Congressional bets urged to strengthen tobacco control law

BAGUIO CITY— An advocacy group on Friday called on congressional candidates in the May 13 mid-term election to strengthen tobacco control policies in the country once they are elected to Congress.

"There are some things that needed to be fixed in to our National Tobacco Regulation law or the Republic Act 9211 because it became weaker than the WHO-FCTC (World Health- Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control)," said Au Quilala, Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) advocacy manager, during a media briefing at the launch of iChange campaign.

Republic Act 9211 also known as the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 regulates smoking in public places, tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and sales restrictions.

On the other hand, the WHO-FCTC is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.

Quilala said the iChange campaign calls on the 2019 candidates to support moves to amend the tobacco regulation law, specifically to expand the definition of places where smoking is banned and to raise the minimum age for people allowed to buy and use cigarettes from 18 to 25 years.

"We hope that we all vote wisely thinking about our daily lives, thinking of our health. Together with these proposals, we hope that we will consider the candidates who put primary considerations about our health," Quilala said.

The group also called on the government for the strict regulation or banning of the use of electronic cigarettes or "vapes".

A survey conducted by Pulse Asia from January 26 to 31, 2019 revealed that nine out of the 10 adult Filipinos agree that smoking or the use of cigarettes in public places should be prohibited and nine out of 10 adult Filipinos also agree to raise the minimum age for buying and using cigarettes from 18 to 25 years old.

Another survey conducted by Pulse Asia from March 23 to 27, 2019 also showed that 75 percent of adult Filipinos are in favor of increasing tax on cigarettes.

Seven out of 10 adult Filipinos would support candidates who are in favor of legislative measures to increase the tax on cigarettes, the survey showed. (With reports from Hasreel Sandee Gano, OJT/PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1068314

ABS-CBN steps up digital initiatives amid threats to broadcast business

Media giant ABS-CBN Corp. is accelerating spending across a range of digital initiatives to secure a future still threatened by fast-changing industry dynamics and national politics.

New developments such as the relaunch of the iWant app—its response to internet TV giant Netflix—and a move to create movies and shows for non-Filipino viewers abroad were some of the products highlighted by company president and CEO Carlo Katigbak during ABS-CBN’s annual meeting on Thursday.

More than reaching new markets, such business lines are outside the scope of ABS-CBN’s broadcasting franchise, whose renewal President Duterte vowed to block when it expires on March 30, 2020.

“It is clearly an uncertain time in ABS-CBN,” Katigbak told shareholders. “We are faced with threats from many directions: changing consumer habits, disruptive technologies, political headwinds and new competition.”

He said the company’s application before Congress remained pending. ABS-CBN will refile its papers under the new Congress to be established after the elections next month.

Katigbak said ABS-CBN, which still relied on TV advertising for about half of its P40 billion in revenue last year, expected a “full recovery” in 2019, partly driven by political ad spending.

The company’s net income last year dropped by almost 40 percent to P1.91 billion as TV advertising slowed.

Rolando Valdueza, ABS-CBN group chief financial officer, said the marching orders were for the company to increase spending in digital.

“The capex [capital spending] starting this year and the next five years will mostly be for digital and broadband,” he said. In the same respect, ABS-CBN chief financial officer Aldrin Cerrado said the goal was to increase digital’s contributions, which accounted for 13 percent of revenue last year.

Company officials pointed to the steady growth of iWant, which had about two million active users, and the adaptation of its popular TV shows in Turkey and Indonesia as early signs of success.

ABS-CBN, which also owns Skycable and the KidZania theme park in Bonifacio Global City, has embarked on a series of acquisitions to support its retail segment. It invested in subsidiary The Chosen Bun Inc. to expand its food and beverage business apart from ventures sealed with cosmetics giant Ever Biliena and IBayad Online Ventures for an e-wallet service.

https://business.inquirer.net/269218/abs-cbn-steps-up-digital-initiatives-amid-threats-to-broadcast-business

ABS-CBN sees full recovery in profitability, pursues digital shift

ABS-CBN Corp expects a "full recovery" in profitability this year as it grows its digital properties while solidifying its lead in its core TV business, president and CEO Carlo L. Katigbak said Thursday.

The country's largest media and entertainment company has been "exceeding" many of its targets in the January to March period after a "very challenging" 2018, wherein industry-wide TV ad revenues fell an estimated 6 percent, Katigbak said.

"We are well-positioned for a rebound," Katigbak told ABS-CBN's annual stockholder's meeting."We are confident that there will be a full recovery of our profitability this year."

ABS-CBN's net income reached P1.9 billion in 2018, down 40 percent from the previous year. Inflation and higher taxes on sweetened beverages hurt TV ad spending, he said.

The company filed for a renewal of its franchise, which will expire on March 30, 2020, Katigbak said, in response to a question from a shareholder.

"It is clearly an uncertain time for ABS-CBN. We are faced with threats from many directions: changing consumer habits, disruptive technology, political headwinds and new competition," he said.

ABS-CBN overcame challenges in the past and emerged "better, stronger and more relevant."

"Regardless of what the future holds, our commitment is to continue serving our audiences and our public in any way that we can. This is our calling, one that will never dim. This is why we exist," he said.

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

ABS-CBN last year accelerated its five-part transformation program, which includes transforming to digital, growing its experience business, expanding to audiences outside the Philippines, public service and maintaining its broadcast leadership.

"Technology and audiences are changing at an exponential rate. This change will continue to expand and disrupt and today, our industry finds itself in the middle of its winds," he said.

"Our ability to reinvent ourselves while anchored on our mission to serve the Filipino will be at the core of our longevity and success," he said.

Video streaming platform iWant, relaunched last year, got 60 million views in December 2017. ABS-CBN.com is the third most visited website for Filipinos, behind Google and Facebook. On YouTube, ABS-CBN has 15 million subscribers while ABS-CBN News has 5.6 million, he said.

ABS-CBN Music is a "shining example" of the digital shift, with 92 percent of total revenues coming from digital after it focused on streaming and events.

"Digital is our fastest-growing business to date," he said, adding the nearly P1 billion in digital revenues last year accounted for 13 percent of the total.

$ABS ASM now underway @ANCALERTS @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/JVXMNgCaVz

— Warren de Guzman (@wddeguzman) April 25, 2019

Syndication sales rose 30 percent driven by Africa and after the launch of "It's Showtime" in Indonesia, ABS-CBN is eyeing Latin America, he said.

ABS-CBN bet its international film foray on "Yellow Rose" co-starring Lea Salonga, "Eerie" starring Charo Santos-Concio and Bea Alonzo and "Quezon's Game," about refugees from the Nazi regime, he said.

"The world has become a global market and we aim to make content the primary export of our company. It's time we make Filipino talent shine in the world stage," he said.

International initiatives accounted for 15 percent of total revenues in 2018, he said.

ABS-CBN dominated TV ratings, aided by close to 7 million homes with its TVplus digital box, Katigbak said. In Metro Manila, 7 in 10 homes without cable use TVplus, 6 in 10 in the suburbs, he said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/25/19/abs-cbn-sees-full-recovery-in-profitability-pursues-digital-shift

Bill creating congressional district of Mandaue City ready for President’s signature

By Charissa Luci-Atienza

The bill seeking to separate the Mandaue City from the current sixth legislative district of Cebu to constitute the lone congressional district of Mandaue City has been transmitted to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature.

House Bill 8511, principally authored by Cebu Reps. Jonas Cortes and Rodrigo Abellanosa was transmitted to the Palace on March 7, 2019, according to the records of the House of Representatives Bills and Index Service.

“The objective of the bill is to ensure equitable representation for the inhabitants of the City of Mandaue in the legislature and the national government by separating the City from the sixth legislative district of province of Cebu to constitute the lone district of the city of Mandaue,” the authors of the bill said, as they pushed for the immediate enactment of the measure into law.

Cortes said the bill has long been ardently requested by the people of Mandaue “in order to raise the current status of their beloved city into its well-deserved position.”

HB 8511 provides that the City of Mandaue shall be separated from the sixth legislative district of Cebu province to constitute the lone congressional district of Mandaue City. It shall commence in the next national and local elections after the effectivity of the proposed Act.

Under the bill, the incumbent representative of the present sixth legislative district of Cebu province shall continue to represent the district until the new representative of the lone legislative district of the City of Mandaue shall have been elected and qualified.

The bill tasks the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to issue the necessary rules and regulations within 30 days after the effectivity of the proposed Act.

“This bill will accord the city and its constituents the right to enjoy the privileges appurtenant to a legally declared Congressional District and will ultimately redound to the benefit of the people not only of Mandaue City but also of the sixth district by way of better welfare and benefits,” Cortes said.

About 40 percent of Cebu’s export companies are found in Mandaue being home to some of the country’s biggest companies, he noted.

Known as the Industrial Heartland of Cebu, Mandaue City also accounts for 75 percent of the country’s total exports in the furniture sector in the past two decades, making the city the Furniture Capital of the country, Cortes said.

He cited that since 1991, the City of Mandaue has been declared as a highly urbanized city and it is now a thriving first class city with a population of more than 365, 144 individuals.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/04/25/bill-creating-congressional-district-of-mandaue-city-ready-for-presidents-signature/

Henry Sy memory lives on: Kids not stopping at 76 SM malls

Property giant SM Prime Holdings Inc. is poised for further expansion in 2019 as it seeks to widen its footprint in the country and abroad.

The company planned to open four new malls this year, adding to its existing 72 shopping centers, and would launch an additional 15,000 to 20,000 residential units, officials said during the company’s annual meeting Tuesday.

SM Prime chair Henry Sy Jr. said they also planned to start work on their eighth mall in China: SM Yangzhou.

Sy said SM Prime would continue to be “aggressive” in pursuing opportunities along its core businesses.

“There is no change in terms of our working attitude, we will stay as what our past chair wanted us to be, very conservative but very hardworking,” SM Prime director Hans Sy said. He was referring to his father and SM Group founder, Henry Sy Sr., who passed away on Jan. 19.

SM Prime earlier disclosed a capital spending budget of P80 billion. For shopping malls, it will add 200,000 square meters (sqm) of gross floor area and will be located in developing provincial cities like SM Center in Dagupan in Pangasinan, SM City Olongapo Central in Zambales, SM City Butuan in Caraga Region, and SM Mindoro Citimall in Zamboanga.

SM Prime is also set to launch this year the NU Tower, its first university-office building in the Mall of Asia Complex; and two new hotels in Iloilo and Quezon City, the Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo and Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa.

“The year 2019 marks another era for SM Prime as we celebrate our 25th year of being a publicly listed company in the Philippines. Moving forward, we will continue to deliver world-class products to our communities, which will also translate into sustainable growth for our shareholders,” SM Prime president Jeffrey C. Lim said in a statement. —MIGUEL R. CAMUS

https://business.inquirer.net/269153/henry-sy-memory-lives-on-kids-not-stopping-at-79-sm-malls

Pampanga quake victims receive aid from Arroyo, Gov. Pineda

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Governor Lilia Pineda personally extended condolences to the families of those who died from the tremor in the towns of Porac and Lubao.

 The two lady provincial leaders, along with some local officials, handed over bereavement assistance to the families of Doris Paule, Niella Denise Paule, Adrian Charles Ocampo, Sophia Janes Arbis, Jovilyn Vera, Gerome Kyle Enriquez, Manilyn Dela Cruz and her children Jacob and Hailee.

They also pledged to cover all the burial expenses of the earthquake victims.

“This is one of the priorities. Also, rebuilding houses for the affected families and providing assistance to the bereaved families,” the governor said.

Arroyo and Pineda also inspected the collapsed building of Chuzon Supermarket and asked the search and rescue front liners about the latest situation there.

Meanwhile, the operations were temporarily stopped following the occurrence of aftershocks since Wednesday morning.

Fire Senior Superintendent Samuel Tadeo, director of the Bureau of Fire Protection–Central Luzon, said they decided to temporarily halt the operations to ensure the safety of the rescuers.

So far, there were five casualties retrieved from the collapsed structure and seven were rescued.

Tadeo said the search and rescue unit used five cranes to hold the roof of the building and prevent it from possible collapse.

He said that although the rescuers no longer detect signs of life inside the collapsed structure, the search and rescue operations will last until Friday. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1068060

Kabayan Hotel targets to fully operate new tower by 2020

GIVEN the ongoing construction of its third building, Kabayan Hotel said it is on track to meet its target opening by January 2020, offering guests with 307 more rooms.

Legend Hotel International Corp. (LHIC) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Celine Marie L. King said they are expanding their city hotel brand in Pasay City due to the growth of province-based traveler and overseas Filipino worker (OFW) markets for the hospitality industry.

“We are already running at 84-percent occupancy, which is really good for any hotel,” she said of their improved business performance amid competition in the Bay Area where they are located.

“But I think because we are truly Filipino, they can associate with it like a kabayan; and it’s a local brand, that’s why we continue to grow that market.” Kabayan is part of a portfolio of different properties owned and managed by LHIC, including The Legend Palawan (TLP), The Legend Villas, Pinoy Pamilya Hotel and My Place.

At present, it operates two seven-story towers with a combined inventory of 280 rooms. The soon-to-rise 10-story building will bring the hotel’s total number of rooms to 587.

King said they have invested “a little over P500 million for the whole project” and will hire 40 more to add to their current pool of 100 employees.  She said that Kabayan Hotel, prior to full operation of the newest accommodation structure, is scheduled to open a few floors by the middle of this year and soft launch it towards the last quarter of 2019.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/04/25/kabayan-hotel-targets-to-fully-operate-new-tower-by-2020/

SWIPING THROUGH THE ’10S: 2011

HOW CAN YOU REMEMBER the year 2011?

That year, we reach 7 billion people, we witness the milestones of two prestigious universities.

We roll in the deep with Adele, party rock with LMFAO, go super bass with Nicki Minaj. We sing “You and I” by JRA and “Hey Daydreamer” by Somedaydream. We sometimes associate them with JaMich.

We share the annoying, earworm videos of the generally positive Nyan Cat or the generally negative auto-tuned hit “Friday” by Rebecca Black?

We even try to pronounce or spell Ophiuchus and attempt to be part of the horoscope section.

Our phone markets are steering away from Nokia monopoly and we try to innovate on our own (hello, Cherry Mobile and MyPhone).

In this part of the zeitgeist, we watch and discuss Munting Heredera, Amaya, and 100 Days to Heaven. Did you know that TV5 produces one with a similar length as with the South Triangle competitors — Babaeng Hampaslupa?

How else can you remember about 2011?

Per Detail

January 14: ARAB SPRING: Tunisia’s government falls.

January 28: the University of Santo Tomas turns 400.

February 7: GMA announces GMA News TV on Channel 11. They are to be launched in three weeks, marking the first time for a news channel on free TV, but their hype is one-upped.

February 8: Former AFP chief of staff Angelo Reyes commits suicide amidst graft charges in the “Pabaon” scandal.

February 11: ARAB SPRING: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns after 30 years of power.

February 21: AksyonTV is launched on Channel 41 just one week ahead of GMA News TV’s scheduled launch. Their broadcast operation is initially round-the-clock and will expect to last its daily operation and their initial purpose a few years.

March 3: Paquito Diaz dies at 73.

March 9: UST forms the largest Dominican cross.

March 11: A 9.0 magnitude earthquake rocks Japan and a tsunami swallows up Tohoku. The twin natural disaster triggers a meltdown and reactor explosions in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

March 12: On Willing Willie (TV5), the macho dance of Jan-jan spurs criticism from celebrities, clergy, and columnist. As a result, advertisers pull out and the show is voluntarily off the air for a month; later to be renamed as Wil Time Big Time.

March 22: The House of Representatives impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. The trial in the Senate did not convene as she hands the letter of resignation to President Noynoy Aquino on April 29.

April 17:

• Game of Thrones is premiered on HBO.
• 18-year-old actor AJ Perez is killed by a vehicular accident.

April 29: Prince William marries Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London.

May 1: Pope Benedict XVI beatifies his predecessor, Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Square.

May 2: Osama bin Laden is killed in Pakistan by the US Navy SEALs.

May 21: Harold Camping predicts the rapture on this date and five months later but both of them failed.

May 22: Gandang Gabi Vice is premiered.

June 5: AKTV, owned and operated by TV5, launches on IBC 13. Their sports block timer venture expects to last by two years.

June 16: De La Salle University celebrates its centennial of founding.

June 26: Marcelito Pomoy wins Pilipinas Got Talent season 2.

June 27: Kris TV premieres on ABS-CBN.

July: Friendster re-positioned itself as a social gaming site and discontinued user social network accounts.

July 9: South Sudan becomes a newly independent nation and the 193rd member of the United Nations.

July 23: Amy Winehouse dies of alcohol poisoning at 27.

August: Mideo Cruz’s “Politeismo”, as part of the Kulo exhibit in the Cultural Center of the Philippines, stirs controversy. The art installation contains a collage of mundane and religious icons. The placement of a wooden penis in the face of Jesus draws the line of the Church, creating the rift against the art community.

August 3: After three or four years of irregularities on who is the real 12th place finisher of the 2007 elections, Juan Miguel Zubiri resigns from the Senate. Nine days later, Koko Pimentel assumes the office and serves the remainder of that term.

September: Lolong is captured in Agusan Marsh, Banawan, Agusan del Sur. Measuring 20 1/4 feet long and weighing 1,075 kilograms, it is recorded by the Guinness World Records as the “world’s largest crocodile in captivity.” He expects to live for two years.

September 17: Occupy Wall Street protests begin.

October 5:

• Under MTRCB chairperson Grace Poe, the TV content rating system is reformatted — the universal rating notice is played before the start of the show and their corresponding digital on-screen graphic is displayed. The G and PG ratings are initially implemented.
• Apple CEO Steve Jobs succumbs to respiratory arrest at 56. He was diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor eight years ago.

October 13: YouTube grants Philippines’ localization.

October 20: ARAB SPRING: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is killed in Sirte.

Late October: The controversial 15-minute YouTube documentary of the sitting president’s family surfaces. The maternal estate, Hacienda Luisita, is ordered to be distributed by the Supreme Court a month later.

November 7: American boxer Joe Frazier dies. He fought against Muhammad Ali in Thrilla in Manila in 1975.

December 12: About 188 lawmakers sign an impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona. Two days later, the Senate convenes as the impeachment court but the biggest drama will unfold next year.

December 16: Typhoon Sendong crosses over Visayas and Mindanao, leaving 1,500 dead. In Cagayan de Oro, the streets are muddy and cars are tipped over.

December 17: North Korean leader Kim Jong-il passes away at 70. His third son, Kim Jong-un, succeeds and assumes the post.

December 29: Starstruck 1 alumni Tyron Perez dies in Valenzuela City at 26 due to suicide.

Swiping Through the ’10s: 2012 is undergoing writing and construction. To be revealed by May.

https://timowsturf.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/swiping-through-the-10s-2011/

Multiply

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox Website
|name         = Multiply
|logo         = [[File:Multiply (2013 logo).jpg|150px]]
|screenshot   = [[File:MultiplyNewMain.jpg|280px|Multiply screenshot as of August 23, 2008]]
|url          = http://multiply.com/
|commercial   = Yes
|type         = [[e-commerce]]
|language       = English, Indonesian, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese<ref>http://multiply.com/languages</ref>
|registration = Free
|launch date    = December, 2003
|owner        = [[Stefan Magdalinski]]
|current status     = Defunct<br>Closed (as a company)
}}
'''Multiply''' was a [[social network service|social networking service]] with an emphasis on allowing users to share media – such as photos, videos and blog entries – with their "real-world" network. The website was launched in March 2004 and was privately held with backing by [[VantagePoint Venture Partners]], [[Point Judith Capital]], Transcosmos, and private investors.<ref>[http://www.redherring.com/Home/22757 Red Herring], "VCs Count on Multiply.com"</ref> Multiply had over 11&nbsp;million registered users.<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/275/Happy_Thanksgiving_from_Multiply], "Multiply is Multiplying: Page Views Double to 600MM Year-over-Year"</ref> The company was headquartered in [[Boca Raton, Florida]] but moved to [[Jakarta, Indonesia]] early in 2012 and recently announced intentions to switch to e-commerce, dropping the social networking aspect entirely. Quantcast estimates Multiply had 2.47 million monthly U.S. unique visitors at their peak on July 30, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.quantcast.com/multiply.com |title=Multiply.com Traffic and Demographic Statistics by Quantcast |publisher=Quantcast.com |date=2014-02-21 |accessdate=2014-02-28}}</ref>

On Multiply, a user's network was made up of their direct contacts, as well as others who are closely connected to them through their first-degree relationships. Additionally, users were encouraged to specify the nature of their [[Interpersonal relationship|relationship]] with one another, making it possible to share content with their entire network of closely related people, or subsets thereof including friends, family, professional contacts, and so on.

May 31, 2013 officially marked the closing of their operations whilst expressing the hope that the website might reorganize, retain [[Jakarta, Indonesia]] as headquarters, and reopen as a [[social network service|social networking service]] in the future.<ref>[http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/04/26/13/multiplycom-close-may-6]</ref> However, the website is now shutting down for life anymore and the company is now closed.

As of 2013, the Multiply Inc. lost financially for six years and initiated a turnaround plan to resolve this. However, in September 2015 the company filed for bankruptcy. After emerging from bankruptcy in early 2016, the company once again became privately held with Oaktree Capital Management as the majority shareholder.

In 2014, it entered into corporate rehabilitation after the closing of their operations. At that time, the company's social networking portion had a network of 55 million users. Liquidity problems, however, affected earnings. Sales declined from its peak of P22 billion in 2013 to just about P8 billion in 2017.

==Blogging Paired with Media Sharing and Storage==
[[Image:Multiplylogo.png|thumb|right|Multiply Logo (2003-2013)]]
[[Image:MultiplyScreenshot082308.png|thumb|right|280px|Multiply screenshot as of August 23, 2008]]
Multiply tried to be the one-stop shop for a user's [[Web 2.0]] experience.<ref>[http://multiply.com/info/about Multiply Corporate Page], About Multiply</ref> Its bid is enhanced by the capabilities with which it empowers its users. There was a blog module, of course, but beyond that, users could upload videos, and host them on their pages rather than on third-party pages. Videos could also be added from major sites, notably YouTube. The user could also upload unlimited photos into their albums, hosted in the photo module. There were also modules for music, reviews, links, recipes, and a personal marketplace.

A blog traditionally followed a linear format (each entry rests above the other in chronological order regardless of the type of content that is included in the post). Though it is possible to have a traditional style blog on Multiply, content could also be organized according to the type of post (text, video, photo, etc.) or by topic (using tagged content boxes).<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/158/New_tag_stuff_plus_bonus_video_option], "New tag stuff (plus bonus video option!)"</ref> By organizing posts based on topic or type of media, a user can essentially create a [[personal web page]].

Multiply provided blog [[Crossposting|cross-posting]]; blog entries posted to Multiply could be automatically posted to a [[LiveJournal]], [[Blogger (service)|Blogger]] or [[TypePad]] account. There was also an option to post via [[e-mail]] or [[Multimedia Messaging Service|MMS]], enabling posting from mobile phones. Users could also post reviews (of movies and books, for example), and share a calendar of events. Multiply also reintroduced the Marketplace and Recipes modules, which allowed users to share interests in purchases, and favorite foods and drinks.<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/201/New_audiovideo_stuff._Better_alert_things._Generally_more_goodness. Multiply Corporate Blog], "New audio/video stuff. Better alert things. Generally more goodness"</ref>

Multiply was especially flexible in that users could choose to edit their background and theme colors, but the ability to incorporate CSS makes customizing more extensive.<ref>[http://multiply.com/setup/pages/upload-css CSS Interface], Customize Multiply Page CSS Interface</ref> Many users had pages far different from the base theme due to their mastery of [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]].

===Traditional Blogging===
Blog posts on Multiply included the ability to easily change font style, type, color or size. Photos could be added and moved about within the post.  A poll could be included and files could be attached.<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/228/Featured_Feature_Blog_Attachments Multiply Staff Blog], "Featured Feature: Blog Attachments"</ref> Users could use Multiply's WYSIWYG blog editor or edit HTML directly.<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/160/New_improved_HTML_editing Multiply Staff Blog], "New & improved HTML editing"</ref>

As with all types of posts on Multiply, users could set privacy settings on a per post basis, enabling a user to essentially run a private blog for friends and family right on top of, or embedded within, a public blog. (In other words, a user can post thoughts on politics to a public audience while reserving posts on the cute things the kids did for only friends and family.  Both types of posts were treated the same by Multiply in terms of alerts to the poster and the poster's contacts, but the privacy settings limit the content to only those that the user wants to give access to.)

===Unlimited Photo Sharing===
All accounts on Multiply included the ability to add an unlimited number of photos.<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/74/No_more_limits], "No more limits"</ref>  In addition to being able to share photos with contacts on Multiply, users could also let non-Multiply members see even their private photos by using the "share" link.

Multiply offered limited editing capabilities for photos: Photos could be rotated and a variety of picture frames can be added.  Using the Multiply Media Locker users could crop photos, eliminate red eye, retouch photos, adjust contrast, exposure, and saturation.  There was also an Auto Fix function that adjusted photos with one click.  All of the adjustments were reversible until clicked to apply them.

Photos in albums could be embedded into other posts or replies on Multiply, or they could be [[Inline linking|hotlinked]] outside of Multiply, in which case a watermark is added.

Multiply had partnered with [http://www.qoop.com QOOP] for photo printing and other photo services.

Multiply had an Auto Uploading tool which automatically uploads your photos into your Media Locker where they are stored until you choose to share them.  For premium users the full size original was stored indefinitely.

===Videos===
Users could easily upload videos directly to Multiply, or they could pull video in from YouTube, Photobucket, Google Video, Metacafe, or myspacetv.com. Free users could upload up to 10 minutes (or 100mb of video footage). Premium members had a limit of 20 minutes (or 200mb).<ref>[http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/239/Introducing_the_Multiply_AutoUploader_Media_Locker_Premium_Service Multiply Staff Blog], "Introducing the Multiply AutoUploader, Media Locker, Premium Service"</ref>

===Calendar===
Users could post calendar entries for themselves, for their contacts, their network or even for public access (enabling users to keep personal entries, such as doctor appointments, private, while allowing a wider audience for such entries as a fund raising event that is open to the public).

Users had access to an aggregated calendar on their Inbox page that collects all of their calendar entries as well as those of their contacts and displays them in one calendar feed.

Calendar entries, as with all entries on Multiply, could be discussed within the calendar entry post, enabling members to not only announce an event, but discuss it as well.

===Reviews===
Users could add reviews to their website, not only rating and explaining their view on the product, but discussing it as well with friends and family. Reviews used a 5 star system so both those who post and those who reply can rate how well they liked a product.

===Recipes===
The recipe section was a component of Multiply at the time of its launch in 2004, but it was removed for a time. The recipe and marketplace sections were returned in 2007 due to popular demand.

===Marketplace===
The marketplace section was designed to be a way to showcase items that a person may want to pass on to contacts or to search for an item that a user's contacts may have.

===Music===
Since its inception the website had allowed users to upload music playlists to their profile page. Initially users could upload up to 10 songs at a time with an unlimited number of songs allowed on any given playlist (they could upload more songs after the first ten by starting a second upload and specifying that they should be added to a pre-existing playlist.) This brought the site initial popularity due to the ease with which people could share copyrighted digital music. Originally one could download each track individually in mp3 format.

In order to combat illegal music sharing (as the intent was for users to be able to share only music that they had the legal right to), the site cut the maximum uploads at one time to five, and then to three. They then removed the ability to easily right click and download each individual track and instead put a link to a *.m3u playlist file. However users could simply save that file and open it with a text editor, and then cut and paste the individual file links and save the mp3 files.

In July 2008, the site removed the ability to download the *.m3u playlist file and replaced it with an embedded music player. However users can still use third party software to obtain the original mp3 files (which are also stored in a computer's download cache.) Nonetheless, these changes (as well as the large number of users forcibly removed from the site due to copyright violations) have affected the size of the user base.

==Inbox newsfeed==
Multiply had a newsfeed since its inception, variously called the "Explore" page, "My Multiply" and the "Inbox".  This feed aggregates not only the user's posts, but those of the user's contacts, network and groups as well, using technology that Multiply has patented.<ref>[http://www.google.com/patents?id=KVeaAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22peter+pezaris%22 Google Patent Information], "Method and system for performing and sorting a content search"</ref>  The inbox alerts users not only to new posts by their contacts or within their network, but it also notifies users of new replies to posts that users have shown an interest in.  If a user ignores a post, then the post is not popped to the top of the page no matter how many new replies are made.  In this way, users don't need to "clean up" their inbox because uninteresting posts simply "drop off" the page.

The feed was highly customizable, allowing the user to set filters to show specific posts.  Filters could be saved and users can easily switch between them. In this way, users were only alerted to posts and replies that are interesting to them, though they can switch to a "wider" view of network or group activity when that is preferred.

==Groups==
In addition to networking with your "real life" friends and family, Multiply also provided a way to meet and socialize with other members through groups.

Registered users could create groups on Multiply. These groups exist outside of the "network" structure, enabling people with certain interests to share the aforementioned types of media with others who share their interests, but may not be closely connected to them through relationships.

Groups were categorized as Business, Computers & Internet, Cultures & Community, [http://multiply.com/search/groups?_charset_=UTF-8&usertoken=U2FsdGVkX19-LNHnvcJnJUZmnr58DHgvS3L4MUgABi6EbpdSLqfGyw%3D%3D&form%3A%3Agroup_search=group_search&form%3A%3Agroup_search%3A%3Acount=1&group_search%3A%3Astart=0&group_search%3A%3Alimit=10&group_search%3A%3Alanguage=1&group_search%3A%3Acat=entertainment&group_search%3A%3Asecure-token=3099%3AU2FsdGVkX19-LNHnvcJnJVYQXwGta.CPFntIXIjPrn8%3D&group_search%3A%3Atext=&omniture_submission=submitted Entertainment & Arts], Friends & Family, Games, Government & Politics, Health & Wellness, Hobbies & Crafts, Money & Investing, Places & Travel, Recreation & Sports, Religion & Beliefs, Romance & Relationships, Schools & Education, Science & History, and Other.

=== Migration from MSN Groups ===
{{Update|section|date=October 2009}}
In February 2009, MSN Groups closed to make way for the new Windows Live Groups. Communities hosted on the old MSN Groups service can not be migrated across to the new platform. As such MSN have worked with Multiply to create a tool which allowed group owners to move their MSN Groups community over to the Multiply service.

This move by MSN and Multiply succeeded in killing off a large number of MSN Groups communities. This was due to the fact that the migration process was rather complex, essentially creating a new group, importing content from the old one.

This meant that all existing MSN users had to re-join the new group, and if the old community located on MSN Groups was not closed by the owner after the migration process, any changes made afterward were to be lost when the service closed.

Details of the migration process could be found on the MSN Groups homepage which has subsequently been removed and now directs to a Microsoft Account log in page, however information regarding Groups' closure and migration to Multipy has been preserved on a Windows Live blog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://windowslivearchive.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/changes-to-msn-groups/ |title=Changes to MSN Groups &#124; Windows Live team blog archive |publisher=Windowslivearchive.wordpress.com |date=2008-10-23 |accessdate=2014-02-28}}</ref>

With the announced closure of Multiply's social networking sites, members who used the site for that purpose are looking for alternatives offering similar features. While Multiply has not announced a partnership with any other web site or sites for the purposes of migration as MSN did, the CEO did promise to provide "easy ways for you to either download your stuff (photos, blogs, content, etc), or migrate it to other online services" with details to be announced at a later date.<ref>http://multiply.com/info/we-are-sorry</ref>

==Personal website==
Though Multiply did provide a profile page for users, that was not the main focal point of a user's Multiply presence.  Rather, each user had a home page where all of their recent content was aggregated.  The content boxes on this home page could be rearranged and could be aligned into a one or two column format (or a mixture of both). Tagged content boxes could also be added and unwanted boxes could be hidden.

Users could customize the overall look of their site using either one-click customization tools that Multiply provides or by adding customizations with CSS.

==Awards & recognitions==
In 2008, Multiply was named [[Open Web]] Awards finalist.<ref>[http://mashable.com/2008/11/19/openwebawards-voting-1/ 2nd Annual Open Web Awards]</ref>

==Headquarters moves to Indonesia==
As Multiply expanded to include e-commerce, the announcement was made that the company was moving from its headquarters in Florida to Indonesia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theindonesiatoday.com/latest-news/107-latest-news/18775-multiply-moves-headquarter-to-indonesia.html |accessdate=August 11, 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507015136/http://www.theindonesiatoday.com/latest-news/107-latest-news/18775-multiply-moves-headquarter-to-indonesia.html |archivedate=May 7, 2013 }}</ref>

==Multiply announces closure of social networking site==
An official announcement by Multiply's CEO, Stefan Magdalinski, was made on August 9, 2012, that the social networking portion of Multiply would be discontinued, including hosted blogs, videos, photos and messaging, in order to focus solely on e-commerce.<ref>[http://multiply.com/info/we-are-sorry]</ref> Multiply International ceased its social network on March 23, 2013. One month later, Multiply announced that all services of both Indonesian and International would close, making the site entirely defunct and the company is now totally closed.<ref>{{cite web|author=kompas cyber media |url=http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2013/04/26/14295497/Situs.Multiply.Indonesia.Akan.Ditutup |title=Situs Multiply Indonesia Akan Ditutup - Kompas.com Tekno |publisher=Tekno.kompas.com |date=2013-04-26 |accessdate=2014-02-28}}</ref>

===Financial troubles===
At the beginning of June 2014, Multiply, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. bankruptcy court. That the site will be fully reopened after [[United States]] [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama|Obama]] stepping down in the office on January 20, 2017 and keeping [[Facebook]] as the sole social networking site. Process of the reopening will be managed by the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations through the Development Bank of the Philippines.

It was set to be close down by the order of Securities and Exchange Commission.

==See also==
* [[E-commerce]]
* [[Social network service]]
* [[List of social networking websites]]
* [[Comparison of video services]]
* [[Multipers.com]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.multiply.com/ Multiply]
* [http://www.folksonomy.org/2006/09/interview_with_multiply.html Folksonomy.org Interview with Multiply Founder]
* [http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?q=&url=multiply.com Alexa info] – Traffic and usage statistics
* [http://www.wptv.com/content/specialreports/story.aspx?content_id=6824b1e3-e60a-4be1-923c-4c88b0a93dd3 WPTV: West Palm Beach]
* [http://multiply.com/info/corp Multiply Corporate Info]
* [http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/06/multiply-lands-166-million-series-b/ Multiply Secures Second Round of Funding]
* [http://multiply.com/info/about Multiply's Multimedia and Networking Capabilities]
* [http://www.socialnetworkingwatch.com/2008/11/peter-pezaris-m.html/ Peter Pezaris, Multiply.com CEO Interview, November 2008]
* [http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2013/04/26/14295497/Situs.Multiply.Indonesia.Akan.Ditutup/ Accouncement to stop all its services, April 2013]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Multiply (Website)}}
[[Category:Blog hosting services]]
[[Category:Community websites]]
[[Category:Social networking services]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2004]]
[[Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2013]]
[[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2014]]

Manila Cathedral to tap sign language interpreter for Mass

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) will now be able to fully participate in all liturgical celebrations at the Manila Cathedral, which will soon have a sign language interpreter.

“A simultaneous interpreter will also be present in the cathedral in all our liturgical celebrations,” the Manila Cathedral said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

The inclusion of an interpreter in Masses, which will be done with the help of the Archdiocesan Ministry on Persons with Disabilities, would allow the active participation of PWDs.

The Cathedral, under the Archdiocese of Manila, assured PWDs that the church is always open to them.

“Dear brothers and sisters from the PWD community, you are very welcome to our Mother Church, our home,” it added.

Aside from providing an interpreter during Mass, the cathedral noted that TV Maria, a national Catholic television channel broadcasting in the country, will likewise have its own interpreter.

“To facilitate full and active participation of everyone, TV Maria, through the help of the Archdiocesan Ministry on Persons with Disabilities, will now include a sign language interpreter on their social media live streaming,” the Cathedral said.

The private channel, owned by TV Maria Foundation Philippines and airs 24 hours a day, can be seen on major and provincial cable operators, and via online live streaming.

According to Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, PWDs are defined as "those suffering from restriction of different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being." (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1067674

Duterte signs 2019 budget into law

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday finally signed the four-month delayed P3.757-trillion 2019 national budget into law, but vetoed about P95.3 billion in appropriations.

The budget goes into the books as Republic Act No. 11260, or the General Appropriations Act of 2019, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said in a mobile phone message to reporters. “RA No 11260 Budget Act for 2019 into law. Vetoed 95.3 B,” he said in his text message.

Asked for confirmation, Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea replied in a separate text message: “yes”, adding that “[t]he President, among others, vetoed P95.3 billion items of appropriations in the details of DPWH programs/projects, which are not within the programmed priorities.”

The President last week threatened to veto the entire 2019 budget, should Malacañang’s review unearth irregular fund realignments.

The budget, ratified on Feb. 8 by both chambers of Congress, was transmitted to the Office of the President just on March 26 by the Senate with a letter on the Senate President’s reservations over some P95 billion in funds the House of Representatives allegedly realigned after the spending plan was ratified.

Of this amount, P75 billion was realigned to fund programs and projects under the Local Infrastructure Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III had warned in January that the delay in budget enactment would prevent the government from spending on P46 billion worth of priority projects this quarter, and in the middle of March said the state would be hard-put to catch up on its disbursement program for the year. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said on Friday that economic managers have prepared a contingency plan to catch up on spending.

The delay in the budget enactment had prompted the interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee — headed by state economic managers — on March 13 to slash its target for 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) expansion to 6-7% from 7-8%, while the National Economic and Development Authority projected separately that the full-year GDP growth could clock in at 6.1-6.3% from 6.2% last year if the reenacted 2018 budget were to remain in force until April.

https://www.bworldonline.com/duterte-signs-2019-budget-into-law/

Palawan elections in limbo after law splits province into 3

THE upcoming midterm elections in Palawan now face uncertainty following the recent passage of Republic Act (RA) 11259 dividing it into three new provinces.

The Commission on Election’s (Comelec) en banc is now in the process of deciding whether to push through or defer the midterm elections in Palawan.

Relatedly, Malacañang is unfazed by the warning of Sen. Risa Hontiveros that Palawan’s split into three provinces renders it more vulnerable to aggression by China, which has long been muscling its way into the West Philippine Sea. Palawan is the closest Philippine province to the disputed waters in the South China Sea.

Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said among Comelec en banc’s consideration for its decision on whether to push through with the May elections in Palawan will be the resources and effort they already dedicated for the polls in Palawan.

“All the preparations, like the list of voters, are already ready. But the problem is the configuration on the ground suddenly changed,” Jimenez told reporters in an interview.   “From one province, it will be three provinces each with its own list of voters and allocations,” he added.

Another factor which will be crucial for the decision, Jimenez said, is the plebiscite they would have to organize in Palawan to implement RA 11259.

“These should be taken into consideration by the en banc in deciding what the proper procedure moving forward is,” Jimenez said.

During the plebiscite, scheduled in May 2020, registered voters in Palawan will decide if they will support RA 11259. Under RA 11259, the province is split into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.

No implication on West PHL Sea

Meanwhile, Malacañang does not see any possibility that the new law splitting Palawan into three provinces will bolster China’s position in the West Philippine Sea.

The Palace was responding to a statement by Hontiveros that the law has “deep geopolitical repercussions” since “China will now have the opportunity to infiltrate and influence smaller local government units” instead of having to face a single, strong provincial government, which can mobilize the entire island in its own defense.

President Duterte signed RA 11259 dividing Palawan into three provinces just days after Manila got embroiled in another word war with Beijing over the swarming by hundreds of Chinese boats in the vicinity of Pag-Asa Island, the biggest in the Kalayaan Island Group that is a municipality of Palawan.

More than 200 Chinese vessels were spotted swarming Pag-Asa Island, according to local authorities.  But Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo was quick to defend the law splitting Palawan in three, saying he sees “no connection” in relation to Hontiveros’s claim.

Panelo added that even though Palawan is not divided, China can infiltrate if it wants to.

“Even if there is no division into provinces, it will infiltrate it if it wants to,” Panelo added in Filipino.

The Palace spokesman also stressed that every creation of a new province was meant to help the government respond better to the needs of the people through faster delivery of basic services.

The first set of elective officials of the newly created provinces will be chosen in the May 2022 national and local polls.

The measure has also since been criticized by some Palawan residents and indigenous peoples.

Hontiveros also said there was a lack of genuine consultation in the proposal, citing a letter from Bishop Eduard Sarabia Juanich of Taytay, Palawan, and the petition by the Save Palawan Movement.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/04/16/palawan-elections-in-limbo-after-law-splits-province-into-3/

Duterte signs 2019 national budget; vetoes P95.3B

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the 2019 national budget, Malacañang said on Monday.

“Yes,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said when asked if Duterte has signed the budget.

“The President, among others, vetoed 95.3 billion pesos items of appropriations in the Details of DPWH Programs/Projects, which are not within the programmed priorities,” Medialdea said.

He said Duterte signed the budget on Monday.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III also confirmed on Monday night the signing of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill.

Asked what was vetoed by the President, Sotto said in a text message, “Yun recommended naming P75B plus P20.3 billion pa.”

When he signed the enrolled copy of the budget last March 26, the Senate leader affixed his signature with strong reservations and asked the President to consider vetoing the P75 billion “unconstitutional realignments.”

The Senate and the House had locked horns over the alleged unconstitutional realignments or “pork” in the budget. With a report from Maila Ager/ac

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1107024/duterte-signs-2019-national-budget-vetoes-p95-3b

Plebiscite on splitting Palawan into 3 provinces set for 2020

Palawan will not be a single province anymore, but only if the law dividing it into three is approved in a plebiscite.

Republic Act No. 11259 divides the country’s westernmost province into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law on April 5, but Malacañang made it public only on Saturday.

The plebiscite is set for the second Monday of May 2020. The new provinces would be created if approved “by majority of the votes cast by the voters of the affected areas.”

The law is unclear, however, on what will happen if majority in one of the proposed provinces votes against it.

Puerto Princesa City, the current capital, will not take part in the plebiscite or in future elections in any of the new provinces as it will have its own district representative.

New composition

Under the law, Palawan del Norte will be composed of Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linapacan, Taytay and El Nido. Taytay will be its capital.

Roxas, Araceli, Dumaran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, Cagayancillo and San Vicente will comprise Palawan Oriental with Roxas as the capital.

Brooke’s Point will be the capital of Palawan del Sur, which was designated as the “mother province” that will also include Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Española, Bataraza, Balabac and Kalayaan, whose only barangay is Pag-Asa Island in the South China Sea.

Each new province will have its own legislative district and will have a governor, vice governor and Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The representatives of the first, second and third legislative districts who will be elected in the May 2019 elections will continue to represent their respective areas until the representatives of the newly created legislative districts for the three new provinces have been elected also in the May 2022 polls.

The three provinces shall be entitled to equitable shares in the proceeds from the utilization and development of the national wealth within their respective terrestrial and maritime jurisdiction.

They will have a combined share of not less than 40 percent of the gross collection derived by the national government from mining taxes, royalties, fishery charges and other taxes or fees from the previous year and from its share in any coproduction in the utilization and development of national wealth within their territorial jurisdiction.

Kalayaan is part of the Spratly Islands, which are believed to sit atop natural gas and oil reserves.

Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez was among those who lobbied for splitting the province into three, saying that would improve local governance and the delivery of public services and spur the island’s growth.

Another proponent of the division of Palawan, Winston G. Arzaga, who is a member of its provincial board and a former vice governor, said the clamor to divide the province started as early as the 1960s.

Writing in Inquirer.net in November last year, Arzaga said the “overriding reason” to divide the province was its huge size that made effective governance “a nightmare.”

According to Sen. Sonny Angara, who had endorsed the original House Bill No. 8055 to the Senate, Palawan is so big that its 17,000-square-kilometer area is five times the size of Batangas. 


Palawan, which has a population of 1.1 million (including Puerto Princesa), also encompasses 1,800 islands, making it an archipelago within an archipelago.

Opposed by civil society

The proposed measure met opposition from some civil society groups, which said it did not undergo proper consultation with the people of Palawan.

The House bill was passed on third reading in only five months after it was filed by the three representatives from the province. After it was handed over to them, the senators approved it  three months later.

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron had said he and other city officials had declined an invitation by the law’s proponents to take part in the division campaign. He said the bill would lead to the downgrading of Puerto Princesa as a component city or being chopped up into smaller towns.

In 2012, Republic Act No. 10171 reapportioned the province of Palawan into three legislative districts from the previous two. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1106550/plebiscite-on-splitting-palawan-into-3-provinces-set-for-2020

Tsa-a-bu

It’s not a new game or a new take on peek-a-boo. This term my colleague coined after almost half a ton of shabu packaged as tea (tsa-a) was seized in two operations in a house in posh Ayala Alabang village and at the Port of Manila recently. Unfortunately, the packages used to disguise the shabu looked very much like the tea I buy in my favorite grocery in Binondo which, coincidentally – or maybe not so coincidentally – was unavailable the past couple of weeks. The joke around the office, of course, was that “na-tokhang yung supplier mo (your supplier was busted)!”

And then there are those bricks of cocaine that keep bobbing up around our eastern coastlines. Since cocaine does not seem to be the Pinoy addicts’ drug of choice (who was it who said cocaine is the rich man’s drug, the choice of the party set, while shabu is the poor man’s poison?), authorities reported that all that cocaine was really destined for Australia, and the Philippines was just a transshipment point. That’s bad news all around; do international drug syndicates see us as so “welcoming” for their business?

While we’re at it, can someone please check whether all those drugs – shabu, cocaine, pills, even marijuana – seized in publicized raids are accounted for and securely kept? Just one of those packages of tsa-a-bu can make someone pretty rich.

* * *

So the 2019 national budget – P3.757 trillion – is finally going to be signed tomorrow. At least, as I write this, invitations have reportedly been sent out to Senate and House leaders to attend the signing ceremony tomorrow at the Palace.

Senators and congressmen have been squabbling, not over the merits of the budget, but over their takes, their shares of what is not supposed to be called pork. They have accused each other of hiding or parking their pork in various departments, the favorite being public works and highways, and transferring or re-aligning funds from districts whose representatives are no longer favored to districts that are now the flavor of the month under the new House dispensation.

It all sounds like quarrelling among thieves, fighting over division of the loot. And to think that, aside from what is not supposed to be called their pork, we poor taxpayers are going to spend P20.3 billion for all their salaries, allowances, travels (aside from their junkets paid for by “sponsors”), representation (parties and lunches and dinners), hiring of consultants… What an absolute waste of money!

Take out your calculator and figure out how many families that amount could feed if we get rid of those clowns in Congress. A family of five would need over P10,000 a month to survive, about P8,000 of that for food alone, according to government statisticians. Wouldn’t it be better use of our taxes if we spend the money to provide services to the people instead of funding Congress?

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.      Isaiah 40:21-23

https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/starweek-magazine/2019/04/14/1909766/tsa-bu

Palace: Gov’t prepared if Duterte approves or vetoes 2019 nat’l budget

MANILA – The government is prepared to respond to the economic effects if President Rodrigo Duterte decides to approve or veto the proposed P3.7-trillion 2019 national budget.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President needs time to decide if he will sign or veto the measure as he is exercising “utmost care” in reviewing the budget to ensure it abides by the Constitution.

“As a lawyer and strict enforcer of the rule of law, the President treads cautiously in performing his constitutional duty making sure before he inks his signature to the document, he does not violate our Constitution, as well as related jurisprudence on the matter,” said Panelo.

“While we are very eager and devoted to implement policies that will benefit Filipinos, this administration is equally committed to being a stickler for the rule of law,” he said.

The palace official assured the public that Duterte’s economic managers are prepared in the event the chief executive approves or rejects the submitted spending plan.

“As to the possible repercussion on the economy of a re-enacted budget, our economic managers have contingency plans prepared, responsive to any conceivable event, and they will correspondingly adjust their targets, which include the execution of programs and projects relating to infrastructure as well as the delivery of basic services to the people,” Panelo said.

In a speech in Bacolod City on Thursday, Duterte said he will carefully scrutinize the contents of the budget bill forwarded by the Congress to Malacañang on March 26.

“Ang budget kasa-submit lang. I have to sign it pagbalik ko pa, pinag-aralan pa, galing Budget [department] to the office of the president. The office of the president is not the Budget so ang legal ko magbasa uli,” said Duterte.

“Hindi magkasundo ang congress pati senado eh. And ‘yung mga insertions diyan titignan ko, pagka tagilid talaga I will not hesitate to veto the entire budget,” he added.

The 2019 national budget bill was originally ratified in early February but remained dormant in the House and not immediately transmitted to the Senate and Malacañang as congressmen said they had to itemize the lump sums.

After an impasse in the Senate, the budget bill was sent last month to Malacañang for the President’s signature after Senate president Vicente Sotto III signed the measure but with reservations.

The Palace had initially scheduled the ceremonial signing of the budget on Monday, April 15 but backtracked on Thursday, saying the ratification may push through after the Holy Week break since the President is still studying the bill.

The government is operating on a re-enacted budget and the Palace and finance officials warned remaining in this setup could affect the country’s economic growth for 2019./PN

https://www.panaynews.net/palace-govt-prepared-if-duterte-vetoes-2019-natl-budget/

No polls for House members in SoCot's 1st, 3rd districts

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said there will be no election of congressmen in the first and in the newly-created third district of South Cotabato in the May 13 polls.

“In case the position for member, House of Representatives for the First Legislative District, including General Santos City, of South Cotabato is voted upon in the May 13 elections, all votes for the said position shall be considered stray,” said the decision stated in Comelec Resolution No. 10524 promulgated on Thursday.

The poll body said that elections for the representatives of the said districts will be held “within six months” from May 13.

Last March, Congress passed Republic Act No. 11243, which created the third district after General Santos City was removed from the first district.

According to the Comelec, the holding of election of the congressmen for the two districts next month is already impossible since the present configuration of the electoral data for the first district of South Cotabato has already been completed.

“The present configuration can no longer be revised or modified in time for the May 13 elections without jeopardizing the preparations for the election of other positions,” it added.

The poll body noted that the election in the first district and third districts for the positions of Senators, Party-List Representatives, provincial city and municipal offices will be held on May 13.

For the second district, the election for the positions of Senators, Party-List Representatives, Legislative District Representative, provincial city and municipal offices will be held on May 13.

The First Legislative District is composed of Polomolok, Tampakan and Tupi; Second District, the City of Koronadal and the Municipalities of Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Santo Niño, Surallah, Tantangan and T’Boli and Third District, the City of General Santos.

It added that the incumbent Representatives of the First and Second Districts will continue until noon of June 30.

Earlier, the Comelec en banc also suspended the election of new representatives for the 1st and 2nd Districts of the province of Southern Leyte.

The order was issued as they already completed preparing for the lone district of the province prior to them being divided through the passing of Republic Act No. 11198.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1067196

Duterte signs law dividing Palawan into 3 provinces

(UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law dividing western Luzon tourist haven Palawan into three distinct and independent provinces.

Under Republic Act No. 11259, the province is now divided into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur, which shall be the mother province.

"The terrestrial jurisdictions of the newly created provinces shall be within the present metes and bounds of all the municipalities that comprise the respective provinces," the law stated.

Duterte approved the measure on April 5, 2019 and it shall take effect 15 days upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general and local circulation.

The creation of the new provinces would require a plebiscite to be held on the second Monday of May 2020 and supervised by the Commission on Elections.

Each province, meanwhile, shall have its legislative districts effective upon the election and qualification of representatives to be held on the second Monday of May 2022.

Under the law, Puerto Princesa City shall have its own legislative district by the same year. Its residents shall not be qualified to vote in the 2020 plebiscite and for candidates in the provincial elective positions.

Incumbent representatives of the present province shall continue to represent their respective legislative districts until new representatives shall have been duly elected, qualified and assumed office.

The House of Representatives passed the measure on Aug. 29, 2018 and then amended by the Senate on Nov. 19, 2018. The House concurred with amendments on Jan. 23, 2019.

The new provinces and localities under them are as follows:

Palawan del Norte:

• Taytay (Capital town and seat of government)
• Coron
• Culion
• Busuanga
• Linapacan
• El Nido

Palawan Oriental:

• Roxas (Capital town and seat of government)
• Araceli
• Dumaran
• Cuyo
• Agutaya
• Magsaysay
• Cayancillo
• San Vicente

Palawan del Sur:

• Brooke's Point (Capital town and seat of government)
• Aborlan
• Narra
• Quezon
• Rizal
• Española
• Bataraza
• Balabac
• Kalayaan

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/19/duterte-signs-law-dividing-palawan-into-3-provinces

Duterte signs law splitting Palawan into 3 provinces

President Duterte has signed into law the measure dividing Palawan into three provinces, namely: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur.

A copy of Republic Act (RA) 11259 given to Palace reporters, Saturday morning, showed that the measure was signed by Duterte on April 5. It will be effective 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper.

Under the law, the province of Palawan del Norte will be composed of the municipalities of Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linacapan, Taytay and El Nido.

The province of Palawan Oriental, in turn, will be comprised of the municipalities of Roxas, Araceli, Dumaran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, Cayancillo, and San Vicente.

The province of Palawan del Sur, which will be considered as the “mother province,” will be composed of the municipalities of Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Espanola, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Balacbac and Kalayaan.

The three provinces will be created depending on the results of a plebiscite in the affected areas. It will be held on the second Monday of May 2020. The election of new elective officials will be held on the second Monday of May 2022 during the national and local elections.

The incumbent representatives of the present province of Palawan shall continue to represent their respective legislative districts until the new ones are elected.

Each of the three new provinces will have a provincial governor, vice governor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan secretary and members, provincial treasurer, assessor, accountant, budget officer, planning and development coordinator, engineer, health officer, administrator, legal officer, agriculturist, social welfare and development officer, veterinarian, and general services officer.

Early on, the proposal to divide Palawan into three provinces met negative criticisms, one coming from Senator Risa Hontiveros who expressed concern that if China has aggressively and arrogantly exerted its claim on the West Philippine Sea, it can now easily conquer the three provinces which are now reduced as small local government units.

Senator Sonny Angara, who endorsed the bill, explained that the proposal was not “motivated by partisan political concerns, nor a gerrymandering exercise.” He said it was appropriate since Palawan is the biggest province in the Philippines in terms of area.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/04/13/duterte-signs-law-splitting-palawan-into-3-provinces/

DBM on Duterte threat to veto 2019 budget: It’s authorized under 1987 Constitution

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) sided with President Rodrigo Duterte after he threatened to veto the proposed 2019 budget, saying its exercise is allowed under the 1987 Constitution.

On Thursday,  Duterte threatened to veto the P3.757-trillion proposed national budget for 2019 amid allegations of illegal insertions and realignments made in the spending plan.

Sought for comment, DBM officer-in-charge Secretary Janet Abuel said, "The exercise of the veto power of the President is authorized under the 1987 Constitution.

Section 27 (1), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution states that:

"Every bill passed by the Congress shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President. If he approves the same he shall sign it; otherwise, he shall veto it and return the same with his objections to the House where it originated, which shall enter the objections at large in its Journal and proceed to reconsider it….'"

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) earlier warned that a full-year reenacted budget can bring down growth to as low as 4.2% to 4.9%.

Duterte's signing of the long awaited 2019 national budget has again become uncertain after the Palace removed it from the chief executive's calendar on Monday, April 15.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III had urged Duterte to veto the P75-billion allocation for programs and projects under the Local Infrastructure Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways which was made through internal realignments after the bicameral conference report was ratified.

The government has been operating on a reenacted budget since January. — RSJ, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/691051/dbm-on-duterte-threat-to-veto-2019-budget-it-s-authorized-under-1987-constitution/story/

Hotel opens in Manila’s Chinatown

MEGAWORLD Corp. launched its eighth hotel property, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, located in Binondo, Manila.

“It has always been the dream of our founder to have a hotel in Chinatown,” Jeremy Russell S. Go, resident manager of the hotel, told the media during the opening on Wednesday.

The 93-room hotel took two years to build and cost P750 million, according to a press release.

Mr. Go said the new hotel primarily targets Chinese businessmen and tourists who want to explore what is said to be the world’s oldest Chinatown.

“I believe we’ll have more business [customers] more than leisure,” he said.

Located beside the Lucky Chinatown mall which opened in 2012, Mr. Go said the hotel stands on a lot that was previously occupied by a warehouse.

“We wanted something modern and contemporary because the idea was not to make the hotel too Chinese,” he said, noting the idea was to “blend modernity with Binondo’s heritage.”

The hotel’s interiors will have Chinese accent pieces, while the all-day dining restaurant, Cafe de Chinatown, serves Chinese cuisine. Cafe de Chinatown is operated by the Raintree group of companies which owns and operates restaurants like Chelsea Kitchen.

Hotel Lucky Chinatown also features three ballrooms which can fit up to 350 people, three meeting rooms and a boardroom which can fit up to 20 people each.

The hotel also has a fitness center, sauna and spa and a Zabana bar which is also found in Savoy Hotel Manila. It is also connected directly to the Lucky Chinatown mall via footbridge.

Rooms range from standard queen or twin (24 square meters) to junior and executive suites (up to 79 sq.m.). Introductory prices for the standard rooms are at P3,118 nett (room only) while suites are at P5,888 nett (room only).

https://www.bworldonline.com/hotel-opens-in-manilas-chinatown/

Albayalde orders police to exchange notes with NBI on teen's slay

CEBU CITY – Philippine National Police chief, General Oscar Albayalde, on Wednesday ordered authorities to dig deeper in investigating the brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl in Lapu-Lapu City last month.

Albayalde, who is in Bohol for a command conference, said in a radio interview that he has ordered police probers to exchange notes with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in solving the case.

He noted that he is closely monitoring every development of the case.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the regional police, said a 42-year-old man who reportedly confessed to the brutal killing of Christine Lee Silawan because of “obsession”, is now considered a person of interest.

He, however, refused to identify the person, saying that he is not yet considered as suspect while the police is still conducting validation of his testimonies.

“Yes, we have a person of interest. He’s different than the primary suspect earlier pinpointed,” Sinas was quoted by a radio report as saying.

Sinas said the person of interest came to know the teenage girl through exchanges of chat and text messages.

“He is known for duping girls,” he said.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza earlier broke the news about the man who is said to have owned up to the crime because of “obsession” for the 16-year-old.

She also refused to divulge the name of the person, saying that she is leaving disclosure of his identity to the police.

The mayor said Lapu-Lapu City Police chief, Col. Limuel Obon, confirmed to her that his office held a man who claimed to have knowledge about the cruel death of Silawan.

According to media report here, the man, a resident of Lapu-Lapu City, is included in the city’s drug watchlist. He was reportedly arrested for carrying an unlicensed firearm, but later confessed to the police probers that he killed the teenager.

The police is still determining the relationship between the second person of interest and the victim’s 17-year old boyfriend, who is now in the custody of the local social welfare and development office.

Lourdes, the mother of Christine, said she wanted to talk to the second suspect to know why he killed her daughter.

Silawan was found dead in an uninhabited lot in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City on March 11. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1066992

Piñol shrugs off resignation rumors

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Wednesday dismissed rumors that he has resigned from his post.

Piñol, in a press briefing, also shrugged off the supposed "joke" of President Rodrigo Duterte during an event in Palawan last week that he (Duterte) wants him out of his Cabinet.

"I don't own this position. If the President feels that he is not happy with my performance, I go and I will not feel bad, he said.

"I've done my best, but if the basis for my resignation is the joke of the President, I've heard that 20 times, whether in my presence, or in my absence. I've known this guy for the last 25 years, if you don't know him well, you will be offended. Well of course it's not comfortable to hear... but unless he calls me and tell me that he no longer needs my services, I will go," he said.

For the past 25 years, Piñol said: "Hindi ako nangurakot sa posisyon ko (I have never been corrupt) in my position. I would feel that if he (Duterte) feels that he doesn't need me anymore, patatawag niya ako (he will summon me)."

The DA chief has been placed under the microscope over the agriculture sector’s 0.1 percent contribution to the country’s overall gross domestic product growth in 2018.

"I can humbly say that while I may not have done so much as expected by some sectors, I have maintained a frugal life and resisted temptations. I am working and I will continue to serve the President and the Filipino farmers and fishermen. I'm just doing my job," he said. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1066993

Megaworld opens P750-M hotel in Binondo

Property developer Megaworld Corp. on Wednesday introduced a new homegrown hotel brand in Binondo, Manila with an investment of PHP750 million, to meet the rising demand mainly from business visitors.

Jeremy Russell Go, resident manager at Hotel Lucky Chinatown, told reporters that target markets of the hotel are Chinese business travelers and tourists who are keen on exploring Chinatown.

“Actually, it’s in our pipeline of encouraging the DOT (Department of Tourism) to encourage especially tourists like the Korean market (to come here) because they are very much interested in Chinese culture,” he said.

Hotel Lucky Chinatown is the company’s eighth hotel property in its portfolio offering 93 rooms and suites.

Megaworld has already opened seven local homegrown hotels around the country under four brands that include Richmonde, Belmont, Savoy and Twin Lakes. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1066996