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US ‘concerned’ over debris row PH envoy bares Manila coordinated with Washington after incident By Rey E. Requejo
W
ASHINGTON has expressed concern over the confrontation between Filipino and Chinese personnel near Pag-asa Island over the weekend, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Thursday.
VOL. XXXVI • NO. 284 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Report: US military likely to return to Subic Bay THE American military will likely return to Subic Bay, 30 years after leaving what was once their largest military base in Asia, due to concerns over China’s increasing maritime assertiveness, the top official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority told a Japanese news agency.
Rolen Paulino, chairman of the SBMA, told Kyodo News on Wednesday that he would be “very surprised” if Subic Bay does not become a site under the
Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Next page
Romualdez told radio dzBB the Philippines coordinated with the US government after Naval Station Emilio Liwanag (NSEL) and the Chinese Coast Guard had a confrontation off Pag-asa Island on Sunday. That was when the Chinese, according to the Philippine Navy and Department of Defense, “forcefully took” an unidentified floating object that Philippine forces had retrieved, a report the Chinese embassy denied, saying the object
was taken after “friendly consultation” on both sides. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Thursday the country sent China a note verbale to Next page
P11.2b project to boost local fisheries sector By Vince Lopez THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has approved a P11.2 billion fisheries project aimed at addressing the problems in the sector, reducing poverty, and ensuring food security. In a NEDA board meeting, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday the project was timely as in a few decades, there will be more saltwater fish cultivation because of overfishing. Next page
HELP PLEASE. Fisherfolk supporters of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the group Nagkakaisang Mangingisda
Laban Sa Gutom at Pananakop end their ‘peaceful caravan’ from Quezon City to Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila (inset). They appealed to Mr. Marcos to protect their fishing rights in the Bajo de Masinloc as they said China’s Coast Guard continues to harass them. Norman Cruz
Bicam panel meets today to reconcile conflicting budget provisions PBBM names By Macon Ramos-Araneta
day at the Manila Polo Club in Makati. With no negative vote, the Senate apTHE bicameral conference committee proved on the third and final reading meetings on the proposed P5.268-trillion House Bill 4488 or the proposed budget national budget for 2023 will kick off to- for next year.
The Senate bicam panel will be com- Marcos, senior vice chairpersons; posed of Senate Finance Committee Senators Cynthia Villar, Ronald “Bato” chairperson Sen. Sonny Angara as chair; Dela Rosa, Win Gatchalian, Bong Go, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Le- Risa Hontiveros Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, garda; Senators Pia Cayetano and Imee Next page
SC scolds poll body over VP bet’s exclusion THE Supreme Court (SC) has reprimanded members of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) who did not include vice presidential aspirant Wilson Amad on the ballots for the May 2022 polls. In a decision dated July 5 but made public last Tuesday, the SC admonished the Comelec for not complying with the temporary restraining order (TRO) that would have prevented Amad’s exclusion from the official ballots. Amad’s omission came after the poll body en banc upheld on January 3, 2022, the first division’s finding on December 13, 2021, that he had failed to prove that he has a bona fide intention to run for vice president. Comelec also doubted that Amad’s popularity in Northern Mindanao, coupled with the capitalization of the use of Next page
Lady solons cited for ‘PamasCong Handog’
Ledesma acting PhilHealth chief
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has named Emmanuel Rufino Ledesma Jr. as the acting president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). Ledesma took his oath on Thursday before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, according to a press statement from Malacañang. He replaced his predecessor Eli Dino Santos. Aside from being PhilHealth chief, Ledesma is also a member of PhilHealth’s expert panel and board of directors. H used to be president and CEO of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM). Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. on Thursday meanwhile officially assumed as the Philippine Navy’s (PN) flag-officer-in-command. He replaced Next page
SALE FOR A CAUSE. Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica, President of the Association of Women Legislators Foundation, Inc. (AWLFI), joins event chair Rep. Florida Robes and guests in cutting the ceremonial ribbon during the launch of the ‘PamasCONG Handog: Garage Sale for a Cause III’ at the House of Representatives. Ver Noveno By Maricel V. Cruz
fund-raising for charity project this year dubbed “PamasCONG Handog: SPEAKER Martin G. Romualdez has Garage Sale for a Cause III.” The charity project is an initiative of commended the lady lawmakers in the House of Representatives for their Next page
Going after erring fathers beyond DSWD’s scope By Rey E. Requejo
and compel them to provide financial support to their children to evade posTHE Department of Justice has turned sible civil and criminal liabilities. In a five-page legal opinion, Justice down the plan of Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo to write erring fathers Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that
while “the intention is noble,” the plan may already constitute providing legal service to the minor children, which is not among the duties and functions of the Next page
BIZ AWARD. Angkas CEO George Royeca (center) was awarded the Emerging Entrepreneur of 2022 during the Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines awarding ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Manila on Monday night.