Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, September 26, 2021.
Opposition pushes 'unity talks' for 2022
THREE of the presidential candidates are in "unity talks" for a single opposition slate in the 2022 elections. Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo met with the 1Sambayan. Carpio had said that Pacquiao was one of the candidates 1Sambayan was considering for its ticket. The boxing icon had announced his plan to run for president under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction of Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel 3rd. The group under Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi had endorsed Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go for president and President Rodrigo Duterte for vice president. The intra-party dispute has been raised before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to determine which faction was legitimate. Pacquiao, in Filipino, said he was open to talks, especially if the goal was unity and for the good of the country. Pacquiao said he believed that the minds of the country's leaders should prioritize the "welfare of the Filipinos over their personal interests." Aside from Pacquiao, 1Sambayan had also spoken with Domagoso, who said on Friday that he would not slide down as vice president. Domagoso's running mate is Dr. Willie Ong. Domagoso and Ong are running under Aksyon Demokratiko.
Pandemic cost Filipinos P41.4T – NEDA
THE estimated long-run total cost of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and quarantines for current and future generations of Filipinos is estimated at P41.4 trillion, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said in a NEDA statement released on Saturday that the agency has been evaluating the overall cost of Covid-19 and the quarantines for the past six months with support from development partners and affiliated agencies.
DoH: Health workers' face shields safe
THE Department of Health (DoH) neither confirmed nor denied an admission by an official of the Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. that the face shields that were purchased from the firm by the government as part of its response against the Covid-19 pandemic had "altered" expiry dates. When sought for a reaction, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a Laging Handa briefing on Saturday that it would wait for the results of an ongoing congressional investigation. Krizle Mago, a Pharmally executive, told the Senate blue ribbon committee on Friday that the company had "tampered" with the expiry dates on the face shields that were delivered to the DoH. An unidentified witness, in a video testimony, presented by Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" Hontiveros in the same hearing, claimed that the face shields that were delivered to the government were "crumpled, dirty and not in good shape" but were repacked, with a sticker attached to certify that it is the property of the government. Keeping mum on the query about the altered expiry dates, Vergeire said the face shields that were procured by the government were for its health workers and were "medical-grade" and had "shelf life." Speaking in Filipino, Vergeire admitted that parts of the face shield may deteriorate over time like the hardening, pulverization or discoloration of the foam lining on the upper area of the face shield. Without mentioning whether the DoH received substandard equipment from Pharmally, Vergeire said it was imperative that these conform to the standards the government has set to protect health care workers.
Isko grants amnesty to Manila's erring drivers
MANILA Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and the Manila City Council approved the grant of amnesty to thousands of public and private transport drivers who have incurred huge amounts of penalties for repeated traffic violations. In a virtual briefing on Saturday with members of the Manila City Hall Reporters' Association, or Machra, Domagoso, who is seeking the presidency in the upcoming 2022 elections, disclosed that some of the violators have accumulated penalties amounting to as much as P600,000 to P800,000. Moreno said the amnesty was meant to provide relief to drivers, particularly public transport drivers trying hard to make both ends meet because of the dire economic situation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the amnesty, violators will have to pay for their first violation and need not worry anymore about the accompanying penalties, interests and surcharges. The move, Moreno said, was in response to the appeal of transport operators after some of their erring drivers accumulated penalties beyond their capacity to pay.
Govt ensures 100% Covid jabs for tourism sector
THE government will ensure the vaccination of 100 percent of the country's tourism sector workers against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) by the end of the year, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said. In his speech during the ceremonial vaccination of tourism workers in Mandaue City, Cebu on Friday, Galvez said this ongoing inoculation will pave the way for the recovery of the industry by increasing the related establishments' operational capacity.
All systems go for P97-B Pasig River expressway
IT'S all systems go for the construction of the P97-billion Pasig River Expressway (Parex) project, the country's first ever green, hybrid expressway, according to project proponent San Miguel Corp. (SMC). SMC President Ramon Ang, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Public Works and Highways Undersecretary for Planning and PPP Service Maria Catalina Cabral led the groundbreaking rites held over the weekend along the Pasig River in Pandacan, Manila. The 19.37-kilometer elevated six-lane road project will run along the banks of the Pasig River, from Radial Road 10 in Manila to C-6 Road or the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway in Taguig. The elevated road network will interconnect with the existing Skyways, which in the process will link the north, south, east and west corridors of Metro Manila thereby easing traffic congestion throughout the metropolis.
A CADET of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) died on Thursday after being allegedly punched a number of times by his upperclassmen. The Special Task Group-Magsayo, led by PNPA Chief of Staff and Executive Director Col. Ernesto Tendero Jr., identified the victim as Cadet Third Class (Cdt. 3C) George Carl Magsayo, 21, from Pagadian City. Initial investigation revealed that the incident transpired at about 5:40 p.m. on September 23 when Magsayo and his companion went to the room of the suspect, identified as Cadet Second Class Steve Ceasar Maingat. The suspect cautioned both the victim and his companion, but a few moments after, he allegedly punched the victim five times in the stomach. Magsayo lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival at 6:43 p.m.
Energy stakeholders bare plans to boost RE
In business, energy industry stakeholders in an online forum laid out plans and strategies to boost renewable energy (RE) development in the country and help reach the government's 35 percent RE target by 2030. Speaking at the 4th Renewable Energy Congress on Saturday, Energy Undersecretary Emmanuel Juaneza presented the several initiatives of the Department of Energy (DOE) to achieve its RE targets. In February this year, the DoE renewed its RE targets in its National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), which sets the target of at least 35 percent renewable enegy share in the power generation mix by 2030 and works to drive the energy share to greater than 50 percent by 2040, intended for the country's indigenous resources to dominate the Philippines' energy generation mix. The government's RE development targets are ranging from 44,000MW to 71,000MW through years 2030 and 2040.
NorthPort takes on favored San Miguel
Topping sports, four teams begin their best-of-three quarterfinal series today, September 26, as NorthPort returns to the playoffs after getting eliminated early in last year's bubble tournament. The Batang Pier ended up fifth in the elimination round in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup, tied with Rain or Shine with the same 6-5 win-loss record. The Batang Pier, however, earned the higher seeding by virtue of the win-over-the-other rule against the Elasto Painters. In the opening round of the playoffs, NorthPort faces a San Miguel Beermen team eager to return to glory. Prior to last year's triumph of Barangay Ginebra in the Philippine Cup, San Miguel Beer had claimed the All-Filipino championship for five consecutive seasons. But the Beermen will have their hands full against an up-and-com- ing Batang Pier in Sunday's game, which begins at 6 p.m. at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga. NorthPort has been one of the busiest teams in the off season, and one of its biggest acquisitions was seven-foot center Greg Slaughter.
Today's front page columnist is Marlen Ronquillo. He believes the government does not tax the super-rich.
Our editorial today believes the Philippine economy could afford to reopen more now. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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For The Manila Times, this is Paulo Dimaapi.