Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte will start his self-quarantine over the weekend after several officials tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Malacañang said on Friday, March 27. “PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) will self-quarantine himself on his birthday tomorrow following the advice of the PSG as well as doctors for his protection following his exposure…
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will launch an investigation on Senator Aquilino “Koko” for allegedly breaching quarantine protocols after testing positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “PNP is ready to launch investigation once complaint is filed by hospital or by an aggrieved party,” said PNP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac on Friday, March 27. While…
The Philippines has 71 new coronavirus cases, bringing the national tally to 707, the Department of Health on Thursday, March 26, reported. Meanwhile, seven patients passed away, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 45. All the fatalities are Filipinos with no recent travel history overseas. They are as follows: • 72-year-old Filipino…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, March 25, signed a bill that grants him special powers to address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) threat in the country. Under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act (Senate Bill 1418), the president is authorized to adopt several “temporary emergency measures” to contain COVID-19 as well as to mobilize…
THE Philippines has 84 additional cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total count to 636, the Department of Health reported on Wednesday, March 25. The department also recorded three additional deaths, bringing the official death toll to 38. The fatalities include a 56-year-old male Filipino resident of Quezon City with no travel history…
Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Tuesday, March 24, announced that it is temporarily suspending international flights from March 26 to April 14 as more people around the world become infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19). The airline said in a statement that it “could no longer sustain even a limited number of international flights” as more…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will not abuse the special powers granted to him by Congress to address the new coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, Malacañang said on Tuesday, March 24. According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, the president would use the special powers in accordance with the 1987 Constitution. “The Filipino people are assured that…
There are now 552 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Tuesday, March 24. It also reported two additional deaths, bringing the death toll to 35. Meanwhile, the number of recoveries is now at 20. According to health authorities, they are expecting the number of confirmed cases in the…
A bill granting President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Philippines has been approved in a House of Representatives committee. The committee passed House Bill No. 6616 or the “Bayanihan Act of 2020” on Monday, March 23, seeking to declare a national emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The…
Foreigners will be temporarily barred from traveling to the Philippines starting Sunday, March 22, following the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)’s suspension of visa issuances amid the threat of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The DFA announced the travel ban on Thursday, March 19, which cancels previously issued visas and those currently being processed for foreigners…
Thirteen additional cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Philippines, bringing the official count to 230, the Department of Health reported on Friday, March 20. The department announced that one of the patients with COVID-19 has died, bringing the total number of fatalities to 18. Ten of the new cases are…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, March 20, appealed to the local government units (LGUs) to abide by the directives set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. “We are in a critical time [and] the national government needs your help during this time. Do not make this quarantine more…
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo in a video released on Tuesday evening, March 17 called for more social safety nets for the poorest Filipinos affected by a month of quarantine. The vice president appealed to the private sector to provide meals and financial aid to affected barangays and communities. Robredo backed the strategy of social distancing to…
The Philippine Department of Health said novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country could rise to 75,000 in two to three months if the spread of the contagion is not contained. “Within two to three months, it can reach that peak in which 75,000 may possibly get infected,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on…
The 72-hour deadline for international travelers to leave the Philippines has been lifted, the government announced on Wednesday, March 18. The updated announcement from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), balikbayans, and foreigners to leave the country through any of the ports in Luzon…
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the Philippines under a state of calamity in an attempt to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He signed Proclamation 929 on Tuesday, March 17, which declares a state of calamity for a period of six months unless lifted earlier extended “as circumstances may warrant.” The declaration…
International airports in Luzon have a 72-hour window to accommodate foreigners seeking to leave the Philippines, the country’s Department of Transportation said on Tuesday, March 17. After that, all gateways from the mainland will be closed in compliance with the “enhanced community quarantine” enforced on the island. “Outbound passengers intending to depart the Philippines from…
A total of 444 Filipinos aboard the virus-stricken MV Grand Princess have arrived in the Philippines, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, March 16. The 438 crew members and six passengers underwent health screenings by the United States Department of Health and Human Services before boarding a chartered flight that brought them…
Malacañang on Wednesday, March11, urged the public to refrain from panic-buying and the sharing of unverified information amid threats of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said “buy only what they need” after reports about hoarding necessities in groceries came out. “This would only result in undue hoarding and price…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte this week declared a state of public health emergency in the country as the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continues to rise. As of Tuesday, March 10, 33 cases have been confirmed as the country’s Department of Health (DOH) announced nine additional cases following Duterte’s proclamation the night before. The…
TWO Filipinas are among those featured in Time Magazine’s “100 Women of the Year” project in celebration of March as Women’s History Month and to highlight a century of influential women often overlooked by history. Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, both of whom were previously named Woman of the Year…
SEVERAL Philippine senators filed a concurrent resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to allow network giant ABS-CBN to operate while its renewal bid remains pending in the 18th Congress. The Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7 stated that NTC should issue a provisional authority for ABS-CBN Corp. “to operate under the terms of its existing…
The Philippines has “no business being a republic” if it cannot stand on its own feet, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday, February 27 in another defense of his decision to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States. “If we can’t do it, we have no business being a republic. You might…
Despite her family connections to ABS-CBN, Philippine Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday, February 26, said the network giant’s franchise hearing is fair and objective. Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services which led the hearing, said the issue is within the committee’s jurisdiction as it handles “all matters affecting public services and utilities;…
Filipinos repatriated from the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan have arrived back in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday, February 25. The first batch — which carried 309 Diamond Princess crew members, two members of the DFA repatriation team, and four members of the Department of Health response team…
FILIPINO American supermarket chain Island Pacific Supermarket, currently with 16 locations serving communities in California and Las Vegas, is shifting its organizational culture for 2020. The purpose-driven focus of the Island Pacific company will specifically develop tangible and measurable community initiatives to create opportunities for partnerships that transform their store spaces as the hub for…
Malacañang on Thursday, February 13, defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, saying the Philippines cannot forever rely on the protection its counterpart. “As the president said, if we keep on relying on the United States on our defense, our defenses will always remain stagnant…
Philippine House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano vowed that there will be fair hearings into the bills seeking to renew the franchise of media giant ABS-CBN. According to him, the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN is among the issues that the House has been carefully studying from day one of the 18th Congress, even as some of…
THE fate of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal lies upon Congress and the Supreme Court, Malacañang said on Tuesday, February 11. This comes a day after Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday, February 10 filed a petition before the Supreme Court for the cancellation of ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise, alleging that the TV network reportedly violated rules set…
The number of people under investigation in the Philippines for the possible novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has risen to 178, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday, February 6. “Of the total 178 [people under investigation (PUIs)], 147 are admitted in hospitals, 10 have refused admission and 16 have already been discharged under strict monitoring,”…
