The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has formed an Inter-Agency Council on Traffic or I-ACT for the traffic management in Metro Manila.

The agencies that are part of the I-ACT are the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HGP), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

The I-ACT will be led by HPG Director P/SSupt. Antonio Gardiola who is also tasked to manage the flow of traffic in Metro Manila.

“I wil be leading the group. We will gather our enforcers and resources so that we will be one command,” Gardiola said.

This means that the HPG will manage the traffic not only on EDSA and Mabuhay lanes but also in other parts of Metro Manila.

In line with this, they will use a uniform ticket from the Land Transportartion Office for traffic violators.

Gardiola adds that they are now coordinating with Metro Manila mayors to immediately implement their programs and determine the problem areas on major thoroughfares.

“Because this will be hard, as it needs a lot of coordination with the LGU and their local traffic enforcement agencies. This is to avoid a conflict with their local traffic ordinances,” Garbiola told reporters.

Authorities are still conducting clearing operations on the Mabuhay lanes so that motorists could use them as an alternative routes. — Lea Ylagan | UNTV News & Rescue

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President Rodrigo Duterte releases the drug matrix showing the alleged involvement of government and police officials to illegal drugs operations inside the national penitentiary.

Seven personalities including a former secretary, undersecretary, governor and police superintendent are allegedly involved in illegal drugs operations in the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).

According to the President, the said matrix, in which the highest ranking official, allegedly, is former Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima.

Personalities named in the ‘matrix’ are: Sen De Lima, Usec Toti Baraan, Pangasinan Prov Admin Raffy Baraan, Gen. Franklin Bucayo, Cong Amado T. Espino (Pangasinan – 5th District), Ronie P. Dayan (Sen Leila De Lima’s ex driver-bodyguard) & ‘BM’ Raul P. Sison.

President Duterte had previously disclosed Sen. De Lima’s involvement to illegal drugs operations in the NBP because, allegedly, of her former driver and bodyguard who collects drug money from drug lords there.

“What is really very sad for this country, here is a woman questioning herself to be a crusader for a good government but because hindi niya mapigilan ang immorality niya, sa bagay to the credit of De Lima, she’s legally annulled gaya ko rin… but her sex escapades led her to commit several serious violations of law”, stated by the President. 

Aside from this, the President made another revelation about Senator De Lima.

“Ngayon may bago siya, the first name is Warren, ang trabaho ni Warren walang apelyido nagmomotor, MMDA, sino may sabi sa akin, isa sa nagreport…si Tolentino ang MMDA chairman”

RELATED: Official Statement of Sen. De Lima on President Duterte’s “drug matrix”

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A lawyer of Pangasinan Congressman Amado Espino and Rafael Baraan filed a Notice of Withdrawal of Appearance to the Sandiganbayan on the graft case over black sand mining operation in Pangasinan.

Refresh this page for updates.

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Was it a joke? Like most of his jokes before, this latest one he will surely regret. But yes, please amuse me at how his men have desperately tried to link me with the “Muntinlupa Connection” flick. Where is the so-called drug link or links?

It does not surprise me anymore to hear it from someone who had long professed to destroy me at all cost. Like the many tirades thrown at me, these are bound to fail again with all of these trumped-up accusations and worst matrix of all time. Even a 12-yr old can draw such a thing!

As I have often said, I will not dignify any further this so-called “drug matrix” which, any ordinary lawyer knows too well, properly belongs to the garbage can.

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A man is rescued alive from the ruins following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy, August 24, 2016. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

The death toll from a devastating earthquake in central Italy rose sharply to almost 250 people early on Thursday after rescue teams worked through the night to try to find survivors under the rubble of flattened towns.

The provisional toll jumped to 247 from the 159 dead listed on Wednesday night, national and regional officials said as a wave of aftershocks rattled a cluster of mountain communities 140 km (85 miles) east of Rome.

The strong 6.2 magnitude quake struck early on Wednesday as people slept, razing homes and buckling roads. It was powerful enough to be felt in Bologna to the north and Naples to the south, both more than 220 km (135 miles) from the epicenter.

The sun rose on Thursday on many people who had slept in cars or tents, the earth continuing to tremble under their feet. Two powerful aftershocks registered 5.1 and 5.4.

Officials said the death toll seemed destined to rise further. The toll appeared likely to surpass that from the last major quake to strike Italy, a temblor that killed more than 300 people in the central city of L’Aquila in 2009.

At least 368 injured people had been taken to hospital by late on Wednesday, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said.

One hotel that collapsed in the small town of Amatrice probably had about 70 guests and only seven bodies had been recovered so far, said the mayor of the one of the worst-hit towns.

Rescuers working with emergency lighting in the darkness saved a 10-year-old girl, pulling her alive from the rubble where she had lain for some 17 hours in the hamlet of Pescara del Tronto.

Many other children were not so lucky. A family of four, including two boys aged 8 months and 9 years, were buried when their house imploded in the nearby village of Accumoli.

As rescue workers carried away the body of the infant, carefully covered by a small blanket, the children’s grandmother blamed God. “He took them all at once,” she wailed.

Renzi said the Cabinet would meet on Thursday to decide measures to help the affected communities.

“Today is a day for tears, tomorrow we can talk of reconstruction,” he told reporters late on Wednesday.

MANY VICTIMS VISITORS

Aerial photographs showed whole areas of Amatrice, last year voted one of Italy’s most beautiful historic towns, flattened by the quake. Inhabitants of the four worst-hit small towns rise by as much as tenfold in the summer, and many of those killed or missing were visitors.

The civil protection agency said it was trying to determine how many people were staying in the Hotel Roma, Amatrice’s best-known accommodation that mayor Sergio Pirozzi said had collapsed.

Most of the damage was in the Lazio and Marche regions, with Lazio bearing the brunt of the damage and the biggest toll. Neighboring Umbria was also affected. All three regions are dotted with centuries-old buildings susceptible to earthquakes.

Italy’s earthquake institute, INGV, said the epicenter was near Accumoli and Amatrice, which lie between the larger towns of Ascoli Piceno to the northeast and Rieti to the southwest.

The quake was relatively shallow at 4 km (2.5 miles) below the earth’s surface. INGV reported 150 aftershocks in the 12 hours following the initial quake, the strongest measuring 5.5.

Italy sits on two fault lines, making it one of the most seismically active countries in Europe.

The most deadly temblor since the start of the 20th century came in 1908, when an earthquake followed by a tsunami killed an estimated 80,000 people in the southern regions of Reggio Calabria and Sicily.  — REUTERS

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“We are now on the process of validating, more or less mayors and vice mayors of Region 3. There are reports coming in. They are also involved in illegal drugs.”

This was the statement of acting Regional Director P/CSupt. Aaron Aquino of Central Luzon to members of the media with regard to the new batch of names of mayors and vice mayors involved in illegal drugs.

About 10 mayors and vice mayors in Central Luzon will be included in the list.

After a two-week validation, the 2nd batch of the so-called narco politicians will be completed.

“And after I complete this one, I will be submitting this to our Chief PNP and definitely our Chief PNP submitting this to our President,” Aquino said.

Although many parties are directly asking him of the list, the police official stands firm that only President Rodrigo Duterte has the right to reveal the names of the said personalities.

“In fact, there is a mayor who came to me and told me “Sir, meddle with the investigation for the public to know that we are not involved here.” I told him that i won’t meddle.”

Meanwhile, Daanbantay Mayor Vicente Loot’s surrendered firearms have been formally turned over to the Police Regional Office-7 yesterday after their licenses were cancelled by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Daanbantay police and Mayor Loot’s lawyer, Atty. Russel Fuentes, themselves surrendered the mayor’s 12 units of firearms.

Among Mayor Loot’s surrendered firearms are six units of pistols, four high-powered rifles, one rifle and one shotgun.

On his part, Police Regional Office-7 Director Chief Superintendent Noli Talino has advised Mayor Loot to seek security from the national office should there be threats to his life.

Loot is one of the local government officials named by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte as personalities involved in illegal drugs. — Joshua Antonio | UNTV News & Rescue

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MANILA — Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno meets the members of the media for her annual press conference in Intramuros, Manila.

Before answering questions from the press, the chief justice tackled reforms to expedite trial of drugs cases among others.

She says, the fight against illegal drugs is everybody’s concern.

But she points out that all the courts can do is act on cases brought before them.

“Courts cannot prevent the entry, manufacture, sale or use of drugs. It does not gather intelligence. It does not enforce the law, prosecute cases or run rehabilitation programs. What it provides is justice to the state and the victims if there is an evidence of guilt and to the accused if there is none,” CJ Sereno explained.

She adds that the Supreme Court has generated waves of reforms with such energy as had not been seen before.

Curent programs include automation of case management, continuous trial, docket decongestion, and most recently the designation of additional anti-drugs court.

“How do all the above judicial reform programs provide justice in drugs cases? Obviously, they expedite the resolution of drugs cases,” Sereno said.

Sereno also shares the court’s observations on the trial of drugs cases.

She provides an explanation to the low-conviction rate of drug suspects.

“Many drugs cases are delayed or dismissed for the following reasons: the absence of police witnesses, the dearth of prosecutors and public attorneys and the weak evidence of the prosecution in relation to the rules on chain of custody and inventory of seized drugs and paraphernalia.”

The chief justice also tackles the Maguindanao massacre case, among other high-profile cases.

Last year, Sereno said they are eyeing partial judgement on some of the principal suspects by June this year.

But until now, the defense is still presenting their rebuttal evidence.

“Last year you have mentioned the possibility of a partial judgment. Do we see this coming soon? Considering that there are certain situations,” asked UNTV News Manager Erin Tañada.

“What we now have is a court faithfully observing the instruction of the Supreme Court to make sure that the hearing proceeds and does not encounter delay but this must be balanced by the rights of the accused, which in many instances, the court could not avoid granting extensions,” replied Sereno.

“Hopefully will live up to its commitment to expedite also their presentation and terminate the same. We can consider this as outside of the court’s control,” she added.

Sereno also calls on the people to support reforms of the judiciary. — Roderic Mendoza | UNTV News & Rescue

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The Senate Committee on Public Services resumes hearing today on the proposed emergency powers for President Rodrigo Duterte in order to solve the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila and other highly-urbanized areas.

Transport groups and several non-government organizations (NGO) were present and offered measures to solve the traffic crisis.

Among the measures suggested was car pooling or ride sharing.

Based on records from Uber PH, at least 300,000 commuters take a ride on Uber everyday. This would cut the volume of vehicles on roads should the proposal is approved.

“It is our hope that the senate and other governemnt officials see Uber and ride-sharing as an integral part of the solutions to the country’s traffic challenges and make it easier for Filipinos to share rides with one another rather than restricting it,” Uber General Manager Lawrence Cua suggested.

For its part, the Management Association of the Philippines suggests it would be better to construct a floating bridge and additional overpasses to serve as alternative routes to pedestrians and motorists.

“We need more bridges across Pasig to relief traffic from EDSA and C5,” said Management Association of the Philippines’ Governor-in-Charge, Eddie Yap.

Also discussed in the hearing earlier was the existing problems among provincial and city buses that traverses EDSA which are believed to add traffic.

Based on report from MMDA, there are over 300,000 traversing EDSA everyday while about 4,800 city buses with franchise authorized to travel in Metro Manila.

The hearing also tackled the plan of the Department of Transportation to construct three bus terminals in FTI-Taguig, coastal Baclaran and near Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

The project aims to make a systematic and disciplined bus operations when it comes to loading and unloading system.

“It would be near the coastal-Uniwide area. The construction will start in the latter part of 2016 and we expect to finish by 2018. By that time, operation may begin,” said DOTr undersecretary Ann Lontoc.

The senate targets to decide on the proposed emergency powers before the year ends. — Joan Nano | UNTV News & Rescue

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QUEZON CITY, Philippines — There are complaints against more than 200 congressmen involved in the PDAF scam still pending in the Office of the Ombudsman.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales says they aim to finish the investigation on all congressmen involved.

To be exact, there are 240 present and former congressmen who will possibly face graft charges if the Ombudsman will find probable cause in their investigation.

All of the said complaints are related to the Napoles PDAF cases.

Meanwhile, Morales refused to comment on President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to revisit Janet Napoles PDAF cases

“I don’t know what he means revisiting the Napoles case. We don’t know,. To us, that’s vague. So, no comment,” she said. “We are not worried because what we did was what we think is in accordance with the law”

Ombudsman Morales also refutes allegations that they filtered out Aquino-allies from PDAF scam investigations.

Morales says they decide which case will be investigated first based on the amount involved in the complaint.

“We decide which case should first be investigated. We do it in accordance with the amount. The higher the amount, the priority is to investigate this big amounts involved in the PDAF,” Morales explained.

Morales also refused to comment on the suggestion of the Commission on Human Rights that the Office of the Ombudsman should help investigate public officials involved in illegall drugs. — Mon Jocson | UNTV News & Rescue

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“We are the only police agency in the whole world that doesn’t handle the training. Police force who does not train its own policemen. So, it’s very ironic. I don’t see the logic.”

Philippine National Police Chief, Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa expresses his desire to assume control over the training of new police recruits as the PNP is alarmed over the increasing number of police non-commissioned officer involved in illegal drugs.

Records of the PNP Internal Affairs Service shows 81 drug cases that involve police officers 1, 42 cases involve police officers 2, and 48 cases involve police officers 3.

“PO1 are the ones who are out in the streets. They have more frequent contact on the elements there even the good citizen and the bad citizen. And they are there,” said Deputy Inspector General of Internal Affairs Services, P/CSupt. Leo Angelo Leuterio.

The police believes taking charge of the recruits’ training is the solution to the problem.

“For you to have a best a medical practitioners, it should be the doctors who will train them,” PNP Training Service acting director, P/CSupt. John Sosito said.

“So, in PNP, we also want to handle, to take charge the training of our personnel so that we will assumed responsibilities of skills enhancement, intellectual development and moral transformation,” he added.

At present, the National Police Training Institute (NPTI) of Police Public Safety College (PPSC) handles the training of police recruits.

According to the institute, the last 6 months of the recruits’ 1-year training are spent on a field exercise which is managed by the PNP.

“We have what we called the FTX or field training exercise. That is the last six months. ‘Cause their entire training for PO1 is 1 year. The last six months are handled by the training service. So, what the National Police Training Institute gives is just the academics,” saidNPTI Director, retired Police Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte.

PNP continuosly exerts efforts to discipline and clear the minds of some personnel who seem tempted with the huge amount of money involved in illegal drugs. — Lea Ylagan | UNTV News & Rescue

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Concept portrayal of China’s Mars rover and lander released on August 23, 2016 by lunar probe and space project center of Chinese State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. China Daily/via REUTERS

China unveiled for the first time the designed external appearance of its Mars voyager which is expected to be launched around 2020.

The voyager is designed to include the orbiting, landing and roving missions within itself.

Chief designer of China’s first Mars exploration mission, Zhang Rongqiao, said that the voyager consists mainly of three parts – one as the orbiter and the other as the landing capsule with still another as the rover inside the latter.

Zhang added that the orbiter will have remote sense on Mars while in orbit.

Zhang Rongqiao said, that China has attained a lot of experience and technology in manned and unmanned space missions and that the country should make full use of its moon exploration in its Mars mission.

But what makes the Mars mission different from all previous missions lies in the unknown factors around and on Mars itself, according to the chief designer.

“We need a combination of different deceleration mechanisms in our Mars exploration mission. The key is how to coordinate them which we’re not quite sure for now. It poses a tricky question to our mission.”

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Flowers are laid near the scene where a passer-by was killed after being hit by a driver playing ‘Pokemon Go’ while driving in Tokushima, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo August 24, 2016. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

A Japanese truck driver playing Pokemon Go while driving hit two women, killing one and injuring the other, in Japan’s first death related to the Nintendo Co craze.

The driver said he had been distracted by the game after his arrest for negligent driving following the accident on Wednesday evening, a spokesman for the Tokushima prefectural police said.

“The driver is still in custody. No decision has been made yet on whether to proceed with a prosecution,” he added

A spokesman for Niantic Inc, which developed Pokemon GO jointly with Nintendo affiliate Pokemon Company, said the company had added a pop-up to the Pokemon Go screen when it detected an increase in speed asking for confirmation the user was not driving.

He didn’t say whether the developer would take further steps to guard against accidents.

A spokesman for Nintendo offered condolences to the family of the dead woman.

“Pokemon Company and Niantic endeavor to create an environment where people can play the game safely and we will continue to do that,” he added when asked whether the company would take any new measures to guard against accidents.

The popularity of augmented-reality Pokemon Go around the world has generated crowds of people in parks and other public places as user search for monsters, but has also been blamed for injuries and robberies of distracted users.

Signs at parks and other places in Japan have asked users to avoid creating a nuisance.

Pokemon incidents elsewhere have spurned warnings from authorities for users to play responsibly.

In Taiwan on Sunday Pokemon Go monster hunters caused a stampede in Taipei blocking streets in the capital. Police there have increased fines on scooter riders found playing the game in traffic.

News reports in July claimed that a Guatemalan teenager was the first Pokemon fatality after he was shot breaking into a house while playing the game.

Also in July, Pokemon Go players were robbed of their smartphones at gunpoint in a north London park in Britain, while four teens in Missouri in the U.S. used the game to target around a dozen people into armed robberies. — REUTERS

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The AFP Western Mindanao Command reported that the decapitated head of what seems to belong to kidnap victim Patrick Jhames Almodavar was recovered by the local police in Brgy. Kadjatan, Indanan, Sulu.

The head believed to be of Almodavar was wrapped in a plastic bag and was left by three (3) alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) aboard a motorcycle.

As of this report, the decapitated head is being processed and investigated by elements of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and Indanan Police.

Almodavar was abducted by the Ajang-Ajang group last July 16, 2016 in Brgy. Asturias, Jolo, Sulu. — UNTV News & Rescue

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The Philippine government and Maoist-led rebels will sign an indefinite ceasefire agreement on Friday as part of efforts to end a conflict that has lasted almost five decades and killed at least 40,000 people, Norway said.

Norway’s Foreign Ministry, hosting the talks, said the ceasefire would be signed at a ceremony at 0900 GMT in Oslo, extending a truce in place since last weekend for the Oslo meeting which began on Monday.

Representatives of both the government and communist guerrillas would sign a joint declaration committing “to unilateral ceasefires with no time limit”, it said. The talks in Norway are the first formal meeting in five years.

“The joint declaration, which has been negotiated in Oslo in recent days, marks the resumption of formal negotiations between the new government in the Philippines and the (rebel) National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” it said.

Norway has had a role as facilitator for the peace process since 2001. Fitful peace talks have been going on since 1986.

New President Rodrigo Duterte says he wants to end guerrilla wars with both communist and Muslim rebels that have been hampering economic development.

The 3,000-strong New People’s Army, the armed wing of the communist party, operates mainly in the east and south of the Philippines. — Reuters

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A man uses a mobile phone in front of an advertisement board bearing the image of Pokemon Go at an electronic shop in Tokyo, Japan, July 27, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

Inspired by the success of Pokemon Go, a Belgian primary school headmaster has developed an online game for people to search for books instead of cartoon monsters, attracting tens of thousands of players in weeks.

While with Pokemon Go, players use a mobile device’s GPS and camera to track virtual creatures around town, Aveline Gregoire’s version is played through a Facebook group called “Chasseurs de livres” (“Book hunters”).

Players post pictures and hints about where they have hidden a book and others go to hunt them down. Once someone has finished reading a book, they “release” it back into the wild.

While I was arranging my library, I realized I didn’t have enough space for all my books. Having played Pokemon Go with my kids, I had the idea of releasing the books into nature,” Gregoire told Reuters.

(READ ALSO: Japanese truck driver playing Pokemon Go kills pedestrian)

Though it was only set up a few weeks ago, more than 40,000 people are already signed up to Gregoire’s Facebook group.

The hidden tomes range from books for toddlers through to Stephen King horrors, placed around Belgian towns and countryside, often wrapped in clear plastic to keep off the rain.

The Detournay family from the town of Baudour in southern Belgium said the game was now part of their morning walks. They found one book and left four others for people to find.

“My daugther said it’s like hunting for easter eggs, only with books,” Jessica Detournay said.

When they returned home, they received a Facebook notification informing them that somebody had already found two of their books.

Gregoire is now contemplating taking the game a step further and creating an app for it. — Reuters

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MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has started consolidating the affidavits of the witnesses as well as the evidence against personalities linked to illegal drug operations inside the New Bilibid Prison as revealed recently by President Rodrigo Duterte through a drug matrix.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, several witnesses have already appeared before the DOJ.

As soon as the information and affidavits are verified, drug-related graft case would be filed against the involved personalities.

“Several witnesses have surfaced to prove certain allegations against certain personalities and in the process of taking affidavits of these particular witnesses,” Abella said.

“And if and when they have finally verified, the charges may have to deal with drug-related graft once information is actually verified,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Atty. Salvador Panelo, belittled the comments of Senator Leila De Lima’s camp that the drug matrix released by Pres. Duterte is a mere trash and has wrong grammar.

“She was saying that the matrix was wrong grammar. As if the wrong grammar will alter the fact that according to intelligence reports as shown by that matrix, she is involved as well as other people,” Panelo said.

The Chief Presidential Legal Counsel also said the drug matrix shows who are involved and how they are involved.

The drug matrix shows the alleged relationship of Sen. De Lima to Ronie Dayan who was her bodyguard and driver who allegedly receive monthly payola from inmate drug lords through Gen. Franklin Bucayo, former Bureau of Corrections chief.

Others involved are former Pangasinan Mayor and incumbent 5th District Congressman Amado Espino who is allegedly the richest politician in Northern Luzon and has amassed unexplained wealth.

Also in the list are former justice undersecretary Toti Baraan and his brother Pangasinan Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan who allegedly cover all the illegal activities of Espino. — Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue

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PASIG CITY, Phiippines — The internet now contains almost all the information in the world, including the non-essential ones.

Some studies show that the cyberworld can sometimes be very dangerous.

Just recently, a photo of a guy inside the MRT went viral on social media.

The girl who was at the same train took the photo. In her caption, she says the guy was rude for not giving her his seat.

The man didn’t have an idea that his picture is now all over the internet.

Netizens who saw the captioned picture got angry not on the guy, but on the girl who posted the image.

What happened next is a series of bullying targetting her.

Studies say cyberbullying can be avoided if the public has enough knowledge about the limitations in using the social media.

One way of the Department of Education to give a proper guidance and information to the youth using the internet is the inclusion of the media and information literacy in the K-12 basic education curriculum.

The Department of Education also launched in its online learning portal a cybersafe manual last March.

It includes the situation and questions on the proper way of using social media accounts.

“Online maniuals are for Grade 5 and 6 and junior highschool,” said DepEd Senior Education program Specialist, Rowel Padernal.

“These are lesson plans, modules which we call Cybersafe Learning Manual. This is a lesson plan which can be used by teachers. Strategies, ideas are already there,” he added.

DepEd also created Children Protection Committee in schools whose members are principal, guidance counselor, teachers and barangay officials to protect the rights of the students.

Currently, R.A. 10627 or the Anti-Bullying ACt is already being implemented in the Philippines to penalize violators.

House Bill 5718 or the “Anti-Cyberbullying Act of 2015” that will emphasize the scope of cyber-bullying as a crime is still pending at the House of Representatives.

One way to prevent the youth to be bullied or to be involved in cyberbullying is through the guidance of their parents in using social media accounts. It is important that parents should spend time to safeguard their children especially at home. — Aiko Miguel | UNTV News & Rescue

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QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The leadership of the Lower House expresses support for the passage of a bill seeking total restrictions of using protocol plates for lawmakers.

Based on the memorandum of the secretary general, the recall was made because of reports that certain vehicles have been spotted in indecent places or figured in crime-related activities.

“We’re requesting them to surrender to ours. So we can also check how many will be returned. We still have to determine what will do next time,” SEcretary General Cesar Pareja said.

“Because we’re in 17th Congress and many congressmen were replaced, so it’s simply to avoid confusion and maybe some may used it who are not entitled,” House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez explained.

The Lower House also submitted a letter to Land Transportation Office for them not to accept the low-numbered license plate of past lawmakers.

According to Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco, it is better to institutionalize the restriction of using protocol license plate for congressmen.

Tiangco is pushing House Bill 413 regarding this matter.

“If not intimadated. Why is it that expired were not caught?” Tianco asked. “So, there is really an intimadation. So, it is better to totally ban.” he then proposed.

The Lower House leader supports the passage of the said bill.

“So, if there is a bill filed by Congressman Tiangco restricting the used of protocol plates, I will support that,” Rep. Alvarez assured.

The disposition of protocol plates is by the virtue of Executive Orders 400 and 400A wherein government officials are entitled to use low-numbered plates from the President of the Philippines down to the regional trial court judges. — Nel Maribojoc | UNTV News & Rescue

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DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte changes his mind and now favors the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections slated on October 31, 2016.

In his speech during the 10th anniversary rites of the Eastern Mindanao Commands in Panacan, Davao City, President Duterte expresses his fear that drug money might seep into the electoral process.

“Do you know the reason why I also agreed with some congressmen to postpone the barangay elections? Do you know why? Because I am afraid that the drug money will seep into the electoral process,” Duterte explained.

“Those that are funded by drug money will win. And that requires Martial Law to eliminate all, which I will never do in the first place,” he added.

President Duterte also sees that the billions of pesos earmarked for the elections can be used to fund the government’s anti-drug campaign particularly for the construction and improvement of rehabilitation centers. — UNTV News & Rescue

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Philippine commandos killed 11 Islamist militants on a remote southern island on Friday, an army spokesman said, stepping up the offensive after President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his aim to “destroy” one of Asia’s most notorious kidnap gangs.

Major Filemon Tan said dozens of Abu Sayyaf rebels, a small but brutal group affiliated with Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, were also wounded in the 45-minute gun battle in the jungle of Jolo island.

Seventeen commandos were wounded, Tan said, adding the soldiers clashed with about 100 Abu Sayyaf militants holding about 20 hostages, including eight Indonesians, five Malaysians, a Norwegian and a Dutch national.

“The mission is clear. Seek and destroy the Abu Sayyaf,” Tan told reporters. “By all means, that’s what we are doing and we will not stop until it’s done.”

The Abu Sayyaf has dogged successive Philippine governments, entrenching its network with vast sums of ransom money in what has become one of Asia’s most lucrative kidnap rackets.

Security experts say the rebels are motivated less by Islamist ideology and more by the tens of millions of dollars from kidnappings.

Two Canadians were executed this year by the Abu Sayyaf. Last week, two Indonesians escaped captivity but there was speculation the Abu Sayyaf freed them after their families paid their ransoms. — REUTERS

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