Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in Metro-Manila for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the Philippines is winning the war against illegal drugs as President Rodrigo Duterte marked his third year in office. According to Albayalde, the improvement in the peace and order situation across the country is a manifestation of the drug war’s success. “This is a clear manifestation…
THE first round of filing Senate bills in the 18th Philippine Congress commenced on Monday, July 1, and among the first ones to be filed were those seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, combating fake news and terrorism. Senate Bill No. 5, filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, amends the Juvenile…
Involving the United States in the Philippines’ maritime row with China will only bring the country closer to war, President Rodrigo Duterte said in response to officials pushing to seek American help. Duterte on Thursday night, June 27 made the remark at Malacañang after Senator Panfilo Lacson insisted on invoking the Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 27 threatened to jail his critics after challenging them to file an impeachment complaint against him for allowing China to fish in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. “Impeachable? I will jail them all. Go ahead and try, I mean to do it, and…
FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Thursday, June 27, said that President Rodrigo Duterte can be impeached for violating the Constitution that mandates him to defend the Philippines’ territory. In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, he said: “The Constitution states that the president and the military must secure the national territory, and…
A FORMER top official of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called the Philippines and China’s joint investigation into the Recto Bank collision a “joke.” According to Dr. Wilfredo Villacorta, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN from 2003-2006 and former ambassador and representative to the international body, the joint probe of the two countries is strange…
Party-list lawmakers in the Philippine House of Representatives will be filing a bill next month that seeks workplace safety protocols for television and movie productions to avoid accidents similar to the one that led to the death of multi-awarded veteran actor Eddie Garcia. 1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, the bill’s proponent, said the proposal will be…
OWNERS of land transportation hubs are now being required to provide free internet access and clean sanitary facilities to passengers. Republic Act 11311, which seeks to improve land transportation terminals, stations, stops, rest areas as well as roll-on roll-off (RORO) terminals, was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 17. A copy of it was…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defended his response to the Recto Bank situation by saying he’s not afraid of China, but rather the possibility of an armed conflict in the region. His explanation comes after critics have slammed him for not taking a harder stance on what he called “a little maritime incident” — during which…
Malacañang on Monday, June 17, maintained that the Philippines is no slave to China after President Rodrigo Duterte got flak for staying mum on the issue of a Filipino fishing boat sinking when it was hit by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea on June 9. According to presidential spokesperson…
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. on Tuesday, June 18, said it has withdrawn WellMed Dialysis Center’s accreditation after reports of bogus benefit claims made by the facility for non-existent kidney treatments. In a Twitter post, the state-run health insurer said: “WellMed patients are advised to transfer to other accredited dialysis facilities to ensure continuous availment…
Lawmakers seek stronger action against Chinese fishermen THE Philippines might cut off its diplomatic ties with China if the sinking of the Filipino-ridden fishing boat at the Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea will be found to be done intentionally, Malacañang said on Thursday, June 13. “We want to find out first. If it…
Philhealth under fire amid reports of fraudulent claims MEDICAL inflation in the Philippines is on the rise this year, surging to 13.7% from 2018’s 13% making it the second highest increase in the Asia-Pacific region, a recent study found. According to the “2019 Medical Trends Around The World,” the rise in Philippine healthcare cost is…
DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is calling for a formal investigation into a collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and a Filipino fishing boat after the Chinese boat fled the scene and left the Filipinos “to the mercy of the elements.” In a statement on Wednesday, June 12, Lorenzana said the collision between the Chinese boat…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, June 8, said that the media has lost his trust after journalists went for his family following the narcotics trade allegations. He also said that he would be choosy in granting media interviews from now on because of it. “Hindi na ako nagpapa-interview ha. Choosy ako, choosy… (I don’t grant…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, June 7, ordered the authorities of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to hold officials accountable for allowing fraudulent payments that led to a P154-billion loss. “The president directs the management of the PhilHealth to institute criminal actions against those officials and employees who wittingly or unwittingly allowed such…
The dispute regarding Senate chairmanships for the 18th Congress was deemed “95 percent resolved,” according to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday, June 6. Sotto said that there are only a few committees left for discussion and resolution following a dinner meeting at Senator Manny Pacquiao’s residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati on Wednesday,…
THE United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Manila will shut down as part of the Trump administration’s decision to cease operations of the agency’s 23 international locations. The Manila office will permanently close on July 5, and has stopped accepting new applications and petitions since May 31. “The U.S. Embassy in Manila…
Malacañang assured the public on Monday, June 3, that it would oppose any move by the kin of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to block the sale of the jewelry trove labeled as the “Hawaiian Collection.” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier announced that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gave his go-signal to sell the Marcos jewelry and…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 3, certified as urgent the bill seeking the restoration of the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program for Grade 11 and 12 students. In a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Duterte said that a law is required to restore basic military and leadership training for…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the sale of P700-million worth of jewelry from the alleged ill-gotten wealth of late President Ferdinand Marcos, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo announced on Thursday, May 30. “He wants the people to benefit from the proceeds of the sale of the jewelry. So I asked him, ‘Are you going to…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, May 30, once again slammed the United States for its “lack of word of honor” when it recalled its rifle sales due to the alleged human rights violations in the country. The strong-mouthed leader slammed the U.S. government during his speech among the Filipino community in Tokyo, Japan. Duterte…
The Columbia Journalism School in New York City awarded Rappler Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Executive Editor Maria Ressa with the 2019 Columbia Journalism Award on Thursday, May 23 for her “singular journalistic performance in the public interest.” Ressa along with Rappler and its reporters received a total of 11 cases filed by the administration…
Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday, May 29, slammed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for allowing the public auction of P1 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, calling the officials of the agencies “corrupt” and “incompetent.” In his privilege speech titled “What a Mess: A Dumping Ground of Garbage…
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr on Tuesday, May 28, announced in a Twitter post that the garbage from Canada is set to leave the Philippines on May 30. “All containers containing garbage cleaned and ready to go. Waiting for a couple of documents and routine permission from China for transshipment…
Davao del Norte First District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez revealed on Monday, May 28, that two House speaker aspirants were offering money in exchange for the legislators’ votes for the speakership post. “My colleagues told me that someone offered P500,000 per congressman and then this was countered by another with P1 million per congressman,” Alvarez said…
Following the proclamation of winners, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to face a Senate investigation on the technical glitches reported during the recent midterm polls. Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said on Thursday, May 23, that the commission will have a post-election assessment in preparation for the Senate investigation. However, he maintained that the…
VICE President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo denied new allegations that she was part of a plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. “I will never be part of any destabilization,” Robredo said, answering questions from the media in a press conference on Thursday, after Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy” linked her and the Liberal Party (LP)…
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday, May 21, resigned as president of the Liberal Party (LP), following the devastating loss of all eight opposition senatorial candidates. However, Vice President Leni Robredo, LP chair, rejected his resignation along with that of Quezon City Rep. Christopher Belmonte as LP secretary general. “The Vice President has not accepted…
Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Tuesday, May 21, was detained by immigration authorities at an airport in Hong Kong. “I was detained. When I arrived, I was brought into a room that was not meant for arriving visitors. I was interrogated and then after I was brought to their detention room. They asked me to…
