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India’s policy of strategic autonomy raises questions about whether it will enter into a formal alliance with the US, continue engaging with China or uphold long-standing ties with Russia.

July 03, 2023 8:05 AM

The couple allegedly strangled their son and abandoned his corpse at a nearby river in Geoje, South Gyeongsang province.

July 03, 2023 8:00 AM

The 36 tourists were 60m above the ground when the gyro tower had a mechanical glitch.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised on June 8 the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 after it showed an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

Last week, Jalal al-Qassab, 60, and Redha Rajab, 67, filed their third and final appeals against convictions for "mocking" Islamic beliefs. In March they were sentenced to a year in prison and a fine.  

Both men are members of Al Tajdeed, a Bahraini cultural and social association registered in the country since 2002. The or

(Beirut) - Iranian authorities have brought vague "propaganda" and "national security" charges against three journalists, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should drop the charges, which stem from the journalists' reporting and writing on social media, and

ARTHALAND and Rural Rising, a renowned social enterprise dedicated to empowering farmers, promoting fair trade and supporting communities in need, have announced a collaborative effort to address two pressing community issues: improving access to fresh and nutritious food and supporting local farmers.

The initiative, called Healthy Hauls, will distribute healthy food packages directly to the communities that need it the most, while simultaneously boosting the livelihoods of local farmers.

By connecting Rural Rising’s network of farmers with beneficiaries like homes for the aged, children’s shelters, orphanages, and public schools, Arthaland and Rural Rising aim to make a substantial impact on the lives of countless individuals.

The Healthy Hauls event was held at Cebu Exchange along Salinas Drive in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City on June 26, 2023.

The following institutions were invited to be recipients of fresh, locally sourced produce: homes for the aged: Gasa sa Gugma and St. Josephine Vannini Home of the Aged;

children’s shelter: Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart;

orphanages: Children’s Shelter of Cebu and SOS Children’s Village Cebu; and public schools: Guadalupe Elementary School, Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School and Abellana National School.

Arthaland and Rural Rising said they are committed to continuing this initiative and making a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

THE construction of the new 10-story Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) has been ongoing for nearly a decade now, and a local legislator said that its “undue retarded” development has been caused by a “disease called politics.”

Opposition City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos described the still-incomplete hospital as “a pathetic symbol of our City’s current state.”

De los Santos told SunStar Cebu in a text message on Sunday, July 2, 2023, that the current state of CCMC is caused by “personal political interests” that are “put ahead of the public interest,” but she did not elaborate.

Tuesday, July 4, marks the eighth year since the construction of the new CCMC began. The government-run hospital’s very first contractor is still reviewing the structural design to facilitate the completion of the three remaining floors.

The City Government, under the leadership of Mayor Michael Rama, held a groundbreaking ceremony to pave the way for the construction of the new CCMC on July 14, 2014.

The construction began on July 4, 2015, during Rama’s second term as mayor. The hospital is being built to replace the old CCMC building, which was damaged by the 2013 Central Visayas earthquake.

Since 2015, the City has spent almost P2 billion on the construction of the hospital — P566.085 million for Phase 1, P36.33 million for Phase 1.1, P299 million for Phase 2, P99.72 million for Phase 3, and P907.99 million for Phase 4.

The contract with M.E. Sicat Construction Inc., which was working on the seventh to 10th floors, was terminated in November 2022.

Still under review

City Administrator Collin Rosell said in an interview on Sunday, July 2, that C.E. Padilla Construction Inc., the contractor who undertook the first and second phases of the construction, is currently reviewing the structural aspect of the hospital. Some repair work is ongoing, including the correction of surface defects like honeycombs and bug holes.

Rosell said C.E. Padilla started its repair works and review in April.

On April 24, the City disclosed that some defects were found from the fourth floor to the sixth floor of the CCMC building during an investigation conducted by an independent body led by consultant Pericles Dakay, chief executive officer of Dakay Construction and Development Corp. (DCDC).

However, the lower floors were not included in the investigation as they are already occupied.

The investigating body made the following recommendations:

Provide epoxy-bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer wrap or strip for the columns that were found to be inadequate.

Correct surface defects, including honeycombs, bug holes, and shrinkage cracks.

Repair concrete surfaces that are peeled or have hollow defects to ensure the long-term reliability and performance of the structure, as well as the static component of the structure.

No details on deadline

Rosell was unable to provide specific details on the timeline or deadline given to C.E. Padilla for its review of the structural aspect.

Once C.E. Padilla completes its task, the independent investigating body and the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) will assess its work, according to Rosell.

Other contractors involved in the CCMC construction include Charlz Construction for Phase 1.1, C.E. Padilla for Phase 2, C.B. Garay Philwide Builders for Phase 3, and M.E. Sicat Construction Inc. for Phase 4.

Rosell said the other contractors will also be engaged to carry out the necessary repairs under their respective contracts.

Upon completion of the retrofitting and repair works, the construction of the remaining floors will commence immediately, and timelines have already been set for each floor.

Some floors are targeted to be completed by November and December of this year, while another floor is targeted for completion in February, according to Rosell.

Rosell had said in previous interviews that the City would pay the contractors if there were any unpaid balances, emphasizing that the City always pays before projects start.

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Saturday, July 1, 2023, that it is conducting an “exhaustive” probe on the alleged use of non-original footage in its “Love The Philippines” campaign video.

In a statement, the DOT said the video presentation was prepared by DDB Philippines as one of the many other forthcoming components of the new tourism campaign.

“The DOT is currently conducting an exhaustive investigation to determine the veracity of, and to gather the full faculty of facts on these allegations,” it said.

“During the various meetings and consultations held relative to the tourism brand enhancement, the DOT, for its part, repeatedly sought confirmation from DDB on the originality and ownership of all materials contained in the AVPs (audiovisual presentations) and key visuals presented to the Department. In all these occasions, DDB repeatedly assured the DOT that the originality and ownership of all materials are in order,” it added.

On Sunday, July 2, DDB Philippines issued an apology over the use of stock footage, acknowledging it as a failure in oversight on its part and describing it as an isolated incident.

The DOT assured that no public funds were used for the production of the audiovisual presentation as it was released on the account of the DDB and that the DOT holds the responsibility of promoting the country to the highest standard.

“Therefore, it will not hesitate to exact accountability and take the necessary action to protect the interest of the country even as it continues to exhaust all efforts to develop and promote the Philippine tourism industry,” it said.

Taken down

The video presentation has already been taken down from YouTube as well as from DOT’s official Facebook page.

In a Facebook post, blogger Sass Rogando Sasot said the tourism video contained stock video clips from Storyblocks, a subscription-based stock footage service, that were not shot in the Philippines.

Sasot noted Saturday that at least five scenes in the “Love The Philippines” tourism campaign video were identified as “stock footage” taken from different locations, including Indonesia (rice terraces), Thailand (a silhouette shot of a fisherman throwing a net), Switzerland (an airport runway), the United Arab Emirates (sand dunes), and an unspecified location outside the country showing jumping dolphins.

Sasot followed up hours later that a footage of a sunrise over a sea of clouds that was believed to have been shot in Sri Lanka was also used in the tourism campaign video.

On Thursday, June 29, Secretary Frasco revealed that the agency spent P49 million on the “Love the Philippines” campaign and slogan.

“The process of procurement was done and initiated, and the total cost of the entire study, coming up with the logo and everything and the components of this branding campaign, totaled to P49 million,” Frasco said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Apology

DBB Philippines in a statement on Sunday apologized for the use of non-original and stock footage.

The advertising agency explained that the AVP uploaded by the DOT on social media was intended to be a mood video to excite internal stakeholders about the campaign.

“While the use of stock footage in mood videos is standard practice in the industry, the use of foreign stock footage was an unfortunate oversight on our agency’s part. Proper screening and approval processes should have been strictly followed,” said DBB Philippines.

They also confirmed that the AVP produced was made at their own expense, and no public funds were released, or would be released, to fund the video.

Further advertising contents and materials for the “Love The Philippines” campaign have yet to be produced, according to the firm. (TPM, KJF)

A MANDAUE City official will file a case against a social media user for allegedly discriminating against LGBTQ+ pride flags that were on display in the city as part of the Pride Month celebration.

City Treasurer Regal Oliva said on Friday, June 30, 2023, that they are preparing to file a complaint against Roch Dungog, who posted on June 15 a photo of the pride flags with the caption “Ga bayot2 nmn lge nig Flag ang Mandaue (Why Mandaue’s flag is so gay)?”

The post went viral and was shared by numerous LGBTQ+ communities.

Mandaue City has the Anti-Discriminatory Ordinance for People of Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression, which carries penal provision against people who discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other gender identities.

The ordinance, which was passed in 2016, prohibits anyone “to discriminate any person and/or group of people on the basis of sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.”

Oliva, a lawyer, said he had reached out to Dungog on Facebook Messenger to demand an apology, but Dungog had not opened the message.

Oliva said they have obtained screenshots and are coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation 7 to confirm the veracity of the post by verifying the IP address.

The city treasurer said the word “bayot-bayot” used in the post was more of a degrading remark than just a question, as it seemed to presuppose something negative.

SunStar Cebu reached out to Dungog through Messenger. He said his post was not intended to be offensive or meant to offend anyone, adding that it was unfortunate that there are people who choose to spread hate.

Reglyn Bihag, president of the LGBTQ Federation of Mandaue City, expressed disappointment upon reading the social media post and seeing the photo. Bihag questioned why Mandaue was being singled out, as the city has celebrated pride month for years except during the pandemic.

The viral photo has already been deleted.

July 03, 2023 5:00 AM

Selangor, one of Malaysia's six states that will soon elect new state governments, is the most likely to see a change of guard.

Manila [Philippines], July 2 (ANI): Taiwan has announced a one-year extension of visa-free access for Filipino nationals, including those from Thailand and Brunei, Manila-based media and news company PhilStar reported. The visa-free status, which was supposed to expire on July 31 has been extended until July 31, 2024 now. On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed the extension, citing the need to revital

Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Merepaia King (Ngti Mhanga/Ngti Te Wehi - Tainui) as a permanent Judge of the Employment Court. 

  Ms King was admitted in 2005. Her legal career started at Tompkins Wake in Hamilton, where she spent five years in

Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the law postponing the 2022 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections Sen. Francis Tolentino yesterday clarified that the SC does not prohibit any future deferment of elections.

Vice President Sara Duterte congratulated President Marcos on her Facebook account yesterday for a supposedly “successful” first year in office, specifically lauding his determination to fulfill campaign promises.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo slammed what he described as the Bureau of Internal Revenue “anti-poor” plan to impose taxes on junk food and other food items next year.

Two members of the House of Representatives have filed a bill meant to amend a 31-year-old law that they say unnecessarily burdens the masses due to the repeated high cost of basic commodities, ironically even during calamities.

Former first lady Imelda Marcos celebrated her 94th birthday at Malacañang over the weekend with her son, President Marcos, in attendance.

A ranking official of the Department of Agriculture yesterday confirmed a drop in the demand for pork in the market as the Philippine Statistics Authority pegged the total consumption for the second quarter to 403,000 metric tons.

The proposal of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to create a National Nursing Advisory Council will be a welcome development for the health care industry, which is reeling from persistent problems of shortage as Filipino nurses usually opt to go overseas, according to a lawmaker.