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By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores PHOTO: Senator Bong Go Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday apologized to the public for mistakenly claiming that Lapulapu was a national hero from Mindanao and that he is a Tausug. “Ako po ay taus-pusong humihingi ng paumanhin kung iba ang dating ng aking naikwento,” said Go, adding he only based on the statement made by Abraham Ibarani-Idjirani and from a research done by his office staff. Go said he has no intension of revising the country’s history and he respects it. “Nais kong klaruhin na buo ang aking respeto sa ating kasaysayan at wala akong intensyong baguhin ang paghanga at paniniwala natin sa buhay ng ating mga bayani. Handa po akong makinig at matuto base sa kaalaman ng mga eksperto sa larangan ng kasaysayan,” he added. Go drew backlash from netizens as he said that Lapulapu is a Tausug during his speech at an event celebrating the 500 years of Mactan victory against Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. However, several histo...

By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores PHOTO: PCOO Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s “utang na loob” remark, Malacañang said Thursday it does not mean the government will surrender its claims over the West Philippine Sea. “Hindi po. May hangganan po ang pakikipagkaibigan sa Tsina,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said, when asked during a media briefing if Duterte’s statement gives China an authority to do whatever it wants. “Iyong pangingisda, puwede. Pero kung mayroong langis [na huhukayin], maninindigan na siya. Walang teritoryong mawawala sa atin habang siya ang Presidente,” Roque added. Further, Roque said Duterte’s comment does not only express gratitude to China but also to the countries who committed to donating COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines through the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX Facility. The Philippines has so far received more than 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from China-based Sinovac Biotech, and 525,600 doses from the British drugmaker A...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Yahoo News National Task Force against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is eyeing to donate 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses of China-based Sinopharm to the Philippines. Galvez also said the Philippines is set to receive 33 million doses from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX global vaccine sharing initiative. However, Sinopharm has yet to apply an emergency use authorization before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It was December last year that President Rodrigo Duterte said that some members of the Presidential Security Group have inoculated smuggled Sinopharm vaccines. After Duterte’s remark, PSG Commander Jesus Durante III made the confirmation regarding the vaccination In February, the FDA gave a compassionate use permit for 10,000 doses allocated for the PSG members  The country has so far received more than one million Sinovac doses, and 525,600 doses from ...

By Mark Angelo Mañez PHOTO: Matchroom Sport Pool Philippine cue masters Jeff de Luna and Roberto Gomez take on sisters Kelly and Allison Fisher in the preliminary stages of the 2021 World Cup of Pool, starting May 9th at the Milton Keynes Stadium. Thirty-two pairs from 31 nations all vie for the US$250,000 total pot, with the champions taking home US$60,000 in the winners' break format. Austria's Mario He and Albin Ouschan will try to join the Philippines and China in the elite group of nations winning the prestigious doubles tournament thrice. They will also attempt to shatter their tie with the former for having the most World Cups won by the same pair. They will be taking on Slovakia's Jabub Koniar and Jaroslav Polách in the preliminary stages. Filipino legends Efren 'Bata' Reyes and Francisco 'Django' Bustamante were the first duo to win the coveted doubles tournament twice, winning the inaugural edition in 2006 and in 2009 in front of a solid home crowd...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: PCOO “Kung bright kayo, bakit nawala ang West Philippine Sea sa atin? Panahon ninyo 'yon eh. Panahon ninyo na talagang nandiyan kayo sa pwesto.” President Rodrigo Duterte had this query as he slammed former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio due to construction activities in the West Philippine Sea during their term. According to Duterte, the WPS was occupied by Chinese under former President Benigno Aquino III’s term. "Anong ginawa ninyong nasa gobyerno? Ikaw, Albert, ikaw nagsabi sa Navy na umatras kayo because of the Americans or you were afraid? Nawalan ka ng bayag diyan. Sana sinabi mo we will stand our ground. We will not retreat. We will not get out of the West Philippine Sea because it's ours and we are calling for at least an offer for the United States to send a flotilla of ships para to back us up," he said. "Nasa Supreme Court naman kayo noon, bakit di niyo si...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: PCOO Amid rising tension in territorial waters, it will not wage a war against the Chinese republic since the Philippines has a huge debt of gratitude, President Rodrigo Duterte said. "Sabi ko, I am stating for the record, we don’t want war with China. China is a good friend, mayroon tayong utang na loob na marami, pati na yung bakuna natin. So China, let it be known China is a good friend and we don’t want trouble with them especially with war," Duterte said during his weekly address, citing China’s commitments to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. "But there are things that are not subject to compromise kagaya yung ginawang pag-atras-atras. Mahirap po yan, sana they will understand but I have the interest of my country to protect. It might not be an armed might but it is a claim of sovereignty which I cannot, 'yan nandyan na 'yon.” He also said that authorities will observe the actions made by China in the country’s exclusive economic zone. ...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: CDN/Inquirer "Wala kaming kuwan, planting ganito. Alam mo, kaniya-kaniyang gimik 'yan para mapansin eh.” This was what Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas had to say over a memorandum directing police officers to use “"planted beneficiary civilians" for its “Barangayanihan” initiative, adding the police organization does not have such implementations. Sinas also said the Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office already denied the accusations regarding the order. "They have already said that it didn't come from them," he told reporters on the sidelines of the ceremonial turnover of a new quarantine facility inside Camp Crame. Sinas’ statement came after the PRO10 allegedly posted a memo requiring community presincts to set up their own community pantries inspired to the Maginhawa pantry in Quezon City. "Respective beneficiaries will take pictures of the activity and post in their respective FB accounts. These...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: PCOO The government’s communication arm confirmed Wednesday that President Rodrigo Duterte has issued a memorandum directing its affiliated news agencies to "convey that we are faring better than other countries" in terms of COVID-19 response. "Yes, there is a memo directing us to give updates on world data regarding COVID-19 and to convey that we are faring better than other countries," Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) News and Information Bureau Director Virginia Arcilla-Agtay said. Arcilla-Agtay added there is “nothing wrong with this, nor is it a lie, it is simply amplifying facts.” "And here are the facts: Regionally and globally, we have achieved a reputable and efficient response to the virus as compared to some developed, more advanced, and less densely-populated countries," the official said. "The President’s directive is to convey these positive messages to the people and these favorable news as p...

By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores PHOTO: GMA News It is unlikely to conduct face-to-face graduation rites for this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, an official from the Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday. "Tungkol sa face-to-face graduation, ang tingin ko hindi pa rin [papayagan]. Pero virtual, payag," said Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio in an interview.  He added the DepEd will soon release the guidelines for the safe conduct of graduation rites for academic year 2020-2021. "At the end of the day, ang tatanungin nila kung gusto nilang gawin iyon, compliant ba 'yan sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases) guidelines," he added.  San Antonio also said the agency will allow private schools to decide and exercise their discretion on how they plan to conduct graduation rites, as long as they would comply with health and safety protocols.  Meanwhile, Jose Allan Arellano, the executive director of the Catholi...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: AFP Malacañang said it is up to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) if it wants to fire Southern Luzon Command Chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. as the spokesperson over “reckless” red-tagging. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Tuesday presser that President Rodrigo Duterte will not interfere with the matter after several senators recommended to remove Parlade after issuing attacks against community pantries and lawmakers. After attacks on pantries, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperson ordered Parlade and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy to refrain issuing negative statements since the government is supporting the growing initiative. However, Senator Panfilo Lacson said a gag order against Parlade is “not the appropriate response” and that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND) should heed the calls of recalling him from military s...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: CBS News Malacañang said falling in line in community pantries is not an excuse to curfew violations. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement when asked on whether local officials should continue from imposing fines on those going outside just to avail food products from the pantries. "We welcome bayanihan po para maibsan ang kagutuman sa gitna ng pandemya, pero ayaw rin natin maging dahilan ang community pantry para kumalat ang COVID-19," Roque said during a media briefing on Tuesday, April 27. “That is why we are calling on community pantry organizers to coordinate their efforts with barangay and local officials,” he added. At least 300 pantries have spotted across the Philippines after Maginhawa Community Pantry organizer Anna Patricia Non spearheaded the initiative. RELATED ARTICLE: GMA News DISCLAIMER

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: PCOO For Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, President Rodrigo Duterte is the “Lapulapu of the modern age.” “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (is) my modern day Lapulapu lalong-lalo na po sa kanya polisiya na independent foreign policy dahil ibig sabihin po niyan kaibigan natin ang lahat. Wala tayong kaaway, wala po siyang sinasantong mga dayuhan,” he said. Roque made the remark as the Philippines commemorating the 500th year of Mactan Victory in which Lapulapu fought with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Moreover, Roque likened the struggles experienced by Lapulapu to the COVID-19 crisis, as many Filipinos can have victory if everyone is united. He further revealed that Duterte wants to change a name of a Lapulapu fish, adding it demeans the first Filipino hero. Through the years of his presidency, Duterte has been criticized for his stand over the contested waters in the West Philippine Sea. The President failed to make his 2016 presidential promise to...

Muling inihahandog ng Ang Pahayagang Plaridel, opisyal na pahayagang pangmag-aaral sa wikang Filipino ng Pamantasang De La Salle, ang Para sa Bayan at Lasalyano o BayLayn 2021, sa darating na Mayo 15, ika-1 hanggang ika-5:30 ng hapon sa pamamagitan ng Zoom at Facebook Live.  Layon ng BayLayn na hubugin ang kakayahan at palawigin ang kamalayan ng mga estudyanteng mamamahayag sa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng pagtalakay sa mga isyung may kaugnayan sa kritikal at aktibong pamamahayag. Sa taong ito, iikot ang programa sa temang, “Kritikal na Pag-uulat tungo sa Pagmumulat: Tungkulin ng Kabataan sa Gitna ng Pandemya’t Katiwalian.” Upang maisakatuparan ito, inimbitahan ng APP ang mga kilalang mamamahayag na sina Anjo Bagaoisan at Raffy Tima para magbahagi ng kanilang kaalaman at karanasan sa pamamahayag, lalo na ngayong nasa gitna ng pandemya’t katiwalian ang bansa. Makakasama rin sa maikling diskusyon ang ilang tanyag na indibidwal mula sa hanay ng kabataan na sina Yani Villarosa, Gab Campo...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: ABS-CBN News An official from the National Task Force against COVID-19 said the organizers behind community pantry initiatives may adapt house-to-house aid distribution in a bid to avoid mass gatherings. "Ang pagdagsa ng daang tao ay magca-cause ng superspreader events. Maghahawaan po sila," National Task Force Adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa said. Herbosa said the organizers must have coordination with local governments to ensure the minimum health protocols are still in place. "Ang LGUs ay nagbigay ng ayuda, dinala sa bahay-bahay… Pwede nating gawing ganun," he said. "Pwede na magpaikot ng isang sasakyan or kariton... Iikot natin ito sa buong bayan. 'Wag natin papuntahin ang maraming tao sa isang lugar dahil hindi tayo mawawala dito sa pandemya,” Herbosa added. Previously, Herbosa drew flak from the netizens over his response to the death of a senior citizen waiting in lines at a community pantry initiated by Kapamilya actress Angel Locsi...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Philippine Daily Inquirer “Malayo pa ‘yung tatahakin nyan kung talagang madedefund po ‘yan." Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque had this to say amid calls to defund the budget allocated to National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) over alleged red-tagging activities, adding that a spokesperson should not be a reason for such calls. “Ang aking panawagan sa ating mga policy makers, alam naman po nila na ang policy ay may pagkakaiba doon sa mga nagpapatupad ng policy. At hindi naman dahilan para isang tao na tagapag-salita ang maging dahilan para mabalewala ang isang polisiya,” Roque said in a media briefing on Monday, April 26. Roque agreed with the statement of NTF-ELCAC Spokesperson and Southern Luzon Commander Antonio Parlade Jr. that the senators should not defund the whole task force if he is the only problem. The Palace official earlier said it is “not justified” to defund the task force since it is an initiative to put a...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Philippine Senate More senators have shown their support to a resolution seeking to censure National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson and Southern Luzon Commander Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. over “stupid” remark against the lawmakers. The resolution, which has yet to be filed, was initiated with Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon together with Senators Francis Pangilinan, Nancy Binay, Ralph Recto, Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, and Senate President Vicente Sotto III as the signatories. It came after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperson ordered Parlade to avoid issuing attacks against senators and to those who organize community pantries. “It’s not a matter of appeasing the Senate, it’s a matter of upholding the dignity of the Senate,”  Drilon pointed out in an interview with reporters. “I will proceed with the filing of this resolution because this is not something that we can’t let go of once th...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: PCOO Senator Panfilo Lacson said a temporary “gag order” against National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson and Southern Luzon Commander Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. is not enough after issuing derogative remarks against lawmakers and organizers behind community pantries. ‘’The issue goes beyond the attacks issued by Parlade on the organizers of community pantries as well as against the members of the Senate. A temporary ‘gag order’ is thus not the appropriate response,’’ Lacson, who is also serving as a chairperson of the Senate national defense and security committee, said in his statement on Monday. ‘’In the first place, as an active member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Parlade ‘cannot be appointed or designated in any capacity to a civilian position in the Government,’ according to Art. XVI, Sec. 5, Paragraph 4 of no less than the 1987 Constitution,” Lacson pointed out. He said the Armed Forces of ...

Ni Gwyneth Morales Sa pagguhit ni Yanmar Barrera Ilang araw lamang pagkausbong ng community pantries––isang inisyatibong nagbibigay ng oportunidad sa mga tao na magbigay o kumuha ng donasyong pagkain––sa bansa, biglang sumingit ang National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) at iginiit na ginagamit lamang ito ng mga komunista upang kumuha ng mga bagong miyembro. Subalit, hindi dapat ipatigil ang itinayong pantries dahil manipestasyon lamang ng paratang ng NTF-ELCAC na tiyak na nasaasapawan ng kasalu-saludong bayanihan ng masang Pilipino ang kapalpakan ng gobyerno sa gitna ng pamatay na pandemya.  Kung babalikan, inihalintulad ni NTF-ELCAC Spokesperson Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade ang “kakuwestiyon-kuwestiyong” mabilisang pagkalat ng community pantries sa isang kuwentong galing sa Bibliya. Aniya, katulad lamang ni Satanas si Ana Patricia Non, ang nasa likod ng nasabing programa, dahil ugat umano sila ng kapahamakan. Sa halip na patunayan niyang mga ko...

Ni Gwyneth Morales LARAWAN MULA SA: ABS-CBN News Sinang-ayunan ni Senador Nancy Binay nitong Biyernes ang kritisismo ng oposisyon na nagsilutangan ang community pantries sa bansa dahil umano sa palpak na pagresponde ng pamahalaan sa COVID-19. “Yes, it [the government response] is a failure… And I think the government needs to admit na hindi nila kayang bigyan ng solusyon ang problema,” ani Binay sa isang panayam kasama ang ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). Para sa kaniya, matutuldukan lamang ang krisis kung makikipagtulungan ang pamahalaan sa pribadong sektor, na hindi umano nangyari noong nakaraang taon. “Kita naman natin doon sa pagbili ng bakuna. Noong umpisa, ayaw payagan ng gobyerno na bumili ng private sector ng vaccine… Parang laging may... competition o power struggle… ang government at private sector. We can only solve this if we work together,” diin niya. Nang tanungin kung dapat bang patalsikin na sa puwesto si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, hinayag naman ni Binay na magdudulot lamang...

Maynila – Nagsimula nang tumanggap ng mga kalahok para sa kauna-unahang National Campus Press Olympiad  (NCPO) ang BDCP Designers and Creatives PH. Itinakda ang huling araw ng pagpapatala sa Mayo 5, 2021. Tinaguriang ‘biggest virtual journ Olympiad’, inilunsad ang NCPO nitong Marso upang magsulong ng mgapatimpalak na may kinalaman sa pamamahayag para sa mga manunulat sa elementarya, hayskul, at kolehiyo na naka-angkla sa temang, “Promoting Community Development through Multi-platform Campus Journalism.” Ang sinumang paaralan at pahayagang pangkampus ay maaring magpadala ng kahit ilang kinatawan sa timpalak na ito. Maaari ring sumali sa kahit ilang kategorya ang mga kalahok sa kondisyong walang magiging problema sa iskedyul ng kompetisyon. Layunin ng nasabing paligsahan na tulungan ang mga kalahok na malinang ang kanilang kakahayan sa pagsulat, pag-uulat, pagguhit, paglilimbag at iba pang paraan at platporma ng pamahayagan habang ipinapaunawa sa kanilang ang mahalagang gampanin sa p...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: PCOO "Desisyon nila 'yan.” This was what Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque had to say when asked during the media briefing if the Malacañang will urge the government’s anti-insurgency task group to stop red-tagging activities against the organizers behind community pantry initiatives. "We have free market place of ideas. Kahit anong sabihin nila [National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)], basta nakikinabang ang taumbayan, maniniwala pa rin ang ating mga kababayan sa community pantries," Roque added. The alleged red-tagging came after the organizer of Maginhawa community pantry halted its operations due to safety concerns. However, the spokesperson of NTF-ELCAC and Southern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. denied the red-tagging activities but later admitted that they are conducting background checks. Parlade added some groups are “exploiting” community pantries to push their propa...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Win Gatchalian “Hindi naman talaga kilala itong body of water na ito for fishing kasi ang description niyan sa mga mapa, dangerous grounds kasi mabato ‘yan.” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this on Tuesday as he justified the statement made by President Rodrigo Duterte that he cannot confront China unless if the country starts to drill for resources in the West Philippine Sea. “Although dahil sa laki nga po nyan, may mga areas talaga na renowned for fishing gaya ng Scarborough Shoal. Pero ang Scarborough Shoal po ay hiwalay sa Kalayaan Group of Islands na pinagaawayan. So we cannot make a conclusion na yung area talaga is rich in fisheries,” he added during a media briefing. Furthermore, Roque said Filipinos can still fish in the disputed islands despite the presence of Chinese vessels. “At bagamat merong mga barko doon ng Tsina, hindi po sila pinipigilan ngayon. Wala pa naman pong report na pinagbabawalan ang ating mga kababayan na mangisda,” he add...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Rappler The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has been checking the backgrounds of the community pantry organizers, an official said Tuesday. Southern Luzon Command Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade said in an interview over DZBB that some groups are conducting pantry initiatives just for their propaganda. "We're just checking itong background ng mga 'to. Yes, chini-check 'yan [(We're just checking their background. Yes, they are being checked],” Parlade, who is also the spokesperson of the task force, said. "Habang nandoon sila sa community, meron silang propaganda na ginagawa. May sinasabi silang gutom ang mga tao dahil sa kapalpakan ng gobyerno, kung anu-ano pa," Parlade added. The military official denied the red-tagging activities against the organizers, adding they would release a statement in due course. Parlade’s statement came after Maginhawa community pantry organizer Anna Patricia No...