PH, JAPAN TO ENHANCE SECURITY TIES AS CHINA CLOUT GROWS
TOKYO – The Japanese and the Philippine defense ministers affirmed Thursday that they will further boost security cooperation by conducting joint exercises amid China's increasing clout in the Indo-Pacific region.
The agreement between Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and his Philippine counterpart Delfin Lorenzana at a meeting in Tokyo comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has raised concern about its ramifications for the region.
Kishi and Lorenzana reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific, and that attempts to change the status quo by force is "unacceptable," the Japanese Defense Ministry said.
At the outset of the meeting, Kishi said, "Russia's aggression against Ukraine since February is unquestionably a unilateral change of status quo by coercion and a clear violation of international law."
Referring to previous joint exercises by Japan's Self-Defense Forces and Philippine military, Lorenzana responded by saying that they have shown "both countries' dedication and commitment to further strengthen our overall bilateral defense relations"
Their talks were organized two days ahead of "two-plus-two" security talks also involving the two countries' foreign ministers.
The first security meeting of its kind between Tokyo and Manila will be held before Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's single six-year term, during which he has pursued rapprochement with China, ends in late June.
"The Philippines is an island nation like Japan, a littoral state in the South China Sea, and an ally of the United States like Japan. We consider it a very important country," Kishi told reporters after the meeting.
The defense chiefs also agreed to further ramp up defense equipment and technology cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.
For Japan, the Philippines is geopolitically important as China flexes its muscles beyond what it views as the "first island chain."
The island chain is a defense line drawn by China off the east coast running in an area that includes Japan's Okinawa, Taiwan and the Philippines. The Senkakus, a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea, fall within the chain.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is scheduled to hold separate talks with Philippine counterpart Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Saturday, when the two countries hold the security meeting.
RUSSIA KICKED OFF UN RIGHTS COUNCIL OVER UKRAINE ABUSES
SEVERODONETSK, Ukraine — The United Nations suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council on Thursday, as US President Joe Biden called the atrocities continuing to emerge in Ukraine an "outrage" to humanity.
The diplomatic rebuke came as the G7, the European Union and Washington further tightened the economic screws on Moscow, spurred by the horrific images emerging in recent days from now-infamous towns like Bucha and Mariupol.
"Russia's lies are no match for the undeniable evidence of what is happening in Ukraine," Biden said in a statement, as he hailed Moscow's expulsion from the rights council.
"The signs of people being raped, tortured, executed — in some cases having their bodies desecrated — are an outrage to our common humanity."
Moscow rejected its suspension, voted by the UN General Assembly, as "illegal and politically motivated."
DUTERTE HOPES CONGRESS TO 'RECTIFY' VETOED PROVISIONS IN 'ENDO' BILL: PALACE
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte remains committed to ending abusive labor practices and hopes Congress will "rectify" provisions of the vetoed security of tenure bill, Malacañang said on Thursday.
Duterte in 2016 promised to stop "endo" or "end of contract", a practice in which some employers end contracts on the fifth month and renew it for 5 months at a time to avoid granting workers regular employee status. But he vetoed an anti-endo bill in 2019.
"The Chief Executive explained that the version submitted by Congress 'unduly broadens the scope and definition of prohibited labor-only contracting, effectively proscribing forms of contractualization that are not particularly unfavorable to employees involved,'" said Palace acting spokesman Martin Andanar.
"The President hopes that Congress would rectify the vetoed provisions as he remains committed to eradicating all forms of abusive employment practices and protecting the workers' right to security of tenure," he said in a statement.
His remark came after vice presidential candidate and Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III criticized Duterte this week for failing to sign the measure.
Andanar said despite vetoing the bill, Duterte issued an executive order that "prohibits contracting or subcontracting undertaken to circumvent the worker’s right to security of tenure, self-organization and collective bargaining, and peaceful concerted activities."
DUTERTE SAYS TO STOP E-SABONG IF AUTHORITIES LINK ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES TO IT
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday threatened to kill e-sabong franchises in the country and said he is willing to forego billions of pesos in revenue from the gambling platform if authorities link illegal activities to it.
While Duterte did not explicitly mention the cases of missing sabungeros, he ordered cops to "solve the crime" that involve "many personalities."
"Ang problema ganito... Itong mga 'to, nagpupusta lahat. Nagsasangla na para magpusta. Yun ang sabi ng tagalabas. If it is true, then hihintuin ko yan," Duterte said in his speech during the groundbreaking of an overseas Filipino workers (OFW) center in Las Piñas City.
"Masigurado ninyo, before I go, I will stop it, kung totoo," he added.
"But I have to sacrifice the billions that we would have earned kung nand'yan yan," the President said.
"So, it's a police work. Magtrabaho kayo. Solve the crime, kahit sino man yan. You have mentioned so many personalities there," he continued.
Some policemen and businessman Atong Ang have been dragged in the disappearances of cockfighting enthusiasts. They denied involvement.
But he had blamed "evil men" for the disappearances of cockfighting enthusiasts. A Senate body has passed a resolution to suspend e-sabong operations while the probe is still ongoing.
ATTACKS BARELY DENT MARCOS’ SUPPORT BASE – PULSE ASIA
MANILA — The attacks hurled at presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by his rivals appeared to have barely dented the solid support for the former senator, based on the latest pre-election survey of Pulse Asia, with just about a month left before the May 9 polls.
Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes and research director Ana Tabunda both said the four-point drop in Marcos’ preferential rating – from 60 percent in February to 56 percent in March – was “not significant” to indicate any change in his base of supporters.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Holmes stressed that the slight drop in Marcos’ voters’ preference was merely “marginal and not statistically significant.”
“That’s what we apply when we call something a change – it should be beyond the margin of error because if it’s within the margin of error, the change can be explained by the normal sampling in cross-sectional service,” he explained.
The nationwide survey of Pulse Asia had a margin of error of plus or minus two percent at the 95 percent confidence level, while subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the survey (i.e., Metro Manila, rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) have a plus or minus four percent error margin, also at 95 percent confidence level.
In a separate interview, Tabunda made the same observation based on comparison of Marcos’ numbers.
“His (Marcos) decline is not significant nationwide,” she told ANC.
‘PINIGA SIYA’: PRESIDENCY DRAINED DUTERTE ‘MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY,’ GO SAYS
MANILA – The presidency has taken a toll on President Rodrigo Duterte's health, his longtime aide Senator Christopher "Bong" Go said Thursday.
"During his presidency, talagang piniga siya. Ibig sabihin, mentally, physically and health wise, talagang piniga,” Go said.
“Kapag isa kang Pangulo, talagang pipigain ka talaga. It's a thankless job pero no regret po si Pangulo dahil ito na ang huling chapter ng kanyang buhay, ibinuhos na n'ya sa Pilipino. So kahit na medyo … Humihina na, at his age, 77 years old … Tuloy pa rin ang kanyang pagseserbisyo.”
The senator made the comments at the sidelines of the opening of the Center for Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
Duterte was reported to have gone to the same hospital for a routine medical checkup in February.
Go refused to elaborate when asked by reporters about Duterte's health. Still, he insisted that the president is fit enough to serve the country until his term ends in June.
"Physically [fit] to finish his term? Oo, kaya pa and beyond. Oo, in good condition kaya nga sabi ko papasalamat tayo sa Cardinal Santos at kay doktora din po for taking care of his health," the senator said.
Duterte earlier said he suffers from Barrett’s esophagus, an inflammation of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
In various instances, he said he also struggled with back pains, migraines and Buerger's disease, which is linked to blockages in blood vessels associated with smoking during his youth.
OFW CENTER TO IMPROVE SERVICES FOR MIGRANT WORKERS
MANILA — President Duterte yesterday led the groundbreaking of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Center in Daang Hari, Las Piñas City and ordered agencies to improve the services given to migrant workers and their families.
The OFW Center is a 10-story one-stop shop that will house satellite offices of government agencies involved in the documentation and travel needs of migrant workers.
The facility is a project of the Global Filipino Movement Foundation Inc., a non-stock and non-profit organization that works with Christian churches, organizations and individuals to provide free assistance to overseas workers, according to information posted on the Facebook page of Radio Television Malacañang.
“I hope it will be replicated in major cities so there will be no need for our migrant workers to travel,” Duterte said in Filipino.
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15 CITIES, 105 TOWNS AMONG 300 POSSIBLE 'AREAS OF ELECTION CONCERN'
MANILA — At least 15 cities and over 105 municipalities have been recommended to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to be declared areas of concern, or where election violence may persist, officials said Thursday.
"We already have the list of election areas of concern or what we call the hotspots particularly the red tagged areas. I think we have about 15 cities and 105 municipalities," said Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año, whose agency supervises the PNP.
PNP said it used previous data in determining which areas should be declared as areas of concern.
“Basically we looked at the historical data in the last 2 elections tapos yung presence ng possible threat groups or PAGs (private armed groups) kung meron and the latest validation or situation on the ground,“ PNP chief Dionido Carlos said.
The top cop said PNP is also coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard to "further validate information on some 300 localities recommended to be categorized as election areas of concern."
Both the PNP and Comelec declined anew to name these areas for now as the poll body is still verifying the data submitted by the PNP in its recommendations.
"As far as I know hindi pa po completed ang validation natin. This was the statement by Comm. George Carcia last week about the submissions... We hope that within the week or within what's left of the week we will be able to release the list," Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.
Jimenez said validation is necessary to make sure that the declaration would cause minimal disruption to the lives of the residents.
“We find it very disruptive to the local community kung bigla bigla tayo papasok diyan at magdedeklara tayo ng hotspot.” Jimenez added. In some cases, hotspots that are really violent are placed under Comelec control.
POLITICIANS WARNED VS USING GOONS, FORCE TO INTIMIDATE VOTERS
MANILA — Politicians planning to win in the elections through force and intimidation should think twice because the government will not hesitate to run after them, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año warned yesterday.
“Stop using armed goons, stop using intimidation and force to influence the voters. We will not back down, whoever it is,” Año said, adding that they will not hesitate to implement the full force of the law on any political candidate who will try to win the elections through violence.
He added that President Duterte has instructed military and police officials in previous meetings to ensure the elections will be peaceful, clean, orderly and honest. The Chief Executive also stressed that they should be non-partisan and that whoever is chosen by the majority of voters is elected.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos added that the 225,000-strong police force will always remain neutral in the elections.
OVERSUPPLY ISA SA MGA SANHI NG BAGSAK PRESYO NG SIBUYAS: DA
MAYNILA - Overproduction umano ang isa sa mga dahilan ng over supply at bagsak presyo ng sibuyas sa merkadyo, ayon kay Department of Agriculture Regional Director Antonio Gerundio ngayong Byernes.
Aniya, marami raw bagong magsasaka na nagtanim ng sibuyas matapos tumaas ang presyo nito noong nakaraang taon.
“Talagang nagdoble ang tinataniman ngayong taon na ito compared to last year,” ani Gerundio.
“Dahil mahal ang presyo ng nakaraan, hindi bumaba sa P42 per kilo, ang resulta ang aning local storage ay hindi maacommodate ang ibang surplus.”
Pero ayon naman kay Mamburao Occidental Mindoro Mayor Angelina Tria nasa P15 per kilo na lang ang ilang klase ng sibuyas ngayon. Umabot raw ang presyo sa highit P50 noong 2021, aniya.
Ayon sa DA, hindi naman bumaba ang kalidad ng sibuyas sa Occidental Mindoropero mayroong mga tinamaan ng sakit.
Meron ding nakaranas ng “poor quality” dahil na rin sa kulang sa karanasan sa pagtatanim ng sibuyas, aniya.
“Yung mga new entrants, dahil nahili lang hindi pa masyado magaling mag sibuyas. Sa production, harvesting at handling tapos sakit ngayon army worm, kayo meron talagang poor quality harvest sa ibang areas,” dagdag pa niya.
OFW DEPLOYMENT BAN TO SAUDI STAYS – POEA
MANILA — The deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Saudi Arabia remains suspended, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced yesterday.
In an advisory, POEA chief Bernard Olalia said reports that the agency has lifted the suspension in the deployment of OFWs to Saudi Arabia is fake news.
“Please be informed that the POEA has not lifted the deployment ban to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
According to Olalia, the fake advisory was an “edited copy” of an advisory with the same subject issued by the POEA on May 29, 2021.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said a criminal ring could be behind the circulation of the bogus POEA advisory.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
JERICHO ROSALES GETS BEST ACTOR NOMINATION AT LA AWARDS
Actor Jericho Rosales bagged a best actor nomination from the NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) for his performance in the short film "Basurero," which also received a nod for best international drama.
Rosales shared the good news to his fans in a social media post on Friday.
"This little jeepney made it to Hollywood! Cheers team!," Rosales wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.
NFMLA is a nonprofit organization that supports emerging filmmakers and artists through a monthly series of screenings and events in Los Angeles.
The nominees for NFMLA's 10th annual awards were first reported by Hollywood trade publication Variety.
Rosales is nominated under the Performance Drama category and will be competing against 9 artists.
"Basurero," a short drama by Eileen Cabiling, is one of 10 nominees in the International Drama category.
In "Basurero," Rosales plays a poor fisherman who is forced to dump murdered bodies on the side when their catch no longer could sustain his family's needs.
The film made its world premiere at the 24th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea in 2019.
"Basurero" was also screened in the online edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in 2020.
VETERAN ACTOR-SINGER CARLOS SALAZAR DIES AT 90
MANILA — Veteran actor Carlos Salazar, best known for his suave leading man roles in the 1950s and 60s, passed away early Thursday due to complications of old age in Quezon City. He was 90.
“He died peacefully in his sleep, 2:14 a.m. at our residence at Phil-am Homes Quezon City,” Salazar’s son Anton Ram Fernandez Roldan told ABS-CBN News. He also disclosed that his father had recovered from COVID-19 last year.
“But the pandemic wore him down. He was depressed because he can no longer socialize as he used to. Also, several of his dear friends have passed on. Homebound, humina na rin siya,” Roldan said.
The loss of his beloved wife Carmen Fernandez in 2014 also devastated Salazar, his son said. “My mother had leukemia and died of aneurysm. Since then he would plaintively call mama and leave food on his plate at mealtime,” Roldan narrated. “Until he passed on, mama ko pa rin tinatawag niya.”
Viewing of Salazar’s remains will start Friday at Chapel 6 of Funeraria Paz in Araneta Avenue, Quezon City. He will be buried beside his wife on Monday at the Divine Mercy Memorial Park in Silang, Cavite.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES APR 6
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Mavericks50-30 32 33 34 32 131
Pistons23-57 34 24 28 27 113
LITTLE CAESARS ARENA, DETROIT, MI
SCORING LEADERS
L. Doncic DAL
26 PTS 8 REB 14 AST
C. Cunningham DET
25 PTS 7 REB 9 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Nets42-38 25 25 22 38 110
Knicks35-45 29 38 15 16 98
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NY
SCORING LEADERS
K. Durant BKN
32 PTS 10 REB 11 AST
A. Burks NY
24 PTS 4 REB 1 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Celtics50-30 32 35 24 26 117
Bulls45-35 19 32 16 27 94
UNITED CENTER, CHICAGO, IL
SCORING LEADERS
J. Brown BOS
25 PTS 7 REB 4 AST
D. DeRozan CHI
16 PTS 2 REB 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Wizards35-45 31 34 18 20 103
Hawks42-38 40 27 28 23 118
STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA
SCORING LEADERS
K. Porzingis WAS
26 PTS 18 REB 4 AST
T. Young ATL
30 PTS 2 REB 11 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Thunder24-56 31 27 27 16 101
Jazz48-32 41 30 35 31 137
VIVINT ARENA, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
SCORING LEADERS
J. Hoard OKC
23 PTS 5 REB 3 AST
B. Bogdanovic UTA
27 PTS 5 REB
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Suns63-17 22 9 30 48 109
Clippers40-40 26 34 27 26 113
CRYPTO.COM ARENA, LOS ANGELES, CA
SCORING LEADERS
I. Wainright PHO
20 PTS 8 REB 4 AST
N. Powell LAC
24 PTS 4 REB
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 51.42
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Not what we have, but what we use; Not what we see, but what we choose
These are the things that mar or bless the sun of human happiness. - Joseph F Newton
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