House bill penalizes prank callers to emergency hotlines with jail terms, fines

by Raymund Antonio, Manila Bulletin

Prank callers to emergency hotlines may soon face jail time and fines if the proposed measure of Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting becomes law.

House Bill 3851, or “An Act Penalizing Prank Callers to Emergency Hotlines,” filed on Aug. 22, 2022, recognized “the inherent nature of having an accessible nationwide hotline by providing penalties to persons who will intentionally make mischievous and malicious calls that will spoil the government resources and make ridicule them for their benefit/reasons.”

“An emergency hotline should be able always accessible, free from interruption, and seamlessly receive emergency calls to save lives for those needing it at a crucial moment,” the explanatory note said.

“To uphold the reliability and integrity of this public service, this legislation is proposed to forbid and penalize prank callers for irresponsibly alarming the emergency hotline,” it added.

Any person who would be found to make prank calls to emergency hotline numbers should be held liable with the following penalties: arresto menor, or jail time of one day to 30 days, and a fine of P5,000 for the first offense; arresto mayor, or jail time of one month and one day to six months and a fine of P10,000 for the second offense, and prision correccional, or six months and one day to six years, and a fine of P20,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.

The explanatory note cited Memorandum Order No. 07-07-206 issued by the National Telecommunications Commission and Executive Order No. 56 that assigned emergency hotline 911 as the nationwide emergency answering point, replacing Patrol 1197.

“The government is duty bound to serve and protect the people and it is expected that this crisis hotline is used appropriately by the public,” the bill said.

The proposed measure defined a prank call as “a mischievous or malicious telephone call made to trick or fool someone to annoy, abuse, threaten, harass, or solicit any comment, request, suggestion, or sound which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent, or a call intending to make false requests or false alarm of an emergency, knowing the report or information or alarm to be false.”

Adapting all the way

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WE are somehow reminded of this need of ours to adapt all the way to all kinds of persons and situations in life in that gospel episode where Christ was asked why the disciples of John the Baptist fast, while he does not. (cfr. Lk 5,33-39) That’s also where Christ said that famous line about not putting a piece of new cloth to patch an old one, and new wine into old wineskins.

Like Christ, we should try our best to adapt ourselves to all kinds of persons and situations to such an extent that we can echo what St. Paul once said about becoming all things to all men for the sake of the salvation of man. (cfr. 1 Cor 9,22) This, we should try our best to do without losing our Christian identity.

As we all know, Christ is the Son of God who became man to recover us from our state of alienation from God due to sin. He went all the way to become like sin, without committing sin, if only to identify himself with us even in our worst condition. (cfr. 2 Cor 5,21) In so doing, he shows us the way of how we can recover our Christian dignity as God’s image and likeness, children of his, sharers of his divine life.

If we are consistent with our Christian identity, we should do the same. The challenge of adapting ourselves to all kinds of persons and situations is enormous. It is, in fact, overwhelming. But there’s always the grace of God to help us when we reach our human limits in this regard.

Fact is to make Christ present in the lives of all of us is next to impossible. And yet that is what we are asked to do. How would you, for example, transmit the doctrine of our faith, or show the beauty of the liturgy, etc., so full of mysteries, to different kinds of people, from kids to adults, from manual workers to intellectuals, etc.?

I always find this challenge unnerving. And yet that is what is always presented to us. What immediately comes to mind in trying to tackle this challenge is for us to truly exert the effort to know and accept people in the way they are, but always referring them to Christ with whom we should keep a living relationship.

Let’s remember that Christ was always adapting himself to the people, being flexible to everyone, and yet managed to accomplish his mission, whatever the situation was. He was not only passively adapting himself to the environment. He was also actively pursuing his goal in different ways. That’s versatility for you.

Eventually, he rounded off all these expressions of adaptability, flexibility and versatility by offering his life on the cross. There he made as his own all the sins of men, died to them and rose from the dead. He turned the cross from being a tree of sin and death into a tree of life. His death conquered sin and death, and reopened the door to eternal life for us.

To become Christ-like would indeed require a lifetime effort, but we can always start and develop it anytime. Let us not wait for some so-called opportune moment to be so. Any time, any situation can and should be an occasion to be like Christ. Obviously, we have to know Christ more and more. Thus, we need to be familiar with his life, his teachings and his example.

Let us put our mind and heart into this most important responsibility of ours.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

PNP disaster teams ready for 'Henry'

By Francis Earl Cueto  and Arlie O. Calalo

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said that its disaster response units to Northern Luzon regions are ready to be dispatched as Super Typhoon "Henry" had been spotted closest to Luzon at past midnight on Thursday.

PNP Chief, Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said police disaster response units, personnel and equipment were immediately deployed to Ilocos and Cagayan Valley and some parts of Cordillera.

At the same time, government resources have been prepositioned near designated evacuation centers for possible relief operations in areas threatened by Henry.

At the national headquarters, the PNP high command activated the NHQ Disaster Incident Management Task Group (DIMTG), an updated and enhanced plan of action by the PNP on disaster preparedness and response management in support of other concerned agencies.

The Chief PNP said the DIMTG supports the government's disaster risk reduction and management efforts in accordance with the PNP Critical Incident Management Operational Procedures (CIMOP).

Earlier on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said "Henry" has slightly increased its strength while moving to Batanes while Tropical Depression "Gardo" has weakened into a low pressure area (LPA).

Weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said in a press briefing that Henry moved south-southwestward northeast of Batanes at 25 kilometers per hour (kph).

Estimated some 430kms east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, the super typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 195kph near the center and gustiness of up to 240kph, Ordinario said.

"Due to the forecast expansion in the extent of tropical cyclone winds associated with Henry, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals may be hoisted for localities in extreme Northern Luzon within the day," the Pagasa forecaster had said.

"By Friday afternoon, Henry may begin tracking slowly northwestward before eventually accelerating northward by Saturday and it may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) either on Saturday evening or Sunday morning," Ordinario said.

Meanwhile, the LPA was located at 760kms east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes while moving westward at 35kph.

"The remnant low is unlikely to directly affect the weather condition as well as the sea conditions over the coastal waters of the country," Ordinario said.

Super typhoon weakens a bit as it nears Batanes

Pagasa said the trough of the super typhoon enhanced by the southwest monsoon or "habagat" is affecting Metro Manila, Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Also affected are Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Batanes, Cagayan, Zambales and Bataan where cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms can be experienced.

"Flash floods or landslides are possible in these areas due to moderate to at times heavy rains," Pagasa said.

POINTS TO PONDER

Sometimes we all could use a little extra pick-me-up. Saying that life can be challenging would be an understatement. But it’s important to remember that life has its ups and downs and we need to keep pushing forward. Much like our “life is short” quotes, strength quotes, uplifting quotes, graduation quotes, and quotes about change, these life-changing quotes will inspire you to see things from a new perspective. And that may just be the nudge you need to make it through.

Let's  think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply. Sometimes we feel our life is turning miserably. Our negativism doesn't allow us to keep our eyes, ears - and, most important! - our minds, hearts

and souls opened. We reach our breaking point.

This breaking point can be the prelude to our strongest moment. It is when we reach our breaking point, that we discover our real strength. Allow me to ask you, my dear readers; "What happens to you or with you when you

reach your breaking point?" Do you face it or do you run away?' I'll be giving you a very simple answer: If you face it - you break it. If you run away (and/or close your ears, eyes and mouth) - it breaks you!

Everyday - a dull reality! Many of us will answer this question with a big YES! Actually, who do we like to cover a newborn day already with a grey veil?

Each day has a new face, but sometimes we don't have the strength to watch its countenance. Of course, not every day has adventures and highlights.

Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that, at the same time, seemed especially desolating and painful with a particular satisfaction. Indeed, everything I have learned, everything that has truly

enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness.

If it ever were to be possible to eliminate affliction from your earthly existence, the result would not be to make life delectable, but to make it too banal and trivial to be endurable.

By observation, we can feel that many of us need help to manage our everyday life. We need something that would keep us going as we journey through life. Many times we can also learn from other people and their experiences.

Blue eyed or very philosophical but so very true: If the world is to be brought to order, my nation must be first changed. 

The nation is to be changed, my home town is to be reordered and must first be set right, my dear brothers and sisters. And, one step further: If my family is to be regenerated, I MYSELF MUST FIRST BE!

And here is one more thing: Affection is the humblest love - it gives itself no airs. It lives with humble and private things: soft slippers, old clothes, old jokes, and the thump of a sleepy dog's tail on the kitchen floor. The glory of affection, the disposition of mind, the good will and tender attachment, is that it can unite those who are not "made for one and another', people. who, if not out down by fate in the same household or community, would have nothing to do with one and another.

Life for me has been a thing of ups and downs in approximately equal measure. I don't have something sensational to report every day about my progress. Often, I wonder if fulfillment in life is necessarily tied to change for the better.

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” said Toni Morrison, author. .

Special General Assembly at San Antonio Housing Homeowners Association held

 

To streamline the functions and responsibilities of the San Antonio Housing Village community officers, the National Housing Authority, in collaboration with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and the Housing and Homesite Division (HHD) of PLGU-DdO, conducted a special general assembly and election of officers for San Antonio’s Housing Association on August 31, 2022.

San Antonio Village I is located at Brgy. Maparat in Compostela with a total of two thousand five hundred (2,500) settlers according to HDD, thus the need to concretely systematize community leaders for the improvement of the village. Executive Assistant for Communications and Public Relation Edward B. Macapili represented Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga during the conduct of the event. He conveyed that the provincial government will do its function to settle existing conflicts in the housing settlement in accordance with due process of the law.

On the same day, the body conducted an election for the Committee on Elections of the village. The Elecom committee is in charge of electing the grievance committee, which will oversee housing and facility issues. Further, the NHA and DHSUD conducted an orientation on R.A. 9904, also known as the Magna Carta for Home-owners and Home-owners Association. 

The success of the general assembly is a first step towards resolving concerns and conflicts in the housing settlement. This will incorporate basic government services, sustainable livelihood programs, and strengthen the maintenance of the village regulations and other necessary undertakings. Present during the event were Compostela Mayor Levi Ebdao, HDD Head Sue Getrude Generale, personnel from the DHSUD and NHA Region  XI, and Brgy. Officials of Brgy. Maparat.

The special general assembly will also be conducted on the remaining housing settlements in the province in the coming weeks. (JA, PAO-IPRD DdO, photo by J. Cadiz)

What faith and obedience can enable us

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

THAT gospel episode where Christ asked Peter to put out into deep water and lower his nets for a catch shows us that when we would simply have faith in God, we can do wonders in our spiritual life and apostolate despite the great odds that we may have to contend with. (cfr. Lk 5,1-11)

At first, Peter was doubtful if what Christ told him was worth following. “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,” he said. but to his credit, he immediately corrected himself. “But at your command I will lower the nets.”

The story is very moving indeed, and the good news is that it can happen to any of us as long as we have faith and trust in God. And because of that faith and trust, we can just obey God’s will and ways even if humanly speaking they may appear to us as an impossibility.

We need to learn to trust God, and in his word and in his ways, no matter how unreasonable, impractical or impossible. For this, we have to go beyond our own understanding and estimation of things, and open our mind and heart to the light of our faith and love for God and for others.

While it’s true that we have to use all our human faculties in dealing with our earthly affairs and concerns, that is, our intelligence and will, our sciences and arts, our common sense and cultural and social wisdom, we should not forget that all these would have no real value unless they are engaged with our faith in God.

God knows everything. He is omnipotent. He actually intervenes in our lives in the most intimate way since he is the one who ultimately supports our existence and who governs it wisely with his providence.

We have to realize that God continues to work and to govern over all his creation, and as his image and likeness, as his children, we are meant to cooperate in carrying God’s work and governance here on earth. Seen in this way, any work we do, as long as it is honest and good work, is actually first of all God’s work before it is ours. We should be excited to carry out that work with him!

We should just develop the sense of feeling at home with the fact that our life and all the challenges and trials we are going to face in it will always demand from us things beyond our powers and resources. And that’s simply because we are meant to go to God for all our needs, without neglecting any effort we can give along the way.

With God, we have everything. As St. Teresa de Avila would put it, “Solo Dios basta!” What we lack in our humanity, we can always make up by relying always and completely on God. 

But, alas, this can happen only when we have faith, for faith is our best resource. As St. John puts it in his first letter, “This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (Jn 5,4) Without faith, we are left with a big problem right from the start.

Thus, before all this exciting drama and adventure of life, our attitude should be that of being sporty and game, based on our faith in God and trust in his all-powerful and merciful providence. This attitude is actually what is presumed every time we enter into some form of commitment, whether to a vocation or marriage or work, etc.

Europe recession can affect PH markets

Facilities to receive and distribute natural gas are pictured on the grounds of gas transport and pipeline network operator Gascade in Lubmin, northeastern Germany, close to the border with Poland, on August 30, 2022. AFP Photo

By Ed Paolo Salting, Manila Times

EUROPEAN Union recession fears will definitely have an impact on the Philippines as a whole and the local markets, according to expert analysts.

The EU is also battling inflation as the eurozone's four largest economies — Germany, France, Italy and Spain — have had their growth forecasts for 2023 downgraded by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

The United Kingdom is also struggling with inflation, which is above 10 percent for the first time in 40 years as households struggle with rising energy bills as an offshoot of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

What has the most impact on the EU economies is the Russia-Ukraine conflict, given its dependence on Russian crude and liquefied natural gas (LNG), which has been the subject of sanctions by both the US and EU member countries, who are also part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance.

The recent heat wave has also had an impact on agriculture, which was also affected by the conflict, given the inability of Ukraine to ship out grain exports from the Black Sea ports, which Russia has effectively blockaded.

Analysts at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the economist group also said the inflationary pressure could go on for some time as countries in the bloc are looking for alternative sources of energy to curb their dependence on Russian LNG and crude oil, which will take some time to achieve.

"In the near term, we expect a recession in Europe in the last quarter of 2022-2023 as a result of energy shortages and sustained elevated inflation," the EIU said. "The winter of 2023-2024 will also be challenging, so we also expect high inflation and sluggish growth until at least 2024."

Higher interest rates are also imminent as the Federal Reserve in the US also declared a continued hawkish stance for interest rates on Aug. 27, 2022 until it wrestles inflation to the ground. The euro has lost parity to the US dollar as a result, and the European Central Bank has had to raise interest rates for the first time in 11 years. This will be tricky as there are a number of countries which are also in fiscal crisis, having wracked up additional debt at the height of the pandemic. A single rate hike is not possible for all EU member countries given the varying states of their respective economies.

Philstocks Financial Inc. senior research analyst Japhet Tantiangco and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said that a decline in the EU's economy has sparked concerns of a ripple effect across the globe, including the Philippines, in terms of exports and imports, investments and remittances.

'Storm clouds' loom over economy

"Based on the latest data, in the first half of 2022, the European Union accounted for 11.6 percent of the Philippines' total exports and 6.5 percent of the Philippines' total imports, and generated 11.7 percent of OFWs' (overseas Filipino workers) cash remittances total which was sent to the country," Tantiangco explained. "In terms of direct investments, the whole bloc delivered 6.9 percent of the total equity investments to the Philippines in the first 5 months of 2022."

Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis Limlingan added that the Philippines is not an isolated case, as all economies that are dependent on the importation of commodities for their energy requirements will be affected as the EU will all try to look for other crude sources while transitioning to alternative energy sources.

He also said that there could be an opportunity here as well as there is potential for the country to export to Europe what they could be lacking from the supply disruptions from Russia.

Tantiangco also pointed out that based on economic data, Europe still plays an important part in the Philippines' foreign transactions as a decline in their economy is expected to have negative effects on the local economy, which may also weigh on market sentiment for Philippine companies with European operations such as Emperador and Monde Nissin.

ABS-CBN, TV5 call off investment deal

By Aric John Sy Cua

RIVAL networks ABS-CBN and TV5 have called off their investment deal, amid a hearing at the House of Representatives on their "merger."

Disclosures reveal that Sky Cable and Cignal, rivaling cable companies, have also terminated their deal.

"In disclosures to both the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Securities Exchange Commission today, Sky Vision Corporation ("Sky Vision"), ABS-CBN Corporation, Lopez, Inc., and Cignal Cable Corporation ("Cignal Cable"), announced that they have mutually agreed to terminate the Sale and Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 covering the proposed acquisition by Cignal Cable of 38.88 percent equity interest in Sky Cable Corporation and the Debt Instruments Agreement dated August 10, 2022 covering the proposed subscription by Cignal Cable to an Exchangeable Debt Instrument to be issued by Sky Vision and the proposed acquisition by Cignal Cable of a Convertible Note issued by Sky Cable," a statement posted by ABS-CBN on social media said.

ABS-CBN said that the termination was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement.

In addition, another disclosure read that the two networks have "mutually agreed to terminate" their August 10 investment agreement.

"In a separate disclosure, TV5 Network, Inc. ("TV5") and ABS-CBN Corporation ("ABS-CBN") also announced that they have mutually agreed to terminate the Investment Agreement dated August 10 2022 covering the proposed acquisition by ABS-CBN of 34.99 percent equity interest in TV5 and the Convertible Note Agreement dated August 10, 2022 covering the proposed subscription by ABS-CBN to a Convertible Note to be issued by TV5," according to the network.

"The termination was also formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement. The Parties confirmed that they have not implemented any of the transactions covered by the Investment Agreement and the Convertible Note Agreement."

TV5 has been broadcasting some ABS-CBN shows after the network's franchise was not renewed in 2020, which led to the deal between the two networks but Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta was not in favor and called for a hearing in the House of Representatives on the matter.

No Learners Left Behind

 

No learners left behind: Nueva Vizcaya teacher sold seedlings to support her students’ load allowance

by Vina Medenilla, Manila Bulletin

Besides Covid-19, the country has also been dealing with an education crisis. The pandemic has forced schools to close down and students to learn from home. 

The government implemented distance or blended learning to help halt the spread of the virus and ensure educational continuity during the pandemic. This transition, however, leaves some students behind, especially those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA). 

Distance learning demands space, equipment, internet connection, and other resources, which makes it more difficult for many students, educators, and families to have access to education.

Jennylin B. Carreon, 39, a faculty member of Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) – Bambang Campus, has seen firsthand how Covid-19 has affected not only the health industry but also the education sector.

Jennylin Carreon uses her teaching profession as a platform to inspire students and youth to grow their own food. Amid the pandemic, she helped her students overcome the challenges of remote teaching and learning.

“Though it was a modular approach, the students still need to communicate with their professors through group chats, SMS, private message, teleconferencing, video, and phone calls.”

She continues, “With the classes that I handled during the semester, many of my students complained about slow internet connection and allowance to buy cellphone load.”

Some of Carreon’s students have jobs to make ends meet, and the remote learning setup has placed more pressure on them. Between 60 and 70 percent of the university’s student body are Indigenous People (IPs). Most of them reside in areas that have very limited to no access to the internet.

Carreon would hear stories that her students have to climb a mountain or a hill and walk for an hour or two just to catch a signal. “With these predicaments, I pondered on how to help my students,” she said.  

This professor, who enjoys gardening, started a campaign “seedlings for a cause,” which means that each seedling purchased from her garden enables a student to have money for mobile data.

She began selling seedlings of herbs, ornamentals, fruit trees, and other edible crops in October 2020 and has generated more than P10,000 from donations and seedling sales.

In the Instagram post she used to announce the fundraising initiative, she revealed that 94 out of 118 of her students (or 79.7%) rely on their phones for remote learning. “All proceeds will become a circulating fund for their [cellphone] load. Mechanics will be based on a raffle draw per week. Everything will be [transparently] accounted for.”

This fundraising campaign has also motivated others to pitch in. Carreon shared, “One co-teacher sponsored cellphone load for 10 students, one former college classmate sponsored one student for his cellphone load for the whole month, a former student sponsored cellphone load worth P1,000 and a neighbor who has a cellphone load business volunteered the loading of their cellphones without charge.”

All the proceeds were used to fund the mobile load of her students throughout the semester. Every week, a P50 cellphone load was given away to at least five students from all of her six classes.

Letzten Tage des Tankrabatts: Spritpreise werden wieder deutlich ansteigen

Ende des Tankrabatts: Ab Donnerstag gibt es keine Senkung der Energiesteuer auf Kraftstoffe in Deutschland mehr.

Berlin - Mit dem Ende der auch Tankrabatt genannten Entlastungsmaßnahme müssen sich Autofahrer auf deutlich steigende Spritpreise einstellen. Rechnerisch sind 35 Cent für Benzin und 17 Cent für Diesel möglich - um diese Summen wurde die Steuerlast zuvor gesenkt. Die Regelung galt seit 1. Juni gemeinsam mit dem 9-Euro-Ticket, um Verbraucher angesichts hoher Energiepreise zu entlasten.

Allerdings bedeutet das Ende des Rabatts nicht, dass die Preise Punkt Mitternacht um diese Summe in die Höhe schnellen. So rechnet der ADAC etwa, dass Tankstellenbetreiber zuvor zum günstigen Steuersatz eingekaufte Treibstoffmengen weiter günstiger abgeben. Nach Angaben verschiedener Unternehmensverbände handelt es sich dabei aber um vergleichsweise kleine Mengen. Der Bundesverband freier Tankstellen (BFT) rechnet deshalb mit einem deutlichen Preisaufschlag schon in den frühen Morgenstunden. (dpa)