Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, October 17, 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: Rafah crossing only way out for Filipinos
HOPES to repatriate 137 Filipinos in the Gaza Strip before a massive Israeli assault hinge on the opening of a border crossing to Egypt, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday. The Rafah crossing was established as an access point to Gaza by a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979. D.F.A. spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza said in a text message that as of Monday morning, the crossing "has yet to open to allow foreigners, including Filipinos, to leave Gaza."
READ: One million flee as Israel readies for ground attack
More than 1 million people have fled their homes in Gaza in scenes of chaos and despair as Israel bombarded the Hamas-ruled territory and continued massing troops Monday in preparation for a full-blown ground invasion. Israel declared war on the Islamist group a day after waves of its fighters broke through the heavily fortified border on October 7, shooting, stabbing and burning to death more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians. After it suffered the deadliest attack in its history, Israel unleashed a relentless bombing campaign of the Gaza Strip that flattened neighborhoods and killed at least 2,670 people, mainly civilians.
READ: PH named as Asia's best cruise destination
THE World Cruise Awards has named the Philippines as Asia's Best Cruise Destination for this year, boosting the country's status as a developing powerhouse in the global cruise and tourism industry. Held in Dubai last Sunday, the World Cruise Awards is an annual program that honors exceptional accomplishments in the cruise industry.
READ: 'Strike failed to paralyze transport'
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said the first day of the transport strike called by Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (Manibela) on Monday failed to paralyze public transportation in the National Capital Region. In a press briefing on Monday, M.M.D.A. acting chairman Romando Artes said that "based on our monitoring, as of 11 a.m., there was no major disruption of public transportation in Metro Manila."
READ: Stop hacking of govt websites, DICT urged
SEN. Mary Grace Poe urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology and other concerned agencies to put a stop to the apparent "hacking spree" targeting government websites. The Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Philippine Statistics Authority and the House of Representatives recently fell victim to cyberattacks. The government "must invest in strong cyber security infrastructures to safeguard public records," the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services added. Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" Hontiveros pressed for an investigation into the "troubling" series of hacking and data breach incidents. The senator raised the need to determine the "sufficiency of prevailing cybersecurity measures in government and preparedness for malicious attacks."
BUSINESS: Remittances up 2.8% to $3.10B in August
Topping business, overseas Filipino worker remittances rose by 2.8 percent to $3.10 billion in August from $3.02 billion a year earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported on Monday. Money sent home via banks alone totaled $2.80 billion, 2.7 percent higher compared to the $2.72 billion recorded in August last year. The rise in personal remittances was attributed to land-based O.F.W's with contracts of a year or more, and sea- and land-based workers with contracts of less than one year. Year to date, overall remittances totaled $24.01 billion, 2.9 percent higher than the year-earlier $23.34 billion. Cash remittances also grew by 2.8 percent to $21.58 billion from $20.98 billion during the eight-month period. August's 2.8-percent growth in personal remittances improved from July's 2.5 percent, but was much lower than the year-earlier 4.4 percent.
SPORTS: Obiena mad over doping allegations
Over to sports, Filipino pole vault ace Ernest John Obiena expressed his anger and disappointment on Sunday night over the doping allegations made by Anais Lavillenie, wife of 2012 Olympic men's pole vault gold medalist Renaud Lavillenie. Anais wrote her accusations that Obiena, the world's No. 2 pole vaulter, is using performance-enhancing drugs in the comments section of Vaulter Magazine-Vaulter Club Inc. Facebook page which shared The Manila Times' post, which reported Obiena's belief that he can beat world No. 1 Armand Duplantis. Anais has already deleted her comment but not before fans and even Obiena himself took a screenshot of what she wrote. Obiena included the screenshot on his post.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists. Contreras gives his observations on the Israel-Hamas conflict, Makabenta asks if the government should take on the duty of protecting its citizens from climate change, while Mercado looks into the ugly truth behind cults.
Today's editorial says time is ripe for the Philippine halal industry. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.