GROUP 1

Transport strike ends; restudy of PUV

modernization plan eyed
BY BETHEENA UNITE
Mar 8, 2023 10:20 AM
AT A GLANCE
 Transport group leaders announced on Wednesday, March 7, that they are halting the planned week-long
strike.
 They decided to end the transport strike as they hold on to Marcos' pronouncement that the implementation of
the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program will be restudied.
 Garafil said the President has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to study the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) until Dec.
31

The transport strike in the country supposed to last for a week has ended, Malacañang announced on Wednesday,
March 8, when the strike was about to enter its third day.

Transport group leaders Mar Valbuena, chairman of Manibela Transport Group, and Mody Florada, PISTON
president, announced through a video posted by the Palace on Facebook that they are halting the planned week-
long strike.
This came after a meeting between Valbuena and Florada, and Presidential Communications Office Secretary
Cheloy Garafil.

The transport groups said they were ending the transport strike as they hold on to President Ferdinand
"Bongbong" Marcos Jr's pronouncement that the implementation of the public utility vehicle (PUV)
modernization program will be restudied.

"[U]pang masimulan ang diskurso, nagdesisyon ang aming grupo na ihinto ang transport strike kasama ng
PISTON at magbalik pasada na simula bukas (In order for the discourse to begin, our group and PISTON decided
to stop the transport strike and resume plying starting tomorrow)," Valbuena said.

They apologized to the commuters for the inconvenience their planned week-long transport strike caused,
stressing that they are not against the government's PUV modernization program.

"Ang grupong Manibela ay kaisa ng pamahalaan sa adhikaing makapagbigay ng maayos, kumportable, at ligtas na
pampublikong transportasyon sa ating mga kababayan. Hindi namin hinahadlangan ang planong modernisasyon
ng mga pampublikong sasakyan, sana lamang gawin ito sa pamamaraang walang mapag-iiwanan, makatao, at  
makatwiran (Manibela is one with the government in providing comfortable and safe public transportation to our
fellowmen. We are not going against the PUV modernization program, we are only hoping it to be implemented in
a humane and just way)," Valbuena said.

"Panghahawakan namin ang pahayag ng ating mahal na pangulo Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. na bukas ang
admnistrasyon sa pag-aaral at pagrebisa ng implementasyon ng PUV modernization program upang mapanatili
ang kabuhayan ng ating mga PUV drivers at operators (We will hold on to the statement of President Ferdinand
'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. that his administration is open to study and revise the PUV modernization program to
ensure the continuous livelihood of our PUV drivers and operators)," Valbuena added.

The Palace, meanwhile, welcomed the decision of the transport groups to halt the strike.

Garafil said the President has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to study the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) until Dec. 31.

Gararil said the DOTr and LTFRB will also conduct an intensive consultation to ensure a better implementation of
the PUV modernization program for the benefit of drivers, operators, and commuters.

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 -Source: Manila Bulletin

GROUP 2
African Swine Flu outbreak in Cebu
By Bella Cariaso
March 8, 2023

THE Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) on Wednesday confirmed an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Cebu
after 58 out of 149 blood samples tested from Carcar, Cebu resulted positive for ASF.

According to BAI, the samples were tested using Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rtPCR).

"The samples were collected in surveillance activities conducted by the City Veterinary Office of Carcar and were
initially submitted to the Department of Agriculture - Regional Animal Disease Diagnosis Laboratory 7 for ASF
testing using RT-PCR wherein some samples tested positive," the BAI said.

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According to the BAI, the DA Regional Field Office (DARFO) 7 sent the samples to the BAI for confirmation.

The BAI added that the City Veterinary Office of Carcar and Provincial Veterinary Office of Cebu immediately
deployed response teams for further disease surveillance in the city to identify the extent of infection.

"Movement control measures are being implemented and coordination with the local government units is ongoing," it
added.
It assured that the BAI is in close coordination with the DA-Regional Field Office 7, Provincial Veterinary Office of
Cebu and other concerned agencies to ensure the implementation of ASF protocols.
Cebu was previously an ASF-free province as Governor Gwen Garcia even implemented a ban on the entry of pork
products from Luzon and other provinces to protect the industry.
-Source: The Manila Time

GROUP 3
Dozens sick in Philippine villages hit by oil
spill
Agence France-Presse
March 8, 2023 | 6:42pm
MANILA, Philippines — Dozens of people in the Philippines have fallen ill after oil from a sunken tanker washed
up on their shores, officials said Wednesday, as authorities struggled to reach the leaking vessel.

The Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 litres (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil when it sank more than a
week ago off the central island of Mindoro, south of the capital Manila.

Diesel fuel and thick oil from the vessel have contaminated the waters and beaches of nine municipalities along the
coast of Oriental Mindoro province, Governor Humerlito Dolor told reporters.
Oil has been spotted as far south as Semirara island -- which is part of Antique province -- more than 130 kilometres
(80 miles) from where the tanker went down.
That has sparked concerns for the region's rich marine life and economy.

Provincial health officer Cielo Ante said at least 43 people living in affected villages had reported suffering vomiting,
headaches and nausea since the oil reached their shores.
"They live in areas where the oil spill occurred," said Ante.

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No one was hospitalised and authorities had not confirmed if the symptoms were the direct result of the spill, she
added.

Dolor said clean-up efforts were underway to prevent a spike in sickness. 

"We cannot afford to add more numbers. Every day that passes is calamitous," he told a briefing. 

Residents and coast guard personnel wearing protective clothing and rubber gloves have been removing oil-coated
seaweed and other debris from affected beaches. 
An oil spill boom was deployed on Wednesday after rough seas hampered earlier efforts to contain the slick,
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Armando Balilo said.
The environment department said Monday that the submerged tanker may have been located.

It was believed to be about 400 metres (1,300 feet) below the surface, but a remotely operated vehicle would be
needed to confirm its exact position.  
It is not known how much diesel and industrial fuel oil have leaked into the water.
Thousands of fishermen have been ordered to stay on shore until they can fish safely, and swimming has been banned.

An estimated 591 hectares (1,460 acres) of coral reefs, 1,626 hectares of mangroves and 362 hectares of seaweed
could be "potentially affected" by the oil spill, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said previously.

-Source: PhilStar Global

GROUP 4
UAAP: FEU survives Ateneo behind ‘total team effort’ in women’s
volleyball
MANILA, Philippines–Far Eastern University teetered on the brink before outlasting Ateneo, 25-12, 15-25, 19-25, 25-15, 18-16,
on Wednesday in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Jovelyn Fernandez had 18 points built on 15 attacks and Alyzza Devosora delivered 11 points for the Lady Tamaraws, who came
through with a defensive ploy that fended off their rivals when it mattered most.

Rookie Mitzi Panangin chipped in 11 markers and three blocks and Christine Ubaldo added 22 exceptional sets, but it was the
effort that freshman libero Margarett Encarnacion exerted on denying Ateneo’s foray at the net with 35 excellent digs that proved
critical.

“I’m thankful to my freshmen, they stepped up for the team. I didn’t expect it, so I’m really proud of what they’ve shown,’’ said
FEU coach Tina Salak after the Lady Tamaraws picked up their second win in four games.

The Lady Tamaraws, who broke a string of setbacks against Ateneo since 2019, secured the opening set and gave up the next two
frames before forcing the decider after the fourth.

“It was a total team effort. We’re still struggling, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement,’’ said Salak.

Faith Nisperos had 20 attacks out of her 21 points while Vanessa Gandler scored 13 markers, had 16 excellent digs and 12
receptions for the Blue Eagles, who were coming off a defeat from rival La Salle to absorb a second straight defeat, their third
overall in four matches.

Ateneo clawed back from 4-1 and knotted the count at seven, triggering a long exchange in the fifth set that culminated with a
Fernandez attack and a game-clinching block by rookie Gerzel Petallo on Alexis Miner’s final foray.

The Lady Tamaraws got their A-game going early after seizing the first set before the Blue Eagles returned the favor by pulling
away at the beginning of the next frame and eventually leveling the count.

Lyann De Guzman kept Ateneo as far as possible from the Tamaraws with a barrage of incursions midway in the second frame.

Cherie Tagaod mounted a fightback that pushed FEU closer, 21-15, after climbing from a nine-point deficit, but Gandler steadied
the Blue Eagles on a pair of kills and Tagaod aced her serve at match point.

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The narrative hardly changed in the succeeding frame as Ateneo again started out determined to put away their opponents quickly,
18-9.

Miner took the cudgels for the Blue Eagles by scoring three straight points after FEU stitched the gap to five. Gandler closed out
the set with back-to-back spikes.

Pushed in a very tight spot, the Lady Tamaraws wriggled their way out to equalize and drag the match to a final set.

When Ateneo got nearer by six, 20-16, Panangin went on attack mode, her twin kills plus errors on the other end paving the way
for a Devosora match point.

-Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Articles:
Processing Questions:

1.What is the author's main argument or claim?

2.What evidence does the author provide to support their argument?
3.How effective is the author's argument?

QUESTIONS PER GROUP each must have representative:

1. Based on the text read, how did you identify that the author's argument is effective? Observe the strengths and
weaknesses of the main arguments and claims.

2. How many claims have you observed in your article?

3. Identify the Fact, Opinion, and Convention, Preference. Explain why considered it FACT, OPINION, and
CONVENTION, PREFERENCE.