Idol Moms: First & Exclusive World Premiere on February 1

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Dive into the competitive world of K-pop with LIFETIME’s new show Idol Moms.

The all-new series takes you behind the scenes of SM Entertainment’s hardcore training program

Have you ever wondered how your favorite K-pop idols became the celebrities they are today? This February, LIFETIME is giving you a look at the intense journey to stardom in Idol Moms, an all-new series that follows the daily lives of five mothers as they support their children to soar in the industry.

Premiering on February 1, Thursday at 9 PM, this exciting new show takes you behind the curtain and gives you a sneak peak at the winning formula that SM Entertainment, one of South Korea’s biggest music labels, uses to train K-pop stars.

With over 300,000 young Korean idol hopefuls vying for their shot at success, the competition is fierce. In order to fulfill their dreams, they’ve got to have a strategy that’ll make them stand out and someone who’s always got their back - their mothers.

Record producer, actor, radio personality and idol from first-generation K-Pop group, H.O.T, Gang Ta will serve as the series’ mentor and host, alongside acclaimed choreographer Kim Tae-Woo and vocal coach Jang Jin-Young.

The complete season of Idol Moms will be available first and exclusively on LIFETIME Asia, with new episodes premiering on the same night as Korea so you’ll be able to get the latest updates on your favorite rising stars.

Don’t miss this cutthroat reality competition series that will make or break the biggest rising stars in Asia, only on LIFETIME.

Lifetime™ is available on SKYCable Ch 65 and Lifetime™ HD Ch 199; Cable Link Ch. 223; Dream Satellite Ch 28; Destiny Ch 44.

Lifetime™ is an entertainment destination offering the highest quality dramas, movies and reality with celebrated and award winning programmes like UnREAL, MasterChef Australia, MasterChef Asia, Dance Moms and critically-acclaimed Lifetime Original Movies. A television network infused with passion and empowerment, Lifetime™ reflects the full spectrum of the modern female experience, delivering top tier entertainment.

Japanese Engineers Kick Off System Audit on MRT-3

Wazzup Pilipinas!

More than 50 railway engineers and experts from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will kick-off today the due diligence and system audit of the MRT-3.

 

The system audit is a necessary step to determine all the rehabilitation and restoration works needed on the MRT-3 system, which will be done by a JICA-nominated rehabilitation and maintenance provider that will be mobilized in May.

 

A Japanese company designed and built the MRT-3 system from 1998 to 2000, and maintained it from 2000 to 2012.

 

“We obviously need all the help we can get and we are very grateful that the Japanese Government answered our call for assistance to rehabilitate and restore the MRT-3 system.,” said OIC Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan.

 

The system audit that will commence today by JICA is separate from the ongoing Independent Audit and Assessment (IAA) by TUV Rheinland, an ISO 17020 and ISO 17065 certified and IFIA member certifier (International Federation of Inspection Agencies) for the entire MRT-3 system, including the 48 train cars from CRRC Dalian. The TUV Rheinland IAA commenced last Jan. 3 and has a 3 months duration.

Batan added that additional trains on the MRT-3 may be expected within February since the first batch of spare parts that were ordered last December are scheduled to be delivered and installed this month. The spare parts that were already ordered have a delivery lead time of 30 days to 6 months.

 

“We created a Special Bids and Awards Committee for MRT-3 to address the urgent need to restore its service, which require the expedited procurement of spare parts, among others,” added Batan.

 

The DOTr is currently implementing a four-point strategy to rehabilitate and restore the MRT-3 system. This involves (1) promoting accountability (termination of BURI); (2) ensuring continued service delivery (establishment of the Maintenance Transition Team); (3) contracting a qualified maintenance and rehabilitation service provider (together with the Japanese government); and (4) putting in place a long-term, single-point-of-responsibility, operator and maintenance provider for MRT-3 (O&M Unsolicited Proposal).

Baguio City: Still Among the Preferred Weekend Getaway Choice of Tourists Part 1

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Baguio city never fails to attract a crowd especially during the holiday season. It's probably the closes we could get to a winter wonderland Christmas minus the snow but more of the cold weather to keep us feeling appropriate to wear our fancy jackets and sweaters.

My family and I decided to spend Christmas at the city of Pines to make our holiday season celebration different from previous years. We went up by early morning of December 23 and stayed for three days and two nights.

The only hassle during peak seasons is that traffic congestions should be expected, both from traveling from Manila andcpassibg to SLEX, SCTEX, and TPLEX. Most of thectraffic jams are caused by accidents involving three to four vehicles. We've see around four accidents on our way to and from Baguio which makes us wonder why they seems to be in a hurry.

The weather is fine for frolicking around the many parks which offers bicycle or boat ride like Burnham Park, or horseback riding or just photo ops at Wright Park, or maybe sip some chocolate drink at Choco-Late de Batirol inside Camp John Hay, or just wander around strolling amidst the pine trees at many other green areas like the Teachers Camp or Baguio Botanical Garden, or you could be amazed with the view at Mines View Park.

It also has several museums for the artistically inclined and heritage areas for the culturally-curious. The BenCab Museum, the Lil Likha Art Community (with its Food Community), the Tam-Awan Village, and other places that would be heavenly for those who appreciate art of all forms and sizes.

Just a few kilometers outside Baguio is the Strawberry Farms at La Trinidad, Benguet where you could pick the fruits yourself for an additional amount. There's also plenty of vendors selling strawberry ice cream and "taho" which is not something you see everyday in Manila.

Several restaurants have also been made popular due to plenty of visitors from Manila who want to experience dining at places that could only be found in Baguio like the Volante restaurant known for their yummy pizza. It's located at Session Road so you'll find it always difficult to get there by vehicle.

Baguio would forever be a preferred choice of tourists to frolick around because of its cool weather and pine tree sceneries, among other things, that cannot be found in Metro Manila. We would never get tired of visiting this place even outside the Panagbenga or holiday season.

This is only Part 1 of our Baguio adventure. Please stay tuned for more on Part 2! Soon here at WazzupPilipinas.com

Get to see more photos at our official Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/wazzuppilipinas

There are also lots of videos at http://www.YouTube.com/user/wazzuppilipinas

Super Blue Blood Moon Delighted Stargazers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now that's a bloody moon! Last night we witnessed a rare lunar trilogy: super moon + blue moon + lunar eclipse = #SuperBlueBloodMoon

Why is it called a #SuperBlueBloodMoon?

 

Supermoon – When the Moon is at or near its closest point to Earth 

Blue Moon – The second full moon in a month 

Blood Moon – The red tint Earth’s shadow casts on the Moon during a lunar eclipse

The Earth positioned directly between the Sun and Moon, making the lunar surface appear red. 

We were able to watch views of the #SuperBlueBloodMoon from multiple telescopes live online! 

An example was (link: https://www.pscp.tv/w/1LyGBRXzenkGN) pscp.tv/w/1LyGBRXzenkGN

Moon energies are also said to have a magnetic pull on our bodies~they basically shake us into our inner-reality of what we normally hide- our true selves, so consider full moon energies as helping us see our Authentic Self. Use these awarenesses to help self, self-tune.

 

However, there is also a belief that corresponds to why there's a word "loony" or "lunatic" in reference to the "lunar" effect that could somehow make us crazy.

What I love most about last night's #SuperBlueBloodMoon is the thought of all people around the globe gathering under the same moon to watch nature at it's finest.

Photo by Collin Yap

Brace for a Fiery February on Animax!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It’s going to be an intense February with two new shows on Animax, What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? and Armed Girl’s Machiavellism, as well as the 10th anniversary of Otakufest 2018, where Animax will be taking part as the Official Channel Partner!

What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us?

In a world where most of the human race has been destroyed by creatures known as "Beasts”, a human survivor by the name of Willem wakes up five hundred years later and lives a lonely life of despair. However, he soon meets a group of girls who can wield special weapons to fight against the Beasts. Together, they will continue the fight against the Beasts and protect the people around them.

What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? premieres February 14, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8PM, first and exclusively on Animax.

Otakufest 2018
Animax is thrilled to be the Official Channel Partner of Otakufest 2018!

Attendees can expect to have a wild blast as Cebu’s largest cosplay and hobbies convention celebrates its 10th year anniversary with a smashing lineup of guests: Yuegene Fay, Eki Holic, Kaizoku Ellie, Vincent Estapon, and bless4. Otakufest 2018 will also be the Central Visayas Regional Qualifier for the World Cosplay Summit Philippines 2018.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for OO-Kun and Chu Chu, who will be traveling to Cebu together for the first time to participate in all the fun!

Otakufest 2018 will be held on February 24, 2018 at the Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

Armed Girl's Machiavellism

Fudo Nomura is a transfer student who enters a school where girls are allowed to carry weapons and rule mercilessly over the boys. On his first day, he becomes the target of Rin Onigawara, a member of the Five Ruling Swords committee that commands the school. She tries to force him to conform to the rules of the school using her sword. However, he chooses not to give in so easily. In order for him to break free from their rule, he must defeat the Five Ruling Swords!

Armed Girl's Machiavellism premieres February 14, Wednesdays to Fridays at 10PM, first and exclusively on Animax.

Smart Araneta Coliseum Hosts Philippine Circuit 2018

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The year of the dog started early at the Araneta Center when the Smart Araneta Coliseum hosted the Philippine Circuit 2018, dubbed as Asia’s biggest dog show, last January 18 to 21.

More than 600 dogs from 23 countries all over the world participated in the four-day event, making it the best attended showcase yet in the circuit’s seven-year run.

“The show just gets better and better. The number of the dogs may not be in the thousands, but the quality of the winners is up to par with the best in the world. These are some of the world’s top dogs,” Augusto Benedicto Santos III, President of the Philippine Canine Club, Inc. (PCCI), said.

Some of the most awarded dogs were the Pekingese named Diaquiris on the Edge of Fame from Mexico, the Welsh Corgi named GGC Numina Kicking the Show of Jia Jian Kennel from China and the Doberman named Double D Nicols Scrappi Koko from Brazil.

Other winning dogs include the Pomeranian named Pomsadmirer’s Premium Limited Edition from Thailand, the Samoyed named Mo Wang Jia Zu Nai Xi from China, the Siberian Husky named Topaz Silver Lining from the USA, the dachshund named Raydachs Ride My Ducati SW from the USA, the Tibetan terrier Falamandus Remastered Edition from the Netherlands, the bichon frise named Tauro Sakko from Lithuania, the French Bulldog named Kesasonas Little Woody at the Kingfriend from the United Kingdom and the Jack Russel Terrier named Jack Galaxy Mr. Hollywood of Belarus.

In the local front, the Labrador retriever named Sunshadow Black Tie Affair AKA Chicco was one of the most awarded Philippine-bred dogs.

“The competition was very tough, but the quality of the winners is very good,” Santos said.


‘Fun’ show
The Araneta Coliseum transformed into a playground for the dogs—a sure treat for the public who got to see some of the world’s best and most unique dogs for free!

Aside from the popular dog breeds such as beagles, corgis, Siberian huskies and Boston terriers, Great Danes, bichon frises, Samoyeds, monkey terriers, poodles, a Dalmatian, and Tibetan terriers also competed.

“We are proud of the show in the Philippines; it has become one of the most prestigious in the world. The show is a lot of fun. It’s not just competition,” Santos said.

According to Santos, some of the foreign participants and judges even extended their stay in the country to see more of what the Philippines has to offer.

The PCCI is optimistic that the Philippine Circuit will only get bigger in the years to come with the successful staging of the 2018 edition.

For more updates on the fun, unique and entertaining events at the Araneta Coliseum and the entire Araneta Center, visit www.aranetacenter.net.

Toronto's Casey Earns Spot As Head Coach of Team Lebron in 2018 NBA All-Star Game

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey and his staff will coach Team LeBron in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Los Angeles (8 p.m. ET).

Casey becomes the Raptors’ first All-Star Game head coach. He earned the honor for the first time in his nine seasons as an NBA head coach.

With tonight’s 123-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Raptors (33-15, .688) clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 4 among the 14 conference teams with a head coach eligible for the 2018 All-Star Game. Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens was ineligible because he coached the East in last year’s All-Star Game.

Under a new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between conferences, each All-Star Game coach will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference. Casey and his staff will coach the All-Star team that features the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James as captain.

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni and his staff previously earned the spot to coach Team Stephen, captained by the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry. Casey will coach against Toronto’s two All-Star selections, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, both drafted to Team Stephen.

Casey is the Raptors’ longest-tenured and winningest coach (294-230, .561). He guided Toronto to the playoffs in each of the previous four seasons – the four winningest seasons in franchise history. Casey has a career coaching record of 347-299 (.537) over seven seasons with the Raptors and two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 67th NBA All-Star Game will air on TNT and ESPN Radio. The game will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

Geje Eustaquio Earns One Interim Flyweight World Championship with Unanimous Decision Over Kairat Akhmetov

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), sent the Mall of Asia Arena crowd into a frenzy last Friday night in Manila, with another thrilling evening of authentic martial arts action. The absolute best in local and international martial arts talent took to the ONE Championship cage at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES to showcase their incredible skills. In the main event, Geje Eustaquio walked out of the arena to a roar of adulation and with the ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship around his waist, defeating former world champion Kairat Akhmetov.

Visit the official ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES photo gallery by clicking: http://bit.ly/onephotos

In the main event of ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES, Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of Baguio City, Philippines clinched the ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship, edging Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov by unanimous decision in an exhilarating five-round title tilt. Although Akhmetov managed to showcase his wrestling, it was largely ineffective against Eustaquio, who was far superior in the striking department for the majority of the bout. Eustaquio repeatedly connected on Akhmetov with crisp, clean combinations throughout the championship contest. In the end, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Eustaquio to win by unanimous decision.

Geje Eustaquio, ONE Interim Flyweight World Champion, stated: “I don’t know what to say. This belt is not mine to take, it’s ours. Thank you to my family who was always there from the start, coach Mark Sangiao, and the entire Team Lakay who never doubted me and always believed that one day I would stand here holding this belt. I am proud to represent this flag all throughout the world. Here is your world champion from the Philippines. Adriano [Moraes] I know you’re there. I got a belt! Give me one more try and I hope to give you a better challenge this time.”

In the co-main event of the evening, 22-year-old Joshua “The Passion” Pacio unveiled an improved grappling game, submitting China’s Lan Ming Qiang via rear naked choke in the very first round. Pacio started off with his world-class wushu, operating from range with fast and powerful kicks. After taking the action to the mat, Pacio effortlessly took mount and pounded on his foe who soon gave up the back. With the body triangle locked in, Pacio sunk his forearm underneath Lan’s neck and secured the bout-ending maneuver.

Rafael “Indio” Nunes of Brazil made a triumphant return to the ONE Championship cage after two years away from competition to defeat Filipino featherweight veteran Eric “The Natural” Kelly by second-round submission. The 30-year-old Muay Thai specialist kept Kelly on the defensive with his striking before taking matters to the ground and sinking in a deep d’arce choke to score the finish.

In the first ever traditional Muay Thai bout inside the ONE Championship cage, multi-division Lumpinee World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao emerged triumphant against WBC Muay Thai Super Bantamweight World Champion Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri. Gaiyanghadao showcased his trademark power to dominate from start to finish, winning by technical knockout.

A grueling flyweight showdown between “The Southern Eagle” Ma Hao Bin of China and Sotir Kichukov of Bulgaria transpired inside the ONE Championship cage. Neither of the two would give each other any quarter for three whole rounds, as they traded their best offense all throughout. Although Kichukov would have his moments on the feet, most of the action took place on the ground where Ma enjoyed a tremendous advantage. In the end, Ma turned in another well-rounded performance to claim victory via unanimous decision.

Japanese grappling prodigy Hayato Suzuki placed himself back on the winning track, pulling off a first-round submission victory over former world title contender Yago Bryan of Brazil. With 57 seconds remaining in the opening period of the strawweight contest, Suzuki latched onto a wrenching rear naked choke to force the tap, notching his eighth submission win as a professional.

Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia of the United States continued his impressive run in ONE Championship, knocking out Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Bruno Pucci in the first round. Urrutia stifled Pucci with crisp boxing combinations, making it difficult for the Brazilian to bring the action to the mat. Urrutia secured the statement-making finish by connecting on a sensational left hook past the midway point, sending Pucci crashing to the canvas.

Filipino featherweight standout Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly delivered a sensational first-round knockout of opponent Meas Meul, dropping the Cambodian with a high kick merely seconds into the bout. At the opening bell, Kelly engaged Meul at the center of the cage and connected on a quick three-punch combination before delivering the final blow that sent Meul face first into the canvas.

Jomary Torres of Manila, Philippines scored the most impressive win of her young career, authoring a swift knockout finish over Team Lakay atomweight ace April Osenio. Torres left a lasting impression in her third trip to the ONE Championship cage, driving Osenio to the mat with a high-impact slam before putting the final touches with follow-up ground strikes to claim the knockout.

Rajinder Singh Meena of India captured his first victory inside the ONE Championship cage, defeating highly-touted Chinese lightweight prospect Zhang Ze Hao by way of first-round submission. Determined to break into the winner’s column, Meena needed just 42 seconds in the opening round to put Zhang to sleep with a guillotine choke.

Kicking off ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES was a riveting strawweight encounter as Indonesian dynamo Adrian Matheis squared off against the debuting Eddey Kalai of Malaysia. Matheis weathered a gutsy opening sequence from Eddey, who effortlessly pummeled the ONE Strawweight Indonesia Tournament Champion with his superb boxing. The complexion of the contest took a drastic turn when Matheis gained leverage on the mat, catching Kalai with a rear naked choke to force the tap.

Official results for ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES

ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship bout: Geje Eustaquio defeats Kairat Akhmetov by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 5 rounds

Strawweight bout: Joshua Pacio defeats Lan Ming Qiang by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:01 minutes of round 1

Featherweight bout: Rafael Nunes defeats Eric Kelly by Submission (D’Arce Choke) at 1:31 minutes of round 2

Muay Thai bout: Sam-A Gaiyanghadao defeats Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri by TKO (Strikes) at 2:30 minutes of round 2

Flyweight bout: Ma Hao Bin defeats Sotir Kichukov by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Strawweight bout: Hayato Suzuki defeats Yago Bryan by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:03 minutes of round 1

Featherweight bout: Emilio Urrutia defeats Bruno Pucci by Knockout (KO) at 3:33 minutes of round 1

Featherweight bout: Edward Kelly defeats Meas Meul by Knockout (KO) at 0:21 minutes of round 1

Women’s strawweight bout: Jomary Torres defeats April Osenio by Knockout (KO) at 0:40 minutes of round 1

Lightweight bout: Rajinder Singh Meena defeats Zhang Ze Hao by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:42 minutes of round 1

Strawweight bout: Adrian Matheis defeats Eddey Kalai by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:15 minutes of round 1

In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Houston's D'Antoni Earns a Spot As Head Coach of Team Stephen in 2018 NBA All-Star Game

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni and his staff will coach Team Stephen in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18 (8 p.m. ET) at Staples Center in Los Angeles. D’Antoni joins Rudy Tomjanovich (1997) as the Rockets’ only All-Star Game head coaches.

A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, D’Antoni earned All-Star Game head coaching honors for the second time. As the Phoenix Suns’ head coach, he led the Western Conference past the Eastern Conference 153-132 in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas.

The Rockets (34-13, .723) tonight clinched the best record in the West through games played on Sunday, Feb. 4 among the 14 conference teams with a head coach eligible for the 2018 All-Star Game.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was ineligible because he coached the West in last year’s All-Star Game.

Under a new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between conferences, each 2018 All-Star Game coach will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference.

D’Antoni and his staff will coach the All-Star team that features Golden State’s Stephen Curry as captain.

The eligible head coach of the team with the East’s best record through games of Feb. 4 will coach the All-Star team captained by the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James. Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is ineligible to coach Team LeBron because he led the East in last year’s All-Star Game.

D’Antoni, in his second season with Houston, has an 89-40 record (.690) as the Rockets’ coach. Last season, he was named the 2016-17 NBA Coach of the Year after guiding Houston to a 55-27 record and the No. 3 playoff seed in the West. He was also voted Coach of the Year with Phoenix in 2004-05, when the Suns tied a team record with 62 victories. His career coaching record is 544-466 (.539) over 14 seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Suns, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Rockets.

The 67th NBA All-Star Game will air on TNT and ESPN Radio. The game will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

Internet Shutdowns: A Myth of Security and Public Safety

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) expresses grave concern over the decision of Philippine authorities to shut down cell sites during huge festivities. The organization calls for transparency regarding the guidelines used by authorities before resorting to signal jamming. As advocates of human rights and communication rights, FMA believes that human rights and fundamental freedoms offline should also equally apply online. Internet shutdowns, which may come in various forms such as signal jamming, restrict people’s right to communicate.

The National Telecommunications Commission has approved the Philippine National Police’s request to shut down mobile services in time for the Dinagyang festival this coming weekend, January 27 to 28, 2018. This means that mobile features such as phone calls, short message service, and access to mobile data will not be possible in select areas. Philippine mobile operators are not new to such request. In January 2018 alone, network shutdowns were carried out at the Feast of the Black Nazarene, and at the Sinulog  and Ati-atihan festivals held in Cebu and Aklan, respectively.

The first known mobile network shutdown in the Philippines was during the Papal visit in 2015. Since then, signal jamming has been frequently used as a go-to security mechanism for large events, with public safety as their primary justification. Other known cases include festivals such as Sinulog 2017, Dinagyang 2017, Hermosa 2016, MassKara 2017, Feast of the Black Nazarene 2017, and other events such as the swimsuit portion of Miss Universe 2017, and Palarong Pambansa 2017. It appears that shutting down communication networks is becoming the norm.

FMA notes the lack of evidence proving that mobile network shutdown contributes to security. The fact that bigger events such as ASEAN was conducted safely even without shutting down cell sites show that the police and authorities are capable enough to maintain security without resorting to internet or mobile network shutdown. Stripping the general public of their means to communicate restricts them from contacting emergency services, authorities, and each other; paralyzes their businesses and jobs; and further places them at risk. Sacrificing access to basic services, as well as the fundamental right to communicate, in the name of purely hypothetical benefits fails the test of necessity and proportionality.

As such, FMA calls for a clearer policy or set of guidelines for implementing these mobile network shutdowns. Authorities must be transparent in their protocol on who can ask for, when to ask for, how long, and how wide the implementation of the mobile network shutdown will be. Shutting down cell sites should only be the last resort and not the default security measure. However, when the need to resort to signal jamming arises, the public always needs to be informed, as they suffer the most from these shutdowns. Authorities must also ensure that emergency services can be accessed despite communication restrictions.

Without any transparent basis in shutting down cell sites, authorities can abuse their capability to strip the general public of their right to communicate. The masses are convinced to compromise their right to expression for their security when there is no clear need for a tradeoff. In times when authorities can easily turn off our right and access to communication, FMA urges them to #KeepItOn.