More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
The latest pandemic-era court case resulted in Philippine Nutri-Foods Corporation winning a P12.73 million judgement against the Department of Social Welfare and Development Mimaropa for delivering nutripacks to four provinces.
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| https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/food-supplier-wins-claim-vs-dswd-mimaropa/ |
A supplier contracted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Mimaropa office won a P12.73-million claim for food deliveries made during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission on Audit (COA) ruled.
The COA granted the petition filed by the Philippine Nutri-Foods Corporation (PNFC), saying it won the bidding on July 15, 2020 for the supply and delivery of “nutripacks” to four provinces — Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Palawan — which were under community quarantines, or lockdowns during the first months of the pandemic.
PNFC delivered P9.76-million worth of nutripacks to Romblon, P1.22 million to Oriental Mindoro, P873,915 to Puerto Galera, P761,040 to Marinduque, and P112,710 to Palawan.
To support its claim, the PNFC submitted copies of various documents such as the notice of post qualification, notice of award, contract, performance bond, purchase order, notice to proceed, sales invoice, and collection receipts.
While DSWD Mimaropa did not object to the claim, it said that it acted as only the recipient and facilitator of the Supplemental Feeding Program. It added that the PNFC submitted the claim late, and there was a shortage of cash available to pay them.
The COA said that there was no question that PNFC was entitled to compensation since it accomplished its obligations by completing deliveries at the time they were expected. It also noted that neither the validity of the contract, nor the completion of the delivery was being challenged.
“PMFC complied with its obligation to deliver the food items as shown in the sales invoice and delivery Receipts. Thus, it is clearly established that PNFC is entitled to be paid….inasmuch as it would unjustly enrich the DSWD RO IV-B (Mimaropa Regional Office) at PNFC’s expense if the obligation to pay is not settled,” the COA said.
“Notably, the only reason for its non-payment of which PNFC has no control or participation is that the claims were not considered in the request for cash allocation; thus, leaving the available cash insufficient to pay the approved disbursement vouchers,” the commission added.
DSWD Mimaropa says the claim was filed late and they had no money to pay them. Both are bad excuses. They did the job and they should get paid. Why would the DSWD contract the job if they did not have the money to pay?
The online gaming sector is thriving amidst the pandemic recovery.
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| https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/10/02/tmt-newswire/pr-newswire/philippine-online-gaming-sector-thrives-amid-pandemic-recovery/1977735 |
As the global pandemic recedes, the Philippine online gaming sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, a recent study by 188BET has found. Shifts in consumer behavior, economic recovery, and a surge in mobile gaming have all fueled this expansion. With advancing technologies and changing preferences, the industry is poised for sustained growth in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the rise of online gaming. Lockdowns and social distancing measures led people to digital platforms for social interaction and entertainment. Online gaming quickly became a popular, safe option for staying connected while remaining at home.
This trend resulted in a surge of new players, pushing operators to innovate with new games and improved user experiences. The outcome was a sharp rise in user engagement and revenue for the online gaming industry, as people sought ways to enjoy immersive entertainment from home.
The pandemic also drove a fundamental shift in consumer behavior toward digital entertainment. More people than ever before turned to online gaming for fun, leading to an expanded audience that includes individuals who had not previously engaged with digital gaming.
Players now seek more interactive and immersive experiences, prompting platforms to adopt technologies like live streaming, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). These enhancements are shaping the future of online gaming, appealing to a growing and diverse player base.
The online gaming industry has played a critical role in the Philippines'economic recovery. The surge in demand for digital gaming generated substantial revenue, supporting sectors such as technology, entertainment, and hospitality.
Moreover, the industry has created thousands of jobs in areas like game development, IT support, marketing, and customer service, which have been crucial in helping the nation recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. Increased tax revenues from gaming operators have also bolstered government efforts to fund public services and infrastructure.
The Philippine online gaming industry is set for continued expansion, driven by the ongoing rise in mobile gaming and evolving consumer preferences. As the sector continues to innovate, with AR and VR leading the charge, it will need to balance growth with regulatory compliance and responsible gaming practices to ensure long-term success.
I'm pretty sure this is. paid ad by 1888BET disguised as news but it's still noteworthy.
The pandemic brought the inner crazy in a lot of people. One of those crazies was Bishop Rod Cubos. He declared the vaccine would bring about a zombie apocalypse and he claimed Nostradamus had predicted it. Now he is running for Mayor of Davao.
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| https://www.rappler.com/philippines/elections/anti-vaxx-preacher-zombie-apocalypse-runs-davao-mayor/ |
Rodolfo Cubos, a Davao-based preacher who once stirred a public scare with his anti-vaccine sermons during the COVID-19 pandemic, has now set his sights on local politics.
Cubos, the leader of the Christ the Healer International Missions Movement (CTHIMM), became the first to officially enter the mayoral race in Davao City. Cubos filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Saturday, October 5, a move seen as a challenge to the city’s entrenched political powers.
Known to his followers as “Bishop Rod,” Cubos is campaigning under the promise of a “bag-ong Davao” (new Davao), a slogan resonating with his calls for change in the city’s leadership.
His COC-filing was marked by fanfare, with his followers clad in violet shirts gathering at Magsaysay Park, chanting his name and calling for change in Davao.
Cubos gained public attention in 2021 when he warned of a zombie apocalypse as part of his broader opposition to COVID-19 vaccinations. As the government pushed its inoculation campaign, Cubos became a vocal critic, claiming the vaccines posed spiritual as well as physical dangers.
“Ayaw mo pagdawat (Don’t get jabbed…) It will not only endanger your body but your soul as well,” he preached in a video that quickly spread across social media platforms.
Cubos’ preaching included apocalyptic visions, framed as biblical prophecy, with an overlay of Nostradamus-inspired predictions. He warned that vaccinations would bring about the extermination of two generations and lead to the rise of zombies, a scenario he claimed was foretold in the 16th century.
Despite the outlandish nature of his claims, his message resonated with a portion of his followers. His doomsday rhetoric became a viral topic, though it quickly turned into fodder for online jokes.
Now, Cubos has turned his pulpit into a political stage, carrying the same fervor into his mayoral bid.
Also of great interest his Cubo's ties to Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture who promotes a false history of the Philippines. What a fitting friendship.
Inflation has finally sunk to pre-pandemic levels.
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| https://business.inquirer.net/483770/ph-wins-battle-vs-inflation |
The Philippines may now declare victory in its long and painful fight against inflation after price growth last month eased to a four-year low, helping create the perfect economic condition for gradual interest rate cuts.
“Last time inflation was this low, the Philippines was in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Aris Dacanay, economist at HSBC Global Research, said of the lower-than-expected inflation in September.
“It almost feels too good to be true,” Dacanay added. “But we think the September CPI (consumer price index) marks the day that the BSP’s inflation battle is finally over—all because of a mix of both hard work and luck.”
Latest data show inflation softened to 1.9 percent in September, coming in below market expectations and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) own forecast range of 2 to 2.8 percent for the month.
That's nice but we are still feeling the crunch of higher prices. Where is the real world application?
With the pandemic settling down (isn't it over??) Japanese students and teachers are travelling to the Philippines to learn English.
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| https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/10/07/japan/society/study-abroad-philippines/ |
As the COVID-19 pandemic settles down, more Japanese people are going abroad to study.
Some 64,000 people went overseas to study last year, doubling from a year before and recovering to roughly 80% of prepandemic levels.
Asian countries are eager to attract such people, as popular destinations for studying abroad shift away from Western countries amid rising prices and the weak yen.
In August, the Philippines’ Department of Tourism organized a tour to allow high school teachers in Japan to visit the country.
“Everyone, please imagine yourselves being students studying abroad,” said a teacher from Howdy English Academy, an English-language school attached to a hotel in the Philippines’ Cebu island.
One-on-one mock lessons were held, with around 10 teachers from high schools in Fukuoka, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures invited by the Philippines' Department of Tourism serving as students.
The lessons were taught by Filipino teachers who graduated from a university in the Philippines majoring in education and obtained a professional teaching certificate.
The school offers courses of up to eight weeks with classes five days a week, and the shortest course — one-week — is priced at hundreds of thousands of yen.
“The price is about half the amount required for studying in the United States, whose programs are mainly group lessons,” a staff member from Howdy English Academy said. “Even with the shortest course, you can spend days immersed in an English-only environment, something you can’t experience in Japan.”
The tour was organized to offer teachers involved in planning school trips and study-abroad programs first-hand experience.
People studying at Howdy stay at a hotel close to where the school is located. They can enjoy shopping and go swimming in the sea on weekends. The school accepts not only high school students but also working adults, parents and children.
The tour’s participants also visited another English-language school and a hospital and received explanations on living costs and medical services available in the area.
Some participants asked questions on security issues and commuting methods.
“It was good that we could see for ourselves” emergency response and medical services, said one of the participants who in the past accompanied students studying abroad and had trouble taking care of a student who fell sick.
According to a survey conducted on 40 study-abroad agencies who are members of the Japan Association of Overseas Studies (JAOS) in Tokyo, the number of students going to North America or Oceania to study in 2023 was less than 80% of the figure in 2019.
On the other hand, those who went to study in countries in Asia such as the Philippines and Malaysia in 2023 rose 10% from 2019. By region, Asia was the only area to receive more Japanese students than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
By country, the U.S. was the most popular destination in 2023, with some 14,000, or 22.4% of the total, choosing the country, followed by Australia with 19%, Canada with 14.7%, the United Kingdom with 10.7% and the Philippines with 9%.
Malaysia was chosen by 893 people, occupying only 1.4% of the total, but the figure was nearly double the number posted in 2019.
More than 70% chose a program of less than three months.
JAOS believes there is a growing trend of study-abroad destinations shifting to Asia, which offers programs at lower prices than other areas such as North America, as the costs of studying abroad is pushed up by the weak yen and rising prices.
“Studying in Asia is attractive because it is close to Japan and living costs including food expenses are lower,” said an official from a study-abroad agency in the Kyushu region. “I think Asia will become an even closer study-abroad destination in the future.”
The official said the number of people wishing to go to North America is declining and the agency is receiving more inquiries for programs in Asia as the first choice.
The participants of the tour in the Philippines were also taken to another location — Caohagan Island, located about an hour away from Cebu by boat.
The island is known as an impoverished area, with the average monthly income of households said to be around ¥9,000.
The tour participants inspected the island, led by a staff member from go share, a nonprofit organization that has offices in Japan and the Philippines and offers support to the island’s residents.
They visited an elementary school holding classes outside because of the lack of a school building and looked at houses damaged by a typhoon.
The residents of the island have to go to other islands to purchase drinking water. They store rainwater for daily use.
“We brought you to this island to offer added value to studying abroad,” said Koji Takehara, an official from the Philippines Department of Tourism’s Osaka office who organized the tour. Takehara has experience of working in the Philippines.
The tour demonstrates that students can not only learn English but can also gain experiences that may widen their worldview.
Some high schools choose to include a trip to Caohagan in their school trips or study-abroad programs.
One of the teachers who participated in the tour said, “I thought 'I want to study here myself' and I could really feel this place can make me reinvent myself.
“I’m sure my students will feel the same way.”
Potential students visited an island without a proper classroom and without drinking water. What a way to "widen their worldview." Who thought this was a good idea? They would be coming here to learn English, not die from the elements.
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