Manila Standard - 2024 February 1 - Thursday

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INFLATION PULLS Q4 2023, FULL-YEAR GDP TO 5.6%, BELOW GOV’T TARGET By Darwin G. Amojelar THE economy grew slightly quicker than expected last year, data showed Wednesday, even as it was hit by high food prices and weakness in overseas markets. The 5.6 percent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2023 was well down from the 7.6 percent seen in 2022 but beat the 5.5 percent estimated in a survey by Bloomberg. However, it was below the govern-

VOL. XXXVII • NO. 351 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2024

ment’s target of 6 percent to 7 percent for 2023, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told reporters. “We are concerned about the low growth in food spending due to high food prices,” he said, with a serious seasonal dry spell in most of the country expected to hit the laggard farm sector in the early part of this year. The services sector, household spending, construction, and durable equipment Next page

Senate to start Cha-cha talks Romualdez welcomes Zubiri commitment to tackle economic changes

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz, and Othel V. Campos

‘ASEAN members can pursue bilateral sea Code of Conduct’

T

HE Senate will push through with its own effort to amend economic provisions of the Constitution, which was earlier put on hold after senators raised the alarm over a separate signature campaign for a people’s initiative that they said sought to make them irrelevant.

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Marcos raised the possibility NEWS / A2 of pursuing a separate bilate r a l code of conduct in the South China Sea with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). “What I was saying before about having an agreement, if we cannot finish the code of conduct with ASEAN and China, I said let us make it bilateral first with the members of ASEAN,” the President said after his twoday state visit in Vietnam. Mr. Marcos said his visit signals the beginning of the dialogue in crafting the COC between the two nations. Asked when talks on the COC with Vietnam would begin, the Chief Executive said: “We’re pretty much there.” “That’s the memo-

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday welcomed Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s commitment to begin discussing Charter change next week. “We are heartened by the news that the Senate, finally, will commence hearings on Resolution of Both Houses 6 next week. This marks a significant step towards the much-awaited constitutional amendments,” Romualdez said in a statement.

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House resolution to defend Speaker

TOAST TO VIETNAM. President Marcos

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday declared its “vigorous support” for Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, defending him from “unfounded” accusations by senators on the people’s initiative and calling for adherence to inter-parliamentary courtesy.

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Año slams China sovereignty claims over Scarborough

offers a toast to Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and First Lady Phan Thi Thanh Tam during the state banquet in his honor at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam on Tuesday night. The Philippines signed a five-year deal with Vietnam to ensure a steady supply of affordable rice to the country as global prices of the staple continue to surge (see related story on A4). PPA POOL

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Rody calls for Mindanao to secede via sign campaign Acorda to cops: Tune out political ‘noise’, stay focused on mandate By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night called for Mindanao to secede from the Philippines through a process based on a signature campaign that would be presented to the United Nations.

At a news conference in Davao City, Duterte said it was Davao Del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez who first pushed for the secession. “It’s not a rebellion; it’s not sedition,” Duterte said. “There’s a process, I think, before the UN wherein you would gather signatures from all sorts of Mindanao veri-

fied under oath in the presence of so many people [to] decide that we want a separate [state],” Duterte said. “If you want to do it in Luzon and the Visayas, too, that’s up to you,” he added in Filipino. Duterte has been critical of a signature campaign for a people’s initiative Next page

Sara: I don’t have to agree with my dad

‘DON’T FEAR INITIATIVE.’ House Ways and Means Chair and Albay Rep. Joey Sal-

ceda discusses the People’s Initiative and Charter Change at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday. Salceda says there is no need to fear the ‘PI’ because the Constitution ‘created by the people can be altered by the people.’ Norman Cruz

VICE President Sara Duterte said she does not need to agree with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, over his differences with President Marcos, after a rift between the Marcos and Duterte camps became evident following separate rallies in Manila and Davao City on Sunday. “May respeto ako sa mga pananaw at opinyon ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte pati na ng aking mga kapatid (I respect the views and opinions of former President Rodrigo Duterte and of my brothers),” said the Vice President in a statement issued on Wednesday. “Ngunit, katulad ng posisyon ko sa maraming isyu, hindi kailangan na sumasang-ayon ako sa lahat ng mga ito. Pinalaki ako ng aking mga magu-

THE Philippine National Police has appealed to the public to spare the institution from political noise. PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. told police officers to remain focused on their mandate. “Whatever news we’ve been hearing, the PNP will not be affected and our PNP chief always tells our cops, through our respective regional directors, to not listen to political noise,” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said. Fajardo said while the police respect the right of interest groups to express their own sentiments, even those against the administration, but these groups should not try to influ-

ence the PNP. ‘’We are just appealing to them to spare the PNP. We know our mandate and we will continue to do our duties and that includes upholding and respecting the rule of law,” she said. On Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said there is no need to conduct loyalty checks among its ranks amid the political fallout between President Marcos and former President Rodrigo Duterte. “The statement of AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. is there is not even a need for a loyalty check,” military spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla said. Next page

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PH lands on US Trade list of fake goods sellers anew By Othel V. Campos THE Philippines again landed in the list of notorious physical sites for counterfeit and pirated goods of the US Trade Representative. The USTR 2023 Notorious Market

List cited the establishments at the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City as a hub for counterfeit brands of accessories, bags, electronic gadgets, footwear, perfumes, and watches. The Philippines joined 19 other countries trading illicit goods in the USTR list.

The report noted that despite efforts by state agencies to curb illegal trade of counterfeit items in Greenhills, many merchants operating within the shopping mall managed to circumvent government monitoring.

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SM BACKS DINAGYANG. Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas (2nd from left) is flanked by guests (from left) SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan, Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., and TV host Tim Yap as they watch the different tribes’ stunning performances during the Dinagyang Festival 2024 last Sunday at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.


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