The SOPA 2016 Awards for Editorial Excellence Announces Call For Entries

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The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), an organization dedicated to best practices in professional publishing, is pleased to announce the call for entries for the "SOPA 2016 Awards for Editorial Excellence". Entering its 18th year, the premier publishing awards represent the most outstanding journalistic accolade in Asia Pacific. Deadline for entries is February 25, 2016.

The 2015 SOPA Awards received a record number of entries from across Asia Pacific competing in 18 categories among English and Chinese regional, local print or digital publications and wire services. To encourage wider participation, SOPA members who submit entries are eligible for a discount in the submission fee. Other publications are encouraged to join and to support SOPA, a not for profit organization.

The judging criteria for the award category "Journalist of the Year" will remain the same as last year, in which entries from Group A, B and C will be combined for judging resulting in only one winner. Journalist of the Year is designed to honor the journalist who has best demonstrated excellence in editorial achievement.

For the purposes of the awards, Asia-Pacific is defined to include the region of Afghanistan and the Central Asia republics, in addition to the Indian subcontinent, North and East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

DOE Seeks Collaborative Effort to Secure Mindanao Power Facilities

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Given the heightened insurgency concerns affecting stable and reliable electricity in Mindanao, the DOE strongly calls on the assistance of all stakeholders, especially the Local Government Units (LGUs) to ensure safety and security of vital power infrastructures (i.e., transmission systems, distribution lines and substations), as well as from any obstructions (i.e., bush burning along transmission highways, and planting of trees) under their respective jurisdictions.

The DOE has been constantly coordinating with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), National Power Corporation, concerned LGUs and other energy stakeholders as well as the Mindanao Development Authority, and of course the Office of the Executive Secretary, which is making direct coordinations with the police and the military, to discuss strategies on how to address the situation.

All 14 of the 15 transmission towers that have been toppled or damaged have already been restored, while only the Agus2-Kibawe Line in Ramain, Lanao del Sur is yet to be repaired due to some local issues.

“We appeal to the public in general, particularly to the LGUs and land owners to cooperate with the NGCP, the Concessionaire of the national transmission lines, in securing the transmission system which is crucial to bringing electricity to the people of Mindanao,” DOE Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada said.

Energy Secretary Monsada also reminded the public that damages to transmission facilities may eventually be part of the transmission’s recovery cost, which is subject to the approval of Energy Regulatory Commission; so cooperation is highly encouraged from everyone. Hence, the DOE requests the people’s vigilance to report suspicious activities in critical areas through the NGCP’s hotline number: 0917-8791-077.

Four Arrested in Cebu for Subscription Fraud as Globe Steps Up Campaign Versus Scams

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Four fraudsters in Cebu City were recently arrested by a joint police and Globe Telecom security team after they submitted fake documents in applying for postpaid accounts that included provision for high-end smartphones.

Arrested were Girly Belleza, Allen Marie Almario, Gerald Anthony Lizares and Wildredo Arabis, all employees of Kia Motors SM Cebu City.

Based on investigation, the four individuals all submitted fake documents, using fictitious names, in acquiring postpaid subscription with high end phones. This prompted a joint police and Globe security team to set an entrapment operation against them.

A police report revealed that Belleza, a sales agent of Kia, managed to get high-end units namely 2 units of iphone 6+ and iphone 5 while Almario, a cashier of Kia, managed to also get an iphone 6, an iphone 6+ and a Galaxy Core Prime. On the other hand, Lizares, also a sales agent of Kia, got 2 units of iphone 6+ while Arabis, an administrative employee of Kia, got a Lenovo handphone and 2 units of iphone6.

The four arrested employees of Kia were detained by police authorities and appropriate criminal charges will be filed against them.