Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022.
READ: Glitches mar Day 1 of SIM registration
THE first day of the SIM card registration was marred by technical glitches, with telecom networks saying they were flooded with applications, overwhelming their system. Netizens were quick to leave their comments on the major telecommunication networks' social media pages as they were unable to access the registration portal. Smart Communications, the wireless arm of PLDT, was the first to make an announcement on Tuesday morning, saying it was experiencing technical challenges because of the high volume of people registering their SIM cards. Globe said it had to make its SIM registration portal new.globe.com.ph/simreg temporarily inaccessible "to ensure a better registration experience for customers." In a statement, it admitted that several customers were able to access the site and register between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., but the portal temporarily went offline later. Globe said prepaid customers have until April 26, 2023 to register. Anna Mae Lamentillo, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) undersecretary and spokesman, said they expect the first two weeks of the implementation of the SIM registration to be under the "test period".
READ: Strange turn of events leaves House seat in limbo
A NUISANCE candidate, delayed action by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Supreme Court intervention have left a duly-proclaimed congressman out of a job and the people of Zamboanga del Norte's first district without an elected representative, at least temporarily. Romeo Jalosjos Jr. was proclaimed the winner in the May 2022 elections by a vote margin of 74,533 to 69,591. Jalosjos' path to victory, however, was not a simple one, thanks to the involvement in the elections of a "nuisance" candidate, a certain Frederico "Kuya Jan" Jalosjos. In the three-way race between Uy and the two Jalosjoses — who are not in any way related — Romeo Jalosjos Jr. finished a close second to Uy, 69,109 votes to 69,591; "Kuya Jan" Jalosjos was a distant third, garnering only 5,424 votes. However, "Kuya Jan" Jalosjos should have never been on the ballot in the first place. On April 19, nearly a month before the May 9 polls, the Comelec's 2nd Division issued a resolution canceling his certificate of candidacy on the grounds that he was a nuisance candidate. However, his name was not removed from the ballots, leading to the confusion that followed.
READ: Climate change, ASF biggest challenges to food production
Department of Agriculture Deputy Spokesman Rex Estoperez on Tuesday said typhoons caused by climate change, the African swine fever (ASF) and avian influenza or bird flu, and rampant agricultural smuggling affected the country's food production in 2022. During the Laging Handa briefing, Estoperez said that climate change will remain as the main obstacle to the efforts of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to achieve food security in 2023. He added that as the Philippines is dependent on agriculture, Marcos has tasked the DA to implement programs that will lessen the impact of climate change on the farm sector. He added that since 1990, the DA has provided P290 billion in assistance to farmers affected by typhoons.Congress has increased the budget of the department to cope with challenges brought by climate change.
READ: 'Blizzard of the century' leaves nearly 50 dead across US
Emergency crews in New York were scrambling Monday to rescue marooned residents from what authorities called the "blizzard of the century," a relentless storm that has left at least 25 dead in the state and is causing US Christmas travel chaos. Blizzard conditions continue to prevail in parts of the US Northeast, the stubborn remnants of a massive sprawl of extreme weather that gripped the country over several days, causing widespread power outages, travel delays and at least 47 deaths across nine states. In New York state authorities have described ferocious conditions, particularly in Buffalo, with hours-long whiteouts, bodies being discovered in vehicles and under snow banks, and emergency personnel going "car to car" searching for more motorists — alive or dead. The perfect storm of fierce snow squalls, howling wind and sub-zero temperatures forced the cancellation of more than 15,000 US flights in recent days, including at least 2,600 on Monday, according to tracking site Flightaware.com.
Topping Business
READ: PSEi up 0.37%, closes at 6,564.90
THE local bourse gained by 23.87 points on Tuesday (0.36 percent) to close at 6,564.90. Moreover, the local All Shares also followed suit as it gained by 8.95 points (0.26 percent) to end at 3,441.42. Claire Alviar, research associate at Philstocks Financial Inc., said this comes after China eased its Covid-19 restrictions, boosting the sentiment in Asia as this may increase the demand in the region.
READ: Peso begins last week of the year at P55.90:$1
THE Philippine peso depreciated to P55.90 against the United States dollar on Tuesday, losing 75 centavos to open the trading week on a slight negative tone. Trading opened at P55.15 and ranged from P55.15 to P55.93. Total volume reached $813.27 million, down from December 23's $1.02 billion.
In Sports
READ: Ginebra guns for 2-0 bulge
BARANGAY Ginebra guns for a 2-0 bulge when the Gin Kings take on the Bay Area Dragons in Game 2 of their 2022-23 PBA Commissioner's Cup best-of-seven title series today, December 28, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. The Gin Kings are fresh from a 96-81 demolition of the Dragons on Christmas Day, a victory that brought joy to over 18,000 Ginebra fans that packed the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. And while the Gin Kings achieved their immediate goal of getting the first win in the series, Ginebra coach Tim Cone reminded his boys not to drop their guard, knowing the Dragons are a dangerous bunch. Canadian import Andrew Nicholson managed to lead Bay Area in scoring with 27 points, which was 11 points under his scoring average. He also collected 12 rebounds in Game 1. Ginebra Veteran playmaker LA Tenorio finished with 22 points to backstop import Justin Brownlee's 28 points and 13 boards output in Game 1.
Today's editorial asks the Department of Transportation to use homegrown solutions that are sustainable and cost-effective. Read the full version on print, subscribe to its digital edition or listen to the Voice of the Times. Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco 'Kit' Tatad are the featured columnists on the front page. Tiglao writes about the Plaza Miranda bombing; Aquino on the incarnate God; and Tatad warning that the media are 'no longer American'.
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This is Eireene Jairee Gomez reporting.