Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, March 11, 2024.
Today's podcast is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer -- your trusted building partner.
READ: PH ignored China's proposals on sea row
THE Philippine government has not acted upon several concept papers that China submitted almost a year ago that proposed ways to normalize the situation in disputed areas of the South China Sea, a ranking Chinese official said over the weekend. The official, who spoke to The Manila Times on condition of anonymity, said that in April 2023, they presented 11 concept papers, "but these were met with inaction by the Marcos administration." He said they hoped to discuss the contents of the paper with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) "to work out some guidelines." The Manila Times tried but failed to get comments from the Palace and the Department of Foreign Affairs. He said the Chinese government tried to formally discuss the details of the paper by sending its Vice Foreign Minister Sun Wedong in May 2023. The proposal was also raised during the 8th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Shanghai on January 17. He said they have been waiting for almost a year for a response.
READ: House starts plenary debates on economic Cha-cha
THE House of Representatives on Monday will start plenary debates on Resolution of Both Houses 7 (RBH 7), which seeks to amend economic provisions of the Constitution. In a statement issued on Sunday, House Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr., one of the resolution's principal authors, said the plenary would tackle the report of the Committee of the Whole House, which had endorsed the approval of the resolution without amendments. Gonzales said he expects the plenary deliberations to be shorter than the Committee of the Whole House's proceedings. Gonzales had said the House would try to obtain a vote on RBH 7 before Congress goes on a Holy Week break. Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said he thinks the House can have RBH 7 approved before the break as long as interpellations are brief. Barbers said the discussions in the hearings of the Committee of the Whole House were comprehensive and clear "and perhaps will not ... elicit further clarifications" from other lawmakers. Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin has said there would be no political amendments when the House discusses RBH 7 at the plenary level. The Committee of the Whole House approved RBH 7 on Wednesday.
READ: Most Filipinos willing to fight for country – poll
A MAJORITY of Filipinos — or about 77 percent — said they were willing to fight for the country should there be a war with a foreign entity, the latest Tanong ng Masa survey of independent research firm OCTA Research showed. Among age groups, this was highest at 87 percent for ages 45 to 54. Younger respondents followed, with 77 percent of those ages 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 saying they would be willing to fight. Those in the youngest group, 18 to 24, were at 74 percent, while those ages 65 to 74 were at 69 percent. The question was: "If there is a conflict between the Philippines and a foreign enemy, are you ready to fight for your country?" A minority, or 23 percent of the respondents, said they would not fight. The survey was commissioned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after a China Coast Guard tailed and fired water cannons at vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which were en route to the Scarborough Shoal.
READ: Thieves steal Italian sculptor's gold jewelry exhibit
Thieves have stolen almost 50 pieces of gold jewelry by the Italian sculptor Umberto Mastroianni worth 1.2 million euros in a targeted hit on an exhibition in northern Italy, curators said Saturday. A "highly specialized gang" made off Wednesday night with almost the entire collection of rings, bracelets, pendants and sculptures by Mastroianni, considered one of Italy's greatest contemporary sculptors, on display at the Vittoriale degli Italiani estate on Lake Garda. Only one of the 49 items in the collection, worth a total of 1,207,400 euros (around $1.3 million), was recovered elsewhere on the estate, the Vittoriale said in a statement after holding a press conference on the theft. If the pieces are not recovered, the theft — almost the entire collection of Mastroianni's gold, which belonged to his relatives — would represent an "inestimable loss," said Lorenzo Zichichi, president of the Centre for Studies of the Works of Umberto Mastroianni..
Topping Business
READ: McKinsey: PH growth to stay healthy this year
THE Philippine economy ended last year on a high note, and growth will likely remain positive this year, global management consulting company McKinsey said. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth was 5.6 percent last year, below the government's 6.0- to 7.0-percent target. It was, however, the fastest in Southeast Asia and was driven by factors such as commercial activities, public infrastructure spending and digital financial services. This year's GDP expansion will likely fall between 5.0 and 6.0 percent, McKinsey said, although one of three scenarios presented projected a slowdown to 4.8 percent under "challenging conditions." Inflation, meanwhile, which averaged above the 2.0- to 4.0-percent target at 6.0 percent in 2023, is expected to fall between 3.2 percent to 3.6 percent in 2024. All growth scenarios — two involving slowdowns and one an acceleration from 2023 — set out forecasts below the government's 6.5- to 7.5-percent GDP goal for this year. Under McKinsey's "slower growth" scenario, challenges such as declining trade and higher inflation would lead to GDP expanding by just 4.8 percent. This supposes a rise in inflation to 5.2 percent in the first half that prompts the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to hike its key rate — currently at 6.5 percent, the highest since 2007 — to 6.75 percent and then cutting to 6.5 percent by yearend.
In Sports
READ: Doncic makes history as Mavs down Pistons
Dallas star Luka Doncic grabbed a slice of NBA history on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), becoming the first player to post six straight 30-point triple-doubles as the Mavericks beat the Detroit Pistons 142-124. Doncic scored 39 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, eclipsing Russell Westbrook's mark of five straight 30-point triple-doubles set in the 2016-17 season. The Slovenian star extended his own NBA record with a fifth straight triple-double featuring 35 or more points. He added three steals and a pair of blocked shots for good measure. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd called Doncic's run of form "as rare as Picasso." Doncic scored 26 points in a back-and-forth first half. That included 21 in the second quarter, when Doncic appeared to be galvanized by chants of "Luka Sucks" from Pistons fans. Kyrie Irving added 21 points for Dallas, who pushed their lead to 16 points in the third quarter and opened the fourth on a 7-0 scoring run. Cade Cunningham scored 33 points with 10 assists and nine rebounds for the Pistons.
READ: NU Bulldogs sweep UE Red Warriors for 5th win
FOUR-PEAT seeking National University (NU) woke up after a sluggish start to finish off University of the East (UE) in straight sets 25-23, 25-13, 25-12 and grab a piece of the lead in the UAAP Season 86 men's volleyball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday. With their fifth straight victory, the Bulldogs joined Far Eastern University at the top at 5-1 while keeping the Red Warriors winless in six matches. NU will close the first round against De La Salle University on Saturday while UE will hope to get a win on Sunday against the University of the Philippines.
READ: Opinion
Saving Gaza from a humanitarian catastrophe is today's editorial of the Times. Read the full version on print or digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad. Tiglao calls Marcos' belligerent stance against China idiotic and warns that this will lead to the country's ruin; Aquino on the season of Lent; and Tatad on economic resolutions having their own problems.
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.