No African swine flu outbreak in the Philippines — DA Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com) - August 21, 2019 - 5:01pm MANILA, Philippines — There is no outbreak of African swine fever in the country despite the spike in sudden deaths of hogs in some areas, the Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. At a press conference, Agriculture spokesman Noel Reyes — who evaded most questions from the media — said the private sector assured the DA that no pork meat from “infected” areas slipped past authorities. “So the current supply of meat is from other hygienic areas,” Reyes said in a mix of English and Filipino. “There is no outbreak. That’s why we are limiting the movements. There will be an outbreak if we fail to contain it.” Agriculture Secretary William Dar neither confirmed nor denied reports that the ASF virus has reached the Philippines, saying further laboratory … [Read more...] about No African swine flu outbreak in the Philippines — DA
Muslim american relations in the philippines
The rise of gaming & e-sports in the Philippines
The rise of gaming & e-sports in the Philippines (The Philippine Star) - July 28, 2019 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — If everyone in the world is of the same height, how do you think the Philippines would fare in basketball? If race and culture are defining factors, but not decisive; if upbringing and social status are critical constituents, but not conclusive — will we fare better? Will our hard work and talent put us above the world? Will puso or passion propel us to the top? We can never answer these questions with certainty. What we can tell though is that there is a sport where height is irrelevant, where race and social status are transcended, and where hard work, talent, and passion can possibly bring us to the top. And we actually have been to the top of multiple international e-sports tournaments. We have Filipino players competing to be the best in the world within and outside the country. There are … [Read more...] about The rise of gaming & e-sports in the Philippines
Urban reform in the Philippines: Bridging our many divides
MANILA, Philippines — Urban and regional planning” and “peace and development” are phrases that rarely go hand-in-hand. Planner-architects and engineers dealing with the built environment rarely engage with those tagged as “peacebuilders,” that is, lawyer-negotiators, political scientists, and members of the security sector, let alone economists, development workers, or local civic organizations. However, this is a false divide, as many of the nation’s fundamental challenges are embedded in its streets and buildings, in the urban fabric of our communities. There are serious implications when legal and political agreements —ranging from parameters for internal revenue allotments to federal systems of government—are drafted and implemented without clarifying their implications in actual space and place. For the Philippines to reach its full potential, there is a need for area development that focuses not only on legalities, … [Read more...] about Urban reform in the Philippines: Bridging our many divides
How we kill: Notes on the death penalty in the Philippines
(First of two parts) A week after assuming office, neophyte senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa proposed the reinstatement of the death penalty through Senate Bills (SB) 207 and 226, respectively. Two incumbent senators refiled what they had proposed before: Ping Lacson sent in SB 27, Manny Pacquiao SB 189. Before filing SB 226, Dela Rosa verbally expressed his desire to have criminals guilty of drug trafficking executed in public by firing squad with live media coverage. He assumed that it will be a deterrent:”Yung gawing public na maging katakot-takot sa mga tao na gumawa, para hindi pamarisan.(To make it publicly gruesome to the people who committed it so others will be deterred from committing the same crime.) ” The bill that he filed, though, specifies no measure on how convicts should be executed or whether the execution should be made public at all. He said he changed his mind on the matter after hearing out … [Read more...] about How we kill: Notes on the death penalty in the Philippines
News 11 American fugitives nabbed in the Philippines
MANILA - The US Department of State said Saturday it has arrested 11 American fugitives in the Philippines from Aug. 2018 to April 2019. Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said the fugitives were wanted for crimes ranging from conspiracy to commit murder, securities fraud, child abuse, and sexual assault. The agency's Diplomatic Security Service at the US Embassy in Manila caught the fugitives in coordination with US Marshals Service and Philippine law enforcement officials. The fugitives have been brought back to the US to face justice. "We thank the government of the Philippines for their longstanding support, and look forward to our future cooperation as friends, partners, and allies," Ortagus said. … [Read more...] about News 11 American fugitives nabbed in the Philippines