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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

READ: IATF, high court sued over mandatory jabs

A clerk of court in Las Piñas City filed a complaint against the Supreme Court and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases or IATF-EID in connection with the implementation of the mandatory vaccination against Covid-19 for onsite workers in areas where there was an ample supply of vaccines.

READ: Duterte sees better days ahead

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With more Filipinos getting vaccinated against Covid-19, President Rodrigo Duterte sees better days ahead for the Philippines.

READ: Official sees higher growth rate in Mindanao

The Mindanao Development Authority sees better and even higher gross regional domestic product next year.

Meanwhile, in other news...

READ: US bares boycott of Winter Olympics

Beijing threatened on Tuesday to retaliate to a US diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, saying the Games were not "a stage for political shows and political manipulation."

READ: Second 'bakuna' blitz targets 7M Filipinos

The second run of the "Bayanihan Bakunahan" vaccination blitz will target around 7 million Filipinos, lower than the 9 million eyed in the first run, Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said.

READ: Bong Go: I am out of the presidential race

He has not officially withdrawn his certificate of candidacy, but Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go maintained on Tuesday that he was out of the 2022 presidential race.

READ: Robredo hails Beneco vigilance vs takeover

Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo hailed the member-consumer-owners of the Benguet Electric Cooperative or Beneco for their vigilance in protecting one of the country's top performing electric cooperatives from an alleged takeover, initiated by the National Electrification Administration.

In regional news,

READ: Sarah condemns gun attack on 2 mayors

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats Chairperson and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio denounced on Tuesday the gun attack on two of their party-mates in Zamboanga City on Monday morning.

In world news,

READ: India now a 'great power' ‒ Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded India as "a great power" in New Delhi as the traditional allies bolstered their military and energy ties despite Washington's increasing courtship of the world's largest democracy.

READ: Indian Ocean at risk of collapse ‒ study

Rising sea temperatures and overfishing threaten coral reefs in the western Indian Ocean with complete collapse in the next 50 years, according to a groundbreaking study of these marine ecosystems.

In business,

READ: WB raises 2021 PH growth outlook

The World Bank revised upward on Tuesday its 2021 Philippine economic growth forecast to 5.3 percent from 4.3 percent on the back of the better-than-expected third quarter economic output.

And in sports,

READ: Imports on spotlight as Governors' Cup opens

Four reinforcements will be in the spotlight today, December 8, including three imports who have previously played in the Philippine Basketball Association but are out to put on a show, playing for new teams.

Rigoberto Tiglao and Marlen Ronquillo are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.

Tiglao asks

READ: Leni: Loony, lying or lazy?

Ronquillo posits

READ: An alternate agri universe

In The Times editorial, it is pondered about

READ: Mindanao: PH's best kept secret?

Read all about it.

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With Aric John Sy Cua, Paolo Dimaapi and Christian Maghanoy, this is Dafort Villaseran reporting. Have a great week!