Pokwang: ‘The best revenge is to be fit and healthy’

by Stephanie Bernardino, MB

Pokwang reiterated the need to be fit and healthy in an Instagram post.

On Instagram, she uploaded a video of her doing some exercise routine.

Her caption read: “The best revenge is to be fit and healthy, not to impress some one or anybody, dapat fit para sa mga anak lalo na kung single mom ka.” 

“Hindi dapat sinisisi ang isang ina kung napabayaan ang katawan kaya nag hanap ng iba si mister, siguro kaya napabayaan kasi kakaalaga sating mga anak? kakaisip pano tayo palalakihin ng maayos? hindi maka pag pa salon kasi kulang sa budget? kakainin nalang ng mga anak, pang baon sa school pang tuition fee,” she added.

She then told her followers to refrain from ridiculing women, particularly mothers.

“Dahil para mo narin sinisi sarili mong ina na nagpabaya dahil sa pagmamahal sayo,” she related.

The Kapuso star ended her post with: “#PeaceEveryone ang ganda ng katawan ay kumukupas at babalik sa alabok pero pagmamahal ng isang anak ay walang kamatayan.”

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Pokwang also used the hashtags: “#womenempowerment” and “#Labanlangnanay.”

The time for innovation is now!

Published February 28, 2023, 12:05 AM

by Manila Bulletin

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “The only constant in life is change.” And if he were to update this based on current circumstances, he would’ve added the word “innovation.” Change, simply defined, is the act to be different. But innovation is bringing that act one notch higher, toward a better form, toward a better place.

In tech-driven times, we always hear about innovation. “Innovate, or perish” is the mantra of so many companies who have survived changes brought about by life-altering circumstances. In our history, these events are plenty — introduction of the computer, arrival of the hand-held gadgets, connection to the internet, to the emergence of artificial intelligence. Amid all these, what made huge corporations or small businesses survive and thrive is innovation. Without it, they cease to exist as the conditions are different from what they were accustomed with before.

Innovation, however, need not be in the realm of businesses alone. It is high time for the Philippines to develop an “innovation ecosystem,” which is currently championed by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General and Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. 

Balisacan made this remark during the National Innovation Council’s (NIC) first meeting under the Marcos administration last Feb. 21, 2023. Unknown to most Filipinos, there is an NIC, which is composed of 25 members, with the President as chairperson and the NEDA director general as vice chairperson. The rest are composed of 16 ex-officio members and seven members from the private sector.

Formed in 2019 under the Duterte administration, the NIC is “tasked to develop the country’s innovation goals, priorities, and long-term national strategies.” It is quite a surprise, or puzzling maybe, that its first meeting under the new administration is only the NIC’s fourth meeting since its creation (disrupted maybe by the pandemic). Now, wouldn’t it be more “fruitful” to have more meetings on innovations in the coming months?

All is not late, hopefully, as the NIC’s meeting was presided over by the President, who concurred with the important role of innovation to ensure economic growth, competitiveness, and resilience amid worldwide upheavals.

Balisacan said that one of our major challenges as a country is that “we have not paid much attention to innovation” and that the Philippines lags behind its neighbors when it comes to innovation.

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To address this challenge, Balisacan said: “What we want to happen is that we have an ecosystem that encourages, promotes… and helps them locate funds, access to credit… so that good ideas can be supported.” There is an Innovation Fund, which is a revolving fund aimed to support enterprises that are developing innovative solutions.

The NIC also presented to the President the important features of RA No. 11293 or the “Philippine Innovation Act” and updates on the formulation of the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD). The NIASD “outlines the country’s 10-year vision and long-term goals for innovation and serves as a detailed roadmap toward improving innovation governance.”

“These documents aim at enabling a strong innovation governance to drive the innovation ecosystem toward (our) goals of a smart and innovative Philippines that is productive, resilient, and sustainable, as well as inclusive,” Balisacan said.

With this promising start, may the path to embrace innovation be smooth and steady. As a country, we have to innovate, before it’s too late! Otherwise, we suffer the disgraceful consequence of irrelevance on the world stage.

All systems go for Davao de Oro's Bulawan Festival

The province of Davao de Oro is gearing up for a momentous celebration as it marks its silver founding anniversary in conjunction with the Bulawan Festival 2023. This event is set to take place on March 6-8, 2023 at the provincial capitol in Davao de Oro, a province located in the southeastern part of the Philippines.

The Bulawan Festival is an annual event that celebrates the province's rich cultural heritage, the bountiful harvest of its farmers, and the golden-hearted people.  The festival's name is derived from the local word for gold, which is a significant resource in the area. It is an opportunity for the people of Davao de Oro to showcase their traditions and customs, including traditional dances, songs, and costumes.

The festival's 2023 edition holds particular significance to its 25 years of service as it carries the theme, "25 ka tuig nga mapasalamatung pagpangalagad."  This milestone highlights the progress and development of Davao de Oro since its inception as a separate province from Davao del Norte in 1998.

The Bulawan Festival 2023 and the province's 25th founding anniversary will be marked by a series of events and activities that aim to celebrate the culture, heritage, and progress of Davao de Oro. These events include motorcade and float parades, cultural performances, talent showcases, trade fairs, nightly concerts, jobs fair, and free legal services day, among others.

In addition, a "Bulawanong Hatud Serbisyo"  will have different agencies pooling for medical and dental outreach and other services to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas  (GIDA) in Mawab, Compostela, Montevista, and Laak on March 4, 11, 18 and 25, respectively.

Another highlight of the festival is the Trade Expo and Furniture Fair which will showcase the province's abundant agricultural products. This fair provides a platform for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to promote and sell their products to a wider audience.

The celebration of the Bulawan Festival 2023 and the 25th founding anniversary of Davao de Oro serves as a testament to the resilience, creativity, and unity of the province's people. It is an occasion for them to come together, celebrate their heritage, and showcase their achievements. More than just a festival, it is an expression of the province's identity and a symbol of its bright and golden future.

The Bulawan Festival and 25th Founding Anniversary are brought to you by the provincial government of Davao de Oro, co-presented by the Apex Mining Co., Inc, and SILVER PARTNERS: Diatech Laboratory Supplies Co., Inc with ComVal Capitol Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CCMPC).

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Commuters asked to identify taxis collecting excessive fares in Cagayan de Oro City

by Franck Dick Rosete

A law enforcer from the Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board of Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10) inspects a taxi vehicle along Macabalan Port of Cagayan de Oro on February 24, 2023, over the alleged over-charging of fare rates and contracting of passengers. (Photo courtesy of LTFRB Region 10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board of Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10) has asked the commuters to report any irregularities committed by taxi drivers here.

The LTFRB-Reg. 10, in its Facebook post, said that details including plate number, operator’s name, trade name and the body number of the taxi must be taken should any passenger find any irregularity being committed by a taxi driver.

The agency issued the reminders amid allegations that numerous taxis, particularly in the Macabalan Port of Cagayan de Oro, were either over-charging their fare rates or resorting to a practice of ‘contracting’ the passengers instead of using meters.

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LTFRB-10 director Aminoden Guro said the agency did receive complaints from commuters who were victimized by scrupulous taxi drivers.

The agency also said it had received a resolution from the city council urging LTFRB-10 to solve the matter.

Councilor James Judith II, during the regular session of the city council on Jan. 30, presented his special report on the alleged over-charging of fare rates and contracting of passengers in Macabalan port.

Judith said that drivers in various public utility vehicles (PUV) in Macabalan port refused passengers who are not in favor of their fare contract.

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“Kung dili nato ni masumpo, makahatag baya ni og kadaot sa kadungganan ug imahen sa atong dakbayan (If we failed to solve this, it would bring damage to the reputation and image to our city),” said Judith.

“Maka-ingon ang atong mga bisita, asa naman ang giingon nga dakbayan sa bulawanong panaghigalaay (Our visitors would say, where is the so-called city

Jeannette Solas, a resident here, said a taxi driver asked for a fare amounting to around P400-P600 just for Barangay Nazareth destination.

“Giingnan nakog metro ra boss dili musugot. Ingnan pa kag “wala kay masakyan diha dam nga musugot og metro. Sige na dam ulan bya mangabasa mo (I said just use the (taxi) meter, Boss. He refused. And I was told “You cannot find a (public utility) vehicle there, Madam. Just go for it. It’s raining, you all get wet),” Solas said in her comment on LTFRB-10’s post pertaining to the inspection it conducted in Macabalan port.

Apart from the inspection in Macabalan port, the LTFRB-10 also conducted inspections on taxi drivers in the Cogon area here on complaints about taxi drivers refusing passengers.

A taxi or any PUV under the jurisdiction of LTFRB may be meted with a fine of P5000 in first offense if found to be over-charging or refusing passengers,  P10,000 in second offense and P15,000 in third offense.