With the anticipated Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) all set for October 30, 2023 (a declared non-working day), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) recently signed a formal agreement on data sharing related to the said elections, according to a news article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine National Police (PNP) entered into a data sharing agreement (DSA) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure the integrity and transparency of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.
PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., director for operations Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco and Comelec officials led by Chairperson George Garcia, Commissioner Nelson Celis and Executive Director Teopisto Elnas Jr. graced the signing rites at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday, the PNP said in a news release Tuesday.
The pact grants Comelec access to the PNP’s Election Monitoring Systems and subsystems and outlines specific areas of collaboration aimed at bolstering the electoral process, pursuant to Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act.
Key components include access to the PNP Personnel Deployment, Surrendered Firearms, Voting Center Assistance, Election Status, Candidates, Party-lists, Voting Center, Treasurer’s Office, Unlawful Election Materials, Gun Ban Details, Violations thereof, and other critical data related to the elections.
The agreement also allows access to various subsystems within the PNP Election Monitoring System including geo-tagging for vote-buying, a separate subsystem for vote-buying, and another for Task Force Kontra Fake News, following the Comelec’s specifications.
“We will make a difference in ensuring that the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections of 2023 serve as a shining example of democracy in action,” Acorda said.
He also urged the public to trust the electoral process, assuring them that all measures are being taken to guarantee a smooth, secure, and credible BSKE 2023.
“Suffrage is more than just voting; it represents the heart of democracy. It gives individuals the power to shape their nation and participate in its governance. The BSKE is an integral part of our electoral system, providing a platform for citizens to exercise this valued right,” Acorda said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Do you think the data sharing agreement between the COMELEC and the PNP will help preserve the integrity of the BSKE?
Water concessionaire Maynilad announced recently that it has allotted over P1 billion for the upgrading of its Muntinlupa City water treatment plants, according to a news report by GMA Network.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…
West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. is spending a billion pesos to upgrade its water treatment plants in Muntinlupa City.
In a statement, Maynilad said it has earmarked P1.14 billion to further improve the treatment processes of its Putatan Water Treatment Plants (PWTP) 1 and 2 “in response to the worsening quality of the raw water from Laguna Lake.”
The company said the upgrades include the material and structural reinforcement of the facilities’ existing silt curtain, strengthening of the sludge management system, provision of activated carbon dosing at the intake, and replacement of all ultrafiltration membranes, among other enhancements.
The PWTP upgrades, which Maynilad said it has been implementing in phases, enabled the company to sustain normal water production since June 2023 despite sudden shifts in the water quality.
This led to improved service availability for Maynilad customers in the south versus the previous year, when the water production of PWTP 1 and 2 would immediately drop following spikes in total dissolved solids, algae proliferation, and the presence of organic and inorganic matter in the lake water, the company said.
“We have had to incorporate additional treatment processes at Putatan WTP to handle some quality parameters of Laguna Lake that now occur at levels not seen from recorded prior ten-year experience. This investment is essential so we can continue to maximize the lake’s strategic value as a water source for Metro Manila,” said Maynilad chief operating officer Randolph Estrellado.
Estrellado added that the PWTP improvements being done were aligned with the recommendations of the Public Utility Board (PUB), the national water agency of Singapore, which was invited to the country by MWSS Administrator Leonor Cleofas to assess the said facilities and share their expertise with Maynilad.
Maynilad said its PWTP 1 and 2—the largest membrane-based water treatment plants in the Philippines—are the first to utilize Laguna Lake as an alternate source to Angat Dam.
The company added that it is currently constructing another 150-million-liter per-day treatment plant in Poblacion, Muntinlupa City, which will be its third facility to tap Laguna Lake as a source.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, how was the quality of service you have been getting from Maynilad over the past six months? Is the water supply from Maynilad constantly available for your needs?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
There is no doubt that water is essential for families, businesses and all other sectors of local society. That being said, Filinvest’s corporate entities has partnered with Hitachi, Ltd., to construct a state-of-the-art water recycling facility and upgraded sewage treatment plant (STP) in the Alabang business district in Muntinlupa City with a completion target set for March 2026, according to an official press release published through Hitachi online.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Hitachi press release. Some parts in boldface…
Seated from L-R, FDCWUI President & CEO Johnny Roxas, FDC Vice Chair Josephine Gotianun Yap, FAI President & COO Catherine Ilagan, Hitachi Ltd. GM of Envi. Sol. Div. Okito Kakudo, and Hitachi Asia Ltd. COO Tang Chay Wee. Standing from L-R, PMI’s Chief Investment Officer Jan Michael Lim and President Alfredo Comendador Jr., ASCOF’s Design Manager Allan Villanueva and Project Manager Ricky De Castro, FLOW’s BD and Marketing AVP Sundy Bergado and CTO Tatsuya Sasuga, Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine Branch GM Hiroshi Katagiri and FLOW’s Engineering and Projects AVP Alfred Ables. (source – Hitachi.Asia)
Filinvest City, together with its partners FDC Water Utilities Inc. and Hitachi Ltd, will soon begin the construction of a state-of-the-art water recycling facility and upgraded sewage treatment plant (STP) that promises to innovate urban water management in the Alabang business district. This reflects the Filinvest Group’s commitment to sustainability through the implementation of efficient and technology-driven water operations across all of its developments.
“We aim to make Filinvest City the first sustainable and smart central business district in the Philippines. By implementing advanced technologies and solutions to treat wastewater, we are moving towards a future where local ecosystems are protected and our ecological footprint is reduced,” said Filinvest Development Corporation (FDC) Vice Chairperson Josephine Gotianun Yap during the construction commencement ceremony held recently.
FDC Water Utilities, Inc. (FDCWUI), a subsidiary of FDC Utilities, Inc., will lead in developing the project that is set to begin in December this year and is expected to be completed by March 2026.
“This project will revolutionize how Filinvest approaches wastewater treatment and water production. Its seamless integration of sewage treatment and production of high-quality recycled water technologies sets a new standard for environmentally responsible development. Only two other projects in the country implement similar processes, but none on this scale,” said Juan Eugenio L. Roxas, President and CEO of FDWUI.
Hitachi Ltd is the project’s technical partner, one of Japan’s largest and most influential corporations spanning sectors such as IT, telecom, power, infrastructure, and industry. Together with Filinvest, Hitachi aims to focus on social and sustainable innovations through data and technology.
“Our advanced water treatment technology, combined with digital solutions, is designed not only to improve water quality but also to enable remote plant monitoring and streamline operations. We are honored to work with Filinvest as we address the pressing issue of water shortages in the Philippines and promote water sustainability together,” said Okito Kakudo, General Manager of Hitachi Ltd.’s Environmental Solution Division, Water and Environment Business Unit.
The upgraded STP will be capable of processing up to 15 million liters of wastewater daily. It will utilize Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology for biological nutrient removal, which complies with the stricter regulations on nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the country that cannot be effectively removed by the conventional activated sludge method.
Meanwhile, the new water reuse facility is designed to efficiently produce high-quality recycled water for household use. Capable of producing a capacity of at least 10.5 million liters per day, the facility utilizes a combination of Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO) and Advanced Oxidation for its water production.
The initiative will reduce the environmental footprint of Filinvest City and effectively mitigate pollution in waterways. Moreover, the water produced by the reuse facility will be available to local businesses and residents, conserving valuable freshwater sources and ensuring a more reliable supply of clean water.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, how do you think this upcoming water recycling facility of Filinvest and Hitachi will help you? Do you think there is a need for more private sector players to be more involved in the water supply and water recycling within Muntinlupa City? Do you own a home or a business property in Filinvest City in Alabang?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Let’s be clear here – the Left is inherently evil. That being said, we should focus on the current state of conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Left as the military announced recently that the Communists have been greatly weakened during the first eight months of this year, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The New People’s Army (NPA) and its allies have been greatly weakened after suffering heavy losses from January to August this year, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Thursday.
In a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Brawner said the AFP has neutralized 2,658 NPA members and their supporters from Jan. 1 to Aug. 17 this year.
Of this number, 124 were killed during encounters with military forces, while 87 were arrested and 2,447 surrendered to the government, he said.
“As far as the communist terrorist group is concerned, we are again happy to report that we have already neutralized most of the guerrilla fronts operating in the country. We have weakened a lot of them and there are now just a few armed elements operating in the country,” Brawner said.
With these constant losses, he said, they are seeing a “downward trend of the number of communist coddlers” caused by the neutralization of many of their ranking leaders.
“We are very happy because since last year, with the neutralization of their top, their key leaders, we have seen a widespread surrender of fighters, and also with the death of (Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria) ‘Joma’ Sison, now we see that they (are) losing the ideology,” Brawner said.
“And with this decline, many of the surviving NPAs could be just classified as bandits as they are engaged in extortion rackets.”
He noted the possibility of the AFP “neutralizing” the NPA by the end of the year.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Satanic Left here in the Philippines are still a threat to your family and your local community? Are there many Leftists living in your local community right now? Are you aware that mainstream news outlets like CNN, The New York Times and MSNBC all emphasize Leftist concepts in their so-called news reports? Are you aware that Democrats in America are inspiring young Filipinos to become socialists, Marxists, Communists, SJWs, homosexuals and terrorist supporters?
Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, Mayor Ruffy Biazon told local candidates running in the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to campaign cleanly, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The BSKE campaign period started last Thursday (October 19) and will last until October 28, 2023.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon told candidates for the Oct. 30 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to hold a clean campaign and not resort to mudslinging.
More than 400 BSKE candidates in Muntinlupa will start their election campaign today, Oct. 19, which will last for 10 days until Oct. 28.
“One final reminder…I call on all candidates to do a clean campaign focused on presenting the best what they can offer to the people. Plataporma at programa, hindi paninira (Platform and program, not mudslinging),” Biazon posted on Facebook on Oct. 19.
He added, “Hangad natin na maging mapayapa at tapat ang pagpili ng mga susunod na maglilingkod sa barangay (Our goal is peaceful and honest selection of the next persons to serve in the barangay).”
The mayor said he hopes that the winning candidates will pursue “fast, responsive, effective at efficient service.”
The winning candidates, he said, should come up with programs that will undergo planning and are aligned with the city’s development plans.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you going to vote in the BSKE on October 30? Are there members in your local community who have shown awareness about the polls and the many candidates running? Is someone in your local community running for barangay captain?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, a man entered a police sub-station in Barangay Tambo pretending to be a member of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) and eventually got arrested when the ID cards he submitted were found to be fake, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. This is a case of the usurpation of authority (for past cases, click here and here).
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
A man posing as a member of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) was arrested in Parañaque City on Oct. 18.
According to the report of the Parañaque City Police submitted to the Southern Police District (SPD), the suspect appeared at Tambo police substation together with three Chinese nationals at around 8:40 p.m. to report an incident.
The suspect identified himself as member of ISAFP and MIG when questioned by police.
He presented an AFP ID and MIG ID, but the police discovered the IDs were fake.
The police said the suspect confessed that he is not a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The suspect was immediately brought to the Station Investigation and Detective Management Section (SIDMS) custodial facility where he was detained.
The police filed a case of violation of usurpation of authority against the suspect.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot of individuals in the city committing usurpation of authority who have not been caught?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
With the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) all set to happen less than two weeks from now, the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) top officials recently visited Las Piñas City and conducted a related voting simulation at Robinsons Place, the City Government confirmed through its Facebook page.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the City Government’s October 18, 2023 FB post. Some parts in boldface…
In anticipation of the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections set for October 30, the Commission on ElectionS (COMELEC) hosted a voting simulation exercise at the Robinson’s Mall in Las Piñas on Tuesday, October 17th. The event aimed to test the preparedness of both the electoral body and the voting public, as well as to identify any potential issues that could arise on election day.
Gracing the occasion were notable COMELEC officials including Chairman Atty. George Garcia, and Commissioners Nelson Celis and Atty. Rey Bulay. The simulation was a crucial step in ensuring that the electoral procedures are followed, and to make any necessary adjustments before the actual elections. It also served as an educational endeavor to familiarize voters with the voting process, in an effort to make the real event run as smoothly as possible.
The undertaking is part of COMELEC’s broader strategy to ensure free, fair, and efficient elections at the barangay and SK levels. It adds to a series of measures the commission has been implementing, which include voter education campaigns and the vetting of candidates.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, do you view the voting simulation helpful when it comes to educating local voters in preparation for the October 30 BSKE? Are there many people in your local community who intend to vote in the BSKE?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
This past Sunday inside Tahanan Village, Barangay BF Homes in Parañaque City, several people converged at the area of the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) clubhouse by the poolside to avail of varied health services during the health check activity which was a special project of the Century Club of Tahanan, Inc. (CCTI) headed by its President Florencia Umali. According to Umali, the total number of patients present was at one hundred and seventy three (173).
Several patients paid P350 each for a diagnostic package that includes a free platelet count (for dengue test), ECG, FBS, BUN, SGPT, CBC, Uric Acid, Urinalysis and Total Cholesterol test. There were also other tests that were offered by health services provider Sto. Domingo Diagnostic & Medical Center Corp. during the activity such as Triglycerides for P150, Creatinine for P150, HBA 1C for P300, Chest X-Ray for P150 and TPAG for P200 to name some. Also present during the activity were personnel who prepared coffee, pandesal and a hot meal for the benefit of the patients. The health check test results are scheduled for release on October 22.
Patients gathered at one side of the Tahanan Village pool to get verified and examined by the health services personnel.
Patients seated and waiting for their respective turns just outside of the Tahanan Village clinic for ECG.
“We are very happy over the reception of this special project of our club and the fact that we were able to organize this after the COVID-19 pandemic,” CCTI President Flor Umali said. “The staff are very courteous and prompt with their work in serving the patients. We will have this health check activity again on February 11, 2024.”
Umali added that their local community health check project received valuable support from the Tahanan Village Board of Directors, Parañaque City Councilor Nina Sotto and Ryan Yllana, and from Barangay BF Homes Captain Paolo Marquez.
Century Club of Tahanan, Inc. (CCTI) President Florencia Umali.
Another look at the many patients who lined up to get served for their health-related needs.
The CCTI President also announced that their next activity is the Christmas Bingo Bonanza set to happen on December 2, 2023, inside Tahanan Village.
For my previous blog posts about CCTI, click here, here, here and here.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Ever since it was first announced, the stakeholders behind the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal worth almost $70 billion went through lots of hurdles that include opposition by Sony’s PlayStation division, a trial with America’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a rejection by the United Kingdom’s regulator Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The obstacles are over as the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal recently closed and already the Activision side of the business has officially started integrating into Microsoft. This deal is many times larger than the Xbox-Bethesda acquisition of a few years ago. Watch the related video by Team Xbox below…
Xbox chief Phil Spencer issued a statement related to the newly closed deal. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from his statement published through Xbox.com. Some parts in boldface…
We love gaming. We play games, create games, and know first-hand how much gaming means to all of us as individuals and collectively, as a community. And today, we officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox. They are the publishers of some of the most played and most beloved franchises in gaming history across console, PC and mobile. From Pitfall to Call of Duty, World of Warcraft to Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga to Farm Heroes Saga, their studios have pushed the boundaries of gaming for players around the world.
I’ve long admired the work of Activision, Blizzard, and King, and the impact they’ve had on gaming, entertainment, and pop culture. Whether it was late nights spent playing the Diablo IV campaign with friends from start to finish, gathering the entire family in the rec room for our weekly Guitar Hero night, or going on an epic streak in Candy Crush, some of my most memorable gaming moments came from experiences their studios have created. It is incredible to welcome such legendary teams to Xbox.
As one team, we’ll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people. We’ll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centered on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone. We are intentional about inclusion in everything we do at Xbox – from our team to the products we make and the stories we tell, to the way our players interact and engage as a wider gaming community.
Together, we’ll create new worlds and stories, bring your favorite games to more places so more players can join in, and we’ll engage with and delight players in new, innovative ways in the places they love to play including mobile, cloud streaming and more.
Players have always been at the center of everything we do. And as we grow, we’ll continue to keep players at the heart of it all. We’ll continue to listen to your feedback, build a community where you can be yourself, where developers can do their best work, and continue to make really fun games. As promised, we will also continue to make more games available in more places – and that begins now by enabling cloud streaming providers and players to stream Activision Blizzard games in the European Economic Area, a commitment made to the European Commission. Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too.
For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win.
For their part, Activision Blizzard issued its own statement related to the biggest deal in video gaming with Microsoft. They are looking forward to the future of gaming with Team Xbox. Posted below is an excerpt from their statement with some parts in boldface…
It’s a big day for us at Activision Blizzard. For more than four decades, our players have inspired us to push the boundaries of imagination with iconic universes including Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, Crash Bandicoot, Diablo, Overwatch, and Warcraft.
Today we begin a new chapter as we officially become a part of the Microsoft family, uniting with the amazing Xbox team and co-creating the future of gaming together.
In our earliest days we were a modest collective of designers who raided rivers, commanded choppers, and avoided pitfalls. Now as part of Xbox, we will continue our mission to deliver the world’s most epic interactive entertainment experiences to more people, more platforms, and across more worlds than ever before.
All of our history and success leading to this moment is because of you, our incredible gaming community.
Unsurprisingly, the approved Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal made tremendous waves through social media and through YouTube. Watch and learn from the videos below starting with an interview with Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick (note: pay close attention to his words)…
The Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal is not just another multi-billion Dollar business breakthrough…it is a tremendous boost for the credibility of Xbox as a video gaming, PC gaming, cloud gaming and mobile gaming entity.
While it is made clear that Microsoft-controlled ABK will still release games on multiple platforms, the new owners can make the new and upcoming games Xbox-exclusive (meaning released only on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC plus cloud and mobile devices which collectively are more numerous than Nintendo and PlayStation consoles). For insights about potential Xbox-exclusive Activision Blizzard games, watch Colteastwood’s video below…
More on exclusivity that include games, DLC releases and other matters, it is clear that the pre-existing contracts between PlayStation and Activision will never be renewed (read: PlayStation is no longer the home of Call of Duty). PlayStation, whose leader Jim Ryan has been so arrogant and dishonest when opposing the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal, will have a lot to worry about on the gaming subscription side of business once Activision Blizzard games get added into the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service some time in 2024. As much as Team Xbox and Microsoft are benefiting from this mega deal, gamers across different platforms will eventually benefit as well in various ways. Expect new customer-oriented choices to be made through the games under Xbox’s banner.
As of this writing, Xbox fans are rejoicing over the closed Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal while PlayStation fanboys cannot help but agonize with anger and jealousy. All you have to do to see the PS fanboys’ anguish is search for them on social media over their collective negative reactions. The “Xbox has no games” zealots are looking and feeling bad nowadays. Indeed, things are working in Team Xbox’s favor and I personally cannot wait to see the benefits of the ABK deal get realized in my gaming experience. Also there is nothing like seeing ABK’s established franchises like Call of Duty, StarCraft, Warcraft and many others listed with Xbox’s own franchises such as Halo, Forza Motorsport, The Elder Scrolls, Starfield, Fallout and others.
Personally, I look forward to playing Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot (a game property that started on PlayStation) other Activision titles on my Xbox Series X console through my Xbox Game Pass subscription in the near future.
Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, it was announced that local senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and pregnant women will be able to vote in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) as early as 5AM on October 30, 2023, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Take note that Muntinlupa City is officially a pilot area for early voting for the vulnerable sectors.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Muntinlupa City has been chosen as a pilot area for early voting for vulnerable sectors in the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) chose Muntinlupa as the pilot location for the early voting project.
“We welcome this initiative by the Comelec to test new ways in the voting process especially to help persons with disabilities (PWDs), seniors, and pregnant women–those who are recognized as especially vulnerable–and make the voting process easier and more accessible for them,” said Mayor Ruffy Biazon.
According to Muntinlupa City Election Officer Atty. Kimberly Joy Alzate-Cu, under the early voting scheme, PWDs, seniors, and heavily pregnant women will be allowed to vote in their registered voting centers from 5 a.m. – 7 a.m.
This will prioritize the vulnerable sectors in the voting process and to help them avoid the rush of voters during the regular voting hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on election day.
To avail of early voting, one must be enrolled in the voting center’s Accessible Polling Precinct (APP), which is located nearest to the voting center’s entrance.
If they are not enrolled, they may still vote in the center’s Emergency Accessible Polling Precinct (EAPP). This scheme designates an alternative temporary precinct where the vulnerable voter may cast their vote.
However, unlike the APP, which has its own voting machine and other materials and personnel, in the EAPP, the voter’s ballot will be fetched from their regular precinct by the support staff.
In addition, a companion assisting the PWD, senior, or pregnant voter may also vote during the early voting hours, provided they are also registered in the same voting center as the individual they are accompanying.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you welcome the early voting scheme for the BSKE? Are there several senior citizens or PWDs or pregnant women in your local community who want to vote in the BSKE on October 30?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
