Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, July 9, 2021.
READ: Duterte run under Sara's party possible
President Rodrigo Duterte may consider joining Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) party if he decides to run for vice president in next year's elections, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Thursday. Roque said the President is not sure has not yet decided if he will run as vice president. Duterte once again floated the possibility of a vice presidential bid in a taped meeting with members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) aired on Wednesday.
READ: 'New baselines law needed to assert PH sea rights'
A new baseline law should be passed to enable the Philippines to better assert its rights in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Thursday. During a virtual media forum, Roque said the Philippines has a "treaty obligation" to amend its domestic laws to be in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). Under international law, legislation is an act of sovereignty that establishes territorial title. Roque said the national legislation claiming sovereignty and sovereign rights must name the contested individual maritime features.
READ: Go warns against new Covid variant
SEN. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go advised the public to remain vigilant and to cooperate and strictly comply with the government's anti-Covid-19 measures following the emergence of the new and more contagious Lambda variant. During the launch of the 127th Malasakit Center at the Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Bacoor City, Cavite, Go said a single quarantine offender infected with the Lambda variant could infect many more individuals. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health called for patience in following quarantine rules.
READ: DSWD open to SAP payout probe
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is willing to participate in an investigation of reports that its financial service providers (FSPs) charged anomalous fees during the rollout of the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP). Irene Dumlao, DSWD spokesman, made the statement on Thursday after House of Representatives Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Arlene Brosas asked the social services committee to look into the payout transaction fees.
READ: Sotto, Lacson start 'tour of Luzon'
SENATE President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd and Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Thursday started consulting local officials in Luzon for their views on how to end the pandemic and achieve economic recovery. The two started their version of "tour of Luzon" to check on local government units (LGUs) and seek suggestions for a post-pandemic recovery plan. They first prayed at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan before meeting with local officials.
BUSINESS: PH banks' bad debts rise to P479B
Over to business, the amount of bad debt in the Philippine banking sector rose to over P479 billion as of end-May this year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed on Thursday. At the end of May, lenders' gross non-performing loans (NPL) surged by 83 percent to P479.48 billion, up from P262 billion a year earlier.
SPORTS: 2021 SEA Games postponed
Topping sports, the Southeast Asian Games Federation on Thursday unanimously decided to postpone the biennial multi-sport meet slated from November 21 to December 2 this year in Vietnam, due to rising cases of Covid-19 among Southeast Asian countries. Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino announced the development in a press conference on Thursday. Cancelling the Games altogether, however, is not an option. Tolentino said that Vietnam wants the Games to go ahead next year.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Ruben Torres are today's front page columnists. Tiglao wants Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao to run for the presidency, while Torres discusses the quest for industrial peace.
Today's editorial discusses the coalitions of convenience among political parties for next year's elections. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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On behalf of The Manila Times, this is Aric John Sy Cua reporting. Have a safe Friday ahead.