Cordillera High Choral Group Wins Gold in Bali

(Photo courtesy of Jayson Manuel L Osong)

(Photo courtesy of Jayson Manuel L Osong)

A choral group from the Cordillera Regional Science High School (CRSHS) won a Gold medal (Level 1) in the Teenagers Category and another gold medal in the level 4 Championship Qualifier in the ongoing 8th Bali International Choir Festival held in Indonesia (See story in WowCordillera.com). 

Fil-Korean Actress to Play Batgirl in 'Birds of Prey'

Ella Jay Basco is cast as Cassandra Cain in “Birds of Prey” (Source: nextshark.com)

Ella Jay Basco is cast as Cassandra Cain in “Birds of Prey” (Source: nextshark.com)

Ella Jay Basco, a young Filipina-Korean actress, is playing Batgirl in the upcoming DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film “Birds of Prey” (See Nextshark.com for story).

3 In 5 Filipinos Want Int'l Bodies to Probe Drug War Deaths -- Survey

Human rights groups put up a “rage shrine” honoring victims of the government’s anti-drug operations. (Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News)

Human rights groups put up a “rage shrine” honoring victims of the government’s anti-drug operations. (Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News)

Three in 5 Filipinos believe that the government should not block international groups looking into deaths under the local anti-narcotics drive, according to an opinion poll (See story in ABS CBN News). 

PH Police Push Sedition Charges vs. VP Robredo, Critics

Vice President Leni Robredo (Source: AFP)

Vice President Leni Robredo (Source: AFP)

Philippine police have recommended sedition charges against Vice President Leni Robredo, opposition figures, Catholic Church leaders and opposition politicians for allegedly plotting to destabilize the Duterte government by implicating him in the narcotics trade. a move slammed Friday as an attempt to stifle dissent under President Rodrigo Duterte (See Yahoo News for story).

Filipinos Trust China Even Less After Boat Sinking

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping (Source: Yahoo News)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping (Source: Yahoo News)

Filipinos are now even more distrustful of China, as shown by a survey that was taken after the West Philippine Sea boat sinking incident became public. The Social Weather Stations survey showed that 51 percent of Filipinos have “little trust,” in China, while 21 percent are undecided, and 27 percent have “much trust” in the Asian superpower (See story in Yahoo News)..

Thousands of PH Cops ‘Have Been Punished’

Undersecretary Severo Catura, executive director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee secretariat (Source: Yahoo News)

Undersecretary Severo Catura, executive director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee secretariat (Source: Yahoo News)

Thousands of Philippine police officers have received administrative punishments with more than 2,000 dismissed for wrongdoings during raids where drug suspects were killed under the president's crackdown, Communications Assistant Secretary Marie Rafael Banaag told a news conference. She said 7,867 of 14,724 police investigated for their involvement in police drug operations that led to deaths from July 2016 until last April received administrative punishments for unspecified lapses (See Yahoo News for story).

 

PH Enacts Anti-Sexual Harassment Law

Sen. Risa Hontiveros

Sen. Risa Hontiveros

The Philippine president has signed a bill into law penalizing a range of acts of sexual harassment including catcalling, wolf-whistling and persistent telling of sexual jokes, which pro-women's groups have accused him of committing. The bill's main author, opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros, has called the law a "massive victory" against a growing culture of rude sexist actions (See Yahoo News for story).

Filipina Nurse Honored by Prince Charles

Joy Ongcachuy

Joy Ongcachuy

Joy Ongcachuy, a Filipina lead robotic nurse working at the Royal London Hospital, was among those recently conferred the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Award by Prince Charles for acts of bravery as first responders to the June 3, 2017 London Bridge as well as the Manchester terror attacks (See Filipino Times for story).