Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Amnesty International on Monday, July 8, said extrajudicial killings related to the government’s anti-drug campaign continue to occur, destroying lives and devastating communities. The rights group released a report entitled “They just kill: Ongoing extrajudicial executions and other violations in the Philippines’ war on drugs” and urged the United Nations to immediately investigate possible rights…
United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim on Wednesday, July 3 said the U.S. will “stand by” its obligations to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) should an armed aggression against the latter country happen. This response comes after Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s statement that the Philippine government should not wait for an…
In light of the recent incident in the West Philippine Sea, Senator Francis Tolentino filed a Senate bill that seeks to implement provisions in international maritime law for the safety of Filipino fishermen’s lives. In his explanatory note, Tolentino said the Bill 209 — also known as the “Good Samaritan at Sea Law — “was…
Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is urging all those who attended the 90th birthday party of former first lady Imelda Marcos to seek immediate medical attention if they start experiencing various symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. This is in light of the suspected food poisoning that affected 261 guests on Wednesday, July 3…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is seeking assurance from China that it will guarantee the rights and safety of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea following the June 9 Recto Bank incident, Malacañang said Tuesday, July 2. According to presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, Duterte made this statement during the 39th Cabinet meeting at Malacañang on Monday…
Malacañang on Monday, July 1 said China disagreed with President Rodrigo Duterte’s suggestion of involving an independent body in the Philippines-China joint investigation into the Recto Bank collision. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a media briefing, said the Chinese government does not see the need for a third party investigator. “Ang sabi nila (China), nag-offer…
The Philippines would be the ‘biggest loser’ in Asia if United States President Donald Trump follows through with his threat to punish American firms that outsource jobs, an independent economic research company has claimed. In Capital Economics’ recent research brief entitled “Winner and losers from the trade war,” it was revealed that the trade war…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 24 apologized to the 22 Filipino fishermen involved in the Recto Bank event with a Chinese vessel, but downplayed it as a “maritime incident.” “Well I’m sorry but that’s how it is. It is a maritime incident. Little in the sense that there was no confrontation, there was…
THE number of deaths associated with the Philippine government’s anti-drug campaign continue to be a concern for the United Nations’ human rights body, its chief revealed at the Human Rights Council on Monday, June 24. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, in her opening statement at the 41st session of the Human…
ACCORDING to the Philippine National Police (PNP), a total of 6,600 suspected drug offenders have been killed in police operations since the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs. The police data, which was released Tuesday, June 18, during a command conference of top police officials at Camp Crame, covered the incidents from July…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, June 12, admitted that he regretted his decision to pursue the country’s highest office given its seemingly insurmountable problems. “I lost interest at work. Actually, I deeply regretted it. I regretted running for president,” he said, speaking in his native Visayan dialect in front of newly-elected local government officials in…
Officials asked to submit resignation amid reports of fraud Senator-elect Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, June 10, said President Rodrigo Duterte has asked officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to submit their courtesy resignations amid reports of fraudulent claims. He also said that the PhilHealth officials were scheduled to resign during a meeting…
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Thursday, June 6 denied being in a meeting with people allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of President Rodrigo Duterte. The archbishop’s defense comes after Peter Joemel Advincula, the man who introduced himself as “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video, spread those claims. According to Villegas’ statement released on…
A bill requiring students to plant trees as a prerequisite for graduation has been approved by the Philippine House of Representatives on its third and final reading. “Graduation Legacy for the Environment Act” (House Bill 8728) would require all elementary, high school, and college students to plant 10 trees each before they can graduate. “To…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, May 28, flew out to Tokyo for a visit aimed at deepening the Philippines’ political and economic ties with Japan — one of the country’s regional allies that the president had described as “closer than a brother.” For Duterte’s third visit to the Land of the Rising Sun, he is…
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared the winners of the recently concluded 2019 midterm elections on Wednesday, May 22, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. Topping the list is incumbent Senator Cynthia Villar from the Nacionalista Party (NP) who was endorsed by the administration’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago party (HNP). Villar garnered…
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde announced on Monday, May 20, that 27 politicians on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco-list” won in the recent 2019 midterm elections. “Out of 47 na nasa narcolist: 37 ang tumakbo, 27 and nanalo (Out of the 47 individuals in the narcolist: 37 ran for a position, 27 won a…
Environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition implored candidates as well as the public to help clean up the remnants of the campaign season days after the 2019 Philippine midterm elections. Aileen Lucero, the national coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition, said: “Regardless of the outcome of your election bid, we appeal to all candidates and parties to take down…
ANY hopes for a smooth sailing election process were dashed as various issues involving vote-counting machines (VCMs) marred the 2019 midterm elections on Monday, May 13. Of the 85,000 VCMs stationed in precincts across the Philippines, 400 to 600 experienced glitches, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez. He noted that the problem…
AFTER fixing a technical issue in its transparency server, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was able to release the partial unofficial results for the 2019 national elections. As of 9:51 p.m. Tuesday, May 14 (Manila time), the Comelec media server showed 95.47% of precincts reporting. The majority of the senatorial candidates included in the “Magic…
CEBU CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) joined the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s cause for responsible development of travel and tourism as it hosted the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit in Cebu City. “Together with PATA, we are firm believers of this year’s theme ‘Progress with a Purpose’, same in…
According to President Rodrigo Duterte, vote buying is an “integral” part of elections in the Philippines, with the practice being fairly normal among Filipinos. He made the statement on Monday, May 13, after casting his vote in his hometown of Davao City. “Well, ganito iyan (it’s like this), if they are caught, they should be…
AS the upcoming midterm elections draw near, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday, May 10 raised the red alert status in order to ensure national security on Monday, May 13. AFP chief General Benjamin Madrigal Jr. announced that they raised the red alert status early on Friday to express their support for…
A quadrilateral cooperative naval drill is currently being conducted in the South China Sea by a Philippine Navy patrol ship and five other warships from Japan, India, and the United States. The Navy spokesman Capt. Jonathan Zata assured, however, that the naval exercise underway in international waters is not directed towards any country in the…
THE Philippines supports the deployment of more women peacekeepers, including in the highest posts during United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions. According to Kira Christianne Azucena, Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, the Philippines has never failed in its peacekeeping commitments and is committed to a larger presence in…
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, May 7, began its final testing and sealing (FTS) of the 85,000 vote counting machines (VCMs). This will determine if the VCMs can count the votes accurately as well as if the results will be transmitted to the canvassing centers from the polling precincts. “We are ready,” said…
Marine scientists explain how our activities are the biggest threat to ecosystems THE sight of plastic waste and other floating garbage greeted a team of young marine scientists when they sailed the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to study its biodiversity. Led by the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute…
THE scheduled Senate investigation on Friday, May 10, regarding the allegations presented by Bikoy, the hooded figure in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos will no longer push through. In a Twitter post on Wednesday, May 8, Senate Committee on Public Order Senator Panfilo Lacson announced the cancellation of the said Senate hearing noting “enough of…
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar ensured the Filipinos that they will fight disinformation on Friday, May 3 as they commemorate the World Press Freedom Day. “Tayo naman po sa PCOO ay patuloy ang kampanya natin laban sa disinformation o pagpapakalat ng fake news sapagkat isa po ito sa sumisira sa malayang pamamahayag…
The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, May 2 launched the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) crisis hotline which aims to help curb the rising suicide prevalence in the Philippines. According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the hotline will be operated by the NCMH 24/7 and will “respond to the needs of those…
