DepEd to craft limited blended learning plan after Marcos directive

DepEd to craft limited blended learning plan after Marcos directive
(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The Department of Education (DepEd) is amending its strict order for the full return to face-to-face classes after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said hybrid learning can continue in “very specific areas.”

Malacañang did not give details on the parameters that will allow online classes.

The president said during a Cabinet meeting that he prefers that students attend in-person classes, but he instructed the DepEd to prepare the learning devices and other supplies that may be needed for blended learning.

Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte, who previously didn’t yield to appeals for blended learning, said they will craft a plan for in-person classes to be approved by Marcos.

“The President agreed that a plan should be made with a caveat that face-to-face classes shall be the priority and blended modality shall be considered only in specific schools and areas with special circumstances,” she said in a statement Wednesday… Read More

IBON: Each Filipino owes P112,000 due to Philippines’ P12.5-trillion debt

IBON: Each Filipino owes P112,000 due to Philippines' P12.5-trillion debt
(GMA News) If the government’s running debt pile of P12.5-trillion will be divided among the the country’s 110 million population , each Filipino owes over P112,000 which will be paid in the form taxes, economic think tank IBON Foundation said Wednesday.

Data presented by IBON showed that the debt per Filipino amounted to P112,678 while each family owes P474,543 in debt if the debt is divided among 26.3 million families.

In his presentation during a forum, IBON executive director Jose Enrique “Sonny” Africa said that the poor bear a “disproportionate burden of repaying debt” due to the “regressive” tax system.

Africa said the last administration’s TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) and CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) laws were the “most regressive tax reforms in Philippine history” as these shifted the tax burden from large corporations to the poor and middle class… Read More

Three key risks facing the Philippines

Three key risks facing the Philippines
(Asia Times) Inflation, food and energy crises, and the potential for conflict are three critical risks facing the Philippines under the new leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The war in Ukraine, which is already in its fifth month, had a massive knockdown effect on global energy and food prices as the combatants are among the world’s largest producers and exporters of wheat. Russia is also a global oil and gas supplier. Therefore as a commodity importer, the Philippines is put in a tight spot.

Still reeling from the huge blow dealt by the Covid-19 pandemic over the last two and a half years, tight global supply and high prices of food, fuel, and fertilizers compound its recovery efforts. Antagonism among great powers contributes to a more tense geopolitical landscape, with regional flashpoints like the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea representing potential powder kegs for conflict… Read More

Wilcon Depot opens first home essentials store in Tagaytay

Wilcon Depot opens first home essentials store in Tagaytay
(Manila Bulletin) Wilcon Depot, the Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction supply retailer, launched its newest retail outlet in Tagaytay City – Wilcon Home Essentials Tagaytay located at Purok 26, Brgy. Francisco, Tagaytay City.

The successful opening of its first home essentials store in the city shows the company’s efforts to fulfill its commitment to providing the highest quality of home improvement products to more Filipinos nationwide.

Ideally, more homeowners eye Tagaytay City as a perfect destination for their permanent residency for its favorable location, pleasant weather, and recreation and attraction spots.

So, if you’re a long-time condo-dweller or planning to build your home in Tagaytay, you can now easily spruce up every room in your home with the new home improvement store in the city.

Wilcon Home Essentials Tagaytay carries a wide collection of home solutions for your small home upgrades and repairs. From dressing up your home spaces, replacing an existing fixture, or installing a new faucet or showerhead, to updating storage cabinets, you can get everything you need from Wilcon Home Essentials Tagaytay. The 2000-square meter store offers you home must-haves, DIY needs, tools, hardware, housewares, electrical, plumbing, tiles, appliances, and more… Read More

Fact vs Fiction: Did Cory Aquino make order for Marcos family to leave Philippines?

Fact vs Fiction: Did Cory Aquino make order for Marcos family to leave Philippines?
(Interaksyon) Did former president Cory Aquino really order the Marcos family to be thrown out of the Philippines?

A written account of the country’s first female Supreme Court associate justice debunks this belief.

Late SC associate justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma, who was appointed to the highest court by dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr, reportedly shared her account in the photo book “People Power: An Eyewitness History” in 1987.

Accounts said Palma was “one of the independent members” of the Supreme Court and had rendered dissenting opinions critical of his regime.

She was also one of those instrumental in convincing Aquino to challenge Marcos Sr for the presidency in the 1986 snap election… Read More

Marcos: Gov’t to launch COVID-19 booster campaign to prepare for resumption of in-person classes

Marcos: Gov’t to launch COVID-19 booster campaign to prepare for resumption of in-person classes
(CNN Philippines) — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the government will launch a large-scale booster campaign in preparation for the resumption of in-person classes.

“Sa tulong ng Department of Health, ng Department of Interior and Local Government, ng Department of Education, isusulong ang malawakang kampanya muli para sa pagbabakuna sa booster shot. Preparasyon na rin ito sa pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes at pagluwag ng iba pang mga safety protocols,” Marcos said in a video uploaded to his social media accounts on Saturday.

“Kung magiging matagumpay ang kampanyang nito, tuloy na tuloy na ‘yan,” he added.

[Translation: With the help of the Department of Health, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Education, we will launch a large-scale booster campaign. It is also in preparation for the resumption of face-to-face classes and the relaxation of other safety protocols. If the campaign is successful, it will be continuous.]

The President has yet to disclose a specific date for the launch of the campaign.

Marcos also said while a law mandating booster vaccination is not necessary, the public should still take booster shots to increase the protection against COVID-19, which will help in reopening the economy… Read More

2-time Filipino-Puerto Rican Grammy winner Lil’ Eddie shares new version of single ‘Save A Little Love’

2-time Filipino-Puerto Rican Grammy winner Lil’ Eddie shares new version of single ‘Save A Little Love’
(SunStar) FILIPINO-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, Lil’ Eddie, is back with his latest single titled “Save A Little Love” via ONErpm records, available now on all streaming platforms.

The new offering serves as the follow up to his recent and very successful release “6 Feet Away” which landed earlier this year.

The single from the 12-time Grammy-nominated and two-time Grammy Award-winning artist is a revisited version of the original which landed back in 2004. Back then, the song was accompanied by American singer-songwriter and record producer Mario Winans, and was also performed on the long-standing American TV show “Soul Train.”

“Save A Little Love” speaks on yearning for love from someone who doesn’t reciprocate the same energy, and Lil’ Eddie’s sultry and well-known vocals tap into the emotions that come with experiencing that. The production features a beautiful bed of guitars that give enough space for Lil’ Eddie to showcase his talents and even blend some Spanish into the mix.

Earlier this year, Lil’ Eddie gained some notable attention from media within The Philippines and around Asia, having been featured on Magic 89.9, Asia Pop 40, and Edge TV for his last single “6 Feet Away.” His fan base in the region also saw exponential growth after K-Pop boy group BTS showed love for his viral hit “Statue,” which now has been used over 113.6K times on TikTok… Read More

BAN Toxics spotlights National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners in the Philippines

BAN Toxics spotlights National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners in the Philippines
(Journal Online) Toxics and wastes watchdog group BAN Toxics spotlights their partner organization, the National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners in the Philippines, in time for the coalition’s incoming third national assembly on July 28 to 30, 2022.

The National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners in the Philippines is an alliance of small-scale mining associations nationwide that promotes responsible mining through the formalization of the artisanal and small-scale mining sector in the country.

The national coalition was formed to respond to various issues plaguing the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector in the Philippines, such as poverty, human rights, legalization and formalization, amendment of mining laws, occupational health and safety, and environmental impact.

Established in April 2016, the coalition was formed during the Fourth National Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Summit in Davao City. It was organized with the help of its secretariat organization, BAN Toxics, and several partner organizations, including United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United States Department of State (USDOS), Dialogos, and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)… Read More