The Ombudsman is investigating 3 incumbent and former lawmakers, officials of the Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and of Budget and Management (DBM) over a 220 million-peso scam using DAR funds.

Facing preliminary investigations over DAR-scam are Senator Gringo Honasan, former senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, former Bulacan congressman Arturo Robes, former DAR secretary Virgilio Delos Reyes and five DAR and DBM officials.

The Ombudsman says 220 million pesos was allotted for livelihood trainings and projects of 27 municipalities in 2010 and 2011, but none were implemented.

Thirteen non-government organizations were tasked to implement livelihood trainings and programs; five to ten million pesos was allotted to each municipality.

The Ombudsman says that documents showed that there was deliberate or extensive use of falsified documents and forged signatures to justify use of the said large sum of money. — UNTV News & Rescue

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Computer screens display the Facebook sign-in screen in this photo illustration taken in Golden, Colorado, United States July 28, 2015. REUTERS/Rick Wilking/File Photo

Facebook Inc. changed its popular “Trending” feature, which shows users the most-talked about topics of the day, to make it more automated and further eliminate the potential for human bias, the company wrote in a blog post on Friday.

The update is Facebook’s latest attempt in recent months to stress its neutrality as its influence grows.

The feature came under scrutiny in May after a news report alleged it suppressed conservative news, which prompted a demand from Republican members of the U.S. Congress for more transparency. Facebook said an internal probe found no evidence of bias.

The Trending feature shows users the most-talked about stories and topics on the top right-hand corner of Facebook’s home page with one-sentence descriptions. To eliminate the potential for bias, Facebook said it would no longer rely on editors to write descriptions for the topics and would instead show users the topic and how many people are discussing it.

Facebook said in an e-mailed statement that the composition of its Trending team would focus more on technical expertise since it no longer needed editors to write descriptions. The company did not say whether it was laying off employees.

Facebook maintains it is a neutral platform, but its political influence has come under scrutiny, especially as its user base swells. It has 1.7 billion people on its social network, and studies have shown it has the power to influence people’s behavior, ranging from registering as organ donors to registering to vote.

After the May news report first surfaced, Facebook penned a lengthy blog post explaining how the Trending feature works, the first time it had done so. Less than two weeks later, the company said it changed some procedures and outlined those changes in an effort to be more transparent. — REUTERS

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AKLAN, Philippines — An Iloilo businessman and his wife were shot dead early Monday at the port in Caticlan, Aklan province two days after Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa confirmed that Melvin Odicta was the drug lord in Iloilo popularly known as “Dragon.”

Melvin and his wife Merriam were identified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority through the identification cards recovered from them, according to Senior Supt. John Mitchelle Jamili, Aklan police director, in an interview over RMN DYRI in Iloilo.

He said the couple was walking along the walkway of the port terminal from the roll-on roll-off vessel around 1:30 a.m. when they were shot by unknown assailants.

(LEA YLAGAN/ UNTV News and Rescue)

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A contractor fogs a condominium garden in Singapore in an effort to kill mosquitoes, September 5, 2013. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne/File Photo

Singapore has confirmed 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus, mostly among foreign construction workers, and said it expected more cases to be identified.

All but seven of those infected had fully recovered, the Health Ministry and the National Environment Agency said in a statement on Sunday. The seven remain in hospital.

On Saturday, authorities confirmed a 47-year-old Malaysian woman living in southeastern Singapore as the city-state’s first case of a local transmission of the virus.

Zika, carried by some mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. The virus poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked in Brazil to more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly, where babies are born with small heads.

Singaporean authorities said they tested 124 people, primarily foreign construction workers employed on a site in the same part of Singapore. That site has been ordered to halt work, and workers’ dormitories are being inspected. Seventy-eight people tested negative and five cases were pending. Thirty-four patients had fully recovered.

Four Singaporean men had developed symptoms of the virus in the past week and were hospitalized on Saturday. It was not clear where the foreign workers were from or when their cases were detected. Singapore hosts a large contingent of workers from the Asian subcontinent.

None of those infected had traveled recently to Zika-affected areas. “This confirms that local transmission of Zika virus infection has taken place,” the statement said.

The ministry “cannot rule out further community transmission since some of those tested positive also live or work in other parts of Singapore,” the statement said. “We expect to identify more positive cases.”

The World Health Organization said in a statement on Sunday that it did not know “which lineage of Zika is circulating” or “what the level of population immunity is to this lineage of Zika in Asia.”

“It is important for countries to remain vigilant through surveillance for cases, to continue vector control, to inform people about Zika and how they can protect themselves, and to have the health system ready to supply the services needed to prevent and manage Zika and its consequences,” the group told Reuters.

Singapore, a major regional financial center and busy transit hub, which maintains a constant vigil against the mosquito-borne dengue virus, reported its first case of the Zika virus in May, brought in by a middle-aged man who had been to Brazil.

CLEANUP

Singapore deployed about 200 NEA officers to clean drains and spray insecticide in the mainly residential area early on Sunday to counter mosquito breeding grounds, and volunteers and contractors handed out leaflets and insect repellent.

All medical services in Singapore had been alerted “to be extra vigilant” and immediately report any Zika-associated symptoms to the health ministry.

Singapore said there were “ongoing local transmission” cases in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Other countries in the region to have detected the Zika virus since 2013 include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives and the Philippines, according to the WHO.

Malaysia said on Sunday it stepped up surveillance at main transit points with Singapore – handing out leaflets on Zika prevention and having paramedics ready to handle visitors with potential symptoms of the virus.

In Thailand, where close to 100 cases of Zika have been recorded across 10 provinces this year, the Department of Disease Control was screening athletes returning from the Olympic Games in Brazil, but was not otherwise changing its prevention measures.

“Every country in this region has Zika transmission cases,” said Prasert Thongcharoen, an adviser to the DDC. “Thailand has, however, managed to contain the problem through early detection.”

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Indonesia was “following developments”. Oskar Pribadi, a Health Ministry official, said there had been no recent Zika cases in the country.

Vietnam has to date reported three cases of locally transmitted Zika infection.

The current strain of Zika sweeping through Latin America and the Caribbean originated in Asia, where people may have built up greater immunity. — Reuters

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ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — As of today, the number of Abu Sayyaf group members killed in the all-out offensive operations of the military in Sulu and Basilan has reached 21.

Military operations continue against the bandit group in Sulu and Basilan.

This comes after President Rodrigo Duterte declared an all-out-war against them last week for executing an 18-year old captive, Patrick Jhames Almodavar.

According to AFP, among the casualties were three ASG leaders namely Mohammad Said alyas Ama Maas, Hairullah Asbang and Sihata Latip.

Said was said to be responsible for the kidnapping and killing of foreign nationals, John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, while Asbang was known for instigating a number of violence and extortion activities.

(DANTE AMENTO / UNTV News and Rescue)

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The Philippines is declared as the 20th happiest place in the world according to a study by the international think tank, New Economics Foundation or NEF.

The NEF said, the Philippines has 35.0 happy planet index or HPI.

HPI is based on what a person feels about life in its entirety from a scale of 1 to 10; life expectancy in a particular country; inequality of outcomes among nations; and ecological footprint of citizens.

The HPI 2016 Report includes about 140 countries.

Costa Rica, Mexico, Columbia, Vanuatu and Vietnam top the list.

According to the report, although the wealthy western countries are considered the “standard of success,” they do not get a high ranking in the happy place index. — UNTV News & Rescue

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Health advocate group wants anti-smoking policy modelled after Davao City ordinance

Though known to be prohibited by law, cigarette smoking in public places is rampant anywhere.

In line with this, a health advocate group wants a stricter law on the smoking ban in the country.

Emer Rojas of the New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) said, that the best way to do it is to adopt the anti-smoking ordinance of Davao City.

“Sa Davao po kasi bawal talaga pati sa mga enclosed places. Bawal din e-cigattes at tsaka yung shisha. Hindi lang sigarilyo ang bawal kundi ‘yung mga other forms of smoking o other forms of tobacco use,” NVAP President Emer Rojas said.

(In Davao, smoking is prohibited even in enclosed places. E-cigarettes and shisha are also banned. Cigarettes are not the only ones restricted but other forms of smoking or other forms of tobacco use)

Public smoking and tolerating public smoking is banned in Davao City. These were strictly implemented by President Rodrigo Duterte when he was still mayor.

Smoking cigarettes, tobacco, e-cigarettes or similar devices is prohibited, including in public vehicles.

Davao’s Anti-Smoking Task Force makes sure business establishments follow the prescribed parameters for smoking. Each establishment is allowed only one open-space smoking area measuring not more than five square meters and located 10 meters from doors.

Violators face penalties based on the frequency of their offense: P1,000 fine or month-long jail time for the first offense, P2,500 or two-month jail time for the second offense, and P5,000 or four months in jail for the third offense.

Republic Act 9211 or known as the “Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003” prohibits smoking in public places.

But the group believes that this is not fully implemented because they can still see smokers everywhere.

“’Yung Republic Act 9211, mayroon ng prohibition sa paninigarilyo sa public places. Kaya lang, una, hindi ito naipapatupad nang talagang matindi. Pangalawa, kailangan palakasin mo ito dahil doon mayroon pa rin prohibition na manigarilyo sa enclosed places,” Rojas stressed.

(Republic Act 9211 prohibits smoking in public places, however, it is not strictly implemented. Secondly, you have to strengthen it to include enclosed places)

Based on the last study conducted by the World Health Organization, there are 10 Filipinos die everyday due to cigarette smoking.

And more than 17 million out of more than 63 million adults are cigarette smokers.

That is why it is still good to know that there are still many who are against smoking especially in public places

“’Yung iba kasi na hindi nanigarilyo, makalanghap ng usok, magkaroon sila ng sakit,” Romer Hanyer, a smoker, said.

“Payag rin sir, kasi marami epekto sa katawan yan. Cancer, sa baga,” Eugene Pascua replied when asked if he favors the said policy. — Mon Jocson | UNTV News & Rescue

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Two stranded OFW’s in Saudi Arabia return home through UNTV’s “Serbisyong Kasangbahay”

Two stranded overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia has returned home after UNTV’s Serbisyong Kasangbahay granted them free airline tickets.

This, after their unfavorable experience working in the Middle East.

One of the OFW’s identified as Dennis Diangco arrived in the Philippines last Saturday.

According to Dennis, he decided to ask help from Serbisyong Kasangbahay because he was deprived of proper compensation.

“I thank kuya Daniel’s program, “Serbisyong Kasangbahay,” because I can now join my family. I am expressing my sincere gratitude to him,” Dennis told UNTV News.

Dennis started working with Al Alamiya Company in December 2015 but unfortunately, it has poor financial system.

The other OFW, Noe Dayawon, was in the same situation.

He was stranded in Saudi Arabia for three months because the company he was working for suddenly ceased to operate.

According to Noe, he raised his concerns to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office but the agency could not help as he was no longer a member of Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration or OWWA.

Because of this, Noe was thankful that he was able to seek help from UNTV’s Serbisyong Kasangbahay.

“I am very thankful to “Serbisyong Kasangbahay” and UNTV that I can now go home for free. At last, I can now leave Saudi [Arabia,]” said Noe.

Noe was set to arrive in the country today.

According to him, his journey abroad may have been unsuccessful but he is delighted that he can finally be with his family. — Maybelle Razon | UNTV News & Rescue

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QUEZON CITY, Philippines  — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) who oversees the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) says that the congestion rate in jails run by the BJMP is now at 457%. Meaning, a jail that is supposed to house 10 inmates has 46 people crammed inside it.

“Our problem now is our budget for the construction of jails is not being raised,” DILG Undersecretary Jesus Hinlo said.

The department will ask the Budget Department and Congress for additional funds so they could build bigger jail facilities.

However, the department also wants a revision in the rules on where to build the jails.

“We need to coordinate with the COA because we can only build jails on land owned by the BJMP,” explained Hinlo.

They also want to resolve the shortage in the number of jailguards.

Ideally, the jailguard to inmate ratio is 1 is to 7 but it is now at 1 is to 47.

During transport of inmates to courts or hospitals, 1 jailguard must guard a single inmate, however, the present situation is 1 jailguard is looking over 17 inmates.

“That is why some are able to escape because we have a problem with the jailguards,” he said.

The DILG also wants to raise the meal allowance for each inmate which is now at 50 pesos per day.

The agency is also looking into having additional vehicles for BJMP jail facilities. — Victor Cosare | UNTV News & Rescue

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Two million pesos was the promised reward of President Rodrigo Duterte to those who can capture ‘ninja’ or policemen involved in illegal drug operations.

Pres. Duterte gave the instructions primarily to military and police to totally destroy the illegal drug apparatus in the country.

“Today, I might be inclined to place a reward on their head, the members of the ninja, or members of the police who are then protecting the drug syndicates in this country. I am placing per head two million and by there you might want to, ipagbili ninyo na mga kaibigan ninyo,” Pres. Duterte said in his speech.

The statement of the president was made during the commemoration of the National Heroes Day in the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City this morning.

President Duterte said, his administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign is a war and not just a simple issue but should be considered a national security problem.

He also reiterated his promise to soldiers and policemen about taking full responsibility for any legal issues they may face in the course of carrying out his anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Aside from this, he once again promised eradication of corruption in government and criminality under his administration.

“I would destroy corruption in government and it will be done whether they like it or not. It will be a clean government at the end of the day. I said, I will fight criminality, drugs. Most of the criminal acts are really on the account of the drug menace.” — Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue

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The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem offers a unique preview of an exhibition showcasing 3,000-year old artifacts recovered from Khirbet Geiyafa which archaeologists believe could be the biblical city of Sha’arayim, meaning ‘two gates’, that is mentioned in the story of the battle of David and the Philistine giant, Goliath.

Khirbet Geiyafa, overlooking the Elah valley, southwest of Jerusalem is an ancient fortified city that was discovered around a decade ago. But it was not until the second year of excavations in 2008 that archaeologists realized they had stumbled upon what was possibly the earliest physical evidence of a Davidic City dating back to the 11th century B.C.E.

Other significant clues that pointed to the presence of a Judean-stronghold are the absence of pig bones among the scores of animal remains, and most significantly, two inscriptions written in the Canaanite script that were found on a jar and a pottery fragment which are believed to be the earliest known example of Hebrew writing.

(READ ALSO: Philistines were more sophisticated than given credit for, say archeologists)

Despite strong evidence that suggests Khirbet Geiyafa could be the lost city of Sha’arayim, Garfinkel said that archaeology could neither prove nor disprove the Bible.

“Archaeology cannot prove or disprove the Bible. But archaeology can prove that what is written in the Bible fit the geographical situation and the anthropology of the period. The story of David and Goliath and the city are located in exactly the same location; they’re from the same period, so it cannot be a coincidence,” Prof. Yosef Garfinkel said.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem Director, Amanda Weiss agrees that the evidence, when considered in its entirety, points strongly to a Davidic period site.

“If you look at the whole site and its history, you see a Judean-stronghold on the border of the Philistine, between the Philistines and the Judeans in the Elah valley from the time period of David. Its incredible historical evidence all coming together at the same time,” Weiss told Reuters.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem will open the new exhibition on September 5, entitled “In the Valley of David and Goliath,” which will provide an opportunity for visitors to go back in history to the time of Israel’s greatest king David.

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The military troops of the government will continue its mission in Sulu against the bandit group, Abu Sayyaf.

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the fifteen soldiers that were killed by ASG in Sulu will serve as their inspiration to fulfill their mission in accordance with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Malacañang Palace confirmed that there will be additional military forces to be deployed in Sulu island.

“It is unfortunate that the number of our troops who have lost their loved, however, as Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on August 29, we are going full force and all-out operations against them. We are adding 5 battalions or 2,500 people,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

AFP Public Affairs Office Chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo says the location of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu is not easy because of its terrain.

But they believe that the Joint Task Force Sulu can master the area.

“That advantage that they have will not be for long because our soldiers will also and soon master this terrain,” Col. Arevalo assured.

AFP Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya, on his part, has this directive to the Philippine Navy forces that were deployed in the island:

“When it comes to our navy because the task given to them by the chief of staff is to ensure that there is no reinforcement came in and out in the Sulu,” Arevalo said. — Bryan de Paz | UNTV News & Rescue

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a National Heroes Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in Taguig city, Metro Manila in the Philippines August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

The number of drug-related killings in the Philippines since Rodrigo Duterte became president two months ago on a pledge to wipe out the illegal drug trade, has reached around 2,000, according to data released on Tuesday.

There has been popular support for his campaign, but the wave of killings unleashed since his election victory has alarmed rights groups and brought expressions of concern from the United States, a close ally of Manila.

As officials readied a publicity campaign to explain his fight against on narcotics, the Philippine National Police said that close to 900 drug traffickers and users had been killed in police operations from July 1 to August 20. That was an increase of 141 people over a week, on average 20 people a day.

Last week the police said 1,100 other drug-related killings that were not classified as police operations were also being investigated. No new number for that category was given on Tuesday but, together with the new figure for police encounters, the total came to around 2,000.

Duterte won the presidency of the Southeast Asian nation in a May election on a promise to wipe out drugs.

Two U.N. human rights experts recently urged the Philippines to stop extra-judicial killings, drawing a furious response from Duterte, who threatened to pull his country out of the United Nations. His foreign minister later rowed back on the threat.

Duterte’s communications secretary, Martin Andanar, said on Monday that a 30-second advertisement explaining the anti-drug campaign would be aired over the next week by commercial and public TV stations and by movie theaters.

“The government is not spending a single centavo on these ads and TV stations are carrying them for free,” Andanar told reporters at an event in a Manila hotel.

“THIS IS A WAR”

He said his office would also publish a 40-page pamphlet to explain the rising body count. This would be issued on the president’s first trip abroad next week, first to Brunei and then to an East Asia summit in Laos.

“Some people abroad have to understand why many people are getting killed in the anti-drug campaign. They must understand, this is a war and there are casualties,” Andanar said.

“The pamphlet will inform and explain that the government was not killing people at random, that these killings are not extrajudicial in nature but as part of the anti-crime campaign. Some of those killed were police officers who are involved in criminal activities.”

The White House said on Monday that U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to meet Duterte in Laos on Sept. 6, and plans to touch on human rights as well as security concerns.

Duterte’s crackdown on drugs and some strongly worded criticism he has made of the United States present a dilemma for Washington, which has been seeking to forge unity among allies and partners in Asia in the face of an increasingly assertive China, especially in the strategic South China Sea.

There have been few signs in the Philippines itself of a backlash against the war on drugs.

However, on Tuesday a newly formed group called the “Stop the Killings Network” announced a #Lightforlife campaign that would start with simultaneous candle-lighting events on Wednesday evening at six venues across Manila. — Reuters

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Philippine marine troops take part in assault exercises with U.S. soldiers during joint drills aimed at enhancing cooperation between the allies at a Philippine Naval base San Antonio, Zambales in this file photo dated October 9, 2015. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

The Philippines will send an additional 2,500 troops to a remote southern island this week as the army steps up an offensive against the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf, a presidential spokesman said on Tuesday.

About 45 soldiers and Muslim rebels have been killed on Jolo island since Thursday when the army launched an air-and-ground assault on the main base of the militants after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Abu Sayyaf to be “destroyed”.

“We are going full force, launching an all-out operation against the Abu Sayyaf there,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters. “We are adding five battalions or about 2,500 people.”

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 kidnapping rackets.  — Reuters

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Airplane passengers walks through feverscan camera system used to detect human temperature shortly after arriving from Singapore at the Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Beawiharta

Confirmed cases of Zika virus in Singapore rose to 82 on Tuesday, as the United States joined a growing list of countries warning pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant to avoid travel to the city-state.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has caused explosive outbreaks in the Americas and the Caribbean since late last year, poses a particular risk to pregnant women because it can cause microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains.

On Tuesday, the United States warned pregnant women not to travel to Singapore, joining Australia, Taiwan and South Korea.

The warnings followed news that Zika transmission appears to be occurring outside of the original cluster, with at least five of 26 new cases confirmed late on Tuesday detected in the Aljunied area in the southeast of Singapore, the health ministry and National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a joint statement.

Singapore has advised pregnant women to take a free Zika test if they showed any symptoms or if their partners tested positive. “This is regardless of whether they have been to Zika-affected areas,” health officials said in a statement.

The outbreak and advisories come as the tourism industry in one of the world’s busiest travel hubs already faces weak global economic growth. Singapore’s Tourism Board said it was premature to consider any impact on the sector, adding it remained a “safe travel destination”.

More than 55 million people pass through Singapore’s Changi airport every year. In the first half of this year, tourism arrivals topped 8 million, around 1 million more than a year earlier.

MOZZIE SPRAY SALES

Singapore reported its first case of locally-transmitted Zika at the weekend, and the number of confirmed infections has risen steadily since then. At least three dozen patients have made a full recovery.

Neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia have stepped up protective measures, introducing thermal scanners at airports and border checkpoints with the island state. Such measures, however, will only identify symptomatic cases of Zika, but only one in five people have symptoms of the virus, which include fever, rash, joint pain and pink eye.

Singapore residents responded to government calls to be vigilant and to take precautions against mosquito bites.

Online retailer Lazada Singapore said sales of insect repellents jumped five-fold in the past three days. FairPrice supermarkets and Watsons pharmacies said their sales of such products had doubled.

Most of the early infections were among foreign workers, hundreds of thousands of whom, mainly from the Asian sub-continent, work on Singapore’s construction sites and in the marine sector.

The Singapore government has not said where the infected foreign workers are from. The foreign ministry directed queries to the health ministry, which did not respond to Reuters questions on the issue. The Ministry of Manpower also did not respond to a request for comment made outside working hours.

The High Commission of Bangladesh, which represents the largest community of foreign workers, said none of those infected were Bangladeshis, and the Thai foreign ministry said none were from Thailand. The embassies of China, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar said they had not been notified by Singapore whether their citizens were among those infected.

Authorities inspected thousands of homes in seven parts of Singapore, including five foreign worker dormitories, spraying insecticide and removing potential mosquito breeding habitats.

The NEA has inspected about 5,000 premises in and around the initial outbreak area, issuing 400 notices to owners of buildings they could not access. The NEA can force entry into those premises if needed.

Zika was first discovered in Uganda in 1947. It caused clusters of human infections from the 1960s to 1980s across Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization.

The outbreak in the Americas was caused by a Zika strain from Asia, possibly carried to Brazil through travel to a sporting event. Many experts believe once infected, Zika produces lifelong immunity.

“Unfortunately, it is not clear the level of immunity that is currently in Asia,” said Alessandro Vespignani of Northeastern University in Boston.

WHO declared Zika a global health emergency because of its link with microcephaly. In Brazil, Zika has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly. — Reuters

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a National Heroes Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in Taguig city, Metro Manila in the Philippines August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday he was ready to discuss any issues with Barack Obama when they meet in Laos next week, but added that the U.S. president must listen to him first before bringing up the question of human rights.

Washington has expressed concern about a surge in drug-related killings since Duterte became president two months ago promising to wipe out narcotics in the Southeast Asian nation.

Asked if he would be willing to discuss human rights at his meeting with Obama on the sidelines of an East Asia summit on Sept. 6, Duterte told reporters: “Depends to what degree”.

“They must understand the problem first before we talk about human rights. I would insist, listen to me: this is what the problem is, then we can talk.” — Reuters

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MANILA, Philippines — Since its launch in 2014, Wish 107.5 FM has been delivering the coolest live musical experiences straight from its cutting edge mobile radio bus onto the streets of Metro Manila and into the station’s FM YouTube Channel that has become a home for phenomenal WISHclusive videos of the brightest and freshest musical artists.

(Related article: As it happens: Wish 107.5 Second Annivesary)

The WISHclusive performances that fans enjoy on Wish 107.5 YouTube page all begin at this one-of-a-kind music booth.

Almost all of the artists who’ve hopped on the bus said that their WISHperience is a wish-come-true, as they have never imagined themselves performing inside a moving bus while getting interactive with their fans and casual passers-by.

X-Factor UK finalist 4th Impact meanwhile took to Twitter their excitement about their stint on the bus, “Finally! We had the chance to experience singing on the famous mobile radio bus!”

With over 54 million accumulated views as of writing, the Wish 107.5 YouTube channel is still the undisputed online FM station that continues to cater to exclusively recorded performances of world-class OPM talents who have invaded the Wish 107.5 Bus.

The YouTube channel, popularly known for its first-rate audio and video quality, has also caught the attention of international artists such as Jessie J, Ashton Kutcher, Nicki Minaj and Fantasia Barrino.

The performances have also earned multiple “reaction videos,” posted by YouTubers from abroad, praising Filipino talents.

“The amount of talent that’s been recently on this bus has been crazy,” one YouTube user remarked in his videos.

With two years and counting, Wish 107.5 continues to be a gateway for Filipino artists to introduce their music to the world while keeping its listeners smitten with the wishful musical experience it offers over the airwaves and over the web. — UNTV News and Rescue

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OFW repatriates thankful for current administration for swift action

Both Lester Cubico and Fernando Candilasa were stranded in Saudi Arabia for more than a year because of pending complaints they filed against their companies which failed to give them compensations they deserved.

They are only two of thousands of Filipinos who lost their jobs because of the current financial crisis being experienced by some companies in Saudi Arabia due to the drop of oil price in the world market.

Although, they have bad experiences abroad, they are still thankful for the swift action of the government regarding their requests.

“Natutuwa po ako. Simpleng tao lang po ako, kahit papano masaya sa kalooban na ngayon lang po nangyari na sinalubong kami pagdating dito. Presidente pa po sumalubong sa amin at nakipagkamayan po ako sa kaniya. Masaya po sa kalooban at sana maipagpatuloy ang kaniyang program,” Cubico said.

(I am thankful. Though I’m just a simple citizen, the President himself welcomed us and I was able to do handshake with him. It’s really amazing and I hope he continues his programs.)

“Sa napakatagal po naming stranded sa Saudi tapos nagbigay pa siya sa amin ng mga financial assistance. ‘Yung 26,000 sa amin at pamilya namin kaya nagpasalamat po kami sa pangulo namin. Tsaka lahat naman po tumutulong dahil sa order niya,” Candilasa said thankfully.

(It was a long time when we were stranded in Saudi, but the president have done something for us to go back immediately and he also gave us financial assistance, 26 thousand for us and our family. So, we are really thankful to the president and everyone is helping us through his order)

President Rodrigo Duterte himself welcomed the 128 repatriated overseas Filipino workers who arrived in the country from Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

He gave each of them 5,000 pesos cash assistance aside from the 26,500 pesos provided first by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The OFWs are also given a privilege to enroll their children to state schools and unversities freely through the Office of the President.

Aside from these, the OFWs are given the chance to borrow capital to start a small scale business through the Department of Trade and Industry.

And most of all, the chief executive promised to do his best to increase economic growth rate and solve the problems of peace in Mindanao, illegal drugs and corrpution in the government.

This is to discourage our fellow Filipinos from going abroad to look for greener pastures.

“We are not so bad actually. Our economy is so far good. Just wait—and give me more time. I will fix the economy and there will be an opportunity for you to work here. We are not really exceeding the expectations, but we are on target sating growth. We have hit a phenomenal of 7, but it’s not something to crow about. We have to do more and, to make more businesses in the country just like in Saudi Arabia. There are a lot of businesses there and investments,” Pres. Duterte said in his speech. — Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue

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Philippines to import rice worth P5 billion

The Philippines will import 250,000 metric tons or 5 million sacks of rice.

The government’s reference price is $425 per metric tons which brings the total cost to almost 5 billion pesos.

The bidding is done thru government-to-government procurement with Thailand and Vietnam where the Philippines usually imports rice.

The imported rice is to sustain the buffer stock of NFA for the following months.

This is also in preparation for the possible effects of La Niña on agriculture in the last quarter of the year.

The Philippines already imported 500,000 metric tons of rice last April which was used to augment the deficit caused by the damage of El Niño last dry season.

NFA warehouse is now holding around 13.5 million bags of rice good for 21 days. — Rey Pelayo | UNTV News & Rescue

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“Melvin Odicta was convicted of possession of marijuana at that time in 1991, but in 1995 the law was revised which lowered his sentence so they were able to get out,” DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno said.

Melvin “Boyet” Odicta, the alleged drug lord of Iloilo had criminal records as he was arrested by Narcom agents for selling marijuana in an entrapment operation at Brgy. Tanza, Iloilo City on March 6, 1989.

Odicta was meted a life term on December 4, 1989 by the Iloilo Regional Trial Court Branch 26 and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence on May 15, 1991.

He was then transferred to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

PNP’s document reveals that Odicta met big-time drug lords while inside the NBP.

In 1995, however, Odicta was released because of Republic Act 7659 over R.A. 6425 on the grounds that he had served his sentence based on a revised schedule of penalties.
Odicta allegedly returned to his illegal activities in 1997.

In 1998, he met Meriam, the widow of Bondying Porras who was known as a drug personality operating in Tanza, Cavite.

After 5 years, Odicta surrendered himself to P/CSupt. Bartolome Tobias and then intelligence operatives PCI Mario Linament and P/Supt. Policarpio Segubre who are both retired now.

Odicta swore to cooperate with authorities so he was removed from the list of drug personalities in 2003.

“We validate first then if we find out that he’s not engaging, we delete him after six months,” Supt. Salvador Dagoon said, ICPO Director for Operations and Head Intel Branch.

Based on the information gathered by the PNP, shabu was transported from Manila to Iloilo through a yacht owned by Odicta.

The delivery of illegal drugs to their customers through his taxi units was managed by his son, Melvin Odicta Jr. or Vin-Vin.

They were known as “Dragon” which is on the list of drug personalities.

The Odicta couple denied the accusation when they surrendered to Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno.

“I heard that Dragon is a well-known drug lord. He said, he’s not Dragon, her wife admitted that she’s known as Dragon because she was born in the year of the Dragon,” Sec. Sueno said.

“I just hear that many people link Dragon to Odicta,” he added.

Melvin and Meriam Odicta were shot dead after getting off a ferry at Caticlan port early on Monday. — Lea Ylagan | UNTV News & Rescue

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