PHILIPPINE EPASSPORT SECURE - DFAMANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday assured thepublic that the country's ePassport system is secured amid reports that someChinese tourists are using Philippine passports."The Department wishes to reiterate that the Philippine ePassport systemremains secure and its frontline consular personnel are vigilant when itcomes to detecting attempts by non-Filipinos to obtain a Phl passport," itsaid Friday night.The DFA issued the statement after Sen. Risa Hontiveros revealed at a recentSenate committee hearing that travel agencies offer Philippine passports andbirth certificates to Chinese nationals entering the country.But the agency said it promptly looked into, in cooperation with theNational Bureau of Investigation (NBI), all the cases of foreign nationalswho attempt or obtained Philippine passports using breeder documents."As of the moment, the DFA has yet to receive any official report from theBI (Bureau of Immigration) regarding claims that the latter has encounteredChinese nationals using authentic Philippine passports," it added.

MODEL CROP, TILAPIA FARMS TO BE SET UP IN LANAO DEL SURCOTABATO CITY - Model crop and fish farms will be set up in Lanao del Surwith funding from abroad to help residents of the province, and its capitalof Marawi City, recover from conflicts.Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana of the military's Western Mindanao Command saidSaturday the projects by three benefactors and by the office of Gov.Mamintal Adiong, Jr. can improve the condition in areas affected by the 2017Marawi siege.The United States Agency for International Development, the PlanInternational, East-West Seed Philippines and the provincial government ofLanao del Sur earlier this week signed an agreement to set up agriculturaland inland fishery demonstration farms in the province."It's a very good development. The WestMinCom will support that program andsecure the project sites to the best it can," Sobejana said Saturday througha text message.14 BIFF MEN, 4 SOLDIERS SLAIN IN MAGUINDANAO CLASHESMANILA - At least 14 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters(BIFF) and four soldiers have been killed in clashes in Maguindanao sinceMonday.The military said 11 soldiers were also wounded.The slain soldiers were identified as Pfcs. Willy Tingzon and Dexter JayHierro, Cpl. Albert Serquina and Sgt. Irvin Alberastine."We salute the bravery of our fallen soldiers who fought up to the last dropof their blood to spare communities from the treachery of heartlessenemies," Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command chief, said.Sobejana said the bodies of five of the slain BIFF bandits have beenrecovered.The gunfights were ongoing in Ampatuan, Datu Hoffer and Shariff Aguakyesterday."Our forces pursue our campaign to pound down the remaining terrorists,penetrate enemy lairs and ensure the safety of the people," Sobejana said.He said soldiers overran a BIFF stronghold in Barangay Salman in Ampatuan.Government troopers recovered assorted firearms, ammunition, improvisedexplosive devices and other war materiel at the BIFF camp.

LPA MONITORED OFF ZAMBOANGA DEL SURMANILA - The state weather bureau is monitoring a low-pressure area offZamboanga del Sur.As of 10 a.m. yesterday, the weather system was located at around 100kilometers northwest of Zamboanga City."The combined effects of the low-pressure area and tail end of a cold frontwill bring scattered moderate to occasional heavy rains over Palawan,Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay and Sorsogon," thePhilippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration(PAGASA) said.The Visayas, Caraga and Zamboanga peninsula will have cloudy skies withscattered rains and thunderstorms.Bicol, Quezon, Marinduque and Romblon will experience cloudy skies withscattered rains and thunderstorms due to the tail end of a cold front."Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands will have cloudy skies with lightrains because of the northeast monsoon," PAGASA said in its bulletin.Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy to cloudyskies with isolated light rains spawned by the northeast monsoon.PASILIP: MGA DETALYE SA GRAND WEDDING NINA RICHARD GUTIERREZ AT SARAHLAHBATIMAYNILA - Next weekend na ang inaabangang wedding nina Sarah Lahbati atRichard Gutierrez, kung saan bigatin ang mga bisita sa kasal.Pero bago ang kanilang big day, nag-throwback ang celebrity couple sakanilang makulay na love story sa Metro.Style digital magazine.Guessing game din ng lahat kung ano ang susuoting bridal gown ni Lahbati.Inilabas na rin ang kanilang prenup photos na underwater ang tema. Kuha itong photographer na si Pat Dy sa El Nido, Palawan.Pinag-uusapan naman ang 25 pares na principal sponsors o ninong at ninang sakasal gaya nina President Rodrigo Duterte, former presidents GloriaMacapagal Arroyo at Joseph Estrada, mag-asawang Sen. Manny at JinkeePacquiao, ABS-CBN bosses Carlo Katigbak, Charo Santos, Cory Vidanes, at ibapa.Sa Marso 14, Sabado ng hapon magaganap ang kasalan.NBA SCORES MARCH 6FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Hawks 19-45    34    23    18    37    112team logo Wizards 23-39    33    31    29    25    118SCORING LEADERS    C. Reddish ATL28 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST    B. Beal WAS35 PTS, 3 REB, 4 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Thunder 39-24    27    34    34    31    126team logo Knicks 19-44    20    28    30    25    103SCORING LEADERS    D. Gallinari OKC22 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST    E. Payton NY18 PTS, 9 REB, 8 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Spurs 26-35    22    32    41    25    120team logo Nets 28-34    41    34    45    19    139SCORING LEADERSD. DeRozan SA24 PTS, 5 REB, 9 ASTC. LeVert BKN27 PTS, 11 REB, 10 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Magic 28-35    29    36    37    30    132team logo Timberwolves 19-43    24    31    28    35    118SCORING LEADERS    N. Vucevic ORL28 PTS, 12 REB, 4 AST    M. Beasley MIN29 PTS, 4 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Pacers 38-25    29    33    27    19    108team logo Bulls 21-42    25    21    26    30    102SCORING LEADERS    D. Sabonis IND24 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST    C. White CHI26 PTS, 2 REB, 6 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Heat 40-23    26    25    23    30    104team logo Pelicans 27-36    32    33    24    21    110SCORING LEADERSJ. Butler MIA28 PTS, 8 REB, 6 ASTJ. Holiday NO20 PTS, 6 REB, 6 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Jazz 40-22    30    32    17    20    99team logo Celtics 42-20    29    20    17    28    94SCORING LEADERSM. Conley UTA25 PTS, 3 REB, 5 ASTM. Smart BOS29 PTS, 3 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Grizzlies 31-32    28    21    16    31    96team logo Mavericks 39-25    33    28    34    26    121SCORING LEADERSJ. Jackson MEM16 PTS, 2 REB, 2 ASTK. Porzingis DAL26 PTS, 11 REB, 4 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Trail Blazers 28-36    22    36    24    35    117team logo Suns 25-38    34    33    28    32    127SCORING LEADERSC. McCollum POR25 PTS, 3 REB, 8 ASTA. Baynes PHO37 PTS, 16 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Bucks 53-10    22    26    28    27    103team logo Lakers 48-13    19    29    39    26    113SCORING LEADERSG. Antetokounmpo MIL32 PTS, 11 REB, 6 ASTL. James LAL37 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST