Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

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READ: Support for Marcos rises; Duterte's dips

THE number of Filipinos who brand themselves as pro-Marcos has increased, while those who call themselves pro-Duterte have decreased, the third quarter survey of OCTA Research showed. Conducted from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, 2024, the Tugon ng Masa (TNM) poll showed that 38 percent of adult Filipinos identified themselves as pro-Marcos, 2 percent higher than what was registered in the second quarter survey in March.

READ: 7 of 10 voters to junk pro-China candidates

Meanwhile, another survey showed that 7 out of 10 Filipinos would not support "pro-China" candidates in the 2025 national elections based on the latest Pulse Asia survey. Commissioned by the think tank Stratbase Group, the survey was conducted from September 6 to 13 with 1,200 respondents. It had a ±3 margin of error. Those polled were asked if they would "support a candidate in the May 2025 national elections who is pro-China at present or in the past." The survey showed that 73 percent of Filipinos said they "will not support" pro-China candidates in May 2025.

READ: Quimbo, Co file ethics complaint against Lee

MARIKINA 2nd District Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo and BHW Rep. Angelica Natasha Co jointly filed a complaint before the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges against Agri Rep. Wilbert Lee over "acts of aggression" during plenary debates on the 2025 budget. Quimbo said in a media interview the complaint was "for improper conduct" last September 25 during plenary debates on the Department of Health's (DoH) 2025 budget.

READ: PH approach to disaster risk reduction praised

The head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Monday praised the Philippines' people-centered approach to disaster risk reduction. At the 2024 Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), UNDRR chief Kamal Kishore said the Philippines is already "way ahead" of the DRR curve as focus on communities, which are often the most affected during calamities, is an essential component of reducing and managing disaster risks.

READ: Quiboloy presence in hearings sought

SEN. Risa Hontiveros asked the Pasig and Quezon City courts to allow televangelist Apollo Quiboloy to attend on October 23 the Senate inquiry on his alleged abuse of some Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) members. The senator on Monday wrote to Judge Elma Rafallo-Lingan of the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 159 and Judge Noel Parel of the Quezon City RTC branch 106 to convey her request. Hontiveros, chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, will resume on October 23 the inquiry on the alleged complaints against Quiboloy, the KoJC leader. The self-appointed "Son of God" is detained at Camp Crame over qualifi ed human trafficking and sexual abuse charges.

READ: Chua rules Hanoi Open

FILIPINO cue artist Johann Chua ruled the 2024 Hanoi Open after defeating Taiwanese Ko Pin-yi at the Hanoi idoor Games Gymnasium on Sunday night. Ko, also known as the "Filipino Slayer," missed the 9-ball on the 19th rack, dooming him as Chua capitalized on the miss. "Bad Koi" easily went on a runout in the 20th, where he yelled "Satin na 'to" (This is ours) after pocketing the 8-ball to the middle, much to the delight of the Filipino crowd in attendance. Chua then sent the 9-ball to the corner pocket to win the tournament as he jumped on the table and raised his fists in celebration. The 32-year-old Chua pocketed $30,000 in in prize money for his championship.

SPORTS: PH fighters shine in jiu-jitsu world tilt

SIXTEEN Filipino jiu-jitsu practitioners scored gold medals at the recent Sports Jiu-jitsu International Federation World Championship in Nagoya, Japan. Headlining the champions was Brielle Bartolome, who won both in the gi and no gi divisions. Playing as a kindergarten featherweight in the no gi category, Bartolome submitted Peng Nian of China via armbar to win the gold in the first round. Bartolome then outpointed Nishimoto Wakana of Japan to rule the kindergarten gi rooster-weight division gold medal. Also dominating the field was youth light featherweight no gi fighter Marcus de la Cruz, who submitted all his opponents en route to the gold.

BUSINESS: Economy 'in need of further support'

Over to business, the Philippine economy "is in need of further support," a London-based research firm said, warranting more rate cuts by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). In a report released last Friday, Capital Economics noted that gross domestic product growth had slowed to 0.5 percent quarter on quarter, from 0.9 percent in the first three months of 2024, due to declines in private consumption and exports. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth currently stands at the bottom end of this year's downwardly revised target of 6.0-7.0 percent. Economic managers have been saying that the target will likely be achieved and also raised the possibility that the goals could be raised given slowing inflation and increased government spending. The BSP, Capital Economics said, will likely order a 25-basis point (bps) rate cut this Wednesday in a repeat of an August decision that kicked off an easing cycle. Another cut is expected in December, with more in 2025, and the central bank's policy rate will likely end next year at 4.75 percent, it added.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists, while Arnel Casanova debuts his first Manila Times column. Contreras wants the alleged drug war criminals to face the country's courts, Makabenta analyzes the issues behind the issues in midterm elections, Mercado wants science in command of government, and Casanova's debut column talks about the country's power injustice and its effects on the Philippine ecnomoy.

Today's editorial discusses resetting language learning at the Department of Education. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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