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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, July 4, 2022.

READ: House bill boosts loans for MSMEs

Four lawmakers in the House of Representatives have filed a bill, mandating two government financial institutions to expand their loan programs for micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs, affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

READ: Step up second booster shot ‒ Concepcion

With coronavirus cases still rising and the immunity of those vaccinated waning, the medical and business sectors have intensified calls for the government to approve second booster shots for individuals ages 50 to 59.

READ: Microplastics now in air, oceans, human body

From ocean depths to mountain peaks, humans have littered the planet with tiny shards of plastic. We have even absorbed the microplastics into our bodies with uncertain implications.

READ: UN lauds Marcos for environment efforts

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has been lauded by the United Nations Human Habitat for his innovative environmental efforts in his home province of Ilocos Norte.

READ: Go hails Marcos for recognizing athletes, frontliners

Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go lauded President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for recognizing the country's athletes and frontliners during his inauguration last week.

READ: DSWD starts distribution of P500 cash aid to poor

Some 12.4 million beneficiaries of the Targeted Cash Transfer program will receive this week their P500 cash aid that the government earlier promised to help the poor cope with the rising prices of commodities, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said.

READ: PopCom executive director retains post

Commission on Population or PopCom Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez 3rd was reappointed as undersecretary for population and development, retaining his post as executive director.

In regional news,

READ: Benguet farmer's daughter marches as magna cum laude

Sheryl Pentiano, who grew up in a farmer's family, describes her home life as simple and happy. Despite financial difficulties, her parents, Hilario Sr. and Jocelyn Pentiano of Tikey, Bokod, lavish her and her eight siblings with love and affection.

In world news,

READ: NKorea slams US-SKorea-Japan alliance

North Korea slammed the United States, South Korea and Japan on Sunday for pushing to boost their trilateral military cooperation, targeting the North, warning that the move is prompting urgent calls for the country to reinforce its military capability.

READ: Battle rages for Lysychansk

Fighting raged for the strategic Ukrainian city, Lysychansk, on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) as Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said his army had intercepted missiles fired on his territory by Kyiv's forces.

In business,

READ: Expansion plans high in mining

More businesses want to hire more employees in the third quarter of this year than they intend to expand their operations, a recent survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed.

And in sports,

READ: Obiena pockets gold in Germany

Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena retained the gold medal in the Jump and Fly meet in Weserstadion, Hechingen in Germany on Sunday, Philippine time.

Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.

Tiglao points out that

READ: Now comes the hard part

Fr. Aquino underscores

READ: Why higher education needs urgent attention

In The Times editorial, it is explained how the

READ: Weaker peso favors exports, consumption

Read all about it.

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This is Dafort Villaseran reporting. Have a great day ahead.