Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
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READ: Angara is new DepEd chief
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tapped Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara as the new secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), Malacañang confirmed on Tuesday. Marcos made the announcement during the 17th Cabinet Meeting in Malacañang after Angara officially accepted the position, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said. The lawmaker, however, was not present during the meeting. Angara will replace Vice President Sara Duterte, who resigned as education secretary on June 19, 2024.
READ: NP to forge alliance with President's party
THE Nacionalista Party (NP) will forge an alliance with the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the party headed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In a press conference on Tuesday, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, an NP stalwart, said that his party was in the process of firming up the alliance with PFP.
READ: PH, China see need to ease SCS tension
THE Philippines and China have affirmed their commitment to "de-escalate" tensions in the region without prejudice to their respective positions, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. In a statement, the DFA said the Philippines and China convened the 9th Meeting of their Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) in Manila on July 2. The DFA said Manila and Beijing raised the need "to restore trust, rebuild confidence, and create conditions conducive to productive dialogue and interaction" amid recent incidents in the South China Sea.
READ: World record set for largest rondalla
The Department of Education Central Visayas (DepEd 7) has set a Guinness World Record by organizing the "Largest Rondalla Ensemble" on Friday, June 28, at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex. The event, dubbed "Let's Play Schools," brought together 554 rondalla players from school divisions in the province of Bohol and the cities of Bais, Bogo, Dumaguete, LapuLapu, Mandaue, Tagbilaran and Talisay. They performed for 11 minutes, setting the world record. The event, hosted by Ibabao-Estancia Elementary School, was organized by Barangay Ibabao, led by Barangay Captain Romulo Chavez, in coordination with Anthony Consejo, the conductor.
BUSINESS: Cebu Pacific inks record aircraft order
Headlining business, budget carrier Cebu Pacific is looking to purchase up to 152 A321neo aircraft from European manufacturer Airbus SE in a deal worth $24 billion, which the airline described as the largest order in Philippine aviation history. The binding memorandum of understanding signed with Airbus covers firm orders for up to 102 A321neos and purchase rights to 50 aircraft in the A320neo line. A purchase agreement is expected to be finalized in the third quarter of this year. A spokesman said that deliveries of the firm orders would start no later than 2029. For the new planes Cebu Pacific again chose GTF engines made by RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney, a type currently in use by the airline and which is subject to an inspection drive to check for potentially flawed components that have forced carriers, including Cebu Pacific, to temporarily ground planes.
SPORTS: Gilas begins quest for Olympic dream vs Latvia
Over to sports, Gilas Pilipinas begins its ambitious quest of punching an Olympic ticket when the national squad faces world No. 6 Latvia in their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) on Thursday (12 midnight, Philippine time) at the Arena Riga in Latvia. The Filipinos' close to two weeks preparation that began in a three-day training camp in Calamba, Laguna, culminated with two friendly games in Europe.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao claims the country is now a target for Russian missiles, Fr. Aquino looks into the recent issues surrounding former US president Donald Trump, and Tatad looks into making amends with China.
Today's editorial looks into coal dependence. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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