Fortifying Wireless Security Key To A Robust Network

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Most organizations think they have their security taken care of but ironically, CIOs today are not accounting for how their network is actually accessed. A single user may be logged on through multiple devices: a phone, a tablet, and a laptop. There could also be myriads of devices on the network that IT doesn’t even know about.

According to Fortinet, the global leader in high-performance cybersecurity solutions, this disconnect is driven by Shadow IT - the result of unbridled use of unapproved devices and services on the network. Shadow IT includes consumer or enterprise applications in the cloud, such as file sharing apps, social media, and collaboration tools. There is often no corporate policy or decision to allow this, and most of the time it is unknown by anyone on their IT team.

“The fact is, about 90 percent of employees and guests are connecting to their network wirelessly and yet wireless APs are often less secure than the wired perimeter. The proliferation of devices and applications is posing serious challenges for organizations that need to ensure the protection of their entire network and guard against advanced cyber security threats,” said Jeff Castillo, Country Manager, Fortinet Philippines. “It is critical that a security solution map users to devices and control access accordingly and accurately.”

Gartner Group predicts that 33 billion endpoints will be connected by 2020, of which the majority of these devices will be wireless. As more and more wireless devices enter the workplace, companies are striving to maintain the security of their wireless networks.

“When it comes to devices in the workplace, one often thinks of smart phones, laptops, and tablets. But today’s wireless endpoints comprise more than those traditional devices. Organizations may also deploy wireless IP cameras, location-based beacons, and other small devices which often are not capable of supporting traditional security solutions. So this means companies have more and more vulnerabilities to protect for the foreseeable future,” said Castillo.

The growing number of small devices that are not able to support security is one challenge. But even traditional wireless devices – smart phones, laptops, tablets – can create security gaps due to the number of mobile applications they run, both for personal and professional use. Contact management apps, games, shopping websites, and even legitimate online news outlets may be infected with malware without the user’s knowledge. This can, in turn, affect the enterprise network as a whole. Users sharing their log-in credentials with guests, or not changing their passwords regularly can also lead to security gaps.

Securing business communications, personal information, financial transactions, and mobile devices involves much more than network access control. It also requires actively scanning for malware, preventing access to malicious websites, end-point integrity checking, and controlling application usage. Protecting Access Points (AP) is paramount to a sound wireless security strategy, and to securely extend physical coverage for users. Today’s APs not only need to support high density environments, but also support security features like Application Visibility & Control (AVC), Wireless IPS (wIPS), and Rogue monitoring —all without the loss of performance.

“Companies need a fabric with deeply integrated security systems that share information across all areas, including wired, wireless, VPN, and cloud environments. When the integration is coupled with machine learning capabilities, the system can flag abnormalities more accurately and more rapidly, and coordinate responses between different security deployments. All of this contributes to better response time for organizations in mitigating threats,” said Castillo.

Debunking Outsourcing Myths

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Outsourcing is an emerging strategy used by many organizations today to keep their business operations efficient and profitable.

Outsourcing allows companies to assign certain business operations to outsourcing firms rather than accomplishing it internally, thereby, reducing manpower expenses and other operational costs without sacrificing operational efficiencies.

However, despite its obvious benefits, there are still some companies that do not yet fully appreciate the advantages outsourcing brings to a business. In fact, they often look at the practice as an added expense rather than an opportunity to cut costs.

Prople, Inc., one of the leading business outsourcing companies in the country, lists some misconceptions about outsourcing and what are the truths behind these myths.

1.    Outsourcing can only reduce costs

Truth be told, outsourcing primarily reduces costs.  However, this is only one of its many benefits. Outsourcing also helps increase productivity because the personnel assigned to the task is usually highly trained for the job. This means that less or no training is needed for the task to be done. In the long run, it increases efficiency and productivity because it allows companies to focus on their core business instead of spending time, effort, resources and manpower on these processes.

2.    It saves money but the quality of the services are at risk

When a job is outsourced, it is assigned to a group of people with the prerequisite skills set. This means that the people working on the job are experts who know what needs to be done, thus, reducing the chances of poor work quality.

3.    Less management control over the specific task and results

Even if the job is outsourced, it doesn’t mean that clients have no control of the output or the outsourced staff. It is a standard among BPO firms to guarantee timely and specific deliverables ensuring that the integrity of the output is maintained and that the staff assigned perform at excellent levels at all times. Companies that outsource usually interface regularly to make sure that the quality of the work is sustained.

4.    SMEs cannot benefit from outsourcing

While outsourcing seems to be done mostly by large companies, what many don’t realize is that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can benefit better from outsourcing. Hiring people will mean that resources are allocated for salaries, benefits, and other mandatory government payments. Outsourcing takes away the need to pay the required salaries as the fees paid to an outsourcing firm are based on a specific set of deliverables. Once the task is completed, the costs discontinue.

5.    Outsourcing causes loss of jobs

BPOs cut down the workloads of an enterprise by accepting minor tasks, like for payroll and tax services among others. Instead of hiring people to work on these, a company may open other positions that will help them focus more on their business core. Furthermore, outsourcing opens up employment opportunities for people who prefer working on a per project basis.

Prople Inc. was established to assist local enterprises of any size. As one of the leading business processes outsourcing companies, it delivers proven, best-in-class methodologies and solutions to ensure their customers’ business stability and progress.

It is staffed by value-driven employees, such as accountants, auditors, project managers, business analysts, engineers and IT professionals, who are rich in adequate professional experiences that may help companies realize true benefits of outsourcing.

Overall, it aims to produce practical outputs including increase of efficiency, immediate start on new projects, control of capital costs, reduction of labor costs, maintaining the focus on the business core and preventing risks that threaten the success of enterprises, and these are what Prople, Inc. desires to provide.

For a complete list of Prople, Inc.’s services, kindly visit its website at https://www.propleinc.com/.

A New Generation of Filipino Contemporary Dance Emerges in “Bagong Sayaw” this September 10 – 18

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Six brave choreographers are set to push the boundaries of dance with the young dancers of Ballet Philippines II this September with “Bagong Sayaw”, to be staged at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater).

Translated as “new dance”, this production celebrates just that – the emergence of fresh ideas expressed in various choreographic forms. The choreographers featured in this production are Al Bernard Garcia, Erl Sorilla, Gia Gequinto, Bonifacio Guerrero Jr., Danilo Dayo Jr., and John Ababon.

“’Bagong Sayaw’ is a venue for us to give our young dancers and choreographers the necessary challenges and for them to be able to grow as artists,” says Ballet Philippines artistic director Paul Alexander Morales. “They say that experience is the best teacher, but more than that, we also think it’s important to let their voices be heard.”

Taking the stage for this production are the dancers of Ballet Philippines II, BP’s junior performing company. It is composed of the most outstanding apprentices and scholars of the company and the Ballet Philippines Dance School. Through various performance opportunities, the dancers not only develop their talents in performance and choreography, but they ultimately help fulfill BP’s commitment to the development of the youth and of dance in the country.

“Bagong Sayaw” will be staged at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater) from September 10 & 17 at 6:00PM and September 11 & 18 at 3:00PM. Tickets are priced at Php 600, with discounts for students, senior citizens, and government employees.

Connect to Ballet Philippines online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/balletphilippines
Twitter: @balletph
Instagram: @balletphilippines
YouTube: balletph

To join in the Ballet Philippines conversation, use our official hashtags: #balletph, #bagongsayaw

The Future of Education – Understanding the Generation Z

Wazzup Pilipinas!

What does the future of education look like? Will online learning platforms and touch-enabled 3D images replace textbooks, classrooms, and… teachers?!

I personally believe that technology will NEVER replace teachers. Regardless of how high-tech our world can get, no touchscreen device or voice-activated bots can educate our children on values, life skills and human interaction.

However, I also believe that there is a need for the education sector to realize that times are indeed changing, and whether we like it or not, the way WE used to learn in the classroom is no longer effective in the 21^st century.

Because of technology, kids today do not need adults in order to get information. The internet has given kids access to uncensored content too much too soon, and it is our responsibility as parents and teachers to provide the CONTEXT – to guide them in organizing and interpreting what they see.

This, together with some helpful ways of understanding today’s youth, is something that I was blessed to share as one of the speakers at the recently concluded 8^th Education Summit in Balanga, Bataan on August 30 and 31. The summit was organized by the City of Balanga in partnership with the Department of Education, gathering thousands of parents and teachers to learn about the latest developments in the field of education.

Public Advisory: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Replacement

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In light of the official announcement by Samsung to voluntarily replace the Galaxy Note 7 of its customers, Globe is closely coordinating with Samsung for specific guidance on the detailed replacement process.

We will facilitate the replacement of your device with a new Note 7 as soon as Samsung is able to provide the replacement units. If you do not wish to wait, you may opt to replace your Note 7 with another preferred device based on availability.

We will get in touch with you directly via SMS or our official social channels within the next 3 days to know your preference for device replacement. Be assured that we will make this process as easy and convenient for you as possible.

Your safety is important to us. For our customers who continue to use the Note 7 please take the necessary precautions. Use only the original battery charger that came with the unit.

For any questions or clarifications, you may get in touch with us via talk@globe.com.ph. To view Samsung’s official statement, visit http://news.samsung.com/global/statement-on-galaxy-note7.

TE SubCom Announces Completion of Third Network Upgrade to South-East Asia Japan Cable System

Wazzup Pilipinas!

TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. company and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology, announced the on-schedule completion of its third network upgrade to the South-East Asia Japan Cable (SJC) System.

The upgrade of the system, which connects Brunei, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines, increases system capacity by 6.3 Tb/s using TE SubCom’s latest 100 Gb/s coherent transmission technology (C100U+). The third upgrade of the 8,986 km system is in service and meets the growing capacity needs for businesses and communications across the Asia-Pacific region.

“TE SubCom strives to bring value to its customers by delivering state-of-the-art systems on schedule and at the highest standard of reliability,” said Debbie Brask, Managing Director, Project Management and Marketing Communications, TE SubCom. “We are delighted to continue our relationship with the SJC members by providing a crucial technological advancement to an area in need of significantly more capacity than has been available to date.”

The SJC consortium is composed of Brunei International Gateway Sendirian Berhad (BIG), China Mobile International Ltd. (CMI), China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom), China Telecom Global Limited (CTG), Donghwa Telecom Co. Ltd (DHT) (a subsidiary of Chunghwa Telecom, Co., Ltd.), Globe Telecom, Inc., Google, KDDI Corporation, Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel), PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin a subsidiary of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, Tbk), and TOT Public Co., Ltd. (TOT).

iDEFEND Questions "State of Lawless Violence"

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) strongly condemns the Davao City Night Market bombing which resulted in the deaths of 14 people and injuries to 67 others. This calculated, deliberate, and brutal assault on defenseless civilians is intolerable, and the perpetrators of this most atrocious act should be brought to justice through diligent, affirmative, yet lawful actions by the Duterte administration.

iDEFEND commiserates and sympathizes with the loved ones of the victims of the bombing, and extends its sincerest condolences and solidarity. We strongly disapprove that the issues of terrorism, drugs and extrajudicial killings are being conflated when these are distinct issues requiring different approaches. 

Moreover, mobilizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines to become direct participants in the issue of drugs, will further escalate rights violations of various kinds. Instead of abating the Extrajudicial Killings, this will even increase its uptake. There have already been too many deaths - including those of very young children- since the President’s assumption into office. We know, being a grassroots movement, that nationwide conditions is far from the threshold of “lawless violence” as stipulated in section 18 of ARTICLE VII of the Philippine Constitution. For this reason we question the nationwide mobilization of the military. There is no widespread absence and breakdown of law, peace, conditions of disorder and chaos, despite a bombing event in one city. What warrants a nationwide red alert now when in previous years, a spate of bombings in Davao merited only a state of emergency in the city? 

What is clear, however, is that the state’s widespread and hard-lined approach on drugs, including the statesanctioned and unaddressed killings, has compromised the safety of the public. IDEFEND calls on President Duterte to act with discernment and prudence. We urge for a level- headed and well-planned government response, firmly anchored on the respect for human rights, particularly the right to life of ALL Filipinos, as well as democratic tenets and safeguards enshrined in our Constitution. 

This well- considered solution should be proportionate to what confronts us, and should be free from unnecessary excesses. We believe that an exaggerated government response will give rise to new problems such as the further escalation of violence and disregard for human rights. 

Militarization, especially in a situation where authorities have not clearly spelled out what the state of lawlessness means, will usher in a climate of fear and an overall chilling effect for everyone. We are perplexed by the fact that the President has chosen the path of militarizing the PNP mandate, publicly pronouncing that “security forces will run the country according to his specifications” and that “the military and police can really do what they want to address the problem.” Such a top-heavy response and a wanton declaration of lawlessness is perilous and misleads from what the national situation really is. 

In line with principles of transparency and accountability, iDEFEND asserts the need for inscribing formally on paper his “state of lawlessness” decree so that its parameters can be better understood and the risks it presents can be effectively checked. 

In light of President Duterte’s consistent attitudes towards human rights, we are concerned that this decision will further overstep the boundaries of law. It is lamentable that the statements of Pres. Duterte and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana attribute the bombings to democracy. Similarly, the statements of Presidential Spokesperson Peter Tiu Laviña attributing the bombings partially to political opposition is very irresponsible and begs explanation, and presents itself as the real threat to democratic space. 

iDefend also calls on the President to ensure that the work of all branches of government, primarily the Senate, Judiciary and all Constitutional Commissions remain unrestricted, independent and effective. We also appeal to the Duterte administration to ensure the safety of civil society groups and individuals, whether or not his views are shared by these indispensable actors for change.

Who Decides Which Species Deserve the Right to Survive and Thrive?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

During these times of extreme global warming, the preservation of marine ecology should be of utmost importance. The rich marine life has provided food for many people for the past centuries and has allowed us to live the way we do. Over-fishing and predatory decimation of ocean species by humans is a deplorable and irresponsible practice. What does it take to act on protecting marine life and not wait for an ecological collapse? 

Shark populations in the world's ocean's are the barometer by which life as we know it now sadly stands. In decline. Scientifically, sharks are at the top of food chain and they maintain a good balance of the populations of other fishes in the marine ecosystem. Take them out and you'll eventually cause an ecological imbalance. Every extinction of a species results to a damaging disturbance in life as we know it. 

The Philippines' marine biodiversity is one of our most precious resources that we must protect. Not too many countries can boast of having the same. Marine conservationists have been calling on the international community to include Thresher sharks in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) this coming September. CITES, an international agreement between governments, aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Though Daanbantayan has declared its municipal waters as a protected area through an executive order of Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro specifically declaring Monad shoal and Gato islet a shark and ray sanctuary last June 2015, the Thresher shark population continues to be hunted, fished, and traded at other locations in the country. This will eventually cause the rest of the marine eco-system to be destabilized and potentially collapse. Shark finning should be recognized as a barbaric practice and should no longer exist except as an ugly footnote in history books. These Thresher sharks need to be protected to ensure a healthy balance in our oceans.

If we continue to purge the oceans of the Thresher sharks, this would disturb the marine ecology of the country, bringing forth unforeseeable consequences in our way of living. Please take a stand regarding this. Protect this species and support its listing on CITES to stop the international trade of its fins and meat. 

Please take note that the Thresher sharks are worth far more alive to the local economy than dead. A Thresher alive supports Filipinos through tourism income throughout its lifetime, a Thresher dead makes only ~$2 from meat. Sharks also put human consumers of shark meat and fins at a health risk. Since sharks are predators, living higher up in the food web, their tissues tend to accumulate and concentrate toxins. It makes no sense to continue to treat these sharks as a food commodity. 

"A pound of shark meat sells for only Php 50 in the market (although their fins fetch much higher when exported to HK and Taiwan for shark's fin soup) while a live one generates millions in revenue through ecotourism, like in Malapascua. In the Philippines, the heart of the coral triangle, only the Oceanic Manta (Manta birostris) and Whale shark (Rhicodon typus) are protected."

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has to acknowledge that the Filipino people will also greatly benefit if Thresher sharks are protected in the Philippines. The government should have an intensive campaign to stop the fishing of these species. 

Atty. Chad Estela of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources office of Cebu said, “It is the logical obligation of the Philippines to call on the world to include thresher sharks in the Appendix II as we are the only country in the world that can boast to having an established thresher shark dive tourism industry. Scuba divers at Monad Shoal off the coast of Malapascua Island, Daanbantayan can see these sharks in the early morning hours, almost everyday.”

"This September 24 through October 5, we will have an opportunity to protect the Thresher as well through trade regulation. The Conference of Parties (CoP) 17 in Johannesburg, South Africa seeks to include three species of thresher sharks in the Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For that to happen however, our delegation headed by BFAR and DENR, has to vote yes. If they do and this passes, all trade of Thresher sharks will be required to be sustainable in nature."

Tourists visit Malapascua Island of Cebu to experience scuba diving at the "cleaning station" located at Monad shoal to witness the beauty of the pelagic Tresher sharks as they get cleaned by cleaner and moon wrasses.  You'll be smitten with these unbelievably graceful creatures with their sweet, dark-eyed faces. These majestic creatures, distinguished by their white mottled abdomen and relatively small eyes, don't deserve the brutal hand of human devastation. 

Contrary to what others believe, they are absolutely not life-threatening. They are the ones who are being threatened. Trading of Thresher sharks must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.

To learn more about Thresher Sharks, you may visit and watch the videos located at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSkSzpW1YennDr0uTqM4rTSs7rKZOxBQR

Let the Philippines be a conservation leader in Asia as it was for the whale sharks and the manta ray. Continue to give the tourists a reason to keep coming back to the Philippines. Let's do everything to guarantee that Thresher sharks not only survive, but thrive. 

I visited and joined the Thunderclap and Change.org appeals at: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/46510-filipinos-treasured-threshers?locale=en and https://www.change.org/p/philippines-vote-yes-for-threshers

You may also want to do the same so that we can encourage more to participate in this movement that aims to keep our marine eco-system intact.

 

More information can be found here:

Save Thresher Tala

http://www.savephilippineseas.org/savethreshertala

http://www.sharkdefenders.com/2015/04/save-thresher-tala.html

CITES Proposal

https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/17/prop/060216/E-CoP17-Prop-43.pdf

IUCN says Yes

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/elizabeth-murdock/iucn-votes-increase-protections-sharks-rays

Their Future Our Future

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSkSzpW1YennDr0uTqM4rTSs7rKZOxBQR

Thresher sharks in the PH (press coverage)

http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/press/releases/Protect-threshers-sharks-now--Conservationists-tell-the-government/

http://metrocebu.com.ph/2016/05/cebu-marine-conservations-call-for-inclusion-of-thresher-sharks-in-cites/

http://www.cebu.gov.ph/news/groups-want-thresher-sharks-included-september-convention/

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/05/28/include-thresher-sharks-cites-476347

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/04/20/conservationists-appeal-protection-thresher-sharks-468873

All photos taken by Noel Guevara in Monad Shoal, Malapascua.

#SaveThresherTala #StoptheThresherHunt #PHsayYes

The Extraordinary Story of an Unlikely Hero in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To quote Winston Churchill, “It has been said that Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

In politics, perception matters. Voters elect the newbie when they are hopeful, but fall back on the familiar when they are afraid. Crafty political consultants employ tricks of the trade to convince voters to elect a candidate. They are creatures from the darkest recesses of the political system, not averse to doing terrible things for terrible reasons for even, potentially, terrible candidates. We're coaxed into applauding a candidate we're supposed to loathe. The mere agreement to work in politics is akin to selling one's soul.

Yet, President Rodrigo Duterte already had a lethal yet effective charm delivery system. He doesn’t need to do much to win the public over since an amusing persona is inherent in him. Duterte is one tough, cynical and angry politico. He is a highly disreputable character who does not care how he looks or comes off especially in his home turf, Davao. All those curses and slurs during his crass and grimy campaign made him stand-out among his opponents who all did the tried and tested formulas.

He may not be one who splurged on fat cigars and a gilded lifestyle, and was known more for an assortment of dead civilians cluttering his past. Thus, it’s hard to know whether to marvel or weep to his rise to Presidency. It boggles many on how an unlikely hero managed to win the highest form of leadership in the country.

However, spin-doctors are battling down in the Philippines to swing and sustain a tricky, off-putting Presidential ploy to a public who would probably want none of it if it hadn't for his traditionally packaged competitors who all failed to enchant the voting public with the usual appeal.

The process of “framing” Duterte to look like something he isn’t could be the stuff of a rambunctious comedy. Duterte;s communication team should be astute enough to deviously work around the people’s conscience. They should continue to do a menacing Nosferatu of a spin - give the sickening issues its moral center and let the people thrive on "esprit de corps."

His campaign was already a precursor to an impending tragedy. But they had the numbers to emerge as the winners of the election. The political strategists who did a bang-up job of getting the wrong man elected are like agents of catastrophe.

I have expressed my exasperation several times over how voters are so easily duped by manipulative candidates.

I gasps with disappointment at how ordinary civilians parrot the Duterte’s crisis-branded message—tickled that he has steered this desperate country away from the charismatic younger candidates with the message of change.

Only a nihilist would not be alarmed by the endless reverberations of extrajudicial killings masqueraded as a war on drugs — and by its suggestion of a systemic separation of modern politics and the national good.

Let me now be your shrewd guide to the chicanery of politics, at least until things get really serious, and the spectre of real-world fallout emerges from the woodwork. I'll be there for the love of the game. I could imagine now all that planning and scheming, the pulse-quickening, pawn-sacrificing brinkmanship as circumstances develops.

We'll soon spend reels or so languishing in helpless fits of nausea and vomiting into waste-paper baskets.

I can't help it if I feel the incidents are merely casting a skeptical eye at the gospel of lawless violence that’s preached by Duterte’s team. My outrage is more directed at my cynicism. This loathing is really foreplay. Politics is sex for those who want to keep their clothes on.

Crisis is an invaluable buzzword for geeing up all kind of dark-horse campaigns, but is the last thing any of us, and even the most slickest operators or "fixers," can deal with in full discreet.

How does one succeed to manipulate via crisis? Just make sure you have enough of an anchor of truth, then insert the hopefully believable fabricated tangents and detours designed to ultimately serve your purpose.

There’s nothing new about this political smoke-and-mirrors. This is a labored but unoriginal play on political black arts whose ending is blind panic pretending to be measured redemption – not a total nosedive on an otherwise worthwhile trip, but more of a bumpy landing that would ultimately shake us into submission.

What comes next is for them to scare us into believing that we are in a full-blown crisis to effect Martial Law, or anything remotely close to it but branded with a different name, and that only Duterte could manage to save us. Their ultimate piece of political wisdom: "Deaths are unavoidable if we want this country to finally be free from its shackles." In reality, we're being beheaded to follow blindly like fanatics all willing to sacrifice each other just to feel safe in the midst of a chaos.

PPA Tightens Security Noose in All Ports Nationwide in the Wake of the Davao Blast

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has put all ports nationwide in heightened alert in light of the deadly Davao bombing Friday night.

PPA said there is a need to further boost safety and security in all ports, particularly Mindanao ports, to deter any further terroristic acts.

“All port managers and port police, particularly in the Mindanao region, are instructed to take all (delete) necessary measureS to make sure that there are no loOse ends when it comes to safety and security,” PPA Acting General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said in a directive.

“You are likewise further directed to subject all cargoes, luggageS and passengers to strict inspection procedures to guarantee that CRIMINAL ELEMENTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO use the ports as a springboard for THEIR UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES," Santiago stressed.

“The terror threat is not only concentrated in Mindanao but nationwide so ports in the Visayas and Luzon REGIONS should not be complacent and ARE likewise advised to increase security visibility and heighten security measures,” Santiago added.

Even before the Davao bombing, the PPA has already put all ports on high alert status. And as a result, Iligan port operatives were able to intercept a passenger carrying a kilo of shabu, worth about P14 million, which was turned over to the PNP for further investigation.

Davao, meanwhile, is on a lockdown after an explosion rocked a night market around 10:20 p.m. on Davao City's Roxas Street Friday killing14 people and leaving dozens injured.

The terrorist group Abu Sayyaf eventually took responsibility of the bombing.

Meanwhile, PPA assured that commercial operations of its Sasa Wharf, the main gateway of the region’s import and export cargoes, will not be interrupted and likewise ordered its port personnel to make sure that delays would only be minimal particularly WITH RESPECT TO perishable goods.

Aside from Davao, PPA is not expecting any delays in the commercial operations despite the heightened alert status of PPA-controlled ports.

Duterte Declares State of Lawlessness After Davao Bombing

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"We call for sobriety and for the people to stay calm and refrain from any speculations so as not to exacerbate the situation" says AFP Public Affair Office Chief Arevalo.

The Abu Sayyaf Group has already claimed responsibility to the Friday, September 2, 2016, blast that killed 14 and wounded 70+ in Davao's Roxas Market. President Duterte has declared a State of Lawlessness in the city after his 4 a.m. Saturday, September 3, visit at the blast site.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Padilla has also confirmed the deployment of 7,000 fresh troops in Sulu to fight the Abu Sayyaf.

Anyare sa "one of the safest cities" in the world?

All PNP units in Metro Manila are now in "full alert status."

The country's premier airport has also been placed in full alert status following Friday's bombing in Davao City. 
"This is not to alarm the public. We have raised our alert status as a proactive measure to ensure safety and security of airport users," said MIAA GM Ed Monreal.
"We have directed baggage screeners to remain vigilant and discerning and to conduct thorough inspection ONLY when the need calls for it. We do not want to cause inconvenience in the process by creating long lines at the baggae screening checkpoints," Monreal explained.


The airport chief also said that as a matter of procedure during full alert status, "we have full complement in our Airport Police Department. Cancelled day-off, no leave of absence.
 Monreal further advised airport users not to be alarmed with increased police visibility within the Terminal buildings and outer vicinities of NAIA. "Our K9 units will also be a common sight in the complex under this situation," the airport chief added. 


Security at checkpoints shall conduct random rigid inspectiins on motor vehicles and the public is advised to oblige for their own protection. 
Issuance of access for the purpose of meeting or sending off passengers has also been limited. "Depending on intelligence reports, we may completely suspend issuance of visitors passes for everyone's safety, "Monreal stressed.
"Together with the PNP-Aviaition Security Group, we appeal to everyone to bear with us during this time," Monreal said in closing.


The MRT and LRT stations are also on full alert.

Transportation Department Undersecretary for Rails Noel Kintanar confirms all rail networks in the country are on full alert. Heightened security measures are in place. "We ask for the commuter's cooperation in the implementation of security measures and their assistance in reporting any suspicious behavior in the stations, trains and across the rail network" said Kintanar.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has put all ports nationwide in heightened alert

Below is a statement coming from Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros:

Together with the Filipino people, I grieve with the families of the victims of the attack in Davao Friday night. I fully condemn this act of violence and support the full extent of the law to identify and punish the perpetrators of this atrocious crime.

I welcome the swift response of President Duterte on this matter. I also laud him for finally admitting that the country is in a crisis involving unresolved cases of extrajudicial killings.

However, I would like to express my deep concerns regarding the President's declaration of a state of lawlessness all over the country. President Duterte's declaration of a "state of lawlessness" should be merely an act declaring a status or condition of public moment or interest, a declaration allowed under Section 4 Chapter 2, Book II of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987, which provides:

SEC. 4. Proclamations. Acts of the President fixing a date or declaring a status or condition of public moment or interest, upon the existence of which the operation of a specific law or regulation is made to depend, shall be promulgated in proclamations that shall have the force of an executive order.

The Supreme Court said that declarations of such nature should be "harmless, without legal significance, and deemed not written."

The "Calling Out Powers" of the President under Sec 18, Article VII should be limited in scope. The President shall only deploy the Armed Forces to suppress the identified acts of violence, which serve as factual basis for the Calling-Out Power.

It cannot give the military and the police extra powers. They still cannot conduct arrests, searches and seizures without judicial warrants. Contrary to the President's instructions, they cannot, in a anyway and in any legal and constitutional sense, run the country.

The President might have intended this declaration to underscore the seriousness of the Davao attack. But he should be aware that his actions may very well contribute to an environment of fear and violence that will serve the interests of lawless elements. I worry that the President might play to the script of the perpetrators of the violence.

I urge the Duterte government to continue to operate within the bounds of the law and respect the civil liberties of the people. We cannot fight lawless elements by depriving our people their right to the rule of law.

Lastly, I urge my fellow Filipinos, especially our Mindanaoan sisters and brothers, to remain vigilant and be united in these trying times. We will not cower in fear. #

First DOE Secretary to Conduct Technical Visit of BNPP

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, together with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Deputy Director General Mikhail Chudakov, conducted an ocular inspection of the mothballed 620-megawatt (MW) Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) yesterday on Thursday (01 September) in line with the Philippines’ hosting of the International Conference on the Prospects for Nuclear Power in the Asia Pacific Region.

The visit is a milestone as Secretary Cusi is the first Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary in a long line of DOE chiefs to inspect the integrity of the BNPP after it was set to preservation mode in 1986 or after 30 years. Records from the National Power Corporation (NPC) showed that Energy Minister Geronimo Velasco was the only head of the agency to set foot in the BNPP as it was constructed during his term.

Along with Secretary Cusi and Director Chudakov during the technical tour were NPC President Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita, who hosted the event, NPC Vice-President for Administrative and Finance Lorna Dy, NPC Resource Management Services Manager Atty. Manuel Luis B. Plofino, Sr., Program Director from Argonne National Laboratory of Illinois, USA Dr. Daniel Fraser and Energy Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos. The technical tour was led by NPC Asset Preservation Manager Engr. Mauro Marcelo Jr. together with other NPC-BNPP staff. 

Senator Visits Thailand to Study Their Universal Healthcare System

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros went on a study visit to Thailand this week to learn more about its universal health care system and health promotion policy.

In a two day meeting co-organized with the Health Justice International, Hontiveros, who is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, spoke with civil society organizations as well as government health experts from Thai Health, a government corporation set up to encourage health-seeking behavior and funded through the proceeds of excise taxes on liquor and cigarettes.

"I'm here to learn from the best practices and hopefully apply them to our country. The Thai experience is a good model. Spending on health care will have long term benefits and will reduce spending for curative or tertiary health care in the future," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros explained that her trip complements the Department of Health's (DoH) own study visit to Cuba to learn how its government is running its health service.

"We should learn from the best health models. I am eager to share what I've learned from my study visit to Thailand to the DoH, the same way that I'm looking forward to hear the report of our health officials who visited Cuba," Hontiveros said.

Harm reduction strategies in confronting the drug problem
Hontiveros also met with officials from agencies of the United Nations (UN) to discuss harm reduction strategies and to help in developing a public health framework in confronting the country's drug problem. The Senator visited a support center for drug users and heard testimonies from rehabilitated users themselves.

It was reported that Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared a "police-centric" war on drugs in 2003. In June 2016, the war on drugs was declared a failure.

"Upang maging matagumpay ang ating kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga, importante na pag-aralan natin ang ibat ibang modelo na nagtagumpay, at yaong mga nabigo. The problem of illegal drugs is a multi-faceted issue. Thus, the need to address it through different lens, particularly through a public health framework," Hontiveros concluded.

Food Exploration on Earth and the Outer Space on TLC

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To boldly go where no chef...has ever been before.

The unique programme Heston’s Dinner in Space follows the adventures of Chef Heston Blumenthal and his team as they work closely with the UK Space Agency, ESA and NASA, attempting to revolutionize the previously limited world of space food.

Challenged by British Astronaut Tim Peake, Heston creates seven dishes that remind Tim of home, helping to combat the emotional impact of the astronaut’s journey. In one of the biggest challenges of his career, Heston goes one step further to create the first-ever 'dinner party in space'. Tim goes on a nostalgic journey of his childhood with every bite as Heston provides much-needed comfort food and creates the quintessential cup of tea – the first to be sipped in outer space.

Follow Heston's trials and tribulations behind creating meals that can be consumed outside of the Earth's atmosphere, culminating in an out-of-this-world dining experience where his creations are eaten live on the International Space Station. Heston’s Dinner in Space premieres September 5, Monday, at 8:05pm on TLC.

TravelFakie Your Way to Free Jetstar Flights

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A play on the traditional selfie, the #TravelFakie is taken to give your followers the impression that you are travelling abroad or even having the adventure of a lifetime, when in fact, you are still on home ground.

The trend, which originated in Indonesia, is picking up pace across Southeast Asia.

From posing in front of the “Singapore Flyer” to standing near the Mall of Asia eye in Philippines, to lounging by the “Mekong River” while actually posing beside the Klang River in Kuala Lumpur, the possibilities for deception are endless.

Consumers even go as far as donning “I Love SG” T-shirts or traditional Vietnamese conical hats to make their #TravelFakie more convincing.

Fake no more, because Jetstar is inviting travel buffs across Southeast Asia to submit their best #TravelFakies, and the most creative “fakeationers” will be rewarded with a trip to their dream Jetstar destination.

“Jetstar’s successful marketing campaign ‘Because You Can’ has made the selfie central to the Jetstar travel experience.”

“This latest selfie craze is fun, creative and imaginative. We are excited to turn some of the #TravelFakies into a real travel experience for our customers, said Ms. Chantal van Wijnbergen, Jetstar’s Regional Marketing Manager, SEA.

Contestants can use props, pose with friends or even utilize Photoshop to create the most comical and ridiculous #TravelFakie.

For those up to the challenge, post your best #TravelFakie and tag us on Instagram (@jetstarasia), Facebook (@JetstarAsiaAirways) or Twitter (@Jetstar_Asia), explain where and what you are faking, include #TravelFakie and #ActuallyInPhilippines.

The top two entries from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore will each win a pair of Jetstar flights to the desired faked destination.

Fake it till you make it at www.jetstartravelfakie.com. For more information, visit Jetstar Asia on Twitter viawww.twitter.com/jetstarairways.