Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, July 10, 2023.

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READ: Reduce water use, Metro Manilans told

METRO Manila residents were advised to reduce their water consumption as the water level at the Angat Dam continues to drop and a prolonged El Niño episode approaches. Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan, is the main water source for Metro Manila. The Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a bulletin to all barangay officials and condominium and subdivision managers in the National Capital Region (NCR) to advise residents to cut down on activities that consume large amounts of water, such as watering lawns and washing vehicles. It also encouraged the public to promote rainwater collection for non-potable use and to reuse laundry and dishwashing wastewater for watering plants. The WRMO will also review the monthly water bills of all government facilities together with the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage System (MWSS).

READ: Poe wants water interruptions probed

SEN. Mary Grace Poe on Sunday called on the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to take a close look at the water service interruption scheduled by Maynilad Water Services which could affect almost 600,000 of its customers. The water concessionaire has announced service interruptions starting July 12. Poe said the MWSS, as state regulator, "should not take this matter sitting down as these recurring service cuts will affect over half a million consumers." The senator said the interruptions were "becoming frequent" and more customers were being affected. Maynilad said its customers could experience up to nine hours of nightly cutoffs due to the dropping water level at Angat Dam. Poe said the MWSS should find out if water utilities like Maynilad are complying with the obligations stipulated in their franchise. Poe said Maynilad should have acted urgently in investing and building its supply capacities to avoid being blindsided by the increasing demand for potable water. She said concerned agencies should not always rely on heavy rains.

READ: Digitalization seen to curb smuggling

DIGITALIZING customs transactions will make it difficult for smugglers to operate and eventually lead to more efficient tax collection, the president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said. In an interview on SMNI's "Business and Politics" hosted by The Manila Times Chairman and CEO Dante "Klink" ang 2nd, Benedicta Du-Baladad said that with full digitalization, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) will be able to capably track inbound goods. Baladad said "it is very difficult to improve the tax administration [because] there is no audit trail —and since smuggled goods have no audit trail — then there would be a lot of goods circulating in the country that are untaxed." Smuggling enables the "underground economy" to thrive, she said. Along with curbing smuggling, a digitalized customs system will also cut the "opportunities for corruption" of public servants.

READ: Yellen visit helps put US-China ties on 'surer footing'

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that her talks with top Chinese officials have helped put ties on "surer footing" as she wrapped up a trip aimed at stabilizing fraught relations between the two biggest economies. During her four-day trip — which came on the heels of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit — Yellen stressed the need for healthy economic competition and improved communication, and urged cooperation on the "existential threat" posed by climate change. While it did not produce specific breakthroughs, Yellen's trip furthers a push by President Joe Biden's administration to steady ties with China.Beijing's official Xinhua news agency said Saturday that Yellen's meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng yielded an agreement to "strengthen communication and cooperation on addressing global challenges." Both sides also agreed to continue exchanges, the readout added.

Topping Business

READ: Govt debt still 'reasonable'

THE Marcos administration isn't worried about the government's outstanding debt, Finance officials said, despite admitting that this year's target could be breached after a new record high of P14.09 trillion was hit in May. Speaking to reporters last Friday, Diokno said the appropriate measure for assessing public debt was not its absolute level but rather its proportion to economic output. Diokno said the ratio was projected to range between 60 and 61 percent by yearend with a target of cutting it to 51 percent by 2028. National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon, who acknowledged that this year's target of P14.63 trillion could be breached, said planned repayments would help reduce the overall burden. Local borrowings comprised the bulk, or 68.0 percent. At P9.59 trillion, it was P130.67 billion, or 1.38 percent higher compared to the end-April level, due to the net issuance of government securities amounting to P129.11 billion.

In Sports

READ: Alcaraz survives test, Rybakina cruises

Carlos Alcaraz reached the last 16 at Wimbledon on Saturday after a tough battle against Nicolas Jarry as defending women's champion Elena Rybakina snuffed out the hopes of Britain's final hope Katie Boulter. Rain returned to the All England Club, meaning play on Centre Court started under the roof and later forced an early end to the action on the outside courts. Top seed Alcaraz is seen as the biggest threat to Novak Djokovic, who is gunning for a record-equalling eighth men's title and 24th Grand Slam crown overall. But the Spaniard, who won the grass-court Queen's tournament last month, was made to work hard for the win by his Chilean opponent, seeded 25th, before prevailing 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 7-5.

READ: Sotto benched in Orlando's game vs Detroit

FILIPINO NBA hopeful Kai Sotto would have to wait at least two more days to make his Summer League debut. This, after the 7-foot-3 cager got benched in the entirety of Orlando Magic's game against the Detroit Pistons in the Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 9 (Manila time). Sotto's Magic lost to the Pistons 78-89 in the match where he was listed as DNP-CD (Did not play-coach's decision). The 21-year-old Sotto could make his Summer League debut on July 11 when the Magic face the Indiana Pacers at 8:30 a.m.

READ: Opinion/Editorial

Today's editorial is about the waning prospects for a peaceful end to the Ukraine war. Read the full version on print or 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 of Marcos' steady popularity and the Filipinos' misery, the worst in 25 years; Aquino on a monk's legacy and Tatad on leading the West.

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