Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
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READ: POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, an energetic reformer who inspired widespread devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists, died on Monday aged 88. The Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, spent 38 days being treated for double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli hospital before seeming to recover and leaving the facility on March 23. His death came just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance on the balcony at Saint Peter's Basilica.
READ: VP SARA'S ENDORSEMENT OF IMEE, VILLAR SCORED
VICE President Sara Duterte's endorsement of Sen. Imee Marcos and Rep. Camille Villar drew criticism Monday, including from a member of the original "Duter10" slate of senatorial candidates under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP). Marcos and Villar were both originally included in the administration's Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate. Senator Marcos officially broke from the administration alliance, but the Alyansa campaign manager said Villar is still part of the slate, despite Duterte's endorsement.
READ: Nora Aunor state funeral rites held today
NATIONAL Artist for Film and Broadcast Nora Aunor will be honored with a state necrological service on Tuesday, April 22. Hosted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the ceremony will take place at the Metropolitan Theater (The Met) in Manila. Traditionally held at the CCP, the venue was moved due to the center's ongoing renovations. In a press statement, CCP detailed that arrival honors will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by a tribute program at 9 a.m. The state funeral rites will continue at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.
READ: War games simulate 'full-scale battle'
THE Philippine and US militaries on Monday kicked off three weeks of joint exercises that will simulate a "full-scale battle scenario," as the two allies seek to deter to Beijing's ambitions in the disputed South China Sea. Around 17,000 troops are expected to take part in the annual "Balikatan," or "shoulder to shoulder" drills, which for the first time will include an integrated air and missile defense simulation to be attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Sophisticated US weapons including the "highly mobile" NMESIS anti-ship missile system will also be deployed, including near a crucial chokepoint in the waters separating the northern Philippines from self-ruled Taiwan.
BUSINESS: BOP swings to deficit in March
THE country's balance of payments (BOP) swung into a deficit in March, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Monday, reversing from surpluses posted a month and a year earlier. The $2.0-billion shortfall was a turnabout from February's $3.1-billion surplus — the first in four months — and March 2024's $1.2 billion. The result was due to the "national government's (NG) drawdowns on its foreign currency deposits with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to meet its external debt obligations, as well as the BSP's net foreign exchange operations," the central bank said in a statement
SPORTS: Eala-Swiatek rematch looms in Madrid Open
A POTENTIAL rematch against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland awaits Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala at the Mutua Madrid Open in Spain. Ranked 72nd in the world, Eala begins her campaign against No. 64 Vikotoriya Tomova of Bulgaria on Tuesday at 5 p.m. (Manila time). Should Eala beat Tomova in their round of 128 match, she will advance to the round of 64 where Swiatek is waiting.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists. Contreras discusses the danger of measuring ethics by popularity. Mercado talks about political dynasties and entertainers in the Senate. Aquino talks about the death of Pope Francis.
Today's editorial is about actress and National Artist Nora Aunor as a cultural heroine.
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