10 Hulio 2024, Miyerkules

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

Davao police chief part of drug war

By Nidz Godino

“Development that Lito Patay , one of the implementers, one of the worst recorded violators during  war on drugs  is now Davao City police chief… is concerning to us,” International Criminal Court (ICC)  Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti‘s “man of interest” in previous administration’s drug war is now chief of Davao City Police.

Conti said  latest appointment as Davao City’s police chief is  homecoming of sorts for Police Col. Lito Patay.

And for victims of  previous administration’s so-called war against illegal drugs, this is  cause for concern, especially as they expect  issuance of arrest warrants against former president Rodrigo Duterte and others who are behind  deadly killings.

“I don’t know how it would work in context of  possible warrant of arrest against his former principal, Rodrigo Duterte, and even Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa,” she stressed, referring to  incumbent senator who was Duterte’s first police chief and implementer of his anti-illegal drug campaign.

Patay is  member of  so-called “Davao Boys,”  group of policemen from  former president’s hometown who were brought to Metro Manila to supposedly take part in  implementation of  drug war.

Earlier  report found  Batasan Station of  Quezon City Police District led by Patay recorded  highest number of killings during anti-drug operations conducted in the first year of Duterte.

In May 2022,  little over a month before  end of Duterte’s term, Malacañang cleared Patay of  administrative charge filed in relation to  death of  minor during  police operation in Payatas, Quezon City in 2016.

Patay was appointed Davao city police chief earlier this week following  removal of several officers.

Conti,  represents victims and families in  ICC case,  will study their next steps with regard to Patay’s appointment.

“Problem is that this is  assignment, not  promotion…he was not given  higher rank where it is possible to file  complaint,” she said.

Still, she raised  question as to why he was appointed in Davao.

While Patay was not included in public documents released by  ICC, Conti said they have repeatedly mentioned his name in several of their submissions, citing his role in  implementation of  drug war.

Conti said there is  rumor  ICC is also asking for more witnesses who can identify who among accused are most responsible.

“ICC is looking at official, mid-level. I don’t know…. if top level… may reach up to Albayalde,” Conti said, referring to former police chief Oscar Albayalde.

Conti said  new witnesses being asked by  ICC should be those who actually received  instruction from the principal accused in  implementation of Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

Asked if Patay can qualify as state witness, Conti said: “at this point, not yet…yes, any of  alleged perpetrators can become witnesses… ICC called insider witnesses. ..they can be  one to say how exactly  instruction was conducted…if no one admits, nothing will be known.”

Conti is confident  arrest warrants, particular for those who are deemed as  “most responsible,” will be released within the year.

But she said they do not expect it to be publicly announced by  ICC, given that these issuances are often treated as confidential.

Major  problem, she said, is serving and implementing  warrant since ICC mainly relies on governments to enforce it. President Ferdinand  Marcos Jr.recently maintained  ICC has no jurisdiction over  Philippines, but Duterte’s allies earlier questioned why he refused to put his position in writing.

On reports that  ICC prosecutor is asking for more witnesses, Conti  has no knowledge of it, but said it could be because they are trying to identify who else are responsible.

She said it is possible that arrests warrants will be issued for some individuals while investigation is ongoing for  others.

On their end, she said they are already preparing for trial “because that’s where we will have  more material role.”

“We’re waiting for trial and  presentation of evidence to prove that these persons are all guilty,” said Conti. 

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

P10 M bounty up for arrest of Apollo Quiboloy

By Nidz Godino

“I would like to inform you that we will offer reward money on any individual who can give us information on whereabouts of wanted Apollo Quiboloy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, Jackielyn Roy and Sylvia Cemañes , fugitives facing cases of child abuse and exploitation and qualified trafficking without bail,” Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said at  press conference reward of P10 million is being offered for information leading to  arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.

Abalos also said P1-million reward will be given in exchange for any information that could lead to  arrest of his co-accused, three of them surnamed Canada.

Philippine National Police (PNP) is also considering  filing of  complaint for obstruction of justice against former president Rodrigo Duterte over his remarks that he knows where Quiboloy is hiding but “won’t tell.”

If it is really true, that is obstruction of justice and we are checking if we can file against these people,” Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil,  PNP chief, said.

“We are not happy when people make such statements,” he stressed, referring to Duterte’s earlier claim of knowing where Quiboloy is hiding.

Marbil said harboring  fugitive is against the law.

“Quiboloy is not  pastor, he is a fugitive of law,” he stressed.

Abalos issued  similar warning, saying those coddling Quiboloy could also face possible charges.

“Of course, that’s obstruction of justice… PD Presidential Decree 1829 or obstruction of justice…they can be charged for harboring or concealing or facilitating  escape of any person he knows or has reasonable grounds to believe or suspect has committed offense under existing penal laws in order to prevent his arrest, prosecution and conviction, we are looking into this…we are reviewing any statement telling  possible whereabouts of Quiboloy if it falls under PD 1829 and we are just waiting for witnesses to warrant filing of cases under PD 1829,” Abalos said.

Quiboloy and his co-accused have standing arrest warrants for sexual and child abuse and human trafficking cases. 

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

HEADLINES

Ex-cops  murdered Pinay, Israeli

By J.Lo

“It was  planned activity… one day before the incident, Guiang and Abuso discussed their plan to kill the couple,” Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said two counts of murder against two former police officers and other suspects in  killing of Pampanga beauty queen Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen are expected to be filed in the next few days.

At  news briefing at Camp Crame,  former police officers implicated in the crime were identified as Michael Guiang, allegedly mastermind whose motive was rooted in  land dispute, and Rommel Abuso.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rommel Francisco Marbil revealed the two former police officers held  rank of patrolman.

Investigation showed that Guiang had pawned  piece of land to Lopez who refused to return it, according to Francisco.

Lopez and Cohen were supposed to meet Guiang and Abuso, who was introduced as  potential buyer of the land, according to Francisco.

During  meeting,  couple was shot by the two suspects.

He stressed that Guiang had borrowed money from Lopez and could not pay it back. Lopez then wanted to take  parcel of land pawned to her by Guiang. Abuso, posing as  buyer, would then have paid Lopez  money Guiang owed.

Francisco added that they are collecting more evidence and statements to support  murder charges against Guiang, Abuso and other unidentified suspects.

CIDG chief detailed  crime was committed within a day, with  victims being shot inside  vehicle that was later found burned.

Francisco confirmed  two former police officers were arrested for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and forensic cross-matching is underway.

He also mentioned that  prime witness, only identified as “Jun Jun” was initially involved in the crime, but had  change of heart and approached  CIDG to provide information about  incident.

The witness was present with Abuso during  crime and has been crucial in piecing together sequence of events, according to Francisco.

At the same briefing, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos  dismayed over  involvement of former police officers in the crime.

“It is painful because these are people paid by  government to protect us…although they were AWOL..absence without official leave and dismissed from service, they still took oath to protect, and now they’re killing people…this is why it’s crucial to have mechanisms to filter out scalawags,” Abalos said.

Marbil noted that while  suspects are in custody,  case cannot be considered closed until  charges are officially filed before  court.

“On our part, we have gathered all  evidence,” he said.

Abalos assured  public that efforts are ongoing to cleanse  ranks of  PNP.

“We are really cleansing  ranks here…these two individuals were removed from service a long time ago, but it’s frustrating and painful…however, 99 percent of our police force are heroes, sacrificing their lives for the public,” he said.

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

Ph, Jpn ink military access agreement

By Nidz Godino

“Your presence here increases our confidence and  importance that  Japanese government puts on these extremely important agreements that we have,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.told Japanese officials after he witnessed  signing of treaty documents between Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa , Philippines and Japan are deepening security and maritime cooperation including in  cyber domain following  signing of  landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA).

RAA was signed by  Kamikawa ,Defense Minister Kihara Minoru with their Philippine counterparts, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and  Teodoro.

Witnessing  signing of RAA at Malacañang, President Marcos said  “very, very important event” showed  fruit of what they had been “working hard to achieve.”

Defense  agreement, first made by Japan with Southeast Asian country, will take effect after ratification by  two countries’ legislatures. Tokyo forged similar agreements with Australia in 2022 and with Britain in 2023.

Senate has vowed to closely scrutinize RAA before ratification.

RAA will facilitate procedures and set guidelines for Philippine forces’ visit to Japan for training and joint exercises, and vice versa.

For her part, Kamikawa described  RAA as  “great achievement” and  key to maintaining and strengthening  free and open Indo-Pacific region.

“The fact that we are able to sign  RAA today is  great achievement after  leaders decided to launch negotiations at last November’s summit meeting, to maintain and strengthen  free and open international order based on  rule of law, we would like to strengthen our partnership under Your Excellency’s leadership,” Kamikawa told Marcos.

Philippines is the first recipient of Japan’s newly launched Official Security Assistance (OSA).

During  working lunch with Manalo, Kamikawa said  Japan would provide  coastal surveillance radar system to  Philippines under OSA, strengthen bilateral coast guard coordination and provide additional patrol vessels through Japan’s official development assistance.

Kamikawa and Manalo also committed to enhance two countries’ supply chain resilience and cooperation in human resource development for  semiconductor sector.

Two countries are also strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity.

Kamikawa noted  Japan and  Philippines have made concrete progress in  wide range of areas of cooperation in the past several years.

Kihara credited Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for great strides in defense cooperation and exchanges  two nations have taken.

“Signature of  Reciprocal Access Agreement today represents  cooperative relationship that our two nations enjoy…and I welcome this new development,  reinforces  effectiveness of our defense cooperation, I am committed to working with my good colleague, Secretary Teodoro, to further enhance our defense cooperation and exchanges in order to realize  free and open Indo-Pacific, Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations are situated in  very strategically important region, placed in  key junction of Japan’s sea-lanes…advancing defense cooperation and exchanges with  Philippines is important for Japan, ” Kihara told Marcos.

In his remarks after signing of  RAA, Teodoro said  Philippines now looks forward to “putting into flesh, so to speak,  steps forward, now that we have upgraded our partnership one level higher by signing of  RAA.”

“This is another milestone in our shared endeavor to ensure  rules-based international order to ensure peace and stability in  Indo-Pacific and particularly in our region,” he said.

While Philippines-Japan relations are very strong in traditional fields such as  economy and trade, “we add another dimension to our already strong bilateral relations by adding  vital aspect of security,  creates  holistic dimension or adds holistic dimension to our bilateral relations.”

“It will also add to  multilateral efforts both our governments are doing to make sure  our region respects  rule of international law,” , Teodoro pointed out.

After meeting Marcos, Kamikawa and Kihara took part in the 2nd Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (2+2) with Teodoro and  Manalo in Taguig City.

Ministerial  security dialogue is highest consultative mechanism for further deepening security and defense policy coordination and security cooperation between  two countries.

Signing  of  RAA between Japan and  Philippines came after Kishida and Marcos agreed in November last year to start negotiations on the pact.

Marcos had said  RAA between Manila and Tokyo would be different from  country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with  US.

Signed in 1998, VFA exempts US troops from passport and visa regulations so they can participate in joint military drills in the Philippines. It’s not yet clear if Japanese soldiers would be entitled to  same privilege under  RAA.

Philippines also has  defense pact with Australia called  Status of Visiting Forces Agreement or SOVFA,  ratified by  Senate on July 24, 2012.

After  signing of RAA, Kamikawa met with her counterpart Manalo.

RAA is likely to breeze through  Senate  needs to ratify it with Senate President Francis Escudero voicing his full support for the agreement.

“Anything that strengthens and increases our military capability is  deterrence to  possible conflagration… I fully support this agreement,arrangement,” Escudero said.

Former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri lauded what he called  timely signing of agreement.

“It was in 2022 when then-ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko and I first discussed  possibility of pursuing  Reciprocal Access Agreement between our countries, and I brought this idea to President Marcos early into his administration,” Zubiri said. “So, I welcome this signing, and I am very hopeful  it will be  key partnership for achieving peace in the region.

“Japan is already  invaluable ally, and their assistance has been vital to  modernization of our Coast Guard and Navy…with this RAA, we can further strengthen our capacity-building through joint military exercises,” he pointed out.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito called  signing of RAA “welcome development in terms of security in the region and against China’s continued expansionism.”

“It’s important to cooperate with like-minded countries, especially our neighbors, and uphold mutual interests,” Sen. Grace Poe said.

“We welcome having stronger security ties with our neighbors in  Asia-Pacific region…however, as with other treaties, Senate committee on foreign relations will scrutinize every line and every word of that treaty once the same is referred to us to make sure it is aligned with  national interest of the country,” Sen. Imee Marcos said.

But for Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III,  Philippines “should be entering more agreements of economic nature,  would allow us to sell Philippine-made and Philippine-grown products,items to other countries.”

Militant  Bagong Alyansang Makabayan issued  statement denouncing RAA.

“We strongly oppose  RAA,” it said, reminding  public of Japan’s militarism during World War II that it said had caused suffering to  Philippnies and other Asian countries.

Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas called  agreement  threat to “sovereignty and regional peace.”

She said  RAA is “essentially another Visiting Forces Agreement that will allow Japanese Self-Defense Forces to participate in military exercises in the Philippines, primarily  United States-Phl Balikatan.”

“We must not forget  historical context of this agreement. Japan has yet to fully atone for its wartime atrocities, particularly  systematic abuse of comfort women,” Brosas added. 

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

Ethics complaint vs Alan Peter

By Nidz Godino

“Sen. Cayetano is also  lawyer who has  standard to follow…it was not only standard of  senators, but  standard of lawyers that he violated during  hearing…no. 1,  name calling when he said, your name is Lourdes, not Marites,” Sen. Nancy Binay filed  ethics complaint against colleague Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano for various offenses, including describing her as “buang” or crazy and accusing her of disrupting  Senate public hearing.

In  25-page complaint, Binay said Cayetano violated  Senate rules  prohibit senators from making unparliamentary remarks against fellow legislators. As chair of Senate committee on accounts, Cayetano presided over  July 3 hearing on review of  construction of  new Senate building.

Binay said Cayetano violated laws such as  Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials and employees, Civil Code of the Philippines and Magna Carta of Women.

“Marites” is slang often used to refer to  person, typically  woman, who is excessively talkative, chatty or gossipy. It is derived from  expression “Mare, anong latest?” and has taken on  humorous and light-hearted meaning in colloquial language.

“Second was calling me buang but… most serious is accusation of giving  copy of  set of questions in 10 radio interviews,” Binay stressed.

Cayetano called for  Senate hearing to review  new Senate building construction after Senate President Francis Escudero ordered  suspension of  construction work in Taguig City due to  aggregate cost of P23 billion, which he described as “shocking and in bad taste.”

Projectt is being implemented by  Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with Hilmarc’s Construction as private contractor.

Binay checked  transcripts, revealed Cayetano did not give DPWH officials chance to respond to his questions. “He repeatedly said that this is about  review…why are  resource persons not given chance to explain?”

Emotional  Binay  just wanted to protect her children and her family, noting that she did not want  repeat of what happened in 2015 when her family was “persecuted” during  Senate investigation of her father, former vice president Jejomar Binay, and her brother, former Makati mayor Junjun Binay, over alleged overpriced Makati city hall parking building also with Hilmarc’s as contractor.

Two Binays are facing graft cases before  Sandiganbayan.

“I know what my children and nieces and nephews went through at that time… I won’t allow it to happen again, it’s hard to explain if you have not been  parent,” Binay said.

Cayetano, in  chance interview with Senate reporters, said Binay is merely diverting issue from ballooning cost of  project.

“How much really is the new Senate building…should we really spend P23 billion…we started this review but we are not saying there’s anything, we are not saying that there is any irregularity…simply P23 billion, including  land, is too expensive…what did Senator Binay do…she started going around, making noises, spreading rumors, including  official rumors that were spreading that our number was wrong,” Cayetano said.

He added  filing  ethics complaint against Binay for her unethical behavior during  July 3 hearing is also  option for him.

“I can also file  ethics case against her because what she did was also unethical…you cannot be part of  hearing if you are not  member and you will suddenly interfere in  hearing… chairman was speaking but you want to speak first and then you’d walk out in that manner,” he stressed.

Cayetano  is also open to talking to Binay in  calm manner.

“If she wants  calm conversation, Sen. Nancy, you are welcome…if she wants 25 to 40 minutes, I will give it to her…but let’s follow  rules and order…but you will disturb  hearing… I won’t take it sitting down.”

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

Stunting, obesity in Ph alarming’

By J.Lo

“And at the same time, we are really not achieving a lot in terms of stunting and undernutrition ,we were able to reduce  burden of undernutrition by half, but burden of overnutrition quadrupled in 35 years,” Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands and Universiteit Gent in Ghent, Belgium Professor Gerald Bryan Gonzales, an expatriate Filipino academician said apart from having thousands if not millions of stunted or wasted young Filipinos as well as those suffering from “hidden hunger” or micronutrient deficiency, there’s  emerging problem of obesity, cause for alarm.

Gonzales said  obesity rate of 3.9 percent of Filipino children aged 0 to five years old in  2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) conducted by  Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute, should not be ignored.

The 2021 ENNS had also found that one in every four or 26.7 percent of children under five years old was stunted. It also revealed  prevalence of thinness or wasting prevalence among children under-five was 5.5 percent.

With regard to the  of obesity,  2021 ENNS said that for children 0 to 5 years old, it was 3.0 percent, and 14 percent for school-aged children 5 to 10 years old.

Gonzales said  while World Health Organization (WHO) has already warned of  double burden of malnutrition,  triad of malnutrition problems existing in the country betrayed  triple burden of malnutrition in the Philippines.

“Again, these diseases are concentrated in countries where they could not necessarily afford to solve those problems,” he said.

Gonzales noted  WHO, in its 2025 Action for Nutrition Program, had called on countries to undertake more efficient nutrition interventions especially in view of  emerging double burden of malnutrition where people, especially children, are facing double challenge of undernutrition  causes stunting, and overnutrition  caused  significant population of young people suffering obesity.

“We need to be more efficient in terms of our nutritional interventions… WHO called for what they called as ‘double duty actions for nutrition, these are actions that solve all forms of malnutrition with one intervention,’” Gonzales said.

Double duty actions,  WHO said, include interventions, programs and policies that have  potential to simultaneously reduce  risk or burden of both undernutrition and obesity or diet related NCDs (noncommunicable diseases).

“That is the big challenge  WHO gave us,” Gonzales said.

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

Filipina, 74, succumbed hit onto California train

By Nidz Godino

“Unprovoked attacks, especially on our most vulnerable, are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in  statement 74-year-old Filipina died in California after  homeless man pushed her onto moving train in San Francisco. Corazon Dandan hit her head against  train and fell on the platform.

Bay Area Rapid Transit police inside train station arrested Trevor Belmont, 49, shortly after he allegedly pushed Dandan onto  oncoming train Monday night at  BART Powell Street Station.

He was charged with one count of murder.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins described  crime as “tragic and truly shocking.”

Victim  was on her way home from work as  telephone operator at  hotel at Union Square in San Francisco and was waiting for  train to ride home to Daly City.

Dr. Alvin Dandan,  victim’s nephew and  intensive care doctor in Illinois, said his aunt rode  BART every day to and from work.He and his cousins recently warned their aunt about taking the train late at night.
Victim , he said, was divorced and remained single and was  “brave, independent woman” who grew up in the Philippines and moved by herself to United States in 1980s

---

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

2.11 M Fils jobless in May, rate narrows to 4.1%

By Nidz Godino

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said  Philippine unemployment rate in May edged lower to 4.1% or 2.11 million Filipinos from 4.3% or 2.11 million last year,  suggesting  modest improvement in  job market.

Month-to-month data from PSA reveals some weakness, with unemployment rising by 65,000 persons from April to May 2024.

Employment figures show positive growth, with  number of employed persons increasing by 605,000 year-over-year to 48.87 million in May 2024. This pushes  employment rate up slightly to 95.9% from 95.7% in  previous year.

Notable  improvement was  underemployment figure, saw  substantial decrease.  Underemployment  rate fell from 11.7% in May 2023 to 9.9% in May 2024, representing  reduction of 846,000 underemployed persons over the year.

This suggests  more workers are finding adequate employment to meet their needs or adding desired work hours.

Labor  force participation rate showed  marginal decline, dropping from 65.3% (50.43 million) in May 2023 to 64.8% in May 2024 (50.97 million).

Despite this slight decrease in  participation rate,  overall labor force grew by 544,000 persons year-on-year, reaching 50.97 million in May 2024.  April-May unemployment rate, suggests  job creation is struggling to keep pace with  growing workforce. 

9 Hulio 2024, Martes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

Samsung workers begin 3-day general strike over pay

By Nidz Godino

“Strike has started from today,” Son Woo-mok, head of  National Samsung Electronics Union said workers at South Korean tech giant Samsung began  three-day general strike over pay and benefits,  head of  union representing tens of thousands of employees  warned action could impact memory chip production.

Samsung Electronics is  world’s largest memory chip maker and accounts for  significant chunk of global output of  high-end chips.

Wearing rain jackets and ribbons saying “fight with solidarity”, thousands of workers gathered outside company’s foundry and semiconductor factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, an hour south of Seoul.

Samsung management has been locked in negotiations with union since January, with  two sides failing to narrow differences on benefits and  rejected 5.1 percent pay raise offer from  firm.

“Today’s general strike is just the beginning,” he stressed.

“Recalling why we are here, please do not come to work until July 10th and do not receive any business calls,” he told  crowd of workers.

Union  said about 5,200 people from factory facility, manufacturing and development had joined  protest.

“Do they still not think this will affect their production line?” said Lee Hyun-kuk, vice president of  union.

Union ,  has more than 30,000 members, or more than  fifth of  company’s total workforce, announced  three-day general strike last week, saying it was  last resort after talks broke down.

Move  follows  one-day walkout in June,  first such collective action at the company,  went decades without unionization.

“We are now at critical crossroads,” union said in  appeal sent out to members urging them to support  strike.

“This strike is  last card we can use,” it said, saying workers at  company needed to “act as one”.

“I’m really excited,” one union member and protester said “we’re making history.”

Workers rejected  offer of  5.1 percent pay hike in March, with  union having previously outlined demands including improvements to annual leave and transparent performance-based bonuses.

Samsung declined  request for comment.

“While  ongoing strike is only scheduled for three days,  participating members include those working in chip assembly lines, given that  union could carry out additional strikes in case  gridlock continues, it could pose  great risk to Samsung management amid its race for dominance in competitive chips market, ” business professor Kim Dae-jong at Sejong University said.

Samsung Electronics avoided its employees unionizing for almost 50 years  sometimes adopting ferocious tactics, according to critics  while rising to become  world’s largest smartphone and semiconductor manufacturer.

Company founder Lee Byung-chul,  died in 1987, was adamantly opposed to unions, saying he would never allow them “until I have dirt over my eyes”.

First   labor union at Samsung Electronics was formed in the late 2010s.

Firm  is  flagship subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung Group, by far  largest of  family-controlled conglomerates that dominate business in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

It recently predicted  15-fold increase in its on-year second quarter operating profits, thanks to growing demand for generative AI.

Semiconductors are  lifeblood of  global economy, used in everything from kitchen appliances and mobile phones to cars and weapons.

And demand for  advanced chips that power artificial intelligence systems has skyrocketed thanks to  success of ChatGPT and other generative AI products.

Semiconductors are South Korea’s leading export and hit $11.7 billion in March, their highest level in almost two years, accounting for  fifth of South Korea’s total exports, according to figures released by  trade ministry.