Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, September 8, 2023.
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READ: Pinoys unhappy with inflation response
FILIPINOS are not happy with the government's performance in managing inflation and reducing poverty but are satisfied with the provision of education and health care, response to natural disasters and protection of overseas Filipino workers, a survey by OCTA Research released Thursday showed. The Second Quarter Survey held from July 22 to 26 showed that only 36 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the response of the Marcos administration in reducing poverty, while 34 percent said they are satisfied with its response on managing inflation. Conversely, 32 percent said they are dissatisfied with the way the government is managing inflation, while 26 percent said they are dissatisfied with its response in reducing poverty. Seven out of 10 respondents are satisfied with the Marcos government in providing education, health care, responding to natural disasters, and protecting O.F.W.'s.
READ: Marcos welcomes rice deal with Vietnam
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the five-year rice importation deal proposed by Vietnam, saying it would help stabilize the supply of the staple grain in the country. The Presidential Communications Office said the issue of rice importation was raised during Marcos' bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the sidelines of the 43rd Asean Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday. The Vietnamese leader was quoted to have suggested a five-year agreement on rice importation, which Marcos immediately agreed on, saying the scheme would result in rice supply stabilization not only for the Philippines, but for the entire region.
READ: PH named 'Asia's Leading Dive Destination' anew
THE Philippines has earned the distinction of being "Asia's Leading Dive Destination" for the fifth year in a row at the World Travel Awards Asia and Oceania Gala Ceremony 2023 at the GEM Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Tourism Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano represented the country during the ceremony. The citation was determined through public voting and approval from the organization's panel of tourism experts.
READ: Back-to-back golds for Obiena
Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena on Wednesday topped the NetAachen Domspringen in Aachen, Germany, after clearing 5.92 meters for his second gold medal in three days. On Monday, Obiena also cleared the same height to finish in first place in the Istaf Berlin at the Olympiastadion, also in Germany. The back-to-back golds more than made up for a disappointing performance on September 1 at the Zurich leg of the Diamond League in Switzerland, where he not only ended his streak of podium finishes but also finished last among 10 competitors. That was the only time in 14 tournaments this year that Obiena failed to win a medal.
SPORTS: USA, Germany clash in World Cup semis
Fresh from a huge quarterfinal blowout win against Italy, the United States now looks to deal a swift knockout blow against Germany as both squads collide in the 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinal match tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena. Team U.S.A. head coach Steve Kerr knows the final four collisions scheduled at 8:40 p.m. against Germany offers no easy match. The four-time N.B.A. champion coach said one thing he has repeatedly pounded to his players is the importance of respecting the games played in FIBA tournaments.
BUSINESS: Reserves dip to $99.8B
Over to business, the country's gross international reserves dipped to $99.8 billion in August, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported on Thursday, down some $145 million from $99.51 billion a month earlier. The dip was primarily attributed to the national government's settlement of foreign currency debt obligations and a reduction in the value of B.S.P.'s gold holdings due to the global decrease in prices of the precious metal. The amount, the central bank said in a statement, "represents a more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.4 months' worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income." It is also equivalent to around "5.9 times the country's short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.1 times based on residual maturity."
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign as Agriculture secretary, Fr. Aquino discusses the Commission on Higher Education, while Tatad wants to test political will.
Today's editorial talks about the threat of sand mining. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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