SEC Orders Closure of Rappler

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered the closure of Rappler, citing "constitutional restrictions on ownership and control of mass media entities because of funds coming from Omidyar Network, a fund created by eBay founder and entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar."

According to Maria Ressa, founder and CEO of Rappler, there is no truth that Rappler has foreign owners.

"We will continue bringing you the news, holding the powerful to account for their actions and decisions, calling attention to government lapses that further disempower the disadvantaged. We will hold the line."

If the recent accussation against Rappler is not true, then does this mean this online publication is making certain people worried? Too worried that they'll do everything to shut it down? Is Rappler influential enough to bring down certain people?

A netizen commented "If SEC insists on the PDR issue then ABS-CBN, TV5, GMA7, etc., should not be far behind. Media ownership should be 100% Filipino, according to the implementing rules. PDRs issued to non-Filipinos is gross violation of the investment act."

Minus the technicalities and legalities, "When foreign investors could easily dictate and influence decisions in a company, isn't that sort of ownership too?"

I'm sure many would say Rappler is being scrutinized because it is one of the critics of the Duterte administration. Many would cry "press freedom" is being attacked, and would reason out that there's just too many violators out there but how come only Rappler is being singled out.

Regardless of the accussations, we also need to know if it is true or not. We are interested to find out if Rappler does indeed have foreign owners disguised as investors but have a deciding power and authority over the online publication.

Rappler is no longer a "startup" as others would perceive as we all know it's bigger than many other publications.

I'm sure we will be opening a can of worms if we go deep to the "arrangements" of Rappler with their "investors", both foreign and local. I do hope it serves a learning opportunity for all of us.

But even if the government is truly making it difficult for Rappler because of political reasons, the legal option is still lawful. So it will now be between the lawyers of both parties to battle it out in court. Needless to say, they both have the "funds" to fight for their rights.

If Rappler wins in this battle, it would surely rise triumphantly when it returns because of the publicity. In my case, I don't even read it because of its seemingly biased and controversially-titled click-bait articles. But almost everyone is guilty of that crime anyway.

#WazzupPilipinas #PambansangBlogger

You Won’t Believe These Incredibly Easy Ways to Make Money While Travelling

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We all want to escape the gruelling 9-5 grind and explore the world. Imagine how perfect it would be waking up in the middle of a beautiful city, watching the world go by while immersing yourself in new cultures and around new people.

Sounds perfect doesn’t it but surely money is always an issue? Thanks to modern day technology, this is no longer the case. To get you started, here are some mind-blowing ways to make money while you travel.


Become a Freelancer

This is a rather broad term, but it’s one of the best ways currently to earn money while you travel. Using websites like Upwork or People Per Hour, you can easily find work in all kinds of industries for businesses and individuals around the world.


Work in Hospitality

One of the most common roles you can apply for abroad is working in hospitality, meaning bars, restaurants and cafes. It definitely pays if you’ve done something like this before, but if you can secure a job or an interview, at least you’ve got some solid hours under your belt.


Become an Editor

If you’ve got a keen eye for detail, this could be the job for you. There are millions and millions of blogs out there online, each one in need of someone to go through and check the accuracy of the content before uploading it. Why not you?

“Editing is such an important part of the content creation process for most businesses, yet all you need is a laptop, focus and the ability to spot errors,” shares John Banks, an editor at Top Canadian Writers.


Become a Fruit Picker

What sounds better than spending your days in a field in the glorious sunshine with strangers who are quickly becoming your best friends? Fruit picking jobs have always been a popular pastime and money earner for travellers, and the same can be said today.

Simply search online for vacancies in the country that you’re visiting, and you’re sure to find a paying position.


Become an Academic Writer

Many people love to take a year out just after they have finished a form of education and moving onto the next step. Why not use your educational experience to profit while you travel? There are many services out there, some of which are featured in this post by the HuffingtonPost article, which handle writing essays for students around the world, something you can do if you’ve specialised in a subject.


Become a Tutor

There are so many students out there that would pay good money to get taught by someone who can help them pass their courses and achieve their grades. If you’ve specialised in a certain subject or simply have a talent for one, why not become a tutor on sites like Best British Essays or Best Australian Writers.


Work in a Hostel

More and more hostels and warming to the idea of work-away for people who are travelling, but you’ll need to shop around. While some hostels will let people work there in return for free accommodation and food, some will pay, especially if you plan on staying long term

Author Bio:

Jennifer Scott works as online editor at Revieweal (https://revieweal.com/). Also Jennifer is a business developer that works in different areas of education, technology and various types of online marketing and online education. Prior to business developing she was consultant at Deloitte, and managed security services provider and developer of a wide range of marketing, finance, education and security solutions.

CHED Chairperson Forced to Resign by Malacanang

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Below is the resignation statement of CHED Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan, Ph.D.

The Chairperson asked that no media interviews will be given at this time. A media advisory will be released once the Chairperson is ready to face the media one last time.

CHED would like to thank the media for their kind attention and continued support to Philippine Higher Education.


"Over the weekend I received a call from Executive Secretary Medialdea asking me to resign as chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education. While my term by law ends in July 2018, I have decided it is time to go.

It has become obvious that there are persons determined to get me out of CHED by hurling false and baseless accusations against me in what appears to be a fishing expedition and a well-orchestrated move in media.

I was first accused of excessive travel. When records revealed that I travelled eight times officially in 2017 (with only five of these trips paid for by government), five times in 2016, six times in 2015, two times in 2014, and only three times in 2013, the accusation turned to travel without authority from the Office of the President.

When my office provided copies of travel papers signed by the Senior Deputy Executive Secretary authorizing me to meet specific commitments in line with CHED’s internationalization mandate and allowing me to travel business class to avoid the recurrence of vertigo, my ability to attend to CHED work for health reasons was maliciously peddled in social media even if I have worked consistently in CHED from 6:45 AM to after 6 PM on most days and took a sick leave only for half a day in 7.5 years in office.

What I cannot understand is how Rep. Jericho Nograles got hold of my internal travel documents for the past five years. Only a few offices in CHED had access to these. These are internal documents to support the administrative release of funds and while I sign the internal document for my own travels, my signing is always based on an official travel authority from Malacanan. The question is, who put these together and who offered it to the congressman?

When the travel-related accusations proved baseless, those who are dying to remove me from office then turned to mismanagement and corruption in the release of allowances to faculty scholars in the K to 12 Transition Program.

The K to 12 Transition Program began in 2016 to prevent massive displacement of higher education faculty and staff, while upgrading the quality of higher education. Admittedly there have been challenges in the release of living allowances, but these were due to 1) discrepancies and deficiencies in documents submitted to CHED; 2) the volume of documents that required thorough vetting and that put the onus of accountability and final review of the documents previously checked by contractual staff on an extremely limited number of staff with plantilla items; and 3) the need to abide by government accounting and auditing rules. Since our effort to fast-track processing last November 2017, the 2,828 scholars who have submitted valid documents have already received their allowances as of today—full allowances for 2,247 scholars and partial allowances for 581 scholars with remaining deficiencies in terms of submission following accounting and auditing rules, In line with the same rules, funds for the 1,268 scholars who have not submitted valid enrollment forms and authenticated copies of grades for the previous semester will be released as soon as these requirements are met.

I must strongly denounce malicious allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds. It has been my personal commitment to stamp out corruption in CHED since day one, despite the odds and the strong resistance. The K to 12 Transition Program has been implemented with the highest level of ethical stewardship and every peso is accounted for.

Although I vehemently deny the accusations against me, it is time to resign as my continued presence in CHED is inimical to the interest of the institution. It will only serve as lightning rod to attract more controversy that is distracting the agency from vigorously pursuing urgent reforms that will redound to the benefit of future generations of Filipinos. It is particularly important for CHED to focus on its work especially at this critical time when it prepares for the implementation of Republic Act 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

I am deeply grateful for the rare opportunity to have served Philippine higher education. My only wish is for reforms that ought to transcend political divides and have their roots in many previous administrations-reforms of access and equity, quality and relevance, excellence and competitiveness, and good governance-to continue when the CHED political cloud dissipates and the agency settles down to the task of pursuing its mandate,

As a private citizen, I intend to continue as a dedicated advocate for reform in Philippine higher education."


(signed)
Patricia B. Licuanan, Ph.D.
15 January 2018