Recently in the City of Las Piñas, school supplies were released by the City Government (through its City Social Welfare Development Office the Local Youth Development Office) to eight hundred and fifty local students, the local government announced via social media. Mayor April Aguilar was present during the release.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from social media post of the City Government Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas City Government, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and Local Youth Development Office (LYDO), distributed educational assistance to 850 beneficiaries during a school supplies awarding ceremony held on Friday, July 4, at the Mayor Nene Aguilar Aguilar DRRMO Building in Talon Dos.
Mayor April Aguilar led the distribution of school bags containing essential items for the new academic year, including five notebooks, a lunchbox, tumbler, scientific calculator, ruler set, scissors, and an umbrella. Joining her in personally handing out the supplies were Sangguniang Kabataan Federation Chairperson Rey Angelo Reyes and CSWDO head Lowefe Romulo.
This initiative aims to support Las Piñas students from low-income families by easing the financial burden of back-to-school expenses and promoting preparedness and motivation for the coming school year.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are there many students in your local community who expressed their need for school supplies from the City Government?
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 engagement, 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, NBI agents arrested two people and seized illegal vape products that have been estimated to be worth almost P4 million, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). This development is the result of a successful entrapment operation by the NBI.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested two individuals and seized PHP3.9 million worth of illegal vape products in an operation in Parañaque City.
In a press briefing, NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the suspects as Ace Garcia and Reginald Llanto, who were arrested by operatives of the NBI’s Cavite North District Office (NBI-CAVIDO-North) on Wednesday.
According to the NBI, the CAVIDO-North received information on the sale and distribution of illegal vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products.
After presenting a sample, the NBI received a certification from the Department of Trade and Industry – Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products (DTI-OSMV) that the vape products submitted were considered “unregulated and substandard.”
Operatives conducted an entrapment against the two suspects, resulting in the seizure of 49 master cases which contain 8,200 pieces of vape pods and 1,600 pieces of vape devices, among others, with an estimated value of PHP3.92 million.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think the sale and distribution of illegal vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products in the city will only get worse over the next six months?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
It has been more than a week since Microsoft announced its latest round of layoffs affecting not only thousands of employees but also Team Xbox, its game studios and certain game projects as well.
To be clear, this is not the first time Microsoft had layoffs this year but it is much more significant because the latest layoff round hit Xbox really hard and already Xbox fans and gamers saw their excitement about future video games drop. It is important to keep in mind that Microsoft and its Xbox division are both profitable which makes the new round of layoffs baffling to some. So far this year, over 15,000 employees were laid of by the technology giant. With the layoffs affecting Xbox’s developers and projects, there are matters that concerned both the Xbox fans and gamers who could have joined in.
Firstly, the Xbox game studio The Initiative will be closing down and their high-profile game Perfect Dark (which involved Crystal Dynamics) has officially been cancelled. This is tragic because Team Xbox had the opportunity to reboot the decades-old Perfect Dark franchise, delight the long-time PD fans while offering other gamers something new and exciting to play. A lot of gamers have been anticipating Perfect Dark for many years now only to end up frustrated.
The Perfect Dark reboot is no more!
Secondly, the successful and reliable Xbox game studio Turn 10 saw several of its employees laid off and their team will reportedly work as a supporter for Playground Games. For the newcomers reading this, Turn 10 created and built up the Forza Motorsport franchise of simulation racing games that started in 2005. To see Turn 10 get demoted and work on support duty for Playground Games on the Forza Horizon franchise is just very odd and baffling. Could this mean that Forza Motorsport (2023) is the last game of its franchise? Do you think a leaner Turn 10 will still be able to make another Forza Motorsport game?
Thirdly, the much-delayed Xbox game Everwildgot cancelled and its developer also suffered from the Microsoft layoffs. This unfortunate development only added to the perception that developer Rare (the team behind many hit games it made with Nintendo decades ago) kept going downhill creatively, critically and commercially. Considering how long the game development lasted, I can only imagine that many millions of Dollars were spent on Everwild and Microsoft decided to pull the plug.
Fourthly and most notably, Xbox head Phil Spencer’s official email (addressed to employees) related with the huge layoffs was revealed and its content has been posted below for you to see. Some parts in boldface…
Today we are sharing decisions that will impact colleagues across our organization. To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness. Out of respect for those impacted today, the specifics of today’s notifications and any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days.
I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we’re seeing currently is based on tough decisions we’ve made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business. This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come.
Do you miss the good old days of Xbox? Are you a long-time Xbox gamer who became disappointed over Team Xbox’s decisions and releases? You are not alone!
Prioritizing our opportunities is essential, but that does not lessen the significance of this moment. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted. These decisions are not a reflection of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the people involved. Our momentum is not accidental—it is the result of years of dedicated effort from our teams.
HR is working directly with impacted employees to provide severance plan benefits (aligned with local laws), including pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement resources to support their transition. Employees whose roles were eliminated are encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review.
Thank you to everyone who has shaped our culture, our products, and our community. We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey.
This is my opinion about Spencer’s message…as head of Xbox, Spencer is really powerless and he has no choice but to follow orders from Microsoft’s top management whose views about video game culture and interests do not really match with what we gamers and the game makers have. For Microsoft’s leadership, they have a business to run but it is clear that gaming (electronic entertainment) won’t be going away soon and they will keep investing more money in video game projects. Of course, Microsoft expects healthy returns on its investments which is why they will keep the Game Pass subscription service moving, offer games to varied users (console, computer, mobile and cloud) and they will push through with the next-generation Xbox with AMD as a bigger strategic partner.
Regarding layoffs reaching thousands, it is depressing on face value because those who lost their jobs will have to deal with the high costs of living in first world economies like the United States and in parts of Europe. However, I see an opportunity that others cannot see…the opportunity for Team Xbox to get rid of their least-productive employees as well as laying off the woke activists scattered among the employees of the many Xbox game studios. As seen in entertainment over the past several years, woke activists working in movies, video games, comic books and TV shows do not prioritize quality, do not care about the fans, and they keep on abusing the company resources as they prioritized their Leftist agenda. Is it any wonder why modern entertainment sucks? Did you notice the use of pronouns in Xbox games?
To be fair, Microsoft and Team Xbox both have been woke for years already. In America, the tone of society has changed drastically ever since Donald Trump successfully returned as United States President. Perhaps Microsoft and Xbox executives realized that they should get rid of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) from their business practices and corporate culture before the wave of change under Trump’s America leaves them behind. As of this writing, Trump is making America great again and the woke know they are losing the culture war.
As US President Trump is reshaping America to be great again, meritocracy has become essential too. This means DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) really has no place in government, business, entertainment and culture. DEI must DIE!
I can only speculate that as Xbox game studios each have less employees to work with, there could be a renewed effort to focus more on making high-quality video games that are both enjoyable to play and worth the money of customers. The Outer Worlds 2, which will be released this October, has an eye-catching American price of $79.99 (regular edition) and already a lot of gamers – including The Outer Worlds fans – find the price excessive.
The way things are right now, the future of Xbox looks gloomy and the excitement of the Xbox fans and other gamers have weakened. That being said, we can only wait and see what will happen next in the near future. Perhaps a month from now, Team Xbox will clarify what direction they are headed to and what exciting projects or events fans can still look forward to.
How do you gamers feel about Xbox gaming right now? If you are an Xbox fan, are you feeling disappointed with the cancellation of Perfect Dark and Everwild? Do you think it is time for Team Xbox’s leadership to be changed now that Microsoft impacted the gaming projects and work forces?
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, local police officers apprehended a man wanted for two counts of statutory rape, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The law enforcers were armed with a warrant of arrest.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Members of the Las Pinas Police Warrant and Subpoena Section arrested a 19-year-old man, tagged as No. 3 most wanted person at the regional level, on Tuesday, July 1, for two counts of statutory rape.
Col. Sandro Tafalla, Las Pinas Police chief, said the suspect was nabbed at his residence on Ruby St., Saint Mary’s Home in Barangay Almanza Uno, Las Pinas City.
The arrest was based on a warrant issued by Judge Kathryn Sabado of the Las Pinas Regional Trial Court Branch 202, with no bail recommended.
Tafalla noted that upon verification through the Investigation Solution Automatic Verification (ISAV) system, the suspect’s name did not appear in the E-warrant and E-Rouge police databases.
Further checks, however, confirmed that the case was listed in the Crime Information, Reporting, and Analysis System (CIRAS) — an electronic system designed to digitize and streamline crime documentation.
Tafalla explained that CIRAS serves as a modernized version of the traditional police blotter, providing a more efficient and standardized crime data management.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that there might be suspected rapists living in your local community? Do you consider the crime of rape very serious nowadays?
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 engagement, 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 Las Piñas, the local celebration of Nutrition Month was launched at City Hall and a food fair was organized in connection with it, the City Government announced via social media. Mayor April Aguilar and city health officials were present during the launch.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
The City Government of Las Piñas officially launched this year’s Nutrition Month celebration with the opening of the Healthy Food Fair on Tuesday, July 1, at the City Hall Quadrangle.
Mayor April Aguilar led the kickoff ceremony together with Officer-in-Charge and City Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Julio P. Javier II. Organized by the City Nutrition Office, the event showcased a wide variety of affordable, nutritious meals prepared by community groups and barangay representatives, aiming to promote accessible healthy eating among Las Piñeros.
Now in its sixth year, the Healthy Food Fair runs from July 1 to 4, and forms part of the city’s month-long observance of Nutrition Month, aligned with the national campaign “Sa PPAN: Sama-Sama sa Nutrisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat! – Food at Nutrition Security, Maging Priority! Sapat na Pagkain, Karapatan Natin!”
Mayor Aguilar expressed her full support for the initiative and emphasized the city government’s continuing commitment to public health and nutrition.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? When was the last time a Nutrition Month celebration was held in your local community?
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 engagement, 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, local police officers apprehended twelve people – taxi and transport drivers – over their engagement in illegal online gambling, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Operatives from the Southern Police District (SPD) arrested taxi and transport drivers engaged in illegal online gambling inside a transportation hub in Paranaque City on July 3.
SPD Director Brig. Gen. Randy Arceo identified the suspects as taxi drivers Mark, 35; Reynante, 43; Gilleard, 52; Jimmy, 54; Ely, 38; Rodel, 48; Ronaldo, 63; Sunny, 51; and Joeuie, 50; Conrado, 41, a ride-hailing driver; John Robert, 50, a modern jeep conductor; and Domingo, 43.
Arceo said members of the SPD- Special Operation Unit (DSOU), with support from the District Intelligence Division (DID) and the Paranaque City Police Substation 3, arrested the suspects at the PITX Taxi Lane in Barangay Tambo, Paranaque City, at around 10:30 p.m.
He said police operatives acted on complaint from a concerned citizen that a group of taxi drivers were engaged in online cockfighting or “E-sabong” while waiting for passengers.
The SPD chief said the arrested taxi drivers engaged in guerrilla-style gambling, causing them to overcharge their passengers for their fares to recover from their losses.
Police recovered two mobile phones used in placing bets and betting money amounting to ₱3,545.
The suspects were brought to the DSOU-SPD Office and were charged for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 on illegal gambling.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think that illegal online gambling will get worse over the next six months? Is online gambling happening in your local community right now?
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 engagement, 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, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested a group of nine people – six foreigners and three locals – for their involvement in a car financing scam, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested three Filipinos and six Indian nationals for their alleged involvement in an “assume balance-talon” scheme.
In a statement on Friday, NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the suspects as Teotima Batutay, Rose Torion and Michael Castulo, and Indian nationals Sajjan Sarkar, Sai Charan, Kulvatnh Thati, Gayatri Sarma, Ray Anand, and Nithin Kamepalli.
They were arrested on June 24 in Parañaque City and charged with carnapping and syndicated estafa.
According to the NBI, the complainant said he failed to pay the monthly amortization of the subject vehicle to a bank and offered it for sale on the “assume balance” process.
The said vehicle was assumed by a car dealer, which passed it to Batutay who allegedly sold the vehicle to Castulo. Castulo together with Sarkar, mortgaged it to Anand for PHP120,000.
The bank chased after the complainant after the amortizations fell due, and sought the recovery of the vehicle through Castulo.
However, Castulo demanded PHP450,000 from the complainant and even threatened to tear the car into parts if the money, which was later reduced to PHP250,000, was not given.
The complainant filed a report with the NBI, leading to the suspects’ arrest and the recovery of the vehicle.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think that there are still gangs of both foreigners and locals who are committing scams and have yet to be caught? Do you think there will be more financial scams that will take place in Parañaque over the next six months?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
To those of you who are living with worldliness and are still under the influence of evil, I want to you realize that Lord Jesus is the Hope of ALL nations and you still have time change and submit yourselves to Him.
If you are part of the Islamo-Leftist mob and you have participated in serving the terrorist state of Iran, you allowed Qatar’s sinister leaders to influence you with terrorist news network Al Jazeera, you supported Palestinian terrorists and hated Israel, you can stop being evil and come to Lord Jesus for submission and repentance.
If you are part of the Satanic Left and you have participated in the disruptive activities of the woke mob, the LGBTQ gangs, the anti-Christian mob, the Black Lives Matter racism movement, the Islamo-Leftists and illegal immigration supporters, you can stop living with foolishness and just come out and surrender to Lord Jesus now. Do not be afraid because the Lord is gentle and all you need to do is to surrender to Him, repent to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to enter your heart.
If you are part of idolatrous, organized religion and you harassed many people because you intended to impose your beliefs on them, you should stop yourself and take the time to see the light of Lord Jesus who offers hope that you never realized. Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations and clearly your unholy religious teachers and idols never told you about His hope nor did they want you to know God’s plan for you. Always remember that religion treats you like a trapped animal and that you are never worthy. Lord Jesus is the way to God, and you don’t need religion.
If you need enlightenment, click the content reference from Looking for Blessed Hope below and learn from the teaching of God’s Word led by Pastor Amir Tsarfati.
For enlightenment and freedom from evil influences, I encourage you to start reading the Holy Bible (the Word of God), allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, and live on with the light and teachings of Lord Jesus. Jesus is our Redeemer, our Savior and the Light! For your advancement, realize the truth from the holy scriptures below…
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,
“Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
So He said,
“Come.”
And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him,
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14:22-33 (NKJV)
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3 (NKJV)
For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One.
1 Timothy 2:5 (TPT)
Be aware that the ties between Jews and Christians are real and biblical. Be aware that all of the first followers (early Christians) of Lord Jesus were Jewish, and the Lord paved the way for people of different ethnicities and different nations to come to Him and be adopted willingly. You need Lord Jesus and the Word of God, not diversity and not inclusion.
Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Live on with the presence of God and the Holy Spirit!
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Retrospective look back at Heaven’s Gate – If you love watching movies, have you ever seen Heaven’s Gate? That 1980 movie directed by Michael Cimino was a very expensive commercial and critical failure. Cimino had blank check power which drained United Artists’ funds and he executed a lot of moves to ensure authenticity for filming believing he had something great for cinema. While the movie has been praised a lot more since he re-cut the film (Criterion Collection Blu-ray is available online), it is important to look back at its history as it is a fact that its failure destroyed Cimino’s credibility as well as the New Hollywood era entirely. How was Isabelle Huppert hired, who led United Artists, what cases of animal cruelty happened and how the actors described the production can be seen in the Final Cut video below. For entertainment value, I added Critical Drinker’s explanatory video and the 3-part movie review by Cinema Snob.
#2 Animated portrayal of an ntense scene from the Jurassic Park novel – If you have seen Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, were you able to read the novel by Michael Crichton? I read the novel after seeing the film in 1993 and I was struck at how different literary Jurassic Park really was. The movie was not really based on it but inspired by it, and there were so many differences between them. The literary Jurassic Park was much more violent, John Hammond was greedy and self-centered, and there were two Tyrannosaurs. The novel also had memorable scenes that movie never adapted, and one of them was the violent encounter with the adult Tyrannosaur on the main road which was animated well by YouTuber InGen 2D. Watch the video below.
#3 The successful American strike on Iran’s nuclear sites explained – America’s successful bombing of three nuclear sites of terrorist state Iran was very tremendous politically and militarily. It helped Israel win its 12-day war with Iran and right now the wicked regime led by the Ayatollah has been weakened significantly as multiple military commanders and nuclear scientists have been eliminated. With Iran severely weakened, it won’t be able to fund and arm Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi terrorists. The Americans used stealth B-2 bombers which traveled into Iran undetected for the attack. To know the details, watch the explanatory video of TBN Israel below.
#4 Unsolved Mysteries Season 6 Episode 2 – I found another engaging episode of Unsolved Mysteries hosted by the late Robert Stack. The 2nd episode from the sixth season of the show has an in-depth look at the Mystery Robber, an Australian pilot’s encounter with a UFO, and more. There is a lot to enjoy or discover in the episode below.
#5 Jurassic World revisited – It has been ten years since Jurassic World was first released in cinemas. While the movie was highly successful in terms of ticket sales, I myself did not enjoy it much and very clearly it was the further bastardization of dinosaurs and core concepts of Jurassic Park (both novel and the 1993 movie). Having more action and more dinosaurs with humans trapped on an island did not work for me and the only movie that executed those elements well as the first one directed by Spielberg. Still, there are lots of YouTubers who posted videos about Jurassic World and you can see how the movie impacts them and what they think about it in the selected videos below.
#6 You, Me and the Movies react to April Fool’s Day – Released in 1986, April Fool’s Day is a dark comedy, mystery, slasher film that follows several college students on an island estate. On face value, it looked like a typical slasher horror film but it offered moviegoers something else. You should watch how You, Me and Movies react to it in their video below.
They finally did it! The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) –the independent agency of the American government responsible for administering civilian and foreign aid – was formally shut down by the Trump administration and has been incorporated into the State Department, according to a news report by Breitbart.
It should be remembered that USAID was heavily abused for a long time and a lot of taxpayers’ money was abused for questionable and wrongful purposes around the world such as funding LGBTQ projects, pushing abortion overseas, overseas tourism promotions, terrorist funding, creating a Sesame Street in Iraq, creating a mural in Parañaque City, and more.
As expected, there are high-profile figures who still want USAID to continue even though the abuses have been exposed. This new development with USAID is undeniably a major change decades in the making and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued statements defending the move.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Breitbart news report. Some parts in boldface.
The US foreign aid agency formally closed down Tuesday, with President Donald Trump’s administration trumpeting the end of the “charity-based model” despite predictions that millions of lives will be lost.
Founded in 1961 as John F. Kennedy sought to leverage aid to win over the developing world in the Cold War, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has now been incorporated into the State Department — after Secretary of State Marco Rubio slashed 85 percent of its programming.
In a farewell to remaining staff on Monday, former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama — as well as U2 frontman Bono — saluted their work and said it was still needed.
Bush pointed to PEPFAR, the massive US effort to fight HIV/AIDS that he considers one of the top achievements of his 2001-2009 Republican presidency.
“This program shows a fundamental question facing our country — is it in our nation’s interest that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is,” Bush said in a video message seen by AFP.
Obama, who like Bush has been sparing in openly criticizing Trump, said that ending USAID was “inexplicable” and “will go down as a colossal mistake.”
“Gutting USAID is a travesty and it is a tragedy because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world,” the Democrat said.
A study published in the medical journal The Lancet predicted that more than 14 million people would die, a third of them small children, by 2030 due to the foreign aid cuts.
‘Little to show’ – Rubio painted a drastically different picture of USAID, which was an early target of a sweeping government cost-cutting drive led for Trump by billionaire Elon Musk.
Rubio said that USAID’s “charity-based model” fueled “addiction” by developing nations’ leaders and that trade was more effective.
“Beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War,” Rubio wrote in an essay.
He also complained that many recipients of US aid do not vote with the United States at the United Nations and that rival China often enjoys higher favorability among the public.
A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that The Lancet study relied on “incorrect assumptions” and said the United States will continue aid but in a “more efficient” way.
He said that PEPFAR will remain, with a priority on stopping HIV transmission from mothers to children.
But he acknowledged the United States was no longer funding PrEP medication, which significantly reduces the rate of HIV transmission and has been encouraged by high-risk communities.
“No one is saying that gay men in Africa shouldn’t be on PrEP. That’s wonderful. It doesn’t mean that the United States has to pay for every single thing,” the official said.
He said the Trump administration was looking at “new and innovative solutions” and pointed to food deliveries in war-battered Gaza staffed by US military contractors and surrounded by Israeli troops.
Witnesses, the United Nations and local Gaza officials have reported that Israeli troops have repeatedly opened fire and killed Palestinians waiting for aid — although the US-backed initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, denies any deadly incidents.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you satisfied with the formal end of USAID and its incorporation into the State Department? Do you think a lot of people’s lives around the world will suffer from the shutdown of assistance from USAID?
