Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, October 23, 2023.
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READ: Chinese ships bump PH vessels
TWO Chinese coast guard vessels collided with a Philippine Coast Guard ship and a resupply boat en route to Ayungin Shoal in separate incidents Sunday that further stoked tensions in the already volatile West Philippine Sea. The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported that the first incident at 6:04 a.m. involved the Unaiza May 2, a chartered boat carrying supplies to Philippine soldiers stationed at Ayungin, and Chinese coast guard vessel 5203. The "dangerous blocking maneuvers of China Coast Guard vessel 5203 caused it to collide" with the boat about 25 kilometers from the atoll.
READ: US, Canada, EU condemn China for collisions
THE United States, Canada and European Union condemned the latest dangerous action Sunday of the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that China's latest "disruption of a legal Philippine resupply mission" to Ayungin Shoal put the lives of Filipino service members "at risk."
READ: Comelec finishes ballot distribution
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will finish distributing ballots for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30 to all 17 regions today, October 23. Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said over the weekend that cities and provinces that have not received the ballots and other election documents will do so by Monday.
READ: More Pinoy repatriates from Israel get cash aid
ANOTHER batch of Filipino repatriates from war-troubled Israel received cash and other forms of assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Aside from the assistance package under D.S.W.D.'s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, the second batch of 18 repatriates also received a warm reception at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, led by Assistant Secretary for Statutory Programs Ada Colico and other government officials. As of Saturday, October 21, the D.S.W.D. has already provided assistance to 34 overseas Filipino workers under the agency's A.I.C.S. program that offers medical assistance, burial, transportation, education, food, or financial assistance and other support services to Filipinos in crisis situations. Each repatriated O.F.W. received 10,000 pesos as well as food assistance of 10,000 pesos.
READ: Drug deaths down 52% – PDEA
THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said it recorded a 52-percent decrease in fatalities during anti-illegal drug operations under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo said the lower death rate resulted from the renewed anti-drug campaign thrust of the agency in line with the policy of President Marcos. Lazo said their thrust is geared toward community rehabilitation, going after drug syndicates and getting rid of unscrupulous officials.
BUSINESS: Auto industry upbeat as Sept sales rise 9.5%
Topping business, new motor vehicle sales increased by 9.5 percent to 38,628 units last month from 36,714 a year earlier, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said on Sunday. In a statement, Campi President Rommel Gutierrez said the result was the "highest monthly sales performance in September and we hope that positive consumer outlook will be sustained in the fourth quarter." Month-on-month, overall sales growth picked up by 5.2 percent from August.
SPORTS: UST ends 19-game skid, downs FEU
Over to sports the University of Santo Tomas put an end to its 19- game losing skid after dispatching Far Eastern University, 68-62, in the U.A.A.P. Season 86 men's basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, October 22. Nic Cabañero unleashed another solid offensive performance and got rewarded with a victory this time, firing 23 points, six rebounds and two assists to lead the Growling Tigers, who got their first win since defeating Adamson in their opening game last season on Oct. 1, 2022. Cabañero also led U.S.T. in the said contest with a career-best 33 points laced with four assists and two rebounds. Christian Manaytay also stepped up and dropped a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds while Migs Pangilinan chipped in nine markers and seven boards. Angelo Crisostomo cashed in eight points and six rebounds, as Kenji Duremdes added seven points, 10 rebounds, and five assists for U.S.T. which ended the first round of the current season with a 1-6 slate, still dead-last in the team standings.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao dissects a recent lecture by former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio, Fr. Aquino discusses a community of communities, while Tatad asks if the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can influence the Middle East.
Today's editorial looks into the situation of overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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