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LGUs
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
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Women learn how to make bags and other accessories from strands of cornhusks at a livelihood seminar in this file photo. Residents of Santa Barbara in Pangasinan are learning to do the same, making corn husking a viable third livelihood source after rice planting and mango farming, as another local shows (inset).
STA. BARBARA GIVES WAY TO CORN HUSKING WORK By Honor Blanco Cabie
S
anta Barbara, Pangasinan—This first-class farming town in the heart of Pangasinan does not have just rice and mangoes as economic gears for its residents: it has slowly become deeply involved in basic cornhusk transformation.
A great part of Santa Barbara, 170 kilometers from Manila, is fast getting urbanized, but the main economic activity remains farming. Rice remains the town’s main crop with 6,662 hectares, or close to all its total tillable lands devoted to rice farming, followed by mango, of which the town is famous for as the home of age-old Philippine mango seedling nurseries— the two are the only crops raised in all its 29 barangays. The third most important crop is a variety of vegetables, followed by corn. Legumes and root crops are grown in small quantities. Their livestock include several head of cattle, water buffaloes or carabaos, hogs, goats and dogs. They also raise native chickens for their food and some poultry farms commercially produce chicken layers and broilers. In recent months, the Agricultural Training InstituteRegional Training Center 1 conducted the Training on
Enterprise Development: Basic Corn Husk Transformation at the ATI-RTC 1I in Barangay Tebag here. The training, in support of livelihood projects, included technical and financial assistance for the RBOs or ruralbased organizations. The participants, who included 4-H club members and their coordinators, came from the upland town of Salcedo in Ilocos Sur, the river side town of Sudipen in La Union, as well as from Manaoag, San Carlos City, this town, and Mangaldan in Pangasinan. Sources say the training covered an overview of the course followed by the actual application on sorting, coloring, dying and drying of cornhusks. Various flower designs or arrangements using cornhusks were taught to the participants, with emphasis on quality finished products, according to the sources. There were also hands-on demonstrations on how to make different corsages. Other handicrafts made by the participants were Christmas decors, ropes, mobile phone holders, and bags. Sources quoted Jocelyn Ong-Perez, owner and manager of Crafter’s Joy Cornhusk Products, as raising words of encouragement in her message to the participants. Perez, of Basista town, not far from here, said cornhusk is a promising enterprise. But what is corn husking? This is the process of removing the inner layers, leaving only the cob or seed rack of the corn. Dehulling, as a separate process, is removing the hulls (or chaff) from beans and other seeds. This is sometimes done using a machine known as a huller. In Third World countries like the Philippines, husking and dehulling are still often done by hand using a large mortar and pestle. These are usually made of wood, and operated by one or more people. The husk is biodegradable and may be composted. Sources have quoted Perez as saying: “At first no one knows how to make it, but everything could be learned through training and practice to improve the quality of the product. And you must love what you’re doing.”
ILLEGAL CHARCOAL KILNS IN SAMAR BUSTED CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar—Members of the Catbalogan Community Environment and Natural Resources Office team recently destroyed charcoal kilns in the towns of Villareal and Sta. Margarita. CENRO officer Mar Torres said more than 45 charcoal kilns called “bulkan” in Villareal and “pugon” in Sta. Margarita were illegal, as they use mangrove wood for making charcoal. The “pugon” in Sta. Margarita can
produce more than 30 bags in a single operation, Torres added. The charcoal is then shipped to Calbayog, Tacloban and this city, where demand is higher. CENRO have identified the owners and are preparing charges for violation of environmental laws. In Villareal, children in first grade are already experts in making “bulkan” that can produce at least two bags of charcoal, said a CENRO employee who
requested anonymity, saying he was not authorized to comment on the issue. Provincial Environment Officer Elpedio Simon said an alternative job for these charcoal makers is planting trees under the National Greening Program, which has a P20-million budget to reforest the same areas like where the kilns were being operated. “There are people’s organization here under contract with DENR for
NGP, yet it is sad that they are still doing this,” Simon said. He also urged the coastal barangays to refrain from destroying the very mangroves that will protect them once calamities occur. Mangroves are part of “the most diverse ecosystem” as fish, crabs and other marine life spawn in them, he added. “It is absolutely illegal to cut mangrove species,” stressed Simon. PIA
Local Gov’t Units
TESDA LENDS HAND TO 19 ‘REFORMISTS’ IN LA UNION SAN GABRIEL, La Union – In line with the government’s massive campaign against illegal drugs, the Technical Education and Skills Development AuthorityLa Union provided skills training for livelihood to 19 drug surrenderees here. Marissa T. Alcantara, provincial director of Tesda-La Union, said the activity realizes what Tesda Director General Guiling Mamondiong’s about supporting the war on drugs by offering the drug surrenderees or “reformists” with skills training that would prevent them from returning to their illicit ways. Through the Skills Training for Employment Program (STEP) facilitated by Tesda, the beneficiaries gained a 26-day training program on Shielded Metal Arc Welding and entrepreneurship training to let them fully utilize what they have learned for their livelihood. “The program is an opportunity for indigent beneficiaries implemented at the barangays, communities to empower them to become employable and productive,” Alcantara said. The graduates also received tool kits such as a portable welding machine with paraphernalia, a training allowance of P60 per day, and certificates of training. “Based on the assessment conducted, the reformist are already qualified to apply for their national competency certificate for said skills,” Alcantara said. As a commitment of the local government of San Gabriel, the Tesda graduates shall be tapped in all the municipal projects that require their learned skills. PIA
BARANGAY CAPTAINS NABBED BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan—Six barangay captains, a barangay councilman, a former municipal councilor and an accomplice— all tagged as high-value drug targets—were arrested following a law enforcement sweep here. Joint forces of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 1, the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army arrested barangay captains Eduardo Alcantara, of Barangay Beleng; Roderick Casingal of Barangay Iton; Remato Soriano of Barangay Tamaro; George Balbin of Barangay Nalsian Sur; and Gildo Madriano, of Barangay San Gabriel. Gerardo de Vera, a former municipal councilor of Barangay Zone 1, and Jose Sandy Gavino, a resident of Barangay Tamaro, were also arrested. The joint police-military force found 20 plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing about 40 grams with an estimated street value of P120,000, two airsoft rifles, a Glock caliber .40 pistol, and a 9mm pistol with pieces of ammunition and several drug paraphernalia after searching the suspects’ homes. From January to October this year, 11 barangay chairmen and 40 barangay kagawads, or 51 barangay officials nationwide, were arrested for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, PDEA-RO1 said. In 2015, 65 barangay officials were arrested for drug-related offenses, an 18.8 percent increase compared to 2014 when 55 village leaders were arrested. Dexter A. See
LGUs
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
DTI LAUDS WINNING LGUS IN CMCI LIST BAGUIO CITY—The Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the National Competitiveness Council, recognized the local government units in the Cordillera region that performed well in the 2016 NCC Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index in an awarding ceremony at Albergo Hotel here. DTI Cordillera Regional Director Myrna Pablo, assisted by Philippine Chamber of Commerce Inc.–CAR Governor Johnny dela Cruz and Philippine Statistics Authority Regional Director Villafe Alibuyog, spearheaded the awarding of certificate of participation to all 56 LGUs that entered the 2016 CMCI. Plaques of recognition were also awarded to the top three ranking LGUs in every category. For the provincial level, Benguet bagged the most competitive LGU award, ranking 21st out of the 68th provinces nationwide that entered the CMCI. Kalinga (25th) and Ifugao (35th) were second and third, respectively. For the 1st to 2nd class municipalities category, top in CAR is municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet, which ranked 14th out of 490 LGUs nationwide. It was followed by Tuba, Benguet at 118th and Bontoc, Mountain Province at 147th. For 3rd to 6th class municipalities, Tublay in Benguet bagged the top plum after being ranked 20th out of 755 LGUs nationwide, followed by Buguias, Benguet (23rd) and Lamut, Ifugao (24th). Baguio City was awarded plaque of recognition for ranking 14th out of the 34 highly urbanized cities that joined the ranking, the same with the city of Tabuk in Kalinga that ranked 76th among the 110 component cities in the 2016 CMCI. Certificates were also awarded to the best performing LGUs in each of the CMCI pillars, namely infrastructure, economic dynamism and government efficiency. Pablo stressed the importance of LGUs entering the Index, as it is a basis for businessmen and investors to place their trust in the localities. PIA
Senator Richard Gordon, as chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, hands a certificate of occupancy to a resident of Daanbantayan, Cebu, as the organization marked the third anniversary of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) last November 12 in Bogo, Cebu.
CEBU TOWN GETS NEW HOMES FROM PRC
B
ogo City—The Philippine Red Cross highlighted volunteerism and Typhoon Haiyan Operation completed projects as PRC Chairman and Senator Richard Gordon led the turnover of projects and the oathtaking of Red Cross 143 volunteers in this city in Cebu.
As part of the completion of projects in the municipality of Daanbantayan, Cebu under Typhoon Haiyan Operation, 901 families received the certificates of occupancy of their new homes, and nine schools were provided with water and sanitation facilities. “This day is a celebration of life, a celebration of new beginnings, new hope, and chances for the people of Daanbantayan,” said Gordon. “The result would not have been possible without the untiring help of our
valued partners, the Japanese Red Cross who assisted and provided support since day one.” In partnership with the Japanese Red Cross Society, PRC provided shelter, livelihood, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health facilities in barangays Bateria, Bitoon, Calape, Lanao, Malingin, Maya and Poblacion of Daanbantayan, as part of the beneficiary programs for Typhoon “Yolanda” survivors. The ceremony also highlighted the accomplishments of the PRC
and other partners in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement through the Typhoon Haiyan Operation, in commemoration of the third anniversary of Typhoon “Yolanda” last November 3. In its three-year progress report on Typhoon Haiyan, the PRC said it was guided by a coordinated approach as the whole Red Cross framework supported thousands of households across different provinces affected by the strongest typhoon to make landfall in country’s recorded history. “The emergency relief operation was launched immediately to provide assistance to the people affected across the Central Visayas region” that includes Cebu, the report added. “Food, water, clothes and emergency shelter materials were dispatched and more than
8,000 volunteers were mobilized.” To support recovery efforts of the affected people, Red Cross partners contributed to the operational plan of the PRC. “Coordination was maintained to ensure efficient and effective utilization of resources, and to reach the affected communities with quality service and appropriate assistance.” The recovery of households “entailed support for shelter repair and reconstruction, recovery of livelihoods and income generation activities, construction of water and sanitation facilities, rehabilitation of health infrastructure and health promotion initiatives, and improved educational facilities.” Awareness raising sessions were also carried out with the communities to improve their knowledge of disaster preparedness, the report added.
CADETS OF PMA SALUTE PHILEX WAY OF MINING
GADGETS FOR ORMOC. Ormoc city and education officials led by Mayor Richard Gomez (fifth
from right) accept the TechnoCart donation of Smart, represented by public affairs senior manager Atty. Jane Paredes (second from right), and Makati teenager Gaby Aldaba (fourth from right), who had raised P100,000 to help Salvacion Elementary School gain digital learning tools.
‘VAWC’ CASES RISE IN CORDILLERA BAGUIO CITY—About 1,065 cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) have been recorded from January to September this year, the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) in the Cordillera has revealed. Florita Paragas, RCWC regional coordinator, said numerous VAWC cases go unreported, especially in the remote villages of the region, thus the number of cases could be larger than what has been recorded in the different social welfare and development offices. “We are more concerned about the unreported cases, especially among the elite and those in the rural areas. We have to increase the awareness of our people to the importance of reporting VAWC cases to the concerned authorities so that appropriate interventions could be done to the parties,” Paragas stressed.
The Regional Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children obtained the data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Health, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, Save Our Women, and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera, among other organizations. Paragas said most of the reported VAWC cases are domestic violence and trafficking. Child abuse cases are also on the rise because of the information and education campaign being waged by some agencies for these vulnerable sectors, she added. She called on the public to help the authorities in probing VAWC cases that happen in their places by reporting to the police or the social welfare offices, so that abused
women and children could be spared from imminent danger. Children who are exposed to violence at an early age have the tendency to commit violence once they become older, Paragas warned, and that such incidents could be graver compared to what they have experienced. She said it is difficult to monitor VAWC cases in rural areas because the concerned parties end up settling the case before it is brought to the authorities, considering the negative effect of these cases to the close ties among families in these places. Paragas admitted that abused women and children belonging to elite families also seek assistance from concerned agencies not in the places where the abuses were committed but in other places where they are not known, to preserve the reputation of their families. Dexter A. See
TUBA, Benguet—Convinced that Philex Mining Corp. has played its part well in community development, economic progress and environmental protection, some 200 cadets and personnel from the Philippine Military Academy endorsed the company’s commitment to responsible mining during a recent visit to the mine camp. “I now have a different outlook of mining, as I learned a lot after talking to some residents here and seeing a sustainable community built by Philex Mining,” Aurelio Torres, 21, a representative from the visitors’ Army group dubbed “Echo,” said. Whereas before he had relied on anti-mining activists for his views on the industry, Torres said he had witnessed the benefits being derived from responsible mining. He was one of 158 cadets who came to the mine camp of Philex Mining’s Padcal operations, spending the whole day doing a familiarization tour. They also talked to residents of the host towns of Tuba and Itogon, gave away books to students, and lectured about safety measures during disasters. Six PMA officers, six faculty members, and 16 security personnel and drivers joined the cadets. Paul Bronson Ciano, manager of the Padcal mine’s security department and a PMA alumnus himself, said the faculty of the school’s Humanities Department had chosen to visit the Philex operation. There, the graduating PMA cadets could witness and learn how the gold-and-copper producer built its community and stayed true to its corporate social responsibility, he added. “We are grateful that you have appreciated the sustainability of this community, as well as shared
your thoughts and learning about responsible mining,” Ciano told the cadets. “We are now one in believing that there really is life in mining.” Before touring the mine camp and carrying out the rest of their one-day activity, the visitors, headed by Lt. Col. Agnes Linette Flores, paid a courtesy call on Manuel Agcaoili, Philex Mining SVP and Padcal resident manager. Agcaoili explained to them how Padcal provides free housing, utilities, and health-care services to its employees, as well as the benefits granted to its other stakeholders. “We also have livelihood programs for the employees and the host communities,” he added. Nijar Basiri, 23, a cadet belonging to the Air Force group Foxtrot who hails from Jolo, said responsible mining exists, contrary to what many PMA cadets had thought based on the preaching of anti-mining activists. Basiri and Torres joined the rest of the delegation in turning over a number of books and other reading materials to the Saint Louis High School–Philex branch in Itogon’s Barangay Ampucao. They also shared with the students and community leaders their knowledge and training on emergency-response management. “We appreciate the help that you have extended to the community— the social and economic aspects that have improved the lives of the people in your host and neighboring villages,” said Frederick Macalintal, 23, from the Navy group Bravo. “We must help each other. We encourage the rest of the mining industry to emulate what Philex Mining has been doing as a responsible miner,” Basiri said. Dexter A. See
Gadgets & Games
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph
VIVO Y55...
OPPO INTRODUCES LIMITED EDITION F1S
From D4
while heavy apps usage doesn’t seem to drain the juice quickly especially considering it has an octacore processor to feed. The phone can still perform fast even if games and apps are still running on the background, and with the Fun Touch Operating system, you can customize a wide array of things using iThemes. The OS also allows you to put apps in folders and the motion is fluid without lag even with apps in constant running. The OS also has an out of pocket feature which allows users to simply remove the phone from their pockets and it will automatically turn on thanks to its light sensors which also automatically adjusts brightness when outdoors. It has a clean interface with attractive icons and swiping from the top to bottom will reveal notifications, while swiping from the bottom will show shortcut keys and recent apps. The Y55 boasts of a split screen feature, which this writer thinks is a neat addition as users can read messages while watching a video.
Overall performance
From left to right: Simoun Ferrer, GMA artist Center AVP for Talent Imaging and Marketing; Alden Richards, the new face of Selfie Expert; TV5's Chot Reyes; Stephen Cheng, Brand Marketing Manager, Garrick Hung, Operations Manager
O
PPO may have already become the country’s second bestselling smartphone, but the brand remains committed to increasing its market share in Asean’s fastest growing mobile market. In less than three months since “ This would not have been posthe F1s sold out immedisible without our partnerships, which ately after its debut in helped us achieve our current standAugust, OPPO introing today,” Cheng added. duces a limited edition metallic grey Continuing partnerships variant of its celA long-time partner of ebrated camera the smartphone brand, phone—the F1s e-commerce store LazaLimited. da has just added The F1s Limited the F1s Limited has the same features to its growing of the F1s including its roster of OPPO 16-megapixel front camphones for onera, large F/2.0 aperture, line shoppers. selfie-enhancing Beautify 4.0 Consumer app, and lightning-fast fingerfinance provider print recognition access. Home Credit has “We are proud that OPPO has also extended its reached big milestones despite being partnership with OPPO relatively new in the Philippine smartto January 2017. Currently, phone market. It shows how Home Credit is offering much our smartphones appeal the F1s at zero percent The F1s Limited has the same to Filipinos, especially among interest at P1,449/month. features of the F1s. those who enjoy taking selfies,” said OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Title sponsor Stephen Cheng. During the unveiling of the F1s Limited,
TV5 president Coach Chot Reyes joined OPPO executives to announce that the smartphone brand will be the title sponsor of the Philippine Basketball Association 2017-2018 season. The upcoming season will air on Sports5, the sports division of the Kapatid network. This year, OPPO served as the title sponsor of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
Available in prepaid and postpaid
OPPO also announced its new partnership with Smart for both prepaid and postpaid. Three OPPO handsets, the A37, the Neo7, and the F1, are now bundled with an LTE SIM card with free 100MB for Facebook and games every month, as well as a 1GB monthly data reward for those who get P300 load. Smart is also offering the F1s through its Giga Plan 999, which comes with a free 50-minute call to all networks, unlimited texts, free YouTube, and 5GB worth of free internet. The F1s Limited are now available in concept and dealer stores, with the suggested retail price is P12,990. OPPO is a global electronics and technology service provider that provides customers with the latest and most exquisite electronic devices and mobile Internet service. OPPO delivers customers with the most delightful electronic experience that is full of surprises, through meticulous designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit http://global.oppo.com.
CREATIVITY AT HOME WITH BROTHER BRING the joy of sewing to your homes this holiday season with the machines that will bring out your and your loved ones’ utmost creativity—the Brother Home Sewing Machines loved the world over.
Brother JS-1410 Entry-level Sewing Machine
For starting or rekindling you and your family’s love for sewing, the Brother JS1410 Mechanical Sewing Machine is perfect for you. It is affordable and easy to use with multiple functions. All the basic features you need are packed in this compact and lightweight model – automatic buttonhole, 14 decorative and quilting built-in stitches, twin needle, top load bobbin, and LED sewing light. Just perfect for basic sewing and mending. With this machine, one can make fancy pillow cases, trendy cloth bags, sleek blouses, or even a jacket for each family member this holiday. No other present could be more ideal for yourself or your loved ones who have passion for fashion and crafting. Get the JS1410 at the Brother Sewing Machine Tradein Madness happening at the SM Megamall from Dec. 15 to 21, 2016 to get a 25 to 30 percent trade-in discount from the original SRP of P7,995. Brother NV-55P Computerized Sewing Machine If you want to take your sewing passion to the next level, the affordable Brother NV55P Computerized Sewing Machine packed with numerous features will be your perfect tool. It has 135 built-in sewing, quilting and decoration stitches, including 10 buttonholes which you can conveniently access from the touchpad. What’s more, the built-in lettering allows you to personalise up to 35 dif-
With the JS1410, you can make fancy pillow cases, trendy cloth bags, sleek blouses, or even a jacket for each family member this holiday
ferent stitch patterns to create labels or monogrammes. Handy central controls help to make sewing simpler. Jog dials and electronic touch pads provide finger tip control of stitch functions. Its LCD display allows you to see at a glance information about your stitch – such as the length and width required. It also has automatic needle threader, quick set bobbin as well as fast winder. Its seven-point feed gives extra teeth that ensure a smooth feeding action and superior stitch quality. Get the NV-55P at the above-mentioned Trade-in Madness event to get from P2,000 to P3,000 discount
from its original SRP of P24,995. The NV-980D Computerized Embroidery & Sewing Machine with Disney characters It is equipped with a wide variety of built-in exclusive 40 Disney-themed stitches, 196 embroidery designs, and 129 built-in stitches. The unit also has an extension table that is perfect for working on large projects, providing ample work space. The Mickey and Minnie adorned case lets you keep the unit neatly when not in use. Its space-saving design also includes a discreet storage for the power cord. Other features include LCD touch screen, automatic needle threader and cutter, and super bright LED light. The NV-980D model (SRP P59,995) is also available at the Trade-in Madness at P3,000 to P5,000 off with traded machines. The choice of the brand conscious market, Brother Home Sewing Machines are indeed perfect for personal use and as Christmas gifts as well. Visit brother.com.ph or call (02) 581-9888 for more product information. If you are looking for a lot more ways to accent your projects, the Brother NV980D Embroidery and Sewing Machine is for you
The main camera can shoot at up to 1080p resolution at 30fps in MP4 format as well as an Ultra HD mode, which Vivo claims can ramp up the advertised 8 megapixels to 32. The main shooter has the usual modes like HDR, Panorama and night shooting, but it also allows the Pro mode, hyperlapse and slow-motion features. The front cam comes with brightness compensation and screenflash for the perfect selfie, even in lowlight conditions. The face beauty feature automatically filters the face to cut out blemishes and enhances somewhat bland facial features. It also has an array of intuitive options for shutters. The voice shutter lets you capture selfies by saying “cheese”, the gesture shutter captures pics when users hold out their palm and a gender detection feature, which, well, I don’t really know what for. The display screen can handle HD resolution or 282ppi and the screen is discernible from all angles. The loudspeaker, well, can be loud, but compared to some mediacentric phones, it can pass off as average. Doing screenshots isn’t as simple as with most phones but the super screenshot shortcut is very much enjoyable to navigate. You can screenshot more than one page for a long screenshot, while rectangular screenshots lets you select what you only want to capture on the screen. Funny screenshots enable users to edit captured images then and there while the screen recording feature is just awesome that can record up to an hour of activity--perfect for demo videos because the shortcut lets users record voice while recording. The phone doesn’t have a lot preinstalled apps. There are only a handful of Google apps which you cannot uninstall and other apps include Vivo’s Easy Share wireless file transfer, Facebook, and WPS Office. There is a 16GB of internal storagewise, but only 8.95GB as usable. However, the phone compensates that with the expandable microSD card slot and a built in cloud service.
The verdict
The Vivo Y55 is a packed entry-level device which boasts some decent specs but an even more attractive P7,990 price tag. The strong points are its elegant design, intuitive OS and processors, and the reliable battery life, but there are still minimal improvements that the phone may need especially with its plastic casing and screen that is susceptible to micro scratches, but with a sub-P8,000 phone like this, the best it can offer is its affordable price. The phone is a perfect everyday companion even for heavy gaming geeks, selfie-centric peeps and everyone that wants a fairly-priced phone that can offer decent specs. All in all, the Vivo Y55 can go toe-to-toe with most brands today, and with the holidays creeping in, this phone is certainly a prime addition to anyone’s Christmas shopping list.
GOOGLE...
From D4
Pichai said there should be “no situation where fake news gets distributed” and committed to making improvements. “I don’t think we should debate it as much as work hard to make sure we drive news to its more trusted sources, have more fact checking and make our algorithms work better, absolutely,” he said. On Monday, internet users searching on Google were delivered a bogus report saying Republican Donald Trump had won the popular vote in addition to the electoral college. The numbers on a blog called 70News —contradicting official results tallied so far by states—said Trump received 62.9 million votes to 62.2 million for Hillary Clinton. The blog urged those petitioning for the electoral college to switch their votes to reflect popular will to scrap their effort. AFP
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph
Gadgets & Games
KEEPING FACEBOOK SAFE FOR EVERYONE
By Peter Paul Duran
N a bid to underscore its commitment to privacy, safety and security of the Philippine social media community, Facebook launched new safety features and resources for its Filipino users. An all-new Safety Center which features Tagalog video content, top tips and tools were tackled during the social networking site’s workshop for the media recently in Makati. “At Facebook, we’re helping 54 million people in the Philippines connect and share with their family and friends and the things that matter to them,” said FB Director of Safety Mia Garlick during the workshop at the New World Hotel in Ayala. “That’s why we invest in technology, controls, community standards and education to help keep people and their informations safe and secure,” added the exec, who will also head to Davao and Cebu for the remainder of the three-part lecture series for journalists in the country. Facebook outlined the technology, tools, and resources it has to help keep its community and their information secure with the new Safety Center, now available in 50 languages, including Tagalog. This new mobile friendly improvement from Facebook includes step-by-step videos to help people stay in control and feel safe being themselves. This update also brings Facebook Bullying Prevention Hub to everyone on Facebook. Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence in 2013, The Hub is a resource for teens, parents and educators seeking guidance on how to prevent and address bullying. The topics that were discussed included Facebook’s mission and its commitment to online safety, it’s Community Standards and its reporting tools and the latest safety resources and education programs from the site. Facebook Safety was put on a premium and execs keenly to discussed some tips and strategies to help Filipinos have a positive experience on Facebook, aimed to help reporters understand how they can stay on Facebook, and also help inform their readers and the broader Facebook community on how to be a responsible online citizen and stay safe online. Facebook is a global community of 1.7 billion people (54 million people in the Philippines), who connect and share with the people, places and things that matter to them, and for Garlick, keeping this community and the information they share safe is at the core of everything Facebook does. “These controls and technology are powerful, but only when they know about it, that’s why we are constantly listening and learning, and are committed to developing resources with lock safety partners and experts to help keep our community in the Philippines safe.” Peter Paul Duran
REVIEW: VIVO Y55 A PERFECT EVERYDAY PHONE WHEN a phone brands itself as selfie-centric, people might expect that they’ll only be left with a handset, whose only strong point is its camera. But when a handset adds sleek design and an intuitive OS into the mix, you’ve got yourself a do-it-all smartphone perfect for the busy millennial. Launched a couple of weeks ago, the new Vivo Y55 is the latest smartphone from the company to hit Philippine shores- the first entry-level phone from the Chinese manufacturer. For starters, the device has a 5.2inch display--giving it a “just right” feel, not too big or too small. Right off the bat, the phone offers the Funtouch OS powered by Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and comes with 2GB RAM, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core CPU. Certainly the definite phone fit for all of the apps and heavy processes, but we’re still not close to the good part.
First Glance
Of course, the phone already packs a punch with the specs mentioned, but the simple yet elegant design should also be highlighted. TheY55 may remind you of another handset, with its rounded corners and white face, the Oppo F1s comes to mind, but that’s perfectly understandable as the two brands are under one mother company--BKK Electronics. Up top, it has the standard 35mm jack for headsets, the dedicated micro SD card slot on the left side with the slots for micro and nano sims, which let you expand storage without sacrificing a sim tray unlike with other brands. On the right are the power/lock buttons as well as the volume keys.
Mia Garlick, Facebook Director for Safety (standing) and Clare Wareing, revealed that FB is invest in technology, controls, community standards and education to help keep people and their informations safe and secure. Peter Paul Duran
PIE IN THE SKY: A DRONE DELIVERY GOOGLE, FB WELLINGTON—The world’s first pizza drone delivery was claimed Wednesday by the New Zealand division of fast food giant Domino’s, as it looks to grab a slice of a potentially hot future market. Domino’s said it used an unmanned aerial vehicle to deliver two pizzas to a customer at Whangaparaoa, just north of Auckland. The firm’s boss Don Meij said drones were set to become an essential part of pizza deliveries. “They can avoid traffic congestion and traffic lights, and safely reduce the delivery time and distance by travelling directly to customers’ homes,” he said. “This is the future. Today’s successful delivery was an important proof of this concept.” He said tests would continue at Whangaparaoa this week, with a view to expanding the delivery area
next year. the Netherlands, Japan and Domino’s said it was also Germany. examining using drones in In March, the company Australia, Belgium, France, unveiled a robot cart being
trialled in New Zealand that it claimed was the world’s first driverless pizza delivery vehicle. AFP
This undated handout photo received by Domino's Pizza shows a drone designed to deliver pizzas in flight in Whangaparaoa. The world's first pizza drone delivery was claimed by the New Zealand division of fast food giant Domino's, as it looks to grab a slice of a potentially hot future market. AFP
TAKE AIM AT FAKE NEWS
WASHINGTON—Google and Facebook moved Tuesday to cut off advertising revenue to fake news sites, after a wave of criticism over the role misinformation played in the US presidential election. The move by the two tech giants aims to choke off funds to an industry fueled by bogus, often sensational“news”circulating online and seen as a potential influence on public opinion. A Google statement to AFP said new policies“will start prohibiting Google ads from being placed on misrepresentative content, just as we disallow misrepresentation in our ads policies.” The shift will mean Google restricts ads “on pages that misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher’s content, or the primary purpose of the web property,” the statement said. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said the company receives billions of queries daily and admitted errors had been made. “There have been a couple of incidences where it has been pointed out and we didn’t get it right. “And so it is a learning moment for us and we will definitely work to fix it,” he said in a BBC interview.
T h e 5 M P f ro n t f a c i n g c a m e ra also sits neatly with the proximity and light sensors, while below the screen are the unlit capacitive navigation buttons for Options, Home, and Back. At the bottom part are the microUSB port, speakers and the microphone. At the back back are Vivo’s brand name , the 8MP camera, and the LED flash, making for a compact design without the unnecessary parts. The Y55 has a matte metallic finish and a chrome lining that adds extra grip. The material can repel fingerprints and smudges, but one needs not worry as the model comes with a screen protector and casing off the box.
The Inside
Vivo’s Y55 has a non-removable 2650mAh battery, but it can last half a day with light calls and text, and 10 hours of constant WiFi connectivity, Turn to D3