Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Friday, June 7, 2024.
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READ: BBM to troops: 'We're not waging war'
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the Philippines is not waging war despite "external threats" facing the country. In his speech during his camp visit to the Army's 10th Infantry Division in Mawab, Davao de Oro, the President said the country's military needed to boost its capabilities as it transitioned from internal operations to an external defense posture.The President said bolstering the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) did not mean that the Philippines was going to war.Marcos said the military has to transition so it could continue performing its mandate to promote the safety of the people and the security of Philippine territory against emerging threats. He said soldiers would have a partner in the civilian government. The President also urged the soldiers to be peacekeepers by encouraging communist insurgents to return to the fold of the law. The Philippines is adopting a paradigm shift in the country's defense strategy through the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, which was adopted by the Marcos administration amid China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
READ: Eruption strands 1,500 sea travelers
SOME 1,501 passengers were left stranded at seaports in Western Visayas due to the recent eruption of Mount Kanlaon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday. Based on the latest situational report, some 20 domestic flights and one international one were canceled in Western and Central Visayas. The same report, however, said 12 domestic flights were able to take off. The report said the Kanlaon eruption affected 2,088 people or 605 families in Western and Central Visayas. Of the affected population, 1,407 individuals or 419 families were staying in 11 evacuation centers, as 177 persons or 45 families were taking shelter in other places. Earlier, a state of calamity was declared in La Castellana, Negros Occidental and Canlaon, Negros Oriental. The NDRRMC also said that a total of P1.35 million in assistance has been provided to the victims so far. On June 3, the Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island emitted plumes rising to as high as five kilometers. Alert Level 2 was raised over the volcano, which means "increased unrest." On Wednesday, gray cohesive mud, plant debris and gravel were deposited by lahar along the four waterways due to the increased rain in La Castellana and Canlaon. The Department of Energy (DoE) enforced a price freeze on two areas in Negros island and Negros Oriental following their declaration of a state of calamity after the eruption of Kanlaon on Monday.
READ: 6 fishermen die as boat explodes
AT least six fishermen were killed when an explosion and a fire hit their boat at sea off the coast of the City of Naga, Cebu, coast guard officials said Thursday, adding six others were rescued. Surviving crew members, including the skipper of the FBCA King Bryan were still being treated at a hospital. PO1 Joel Baring of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) AT least six fishermen were killed when an explosion and a fire hit their boat at sea off the coast of the City of Naga, Cebu, coast guard officials said Thursday, adding six others were rescued. Surviving crew members, including the skipper of the FBCA King Bryan were still being treated at a hospital. PO1 Joel Baring of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Substation Naga told The Manila Times the vessel experienced engine problems before leaving Masbate. He added that midway through the trip, while the crew was troubleshooting one of the two engines, it exploded and set the vessel on fire.Substation Naga told The Manila Times the vessel experienced engine problems before leaving Masbate. He added that midway through the trip, while the crew was troubleshooting one of the two engines, it exploded and set the vessel on fire. he wooden-hulled boat, which had bamboo outriggers, apparently developed engine trouble before an explosion and a fire engulfed the vessel, injuring crew members and forcing others to jump into the sea in panic. A passing tugboat helped put out the blaze and a coast guard search and rescue operation was launched, coast guard officials said.
READ: Classical culture can be gateway to economic growth
ITALIAN Ambassador to the Philippines Marco Clemente on Thursday urged the Philippines to embrace opera as a cornerstone of its cultural tourism strategy. Drawing from his extensive travel experiences, Clemente proposed a bold vision for the Philippines. Clemente then underscored the Philippines' unique position as the most European or Westernized country in Asia.Emphasizing the practical steps required, Clemente offered his support in bringing international producers to the Philippines. Clemente acknowledged that such a project might take one to two years to come to fruition but stressed the long-term benefits.Establishing an opera house would lead to a full-fledged opera season, capturing the attention of opera enthusiasts worldwide, he said.
Topping Business
READ: Unemployment up slightly in April
UNEMPLOYMENT picked up in April and job quality also worsened, data released by the government on Thursday showed. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country's jobless rate rose for a second straight month to 4.0 percent from 3.9 percent in March. This translated to some 2.04 million unemployed Filipinos, 40,000 more than the previous month. Meanwhile, underemployment — which counts those looking for more work or an extra job — surged to 14.6 percent from 11.0 percent in March. The underemployed were estimated to number 7.04 million. A year earlier, unemployment was higher at 4.5 percent while underemployment was lower at 12.0 percent The employment rate fell to 96.0 percent from 96.1 percent in March but was higher than April 2023's 95.5 percent. The number of individuals with jobs reached 48.36 million, lower than March's 49.15 million but up from the year-earlier 48.06 million.
In Sports
READ: Redemption-minded Celtics face opportunistic Mavericks
BOSTON — As the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics prepare to tip off the NBA Finals on Thursday (Friday in Manila), the four biggest names in the series are looking at this moment through different lenses. Boston's Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — the Celtics' most tenured and scrutinized stars on their roster — see it as a chance at redemption after falling just short two seasons ago and then failing to return last year.Dallas' Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving see it as their first opportunity to make good on a partnership that began late last season after Irving was traded from Brooklyn following a tumultuous run of two-plus seasons with the Nets. But the duo was still learning to play with each other during their truncated time together last season and didn't make it to the postseason. After a slow start this season, they found cohesion after the All-Star break and emerged from a deep Western Conference field.
READ: Adreeva shocks ailing Sabalenka to reach semis
PARIS — Mirra Andreeva became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist for 27 years with a shock win over Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday at the French Open, after fourth seed Elena Rybakina was knocked out by Italy's Jasmine Paolini. The 17-year-old Andreeva fought back from a set down against Australian Open champion Sabalenka, who appeared to be hampered by illness, to win 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4 and set up a last-four meeting with Italy's Jasmine Paolini. The Russian is the youngest woman to reach the last four at a Slam event since Martina Hingis at the 1997 US Open, and the youngest at Roland Garros since Hingis, also that year. RIS — Mirra Andreeva became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist for 27 years with a shock win over Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday at the French Open, after fourth seed Elena Rybakina was knocked out by Italy's Jasmine Paolini. The 17-year-old Andreeva fought back from a set down against Australian Open champion Sabalenka, who appeared to be hampered by illness, to win 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4 and set up a last-four meeting with Italy's Jasmine Paolini.
Opinion: 'Unprecedented' pace of global warming demands decisive action now
Opinion 'Unprecedented' pace of global warming demands decisive action now, according to the Times' editorial. Read the full version on print ot digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad. Tiglao calls out lawyer Chel Diokno for spewing the same lie Rapid first made in 2017; while Tatad asks should this Navy officer remain under the bus until now.
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