Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, March 4, 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: Duterte OKs nuclear energy

President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order adopting a nuclear energy program for the country, part of which recommends the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). Signed by the President on February 28 and released by Malacañang on Thursday, EO 64 sets the government's course to harnessing nuclear power as a source of electricity. Nuclear power will be "a viable alternative baseload power source along with alternative energy resources, to address the projected decline of coal-fired power plants which come under increasing environmental opposition," according to the EO. The government will take into consideration the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) "Guidelines on Building a National Position for a Nuclear Power Program" which factor in components such as national policy development, energy analysis and planning, pre-feasibility study, and the engagement of the public and relevant stakeholders. The Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) will study and make recommendations on the use of the BNPP, as well as the establishment of smaller nuclear facilities.

READ: Mutual defense pact needs review, Senate bets agree

The candidates who took part in the SMNI senatorial debate Thursday night all agreed that it is time to renegotiate the country's mutual defense treaty with the United States. The pact, signed in 1951, stipulates that the two countries will support each other if either of them came under attack. It was the topic that the Senate bets were asked to comment on. Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito and former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo believe the treaty is no longer beneficial to the Philippines. He suggested that the Philippines also forge alliances with other countries like Japan and the United Kingdom. Panelo said the pact must be put aside for now while the Philippines explores the possibility of crafting a new treaty where Philippine interest comes first. The two agreed that any new defense treaty entered into by the Philippines must consider the country's territorial dispute in the West Philippines (South China) Sea with China. Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, former Executive Director of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (COF) Astravel Pimentel, and former Agriculture secretary Emmanuel "Manny" Piñol said the treaty must be amended to prioritize the protection of Filipinos. Marcoleta said it has been 70 years, but the US had done little to adequately prepare the Philippines to resist an armed attack. Pimentel said the Philippines should also ask the US for surveillance satellites.

READ: Visayas, Mindanao cities low risk for Covid

OCTA Research said on Thursday that most cities in the Visayas and Mindanao are now considered low risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), except for Iloilo City and Cagayan de Oro City. In the Visayas, Department of Health (DoH) data said Ormoc and Tacloban registered the highest decrease in growth rates at 38 and 36 percent, respectively, while Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Bacolod and Mandaue posted at 9 percent to 27 percent decline in cases. The average daily attack rate in low-risk cities ranged from 1.11 to 3.65 cases per 100,000 population. Meanwhile, Iloilo logged a 28 percent increase in daily cases over the week and an average daily attack rate of 7.85 cases per 100,000 population. Iloilo also reported a 54 percent hospital utilization rate and 10 percent positivity rate. It is second to Ormoc City which has a positivity rate of 17 percent. All cities in Mindanao reported a decline in Covid-19 cases. Cotabato logged a 68-percent decrease, General Santos 49 percent and Zamboanga 44 percent.

READ: ICC to start probe into war crimes in Ukraine

The International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor said Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) an active probe into possible war crimes in Ukraine "will immediately proceed" after his office received the backing of 39 countries. The countries include all European Union member states, as well as Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and several Latin American countries.

READ: Belmonte files cyber libel raps vs Defensor

Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina "Joy" Belmonte on Thursday filed multiple cyberlibel charges against her political rival, Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael "Mike" Defensor over the latter's alleged social media posts which she described as "malicious, false and fraudulent." Accompanied by City Legal Officer Niño Casimiro, Belmonte affirmed her complaint before Assistant City Prosecutor Romael Vinarao. She said she decided to initiate legal action against Defensor, who is contesting the mayoral post in the elections, because "he already crossed the boundaries of free speech."

READ: Overcrowded public transport 'worrying' – Vergeire

THREE days after Metro Manila and 38 other areas in the country shifted to Alert Level 1, overcrowding in buses and other public transport has one senior health official worried that it could trigger another coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) surge. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that while many Filipinos are complying with the face mask mandate, buses and jeepneys are carrying more passengers than the 100 percent capacity limit. During a TV interview Thursday, Vergeire appealed to transport operators, local government units and other government agencies to see to it that the 100-percent cap is strictly observed.

BUSINESS: Citi exec upbeat about PH prospects

Over to business, the head of Citi's local unit is optimistic about the Philippines' economic prospects, forecasting a growth rebound to prepandemic levels this year. During The Manila Times economic outlook forum on Tuesday, Citi Philippines country head Aftab Ahmed said they are optimistic that the gross domestic product for the year will be close to 7 percent. The government is targeting a 7.0- to 9.0-percent GDP growth this year, higher than the 5.6 percent expansion seen in 2021. Prior to 2020's record 9.6 percent contraction, the economy had been growing by 6.0 percent or better.

SPORTS: POC slams Patafa for filing complaint vs EJ

In sports, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) questioned the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association's (Patafa) move of elevating its dispute with Olympian pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) based in Lausanne, Switzerland. After Patafa and Obiena have seemingly began the path for reconciliation following a lengthy hearing by the Senate's Committee on Sports on February 7, POC president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said in his statement on Wednesday that the Patafa filed a "statement of appeal" before the CAS on February 11 with the POC and Obiena as respondents.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Rigoberto Tiglao and Ruben Torres are today's front page columnists. Tiglao calls on Comelec spokesman James Jimenez to resign over a deal with Rappler, while Torres discusses political dynasties.

Today's editorial believes the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 are taking a toll on overseas Filipino workers. 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 Friday ahead.