MikeLigalig.com

Maravillas also appears to be a favorite source used by a YouTube channel called TOKHANG TV, which takes its name from the vernacular code for the Philippine National Police campaign against illegal drugs.

TOKHANG TV videos in turn appear to be a popular source of material for many websites sharing deceptive content. In fact, they were used in more than 20 fake, false or misleading posts over the April to October 2018 period that Vera Files' analysis covered.

The popularity of YouTube videos in the manufacturing of online disinformation is not a surprise.

Others rely on clickbait headlines that claim something explosive or important could be found if a user watches the corresponding video, and then roll out unedited hour-long clips or crudely spliced ones that do not bear these claims out.

These clips often feature people ranting against one political issue or another. One recurring personality of this type is a Duterte supporter called Dante Maravillas, who claims to be a reporter for, and owner of, Tarabangan Albay News Television.

Maravillas frequently posts videos of himself commenting on current political issues, and his views have repeatedly been twisted and taken to be factual by false reports, or are spliced with other clips.

Online videos most popular sources of disinformation

In particular, the ability to verify the authenticity of videos would seem to be an important, if not necessary, skill, as more than half of disinformation that made the rounds online from April to October 2018 are in the said format.

More than half of the disinformation are in video format

video 98
text 49
photo 23
mix of video, photo or text 22
prank generator 1

The methods used to tamper with videos range from sophisticated to very crude, VERA Files' analysis shows.

Some posts contain clips that purport to be actual news reports, feigning credibility by carrying news logos and featuring computer-generated voice narrators.

"Things like how to verify if a photo is real, how to verify if this information was published, when it's purportedly published, techniques to check whether the metadata matches the actual date, Google reverse search, and learning to be critical between and reading between the lines" have become basic skills for using the internet and social media, Lim said in an interview.

"We can fix the user pool through more literacy education," he added.

In September, UNESCO published a handbook for journalism education and training to address online disinformation.

Fixing the user pool through media literacy

These deception strategies are not mutually exclusive, and have been used in various combinations by the creators of disinformation campaigns.

Knowing these categories help professional fact-checkers inoculate readers from disinformation by exposing them to disinformation techniques. Beyond this, they help readers develop fact-checking skills on their own.

For instance, online users who want to find out if a photo on their social media feed is fake, or if a video thumbnail has been manipulated, need to use methods like reverse image searching. Those who suspect that they have come across false online news or are being misled need to verify these by going to, and reviewing, primary sources of information.

Equipping users with these skills is crucial in the fight against disinformation, says Ming Kuok Lim, advisor for communication and information at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office in Jakarta.

The last pro-Duterte online space is run by former presidential communications assistant secretary Margaux Esther 'Mocha' Uson, who resigned from this post in October in preparation for seeking a party-list seat in the next year's election for House of Representatives.

Misleading reports move closer to the facts, their twists and manipulations being subtler than fakes and false claims.

In June, a website called TRENDING TOPICS TODAY misled readers by publishing a story claiming that plunder charges had been filed against former president Benigno Aquino III and several other government officials for supposedly shipping gold bars worth billions of dollars to Thailand.

The plunder case indeed existed, but was filed more than a year ago, something the misleading report conveniently left out. Moreover, the case was already determined to have been based on a document that the Central Bank of the Philippines called "spurious."

To support its claim, the website manipulated survey numbers by adding the figures of those in favor of federalism to those opposed but said they might be open to change some time in the future.

This conflicts with Pulse Asia's own analysis of its survey data, saying that this shows the prevailing public sentiment to be "one of opposition to replacing the present unitary system of government with a federal one."



The false report could have reached 14.9 million people on social media, Crowd Tangle analytics show, with the web traffic generated by known pro-Duterte Facebook personalities Thinking Pinoy, For the Motherland - Sass Rogando Sasot and Mocha Uson Blog.

The fake story about Sen. Hontiveros defending the young men smoking weed is an outright fakery. Among the three types of fake news, it is farthest from verifiable fact: the video thumbnail was fabricated using an editing software, the supposed quote was fabricated, and no legitimate media outfit reported that the senator had defended the seven young men.

Reports that make false claims fall somewhere in the middle and compared with fakes, are more closely-linked to some real event, albeit still not supported by facts.

In May, a website called RESURGENT PH, right around the time the issue of amending the Philippines' government structure was big news, falsely claimed that a survey by Pulse Asia, an independent polling agency, showed more Filipinos being open to federalism.

What does shield people from the effects of misinformation is exposing them to small doses of misinformation, much like vaccines.

"Throwing more science at people isn't the full answer to science denial," Cook wrote. "It turns out the key to stopping science denial is to expose people to just a little bit of science denial."

The distinctions between fake, false and misleading reports could be seen as ranges in degrees of being factual, across a spectrum of sorts.

A branch of psychological research called inoculation theory, which borrows from the logic of vaccination, has it that what neutralizes the effects of disinformation goes far beyond simply clarifying how one claim is erroneous, and needs to involve an explanation of the deception techniques and strategies behind the false item.

"Beyond misinforming people, misinformation has a more insidious and dangerous influence," wrote John Cook, a research assistant professor at the US-based George Mason University, in an article for the website The Conversation.

When people are only presented with facts and "fake news" side by side, Cook notes, the pieces of information cancel each other out and people do not change their beliefs. "There's a burst of heat followed by nothing. This reveals the subtle way that misinformation does damage. It doesn't just misinform. It stops people believing in facts," he added.

Fake, false, misleading

Some deception strategies are preferred over others, and the purveyors of online disinformation have repeatedly relied on three broad techniques: plainly faking information, misleading readers and making false claims.

Posting fake content is the most common deception strategy used by purveyors of disinformation

fake 72
misleading 57
false 47
unproven 12
satire 3
partly true 1
prank 1

On its face, making distinctions among these three methods might seem like a misguided, if not futile, exercise; they are all "fake news" after all. Yet distinctions could prove useful in debunking disinformation and in informing online users about its nefarious effects.

Enrile, who is seeking another term as senator in the May 2019 election, was defense minister during the Marcos regime and became one of the leaders of the 'People Power' civilian revolt that led to Marcos' ouster from power in 1986.

Robredo, who beat Marcos Jr. in the 2016 vice presidential race but faces an election protest from him, says it is dangerous that Duterte and Marcos supporters are easily convinced by disinformation – "and even more insidious if these supporters turn out to be the actual sources of them."

"The President and Mr. Marcos should call out such pages and groups," Robredo said. "If they stand for the truth, they should be indignant that their names are being dragged into misinformation campaigns which seek to mislead the Filipino people."

"If the concern is there will be no more avenues (for the President's supporters on social media), there are so many avenues," Panelo added. "We have Twitter, Instagram and many others where advocates can express themselves in support of this administration."

Hontiveros was forthright in her response when asked about pages spreading disinformation that were found to carry the names of either Duterte or Marcos.

"We should not forget that one of the things that President Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos have in common is the propensity to lie," she said. "The late dictator faked his persona as a war hero and now Bongbong Marcos and former Senator (Juan Ponce) Enrile are trying to revise history by lying about the atrocities of martial law, and their very own involvement in this horrific period of our past," Hontiveros added.

Facebook did not provide the full list of the banned pages and accounts but mentioned the web pages that routinely carried the name of the President, including Duterte Media, Duterte sa Pagbabago BUKAS, DDS, Duterte Phenomenon and DU30 Trending News. Some 4.8 million Facebook users followed at least one of the pages taken down, the company added.

When a spokesman for the President, Salvador Panelo, was asked in a media briefing if this reflected the kind of supporters Duterte has, he replied: "Not necessarily."

"Facebook must have its rules and regulations. If they are implementing that, then that's their own rule," Panelo said.

'They should be indignant that their names are being dragged'

The matter of the President's name appearing in online pages that spread disinformation came up during an October 2017 hearing by a Senate committee on a bill seeking to penalize "fake news."

While he called fake news "troublesome," presidential communications undersecretary Joel Sy Egco denied the Presidential Palace's involvement in their production and distribution. It is easy to put up a web page and name it after anyone and then when caught, take it down and put up another, he told the committee.

In October, Facebook announced that it has taken down 95 pages and 39 accounts in the Philippines for violating spam and authenticity policies of the social media platform.

At least 13 pages that shared fake news bear 'Marcos' in their names

Bong Bong Marcos Factual Information and the Marcoses, For Youngsters...
BongBong Marcos
BongBong Marcos Loyalists Movement Official Group
BongBong Marcos United
Duterte & Marcos United Bayan Muna Bago Sarili!!!!!!!
Duterte and Marcos Unite Supporters
Duterte-Marcos Real Change
Exclusive DDS Marcos the 3rd Force
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos
Marcos Defenders Worldwide Unlimited
Marcos Loyalist
President Duterte V.P Marcos Worldwide Supporters
Solid Duterte-Marcos Supporters

At least 19 pages that shared fake news purport to be legitimate sources of news

DU30 Trending News
Duterte News
Duterte News Global
Duterte News Media
Duterte News Trends
News Punch Update
News Twerk
News Wire PH
News/Entertainment PH
Pasaway News
Philippine News Courier
Philippine News Trending
Philippine Trending News
Philippine Trending News - PhilNews
Pres. Rody Duterte News Global
President Digong News
Rodrigo Duterte News
SNP - Social News Philippines
The Filipino News
The News Gear
The News Wire
The Philippines News

Some 60 pages that shared disinformation have 'Duterte' in their names

DDS/ DIEHARD DUTERTE SUPPORTERS
Ako Ang Media Ni Duterte
Diehard Duterte Supporters
Duterte & Marcos United Bayan Muna Bago Sarili!!!!!!!
Duterte Against All Odds (Bravery and Patriotism)
Duterte Ako Hanggang Sa Huling Laban
Duterte and Marcos Unite Supporters
Duterte ang Boses ng Masa
Duterte DieHard Supporters International
Duterte Express
Duterte Kami
Duterte Media
Duterte News
Duterte News Global
Duterte News Media
Duterte News Trends
Duterte Phenomenon
Duterte Sa Masa
Duterte Saviours Of Filipinos Today
Duterte Supporters Worldwide
Duterte Today
Duterte Warriors
Duterte Worldwide Supporters
Duterte-Marcos Real Change
Hi Duterte
Inday Sara Duterte Supporters
Pres. Duterte Supporters
Pres. Rody Duterte News Global
Pres. Rody Duterte Worldwide Supporters
President Duterte Astig Supporters
President Duterte Loyal Supporters
President Duterte Supporters
President Duterte V.P Marcos Worldwide Supporters
President Duterte Worldwide Supporters
President Rodrigo Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte Facebook Army
President Rodrigo Duterte Supporters Around The World
President Rody Duterte
President Rody Duterte - Federal Movement International
President Rody Duterte Facebook Army
President Rody Duterte Supporters International
President RodyDuterte Facebook Army
Rodrigo Duterte 16th President
Rodrigo Duterte News
Rodrigo Duterte Supporters (#CBU4DU30) - Cebu Chapter
Rody R. Duterte Movement Universal
Sara Duterte Solid Warriors
Sara Duterte Worldwide Supporters
Solid Duterte Community
Solid Duterte-Marcos Supporters
TEAM DUTERTE FOR FEDERALISM
The President Duterte Guardians
We Support Duterte Administration
President Digong News
Protectors of Our Beloved President Digong
Tatay Digong Totoong Pagbabago
DU30 Trending News
IDOL KO C DU30
OFW4DU30 Global Movement Association and Cooperation International
Exclusive DDS Marcos the 3rd Force

Former senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, come after Duterte in the list of political personalities who are the most popular beneficiaries of online disinformation.

But there is much more to the Duterte and Marcos links to disinformation than how favorable the content of online disinformation is to them, or antagonistic to their critics. Online disinformation spreads through a network of interrelated web and mostly Facebook pages, the latter generating traffic to the former.

These pages have two prominent and sometimes interlocking features: they either bear the names of Duterte or Marcos, or purport to be legitimate sources of news by using words like "media" or other synonyms for "news" or its Filipino equivalent 'balita'.

Marcos Jr. did not respond to interview requests by Vera Files for this story.

Private companies like Nestle and Globe have been targeted by disinformation too, the motive appearing to be economic more than political, in the race to get the most numbers of users to click on such reports and be bombarded with online advertisements.

But these types of disinformation lag far behind those that aim to generate support, defend or promote Duterte himself or his policies. More than any political figure, he is the one who reaps political 'benefits' from items of disinformation.

The common 'story lines' of fake reports that circulate in social media feature variations of fabricated reports such as those that say Duterte has been named best president in the world or the universe, or that some high-profile celebrity like American actress Angelina Jolie has praised him and his government's policies.

Duterte reaps political benefits from disinformation

Administration officials, including the president himself, have not been immune from being targets of disinformation narratives.

In September, a website called Taxial posted a misleading story claiming state auditors were alarmed by the Duterte administration's "keeping" huge chunk of foreign assistance funds. The story, playing up on the ambiguity of the word 'keeping' in this context, twisted a genuine report produced by GMA News Online, which contained no such claim.

Earlier in June, former police chief Ronald Dela Rosa figured in a hoax report about a purported sex video of him and his supposed mistress.

Opposition figures are the most frequent targets of disinformation

Leni Robredo 27
Risa Hontiveros 14
Antonio Trillanes 9
Liberal Party 9
Aquino family 8
Catholic Church officials 8
Noynoy Aquino 8
Kiko Pangilinan 6
Bam Aquino 6
Nestle 5
Leila De Lima 4
Mainstream media 3
Grace Poe 3
Rodrigo Duterte 2
Giacomo Filibeck 2
Bato dela Rosa 2

For her part, Hontiveros says the casualties of fake news are not just their targets but truth itself. "It is unfortunate that social media has been so heavily weaponized," she pointed out. "It is a hard enough job to make sense of all the information available to us online even without people trying to feed us false information."

"It is one thing to commit occasional errors of fact, and quite another to deliberately mislead the public for the sake of an agenda," Hontiveros added. "We've seen this in the proliferation of hate speech, violent online rhetoric, and it its most extreme form, potential interference in elections."

Online disinformation is overwhelmingly political

Online disinformation is overwhelmingly political: eight in 10 deceptive posts are about political issues or figures, while the motivations for the rest are either purely economic or unclear. Moreover, six in 10 attack specific individuals or groups, almost always those critical of the Duterte administration.

In the set of posts debunked by VERA Files Fact Check, Vice President Maria Leonor 'Leni' Robredo, a member of the opposition Liberal Party who has at times been critical of the President, as well as a subject of Duterte's barbs, is the most common subject of negative coverage by at least 27 fake, false or misleading reports. Hontiveros follows with 14.

Robredo says she is not surprised. "We have been dealing with attacks against me and my office since the start of my term," she told VERA Files in an email message. "This is nothing new and in fact, after more than two years, it is almost funny to think about how much has been invested in such misinformation campaigns, with nothing to show for their 'success,'" the Vice President added.

VERA Files Fact Check identified and debunked 193 online posts over the period April to October 2018, after the organization became part of Facebook's third-party fact-checking program.

Certified by the International Fact-Checking Network in the US-based Poynter Institute, VERA Files is one of Facebook's three fact-checking partners in the Philippines. Facebook has been tying up with fact-checking groups and media organizations in some 24 countries to boost capacity to combat disinformation online.

For sure, there were more than 193 deceptive posts online within the six-month period mentioned, but the items that VERA Files debunked covered most, if not all, of the most viral and have reached the most number of online users.

The patterns that VERA Files identified from these posts provide a robust portrait of online disinformation in the Philippines.

An analysis of fake news reports identified and documented by VERA Files Fact Check, a fact-checking project run by the online non-profit media organization VERA Files, shows that for a good portion of 2018, deceptive content after deceptive content emerge in very similar ways across social media.

They are almost always explicitly political, almost always attack critics of the Duterte administration or promote or support the President or his policies, VERA Files Fact Check's analysis of fake news reports shows.

They almost always rely on deception strategies that are crude in execution but are effective in stirring up strong emotions that reinforce deep-rooted biases. For example, the fake news item on Hontiveros was popular among groups already critical of the senator and supportive of Duterte.

'Patient zero' of the modern disinformation era

In truth, the war on the online front has played a major role in the story of Duterte's rise to power. In fact, the 73-year-old leader has been dubbed "patient zero" of the modern disinformation era.

"Before the world learned of Cambridge Analytica and Russian trolls (to skew public sentiment), there was Rodrigo Duterte's presidential campaign in the Philippines," Jonathan Corpus Ong of the University of Massachusetts Amherst wrote in an August article for AsiaGlobalOnline.

The President, Ong says, benefited from a savvy social media campaign "that many now regard as a harbinger of the tactics and phenomena that later came to global attention."

Online disinformation in the Philippines, particularly its use in partisan political activity, only grew sharply after 2016. Indeed, Filipinos' preference for Facebook is reflected in the fact that country has some 67 million active users of the social media platform. That makes Filipinos the 6th largest group of Facebook users in the world, according to the Global Digital Report 2018 produced by the London-based We Are Social marketing group.

The fake report also urged social media users, in all capital letters, to watch the supposed proof themselves in a Youtube video clip. Upon checking however, this clip did not bear out Hontiveros' supposed remarks. Instead, it contained a tampered thumbnail that had crudely stitched together separate images of Hontiveros and the young men, and added a fake quote card to boot.

Subsequently, a network of Facebook pages shared the fake Hontiveros report and made it viral, riding on the wave of public emotion stirred by the real video clip of the weed users, analytics from the online tool CrowdTangle show.



This example captures how online disinformation in the Philippines is – distilled.

Its backdrop is the Philippines' heated political landscape – and the deep, often emotional and angry divisions between those who support President Duterte and those who have been against him since he won the 2016 presidential election.

Duterte, allies reap the most benefits from disinformation

from Vera Files

AUTHOR: JAKE SORIANO
VIDEO AND INFOGRAPHICS BY MARIA FEONA IMPERIAL
DECEMBER 19, 2018

MANILA - In late August 2018, a video clip showing seven men, in their early twenties, smoking weed made the rounds of Philippine social media.

It went viral, but not so much because smoking cannabis is illegal under the country's Dangerous Drugs Act. What propelled its spread through social media was how men puffing on weed were openly taunting President Rodrigo Duterte, known for his tough crackdown on illegal drugs in this Southeast Asian country of some 105 million people.

Since 2016, the Duterte government has been waging a bloody war on drugs that, by the police's own estimates, has killed over 4,800 people as of Aug. 31 this year. The young men filmed in the video clip did not seem to care. So brazen, or so stoned, they were seen laughing at one point and calling for marijuana legalization.

Days after the video was posted on Facebook, a web page calling itself Online Balita (Online News) published a fake report whose screaming headline claimed that an opposition senator, Ana Theresa 'Risa' Hontiveros, had defended the seven cannabis users and said they did nothing wrong.

5. Cheese & Dairy


pixabay.com

There is a delicate balance between helpful and harmful with milk and related products. However, if you are typically quite sensitive to food products with regard to your arthritic symptoms, then cutting out the cheese and milk might be something you may like to consider.

Dairy, for some people, can cause and enhance joint and arthritic pain due to their proteins. While other people have no problem at all, you may like to cut out different dairy options and see if your discomfort worsens or gets better.

4. Candy


pexels.com

A sweet treat from time to time is not going to do any long-term damage, but include it in your daily diet, and you may run into problems!

Candy and other high-sugar sweets are responsible for many health conditions such as poor dental health, cellular aging, and diabetes, but they can also be responsible for gout.

3. Cigarettes


pexels.com

We already know that cigarettes are harmful to our overall health, but they can also cause inflammation which is one of the worst problems for people living with arthritis. While cigarettes are not necessarily food, they are something that close to 37 million people in the United States have every day.

If you aren't going to quit cigarettes for the health of your lungs, you can at least do it for your joints. Smokers are also more at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not smoke.

2. Corn Oil


pixabay.com

If you like to indulge in bakery goods from time to time, then you may notice it affects your arthritic joints negatively. That might be because they contain corn oil which can trigger inflammation in your bones.

Pay attention to ingredients in your snacks from now on. Make sure that instead of corn oil, it contains omega-3 fats such as olive oil which is an anti-inflammatory option instead.

 
1. Fried Food


pixabay.com

Everyone loves a treat of deep-fried food from time to time, but how much you have can be the difference between a body that's free from inflammation, and one that's causing you a lot of pain and discomfort!

Fried food is in no way beneficial for your health. It can lead to diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and causes inflammation which affects your joints. However, new research suggests that eating less fried food can reduce inflammation which has to be beneficial for your bones!

9 Worst Foods With Arthritis


pexels.com

Are you one of 53 million people who have arthritis? Arthritis is the collective name for over 100 joint diseases affecting both adults and children. It can cause joint pain, swelling, inflammation, and affects your range of motion. It can also get worse as you age and may even begin to harm your organs and skin.

When it comes to choosing food that helps to alleviate symptoms, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, there are food ingredients that tend to accelerate, worsen, or alter your arthritic symptoms.

Arthritis affects everyone differently, given that there are so many different diseases that fall under the same umbrella. However, if you are trying to treat your body like a temple to get your symptoms under control, you will need to avoid the following things – especially number 3 and 6.

All of these ingredients can worsen inflammation, leading to swelling, discomfort, pain, joint damage and a limited range of motion.

Alvia said Namfrel is against the House version, which is contrary to the draft charter submitted by the Concom.

"The removal (of term limits) worsens the situation since an anti-dynasty provision counters the absence of term limits," he said.

With the term limits and ban on political dynasties removed, Alvia said, the country's political system will be open to abuse and exploitation. – With Helen Flores, Mayen Jaymalin, Edu Punay, Cecille Suerte Felipe

https://www.philstar.com/

Poll watchdog

Fearing that few elite and political families would lord it over the country, the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) yesterday rejected proposals to remove the term limits of elected officials.

Namfrel secretary-general Eric Alvia said junking term limits is tantamount to the removal of safeguards against monopoly of power.

"We can expect elected public officials and their families lording over for extended periods of time. This may be detrimental for the constituents and development," Alvia explained.

"This is also worrisome, especially in a federal structure, since it could further spawn political and economic elites," Alvia added.

"If the Senate refuses to participate in Arroyo's (Cha-cha), it might be up to the Supreme Court (SC) to decide whether the House can propose changes to the Constitution on its own," he said.

"If the (SC) allows this, then it will put the country back in disarray with political dynasties lording over us," Hilbay said.

Human rights lawyer and opposition senatorial candidate Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno also urged the administration to focus on the country's more pressing problems instead of pushing for Cha-cha and the extension of martial law.

"Why are members of Congress talking about martial law extension? Why are they talking about federalism or Cha-cha when these are not the real issues in the country," Diokno said.

Former interior secretary Mar Roxas yesterday called on lawmakers to prioritize measures that would address sky-high prices of basic commodities instead of lifting term limits to benefit themselves.

"The Senate is right in dismissing the chances of Cha-cha in its chamber," Roxas said. "How will lifting term limits benefit the family? Instead of the creation of jobs, lawmakers are thinking about their own interests."

Former solicitor general Florin Hilbay yesterday urged Filipinos to unite and oppose Cha-cha, saying this is a "clear danger" to the country's democracy.

Hilbay added that there is a possibility of Arroyo's return to power under the draft charter.

A March 2018 survey of the Social Weather Stations found that only 37 percent of Filipinos support the shift from a unitary presidential government to a federal system, while only one in four or 25 percent of them is aware of what federalism is.

Robredo also sees the May 2019 polls as an opportunity to elect officials who can do something unpopular for the benefit of the people.

"We should vote for the rightful candidates who are not basing their decisions on who is the sitting President but on worthiness of the proposed measure," the Vice President said.

"We have drafted the proposed charter as a group so we need to discuss and come up with a decision as a committee," Puno told The STAR.

Opposition figures

Vice President Leni Robredo has urged Filipinos to support candidates in the 2019 midterm elections who are not after their own political survival.

Robredo said politicians should not equate their support for President Duterte with their vote for federalism.

"Here in our country, the politicians think that if they don't support the President's advocacy they will lose. They also don't like to earn the ire of the President and don't want to get a zero budget. This kind of politicians are the ones who would like to cling to power," she said.

"Sadly, many of the politicians think of their own survival," she said.

"It is for this reason that they have failed to deliver the bill on anti-political dynasty as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution. They do not have the political will needed to make the Philippines a better country for the (succeeding) generations," Alih said.

Alih added that the future of the country, as far as Charter change (Cha-cha) is concerned, now lies in the hands of the Filipino people.

"The Filipino people cannot rely on (the House members). We leave it to the Filipino people to take the next step, God willing. I am confident that the Filipino people will reject the House version," he said.

Former chief justice and Concom chairman Reynato Puno said they have to convene a meeting to come up with a statement on the recent development in the House.

"I find it a little off tangent for the reason that their version, among other things, does not contain (provisions) against political dynasties and term limits," Pimentel said in an interview.

"The Concom, as a group, is willing to go around the nation to explain the thrust of our recommendation," he added.

San Beda Graduate School of Law dean and Concom member Fr. Ranhilio Aquino was dismayed because their draft was "unceremoniously set aside."

For Concom member professor Eddie Alih, the House version was expected, as the lawmakers will not come up with a version that will go against their personal interests.

Consultative committee members slam House federal charter

Robertzon Ramirez
The Philippine Star
December 13, 2018

MANILA, Philippines — Members of President Duterte's consultative committee (Concom), tasked to review the 1987 Constitution were dissatisfied with the version of the federal charter of the House of Representatives.

Former senator and Concom member Aquilino Pimentel Jr. vowed to denounce the House's version in every engagement where he will be invited to speak.

Pimentel suspected that a hidden agenda "may be attributed" to Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

8. Buy Recycled

If you are recycling to minimize your carbon footprint, it makes sense to use the same principles when purchasing new items.

When you buy items made from recycled materials you are using your dollars to vote for greener business practices, letting companies know that products made in an eco-friendly manner matter to you. In addition, items that are made from recycled goods are likely to be recyclable again once you are finished using them.

9. Rinse and Repeat

It's recommended that you always rinse out any items and containers prior to placing them into your recycling bin. Not only will this avoid contaminating the whole bunch with food and other residue, but this will also prevent your recycle bin from smelling and keep any pests or rodents from poking around.

Take the time to understand how to integrate recycling into your lifestyle and use these recycling tips to get a solid handle on the practice, ensuring that being green becomes a lifelong habit.

https://learn.compactappliance.com/

7. Recycle Food

Recycling food is more commonly referred to as composting, but it is still a form of the process, nonetheless. Organic matter is the greatest source of methane emissions and, unfortunately, landfills are bursting with it.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, an average of nearly 20 pounds of food is wasted each month per person, helping to make organic waste the second largest component found in landfills.

Composting at home can be done in a do-it-yourself bin, or one purchased for indoor or outdoor use. If you have a large amount of food waste, though, check with your city to see whether you have the option of curbside pick-up specifically for organic waste. Commercial compost facilities usually accept plant-based goods, dairy items, and meat. If you are composting in or near your home, you might want to stick with plant-based items in order to reduce the smell and avoid attracting animals to your yard.

6. Recycle Water

Before you let your used water swirl down the drain, find ways to recycle it in and around your home. You can go as simple as pouring the water from cooking pasta directly into a flower bed, or you can make changes to your plumbing to allow you to utilize greywater.

Greywater is the water throughout your home that has been used for a single purpose such as bathing, cleaning dishes or washing clothing. This water can be recycled to support your lawn and garden, keeping your landscape fresh and green in a less wasteful manner.

5. Recycle Old Appliances & Tech Products


With the massive amounts of technology in the world today, the landfills are brimming with defunct computer systems, cellular phones, televisions, printers, and more. Instead of ditching your obsolete tech toys into the trash can, call your local electronics store to see whether they provide a recycling option.

Many electronics stores will actually take back certain items and provide a credit, or can put you in touch with companies to assist you. The manufacturer of many products also accepts unwanted items that can be refurbished or used for parts.

For many old appliances, it may be dangerous to simply discard in the trash. This is especially important for fridges and freezers that were manufactured before 1995, as they may have a type of insulation (CFC-11) that can be destructive to the environment. To help you dispose of these appliances in a safe manner, the EPA has created the Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program. Please visit this page on their site [...for tips].

4. Have a Bin in Every Room

Ask the majority of recycling families where their bins are and you will likely receive a resounding collective of "in the kitchen". Unfortunately, many of the other rooms become neglected, allowing perfectly recyclable materials to end up in trash cans.

Place a bin in the bathroom to collect cardboard toilet paper rolls, empty product containers, pill bottles, and packaging. In the office or craft room, you can collect printer paper, bottles, old files, pamphlets, and flyers. The bedroom provides, among other items, product containers, to-do lists, and magazines.

Do not forget the garage where you not only have items such as jars, bottles, and project waste, but items that come with you out of the car once you have parked such as glass bottles and cans.

3. Know What Can Be Recycled Curbside

It is easy to overlook items that can be recycled or to get confused as to which goes where. You should check with your service provider for specifics on your particular program, but here are basic guidelines.

>>Paper and Cardboard
Paper of all sorts is acceptable, including books, flyers, magazines, junk mail, and colored paper. Avoid waxy papers. Cardboard can be recycled as long as it is not saturated with food and grease, as is common with pizza boxes. Remove liners before recycling cereal or other food boxes.

>>Plastic
Most recyclable plastics have the numbers on them, often on the bottom, and one through seven are usually accepted. Many disposable utensils cannot be included, unfortunately, due to the low quality blend of plastics used. If you can easily crumple the plastic, such as with a baggie, do not include it in your recycling bin. Plastic bags are not accepted curbside, but your local grocery store may collect them.

>>Aluminum
In general, all aluminum cans are accepted for recycling. Rinse out liquids, especially sodas and juices, in order to avoid an onslaught of bugs to the area. If you are tight on space, you can crush the cans.

>>Glass
Most glass containers can be recycled. Rinse them prior to placing them in the bin and avoid breaking them. If glass shatters, it can't be recycled since the mixing of different colors can contaminate individual batches.

1. Baby Steps

Once you make the decision to recycle, do not feel as though you have to jump in 100 percent. While passion is a wonderful thing, placing too much pressure on yourself to go green can result in stress and frustration during the learning process. Give yourself permission to start small. Learn about one aspect of the process and implement it, making it a habit for you and other family members before moving onto the next step. By taking baby steps, you are more likely to integrate recycling into your lifestyle permanently.

2. Reduce and Reuse

While it may not seem like part of recycling, reducing the amount of materials you use and reusing items instead of tossing them can assist in your recycling endeavors. Limit the amount of objects needing to be thrown in your bins and you will avoid being inundated by recyclable goods, helping you stay on top of the situation.

9 Recycling Tips That Everyone Should Know
December 13, 2018, 12:25:07 PM

Erin Doman
December 11, 2015



Statistics show estimates that nearly 100,000 pounds of waste will be created from your very being over your lifetime, creating a substantial impact on environmental issues such as landfills, energy conservation, contamination and the diminishing of resources. Recycling is a practice that can be implemented in your day-to-day life that can help you maintain a green home and reduce your negative effect on the earth. Here are nine recycling tips to help you out.

Jollibee is on the list, much to the delight of Ronald McDonald. What did the famous bee do to land on that list? Some opine it's probably the yellow band on his mascot suit. Beware of the color yellow — it can be funny. Century Tuna and Dole Pineapple should remove the color from their liveries, too.

Finally on the list are "millennial students studying at Jesuit-run schools." That's huge, to say the least. There are seven top universities in the country run by the Society of Jesus. That about sums up to almost a hundred thousand millennial students. I suggest they transfer to other schools that are not Jesuit-run. Otherwise, in one wide sweep of the Duterte fun wand, they are part of the joke.

Let us go boil our heads.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/

I am happy to see the name of a friend on the list, Bishop Leo Drona of the Salesians of Don Bosco. He was Bishop of San Pablo until 2013 and is now enjoying the fruits of retirement at 77 years old. I didn't know the pious and soft-spoken Bishop Drona is leading the life of a subversive cabal plotter. There is another bishop on the list by the name of Arturo Santos. But the Catholic-Hierarchy.org says there never ever was any bishop by that name anywhere in the world. Well, let fairy tale decree there be one Arturo Santos.

Of course the list includes names of current personalities the Duterte family perceives as flavor of the month. Top of mind is Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, already accused of pocketing church funds for his family's benefit. His brother, the indispensable Randy David of Inquirer, says the truth is actually the reverse: the bishop often turns to family for support in his church projects. But this is a comedy of errors. Errors are without reference and basis. It is a dry humor the Dutertes love to spin. Davao City folks love such amusements. The rest of the country must act like the fun fair that Davao City is. Didn't one Palace spin doctor after another say all these are mere jokes?

Try to figure out how the jailed, guarded and gagged Sen. Leila de Lima is able to participate in such a seditious movement. Or former senator Kit Tatad, no longer in the Senate for a long time and has devoted his life to the work of public opinion. Although identified in the past with Ferdinand Marcos, the Kit Tatad of today is one of the most articulate critics of the government identified with the Marcoses. Carmen Navarro Pedrosa, known otherwise as the writer of the explosive "The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos," is today a fan of the Marcos-linked Duterte administration. Nonetheless, she is on the list. That precisely is the point in a comedy of errors where even goats have bangs and pigs can fly.

That's not the punch line yet. Bishop Julio X. Labayen of the Order of Discalced Carmelites is on the list, never mind if he retired in 2003 from the See of Infanta. And, as a by the way, he died in 2016 at the age of 89. Labayen was a perennial critics lister during the Marcos era. Well, this is the age of copy and paste. Incredible is how he has been resurrected from the dead, which many would probably welcome, as Labayen was shepherd of the downtrodden.

KRIS-CROSSING MINDANAO

When pigs fly from Davao City

By: Antonio Montalvan II
Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 10, 2018

Rodrigo Duterte and his family are an amusing lot. Never before in the history of our country have we had a president who is exceptional in comical amusement. Not even the self-deprecating Erap Estrada, who loved to poke fun at himself through the so-called "Eraption" jokes, comes on par with the Duterte family's capacity for hilarity.

This past week, a member of Davao City's forever-ruling family had sustained the beloved tradition of its patriarch to expose lists of what in their perception are society's pariahs. The latest list (which has been deleted from the source) is called "ANTI-ADMINISTRATION GROUP—OUST-DUTERTE MOVEMENT."

Let us analyze the supposed list and see who are in it. It begins, first of all, with Vice President Leni Robredo, former vice president Jejomar Binay and Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. If they will answer such accusation in the next few days, we do not know. I suggest they just remain entertained. Laughter is good medicine.

Quote from: islander on December 10, 2018, 06:45:49 PM

The union of business and politics pervades even in our towns, cities and provinces. Public works projects, supply contracts, trading enterprises and fast-food chains are ensnared by local politicians.

We have been looking at the issue of dynasty as a single monster that wreaks havoc on our political life. In reality, a dynasty has become a nuptial of two monsters, ruining the economic welfare of our communities as well.

legislators who would finally have the moral courage to come up with enabling laws against political dynasties may yet be the real honest-to-goodness present-day heroes, aside from the ofws.

The union of business and politics pervades even in our towns, cities and provinces. Public works projects, supply contracts, trading enterprises and fast-food chains are ensnared by local politicians.

We have been looking at the issue of dynasty as a single monster that wreaks havoc on our political life. In reality, a dynasty has become a nuptial of two monsters, ruining the economic welfare of our communities as well.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/

The NPC's Manuel Villar, through one of his companies, was recently granted by Congress a franchise to operate a telecommunications system throughout the Philippines, similar to Globe and Smart. A congressional franchise to operate any public utility business is difficult and expensive to obtain, and Villar's corporate bloc in Congress certainly provided an advantage.

On the other hand, the NUP's Enrique Razon is currently caught up in a controversy as he is accused of taking advantage of his political influence to grab the business of an existing electric franchise owner. Panay Electric Co. (Peco) has been distributing electricity in Iloilo City for the past 95 years. In July 2017, Peco applied to have its franchise renewed by Congress because it was set to expire in January 2019. Congress has sat on Peco's application up to this date.

In contrast, and in a "record-breaking" period of three months, a company owned by Razon obtained the approval of both the House of Representatives and the Senate of its electric franchise, to replace Peco.

Among the national political parties, three are called "corporate blocs" by my fellow Inquirer columnist Manolo Quezon. These are the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), National Unity Party (NUP) and the Nacionalista Party (NP).

Billionaires lead these three parties. The NPC is led by the tandem of Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and Ramon Ang, who have a combined net worth of P219 billion. The NUP is under the wings of Enrique Razon, who has a net worth of P203 billion. The NP is headed by Manuel Villar, who has a net worth of P255 billion.

Among our country's elected officials, the NPC has three senators, 33 congressmen and nine provincial governors. The NUP has 21 congressmen and nine provincial governors. And the NP has three senators, 31 congressmen and five provincial governors.

Why is politics the constant bride in all these pairings? The answer, of course, is because politics ensures the longevity (and prosperity) of one's vested interest in any of these various fields.

A businessperson ensures the expansion of his business if he successfully enters politics. A religious group ensures the growth in number and in influence of its devotees if it votes as a single political bloc. An actor ensures his fame will last beyond the end of his show biz career if he uses his popularity to enter politics. Gambling and drug lords will ensure protection for their illicit ventures when they secure a political post.

The intermingling of politics with a variety of vested interests breeds diverse problems. But let's focus on the marriage of business and politics, because it's the most prevalent coupling on the national and local fronts.

FLEA MARKET OF IDEAS

The marriage of business and politics

By: Joel Ruiz Butuyan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 10, 2018

Politics is married to an assortment of vested interests in the Philippines. It is married to business, religion, show biz, and even to shady ventures like gambling and illegal drugs.

We have businesspersons who use their wealth to enter politics. We have religious groups that convert their influence into political power. We have show biz personalities who translate their popularity into forays in politics. And we have gambling and drug lords who utilize their fortunes to invade the arena of politics.

The reverse is equally true. Politicians employ their powers to enter into business or expand their current commercial interest. Others position themselves as fattened beneficiaries of gambling and the trade in illegal drugs.

He has called God "stupid" for the bishops and priests who have denounced the extrajudicial drug killings, savaged every dignitary who ever showed an interest in the same. And now this. Has he come to believe that by announcing, matter-of-factly, that he has created the "Duterte death squads" for the NPA, he has thereby legalized what was illegal, monstrous and murderous, and freed himself from any responsibility for all the DDS murders and those that had been committed and will yet be committed by his anti-drug police and so-called vigilantes? Where is the law in all this? Isn't it time for the ordinary law enforcement officer to take a stand and say, "we cannot obey an illegal order, Mr. President."

more at https://www.manilatimes.net/the-du30-death-squads/477105/

DU30 has gone to great lengths to deny accusations that as Davao City mayor, he had organized the "Davao death squad" to eliminate his enemies and that the DDS had killed thousands. Lawyer Jude Sabio, supplemented by party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, has filed a "communication" before the International Criminal Court at The Hague accusing him of "crimes against humanity" for the alleged murders committed by this DDS. DU30 has responded by announcing his withdrawal from the Statute of Rome, which created the ICC, although there is no sign the ICC will give him a free pass.

from 'The Duterte Death Squads'
BY FRANCISCO S. TATAD
The Manila Times
DECEMBER 03, 2018

[...]

Decriminalizing the death squads

Most of DU30's problems are self-inflicted. To his many such injuries, his latest addition takes the cake: the "Duterte death squads" against the New People's Army (NPA), with whom the Armed Forces of the Philippines is still engaged in an armed conflict. What does this mean? The creation of a "death squad," whatever its target, can only be the act of a crime boss, never that of a constitutionally elected president of a democratic and republican State.

What will DU30's death squad do? Assassinate suspected NPA members, without recourse to the just rules of war, as governed by international conventions and treaties? It doesn't make any sense.

It's a can of worms, enough to make even the most liberal-minded hesitate. Genetic engineering is leaps and bounds away from gene therapy, which is the repair of DNA of cells in individual patients, allowing for the treatment of genetic disorders and cancer; the former alters a human's entire genetic structure as well as its future offspring, while the latter does not. From here it's a slippery, dystopian slope into a society which is able not just to protect future generations against disease, but to allow enhanced humans or what sociocivic groups have called "designer babies." It's a "Black Mirror" episode waiting to happen, where the wealthy who are able to afford such technologies are able to enhance the health, talent, physique and beauty of their offspring, while those at the bottom tier of society are not, widening an already unacceptable gap.

There is also so much that is still ethically unacceptable at this time when it comes to experimentation on human embryos. There is always the ever-present dilemma of discarding embryos, and the fear that "defective" babies in the future may be discarded also, plus the fact that the subjects are embryos which are unable to give consent. Furthermore, the "editing" of humans smacks of society's intolerance for imperfection and the ableist view that those who are born with disease or deformity are somewhat less worthy or less able to live out fulfilled and happy lives. Whether the Chinese experiment is true or not, the news should be enough to raise an international alarm and to serve as a caution that this promising technology can quite easily fall into incautious, though well-intentioned, hands.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/

The experiment, if true, is disturbing for a number of reasons: first, that it violated what seemed to be an unofficial, unspoken but well understood agreement among the international community that the modification of human genomes, while conceivable, has a tremendous number of ethical red lines to be crossed. If attempted, it should not only be justifiable, but done within a rigorous framework, under strict and well-documented supervision. Previous to this revelation, the biggest leap forward had been the modification of human embryos to delete life-threatening genetic mutations; the embryos had then been discarded. Certainly nothing on the scale of what He claimed has ever been documented.

The idea that a scientist independently tinkering in a lab, experimenting on humans, has the necessary tools at disposal but may not be well-armed with ethical rigor, is terrifying, and straight out of H. G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau." The idea that so-called "monsters" can be the result of such experimentation is not unfounded: human genome editing technology which allows the removal, alteration or addition of genetic material is said to be precise but the effects can be unpredictable. One consequence has been mosaicism (the alteration of DNA in some cells in the germline but not others), and some researchers have posited that gene alterations can cause deletions, alterations and interactions of genetic material beyond the target site—an adverse effect not fully explored but which should be serious enough to give any scientist pause.

HINTS AND SYMBOLS

Cautionary tales

By: Kay Rivera
Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 03, 2018

Anybody who's ever seen a futuristic sci-fi film or read a dystopian novel would caution that this is the turning point in our timeline when things go awry. To the horror of the worldwide scientific community, a Chinese researcher claimed this week that he had used CRISPR, a gene-editing technology, to create the world's first genetically edited babies. The twin baby girls reportedly had their DNA altered to protect them from future infection with HIV (which, by the way, is now considered a treatable condition). The details of the experiment have not been recorded in any peer-reviewed journals. At this time it has only been revealed that the researcher, He Jiankui, secured consent from the parents, but details about funding and supervision remain unclear. We have also yet to see the genetically altered babies, or to prove that they did arise from an experiment.

sayang wa ma-maintain. gwapo unta ug porma.

this is sad. may the young man rest in peace.

While Facebook has come under intense scrutiny for its role in spreading disinformation in the US and Europe, the social network has also been roundly criticized for not doing enough to police its platform in Asia, with both Facebook and its subsidiary WhatsApp accused of allowing hateful and dangerous content to be shared in countries such as Myanmar and India.

Ressa was overseas when the charges against Rappler were first announced, but she has vowed to return to the Philippines and fight them, even if that means doing so from a prison cell.

"In many ways the government's attacks against Rappler have made it very clear to us exactly who we are, what our identity is, and for our young reporters who are on the ground, how clear and necessary our mission is today," Ressa told CNN last month.

"Our democracy is in transition ... the mission of journalism has never been needed as much as it is now, and we'll continue doing these stories."

CNN's Joshua Berlinger and Euan McKirdy contributed reporting.

https://edition.cnn.com/

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https://amd-ssl.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/ads/2018/11/28/xxxx_B-Grimm_2018_TVC_30s_Final_DT_1280x720.mp4


This man compares himself to Hitler 01:21

Dangerous job

Journalists who push back against the official narrative on the drug war, both in the Philippines and overseas, have faced online harassment from supporters of Duterte, who organize on Facebook and other platforms to go after media critical of the President.

Ressa has previously called out the effect of Facebook in enabling the spreading of disinformation and attacks against journalists online, saying this has become a key policy for the Duterte administration.

"We were the first, two-and-a-half years before the United States started talking about disinformation, we saw because of our partnership with Facebook, we saw these exponential attacks on social media that began in July of 2016, the same month that the drug war began," she told ReCode last week.

"In August of 2016, I gave that data to Facebook and I said, this is really alarming. These people are targeting anyone who attacks, who asks questions about the drug war. The drug war began in July of 2016. It's targeting journalists. It's targeting anyone who's perceived to be critical of President Duterte. Those attacks are heinous. It brings out the worst of human nature."

Ahead of his inauguration, Duterte defended the notoriously high fatality rate for journalists working in the Philippines as sometimes justified and accused the media of being corrupt.

"Just because you're a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you're a son of a bitch," Duterte said in comments that were swiftly denounced by press groups. "Freedom of expression cannot help you if you have done something wrong."

As many as 12 journalists were killed in the first two years of the Duterte administration, higher than under any other president during a similar period, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

In the latest Press Freedom Index, the Philippines fell six places to 134th of 180 countries, with the report's authors warning that the "dynamism of the media has ... been checked by the emergence of a leader who wants to show he is all powerful."

Drug war

At least 5,000 people have been killed as a result of Duterte's drug war, his landmark and most controversial policy. That figure is the official police count, however, and opposition lawmakers and rights groups estimate the true death toll could be in the tens of thousands.

Those killed have included children and innocents, as well as ordinary drug users and criminals executed extrajudicially.

Among Philippines media, Rappler in particular has focused on the human toll of the drug war, and often contested the official death counts put out by the government under the social media campaign #RealNumbersPH, a self-described effort to counter what it calls a "false narrative" on the war on drugs.

This has attracted criticism from both supporters of the President and Duterte himself, who has long had an uneasy relationship with the press since before he was elected in a landslide in May 2016.

"I've long run out of synonyms for the word 'ridiculous.' The basis of this case is that Rappler is classified as a dealer in securities. I am definitely not a stockbroker," Ressa told CNN Thursday, after news of the charges broke.

Shawn Crispin, CPJ Southeast Asia representative, said the charges were a "blatant form of legal harassment and underline President Rodrigo Duterte's desperate attempt to stifle its critical reporting on his government."

Duterte's office has denied he is involved in the prosecutions against Rappler, but the President has previously sparred with the company's employees, personally barring Ressa and reporter Pia Ranada from Malacanang Palace, his official residence, over their coverage of his administration.

Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said the case sent "a chilling message to journalists and human rights activists (in the Philippines) that they will be targeted for exposing his murderous campaign."

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https://amd-ssl.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/ads/2018/11/13/22LKFS_ICONSIAM_30SEC_Eng_1280x720.mp4
Rappler CEO: Stripping of license is political 03:00

'Ridiculous'

In January, the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) temporarily revoked Rappler's registration on the basis that it had violated the country's constitution over foreign ownership rules.

Philippines officials claim Rappler and Ressa failed to declare about $3 million in 2015 on tax returns from an investment by the Omidyar Network, a fund created by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar.

At the time, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called the charges a "direct assault on freedom of the press." The rights group Amnesty International, meanwhile, claimed it was "an alarming attempt to silence independent journalism."

Ressa, an award-winning journalist who previously served as a CNN bureau chief in Manila, has defended Rappler's ownership structure as "100% Filipino," and maintained the charges against her company are politically motivated.

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa is due to land in Manila this weekend, when supporters fear she could be arrested, after she and her company were formally indicted on multiple counts of tax evasion this week, charges critics say are politically motivated and designed to silence independent media in the southeast Asian country.

The formal accusations bring with them a potential 10-year prison penalty under Philippines tax law.


Shocking images like this one have become a common sight due to Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's two-year "drug war."

She exposed Duterte's drug war, now she faces prison in the Philippines

By James Griffiths, CNN
Updated 2037 GMT (0437 HKT) December 1, 2018



(CNN)Images and stories from Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal war on drugs have shocked audiences worldwide, as bodies have stacked up in cities across the country, many of them victims of extrajudicial and vigilante killings.

While the government has hardly been shy about its intention to go after both dealers and users, hard data on the number of killings has often been tough to come by. One indispensable source of information, both for the international media and readers in the Philippines has been the upstart news site Rappler, which is now facing a reckoning with the government it has been a dogged check upon.

the real bozo.

Another way to do it is US-style. There the oldest, largest, and most successful method of voter education is the National Student/Parent Mock Election. Millions of students (and some of their parents) vote in their schools, community centers, state capitals, even hospital wards all across the country. Their vote totals are reported to their state or national election headquarters. The press flashes the results across the airwaves and Internet (search the web for mechanics.)

Preparations begin months ahead. Volunteer coordinators distribute voting and curriculum guides, etc.; and plan the election sites, vote tabulations, and all other elements of an actual election. A week or so before Election Day the mock votes are cast. Students would have studied the candidates and party platforms, held forums and debates on issues, and get-out-the-vote drives.

If to be adopted in the Philippines, spearheading can be by a national association of student councils and college editors. Athletes being student attractions, it can even be by UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) alumni. Civic groups can pitch in, along with Catholic, Protestant, evangelical and Muslim leaders.

The point is to stop yakking and start changing. Spread the word.


https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2018/11/26/1871719/bobotantes-educate-voters-mock-election#AsVKLM3ZZ4jjcty3.99

All must be politically neutral, unrelated to any of the national or local candidates by blood, affinity, or work/business. They would be trained to assess the candidates via the LASER test. The Personnel Management Association of the Philippines can draw up criteria for each elective post.

Candidates will be asked to submit data pertinent to LASER. Like, Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, campaign donors, projected and actual expenses as of cutoff date, etc. First-timers need not win first before preparing such SALN. Old-time pols should rush to submit theirs, if only to show clean intentions.

On an appointed day, say, a month before Election Day, the select citizens are to cast votes in a mock balloting. These shall be consolidated, and the results announced. The press shall be invited to cover.

Survey tail-enders who make it to the top of the mock election will be the talk of the town.

Other questions can be added, said LASER test developers, Cebu priest Fr. Melo Diola, ex-audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza, and the late interior secretary Jesse Robredo. Candidates can measure themselves with the same.

What next? Voter conscientizer Willie Villarama suggests holding a national mock election using the LASER test. That could boost the chances of less known, underfunded candidates. If more LASER passers win elective seats, the country will have a chance truly to change.

There are several ways to hold a mock national balloting. Crucial is the credibility of the organizers.

One is by picking citizens to vet the candidates via the LASER. There can be ten from each of the 255 congressional districts, or 2,550 in all. To truly represent the population, half can be male, and half female. Half can be millennials born 1980 or later, and half "lolo-nials" born before then. Five can be from income class D and E, three from C, and two from A-B. And so forth.

from 'Bobotantes'? Educate voters via mock election
GOTCHA - Jarius Bondoc
The Philippine Star)
November 26, 2018

[...]

Conscientious citizens are aghast. Leading in surveys on the May 2019 balloting are the traditional politicos, dynasts, and crooks. They blame it on respondents who go only for the popular, not the worthy.

Voters must subject candidates to the LASER test. Aspirants for senator, congressman, and local posts need assessing in terms of:

Lifestyle - Does s/he live modestly, in line with constitutional rules for public officials? Does he have unexplained wealth, incommensurate to his salary or lawful income?

Actions – Does he have a track record of competence and servant-leadership? Is he for the common good, not a vested interest?

Supporters – Who are his campaigners and contributors? Will dealings with them compromise him? Does his family uphold integrity?

Election conduct – Does he obey election laws and respect the rights of voters and rivals? Or buy votes, overspend on ads, use government property, and has posters outside prescribed areas?

Reputation – Has he been involved in scandal? Aside from attending Mass and public prayers, is he God-fearing and morally upright?

reminds me of a neighboring national leader aiming to be a world leader.

The 2018 Oxford Word of the Year isn't nice, it's toxic

Associated Press  Associated Press
Thu, Nov 15

LONDON (AP) — What single word best captures the tone of the past year? Oxford Dictionaries says it's "toxic."

Oxford University Press monitors changes in the English language and each year selects a word that catches the annual mood.

Its lexicographers said Thursday that "toxic" grew into "an intoxicating descriptor for the year's most talked about topics."

Beyond its literal sense, people also employed it to describe relationships, politics and habits.

The word beat other shortlisted possibilities, including gas-lighting ("manipulating someone by psychological means into accepting a false depiction of reality or doubting their own sanity") and orbiting ("the action of abruptly withdrawing from direct communication with someone while still monitoring, and sometimes responding to, their activity on social media").

Toxic succeeds last year's word of the year, youthquake, which recognized the millennial generation's power.

https://www.yahoo.com/

As one of Mahathir's advisers told me earlier this year, the Malaysian leader wants to make it clear that "we are not a Chinese lackey," and will push for "transparent and mutually beneficial" deals that will create quality employment and growth for Malaysians.

Now, contrast that with the policy and rhetoric of Mahathir's counterpart in Manila. Now you know why Malaysia is where it is compared to the Philippines.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/

Anyone with basic familiarity with the Malaysian leader knows that he spent much of his early years in office standing up to the West in order to protect the sovereignty of smaller nations. He was more than happy to snub American presidents such as Reagan and get into eloquent verbal spats with Australian prime ministers.

Today, he is doing exactly the same thing, except vis-à-vis a new regional hegemon. During his visit to Beijing in August, Mahathir bluntly told his Chinese hosts that he is worried about "new imperialism" from the East.

Since his return to office earlier this year, Mahathir has pushed for cancellation and/or renegotiation of large-scale infrastructure deals with China, including the $10bn Melaka Gateway, the $20bn East Coast Rail Link, and the $2.5bn natural gas pipeline led by a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corp.

In one country, a strong-willed, workaholic leader constantly pushes the boundaries of personal and national ambition, even as he inches closer to a century of life on earth. In another, too many people are happy to make excuses, no matter how incredulous and fantastical, for a leader's inadequacies, even when what's in question is the lack of basic professionalism.

As Mahathir made it clear, the highest office in the land is not a personal possession, but instead an institution that comes with basic duties.

In one country, a tough-talking leader stands up to both Eastern and Western superpowers for the national interest of his country. In another, the leader is more than happy to embrace China out of irritation with Western criticism, even if the former is a direct rival in maritime and territorial disputes.

Mr. Duterte apparently said, "yeah" — but still skipped the Apec gala meeting later. To be fair, much shouldn't be made out of no-shows alone. After all, US President Donald Trump didn't even bother to attend the Asean and Apec summits.

Moreover, Mr. Duterte is in his older years and has been grappling with many ailments. If he is truly unwell, it's more than justified that he skips long, arduous travels.

Scratch below the surface, however, and one realizes that this isn't about "power naps" alone. And perhaps here, at a more fundamental level, lies the difference not only between the two "strongmen" of Asia, but also the Philippines and Malaysia.

In an almost irritated tone, Mr. Duterte was quick to shut down any criticism by stating, "What's wrong with my nap?" He sought to justify his absence from the Asean leaders' informal breakfast meeting with Australia by half-quipping, "What will they feed us if it's informal? Kangaroo?"

Back in March, he was the only Asean leader to skip the Asean-Australia Special Summit in Sydney, because he was supposedly too tired to travel, only to have multiple foreign visits right after.

Soon, the whole thing became the joke of the town. Days later, even Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, who was hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, chimed in, repeatedly asking the Filipino leader whether he had "a good sleep" and "a good rest."

HORIZONS

Mahathir and Duterte: a world of contrasts

By: Richard Heydarian
Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 20, 2018

I always attend meetings. It's my duty," said Malaysia's 93-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a survivor of elective coronary bypass surgery, amid the "nap-gate" affair in Singapore. President Duterte, 20 years his junior, apparently was too tired to attend more than half of the scheduled meetings during the opening day of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit last week.

Malacañang was quick to defend the President's no-show by saying he was too tired from work earlier and needed "power naps." Never mind that power naps are supposed to be under an hour before slow-wave sleep (SWS) kicks in, and that the Philippines occupies a crucial role as the Asean-China coordinator.

nagpasiaw lang si mingkay kay nagduwa man god sila ug tago-tago...

As noted, gamma-ray bursts are among the most powerful explosions known to astronomers. Lasting from between two seconds and a few hours, long-duration gamma-ray bursts release as much energy as the Sun does over the course of its entire lifetime. Disturbingly, some scientists theorize that the Ordovician-Silurian extinction—a mass extinction event that happened on Earth some 440 million years ago—was caused by a gamma-ray burst within our own galaxy. Physicist Adrian Melott from the University of Kansas speculates that a "dangerously near GRB should occur on average two or more times per billion years."

Pope said it would be "pretty bad" if one were to go off nearby, but he's not particularly concerned.

"In terms of why we have nothing to worry about, the best I can offer is that it's highly uncertain whether Apep will go off as a gamma-ray burst at all, and if it does, it is unlikely to be in the very near future."

https://gizmodo.com/

"Apep's dust pinwheel moves much slower than the wind in the system," said Callingham. "One way this can occur is if one of the massive stars is rotating so quickly that it is nearly tearing itself apart. Such a rotation means that when it runs out of fuel and begins to explode as a supernova, it will collapse at the poles before the equator, producing a gamma-ray burst."

The significance of this finding, said Pope, is that nobody had observed rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet systems in our galaxy before. Moreover, many astronomers assumed these objects couldn't even exist in a galaxy like ours; the Milky Way is old and metal-rich, containing an abundance of heavy stars that should spin down quickly. The new result suggests our understanding of how massive stars die is still incomplete.

"Wolf-Rayet star systems are thought to be the progenitors of long gamma-ray bursts, so if there's one in our galaxy that's an exciting find," Pope told Gizmodo. "Even if not—something deeply weird is happening to this star system and this is the best explanation we have."


Artist's impression of a gamma-ray burst.
Image: NASA/Dana Berry/Skyworks Digital