Militant groups gather at Philcoa in Quezon City on Monday, July 24, 2023 for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s' second State of the Nation Address (SONA) later in the day. The President is scheduled to deliver his speech at 4 p.m. during the joint session of Congress at the Batasan Pambansa Complex. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUANGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

FORMER first lady Imelda R. Marcos wanted to attend the second State of the Nation Address of her son, President Ferdinan Marcos Jr. on Monday but had been advised by her doctor to stay at home, her daughter and Sen. Imee Marcos said. FORMER first lady Imelda Marcos. File photo"She wants to go, but the doctor is still prohibiting her because there are supposedly too many people," Sen. Imee Marcos said. Sen. Marcos is at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City where the President and her brother will deliver his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).

India has rejected Chinese automaker BYD's (1211) proposal to set up a US$1 billion (HK$7.8 billion) factory in India in partnership with Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure, the Economic Times reported on Saturday. India's Department of Commerce, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade had sought opinions from other departments on the investment proposal, the report said. "Security concerns with respect to Chinese investments in India were flagged during the deliberations," the report quoted an Indian official as saying. In other news, CMOC (3993) said its unit has agreed to sell copper, cobalt, and nickel products worth US$260 million to its substantial shareholder, battery manufacturing giant CATL.

GLOBAL rice prices are seen to rise following India's ban on non-basmati white rice exports, a Fitch group unit said. BMI Country Risk and Industry Research said in its commentary that the ban on those types of Indian grains further adds pressure to the global rice market. India, the world's top rice exporter, banned shipments of non-basmati white rice to maintain domestic food prices at a comfortable level. Sought for comment, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Michael Ricafort said the ban could reduce global rice supplies, leading to some uptick in world rice prices, which, in turn, could lead to higher rice import prices for the Philippines. For his part, ING Manila Bank senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said that the loss of Indian rice exports would lower global supply, which would lead to upward pressure on the staple.

Rianne Malixi CONTRIBUTED PHOTOMalixi was in control at the onset, winning the first hole on a Romero mishap and stayed in command until the 22nd hole when she made a bogey on the par-4 No. She was impressive on the military layout's par-3s all week but a bogey on No. 13, the 31st hole, enabled her third-seeded rival to seize the lead for only the second time with five to play. Romero actually overshot the par-4 18th, the 36th hole, leaving her a downhill chip. She hit it eight feet past the hole but calmly stroked the tricky putt to nail the victory and dash whatever hopes Malixi had had for a playoff.

Ranked 137th in the world, Ponchet, 26, displayed her tremendous composure and skill to turn back Eala, 18. Tied at 2-2 in the deciding third set, Ponchet broke Eala's serve in the fifth game which set up her three straight game wins and the match victory. Three-time ITF singles champ Eala, unseeded in this Spain tilt, has now lost three of her four matches against the third seed Ponchet. Eala's semis stint at Vitoria-Gasteiz is her best finish in a W100 tournament yet. Winner of nine ITF singles titles, Ponchet, meanwhile, is set to face Ukrainian sixth seed and World No.

‘PNP ready for SONA, rallies’Members of the Manila Police District Civil Disturbance Management hold a final rehearsal prior to deployment to Mendiola and Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City for the second State of the Nation Address of President Marcos today. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is prepared for the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos today as it expects groups from different sectors to hold protests, according to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos. The PNP has coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to prepare for traffic, particularly along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. A Reactionary Standby Support Force composed of 300 PNP personnel from the regional headquarters and other provincial police offices has also been organized. The PCG’s districts in National Capital Region-Central Luzon, Northeastern Luzon, Northwestern Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol are on heightened alert, according to PCG commandant Admiral Artemio Abu yesterday.

IncompleteIt’s been just over a year, so Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself acknowledges the grade of “incomplete” that an economist gave him. And so, yes, BBM’s work is incomplete. The ICC ruling came out just days before the second State of the Nation Address. Among the laws enacted in the first year of Marcos 2.0, the condonation of P57.557 billion in amortizations of over 654,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries has been hailed. The controversies and that “incomplete” assessment notwithstanding, Marcos has retained his immense popularity.

China typically sees heavy rain in late July, but storms have become more intense and unpredictable in recent years. Torrential rain also submerged parts of China's northeast on Saturday, damaging dozens of houses and ruining crops in the region known as the nation's breadbasket. About 54 hectares of crops were damaged in the area around Jinzhou and the coastal city of Huludao. Parts of the northeast had been hit by drought in May and June but recent rain has alleviated the situation, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. More heavy rain was expected on Sunday across much of the country, with rain storms and strong wind in parts of the northeast and southern Jiangxi and Fujian provinces.

Guiao said he appreciates the fact that the PBA had a listening ear as he aired his opinion on how Bay Area will play in the pro league. "For our Fil-foreign players, they need to have Filipino blood, while the question now is, do they (PBA) ask for the same requirements for Bay Area? Bay Area earned the top seed heading into the playoffs after posting a 10-2 record at the close of the eliminations last season. In fact, Guiao's Rain or Shine side suffered a 33-point beatdown in the elimination, before absorbing a 126-96 demolition at the hands of Bay Area in the opening round of the playoffs. "But what we just don't want to happen is our teams get beaten badly all the time, because in such cases, our teams don't learn anything much.

A nine-car crash in Bride's Pool this morning caused six injured, including five drivers. The nine sedans collided with each other near Wu Kau Tang Road while traveling on Bride's Pool Road toward Tai Po. Six people sustained minor injuries and were sent to the hospital for treatment. Sources said the accident was suspected to be caused by a car driving against the lane. The driver abandoned the car and fled the scene after causing the collision.

The Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan couldn't help but marvel at the Filipino volleyball fan support as they made their debut in the PVL Invitational Conference at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday, July 22. Kurashiki Ablaze PVL PHOTOKurashiki defeated fellow foreign guest team Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh of Vietnam, 23-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-11, to start its semifinal campaign. We felt the Filipino love for volleyball," said Ablaze head coach Hideo Suzuki through an interpreter. Against Kinh Bac, there are so many fans but they headed out as the game progressed. Tamaru Asaka, who led Kurashiki against Kinh Bac with 29 points, said that her team would enjoy playing here in the Philippines.

JERUSALEM — Tens of thousands of Israelis opposed to a judicial overhaul sought by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marched to Jerusalem on Saturday, as pressure mounts on his right-wing government to scrap a bill that would curtail the Supreme Court’s powers. Tens of thousands more protested across the country, including around 100,000 people in business hub Tel Aviv. Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition says the bill, which parliament is scheduled to vote on by Monday, is needed to balance out the branches of power. Polls suggest widespread misgivings among Israelis, and Washington has urged Netanyahu to seek consensus on any reforms which should also keep the judiciary independent. Energy Minister Israel Katz told N12 News the coalition would not bow to pressure from reservists trying to strong-arm a democratically elected government.

The greatest symphonyWe were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body. — 1 CORINTHIANS 12:13When BBC Music Magazine asked one hundred fifty-one of the world’s leading conductors to list twenty of what they believed to be the greatest symphonies ever written, Beethoven’s Third, Eroica, came out on top. Through wild swings of happiness, sadness, and eventual triumph Beethoven’s Third Symphony is regarded as a timeless tribute to the human spirit. The difference is that here we see the triumph of our human spirit as a tribute to the Spirit of God. As Paul urges us to experience together the inexpressible love of Christ, he helps us see ourselves as called together by our Father, led by His Son, and inspired by His Spirit — not for noise, but for our contribution to the greatest symphony of all.

P34 million marijuana destroyed in KalingaIf the proposed regulation on the medical use of marijuana derivative cannabidiol is passed, there would be no need for a separate law, according to the Dangerous Drugs Board. MANILA, Philippines — Police uprooted and destroyed 172,550 marijuana plants with an estimated value of P34 million in Tinglayan, Kalinga on Friday. Col. Dionisio Bartolome Jr., police Drug Enforcement Group director, said the illegal drugs were discovered in two plantations. Anti-narcotics operatives discovered marijuana plants worth P18 million in the mountains of Barangay Butbut Proper and P16 million in Barangay Tinglayan. The cultivators of the plantations eluded arrest.