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1. PHIVOLCS raises Alert Level 4 on Mayon Volcano

January 22, 2018

Photo by Manila Livewire| Taken from ASEAN Travel

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the alert level and also extended the coverage of the danger zone around the volcano to 8 kilometers (km) from the crater.

The ash cloud towered over the 2,460-meter (8,070-feet) volcano. Ashfall was observed in parts of the province's 2nd and 3rd districts, as well as in Legazpi City. -Rhaydz Barcia / Rappler.com

2 DUTERTE: "Shoot me if I exceed my turn by one day"

January 23, 2018

Photo by Global Balita (Not actual Photo)

“Kaya ako ‘pag sumobra, gusto kong mag-diktador, barilin ninyo ako. Hindi ako nagbobola. Dalhin mo ‘yung mga green tip mo, ubusin mo doon sa — kung saan ako nakatindig. Hindi ako nagbibi…” (So if I want to be a dictator, shoot me. I am not joking. Bring your green tip and finish it up where I am standing. I am not joking), Duterte said.

“There will be no suspension of elections and there will be no term extension especially for me,” Duterte, also chair of the ruling Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) told MindaNews on January 12. - Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews

Another verbal circus by our President.

3 Filipino Scientists slams Malacanang on Benham Rise Research

January 24, 2018

Screen capture from ANC Broadcast

"Government's denigration of Filipino scientists and Filipinos in general, claiming they cannot explore the Benham Rise without China or Chinese money, is a total sham meant to disempower and demean Filipinos and their capacity and capability as a people. It makes Filipinos appear helpless, clueless and penniless on something already demonstrated they are not," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"We are not a nation of beggars for small change, even if it is from a country as big and rich as China." -ABS-CBN News

What kind of leader do we have is he/she degrades and insults their own scientists? What kind of leader do we have if he still opens the door to a country who tries to steal a portion of another country's territory? I don't want to think thet we have been sold of our own government. It is as if they forgot on how our country won the arbitration case against China's claim to our marine territory.

4. North Korea express unity for all Koreans

January 25, 2018

Photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via Reuters

It said all Koreans should “promote contact, travel, cooperation between North and South Korea” while adding Pyongyang will “smash” all challenges against reunification of the Korean peninsula.

The announcement, issued after a joint meeting of government and political parties, added Koreans should wage an energetic drive to defuse the acute military tension and create a peaceful climate on the Korean peninsula.- Christine Kim; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Susan Thomas/ Reuters

Time can tell on how peace will find its way in these two conflicting countries. For many, it is very odd to hear from the mouth of the authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un words of unification of all Koreans. It is time to give these two countries their own pace in figuring out a negotiations that will end political tension. It is time for all foreign power to stay away on this issue. I just can imagine how Trump is pissed off. No war= no profit for the biggest military powerhouse in the world.

5. Facebook takes down Mayon Volcano Cartoon amidst Mocha Uson Geography lapse

Screen captured from Interaksyon

What gives? We know for a fact that Facebook is rather liberal with some racy content. There are still a lot of those sexist Facebook groups around.

We’re not even talking about press freedom here yet, we’re simply talking about an artist’s right to tell a joke. Is cracking a good joke now considered offensive? Has Facebook turned (gulp!) fascist on us?

Many people are starting to smell something bad between Facebook and its relationship to other world leaders, especially with Duterte. Philippine Star reported last year about the role of the giant social networking in the electoral process that leads to the victory of President Donald Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte. Both Presidents successfully utilized the said social media as their medium for their political agendas. An independent study also shows how repressive regimes across the world uses online trolls or "keyboard warriors" to shape popular opinion. MSNBC also ran a report where they put Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg on hot seat regarding the said issue.

Now, a cartoon was taken down in Facebook after Presidential Communications Undersecretary Mocha Uson mistakenly reported the location of the Mayon Volcano. How does this satirical meme violated the terms and conditions of Facebook? Is Facebook under contract to protect someone or a group of people? We all don't know.

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