Category: General

MANILA: At least 35 areas across the country are expected to experience danger level heat indices on Wednesday, the weather bureau warned.

The highest is at 48°C in Pili, Camarines Sur while a 47°C heat index is expected over Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and 46°C in Aparri, Cagayan.

Heat index is the apparent temperature felt by the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.

Heat indices of 42°C to 45°C are likely in the following areas:

Pasay City – 43°C

Quezon City – 42°C

Sinait, Ilocos Sur – 42°C

Laoag, Ilocos Norte – 45°C

Batac, Ilocos Norte – 43°C

Bacnotan, La Union – 43°C

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – 45°C

Echague, Isabela – 44°C

Iba, Zambales, 43°C

Muñoz, Nueva Ecija – 42°C

Baler, Aurora – 43°C

Casiguran, Aurora – 44°C

Subic Bay, Olongapo City – 42°C

Sangley Point, Cavite – 43°C

Alabat, Quezon – 43°C

Coron, Palawan – 44°C

San Jose, Oriental Mindoro – 44°C

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan – 45°C

Aborlan, Palawan – 44°C

Daet, Camarines Norte – 43°C

Legazpi, Alb
ay – 42°C

Virac, Catanduanes – 45°C

Masbate City, Masbate – 45°C

Roxas City Capiz – 44°C

Mambusao, Capiz – 42°C

Iloilo City, Iloilo – 44°C

Dumangas, Iloilo – 44°C

La Carlota, Negros Occidental – 43°C

Catarman, Northern Samar – 43°C

Catbalogan, Samar – 42°C

Tacloban City, Leyte – 43°C

Guiuan, Eastern Samar – 42°C

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) pegged heat indices from 41 °C to 51°C under the danger level category.

Under this level, heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible, while continued exposure could also cause heat stroke.

ITCZ, easterlies to bring cloudy skies

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) will affect southern Mindanao, bringing cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Sulu.

The easterlies, on the other hand, will affect the rest of the country including Metro Manila, where cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers
or thunderstorms are expected.

PAGASA warned that moderate to heavy rains in those areas could result in flash floods or landslides.

Light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas will prevail across the archipelago.

Source: Philippines News Agency

LONDON: Britain’s King Charles on Tuesday returned to public-facing duties nearly three months after he was diagnosed with a form of cancer.

Along with Queen Camilla, Charles visited the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in central London as he was announced as the new patron of Cancer Research UK.

They met medical specialists and patients in the center during the visit, the first in a number of external engagements Charles will undertake in the weeks ahead, according to Buckingham Palace.

In early February, after being diagnosed with cancer, Charles, 75, began his medical care as an outpatient under the supervision of a specialist team of doctors.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Tuesday condemned the latest incident of Chinese harassment which involved China Coast Guard (CCG) ships water cannoning Philippine vessels on their way to provide humanitarian assistance to Filipino fishermen in Panatag Shoal (also known as Bajo De Masinloc and Scarborough Shoal).

“Earlier today CCG and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels harassed, blocked, water cannoned, rammed vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) en route to Panatag Shoal to conduct a regular humanitarian and assistance mission to Filipino fishing boats in and around the area,” it said in a statement.

These Filipino ships are the PCG BRP Bagacay (MMRV-4410) and BFAR’s BRP Bankaw (MMOV-3004). The incident also demonstrated China’s willingness to obstruct a Philippine humanitarian mission, the task force said.

These illegal actions were witnessed by members of the local and foreign press, who are rou
tinely invited to embed in these regular BFAR humanitarian and assistance missions for fisherfolk throughout the WPS and other maritime areas.

“Today, the embedded press on the PCG and BFAR vessels have not only witnessed but also experienced first-hand, alongside the determined PCG and BFAR personnel, the illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous actions of the agents of the Chinese Communist Party and their CCG and CMM,” NTF-WPS said.

At this time, both PCG and BFAR vessels have regrouped approximately 20 nautical miles from Panatag Shoal.

Crew members of the two ships are now conducting damage, assessments and are reorganizing following the severe water cannoning by CCG vessels.

“Initial reports from PCG and BFAR personnel onboard, as reflected by live media reports, indicate that the PCG vessel suffered some damage to a part of its superstructure from targeted high-pressure water cannoning by CCG vessels,” the task force said.

Meanwhile, the BRP Bankaw sustained damage to heating,ventilation, and
air conditioning systems; electrical, navigation, and radio systems; and superficial hull damage.

The BFAR ship was subjected to at least eight instances of targeted high-pressure water cannoning from Chinese vessels and was rammed a total of three times by both CCG and CMM craft.

“These latest demonstrations of China’s illegal and irresponsible behavior highlight their egregious disregard for the Philippines’ lawful exercise of its rights and entitlements in our own EEZ. Clearly, China has no regard for the welfare of our fishermen who only want to make a decent living in the WPS. China’s act of obstructing civilian ships carrying only supplies for our fishermen calls into question the sincerity of their call for dialogue and peaceful approaches to de-escalate the situation in the WPS,” NTF-WPS added.

It also said the Philippines will continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with rules-based international law, based on United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the valid an
d binding 2016 Arbitral Award.

Peace and stability in the region cannot be achieved if countries, big or small, do not exercise due regard for the well-established and legally-settled rights of others.

“The Philippines will not be deterred from pursuing legitimate and lawful activities in our maritime zones, including in BDM which is a vital source of livelihood for our fisherfolk,” NTF-WPS said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: A supermarket industry leader said it is unlikely that consumers will see a significant change in the prices of most basic commodities this month as long as there are no unforeseen additions to the costs of manufacturers and retailers.

In an interview on Wednesday, Steven Cua, president of the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (PAGASA), said inflationary pressures were relatively muted in April as most manufacturers had no reason to make adjustments in the prices of their goods.

However, he said the retail sector is taking a wait-and-see attitude on the possibility of another wage order being announced on Labor Day or shortly thereafter.

Cua explained that as long as future wage adjustments are kept within reasonable levels, consumers have no reason to worry about another spike in inflation, at least not one that will be initiated by the retail sector.

‘Manufacturers are still waiting for clearer signals on where to position their products price-wise. Should it be on the higher or lo
wer end? That’s just marketing strategy. That’s also why we are seeing little movement (in prices),’ he said.

PAGASA is composed mostly of small and medium-sized supermarkets, and has nationwide membership.

Meanwhile, Cua said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) projection that last month’s inflation figure likely settled within the 3.5 to 4.3 percent range is ‘about right.’

The retail leader agreed with the BSP’s assessment that the ‘continued price increases for rice and meat along with higher gasoline prices and the peso depreciation are the primary sources of upward price pressures’ in April.

On the other hand, the lower prices of fish, fruits, vegetables as well as lower electricity rates and the rollback in the price of cooking gas served to offset the upside price pressures.

‘On the occasion of Labor Day, we are hopeful that the government will also consider the plight of entrepreneurs like us in the retail sector… who employ a lot of people. We are counting on them (government) to continue cre
ating an environment conducive to investment,’ Cua said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO: Digital transactions are now available at the biggest local food terminal (LFT) in San Miguel, Iloilo that serves as a consolidation hub of agriculture products from upland areas in Panay.

In an interview Wednesday during the launch of the mobile application Bagsakan at the center, now known as the San Miguel Public Market and Farmers Bagsakan Complex (SMPM-FBC), San Miguel Mayor Marina Luz Gorriceta said they are all hopes to cater to more customers from other areas.

‘We now have our website and (mobile) application so that we would know when they order or they have products for consolidation. We are also preparing to send to other regions in the country,’ she said.

The app is available initially for institutional buyers like restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and catering services.

Its service will be extended to household consumers on Sept. 29, when wet and dry market vendors will handle online paid orders to be delivered by tricycle and e-bike drivers.

‘What we are planning is everybody will hav
e jobs later on,’ the mayor said.

The digital platform is hoped to address the challenge of marketing and selling the consolidated products from Bayanihan Tipon Center (BTC) network established in the towns of Alimodian, Tubungan, and Lambunao in Iloilo; Tobias Fornier, Patnongon and Sebaste in Antique; Libacao and Madalag in Aklan; and Tapaz and Jamindan in Capiz.

‘Delivery logistics will be fulfilled by the traditional jeepneys of our town to provide them with supplemental income and extended economic life of their trusted jeepneys,’ the statement of the local government unit said.

Funded under the Panay Island Upland-Sustainable Rural Development Project (PIU-SRDP) and with a grant from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in 2018, the agricultural hub’s operation was temporarily suspended during the pandemic and but was reopened in September last year. Its operations were formally opened on Wednesday.

Three cooperatives focusing on rice and grains, fruits and vegetables, and livestock me
at and poultry have been tasked to manage the hub.

Iloilo second district Rep. Michael Gorriceta, in an interview, said prices of goods purchased at the complex are cheaper because there are no middlemen involved in the transactions.

His office, he said, is working on improving road networks to make accessible the transport of goods from remote areas down to the town proper and to the Bagsakan center.

Through the San Miguel local government unit cooperative, 83 sacks of well-milled rice were sold at PHP20 per kilo as a promotional rate for three days, starting Wednesday, with a maximum of five kilos for each buyer.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Vientiane: More than 263,160 Vietnamese people visited Laos in the first three months of this year, becoming the second biggest source of foreign visitors to the country during the period, according to the Tourism Development Department of Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.

Laos welcomed over 1 million foreign tourists in the reviewed period, it said, adding that visitors from Thailand topped the list with 337,689. China, the Republic of Korea and China ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

According to the ministry, in addition to promoting tourism, the Visit Laos Year 2024 also aims to introduce the country’s art, culture and traditions, as well as provide information about its long-standing history and sustainable use of natural resources to tourists.

Recently, many famous travel magazines in the region and the world have rated Laos as one of the attractive destinations or “slow travel” spots. They highlighted its cultural attractions, outdoor experiences and timeless charm.

To
achieve the goals set for this year, Laos has built short-term and long-term strategies to develop this key economic sector to compete with other countries in the region, making an important contribution to its economic recovery and development.

The Lao government hopes to host at least 4.6 million international tourists in 2024, generating a revenue of 1.3 billion USD./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency