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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, March 31, 2021.
READ: More areas placed under quarantine
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed Quirino province and Santiago City in Isabela province under modified enhanced community quarantine.
READ: Govt releases P22.9-B aid for families in ECQ areas
The Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday released to the Bureau of the Treasury the Special Allotment Release Order and corresponding Notices of Cash Allocation, amounting to P22.9 billion, which will be used as financial assistance to those under enhanced community quarantine or ECQ.
READ: Private sector allowed to procure vaccines
The President has allowed the private sector to import Covid-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, in other news…
READ: OPM icon Claire de la Fuente bows out
Veteran singer Claire de la Fuente passed away on Tuesday. She was 63.
READ: Hospitals forced to turn away patients
Hospitals in Metro Manila continue to grapple with the surge in Covid-19 cases with some forced to turn away patients seeking medical treatment in overflowing emergency rooms, according to the head of the country’s largest private hospital group.
READ: Govt OKs 30K more tests in NCR Plus
The government is ramping up Covid-19 testing in the country, allowing the conduct of 30,000 more rapid antigen tests per day, testing czar Vivencio Dizon said on Tuesday in the wake of an exponential surge in infection.
READ: Unemployment rate hits 8.8% in February
The number of unemployed individuals rose by 234,000 in February this year, a survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
READ: 4 dead in QC kidnap rescue operation
Four suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate were killed in an alleged shootout that erupted in the rescue of two kidnap victims in Balara, Quezon City early on Tuesday.
In regional news,
READ: Taal emits tons of volcanic gas
After slowing down in the past two days, Taal has returned to its increased unrest after recording almost 100 volcanic earthquakes and over 1,000 tons of gas emitted in the past 24 hours.
In world news,
READ: Hundreds of economists seek drastic climate action
The cost of global warming will far outweigh the cost of rapidly cutting greenhouse gas emissions, more than 700 economists from around the world said on Tuesday in an unprecedented call to climate action.
In business,
READ: Govt yields $500M in ‘samurai’ bonds
The government returned to the Japanese market on Tuesday by raising 55 billion yen or $500 million or about P24.23 billion worth of “samurai” bonds.
And in sports,
READ: Curry returns with 32 as Warriors tame Bulls
Stephen Curry made a triumphant return from a five-game absence with a bruised tailbone to score 32 points with six 3-pointers, and the Golden State Warriors snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Chicago Bulls 116-102 on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.
Tiglao warns that the
READ: Nation’s fate this decade rests with virus and IATF
Fr. Aquino questions
READ: Why the cross?
In The Times editorial, it is shared that
READ: Bangsamoro’s anniversary viewed with hope, concern
Read all about it.
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With Aric John Sy Cua, this is Dafort Villaseran reporting. Have a great week!