Over 100 school teachers from different parts of the Bicol region convened in Naga City over the weekend to showcase the different digital literacy projects that they created as part of PRISM, a three-week professional development program conducted by Globe Telecom.

PRISM involves a two-day immersive bootcamp, blended project-based learning, and personalized coaching for a total of 1,000 educators all over the country who are teaching the new Media and Information Literacy (MIL) subject in Senior High School as well as English and Social Studies at both K-12 and higher education levels.  The program is scheduled in Metro Manila, Naga City, Pampanga, Cebu City, and Cagayan de Oro City from January to June this year.

For the Bicol leg, the event was hosted by the University of Nueva Caceres (UNC), which shares Globe Telecom’s goal of promoting world-class learning through technology.

“This is a milestone not only for Globe and UNC but also for the Bicol region and our education sector. We are one with PRISM’s objective to expand our teachers’ capabilities by improving their digital literacy skills to be more effective educators to this new generation. Two of our defined paths for UNC’s roadmap is to be the employer of choice as well as the school of choice in Naga and in the Bicol region,” said Eleanor Salumbre, UNC Vice President for Administration and Finance. UNC and Globe Telecom share in the understanding that technology opens up a myriad of growth opportunities for Filipinos in their own communities, in the region, and even beyond our national shores.

The teachers were invited by Globe to undergo various activities and projects in technology-enabled instruction and content development that can help them face the challenge of integrating technology in their lessons and making it an effective tool for learning anytime, anywhere.

A key component of the program is the Brightspace Integrated Learning Platform.  The teachers will undergo distance learning for three weeks with access to the global Brightspace Community, multimedia resources to guide them through the learning process, and a seamless platform to collaborate with learning coaches and teachers in real time.

“Students of today are digital natives who grew up in the era of Google, social media, and instant connectivity. The changing times mean that teachers need to continuously adapt to their evolving role. They will have to be able to facilitate learning through new methods of teaching and various media, some of which may not even exist yet. This is precisely why fostering creative and critical thinking in learners is paramount.” said Michelle Tapia, Advisor & Head of Globe’s Education Strategy & Innovation.

She added: “Globe aims to empower every Filipino with world-class learning through technology so that they can achieve their dreams and be successful in life. We close the gap by providing teachers the relevant knowledge and skills that they need to help students succeed in the 21st century, starting with the digital literacy program.”

Derrick Heng, Senior Advisor, Globe myBusiness Group said that the company understands that “to invest in education is to invest in connectivity”. Thus, as with education, Globe continues its commitment to provide world-class internet across the Philippine archipelago. Last year, Globe has committed close to US$500 million for the expansion of its corporate data network. Parallel to this infrastructure build for enterprises is the company’s initiative to create an internet superhighway by deploying fiber in 20,000 barangays all over the country by 2020 to equip Filipinos for a more digitally connected future.”

Teachers undergoing the PRISM Digital Literacy Program are nominated by both Globe and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC). The PEAC National Secretariat processes the nominations submitted by schools nationwide while a Vetting Committee, composed of two (2) representatives from the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), a DepEd Regional Director, and the PEAC Executive Director, is set in place to closely vet the nominated teachers.

Everyone knows Lea Salonga as the Disney Legend who provided the vocals of Disney Princesses Jasmine and Fa Mulan in Aladdin and Mulan. Apart from her work with the Walt Disney Company, she has stunned audiences worldwide for her Tony Award-winning runs in Broadway and the West End for her role as Kim inMiss Saigon, and both Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables. Now, the legend is crowning a new Disney Princess at the upcoming Disney Princess: I Dare to Dream gala concert!

The concert is the finale of Globe Studios’ I Dare to Dream, a first-of-its-kind, digital reality series in collaboration with Disney and Maker Studios, that will search for the next Disney Princess from a group of six young girls. Salonga will award the winner during the event, and will headline the concert featuring Disney classics.

“Globe has always committed itself to creating original digital content to complement the brand’s fast internet speeds, and the rapidly-changing ways Filipinos are consuming entertainment,” says Executive Producer and Globe Retail Transformation and Stores Management Advisor Joe Caliro. “But we feel an initiative of this magnitude shouldn’t end digitally. We want to end it with a bang, with a live concert featuring Lea Salonga and the country’s best singers.”

Apart from Salonga, the star-studded concert will also performances with Christian Bautista, KC Concepcion, Erik Santos, Julie Ann San Jose, Sam Concepcion, Morissette Amon, Aicelle Santos, Tippy Dos Santos, and Janina Vela.

I Dare to Dream is inspired by Disney Princesses, whose stories have moved both children and adults throughout the years. For the show, Globe Studios handpicked six young girls out of hundreds who auditioned, whose personalities and values reflect that of Disney princesses. The six girls will stay in one house and undergo fun challenges while enjoying a mentorship program.

The six selected girls are Sirach Catipay, an aspiring chef who wants to share the world’s cuisines with the Filipino people; Stephanie Jordan, a singing competition contestant who wants to enter the world of hosting; Hyacinth Leonado, who dreams of becoming a Broadway singer and actress; Jaden Narvios, who wants to be the president of the Philippines; Liana San Diego, who wants to be a veterinarian; and Alexi Tan, who dreams of becoming an animator.

The girls will be mentored by Ms. Salonga, along with experts in the respective fields the girls dream of entering: chef Jessie Sincioco, YouTuber and host Charisma Star, theater actress Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, social educator Efren Peñaflorida, veterinarian Dr. Nielsen Donato, and animator Tito Romero. The girls will be joined by vlogger Janina Vela, who will serve as the guiding elder sister.

“I Dare to Dream hopes to inspire girls that there are other young ladies like them, who do not necessarily fit in any of society’s molds,” ends Caliro. “It hope to show that one day, you can share the stage with someone like Lea Salonga and turn your dreams into a reality.”

The winner will also have the chance to take the trip of a lifetime: to walk the red carpet premiere of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast in Tokyo, Japan.

The I Dare to Dream concert will be held on March 22, 2017 at the SM MOA Arena. Tickets are available for purchase at www.smtickets.com. You can fully experience the magic of Disney Princess: I Dare To Dream onwww.idaretodream.ph.

Globe Telecom became the first telecommunications operator in the Philippines to commercially deploy LTE-Advanced 4 component carrier (4CC) spectrum aggregation using the 2600MHz band. The technology effectively doubles LTE capacity in areas covered by the deployment, delivering faster internet experience to customers.

Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, said availability of new spectrum allocation in the 2600 MHz following the company’s partial acquisition of San Miguel’s telecommunication assets last year boosts the telecommunication company’s capability in further improving mobile internet browsing experience of its customers. Specifically, the company is making use of the 4-component carrier (4CC) spectrum aggregation in expanding and enhancing its LTE coverage.

The 4CC technology uses 4 distinctly separate blocks of the 2600 MHz spectrum that is aggregated by LTE-Advanced eNode B equipment to deliver faster internet speeds. This technology can be compared to increasing the number of lanes in a highway from 2 lanes (in the case of 2CC) to 4 lanes, thereby allowing for faster internet services.

“This is the first time that a telco operator in the Philippines is making use of this 4-component carrier spectrum LTE-Advanced technology and we are maximizing the potential of the new spectrum assigned to us for the benefit of our customers. This technology milestone significantly improves customer experience as smartphone penetration in the country continues to increase,” Agustin said.

So far, Globe has already deployed the technology in 110 sites mostly in Metro Manila, Agustin said. According to him, initial deployment covers most areas in Makati and certain areas in Quezon City, Marikina, Antipolo and San Mateo.

He stressed that while most commercially available devices are compatible with 2-layer carrier aggregation technology, customers in said areas still stand to benefit from the deployment on account of increased data capacity provided by sites deployed with 4-layer spectrum, which generates speeds of up to 400 Mbps.

This year, the company plans to roll out the technology in more than 500 sites, he said. Aside from Metro Manila, Globe plans to deploy the 4CC LTE-Advanced technology using 2600 MHz in key areas in North Luzon and South Luzon to increase data and in preparation for the availability of 4CC compatible devices.

In June last year, Globe began utilizing its additional allocation in the 2600 MHz as the company ramps up effort to provide better mobile internet experience for its customers. To date, Globe has deployed around 2600 LTE sites in about 1,200 mostly in Visayas and Mindanao, providing additional capacity and improving internet experience of its customers.

A former senior official of the Department of Labor and Employment yesterday hailed the move of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to delete from the training regulations for domestic workers the requirement that domestic workers who fail in the competency assessment need to wait for one month before taking another assessment.

Nicon F. Fameronag, former DOLE Undersecretary for Employment and Competitiveness of Enterprises and now the President of the Lilac Center for Public Interest, a policy research and consulting firm, said in a press release the TESDA’s move is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to all government agencies to reduce, if not eliminate, bureaucratic red tape that stifles business and hamper the country’s business competitiveness.

Specifically, Duterte has directed Secretary Bello III to make it easier for OFWs to avail the services of the government, shorten the processing time of their documents, and minimize their expenses.

The TESDA Board, in its meeting on 3 February 2017, approved Resolution No. 2017-09 amending the Training Regulations for Domestic Work NCII by deleting the provision on the one-month gap prior to the re-assessment of candidates who have failed in the competency assessment.

The Board is headed by DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III as Chairman.

Passing the competency assessment is a requirement before the issuance of a Certificate of Competency on Domestic Work NCII. The NCII on Domestic Work is required by the POEA in the recruitment and overseas deployment of domestic workers.

“This is a move in the right direction. It will open up more employment opportunities for women who choose to work abroad as domestic workers by eliminating delays in their getting the required national certification for domestic workers,” Fameronag said.

Citing available POEA data, Fameronag said deployment of new-hire domestic workers reached a high of 194,835 in 2015, an increase of 7.5 percent over the previous year.

“Unfortunately, despite strenuous efforts by the DOLE and the POEA to clamp down on the recruitment and deployment of domestic workers either through policy design or threats of outright bans, a host of factors, such as the lack of employment opportunities for women workers here at home, has led to the feminization of migration, such that new-hire domestic workers now constitute 37.8 percent of all new hire deployment,” Fameronag further said.

“With 2.78 million unemployed Filipinos, 30.4 percent of whom are women or 845,120, increasing women participation in the labor market is key to attaining the sustainable development goal of decent work and economic growth,” the former DOLE official added.

Domestic work is now the first in the POEA’s top 10 skills of OFWs, followed by manufacturing laborers, nurses, waiters, cleaners and helpers in offices and hotels, home-based personal care workers, welders and flame cutters, civil engineers, and plumbers and pipe fitters. Laborers in building construction occupy the last spot in the skills category.

The state-run Social Security System on Thursday said it has already released about P2.1 billion to its partner banks for the release of the last tranche of the retroactive P1,000 additional benefit for its pensioners for the month of March.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said qualified pensioners may already withdraw their additional benefit on Friday, March 17.

“Our pensioners may withdraw the March differential of the P1,000 additional pension from their respective banks. In fact, several of our partner banks have already credited the amount even earlier than the scheduled date,” Dooc said.

“More than 2.1 million pensioners will benefit from the release of the additional benefit as part of the March differential. For the last scheduled release of the P1,000 differential for regular pensioners, an additional of more than 33,000 pensioners were added to our list from the previous month’s 2.07 million pensioners,” Dooc added.

Of the P2.1 billion set to be released on Friday, about P7.82 million will be received by the regular pensioners thru check which will be delivered by the Postal Service Office to the residence of the concerned pensioners.

According to SSS Office Services Department, the checks for the March differentials were mailed to Quezon City Central Office on Mar 9 and 10.

SSS has released more than P6.22 billion for the distribution of the P1,000 additional benefit for the January to March 2017 differential.

“Starting April, all regular pensioners, will receive the updated amount of their pension. This means that their regular monthly pension will automatically increase by P1,000,” Dooc said.

“However for our pensioners who fall under the special cases, please refer to the specific dates of release that we have announced last week,” he added.

The SSS earlier enumerated the list of pensioners under special cases who will receive their P1,000 benefit increase on different dates, particularly on Mar 31, May 12 and 26.

Among the pensioners who will receive the P1,000 additional benefit on March 31 under the special cases are those with death claim with more than one payee  and one of them is overpaid; payees with withheld share; pension with payees under different guardians; and those covered by a Bilateral Social Security Agreement between the Philippines and other countries and the Portability Law.

Likewise, pensioners on suspended status due to non-compliance with the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners but are up for resumption from January to March are scheduled to receive the additional benefit on Mar 31, provided they have already reported to SSS for the resumption of their monthly pension.

Meanwhile, retiree-pensioners who availed of the advance 18 months retirement pension from August 2015 onwards will receive the P1,000 additional benefit on May 12 to cover the remaining months starting January 2017.

Pensioners with settled initial disability, death and retirement (DDR) claims from November 2016 to April 2017 as well as those who filed for adjustment in their pension will be able to withdraw their P1,000 additional benefit from their bank accounts on May 12.

Other types of pensioners scheduled to receive the additional benefit on May 12 are partial disability pensioners with less than 12 months duration paid in lump sum. The additional P1,000 per month benefit will cover  the number of months they receive the disability pension starting January 2017.

For pensioners who availed of the three-month advance pension due to typhoon Lawin and Nina last year, they will be paid their pension differential on May 26.

Only about 13,000 pensioners with unpaid loans will not be able to receive the P1,000 additional benefit to offset any outstanding obligation.

For questions and clarifications, pensioners may call the SSS hotline at numbers 920-6446 to 55 or email member_relations@sss.gov.ph.

PORMAL nang inilunsad ang air ambulance na maghahatid ng mga pasyente sa ospital mula sa remote areas sa Palawan.

Ito ay sa inisyatibo ng DoH-MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) katuwang ang Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services (PAMAS), isang volunteer-driven organization.

Ang Cessna 206 helicopter na may 6-seater at Robinson R44,  4-seater chopper, ang magagamit sa paghahatid ng mga pasyente na hindi kayang abutin ng mga ordinaryong ambulansya. Mayroon itong  first-aid medical equipment at may paramedic na siya namang agad titingin sa pasyente at magbibigay ng agarang lunas habang ito ay dinadala sa ospital.

“This is the most effective and quickest response in saving a patient’s life, especially those who reside in remote and hard to reach areas. Critical patients and emergency cases needing immediate care can be transported right away to the nearest health facility without difficulty,” ayon kay Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo sa isinagawang launching ceremony sa  Puerto Princesa City Airport sa Palawan.

“Most of the places in MIMAROPA are not accessible to regular ambulance services due of its geographically situated island provinces. Some of these areas are remotely located and can’t be reached quickly by health workers, medical personnel and regular ambulance services. Patients can only be acquired through air transport,” ani pa ni Janairo.

Ang magbebenipisyo sa makabagong serbisyo ay mga isla sa rehiyon na hindi agad maabot ng health workers at medical personnel.

Mayroon ding nakatalagang off-site landing zones sa bawat lugar sa Palawan  para sa emergency medical evacuation. Itatayo naman sa lahat ng DOH provincial office ang 24/7 emergency unit kung saan maaaring tumawag sa mga emergency numbers na  (0998) 5492585 para sa Smart at (0917) 533-1651 para sa Globe. JOCELYN TABANGCURA-DOMENDEN 

NAIS na muling ipagpaliban ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang naudlot na barangay elections.

 Ayon kay Pangulong Duterte, ayaw niya munang umusad ang barangay elections ngayong taon dahil sa inaasahang impluwensya ng drug money sa halalan.

 Paliwanag ni Duterte, anim o pitong taon na ang nakalipas mula nang maging narco-politics ang Pilipinas, kaya mahirap asahan na magkakaroon ng malinis na eleksyon ngayong taon.

 Kung itutuloy aniya ang barangay elections ngayong taon, makakaupo na sa pwesto ang mga pulitikong suportado ng pera mula sa iligal na droga.

 Una nang sinabi ng pangulo noong nakaraang taon na maaring magamit ang drug money para sa pag-pondo ng kampanya ng ilang mga kandidato. JOHNNY ARASGA

ININDORSO sa plenaryo ni Sen. Bam Aquino na siyang Chairman ng Committee on Education ang kumpirmasyon ni Briones at nagbigay din kani-kanilang pag-endorso sina Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto at Sen. JV Ejercito.

Bago ito dumipensa pa si Briones sa mga pagdududa sa kondisyon ng kanyang kalusugan at kakayahan na gampanan ang kanyang tungkulin.

Umamin naman ang kalihim na gumagamit na siya ng wheelchair ngunit iginiit na ang kondisyon ng kanyang mga tuhod ay walang kaugnayan sa kondisyon ng kanyang pag-iisip.

 Binanggit pa nito ang naging sitwasyon ng bayaning si Apolinario Mabini, ang dakilang paralitiko na naitalagang secretary of Foreign Affairs sa kabila nang pagkakatali na nito sa wheelchair.

 Ipinagmalaki din ni Briones ang pagbisita niya sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa sa pagtupad sa kanyang tungkulin. JOHNNY ARASGA

The year is just beginning, but one of the highlights of 2017 is the staging of the Wicked, the West End musical, which transformed the Theatre at Solaire into the Emerald City. Globe At Home subscribers got tickets to meet the stars of the show & watch the witches defy gravity!

Wicked is the “untold story” of Elphaba, or the Wicked Witch of the West, in Frank L. Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The origin story was developed by Gregory Maguire in a 1995 novel called Wicked, which followed Elphaba in her formative years and how a fateful encounter with the Wizard of Oz thrust her to wickedness.

These lucky subscribers enjoyed a “thrillifying” performance, took selfies with the cast’s leading ladies & even took home signed Wicked souvenir programs!

This year, the UK cast brought the timeless story of a girl who only wanted to defy gravity to Manila audiences, where The Theatre at Solaire was compelled to extend the run twice.

Wicked runs until March 19 at The Theatre at Solaire. The show is co-presented by Globe Live.

While Luzon is seen as the main driver of growth for domestic tourism, the hospitality industry suffers from a very low value-for-money in the budget segment. Indeed, quality of budget accommodation in Luzon’s tier 2 cities (such as Tagaytay, Baguio, Pampanga, and Batangas) remains inadequate, with over 60% of budget travelers currently rating their stays unsatisfactory (below 7.5/10 with travel agents). Specifically, the guests’ most frequent complaints are related to lack of cleanliness and poor Wi-Fi connection.

THOUSANDS OF overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Central Luzon will hugely benefit from using the Clark airport, the executive of the government-run Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) said during the third leg of the CIAC North Philippines Roadshow in Cabanatuan City on Friday.

“Clark airport’s proximity, convenience and security will attract thousands of OFWs and their families here in Nueva Ecija and nearby provinces,” Alexander Cauguiran, CIAC president and chief executive officer, said, citing that an estimated 360,000 OFWs come from Central Luzon.

Cauguiran said that based on 2015 government data, top destinations of OFWs are United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Singapore, and Qatar, flights which are mostly available with several airlines at Clark airport (CRK).

CRK hosts Emirates Airlines via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Cebu Pacific Air via Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and domestic flights to Cebu, Asiana Airlines via Incheon, Jin Air via Incheon and Busan, along with Cathay Dragon via Hong Kong and Tiger Air via Singapore.

Cauguiran likewise announced negotiations are on-going with China Eastern airlines for the Clark-Shanghai route which is expected to connect to numerous cities in Europe, Asia and North America.

Central Luzon is the country’s second largest group of OFWs which accounts to about 15 percent, second only to Calabarzon with the biggest share of 18 percent, from the estimated 2.4 million documented overseas workers around the world.

“An OFW from Nueva Ecija, for example, would rather travel the short distance of 80 kilometers from Cabanatuan City to Clark, than to endure 170 kilometers going to the congested EDSA en route to the overcrowded Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila,” Cauguiran said, adding that CIAC’s thrust is to increase passenger traffic in CRK while helping ease the congestion at the NAIA and Metro Manila.

Negotiations are likewise underway with bus and shuttle companies and other transport groups to provide point-to-point transport services from the CRK passenger terminal building to provinces in Central and Northern Luzon which will augment the existing shuttle services to and from Quezon City, and from CRK to Dau (Mabalacat City), the hub of major bus companies traveling north, Cauguiran added.

The construction of a new Clark airport terminal for domestic and international travelers with an 8-million-passenger capacity is included in CIAC’s Master Development Plan.

The new terminal building is the first of four design phases and will be finished before the term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends.  The project is part of the Duterte administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure development thrust in the next five-and-a-half years.

Air Asia will likewise launch thrice weekly Clark-Kalibo flights starting March 27 and four times weekly flights to and from Davao by April 22, augmenting the operations of Philippine Airlines whose domestic flights include CRK to Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, as well as international flights via Incheon in South Korea.

On March 26, the flag carrier will start servicing a Palawan route via Puerto Princesa and Busuanga.

International cargo service giants FedEx and UPS likewise mount a weekly average of 23 international and domestic cargo flights at CRK.

THE Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has reported a marked improvement in media worker security under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, owing largely to the proactive measures that are now in place to ensure a safer environment for members of the working press. 

Although one case— that of Catanduanes News Now publisher Larry Que— has been verified to be a media worker killing (MWK) during the first nine months of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, a number of cases handled by the PTFoMS during the same period involve threats, harassment and physical assault against journalists. This is the first time that the government has documented and taken action on these potentially deadly incidents reported by the victms themselves.

PTFoMS Executive Director, Usec. Joel Sy Egco has reported to the body during its regular meeting last Wednesday (March 15) that besides the murder of Que, the Presidential Task Force reported the following cases: eight (8) Shooting Incidents, six (6) Threats and one (1) each for Physical Attack and Complaint. A Follow-Up was also conducted on the case of Jun Pala following the public admission by retired policeman Arturo Lascanas of his participation in the killing.

The Task Force is chaired by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and co-chaired by Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. Those who attended the meeting include representatives from various government agencies and media groups National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, National Press Club, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Philippine Press Institute, Publishers Association of the Philippines and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.

“Unlike in the past when government only comes in after the fact or when a media worker had been killed, we are now mandated under Administrative Order No. 1 to act promptly on the first signs of trouble, as soon as a complaint reached us,” stressed Egco, who was a journalist for  more than two decades and former president of the National Press Club before joining the Duterte government.

He noted that in the first nine months of the  previous administration, there were seven cases of media killings. Egco attributed the drop in the number of media killings to the Task Force’s vigilance and immediate response to reports of threats and harassment perpetrated against media workers.

Death threats are immediately investigated and if needed, police protection is given to journalists who report threats to their life.

The lone, verified media killing recorded under the Duterte Administraton’s AO No. 1 was deemed as such after investigation revealed that Que was killed in connection with articles exposing the links between illegal drugs manufacturers and local government officials.

PTFoMS officials went to Catanduanes and met with the family of the slain mediaman as part of their investigation. Egco recently directed the Philippine National Police to provide security to the Que family who continue to fear for their safety.

Another case currently being investigated by the PTFoMS is the killing of Remate columnist Joaquin “Jun” Briones, a close friend of Egco. Unlike in the case of Que, results of the initial investigation do not indicate that the killing was connected with his work as a columnist and therefore, the case has yet to be included in the count of media killings under A. O. No. 1.

Members of the Briones family, including his brother and a daughter, suspected that the killing of Jun could be “politically-motivated,” citing the victim’s active participation in local politics. Prior to his death, Briones even applied for inclusion in the PTFoMS.

These findings will form part of the PTFoMS’ report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the second week of April, when it is required by AO 1 to submit its accomplishments to the Office of the President.

It may be noted, however, that the PTFoMS is still experiencing “birth pains” since its budget and personnel are still being processed.

Egco, who was a journalist observer in the Aquino Administration’s Task Force on A. O. 35, says the PTFoMS aims to prevent media killings through its various proactive measures lined up in the organization’s Operational Guidelines.

The agency has a total of 174 old cases in its inventory representing journalist killings beginning in 1986 until May 2016.

AFTER the formal launching of the First Kick for Peace Foundation on February 25, 2017 at the Centennial Hall of the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, the Philippine Marine Corps commandant, Brigadier General Emmanuel B. Salamat, gladly welcomed and hosted the first meeting of the foundation’s board of directors and officers. General Salamat, a prime mover of the Football for Peace program, is himself a member of the board of directors.

The members of the board are Praxedes Yu-Tan, Dr. Maria Ella R. Cabanlet, Dr Justin Paber, Ruth Yu-Owen, Susan Palad, Atty. Berteni “Toto” Causing, Governor Jaime “James” Dee, Sergio Antonio Ortiz – Luis, Jose “Joey” R. Ngo and BGen Emmanuel Salamat.

The officers include Reuben Nagtalon, President; Raymound Tan, Vice President; Atty. Berteni Causing, Secretary; Mikhail Immanuel Yu-Tan, Treasurer; and myself as the Public Relations Officer.

The First Kick for Peace Foundation was established in order for the Football for Peace to have an identity as it implements the program primarily with the Philippine Marine Corps which started it in 2011.

“It allows the people behind the movement to increase their networks and bring the program to as many young people as possible,” said Ltc Col Stephen Cabanlet who is the program’s lead coordinator.

The program is being conducted in war-torn areas in Mindanao such as Sulu and Basilan with the objective of turning the youth primarily of Mindanao away from lawless groups who take advantage of their innocence by turning them into rebels and child soldiers.

The program also helps mold them into law abiding and peace-loving citizens of their respective communities.

“What we did in my area when I was (1st Marine) brigade commander was we put the burden (of the Football for Peaceful program) on the local government, na ilagay na nila under their sports development program for indigenous communities. The local government must not only share with the burden but take the responsibility, kasi programa nila ‘yun eh. What we do is to make a subtle push and somehow we were successful in making this happen during my term. We were able to put up four teams in my area,” General Salamat said.

“Such strong support system is key to make the program successful,” he added.

NAKABALIK na sa PNP detention facility si dating Sen. Bong Revilla matapos dalawin ang amang si dating Sen. Ramon Revilla, Sr. sa St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) sa Taguig City.

Pasado alas-6:00 ng umaga nang lumabas ang nakababatang Revilla sa Camp Crame, kasama ang ilang mga nagbabantay na tauhan ng pulisya.

Nabatid na sasailalim si Ramon Sr. sa ilang medical tests dahil sa natukoy na pagdurugo sa loob ng tiyan nito.

Si dating Sen. Bong Revilla naman ay nakakulong dahil sa plunder cases na kanyang kinakaharap kaugnay sa pork barrel fund scam.

Una rito, pinayagan ng Sandiganbayan na dalawin ni Revilla Jr. ang kanyang ama sa loob ng tatlong oras, sa kabila ng mas mahabang panahon sanang nais ng kampo nito. BOBBY TICZON

MATAPOS matuklasan na ilan sa mga preso ay nagpositibo sa human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), pinabigyan agad ng awtoridad ang mga preso sa Quezon City Jail (QCJ) ng libreng condoms.

Ayon kay QCJ jail warden P/Supt. Randel Latoza, maliban sa problemang overcrowding ay nalaman nila na ila sa mga preso ay may HIV virus.

“It can’t be denied that there are sexual engagements inside, so we tell them to use condoms and provide them with literature pointing out that AIDS could be fatal,” pahayag ni Latoza.

Ang kanilang malaking problema ngayon ay hindi nila maihiwalay ang mga may sakit na preso sa mga wala, base na rin sa isang pinaiiral na batas.

“There are those who have (HIV) but we have a law that bars us from (publicly) identifying them or segregating them from other prisoners. So, how will you protect the others? This is our conundrum,” saad ni Latoza at ang tinutukoy ay ang AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998.

Kaya nagapagdedisyunan nila na magbigay ng condoms sa all-male-inmates upang masawata ang naturang virus na sanhi ng pagkalat ng deadly virus.

Inamin din ni Latoza na ilan sa mga preso ay sangkot sa male-to-male sex. “Wala pong babae dito kaya kung hindi na sila makatiis na hindi makapagparaos ay gumamit na lamang sila ng condoms.” BOBBY TICZON

PATAY ang tatlong hinihinalang sangkot sa iligal na droga kung saan pinagbabaril ang dalawa ng umano’y mga miyembro ng ‘vigilante group’ habang ang isa naman ay nakipagbarilan sa mga pulis sa magkakahiwalay na lugar sa Caloocan city.

Inilarawan ang hindi pa kilalang biktima na nasa 35-40 ang edad, naka-pink sleeveless shirt at camouflage short pants na hinihinalang pinagbabaril ng mga miyembro ng vigilante group dakong 3:30 kahapon ng madaling-araw sa Barugo Rd., Blk. 19, Phase 4, Package 5, Brgy. Bagong Silang.

Ayon kay Caloocan PO3 Gomer Mappala, nakuha sa bulsa ng biktima ang dalawang sachet ng shabu at dalawang basyo ng bala ng hindi pa matukoy na kalibre ng baril na narekober naman sa tabi ng katawan nito.

Dakong 12:10 din kahapon ng madaling-araw, nagsasagawa ang mga tauhan ng Police Community Precinct (PCP) 3 sa pangunguna ni C/Insp. Ronald Cayago ng Oplan Sita sa tapat ng Silangan Elem. School sa Kanlaon Rd., Brgy. 176 Bagong Silang nang parahin ng mga ito ang dalawang lalaki na magkaangkas sa motorsiklo dahil kapwa walang suot na helmet.

Sa halip na huminto, humarurot ang mga suspek upang tumakas kaya hinabol ang mga ito hanggang sa makorner sa Phase 3, Kanlaon Rd. subalit, naglabas ng baril ang nakaangkas at pinaputukan ang mga pulis.

Napilitan namang gumanti ng putok ang mga operatiba na nagresulta sa pagkamatay ni alyas “Pepoy”, umano’y miyembro ng notoryus na “Bulabog Gang” habang nagawang makatakas ng kasama nito na nagmamaneho ng motorsiklo.

Ayon kay Caloocan Police Community Relation (PCR) SPO2 Arthur Macapugay, narekober sa nasawing suspek ang kalibre .45 pistola, anim na plastic sachet ng shabu at iba’t ibang mga ID.

Patay din si Wilyn Sanchez, 39, ng Blk. 1, Lot 11, PLC Subd., Llano Rd. matapos pasukin at pagbabarilin ng tatlong hindi kilalang suspek na pawang naka-bonnet at maskara dakong 10:25 ng gabi.

Narekober ng pulisya sa insidente ng kremin ang apat na basyo ng bala mula sa kalibre .45 baril at 10 sachet ng hindi pa matukoy na halaga ng shabu na nakuha sa bulsa biktima. RENE MANAHAN

LIMANG miyembro ng gun-for-hire group ang bumulagta habang isang pulis naman ang nasugatan sa isang search warrant operations ng awtoridad sa Arayat, Pampanga kaninang madaling-araw, Sabado.

Kinilala ni Pampanga povincial director S/Supt. Joel Consulta ang mga suspek na sina Melvin Guevarra, kapitan ng Brgy. Cupang, Arayat, Pampanga; alyas Jack Pineda, Aldrin Luris, Fermin Batu at isang hindi pa nakikilalang suspek.

Sugatan naman ang isang pulis na hindi nakuha ang pangalan pero miyembro ito ng PNP-SWAT team.

Sa ulat, nag-umpisa ang insidente alas-2:00 hanggang alas-4:00 ng madaling-araw sa bahay ng mga suspek sa Arayat, Pampanga.

Ayon kay Consulta, isisilbi sana ng awtoridad ang mandamiento de aresto na inisyu ni Gapan, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court Judge Celso Baguio laban kay Guevarra subalit nanlaban umano ang grupo nito.

Napansin aniya ni Pineda na mga pulis pala ang kanilang kaharap kaya agad itong nagpaputok at tinamaan ang isang pulis.

Dito na gumanti ang mga pulis at inabot ng 40 minuto ang palitan ng putok hanggang sa mapatay ang limang mga suspek.

Narekober sa pinangyarihan ng insidente ang dalawang baby armalite rifle, dalawang caliber .45 pistol at isang .38 cal. revolver.

Sinabi pa ni Col. Consulta na mga miyembro ng private armed group at gun-for-hire ang mga napatay.

Si Guevarra ay nahaharap sa kasong may kaugnayan sa illegal possession of explosive device o kaso sa ilalim ng Presidential Decree 1866 as amended. BOBBY TICZON