Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, September 2, 2023.
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READ: Marcos imposes rice price ceilings
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has put a cap on the price of rice to check the "alarming" increase in the staple's price, Malacañang announced on Friday. The Palace said the President, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, signed on August 31 Executive Order 39 approving the joint recommendation of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry to set price ceilings on rice. Under E.O. 39, the per-kilogram price cap for regular milled rice is 41 and 45 pesos for well-milled rice.
READ: Poll gives Sara highest rating among govt execs
VICE President Sara Duterte scored a 79 percent job performance rating, the highest among national government officials, in a survey by Oculum Research and Analytics Philippines that was released on Friday. In the firm's third-quarter poll conducted from July 17 to 31, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had a 74 percent satisfaction rating, followed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri at 61 percent, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez at 55 percent, and Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at 48 percent. Oculum said Duterte's rating indicates a "positive public perception" of her leadership and performance.
READ: Montenegro leader sees stronger ties with PH
MONTENEGRO'S Prime Minister Dritan Abazović sees thriving relations between his country and the Philippines under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Abazović is in Manila to support his country's men's basketball team competing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He said the fact that Marcos welcomed him to Malacañang earlier this week, even when he was not on an official visit, is a sign the Philippine President is open to strengthening ties with the southeastern European nation.
READ: Former rebel shines as distinguished soldier
ONE of the awardees in the inaugural staging of The Manila Times' "Tribute to Soldiers" was a former rebel who abandoned the communist cause to become decorated enlisted personnel and an esteemed member of his community. After turning his back on radical ideologies, Sgt. William Tello Jr., who was also once a member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu), has since led successful combat and intelligence missions against communist insurgents under the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division's 36th Infantry Battalion in Surigao del Sur. Tello, who enlisted in the Army in July 2013, was given recognition, along with nine other enlisted personnel from another military service, at the "Tribute to Soldiers" ceremony held at the Manila Hotel last August 28, which coincided with the commemoration of National Heroes Day. He received the award from Vice President Sara Duterte, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and The Manila Times Chairman Emeritus Dr. Dante A. Ang Sr.
READ: Arjo to servicemen: 'Inspire youth by love of country'
QUEZON CITY First District Rep. Juan Carlos "Arjo" Atayde urged soldiers to inspire the youth not by war but by love of country. Atayde was the guest of honor at the inaugural "Tribute to Soldiers" Awards Night organized by The Manila Times and The Manila Times TV on August 28. In his speech, he thanked the soldiers of the country "for the sacrifices and thank you for the love."
READ: 'PH will defend territory over China's 10-dash line'
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said the Philippines would not take lightly China's 10-dash line map as he reaffirmed that the country would continue to defend "our territorial sovereignty, our territorial rights" in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the celebration of National Peace Consciousness Month in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, the President also said the government would respond to China's release of its "map" but did not disclose "operational details."
BUSINESS: PH manufacturing snaps growth streak
Headlining business, domestic manufacturing conditions worsened in August with a key indicator signaling a contraction in the sector, S&P Global Market Intelligence said on Friday. S&P Global's Philippine purchasing managers' index slipped to 49.7 for the month, dropping from 51.9 in July to below the critical 50.0 mark. P.M.I. readings above 50.0 point to growth while those below indicate a contraction. The August reading marked the first decline for the Philippines in two years.
SPORTS: Chot Reyes: I take full responsibility
Over to sports, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes offered no excuses in the Philippine team's dismal performance in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. The team is currently 0-4 in the tournament after losing to South Sudan 68-87 in the classification phase at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday. Making the loss all the more deflating for Filipino hoops fans is the fact that it took Gilas Pilipinas out of contention for an outright berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Reyes, who looks dejected after the loss on Thursday, said he is taking "full responsibility for the losses."
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Al Vitangcol are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about the pro-Duterte and pro-Marcos social media enablers, Makabenta wants the World Pool-Billiard Association championship hosted in Manila once more, while Vitangcol calls on the Senate to investigate the deal between the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and AllCard Inc.
Today's editorial says the One Town, One Product Law is long overdue for micro, small and medium enterprises. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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