Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Monday, April 14, 2025.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer — your Trusted Building Partner.

READ: Overseas Filipinos start casting votes

THE one-month absentee voting period for overseas Filipinos began on Sunday, the first time the internet will be used to cast ballots in 77 Philippine diplomatic posts abroad. Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman John Rex Laudiangco, who is also the concurrent chief of the Education and Information Division (EID), said overseas voting in countries where there are registered Filipino voters started at 8 a.m. local time. First to start were areas under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, which opened at 4 a.m. or 8 a.m. Philippine time.

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READ: Asean to reach out to US on tariffs

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) would “reach out” to the United States to discuss the tariffs it imposed on its trade partners, Malaysian Ambassador to Manila Malik Melvin Castelino said Sunday. The issue of tariffs would likely be discussed during the Asean-US dialogue in May in Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia chairs this year’s Asean summit. US President Donald Trump last week announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries except China, whose tariffs he raised to 125 percent.

READ: Lawyer: Bid to challenge jurisdiction of ICC to fail

THE efforts of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team to undermine the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) or secure his temporary release are almost certain to fail, one of the lawyers representing drug war victims has argued. Kristina Conti said Duterte appears to be following a familiar legal strategy — delay and deflect. His allies have hinted at questioning the court’s authority and invoking Philippine sovereignty. But the ICC, which ruled in 2023 that it retains jurisdiction despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, has been firm on its legal footing.

READ: Senate bets: Diplomacy can solve sea row

THREE senatorial candidates favored a diplomatic solution to the Philippines’ row with China in the West Philippine Sea. Guesting on Episode 8 of Bakit Ikaw: The TownHall Election Series co-produced by DZRH and The Manila Times, Arnel Escobal, Amirah Lidasan, and Allen Capuyan agreed that the country should pursue nonmilitary responses in resolving its dispute with China.

Escobal, a lawyer and retired police major general, said there was “no enforcement mechanism” to force China to comply with the 2016 arbitral ruling favoring the Philippine claim to the West Philippine Sea.

READ: PH bares ‘heart and soul’ at Osaka expo

THE Philippine Pavilion opened its doors on Sunday at the Expo 2025 Osaka, drawing crowds eager to experience Filipino “heart and soul.” Guests were welcomed by the pavilion’s intricate façade, showcasing 212 indigenous fabrics from across the Philippines. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the Philippine Pavilion “is our invitation for the world to connect with the heart and soul of the Filipino people and to discover the many reasons to Lovethe Philippines.”

BUSINESS: Two more rate cuts expected

In Business, The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could cut interest rates two more times this year while staying vigilant due to external uncertainties, analysts said. HSBC Global Research economist Aris Dacanay said that they think the BSP has swung into dovishness after the BSP’s policymaking Monetary Board resumed easing last Thursday after an unexpected pause in February. The benchmark interest rate was trimmed by 25 basis points to 5.50 percent and central bank Governor Eli Remolona Jr. signaled that further reductions would come via “baby steps” amid threats to economic growth and with inflation having continued to slow.

SPORTS: Angels get payback against Cool Smashers

In sports, Two years ago, Petro Gazz took Game 1 of the 2023 PVL 1st All-Filipino Finals against Creamline to move on the cusp of a championship. Only, the Angels yielded the next two games to the Cool Smashers and the latter claimed the title. Forward to the present, Petro Gazz once more gained the Finals series head start against Creamline but the latter leveled it by taking Game 2. For the Angels, it appeared that the ghosts of the past had returned and were ready to write another haunting story for them.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino and Francisco S. Tatad are today’s front page columnists. Tiglao’s column talks about the new Philhealth benefits you should demand from hospitals while Fr. Aquino talks about the Passion of the Christ. Tatad’s column is about independent foreign policy.

Today’s editorial discusses the prevailing cases of bullying in schools.

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