Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, November 8, 2021.
READ: Case vs BBM will collapse – law dean
THE dean of law at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) believes the attempt to disqualify former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. from running in the 2022 presidential elections will "fail" for lack of merit. A group of political detainees, human rights and medical organizations petitioned the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on November 2 to cancel Marcos' certificate of candidacy (CoC). The petitioners claimed that Marcos, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer, cannot run for any public office after the Quezon City Regional Trial Court convicted him in a 1995 tax evasion case. But as far as Nilo Divina, UST law dean, is concerned, the petition "is bound to collapse once evaluated by the Comelec." Divina said in a statement on Sunday the petition "appears to be defective in form and offers insufficient legal basis to obtain its desired judgment."
READ: Ease travel rules for Filipinos – Concepcion
PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd has renewed his call on the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to ease pandemic restrictions on Filipino travelers from North America so they could reunite with their loved ones during the Christmas season. Concepcion is asking that the United States and Canada — two of the major destinations for Filipinos for leisure, business, and employment — be moved from the list of countries with the "Yellow" classification to the "Green" list. Filipino travelers or balikbayans arriving from "Yellow" areas must go through mandatory quarantine and swab testing for Covid-19 at a government-approved facility. Fully vaccinated balikbayans arriving from countries, territories, and jurisdictions in the Green list are exempted from quarantine. The drawn-out arrival process is the main reason why many overseas Filipinos forgo their plans of making the trip back to the homeland, he said. Concepcion proposed that travelers from North America be tested before boarding, and then tested again at home or at a quarantine hotel on arrival in the Philippines.
READ: Drilon rejects no jab, no subsidy proposal
SENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday opposed the "no vaccination, no subsidy" proposal for the 4.4 million beneficiaries of 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). Drilon on Sunday described the proposal of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as "absolutely unacceptable, inhuman and callous." DILG spokesman Jonathan Malaya said in a radio interview on Saturday the department presented the proposal to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Drilon agreed with Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo that the government should offer incentives to get people vaccinated, not punish them.
READ: Corruption cause of poverty – Atienza
BUHAY party-list Rep. Jose "Lito" Atienza believes that Filipinos will have a better life if corruption is stopped. Atienza shared the program of government of Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao during the "Meet the Vice Presidentiables: Economic Reforms in the New Frontier" forum organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines in cooperation with the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., The Manila Times and other partner media organizations. Atienza is the running mate of Pacquiao. Atienza said he heard Pacquiao saying that corruption must be removed once and for all. He shared the senator's belief that corruption is the greatest destroyer of good government. Corruption is the cause of poverty, Atienza said. He said corruption will persist as long as leaders do not perform their tasks mandated by the Constitution. Under Section 27, Article 2 under the principles and policies, the government should push honesty and integrity in public service and curb graft and corruption.
READ: Ongpin appeals DoJ's ruling
JULIAN Ongpin, son of former Trade minister and businessman Roberto Ongpin, has asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to junk the drug case filed against him before a court in La Union, insisting that he is innocent for the death of artist Bree Jonson. In a 32-page petition for review filed before the office of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Nov. 3, 2021, Ongpin claimed that the panel of prosecutors had no evidence to support its findings that he was in possession of illegal drugs (cocaine) after he was indicted for violation of Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Republic Act 9165 or "Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002."
REGIONS: Nationwide caravans back Bong Go VP run
Hundreds of supporters from the province of Lanao del Norte joined nationwide simultaneous caravans on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 to show support for the candidacy of Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go for vice president in the 2022 elections, according to the provincial Public Information Office. Sporting red and blue, more than 100 vehicles and bikers joined the local parade, which started at 8 a.m. in Sultan Naga Dimaporo and made its way to the municipality of Linamon. The supporters were led by Sittie Aminah Quibranza-Dimaporo, candidate for Second District representative in next year's polls, and her sister, former congresswoman Fatima Aliah Quibranza Dimaporo. All mayors under the ruling party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), also joined the caravan but ensured that standard health protocols were observed to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
BUSINESS: Quick economic recovery possible
Over to business, maintaining sound fundamentals would allow the country to recover quickly as it eases the lockdowns imposed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Department of Finance (DoF). The Finance department said the current account deficit in the balance of payments moved to $1.2 billion, or 0.7 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), in the first six months of the year as both imports and exports increased by 23.0 and 10.3 percent, respectively. It went on to say that "double digit growth indicates strong economic recovery." The DoF explained that the current account balance is the difference between exports and imports of goods and services, as well as overseas incomes and payments, and that it is the counterpart of the investment-saving gap, which credit rating agencies regularly monitor.
SPORTS: McDaniels to do 'Superman' job for depleted NLEX
In sports, the NLEX Road Warriors had started living life without Kiefer Ravena midway the elimination round of the recent PBA Philippine Cup and will continue to miss their top gunner and playmaker the rest of the season. NLEX's situation has become a lot more challenging as not only it will miss Ravena, but is likely to play the first few games without big men Raul Soyud and Kris Porter. Road Warriors general manager and head coach Yeng Guiao confirmed this to The Manila Times.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today's front page columnists. Tiglao sarcastically gives his reasons for disqualifying the presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., while Fr. Aquino discusses members of the Catholic clergy selecting their choices for next year's elections.
Today's editorial believes the government's mining industry promises need scrutinizing. 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 week ahead.