Philippines says offshore joint energy exploration talks with China terminated
Talks over possible joint energy exploration between the Philippines and China in the South ChinaSea have been terminated, the Philippine foreign minister said on Thursday. Teodoro Locsin in a speech said the Philippines' objective of exploiting its offshore energy reserves could not be achieved if it were at expense of sovereignty. He did not elaborate on the decision on the talks, which were centered on assets located in the Philippines exclusive economic zone. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source:The Standard
June 23, 2022 11:48 UTC
Hong Kong records hottest day of the year so far, with warm spell ahead
Hong Kong recorded the hottest day of the year so far on Thursday, with the Hong Kong Observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius. The observatory also forecasted the very hot weather to continue into the weekend. The forecaster said an anticyclone aloft is bringing generally fine and very hot weather to the coast of southern China. It noted that the weather will be very hot tomorrow, with the maximum temperature at around 33 degrees in the urban areas, and a couple of degrees higher in the New Territories. The temperature remains very hot on Saturday and Sunday, with a maximum of 33 degrees Celsius.
Source:The Standard
June 23, 2022 11:06 UTC
The importance of getting boosted now and the prospects for a second booster
However, it is concerning that some Filipinos remain hesitant in getting their booster doses. How do booster doses work? However, immunity, or the number of antibodies produced by the body after getting vaccines decline over at least 6 months. Why is there a shadow of doubtDespite the benefits of booster doses, only about 12 million out of 44 million qualified Filipinos received their booster doses. Booster doses can help the Philippines quickly respond to emerging variants and ensure our healthcare capacity will not overheat.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 20:46 UTC
ADB, JICA helping build transport for the future
One of the bright spots in outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte's much talked about Build, Build, Build infrastructure program has been its focus and subsequent significant progress in rail development. Without the investment support of institutions such as ADB and JICA, none of this would have been possible. The government's appetite for rail development has been subjected to some criticism, however. If we are to offer one caution, it would only be that any development, rail or otherwise, be undertaken with capacity demand growth in mind. As long as demand growth is addressed, however, the new rail developments are truly transport for the future, and we thank the ADB and JICA for the steadfast support of these efforts.
Source:Manila Times
June 22, 2022 16:09 UTC
BIR to comply with court ruling on Marcos estate tax, says incoming chief
Guillermo however said she has yet to see the documents on the Marcos tax liabilities first so that she would have the “correct data” and information. Guillermo admitted that the money from the Marcos estate “will really help the collections of BIR.”“We have to convert those properties to cash para madagdag sa tax collections ng BIR. ADVERTISEMENT(We have to convert those properties to cash so that it can be added to the tax collections of BIR. I don’t know if it’s really P200 billion and maybe if that’s really the amount, imagine it will help really collections of BIR.) In 1997, the Supreme Court ordered the Marcos heirs to pay ₱23 billion in estate tax.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 14:30 UTC
In defense of the passive voice
Grammar teachers furiously drill into every learner's head that the sentence "Emilio hit Andres violently with a bat" is superior to "Andres was hit violently by Emilio with a bat." One major use of the passive voice is, in fact, to leaven such verbal performances — to provide low-energy counterpoints to the high-energy semantic field created by active-voice sentences. Well, it's that we should write them or say them in the most natural way possible — using the active voice if called for, but never hesitating to use the passive voice when logic and good sense demands it. Unless you are a student forced by your English teacher to stick to the active voice on pain of failing in the subject, or perhaps a journalist bound by an inflexible standing order by your editors never to use the passive voice, the active voice should only be a secondary consideration in writing your sentences. Our prose and our speech will thus be squandering that latitude and opportunity by blindly and inflexibly deferring to the cult of the active voice.
Source:Manila Times
June 22, 2022 14:12 UTC
The 5th Industrial Revolution and Society 5
"The final bridge between humans and machines is Society 5.0, also known as the super-smart society, that employs AI in health care manufacturing and logistics." Referring to a supersmart society, Society 5 aims to solve social issues and pursue prosperity by making full use of digital technology. Society 5 is a "human centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space." Thus, "the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, Cabinet Office, and the Government of Japan is strongly promoting a major policy for the economy, society and the general public popularly called 'Super Smart Society' (Society 5.0)." (Super Smart Society: Society 5.0 | Robotics Tomorrow) (https://www.roboticstomor row.com › article › 2016/09)AI in health care.
Source:Manila Times
June 22, 2022 14:12 UTC
(Consumption vouchers) Application to switch to another payment platform commences Thursday
Hongkongers can register to change their payment method for receiving the second batch of HK$5,000 worth of consumption vouchers starting Thursday. With two more new electronic payment methods added to the consumption voucher scheme – HSBC’s PayMe and Bank of China’s BoC Pay – Hongkongers can register to change their method between June 23 and July 23. Authorities have reminded citizens to consider which payment method to swap to, or whether to make a change at all, as once a new payment method has been registered, they will not be able to make another alteration. To help citizens with registration, the government will set up eight temporary service centers across the city. Click here for the locations of the service centers.
Source:The Standard
June 22, 2022 10:31 UTC
Residents in New Territories West rush to malls for air-conditioning, electricity
Many of the residents in New Territories West on Wednesday morning rushed to nearby shopping malls in search of air-conditioning and electricity to charge their mobile phones. This came as some 20,000 households living in the area were without electricity last night after a CLP cable bridge in Yuen Long caught fire and exploded. CLP said the affected households were on Tin Ching Estate, Tin Yuet Estate, Tin Chak Estate, and in Tin Fu Court in Tin Shui Wai. She also said many of her neighbors are worrying about whether the electricity supply will resume normal tonight. Also in Tin Chak Shopping Centre is secondary school student Wan, who said his school was shut down due to the power shortage.
Source:The Standard
June 22, 2022 10:06 UTC
Singapore confirms imported monkeypox case; 13 close contacts identified
SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Health (MOH) of Singapore has confirmed an imported case of monkeypox. ADVERTISEMENTHe tested positive for monkeypox on Monday and is currently warded at the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID). This is the first imported monkeypox infection detected in Singapore since 2019, when a Nigerian man tested positive. MOH also said on June 6 that a traveler who transited through Singapore to Australia the week before had tested positive for monkeypox. MOH said contact tracing is ongoing for the affected flights and for the duration of his stay in Singapore.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 07:49 UTC
Most markets up, but more pain seen
HONG KONG: Equities rose in most Asian cities on Tuesday as some stability returned to markets after last week's upheaval, but analysts warned of further pain for traders after central bank officials hinted at more interest rate hikes to reel in inflation. The Fed announced a three-quarter point lift last week after inflation data days earlier had smashed forecasts and hit a four-decade high. Several officials — including at the Fed, Bank of England, Reserve Bank of Australia and European Central Bank — have come out in recent days to flag a further tightening of borrowing costs. In commodities markets, oil extended gains as traders moved back in after Friday's plunge fueled by concerns over a possible recession. "The bottom line seems to be that until we see physical demand destruction, oil and other energy markets are as tight as ever," he added.
Source:Manila Times
June 22, 2022 04:24 UTC
Court to Okada: Comment on plea to lift SQA order
THE Supreme Court has ordered Japanese gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada to comment on the plea of Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc.'s (TRLEI) directors and officers to lift the status quo ante (SQA) order the tribunal issued that stopped his removal as chief operating officer of Okada Manila. He was also asked to comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by the TRLEI questioning the Supreme Court ruling. Among the defendants were TRLEI, Tiger Resort Asia Ltd. (TRAL), Manuel Lazaro, Kenji Sugiyama, Steven Wolstenhome, Antonio Cojuangco, Reynaldo David, Yoshinao Negishi, Kenshi Asano and Takako Okada. Okada brought the case before the Court of Appeals, which turned down his complaint, as well as his motions for reconsideration, prompting him to elevate the case to the Supreme Court. Last month, the high court issued a SQA order, paving the way for Okada to regain a foothold in the company.
Source:Manila Times
June 22, 2022 04:14 UTC
Authorities won’t allow the Left to disrupt Bongbong Marcos inauguration
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities are making every effort to make sure the June 30 oath-taking of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. goes on without a hitch. They will do anything before [President-elect Marcos Jr.] takes his oath on June 30,” Baluyot said. The DILG and other agencies have finalized security preparations for the inauguration of Marcos Jr., including the mobilization of around 6,200 police officers around the National Museum, where he will take his oath. Malaya said the Philippine National Police would place additional mobile forces on standby should radical leftist groups attempt to disrupt the inauguration. “Such an objective, in fact, is futile because Marcos Jr. and the entire Marcos family are beyond embarrassment and shame,” he said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 03:49 UTC
NTC orders websites ‘affiliated to, supporting terrorist organizations’ blocked
MANILA, Philippines — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has ordered internet service providers to block several websites, including those of independent media, “found to be affiliated to and are supporting terrorist and terrorist organizations.”ADVERTISEMENTThe order, dated June 8, was signed by NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba upon the request of National Security Advisor Hermogenes Esperon. Among the websites Esperon requests to be blocked are the website of the NDFP and CPP founder Jose Maria Sison. “In this regard, may we request the NTC to issue legal instruments to order Philippine internet service providers to block access to the following websites affiliated to and are supporting these terrorist and terrorist organizations,” he added. The Secretary of Justice is a member of the ATC, which is tasked to designate terrorist individual, groups of persons, organizations, and associations. “Please note that the request in question emanated not from the Anti-Terrorism Council, but from the National Security Council,” Sugay said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 03:26 UTC
Quarantine hotel scalping 'just an isolated concern'
The scalping of Hong Kong quarantine hotel rooms on mainland platforms are likely isolated incidents, a tourism sector representative said. This came after mainland merchants advertised the hotel rooms at prices ranging between 18,000 yuan (HK$21,000) and 23,000 yuan for a seven-day quarantine. Due to the rising number of inbound travelers, Yiu said, the existing 23,000 quarantine hotel rooms are insufficient. He urged authorities to allow home quarantine for residents in order to free up quarantine centers and hotels. Yiu's Legco colleague Doreen Kong Yuk-foon also criticized the official quarantine hotel booking website as inaccurate and misleading.
Source:The Standard
June 22, 2022 03:19 UTC