Facebook-owner Meta to roll out paid subscription

 

Facebook-owner Meta to roll out paid subscription

By Agence France-Presse

February 20, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook, the social network that was supposed to stay free "always," and its stablemate Instagram launched on Sunday a paid subscription service, as the advertising-based business model that has long dominated the internet falters.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook-parent Meta, announced on Sunday the launch of Meta Verified, a service starting at $11.99 a month to authenticate one's account, which follows a similar move by Elon Musk at Twitter.

"This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services," Zuckerberg wrote in a statement posted to Facebook and Instagram.

Meta Verified will be rolled out in Australia and New Zealand this week before coming to markets in the United States and other countries.

Subscribers will get a badge indicating their account has been verified with a government ID, extra protection against impersonation, direct access to customer support and more visibility, according to the company.

The social media giant said the service would be primarily aimed at content creators looking to expand their presence on the platforms and could see adjustments after a test phase.

There would be no changes to accounts on Facebook and Instagram that are already verified, the company said, adding that only users who are over the age of 18 will be allowed to subscribe. The service is not yet available to businesses.

It was not immediately clear how Zuckerberg planned to price Meta Verified in countries where users cannot afford to pay $12 a month, or in cash-based economies where they may have fewer ways to get the money to Meta.

Musk's initial attempts to launch a similar service at rival social media network Twitter last year backfired, with an embarrassing spate of fake accounts that scared advertisers and cast doubt on the site's future.

He was forced to briefly suspend the effort before relaunching it to muted reception in December.

'Free'?

Facebook helped establish the dominant model of large platforms on the internet today, which sees users benefit from "free" services that collect their data to sell personalized ad space.

It is a model that has earned the company, along with other advertising titans such as Google, tens of billions of dollars a year.

For years the Facebook homepage proudly declared that the site was "free and always will be."

But in 2019 the company quietly ditched the slogan. At the time experts suggested it was because the value of users' personal data meant the site was never truly free.

In 2022, Meta saw its ad revenue decline for the first time since the California-based group went public in 2012.

The company recently announced that the number of Facebook's daily users hit two billion — but between inflation eating into advertisers' budgets and fierce competition from apps such as TikTok, those users are not bringing in as much revenue as they used to.

The company has also suffered from regulatory changes introduced by iPhone maker Apple, which restrict the ability of social networks to collect data and sell advertising.

Similar factors have already pushed other networks, from Reddit to Snapchat as well as Twitter, to launch paid plans.

Meta is also under pressure for making a huge gamble on the metaverse, the world of virtual reality that Zuckerberg believes will be the next frontier online.

'Not a small fee'

Investors last year punished Meta, sending the company's share price down by an astonishing two-thirds over 12 months, but the stock has recovered some ground in 2023.

Meta announced in November it would lay off 11,000 employees, or 13 percent of its staff — the largest worker reduction in the company's history.

Meta Verified will be cheaper on the web than on mobile applications because of commissions taken by Apple on the iPhone or Google on smartphones operated by its Android system.

Zukerberg said it would cost $11.99 on the web, and $14.99 per month on iOS or Android.

The company said it doesn't expect to make significant revenue from the service during the test phase but that it is part of diversification efforts.

"Personally, I think it's more about diversifying revenue," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies.

After Twitter launched its subscription, other social media groups thought "well, we might as well try," she told AFP.

"Justifying that from a creator perspective I think is more of a marketing pitch than of true value to creators," she added.

Platforms are fighting for users and that of influencers that draw their attention.

But for Milanesi, the Meta Verified offers are "a weird mix."

"I don't know if it gives enough to one category (of users) to justify the amount of money, which is not a small fee."

Plane wreckage found near Mayon crater

By Rhaydz Barcia

February 20, 2023 

(UPDATE) THE wreckage of a plane was spotted near the crater of Mount Mayon Sunday.

An aerial reconnaissance conducted by Ayala Corp. spotted what's left of the plane, including the tail, in the gully, the steepest part of the volcano.Rescuers struggled on Sunday to reach the slopes of Mayon, an active volcano, with the fate of those on board still unconfirmed.

The Energy Development Corp. (EDC)'s Cessna plane carrying four people was reported missing on Saturday after taking off at the Bicol International Airport.The EDC said the missing plane belonged to the company and it was seeking to confirm if the wreckage spotted on Sunday in "very steep terrain and high altitude of about 6,000 feet" was theirs.

The aircraft was piloted by Capt. Rufino James Crisostomo Jr. With him were Joel Martin (aircraft mechanic) and Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santanan, technical consultants of EDC.

The company has informed their respective families about the incident."Our primary concern is the swift and safe rescue of our four colleagues who were onboard the aircraft. We are thankful to Mayor (Caloy) Baldo for mobilizing his team to help us do this," said Allan Barcena, assistant vice president and head of corporate relations and communications at EDC.

The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) earlier said they will focus the search at the foot of Mayon Volcano.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Apsemo, said the missing Cessna plane may have gone down in Barangay Quirangay in Camalig town.

Earlier reports said air traffic controllers at the Bicol International Airport lost contact with the Cessna 340 plane on Saturday.

The aircraft with registry number RP-C2080 left the airport at 6:43 a.m.

The controllers made their last contact with the plane at 6:46 a.m., when the Cessna was in the vicinity of Camalig at an altitude of 2,600 feet.

It was supposed to arrive in Manila at 7:53 a.m.The Philippine Air Force deployed air assets also for search and rescue operations.

Mount Mayon is currently at alert level 2, a restive status.

Baldo said some 218 personnel, 34 vehicles, 11 drones and four K9 dogs were deployed for the massive ground search and rescue operations.

Daep warned the rumbling volcano could erupt at any time, which was complicating rescue efforts.

"There might be a sudden ash explosion and we could be added to the casualties," he told radio DZBB.

An aerial search will continue Monday to locate the missing people.

"We are not discounting the possibility that they could still be alive," Daep said.

WITH REPORT FROM FRANCIS CUETO and AFP

Why is WASH a crucial element of response and recovery from climate disasters?

In this photo taken on January 5, 2022, residents carry bottled water given as aid from a non-governmental organisation in Burgos town, Siargao island, weeks after super Typhoon Rai devastated the island.

Gaea Katreena Cabico, Ann Gabrielle Domingo - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — When Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) struck southern and central parts of the Philippines in December 2021, people’s access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities was compromised, leading to increased risk of water-borne diseases. 

Typhoon-ravaged residents were left with no money to buy drinking water or were forced to rely on water from open springs and on hand pumps contaminated by mud, flood and sea waters. 

According to the International Federation of Red Cross, there were over 400 cases of diarrhea and gastroenteritis, likely resulting from contamination of water sources, in Odette-hit areas. Eight people reportedly died due to diarrhea. 

In the town of Del Carmen on Siargao Island, a child died after drinking contaminated water. While it was an isolated case, according to the town mayor, the incident highlighted the nexus of health and climate change.

“If we didn’t lack water supply due to the emergency, maybe [the death of the child] wouldn’t happen, there wouldn’t be a reaction to drink the water in the tank,” said Jerlyn Rabaca, administrator of Espoir School of Life. Espoir, which is situated on a resettlement area in Del Carmen, is a non-profit organization that provides free education to underprivileged children. 

Damaged water infra 

According to the United Nations Children's Fund, some 2.4 million people needed water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support following ‘Odette.’ The typhoon also damaged 141 water structures and over 410 sanitation facilities. 

“During climate disasters, infrastructure gets damaged. Not just electricity, communication, but most importantly, water,” said Jenica Dizon, country director of Waves for Water Philippines. The presence of Waves for Water in the country began in 2013 as a response to Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded in the world. 

Extreme weather events and other climate impacts contaminate water supply, increasing risk of water-borne illnesses such as diarrhea and cholera to which children are particularly vulnerable. 

Dr. Renzo Guinto, who specializes in planetary and public health, has observed this reality in coastal municipalities in the Philippines. Guinto found that Alabat in Quezon province and Ajuy in Iloilo province are more prone to water-borne diseases due to intensifying flooding from sea-level rise. 

In 2050, climate change could be responsible for approximately 32,954 additional diarrheal deaths worldwide among children aged 0 to 15, the World Health Organization estimated. 

The WHO stressed that investing in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is a core element in both preparedness and response, and prevention and mitigation of the impacts of future emergencies. 

“It’s paramount to plan for and create more resilient water infrastructure because access to clean water is a human right and a basic need. Without water, there really is no life,” Dizon said. 

Crucial need

With water infrastructure damaged and essential health services crippled by the pandemic, access to clean water is an immediate need to prevent the spread of infectious and water-borne illnesses, and life-threatening dehydration.

In the case of Del Carmen, the town’s mangrove forest protected the residents from large waves brought by Odette, allowing owners of water refilling stations to immediately continue their operations, Mayor Alfredo Coro II said.

However, the water coming from the municipality’s water provider “took a while to be stabilized” after the storm, he said.

According to Coro, children aged five and below, pregnant and lactating mothers, senior citizens and persons with disabilities were prioritized in the provision of clean drinking water after the onslaught of Odette. The local government also focused on providing water supply to island barangays.

Non-profit organizations like Waves for Water played an important role in the response to the storm. Waves for Water deploys clean water filtration systems, water pump generators, and catchment tanks to disaster-hit areas.

DOH, WHO guidelines

Besides ensuring proper facilities, Guinto believes that normalizing WASH practices are crucial elements in disasters and humanitarian settings. 

In July 2020, the Department of Health issued the “National Policy on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergencies and Disasters” in recognition of the country’s disproportionate vulnerability to disasters and emergencies. 

The administrative order’s main objective is to “institutionalize and implement the WASH cluster approach at all levels of governance to ensure the coordinated delivery of appropriate, effective and timely WASH services in emergencies and disasters.” 

For the WHO, the top three priorities in promoting WASH for vulnerable communities are ensuring sufficient amounts of safe water, arranging basic sanitation necessities and promoting good hygiene practices. 

The United Nations health agency said the first priority necessitates that each person be provided with 15 liters of water, but this can be limited to 7.5 liters after a disaster. Water sources must also be protected in the case of contamination. 

Toilet facilities should be provided immediately when sanitation structures are damaged due to disasters, it added. Securing toilet facilities prevents the further spread of contamination to community members or water sources. 

If toilet systems are damaged beyond immediate repair, the community should be given designated defecation fields and provided shovels for families to dig small holes into to bury excretions. 

Lastly, good hygiene should still be promoted to prevent disease transmission. To ensure that good hygiene practices are followed, enough water should be provided for rinsing after excretion. The water can also be used for handling infants’ wastes and food preparation. 

While the DOH and the WHO have already integrated WASH into their disaster setting guidelines, Guinto believes that simply providing recommendations is not enough. 

“What needs to be further enhanced is the way we implement these guidelines,” said Guinto, who is also the inaugural director of the Planetary and Global Health Program of the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine. 

“Further, we must find ways to ensure the sustainability of WASH infrastructure after the disaster response phase. When communities return to normalcy, their water systems must not only be restored, but made even much better,” he added.

WASH and education

“After the typhoon, because of what happened, we've also learned that water is important and that now we give value to it and people also saw the need of the island to have clean water,” Espoir’s Rabaca said.

The resettlemtn area of Espoir has a water system with 30 faucets that can be accessed by community members and a dry compost toilet. 

Rabaca also emphasized that access to water plays a big role in the learning of students. 

“We connect water to the education that we are giving by making sure that they go to school healthy, that they go to school after taking a bath. We’re making sure that if they go home, their dishes have been washed, that they can wear uniforms on the next day because they can wash their clothes,” Rabaca said. 

She added that Espoir, in partnership with other private firms, plans to put up a “STEM Lab for Humanities” which will tackle the importance access to access to water inside classrooms.

Thousands flee homes as LPA hits Butuan, Caraga

by Philippine News Agency

BUTUAN CITY (PNA) – Thousands of residents here as well as in the neighboring provinces of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur fled their homes as the trough of a low-pressure area (LPA) brought heavy rains that caused flooding and landslides on Saturday, Feb. 18.

As of the 10 a.m. weather bulletin on Sunday, Feb. 19, the LPA was already in the vicinity of San Vicente, Northern Samar or 40 kilometers east of Masbate City, Masbate.

The probability of a tropical depression within 24 hours is less likely, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration. 

The LPA will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, the Bicol region, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar.

In this city, 5,026 families from 38 barangays moved to evacuation centers for safety.

Heavy rains started to lash this city in the early morning of Saturday, flooding most streets, subdivisions, and barangays.

A landslide was reported in Barangay De Oro on Saturday morning but was immediately cleared out in the afternoon.

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The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) here said 2,543 food boxes worth P642,880 were distributed as of Saturday night.

Distribution of food packs in evacuation centers will continue until the flooded areas are cleared.

“We remind our residents in Butuan to be always on alert, especially in times of disasters, to save lives,” the CSWDO said in a statement on Sunday, Feb. 19.

In Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office reported that 15 baragays were hit by flooding as of Saturday.

A total of 803 families or 3,516 individuals were directly affected and are temporarily sheltered in 22 evacuation centers.

In Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, four barangays were affected by flooding that sent 216 families or 720 persons to evacuation sites while in Agusan del Sur, 83 families also abandoned their flooded areas in Talacogon. 

Evacuation of residents was also reported in the towns of San Francisco, Prosperidad, Bunawan, and Rosario; and in the province of Dinagat Islands on Saturday.

Landslides were reported in the town of Sibagat in Agusan del Sur, particularly in Barangay Kioya and in Purok 1, Barangay Mahayahay; and in Barangay Tigbao in Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands.

Marcos vows to protect environment, enforce mining law

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, MB

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that his administration would do a “meticulous balancing” to protect the environment and enforce the country’s law on responsible mining.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (Malacañang photo)

Marcos said this in response to a question about his policy on protecting the environment in the Cordillera, especially regarding mining. 

According to the President, protecting the environment has always been essential to his administration’s policies.

“In terms of protecting the environment, it’s very clear what the position of this government has always been… It has been an important part of all our policies,” he said.

“We are environmentally conscious, moving the economy towards green technologies, moving our production of power towards renewables,” he added.

President Marcos noted that mineral exploration and extraction are essential to his administration’s economic plan.

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However, he said the government wants to avoid unfortunate incidents like what happened in the past few years.

“So it is really a question of enforcing the law in terms of responsible mining, and that is what we will continue to do,” Marcos said.

“We will always make sure that the mining companies who come in, once they are finished mining, that they leave the site in the same condition as it was when they found it,” he added.

Meanwhile, Marcos said the country can now monetize its forest cover— giving it a peso or dollar value and taking advantage of being more active in promoting, monitoring, regulating, and encouraging the care of its forests.

“All our forest cover is important and must remain — that is giving the Philippines, we fall into the category of a carbon sink country because of our forest cover, and so that is a very valuable asset for the Philippines,” he said.

Prayer sustains our faith

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

“HIS disciples asked him in private, ‘Why could we not drive the spirit out?’ He said to them, ‘This kind can only come out through prayer.’” (Mk 9,28-29)

This is the concluding part of that gospel episode where Christ was approached by the father of a boy possessed by a mute spirit. (cfr. Mk 9,14-29) According to the father, “wherever the mute spirit seized the boy, it threw him down; he foamed at the mouth, ground his teeth, and became rigid.” It must have been a terrible sight!

But the father complained that when he asked Christ’s disciples to drive it out, they were unable to do so. That’s when Christ retorted, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?”

Somehow Christ was highlighting the need for faith for the disciples to be able to drive the spirit out. “Everything is possible to one who has faith,” he said. And then he asked the father of the boy if he too had faith that the spirit can be driven out. 

That’s when the father said the famous words: “I do believe, help my unbelief!” He somehow captured the usual condition we have in relation to our faith. We like to profess that we have faith, but we also know that our faith is oftentimes wavering.

When Christ finally drove out the spirit from the boy, the disciples asked why they could not do it. That’s when Christ made it clear that “this kind can only come out through prayer.”

Somehow from this episode we can make the following conclusion: for us to share in the very power of God, especially when we are faced with extraordinary challenges and problems, we need to have a strong faith. And for that faith to be a working faith, it has to be sustained always through prayer.

In other words, to live our life with God and share in everything that he has as we are meant to be, we need to pray to keep our faith going. Prayer should be a constant activity for us. It should be like the very beating of our heart.

We have to realize more deeply that it is a basic need of ours to pray. If we understand our life to be a life always with God, as our Christian faith tells us, then we need to pray always.

Prayer is actually more important and necessary than the air we breathe, the food we eat or the water we drink. We should do everything to learn to pray always. On this, St. Paul clearly said, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes 5,17)

In fact, in that Pauline passage, what went before and after it are very interesting. St. Paul says that we have to rejoice always and be thankful in all circumstances because that is the will of God for us. (cfr 1 Thes 5,16.18)

We have to find ways of how to conform ourselves to this clear indication of St. Paul. We have to learn how to pray always, converting everything in our life, including those that we consider as negative or bad elements, into an occasion, a means, a reason for praying.

We need to go beyond that common understanding of prayer that pegs it only to the recitation of some vocal prayers or to spending time in some special places to do meditation or contemplation. While these forms of prayer are important and, in fact, are indispensable, they do not have the exclusive ownership, so to speak, of the ways of praying.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com