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MIF gains 200 House backers New bill version ‘much better’ but Enrile cautions rushing its passage By Maricel V. Cruz
O
VER 200 congressmen are supporting the bill seeking to create the Maharlika Investment Fund, two senior lawmakers said Tuesday, even as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to carefully review the bill creating the sovereign wealth fund.
VOL. XXXVI • NO. 303 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella win Tieng, chair of the House CommitQuimbo, one of the authors of the House tee on Banks and Financial IntermediarBill 6608, put the number of co-authors ies Chair, estimated the pro-Maharlika Next page at 216, while Manila 5th District Rep. Ir-
OFWs cited for positive job reputation
PBBM meets Belgium’s King Philippe, pushes strategic partnership
By Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday praised Filipino workers in Europe for their dedication, generosity, and kindness, all of which contribute to the positive reputation that their compatriots enjoy abroad. His administration is also looking at adding more labor attaches to protect the rights of Filipino migrant workers, a Cabinet member traveling with the President said. In a meeting with the Filipino community in Belgium, Mr. Marcos vowed to strengthen the country’s economic institutions and create more jobs, so Filipinos do not have to leave their families behind for greener pastures abroad. “The Filipino community organizations here in Europe continue to maintain deep and growing friendships with people of different nations. Filipinos in this part of the world will continue to be highly regarded because of your jolly and high-spirited manner, hard work, your dedication,” the President said. “You are being admired here by the locals, all your co-workers, friends, they always commend the Filipinos,” he added. Mr. Marcos said his administration is on track to create more quality jobs by investing heavily in human capital Next page
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday met King Philippe of Belgium at the Royal Palace in Brussels, as he said he looks forward to pursuing a strategic partnership with Belgium in various fields. The President also said they are poised to sign a Philippines-Belgium Joint Plan of Action for 2023 to 2027 that could enhance their bilateral cooperation. Marcos made this remark during his meeting with the Filipino community at the Event Lounge in Brussels ahead of his participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-European Union (EU) Commemorative Summit. Next page
KINGLY STRIDE. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. walks with Belgium’s King Philippe (left) at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Tuesday. This topped a day where he also met with
international maritime employers and various shipowners to assure the European Union’s transport officials that his government is addressing certification issues concerning Filipino seafarers. On Monday, Mr. Marcos also received a warm welcome from Filipinos across Europe in Brussels (inset photos). OPS Photos
DOH allays fear of COVID cases uptick, says all regions still low risk By Willie Casas
Health told a media forum Tuesday. ued to be manageable. are manageable... nothing is too severe and DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosa“We don’t need to panic. We don’t critical, we don’t need to panic,” she said. From December 5 to 11, the Philippines THERE is no cause for alarm regarding rio Vergeire said all regions remained need to panic,” Vergeire told reporters. “We already know that expected cases... tallied 8,292 new COVID-19 cases, which the recent uptick of COVID-19 cases under low-risk case classification in the Philippines, the Department of while hospital admission rates contin- might increase. But as long as our hospitals Next page
Bautista, Acuzar get CA approval as Transport, Housing secretaries AFTER two hearings, the powerful Commission on Appointments endorsed Tuesday the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Jaime Bautista as secretary of the Department of Transportation. Last week, the CA committee on transportation suspended the hearing on Bau-
COMMANDERS ALL. Philippine Army Commanding General LTG Romeo S. Brawner Jr. and Philippine Marine Corps Commandant MG Charlton Sean M. Gaerlan (second from right and right) put their fists together with (from left) US Marine Corps Forces Commander LTG William M. Jurney, US Army Pacific Commanding General GEN Charles A. Flynn, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Chief of Staff GEN Yoshida Yoshihide on Dec. 11 in Asaka Station, Japan. The first JapanPhilippines-United States Land Forces Chiefs Meeting was held to discuss their opinions concerning strategic assessment and maintaining and enhancing a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific.’ Japanese Embassy photo
‘FUEL SUBSIDY TO 600K TRIKE DRIVERS DONE BY JANUARY’
tista’s appointment due to time constraints. At the same time, another panel also approved the ad interim appointment of Jose Rizalino Acuzar as secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). The CA Committee on Human Settlements and Urban Development endorsed the confirmation of Acuzar’s appointment to the plenary in less than one hour, as the CA members from the House of Representatives did not raise Next page
NEWS / A2
Journo meted jail time, fine for cyber libel post vs. ex-agri chief Pinol By Rio N. Araja and Joel E. Zurbano a Facebook post against former agricul- and five months in prison.
the present libel laws have been used ture chief Manny Piñol. She also directed Cimatu to pay Piñol and abused to suppress the freedom of QC RTC Branch 93 Judge Evangeline P300,000 in moral damages. the press in the country. THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros “Our libel laws have been weaponized has convicted Baguio City-based jour- Cabochan-Santos sentenced Cimatu to nalist Frank Cimatu for cyber libel over six months and one day to five years pushed to decriminalize libel, saying Next page
‘Crime ring behind red onion hoarding’
A DEPARTMENT of Agriculture official claims a crime syndicate could be hoarding red onions, the price of which stayed high two weeks ahead of Christmas, with authorities checking cold storage facilities for hoarded supplies. DA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said he received information that some onions were bought way below the cost of production during the harvest season and have not yet been released in public markets. At the same time, Estoperez, in a Super Radyo dzBB interview, warned those selling smuggled onions online or in markets they might face charges. Estoperez explained they did not issue a permit to import white onions, thus those found selling this agricultural product would have their permits automatically canceled. Next page
BULBOUS HAUL. A police truck holds some sacks of white onions in a total haul worth P1.95 million seized by a composite team of government agents at a warehouse in Tondo, Manila last Friday. BOC photo
Frenzied sendoff for military duty for BTS star Jin YEONCHEON—BTS star Jin starts his mandatory South Korean military duty on Tuesday, the band’s first member to enlist since a hiatus announcement this year left fans heartbroken over the Kpop juggernaut’s uncertain future. Next page