Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, October 6, 2024.
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READ: Senators outraged by Guo election bid
SENATORS Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian expressed outrage on Saturday over the possibility that dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo might seek reelection next year despite being stripped of her title and being charged with serious crimes, including human trafficking. Hontiveros said if she files her certificate of candidacy is committing an act of material misrepresentation. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that it had canceled Guo's Philippine passport after investigations showed that it was "fraudulently acquired." Based on the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) certification on August 24, the DFA said that Guo's biometric data in the agency's passport database matched those of "Guo Hua Ping," a Chinese national. The cancellation took effect on September 30.
READ: Arroyo, Robredo, De Lima file CoCs
FORMER president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former vice president Leni Robredo and former senator Leila de Lima were among those who filed their certificates of candidacy (CoCs) Saturday for various positions in the 2025 midterm elections. In Pampanga, Arroyo, former president and current Pampanga 2nd District representative, filed her CoC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in San Fernando City. Joining Arroyo were Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda, Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda, town mayors and village chiefs of her district. Arroyo had earlier ruled out a run for the Senate, saying she was committed to addressing the needs of her constituency and the province of Pampanga. If re-elected, this will be Arroyo's fifth non-consecutive term at the House of Representatives, having been elected in 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2022. She won election as senator in 1992 and was re-elected in 1995, but resigned in 1998 after winning the vice presidency. She became president in 2001 after President Joseph Estrada was ousted and became the second-longest serving president in the country until 2010. In Naga City, Robredo and her running-mate Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Borado filed their CoCs for mayor and vice mayor. The Liberal Party's Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list, led by former senator Leila de Lima, filed their certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONA) on Saturday. At the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) filing tent at the Manila Hotel, de Lima introduced herself as the lead nominee, along with former Reps. Teddy Baguilat and Erin Tañada.
READ: DFA: No Alert Level 4 in Lebanon as of yet
THE government is not raising the alert level in Lebanon anytime soon, but its embassy in Beirut continues to operate as if mass repatriation is about to be undertaken, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday. At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DFA Undersecretary for Migration Eduardo Jose de Vega said no Filipino has been hurt so far in the series of Israeli strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and that most "are still adamant" about staying in the country. For Filipinos unable to leave because their employers refuse to release their passports, de Vega urged them to seek immediate assistance from the Philippine Embassy in Beirut.
READ: Angeles City named Asia's best emerging culinary city
TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Saturday welcomed Angeles City's recent recognition as Asia's Best Emerging Culinary City Destination at the World Culinary Awards Gala Ceremony 2024. The award, presented on October 3, establishes Angeles City in Pampanga as a rising star in worldwide food tourism.
READ: Mangin wins taekwondo championship in SKorea
TACHIANA Mangin, a 15-year-old Filipina 10th grader, bagged the gold medal in the 49-kilogram category at the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Chuncheon, South Korea. In the finals against hometown bet Kim Hyang-gi, Mangin secured the win after three rounds of sparring via a 14-8, 3-4, 7-6 decision. Mangin is the first Filipino to clinch a gold medal in the world junior taekwondo tournament.
SPORTS: FiberXers, Beermen dispute last semis spot
CONVERGE tries to complete its comeback from a 0-2 deficit and seal a spot in the semifinal round when it faces San Miguel Beer in a win-or-go-home Game 5 of their PBA Governors' Cup quarterfinal series on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The FiberXers forged the rubber match on Friday night behind a strong second-half effort to pull off a 114-99 triumph over the Beermen. That win was a fitting follow-up to the team's 114-112 come-from-behind victory in Game 3. Converge coach Franco Atienza took note of his wards' effort both on defense and offense as key reasons for their second straight win to force the winner-take-all match in the series.
BUSINESS: Govt committed to foster innovation culture – NEDA
In business, the country's improved rank in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII) reflects the government's commitment to foster a culture of innovation and enhance competitiveness in both domestic and global markets, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Friday. The Philippines recently ranked 53rd out of 133 economies in the 2024 GII, an improvement from its 56th place in 2023. The latest ranking also surpassed the government's target of ranking 54th for 2024, as set in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. The GII, published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), evaluates the innovation capabilities and performance of 133 economies worldwide. The WIPO recognized the Philippines for ranking third among 38 lower-middle-income economies, following India and Vietnam. Additionally, the country maintained its 5th place among Asean members and was acknowledged as one of the middle-income economies that have made the most significant ranking improvements since 2013.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Marlen Ronquillo is today's front page columnist, where talks about the confederacy of the underwhelming.
Today's editorial looks into a new benefit package of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation that can help Filipino children against severe acute malnutrition. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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