Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
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READ: US, 5 other nations hit Chinese actions
THE United States and five other countries condemned the dangerous actions by China against "lawful" Philippine maritime operations in the West Philippine Sea Monday that left two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships damaged. Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom — through their respective embassies in the Philippines — turned to X, formerly Twitter, to express deep concern over the incident, which took place early dawn of August 19, while Manila contemplated filing a case against China before the United Nations. The BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño were damaged in collisions with Chinese vessels that were conducting "unlawful and aggressive maneuvers" near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said in a statement. The two PCG vessels were sailing within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and were en route to Patag and Lawak Islands in the WPS, the task force said. After the incident, US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said the US reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty between the two nations extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels or aircraft — including those of its Coast Guard — anywhere in the South China Sea.
READ: DoJ orders thorough probe on Guo's escape
JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday ordered a thorough probe into the reported escape of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo from the country, warning errant immigration officials that heads would roll. He issued the order as Malacañang ordered the cancellation of Guo's Philippine passport. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, in a memo sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Justice (DoJ), directed that "appropriate action" must be taken for the cancellation of the passports of Guo as well as those of her siblings, Wesley Guo and Sheila Leal Guo, and Cassandra Li Ong, the known representative of the POGO hub raided in Porac, Pampanga, last July.
READ: Sara says she has no plans to run for president
VICE President Sara Duterte on Tuesday said she has no plans to run for president in 2028 and does not care if the House of Representatives would impeach her. Duterte made the remark in a briefing after she defended the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025, amounting to 2.037 billion pesos, an 8.05 percent increase from 2024, before the Senate. But House Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Erwin Tulfo said Speaker Martin Romualdez had confirmed that there we no moves to impeach the vice president. Tulfo said House leaders met to discuss the administration lineup for the 2025 elections and did not mention impeachment at all. Tulfo said that it is "up to her" if she wants to run for president in 2028.
READ: Five party alliance choosing poll bets
THE five parties that are part of the "Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas" (Alliance for a New Philippines) met for the first time on Monday night to lay out a strategic plan for the May 2025 midterm elections, including a unified Senate slate and fielding candidates in the local ranks. The alliance is led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), alongside the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the National Unity Party (NUP).
READ: Better health care seen for teachers seen by '25
THE Department of Education (DepEd) said that it aims to provide expanded health care benefits to public school teachers nationwide once the increased medical allowance for government employees is implemented by 2025. Under Executive Order 64 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on August 2, the government is set to provide an annual medical allowance of up to 7,000 pesos to eligible government civilian personnel, including public school teachers. The allowance was intended to subsidize the cost of health maintenance organization (HMO)-type benefits. Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara said if the funds are pooled together, the DepEd may secure comprehensive insurance coverage for teachers. The allowance is a 1,300 percent increase from the P500 medical examination allowance provided in 2020 and is a substantial enhancement in support of teachers' health and well-being.
BUSINESS: Policy rate projected to ease to 5% in '25
Topping business, sluggish growth and slowing inflation could prompt the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) benchmark rates to slip to 5.0 percent by next year, an analyst said. The BSP policymaking body Monetary Board on Thursday slashed key rates by 25 basis points, bringing the current rates to 6.0 percent, ending the 17-year high of 6.5 percent.
SPORTS: Obiena aims to bounce back in Diamond League
Over to sports, looking to bounce back from a medalless campaign at the Paris Olympics, Ernest John "EJ" Obiena resumes his outdoor season campaign at the Wanda Diamond League Lausanne leg in Switzerland Thursday midnight, August 22 (Manila time). The world No. 3 pole vaulter from the Philippines competes in the 11-man field that includes back-to-back Olympic champ and world No. 1 Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, who established a new Olympic and world record of 6.25-meter clearance in Paris. World No. 2 and Silver medalist Sam Kendricks of the United States and bronze winner Emmanouil Karalis of Greece, who beat Obiena to the podium with one less attempt, are also in the tiff. The 28-year-old Obiena said he refused to be defined by his Paris Olympics stint, where he was expected to medal but could not do so. Obiena, whose season-best is 5.97-m clearance but managed to clear 5.90 m only in Paris, said what defines him is what he has done in his career, which includes being the first Asian to sail above 6.0 m, doing that career-best clearance twice. The pride of Tondo is also a three-time Southeast Asian Games champ and a one-time Asian Games titlist on top of being a two-time Asian Athletics Championships gold winner.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao thinks a video is belying official statements on the standoff between coast guards, while Tatad looks into the 2028 presidential elections.
Today's editorial says the Chinese aggression must have circumstances. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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