2 Latest Happening In The Philippines

Manila, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman should release the long-withheld
Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of former President Rodrigo Duterte now
that allegations of money laundering have hounded Duterte in connection to his ties with
controversial preacher Apollo Quiboloy, a Makabayan bloc lawmaker said on Monday.

Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) said that Duterte’s new role as property administrator of
the assets of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ — the church founded by Quiboloy, his close ally and
spiritual adviser — has “(raised) more doubts about the connections of the two and talk of
money laundering issues between them.

Duterte’s 2017 declaration was his last SALN to be made public. Throughout most of his
presidency, which ended in June 2022, the Palace had asserted that the president is only
required to file his SALNs with the Office of the Ombudsman, which decides whether to
publicize the SALN or not.

However, in 2020, the Office of the Ombudsman under Ombudsman Samuel Martires
restricted the public’s access to officials’ SALNs, only allowing its release if the requester is an
authorized representative, acting on a court order concerning a pending case or part of the
Office of the Ombudsman’s fact-finding investigation team.

As this essentially allowed Duterte and other public officials to keep their SALNs from the
public eye, critics of Martires’ circular pointed out that it went against the principles of Republic
Act (RA) 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,
which require all public officials to file their SALN. Castro said that the public remains clueless
about “how big (Duterte’s) assets have grown since he became president.”

“How many billions of confidential and intelligence funds has he had access to, but none of
these have been subject to proper accounting,” Castro said in Filipino. “Now that he’s
designated as the caretaker of Quiboloy’s assets, we can’t blame the public for thinking there is
a money laundering arrangement between (Quiboloy and Duterte),” she added.
 The lawmaker added that the ombudsman can “settle such talks” by publicizing Duterte’s
SALNs during his whole presidency or from 2016 to 2022. The former president said he
volunteered to manage the assets of KOJC to help Quiboloy — who he described as his “friend”
— deal with the controversies brought by the congressional hearings about his alleged abuses,
according to his interview with vloggers last week.

Sexual abuse and fraud allegations against Quiboloy came to light in 2021 after a United
States court charged the self-appointed “Son of God” with conspiracy to engage in sex
trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force,
fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling. These were once again brought up
when the Senate launched an investigation into the sexual abuse and trafficking allegations
against Quiboloy and other KOJC leaders in January, which Quiboloy refused to attend even
after he was cited in contempt by Senate women and gender equality panel chair Sen. Risa
Hontiveros.

At one of these Senate hearings, some former KOJC followers testified that they were
sexually abused by the KOJC founder for years. A number of overseas Filipino workers who
were formerly part of KOJC also said that the KOJC required them to fork over 90% of their
earnings to the church, forcing some to give up their homes in the process.

Quiboloy has repeatedly denied these allegations and has continuously invoked his right to
due process in refusing to attend committee hearings about his and his KOJC leaders’ alleged
crimes. However, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate panel leading the investigation
against him, recently reminded Quiboloy’s camp that the Senate has respected the pastor’s right
to due process by allowing him to attend hearings and giving him a 48-hour timeframe to
respond to a show cause order for why he should not be cited in contempt.
 Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte recognizes SMS Philippines as a
consistent partner in supporting the DepEd’s MATATAG Agenda.

MANILA, Philippines — In February, the distinguished award ceremony for the Department of
Education’s stakeholders and sponsors was held at the GSIS Theater in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay
City. The event saw attendance of leading global brands and market leaders, together with
Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte who spearheaded the program. She was
joined by DepEd Undersecretary Atty. Michael Poa and GSIS General Manager Jose Arnulfo
Veloso.

The celebration highlighted the shared values and commitment of DepEd and SMS
Philippines, a healthcare marketing agency, in supporting the government’s aim to establish a
robust Basic Education System. This commitment creates an environment where both students
and teachers can thrive together. Having been recognized and awarded in the said event, SMS
Philippines takes pride in its commitment in actively supporting programs such as the Brigada
Eskwela Program. This exemplifies the transformative influence of collective action. Through the
mobilization of volunteers to prepare classrooms for the upcoming academic year, this initiative
stands as a beacon of how collaboration can instigate meaningful change. SMS Philippines’
recognition for its effective partnership extends beyond this, being integral in other DepEd
national projects such as the Palarong Pambansa, Teacher’s Day, and the WINS Washing in
Schools program.

Alongside esteemed brand allies we underscore our dedication to fostering educational

excellence. United in this cause, we tirelessly work to ensure that our joint endeavors pave the
way for a more promising future for all. “We at SMS Philippines express our gratitude to our
client partners for the trust in implementing the health and educational activities awarded to us
today. I am proud to be part of making a difference, one Filipino child at a time,” Lia Chua-
Rivera, SMS Philippines country manager, said.
 “SMS is honored to be in a position, through our clients, to support DepEd and their
programs for the formation and education of the young,” Edwin Albert Valles, project manager
for Schools, Community and Corporate events, shared. This collaboration is a beacon of
empowerment and progress, leaving a legacy that not only signifies new beginnings but also
reinforces SMS Philippines’ ongoing commitment to improving lives. As it navigates this
transformative journey, the focus on impactful community engagement and the mission to
disseminate compelling healthcare information remains paramomy?vision with compassion and
commitment

In 2013, SMS Philippines embarked on a transformative mission, centering on maternal

health and distributing Mom Kits to expectant mothers across 30 hospitals. A decade later, SMS
has evolved into an industry leader in Integrated Healthcare Marketing, seamlessly connecting
clients with 256 healthcare institutions and organizations. It has further broadened its reach
through established school partnerships, collaborating with over 15 School Division Offices.

Moreover, SMS has successfully diversified into the digital marketing sphere, managing a
network of 500 influencers who collectively reach over 200 million individuals, transcending
physical boundaries.

Celebrating its 10th year, SMS Philippines has not only expanded its footprint but has also
refined its services, delivering efficient and effective healthcare marketing solutions.
 2 Latest Happening In The World

Hollywood actor Idris Elba has a “big dream”

for Sierra Leone, the West African nation where his father was born – to regenerate a beautiful
island off its coast and turn it into an eco-friendly “smart city”.

“Originally we went there thinking how could we bring tourism to the most incredible 19
miles of beachfront,” the British star told the BBC about Sherbro Island. But as the idea was
explored, a more innovative plan came into play – to bring in partners and seriously develop the
area in a sustainable, eco way. The project now also intends to bring wind-powered renewable
electricity for the first time to Sierra Leone.

“It’s a dream, you know, but I work in the make-believe business,” says Elba, best known for
his roles in Luther, the Wire and for playing Nelson Mandela. The 51-year-old actor wants to
make people believe this can happen – and change perspectives.“It’s about being self-reliant,
it’s about bringing an economy that feeds itself and has growth potential. I’m very keen to
reframe the way Africa is viewed… as an aid model.

“This opportunity is completely different.” Elba was brought into the project by his childhood
friend Siaka Stevens, the grandson of a former Sierra Leonean president of the same name.
The pair grew up together in east London, both have worked as DJs and their paths often cross
in the entertainment world.

For the last decade, Stevens has been spending more time in Sierra Leone and had initially
wanted to establish a boutique hotel there. However he told the BBC his background in luxury
hospitality and entertainment made him quickly realise “Sierra Leone wasn’t ready for that level
of tourism”.
 This is what spurred thoughts of developing Sherbro Island and with encouragement from a
friend who worked on the Saudi Red Sea enterprise, a tourism megaproject, he approached
Elba.

Blinken says “gaps are narrowing” for hostage deal, but difficult challenges remain

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in Cairo, Egypt, on
Thursday, March 21.

. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spress conference in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, March
21. Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/Reuters

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the “gaps are narrowing” between Israel and
Hamas to get a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages, but conceded that
“there’s still real challenges.”

“We’ve been working, as you know, with Egypt, with Qatar and with Israel to put a strong
proposal on the table. Hamas responded to that,” Blinken said during news conference in Cairo,
Egypt, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Blinken said he still believes a deal is
possible, despite “difficult work to get there.”

“The teams are working every single day on this,” he said. “There’s still real challenges. We’ve
closed the gaps but there are still gaps.”

As Israel prepares for a possible operation in the Rafah region of Gaza, Blinken said the US
believes Hamas “can be effectively dealt with without a major ground operation in Rafah.” He
said a ground operation would “be a mistake,” and officials will outline alternative plans when
an Israeli delegation goes to Washington, DC, next week.

Meanwhile, Shoukry said he and Blinken agreed to plan “concrete steps” to increase
humanitarian aid in Gaza.
 The minister stated that the US and Egypt are aligned in their “total rejection of military
operations in Rafah.” The minister added that Egypt would do “whatever is possible, whatever is
required to facilitate a cessation of hostilities and an end to the military activity.”
 Performance
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