Muslim Filipinos can proceed to the Step 2 biometrics capturing process of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) without taking off their traditional head coverings. Hijab (cloth usually wrapped around the head and neck) for females and taqiyah (skull cap) for males. In a recent social media advisory, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the lead PhilSys implementing agency, clarified that registry offices will not require Muslim registrants to take off their hijab and taqiyah during photo capture. At the same time, the PSA reminded registrants nationwide that double registration and providing false information are punishable by law. So far, more than 60
_:Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) field officers have been ordered to review existing forest fire prevention measures due to increasing incidents of man-made forest fires during the dry season. As national case trends of Covid-19 continue to decline, the easing of restrictions on movements of people in many parts of the country is also likely, according to a DENR news release on Saturday. Based on the record of the DENR-Forest Management Bureau, forest fire incidents went down to 429 in 2020 from 1,282 in 2019, attributed to lockdown measures. DENR and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) have
he Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), condemned on Saturday North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test last week. In a statement, the DFA described the move as a “reckless and provocative action” that undermines peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, the entire region, and the world. “We reiterate our call on the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) to comply with its international obligation under relevant UN (United Nations) Security Council resolutions, and commit to the process of constructive and peaceful dialogue,” it said. Pyongyang claimed that it “successfully” launched a new type of ICBM
_:The Taal Volcano Network recorded 36 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes within a 24-hour period, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) bulletin on Saturday. The volcano has been on Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) since March 26, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. Activity at the main crater was dominated by the upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in its lake which generated plumes 900 meters high that drifted southwest. Sulfur dioxide emission averaged 2,451 tonnes/day on Friday. Based on ground deformation parameters from electronic tilt, continuous GPS (Global Positioning System), and InSAR (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) monitoring, Taal
Will Smith resigned Friday from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscar awards last weekend. “I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct,” Smith said in a statement. “My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable.” Smith’s resignation comes nearly a week after walking onstage at the Oscars and slapping Chris Rock across the face because he took offense to a joke the comedian made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. After the slap, Smith shouted at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out
Before insulting President Rodrigo Duterte and downplaying efforts to end insurgency in the country, jailed Senator Leila de Lima should realize how her corrupt tenure as Department of Justice secretary destroyed lives and betrayed Filipinos many times over. National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson for sectoral concerns and Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy on Saturday fired back at de Lima, who has been detained in Camp Crame since 2017 for illegal drug trading. “She has panicked and let loose a volley of words insulting the honest work of faithful public servants of the NTF-ELCAC that’s
