MANILA -- Insurance Commission’s (IC) Dennis Funa said the Commission, the National Reinsurance Corp. of the Philippines (Nat Re) and the Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers’ Association (PIRA) have joined forces to finalize the Philippine Catastrophe Insurance Facility (PCIF) which would allow non-life insurers to “cede their catastrophe risks to this insurance pool or facility” in a press statement by the Department of Finance. Last year, the IC, Nat Re and PIRA signed a ...

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on February 22 said the mishandling of the Dengvaxia case by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) contributed to the delays in arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. “To me, the indemnification requirement is borne out by the events that transpired in Dengvaxia controversy," he said. "Why did the manufacturers suddenly require an indemnity clause? Because of their experience with the way the Dengvaxia controversy was ...

The use of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine, the first that  will arrive in the Philippines , is not recommended for the healthcare workers, said Food and Drug Director Gen, Eric Domingo. Domingo issued the statement on February 22 after he announced the approval of the controversial Chinese vaccine  for emergency use in the Philippines. “It has a lower efficacy rate of 50.4 percent when used on healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19. Therefore, it is not recommended ...

Sen. Imee Marcos defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s stand that the Philippines should be better compensated for enhancing America’s military defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region. “The Philippines not only enhances the forward defense perimeter of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region but even subsidizes its utility expenses in our very own bases,” Marcos said. “When many Filipinos cannot even pay their water and electricity bills amid this pande...

The school teacher in Zambales who last year offered a PHP50-reward to anyone who could kill President Duterte is now off the hook after the provincial prosecutor junked the second complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for inciting to sedition. Zambales provincial prosecutor Leonardo Santos said in a resolution released to media that the NBI, which re-filed the complaint against Ronald Mas, "failed to prove the identity of the perpetrator," as requi...

Under US President Joe Biden, the United States practically admonished Beijing to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea as Washington reaffirmed its recognition of the Hague ruling which it called “final and legally binding on all parties.” On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), US and Philippine officials discussed opportunities to strengthen their alliance as the Biden administration reaffirmed its re...

California State 18th District Assemblymember Rob Bonta filed a bill to provide mental health services, more access to compensation funds and promote restorative justice programs for hate crime victims in reaction to the spate of hate attacks against Asian Americans Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Bonta filed AB 886 after a 70-year old woman was shoved and robbed in Oakland, one of the cities he represents. As the first Filipino American to represent a US state assembly district...

Independent a.k.a indie film makers were less than ecstatic when the government announced plans of reopening movie houses by next month. As far as they are concerned, the trend has leaned towards online streaming where movie goers watch whenever and wherever they want, as long as they have PCs, laptops, or tablets. Even in pre-pandemic days, indie film makers had struggled to find an audience. This, despite a number of local directors making their mark in the ...

MEMPHIS (FEBRUARY 22, 2021) – Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian mission to space, has announced its second crew member, Hayley Arceneaux of Memphis, TN, a 29-year-old physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® who was treated as a child for bone cancer at St. Jude. Arceneaux joins Inspiration4 mission commander Jared Isaacman. She will occupy the mission seat representing Hope. “It’s an incredible honor to join the Inspiration4 crew. This seat...