KUWTT: Ex-PAL chief to head DoTr | June 24, 2022

Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, June 24, 2022.

READ: Ex-PAL chief to head DoTr

PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has picked veteran airline executive Jaime Bautista as secretary of the Department of Transportation (DoTr). Incoming Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Bautista, who will replace Arthur Tugade. Bautista, an accountant, worked in the country's flagship Philippine Airlines (PAL) for 25 years and was its president for a combined 13 years before retiring for the second time in 2019. He rose from the ranks at the airline, eventually becoming vice president for finance from 1993 to 1994, chief finance officer from 1994 to 1999, executive vice president from 1999 to 2004, and president from 2004 to 2012, and from 2014 until 2019.

READ: 'Policy key to manufacturing boom'

EXPERTS from the government and private sector believe an industrial policy will boost the growth of the manufacturing sector and the Philippine economy as a whole. During The Manila Times forum titled "Repurposing Industry for Retooling the Economy" on Thursday, local industries were confronted by three challenges — intense competition from imports in the domestic market, the need to improve the capacity of domestic industries to penetrate export markets and global value chains, and the need to attract more investments. To address these issues, Aldaba said the DTI is implementing the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy or i3S, which aims to grow innovative and globally competitive manufacturing, agriculture and service industries, while strengthening their linkages in the global value chain. This will result in inclusive and sustainable growth that generates more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship in the country.

READ: PCCI seeks govt focus on education, rule of law

In the same forum, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Thursday presented a list of priority areas that the next administration should focus on. PCCI President George Barcelon said the next government must have a focused approach on some of these very basic areas that need to be addressed: education, rule of law, and ease of doing business. Barcelon also said the government must prepare the framework for digital education that is "accessible and affordable."

READ: Climate change the 'real threat' for PH

CLIMATE change, not the territorial dispute with China or the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is the real threat to the country's security, incoming National Security Adviser (NSA) Clarita Carlos said Thursday. Carlos said environmental concerns create a chain reaction affecting food, human and national security, especially among developing countries like the Philippines which bear the brunt of the effects of global warming. The 76-year-old Carlos said the so-called powerhouse nations' vow to cut carbon emissions by 2030 will remain a promise since many of them have gone back to using sources of energy that are harmful to the environment.

READ: Marcos: PH recovery on track

PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is confident that the economy will recover to its pre-pandemic level as he called for national anew unity days before he assumes the presidency. In his speech at the 10th Cityhood Anniversary celebration of Bacoor City in Cavite province Thursday, Marcos said that unity is the first step for the country to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The incoming president said that he aims to fast-track the government system and make it work to ensure immediate economic recovery. He said that he has received offers of help because "they see a chance for the Philippines to rise again." Marcos gave assurances that he and his team will return the trust of those who voted for him by working to improve the lives of Filipinos. Earlier, Marcos met with his economic team to tackle his "priorities" in a bid to help the country recover from the pandemic.

BUSINESS: Peso falls to 14-year-low at P54.70:$1

Over to business, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) remains comfortable with the current Philippine peso-United States (US) dollar exchange rate even if the local currency has already fallen to a near 17-year low of 54.70:$1 on Thursday. From the closing price of P54.47 the day before, the local currency lost 23 centavos against the greenback. It hasn't been this weak since Nov. 21, 2005, when it closed at 54.74:$1. In a briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila Jr. noted that on a year-to-date basis, the peso-dollar exchange rate has averaged P51.98:$1, which is fairly close to the P51-53:$1 estimate for this year made by the Development Budget Coordination Committee.

SPORTS: Abueva-less Magnolia takes on Phoenix

Topping sports, the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots picked up their first win of the season last Sunday, but the team's bid for back-to-back victories is already being threatened as the Hotshots troop to the Mall of Asia Arena today, June 24, to face the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters without ace forward Calvin Abueva. Abueva is back on the hot seat after being slapped with a onegame suspension and a P10,000 fine for unsportsmanlike behavior. Once given a nearly two-year ban by the PBA, Abueva had seen progress rehabilitating his attitude, but in the Hotshots' last encounter against the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, "The Beast" failed to keep his emotions in check. He received a technical foul in the early part of the game, then got involved in a little skirmish with Ginebra guard Nards Pinto and was called for unsportsmanlike behavior, resulting in his ejection from the game.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Rigoberto Tiglao and Van Ybiernas are today's front page columnists. Tiglao hits out at Meralco after a power outage in his place, while Ybiernas looks into the news being used as propaganda.

Today's editorial calls for hybrid elections to be given a "big push". Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

For more news and information, get a copy of The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and Keep Up With The Times.

On behalf of The Manila Times, this is Christian Crow Maghanoy reporting.

Source: TheManila Times