Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, January 12, 2023.
READ: PNP chief, officers face lifestyle check
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Wednesday said the ranking officials who had submitted their courtesy resignations, including himself, will undergo lifestyle check. In a television interview, Azurin said that this is part of the investigation that will be conducted by a five-man committee tasked to assess the courtesy resignations and likewise make recommendations to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
READ: Galvez tells DND officials: Stay in place
DEFENSE Secretary-designate Carlito Galvez Jr. on Wednesday told personnel in the agency to "stay in place" despite the reported submission of courtesy resignations by its officials. Seven to nine of officials have reportedly resigned. Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong had said the officials tendered their respective resignations, as they were coterminous with DND officer in charge Jose Faustino Jr. A statement from the agency quoted Galvez as saying that he would implement a status quo for all of the DND Executive Committee members and the heads of the DND bureaus.
READ: DA sees drop in retail prices of onions
AN official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said that they expect the retail prices of onions to go down between P100 and P150 per kilo with the expected arrival of 21,060 metric tons (MT) of onions. In a radio interview, Agriculture deputy spokesman Rex Estoperez said that consumers will finally be relieved from the bulbs' high prices, still pegged at P600 per kilo in the market.
READ: Comelec vows to address problem on 'nuisance' bets
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will move the filing of certificate of candidates (CoC) to an earlier date as part of its systems reform to address the recurring problem of candidates which the law considers as mere "nuisance." Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the move was the poll body's response to electoral controversies hounding the commission before and after every election brought about by nuisance candidates. The most recent case involved congressmanelect Romeo Jalosjos Jr. of the first district of Zamboanga del Norte. Comelec proclaimed Jalosjos as the winner in the May 2022 elections in a three-way race that pitted him against Roberto "Pinpin" Uy Jr. and one Frederico "Kuya Jun" Jalosjos Jr., who was declared a nuisance candidate by the Commission en banc. Records showed that Uy garnered 69,591 votes. Jalosjos came in second with 69,109 votes, while the nuisance candidate Jalosjos Jr. got 5,424 votes. On May 12, 2022, the Comelec stopped the proclamation of Uy and another order on June 7, 2022 declared Frederico Jalosjos Jr. as a nuisance candidate. Comelec credited to Jalosjos the 5,424 votes of Frederico Jalosjos Jr. On June 23, Jalosjos was proclaimed the winner. But barely a month after Jalosjos assumed his post, the Supreme Court granted Uy's plea and issued a status quo ante order prior to the Comelec's May 10 and June 7 orders, which prompted the House secretary general to remove the congressman-elect from the House of Representatives.
READ: Dolly de Leon does PH proud despite loss in 'Globes'
ACTRESS Dolly de Leon may have lost the Best Supporting Actress plum to Angela Bassett at the Golden Globes, but she did her country proud by becoming the first Filipino to be nominated in the award-giving body organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Bassett won for the "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" during the star-studded ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Aside from de Leon, Bassett beat an impressive lineup that included Kerry Condon of "The Banshees of Inisherin," Jamie Lee Curtis of "Everything Everywhere All At Once" and Carey Mulligan of "She Said."
READ: Long lines continue at NAIA, worry Immigration
ALMOST two weeks after an alleged technical glitch paralyzed operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), long queues that take hours to clear continue to saddle Immigration officers. Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Wednesday said the problem is not anymore that simple, suggesting that "all agencies involved in airport operations must work together to resolve airport lines."
BUSINESS: PH to miss 2023, 2024 targets – World Bank
Over to business, the Philippine economy — seen as having been on target last year — will likely underperform this year and the next due to a sharp and extended global slowdown, the World Bank said on Wednesday. The Washington-based multilateral, in its latest Global Economic Prospects report, warned that the world was close to a recession as financial conditions worsen due to high inflation, monetary tightening, and the war in Ukraine. While many countries, particularly advanced ones, likely posted slowdowns last year, the World Bank said the Philippines — along with a number of East Asia and the Pacific states — performed better than expected as an economic reopening led to a surge in private consumption and higher exports. The 2022 growth estimate for the Philippines was subsequently upgraded to 7.2 percent, up from the 5.7 percent forecast in June and just short of the upper end of the government's 6.5- to 7.5-percent target. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2021 was 5.7 percent, rebounding from 2020's 9.5-percent contraction. As of September this year, the expansion was already above target at 7.7 percent. Official full-year results are scheduled to be released later this month. Economic activity for countries that saw gains last year, however, is expected to be constrained this year as prices for food, energy and other key inputs remain high and as monetary authorities continue to act against high inflation.
SPORTS: TNT to face Japan club in EASL opener
In sports, TNT will begin its East Asia Super League (EASL) Champions Weeks campaign against 2021-22 Japan B.League champion Utsunomiya Brex in the tournament's opening night on March 1 at the Brex Arena in Tochigi, Japan. The Tropang Giga's debut in the regional joust is set at the 6:30 p.m. main game (Manila time). The curtain raiser for the opening day will have Korean club team Anyang KGC, reinforced by Filipino import Rhenz Abando, going up against Taipei Fubon Braves at 4 p.m. Utsunomiya, B.League's first division inaugural champion, is one of only two club teams to win two titles, along with Chiba Jets since the league's inaugural season in 2016-17. Meanwhile, reigning PBA Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer makes its much-awaited debut against Japan B.League 2021-22 runner-up Ryukyu Golden Kings the following day, March 2. PBA Commissioner's Cup guest team Bay Area Dragons will also make their tournament debut in the Champions Week when they tangle with the Seoul SK Knights in the other game.
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras tackles on revising fiction, Makabenta cites a reader's perspective that the country itself is an onion, and Remoto discusses on creating spaces for artists.
Today's editorial calls for an end to the "onion folly". Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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.
This is Peter Steven Llevares reporting.