Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

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READ: Cha-cha to derail polls preparation

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is concerned that its preparations for the 2025 elections would be hampered if the move to amend the Constitution through a people's initiative leads to the holding of a plebiscite. Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco on Monday said that the first to be affected is the registration of voters, which would have to be postponed if a plebiscite is held this year. Laudiangco said Section 8 of the Voter Registration Act (Republic Act 8189) prohibits a list-up of voters 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election. Under the law, "voter registration must stop within 90 days of a duly set plebiscite pursuant to the law," he said. The Comelec has scheduled the registration of voters for the 2025 elections from February 13 to September 30 this year. Laudiangco said the acceptance of signatures submitted to the Comelec's offices in cities and municipalities is merely a ministerial job until the documents submitted are determined to be sufficient in form and substance, fully verified, and a petition is formally presented.

READ: Collecting cha-cha signatures 'a waste of time'

ELECTION lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Monday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to stop receiving signature sheets in support of a people's initiative to amend the Constitution. Macalintal said the gathering of signatures endorsing a people's initiative "is just a waste of time and paper" because these have no "evidentiary value or cannot be the basis of an initiative." Macalintal said that the Comelec, through its chairman, George Erwin Garcia, has admitted the commission has yet to receive a petition for a people's initiative. Without a petition, the poll body cannot acquire jurisdiction over any move for charter change through an initiative, Macalintal said.

READ: Inflation top concern of Filipinos – survey

MORE than seven out of 10 Filipinos believe that controlling inflation is the biggest national concern, while only 1 percent think Charter change (Cha-cha) is an urgent issue, a survey by OCTA Research showed. In its fourth quarter poll conducted Dec. 10-14, 2023, 73 percent said that controlling the prices of basic goods and services was still the most urgent concern among Filipinos, up by 21 points from July 2023. Access to affordable food like rice, vegetables and meat followed at 45 percent, creating jobs at 36 percent, increasing salaries of workers at 34 percent, and reducing poverty at 32 percent. Other priority issues with a higher than 10 percent rating include providing free and quality education, fighting graft and corruption in government, and promoting peace and order in the country.

READ: Pia Cayetano to head blue ribbon panel

SEN. Pilar Juliana "Pia" Cayetano was elected on Monday as chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, the first female senator to lead the panel. Sen. Francis Tolentino gave up the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations in December 2023 to "honor an agreement" to lead the panel for a limited time. The blue ribbon committee investigates alleged wrongdoings of government officials and agencies, including government-owned corporations.

BUSINESS: Policies limiting PH digitalization

Topping business, digitalization in the Philippines is hampered by outdated policies, and comprehensive reforms are needed to address infrastructure and other issues, the World Bank said. Among others, the World Bank noted that fixed broadband take-up among Philippine households was just 33 percent as of 2022, well below Malaysia's 50 percent, Thailand's 58 percent and Vietnam's 76 percent. The Philippines, it added, accounts for over 50 percent of the Asean population with no fixed broadband connections. This has led to a lack of skills, with just 2 percent of Filipinos said to be able to use basic formulas in Excel. Only 6 percent, meanwhile, can copy and paste into a document, and just 7 percent know how to add an attachment to emails. In terms of investments, the Philippines spent just 0.44 percent of gross domestic product on telecommunications infrastructure in 2022, down from 0.64 percent in 2018. This is much lower than at least 1 percent invested by over 100 countries in the last 15 years, the World Bank said.

SPORTS: Howard big game leads Strong Group to 3-0 in Dubai

In sports, after playing catch up in the opening half, Strong Group Athletics flexed its muscles in the last two periods, before overcoming Homenetmen's strong challenge to score a 104-95 triumph for a 3-0 start in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship on Sunday evening at the Al Nasr Club Basketball in the United Arab Emirates. Former N.B.A. star Dwight Howard made 12 of his 13 attempts from the floor in a dominant effort to finish with 32 points, along with seven rebounds and five blocks in a stellar performance against the Lebanese club team. Kevin Quiambao added 19 while Gilas naturalized big man Andray Blatche banged in 18 points after going 6-of-10 from downtown, along with six boards and four assists. Ex-Oklahoma City Thunder forward Andre Roberson added 13 and eight boards, while McKenzie Moore chipped in 12 for Strong Group, which outscored Homenetmen 29-19 in a critical third quarter offensive to take control of the game. Strong Group improved to 3-0 to share the lead with Libyan saiar Al Ahli-Tripoli, which earlier blasted host U.A.E. 94-75.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists. Contreras says the country cannot barter sovereignty for politics, Makabenta asks if China's "demographic time bomb" is the reason why its president Xi Jinping is allegedly losing weight and sleep, and Mercado discusses issues on a popular coffee brand.

Today's editorial looks into the recent Committee to Protect Journalists list of reporters in prison. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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