Go hopes Marcos admin will prioritize proposed Department of Disaster Resilience

BY MARIO CASAYURAN

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go is hopeful that President Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. will also prioritize the establishment of a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) especially amid recent calamities and natural disasters experienced by Filipinos in various parts of the country.

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(MANILA BULLETIN)

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go is hopeful that President Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. will also prioritize the establishment of a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) especially amid recent calamities and natural disasters experienced by Filipinos in various parts of the country.

Drawing attention to the country's vulnerability to natural calamities, Go advocated for a strengthened national framework on disaster preparedness, response, and resiliency.  

He expressed hopes that his legislative proposal for a DDR would be included in the priority legislative agenda of the Marcos administration. 

"Nasa committee level po ito ng Defense Committee sa Senate (The DDR bill is already with the defense committee of the Senate). Bilang vice chairman, ay hinihikayat ko po 'yung mga kasamahan ko sa Senado na sana po ay maipasa natin ito (As vice chairman of the defense committee, I ask my fellow s senators to pass the measure),” he said.

In his visit to Bohol, Go cited the province’s susceptibility to typhoons and other natural disasters, illustrating the necessity for a preemptive, responsive, and well-coordinated system.

In 2013, Bohol experienced a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2, centered near the municipality of Sagbayan. The event was catastrophic, causing at least 222 fatalities. Eight people were reported missing.

The total damage wrought by this disaster was estimated to exceed $53 million (P2.9 billion). 

Go further outlined the key responsibilities of the proposed department.

Challenging the existing practice of forming task forces whenever a new administration comes into power, Go argued that a dedicated department would provide consistency and a focused approach to disaster management.

Senate Bill (SB) 188, authored by Go, proposes the establishment of the DDR to centralize disaster management efforts, streamline coordination among different agencies, and ensure a more swift and effective response to emergencies.

The core objective of the bill is to concentrate on three key result areas: disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response, and recovery and building forward better.

The establishment of this Cabinet secretary-level department will allow the government to better allocate resources, improve disaster risk reduction strategies, and provide prompt assistance to affected communities, particularly those belonging to the marginalized sectors.

The Office of Civil Defense has recently voiced its support for the establishment of the DDR, emphasizing the importance of such institution in improving operations in managing and responding to future crises.

‘Egay’ now a tropical storm, may intensify into severe tropical storm

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Pagasa says Tropical Depression Egay has strengthened into a tropical storm as it moves westward over the Philippine Sea and may intensify further into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours.

Magnitude 4.8 quake hits Davao Oriental

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Jul 22, 2023 08:22 AM

  

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A 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit Davao Oriental on Saturday, July 22, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Photo credit to Phivolcs

Phivolcs said the quake was recorded 45 kilometers (km) southeast of Tarragona, Davao Oriental, at 3:24 a.m.

In the bulletin released by Phivolcs, the tectonic-origin quake has a depth of focus of 18 km. 

Meanwhile, it also said that there are no damage and aftershocks to expect due to this tremor. (Sonny Daanoy

Who is Lara Maigue? Get to know the artist who will sing the Philippine national anthem at SONA 2023

BY CARISSA ALCANTARA 

Lara Maigue (Images courtesy of Facebook)

Lara Maigue became the star of the news after her sensational video of casually singing Mozart's "Queen of The Night" went viral. She has just been announced as the unexpected performer who will grace the State of the Nation Address (SONA) with her rendition of the national anthem on July 24.

During an interview on Teleradyo, House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco said that they had seen Lara's viral video on YouTube.

"Ang balita namin there will be a singer ng Pambansang Awit natin. Ang pangalan niya ay Lara Maigue. Tinignan namin yun sa YouTube. Very famous pala siya," Velasco said. 

(Our news is there will be a singer of our National Anthem. Her name is Lara Maigue. We looked it up on YouTube. She is very famous)

After announcing her as the surprise performer, HeaAccording to Ahwel Paz, Ngayon's entertainment correspondent, Lara was surprised upon discovering that she would be performing at the event.

"Humingi kami ng panayam galing kay Lara kung anong reaksyon na siya ang surpresang kakanta, pero siya mismo ay nasurpresa na napangalanan na pala siya kaninang umaga," Ahwel said.

(We asked for an interview from Lara about her reaction to being the surprise singer, but she was also surprised that she was named this morning) .

Being a child of Filipino composer Professor Rayben Maigue, and soprano, Nanette Moscardon. Lara has always been surrounded by music. In fact, her mom Nanette became her first classical mentor during the early days. 

Lara is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Music, majoring in Voice. Fides Cuyugan-Asension trained her during her time there. 

Throughout her music career, she was recognized by the Aliw (Entertainment) Awards Foundation as Best Female Classical Performer for 2017 and Best Female Crossover Artist for 2018.

In 2014, she appeared in her first musical teleserye entitled "Trenderas" with Isabelle de Leon and Katrina Velarde.

Here are some facts you may need to learn about these multi-talented artists. 

1. In 2015, Lara became one of the top 12 finalists in Philpop with her entry, "Nasaan."
2. Her family runs "Maigue Music Studio," where they teach dance, piano, guitar, trumpet, and art classes for all ages. Where she is a managing partner and vocal coach. 
3. She is currently in a relationship with another multi-talented actor and singer Gian Magdangal. 
4. Since 2011, Lara has traveled to different countries, including Florence, Italy; Canberra and Sydney, Australia; Singapore and New Delhi, India, to promote Filipino music.
5. Lara was also one of the finalists at the Singapore Lyric Opera ASEAN Vocal Competition in 2018. 
6. Lara is currently training under Filipino-American tenor Arthur Espiritu.
7. She attended the masterclass for a South Korean soprano Sumi Jo and was praised by the Grammy Award-winning soprano for her "supernatural high notes."
8. Lara signed under Star Music and released her first original composition entitled "Kung Puwede Lang Naman" 
9. She portrayed the role of "Ligaya Paraiso" on the n the award-winning movie turned into a musical "Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag" directed by Joel Lamangan.
10. Lara became a segment host of Sagisag Kultura TV, a culture, arts, and travel program by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts on PTV channel 4.

Eala books quarters berth in Spain tourney

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Alex Eala outhustled Chinese qualifier Mi Tianmi, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-0, to storm into the quarterfinals of the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Spain on Friday, July 21.

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Alex Eala outhustled Chinese qualifier Mi Tianmi, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-0, to storm into the quarterfinals of the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Spain on Friday, July 21.

Alex Eala needs an extra set in barging into the quarterfinals. (File Photo/Alex Eala Facebook)

The unseeded Eala recovered from a tight second-set stumble by blanking her Chinese foe in the deciding third frame to inch closer to the title.

She was only one of three unseeded players who advanced to the Final 8. 

The victory set up Eala a quarters date with Spaniard Lucia Cortez Llorca, who downed wildcard bet Lucia Llinares Domingo also of Spain, 6-2, 6-4.

This would be the first time that Eala and Llorca would meet in the ITF pro circuit, with the world No. 406 Spaniard seeking her first pro singles crown.

Meanwhile, Eala and her partner Marina Bassols Ribera of Spain, fell short in their quarters doubles match after bowing to France’s Estelle Cascino and Latvia’s Diana Marcinkevica, 7-5, 1-6, 11-9.

A victory for Eala and Ribera could have arranged them a semifinal meeting with Thai third seed Luksika Kumkhum and Peangtarn Plipuech, who toppled Poland’s Gina Feistel and Great Britain’s Emilie Lindh.

To strengthen healthcare, gov’t must find a solution to nurses’ shortage

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Jul 22, 2023 00:09 AM

  

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It is not new information that our country has faced a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, over the years. This has caused concern among citizens and policymakers alike. But until now, the “bleeding” continues, especially as other countries have resumed to attract, recruit, and welcome our nurses in droves.

This dire situation is not lost on the President. In fact, he has acknowledged that the country has become a "victim of its own success" in producing competent healthcare professionals. Since Filipino nurses are sought-after globally, our own land will definitely feel the shortage. Our nursers are lured with attractive salaries, big bonuses, and special perks. Who would turn down a stable job with a nice car and four-bedroom house? Or extensive educational and health benefits for the family?

This situation with our nurses brings to life a sad reality — over 106,000 vacant nursing positions in our local public and private hospitals. 

The exodus of nurses seeking better opportunities and compensation abroad has exacerbated the problem. For example, a significant number of nursing graduates took the 2022 examination to practice in the US. This is 129 percent higher than the nurses who took the exam in 2021. This indicates the urgency to find viable solutions to retain skilled healthcare professionals in the country. The President and Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa must take swift action to tackle this crisis head-on.

Recognizing the need for an immediate solution, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recently signed a joint administrative agreement to initiate the “Nurse Workforce Complementation and Up-skilling Program.” This agreement allows under-board nurses, fresh graduates, and nursing graduates working in other industries to serve as Clinical Care Associates (CCAs) in public and private hospitals.

These CCAs will be engaged in essential non-core functions and will receive coaching and mentoring until they pass the nursing board exam. This move is a quick-fix solution to immediately bolster the healthcare workforce.

However, both the President and the DOH Secretary acknowledge that this measure is just the beginning. Expanding nursing schools, actively encouraging young individuals to pursue nursing careers, and streamlining the licensure process through more frequent board exams are crucial steps toward a sustainable solution. There is also a commitment to provide free board exam review classes for nursing students conducted by CHED-certified higher education institutions. 

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III's confidence in the effectiveness of enhanced reskilling and up-skilling, combined with support to pass the licensure exam, offers hope to immediately make nurses available. The aim is to eliminate the lengthy waiting period of four to five years for a strengthened nursing manpower pool.

With this synergy and cooperation among like-minded government agencies and stakeholders, the shortage of nurses that has plagued Philippine hospitals for too long has found a short-term solution. But like a bandaid that may peel off, this may not prove effective in the long run. There still needs to be a continuous effort to retain talent and create an attractive work environment for healthcare professionals. Otherwise, the bleeding is just temporarily stopped and will flow again once there is pain.

Nordeco to complete P1.5-M Samal-Pantukan interconnection project this year

BY IVY TEJANO

  

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DAVAO CITY – The Northern Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. (Nordeco) vowed to complete the P1.5-million interconnection project between Samal and Pantukan this year.

Nordeco issued the pledge before a joint committee hearing with the Senate Committees on Energy, Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship on July 12, Wednesday.

The electric cooperative said they deemed it proper to address the issues and concerns raised by the concerned member-consumer-owners and the local government units.

“We wish to enlighten our dear member-consumer-owners over the issues and concerns raised against Nordeco during the Senate Committee Hearing on July 12,” Nordeco said.

It added that the cooperative seeks to guide the entities, such as the Senate Committee on Energy, provincial government of Davao del Norte, city government of Igacos, and the local government units in the franchises of Nordeco.

Nordeco belied the “false, baseless accusations” of a certain Ryan Amper. It said that Amper is not connected with the electric cooperative.

“The self-proclaimed convenor of the Davao Consumer Movement (DCM) put into serious doubt the very existence of this consumer movement, its motive, and cause,” Nordeco added.

Nordeco said it hopes that the level of discourse on issues affecting them be confined to relevant laws and facts and not merely rely on unverified facts and assertions.

The electric cooperative was invited earlier to appear before the Senate Committee on Energy in response to Senate Resolution No. 629.

The resolution seeks an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the calamity status on Samal Island due to the power crisis. The objective is to explore short-term and long-term remedies to address the electricity supply deficiency on the island.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go appealed to the Nordeco to solve the power disruption in its service areas.

To address these concerns, Nordeco is now constructing a 15-kilometer submarine cable, estimated to cost around P1.5 billion, that will connect Igacos and Pantukan town with the mainland.

Nordeco officials believe that this initiative will effectively resolve the persistent power problems Samal Island faces.

 

On setting boundaries

Why it’s important to know one’s limits when interacting with others

BY POCH EULALIA

Jul 20, 2023 10:58 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• ‘Once you see the boundaries of your environment, they are no longer the boundaries of your environment.’ — Marshall McLuhan

**Illustration by OTEPH ANTIPOLO**

While it can come across as harsh for others, denying them of what might sometimes seem like such a simple request, there are times a simple no becomes crucial for your well-being.

Setting boundaries has become a hot topic as of late after a viral video of singer Lea Salonga asking fans to leave after they attempted to take pictures with her in her dressing room backstage drew mixed reactions online. Some felt she owed the fans an apology and that she should’ve entertained them since without them, she would be a nobody. Others stood by the theater star, saying the fans were disrespectful of her privacy and that she was simply following safety protocols. Salonga later made her thoughts clear through a tweet, “I have boundaries. Do not cross them.”
But what exactly does having boundaries mean? 

Setting boundaries entails defining and establishing limits for yourself in various aspects of life. These often encompass relationships, personal space, time, emotions, and values. For instance, in a relationship, there are some traits that most of us might find to be crucial traits to have that others could be indifferent about. Think of things such as not wanting to date smokers because you dislike smoking. Here are a few things to take note of when it comes to setting boundaries.

Be self-aware.

Understand what makes you uncomfortable and try to figure out behaviors, traits, and situations that you would find acceptable or unacceptable. As you lay these out, list them all down and think about why exactly you feel a certain way about these things. This should help in determining what your limits are and might even help you learn more about yourself along the way.

LIST IT DOWN To understand one's boundaries entails having to reflect on why certain things make you uncomfortable

Communication is vital!

To set boundaries means making such personal limits known to others and asserting them at all times. After all, how else would others know about your limitations if you haven’t disclosed such to them? With partners, be open about whatever issues you might have about your relationship moving forward and work toward a compromise. In a workplace scenario, learn to say no. Be clear to your employer about your limits to avoid being overworked.

Consistency is key.

Remember that boundaries are something you must stand by once you’ve established them. Don’t allow peer pressure or intimidation tactics to let you cave in. You’ve set these limitations for your well-being, ignoring them to give way to other’s requests will be detrimental in the long run. Being consistent also reinforces the importance of your boundaries. Others will see that these are non-negotiables and learn to respect them.

Respect goes both ways.

While you have your own personal limits, so will others. It’s important to always respect the boundaries set by others. It creates a mutual understanding and fosters healthier and more respectful

Filipinas make historic FIFA Women’s World Cup debut vs Switzerland

BY NIKOLE JAVIER

  

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AT A GLANCE

• This will be the maiden appearance for the Philippines, male and female, to play at the World Cup following a dramatic qualifying penalty shootout victory against Chinese Taipei in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup. 

After all the drama -- the long journey that was patchy and painful but momentous in every dash of recollection -- the fervor surely outweighs the pressure when history unfolds before the eyes of the Filipinas, the lady players of the Philippine National Women's Football Team, on Friday, July 21, against the imposing Switzerland at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.

The debuting world No. 46 Filipinas are looking to put everything on the line when they take on the No. 20 Swiss at 1 p.m. (Manila time) in their first-ever game in the grandest stage of all.

This will be the maiden appearance for the Philippines, male and female, to play at the World Cup following a dramatic qualifying penalty shootout victory against Chinese Taipei in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup.

From then on, the Filipinas have dedicated the rest of their other competitions as part of their preparations to the World Cup.

The Nationals arrived in Dunedin a day prior to their match after setting camp in Auckland since last week, where they have suitably acclimatized themselves before the much anticipated debut.

It also seems that the Filipinas had a taste of what’s ahead in their mission after playing an unofficial friendly match against world No. 3 Sweden on Monday, July 17, where they fell 5-1.

Although there was no detailed account of how the game went down, the Nationals had gauged where they were at after wrapping up the hardest four-week training camp of their lives in Sydney, Australia.

Landing in Group A, the Philippines knew it was due for a tough climb as all opponents in the preliminary phase turned out to be ranked highly.

After its game against Switzerland, the competition is only about to get more challenging as the Philippines faces world No. 12 Norway on July 30 to wrap up the group stage.

However, the Alen Stajcic-coached Filipinas will surely put everything on the table and refuse to leave without a fight after also getting tangled with one familiar foe in host nation New Zealand on July 25.

The Philippines and world No. 25 New Zealand battled in an international friendly in September last year that saw the Filipinas take a halftime lead of 1-nil before conceding two goals in the second half.

The Swiss, though, expect a promising match against the Filipinas, who remain as the underdogs despite tremendous growth in the past year and a half.

With the exciting opportunity ahead for Philippine sports, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) announced earlier this week that Cignal TV Inc. has stepped up and secured the broadcast rights to the tournament which gives the country a chance to support the Filipinas in their maiden appearance in the biggest football showpiece.

“This is an exciting development for football fans in the Philippines with the Filipinas’ matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be shown live on free television and other platforms of Cignal TV,” said PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta.

Stocks jump on strong corporate earnings

BY JAMES A. LOYOLA

  

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The local stock market rose further as investors were cheered by early corporate earnings reports.

The main index jumped 71.59 points or 1.09 percent to close at 6,613.50 as Banks led the rally with only the Services sector in the red. Volume improved to 518 million shares worth P4.52 billion as gainers beat losers 99 to 81 with 44 unchanged.

“Philippine shares climbed higher again, buoyed by stronger-than-expected second quarter earnings results locally and regionally,” said Regina Capital Development Corporation Managing Director Luis Limlingan.

He added that, “The latter creating optimism for a soft landing for the economy.”

Philstocks Financial Research and Engagement Officer Mikhail Plopenio said “The local market climbed as investors took cues from Wall Street’s positive performance overnight amid optimism towards second quarter corporate results in the US. At home, the strong sscond quarter 2023 earnings report from BPI also sparked hopes towards the Philippine corporate sector’s earnings season.“

“Moreover, ADB’s projection that the Philippines will be the fastest growing economy for 2023 and 2024 in Southeast Asia boosted sentiment,” he noted.