Degamo attack death toll rises to 10 as another casualty dies

THE death toll in the March 4 massacre that killed Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo went up to 10 after a wounded victim died on Sunday.

The fatality was identified as Fredilino Cafe Jr., an employee of the Negros Oriental Provinical Engineering Office.

He died from his injuries more than two months since Degamo’s private compound in Pamplona town was attacked by heavily armed men.

Since the attack, Cafe had reportedly been “in and out of the hospital,” the Degamo camp said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier vowed justice for Degamo as he urged Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who has been tagged as the “highest mastermind” by the Department of Justice, to return to the country immediately.

Imee...

From A1 and original equipment manufacturing (OEM) companies.

These sectors, she said, have shown a huge potential for job creation despite the pandemic.

“AI is developing faster than most people can comprehend and is threatening to take away jobs and turn employment growth upside down,” the senator warned.

She asked if call center agents and factory workers would soon be treated as dispensable after propping up our economy during the global health crisis.

The BPO industry grew 10 percent to $29.5 billion despite COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021, she said.

Senate Resolution No. 591 noted the alarming prediction that at least 1.1 million jobs in the Philippines will disappear by 2028, based on a study by Oxford Economics and US-based digital technology company Cisco.

Moreover, she said some 50 percent of organizations worldwide are seen adopting AI and automated machines this year, and investments in such technologies are projected to increase in the next three years by 50 percent to 100 percent, according to global consulting and advisory group Deloitte and professional services network KPMG, respectively.

Diesel...

From A1

Management Bureau Rodela Romero said.

This will be the third consecutive week of rollbacks across all petroleum products due to the softening of world oil prices.

Unioil Petroleum Philippines said consumers can expect fuel prices to go down next week effective May 9. It said diesel should go down by P2.50 to P2.70 per liter while gasoline should go down by P1.80 to P2 per liter.

“These movements are attributed to the cut in the Official Selling Price of Arab Light Crude Oil to Asia to compete with India’s and China’s eagerness to snap up cheap Russian Crude Oil and the heightened concern about Chinese recovery with unexpected slowdown in manufacturing activity,” Romero said. Romero said oil prices also declined on reports of another possible US interest hike and a looming recession.

The West Texas Intermediate fell below $70 per barrel last week amid concerns of economic slowdown from the US and China.

“The DILG and BFAR will adopt a cluster approach to ensure that all affected fishers will have a place to go and congestion in one fishing area will be avoided,” Abalos said.

The DILG chief said affected municipalities of San Teodoro and Baco may do their fishing in the municipal waters of Paluan and Abra De Ilog in Occidental Mindoro. Tayabas Bay and Mindoro Strait are also proposed as fishing areas for the two affected municipalities.

On the other hand, those in Calapan City, Naujan, and Pola will also be allowed to go fishing in the municipal waters of Boac, Gasan in Marinduque, as well as Tayabas Bay.

Municipalities of Pinamalayan, Gloria, and Bansud can fish in the municipal waters of Concepcion in Romblon and portions of Mindoro Strait.

The last cluster, which includes fishermen of Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao, can go fishing in Tablas Strait and the municipal waters of San Jose and Magsaysay in Occidental Mindoro.

Abalos said this sharing could go on until fish samples in the affected areas are okay.

Aside from identifying alternative fishing grounds, the DILG will also review policies on the management of municipal waters.