THE NEWSPAPER

PHL
Post,
BOC

MANILA, Philippines — A memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between the Philippine

Postal Corporation (PHLPost) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is expected to expedite the
sending of packages from international sources.

According to PHLPost postmaster general Luis Carlos, parcels sent by people abroad will now
be able to reach their recipients much faster.

“Mas mabilis na makakarating ang mga parselang padala ng ating mga mahal sa buhay mula sa
abroad,” Carlos said in the signing ceremony on Wednesday.

The agreement is expected to streamline processes in the BOC, lower costs of sending, as well
as enhance security measures, in compliance with the prohibition of illegal items.

BOC commissioner Bienvenido Rubio was the agency’s representative in the signing.
“The synergy between our organizations will undoubtedly elevate international trade
performance and enhance competitiveness, propelling our country toward a future where
opportunities are unknown,” Carlos added.

The Israeli-Palestinian Over the years, News What is happening now

conflict in context Decoder correspondents
have tried to decode the
events that occur between
Israel, the Palestinian
territories of Gaza and the
West Bank and Israel’s
complicated relationship
with its Mideast neighbors.
seems incomprehensible
even for people who have
long watched and studied
developments in the region.
The surprise attack on
Israel by Hamas, the Sunni
Islamist organization that
has led Gaza since 2006,
 THE NEWSPAPER
has killed more than Children on both the country was on To help you decode
1,300 and injured sides have lost their the cusp of an historic how we got from
another 3,227 people. lives. Hamas is peace treaty with hope to despair, we
Israeli retaliation has holding some 200 long-time enemy compiled a range of
resulted in the deaths hostages. Less than Saudi Arabia.That articles from our
of more than 2,000 one month ago, followed on a 2020 correspondents about
Palestinians and Israeli Prime Minister peace deal with the the Middle East
injuries to more than Benjamin Netanyahu United Arab conflict.
9,000 others. had announced that Emirates.

Chery Tiggo, PLDT don’t give young Chery Tiggo is not about to get
complacent after starting its
foes upset chances Premier Volleyball League All-
Filipino Conference campaign with
consecutive wins, and it wants to
continue having its young stalwarts
take charge.

“Everything can change in the blink

of an eye,” coach Aaron Velez said
after his Crossovers dealt rookie
squad Galeries Tower a 25-14, 25-
15, 25-21 spanking on Thursday for
their second straight win and the
solo elimination round lead. “We
have to remain disciplined.”

With team leader and former Most

Valuable Player Mylene Paat still
out, Velez continued to let sisters
EJ and Eya Laure and Princess Robles loose, as the trio did its damage on yet another foe while the Crossovers
continue to build much-needed chemistry they can definitely use moving forward.

“We’re not going to look at the results. What we are looking for is to build chemistry and as planned, whoever
we put inside the court needs to keep in step with those who are leading us,” Velez added.

EJ Laure is that team leader with Paat out, and the mother of one has embraced that role and is ready to show
that she is an elite player.

“Even before, with (Paat), I have been leading my teammates and I have been helping her unite the team. It’s
not new to me and it’s not a challenge,” said the elder Laure, who led Chery with 15 points on 13 attacks.

Another seasoned side in PLDT did not give young Akari a chance in the second game, handily scoring a 25-16,
25-16, 25-23 victory that sent the Chargers back to reality.

UAAP: Maroons
survive biggest test
thus far by clipping
Green Archers
If there was one thing evident in the way University of the Philippines (UP) played on
Wednesday night—and how it has traversed Season 86 of the UAAP men’s basketball
tournament thus far—is that the Fighting Maroons are showing everyone their innate
ability to win.
The Maroons survived a long, cold spell in the fourth period to carve out a 67-64
nipping of La Salle and prime themselves up for a big clash with defending champion
Ateneo this weekend where UP takes its unblemished record against a team that also
has the tools to deny them a first-round sweep.
 THE NEWSPAPER
LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift's movie of her Eras Tour concert dominated theaters
Taylor Swift over the weekend with $95 million to $97 million in US and Canadian ticket sales,
according to estimates from distributor AMC Theaters on Sunday.
concert film The movie, called "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour," set the record for a concert film,
easily surpassing the $29.5 million collected by "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" over
nabs over $95 its first three days in 2011. Final weekend results will be released on Monday. If current
estimates hold, Swift's film will fall short of the most bullish projections from box
million at office analysts, who had forecast a domestic opening of $100 million to $140 million.

N.America Still, for theater operators such as AMC and Cineworld , the movie provided a major
boost to what had looked like a lackluster autumn slate after strikes in Hollywood
theaters prompted delays to "Dune: Part Two" and other releases.

Swift said on Wednesday that she was adding extra showtimes and early screenings on
Thursday to meet demand.

New synthesis report previews Parties’ blueprint for decision on global

stocktake at COP28 UN Climate Change News, 4 October 2023 - A new synthesis report designed to help
governments reach a decision on the global stocktake at
COP28 has been published by UN Climate Change. The
report reflects the views of governments and their
perspectives on the main elements that could constitute such
a decision.

The global stocktake is part of the Paris Agreement and a

key means to assess the world’s global response to the
climate crisis and chart a better way forward.

The synthesis report is comprehensive and includes the

views of almost all Parties. It is based on submissions received from 24 Parties on behalf of Party groups or individual
Parties, representing 180 Parties and from 44 non-Party stakeholders (as of 2 October).

Whilst there are divergent views on the details of how to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement, governments expressed
broad agreement that past climate action has been insufficient and that more action by all Parties and support for
developing countries is needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, to avoid loss and damage, and to adapt to
climate change.

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, said: “This report puts the cards on the table - except this is not
a game. We know that we as the global community are not on track towards achieving the long-term goals of the Paris
Agreement and that there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future.”

“This synthesis report is a blueprint of what the final outcome of the global stocktake could look like, based on Parties’
own words. Nations should make full use of the inputs to build consensus for an ambitious outcome towards action in this
critical decade,” he added.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, said: “The report is again telling us the world is off track. COP28 is the
moment for all Parties to come together and put actionable solutions on the table. We must be ready with real answers to
tackle the challenges, eradicate 22 gigatons of emissions by 2030, strengthen global resilience and mobilize finance at the
scale necessary to enable a just and equitable transition. Now is the time to Unite, Act, and Deliver a strong negotiated
outcome on the Global Stocktake.”

The new report comes on the heels of the technical report on the global stocktake published in September which details
actionable solutions to climate change that are ready to be implemented.

The global stocktake is held every five years and is intended to inform the next round of climate action plans under the
Paris Agreement (nationally determined contributions, or ‘NDCs’) to be put forward by 2025.
 THE NEWSPAPER
Enrollees still 2.5 million short of DepEd target
MANILA, Philippines — The second week
of classes ended with 26.3 million officially
enrolled students in elementary and high
school – 2.5 million short of the Department
of Education (DepEd)’s target of 28.8
million students for school year 2023 to
2024.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the DepEd reported

a total of 26,304,338 students enrolled in
public and private kindergarten, elementary
and high schools, as well as in Philippine
schools overseas and under the Alternative
Learning System (ALS).

Region 4-A tallied the most number of enrolled students at 3,879,738, followed by Region 3 (2,877,398), Metro
Manila (2,713,999), Region 7 (2,017,317), Region 6 (1,940,400), Region 5 (1,673,156) and Region 11
(1,330,031).

A total of 288,012 students signed up under the ALS while 15,483 enrolled in Philippine schools overseas.

The DepEd said that schools would be accepting enrollees until the end of September.

In SY 2022-2023, 28.4 million students were enrolled in public and private schools.

Teachers lament worsening education system

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s education system has
worsened under the present administration, teachers’
organizations lamented yesterday.
Members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) held
an early morning protest along Mendiola to call out the
government for its failure to address the shortages and what it
described as the “worsening education crisis.”
Class sizes can reach as high as 50 to 55, and yet we
expect our teachers to teach better,” TDC chairman
Benjo Basas said in a separate statement.
The group challenged President Marcos to fulfill his
campaign promise to increase the salary of public school
teachers.

Teachers scored Vice President and Education Secretary Sara
Duterte’s recent order to leave classroom walls bare, saying
instructional aids help students in the learning process.
They also questioned the proposed confidential funds for the
Department of Education (DepEd).
“We need higher education budget, more classrooms,
teachers, education support personnel, functional facilities
and sufficient instructional and learning materials. We need to
increase teachers’ basic pay to decent and living salaries. We
do not need confidential and intelligence funds at all,” ACT
chairman Vladimer Quetua said.
For the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), the dire situation
of teachers has remained the same for decades. Our teachers
are still overburdened with redundant clerical work that gets
worse every day.
“As a senator, he was consistent in filing a bill to raise
teacher pay during the 15th and 16th Congress. Now
that he is President, he has all the power and influence
he needs to make it happen and not just keep it as a
campaign promise,” Basas said.
“Children’s welfare is always at the center of
discussions whenever the classes open, that’s
understood. But this time, those in authority should also
consider the welfare of teachers and give it the attention
it highly deserves. How could we safeguard the well-
being of these children if their teachers’ welfare is
uncertain?” he added.
 THE NEWSPAPER
Philippines Named Asia’s Best Cruise Destination 2023 by World
Cruise Awards
As of October 16, 2023, The Philippines is
projected to have 128 ports of call or cruise calls
in 2023 across 33 destinations across the
country. These cruise ships are expected to bring
in more than 101,000 passengers and some
50,000 in estimated crew.

“The Philippines is world-renowned for its

breathtaking natural beauty, pristine beaches,
diverse marine life, and warm hospitality. Our
archipelago of 7,641 islands offers a wide array
of cruise experiences, from exploring
picturesque coastlines and coral reefs to
immersing in local culture and traditions,” enthused the tourism chief.

Among the arriving cruise ships include the Seaborne Encore, Silver Shadow, MSC Poesia, Queen Elizabeth,
Norwegian Jewel, Coral Adventure, MS Seven Seas Explorer, MS Star Breeze, Silver Whisper, Oceania
Cruises, Aidabella, and the Blue Dream Cruise which has made its maiden voyage to the Philippines this
month.

“With Boracay, Palawan, and Siargao having recently garnered Conde Nast Travel’s Best Islands in Asia
Award, the Philippines’ recognition as Asia’s Best Cruise Destination complements and reaffirms our status as
a must-visit destination for cruise enthusiasts. This prestigious award is not only a testament to the Philippines’
allure as a cruise destination but also a validation of the collective dedication of the tourism industry and the
Department of Tourism. This augurs well for our strategic objective to equalize tourism development, as we
put the spotlight on lesser-known destinations by expanding our cruise tourism portfolio to include new tourism
destinations in time to come. We are grateful that the country’s potential to offer exceptional cruise experiences
is now acknowledged on a global scale,” added the Secretary.

2 cops nabbed in Muntinlupa buy-bust ops

MANILA – Operatives of the National Capital Region

Police Office (NCRPO) have arrested an active cop and
another police officer declared absent without official
leave (AWOL) after they were caught selling suspected
shabu in a buy-bust operation in Muntinlupa City.

In a statement released on Friday, NCRPO chief Brig.

Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. identified the suspects
as Patrolman Rey Palomar Baldonasa, 25, currently
assigned at the Drug Enforcement Unit of the NCRPO,
and Carlos Rivera Navarro, 31, declared AWOL from
the Philippine National Police (PNP) and previously
assigned at the Caloocan City Police Office.

Nartatez said the two suspects were arrested by

operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit of the
Muntinlupa City Police during a buy-bust operation
conducted in Purok 10, Amparo Street, Barangay
Poblacion, Muntinlupa City at about 11:50 p.m. on Oct.
11.
REFERENCES:

1. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1848605/phlpost-boc-sign-moa-for-efficient-processing-of-intl-packages
2. https://news-decoder.com/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-in-context/
3. https://sports.inquirer.net/534967/chery-tiggo-pldt-dont-give-young-foes-upset-chances
4. https://sports.inquirer.net/534836/maroons-survive-biggest-test-thus-far-by-clipping-green-archers-to-
prime-up-for-much-anticipated-clash-with-defending-champion-eagles
5. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/showbizabroad/885266/taylor-swift-concert-film-nabs-over-
95-million-at-n-america-theaters/story/
6. https://unfccc.int/news/new-synthesis-report-previews-parties-blueprint-for-decision-on-global-stocktake-at-
cop28
7. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/09/09/2294924/enrollees-still-25-million-short-deped-
target#:~:text=MANILA%2C%20Philippines%20%E2%80%94%20The%20second%20week,school
%20year%202023%20to%202024.
8. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/30/2292411/teachers-lament-worsening-education-system
9. https://beta.tourism.gov.ph/news_and_updates/philippines-named-asias-best-cruise-destination-2023-by-
world-cruise-awards/
10. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211730

SUBMITTED BY:

TRISHA PAOLA M. LAGURA

BSA 2B