Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, November 11, 2021.
READ: Sara to run for President
DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio dropped her reelection bid to run for president, Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente "Joey" Salceda said on Wednesday. Salceda said that a vice presidential run is not an option for Duterte-Carpio amid speculations that she might team up with former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. The mayor's move stoked speculations she may run for a national post next. It also stirred talks that she may run alongside Marcos, chairman of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. For this to be possible, Duterte-Carpio has to be a sworn member of a national party she wants to substitute for. Duterte-Carpio heads the regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, which has not endorsed a presidential candidate. Salceda said Duterte-Carpio may likely run under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, the political party of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The former was supposedly instrumental to Arroyo's speakership in 2018. The lawmaker claimed that the mayor wanted to run for president all along but her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, got in the way. She has kept her distance from her father's party, the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
READ: More organizations support Marcos
AT least 25 cause-oriented organizations have formed an alliance to support the candidacy of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. The Progressive Alliance for BBM (Bongbong Marcos) recently visited Marcos' campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City and submitted a manifesto to express its support. The alliance represents various sectors such as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), seafarers, barangay (village) youth, Christian churches, Marcos family loyalists and health care workers. The group submitted to Marcos 'wife, Louise Araneta-Marcos, a manifesto signifying its support to the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer.
READ: Go slow on Alert Level 1, health expert warns
THE president of the country's largest group of internal medicine practitioners cautioned the government against the hasty easing of restrictions, warning that downgrading the status toAlert Level 1 could trigger another Covid-19 surge. Health Secretary FranciscoDuque 3rd on Tuesday said that placing Metro Manila under Alert Level 1 is possible if cases will continue to go down. But Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) President Dr. Maria Encarnita Limpin warned that bringing down the alert level once cases hit below 1,000 a day would be "too fast."
REGIONS: Senate to probe Beneco-NEA standoff
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a resolution calling for a full-blown inquiry into the management standoff between Benguet Electric Cooperative Inc. (Beneco) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA). Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, noted that while reports showed that regular services of the electric cooperatives, which had been interrupted by the forcible takeover by NEA-appointed officials last October 18 to 20, has resumed, there is yet to be a final resolution on the issue between Beneco and NEA. He found out that Beneco is having difficulties in processing bank transactions as some accredited banks do not acknowledge the signature of Engr. Melchor S. Licoben as Beneco's general manager (GM).
BUSINESS: Fitch upgrades 2021 PH growth projection
Over to business, Fitch Solutions sees a better growth outlook for the Philippines this year following the better-than-expected third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) expansion. In a report released on Wednesday, Fitch Solutions said it is now projecting the economy to grow by4.5 percent this year, up from its earlier 4.2 percent forecast.Fitch Solutions' latest forecast is within the government's 4- to 5-percent target for the year.
SPORTS: Cone: Return of fans can give Ginebra boost
In sports, despite starting the 2021 season as a heavy favorite after winning the PBA Philippine Cup last year, Barangay Ginebra was one of the teams ushered to the exit door early in this year's Philippine Cup. Multi-titled coach Tim Cone believes the team lacked energy. The team lacked energy not only coming from its roster but from its "Sixth Man" — the die-hard Ginebra crowd. From the bench, the added energy will come from Sidney Onwubere, an up and coming forward picked up by the Gin Kings in a trade with Art dela Cruz. An added motivation for the Gin Kings is the impending return of the fans to watch live games and Ginebra, being the league's most popular team, is always driven by its rabid supporters, who would troop to the venue to cheer the Gin Kings with no end. So, when the Philippine Basketball Association announced its plan of bringing the crowd back to the venue, the winningest coach in league history was so excited with his new development.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Rep. Edcel Lagman are today's front page columnists. Contreras claims that pink is a color of libel, Makabenta gives a "realist's" view of the climate situation, and Rep. Lagman reminds readers that failure to file income tax returns amounts to tax evasion.
Today's editorial discusses a new climate agreement the Philippines signed at the recent COP26 climate summit. 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 Christian Crow Maghanoy reporting.