The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Special Second Division has ruled that the faction of the Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) headed by Energy Secretary Cusi, a staunch ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, is the dominant majority party in the May 9 polls. The decision was released on Friday, a day after the Comelec en banc came out with a resolution proclaiming the PDP-Laban as the dominant party but without identifying the two rival factions. The other group, led by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd, said it will contest the ruling. Voting in favor of the resolution were Commissioners Socorro Inteng and Rey Bulay, while Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, the division’s chief magistrate, dissented. The division was convened after Commissioner George Garcia inhibited from the case, having served as counsel for Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, the presidential bet of the Pimentel wing. Garcia was replaced by Inteng, whose vote broke the tie. In its ruling, the division validated the PDP-Laban’s national assembly held on July 17, 2021 which ousted Pacquiao and Pimentel as party president and chairman, respectively.

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READ: BBM, Sara still lead in campaign’s final turn

WITH the campaign period winding down, the UniTeam partnership of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio maintained its lead in the final Publicus survey. Marcos racked up 54 percent to lead all presidential bets in the May 2 to 5 poll. Duterte-Carpio was also the runaway leader in the vice presidential race with 59 percent. In the seven surveys that PUBLiCUS conducted beginning October 2021, Marcos consistently posted wide winning margins, ranging from 49 percent to 57 percent.

 

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READ: Migrant workers chief: Department can ‘initially’ operate during transition

THE newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) can already function even if it is not yet fully constituted, its head said Friday. Migrant Workers Secretary Abdullah Mama-o has refuted claims that the DMW can only operate if the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the law that created it have been drawn up, it has appropriation in the 2023 General Appropriations Act, and its staffing is complete. Guesting at the online business forum of The Manila Times, “OFWs: The country’s economic heroes,” Mama-o said that while it is true that the DMW is not yet constituted, there are provisions in Republic Act (RA) 11641, the law that created the department, allowing it to function “initially,” during the two-year transition period.

 

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READ: Iglesia Ni Cristo backs Arjo Atayde’s bid for House seat

THE Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has endorsed television and movie actor Arjo Atayde, who is running as congressman in Quezon City’s District 1. Running under Team Aksyon Agad, Atayde is also the official candidate of the Serbisyo sa Bayan Party of reelectionist Mayor Maria Josefina “Joy” Belmonte. He has been advocating programs in education, employment, health care championing the human rights of women, children, and the lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

READ: Govt urged to tame Covid to manage debt

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion 3rd on Friday said the Philippines should continue its efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic, emphasizing that “paying back our debts depends on our population staying healthy.” Concepcion made the statement after the Bureau of the Treasury reported that the Philippines’s outstanding debt as of last March stood at P12.68 trillion, up from the P12.09 trillion in February, a 17.7-percent jump. He said that while P12.68 trillion is still manageable, it should not draw the focus from the threat of Covid slowing down economic activity.

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READ: Comelec predicts high voter turnout

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident of a higher voters’ turnout in the polls on Monday, May 9, despite the implementation of strict health protocols on Election Day. Commissioner George Garcia on Friday said they were hoping for a 75 to 80 percent voter turnout, adding that in past national elections a voting turnout of 65 to 68 percent was already high. Garcia noted that the interest of the public in Monday’s polls is “high,” considering the high number of candidates running for president, vice president, party-list seats and other positions. There are 10 candidates for president and nine for vice president and more than 170 party-list spots. Such interest is evident, Garcia pointed out, in the high turnout in the local absentee voting, which he said was a “blockbuster.”

 

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Topping business, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the number of unemployed Filipinos shrank in March, which the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) ascribed to relaxed mobility restrictions in the country. In a virtual briefing on Friday, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said preliminary Labor Force Survey data showed the country’s unemployment rate in March was estimated at 5.8 percent, the lowest since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

 

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Over to sports, the National University (NU) looks to sustain its hot start as the Lady Bulldogs face the defending champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena today, May 7, 2022. Game is set at 10 a.m. With rookies Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen on the lead, NU swept Adamson University, 25-15, 25-23, 25-18, to open its campaign with a victory last Thursday. Solomon poured 15 points built on 11 attacks, three blocks and an ace, while Belen notched 14 points on 13 attacks. After missing the short Season 82, veteran Princess Robles also came through with 12 points on top of eight digs and five excellent receptions. While Lady Bulldogs head coach Karl Dimaculangan was happy with the win, he insisted that there’s a lot of work ahead for his youthful team.

 

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Antonio Contreras and Yen Makabenta are today’s front page columnists. Contreras recaps on who are the candidates this coming election, while Makabenta discusses strategies of the so-called UniTeam of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

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Today’s editorial calls on the government to act quickly to prevent an inflation crisis. Read a full version on the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

On behalf of The Manila Times, this is EJ Gomez reporting.