Philippine Senate approves bill declaring child marriage a crime
A bill declaring child marriage illegal in the Philippines has been passed on its third and final reading. Senate Bill No. 1371, also known as the “Girls Not Brides Act,”…
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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Palace hopes Biden admin will relax US immigration policies
WHILE Malacañang expects no major changes in the United States’ foreign policy under President-elect Joe Biden, it hopes for a shift in the U.S. immigration policy that will treat Filipino…
PH among countries to see an increase in extreme poverty due to COVID-19
THE Philippines is among the countries projected to see likely increases in extreme poverty due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to American research group Brookings. In an…
Palace: Duterte can work with any US president
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte can work with his counterpart in the United States regardless of who wins the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Malacañang maintained. “Kahit sino po ang manalo, wala…
Survey: PH 12th safest country
THE Philippines is among the top 50 safest countries in the world, according to a recent survey by American analytics firm Gallup. In its 2020 Global Law and Order index,…
PH among APAC countries flagged for rising coronavirus outbreaks
The Philippines is among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region where COVID-19 infections continued to grow throughout the pandemic, according to a recent report. This finding was part of an…
Typhoon Goni deaths climb to 25
THE fatalities caused by Super Typhoon Goni (local name: Rolly) have risen to 25, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday, November 4. The breakdown of casualties were: 21…
Comelec considers online voting for overseas Filipinos
THE Philippines’ Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking at the possibility of online voting for overseas Filipinos during the country’s May 2022 presidential polls. The commission is planning to get…
Super Typhoon Goni slams PH, death toll climbs to 25
THE fatalities caused by Super Typhoon Goni (local name: Rolly) have risen to 25, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday, November 4. The breakdown of casualties were: 21…
At least 16 dead as Super Typhoon ‘Rolly’ weakens
SUPER Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) has left at least 16 people dead when it devastated parts of Bicol and parts of Southern Luzon over the weekend. According to a…
PH ranks 7th among countries with worst journalist killings
THE Philippines is the seventh country among the world’s worst impunity offenders, according to a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). In its 2020 Global Impunity Index,…
Philippine Senate panel approves bill declaring ‘Marcos Day’ a special non-working holiday
THE bill seeking to declare September 11 as a special non-working holiday in Ilocos Norte to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has been approved by…
IATF: Allowing foreigners to enter PH being studied
EASING travel restrictions into the Philippines amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic should be done gradually, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). IATF…
Pope Francis names 9th Filipino cardinal
Capiz Archbishop Jose Advincula is one of the 13 new cardinals named by Pope Francis on Sunday, October 25. The Pontiff made the surprise announcement during his Sunday Angelus at…
Report: Duterte among world leaders with a big stake in US election
AS the world will be closely watching the United States election, some countries will be watching more closely than others, according to the Associated Press. “A number of world leaders…
PH now allows entry of foreigners with investors’ visa
STARTING November 1, foreigners with investors’ visas will be permitted entry into the Philippines. The country has eased up the travel restrictions on foreign nationals entering the country following a…
Duterte supports Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte supports the recognition of same-sex unions in the Philippines following Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions in a feature-length documentary, Malacañang said on Thursday, October 22….
Age of foreign retirees in PH to be re-examined
SEVERAL Philippine senators continue to raise concerns over the arrival of almost 28,000 Chinese nationals in the country as retirees, saying this may pose national security threats. The Philippine Retirement…
DOT: Hotels in GCQ, MGCQ areas can operate at full capacity
HOTELS in areas under the modified general community quarantine and general community quarantine are now allowed to operate at full capacity, the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) announced on Wednesday,…
Duterte takes responsibility for drug killings anew
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte took responsibility anew for the killings committed under his campaign against illegal drugs. However, he insisted he was not to blame for the deaths with unknown…
DOJ releases anti-terror law rules
The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) over the weekend published the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) on its website. DOJ undersecretary Adrian Sugay…
Every Filipino to receive COVID-19 vaccine – Duterte
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, October 14, said he wants all Filipinos to have the vaccine against the novel coronavirus. In a televised public address, he said he is…
Rules approved for PH’s anti-terror law
The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) have been completed and approved by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) announced…
IMF: PH to the suffer biggest blow from COVID-19 in region
THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday, October 13, downgraded its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for the Philippines this year following the slowdown in private investment and consumption due…
Study: Over half of young women in PH experience online harassment
SEVEN in 10 girls and young women living in the Philippines have experienced online harassment on social media, according to a recent study by girls’ rights organization Plan International (PI)….
Velasco is new PH House Speaker, Cayetano resigns
The Philippine House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 13, ratified the election of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as the new speaker, unseating Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano. In a…
COVID-19 cases in PH on a downward trend – researchers
RESEARCHERS from the University of the Philippines have noted a decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases being logged in the country. “The number of cases in the Philippines…
Duterte calls Congress for special session on budget deliberations
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to conduct a special session next week to ensure the timely passage of the proposed P4.5-trillion budget for 2021, Malacañang said on Friday, October…
Condé Nast Traveler names Cebu, Visayan Islands top island in Asia
Cebu and the Visayas Islands have been named the Top Island in Asia in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. “Located in the center of the Philippines, Cebu draws…
PH to cooperate with UNHRC to address EJK, human rights violations
Malacañang on Thursday, October 8, welcomed the resolution passed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that offers assistance in addressing the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in…