Gilas women ready for action
Gilas women ready for actionMANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas women’s team is determined to spring some surprises in Group B of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup preliminaries starting Monday in Amman, Jordan. The Nationals, scheduled to leave last night, will undergo a mandatory three-day quarantine upon arrival in Amman before doing final preparations for the tourney set Sept. 27 to Oct. 3. They face tough tasks against Olympic teams Australia and China as well as Chinese Taipei in Group B. The last placers in both groups will be relegated to a classification match. US NCAA guard Ella Fajardo with veterans Afril Bernardino and Janine Pontejos banner the Gilas squad marking its return from a long hiatus since last playing in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Briones averts ‘education crisis’
Briones averts ‘education crisis’Call it fortuitous or just co-incidental. Actually, as early as December last year, President Duterte approved the recommendation of Briones to resume face-to-face classes even on pilot-test basis. The unexpected turn-around of President Duterte to resume face-to-face classes completely caught Briones off-guard. No less than President Duterte confirmed this to Briones herself several hours later when she attended virtually at the regular meeting of the IATF last Monday night. President Duterte announced that he has approved the recommended protocols submitted to him by Briones on Sept.10 detailing how to conduct the pilot-test of the face-to-face classes.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Dar urges LGUs to buy palay from farmers to address falling prices
MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary William Dar is urging local government units of the country’s top rice-producing provinces to buy palay or unhusked rice from farmers in a bid to address declining prices in the main cropping season. Various farmer groups have raised concerns over the declining farmgate prices of palay, which are expected to further drop when the bulk of harvest comes in October to November. He also cited continuing rice importation as another cause of the decline in palay prices. Other groups that have also raised concerns over dropping palay prices are Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) and the Amihan Peasant Women and Anakpawis party-list. Meanwhile, Dar commended LGUs that have already implemented efforts in the procurement of palay.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Sticky Duque
TWO weeks ago, Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said he was resigning. An accurate report with those details should take years for Duque to prepare and submit. Earlier, Duque asked his detractors to check his public service record and see if he is worthy of people's continued trust. But the likes of Duque cannot have the luxury of resigning on their own terms. Duque cannot wait for the next investigation where he will be asked not what makes a leader tick, but how he managed to stick.
Source:Manila Times
September 21, 2021 14:15 UTC
A bit of a ruckus over Aukus
But in a change of mind, Australia canceled the submarine deal with France. Aukus, on the other hand, appears to go many steps ahead in sharing the technologies, equipment and personnel for common strategic purposes. It is important to clarify at least at this point that Aukus does not include the arming of Australian submarines with nuclear missiles. The nuclear submarines would be able to travel further, such as into the waters of the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. There are thus complicated strategic implications for the region engendered by this nuclear submarine deal.
Source:Manila Times
September 21, 2021 14:15 UTC
The GIs and the unexplained
THE general instructions (GIs) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the past automated national and local elections (NLEs) since 2010 were clear procedures on the do's and don'ts. In a few weeks' time, the Comelec will publish the GIs and related resolutions for the 2022 NLEs. What the AES Watch and other election watchdogs have been waiting for since 2010 are the GIs for Sections 30 and 33 of RA 9369. They haven't seen any GIs related to "the manner of and due execution of certificates." Will Comelec promulgate GIs for Section 30?
Source:Manila Times
September 21, 2021 14:15 UTC
Goodbye to WB 'Doing Business' rankings, and good riddance
IN a statement issued last week, the World Bank announced that it has formally decided to discontinue its annual "Doing Business" report. The "Doing Business" report was published annually from 2003 to 2020 by the World Bank group and ranked countries -190 of them in the most recent and last installment of the series - on the "ease of doing business" within their jurisdictions. For what it's worth, in the final "Doing Business" 2020 report, the Philippines was ranked 95th out of 190 countries, with a score of 62.8. Irregularities aside, there always seemed to be something just a bit "off" about the "Doing Business" report. A broader flaw in the "Doing Business" report, which is an unfortunate characteristic of all such "global" rankings, is that it was very much based on a Western set of ideals.
Source:Manila Times
September 21, 2021 14:15 UTC
DOJ to issue immigration lookout order vs Ongpin scion in Bree Jonson case
Guevarra told reporters in a text message that his department will issue a lookout order against Ongpin as police have slapped drug charges against him. The justice secretary added that the DOJ may seek a precautionary hold-departure order from a court, depending on the progress of the preliminary investigation. An Immigration lookout bulletin cannot prevent people from leaving the country, unlike a court-issued hold-departure order. The lookout order only sets up a mechanism that requires alerting the justice secretary or the prosecutor general if the subject attempts to leave the country. The top cop also said that Ongpin told local police that Jonson’s death was a case of suicide, an angle that is being questioned by the artist’s mother.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 06:56 UTC
Justin Trudeau: Liberal star tarnished in election fight
Justin Trudeau: Liberal star tarnished in election fightCanada's Prime Minister and Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau delivers his victory speech as his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau looks on at election headquarters on September 20, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. Prime Minister Trudeau won a third term in Monday's federal election. OTTAWA, Canada — Justin Trudeau believed his adept response to the pandemic would help him handily win re-election as prime minister, and he did Monday, but his gamble to try to gain an absolute majority didn't pay off. At rallies, he was dogged by protesters he described as "anti-vaxxer mobs," some of whom threw stones at the prime minister. Addressing the backlash, Trudeau said this election was the most important since World War II.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 06:11 UTC
Anti-Cybercrime Group told to work with DepEd on 'online kopyahan' groups
Anti-Cybercrime Group told to work with DepEd on 'online kopyahan' groupsMANILA, Philippines — The chief of the Philippine National Police ordered the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group to coordinate with the Department of Education on reports of cheating allegedly done by students online amid the distance learning scheme. Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar issued the directive in response to the statement of Education Secretary Leonor Briones that they would seek assistance from authorities on investigating the matter. Citing initial police reports, Eleazar in a statement sent to reporters Tuesday said that there was a Facebook group created for students to share answer keys for their respective exams. Eleazar said the PNP is ready and willing to assist the DepEd in addressing the problem so it doesn't get worse. The Philippines closed schools in March 2020 as the health crisis unfolded at home to become among Southeast Asia's worst coronavirus outbreaks.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 05:37 UTC
Amid claims of suicide attempt, PNP waits for autopsy in Bree Jonson case
Amid claims of suicide attempt, PNP waits for autopsy in Bree Jonson caseMANILA, Philippines — Police are looking into reports of attempted suicide as the investigation into the death of 30-year-old painter Bree Jonson in San Juan, La Union over the weekend continues. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta, director of Police Regional Office 1, said "operatives from San Juan Municipal Police Station immediately responded to check on the veracity of the reported incident." It said it already submitted an affidavit to the San Juan town police. Jonson also questioned the "suicide" narrative being spread across social media, pointing to the visible scratches on Ongpin in his mugshot. Because what's being circulated on media, on social media is that my daughter overdosed or she committed suicide.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 05:26 UTC
Internet in Philippines still expensive, but quality has improved — report
Internet in Philippines still expensive, but quality has improved — reportThis undated file photo shows a student attending online classes. MANILA, Philippines — Internet in the Philippines remains pricey for Filipinos, but bandwidth quality improved this year, a new report released Tuesday found. In turn, the Philippines’ internet affordability improved by 156% compared to last year, Surfshark said. Apart from internet affordability, Surfshark also looks into four more indicators for its report, namely internet quality, e-security, e-infrastructure and e-government. The study found that the country’s internet quality is “one of the best worldwide” after recording "the fastest mobile and broadband speed growth year-on-year."
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 04:56 UTC
Private schools appeal for gov't aid amid dwindling enrollment rate
Private schools appeal for gov't aid amid dwindling enrollment rateMANILA, Philippines — A network of private schools on Tuesday sought for financial aid from the government amid another low turnout in enrollment during the second year of distance learning in the country. Enrollment data from the Department of Education showed there are only 1.99 million students enrolled in private institutions as of September 20. Last year, DepEd said 865 private schools were forced to fully halt work with a low number of students, as many transferred to public schools. DepEd said 100 public schools would be the first in this and would eventually include 20 private schools. Estrada said vaccination on teachers and students are some of the things parents have asked COCOPEA about.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 04:52 UTC
Philippines gets 561,600 new Pfizer doses from COVAX Facility
Philippines gets 561,600 new Pfizer doses from COVAX FacilityA worker unloads the crate containing the new doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility on September 20, 2021MANILA, Philippines — More doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine reached the Philippines on Monday night as part of the fresh donation from the COVAX Facility. This shipment brought the country's number of supply from the said vaccine to 9.18 million doses. Of that, 3.9 million were procured by the government while 5.2 million were from COVAX. Yesterday, the country also received more than two million Pfizer doses still from the global initiative. The WHO's country representative, Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, said it was the first tranche of the 10 million more donated doses.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 01:52 UTC
Australia's partnership with US, UK beneficial in the long term — Locsin
MANILA, Philippines — Australia's decision to enhance its military capacity through a deal with the United States and the United Kingdom would benefit the region in the long term, the Philippines' top diplomat said Tuesday. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the Philippines welcomes Australia's enhanced trilateral security partnership with the US and the UK. Locsin noted that ASEAN member states do not possess the military capacity to maintain peace and security in Southeast Asia. "In that regard, we believe that the fresh enhancement of Australia’s military capacity through this trilateral security partnership would be beneficial in the long term even to the other side if only for the additional time it affords all protagonists for reflection before reacting," he said. Locsin added that the Philippines appreciates Australia's continued commitment to meeting its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which seeks to limit the spread of nuclear weapons.
Source:Philippine Star
September 21, 2021 01:30 UTC