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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

READ: Duterte rules out face-to-face classes

President Rodrigo Duterte thumbed down the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to resume face-to-face classes so as not to endanger the lives of students and teachers, a Palace official said.

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READ: No shift to MGCQ ‒ Palace

Despite the assurances of Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd that the country is ready to shift to a more lenient quarantine classification, President Rodrigo Duterte junked the proposal to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine or MGCQ.

READ: Sinovac first to get rollout approval

The Food and Drug Administration has granted an emergency use authorization to Sinovac Biotech’s coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19 vaccine, the first to get approval for a Philippine rollout.

READ: Leonen firm in seeking dismissal of Marcos case

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen has shown dogged determination in dismissing the election protest of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo.

READ: Bong Go presses DA on food security plan

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday urged the Department of Agriculture or DA to lay down long-term solutions toward food security in the face of alarming increases in the prices of food products.

READ: Strict health protocols should remain ‒ Gatchalian

Should there be a shift to less stringent MGCQ in March, the government should continue to implement strict health protocols, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said on Monday.

READ: More policemen willing to get jabbed

More policemen are now willing to get inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine, a Philippine National Police officer said on Monday.

In regional news,

READ: Quarrying banned in Misamis Oriental

Five quarry operators were barred from entering and operating in the government-owned industrial estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental effective Monday.

In world news,

READ: Junta threat triggers more rallies

Tens of thousands of anti-coup protesters rallied across Myanmar again on Monday despite a clear threat from the junta that it was prepared to use lethal force to crush what it branded “anarchy.”

In business,

READ: Nonperforming loan ratio seen rising in 2021

Philippine banks’ nonperforming loan ratio is projected to jump to 6 percent this year from the 3.6 percent at the end of last year as loan moratoriums and fiscal support are phased out, a report published by S&P Global Ratings said on Monday.

And in sports,

READ: Djokovic sets sights on Williams, Court

Not content with challenging Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the men’s Grand Slams record, Novak Djokovic has Serena Williams and Margaret Court in his sights after claiming an astonishing ninth Australian Open title.

Yen Makabenta and Ramon T. Tulfo are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.

Makabenta recommends that the

READ: Senate should probe integrity of PH Covid testing system

Tulfo insists that the

READ: PNP has to put a stop to rampant killings by bike-riding gunmen

In The Times editorial, it is asked if it’s better

READ: To ease or to maintain the quarantine: A question of public health policy

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With Aric John Sy Cua, this is Dafort Villaseran reporting. Have a hearty week!

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