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MANILA, Philippines --- In seeking to extend martial law in Mindanao, government security advisers on Monday vowed to "wipe out" the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and reduce the capability of the New People's Army (NPA) within one year. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto disclosed this after senators held a closed-door meeting with security officials led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ao, and AFP chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. at the Senate. On his security officials' advice, President Rodrigo Durterte asked Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2019. "What is appealing, sabi nila (if they extend martial law b...

Keep on reading: Gov’t to ‘wipe out’ Abu Sayyaf in one year, officials tell senators

MANILA, Philippines --- A chairman of a local Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) was dead on arrival at a hospital after he figured in a car accident in Barangay Sto. Nio in Plaridel, Bulacan on Monday. A report from Bulacan Police identified the 24-year-old victim as Mark Paolo Manaysay, SK Chairman of Barangay Lugam in Malolos City. Initial investigation showed that Manaysay was driving a Toyota sports car heading towards Malolos City when after passing the Nabuag Bridge, he accidentally hit on his left side two steel gates, a jeepney, and another steel gate before his vehicle finally stopped. Police said the rescue team from Provincial Capitol had to cut a portion of the sports car to...

Keep on reading: SK chairman dead in Bulacan car accident

MANILA, Philippines --- A wildlife researcher from the University of the Philippines-Los Baos (UPLB) has died while trekking at Mt. Apo, the Kidapawan City Tourism Office confirmed Monday.   In a phone interview withINQUIRER.net, City Tourism Officer Joey Recimilla identified the victim as 27-year-old James Alvarez, a graduate student from UPLB taking up masters in wildlife study. Alvarez died last Saturday night.   According to Recimilla, Alvarez was with three other researchers from UPLB and another one from the University of Southern Mindanao to conduct a wildlife study at Mt. Apo. The group was also accompanied by two mountain guides and two porters.   ...

Keep on reading: UPLB wildlife researcher dies while trekking at Mt. Apo

Globe Telecomwas named the2018 Data Service Provider of the Yearand2018 Cloud Infrastructure Service Provider of the Yearbyglobal business and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan for implementing business strategies that have been helping boost customer satisfaction. "These awards are a huge encouragement to the team as we strive to make business and home connectivity easier for every company and individual. We do this by ensuring our clients are equipped with a wide array of infrastructure services that address their varying needs," said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu. The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards have identified and honored best-in-class companies that hav...

Keep on reading: Globe Telecom bags int’l awards from Frost & Sullivan

Japan's Crown Princess Masako has said she feels "insecure" about assuming the role of empress next year amid an ongoing battle with stress-related illness, in comments that provide a rare window into the emotional pressures faced by the country's royal family.

NEW YORK --- The Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Sunday named Alfonso Cuaron's deeply personal drama "Roma" best film of the year, adding to the acclaimed film's steadily mounting honors. Cuaron's black-and-white film, a Netflix release, has been cleaning up many of the top prizes of awards season. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and likewise topped the New York Film Critics Circle. "Roma" is widely expected to land Netflix its first best-picture nomination at the Academy Awards. The Los Angeles critics, which announced their awards on Twitter, also awarded best cinematography to Cuaron. But it notably deviated from the "Roma" drumbeat in the directin...

Keep on reading: ‘Roma’ best film of the year for LA Film Critics

SAN PEDRO CITY -- Two suspected members of a notorious crime gang in Rizal province were killed following a brief chase with policemen in Cainta town early morning Monday. The police have not yet identified the slain men but said they were members of the "Highway Boys," described earlier by authorities as an "all around" group because of its involvement in robberies and killings. The group was also known for pouring concrete over dead bodies of their victims in order to cover its tracks. According to a report from the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon) police, members of the provincial Highway Patrol Group (HPG) were patrolling in Barangay (village) San Andres whe...

Keep on reading: 2 ‘Highway Boys’ members killed in shootout with cops in Rizal

As the global population grows, demand for basic needs such as food, water, and energy rises as well, and this creates an increasingly vicious cycle where human activities adversely impact the environment and paradoxically threaten natural resources. In response to this phenomenon, nations around the world are seeking ways to break the cycle and to establish a more stable and secure future through sustainable practices in business and society. The need for such radical change is more apparent nowhere else than in the Philippines, which has ranked among the top five countries at risk of the effects of climate variability in the past couple of decades, as reported in the Global Clim...

Keep on reading: Geothermal energy: The sustainable energy solution

MANILA, Philippines ---President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the First 1,000 Days Law which seeks to provide health and nutrition services to children during the first 1,000 days of their lives.   Duterte signed Republic Act 11148 or the "Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act" last Nov. 29, a copy of which was shared to the media on Monday.   The new law "aims to provide comprehensive, sustainable multi-sectoral strategies and approaches to address health and nutrition problems of newborns, infants and young children, pregnant and lactating women and adolescent females, as well as multi-factoral issues that negatively affect the development of newborns, infants and...

Keep on reading: Duterte signs ‘First 1,000 Days’ Law

Thomas Markle has entertained another interview where he attempted again to reach out to his youngest child, Meghan Markle. Thomas, who has been estranged from his daughter since her wedding last May, told the Daily Mail in a Dec. 8 report that he had been trying to communicate with her through texts and letters. He said he has even written Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland about their daughter's silence, but did not mention a response from her. He had something to say too about rumors of a feud between Kate Middleton and Meghan. Recent reports from British outlets claim that royal sources have leaked Meghan's demanding behavior which has led to friction with her own staff and her sist...

Keep on reading: Thomas Markle says he knew Meghan to be demanding, not rude amid rumored feud with Kate Middleton

MANILA, Philippines --- A task force in charge of the reintegration programs for communist rebels is enticing those who wish to surrender with free legal assistance.   "May mga nagbibigay ng feelers, karamihan sa kanila 'yung may mga kaso. Sabi nila may pending cases sila. Sabi namin sa kanila, just come down if you want... Sabi namin we can assist you in legal needs. Nandyan ang PAO (Public Attorneys Office)," Usec. Reynaldo Mapagu, chairperson of the Task Force Balik Loob, said on Monday.   "It's high time that we end the communist insurgency kasi tayong mga FIlipino, pare-parehas tayong nagpapatayan. Pwede naman tayong mag-usap at ayusin natin ng mapayapa," he ad...

Keep on reading: Gov’t dangles free legal aid to lure NPA rebels to surrender

On my website today, I posted some holiday decorating hacks from Tessa Prieto-Valdes. I shot a video with her highlighting her main set up and what she prioritizes when it comes to Christmas at home. I hope you can take time to watch it on YouTube! It would be an understatement to say that Tessa Prieto-Valdes lives life to the fullest. She needs hyperbolic expression to describe how she is. Tessa loves life and being happy. It seems too simple compared to the flamboyant outfits and headpieces she wears. She's the type who attends Zumba class in a tutu with her leggings. I wish all of us would be blessed to have that kind of zest. So who would be surprised to find that Tessa...

Keep on reading: Top holiday decorating hacks from Tessa Prieto-Valdes

Carlos Ghosn and Nissan, the Japanese automaker he saved from collapse, were indicted Monday on allegations of financial misconduct, according to Japanese media.

MANILA, Philippines --- The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a measure that would simplify the adoption process in the country. Seventeen senators voted to approve Senate Bill 2081, or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act of 2018, which will allow the rectification of simulated births through a simpler administrative proceeding. Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, said the bill seeks "to grant amnesty and allow the rectification of the simulated birth of a child where simulation was made for the best interest of the child, and that such child has been consistently considered and tr...

Keep on reading: Senate okays simplified adoption process

MANILA, Philippines --- Senator Grace Poe has called for a budget increase for the recently enacted First 1,000 Days Law, which seeks to provide health and nutrition services to children during their early days of development. Poe said Republic Act 11148 or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act needs adequate funding support to address malnutrition among mothers and their newborn children in the first 1,000 days. "Just like an infant, the future of this new law---whether or not it fulfills its mandate---lies in the first 1,000 days of its implementation," Poe, co-author and co-sponsor of the measure in the Senate, said in a statement on Monday. "Without sufficient funding,...

Keep on reading: Poe pushes for more funding for ‘First 1,000 Days’ nutrition program

  MANILA, Philippines ---President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the granting of monthly financial assistance to members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu). Under Executive Order No. 69, signed by Mr. Duterte last December 4, "only duly-appointed CAA members appearing in the roster maintained by the AFP shall be entitled to financial support, provided, that those who are in the roster and have been appointed but are still undergoing training, shall be entitled to a prorated portion of said financial support upon the satisfactory completion of the prescribed training." CAA refers to Cafgu Active Auxiliary Service.   As a start, the order instr...

Keep on reading: Duterte orders financial aid to Cafgu members

MANILA, Philippines --- Amid disagreements, the House legislative franchises panel has suspended its deliberations on the proposed transfer of the controlling interest of Mindanao Islamic Telephone (Mislatel) Company, Inc. to its three other partners in the Mislatel Consortium.   Mislatel Company and Uy's Udenna Corporation (Udenna) and Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. (Chelsea) have teamed up with the China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom) to form the Mislatel Group which was declared as the third major player in the telecommunications (telco) market in the country by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) last November 7.   READ: Duterte pa...

Keep on reading: House panel defers delibs on transfer of Mislatel control to Dennis Uy group

MANILA, Philippines --- It wasn't easy for Mika Dela Cruz to find and love herself, but she eventually did. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrK5sXGlkHP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link As the teen actress turned 20 on Sunday, Dec. 9, she shared in her Instagram account how she made 2018 a year to know and understand herself more. Dela Cruz revealed how badly she started her year: "Nagsimula yung taon na sobrang wasak at nasa pinakailalim ako. Sobrang damaged ang self-esteem ko." "Naging malabo sa akin ang salitang self worth at self love. Basta tungkol sa sarili ko, sobrang 'lost' ako at di ko alam kung papaano," she added. Although she focused on improving herself, she still foun...

Keep on reading: Mika Dela Cruz shares journey to self-love as she turns 20

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday secured temporary freedom after posting P96,000 bail before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) for libel filed by former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte. The Davao City RTC Branch 54 Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang issued four warrants of arrest last Dec. 7 against the senator. The judge set bail at P24,000 for each libel case --- or a total of P96,000 --- for Trillanes' temporary freedom. READ:Trillanes gets 4 warrants of arrest Trillanes earlier said he was to turn himself in to authorities but decided to post bail on Monday. The senator also argued that under the 1987 Constitution he was immune from arrest for of...

Keep on reading: Trillanes posts bail for libel cases filed by Paolo Duterte

MANILA, Philippines -- President Rodrigo Duterte has created a national task force to end local communist armed conflict in the Philippines. Duterte signed on December 4 Executive Order No. 70, which copy was only made available to the media on Monday. Under the EO, Duterte directed the adoption of a national peace framework to attain "inclusive and sustainable peace" in the country. Duterte will be the chair of the task force while secretaries of different government agencies will be his vice-chair. /kga ...

Keep on reading: Duterte forms nat’l task force to end local communism