twitter.com/ MlaStandard
facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH
instagram.com/ manilastandard
manilastandard.net
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 85646229
20 .00
I
IN MET R MANILAO
N
S
I
D
E
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 208 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES SEPTEMBER 10, 2023
6.8-MAGNITUDE QUAKE KILLS 820 IN MOROCCO
GRANDPARENTS DAY.
SM Supermalls is rolling out the red carpet for the pillars of society, the country’s lolos and lolas, for Grandparents Day at SM. SM Supermalls has designated spots for families to snap picture-perfect memories and to throw a celebration that’s all about honoring the elders who’ve helped Pinoys grow and learn.
NO PINOYS HURT, DAMAGE EXTENSIVE AFTER NIGHT TEMBLOR ‘PH SECURITY SECTOR SHOULD BAN TIKTOK’ NEWS | A2
RACE TO RESCUE. Rescue workers search for survivors in a collapsed house in Moulay Brahim, Al Haouz province, Morocco on September 9 after an earthquake, the country’s deadliest in decades, killed at least 820 people, officials said. The quake caused widespread damage and sent terrified residents and tourists scrambling to safety in the middle of the night. AFP
M
ARRAKESH—Morocco’s deadliest earthquake in decades has killed at least 820 people, officials said Saturday, causing widespread damage and sending terrified residents and tourists scrambling to safety in the middle of the night.
The 6.8-magnitude quake struck a mountainous area 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of tourist hotspot Marrakesh at 11:11 pm (2211 GMT) Friday, the US Geological Survey reported. Strong tremors were also felt in the
coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca, and Essaouira. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. joined world leaders in expressing sadness and condolences over the disaster, the Palace said Saturday (see
related story in World, A4— Editors). No Filipino was reported hurt in Morocco after the powerful earthquake late Friday (local time). In a text message on Saturday morning, Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja said the embassy continues to monitor the situation as reports come in from local authorities. Filipino community leader Regina Castillo said she has yet to receive reports of injured compatriots in her area of jurisdiction in Casablanca. Castillo, who is currently in the city of El Jadida, about 230.2 km. from Marrakech, said the quake was so strong
that she and her kids hadto rush out of their place to take cover. “We felt a very violent tremor, and I realized it was an earthquake,” Abdelhak El Amrani, 33, told AFP by telephone from Marrakesh. “I could see buildings moving,” said Amrani who went outside, joining many other people, “all in shock and panic. The children were crying and the parents were distraught.” It was the most powerful quake to ever hit the country, and one expert called it the region’s “biggest in more than 120 years”. AFP with Charles Dantes
DRIVERS SAY P10K FUEL SUBSIDY LACKING WITH PRICES RISING By Alena Mae S. Flores THE P6,500 to P10,000 one-time fuel subsidy is not enough amid increasing pump prices, the transport group Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) said Saturday. This was as Unioil Petroleum Philippines forecasted a higher oil price hike
RICE RETAILERS’ AID. Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual (second from right) hands P15,000 to one of 48 small rice retailers at the San Juan City public market on Saturday. Witnessing (from left) are DSWD Assistant Secretary Ada Colinco, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa, and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. Manny Palmero
on Tuesday of P0.40 to P0.60 per liter for diesel and P0.10 to P0.30 per liter for gasoline. Unioil said in its advisory the higher fuel prices will be reflected starting Sept. 12 to Sept. 18 and asked consumers to “load up accordingly.” On Friday, the oil firms estimated diesel prices to go up by of P0.10 to P0.20 per liter and gasoline and
kerosene to have minimal raises but warned it was still subject to adjustments based on the Friday trading. Rising pump prices have led to an income loss of P100 per day fordrivers, PISTON President Mody Floranda said in a radio interview on Saturday. “This only quenches our drivers’ thirst because at P6,500, it’s only worth four days of fuel for our drivers
and operators, assuming they load about 30 liters a day,” he told radio dzBB. “If we look at it over 25 days, our drivers directly lose aroundP3,000 in earnings (from higher fuel prices). At first glance, the fuel subsidy may be helpful, but overall, it doesn’t count for much owing to the continuing fuel price increases,” Floranda added.
GEOTHERMICA, PH EAGLE, DIES IN SINGAPORE THE Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) on Saturday mourned the death of Philippine Eagle “Geothermica,” whom they credited for bringing international attention to the species’ plight. In a Facebook post, the organization said Geothermica, a 19-yearold male eagle, died on Thursday, Sept. 7., in a Singapore zoo. “Sambisig,” a female Philippine eagle, and Geothermica were on a breeding loan program under a Wildlife Loan Agreement between the Philippines and Mandai Wildlife Group in Singapore, the foundation said. “They are the first eagle couple placed under an international cooperation in 2019 to save this Philippine national bird from extinction,” the PEF said. The Philippine Eagle is listed as critically endangered — “considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild” — by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are an estimated 392 pairs of Philippine Eagles left, PEF said on its website. The species is threatened by deforestation, which forces them away from their hunting grounds and closer to the risk of being shot by people.
DSWD SEES HIKE IN CASH AID FOR RICE RETAILERS THE P15,000 financial assistance for qualified rice retailers affected by the price cap on regular and well-milled rice varieties could be increased, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said. This was as an estimated 25,000 qualified micro rice retailers began receiving their Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday. “We got to talk to the President. He instructed the DTI (Department
of Trade and Industry) and DSWD to calibrate and check the financial assistance. If it is not enough, it should be increased,” Gatchalian said in a TV interview. The DSWD chief said the agency and the DTI started distributing the cash assistance to affected retailers in three cities -- Caloocan, Quezon City, and San Juan. “For the President, it is important that the MSMEs be assisted. We know they have made sacrifices during this time, so the government
wants to help them. We know that although they are traders, they are small traders,” Gatchalian said. Even sari-sari (retail) stores outside wet markets and public markets are eligible for a P5,000 subsidy, he said in a statement late Friday. “Unlicensed rice retailers and sari-sari store owners selling rice are also included in the SLP payout, which is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive that the list of beneficiaries should be inclusive,” he said. With Jun David