Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, March 4, 2023.

READ: Galvez dismisses EDCA opposition

THE Department of National Defense (DND) dismissed opposition by local government officials over plans to establish additional United States military facilities on Philippine bases located in their respective provinces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Defense Officer in Charge Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Friday that the Philippine government "is aiming to achieve an optimal number and locations of the EDCA sites to maximize their coverage of the Philippine archipelago." Last month, the DND announced the Philippine and US governments agreed to designate four new EDCA Agreed Locations. EDCA, along with the Visiting Forces Agreement, operationalizes the 1951 Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). The agreement will give US troops access to four more bases, with the aim of accelerating the full implementation of EDCA. Previously, both countries have designated five locations for the EDCA: the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, which is closest to the Kalayaan Island Group; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, the country's largest military camp; Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu in the Visayas and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. The DND has yet to name the locations of the new EDCA sites, saying it would be made public once all the necessary consultations, coordination, staff work and other requirements are completed or complied with. However, two sites in Cagayan, and one each in Palawan, Zambales, and Isabela have been mentioned. While Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said he was not keen on having an EDCA site in his province, his vice governor, Melvin Vargas Jr., was more calm in his opinion on the issue.

READ: Defense pact anchored on 'deterrence, peace, regional stability'

SENIOR Undersecretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., officer in charge of the Department of National Defense (DND), emphasized that developing the nation's defense capabilities through bilateral efforts such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States aims to build deterrence, and is not for engaging in war or interfering in the domestic affairs of other nations. He said that the projects under EDCA are geared toward enhancing the facility readiness of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as part of its modernization efforts to speed up external defense development.

READ: Suspects in Cebu hazing face raps as witness appears

A WITNESS in the death of a maritime engineering student in Cebu in December 2022 after undergoing initiation rites of a fraternity has surfaced. According to Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo, the information from the witness could lead to the filing of charges against the suspects next week. The concerned case was that of Ronnel Baguio, a 20-year-old University of Cebu (UC) marine engineering student who allegedly died on December 19 following a violent hazing supposedly done by the Tau Gamma Phi. It was the same fraternity whose members were involved in the death of John Matthew Salilig. Fajardo said investigators started to take the statement of the witness in the Baguio case on Thursday.

READ: Manila Times, DoST ink agreement to promote science, innovations

THE Manila Times, the oldest newspaper in the country, has forged a partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) in a bid to widen the latter's visibility and reach to the public in promoting science and innovations, among others. In a simple ceremony held on Friday at the Times' office in Intramuros, Manila, The Manila Times (TMT) Publishing Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dante "Klink" Ang 2nd signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DoST's Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) Director Richard Burgos. Times' latest partnership was witnessed by DoST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.; Blanca Mercado, TMT president and chief operating officer; Rodolfo de Guzman, DoST's Communication Resources and Production Division officer in charge; and Lynette Luna, Times' managing editor. Under the agreement, the TMT shall allot a space for DoST's monthly column where the agency can present its development programs and other scientific concepts to the public "in a bite-sized, informative, insightful and very laymanized approach." Ang, who welcomed the DoST to the TMT Family, said the partnership they inked with the agency gives the publishing company a chance to help the government through the department in widely promoting science, technology and innovations.

READ: P9-B cash aid to be released this month

THE government may release within this month the first tranche of the planned P9.3 billion cash aid to poor individuals under the Targeted Cash Transfer Program to cushion the impact of high inflation. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a briefing that P7 billion of the amount will come from an "unreconciled" amount from the cash aid under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law, and the balance will come from the contingent fund.

READ: Marcos vows to 'modernize' PH transportation

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday vowed to "modernize" the country's transportation system, saying that realizing "important" infrastructure projects will foster growth and revitalize the economy. Marcos witnessed the signing of the Contract Package NS-01 (CP NS-01) Electromechanical Systems and Track Works for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System between the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and Mitsubishi Corp. at a ceremony in Malacañang. In his speech, the President said that having an "efficient" transportation system would have a "multiplier effect" on employment and the economy.

REGIONS: Rice Tariffication Law is not a failure – DA

The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO2) said the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) is not a failure and continues to directly benefit palay (unhusked rice) farmers through its P10-billion annual fund. This was explained by engineer Monico Castro Jr., DA-RFO2 Field Operations Division chief, who represented DA-RFO2 Executive Director Narciso Edillo during the distribution of the P27.3 million aid to farmers in the province. The funds under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) were distributed to eligible farmers from the towns of Delfin Albano, Benito Soliven and San Mariano on Wednesday; Naguilian, Cabatuan, Echague, San Guillermo, San Isidro and Angadanan towns on Thursday; and Jones and San Agustin on Friday. Citing Republic Act (RA) 11203, or the RTL, which took effect on March 5, 2019, Castro said the tariffs collected from rice imports go to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and a portion of it goes to the RFFA.

BUSINESS: Peso, PSEi end higher but worries limit gains

Over to business, the peso and the stock market closed the week on a positive note amid continuing concerns over inflation and additional interest rate hikes. The currency strengthened by 19 centavos to P54.82 against the dollar, while the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 32.92 points, or 0.50 percent, to settle at 6,655.37. The broader All Shares also advanced, adding 15.24 points, or 0.43 percent, for a 3,564.42 close.

SPORTS: SMB to end EASL without Fajardo

In sports, San Miguel Beer team manager Gee Abanilla said starting center June Mar Fajardo won't play anymore in the 2023 East Asia Super League (EASL) Champions Week after hurting his left knee in the Beermen's 96-68 beating at the hands of the Ryukyu Golden Kings on Thursday. Abanilla said the extent of Fajardo's injury is still being determined at press time. The Cebuano slotman lasted just 21 seconds in the team's EASL Champions Week debut game after an accidental knee-to-knee collision with Ryukyu's 6-9 import Jack Cooley in the opening period. He was pulled out of the game and did not return. The Beermen will try to finish the group play without the veteran center when they go up against Korean club Anyang KGC on Saturday as both teams travel to Okinawa for the 3 p.m. tussle at the newly built Okinawa Stadium. Cameron Clark scored 28 points to lead SMB against Ryukyu. The Beermen, however, will need to get more from the team's second import Jessie Govan, along with local stars CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Mo Tautuaa and Vic Manuel to beat the Korean squad. Govan finished with just seven points and three rebounds in 15 minutes of play, while Perez was the only other SMB player to score in double figures with 12 points.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Antonio Contreras and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about the challenge in regulating artisanal or small-scale mining, while Remoto discusses on births, deaths and the overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

Today's editorial wants the climate emergency to be treated as an actual emergency. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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For The Manila Times, this is Kim Luden Salinas reporting.