Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Thursday, January 30, 2025.

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READ: Marcos pushes delay of BARMM elections

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent a measure seeking to postpone the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Malacañang confirmed on Wednesday. Both chambers of Congress recently approved their respective versions of the postponement proposal. The House of Representatives approved House Bill (HB) 11144, which would move the first regular election in BARMM to the second Monday of May 2026 and every three years thereafter. Meanwhile, the Senate has approved on second reading a bill that would reschedule the BARMM parliamentary elections from this May to October.

READ: Learn US immigration law, envoys urged

THE Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in San Francisco raised the need to equip Philippine missions in the United States with knowledge on how to assist Filipinos who would be affected by US President Donald Trump's order to deport illegal migrants. The PCG in San Francisco held a hybrid learning forum titled "2025 Critical Updates in US Immigration Law" on Jan. 23 at the Philippine Center in San Francisco. The event was attended by all PCG personnel, including representatives from attached agencies, and was joined by 30 participants from other Philippine foreign service posts across the US.The Philippines has six other PCG in the US: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Honolulu (Hawaii) and Houston.

READ: Troops to train on US missile system

THE Philippines and the US Army will focus on the usage of the payload delivery system of the Typhon mid-range capability (MRC) missile when both countries resume drills next month, Philippine Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said in a briefing Tuesday. He said the Army Artillery Regiment and US Army Pacific (Usarpac) will highlight Typhon's payload system during the Philippine Army's combined arms training exercise scheduled in February. A payload delivery system is a device that transports and releases a payload, such as a package or other item. Payload delivery systems can be used by drones, robots, or rockets. Dema-ala said the second iteration would build on what the Army Artillery Regiment learned in the first round of expert exchanges.

READ: Education Pathways Act gets nod

THE House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposed Education Pathways Act. House Bill 11213, the measure, hurdled third and final reading with 200 lawmakers voting for its passage. Three voted in the negative. None abstained. The bill mandates that upon completing Junior High School, students will choose between two education pathways: the University Preparatory Program under the Department of Education (DepEd) or the Technical-Vocational Program under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda). Upon completion of the full technical-vocational program, the learner "may enroll in colleges or universities and avail of the ladderized education program for educational advancement, the bill adds.

READ: DA aims for food security emergency approval this week

AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he aims to secure approval for the declaration of a national food security emergency from the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) this week. The declaration of a national food security emergency would allow the Department of Agriculture (DA) to distribute rice buffer stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA) to government agencies and local government units (LGUs) in an attempt to stabilize rice prices across the country. The decision to propose a food security emergency came after persistently high prices of rice in various areas of the country despite global price reductions and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order to lower rice tariffs from 35 percent to 15 percent last year. NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said the agency intends to release 150,000 metric tons (MT) or 3 million 50-kilogram bags of rice over six months, setting areas with high rice prices as a priority in the program.

BUSINESS: BSP expects to keep lowering interest rates

Headlining business, monetary authorities have scope for continued policy easing amid firm but subdued economic growth, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said. The economy is expected to have grown below the 6.0- to 6.5-percent target last year following the lower-than-expected 5.2 percent in the third quarter, but then pick up to near the lower end of the 6.0- to 8.0-percent goal for 2025 and 2026. Preliminary fourth quarter and 2024 growth data is scheduled to be released today by the Philippine Statistics Authority and analysts polled by The Manila Times expect a 5.8-percent average for the year. As for growth moving forward, the BSP said that lower oil prices, monetary policy easing, and a reduction in bank reserve requirements will support the domestic economy, but demand will stay subdued.

SPORTS: Yulo brothers eye historic Olympic bid together in LA

Over to sports, Yulo brothers Carlos and Eldrew are excited about the idea of both of them making it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The gymnastic brothers were reunited at the 2024 Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at the Manila Hotel's grand ballroom on Monday. Carlos, or "Caloy", hopes that they don't just make the LA Games together but both of them make a podium finish, too. Meanwhile, Eldrew said he's going to work hard to realize that dream of him and his kuya making the Olympics together.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Antonio Contreras and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about the issues on nuisance candidates, while Remoto recalls this year's Sinulog Festival.

Today's editorial looks into encouraging the private sector's participation in the country's development. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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