NEDA: Buy less, party simpler Govt seeks to arrest high inflation as oil prices seen to go up P6/l
T
IGHTEN your belts, control your purchases and make holiday celebrations simpler to arrest a further increase in prices of commodities as the inflation rate is seen to remain high until the end of the year, National Economic Development Authority Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said.
Edillon said the elevated inflation can be addressed by lowering demand on the consumer side. “Let us reduce our excessive purchasing. The increase in prices is due to external factors outside our control. What we can control is the demand. Let us lessen it,” she said. She advised consumers to have simpler celebra-
tions for the holidays even as she acknowledged it is not applicable to all Filipino families.
“This is not for everyone. We know that there are some families who go all out in preparing food during the holidays,” Edillon said. On the supply side, the NEDA official said the government has programs to boost production. Inflation in September accelerated to
6.9 percent from 6.3 percent in August due to higher food and utilities costs. Meanwhile, diesel prices are expected to go up by at least P6 per liter on Tuesday – higher than earlier industry estimates. Diesel prices are seen to increase by P6 to P6.20
per liter, while gasoline prices will go up by as much as P1.20 to P1.40 per liter and kerosene by P3.50 to P3.70 per liter. The Department of Energy said this is due to OPEC+’s decision to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. “The market has been reacting even CONTINUED ON 3A
Vol. 36 No. 235
October 9, 2022
2 SECTION 8 PAGES
20 .00
IN MET R MANILAO
FORWARD LEAP.
Prima ballerina Lisa Elizalde vows a ‘leaner but stronger’ Ballet Manila as the dance company returns to the stage with ‘Rise!’ – one of its special performances for the year at its home venue, the Aliw Theater. Teddy Pelaez
PNP to give security to NCR media under threat Bicol disaster n By JOEL E. ZURBANO THE National Capital Region Police Office said it will provide security to Metro Manila-based journalists who receive threats or are being harassed following the murder of veteran broadcaster Percival Mabasa. Mabasa, 63, known to his colleagues as Percy Lapid, was the second journalist to have been killed under the current adminis-
tration, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP). NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said he has tapped all district directors and station commanders of the five police districts in Metro Manila to initiate a dialogue with newspaper reporters, broadcasters and other media practitioners “to determine imminent threats if any and address their security concerns accordingly.”
“We acknowledge the risks involved in the job of our media friends, hence we are duty bound to protect them” Estomo said. He said his directive was in compliance with the pronouncement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the safety and security of all media practitioners in the country. “The NCRPO acknowledges the essential role of our friends from the media for their
fair, truthful and timely dissemination of information as well as their contribution in cascading the PNP’s anti criminality programs for the benefit of the general public. It is then necessary that their concerns be given attention and dealt with,” Estomo added. Estomo likewise warned the killer of Mabasa to surrender to authorities while there is still a chance. CONTINUED ON 3A
PBBM: Health, livelihood top priorities in first 100 days PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said health, livelihood, and peace initiatives have taken center stage in his first 100 days as the country's 17th chief executive. In his weekly vlog, Mr. Marcos said he considers as his administration's accomplishments the implementation of policies and programs to ensure public health, provide more livelihood opportunities, and maintain peace and order in the country. "We made sure to give proper attention to the foundations of an abundant society. For me, the promotion of health, livelihood, and peace could be
the theme of our first 100 days," he said. Mr. Marcos said he picked the "best and brightest" government officials who can help him ensure the recovery of the country amid the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and global challenges, including rising prices of oil and commodities. He said he did not feel that he was in a "honeymoon" phase because he is already "familiar" with his job as president. "It has been 100 days since I served as president. Some are saying that the first 100 days is a honeymoon period, but I do not feel that way because I am
n By MARICEL V. CRUZ VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said her first 100 days in office “feels like 100 years.” This was her Instagram caption as she entered her 100th day in office Friday. DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said her milestone as Education chief was the safe and orderly resumption of face-toface classes. In a separate statement, the OVP also listed its accomplishments in the first 100 days of the Marcos administration, including the processing of P134.37 mil-
lion in the medical and burial assistance program since July 1. Of the said amount, a total of P124,579,964.95 and P9,796,800 have already been processed for medical aid and burial assistance, respectively. At least 13,315 recipients were served in all seven OVP satellite offices and OVP main office as of October 5. As for the OVP’s Libreng Sakay Program, the office said it has served a total of 98,293 people in 1,470 trips nationwide. Legislators led by Speaker Martin CONTINUED ON 3A
n By JOEL E. ZURBANO AND MARICEL CRUZ BICOL’S Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has placed all disaster response offices on “standby status” after Mayon Volcano’s alert level was raised from 1 (abnormal) to 2 (increasing unrest). In a memorandum issued on Friday evening, Bicol DRRMC chairperson Claudio Yucot said the standby status is in preparation for any response to Mayon Volcano’s activities. “Response assets should be on standby to support response activities of provincial, city, and municipal DRRMOs (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices), especially chokepoints along the 6-km. radius of the permanent danger zone (PDZ),” Yucot said. CONTINUED ON 3A
WHO: Expect global rise in COVID cases
CONTINUED ON 3A
VP Sara: First 100 days felt like a hundred years
offices go on ‘standby’ alert
OATH-TAKING. Lawyer Ernesto Maceda Jr. takes his oath as commissioner of the poll body before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.
New Comelec commissioner Maceda takes oath before CJ NEWLY appointed Commission on Elections Commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr. has taken his oath before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. Maceda, a lawyer by profession, was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as ad interim Comelec commissioner on Oct. 3, 2022. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia welcomed the appointment of Maceda,
whom he described as "a veteran election lawyer and election law professor." Maceda is currently a professorial lecturer at the Ateneo Law School. He taught election law, administrative law and constitutional law subjects at the law schools of PLM, Far Eastern University and Arellano University. He was Master of Laws (LL.M.) thesis professor for the PLM CONTINUED ON 3A
THE World Health Organization is bracing for a global spike in new COVID-19 cases due to the colder weather that would push more activities indoors. "This is to be expected as the weather cools and people spend more time together inside, and most countries no longer have measures in place to limit the spread of the virus,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “We expect reported cases of COVID-19 to increase. But the deaths don’t have to, given we have vaccines and therapeutics that can save lives," he added. He said Omicron is still behind the majority of infections even as scientists are still tracking over 300 subvariants. “We continue to call on all countries to increase surveillance, testing and sequencing, and to ensure the most at-risk groups are vaccinated," the WHO official said. CONTINUED ON 3A