Good Day!

Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

READ: Marcos, Sara top Pulse Asia survey

Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio, were again the runaway leaders in the Februray survey of Pulse Asia.

Get the latest news
delivered to your inbox
Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters
By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

READ: 'Plot' to disrupt polls alarms Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte is concerned over what he claims is a plot by communist sympathizers and a political group to disrupt the May elections.

READ: Robredo denies tie-up with communists

Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo said she will never form a coalition government with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front if she wins the presidency.

Meanwhile, in other news...

READ: Publishing books up during pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic failed to negatively affect book publishing in the Philippines with the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino alone being able to publish 101 books and monographs at the height of the public health crisis.

READ: FDA approves Sinovac jab for pediatric use

Sinovac's Coronavac vaccince for Covid-19 has been given the green light for pediatric use.

READ: Drilon to new Comelec commissioner: Resign

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon urged on Monday newly appointed Commission on Elections or Comelec Commissioner Aimee Torrefranca-Neri to resign to save herself from embarrassment.

READ: PNP rolls out drug rehab campaign

The Philippine National Police or PNP launched on Monday a program focusing on the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into society of victims of illegal drugs. Called Project Adore or the Anti-illegal Drugs Operations through Reinforcement and Education, the program was expected to bring down the volume of illegal drugs being sold on the streets.

In regional news,

READ: Duterte supports Cuevas

While he has yet to openly endorse a presidential candidate, President Rodrigo Duterte has publicly expressed support for the Nueva Ecija gubernatorial bid of Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas.

In world news,

READ: Chinese tech hub locked down as outbreak grows

Seventeen million people in the Chinese technology hub of Shenzen began their first full day under lockdown on Monday with restrictions also imposed in Shanghai and other major cities in an effort to extinguish the biggest threat to China's zero-tolerance strategy toward Covid-19.

READ: Kyiv still under pressure as talks set to resume

Besieged Ukrainians held out hope on Monday that renewed diplomatic talks with Moscow might open the way for more civilians to evacuate as Russian forces kept up their pressure on Kyiv a day after escalating the offensive by shelling areas close to the Polish border.

In business,

READ: Nomura cuts 2022 PH forecast

Japan's Nomura Holdings Inc. has trimmed its Philippine growth forecast for this year to 6.3 percent from 6.8 percent, pointing to fallout from Russia's ongoing invasion of the Ukraine.

And in sports,

READ: Durant scores 53 as Nets win over Knicks

Kevin Durant erupted for 53 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 110-107 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday (Monday in Manila) while teammate Kyrie Irving couldn't play, but attended as a spectator.

Yen Makabenta and Antonio Contreras are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.

Makbenta insists that

READ: Comelec plan for presidential debates is grotesque and untenable

Contreras downplays

READ: Google trending

In The Times editorial, it is lamented that Covid is

READ: The virus that refuses to go away

Read all about it.

For more news and information, get a copy of The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and Keep Up With The Times.

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