Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
READ: Govt ramps up booster drive
THE Department of Health (DoH) stepped up its booster vaccination efforts as cases of Covid-19 continue to increase in the country. This comes after the DoH shared projections that could lift the daily average Covid-19 cases across the country to 19,306 by Aug. 31, 2022, if minimum health standards are not met and vaccination and booster rates remain low. If booster vaccinations improve and minimum health protocols are followed, the cases could decrease to around 6,194 to 8,346 by the end of the month. The DoH said while it considers the current case numbers in determining an area's alert level, it is now largely focusing on admissions and hospital utilization rates. It added that the availability of Covid-19 treatment and vaccines allowed reduction of the vulnerable population from getting severe disease and keep hospital utilization rates and fatalities to a minimum.
READ: Senate to Marcos: Convene Ledac
SENATE Majority Leader Emmanuel Joel Villanueva on Monday, July 25, echoed Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri's call on President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) to discuss directions and requests of the executive branch in terms of legislation. Villanueva said the Senate looks forward to the convening of Ledac, so it could take up the 19 pieces of legislation that President Marcos laid out in his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
READ: Vape bill lapses into law
A CONTROVERSIAL bill seeking the regulation of vaporized nicotine (vape) and non-nicotine products as well as novel tobacco products has lapsed into law, Malacañang confirmed on Tuesday, July 26. Press Secretary Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. allowed the proposed Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, also known as the "Vape Regulation Bill," to lapse on July 25 without his signature on it. The President's decision dismayed the Department of Health (DoH) as well as sectoral groups opposed to the proposal. The DoH's officer in charge, Maria Rosario Vergeire, said she was saddened by the turn of events. She also said the DoH will continue its anti-smoking and anti-vaping programs despite the passage of the measure.
READ: Marcos hopes to pass Land Use Act
PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is hoping he can do what his predecessor fell short of doing — convince Congress to pass the long-stalled Land Use Act. The Chief Executive listed the proposed law among his 19 priority legislative measures when he appeared before the joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives for his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
READ: Marcos wants faster services for OFWs
PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. wants the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to adopt automated services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to speed up the processing of documents as well as the delivery of assistance. The President directed the DMW to coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for the digital processing of OFWs' documents. The OEC, also known as exit clearance or pass, is a document certifying the regularity of recruitment and documentation of an OFW and a proof of his or her registration with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Marcos said his administration will shorten the hiring process for OFWs from three months to three weeks, and will compress the OFW handbook from 240 sections to a pamphlet with no more than 100 pages. The President announced the creation of the One Repatriation Command Center (ORCC) to help overseas Filipinos who are in danger or who were abused. Distressed OFWs or their immediate families may call the ORCC hotline "1-348." The command center, which operates 24/7, can accommodate calls and walk-ins on weekdays. Requests can be made through the 1-348 hotline on weekends. Marcos said that the Philippine government is talking with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on lifting the country's deployment ban.
READ: Enrile takes oath as President's chief legal counsel
FORMER Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile on Tuesday took his oath as chief legal counsel of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Malacañang said. Press Secretary Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles said that Enrile was sworn into office by the President. The 98-year-old Enrile was a staunch supporter of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio during the 2022 elections. Following his nomination on June 17, Enrile reaffirmed his commitment to serve the country and ensure the success of the Marcos administration.
BUSINESS: Economic managers have 8-point agenda
Over to business, the country's economic managers have bared the eight-point socioeconomic agenda of the Marcos administration, which intends to address risks and guide the economy back to its high-growth track. The first item on the agenda is to protect purchasing power and mitigate socioeconomic scarring by ensuring food security, and reducing transport and logistics costs, and energy cost. Reducing vulnerability and mitigating scarring from Covid-19 pandemic by tackling health, strengthening social protection and addressing learning losses is the second item on the agenda. The third item on the agenda is to ensure sound macroeconomic fundamentals by enhancing bureaucratic efficiency and sound fiscal management, and ensuring a resilient and innovative financial sector. The fourth is to create more jobs by promoting trade and investments, improve infrastructure and achieve energy security. Fifth is to create quality jobs by increasing employability; encouraging research and development, and innovation; and enhancing the digital economy. The sixth goal is to create green jobs by pursuing a green and blue economy, and establishing livable and sustainable communities. The seventh is to uphold public order and safety, and peace and security. The last goal of the eight-point socioeconomic agenda is to ensure a level playing field by strengthening market competition and reducing barriers to entry and limits to entrepreneurship.
SPORTS: San Miguel, TNT seek shorter route to semis
In sports, title favorite San Miguel Beer and defending champion TNT try to put away their respective rivals today, July 27, and book tickets to the semifinal round of the PBA Philippine Cup. The Beermen and the Tropang Giga need to win only once to move up to the Final Four. But underdog teams Blackwater and Converge have other things in mind and that is to win and play for another day. San Miguel Beer battles Blackwater at 6 p.m. right after the network war between TNT and Converge at 3 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum. The Beermen secured the top seed in the tournament after finishing the elimination round with a 9-2 win-loss record. San Miguel won six in a row, but saw its winning streak snapped by Meralco, 89-86, in its final game of the elimination round last July 17. The more than a week's rest could recharge the Beermen and allow their players who are either injured or were previously placed under health and safety protocols extra time to recover.
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today's front page columnists, as they both give their thoughts on the first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.
Today's editorial discusses the government's reassessing its strategy toward micro, small and medium enterprise development. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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This is Pete Llevares reporting.