Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
READ: PH still Omicron-free
THE Philippines continues to remain free of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the Department of Health (DoH) reported on Monday. Most of the cases sequenced yielded primarily the highly infectious Delta variant, the DoH said. Out of the 629 samples, nearly 91 percent, or 571 samples, turned up the Delta variant, while one sample each had the Beta and Alpha variants. Of the 253 individuals who arrived in the Philippines from South Africa from November 15 to 29, before the African country was red-listed as high risk for Covid, 80 had been located. Four of them, three foreigners and a Filipino, are in Negros Occidental. They have been re-tested and found negative for Covid-19. The remaining 76 are yet to be re-tested, the Health department said. Only eight out of the 253 other arrivals have not been located while another batch of 165 arrivals from South Africa are being verified. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that of the 80 who had been located, 71 are in facility quarantine, four are in home quarantine and five have been discharged after completing the quarantine period. The samples from other individuals who arrived during the week of November 15 to 29 who tested positive for Covid-19 have been sent to the Philippine Genome Center, with the results expected today, December 7, or Wednesday, December 8. Vergeire said the studies on the transmissibility of Omicron are still ongoing, so it is difficult to compare the variant with other variants of concern.
READ: PH safest place to enjoy Christmas — Concepcion
DESPITE the looming threat of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the Philippines is still one of the safest countries to visit, especially during the holiday season, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd said on Monday. With the daily case average among the lowest in the world and most indicators showing that the Philippines is not likely to experience another surge in cases this year, Concepcion believes the country is one of the most ideal places to spend the holidays, especially for Filipinos based abroad.
READ: Asean countries should unite on South China Sea — Alunan
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) should serve as a "fulcrum" and band together in preventing the United States and China to carry out their unilateral agenda in the South China Sea (SCS), former Interior secretary Rafael "Raffy" Alunan 3rd said on Monday. The chairman of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR) made the remark during a roundtable interview with The Manila Times led by its chairman Dante Francis "Klink" Ang 2nd. Retired colonel Alejandro Flores, lawyer Rafael Morales and retired general Eduardo Adan, PCFR president, corporate secretary and trustee, respectively, also shared their views on the security and economic issues linked to the conflicting claims in the SCS or West Philippine Sea. Alunan said the problem in the SCS is mainly about "great power rivalry" between Washington and Beijing.
READ: In-person classes open in NCR
TWENTY-EIGHT schools in Metro Manila welcomed back students on Monday for in-person classes after almost two years of distance learning. The schools joined the 118 other public and private schools that began in-person classes last November. Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Malcolm Garma visited the Pasig Elementary School in Pasig City to observe Grade 1 and 2 classes. He reminded the students to always wear masks while classes are ongoing. Garma was joined by Pasig Mayor Victor Ma. Regis "Vico" Sotto, who assured that the pilot schools in the city are properly ventilated. The local government also provided learners with a cloth mask to use on top of their disposable masks as an additional layer of protection against the virus. The students also have to disinfect their hands and have their temperature checked before they enter their classrooms. With only two weeks left before the Christmas break that starts December 20, Garma said pilot schools in Metro Manila have to submit their assessment of in-person classes.
READ: Isko offers to adopt Duterte
MANILA Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso on Monday threw his support behind the senatorial candidacy of President Rodrigo Duterte and offered to adopt him as his party's fourth bet for the Senate. During a "listening tour" in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu, Domagoso said he will be grateful, honored, and humbled to include the President in his senatorial lineup. The Manila mayor justified this by pointing out Duterte's many accomplishments, foremost of which is the "Build, Build, Build" initiative that not only saw the construction and completion of bridges, highways, and other infrastructures but also generated thousands of jobs for Filipinos amid the pandemic. He likewise praised the President's backing of the three-day "Bayanihan Bakunahan" which enlisted the services of vaccinators from cities like Manila that have already exceeded the target of 70 percent of its population. He, however, clarified that Aksyon Demokratiko will not adopt bets who are also guest candidates of other parties. Domagoso said he is extending the offer to Duterte following the decision of Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go to withdraw his presidential bid. Go, however, has yet to go to the Commission on Elections to formalize the withdrawal of his certificate of candidacy.
BUSINESS: PH banking system to recover in 2022
Over to business, debt watcher Fitch Ratings said the Philippine banking system's financial performance is expected to moderately recover next year. In its "Fitch Ratings 2022 Outlook: Asia-Pacific Emerging Market Banks" report released on Monday, Fitch said the sector's outlook is improving. Fitch Ratings said loan growth is expected to grow by 8 percent in 2022 from the 3 percent projected growth this year. The projection takes into account a low base effect and the gradual economic recovery. The credit rating agency earlier forecast the Philippine economy to grow by 6.8 percent in 2022.
SPORTS: Sotto entry in FIBA WCQ uncertain
In sports, the availability of Filipino NBA prospect Kai Sotto for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers first window in February next year is still unknown. CJ Bruton, Sotto's coach in Adelaide 36ers in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), said he, the team management and Sotto have yet to discuss the matter. The NBL would be in the middle of its 2021- 2022 season in the February window of the qualifiers.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras and Yen Makabenta are today's front page columnists. Contreras cautions at when academic institutions undermining academic freedom, while Makabenta talks about leadership standards and principles of the country's national tradition.
Today's editorial discusses Russia becoming a new player in the Indo-Pacific theater. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
READ: 'Times' forum highlights opportunities in Mindanao
Business opportunities in Mindanao will be in the spotlight in The Manila Times virtual forum, "Mindanao: Mind it now," today, December 7. Assistant Secretary Mindanao Development Authority Deputy Executive Director Romeo Montenegro will be one of the speakers at the forum. He will be joined by BDO Network Bank President Jesus Antonio Itchon, LeBien Medical Group Founder Dr. Edwin Bien, Anflo Group of Companies President Ricardo Floirendo Lagdameo and Elizer Betinol, senior manager for advisory services of Reyes Tacandong & Co. Broadcast live on The Manila Times Facebook page and YouTube channel and Dailymotion from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, the forum will be moderated by The Times Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dante "Klink" Ang 2nd and columnist Ben Kritz. See you there!
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For The Manila Times, this is Paulo Dimaapi.