Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.
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READ: Radioman killed while broadcasting
A RADIO broadcaster was gunned down as he was livestreaming his program from his residence in Misamis Occidental early Sunday. Juan Jumalon, a 57-year-old news anchor at the Calamba Gold FM 94.7, was killed by a gunman who entered his house along with a companion on Don Bernardo Neri, Calamba town, at 5:35 a.m., police said. Jumalon, who was also known as "Johnny Walker," had set up the radio station in his residence. The assailant shot Jumalon once, with the bullet hitting the lower lip and exiting in the back of his head. The broadcaster was rushed to the Calamba District Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival by the physician on duty. The Calamba police have requested the Misamis Occidental Provincial Forensic Unit to try to identify the murder weapon through a ballistics test. Malacanang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has condemned the killing of Jumalon.
READ: Hamas govt suspends evacuation of foreigners
Gaza's Hamas government suspended the evacuation of foreign passport holders to Egypt Saturday after Israel refused to allow some wounded Palestinians to be evacuated to Egyptian hospitals, a border official said. An Egyptian security source confirmed to Agence France-Presse that "no wounded person or holder of a foreign passport arrived at the Egyptian terminal" of Rafah on Saturday. He said the evacuation was suspended "after the bombing of ambulances transporting injured people who were on their way to the Egyptian terminal." On Friday, the Israeli army announced it had struck an ambulance outside Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza's largest, saying it was "used by a Hamas terrorist cell." At least 15 people were killed and 60 wounded in the strike, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Israel launched a war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 attacks which claimed 1,400 lives — mostly civilians — according to Israel. The Hamas-run health ministry says air, land and sea attacks on Gaza have killed nearly 9,500 Palestinians.
READ: Palace lifts LTFRB chief's suspension
MALACAÑANG on Sunday lifted the suspension order on Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Teofilo Guadiz 3rd. The Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) said in a statement the lifting of the suspension came after former LTFRB aide Jefferson Tumbado, who earlier accused Guadiz and Department of Transportation (DoTr) chief Jaime Bautista of corruption, recanted his allegations. Last October 9, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. slapped a 90-day suspension on Guadiz following Tumbado's accusations that he witnessed widespread bribery in the LTFRB, which allegedly reached up to P5 million, in expediting the approval of special permits, franchises, and modification of routes. The money trail also supposedly reached as far up as the OP and the DoTr — claims Bautista has repeatedly denied. Guadiz is expected to report back to duty at the LTFRB today, November 6.
READ: Makati lone finalist in Asia-Pacific for World Smart Cities Awards
MAKATI City is the sole finalist representing the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region in the City Award category of the 2023 World Smart Cities Awards. Mayor Mar-Len Abigail Binay said the city's entry titled "Makati City's IoT Revolution: Empowering the City to Become Better Stewards of Energy & Environment" showcases the city's innovative use of smart initiatives to tackle real-world challenges. She said this is the first time Makati became a finalist in the City Award category. It is the top category with stringent requirements among the categories of the awards, including Innovation, Leadership and Project. According to the Smart City Expo World Congress website, the City Award is given to cities "for developed global strategies combining projects, initiatives and policy implementations for their citizens." Binay said Makati is competing against five other cities: Sunderland, United Kingdom; Cascais, Portugal; İzmir, Turkey; Curitiba, Brazil; and Barranquilla, Colombia. The mayor will attend the awarding ceremony on November 8 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, one of the largest fair venues in Europe.
In Business
READ: GDP growth likely higher in Q3 – poll
PHILIPPINE economic growth likely picked up in the third quarter due to a boost from higher government spending, analysts polled by The Manila Times said. The median forecast among nine economists surveyed was 4.9 percent, up from the second quarter's slower-than-expected 4.3 percent but well below the year-earlier 7.7 percent. Preliminary third-quarter gross domestic growth (GDP) data will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) this Thursday, November 9. If the 4.9-percent median is realized, the government's 6.0- to 7.0-percent full-year growth goal could now be out of reach. The economy will have to expand by 8.4 percent in the last three months of 2023 to hit the lower end of the target. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, however, said on Sunday that economic growth remained on track with the Philippines set to be one of the best-performing Asian economies this year.
Topping Sports
READ: Wagner, Banchero power Magic over Lakers
Franz Wagner scored 26 points, Paolo Banchero added 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and the Orlando Magic blasted the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). Rookie Anthony Black got his first start for the Magic. Goga Bitadze started at center for Orlando and finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Wagner scored 16 points in the first half and Banchero added 15 points and five assists in leading the Magic to a 67-51 lead at the break. Anthony Davis had 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks for the Lakers. LeBron James finished with 24 points and nine rebounds and Austin Reaves scored 20 points. Coming five days after the Lakers' 106-103 win over the Magic in Los Angeles, the victory broke Orlando's seven-game losing streak against the Lakers.
READ: NU downs Adamson to enter SSL Finals
DEFENDING champ National University (NU) took down Adamson University, 25-13, 26-24, 25-20, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, November 5, for a return trip to the 2023 Shakey's Super League (SSL) Pre-Season Championship finals. Erin Panglinan cashed in 11 points in the knockout semifinal match to lead the Lady Bulldogs, who entered the best-of-3 championship series still undefeated at 7-0. Alyssa Solomon put up 10 points while Bella Belen and Vangie Alinsug chipped in nine and eight points, respectively, in an NU balanced attack. The Lady Bulldogs will battle the winner in the other semis bracket featuring the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses and the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws.
READ: Opinion/Editorial
Today's editorial is about shielding children from the impact of climate change. Read the full version on print or digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad. Tiglao alleges that Edgard Arevalo and Rafael Alunan spread malicious information vs China; Aquino on the limits of tolerance; and Tatad on Sen. Robinhood Padilla should lecture his peers, not the reverse.
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