Senators Alan and Pia extend help to residents of Manila

 

PRESS RELEASE

Senators Alan and Pia extend help to residents of Manila

“Labis po kami nagpapasalamat kila Senator Alan Peter at Pia Cayetano,” Jonah Aure, vice-chairperson of Central Market Development Cooperative (CMDCO), said at the distribution of aid in Santa Cruz, Manila on April 4, 2024. “Napakalaking tulong po nang naibigay na bigas sa ating mga members na magkaroon ng kabuhayan.”

The offices of Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano had gone to Santa Cruz on April 4, 2024 to provide assistance to 85 beneficiaries, aiming to uplift their livelihoods.

“Rest assured po na ang ibinigay niyong tsansa sa ating mga members ay mapapaikot po nila ang kanilang kabuhayan,” Aure added.

Expressing the same sentiment, Alfie Isip Hualde said the assistance they received would go a long way for them.

“Una sa lahat, pwede ko po gawing panimulang hanapbuhay iyon… Umasa po kayo na palalaguin at pagyayabungin pa po namin ang kabuhayan na ipinagkaloob,” he said.

The activity was done in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), which aims to broaden the entrepreneurial ventures of the beneficiaries by providing necessary assistance they could use as seed capital.

The disbursement activity was executed successfully due to the effort and participation of DOLE NCR Director Atty. Joel Petak, DOLE Livelihood Officer John Rey Abitria, CMDCO Chairperson Rayner Revellame, and CMDCO Vice-chairperson Jonah Aure.

More vital livelihood programs for Manila

The offices of Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano also visited Sampaloc, Manila on April 4 and 5 in preparation for upcoming livelihood activities.

This was done through a partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) which aims to provide assistance to members of the 4Ps to enable them to start their own micro-businesses or undergo employment skills training.

The visits of the senators’ teams to Manila were made successful through the efforts and participation of SLP Project Development Officer Crispie Tabucol and SLP Capacity Building Officer Gloria Lopez.###

World Health Day: My health, my right

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Apr 7, 2024 00:17 AM

  

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Today, April 7, is World Health Day, an event that has been celebrated annually since 1948 to create awareness on a specific health issue of concern to people all over the world, and to the World Health Organization (WHO). This year, the theme – My health, my right – brings attention to the fact that everyone should have access to quality health services.

According to WHO, more than half of the world’s population – at least 4.5 billion people  – were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021. “Around the world, the right to health of millions of people is increasingly coming under threat” from diseases, disasters, conflict and climate change.

In the Western Pacific Region, two out of every five individuals do not have access to essential health services, WHO Regional Director Saia Ma’u Piukala said, equating that ratio to an estimated 782 million individuals. These individuals “still do not have full access to at least one essential health service, such as immunization, pregnancy and newborn care; treatments for communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV, as well as for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension.”

A person’s right to health does not only mean health services but also includes the right to other basic conditions for a healthy life such as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.

For instance, people’s health is also affected by climate change issues.  WHO cited the burning of fossil fuels as “simultaneously driving the climate crisis and taking away our right to breathe clean air, with indoor and outdoor air pollution claiming a life every five seconds.”

WHO listed the right to health as: The right to “safe and quality care, without any discrimination; to privacy and confidentiality of one’s health information; to information about one’s treatment and to informed consent; to bodily autonomy and integrity; and to make decisions about one’s own health.” 

World Health Day is celebrated to urge governments to accelerate action on health programs to realize the right to health of their people.

As individuals, we join the WHO in encouraging citizens to join actions and discussions on the health requirements of communities to appeal to political leaders to act on them.  There are many health issues which need more support from the public and private sectors – good nutrition, clean air, and safe drinking water.

In the Philippines, one of the important health issues is good nutrition, particularly during the first 1,000 days of a child. “Poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days can cause irreversible damage to a child’s growing brain, affecting the ability to do well in school and earn a good living – and making it harder for a child and family to rise out of poverty.”

This is the advocacy of the Children’s First One Thousand Days Coalition (CFDC) which calls on government and private sectors to continue this initiative in all barangays around the country.  It is a health program that could be considered as an individual’s, a community’s, or a corporation’s advocacy to make the right to health accessible to more people.

We urge government to craft and implement policies that make quality health services more accessible to all Filipinos, especially those living in geographically isolated areas, keeping in mind that truly, “health is an investment in every country’s present and future.”

The Stands: An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

April 5, 2024

Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo says au revoir to Paris bid. (REUTERS)

Hey there sports fan, Calvin Abueva has been fined again, this time for flipping the bird. But since we've all cleansed our inner selves over the Holy Week break, let's do away with that story. Instead, this bittersweet update from the world of weightlifting. The Philippines has qualified three lifters to the Paris Olympics: Rosegie Ramos, John Febaur Ceniza and Elreen Ann Ando.  Catching Ando's name there may have given followers of the sport, and of the country's Olympians, a jolt. Could it be? Sadly, yes. Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo failed to make the grade for the Paris Games. Diaz-Naranjo and Ando, both of whom saw their pet divisions scrubbed off the olympic calendar this year, found themselves caught in the same weight class: The women's 59-kg division. And since Olympic rules limit each country to one qualifier per weight, that meant the two lifters would have to go head-to-head. And in the final Olympic qualifier in Thailand, Ando managed to slip past Diaz-Naranjo to book her Paris ticket. “I love this sport, I don’t want to stop,” Diaz-Naranjo told the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). “But what I have to do now is take a good rest and think about the priorities in my life. Today wasn’t my day. Paris was not to be.”

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Angeline Poyos is on fire.  (UAAP MEDIA)

oMeanwhile... There have been some awesome performances in the UAAP women's volleyball tournament. With Angel Canino struck down by injury, La Salle turned to its bench to show that it is not a one-woman show. National U, meanwhile, has hit its stride and Bella Belen knows why: The Lady Bulldogs have been trying too hard to make this season a redemption tour that they forgot the joy of playing their game. Not anymore. And oh, Angeline Poyos! The early days in the UAAP calendar may have been filled with Casiey Dongallo highlight reels but the University of Santo TOmas rookie is slowly emerging as a star-in-the-making after punching in a season-best 31 points. What we're up to next: UAAP women's volleyball, PVL All-Filipino Conference, PBA Philippine Cup. Need we say anything more? Stick to our platforms for the most in-depth and engaging sports content. Number of the Week: 41 Points scored by Caitlin Clark in the Iowa-LSU Elite Eight showdown in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I’ve given a lot to this sport and it’s given a lot to me.” —Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, after missing out on the Paris Olympics.

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There are two answers to our weekly sports quiz in this newsletter. Think you can ace the rest of the quiz? head over to our Viber community and try the test out! Buy the Inquirer at newsstands, subscribe to our digital edition, Inquirer Plus, visit our online site and follow us on socials (Twitter: @inquirersports; FB: facebook.com/inquirersports) for more stories and updates—or to send us questions or suggestions of stories you'd want to read. See you next Friday! Francis Francis T. J. Ochoa is the Sports Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For comments, suggestions and questions, hit him up on Twitter (@ftjochoaINQ).The Stands

Air Supply getting biopic to mark 50th year

 

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

April 5, 2024 | 9:30am

MANILA, Philippines — Soft rock duo Air Supply will mark its 50th year since its formation with a biopic detailing the years Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock spent together in the industry.

The biopic will carry the title "All Out of Love: The Air Supply Story," aptly borrowing from one of the duo's most popular songs.

The movie will explore "the highs and lows of the band's career and their rise to international fame," from Russell and Hitchcock's early beginnings in Australia to their breakthrough in the United States.

Altit Media Group will serve as producers through Dean Altit with Barry Siegel, Jesse Weiner, and Julia Xu as executive producers.

Shooting is eyed to begin later this year in Australia and the United Kingdom in hopes of a 2025 release.

"What a great occasion to celebrate our 50th Anniversary! And a personal thrill for me to see Graham's songs be the basis for the biopic," Hitchcock said in a statement which Russell reciprocated and added, "The timing is so perfect."

Biopics of musicians have been popular in recent years like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Elvis," "Rocketman," "Respect," "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody," and most recently "Bob Marley: One Love."

Apart from "All Out of Love," Air Supply is best known for hits such as "Making Love Out of Nothing at All," "Every Woman in the World," "Here I Am," "Two Less Lonely People in the World," "Just As I Am," "Come What May," "The One That You Love," "Lonely Is The Night," "Lost in Love," and "Even the Nights Are Better."

Air Supply have performed in the Philippines several times over the years, the duo's most recent visit was just last December.

Eid'l Fitr on April 10 declared a regular holiday

Members of the Muslim community near the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila prepare for morning prayers in celebration of Eid’l Fitr, or the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Miguel De Guzman

Ian Laqui - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday declared April 10, 2024, Wednesday a regular holiday throughout the Philippines for the observance of the Islamic holiday of Eid'l Fitr. 

This has been declared through Proclamation No. 514 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following the recommendation from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).

“WHEREAS, in order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the EidT Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, and to allow the entire Filipino nation to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony in the observance and celebration of Eid Fitr, it is necessary to declare Wednesday, 10 April 2024, a regular holiday throughout the country,” the proclamation read. 

Eid'l Fitr is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.

The date of the said holiday is calculated following the sighting of the new moon by a moon sighting committee by the NCMF.

Sheree retires from doing sexy roles, to stage 1st solo concert

Jan Milo Severo - Philstar.com

In an interview with the media during the launch of her upcoming concert "L’Arte de Sheree" next month, Sheree said that her son talked to her about doing sexy roles in the movies. 

"Sinabihan lang ako ng anak ko na parang inupo niya ako one day at sinabing, 'Ma, whatever is it you're doing, please stop,'" Sheree said.

"So, parang nagkaroon ako ng wake-up call na okay, I mean, okay naman 'yung mga ginawa kong movies na sexy pero it's time to retire," she added. 

"L’Arte de Sheree" is scheduled on May 24 in Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan.

“Siyempre, I’m not getting any younger and my son is growing up and I’m very thankful naman for the opportunity na binigay sa akin ng Viva. Hindi ko talaga makakalimutan lahat ng mga projects na binigay sa akin, pero siguro it’s time for me to change something. 'Yung parang I have to reveal na 'yung skills na inaral ko. Hindi naman alam ng mga tao na that I really sing. So, I really want to showcase my skills and my talents so I produced a show,” she said. 

Sheree said that she got the inspiration for the show when she went to Europe and watched a performance there. 

“What got me really inspired is when I went to Paris and I watched a show called 'Crazy Horse' before the pandemic and I was blown away. Dun sa show na 'yun naman, everyone was really super sexy and naked. When I watched the show sabi ko, ‘Oh my God nakahubad silang lahat!’ Pero sobrang mind-blowing kasi after the show, I forgot that they were all naked. So it was really the skill talaga 'yung pinakita nila and the performances. So, I really want to share that to our fellow Filipinos and hindi naman nila kaya pumunta dun at manuod ng ganung klaseng show. I was given the opportunity. So, why not do it myself?" she said.

"This show is going to be something like that but it meets Cirque de Soleil and burlesque. Actually mixed siya na show. It has Broadway and some of the musicals na ginawa ko. Kakantahin ko rin 'yung mga songs. So, it’s a different kind of entertainment for our kababayans,” she added. 

3 Important things to learn from this year’s Women’s Month celebration

Because everyone has a role to play

BY JESSICA PAG-IWAYAN

Apr 4, 2024 11:43 AM 

The month-long celebration of International Women’s Month is officially over. However, this doesn’t mean that the fight for equality and women's empowerment is over.

Throughout March 2024, various organizations and companies hosted events and published studies to shed light on important issues regarding women’s rights and the challenging situations girls and women still face in today’s society.

Here are three things we learned from all the forums and events we covered during the celebration.

Image and data from UN Women's official website

Funding is needed

Based on the latest data released by the United Nations (UN) Women's official website, with the current crises the world is facing today, including climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and soaring poverty levels, 'more than 340 million women and girls could be living in extreme poverty by 2030.'

To prevent this and 'achieve gender equality,' around $360 billion is needed annually. 'To ensure women’s needs and priorities are considered, governments must prioritize gender-responsive financing and increase public spending on essential services and social protection,' the report says.

The same study shows that women spend three times more on unpaid work than men. Thus, this study encourages policymakers and decision-makers to recognize women's value and contribution to worldwide economic stability. 

Promote financial literacy and inclusion

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, more and more private organizations and companies are playing their roles by opening up opportunities for women, creating safer environments, and promoting inclusivity. In multinational companies with local offices like Procter and Gamble (P&G), Telus, and even in local ones like the fintech company Tala, women are given seats.

These companies offer various benefits and perks that can help women achieve work-life balance, such as a remote-first work setup that allows employees to work from anywhere in the country, a flexible work schedule, and paid scheduled holiday leaves, in addition to personal time off (PTO). Tala also provides a dedicated lounge for new mothers who need to rest and breastfeed during on-site office hours.

To promote awareness about digital literacy, the same company invests in women’s financial education through TALAkayan sessions with financial literacy advocate and money expert Salve Duplito. This workshop specifically caters to women and mothers, providing them with the necessary tools to manage their finances effectively.

“Fintech is traditionally a male-dominated industry, but Tala as a company is proof that women can also very much be leaders and decision-makers in this field. In turn, this encourages more women to thrive in the organization and in their respective careers as well,” said Iona Iñigo-Mayo, director of Global Customer Experience Operations of Tala. 

Find and carve your path

The goal might still seem hard to reach, but with everyone chipping in their efforts, progress is being made. However, to be empowered and become the woman she aspires to be, one needs to work hard and carve her path.

This is an important lesson that award-winning Filipina director Antoinette Jadaone shared during the recently held #StrongLikeCoffee event, where Starbucks Philippines brought together a panel of trailblazing women to inspire learners from Young Focus Foundation and AHA! Learning Center.

According to Jadaone, just like the box-office hit stories of every superhero, where they have to go through hardships and improve their talents and skills before becoming the strong, mighty heroes that they are, everyone else must do the same. She emphasized that women should view these hardships as steps closer to their dreams and aspirations.

“Before ako naging director ang dami kong ginawa. Pero alam ko lahat ng iyon kailangan kong gawin kasi kapag dumating yung time na may magbigay sakin ng break, dapat ready ako (before I became a director, I did so many things and job. But I knew that I had to went all through that because when the time comes that I’ll be given a break, I am ready),” she said. 

Rock band We The Kings to storm Davao City on April 21

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Apr 4, 2024 12:03 PM 

Wildly popular American rock band We The Kings from Florida will be taking the Philippine stage by storm when they perform in Davao City this month. 

The We The Kings Asia Tour 2024 Live in Davao will be held on April 21 at the SMX Convention Center Davao.

We The Kings (Pulp Live World)

After their memorable performance in the Philippines in 2014, and due to overwhelming demand, We The Kings are ready to perform before Filipino fans again. 

Formed in 2005, We The Kings became a musical powerhouse by blending elements of alternative rock, emo, pop, pop-punk, pop rock, and power pop to create a distinct sound. 

The band’s current lineup—all of whom will be at the SMX Convention Center Davao for the show—includes Travis Clark (vocals/guitar), Hunter Thomsen (guitar), Coley O’Toole (keyboard/guitar), and Charles Trippy (bass). They have consistently pushed musical boundaries while cultivating a dedicated fanbase. Having toured with industry legends such as All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, and Simple Plan, We The Kings demonstrated their prowess on international stages. 

Their hit “Check Yes Juliet” achieved platinum status in Australia, and their collaboration with Demi Lovato, “We'll Be A Dream,” earned a Teen Choice Award nomination. 

They’ll first join as special guest at Boys Like Girls in Manila on April 20 at Araneta Coliseum, followed by their headlining concert in Davao City. 

For the  We The Kings Asia Tour 2024 Live in Davao, they have  prepared a setlist designed to make the night memorable and linger in the hearts of fans forever.

Tickets are available through SM Tickets outlets nationwide or online at smtickets.com.  

For the ultimate fan experience, the VIP with Meet & Greet option is available for P5,000. Standard VIP tickets are priced at P3,000, while General Admission tickets are available for those looking to enjoy the concert at P2,000. Ticketing charges will be applied. 

The show is proudly presented by Skesh Entertainment, Davao Concert Scene, and Pulp Live World. 

El Niño-induced wildfires break out in Mindanao, Visayas

VILLAGE THREAT A grass fire has already spread across a two-hectare area at Barangay Bata in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, by the time this drone shot was taken on Tuesday morning. JOSE ANTONIO ROSELLO

By: Carla Gomez, Nestle Semilla, Ryan D. Rosauro - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:34 AM April 04, 2024

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Rising heat levels due to the El Niño weather phenomenon have been causing wildfires in various parts of Mindanao and the Visayas, with the latest on Wednesday threatening to engulf the airport in General Santos City (in Soccsksargen or Region 12).

Firefighters battled for four hours a wildfire in Barangay San Isidro that broke out around 11 a.m., was put under control after three hours and eventually put out by 3 p.m.

It was the most serious incident so far since wildfires broke out in various parts of Mindanao beginning last month.

San Isidro village chief Edward Frederick Yumang led the barangay’s fire and rescue brigade in extinguishing the blaze, aided by the Bureau of Fire Protection’s Calumpang substation and the fire brigades of Calumpang, Labangal and Bula villages, the firefighting team of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and three volunteer fire brigades.

The fire, according to Yumang, started inside the airport compound but no damage was reported to its facilities and other nearby properties.

On Wednesday, General Santos City was expected to register a heat index of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius and a video shared on social media by a certain Francis Sablon taken from inside a landed plane showed thick smoke hovering near the airport’s traffic control tower.

Near airport

Six days earlier, a wildfire also broke out near the airport compound in Barangay Fatima.

The most wildfires, per monitoring by the Inquirer, were in Koronadal City, the capital of South Cotabato province, with six incidents starting on March 4.

The most serious was on March 19, in Barangay Paraiso, when the blaze threatened a power distribution facility, leading to an unscheduled power interruption in the city.

Wildfires also broke out in Banga, Tantangan and Polomolok towns.

In Cotabato province, a grass fire spread on Tuesday night and engulfed portions of an oil palm plantation in Mlang town, local media organizations reported.

Also, on Tuesday night, a fire spread across a grassland in the hinterlands of Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur, toward its boundary with Digos City. The fire was put out by 2 a.m. on Wednesday through the combined efforts of the fire stations of Digos, Sta. Cruz and volunteer firefighters.

Rising heat index

In Bacolod City, at least 13 fire incidents, 10 of which were grass fires, were recorded on April 2 amid the forecast heat index of 42 C.

A grass fire with alarmingly huge flames hit seven hectares near the Northbound Terminal in Barangay Banago at 5:41 p.m. and was extinguished around 8 p.m., the Bacolod City Fire Station reported.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez visited the Missionaries of Charity in Barangay Banago, which cares for the indigent elderly and sick, as the alarm was raised since the raging grass fire was close to their facility and the smoke could be harmful to its patients.

Benitez said the nuns and patients at the facility were okay.

A grass fire also hit two hectares in Barangay Bata at 7:46 a.m. and was declared out at 9:51 a.m.

Fire also destroyed the house of Roland Dillapeña Tulopia at Bangga Totong, Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City, while rubbish and vehicular fires were also reported on Tuesday.

Early reporting crucial

Benitez called on the public, as well as all barangay and purok officials, to be extra vigilant against grass fires and other fire incidents and to immediately report them to the nearest fire station, said lawyer Caesar Distrito, the mayor’s spokesperson.

“The mayor also asked barangays to organize or reactivate volunteers as part of the firefighting initiatives of the city,” Distrito said.

The mayor reminded Bacolod residents to avoid burning their garbage and to make sure fire-prone and combustible materials were stored safely.