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MANILA, Philippines --- The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (Cocopea) warned legislators on Tuesday to tread lightly in introducing amendments to the 1987 Constitution, saying it may have long standing and complicated repercussions to Filipinos. Cocopea chairperson Albert Delvo, during the Senate's hearing on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, said they have yet to come up with a definite stand on economic Charter change (Cha-cha). "[But] initial conversations from our rank and file are to this direction -- that we respectfully urge the lawmakers to proceed with caution regarding introducing amendments to the pertinent provisions [of th...

Keep on reading: Cocopea warns lawmakers on amending 1987 Constitution: Be careful

MANILA, Philippines --- A resolution seeking to investigate the circumstances surrounding the "warrantless arrest" of filmmaker Jade Castro and his three companions in Mulanay, Quezon, has been filed before the House of Representatives. Makabayan bloc lawmakers ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel filed House Resolution 1596 on Monday directing the committee on public order and safety to conduct a thorough probe on the case. In the resolution, the lawmakers explained that "[n]o person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal p...

Keep on reading: Makabayan solons move to probe warrantless arrest of filmmaker

MANILA, Philippines --- A bill that seeks to reinstate divorce was brought to the House plenary for consideration and debate during Tuesday's session. House Bill (HB) No. 9349 or the Absolute Divorce Act, as contained in Committee Report No. 962, was sponsored by different lawmakers --- including staunch divorce advocate Albay 2nd District Rep. Edcel Lagman, Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, Negros Occidental 4th District Rep. Juliet Ferrer, and Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas. According to Garcia, the Philippines remains the only country in the world which does not have divorce as a way for dissolving failed marriages --- save for the Vatican, a small city-state...

Keep on reading: Bill reinstating divorce now brought to House plenary

MANILA, Philippines --- Government officials on Tuesday forged an agreement to institutionalize the Public Employment Service Office (PESO). During a ceremony at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Main Office in Manila on Tuesday, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., and PESO Managers Association of the Philippines National President Luningning Vergara signed a memorandum of agreement for the institutionalization of PESO. Under the agreement, DILG, DOLE, and PESOMAP will work together to establish a PESO office in each local government unit in the country. "Sana maging permanente 'yung opisina nila, maging permanente 'yung mga...

Keep on reading: Gov’t execs sign MOA to institutionalize employment service offices

MANILA, Philippines --- All resources to be spent on Charter change (Cha-cha) are unconscionable waste, said former chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Dr. Patricia Licuanan on Tuesday. Speaking at the Senate's hearing on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, Licuanan bucked proposals to ease foreign ownership of educational institutions in the Philippines via Cha-cha. "As a citizen who loves her country and worries about its future, I share the dismay of many over all this fuss about Cha-cha at a time when the country has so many serious problems. I'm not convinced that amending the Constitution is the solution to our economic woes," said Licuanan. Licuanan ...

Keep on reading: Ex-CHEd Chair Licuanan says Cha-cha efforts are unconscionable waste

MANILA, Philippines --- A House of Representatives panel has recommended the filing criminal complaints against vape companies Denkat Philippines, a local firm subject to House Resolution (HR) No. 1437, and Top King. During the hearing of the House committee on ways and means on Tuesday, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez moved to suggest that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) file the appropriate cases against Denkat for allegedly conspiring with Flava Corporation, a brand from China being investigated for "possibly massive" tax evasion totaling billions of pesos. Citing the committee report, Rodriguez revealed that Dennis ...

Keep on reading: Rep. Rufus Rodriguez tells BOC, BIR to file raps vs vape firms

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWD) said on Tuesday that it is working with the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for any adjustments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps. This follows after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. told the DSWD to ensure that inflation will not affect the financial assistance given by the government. READ: Marcos wants DSWD to adjust cash aid for inflation "Inflation always hits the bottom 30 the hardest so that is why the President instructed DSWD to work with PSA and Neda to come up with a right mechanism to protect the...

Keep on reading: DSWD works with Neda for 4Ps adjustments amid inflation

MANILA, Philippines --- A Bulacan court has ordered the arrest of environmental activists Jhonila Castro and Jhed Tamano for grave oral defamation. According to the arrest warrant penned by Presiding Judge Jonna Veridiano on February 2, the two committed grave oral defamation under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Section 94 of Republic Act No. 10951. Bail was set at P18,000 for Castro and Tamano. On February 15, the Supreme Court granted a writ of amparo and habeas data to Castro and Tamano, citing threats or violations to their life, liberty, and security. The charges stem from the approval of the Department of Justice to file cases against the...

Keep on reading: Bulacan court orders arrest of 2 environmental activists

MANILA, Philippines --- The recent signing of laws aimed at strengthening the Charter and expanding course offerings in four state universities will improve quality education for its learners, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said on Tuesday. These four measures that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed recently are as follows: Republic Act (RA) 11980 or the Revised Bulacan State University (BulSU) Charter RA 11978 or the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University-South La Union Campus-College of Medicine RA 11977 or the Establishment of the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) Floridablanca Campus RA 11979 that converts the Polytechnic U...

Keep on reading: New laws to improve education in 4 state universities – Villanueva

Edgar Allan Guzman confessed that the first two years of practicing celibacy (or abstaining from sex) with his fianc Shaira Diaz was difficult, although they remained firm about saving themselves for marriage since 2013. During a "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" interview on Monday, Feb. 19, Guzman looked back at the time he and Diaz decided to practice celibacy in their relationship wherein the actor-host cried about it at first. "First two years namin, umiiyak ako sa kanya. Kasi ang hirap. To be honest, ang hirap. Noong time na yun, parang hindi ko na kaya. Kasi siyempre 'diba," he said knowingly before laughing. (In our first two years, I was crying about this to her. Because it ...

Keep on reading: Shaira Diaz, Edgar Allan Guzman on practicing celibacy before marriage

  MANILA, Philippines --- President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday guaranteed an atmosphere of freedom so that art could flourish under his administration. "Rest assured, your government in the Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) will create a nurturing environment that will see your talent fully and finally bloom. We know that art can only flourish under an atmosphere of freedom, and under Bagong Pilipinas, this is something that we will guarantee," said Marcos in his Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) 2024 speech at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila. Marcos congratulated the awardees, saying that they were able to bring honor to the country through th...

Keep on reading: Marcos guarantees ‘nurturing environment’ for art to flourish

Maxine Medina and her non-showbiz husband Timmy Llana were overjoyed as they announced they're expecting their first child, four months after saying "I do." The couple confirmed Medina's pregnancy in a joint Instagram post on Tuesday, Feb. 20, where the former beauty queen is excited about being a mother for the first time. "So, this is how it feels to hold an ultrasound photo of our own little one, yieeee... We're thrilled to share the most precious news! We're expecting our first little bundle of joy," Medina wrote, sharing a photo of herself and Llana holding an ultrasound of their baby.   View this post on Instagram ...

Keep on reading: Maxine Medina, non-showbiz husband Timmy Llana expecting first child

KUALA LUMPUR ---Malaysia's ringgit hit its lowest level since the Asian financial crisis on Tuesday, as emerging Asian currencies suffered against the dollar. In trade Tuesday the Malaysian ringgit fell nearly 0.3 percent to almost 4.8 against the greenback, its worst reading since January 1998 during the Asian financial meltdown. The currency had suffered a more than 4 percent drop already this year, thanks in part to poor export performance and rising US interest rates. Malaysia's central bank governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said Tuesday that the currency's performance had been affected by "external factors" such as US rate hikes, geopolitical concerns and uncertainty ab...

Keep on reading: Malaysian ringgit falls to lowest level in 26 years

  MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday debunked a Facebook page offering financial assistance. According to the DSWD, the Facebook group "DSWD Online Tulong 10k Assistance (Ayuda)" is not official. The agency added that it does not give financial assistance online. "Hindi totoo na ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ay namimigay ng Php10,000 na tulong pinansyal online. Ang DSWD ay hindi nagbibigay ng anumang halaga hangga't hindi ito dumadaan sa assessment ng ating social worker," the DSWD said in its post. (It is not true that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (...

Keep on reading: DSWD: Beware of fake assistance page on social media

MANILA, Philippines--Ara Galang starred for Chery Tiggo in a dominant 25-6, 25-15, 25-15 win over debuting Capital1 to open its Premier Volleyball League (PVL) campaign on Tuesday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. Wearing a different uniform from the familiar yellow of the defunct F2 Logistics, Galang led the Crossovers with 12 points built around nine attacks, two aces and a block. "It's fun because my teammates at Chery Tiggo are easy to be with," Galang said in Filipino of her new squad. "I'm excited every day, every training, every game because they're my teammates." "It's just full of excitement and I'm always looking forward to playing because of them." SCHEDULE: PVL...

Keep on reading: PVL: Ara Galang, Chery Tiggo overwhelm debuting Capital1

Dolly de Leon joined the Directors Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI), and other nonprofit organizations in calling for the release of filmmaker Jade Castro and his companions over suspected arson. De Leon looked back at her past encounters with Castro on her Instagram page on Friday, Feb. 16, as she described him as a "warm" person who can make anyone around him feel comfortable. The post also contained a fundraising call for the filmmaker and his companions, which also mirrored director Erik Matti's earlier post on Facebook. "Wala tayong photo together na nasa kin, wala tayong messages exchanged between each other pero tuwing nagkikita tayo sa mga ganap, mga play, peliku...

Keep on reading: Dolly de Leon urges release of filmmaker Jade Castro, companions

Liza Soberano disclosed that she will be dividing her time between the United States and Asia after her breakthrough performance in "Lisa Frankenstein," although the "majority" of her acting career will be based in Hollywood. Soberano opened up about her career plans in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, saying her "general plan" is to stay in the US for at "least a good year" where the majority of her acting career will be focused on. "The general plan right now is to stay in the States for at least a good year and get a feel for how things are going for me and my career. But I will be traveling back and forth to Asia just because I have a lot of brand-related commitmen...

Keep on reading: Liza Soberano to divide time between acting career in US, modeling in Asia

Modern artificial intelligence has surpassed ChatGPT by producing more than mere text. Nowadays, you can replicate your voice or another person's to pronounce specific words with numerous free AI tools. The US government knows this trend could become a windfall for online criminals, so it recently announced a new law against it. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a declaratory ruling that AI-generated voice calls fall under the consent limitations imposed on "artificial or prerecorded voices under the TCPA. In other words, people and companies using AI voice calls must follow specific rules.  What are the rules on AI-generated voice calls? Free stock ...

Keep on reading: US regulates AI-generated voice calls

MANILA, Philippines --- Deputy Speaker David Suarez has assured military and uniformed personnel (MUPs) that funds in the 2024 national budget allocated for their pension are intact and enough to cover payouts, despite rumors that the pension fund was slashed in favor of social aid. Suarez in a statement on Monday said that there is even an allowance in the pension fund of retired government workers, which indicates that it would not face a shortage. "Walang dapat ikabahala ang mga retiradong government at military pensioners at kanilang mga kaanak. Intact at sapat po ang pondo para sa kanilang pensyon," Suarez said. (Relatives of retired government and military pensioners shoul...

Keep on reading: Rep. Suarez assures MUP: Funds for pension ‘intact, enough’

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON ---U.S. banking regulators have been asking regional lenders whether they faced any fallout from the problems at New York Community Bancorp, several sources said, in a sign that worries about the health of the sector persist. Two banking executives, a legal source and an industry source, said banks had calls with regulators. Those included the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, as well as state banking bodies, the day of and shortly after NYCB posted disappointing earnings and cut its dividend on Jan. 31, sources said. The conversations included regulators inquiring about liquidity at the banks and whether they ...

Keep on reading: NYCB stock rout prompts US bank regulators to conduct health check