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GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
House waiting for 5 seats to be filled —SecGen
There are still five seats in the House to be filled after the disqualification of the Duterte Youth Partylist, and the suspension of the proclamation of two congressional winners, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said. Tina Panganiban Perez/GMA Integrated News The House of Representatives is awaiting the final ruling of the Commission on Elections on cases filed against several potential members of the House in the 20th Congress. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco told reporters on Thursday that there are still five seats in the House to be filled after divisions of the Comelec ruled to cancel the Duterte Youth Partylist, which received enough votes for three seats, and suspended the proclamation of winners in Marikina and Benguet. 'Yun na lang hinihintay namin, yung tatlong nominees ng Duterte Youth [That's what we're waiting for the three nominees of Duterte Youth]. And then pending pa rin [still are] two congressional districts. One is in Marikina… And Comelec is resolving this. So, no congressman has been proclaimed yet in the district. The same in the case of Benguet. We're still waiting for Comelec to proclaim the winner. So bale lima pa yung pending [So there are five seats pending],' Velasco said. A Comelec division also ruled to cancel the certificate of candidacy of Luis Chua Uy, who had been proclaimed as the duly elected representative of Manila 6th district. Uy ran against incumbent Representative Bienvenido Abante who filed a petition questioning Uy's citizenship. The Comelec 2nd division ruled Abante is the district's duly elected representative. 'We're waiting for the resolution of Comelec. Kailangan kasi en banc yon [Because it has to be an en banc decision]. The en banc should proclaim the actual winner. And then once we get this proclamation, we can accept Congressman Abante as the duly elected member of Congress in that district,' Velasco said. Velasco also disclosed that the House had already issued Uy a certification that he is a member of the House and a welcome kit. 'Because the only requirements we have, dalawa lang eh [are two]: proclamation from Comelec and oath of office,' Velasco said. He added that both had been done in Uy's case. Velasco also said that the House in the 20th Congress will be composed of 317 members, 96 of whom are neophytes or first termers. The first termers are scheduled to attend an executive course where they will learn, among others, the legislative process and the Rules of the House of Representatives. They have been divided into two batches, with the first batch scheduled to attend on June 23 to 25 while the second batch is scheduled on July 7 to 9. — BM, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
The Star
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Singapore inventor builds lightsabers, web-shooters in bedroom; sells movie gadgets to over 1,000 customers
With a 3D printer, LED strips, and thread, content creator Jacob Uy built fully-working replicas of movie gadgets like a web-shooter and a lightsaber. - ST SINGAPORE: Lightsabers and web-shooters have long been in the realms of science fiction, but 25-year-old inventor Jacob Uy has turned these ideas into reality on a workbench in his bedroom. With a 3D printer, light-emitting diode (LED) strips, some thread and a vivid imagination, the Singaporean has built fully working replicas of iconic movie gadgets: a Spider-Man-style web-shooter that launches a retractable cord, and a lightsaber that extends and retracts. Uy's bedroom desk – cluttered with cables, cutters, soldering tools and dismantled parts from earlier prototypes – is where the magic has been taking shape over the last six years. He is now working on the sixth iteration of the lightsaber prototype, a project that started three years ago. With each upgrade, the lightsaber prototypes have become sturdier, more compact and retract faster to more closely resemble its look and feel in the films. He uses a magician's cane – a narrow spring-steel strip that folds into a lightsaber hilt and extends out to full length within three seconds using a small motor. The cane is lined with ultra-bright teal LED strips, which fold and extend with the retracting cane to create the look of Cal Kestis' lightsaber from the Star Wars video games. Uy's homemade lightsaber goes beyond most toys found on department store shelves. The usual versions are plastic cylinders that collapse into the hilt, and the sturdier replicas used by lightsaber martial-arts enthusiasts do not retract at all. Work on the lightsaber started as a passion project among movie geeks whom Uy met in Olin College in Needham, Massachusetts, in 2022. They responded to his e-mail calling for peers in the engineering school to work with him to build a real-life lightsaber. Uy, a movie fanatic since his childhood, said building a lightsaber was 'a dream come true'. He has long built movie-inspired gadgets and structures out of Lego as a child, and takes inspiration from his favourite movie characters, who have all been inventors of sorts. Uy said: 'Spider-Man makes his own web-shooters. Tony Stark builds his own suit, and even Luke Skywalker built his own lightsaber... You can describe engineering in many different ways, but for me, engineering is the bridge between science fiction and reality.' Also on his workbench is a Spider-Man inspired web-shooter. The watch-sized gadget houses a cartridge holding a spring-loaded thread that launches up to 3m when a string is pulled to release its stopper. A magnet fastened to the end of the string attaches to magnetic surfaces, allowing users to channel their inner Spidey and yank items towards them. Uy said he is working on a refined version of the web-shooter with a mechanism to retract the string, saving users the trouble of coiling it into the cartridge. A 2018 video of his early web-shooter prototype drew roughly 41 million views, launching Uy's career as a full-time content creator. Topping 300,000 subscribers, his channel supplies most of the income for his company, HeroTech, which he has since registered in Singapore. Aware of copyright issues, Uy is mindful of what he lists for sale. Over the past six years, more than 1,000 customers have purchased versions of the US$349 (S$450) thread-shooter – one of the few prototypes he lists for sale as it is unlikely to infringe copyright. 'There's no copyright over things that shoot out string,' he said. But he is more careful with the lightsaber, which he is not planning to sell for now. Uy said he identifies first and foremost as a YouTube content creator, who makes videos about how sci-fi gadgets can be brought to life safely. Earnings from the thread-shooter are channelled back into keeping his company afloat and on materials to improve upon his prototypes. Soon, he plans to hire engineering interns to assist with building more gadgets. 'HeroTech's main thing is about making these designs and sharing the process on social media so that other people can learn from it,' said Uy. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Inventor builds lightsabers, web-shooters in bedroom; sells movie gadgets to over 1,000 customers
With a 3D printer, LED strips, and thread, content creator Jacob Uy built fully-working replicas of movie gadgets like a web-shooter and a lightsaber. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM SINGAPORE – Lightsabers and web-shooters have long been in the realms of science fiction, but 25-year-old inventor Jacob Uy has turned these ideas into reality on a workbench in his bedroom. With a 3D printer, light-emitting diode (LED) strips, some thread and a vivid imagination, the Singaporean has built fully working replicas of iconic movie gadgets: a Spider-Man-style web-shooter that launches a retractable cord, and a lightsaber that extends and retracts. Mr Uy's bedroom desk – cluttered with cables, cutters, soldering tools and dismantled parts from earlier prototypes – is where the magic has been taking shape over the last six years. He is now working on the sixth iteration of the lightsaber prototype, a project that started three years ago. With each upgrade, the lightsaber prototypes have become sturdier, more compact and retract faster to more closely resemble its look and feel in the films. Mr Jacob Uy working on a lightsaber prototype at his desk, which is cluttered with cables, cutters, soldering tools and dismantled parts. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM He uses a magician's cane – a narrow spring-steel strip that folds into a lightsaber hilt and extends out to full length within three seconds using a small motor. The cane is lined with ultra-bright teal LED strips, which fold and extend with the retracting cane to create the look of Cal Kestis' lightsaber from the Star Wars video games. Mr Uy's homemade lightsaber goes beyond most toys found on department store shelves. The usual versions are plastic cylinders that collapse into the hilt, and the sturdier replicas used by lightsaber martial-arts enthusiasts do n ot retract at all. Mr Jacob Uy is working on the sixth iteration of the lightsaber prototype, a project which started three years ago. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Work on the lightsaber started as a passion project among movie geeks whom Mr Uy met in Olin College in Needham, Massachusetts, in 2022. They responded to his e-mail calling for peers in the engineering school to work with him to build a real-life lightsaber. Mr Uy, a movie fanatic since his childhood, said building a lightsaber was 'a dream come true'. He has long built movie-inspired gadgets and structures out of Lego as a child, and takes inspiration from his favourite movie characters, who have all been inventors of sorts. As a child, Mr Jacob Uy has long built movie-inspired gadgets and structures out of Lego, and takes inspiration from his favourite movie characters, who have all been inventors of sorts. PHOTO: COURTESY OF JACOB UY Mr Uy said: 'Spider-Man makes his own web-shooters. Tony Stark builds his own suit, and even Luke Skywalker built his own lightsaber... You can describe engineering in many different ways, but for me, engineering is the bridge between science fiction and reality.' Also on his workbench is a Spider-Man inspired web-shooter. The watch-sized gadget houses a cartridge holding a spring-loaded thread that launches up to 3m when a string is pulled to release its stopper. Watch‑sized gadgets house a cartridge holding a spring‑loaded thread that launches up to 3m when a string is pulled to release its stopper. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM A magnet fastened to the end of the string attaches to magnetic surfaces, allowing users to channel their inner Spidey and yank items towards them. Mr Uy said he is working on a refined version of the web-shooter with a mechanism to retract the string, saving users the trouble of coiling it into the cartridge. A 2018 video of his early web-shooter prototype drew roughly 41 million views, launching Mr Uy's career as a full-time content creator. Topping 300,000 subscribers, his channel supplies most of the income for his company, HeroTech, which he has since registered in Singapore. Aware of copyright issues, Mr Uy is mindful of what he lists for sale. Over the past six years, more than 1,000 customers have purchased versions of the US$349 (S$450) thread-shooter – one of the few prototypes he lists for sale as it is unlikely to infringe copyright. 'There's no copyright over things that shoot out string,' he said. But he is more careful with the lightsaber, which he is not planning to sell for now. Mr Uy said he identifies first and foremost as a YouTube content creator, who makes videos about how sci-fi gadgets can be brought to life safely. Earnings from the thread-shooter are channelled back into keeping his company afloat and on materials to improve upon his prototypes. Soon, he plans to hire engineering interns to assist with building more gadgets. 'HeroTech's main thing is about making these designs and sharing the process on social media so that other people can learn from it,' said Mr Uy. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
South China Morning Post
20-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
In Philippines, fears of ‘cyber cold war' amid surge in online threats
A surge in online threats against the Philippines has amplified fears of a 'cyber cold war' among security analysts, following Communications Minister Ivan Uy's warning that 'World War III is happening' in the digital realm. 'World War III is happening and it is cyber,' Uy told Reuters in a recent interview, adding that the weapons used in this type of warfare were non-kinetic. 'They are cyber, digital, virtual, but it's happening, but the attacks and defences are happening as we speak, without any physical manifestation.' Uy's comments came after the Philippine government confirmed that it had detected foreign attempts to access its intelligence data on Tuesday, but clarified that no breaches had been recorded. He noted that Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), often state-sponsored actors engaged in malign cyber operations, had failed to infiltrate the Philippines' government systems despite multiple attempts. 'Hopefully it's because our cyber defences and cybersecurity are strong enough,' he added. In January, Uy also confirmed attacks on the Office of the President's systems but denied that sensitive military information was stolen, after Bloomberg reported that state-backed hackers from China had stolen military data from the country's executive branch in a year-long effort from 2023 to 2024.
Voice of America
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Philippines reports intrusions targeting intelligence data
The Philippines has detected foreign attempts to access intelligence data, but its cyber minister said on Tuesday no breaches have been recorded so far. Attempts to steal data are wide-ranging, said minister for information and communications Ivan Uy. Advanced Persistent Threats or APTs have repeatedly attempted but failed to infiltrate government systems, suggesting the country's cyber-defenses have held firm. APTs are a general term for cyber actors or groups, often state-backed, that engage in malicious cyber activities. "These have been present for quite some time, and threats come from many actors, but a big majority of them are foreign," Uy told Reuters. Some of these threats, which Uy referred to as "sleepers," had been embedded in systems before being exposed by government's cyber security efforts. "Why are these things operating in those systems, without even anybody calling it out?," he said. So far, the government has not seen any cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, he said. "Hopefully it's because our cyber defenses and cyber security are strong enough," he said. Uy acknowledged the difficulty of attributing cyber intrusions to specific attackers, as they sometimes leave misleading digital traces. However, the government is working through diplomatic channels and sharing intelligence with the military, including with other countries, to validate threats and strengthen defenses, he said. Last year, the Philippine said it thwarted attempts by hackers operating in China to break into websites and e-mail systems of the Philippine president and government agencies, including one promoting maritime security. Uy described the escalating cyber threats as part of a global arms race, where nations and criminal organizations exploit digital vulnerabilities for financial or strategic gain. "World War III is happening and it is cyber," Uy said. "These weapons are non-kinetic. They are cyber, digital, virtual, but it's happening. The attacks and defenses are happening as we speak, without any physical manifestation." Beyond cyberattacks, Uy has also flagged a surge in deepfakes and what he referred to as "fake news media outlets" aiming to manipulate public opinion ahead of the Philippines' mid-term elections in May, and the ministry has deployed tools to combat them. "Misinformation and disinformation are riskier with respect to democracies like ours, because we rely on elections, and elections are based on personal opinion," Uy said.
