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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
Senators adopted a resolution urging the Department of Transportation to immediately suspend the implementation of cashless transactions on tollways amid mounting complaints from motorists against the radio-frequency identification or RFID system.
Read: DoTr urged to suspend cashless toll transactions
Various groups on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to stop the construction of an airport in Bulacan, saying pushing through with the project would violate environmental laws.
Read: High Court asked to stop Bulacan airport
The Commission on Elections has started consultative meetings with election system providers as part of preparations for the 2022 national and local polls.
Read: Comelec meets with poll system providers
President Rodrigo Duterte will likely sign the 2021 budget bill before Christmas, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Tuesday.
Read: Duterte to sign budget bill before Christmas – Palace
Malacanang described as “legally erroneous” the claim of the International Criminal Court prosecutor that there is reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity were committed during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Read: Palace blasts ICC report on drug war
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has allowed provincial buses to ply point-to-point routes in the National Capital Region.
Read: IATF allows athletes to resume training
In world news, the United States kicked off a mass vaccination drive on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), hoping to turn the tide on the world’s biggest Covid-19 outbreak as the nation’s death toll passed a staggering 300,000. Nestled among the mountains in southwest China, the world’s largest radio telescope signals Beijing’s ambitions as a global center for scientific research.
Read: US Covid deaths pass 300,000
In business, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas foreign-exchange operations and income from its investments abroad raised the country’s gross international reserves to another all-time high of $104.51 billion as of end-November.
Read: Forex reserves surpass $104B in November
And in sports, the Philippine national poomsae team hauled medals in the conclusion of the month-long 2020 Online World Teakwondo Poomsae Championships on Monday night.
Read: Pinoy jins haul 4 medals in World Taekwondo Poomsae tilt
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times. Tiglao offers kudos to Gatchalian but boos Salim. Aquino brings up the topic of impeachment again.
Read: Kudos to Gatchalian, boos to Salim
Read: Talking impeachment again!
In The Times editorial, Baguio’s unwise campaign versus media and small entrepreneurs is called out. Find out the bottom line.
Read: Baguio’s unwise campaign vs media and small entrepreneurs
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With Aric John Sy Cua, this is Dafort Villaseran reporting. Have better days ahead!