Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, June 23, 2023.
READ: Justice eludes victims of 2008 ferry tragedy
ON June 21, 2008, the interisland ferry M/V Princess of the Stars sank in the waters off Romblon, killing 814 of its passengers. Over 500 other people aboard are still missing. Fifteen years later, the survivors and families of the victims of the tragedy are still seeking closure and justice. On Thursday, a group representing the survivors and victims met with Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta and other PAO officials to discuss their plea before the Court of Appeals to compel the ferry's owner, Sulpicio Lines — renamed Philippine Span Asia Carriers Inc. — to pay compensation for their loss. PAO is handling the civil cases for the aggrieved families.
READ: Marcos to crack down on online investment scammers
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday vowed to apply the "full force of the law" against online investment scammers. In a media interview after attending the 85th anniversary of the Securities and Exchange Commission in Makati City, the President said the government continues to monitor transactions in digital space to protect the public against scammers and abusive online lenders. He said the "best defense" against online scammers are "knowledgeable consumers" who are aware of fraudulent schemes.
READ: Indian med graduates in PH can take board exam
THE Professional Regulation Commission said that Indian medical graduates in the country can take the Physician Licensure Examination as long as they graduated from a government-recognized medical college. The P.R.C. made the clarification after the Indian embassy in the Philippines received numerous queries asking if its nationals can obtain a license to practice in the country. In a Facebook post last May 26, the embassy said it has discussed the eligibility issue with the P.R.C. It said the P.R.C. has confirmed in writing that in the absence of any reciprocity between India and the Philippines, Indian's cannot take the licensure exam in the country. But in a letter issued on June 21, P.R.C. Chairman Charito Zamora clarified that under the Certification issued on March 30, Indian medical graduates from a college of medicine recognized by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education can take the board test. The provision is pursuant to the provisions of the Philippine Medical Act of 1959 (Republic Act 2382) and other provisions of the Board of Medicine and the P.R.C.
READ: PH, US coast guard commanders meet
THE commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard met with his American counterpart at the United States Coast Guard headquarters in Washington on Wednesday to advance the alliance of the two maritime organizations. Admiral Artemio Abu was the first P.C.G. commandant to visit the U.S.C.G. headquarters, and was warmly received by U.S.C.G. Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan.
BUSINESS: Monetary Board pauses anew
Topping business, monetary authorities kept key interest rates steady on Thursday, noting that inflation was likely to return to target before the end of the year. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' overnight reverse repurchase, deposit and lending rates remain at 6.25 percent, 5.75 percent and 6.75 percent, respectively. The central bank's policymaking Monetary Board, which first paused in May, last hiked interest rates in March. That 25-basis-point adjustment brought total rate hikes since May of last year to 425 basis points. The tightening spree was prompted by surging inflation, which hit a 14-year high of 8.7 percent in January. The rate has since dropped for four straight months, hitting 6.1 percent in May. The Monetary Board accordingly decided to trim its 2023 inflation forecast to 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent. The outlook for next year, however, was raised to 2.9 percent from 2.8 percent. For 2025, inflation was forecast to average 3.2 percent.
SPORTS: Alyssa Valdez: I'm fully recovered from injury
Over to sports, Creamline Cool Smashers star Alyssa Valdez said that she has fully recovered from the knee injury she incurred in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference last December. Valdez actually started working out a couple of months ago when she played for the Philippine women's volleyball team at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. The 29-year-old phenom was still not 100 percent healthy back then and saw little action in the tournament. Despite getting the go-signal to ramp up her training for the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference set to start on June 27, Valdez said she will not rush herself to regain her old explosive form.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao asks if the Maharlika Investment Fund could bring back the elite's wealth that were "stashed abroad", while Tatad weighs in on U.S. President Joe Biden's latest remarks on Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Today's editorial believes hiring those who flunked nursing board examinations won't solve the shortage of nurses in the country. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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