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(SunStar) DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to ignore retired military general Antonio Parlade Jr., who called for the establishment of a revolutionary government amid his claims of corruption in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and other government agencies.

“Action taken: directed the AFP to ignore him, not listen to him,” Lorenzana said in a message to reporters when asked to comment on Parlade’s call, which he made in an event he and his supporters held at the Edsa People Power Monument on Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

In a statement, AFP spokesperson Colonel Ramon Zagala said the 145,000-strong military personnel remains firm in their resolve to be loyal to the Constitution and the duly constituted authorities recognizing their responsibility to uphold integrity as they perform their duties and responsibilities as public servants.

“While the AFP respects the people’s freedom of expression, we do not and will not support extra legal means outside the constitution which we have sworn to protect including the sanctity of the electoral process,” said Zagala.

“We continuously remind our troops to adhere to the rule of law and always obey the chain of command, whoever is seated as the commander-in-chief. The Armed Forces will remain a professional organization that will not engage in partisan politics and will at all times put the interest of the nation before personal views and opinions,” he added… Read More

(BusinessWorld) THE FAMILY of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos still owes the government billions of pesos in estate and income taxes, according to the agency tasked to recover ill-gotten wealth of Mr. Marcos and his cronies, as it debunked a claim that the tax case was still under litigation.

In a letter, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) on Tuesday noted that as early as 1993, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had issued its final assessment when it levied and sold 11 Marcos properties in Tacloban City.

“As early as 1997, the judgment on the tax case had become final and executory,” PCGG Chairman John A. Agbayani said in the letter-reply to Aksyon Demokratiko Chairman Ernesto M. Ramel, Jr., who had sought clarification on the tax lawsuit.

Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” M. Domagoso, who is running against Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. in this year’s presidential race, provided reporters with a copy of the PCGG letter.

Mr. Ramel in a March 9 letter to PCGG earlier sought clarification whether the government had reached a deal on the taxes.

If there was indeed a deal, PCGG must disclose the details because these are a “matter of public interest,” he said. “If your answer is ‘No,’ then this is another proof that the camp of Marcos, Jr. has again lied as they always do in so many issues about their family, including their ill-gotten wealth.”.. Read More

(Gulf Times) After more than a year of planning and preparations, the filming of the first-ever Filipino full-length movie in Qatar, ‘The Eventologist’, is now underway.
Philippine celebrity actor J C Santos portrays the lead character, Oscar Yema. This biopic of one of Qatar’s noted Filipino entrepreneurs features 128 actors most of whom came from the local community acting as themselves.
The film, which showcases the realities and challenges of Filipino expatriate workers who venture into business, is also expected to feature the many scenic places and landmarks of Qatar, home to more than 280,000 Filipinos.
A veteran actor who started at a young age, Santos’s talents were well-honed with over 10 years in theatre. He also has a degree in theatre arts from the University of the Philippines.
During the first day on the sets, Santos was happy to share that he was equally thrilled to do a true-to-life film for the first time just as he’s happy to be on his first visit to the Middle East.
The main cast is delighted to be working with Santos as they find him professional and accommodating. “He is easy to work with and his vast experience in the industry has helped us, local talents, boost our skills and confidence,” said Zandz William, one of the local actors who plays the main villain.
Local music performer Vanessa Casador, who plays the role of the film’s leading lady, praised Santos for his calm, inspiring talent, which she also described as “impeccable beyond admiration”… Read More

(Bulatlat) MANILA – For a 52-year-old jeepney driver, the incessant oil price hikes may force them to stop operating. Worse, it will keep them from putting food on their table.

“For jeepney drivers with a large family, we can’t afford to sustain our family’s needs. Since the pandemic started, I barely even hand them money,” Resti Rocafort told Bulatlat in an interview.

For the past 15 years, Rocafort has been plying the Guadalupe to L.Guinto route, which covers the cities of Manila and Makati. In the past few months, however, more than two thirds of Rocafort’s income goes to his fuel and a daily boundary* of $5. And with the incessant price hikes of oil and other staples, Rocafort can only bring home about $4 a day.

This is a far cry from the daily P700 ($13) they used to bring home, according to independent think tank Ibon Foundation. They attributed this to the cumulative price increase of diesel since January 2021, which is at 18 ($0.34)… Read More

(Interaksyon PhilStar) An American singer sent goosebumps to her Filipino followers after she performed a cover of a Philippine folk song.

Singer Lauren Paley, known as the “Stairwell Siren” online, released a video of her version of the lullaby on her social media accounts on March 11. She currently has 936,000 subscribers on YouTube.

“Filipino*** (my bad) but this is for all of my amazing followers from the Philippines! This song is actually so beautiful. Hope I did it justice,” Lauren captioned her post.

As of writing, Lauren’s video on Facebook earned over 1.4 million views.

Her post also garnered 74,000 reactions and 1,600 comments.

The cover was requested by one of Lauren’s followers on TikTok.

“Sing ‘ili ili.’ It was the scariest song in the Philippines,” the online user requested on the video-sharing service.

The TikTok user was referring to a lullaby titled “Ili Ili Tulog Anay” from the Panay Island. According to a report by Nolisoli, the lyrics of the song translate to something along the lines “Sleep, little one. Your mother isn’t here because she is out buying bread.”

Lauren also added the text “Scaring my neighbors with a creepy Filipino folk song” before her cover of the song… Read More

(Manila Bulletin) A comfortable and beautiful home is an ultimate dream for many Filipino families. Today, the first batch of homeowners of Terraces at Tradizo Enclave in Imus, Cavite realized that dream when they received the keys to their new home during a turnover ceremony and blessing of homes organized by Elanvital.

Apple Belza, who is originally from Novaliches, decided to buy a unit at Terraces at Tradizo to reconnect with her family members who are already living in Cavite. “I love spending time with my family, but the travel time to and from Novaliches and Cavite had always been a factor. So, when I saw that a good property in Cavite was being built, I grabbed the opportunity to invest in it. I knew this decision was also an investment for more quality time with the family,” she said.

For James and Celia Serdoncillo, Cavite has always been home. That is why investing in another property in the area was almost automatic for them. They chose Terraces at Tradizo for its accessibility and valuable features as the unit will be a nest where their visiting relatives from the US and the UK can stay comfortably. “We want them to feel like they are on a staycation every day, as they surely missed being in the Philippines. This home will give them good memories of their short vacation here,” they shared… Read More

(Inquirer.net) MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday that the country should remain under Alert Level 1 instead of the so-called Alert Level 0 in order to prevent a possible spike in COVID-19 cases.

“We should remain under Alert Level 1. Many countries are still experiencing surges because they dropped all restrictions,” Año said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

“While we are able to enjoy 100% economic activities, we still have to adhere to the minimum public health standards and continue the vaccination until we have inoculated the target population,” he added.

Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes earlier said mayors in the capital region are “ready and willing” to implement Alert Level 0 if it will be ordered by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

Artes said there is still “no definite decision” from the Metro Manila Council on possibly downgrading the alert level status, and that they are still waiting for guidelines from the IATF so they can discuss it in the council.

Before this, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government’s pandemic managers will discuss the guidelines for a possible Alert Level 0, which could end most, if not all, of the health emergency restrictions in the country… Read More

(Bulatlat) Should we just hang on and allow the “forces of the free market to do their thing” like we are told?

Nearly three decades ago, neoliberal apologists, multilateral creditors, and the big oil companies peddled the lie of the Oil Deregulation Law that the so-called free market will ensure reasonable pump prices for the benefit of all. Today, that free market is telling the jeepney drivers, farmers and fishers, ordinary motorists, and households to endure the most significant oil price hikes in the country’s history.

As the oil firms, economic managers, and energy officials have been telling the public for the past 26 years, these price adjustments are warranted. The crisis in Ukraine jolted world oil prices that have already been on a steady upswing since last year. A month before the conflict, crude oil prices as measured by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) index for global benchmark spot prices were 62 percent higher already than its level a year ago… Read More