Abetting Rebellion Accusation: Dictator Marcos Did It Before

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*Statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros

Accusing someone of abetting a rebellion is not new. This is the same tactic used by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos against democracy defenders like Soc Rodrigo, Lorenzo Tanada and Ka Pepe Diokno. Even then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo resorted to this when she accused journalist Tina Panganiban Perez of abetting a rebellion when the latter was simply fulfilling her duty as a member of a free press.

Thus, I am saddened by the news that Mayor Inday Sara Duterte accuses me of such. The Mayor and I have been friendly acquaintances for some years, and I respect her as a fellow woman leader. Does the Mayor accuse me already or simply wonder if I’m abetting rebellion? 

The accusation that I am abetting a rebellion is absurd. It is as ludicrous as the latest fake news about me. I have publicly condemned the Maute group for their brazen acts of terrorism and criminality. I stand by our brave soldiers and police personnel for their heroic efforts, I praise their decisive victories to neutralize the Maute group.

Rebellion is ideological, terrorism is pure terror

But purveyors of fake news accuse me of siding with the Maute group because I didn’t automatically regard their terrorist action as rebellion. Magkalinawan tayo. Ang Maute group ay hindi mga rebelde. Sila ay mga terorista. Ang mga rebelde gaya ng CPP-NPA, MNLF at MILF ay kausap na ng pamahalaan sa peace process. Ang Maute ay hindi. Wala silang karapatan umupo sa lamesa ng kapayapaan. The essence of rebellion is ideological. Terrorism is pure terror. 

In my long years as a member of the government panel for the peace process, the principle has always been to set a very high bar for characterizing a given incident as rebellion because history has demonstrated repeatedly how governments use the label of rebellion to justify the abuse of state power to silence dissent. 

Silencing voices

Today, I suspect that the same concept of "abetting a rebellion" is being used against me simply because I demanded the Legislature to hold a joint session to deliberate the factual bases for the Martial Law declaration. They paint me an enemy who sympathize with terrorists like the Maute group. I suspect that the government will try to use this to silence my voice, and the voices of those who want to see the Maute threat eliminated and at the same time demand to know the truth about Martial Law. 

“Fake news king”

Yesterday, Justice Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate and build cases against Senators and opposition leaders who are allegedly involved in a destabilization plot against the government.

Wala na bang ibang magawa ang fake news king ng Padre Faura? Namamatay na ang mga inosente at ang ating mga sundalo sa Marawi, pero ang tanging pinagkakaabalahan pa rin ng mga gaya ni Aguirre ay mga pekeng kaso at pekeng balita.

I will not be surprised if a case is filed against me or my colleagues in the Senate minority. I will not be intimidated or silenced. I will continue to take the floor and speak truth to power. They can make thousands of fake news accounts, they can threaten me with false charges but I will continue to stand. They cannot stop me from doing my duty as a legislator to speak out about our civil liberties and oppose creeping authoritarianism.

Baliktanaw 2017: Isang Bangka Tayo Pasig River Tour and Cultural Heritage Experience at Intramuros

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Here's a preview of the Baliktanaw 2017: Isang Bangka Tayo Pasig River Tour and Cultural Heritage Experience at Intramuros with Philippine Information Agency (PIA) NCR Asst. Regional Director Emver P. Cortez.

The longer version, with talkies and interviews, will be coming out soon, in both bite-size vlog and lengthy YouTube videos.

The event is in partnership with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), Intramuros Administration, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), etc.,

Plus other representatives from many government agencies like Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Presidential Management Staff (PMS), and a lot more.

Students from different colleges and universities like PUP, CEU, etc., also joined us. Media and bloggers covered the event.

Nationwide Alay Para Atleta Program launched at First Philippine Para Sports Summit

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Filipino para-athletes are raring to compete for the country in the coming 9^th ASEAN Para Games in Malaysia this September 2017 and looking forward with gusto to the Asian Para Games in Indonesia in 2018, the 10^th ASEAN Para Games in Manila and the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020.

The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) and the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) held yesterday (June 9) the first ever Philippine Para Sports Summit at Microtel, Technohub in Diliman, Quezon City. With the theme “Transcending Barriers Through Sports”, the summit underscored PPC-PHILSPADA’s mission to develop an inclusive society that uses para sports as a tool to change the lives of Filipinos with disabilities. 

Launched at the event was the Alay PARA Atleta program, a nationwide campaign designed to make the general public genuine stakeholders of the Paralympic Movement. Contributions made through mobile phone access will boost funding for para-athletes and teams to achieve sporting excellence that will excite and inspire the world.

The Summit discussed the Paralympic Movement, the Paralympics Classification System, medical sports science and anti-doping, the achievements and plight of Filipino para-athletes, para-athletes’ actual experiences in foreign competition and PPC-PHILSPADA’s plans and programs for the next three years. Michael I. Barredo, President of PPC-PHILSPADA made a call to action at the end of the one-day summit for both government and private sectors to join the Paralympic Movement.

Philippine Trade: Then to Now

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While commerce has remained a core function in society, the process and nature of the way people do trade has changed greatly throughout the centuries. In the Philippines, it all started with what we know as barter – a manual exchange of item per item, oftentimes without the use of money. Neighboring tribes in the country would use barter to trade items or services of equal value, such as 3 hours of labor for a meal. This changed in the 2nd Century AD, upon the arrival of the Chinese as the first foreign traders in the country. Local products were exchanged for corals, gold, cotton, and pearls, some of which can be considered early forms of currency.

In 1565, the Spaniards marked their first settlement in Cebu when they sought to acquire a share in the lucrative spice trade. It was during this same period that the Royal Company of the Philippines was abolished, making Manila an open port for global traders. This welcomed business from all corners of the world, dubbing the Philippines as the center for commerce in the East.

During the American period, a distinct advantage that Filipinos gained was access to education. No longer reserved for the privileged, education and a grasp of the English language propelled even the average Filipino further forward into the trade market, allowing him to sell local crops and goods to foreign bodies.

Through years of exposure in both local and foreign trade, the modern-day Filipino was born with an entrepreneurial spirit; according to research, millennial entrepreneurs have launched at least twice as many businesses compared to their Baby Booming predecessors. In fact, 55% of millennials in a local study indicated owning a successful business and reaching financial independence as an important value in their lives. Lucky for this generation, they are equipped with a highly distinct tool that allows them to fulfill their entrepreneurial aspirations – the internet.

The internet has changed the way people live, think, and do business. With the emergence of e-commerce, international trade became possible on an individual level. The definition of a free market has found itself in its truest form, with sellers at liberty to position their own products and pricing, and consumers at free reign to choose what they buy.

In 2012, e-commerce was made known to the Philippine landscape through the entry of a company named Lazada. In the beginning, Lazada sold goods to Filipinos from its own warehouses. After just a year of operations however, the business model evolved into a marketplace, inviting third-party brands, retailers, and individuals to sell on the site. Today, the e-commerce giant enjoys market leadership in Philippine e-commerce, with a significant portion of its sales brought in by marketplace deals.

A key factor that has allowed Lazada to maintain its position as market leader is the convenience it provides not just to buyers, but also to sellers. It is a one-stop shopping and selling destination that makes it easy for Filipinos to trade across cities, across the archipelago, and even across the globe, all with a few simple clicks. Through this, it may be said that Lazada has paved the way for many Filipinos to fulfill their dreams of entrepreneurship, and reach financial independence.

While competition in the e-commerce playing field is tough, Philippines’ CEO Inanc Balci remains confident of the future. In an interview with Anthony Pangilingan of The Boardroom, Balci states “Lazada will continue evolving. We went from being an e-commerce site, to now an m-commerce (mobile-commerce) site. We will increase the social aspects of it, the assortment, the service, etc. In every way possible, we will continue to evolve the company and be the market leader for years to come. It is one of my life goals to make the Philippines a top e-commerce company in the world”

5 Great Tips for Improving Your Creative Writing Ability

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Those writers that want to improve their creative writing ability, will definitely find some very important and interesting tips in our article.

The main goal of creative writing is to express something using your mind creativity. According to Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_writing, it can be poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction writing, etc., where the author express their emotions, thoughts or feelings instead of just to convey information. 

Whether you are an experienced writer or just a beginner, we have gathered some useful tips for improving your creative writing and making your essays more interesting and exciting for your readers. 

1. Think about your audience

You need to figure our an audience to whom you are writing, so you will be able to understand what kind of things make people interested in your essay or book. That's why it's better to:

- keep your work easy to read and well understood, without badly written places or many repetitions that could make your essay sound boring and uninterested to read;

- catch the readers' attention with a surprise from a very beginning and keep them excited about your story till the end. 

2. Use a right structure

In most movies and telenovelas they use the 3-act structure where these three parts are connected between each other so the audience can't see where the one part ended and another began. Here how this structure looks like:

- set-up – this short part introduces the characters to readers and how they related. Then the author should make a “turning point” of the story that grabs the audience's attention and motivates people to read the whole essay. This part is your story's introduction;

- confrontation – here you represent to readers the central problem of your essay, developing the argument with strong evidence. This is the longest part of your story that logically goes to the conclusion;

- resolution – the final section of your essay, where you summarize facts shortly and tie up ends, writing your conclusions about the problem you have viewed. 

 
3. Use extended metaphors

Creative writing allows using metaphors to give your readers drawing comparisons, that are easy to understand for most people. A metaphor is an analogy, when you just complain one thing with another to explain something to your readers. Such comparisons can be very interesting for the audience, giving people something new to understand. Needless to say that metaphors help to make your essay extraordinary and original. 

4. Include illustrations, photographs and charts into your work

Adding some photo and charts into your essay will help to give originality to your work. Of course when you are including such elements into your story, make sure they don't distract the readers' attention from your text. Such elements as charts, graphs, tables, pictures, diagrams, illustrations, etc. can be a great thing to make your essay more creative and interesting. 

5. Include interesting details

Add some pepper to your dry story and make it more exciting and creative with some interesting details about location and setting, just like creative writers do often. Of course this thing might not work out good with a scientific work, but this is a great idea to make your history or literature essay more creative and interesting to read.

Tips for beginners 

When you want to keep your body in a good shape, you usually go to the gym to stretch your muscles. The same is with your writing muscles – just stretch them with daily exercises. Even just ten minutes in day will help you to get into the writing habit. Just don't stop and write about anything that comes to your head. 

A good idea is to carry a notebook in your pocket with you. This is a good and simple way to keep all your ideas saved, you won't forget anything. Who knows what another day will bring to you, so you are always ready to keep everything in the notebook, because we know our memory is not a reliable source when it comes to saving many creative ideas. 

Try to work at that time of day when you are most creative. Some people mostly like to work in morning hours, others enjoy writing in the middle of the night. Choose your own time for creating your masterpieces when you mostly active to do it! 

Proofread your work when it's done. But don't rush into it, better to take a break from writing and distract yourself with something else. When you come back to your story with refreshed eyes, you'd be able to find and correct all grammar, logical and punctuation mistakes.


We hope our short guide will be helpful to you to create interesting and creative stories that will impress your readers. You can find more tips for improving writing on our website https://dissertationlabs.com/. Have fun with starting new projects and surprise your audience with fresh and professional essays, stories, poems, or some other unique masterpiece.

ASEAN+3 Forum Tackles Energy Security

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Senior energy officials from member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as from China, Japan and Korea concluded the 14th Energy Security Forum (ESF) with a consensus to conduct regular sharing of relevant energy developments to ensure energy security, particularly on coal, oil and nuclear energy resources.

​The 14th ESF is part of the three-day ASEAN+3 (China Japan and Korea) Forum hosted by the Philippine Department of Energy held from 23-25 May 2017 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.

​The ESF focused on the latest energy trends in the region, including energy consumption, power generation and energy self-sufficiency.

​The meeting also reviewed the technical preparations of the energy outlook of the ASEAN+3 member-economies highlighting on the modeling framework and major assumptions for Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES), Final Energy Consumption (FEC) and Power Generation Mix, including Fossil Fuels Demand and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions.

​Each ASEAN Member-State shared their best practices on oil security and provided updates regarding their oil stockpiling status and directions.

​Japan Oil Gas and Metals National Corp. (JOGMEC) also gave a status report regarding its oil stockpiling capacity building program, while Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) expounded on their oil stockpiling outreach policy.

​In the discussion on coal energy resource security.

China, Japan & Korea briefed the participants on clean coal technology development, specifically focusing on the High Efficiency and Low Emission (HELE) coal power generation technology.

​The ASEAN Member-States furthermore discussed a plan for a possible engagement with the China General Nuclear Power Group (CGNPC) regarding the sharing of experiences in "Nuclear Front-end Planning”.

​The Institute of Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ) presented a paper, "Challenges of Nuclear Development: Safety Guidelines Procedure and Policy Updates" to address the looming scenarios in developing and utilizing nuclear energy.

DOE Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas headed the Philippine delegation together with Energy Policy and Planning Bureau Asst. Director Carmencita Bariso.

Cover Photo Caption: 

SECURING ASEAN ENERGY: ASEAN Member-States together with China, Japan and Korea shared best practices to ensure energy security in the region during the 14th Energy Security Forum hosted by the Philippine Department of Energy on 25 May 2017 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City. Photo shows Senior Energy Officials of the ASEAN+3 together with DOE Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas (center) and DOE-Energy Policy and Planning Bureau Asst. Director Carmencita Bariso (6th from left).

Great Things Ahead with All Cool Treats and Best Deals Done the SM Men Way

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It’s an exciting month of June for SM Men as the brand gears up for promos and discounts to watch out for and enjoy.

June is a great time to shop in SM Men as the whole month celebrates its annual Men’s Sale, where prices will go up to 70% off from June 1 to 30. Enjoy a wide array of denim, basics, tees, and on-trend pieces with specially discounted prices from SM Men brands.

This Father’s Day, SM Men  is out to treat all dads for all their love and hardwork. Treat Pops to a day out shopping with a P300 SM Men Sodexo Gift Pass, when you spend a minimum of P3,000 at SM Men.

More are in store for dads and all guy shoppers: SM Supermalls will celebrate Dad’s Day with special activities and treats from June 13 - 25. In the Thursday Kings promo, male shoppers will enjoy 20% off from their minimum P2,000 purchase from The SM Store on all Thursdays of June.

Follow SM Men (@sm_men) on Instagram and Facebook for details on these exciting promos.

Smart is Asia’s Top Digital Services Provider

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‘Welcome Change’ also named Best Brand Campaign at Asia Communication Awards

For its efforts to boost its network and make relevant digital services accessible to Filipinos, PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications was named Digital Service Provider of the Year at the Asia Communication Awards (ACA) ceremony held recently in Singapore.

The ACA recognizes outstanding performance by Asian carriers, multimedia content providers, vendors, and other communication service providers. It is conducted annually by London-based industry publication Total Telecom.

Smart’s Welcome Change campaign – which communicated the company’s digital pivot and encouraged Filipinos to empower themselves through mobile innovations – won the Best Brand Campaign recognition.

Janet Watkin, head of the ACA panel of judges and CEO of a customer experience consultancy, said simply making it to the shortlist was already an achievement, given the challenges faced by the telecommunications industry.

“Doing business has become more digital, global, social, and mobile, and the marketplace is vaster and more crowded than it has ever been. Alongside changes in technology and competition are the changing expectations and behavior of customers. As such, making it onto the shortlist for the Asia Communication Awards is indeed a formidable achievement. To win requires that something extra special that is a cut above the rest,” she said.

Digital transformation

“We are honored to receive these awards from a prestigious institution that understands the rapid changes sweeping through the telco industry. This recognition further inspires us to intensify our pursuit for digital transformation and to bring the benefits of the digital life to more Filipinos,” said PLDT and Smart chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan.

Smart has a multi-pronged approach in encouraging Filipinos to welcome the digital change – it continuously improves and expands its network while making available devices, relevant content, and value-packed service offers to its subscribers.

In 2016, Smart and PLDT launched a $1-billion digital transformation program to enable their fixed and mobile networks to support the rising demand for digital services. Smart has committed to progressively deploy LTE services to 95% of the country’s cities and municipalities by end-2018. To do this, the company is combining low-band frequencies for better indoor penetration and wider coverage, with high-band frequencies for additional capacity. These frequencies include those obtained through the acquisition of the telco businesses of San Miguel Corp.

Smart has finished its LTE deployment in Boracay and Metro Davao, while efforts are ongoing in Metro Cebu and Metro Manila. Internal tests show Smart’s LTE service consistently increasing in speeds and registering improved indoor data coverage. Third-party crowdsourced tests also show that Smart offers the fastest LTE service in the Philippines.

Because not many Filipinos can afford LTE handsets, Smart has partnered with various device manufacturers to introduce affordable LTE devices with network-compatible frequencies.

Bring Dapper Back to the Workplace with Sennheiser Headphones

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Professional-grade Headphones available at Power Mac Center

If you’re like most of the men in Manila who are required to be in uniform or adhere to a dress code at work, an alternative for fashion self-expression is through accessories. And when accessories such as headphones are part of your job, you have to consider both quality and style, especially if there’s someone at work you want to impress.

Sennheiser, the German authority in consumer and professional audio equipment since 1945, has proven time and again its track record in quality workmanship while keeping updated on trends and even setting them. Whether you’re going wired or wireless, you can choose from a wide range of luxurious headphones and earphones equipped with patented technology for the best sound experiences. Each pair of Sennheiser headphones carves out every aural nuance in even finer detail, making sound a more brilliant experience.

Apart from the signature powerful bass and proprietary NoiseGard active noise cancellation features, the superior craftsmanship of Sennheiser headphones allow for crystal clear conversations via a built-in microphone, while remaining lightweight and portable for listening on the go.

The highly acclaimed Sennheiser MOMENTUM product family revolutionizes the way professional-grade headphones look on real people with real jobs. Made from premium materials like stainless steel, genuine leather, and soft ear cushions, the MOMENTUM family of headphones and earphones makes any look instantly dapper, while providing long-wearing comfort for even the most hardworking and dedicated employee.

Learn How to Use Social Media to Boost Your Business at PBEX 2017

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Social Media is already at its peak in the country – according to data from the recent data from consultancy firm We Are Social, the Philippines is the world’s No. 1 in terms of time spent on social media. If your business is still not hopping in the bandwagon, here’s your chance.

This July, the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneur's Expo has invited social media professionals to share with you the basics of how to use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Blogging as a way to communicate your business to everyone.

On the #SocialMedia for Business Seminar (to be held on Saturday, July 29) are featuring The City Roamer’s Alwin Aguirre, The Reimaru Files’ Chad Ramos, Encyclopevia’s Via Galang and Social Media Influencer Christian Melanie Lee as they share their experience and expertise in the fields of Blogging, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and to give you tips on how each platform can help you boost your business.

Wazzup Pilipinas is a proud media partner.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City this July 28 to 30, Friday to Sunday. We are open for exhibitors to showcase their products and services - get in touch with Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887 or 535-1150; SMS (+63) 920 981 4376 or (+63) 920 924 2532; email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents. Program lineup subject to change without prior notice.