Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Good Friday, April 7, 2023.
READ: Navy boosts patrols in Philippine Rise
THE Philippine Navy has sent one of its most advanced warships, the BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), to patrol the Philippine Rise off the coast of Aurora province. The Antonio Luna's acting commanding officer Commodore Jim Aris Alagao, said the ship will intensify the Navy's presence in the Philippine Rise, a 13-million-hectare undersea volcanic ridge located east of Luzon. Alagao said the area, also known as the Benham Rise, is part of the country's extended continental shelf which is believed to be abundant with natural resources such as minerals and gas. While the Philippine Rise is not disputed territory, its undersea riches have attracted China.
READ: Marcos upbeat on economic recovery
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expects the country's economic recovery to continue as inflation eased to 7.6 percent in March from 8.6 percent in February this year. In a Twitter post, Marcos assured the public that the government will continue to implement initiatives to temper the prices of basic goods and services. On Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that inflation settled at 7.6 percent year on year in March, slower than the 8.6 percent in February. The latest figures fell within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) month-ahead forecast of 7.4 to 8.2 percent for March. However, the rate was still above the BSP's 2 to 4 percent inflation target. The downtrend in the overall inflation in March was mainly driven by the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages, which had a lower inflation rate of 9.3 percent from 10.8 percent in the previous month.
READ: PUV drivers warned: Don't exploit Holy Week riders
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) warned public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers against exploiting passengers who are expected to turn out in droves during Holy Week. LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz also cautioned passengers against riding in private vehicles that offer rides for a higher fee. Some drivers may also take in more passengers than their vehicles' maximum capacity or overcharge them, Guadiz said. Aside from unauthorized private cars or vans, PUVs that operate outside of their approved route, like a tourist bus operating as a PUB, or a PUV with a suspended, canceled, or expired certificate of public convenience (CPC), are considered as colorum vehicles. Guadiz also reminded travelers to keep an eye out to see if passengers like the elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and pregnant women are given priority seating; if health protocols are followed; if pets are correctly carried; and if medical and police assistance is available at the terminal.
READ: Good Friday: A moment to reflect on Christ's sacrifice
SOME 1.3 billion Catholics around the world will mark the death of Jesus Christ on the cross today, Good Friday. There will be no Mass in Catholic churches, which will be stripped of its religious ornaments as a symbol of mourning. The faithful are called upon to pray and atone for their sins. Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), also said fasting is obligatory on Good Friday for Catholics between 18 and 60 years old. Those who are infirmed and above 60 years old are not obliged to fast, but senior citizens can instead perform "corporal works of mercy or acts of piety," he said.
BUSINESS: Interest rate hikes still expected
Topping business, inflation could finally be on the way down but room remains for further interest rate hikes, analysts said. While consumer price growth may have slowed to a six-month low of 7.6 percent in March, they noted that core inflation — which excludes volatile food and energy items — rose anew. Key interest rates have been increased by a total of 450 basis points (bps) since May last year as monetary authorities moved to temper surging inflation.
SPORTS: We know who we are up against – Jolas
Over to sports, in facing a Barangay Ginebra side that is used to winning championships, TNT interim coach Jojo Lastimosa admits the Tropang Giga will have to dig deep from within in order to have a clear shot at unseating the Gin Kings from their PBA Governors' Cup throne. Lastimosa is well aware that TNT is not just facing Ginebra's solid and championship-tested players led by three-time Best Import Justin Brownlee, reigning league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Scottie Thompson and hardworking big man Christian Standhardinger. The Tropang Giga are also going up against Ginebra's legion of fans known for decades as their unofficial "sixth man" in the game.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao believes the country is becoming more secular, while Tatad wants the Catholic Church to explain its role in crafting the country's current Constitution.
Today's editorial discusses the recent trip of Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen to the United States. 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 Isabelle Dignadice.