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ECONOMIC MANAGERS TRIM 2023 GDP GROWTH FORECAST TO 6-7% GMA defends bid for wealth fund, says President responsible for it
BUSINESS / B4
By Othel V. Campos, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
VOL. XXXVI • NO. 295 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
its critics, saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was ultimately responsible for managing the country’s first soverSENIOR Deputy Speaker and Pam- eign wealth fund. “The success of any fund, sovereign panga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday defended the proposed or private, lies in the quality of its Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF) from Next page
Congress ratifies 2023 budget Set to transmit P5.268-T national spending plan for PBBM’s signature By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz
C
ONGRESS on Monday ratified the proposed P5.268trillion national budget for 2023 after it was approved by the bicameral conference committee in the morning.
NHA TURNOVER. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his message during the ceremonial
turnover of house and lot units from the National Housing Authority (NHA) at the Malainen Park Residences in Barangay Calubcob, Naic, Cavite on Monday (inset photos). Rey S. Baniquet
Gov’t eyes high-rise BLISS bldg. to address PH housing backlog By Vince Lopez, Vito Barcelo, and Rio N. Araja
Speaking during the ceremonial turnover of house and lot units from the National Housing Authority (NHA) in THE government would pre pre- Naic, Cavite, the President noted there fer building high-rise housing was a shortfall of some 3.5 million units instead of replicating the housing units when he was a senator BLISS mid-rise housing pro pro- from 2010 to 2016. The NHA also granted certificates of elgram in the 1980s to address the country’s backlog and catch igibility for lot awards (CELAs) to 30,000 de- qualified beneficiaries under the shelter up with the rising need for de cent shelter, President Ferdinand R. program of the Marcos administration Next page Marcos Jr. said Monday.
The bicam panel also restored the P150 million in confidential funds of the Department of Education (DepEd), which was cut by P120 million in the Senate version of next year’s national capital outlay. The copy of the budget bill will be transmitted to Malacañang for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature. Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, who presided over the Monday session at the House of Representatives, announced the bicam reort as duly ratified after holding a voice vote. The affirmative votes won overwhelmingly. The Senate ratified the same document at past 7:30 p.m. during its own session in plenary, after Deputy Majority Leader Joel Villanueva moved to ratify next year’s capital outlay. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced the budget’s ratification, which was opposed by Senate Next page
Bantag attends Lapid slay hearing, seeks DOJ prosecutors to inhibit By Rey E. Requejo SUSPENDED Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gerald Bantag sought Monday the inhibition of the Department of Justice’s panel of prosecutors conducting the preliminary investigation on the murder charges against him and several others. The charges were in connection with the killings of veteran radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa on October 3 and inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the case.
Bantag, through lawyer Rocky Balisong, sought the inhibition of the DOJ prosecutors and the immediate transfer of the investigation of the murder charges before the Ombudsman, which he said had the primary jurisdiction over his client under Article 11, Section 13, paragraph 1 of the Constitution. Bantag, while entering the DOJ gate, remarked in Filipino “Sabi nila nagtatago ako. Hindi naman. (They said I have been hiding. I wasn’t.)” An indigenous Ibaloi from the Cordillera Next page
FUEL PRICES CUT: P1.95/L FOR GAS, P1.90 FOR DIESEL, P1.65 KEROSENE NEWS / A2
NOT HIDING. Suspended prisons bureau chief Gerald Bantag, accused of ordering the killing of a prominent radio journalist whose death sparked international alarm, waves to the media as he arrives at the Department of Justice in Manila on Monday to attend a preliminary investigation on the killings of the journalist and an alleged middleman. Jam Sta. Rosa/AFP
Lakas adds Iligan solon, Aklan governor to roster House approves on 3rd reading bill creating PH virology institute By Maricel V. Cruz
A CONGRESSMAN, a provincial governor, his former governor-father, and a provincial board member on Monday became the newest members of the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (LakasCMD), which has grown into the largest political party in the country. Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, who is Lakas-CMD president, administered the oath to Iligan City Lone District Rep. Celso G. Regencia, Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores, his father former Gov. Florencio M. Miraflores, and Pampanga Board Member Alyssa Michaela Mercado Gonzales as new party members at the House of Representatives on Monday. Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the former President and Lakas-CMD President Emeritus, witnessed the event. Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie spearhead the country’s defense against pandemics like the COVID-19 global Casas public health crisis. House Bill (HB) 6452 seeks to establish WITH an overwhelming 216 votes, the House of Representatives has ap- a Virology and Vaccine Institute of the proved on the third and final reading Philippines (VIP) that would primarily the measure that would mandate the focus on the key science and technology establishment of a virology institute to Next page
Undercover cops to be deployed in NCR malls, streets this Xmas MORE ‘LAKAS’. Speaker Martin G. Romualdez (left) administers the oath to Iligan City Rep. Celso Regencia (3rd right), Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique “Joen” Miraflores (left), his father former Gov. Florencio “Joeben” M. Miraflores (3rd left) and Pampanga Board Member Mica Mercado Gonzales (2nd right) as new Lakas-CMD members with former Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd left), Lakas-CMD President Emeritus, witnessing the event. Ver Noveno
THE National Capital Region PoBoth undercover personnel and lice Office (NCRPO) on Monday uniformed officers will rove around said it would deploy personnel in shopping malls and other places of plainclothes to maintain peace and convergence, NCRPO Deputy ReNext page order this Christmas season.