Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Sunday, January 5, 2025.
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READ: China’s biggest ship sails into PH waters
THE world’s largest coast guard vessel, China Coast Guard’s (CCG) “The Monster,” intruded into Philippine waters on Saturday, Jan. 4, sailing to just 50 nautical miles from Luzon, based on monitoring conducted by SeaLight, a maritime transparency project that monitors and reports activities in the South China Sea. Arriving at Scarborough Shoal on New Year’s Day, the 12,000-ton vessel is a behemoth of China’s maritime force. Five times larger than the Philippine Coast Guard’s two largest ships — BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Gabriela Silang — it is equipped with heavy machine guns and a helicopter platform. The Monster was accompanied by three other CCG vessels — 3106, 3302 and 3305 — and seven militia ships. Scarborough Shoal, known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc, is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen. However, access to the area has been increasingly restricted by Chinese vessels, which maintain de facto control. Situated 125 nautical miles from Luzon, the shoal falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as per international law.
READ: Panelo hits Sara’s removal from NSC
FORMER Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo on Saturday branded as “dirty politics” the removal of Vice President Sara Duterte as a member of the National Security Council (NSC). Panelo issued the statement after the vice president and former presidents, including her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, were excluded from the NSC in an executive order (EO) reorganizing the presidential advisory body principally responsible for coordinating and integrating government plans and policies related to national security.
READ: Dire warnings issued over shear line
THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Saturday issued a grave warning to the public as the destructive effects of the shear line and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) continue to wreak havoc across the Philippines. With five fatalities, two individuals reported missing and widespread destruction as of Jan. 3, the OCD has called for urgent and decisive actions to mitigate further devastation. As outlined in the OCD Disaster Report 01, the ongoing weather phenomena have caused relentless rains and severe flooding across multiple regions, including Mimaropa (Occidental and Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque), Eastern Visayas and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato or Cotabato del Sur, Cotabato or Cotabato del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos). The current toll stands at five deaths, with 20 individuals injured or ill, two persons missing, and 1,092 homes damaged — 394 of which are destroyed.
READ: Court says ‘vague’ search warrants invalid
THE Supreme Court said search warrants must clearly define the location to be searched; otherwise, they would be deemed invalid. ciate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and issued by the Court’s Second Division said the requirement reinforces constitutional protections against unlawful searches and seizures. The case involved Lucky Enriquez, who was acquitted of charges of illegal possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia under Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The Court’s ruling overturned earlier convictions by the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals, citing a defective search warrant and its improper execution. In 2017, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) conducted an operation targeting Enriquez.
READ: Nazareno ‘pahalik’ begins Jan. 7
PREPARATIONS for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno continue, with the “pahalik,” a key event in the celebration, set to begin Jan. 7 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila’s Rizal Park. Organizers said the pahalik will commence on Tuesday, leading to 30 Fiesta Masses from Jan. 8 at 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Jan. 9, the feast day. Pahalik means kissing, but some devotees just touch or wipe their handkerchiefs and other pieces of cloth on the image of Jesus Nazareno. Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula will preside over the traditional Misa Mayor at midnight on Jan. 9. The celebration officially began on Dec. 31 with a Novena Mass, followed by the blessing of replica images and estandarte (banners) by Quiapo priests on Jan. 2. The feast’s highlight is the Traslacion, a grand procession of the revered image of Jesus Nazareno accompanied by millions of devotees from Quirino Grandstand to the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo. Last year’s Traslacion was attended by 6.5 million devotees from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the Quiapo Church.
BUSINESS: World food prices dip 2% in 2024
In business, world food commodity prices declined by 2.1 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday, but they remain considerably higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic. FAO’s overall Food Price Index averaged 122.0 points 2.6 points or 2.1 percent lower than the average value in 2023. However, food prices increased over the course of the year, with the index climbing from 117.6 points in January to 127.0 in December. The index rose 6.7 percent from December 2023 to 2024, with meat, dairy and food oils accounting for the increase.
SPORTS: PSC pushes for more budget for athletes
Over to sports, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann calls on legislators to help fund young athletes and change the mandate regarding incentives. Bachmann said the funding is only limited to the national training pool, emphasizing the importance of funding young Filipino athletes.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Marlen Ronquillo is today’s front page columnist, weighing in on the 2025 national budget.
Today’s editorial calls on the respect of the elephant Mali. Read the full version in the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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