Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, February 10, 2022, brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the country's leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer. Shop conveniently 24/7 with the Wilcon online store, just go to shop.wilcon.com.ph.
READ: Go after erring bets, Comelec urged
THE government's pandemic task force wants the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to impose sanctions and penalties against candidates and political parties that violate health protocols during the campaign period. Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles, co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerg ing Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and acting Malacañang spokesman, said the Comelec has the mandate to go after erring parties and candidates who hold big campaign rallies that could again trigger a surge in Covid-19 cases.
READ: Easing of alert level possible – Palace exec
THE alert level in Metro Manila might be further eased if Covid-19 cases continue to decline, acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said on Wednesday. Nograles issued the statement in response to the statement of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Officer in Charge and General Manager Romando Artes that Metro Manila mayors were considering recommending the lowering of the alert level to 1 if the daily number of Covid-19 cases would drop further. Nograles said the Inter-Agency TaskForce for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine what lert level will be declared for the National Capital Region (NCR).
READ: Bets should focus on platforms, issues – analysts
A NUMBER of political analysts urged the presidential candidates to focus on platforms and is sues rather than fanfare during their campaign. Another political analyst, Ramon Casiple, agreed with Tayao. He cautioned that a candidate's stand on issues, especially relating tothe Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, could cost or earn a vote.Meanwhile, University of the Philippines Department of Political Science Assistant Professor and political analyst Jean Franco said that preferences speak a lot about a candidate. She said that former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s choice of venue, the Philippine Arena, could be seen as a bold choice — an expression of confidence to engage a massive crowd in such a big venue.
READ: FDA crafts guidelines on operations of e-pharmacies
THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it is finalizing the guidelines for the online selling of non-prescription medicines to lift the limit imposed by drugstores and pharmacies. Under current regulations, licensed drugstores and pharmacies are allowed to receive orders online, but they are still required to dispense medicines over the counter. In a briefing on Wednesday, FDA Officer in Charge Dr. Oscar Gutierrez said the agency was drafting for public consultation the guidelines that would allow "e-pharmacies" to operate even without physical branches. Only non-prescription drugs will be sold via the "e-pharmacy" service.
In Business
READ: Green financing needed for resiliency
SC A L I N G u p g r e e n f i n a n c i n g a n d strengthening collaboration between the public and private sector will help the Philippines achieve a sustainable and resilient future, government officials and the Asian Development Bank(ADB). In a virtual forum on Wednes-day, National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Mercedita Sombill said the government has started implementing reforms to promote sustainable and green practices.Some of these initiatives include the Sustainable Finance Framework that engenders sustainability principles in the banks' corporate governance; the Securities and Exchange Commission's Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for Publicly Listed Companies to guide companies in assessing and managing non-financial, especially activities related to the environment; and the Philippine Sustainable Finance Roadmap and its Guiding Principles that lay down strategic actions to promote sustainable finance in the country.
Topping Sports
READ: Chen delivers record to begin Olympic bid
Nathan Chen had just shattered the world record for a figure skating short program, even throwing a defiant fist in a rare display of emotion, when he was asked how he'd spend the next 48 hours before his long awaited Olympic coronation. He left the crazy — the down-right stunning — on the ice of Beijing's historic Capital Indoor Stadium. Wearing a confident smirk, Chen avenged his poor short program from four years ago at the Pyeongchang Games in the biggest way possible. He opened with a perfect quad flip, breezed through his often-vexing triple axel, then drilled his quad lutz-triple toe loop combination before skating to a stop and delivering a right haymaker in the air. His score was 113.97 points, nearly two more than the previous world record set by rival Yuzuru Hanyu, and six points clear of second-place Yuma Kagiyama headed into Thursday's free skate.
READ: Suns hold off 76ers for 44th victory
Devin Booker scored 35 points and Chris Paul had 16 points and 12 assists to lead the Suns to their NBA-high 44th win, 114-109, over the 76ers on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). The Suns rallied from a 14-point deficit to win for the 14th time in 15 games, raising their record to 44-10. Up next this week for Phoenix, an NBA Finals rematch at home against the Bucks.
READ: Opinion/Editorial
Today's Editorial tackles how the G20 meetings offer opportunities for the Philippines. Read the full version on the Opinion Section of The Manila Times on print, its Digital edition or listen to the Voice Of The Times. Antonio Contreras, Ben Kritz and Edcel Lagman are the featured columnists on the front page. Contreras says what Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo needs was not radical love but a "reboot". Kritz writes about the inevitability of the war in Ukraine and warns against its dire implications, even for those who are far away from the conflict.
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