ASEAN NOW News

BRIEFING. Minister Liu Jianchao (2nd from left) of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee faces the media at a hotel in Taguig City on Sunday (Aug. 28, 2022). Liu said he wants to enhance relations with political parties in the Philippines. (Photo by Joyce Rocamora) MANILA – The Communist Party of China (CPC) is looking at enhancing relations with political parties in the Philippines, its ranking official said Sunday. "We are open and we are very positive to promote and strengthen the interactions between the Communist Party of China and [political parties in the Philippines] and even with new parties, we would like to establish ties," Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee said in a press conference at a five-star hotel in Taguig City. The diplomat, who arrived Friday for a three-day working visit, had also met with House Speaker and Lakas-CMD party president Martin Romualdez and Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, chair of PDP-Laban. In their Sunday meeting, Liu and Pimentel discussed cooperation between the CPC and PDP-Laban and how the two parties could help improve bilateral relations between Beijing and Manila. The CPC established a connection with the PDP-Laban as early as 2017 after Pimentel attended the World Dialogue of Political Parties in Beijing. At the time, Pimentel discussed with Chinese President and CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping the need for political parties "to adapt and cooperate with the phenomenon of the global village." Apart from party leaders, Liu likewise met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss key areas of cooperation, including agriculture, infrastructure and people-to-people ties. Liu said China is ready to support and work with Manila as the latter shifts to renewable energy. Among others, he discussed Beijing's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the war in Ukraine, and the worsening global food insecurity. In the same media roundtable, Liu expressed hopes for the revival of negotiations on the Philippine-China oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea. "It seems that there are some legal barriers or legal factors that are standing in the way of a final consensus. So I hope that both sides will move about this issue in a way that is feasible, in a way that will be practical so that the cooperation could be continued, could be realized,” he said. “I hope that the discussions will continue and both sides will demonstrate some kind of flexibility so that, without prejudicing each other’s claims or their own positions, cooperation could happen,” he added. The International Department is the CPC's diplomatic arm. Prior to heading this office, Liu previously served as the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines. (PNA)

MANILA – Another elderly Filipino was assaulted in Manhattan, the latest in the string of violence and harassment involving a Filipino national in New York. The Philippine Consulate General said the victim was walking along Madison Avenue near East 52nd St. on Wednesday when "she was punched without provocation by another woman." The suspect fled the scene. "In view of this incident, the Consulate reminds members of the Filipino Community, as well as kababayan visiting New York to exercise the necessary precautions at all times while on the streets or in the subways," the Consulate said. It did not provide details if the incident was a case of Asian hate but the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) assured that the issue had been raised by the Philippine government with US officials. "The issue of Asian hate crime has been raised by the Philippine government with US officials. Recently, Philippine Consul General in New York Elmer Cato raised this issue with the concerned authorities in New York City, who gave the assurance that they are taking this matter very seriously and are taking steps to address it," DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said in a separate statement. "We assure our fellow Filipinos that our Consulate General in New York will continue monitoring these incidents accordingly and is ready to assist hate crime victims and other distressed Filipinos in the area," she added. There are about 450,000 Filipinos in 10 states under the Consulate's jurisdiction. Daza said the 74-year-old Filipino's assault brings to 43 the number of cases of "race-based violence, harassment, and other criminal incident involving Filipinos" monitored by the Consulate. Most of these cases are in New York City, particularly Manhattan and Queens. (PNA)

Using the data website Numbeo we compared two similar touristy islands in SE Asia: Cebu in the Philippines and Phuket in Thailand. Both offer tourist and ex-pats island living, with many resorts, restaurants, and international airport connections. Both have tropical temperatures however Cebu is prone to typhoons while Phuket is fairly void of them although it did suffer badly from the Tsunami a few years ago. Here are some comparisons. Summary about cost of living in Cebu, Philippines: Family of four estimated monthly costs are 61,767.06฿ (96,351.62₱) without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 17,522.35฿ (27,333.45₱) without rent. Cebu is 7.95% less expensive than Pattaya (without rent). Rent in Cebu is, on average, 5.69% higher than in Pattaya. Summary about cost of living in Phuket, Thailand: Family of four estimated monthly costs are 61,895.02฿ without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 17,247.47฿ without rent. Phuket is 3.76% more expensive than Pattaya (without rent). Rent in Phuket is, on average, 8.63% higher than in Pattaya. Here are some price comparisons. A McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo meal) costs around 180 peso or 140 Baht. If you buy imported beer expect to pay 100 pesos or 140 Baht. Taking a taxi for 1km will cost you 13.25 pesos or 37.50 baht and if you drive expect to pay 73 pesos for a litre of gasoline or 44.29 baht. For the full comparison click here. Currently, the rate of exchange is 1 Philippine Peso = 0.64 Thai Baht.

A beach resort on Phu Quoc Island Thai Vietjet, a subsidiary of Vietjet Air, plans to launch the first ever direct service between Bangkok and Phu Quoc Island on October 12. There will be four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, the Vietnamese budget carrier says on its website. Currently people flying on the route have to transit in HCMC. Both Vietnam and Thailand have reopened their borders to foreign tourists and lifted most Covid restrictions. The Thai government will increase from October the period of visa-free stay for tourists from over 50 countries, including Vietnam, from 30 days to 45. Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is famous for its white-sand beaches and fish sauce, an indispensable Vietnamese condiment. Vinpearl Phu Quoc It also has a top class 27 hole golf course owned by Vinepearl. What is Phu Quoc Island regarded as? Phu Quoc has been evaluated as the most attractive island in Vietnam and been an extremely prominent name on the international tourist map in recent years. Located in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc is known as the pearl island on the southwest coast of Vietnam. The island has become globally popular since the government allowed 30-day visa free entry in 2014.

An artist's impression of the new opera house in Thu Duc City, HCMC. Photo by HCMC Management Board of Industrial and Civil Engineering Construction and Investment Projects The plan to build an opera house in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in HCMC will be postponed for a lack of funds, a new report says. According to a report on the city's public investments for the 2016-2025 period released Wednesday, the new opera house does not belong to the group that will receive funding priority in the 2021-2025 plan. VN Express reported that since the city has just recovered from the pandemic, it needs to focus investments on social welfare and economic development, according to the Management Board of Industrial and Civil Engineering Construction and Investment Projects. The plan to build an opera house in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Thu Duc City was approved by the municipal legislature, the HCMC People’s Council in October 2018. The project was estimated to cost VND1.5 trillion ($64 million) at the time, but the investor had later proposed raising it to almost VND2 trillion. It was originally set to be completed within 2022, then pushed back to 2024. The new opera house, which can seat 1,700, is to be built near the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, which was completed in April. The bridge links Thu Thiem New Urban Area with Binh Thanh District. When the opera house project was made public, it attracted a lot of criticism for skewed priorities at a time the city was facing many problems that needed urgent attention, including urban flooding, traffic jams and overloaded public infrastructure. However, the city administration had said back then that building an opera house of international standards was "essential and urgent." It had argued that apart from the Saigon Opera House in District 1, the city did not have any other facility that could host international performances. The new opera house would become a new icon of HCMC in the future. Le Thi Huynh Mai, director of the municipal Planning – Investment Department, said that it was still working on procedures related to the project. The opera house will be built when "the city is allowed to increase the medium-term public investment for the 2016-2025 period and allocated funds for the project." She said HCMC has many public projects still waiting for funds. Its investment demand for 2021-2025 was VND672 trillion but the central government approved just VND142 trillion.

The late Andrea Teo, creator, and director of Under One Roof and Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd. CNA Lifestyle reported that Andrea Teo, the brains behind some of Singapore’s most beloved sitcom hits Under One Roof and Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, died on Thursday (Aug 25) after a battle with cancer. She was just 56. “The laughter is quiet today as Singapore’s ‘Queen of Comedy’ has passed away after two years of illness,” said a statement from the Under One Roof family that was released to the media. It hailed her as a “true innovator and trailblazer” in the entertainment scene. Before she charmed audiences in the 90s with the memorable families of Tan Ah Teck and Phua Chu Kang, Teo directed the riotous sketch comedy show The Ra Ra Show starring comedian Kumar. Said the statement: “Andrea established the English sitcom genre in Singapore as a mainstay of local entertainment with programmes like Happy Belly, Three Rooms, My Grandson the Doctor, Money and Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, where she trained and nurtured a whole generation of local TV directors, production coordinators and scriptwriters.” Many tributes Actress Koh Chieng Mun, who starred as Dolly in Under One Roof, said Teo “pushed the envelope continuously” because she “believed in presenting the Singaporean identity.” “Without Andrea leading Under One Roof, Singaporeans would not have had the show that reflected their souls nor gave them the licence to lighten up. And I would not have the chance to play Dolly nor enjoy a career as a comedic actor,” she said. Fellow Under One Roof cast member Vernetta Lopez, who played Denise, said that Teo "basically carved out a new era of local comedy of the time". "If you ever loved and still remember Under One Roof, please spare a prayer for Andrea Teo, who created the show, and has just lost her battle with cancer," she said in a Facebook post. "She was detailed, dynamic, and understood what comedy was and brought out the best in her writers, actors, producers and crew." Mediacorp issued a statement, saying: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of our former colleague, Andrea Teo. She will be dearly missed by all who have collaborated with her. Andrea was well known and regarded for her work on some of our best loved comedies, such as Under One Roof and Phua Chu Kang. This is a devastating loss, and we offer our deepest condolences to Andrea’s family and friends." She was a media whiz Woon Tai Ho, former CEO of MediaCorp News, paid tribute to Teo on Facebook, calling her a "media whiz". "She was also an accomplished musician, a true renaissance woman, creative in many other ways," he wrote. He recounted how he first came to know of her. "In 1994, the CEO of TCS (Television Corporation of Singapore) Lee Cheok Yew invited a few of us to watch the pilot recording of the first local sitcom, Under One Roof. I found myself laughing hard and realised while I was laughing with Tan Ah Teck and his family in Bishan, I was also laughing at ourselves. The jokes did not sound forced and the English used did not make me cringe. I was happy someone finally found a way to make me comfortable with local comedy and local TV. I remember Cheok Yew turning to me, 'This is good, he said. Well, it wasn’t just good, TV history was made." "The creative mind behind the sitcom was Andrea Teo. I found out later she was also the person behind The Ra Show and later Phua Chu Kang. Singapore entertainment had found its identity," he said. Actor Hossan Leong posted a message of gratitude. "Thank you, Andrea," he said in a Facebook post. "You gave me my start in TV." Culinary icon Violet Oon also took to Facebook to bid farewell to her friend. "A beautiful light has dimmed but not died - Andrea lives on in the laughter and joy she brought in her TV programmes - The Ra Ra Show, Under One Roof and more - that so many in Singapore remember with fondness and love," she said. "As for me, I remember her as the superb pianist whose musicianship made singing to her piano accompaniment a dream come true! "She was the renaissance personified whose creativity touched TV, beer, theme parks, chocolate cake (?) and now - Sentosa - all with magic dust and gave them a whole new different life no other person could possibly imagine!" Award Winner Teo’s work won a slew of awards, including multiple Asian TV Awards, a bronze medal for Sitcom at the New York Festival and an international Emmy for her second sitcom, Happy Belly. She spent nearly 12 years at Mediacorp and made her mark at Asia Pacific Breweries, and later Resorts World Sentosa where she spearheaded the start-up of the Entertainment team. From 2017, she was VP of Attractions and Entertainment of Jeju Shinhwa World in South Korea. Since 2021, she worked as a consultant to the team redeveloping Sentosa, curating and designing guest experiences. “Dynamic, fearless, inspiring, Andrea could perhaps seem intimidating to those who didn’t know her, but her warmth, kindness and generosity knew no bounds. Throughout her life, she was a mentor, advocate, mother hen and guide to many creative souls,” said the Under One Roof family. “If Andrea’s TV programmes have ever made you laugh or brought some warmth to you and your family, please take a moment today to think of her with a smile.”

The South Cotabato Provincial Capitol. (Photo courtesy of South Cotabato PIO) KORONADAL CITY – The Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO) of South Cotabato will conduct an auction sale for some 2,000 properties with arrears in real property tax (RPT). In a statement Thursday, PTO local tax operation officer Zenaida Erum said they have already published in local newspapers the real properties with unpaid taxes that are about to be auctioned on Nov. 22 this year. Most of the properties are agricultural and residential lands. She said they also have commercial lots, commercial buildings and residential buildings. She noted that the owners of the delinquent properties have a total tax due of PHP94,531,651. “The biggest number included in our publication are the 508 properties with unpaid taxes in the municipality of Norala,” Erum said. PTO has also discovered that the RPT of some agricultural lands that were published was not paid since the 1960s. “Although some of these lands were inherited, the record from the Assessor’s Office shows they are still in the name of the original owners. The new owners are not aware of their undue taxes, some of them were surprised when they received the notice,” she explained. Erum appealed to the delinquent real property owners, especially those who received the notice, to consult with the PTO or the nearest Municipal Treasurer’s Office. “Delinquent taxpayers need to update their payment and must know what to do to prevent the auction sale of their properties,” she said. As standard procedure, local government units are obligated to publish in a newspaper the list of the properties identified before the auction sale. A final demand letter must be issued to the owner and will be followed by a warrant of levy if no payment or settlement is made. A warrant of levy means that a delinquent real property has been attached to the name of the local government. The property owners are given time to settle the tax delinquency upon receipt of the warrant. Failure to pay means the forfeited property will be published before the scheduled auction. (PNA)

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (File photo) MANILA – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla on Thursday confirmed plans to provide handcuffs to immigration officers assigned at the country's points of entry. Remulla said the restraining devices are needed as Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel provide frontline services in securing the country. "They wield a sovereign function. They protect our territories," he told reporters in a Viber message. He added the handcuffs will be issued to those assigned at airports, seaports, and points of entry. Remulla named the BI as among the problem-laden offices under the Department of Justice (DOJ). Last June, the bureau implemented the dismissal order of the Office of the Ombudsman against its personnel in connection with the "pastillas" scheme. The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of 45 officials and employees of the bureau after finding them liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. Under the "pastillas" scheme, immigration officers receive bribes wrapped in a small white paper in exchange for allowing the illegal entry of foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals. They are able to enter the country without going through the usual immigration procedures. (PNA)

NOTHING TO HIDE. Former Education Secretary Leonor Briones attends a hybrid Accountability of Public Officers and Investigation (Blue Ribbon) Committee inquiry on Thursday (Aug. 25, 2022) on the alleged overpriced and outdated laptops of the Department of Education (DepEd (Photo courtesy of Senate PRIB) MANILA – Former Education Secretary Leonor Briones dismissed claims on Thursday that she was in hiding amid allegations of overpriced and outdated laptops procured by the Department of Education (DepEd) under her term through the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM). Briones made the statement in response to questions from members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Francis Tolentino. She pointed out that the DepEd asked the PS-DBM to procure the laptops for them because the latter specializes in "big-time" procurements. "ADB and Philippine Institute of Development Studies [have] been tracking the record of PS-DBM and this is why we say that we endorsed the project to them," she said. The former Education chief stressed that while the DepEd has six Bids and Awards Committees (BAC), the PHP2.4 billion worth of procurement needed a huge BAC. "We calculated that we are already preparing for face-to-face, we may not have the time to really look into the details of the offers of the various suppliers," she said. Briones insisted that what the DepEd, under her watch, did was legal and has been done by other government agencies for the past decades. "Yes, we have a BAC. But we don't have a big enough BAC to specialize in a six-month plan to provide computers at a time of a lockdown, at a time when chips were not produced, at a time of Covid-19 and the supply was very limited," she told the senators. Meanwhile, former Budget Undersecretary and former PS-DBM head Lloyd Christopher Lao said that the demand and prices of laptops increased during the lockdown and almost everyone was working at home. "When we conducted a market survey on March 2020 then by June 2020, we really awarded in favor of DepEd, PHP32,000 pesos laptop at Intel Core i5 already. That's the fact," Lao told senators. In its 2021 report, the Commission on Audit sought an explanation from the DepEd for buying PHP2.4 billion worth of “pricey” and “outdated” laptops for teachers. (PNA)

Between 2014 and 2017, nations in this region were affected by 55 earthquakes, 217 storms and cyclones, and 236 cases of severe flooding, impacting 650 million people and causing the deaths of 33,000 people. This week we reported that the Kon Plong District in the Central Vietnam Highlands province of Kon Tum experienced 12 earthquakes of 2.5-4.7 in magnitude from Tuesday afternoon to early Wednesday. Kon Tum The first, at 2:08 p.m. last Tuesday, had a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale, making it the strongest earthquake to ever hit Kon Tum, causing tremors in neighboring provinces of Gia Lai, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, and Da Nang. The next 11 quakes had a magnitude of 2.5-2.9. The latest was recorded at 1:21 a.m. on Wednesday. Altogether, the 12 events caused the tiled roof of a household in Kon Plong's Dak Ring Commune to collapse. Luckily, no human fatalities were reported. The Ministry of Science and Technology has been ordered to work with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to determine the cause of the quake series, estimate the risk levels and propose response solutions. 134 Earthquakes recorded According to Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the country experienced 134 earthquakes in the 20th century, including two that were between M8. 0 and M9. In recorded history, two earthquakes with estimated magnitudes of M5.0–6.0 are known to have shaken Hanoi in 1278 and 1285, an M6.5 quake occurred in the lower section of the Ma River in 1635, and an M6.0 temblor struck on the Ca River in 1821. In the past 100 years, there have been two major earthquakes of M6.0–7.0 near the province of Dien Bien in 1935 and 1983. Seismic hazard in Vietnam is mainly attributed to the Red River fault system. Could North Vietnam Experience a Christchurch-Like Event? According to Verisk, sometimes even earthquakes of moderate strength can cause considerable damage, which is what happened in Christchurch, New Zealand. The M7.1 and M6.2 earthquakes that struck Christchurch in 2010 and 2011, respectively, were wake-up calls because the region was thought to have little seismic activity, until the city was hit by a swarm of earthquakes that occurred on previously unknown faults. Because Christchurch had so many unreinforced masonry buildings (and/or buildings with insufficient detailing), and because so much of the city was built on loose sand and silt deposits—both of which are of great concern in Vietnam—there was an unprecedented amount of damage from liquefaction. Much of the Hanoi metropolitan area is located in the Red River delta on alluvial soil composed of loosely layered clay, silt, or sand, which makes it highly susceptible to liquefaction. Most buildings in Vietnam predate the introduction of seismic building codes, which makes them vulnerable to earthquakes. Where are earthquakes common in Asia? From Afghanistan to Bangladesh, much of South Asia is in one of the highest seismically active regions in the world. More than 600 million people live along the fault-line across the Himalayan belt that runs through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan. The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, which causes the country to have frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Many earthquakes of smaller magnitude occur very regularly due to the meeting of major tectonic plates in the region. The last reported earthquake was reported there on August 23rd 2022. The largest was the 1918 Celebes Sea earthquake with Mw8.3. Thailand has moderate earthquakes Thailand is prone to natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, tropical storms, and forest fires, but weak to moderate (below magnitude 6.0) earthquakes are not uncommon and earthquake risk should not be underestimated. In the last two decades, three notable earthquakes have affected Thailand, resulting in extensive damage and/or loss of life. In May 16, 2007, an M6.3 earthquake in neighboring country Laos caused damage to public buildings, including a school, a hospital, and historic structures. An M6.9 temblor that struck near the border with Thailand and Laos on March 24, 2011, caused one death in northern Thailand and was felt in the northwest as well as in Bangkok. And most recently the May 5, 2014, M6.1 Mae Lao earthquake in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, was one of the most significant seismic events ever recorded in the country. This temblor resulted in extensive damage to more than 15,000 buildings and infrastructures, as well as one death and 107 injuries. According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at Chiang Rai, the estimated total economic loss reached USD 300 million. Over the past 40 years, Thailand has experienced mid-sized earthquakes (magnitudes 5.0-5.9) 8 times or once every 5 years. Meanwhile, earthquake disasters are not common in Cambodia. There is no record of significant disasters caused by earthquakes. Natural disasters Typhoon in China Humanity is faced with more natural disasters, which last longer and impact more people than ten years ago. Climate change, population growth and urbanization are contributing to an increase in both the number and severity of disasters, with the Asia Pacific region particularly badly hit. According to the United Nations’ Global Humanitarian Overview 2019 report, in the period between 2014 and 2017, 870 million people from 160 countries, either lost their lives, their livelihoods or were displaced from their homes because of disasters caused by natural hazards. Floods, severe storms, droughts and other climate-related extremes are responsible for over 90% of global disasters and affect the most people.

Foreign tourists are seen in Hoi An, central Vietnam, on July 24, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh The Vietnamese government is considering recommendations from the tourism, foreign affairs, and public security ministries for expanding the list of countries whose nationals can get visas online. Vietnam currently offers 30-day single-entry e-visas for citizens from 80 countries and territories, including major economies such as Australia, India, the U.K. and the U.S. According to a report by VN Express, the government also instructed the Ministry of Public Security to simplify e-visa procedures to help foster tourism. Though Vietnam allows quarantine-free entry and resumed pre-pandemic e-visa and visa exemption policies on March 15, the number of foreign visitors has remained disappointing. In the first seven months of the year there were only 733,000 foreign arrivals or 15 percent of this year's target. Vietnam's target for this year of five million visitors is only equivalent to 30 percent of the pre-pandemic number.

Two human skeletons are found on hammocks inside a jungle of Gia Lai's KBang District, August 22, 2022. Photo courtesy of Gia Lai police Two human skeletons on two hammocks have been found by locals in a forest of the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. According to VN Express the skeletons, whose sexes have not been verified, were lying on two hammocks deep inside a jungle in KBang District, locals found out on Monday. Decomposing clothes were also found on the hammocks, which were covered by raincoats. Backpacks, flashlights, lighters, and other personal items were also at the scene. The location where the skeletons were found is a remote site with no cellphone signal, about 20 kilometers from the center of Hieu Commune. It takes 30 minutes to walk to the area from Dong Truong Son Road. Le Van Quang, chairperson of Dak Rong Commune, said police have been dispatched to the scene and an investigation is ongoing. Authorities said the two victims must have died seven to eight months prior and that they were not locals, as there were no missing person reports in KBang District in recent times. Locals often enter the forest to harvest plants or hunt animals.

TODAY file photo A view of the Changi Prison Complex. SINGAPORE — When the supposed chief of a secret society asked Muhammad Fattahullah Mohd Nordin for confidential information on fellow Changi Prison inmates, Fattahullah used his position as a prison officer to get these details for him. According to Today, he later admitted to doing so in the hopes that the inmate, who was known to be disruptive, would not create problems for him during his night shifts. For his actions, Fattahullah was on Wednesday (Aug 24) jailed for 10 weeks. The 38-year-old former employee of the Singapore Prison Service pleaded guilty to two counts of unauthorised access to computer material under the Computer Misuse Act, with two similar charges taken into consideration for sentencing. A fifth charge of breaching the Official Secrets Act was withdrawn. What happened Fattahullah last held the rank of third sergeant and earned a monthly salary of S$3,400, the court heard. He first joined the prison service as a corporal in 2008 and began working at Changi Prison from 2010 onwards. Around 2017 or 2018, he was transferred to a cluster that included inmates placed in the administrative segregation regime. Inmates are sent there for distinct reasons, including poor conduct and gang-related activities. They stay in individual cells and their conduct is reviewed about every three to four months, before a supervisor decides if they should remain or not. Fattahullah became a personal supervisor working the day shift there, before being posted to night duty around November 2019. He then got to know an inmate, Abdul Karim Mohamed Kuppai Khan, around 2018. Abdul Karim, 36, who also went by the name “Dio”, was allegedly a chief of the Ang Soon Tong gang. Fattahullah was also aware that he was a disruptive inmate. On at least five occasions between January and June 2020, Abdul Karim asked Fattahullah for information about other inmates, including their locations in prisons across the country. He usually did this by checking, through his cell intercom system, who was staffing the Housing Unit Control Centre. If Fattahullah was there, Abdul Karim gave him an inmate’s number and asked him to check the cluster where they were located. Fattahullah logged into the Prison Operations Rehabilitation System II (Ports II) system to give the other man these details, the court heard. Prison staff members, including Fattahullah, receive training on the relevant Prison Standing Order that forbids the unauthorised disclosure, alteration, removal, or endangerment of classified material. One time, Fattahullah declined to give Abdul Karim the home address of another prisoner who was a known enemy of Abdul Karim. Abdul Karim had fought with the inmate, resulting in him being sent to the administrative segregation regime once more. In a statement on Wednesday night, the Singapore Prison Service said that it commenced internal investigations into the matter in November 2020, after several contraband items and a note containing confidential information were found in an inmate’s cell during a routine check. It did not indicate which inmate this was, but it said its investigations found that Fattahullah and another prison officer Muhammad Zul Helmy Abdul Latip, 34, had allegedly accessed and provided confidential information to the inmate on separate occasions. The prison authorities immediately referred the case to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau for investigation. The two prison officers were also interdicted from service, pending the outcome of the investigation. "They both subsequently resigned from service," the Singapore Prison Service said. Fattahullah will begin serving his sentence on Sept 5 and remains out on S$5,000 bail. For each offence of unauthorised access to computer material, he could have been jailed up to two years or fined up to S$5,000 or punished with both. Abdul Karim has also been charged and his case is pending. He is further accused of receiving confidential inmates’ information from Zul on four occasions in October 2020. This information included other prisoners’ ages, residential addresses, and criminal charges as well as the contact details of their next-of-kin. Zul has been charged and is set to plead guilty next month. In its statement, the Singapore Prison Service said that it takes a profoundly serious view of any wrongful access and communication of confidential information. "Any staff found to have done so will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law, including being charged in court, as was done in this case," it added.

RELIEF. The Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Field Office 3 led by Regional Director Venus Rebuldela (standing right), distributes family and sleeping kits to 14 families affected by severe Tropical Storm Florita in Botolan town, Zambales province on Wednesday (Aug. 24, 2022). At least 264 families or 947 individuals were affected by the onslaught of "Florita" in Central Luzon. (Photo courtesy of DSWD Region 3) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – At least 264 families or 947 individuals were affected by the onslaught of severe Tropical Storm (TS) Florita in Central Luzon. Data from the Disaster Response Management Division of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 3 Field Office on Wednesday noon showed that 31 barangays in 12 municipalities in the provinces of Aurora, Tarlac, Zambales, and Bataan were displaced by flood because of heavy rains. Of the total number of displaced persons, 843 were from Zambales; 73 in Aurora; 23 in Bataan; and eight in Tarlac. Some 159 families or 548 individuals in Zambales are still staying in the evacuation centers. Meanwhile, five houses in Bataan were partially damaged while one was destroyed in Zambales. In Pampanga, a total of 26 villages in Masantol town and one in the City of San Fernando are still flooded. In Zambales, one barangay each in Cabangan, San Felipe and Subic and seven barangays in Sta. Cruz are still under water. DSWD Regional Director Venus Rebuldela said a total of 16,520 family food packs worth some PHP8.2 million were prepositioned in their agency’s warehouses. Rebuldela said some of the family food packs have been brought to the different provinces in the region for easy access in the wake of the weather disturbance. Aside from the family food packs, she said there are also non-food items amounting to PHP6.57 million that were readied. These consist of family kits, sleeping kits, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, laminated sacks, plastic mats, modular tents, and kitchen utensils. (PNA)

DIGITAL BANKS. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) says on Wednesday (Aug. 24, 2022) that it has recently issued Certificates of Authority (COA) to UnionDigital Bank Inc. (UDB) and GoTyme Bank Corporation (GTYME). This completes the list of six digital banks allowed by the BSP to initially operate and be part of the government's goal to digitalize the country's payments system. (Photo courtesy of BSP) MANILA – The Philippines now officially has six digital banks after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently issued Certificates of Authority (COA) to two more financial institutions, which paved the way for the latter’s full operations. The BSP on Wednesday said UnionDigital Bank Inc. (UDB) received its COA last July 12 and GoTyme Bank Corporation (GTYME) last July 29. These two complete the initial roster of digital banks allowed by the central bank to operate in the country. The other four are Tonik Digital Bank Inc. (TONDB) and Maya Bank Inc. (MAYA), which got their COA in the first quarter of this year, and Overseas Filipino Bank Inc. (OFBank), the digital bank subsidiary of state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), and UNObank Inc. (UBI), which received their respective COA in the second quarter of the year. The BSP said OFBank, TONDB, and MAYA are already fully operational while UBI, UDB, and GTYME are operating under limited operations and are expected to officially launch within the second half of the year. “Operating initially under limited capacity is a conservative approach adopted by digital banks to further ensure that all aspects of their digital operations are ironed out prior to fully launching their services to the public,” it said. The BSP allowed the operation of a number of digital banks in line with the government’s bid to digitalize the payments system in the country and increase to 50 percent the share of digital payments by 2023, along with onboarding at least 70 percent of adult Filipinos into the formal financial system during the same time. As of the first half of this year, the BSP said the volume of electronic payments (e-payments) and financial services processed by digital banks reached 1.4 million amounting to PHP8.45 billion. (PNA)

MANILA – A bill legalizing the use of medical marijuana will benefit patients in the form of cheap medicines and will contribute to government revenues. Dr. Donnabel Cunanan, spokesperson of the Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society (PCCS), said medical marijuana would be an immense help in pain management for cancer patients as well as for those suffering from insomnia and epilepsy and other "debilitating medical conditions.” She also said medical marijuana is not a synthetic drug that has side effects, citing the case of her child who is suffering from pancreatitis due to the side effects of synthetic medicines. Cunanan made this comment in response to Senator Robin Padilla’s bill seeking to legalize the compassionate use of marijuana for medical purposes in the country. The measure also includes further research into marijuana medicinal use and applicable safeguards under the law. " We want medical marijuana to be locally produced. Eventually, that's the only way to make it affordable to Filipinos,” Cunanan said in a news release on Wednesday. The PCCS was established in 2013 and has now at least 80,000 members, seeking to make medical marijuana "safe and available" in the Philippines. Dr. Gem Marq Mutia, the founder of the Philippine Society of Cannabinoid Medicine, said the government will also benefit from Padilla's bill through appropriate revenues once medical marijuana is manufactured in the country. " The good thing is that instead of the revenues going to other countries if we import products based on medical marijuana, the revenues can go to our government - which in turn can channel the revenues for further research on medical marijuana," he said. Marijuana is already legal in Thailand and the country is promoting farmers there to grow plants for the manufacture of many items. (PNA)

We reported this week that after five consecutive weeks of rollbacks, prices of diesel and kerosene in the Philippines are set for a big-time hike on Tuesday this week. In separate advisories, Caltex, Cleanfuel, Seaoil, and Shell said they will increase diesel prices by PHP2.60 per liter and PHP0.70 per liter on gasoline. Caltex, Seaoil, and Shell will also raise prices of kerosene by PHP2.80 per liter. Other local oil industry players are expected to follow suit. With the price adjustments in the previous week, gasoline prices have increased since the start of the year by PHP27.40 per liter, PHP36.30 per liter for diesel, and PHP30.35 per liter for kerosene. According to Global Petrol Prices.com the average price of Octane-95 gasoline around the world on 22nd August 2022 was 1.36 U.S. Dollar per litre. However, there is a substantial difference in these prices among countries. As a rule, richer countries have higher prices while poorer countries and the countries that produce and export oil have significantly lower prices. One notable exception is the U.S. which is an economically advanced country but has low gas prices. The differences in prices across countries are due to the various taxes and subsidies for gasoline. All countries have access to the same petroleum prices of international markets but then decide to impose different taxes. As a result, the retail price of gasoline is different. Here is their current list of prices around the world on 22nd August 2022. Industry experts said the increase in petroleum prices this week is driven by a tightening of supply, with United States crude inventory declining and the sanctions against Russia continuing to impact demand and supply dynamics and affecting prices. If you are unlucky to buy your gas in Hong Kong expect to pay a whopping US$2.98 the most expensive litre in the world. Venzuuela pumps Cheapest was Venezuela who charge just $US0.022 a litre. Malaysia had the lowest rate by far in Asia at US$0.457. Vietnam is US$1.07, Thailand US$1.24 and the Philippines is shown at US$1.314 per litre. Let’s hope the governments around the world maintain low taxes so we can at least afford to drive somewhere!!!

‘Florita’ was moving generally northwestward and was forecast to traverse the northern portion of Isabela and mainland Cagayan. According to the Tribune, it is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday. Tropical storm “Florita” pounded Northern Luzon on Tuesday, bringing rains to much of the main island, forcing the suspension of work and classes and inducing landslides in Ilocos and Bicol. The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 km/hour, made landfall over Maconacon, Isabela early in the morning. “Florita” was moving generally northwestward and was forecast to traverse the northern portion of Isabela and mainland Cagayan. It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that 15 areas in Ilocos were underwater while at least three roads and one bridge remained unpassable in Bicol. The storm also suspended work and classes in the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, and Cordillera Administrative Region. Hundreds fled to evacuation centers in Abra, the Mountain Province and Isabela after their homes were damaged by fierce winds and heavy rains. The storm also closed the courts in several Northern Luzon provinces. In Cagayan Valley, 14 barangays were hardest hit, prompting the swift evacuation of residents. Capt. Rigor Pamitan, the spokesperson of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, said the number of affected families rose to 156, most of them staying in evacuation centers. The Supreme Court suspended work in Santiago, Isabela; Cordon-Dinapigue, Isabela; Ramon-San Isidro, Isabela; and Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Manila suspends schools Metro Manila and neighboring provinces were not spared. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. suspended classes at all levels in public schools as well as operations in government offices in Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Zambales and Bataan until Wednesday. “The heavy rains pose possible risks to the general public based on the recommendations of the Office of Civil Defense,” the Office of the Press Secretary announced. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and said relief stockpiles and disaster operation funds are on standby.

MOUNTAIN MARATHONER. Larry Apolinario will compete in the 100-kilometer ultra-mountain marathon in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sept. 9, 2022. Apolinario is a member of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) from the Municipality of Laua-an in Antique, who for the first time will compete in an international arena. (Photo courtesy of Richard Burton Fillone) SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – A mountaineering group is raising funds to send a member of the Indigenous peoples (IP) to the international 100-kilometer ultra-mountain marathon to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam next month. Team Kalboro, a group of mountaineers from the provinces of Panay Island, on Tuesday said it targets to raise PHP80,000 for the training, fare, accommodation, and other needs of Larry Apolinario, 26, of the Iraynon Bukidnon IP community in Barangay Capnayan, municipality of Laua-an. “We discovered Apolinario in one of our climbs,” said Richard Burton Fillone, a member of the mountaineering group. recent winner Apolinario is preparing for the international trail running competition in Vietnam this September 9 by practicing on the mountain trail of Laua-an. “I am now preparing for the competition with the hope that I could bring pride to our home country, particularly to my home province Antique,” he said in a phone interview on Tuesday. The runner works as a "habal-habal" (motorcycle taxi) driver but earns extra as a local guide for mountaineers and tourists going to Mount Igmatongtong, a popular training ground for beginner mountaineers. Laua-an Councilor Jose Claudio Alonsagay, also a running advocate, said trail running is where Filipinos have enormous potential to excel and is now one of the sporting events in the Olympics. Alonsagay helped organized the Antique International Marathon in 2017 where Apolinario was discovered. Apolinario emerged as champion when he competed in the 100-kilometer Ultra Marathon in Valencia, Bukidnon, and the 75-kilometer Sierra Madre Trail Ultra in Rodriguez, Rizal only this year. The runner, who will be competing in his first international event, will leave for Vietnam on Sept. 5. (PNA)

Abounded car in Barangay MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has formed a special task force to conduct a deeper investigation into the death of four persons whose bodies were found inside a car abandoned in Barangay Macabud, Rodriguez, Rizal last Aug. 22. “A Special Investigation Task Group has been created to dig deeper into the case. We want to establish the motive and apprehend the culprit. Police authorities are on top of this and seek to uncover the truth and vow to serve justice,” said PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. in a statement on Tuesday. The Rodriguez Municipal Police Station received a call informing them of lifeless bodies of unidentified individuals discovered inside a Nissan car, with plate number NGU 1923. Two of the four victims were identified by their relatives. The other two female victims are still unidentified. The Rizal Police Provincial Office on Tuesday disclosed that it has identified two of the four dead individuals that were found inside an abandoned car at Barangay Macabud in Rodriguez, Rizal on Monday. Rizal PPO Public Information Officer Lt. Marisol Tactaquin identified two of the victims as Robert Ryan Amarillo of Lucena province and Carl Pabalan of Tayabas in Quezon. Initial reports said the death of the victims apparently has something to do with a botched drug deal. (PNA)

People gather along the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore on Jun 1, 2022. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman) SINGAPORE: Singapore's core inflation rose further to 4.8 per cent in July, driven mainly by stronger increases in the prices of food, electricity and gas, official data on Tuesday (Aug 23) showed as reported by CNA. This is higher than the figure of 4.4 per cent in June and surpassed a Reuters forecast of a 4.7 per cent increase. The last time Singapore reported higher year-on-year growth was in November 2008, when core inflation was 5.5 per cent. Core inflation excludes accommodation and private transport costs. The headline consumer price index, or overall inflation, rose to 7 per cent year-on-year in July, surpassing the 6.7 per cent reported in June. "Apart from higher core inflation, both private transport and accommodation inflation also increased in July," said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in a joint media release. Overall inflation increased in July, mainly due to higher inflation for food, electricity, and gas, as well as accommodation. Food inflation came in higher due to steeper increases in the prices of both food services and non-cooked food, hitting 6.1 per cent in July. Inflation for electricity and gas rose to 24 per cent in July, compared to 20 per cent in June, on the back of a larger increase in electricity and gas tariffs. Accommodation inflation also picked up due to a faster pace of increase in housing rents, hitting 4.6 per cent in July. Services inflation rose to 3.5 per cent in July as the costs of outpatient services, airfares, as well as recreational and cultural services recorded larger increases. Private transport inflation rose to 22.2 per cent from 21.9 per cent in June due to a stronger pickup in car prices. Meanwhile, prices of retail and other goods registered a slower pace of increase, coming in at 2.8 per cent in July, as inflation for telecommunication equipment, medicines and health products declined. At the same time, the cost of personal effects fell. Global supply chain issues eased Globally, supply chain frictions have eased slightly, and some commodity prices have levelled off, said MAS and MTI. But they added that global inflation is likely to stay elevated in the near term as key commodity markets continue to face supply constraints. Labour markets in many major economies also remain tight. Additionally, with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the recovery in domestic demand in some regional economies could raise inflation. Hence, upward pressures on Singapore’s import prices could persist, said MAS and MTI. "On the domestic front, the labour market remains tight, keeping wage growth strong. Amid firm consumer spending, businesses are likely to pass on increases in the prices of fuel, utilities, and other imported inputs, as well as labour costs, to consumer prices," they added. Authorities said MAS core inflation is projected to stay elevated over the next few months before it begins to ease towards the end of the year. Car and accommodation cost increases are also likely to stay firm for the rest of the year. For the full year, overall inflation is expected to come in at 5 per cent to 6 per cent, while MAS core inflation is projected to average at 3 per cent to 4 per cent. "Fresh shocks to global commodity prices, as well as domestic wage pressures remain as upside risks to inflation," said the authorities. The government is “doing everything necessary” At the National Day Rally on Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Government is ready to do more if the situation of rising costs worsens. Even before the Russia-Ukraine war, inflation was already becoming a problem, said Mr Lee. The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted supply chains and prompted developed countries to roll out huge spending packages. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February worsened the situation by disrupting supplies of oil, gas, and grain, pushing up global prices. The Prime Minister said the Government is “doing everything necessary” to support Singaporeans, especially middle- and lower-income families. Measures include cash payouts, rebates under the GST Voucher-U Save scheme and for service and conservancy charges, Community Development Council vouchers and MediSave top-ups. In June, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced a S$1.5 billion support package targeted at providing immediate relief for lower-income and more vulnerable groups. MAS has also tightened monetary policy four times since October last year, allowing the Singapore currency to strengthen. "The Government also stands ready to do more to help Singaporeans if things worsen,” Mr Lee said. “But the basic reality is that international economic conditions have shifted."

The 42nd ASEAN Railways CEOs’ Conference themed ‘Recovery and Development’ officially opened at the Grand Tourane Hotel in Da Nang reported Da Nang Today. ASEAN Railways CEOs at the event The event saw the participation of 170 delegates and observers from eight ASEAN member nations, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, and others. Also, it was attended by Vice Chairman of the Commission for the Management of the State Capital at Enterprises Nguyen Ngoc Canh, Vietnam Railways’ General Director Dang Sy Manh, and Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman Le Quang Nam. Delivering an opening speech at the conference, General Director Dang Sy Manh underlined the importance of the conference in promoting the development of the railway transportation sector of ASEAN in general and all member countries. He said that he himself liked the proverb ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’ very much. He added the circumstances and conditions of railways in each country may be different, but all aim for the development of railways, and the integration and connectivity of logistics and trade services. He remarked, over the past two years, the railway has played a crucial role in transporting passengers and freight through epidemic-hit centres. He hoped that ASEAN member nations will work together for sake of the success of the conference, and the development of the railway sector of each country, thereby significantly contributing to the socio-economic development of each country and the region. The 42nd ASEAN Railways CEOs’ Conference was due to take place in Vietnam in 2020, but it was postponed two times due to a Covid-19 outbreak. This year’s event is taking place in Da Nang from August 23 - 25. This is the 5th time that the Vietnam Railway Corporation has hosted this important event. The conference in progress The annual conference is alternately organized by railways of ASEAN member countries. It provides an opportunity for general directors, managers, and operators of ASEAN railways to discuss and exchange development experiences and ways to effectively exploit the railway in the region. It also gives a chance for international organizations, countries with developed railways in the region, and the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of railway technology and equipment to update information on railway development in the ASEAN region, seek cooperation opportunities and introduce the latest products and technologies in the railway sector. According to Vice Chairman of the Commission for Management of State Capital at Enterprises Nguyen Ngoc Canh, the conference is an opportunity for railways of ASEAN member countries and related partners to share experiences to manage and operate enterprises in an effective and sustainable manner. This will contribute to driving the socio-economic development and the prosperity of each country, and the ASEAN community. After the opening ceremony was the plenary session. During the conference, chairperson, vice chairpersons and the secretariat will be selected. The conference will be divided into 3 working groups: CEOs, Marketing & Operations, and Technical. Accordingly, the group of CEOs will focus on discussing issues of mutual concern such as railway network development plans and railway development strategies in member countries. The remaining two working groups will pay attention to sharing experience in railway system operation and management, as well as lessons learned from engineering application, modern technology, marketing strategies, and how to operate efficiently to adapt to the new normal. In addition to the meeting agenda, the delegates will visit the Da Nang Railway Station to learn about the actual operation of the Vietnam Railways Corporation, along with Hoi An ancient town to learn about the culture, country, and people of Vietnam.