Author: Jericho Zafra

MANILA, Philippines — At least eight out of 10 Filipinos are becoming more visual in terms of consuming news, a report from Reuters Institute showed.According to Reuters, consumers are becoming more reliant in video consumption from creators and influencers, not journalists.Within Asia-Pacific, the Philippines placed third with Hong Kong in terms of the proportion of participants who consume short-form online news weekly.“Video is becoming a more important source of online news, especially with younger groups,” said Nic Newman, author of 2024 Reuters’ Digital News Report.“We look at why consumers are embracing more video consumption and investigate which mainstream and alternative…

MANILA, Philippines — Amid worsening hunger problems in the Philippines, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos told government agencies to unite  to address the country’s problems on hunger. “Let us move forward with determination, compassion, and purpose in building a Bagong Pilipinas where food is not only affordable but plentiful, and where every Bagong Pilipino leads a good, healthy, and productive life,” President Marcos said during the “Walang Gutom Awards.” Walang Gutom Awards originally aims to recognize LGUs with “successful programs to combat hunger.” According to the 2023 Global Hunger Index, the Philippines ranks 66th out of 125 countries worldwide “with sufficient…

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday that it already endorsed the cancellation of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo’s certificate of live birth to the Office of Solicitor General.“We [have] already endorsed to the Office of the Solicitor General for canceling the [Certificate of Live Birth] COLB,” said Marizza Grande, Assistant National Statistician of PSA’s Civil Registration Service.During the Senate inquiry on the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub where the suspended Bamban Mayor is linked, Grande said that the agency has “no power” to cancel a certificate of live birth if the process of…

MANILA, Philippines — China has once again hit back at the Philippines and urged it to stop infringing on its rights in the West Philippine Sea and abide by international law in response to the violent June 17 encounter near Ayungin Shoal.“The Philippines, if it would truly act in accordance with international law, should first and foremost observe the treaties that define its territory, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, and abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” said China’s spokesperson Mao…

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) revealed that Chinese hackers are responsible for the spate of cyberattacks against the website of the Philippine Coast Guard.DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said the hackers used a Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT), a type of “sophisticated cyberattack” that steals sensitive data or causes damage to a network over time.”There are already reports from the US. There are already media reports from other countries. Sinasabi nila that Chinese actors are actively acting on certain government’s online sites,” Dy said at a Malacañang press briefing“The tactics, techniques, and procedures, which…

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has confirmed that the fingerprints of suspended Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo matched with Chinese woman Guo Hua Ping, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Thursday.“The NBI has confirmed that the fingerprints of Mayor Alice Guo and Guo Hua Ping match, Hontiveros said.“Ibig sabihin, they are the fingerprints of one & the same person,” she said.She likewise noted that Guo is “masquerading as [a] Filipino citizen to facilitate crimes allegedly being committed by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). The lawmaker cited that this is a piece of firm evidence to remove Guo from public…

MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Health (DOH) reported an increasing number of leptospirosis as the country faces the onset of the rainy season. According to the recent DOH tally, 878 cases of leptospirosis were recorded as of June 15. Of the total number of cases, 84 resulted in deaths.Additionally, 83 cases were logged from June 2 to 15. This number is higher compared to the 60 cases reported from May 19 to June 1.“While this is only around half of the number of Leptospirosis cases (1,769) in the same period last year, the DOH has observed that the weekly case count…

MANILA, Philippines — The 2025 Senatorial polls will be filled with three Dutertes after Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed that his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, and his brothers Davao 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte will be running for elections next year.“Lahat sila raring na tumakbo eh. Si PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) senator, ‘yung kuya ko si Paolo Duterte, ‘yung congressman ngayon, senator. Si Sebastian Duterte,” she said. “Tatlo ang Duterte next year… yes, confirmed ‘yan,” she added.Moreover, Sara said in Bisaya that Mayor Duterte is vying for the presidential post in the 2028…

MANILA, Philippines — A recent survey from American analytics and advisory firm Gallup revealed that the Philippines clinched 10th place across 142 countries with “positive experiences” in 2023.The Philippines recorded an 82 percent positive experience index along with Senegal and Thailand.Meanwhile, Paraguay and Panama ranked first in all the countries surveyed for the “highest positive experiences index.”Gallup’s Positive and Negative Experience Indexes measure how people feel each day, showing leaders the well-being of their societies beyond economic numbers like gross domestic product.“Negative emotions dipped for the first time in a decade, and positive emotions rebounded to their pre-pandemic highs,” Gallup…

RESEARCHERS have found the presence of microplastics on human penises and raised concerns on the significant impact it may have on men’s reproductive health, a recent data from IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal showed.According to the study, about seven types of microplastics were discovered in over four of the five samples of penile tissues taken from different men who had been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction and were hospitalized to undergo penile implant surgery at the University of Miami from August to September 2023.The results were only released this month.Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, smaller than five millimeters. Some microplastics…