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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Thursday, February 17, 2022 brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the country's leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer. Shop conveniently 24/7 with Wilcon online store. Just go to shop.wilcon.com.ph.
READ: Think tank sees big win for BBM
AN independent research group sees two scenarios in this year's elections: a landslide win for former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. or a tight race where one candidate will win by a little over 30 percent. Stratbase ADR Institute President Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit shared research results, including the outcome of surveys conducted by Pulse Asia the Social Weather Stations. veys, enjoying a huge lead over his closest rival, Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo. In the January survey released by Pulse Asia, Marcos got 60 percent voters' preference rating. Robredo was a far second with 16 percent. He said that while Marcos led most pre-election surveys, his ranking could fall and this would result in a tight contest. However, Manhit admitted that Marcos "can win big" or "slowly declines" although "nobody's really gaining".
READ: Filipinos want strong, honest leaders – poll
A PRE-ELECTION survey conducted by the group Boses, Opinyon, Siyasat at Siyensya para sa Pilipinas (Boses Pilipinas) revealed that Filipinos desire leaders that are strong, honest and intelligent. Sixty-nine percent of the respondents said they prefer candidates who could provide strong leadership, 55 percent said it is important for candidates to be honest while 42 percent said intelligence is crucial to a candidate. Meanwhile, 37 percent of the respondents said they prefer candidates who get things done, 33 percent said they want morally upright candidates while 19 percent said they want compassionate candidates.
READ: Marcos vows to continue talks with 'Reds'
FORMER senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he would continue the dialog between the government and the communist rebels if elected as president. Marcos added that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) would lead the negotiations. Marcos stressed that the Constitution must be upheld at all times. President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 70 in December 2018 institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach in attaining peace through the NTF-Elcac. The peace talks between the national government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) have been intermittent since 1986.
READ: Bets praise Karylle's 'Bayaning Mangingisda -- Kababaihan
THE song "Bayaning Mangingisda – Kababaihan" by singer, actress and TV host Karylle Tatlonghari got fresh accolades this election season. The song that pays homage to Filipino women, fisherfolk, farmers and members of the Philippine Coastguard (PCG) was done in collaboration with local band Sponge Cola, whose lead vocalist Yael Yuzon is Tatlonghari's husband.
READ: Doctor warns: Covid jabs risky
A PHARMACOLOGIST-TOXICOLOGIST disputed claims that Covid-19 vaccines are effective, saying these are hazards to human health. In an affidavit submitted by Public Attorney's Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta before Judge Primo Sio of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 96, Dr. Romeo Quijano echoed the statement of other professionals who were also presented as witnesses that Covid-19 vaccines are experimental. Quijano said he joined the Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the Philippines, or CDCPh, a volunteer group that offers help to the government to safely address the Covid-19 pandemic. In his paper, "Balancing Risks and Benefits: Covid-19 Vaccines," he said the risks of Covid-19 vaccines outweigh its benefits as claimed by the Department of Health (DoH) and the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He said Covid-19 vaccines could cause serious illness and death.
In Business
READ: PH's fundamentals cited amid scarring
INTERNATIONAL debt watcher S&P Global Ratings emphasized the importance of the Philippines' macroeconomic fundamentals in order to mitigate the scarring caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Vincent Conti, S&P associate director and senior economist, said in a webinar on Wednesday that the credit rating agency saw a lot of what economists call a negative output gap in the Philippines starting in 2020. He added that S&P estimated that around the peak of the pandemic in 2020, the Philippine economy was 20 percent below where it would have been without the pandemic.
Topping Sports
READ: End of an era: Alaska leaves PBA
AFTER years of speculation and tittle-tattle, Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu has made it official on Wednesday. The Alaska franchise is leaving the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) at the end of the 2021-22 season. But unlike teams which were about to exit the league, the organization vowed to play with integrity the rest of the way and do whatever it takes to win title No. 15. At the virtual press conference on Wednesday, Uytengsu assured the media that the Aces will not trade their marquee players to other teams. In the past, squads that were about to leave the league unloaded key players to easily sell the franchise at a cheaper price. Uytengsu, however, said he in- tends to keep his team competitive in the ongoing Governors' Cup.
READ: Going over to the NBI Suns burn Clippers for NBA-best record
PHOENIX: Devin Booker scored 26 points, Chris Paul added 17 points and 14 assists, and the All-Star duo led the Phoenix Suns to another win by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 103-96 on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). The Suns have won six straight games and 17 of their past 18 dating back to January 11. They also pushed their NBA-best record to 47-10 with one game remaining before the All-Star break. Mikal Bridges added 19 points and nine rebounds — including a crucial 3-pointer in the final minute -- while Deandre Ayton had 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Clippers were coming off an impressive win against Golden State and put up a great fight against the Suns in a back-and- forth second half that kept the outcome uncertain until the final minute. Los Angeles fell to 29-31 for the season.
The Times Editorial urges the Philippines to take the lead in ending plastic pollution. Read the full version on the Opinion Section on print and Digital editions or Listen to the Voice Of The Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Yen Makabenta, Antonio Contreras and Edcel Lagman. Makabenta writes about economists as celebrity endorses, Contreras on how poitics has imperilled family ties and friendships, and Lagman on the origins and challenges of the right to vote.
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This is Christian Crow Maghanoy reporting.