Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, May 27, 2023.
READ: Marcos: We are ready for 'Mawar'
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said the country has adequately prepared for the possible onslaught of Super Typhoon "Mawar," which has been forecast to enter the country's area of responsibility late Friday or early Saturday. Marcos told reporters relief goods have been prepositioned in areas particularly in Northern Luzon that could be affected by the fierce storm, which will be renamed "Betty" once it hits Philippine territory. The typhoon is not expected to make landfall, but its fringe winds and the heavy rainfall it will generate could cause extensive damage. The President said the government has to adjust its strategy in preparing for Mawar. This time, local government units will make the crucial decisions, while the national government will be on standby, ready to support them, he said.
READ: 2 new gunboats to bolster WPS patrols
THE two newly commissioned gunboats of the Philippine Navy will be deployed to the West Philippine Sea as the government shifts its focus "more towards external defense of our borders," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday. The President witnessed the commissioning of the two Israeli-made fast attack interdiction craft (FAIC) during ceremonies in Manila marking the Navy's 125th anniversary. He stressed the need to build up the country's defense capabilities, citing the "changing tides" of national security.
READ: President cool to deployment ban on Kuwait-bound OFWs
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he is not keen on imposing a total ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait. Marcos was responding to calls for the Philippines to impose such a ban after the Gulf state stopped issuing new entry visas to Filipinos. He said a ban could be an "overreaction" to Kuwait's decision to deny entry to Filipinos. He said it was Kuwait that shut out overseas Filipino workers after the Philippine government supposedly broke labor agreements. Last February, the Philippines stopped sending first-time household Filipino workers to the oilrich nation. The ban was triggered by the brutal murder in Kuwait of O.F.W. Jullebee Ranara who was reportedly raped, murdered, burnt, and then thrown in the desert by her employer. The President said that while the government is taking Kuwait's decision as it is, it will continue to negotiate with the Middle Eastern nation in the hopes of remedying the rift.
READ: Child whom GHI refused to release back with mom
AFTER four months of separation, a one-year-old son whom Gentle Hands Inc. refused to release was finally turned over to his biological mother on Friday. The baby was among the more than 140 children rescued from GHI after the Department of Social Welfare and Development shut down the orphanage. Then pregnant mother, Melanie Marzan, said she was forced to place her baby on temporary custody with the G.H.I. on Jan. 30, 2023, while she was waiting for the approval of her maternity leave.
READ: Korean superstar Lee Seung-gi back in PH for concert
KOREAN superstar Lee Seung-gi might be frequenting the Philippines soon. The actor-singer arrived in Manila on Friday at Filipino business mogul Luis "Chavit" Singson's private hangar, a day before his scheduled "Lee Seung-gi Asia Tour Concert: The Dreamer's Dream" at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. Lee's last fan event in the country was in 2019 but he was spotted visiting Vigan, Ilocos Sur in March this year, mingling with fans and spending time with Singson.
BUSINESS: Startups should be encouraged – ADB
Topping business, the Philippine startup ecosystem has improved substantially in recent years but more can be done to foster innovation and grow the sector, a new Asian Development Bank report said. Released on Friday, the A.D.B.'s "The Philippines' Ecosystem for Technology Startups" report noted that the country currently had about 700 startups — defined as "a young company that innovates technologies or applies existing technologies in innovative ways to provide a new product or service" — from just 100 in 2015. ommerce startups currently dominate the landscape, but the report highlighted the need for agritech (agriculture), edtech (education), cleantech (environment) and healthtech (health care) ventures, seen having a high development impact. The current startup ecosystem was found to be supportive, with the government said to have put in place policies and programs such as the Innovative Startup Act and the Philippine Innovation Act. Many incubators have also been established and grants are also available.
SPORTS: SEAG good training ground for young players – Marcial
In sports, even though Gilas Pilipinas was successful in regaining the Southeast Asian Games men's basketball gold medal recently in Cambodia, Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Willie Marcial says he supports the call of national coach Chot Reyes to send top collegiate players at the SEA Games in the future. Marcial said the SEA Games, being the lowest international basketball competition the Philippines can play, is a "good training ground for the young players." The P.B.A. chief said the pro league can zero in on supporting the national team in qualifying tournaments for the FIBA World Cup or Olympic Games.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras discusses a review of the research ethics review process, Makabenta believes the Marcos administration is in "crash course" mode on political matters, while Remoto tackles on how to get a scholarship abroad.
Today's editorial calls for a sound recommendation for improving agriculture. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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