All posts by Carla Balaus

April 27-28 Declared as Non-Working Holiday in Metro Manila

Malacañang declared April 27 and 28 as non-working holidays on some parts of Metro Manila in line with the schedule of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Pasay City.

Under the authority of President Rodrigo Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea declared the holiday through Memorandum Circular No 18.

It is stated in the memorandum that on Thursday, April 27, a non-working holiday would apply to all government offices in the cities of Manila, Makati and Pasay, however, non-working holiday on April 28 would only apply to private offices in the Metro.

Prior to the declared holidays, the suspension of classes in Manila, Makati and Pasay will be left to the discretion of their school heads, on the other hand, classes in public and private schools on all levels in Metro Manila would be suspended on April 28.

Suspension of work on April 29, Saturday, was left to the discretion of the affected local government units (LGUs) and employers.

The Asean Summit and Related meetings will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on April 26 to 29. Other leaders of the member-states of the Asean and diplomats are expected to attend the summit.

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President Duterte Approves National Broadband Plan

Presidential Approved: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) proposed to develop a National broadband network for the purpose of letting all Filipino citizens have an access to internet.

The DICT officials also aims to make the public have an easier connection to government services or agencies online, instead of having them wait long queues and fill government facilities.

ICT Under Secretary Denis Villorente said,”Instead of waiting in line, waiting under the sun at different government agencies, they will have the different government websites available from the comfort of their own homes.”

The DICT was also tasked by the president to pursue the use of fiber optic cables and wireless technologies to boost internet connection across the country.

The network will mainly serve as a portal of the government agencies.

Back in 2007, the national broadband network was put into a halt because of the allegation under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other officials about the $329 Million corruption scandal.

ICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima then said that they have posted the broadband plan at their website and it is open for the public’s opinions or comments also to promote transparency and reduce the risk of corruption.

A feasibility study will be organized in the second quarter of the year once the plan is published.

The amount of the overall establishment of the plan is not yet final but the estimation ranges from 70 Billion to 200 Billion pesos.

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7 Fire Prevention Tips That You Should Always Keep in Mind

Are you already having uncontrollable sweats? Can you already feel the burning feels on your skin? Well that is fine because summer is approaching and the month of March is here!

Imagine going out without sunscreen, umbrella or any protection from the sun’s heat, you’d be ending up having sun burned skin.

Back in 1989
The month of March was declared the Burn Prevention Month by former president Corazon Aquino stating on Proclamation No. 360 “an intensified campaign on burn prevention is necessary to minimize sufferings brought about by burns.”

“March, being one of the hottest month in the country, make households prone to perilous fire incidents.”

Due to sensible high temperature, the odds of unexpected fire occurrence are greater compared to normal days wherein temperature is about normal.

What are the Common Causes Fire?
Faulty wirings, gas tanks left open, overheating appliances and unattended lighted candles are just a few of the risk factors that add up to the possibility of igniting fire among households.

To refrain yourselves from disasters caused by these circumstances, here are some safety practices on how to avoid such tragedy.

1. Unplug electrical appliances when not in use

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This may be one of the main accounts of fire accidents.

“Electrical appliances may overheat which makes the circuits melt and may ignite flame.”

Also, natural heat exposure around these belongings may help trigger fire specifically when these tools are poor on quality.

This may also help your electric bill from increasing, just a thought.

2. Keep volatile materials into safety

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Put your lighters, matchsticks or any kind of flammable materials away especially when there are children around your house. Keep them in one covered space that has low temperature to prevent it from lighting up or causing fire.

3. Be careful with combustible decorations

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Put these decorations away from materials that can be easily burned like curtains, wallpapers or other combustible decorations or appliances.

“Keeping your things, large or small, into its right position will be less of a hazard.”

4. Have your electrical installations maintained

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Check up on your electrical installations frequently or call a licensed electrician for the job. It is important to have assurance that everything about electricity is in constant condition.

5. Do not overload electrical circuits

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“Refrain overloading your outlets or outlet extensions!”

Plugging in several sockets into one outlet may also cause overheating or it could melt down the interior of the outlet itself.

When you happen to do this,
Keep track on the outlets’ condition. If you smell something burning, immediately unplug and check if there are burns or melt down, if so, withhold from using it or call an electrician to check on it for security.

6. Pay attention on your children’s toys

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There are toys that can be prone to burning like electrical or plug-in toys. For kids that are not aware of accidents, it is better to supervise them or simply keep them away from getting ahold of these kinds of toys.

I know for sure that putting your kid’s life at risk is not at the top of your priority list.

“So double check your kid’s playsets.”

7. Check your gas tanks regularly!

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Of course, this should always be a reminder.

Make “turning off your gas tank” a hobby so you can never forget this routine.

Anything could happen from a left-open gas tank therefore, turn it off right after cooking or leaving the house just to make sure it’s safe.

Always be vigilant…

Keeping a keen eye to the things that surrounds us won’t hurt anyone. Well, not unless you’re keenly minding your neighbor’s business– which makes you a gossip monger to be honest.

Kidding aside, “Accidents happen when least expected.”

So it’s better to extend precautionary measures, and be extra careful not just for our personal belongings, but also for the lives of the people around us.

Do you agree or do you have other ideas on how to prevent fire incidents? Just leave your comments below. Have a safe day!

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India Successfully Sends 104 Satellites into Space

India Space Research Organization (ISRO) achieved the record of being the first country to send 104 satellites into space in one operation, using PSLV-37 rocket.

For a total of 104, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-37 (PSLV-37) carried the satellites, which came from different countries, naming:

  • 1A INS (India)
  • 1B INS (India)
  • 88 Dove satellites (USA)
  • 8 LEMUR satellites (USA)
  • 1 BGUSat (Israel)
  • 1 Al-Farabi (Khazakhstan)
  • 1 PEASSS (Netherlands)
  • 2 DIDO (Switzerland)
  • 1 Nayif (UAE)

Each satellite weighs about 4.7kg with a measure of 10cm x 10cm.

The launching took place at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh spaceport at 9:28am on February 15. Scientists have also installed Cartostat-2 satellite which is said to be capable of taking pictures in high resolution.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on his twitter account,
“This remarkable feat by @isro is yet another proud moment for our space scientific community and the nation. India salutes our scientists.”

It is said that the mission overpassed the Russian record of sending off 37 satellites into space in 2014.

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House Approves: Philippine passports Valid for 10 years

House Bill 4767, which seeks the legality of extending Philippine passports from 5 years to 10 years, has been proven by the House of Representatives on Monday, February 13.

The contributors of the HB 4767 includes:

  • Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Lakas-CMD, Pampanga
  • Reps. Michael Romero (1Pacman Partylist)
  • Winston Castelo (LP, Quezon City)
  • John Bertiz (ACT OFW Partylist)
  • Romeo Acop (LP, Antipolo City)
  • Benhur Salimbangon (NUP, Cebu)
  • Sol Aragones (NPC, Laguna)
  • Eileen Ermita-Buhain (PDP-Laban, Batangas)
  • Gus Tambunting (PDP-Laban, Paranaque City)
  • Henry Oaminal (PDP-Laban, Misamis Occidental)

For the third and final reading, with an unanimous vote of 216, the house approved HB 4767, which will also be transmitted to the Senate for another three readings.

The goal of the Bill is to amend the RA 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 which only administer five year of validity to Filipino passports.

According to the Foreign Affairs Committee the bill will “ease the burden of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), seafarers, business persons, and the traveling public from having to renew their passports every five years.”

Partylist John Berit said, “This situation is untenable for OFWs and for other applicants. If left unresolved, the queues and the waiting time will get longer and the costs shouldered by the applicants will only get higher.”

However, depending on national economic interest and public safety, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is certified to limit the passport’s’ validity to less than 10 years.

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Iloilo City Engaged to Solar Energy Use

Malls around Iloilo City have started using solar energy to contribute in reducing the carbon emission.

 

The first food and entertainment center to accommodate solar energy in Iloilo is Primos de Boracay of Riverside Boardwalk. The establishment have helped Primos save as high as 13,000 kilowatt-hours of power, equivalent to P18,000 a month.

 

Robinson’s Iloilo, in association with Solenergy System Inc., have accomplished installing a solar plant on its rooftop with 2,404 fragments of solar panels, which made it one of the largest photovoltaic (PV) grid tie installment in the city on December 2016. This was said to help alleviate carbon dioxide up to 490 metric tons, and could  achieve up to 1 million pesos a month of savings on electricity consumption.

 

Robinson’s Place branches in Palawan, Angeles Pampanga, Antique and Dumaguete also have shifted to solar energy use as well.

 

According to Robinsons Land Corp. President Frederick Go,

 

Robinsons Land understands the value and potential of energy management to promote sustainable growth and demonstrate its commitment to help protect the environment from the adverse effects of carbon emissions while boosting its shareholders’, employees’ and customers’ confidence in the company by aiming to be an industry leader through efficient energy use.”

 

Due to the benefits of having solar energy, Gaisano Capital mall in La Paz, Iloilo City, cooperated with Lopez-led Energy Development Corporation, have successfully installed the largest solar rooftop system on January 2017. Now, the mall is being provided with 50% power from the 103 megawatt (MW) solar rooftop system on a daytime load.

 

This is our own contribution to reduce the negative impacts of climate change.”

Gaisano Capital Vice President for Operations Edmund Gaisano Jr. said.

 

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Customs Raid KimStore for Fraudulent Devices

An estimated millions-worth of gadgets were sequestered by the Bureau of Customs in a warehouse of the popular KimStore Online shop on January 30.

According to Customs Intelligence and Investigation (CIIS) Officer Joel Pinawin, upon the inspection at the building in Lakandula Street, Tondo, Manila, there were no legal documents presented to the authorities to operate, which is why they have to take over the place.

The owner was identified as “Francis”, a Filipino-Chinese businessman who is known for trading in unlicensed products online.

The confiscated high-end gadgets includes cameras, smartphones, audio players and accessories as well as some safety and security equipment.

CIIS Director Neil Estrella said in a press release,

”There are plenty of cases that high-end communication and electronic gadgets are smuggled into the country through misdeclaration schemes, a top form of smuggling, used by smugglers to defraud and avoid paying correct duties and taxes to the government.”

Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said that the raid in warehouses, storehouses, and depots will persist under his watch.

KimStore is one of the biggest online shops for gadgets which offers products in a more affordable price. Its facebook page has more than 1.5 million followers.

The online shop’s website is still accessible but its depository is already under the CIIS agents’ supervision.

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