Benildean Filmmakers Earn Urian Nods

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Two alumni of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Digital Filmmaking program (BenildeFilm) will vie for the Best Short Film award at the 41st Gawad Urian to be held on June 14, Thursday, at the ABS-CBN Vertis Tent in Quezon City.

Kim Timan's Caramel Child and Carl Chavez's Sorry for the Inconvenience are nominated in the short film category along with Glenn Barit's Aliens Ata, Keith Deligero's Babylon, TM Malones' Bawod, Dennis Hubag's Empyreus, Kiri Dalena's Gikan Sa Ngitngit Nga Kinailadman (From the Dark Depths), Carlo Francisco Manatad's Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month, Maje Papin's and Ef Orpiada Jr.'s Lutab, Kyle Fermindoza's Manggagarab, Roanna Mercado's Piko, Edmund Telmo's Redempsyon, Christian Candelaria's Sa Saiyang Isla and Xeph Suarez's Si Astri Maka Si Tambulah (Astri and Tambulah).

Set in the year 2003, Caramel Child tells the story of Katherine Kaye Jones (Angelica Ulip), or Kakay, the daughter of a call girl, Ellie Pilorin (Sue Prado), and an absent American man. A poster of the Regional Science Quiz Bee and her mother’s American client (Savino Bellini) will trigger Kakay’s curiosity and determination to look for her father.

Caramel Child brought home Best Film, Best Director (Timan), Best Screenplay (Timan and Lino Balmes), Best Performer (Ulip) and Best Musical Score (Marcus Santos and Joseph Salcedo) at Pelikultura: The CALABARZON Film Festival 2018. The film also received the Best Screenplay award at De La Salle University’s Indie Un-film Festival 2017 and it is also one of the finalists in the short film category of Cinema One Originals Festival last November.

On the other hand, Sorry for the Inconvenience is about a timid teenager (Ronwaldo Martin) who comes home one night after being beaten up by the school’s bully. With revenge on his mind, the teenager decides to take matters into his own hands. When things don’t go as planned, he is left with no choice but to seek help from his policeman father (Simon Ibarra).

Sorry for the Inconvenience won Best Short Film at Cinema One Originals last year and it also competed at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

Meanwhile, Respeto leads the Best Film race with 12 nominations, followed by Balangiga: Howling Wilderness with 10 nods, Tu Pug Imatuy with nine, The Chanters with seven, and Bhoy Intsik and Birdshot with six apiece.

The Natatanging Gawad Urian will be given this year to jazz pianist, composer and musical director Winston Raval.

Smart ECBS Boosts NDRRMC Disaster Preparedness Efforts

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The Philippines’ disaster preparedness and response agency is now better equipped to send alerts to the public in times of calamities.

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications has turned over communications equipment to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) so that the government disaster agency can access Smart’s Emergency Cell Broadcast System (ECBS) and use it to quickly send public warnings to mobile phone users in specific areas.

The ECBS is designed to send urgent messages, such as evacuation notices and earthquake and tsunami warnings to activated mobile devices within the affected area.  Cell broadcast is effective in disseminating quick hazard alerts because it operates on a radio channel separate from those used by voice calls and text messages or SMS (short messaging service), which may get congested in times of calamities.

NDRRMC, the National Telecommunications Commission, and Smart, launched ECBS on a trial basis in March last year. It has since been used to broadcast quick alerts during typhoons and post-earthquake situations.  Most recently, ECBS messages were sent to Albay residents in the wake of the eruption of the Mayon Volcano.  During this trial period, the alert messages were sent by the NDRRMC to Smart which then transmitted the messages. With the turnover, NDRRMC personnel will be trained on how to use the equipment to send out messages themselves.

“The roles of NDRRMC, warning agencies, and telecommunication companies are essential in the creation and dissemination of emergency alerts. The collaboration of these three components is vital in achieving a common goal—to reduce the damage caused by natural hazards,” said Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputy Administrator Nicanor Faeldon in his welcome remarks. OCD is the implementing arm of NDRRMC.

“For example, in case of a strong earthquake or tsunami, we have only a few minutes to prepare. If we have a system that delivers messages quickly, we can inform the residents right away and have enough time for evacuation,” Faeldon added.

Smart invested over P500 million on ECBS to fully comply with Republic Act No. 10639 or the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act. RA 10639 mandates telecommunications service providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities.

PLDT and Smart public affairs head Ramon R. Isberto pointed out that ECBS was meant to complement other channels of information such as radio, TV, print, online, SMS, and other forms of media.

“In emergency situations, it is important to use all available channels of communications.  Cell broadcast provides another effective emergency alert system that will work very well with print media, radio and TV broadcasting, two-way radio systems and SMS.  Disaster agencies and organizations must learn how to use the various communications channels effectively,” said Isberto.

During the turnover ceremony, the NDRRMC also reconvened representatives of its warning agencies to discuss preparations for the use of ECBS. These officials presented their templates and draft messages for public warnings using ECBS which had been developed in an earlier workshop.  They also discussed guidelines to define the right scenarios for using ECBS and the proper ways for crafting alert messages.

ECBS can help the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its information dissemination efforts, according to weather observer Resly George Amador, who attended the workshop. “In case of severe weather situations such as during tropical cyclones, ECBS can help spread information faster to all affected communities,” he said.

The ECBS is part of Smart’s #SafePH disaster preparedness advocacy, which aims to help build more resilient communities through technology and on-ground activities.

Apart from ECBS, the other programs under #SafePH include TNT Tropang Ready, which tours schools nationwide to educate the youth on preparedness and empower them to mobilize their communities in times of calamities; and the Batingaw disaster management app, which allows users to report incidents and features tools such as a flashlight, a siren, a radio, and a directory of emergency contact numbers.

Smart has also provided communications support during earthquake drills and in areas affected by calamities in the form of Libreng Tawag, Charging and Wi-Fi (free calls, charging and Wi-Fi) stations, free text and data bundles, portable cell sites, and satellite emergency solutions, among other services.

TNC Fares Now Regulated by Govt, Says New DOTr Order

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In an effort to ensure that fares are just and reasonable, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) released a new order giving the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) the full authority to regulate and determine the fares, rates, and other related charges being imposed by Transport Network Companies (TNCs).

The new Department Order (DO) effectively amends and supersedes an earlier DO issued in 2015 (DO No. 2015-011), wherein TNCs were allowed to set their own fares, subject only to oversight by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“Hindi naman yata tama ‘yun. You can’t engage in the business of public transportation and determine your own fares, your own rules. Naiintindihan natin na mayroon silang negosyong pino-protektahan, ngunit responsibilidad din ng estado na protektahan ang kapakanan ng mga commuters,” DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

Under the new DO, the DOTr ordered a centralized regulation of TNCs and the Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) units that operate under them.

As mandated by law, the LTFRB was tasked to regulate and monitor the compliance of TNCs and TNVS with policies, laws, and regulations. It is primarily in charge of issuing franchises, setting routes, setting operating conditions, and imposing fines, suspensions, and cancellations when necessary. 

Meanwhile, the LTFRB assures TNCs and the riding public that public hearings and consultations will be conducted before fares and rates are adjusted and determined.

“Ayaw na nating maulit ‘yung nangyari noong mga nakaraang taon kung saan sila [TNCs] lamang ang nagdidikta sa presyo ng kanilang pasaheng sinisingil. Ayaw na rin natin maulit yung sobra-sobrang surge sa pricing lalo na kapag peak hours. Kawawa naman commuters natin na walang laban,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said. 

The DO acknowledges the established roles of TNCs and TNVS in providing transport services to the public. However, DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Tim Orbos emphasizes that state regulation is necessary in order to ensure that the interests of all parties, most especially the riding public, are protected.

“Ibang usapan na kapag may buhay na nakasalalay sa negosyo mo. Itama natin yung mga maling nakasanayan. We will regulate to ensure that our commuters will be safe and protected. Ayaw namin na may madedehado,” Usec. Orbos said.