Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
READ: Show up or face sanctions
THE House Committee on Ethics and Privileges gave Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. until Tuesday afternoon, March 21, to appear before the panel or face sanctions. Coop Natcco party-list Rep. Felimon Espares, the committee chairman, said on Monday Teves has “24 hours to report here in the House of Representatives and then join in our committee meeting.” The committee has summoned Teves, who is still out of the country after filing a leave of absence supposedly to seek medical treatment in the United States, to hear his side over accusations that he masterminded the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo on March 4. The committee refused to allow a virtual appearance by Teves during its meeting Monday. The House had granted Teves a travel clearance covering the period of February 28 to March 9. Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said the congressman “intends to return to clear his name,” but he was concerned about his security once he arrives.
READ: UN to deliver prescription for climate crisis
The United Nations was poised to release a capstone report Monday distilling nearly a decade of published science on the impacts and trajectory of global warming, and the tools available to prevent climate catastrophe. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 30-odd page “summary for policymakers” — compressing 10,500 pages authored by more than 1,000 scientists — is as dense as a black hole and will deliver a stark warning. UN chief Antonio Guterres said the body was nearing the point of no return last week as diplomats from 195 nations gathered in Interlaken, Switzerland, to hammer out the final wording, finalized on Sunday night by exhausted and sleep-deprived delegates two days behind schedule. Since the last IPCC synthesis report in 2014, science has determined that devastating impacts are happening more quickly and at lower levels of warming than previously understood. On current trends, the world is on track to warm by an additional 1.6 degrees.
READ: PH to announce new bases US soldiers can use
THE Philippines and the United States will soon announce the location of four additional military bases in the Southeast Asian country that American soldiers will be allowed to use, officials said Monday. The longtime treaty allies agreed last month to expand cooperation in “strategic areas” of the country as they seek to counter China’s growing assertiveness over Taiwan and its building of bases in the South China Sea. The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, gave US forces access to five bases in the Philippines. It has been expanded to nine, but the locations of the four additional bases have not been revealed as the government consults with local officials. It has been widely reported that two of the sites will be in the northern province of Cagayan, less than 400 kilometers (250 miles) from self-ruled Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory. Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has publicly opposed having EDCA sites in his province for fear of jeopardizing Chinese investment and becoming a target in a conflict over Taiwan. But Defense chief Carlito Galvez Jr. told reporters Monday the government had “already decided” on the sites and that Mamba had agreed to “abide with the decision.”
READ: Zubiri agrees to truce in Cha-cha debate
SENATE President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has agreed to a “ceasefire” in the debate between the Senate and the House of Representatives over Charter change (Cha-cha). Zubiri on Monday issued a statement canceling the Senate invitation to members of the House to attend a hearing on the constitutional convention. Sen. Robinhood Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, had invited Cagayan de Oro City Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez to the hearing on Monday. Rodriguez said he was disappointed that the invitation was revoked. The congressman said he was already prepared to present to the senators the basis for Resolution of Both House (RBH) 6 and House Bill 7352 “which were all data-driven, evidence-based and future-proof.” RBH 6 calls for a constitutional convention to propose changes in the Charter’s economic provisions. HB 7352 which implements the resolution.
In Business
READ: Amended Public Service Act’s rules finally issued
RULES implementing changes to the Commonwealth-era Public Service Act (PSA) have been released by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), which expressed optimism that the lifting of foreign ownership limits would lead to increased investments. Republic Act (RA) 11659, which amended the PSA or 1939’s Commonwealth Act 146, was signed into law on March 21 last year by then President Rodrigo Duterte. RA 11659’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were supposed to have been issued by concerned agencies and the NEDA within six months after the law’s effectivity.
Topping Sports
READ: Alcaraz tops Indian Wells, reclaims No. 1
SPAIN’S Carlos Alcaraz swept past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday (Monday in Manila) to win the Indian Wells ATP Masters 1000 and secure his return to number one in the world. US Open champion Alcaraz ended Medvedev’s 19-match winning streak, denying him a fourth title in as many tournaments to ensure he will supplant Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic atop the rankings. Serbia’s Djokovic, barred from entering the United States because he hasn’t been vaccinated against Covid-19, sat out Indian Wells and will miss the Miami Open starting this week, where Alcaraz is the defending champion. Alcaraz, 19, became the youngest world number one ever after his triumph at Flushing Meadows last year, claimed his third Masters 1000 title and joined compatriot Rafael Nadal as the only players to win at least three as a teenager. Nadal won six before turning 20.
READ: Cool Smashers, Angels eye Finals rematch
PETRO Gazz and Creamline look to set up a Finals rematch by finishing their respective semifinals series today, March 21, in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Mall of Asia Arena. Taking Game 1 of their respective best-of-3 semis series, the Angels battle the PLDT High Speed Hitters at 4 p.m., while the defending champs Cool Smashers face the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers at 6:30 p.m. Should Petro Gazz and Creamline hurdle their opponents, they will meet again in the AFC Finals for the second straight time and fourth overall.
READ: Opinion/Editorial
The Times, in its editorial, tackles preventing HIV among the young. Read the full version on print and digital or listen to the Voice of The Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and rlando Mercado. Contreras writes about dealing with Marcoses’ charm offensive; Makabenta on Major turns in the Ukraine war, although the end was nowhere in sight; and Mercado on Charter change.
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This is Kim Salinas reporting.