PHILIPPINES SUMMONS CHINESE AMBASSADOR OVER NAVY SHIP’S ‘INTRUSION’
MANILA — The Philippines summoned China’s ambassador on Monday to explain what it called the “illegal intrusion and lingering presence” of a Chinese navy vessel in waters between some of the archipelago nation’s largest islands.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in a statement said a Chinese navy reconnaissance ship entered Philippine waters without permission and lingered from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, ignoring repeated demands to leave.
It was detected off the Cuyo Group of Islands, close to Palawan, and Apo island off Mindoro, a presence the ministry said “did not constitute innocent passage and violated Philippine sovereignty”.
China has been accused by Western countries of aggression by deploying hundreds of coast guard and fishing vessels in the exclusive economic zones of its neighbors and disrupting fisheries and energy exploration work, far off its mainland.
The deployment of military vessels in waters to which China has no claims is rare, however. China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Philippines foreign ministry did not say why it waited six weeks to report the incident. The defense minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Despite efforts to build closer ties with China, the Philippines has become more critical of its actions, including what it calls “swarming” by fishing vessels manned by militias off the disputed Spratly islands, and its blockade of a military resupply mission.
The last time a Chinese ambassador was summoned was in April last year.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi in January said Beijing would not use its strength to “bully” its smaller neighbors.
HOUSE PANEL ASKS DUTERTE TO CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSION ON RISING FUEL PRICES
MANILA — The House Committee on Energy on Tuesday asked President Rodrigo Duterte to call for a special session of Congress to pass a law suspending the collection of excise taxes on fuel.
Congress is on break until May 22 and will need to hold a special session to convene. Under the 1987 Constitution, the president can call for one at any time, as he did in March 2020 to ask for emergency powers to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rep. Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list) moved during a panel hearing on increasing fuel prices to ask for a special session to allow them to deliberate on the measure right away.
"The measure that will immediately help our people...is the suspension of fuel excise taxes. Here we are again considering to enact this into law but even if we pass [it] right now, it won't have much significance since this is not a regular session," Zarate said in Filipino.
"I am calling on this committee, including the one that met last week (the fuel crisis ad hoc committee) to push for a special session," he added.
PULSE ASIA: 9 PARTY-LISTS SURPASS 2 PCT VOTER PREFERENCE; ASSURED OF 1 SEAT IN HOUSE
MANILA - A total of 9 party-lists have garnered 2 percent voter preference which would be enough to secure them at least one Congressional seat in the upcoming elections, survey by Pulse Asia showed.
Based on Pulse Asia's pre-election survey, 83 percent of their 2,400 adult respondents "expressed support" for a party-list group.
"The said level of support enables the following groups to surpass the 2.0 percent voter preference they need to secure at least one seat at the House of Representatives in the first round of seat allocation," Pulse Asia said.
These are the following party-list groups:
- ACT-CIS - 8.02 percent
- Ako Bicol - 5.97 percent
- Senior Citizens Party-list - 5.61 percent
- Malasakit@Bayanihan - 5.38 percent
- 4Ps - 5.25 percent
- An Waray - 2.92 percent
- Uswag Ilonggo - 2.60 percent
- Gabriela - 2.31 percent
- AGAP - 2.11 percent
ACT-CIS, Ako Bicol, Senior Citizens, Malasakit@Bayahihan, and 4Ps, Pulse Asia said, might get 3 seats due to the support they garnered during the poll.
An Waray, Uswag Ilonggo, Gabriela, and AGAP, meanwhile, could get 2 seats.
A total of 177 party-list groups are participating in the upcoming May elections.
The pre-election poll, conducted face-to-face, was held on Feb. 18 to 23 this year, Pulse Asia said.
Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. and running-mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio topped the same poll.
Twenty percent of the seats in the House of Representatives are reserved for party-list representatives.
The party-list system is meant to give a voice to marginalized sectors in the lower chamber, though it has faced criticism after recent elections saw party-list groups field members of political families as nominees.
Various groups and sectors have called on the Commission on Elections to review some party-list groups who supposedly do not serve the interests of the public and were just seeking a House seat for power.
Poll watchdog Kontra Daya recently reported that 7 out of 10 party-list groups have been hijacked by political clans, big businesses, and state interests.
MOST PRESIDENTIAL BETS SEEK PDP-LABAN ENDORSEMENT, MATIBAG SAYS
MANILA - Most, if not all, of the presidential candidates have approached ruling party PDP-Laban for endorsement, including former member Senator Manny Pacquiao, an official said Tuesday.
The ruling party has so far only backed a vice presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the daughter of its chairman President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Personally merong nakakarating sa'min na pasabi na pakiusap. Not only Isko (Moreno Domagoso). Most if not all wants to talk to the party and the President," Melvin Matibag, secretary-general of the PDP-Laban Cusi faction, told ANC's Headstart.
"Kung may pakikiusap, mas maigi naman na mag-usap. At the end of the day, if there will be no support forthcoming to that individual mas mabuti na ring nakipagusap," he added when asked about Pacquiao.
PDP-Laban will decide on "standards" or which presidential candidate to support before the start of local campaign on March 25, Matibag said.
PNP LAUNCHES DRUG WAR ENDGAME
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has officially launched the endgame in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said the endgame, essentially the “finale version” of Oplan Double Barrel also known as the Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation through Reinforcement and Education (ADORE), seeks to reinforce the education-based strategy of the government in its war against illegal drugs.
“We would like to have the endgame strategy for this administration by completing the double barrel that we started in 2016. This is a commitment of the Philippine National Police that thru reinforcement, rehabilitation, recovery and wellness and reintegration of the more than 1.2 million that surrendered,” Carlos said.
“We will go back to the streets now that we enter the new normal and the environment allows us to reach out again to the victims of these illegal drugs. We will continue that by reducing the supply as our law enforcement functions together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA),” he added.
Carlos earlier said that Oplan Double Barrel Finale, which would last until President Duterte steps down from office before July, will not be “much” of a change from the government’s current anti-drug campaign.
He said the PNP will continue the programs of former PNP chiefs except for Tokhang.
Tokhang, a play on the words “toktok” or knock and “hangyo” or plead, is the Duterte administration’s flagship anti-narcotics campaign which has been criticized by local and international human rights groups for supposed summary killings.
MARCOS 'HAS CAPTURED IMAGINATION' OF MANY VOTERS, SAYS PULSE ASIA
MANILA - Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. kept his lead in the latest Pulse Asia survey on preferred presidential candidates after capturing "the imagination of a good percentage of our voters," a Pulse Asia official said Tuesday.
In the survey conducted Feb. 18 to 23, Marcos got the vote of 60 percent of 2,400 adult respondents.
This is the "first time" that Pulse Asia has seen a "majority percentage selecting one candidate," according to its executive director Ana Tabunda.
"Obviously he has captured the imagination of a good percentage of our voters. Also he has more than adequate resources to sustain his presence in social media, his caravans, his campaign," she told ANC's Headstart.
"Plus his name of course and the association with his father has definitely benefited him from that."
Marcos' lead over other candidates was "more than double" President Rodrigo Duterte's lead over Senator Grace Poe in 2016, according to Tabunda. The highest that Duterte got in a Pulse Asia survey was 39.4 percent over Poe's 21.8 percent in April 2016, she said.
Vice President Leni Robredo was backed by 15 percent of likely voters, placing second in the latest survey, followed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso at 10 percent, and Senators Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson at 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
The survey "captures" the so-called "Solid North" while Robredo got majority of her likely voters in her home region Bicol, Tabunda said.
Domagoso, at his best, captured the support of 20 percent of likely voters in Calabarzon and 22 percent in Mimaropa, Tabunda added.
"The increase of 2 percentage points over January is not significant so essentially he stayed at the same level. We don’t see an increasing trend," she said.
PNP DISTANCES FROM FORMER COPS' POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
MANILA — The Philippine National Police distanced from political endorsements posted by retired PNP members on social media, saying they could not police them as
In a statement sent to reporters, Police Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba said the police organization "disclaimed any official sanction" to politically-oriented messages and themes by "non-PNP individuals misrepresenting the organization."
"These messages posted in social media do not reflect the political views and opinion of the police organization or any policy that openly expresses political support to any politician," Alba said.
"Let me reiterate the PNP has nothing to do with these. The PNP is not in the business of making any political statement or meddling in campaign-related activities of certain candidates or political parties."
Alba said that the PNP maintains a non-partisan stance and will never endorse any political party or candidate vying for any elective position.
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META WORKING WITH COMELEC IN FIGHT VS HALALAN 2022 MISINFORMATION
MANILA - Meta Philippines is working with the Commission on Elections for voter education as well as to reduce misinformation on its platform, its Philippines country manager John Rubio said Tuesday.
The social media giant "spends a lot of resources" to protect free speech on the platform while minimizing misinformation, Rubio told ANC.
During the elections, Facebook has a dedicated team working with the Comelec, Rubio said.
"For us, it's an important priority and we spend a lot of resources to make sure that we balance free speech while ensuring there’s minimal misinformation in the platform," Rubio said.
Facebook previously launched a pop-up feature for voter registration information. Rubio said it is continuously working with the Comelec on voter education.
Meta's head of APAC Misinformation Policy Alice Budisatrijo earlier said the platform also removes election-related misinformation based on its voter interference policy.
Vote buying and selling are also prohibited on the platform, Budisatrijo said.
Other platforms such as Twitter, Google and video streaming platforms have all intensified their support for a clean May 2022 national elections.
PANDEMIC BOOSTS VIDEO CONSUMPTION ON MOBILE DEVICES: META
MANILA - More social media users shifted to watching videos on mobile devices during the pandemic, Meta Philippines Country Manager John Rubio said Tuesday.
Rubio said close to 50 percent of the time spent on Meta's platforms are now on videos.
Reels on Instagram and Facebook are also now the largest driver of engagement on the platform, Rubio told ANC.
"Over the pandemic, there was a massive shift for consumers to start watching more and more video on the mobile phone versus the traditional," he said.
There was also a "massive explosion" of people buying and selling things online, he said, adding that they have seen a large increase in online sales.
Meta is also investing heavily in safety and security since the accelerated shift to online also meant more people are using the platforms for businesses, he said.
"We as a company, knowing that people are making the shift online, we are highly committed to ensuring a really positive and safe environment, especially for users who use it, particularly for commerce," Rubio said.
With the increase in Reels and video consumption, Rubio said creators now have a wider venue to connect with their audience while brands could use the platforms to engage consumers.
TWO YEARS INTO PANDEMIC, A NEW STRUGGLE BEGINS AS WORKERS HEAD BACK TO OFFICES
MANILA – If it’s up to Jayson Cayetano, he would like to work from home for much longer.
Cayetano, 30, works as a floor support manager for one of the big call centers in Metro Manila. He was promoted to his current position amid the coronavirus pandemic which battered the domestic economy. Like his industry peers, he will be part of one of the biggest shifts in the professional workforce since March 2020.
They will need to cram themselves back inside air-conditioned spaces in April as part of the national government’s push to send professionals back to the office as vaccination ramps up.
“We’re not prepared for this one,” Cayetano said in an interview over Zoom. “Even if we’re in Alert Level 1 and the threat of the pandemic has slowed, I think the government still needs to study this decision. The biggest concern for most of us is the price of gasoline.”
The return to offices would be a huge undertaking. Call center firms would need to figure out how they would cram 300-400 employees in an office floor, where thousands could be streaming in and out daily. While only those vaccinated are allowed in offices, companies would still need to check whether employees reporting to on-site work aren’t infected since some could report to work sick to avoid pay cuts amid surging inflation.
The Duterte administration decided that Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) companies located in tax perks-giving economic zones can only implement remote work for 90% of their workforce until March 31 — a deadline that the industry were hoping to be extended to September 12 this year.
The government is placing its bets on consumption driving economic recovery. Economic officials believe businesses and enterprises nearby work establishments could see a revival of sorts when workers return to the office. In Cayetano's office, their pantry used to host a 7-11 convenience store. That's all but gone now since call center employees weren't reporting to the office.
But Cayetano said he will only favor a return to the office if there’s more support and incentives from the company. This, as rising transport costs continue to burden commuters while wages in the capital region have not increased since 2018.
“Before it was the allure of hazard pay. Instead of an allowance for internet, it would be much better if the company gave us transportation allowance,” Cayetano said. “We can do our jobs WFH. This is unlike a regular job that we have specific client meetings and whatnot. Our only investment is an internet connection.”
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
ROBIN PADILLA TRENDS AFTER RANKING IN PULSE ASIA'S MAGIC 12 SURVEY
Actor Robin Padilla trended on Twitter Tuesday after ranking 5-9 in Pulse Asia's latest survey of preferred senatorial candidates.
The survey, conducted last February 18-23, showed Padilla getting 47.3 percent voter support among 2,400 adult respondents.
Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo topped the survey with 66.9 percent support of respondents.
The pollster said Antique Rep. Loren Legarda, former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, and Taguig City-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano shared the second to fourth places. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sorsogon Governor Francis "Chiz" Escudero placed fifth to seventh.
The other senatorial candidates with statistical chance of winning as of last month included the following.
- Actor Robin Padilla
- Former Vice President Jejomar Binay
- Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
- Sen. Joel Villanueva
- Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada
- Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista
- Sen. Risa Hontiveros
- Former Senator JV Estrada Ejercito
Padilla, a staunch supporter of Duterte who granted him executive clemency in 2016, has denied joining politics due to an alleged slowdown in job offers, saying he has plenty of job offers in showbiz.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES MAR 13
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Knicks28-40 30 30 23 24 107
Nets35-33 35 27 26 22 110
BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN, NY
SCORING LEADERS
J. Randle NY
26 PTS 4 REB 4 AST
K. Durant BKN
53 PTS 6 REB 9 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Clippers36-34 16 23 31 36 106
Pistons18-50 24 29 19 30 102
LITTLE CAESARS ARENA, DETROIT, MI
SCORING LEADERS
M. Morris LAC
31 PTS 7 REB 2 AST
C. Cunningham DET
23 PTS 9 REB 10 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Mavericks42-26 18 20 38 19 95
Celtics41-28 20 27 26 19 92
TD GARDEN , BOSTON, MA
SCORING LEADERS
L. Doncic DAL
26 PTS 8 REB 8 AST
J. Tatum BOS
21 PTS 11 REB 4 AST
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
76ers41-25 24 23 27 30 12 116
Magic18-51 29 30 21 24 10 114
AMWAY CENTER, ORLANDO, FL
SCORING LEADERS
J. Embiid PHI
35 PTS 16 REB 7 AST
W. Carter Jr. ORL
23 PTS 12 REB 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Rockets17-51 32 23 17 33 105
Pelicans28-40 29 39 30 32 130
SMOOTHIE KING CENTER, NEW ORLEANS, LA
SCORING LEADERS
J. Green HOU
17 PTS 2 REB 4 AST
J. Valanciunas NO
32 PTS 10 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pacers23-46 28 31 33 36 128
Hawks33-34 37 40 28 26 131
STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA
SCORING LEADERS
T. Haliburton IND
25 PTS 2 REB 10 AST
T. Young ATL
47 PTS 3 REB 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Grizzlies47-22 38 23 34 30 125
Thunder20-47 26 28 25 39 118
PAYCOM CENTER, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
SCORING LEADERS
D. Bane MEM
21 PTS 8 REB 2 AST
S. Gilgeous-Alexander OKC
31 PTS 6 REB 7 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Lakers29-38 22 34 34 21 111
Suns54-14 48 31 40 21 140
FOOTPRINT CENTER, PHOENIX, AZ
SCORING LEADERS
L. James LAL
31 PTS 7 REB 6 AST
D. Booker PHO
30 PTS 2 REB 10 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 52.47
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you. - Thomas Jefferson
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