Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Thursday, November 13, 2025. Today’s episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner. READ: Flood control bribery witnesses pressured to recant, Imee Marcos says SEN. Imee Marcos on Wednesday said witnesses in the flood control bribery scandal would recant as they had been pressured after linking some people to the irregularities. Asked whether she was referring to Orly Guteza, the former Marine who linked former speaker Martin Romualdez to the controversy, Marcos, in Filipino, said, “Just wait for the next chapter.” Marcos, however, said she had no knowledge of the people behind the threat against the witnesses who include former Department of Public Works and Highways engineers and Guteza. READ: Metro-wide clearing effort to reduce flooding by 60%, Marcos says PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday launched a multi-sectoral campaign expected to reduce flooding in Metro Manila and nearby areas by 60 percent. Speaking at the launch of the Oplan Kontra Baha-Greater Metro Manila Waterways Clearing and Cleaning Operations in Parañaque City, Marcos said siltation and waste buildup in waterways and drainage systems have greatly contributed to recurrent flash floods. The president said the nine-month initial phase of the project would continue until mid-2026, but clearing and maintenance work would be sustained yearly. Marcos said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has included Oplan Kontra Baha in its Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, making waterway clearing a permanent, year-round program. The initiative, led by Marcos with the DPWH, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and partner local government units (LGUs), will clear 142.4 kilometers (km) of waterways and 333.15 km of drainage systems across Metro Manila to reduce flooding in low-lying areas during the typhoon season. READ: DOLE allocates P260M to help typhoon-affected workers THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has allocated at least P260 million under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program to provide temporary employment to workers following the devastation caused by typhoons Tino and Uwan. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said Wednesday an initial funding of P160 million was allocated to Region 5 (Bicol Region) and another P100 million to Region 7 (Central Visayas) to provide immediate income to affected workers and help rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and communities. Laguesma said DOLE Region 5, in coordination with local government officials in the Bicol Region, has started identifying and profiling beneficiaries in the provinces of Camarines Norte and Catanduanes, which are among the worst hit and badly damaged by Typhoon Uwan. In Cebu, DOLE Region 7 will also start with workers in hardest-hit areas, including Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City and Talisay City. READ: DOJ confirms former DPWH chief Bonoan now in the US FORMER Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan has left the Philippines for the United States to attend to his wife’s medical needs, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed Wednesday. DOJ spokesman Polo Martinez said Bonoan informed the department of his trip, which reportedly followed his wife’s recent surgical procedure. The former secretary is expected to return to the Philippines by Dec. 17. He added that Bonoan’s situation reflects the constitutional right to travel, which applies to all citizens without pending cases. READ: Dad still in ICU — Enrile's daughter CHIEF presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile is still in the intensive care unit (ICU), where he is being treated for pneumonia, his daughter said Wednesday. The younger Enrile, who serves as president and chief executive officer of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, thanked everyone who reached out to the family in praying for the former Senate president. READ: Bato Dela Rosa's team argues against ICC surrender under RA 9851 SEN. Ronald Dela Rosa’s legal team on Wednesday disputed the claim of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a viable legal route under Republic Act (RA) 9851. Dela Rosa’s legal counsel asserted that the law “is not self-executing” and lacks implementing rules to define the process for surrendering a Filipino citizen to an international tribunal. The law firm Torreon and Partners led by Israelito Torreon issued the statement amid reports that the ICC has issued a warrant of arrest against Dela Rosa, with a diffusion order reportedly circulated among international law enforcement agencies. Dela Rosa’s camp said Section 17 of RA 9851, which allows the Philippines to “surrender or extradite a person to another court or international tribunal,” cannot be invoked without clear procedural rules. BUSINESS: Peso hits new all-time low of P59.17 per dollar THE peso fell to a new record low of P59.17 to the dollar on Wednesday, pressured by strong demand for the greenback and declining market confidence due to corruption concerns. The currency, whose previous all-time low of P59:13 to the dollar was hit late last month, closed weaker by 18 and a half centavos. It opened trading at Tuesday's close of P58.95:$1 and ranged from P58.91 to P59.19. Volume reached P1.716 billion, higher than the previous P1.475 billion. SPORTS: Breaking into top 50 ‘surreal’ – Eala STARTING her Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 2025 season in 147th place, Filipino tennis ace Alexandra “Alex” Eala said she never thought she’d break into the top 50 to end the year. She couldn’t believe that she reached 50th, which doubles as her career-best. The 20-year-old netter said that it’s only the start for what she hopes is a long Tour career. READ: Opinion and editorial Antonio Contreras and Ben Kritz are today’s front page columnists. Contreras thinks that the integrity of Environmental Compliance Certificates is akin to national security, while Kritz looks at skeletons in Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan’s closet. Today’s editorial says the country’s leaders are “irredeemably insensitive”. Read the full version in the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times. For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.