Philippines News

The United Nations on Tuesday warned the world to prepare for the effects of El Niño, saying the weather phenomenon which triggers higher global temperatures is set to persist throughout 2023.

We join labor groups in expressing their dissatisfaction over the meager wage increase. We believe the measly P40 wage increase in Metro Manila falls very short of the “recovery wage” and is very far from the living wage sought by labor groups. Even as a hard-fought wage increase should help alleviate workers and their families’ conditions, the amount should at least approximate serious losses in real incomes as a result of inflation. This is the recovery wage labor groups have been calling for.

The regional wage board in the National Capital Region (NCR) has approved a P40 increase in the minimum wage, bringing it to P610 per day for non-agricultural workers. The stingy increase is way below the P170 increase urgently needed by workers to recover the real value of wages. Ibon databank analysts estimate that the family living wage is P1,160. However, minimum wages since wage regionalization in 1989 don’t just fall far short of the ever-rising living wage—they haven’t even kept up with inflation. A family of five in the NCR should receive a wage of P25,226 a month to live decently.

A hallmark of the modern Roman Catholic approach to economic justice has been its advocacy for the workers’ right to a family living wage. We support the call of the Church as amplified in its various social teachings the workers’ right for a wage that would sufficiently cover the needs of a family and would ensure a decent standard of living. This includes water, housing, education, health care, transportation, clothing and other essential needs, including recreation and provision from unexpected events.

We support House Bill 7568 that proposes a P750 across-the-board hike in the daily wages of private sector (for both agricultural and non-agricultural) employees. We believe that when enacted into law, this wage increase could sufficiently help workers and their families cope with the high prices of commodities and could cover the eroded value of the peso due to inflation.

Lastly, we reiterate our stand that a living wage is necessary and just and is fundamental to Catholic Social Teaching because it is closely linked to human dignity.

The disbarment of a profane, enigmatic lawyer in the person of Larry Gadon by the Supreme Court (SC) is noteworthy. More noteworthy still is that it came at no better time, when the man has just been newly appointed by President Bongbong Marcos as Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation, oddly.

“The privilege to practice law is bestowed only upon individuals who are competent intellectually, academically and, equally important, morally. There is no room in this noble profession for misogyny and sexism. The Court will never tolerate abuse, in whatever form, especially when perpetrated by an officer of the court,” the High Court ruled. Wow!

“I have no regrets” was Gadon’s immediate reaction. But the fact that he has no regrets and is unrepentant, notwithstanding the resounding unanimous SC decision to rebuke him aside from the public condemnation he has been receiving for his misdemeanors, it makes the man all the more unfit and unworthy to hold a public office.

Gadon asserts that he would continue with his “adviser” work because the SC decision has “no bearing” on his position since the Malacañang post doesn’t require a lawyer. Such a sensible reasoning -- as if every government position requires a lawyer and as though a public office is not a public trust and requires proper conduct and right thinking.

The private life of a public servant (morally) is by far more telling as to how he will perform and behave than all the other qualifications he has in his resume, whatever position in government he occupies. Gadon’s guilt goes far beyond his offensive words. It mirrors him as a person. Matthew 12:34-40.

The Court’s judgment on Gadon shows that the justices of our present SC are not beholden to any political power (past and present) as they ought to be, since they must be beholden to no one -- but to the Filipino people and to the sacredness of their sworn duty - to render justice.

More decisions like that in the future, dear SC justices, and your names may earn the worth of being etched on marble stones to be forever remembered and esteemed by the present and coming generations. Unprecedented.

Dear Mr. President, it is proper that all Filipinos (including those who didn’t vote for BBM like yours truly) should support you all the way as the chief occupant of Malacañang -- in recognition of and submission to the biblical admonishment for people to submit to governing authorities (not evil authorities).

However, with due respect, your honor, it is not proper that you simply hand out positions in government like you personally own them -- out of political gratitude. The vicious habit and cycle must end.

Wow! Supreme Court.

P.S.

What about disbarring lawyers that concoct stories just to win a court case?

A glittering affair marked the launch of the NUSTAR Convention Center, the biggest event venue in the Visayas and Mindanao. The place is massive with its high ceiling, spacious lobby and expansive pre-function hallway and foyer which is ideal for cocktails and the like. It can accommodate a total of 2,000 guests.

The pillarless ballroom was ablaze with lights and beautifully bedecked with flowers that star-studded night of the gala. With a modern Filipiniana theme, the party turned out colorful and festive. On the frontline was Frederick Go, chief executive officer and president of Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc. (owner of NUSTAR Resort and Casino) and NuSTAR chief operating officer Alan Teo. In perfect attendance were the sales and marketing team and the rest of the NUSTAR family. Guests came from different sectors of Cebu society and others flew in from Manila.

The sit-down dinner began with the waiters dramatically marching in with gleaming food trays in hand and then pausing for formation at the center of the hall. In keeping with the party theme, the evening’s menu featured native classics but tastefully tweaked for that modern touch. Think Busay greens with Guadalupe mango vinaigrette and crispy Taboan dilis; Malunggay and kalabasa chowder with green-lipped mussels; Braised “bistek” with caramelized onions, calamansi citrus jus, butterflied prawns and mashed potatoes. Of course, Lechon was served, too. For dessert there was Purple Yam (ube) layered Joconde, cream cheese mousse purée.

It was a lovely musical evening headlined by songbird Lani Misalucha who came all the way from her home base in Las Vegas. Her front act, John Willace Tubalde, became an instant crowd favorite with his mellow singing voice dishing out all-time favorites. Dance numbers added flair to the festivities.

Music and magic filled the air that red-letter night at the NUSTAR Convention Center!

PUBLICLY LISTED Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, filed for a voluntary suspension of trading of its shares as it moves ahead with its plan to go private.

MPIC said its board including all four independent directors “unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the filing of an application for voluntary delisting with the Philippine Stock Exchange.”

The PSE approved the request of the MPIC for a voluntary trading suspension of its shares from July 4, 2023, at 9 a.m. to July 5 at 9 a.m.

The voluntary trading suspension is requested to allow the disclosure to be disseminated to the investing public (including shareholders in different time zones) who may learn about the disclosures at a later time, and to give the trading participants and the investing public time to study the company’s recent disclosures before transacting the common shares of the company.

MPIC received an updated tender offer from a consortium consisting of Metro Pacific Holdings Inc., GT Capital Holdings Inc., Mit-Pacific Infrastructure Holdings Inc. and MIG Holdings Incorp., at a “best and final” price of P5.20 per share, up 12 percent from the earlier offer of P4.63 per share on April 26, 2023.

MPIC last traded at P4.63 per share on July 3.

The improved price, according to GT Capital, one of the members of the consortium, represents a premium of 37 percent over the one-year volume-weighted average price of P3.80 per share and a premium of 57 centavos over the earlier offer price. If successful, the tender would result in MPIC’s delisting.

“We regard this new offer as the best and final price the bidders are able to deliver to MPIC’s minority shareholders,” said Christopher Young, executive director of First Pacific Company Limited. “Due to the transaction timetable, approvals and regulatory requirements of the entire process across multiple jurisdictions, there will be no further opportunity to adjust the price.”

GT said under the tender offer, the bidders would spend up to approximately P54.8 billion or US$986 million for the remaining shares held by the minority shareholders of MPIC. The tender offer values MPIC at P149.2 billion or $2.7 billion in equity value.

MPIC also said the board “unanimously approved to schedule the holding of a Special Stockholders’ Meeting (SSM) on Aug. 8, 2023, with a record date of July 18, 2023.”

Should the shareholders approve the resolution to delist MPIC from the PSE during the SSM, the bidders will launch the tender offer immediately thereafter.

MPIC is an infrastructure investment company with holdings in Manila Electric Co., Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Metro Pacific Health Corp., among others.

I’m no fan of Maria Ressa, but she definitely does not, and for that matter nobody does, deserve the virulent attack made on her person by Larry Gadon. The Supreme Court has rightly disbarred him for crude and unprofessional, to say the least, behavior.

Yet, the virulence is not what got my goat. Steamed up as I was by Gadon’s vile behavior, President Bong-Bong Marcos (PBBM) heated me up some more when he stood pat on Gadon’s appointment to a Cabinet position, alleging insensitively that the position does not need the one holding it to be a lawyer. But doesn’t a Cabinet position need to be held by a decent and not a muck-raking professional?

But what really got my goat was the public’s deafening silence on the PBBM’s continued trust of a person with such despicable behavior. Besides being a vile and rabid defender of the Marcos family, what other qualifications does Gadon have that could make us accept the President’s claim that he will do a good job of the anti-poverty program?

PBBM showed a lack of moral sensitivity when he stood pat on Gadon’s Cabinet appointment in spite of the latter’s disbarment. But the Filipino public demonstrated the same moral numbness when it allowed the President to big-foot Gadon’s appointment to a Cabinet position. If this were to happen in morally sensitive countries, like France or Germany, there would already be mass protests, riots even.

It is bad enough that our officials do not have sound moral values. It is worse that we let them get away with it. This is a classic instance of our elitist political and inequitable economic systems being shielded from becoming democratic, equitable, and moral by our colonial culture of submission to and acceptance of whatever those in authority want for us... in our mistaken belief that they are representatives of God.

Thus, we submit to incompetent officials with a distorted sense of values who promote only their self-interests. We allow them to run (ruin?) our lives. We accept their unjust and corrupt ways without even a hint of a whimper. We not only let them get away with all kinds of vile actions we also, for our own selfish interest, vote them back into office to ruin the lives of many others.

The public’s failure to be horrified by PBBM standing pat on Gadon’s appointment to the Cabinet in spite of being disbarred by the Supreme Court tells me this society is losing its sense of decency. Without a moral social compass, we drift aimlessly in the stormy sea of political and economic ambiguity.

Meanwhile, the guardian of morality, the Church, just looks on, copping out with the lame excuse it should not get involved in politics. It would rather settle the issue of how to pray the Our Father than emphatically remind authorities that their subjects are equals they must serve justly and morally.

Finally, we ask the world to “Love the Philippines” when we really don’t love it, and love only ourselves.

Within the art of bonsai lies a miniature marvel that mirrors nature’s grandeur. As bonsai artists meticulously shape and nurture these living sculptures, they unlock a world where time shrinks and beauty flourishes in scaled-down form. Still, many people have yet to appreciate the enchantment of holding a whole tree in the palm of their hand.

On July 7 to 10, 2023, a dedicated group of bonsai artists called the Cebu Bonsai Society (CBS) will be mounting the First Visayas Bonsai Competition and Exhibit at the Mountain Wing of SM Seaside City Cebu.

The event will offer a rare opportunity for the general public to immerse themselves in the world of bonsai for free. In a city where public bonsai gardens are few and far between, this exhibition opens the doors to accessibility, inviting everyone to experience the serenity of these living masterpieces.

“The Cebu Bonsai Society has been conducting biannual competitions held in malls in Metro Cebu for over 20 years. We should have had an exhibit in 2021 but had to forego it because of Covid. This First Visayas Bonsai Competition is a milestone because it will be the first time that there will be a competition among clubs in the Visayas. Prior to this, our competitions were just within the club,” said Jess Cuenco, president of CBS.

The four-day event will bring together clubs from Bohol, Dumaguete, Bacolod and two bonsai clubs in Cebu. One can anticipate a visual feast of over 100 exquisite bonsai trees showcased by the participating clubs in the Visayas. Adding to the prestige, three esteemed judges from Luzon and Mindanao, sent over by the national association, the Philippine Bonsai Society Inc. (PBSI), will grace the event with their expertise.

“Around 40 members from the participating clubs will showcase their trees. Basic criteria for the entries: First, the tree should not be over 105 centimeters high measured from the base of the trunk to the highest live portion. Second, pots should not exceed 100 centimeters in length,” explained Jess.

Jess said the trees will be judged by their age, intricacy of design and presentation during the show proper. But more than the competition, CBS is promoting not only the spirit of competitiveness but also camaraderie among the bonsai community in the Visayas.

Since its establishment in 1977, the CBS has passionately fostered the art of bonsai, attracting a flourishing community of members from the region. As a non-profit organization, its dedicated efforts aim to nurture and promote the timeless craft of bonsai. Moreover, being affiliated with the esteemed PBSI, they enjoy recognition on the international stage, further solidifying their commitment to this revered art form.

“The show will hopefully encourage more people to learn the fascinating art of bonsai. Bonsai requires diligence, time, and resources. It is a hobby that combines nature with artistry. A bonsai tree requires years of cultivation and care and can be handed down for generations,” said Jess.

After all, the beauty of growing a bonsai tree cannot be rushed, as its essence flourishes through the passage of time. It is through the intricate process of careful pruning, shaping, and manipulating nature’s raw materials that this exceptional art form unfolds.

“In China and Japan, it is not unusual to come across bonsai which are over 100 years old. Our bonsai culture is still very young compared to theirs, but we hope to foster that same kind of appreciation for this art form and hobby for generations to come,” added Jess.

Through devoted commitment and the unfurling of time, bonsai trees unveil movements of life within its fragile branches. The intricate process of pruning, shaping and sculpting these living artworks may seem as complex as rocket science, yet the enduring allure lies in the ability to lose and release oneself in the art.

A NEWBORN boy was abandoned in front of the house of the barangay captain of Sambag, Bogo City, northern Cebu early on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

Barangay Captain Virgilio Terado Jr.'s wife noticed a carton in the garage outside their home, and following closer inspection, discovered that it contained a newborn infant with its umbilical cord still attached.

They quickly called the police, who immediately responded and took the child to the hospital for medical attention.

Lieutenant Colonel Joan Guia Arnoco, the chief of Bogo City Police Station, said they are conducting an investigation to identify the mother of the child.

Arnoco added they will check the CCTV camera at the house of her husband’s brother, which is adjacent to theirs, to find the offender.

They will also check if any expectant women have given birth recently in the barangay and nearby communities.

Currently, the abandoned baby is doing well at the hospital.(AYB, TPT)

Governments around the world are increasingly recognizing the necessity of robust social protection programs, and Jordan is no exception.

In 2019, Jordanian authorities introduced the Unified Cash Transfer Program (formerly Takaful) to supplement

MANILA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will intensify its efforts to fight against tuberculosis in targeted areas as the Southeast Asian country grapples with a resurgence of the highly infectious airborne disease, Philippine Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said on Tuesday.

"The Philippines continues to be one of the top countries with the high burden of tuberculosis," Herbosa told a news conference, adding

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 (Xinhua) -- OCBC Bank on Tuesday foresaw ASEAN-China connections to continue to deepen over the medium term.

In an OCBC treasury research provided to Xinhua, OCBC Bank's economists Tommy Xie Dongming and Lavanya Venkateswaran said that increased linkages between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China will foster deeper connections.

Despite a marked deceleration i

Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should also focus on developing sovereign digital currencies, President Xi Jinping has said

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an increase in the use of national currencies in trade between members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

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A COLLECTOR of a money remittance company is asking individuals to return the money that they found in SRP after it fell from his backpack.

On Tuesday at past 10 a.m., July 4, 2023, motorists were astounded to see peso bills of various denominations strewn along the viaduct of South Road Properties (SRP).

People hurriedly exited their cars, including delivery drivers, to collect the cash that was scattered across the road.

Tony, not his real name, brought the money worth around P4 million and placed it in his backpack.

While driving a motorcycle, his backpack's zipper broke, causing it to open, letting the money bills fly out into the air.

Only around P700,000 was left in his bag.

Tony got off his motorcycle to get the money, but other drivers also swiftly took it and did not return it to him.

“Nabantayan nako nga nanglupad na ang kwarta mga 50 meters away nga pagtan-aw nako sa side mirror, mao to nihunong ko aron pamuniton ang mga kwarta,” he said.

(I noticed that the money was flying about 50 meters away when I looked in the side mirror, so I stopped to pick up the money).

There were several individuals who returned the money to Mambaling Police Station.

A businessman, who refused to be named, also turned over P13,000 to the Carbon Police Station.

At least P1.3 million was recovered by the collector, and the total amount of money now in his possession is P2,083,110.

Tony believes that there are still about P2 million that have yet to be recovered.

He was appalled by the delivery riders who, instead of returning the money bills they had gathered, put them in the top boxes of their motorcycles and rode off.

Since he has worked for the company for the past ten months, he acknowledged that this is the first time he has experienced such an incident.

He added that the sum of money was sizable because it was earmarked for the payroll of some companies.

He revealed it was customary for the company to transport the money on a motorcycle so this can easily reach to their office in Mandaue City.

Tony and his supervisor hoped that the people would return the cash.

“Hinaot nga mauli pato ang kwarta kay wala tawon koy mabayad anang kwartaha kung pabayran sa among kompanya kay nanginabuhi raman ko tawon unsaon nako pagbayad,” Barrientos said.

(I hope the money will be returned because I am unable to do so if our company asks me to pay; I'm just making a living, how can I pay).

Police Major Jonathan Bethooven Taneo, chief of Mambaling Police Station, said they are now tracking the video clippings that spread online including the CCTV camera in the area to identify the people who took the money.

Taneo said they will sue those identified if the collector and the company are willing to cooperate. (AYB, TPT)

PHILIPPINE-BASED education platform Bitskwela will host the grand debate of the "Bull or Bear: Philippine Web3 Debate 2023" on July 15, 2023, at 5 p.m., at the Ayala Malls Central Bloc, Cebu IT Park, Cebu City.

Themed "Web3: The New Internet - A Debate on Web3 Adoption in the Philippines," the event aims to facilitate the discussion surrounding the adoption of Web3 technologies and what it takes for the country to be at the forefront of it.

Debaters for the event include Dr. Donald Lim from the Philippine Blockchain Council, Coach Miranda Miner of the Global Miranda Miner Group, Tyrone Bretana from Tier One Alliance, Nathan Senn from Hive & DBuzz, content creator Giu Comia, and creativepreneur Ashtley Sandoval.

Special messages from Cebu City Second District Representative Edu Rama, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Director Emmy Delfin, and Engr. Royden Rusiana from DICT Cebu will be featured at the event, underscoring the government's support for the advancement of Web3 in the country.

In a statement from the DICT office, Delfin said, “The Department of Information and Communications Technology is driven to support the Web3 debate, Bull or Bear, by our strong conviction in the transformative capacity of new technologies like Web3 and blockchain. We see these digital innovations as key catalysts reshaping various sectors, and this debate serves as an ideal platform to stimulate meaningful discourse on the opportunities and challenges related to their adoption in the Philippines.”

"We are thrilled to expand the Bull or Bear franchise to the Visayas, following our successful events in NCR, Luzon, and Mindanao. Cebu, with its vibrant Web3 community, was the perfect starting point for our Visayas leg. We are excited to push the limits and deliver an exceptional experience for the Web3 enthusiasts in Cebu," said Camille Puentespina, chief product and tech officer of Bitskwela.

The Bull or Bear Cebu edition, hosted and moderated by Kish Morales, is co-presented by GCash and Blockceler8 by Uniquecorn Strategies and is supported by the DICT, Go Digital Pilipinas, Ayala Malls, Philippine Airlines, and Sphera Solutions.

"At Bitskwela, our mission of 'Helping people own a piece of the internet' goes beyond mere access but is about empowering individuals with a deep understanding of what that 'piece' truly represents and equipping them with the knowledge to seize it. Through our ongoing efforts, we aim to arm individuals with invaluable information, enabling them to seize their stake in the digital realm and shape a future where internet ownership becomes a tangible reality for all,” Bitskwela Chief Operating Officer Vince Edralin said.

Other key partners of the event are Bitget, a top crypto exchange and copy trading platform helping users trade smarter by providing a secure, one-stop trading solution; Tekkon, a Web3 app that promotes social good by empowering users to help fix their local community's infrastructure; Hive, a firm that is changing social media with blockchain tech; and CoinW Exchange, a world class integrated trading platform.

The event offers limited seating and those who are interested to participate may reserve their slot at https://www.bitskwela.com/bull-or-bear. (PR)

Onion prices, which reached P600 a kilogram by late 2022, prompted hearings at the House of Representatives and at the Senate and made headlines abroad.

Filipino women in STEM are also graduating but not staying in the workforce, the study also found, with data showing a significant drop in the retention of women in STEM one year after they complete their studies.

Irresponsible economic policies by developed nations have increased tensions globally, the Russian president has claimed   

The uncontrolled accumulation of debt by Western countries is increasing the risk of a new global financial crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Tuesday.  

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SOME residents in Cebu City were not satisfied with Mayor Michael Rama's State of the City Address (Soca), saying the local chief executive failed to address the major issues the city is facing like flooding, livelihood, and water security.

Myrna Chiangco, a resident from Barangay Lahug, said Rama's statements did not address the main issues the city has been facing for years.

"Singapore-like Cebu City ang ganahan ni mayor pero unsaon man pagka in-ana kung example, kada muuwan ug kusog, grabe kaayong baha kay wa gihapo'y tarong ang drainage system," Chiangco said.

(The mayor wants Cebu City to be Singapore-like, but how can that be when Cebu City’s streets are always flooded every after heavy rains because there is no proper drainage system.)

"Open more roads daw unya ang mga roads naa ron pirmi gibaha," she added.

(He said open more roads, but the roads are flooded.)

A street cleaner from Cebu City Hall who refused to be named also shared her dissatisfaction with Rama’s Soca, saying the mayor did not discuss further the main problems in the city.

The street cleaner also questioned City Hall's priorities.

"Ang pangbuhaton nuon nila kay mag pintal-pintal og mga poste, or mag-himo og mga design-design diras Carbon imbis solusyonan nang mga dagkong problema," she said.

(They paint lampposts or make designs at Carbon (Market) instead of providing solutions to the bigger issues.)

Zed Castro, a senior citizen who lives in Barangay Labangon, wished that Rama would be able to stand by his words when preaching about a Singapore-like Cebu City.

"He keeps bragging about Singapore-like Cebu City. Dako-dako jud nag trabahuon (That’s a big task). I just wish he does his work," Castro said.

Castro was looking for more from Rama's Soca.

"Pag June 15 biya niingon siya nga inig Soca kay i-tackle niya aside atong isyu sa CCMC, katong housing, livelihood, transportation, kanang mga butanga niya di lagi kumpleto?" he said.

(On June 15, he said that on his Soca, he will be tackling issues aside from the one on Cebu City Medical Center, including housing, livelihood and transportation, but why it isn’t complete?)

Disappointed with Rama's speech, a senior citizen from Cebu City expressed his sentiments.

“Ang iyang mga plano kunohay gipakita ra sa video, wala na siya ga-istorya. Nindot nga nakahuna-huna sab siya aning problema sa tubig diri sa Cebu pero hinaot mas nag tutok unta siya pa jud sa mga problema sa Sugbo dili kay nag storya pa sa laing walay lami nga butang,” she said.

(Plans were only made visible through videos, not in speech. It's good to hear that he is addressing the water issue in Cebu, but he should have more to say and more ideas on how to fix the other significant issues here rather than just babbling gibberish.)

A mother of two, living in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, is hopeful that Rama fulfills his promises for a better and improved Cebu. (Miguel Angelu Lumen and Angel Leduna, CNU Interns)

A MAN who pretended to be a delivery guy had stolen around P14,000 from a bakery located in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City on Sunday, July 2, 2023.

Supervisor of Pan de Manila-Mabolo branch Alnie Mirante, in an interview with SunStar Cebu on Monday, July 3, said the man identified himself as Junjun Ortega who claimed to be a delivery man from the bakery's partner logistics company.

Mirante said that Ortega went to the bakery around 1:25 a.m. Sunday and told the cashier that he needed to collect payment for the delivery of eggs to Pan de Manila's other branch in Mandaue City.

Mirante said that Ortega claimed that the head cashiers knew about the collection of payment, and even mentioned the names of Joan and Karen, both are head cashiers.

The cashier in-charge during such time, who was still on her second month, easily believed Ortega and gave him the forms and the money for payment.

Mirante also said that the incident was not the first time to happen in their branch, adding that the man has done this multiple times since 2017, but he was only identified recently because of the newly installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera that was installed in the store.

In previous incidents, the man had stolen money ranging from P6,000 to P8,000, said Mirante.

"He started doing this to us since 2017 and it took a while before he came back. They say he targets bakeries and uses the excuse of needing to collect payment for eggs," said Mirante.

"Our branch seems to be his target, but since we have rotating staff, the new employees don't know him," Mirante added.

Mirante said they have already filed a blotter around 4 p.m. Sunday. (Merry Razel Sister and Lesly Sagayap, NWSSU Interns)

Phivolcs said in a notice that “continuous tremor-like series of weak volcanic earthquakes that steadied and increased in strength” have been recorded since Monday afternoon.