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PBBM aims to stall price hikes Targets rise in fuel, power costs to dampen inflation up until Christmas By Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo, and Macon Ramos-Araneta
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RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday that Malacanang is working to slow down the rise in fuel and power costs at least heading into Christmas, saying Filipinos have already suffered much from the spiraling prices of goods amid worldwide inflation.
VOL. XXXVI • NO. 289 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
In a press conference in Los Banos, peals (CA) on the Power Supply AgreeLaguna, the President admitted he was ment (PSA) of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) worried by the temporary restraining and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). order (TRO) issued by the Court of ApNext page
President calls on agri sector to modernize operation By Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday rallied various stakeholders to support the government in elevating the current condition of the local rice industry and pushing for sustainable rice value chains. In his visit to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, the President raised the need to adopt supportive policies to modernize the rice sector as part of a vibrant agri-food industry in the Philippines. “There are new technologies that address the problems that we are facing, and those technologies are beginning to be disseminated down to the local farmers,” Mr. Marcos said in his speech. Meanwhile, in an interview with reporters, the President said he had a timeline for leaving the post of Agriculture Secretary, saying there were things he wanted to achieve before doing Next page
EO to ease doing business up By Vince Lopez and Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be signing an Executive Order to promote ease of doing business in the Philippines and make it competitive with other Southeast Asian nations in terms of attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).
This comes after the Department of Trade and Industry on Tuesday presented to the President the proposed EO on the Creation of Green Lane for Strategic Investments after identifying the barrier across multiple regulatory agencies that hamper the smooth entry of FDIs in the country. Next page
PAST AND PRESENT. During his visit to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Headquarters on Tuesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recreates the historic photo of his father and namesake with US President Lyndon B. Johnson (inset) -- taken at the same spot in the institute on October 26, 1966. Mr. Marcos Jr. is accompanied by IRRI Director General Jean Balié, IRRI Senior Scientist Steve Klassen, and other institute officials. Presidential Photo
Ban of frozen pompano, salmon in wet markets hit By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Alena Mae Flores
Tuesday for banning the sale of frozen imported pink salmon and pompano in wet markets. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Animal THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Industry said Tuesday there might be Resources (BFAR) came under fire a slight shortage of domestic supply of
pork late this year amid the ongoing threat of African Swine Fever – only a week before the rush of shopping for the Christmas holidays. In an interview on ABS-CBN’s TeleRNext page
House to push budget for free rides, fuel aid By Maricel V. Cruz
FOR KA ANDRES. Workers from the Manila City Hall Engineering Department cleaning
the statue of national hero Andres Bonifacio along C.M. Recto in Manila on Tuesday, while Department of Public Works and Highways staff cleans the surroundings of the Bonifacio Monument at Caloocan City in preparation for Bonifacio Day, a national holiday, today. Norman Cruz and Manny Palmero
Bonifacio Day today last held on Nov. 30 By Honor Blanco Cabie
mark on this date the birth of the Supreme President of the secret revoluTODAY, the 101st anniversary of the tionary society the Katipunan. Next year, by virtue of Proclamation 90, celebration of Bonifacio Day, will be the last this country of 114 million will Next page
CA confirms Ople, COA chief, defers DOE head THE Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday approved the ad interim appointments of Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susana “Toots” Ople and Commission on Audit (COA) Chairman Gamaliel Cordoba. But the powerful constitutional panel suspended its decision on Department Next page
SPEAKER Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday said the House contingent in the bicameral conference committee meetings on the 2023 national budget will push for the retention of funds allocated for fuel subsidy and “Libreng Sakay” (free ride) programs under the Department of Transportation (DOTr). “This is one of the pro-people provisions of the proposed national budget. Our countrymen need this,” Romualdez said. The Senate contingent, led by finance committee chairman Sen. Sonny Angara, is receptive to the idea, the Speaker added. The House of Representatives decided to earmark P5.5 billion for the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Program (P2.5 Next page
WB, ADB seek audit of COVID vax funds By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Commission on Audit (COA) guaranteed that the procurement of COVID-19 medicines in 2020 and 2021 will be placed under a special audit as sought by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Facing the Commission on Appointments (CA), COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba said that aside
from their constitutional mandate to scrutinize all government spending, including the COVID-related loans granted by the World Bank and the ADB to the Philippines. Cordoba said the Department of Health (DOH) also requested the conduct of a special audit, saying it could not share documents on vaccine procurement because of a non-disclosure Next page
SPEAKER AS GUEST. Speaker Martin G. Romualdez receives a token of appreciation from Business World President and Chief Executive Officer Miguel G. Belmonte (left) and Editor-in-Chief Wilfredo G. Reyes after attending the BusinessWorld Economic Forum as one of the keynote speakers at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City on Tuesday. Ver Noveno
Speaker: PH set on full recovery THE nation is set to attain its economic growth target this year during the first six months of the Marcos administration and is on the road to full recovery, Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said on Tuesday. “We are on the first stage to full eco-
nomic recovery, and we are marching in the right direction,” he told media persons and businessmen gathered by the business daily Business World for its Economic Forum at the Grand Hyatt
CUSI FACES NEW CYBER LIBEL RAP OVER GAS FIELD
NEW OCTA POLL ENCOURAGING, SAYS MARCOS
NEWS / A4
NEWS / A2
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