Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, January 5, 2023.
READ: 300 police officials asked to resign
THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) disclosed on Wednesday that 300 ranking officials in the Philippine National Police (PNP) are involved in the illegal drug trade. They have been asked to file courtesy resignations. Interior Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. did not identify the colonels and generals during a press briefing. However, he stressed that those on the list have "infected" the government's campaign against illicit drugs and will be screened for their "questionable integrity" as law enforcers and apprehending officers.
READ: Marcos meets top Chinese legislator in new bid to boost ties
PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday met with top Chinese legislator Li Zhanshu, chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress, to discuss how he envisions strengthening Philippines-China relations. Li is the first high-ranking official Marcos met on the second day of his state visit to the neighboring Asian country. Marcos was accompanied by former president and now Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and Socioeconomic Affairs Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.
READ: 'Normalize NAIA first before probe'
SEN. Mary Grace Poe is set to conduct next week an inquiry on the January 1 airport shutdown as she wants operations in all airports to "normalize first" before conducting the probe. The senator on Wednesday said she can conduct hearings even during the break. The Senate will resume session on January 23 after a month-long holiday break.
READ: 8 Filipinos from China test positive for Covid-19
AIRPORT authorities have placed eight Filipinos under quarantine after they tested positive for Covid-19, the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) said on Wednesday. BoQ Deputy Director Roberto Salvador Jr. said the Filipinos arrived in separate flights from China between December 27 and January 2. They were immediately placed in isolation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after they tested positive in an antigen test. It was also discovered that they were unvaccinated. Samples taken from the travelers were taken to the Philippine Genome Center to determine what variant of the coronavirus they were carrying, Salvador said. Based on current protocols, non-fully vaccinated individuals who are unable to present a negative pre-departure test result are tested upon arrival at the airport. China faces a surge of Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron BF.7 subvariant, causing global concern and prompting countries like Japan and the United States to implement additional measures for travelers coming from the east Asian country.
READ: 4,443 TNVS slots up for grabs
THE Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced on Wednesday they will start accepting applications for 4,443 transport network vehicle service (TNVS) slots on January 9. LTFRB Technical Division head Joel Bolano said applicants may first apply with their transport network company (TNC) of choice for the processing of application before forwarding their application to LTFRB.
BUSINESS: Complaints flood BPI following system glitch
Topping business, Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) scrambled on Wednesday to reassure customers and regulators after a system glitch had clients complaining of duplicate transactions and unauthorized withdrawals. On Wednesday, the bank admitted that a number of automated teller machine and cash accept machine deposits, and point of sale and e-commerce debit transactions from December 30 to 31 had been posted twice.
SPORTS: Tiongson inks 2-year extension deal
In sports, former Ateneo shooter Juami Tiongson has signed a two-year extension deal with Terrafirma, assuring the Dyip of a solid gunner as they try to come out with a strong finish in the season-ending PBA Governors' Cup. Terms of the conditions were not made public. In the team's just-concluded stint in the 2022-2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup, Tiongson averaged a career-best 16.7 points, along with 3.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds but unfortunately, the Dyip won just once in 12 games. Still, the sweet-shooting guard is thankful to the Terrafirma management for believing in him and giving him a chance to continue playing for the franchise.
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras weighs in on onions, Makabenta asks which Philippine university can offer a Masters of Arts in Happiness Studies, while Remoto discusses on translating another Filipino novel.
Today's editorial asks if there is a looming transport crisis. 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 Steven Llevares reporting.