Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2021.
READ: Omicron could fuel Covid 'tsunami'
A Covid "tsunami" threatens to overwhelm healthcare systems, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday as record surges fueled by the Omicron variant dampened New Year celebrations around the world once again. Governments are walking a tightrope between antivirus restrictions and the need to keep societies and economies open as the highly transmissible variant drove cases to levels never seen before in the United States, Britain, France and Denmark. The blistering surge was illustrated by Agence France-Presse's tally of 6.55 million new infections reported globally in the week ending Tuesday, the highest the figure has been since the WHO declared a Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. The Philippines has reported only four Omicron cases, but health officials are trying to prevent a new surge of the Delta variant after Covid infections rose significantly on Wednesday. At least four areas in San Juan City on Thursday were placed on a two-week granular lockdown after the city recorded a slight increase in Covid-19 active cases. San Juan City spokesman Brian Geli told The Manila Times that the four areas recorded a total of 17 active cases. Barangay Addition Hills had three cases; two undisclosed residential neighborhoods in Little Baguio had nine, and Barangay Ermitano had five.
READ: P5T budget heavy on Covid response funding
HEALTH, infrastructure and education-related programs got the biggest share of the P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022 as the government prioritized efforts that will push Covid-19 response and resiliency. The spending measure — the last under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte — was signed by the President in a ceremony in Malacañang Thursday attended by members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. In his speech, Duterte said the passage of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) will "cement this administration's legacy of real change for future generations guided by the three main pillars of building resiliency amidst the pandemic, sustaining the momentum toward recovery, and continuing the legacy of infrastructure development."
READ: Sotto scores high in performance rating poll
SENATE President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd scored a 71 percent approval rating — the second highest — in the latest Pulse Asia performance survey among the country's top five national officials. The survey, conducted December 1 to 6, covered 2,400 respondents and had a margin of error +-2 percent. Sotto's approval rating was lower by just 1 percent than President Rodrigo Duterte's 72 percent. Sotto, the Nationalist People's Coalition chairman, is running for vice president in the 2022 elections with his longtime ally, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, the Partido Reporma chairman, for running mate. Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo had 43 percent, while House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo tied at 31 percent.
READ: Duterte: Honor modern-day heroes at the frontlines
PRESIDENT Duterte on Thursday urged Filipinos to honor the country's "modern-day heroes who are at the frontlines" as the nation marked the 125th death anniversary of national hero Jose Rizal. Following tradition, Duterte led the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal Monument in Manila at around 8 a.m. Thursday. In his Rizal Day message, the President likened those in the frontlines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to Rizal, who was also a dedicated physician.
BUSINESS: PH records $21-B net external liability
Over to business, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the country's international investment position (IIP) was at $21.1 billion net external liabilities at the end of September this year. The current sum has decreased by 7.3 percent from the $22.7 billion reported at the end of June this year, according to a central bank report released on Thursday. During the review period, the external financial liabilities were sustained by increases in the stock of residents' other investments, reserve assets held by the BSP, and direct investments.
SPORTS: Top 10 sports stories of 2021
Topping sports, we look back at the top 10 sports stories of the year. From Hidilyn Diaz winning the first Olympic gold medal in Philippine sports history to the Obiena-PATAFA saga, these were what defined the Philippine sports scene in 2021.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Stephen CuUnjieng and Van Ybiernas are today's front page columnists. CuUnjieng recalls a moment with late SM founder Henry Sy, while Ybiernas discusses the trial of Jose Rizal.
Today's editorial discusses the "tsunami" of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. 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 New Year's Eve.