Ralph Layco, a young man born and raised in General Santos, was fortunate to have a father like Hector who operated a successful steel fabrication business. Growing up under the guidance of his father, Ralph learned the value of passion and determination in achieving one's goals. These lessons would eventually inspire him to create New Bold University, a concept born out of his own personal experiences and the realization that many others shared similar needs. Get the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

CONSUMER groups and tobacco harm reduction advocates in the Philippines welcomed the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products' (FDA-CTP) commentary, concluding that smoke-free products have lower health risks than cigarettes. The FDA-CTP commentary, titled "Nicotine e-cigarettes: Considerations for health care providers," noted that "non-combustible tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes, generally have lower health risks to the user than combusted tobacco products." It discusses the considerations health care providers should take when talking to adults about the relative risks of different tobacco products. "With smoke-free products, smokers could significantly reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals." The commentary stressed that youth should not use any form of tobacco products.

Writing in his blog on Saturday, he added that some 76 percent of vehicles have set up automatic payments for the toll fees as well. Lam noted that the service provider has designed a delicate software to enhance its efficiency in identifying the license plates and has stepped up training for frontline workers. The government will continue to closely monitor the work of the service provider in charging the toll fees, he added. The government is now preparing future arrangements at full speed for Tai Lam Tunnel, the private operation right of which is set to expire next May. By then, all government tunnels will implement the HKeToll scheme, Lam said.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), the University of the Philippines, and 15 State Colleges and Universities (SCUs) sign a memorandum of agreement on Friday, May 3, 2024, where UP Los Banos College of Agriculture would hold free online review classes for at least 500 students taking the licensure exam. Video by Red MendozaGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea, presents the results of a Marine Resources Assessment conducted on Pag-asa Island in March. In a press conference on Saturday, May 4, 2024, Tarriela, along with Jay Batongbacal, a maritime law expert, and Dr. Jonathan Anticamara of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology, said that the island near the WPS was in a 'degraded' state with low coral and fish diversity and abundance. While the findings did not explicitly identify China as the responsible party, 'only China has access, with its Coast Guard and Maritime Militia frequently observed swarming the area,' said Tarriela. Video by John Orven Verdote

South and Southeast Asian countries have been coping with a weekslong heat wave rendering record high temperatures that have posed a severe health risk. In the Philippines, India and Bangladesh, officials have told students to stay home and do their lessons remotely. Schoolchildren eat ice lollies sitting on a scooter on a hot summer day in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) A schoolgirl takes a drink on a hot summer day in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 3, 2024. A boy plays in the Arabian Sea on a hot summer day in Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 2, 2024.

I AM writing to express the Embassy of the People's Republic of China's deep dissatisfaction with the editorial titled "China's desperation" (May 2, 2024). We find it biased and lacking in accuracy regarding China's perspective on the maritime dispute and other issues. The portrayal of China's actions as "gaslighting" and "aggression" is not only misleading but also inflammatory, ultimately hindering efforts toward a peaceful resolution. It is essential to foster constructive dialogue and cooperation in addressing disputes rather than resorting to inflammatory rhetoric. Sincerely,AdvertisementChinese Embassy spokesman

The FEU Lady Tamaraws stun the twice-to-beat NU Lady Bulldogs, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23, to force a decider in their UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball Final Four 'series' at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, May 4, 2024, FEU's bid to become the first no. 4 seed team to make the Finals in the women's division is still alive. Video by Niel Victor Masoy

Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairman Prospero de Vera says that the universities that dropped their rankings should look at where they are at par with other Asian universities. De Vera issued the statement in a press briefing in response to the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings survey that was released this week. De Vera and University of the Philippines President Angelo Jimenez signed an online review class with UP and 15 State universities and colleges last Friday, May 3, 2024. Jimenez said that their relevance to Filipinos remain their most important metric aside from any other international ranking. Video by Red MendozaGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan says the Philippines' current power consumption officially surpasses the agency's projections for energy usage amid the record-breaking heat. He assured, however, that there was sufficient power supply despite the soaring demand for cooling and electricity. He said that the causes of power outages stemmed from hydropower plants coping with low water levels caused by El Niño, aside from regular repairs and maintenance of the other plants. Get the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Police are now searching for the owner of an electric car which was suspectedly abandoned by the driver after crashing through a 10-meter-long fence in Sham Shui Po. The incident occurred around 1.30 am on Saturday when the car was traveling along Tai Po Road from Sham Shui Po to Sha Tin. It lost control and rammed into the fencing on the left after it drove past a traffic light on Caldecott Road. Police later cordoned off Tai Po Road (Shatin-bound) and all vehicles reaching Caldecott Road were instructed to turn back. After a preliminary investigation, police believe the driver escaped from the scene immediately after the traffic incident.

THE Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) said on Friday journalists in the country face ever-growing threats as geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific Region continue to rise. In a statement it issued in time for Press Freedom Day, Focap revealed it has recorded "a case of impersonation or spoofing and an uptick in messages to journalists from fake or suspicious email addresses, attempting to either extract information or skew the news agenda regarding coverage of the South China Sea," the group said. "At least one Focap member was alerted to two attempted hacks traced to a government."

Sales decreased to HK$31.2 billion (US$3.99 billion), snapping 15 consecutive months of growth. Hong Kong visitor arrivals are increasing following the pandemic lockdown, helping to drive 2.7 percent growth in the local economy in the first quarter. In volume terms, retail sales decreased 8.6 percent year-on-year in March, compared with a 0.5 percent growth in February. For the first quarter of 2024, total retail sales decreased by 1.3 percent compared with the same period in 2023, while the volume of total retail sales fell 3.1 percent, according to provisional estimates. (US$1 = 7.8160 Hong Kong dollars)(Reuters)

Heat waveSINCE mid-April, the country has been broiling, boiling and burning in the intense heat wave ranging from 38 degrees Celsius in most places to over 50 C in certain areas.

With 10,000 jeepneys to be taken off the road, commuters fear undersupply of public transpoA woman cools off with a folding hand fan inside a passenger jeepney in Manila on April 25, 2024. MANILA, Philippines — Mobility advocates urged President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to ensure a steady supply of public transportation after thousands of jeepneys are expected to stop operations within the month. LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III earlier said that losing 10,000 jeepneys "wouldn't result in a transportion crisis," saying that commuters have trains, taxis, buses, motorcycle taxis and ride-hailing apps to choose from. The government's public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program earlier encouraged jeepney and UV Express operators to consolidate on on before April 30. If one were to fill up 10,000 jeepneys at a single moment, this would result to 160,000 passengers.