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TRUMP'S TARIFFS PROTECTIONIST—XI
GAS DOWN P3.60, DIESEL AT P3.30
SOKOR’S YOON TRIAL BEGINS
NEWS / A2
NEWS / A3
WORLD/ A6
PH stands ground in COC talks Cites need to adhere to int'l laws during ASEAN-China negotiations By Rachelle Tonelada
T
HE Philippines stood its ground in the latest round of negotiations on the ASEANChina Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, strongly reaffirming its commitment to international law and its sovereign rights amid growing tensions in the region. “The Philippines voiced its concerns on the situation in the West Philippine Sea, especially with regard to recent incidents that posed risks to Philippine vessels and personnel, and actions by other countries that infringed on the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said. “The Philippines also reiterated its commitment to resolve disputes peacefully and to pursue constructive diplomatic approaches in managing differences at sea,” it added. Held in Manila from April 9 to 11, the meeting of the Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWG-DOC) brought together ASEAN member states and China to continue talks on the long-delayed COC. Malaysia, as chairman of ASEAN for 2025, and China co-chaired the round. Next page
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 63 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2025 •
CODE OF CONDUCT MEET. The Philippines hosted last week the latest round of negotiations to conclude an ASEAN-China Code of Conduct (COC) in
the South China Sea. Representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China pose for the customary shoulder-to-shoulder photo at the end the three-day meeting of the Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWG-DOC) in Manila. The JWG-DOC is co-chaired by Malaysia and China.
West Philippine Sea now on Google Maps By Rex Espiritu FOR several years now, the West Philippine Sea could not be located in
Google Maps, which would show only a very limited area of the WPS close to Luzon when the term is searched. Now, not only has Google Maps
plotted the WPS, it also showed the stretch of the area up to the Spratly Islands or the Kalayaan Group of Islands. Next page
Marcos tells motorists to keep heads cool and egos in check on Holy Week By Charles Dantes, Vince Lopez, Ram Superable and Butch Gunio PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. urged motorists to keep their cool amid the yearly Holy Week exodus from the cities to various provinces, which historically creates monstrous traffic jams in key roads,
SOUTH CHINA SEA
DOTr warns vs. overloading BUSINESS / B1 an ordeal made more excruciating by the sweltering summer heat. Next page
Scorching heat with scattered rains prevailing across country—PAGASA
WEST PHILIPPINE SEA
THE state weather bureau forecasts cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms in Northern Luzon early in the week, even while the rest of the country will experience sweltering heat.
In an advisory, titled “Special Weather Outlook on the Observance of Semana Santa 2025,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Next page
GOOGLE MAP
Poll says 4 party-list groups to get 3 seats By Rachelle Tonelada AS the Philippines approaches the May midterm elections, four partylist groups are poised to secure the maximum three seats in the House of Representatives, according to the latest Tugon ng Masa survey conducted by OCTA Research.
The survey revealed that ACT-CIS leads with a voter preference of 8.70 percent, followed by Tingog with 5.77 percent. The 4Ps party list garnered 5.40 percent getting the third spot, while Ako Bicol received 4.20 percent. Under the Party-List System Act (Republic Act No. 7941), party-list Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz
According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), dozens of kidnapping cases have been recorded in recent months, with several involving Chinese nationals as victims.
NAVOTAS City Rep. and campaign manager Toby Tiangco assured supporters on Monday that the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas—composed of the country’s five largest political parties—remains solid and united as its senatorial slate continues to gain broad nationwide support. “The five-party Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, composed of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP),
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Kidnappings to hurt economy—VACC THE recent resurgence of kidnap-forransom cases in the Philippines may have far-reaching economic consequences, an anti-crime advocacy group warned Monday, urging swift and coordinated action from the government.
Alyansa going strong; Camille Villar still in ticket
EXODUS BEGINS. Department of Transportation (DOT'r) Secretary Vince Dizon and Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Jay Santiago on Monday check the Manila NorthPort Passenger Terminal and Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) for Oplan Biyaheng Ayos Semana Santa and Summer Vacation. Inset shows members of the Philippine Coast Guard deployed at the said port to provide security to passengers. Norman Cruz