Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023.
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A majority of Filipinos continue to oppose the passage of a law that would legalize divorce in the country, a survey conducted by OCTA Research showed. OCTA's Tugon ng Masa third-quarter survey showed that 51 percent of adult Filipinos surveyed were not in favor of passing a law that would legalize divorce, while 41 percent were in favor.Nine percent were undecided. Mindanao had the highest percentage of adult Filipinos who favor passing a law that would legalize divorce at 48 percent, followed by the National Capital Region at 46 percent, while the lowest is in the Visayas at 33 percent. Visayas had the most number of respondents who are not in favor of divorce at 59 percent, while the lowest is in the National Capital Region (NCR) at 39 percent. NCR had the higher number of respondents who were undecided in passing a bill against divorce, at 15 percent.
Marcos tests positive for Covid-19
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tested positive for Covid-19, Malacañang confirmed Tuesday. Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Marcos will be in isolation for five days, but he will continue to conduct online meetings. The Palace official said that updates on his health will be provided as available. This is the third time the President has contracted Covid-19. He last tested positive for the disease in July 2020. His first bout with Covid-19 was in March 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri on Tuesday said senators who were diagnosed with Covid-19 can virtually attend Senate sessions and committee hearings. Zubiri made the statement amid reports of soaring respiratory cases in the country, and after Sen. Cynthia Villar admitted that she contracted Covid last week.
PH bags four major travel awards
THE Philippines bagged four major awards at the World Travel Awards 2023 held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on December 1 (Dubai Time). For the first time, the Philippines received the Global Tourism Resilience Award for demonstrating "global leadership, pioneering vision and innovation to overcome critical challenges and adversity." As one of only five countries and destinations worldwide cited for this inaugural award, the Philippines and other "inaugural winners will serve as benchmarks for best practices in tourism resilience." The Philippines was also named the World's Leading Dive Destination and the World's Leading Beach Destination for the second time, defending the titles in 2022. For the first time, the Philippines was named the World's Leading City Destination for its capital, Manila. The 30th annual World Travel Awards seeks to recognize achievements in travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
World could breach 1.5 C warming threshold in 7 years
The world may cross the crucial 1.5 Celsius global warming threshold in seven years as fossil fuel CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions continue to rise, scientists warned Tuesday, urging countries at the COP28 talks to "act now" on coal, oil and gas pollution. Battle lines are being drawn over the future of fossil fuels at the UN climate summit in Dubai, with big polluters trying to see off calls for an agreement to phase out the carbon-intensive energy responsible for most of human-caused greenhouse gas. Fossil fuel CO2 pollution rose 1.1 percent last year, according to an international consortium of climate scientists in their annual Global Carbon Project assessment, with surging emissions in China and India — now the world's first and third-biggest emitters. They estimated that there is a 50 percent chance warming will exceed the Paris deal's goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius over multiple years by around 2030, although they noted uncertainties around warming from non-CO2 greenhouse gases.
De La Salle University and University of the Philippines are out to lay it all on the line, colliding in the decider of the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball best-of-three Finals series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today. Game 3 of the first-ever La Salle-UP Finals series is set at 6 p.m., with the Big Dome expected to be filled to the brim anew after drawing a massive 20,863 gate attendance in Game 2. La Salle avenged its 97-67 Game 1 loss to UP with a vengeful 82-60 Game 2 win last Sunday to set up the sudden death Game 3. The women's basketball best-of-three Finals series between the defending champs NU Lady Bulldogs and the UST Growling Tigresses have likewise reached the distance. NU shoots for its eighth straight championship as UST eyes its first title in 17 years in Game 3 set at 12 p.m. also at the Big Dome.
In Business
Inflation slows to 20-month low
INFLATION almost returned to target in November, slowing for a second straight month and also raising the likelihood that monetary authorities will keep key interest rates unchanged next week. The 4.1-percent result, down from October's 4.9 percent, was the lowest print in 20 months or since March 2022's 4.0 percent. It was also significantly lower than the 8.0 percent recorded a year earlier. It was just short of hitting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) 2.0- to 4.0-percent target but fell within the 4.0- to 4.8-percent forecast for the month. It was also lower than the 4.4-percent median in a Manila Times poll. Food inflation, in particular, fell to 5.8 percent from 7.1 percent in October, which the Phili ppine Statistics Authority (PSA) primarily attributed to a sharp deceleration in price growth — to 2.0 percent from 11.9 percent — for vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, further decelerated in November to 4.7 percent from the 5.3 percent seen in the previous month and the 6.5 percent a year earlier. Year to date, overall inflation remained above target at 6.2 percent. Core inflation, meanwhile, averaged 6.8 percent. In a statement, the central bank said inflation would likely moderate over the near term due to easing supply-side price pressures and negative base effects. It warned, however, that risks to the inflation outlook were still leaning significantly toward the upside.
Topping Sports
Cardinals, Red Lions begin NCAA finals duel
MAPUA tries to end an excruciatingly long title wait while San Beda aims to relive its dynastic reign the last two decades as the two open their best-of-three NCAA Season 99 championship showdown today at the MOA Arena in Pasay. The Cardinals made quick work of the College of St. Benilde Blazers to advance to the finals while the Lions needed two epic victories to overcome the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates in arranging their intriguing duel set at 2 p.m.
MLB free-agent market waiting for Ohtani
Baseball is waiting for Shohei.
Big-name free agents appear in no hurry to strike deals at the winter meetings, biding time until Shohei Ohtani potentially breaks the record for richest contract set 4 1/2 years ago by Mike Trout. And Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto could be holding up the starting pitching market. Ohtani, the two-way unicorn who has won two of the last three AL MVP awards for the Los Angeles Angels, is expected to get a deal topping $500 million — even though he won't pitch again until 2025 following elbow surgery.
Today's editorial writes about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s recent announcement of the Philippines' intention to host the 'Loss and Damage Fund' because no, the country won't. Read the full version on print or digital or listen to the Voice of The Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Franicsco Tatad and Marlen Ronquillo. Tatad asks about the last of Smartmatic; and Ronquillo on the glory and perils of ruling the seven seas.
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