Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, December 26, 2022.
READ: Pope: 'Ravenous' rich preys on weak, poor
Recalling Jesus' birth in a stable, Pope Francis rebuked those "ravenous" for wealth and power at the expense of the vulnerable, including children, in a Christmas Eve homily decrying war, poverty and greedy consumerism. In the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica, Francis presided over the evening Mass attended by about 7,000 faithful, including tourists and pilgrims, who flocked to the church on a warm evening and took their place behind rows of white-robed pontiffs. Francis drew lessons from the humility of Jesus' first hours of life in a manger.
READ: President renews call for unity
PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. renewed his call for unity as the nation commemorated the birth of Jesus Christ. In his Christmas message posted on his official social media accounts, Marcos expressed hope that, "Christmas paves the way for every Filipino to have strengthened faith in God and renewed hope that better things are to come."
READ: 5 'cracker injuries, half of 2021 figure
THE Department of Health (DoH) has reported five firework-related injuries from December 21 to 25, half of the reported during the same period last year. In 2021, 10 cases of firecracker injuries were reported during the period of December 21 to 25. It was also 72 percent lower than the five-year average during the same period, with 18 cases reported on average. The five firecracker cases were from Ilocos, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas regions. They were treated at the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, Bicol Medical Center, Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, and Western Visayas Sanitarium. All the injured were males ages 8 to 22 years old, with four of them actively involved in setting up the firecrackers. One case required amputation. Three sustained eye injuries. Most of the injuries were from the cannon-like firework contraption Boga, while the other victims were injured by the Five Star and Whistle Bomb firecrackers. No reported cases of fireworks ingestion or stray bullet injury were reported to the DoH.
READ: Jalosjos status in House questioned
SURIGAO del Norte Second District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers wants to be clarified about the status of Romeo Jalosjos Jr., who ran in the 2022 elections for a seat in the House of Representatives. In the race for congressman in Zamboanga del Norte's first district, Roberto "Pinpin" Uy Jr. garnered 69,591 votes. Jalosjos came in second with 69,109 votes, followed by a candidate who got 5,424 votes and who, on June 7, was declared a nuisance candidate. On June 23, Jalosjos was proclaimed the winner. Under the Constitution, the term of House members starts at noon of June 30 "next following their election."
READ: P8.6-B assistance up for informal sector workers
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has distributed more than P8-billion worth of emergency employment and cash assistance that benefited almost 2 million informal sector workers who were badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as calamities that hit the country. In DoLE's year-end report, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the aid was released under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad), a communitybased aid that provides emergency employment to displaced, underemployed and seasonal workers. Tupad funded the emergency employment provided to 1.971 million informal sector workers whose source of income were wiped out due to the effects of the pandemic. The Tupad program provides workers in the informal sector a 10-day emergency employment, but not exceeding 30-day depending on the work to be performed, and would be paid minimum wage prevailing in their respective areas. DoLE also provided P283 million to 62,290 workers affected by the Northern Luzon earthquake and Typhoons "Paeng" and "Karding." To provide workers with improved and sustainable livelihood, entrepreneurship and work opportunities, the DoLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) or Kabuhayan program, also provided P358 million livelihood assistance to 21,120 workers.
READ: QC issues guidelines on use of firecrackers
QUEZON City Mayor Ma. Josefina Belmonte has issued Executive Order (EO) 54 of 2022 containing guidelines on the manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices. The order stated that in 2021, the Department of Health "recorded a 47 percent increase in the number of firecrackers and fireworks-related emergencies and injuries due to unregulated and indiscriminate use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices compared to the total number of cases in 2020."
BUSINESS: Technology can hasten green transition
Over to business, the level of digital skills and technological readiness of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member-countries play a key role in transitioning toward a low-carbon economy given the importance of digitalization in helping address climate change, according to a policy brief. Authors Glacer Niño Vasquez, a consultant, and Rhea Crisologo Hernando, a senior researcher with the APEC Policy Support Unit, said that across industries, digital technologies can be harnessed to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, such as by harnessing renewable energy and improving power grids to better manage large volumes of variable renewable energy.
SPORTS: Thompson on track for BPC award
Topping sports, Barangay Ginebra star Scottie Thompson and resident import Justin Brownlee, undoubtedly the Gin Kings' 1-2 punch, are closing in on capturing the top individual awards for the 2022-23 PBA Commissioner's Cup. Having sustained his strong showing in the mid-season conference, Thompson soared to the No. 2 spot in the statistical race for the Best Player of the Conference, just right behind NorthPort guard Robert Bolick who still leads the race after the semifinals. Thompson, the PBA's reigning Most Valuable Player, occupies the second spot in the race with his 32.1 statistical points, just behind Bolick's 33.9 SPs. Bolick's chances of winning the top individual plum for the conference dimmed with the Batang Pier bombing out quickly in the playoffs after bowing to Thompson and the Gin Kings in their quarterfinal series.
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao continues his series on how the Communist Party of the Philippines staged the Plaza Miranda bombing, while Tatad recalls a Jesuit theologian over the recent elections.
Today's editorial calls for the burying of the communist insurgency under the late Communist leader Jose Maria Sison. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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This is Peter Stephen Llevares reporting.