ASEAN NOW News

NATURAL BEAUTY. A view of the ocean atop a mountain in Baler town, Aurora. The province that is known for its beaches is being rebranded to include dive, surfing, trekking and wellness sites to attract more tourists. (File photo by Loretta Allarey-Paje) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The number of tourist arrivals in the province of Aurora reached over 650,000 in the first half of this year. Data from the Aurora Tourism Office showed that a total of 653,054 tourists visited the province from January to June, an indication that the province's tourism industry is on its way to recovery from the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The top tourist destinations in the province are the towns of Dipaculao, Baler, Dingalan, and Maria Aurora. The report was based on the data supplied by the municipal tourism offices of the province’s eight towns, namely Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dingalan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, and San Luis. Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Chriselle May Yambao said on Thursday the Department of Tourism in Central Luzon (DOT-3) is also rebranding Aurora to include dive, surfing, trekking and wellness sites to attract more tourists. “This is a very unique type of product development wherein we pair up activities and not only concentrate on only one activity. Aurora is very rich in natural resources with its mountains and seas,” Yambao said in a radio interview. So far, she said among the selected dive sites in the province for freediving are the Barangay Dibutunan Marine Protected Area (MPA), Digisit MPA, and Dicasalarin. Other dive sites will also be opened once the local government unit (LGU) guidelines have been set. Yambao said locals will also be trained and certified as freediving guides to ensure the safety of divers visiting the province. In terms of wellness activities, she said Aurora is an ideal place for meditation and yoga because of its beautiful natural scenery. “We are hoping that this going to be alternative activities in Aurora, aside from surfing which the province is known for,” Yambao added. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

(File photo) MANILA – President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday pushed for the transition to renewable energy to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change on the country. Marcos, in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered at Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City, said the use of renewable energy will top his administration's climate change agenda. "We will increase our use of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, geothermal, solar, and wind,” said Marcos, whose home province Ilocos Norte houses the now-famous Windmills of Bangui. The shift to renewable energy is seen as a solution to help slow down the effects of climate change. The United Nations-body Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its report released in April 2022, bared that solar and wind energy and batteries have shown sustained cost reductions of up to 85 percent since 2010. Many policies and laws have improved energy efficiency, reduced deforestation rates, and accelerated renewable energy deployment, according to the IPCC report. Marcos emphasized the need to promote the use of renewable energy, as he noted that the Philippines is a disaster-prone country. Given the country's geographical situation, capacity-building for natural disaster resiliency is "a must," he said. Marcos said investing in science and technology would enable the government to have accurate weather forecasts and on-time disaster alerts. “For the welfare of our people, it is incumbent upon us to lessen our vulnerability,” he said. “Studies show that many areas in the Philippines are already at high risk from the rise in sea levels brought about by the increase in global temperature. We must adapt to this phenomenon with disaster-proof urban planning." Partnership with private sector The Philippines, though a minor contributor to climate change globally, is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Marcos also raised alarm over the precarious fresh water supply situation in the country, especially in urban areas. “Many of our water supply systems date back to the 1950’s and they must already be rehabilitated and improved,” he said. He then directed Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia "Toni" Yulo-Loyzaga and Public Works Secretary "Manuel" Manny Bonoan "to explore possible partnerships with the private sector to address this critical situation.” “There is no question that the preservation of the environment is preservation of life. If we cannot mitigate climate change, all our plans for the economy will be for naught,” Marcos said. Marcos said environmental laws and policies must be followed when the government forges partnership with the private sector. “Companies who exploit our natural resources must follow the law. We all have the responsibility to preserve the Earth, for we are but custodians, and we will pass this treasure on to future generations,” he said. Marcos, in his inaugural speech delivered on June 30, mentioned plastic pollution and climate change as among critical issues his administration will address. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier said Marcos will continue pursuing a whole-of-nation approach in mitigating climate risks. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday (July 25, 2022). Marcos’ SONA lasted for one hour and 14 minutes. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan) MANILA – In an hour-long speech, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered a "data-driven" State of the Nation Address (SONA) that laid out his plans for the Philippines for the six years. Marcos' first SONA was one hour and 14 minutes long that tackled the government's agenda on economic recovery, Covid-19 pandemic response, the resumption of face-to-face classes, as well as the legislative priorities for his administration. His notably most applauded statements in his speech were about bringing the much-needed health facilities beyond Manila, and not surrendering even a square inch of the country's territory, referring to Manila's ongoing territorial dispute with other littoral states over the South China Sea. “We will bring the health care system closer to the people so that they will no longer have to go to the centers of their town, province, and region. We’ll put up clinics and Rural Health Units [RHUs] to be visited by doctors, nurses, midwives and med techs once a week -- it would be easier for the sick to be treated without having to travel far,” Marcos said. Marcos also focused on the theme of continuity, as he vowed to continue his predecessor’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program but with a new focus on developing the country’s railway system, as well as tax administration reforms of the previous administration. Marcos directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to build upon already existing lines by modernizing old railway systems. “Full speed ahead! Improving our railway system, along with modernizing existing airports and seaports, will maximize our strategic location in the Pacific. And connect our many islands,” he said. Over 1,300 guests graced the event to witness first-hand the President's address inside the newly-renovated plenary hall from lawmakers, Cabinet officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and other guests. Consistent with his wish for a simple SONA, his guests wore Filipiniana and barong that would reflect the Philippines' rich culture, heritage, and tradition. Among the remarkable attendees were Vice President Sara Duterte who wore a tribal outfit in honor of the Bagobo Tagaba tribe of Davao City, and Sen. Robinhood "Robin" Padilla wearing a Francis Libiran-made attire composed of fine Inaul fabric woven by the Maranaos of Mindanao. Among the SONA performers was a group from Marcos' home region of Ilocos sang the national anthem. The first SONA was directed by film director Paul Soriano. Around 20,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure security within the immediate area surrounding the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City, as well as Commonwealth Avenue, the road that leads to the complex. Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto described Marcos' first SONA as "data-driven", considering that others before him had used words to conjure the future, while he painted it using numbers. "And that makes his SONA brave, not boring, because when you set specific targets -- on growth, jobs, debt, inflation -- then you set up the goals by which your administration will be measured. Promises have receipt. Not motherhood statements), but calculable key result areas," Recto said. Recto said the President was also correct in predicating all his programs with a plan on how to revitalize the economy because only a strong one would yield the resources and revenues that would finance the rebuilding of the "Covid-ravaged" nation. "His speech was structured in such a way that before he dazzled us with programs, he gave us a fiscal reality check," he said. Newly-elected Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part, said Marcos has clearly spelled out a roadmap of governance in his six years of office in his first SONA. "His message was crystal-clear: the main focus of his administration will be economic recovery, with agriculture as the major engine for growth and employment," Romualdez said. Romualdez said the prospect of economic recovery looks bright with Marcos' plan to impose tax administration reforms and observe sound fiscal management. He also agreed with his plan to prioritize government spending on items that will immediately address the economic scarring caused by the pandemic. Meanwhile, around 20,000 Marcos supporters from Metro Manila and nearby provinces packed the IBP Road in Quezon City during the "Kilos Suporta para sa Pagbangon at Pagkakaisa - PBBM SONA," based on crowd estimates from event organizers. The attendees -- all clad in red BBM shirts, face masks, and caps -- cheered for the President and flashed his signature peace sign. "We are here to show our support for President Bongbong Marcos as he delivers his first SONA. He wanted us to listen to his programs and here we are, heeding his call," said Malayang Quezon City president Edwin Rodriguez, one of the organizers of the event. Vice President Sara Duterte called on administration supporters to help the president fulfill the programs he had cited in his maiden SONA as she met with pro-Marcos groups that gathered along IBP Road. " Hopefully, we will be united in executing the plans outlined by the President of our country," she said. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

Singapore Police ForceSingaporean Pi Jiapeng (left) and Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa are wanted by the police for allegedly failing to deliver luxury watches and bags and fleeing across the border SINGAPORE — Conducting checks on all outgoing vehicles from Singapore's land checkpoints will have a significant impact on trade and travel and could also "severely worsen" the departure traffic situation, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). "While the checks may not be 100 per cent, they are not minimal or negligible in number," said the authority. ICA was responding to TODAY's queries on Saturday (July 23) about how a couple fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury watches and bags to their buyers. The fugitives — Singaporean Pi Jiapeng and Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa — had left the country by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry and were assisted by a 40-year-old Malaysian man. TODAY also asked if ICA is considering a review of its policy of not checking 100 percent of outgoing vehicles at the border checkpoints. In response, ICA said that Singapore's land checkpoints are one of the busiest land crossings in the world, and about 200,000 travellers depart daily prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Any delay in clearing departure traffic during peak hours can cause traffic tailback onto the roads inland, such as the Bukit Timah Expressway for Woodlands Checkpoint and the Ayer Rajah Expressway for Tuas Checkpoint, said ICA. It added that such delays would also disrupt trade flows between Singapore and Malaysia. ICA said that it adopts a "risk management approach" to departure clearance screening of people, goods and conveyances and takes an "arrival-centric approach" to border security, which ICA added is a widespread practice internationally and done to optimise resources. This is why the approach to departure checks changes based on Singapore's prevailing security posture, ICA said in its response. "For example, enhanced checks will be conducted on departing conveyances in the aftermath of major security incidents to prevent the perpetrators from leaving Singapore," said ICA. On the other hand, ICA subjects all arriving conveyances to 100 per cent checks to safeguard Singapore's borders "against the entry of smuggled, illegal or undesirable persons and goods, and especially security sensitive items". This is a key priority for the authority, it said. "A more balanced approach has therefore been adopted," said ICA. Explaining its current approach, ICA said it conducts regular and random operations on departing conveyances on a day-to-day basis. The checks include car boots, the luggage and engine compartments of buses, as well as the cabin and container compartments of lorries. Targeted and thorough checks may also be conducted on departing traffic based on risk-profiling and information received, it said.

This week the UN brokered a deal with Russia and Ukraine to start shipping wheat from the region again. Apart from the logistical problems of avoiding mines around the Black Sea ports will this initiative last. The UN and Turkey are trying to broker an agreement to allow Ukrainian exports to resume, which would require Russia to lift the blockade and Ukraine to remove mines from its ports. Ukrainian officials say they can't trust Russia not to use the agreement to gain a military advantage. The Russian bombing of the ports reported over the weekend does not help the situation. Meanwhile, Ukraine has 30 million tons of grain sitting in silos. That accounts for more than half of the available storage space even before the new harvest begins this summer. Meanwhile, how will this embargo lifting affect us living in SE Asia? Some countries were far more reliant on Ukraine for those products prior to the blockade. Those include some of the world's most populous countries: at least 25% of wheat exports in Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, and Pakistan came from Ukraine. Ukraine-Philippines in 2020, Ukraine exported $172M to Philippines. The main products that Ukraine exported to the Philippines were Wheat and meslin ($119M), Iron or non-alloy steel; semi-finished products thereof ($17.6M), and Cigars, cheroots, cigarillos, and cigarettes; of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes ($9.29M). In 2020 Russia also exported over $120million worth of cereals to the Philippines and with the country’s favorable relations with Moscow one assumes wheat from Russia will continue to be delivered too. So hopefully the Philippines will start to see Wheat from Ukraine arriving at its ports in the next few months. Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

People shop at a CD/DVD fair in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Thanh Online video piracy is worsening in Vietnam with the number of users watching or listening to pirated stuff estimated at 15.5 million, the third highest in the Southeast Asia reports VN Express. This was disclosed in a report by Media Partners Asia at a seminar on online piracy in Vietnam and its prevention held earlier this week in Hanoi. Neil Gane, consultant at the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, the largest content coalition in the world representing over 30 major global entertainment companies and film studios, said Vietnam ranks only behind Indonesia and the Philippines in Southeast Asia in terms of users of pirated contents. But on a per capita basis, Vietnam ranks first in accessing and sharing them, he said. This causes the digital content industry losses of US$348 million, or 18 percent of its revenues. "In Vietnam, only about 4 percent of users subscribe to legal content." If it is not addressed, the number of users could reach 19.5 million by 2027, resulting in losses of $456 million, he claimed. On the other hand, if piracy is controlled, it would create 4,870 new jobs, he claimed further. Le Quang Tu Do, deputy director of the Department of Radio, Television, and Electronic Information, said a large number of complaints have been received recently against piracy of copyrighted content, primarily football, movies, game shows, and music. The piracy is highly sophisticated and constantly changing, always concealing information, and offering content from overseas, he said. Pham Hoang Hai, director of the department’s Vietnam Digital Content Copyright Center, said the most common acts of piracy are live streaming, reposting broadcasted content on different social networks or websites and cropping, editing, and illegally reposting them online. Pirated content is illegally used on a variety of platforms, including licensed OTT websites and applications, websites that register domain names and set up servers in other countries, pirated OTT apps shared on the Internet or installed via Android TV box devices, popular social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch, he said. Do said it takes a lot of effort and time to manage this because pirated content has many ways to circumvent legal provisions, even bypassing AI, making it difficult to detect. The center has coordinated with various authorities to prevent users from accessing over 500 pirated websites, he said. According to German market and consumer data company Statista, the number of mobile Internet users in Vietnam last year was an estimated 71.5 million and the number is expected to rise to 82.2 million by 2025. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

Predatory loan sharks are harassing HCMC-based employers of workers who've defaulted on payments, threatening destructive action against their business as well as relatives reports VN Express. For a while now, the hotline at logistics firm Long Rich Vietnam Co. Ltd has been ringing almost all day. The callers are loan sharks demanding that the company cooperates and "hands over" workers who have borrowed money from them. The usurers threaten that if the company, which is based in Linh Trung 2 Export Processing Zone in HCMC's Thu Duc City, fails to cooperate, they will publicize harmful information about the company on social media or send gangbangers over to damage its factory. The constant calling, starting early in the morning and going on until late in the night, makes it impossible for the company to receive calls from their customers or partners. And this is not all. The loan sharks also call company officials, including union heads and those working in its administrative office on their cell phones, making the same demands and threats. A man stops by a gate of a factory in Thu Duc City where advertisements of loan sharks are plastered all over the place, July 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Le Tuyet Nguyen Thi Thuy Van, chairperson of Long Rich's labor union, said almost 30 percent of the 5,000 or so workers that the factory has hired have borrowed money from loan sharks via mobile apps. There are cases in which workers had borrowed just VND10 million but after just a few months, the loan and interest climbed to VND100 million, said Van. After a while, when the workers were no longer able to service the usurious loans, they changed their phone numbers and tried every way they could hide from the loan sharks. Van said that the loan sharks have already smeared the company by spreading photoshopped images of its senior staff on social media and accusing them of swindling. Hurt your family 'one by one' Bich Hien, an HR staff at footwear maker Pouyuen Vietnam Co. Ltd in HCMC’s Binh Tan District, said the factory has been receiving almost 70 calls from loan sharks per day, with some being made at 1-2 a.m., apart from dozens of emails defaming the company. Hien said the loan sharks do not just have her mobile number, but also that of her husband, the names of her family members and the addresses of her children's schools. They told her that if she does not cooperate and make the workers’ pay, her family will be hurt "one by one." According to Pouyuen Vietnam's labor union, around 400-500 workers have borrowed from loan sharks and are unable to pay the money back. Many of them have changed their mobile numbers or even quit working at Pouyuen. "The company's operations have been badly affected," said Hien. Long Rich Vietnam and Pouyuen Vietnam have not been able to hire new employees because their recruitment hotlines have also been disrupted by the loan sharks. Pham The Toan, HR director at Cholimex Food JSC at Vinh Loc Industrial Park in HCMC’s Binh Chanh District, said the factory needs 500 workers, but he does not dare to pick up his phone these days if it is a strange number because he's afraid it could be a loan shark calling. Toan's photos have already been posted on social media with content slandering him for shielding "fraudulent" workers. "There have been days when I could not make or receive any phone calls because of the loan sharks." Workers at Cholimex Food JSC at Vinh Loc Industrial Park in HCMC’s Binh Chanh District, July 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Le Tuyet No protection Despite being harassed and threatened, companies and their factories have not received any protection. Kieu Ngoc Hoa, HR director of Samsung HCMC CE Complex Co. Ltd at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Thu Duc City, said police have said that it is difficult to track the loan sharks because they use unregistered SIM cards and fake social media accounts. Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, chairperson of HCMC’s Labor Confederation, said they were aware of the situation and have received many reports from factories. The city has a Capital Aid Fund for Employment of the Poor (CEP), which offers loans at "very low" interest to workers. However, the demand is "huge,” and the CEP has very limited resources. So, the workers go to loan sharks who can be found very easily and lend the money with quick and simple procedures, Hoa said. At a June meeting with workers nationwide that was broadcast live, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the central bank to come up with measures that make available bank capital easily accessible to people in need towards preventing them from falling prey to loan sharks. He also asked the Ministry of Public Security to act quickly against those who violate regulations and prevent consequences affecting the economy and workers. It was said at the meeting that over the last three years, the ministry had overseen more than 2,700 cases involving nearly 5,000 people and prosecuted nearly 2,000 cases with 4,000 defendants. Workers were the victims in more than 1,000 cases. Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Deputy Public Security Minister, said loan sharks were committing very "sophisticated" crimes under the guise of businesses offering financial support services. "There are cases in which the interest rate is 90-100 percent a month and even up to 700-1,000 percent a month; and loan sharks usually threaten, terrorize and appropriate assets when the borrowers fail to make payments on the due dates," he said. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

(PNA file photo) MANILA – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Sunday urged the public to take advantage of the Department of Education (DepEd)’s cyber safety modules which has three courses teaching students how to stay safe online. The human rights body stressed the need to warn the public against the use of virtual platforms as exploitation venues for children and women. CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia, in a statement, said the Commission has noted an increasing number of "online sexual exploitation and abuse of children" (OSAEC), which has consistently called for greater government action for the protection of children against online abuse. “Protection of the young from all forms of abuse and exploitation remains to be one of the most important duties of the State,” she said. The CHR said the shift to digital and online learning amid the Covid-19 pandemic has brought more children to virtual platforms, increasing their vulnerabilities to “online exploitation and cyberbullying.” Because of this, the DepEd created cyber safety modules to help children learn the basics of internet safety, De Guia said, adding this “is a long overdue but laudable initiative.” The courses on cyber safety can be found under the “Spotlight” tab of DepEd Commons, the department’s e-learning platform. De Guia said enhancing educational safety nets for children against the dangers of improper internet usage, bullying, and malicious online content sharing is crucial to protecting the right to life. “We are hopeful that knowledge learned from these modules would translate to more children avoiding harmful internet interactions and a decrease in OSAEC cases,” she said. The CHR also renewed its call for greater legislative action against OSAEC. “CHR yet again reiterates our call for the passage of House Bill (HB) No. 10703 or the Anti-Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children,” de Guia said. The measure seeks to strengthen the protection of children against OSAEC-related crimes -- by requiring internet intermediaries and other internet or payment service providers to take down or remove websites that stream illegal content of abuse of minors. De Guia also said by increasing penalties for those found guilty, the legislative measure could deter individuals from committing cybercrimes. She said passage of the proposed bill “shall demonstrate” the commitment of the current administration “to stamp out child abuse and make the online network a safe space” for children. “As the country’s Gender and Children’s Ombud charged to monitor government actions upholding gender and children’s rights, the Commission calls for urgent executive action for the passage of this bill into law as the plight of children in our country deserves more attention for the protection of the young against abuse,” she added. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

DOH OIC Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire (File photo) MANILA – Refusing to be caught flat-footed, the Department of Health (DOH) and its partners have been preparing for the monkeypox virus ever since an uptick in cases was reported in other countries in May 2022. This, as World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has declared monkeypox to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Following the declaration, WHO also issued temporary recommendations (TRs) to guide the response of countries around the world that might be affected by the virus. For countries like the Philippines with no history of monkeypox in humans, some of the guidelines include the following: activate multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms for readiness and response, to stop human-to-human transmission; avoid stigmatization and discrimination against any individual or population group that may be affected, to help prevent further undetected transmission. The world health body also recommends intensified epidemiology and disease surveillance as well as raising awareness and training of health workers about virus transmission, related prevention and protective measures, and symptoms and signs among communities that are currently affected as well as among other population groups that may be at risk, among others. For her part, DOH OIC Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire has assured the public that there is no reported case in the Philippines yet and they are doing everything to prevent it from entering the country. “Up to now, there has been no finding in the Philippines that fits the definition of a suspect monkeypox case. The clinical presentation is often explained by other diseases that look like monkeypox, but is not the same,” she said. “The DOH will keep the Filipino public updated with factual information,” Vergeire added. She also reported that their preparations were all aligned with WHO’s list of temporary recommendations which include aggressive information, communication, and educational campaign about the disease in coordination with other relevant government offices and private partners. “Consistent with WHO recommendations, the DOH has been carefully communicating the risk of monkeypox transmission along with other pertinent facts about its causative agent and clinical presentation. DOH emphasizes across all its guidelines and advisories that any individual can get monkeypox,” Vergeire said. She also reported that they have been holding online town halls and meetings with health care workers, DOH regional offices, and local health officials in the past weeks to educate and help them detect and stop the virus from spreading. “The DOH is currently working with local civil society organizations, community-based groups, social hygiene clinics and advocates to properly communicate the risk of monkeypox transmission among certain population groups without stigma,” she pointed out. “This is consistent with the evidence that anyone can get monkeypox, and we must all work together to prevent not just the disease but also stigma that may cause undetected transmission,” Vergeire stressed. (OPS) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (File photo) MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday vowed a swift investigation into the Ateneo shooting incident that left at least three people dead, including a former city mayor in Basilan City. This, as the President mourned with the bereaved families of Rosita Furigay, former mayor of Lamitan City in Basilan province; Victor George Capistrano, the executive assistant of Furigay; and a certain Bandiola Jeneven. Hannait, reportedly Furigay's daughter who was supposed to join the graduation ceremony of the School of Law at the Areté complex inside the Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City, is undergoing treatment. “We commit our law enforcement agencies to thoroughly and swiftly investigate these killings and bring all involved to justice,” Marcos said in a statement on his official Facebook page. Marcos said he is “shocked and saddened” by the shooting incident that happened at about 2:55 p.m. “Our prayers go to the graduates, their families, the Ateneo community, and to the residents of Quezon City and Basilan,” Marcos said. Furigay was shot while walking towards the lobby of one of the buildings of the school where the graduation of Ateneo Law students was supposed to be held. She was declared dead in the hospital along with Capistrano. The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) identified the alleged shooter as Dr. Chao-Tiao Yumol, 38, and a resident of Basilan. The Ateneo Law School was supposed to hold its graduation rites, but this was canceled after the shooting as the campus was placed on lockdown. Inappropriate Meanwhile, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said an investigation is underway and appropriate action will be taken regarding the tweet of a certain Den Macaranas, allegedly a desk editor at state-run People’s Television Network. “I think the Pinklawan and Dilawan are engaged in shooting spree,” Macaranas posted on Twitter at 4:15 p.m., referring to the political colors of the opposition. “Pursuant to this, we called the attention of officials at PTV to investigate the matter. We assure the public that if true, we will take the appropriate action,” Cruz-Angeles said in a statement. Investigation Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte denounced the shooting incident and extended condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died in the shooting. "We strongly denounce the shooting incident at the Ateneo de Manila University. This kind of incident has no place in our society and must be condemned to the highest level," Belmonte said in a statement. Her office requested the Quezon City Police District to continue investigating this incident and ensure that swift justice be attained by the victims and their families. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also condemned the shooting incident. “The DILG sincerely sympathizes with the family of the victims of this unfortunate incident as we assure them that we will strengthen the case against the suspect, file the necessary charges, and ensure that the suspect will languish behind bars,” the DILG statement read. The DILG commended the Quezon City Police District and the Anonas Police Station for their “swift action that led to the immediate arrest of the suspect.” (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

Whether you agree or disagree with Saudi Arabia’s human rights record LIV Golf has lifted the lid off many double standards. The PGA commissioner Jay Monahan has been particularly vocal along with Keith Pelly at DP World and the entire Golf Chanel team, against the concept of the LIV Tour and its early defectors. It’s all about t money they cry not about the true game of golf!!! Yet you ask half the field in the recent PGA or DP World tournaments who missed the cut, and all will be out of pocket. Playing on the Korn Ferry and Challenge Tours are also expensive too. It is OK for the top elite to say players are losing their integrity, but how much have McIlroy, Spieth and Thomas got stashed away in the Cayman Islands? PGA Tour salary A review of the tour's tax return filed for 2020 shows Jay Monahan is actually credited with earning $14.1 million, by far the largest package he has received in his tenure. The only golfer on tour who made more that year was Dustin Johnson. If players are lucky, after deducting caddie fees, their travel expenses, coaches, physios, and income tax, most on the PGA Tour may end up with between $500,000 to a $1 million. But that may only last for a few years, as some could lose the cards. Stenson Henrik Stenson's support of the European and PGA Tours has been loyal for a long time. However, he is not now at the top of the leader board every week, so his income has dropped. Sure, it was great to be invited to become the European Ryder Cup Captain, but the work involved digs deep into your playing time. He also lost a large chunk of his savings in a well-publicized financial fraud, so when Greg Norman came knocking it was no surprise that he signed up for LIV Golf. Double Standards ARAMCO the Saudi oil conglomerate’s logos are all over the track at the Paul Ricard F1 track in France this weekend. Even the PGA’S priced money fest the FedEx Cup is tarnished, as it was announced that FedEx is investing over $400million in building the brand in Saudi Arabia. I am sure if the likes of Cameron Smith and Hideki Matsuyama sign up for the LIV Golf tour, then the existing PGA Tour’s sponsors will demand that the tours get together and work out a sensible new format. Meanwhile, the hard-working Asian Tour players are sitting pretty with LIV Golf pouring huge sums into uplifting the prize money for all Asian Tour events. Once the tickets do go on sale for the visit of Dustin, Henrik, Westy, Bryson, Phil, and maybe Cameron Smith to Stonehill GC outside Bangkok in October, expect them to sell out quickly. It will be a lot of fun and there will be some great golf to enjoy too.

With the chaos and rising fuel costs taking the plane is now not only stressful but also less expensive. Some of the most interesting and unusual train routes are much more fun. Here is one very unique trip you can take from Dalat. Image credit: Vietnam Railway Da Lat to Trai Mat train route via Tran Quy Cap – surrounded with cherry blossoms in spring. One of the most picturesque cities in Vietnam, Da Lat has a reputation for its numerous off-the-beaten-track landscapes that can only be viewed from a train’s seat. Image credit: Vietnam Railway As the train departs Da Lat Railway Station and rolls past Tran Quy Cap Street, the city landscape of Da Lat will soon be taken over by dense rows of cherry blossoms, which will make you feel as if you’re in Japan. Da Lat’s cherry blossom season usually falls in January and February, so make sure you visit during this time in order to catch this gorgeous window-side sightseeing opportunity. Along the 7KM length of railway, passengers can catch sight of picturesque flower fields, quaint villages, and mist-covered lush mountains from the comfort of their carriages. After landing at Trai Mat Railway Station, you can head west for a 5-minute walk to Linh Phước Pagoda, Da Lat’s biggest pagoda that is made of thousands of broken glass pieces. Image credit: @vudinhquocan If you would like more information on this route and other trips around Vietnam check out The Smart Local. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

Evergreen Secondary School in Woodlands. (Photo: CNA/Try Sutrisno Foo) SINGAPORE: Students and staff of Evergreen Secondary School in Woodlands were evacuated on Thursday (Jul 21) morning after the school received a bomb threat. According to CNA, it turned out to be a false threat, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing. “The police responded swiftly and conducted a thorough sweep of the school compound. The police have completed their security checks and determined that it was a false threat,” said Mr Chan in a Facebook post. “The school staff and students stayed calm and carried out their evacuation protocol as planned.” Parents were informed via the Parents Gateway app not to send their children to school. “All students who were already in school this morning was fully accounted for, and they were asked to return home out of precaution,” said the minister. In response to CNA's queries, the police said a male teenager is assisting in investigations, adding that authorities are looking into the case under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Regulations 2001. The police said they were alerted to an alleged bomb threat at about 7.40am at 11 Woodlands Street 83. No threat items were found during security checks, said the police. "The police take all security threats seriously, and will investigate persons who intentionally cause public alarm," they added. Mr Chan said teachers are checking in with students on their well-being, and school counselors are on standby to assist any student if required. “I am glad that all our students and staff are safe, and thank the police for their swift response,” said Mr Chan. “The safety of our students and staff is paramount, and the Ministry of Education will not tolerate any threat or action that endangers our schools,” he added. “Together with the police, we will take necessary action against anyone who causes public alarm.”

File photo Lala, belonging to Scommerce, suddenly disappeared in October 2018 after half a year of operation. In early March, Woowa Brothers from South Korea arrived in Vietnam, announcing the takeover of Vietnammm, one of the pioneers in the online food ordering market. According to Vietnamnet, the market, expected to have a value of over $38 billion by 2020, according to Euromonitor, is mainly controlled by newcomers, including GrabFood and Go-Food. A survey by Kantar TNS in January 2019 found that GrabFood is now the most used food delivery service in Vietnam with 68 percent of total votes. The second position belongs to Now with 19 percent, and the third to Go-Food with 1 percent. According to Gcomm, a market survey firm, fast delivery is the most crucial factor for Vietnamese to consider when choosing food ordering apps. Now penetrates deeply into restaurants’ business systems with its order-taking devices. As Now’s devices are installed at restaurants, the devices in the restaurants send information about orders and food will be prepared immediately and be ready when delivery people arrive to take food away. As for Go-Viet, with strong financial support from startup Go-Jek, it offered a discount rate of 10 percent in the first months of operation, having successfully mobilized tens of partner drivers who are present at nearly every corner in HCMC and Hanoi. The food delivery market is witnessing cutthroat competition among new players. GrabFood and GoViet marketing campaigns have signed contracts reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars with celebrities. While Go-Food chose Son Tung, a young singer, GrabFood chose Bui Tien Dung, the goalkeeper of Vietnam national U-23 football squad. An analyst noted that the five-year operation in Vietnam brought valuable experience that helped Grab draw up wise business strategies. It did not ‘put all its eggs into the same basket’ but allocated the budget for development of creative products. GrabFood, for instance, together with famous restaurants and brands, is the co-owner many dishes and drinks. One of them is a dish created by GrabFood and McDonald’s. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

Tran Thuan Thanh, 55, receives medical treatment in Khanh Hoa after being rescued from nine days stranded at sea. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Toan After spending nine days holding on for dear life in a coracle in rough seas off the Spratly Islands, four fishermen say they survived on rainwater and prayers reports VN Express. "Lady luck came to us on the 9th day," said Ha Van Tan, 45, one of the four rescued Tuesday. All four have been brought to central Vietnam's Khanh Hoa Province for medical treatment. Tan said he was part of a 15-strong crew on a fishing vessel helmed by 50-year-old Bui Van Toan. On July 10, as they were trying to get back to shore, their ship was severely damaged by big waves about 155 km away from Phu Quy Island. The 15 crew members divided themselves into two coracles to escape from the sinking vessel. "Our coracle had seven people, but after several days of drifting at sea, three died of exhaustion. When their bodies began to smell, we had no choice but to drop them off," Tan said. In the days that followed, the surviving four had to fight off monstrous waves at sea. To prevent themselves from losing consciousness, they constantly splashed seawater onto their faces and strove hard to keep the coracle from sinking. Once they saw a vessel far away and screamed for help in vain. Later, a foreign vessel that passed by offered them some food and water but refused to rescue them. Tran Theo, 55, one of the rescued fishermen, guessed that their rejection was based on fear. The rations were not much for four people and didn't last long. "We survived by drinking rainwater and praying for help to come," Theo said. The rescue Le Thanh Toan was sailing his boat back to shore on the afternoon of July 19 when he saw a coracle floating far away. There was an upright pole on the coracle, with water bottles and pieces of cloth strung up. It seemed like a signal for help. So Toan and his crew went as fast as they could towards the coracle. The waves were 2-3 m high at the time, and the strong winds required a lot of maneuvering to reach it. "The four people in the coracle were exhausted. They were even delirious at times," Toan recalled. Toan and the crew tried to feed the fishermen with milk and porridge, but none of them could eat out of sheer fatigue. Back on the shore, on July 12, the wife of one of the fishermen contacted authorities in Binh Thuan after her husband's vessel did not return as scheduled. The last signal that the ship transmitted was at 5:07 a.m. on July 10, locating it about 155 km away from Phu Quy Island and 233 km away from Phan Thiet Port. Eleven vessels and a plane have been dispatched to look for the missing ship and remaining crew. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

ILLEGAL LOGGING. Law enforcers confiscate over 13,000 board feet of illegal logs in an operation in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija on Monday (July 11, 2022). The over PHP800,000 worth of contraband were brought to the municipal compound of General Tinio and the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office for temporary custody and safekeeping. (Photo courtesy of DENR Region 3) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Over 13,000 board feet of illegal logs were seized in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija on Monday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office here said on Tuesday. The confiscation was the result of the crackdown on illegal forest activities by a composite team from the DENR, Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO), General Tinio police, and the Philippine Army’s 84th Infantry Battalion in barangays Pias and Rio Chico. In his report, Gerundio Fernandez, DENR provincial office chief, said upon seeing operatives coming over near the area, illegal loggers fled and abandoned the cut logs of tanguile and mayapis along the Sumacbao riverbank. “Illegal loggers took advantage of the high level of water in Sumacbao River brought by heavy rainfalls. Confiscated logs were kept afloat and transported downstream of the river using balsa (raft),” Fernandez said. He said that over PHP800,000 worth of logs were brought to the municipal compound of General Tinio and NEPPO for temporary custody and safekeeping. Meanwhile, DENR Regional Executive Paquito Moreno Jr. thanked the NEPPO and the Army for their significant support in the efforts of the DENR to curb illegal forest activities in Nueva Ecija. This year, the DENR, along with said law enforcement partners, has conducted operations leading to the apprehension of over PHP3.5-million worth of suspected illegal forest products. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

(PNA Bacolod file photo) BACOLOD CITY – Higher fuel and generation costs have increased the residential power rates of all three distribution utilities in Negros Occidental in July. The increases were announced in separate advisories this week by the Central Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), and the southern-based Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco). In Bacolod and the neighboring cities of Bago, Silay, and Talisay; and the towns of Don Salvador Benedicto and Murcia, the average residential power rate for the billing month of July was pegged at PHP14.18 per kilowatt hour (kWh), a report of Ceneco said. This means an increase of PHP2.07 per kWh from only PHP12.11 per kWh in June. Acting general manager Ervin Stan Leo Ticar attributed the upward adjustment to the increase in generation, transmission, and system loss charges caused by the surge in supplier Palm Concepcion Power Corp.’s (PCPC) fuel rate. Increases in power cost, as well as other pass-through charges and value-added tax, were also noted, Ticar said. Over at Noceco, general manager Ray Bustamante said the residential power rate has increased by PHP1.76 per kWh from the previous month’s PHP13.76 to PHP15.52 per kWh. He pointed out that the steadily increasing cost of fuel rates in their contracts with PCPC and the increase in costs of power purchased from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market have contributed to the hike. Another main driver is the higher cost in generation charge, Bustamante said. In the north, Noneco charged an increase of PHP2.14, pushing the residential power rate from only PHP14.43 per kWh in June to PHP16.57 per kWh for the current billing month. The rise is generally attributed to the high fuel cost in the generation charges of contracted private power generators and the increase in electricity prices in the market, its advisory said. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

MANILA – The Philippine passport has ranked as the 80th most powerful globally, based on a list released by British consulting firm Henley & Partners. According to the Henley Passport Index: Q3 2022 Global Ranking, the country climbed from the 82nd spot in the same period last year, with its access to 66 destinations increasing to 67 this quarter. The Philippines shares the rank with Cape Verde Islands and Uganda. Japan, meanwhile, holds the most powerful passport with visa-free access to 193 destinations. Singapore and South Korea, with visa-exempt status in 192 places, trail behind as the second most powerful passport in the world. The Henley Passport Index updates its list quarterly and ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

AFPA pedestrian walking with an umbrella to shield from the sun in the midst of a heatwave in Tokyo's Shinjuku district in June 2022. SINGAPORE — When temperatures in Japan hit 35°C and above earlier this month, Ms Charissa Tan could only manage a 10-minute walk to the train station before she felt giddy. According to Today, the 37-year-old later fainted from heatstroke as she was alighting from her train ride and was taken to the hospital, where she was discharged after a few hours. In Tokyo, where Ms Tan has been working for the last eight years, temperatures soared above 35°C for nine days straight from June 25. After weeks of extreme heat, Japan's capital finally saw a few days of rain this week. Ms Tan is just one of many people around the world struggling with extreme weather conditions, as several countries have been plagued by heatwaves over the last few weeks. Countries that are badly affected such as China, France and the United Kingdom have issued warnings to their citizens to avoid staying outdoors. After her heatstroke scare, Ms Tan, who works in marketing research, said that she now always leaves the house with an anti-UV umbrella, a big bottle of sports water, a handheld fan, and an ice pack that she wraps in a towel around her neck. “The weather here is not the kind that you can tahan (Malay word for bear), the heat is more of a skin-piercing kind of pain,” Ms Tan said,. She added that whenever she steps out of the house, it feels like her body is in an oven. Although she has an air-conditioner in the house, she has had to keep the temperature to 27°C due to a power crunch warning by the Japanese government. Similarly, 33-year-old Charlotte Isa always ensures that she has ice packs on hand and has opted to drive more instead of cycling. “In June, it was so hot that many of the plants on my balcony got burnt by the heat. They just dried out and turned crispy,” she said. The mother of two, who works as a medical device representative in Tokyo and has been in Japan for four years, added that the change in weather the past week has caused her family to fall sick because their “bodies weren’t able to adapt properly”. Over in England, Ms Goh Siew Lian, a 75-year-old retiree living in Brighton, described shopping and taking public transport in the current weather as "dreadful".

Vietnamese spring rolls are served with soy sauce. Photo by Hoang Thien Vietnam, famous for its rice noodle soups and other rice-based dishes, has one of the world's 10 best cuisines, according to readers of Canadian magazine The Travel. VN Express reported that Thailand and the Philippines are the other two Southeast Asian nations in the list. The other seven countries are: the U.S., Germany, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Spain and India. "Seafood is a popular food in Vietnam as the country contains so many fishing villages, but Vietnam is not all about seafood. In fact, the wide variety of food in the country will leave visitors perplexed," the magazine says. It recommends tourists try pho, the country’s most famous noodle soup, and the country’s national dish, with beef or chicken. Pho is made and served across the country though it originated in Hanoi and was taken to the south, where other distinct touches were added. A bowl of pho bo (beef) in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi costs VND30,000 to 50,000 ($1.32-2.20). "After tasting the country's national dish, one can proceed to try some snacks such as - spring rolls and baguettes," the magazine says. It notes that there are different types of rice-based dishes to try out with various meats including chicken, beef or pork. Vietnamese cuisine has become better known in the world over the last couple of decades, with international chefs and prestigious food magazines praising several national dishes. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

U.S. dollar notes are seen in this November 7, 2016 picture illustration. Photo by Reuters/Dado Ruvic "All our income is in USD while most expenses are in VND, which means we gain when we exchange the USD to VND to pay salaries and rents," said Pham Thi Chau. VN Express reported that Chau, head of human resources from the electronics manufacturer Vexos Vietnam in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, said her company's products are paid for in the greenback as it exports mainly to the U.S. and Europe. Garment maker Phong Phu in Thu Duc City, whose customers are all foreign buyers who pay in dollars, have also been profiting from a stronger greenback. The company pays for Vietnamese materials and labor costs in VND while receiving its income in USD, and the stronger U.S. currency means its revenue has been rising, said Nguyen Thi Lien, deputy CEO. These two companies are among many Vietnamese exporters benefiting from the surge in USD amid global economic uncertainties. As U.S. inflation hits its highest level in 40 years and the Russia-Ukraine crisis shows no signs of ending, the greenback soared to its highest value in 20 years last month and has been hovering around that level since. Although it has only gained over the Vietnamese dong by around 2 percent this year, exporters have reported increased revenues. Rubber manufacturer Casumina, with 60 percent of materials sourced domestically and the rest internationally, is getting more from each transaction with foreign buyers as 55 percent of its products are exported to the U.S., some Southeast Asian countries, South Africa, and Brazil. But the company has foreign loans that it must pay for in U.S. dollars, and a weaker dong means it has to pay more than before. "In the long run, if we need to borrow more in dollars, our revenues could be negatively affected by the exchange rate," said CEO Pham Hong Phu. A stronger USD is also raising concern in some sectors where businesses must compete with exporters of other countries whose currencies have declined more than the dong against the greenback. Tran Huu Hau, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Cashew Association, said that Vietnamese cashew exporters were seeing rising competition from their African counterparts who trade directly in EUR with European buyers. The fall of the EUR to the lowest level in two decades means that African exporters are making bigger gains in their transactions than Vietnamese companies that use the U.S. dollar for international trading. For this reason, Vietnam’s cashew exports volume is set to decline this year, he said. Tran Viet Anh, deputy chairperson of the Ho Chi Minh City Business Association, said many companies that engage in both export and import of almost equal value have not seen any benefit from the rising dollar. Some exporters have been looking to source more inputs from markets that do not use the greenback, like Japan, China, and some European countries to reduce their expenses, he added. Seafood exporters are seeing a mixed picture. Their exports to the U.S. rose 96 percent year-on-year in the first six months as high inflation in the importing country pushed up demand for canned tuna, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). But a weaker euro has slowed down growth in exports to Europe to just 4 percent in the same period as Europeans tighten their belts, the association added. Join our 3 x a week Vietnam News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

(PNA file photo) MANILA – Passengers of the Philippines will have more options going to Cambodia as flag carrier Philippine Airlines will mount additional flights from Manila beginning September 1. According to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), PAL is the only carrier that has a direct flight to Cambodia. From the current four times a week schedule, five weekly flights between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Phnom Penh will be offered. PAL is increasing its flight frequencies between Manila and Phnom Penh due to travel demand between the two capital cities, spokesperson Cielo Villaluna told the Philippine News Agency Tuesday night. "We are also serving travelers between Phnom Penh and cities in the United States, Australia, Japan, and in other countries in the PAL's network. Manila is a convenient connecting hub for (the passengers)," she said. Starting September 1, the flight from Manila to Cambodia will be offered every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 9:50 p.m. From September 2, the services from Cambodia to Manila will be at 12:45 a.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy (PNA photo by Jay Rome Pablo) MANILA – Remote communities in need of high-speed internet may take advantage of the satellite internet service provided by Starlink and have its cost shared among users, the chief of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said. DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said Starlink, the satellite internet service of Elon Musk's SpaceX, which will use low-orbit satellites instead of terrestrial cables -- may cost around USD500 (about PHP28,000) for each satellite dish and a monthly cost of around USD100 to USD200 (about PHP5,600-PHP11,200) while providing up to 200 Megabits per second (Mbps) of low latency internet service. “These things do not need to be in individual homes, they can be shared by the community. I think that is strategic,” Uy said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday. Latency is the time it takes for data to travel between two points. A low latency is associated with a positive user experience. Although internet speed in the Philippines has improved using broadband, fiber technology, remote regions continue to suffer from slow speed or poor internet connectivity. Once Starlink begins its gradual rollout, Uy said the deployment of high-speed internet in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) will be “much faster.” “We're all looking forward to the day that we can really say that the Philippines has full internet coverage and that there will be no sector or no segment of society that has been alienated, that has been isolated, that has been on the downside of the digital divide,” he said. Starlink is expected to provide unprecedented high speed internet access in remote parts of the country once it begins operations within the fourth quarter of 2022 or early next year. Uy also took note of the simpler and enhanced safety of such a satellite-based internet service. “In the past, it just doesn't make sense to lay out all of those cables to go there or to build those towers to connect a hundred people across three mountains and two rivers away. So, not to mention the risk that these towers are sabotaged by terrorists and the whole community loses connectivity,” Uy said. Starlink, Uy said, has been “very aggressive” in its entry into the Philippine internet service provider (ISP) space and wants the country to be its first site in Southeast Asia. “We are doing everything we can to roll out the red carpet and help them make it a reality. We're hoping very soon. We're not clear yet on the dates but I'm hoping it will be less than one year,” Uy said. Low Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite technology offers a unique combination of speed, flexibility and ease of setup and are becoming a popular solution for internet connectivity in rural areas. According to a paper published by the Asian Development Bank, the low altitude of LEO satellites reduces the latency from approximately 477 milliseconds inherent in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) service to less than 27 milliseconds. This would further enhance internet quality, enabling remote communities to access services such as online banking, e-learning, and government services. (PNA) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

(File photo) MANILA – Six months after Typhoon Odette left a trail of devastation in 11 of the country’s 17 regions, the United Nations (UN) and humanitarian partners in the Philippines, and in support of the government-led response, have provided life-saving assistance to over a million people. Since April, following the announcement by the government of the end of the response phase, the humanitarian community has since been supporting local governments to implement early recovery activities. To mark six months since Typhoon Odette, the UN Philippines launched on July 20 the “Typhoon Odette Six Months on Photo Exhibition” at the Instituto Cervantes in Intramuros, Manila. This exhibition, hosted by the Embassy of Spain, the Instituto Cervantes and AECID and coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on behalf of the Humanitarian Community, seeks to raise awareness of the increase in the occurrence of disasters as a direct impact of climate change and its effects on the development of societies. It will be open to the public until August 20, to mark World Humanitarian Day on August 19. “The Humanitarian Community will continue its support to the affected communities to ensure that progress made in the last six months is not rolled back,” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez said. Gonzalez cited a recent report of the OCHA, which said damaged houses still number over 2.1 million. The revised Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan which was launched by the Humanitarian Country Team in the Philippines on February 2 committed to aid 840,000 people in Caraga, Southern Leyte, Cebu, and Bohol. Shelter assistance, as one of the main needs, was provided to over 210,000 typhoon-affected households. To date, close to 66,000 families have received kitchen items, sleeping kits, and lighting items. More Shelter Repair Kits and other shelter materials for the rebuilding of homes are needed, however. Over 3,000 people remain displaced in five regions Regions 4-A (Calabarzon), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), Region 4-B (Mimaropa), and Caraga. To relocate these internally displaced persons (IDPs), resettlement sites need to be prepared. Gonzalez noted that in the last six months, over 1.2 million people have received livelihood support, particularly for agriculture. Humanitarian partners have started implementing cash-for-work activities in Bohol and Southern Leyte, and this has helped beneficiaries to restart fishing and farming livelihoods. However, restarting agricultural activities is hampered by a number of factors, including the unfinished clearing of debris left by Typhoon Odette, and challenges in operating farming equipment due to oil price increases. Gonzalez said some 84,000 healthcare workers have been deployed and have served in temporary health facilities. However, health facilities remain semi-functional in many areas, and communities continue to require support to access health services. Close to 46,000 children aged 0-59 months have been screened for acute malnutrition. The quality and coverage of services for the early detection and treatment of life-threatening acute malnutrition in early childhood needs to be improved and prioritized. Earlier, in the response effort, humanitarian partners deployed 562 trucks to deliver relief items. While coordination operations for Typhoon Odette have ended, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has requested humanitarian organizations to move cargo in response to Tropical Storm Agaton. The goods were moved into areas also affected by Typhoon Odette, including the delivery of government supplied food, hygiene items, and family/sleeping kits, among others. Gonzalez acknowledged the support of donors such as USAID, the European Union, Japan, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, Australia, Canada, and Spain for enabling the UN and over 260 humanitarian partners to address urgent humanitarian needs and implement early recovery programs through more than 15,000 activities in food security and nutrition, protection, shelter, WASH, education, health and Camp Coordination and Camp Management. Gonzalez said while long-term and sustained recovery will be the focus of support to the government until the end of the year, the Humanitarian Community will reinforce measures to strengthen preparedness and build resilience against future shocks. “Humanitarian partners will continue to collaborate closely with local authorities to pilot innovative approaches such as anticipatory action,” Gonzalez said. “As nations continue to address the different impacts of the global pandemic, the reality is several hazards may strike at once. The Philippines has already experienced responding to catastrophes in a Covid-19 crisis scenario and amid difficult access to resources due to the war in Ukraine. This is forcing all of us to change the way operations are being conducted,” he added. (PR) Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php

With airfares going through the roof, trying to secure a return flight to London without getting a mortgage is now a challenge. Maybe we are being penalized in the Philippines compared with other SE Asian countries. What does it cost to fly from other SE Asia cities to London? Using the website Kayak which shifts through all the different flights and fares on a given day, I found these flights from Manila, Hanoi, and Bangkok to London. Avoiding the school holidays, I decided to fly out to London Monday, October 3rd and return on Monday 17th October 2022. The website calendar showed these dates as having lower fares. So, people say avoid traveling at the weekends as well. First, I checked if I lived in Manila what would it cost to fly to Heathrow. The cheapest flights were with Etihad via Abu Dhabi at $934 but the total flying time over both legs was whopping 42 hours! Unfortunately, there were no direct flights available. If you flew out of Hanoi the best price was $1,106 but with 62 hrs. travelling. Faster was Thai Airways via Bangkok at just 26 hrs. travelling at $1,193. For expats in Thailand the cheapest fare was via Zurich at $763 return but that is if you are prepared to endure 52 hrs. travelling from A to B. Emirates via Dubai came in at $999 with a total of 28 hrs travelling time. So, if you want to spend up to 14 hrs. sleeping rough in an airport transfer terminal you can save a bit but it does not seem worth it. Perhaps flights will become less busy in October or November before the Christmas rush so you could risk it and wait. Unfortunately flying from the Philippines turned out to be a bit more expensive than from Thailand. Join our 3 x a week Philippines News, Travel and Expat information newsletter and keep up to date. https://aseannow.com/newsletter.php