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Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, November 29, 2021.
READ: World scrambles to stop Omicron
SEVERAL European nations on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) announced their first cases of a highly infectious new coronavirus strain, as governments worldwide began pulling down the shutters to contain the new Omicron variant. Britain, Germany and Italy confirmed their first cases of the new Covid-19 strain, while Dutch authorities quarantined 61 passengers from South Africa who tested positive for Covid-19. South Africa complained it was being punished with air travel bans for having first detected the strain, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has termed a "variant of concern."
READ: Govt prepares to fight new variant
Here in the Philippines, the government has started to build up the country's defenses against the threat of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, expanding the list of countries and other areas where the variant has been detected or where infections have dramatically risen. The country's "red list" of places that are high-risk for Covid-19 now covers South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy. Foreigners travelling from those places will not be allowed into the country, regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated or not, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) said. The ban will last until December 15.
READ: Pharmally execs transferred to Pasay jail
SENATE President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd has ordered the transfer of two Pharmally Pharmaceutical Company executives to Pasay City jail on Monday, November 29. Sotto granted the request of the Senate blue ribbon committee to transfer Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong for their alleged refusal to cooperate with the probe on the overpriced medical supplies. The Office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) earlier recommended the duo's transfer for refusing to turn over financial documents needed in the probe on overpriced medical supplies. OSAA chief Rene Samonte recommended to Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon the transfer of Dargani and Ong. Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, conducted 15 virtual hearings on the involvement of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Company in supplying overpriced masks and face shields to public health care workers.
READ: Go rejects China's demand to remove Ayungin ship
SEN. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go has described as "unacceptable" China's demand for the Philippines to remove the grounded BRP Sierra Madre ship in Ayungin Shoal. The Philippine military in 1999 deliberately ran the World War 2-era vessel aground on the shoal to bolster the country's territorial claim and create an outpost for a small force of Filipino soldiers. The government maintained that Ayungin Shoal is within the country's exclusive economic zone. Go in a statement on Sunday reiterated the need for Beijing to respect the rule of law.
BUSINESS: Govt financing falls in Oct
Over to business, the national government's gross borrowings fell to P145 billion in October, bringing the year-to-date total to P2.74 trillion, according to data from the Bureau of Treasury (BTr). Actual gross financing in the first 10 months of 2021 was P145.78 billion, up from P663.21 billion a year earlier. The government borrowed a total of P2.74 trillion in January to October 2021. External borrowings reached P518.71 trillion, compared to P2.22 trillion in local funding. Based on the latest Department of Budget and Management Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing for fiscal year 2021, the national government has set a revised gross borrowing program of P3.07 trillion for this year. This is higher than the adjusted gross financing of P2.65 trillion in 2020.
SPORTS: McDaniels motivated to reinforce Road Warriors
In sports, back for another tour of duty, K.J. McDaniels is out to resume unfinished business when he reinforces the NLEX Road Warriors this time. The former NBA player had an impressive showing while playing for the TNT Tropang Giga in the 2019 PBA Governors' Cup, his first ever overseas tournament. He averaged 37.09 points, 13.91 rebounds and 3.45 blocks per game during the elimination round. But McDaniels and the Tropang Giga fell short as they were defeated by the Allen Durham-led Meralco Bolts in five games of their best-offive semifinals series. Now given an opportunity to make his PBA return, McDaniels is determined to help out his new team for another playoff push.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today's front page columnists. Tiglao shares another chapter from his upcoming book, while Fr. Aquino discusses the new Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Today's editorial calls for the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership by the end of the year to avoid economic opportunity losses. 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.