MANILA -The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday reminded the public to refrain from engaging with unknown individuals and not to give sensitive personal information through text message, email, or phone call to any stranger. In a press statement, the department advised the public to be extra vigilant and not to entertain text messages about "unclaimed" relief allowances or any other supposed benefit allegedly being granted by any DSWD office. The stern warning came out after the DSWD received a report from a concerned citizen about a text message circulating among mobile phone users regarding the alleged "unclaimed" relief allowances for senior citizens and retired business owners. The DSWD clarified that "it is not true." "The department did not issue or publish such a message. Likewise, there is no such relief allowance that is being provided to the seniors," the statement read. However, the agency said its financia
MANILA - The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) is dismayed over the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) decision to suspend the organization for three months due to its spat with world No. 5 pole vaulter EJ Obiena. PATAFA cried that the ban was a blindside. "PATAFA was not accorded due process and has yet to receive any document on the alleged POC suspension," read the statement released Thursday night, hours after the POC released its verdict. It also denied that it barred Obiena from competing in the World Indoor Championships in Serbia and the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games by not endorsing him. The athletics body said it merely deferred the endorsement pending the completion of a mediation process. "In the PATAFA letter dated Feb. 28, 2022, PATAFA responded to EJ Obiena that it will not act on your letter dated Feb. 24, 2022 pending completion of the mediation process organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). The deferral of any actio