Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, January 29, 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: Marcos cases ponente fires back at Guanzon
THE ponente or writer of the resolution of the three consolidated disqualification cases against presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) lashed out at a fellow commissioner who had accused her of delaying the issuance of a ruling. Commissioner Aimee Ferrolino turned the tables on First Division presiding Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, saying in a letter that Guanzon "consistently took liberties in telling me to adopt her opinion." The letter, dated January 28 and addressed to Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas, was revealed by Ferrolino on Friday. On Thursday, Guanzon revealed that she voted to disqualify Marcos, without waiting for Ferrolino to come out with the resolution on the consolidated cases. She said she suspects somebody powerful was trying to delay the issuance of the decision.
READ: Lacson to purge govt of corruption
CURBING corruption "would solve 50 percent of the problems" the country faces, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, who is running for president under the Partido Reporma banner, said Friday. Guesting in the "Bakit Ikaw" interview of presidential hopefuls, Lacson vowed to showcase leadership by example to spur people in government to deliver exemplary public service, just as he did when he served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP). "Bakit Ikaw" is a joint undertaking by DZRH radio and The Manila Times.
READ: Times turns spotlight on showbiz candidates
MANY personalities who have carved out a name in entertainment have ventured into politics that the boundary between the two realms appears to have vanished. The screen stars' transition from reel to real is the subject of The Manila Times' chat show, "Lights, Camera, Boto!", a 45-minute program that was launched last Monday. "Lights, Camera, Boto!" shines the spotlight on celebrity candidates running in the May 9 elections. The show is hosted by The Times' Lifestyle and Entertainment editor Tessa Mauricio-Arriola and streamed on The Times Facebook page, YouTube channel and Dailymotion account every Sunday at 10 a.m. from January 30 through the election period. The pilot episode featured Robinhood Ferdinand "Robin" Cariño Padilla and his quest for a seat in the Senate, and was directed and edited by Neil Reyes.
READ: Easing of travel rules seen to sustain growth
PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd said on Friday the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to relax international travel restrictions would help sustain the country's growth. Concepcion, the founder of Go Negosyo, thanked the government and the medical experts for heeding the call to return to less-strict travel rules following the downtrend in Covid-19 cases in the country.
READ: Alert Level 2 mulled for Metro Manila
THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is studying possible de-escalation of Metro Manila (National Capital Region or NCR) from Alert Level 3 to the less strict Alert Level 2, Malacañang said on Friday, amid a continued decline in the number of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases in the region. In his virtual news briefing, acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said the IATF would study the alert level classification in the NCR and announce its decision over the weekend. Metro Manila, the epicenter of the surge driven by the Omicron variant, is currently under Alert Level 3.
BUSINESS: PH a $1-T economy by 2033 – IHS Markit
Over to business, London-based information provider IHS Markit said the Philippines is on track to become a $1-trillion economy by 2033, joining a select group of Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries. The Philippine economy is expected to continue to grow rapidly over the next decade, Rajiv Biswas, IHS Markit chief economist for Asia Pacific, emphasized in a report released on Friday, with total gross domestic product (GDP) increasing from $360 billion in 2020 to $810 billion in 2030. Fast expansion in private consumer spending — driven by robust growth in urban household incomes — will be a crucial growth driver, he continued.
SPORTS: Patafa moves on; EJ case is 'closed
Topping sports, as far as the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) is concerned, its dispute with Olympian pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena is already a closed case. Patafa, led by its president Philip Ella Juico and chairman Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, said that it is now shifting its attention to the other athletes and members of its organization.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras and Yen Makabenta are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about election candidates who break the law, while Makabenta talks about a pandemic kaleidoscope.
Today's editorial discusses the Times' recent online forum. 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 weekend ahead.