Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, February 3, 2024.
Today's episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner.
READ: Sierra Madre supply mission incident-free
For the first time in months, a mission to resupply Philippine troops stationed at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea was completed on Friday without interference from Chinese ships, the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported. The B.R.P. Sierra Madre, a rusting Philippine Navy ship deliberately grounded in the shoal's shallows, serves as living quarters for Philippine troops.
READ: UN rapporteur seeks less govt interference in media
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan on Friday called on the government to adopt a non-interference policy in media operations, saying the public needs access to various sources of news and information. Khan made the statement at the end of her 2-week mission to the Philippines, during which she met with government officials, journalist groups and visited the jailed campus journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio in Tacloban City, Leyte.
READ: DSWD backs scrapping of seniors purchase booklet
The Department of Social Welfare and Development supports a motion by two lawmakers to do away with the Senior Citizen's Purchase Slip Booklet, in response to multiple complaints from the elderly. D.S.W.D. spokesman Romel Lopez on Friday said they had received various concerns and complaints through various means of communication to the availment of senior citizen discounts. He said 24 complaints were received regarding the purchase booklet in 2022 and 2023.
READ: US vows to boost PH economic resilience
The United States will provide "unwavering support" in the Philippines' quest for economic resilience and supply chain diversification, U.S. Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment Jose Fernandez has assured. Fernandez is on a 10-day trip to Vietnam, the Philippines and South Korea to discuss ways to strengthen Washington's economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
BUSINESS: Analysts: PH growth to stay 'below trend'
Over to business, factors such as inflation, interest rates and external demand will continue to weigh on economic growth, analysts said, which is expected to again fall below target this year. Gross domestic product growth was 5.6 percent last year, markedly lower than 2022's 7.6 percent and missing the 6.0- to 7.0-percent target as investments, household consumption and government spending slowed.
SPORTS: Almadro named UP women's volley coach
In sports, former Ateneo de Manila University women's volleyball coach Oliver Almadro was named as the new head coach of the University of the Philippines women's volleyball team for Season 86 of the U.A.A.P. Almadro was already named the state university's volleyball program director last August after departing from Ateneo where he won five titles and five runner-up trophies while at the helm of their volleyball programs. The U.P. Office for Athletics and Sports Development made the announcement on its Facebook page on Friday, February 2.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras and Jeffrey Sachs are today's front page columnists. Contreras analyzes the word war between former president Rodrigo Duterte and the Marcos-Romualdez camps, while Sachs looks into global superpowers of then and now.
Today's editorial believes that the Management Association of the Philippines' plan to ease traffic is not perfect, but a good start. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.