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Cryptographer Vanessa Teague urges parliamentary inquiry into foreign interference to ‘think critically’ about submissions that call for a ban on Chinese apps over alleged links to the Communist Party.

CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia plans to expand the Minglanilla District Hospital (MDH) to turn it into a trauma center in the province.

The idea was discussed during a meeting between the governor and Capitol consultant Mary Jean Loreche, Board Member Stanley Caminero and other members of Loreche’s assessment team at the Capitol on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

But in order to achieve this, the MDH must first submit the requirements to the Department of Health (DOH) to be accredited as a Level 1 hospital and ultimately a Level 2 hospital.

According to the information provided by the Cebu Provincial Information Office through Capitol’s online news portal Sugbo News, Garcia wants to convert the hospital into a trauma center for patients who have experienced traumatic injuries from accidents such as falls, motor vehicle collisions or gunshot wounds.

By doing this, fewer patients will be referred to hospitals in Cebu City for additional care.

A Level 1 hospital ought to have doctors that specialize in surgery, pediatrics and OB-GYN, among others.

It should also have the necessary tools for outpatient services and other emergency cases, isolation areas including operating and delivery rooms, and a secondary clinical laboratory.

In order to become a Level 2 hospital, a facility must add departmentalized clinical services such as the respiratory unit, general intensive care unit, high-risk pregnancy unit, neonatal intensive care unit, tertiary clinical laboratory, blood station and second level x-ray.

According to Jaime Bernadas, head of the DOH Central Visayas, the prerequisites must be completed in order to advance through the many hospital levels and eventually become a trauma center.

The infirmary’s capacity must be extended to 150 beds before the development can begin.

Garcia previously tasked Loreche to lead the inspection, assessment and recommendation of the necessary improvements in the four provincial hospitals and 12 district hospitals in the province.

Apart from the cleanliness and service of hospitals and infirmaries, the assessment also covers the staff members to determine how well-kept they are to take care of the patients. (ANV / TPT)

When legends pass, it only feels right to highlight the legacy that they left for generations to remember and be inspired by charisma and body of work.

Almost two months have passed since the world saw another legend pass away. This time, it was Rock and Roll legend, Tina Turner.

Given the title as the “Queen of Rock n’ Roll,” Tina Turner is not only known as one of entertainment’s most revered figures but she is a survivor who endured so much before her rise to stardom.

Born in 1939 as Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee, Tina Turner showed indomitable spirit. From being separated from her own family, working as a domestic worker, picking cotton at a young age, and being on her own at a very young age.

She later was married to singer Ike Turner. The two formed a group called “Ike and Tina” but eventually disbanded shortly after their divorce. As a solo artist, Tina Turner thrived and produced some of her biggest hits like “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Proud Mary,” “Nutbush City Limits” and more.

However, life got quite patchy along the way. She was severely physically abused by her own husband for most of their marriage. After their divorce, Tina had to start all over again and climb her way to the top, and she did.

The Queen of Rock n’ Roll’s comeback after the split proved only to be a good decision as she became one of entertainment’s brightest and most influential stars. She went on to win countless awards: eight Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, a Kennedy Center Honoree, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tina wasn’t only well-known for her unique and distinct voice, but she really knew how to turn heads with some of the outfits that she wore. From the stage to the red carpet, she knew how to get everyone’s attention by dressing for the gods. A fashion trailblazer in her own right, Tina was often known and seen wearing mini bedazzled dresses and dangerously high splits. Showcasing her bold and intuitive approach towards fashion is what makes her an endearing figure in the world of fashion.

From her amazing outfits to her undeniable swagger, Tina Turner was a force to be reckoned with. Her roaring, raspy voice reverberates strong and loud in all of her songs, producing headbanging songs one after another throughout her illustrious career.

The world mourns the passing of Tina Turner, but her legacy as a performer will continue to inspire and impact generations to come.

July 20, 2023 8:03 PM

Asian Insider brings you insights into a fast-changing region from our network of correspondents and commentators.

Manila [Philippines], July 20 (ANI): Indian ambassador to the Philippines, Shambhu Kumaran, has discussed maritime preparation with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Manila here. PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio M Abu welcomed the Indian Ambassador at the National Headquarters, Port Area, in Manila on Wednesday. During the meeting, they discussed the PCG's collaboration with the Embassy of India in the Philippines on mari

July 20, 2023 7:55 PM

The 19-year-old, whose name was withheld, also had a message painted on his body deemed a “mockery to the king”.

On a day that started with tragedy, the Football Ferns triumphed.

Hannah Wilkinson scored to open the second half and New Zealand went on to upset Norway 1-0 on Thursday for its first-ever win at the Women's World Cup, hours after a shooting in downtown Auckland shocked the host nation.

A gunman stormed a high-rise construction site near Norway's team hotel and opened fire, killing two people. The gunman wa

AT LEAST 1.115 kilograms of suspected shabu worth P7.5 million were confiscated by the Drug Enforcement Unit of Sawang Calero Police Station 6 during a buy-bust in Block 7, Barangay Sawang Calero, Cebu City at 10:50 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

However, the suspect, 33-year-old Jake Merson Rafols Mercado alias Kano, a resident of the said place who works as a fish porter at Pasil Fish port, denied ownership of the contraband.

The raiding team bought P15,000 worth of illegal drugs from the suspect using a boodle money.

They immediately handcuffed Mercado as he was about to hand them over the drugs.

Three small packs and 11 medium packs of purported shabu were seized from the suspect, who is considered as a high value target.

Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, head of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that aside from being a bigtime pusher, Kano is also a member of a gun for hire.

Mercado vehemently denied possessing the drugs when interviewed by SunStar Cebu.

He claimed that he was eating in a carenderia, when the police arrived, handcuffed him, and then the narcotics came to light.

He did, however, acknowledge that he was detained at Cebu City Jail in 2020 for using illegal drugs and that he was eventually released the following year.

He has since worked at the Pasil Fish Port as a porter.

He also denied belonging to a gun for hire group.(GPL, TPT)

The Philippine government is closely monitoring the threat of an invasion of Taiwan by China and preparing for possible contingencies, defense chief Gilbert Teodoro said on Thursday.

I am filing a civil damages lawsuit against Lorraine Badoy-Partosa and Jeffrey Celiz, two notorious redtaggers/terrorist labelers because they have incessantly and wantonly engaged in a vilification spree to demonize me and tar my good name and that of my organization, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).

My purpose is to exact accountability for their false, baseless and malicious public statements against me so that they will stop this pernicious practice not only against me and other social activists but for many more who they have categorized as “enemies of the state” because of their critical or oppositionist stance—artists, lawyers, doctors, human rights advocates, trade unionists, teachers, land reform and environment protection advocates, media practicioners and many more—to government policies or programs and crimes and abuses committed by persons in authority.

Why only now? I had previously chosen to ignore these two redtaggers’ scurrilous attacks against my integrity and non-stop diatribe masquerading as legitimate news and commentary. I thought that my unbesmirched reputation and clean track record as a social activist and leader of the progressive alliance, Bayan would be enough to prevail over their lies and attempts at character assassination.

Unfortunately, in the age of rampant disinformation on social media platforms, boosted by the budget of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in the billions as well as so-called media entities like the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) owned by one self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, these lies repeated over and over seem to have become accepted as truth, at least by their unsuspecting followers and others who do not know me or of me. And my not taking any legal steps to defend myself and make these redtaggers accountable has been misconstrued by some as an indication of a weak defense, if not actual guilt.

Worse, not only myself, but the organization I lead as well as my son, journalist Alfonso Tomas “Atom” Araullo, have become the targets of their incessant redtagging/terrorist labelling.

I am acutely aware that redtagging of others has resulted in extrajudicial killings and massacres, enforced disappearance, baseless searches of offices and residences, arbitrary arrest and detention on trumped-up cases including the draconian Anti-terrorism Law and many other forms of human rights violations. I may be less vulnerable than those in the rural areas, or those who are not as well-known, but the threats to my security and well being are no less real.

Most important of all, I am filing these complaints in behalf of those who do not have the means, the opportunity and support system to do so but who are experiencing redtagging/terrorist labelling and the harassment, if not actual terror, this brings. I hope to encourage more of them to come forward and file their own complaints.

I have been told that it is about time these redtaggers are made accountable. That is what I hope this lawsuit—and others to follow—will accomplish.

Today, I yield my space to our readers.

A grandfather called me yesterday to complain against an alleged anomaly that is supposedly happening in the Cebu City Medical Center. Edwin B. Veloso claimed that a couple of weeks ago, they brought his grandchild to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) for an anti-tetanus shot after the child accidentally punctured himself with a needle.

He claimed that they had to wait long before their child could be attended to by a medical worker, only to be told by the latter that the CCMC had run out of tetanus vaccine. However, the CCMC employee allegedly told them that he has his own personal stock which the child could have for P1,000+. Finding the price prohibitive, Veloso said they left the hospital and brought the child to their barangay health center where he finally got injected with a vaccine that they bought from a drug store for a little more than P100.

He wondered how many patients and their families had been victimized into buying overpriced medicines from CCMC employees and why the practice is allowed in the city-owned-and-run medical facility. He urged the city government to immadiately look into the anomalous practice.

I wanted to call the only CCMC official I know for comment but remembered that only days ago, he was spotted in London with his family. But I expect Dr. Peter Mancao, whose loss in the Cebu City Council race last year I consider to be the worst mistake the Cebu City north district electorate ever made, to look into Veloso’s claim upon his return. This should not be considered an endorsement since not only are the elections still two years away, we are not even sure if he would run again. But Peter is a good man and I am certain that he will do the right thing.

Another reader wrote to say his attention was drawn to my colum “Like Singaporean” weeks ago. Aristides Llanos Archie said he visited Singapore again after 10 years last September and what he saw floored him.

“No city was more breathtaking,” he gushed even as he moaned that the dream for Cebu City to be Singapore-like may not happen during his lifetime. Maybe later, he said, but only if “we are determined as a community” to make it happen.

“That determination will, of course, start with tons and tons of discipline which sadly we Cebuanos do not possess,” the senior citizen said, citing the traffic situation, “culture of tourism” and environmental consciouness as areas that should be addressed.

“We can dream, yes but I may just hie off to Singapore every two years to be, feel, and live LIKE SINGAPOREAN.”

My former Political Science professor, Joseph Baduel also wrote. He recalled that at the beginning of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term six years ago, his men in Cebu “proudly proclaimed their big build build build infrastructure projects like the Metro Cebu Expressway, the North and South Coastal Roads, the Metro train, the Rapid Bus Transit and skyways, among others. Six years after, NOT one was started, much less finished.”

Their record in Cebu is zero, Baduel said, adding that “all they did was to inaugurate the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 building and the new third bridge and skyway to Cordova, which we all know were not their projects.”

He said he is crossing his fingers that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., “after winning in Cebu by more than one million votes” would be “more concerned and responsive to Cebu’s needs.” We hope so, too.

Finally, from Clemence Maudet came a confirmation of how hot it is in Europe now. Vacationing in Greece, she said that she felt like “KFC chicken inside an oven.” Avoid getting fried by the sun, dearest Clem.

July 20, 2023 6:33 PM

Authorities have offered HK$1 million rewards for information leading to arrests of the activists.

In another blow to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Hungary, on July 13, the

July 20, 2023 6:25 PM

BEIJING/SHENZHEN – A thriving underground market for top-end US graphics chips in China has laid bare the technological gap between the two superpowers.

INSTEAD of providing assistance, a senior citizen allegedly mistreated a 15-year-old girl.

To preserve the victim's dignity, the name of the suspect, who is believed to be in his 60s, has been withheld.

The minor victim, identified as Mika (real name withheld), who is reportedly not of sound mind, was escorted by a barangay official to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), where it was discovered that she had been abused.

Criselda Logronio, head of Barangay Capitol Site's Violence Against Women (VAW) program, revealed that the CCMC called their office to inform them of the girl's fate.

Mika was reportedly adopted by the suspect's nephew, a Catholic lay minister.

The alleged rape incident took place last week.

Mika narrated that the suspect offered to give her a motorcycle ride as she was going to get a baptismal certificate from a church in Cebu City where she was baptized.

The suspect offered her refreshments on the way but instead took her to a lodging house, where she was sexually abused.

The victim claimed that the perpetrator threatened to harm her if she resisted.

Logronio stated that they are now waiting for the girl's examination schedule at the Pink Room of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of the Cebu City Police Office has already been informed about the incident, according to Logronio.(BBT, TPT)

July 20, 2023 6:18 PM

Around 3 per cent of populated areas in Malaysia face issues with Internet access.

THE Lapu-Lapu City Government will host the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga Ayawan (Bida) Bayanihan ng Mamamayan Fun Run” of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on July 29, 2023.

The race will start at 4:35 a.m. at the Lapu-Lapu City Hoopsdome.

The City of Lapu-Lapu Office for the Substance Abuse Prevention (Closap) serves as the focal office for the Bida program, while the DILG serves as the lead agency for the program.

In a press conference Thursday, July 20, 2023, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said he is happy that Bida fun run is finally going to happen, stressing that it has been postponed several times.

"Finally, kapila na ni na move but madayon na jud ang atoang Bida run," Chan said.

DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. will lead the event along with Chan and other government officials and runners.

Chan said Abalos will join the 4K race.

Bida is a national anti-illegal drug advocacy campaign that involves local government units (LGUS), National Government agencies (NGAs), and other significant societal sectors. It will place more emphasis on drug demand reduction and drug rehabilitation.

"We are proud to say that out of 30 barangays, six barangays were already drug-cleared, and one drug free," said Chan on Thursday.

He added that the program will encourage other barangays to be also drug-cleared, adding that it will help promote Lapu-Lapu City as safe for tourists.

The DILG in Central Visayas reported that 14,298 people are expected to join the Bida opening, with the Lapu-Lapu City Government committed to gather 10,000 participants for other activities and 5,000 for the fun run.

The participants for the event will come from the different barangays in the city, different offices from City Hall, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Lapu-Lapu City Fire District, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Air Force (PAF), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Traffic Management System (CTMS), and Local Youth Development Office.

Chan encouraged their partner government agencies, different sectoral organizations, and the Oponganons to join and register for the Bida fun run.

He said registration fee for the 2K and 4K races will be P400 per participant. This will cover the runner’s T-shirt, race tag, early morning snacks, as well as medals and prices for the winners.

Walk-in registration is allowed from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Closap and Lapu-Lapu City Local Youth Development Office. Participants may also visit the Bida 2023 Run Kontra Droga Facebook page.

"This event will take only one and a half hour, so siguro before six o'clock, human nata ug naa na Hoopsdome," Chan said.

Chan said they intend to start the event early in the morning so as to avoid causing traffic.

"We encourage all the participants coming from the government workers, and we required them to join because this is against illegal drugs," he said.

He added that there is no age requirement, as long as the participant is physically fit and healthy. Senior Citizens can also join. (Judie Liza Alantoson, CNU intern)

THE Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) and the motorists both have the “responsibility” to ensure that the implementation of the motorcycle lane in Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) is successful.

Kent Francesco Jongoy, CCTO’s legal officer, told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, that “traffic management is a two-way street.”

“Even if you put an enforcer in the middle of an intersection, install signages, and put up traffic light system but if the motorists or drivers will just disregard the rules and regulations, traffic management will still be doomed to fail,” he said.

Jongoy’s statement came after CCTO’s public announcement on its official Facebook page about the implementation of the motorcycle lane. The new policy received mixed reactions from the online community.

One netizen asked if the policy covers big bikes and a particular exemption of Cubic Capacity (CC) in the motorcycle lane.

“There is no distinction to the CC of the motor. This is a generic term for two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles which under our laws considered motorized bicycles and tricycles. So this will apply across the board,” Jongoy said.

He assured the public that CCTO has a lot of preparations in line with the motorcycle lanes.

Installation of information signages along the whole stretch of the CSCR and road markings for motorcycle symbol, which will be visible at the outer rightmost lanes in the CSCR, is among those being prepared.

Meanwhile, traffic enforcers will be fully deployed next week after their week-long information drive.

In line with the new mandate, Jongoy asked the public, especially the motorists, to cooperate with the authorities and follow the new traffic scheme

Safety for the motorists is the top priority and aim of this mandate, Jongoy stressed. (Erica Abella, CNU intern)

Starlink, which is operated by Musk’s SpaceX, will begin by providing its services to schools and higher education institutions.

July 20, 2023 5:55 PM

A student in Taiwan found an egg-ceptional fix to his garage parking woes.