Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, May 2, 2022.
READ: 40,000 troops to guard votes
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will deploy about 40,000 troops across the country to safeguard the May 9 elections. Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP spokesperson, said in a radio interview on Sunday that AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino ordered the soldiers to be ready to suppress any move by "threat groups" and lawless elements to disrupt the vote. Zagala said the bulk of the deployment will be in the 14 cities and 105 towns classified as red, the highest threat level for "election areas of concern." He said the units in the red areas have been reinforced, with more troops to be dispatched if necessary. Zagala earlier said that 33,000 AFP personnel cast their ballots during the local absentee voting (LAV) last April 27 to 29.
READ: Ang Probinsyano nominee to reignite love for farming
ANG Probinsyano party-list first nominee Alfred "Apid" delos Santos vowed to encourage the youth to go back to agriculture and fisheries by incorporating modern technologies into these sectors. During The Manila Times' "Lights, Camera, Boto!" The Chat Show Edition interview on Sunday, Delos Santos said there was a lot of concern about the low interest in agriculture among the youth as many did not see themselves engaging in agribusiness. He said the best way to reignite the love for farming was to inject technology into these sectors. This could help provide a new opportunity for making farming and fishing more interesting for young people.
READ: Mayoral bet sees Pasay as 'eco-city'
MAYOR Imelda "Emi" Calixto-Rubiano said her vision of Pasay as the first eco-city in the Philippines is the "big driving force" for her seeking reelection on May 9. In a Manila Times interview, she cited several environment-friendly projects that were never done before in Pasay but were undertaken during her term as mayor. She said the three villages along EDSA on the edge of Estero de Tripa de Gallina, an area that used to teeming with informal settlers and where garbage is a big problem, has been converted into a linear eco-park. The project is one of the initiatives of the Pasay City government to protect the estuary and the environment. Calixto-Rubiano said 1,300 families were relocated to different towns in Cavite, most of them in Trece Martires.
READ: Robredo pushes security of tenure bill
VICE President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo on Sunday promised to push for the passage of the security of tenure bill and to raise the minimum wage if she is elected president. In her message at the "A10 ang Bukas: Mabuhay ang Manggagawa!" event, Robredo discussed her plan to focus on industries that hold a big potential, such as maritime and manufacturing. Robredo said her priority will be adequate and fair wage, protection from abuse, job security and occupational safety. She also promised to raise the minimum wage.
READ: Filipino Italian Celeste Cortesi crowned Miss Universe-PH
CELESTE Cortesi was crowned Miss Universe-Philippines on Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena by her predecessor Beatrice Luigi Gomez. The Pasay City beauty, a model, is half-Filipina and half-Italian. She bested 30 other candidates. Cortesi is the third queen to be crowned by the new title franchise holder, Empire Philippines Holdings Inc. She also has the honor of donning a new Miss Universe Philippines crown, designed and crafted in collaboration with Jewelmer. Golden South Sea Pearls adorn Cortesi's majestic crown.
BUSINESS: Experts: Inflation likely accelerated
Over to business, headline inflation likely continued to accelerate in April on the back of higher food and energy prices, economists said. Projections for the month ranged from 4.5 to 4.7 percent with a 4.6-percent average, up from the 4.0 percent in March this year. Headline inflation in April last year was at 4.1 percent. The Philippine Statistics Authority will release official April inflation data on May 5. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas earlier projected inflation to settle within the 4.2- to 5.0- percent range.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today's front page columnists. Tiglao hits out at a New York Times article that features supposedly deceased people are a result of Martial Law, while Fr. Aquino discusses political retardation.
Today's editorial tackles on political dynasties potentially overwhelming the Senate this coming elections. 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.