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Today on Rappler – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
- MTRCB suspends SMNI shows of Duterte, Badoy following probe into violations
- Banks not allowed to raise InstaPay, PESONet fees – Bangko Sentral
- Setting aside tensions, Taiwan president offers aid to China after deadly earthquake
- Vatican approves blessings for same-sex couples in landmark ruling
- Sinigang is one of the Best Dishes in the World of 2023, according to Taste Atlas

https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/december-19-2023/

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Transcript
00:00 Today on Rappler
00:12 The Philippines' Movie and TV Review Board suspends two SM&I programs.
00:17 The Banco Central says no to an increase in Instapay and Pesonet fund transfer fees.
00:22 Taiwan offers to help an earthquake-stricken area in China where 100 people died.
00:27 Pope Francis allows blessings for same-sex couples.
00:31 And Filipino dish sinigang is recognized as one of the best dishes in the world for 2023.
00:38 The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board suspends for 14 days two Sunshine Media
00:43 Network International programs.
00:46 Production for Gigan Sa Masa para Sa Masa was temporarily halted after former President
00:51 Rodrigo Duterte threatened to kill ACT Teacher's Representative Franz Castro on two episodes
00:56 aired in October and November.
00:57 Meanwhile, the suspension of Laban Kasama ng Bayan comes after Jeffrey Celis and Lorraine
01:02 Badoy reported without verifying that the travel spending of Speaker Martin Rualdes
01:06 had ballooned to P1.8 billion.
01:09 The Television and Movie Watchdog notes certain aspects of the programs may have violated
01:14 the law.
01:15 SM&I is expected to address and rectify the identified issues during the 14-day preventive
01:19 suspension.
01:20 The Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, or BSP, maintains its cap on Instapay and Pesonet fund transfer
01:28 fees.
01:29 Transfers via Pesonet have no maximum limit and are posted by the end of the day.
01:33 Instapay allows real-time fund transfers of up to P50,000 per transaction.
01:38 Fees can range from P8 to P50.
01:41 The central bank kept in place a ceiling for fund transfer fees from Dec. 28, 2021.
01:47 Although they may not increase their fees, financial institutions are allowed to reduce
01:51 or waive their fees.
01:53 Several banks and e-money issuers temporarily waive their fund transfer fees until Dec.
01:57 31, 2023.
01:59 By eliminating fees or keeping them low, the BSP hopes to encourage Filipinos to embrace
02:04 digital payment channels.
02:07 Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen expresses condolences to China and offers her government's help
02:12 after an earthquake killed more than 100 people on the northern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan
02:17 Plateau.
02:18 In a statement, Tsai says their nation hopes for a swift recovery for those affected and
02:22 Taiwan is ready to offer assistance.
02:25 Tensions between Taipei and Beijing have soared in the past four years as China seeks to assert
02:30 its sovereignty claims with political and military pressure.
02:33 On Monday, Dec. 18, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted a remote and mountainous region on
02:38 the northern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, killing at least 118 people and injuring hundreds.
02:46 The Vatican approves a landmark ruling that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings
02:51 to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies.
02:56 A document from the Vatican's doctrinal office approved by Pope Francis says such blessings
03:01 would not legitimize irregular situations, but be a sign that God welcomes all.
03:06 The document says the blessing should not be linked with or timed to a civil marriage
03:10 ceremony.
03:11 It adds priests should decide on a case-by-case basis and should not prevent the Church's
03:15 closeness to people who seek God's help.
03:18 The Church teaches that same-sex attraction is not sinful, but homosexual acts are.
03:23 Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has tried to make the 1.3-billion-member Church
03:28 more welcoming to LGBT people without changing moral doctrine on same-sex activity.
03:35 Another win for the Sinigang!
03:37 The Philippines' famous sour soup is recognized as one of the best dishes in the world for
03:41 2023 by international food database Taste Atlas.
03:46 It ranks in 97th place with 4.48 out of 5 stars.
03:50 The popular meat- or seafood-based soup is known for its distinctively sour flavor from
03:55 the typically used sambalok or tamarind fruit.
03:58 It bested Poland's Zurek, France's steak au poivre, and Vietnam's pho ba.
04:03 Taste Atlas writes, "With its sour lightness perfectly matching the harsh tropical heat
04:07 of the country, Sinigang is a unique soup that is a true representative of Filipino
04:11 cuisine."
04:12 Users and reviewers on Taste Atlas say the best Sinigang can be found at Manam, Locavore,
04:17 and The Aristocrat.
04:20 And that's today's wrap.
04:21 I'm Nina Liu.
04:22 Thank you for watching.
04:23 Click the link below for the full story.
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