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(Manila Bulletin) Well-paying jobs have been preventing some Filipinos in Ukraine from leaving the war-stricken country, a foreign affairs official said Wednesday, March 9.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola disclosed that there are still more than 100 Filipinos in Ukraine while 199 nationals have been taken out of the country who are either repatriated in the Philippines or in safe borders.

“We have a little over a hundred land-based Filipinos na ayaw pa talagang umuwi (who do not want to go home yet) but we are pleading them, calling them or asking them na umuwi na sila (to go home),” Arriola said.

The undersecretary disclosed that one of the reasons behind the overseas Filipinos’ decision to stay in the foreign land amid the fighting, is their well-paying jobs. They cannot earn high wages even if they find employment in similar work in the Philippines.

“Some of them, yung mga employers nila ay (their employers) continue giving salaries para bantayan lang yung bahay (to look after their houses) and they feel that they won’t be able to get that pay ‘pag nandito sa Pilipinas (if they are here in the Philippines),” Arriola said.

“We understand that but we’d like to tell them that over two million na yung refugees na tumawid (refugees have crossed the borders), gusto pong sabihin nun, lumalala na yung sitwasyon (that means the situation is getting worse), they should exercise their sound judgment,” Arriola added… Read More

(GMA News) Authorities arrested a man after he allegedly assaulted his drinking buddy and bit a part of his ear off.

According to James Agustin’s Tuesday “24 Oras” report, Quezon City police identified the suspects as Juanito Gaviola and Rogelio Losorata, both of whom visited the 30-year-old victim’s residence to have a drinking session.

“After nilang maginuman nagkayayaang kumain sa isang karenderya. Then yung habang kumakain sila yung isang suspect natin hingi raw nang hingi ng sabaw. Nababastos yung waitress doon,” Police Lieutenant Anthony Dacquel, chief criminal investigation unit Quezon City Police District Station 14, said.

(After having several drinks, they had a meal at a cafeteria. One of the suspects kept on asking for soup. They allegedly said some rude things to the waitress there.)

The victim said one of their companions tried to calm Gaviola down. But this only made him angrier, and an argument broke out.

When they got back to the victim’s home, Gaviola allegedly punched the victim with the help of Losorata… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) “Oplan Baklas” — or campaign against illegal posting of poll materials.

The high court issued the TRO during en banc deliberations on Tuesday, according to the SC’s Public Information Office (PIO).

It cited a petition seeking to stop the removal of election paraphernalia that are privately owned and installed within private properties.

The plea – lodged by St. Anthony College of Roxas City and supporters of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo – urged the tribunal to declare as unconstitutional Sections 21(o), 24, Sec 26 of Comelec Resolution No. 10730.

The SC PIO said the campaign’s implementation will be suspended “while the resolution of the petition is pending.”

Comelec was given 10 days from receipt of the notice to comment on the petition.

“Oplan Baklas” drew flak from netizens and supporters of some candidates due to authorities’ supposed “overreach” in taking down election materials in select areas.

Advocates argued that the drive is “undemocratic and unconstitutional” — as it can be considered trespassing on private properties.

The petitioners, meanwhile, welcomed the high court’s move… Read More

(SunStar) OVER P1 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), weighing approximately 160 kilograms, was seized in a drug bust in Barangay Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Tuesday afternoon, March 8, 2022.

The operation was conducted around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday by joint elements of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Intelligence Service, PDEA-National Capital Region, PDEA-Central Luzon, PDEA Special Enforcement, Armed Forces Of the Philippines, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police (PNP)-Drug Enforcement Group-Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Division, PNP-Central Luzon, PNP Valenzuela, and Valenzuela Alert Center.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Wilkins Villanueva said one Tianzhu Lyu, from Fujian, China, and his cohort Meliza Villanueva, of Conception Tarlac, sold the shabu to undercover law enforcement operatives.

Also seized from the two suspects were three mobile phones and identification cards.

Villanueva said Tuesday’s operation was a result of a series of previous anti-drug operations.

On March 1, a drug bust in Cavite yield two kilograms of shabu worth P13.6 million. One suspect was arrested.

It was followed by another operation also in Cavite on March 2, 2022, when four kilograms of shabu worth P27.2 million was seized from one suspect.

On the same day, March 2, an operation in Bulacan resulted in the seizure of 60 kilograms of shabu worth P408 million. Another drug suspect was nabbed.

In Cebu, on March 3, 200 grams of shabu worth P1.36 million was seized and four drug suspects were arrested.

On March 4, this time in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, five kilograms of shabu worth P34 million was seized and one drug suspect was arrested… Read More

(The Manila Times) THE French surveillance frigate, Vendémiaire (F743), arrived in the country on Tuesday as part of the French Navy’s deployment in Asia to cultivate regional stability, international rule of law, and partnerships among Asian countries.

The French Navy was welcomed on its port call by select representatives and personnel from the Philippine Navy headed by Commander Cyrus Mendoza, the commanding officer of BRP Conrado Yap (PS39).

According to the statement from the Philippine Navy, its counterpart will have limited interactions with the Filipinos during the scheduled shipboard tour, and send-off ceremony on March 11 with customary passing exercise (PASSEX) between the Vendémiaire and a PN ship at a pre-designated location.

All of the activities to be conducted during the visit will adhere strictly to the existing health and bio-safety protocols.

It can be recalled that the frigate’s port call comes after the visit of Rear Admiral Jean-Mathieu Rey, Joint Commander of the French Armed Forces in the Asia Pacific (ALPACI), together with the French Ambassador to the Philippines, Michèle Boccoz at the PN headquarters on March 7, where they discussed interoperability, readiness to work together and explore possible areas of collaborations between the two nations’ navies… Read More

(PhilStar) MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should not provide candidates the topics and questions for the presidential debates this month in advance so candidates could be as truthful as possible during discussions, presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao said yesterday.

Pacquiao said voters should get candid responses from candidates, saying “on-the-spot” questions bring out the “pure” character of a candidate.

“Maybe (the Comelec decided to give questions in advance) so that candidates can study. But it would be better if the questions are on-the-spot so candidates can be on their toes. You can see the purity of candidates, what their heart contains. If their (intentions) are true or not,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao also hit candidates who ask for questions in advance and those who shun public debates, saying those kinds of candidates are “obviously not ready to lead the country.”

“I don’t ask for questions in advance. I’m ready. There should be no asking for questions in advance,” he added, saying debates are meant to provide voters an informed choice about their candidates.

“You’re running for President and you’re asking for questions in advance? You should be ready for questions; you shouldn’t be picky. As much as possible, all questions should apply to you because you are applying to be the country’s leader. You should not pick the questions you will be asked,” Pacquiao said.

While he did not name candidates, presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – son of the late dictator – was not present during CNN Philippines’ presidential debates, as well as GMA News’ presidential interviews hosted by broadcaster Jessica Soho who Marcos insisted was “biased.”.. Read More

(The Manila Times) VIENNA: The UN nuclear watchdog on Sunday expressed “deep concern” over reports that communication from Europe’s largest nuclear power plant seized by Russia in Ukraine has been disrupted.

Invading Russian forces attacked and seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine on Friday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement that Ukraine informed it that the plant management is now under orders from the commander of the Russian forces.

Ukraine has also reported that the Russian forces have switched off some mobile networks and the internet, and that telephone lines, emails and fax were not functioning anymore.

They said mobile phone communication was still possible with poor quality, the IAEA said.

“I’m extremely concerned about these developments that were reported to me today,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.

“In order to be able to operate the plant safely and securely, management and staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions without undue external interference or pressure,” he added.

He expressed “deep concern” over “the deteriorating situation regarding vital communications between the regulator and the Zaporizhzhia NPP (nuclear power plant).”.. Read More

(PhilStar) CMANILA, Philippines — State-run Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has beefed up its investment book to P891 billion by growing its share in the equities and infrastructure markets in foreign currencies.

GSIS president and general manager Rolando Macasaet said that the provident fund’s investment portfolio widened by more than five percent to P890.59 billion last year from P846.4 billion in 2020.

Macasaet reported that GSIS grew its investment book last year due to its new placements in equity and infrastructure resources in foreign currencies.

The 40 percent jump in foreign currency assets to P257.26 billion of the pension fund manager wiped out the four percent decline in peso-denominated investments to P633.31 billion.

Likewise, its equity investments jumped by more than four-fold to P69.58 billion, while infrastructure assets went up by over half to P26.34 billion.

It also tripled its short-term deposits in foreign currencies to P22.17 billion, from P6.6 billion. This despite the four percent decline in only fixed-income assets to P139.17 billion that accounted for the bulk of foreign currency investments… Read More