Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Controversial healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez on Tuesday, February 4, died due to an apparent heart attack while playing tennis at Alabang Country Club. “Our healing priest, si Fr. Fernando Suarez, has collapsed and died of a heart attack, massive heart attack while he was playing tennis… It was a yearly tournament for priests. All…
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a temporary travel ban on travelers coming from mainland China as well as Hong Kong and Macau amid the threat of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines, Malacañang said over the weekend. The ban will cover all foreigners arriving from China and its territories, including those who visited the region…
World Health Organization declares outbreak a ‘global emergency’ THE first case of the novel coronavirus (nCov) has been confirmed in the Philippines, the Department of Health said on Thursday, January 30. “Today the DOH is confirming that a Chinese female patient under investigation is positive for novel coronavirus 2019 after her lab results arrived from…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte received a record-high satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of last year, according to a new Social Weather Stations survey released Tuesday, January 21. Based on 1,200 respondents, 82% of adult Filipinos were satisfied with Duterte’s performance. On the other hand, 10% of the respondents were dissatisfied, while the remaining 8%…
Business as usual after Taal Volcano eruption It is business as usual for most companies operating in the Calabarzon Region (Region IV-A) following the eruption of the Taal Volcano last Sunday, January 12. “After a temporary disruption of one to two days, our factories in the Calabarzon Region have resumed operations,” Trade Secretary and Board…
GROUND fissures near the Taal Volcano are widening in four areas after the recent explosion, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Friday, January 17. In its 8 a.m. update, Phivolcs said existing fissures or cracks in barangays located in the towns of Lemery, Agoncillo, Talisay, and San Nicolas have widened by…
Following the Taal Volcano eruption in Batangas, Philippines this week, members of the Filipino American community and various American public figures have raised funds for those affected by the disaster. The Taal Volcano began spewing clouds of ash on Sunday, January 12. The ash — which has spread more than 62 miles — has created…
A new Social Weather Stations survey released this week showed that 44% of Filipino respondents were satisfied with Vice President Leni Robredo’s stint as co-chairperson of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD). Based on 1,200 respondents, 14% percent said they were “very satisfied” with Robredo’s performance, while 30 percent said they were “somewhat satisfied.”…
Cracks have rendered this road in Talisay, Batangas unpassable. Volcanologists have warned that ground fissures and tremors are signs of a looming eruption | ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Wednesday, January 15, said it has observed more fissures or cracks near the Taal Volcano amid its…
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo defended the drug war report based on her findings as former co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) after receiving flak from administration allies. “If they dismiss it as a mere political [attack], it just means they did not read the report,” she said on her radio show…
The Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday, January 14, welcomed China Coast Guard Vessel 5204 as it undergoes a port call to the country. The two coast guards will hold a bilateral meeting to discuss issues such as hotlines of communication and search and rescue operation. They will also be discussing the possibility of conducting joint…
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Tuesday, January 14, said the Taal Volcano shows no signs of slowing down, with its ongoing ash eruptions continuing to trigger volcanic earthquakes. “As we speak, there are still earthquake events so we expect more activities in the next few days,” said Philvocs chief Renato Solidum….
THE mandatory repatriation ordered by the Philippine government will remain for Filipino workers in Iraq, but has been lifted for Iran and Lebanon as tensions between the United States and Iran ease, the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment announced on Thursday, January 9. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified that the alert levels for…
MANILA – Following the “Ayoko sa plastic” viber stickers, the Department of Tourism (DOT) starts the New Year by promoting sustainable local tourism with the newly released #SaveOurSpots GIFs on Instagram. The newly released artworks primarily include the #SaveOurSpots frame, daily Filipino conversation lines, responsible tourist badge and many more to encourage mindful traveling around…
THE Maguindanao massacre convicts have started to file their motions for reconsideration against the Dec. 19, 2019 ruling that found them guilty. Former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan, Jr., Anwar Ampatuan Sr., as well as his two sons, Anwar “Datu Ipi” Ampatuan, Jr. and Anwar Sajid “Datu Ulo” Ampatuan filed their notice of appeal…
At least 28 people have died after Typhoon Ursula swept across villages and towns in the Visayas, the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Friday, December 27. Of the 28, 13 were recorded in Iloilo, where six members of a family were found dead when strong floodwaters swept them away in…
Senator Christopher Go recently invited U.S. government officials to the Philippines so they can see for themselves the extent of the country’s drug problem. This invitation came after President Donald Trump signed the U.S. 2020 budget that included a provision denying entry to those involved in the arrest and detention of Senator Leila De Lima….
Typhoon Ursula (international name: Phanfone) on Wednesday, December 25, swept across the villages and towns in the Visayas, ruining the holiday mood and taking the lives of more than a dozen people. Typhoon Ursula made landfall in the eastern province of Samar and packed maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour (75 miles per…
Palace condemns explosions, vows to go after culprits At least 21 people suffered injuries in a series of explosions that rocked Cotabato City on Sunday, December 22 — the eve of President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to the city for a land distribution ceremony. According to regional military spokesperson Major Arvin Encinas, a hand grenade was…
The inter-agency technical working group (TWG) conducting the pilot program for motorcycle taxis announced Thursday, December 26, that it no longer plans to have an extension for the study. According to TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr., the inter-agency body believes that the three-month period is already “enough” for them to gather data. “For us, the…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, came out as the top bets for 2022 vice president and president, respectively, in a pre-election survey conducted in Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin). The independent and non-commissioned survey entitled “Pahayag VisMin 2019,” conducted from November 15 to 19, revealed that Duterte-Carpio ranked first in…
THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Thursday, December 19, has found members of the Ampatuan family of Maguindanao, together with several others, guilty for the murder of 57 people in the Maguindanao massacre. Former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his brothers former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Datu Zaldy “Puti”…
THE Sandiganbayan Special Division on Thursday, December 19, ordered the Marcos family to return more than 160 paintings and artworks that were unlawfully acquired, saying that they should be surrendered to the Philippine government. Valued at millions of dollars, paintings by Matisse, Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh — which were all listed by the Philippine…
Malacañang lauded all the athletes who participated in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games hosted by the Philippines for bringing pride and honor to their countries. “The Palace congratulates all the athletes and their support staff. All of you did a wonderful job giving pride and honor to your respective countries. Your very presence here…
President Rodrigo Duterte will no longer ask Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Tuesday, December 10. According to him, a security assessment showed “the weakening of the terrorist and extremist rebellion” in Mindanao through the arrest and killing of leaders of local terror groups. “The Palace is confident in…
The country’s two biggest water concessionaires announced Tuesday, December 10, that they are no longer seeking to collect more than P10 billion in compensation claims from the government after President Rodrigo Duterte accused them of economic sabotage and threatened to jail them. “We are willing to cooperate and negotiate with the government, and we will…
THE Philippines is “in the middle of a garbage crisis,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu warned as he urged Filipinos to start being mindful of how their actions impact the environment. “If we continue to act only for our independent interests, continue to spoil our water bodies and fail to responsibly manage our wastes, we will…
To improve the country’s educational system, Malacañang on Thursday, December 5, said that the Filipino students’ poor reading comprehension is a “reality”that must be recognized. Filipino students ranked last in a global survey of reading comprehension conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In…
PHILIPPINE Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, November 26, said the House of Representatives is to blame for the mishaps in this year’s Southeast Asian Games which the country is hosting. According to the opposition senator, the House of Representatives was late in submitting the proposed national budget in December, containing some P95 billion in pork…
PHILIPPINE Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, November 25, warned that “China-made blackouts” could paralyze the country’s economy, vital communications system and even the electoral system. According to her, with China controlling 40 percent of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), it has the capability to undermine national security and “even topple the government.”…
