Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, December 19, 2021.
BANNER: Marcos hurdles first DQ case
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed the first of at least seven disqualification cases filed against presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for being "grossly insufficient" in evidence and for failing to prove that the respondent was a nuisance candidate. The petition to declare Marcos a nuisance candidate was filed by Danilo Lihaylihay, who is also running for president in the 2022 polls as an independent. Petitioner also asked the commission to refuse to give due course to and cancel the respondent's certificate of candidacy (CoC) for president. In denying Lihaylihay's petition, the Comelec Second Division, headed by Presiding Commissioner Socorro Inteng immediately pointed out the petitioner's failure to submit a copy of Marcos' CoC.
Duterte looking for funds to aid 'Odette' victims
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has promised to look for funding sources to help thousands of people who were affected by Typhoon "Odette" (international name: "Rai"), admitting that the national budget has been "immensely depleted" due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. At least 23 people were reported to have been killed in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, officials said on Saturday, with "alarming" reports of destruction on islands that bore the brunt of the storm. More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Odette ravaged the southern and central regions of the archipelago, knocking out communications and electricity in many areas, ripping off roofs and toppling concrete power poles. The Office of the Vice President (OVP), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Red Cross have started relief operations for the victims while the military and police have been helping affected areas in evacuating residents and in road clearing operations. In a situation briefing with government officials on Friday, Duterte said he has talked with the Department of Budget and Management about the funds for disaster response. The President, however, assured the public the government was doing its best to address the effects of what he called the "imponderables" like typhoons. Duterte said he will personally go to the areas hit by Odette, expressing his concern about the condition of the people. He mentioned Leyte, Surigao and "if there is enough time," Bohol. He also said he would try to visit Cebu, the western and eastern side of the islands, Bacolod, Iloilo. Duterte said he was not worried about the physical damage but of the number of fatalities. Odette, which the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said was on its way out of the country as of Saturday, smashed into the popular tourist island of Siargao on Thursday, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (120 miles per hour). Pagasa has lifted all storm signals in the affected areas in seven regions in the country except at Kalayaan Islands, which remained under Signal No. 3 as of press time. In its 5 p.m. advisory, Pagasa said Odette has intensified further, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 205 kph, as it moved over the West Philippine Sea at 25 kph and outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). While reports said that 23 people died from the storm, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) spokesman Mark Timbal clarified that the government-run agency had, so far, at least four confirmed deaths. In a televised briefing on Saturday, Timbal said that the four confirmed fatalities were reported by the NDRRMC's operations center.
PH has enough Covid jab supply – Galvez
VACCINE czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Saturday that the Philippines has enough supply of Covid-19 vaccines amid the threat of the highly contagious Omicron strain. Galvez, chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said the new Omicron variant made the national vaccination campaign even more important. Galvez urged all local government units to ramp up vaccination efforts after the Omicron variant was detected in the country. The government reported on Friday that its vaccination campaign has reached the 100-million doses mark since its rollout in March. Government data said 100,013,599 doses have been administered nationwide, with 43,024,393 now fully protected and 1,014,205 already received a booster or additional dose. Acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said the 43 million fully vaccinated individuals account for 55.78 percent of the target population.
VP bet Serapio to push federalism if elected
VICE presidential candidate and lawyer Carlos Serapio of the Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi (KKK) vowed to push the country's shift from the current system of government to federalism once elected. Besides federalism, which he believes would correct the error in the system, Serapio said the KKK party is also pushing for people empowerment. Speaking to The Manila Times show "Diretsong Pananaw", he explained that the system will not change unless the people change, and the people will only change if they recognize the ultimate power, which is God who created the Philippines and all its resources. Serapio said candidates in the forthcoming 2022 elections must have a platform on Covid-19 pandemic response, economic recovery and corruption in the government. He said the KKK party is harnessing a "party-based traditional response" to the pandemic. Serapio lamented that the Philippines is responding to the Covid-19 pandemic based on what is being dictated from the outside and not on local studies and research on the origin of the disease.
Marcos-Duterte tandem vows to help farmers
Presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio vowed to work to strengthen the domestic production of fertilizers to address the continued hike in global prices of the product and ease the burden of local farmers. The BBM-Sara UniTeam was responding to calls by farmers who were complaining of soaring prices of imported fertilizers, seriously affecting their production costs and consequently the prices of their produce.
BUSINESS: BSP seen hiking rates by 75bps
In business, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to tighten its monetary policy stance next year by hiking key interest rates by up to 75 basis points (bps), according to Fitch Solutions and MUFG Bank Ltd. In a report, Fitch Solutions maintained their forecast for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to begin monetary tightening in 2022, with its key policy rate rising to 2.75 percent by year-end. After cutting to 2.00 percent in November 2020, Fitch Solutions does not expect the central bank to abandon its supportive stance next year. Before starting its hike cycle, the BSP will wait for a more prolonged rebound in the economy and credit growth, as well as less uncertainty from Covid-19.
SPORTS: Ginebra eyes third win vs Phoenix
Topping sports, pumped up by the return of the crowd, Barangay Ginebra goes back to the Big Dome on Sunday as it takes on Phoenix Super LPG in the main game of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors' Cup scheduled double header. The Gin Kings and the Fuel Masters clash at 5:30 p.m. right after the match between the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Magnolia Hotshots at 3 p.m. A warm welcome was given to the reigning Governors' Cup champion last Friday as the team made short work of import-less NorthPort, 108-82. Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone was overwhelmed by the reception, hearing the "Ginebra! Ginebra!" chant as the Gin Kings wrapped up their second straight win. The Gin Kings are aching to bounce back from a dismal showing last conference after they got booted out early in the playoffs by eventual champion TNT Tropang Giga in the quarterfinal round.
Today's front page columnist is Marlen Ronquillo. He tackles the P3 trillion pandemic fund.
Our editorial believes the anti-terror law needs to be finalized soon. 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.