Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, July 3, 2023.
Tourism dept probes promotional video
THE Department of Tourism (DoT) is investigating a promotional video produced for the launch of its enhanced "Love the Philippines" tourism campaign that reportedly used material shot abroad. The agency responsible for the error has admitted responsibility and "profusely" apologized to the department. The DDB won the contract to develop the updated branding campaign that replaced the previous tourism slogan "It's More Fun in the Philippines." In a statement it issued Saturday, the DoT said its contracted agency, DDB Philippines, "prepared and published an audiovisual presentation which has recently been the subject of scrutiny on the alleged use of non-original shots in certain parts of the AVP." The video had come under fire for containing stock footage not shot in the Philippines. No public funds were paid for the AVP, the department said. The DoT said that it will not hesitate to exact accountability and take the necessary action to protect the interest of the country even as it continues to exhaust all efforts to develop and promote the Philippine tourism industry.
ECOP: Small enterprises can't afford P40 pay rise
THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) called on the government to help medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) get over the impact of the P40 minimum wage increase in the National Capital Region (NCR). ECOP President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said over the weekend that "the government should help them because they cannot afford [to pay the P40 increase in take-home pay of workers]." Ortiz-Luis said some of the MSMEs, which comprise 98 percent of the companies in the country, were just starting to recover from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, while many others have yet to reopen. He asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to simplify the process in granting one-year salary adjustment exemptions for the MSMEs. Ortiz-Luis said the DTI requires a long list of requirements before approving an exemption. Ortiz-Luis admitted that even they at ECOP are not happy with the P40 wage hike, but their members were willing to support it.
'Teaching technology to youth must be priority'
THE head of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry said the education sector must focus on teaching the latest technology to the youth. Guesting at SMNI's weekly public affairs program "Business and Politics" hosted by The Manila Times Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dante Francis "Klink" Ang 2nd, federation president Cecilio Pedro said the world is rapidly evolving because of digitalization, and Filipinos must keep in stride or risk falling behind. He said AI is being implemented in businesses and other areas across the globe. Pedro said everyone must work together in upgrading technological literacy in the country. The technology can also be used to help improve agriculture, which is a problem sector, Pedro said. The federation will try to invite experts from Japan, China and Israel to help in technology development.
As onlookers clapped and danced, a mayor of a small southern Mexico town entered into holy matrimony with a female reptile in a traditional rite to bring good fortune to his people. Victor Hugo Sosa, mayor of San Pedro Huamelula, a town of Indigenous Chontal people in the Tehuantepec isthmus of Mexico, took as his betrothed a reptile named Alicia Adriana, re-enacting an ancestral ritual. The reptile is a caiman, an alligator-like marsh dweller endemic to Mexico and Central America. Sosa swore to be true to what local lore calls "the princess girl."Marriage between a man and a female caiman has happened here for 230 years to commemorate the day when two Indigenous groups came to peace — with a marriage. Tradition has it that frictions were overcome when a Chontal king, embodied these days by the mayor, wedded a princess girl of the Huave Indigenous group, represented by the female alligator.
Topping Business
June inflation likely slower at 5.4%
INFLATION probably moderated for a fifth straight month in June following price drops for food and fuel items, economists told The Manila Times.The median forecast in a poll of 11 analysts was 5.4 percent, down from the May result of 6.1 percent and near the lower end of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) 5.3- to 6.1-percent estimate. While still above the central bank's 2.0- to 4.0-percent goal, the rate is expected to fall within the range by the fourth quarter of this year. The BSP on Friday said that lower prices of meat and fruits as well as a rollback in liquefied petroleum gas prices could have led to inflation slowing further. However, it was noted that higher rice, vegetable and fish prices, along with fuel and electricity price hikes and a weaker peso, could have kept consumer price growth elevated. June inflation data will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Wednesday, July 5.
In Sports
Djokovic eyes 8th Wimbledon title, 24th Slam
Novak Djokovic has Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles as well as a 24th major in his sights as he closes in on a first calendar Grand Slam in 54 years. Fresh from breaking out of a tie with Rafael Nadal for 23 Slams at the French Open, the 36-year-old Djokovic will comfortably be the overwhelming favorite at the All England Club when he starts his title defense on Monday. With a 10th Australian Open and third Roland Garros already wrapped up this season, an eighth Wimbledon triumph would leave Djokovic needing just the US Open in September to emulate Rod Laver's sweep of all four majors in 1969.
Gilas raps Ukraine in tune-up match
GILAS Pilipinas showed resilience and some improvement as it downed Ukraine under-20 team 70-61 in their tune-up match on Saturday night in Kaunas, Lithuania. Rhenz Abando, June Mar Fajardo, Dwight Ramos and naturalized player Justin Brownlee led the national team's offensive that allowed Gilas to grab a slim 33-31 lead at the half. The Filipinos kept the pressure going while managing to sustain the gains throughout the second half, punctuated by a three-pointer by Kiefer Ravena heading into the final minute that all but sealed Gilas' first win in its training in Europe. Gilas is coming off back-to-back defeats to the national teams of Estonia 81-71 and Finland (89-85) several days back in Tallinn.
Today's editorial says fighting the drug menace requires a holistic strategy. Read the full version print, digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad. Tiglao talks about how EDCA bases are crucial to the US hegemony in Asia; Aquino on AI, ChatGPT and the professor; and Tatad on Indonesia setting the pace.
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