01:00.9
The First Lady earlier admitted she was or has not been in good terms with the Vice President
01:05.6
after she caught her laughing at the claim of former President Rodrigo Duterte
01:11.0
that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is a drug addict.
01:14.7
But Vice President Duterte asserts personal feelings should not hamper her work in the government.
01:21.4
She adds she will soon speak with the President in private.
01:26.3
Bilang tao, karapatan ni unang ginang Liza Marcos na makaramdam ng sama ng loob at galit.
01:35.1
Subalit, ang kanyang personal na damdamin ay walang kinalaman sa aking mandato bilang isang opisyal ng pamahalaan.
01:44.2
Upang makausad tayo, iiwan na natin sa isang pribadong pag-uusap sa pagitan lamang namin ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr.
01:53.1
ang mga susunod na hakbang.
01:55.7
Dapat ay nakatulong.
01:56.3
Tutok tayo sa pagtugon sa mga suliraning hinaharap ng ating bansa.
02:00.8
Unahin natin ang Pilipinas.
02:04.7
As for Cole, seeking for her accountability amid her family's verbal attacks against the President,
02:10.3
Vice President Duterte said she'd rather focus on issues hounding the country.
02:16.9
Senator Coco Pimentel questions the rebranding of the Kusi wing of political party Partido Democratico Pilipino or PDP.
02:24.7
The party recently dropped the second part of its name, Laban, which stands for Lakas ng Bayan Party, founded by the late Ninoy Aquino.
02:36.9
For Pimentel, if the Kusi wing wants to change the basic charter of PDP-Laban, they should just form their own political party.
02:45.1
He adds, political parties are formed to embody ideas and not kill them.
02:49.2
The senator is the son of one of PDP-Laban's founders, Aquilino Nene.
02:54.7
Pimentel Jr., as for Senator Francis Tolentino now, he's backing the rebranding of the party.
03:03.3
Yung pag-aalis ng Laban, I'm not part of that.
03:07.4
Perhaps there was a committee na nag-isip niya, nag-decide. I'm not privy to that.
03:13.6
But siguro iniisip ko lang to drop the name Laban would be an evolutionary process of a shift in ideology.
03:23.5
Because Laban would always...
03:24.7
speculate and conclude fight.
03:29.2
It would always become confrontational and oppositional.
03:33.5
So perhaps the rebranding, ito lang, isipan ko lang to.
03:38.2
The rebranding would probably be directed to moderate voters or Filipinos na hindi naman gusto lang.
03:50.8
42 years ng Laban.
03:53.0
Hindi naman po pwedeng 42 years.
03:54.7
Nang nakikipag-away.
03:58.9
PDP-Laban, led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, also endorsed the 2025 re-election bid of Tolentino along with Senators Bongo and Ronald de la Rosa.
04:11.9
Senator Tolentino welcomes a possible investigation into the alleged influx of Chinese students in Cagayan province.
04:19.3
He believes the concerns being raised are valid and a probe is needed to determine if the students...
04:24.7
enter the country legally.
04:27.7
Senatoresa Ontiveros earlier said she will file a resolution seeking for an investigation on the matter.
04:35.4
They've been trying to project to Gegarao as a center of learning and education.
04:40.6
So let's have an investigation whether this is really true or not.
04:47.2
Because come to think of it, is this a mere coincidence?
04:53.4
Come to think of it.
04:54.7
Would you have 11,000 spies?
04:56.9
Come to think of it.
04:59.1
Were they vetted before by the CHED and the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation?
05:05.4
Kung talagang mali yun naging proseso, i-deport na lang natin.
05:11.0
For House Lawmaker Robert Ace Barbers,
05:14.0
the increasing number of Chinese students in Cagayan can already be considered a national security concern given the maritime row between Manila and Beijing.
05:23.0
Barbers also previously revealed,
05:24.7
there are reports of Chinese nationals posting as Filipinos to buy land near major ports and military sites.
05:32.5
The West Philippine issue between China and the Philippines,
05:39.4
and yet you see all these other site issues coming out.
05:44.3
The Chinese citizens were able to get fake and spurious documents so that they can buy lands,
05:54.7
They can secure IDs, national IDs, they can secure licenses, even firearms licenses.
06:01.5
Second, you have an influx of Chinese who are enrolled in universities near EDCA sites.
06:08.2
The point is, in the midst of the issue between China and the Philippines,
06:13.7
masyadong mainit itong topic na ito eh, yung West Philippine Sea,
06:18.7
why would you, so to speak, sleep with the enemy?
06:22.5
And it's not actually clear.
06:26.2
I'm not saying the Chinese is the enemy here.
06:29.6
There are Chinese tourists that we welcome.
06:33.2
There are Chinese businessmen that we welcome as well.
06:37.5
But those that are Chinese tourists,
06:44.0
sorry, Chinese who come here with questionable motives,
06:49.0
then siguro dapat tingnan natin mabuti yan.
06:52.5
China flexing its military might ahead of the joint exercises between Manila and Washington.
06:59.7
According to maritime security expert Ray Powell,
07:02.5
two Chinese maritime militia ships and a Chinese Coast Guard vessel were seen loitering near Palawan Sunday.
07:10.6
Powell says Beijing's actions signal it is on high alert amid the military drills between Manila and its allies.
07:18.3
This year's annual balikatan or shoulder-to-shoulder drills kicks off today.
07:22.5
It will involve naval exercises outside Manila's territorial waters in areas close to Taiwan,
07:29.0
which is also being claimed by Beijing.
07:31.4
At least 16,000 troops from the U.S., the Philippines, and France will participate in the joint activities.
07:39.8
I sense that this is probably some kind of a demonstration,
07:44.4
again, a reminder to the Philippines that China will remain aggressive
07:48.1
even though the Philippines is in the middle of its big exercise.
07:50.9
Maybe that China figures...
07:53.2
During balikatan is the time to do this to make sure that the Philippines knows
07:57.8
that once the Americans go home from their exercise,
08:02.0
that China will very much still be here.
08:06.0
In other news, the Securities and Exchange Commission files a criminal complaint
08:10.2
against the MFT Group led by CEO Maria Francesca Tan,
08:15.1
Foundry Ventures, and its officers and agents
08:17.7
over alleged unauthorized solicitation of investments.
08:20.5
Based on complaint,
08:22.5
the group had solicited investments supposedly for startup companies
08:26.9
in exchange for a guaranteed return ranging from 12 to 18 percent per annum.
08:32.8
The group had also allegedly issued post-dated checks that were never paid.
08:37.8
The filing of criminal charges came after the SEC issued a cease and desist order in January
08:43.3
directing all MFT Group executives to stop their unregistered investment solicitation activities.
08:51.2
President Marcos Ortega,
08:52.5
ordered the Agriculture Department to relax the importation process of agriculture products
08:57.8
as well as the removal of non-tariff barriers.
09:01.6
This as the President moves to boost local supply
09:04.3
and address rising commodity prices in the country.
09:07.8
Non-tariff barriers include quotas, import licensing systems, regulations, and red tape
09:13.3
that restrict or delay the entry of imports.
09:17.0
The Sugar Regulatory Administration was also ordered to allow more traders to participate,
09:22.5
in its import program.
09:24.8
A surveillance team was also created to monitor the import and distribution of agricultural imports
09:30.0
and prevent price manipulation.
09:34.2
The World Bank begins today a three-week review of two agriculture projects
09:38.9
it is co-funding in the Philippines.
09:41.0
The Agriculture Department says the three-week mission will assess the implementation of initiatives
09:46.3
under the Philippine Rural Development Project.
09:49.3
It will also look into the agency's financial management
09:52.5
and procurement, among others.
09:54.8
The two projects are in Visayas and Mindanao.
09:58.3
These aim to provide financial and infrastructure support
10:02.1
to agriculture and fisheries-based enterprises
10:05.1
as well as establish climate-resilient rural infrastructure.
10:11.4
The Philippine government seeks to convert to tourism assets
10:15.2
several buildings at the Presidential Palace Complex in Manila.
10:18.7
President Marcos spoke of the initiative in a video blog.
10:22.5
Over the weekend, he said the renovations will help provide venues for meetings
10:27.6
by foreign investors and visitors in the Philippines.
10:31.7
The buildings up for renovation include the Goldenberg and La Peral mansions.
10:36.2
Now, the palace said, or did not say, how much the government is spending for the initiative.
10:43.6
It is important for our visitors to feel that they are very welcome here
10:48.1
so that we can be strong in our cooperation,
10:51.3
in our agreements,
10:52.5
in our partnerships in different countries.
10:59.3
Up next, the Philippine Transportation Department
11:01.6
looking to put up a motorcycle lane along Edsa
11:04.2
in a bid to solve the worsening traffic problem in Metro Manila.
11:07.5
The details when we come back.
11:08.8
You're watching Dateline Philippines here on ANC.
11:22.5
Thank you for watching this video.
11:52.2
Thank you for watching!
12:22.2
Thank you for watching!
12:52.2
Thank you for watching!
13:22.2
We are now joined by Ira Cruz. He is the director of Alt Mobility PH.
13:26.5
Ira, good afternoon. Welcome to Dateline Philippines.
13:30.2
Hi, Stanley. It's been a while. How are you?
13:32.8
We're good. We're good. We have a very important topic at hand, motorcycle lanes along EDSA.
13:38.9
How does that sound to you?
13:41.3
Well, you know, first of all, we welcome the move of DOTR to finally recognize the needs of motorcycle riders.
13:49.5
We just need to, I guess, go back.
13:51.7
And remember that back in August of 2023, this has already been a subject of discussion in an MMDA hearing.
13:59.9
And in that discussion, both motorcycle groups and bicycle groups agreed that what they want is an exclusive lane for motorcycles.
14:08.6
So it's good that DOTR is finally recognizing the needs of motorcycle riders.
14:13.2
And we're hoping that MMDA would be open to progressively improving EDSA in order to optimize.
14:21.7
Yes, Ira, there is already a motorcycle lane in Commonwealth Avenue.
14:28.0
But here's the thing, EDSA is not as wide as Commonwealth.
14:31.0
Do you think it should be a dedicated lane or just a designated lane for starts?
14:37.4
It should definitely be a dedicated lane.
14:39.7
Number one, because of sheer volume of motorcycle riders.
14:43.1
And number two, if you follow discussions or the principles on vulnerable road users,
14:51.7
you should be providing more protection to vulnerable road users.
14:56.3
It should definitely be an exclusive lane.
14:59.1
But we'll be quick to add that while this is an exclusive lane, this should not be viewed as a restriction.
15:07.1
It should not be viewed as a cage, but more of a refuge.
15:12.4
And there really should be more discussions in terms of deciding EDSA because you need to take into consideration the overall experience.
15:21.7
Of motorcycle riders, including how would the journey be for them?
15:27.2
So, for example, they need to exit EDSA or they need to change lanes.
15:31.6
Okay, we've heard some views about this proposal, particularly from the DOTR.
15:38.2
Jaime Bautista was saying it should be on the same lane as the bicycle lanes.
15:43.2
Do you think that could work?
15:45.0
Yes, that could work.
15:45.8
I think in our own proposal, it should be the motor, it should be the bicycle lane,
15:51.7
followed by the motorcycle lanes to its left.
15:56.2
And of course, in the middle of EDSA is the EDSA busway.
15:58.5
And I think Secretary Bautista himself mentioned this in a news article, that he's allocating it that way.
16:06.1
But I also feel that this should also be the beginning of a holistic discussion in terms of how EDSA will be able to better serve more people.
16:15.1
You mentioned earlier about space, and there is enough space.
16:19.2
There's enough space in our cities.
16:21.7
For the longest time, it's not been equitably distributed.
16:25.2
For instance, we all know that 88% of households in Metro Manila do not own private vehicles.
16:30.8
And yet the 12% that do own private vehicles is allocated 80% of road space.
16:36.2
It's really just a matter of equitably and sensibly allocating our city space.
16:42.6
And as I mentioned, I hope that this is the beginning of a holistic discussion in terms of how we will make EDSA serve more people.
16:49.3
And that it should also extend.
16:51.7
To pedestrian sidewalks.
16:53.1
There should also be a discussion in terms of how to improve pedestrian infrastructure, as well as the implementation of the active transport infrastructure implementation plan, which is part of this year's budget.
17:06.2
Now, jumping off from what you mentioned earlier about this being or should be something that should be approached holistically.
17:14.0
You know, we are also talking about discipline and enforcement as part of that holistic approach.
17:19.4
Do you think we have one?
17:21.7
Well, first of all, we firmly believe that infrastructure dictates behavior.
17:48.9
And if there's properly designed infrastructure, we believe that it's going to be implemented.
17:51.1
And if there's properly designed infrastructure, we believe that it's going to be implemented.
17:51.7
And if there's properly designed infrastructure, then proper behavior would follow, in which cases, perhaps enforcement might not even be an issue.
17:59.0
But I think that's what we need to change in terms of the mindset of OMB8, that it's not really all about apprehension or restriction, but the discussion should really be about coming up with solutions to improve mobility of people.
18:13.2
And I will jump off from here to the president's blog yesterday.
18:21.7
But I think that's what we need to change in terms of the mindset of OMB8, that it's not really all about apprehension or restriction, but the discussion should really be about coming up with solutions to improve mobility of people.
18:26.9
And that is really much needed at this point.
18:30.0
Because, you know, all of these things, all of these policies that we're hearing now are piecemeal plans.
18:37.7
And the president himself said that he doesn't want to be dealing with piecemeal plans and that we should be coming up with the comprehensive plans.
18:44.2
So we hope that this will be the way towards coming up with a holistic plan.
18:50.2
But that it should also concern the people.
18:51.6
And that's what we're trying to do.
18:51.7
We also need to consider the needs of other cities outside of Metro Manila.
18:54.9
In the president's blog, he focuses on Metro Manila.
18:59.0
But we also need to talk about cities or areas outside of Metro Manila to future-proof municipalities and cities outside of Metro Manila.
19:06.9
There needs to be, as we mentioned before, a move to harmonize all of the government policies.
19:13.4
And that there should be one accountable national government agency to take charge of this.
19:17.7
And in a Business World article today, the American Chamber of Commerce...
19:21.6
The American Chamber of Commerce echoed this, that there needs to be coordinated policies across the entire government.
19:28.7
All right. And speaking of coordinated policies, Senator Grace Poe wants something more profound, something more all-inclusive in terms of the way this has to be planned and implemented and executed.
19:41.6
Now, Ira, if you were to choose three top priorities in solving traffic or easing the traffic problems, what should government, what should policymakers look into?
19:51.6
Number one, they should really put the needs of majority of road users above all else.
19:59.8
And I'm referring to 88% of road users in Metro Manila who do not own private vehicles.
20:05.8
Number two, noticeably, the president skipped mentioning the public utility vehicle modernization plan in this blog, whose consolidation deadline is nearing at the end of April.
20:17.1
And approximately 70% of Metro Manila commuters rely...
20:21.6
Number two, noticeably, the president skipped mentioning the public utility vehicle modernization plan in this blog, whose consolidation deadline is nearing at the end of April.
20:23.7
And number three, there should really be a serious discussion in how we can prioritize the needs of active transportation users, such as bikers and most pedestrians.
20:33.0
All right. Well, on the subject of, you know, putting this together, do you believe that we need someone on top of this, maybe a traffic czar of sorts, to really be managing this one, directing and taking the lead in terms of these plans?
20:48.3
You know, Stanley, we've chatted about this before.
20:51.6
Our problem with the traffic czar is that it's temporary.
20:56.1
However, our needs for transportation is continually evolving, and it's an ongoing concern, which is why when the president mentioned the need for a comprehensive plan,
21:05.2
our recommendation is for the president to issue an executive order designating an existing national government agency, such as the Department of Transportation,
21:13.4
that should be able to harmonize plans and policies across all government agencies, and so that there will also be one accountable government agency,
21:21.6
to deliver this comprehensive plan.
21:24.4
We've talked, I mean, we've heard about this stuff about many times how we're losing some 3.5 billion due to traffic concerns,
21:33.0
and it's really time for us to have a comprehensive plan to improve everybody's mobility once and for all.
21:40.3
All right, Ira. While we're on the subject, you know, there were a couple of approaches to this problem in the past, one of which was vehicular reduction.
21:47.8
You know, that scheme, that number coding scheme.
21:51.6
Now, they are modifying this in a lot of ways, one of which is, of course, limiting the franchises for, say, motorcycle taxis.
22:01.3
That has been discussed of late.
22:03.8
What do you make of that approach or strategy where you limit the number of vehicles flying roads?
22:09.7
Is that something that is sensible and sustainable?
22:13.1
Well, you know, Stanley, ever since they came up with a number coding scheme, what it's done is that it's just induced people.
22:21.6
To buy more cars.
22:23.4
And we can see that in statistics released by MMDA itself, where car sales is growing, you know, by the month, by the year.
22:31.5
And this is symptomatic of MMDA and the government in general, avoiding the, you know, the real issue at hand.
22:42.5
We're just concentrating on addressing symptoms, but they're failing to address fundamental issues.
22:47.7
And the only way to improve mobility of everybody, including those.
22:51.6
Cars is for you to finally fix public transportation and promote alternative ways of travel, such as biking and walking.
23:01.3
And I think that's where all of these plans are failing.
23:05.5
There really needs to be a plan, a comprehensive plan.
23:10.8
There needs to be a sit down, an earnest discussion once and for all on how we can prioritize more sustainable modes of transportation.
23:18.6
We go back to the statement of Senator.
23:21.0
Where she's saying.
23:21.5
That there might not be enough city space.
23:23.5
And again, there is enough city space.
23:25.4
It's just that we've been wasting it on inefficient modes of transportation.
23:29.5
And I will give you an example.
23:31.3
Again, cars on the average contain one to two persons, but for the same amount of space occupied by three cars, you can easily have a bus or a GP containing anywhere between 40 to 50 passengers.
23:43.9
Yeah, that's right.
23:45.1
It's not really about city space or the lack of it, but the wrong allocation and the wrong policy.
23:51.0
You know, we make it so easy for people to choose cars, but we make it very difficult for people to choose public transportation and active transportation.
24:00.7
And it's high time that the government start changing its mindset, and we're very happy that the president seems to be recognizing this need.
24:08.7
I'm very happy that the OTR seems to be understanding that there needs to be more focus on sustainable forms of transportation, that we just need to bring it home and really issue a directive designating it.
24:21.0
I think one government needs to see to finally come up with this comprehensive.
24:25.8
Lastly, you know, running alongside that mindset change that you are saying is, of course, the progress of government in terms of really fixing the mass transit problems in the metro in particular.
24:39.2
We have, you know, new trains or train routes being built.
24:43.9
We have solutions like point-to-point buses, the carousel solution.
24:47.9
Are you happy so far with the way things are going?
24:51.0
As far as improving mass transit, I may add to that as well the Jeepney modernization program, whose deadline is coming up next week.
25:01.9
You know, rail solution, mass rail transit is very important.
25:06.7
But where government fails is that it always thinks of its projects independent of each other.
25:13.9
For instance, when you create a rail line, for instance, you need to make sure that there is a proper.
25:21.0
Feeder system that would bring people from their homes to see rail stations.
25:27.2
And this is where, again, I'll go back to a comprehensive plan because there needs to be a way by which government will be able to make sure that systems of transportation, you know, coordinate and hand over to each other.
25:41.1
So all of the rail projects that we're coming up with is great, but we'll fail if it doesn't or if the government doesn't figure out how it's going to work.
25:51.0
So it will exist with other forms of with other modes of transportation.
25:56.2
And Ira Cruz, we're one with you in looking forward to see how all of these plans would pan out again.
26:02.1
Ira Cruz of Out Mobility.
26:03.6
Thank you so much for joining us on the show today and for giving us your thoughts about the persistent traffic problem in Metro Manila.
26:12.8
Thanks for having me, Stanley.
26:16.1
President Marcos and the visiting Amir of Qatar.
26:20.3
Bilateral relations in Malacanang.
26:23.0
Let's get details now from Pia Gutierrez, who is there.
26:26.6
Pia, good afternoon.
26:30.7
Yes, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
26:32.8
On Monday, welcome the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Haltani to Malacanang.
26:39.4
The Amir arrived in Malacanang at around 930 in the morning where he was given arrival honors.
26:45.6
The Qatari leader is embarking on a two-day state visit to the Philippines.
26:50.3
From April 21 to 22.
26:52.5
And during their bilateral meeting, President Marcos Jr. said that he hoped that the visit will result in stronger collaboration in common fields of interest between Qatar and the Philippines.
27:02.8
As well as open opportunities to improve and strengthen bilateral relations at the commercial level, at the government-to-government level, and finally at the people-to-people level.
27:13.8
Meanwhile, the Amir said that the Philippines is an important partner for Qatar in many fields, especially in trade and economic operations.
27:20.3
And that they aspire to improve these relations to increase communication between the private sector and both countries.
27:27.8
He also praised the Filipino community in Qatar for their effective contribution to the development and progress of their country.
27:35.4
Meanwhile, Stanley, a total of nine bilateral agreements were signed during the visit, including an agreement to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and special or official passports,
27:47.2
as well as MOUs of cooperation on sports.
27:50.8
Youth in Combating Human Trafficking, on Climate Change, Tourism and Business Events, and on Mutual Recognition of Seafarer Certificates.
27:59.8
There were also MOUs signed between the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
28:07.0
and between the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
28:12.5
After the meeting, Stanley, a state banquet was held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacanang in honor of the visiting Qatari leader.
28:21.2
Alright, thank you so much for the update. Pia Gutierrez.
28:25.7
In other news, mixed movement in local fuel prices this week following four straight weeks of price hikes.
28:32.2
Kerosene prices will drop by 1 peso and 10 centavos, while diesel will be cheaper by 95 centavos per liter.
28:38.7
As for gasoline, it will increase by 55 centavos per liter.
28:45.8
The Philippine Energy Regulatory Commission expecting an improvement.
28:50.0
In the country's power supply situation, Luzon and Visayas were repeatedly placed under red and yellow alerts last week
28:57.0
due to forced outages and weak capacity of power plants.
29:01.4
The ERC says power transmission services have been restored over the weekend, pushing them to lift all alerts on Monday.
29:10.0
Wala po tayong alerto kasi over the weekend hanggang kagabi ng alas gis, nakabalik na po yung malalaki nating planta online.
29:20.0
Medyo makakahinga po tayo ng konti. Sana lang po walang mangyari ulit na aberya.
29:25.5
So both Luzon, actually all grids natin, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, normal po ang ating supply situation.
29:33.7
By tomorrow, meron pa rin nakaschedule na papasok yung mga matatagalan po talaga yung mga hydro plants natin kasi mag-aabang talaga yun ng tubig.
29:44.5
The Energy Department also ruling out sabotage in the recent power woes in the country.
29:50.0
It says the incidents were mainly due to the high electricity demand in the country amid the extreme heat.
29:58.2
Still ahead, the U.S. reportedly planning sanctions against Israeli Army troops for alleged rights violations in the occupied West Bank.
30:05.3
More on that when we come back. You're watching Dateline Philippines here on ANC.
30:20.0
We'll be right back.
30:50.0
A total of 210 bodies have been dug up there since last Friday.
30:54.9
Authorities said around 2,000 people remain missing in canyones and are believed to be buried under the rubble.
31:02.5
The city endured an intense Israeli offensive in recent months.
31:06.8
Across Gaza, more than 34,000 people have died in Israel's assault.
31:13.4
Israeli forces kill at least 14 Palestinians during a two-day raid in the occupied West Bank.
31:20.0
Palestinian authorities say the ambulance driver was also killed on his way to pick up the wounded from a separate truck by Jewish settlers.
31:28.7
The Israeli military says a number of militants were killed or arrested during the raid and at least four soldiers were wounded.
31:36.9
The West Bank has been at the heart of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict since it was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War.
31:48.1
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
31:50.0
Netanyahu vows to fight sanctions that could be imposed on any of the country's military units.
31:55.9
Axios News reported Saturday, Washington was planning to hold the Natsa Yehuda Battalion to account for alleged rights violations in the occupied West Bank.
32:06.7
The Israeli military says it was not aware of any measures being taken.
32:11.3
I will fiercely defend the IDF, our army, and our fighters.
32:17.6
If anyone thinks they can impose sanctions on the unit,
32:20.0
I will fight it with all my strength.
32:23.9
As our soldiers are united to protect us on the battlefield,
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we are united to protect them on the political field.
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Together, we will fight.
32:32.6
And with God's help, together we will win.
32:39.1
In an address to the nation ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover,
32:43.3
Netanyahu also pledged to secure the release of 133 hostages
32:48.0
still being held by Hamas.
32:50.0
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh blaming Israel for stalling a ceasefire.
32:57.3
Haniyeh says despite extensive negotiations,
33:00.4
all Israel wants is the release of hostages so they can continue the war
33:04.3
and refuse to agree on a complete withdrawal from Gaza.
33:08.3
Haniyeh spoke following a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan
33:11.7
who says diplomatic efforts continue for a permanent ceasefire
33:15.5
as well as an independent Palestinian state.
33:18.7
Haniyeh's visit took place on the day of the ceasefire.
33:19.7
Haniyeh's visit took place on the day of the ceasefire.
33:19.8
Haniyeh's visit took place on the day of the ceasefire.
33:20.0
Haniyeh's visit took place amid escalating regional tensions
33:21.9
following Israel's reported attack on Iran last week
33:24.9
which he also blames on the Jewish state.
33:29.9
Ecuadorians wrap up voting on Sunday in a national referendum
33:33.4
on security measures to fight rising violence.
33:36.9
The vote is meant to approve or reject measures proposed by President Daniel Noboa
33:41.4
to tackle the rise in organized crime violence sweeping the nation.
33:46.6
Measures include joint police-military patrols,
33:49.2
the extradition of the Jewish people,
33:49.8
extradition of wanted criminals,
33:51.5
and longer sentences for terrorism and murder convictions.
33:55.3
In January, violence in Ecuador made world headlines
33:58.2
when gunmen stormed a live TV broadcast
34:00.9
and scores of prison staff were taken hostage.
34:06.2
Europe's climate scientists say
34:08.2
incidence of life-threatening heat stress is rising in the region.
34:11.9
According to a report by EU's Climate Monitoring Service,
34:15.8
parts of Spain, France, Italy, and Greece
34:18.0
experienced up to 10 days of heat stress.
34:19.6
In 2023, with heat indices of more than 46 degrees Celsius,
34:27.6
it added deaths related to heat wave increased by around 30% in Europe.
34:32.7
Scientists now urge governments to prepare healthcare systems for climate change
34:37.0
and to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat.
34:40.8
Last year was the world's hottest since records began,
34:44.0
and Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent.
34:49.6
The year, as you know, has globally been extremely unusual,
34:55.2
especially when compared with the climate of the last few decades,
34:59.5
centuries, or even millennia.
35:02.7
So, some of the events of 2023 took the scientific community by surprise.
35:10.6
Because of their intensity, their speed of onset, extent, and duration.
35:19.6
Now, last week, Filipinos endured record-breaking heat here in the country.
35:23.7
What should we expect this week?
35:25.1
Let's now get an outlook from Pag-Asa weather forecaster, Veronica Torres.
35:29.4
Good afternoon, Veronica. Welcome to Dateline Philippines.
35:31.8
Good afternoon, Stanley, and all of our audience in ANC.
35:37.1
So, currently, the trough of low-pressure area is affecting the southern portions of Mindanao.
35:43.9
That's why we're expecting cloudy skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms
35:48.7
over Basilan, Sulawesi.
35:49.6
Then, the ridge of high-pressure area is extending over the eastern section of northern Luzon.
35:58.8
For the weather condition in Metro Manila and the rest of the country,
36:02.4
we're expecting partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.
36:08.3
So, we're not monitoring, aside from the low-pressure area outside of the PAR,
36:13.9
we're not monitoring other low-pressure area or tropical cyclone near or inside.
36:19.6
We're also not monitoring or we don't have any gale warning raised over any parts of the country.
36:27.5
We're expecting in the next two to three days,
36:31.0
the same weather condition will continue over Metro Manila and the rest of the country
36:37.1
where it's going to be partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of localized thunderstorms.
36:44.1
And that's the latest from Pag-Asa Weather Forecasting Center, Veronica C. Torres.
36:48.6
All right. Thank you.
36:49.6
Thank you so much for the update, Veronica.
36:51.8
In sports now, the top-seeded Boston Celtics showed no mercy in their first-round series opener
36:57.2
against the Miami Heat.
36:59.0
Jason Tatum completed his first career playoffs triple-double with 23 points,
37:04.1
10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Celtics walloped the Heat 114-94.
37:11.0
Boston led by as many as 34 points and were never threatened by Miami,
37:15.0
which is missing two injured starters in Jimmy Butler.
37:19.6
And Thierry Rougier.
37:22.1
Meanwhile, here's a look at the rest of the scores in today's NBA Playoff Action.
37:43.8
And before we go, giant robots invade a mega warehouse in the UK employing AI
37:48.8
to ensure optimal operation.
37:53.1
Warehouse operations are reaching new heights thanks to these giant shelf-scanning robots.
37:58.9
They're the world's tallest autonomous robots.
38:01.2
Developed by UK-based Dexery, the robots can patrol mega warehouses
38:05.6
and use artificial intelligence to scan its surroundings.
38:09.1
This helps detect and address warehouse problems faster, from damaged stock to infrastructure issues.
38:17.4
Dexery systems can capture...
38:18.8
...millions of data points across multiple locations each day.
38:23.4
That data is then used to build up a detailed 3D model of the warehouse
38:27.5
to offer real-time insights and predictive analytics.
38:31.9
Dexery's giant robots also have a neat trick.
38:35.1
They can extend upwards to give it a height of about 12.5 meters or roughly 40 feet.
38:41.6
Andre Donescu is co-founder and CEO of Dexery.
38:45.0
So they're the size of a warehouse rack.
38:47.7
They're about 12.5 meters.
38:48.8
They're about 12.5 meters tall, which gives them the ability, as they pass through the warehouse,
38:53.7
to scan everything in one swift go, in one swift pass.
38:57.1
So they have a number of cameras, they have a number of laser measurement systems on them,
39:02.0
and this gives them the ability to create a digital copy of the rack
39:06.1
and really understand how goods are being kept, how efficiently the pallet space is being utilized.
39:12.8
And basically, it helps the warehouse operators to run their facility in the most efficient,
39:17.9
in the most efficient way possible.
39:18.6
A single battery-powered robot can scan warehouses of 1 million square feet in size
39:25.3
and over 100,000 pallets in a day.
39:28.2
It can then return autonomously to its charging station when needed.
39:33.5
Global shipping and logistics company AP Moller Maersk partnered with Dexery in January 2023
39:39.9
with the aim to optimize warehouse management in the UK.
39:44.4
Maersk says the robot is used in all of its UK locations
39:47.6
and is being used in the UK.
39:48.6
The robot is being rolled out to some in Europe.
39:51.0
But it's not coming at the cost of the human worker,
39:53.7
according to Maersk's commercial lead, Fergus Wynum.
39:57.3
No, I don't think it's replacing humans, and we're not replacing something.
40:01.1
We're actually enhancing it.
40:02.8
And that means that for our colleagues, it's positive,
40:05.7
because when they go to a location, they have faith that the location has the product in it.
40:09.9
Therefore, they see the benefit of working alongside the robot,
40:13.4
and it becomes a positive influence on the working environment.
40:18.6
And that will do it for today.
40:23.0
Thanks a lot for joining us.
40:24.0
I'm Stanley Palizaray.
40:25.0
If you want to revisit today's episode,
40:27.1
you can play back this newscast on the YouTube channel of ABS-CBN News
40:30.7
and on ANC 24-7 on Facebook.
40:34.1
Keep safe, everyone, and see you here on the news channel.
