Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, November 9, 2023.
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BANNER: 40 Filipinos cross to safety in Egypt
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced the "successful and safe" crossing to Egypt of 40 Filipinos fleeing the Israel-Hamas conflict. Marcos extended his gratitude to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Embassy in Israel, and the governments of Jordan and Egypt for facilitating the safe passage of the stranded Filipinos.
Pain lingers as Pinoys remember 'Yolanda'
The President led the nation on Wednesday in commemorating the 10th anniversary of the devastation wrought by Super Typhoon "Yolanda" (international name: Haiyan) and urged Filipinos to "remember the unaccounted victims" of the disaster. In a video message, Vice President Sara Duterte said that while Typhoon Yolanda "left an indelible mark on our hearts, it also revealed the extraordinary resilience and strength of those who were affected." Despite the destruction, Duterte lauded the "unwavering spirit of Filipinos, who rose above adversity and have rebuilt their lives with determination and courage." In Tacloban, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said he "witnessed neighbors helping neighbors, strangers becoming family, and a nation rallying together to rise again."
'I will continue to support President's preferred man'
PAMPANGA 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said that she will continue to support Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and reiterated that she was not interested in the Speakership. Her comments come after she and Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab were ousted as deputy speakers for failing to sign House Resolution 1414 that "upholds the integrity of the House of Representatives" and "supports the leadership" of Romualdez last Monday. In a statement shared to reporters on Wednesday, Arroyo maintained that she was out of the country when the resolution was issued, and therefore, was unable to sign it. She stressed, however, that the resolution "does not contain anything new" for her. The former president stressed that since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. preferred Romualdez, she had taken that position to support him and advised Marcos in writing.
Lawmaker wants Meralco split into 3
A LAWMAKER is urging Congress to split the franchise of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) into three, accusing the service utility firm of failing to serve their subscribers and overcharging them for nearly a decade. In his privilege speech on Tuesday, Santa Rosa City Rep. Danilo Ramon Fernandez said that the Pangilinan-led electric utility has grown "too big" and became dominant in the power industry that a potential split in its franchise into three is now timely. Fernandez suggested that the franchise be split into three — one for the National Capital Region, another for Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) area, and lastly for Pampanga and Bulacan. He said that Meralco now controls at least 70 percent of the electricity output of the entire Luzon, enabling it to manipulate the operations of power producers and sellers.
BUSINESS: PH farm output down anew in Q3
Topping business, farm output contracted further in the third quarter (Q3) as livestock and poultry gains failed to offset a decline in crops and fisheries, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported on Wednesday. The value of agricultural and fisheries production fell by 0.3 percent in July to September, reversing from the 1.6-percent growth posted in the same period last year but narrowing from the 1.2-percent drop posted three months earlier. At constant 2018 prices, production for the period amounted to 412.41 billion pesos from the year-earlier 413.6 billion pesos. Year to date, farm output remained positive with growth at 0.2 percent. This was down slightly, however, from the January to September 2022 uptick of 0.3 percent. Fisheries production, which accounted for 14.2 percent of total third-quarter output, posted a 6.1-percent drop to 58.72 billion pesos. Thirteen of 20 monitored species registered declines, with tiger prawn and bigeye tuna production down the most by 49.0 percent and 41.1 percent, respectively. Year to date, the value of fisheries production fell by 7.0 percent, worsening from the year-earlier -4.3 percent.
SPORTS: Cool Smashers, Angels renew rivalry
In sports, Creamline and Petro Gazz add another chapter to a rivalry that, for many, has become a defining feature in Philippine volleyball as the top two clubs face off for the first time in the Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference elims at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig on Thursday, November 9. The 6 p.m. match carries high stakes — a continued hold of the solo lead or a possible share of it. The Cool Smashers seek to stay unbeaten in five matches and the Angels go for their fifth win in six games. The much-awaited tussle also caps the first and only four-game bill calendared in the tournament that also includes two of the league's fancied teams looking to strengthen their chances.
Antonio Contreras and Yen Makabenta are today's front page columnists. Contreras looks into the Israel-Hamas war social media echo chambers, while Makabenta talks on wind power.
Today's editorial thinks new Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is a promising choice for the Marcos administration. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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