Hontiveros to PNP: How Can You Implement War on Drugs When You Can't Control Your Own Men?

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"Lumalabas na walang kontrol ang PNP superior officers sa kanilang mga subordinates, tapos gusto nilang ituloy ang war on drugs?"

This was the statement issued today by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros during today's Senate's investigation on the kidnapping and murder of a Korean national involving members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Hontiveros made the observation after PNP Chief Ronaldo Dela Rosa admitted that many police senior officers are afraid of their subordinates.

"Masakit man sabihin pero inaamin ko na marami kaming junior officers na siga, bastos, undisciplined… depende sa degree of influence," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa made the remark after he was quizzed by Hontiveros on why Senior Police Officer4 (SPO4) Roy Villegas is afraid of Senior Police Officer3 Ricky Sta. Isabel. The PNP Chief said that Villegas was merely following the instructions of Sta. Isabel regarding the incident.

Hontiveros however said that this could also be an excuse to downplay the existence of a conspiracy involving high and low police officers in the kidnapping and murder of the Korean national. "Both can be true. Some PNP superior officers may have no control over their subordinates, and in this particular case, a pathetic excuse to dismiss accusations of conspiracy," the senator said.

Hontiveros said that Dela Rosa should seriously rethink the police force's war on drugs. "The PNP Chief's admission is extremely alarming but not surprising. If PNP superiors have no complete control and influence over their subordinates, it is expected that the government's war on drugs will be gravely abused by its implementors," the senator said.

"Pandora's box of pure evil"

"The kidnapping and murder of a Korean national under so-called Tokhang for Ransom is the terrible consequence of a human rights-deficient anti-drug campaign. The government's war on drugs opened a Pandora's box of pure evil," Hontiveros added.

Globe Blocks More Than 165 M Spam/Scam Messages in 2016

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Following an accelerated campaign versus unwanted spam/scam messages, Globe Telecom blocked more than 165 million of such messages in 2016, aided by the use of a comprehensive and fully automated mechanism to rid its network of unwanted and unsolicited text messages. In parallel, Globe also disconnected from the network last year around 1,700 prepaid numbers found to have been used as a source of spam/scam messages.

“Our new blocking mechanism has proven to be very effective in preventing transmittal of unwanted spam and scam messages. We are now closer, more than ever, to having a spam-free network and the combination of technology, skills, and malasakit to customers made this possible. Notwithstanding the significant progress we have achieved in our anti-spam campaign, the company remains committed in further stepping up our drive against spammers to keep our network consistently free of these annoying and unwanted messages,” Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Bonifacio said.

The company’s currently blocking mechanism, which was established in February last year, involved the establishment of a new hardware and software solution that can filter up to 1 billion SMS a day. With the new anti-spam solution, Globe is now able to prevent transmittal of spam/scam messages being sent to the Globe network but are originating from other networks.

Following the expansion of the company’s anti-spam/scam campaign to include similar messages coming from other networks, the average number of blocked messages rose to 1.1 million/day in November. About 75% of such messages originated from spammers using other networks (35% Smart, 40% Sun) while the remaining 25% were sent thru the Globe network, Bonifacio said, adding that the mechanism now covers majority of the company’s postpaid and prepaid customers totaling 65.4 million at the end of September 2016.

To keep its customers from receiving spam and scam messages, Globe operationalized in September 2014 an automated filtering functionality that reduced the number of such messages going through the Globe network. Such mechanism has since been upgraded and expanded to effectively prevent transmittal of spam and scam messages coming from other networks. By design, the filtering mechanism can be reconfigured to address the kind of spam and scam messages that goes through the Globe network.

Aside from blocking spam and scam messages from going through the Globe network, the telecommunications provider also blocks from the Globe network prepaid numbers found to be consistent source of spam and scam text messages. Some of these numbers were subject of complaints reported through the http://www.globe.com.ph/stopspam where customers are simply required to provide all the details of spam and scam messages they received on their mobile devices. Numbers that are verified to be a constant source of spam messages are then disconnected from service.

6 Feng Shui Tips Before Starting Your Business

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Applying feng shui to your business is a great way to achieve balance, calm and even success. Feng shui is an age-old science that can be described simply as balancing man with nature. It’s very common for businesses to apply feng shui principles to their workspaces, habits and schedules. But did you know it’s also possible to apply feng shui before you even start a business? In fact, there are a few principles that you should think about before you consider going into business in the first place.

One of the country’s leading feng shui practitioners and experts, Master Francis Gaw, are giving tips to those who want to delve into a business.

Here are some of his helpful tips and requirements that influence who, when and where to open your business, as well as some feng shui advice on how to keep it going strong.

1. DO determine if you’re made to be a businessman. As they say, ‘Leaders are born, not made.’ According to Francis, so are businessmen. He states, “If your birthday is right (you were born on the right day, in the right year) you might be born a businessman.” The best way to find out is by consulting a credible feng shui practitioner and telling him your exact birth date, but if you’re afraid of the answer, don’t worry. He adds that, “If you are born not to be a businessman but you want to have a business, your solution is to find a partner who is born a businessman.” Additionally, he also adheres to logic above superstition, so he adds that before feng shui, there are two more important things to consider – feasibility, and the human factor (whether or not you know the business well, whether you have the skill to handle it, etc.).

2. DON’T start your business during the Ghost Month. This is a commonly believed superstition, and it still stands to this day. In fact, you shouldn’t start anything during the Ghost Month – weddings, businesses, moving out, etc. This year, the Ghost Month falls on August 22 to September 19, so make sure you aren’t starting your business anywhere within that range. Also, there will always be good days and bad. For example, good days to start a business in February 2017 include the 5th, 14th and 23rd. So consult a practitioner to know if your target launch date is a good one, or a recipe for misfortune.

3. DO set up in a place you’re comfortable in. Generally, when you’re choosing an office space, look for one that is well-ventilated, bright, and relaxing as soon as you enter. If you feel something wrong, eerie or heavy about a place, it’s probably best not to take it – or at least, to have someone cleanse the place before you set up. Arrangements of objects and décor are only second priority to finding a place that’s peaceful, comfortable and good for work.

4. DON’T adhere to all symbols and superstitions. Contrary to popular belief, Francis says that only 30% of superstitions should really be followed. Tumbok sa kalye – not setting up at a t-junction – is a superstition to remember, as well as having crystals in your workplace or even on your person. Crystals release piezoelectricity, which science itself has found to be a positive energy that can improve your temperament throughout the day. Water is also an important symbol, although you should check with an expert on where it should or should not be placed in your office.

5. DO push for sustainability. It’s the only real secret, according to Francis. It’s the foolproof habit – keeping yourself in the market, staying in the know, consistently pushing through both profit and loss – and it’s the only one that’s proven to work 100% of the time. As Francis says, “Sustain your business, and one day you will harvest your crop.”

6. DON’T think luck is all that matters. It’s easy to pretend that with feng shui and good luck, your business will boom whether or not you’re working for it. But even the experts themselves debunk that theory. Francis adds, “Even if you are lucky, if you are not hardworking, what will happen to you? But if you are unlucky, even if you’re just at home, bad luck will come to you.”

In the end, our destiny still depends on hard work, faith and prayer, plus a little bit of luck. As Francis says, we find signs through feng shui. Dates, experiences, and occurrences can point the way, but what matters is that we find them so they can lead us to where we want and need to be.

This year of the Rooster, create success for your business with the latest digital tools from Globe myBusiness. To learn how to make your business better, visit https://mybusiness.globe.com.ph/create-success or https://www.facebook.com/globemybusiness.