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Not a Grinch: DepEd to allow Xmas decor on school walls PROVING that it will not be the Grinch who stole Christmas from young learners, the Department of Education said it will not ban holiday decorations in public school classrooms as long as these are kept simple and are not permanent. DepEd spokesman Michael Poa made
the announcement yesterday, September 1, as the country marked the start of the so-called “longest Christmas” that runs for almost four months. “We see no problem [with Christmas decorations] because these are not Next page
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 200• 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Gov’t sets price caps on rice PBBM issues EO 39, pegs grains at P41/kilo for regular, P45 well-milled By Charles Dantes, Maricel V. Cruz, Othel V. Campos, and Macon Ramos-Araneta
T
HE government will impose a price cap on rice as prices for the grain continue to surge, the Palace said Friday.
A Palace statement said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 39 approving the joint recommendation of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry to put a price ceiling on rice. Under the EO, the mandated price limit for regular milled rice is P41 per kilogram, while the mandated price cap for well-milled rice is P45 a kilo.
As of Aug. 28, the DA reported the local regular milled rice in markets in the National Capital Region (NCR) ranged from PhP42 per kilo to P55 per kilo, while local well-milled rice stood at P48 to P55 per kilo. “The mandated price ceilings shall remain in full force and effect unless lifted by the President upon the recommendation of the Price Coordinating Council or the DA and the DTI,” the
executive order said. Mr. Marcos called on the public to report to the authorities vendors and retailers not observing the mandated price ceiling on rice. “Report them to the police, report them to the DA, report them to the local government so we can investigate,” the President said in a mix of English and Filipino at an event in Palawan. Mr. Marcos said the surging prices were observed in Metro Manila but not in other provinces. "The real problem is in NCR. It's not so bad outside… Metro Manila... That's why maybe we will be focusing our efforts in Metro Manila," he said. In the last sectoral meeting at the Next page
Marcos vows to respond to China’s 10-dash map By Charles Dantes, Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, and Maricel V Cruz PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public that the government will defend the country’s sovereignty, following China’s release of an official map that marks the West Philippine Sea as part of its territory.
"We received the news that now the nine-dash line has been extended to the ten-dash line. We have to respond to all of these and we will," Mr. Marcos said, without providing any details. He said that the administration would closely abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). "We have stayed true to rules-based Next page
Typhoon ‘Hanna’, monsoon keep Luzon inundated By Rio N. Araja, Vince Lopez, Joel E. Zurbano, and Rey E. Requejo TYPHOON "Hanna" decelerated while moving westward over the Philippine Sea on Thursday, as Metro Manila and areas in Luzon stayed under flood waters after the second day of heavy rains owing to the influence of three storm systems on the southwest monsoon or "habagat." Next page
STILL INUNDATED. Portions of Araneta Avenue in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City remain submerged in waist-deep floods after a heavy downpour on Thursday. Meanwhile, a teacher moves materials at the Doña Damiana De Leon Macam Memorial Elementary School in Calumpit, Bulacan (inset), as rains triggered by the southwest monsoon kept pouring on most of Luzon on Friday. Joey Razon and Norman Cruz
Court tells agencies to report on, assess Manila Bay reclamations
Fuel prices poised to rise next week NEWS / A2
By Rey E. Requejo
PBBM orders STAR office reorganized
THE Supreme Court has required concerned government agencies to submit a report on the ongoing land reclamation projects in Manila Bay, including their assessment of the impact of these
NEWS / A2
activities on the environment. The SC issued the order through an en banc resolution as part of its continuing mandamus issued in 2008 ordering the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other government Next page
PH ‘digital sweatshops’ stress ethical concerns NEWS / A3
Explain persistent text scams despite SIM law, DICT told By Darwin G. Amojelar and Maricel V. Cruz LAWMAKERS have asked the Department of Information and Communications Technology to explain why text scams continue despite the registration of all SIM cards. Next page
PEACE GONG. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. bangs the gong in declaring Palawan province to be insurgency-free in the opening of the celebration of National Peace Consciousness Month at Puerto Princesa City on Friday. At right is Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez. Rey Baniquet
Palawan declared insurgency-free By Charles Dantes and Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday declared Palawan province insurgency-free as he directed concerned government agencies to follow through with the reintegration of former rebels, noting that steady
support is needed for lasting peace. The President also local authorities and stakeholders of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which now counts the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines as its latest member, for their part in peace efforts. Next page
'HIGALAAY' CHAMPS. The contingent of Barangay Gusa poses after bagging the championship of the recent Higalaay Festival dance competition in Cagayan de Oro City. The group showcased their winning performance at SM City CDO Uptown in line with the Vibrant Higalaay celebration in Cagayan de Oro.