Thanks to the police, their research and some external assistance, two foreigners were apprehended in Barangay Marcelo, Parañaque City for robbing another foreigner, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
Two Indian nationals who robbed a fellow Indian were arrested during a police operation on Tuesday, June 7.
Southern Police District (SPD) Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg identified the suspects as Manpreet Singh, 22, alias Ricky; and Mandeep Singh, 33, alias Jimmy.
Macaraeg said the suspects were arrested at around 2:00 a.m. along Alliage Drive, SAVVY 25, Barangay Marcelo, Parañaque City.
The SPD director said the victim, identified as Sukchain Singh, 32, was robbed by the suspects of more than P20,000 on June 5.
Macaraeg said the victim reportedly resisted and was shot by one of the suspects, hitting him at the lower back of his body.
The victim told the police that after the incident, the suspects immediately fled on board a motorcycle going.
During a follow-up investigation by the Las Pinas police, the suspects were captured by CCTV along Guyabano Street and Marcos Alvarez Avenue boarded a taxi with plate number UWN786 upon reaching Las Pinas Medical Center.
The above report ended stating that a few witnesses provided information that helped the police arrest the suspects.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are living in Parañaque City, what is your reaction to this report? Does it bother you that the suspects reached a residential area by the time they got arrested?
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, a special search for the best restaurants in the city was launched by the City Government of Las Piñas which involves the Nutrition Office and the Tourism Office, the Manila Bulletin reported. This ongoing search emphasizes local restaurants, nutrition and even tourism.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas city government launched the search for the five best restaurants in the city that serve the best delicacies that will help promote the city as a culinary destination.
Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the search for the five best restaurants is a project of the Nutrition Office under the leadership of Dr. Julio Javier and the Tourism Office under Paul San Miguel.
Aguilar said the search is also in preparation for the celebration of Nutrition Month in July where the winners will receive special tokens of appreciation from the City Nutrition Office.
She said the Tourism Office will promote the city’s best delicacies to both local and foreign tourists.
She added that the winners will be featured in the city’s official Facebook page and Nutrition Office.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Is there any particular local restaurant that you had visited time and time again? Did that particular local restaurant consistently produce delicious meals each time you ordered? What kinds of meals do you enjoy whenever you eat in a local restaurant?
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
Outgoing Muntinlupa Mayor and Congressman-elect Jaime R. Fresnedi led the inauguration of the new Muntinlupa City Public Market, now rebranded as Alabang Central Market, together with local officials on Wednesday morning.
The local exec leads the unveiling of the marker of the new market’s Building A, one of its two buildings, with outgoing Congressman and Mayor-elect Ruffy Biazon.
The inauguration was led by outgoing Mayor and Congressman-elect Jaime Fresnedi. Also present were incoming Mayor Ruffy Biazon and several other city officials plus guests. (photo source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Fresnedi hopes that the construction of the new market will boost the local economy and help small business owners in the city to recover from the challenges of the pandemic.
Also in attendance during the inauguration ceremony were Vice Mayor Temy Simundac, City Councilors, City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela, Muntinlupa City Public Market chief Randy Garcia, and other local officials.
Alabang Central Market has two buildings for its Wet and Dry sections with a lot area of 20,000 sqm.
Building A has three floors with a total of 448 stalls. The building’s ground floor consists of 242 stainless stalls for fish, chicken, beef, and pork products, 11 buko stalls, 5 commercial/dry stalls, 6 canteen stalls with toilet, while the second floor has 172 vegetable stalls and 12 canteen stalls.
A look at the modern facility. (photo source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Meanwhile, the three-storey Building B which is yet to be completed shall consist of 357 dry stalls for groceries, sari-sari stores, supplies, and canteen, among others with roll up doors.
The buildings in the new Alabang Central Market are equipped with fire protection features such as fire hose cabinets, sprinkler system, fire alarm detection. Some of the architectural features in the facilities also include rainwater collector, LED lights, and being solar panel-ready.
Facilities at the site development also include: Material Recovery Facilities, Electrical Room, Genset Room, Ice Storage / Ice Plant, Products Storage (Wet and Dry), Meat Inspection Office, and Security Office.
Further, it has a parking capacity for 235 private cars, 8 accessible parking slots, 13 tricycle slots, 54 motorcycle parking, and 23 delivery trucks.
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The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.
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
Traveling south along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) will lead to more destinations faster as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other stakeholders approved the SLEX TR5 (South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 5) which is over 400 kilometers long, according to a Malaya news report. The said toll road stretches from Lucena, Quezon province to Matnog, Sorsogon.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Malaya news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), along with other government agencies, has given the green light for the 420-kilometer South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 5 (SLEX TR5) from Lucena, Quezon to Matnog, Sorsogon.
The supplemental toll operations agreement was signed last June 3, almost two years after the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) designated San Miguel Corp.’s proposal as a certified toll road project.
The agreement was signed by the DOTr, TRB, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC), and will be submitted to the Office of the President for approval.
As a toll road project, SLEX TR5 will involve various activities such as a right-of-way acquisition and construction, among others.
According to the TRB and the toll concessionaire, SLEX TR5 will connect Quezon and the provinces in Bicol. It is also expected to provide better and safer access to the tourism destinations, roll-on roll-off ports and fish ports in the provinces as well as address the traffic congestion in Bicol Region.
The TR5 is a four-lane divided toll road that starts from the terminal point of the SLEX TR4 project at Barangay Mayao, Lucena City in Quezon and ends at Matnog in Sorsogon near the Matnog Ferry Terminal.
SLEX TR5 is composed of eight segments which will run parallel to the existing Philippine National Railways, Maharlika Highway and Padre Burgos National Road or Quirino Highway.
The first segment is a 59.6-km. expressway from Lucena to Gumaca in Quezon that is estimated to cost P22.6 billion. Segment 1 is expected to be completed within 24 months, according to the DPWH.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Once the toll road is completed, do you intend to travel far further south?
The Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is looking to companies in Israel for a potential partnership to meet the nation’s emergency preparedness needs, according to a recent report by BusinessWorld. The report has details related to what Israel’s ambassador Ilan Fluss stated to the local media lately. This is a clear sign that more cooperation and exploration of opportunities are happening under the ties between Israel and the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
THE PHILIPPINES is looking to partner with Israeli companies to help address the country’s emergency preparedness needs.
“Israel is also facing challenges in climate change and manmade disasters, and for that we have a lot of knowledge and know-how in dealing with emergency situations,” said Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss in a May 30 event organized by the Israel Embassy in Manila and the Philippine Office of Civil Defense (OCD). “Today is an opportunity to share… how the national and regional agencies can confront [these] challenges.”
Emergency solutions offered by four Israeli companies were presented: ImageSat International, which provides space-based, geospatial intelligence solutions for defense and security; ELPAM Electronics Ltd., which designs and implements siren systems and trapped people locators; Cinten, which improves emergency response capabilities through the data-driven, real-time simulations in its SaaS (software-as-a-service) platform; and GALMOBILE, which offers a mobile, plug-and-play solution for purifying any water source into potable water within thirty minutes.
“These four items are the technologies we really need at the OCD,” said Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV, OCD assistant secretary and deputy administrator for operations. “We can engage them further through the DoST [Department of Science and Technology] to check on these tools.”
“In the shopping list of [natural] hazards, we have it all: typhoons, floods, storm surges, earthquakes, tsunamis …,” added Joe-Mar S. Perez, chief of the 24/7 operations center of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. “Because of these risk factors, the Philippine government has a proactive approach to risk management.”
Included in this approach is a response protocol adopted from the US for on-scene, all-hazard incident management, as well as PhilAWARE, a system created by the Pacific Disaster Center that visualizes disaster situations through layers of maps.
The government plans to establish alternate government command and control centers, in addition to the one in Central Luzon, according to Mr. Perez.
THREATS VERSUS GOALS
In Israel, identifying the gaps between its national goals and its benchmarked threats has helped the country manage disasters at the national and municipal level, per an emergency management expert.
“If the goal is fresh water and food … it’s not enough to say, ‘I’m going to supply food,’” said Joseph David Shapiro, deputy director of Israel’s national emergency management authority. “You have to explain at what service level [you’re going to] supply that.”
Governance during an emergency starts with identifying the different agencies that are a part of a particular goal, and then dividing responsibilities into missions to be carried out by the different offices, he said at the same event.
“If I am in the ministry of energy, how do I supply fuel and energy to the industries that package and supply food? Or, how do I supply fuel to the different trucks that move food from one place to another?” he said.
Israel’s national goals are grouped into three categories: continuous functionality goals (like transport and security); life texture goals (like shelter and hygiene); and vital goals (like water and medicine).
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut. With regards to the incoming President Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, I urge you all to pray for them. Pray that they will open their hearts to the Lord, look up to Him and follow His guiding light as they govern the entire Philippines in the years to come.
In coordination with the police of Pasig City, police officers of Parañaque apprehended three alleged members of a robbery-and-kidnap group as a result of a follow-up operation that happened recently, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The operation was conducted in Pasig City where the suspects’ car was spotted. The gang previously robbed a store in Barangay San Antonio in Parañaque.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
Three alleged members of a notorious robbery and kidnap group were arrested by Parañaque City police during a follow-up operation in Pasig City on Tuesday, May 31.
Police identified the suspects as Vez Nathaniel Sunga, 34; Gerald Daroy, 27; and Eduardo lgnacio, 49, tricycle driver, all residents of Tondo, Manila.
Col. Maximo Sebastian, Parañaque City police chief, said the suspects, who were presented to Southern Police District (SPD) director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, were arrested at around 12:55 p.m. at Molave Compound in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City.
Sebastian reported that the suspects were responsible for the series of robbery incidents in convenience stores in Muntinlupa, Las Piñas City, and Calabarzon area.
The latest victim of the group was a store at Meliton Espiritu Compound in Barangay San Antonio, Parañaque City.
Based on the report of Sebastian, the suspects destroyed the roll-up door and padlock of the store using a bolt cutter.
Once inside, the suspects took away one DVR of the CCTV, server of the computer, CPU of a computer, and P60,300 cash which they scooped from the Touch Pay machine.
Police said a witness claimed that the suspects used a Nissan Serena with plate number XFH-251 as their getaway vehicle.
Probers later found out that the vehicle was registered under the name of a school on Honorio Lopez Boulevard in Balut, Tondo, Manila.
During a follow-up operation, Parañaque cops spotted the car in Pasig City and arrested the suspects after coordinating with the local police.
Police found inside the Nissan Serena three different plate numbers, one big bolt cutter, one pointed steel flat bas, duct tapes, six assorted keys, and other tools.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are living in Parañaque City, what is your reaction to this report? What do you think about the robbery-and-gang reported? Do you think the arrest of the gang members will make Parañaque safer?
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
Even though the has been a slight increase in COVID-19 cases, the health office of the City Government of Muntinlupa declared that there is no clustering of cases and no community transmission locally, the Manila Bulletin reported.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The head of Muntinlupa City’s health office said there is no community transmission and clustering of Covid-19 cases in the city despite a slight increase in cases.
“I want to report that we have no reported community transmission and we have no clustering of cases,” said Dr. Juancho Bunyi, head of the City Health Office (CHO), on Monday, May 30, during the flag-raising ceremony at the Muntinlupa City Hall.
As of May 29, Muntinlupa recorded 16 active Covid-19 cases out of 40,030 confirmed cases, 39,400 recoveries, and 614 deaths since 2020.
The CHO reported six new Covid-19 cases, five new recoveries, and zero deaths on May 29.
In the last seven days, Muntinlupa recorded 23 new Covid-19 cases, up from 18 new cases from May 16 to 22.
There were six new Covid-19 cases on May 29, five on May 28, zero on May 27, nine on May 26, zero on May 25, one on May 24, two on May 23.
Bunyi said despite that Muntinlupa is low risk when it comes to healthcare utilization rate, everyone should follow standards including wearing well-fitted masks.
“If you feel something, please isolate and undergo testing. Avoid closed spaces. Take care of ourselves,” he said.
The above report ended stating that people should get vaccinated or boosted whenever they are eligible to do so. Be aware that MunCoVac is organizing the local vaccination and booster shots rollout.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Do you believe that Muntinlupa City will not experience a surge of new COVID-19 cases? Do you think that people in the city are constantly practicing safety protocols?
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
If you are looking for encouraging news about our country and its struggle to rise up from the COVID-19 crisis, be aware that more than half a million foreign visitors have been counted since the Philippines reopened its borders months ago, according to a recent news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
FOREIGN VISITORS have totaled 517,516 as of May 25, since the reopening of borders with minimal quarantine requirements in February, according to the Department of Tourism (DoT).
The DoT said in a statement that the US was the top source of arrivals between Feb. 10 and May 25 with 104,589, followed by South Korea with 28,474 arrivals, and Canada 24,337.
“Australian nationals, British, and Japanese were next on the list with 23,286; 20,846; and 13,373 respectively,” the DoT said.
“Other foreign visitors during the early months of the year include Vietnamese, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Italians, Irish and French,” it added.
On Feb. 10, the Philippines started accepting nationals that do not require visas to enter the country. Since April 1, borders have been opened to all nationals.
“The DoT is looking forward to an uptick in tourist arrivals in the coming weeks following the further easing of entry requirements,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Starting May 30, the DoT said fully vaccinated and boostered inbound foreign visitors will no longer be required to have a pre-departure test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The looser entry rules are authorized by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 168.
However, the DoT said arriving passengers are still encouraged to obtain travel insurance. All types of vaccination certificates, regardless of country of origin, will also be accepted.
“Based on the resolution, the visitor must be at least 18 years old and must have received the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and at least one booster shot,” the DoT said.
For the newcomers reading this, more tourists from overseas means better opportunities for local businesses to make more money and recover whatever losses they had as a result of lockdowns and quarantine-related business restrictions. Tourism-related businesses like hotels, resorts and connected transportation and food-and-beverage services badly need the spending of foreign visitors.
In relation to this tourism industry development, be aware that there were foreign participants in the recent Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) which was a big sports even that attracted hundreds of participants on May 1 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Speaking of the said location, I personally saw lots of hotels, restaurants (note: read my feature articles about Gourmet Garage Subic and Xtremely Xpresso), stores and other leisure facilities that operated as if the country is back in the pre-pandemic days. The more foreign tourists coming in plus the more local tourists engage in holidays, special events and travel in the country, the better it will be for local businesses to recover (plus pay their fees, taxes and keeping their hard-working employees longer) and the nation as a whole. I believe that the Philippines will continue to rise socially and economically from the pandemic.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this tourism-related development? Do you believe the Philippines will be able to attract 2 million foreign tourists by the end of 2022? Do you run a business that catered to foreign tourists?
If you are planning to visit Subic Bay, Tarlac Province or Clark via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), you will have to set aside more money for traveling as the toll rates will be raised tomorrow already, according to details in a recent GMA Network news report. This is the result of the Toll Regulatory Board’s (TRB) approval of the toll rate adjustment for SCTEX.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
Motorists plying the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) may need to brace themselves against higher fees after the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) approved the toll rate adjustment, operator North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation said Saturday.
In a statement, NLEX Corp. said the TRB authorized the implementation of an additional P0.78 per kilometer for motorists using the SCTEX.
The adjusted toll rates will take effect starting June 1, 2022.
Under the new toll matrix, motorists with Class 1 vehicles traveling between Mabalacat City to Tarlac will be charged an additional P31.00.
Those with Class 2 vehicles traveling on the same route will pay an additional P61.00 while motorists with Class 3 vehicles will pay an additional P92.00.
Meanwhile, an additional P49.00, P98.00, and P147.00 will be charged on motorists using Class 1, 2, and 3 vehicles, respectively, traveling between Mabalacat City and Tipo, Hermosa, Bataan which is near the Subic Freeport.
NLEX Corp. said the toll hike followed regulatory procedures and underwent thorough review. The increase also confirmed the periodic rate adjustments due in 2017.
“To support the public utility buses (PUBs) cope with the adjustment, they will be provided toll subsidies and allow them to continue to enjoy the old rates for the next three months,” the company said.
The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority is the builder and owner of the four-lane 93.7 kilometer SCTEX. The construction was partly funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
SCTEX opened to the public in 2008 and the management, operations and maintenance was privatized and awarded to NLEX Corp. in 2015.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about the approved toll rate adjustment for SCTEX? Does this discourage you from using the SCTEX to visit Subic Bay or Clark or other places connected to the said expressway?
In the progressive city of Muntinlupa, the number of patients who received 2nd booster shots for COVID-19 had more than doubled over the initial count, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Specifically speaking, the 2nd booster shots recipients jumped from over 1,400 to more than 3,000.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The number of people who have received their second booster shot in Muntinlupa City has increased to more than 3,400.
Data from the City Health Office (CHO) showed that as of May 21, a total of 3,425 individuals got their second booster shot or fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
This is an increase of 2,002 individuals or 140.6 percent from 1,423 who were given the fourth dose as of May 21.
Of the 3,425, Barangay Putatan posted the highest number of recipients with 688 followed by Ayala Alabang with 606; Alabang, 377; Cupang, 348; Tunasan, 315; Poblacion, 216; Sucat, 177; Bayanan, 121; Buli, 25; and 552 unclassified.
Among the 12-to-17-year-old population in Muntinlupa, 40,157 have been fully vaccinated or 71.08 percent of the total population of 56,499.
The CHO also reported that 15,085 minors aged five to 11 are now fully vaccinated or 22.12 percent of the total population of 68,198.
To date, 498,153 individuals in Muntinlupa are fully vaccinated, or 112.57 percent of the target population of 442,517. The target population is 80 percent of the total population of 553,146.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier allowed the giving of the second booster shots using the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines four months after the first booster shot to immunocompromised individuals, frontline health workers (A1) aged 18 and above, and senior citizens (A2) aged 60 and above.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about the rise of patients who received their 2nd booster shots? Do you believe that the COVID-19 vaccination and boosting have made a solid impact on making people more resistant from COVID-19? Do the news about the highly infectious Omicron sub-variant in our country compel you to get fully vaccinated or boosted? Do you think that the anti-vaccine fanatics movement in our country are deceiving people from getting immunized? Did you notice that anti-vaccine believers often claim they are “not anti-vaccine” and still go on to condemn vaccinations and attack the local authorities behind vaccination efforts?
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
Author Carlo Carrasco 