Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Cash aid for residents on lockdown – Palace
THE government will provide ayuda or cash aid or to residents who will be affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that will be imposed in Metro Manila to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) starting in August, Malacañang said on Saturday. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Budget and Management to find a source for the financial assistance when the lockdown is enforced from August 6 to 20. In a radio interview, Roque said Metro Manila residents could expect cash aid to be similar to what was provided in March - P1,000 per person or up to P4,000 per family.
Duterte to welcome arrival of US jabs
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will personally welcome next week the arrival of the Moderna vaccines the US donated through the Covax Facility, Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go said. In a statement, Go said the doses were likely to arrive on August 3. Go did not provide other details. The US assurance of new vaccine donations comes after its defense secretary Lloyd Austin paid a courtesy call on the President on Thursday in Malacañang, where they also discussed the future of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries. Following that meeting, Duterte recalled the impending termination of the VFA that was based on "upholding PH strategic core interests, the clear definition of PH-US alliance as one between sovereign equals, and clarity of US position on its obligations and commitments under [the] MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty)."
Petecio assured of silver, Obiena enters final
Boxer Nesthy Petecio advanced to the gold medal round while pole vaulter EJ Obiena entered the finals at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, July 31. Petecio defeated Irma Testa of Italy via majority decision in the women's featherweight semifinals at the Kokugikan Arena, while Obiena soared 5.75-meter in the qualification phase to remain in contention in men's pole vault. Four judges scored in favor of Petecio, 29-28, and one for Testa, 29-28. It was the Philippines' first Olympic boxing silver medal in 25 years since Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco Jr. finished second in the 1996 Atlanta Olympiad. The 5-foot-2 Petecio cautiously probed the 5-foot-8 Testa at the start of the match with the judges scoring 10-9 in favor of the Italian. But the boxer from Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur charged like a raging bull in the second round, nullifying the reach advantage of her taller opponent by fighting hard on the inside. Petecio, the 2019 world champion, connected with a power shot on Testa's jaw at the 2:53 mark followed by a left straight to the face with 1:41 left in the second round. A right to the body in the final 12 seconds visibly jarred the Italian. Petecio is set to face Sena Irie from hosts Japan on August 3.
Experts recommend hybrid polls for '22
Election and information technology experts believe that using a hybrid election system instead of an automated election system (AES) is the Philippines' best option in next year's national poll. Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner and current National Movement for Free Elections president Gus Lagman said shifting to hybrid polls, which entail manual counting and electronic canvassing and transmission of votes, would enhance the transparency and accuracy of election results.
Rep. Vargas, brother face graft complaint
A complaint was filed before the Office of the President (OP) in Malacañang against actor-turned-Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas and his brother for allegedly using a government cash-for-work program illegally. n its protest before the OP's Presidential Complaint Center (PCC), the Bantay Kaban-Citizens Forum Against Corruption and Poverty charged Vargas and his brother Patrick Michael Vargas for using the government's Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program for their possible 2022 election bid. Tupad is a project of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) that helps workers who lost their jobs recover from the pandemic brought by Covid-19. Vargas' office has yet to comment when reached by The Manila Times.
BUSINESS: Digitization to remain after pandemic
In business, structural shifts in the global economy, such as digitization, are expected to persist even after Covid-19 has been contained, according to a Citi executive speaking at the "The Manila Times 2021 Midyear Economic Report" online forum on Friday. Digitization and faster digital innovation, Aftab Ahmed, Citi Philippines country head and Citi country officer, said will have a far-reaching impact and will revolutionize the use of technology. He went on to say that the importance of digitization will expand in both the public and commercial sectors, and that banks will make substantial use of digital capabilities.
SPORTS: Paalam marches on; Pagunsan falls back
Back to the Olympics, Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam entered the quarterfinal round in the men's flyweight division, while golfer Pagunsan slipped to joint 55th place in the men's individual stroke play on Saturday, July 31, at the Tokyo Olympics. Paalam defeated Mohamed Flissi of Algeria via unanimous decision in the men's flyweight round of 16 at the Kokugikan Arena. All five judges scored 30-27 in favor of Paalam. The 23-year-old Paalam, a 2019 Southeast Asian Games medalist, peppered Flissi also with power punches in the body throughout the match.
SPORTS: Eumir Marcial shoots for Olympic medal
Meanwhile, Filipino professional boxer Eumir Marcial aims for a medal as he faces Arman Darchinyan of Armenia at the Tokyo Olympics men's middleweight quarterfinals on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, at the Kokugikan Arena. The bout is set at 11:36 a.m. (Philippine time). A win by Marcial will assure him of bringing home at least a bronze medal in boxing. Marcial defeated Darchinyan when they first clashed in 2018 in Russia. But the 5-foot-11 Marcial knows that beating the Armenian again will not be easy.
Today's front page columnist is Marlen Ronquillo. He believes the opposition should deliver a comprehensive counter-SONA.
Our editorial for today says the surge caused by the Delta variant of Covid-19 offers a new guide in moving forward. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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For The Manila Times, this is Paulo Dimaapi.