Feed aggregator

July 03, 2023 6:45 PM

Dr Ayu Yoneda will train for about two years before being considered for a mission to the lunar surface.

CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has defended her daughter, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, whose department has drawn flak after a blogger exposed that the tourism video promoting the "Love The Philippines" campaign contains stock footage featuring clips from other countries.

In her statement posted on her official Facebook account on Monday, July 3, 2023, Garcia reacted to the series of Facebook post of blogger Sass Sasot who were one of the first to point out some video clips included in the new tourism video which were found to be from other countries.

Garcia thanked Sasot for pointing such errors that prompted an investigation by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

But Garcia was not pleased for Sasot's ensuing and continuing "brouhaha," which for her is too much.

"Dearest Sass, I love my daughter very much and will always stand up and speak out for her, if and when I believe she has been treated quite unfairly. I guess that’s what all mothers will do for their own children," said Garcia.

The governor, though, assured that she will not meddle on her daughter's work.

Garcia also posted on her Facebook page on July 2 a photo which is believed to be a tourism campaign of Switzerland, with a text "It's more fun in Switzerland."

Sasot, on her Facebook post on the same day, tagged Garcia and asked the governor for an explanation for "fixing something that is not broken," and further asked if the same is being applied in Cebu Province.

“Bilang government official po, pwede po bang pakiliwanagan kami kung anong morality and efficiency na you are fixing something that is not broken? Kayo po ba dyaan sa Cebu Province eh mahilig magkumpuni ng mga bagay na hindi naman sira?” reads a Facebook post of Sasot.

Sasot also mentioned in her post the similarity between Cyprus and the Philippines' tourism slogans.

She asked the governor if she was aware that the current tourism slogan of Cyprus is "Love Cyprus," having no difference from the country's "Love the Philippines."

“Aware po ba kayo Governor na ang pangkasalukuyang tourism slogan ng CYPRUS eh ‘Love Cyprus,’ tapos tayo eh ‘Love Philippines.’ Parang awkward no?” she asked. (GK Marie Dejacto, CNU Intern)

A House lawmaker is seeking the creation of a single industry authority within the Philippine bureaucracy that would regulate the railway industry and ensure its efficient management.

A DRUG den in Sitio Kalubihan, Barangay Busay, Cebu City was dismantled by the members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA 7) and Mabolo Police Station 4 at 2:39 p.m. on Monday, July 3, 2023.

The operation also led to the arrest of Delfin Bontilao Laurnilla, 27, a waiter, Rafie Camacho Collantes, 30, a flower vendor in Carbon Public Market and Spencer Eslit Patalinghug, 32, who was reportedly in charge of the drug den.

The packs of suspected shabu, weighing 13 grams and valued at P88,400, were recovered by PDEA 7 agents.

The target of their operation, according to PDEA 7 spokesperson Leia Alcantara, was Patalinghug, who they monitored for two weeks. (AYB, TPT)

July 03, 2023 6:20 PM

A source said a decision could take two months.

OPERATIVES of Carbon Police Station detained a guard from Cebu City Hall for attacking Mayor Michael Rama's staff.

The incident happened around 8:40 a.m. Saturday, July 1, 2023.

The guard was identified as Roger Pepito Canilio, 44, a GDS Security Agency employee who hails from Asturias town but currently resides in Purok 8, Barangay Kamputhaw in Cebu City.

Lemuel Sicab Felisario, 48, an Executive Assistant IV assigned to the mayor's office, was the person he struck. He hails from Sitio Tugop, Barangay Babag, Cebu City, although he currently resides in Apple One Banawa.

The two got into an argument over a parking issue, according to Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office.

The guard allegedly lost his composure and punched Felisario.

“Nahibal-an nato nga katong security guard ang cause diay sa ilang away, murag wala lang sila magka-intindihan. Pero isip usa ka gwardya dapat taas pud kag pasensya,” Dalogdog said.

(We found out that the security guard initiated the altercation. It seems that there was a misunderstanding. But as a guard, you have to be patient.)

A case of physical injury will be filed against Canilio.

The guard may also be stripped of his license if proven guilty. (AYB/TPT)

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO 7) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB 7) in Central Visayas will fine at least 13 bus firms for picking up passengers outside the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT).

During a meeting at the Capitol last Friday, June 30, the bus operators asked for a chance and vowed not to repeat their mistakes.

But according to Sugbo News, Capitol’s online news portal, LTO 7 officer-in-charge Glen Gelario and LTFRB 7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. were determined to punish the erring bus companies, including Yelyel Express, Showbox Bus Line, EDC Liner, Yeoman, Jegans Liner, Vallacar Transit, JRK South Transport, Corominas Bros. Bus Line, JBH Trans, Chan Transit, Calvo Bus Lines, Pioneer Trans and Jhade Trans.

The two government officials instead asked the operators to put their request in writing.

Penalties for the violation range from P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and 30 days suspension for the second offense, and P10,000 and cancellation of franchise for the third offense.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia had already warned the operators that it is strictly forbidden to pick up passengers outside the CSBT.

But the CCTV camera caught the buses picking up passengers outside the terminal.

The Cebu Provincial Government noticed that picking up passengers in the middle of the road will put the lives of passengers in danger and create traffic. (ANV/TPT)

THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) seized illegal drugs worth more than P7 million during a one-day Regional Simultaneous Anti-Criminality and Law Enforcement Operation that started from midnight on June 28, 2023 until noon on June 29.

According to CCPO Chief Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, more than one kilogram of suspected shabu with a standard drug price of P7,506,384 were seized and 40 drug personalities were arrested.

A total of 57 gamblers were also detained in 35 anti-gambling operations.

The CCPO also arrested 42 individuals as part of their campaign against wanted persons, 23 of them were placed on the most wanted list. (AYB, TPT)

Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is the latest film to be banned in Vietnam for depicting China’s controversial nine-dash line.

July 03, 2023 6:00 PM

The police offered rewards for information leading to any arrest.

A scene in the film features a map depicting China's territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea.

The OVP resorted to reimbursements due to its decision to immediately open satellite offices even without equipment, the Commission on Audit said. Sara Duterte launched these offices on the first day of her term as vice president.

July 03, 2023 5:35 PM

Camouflaged Taiwan army Humvees roared around the coastal drill area in Pingtung county’s Fangshan.

More than 50 asylum seekers, most of whom have disabilities, are being warehoused in a former care home in Essex, England, without access to adequate support and services.

The UK government opened the site, which can

Australia’s resources exports and mining sector are heavily reliant on Chinese demand, with record export earnings set to fall to US$230 billion in 2024-25.

MINGLANILLA Mayor Rajiv Enad has imposed a 15-day preventive suspension without pay against municipal assessor Melanie Vargas.

Enad, through an executive order, formed three new teams that started spreading out Monday, July 3, 2023, to inspect establishments and speed up reassessment.

Minglanilla, through Municipal Administrator Junrie Bragat, expressed its commitment to comply with the directive of the Provincial Government on the reassessment, and that the Municipal Government will facilitate a “deliberate expeditious approach without compromising the effectiveness and efficiency of the outcome.”

Enad also asked Vargas to explain within five days the reason for the low percentage in the increase of real property values, and why she only inspected 10 establishments, even if Minglanilla has thousands of registered businesses.

The mayor’s decision is fully supported by the Minglanilla Municipal Council, which approved a resolution authorizing Enad to create task forces and to conduct investigation on the municipal assessor for gross neglect of duty as council members denounced the assessor’s inaction.

Earlier, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia called out the Task Force of Minglanilla after receiving reports that among all local government units in Cebu, Minglanilla has practically the lowest increase on the reassessment and reappraisal of valuation of real property improvements, despite having a large number of commercial establishments and light industries in its territory.

Enad said the result shocked him, and that this is “not acceptable.”

He said he only learned about the matter from the meeting that was aired live on Facebook last June 26, 2023. This is because in their weekly department heads meeting every Monday, the assessor had said that they have complied with the mandates of the Provincial Government and they submitted their reports on time. The assessor did not mention that there were only able to reassess and reappraise 10 establishments.

Garcia had issued Executive Order 37, series of 2022 on the reassessment of values of properties. The Provincial Board also approved Resolution 1778-2022 and Ordinance 2022-06 on the matter.

Enad had said he was dismayed and disappointed by the development, seeing as how Vargas should be aware that timely and correct valuation of improvements would contribute to the efficient and effective enforcement, assessment and collection taxes. (PR)

Piyush Gupta has built DBS into Singapore’s largest listed company, and Southeast Asia’s largest bank by assets. That very success is creating an elephant in the room.

Based on initial reports, the victim was sexually assaulted and “attacked with a bladed weapon” along Ylanan Street near the far-end of the UP Baseball Field, UP Diliman Chancellor Carlo Vistan told Philstar.com in a phone call.

LISTED company Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) on Monday, July 3, 2023, denied that it bought a majority stake in the low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines and that developments such as this will be properly disclosed first by them through official channels.

“We would like to clarify and state that this information is not true and accurate. At this time, we are actively verifying the sources that led to the publication of this article and have requested that the article be taken down,” AEV said in a statement.

The Philippine Star on Monday reported that the Aboitiz Group controls AA Com Travel Philippines Inc., the firm that bought a 60 percent stake in AirAsia Philippines in June, according to multiple sources.

The report added that an industry source said the Aboitiz Group made the buyout in support of its proposal to rehabilitate and upgrade the airports in Albay and Bohol.

AirAsia Philippines in a separate statement denied the report.

“It has come to our attention that a leading news organization published an article today stating AirAsia Philippines is now majority owned by the Aboitiz Group. We hope to clarify that this statement is not true and accurate,” the AirAsia said.

But the Malaysia headquartered firm said Capital A companies, including AirAsia, are “fostering strong relationships with the Aboitiz Group and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.”

“We remain committed to engaging in fruitful discussions with various stakeholders who share our vision of democratizing air travel in the Association of Southeast Nations,” the airline said.

Capital A Capital A Berhad of Malaysia is formerly AirAsia Group. (KOC)

July 03, 2023 4:41 PM

Mr Pita Limjaroenrat’s march to become the news prime minister will have to overcome doubts in the Senate.