Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, March 21, 2024.
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BANNER: 'PH not poking the bear'
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the Philippines was not "poking the bear" or acting at the behest of the United States in countering the growing threat from China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea. He also said he would not allow the use of military bases in the country for offensives against China, saying the Philippines has "no interest" in attacking China or any country. In an interview with Bloomberg, Marcos said the U.S. has been very supportive and has shown that it was taking the agreements with the Philippines seriously, but Manila would not run to Washington "when something goes wrong."
Power grid needs upgrading for renewable energy – NGCP
THE country's power grid needs to be upgraded to accommodate electricity produced from renewable energy sources, industry officials said Wednesday at The Manila Times forum on environmental and economical energy generation. The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said several improvements are needed to enable the grid to transition smoothly to incorporating RE production.
House OKs RBH 7
THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses 7, which seeks to amend certain economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution. The lawmakers also voted to revoke the legislative franchise of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), a TV station owned by the church of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who has been charged with human trafficking and sexual abuse of minors here and in the United States. Quiboloy is the spiritual advisor of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose program on SMNI was suspended after he made veiled threats against a lawmaker on air. On R.B.H. 7, 288 voted for approval, eight voted against it, and two abstained.
PH 'happier' in new index
THE Philippines has climbed in its happiness rankings, according to the latest World Happiness Report. The country ranked 53rd out of 143 countries, up 23 places from 76th in the previous report. The Philippines had an average assessment score of 6.048, up from its previous score of 5.523. Japan (6.060) and South Korea (6.058) were slightly ahead of the country, ranking 51st and 52nd, respectively. The Philippines was the second happiest country in Southeast Asia, after Singapore (6.523), ranked 30th.
BoC: Balikbayan boxes used for drug smuggling
THE Bureau of Customs issued an alert on Wednesday that balikbayan boxes were being used for drug smuggling by criminal syndicates. Under the law, Filipinos abroad could send a maximum of three balikbayan boxes a year, free of duties and taxes, provided they only contain personal effects and household goods not exceeding 150,000 pesos.
BUSINESS: Inflation seen rising in March
Over to business, inflation will likely rise further this month but stay within target, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said on Wednesday. Consumer price growth snapped a four-month downtrend in February, rising to 3.4 percent from 2.8 percent at the start of the year. The rate remains within the BSP's 2.0- to 4.0-percent target, a range inflation returned to in December after it started surging in March 2022. The central bank has warned that inflation might again breach 4.0 percent in the second quarter of this year, primarily due to the adverse effects of the El Niño weather pattern on food prices before returning to target in the last six months of 2024.
SPORTS: Cool Smashers, Angels eye PVL top spot
Headlining sports, with a tightly contested leaderboard, Creamline and Petro Gazz will pull out all the stops to secure favorable positions heading to the crucial grind of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference prelims, facing Capital1 and Chery Tiggo, respectively, today at the Araneta Coliseum. While the Cool Smashers are favored to hurdle the Solar Spikers in their 4 p.m. clash, the Angels are bracing themselves for another intense battle, characteristic of encounters among the league's top teams.
Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras discusses ranking and rating universities, Makabenta weighs in on the Quiboloy issue, while Remoto looks into the resorts along Bohol's Chocolate Hills.
Today's editorial says the European Parliament's artificial intelligence act should be studied carefully. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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