Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
Today's podcast is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer -- your trusted building partner.
READ: PH seeks Interpol help in Teves arrest
THE government requested a "red notice" from the International Police Crime Organization (Interpol) in serving an arrest warrant to former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves in Timor Leste, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said. A red notice is a "request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action," according to the Interpol's website. Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said in a news forum over the weekend that once the request was granted, Interpol would inform Timorese authorities about the warrant issued by the Philippines against Teves. Teves fled to Timor Leste, where he has sought asylum after he was charged in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo last year. The former congressman faces 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder and four counts of attempted murder. Last March, Teves was arrested by Timorese authorities while playing golf in the Timorese capital of Dili. The Philippine government filed an extradition request. Vasquez said four principles govern Interpol's decision to bring a fugitive back to the country requesting extradition: independence and sovereignty of each member state, neutrality, cooperation, and respect for human rights.
READ: 4.4B people have no access to safe drinking water
ISTANBUL — Approximately 4.4 billion people worldwide are without access to safe drinking water, according to a recent study. The study, published in the Science journal, was conducted by scientists, including Esther Greenwood from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. It indicated that over half the world's population may be without clean, accessible water, the British weekly scientific journal Nature reported. Almost half of those affected live in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the researchers found. In 2020, the World Health Organization and UN Children's Fund estimated that there were 2.2 billion people without access to safe drinking water. The UN has recognized safe drinking water as a human right since 2015. Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has exacerbated water insecurity, with the WHO warning of potential polio outbreaks due to deteriorating sanitation conditions.
READ: 'The Manila Times will always be PAO's partner'
THE Manila Times Chairman Emeritus Dante A. Ang and President and Chief Executive Officer Dante 'Klink' Ang II assured the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) of a continued partnership to provide free legal service to even the remotest communities across the country. Speaking before over 2,500 public attorneys during the 8th Mandatory Continuing Legal Education-Accredited National Convention of Public Attorneys held from August 12 to 17 at the Philippine International Convention Center, CEO Ang recognized the huge contribution of PAO under the leadership of its chief, Persida Rueda-Acosta, in extending legal services, especially to marginalized and vulnerable sectors. e thanked Rueda-Acosta for her daily "Dear PAO" column in •The Times. Acknowledging the importance of the chief public attorney's legal advice in her column, he vowed to give the entire public attorneys easy access to her Dear PAO column. By doing so, he said, he believed the public defenders could get more ideas that they could apply in their work. Introducing him as an educator, environmentalist and philanthropist, the PAO chief said Ang, whom it awarded during the event as an "Outstanding Publisher," was honored as the Most Empowered Executive at the inaugural Gawad Dangal Filipino Awards Philippines Men and Women of Integrity and Honor in 2022. He was also named Best Media Outlet Chairman and CEO for 2022 by an international online magazine, PAO said.Aside from the Angs, Lia Badillo-Crisostomo, host of "PrimeTimes with Atty. Lia," a news and public affairs program at The Manila Times website, and Arlie O. Calalo were cited as "Outstanding Broadcaster" and "Outstanding Reporter," respectively.
READ: Go Negosyo, Valenzuela City host mentorship program
VALENZUELA City Mayor Weslie Gatchalian said on Sunday the local government had partnered with Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion for the second time with a popular shopping mall for the 3M on Wheels mentorship program. Held at the SM City Valenzuela, more than 500 participants had registered and benefited from free one-on-one mentorship sessions with experienced business leaders from various industries, Gatchalian said. The program empowers micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing critical support in mentorship, money and market (3M), the city government said. Spearheaded by Concepcion's Go Negosyo, the 3M on Wheels offers entrepreneurs guidance on navigating the challenges of starting and scaling their businesses. The event at SM City Valenzuela attracted a significant number of participants eager to learn from industry experts and gain insights into achieving business success, City Public Information Officer Mara Salazar-Ignacio said. Gatchalian noted that the active participation of city residents in the program showed their interest in learning more about 3M, which is important in putting up even the smallest business.
READ: Will mpox trigger another pandemic?
LONDON — The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency, requiring urgent action to curb the virus' transmission. Sweden has since announced it had found the first case of a new form of mpox previously only seen in Africa in a traveler, while other European health authorities warned more imported cases were likely. Here's a look at mpox and how likely it is to spread further: Is mpox going to trigger another pandemic? That seems highly unlikely. Pandemics, including the most recent ones of swine flu and Covid-19, are typically sparked by airborne viruses that spread quickly, including by people who may not be showing symptoms. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is spread primarily through close skin-to-skin contact with infected people or their soiled clothes or bedsheets. It often causes visible skin lesions that could make people less likely to be in close contact with others. To stay safe, experts advise avoiding close physical contact with someone who has lesions resembling mpox, not sharing their utensils, clothing or bedsheets and maintaining good hygiene like regular hand-washing. On Friday, Europe's Center for Disease Prevention and Control said that more imported cases of mpox from Africa were "highly likely," but the chances of local outbreaks in Europe were very low. Scientists say the risk to the general population in countries without ongoing mpox outbreaks is low.
Topping Business
READ: Govt revenues up to P2.22T in Jan-July
THE government has ramped up its revenue collection, hitting P2.22 trillion in the first seven months of the current year, or 9.6-percent higher compared to the same period in 2023. In a Facebook post, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BoC) had already exceeded their collection targets for the year. Preliminary data from January to July this year shows that the Tax Bureau collected P1.68 trillion, marking a 13-percent increase from the P1.5 trillion recorded in the same period last year. Meanwhile, Custom collections rose by 6.0 percent to P536.42 billion from last year's P506.5 billion. The government is targeting to collect P4.3 trillion for 2024, with the BIR tasked to generate P3.05 trillion and the Customs accounting for around P1 trillion. Recto held the third BIR and BoC Command Conference on Friday to review the agencies' collection performances and discuss strategies for meeting their annual targets. For the BoC, Recto said it would continue to improve on its "assessment and collection of duties and taxes on importation, ensure importer's compliance with customs' laws, and strengthen border protection to detect undervalued and misclassified commodities." He expressed gratitude to both agencies for their ongoing efforts to enhance tax and customs administration, securing essential revenues for public programs and projects. Recto also expects the government's collections will rise due to accelerated economic growth following the recent interest rate cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Philippines' credit rating upgrade to A- by Rating and Investment Information Inc. of Japan. The Monetary Board has reduced interest rates by 25 basis points to 6.25 percent, ending the 17-year high of 6.5 percent.
In Sports
READ: Green Spikers extend streak, shoot down Eagles
DE La Salle University continued its impressive run in the V-League Men's Collegiate Challenge, defeating archrival Ateneo, 25-21, 31-29, 25-19, to annex its fourth consecutive win at the Paco Arena in Manila on Sunday. Rui Ventura led the Green Spikers with 16 points, including 14 attacks and two blocks, while Eugene Gloria added 13 points on 12 attacks and one block, helping De La Salle maintain its unbeaten streak and strengthen its title-retention campaign in the pre-season tournament organized by Sports Vision. The Green Spikers will look to continue their winning streak as they face the Far Eastern University Tams on August 25 at 3 p.m.
READ: Catantan focuses on recovery, eyes 2028 LA
FENCER Samantha Catantan declared her intentions to make an Olympic return after putting up a gallant stand at the Paris Games women's individual foil tiff. But of course, recovery is the priority for the 22-year-old fencer who re-tore her left ACL in Paris. Catantan is also set to take her master's degree in accounting at Penn State University where she recently graduated with a bachelor's degree from the same program. Catantan first injured her left ACL at the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May last year.Catantan re-tore her left ACL in the round of 64 in Paris against Mariana Pistoia of Brazil but still won the match, 15-13. She battled through the pain and pushed world no. 2 Arianna Errigo of Italy to the limit, losing by just two three points, 12-15, in the round of 32. Catantan's impressive Olympic debut sent her from 266th to 87th in the women's foil world rankings.
READ: Opinion
Early global coordinated response needed to head off mpox outbreak is today's editorial. Read the full version on print and digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad are the featured columnists on the front page. Tiglao claims US aid is down despite EDCA; Aquino on secularism and the strategic plan of Catholic schools; and Tatad on pushing agrarian reform in Bukidnon.
For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.