Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, June 1, 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: Trump to use verdict to fuel up campaign
Former United States president and Republican standard-bearer Donald Trump will try to turn what might otherwise be a career-ending judgment into campaign fuel. Trump will return to the campaign trail Friday with a news conference at his namesake tower in Manhattan, a day after he was convicted of trying to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who claimed they had sex. His lawyers and allies described him as defiant and ready to fight a verdict they argue is illegitimate and driven by politics. No former president or presumptive party nominee has ever faced a felony conviction or the prospect of prison time, and Trump is expected to keep his legal troubles central to his campaign. He has long argued without evidence that the four indictments against him were orchestrated by Democratic President Joe Biden to try to keep him out of the White House.
READ: China: Door of dialogue still open
CHINA said it is keeping the door of dialogue and communication open with the Philippines despite the dispute in the South China Sea. During a press conference on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning stressed that sincere dialogue is necessary, and agreements reached during a dialogue must be followed through. Mao was reacting to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s concern that the new ruling to be enforced by the China Coast Guard calling for the detention of "trespassers" in the South China Sea could lead to "an escalation of the situation." Marcos has pledged to take any opportunity to engage with China to halt aggressive actions and secure the rights of Filipino fishermen in the South China Sea. Mao said the China Coast Guard merely wants to standardize the administrative law-enforcement procedures and maintain order at sea.
READ: Scientists urge long-term monitoring of WPS resources
A GROUP of the country's leading scientists is calling for the long-term monitoring and sustainable management of resources in the West Philippine Sea, amid rising tensions between the Philippines and China. A public forum facilitated by the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) on the geopolitical and ecological situation in the West Philippine Sea focused on promoting strategies that scientists and researchers can use to protect and preserve the area's marine resources.
READ: French warship on port call in Manila
THE French Navy destroyer Bretagne arrived in Manila on Friday afternoon for a five-day port call. Commanded by Captain Gwenegan Le Bourhis, Bretagne, an Aquitaine-class frigate developed from the European multi-mission frigate (Fremm) program, docked at South Harbor. France has deployed its navy ships to the South China Sea for freedom of navigation missions and to push back against Chinese expansionist activities in the waterway.
READ: Fil-Am gymnast taps family's artistic streak for Olympics
GYMNAST Levi Jung Ruivivar said she will capitalize on her family's artistic streak when she competes for the Philippines in the Paris Olympics in July. The 18-year-old Filipino-American told The Manila Times she believes having the bloodline of Filipino artists will give her an edge. Her father, Anthony Ruivivar, is a Hollywood actor who starred in the hit TV drama series "Third Watch," and his pure-blooded Filipino grandfather, Tony Ruivivar, is a musician who was one of the founders of the Society of Seven, a musical group based in Hawaii that was popular in the '70s.
SPORTS: Obiena bags silver in Norway
Meanwhile, Filipino Olympian Ernest John Obiena clinched the silver medal in the 2024 Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway. KC Lightfoot of the United States took the gold medal after clearing 5.82 meters. Obiena, on the other hand, registered 5.72 meters, tied with Emmanouil Karalis of Greece. During the tournament, Obiena said he broke another pole, which he showed in his social media stories.
BUSINESS: BSP sets 'quiet period' amid market volatility
Over to business, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will observe a seven-day "quiet period" before monetary policy meetings in a bid to reduce speculation and possible confusion over public statements. It said that "forward guidance requires the BSP to exercise transparency, to be consistent in its messaging, and to project a single voice to the public when communicating the intention and direction of monetary policy."
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about a more progressive House of Representatives, Makabenta asks if the country still has the will to revise the 1987 Constitution, and Remoto looks into the newest fiction books.
Today's editorial thinks hopes for a pandemic treaty are fading away. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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