Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, February 28, 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: Isko woos religious groups
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso admitted that he needs the support of religious groups to have a better fighting chance against his rivals in the May elections. The Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet said religious organizations endorsing candidates to their followers do not violate the principle of the separation of Church and State, but rather guide them in making informed choices when electing the country's leaders. He said he welcomes the backing of any religious organization, regardless of affiliation or belief. The former actor's stand was shared by five of the nine other presidential candidates who took part in the debate. Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, labor leader Leodegario "Leody" De Guzman, former Defense chief Norberto Gonzales, and Faisal Mangondato all believe religious groups should be allowed to endorse candidates. Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and former Malacañang spokesman Ernesto Abella did not agree with Domagoso. Domagoso and his running mate Dr. Willie Ong last February 21 was at the El Shaddai gathering in Parañaque City where the group's founder Mike Velarde presented him to the assembled members. The week earlier, the Catholic charismatic group expressed its full support for another presidential aspirant, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Marcos did not attend the debate.
READ: Party-list bet to champion the cause of workers, jobless
BARKADAHAN party-list's first nominee Renee "Ren" Caraig-Pasco will carry out a five-point program that focuses on improving the lives of workers and providing a lifeline for the unemployed if she is elected to the House of Representatives. Caraig-Pasco was the guest in the fifth episode of The Manila Times' "Lights, Camera, Boto" show on Sunday. She said everyone was affected by the coronavirus pandemic, so her agenda covers not only the employed and the underemployed, but the unemployed as well. Caraig-Pasco said she will work to provide a sustainable livelihood, good jobs, quality social education, equal opportunity and equitable pay. The political science graduate from De La Salle University, a mother of two, said that she had wanted to be a physician but she changed her mind after completing a scholarship grant in Australia.
READ: NCR under Alert Level 1 in March
THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Sunday placed the National Capital Region (NCR) and 38 other areas under Alert Level 1. The lower alert level will be in force from March 1 to 15, Cabinet Secretary and Palace acting spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said. Other areas in Luzon that will be under Alert Level 1 are Abra, Apayao, Baguio City and Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan in Region 1; Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela and Quirino in Region 2; Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Olongapo City, Pampanga and Tarlac in Region 3; Cavite and Laguna in Region 4-A; Marinduque, Puerto Princesa City and Romblon in Region 4-B; and Naga City and Catanduanes in Region 5. Under Alert Level 1 in the Visayas are Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz and Guimaras in Region 6; Siquijor in Region 7; and Biliran in Region 8. In Mindanao, the areas under Alert Level 1 are Zamboanga City in Region 9; Cagayan de Oro City and Camiguin in Region 10; and Davao City in Region 11.
READ: SWS: 69% of Filipinos worried over fake news
A MAJORITY of Filipinos believe that the spread of fake news in media, such as television, radio and newspaper, is a serious problem, a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in December last year showed. Sixty-nine percent of the respondents said the issue was serious, 32 percent said it was very serious and 38 percent said it was somewhat serious. Meanwhile, 9 percent said it was not serious, 3 percent it was not at all serious and 6 percent said it was somewhat not serious and 21 percent were undecided.
BUSINESS: High fuel prices seen causing inflation uptick
Over to business, Philippine headline inflation likely picked up in February on the back of higher fuel and food prices, economists said. Projections for the month ranged from 3.2 to 3.3 percent with a 3.2-percent average, higher than the 3 percent in January but lower than the 4.2 percent seen in February last year. Official February 2022 inflation data is scheduled to be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Mar. 4, 2022.
SPORTS: Petecio, six others join Thailand open
In sports, Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio will lead a seven-member women's team to the prestigious Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament which will be held from April 1 to 10 in Phuket. Petecio, a gold medalist at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, will not defend the featherweight title she won in the 2019 Thailand Open as she will compete in the lightweight event. The other members of the team are Josie Gabuco (light flyweight), Irish Magno and Aira Villegas (flyweight), Riza Pasuit (featherweight), Maricel Dela Torre (lightweight) and Hergie Bacyadan (middleweight). Gabuco won the gold, Magno and Pasuit bagged the silver and Villegas took the bronze medal at the 2019 Manila SEA Games.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today's front page columnists. Tiglao shares a conspiracy theory on the part of Rappler and Comelec, while Fr. Aquino discusses the "pariah" that is Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Today's editorial believes Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena should take part in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games. 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.