Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, June 17, 2022.
READ: OCTA, DoH differ on Metro risk level
INDEPENDENT Covid-19 tracker OCTA Research has classified the National Capital Region (NCR or Metro Manila) as at moderate risk for Covid infection, even as the region maintained its Alert Level 1 status until the end of the month. In an interview on CNN Philippines on Tuesday, OCTA Research senior fellow Dr. Guido David said the group raised Metro Manila's risk level to moderate based on the rising average daily attack rate of 0.99, the reproduction rate of 1.56 and the test positivity rate of 3.3 percent. But in a statement, the Department of Health (DoH) reiterated that the NCR remained under low risk, noting that while the region showed a positive two-week growth rate, its average daily attack rate is still below the required six cases per 100,000 population.
READ: Giant LED screens set up for BBM inauguration
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is coordinating with the camp of President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as well as various local government units in setting up large LED screens for his inauguration on June 30, 2022. MGen. Valeriano de Leon, PNP director for operations, said police regional directors have started talks with the Marcos camp and LGUs to identify where the screens will be set up. The LED screens will be for the people who will not be able to physically attend Marcos' inauguration at the National Museum building in Manila, de Leon said. In the case of the inauguration of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on June 19, de Leon said at least six big LED screens will be set up in Davao City. He said the PNP expects a large number of Marcos supporters to witness his oath-taking, but the National Museum can accommodate only 1,200 people. De Leon said he is coordinating with the management of the golf course in Intramuros fronting the museum to find out if they could allow people to enter the course. The golf course can accommodate up to 10,000 people.
READ: Hospital group backs Herbosa as health chief
THE Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) on Thursday endorsed emergency medical expert and National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) special consultant Dr. Teodoro Herbosa as the next Health secretary. In a government briefing, PHAPi President Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said that their endorsement is in line with the endorsements made by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and its allied organizations. PMA President Dr. Maria Minerva Calimag and immediate past president Dr. Benito Atienza said in a previous briefing that Herbosa has "vast experience and expertise" in health care systems, public health, hospital administration, trauma surgery, emergency and disaster medicine. Herbosa was also endorsed by Go Negosyo founder Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd, but he also backed infectious disease expert, Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, for the post. Concepcion said that having either Herbosa or Salvana at the Department of Health (DoH) will help the government keep Covid-19 under control and maintain the health system in "good standing." In turn, this would allow the economy to keep on running, De Grano hopes that President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will accept their endorsement.
BUSINESS: High US interest rates to impact PH economy
Topping business, the United States' current round of interest rate hikes will have a detrimental impact on the Philippines' economic indicators. This is what international and local analysts told The Manila Times on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve (Fed) raised its Fed Funds Rate target by 75 basis points to 1.50 percent-1.75 percent on Wednesday, the largest increase since 1994, in an effort to cool the economy without triggering a recession. Besides the obvious implications for Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) policy rate hikes, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa believes the Fed's aggressive tightening will likely translate to widespread United States dollar (USD) gain in the near future.
SPORTS: Esports knocks on UAAP, NCAA doors
In sports, the national esports organization under the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) expressed optimism that there will come a time when esports will be included in collegiate leagues such as the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Speaking at The Manila Times esports forum on Tuesday, Philippine Esports Organization interim executive director Marlon Marcelo noted that he knows for a fact that some schools, such as De La Salle University, already have esports clubs and organizations. He said this will all depend on the "insistence" of the UAAP and NCAA that esports can actually become a legitimate sport.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Stephen CuUnjieng and Ruben Torres are today's front page columnists. CuUnjieng discusses the ideology and reality of inflation, food prices and security, while Torres continues discussing on gun laws in the United States.
Today's editorial discusses the confusing government methods on the use of e-bikes. 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 Friday ahead.