Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Thursday, February 13, 2025.
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READ: NBI files charges vs VP Sara
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday filed grave threats and inciting to sedition charges against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Department of Justice (DOJ). In a press briefing, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the cases were filed in connection with Duterte's previous remarks that she hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if the supposed assassination plot against her were to succeed. Santiago said the recommendation for the filing of the case came after a thorough evaluation, even as Duterte skipped two invitations from the NBI to attend the investigation in November and December last year. Duterte said she expected the NBI to recommend the filing of charges.
READ: Naval, air exercises held in PH waters
NAVAL and air units of the Philippines, Canada and the United States are conducting the 7th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In a statement Wednesday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the participants are demonstrating their "collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific." These exercises are expected to boost the cooperation and interoperability of participating naval and air units, he said.
READ: Govt-private sector ties key to change – FL
FIRST lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Wednesday said cooperation between the government and the private sector is key in achieving "change that is sustainable, meaningful and inclusive." Speaking before global leaders at the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai, she said the Philippines has stepped up its participation in the WGS as part of the directive of her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., "to encourage all Filipinos to work together for a new Philippines".
READ: Alyansa bets bare bills they will file
Should they land a Senate seat in May, senatorial candidates of the administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas vowed to push several measures, including a bill seeking to strip government officials and employees of bank secrecy protection. During a press briefing on Tuesday in Laoag City, the Alyansa bets enumerated the first bill they would file should they win the Senate race. Former senator Panfilo Lacson said he would refile a measure that would require all public officials, from low-ranking employees to the highest office in the land, to waive their rights under the Bank Secrecy Act. Former Senate president Tito Sotto said he would propose bills that would restrict "fake news" and institutionalize a 14th month pay for all employees. Makati Mayor Abby Binay said that she would push for tax exemption for the 13th month pay— and if Sotto's bill would be approved — for 14th month incentives. Former interior secretary Benhur Abalos said he would suggest amendments to the Local Government Code of 1991, as there are some local government units that could not afford to build schools or hospitals without support from the national government. Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino said he would file a measure aiming to remove the 12 percent value-added tax on electricity and internet services to ease the financial burdens on Filipino households and businesses, while former senator Manny Pacquiao said he would push for a bill boosting micro, small and medium enterprises to generate jobs. Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar said she would push for a bill strengthening industries that generate jobs like construction, infrastructure and tourism industries, while ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo said he would file a measure mandating PhilHealth to pay 50 percent of every hospital bill and a bill providing sustainable livelihood programs. In the same press conference, four administration senatorial candidates aired similar opinions on asserting sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea. Tolentino said he joined the administration's alliance because he believed that the right approach to addressing the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea was through multilateral and not bilateral efforts.
READ: Country's biggest book festival back in March
THE country's largest all-Filipino book festival is set to return bigger and more vibrant than ever. Now in its third year, the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) will take place from March 13 to 16, 2025, at the Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. Organized by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the four-day festival promises an immersive literary experience filled with thousands of books, activities and a celebration of Philippine culture and heritage. PBF 2025 continues its mission to create a thriving marketplace for Philippine books, where families, educators, creatives, and book lovers can explore a vast selection of literature and educational materials. Since its inception in 2023, the festival has drawn over 75,000 visitors and generated more than P925 million in sales, proving its significance as a crucial platform for the country's publishing industry. NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade emphasized the festival's role in addressing the long-standing challenge of book accessibility in the Philippines.
BUSINESS: Peso seen plunging to P63:$1
Topping business, global uncertainties, particularly with regard to US trade and fiscal policies, could pull the peso to new all-time lows this year, Maybank Research said. In a Feb. 9 outlook on currency movements in the region, the research unit of the Maybank Group said the peso could hit a fresh record low of 60 pesos to the dollar in the first quarter of 2025, plunge past that to 63 pesos to $1 in April-June, and then settle at 61 pesos versus the greenback for the rest of the year.
SPORTS: Titans eye 5th straight win vs Chameleons
Over to sports, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans eyes their fifth straight win as they face the Nxled Chameleons in the Philippine Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig today. Choco Mucho and Nxled collide at 4 p.m. to kick-start a double-header that also features the battle between the Cignal HD Spikers and the Zus Thunderbelles at 6:30 p.m. The Flying Titans claimed their fourth straight win on Feb. 8 after taking down the Akari Chargers, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 25-15. Sporting a 6-3 record, fifth best in the league, Choco Mucho seeks to ride its winning momentum and further improve its placing heading to the knockout phase, which succeeds an 11-game seeding round.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras talks about freedom of speech, Makabenta thinks this is the banner year for Charter reform, while Remoto ends his commentary of Europe during the end of World War II.
Today's editorial discusses the tariffs of US President Donald Trump. Read more on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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