Category: General

MANILA: Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) bested four other international carrier finalists in this year’s Routes Asia airline category.

The Routes Asia Awards honors the excellence in airport and destination marketing, and its airline category highlights collaborative efforts in successful routes.

“We are honored to receive this award. This reflects CEB’s unwavering commitment to providing our passengers with exceptional service, expanding our network connectivity, and making air travel more accessible and affordable,” CEB president Alexander Lao said in a statement Thursday.

The Gokongwei-led airline said they were recognized for their collaborative efforts with airports, local and international destination partners, and their initiatives to incorporate sustainable practices in operations.

Among these efforts are the resumption of CEB’s Clark hub and the launch of 15 destinations in 2023.

The carrier also adopted electric vehicles for ground operations and has incorporated sustainable avia
tion fuel (SAF) in some of its flights. It will also incorporate SAF into its commercial network by 2030.

Other finalists in the airline category were Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Air India.

Winners were revealed in Malaysia on Wednesday.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has expressed its support to the government’s 2032 nuclear power target by installing 1,200 megawatts capacity using small modular reactor technologies.

Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said in an interview early this week that the company aims to usher this target of the Department of Energy (DOE).

‘We’ll support the target, definitely, and hopefully we can help the Department of Energy to achieve that target,’ Aperocho told reporters.

In November 2023, Meralco and United States-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC) signed a cooperative agreement to conduct a feasibility study for the potential deployment of micro-modular reactors (MMRs) in the country to provide affordable, reliable, and clean energy, especially to the underserved and off-grid areas.

This, as the Philippines and the US signed a civil nuclear cooperation deal, or the 123 Agreement, that allows the transfer of US-origin nuclear technologies to the Ph
ilippines.

‘Our partner USNC, they have already submitted the results of our feasibility study. We are reviewing it now, and they will be sending their delegations here few weeks from now to present to the big boss the results,’ Aperocho added.

This coming March 11 to 12, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will be leading a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to Manila, with a delegation that includes US companies.

The US Embassy here said their government is still finalizing the members of the delegation.

Aperocho also mentioned that the feasibility study includes the sites being considered for the MMR deployment.

For his part, Meralco chairman and chief executive officer Manuel Pangilinan said this kind of nuclear technology, which is smaller than the conventional ones, is ‘good for island provinces’ like Cebu and Bohol.

‘You don’t have to build a big plant, modular naman ito (this is modular),’ Pangilinan said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Quang Ninh: Participating in Clipper Race activities is among the key tourism promotion and investment attraction endeavours of the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh in 2024 and beyond, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Cao Tuong Huy has affirmed.

At a tourism promotion conference and Clipper Race award ceremony held in the province on February 28, Huy said that this year, Quang Ninh aims to welcome 17 million visitors, including approximately 3 million foreigners, an ambitious goal amidst domestic and international difficulties and challenges.

During the conference, local officials and businesses introduced participants to investment opportunities in the province’s industrial parks and myriad tourism projects.

In his speech, British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Grant Frew held that the conference lays the groundwork for spurring future cooperation between Quang Ninh and the UK, positively contributing to the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership.

The province is increasingly asserting its lead
ing role nationwide in sustainable development orientation, especially regarding clean energy, offshore wind power, education, and digital transformation, he said, pledging readiness to facilitate UK enterprises in exploring investment collaboration chances in these fields.

Following the conference was the Clipper Race awards ceremony for outstanding teams in Race 7, Leg 5, with the Qingdao team standing at the top and followed by the Zhuhai and UNICEF squads./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Pampanga: The Clark International Airport (CRK) has won a Routes Asia 2024 award in the Under 5 Million Passengers category in ceremonies held in Langkawi, Malaysia.

The award recognizes the organization’s excellence in airport and destination marketing.

In a statement, the Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD), operator of the airport, said the accolade follows CRK’s exceptional performance in 2023, where it demonstrated significant growth by efficiently handling nearly two million passengers.

The outstanding achievement, it added, signifies a remarkable 160 percent increase from the preceding 12 months, showcasing the airport’s resilience and robust recovery amid challenging circumstances.

Key highlights of CRK’s success include the successful onboarding of five new airlines, four of which are international carriers.

The airport also expanded its network by adding 13 new destinations, underscoring its commitment to enhancing connectivity and fostering positive trends in the broader a
viation sector.

LIPAD president and chief executive officer Noel Manankil, said in receiving the award on Wednesday night: ‘We are truly honored and delighted to be named a finalist in the Under 5 Million Passengers category for Routes Asia 2024. This recognition is a testament to Clark International Airport’s commitment to excellence and its pivotal role in connecting the Philippines to the global aviation network.’

CRK competed against notable contenders Cairns Airport, Australia; GMR Goa International Airport, India; Hat Yai International Airport, Thailand; and Sendai International Airport, Japan.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Over 6,000 soldiers will join the Philippine Army (PA)’s first-ever “combined arms training exercise” (CATEX) “Katihan” this March which would highlight the service’s shift from internal security to territorial defense operations.

“The large-scale exercise will effectively test the Army’s capability to move, maneuver, and sustain large-scale forces during combat operations,” PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said in a statement late Wednesday.

He added that the drills would be held in various camps in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.

The final planning for the exercise took place on Wednesday at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.

It involves 4,706 “dismounted contingents” and 1,463 “mounted contingents” from various Army units in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“Dismounted contingents” refers to units without any transport while “mounted contingents” are troops serving in motorized, armor, and tracked artillery formations.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: – School assignments and important reminders for the examinees of the Career Service Examination-Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) to be held on March 3, 2024 are now available online.

‘We urge the 361,699 individuals expected to take the CSE-PPT to check and familiarize themselves with their school assignments and Examinee’s Guide available through the Online Notice of School Assignment (ONSA) ahead of time. Ayaw nating masayang ang ating application at pagre-review dahil sa hindi paghahanda at pagdadala ng mga kinakailangang gamit sa araw ng exam (We don’t want to waste our application and review preparations due to the lack of needed requirements on the day of the exam),’ Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Karlo Nograles said in a release posted at the agency website.

To use the ONSA, examinees must correctly input the necessary information into the designated data fields, following the indicated format.

If they encounter difficulties accessing the ONSA and remain unaware of their school assi
gnment one week before the exam date, examinees are advised to inquire directly with the CSC Regional or Field Office concerned for assistance.

Nograles recommended that examinees refer to Examination Advisory No. 4, s. 2024, available on the CSC website, to guarantee the seamless conduct of the exam across 16 CSC testing centers nationwide.

He also emphasized the importance of arriving at the testing venue on exam day no later than 6:30 am, or as specified by the relevant CSC Regional or Field Offices.

The gates of testing venues will be closed to examinees precisely at 7:45 a.m., and those who arrive late will not be permitted to take the exam.

The CSE-PPT will strictly implement the ‘No ID, No Exam’ policy.

Examinees are required to present a valid ID card on the day of the examination, preferably the same ID card used during the application process. If the original ID card is lost or unavailable, the examinee must present any of the valid ID cards listed in the advisory.

Only black ballpoint pens wi
ll be permitted for use during the exam.

Examinees are advised to wear proper attire, preferably plain white shirts or tops, and use transparent bags on examination day.

Wearing sleeveless shirts/blouses, shorts/short pants, tokong pants, ripped jeans, and slippers are strictly prohibited. Long hair must also be tied, while the wearing of face masks is optional.

The CSE-PPT Professional Level has a time limit of three hours and 10 minutes for the 170-item exam, while the Sub-Professional Level is provided with two hours and 40 minutes for the 165-item exam.

Bringing the test booklet outside of the testing room or venue is strictly prohibited, and the use of any aid in answering the test is not allowed.

Exam takers are also not permitted to bring with them electronic devices to their seats — such as cellular phones, smartwatches, or any other gadgets — that can be used to capture an audio or video recording of any portion of the test materials or of the exam process.

The complete list of reminders and
guidelines can be accessed from the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Thursday said there are sufficient safeguards provided in Senate Bill No. 2573, or the Cannabis Medicalization Act of the Philippines for him to sign the committee report on the proposed measure.

The panel report was prepared and submitted jointly by the Senate Committees on Health and Demography; Public Order and Dangerous Drugs; and Finance.

Ejercito is one of the 13 senators who signed Committee Report No. 210, together with Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, and Senators Robinhood Padilla, Christopher Lawrence Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark Villar, Lito Lapid, Raffy Tulfo, Ramon Revilla Jr., and Grace Poe.

“Nakita ko naman na meron namang safeguards na nilagay po doon. Dapat may monitoring for every product para alam kung saan mapupunta talaga. So, yun yung nakita ko sa bill (I saw that there are safeguards stated there. There should be monitoring for every product to determine w
here it will really go. So, that’s what I saw in the bill),” Ejercito said during the regular Kapihan sa Senado forum.

SB 2573 includes provisions on who are qualified patients; issuance of written prescriptions; qualifications of the physicians issuing the prescription; the administration of medical cannabis; qualified cannabis industry players; and the parameters for the cultivation, production and manufacturing of cannabis, among others.

Ejercito said these safeguards should be clearly stated in the implementing rules and regulations, if ever the bill is enacted.

He also suggested that medical cannabis products should be initially imported, and be provided with QR codes for easy tracking and monitoring.

“Siguro i-import na lang muna kung saka-sakali, kasi ang challenge diyan kung magkakaroon ng plantation. Madaling magamit (Maybe we should import it [medical cannabis] first if ever [the bill is enacted into law], because the challenge there is if there will be plantations. It can be easily abused),” Ej
ercito noted.

Ejercito, who was former chairperson of the Health and Demography panel, added that he is open to discuss the proposed measure, citing personal experiences.

“My sister-in-law is an epileptic. Ang alam ko, kapag inaatake yun, madalas halos araw-araw. Nakakatakot, di mo alam kung magsu-survive. Pero nung nakakuha siya ng medical cannabis, ng medication, nawala na talaga (What I know is that she had seizures almost on a daily basis. It is scary because you don’t know if she will survive. But when she got the medical cannabis, the medication, it was gone),” Ejercito said, noting that cancer patients are also pushing for the measure.

Sponsored by Senator Padilla, SB 2573 recognizes the medicinal quality of marijuana, and seeks the establishment of a Philippine Medical Cannabis Authority under the Department of Health, which shall be assisted by the Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee.

Revilla and Villar signed the report with reservations while Go, Poe, Pimentel, and Villanueva said they might in
terpellate or propose amendments to the measure.

On the other hand, Senator Imee Marcos said she did not sign the committee report because the lines of authority and enforcement were not clear to her.

“I appreciate the intent, particularly the compassionate use of marijuana, but at the same time, I would like to see very clear lines of control and regulation, as well as a mechanism for genuine enforcement, which has impeded the implementation of this law in many jurisdictions – some much better managed than ours,” Marcos said in the same forum.

‘Gusto ko mahigpit kung sino yung authority, kung sino talaga ang mamamahala. Hindi masyadong maliwanag sa akin (I want it to be clear – who the authority is, who the administrator is. It is not quite clear to me).”

Looking at other countries, Marcos noted that enforcement has repeatedly failed, particularly in the limitation to medical use, which, she said scares her.

She cited what a lot of doctors have been saying that allowing the medical use of marijuana coul
d make it a “gateway drug” to dangerous drugs.

“Sasabihin nila medical use lamang, pero dun sa enforcement, sa implementation, imposibleng gawin kasi may mahahanap at mahahanap talaga na dahilan (They will say it’s only for medical use but in the enforcement and implementation, that would be impossible because they will always find a reason),” Marcos said.

Source: Philippines News Agency