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MANILA, Philippines - The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved an initial public offering (IPO) worth up to P1 billion planned by ACE Medical Center- Butuan Inc., which is part of the individual fund-raising activities of hospitals under the group.   In its meeting on June 20, the SEC en banc approved the registration statement of ACE Medical Center- Butuan covering 228,000 shares.   The hospital plans to offer 36,000 common shares to the public at a price ranging from P200,000 to P400,000 for every block of 10 shares, payable in cash or installment.   ACE Medical Center- Butuan is building an eight-story 176-bed multidisciplinary healthcare fa...

Keep on reading: SEC OKs ACE Medical Butuan’s P1B IPO

Five years into a knife-crime crisis, Britain is still scrambling for solutions.

  MANILA, Philippines - Canceling courtesy diplomatic passports is not unlawful but is a move to protect national honor, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Monday.   "It is not 'unlawful'; It is a courtesy to those who have ceased doing the job requiring blue passports," Locsin said over Twitter on Monday.   "We don't want to have them out there dishonored by foreign immigration by rejection. Just protecting national honor, sir. We may restore it (diplomatic passport) but insist it be the only passport," Locsin stressed, in reaction to former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario's statement that the move is "illegal" and "unlawful"....

Keep on reading: Locsin: Canceling courtesy passports isn’t unlawful

The teaser trailer of Xian Lim's first film was shared by the actor to his fans and followers last Saturday, June 22. "We poured our heart, mind, body and spirit in this project. Literal na dugo at pawis ang binigay ng lahat ng staff, artist and everyone involved in this film," the Lim said via Instagram, where he released the teaser. "Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nag tiwala," he added. (Thank you to everyone who believed.) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzA0cMoAbpS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The 15-second video features a man holding another man at gunpoint in a dimly lit room and ends with a different man bloodied on a chair saying, "Kilala mo kung sino sila?". (Do you...

Keep on reading: WATCH: Xian Lim releases teaser of directorial debut ‘Tabon’

A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck near to Indonesia's Tanimbar islands in Banda Sea Monday, with tremors being felt as far away as northern Australia.

MANILA, Philippines - Manila mayor-elect Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso on Monday urged his constituents to have a positive outlook amid life's difficulties and challenges.   On the 448th founding anniversary of the City of Manila, Domagoso said that the current generation should look behind on the challenges faced by their ancestors and use it to persevere in life.   "Hindi man naging madali ang bawat pagsubok ng panahon ngunit patuloy pa rin ang mga Manileo sa kanilang pagsumikap at paglaban para sa magandang kinabukasan ng mga salinlahi," Domagoso said in a statement.   (There have been difficult situations that we faced, but them people of Manila re...

Keep on reading: Manila mayor-elect Isko Moreno: Persevere, stay positive

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MANILA, Philippines - Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Monday pointed out that revoking courtesy diplomatic passports of former foreign affairs secretaries and diplomats is "illegal and "unlawful."   Del Rosario issued the statement after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) moved to issue an order canceling all courtesy diplomatic passports several days after the former DFA chief, using a Philippine diplomatic passport, was barred from entering Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.   READ: Ex-DFA chief denied entry to Hong Kong   READ: DFA to cancel all diplomatic passports issued to ex-top diplomats "A depa...

Keep on reading: Ex-DFA chief says cancelation of courtesy diplomatic passports unlawful

  MANILA, Philippines -- Travel time from Cubao, Quezon City to Makati City in five minutes is possible as promised by President Rodrigo Duterte, the director of the Philippine National Police - Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) said Monday.   PNP-HPG director Brig. Gen. Roberto Fajardo said the targeted travel time between the two key business centers is possible even before the end of the year or earlier than the deadline set by the President.   "We will enforce traffic laws. If masusunod 'yun, I think masosolusyonan 'yung order ng Presidente (If traffic laws are obeyed, I think the order of the President can be realized)," Fajardo said in a chance interview....

Keep on reading: PNP-HPG chief: Cubao to Makati in 5 minutes possible

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday said the Philippine government's reaction to the ramming by a Chinese vessel of a fishing boat manned by Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea is "kulang at malamya" (inadequate and weak).   Lacson said President Duterte's stand on maritime incident was not as "strong-willed" as his stand on other key, pressing issues and concerns.   "Kulang at malamya. Alam naman natin ang attitude ng Pangulo na matigas, maski pare, maski European countries, Canada, mga ibang issue," Lacson said in an interview over radio dzBB.   (Inadequate and weak. We know that the President's attitude is always a tough one, be it ...

Keep on reading: Lacson says gov’t response to Recto Bank incident ‘kulang, malamya’

Stefani Carroll-Kirchoff always checks the washer and dryer to make sure none of her three cats have climbed inside. Well, almost always.

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil --- Lionel Messi avoided another disappointment with the national team as Argentina escaped elimination in the group stage of the Copa America. Lautaro Martinez and Sergio Aguero scored a goal in each half as Argentina defeated guest team Qatar 2-0 to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the South American competition. "We needed a victory to give us confidence and tranquility," Messi said. "What I liked the most was the team's attitude, its desire to win the game." Argentina finished second in Group B behind Colombia, which did Argentina a huge favor by beating Paraguay 1-0 in the other group match on Sunday. Colombia finished with nine points, Arge...

Keep on reading: Argentina beats Qatar to escape elimination at Copa America

LOS ANGELES --- A woman at Dodger Stadium was taken to a hospital Sunday for precautionary tests after being struck in the head by a foul ball from Los Angeles star Cody Bellinger during the first inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies. The young woman was sitting four rows from the field along the first base line, just beyond protective netting that extends to the end of the visiting dugout. She was hit by a sharp line drive by Bellinger, who checked on her between innings. She at first stayed in her seat and was given an ice pack, but she left about 15 minutes later for further attention. A first-aid person who treated the woman says she was taken to the hospital for p...

Keep on reading: Fan taken to hospital after struck by Cody Bellinger’s foul ball

Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to stake out uncharted territory in the Democratic presidential primary, offering up a plan to completely eliminate the student loan debt of every American.

TOKYO --- Stephen Curry is already looking ahead to the next challenge in his basketball career, including the chance to represent the United States at next year's Tokyo Olympics. Just over a week since his Golden State Warriors lost a grueling NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors, Curry was in Tokyo on Sunday talking about the Olympics and the opportunity to face Japan's newest basketball sensation. The U.S. has won the gold medal in the last three Olympics and will be the favorite to top the podium again in Tokyo with a Dream Team that could feature such stars as Curry, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Curry decided to pull out of the Rio Olympics due to several factors, inclu...

Keep on reading: Steph Curry in Japan to talk Tokyo Olympics, Rui Hachimura

MILWAUKEE --- Christian Yelich first met Giannis Antetokounmpo last month in downtown Milwaukee. The encounter happened inside a hallway at Fiserv Forum after Antetokounmpo and the Bucks eliminated the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The meeting of the Milwaukee stars occurred about six months after Yelich won the 2018 NL MVP award. Now, Antetokounmpo could bring another MVP trophy to the city situated on Lake Michigan's western shore. The Bucks forward is a finalist for NBA MVP along with Oklahoma City swingman Paul George and Houston guard James Harden, who won the award last season. The winner will be announced Monday night. "Obviously I'm ha...

Keep on reading: Yelich: Giannis winning NBA MVP in Milwaukee would be ‘cool’

The Flying Wallendas astonished the world once again, becoming the first to cross New York's Times Square on a tightrope 25 stories above the city streets.

Filipinos can now pay over 1,000 types of bills and perform other financial transactions practically anywhere using the new Bayad Center App. Bayad Center, in partnership with the leading software company, MultiSys, recently launched the new & improved app in a bid to make digital financial services even more accessible, and promote cashless payments for consumers to make payments easily and securely via their mobile phones. "Together with MultiSys, we are able to provide the luxury of convenience for payment transactions by utilizing a next-generation mobile payment application where anyone can pay not only their bills, but even their government contributions and onli...

Keep on reading: MultiSys launches the new Bayad Center App

  KATHMANDU, Nepal - After every party it's time to clean up and Mount Everest is no different.   The record number of climbers crowding the world's highest mountain this season has left a government cleanup crew grappling with how to clear away everything from abandoned tents to human waste that threatens drinking water.     Budget expedition companies charge as little as $30,000 per climber, cutting costs including waste removal.   Everest has so much garbage --- depleted oxygen cylinders, food packaging, rope --- that climbers use the trash as a kind of signpost.   But this year's haul from an estimated 700 climbers, guid...

Keep on reading: Abandoned tents, human waste piling up on Mount Everest