Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
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READ: PH builds more ships to boost WPS patrol
THE Philippines will build more patrol vessels to further enhance the country's presence in the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday, amid China's continued aggression in the disputed waters. In a chance interview on the sidelines of the 122nd anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard, the President said the P.C.G. was expecting around 40 more vessels to be made in Cebu. In his speech, Marcos lauded the P.C.G. for upholding the country's maritime security, promoting maritime rights, fighting smuggling, as well as for protecting the nation's marine environment and securing the safety of local fisherfolk.
READ: Senate on alert after attack on website
THE Senate is on alert for possible website hacking, Senate Secretary Renato Bantug disclosed on Tuesday, October 17. On Sunday, the House of Representatives website was hacked before it went offline in the afternoon. The website, which appears under congress.gov.ph, was defaced by hackers. Its photo journals section and its press releases were defaced with a troll face image.
READ: Bautista files cyber libel rap vs transport leader
DEPARTMENT of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Tuesday slapped a cyber libel complaint against a transport group leader and a journalist following a controversy involving the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. Bautista filed the complaint against Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (Manibela) President Mar Valbuena over his remarks about a supposed "bribery scheme" in the D.o.T.r. and journalist Ira Panganiban over his social media post on the issue. Bautista said Valbuena claimed during a press conference that there was a "bribery scheme" that stretches from the D.o.T.r. to L.T.F.R.B. and up to the Office of the President. Manibela's leader even demanded Bautista's resignation.
BUSINESS: German logistics firm investing P4.8B in PH
Topping business, logistics service provider D.H.L. Supply Chain on Tuesday said it planned to invest some 350 million euros (approximately 20.96 billion pesos) in Southeast Asia over the next five years, 80 million euros (or 4.8 billion pesos) of which will be used to expand its presence in the Philippines. In a briefing at the firm's facility at the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Estate in Penang, Malaysia, D.H.L. Supply Chain Chief Executive Officer for Southeast Asia Andries Retief told reporters that the expansion plans were prompted by the growth of retail and e-commerce in the region. Opportunities in the country include e-commerce and omnichannels, he noted, even as he acknowledged that demand was likely to "flatten a little bit" as more and more people return to stores after the Covid-19 pandemic.
SPORTS: PBA Season 48 kicks off on November 5
Over to sports, the Philippine Basketball Association Season 48 kicks off its opening day with powerhouse squads T.N.T. and Magnolia Chicken Timplados colliding in the lone game for the Commissioner's Cup on November 5 at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Both teams are looking to come out with a strong showing in the hope of ending their respective title droughts in the import-spiced conference. Game time is 7 p.m. Before the titanic match, the P.B.A. will be handing out individual awards to those who stood out from the previous season via the 47th Season Leo Awards at 4 p.m. before being followed by the opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. Defending champion Barangay Ginebra will face off with Magnolia on November 19 at the Big Dome to mark the first "Manila Clasico" of the season. The Tim Cone-mentored Ginebra and TNT will also clash on Christmas Day, preceding the first game of the doubleheader that features San Miguel and Phoenix Super L.P.G. This year marks the first time the P.B.A. will start the new season with the Commissioner's Cup, veering away from the usual Philippine Cup.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao discusses what genocide is, Fr. Aquino talks about law amid lawlessness, while Tatad looks at what works in government.
Today's editorial looks into the Energy Regulatory Commission. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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