The Movement for Media Reform Is Just Another Pro-Marcos Propaganda Group

The Movement for Media Reform is one of several propaganda groups formed after the May elections which saw the Marcos family return to Malacanãng. Ostenisbly MMR is a group of likeminded people who have banded together to lobby for media reform in the Philippines. Before looking at their mission statement or "What we do" it would do well to look at who forms their core group.

Now, being that this is a group advocating media reform one would think that the core members, like the man who formed the National Union of Philippine Journalists (NUJP), would all be journalists. You would be mistaken.

https://movementformediareform.com

Out of these 11 people only TWO describe themselves as journalists. TWO!!! Compare that to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) which was founded by NINE journalists.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) is an independent, nonprofit media agency that specializes in investigative reporting. It was founded in 1989 by nine Filipino journalists who realized, from their years in the beat and at the news desk, the need for newspapers and broadcast agencies to go beyond day–to–day reportage.

https://pcij.org/about/

Let's take a look at this motley crew of...journalist reform lobbyists? I don't know what to call them but they aren't journalists though they think they can tell journalists how to do their job. Imagine shouting at your mechanic from the sideline as he tries to fix your car. It's the same thing.

First up is the big dog René Astudillo. I call him the big dog because he is the first listed and he authored the MMR's mission statement as we shall see. 

This guy is the only one who claims to be a regular journalist. According to his Linkedin profile he is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association but he lists no media outlets as former employers in his CV.  He also studied mass communication at St. Louis University in Baguio City. Aside from those two blurbs there is nothing to indicate he has ever been a practicing journalist. Currently he is a Human Resources manager. 

René's biggest claim to fame is being the creator of The Adobo Chronicles. This is where the Satirist sobriquet comes into play. Founded in 2013 by Astudillo The Adobo Chronicles describes itself as follows:

THE ADOBO CHRONICLES  is your source of up-to-date, unbelievable news. Everything you read on this site is based on fact, except for the lies.

https://adobochronicles.com/about/

The site has become so popular that Astudillo had to reformat it so that people could tell what was factual from what was false because so many people were taking it all as being factual. 

NEW FORMAT: The Adobo Chronicles has recently adopted a new format to help readers distinguish between fact and fiction. Statements and paragraphs in our posts that are in italics  represent the facts.  The rest are fiction. (Note: This does not apply to our Adobo Chronicles’ Fact Check: Fact-checking the Fact Checkers.)

One of the most recent posts mocks Leni Robredo for receiving an honorary degree from Harvard.

https://adobochronicles.com/2022/09/07/even-puppets-receive-honorary-doctorate-degrees/

It’s been much ado about nothing, this honorary doctorate degree given by Ateneo de Manila University to former Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo.

Honorary degrees are now known as a celebratory gesture and hold no weight in society, though some recipients use the Ph.D title and add it to their curriculum vitae, despite being urged not to do so. 

So, don’t get excited if you or anyone you know and look up do receives an honorary Ph.D. Even puppets get them. Literally!

Where is the joke?  This is awful!  I did this joke back in 2017 when Duterte was awarded an honorary degree by the UP. AND I included Leni because she also recieved a honorary degree from the University of Saint Anthony in Carmines Sur.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2017/04/on-honorary-degrees.html 

The Adobo Chronicles is so unfunny they won't even show the joke that muppets, NOT PUPPETS, get honorary degrees.  It's lame!

Here's another anti-joke from the Adobo Chronicles. 

https://adobochronicles.com/2022/08/22/president-bongbong-marcos-orders-retention-of-august-21-as-a-national-holiday/

It’s perhaps one of the most difficult decisions President Bongbong Marcos has had to make so far: to retain August 21 as a national holiday.

August 21 is the death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino, and is the birthday of the First Lady, Lisa Araneta Marcos.

But it is also common knowledge that August 21 is the anniversary of the Plaza Miranda bombing which many believe to be the works of anti-Marcos and communist elements. It resulted in the death of 9 people and injury to 95. Aquino was mysteriously absent during that Liberal Party rally.

Marcos’ decision came in the form of an Executive Order.

All’s well that ends well.

What is funny about this? The fact that the enemy of Marcos' father is Ninoy Aquino and a holiday celebrating Aquino is the same day as his wife's birthday? That's not very funny. Definitely needs some work. How about this send off of Duterte:

https://adobochronicles.com/2022/06/16/rodrigo-dutertes-legacy-colorful-philippine-foreign-policy/

At noon on June 30, 2022, Ferdinand (Bongbong) Marcos, Jr., takes his oath as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

As we look back to the past six years under Rodrigo Duterte, his colorful foreign policy, marked with unique diplomacy comes to mind. It is a legacy that could define, or redefine the country’s standing with the world community.

Tagged by many as a departure from the Philippines’ long-standing attachment to Uncle Sam, Duterte opened the door for harmonious and beneficial relationships with its Asian neighbors and world powers that matter. 

Today, the Philippines has earned multiple distinctions as a province of China, a Federated State of Russia and Prefecture of Japan.

Six years may be too short for a good President. Another two years in duterte’s term could have made the Philippines a Caste of India. Who knows?

Again, where is the joke? Remember the regular font is supposed to be the funny stuff. But the fact is, as can be seen in the picture, Duterte's pro-China stance did cause some to mock that the Philippines is now a Province of China. A Caste of India? Does Astudillo even know what caste means? It's so terribly unfunny. And this is the guy who wants to reform the media. 

Let's look at the rest of the crew. We don't even have to go in-depth because their listed qualifications say it all.

Hedda Tady - Educator/ Content Creator

Epee Rafanan - Culture Advocate/ Events Organizer

Jeremiah Odra - Business Operations/ Marketing Comms-PR

Peter Serrano - Actor/ Trainor/ Host/ Advocate

Emil Bichara - Trainer/ Public Speaker/ Life Coach

PJ Cabrera - Mobile Journalist/ OH Nurse/ Influencer. This is the second guy on this list who claims he is a journalist. But what is a mobile journalist? Sounds like something he made up. 

Brian Neyra - Artist/ Designer/ Geopolitical Observer Isn't anyone who reads the news a geopolitical observer?

Julie Odra - Community Development Consultant

Melchor Vergara - Entrepreneur/ Netizen Everybody who uses the internet is a Netizen! 

Orman Manansala - Banker/ Blogger

Out of all these people Hedda Tady, Brian Neyra, and Melchor Vergara have contributed to The Adobo Chronicles and Epee Rafanan is mentioned in an article. 

In San Francisco, Epee Rafanan, co-founder of a Filipino American gay social organization, Barangay, said  teaching gayspeak in Philippine schools is long overdue.

https://adobochronicles.com/2015/08/13/gayspeak-to-be-taught-in-philippine-schools/

Let's look at the mission statement of The Movement for Media Reform.

The Movement for Media Reform was born out of the changing landscape in the news media, characterized by increasing citizen participation in the spread of information on the Internet. Bias and ideological agenda on the part of some in the mainstream news media (MNM) have always been a given but have surfaced more clearly as they tried to desperately keep their standing as the only legitimate source of information.

MNM became threatened, having to compete for revenue as well as subscribers and followers. Survey after survey has shown the declining trust in the news media by audiences and consumers. It is amid this scenario that concerned individuals banded together to form an online movement aimed at reforming the news media in the hope that someday soon, they will regain the people’s trust as a fair, balanced and legitimate source of information needed for nation-building.

• Being a movement of volunteers, we rely on our members and supporters to help us achieve our mission, and to actively participate in the things that we do. In summary, we ascribe to our 3 C’s: * Check the facts * Call out bias and promote the truth * Create trust in the news To this end, some of the things we do include (but are not limited to):
• Fact-check the fact checkers.
• MNM and fact checkers do not have the monopoly of truth and accuracy. We will strive to call out news sources that knowingly or unknowingly spread disinformation.
• We will constantly remind news sources (individual journalists and news brands) of their responsibility to provide their audiences with factual information, void of editorializing, self-serving news slants, or obvious propaganda.
• We partner with reputable polling firms, like Publicus Asia, in disseminating results of media trust and other news-related surveys so that news consumers are guided in their choice of information sources.
• We engage our membership to weigh in on important issues related to news media responsibility along with our own membership polls, summaries and results of which we forward to appropriate agencies and organizations in both the government and private sectors.
• As resources become available, we will convene journalists and social media influencers to participate in skills-building workshops, training and webinars, inviting speakers and experts to discuss responsibility under Freedom of the Press and Free Speech.
• We will use all available social media venues to promote and generate support for our mission and activities both locally and international.

https://movementformediareform.com/what-we-do/

The Movement for Media Reform is not pleased by the Mainstream News Media (MNM) because not only do they have biases but they also want to be seen as the only legitimate source of information. But trust in the MNM has eroded. Therefore the MMR wants to act as a buffer between the MNM and the public. They want to fact check the fact checkers, alert news sources to their biases, and eventually convene journalists and social media influencers to build their skills and "discuss responsibility under Freedom of the Press and Free Speech." But who fact checks those who fact check the fact checkers?

Now, the only responsibility anyone ever has is to tell the truth whatever it may be. Judging from the way the MMR has been operating so far they are not very interested in truth. In fact in their Twitter feed there is hardly anything about media reform or calling out biases. There is a lot of calling out the usual suspects DDS has been targeting for the past six years.  This includes Leni Robredo, ABS-CBN, and Rappler. Take this tweet for instance.

https://twitter.com/MMR4MediaReform/status/1559898661542596610

News media should invest in hiring competent headline writers…otherwise they end up with captions akin to this : “Police shoot dead armed man” instead of “Police shot an armed man dead”. :)

In a rush to mock Rappler the MMR only shows their ignorance. First of all this is not a Rappler article. It is from the AFP who sells articles to news outlets around the world. Second of all "to shoot dead" someone is grammatically correct English. Just Google it. 

Here is another instance of MMR attempting to fact check someone and ending up with egg on their face.

https://twitter.com/MMR4MediaReform/status/1556068543963078657

What Richard Heydarian is saying here is why should anyone care about mass atrocities from 40 years ago when EJKs in the past few years didn't cause anyone to blink an eye? Rene Astudillo, the big dog of MMR, feigns outrage saying, "He wants people to be INVESTED in mass atrocities???" Does he think Richard wants people to financially invest in mass atrocities? How much more stupid can he be? René is doing this not because he is for media reform but because he does not like Richard Heydarian's politics.

The fact is René Astudillo and the MMR are not for genuine media reform. What they really want is for the media to stop talking about the evils and crimes the Marcos family have foisted and continue to foist upon this nation. Here is René Astudillo actually defending the brutal Marcos dictatorship.

https://twitter.com/MMR4MediaReform/status/1550780297414725632

Of course there is no smoking gun on MMR's Twitter feed. Nothing that says the Marcos family is innocent. But there is this:

https://twitter.com/MMR4MediaReform/status/1536892981202255873

"There are two sides to a story." This is exactly what the Marcos revisionist and denialist crowd has been saying for a number of years. The thing is we know the whole story. It has been told in books, in newspaper articles, and most importantly in court records. Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda plundered the nation and had their critics imprisoned or murdered.  That is simply a fact of history that no amount of memes or tweets will ever change. 

Here is proof that the MMR cares very little about actual journalists and the danger of being a journalist in the Philippines. Rather than condemn the assassination of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid they essentially blame him for his death. 

https://www.facebook.com/movementformediareform/posts/129857346473781

In the murder of radio anchor Percy Lapid

No one is suppressing free press we don't know the whole story of his life and who he bumped into.

Let's not avoid comments against "press freedom" because until now we are free to express and air.

We don't know who he bumped into? True enough and while this assassination may turn out to have nothing to do with his journalistic activities the fact is the Philippines remains dangerous for journalists. Percy is the 5th radio broadcaster to be assassinated this year. Yet these frauds at the MMR cannot even bring themselves to acknowledge this fact and condemn the killing of journalists. Instead they hide behind a pretend impartiality saying they do not want to "jump the gun."  Could it be because Percy was an outspoken critic of Marcos and Duterte and the MMR is all about protecting Marcos from all criticism? Indubitably. Now we are told by the killer that he received his orders from New Bilibid prison. 

Does the media need reform? Sure. The news can be reported better with less biases and more pertinent information. The Philippine media should stop showing dead bodies even if they are blurred. And dissenting voices should be allowed without fear of being red-tagged which can turn out to be deadly. In the Philippines journalists are killed with impunity rather often. But don't expect the Movement for Media Reform to discuss any of that. They are just another of the many propaganda groups seeking to shield Marcos from criticism for both his and his parent's crimes.

Indonesian University Partners With Fabunan Antiviral Injection

A reader sent the following story and I thank him for it. This about the fake Fabunan Antiviral Injection which was being passed off last year as a cure for COVID-19.

https://ugm.ac.id/en/news/20451-ugm-develops-antiviral-drug-for-coronavirus

Everything about that headline is a lie. But let's dig deeper.

Universitas Gadjah Mada built a partnership with PT Philippines Antiviral Indonesia (FAI) to develop a Covid-19 antiviral drug. The development is currently being conducted and still awaiting approval from BPOM and the Ethics Committee for clinical trials. Based on the plan, the distribution target for Covid-19 antiviral will be ready in 2022. The Deputy Chancellor for Cooperation and Alumni Affairs, Prof. Dr. Paripurna Sugarda, conveyed this statement online to journalists on the sidelines of the UGM-Industry Research Forum 2020 activity on Wednesday (2/12).

Paripurna revealed that the drug development cooperation collaborated with FAI. This philanthropic company will provide funding for UGM researchers to develop drugs in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. "This collaboration basically aims to develop anti-inflammatory drugs, but it was also developed for the Covid-19 antiviral as well," he said.

Paripurna maintained that this UGM cooperation with industrial partners aimed not only to produce a Covid-19 diagnostic tool based on the RI-GHA antigen and GeNose that can detect Covid-19 from breath, but UGM will also produce antiviral drugs later. "We are not only producing positive detection kits for Covid but also producing vaccines. We can even produce Covid-19 drugs," he said.

Right off the bat in the second and third paragraph the headline comes unravelled. This University may have patterned with FAI but they have not yer developed an antiviral drug for COVID-19.  They are looking to develop anti-inflammatory drugs as well as a test that can detect COVID-19 by breath. The target for distributing any antiviral drug is set for 2022 which means they would be rushing it into production just like the other COVID-19 vaccines which have been approved in such an uncustomarily short time. The normal time to develop a vaccine is 10 - 15 years.

From the article it is not clear that who exactly UGM has partnered with but it is indeed the Fabunans as seen on the FAI webpage.

https://www.facebook.com/FAIofficialpage/posts/173546591157501

It seems strange that UGM would partner with frauds like the Fabunans because it appears to be a legitimate research university.

Gadjah Mada University is a public research university located in Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Officially founded on 19 December 1949, Gadjah Mada University is one of the oldest and largest institutions of higher education in the country. It is widely known as the largest and the first state university in the nation. It has been credited as one of the best universities in Indonesia, along with the Bandung Institute of Technology and the University of Indonesia. In the 2021 QS World Universities Ranking, UGM is ranked 1st in Indonesia and 254th in the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadjah_Mada_University

It's also not clear why the headline is a lie. Why would a University publish a fraudulent headline? No antiviral drug for COVID-19 has been developed by UGM. That is a future endeavor. The breathalyzer test for COVID-19 is interesting but not unique to UGM. However this device known as GeNose has been deployed to train stations and has a 95% accuracy rate.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-indonesia-detector-idUSL4N2K938O

Indonesia launched a COVID-19 screening programme at train stations on Wednesday using a breathalyzer it hopes can find positive cases in a country battling one of the worst coronavirus epidemics in Asia. 

The breathalyzer, known as GeNose, was developed by the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM), which says it detects the reaction between the coronavirus and body tissue in the respiratory tract with at least 95% accuracy. 

Subjects are required to blow into a bag and the result is available in just two minutes.

A similar breath test for COVID-19, SpiroNose, developed by a Dutch health technology company, is being rolled out in the Netherlands to speed up its testing process.

GeNose underwent clinical trial at a Yogyakarta hospital in May 2020 and was approved for distribution in December. It differs from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab tests and the rapid tests that extract blood with a prick of the finger. 

“It’s a simple method and easier for me as sometimes, the rapid antigen test hurts slightly,” said Mugi Hartoyo, 59, after taking the test in central Jakarta. 

Indonesia has the biggest coronavirus battle in Southeast Asia, with about 1.1 million infections and over 30,000 deaths, stretching its hospitals. Critics have said its testing, tracing and health protocols have been weak. 

The machine, sold at 68 million Indonesian rupiah ($4,850), is implanted with a memory of positive PCR swab test results, Kuwat Triyana, who heads the innovation team, told Reuters.

“This tool adapts the function of the human nose or of the sniffer dog’s nose, which is to recognise the smell, or in this case to recognise the smell of the breath of a person who is confirmed with COVID, compared to people who are not,” he said. 

Those with positive readings are required to undergo a confirmatory PCR test.

Though it does have shortcomings, it could help detection efforts, said Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University.

That sounds like a very ingenious invention. It's just too bad that UGM would partner with frauds such as FAI and announce the development of a vaccine when that clearly is not what happened.

Bootleg Toys For Christmas

Christmas is here and for many children that means toys. In the Philippines there are many bootleg toys which copy big name toys.  Let's take a look at some of them.

This is a bootleg Jurassic Park toy. It is based off the recent reboot Jurassic World which is why it is branded Dinosaur World. I do not recall anyone riding on pterodactyls in that film!

Next up we have some bootleg comic book figures. First is the Avengers which as been rebranded Heroes Assemble. That is clearly Ironman. Not Black Sabbath's Ironman of course. That is a bootleg Robert Downey Jr. Below him we have Bat Hero. Obviously Batman. Actually he is looking like a terminator Batman. And for good reason too. How else would he defeat Super Clown?

With this level of threat you have to get the justice league together. Especially Superman!

Is that his laser eyes look? Pew, pew, pew!

These next toys are something else entirely.  Who knew guided missiles would be a fun kids toy?

To be honest these toys do remind me of my childhood. The one toy with the single missile looks like the missile launcher in Spies Like Us! A funny comedy to be sure and not for children but the missile was a nuke!

I did have more bootleg toys but let's end here with my favorite bootleg toy so far. 

It's Elsa from Frozen.  Now she is a transformer watch! A Hero Watch.

What can even be said about this? It is spectacular. It brings a tear to my eye and joy to my heart. Disney could never be so creative as to have a robot princess with ice powers who keeps time precisely.

Coronavirus Lockdown: The Fabunan Antiviral Injection Fraud

Thanks to a long time reader who turned me on to the videos I am going to review in this post. The Youtube channel is Bong Hermosa and from the looks of it his channel is about "How to Earn Your Millions the Quick and Easy Way."

https://www.youtube.com/user/joshua12094/videos

Though this channel has existed since October 2007 it only has 389,905 views. 369,000 of those views are from a very recent video:

https://youtu.be/9TAlucqbpxE

With it's bad English, robotic narration, silly sound effects, and over the top surprised faces this video is absolutely hilarious!

According to Dr. Willie Fabunan who has clinic in Olongapo City and San Marcelino Zambales Philippines, that his antiviral injection can cure, the novel corona virus. 

Dr. Willie Fabunan said that this antiviral injection, is also a medicine that he is using for HIV/AIDS positive patients. 

A lot of his HIV positive patients were healed using this anti-viral injection. 

He invented the medicine for novel coronavirus 30 years ago. 

He invented the medicine for the novel coronavirus 30 years ago!!?? You mean a cure for HIV/AIDS was discovered right here in the Philippines 30 years ago??

But what is this antiviral injection composed of?

"It is composed of procaine, dexamethasone, and glucosteroid." 

Glucosteroid is an anti-inflammatory, procaine is a painkiller that works similarly as cocaine at high enough doses, and dexamethasone is used in treating breathing disorders. The narrator goes on to tell us that this cocktail has been used by Dr. Fabunan to treat some of his COVID-19 positive patients and that the ingredients to make this antiviral injection are readily available over the counter. This antiviral injection can be used to treat many ailments. The trick is mixing it just right.

The Fabunan family of doctors have for years now been treating patients with dengue, chikungunya, dog bite, snake bites, and even HIV/AIDS with their anti-viral injection.  According to Dr. Willie Fabunan, his anti-viral injection is a combination of drugs anyone can buy from drug stores over-the-counter. 

“We just change the ratio of these combination drugs in treating various ailments,” Fabunan said in stressing the safety of the drug combo.

https://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/320553

A medicine that cures various ailments and acts as either an anti-viral or an anti-venom based solely on the ratio of elements in the mixture?

Exactly. It's totally unbelievable.  The narrator goes on to say:

The president of the Republic of the Philippines is very much eager and his trying his best effort to find the cure for COVID-19. As the present update about the medicine for COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte is now arranging the medical authorities to test the effectiveness of the Fabuana antiviral injection for novel corona virus. The FDA visited the Fabuanan medical clinic as inspection, for the application of license to operate, to use the antiviral injection for novel corona virus treatment. The FDA is trying their best to do the processing or the approval for the said anti-virus. The Fabunans are trying their best to submit all the necessary requirements for the approval from FDA and Department of Health. If the antiviral injection by the Fabunans would be approved by the Department of Health and by the Food and Drugs Administration, we will have the medicine for novel corona virus that is made in the Philippines.

At this point in the video there is the sound effect of a large crowd cheering which drowns out the narrator and will make your ears bleed if you are wearing headphones. Then we have this:

One need not be a doctor to know this whole video is bunk. Three ingredients mixed at different ratios are not going to cure snake bites, dengue, HIV/AIDS, or COVID-19.  Snake venom is not a virus and not all viruses operate in the same manner. Not to mention there is no known cure for HIV/AIDS which makes Fabunan's claims rather dubious.

Will there be a vaccine for the coronavirus? COVID-19 does not absorb into cells which is why finding a vaccine looks hopeless at this point.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/coronavirus-vaccine-never-developed-warns-21890093

“Coronavirus doesn’t get into you, it stays on the surface cells in your lungs," he added. "All these flu viruses get into you, so the body can fight and makes T cells. 

“This virus doesn’t kill the cells, it makes them sick. At the moment we don’t know how to make a coronavirus vaccine work. That’s why there are 100 vaccines under testing using every conceivable approach. 

“We don’t know if any of them will work.”

But a cocktail that acts as both an antivenom and an antiviral will surely cure COVID-19. It's total nonsense and Fabunan has not even submitted any papers to the FDA as of April 14th.

As of April 15, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines has not yet approved the Fabunan Antiviral Injection. It is not included in FDA's list of registered drugs. 

In a text message to Rappler on April 14, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also said there is “no CPR (product registration) application submitted to FDA” in relation to the said antiviral injection. 

In an earlier statement on April 8, the FDA warned the public against the use of drugs or vaccines that are not yet certified to treat COVID-19, particularly the Fabunan Antiviral Injection and PRODEX B. 

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/257981-philippines-developed-coronavirus-cure-already-approved

Perhaps this photo posted on the Fabunan Antiviral Injection Facebook page on April 18th is a product registration application?

https://www.facebook.com/108027014182453/photos/a.108209520830869/125013625817125/?type=3&theater

PRODEX B is also being touted as a possible cure but the FDA has warned the public against it. PRODEX B is not so different from the Fabunan antiviral injection. Only one ingredient has been changed. It is composed of procaine, dexamethasone, and vitamin B instead of glucosteroid. The Manila Times ran an opinion piece touting the alleged benefits of this drug.

The potentially good news, however, is that we may have our own remedy right here in the country, reportedly curing patients with Covid-19 symptoms in Subic. 

If and when proven safe and effective in clinical trials now being sought — a gigantic if, since actual testing has yet to be set — the antiviral drug Prodex-B, combining the anesthetic procaine, the steroid dexamethasone and Vitamin B, could bring speedy recovery not only to Covid-19 patients, but to locked-down economies. 

The procaine-dexamethasone formulation has already cured a broad spectrum of deadly viral illnesses, as doctors and researchers attest: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), several dengue strains, chikungunya, leptospirosis and influenza — which is similar to Covid-19. Since our own outbreak, the remedy has been given by injection to patients with coronavirus symptoms, including one tested positive, with total success. 

So, said physicians at the drug’s proponent, Health For Life Clinic (HFL) in Subic. Patients showed improvement in as little as half a day and full recovery in 24 to 48 hours. HFL medical personnel have also been injected as a prophylactic or preventive measure — a potential boon to frontliners. No HFL staff have shown signs of Covid-19 despite exposure to patients with symptoms. 

(Disclosure: The writer is not a physician and cannot endorse any drug. He is part of a team formed by Covid-19 cure pioneer online advocate Ruby Ann Kagaoan to arrange clinical trials with the Department of Science and Technology [DoST] and its Philippine Council for Health Research and Development [PCHRD], which contacted the Philippine College of Physicians. Her team also requested East Avenue Medical Center [EAMC], the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health [ASMPH], the De La Salle University [DLSU] Health and Sciences Institute, the University of Santo Tomas [UST] Hospital and Medical School, local governments, the military, and the police.)

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/04/16/opinion/columnists/mr-president-the-antibody-we-need-may-be-here/714416/

Another miracle concoction which claims to cure AIDS, the flu, and dengue. Wow! How are Filipinos so smart and no one wants to recognize their efforts? How is the Manila Times so careless as to run this opinion piece about a drug which the FDA recommends against?

Despite the outlandish claims made by the promoters of PRODEX B it remains unapproved by the FDA and has no proven benefits.

Manufacturers and vendors of unlicensed products such as PRODEX B and the Fabunan Antiviral Injections have been informed regarding the process and requirements to register their products with the FDA Center for Drug Regulation and Research (CDRR). No applications for product registration have been filed to date. Until such products are proven safe and effective for use in the treatment of COVID-19 they cannot be dispensed to the public nor can therapeutic claims be made.

https://ww2.fda.gov.ph/attachments/article/669350/Press%20Statement%2018%20April%202020.pdf

If PRODEX B and the Fabunan antiviral injection are everything their creators claim them to be then why have there been no trials?  No peer review? No approval by the FDA? Why hasn't Duterte awarded them the P10 million prize for discovering a vaccine and cure?

On to the next video which was actually posted a few days before the one just discussed.

https://youtu.be/-6IJ1iqDwq4

This short video lists a few home made cures for COVID-19. According to this video, "In the absence of medical solutions, people are turning into home made cure for corona virus.

I don't want to spoil the video so I will just show you my favorite claim and cure.

The coronavirus can be seen as a "Pepper deficient Syndrome" and eating pepper soup can offer protection.

Rather than eating pepper soup I think it would be better to follow the advice given towards the end of this video which is seek medical attention with professionals because there is no cure for COVID-19.

Funny how this video says there is no "specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the COVID 19" and yet a few days later this channel posted a video boasting about a cure being invented 30 years ago!

It's all a lot of fake news and the worst of it is all the positivity and gullibility in the comment sections of these videos. From The God Culture to Healing Galing to fake COVID-19 cures it seems Filipinos are willing to believe anything.

The Royal Institution Singapore Is A Scam

The Royal Institution Singapore is a scam...of sorts. It's not a diploma mill but it sure looks like one. At its core RIS is really a networking organization disguised in the most outrageous and gaudy fashion imaginable as a Royal Institution. The RIS came to my attention after reading in the news that Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia had been conferred with three honorary degrees from the RIS.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091550

Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Tuesday said he is inspired by the honorary titles conferred to him by Royal Institution (RI) of Singapore in rites held on Monday. 

“This award will be a source of inspiration for me and will be our standard by now, and we hope that we will be guided with this henceforth,” the mayor said. 

Leonardia was the top honoree among the 45 professionals, who were bestowed various titles during the Royal Institution’s 29th International Conference and Conferment Ceremony, led by founding chairman FDr. Prof. Dr. ATS Ang and chancellor FDr. Prof. Dr. Samuel Salvador in the L’ Fisher Hotel here. 

“I am so happy that I am now part of this institution,” he said. 

Leonardia was granted the title “Doctor Fellow” in recognition of his “meritorious professional experience and academic achievements,” and is hereby authorized to use the designation “FDr.” before his name. 

He also received the title “Honorary Fellow” in recognition of his “exemplary achievements, distinguished expertise, remarkable services, and contributions to society as a brilliant lawyer, outstanding legislator, illustrious public administrator, and transformational leader.” 

He was bestowed as well the title “Doctor Fellow of Royal Institute of Public Administrators” of Singapore for “having successfully fulfilled the requirements for membership” and in recognition of his “meritorious professional experiences and academic achievements” and is hereby authorized to use the designation of “DFRIPAr” after his name. 

Royal Institution is a global professional, multidisciplinary, membership and accrediting institution that serves as a premier platform for smarter and more effective and efficient international networking and collaboration. 

Previously, the Royal Institution had also honored former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Senator Richard Gordon, former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, former Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, and renowned urban planner Arch. Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr.

According to their own website the mission of the Royal Institution Singapore is

To recognise the contribution, experience, academic and professional achievements, qualifications, talents and skills of all those who deserve recognition and who want to be distinguished and to continuously provide opportunities to enhance skills, competitive advantages, academic, professional and entrepreneurial status and profiles of RI members.

And their vision is

To be a world class global multidisciplinary professional membership and accrediting institution to level the playing field by recognising people and organisations who deserve to be recognised and be the premier platform for smarter and more effective global networking, connecting education, businesses, commerce, industries and facilitating collaboration, innovation and perpetual learning for more opportunities, benefits, privileges, excellence, global recognition and status.

https://www.ri2020.com/about-us/overview

That is a lot of mumbo-jumbo. Let's cut to the chase. The RIS is not a school. They do not confer degrees. There are no classes or professors. School's out forever! Instead you join as a member and pay them to confer an honorary degree upon you depending on your background. But it's not as simple as that either. Much like Skull and Bones you have to be tapped. Except you can also tap yourself by sending in an application.  Here is the membership flowchart:

https://www.ri2020.com/individual-membership/membership-process

On the membership application you have to choose your preferred Royal Institute.  You can choose from such wildly disparate classes as Royal Institute of Event Management, Royal Institute of Appraisers, Royal Institute of Doctorates, Royal Institute of Body Care, and Royal Institute of Air Conditioning and Heating Engineers. The list is very long so surely you will find a place for yourself.

Now that you have been accepted for membership you need to pay your fee which is based on the Professional Title for which you have qualified.

https://www.ri2020.com/individual-membership/membership-fees

All the qualifications for the titles listed above can be found here. Along with the membership title you also have to choose the appropriate robe and accoutrements. Each title has a different style of robe.

https://www.ri2020.com/individual-membership/ri-robe

And that's it. Nothing to it. You pay your money. You get your robe and your title and if you want to stay a member you pay the annual fee. It's hogwash, malarky, poppycock! You are paying big bucks to wear a fancy robe, get a silly title, and network with other people. Networking is the most important thing RIS offers. Nobody cares about the frivolous titles the RIS bestows upon people. Just take a look at these clowns.

No, not those clowns. These clowns!

What is the point of what they are doing? They are not graduating from a school. They are not receiving a degree. They are parading around in colorful robes and patting themselves on the back.  Even former President Gloria Arroyo is a member of RIS.

https://www.ri2020.com/about-us/governing-council/patrons

GMA actually does have a PhD in economics which is why the economy was so robust during her term as President. Everything after the BA is an alphabet soup related solely to the RIS. HonFRI means Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institution. Honestly no one cares. Royal Institution Singapore sounds very much like The Royal Institution which is a much hallowed scientific society in Britain and has been around since 1799.  The RIS is a pay for play show and has only been around since 2003.

Another thing RIS does is have monthly international conferences. Most of these seem to be located in the Philippines.

https://www.ri2020.com/upcoming-events

It's a money making scheme. They have to have conferences to accept new member's fees and confer upon them silly titles which mean nothing in the real world. Why do Filipinos eat up this tripe like it's the greatest thing in the world? I think the Augustinian friar Gaspar de San Augustin can shed some light on the matter.

49. They are very vain, and they spend their money never more willingly than in functions of vanity; for they consider themselves highly; and wish to be esteemed without doing anything worthy of esteem. The men especially, even though they do not have anything to eat, must not for that reason fail to have a shirt and a hat, and to dress in style. They give banquets very frequently, for very slight causes; and everything resolves itself into eating, drinking, and great noise. Their vanity is the only thing that causes them to lessen their laziness, in order to get the wherewithal to keep up this esteem, and applause from their compatriots. 

http://www.philippinehistory.net/views/1720sanagustinb.htm

You would think a man who used to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines wouldn't fall for this nonsense but you'd be wrong.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/129339/honorary-titles-conferred-former-cj-davide-lawyer-go

“I have had received 14 honorary doctoral degrees, mostly doctor of laws honoris causa, but they were conferred on me months or years apart from each other during my tenure as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,” Davide said in his acceptance speech. 

“I thank the Royal Institution for placing me in the honored ranks of its many awardees,” he said. 

Davide was conferred Honorary Fellow and Doctor Fellow of RIS, and Doctor Fellow of the Royal Institute of Lawyers, Singapore. 

“This is the first time in my life that on the same occasion, I got conferred with three awards,” the 20th chief justice said.

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide thanks the RIS for placing him in the honored ranks of its many awardees. Is he saying that tongue in cheek? Notice that he mentions his other honorary degrees are "honoris causa" which means they are real honest to goodness honorary degrees granted by legitimate universities. 

An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, a dissertation, and the passing of comprehensive examinations. It is also known by the Latin phrases honoris causa ("for the sake of the honour") or ad honorem ("to the honour"). 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degree

This means that RIS does not bestow honorary degrees upon anyone! They only confer titles of rank within their organization. And you must pay a fee for those meaningless and worthless titles.

President Duterte sent the RIS a congratulatory letter last year in celebration of their 15th Global Conference.

https://www.facebook.com/ri2020/photos/a.2434303239980725/2434304059980643/?type=3&theater

Manny Pacquiao, DND Sec Lorenzana, Senate President Sotto, Sen. Lacson, and a few other politicians also sent congratulatory letters. Are they all members of this group?

The Royal Institution of Singapore is pretty ridiculous. The fees, the titles, the regalia....it's all so comical.  But if you think it can't get any more insane, well hold onto your chair.

https://www.apolloquiboloy.com/news/pastor-apollo-crowned-patron-by-royal-institution-singapore/

Reverend Executive Pastor Doctor Fellow Apollo C. Quiboloy was conferred Patron status in a Special Global Convocation and Investiture Ceremony and Crowning by the Royal Institution Singapore (RI), September 3, 2019. 

RI Singapore is a prestigious international accrediting body that recognizes exemplary professional, social and civic achievements by individuals around the world. 

The special event was held at the KJC Hall, Jose Maria College Compound, in Davao City, Philippines, with the theme “Global Citizenship as a Platform for Universal Peace.”
To witness the special investiture ceremony, gracing the event was 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 4th Conferred Patron of RI Singapore, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

During the event, Pastor Apollo’s 11 Honorary Doctoral Fellow titles were recognized in the fields of Education, Environment, Human Resource, Humanities International Relations, Management, Mass Communication, Philanthropy, Social Work, and one special citation as Ambassador for Peace. 

The title of Patron is the highest appointed titles that Royal Institution Singapore can confer to any person. It is awarded to individuals who possess, among others, exceptional ethical leadership skills, is at the epitome of success in their field, and thus worthy of emulation by humanity. Awardees must also be concerned with the quality of life of the masses, and must support programs for the protection and the preservation of nature and the environment, all of which Pastor Apollo checks all boxes and more. 

Anyone who takes the Royal Institution Singapore seriously is a grade A idiot.