Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, June 20, 2021.
READ: Sotto in 'talks' with Pacquiao
SEN. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao's "friend and mentor" has joined the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) as speculation swirled on the fate of the boxing icon-turned-legislator with his current party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), amid a running feud with some of its officials. On Saturday, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Luis "Chavit" Singson, also a friend of Pacquiao, joined the NPC. Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd, NPC chairman, said Singson took his oath as a member before him in simple rites at the NPC Clubhouse in Quezon City. Singson's membership comes as Sotto also confirmed to The Manila Times that talks between him and Pacquiao have been ongoing but said in Filipino that what they have been discussing had nothing to do with party issues and that these were about "where the country was headed, how the country will be run in the future and whether they can solve its problems."
READ: Uniform protocols for those fully vaccinated
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government is considering uniform quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated inbound and local Filipinos. Galvez, who is also the National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer, said a technical working group was formulating a unified quarantine protocol for all vaccinated Filipinos. He said the matter would be discussed with experts from Israel's Ministry of Health due to arrive next week.
READ: PH envoy to Saudi Arabia sent to boost labor ties
President Rodrigo Duterte sent Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs (PAFA) Robert Borje to Saudi Arabia on Friday to advance labor relations and the welfare of Filipino workers in the Arab country. Borje, with Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola and Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary for Global Media and Public Affairs Jusan Vincent Arcena, will meet with officials of the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking. Meetings with officials of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate-General in Jeddah were also scheduled.
READ: Smuggled luxury vehicles crushed
Customs authorities over the weekend destroyed 21 illegally imported luxury vehicles in a media spectacle meant to drive home the message that the government is taking the anti-smuggling drive seriously. The vehicles - mostly highly aspirational sports cars with an estimated commercial value of at least P60 million - were crushed to bits by a backhoe as cameras clicked and rolled to capture the moment. Aside from putting up a show, officials said the move was meant to prevent the consignees or importers of the vehicles from redeeming them in a public auction, which they admit were usually rigged. Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero ordered the condemnation of the vehicles in compliance with President Duterte's directive, contained in Presidential Directive 2017-447, to send a strong message and warn smugglers to pay the correct duties and taxes of their importation. Imported motor vehicles, apart from payment of customs duties are subject to the imposition of excise tax, as provided for by revenue regulations of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The destruction was simultaneously done at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) compound in the Manila South Harbor and at the Port of Cagayan de Oro City. Of the 21 vehicles, seven were intercepted at the Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila and Port of Subic.
READ: PH foreign debt hits $97B at end-March
In business, the country's outstanding external obligations reached $97.04 billion as of the first quarter of this year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). In a statement, the central bank reported that the amount at the end of March was $1.4 billion, or 1.5 percent less than the $98.48 billion at the end of December 2020.
READ: Gilas eyes repeat win versus South Korea
Topping sports, the Gilas Pilipinas men's basketball team wrap up their campaign against South Korea at the Angeles University Foundation gym in Pampanga on Sunday afternoon. The Filipinos are already assured of a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup, a qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Cup, but Gilas head coach Tab Baldwin wants to develop more chemistry for the squad, and Sunday's rematch with South Korea is an ideal testing ground for the team.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Marlen Ronquillo is our front page columnist for today. He discusses the standings of Philippine universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Ranking.
Today's editorial believes the critics of the government's anti-drug campaign are silent on the "illicit" trade's impact. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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On behalf of The Manila Times, this is Aric John Sy Cua reporting. Have a safe and happy father's day.