MAGMA MAY DRIVE 'EXPLOSIVE' TAAL VOLCANO ERUPTION, PHIVOLCS SAYS

MANILA — State volcanologists warned Friday that magma rising toward the main crater of Taal Volcano in Batangas could cause an “explosive eruption.”

“At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the main crater could drive explosive eruption,” Phivolcs said in a bulletin.

Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 Thursday following a short-lived phreatomagmatic eruption that generated a one-kilometer plume.

This was followed by four short phreatomagmatic bursts that occurred Thursday evening and produced short jetted plumes. These bursts lasted not longer than two minutes.

In an interview on ABS-CBN Teleradyo, Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said a major eruption is not expected at the moment although close monitoring is still needed due to the threat of magma rising to the surface.

“We are not seeing that based on our monitoring since gases have already been released. But we should still monitor it,” he said.

Phivolcs said the Taal Volcano Network recorded 29 volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours, including one explosion-type earthquake, 22 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, and two volcanic tremor events.

It recorded high levels of sulfur dioxide emission, which averaged 13,287 tons per day on Thursday. Volcanic smog or vog was also observed over Taal Volcano and vicinity.

“Communities around the Taal Lake shores are advised to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog, and calmly prepare for possible evacuation  should unrest intensify,” Phivolcs said.

THOUSANDS EVACUATED IN LAUREL TOWN, MAYOR SAYS, AS TAAL SPEWS ASH

MANILA — More than 4,000 residents of Laurel town, Batangas fled their homes after the Taal Volcano spewed a kilometer-high phreatomagmatic plume, the town mayor said Friday.

Mayor Joan Amo said local government evacuated residents from barangays Buso-buso, Gulod, and Bugaan East, which are inside the 7-kilometer danger zone.

"Dinala sila sa mataas na bahagi ng aming bayan (They were brought to higher ground in our town) . . . Sila ay nasa (They are now) 16-kilometer away from Taal Volcano," Amo told Teleradyo.

State seismologists on Thursday raised the alert category over the volcano to Level 3, which means there has been "magmatic unrest" at its main crater.

As the volcano emits high level of sulfur dioxide, Amo appealed for N95 masks for her constituents, who are using regular face masks.

"Talagang nagko-cause ng sipon at ubo sa aming mga kababayan (It's causing colds and coughs among residents)," she said.

In the interview, Amo acknowledged it would be difficult to observe physical distancing at evacuation centers. However, she said there's an isolation area at every evacuation center in case someone showed COVID-19 symptoms.

Since March last year, Laurel has logged more than 180 coronavirus cases. To date, it has only 3 active cases or patients deemed infectious.

In an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo, Mayor Joan Amo of Laurel town said over 4,000 residents have been evacuated. They were brought to higher areas in the town.

Amo acknowledged the difficulty of observing physical distancing in temporary shelters. But isolation areas were set up in evacuation centers and the “one family per tent” rule was implemented, she added.

Should Taal residents evacuate to other towns, they would be administering antigen tests for COVID-19.

DUTERTE TEASES VP BID, CALLS PACQUIAO ‘A SHIT’

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte no longer seems to be "resisting" calls to seek the vice presidency in 2022.

Just last month, Duterte told SMNI News that he was shunning calls from his party, the ruling PDP-Laban, to seek the country's second-highest post and to choose his running mate next year.

"[T]hey will say I am perpetuating myself in power. So I am resisting," Duterte said then.

But the president changed his tune on Thursday, telling reporters during the inauguration of the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project: "Maybe... to maintain equilibrium for all, consider me a candidate for the vice presidency at this time."

Duterte reiterated, however, that he would only run if "there is space" because he promised to support House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez if the lawmaker mounted a vice-presidential bid.

Duterte-Pacquiao feud continues

For the second time this week, Duterte publicly lashed out at Sen. Manny Pacquiao, a close administration ally and acting president of the PDP-Laban, cursing at him and even going after his boxing career.

He said Pacquiao was "too old" and "failing" at his boxing career.

"Kung matalo siya (If he loses), he’s a goner actually," he said, referring to the senator's upcoming fight. "Wala ka, wala ka talaga. (You are nothing)."

"You are a shit," Duterte piled on, addressing Pacquiao directly. "Do not go elsewhere. Comply first with your duty as a senator."

Earlier Thursday, Pacquiao denied that he was "attacking" the president by calling out corruption in government, saying he was actually trying to assist the chief executive's drive against corruption.

But Duterte, PDP-Laban chairman, said Pacquaio's corruption allegations stem from the fact that he "could not maybe wait for the announcement that the PDP will go for him," seeming to imply that Pacquiao was impatient to be named as the party's presidential bet for 2022.

He further dared Pacquiao to prove his claims of corruption, but outrightly dismissed the senator's allegations against Health Secretary Duque III and his department.

Pacquiao is not the only senator to allege corruption and mismanagement at the DOH. In fact, over half the Senate last year sought Duque's resignation over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The entire upper chamber also recommended that charges be filed against Duque for his involvement in the alleged corruption at PhilHealth where he sits as chairman. Duterte dismissed their calls and recommendations too, repeatedly coming to the defense of his beleaguered health secretary.

ROBREDO URGES PET TO JUNK MARCOS' APPEAL ON POLL PROTEST DISMISSAL

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo has asked the Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, to junk former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s appeal on the dismissal of his poll protest against her.

In her comment filed through her lawyers, Robredo urged the PET to deny for lack of merit arcos’ Motion for Reconsideration dated 6 May 2021 for “being a mere rehash of arguments previously passed upon by the Honorable Tribunal.”

“The Election Protest merely proved one thing, that protestee Robredo has won, not just once, but thrice against protestant Marcos. This might be a bitter pill to swallow, but it is one that protestant Marcos must accept with grace,” her lawyers added.

In February, the PET unanimously denied Marcos’ poll protest and held that the defeated candidate failed to specify allegations that support his claim of electoral fraud in petition.

But Marcos, in his appeal, urged the tribunal to proceed with his third cause of action as he insisted that this is a separate action with his second cause of action which called for a re-examination of ballots in his three pilot provinces.

Marcos’ third cause of action involves the nullification of votes in the three Mindanao provinces due to alleged widespread terrorism, violence, threats, coercion, force, intimidation and proliferation of pre-shaded ballots.

But Robredo’s lawyers pointed out that, as early as 2017, Marcos was already made aware of the importance of showing substantial recovery in his chosen three pilot provinces to move forward with his poll protest.

The vice president’s legal team stressed that Marcos himself chose the three pilot provinces, Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.

“Now that he was proven wrong, protestant Marcos now wants to change the Rules so he can keep fanning the flames on his unsubstantiated allegations. Protestant Marcos has no one to blame but himself for the dismissal of his Election Protest,” they added.

SC: PUBLIC ACCESS TO OFFICIALS’ SALNS NOT ABSOLUTE RIGHT

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) in full session has ruled that the right of access to information on a public official’s statement of assets, liability and net worth (SALN) is “not an absolute vested right.”

In an eight-page notice based on a Feb. 2 resolution and released to the public only last June 30, the magistrates dismissed the petition filed by Louis Biraogo against Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

On Dec. 16 last year, Biraogo petitioned the SC to prohibit the implementation of Memorandum Circular No. 1 issued by Martires, which allows access to SALN only if there is prior written and duly notarized consent of the declarant. Biraogo said the memorandum circular was unconstitutional.

“Here, while the right of access and information to a public official’s SALN is provided under the Constitution and Republic Act 6713, the same is not an absolute vested right,” the SC said.

“The Court has declared in the past that while no prohibition could stand against access to official records such as the SALN, the same is undoubtedly subject to regulation,” the SC said.

CYBERATTACKS ON ALTERNATIVE MEDIA OUTLETS TRACED BACK TO MILITARY INTELLIGENCE UNIT

MANILA — A Swedish digital forensics non-profit has traced back the recent cyberattacks on alternative media outlets AlterMidya and Bulatlat and rights group Karapatan to a military intelligence unit.

A digital certificate showed that the machine that conducted a “vulnerability scan” on Bulatlat was linked to the email address acepcionecjr@army.mil.ph and the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, according to Qurium.

This same machine was also using an IP address registered as the Department of Science and Technology, Qurium said.

Qurium added that it found within the network of the DOST machine another setup with an identical firewall configuration, “strongly suggesting that the machine was set up and operated by the same organization.”

DOST has denied involvement in the cyberattacks, saying that tracing back the attacks to an IP address linked to them does not mean they had a hand in these.

It explained that they allow some of their IP addresses to be used by other government agencies, without saying what government agency used their IP address.

AlterMidya and Bulatlat have said that DOST should investigate the use of its IP address.

Bayan Muna lawmakers are also pushing for a congressional probe into the cyberattacks.

The websites of Kodao Productions and Baguio City-based Northern Dispatch have also been experiencind DOS attacks since May.

DRILON VOWS TO SHAVE ‘EXCESS FAT’ IN BUDGET

MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has vowed to shave the excess fat in the final budget of the Duterte administration amid concerns that it would be used for financing the campaign of its candidates in the national elections in 2022.

Drilon said the people must watch out for “excess fat” in the budget, citing for instance the allocation for the anti-insurgency campaign which he previously tagged as “Malacañang’s pork barrel.”

“I must put a warning: everyone should watch out because next year is an election year,” Drilon said.

Drilon appealed to economic managers not to let the budget be used for vested political interests.

TRUDEAU URGES FILIPINO-CANADIANS TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led a group of Canadian ministers who virtually celebrated the culmination of Filipino Heritage Month.

Trudeau told Filipino-Canadian television personality Melissa Grelo that he loves chicken adobo which his wife, Sophie, has learned to cook. But he is on the fence about Jollibee spaghetti.

“I got to go to Jolibee, both in Manila, but especially in Winnipeg and, and that spaghetti stuff don't quite understand but the mango pie and everything else was just amazing,” said Trudeau.

Trudeau also thanked Filipino frontline workers for helping Canada get through the pandemic. He also stressed that Filipinos shine not just in healthcare but in other fields as well.

He also noted the lack of Filipino representatives in Canadian politics and said it’s time that their voices are heard.

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PALACE ALARMED OVER REPORT ON DECLINING STUDENT APTITUDE

MANILA — Malacañang yesterday expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report which found Filipino students performing poorly in mathematics, reading and science even as it assured the public that the Department of Education (DepEd) would find ways to address the problem.

The Philippines ranked low in three World Bank-led learning assessments, a problem that the multilateral lender said is accompanied by bullying and health issues like malnutrition.

The country ranked last and second to last in two assessments that measured skills and proficiency in reading, mathematics and science.

It also landed in the bottom half of countries that took part in an assessment that gauged learning outcomes in writing literacy, reading and numeracy.

“Well, that is very disturbing and very alarming and I’m sure (Education) Secretary Liling (Leonor) Briones and her team at the Department of Education will sit down and study as well as discuss ways forward upon receiving this World Bank report,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

“Do not worry. The report will be studied thoroughly and we will see how we can change the curriculum especially during the time of the pandemic,” he added.

With regard to addressing malnutrition, Roque said the government is still implementing a program that delivers nutritious food and milk to students despite the prohibition against in-person classes.

The DepEd is continuously innovating to continue the students’ learning process despite the limitations caused by the pandemic, Roque said.

DAVAO EXPANDS VACCINATION DRIVE

DAVAO CITY — The city government has expanded its vaccination drive to include essential workers or those belonging to the A4 category and members of the indigent population or A5.

At least 2,790 essential workers and 2,821 indigents received their first dose on Wednesday.

The city government urged the remaining health workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities to get vaccinated and complete their doses as scheduled.

“Our general assessment is good. The response of the people is very good. The commitment and compliance of the people are excellent. Since we started our inoculation program, vaccine acceptance... has been increasing,” city health office acting head Ashley Lopez said.

Lopez said they could administer up to 10,000 doses per day provided there is sufficient supply of vaccines.

PASIG SHUTS DOWN DRIVE-THRU COVID-19 TESTING CENTER

MANILA — A medical laboratory in Pasig City was shut down on Wednesday for illegally operating as a drive-thru COVID testing center, Mayor Vico Sotto said yesterday.

Sotto said Fastlab was raided by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing of the Air Force and the local police.

Seven operators of the laboratory were arrested during the raid, Sotto said.

In a Facebook post in November last year, Fastlab said it offers drive-through COVID testing as well as other laboratory services such as blood analysis, telemedicine, flu and pneumonia vaccines.

Sotto said Fastlab has no permit from the Department of Health.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

‘KUN MAUPAY MAN IT PANAHON’ TO PREMIERE, COMPETE AT LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL

MANILA — “Kun maupay man it panahon,” the Yolanda-set film starring Charo Santos-Concio and Daniel Padilla, will make its world premiere at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival as a competing entry.

Directed by Carlo Francisco Manatad, the film with the international title “Weather the Whether is Fine” is part of the Concorso Cineasti del Presente, or Filmmakers of the Present Competition.

It is the sole Philippine film selected to compete in the section, which highlights works of emerging directors from around the globe.

“Kun maupay man it panahon” is set during the onslaught and aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda, and centers on “a mother (Santos-Concio) and her son (Padilla) as they struggle for survival and deal with absurdity of fate,” according to its synopsis. It also stars Francinne Rifol.

The film is a joint production of iWant, Quantum Films, Black Sheep, Dreamscape Entertainment, Globe Studios, together with Cinematografica, Plan C, House on Fire (France), AAND (Singapore), and KawanKawan (Indonesia).

Meanwhile, three other Philippine films will participate in the 74th edition of Locarno Film Festival.

The documentary “Aswang” by Alyx Ayn Arumpac, and short films “Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss” by Sonny Calvento and “Next Picture” by Cris Bringas will be screened at the non-competition Open Doors Screenings.

The Locarano Film Festival will be held from August 4 to 14 in Switzerland.

SPORTS

GILAS FALLS TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AS TOKYO OLYMPICS DREAMS END

MANILA — It's the end of the road for Gilas Pilipinas' Olympic dream after losing to the Dominican Republic, 94-67, in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Belgrade, Serbia on Thursday (early Friday morning, Manila time).

An 18-4 run by the Dominican Republic at the end of the third quarter turned the tides against Gilas, who at one point led by eight, 33-25.

The damage only grew in the fourth quarter when Gilas' deficit ballooned to as big as 27.

It looked like the youth of the Gilas squad finally turned into a disadvantage as turnovers hurt the team's bid for the Games.

The game was tied at 47-all after an Ange Kouame bucket with 7:09 left in the third before the Dominican Republic, led by Victor Liz and Gelvis Solano, blew the game wide open.

They thus face off against Italy in the semifinals of the OQT with a 1-1 slate.

Jordan Heading and Kouame were the only Filipino cagers who finished with double-digit scoring with 16 and 10 points, respectively.

Kai Sotto had eight points, four rebounds and a block, while SJ Belangel tallied 10 assists to go along with six points.

Liz and Solano torched their young counterparts with a combined 44-point effort.

Gilas goes home with a 0-2 record as the drought for an Olympic bid continues.

The Philippines last qualified for Olympic basketball in 1972.

NBA SCORES JUNE 30

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

2 Suns4-2         33        33        31        33        130

4 Clippers2-4    29        28        26        20        103

GAME 6: PHO LEADS 4-2, STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA

SCORING LEADERS

C. Paul PHO

41 PTS 4 REB 8 AST

M. Morris LAC

26 PTS 9 REB 1 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 49.11

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The only skills you need to be an entrepreneur is an ability to fail. - James Altucher