Pension platform features enhanced efficiency, reduced fees, tight security
Data from all schemes will be transferred to eMPF within 18 months, according to Ayesha Lau and Cheng Yan-chee, inset. The first trustee to move to the one-stop digital platform is YF Life Trustees, whose scheme members can create their accounts on June 12 at the earliest. Cheng Yan-chee, managing director of the MPFA, said employers under YF Life Trustees should finish June contributions by July 10. He added that China Life Trustees will be the second provider to join the eMPF, with account registration beginning on July 12. Lau said the MPFA attaches great importance to information security to ensure the effective prevention of hacking or data leaks.
Source:The Standard
May 02, 2024 23:06 UTC
Bomb scare at NAIA delays Japan flight
Bomb scare at NAIA delays Japan flightForeign and local travelers flock to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on December 22, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Passengers on a flight to Japan experienced delays at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 following a bomb scare that temporarily disrupted travel operations. On Wednesday, Japan-bound Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight, PR412, was delayed for five hours due to a bomb threat call received by airport authorities from an unidentified woman. Passengers were promptly evacuated and authorities conducted security checks before the flight was cleared for departure. In 2023, two travelers were arrested at NAIA after making bomb jokes.
Source:Philippine Star
May 02, 2024 20:58 UTC
New luxury hotel opens in SM Mall of Asia
New luxury hotel opens in SM Mall of AsiaMANILA, Philippines — Fusing contemporary design with innate Filipino hospitality, Lanson Place Mall of Asia, Manila officially opened its doors. Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings Hans T. SY and Executive Director of SM Investments Corporation Harley T. Sy were also present at the launch event as guests of honor. “The addition of the Lanson Place brand fully complements SM Hotel's prestigious portfolio, with its impressive track record in the serviced suites category. An immersive property tour followed showcasing the hotel’s world-class amenities and accommodations including Deluxe Rooms, Superior Rooms, Hotel Suites, Studio Residences and One-and Two-Bedroom Suite Residences. The tour also highlighted how the property’s architecture and interior design perfectly capture a harmonious fusion of modern luxury and Filipino cultural heritage.
Source:Philippine Star
May 02, 2024 18:06 UTC
Philippines summons Chinese diplomat over South China Sea flare-up
Chinese Coast Guard vessels fire water cannons towards a Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 on its way to a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. REUTERS/Adrian Portugal/File Photo/File PhotoThe Philippines summoned a Chinese diplomat on Thursday to protest Beijing's use of water cannon against Filipino vessels at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, describing it as harassment and "dangerous manoeuvres". The Philippines has accused China of elevating tensions in the South China Sea after its coast guard used water cannon and damaged two of its vessels while en route to the Scarborough shoal on Tuesday to assist Filipino fishermen. The shoal, which has been occupied by China for more than a decade, has been flashpoint between the Philippines and China on and off for years. China claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
Source:The Standard
May 02, 2024 13:47 UTC
Marcos Jr. approves military procurement ‘wish list’
Marcos Jr. approves military procurement ‘wish list’President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. addresses the troops during his visit to the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division, Camp Brigadier General Gonzalo H. Siongco at the Municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao on April 29, 2024. He estimated that the pressure from the water cannon went beyond the fatal 200 pounds per square inch of pressure. According to him, last Tuesday’s water cannon attack was on a humanitarian mission that still succeeded in providing water, fuel and food supplies to Filipino fishermen in the area. CondemnationChina’s water cannon attacks on Philippine vessels and dangerous actions in WPS have sparked international condemnation. The European Union and France expressed concern, saying CCG’s use of water cannon is against international law and a threat to safety of life at sea.
Source:Philippine Star
May 02, 2024 10:48 UTC
Housing supply ripening as supply expected to exceed demand in 5 years
Ryan Ip Man-ki (first from right) Previous NextHong Kong think tank Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) released its latest forecast of the private and public housing supply and anticipates that the city's housing supply will enter a phase of abundance in the next five years. With the drop in the percentage of delayed public housing completions and the construction of Light Public Housing units also progressing to plan, the think tank anticipated the waiting time for public housing could be shortened from the current 5.8 years to 4.5 years in the 2026/27 fiscal year. OHKF expected the completion of public housing units will exceed the LTHS target by 33 percent in the next ten years. This includes increasing the per capita area of public housing units and raising the proportion of subsidized sale flats. Ryan Ip Man-ki, the vice president cum co-head of Public Policy Institute of Research at the Foundation, recommended raising the proportion of subsidized sale flats from the current ratio of public housing, subsidized sale flats, and private housing of 5:2:3 to a 3:4:3 for the next decade, meaning 30 percent public housing, 40 percent subsidized sale flats, and 30 percent private housing.
Source:The Standard
May 02, 2024 10:34 UTC
'Finally': Michelle Dee gets inked by Apo Whang-Od
'Finally': Michelle Dee gets inked by Apo Whang-OdMANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee visited Apo Whang-Od in Buscalan. On her Instagram account, Michelle posted a video of her getting inked by the national treasure. She thanked her team for making the trip possible. Michelle is set to pass her crown to the next Miss Universe Philippines on May 22 in SM Mall of Asia. RELATED: Miss Universe Philippines 2024 awards Top 3 National Costume winners
Source:Philippine Star
May 02, 2024 09:12 UTC
Guard hospitalized after being trapped underneath falling gate
A 66-year-old security guard was hospitalized after he was hit and trapped underneath a falling gate at The Hazelton in the Southern District on Thursday morning. The incident occurred around 5 am when the guard surnamed Ip went on patrol around the residence and saw a 2-by-2-meter gate tilting to one side. He attempted to fix its position but the hinge loosened and the gate fell on top of him. Trapped underneath the gate, Ip cried for help as he sustained injuries to his forehead and right arm, prompting a colleague to file a police report for him. Firefighters soon came to the rescue and sent Ip in a conscious state to Queen Mary Hospital.
Source:The Standard
May 02, 2024 06:16 UTC
Chinese scientist who published COVID-19 virus sequence allowed back in his lab after sit-in protest
(AP Photo/Dake Kang)The first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus in China said he was allowed back into his lab after he spent days locked outside, sitting in protest. “Now, team members can enter and leave the laboratory freely,” Zhang wrote in a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform. He added that he is negotiating a plan to relocate the lab in a way that doesn’t disrupt his team’s work with the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, which hosts Zhang’s lab. In an online statement Monday, the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center said that Zhang’s lab was closed for “safety reasons” while being renovated. The next day, Zhang’s lab was ordered to close temporarily by China’s top health official, and Zhang came under pressure from the authorities.
Source:The Standard
May 01, 2024 19:45 UTC
Mainlander suspectedly linked to two burglaries beaten to death
A 37-year-old mainlander – allegedly linked to two burglaries on Lantau Island – was suspected to have been beaten to death as his body was found on Chi Ma Wan Peninsula in the early hours of Wednesday. Police received a report at 5.39 am that the mainland man, who arrived in Hong Kong on a two-way permit, was found unconscious at a private pier on Chi Ma Wan Peninsula. After an investigation, police suspect that the mainlander was assaulted by the attacker with bare hands and sustained a sever injury to his head. Police later received two reports at 7.16 am and 7.36 am respectively that two units at Yi Long Wan on Chi Ma Wan Road and at Sea Ranch were looted of a bag and some cash. After a preliminary investigation, police suspect that the deceased mainland man was the burglar and an investigation by the Lantau district crime squad is now underway.
Source:The Standard
May 01, 2024 19:21 UTC
Make our world a better one
Make our world a better oneI was reluctant at first to accept this honor of addressing you, very young hi-tech people, given my age. I grew up in a different world. Our world now revolves around technology – ATM, CCTV, internet, online everything, social media,virtual reality, artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, robotics and so on. Love God, yourself, your neighbor. Make our world a better one.
Source:Philippine Star
May 01, 2024 17:31 UTC
Marcos calls for review of minimum wage rates
Marcos calls for review of minimum wage ratesPeople walk with umbrellas during a heatwave in Manila on April 29, 2024. MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered a review of minimum wage rates across the archipelago, taking into account the impact of rising prices of goods and services. Groups have been calling on the government to raise the minimum wage to keep up with the rising cost of living. Meanwhile, the minimum wage in the Bangsamoro region is only P361. According to the IBON Foundation, a P690 across-the-board wage hike would increase the average minimum wage of P440 nationwide to meet the current P1,207 average family living wage.
Source:Philippine Star
May 01, 2024 17:18 UTC
Bangladesh registers hottest April on record
DHAKA: Bangladesh's weather bureau said on Wednesday that last month was the hottest April on record, with the South Asian nation and much of the region still enduring a suffocating heat wave. Punishing heat last month prompted Bangladesh's government to close schools across the country, keeping an estimated 32 million students at home. We've not seen such unbroken and expansive heat waves before," Bangladesh Meteorological Department senior forecaster Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik told Agence France-Presse (AFP). AdvertisementMallik added that the bureau was checking data to confirm whether this year marked record low rainfalls for April. The months preceding the region's monsoon, or rainy season, are usually hot, but temperatures this year are well above average in many countries.
Source:Manila Times
May 01, 2024 16:36 UTC
Under Pressure | The Manila Times CSI On The Go!
During a media interview for their upcoming film 'My Future You,' Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin of the loveteam 'FranSeth,' share that they feel pressured to be labeled as the next power loveteam following the footsteps of the former reel-to-real couple Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla of 'KathNiel.' According to them, they don't aim to replicate the achievements of the former loveteam, and would rather be known for their hard work as Francine and Seth. They were also quizzed about the real score between the two of them. VIDEO BY IZA IGLESIASGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Source:Manila Times
May 01, 2024 16:08 UTC
HSBC says chief executive 'to retire'
HONG KONG: Banking giant HSBC said on Tuesday that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Noel Quinn would retire after overseeing a "successful transformation" of the firm and record profits during almost five years in charge. "During his tenure, HSBC has delivered record profits and the strongest returns in over a decade," it announced in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing. AFP PHOTO STEPPING DOWN A woman walks past a logo of the HSBC bank in Hong Kong on August 3, 2015. HSBC shares in Hong Kong rose by more than one percent in afternoon trading to hit a nine-month high. Quinn joined HSBC in 1987 and was appointed interim CEO in 2019 after several years leading its commercial banking unit.
Source:Manila Times
May 01, 2024 04:24 UTC