Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, April 13, 2023.
PH, US boost military alliance
THE United States and the Philippines "redoubled" their commitment to boost their alliance as they reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty remains the "bedrock" of their cooperation. Top US and Philippine foreign affairs and defense officials on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) held the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington D.C. to "reforge" their alliance. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense chief Carlito Galvez Jr. and their American counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin 3rd shared the need to modernize relations between Manila and Washington.
'PH, US alliance should not target any third country'
CHINA warned that the military cooperation between the United States and the Philippines "must not interfere" in South China Sea (SCS) disputes and harm maritime and security interests. Aside from China and the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the SCS believed to be rich in gas and mineral deposits.
Balikatan troops hold nuclear, biological response training
MEMBERS of the Philippine Army and US Marines Corps conducted training on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) response as part of the 38th annual Balikatan exercise. Col. Xerxes Trinidad, Philippine Army Public Affairs chief, said the CBRN training that started on Tuesday will run for five days at the 3rd Infantry Division's headquarters in Camp General Macario Peralta Jr., Jamindan, Capiz. Trinidad said the training program, which includes classroom lectures, hands-on exercises and simulations, will enhance the Philippine military's capabilities in responding to CBRN threats. Meanwhile, Filipino and American Marines carried out a combined joint logistics over-the-shore operations in Casiguran, Aurora on Wednesday, involving an army landing craft guided by a Navy beach party team. The drill was conducted away from other Balikatan exercises in the western and northern parts of Luzon.
US, PH officials object to 'covert reclamation' in SCS
MANILA and Washington strongly objected to the reported "covert" land reclamation and provocative activities in the South China Sea (SCS), including China's alleged attempts to disrupt Philippine operations in Ayungin Shoal. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Officer in Charge Carlito Galvez Jr. and their American counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin 3rd also deplored "unlawful maritime claims" and the militarization of reclaimed features in the SCS. They raised these matters in a joint statement Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) following their 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington D.C. aimed to "modernize" the United States-Philippines alliance.
BUSINESS: Medalla: 'No choice but to respond' to Fed
Topping business, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) should be mindful of the impact of its policy rate hikes on the international financial system, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla said in Washington on Tuesday. Emerging economies such as the Philippines had "no choice but to respond to US policy," he said in a talk organized by the International Monetary Fund, as a series of hefty rate increases put pressure on exchange rates. The peso fell to a record low of P59 against the dollar in October last year in the wake of aggressive tightening by the US central bank. The rate hikes, aimed at tempering inflation, also had the effect of strengthening the greenback.
SPORTS: Rodeo returns to Masbate after 3 years
In sports, the capital city of Masbate province showcased its own version of the good old West on Tuesday as residents, visitors and local officials gathered in the city's business district — many of whom wore old dusty jeans, plaid shirts, leather boots and cowboy hats — for the opening of the 27th Rodeo Masbateño. The weeklong Rodeo Masbateño Festival, back after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, did not only bring out the cowboy spirit in every fan, it also brought together the country's best rodeo athletes who displayed their skills in handling cattles and riding wild horses. It also united rival political camps on one festive stage. For nearly three decades now, the country's cattle capital Masbate has showcased the way of life of local cowboys and cowgirls through rodeo, which is extremely popular in Canada and the United States. Rodeo Masbateño started as a daily ranch practice that was turned into an exhibition event and eventually a competition to honor the way of life of ranch workers.
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras weighs in on the controversy over the choice of the new University of the Philippines-Diliman chancellor, Makabenta asks if the country is warming up to the way Sweden handled the Covid-19 pandemic, and Remoto discusses the persecution of a Nobel laureate in Bangladesh.
Today's editorial believes a series of meetings with the World Bank have great expectations. 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.