Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, March 2, 2023.
READ: Cagayan exec seeks EDCA consultations
CAGAYAN Vice Gov. Melvin Vargas Jr. said any move to allow US troops in military facilities in the province must go through public consultations. The Philippines and the US earlier announced that they have reached an agreement to allow American troops to use four additional bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The agreement allows US forces to pre-position and store defense material, equipment and supplies in these areas. The four new locations have yet to be revealed. However, earlier negotiations between the US and the Philippines have identified Palawan, Zambales and Isabela, as well as two sites in Cagayan as potential locations of American military bases. Defense chief Carlito Galvez Jr. said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered concerned agencies to collaborate with local governments and communities on the matter.
READ: Review PUV modernization implementation – Marcos
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday that the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) should be done with thorough consultations with stakeholders, as the threat of a weeklong transport strike looms. The President said refurbishing, not phaseout, might be a better option for some vehicles. Marcos said he hopes that his proposed initiatives could convince drivers and operators not to go on strike. Transport groups earlier announced their plan to hold a weeklong strike starting March 6, to protest the impending phaseout of traditional PUVs like the jeepney as the government implements the PUV modernization program that aims to use vehicles powered by more environment-friendly fuels. Under the program, operators and drivers of traditional jeepneys can apply for new franchises only as part of transport cooperatives after their franchises expire on June 30. Marcos is yet to announce if the June 30 phaseout of old PUVs will push through. The President earlier admitted that the country is not yet ready for a complete shift to electric vehicles since only 30 percent of its power source is renewable.
READ: FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy in PH for first time
THE FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy reached the Philippines for the first time, with Manila being the third stop of the Trophy Tour, part of the International Football Federation's buildup for the 2023 Women's World Cup in July. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu and New Zealand Ambassador Peter Kell, representing World Cup hosts Australia and New Zealand, along with FIFA Trophy Tour Manager Sarah Gandoin and Philippine Football Federation (PFF) General Secretary Edwin Gastanes presented the winner's trophy to the media Wednesday. The Women's World Cup Trophy was presented to the public at the Glorietta Activity Center. The trophy's first two stops were Japan and South Korea. It will go to Vietnam next.
READ: Groups laud PH's entry into RCEP
TWO business groups on Wednesday, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. welcomed the ratification of the Philippines' entry into Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), saying it will mean more trade opportunities for the country. RCEP is a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
READ: Farmers' group: Rice up by P4/kilo
FARMERS' group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) President Rosendo So on Wednesday said that consumers should expect a P4 per kilo increase in the retail price of rice as the price of a sack increased to P2,000 from the previous P1,850 per 50-kilo pack. He attributed the price increase to the rising farmgate price of palay pegged at P23 per kilo from P21.50 per kilo in January 2023. As a result, the wholesale price of rice now ranges between P38 and P40 per kilo. So added that there is limited stock of the grain, as the peak harvest season will only start in April. The price of rice in the world market has also increased, he added, with the landed cost of imported grains ranging between P38 and P40 per kilo.
READ: Anwar, Marcos to boost defense, security ties
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to further enhance the defense and security ties between their countries as they tackled the rising tensions in the South China Sea. Marcos and Anwar reaffirmed their commitment to boost the collaboration between the Philippines and Malaysia during their bilateral meeting in Malacañang Wednesday. In a joint statement after their meeting, Anwar assured Marcos that the new administration in Malaysia will be more than happy to further enhance this collaboration, "guided by shared interest, multidimensional bilateral cooperation and vibrant people-to-people interaction" between their countries. Anwar said they also agreed to resume the 8th Joint Commission Meeting to be led by both foreign ministers this year at a mutually convenient date.
BUSINESS: Budget deficit within 2022 target
Topping business, the government's budget deficit narrowed to P1.6 trillion last year from 2021's P1.7 trillion as revenue growth outpaced spending, the Bureau of the Treasury reported on Wednesday. The shortfall was lower than the P1.7 trillion programmed for 2021. It was also equivalent to 7.33 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), below the 8.60 percent recorded in 2021 and the targeted 7.58 percent. The full-year revenue take of P3.5 trillion was a 17.97-percent improvement from 2021 and also 7.31 percent better than the P3.3 trillion programmed for the year. Ninety-one percent or P3.2 trillion of this comprised tax revenues, exceeding the target by 2.57 percent and up 17.41 percent year on year. Non-tax collections comprised the balance and were also 23.74 percent higher year on year and almost 98 percent more than the 2022 program.
SPORTS: Fencing eyes 3 gold medals in SEA Games
Over to sports, Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) president Richard Gomez said that winning three gold medals in this year's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia is doable, but it will all depend on the team's preparations that include a possible training camp in South Korea. Gomez said that the PFA is still awaiting approval from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) regarding their request for two international training camps for the Philippine fencing team. Gomez, an actor and sportsman-turned-politician, captured a SEA Games gold medal in 2005 as a member of the epee team. The PFA recently approved the 24-man national team for the 2023 SEA Games based on its 5-leg ranking tournament. Of the 24 fencers, seven are newcomers. They are Janna Allysah Catantan, Andrea Jenelle Matias, Maricar Matienzo, Alexa Larrazabal, Andrea Chloe Sayson, Rex de la Cruz Jr. and Andre Dominic Agatep. The holdovers from the last SEA Games in Vietnam include gold medal winner Samantha Catantan, silver medalists Nathaniel Perez and Noelito Jose Jr., Samuel Tranquilan, CJ Concepcion, Lee Ergina, Tipoy Felipe, Daniel Villanueva, John Paul Dayro, Miguel Bautista, Justine Gail Tinio, Nicole Cortey, Queen Dalmacio, Jylyn Nicanor and Ivy Dinoy. Hanniel Abella and Nicollei Felipe are returning members of the national team as both have won medals during the 2019 SEA Games held here in the country. Abella won the gold in women's epee team while Felipe bagged the bronze as a member of the men's foil team. In the Vietnam SEA Games last year, the Philippines collected one gold, three silvers and four bronze medals.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras blames the Department of Environment and Natural Resouces for being behind the problems of the Masungi Georeserve, Makabenta discusses China's problems with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and Remoto weighs in on the latest issues surrounding airport officials.
Today's editorial believes the jeepney modernization program must be accomplished. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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For The Manila Times, this is Kim Luden Salinas reporting.