Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.
READ: PNP probes fake memo on full alert
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said its Anti-Cybercrime Group is tracing the source of the false memorandums on the alleged order to all units to be on full alert because of the resignation of officials and personnel of the Department of National Defense. Anti-Cybercrime Group spokesman Lt. Michelle Sabino said the memos and text messages made it appear that PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. issued a memorandum on Saturday, January 7, ordering a full alert. PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo said there was no directive from Azurin to go on full alert. Fajardo said that the PNP was on "heightened alert"status for the Feast of the Black Nazarene today. Millions of Nazarene devotees are expected to join the "Walk of Faith" procession that will replace the traditional Traslacion, which will not be held for the third straight year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A heightened alert is the PNP's second highest alert level, equivalent to the military's blue alert. DND Officer in Charge Jose Faustino and other officials from the department did not respond to requests for comment by The Manila Times. Rumors of a destabilization plot being hatched by some members of the Armed Forces surfaced during the command turnover ceremonies in Camp Aguinaldo where Gen. Andres Centino took over from LtGen. Vicente Bacarro as chief of staff.
READ: PEAC urges govt : Don't 'marginalize' private schools
THE government should not "marginalize" private schools by limiting funding for them, the head of the committee handling the country's private education assistance fund said. The concern about fund assistance for private schools was raised by Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) Executive Director Rhodora Angela Ferrer during the program "Business and Politics" on SMNI Saturday. PEAC is in charge of the Fund for the Assistance for Private Education, a special fund created in 1968. It is also the co-implementer of the following projects under the Department of Education's Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education: Education Service Contracting (ESC), Teachers' Salary Subsidy (TSS), Tertiary Education Subsidy, and Senior High School Voucher Program. Ferrer cited the salary gap between private and public school teachers. She said the TSS, which provides P18,000 to teachers working in private schools, is far lower than the pay their counterparts in public schools receive. Ferrer said a law must be passed to close the teachers' salary gap.
READ: Entrepreneurship gaining more traction – survey
FILIPINOS are increasingly getting into the entrepreneurial mindset, a recent survey conducted by OCTA Research showed. The survey's results were shared by Go Negosyo founder Jose Ma. "Joey" Concepcion 3rd, who expressed elation that efforts by his group for the past 17 years "continue to bear fruit." OCTA polled 1,200 respondents ages 18 years and older and covered socioeconomic classes A,B, C, D and E. The survey found that 53 percent were aware of Concepcion and his work at Go Negosyo, the nonprofit he founded in 2005. Go Negosyo is seen either as a partner, or a supporter, of small businesses/enterprises by 52 percent of adult Filipinos, or as one that teaches how to run a business by 47 percent of adult Filipinos. Eighty-one percent "would prefer to go into business" if given the knowledge to do so, the survey said. Concepcion said the poll also indicated that "Go Negosyo and its push for an entrepreneurial mindset has had an impact on the Filipino" since its establishment.
READ: China ends quarantine for overseas travelers
China lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travelers on Sunday, ending almost three years of self-imposed isolation even as the country battles a surge in Covid cases. The first people to arrive expressed relief at not having to undergo the grueling quarantines that were a fixture of life in zero-Covid China. In Hong Kong, where the border with mainland China was reopened after years of closure, more than 400,000 people were set to travel north in the coming eight weeks. Beijing last month began a dramatic dismantling of a hardline zero-Covid strategy that had enforced mandatory quarantines and punishing lockdowns. The policy had a huge impact on the world's second-biggest economy and generated resentment throughout society that led to nationwide protests just before it was eased.
Topping Business
READ: Not all China pledges expected to materialize
PRAGMATISM greeted the multibillion-dollar investment pledges announced in the wake of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s state visit to China given that the programs and projects involved have yet to break ground. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said "many businesses will still wait and see for the actual investments ... as many things still need to be ironed out". While Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. President Sergio Ortiz-Luis expressed optimism that Marcos' visit could lead to continued Chinese investor interest, he also admitted that many of the pledges announced may not push through. Details of the $22.8 billion in Chinese investments commitments remain sparse other than that over half, or $13.76 billion, involved renewable energy and that the remaining would be in strategic manufacturing, including electric vehicles and mineral processing ($7.32 billion), and $1.72 billion in agribusiness. Marcos' January 3 to 5 visit was cast by the government as a demonstration of the Philippines' continued commitment to closer ties with China. His predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, actively courted Beijing in the last six years but failed to gain a hoped-for surge in infrastructure financing. While private capital did enter the country — the deals ranged from China Telecom's investment in DITO Telecommunity Corp. and an Ant Financial-Globe Telecom venture to a flood of Philippine offshore gaming operators — net FDI from China has fallen in the last three years.
In Sports
READ: Eala begins Australian Open campaign
FILIPINO tennis ace Alexandra "Alex" Eala begins her bid to make the 2023 Australian Open women's main draw on Monday at the Melbourne Park. Ranked 215th in the Women's Tennis Association, Eala shared she's ready to battle 85th ranked and 31-year-old Japanese Misaki Doi in the first round of the qualifiers. The 17-year-old Eala said she felt she played two good matches at the W60 Canberra to start the year and her five-week training buildup for the Australian Open qualifiers had been solid. This is Eala's first try in the women's division of a Grand Slam tournament after stamping her class in the girls division in the past few years. Eala won the 2020 Australian Open and the 2021 French Open doubles events as well as the 2022 US Open Girls tournament last September.
READ: Morikawa pulls away at Kapalua
Collin Morikawa can make golf look simple. He has a shot in mind and the ball is going where he's looking. The difference at the Sentry Tournament of Champions is that it includes shots on the green. He was particularly effective Saturday on the stretch of scoring holes on the back nine of Kapalua, typically a chance for players to make up ground in a hurry. Morikawa birdied four of the last five holes and pulled away. He finished with a 15-foot birdie putt for an 8-under 65, giving him a six-shot lead going into the final round and an excellent chance to get rid of the sour taste from last year. The two-time major champion hired putting coach Stephen Sweeney late last year.
READ: Sotto solid but Adelaide falls to NZ
FILIPINO cager Kai Sotto put up a solid performance but his Adelaide 36ers fell to New Zealand Breakers 83-85 on Sunday in Australia's 2022-2023 National Basketball League season at the Adelaide Entertainment Center. Starting for the seventh straight time, Sotto, 20, made the most of his more than 22 minutes of action on the court before another 36ers' record home crowd of 9,368 fans. The 7-foot-3 center logged 16 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting from the field with five rebounds and two blocks to boot. Robert Franks unleashed 20 points, 13 rebounds and three steals to lead the way for the 36ers, who fell to an 11-10 win-loss card at the sixth spot. Barry Brown Jr. cashed in 16 points and three assists to pace the Breakers, who stayed in second place of the 10-team league with a 13-6 slate.
In its editorial, the Times writes that Asean cooperation is key to Philippine, regional security. Read the full version on print or on digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad. Tiglao talks about a tsunami of demoralization that hit the police and military; Aquino on the truth and truths; and Tatad, on a glitch in governance.
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This is Pete Llevares reporting.