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Ni Kenjie-Aya Oyong Nakasaad sa Department of Education (DepEd) Mission ang “to protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality equitable, culture-based and complete basic education.” Pero mukhang mission failed sila ngayon. Cartoon by Alexia Macatuno Layon ng programang Special Education Program (SPED) na mabigyan ng de-kalidad na edukasyon ang libo-libong mag-aaral na may kapansanan at espesyal na pangangailangan. Ngunit para sa taong 2023, walang budget na nakalaan para sa mga programa ng Special Education Program (SPED).  Binasura kasi sa 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) ang panukala ng DepEd na 532 milyong pisong budget para sa SPED. Napabayaan na nila ang kapakanan ng mga estudyanteng may kapansanan, at bunga ito ng hindi maayos na prayoridad ng kagawaran. Ayon sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM), nabigo ang DepEd na suportahan ng mga sapat na dokumento ang panukalang budget para sa SPED. Kataka-taka ang naging dahilan ng DBM samantalang nagawa n...

By Daine Mariel Chua A Manila court established a boundary between activism and terrorism after it dismissed the government’s petition to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and New People’s Army (NPA) as terrorist groups, stating efforts to combat insurgency should not suppress democracy. Photo Courtesy of Abogado/ABS-CBN News In the decision of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19, Presiding Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar stated that activism is part of the democratic process where individuals involved cannot be considered automatically as part of illegal underground movements or the recently terror-tagged CPP-NPA. “Activism is a political act, by which an informed and active citizenry expresses and works for change in an array of political issues that affect them,” the court said in its decision on September 21. Moreover, being a democratic country where individuals have the right to voice their viewpoints in shaping government policies, the court warned not to label ...

By Reyza Ferranco Sen. Risa Hontiveros wants the Senate to investigate the issues surrounding the Masungi Georeserve conservation site in Rizal following reported incidents of violence, land grabbing, and illegal logging. Photo Courtesy of Masungi Georeserve “We, in government, have a duty to defend the interests of this conservation site. [W]e cannot take our environmental defenders for granted,” Hontiveros said in her filed Senate Resolution No. 231 . On September 17, roughly 30 armed men affiliated with the Sinagtala Security Agency had been reportedly encamping around the vicinity and were planning to seize and sell tracts of land in the protected area. The residents of Baras, Rizal also staged a protest against the Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGFI) on September 22, where they accused the foundation of land grabbing within the area. MGFI later claimed that the rally was staged and part of a systemic disinformation campaign against environmental activists. They asserted that thos...

By Carlos Jimwell Aquino The end of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines appears to be a long way off compared to the rest of the world due to the high rates in the country, according to an infectious diseases expert. Photo Courtesy of Lisa Marie David / Screengrab from ABS-CBN News In a public briefing, Dr. Rontgene Solante said that he does not share the World Health Organization's (WHO) optimistic outlook, which states that the end of the pandemic is near and that countries around the world "have never been in a better position." According to the infectious diseases expert, the end of the pandemic in the Philippineswould not happen within the next two or three months, given that the country ranks fifth in the world in terms of weekly new fatalities and that many areas remain at moderate risk for COVID-19. “Sa ngayon, hindi ko pa nakikita 'yung ganoong pananaw. Although mas mababa ang mga kaso natin ngayon kumpara noong January or September last year, pero tulo...

Ni Xhiela Mie Cruz Sa kabila ng patuloy na pagkalat ng iba’t ibang text scams sa bansa, tinabla ni House Deputy Minority Leader at ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro ang House Bill No. 14 na naglalayong sapilitang iparehistro ng bawat users ang kanilang subscriber identity module (SIM) cards. Photo Courtesy of Makabayan Bloc/GMA News Ani Castro, huwag umanong gawing dahilan ang kumakalat na text scams sa pagaprupa sa naturang panukala, dahil mas lalo umanong mabibiktima ang mga mamamayan sa kanilang pagrerehistro. Dagdag pa niya, mayroon nang mga awtoridad ang responsable sa paglutas sa mga kasong gaya ng text scams. "May sapat na mga mandato ang mga ahensyang gaya ng NTC upang sawatahin ang mga ito at panagutin ang mga may sala—mga mandatong dapat ay ginagawa nila sa pinakakagyat na panahon at pinaka-decisive na paraan," saad ni Castro. Inihirit din ni Castro na hindi pa rin binibigyang pansin ng gobyerno ang mga data breach na maaaring maging sanhi ng pang-aabuso sa...

By Sandra Cabangon As part of its anti-dengue campaign, residents of Barangay Sanja Mayor in Tanza, Cavite will receive a kilo of rice for every plate of mosquitoes that they bring from September 8 to 30. Photo Courtesy of Jade Blancaflor/Borland Health Center Residents are urged to place an oiled plastic plate in an area with mosquitoes and present these along with their ID or proof of residency to their health center to claim their reward. “Siguro po ay natatandaan n’yo pa rin ‘yung kabataan ninyo na ang ating mga magulang ay may ganyang style: isang plato na lalagyan ng oil, iwasiwas sa may maraming lamok at talaga naman pong nakakahuli,” said Barangay Captain Peter Aricayos. Although there is no required number of mosquitoes to get the reward, many mosquitoes should still be seen on the plate. “Kailangan po naman na kahit papano ay makitang marami pero napakahirap po namang punuin iyon,” the barangay captain added. Ten sacks of rice have already been allocated for the project, whil...

By Nadine Fandialan Becoming Colgate's new toothpaste ambassador came as a surprise to the social media vlogger, Mimiyuuuh. Photo Courtesy of The Philippine STAR/Mimiyuuuh/Twitter  It takes a lot of confidence to smile and reveal the genuine happiness of a person. The lips that turn in glee, and the teeth that brighten the emotion. But Mimiyuuuh never considered herself having the embodiment of 'perfect pearls'. With overlapping teeth and a tiny sprout between her two front teeth, she was given the teasing label of a 'vampire' by her classmates in her younger years. Her 'sungki' became one of her insecurities. She confided that her appearance made it difficult to accept herself, especially when it comes to her teeth. Having seen advertisements of toothpaste showing the very perfectness in the teeth of endorsers, Mimiyuuuh is certain toothpaste brands are not within her league. In her own words: “Hindi ko po talaga ine-expect na magkakaro’n kami ng endorsemen...

Ni Patrick Pasta Inakay ni Breanna Stewart ang pamamayagpag ng United States kontra Belgium, 87-72, sa panimula ng kanilang title-defense sa 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup na ginanap sa Sydney, Australia nitong Huwebes. Photo Courtesy of FIBA Basketball Tangan ang titulo bilang three-time defending champions, nagtarak ng matibay na simula ng kanilang kampanya ang USA salamat kay Stewart at sa matikas nitong 22 puntos. Lumikom rin ang Seattle Storm mainstay ng apat na rebounds, tatlong assists, at tatlong steals upang akayin ang koponan tungkol sa 1-0 win-loss record.  Umagapay naman sa kanya si Alyssa Thomas matapos magrehistro ng 14 puntos mula sa pitong rebounds, siyam na assists, dalawang steals, at dalawang free throw habang 14 puntos din ang iniambag ni Jewell Loyd. Ginulantang ng defending champions ang Belgium matapos agarang ipamalas ang kanilang dominasyon at angkinin ang 12-0 lead, mahigit dalawang minuto pa lamang ang natapyas sa laro. Kumabig naman pabalik ng 13...

By Ryann Yap Having the lead in almost the entirety of the game, Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. barely escaped with an 85-84 victory over Imus Bandera XTREME at the 2022 MPBL Mumbaki Cup, at Caloocan Sports Complex, September 21.  Photo Courtesy of MPBL Official Page Valenzuela’s Jaymar Gimpayan drilled in two clutch free-throws with 0.5 seconds remaining at the final quarter after an unsportsman-like foul committed by Jacob Galicia, enough to decline the dub for Imus. Imus made a mini 4-0 spark at the last minute via Galicia lay-up from a Jeymark Mallari assist, alongside a brilliant dribble-drive penetration basket by Rene Pacquiao to gain the first score advantage of the game for their squad, 84-83. Former PBA star Cyrus Baguio led his Valenzuela crew with 10 points on an 80% field goal percentage, including two rebounds and four assists, just right to seal his team at the 6th spot on the North Division, tied with Quezon City MG Cars’ standings (8-9). “Credits sa Imus sa ganda...

By Genevieve Candace Poquiz The Philippines’ economic freedom in 2020 ranked its lowest at 66th place with a rating of 7.09 since 2010, three rankings lower than 2019 with a rating of 7.34, according to a report. Photo Courtesy of Google Stock Photos  Fraser Institute, a Canadian conservative think tank, published the Economic Freedom of the World for 2020, rating 165 countries globally based on five areas: size of government, legal system and property rights, sound money, freedom to trade internationally, and regulation. In their report, they noted that “countries with institutions and policies more consistent with economic freedom have higher investment rates, more rapid economic growth, higher income levels, and a more rapid reduction in poverty rates.” While higher by 0.04 points compared to 2019, the legal system and property rights — symbolic of the protection granted to persons and their property —  of the Philippines are ranked lowest among the five categories with a r...

By Sharlaine Kate Gumayat The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) cannot tag an aspirant for an elective office as a nuisance candidate based on their unpopularity and non-affiliation with a political party. Photo Courtesy of Erwin Cagadas/Supreme Court The judgment was made to partly grant the petition of Norman Cordero Marquez, co-founder of animal advocacy group Baguio Animal Welfare, who was declared a "nuisance candidate" by Comelec in the recentl elections. "Declaring one a nuisance candidate simply because he or she is not known to the entire country reduces the electoral process—a sacred instrument of democracy—to a mere popularity contest," the high court said on Saturday, September 10. The SC highlighted Marquez's filing of his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) and a program of governance to counter Comelec's case that he did not have a bona fide intention to run for a national position as he was "virtually unk...

By Reyza Ferranco In an effort to make online interactions more safe and transparent, Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid has filed a bill that would require all users to provide a valid ID for verification before registering on any social media platform. Photo Courtesy of GizGuide/Government PH Senate Bill No. 1289, or the Online and Social Media Membership Accountability Act, aims to combat the spread of misinformation and hate speech prevailing online. To register, the bill requires users to present any valid identification, including government-issued IDs, barangay certificates, or work and student IDs. Existing users must also verify their identities to keep their accounts running on different social media sites. Law enforcement authorities can then refer to these identifications in case a user engages in criminal acts,including  cyberbullying, slander, or libel, on any online platform. The senator further explained that the bill is designed to remind all users that everyone is ...

Data Privacy is critical to the survival of businesses. Customers want to know that their data and personal information are safe and that companies do everything to ensure their data stays private. This is where RA 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 comes in, ‘to protect the fundamental human right of privacy, of communication while ensuring free flow of information to promote innovation and growth.’ It is crucial that everyone in the company, no matter their roles, understand the basic principles of RA 10173 and data privacy. This is the goal of VLC’s Data Privacy  Awareness Certification Seminar happening on September 28. The core ideas of data privacy and protection will be covered in VLC’s Data Privacy Awareness Certification Seminar. The ideas and requirements of data privacy and pertinent data protection methods and techniques will be taught to participants. For the first part of the webinar, Atty. Carmine T. Eliza Serrano a Data Privacy Specialist will discuss the Cases ...

By Denzel Gaddi After surrendering the finals seat to Zaisan MMC Energy, 15-17, the Manila Chooks bid goodbye to their World Tour Cebu Masters dreams in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 International Quest at the Ayala Malls Solenad, Friday.  Photo Courtesy of FIBA Basketball With the ticket on the line, Manila Chooks cruised past the group stage in a dominant fashion before a heartbreaking kneel down on powerhouse Zaisan in their semifinals clash, closing the gates to their entry for the World Tour Cebu Masters that needed an International Quest finals ticket to qualify. Manila imposed its presence in Pool A with a 2-1 record, including a nail-biting takedown of Asia's Number One Ulaanbaatar via a 21-20 thriller capped by playing interim coach Chico Lanete’s free throw. Manila recovered from a scoring surge from the opposition by claiming four points on the defensive end, nursing Zaisan's gap to a one-point deficit. The Philippine representatives, although looked gassed as t...

By Girald Gaston In the post-Gasol era of Spain basketball, a new set of brothers rose to the occasion. Juancho and Willy Hernangomez spearheaded the powerhouse Spain against Les Bleus of France, 88-76, to regain supremacy in EuroBasket, Sunday in Berlin, Germany. Photo Courtesy of Le Monde After a bronze finish in the 2017 edition of the tournament, Spain is now back on top of the pedestal after flaunting a dominating first half led by the two Hernangomez.  The Spanish brothers combined for 41 points, as Juancho busted the zone defense of France with his long bombs to finish with 27 markers and Willy outplayed Rudy Gobert with his 14 points and 8 boards.  Lorenzo Brown also contributed 14 points and 11 assists to stabilize the Spain offense in its wire-to-wire victory. With his consistent performance all throughout the EuroBasket, Willy also earned an MVP honor, topping Germany's Dennis Schroeder, Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, France's Gobert, and his teammate Brown who ...

By Rob Andrew Dongiapon Saúl Canelo Álvarez asserted supremacy on Gennady Golovkin, retaining the undisputed super middleweight title in a fashion that contrasts their first two fights, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday.  Photo Courtesy of Yahoo Sports Alvarez made the fight a one-sided affair right from the get-go, controlling the tempo with his speed and precision and the threat of his overhands and uppercuts to take Golovkin, at the age of 40, by the horns.  The judges scored the bout 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 unanimously in favor of Canelo but a tad bit closer than most thought.  Punch stats also dictated Alvarez’s domination as the champion connected 27% (130/487) of his total punches thrown compared to Golovkin’s underwhelming 23% (120/521). Power punches were also in favor of Canelo, connecting 39% (85/217) of all power thrown while GGG registered 27% (46/171). The rivals slugged to a draw in their first fight in 2017, before settling to a controversia...

By Akio Mananes NU Sta. Elena continued their unblemished 2022 Spiker’s Turf Open Conference campaign by making quick work of the young Ateneo-Fudgee Barr squad, 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-19), piercing the blue sail out of semis contention on Saturday. Photo Courtesy of Tempo The hot-handed Bulldogs made their defensive presence above the net felt, wreaking havoc on both ends of the floor as they tapped in 13 points off of their denials and 28 markers from Blue Eagles’ errors while pouring in 29 attacks. The hard-hitting duo of Angelo Almendras and Michaelo Buddin led the Bulldogs' offensive haul as they smashed through Ateneo’s floor spacing with 10 points apiece, enough to switch the Blue Eagles from flight to plight mode.  The Bulldogs went berserk in the opening salvo as they cruised the first set with a beating, pummeling the Katipunan-based squad after leading as much as 20-9 halfway, 25-14. Ateneo redeemed themselves in the early minutes of the second frame, snatching the driver...

Ni: Crisdenmar Dela Cruz Sinandigan ng Sarangani Marlins ang free throws ni Yvan Ludovice sa huling segundo ng laro upang itakas ang 79-78 panalo kontra Imus City Bandera, at patatagin ang tyansa sa twice to beat advantage pagkatapos ng eliminasyon sa MPBL Mumbaki Cup sa Ynares Sports Complex. Photo Courtesy of MPBL Unang naipasok ni Ludovice ang dalawang crucial free-throw 78-76, bago mag-split sa charity stripe, daan upang makamit ng Sarangani ang solo 4th spot sa standings (12-6). Nagsilbing mitsa ng Sarangani si Mavs Phenomenal product Kyt Jimenez na nagpakawala ng dalawang sunod na tres sa pagsisimula ng huling quarter upang palawigin ang kalamangan, 71-64. Dikdikan agad ang depensa sa pagsisimula ng laro, ngunit sa huli ay napasakamay ng Imus ang unang yugto, 13-12. Nasungkit naman ng Sarangani ang bentahe sa pagtatapos ng first half, 28-27. Nagawa pang manakot ng Bandera sa huling dalawang minuto ng laro matapos magpakawala ng 7-0 run upang itabla ang laro sa 76. Nanguna sa pana...

By Joemar Yubokmee   The children are our world’s best hope for the future but how could they usher a bright one if the institution mandated to educate and hone their skills continue to fail them?   Cartoon by Andrea Aniceto Santos According to a World Bank (WB) report, 91% of Filipino children aged 10 still struggle to read simple texts, indicating that there is a deterioration in the quality of education in the country. The report also bared that the Philippines is one of the nations in the East Asia and Pacific area with the highest rates of learning poverty which is 56.5 points higher than the regional average of 34.5 percent. Some may claim that this problem stemmed from the subpar learning modalities utilized during the pandemic where issues of grammatical, factual, and even mathematical equation errors were found on modules distributed by the Department of Education (DepEd) but the fact is that the state of the Philippine education has been on a decline for some t...

By Xy Aldrae Murillo The Department of Health (DOH) dismissed allegations that the government uses expired COVID-19 vaccines as booster shots, saying that there is no truth to those allegations. Photo Courtesy of DOH/ABC News DOH Officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire was asked in a press briefing about the said allegations, to which she replied: “There is no truth that what we are distributing as booster shots are expired.” According to DOH, they have not administered COVID-19 booster doses beyond their expiration date since the shelf life of some vaccines has been actually extended by their manufacturers. "Whatever we are distributing now sa ating mga communities, these are vaccines within expiring dates. Ibig sabihin, mabisa pa ho 'yung bakuna. Safe pa rin siya dahil nakapag-extend tayo ng shelf life. So, wala pong katotohanan na nagbibigay tayo ng expired na bakuna,” Vergeire told the press. Furthermore, she explained that vaccines undergo a “stability study,” which veri...

Ni Xhiela Mie Cruz Matapos ang dalawang taong pagtigil nito dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic, magbabalik na ngayong taon ang pagdiriwang ng Masskara Festival ng Bacolod City sa Oktubre na may temang “Balik Yuhum” o ibalik ang ngiti. Photo Courtesy of Guide to the Philippines Sa muling pagbabalik nito, inanunsyo ni Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez na  pinaunlakan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang kaniyang personal na imbitasyon na dumalo sa naturang pagdiriwang. Bukod kay Pangulong Marcos, inaasahan ring magiging bisita ng Bacolod ang kanyang maybahay na si First Lady Marie Louise "Liza" Araneta Marcos at anak nitong si Vinny. Ayon pa sa mga nag-organisa ng selebrasyon, itinutulak ng tema ng pagdiriwang ngayong taon ang mga Bacolodnon na magkaisa at ibalik ang hindi matutumbasang ngiti sa kanilang mga labi sa kabila ng dalawang taong pakikipaglaban sa pandemya at mga hamon sa buhay. Dagdag pa rito, matatandaang inilunsad ang theme song ng MassKara Festival na pinamagatang “It’s ...