Duterte receives flak for VFA threat
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is under fire after he demanded the United States to “pay” if it wants to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) from being terminated. Addressing the…
Category: Across the Islands
Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Duterte urged to declare surge in teen pregnancy a national emergency
THE Philippine Commission on Population and Development is urging President Rodrigo Duterte to declare teenage pregnancies a national social emergency. The commission’s board of directors has drafted an executive order…
Duterte: US has to ‘pay’ for VFA
AMID calls to extend the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said the United States would have to “pay” if the deal stays. “I would like to put…
Survey: Filipinos’ rating of gov’t pandemic response lowest in SE Asia
FILIPINOS are the most disapproving of their government’s COVID-19 response among Southeast Asians, according to a recent survey. A report from think-tank Singapore-based ASEAN Studies Centre — titled “The State…
US, PH reaffirm defense alliance
THE Philippines and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to the defense alliance through the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). In an introductory phone…
Comelec urges Filipinos abroad to join internet voting test run
AHEAD of the 2022 Philippine general election, overseas Filipino voters are urged to participate in a test run of four internet voting solutions by different election systems providers. The country’s…
Duterte won’t allow ABS-CBN to operate with a new franchise
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte declared that he would not allow ABS-CBN to operate again even if Congress grants the network giant a new franchise. “Congress is planning to restore the…
PH, US set to meet about Visiting Forces Agreement
THE Philippines and the United States will meet this month to iron out differences over the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) amid renewed regional concerns over China’s assertive maritime agenda, Philippine…
LP eyes Robredo as 2022 presidential candidate
THE opposition Liberal Party (LP) is considering Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo as its presidential candidate for the 2022 national elections. “Siya ay mataas na opisyal ng partido at pinakamataas…
IATF expands list of foreign nationals allowed to enter PH
STARTING February 16, foreigners with certain visas can enter the Philippines, according to new guidelines released by the country’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID)….
Duterte: Philippine economy in bad shape
THE Philippine economy is in “bad shape” and “sinking deeper and deeper” due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted this week. “Ang ekonomiya natin, mga kababayan ko,…
Bulacan Airport: A Sustainable Development Project
There is no doubt that the government’s infrastructure program today is unprecedented in the country’s post EDSA history. The projects that have been accomplished including those are underway will surely…
PH ranks 55th in global Democracy Index
THE Philippines ranked 55th out of 167 countries in a global democracy index report released by London-based think tank The Economist Intelligence Unit on Wednesday, February 3. Previously, the country…
PAL to gut over 2,000 jobs
FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is expected to lay off 2,300 jobs in mid-March as the airline weathers the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on travel demand. The cuts represent about…
Maria Ressa, press groups nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
RAPPLER co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 by Norwegian labor leader and parliamentary representative Jonas Gahr Støre. “Filipino Maria…
PH to get 5.6 million vaccine doses from COVAX in Q1
THE Philippines will receive at least 5.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca through the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility within the first quarter of 2021. The country…
Report: Filipinos remain the most active internet, social media users globally
FOR the sixth consecutive year, the Philippines is hailed as the global leader in time spent using social media according to a new report. Filipinos spend an average of 4…
Stakeholders begin rebuilding PH tourism industry in 2021
Foreign visitors drop to 84% in 2020 due to travel restrictions PHILIPPINE tourism stakeholders believe that this year is crucial in rebuilding the country’s tourism industry battered by the global…
PH to lift ban on countries with new COVID-19 variant
THE Philippines’ temporary ban on foreign travelers coming from countries where the new, more infectious COVID-19 variant has been detected will be lifted in February. The Philippines will not be…
PH approves AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 jabs for EUA
THE Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an emergency use authorization (EAU) for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. “After a thorough review of the current available data by our medical…
PH congressman files resolution congratulating Camille Touton’s appointment to US Dept. of Interior
PHILIPPINE Rep. Christopher de Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan) has filed a resolution congratulating Camille Calimlim Touton for her appointment as Deputy Commissioner of the United States Department of Interior’s Bureau…
US reaffirms Mutual Defense Treaty with PH
China’s claims in South China Sea rejected THE United States has reaffirmed its commitment to defend the Philippines against any armed attacks in the Pacific amid a new Chinese law…
PH gov’t issues new testing protocols for inbound travelers
TRAVELERS entering the Philippines are now required to undergo a COVID-19 test five days after their arrival in the country. The new protocol adopted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for…
Duterte revokes IATF decision easing age restrictions
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte this week revoked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) decision to allow minors who are at least 10 years old…
17 new COVID-19 variant cases recorded in PH
SIXTEEN additional cases of the new, more infectious COVID-19 variant have been reported by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH). This brings the total number of B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 (UK variant)…
Palace urges nations not to worsen tensions in South China Sea
Malacañang has called on countries involved in the South China Sea issue to refrain from worsening tensions after China adopted a law allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign…
FVR AND RSA: A TALE OF TWO VISIONARY ENGINEERS
Filipinos who traverse EDSA are in awe with the improvement in traffic along the historic highway. Thanks to the opening of the Skyway Stage 3 recently which is a game-changing…
Foreigners with valid visas can enter PH anew
FOREIGNERS with valid visas are allowed to enter the Philippines again despite certain travel restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic, Malacañang announced on Friday, January 22. This move comes after…
Duterte sends best wishes to Biden, Harris
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has extended his greetings to United States President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris following their inauguration, Malacañang said Thursday, January 21. “Our President, Rodrigo…
PH to receive COVID-19 jabs from COVAX
THE Philippines is set to receive COVID-19 vaccines from the global COVAX facility within the first quarter of 2021, the country’s officials confirmed Wednesday, January 20. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez…