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PHILHEALTH TO ADD MORE BENEFITS
MAKATI CITY STEPS UP HEALTH CARE
NEWS / A2
NEWS / A4 VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 235 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024
PH, Sokor forge 6 new pacts
To boost maritime ties, conduct nuke plant study By Alena Mae Flores and Vince Lopez
T
HE Philippines and South Korea on Monday forged six new pacts, including agreements on strengthening maritime cooperation and a feasibility study on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant rehabilitation as the two countries agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a “strategic partnership.” “I would like to manifest our willingness to proactively work towards sustaining our cooperation and further deepening our unbreakable bond with the Republic of Korea,” President Marcos said in his remarks during the luncheon hosted for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Marcos and Yoon both agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership to bring “further impetus to the strengthening and deepening” of the cooperation between the two countries. “We agreed that we have made significant strides in advancing and deepening our bilateral cooperation towards the attainment of our mutually beneficial goals,” Marcos said. Both countries inked memoranda of understanding (MOU) on maritime cooperation between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Korea Coast Guard, on Economic Innovation Partnership Program, on Strategic Cooperation on Critical Raw Material Supply Chains; and on the Feasibility Study of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant; a loan agreement on Samar Coastal Road II Project; and the implementation program of the MOU between the Department of Tourism and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for 2024-2029.
WARMER TIES. President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos join President Yoon Suk Yeolk and his wife, First Lady Kim Keon Hee, in the customary photo op after their call yesterday at Malacanang Palace. PCO
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Duterte seeks old job; 38 ‘senatoriables’ file COCs By Vito Barcelo FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte formally declared his bid for mayor of Davao City as he led poll aspirants nationwide in filing certicicates of candidacy (COCs) and certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONAs) yesterday. He was accompanied by his second wife Honeylet Avancena, and his son,
incumbent Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, in submitting the crucial document at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in his home turf. He has served several full terms as Davao City mayor across several decades, before he ran for and won the presidency in 2016. His son Sebastian will make way for his father’s planned comeback by sliding down to run for vice mayor.
For his part, Davao City First District Representative Paolo Duterte, the elder Duterte’s other son, also filed his COC for reelection at the Lower House. “I thank the Davaoeñoes for their support. I owe this to them and I will never forget it,” the lawmaker said on his Facebook page. As this developed, a number of veteran politicians, celebrities and other Next page
FOR THE DEARLY DEPARTED. People hold hands at a memorial event marking the first year anniversary of the Hamas attack in southern Israel in Tel Aviv on Oct. 7, 2024, with an outpouring of emotion at vigils and rallies calling for the return of hostages. AFP
Israel vows hostages’ return; marks Oct. 7 attack anniversary PRIME Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tants in Gaza as Israel marked the first vowed on Monday to bring back all anniversary of the October 7 attack by hostages still held by Palestinian mili- Hamas. “On this day, in this place, and in many places across our country, we remember our dead, our hostages, whom we are obligated to bring back and our heroes who fell in defence of the homeland and the nation. We went By Rachelle Tonelada through a terrible massacre a year THE first batch of Filipinos to be re- ago,” Netanyahu said. Netanhayu’s comments came just patriated from Lebanon is scheduled to leave the conflict-torn country on hours after an Israeli campaign group Friday (October 11), Migrant Workers announced the death of another hostage held in Gaza. Secretary Hans Cacdac. The Hostages and Missing Families “We are arranging for the return of at least almost 200 within this month, Forum said Idan Shtivi, 28, was abducted from the site of the Nova muNext page sic festival and his “body is still held
1st batch of Filipinos leave Lebanon Oct. 11
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AT THE STARTING LINE. More politicians turned in their certificates of candidacies at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)
throughout the country. Among the most prominent were (from left to right), reelectionist Senator Cynthia Villar, former President Rodrigo Duterte who seeks to return as Davao City mayor, reelectionist Bong Revilla, and comebacking former senators Manny Pacquiao and Gringo Honasan. Manny Palmero
BI tells foreign POGO workers to downgrade visas By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded all foreign nationals working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to voluntarily downgrade their visas before the October 15 dead-
ing. In fact, I think he’s withdrawing from candidacy as we speak,” Remulla said in a chance interview. The Standard is still getting confirmation from Malacañang on Remulla’s appoinment. He will replace Benhur Abalos who is running for a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm polls.
Viado said more than 10,000 POGO workers have already filed for visa downgrading, and he expects the number to increase as the deadline nears. Visa downgrading allows foreign nationals to revert their status from a work Next page
‘VP Sara’s ratings slide due to failure to respond to issues’
Cavite governor Remulla is DILG chief CAVITE Gov. Jonvic Remulla will be appointed as the new secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, told reporters that his brother will take his oath tomorrow. “[He’s] scheduled to have an oath taking tomorrow. Tomorrow morn-
line or face arrest and deportation. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reiterated that there will be no extensions for adjusting their visa status, and those trying to file after the set deadline will be ordered to leave the country immediately.
Gov. Jonvic Remulla
HOUSE Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe of Zamboanga City said Monday that the significant decline in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trust ratings could be because of her continued refusal to address allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds, According to a recent survey con-
ducted by Stratbase, Inc., Duterte’s trust rating plummeted from 45 percent in July to 29 percent in September. Dalipe said VP Duterte’s most significant drop in trust ratings was recorded in Balance Luzon, where Duterte’s trust rating fell by 25 percent, Next page