Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, May 26, 2024.
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READ: China holds 'intrusive patrol' at PH ecozone
A CHINA Coast Guard (CCG) ship, considered the world's largest, conducted a brief "intrusive patrol" into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) west of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Based on monitoring by SeaLight, a maritime transparency project that monitors and reports activities in the South China Sea, the 165-meter CCG 5901 was accompanied by the 102-meter CCG 5203 for more than 24 hours or from May 23 to 24. Known as "The Monster," the 12,000-ton CCG 5901 is armed with heavy machine guns and also has a helicopter platform and a hangar large enough to accommodate larger rotary-wing aircraft. By tonnage, the CCG 5901 is double the size of a United States Navy Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser and is also bigger than an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer.
READ: Aghon soaks PH, grounds, vessels, passengers
TROPICAL Depression "Aghon" became the first storm to enter the country on Saturday, breaking a prolonged dry spell with rain that forced the cancellation of ferry trips and stranded hundreds of passengers in affected ports as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised Signal No.1 in affected areas, including Metro Manila. Signal No. 1, as described by the Pagasa, carries winds of 39-61 kilometers per hour (kph) and may be expected in at least 36 hours, or intermittent rains may be expected within 36 hours. Aghon first made landfall before dawn on Saturday in Giporlos, Eastern Samar.
READ: 'Padilla to assume post as PDP-Laban president'
SENATE Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Saturday said Sen. Robinhood Padilla would replace Palawan Rep. Jose Chavez Alvarez as president of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), while former president Rodrigo Duterte would remain as chairman. Tolentino added that the change of leadership was discussed in a recent meeting with Duterte, Padilla, Sen. Bong Go and Sen. Ronald de la Rosa. The party, he said, was set to formalize Padilla's ascension to the post. Tolentino said Padilla possesses valuable experience and insight into the party's operations.
READ: Liza Diño files cyber libel rap vs Pep.ph
ACTRESS and former Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairman Liza Diño lodged a cyber libel complaint against the entertainment website Pep.ph at the Quezon City Prosecutors Office on Friday. Diño alleged that the showbiz website's editorial team had disseminated "multiple malicious articles" about her over the past year. These articles purported that she exhibited overly assertive behavior in her role, made irregular decisions and hindered her successor's assumption of office, among others. In a statement released late Friday afternoon, Diño, a weekly columnist for The Sunday Times Magazine, expressed the grave distress caused by unyielding attacks on her character.
READ: Fil-Am gymnast Malabuyo catches final bus to Olympics
LAST month at the FIG World Cup Doha leg, a Paris Olympics berth was within reach for Filipino American gymnast Emma Malabuyo. Entering the final installment of the four-leg World Cup series, Malabuyo was running second at the floor exercise event with 69 points accumulated through the first three legs in Cairo, Cottbus and Baku. Per apparatus, the top two gymnasts who accumulate the highest three-meet point total will advance to the Olympics. Malabuyo placed third in the tiff with 50.398 points for the bronze medal but, having scored the highest among Olympic hopefuls, managed to secure the last ticket to Paris for the Philippines.
SPORTS: Paalam downs Greek foe in qualifiers
FILIPINO boxer Carlo Paalam began his final push for a Paris Olympics slot by defeating Greek Alexie Lagkazasvili via unanimous decision in the second World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday evening. All five judges favored Paalam in the men's 57-kilogram (kg) class round of 32 match. A Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, Paalam needs to finish at least in third place in this boxing final Olympic qualifying event to book his Olympiad return. Paalam could not secure his Paris Games berth through the first two pathways — the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in October last year and the first World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, last March.
BUSINESS: Total domestic trade value, volume up in Q1
Over to business, the total volume and value of domestic trade recorded a double-digit increase in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. In a report released on Friday, the PSA said the total quantity of domestic trade during the period reached 7.73 million tons, up by 19.7 percent from the 6.45 million tons in the same quarter last year. The PSA said almost all of the commodities were traded through water, while the rest were traded through air in the first quarter of 2024. By commodity sector, food and live animals led in terms of the quantity of domestic trade in the first quarter of 2024 with 3.46 million tons, or a share of 44.7 percent to the total domestic trade. This was followed by mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, and machinery and transport equipment.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Marlen Ronquillo is today's front page columnist, as he now weighs in on possible amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law.
Today's editorial looks into what will happen to Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez after calling on the military to withdraw support to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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