Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, January 17, 2022, brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the country's leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer. Shop conveniently 24/7 with the Wilcon online store, just go to shop.wilcon.com.ph.
READ: Covid-19 growth rate in NCR slows
THE growth of Covid-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) has slowed to two percent, which could either mean that the surge in Metro Manila is about to peak or that testing efforts have been overwhelmed by too many cases, OCTA Research Senior Fellow Dr. Guido David said on Sunday. David said what is important is whether the cases will stabilize at 18,000 in the next few days. If it does, it could indicate that not all the test results have been duly reported. David projected that the national caseload may reach 41,000 on Monday, although the peak may not be reached before the end of January. The Department of Health (DoH) recorded 37,154 new cases on Sunday. The total number of infections rose to 3,205,396 with 287,856 active cases. Nearly all of the active cases were either mild or asymptomatic.
READ: 'No vax, no ride' scheme starts
WITH the "no vax, no ride" policy of the Department of the Interior and Local Government officially taking effect today, January 17, the Philippine National Police (PNP) warned commuters with fake vaccination cards they face a fine and jail time. PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Bernardo Carlos said anyone caught with falsified or tampered vaccination cards could be fined by as much as ₱50,000 and imprisoned for up to six months, based on the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases Law. He issued the warning after Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi posted on her social media account pictures of two counterfeit cards that are almost identical to the original. The only difference that was spotted by authorities was that the dates of the first and second doses were just 10 days apart.
READ: House resumes session under strict protocols
THE House of Representatives will resume its regular session today, January 17, under tight health and safety precautions amid the wave of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant. The House will adjourn on February 5 in time for the beginning of the campaign period for candidates for national positions on February 8.
READ: BFAR, NTC in hot water for defying court order
A GROUP of commercial fishing companies lambasted the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for allegedly refusing to obey a court order stopping the implementation of an administrative order on vessel monitoring measures and electronic reporting system for commercial Philippine flagged fishing vessels. Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 266-2020 amended FAO 260- 2018 that requires the installation of VMS-100 transceivers in all commercial fishing vessels operating in domestic waters, in the high seas and other distant waters. FAO 266 is supposedly being implemented to further intensify the campaign against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
READ: Manila Zoo eyed as vaxsite for children, elderly
THE city government of Manila plans to utilize the redeveloped Manila Zoo as a vaccination site for the elderly as well as children aged 5 to 11. Vaccination for children will be held nationwide from February 1 to 7 following the delivery of the first batch of Pfizer vaccines by the end of January. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of Pfizer vaccine for children after laboratory tests showed that it generated a "robust" antibody response in the 5-11 age group. Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said that the 5-hectare zoo in Malate is an ideal vaccination site because it has open spaces. He said after their vaccination, the children and their grandparents can go around to see the animals, the garden, and the museums.
BUSINESS: Inflation to settle within govt target
Over to business, inflation will likely settle within the government's 2- to 4-four percent target for 2022 and 2023 as long as global oil prices do not exceed $95 per barrel, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said. Inflation in December last year decelerated to an 11-month low of 3.6 percent mainly due to the slower annual increase in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
SPORTS: Que fires 70 in final round of Singapore tilt
In sports, Filipino golfer Angelo Que fired 2-under 70 in the final round of the Singapore International at the Tanah Merah Country Club on Sunday. Que tallied bogeys on the third, fourth, and 10th holes, but logged birdies on the first, fifth, eighth, ninth, and 18th holes for an aggregate of 5-over 293 to finish at joint 16th at press time.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today's front page columnists. Tiglao believes presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. can win the elections after studying two other candidates, while Fr. Aquino asks about being vaccinated or unvaccinated.
Today's editorial believes a ban on child marriage helps address poverty issues. 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 week ahead.