Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in Metro-Manila for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
FORMER Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya and 16 others has been charged by the office of the Ombudsman with graft and corruption before the Sandiganbayan, citing anomalies in the 2016 maintenance contract for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) in which the government stood to lose more than P4 billion. According to investigators,…
Malacañang on Thursday, June 21 said that the Philippines may not be ready yet for same-sex marriage despite the start of oral arguments before the Supreme Court (SC) for a petition to legalize it in the country. In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque believed that “there is a right time for these kind[s]…
More allies of former Philippine President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III should face charges in connection with the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), Malacañang said on Thursday, June 21. The statement was made by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque a day after the Ombudsman ordered the filing of charges against Aquino for usurping Congress’ budgetary powers…
President Rodrigo Duterte slammed Senator Leila de Lima for criticizing his gesture of kissing a married overseas Filipino worker (OFW) during his recent visit to Seoul, South Korea. De Lima called it “sickening” — to which Duterte responded by threatening to release her alleged sex video. “There’s a lady nakakulong, sabi niya na bastos daw…
Despite President Rodrigo Duterte voicing out his opinions against the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on multiple occasions, Malacañang announced that the Philippines will not be following the move made by the United States to withdraw from the body. In a press briefing on Thursday, June 21, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the…
In an interview with London-based newspaper Financial Times, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed his desire to run for presidency and return to Malacañang after President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends. “My career is politics, and, in fact, you aspire to as excessive a stature inside your chosen area as you can possibly obtain—and that might be…
President Rodrigo Duterte’s “anti-tambay” order will not lead to a declaration of nationwide martial law, Malacañang assured on Tuesday, June 19. At a press briefing in Cotabato City, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said, “the president’s statement [was] very clear that ‘martial law in the entire Philippines [would] become very complicated.’” Roque also added that “He…
A NEW study confirmed that the world’s first dengue vaccine, which was given to over 800,000 school children in the Philippines, poses risks of hospitalization and severe sickness in those who have not been infected by the virus before getting vaccinated. Now, the Philippine government hopes the new study will help amplify its demand for…
As internet usage rises among adults in the Philippines, a large majority of Filipinos are viewing the issue of fake news and false information as a serious concern, revealed a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released this week. Looking at results from two surveys conducted from December 8-16, 2017, and March 23-27, 2018, SWS found…
The Philippines has commended the historic meeting of President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while affirming support for peace, stability, security, and denuclearization in the region. Acknowledging the remaining challenges, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, June 12 said the meeting between Trump and Kim underscored the “importance and…
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reiterated the suspension of all projects of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) responding to the reported staging of Buhay Carinderia North Luzon Roadshow. In a Memorandum dated 18 May 2018, DOT Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat instructed the “suspension of the implementation of all ongoing TPB projects…subject to the review of…
IT was the previous administration that mishandled the dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), not the Duterte administration, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana claimed on Monday, June 11. In a news conference after a flag-raising ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Lorenzana insisted that the handling of the Aquino administration led to…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, June 12, joined the nation in celebrating the country’s 120th anniversary of its independence, calling on Filipinos to emulate our heroes to bring “meaningful and lasting change” in the society. In his Independence Day message, Duterte said Filipinos should value the sacrifices of our heroes, saying “this historic day forms…
Spokesman said kiss was ‘accepted in culture of Filipinos’ SHORTLY after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte publicly kissed a married overseas foreign worker (OFW) in Seoul, South Korea, consequently drawing both cheers and disgust — he returned to the Philippines to defend his kiss and said he’d resign as president if enough women wanted him to….
Dissenters say constitutional right violated The Philippine Supreme Court on Wednesday, June 6, said that detained Senator Leila de Lima’s appeal to reconsider an arrest warrant against her has been denied with finality, upholding that her arrest based on drug charges were valid. Through a 9-5 vote, the high court resolved “to deny with finality…
Responding to the backlash he received over the controversial kiss he shared with a Filipina in South Korea, President Rodrigo Duterte said those who are making an issue out of it are jealous. He brushed aside the huge flak he got and said kissing women has been his style since his days as mayor of…
FOLLOWING his trip to South Korea this week, President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he will “make radical changes in the days to come.” “There will be changes in the coming days including public order and security. There are simply too many crimes and too many claiming to be this and that,” he said on Wednesday…
Malacañang is being ordered by the Supreme Court (SC) to answer the petition filed by six opposition senators last month challenging the administration’s withdrawal of the country’s membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC). The SC also ruled to hold the case for oral arguments on July 24. The respondents — Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea,…
The P24-billion subsidy allocated for poor Filipinos affected by the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law will be released by the government by September, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said. DSWD undersecretary Flor Villar said in a press conference that the agency has completed the release of…
Former President Benigno Aquino III on Monday, June 4, urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to junk the criminal complaint brought against him by President Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters over the P3.5-billion Dengvaxia controversy. After attending the preliminary investigation at the DOJ, Aquino said in a press briefing that “the only weapon we have is the…
THE Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest against China over the latter country’s recent moves in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). During a press briefing on Thursday, May 31, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the protest covered all incidents previously mentioned by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. He did not provide…
Ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday, May 30, filed her motion for reconsideration to the Supreme Court (SC), urging her colleagues there to invalidate their decision of ousting her as the chief justice. The SC voted 8-6 in finding Sereno “guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising the Office of the Chief Justice” on…
THE P60 million paid by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for advertisements on Ben Tulfo’s — brother of resigned Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo — show on government channel PTV-4 has yet to be returned, current Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. “It has not been returned,” Puyat said regarding the promise of Ben Tulfo’s company, Bitag…
ACCORDING to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, human rights are paramount in the police’s campaign against drugs. He also insisted that the police force is not lacking in training on human rights awareness in their operations. “The rules of engagement are paramount in every police operation, and respect for human rights…
The Philippines has not lost a single inch of its territory to China under President Rodrigo Duterte’s watch, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, even promising to quit public office if proven otherwise. Cayetano on Monday, May 28, dared his critics to prove the Duterte administration failed in protecting the country’s rights over disputed…
FORMER Health Secretary Janette Garin said the Philippines is the only country letting “alarmists” cause uproar over the Dengvaxia vaccine controversy, on Thursday, May 24. The Dengvaxia vaccine, created by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, has been tagged in the deaths of over 80 Filipino children. During the preliminary investigation at the Department of Justice…
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has suspended its recognition of all fraternities and sororities and similar organizations in the institution for the next academic year, eight months after law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III died from apparent hazing. UST’s school paper, The Varsitarian, tweeted a copy of the memorandum on Tuesday night, May 22, that…
The Philippines is not abandoning its traditional alliance with the United States, Malacañang said on Monday, May 21. Leading the Filipino delegation was Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who met U.S. Admiral Harry Harris Jr., chief of the U.S. Pacific Command (Pacom), in Honolulu, Hawaii on Friday, May 18. Malacañang said the meeting between Philippine officials and…
Senator Vicente Sotto III became the 29th Senate President on Monday, May 21, after Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III stepped down. Sotto serves as the second Senate president of the 17th Congress, after 15 majority bloc senators last week agreed to move for the change of Senate leadership. Pimentel, who resigned on early Monday…
According to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the eight Supreme Court justices who voted to grant the quo warranto petition to invalidate the 2012 appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno cannot be impeached. “I don’t think so, in exercise of kasiseparation of powers ehthey acted within their powers as provided for by the Constitution,” Alvarez said. Alvarez…
