LPA unlikely to escalate into storm but to bring rains in Visayas, Mindanao

By Arlie O. Calalo

January 25, 2023 

THE low pressure area (LPA) off Davao City has a slim chance of intensifying into a tropical cyclone although it will bring moderate to heavy rains over parts of Visayas and Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday.

Pagasa weather forecaster Patrick del Mundo told The Manila Times that the LPA, last spotted around 3 a.m. some 575 kilometers east of the city, was unlikely to develop into a tropical depression over the next 48 hours.

"But this weather disturbance will bring moderate to heavy rains over Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur," he said.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Zamboanga Peninsula, the rest of Caraga, the rest of Davao Region, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani, and South Cotabato within 24 hours, the state-run weather agency said.

"Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards," Del Mundo said.

On one hand, the northeast monsoon locally known as 'amihan' will bring overcast skies with rains over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas, he said.

The weather bureau said the localized thunderstorms are affecting the rest of Mindanao and the southern portion of Palawan where partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail.

Davao del Sur town to boost onion farming

by Keith Bacongco

The local government of Magsaysay in Davao del Sur is planning to boost onion farming along with other high-value crops amid the rising price of the commodity.

FARMERS harvest onions in a remote barangay in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur. (Photo courtesy of MAO Magsaysay)

Municipal Agriculture Office chief Helen Caramptana told Manila Bulletin that the upland areas of Magsaysay are suitable for onion and other high-value crops. 

Over the weekend, pictures of a farmer harvesting onions from Magsaysay made rounds on social media and has prompted netizens to call on the government to support local onion farmers.

Caramptana revealed that onion farming is not new in Magsaysay, adding that some farmers in lowland areas have ventured into this crop sometime in 2010 or 2012.

“However, they did not succeed after the onions were hit by a fungal disease,” she recalled over the phone. “After the failed cropping, they did not plant again.”

A lone B’laan farmer continued to cultivate onions in a borrowed 200 square-meter lot in the hinterland barangay of Bacungan, the municipal agriculturist disclosed. “He is a very hardworking farmer, he persisted and now he’s earning from his produce.” 

Caramptana said the farmer was able to harvest almost 300 kilos of onions after three months.

She added that a buyer from North Cotabato has offered to buy all his onions for a wholesale price of P200 per kilo.

As the town’s climate and soil characteristic are suitable for onion farming and other high-value crops, Caramptana said the local government is encouraging farmers to engage into diversified farming.

Caramptana pointed out that growing onion is very tricky and requires a huge capital compared to other high-value crops.

She cited that the B’laan farmer who also grows ginger and tomatoes spent P10,000 for onion seeds to be planted on the lot. “These are the reasons why only a few farmers are willing to gamble on this crop.”

Amid of these challenges, Caramptana said at least 40 farmers have signified their intention to avail of the free seeds from the Department of Agriculture Regional Office-11 once these will be available next month. 

Ronnie Mahinay, project assistant of the High-Value Crops Development Program of the DA Regional Office-11, said the DA has been supporting onion farmers in towns of Magsaysay and Matanao, also in Davao del Sur.

“We are regularly providing seeds to our onion farmers. But their produce is just enough for the local market or within their municipalities only,” Mahinay bared.

He said the DA has allocated 20 kilos of onion seeds per farmer association. There are three farmer groups in Magsaysay and another in Matanao.

Onion farming is indeed very tricky, he said. “Kailangan bini-baby, very tricky. Last cropping season at least one-fourth hectare of onions were destroyed due to rains.”

Quake hits Davao Occidental province

by Mike Crismundo 

UPDATED: BUTUAN CITY – A 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit Davao Occidental province in Southern Mindanao region early Tuesday morning, Jan. 24, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the earthquake was recorded at 9:10 a.m.

The epicenter was plotted 327 kilometers southeast of Balut Island in the Municipality of Sarangani, Davao Occidental province, the state agency said. 

The tremor had a depth of 28 kms, Phivolcs said.

This one was also an aftershock of the January 18 2023 M 7.0 offshore Davao Occidental earthquake event.

It was the third aftershock recorded for the day in the province.

Around 1:06 a.m. on the same day, Jan. 24, a 4.6-magnitude tectonic earthquake was also registered and its epicenter was traced 299 kms. southeast of the same island and province, with a shallow depth of only 2 kms., the state agency also said.

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A little over an hour later, at 2:17 a.m. to be exact, on the same day, Jan. 24, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake was also felt in the region and its epicenter was traced 264 kms southeast of the same island and province, with a depth of 76 kms., the state agency said.

The three tremors were tectonic in origin, hence the state agency is expecting no aftershocks.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Southern Mindanao region and Davao Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) there reported no damage or injury.

 

BLACKPINK’s Lisa sets 3 Guinness world records in 2022

by Jonathan Hicap

Guinness World Records announced on Jan. 24 that BLACKPINK’s Lisa set three world records in 2022.

According to Guinness, Lisa set the record for being the first solo K-pop winner at the MTV Video Music Awards and first solo K-pop winner at the MTV Europe Music Awards. 

BLACKPINK’s Lisa (Instagram)

“At the MTV VMA’s, Lisa came first in the category of Best K-pop Video; an award which had been exclusively won by BTS since it’s introduction in 2019. BTS were also the previous winners in the Best K-Pop category at the EMA’s in 2021 before Lisa completed a historic double,” Guinness stated.

In addition, Lisa also scored the title of “most followers on Instagram for a K-pop artist with 86.3 million followers as of 19 January 2023.”

Guinness World Records added, “This makes her the 38th most followed account on the platform, with Cristiano Ronaldo being the most followed individual with 538 million followers.”

BLACKPINK, meanwhile, bagged the “Best Metaverse Performance for their performance of new single ‘Ready For Love’ in the video game PUBG [PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds] Mobile, gaining an additional Guinness World Records title for being the first winners of the award.” 

As of January this year, Guinness said, BLACKPINK held records for “most subscribers for a band on YouTube as well as becoming the first K-pop group to reach No.1 on the UK albums chart (female) and the first K-pop group to reach No.1 on the US albums chart (female).”

Keeping up with evolving and emerging jobs

by Monchito B. Ibrahim

With the rapid pace of technological change, the increasing complexity of the global economy, and calamities like the pandemic, there is now a need for organizations and workers alike to adapt to the unending changes in the workplace. Organizations will have to constantly revisit job roles, drop some of them, or even create new ones. In turn, workers will have to keep up by ensuring that they have the new skills needed by these evolving and emerging jobs. And because the cheese will keep on moving, it will be a lifelong endeavor for most of them.

I remember when I was just starting and looking to land my first job. The first thing I was asked for was my transcript of record and the interview basically revolved around my grades. And just like most of my seniors in the company, promotions would mean learning new skills only when I already have a new position and only for skills that I need to do my new job well. Technology innovations were not as pervasive as it is today so there was no need to anticipate changes in job roles so there is not much motivation to explore new job skills outside of what the existing role needs.

Fast forward to today and we see that most organizations are looking for individuals who have the skills to adapt and keep up with the changes. In order to stay competitive in the evolving job market, individuals need to anticipate industry and technology trends, and continuously acquire new skills and knowledge throughout their careers.

We are beginning to see changes in the workplace today. One example is the accelerated shift towards remote work and digitalization. With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, we are starting to see software and machines taking over many jobs once performed by humans. Individuals then will have to adapt to new ways of working and acquire new skills that complement the capabilities of machines and AI. Or even anticipate the emergence of new job roles and develop the necessary skills for them to take on the new jobs. The times when most workers would just depend on their companies to get them trained for new jobs are long gone. Employers today value employees who are self-learners, proactive in their learning and development, and would more likely promote and provide opportunities for advancement to these individuals. Lifelong learning then is key today.

We are also beginning to see a change in the attitude of recruiters. They are warming up to a skills-over-degrees mindset. Many employers today value skills and potential more heavily than degrees or pedigrees when hiring. Even global brands are relying on soft skills and willingness to learn as predictors of success.

A worker today essentially needs a strong set of digital skills in order to navigate the digital landscape. This would include proficiency in using various software and online tools. Online digital skills courses, mostly free, are available today. 

It is also important that workers embrace flexibility because remote work and flexible schedules are becoming to be common. It is essential for them to be open to different ways of working. In these emerging work environments, workers need to build their support network. This would include family, friends, and colleagues who can provide emotional support and advice. Working remotely can be isolating and it is important to have a dependable support network in place.

Many have taken the path of lifelong learning to explore new career paths and opportunities that may not be available to them previously. By anticipating the impact of emerging technology trends, they can also better prepare for new job roles that may arise. Finally, learning new things can be challenging and stimulating, which helps to keep our minds active and engaged.

Learning can be done by workers themselves and, fortunately for everyone in these digital times, many online learning platforms have popped up offering self-paced workshops, both credentialed and non-credentialed. Credentialed workshops simply mean that at the end of the course, the learner must take an assessment examination and, if passed, will be provided with certifications attesting that the learner has at least attained the minimum level of proficiency required for that skill or competence.

The need for individuals to adapt and acquire new skills throughout their lives has made it essential for them to engage in ongoing learning and development. Lifelong learning enables individuals to stay competitive in the job market, adapt to new ways of working, advance in their careers, stay engaged and motivated, and contribute to society. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals to make lifelong learning a priority in their lives.

A skilled workforce is a key driver of the country’s economic growth and competitiveness. It is therefore everyone’s business to help our workers develop that lifelong learning mindset to ensure that they continue to meet the changing needs of a digital economy.

mon.ibrahim@aap.ph

Training ourselves to give our all

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

ESPECIALLY in our relation with God and with others, we need to give our all. Especially in our duties toward them, we should do our best to carry them out wholeheartedly.

The consideration of prudence and discretion may appear to us as if we have to be calculating and to give less than what we would like to give, but in the end what it does is to lead us to give our all.

We are reminded of this truth about our life in that gospel episode where Christ told his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.” (Mk 4,21-22)

These words of Christ clearly tell us that we should always be at the service of God and others, doing the most important task of always giving glory to God and of leading everybody else to him.

And he capped this indication of his with a call to generosity when he said, “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has more, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mk 4,24-25)

In our self-giving to God and to others, we should try our best to be energized, driven and zealous. That is actually the ideal condition for us. Even if we are endowed only with the most phlegmatic and melancholic temperaments, something must be burning inside our heart that cannot help but burst into a flame, a flame of love, of self-giving, of serving without expecting any return. If it is not yet there, then let’s enkindle it.

The secret again is always that vital identification with Christ who, in pursuit of his redemptive mission, expressed such zeal when he said: “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning!” (Lk 12,49) And no amount of difficulty and suffering, and even death, could stop him from pursuing his mission. Such should also be out attitude.

If we are truly in love, with the love of God who is the source, pattern and end of love, we cannot help but, like Christ, be always energized, driven and zealous, no matter what the cost. Of course, this condition is quite tough to meet, but if we would just try, and try again as often as necessary, certainly the ideal effect would just come about.

Let’s also remember that God has endowed us with everything we need for us to achieve our ideal condition that would enable us to give our all. We need to develop a keen sense of generosity and self-giving that is also a result of detachment. Let’s never forget that whatever we have comes from God who wants us to work for the common good. Thus, we hear St. Paul saying, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor 4,7)

We have been reminded of this need to cultivate generosity in the gospel. “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions,” Christ said. (Lk 12,15) Let’s remember that God cannot be outdone in generosity.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

10 Pinaka Mapinsalang Bagyo Sa Pilipinas (Worst Typhoons)

10. typhoon Lando 9. typhoon Pedring 8. typhoon Rolly 7. typhoon Ulysses 6. typhoon Pepeng 5. typhoon Ompong 4. typhoon Glenda 3. typhoon Pablo 2. typhoon Odette 1. typhoon Yolanda tags & topic #typhoon #strongest #bagyo #hurricane #cyclone #bagyong #pinaka #pinsala #malakas #malalakas #mapaminsala #pinsalang #philippines #top #typhoons #biggest #tumama #dumaan #humagupit #nabuo #nabubuo #scariest#super #storm #surge This video content is my original creation and narrative, but all of the clips or materials that I used, including images, videos, and music, are all credited to their respective owners.

Former rivals GMA, ABS-CBN jointly producing tv series

by James A. Loyola

GMA Network and ABS-CBN Corporation, formerly stiff rivals in the broadcasting industry, have sealed a new historic partnership for the co-production of a groundbreaking television series.

In a statement, the two multi-media giants said the romantic-drama series titled “Unbreak My Heart” will be filmed in Switzerland and will air on GMA this year.

It will also stream in 15 territories outside of the Philippines on Viu, PCCW’s leading pan-regional over-the-top video streaming service.

The partnership was made official during a contract signing held at ABS-CBN with top officials from the three companies led by GMA Senior Vice-President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Groups Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer of Broadcast Cory Vidanes, and Viu Philippines Deputy Country Manager Vinchi Sy-Quia.

“It’s a first for Philippine TV and I’m sure it’s the audience that will be the winners in this collaboration. We’re very excited to be working with ABS-CBN on TV for the first time,” said Gozon.

Vidanes noted that, “This is a milestone in the industry. We’re thankful for this opportunity and we’re very happy to work with GMA to serve our audiences. We unite as one team. We never imagined that this was going to happen.”

“Today, we are able to proudly showcase that on our platform with premium Filipino content not just for Filipino audiences but also for global audiences to appreciate and enjoy. This is with a vision of bringing the best of the Filipino talent on-cam and off-cam to the world,” said Viu Philippines Content Partnerships Head Garlic Garcia.

Actress Jodi Sta. Maria said “This collaboration will really bring in opportunities not only to the networks, but for the people working in the network, for the people in the industry.”

“I’m really proud, honored, and excited to be part of this show which is history in the making since this is the first time that two network giants will be working with each other. Of course I’m also excited to be working with Jodi again and all the other people in the cast,” said actor Richard Yap. It will also stream in 15 territories outside of the Philippines on Viu, PCCW’s leading pan-regional over-the-top video streaming service.

The partnership was made official during a contract signing held at ABS-CBN with top officials from the three companies led by GMA Senior Vice-President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Groups Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer of Broadcast Cory Vidanes, and Viu Philippines Deputy Country Manager Vinchi Sy-Quia.

It’s a first for Philippine TV and I’m sure it’s the audience that will be the winners in this collaboration. We’re very excited to be working with ABS-CBN on TV for the first time,” said Gozon.

Vdanes noted that, “This is a milestone in the industry. We’re thankful for this opportunity and we’re very happy to work with GMA to serve our audiences. We unite as one team. We never imagined that this was going to happen.”

“Today, we are able to proudly showcase that on our platform with premium Filipino content not just for Filipino audiences but also for global audiences to appreciate and enjoy. This is with a vision of bringing the best of the Filipino talent on-cam and off-cam to the world,” said Viu Philippines Content Partnerships Head Garlic Garcia.

Actress Jodi Sta. Maria said “This collaboration will really bring in opportunities not only to the networks, but for the people working in the network, for the people in the industry.”

“I’m really proud, honored, and excited to be part of this show which is history in the making since this is the first time that two network giants will be working with each other. Of course I’m also excited to be working with Jodi again and all the other people in the cast,” said actor Richard Yap.

Peso flat, PSEi up a bit; growth results awaited

By Ed Paolo Salting   and Eireene Jairee Gomez

THE peso was unchanged while the stock market added just a few points on Monday ahead of the release of 2022 economic growth data later this week.

The currency closed at P54.54 to a dollar, the same as Friday's finish.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), meanwhile, added 13.06 points, or 0.19 percent, to close at 7,069.68. The broader All Shares went up by a smaller 8.39 points, or 0.23 percent, to 3,691.25.

"The day's move could be attributed to investors adopting a wait-and-see mode ahead of the release of fourth-quarter 2022 GDP (gross domestic product) reports for the Philippines and the US later this week, which are both on Jan[uary] 26," Rastine Mercado, research head at China Bank Securities, said.

Claire Alviar, research associate at Philstocks Financial Inc., noted that foreigners had helped lift the market with a net inflow of P421.79 million. US market gains from Friday also provided support, she added.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., meanwhile, said sentiment was being buoyed by dovish signals regarding upcoming policy rate meetings in the United States and Manila.

Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis Limlingan said investors would also be looking for the latest US personal consumption expenditure price index and the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (purchasing managers' index), among others.

Peso trading opened at P54.4:$1 and ranged from P54.3 to P54.6. The total volume for the day was $1.24 billion, slightly higher than the $1.046 billion in the previous session.

Sectoral results, meanwhile, were mixed with holding firms up the most (0.63 percent) and mining and oil (-0.80 percent) leading the losers.

A total of 1.24 billion shares worth P8.35 billion changed hands.

Advancers edged out decliners, 99 to 92, while 55 remained unchanged.

LOOK: VP Duterte meets patients with cleft palate, brain aneurysm during Negros Occ trip

by Raymund Antonio, MB

Vice President Sara Duterte’s trip to Negros Occidental on Monday, Jan. 23, enabled her to help two patients, who are both suffering from serious medical conditions.

Vice President Sara Duterte visits one-year-old Adezequel Ramirez, who has a cleft palate, in Talisay City on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. (OVP photo)

In a Facebook post, the official shared about meeting one-year-old Adezequel Ramirez, who has cleft palate, in Talisay City. 

Duterte said that she met Adezequel’s mother, Girlie, during the campaign trail in April last year.

“Noong nag-caravan sila dito sa Talisay, nanood kami sa labas, nakatayo, tapos nalampasan po niya kami. Paglingon niya sa amin nakita niya kami ni baby. Pinapunta niya kami at kinausap kami ng isa po sa mga staff niya (When they had a caravan here in Talisay, we were there outside, standing, then they passed by. When she looked back, she saw me and baby. She called us and one of her staff talked to us),” Ramirez, who was quoted by Duterte’s office, said. 

“Humihingi po kami na sana matulungan niya po kami na ma-operahan ‘yung anak ko hangang matapos po (We asked for help for my child to be operated on),” she added.

Acezequel was just three months when he and his mother met the then-vice presidential candidate.

Aside from a cleft palate, Acezequel also needs to undergo a colostomy. 

Ramirez thanked Duterte for promising to help in Acezequel’s operations.

“Maam, nagpapasalamat po ako nang sobra-sobra dahil araw-araw po akong nag-pray na sana may isang tao na tumulong sa aking problema para sa baby ko pero hindi ko inaasahan na dahil sa caravan nila, siya mismo, si (Ma’am, I am thankful because I pray every day for someone to help in my problem for my baby but I didn’t expect that because of the caravan, it’s) Vice (President) Sara Duterte, ‘yung taong ipinadala ni God para tumulong sa amin (herself who was sent by God to help us),” she Duterte.

The Vice President also visited April Dream Bangero, a supporter who reached out to her through email and asked for a chance to meet her in person.

VP Sara Duterte (left) and April Dream Bangero (right) (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)

In her email, the 40-year-old Bangero disclosed her medical conditions, which include a brain aneurysm.

Bangero expressed happiness for meeting Duterte.

“I am very honored that despite her busy schedule, she made sure to find the time to visit me. And my family is glad that she honored our home with her presence,” she said in a statement released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

As for the Vice President, she said in her Facebook post that she personally wants to see how she could be of help.

“Dinalaw natin sila upang makita ang kanilang mga kalagayan at matingnan kung anong tulong ang pwede nating maiabot para sa kanilang medikasyon (We visited them to see their conditions and to see what help we can extend for their medication),” she added.

Duterte shared photos of her with the Ramirez family, as well as with Bangero.

Meanwhile, the official also took time to visit the OVP-Bacolod Satellite Office, which was opened in August of last year .

OVP satellite office in Bacolod City (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte via Facebook)

“Naging pagkakataon ko ang pagbisitang ito upang personal na makilala ang ating mga empleyado at mapag-usapan ang estado ng ating mga programa dito sa (This visit became an opportunity to personally meet our employees and discuss the state of our programs here at the) Bacolod City Satellite Office at ang pagro-roll-out ng iba pang mga proyektong nakahilera ngayong taon (and the rollout of the different projects planned this year),” she said.

Apart from official photos with the employees standing before the OVP’s official seal, Duterte also shared photos where a supporter was seen taking a selfie with her.