Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Monday, Sept. 2, 2024.
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READ: 'Sara's office tried to block CoA report'
THE Office of the Vice President tried to block the Commission on Audit (CoA) from submitting an audit report on the OVP's confidential fund spending to the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said on Sunday. In a press statement, Luistro said what the OVP did was tantamount to “suppression of public information.” When she appeared before the appropriations committee last week, Vice President Sara Duterte had heated exchanges with the panel members as she consistently refused to discuss how her office's confidential fund was spent. Luistro said OVP Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez had, in a letter dated Aug. 21, “advised CoA against complying with the committee's subpoena duces tecum for the Notice of Disallowance and audits of the OVP and Department of Education's (DepEd) confidential funds for 2022 and 2023.” The subpoena “may not be validly enforced due to the nature of confidential funds,” the OVP had said. Duterte was education secretary until she resigned in July. Luistro stressed that the “constitutional power of Congress to review the spending of public funds is not just a right but a duty. It is our responsibility to ensure that every peso of taxpayers' money is spent for its intended purpose and not misused.” The Manila Times tried but failed to get a statement from Duterte or anyone from her camp regarding Luistro's claim.
READ: Insurgency, terror groups crushed by 2028
THE Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) predicted that insurgency and terror groups would be “crushed by the end of the term of the Marcos administration.” Opapru Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. made the prediction on Sunday when The Manila Times asked him about the government's timetable for its campaign against insurgency and terrorism. He said the timetable is doable given the ongoing peace process with the concerned sectors and support from its partners from other government agencies and the private sector. Galvez led key government officials and diplomats during the ceremonial ringing of the Peace Bell held at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. The annual event symbolizes peace, harmony, and solidarity, Galvez said. Galvez said that the ringing of the peace bell must not be viewed as a mere ceremonial act but “as an enormous transformative power that can touch people from all walks of life so that they too can become instruments of peace, development, and positive change.” Sunday's event coincided with the celebration of National Peace Consciousness Month.
READ: DFA urged to bring China's 'concerning' acts to UN
HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to bring China's “concerning actions” in the West Philippine Sea before the United Nations. In a statement on Sunday, Romualdez said it was time “to consider stronger measures” as he condemned the ramming by the China Coast Guard (CCG) of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel Saturday. Romualdez said the CCG's actions “are cause for serious reflection” and prompt the Philippines to reassess how it protects its maritime rights and interests. Romualdez said the global community, including the United Nations, “should be made aware of these concerning actions.” Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers condemned what he described as “bullying” by the CCG. In a statement on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said the “United States stands with its ally, the Philippines.” Miller reiterated the US' call for China “to comport its claims and actions with international law and to desist from dangerous and destabilizing conduct.” Japanese Ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said Japan stands with the Philippines in upholding the rule of law as he expressed concern over China's repeated dangerous actions in the South China Sea. Endo on Sunday said as a stakeholder of the South China Sea, Japan was seriously concerned over the repeated incidents, including the collision by a CCG vessel against a Philippine vessel.”
READ: Mpox cases rise to 17
THE Department of Health (DoH) reported on Sunday the number of mpox cases in the county has risen to 17. Two new cases were reported in Metro Manila and one in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region. All three have the milder clade 2 strain. The DoH said two of the cases had sexual encounters with more than one partner, while the third had close skin-to-skin sexual contact with another person who had skin symptoms. One of the patients from Metro Manila is a 29-year-old male whose symptoms started to manifest last August 21. He had rashes, swollen neck lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle pain, and weakness. His fever also began a day after. The other Metro Manila patient is a 34-year-old male whose symptoms started on August 27. He had rashes, blisters, a cough, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. All three patients had not traveled to places where mpox was widespread. Nine of the 17 cases reported since July have recovered. All local government units where the cases reside have been informed of their situation, the DoH said.On Saturday, Unicef said it had launched an emergency tender for mpox vaccines to help countries hardest hit by the recent outbreak of the disease.
Topping Business
READ: Aug inflation likely down to 3.7%
LOWER fuel prices, reduced costs of essential food items, and favorable base effects could contribute to a decline in inflation in August, analysts said, further raising the possibility of more rate cuts. The median forecast in The Manila Times poll of economists was 3.7 percent, down from July's 4.4 percent and within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) 2.0- to 4.0-percent target. It also fell within the central bank's 3.2-to 4.0-percent estimate for the month. All but two of the economists expect consumer price growth to remain above the target for two consecutive months. Official inflation data for July will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority this Thursday.
In Sports
READ: Chargers, Cool Smashers clash for PVL RC crown
SAME team color and same goal, Akari and Creamline will prove which shade of pink will splash its way to glory in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) 2024 Reinforced Conference finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Monday. Still unbeaten in this conference, Akari continues to make history with its franchise since 2022 after clinching its first-ever finals berth in the PVL, while the eight-time overall PVL champ Creamline guns to add another title in its record. The Chargers secured a finals slot after fending off PLDT in a tough five-set semis match, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15, last Saturday. Going up against the Cool Smashers, Akari braces for a tough showdown in the finals slated at 6 p.m. Creamline stunned Cignal in a five-set match after prevailing through a reverse sweep. With 11, 438 spectators trooped to the venue where most of them are rooting for the pink squad, Creamline mustered all its grit to once again step into the Reinforced Conference finals. With 15 podium finishes and 11 finals appearances, Creamline, gunning for ninth championship, is heavily-favored against the finals first-timers Chargers.
READ: Opinion
A resiliency strategy for sea level rise is today's editorial. Read the full version on print and digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Francisco Tatad. Tiglao claims China has tightened control over Escoda and that the US has betrayed the Philippines; It is not about Quiboloy, says Aquino of the ongoing government manhunt on Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “Son of God,” who is facing criminal charges here and in the US; Tatad on honoring former speaker Jose de Venecia.
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