oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | elections, government regulations, politics, politics and government, politics and law
As the 45-day local campaign period began, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) issued a warning about potential disqualification for both national and local candidates who provide aid (ayuda) without obtaining appropriate approval from the election commission.
“Whenever you use ayuda or distribute ayuda without exemptions from Comelec, it could either be vote-buying or an abuse of resources. We will immediately disqualify such cases right away, with no ifs and buts,” said Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia to reporters on Thursday.
(National and local candidates who will distribute ayuda without proper exemptions will be immediately disqualified, no buts and what ifs.)
“Due process should be followed, yes, but we shouldn’t dwell on that aspect since the Supreme Court has affirmed the power of the Commission on Elections,” stated Garcia.
(Due process will be followed, however, the Supreme Court has upheld our authority to proceed with this action.)
The campaign period for local bettors is scheduled to start from Friday, March 28 through May 10. For the national campaigns, they will run from February 11 till May 10, 2025.
Campaigning will not be allowed on April 17 (Maundy Thursday), April 18 (Good Friday), May 11 (the day before Election Day), and May 12 (Election Day).
Last week, the electoral commission granted exemptions to certain social welfare initiatives under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) from the election expenditure restrictions for Eleksyon 2025. This includes approximately ₱12 billion worth of assistance.
Tulong para sa Programang Pagpapabuti ng Kitas
(AKAP) financing. This additional amount comes atop the P882 million initially sought by the DSWD back in January.
Garcia cautioned politicians and candidates about this reminder:
The DSWD directives for implementing AKAP
which involves banning them from being present along with related items when distributing financial aid.
“Let’s not compromise what our fellow citizens deserve as aid. It wouldn’t be fair for them to be denied help because of your mistakes… No politician or candidate should interfere during the distribution of assistance, and hopefully, our social workers will not sacrifice their professionalism when dealing with this situation,” the election official further stated.
(We must not jeopardize the support that the public requires. It would be unjust for them to be unable to obtain assistance due to the misdeeds of the candidates. Neither politicians nor candidates will be permitted at the time of AKAP distribution.)
According to Section 261 (v) (1) of the Omnibus Election Code, public officials, employees—including those from barangays and government-owned or controlled corporations—are barred from allocating, distributing, or using public money for infrastructure initiatives during the period starting 45 days prior to a regular election and ending 30 days before a special election. This restriction does not apply to maintaining current or finished public works projects, carrying out contracted work via open bidding processes, or responding to emergencies with urgent repairs.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 11060, a certificate of exemption must be obtained for carrying out initiatives and schemes related to social welfare projects and services during the period when public spending is restricted, which spans from March 28 to May 11, 2025.
In December 2024, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) approved the appeal made by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to exclude certain initiatives from the expenditure prohibition. Additionally, it provided exemptions for 48 infrastructure endeavors prior to the May midterm elections.
Similarly, the Comelec declared that it will prohibit the dissemination of various types of financial aid (ayuda) ten days before the May elections, including the contentious one.
AKAP
.
— RSJ, GMA Network News
To access additional information and updates about the Eleksyon 2025, check out
GMA News Online’s Eleksyon 2025 microsite
.
This article
Comelec cautions against disqualifications for candidates giving aid without exception.
was originally published in
GMA News Online
.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | basketball, sports, tournaments
BY Andrei Barrantes
For the third consecutive year, the formerly dominant NU-Nazareth School ended up disappointed following the conclusion of the UAAP boys’ basketball championship.
During Game 3 of the Season 87 championship series, the Bullpups lost in overtime to the University of Santo Tomas—a setback following their bronze medal win in Season 85 and their second-place finish in Season 86.
READ:
Tiger Cubs clinch basketball championship for Espana
Certainly, the team in blue and gold continued to make the match competitive despite falling behind by as many as 17 points and facing significant difficulties shooting from beyond the arc. They subsequently launched an intense comeback effort in the second half but still found themselves down by two at 72-74 with just 5.8 seconds remaining in the game.
Following a timeout, Mac Alfanta’s attempt fell short, but luckily for NUNS, Migs Palanca was in the perfect position for the follow-up shot that equalized the score and sent the game into overtime.
PHOTO: UAAP Media Bureau
Although they eventually exhausted their energy in overtime, the Bullpups found encouragement in Palanca’s performance, scoring 21 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and blocking three shots across 28 minutes of play.
“Even though my personal output might be good, if the end result is not winning, what I did will be overshadowed because they’ll say it was insufficient,” he explained.
Once again we fell short, but it wasn’t our loss though — it’s either we win or we learn from it.
Moving on to the next one for Migs
With the 6-foot-7 forward wrapping up his final season in NUNS, he reflected on his journey from barely seeing play off the bench to becoming an essential player.
As he explained, “Everyone needs to be worked on. My current position, even those who know about it, during my first year, I was at a bank, and I didn’t have a single minute to spare. However, I treated that as a learning opportunity.”
I watch them during study sessions, at movies; I keep my focus on the board. In my second year, I started translating a little bit but wasn’t consistent about it. By my third year, everyone noticed, and I contributed regularly to the group.
Without any doubt, Palanca shared his wish to remain in Jhocson, continuing to be under the vigilant eye of renowned coach Jeff Napa.
“I’ll just stay for now. I’ll do what I did during my first year as a junior: focus on learning, learning, and more learning,” he said.
Although he can proudly claim that he rose through the ranks during his years in high school, the native of Agusan del Norte expects a higher degree of competition when he reaches college. He states, “I’ll see what their physicality is like because they say in college, it’s all about IQ. If you really observe, the freshmen dominate mostly with sheer strength. But for the seniors, it’s true skill that counts.”
Given all the hurdles coming up, National U’s tight-knit program appears not to pose an adjustment issue for him, since he has already established relationships with important Bulldogs who even showed up at Game 3.
“They’re there, Reinhard [Jumamoy], my companions. During our rehearsals, we reach up to the university level, so I engage in conversations with them. Sometimes, I am right alongside them,” he explained.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | actors and actresses, celebrities, celebrity gossip, star wars, star wars universe
Clive Revill, renowned for roles in “Star Wars,” “Transformers,” and “Batman,” passed away after a prolonged struggle with dementia. He was 94 when he died on March 11 at a care home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, as reported by his daughter Kate to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born in Wellington in 1930 to Eleanor, who was both a housewife and an opera singer, and his father Malet, a carpenter, Revill went on to become one of the most renowned actors from his nation. His illustrious acting career spanned more than sixty years across theater and film. He is particularly noted for lending his voice to the character of the malevolent Emperor Palpatine in the original 1980 Star Wars film.
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back and for his contributions in iconic series like the 1986 Transformers film, Batman: The Animated Series, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The distinguished career of the late actor began in the early 1950s when he met renowned actors Laurence Olivier and his spouse Vivien Leigh during their tour in New Zealand.
READ MORE:
Gemma Collins impresses with her dramatic body makeover following weight loss injections.
READ MORE:
Lily Allen flaunts breast augmentation during mini-vacation as David Harbour “three-year affair” claim surfaces.
The legendary pair was so impressed with Revill that they invited him to go to England and study drama at the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol. He accepted this opportunity and following many years of refining his talents, he launched into a long-standing career in film and TV.
Nevertheless, living away from home was not simple. “There were moments in 2017 when I felt doubtful and thought to myself, ‘I am unable to manage this. I cannot summon the strength within me,’” Revill admitted during an interview that year.
I enjoyed an excellent conversation with a lady who oversaw activities at the school, and she pulled me aside to say, “You must return to your core and discover the truth deep inside you. If you manage to uncover this truth, always hold onto it because it transcends a wedding band. It represents the fundamental essence within your existence and soul.”
Cliver was an esteemed character actor known for his memorable performances in internationally acclaimed shows like The Twilight Zone, Columbo, and Lois and Clark. He played his final role in the 2016 movie “The Queen of Spain,” starring alongside Penélope Cruz, before retiring from acting.
Actor David Pressman honored him virtually by sharing a clip of Clive on his social media.
Twitter
(X) shared: “I just learned that one of my neighbors from childhood days has left us forever—Clive Revill. Known as the original Emperor Palpatine in ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’ He was incredibly kind to me and had amazing tales to share. This clip reminds me of when I requested him to deliver his famous line. A true legend.”
A supporter commented: “It’s sad to hear that Clive Revill passed away. He had an incredible journey, playing one of the initial antagonists in Babylon 5, yet for me, he was truly memorable in ‘The New Avengers’ episode titled ‘Dead Men Are Dangerous.’ It’s a poignant and emotional segment where he masterfully portrays two of the show’s most recognizable recurrent motifs…”
In 1973, Clive received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes due to his role in the comedy movie Avanti, which also starred Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills.
The versatile performer enjoyed an illustrious theater career on Broadway over numerous years. Notable among his roles were performances in critically praised plays such as Oliver, Sherlock Holmes, and Lolita. During the 1960s, Revill was nominated for a Tony Award for his chilling depiction of the malevolent character Fagin in Oliver.
Clive is leaves behind his daughter Kate from his second marriage and his granddaughter Kayla.
If you enjoyed this story, check out more of the newest entertainment news and updates by following SANGGRALOKACelebs.
TikTok
,
Snapchat
,
Instagram
,
Twitter
,
Facebook
,
YouTube
and
Threads
.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | news, sports
TNT mentor Chot Reyes praised the performance of Poy Erram in Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, highlighting the significant role the towering player has for the squad.
Erram secured 10 out of his 14 points during the final period, propelling TNT to an 87-85 victory against Barangay Ginebra and setting up a decisive championship match on Friday evening at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
After getting into a heated argument with Reyes in the third quarter of Game 5, which TNT ended up losing, it turned out to be a significant rebound for Erram.
“We simply instructed Poy to concentrate on tuning out the distractions. That’s what matters most for him,” stated Reyes.
Reyes mentioned that out of all our players in this series, he had the best plus-minus rating on the effort chart.
Erram was whistled for three quick fouls in Game Six but managed to assert his influence without picking up additional penalties.
“I mentioned, ‘Concentrate, ignore the distractions,’ as his presence is crucial. Thankfully, he managed to do so,” stated Reyes.
Reyes mentioned that both he and Erram did not revisit their Game Five verbal altercation since Reyes chose to move past the situation swiftly. However, in a different discussion, Erram stated that he had issued an apology to the squad regarding his behavior during the incident.
Ultimately, Reyes stated that TNT remains a family, irrespective of the events that transpired during Game 5.
“I didn’t feel the necessity to tackle this issue. First off, I was unaware of whatever discussions were happening since I do not follow such matters. Instead, I kept my focus solely on our current assignment, and disregarded any conversations outside as they hold minimal importance for us,” stated Reyes.
Yesterday, we had our usual team gathering, and there was nothing significant to discuss since the level of trust within our group is so high. When tempers flare among us—like siblings or close relatives who laugh and argue—we might shout at one another. However, this does not imply that they will cease being part of a family.
“I wouldn’t call it normal, but as I mentioned, we didn’t have to discuss it or bring it up,” stated Reyes.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | business, controversies, courts, criminal cases, judiciaries
The High Court at Nairobi’s Milimani Commercial Courts rejected a case brought forth by Davidson Ivusa against Safaricom Limited.
Ivusa alleged that Safaricom took his groundbreaking “Jichomoe” idea, claiming this was the inspiration behind their popular Reverse Call Feature.
The ruling, issued by Judge F.G. Mugambi on February 27, 2025, concluded a legal dispute that started in April 2021.
The lawsuit filed by the plaintiff against Safaricom
Davidson Ivusa, the claimant, initiated lawsuit number Civil Case E562 of 2021 on April 20, 2021. He sought various forms of relief against Safaricom, such as an order to prevent the firm from utilizing or promoting its Reverse Call service. Additionally, he requested compensation for breaches of confidence, misrepresentation, and lost commercial prospects.
Ivusa asserted that he presented a submission to Safaricom on May 10, 2010, under the title “Jichomoe.” He explained this as an answer designed to help Safaricom subscribers place calls irrespective of their economic limitations.
He claimed that the firm maintained his concept under examination for an extended period, continually assuring him of their consideration, before eventually debuting a remarkably comparable feature, the Safaricom Reverse Call Service, on June 18, 2019, without including or consulting him.
Ivusa contended that this was a violation of trust and charged Safaricom with appropriating his idea and presenting it as their own creation.
Safaricom’s defense
In their defense statement submitted on January 17, 2022, Safaricom refuted Ivusa’s claims, stating that its Reverse Call Service was a distinct invention created in June 2018 and introduced on April 26, 2019.
The firm stated that the service was created to cater to the requirements of subscribers who couldn’t make calls because they lacked sufficient airtime. It enabled them to start reverse calls using a specific code.
The telecoms company highlighted that reverse call technology wasn’t new, having preceded Ivusa’s suggestion and being present in different formats long before mobile communications were common.
Safaricom emphasized notable distinctions between its offering and Jichomoe: whereas the Reverse Call Service only covers voice calls, Jichomoe includes voice calls, text messaging, and mobile internet. It operates as an installed module within handsets instead of being a network-based feature.
What was the outcome of the lawsuit involving Safaricom?
Judge Mugambi’s ruling tackled three main points: whether Safaricom violated a trust, if it had misappropriated Ivusa’s concept, and whether Ivusa was justified in seeking the remedies proposed.
The court discovered no proof of a clear pact or shared comprehension between the involved parties. It highlighted that Ivusa’s presentation of the Jichomoe idea was unrequested, with nothing suggesting that Safaricom consented to keep it confidential or utilize it for his advantage.
Regarding the allegation of passing off, where one entity falsely presents another’s goods as their own, the court necessitated that Ivusa demonstrate that Jichomoe possessed goodwill and brand recognition. Additionally, Ivusa needed to show that Safaricom’s services were misleading about their source and that this misrepresentation caused damage to Ivusa.
Mugambi stated that Ivusa did not provide any proof of Jichomoe’s market position, brand awareness, or financial harm resulting from Safaricom’s activities.
Even though Ivusa didn’t directly accuse anyone of copyright infringement, the court examined whether his intellectual property had been violated. According to Kenya’s Copyright Act, software receives protection as a form of literary work; however, this law safeguards only the expression of an idea rather than the concept itself.
The court determined that since Jichomoe did not provide concrete details like source code or prototypes, Ivusa was unable to demonstrate that Safaricom had replicated his distinctive creation instead of separately devising a comparable idea.
Justice Mugambi dismissed the suit with costs awarded to Safaricom after finding no merit with the lawsuits claims.
