Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, June 9, 2023.
READ: Gibo to China: Earn our trust
CHINA should earn the trust of Filipinos, newly appointed Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. said on Thursday, as the Philippines seeks to expand its alliance with "nontraditional" partners in the face of Beijing's growing aggression in staking its claim in the South China Sea. Teodoro made the statement after the Philippine Coast Guard questioned China for not matching words with actions when it comes to the West Philippine Sea.
READ: Teodoro won't revive UP-DND accord
DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. on Thursday said he was not open to reviving the University of the Philippines-Department of Defense Accord, but reminded law enforcement officers to "be mindful of the balance between freedom of expression and protecting the peace." Speaking at a Malacañang press briefing, Teodoro said he is not interested in reversing the decision of his predecessor.
READ: P141B needed to modernize NAIA
ABOUT 141 billion pesos will be needed to upgrade and modernize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The amount was specified in the terms and conditions that the Department of Transportation and the Manila International Airport Authority submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for the proposed privatization of the country's premier airport, Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Airports Roberto Lim said during a briefing on Thursday. Lim said the government has prepared a detailed proposal to make sure that the private proponent has the capacity to take on the role of NAIA concessionaire.
READ: Talks for more bivalent vaccines to continue
HEALTH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that he will continue negotiations for the country to have its own bivalent vaccines through discussions with international organizations such as the World Health Organization. This comes as the country continues to look for additional bivalent vaccines following the initial 391,000-dose donation from Lithuania that arrived in the country Sunday, which would be used for health care workers and senior citizens.
BUSINESS: Reserve requirement cuts set for end-June
Over to business, bank reserve requirements will be reduced effective June 30 as part of efforts to manage liquidity and credit conditions, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas announced on Thursday. The reduction will coincide with the end-June expiration of alternative modes of compliance with reserve requirements and the inaugural offering of the 56-day B.S.P. Bill.
SPORTS: PH raises gold medal haul to 28 at Asean Para Games
In sports, the Philippines claimed its 28th gold medal from javelin thrower Andrei Kuizon in the 12th Asean Para Games at the Morodok Techo National Stadium here on Thursday, June 8, to match its gold medal haul from last year in Surakarta, Indonesia. Kuizon, a 22-year-old Pampanga native who was plucked out of the wheelchair basketball team, took the mint after organizers decided to separate the winners of his F54 class from the F34. The reigning shot put champion was initially awarded the silver on Wednesday with a 19.03-meter heave with Vietnamese Vivan Tung seizing the gold with a 21.33-meter throw. Fate, however, intervened and handed the protégée of former national team member Nixon Mas, his second gold in the meet.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Francisco Tatad and Carl Balita are today's front page columnists. Tatad reveals what the Philippines could learn from one of its neighbors, while Balita warns about the potential evils of artificial intelligence.
Today's editorial talks on space technology as a tool for development. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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