Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, May 6, 2024.
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READ: Chinese militia ships swarm Sabina Shoal
AT least eight Chinese vessels have been sighted off Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, a feature located in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) that is under the jurisdiction of Pag-asa village in the Kalayaan town in Palawan. Based on monitoring by Sealight, a USbased maritime transparency project that monitors and reports activities in the South China Sea, the Chinese maritime militia (CMM) ships have been spotted off the shoal, which lies just 124 nautical miles from Palawan island, and thus well inside the Philippine exclusive economic zone. Sealight director and retired US Air Force Col. Ray Powell said on Sunday that the Chinese ships, also known as Spratly backbone fishing vessels, have been at the shoal since April 27.
READ: New voter applicants reach more than 2.5M
THE ongoing voter registration has reached more than 2.5 million, which is just a little more than 400,000 short of the target of 3 million new voters for the 2025 midterm elections. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said over the weekend that as of May 2, the commission has processed 2,548,324 applications across all regions and needs only 451,676 to hit the 3 million target. Garcia pointed out that with more than four months more to go before the registration period ends on September 30, the Comelec will surely surpass its target.
READ: Teodoro scores Chinese 'lies' about Ayungin Shoal
CHINA lied when it claimed that it reached an internal agreement on Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal with the Philippine government on a "new model" for dealing with their territorial dispute. In a statement issued on Sunday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said there was no discussion or briefing on any "gentlemen's agreement" or "new model" during Huang's courtesy call. Since the courtesy call, he said, he has disallowed any contact between the Defense Department and the Chinese Embassy.
READ: Swift finish of infra projects pushed
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) directing the streamlining of the permitting process for infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) to expedite their implementation. EO 59, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on April 30 on behalf of the President, underscores the need to further improve the country's infrastructure landscape in line with the administration's initiatives to transform the country's economy. There are 185 IFPs approved by the National Economic and Development Authority.
BUSINESS: Q1 growth just under target – poll
Over to business, Philippine economic growth likely accelerated to just below target in the first quarter (Q1) despite renewed inflationary pressures and high interest rates, analysts polled by The Manila Times said. The median estimate of 5.9 percent — just short of the government's 6.0- to- 7.0-percent goal for 2024 — is higher than the previous quarter's 5.6 percent but lower than the year-earlier 6.4 percent. Consumption would still be a primary driver as inflation had markedly fallen year on year, but the analysts warned that with the rate having risen in February and March, high borrowing costs would remain a constraint. Inflation, they said, could have breached the 2.0- to 4.0-percent target at 4.1 percent in April, prompting monetary authorities to keep interest rates higher for longer, delaying cuts that could spur economic growth. Inflation results for last month are scheduled to be released Tuesday, May 7, while preliminary first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth data will be issued on Thursday, May 9.
SPORTS: PBA begs off from BCL Asia
In sports, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said the pro league is not sending a team in the coming Basketball Champions League (BCL) Asia. The league chieftain shared that he has been in touch with FIBA (International Basketball Federation) through its secretary general Andreas Zagklis. Marcial pointed to the pro league's direct involvement with Gilas Pilipinas during its gold medal redemption in the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, followed by the FIBA World Cup, which the country co-hosted, along with the Asian Games, where the Tim Cone-coached national squad took home the gold in Hangzhou, China. The PBA has since been concentrating on its two-conference format in Season 48, which Marcial said was again, part of the league's commitment to support Gilas and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao discusses the "gentleman's agreement" with China, Fr. Aquino talks about the arbitral ruling against Beijing, while Tatad thinks First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos is "at the crossroads".
Today's editorial talks about the global health problem brought by obesity. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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