Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, August 4, 2023.
Today's episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner.
READ: 'Millennials game-changers in real estate'
MILLENNIALS and zoomers — described collectively as the "woke" generation — are the "game changers" in the country's real estate market since they have been more exposed to investments, a top executive of a leading property developer said. PHirst Park Homes Sales Operations Head Gretchen Ramos said during a forum organized by The Manila Times on Thursday that Filipino millennials — those born between 1983 and 1994 — and the so-called Generation Z that succeeds millennials have impacted the rise of microcities and generated a positive impact on real estate.
READ: Govt urged to promote green housing materials
In the same forum, a senior official of a major construction supplies retailer said the government must start promoting the use and manufacture of green products and materials for housing to reduce the country's reliance on imported housing materials. Rosemarie Bosch-Ong, senior executive vice president and chief operating officer of Wilcon Depot, said that while the Philippines has "enough environmental regulatory measures" it still imports housing materials. Ong said there are too few local manufacturers of housing materials, so the country imports housing materials to meet the increasing demand of real estate development.
BUSINESS: Creba exec: Review land ownership limits
THE Philippines could look into allowing foreigners to own land if this would lead to business activities and create jobs, Chamber of Real Estate and Builders' Associations Inc. (Creba) international committee chairman Alejandro Mañalac said in the same forum organized by the Times on Thursday. Under Philippine laws, foreign nationals are still not permitted to purchase land, but they are allowed to own condo units under Republic Act 4726, provided that 60 percent of the building is Filipino-owned. Mañalac acknowledged that many issues still needed to be ironed out, including the possibility that Filipinos could be crowded out of the market by well-heeled foreigners.
READ: Teves to appeal 'terrorist' tag
In other news, suspended Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves will appeal the "terrorist" tag pinned on him by the Department of Justice (DoJ), his lawyer said Thursday. In a recorded video interview with The Manila Times, lawyer Ferdinand "Ferdie" Topacio said the DoJ has been "fixated" on Teves over the killing of then-Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others in March.
READ: 3 major dams release excess water
THREE major dams in Luzon, including the Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan, have been releasing excess water as continuous rain raised their water level to almost full. The southwest monsoon or habagat continued to be enhanced by Typhoon "Falcon" which has already left the country. From two gates on Wednesday, five more gates were opened at Ambuklao Dam in Benguet, while six gates were opened at Binga Dam, also in the same province, hydrologist Elmer Caringal of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday.
READ: House on track to pass 9 priority bills
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Thursday said that the House of Representatives is on track to deliver on its commitment to pass nine more of the over 40 priority measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac). House Bills 8456 and 8443 had been hurled on the third and final reading on Wednesday.
READ: Senators back proposal to name Duterte envoy to China
SENATORS backed proposals to appoint former president Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy to China. The suggestion made by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano got the support of Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong'' Go, an ally of Duterte. Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said that "anyone, including former President Duterte, who can help," would be welcome. Cayetano, who was Foreign Affairs secretary during the Duterte administration, brought up the idea of appointing Duterte for the role because of the former president's favorable relationship with Chinese authorities. He said that Duterte's ability to secure trust from the Chinese government and Filipinos can make him an appropriate choice for the assignment if President Marcos Jr. wishes. Go and Cayetano also emphasized that Duterte has always remained loyal to the Philippines. Duterte met with the President on Wednesday to report to him about his recent visit to China and his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
SPORTS: Tagle sets new record in secondary girls archery
Over to sports, Naina Dominique Tagle of Region 7 (Central Visayas) posted a new 60-meter record in secondary girls archery in the 2023 Palarong Pambansa at the S.T.I. Gold Toe Archery Center in Barangay Barangka, Marikina City on Thursday, August 3. Despite the intermittent rain and the muddy ground, Tagle scored 327 points to win her fourth gold medal in the tournament. Tagle topped the previous high of 321 points set by Charmaine Villamor of the Cordillera Administrative Region in 2018. Chrisha Mae Merto, also from Central Visayas, scored 321 points in 2019. A Grade 12 student at Siliman University, Tagle also ruled the 30 meters, 50 meters, and the 1440 round (overall).
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists, as they both clash over the Supreme Court's decision on the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction on the war on drugs of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Today's editorial weighs in on the decision of the junta in Myanmar to give former leader Aung San Suu Kyi a conditional pardon. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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