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Here are the Top Stories of The Manila Times on Thursday, March 31, 2022.
READ: Sara sees Marcos win in Mindanao
DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio expressed confidence that her running mate, presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., will win in Mindanao. On Wed-nesday, the duo campaigned in the Davao Region, home to more than 3.2 million voters. Speaking to reporters, Duterte-Carpio claimed that based on their surveys, Marcos got 70 percent to 80 percent voter preference in Mindanao. The tandem of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio, dubbed as the BBM-Sara UniTeam, has consistently led pre-election surveys for their respective positions.
READ: Women empowerment takes root in workplaces
WOMEN are more empowered in workplaces as they take on leadership roles, female leaders shared. Speaking during The Manila Times Online Business Forum "Empowered Women Powering Changes," P&A Grant Thornton Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Marivic Españo said that there was an improving percentage of women in leadership positions. Maybank Philippines President and CEO Abigail Tina del Rosario said that Filipino women are better off than their counterparts in other countries in the areas of academics, professional, politics and legislation. Philippine Women's Economic Network Founding Chairperson and President and Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment Co-Chairperson Ma. Aurora "Boots" Geotina-Garcia gave assurances that there are policies in place to protect and support women in the workforce including the Magna Carta for Women, the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Law, as well as the Telecommuting Law which allows women to work remotely. Similarly, Rags2Riches president and founding partner Reese Fernandez-Ruiz challenged men to play a greater role in parenting to support women. Insular Life Assurance Co. Executive Chairperson Nina Aguas also hoped to empower women in terms of financial independence to give them higher chances of getting ahead in their careers.
READ: AP party-list vows transport sector improvement
THE Alliance of Public Transport Organization (AP) party-list vowed to push for the improvement of the country's transport sector if it wins a seat in the House of Representatives in the May 9 polls. Rep. Ronnie Ong, AP's first nominee, said in an interview with The Manila Times' "Voters of The Times" said the Covid-19 pandemic became an eye opener on what areas of the transport sector need improvement. He added that the problems should be addressed by improvement projects and relevant legislation. Ong was one of the authors of the proposed Foundling Welfare Act approved by the House of Representatives in 2020.
READ: More Filipinos get their news online – study
A STUDY conducted by the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) showed that more Filipinos, or 79 percent of those surveyed, get their news online, particularly from their Facebook feed. The other respondents said they were getting their news from television (66 percent), YouTube (57 percent) and from news websites (54 percent). Project research manager and associate professor Ma. Rosel San Pascual, PhD said that while the majority of respondents often get their news randomly from Facebook, "it does not necessarily mean that Facebook is their only source of news." She said that respondents generally have multiple sources of news.San Pascual said that those reliant on Facebook were more proactively seeking news and were encountering them from other sources. These people, she said, were informed on political activities and issues. The survey was conducted from Oct. 27 to Nov. 12, 2021 on 2,000 respondents who were asked how often they get news from TV, radio print, news websites, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Topping Business
READ: Govt to borrow P200B in April
THE government aims to borrow P200 billion from local sources next month, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) figures released on Wednesday. If the program is followed, it will be less than the P250 billion set for this month. Treasury bills (T-bills) were eyed to bring in P60 billion while T-bonds were targeted to bring in P140 billion. Also, P20 billion in T-bills will be sourced through the 91-day tenor, P20 billion through the 182-day tenor and P20 billion more through the 364-day tenor. Meanwhile, P35 billion in T-bonds will be generated through the three-year tenor, P35 billion through the four-year tenor, P35 billion through the seven-year tenor and another P35 billion through the 10-year tenor.
In Sports
READ: Patafa-Obiena dispute settled
PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez announced on Wednesday that Olympian pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena and the leadership of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) have finally settled their differences. Ramirez, who served as the sole mediator in the proceedings, said the Patafa has also agreed to endorse Obiena to the 2022 Southeast Asian Games and the 2022 World Outdoor Athletics. Both parties have also agreed that endorsement for Obiena's participation in other competitions will be subject to the usual rules and regulations of the Patafa. All information discussed and disclosed in the said mediation, however, remained confidential as agreed by all parties.
READ: Bucks deny 76ers in key Eastern collision
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points and rejected a Joel Embiid shot with seconds remaining to propel the NBA champion Bucks to a key 118-116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). Khris Middleton scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 for the Bucks, who moved a half-game behind the Miami Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference as the Sixers dropped two places to fourth — still just 1 1/2 games behind the Heat. As the top of the table clash dominated Eastern Conference action, the Los Angeles Lakers slid out of Western Conference post-season position with an embarrassing 128-110 loss to the Mavericks in Dallas. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis sidelined by injury, the Lakers trailed by a shocking 82-56 at halftime. It was the second-most first-half points allowed by the Lakers in franchise history — after the 83 conceded to the Celtics in a game on Feb. 27, 1959.
READ: Woods arrives at Augusta National
TIGER Woods flew to Augusta National on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), sparking even greater speculation the Masters next week could be his first time competing against the best since a car crash 14 months ago severely injured his right leg. Various plane-tracking websites showed a Gulfstream registered to Woods leaving South Florida at about 9 a.m., and the Twitter handle "Eureka Earth" showed the private jet on the runway at Augusta's regional airport. SI.com's "Morning Read" cited a source as saying Woods was at Augusta National with 12-year-old son Charlie. Woods' agent at Excel Sports did not immediately respond to a voicemail from The Associated Press seeking comment. Woods has not said anything publicly or even walked in a way that suggested he would be ready to play his first major — and first PGA Tour event — since the Masters in November 2020.
READ: Opinion/Editorial
The Times, in its Editorial, talks about how determining the costs of climate action requires a holistic approach. Read the full version in the Opinion Section on print and its Digital edition or listen to the Voice Of The Times. Antonio Contreras and Yen Makabenta are the columnists on today's front page. Contreras writes about the P23B question; Makabenta on the dishonest and manipulative senatorial surveys.
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This is Christian Crow Maghanoy reporting.