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Photojournalist, five others wounded in QC gun attack By Rio N. Araja UNIDENTIFIED gunmen shot a photojournalist and five other persons -- three of them minors -- on Thursday afternoon in Quezon City, the police and the Presidential Task Force on Media Secu-
rity (PTFoMS) reported. The Quezon City Police District said Remate Online photographer Joshua Abiad, 37, his brother Renato, 41, and the three children were on board their silver Ford Everest along Corumi and Next page
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 135• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
P40 NCR wage hike approved Marcos sees ‘good compromise’ on pending salary increase petitions By Vito Barcelo and Charles Dantes
T
HE minimum wage in Metro Manila will go up P40, from P570 to P610 a day for non-agricultural workers in the private sector and from P533 to P573 a day for agricultural workers starting July 16.
The regional wage board in the National Capital Region (NCR) also said that the agricultural daily rate would apply to service and retail establishments with 15 or fewer workers and manufacturing establishments with fewer than 10 workers. Before the wage order was announced, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said a wage increase was possible. During a courtesy visit at the Malacanang Palace of International Labor Organization Director General Gilbert F. Houngbo, Marcos said the government is in negotiations with workers, labor unions, and organizations to discuss a compromise for the possible wage hike. “But I think our negotiations with workers, with the unions, with the different negotiations, we will be able to Next page
PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. graces the 50th Founding Anniversary celebration of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) at the Coconut Palace in Pasay City on Thursday June 29, 2023. He led the national tree-planting activity where he was joined by (from left) Senator Cynthia Villar, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, PCA chief Bernie Cruz and Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano. Alfred Frias
No deal yet with US to house President: ‘Incomplete’ grade for Year 1 Afghan refugees, say Marcos By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said that no deal has been made yet between the Philippines and the United States to house Afghan refugees in the country. Mr. Marcos made the clarification amid reports circulating online that the
By Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz
housing request was already granted. "That is why I was a little surprised when I saw some of the news reports (that) there’s a deal between the US. There is no deal," the President said. He said he is still looking at how to make it work, adding that the government needs to be cautious when it comes to security issues. Next page
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday there is still a long way to go in assessing his performance as the country's chief executive after just one year in office. Speaking with the reporters, Mr. Marcos said that more needs to be done, citing the assessment report from an
economist giving him an "incomplete" grade to which he agreed. "I saw a report earlier this morning where one of the economists said the grade that I will give for the President is incomplete. I agree with him. We are not done," Mr. Marcos said. The President said that the agriculture sector is still the biggest sector that got neglected in the past decades. "We have to undo 30, 35, almost 40 years of neglect when it comes to the ag-
ricultural sector," he said. "We have done a lot of growth (and) we are beginning to see the systemic changes that are going to be part of the new bureaucracy, but there is still a long way to go," he added. Moreover, Mr. Marcos said that under his administration, he would continue to improve the country's economic situation. “So, it’s never enough. Whatever it Next page
Senate leader denies ‘sneaky tampering’ of Maharlika Zubiri says ready to step down By Macon Ramos-Araneta
vestment Fund (MIF) bill. "There was never a plan to tamper. SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri There was no sinister move to tamper the on Thursday said there was "no sinister measure. There’s no tampering that took move to tamper" with the Maharlika In- place," he said.
Zubiri said the measure will be transmitted to the Palace next week, likely before the meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council on Wednesday. Next page
China may target PH if tensions with US worsen By Macon Ramos-Araneta
RELIGIOUS ART. The 'Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel' exhibit will be open for public viewing at Estancia Mall in Pasig City starting tomorrow, (Saturday, July 1, 2023) until Sept. 30. The scenes at the famous Vatican City chapel are replicated into 34 life-sized photographic works with informative signage and audio guides. Joan Bondoc / PNA
THE Philippines would be a target of China if its tensions with the United States spiral out of control following the expanded American military presence in the country, former President Rodrigo Duterte said in a television interview. In a television interview earlier this week, Duterte said he “regularly” meets with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to keep an open discussion with the Communist nation and relay that the Next page
if senators want him replaced
By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday said he has no illusions that he is irreplaceable even as he rejected the idea of conducting a loyalty check among his colleagues amid rumors of a leadership coup in the Upper Chamber. “I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues, we all do. A leadership position is at the pleasure of the majority. You are always ready to go in or go out. This [Senate Presidency] is just a bonus from God,”
he said in a press forum on Thursday. “If they don't want me anymore, then they can take me out. If they are happy with me, they can keep me as long as they need me. But I am very honored to serve my colleagues,” he added. Zubiri said he does not know where the rumors of a coup threat against him are coming from. Earlier this week, at least six senators denied rumors of a leadership change in their chamber during the opening of the Next page
Court archives murder case vs. Bantag By Rey E. Requejo A MUNTINLUPA City regional trial court has resolved to archive the murder case filed against former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and his former deputy, Ricardo Zulueta, pending their arrest, in connection with the death of a New Bilibid Prison inmate.
In a seven-page order, the Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 206 archived the case on the killing of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid. The case will be revived once the court acquires jurisdiction over the accused when they are arrested or if they surrender. Next page