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office and chief of police of cities of Marikina, Imus and Bacoor in Cavite and company commander of the Cavite Provincial Mobile Force Company.
He also received formal training on various police specializations in intelligence, drug law enforcement, incident management, aircraft operations, bomb investigation, human rights, hostage negotiation, and police tactical skills. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)
CEBU - Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it will resume flights between Bangkok and Cebu starting December 9 - over two years since it halted servicing the route due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The twice weekly PAL service expands the network of international flights availing of Mactan Cebu International Airport as a business and tourist gateway for visitors from Thailand and the ASEAN region.
The PAL service offers convenient morning departures from Cebu and early afternoon departures from Bangkok, giving travelers an easy three-hour journey without needing to connect via Manila or other airports.
The flight from Mactan-Cebu International Airport will be scheduled at 9:30 a.m., while the flight from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport will take off at 1:30 p.m.
“Our Bangkok-Cebu flights give us the opportunity to grow
The Airbus A321ceo is the most efficient single-aisle jetliner ever built. Its stretched fuselage – measuring 146 feet or 23 feet longer than the A320 – makes the A321 the longest and widest (12 feet, 1 inch) among all single-aisle aircraft, accommodating more seats and cargo.
the Philippines-Thailand passenger market, using our Cebu regional hub to boost tourism and economic development,” said PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Stanley Ng.
“We are happy to offer travelers a choice of nonstop links to the major markets in Asia and beyond, now that more countries are reopening their borders and easing travel restrictions in time for the holiday travel season,” he added.
As passengers from Cebu
will no longer have to fly via Manila or other airports, Ng said PAL is offering nonstop links to other major markets in Asia. The three-hour flight between Cebu and Bangkok will use a 199-seater Airbus A321ceo aircraft.
Bangkok is the latest destination to be flown out of the flag carrier’s Cebu hub, which connects Cebu to Tokyo Narita and various cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. (Maria Cristina Arayata)
