Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
The Bureau of Immigration on Wednesday, May 1, announced that the government will tighten rules on issuing work permits for foreigners “to ensure that jobs that can be done by Filipinos will not be given to foreigners.” In a BI press release, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said that the joint guidelines on the issuance of…
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday, May 1, clarified that no rule from the new government guidelines on issuing working permits to foreigners is barring foreign journalists — especially those critical of the Duterte administration — from entering Philippines. The statement came after DOLE signed the Joint Guidelines on the Issuance of…
REPORTS of the disenfranchisement of 1.8 million registered overseas absentee voters (OAVs) were denounced by overseas workers group Migrante International on Monday, April 30 as it accused the Philippine government of negligence. According to Migrante, many Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would not be able to vote in the midterm polls due to the failure of…
A recent survey released by Washington-based polling firm Pew Research Center revealed that a majority of Filipinos are satisfied with how democracy works in the Philippines. The study, which measured satisfaction with the performance of democracy in different parts of the globe, was released on April 29 and showed that across the 27 countries polled,…
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on Thursday, April 11, said the Philippines is set to become an ‘upper-middle-income’ economy this year with the assistance of the World Bank (WB). According to him, the generous support of the World Bank for the Philippines’ sustainable development programs is a “key factor” in achieving its goal of becoming…
NDRRMC warns public of circulating text hoax about ‘the big one’ Another tectonic earthquake with a 4.7 magnitude hit the Philippines at 11:43 a.m. Wednesday, April 24, in the Mindanao region specifically in Banganga, Davao Oriental as reported by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). The seismology agency said that the epicenter was…
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck parts of the Visayas at 1:37 pm on Tuesday, April 23, following the 6.1 magnitude tectonic earthquake in Luzon at 5:11 pm on Monday, April 22. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) said that the epicenter in the region was located in San Julian, Eastern Samar. Philvocs Director…
News chiefs Maria Ressa of Rappler and Ellen Tordesillas of Vera Files on Monday, April 22, slammed Malacañang after the release of a matrix linking them and other journalists to an alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. Malacañang revealed that the“Oust-Duterte” matrix, which contained a web-like matrix implicating journalists and lawyers, was based on…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, April 13, claimed some journalists are being paid to produce “false reports” to serve their “clients” while he dismissed reports about the increase of his wealth while in public service. “They accept (payment) from clients to (write) political attacks. AC/DC (attack and collect, defend and collect). You attack to get…
As the overseas absentee voting (OAV) program commenced on Saturday, April 13, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) eyed the possibility of fake news proliferation as observed in the previous elections. COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez assured the public that the commission is on the alert for those who plan to spread false information as a propaganda…
Homo luzonensis revealed to have lived more than 50,000 years ago A new branch of the human family tree has been appropriately named ‘Homo luzonensis,’ after several teeth and bones — believed to be that of two adults and one child — were found on the Philippines’ main island of Luzon. In a report published…
Malacañang said martial law victims are entitled to compensation, following a United States federal judge’s approval to transfer the proceeds from the late President Ferdinand Marcos’ ill-gotten assets earlier this week. New York City district court Judge Katherine Polk Failla on Tuesday, April 9 signed the order that mandates the transfer of $13.75 million (P715…
A NEW series celebrating local culinary heroes from the Philippines and other parts of the globe is coming on Netflix. “Street Food,” from the creators of “Chef’s Table,” embarks on a global cultural journey focused on street food in some of the world’s most vibrant cities. The series, however, goes beyond the delicious food to…
From the series of infrastructure developments and significant private investments that are under way all the way to its burgeoning tourism sector, it is no wonder that Davao City has been hailed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III as the “hottest spot in the nation’s bright economic prospects.” With its massive business potential and substantial…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to declare a “revolutionary war” and arrest his critics until the end of his term. In a speech on Thursday, April 4, the president warned that he would suspend the writ of habeas corpus and go after those who dare critique his methods to end criminality. “I have enough…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, April 2, said Beijing just wants to become a friend of the Philippines in lieu of defending his administration’s relationship with the country. Duterte, since taking post as the highest official in the country, has set aside Manila’s dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea to foster stronger and…
THE large-scale annual joint military exercises between Filipino and American troops officially started on Monday, April 1, participated in by 7,500 soldiers. The 12-day military exercise, dubbed “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder), includes naval drills off the coast of Luzon island facing the disputed South China Sea. It is held mostly in the northern part of the Philippines…
Palace: Cases have “nothing to do with freedom of expression or the press” Veteran journalist and Rappler Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maria Ressa posted bail on Friday, March 29 after being arrested upon her arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The Pasig City police welcomed Ressa with an arrest warrant as she set foot…
Malacañang on Monday, March 25, vowed to protest any unjust actions of the Chinese Coast Guard if the complainants would present justifiable evidence to back their claim. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo responded to a video released by senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares explaining how the Filipino fishermen were mistreated by the Chinese Coast Guard, despite the…
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Wednesday, March 20, granted the motion for leave of court that allowed senatorial candidate Jinggoy Estrada and plunder convict Janet Lim Napoles to file a demurrer to evidence over the multibillion-peso “pork barrel” scam. “After a careful examination of the totality of the evidence presented by the prosecution, both testimonial…
Malacañang on Wednesday, March 20, said President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order that would give government workers their salary increases despite the stalled 2019 national budget. Executive Order No. 76, signed by Duterte on Friday, March 15, amends EO 201 or the 2016 Salary Standardization Law (SSL) to modify the salary schedule and…
A top Philippine veterinarian has warned that the deadly African swine fever (ASF) virus may enter the Philippines through products like pork dumplings being sold by Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen to their local counterparts in the West Philippine Sea. Dr. Eugenio Mende, president of the Philippine Veterinary Drug Association, on Wednesday, March 20, gave the…
A United States State Department official said there has yet to be a request to renegotiate the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the U.S. and the Philippines. This comes despite recent calls for amending the 1951 treaty. Patrick Murphy, State Department Principal Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, told reporters that “there is no request from…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night, March 19, threatened to sack officials from Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Maynilad and Manila Water for the water supply shortage experienced in certain areas of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo disclosed among the media what transpired during the 40-minute meeting of the…
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law an act that abolishes the Road Board that he had once referred to as a “milking cow” of corrupt officials. Duterte on March 8 signed Republic Act No. 11239, which dismantled the board and required the government to channel the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) into the National…
Lawyers on Monday, March 18, blocked Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s motion for partial reconsideration before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office on his sedition case over his alleged provoking comments in 2018. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Jacinto “Jing” Paras, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner Manuelito Luna; lawyers Nasser Marohomsalic, Eligio Mallari and Alvaro Bernabe…
The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday, March 18, started to step up its drive against the trafficking of Filipino minors in the wake of reports that trafficking syndicates are once again recruiting minors to work in other countries. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and…
Filipino-American Joel Aquino Pasay was arrested in Angeles City, Pampanga on Saturday, March 16, due to his indictment from the United States District Court of Nevada for child pornography charges. The U.S. court indicted Pasay on May 2, 2017, with his receipt of child pornography as it is in violation of the TItle 18 in…
Malacañang on Monday, March 18, said International Criminal Court (ICC) officials and prosecutors would be barred from entering the Philippines if the nature of their visit is for conducting a probe into President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. “If they say ‘We will be investigating.’ Perhaps they will be denied [entry] by the [Bureau of]…
A panel of international lawyers on Monday, March 18, said there has been a “sharp increase” of rights violations against Filipino lawyers, prosecutors, and judges since the start of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The panel included lawyers from Belgium, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands and the United States, belonging to international lawyers’ groups…
