Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
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Jobless rate drops to 4.2 % in October
THE country's unemployment rate went down in October, the lowest since 2005, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday. The jobless rate dropped to 4.2 percent from 4.5 percent in September and 4.8 percent in the same month last year. The percentage translates to 2.09 million unemployed Filipinos, lower than September's figure of 2.26 million. It is also lower than the 2.24 million in October last year, reflecting a year-on-year drop of 15,000 unemployed individuals. Underemployment — which counts those looking for more work or an extra job — rose to 11.7 percent from 10.7 percent a month earlier, but was lower than the 14.2 percent in the same month last year. The number of underemployed was equivalent to 5.60 million people "who have expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional jobs, or to have a new job with long hours of work," the PSA said. Meanwhile, the employment rate in October was estimated at 95.8 percent, the highest since April 2005. It was higher than the 95.5 percent recorded in September and in the same month of last year.
Chinese ship rams PH boat off Mindoro
A CHINESE-FLAGGED bulk carrier rammed a Philippine fishing boat off Paluan, Occidental Mindoro, Tuesday afternoon, leaving five fishermen drifting in the water. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed on Thursday that the MV Tai Hang 8, which figured in the allision with the FBCA Ruel J, was of Chinese registry. An allision is a maritime term referring to an accident where a moving vessel runs into a stationary one. Capt. Edyson Abanilla, Coast Guard Oriental Mindoro station commander, said the incident occurred in the waters between Occidental Mindoro and Palawan, which is part of the West Philippine Sea, at about 4 p.m. on December 5. The fishing boat was moored to a fishing aggregation device when it was hit by the Chinese ship. The PCG said it received information on the incident at noon on December 6, and immediately sought out the boat owner in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Three other fishing boats — the Joker, Precious Heart and Jaschene — helped rescue the Ruel J's crew and towed the boat to Pandan Island, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. The five crew members of Ruel J were identified as Junrey Sardan, Ryan Jay Daus, Bryan Pangatungam, Cristian Arizala and Joshua Barbas.
`Agriculture needs to be more attractive to entrepreneurs'
GO Negosyo founder Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd said that the concept and image of agriculture needs to change in order to attract more business interest. Speaking at The Manila Times Forum "Microenterprise 2024, Growing MSMEs, nurturing prosperity,"Concepcion said Go Negosyo partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Vice President Sara Duterte in setting up gardens in schools as part of efforts to get learners interested in agriculture. Several micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) stakeholders said that along with financial technology (fintech) and digitalization, agriculture will become popular with businesses in 2024. In an interview following the forum, PLDT Enterprise SMBIZ Customer Relationship Management Head Euan Rex Toralballa said big businesses are starting to look at the agriculture sector for investment opportunities. To be more attractive, the sector must be capable of growing its own products and "not depend on imports," Toralballa said.
PH piña weaving makes it to Unesco list
THE Philippines' piña handloom weaving has been enrolled on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) list of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of humanity. The piña handloom weaving is the country's sixth element inscribed in the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The others are the Hudhud chants of the Ifugao (2008), the Darangen epic of the Manarano people of Lake Lanao (2008), the Tugging rituals and games (2015), the Buklog-thanksgiving ritual system of the Subanen (2019), and the School of Living Traditions (2021). National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Victorino Manalo said the Philippines is the "only country that extensively produces piña cloth in the whole world." The pineapple textiles or piña are part of the diverse traditional weaving practices of the Philippines, he said.
In Business
BSP chief warns of bombing fallout
LAST Sunday's deadly bombing in Marawi could affect the Philippines' bid to secure more business from international banks and exit the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) "gray list," Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said. The Paris-based FATF, the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, has given the country up to January next year to implement reforms. The Philippines — previously blacklisted from 2000 to 2004 — was returned to the gray list in 2021 due to "strategic deficiencies." Blacklisting had caused foreign banks to reject Philippine transactions, increasing funding costs and alarming investors. Being on the gray list, meanwhile, resulted in heightened FATF monitoring, bank scrutiny and required the country to commit to a timeline to address deficiencies. Speaking to reporters at a media dinner on Wednesday, Remolona noted that being on the gray list resulted in "fewer banks that are willing to deal with us. If blacklisted, that gets worse. When in doubt, they won't deal with the Philippines." Sunday's bombing during a Catholic Mass at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City killed four people and injured 72. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. quickly blamed the attack on "foreign terrorists," and the Islamic State terrorist group later claimed responsibility. Remolona said all efforts were being made to address concerns that were raised by the FATF prior to the bombing.
Topping Sports
Short-handed Beermen face Batang Pier
AN undermanned San Miguel Beer team battles a dangerous NorthPort quintet even as Rain or Shine guns for its second straight victory against NLEX in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup on Friday, December 8, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. Game time is 8 p.m. The Beermen have won their last three games, including a 115-110 decision against the Elasto Painters last week. The bad news is, San Miguel will miss the services of seven-time league Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo due to a fractured left hand. Doctors said he will be out between four and six weeks.
Luka posts triple-double in first half
MAVERICKS star Luka Doncic had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the first, first-half triple-double of his career in Dallas' game against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila). The triple-double was the 60th of Doncic's career and moved him past Larry Bird and into sole possession of ninth place overall on the all-time list. Doncic went into the final 90 seconds of the second quarter with nine rebounds and nine assists. He grabbed a rebound with 1:11 left following a missed free throw by Keonte George. With 59 seconds left in the period, he lofted a pass inside to Dereck Lively, whose dunk produced his 10th assist. With real-time statistics for players on the court displayed on the American Airlines Center video board, the crowd was following Doncic's progress and erupted in cheers following Lively's dunk. It was the first 25-point first-half triple-double in NBA history. Doncic finished the half shooting 10 of 17 from the floor, 6 of 10 from 3-point distance in 20 minutes. He was a plus-22 as Dallas built a 74-51 lead.
COP28 must resist 'greenwashing' by the fossil fuel lobby is today's editorial. Read the full version on print or digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Francisco Tatad and Dr. Carl Balita. Tatad writes about SMNI and a proposal by some members of the House of Representatives to shut down television network over an alleged false news report involving Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Balita talks about the village of a malnourished learner.
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