Marcos invited by Trudeau to Canada — Canada envoy
Marcos invited by Trudeau to Canada — Canada envoyIn this photo, director of government and public affairs of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp., head of the MVP Group media bureau and chief operating officer of the Silangan Mindanao Mining Company Inc. Mike Toledo sits down with Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Bruce Hartman. MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was invited by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Canada, the Canadian ambassador to the Philippines said. Hartman also said that a “huge business delegation” from Canada will be coming in March 2024 in the country. The meeting also talked about the Philippine mining industry and areas of collaboration and investments by Canadian firms. They also discussed the engagement with the Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corporation on possible projects on infrastructure, power, nuclear and healthcare.
Source:Philippine Star
November 06, 2023 20:49 UTC
Marcos promise of P20/kilo rice ‘not possible’ for now – new DA chief
Marcos promise of P20/kilo rice ‘not possible’ for now – new DA chiefFarmers from Lingayen, Pangasinan take advantage of the fine weather to plant rice seedlings on July 4, 2023. The DA chief said that Marcos’ marching orders are to increase the local production of agricultural goods in all sectors, especially rice. The DA chief said to lower the price of rice definitely, the sector must have its own silos to store rice grains and to increase its buffer stock. RELATED: Progress on 'P20/kilo' rice promise missing from Marcos' second SONA | Philstar.comIncreasing productionIn September, the president imposed a price ceiling on rice to temper the surging price of the household staple. The DA chief said during the press conference that he believes Filipinos can “produce more” agricultural goods, but he still needs to study the data to determine how to addres the issue of overimportation.
Source:Philippine Star
November 06, 2023 20:05 UTC
Despite amihan, hot weather expected in Metro Manila — PAGASA
Despite amihan, hot weather expected in Metro Manila — PAGASAMANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila will experience hot weather despite the the amihan season in the country, state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said on Monday. PAGASA said that the hot weather will be caused the "transition" period of the the northeast monsoon or amihan that makes it inconsistent in bringing cold winds every day. “Although nagsimula na po yung amihan, nagrerecede yan, humihina,” Obet Badrina, a weather forecaster from PAGASA said in an interview with Radyo 630. PAGASA announced the onset of the amihan season or the northeast monsoon on October 20. During which, cool and dry northeast winds from Siberia and China blow down to Southeast Asia.
Source:Philippine Star
November 06, 2023 13:34 UTC
Government approves P336 billion worth of strategic projects
Government approves P336 billion worth of strategic projectsThe bulk or 11 of the approved projects fall under the renewable energy (RE) sector, consisting mostly of solar projects. The bulk or 11 of the approved projects fall under the renewable energy (RE) sector, consisting mostly of solar projects. Among these are : SunAsia Energy Inc.’s 1,300-megawatt (MW) floating solar project in Laguna de Bay (P66 billion), NKS Solar One Inc.’s 250-MW floating solar project in Caliraya, Laguna (P14.9 billion), Laguna Wind Energy Corp.’s Kalayaan 2 wind power project (P10.85 billion), Ubay Solar Corp.’s solar power plant (P5.293 billion), Intramuros Solar Energy Corp.’s Gamu Solar power plant (P2.591 billion), and Magallanes Solar Energy Corp.’s Baratoc Viejo solar power project (P5.293 billion). Also part of the approved energy projects include five projects of ACEN Corp. located in Laguna Lake: SolarAce4 Energy Corp.’s 140-Megawatt peak (MWp) floating solar power plant (P6.25 billion), AC Laguna Solar Inc.’s 280-MWp floating Solar Power Plant (P10.946 billion), AC Subic Solar Inc.’s 280-MWp Floating Solar Power Plant (P12.494 billion), GigaWind1 Inc.’s 280-MWp Floating Solar Power Plant (P12 billion), and Ingrid2 Power Corp.’s 140-MWp floating solar power plant (P6.25 billion). Moreover, the EO also mandates the DTI-BOI to establish a one stop action center for strategic investments, which shall serve as the single point of entry for all projects qualified as strategic investments.
Source:Philippine Star
November 06, 2023 12:47 UTC
Relaxed visa rules 'will bring new blood' to labor market
Visa requirements to lure talents from three Southeast Asian countries - Vietnam, Laos and Nepal - were relaxed on October 25, as per Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's policy address. Kwok, in an interview with The Standard's sister paper Sing Tao Daily, said some countries had been slapped with strict visa restrictions as their economies were poor, leading to many cases of illegal immigration. The economies of these countries have improved a lot, and the risks [of illegal immigration] are lower," Kwok said. "After our assessment, we opined that we can relax the visa limitations imposed on people from the three countries." Laotian and Nepalese talent will become the new blood of Hong Kong's labor market, equipped with skills after training and education, Chow said.
Source:The Standard
November 06, 2023 07:10 UTC
Korea reimposes short-selling clamp as Philippines opens up
South Korea from today will reimpose a ban on short-selling shares at least until June to promote a "level playing field" for retail and institutional investors. The news came as the Philippines ended a nearly three-decade wait, allowing traders to finally short-sell stocks. Short-selling involves selling borrowed shares to buy back at a lower price and pocket the difference. "The measure is aimed at fundamentally easing 'the tilted playing field' between institutional and retail investors," Financial Services Commission chairman Kim Joo-hyun said. Naked short-selling - in which an investor short-sells shares without first borrowing them or determining they can be borrowed - is banned in South Korea.
Source:The Standard
November 06, 2023 07:10 UTC
Rivermaya original members to hold reunion concert
Manila, Philippines: Fans of one of the most influential Filipino rock bands of the '90s, Rivermaya, are in for a treat as its original members will hold a reunion concert next year. Concert promoter Live Nation announced that Bamboo Mañalac, Rico Blanco, Mark Escueta and Nathan Azarcon will hold "Rivermaya: The Reunion" on February 17, 2024 at the SMDC Festival Grounds. ‘Rivermaya: The Reunion’ poster PHOTO FROM X/LIVENATIONPH"Be a part of history as Live Nation Philippines stages its first-ever OPM show with Bamboo, Mark, Nathan and Rico - finally together in the country's most coveted reunion," Live Nation posted on social media. Despite the band's successful tour, Mañalac decided to stay in the US with his family, and also to finish his studies. Rivermaya decided to forge on, with Blanco taking the lead.
Source:Manila Times
November 06, 2023 05:24 UTC
Ukrainian missile strike on shipyard in Crimea damages Russian ship
The Russian military said a Ukrainian missile strike on a shipyard in annexed Crimea had damaged a Russian ship. Air defenses shot down 13 missiles, but others hit the shipyard and damaged a vessel, a statement from the ministry said. In September, a Ukrainian missile strike on a strategic shipyard in the port city of Sevastopol damaged two Russian ships and wounded 24 people. Later that same month, a missile strike blasted the Crimean headquarters of Russia’s navy in Sevastopol. Subscribe to our daily newsletter SIGN ME UPA deadly missile strike on a Ukrainian village on October 5 killed 59 civilians attending the wake of a local soldier who died fighting Russian troops.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 05, 2023 23:32 UTC
Philippines working to extend e-visas for foreign visitors
Philippines working to extend e-visas for foreign visitorsMANILA, Philippines — The government is “fine-tuning” measures to extend electronic visas for foreigners staying in the Philippines, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said. In response to Kumaran’s request for e-visa extensions for Indian nationals in the Philippines, Marcos said that the provisions for extending electronic visas would not only apply to Indian citizens but also to other foreigners staying in the country. “It won’t be just India, we are doing it with…several other countries as well to keep it. Earlier in January, Marcos ordered the extension of e-visas for Chinese, Indian, South Korean and Japanese nationals to encourage more visitors to come to the Philippines. The Department of Foreign Affairs launched the country’s e-visa system in August.
Source:Philippine Star
November 05, 2023 20:02 UTC
Timor-Leste leader in Philippines on November 10 for state visit
Timor-Leste leader in Philippines on November 10 for state visitTimor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on September 21, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta is set to visit the Philippines this week, with the aim to enhance the ties between the two nations, Malacañang said Sunday. Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize awardee, will be in the country for a state visit on November 10, Friday, to tackle various areas of cooperation between the Philippines and Timor-Leste, spanning technical, political, education and economic partnerships. Timor-Leste officially declared independence in May 2002, becoming the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. It participated in the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia last May as an observer.
Source:Philippine Star
November 05, 2023 19:48 UTC
Asus ROG PH launches 6D MLBB special edition
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) Philippines has announced the availability of the special limited-edition "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang" (MLBB)-themed ROG Phone 6D gaming phone to commemorate the two-year partnership between ROG and Moonton Games. The Philippines will host its grand finals, so stay tuned via the ROG Philippines Facebook page for some exciting announcements. The ROG Phone 6D MLBB special edition is powered by the flagship MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ Mobile Platform for the best mobile experience. With 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, this gaming phone breezes through app switching and any workload efficiently. To know more about the latest ROG Phone 6D MLBB Special Edition, visit https://ph.rog.gg/ROGPhone6DMLBBM5SE, http://www.facebook.com/asusrogph, http://www.twitter.com/rogph or Instagram for more information.
Source:Manila Times
November 05, 2023 17:43 UTC
UAAP: UE survives Bautista's OT scoring barrage, takes second straight win
MANILA, Philippines: University of the East (UE) survived Jorick Bautista's overtime scoring barrage to come away with an 87-86 win over Far Eastern University (FEU) and notched its second straight triumph in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 men's basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, November 5. The Tamaraws, however, could not foul any UE player in the final inbound play as the Red Warriors escaped with the win. UE thus improved to 4-6 for a share of fifth place with the defending champ Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU). FEU, on the other hand, fell to 3-7, good for sixth place. The 5-foot-10 guard also logged eight assists, six rebounds, and three steals albeit he turned the ball over seven times.
Source:Manila Times
November 05, 2023 15:36 UTC
PH, Japan wary of China's actions
(UPDATE) JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the Philippines and Japan expressed serious concerns over China's attempt "to unilaterally change the status quo by force" in the East China Sea and South China Sea. The Philippines and Japan, two of the United States' closest Asian allies, have taken a strong line against what they see as aggressive behavior by Chinese vessels amid disputes over maritime sovereignty. An RAA is a legal framework seen to strengthen collaboration and facilitate exercises between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Japan Self-Defense Forces. "A decision was made to start negotiations on the reciprocal access agreement (RAA), and [we] agreed to further strengthen trilateral cooperation among Japan, [the] United States and the Philippines," Kishida said. "We also confirm to further promote cooperation to improve the Philippines' maritime law enforcement capabilities, including the provision of patrol vessels and defense equipment and technological cooperation, including the transfer of warning and control radar," he added.
Source:Manila Times
November 05, 2023 14:31 UTC
Authorities conduct drill in response to massive power outage situation
Authorities on Sunday conducted an inter-departmental drill at the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital in Happy Valley in response to a simulated large-scale power outage on Hong Kong Island. The exercise simulated a significant power outage in Wan Chai district during morning peak hours. An oil truck crashed into an electricity substation and burst into flames, causing some traffic lights to malfunction and disrupting the electricity supply to some buildings on the island, including Tung Wah Eastern Hospital. With the power outage, the hospital's backup generators also failed, creating the need to transfer patients to other hospitals urgently. The system provides spatial information about a specific location by presenting various terrains and buildings in a three-dimensional format.
Source:The Standard
November 05, 2023 12:24 UTC
Security chief describes US sanctions against officials as triad activities
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the continuous sanctions suggested by the United States officials were more akin to what triads would do to threaten innocent people. Speaking on a radio show on Sunday, Tang stressed that the SAR has been fulfilling the responsibility of safeguarding national security under the law and to hold lawbreakers accountable is an unalterable principle. "If foreign governments use sanctions to threaten officials in Hong Kong to protect their 'henchmen,' it's more akin to what triads would do and it's much more immoral and unjust," he described. Tang also stated that common law generally does not have a retroactive effect, but national security law has been listed as having an extraterritorial effect. Some of them even tore the flag of the United States.
Source:The Standard
November 05, 2023 11:25 UTC