Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
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READ: Garcia decries demolition job
COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Tuesday said allegations by Sagip partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta that he owns 49 offshore accounts in 18 banks were part of a systemic demolition campaign to destroy his credibility and that of the poll body in general. Garcia said that even if Marcoleta did not identify him as the owner of these accounts, he knew for sure that he was the one being referred to as he had been warned that a demolition job was in the works.
READ: Surrender now, Quiboloy warned
LOCAL Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Tuesday warned fugitive evangelist Apollo Quiboloy, wanted for child abuse and human trafficking, to surrender before the situation got out of hand. Quiboloy, the spiritual adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte, has been in hiding since courts issued warrants of arrest against him in April. In June, about 100 policemen swooped down on the compound of his Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City but did not find Quiboloy or his co-accused. On Monday, Abalos said private citizens who were frustrated at Quiboloy's ability to thwart law enforcers offered a P10 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Abalos said Quiboloy should just present his defense before the proper courts and surrender to the police. He also accused Quiboloy of following a double standard, refusing to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in favor of Philippine courts yet refusing to comply with arrest warrants issued by local judges.
READ: Young more likely to recognize mental health issues – expert
MENTAL health means different things to different generations, a health expert said Tuesday. In The Manila Times Newsroom, Karen Ibañez, Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS) clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Makati, emphasized how different generations view mental health, pointing out that younger people tend to understand and accept mental health issues more readily, while older people often struggle to recognize and accept that the problems exist.
READ: US deal on peaceful use of nuclear energy now in force
THE agreement for the cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy between the United States and the Philippines entered into force on July 2, the US Department of State said. This deal is part of broader US efforts to develop the Philippines' civil nuclear sector, the US State Department said in a media note on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), which was shared by the US Embassy in the Philippines. It will enhance the US and the Philippines' cooperation on clean energy and energy security and strengthen their longterm diplomatic and economic relations. The deal will permit the transfer of nuclear material, reactors, components, and information for nuclear research and civil nuclear energy production to concerned Philippine agencies, the State Department said. Nuclear energy is sometimes referred to as a clean energy technology, as it produces nearly zero carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear energy produces electricity that can be used to power homes, schools and businesses. Civil nuclear cooperation agreements, also known as "123 agreements," provide a legal framework for exports of nuclear material, equipment, and components from the US to another country.
BUSINESS: 'Tax efforts insufficient to bolster revenue'
Over to business, merely boosting tax collection efforts and enforcing tax laws may not yield sufficient revenue for the government, " former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo said.In addition to prudent budget management, securing sustainable financing for the growing fiscal deficit is crucial for achieving higher economic growth. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has been firm on not imposing new tax measures, saying the government will instead focus on improving revenue collections to help fund its spending needs. He stated that previous tax proposals will still be pursued but several have to be reviewed and amended with a view to making rates "fairer" and easier to collect. Some of the tax measures that the Finance department wants Congress to pass are the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform measure, a value-added tax (VAT) on digital service providers, a VAT refund for nonresident tourists, and the proposed Passive Income and Financial Intermediaries Taxation Act. During the EJAP-SMC Economic Forum on Monday, Recto asserted that the government is on track to meet its revenue target for this year, with collections reaching nearly half of the goal in the first six months.
SPORTS: Obiena to open PH tracksters campaign in Paris Games
Headlining sports, pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena is out to lead the charge for the Philippine athletics team which also includes hurdlers Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang at the Paris Olympics. Obiena, the world No. 2 pole vaulter, will be the first to compete at the Stade de France in the men's qualification round on August 3 at 10 a.m. local time or around 4 p.m. in Manila. Making his second straight Olympic appearance, Obiena is expected to reach the championship round which is set on August 5. Obiena finished joint fourth at the Wanda Diamond League – Meeting De Paris on July 7 which served as his final competition before the Paris Games. Meanwhile, Hoffman and Cabang will see action in their respective heats on August 4 also at the Stade de France. The 25-year-old Hoffman, a Filipino American, will be competing in the women's 400 meter hurdles while Cabang-Tolentino in the men's 110 meter hurdles.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao laments the latest updates from Gaza, Fr. Aquino calls for the return of the logic subject in college, and Tatad says the Vatican is concerned about the country's situation, particularly on the divorce bill.
Today's editorial says low consumer confidence could curb the country's economic growth. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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