Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, July 20, 2023.
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READ: Marcos approves P170-B NAIA rehab
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the 170-billion peso solicited public-private partnership proposal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Arsenio Balisacan said on Wednesday. Marcos, who chairs the NEDA Board, gave the nod for the project during a meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday morning. Balisacan said the project, which will have a total cost of 170.6 billion pesos, is expected "to address longstanding issues at NAIA such as the inadequate capacity of passenger terminal buildings and restricted aircraft movement."
READ: Balisacan: Budget won't be used for Maharlika fund
NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan assured the public on Wednesday that the proposed 2024 national budget would not be used for the Maharlika Investment Fund a day after it was signed into law. At a Palace press briefing, Balisacan allayed concerns that the M.I.F. would greatly affect next year's national budget.
READ: More rain needed to replenish Angat – Pagasa
THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday that more typhoons that would dump a higher volume of rainfall are needed to bring back the water of Angat Dam to normal level. The Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan, is the main source of potable water for Metro Manila and adjoining provinces. Pagasa hydrologist Elmer Caringal said that while the rains brought by Tropical Depression "Dodong" raised the water level at Angat by at least 3 meters, it was still not enough. Angat on July 19 registered a 0.27-meter increase in water level from the 180.67 meters recorded on July 18.
READ: Marcos names new LTO chief
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has named lawyer Vigor Mendoza 2nd as head of the Land Transportation Office, Malacañang said on Wednesday. Mendoza will have the rank of assistant secretary, based on the list of appointments released by the Presidential Communications Office on its Facebook page. Mendoza was a member of the House of Representatives, representing the 1-UTAK (United Transport Alliance Koalisyon) party-list group. He served as a member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. Mendoza will replace Jose Arturo Tugade. Tugade's L.T.O. tenure, which began in November 2022, was hounded by several issues, including the shortage of plastic cards for driver's licenses and the shortage of vehicle license registration plates.
READ: MMDA bares SONA traffic scheme
THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority released the traffic management plan for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the House of Representatives in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, on Monday, July 24. M.M.D.A. Acting Chairman Romando "Don" Artes said 1,354 of its personnel would be mobilized during the SONA.
BUSINESS: PH seen growing fastest in SE Asia
Topping business, the Philippines is expected to lead Southeast Asian growth this year and the next following latest Asian Development Bank revisions to its forecasts. The Manila-based lender, in the July edition of its Asian Development Outlook, maintained its Philippine gross domestic growth forecasts at 6.0 percent and 6.2 percent for this year and the next. Those for erstwhile leader Vietnam, however, were cut to 5.8 percent and 6.2 percent from April's 6.5 percent and 6.8 percent. The 2023 projection for the Philippines is at the lower end of the government's 6.0- to 7.0-percent target while that for 2024 falls below the medium-term goal of 6.5 to 8.0 percent.
SPORTS: Creamline, F2 clash in PVL semis
Over to sports, Creamline and F2 Logistics face-off in a much-awaited duel of teams teeming with talents even as Cignal and P.L.D.T. tangle in an equally engaging clash kicking off the semifinal round of the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig on Thursday. The top elims finishers slug it out at 6:30 p.m. in a match tipped to draw in the crowds eager to watch the teams crowing with firepower and pride with the Cool Smashers all primed for their title-retention drive with a solid crew that anchored their sweep of Pool A. But the Cargo Movers, who topped Pool B, are raring to prove their worth with a roster reinforced by three top rookies who are out to level up against an experienced Creamline side in what promises to be a drawn out battle not only of power but also of strategies and mental toughness.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras and Yen Makabenta are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about the right to offend, while Makabenta discusses on market research as reality check for a country branding campaign.
Today's editorial believes that one solution is not sufficient to stop mobile-based crime. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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