Resecurity has a super long article about misinfornation and hacktivist campaigns against the Philippines amid tensions with China in the South China Sea. Resecurity has observed a significant spike in malicious cyber activity targeting the Philippines in Q1 2024, increasing nearly 325% compared to the same period last year. They warn that state-sponsored APTs like Mustang Panda could be leveraging hactivist-related monikers to avoid attribution while creating the perception of homegrown social conflict online. No IOC. 🔗 https://www.resecurity.com/blog/article/misinformation-and-hacktivist-campaigns-target-the-philippines-amidst-rising-tensions-with-china
It's surprising that the #Philippines, with a digital payment headstart like #GCash, is taking so long to approve #AppleWallet and #GoogleWallet. What's with the delay, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas?
Huh, so what other #ASEAN#gamers have mentioned, South-East Asia now have a better ping to European gaming servers than US West Coast (or any US-based gaming servers).
This is interesting. I'm going to expand my test in the future. But for now, the results are the same with or without VPN. I guess ASEAN now have a direct connection to the EU IX and uses the latest technology?
I wonder where our connection passes through to get to the EU.
Here in the Philippines, our connection goes through:
Taiwan or Hong Kong
From there it travels the Pacific Ocean to US West Coast.
From US West Coast, it travels to Central.
From Central to East Coast.
From East Coast to Europe.
If we now have a connection direct to EU IX, then it means we're no longer passing through the US?
Re: K-drama “Vagabond” Season 02 to film in the Philippines.
There appears to be much confusion about this, with most calling it a “rumour”.
A “rumour” is something that is being talked about in whisper, usually without any “notable” source. However, in this particular case, a lot of Philippine news media outlets reported this revelation from a former politician and businessman, Chavit Singson, who claims to be a co-producer.
Philippine news media are members of various legal journalism organisations. If you trust your own local media if they are members of a legal journalism organisation, then I think Philippine media should be accorded the same respect. No one is saying they have not, nor will not, make a mistake. But, at least, give them some credit, no matter what our personal feelings and thoughts about them in other matters (like in politics).
Anyway, instead of calling it a “rumour”, it is more fitting to call it “unconfirmed” or “leak”. I think the latter 99% fits. Why?
Chavit Singson talked to the media about it. He “revealed” it himself, and he claimed he is the co-producer. He also revealed that the writers of Vagabond Season 02 visited the Philippines in 2023, looking for filming locations.
Since he was the first to break this news, then it is a “leak” rather than a “rumour”. Regardless of my personal feelings and thoughts about the man, I doubt he'll risk his political and business reputation for a K-drama. I mean, if you are going to put your reputation on the line, would you do it for a TV show or for something bigger and more significant?
Also, think about it this way:
If Chavit Singson was lying about it, then he will be roasted alive by mass media. From notable media outfits to social media. We all know what happens if one lies to, and use, the media.
If he was not lying about it, but the project doesn't push through because of his early revelation (or “leak”), then the fans will roast him instead. Still, we cannot fault him for that other than “being too excited” about it. The ultimate decision lies with the production team, and the actors, producers can only do so much.
Him as a businessman, I think it was a calculated move to “leak” it at this time. They probably have reached a MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) already, thus, he is confident it will push through. Leaking it may increase support for it, especially in Korea, where the ultimate decision lies. Imagine if it doesn't push through, Chavit Singson can explain that the powers-that-be in Korea decided against it. So, yeah, strategic leak; or strategic early announcement.
Obviously, the production team cannot leak anything, and it is better for them to have a plausible deniability about any leaks or agreements. They want to film in the Philippines, they got support from Chavit Singson, now they just have to convince the powers-that-be in Korea. Hence, the “leak”, not a “rumour”. Get everyone to talk about it, and use it to convince the powers-that-be in Korea to green lit the project and to film in the Philippines.
As long as #jeepney drivers and operators cannot afford the newer minibuses being pushed by the comprador government, and cooperatives can't absorb all of the driver-operators who will lose their franchises, the transport sector will never be almost unanimous in supporting the ineffective #PUV "modernization" program. :seija_coffee:
We must resist this hostile corporate takeover of our #publictransport!
Today's #PpopWednesday#OPMwednesday is 「Shout For Joy」 by Gary Valenciano. A fitting song after Passover, Resurrection Day, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
This is a delicacy common in Mindanao and the #Sulu Archipelago in the #Philippines . It is also referred to as jaa in Sulu. Usually served on special occasions like Eid al-Fitr. Extremely crunchy. Chanced upon this at Palenque yesterday!
Instant food (especially those with very long expiry dates; yes, not healthy, but…)
Drinking water.
Traditional radios. (Preferably ones that can be recharged so you can reserve your batteries for other purposes.)
Two-way radios (a.k.a. walkie-talkie).
Backpacks, belt bags.
Maps and compass. Do you also know how to read maps and use a compass?
Escape routes.
Do you know which places were marked for emergencies?
Some of the people I know also have generators, gas, and bunkers already. Yes, bunkers in the Philippines (oh, and guns, really).
Don't rely on electronic gadgets. The first things to go fast are electricity supply and communication network.
Remember there are 3 major fault lines in Luzon.
East Valley Fault System
West Valley Fault System (100+ km long; from Angat Dam to Luzon-Batangas boundary)
Manila Trench. On the West Philippine Sea, running from Northern Luzon to near Mindoro Island.
We haven't even considered the 1,200-km Philippine Fault System (which itself is major too, but we rarely hear about it). It runs from Northern Luzon to Southern Mindanao.
Then the currently unstable and volatile China issue, which, as I've talked about previously, can easily turn into a major regional or world war.
"Spiraling geopolitical tensions have pushed the world to a 'historic turning point' and are forcing #Japan to change its defense posture, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida [said] ahead of a closely watched summit with US President Joe Biden next week. 'That is why Japan has made a decision to fundamentally reinforce its defense capabilities and we have greatly changed Japan’s security policy on these fronts,' he said"
Data provided by the Philippine Retirement Authority showed 77,481 foreign retirees in the Philippines, of whom mainland Chinese accounted for the largest number at 29,3356. #retirement#travel#tourism#Philippines
If air travel between the #Philippines and #Korea is very affordable, and we can work remotely, people can move temporarily when summer / “heat” season comes.
The heat index in the Philippines is breaking 40℃, but it's windy, cold, and raining in Korea still.
Tamagotchis sure have come a long way. Kid proudly informed me just now that she doesn’t need to bring hers with us running errands because she hired a babysitter for it. 🧐
For us here in the #Philippines, we've been doing that since the mid-90s. I was Grade 10 when #Tamagotchi became popular here, and in our class, I started the idea of letting others play it LOL. (I was good in most of our subjects, so it was fine for me to get distracted, and I hid it well during random inspections.)
Got a few bucks out of it, which we added in our budget for our school “store”. (My then girlfriend and I were selling stuff.) Good ol' days.
Your kid will probably think of doing the babysitting one day, earn from it. ^_~ And if they're allowed to sell stuff in school (stationeries, flowers, ballpens, pencils, school pads/papers), a good way to start investing that earned money at an early age.
A Chinese Coast Guard vessel guards the entrance of Scarborough Shoal, off Zambales province, Philippines, as seen during the aerial surveillance by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
I doubt the PH, the world's top importer of rice, will achieve rice self-sufficiency under a president who failed to deliver on his promise to bring down the price of rice to PhP20 per kg.
I'm starting to think that PH offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are synonymous with Chinese criminals.🤔
"Fugitives Wang Tao, Cao Junpeng, Jiang Ling, Zhou Binbin, Wang Dechao, ang Shi Xiangling allegedly committed fraud, illegally crossing the national border, running a gambling house, aiding information network criminal activities, and creating disturbances."