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MANILA, Philippines --- A lawmaker has proposed that memberships in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) should be made individually. According to Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin, as soon as children are born, they should be enrolled in PhilHealth, citing present moves to increase the PhilHealth premium rate. "We should have individual membership, hindi siya per family... 'Yung isang bata kunyari anak ko by virtue of being dependent, pagdating niya ng 18 years old hindi na siya miyembro. 'Pag nagkaanak 'yan at nanganak siya, hindi siya miyembro ng PhilHealth, at 'yung anak naman niya, hindi rin ma-cocover kapag nagkasakit," Garin said on Thurs...

Keep on reading: Solon wants individual PhilHealth memberships instead of per family

Aiko Melendez broke her silence on the alleged misunderstanding between her and Candy Pangilinan and expressed her support for the latter's upcoming movie, saying it's a mutual decision to keep mum on their issues. On Friday, Jan. 19, Melendez took to Instagram to congratulate Pangilinan as well as her other friends Carmina Villarroel, and Gelli and Janice de Belen for her new movie and said it was their choice to handle their issues privately as they prioritized their treasured friendship. "You know in every friendship you go through tough times too, but in the end what matters is the love and respect. Candy and I chose to keep quiet with what we went through, because we just ...

Keep on reading: Aiko Melendez opens up anew on marred friendship with Candy Pangilinan

Photo Credit: asterhospitals.in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said his company is joining the pursuit of creating super artificial intelligence, putting it in a race with Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Google. Sometimes called artificial general intelligence or AGI, the goal, given in an interview with The Verge, is to create AI that can problem solve and rationalize on the same level as humans. AGI is the oft-stated goal of OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT, and is the central pursuit by the AI departments at Google. Zuckerberg said general intelligence was now his company's goal, largely to help attract the best engineers in the fast expanding AI field. "We've come t...

Keep on reading: Meta joins rivals in pursuit of human-level AI

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the "government is confident" that through talks with local stakeholders, a United Nations (UN) special rapporteur will find out that freedom of expression is vibrant in the country. MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the "government is confident" that through talks with local stakeholders, a United Nations (UN) special rapporteur will find out that freedom of expression is vibrant in the country. UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan is set to visit the country from January 23 to February 2, the DFA has announced, adding that Khan would be comi...

Keep on reading: DFA: UN rapporteur visit to show freedom of expression alive in PH

MANILA, Philippines --- Strong Group Athletics (SGA) jumpstarted its Dubai International Basketball Championship campaign with an 82-66 rout of the United Arab Emirates national team on Saturday morning (Manila time) at Al Nasr Club. The Philippine side leaned on its former NBA players as ex-Oklahoma City Thunder Andre Roberson proved that he is still an elite two-way player with 15 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Dwight Howard only needed under 20 minutes to impose his dominance in the first two quarters finishing with 14 points, six rebounds, and two steals in his first stint for a Philippine club. Howard, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year...

Keep on reading: Strong Group dominates to open Dubai campaign

SYDNEY --- Parts of Western Australia were gripped by an "extreme" heatwave on Saturday, raising the risk of bushfires in the vast state, the nation's weather forecaster said. The Bureau of Meteorology had an "extreme heat-wave warning" in place on Saturday for the remote Pilbara and Gascoyne areas of Australia's largest state, warning temperatures there could hit high forties degrees Celsius over the weekend. In the Pilbara mining town of Paraburdoo, about 1,500 km (930 miles) north of the state capital Perth, a maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 degrees Fahrenheit) was forecast on Saturday, more than six degrees above the average January maximum, according to fo...

Keep on reading: Western Australia in ‘extreme’ heatwave, raising bush fire risk

LUCENA CITY --- Two pedestrians died after they were hit in separate road accidents in Batangas province on Friday, Jan. 19 Batangas police reported on Saturday that Rebie Malunes, 48, and her daughter (whose name was not indicated in the report) were crossing the highway in Barangay (village) Mataas Na Bayan in Lemery town around 7:55 p.m. when a Mitsubishi Montero driven by Shawn Addam Clarin hit her. Due to the strong impact, Malunes was thrown more than 50 meters away and sustained grave injuries, police said. Her daughter was not hit by the vehicle. The victim died while being taken to Batangas Provincial Hospital. READ: 2 killed and another 2 injured in road acciden...

Keep on reading: 2 pedestrians dead in Batangas road accidents

LEGAZPI CITY --- A 21-year-old man died after he was hit by a Philippine National Railways train in Polangui town in Albay province on Friday night (Jan. 19). Captain Kharren Formales, Albay police spokesperson said, in a report Saturday that the victim, who was not identified, was accidentally bumped by the train in Barangay (village) Sugcad at around 7:07 p.m. The said train was traveling towards Ligao City. Initial investigation showed that the victim's body was discovered by a resident in the area. READ: Man dies after being hit by train in Camarines Sur It was not known if the victim was unable to hear the train coming or if the still unidentified train operator d...

Keep on reading: Man dies after being hit by PNR train in Albay

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Education (DepEd) should revert School Year 2024-2025 to the old school calendar, a House legislator said Saturday. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the return to a June-March school calendar "is a huge leap forward for our students, parents, and teachers" amid worsening climate change. He also noted that going back to the old school calendar would be a big boost to domestic tourism. "With the worsening climate change, they need not suffer under extreme conditions and risk their health," Barbers said in a statement Saturday. "With summer vacation returning, our domestic tourism will have a most needed boost as families ...

Keep on reading: DepEd urged: Let SY 2024-2025 return to old school calendar

Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE) filed a petition before the Court of Appeals on Friday, Jan. 19, assailing the decision of the Marikina Regional Trial Court that favored the triumvirate of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon, collectively known as TVJ, over the trademark ownership of "Eat Bulaga." "We filed today in the court of appeals our petition for review assailing the decision of RTC 273 of Marikina on the copyright and unfair competition case with WPI," TAPE's representative, Atty. Marie Glen Abraham-Garduque, told INQUIRER.net. On Jan. 5, TVJ announced their triumph over the trademark battle as the Marikina court recognized them as the rightful owners...

Keep on reading: TAPE appeals Marikina court’s ruling that favored TVJ over ‘Eat Bulaga’ trademark ownership

MANILA, Philippines--Chot Reyes is set to resume his role as coach of TNT for the season-ending PBA Philippine Cup following the two-conference tenure of Jojo Lastimosa. The Tropang Giga made the announcement Saturday through social media after Reyes and Lastimosa met recently with top brass led by Manny V. Pangilinan and Ricky Vargas. Lastimosa was given an extension for his other role as team manager, TNT also said. Reyes handed the reins to Lastimosa last season to concentrate on his previous duty as coach of Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba World Cup, acting instead as the Tropang Giga's senior consultant. Under Lastimosa, TNT won the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup title after ed...

Keep on reading: PBA: Chot Reyes back as TNT Tropang Giga coach

MANILA, Philippines --- Some parts of Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, and Quezon City would experience temporary power interruptions from January 21-24, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said Saturday. In an advisory posted on its website, Meralco said the scheduled brownouts are due to maintenance works that will be carried out in the affected areas. Maintenance works that would result in electricity supply pause will take place on the following: January 21 Rizal Province (Cainta and Taytay) - between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.; and 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. A portion of Greenwoods Ave. from Ejercito Ave. to and including Greenwoods Executive Village Phases 9, 8G, and 10 in Bgy. S...

Keep on reading: Meralco: Brownouts set in Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, QC from Jan 21-24

LUCENA CITY --- Three suspected drug pushers yielded "shabu" (crystal meth) and firearms when they were arrested on Friday, Jan. 19, in buy-bust operations in Quezon province. In a report Saturday, the Quezon police said anti-illegal drug operatives in this city nabbed two alleged shabu peddlers identified by their aliases as "Fidel" and "Michael" in Barangay (village) Ibabang Iyam around 11:58 p.m. The two yielded P49,572 worth of shabu. Michael was also found carrying an undocumented caliber .38 revolver with three bullets. In Sariaya town, police officers arrested "Wilmer" at 4:45 a.m. after he sold shabu to a poseur buyer in Barangay Manggalang Tulo--Tulo. READ: 2 dru...

Keep on reading: Quezon buy-busts: 2 guns, ‘shabu’ seized from 3 suspects

NBA Scores, News, Schedules BOSTON --- Jayson Tatum had 27 points and eight rebounds before being ejected on back-to-back technical fouls in the fourth quarter, and the Boston Celtics remained unbeaten at home with a 145-113 victory over ex-coach Ime Udoka and the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and the Celtics improved to 19-0 in the TD Garden -- the first time in the history of the much-decorated franchise that it has opened a season with more than 17 wins in a row. https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1746358768412078573 Cam Whitmore scored 22 points and Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who have lost three of their ...

Keep on reading: NBA: Celtics light up Udoka, Rockets to improve to 19-0 at home

  Israel and Hamas have been at war in Gaza for 100 days since gunmen from the Palestinian militant group ran amok in southern Israel, prompting a fierce Israeli military campaign in which almost 24,000 Palestinians have been killed. Following is a timeline of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip. Oct. 7, 2023: Hamas gunmen storm into southern Israel from Gaza and rampage through communities, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is at war and retaliatory airstrikes on densely populated Gaza begin, along with a total siege o...

Keep on reading: Major events during 100 days of war between Israel and Hamas

    QUITO -- Forty-two prison staff members who had been held by inmates at prisons in Ecuador amid a sharp uptick in violence were freed or escaped, the SNAI prisons agency said on Saturday. They were among 178 guards and administrative staffers that had been held hostage since Monday in at least seven prisons as a security crisis escalates in the South American country. The SNAI said in a statement there had been incidents at several prisons, including an armed confrontation with inmates at the prison in El Oro province that resulted in the death of a guard. An injured guard remained inside the prison, the statement said. Forty-one prison staffers had been ...

Keep on reading: Dozens of Ecuador prison staff freed after being held by inmates

MANILA, Philippines --- Light to moderate and occasionally heavy rainfalls are expected over parts of Bohol for the next few hours. According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), this is due to the shear line. In its rainfall advisory on Sunday morning, the state weather bureau said, "light to moderate with at times heavy" rains will be experienced in the following areas within Bohol: Talibon Jetafe Buenavista Danao Inabanga Clarin Sagbayan Tubigon Catigbian San Isidro Calape Balilihan Loon Antequera Maribojoc Sevilla Sikatuna Albuquerque Baclayon Corella Cortes ...

Keep on reading: Pagasa forecasts light, moderate rains over parts of Bohol on Sunday

ILOILO CITY --- Titleholders from different national pageants gathered in the "City of Love" to take part in the Miss Iloilo 2024 competition, which chose the city's delegates to various national contests this year. Rabiya Mateo, the first winner of the standalone Miss Universe Philippines competition, returned to the Miss Iloilo stage four years since she became the city pageant's first queen in 2020. But this time, she hosted the ceremonies that was held at the jam-packed West Visayas State University's Cultural Center on Jan. 13. She shared hosting chores with 2016 Binibining Pilipinas Grand International Nicole Cordoves. The judging panel also had Cordoves' Binibini sis...

Keep on reading: Miss Iloilo pageant brings together beauty queens from various national contests

  MANILA, Philippines --- A man posing as a feng shui expert who allegedly stole jewelry and cash worth some P50 million in the last nine years was arrested by the police in Quezon City for theft and estafa. In a statement on Saturday, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said that Ivan Borromeo, 40, alias Celine or Mark Lester Alvarez was collared in his residence in Barangay Socorro, Cubao, last January 11. His apprehension stemmed from arrest warrants issued by Presiding Judge Manuel Sta. Cruz Jr. of Quezon City Regional Trial Court, Branch 226. Investigation showed that Borromeo, pretending to be a feng shui expert, would steal pieces of jewelry and m...

Keep on reading: Fake feng shui expert busted for theft in QC

Before setting off on a big adventure with Illumination's "Migration," get to know the film's new original characters and the talented cast that voiced them. "We tried to find actors that were somewhat like their roles," shares director Benjamin Renner. "That was great because we could ask them to share experiences and adlib with their performances." Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) Mack is the overly cautious patriarch of the Mallard family. Mack harbors irrational fears of the outside world and insists the family stay in the safe confines of their pond. His anxieties and worldview are tested when, at the insistence of his wife, Pam, he embarks on an adventure alongside his family. ...

Keep on reading: ‘Migration’: Meet the characters, cast of Illumination’s adventure-packed comedy