Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, April 13, 2024.

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READ: US, PH, Japan fortify alliance against China

THE United States, Philippines and Japan have agreed to reinforce their defense alliance to counter the growing aggressiveness of China in the Asia-Pacific region. The trilateral approach to counter Beijing's belligerence could usher in more joint naval exercises, similar to the drills the three allies had with Australia in the South China Sea at the weekend, officials said. On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden also pledged to defend the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea, as he hosted the first joint summit with Tokyo and Manila in the White House.

READ: China: PH-US defense pact won't erode resolve

CHINA said the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States does not affect its resolve to defend its sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea. In a statement to The Manila Times on Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said the U.S. is not involved in the South China Sea dispute and should not meddle in it.

READ: Duterte admits 'handshake' deal with Chinese leader

FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte admitted that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands on keeping the status quo in the West Philippine Sea. In a press conference on Thursday, Duterte recounted his conversation with Xi in which they agreed that there would be no armed patrols and construction activities to prevent the escalation of the territorial dispute between their nations.

READ: Escudero apologizes for unauthorized car plate use

In other news, senator Francis Joseph Escudero acknowledged that the car with the No. 7 protocol plate caught on Thursday passing through the EDSA Carousel Bus Lane belongs to him. In a statement he released Friday, Escudero admitted that his relative's driver drove the black S.U.V. with the protocol plates. He also said he is aware of the violation, since the No. 7 plates are issued exclusively to vehicles belonging to senators.

BUSINESS: Business confidence drops, not for consumers

Topping business, sentiment among consumers and companies went opposite ways in the first quarter, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported on Friday, slightly improving — albeit still negative — for the former but turning less upbeat for the latter.Their outlooks for the second quarter and the next 12 months also diverged, with consumers less optimistic but companies more bullish. Results of a B.S.P. survey placed the confidence index for consumers at -10.9 percent from -19.0 percent three months earlier. The business C.I., meanwhile, declined to 33.1 percent from 35.9 percent.

SPORTS: FEU aims for last UAAP semis spot

Over to sports, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws aim to clinch the last semifinals berth of the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament today, April 13, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila. But it will not be easy as the fourth-running F.E.U. takes on league-leader University of Santo Tomas at 4 p.m. A win by the Lady Tamaraws today will enable F.E.U. (6-4) to join U.S.T. (10-1), La Salle (9-1), and National University (9-2) in the final four.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, Danton Remoto, and Leonor Briones are today's front page columnists. Contreras looks at when laws are misread and misrepresented by legislators and bureaucrats, Makabenta tackles a strategy to hasten the passage of an anti-dynasty law, Remoto recalls a friend who returned from a monastery, and Briones discusses the Philippine brand of leadership.

Today's editorial says the traffic congestion in Metro Manila is a very serious matter. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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