Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in Metro-Manila for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
OVER 800 seafarers from the United States returned to the Philippines early this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, April 20. With the arrival of 867 more Filipinos from several Florida-based cruise ships, the agency has repatriated close to 18,000 overseas Filipino workers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. “This is the third…
Malacañang is considering auctioning off the jewelry confiscated from former first lady Imelda Marcos to raise funds for the government’s ongoing response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Thursday, April 16. According to him, selling part of the Marcoses’ collection of gems has been raised even before the pandemic swept…
THE Philippine government expressed its support for the World Health Organization (WHO) after United States President Donald Trump decided to withhold funding for the international body because of its supposed bias in favor of China. “It’s not for the Philippine president to tell other presidents what to do. But we support the WHO,” said Presidential…
THE National Economic and Development Authority Secretary on Thursday, April 16, said that sustaining another extension for the enhanced community quarantine enforced in Luzon will be difficult. President Rodrigo Duterte in March placed Luzon under quarantine to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. It was supposed to end on April…
OVER 300 Filipino workers from Miami, Florida returned to the Philippines on Wednesday, April 15 as part of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ repatriation program. The latest batch of 354 seafarers came from cruise ships operated by Carnival Cruises and composed of 76 crew members of MV Ecstasy, 104 of MV Dream, 49 of MV…
PHILIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, April 14, called for the cooperation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has killed thousands of people and forced the lockdowns of major cities globally. “To effectively overcome the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEAN must collaborate and coordinate…
The Philippines has the most number of novel coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia with over 5,000 reports, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. The country’s Department of Health announced 291 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, April 14, bringing the official count of infected individuals to 5,223. After the Philippines, Malaysia trails…
Some 400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arrived back in the Philippines on Tuesday, April 14, totaling over 14,600 Filipinos who have been repatriated by the Department of Foreign Affairs since the novel coronavirus outbreak began. On the 15th straight day of repatriation efforts, two batches arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the nation’s capital:…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the release of a P50.8-billion wage subsidy for middle-income workers affected by the enhanced community quarantine enforced in Luzon, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Tuesday, April 14. During the Inter-Agency Task Force meeting on Monday night, Duterte reportedly approved the Small Business Relief Program to help 3.4 million…
The Philippines reportedly has a “low” number confirmed novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases compared to other countries, according to claims by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. The country’s ratio of COVID-19 infection is two for every one million of the population, the secretary said on Thursday, April 9. “‘Pagka ihahambing po natin ang bilang ng mga…
The Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday, April 10, urged Filipinos to reflect on how they can help the government in addressing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country. “Let this Lenten Season be a time for us to reflect on how we can all be part of the…
The Philippine Department of Labor and Employment will be receiving P5 billion in additional funding for programs designed to help formal sector workers affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The aid package for formal sector workers was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases through Resolution No….
The enhanced community quarantine in Luzon will be extended until April 30 to further contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, a cabinet official said on Tuesday, April 7. Previously, the quarantine was set to end on April 14. President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for…
THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, April 1, announced that there are a total of 401 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) among overseas Filipino workers. Of the number, 270 are currently undergoing treatment, 118 have recovered while 13 have died. According to the agency, the OFWs who contracted the disease are from…
A medical evacuation plane caught on fire during takeoff on Sunday, March 29 at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), killing all the eight people on board. The incident took place at the end of Runway 24 while the aircraft was taking off at around 8 p.m., according to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)….
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday, March 29, condemned the acts of harassment and discrimination against health care workers amid the COVID-19 crisis. In the past few weeks, incidents of some health care professionals being victimized and subjected to acts of violence have been reported across the country. The DOH, in particular, denounced…
Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año announced on Tuesday, March 31 that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “Today, March 31, I received the result from RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) informing me that I am positive for COVID-19,” he said in a statement. The DILG chief said…
Former Philippine Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), his spokesperson confirmed Tuesday, March 31. Victor Rodriguez, Marcos’ lawyer, wrote in a Facebook post that the former senator is “improving” following the test. “Gumaganda na ang kondisyong pangkalusugan ni dating Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. makaraang ihayag sa resulta ng…
The second week of Luzon’s enhanced community quarantine opened with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) adding two more routes to the free shuttle service for health workers in Metro Manila for a total of 16 routes. “From the three initial routes since the program began on 18 March 2020, it now has 16 routes. This…
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Wednesday, March 25, confirmed that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), becoming the second senator to contract the disease after Senator Migz Zubiri. “I was informed last night. I’m okay, I just have a slight sore throat. I don’t have fever nor chills,” he said. Pimentel…
Luzon has been placed on an enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Monday, March 16. “I have come to the conclusion that stricter measures are necessary. For this reason, pursuant to my powers as President under the constitution and RA…
International flights to and from Manila not covered Metro Manila has been placed on a community quarantine for the next 30 days in response to the growing number of cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Thursday, March 12. The president’s orders — which will begin on Sunday,…
MANILA — A COVID-19 patient confined at the Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila has died, the Department of Health confirmed late Wednesday night, March 11. “The Department of Health confirms circulating reports regarding the death of a confirmed COVID-19 patient,” the DOH said, adding that the patient was ID PH35. PH35 was a 67-year-old Filipina…
The number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has risen to 49, days after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of public health emergency in the country. The country’s Department of Health (DOH) confirmed 16 new cases as of Wednesday, March 11. Ten of the new patients have no history of travel or…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told Filipino Americans eligible to vote to support U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election efforts this November. “I’m telling the Filipino now: You’re getting the best deal with Trump,” Duterte said during a press briefing on Monday night, March 9. The Philippine president quipped about “interfering” in the U.S. election process by…
The Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 10 deferred action on Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition against network giant ABS-CBN, pushing back talks to April. The court, sitting en banc, gave no reason for the postponement of deliberations until the court’s April 14 meeting to be held in Baguio City, according to ABS-CBN. …
Two additional incidences of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been reported in the Philippines, bringing the total number of cases to five, the Department of Health confirmed on Friday, March 6. The fourth reported case is a 48-year-old male Filipino who previously traveled to Japan. He returned on February 25 and experienced chills and…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said the United States has been reaching out to the Philippine government for newer and stronger defense ties since the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries. “It came to the fore na yung alitan ko sa kanila, tinanggal ko ‘yung VFA, sila naman ngayon ang lapit ng…
PHILIPPINE Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo maintained her “good” satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. According to the survey released Tuesday, March 3, 59% of respondents were satisfied with Robredo’s performance while 23% were dissatisfied, translating to a net satisfaction rating of +36,…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States may face some legal challenges as several senators this week voted on a resolution asking the Supreme Court to determine the Senate’s role in treaty abrogations. In a 12-0-8 vote, the Senate on Monday, March 2 adopted a resolution that…
