Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, March 16, 2023

READ: Inflation, wages top concerns – survey

INFLATION, affordable food and higher wages are the most urgent concerns among Filipinos, a nationwide survey conducted by OCTA Research showed. Staying healthy remained a top personal concern, the survey, conducted from March 24 to 28, found. OCTA said 57 percent of Filipinos want the government to rein in the prices of goods and services, 45 percent want salaries increased, and 44 percent long for affordable food like rice, vegetables and meat. OCTA said the concerns of Filipinos spread out over different areas and socioeconomic groups

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READ: Malampaya contract extended by 15 years

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday signed an agreement to extend the operations of the Malampaya power plant by another 15 years. The 25-year Malampaya Service Contract 38 will expire on Feb. 22, 2024, but the President extended it until Feb. 22, 2039, to ensure the remaining gas reserves are explored and utilized. Located 80 kilometers off Palawan, the Malampaya gas field has been providing 20 percent of Luzon’s energy requirement for more than three decades. The government was able to generate P374 billion in revenues from Malampaya. In 2022 alone, it yielded about P26 billion in government revenues.

READ: PH, Australia hold joint military drills

IT is Australia’s turn to hold joint military maneuvers with the Philippines. The bilateral exercise between the Philippine Army and the Australian Defense Force, named Exercise Kasangga, kicked off at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, on Monday. Around 200 troops from the Philippines and 50 from Australia will take part in the month-long exercise. Kasangga will focus on urban operations, combat tracking, jungle warfare and survival training, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. The opening ceremony was led by Army Assistant Division Commander Brig. Gen. Augusto Villareal of the 2nd Infantry Division and Australian Defense Attaché to the Philippines Col. Paul Joseph Barta. The first Kasangga exercise was conducted in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, from April 11 to June 27, 2022.

READ: PH bags 2 more golds as SEAG winds down

A promising weightlifter and a veteran wrestler led the way for the Philippines on the penultimate day of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Monday. Vanessa Sarno, 19, bucked a tight left knee on the way to defending her women’s 71-kg title at the National Olympic Stadium’s Taekwondo Hall. She lifted 105 kilograms in her third attempt in the snatch to eclipse the record of 104 kg that she set in the Hanoi Games last year. Sarno hefted 120 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 225 kg. Sarno gave the Philippines its 47th gold in the Phnom Penh Games. Forty-four-year-old wrestler Cristina Vergara turned in the 48th gold after defeating her Cambodian foe, 12-2, in the final of the women’s -65-kg freestyle.

READ: World’s oldest dog celebrates 31st birthday

THE world’s oldest dog recently celebrated his 31st birthday, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of Portuguese dog, celebrated during a party Saturday at his home in the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where he has lived his entire life. More than 100 people attended the “very traditional” Portuguese party, owner Leonel Costa said. Local meats and fish were served to up to 100 guests, with extra for Bobi, who only eats human food. A dance troupe also performed with Bobi participating in one of their routines. Costa has owned several old-aged dogs in the past, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived to the age of 18. However, Costa said he never imagined any of his dogs would reach their 30s.

Topping Business

READ: Remittances up 3% to $2.97B in March

OVERSEAS Filipino worker (OFW) remittances rose by 3.0 percent to $2.97 billion in March from $2.89 billion a year earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Monday. The increase was attributed to higher remittances from land-based workers with contracts of a year or more and sea- and land-based OFWs with contracts of less than a year. Month on month, the amount of money sent home from abroad by OFWs also increased by 3.8 percent from $2.86 billion in February. Year to date, remittances grew to $8.91 billion in the first quarter, 3.0 percent higher than the $8.65 billion posted in the comparable period. Cash remittances coursed through banks rose by 3.0 percent to $2.67 billion in March from $2.59 billion a year ago. This was also higher than the $2.57 billion recorded in February. For the first three months of 2023, cash remittances also grew by 3.0 percent to $8.0 billion from $7.77 billion.

In Sports

READ: Sarno retains crown, sets new SEAG record

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Vanessa Sarno set a new snatch record en route to her second straight gold medal in the women’s 71-kg of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) at the National Olympic Stadium’s Taekwondo Hall on Monday, May 15. Her face virtually poised despite lifting a weight so heavy, Sarno raised 105 kg in her third attempt in snatch to eclipse the record of 104 kg that she herself set in the Hanoi Games last year. The 19-year-old lifted 120 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 225 kg. Thailand’s Thipwara Chontavin finished a distant second and claimed the silver medal with a total lift of 208 kg. Indonesia’s Restu Anggi settled for the bronze with 206 kg.

READ: Barca wins La Liga crown sans Messi

MADRID: Barcelona is celebrating winning the Spanish league — and this time without Lionel Messi.Barcelona lifted its first league trophy after Messi’s departure with a 4-2 victory at Espanyol on Sunday in a match marred by Espanyol fans storming the pitch at the end of the game and forcing Barcelona players to head for the locker room. Robert Lewandowski scored twice to lead the Catalan club to its first league title since 2019. The title was secured with four rounds remaining and two years after Messi left amid the club’s financial struggles. The last time Barcelona had celebrated a league title without Messi in its squad was back in 1998-99. He came into the first team in 2004-05 and won the title that season.

READ: Opinion/Editorial

Today’s editorial focuses on the Bikol Book Festival, which highlights regional culture. Read the full version on print and digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Orlando Mercado are the featured columnists on the front page. Contreras talks about a harebrained brand; Makabenta on the acquittal of Leila de Lima; and Mercado on combatting insurgency.

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This is Kim Salinas reporting.