Philippine News Agency (PNA) – Page 34

I Love Israel: Philippines’ dairy sector to get boosted thanks to partnership with Israel

March 14, 2022March 9, 2022carlocarrasco

The generosity of Israel for the Philippines will soon be realized specifically in the dairy sector of the nation as a partnership between the two nations was formally signed, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. This is

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…

In a signing ceremony on March 2, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar and Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss signed a joint declaration that would jumpstart technical and economic partnerships between Filipino stakeholders and Israeli agri-food industry players.

“We aim to introduce smart and precision agriculture while using Israeli technology adjusted to local conditions to address the local challenges. Signing the joint declaration is a strong signal that MASHAV, Israel’s agency for development cooperation, will be happy to support the Philippines through technical assistance and capacity-building programs, especially in the dairy industry,” Fluss said.

In the proposed 2020-2025 Dairy Road Map, the government seeks to increase the country’s dairy input to provide milk for Filipino children and address malnutrition and poverty.

“Israel is a model to us. The Philippine government is eager to learn from Israel’s best dairy practices, we want to know more about the technologies. We have also watched with great interest the progress of the joint-dairy projects between Israel and Vietnam, and we wish to learn as much in the Philippines,” Dar said.

“I trust the joint declaration is only the first step to continuing mutual relationship and assistance,” he added.

The signing was followed by a virtual event, which featured best practices from Israel’s dairy industry and leading technologies to increase farm productivity.

At the webinar, Dairy Fresh Asia’s chief dairy expert and co-founder Gonen Harel said his company plans to build a demo farm that can help change the dairy industry and its scale in the Philippines by training the local workforce and blending it with Israeli technologies that have proven its success in Vietnam.

Dr. William Medrano, DA Undersecretary for Livestock, for his part, acknowledged the need to attract more Israeli companies and utilize their technologies for the Philippine milk industry.

Ariane Blancia, commercial officer and sector lead for Agrotechnologies, said that about 1.5 billion liters of cow milk were produced in Israel last 2020 alone.

“There are many reasons why Israeli Holstein cow is a world leader in milk yields, but the real answer lies actually in the combination of the unique method of production and quotas, heat stress management, breeding among others that are used in Israel to manage and improve the dairy herd,” Blancia said.

The Philippines will soon have its dairy industry boosted thanks to this strategic and beneficial partnership with Israel. The State of Israel is very well known for its advancements in agriculture and dairy. Truly this latest development about the blossoming ties between Israel and the Philippines is something we all must be thankful to the Lord for.

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.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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Over 650 Philippine athletes counted so far for the 31st SEA Games

March 2, 2022March 1, 2022carlocarrasco

If you are rooting for the Philippines to become successful in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (AKA 31st SEA Games, the Vietnam SEA Games or Hanoi 2021) in Vietnam this coming May, be aware that more than six hundred fifty national athletes have been listed to represent the country, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) article published recently. To make things clear, these athletes were collectively submitted by the varied national sports agencies (NSAs) to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). The current number of athletes is tentative at best as there are NSAs still finalizing their respective athletes for the SEA Games.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has so far summed 656 athletes who will do battle in the 31st Southeast Asian Games that are due in under two and a half months in Hanoi, Vietnam.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said majority of the 39 national sports associations which are fielding athletes to Vietnam have submitted tentative rosters for the May 12 to 25 Games.

The Philippines is competing in 39 of the 40 sports programmed by Vietnam for its only second hosting of the Games since 2003. In these 39 sports, the country is participating in 44 disciplines, according to Tolentino.

“Comparing the numbers when we hosted the Games in 2019, we’ll have a delegation that’s slashed almost in half from three years ago,” Tolentino said in a news release on Monday. “And a quick look at the numbers show we’ll be hard-pressed to repeat as overall champions.”

There were 1,115 Filipino athletes in 2019—an automatic privilege that host countries have—and they won 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals for a guaranteed overall title.

“But we’ll have a fighting team in Vietnam, setting aside the difficulties of training and competing or training overseas because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Tolentino said.

Of the 44 disciplines, the POC has yet to receive a tentative list for athletics, men’s 3×3 and 5×5 basketball, weightlifting and jiujitsu.

The deadline for the submission of entries by names is on March 12 and Tolentino said the POC is hopeful to complete the list—including expected revisions from NSAs which already complied with the body’s February 24 internal deadline—by then.

“Several NSAs were allowed to submit tentative lists because they’re still completing their final qualifications or trials,” he said.

The estimated size of the delegation is pegged at 874. Also on the tentative list are 177 team officials (coaches, team managers and/or NSA heads or representatives) and 20 members of the medical (doctors, nurses, and masseurs/therapists) and administrative staff.

Competition venues for Filipino athletes are spread out in four clusters although majority will be in the main hub of Hanoi, Tolentino said. The POC based the clusters on their proximity to Hanoi.

Filipino athletes will be competing in diving, swimming, finswimming, archery, athletics, badminton, 3×3 and 5×5 basketball, billiards and snooker, bodybuilding, bowling, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cycling, dancesports, esports, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics (artistic, aerobic and rhythmic), beach handball, judo, jiujitsu, karate, kickboxing, kurash, muaythai, pencak silat, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon/duathlon, volleyball, beach volleyball, vovinam, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Considering the difficulty everyone had to endure with the COVID-19 pandemic, do you think that the current athletes the Philippines has right now are competitive enough to bring home SEA Games gold medals? Among the all of the above listed SEA Games sports the Philippines will compete in, what are the five sports that interest you the most right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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I Love Israel: Israel monitoring Philippine developments as a result of the police intelligence report about Hamas plot in the country

February 22, 2022February 21, 2022carlocarrasco

Recently, it was reported that intelligence work by the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed that the Palestinian militant group Hamas plotted to not only establish their presence in the Philippines but also recruit Filipinos and kill Jews in the country. As a result, the Israel Embassy is monitoring developments and has appreciated the efficient response of the PNP’s intelligence work.

Be aware that this is not the first time Hamas (which has been identified for terrorism by some governments around the world) tried establishing its presence in the country and in recent times the ties between Israel and the Philippines got stronger (for some reference, click here, here, here, here, here, here and here) .

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article dated February 17, 2022. Some parts in boldface…

The Israel Embassy in Manila is monitoring developments in the Philippines following an intelligence report alleging Palestinian militant group Hamas was planning to recruit subordinates to mount an attack against Israeli nationals.

“We appreciate the efficient response of the Philippine police and their efforts to make sure that the Israelis are well-protected. We are closely monitoring this,” the Embassy said Thursday.

The statement came following a report that Hamas has denied the supposed plot.

Citing a source from Hamas, Gaza-based Shehab News Agency said the movement had belied the allegation, noting “commitment to its well-known and declared policy of limiting its conflict with the Israeli occupation within the occupied Palestinian territories, and not to transfer it to any Arab or foreign lands.”

On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group said it uncovered a plan to recruit Filipinos who will be “utilized to kill Jews present in the country, conduct rallies at the Israeli embassy and spread (of) video propaganda against Israel.”

For further perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the other PNA article also dated February 17, 2022. Some parts in boldface…

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said some persons are being monitored in connection with the reported plan of the Middle East-based Hamas militant group to operate in the Philippines.

“Those people mentioned in the report are now under surveillance and monitoring,” he said in a phone interview on Wednesday night, referring to a report that was recently submitted to him by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He, however, did not say how many individuals are being monitored for supposedly being involved in the plot.

“The PNP Intelligence Group is into this, they’re monitoring the movement of these Filipinos who are reportedly (involved),” said Año, adding that the effort has been coordinated with the Anti-Terrorism Council.

While he believes that the plot was already preempted, the DILG chief said intelligence personnel continue to monitor and gather relevant information on the matter.

“There are no indicators that they are really on the verge of implementing it (plan to establish foothold). It’s still information that is being acted upon by the intelligence community,” the DILG chief added.

On Tuesday, the PNP Intelligence Group said it has uncovered a plan to recruit Filipinos who will be “utilized to kill Jews present in the country, conduct rallies at the Israeli embassy and spread (of) video propaganda against Israel.”

The information was uncovered through information provided by a local contact of Hamas who was allegedly approached by Hamas-Foreign Liaison Section head Fares Al Shikli, who is based in Turkey, as early as 2016.

The “local contact” reportedly made several trips to Malaysia from 2016 to 2018 to discuss the possibility of launching attacks in the Philippines in exchange for financial assistance.

The above article ended stating that in 2018, police operatives arrested Iraqi national Taha Mohammed Ahmed al-Jabouri. Al-Jabouri, who was later deported by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to Turkey, was described by local law enforcers as a “chemist with knowledge on explosives” and “closely affiliated” with Hamas.

For the newcomers reading this, Hamas is described as a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization which has a record of violence and terror. Hamas is an enemy of Israel.

As such, we must pray to God to help the State of Israel and its people to be protected more and to emerge victorious in its conflicts with Hamas. We also need to pray to the Lord for the fall of Hamas so that their agents will realize the errors of their ways, get out of the wickedness they lived with, repent to God and submit themselves to Him willfully. Pray also that the apartheid practiced by the Palestinian Authority (PA) will come to an end and that the Palestinians be freed from their government’s corruption and wickedness. Pray to the Lord that the millions of young people in North America brainwashed by socialists in colleges will stop supporting terrorists, stop those reckless “Free Palestine” activities, and realize they need to come to Jesus to be redeemed.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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I Love Israel: Israel donates 16,000 antigen test kits to Philippines’ Department of National Defense

February 15, 2022February 11, 2022carlocarrasco

Recently the State of Israel’s Ministry of Defense formally donated sixteen thousand antigen test kits to the Department of National Defense of the Philippines which was done by the Israeli Embassy and government officials in a ceremony, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. This latest development is helpful in terms of combatting COVID-19 while aiding the health of Philippines defense personnel.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Ministry of Defense of the State of Israel, through the Israeli Embassy in Manila, donated 16,000 units of antigen test kits to the Department of National Defense (DND) of the Philippines to help its fight against Covid-19.

Israeli diplomats Ambassador Ilan Fluss and Defense Attaché Mr. Raz Shabtay turned over the antigen test kits to National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“Friends support each other in times of need. Israel is a friend of the Philippines and will continue to assist and share its expertise in various fields. I am proud to deliver this Israeli assistance today to support the Department of National Defense of the Philippines in keeping this country safe and secure,” Fluss said.

“The relationship between Israel and the Philippines, particularly the relationship between both defense ministries, is never as strong as it is now,” Shabtay said.

“We are delighted to be able to support once more, in the form of contributing 16,000 antigen test kits, to help the Defense Forces of the Philippines in fighting this current Global Pandemic,” he added.

Israel continues to assist the Philippines in combatting Covid-19. In 2021, the Israeli government turned over personal protective equipment to the Department of National Defense and the Philippine National Police, two Israeli delegations of medical experts assisted the country’s national vaccination campaign and shared Israel’s local clinical guidelines for Covid-19 infection control protocols and hospital management.

Israel also continues to share its experience and knowledge in emergency and pandemic response with the Philippines through webinars, courses, and joint meetings.

The handover ceremony was held at the DND Headquarters in Quezon City on February 9.

The above article ended stating that those who attended the ceremony were Assistant Secretary Jesus Rey Avilla, Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, Director Franklin Gali, Brig. Gen. Edgar Cardiñoza, Undersecretary Raymundo de Vera Elefante, and staff members of the DND and the embassy.

Be thankful to the Lord for the blossoming Israel-Philippines relations which are truly essential! For the newcomers reading this, Israel assisted the Philippines in varied ways such as sharing expertise on fighting COVID-19, vaccinating many Filipinos in Israel, and providing help to Typhoon Odette victims to name a few. In terms of national defense, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Philippines and Israel is in the works. Once again, be very thankful to God for Israel and its love for the Philippines! Be thankful that vaccination certificates of visitors from Israel are already being accepted here in the Philippines which is crucial to revive Philippine tourism! Be thankful to the Lord that the Abraham Accords are progressing and leading to more peace even though the United States has Commies in the Biden administration who prefer siding with Israel’s enemies. I urge you all to stand with Israel and help protect it from their enemies.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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COVID-19 Crisis: More than 75% of Philippines target population declared fully vaccinated

February 7, 2022February 4, 2022carlocarrasco

When it was reported that the nation of Denmark lifted most of its pandemic restrictions, more than 60% of their population received a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines. Three doses meaning getting fully vaccinated with two doses of most vaccines and getting boosted with the third shot afterwards. Here in the Philippines, there is still a long way to go before 60% of the population gets boosted but the country has been progressing as more than 75% of Filipinos under the target population got fully vaccinated (2 shots), according to an article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA report. Some parts in boldface…

A total of 59,120,367 individuals nationwide or 75.7 percent of the target population are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), according to the National Task Force Against Covid-19.

In an interview Wednesday night, National Task Force Against Covid-19 consultant Dr. Maria Paz Corrales said the number is 53 percent of the total Philippine population.

More are expected to receive the life-saving shots as the national government further ramps up its vaccination campaign, expanding it to children aged 5 to 11 years old starting February 4, and in provinces badly hit by Typhoon Odette last year.

Corrales said a total of 780,000 doses of reformulated Pfizer vaccine for this age group would arrive February 3.

She added that the government is planning to hold another round of the national vaccination days for the young age group that would also cover booster doses.

“Meron tayong pinaplanong (We are planning a) national vaccination day that will cover the pediatric population, that’s 5 to 17, and then for the senior citizens, and the booster. We have to ramp up the three so the government is planning to have a national vaccination days para tumaas ang (to increase the number of) vaccination. We hope to achieve 90 million by June,” Corrales said.

In areas stricken by “Odette”, Corrales said the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson and the Sputnik Light vaccines are recommended since they get protected against the disease immediately, without having to return for a second dose.

“The problem is ‘yung mga Odette stricken areas, may ibang may problema pa sa storage kasi ‘yung iba wala pang kuryente, may iba naman, ‘yung mga vaccinators apektado dahil sa (There are areas with storage problems since some are still without power. There are also some vaccinators affected by the) Omicron surge but they have fully recuperated and they are going back to work. The government is doing all its efforts to help build again those Odette stricken areas,” Corrales said.

The country was at the height of its national vaccination days in December when “Odette” struck provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, causing massive flooding and power outages that went on for days, disrupting the vaccination program in many areas.

Just a few days ago, it was announced that the planned vaccination drive of younger minors aged 5 to 11-years-old would be delayed. Nationwide, local government units have been accepting and processing the registration related to the said vaccination drive. Take for example the City Government of Las Piñas confirmed that more than 9,000 children (aged 5 to 11) were registered. For sure the national count of people getting vaccinated, fully vaccinated and boosted will go up. How long it will take for a majority of the fully vaccinated Filipinos to get boosted remains uncertain.

Regardless, I should reiterate that the Philippines should acquire more Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to immunize people from coronavirus and its variants (including the more infectious Omicron variant). For related articles about Sputnik versus Omicron, click here, here, here, here and here.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the current vaccination efforts of the Philippines? Do you think the government officials from the national level down to the local level are doing the best they can to get as many people immunized from COVID-19?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Unvaccinated people are still restricted in Parañaque City under Alert Level 2

February 4, 2022February 3, 2022carlocarrasco

People who remain unvaccinated are still restricted in Parañaque City, according to the news report by the Manila Bulletin. It seems that the recent shift of control of Metro Manila into Alert Level 2 does not matter to the said city.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Paranaque City government will continue to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals despite the de-escalation of Metro Manila to Alert Level 2 quarantine status, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

The mayor said unvaccinated individuals must always stay at home unless there is a need to buy essential goods and in need of medical services.

Olivarez said residents ages 18 years old and above are allowed to go out of their residences while the 17-year olds and below are only permitted outside if they are accompanied by fully vaccinated relatives.

(He) said for transportation, the city government allows tricycles to carry three passengers while buses and jeepneys are allowed to operate at 70% capacity.

The mayor said for businesses, the city government advised the establishments to apply for a safety seal so they can be allowed 10% additional operational and venue capacity.

As far as Manila Bulletin’s reporting above goes, things look really blunt in Parañaque City which itself is one of four cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) that have no automatic lifting of restrictions against unvaccinated in relation to the shift to Alert Level 2. This was confirmed by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Benhur Abalos himself in a separate news report. Legally speaking, Parañaque’s restrictions on unvaccinated people (for references, click here and here) remain because the approved city ordinance allegedly has no automatic lifting clause (refer to the same GMA news report with Abalos involved).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…

In a press conference, Abalos said the ordinances of Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon City, and Pateros have no automatic lifting clause for the restrictions against unvaccinated people.

“Four LGUs don’t have automatic lifting clause but three LGUs will be issuing a new executive order. These are Parañaque, Pasay, and Quezon City,” he said.

“Only Pateros will be left as they will still discuss the issue tomorrow,” he added.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of the 17 mayors in the region, earlier agreed to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated people in the NCR under the Alert Level 3. These LGUs issued their respective ordinances on the matter.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City and you are unvaccinated, do you feel betrayed by your current City Government? Are the local restrictions on unvaccinated persons and businesses affecting you personally and professionally? Do the current restrictions make you think twice about voting in the next local elections? Do you feel like reaching out to anti-vaccine fanatics and SJWs (social justice warriors) from around the country and overseas to come to Parañaque and organize massive protest rallies to compel the City Government to act?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Almost 60 million Filipinos fully vaccinated

January 26, 2022January 24, 2022carlocarrasco

This past weekend, the national government announced that almost sixty million Filipinos nationwide have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, according to a report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be more precise, the official count was at 57 million.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines has administered 122,889,494 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines nationwide as of Saturday, with 57,095,695 Filipinos now with complete shots and better protected against the virus.

Data from the National Covid-19 vaccination dashboard showed 59,716,484 individuals have received at least the first dose of the primary series while 6,077,315 got their booster or additional doses.

The government recently launched the “Resbakuna sa Botika” program in partnership with private pharmaceutical stores and clinics to encourage more fully vaccinated Filipinos to avail of booster shots.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said “self-management and social responsibility” would greatly contribute to the country’s response to the global health crisis.

“Basically, it is not sustainable that only the national government will take care of everything. I believe the private sector, the LGUs (local government units), and also the different parts of our society want to have responsibility. And that’s the way forward to our Covid-19 pandemic response,” Galvez said in an interview at a booster vaccination event in Makati City on Friday.

Galvez said there should a policy shift from having a government-centered approach to giving pre-access to those who are willing to assist in the national vaccination program.

On face value, having 57 million fully vaccinated Filipinos nationwide sounds like good news but in reality it remains to be seen if the Omicron variant could be resisted.

More on the Omicron variant, it is crucial for the Philippines to acquire as many new doses of Sputnik vaccines from Gamaleya to really immunize and boost more Filipinos as soon as possible. Already there were studies conducted showing that Sputnik V and Sputnik Light resulted in strong resistance against the Omicron variant (for references, click here, here and here). Historically, Muntinlupa City was one of the first cities of the Philippines to receive a batch of Sputnik V vaccines.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the news about our nation having almost sixty million fully vaccinated Filipinos sound encouraging to you? Are there still lots of unvaccinated people there in your local community? If you are managing a business, have you checked if your employees got fully vaccinated or even boosted? Are you still worried about the Omicron variant? If you have been fully vaccinated, when did you get your 2nd dose and when do you plan to get yourself boosted?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Law enforcers arrest foreign national and seizes P30 million worth of fake medicine in Parañaque City

January 17, 2022January 14, 2022carlocarrasco

In a recent operation done within Parañaque City, a foreign national was arrested by local law enforcers in connection to fake medicine found in three different places located in two villages, according to a report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Philippine News Agency. Some parts in boldface…

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday reported the seizure of PHP30 million worth of counterfeit medicines in a recent operation in Parañaque City.

In a statement, the bureau said a suspect identified as Adel Rajput, a Pakistani, was arrested during the January 5 operation which was conducted in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

The counterfeit medicines such as Biogesic, Neozep, Bioflu, Immunpro, Ivermectin, Phenokinon F Injection, Medicol, Planax, Alaxan FR, MX3, and others were packed in cartons printed with Chinese characters.

They were found in two storages at 7434B and 7434C Highland St., Marcelo Green Village and 27 Pearl St., Severina Subdivision, Km 18, Barangay Marcelo, Parañaque.

The suspect was brought to the Parañaque City Prosecutors’ Office for an inquest and will face various cases for violation of Sec. 1401 (Unlawful Importation/Exportation), Sec. 1113 (Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture) paragraph (l) (5) in relation to Sec. 118 (Prohibited Importation and Exportation) paragraph (e) of the CMTA, and the violation of Republic Act No. 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines and its Pertinent Rules and Regulations). His visa will be under a revocation process by the Bureau of Immigration.

Alvin Enciso, Intelligence Officer II and Chief of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) led the implementation of the Letter of Authority together with the Mission Order signed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

A certification from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Unilab Pharmaceuticals, the makers of market-leading paracetamol brand Biogesic, said the medicines were counterfeit.

Raniel Ramiro, Customs Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence Group, said they received reports about the presence of counterfeit items, which prompted them to launch the operation.

“It’s not just items, but medicines. We acted on this immediately because this can pose a health threat. They are selling these to unsuspecting people whose only hope is to buy authentic medicines for themselves and their loved ones,” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City, are you concerned about the possibilities that fake medicine have been stored somewhere in your village? Are you concerned that the branded medicine you have right now might be counterfeit? Does this latest development in Parañaque City compel you to buy medicine from the trusted retailers? Do you believe that Parañaque, which is already a hot spot for illegal drugs and entrapment operations, is becoming a major destination for the storage and distribution of fake medicine?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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I Love Israel: Philippine Army receives 15 armored mortar carriers (AMCs) from Israeli firm Elbit Systems

January 12, 2022January 11, 2022carlocarrasco

I am delighted over the news that the Army here in the Philippines acquired high-tech military equipment in the form of armored mortar carriers (AMC) which were made by the Israel-based company Elbit Systems, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Elbit Systems is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world, primarily in the defense and homeland security arenas. They develop and supply a broad portfolio of airborne, land and naval systems and products for defense, homeland security and commercial applications. The company’s systems and products are installed on new platforms, and they also perform comprehensive platform modernization programs. A range of support services are also provided.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Philippine News Agency. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Army’s (PA) Armor Division got a much-needed firepower boost with the delivery of 15 M125A2 armored mortar carriers (AMCs), which are equipped with 120mm mounted mortar systems (MMS).

PA spokesperson, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, said the AMCs were delivered on December 29 and were sourced from the Israeli firm Elbit Systems.

“The newly delivered 15 AMCs are for inspection within the first quarter of the year by the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee before acceptance and (deployment) to the Army’s field units,” Trinidad said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday night.

The AMCs are under Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program and acquired under the Army’s mounted mortar acquisition project.

“The new AMCs are part of the PA’s modernization project that will capacitate the country’s land force’s credible defense posture from various threats, local and international,” he said.

The Cardom 120mm recoil mortar system mounted on the M125A2 AMC is an autonomous, computerized system that has a range of 7,000 meters and a maximum fire rate of 16 rounds per minute operated by four crewmen.

The AMCs with MMS are used by the US Army, Israeli Defense Force, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries.

Meanwhile, PA chief, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., welcomed the arrival of the AMCs as he waits for its formal acceptance, noting that these deliveries are in line with the Army’s thrusts on enhancing the capabilities of its ground forces.

“These new armor assets will bolster the Army’s capability to deal with constantly evolving threats. With the realization of upcoming big-ticket modernization projects, the Philippine Army is on track to becoming a formidable and adaptive force capable of responding to a multitude of conventional and unconventional threats,” he said.

Armor Division commander, Maj. Gen. Efren Baluyot, said the new assets would provide close and immediate indirect fire support for maneuver units while quickly deploying in tactical situations.

Once those AMCs get cleared and start getting operated officially, they will surely enhance the Philippine Army’s (PA) operations especially in battles against the Leftist rebels and terrorists within the country.

We should all be thankful to God that our nation has a very essential partner and close friend in Israel which has helped Filipinos a lot in different ways such as the sharing expertise on COVID-19, cooperating on defense, having Filipinos in Israel vaccinated for COVID-19 and providing essential relief to typhoon victims. More on this particular development, it is great to see the Philippine Army acquiring military hardware from Elbit Systems which itself is highly credible not only with its business record and advanced military technologies, but also because they provided military hardware to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and other nations. I should also state that Israel is home to many high-tech companies which is something that the mainstream media does not even care to cover.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Chinese nationals and one Filipino arrested in Parañaque City

January 6, 2022January 4, 2022carlocarrasco

As the nation struggles with the worsening COVID-19 crisis in relation to the local presence of the Omicron variant, a gang composed of five Chinese nationals and one Filipino got apprehended in Parañaque City in connection to a kidnapping incident that happened recently according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA report. Some parts in boldface…

Five Chinese nationals and a Filipino were arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap another Chinese in Parañaque City, the Southern Police District (SPD) reported Tuesday.

Based on the report submitted by the Parañaque City police, SPD Director, Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraig, identified the suspects as Hu Yang, 34; Zhang Jie, 28; Cen Sha Lu, 28; Shen Fa, 27; Han Xun, 33; and Hazel Cotaco, 37.

Macaraeg said the rescue operation stemmed from information received by Parañaque City Police around 4 a.m. on January 3 that Shaomen Hu, a 25-year-old Chinese businessman, was forcibly taken by the suspects at Monarch Park Suites and held captive at an unknown place.

Around 11 a.m. of the same day, Jie Sun, the interpreter and witness of the victim, received messages from the suspects that the victim was kidnapped and asking for ransom amounting to PHP700,000.

Police, whom Sun sought assistance from, arranged an operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspects around 4 p.m. at a certain hotel along Bradco Avenue in Barangay Tambo.

Seized from Xun’s possession were one small heat sealed transparent plastic sachet containing shabu with estimated weight of 1.75 grams, one small plastic tube straw color white containing traces of shabu, one gray clutch bag and marked money amounting to PHP20,000.

The suspects will be charged with the violation of Article 267 (Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention) of the Revised Penal Code.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think makes Parañaque City remain a hot spot for kidnapping? Do you believe kidnap-for-ransom will still happen within the city?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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