TOP 10 RICHEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
WHEN it comes to assessing a country’s prosperity, the most commonly utilized metric is Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
GDP quantifies the total worth of goods and services produced within the borders of a nation during a specific period, typically a year. As GDP is influenced by population size, a more reliable gauge of a country’s economic well-being is GDP per capita. This figure is derived by dividing a country’s GDP by its population, effectively revealing the economic prosperity enjoyed by each citizen. Consequently, the wealthiest countries in the world are those boasting the highest GDP per capita.
As of now, the world’s most affluent nation in terms of GDP per capita is Luxembourg, where the GDP per capita stands at an impressive $135,700.
Other prosperous nations in this regard include Bermuda, Ireland, and Switzerland, all exceeding a GDP per capita of $80,000.
These countries share common characteristics such as robust economic development, low levels of poverty, and high standards of living. Additionally, they often feature favorable tax systems and serve as homes to multinational corporations and major financial centers, further bolstering their overall wealth.
It’s important to note that global wealth distribution exhibits significant regional disparities.
North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region are notable for their high levels of economic development, whereas Africa, along with certain parts of Asia and South America, grapple with considerably lower levels of prosperity.
Luxembourg, officially known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a small, landlocked nation in Western Europe. It shares borders with Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south.
Source: wisevoter.com
(Authored by Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)
REMOVING China’s barrier at the entrance of Scarborough Shoal demonstrates the assertiveness of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in safeguarding Manila’s claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to an analyst.
“The President’s action sends a clear message that our pursuit of peace does not mean we’ll sacrifice our rights. We seek a peaceful relationship with China but remain committed to defending what we believe is rightfully ours,” said De La Salle University Professor Renato Cruz de Castro during a forum.
De Castro commended Marcos for his “decisiveness” in issuing the order to dismantle the barrier, even though it carried the potential for an “adverse reaction” from China.
He noted that the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea recognized Scarborough Shoal as within the Philippines’ 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and a traditional fishing ground used by Filipinos for generations.
De Castro emphasized that China’s placement of the barrier symbolized an action directed not only against the government but also against ordinary Filipino fishermen in Zambales.
“In less than 24 hours, the President made a resolute decision. It was a significant move, considering the potential reaction from China, but he took the challenge and ordered the removal of the barrier,” he stated.
De Castro also highlighted that Marcos’ decision reflected a pursuit of an independent foreign policy and was made without consultation with partners like Japan, Australia, or the United States.
He believed that Marcos’ action caught Beijing by surprise, causing them to reassure Filipinos that Malacanang was very much in control of the situation. (ai/mnm)
ON THE occasion of the Elderly Filipino Week, the Senior Citizen Party-List (SCP) on Sunday reminded elderly voters about their early morning voting rights in the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on October 30.
The Elderly Filipino Week runs from October 1 to 7.
“We would like to emphasize that senior citizens nationwide have the opportunity to cast their votes during the ‘early voting hours’ as established by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which will take place from 5 am to 7 am. on October 30,” SCP Rep. Rodolfo Ordanez said.
“We are proud to have been a part of the collective efforts that appealed to the Comelec to introduce early voting for seniors, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and heavily pregnant women,” Ordanez added.
“This initiative is especially important as our proposal for early voting seven days before the election day is still pending in the Senate.”
The early voting bill, known as House Bill 7576, has already been passed by the House and is currently under consideration in the Senate.
“HB 7576 represents one of our 16 legislative achievements, and I have been keeping seniors informed about this and other accomplishments across the nation,” the senior citizen lawmaker said.
During the early voting hours on October 30, from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., each senior citizen is allowed to have one companion to assist them.
The companion must also be a registered voter at the same voting center or school.
The primary purpose of these early voting hours is to provide priority attention to senior citizens, PWDs, and heavily pregnant women, ensuring that they do not have to endure long lines with the rest of the voters.
“To make it more convenient for senior citizens, PWDs, and heavily pregnant women, some malls will serve as voting facilities. I encourage seniors to check whether the malls near their residences offer voting facilities for BSKE,” Ordanez said.
“We will soon share a list of malls with voting facilities and other important BSKE advisories on our Facebook page.” (ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
BRAVING PUBLIC OPINION that it could be tagged as a “China apologist”, a self-styled Manila-based think tank has sought an investigation into what it calls “moro-moro” supposedly hatched by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) when it claimed that it “successfully removed” the floating barrier installed by China Coast Guard (CCG) at the entrance of Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
On Saturday, September 30, Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) president Herman “Mentong” Tiu Laurel in a press conference echoed a declaration by the China Coast Guard (CCG) that the claim by PCG spokesman on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela, was “fictitious” and “fabricated.”
To recall, last August 11 Tarriela minced no words when he said that Filipinos defending or “making excuses” for China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea are “unpatriotic” and “traitors.”
“If you are a Filipino, whether in government or private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China’s aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people,” Tarriela boomed on his post on X (formerly Twitter).
Without naming names, some political observers told Maharlika NuMedia that those who side with China could be likened to the Makapili, a group of Filipinos collaborating with the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War.
Laurel formerly wrote a regular column on state media Philippine News Agency. His last piece came out on March 27, 2023. (ai/mnm)
4:00 AM, 01 October 2023
SYNOPSIS: At 3:00 AM today, the center of Tropical Storm “JENNY” {KOINU} was estimated based on all available data at 845 km East of Central Luzon (17.2°N, 130.0°E) with maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 105 km/h. It is moving Northwestward at 20 km/h. Southwest Monsoon affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
(Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)
On October 1, 1975, the so-called “Boxing of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World took place at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
Then- President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. offered to hold the bout in Metro Manila. Don King, the promoter, amused by the gesture, agreed to hold the fight at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Produced by King and broadcast to many countries worldwide with HBO’s antenna, The Thrilla in Manila had a tremendous media following.
Ali won via technical knockout in the 14th round against Frazier, who was virtually helpless and nearly knocked down. It was their third and final boxing match.
Frazier’s trainer, Eddie Futch, decided to stop the fight between rounds rather than risk a worse fate for Frazier in the 15th round.
His decision to stop the bout in round 14 was made as Frazier was almost blind as he stepped in, and was met once more with punishing blows from Ali.
It was later revealed that Frazier actually had a cataract in his left eye and, with the punishment from Ali closing his right eye, Frazier was effectively fighting blind in the last rounds of the fight.
The referee of the match was Carlos Padilla Jr., a Filipino who came to international prominence because of the bout.
Ali and Frazier first met on the ring on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the latter won the title by unanimous decision by flooring Ali on the 15th round with a hard-leaping left hook.
Earlier, on January 28, 1974, Ali won a unanimous 12-round decision in a non-title rematch with Frazier, who had already lost his title to George Foreman. Ali was also recently beaten by Ken Norton.
As a tribute to Ali, in the Philippines, the first multi-level commercial shopping mall located at the Araneta Center in Quezon City, right beside the Araneta Coliseum where the “Thrilla in Manila” took place, was named “Ali Mall” in honor of the “The Greatest” champion.
Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer in late September 2011. By November 2011, he was under hospice care, where he died on November 7 at the age of 67.
Ali passed away on June 3, 2016, after a more than 30-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 74.
Source: Philippine News Agency archives, Wikipedia
Photo credit and caption text: http://sjposters.wordpress.com
(Filed by Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)
President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. applauds as Frazier (right) makes some remarks about Ali (left) when they visit the Malacanang Palace. Between the two fighters is Marcos’ wife, FL Imelda.
By Dang Samson Garcia
QUEZON City 5th District Rep. PM Vargas is pushing for a measure digitizing all books necessary for primary and secondary public education.
Vargas’ House Bill 9001 also pushes for the establishment of Philippine Online Library.
The solon, in his explanatory note, said after the Covid19 pandemic, the landscape of education in the country has drastically changed, relying mostly on the ever-expanding influence of technology.
“For most schools with access to the internet, the primary option for learning mode was an online platform while those that did not have access to the internet resorted to modular learning,” Vargas said in his explanatory note.
The solon stressed among the lessons learned during the pandemic were that connectivity and digital information are crucial elements in ensuring that education is continuous, especially in remote areas.
The measure seeks the digitalization of textbooks and reference books in primary and secondary public schools to make them accessible to many more learners even in isolated villages and eventually break down the barriers to education and learning.
The proposed Philippine Online Library Act, the solon stressed, envisions an entire collection of essential reading materials in public schools as well as other literature materials that young learners can access online through computers, laptops, or other digital devices in all primary and secondary public schools nationwide.
By Dang Samson Garcia
CALOOCAN City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan assured to continue their initiatives against child labor.
As part of their action, the City Government of Caloocan is providing livelihood packages for a total of 33 parent-beneficiaries.
The parents received assistance from the city Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in the form of bigasan packages, complete with two sacks of rice, weighing scales, and sando bags for repacking.
Malapitan declared Caloocan’s status as a child-friendly city and vowed his administration will be consistent in implementing the programs against all forms of child abuse.
“Isang klase lamang po ng abuso sa kabataan ang child labor kaya naman sinisiguro natin na lahat ng karahasan at pang-aabuso ay maiiwasan natin. Marami na po tayong programa at proyektong nasimulan ngunit asahan po ninyo na hindi tayo tumitigil sa pagkilos upang bigyan ng magandang buhay ang mga Batang Kankaloo,” Malapitan said.
“Nakikita naman po natin sa mga pagkilala na natanggap ng lungsod ang ating kakayahan na unahin ang kapakanan ng mga kabataan. Kamakailan lamang, kinilala tayo sa Local Council for the Protection of Children Assessment bilang isang lungsod na may ‘ideal’ rating pagdating sa pangangalaga ng interes ng mga bata,” he added.
Malapitan likewise expressed his gratitude towards the PESO and its partners for their combined efforts to ensure the elimination of child labor in a holistic and productive way.
“Isang malaking bagay na po ang mahigpit na pagbabawal nating pagtrabahuhin ang mga bata, ngunit batid din natin na paulit-ulit mangyayari ito kung wala tayong ibang gagawin. Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa PESO at sa kanilang mga partner agencies at companies dahil nasisiguro natin na kayang tugunan ang puno’t dulo ng problemang ito,” the Mayor stated.
Previously, around 100 parents have already benefitted from the city government’s initial livelihood distribution during the main celebration of the World Day Against Child Labor on June 23.
By Dang Samson Garcia
SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday urged the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to come up with a program that will professionalize barangay workers, including day care workers and teachers.
Gatchalian cited the examples of the Barangay Health Services and Community Nutrition Services program, both of which are National Certificate (NC) II courses.
“My suggestion is to come up with a program and let’s expand it to some of the barangay-based workers, including day care teachers and the other barangay employees. Ngayon kasi meron na tayo for barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars,” said Gatchalian.
“Our day care workers are not certified. They are trained through practice. A lot of them do not have stability of tenure, but they’ve been there for years. ‘Yung iba sa kanila andyan na for 30, 40 years and they want to be professionalized. At least let’s give them a chance to be recognized and certified,” Gatchalian added.
The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education has been pushing for the professionalization of child development workers and teachers.
Under the Basic Education and Early Childhood Education Alignment Act or Senate Bill No. 2029, Gatchalian proposed that cities and municipalities shall be mandated to create plantilla positions for CDTs and CDWs.
The proposed measure also mandates local government units to promote and encourage their professional development.
The Basic Education and Early Childhood Education Alignment Act mandates the Early Childhood Care and Development Council to ensure the alignment between the ECCD curriculum and the basic education curriculum.
It also imposes greater responsibilities on LGUs on the implementation of ECCD programs.
Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development shows that there are 78,693 CDWs in the country.
NAKOPO ni Filipino Olympian at pole vaulter EJ Obiena ang unang gold medal ng Pilipinas sa 19th Asian Games sa Hangzhou, China.
Dinomina ni Obiena ang pole vault finals kung saan mag-isa niyang na-clear ang 5.75-meter mark matapos ang dalawang pagtatangka.
Pagkatapos ay na-clear niya ang 5.90 meters sa isang attempt, na lalong nagsemento sa kanyang gold medal win.
Tinangka ni Obiena na ma-clear ang 6.02 meters subalit bigo siyang magawa ito.
Bago ang kanyang gold-clinching jump, na-clear ng pole vault world no. 2 na si Obiena ang 5.55 meters ng isang beses.
Inangkin nina Huang Bokai ng China at Hussain Asim Al Hizam ng Saudi Arabia ang silver at bronze, ayon sa pagkakasunod, sa 5.65 meters.
Sa kanyang nilundag ay binura ni Obiena ang Asian Games record na dating tangan ni Seito Yamamoto ng Japan sa 5.70 meters.
Kasalukuyang hawak ng Pinoy pole vaulter ang Asian record sa 6.0 meters.
HANGZHOU — Jordan and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ended Gilas Pilipinas’ winning run in the 19th Asian Games on Saturday, September 30, sweeping Group C of the preliminaries, 87-62, and securing an outright berth to the quarterfinals at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center.
The loss threw Gilas into a minefield, its first setback after hard-earned wins over Bahrain and Thailand shoving the Nationals to a knockout game against Group D No. 3 placer Qatar on Monday, October 2, at 4 p.m. for a seat in the quarters.
Jordan, meanwhile, set up a quarterfinal showdown with either Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia or Kazakhstan on Tuesday, October 3, for one of four semifinal berths.
A victory by Gilas over Qatar, which downed Indonesia, 74-67, in a do or die earlier, would put the Nationals in the rampaging path of Asian powerhouse Iran in the quarterfinals.
Only then can the Philippines think about Japan, which shocked South Korea earlier, 83-77, on the strength of 17 three-point explosions.Iran had swept Group A, completing its dominance in the preliminaries by brushing off Kazakhstan 86-60, on Saturday.
Gilas never had Jordan at its mercy. But it valiantly rallied from 42-29 at halftime to level twice, the second at 52-all on a CJ Perez drive with 1:14 left in the third quarter.
But just as quickly, the Jordanians, behind Holiis-Jefferson (25 points), point guard Fadi Ibrahim (24), Ahmad Al Dwairi (22) and shooter Sami Bzai (17), settled the ship and broke away with 13 unanswered points extending to the fourth quarter.
Jordan shot 52 percent from the floor (32 of 61), while Gilas floundered with 33 percent shooting (24 of 72), its offense bogged down by 20 missed triples.The first half gave an indication of how the game would turn out.
An 11-0 Jordan run from 19-all in the second quarter appeared to take the fight out of Gilas, which trailed 42-29 at the half.
The Nationals struggled to find their rhythm but couldn’t as they failed to convert open looks at the basket, shooting 8 of 23 (35 percent) in the first 20 minutes.In the first quarter alone, the Jordans easily erased a 13-6 Gilas lead as Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, Japeth Aguilar and Ange Kouame combined for 0 of 8 in the opening 10 minutes.
At the half, Perez remained mired at 0 of 4 from the field, Kouame 1 of 5, Aguilar 1 of 5 and Calvin Oftana 0 of 4.Gilas missed 11 of 13 three-point attempts.Only Justin Brownlee and June Mar Fajardo escaped the shooting funk, with Brownlee playing without relief in the first half and scoring 14 points while Fajardo had six.
Brownlee finished with 24 points and was the only Gilas player in double figures.
Jordan, in contrast, hit 10 of 18 of its two-point shots and 5 of 13 beyond the 3-point arc in the first two quarters.
Ibrahim ran rings around the defense with 9 points behind the 11 of Hollis-Jefferson, who had 11 points, and John Bohannon 10.
Hollis-Jefferson matched Brownlee’s length of stay in the first half and was 3 of 8 from the floor with five assists and five rebounds. He hit a buzzer-beating jumper before the intermission.
Ibrahim nailed a similar buzzer-beater — a trey — f to shatter a 13-all tie in the first quarter.
The Nationals had their finest moment in the third quarter, putting together a stirring comeback that wiped out a 13-point deficit to tie, 48-all, on a Brownlee basket, and 52-52 courtesy of a Perez slasher.
Jordan then took over.
The scores:
Jordan (87) – Hollis-Jefferson 24, Ibrahim 17, Bzai 12, Al-Dwairi 10, Bohannon 10, Hussein 7, Alhamarsheh 5, Alhenda 2, Abbas 0, Qarmash 0, Alhammouri 0.
Philippines (62) – Brownlee 24, Thompson 11, Aguilar 8, Fajardo 8, Perez 5, Kouame 4, Lassiter 2, Oftana 0, Ross 0, Newsome 0, Tolentino 0.
QS: 16-13, 42-29, 59-52, 87-62.
A Canadian Navy frigate, known as His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS), dropped anchor on Saturday (30 Sept 2023) at Pier 15 in Manila as part of a goodwill visit.
This marks the third visit by a Canadian navy vessel to Manila this year, highlighting Canada’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Philippines and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
David Hartman, Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines, has announced that discussions are underway for the implementation of an agreement that would grant the Philippines access to Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection program. This satellite-based system will provide the Philippines with real-time monitoring capabilities to enhance its maritime domain awareness.
The arrival of the Canadian ship underscores the increasingly close and mutually beneficial relationship between Canada and the Philippines, as emphasized by Canadian Ambassador David Hartman.
Accompanying photographs capture the Canadian frigate, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS), during its port call at Pier 15 in Manila’s South Harbor.
(Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
IT WAS ONE DARK SUMMER NIGHT in 1975 when my cousin Engracio, and a friend of his whose name escaped my memory, and I were walking on a field towards the municipal hall of our sleepy coastal town of Borbon north of Cebu island where a “bayle” (dance) was being held.
When suddenly we noticed a stingray-shaped luminous green flying object hovering over the coconut trees near our grandparents’ house.
Out of curiosity, we pointed at the strange flying object which — in our naive perception as teenagers then — had an intelligence of its own that it tried to hide itself behind the coconut leaves.
Just like a “hunyango” (chameleon), its greenness blended well with the green color of the coconut leaves.We decided to forget the whole thing.
As Engracio and his friend were enjoying watching our townmates dance the night away, I had to excuse myself because I suddenly had an asthma attack and went to our grandparents’ house to sleep.
As I was trying hard to sleep inside a dark room with only a poorly lit lamp and trying hard to conquer my fear as my grandparents’ house was reputedly haunted, a very bright light suddenly illuminated the window beside my bed.
But it was a split second, I think, and after a few more seconds I heard a loud explosion in the vicinity of the municipal hall. I was too weak to get up because of my asthma and as I concentrated hard to heal myself naturally, I fell asleep.
The morning after, I heard some townmates saying that something huge crashed into the sea at the back of the municipal hall building.Years passed and the strange event in Borbon seemed to have been forgotten by many.
My cousin Engracio and I, however, just can’t forget.”
Parts, kahinumdom pa ko” (Cousin, I still remember),” Engracio told me.
Usually, the so-called UFOs (unidentified flying objects), now referred to as UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena) are always described as either round like a saucer, hence the term flying saucers, or oblong.
But ARY News reported that during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup hosted by Russia, from June 17 to July 2, a “giant stingray” was reported lighting up the skies over northern Russia.
A nervous Russian woman who spotted the mystery lights in the city of Kirov wrote: “What the hell was that? It doesn’t look like anything I’ve previously seen.”
According to Russian space officials, the eerie light show coincided with a Soyuz-2.1.B launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the country’s sub-Arctic Arkhangelsk region.
The Russian experience was eerily similar to what we had a long time ago.
HANGZHOU – Gilas men’s 3×3 team eked out a thrilling 15-14 win over Kazakhstan to reach the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games on Saturday at the Deqing Geographic Information Park Basketball Court.
Alvin Pasaol led the Philippine quartet with five points including a driving basket with 20 seconds to play that gave the team a 15-13 edge.
Ramazan Samsin made it a 15-14 contest later, before a Justin Sanchez turnover opened the door for the Kazakhs to turn the outcome around.
But Bogdan Rabchenyuk missed a potential game-winning deuce as JB Sajonia secured the rebound and preserved the win for the Filipinos.
Bismarck Lina and Sanchez had four points apiece, while Sajonia had two to round up the scoring for Gilas, which fell in the classification for quarterfinals after losing its final game in the group stage against Mongolia.
The Filipinos now face South Korea in the knockout stage set late Saturday night.
Other quarterfinal pairings will have Mongolia going up against Iran, Qatar opposite Japan, and host China meeting Chinese Taipei.
Mongolia, Qatar, China, and Korea all earned outright quarterfinal berths, while Iran, Japan, and Chinese Taipei all had to go through the classification for quarterfinals to advance just like the Philippines.
Iran turned back India, 19-17, Japan routed Macao, 21-12, and Chinese Taipei edged Indonesia, 19-17.
HANGZHOU – Carlo Paalam joined Eumir Marcial in the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games boxing competitions, beating Uulu Munarbek Seiitbek of Kyrgyzstan in a back-and-forth fight at the Hangzhou gymnasium on a cloudy Saturday.
The 25-year-old Paalam, winner of a silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, needed a strong finishing kick to pull off the hard-earned 4-1 win in the Round of 16 of the men’s 54 kg class.
Paalam had to overcome the Kyrgyzstan fighter’s height and reach to advance to the next round.
“Matalino ring maglaro. Ginagamit yung tangkad at experience niya,” the Filipino said of his lanky opponent, a bronze medal winner in this year’s World Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. “Dun kami nagbe-based sa skill at sa style. Matalino talaga.”
Paalam became only the second Filipino fighter after Marcial to reach the Final Eight as the two try to carry the country’s hopes of earning a first-ever Asiad gold in 13 years and earn an outright passage to the Paris Olympics next year.
The path towards the top gets tough for the native of Bukidnon from hereon as reigning world champion Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan will be next for Paalam.
Khalokov, 23, won by unanimous decision against Nguyen Van Duong of Vietnam, 5-0, in the other Round-of-16 match.
The Uzbek bagged the 57 kg gold in the Tashkent World Championship and the Asian Championship in Amman, Jordan last year.
“Halos lahat sila sa division namin malalakas,” said Paalam.
The quarterfinal round is set for Tuesday.
HANGZHOU – Daniel Patrick Caluag tries to duplicate his gold medal-winning feat in the Incheon Games exactly nine years ago when he and Patrick Coo vie in cycling’s BMX Racing for men in the 19th Asian Games here on Sunday.
The venue for the event that kicks off with the Moto 1 at 9:15 a.m., Moto 2 at 10:25 a.m., and the final at 11:30 a.m. is the CSC BMX course in Chun’an, some 170 kilometers southwest of the games’ main hub of Huangzhou.
“I remember it as if it was yesterday,” said Caluag, who won the Philippines’ one and only gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. “I am truly blessed to be able to continue doing the thing I love—ride my BMX.”
Caluag is a veteran of London 2012, only the second time that BMX Racing was a medal sport in the Olympics. He was also the Asian champion in 2013.
At 36 years old, Caluag will be the oldest rider on the track.
“I would say I am more relaxed going into these Games,” he said. “It’s hard to measure progress in a changing sport like this, but I am certain I have become older and wiser.”
Coo, who was the Asian junior champion in 2021, will ride the track fresh from his training camp at the UCI World Cycling Center in Aigle, Switzerland.
“I’ll compete the way I’m training for the race,” said Coo, 21, who’ll be riding a tactical race with Caluag against 10 other competitors in their campaign for Team Philippines supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.
Also in the start list are Singapore’s Ali Mas Ridzwan Bib Mohamad, Thailand’s Apisit Jaiwoo and Komet Sukpraset, South Korea’s Dongyeong Park and Joonsoo Yoon, China’s Lin Haochao and Chen Yucheng, Indonesia’s Gusti Bagus Saputra, and Fasya Ahsana Rifki and Japan’s Asuma Nakai.
The PhilCycling, headed by POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, fielded Ariana Evangelista and Shagne Yaoyao in women’s MTB and Ronald Oranza, Jonel Carcueva, and Joshua Pascual in the men’s Road race set on October 6.
Globe congratulates its ambassador, tennis sensation Alex Eala, for making history for the flag anew after winning two bronze medals in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the country’s first podium finish in tennis in the regional tilt in 16 years.
Eala scored a double bronze win in her Asiad debut ending the country’s nearly two-decade tennis medal drought in women’s singles. She then clinched another bronze with Francis Casey Alcantara in the mixed doubles event.
Eala’s wins mark the first time the Philippines won two medals in tennis in the Asian Games since 2006, when Filipino American Cecil Mamiit won two medals in the men’s singles and doubles.
“We are overwhelmed with pride over another historic feat that our ambassador, Alex Eala, has accomplished for the flag. She is the epitome of what hard work, grace and determination can achieve. At such a young age, she has rewritten the country’s sports history as she continues to achieve personal milestones,” said Ernest Cu, Globe Group President and CEO.
A Globe ambassador since age 8, Eala has landed historic wins for the Philippines. She clinched the 2022 grand slam singles championship at the US Open Juniors, and has so far won four pro titles in the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the 2021 French Open Girls’ Doubles tournament, and the Australian Open Girls’ Doubles in 2020.
Apart from these, Eala won three bronze medals in the singles, women’s team play and doubles events in her Southeast Asian Games debut last year.
Alex Eala’s victories in the Asian Games ended the Philippines’ medal drought in tennis at the Asian Games.
Ni Liezelle Soriano
MAAARING umabot sa mahigit 1,000 ang disqualification cases laban sa mga kandidato sa barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), ayon kay Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia nitong Sabado.
“Sa mga susunod na araw, asahan na baka umabot pa sa mahigit 1,000 ang ipa-file ng (Comelec) task force na disqualification cases,” pahayag ni Garcia sa isang panayam sa radyo.”
Sa Lunes (Oct 02), nasa 40 pa ang ipa-file na disqualification cases,” dagdag pa niya.Sa ngayon, sinabi ni Garcia na umabot na sa 3,600 ang kanilang naisyuhan ng show cause order.
Kadalasan, ang nilalaman ng show cause order na galing sa Comelec ay humihingi ng karampatang paliwanag mula sa isang akusado kung bakit hindi siya dapat na madiskwalipika.
Ayon pa sa Comelec, nagsampa na ito ng disqualification cases noong Biyernes laban sa 35 kandidato sa BSKE dahil sa umano’y premature campaigning.”
Ang naisyuhan natin ng show cause order sa buong bansa ay almost 3,600 na… Sa 3,600, ‘yung 35 sinampahan na ng disqualification case… Hopefully makapagdesisyon bago ang BSKE sa October 30,” aniya.
By Liezelle Soriano
THE country can live without confidential intelligence funds, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said, amid the concerns raised by the opposition and concerned citizens, but agencies that truly need intelligence gathering funds must be spared.
According to the Special Provision General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2022, confidential funds are lump sum amounts for expenses related to “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies” to support their mandate or operations.
“Definitely, the country can go ahead without confidential funds. Pero itong intelligence funds, kailangan ito sa mga ahensya na engaged talaga in gathering intelligence,” the lawmaker said in a radio interview.
The legislator pointed out that the finances for confidential and intelligence operations at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Office of the Solicitor-General (OSG) were not justified.
“Kung kailangan nila (OSG) ng surveillance, bakit hindi i-avail ‘yung services ng NBI. Kapares din ng DICT. Kung kailangan nila mag-avail ng services for surveillance purposes, andiyan ang PNP, andiyan ang military, at andiyan ang NBI,” he said.
“They should avail of these services without getting ang pondo on confidential funds,” the senior lawmaker from Albay said. (ai/mnm)
Did you know that right here in our homeland, the Philippines, there are places that bear names that perfectly capture their essence.
Let’s set aside the dictionary for a moment.
A “moniker” is a nickname or a brief name used in place of the formal name of a person, location, or object. It’s often employed to convey affection, humor, a characteristic trait, or even a bit of playful teasing. While similar to a pseudonym, stage name, or title, monikers have their unique role.
It’s high time we become acquainted with the endearing nicknames our very own towns, cities, and provinces are lovingly associated with. Some of these monikers may have eluded our awareness until now.
As we venture into this treasure trove of information, you might be surprised to learn that the Philippines’ largest island, Samar, is also known as the “Spelunking Capital” of the country. San Juan is recognized as the “Tiangge Capital,” and San Fernando in Pampanga proudly bears the title of “Lantern Capital” and so on.
Now, let’s explore and discover the most intriguing monikers of local government units that may have remained hidden from our knowledge until today:
𝗖𝗲𝗯𝘂 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Oldest City in the Philippines
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Largest City in the Philippines
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗺 ↦ Music Capital of the South
𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 ↦ Phil. Island Garden City
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Banana Capital
𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗶 ↦ Coconut City of the South
𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗼𝘀 ↦ Clay Capital of Mindanao
𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮 ↦ Banana Capital of Davao
𝗞𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ City at the foot of Mt Apo
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Durian Capital, Cacao Capital
𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗹 ↦ Ilonggo City of the South
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Tuna Capital
𝗕𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗼𝗻 ↦ Pineapple Capital
𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆 ↦ Summer Capital of the South
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 ↦ Fruit Basket and King City of the South
𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗼 ↦ City of Golden Friendship
𝗜𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗻 ↦ Oil Palm Capital of the Philippines
𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 ↦ Island Born of Fire
𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗶, 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 ↦ Venice of the South
𝗖𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼 ↦ Land of Mightiest Mountain
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Cradle of Muslim Art
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼 ↦ Conference Capital of Mindanao
𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 ↦ Mystical Province of Love
𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Surfing Capital
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Land of Beauty and Bounty
𝗢𝗿𝗼𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮 ↦ City of Good Life
𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Province of South’s Twin City
𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 ↦ Seat of Muslim Mindanao
𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰 ↦ Christmas Capital of Mindanao
𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Land of Antiquated Finds
𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 ↦ Timber City of the South
𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗴 ↦ City of Good Luck
𝗗𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 ↦ Shrine and Historic City of the South
𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 ↦ Little Hong Kong of the South
𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Asias Latin City, Sardines Capital, City of Flowers
𝗦𝘂𝗹𝘂 ↦ Land of Exotic Fruits
𝗜𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ industrial City of the South
𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴 ↦ The Phil. Orchid City
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻, 𝗕𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗼𝗻 ↦ Vegetable Basket of Mindanao
𝗔𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗻 ↦ Oldest province in the Philippines
𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 ↦ Province where the mountain meets the sea
𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼 ↦ City in the Sky
𝗔𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗮 ↦ Land of Golden Sunrise
𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Banana Capital of Panay
𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿 ↦ Band Capital of the Philippines
𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Summer Capital/ City of Pines
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻 ↦ History Hub of Central Luzon
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘀 ↦ Diving and Shipping Capital
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 ↦ Land of True Insulars
𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗱 ↦ City of Smiles
𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻 ↦ Shipyard of Antiquity
𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁 ↦ Salad Bowl of the Philippines
𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ King City of the East
𝗕𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹 ↦ Calamay Capital of the Philippines
𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗻 ↦ Manila’s Gateway to the North
𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗴 ↦ City of Waterfalls
𝗖𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮, 𝗥𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗹 ↦ Bibingka Capital
𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮 ↦ Hot Spring Capital
𝗖𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Wakeboarding Capital
𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 ↦ Cradle of Phil. Revolution
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ City of Captivating Contrast
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 ↦ Land of the Howling Wind
𝗖𝗮𝘂𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻, 𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ Mushroom City of the North
𝗖𝗲𝗯𝘂 ↦ Gateway to a Thousand Journeys
𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁𝗲 ↦ City of Gentle People
𝗗𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗻 ↦ Bangus Capital
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹, 𝗦𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗴𝗼𝗻 ↦ World’s Whale Shark Capital
𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿 ↦ Gateway to Phil. Discovery
𝗘𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿, 𝗠𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗿 ↦ City of Divine Mercy
𝗘𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗱𝗼 ↦ Heaven on Earth
𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀 ↦ Mango County of Visayas
𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗰, 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Pebble Capital
𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Province with most number of barangays
𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ The First Queen City of the South, City where the Past is always present
𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗼𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Heritage Haven of the Far North
𝗜𝗺𝘂𝘀 ↦ The Philippine Flag Capital
𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ Rice Granary of the North
𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮 ↦ White Rafting Capital of the North
𝗟𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 ↦ Surfing Capital of the North
𝗟𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗻𝗮 ↦ The Silicon Valley
𝗟𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱, 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁 ↦ Strawberry Capital
𝗟𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘀 ↦ Salt Center of Metro Manila
𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗽𝗶 ↦ City of Fun and Adventure, ATV capital
𝗟𝗶𝗽𝗮, 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘀 ↦ City of Pride
𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗻 ↦ The Most Romantic Place
𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮, 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻 ↦ Biofuel & Biopalm City
𝗠𝗮𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗦. 𝗟𝗲𝘆𝘁𝗲 ↦ The Religious City
𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗶 ↦ Manhattan of the Philippines
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗮 ↦ Shoe Capital of the Philippines
𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 ↦ Great Wild West of Phil.
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗮 ↦ Ever Distinguished Loyal City
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗾𝘂𝗲 ↦ Heart of the Philippines
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗲 ↦ Furniture Capital
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘂𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗴 ↦ Shopping Capital
𝗠𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗼, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Municipality with most number of barangays, Onion Capital of Visayas
𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗼, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Athens of the Philippines
𝗠𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘂𝗽𝗮 ↦ The Emerald City
𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗮 ↦ Bicols Queen City
𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘀 ↦ Fishing Capital of Greater Manila
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 ↦ Sugar Bowl
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 ↦ Province with most number of cities
𝗡𝗲𝗴. 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 ↦ Whale and Dolphin Haven
𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗘𝗰𝗶𝗷𝗮 ↦ Rice Granary of the Philippines
𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝘇𝗰𝗮𝘆𝗮 ↦ Watershed Haven of Cagayan Valley
𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗼 ↦ Harbor Gateway to the South
𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ Largest Province in the Philippines
𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ Philippines’ Last Frontier
𝗣𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 ↦ Culinary Capital of the Philippines
𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻 ↦ Saltmaking Capital
𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀 ↦ Balut Capital
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗾𝘂𝗲 ↦ Fashion Capital
𝗣𝗮𝘀𝗮𝘆 ↦ Travel Capital
𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶 ↦ Sweet City at the Heart of Panay
𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Christmas Capital of Visayas
𝗣𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮 ↦ Mini Boracay
𝗣𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗮 ↦ EcoTourism Capital
𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ City of Stars and New Horizons
𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗼 ↦ Forest Heartland of Cagayan Valley
𝗥𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗹 ↦ Cradle of Philippine Arts
𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻 ↦ Marble Capital
𝗥𝗼𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Seafood Capital of the Philippines
𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻, 𝗢𝗰𝗰. 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗼 ↦ Largest Municipality in the Philippines
𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿 ↦ Spelunking Capital
𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻 ↦ Tiangge Capital
𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 ↦ Lantern Capital
𝗦𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗷𝗼𝗿 ↦ Island of Fire
𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗰 ↦ Melting Pot of Central Luzon
𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ City of Hope
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻 ↦ City of Peace and Friendship
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗴 ↦ The ProvinSyudad
𝗧𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗼 ↦ Premier Ybanag City
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘇𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ The Only Divided City
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘇𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ Vibrant City of Discipline
𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 ↦ Chromite Capital
Source: @Travel Box Ticketing Office/JTours Adventures
(By Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)