Vol. 36
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No. 35
March 20, 2022
2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES
18 .00
IN MET R MANILAO
BOOTS ON THE GROUND. UniTeam presidential aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio, sign a Manifesto for National Unity, for Peace,and for Inclusive Progress at the Armscor Compound in Marikina City. Ver Noveno
DOLE to pursue wage hike, grant
‘Old-schooled’ BBM opts to do direct campaigning n By REY E. REQUEJO AND MARICEL CRUZ PARTIDO Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said reaching out to his supporters and listening to the needs of the people at the local level through his campaign sorties are more effective ways for him to communicate and discuss his platforms than going to debates. “It is better for me, in my campaign to go to the people, that instead of fighting, [instead of] debating, I listen to the people and I hear from them what they are complaining about, what they are worried about in the future. All of that, for me, is more important,” Marcos said in a radio interview over dzRH. Marcos, calling himself an old school politician, said direct
campaigning and meeting the people during sorties are more important for him than sitting in a room and exchanging words with his fellow candidates. He also said that one of the reasons why he is so aggressive in reaching out to the people was that the UniTeam is already behind in its campaign schedule. He said they were forced to take a 21-day break after a COVID-19 outbreak hit the BBM headquarters in January. “Is it more important to go talk to local leaders, talk to sectoral leaders and ask what are your grievances, what are your fears, what are you thinking? If that is more important than debate, I say yes to this,” Marcos said in a separate interview during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay. CONTINUED ON 3A
Says it will act on pay hike by April, push subsidy despite ‘stretched’ nat’l budget n By VITO BARCELO
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HE Department of Labor and Employment will continue to push for a P24 billion-wage subsidy that could support minimum wage workers for three months even as the country’s economic managers were lukewarm to the proposal, citing the government’s overstretched budget.
DOLE said it will also decide on pending petitions to raise the minimum wage across the country before May. “We remain vigilant on the effects of the Ukraine-Russia crisis, especially on the rising cost of fuel and energy that may affect industries that are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic...We are still pushing for the approval of the proposed wage subsidy for workers that will preserve jobs and ease the financial burden of selected minimum wage earners,” the labor
department said in a statement. “Also, we have enjoined the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards to review petitions for wage hikes and work for the speedy resolutions on the same,” it added. Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said there are at least six regions, including Metro Manila, where there are pending wage hike petitions. “Regional wage boards are working on these. We have given the guidance to them, and Secretary [Silvestre III] CONTINUED ON 3A
Prexy bets bare plans to aid small business, agri sectors n By MACON RAMOS-ARANETA, VITO BARCELO, JOEL ZURBANO, MARICEL CRUZ AND REY REQUEJO MAJORITY of the presidential aspirants vowed to prioritize helping micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as propping up the agriculture sector to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first Comelec-sponsored debate, Vice President Leni Robredo said she will push for a P100 billion stimulus package for MSMEs, which she said account for 5.7 million employees in the country. CONTINUED ON 3A
1ST COMELEC DEBATE. Nine of 10
presidential candidates spell out their plans for economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic during a two-hour long Comelec sponsored debate Saturday evening.
Solon claims drug money pads ‘war chest’ of pols n By MARICEL V. CRUZ A LAWMAKER from Mindanao said he has received reports that drug lords are heavily contributing into the campaign kitties of some politicians in different parts of the country. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers asked government anti-narcotics agencies to intensify the campaign against illicit substances during the election campaign period “as drug lords, narcopoliticians and their henchmen are expected to intensify their operations.” Barbers, chairman of the House Dangerous Drugs Committee, said the reports indicated that drug lords are “buying” influence from some candidates and have intensified the sale of illegal drugs to raise funds for their patrons.
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“I am urging officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation, and other government anti-drug agencies not to let their guard down and instead intensify the anti-illegal drugs operations during the election period,” he said. “It is a fact that drug lords befriend and buy influence from some politicians and other government officials – from the national to the local level – who they expect in return to coddle and protect them in the future in exchange for drug money in their campaign kitties,” he added. He said drug lords always take advantage of election campaign periods as almost all law enforcement agencies, as well as the military, are busy and focused in maintaining peace and order and ensuring CONTINUED ON 3A
Russia blasts Ukraine with Dagger missile RUSSIA used its newest Kinzhal hypersonic missiles for the first time in Ukraine to destroy a weapons storage site in the country's west as President Volodymyr Zelensky made a fresh appeal for talks with Moscow Saturday. Russia has never before admitted using the high-precision weapon in combat, and state news agency RIA Novosti said it was the first use of the Kinzhal hypersonic weapons during the conflict in pro-Western Ukraine. "The Kinzhal aviation missile system with hypersonic aeroballistic missiles destroyed a large underground warehouse containing missiles and aviation CONTINUED ON 3A
FOR THE 109 CHILDREN KILLED. Photo shows 109 empty prams and
baby baskets placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. AFP
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