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Ai-Ai delas Alas found her place in the show biz sun by tickling viewers' funny bone. In her prime, particularly during her "Tanging Ina" heyday, the comedienne's self-deprecating antics were second to none. But it's when the laughter begins to die down that the actress, now 55 years old, manages to show that there's truly more to her than her crowd-pleasing funny persona. Case in point: Ai-Ai's indie dramas, like Nick Olanka's "Ronda" or Louie Ignacio's award-winning "Area" and "School Service," for which Ai-Ai won acting awards here and abroad. She was a two-time recipient of Inquirer's Indie Bravo Award because of the latter two films. In the past year or so before the l...

Keep on reading: Ai-Ai on shuttling between comedy and drama

(First of two parts) Two sets of health and safety protocols for film, TV and audiovisual productions now exist: one drafted by the Inter-Guild Alliance (IGA), representing different sectors in the industry; and the other by the government, through a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) signed by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Labor and Employment (Dole). FDCP chair Liza Dio, in an interview with Inquirer Entertainment, admitted having had a "misunderstanding" with members of the IGA about the newly drafted health and safety protocols. On May 19, the IGA, a community-based network representing different sectors in...

Keep on reading: Controversy over 2 sets of health and safety protocols for film, TV and AV productions heats up

MANILA, Philippines --- The decision to quickly place Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) again poses a lot of risks to the public, a labor group claimed. Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said on Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte's hasty decision to put those places under MECQ would force people to go into panic buying of goods in anticipation of the two-week lockdown, which runs from Aug. 4 to 18. According to BMP President Luke Espiritu, it seems that the national government has not learned anything from the blunders it allegedly committed before, when the whole of Luzon was under loc...

Keep on reading: Abrupt lockdown poses many dangers, says labor group

MANILA, Philippines --- Sometimes, flattery doesn't work. Senate President Vicente Sotto III told this to neophyte Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa in jest after the latter referred to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon as his "idol" in crafting laws. This happened as Drilon interpellated Dela Rosa during Monday's plenary session on the latter's bill seeking to increase from 10 percent to 15 percent the required quota of female officers in the Philippine National Police (PNP). The bill, which aims to amend the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998, also proposes that the annual quota of female officers in the country's police force be increased to 20 p...

Keep on reading: You’re my ‘idol’ in crafting laws, neophyte senator ‘Bato’ tells Drilon

The British government has procured "millions" of two separate coronavirus tests that can detect not only coronavirus but several other viruses common in autumn, winter and spring, the UK's Department of Health said Monday.

President Donald Trump criticized Dr. Deborah Birx in a Monday tweet after she warned the pandemic is "extraordinarily widespread" in the US.

CNN's Sanjay Gupta explains how viruses mutate and why we needn't always be worried when they do.

The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warning about hand sanitizers to avoid, with the list now topping 100.

Because of their small size, water beetles might have been kicked around since they were born — but thanks to abnormal survival strategies, they're "stayin' alive" after predators eat them.

MANILA, Philippines --- An electronic bingo (e-bingo) outlet in Pasig City was caught operating despite the current general community quarantine (GCQ) and was ordered closed, Mayor Vico Sotto said on Monday. According to Sotto's post on his Facebook account, the e-bingo outlet in the unspecified area in the city even had safety reminders outside its premises to prevent coronavirus transmissions. "CLOSED. E-bingo na nagbukas habang GCQ. Alam naman nilang bawal. Langya may pa safety reminders pa sa entrance," he said. [CLOSED. E-bingo that opened during GCQ. They knew it was prohibited. They even had safety reminders at the entrance.] Photos shared by Sotto show at least six in...

Keep on reading: E-bingo shop spotted operating in Pasig, ordered closed

Sprint was a storied American brand, but it is no longer. T-Mobile, which closed its $30 billion merger with the wireless carrier in April, officially retired the Sprint brand Monday.

MANILA, Philippines---Citing an order by President Rodrigo Duterte, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday (Aug. 3) said that the Philippines would not join the navies of other countries, like the United States, in maritime drills in the South China Sea for fear of raising tension in the area. "President Rodrigo Duterte has a standing order to us, to me, that we should not involve ourselves in naval exercises in the South China Sea except our national waters, the 12 mile distance from our shores," the defense chief said at an online press briefing. "We cannot exercise with them in the South China Sea," said Lorenzana. "If one country's action is considered as belligerent, ...

Keep on reading: Citing Duterte order, Lorenzana says PH won’t join other navies in South China Sea drills

Northern Irish Nobel Laureate John Hume, one of the driving forces behind the Good Friday Agreement which brought decades of deadly sectarian violence across Ireland to an end, died Sunday at the age of 83.

MANILA, Philippines --- Quezon City has decided to impose a liquor ban again as Metro Manila and four nearby provinces revert on Tuesday to a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) due to a continuous rise in COVID-19 cases. A post from the city's official Facebook page said that the liquor ban would run through the two-week MECQ, from Aug. 4 to 18. Executive Order (EO) No. 35 series of 2020, which was signed by Mayor Joy Belmonte, limits the consumption of alcoholic beverages to private residences and no establishment is allowed to sell them during the MECQ. "Any person, entity, or establishment found to be in violation of the provisions of this Order shall be meted sanc...

Keep on reading: Liquor ban back in QC as Metro Manila, nearby provinces revert to MECQ

The federal judge whose son was killed and whose husband was shot at their New Jersey home last month called for greater privacy protections for judges in her first comments since the shooting.

Lewis Hamilton is uncatchable in this year's drivers' world championship, according to his main rivals. Both Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari effectively conceded the title on Sunday after the British Grand Prix as the six-time champion claimed his third straight. That the championship leader completed the race on three wheels made no difference to their view that the only man with a chance of overhauling Hamilton is his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. After claiming his record seventh victory in Sunday's dramatic race, Hamilton is 30 points clear of the Finn, who finished 11th after suffering an identical front-left tire failure. With only fou...

Keep on reading: Lewis Hamilton is uncatchable say closest rivals