PHILIPPINES, CHINESE COAST GUARDS HOLD JOINT DRILLMANILA - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday held a joint maritimedrill with the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) on search and rescue operations andfirefighting in the waters off Manila.The drill is meant to strengthen understanding, mutual trust and cooperationbetween the two countries in promoting maritime security and law enforcementin the West Philippine Sea, PCG spokesman Capt. Armand Balilo said."The activity has allowed PCG and CCG to exercise interoperability andstrengthen their capabilities in responding to such crisis," he said.In yesterday's drill, the PCG simulated receiving a distress report on acargo vessel that caught fire, then coordinated the rescue through a hotlinebetween the two coast guards.The PCG deployed its 44-meter multi-role response vessel while the CCGdispatched its law enforcement vessel 5204, which arrived at Pier 15 inManila on Tuesday and will be in the Philippines until Friday.In a related development, PCG commandant Adm. Joel Garcia urged Filipinos tomove forward amid the government's effort to strengthen ties with China andcome up with a mechanism to protect local fishermen.Garcia welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Maj. Gen. Wang Zhongcai, whoarrived in the country on Tuesday morning.PHIVOLCS: TAAL'S MAIN CRATER LAKE HAS BEEN DRAINEDMANILA - The water in the main crater lake of Taal Volcano has drained away,three days after the volcano exploded to life, state volcanologists said.In a bulletin issued Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute ofVolcanology and Seismology said satellite images show that the volcano'smain crater lake-once blue-green in color-has been drained.Taal's main crater lake is 1.9 kilometers in diameter and four meters abovesea level.Ma. Antonia Bornas, chief of Phivolcs volcano monitoring division, explainedthe draining of the main crater lake is related to ground deformation, whichis caused by the upward movement of magma. Magma is molten rock beneathEarth's surface.Phivolcs also observed that portions of Pansipit River-drainage outlet ofTaal Lake-have also dried up."'Yung pinaka-evident [na explanation] ay dahil sa sunud-sunod na paglindolumatras 'yung tubig ng lawa at natuyo 'yung portions ng Pansipit River.Nagkaroon siguro ng pag-alsa or uplift nung Taal region," Bornas said."Posible rin na 'yung bitak sa Lemery ito ay dire-diretso hanggang Talisay.At baka meron tayong underwater fissure sa floor o sa ilalim ng Taal Lake atnag-seep ang tubig dito," she added.Volcanologists also observed that new vent craters have been formed insidethe main crater and on the northern flank of the volcano.Taal Volcano remained active Wednesday, belching out a 700-meter tall ashcolumn that drifted to the general southwest.There were 53 volcanic earthquakes recorded between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m.Wednesday. Twelve of these tremors were felt with intensities ranging fromIntensity I (scarcely perceptible) to III (weak).Phivolcs said such seismic activity may signal further eruptive activity.EVACUEES GET AID FROM DUTERTEMANILA - President Duterte visited Batangas City on Tuesday and distributedfood packs and cash to over 1,000 families from areas affected by theeruption of Taal Volcano.Duterte, accompanied by Sen. Christopher Go, checked the situation of morethan 1,214 families in the evacuation center.The President led the discussion on how to address and mitigate issues thatthe country is currently facing, especially with scientists warning that theworst is yet to come from Taal Volcano.Go, whom Duterte mentioned in his short message as someone who "hails fromBatangas," also participated in the relief operations and in the briefing.Duterte joined the ceremonial distribution to all the families of food packsand cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD), hygiene kits from the Department of Health (DOH) and the PhilippineCharity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).The Department of Agriculture (DA) also turned over an assistance package toaffected farmers and fisherfolk.Duterte distributed an initial P160 million worth of agriculture, fisheryand livelihood assistance to farmers, fishers and other rural folk.He said the immediate normalization of the situation should be thegovernment's priority in times of typhoons and other natural disasters.The DA has assured the affected residents of its full assistance to helpfarmers recover.EVACUATION UNNECESSARY IN TAGAYTAY RIDGE, SOME AREAS INSIDE TAAL 'DANGERZONE': PHIVOLCSResidents can stay put in some areas inside the 14-kilometer danger zonearound Taal Volcano even as it threatens to erupt, state seismologyinstitute Phivolcs said Thursday.Some areas inside the zone are elevated enough to be safe from the potentialbase surge, tsunami or pyroclastic current that Taal could spawn, saidPhivolcs Director Renato Solidum."Example po, Tagaytay City, doon sa ridge, national road. Nasa loob iyon ng14 kilometers, pero dahil mataas na po ang elevation noon, hindi silaaabutin ng base surge so dapat hindi iyon ini-evacuate," he told ABS-CBNNews."Minsan nage-generalize na basta nasa loob, kailangan umalis," he added.Solidum, however, clarified that at least 2 barangays in the lower part ofTagaytay should evacuate, as well as some areas near the shoreline ofneighboring Lipa, Batangas, which is a plateau.Taal, which sits in the center of a lake south of the capital, belchedSunday a giant ash cloud that coated parts of Luzon, suspended NAIAoperations overnight, and forced thousands to flee.The volcano remains under the second highest danger level, which means a"hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days," saidPhivolcs.PHILIPPINES IMPOSES TOTAL DEPLOYMENT BAN TO KUWAITMANILA - The Philippines is halting deployment of all workers to Kuwaitweeks after the brutal killing of 26-year-old Filipino domestic helperJeanelyn Villavende.Yesterday, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issued aresolution imposing a total ban on sending overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)to Kuwait.The POEA governing board approved the total deployment ban upon therecommendation of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.Under the resolution, all types and categories of workers are covered by thedeployment ban, although an exemption may be provided upon the determinationof the labor secretary.Filipino workers already in Kuwait will be allowed to finish theircontracts, but will no longer be allowed to return after going back to thePhilippines. Only highly skilled OFWs will be allowed to return to theirjobs in Kuwait.During yesterday's Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarrahad supported the deployment ban, because Kuwait had failed to protectVillavende.Villavende reportedly died at the hands of her employer's wife last Dec. 28.Both her employer and his wife are now in prison in Kuwait.He explained that he is in favor of imposing the ban because of Villavende'scase, a clear sign that there was a breach of the bilateral agreementbetween the two countries.A previous incident of an OFW being brutally killed was that of 29-year-oldJoanna Demafelis, whose body was found inside a freezer of an abandonedapartment in Kuwait, and which led to the signing of the bilateral agreementbetween the Philippine and Kuwaiti governments in May 2018.The agreement covers protections and rights - such as health provisions,protection from abuse and repatriation when necessary, among others - of allFilipino domestic and skilled workers in the Gulf country.But Kuwait had failed to live up to its end of the agreement because ofVillavende's death and Guevarra said this should prompt OFWs to look foremployment in other countries.DUTERTE NAMES NEW AIR FORCE CHIEFMANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday named Major Gen. AllenParedes as the new commanding general of the Philippine Air Force.A member of the Philippine Military Academy Maringal Class of 1988, Paredesreplaces Lt. Gen. Rozzano Briguez as head of the Air Force.Prior to becoming head of the Air Force, Paredes was Air Logistics Commandchief.His designation as the new head of the Air Force officially starts onFriday, Duterte said in a letter to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.The President is set to attend the Air Force change of command ceremony onThursday.SCHOOLS NEAR TAAL TO UNDERGO INSPECTIONMANILA - Public schools in areas near Taal Volcano will be inspected toensure their structural integrity following the series of earthquakesrelated to the volcanic unrest.Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said school buildings would beinspected before students are allowed to use those affected by the temblors.So far, no school has been reported to have sustained damage because of theearthquakes and ashfall.Some municipalities, however, remain closed because of the imminent threatof hazardous eruption of Taal Volcano, which remains under Alert Level 4.Classes were still suspended yesterday in Batangas, Laguna and Cavite.COURT JUNKS ANGKAS PLEA FOR NEW TROMANILA - A Mandaluyong City court has denied the petition of ride-hailingfirm Angkas for another temporary restraining order (TRO) on theimplementation of a government-imposed limit on the number of riders in theongoing motorcycle taxi pilot run.In a four-page decision date Jan. 10, Regional Trial Court Branch 212 JudgeRizalina Capco-Umali dismissed the petition lodged by Angkas against theDepartment of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising andRegulatory Board (LTFRB) for lack of merit.Umali said the TRO would have the same action being sought in the main caseof the injunction, which is to enjoin the government from implementing itsrules."Since the petitioner's application for issuance of injunctive writ involvesprayer to enjoin the enforcement of Section 10 of Revised General Guidelinesfor the Pilot Implementation of Motorcycle Taxis, which is also the sameaction being sought in the main case of injunction, the court is mindfulthat as much as possible avoid issuing writ which would effectively disposeof the main case without trial and/or due process," the order read.CEBU PACIFIC STARTS 2-DAY 'PISO FARE' SALEMANILA -- Cebu Pacific, the Philippines largest airline, started Thursdayits 2-day seat sale for as low as P1 base fare on domestic and internationalroutes.The Jan. 16 to 17 sale period will be for travel from Jul. 1 to Dec. 31 thisyear, the Gokongwei-led airline said. Only online payments via the CebuPacific website or app will be accepted for the first day of the sale, itsaid.Cebu Pacific said it scheduled the sale per destination to manage traffic:12 midnight to 8 a.m. for domestic routes; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Japan, SouthKorea, Hong Kong and Macau; and 4 p.m. to 12 p.m. for Southeast Asia, Dubai,Melbourne and Sydney, it said.More details are available on the Cebu Pacific website.REUNITED! DANIEL, KATHRYN TO WORK ON NEW SERIES, MOVIE TOGETHERMANILA - Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo are more than excited toreunite onscreen again more than a year since they last worked together.The celebrity couple signed a three-year contract with ABS-CBN on Wednesdayand the two shared that there are already projects lined up for them. Thisincludes the upcoming series tentatively titled "Tanging Mahal.""Actually hindi pa nga namin alam kung iyan 'yung final na title kasi 'yun'yung na-play for the presentation. Fina-finalize pa lahat. After nitong[contract signing], 'yun 'yung schedule namin actually. May presentation forthe serye," Bernardo said."May [alam na kaming details nung serye], nagco-conceptualize na kami kasama'yung team about the story pero wala pa talagang final kung ano siya at kunganong structure ng kuwento," Padilla added.The project was first announced on Monday through ABS-CBN's "Sama-Sama Tayo"trailer, which enumerates the network's entertainment lineup for 2020 acrossplatforms.The show will be partly set in Mexico, and will be produced by DreamscapeEntertainment, the same group behind "FPJ's Ang Probinsyano" and "TheGeneral's Daughter," among others."Ngayon bumalik ako sa Dreamscape with Sir Deo (Endrinal) and everyone. Weare very excited kasi medyo collaboration talaga 'yung nangyayari sa story.They are very open kung ano ang gusto naming gawin so nakaka-excite 'yungserye," Bernardo said.When asked what's something new that they could bring into their partnershipafter working apart, Padilla said: "Siguro it's going to be something fresh.Siyempre ang tagal din naming hinintay na mangyari ito ulit. I think thefans are really excited na makita ulit kami magkasama. Kami rin personallyexcited na kami magtrabaho ulit na magkasama. Okay din na nag-break munakami for a while sa trabaho para pag nagsama na kami ulit, fresh na ulitkaming dalawa."In addition to their upcoming series, Padilla revealed they will also beworking on a movie within the year."Gagawa kami ng serye plus may movie pa kami ni Kathryn. Dapat niyo rinabangan. 'Yun, humawak kayo sa mga upuan niyo," he teased.BOX OFFICE: 'MIRACLE IN CELL NO. 7' GROSS FINALLY REVEALEDMANILA - "Miracle in Cell No. 7," the Philippine adaptation of the SouthKorean drama film, has nearly earned half a billion pesos since itsChristmas Day release.The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry has grossed P475 million as ofJanuary 15, producer Viva Films announced on its social media channels."Miracle in Cell No. 7" was among the four top-grossing MMFF entries afterthe festival's two-week run, and the lone drama film in thatcomedy-dominated tier.At the close of the festival on January 7, the eight entries' total ticketsales reached P955 million, or 4.5% lower than the P1-billion target."Miracle in Cell No. 7" notably did not receive a single award from theMMFF, despite high expectations, at the very least for lead star AgaMuhlach, to take home an acting trophy.According to Viva Films, "Miracle in Cell No. 7" remains showing in over 170cinemas, as of January 15.NBA SCORES JAN 14FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Suns 16-24    25    26    32    27    110team logo Hawks 9-32    28    28    28    39    123SCORING LEADERS    D. Booker PHO39 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST    T. Young ATL36 PTS, 4 REB, 10 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Jazz 28-12    30    29    29    30    118team logo Nets 18-21    26    19    29    33    107SCORING LEADERSJ. Ingles UTA27 PTS, 3 REB, 4 ASTK. Irving BKN32 PTS, 5 REB, 11 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Rockets 26-13    37    24    22    27    110team logo Grizzlies 19-22    32    35    18    36    121SCORING LEADERSJ. Harden HOU41 PTS, 6 REB, 6 ASTJ. Morant MEM26 PTS, 5 REB, 8 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Knicks 11-30    23    17    36    26    102team logo Bucks 36-6    29    36    43    20    128SCORING LEADERSJ. Randle NY25 PTS, 15 REB, 3 ASTG. Antetokounmpo MIL37 PTS, 9 REB, 4 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Cavaliers 12-29    26    24    21    32    103team logo Clippers 28-13    31    35    40    22    128SCORING LEADERSC. Sexton CLE25 PTS, 1 REB, 1 ASTK. Leonard LAC43 PTS, 3 REB, 4 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Mavericks 25-15    36    29    29    30    124team logo Warriors 9-33    26    21    24    26    97SCORING LEADERSD. Powell DAL21 PTS, 6 REB, 2 ASTJ. Poole GS17 PTS, 2 REB, 5 ASTPBA: GINEBRA PUMMELS SPUTTERING MERALCO, AS TITLE WITHIN REACHMANILA-Barangay Ginebra is one win away from regaining the 2019 PBAGovernors' Cup crown after dismantling Meralco 94-72 in Game 4 of the finalsat Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.Behind another superlative effort from Justin Brownlee, the Gin Kings took a3-1 lead in the best-of-7 title series to close in their third Governors'Cup title in four years. The celebrated import scored 15 points in thesecond quarter to help Ginebra take control of the game.After watching Meralco's Allen Durham raise the Best Import trophy ahead ofthe game, Brownlee put up 27 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals and 5blocks to power the Gin Kings' rout.Stanley Pringle added 21 points and 7 boards, while Scottie Thompson had 16points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.The Gin Kings can clinch the title in Friday's Game 5 at Mall of Asia Arena."I thought that we did a good, methodical job," Ginebra coach Tim Cone said."We were very methodical tonight in breaking them down.""We did a great job against Durham and held him to 9 points at halftime," headded. "Team-wise, I thought we played him well tonight."After a tight opening frame that saw the teams settle for a 14-all deadlock,Ginebra found its rhythm in the second quarter, thanks in part to Meralco'sturnovers. The Bolts threw the ball away five times, leading to nine pointsfor the Gin Kings, who made nearly 58% of their shots in the period and tooka 42-31 lead at the half.They maintained control in the third period, before completely breaking thegame open in the final frame. Former Meralco swingman Jared Dillinger gaveGinebra a lift with five points late in the third, helping his new team takea 70-55 lead. Ginebra then got scoring from a variety of sources in thefourth quarter, from Pringle to Brownlee to Thompson to Aljon Mariano."We were very methodical out there. We weren't rushing," Cone noted. "Webuilt the lead slowly, then kept it when we got it."The lead reached 27 points, 90-63, after Mark Caguioa drilled a long jumperwith 3:31 left, much to the delight of the mostly pro-Ginebra crowd at theBig Dome.Raymond Almazan played despite sustaining a knee injury in Game 3, andfinished with 12 points and 9 rebounds in nearly 28 minutes of action forMeralco. But he was clearly a shell of his usual self, with Cone pointingout that the big man was limping up and down the floor.Durham had 21 points, 23 rebounds, and 7 assists, but he also committed 6turnovers and shot just 9-of-23 from the field. Meralco, as a team, was awoeful 37% from the field, including a brutal 3-of-26 clip from behind thearc.In contrast, Ginebra shot 46%, and scored 27 points off Meralco's 19turnovers.The scores:Ginebra 94 - Brownlee 27, Pringle 21, Thompson 16, Tenorio 8, Dillinger 7,Aguilar 5, Caguioa 5, Mariano 3, Slaughter 2, Caperal 0, Chan 0, Dela Cruz0.Meralco 72 - Durham 21, Newsome 12, Almazan 12, Quinto 7, Salva 6, Maliksi6, Caram 4, Amer 2, Hodge 2, Faundo 0, Jackson 0, Pinto 0.Quarterscores: 14-14, 42-31, 70-55, 94-72.