Philippines News

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in one night in May took 90 people off the streets of Barangay Balibago, the center of Angeles City’s red-light district, in a clearing operation.

AS THE July 25 deadline nears, Globe has launched a creative campaign that emphasizes the need for consumers to comply with the SIM Registration Act to protect themselves from the dangers that lurk online.

In the “Number Mo, Identity Mo” campaign, the online identities of popular celebrities Kuya Kim Atienza and Kiray Celis were humorously "hacked" by talented stand-up comedians and improv artists impersonating them.

"Online safety is a pressing issue in today's digital age. Through this unique initiative, we hope to drive home the point that our SIMs are a crucial part of our digital identity and must be protected. We also want to remind our prepaid customers that they need to register their SIMs by the July 25 deadline. We urge all Globe customers to register their SIMs now,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer, Globe Group.

To avoid becoming a victim of fraud, Globe reiterates its call for customers to register their SIMs. Globe Prepaid, TM and Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi customers may register via the GlobeOne app and Globe’s SIM registration microsite (https://new.globe.com.ph/simreg) 24/7.

Fully-verified GCash account holders may also utilize the GCash app. Those in need of assistance may also get help to register their SIMs in any Globe Store and EasyHub nationwide.

Globe Postpaid, Globe Business Postpaid and Globe Platinum subscribers have already been included in the SIM registration database. For company-owned Globe Business prepaid accounts, steps to register or update details have been sent to authorized company representatives.

Celebrity accounts ‘hacked’

The imaginative take on promoting online safety started with strange teaser posts on all of Kiray and Kuya Kim's active social media accounts, culminating in a TikTok LIVE session, where the impersonators peddled entertainingly obvious scams to viewers, effectively spotlighting potential dangers lurking online.

Kiray's impostor took her followers on a journey of transformation, promising a high-end, luxe, and more beautiful version of the beloved comedienne, ending in a live selling event and a dramatic "face reveal." Simultaneously, Kuya Kim's impersonator alluded to recent developments about a television show, promising juicy behind-the-scenes secrets, lifestyle tips, and a surprise guest, all to spark interest and intrigue.

But the real intent behind these entertaining acts was revealed two days after the livestream, as Kuya Kim and Kiray uploaded a video saying their accounts had been 'hacked.' This unexpected twist underscored their important message: online identity theft is real, and everyone should take measures to protect themselves, including registering their SIMs.

With this campaign, Globe underscores its dedication to promoting online safety. Since December 2022, the company has carried out various SIM registration drives. This latest effort adds a creative twist, amplifying the message that “your SIM is more than a number – it's an extension of your identity.” Through SIM registration, customers take a critical step in protecting their digital identity against potential scams.

The “Number Mo, Identity Mo” campaign reminds everyone that the battle against online scams is not a solitary fight but a collective effort.

To learn more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/. (PR)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - vivo released another chic budget phone built for quality and durability to add to its Y Series lineup. Experience improved performance with the new vivo Y02t compared to its predecessor, the Y02s.

With 4GB RAM and up to 4GB extended RAM, navigate and switch between apps more smoothly. Store a lot of files as the vivo Y02s still sports 64GB storage, which can be expanded up to 1TB using a micro SD card.

Besides the enhanced RAM, here's what everyone needs to know about vivo's latest budget phone:

Built to last and withstand damage

vivo never fails to provide quality phones. vivo Y02t has undergone rigorous quality tests to withstand scratches, drops, and extreme weather conditions.

The anti-fingerprint back cover was made by a new nano-grade material spray coating process to make it resistant to daily scratches.

The phone was also tested 32,000 times for drops, 10,000 times for USB ports, and 6,000 times for headset ports.

vivo also used and stored the phone in artificial environments that reached -20 degrees Celsius and 75 degrees Celsius.

Nonstop entertainment

vivo Y02t also boasts a 5000mAh battery. It can keep users entertained through online high-definition video streaming for up to 18 hours.

It also features a 6.51-inch Halo FullView™ Display with HD+ (1600 × 720) resolution, providing a wide and immersive view for videos.

With the Eye Protection Screen feature, do not worry about eye strain from harmful blue light as vivo Y02t's display automatically adjusts the level of brightness based on ambient light conditions.

Truly high-end design

vivo never disappoints when it comes to design. vivo Y02t has a flat frame and a matte back panel. It comes in two colors - Sunset Gold which is perfect under the sun and Cosmic Grey for a mysterious, powerful look.

Sunset Gold

Cosmic Grey

Other features to love

vivo Y02t has MediaTek Octa-core Processor that offers reliable and smooth performance. It is also equipped with Funtouch OS 13 based on Android 13 Edition, which features a new method for entering a split-screen view as well as copying and pasting across devices.

Get better language preferences, finer multitasking, enhanced audio, an updated photo picker, and improved privacy with the Funtouch OS 13.

The phone also turns into a power bank as it has a 5V/1A reverse charging feature. This is helpful to cover other devices when out and about.

Wake vivo Y02t effortlessly with its face recognition feature in just the blink of an eye.

Get vivo's newest elegant yet affordable phone for only Php 5,999 at its official website, e-stores such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok, as well as physical stores nationwide. (SPONSORED CONTENT)

WHAT HAPPENED: Friday, July 21, 2023, Cebu City Administrator Colin Rosell and Jerone Castillo, the mayor’s assistant on special projects, Castillo, told a press conference that City Hall will go after “City Hall Updates,” a social media site that has been posting in the last few days findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) on, among others, alleged irregularities on typhoon cash aid and drug users who were market division employees of City Hall.

Rosell and Castillo led at the press-con a clutch of department heads who were involved in, or familiar with, the hot issues that have gone viral on the internet.

QUESTIONS THAT NAG. The press conference apparently was to neutralize adverse public reaction to unsavory findings against the Rama administration, which Cebu Updates have posted. The soc-med site, because of its earlier City Hall ties, reportedly had preview of the COA reports, ahead of Cebu’s dailies and other regular news sites.

Among the major issues raised at the press-con and set off these questions:

[] Casas’s authority: Former city administrator Floro Casas Jr. signed the P1.3 billion drainage in the name of the mayor. Did he have the authority to sign for then mayor Edgardo Labella and, if he had, was he authorized by the City Council? to sign that specific contract?

One city official said “COA said Casas had no authority from the Sanggunian” to sign that particular contract. Casas told me there was no need as the City Council had previously approved a lump sum appropriation.

[] Ownership, use of Cebu Updates: Did the Cebu City Government “own” Cebu Updates, formerly named the Cebu City Public Information Office? Has it been used as a media outlet to criticize the Rama administration?

Two City Hall key officials said at the press-con Cebu Updates is City Government property. An administrator of the site told me it is private property.

CASAS AND P1.3B DEAL. Atty. Castillo, Mayor Rama’s assistant on special projects, made it clear to reporters that Atty. Casas’s alleged excess of authority in the 2021 P1.3 billion drainage project was called out by COA. It was COA, “not us,” Castillo said, who questioned why Casas “entered into a contract... without the authorization of the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP).” This is “a very serious matter,” Castillo said at the press-con, “even if you have authority to sign for the mayor, you need the express authority to sign” a specific contract.

Casas told me Saturday, July 22 that “not all transactions require prior Sanggunian approval,” citing a purported ruling in Quisumbing vs. Garcia. “Perhaps, Atty. Castillo didn’t research right (“wala seguro siya nag-research og tarong”) because there (was) an SP resolution allowing charging of the ABC for the project from the lump sum account.

The COA report though, a SunStar July 20 report said, the state auditor “stressed that the city administrator has no authority to bind the City Government into a contract using the lump sum without the authority of the SP.” The same COA report found “excessive” the advance payment of P199.323 million advance payment, for the design phase, in 2021, equivalent to 15 percent of the contract cost.

Slamming the administration at the time, COA said the City Government “should have exerted efforts to expedite its completion.” The project was suspended three times, “for flimsy reasons,” COA said, “with (such) ease” and leniency that it gave “the impression that the contractor was given unwarranted favors.” As of December 31, 2022, there were 247 days of delay. COA recommended that the contract be terminated or revoked because of the delays and the advance payment of almost P200 million recovered.

QUESTION OF AUTHORITY. Casas showed me an office order of then mayor Labella issued July 6, 2019, granting authority to sign disbursement vouchers, payrolls, purchase requests, and such other official documents related to them. The order -- addressed to then C.A. Casas; city attorney Joey Daluz; Jerone Castillo of the city treasurer’s office; and budget officer Marietta Gumia -- assigned the respective areas where the officials were signatory.

An excerpt from the minutes of the City Council session of July 9, 2019 said the City Council decided to “delegate and grant authority” for Casas to sign vouchers, payrolls and other official documents listed in the July 6 office memo.

Labella must have been feeling ill already at the time; later he had to be frequently hospitalized, leading to his death on November 19, 2021. Obviously, the mayor had so much trust in Casas, or had no one else to trust, that he gave his city administrator almost all the signing powers.

Atty. Castillo though distinguished authority to sign for the mayor from authority from the City Council to sign for a specific contract. The first was given both by the mayor and the Sanggunian. The second was not expressly given by the City Council for the drainage project, except on a lump sum appropriation, from which the money for the drainage deal was taken. Casas’s defense, it would seem, is that the Sanggunian approval was no longer needed as it had previously approved a lump sum for the project.

THE ‘CEBU UPDATES’ FACTOR. The posts about City Hall that went viral were carried by Cebu Updates, a site that used to be controlled by City Hall. Atty. Casas told me Cebu Updates is privately created social media site that publishes official events and announcements. The page “is, or was, not owned

by CCG, as Atty. Castillo implied,” Casas said.

A January 9, 2023 blog by media specialist Max Limpag -- titled “Bring your own kabaw,” mocking Mayor Rama’s Sinulog at SRP -- referred to Cebu Updates as an “old Cebu City PIO Facebook page.” Limpag’s inquiry disclosed that:

[] May 2, 2012: The FB page was created as the Cebu City Public Information Office during the previous term of Mayor Michael Rama;

[] August 3, 2016: Its name was changed to City of Cebu, Public Information Office, under then mayor Tomas Osmena;

[] January, January 27, 2018: The name was reverted to Cebu City Public Information Office, still under Osmeña, with Malou Inocando-Tabar as PIO;

[] 2019 -2021: With the assumption of Edgardo Labella as mayor in 2019, Tabar said she turned over “admin access” to Razel Cuizon, Labella’s PIO With Labella’s death in November 2021, Mike Rama’s team used another FB page, created earlier on November 9, 2011 and known as Barug Sugbo TV;

[] January 5, 2022: PIO’s old page was renamed Cebu Updates. Cerwin Eviota, the PIO in Year One of Rama’s fresh full term, told Max Limpag the page was not turned over to him -- and obviously, he also didn’t seek its retrieval.

At the press-con, both Rosell and Cartillo said in effect City Hall has mobilized its forces to look into the case and charge the persons responsible.

RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT? Apparently, (a) for the loss of what they believe as City Hall property and (b) its use against Rama and his administration.

Both are being disputed by Atty. Casas. Jun Casas told me Cebu Updates is private property and it is “not anti-Rama.”

On the ownership or, more precisely, the control of Cebu Updates, Limpag said also Saturday, July 22, he thinks the Rama administration “dropped the ball by failing to demand turnover” of the PIO/Cebu Updates page. They should’ve exhausted all means to recover it, rather than start a new page. They were in a strong position then to take the old page back, Max said.

Cebu Updates could be “undermining them, “with a bigger audience at that, an audience built using government resources back when it was official PIO page, with content published by government and employees paid for with public funds.”

NOT ANTI-RAMA, HE SAYS. Atty. Casas, who admits he is an administrator of Cebu Updates, said it is not anti-Rama, “though the most interesting stories now involve the Rama administration, so we gladly post them.”

Using the “we’re-only-messengers” line, Casas said “we only post, we do not create the news.” But in City Hall, he said, “now we see more ‘palpak’ talk and propaganda rather than ‘actual, concrete ‘positive efforts and achievements.’” So we post that, he said, and when we see something good, we post it too.

Casas told me City Hall “is not very transparent.” He cited the absence of information about the controversial Boracay trip, no update on the use of the P50 billion budget this year, or how much the City has collected so far. Saying he’s also from City Hall, he “can feel there’s something wrong” with the way the City Government is being run.

As a kind of reaching out to Mayor Rama and Atty. Castillo, Cebu Updates in a lead post also Saturday, “we extend our message of cooperation and understanding.” While the outlet “strives to highlight the positive efforts and achievements of our city leaders,” it is also the responsibility of Cebu Updates “to report the truth,” not to “tarnish anyone’s image but to promote a better Cebu for everyone.”

FRIED BY OWN LARD. Criticisms against Rama and company from the previously owned FB page may seem more painful as it would be like, in old Cebuano-Bisaya adage, being fried by one’s own lard ("gigisal sa kaugalingong mantika").

Egay is forecast to reach typhoon category within 24 hours and may become a super typhoon on Tuesday.

Egay’s peak winds increased to 85 kilometers per hour near the center, and its gusts increased to 105 kph, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin.

22 July 2023, Quezon City. As our nation faces a myriad of societal problems, green groups associated with the EcoWaste Coalition, an environmental network pushing for a zero waste and toxics-free society, are urging President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to tackle the adverse impacts of waste and plastic pollution and to work for safe and sustainable solutions.

The groups weighed in on what the chief executive

THREE days ahead of his second State of the Nation Address (Sona), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has lifted the state of public health emergency in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Malacañang announced on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

“All prior orders, memoranda and issuances that are effective only during the state of public health emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect,” read Proclamation 297, issued on Friday, July 21, but made public only on Saturday.

However, the emergency use authorization issued by the Food and Drug Administration for Covid-19 vaccines, pursuant to Executive Order 121 (s. 2020), will remain valid for a period of one year from the date of lifting of the state of public health emergency.

This provision allows authorities to utilize the remaining vaccines effectively.

The President also called upon all government agencies to review their policies, rules and regulations to ensure they align with the lifting. Necessary amendments to existing policies or the creation of new ones may be required to accommodate the transition.

Sustained decline

The decision to lift the state of public health emergency was made based on the sustained decline in Covid-19 deaths, the decrease in Covid-19-related hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions, and the high levels of population immunity to Sars-CoV-2.

These positive trends were acknowledged by the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) in May.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus endorsed the committee’s advice, recognizing that while Covid-19 remains a concern for certain subpopulations, it no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. This assessment prompted the call for a transition to long-term management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Malacañamg said despite the new development, health authorities and the government emphasize that Covid-19 remains a serious issue that requires continued vigilance.

Positive step

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday commended the President’s decision, saying that it is a “positive step forward” in the nation’s fight against the pandemic.

In a statement, the DOH said Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa concurs with the assessment that the current conditions no longer warrant the continuation of the public health emergency status.

“The secretary of health, Dr. Ted Herbosa, views this pronouncement as a positive step forward and wholeheartedly agrees that the conditions no longer necessitate the continuation of the public health emergency status,” the DOH said.

The health department said that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will convene for a final meeting to formally conclude the public health emergency, and a comprehensive final report will be prepared for the public.

This report will also highlight the dedication and hard work of the IATF, the medical frontliners and the entire government in tackling the pandemic.

“The secretary of health takes this opportunity to commend the exemplary performance and unwavering commitment of the Inter-Agency Task Force and the medical frontliners who have demonstrated resilience and heroism throughout this challenging period. Their dedication to safeguarding public health has been instrumental in reaching this critical milestone,” the DOH said.

While the state of public health emergency is lifted, the DOH emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and proactive in maintaining health and safety.

“Continued awareness and adherence to recommended health protocols are paramount to safeguarding ourselves and our communities from any potential health risks,” the DOH said.

“As we move forward, let us remember that our collective strength lies in unity. We stand as one, united in our commitment to combat any future pandemic that may come our way. Together, we can overcome any adversity and build a healthier and safer nation for all,” it added.

DOH 7 Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas also welcomed the lifting of the state of public health emergency.

As of July 21, the country’s total caseload was at 4,171,063, with 4,099,243 recoveries, 66,542 deaths and 5,278 active cases.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte on March 8, 2020, issued Proclamation 922, declaring a state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines to address the Covid-19 threat. /(Joshua Solano / SunStar Philippines with a report from KJF)

AN IMPROVED and safer bicycle lane network and lower carbon footprint are the goals of the Bike Lane Master Plan 2023 for Metro Cebu, according to an official of the United Nations Development Programme, who also touted cycling’s financial benefits to both commuters, commercial establishments and the greater economy.

Representatives from the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay and the town of Cordova received a copy of the new Bike Lane Master Plan 2023 during a ceremonial turnover at Harold’s Evotel, Cebu City on Tuesday, July, 18, 2023.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) led the distribution of the master plan that serves as a guide to comprehensive, inclusive and equitable bike lanes network development for the local government units (LGUs) of Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.

Floradema Eleazar, team leader of the climate action section of UNDP, told SunStar Cebu that installing bike lanes will also spur economic development.

However, bike lane implementers and traffic teams from the LGUs that received the master plan raised concerns and challenges to its full implementation, citing the lack of awareness and discipline among motorists and cyclists, narrow roads and streets, issues on infrastructure support and coordination among neighboring LGUs, and the lack of a legal framework concerning the use of the bike lane system in Metro Cebu.

Economic benefits

Eleazar said cycling will be economically beneficial for commuters as they will no longer have to pay the fare for public transportation or buy fuel for their private vehicles for their commute to their respective destinations.

Cycling also promotes a healthy and active lifestyle that minimizes health risks and complications.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), cycling helps reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, as well as cancer. It cited research from the United Kingdom showing a link between cycling to work and a 45 percent lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, compared to commuting by car or public transport.

For those concerned about getting exposed to pollution, Unep said: “The health benefits of cycling daily rather than taking a car for short trips outweigh the risks of inhalation of air pollutants. Daily exercise prolongs life expectancy by approximately 3.4 years whereas inhalation of polluted air reduces life expectancy by one to 40 days.”

Good for business

Eleazar said the public can enjoy a bike-to-work or bike-to-school setup.

Businesses such as restaurants or office buildings can also benefit from the cycling community by providing bike-friendly infrastructure like a table that will be high enough to enable bikers to use their bike as a chair.

Parking a bicycle also requires only a minimal space in comparison to motorcycles and automobiles.

Cycling also helps tourism as more cyclists visit tourist spots by traveling using a bike, she added.

However, Eleazar stressed the importance of government support in achieving these goals such as by funding the necessary infrastructure and campaign initiatives.

Carbon emissions

Cycling is good for the environment as well.

The burning of fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel by automobiles releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change. But cyclists emit much less carbon dioxide.

“Each seven kilometers by bicycle will save an emission of one kilogram of carbon dioxide as compared to the same distance covered by car,” according to the Unep.

Master plan

The master plan for comprehensive, inclusive and equitable bike lanes network development includes technical, institutional, and information and education components that may be adopted by the LGUs.

A research team from the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies Foundation Inc. led the study of the master plan which was funded through Global Environment Facility.

Four strategies identified in the master plan are (1) expanding the network of protected/exclusive bike lanes, (2) developing the network of streets with shared lanes, (3) developing more bike-friendly infrastructure, and (4) encouraging the use of bicycles for commuting such as bike-to-work and bike-to-school.

Lack of discipline

Lack of awareness and discipline among motorists and the general public have been among the major challenges for the Cebu City Government to fully implement its Bike Lane System, Sugbo Bike Lanes Board (SBLB) executive director Bernard Maraasin told SunStar Cebu Tuesday after the turnover of the Bike Lane Master Plan 2023.

Maraasin stressed that “the ones reflected on the master plan, if I’m not mistaken, the city has (already) implemented (the markings of around) 70 percent of the proposed bike lanes which includes new markings in V. Rama (Ave.) and Duterte St.”

These developments began sprouting during the term of then Cebu City mayor Edgardo Labella in 2020 at the height of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic when the operation of traditional public utility jeepneys was suspended in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and riding a bike solo was seen as a safer way to go around the city than taking public transport.

However, Maraasin said that as Cebu City removed the mobility restrictions imposed during the pandemic, SBLB has recorded a high number of violators of bike lane rules.

City Ordinance 2408 mandates that bike lanes, particularly dedicated ones, are intended for the use solely of cyclists for their safety.

Drivers of public utility vehicles, ambulances and motorcycles are among the top violators of the ordinance, Maraasin said.

“Kanang ubang ambulance, himoon ug parkinganan ang bike lane, ug naay uban matog sa sulod.”

(Some ambulances make the bike lane their parking space, and some drivers can be found asleep inside.)

Narrow roads

On the other hand, John Michael Feliciano Edar of the Lapu-Lapu City Traffic Management System Office (CTMS) said the current roads of the cities were too narrow to install bike lanes in and that problems were observed even in the roads that already had bike lanes.

“Sa amo [Lapu-Lapu City], daghan kaayo ang tawo. Sa akong experience sa traffic, kana bitaw mga cyclists? Naa ta’y mga bike lane, nya dili muagi sa bike lane. Musagol sa mga utility vehicle,” he said.

(There are a lot of people in Lapu-Lapu City. In my own experience with traffic, we have cyclists that, even though we have bike lanes, do not use them. Instead, they mix with the utility vehicles.)

“Maayo ra man [the Master Plan], pero karon lisod pa gyud. Nindot ang bike lane, pero wa ta kahibaw asa nato ipahimutang,” he added.

(It’s a good initiative; however, its implementation is the challenging part as we do not know where to place these bike lanes.)

Enforcement

To mitigate this problem following the return of the heavy volume of vehicles after the Covid-19 pandemic, Maraasin emphasized that the penalties against violators must be strictly enforced under the city ordinance.

This instills discipline in the motorists, he said, emphasizing that there will be no exemption even for drivers of government vehicles.

The penalty ranges from P500 for the first offense, to P1,000 for the second offense, and then P1,500 for the third offense.

Meanwhile, old bicycle lanes that already have faded paint marking and white stripes will be given a makeover to ensure that these designated lanes remain visible to motorists for the safety of cyclists, especially those who “bike to work.”

Maraasin assured that more bike lanes will be installed once the Cebu City Government has cleared the three-easement zones along the city’s major waterways. The lanes will be incorporated in the cleared zones.

On the other hand, Lapu-Lapu’s Edar said that in order to implement the bike lane plan, the City first has to embark on the widening of the city’s narrow roads.

“Among city gamay, ang mga karsada padak-an or need og road widening,” Edar said.

(Our city is small, hence, our roads need to be widened.)

Bicycle lanes established at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 were not properly used by cyclists as motorists were also not following their respective lanes, Edar said.

He added that as of the moment, the City Government has no ordinances with regard to the proper utilization and strengthening of the policy on bike lanes.

However, he assured that the CTMS is doing its best to reprimand violators of the bike lane policy.

More bicycle owners

According to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in April 2022, one in four Filipino households in the country owned bicycles. It said there were four times more bicycle owners than car owners.

In the Visayas, the survey said, there were two times more bicycle owners than car owners.

Nationwide, the bicycles were used for essential activities like market/grocery and store runs, livelihood, and as transport to the workplace and elsewhere, as well as recreational activities, the SWS survey showed.

An improved bicycle lane network inspired by the master plan may just encourage cyclists to more often pedal to their destinations than take a motorized vehicle, auguring well for their finances as well as the environment. (with CTL AND DENISE MAE CODIS AND ERICA ABELLA, CNU INTERNS)

Port Moresby [Papua New Guinea], July 23 (ANI): Tournament favourites Papua New Guinea had a good start on day one of the East Asia Pacific Regional Final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Qualifiers, defeating Vanuatu while Japan also clinched a victory over Philippiness. The 19-year-old John Kariko started his T20I career on high, taking 3/6 in his four overs to send the crowd home happy at Amini Park on Saturday. He took w

 

An afternoon of rain

over clusters of trees

with leaves and flowers

peeling off from the boughs

to the grassy ground:

how it wafts a smell not earthy

but sweet, even sacred -

the incense of benediction

the candle flames at both sides of the altar,

the garden of roses on the marbled floor,

even the breath of the priest

prompting Tantum Ergo;<

MORE than P5 million worth of illegal drugs were seized by the Cebu City police during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Pig Vendor, Barangay Ermita at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

The suspect was identified as Rudolf Cabigon Aguilar, a 21-year-old electric-bike driver from Sitio Proper of the said barangay.

The buy-bust operation was conducted by the members of the City Drug Enforcement Unit of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and Carbon Police Station under the command CCPO Chief Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog.

The police confiscated a large pouch containing several packs of suspected shabu weighing 775 grams with a standard drug price of P5,270,000.

The evidence obtained has been turned over to the PNP Forensic Group for examination. (AYB, TPT)

If there was anything good that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, it was the coming together of the public and private sectors.

Tropical cyclone Egay is forecast to steadily increase in strength and may reach the severe tropical storm category today as state weather forecasters are not ruling out a possible landfall scenario over Northern Luzon.

As the Philippines approaches the tail end of the peace process, soldiers are now tasked to shift from being war fighters to peacemakers, President Marcos said.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo will be the guest of honor and speaker during the awards ceremony of the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity (FLP) on July 28 at the Stephen Fuller Hall, Asian Institute of Management in Makati City.

President Marcos has appointed fiber internet tycoon Dennis Anthony Uy as his special envoy to South Korea for digital transformation.

While it vows to exercise restraint, the Philippine National Police yesterday urged leaders of cause-oriented groups to police their own ranks to ensure a peaceful outcome of President Marcos’ second State of the Nation Address tomorrow.

Malacañang suspended work in government offices and classes in public schools in all levels in Metro Manila for tomorrow because of possible bad weather and a three-day transport strike that organizers claimed would paralyze transportation in the capital region.

Will the Marcos administration finally be able to end the license plate shortage that has troubled transport officials and motorists since 2016?