Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
A copy of the controversial anti-terrorism bill has been sent to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang confirmed on Tuesday, June 9. Earlier that day, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that he and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano have already signed the proposed bill. “[Cayetano] signed last night. Sending it to PRRD [President Rodrigo Duterte] this…
THOUSANDS of fake accounts that clone the profiles of students from the top universities in the Philippines surfaced on Facebook over the weekend. The University of the Philippines urged its students, alumni, and faculty members to check Facebook for profiles made without their consent. “The University of the Philippines System has received reports that fake…
HUMAN rights abuses in the Philippines have reportedly worsened due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs, killing tens of thousands of Filipinos in the process, a new report from the United Nations Human Rights Office found. “A heavy-handed focus on countering national security threats and illegal drugs has resulted in serious human rights…
THE Philippines’ Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 will undergo additional review from the country’s Department of Justice before it is signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte. The DOJ on Friday, June 5 announced that it will scrutinize and comment on the proposed anti-terrorism law (House Bill 6875). “Whenever an enrolled bill is submitted to the…
The Philippines has welcomed home over 35,000 overseas Filipinos since the coronavirus outbreak, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday, June 5. At least 13,566 land-based OFs have been repatriated while 21,829 are cruise ship crews, the agency reported. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said that more repatriates from Japan, France, Dubai, Abu…
Despite growing criticism over the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte will run a “final review” before signing it into law to ensure that it complies with the 1987 Constitution. “Alam niyo, bagamat it’s certified urgent, hindi naman po automatic na pipirmahan yan ng presidente (You know, even if it was certified urgent,…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has not changed his decision to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, despite the suspension this week. “Ang nangyari lang po, nasuspinde ang termination. Hindi pa po niya sinasabi na hindi na tuloy ang termination, so wala pong nagbago sa pag-iisip ng ating pangulo (What happened…
THE Philippine House of Representatives on Wednesday, June 3, approved the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, on its third and final reading. A total of 173 lawmakers voted to pass House Bill 6875, while 31 voted against its passage; 29 others, on the other hand, abstained. “No need for bicameral conference committee since there are no…
by Joseph Peralta and Ritchel Mendiola SENATE President Vicente Sotto III and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday, June 3 both welcomed the move of Malacañang to suspend the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the United States and the Philippines. The two senators reiterated that the petition filed by senators in…
ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III on Wednesday, June 3, said he is a natural-born Filipino, explaining that both of his parents are Filipino citizens. “It was in recognition of being a natural born citizen that I took it upon myself to ask for recognition of my citizenship. My understanding of my lawyer was…
THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, June 2, reported 12 new cases of the novel coronavirus among overseas Filipinos, bringing the total number of infected individuals to 5,230. It also recorded five new deaths from the Middle East, raising the death toll to 347. “With only a few countries across three major geographical…
PHILIPPINE Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday, June 2, said that the proposed anti-terrorism law is “as good as passed,” after President Rodrigo Duterte certified the bill as urgent. “It’s as good as passed. It will just need my signature if it comes back to us after ratification then I will transmit to the…
Metro Manila will be shifting to a more relaxed general community quarantine on June 1, according to a recent announcement from President Rodrigo Duterte. “You know, the NCR (National Capital Region) will now be placed under the general community quarantine or the GCQ starting June 1,” he said in his public address aired over state-run…
NATIONAL carrier Philippine Airlines is finalizing plans for June flights, after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that Metro Manila will be transitioning to a more relaxed general community quarantine starting on June 1. “Philippine Airlines welcomes the opportunity to resume regular commercial operations following the Philippine government decision to upgrade certain areas of the country, including…
TWENTY-FOUR overseas Filipinos have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of infected individuals to 2,845, according to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs’ latest tally on Friday, May 29. The agency also recorded six new fatalities in Europe and the Middle East, raising the death toll to 340. Meanwhile, 11 Filipinos abroad successfully…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered government agencies to bring some 24,000 repatriated overseas Filipino workers back to their home provinces by the end of the week. According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Duterte gave the order to officials from the Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and Department of Health after…
Malacañang said this week that the deployment ban on healthcare workers abroad may be lifted once the threat of the coronavirus ends in countries where they would be employed. “Kapag humupa na siguro ‘yung banta ng Covid-19 sa mga lugar na nais nilang puntahan (Once the threat posed by COVID-19 is addressed in countries where…
THE Philippine House of Representatives has received 181 position papers that support the bills seeking a fresh 25-year franchise to broadcast giant ABS-CBN, Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin, Jr. said Wednesday, May 27. “There are 181 position papers which support the renewal of [the] ABS-CBN franchise and there are eight that oppose it,” he…
THE Philippine House of Representatives on Tuesday, May 26, began its hearing on the franchise renewal of broadcast giant ABS-CBN. During the hearing, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez pushed for a new 25-year franchise instead of a franchise renewal for ABS-CBN. “The 11 bills that were filed, which were on renewal,…
NEARLY 500 Chinese citizens working and residing at a resort situated at the Clark Freeport Zone north of Manila have been tested for COVID-19, following the discovery of an illegal makeshift hospital. A total of 490 Chinese nationals underwent testing at Fontana Leisure Park, according to the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group…
An international human rights watchdog is urging U.S. Congress to “block or delay sales” of attack helicopters worth almost $2 billion to the Philippines. In a post on Friday, May 22, Human Rights Watch gave its recommendation to Congress after the Trump administration last month announced two possible Foreign Military Sales by the U.S. military…
The Philippines has become the world’s largest known source of online child sexual exploitation, according to a new report released this week. The study from the International Justice Mission on Thursday, May 21 found that underage abuses are worsening with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as the victims have been forced to go on lockdown with…
The Philippines is still on its first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s Department of Health clarified on Thursday, May 21. This comes after Health Secretary Francisco Duque previously issued a statement that the country was already on its second surge of the virus. “Earlier presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that we are still…
The Clark Development Corporation has ordered the closure and full lockdown of the Fontana Resorts and Leisure Park inside the Clark Freeport Zone after the discovery of an illegal makeshift hospital treating Chinese nationals infected with COVID-19. The two orders were signed after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Regional Field Unit of the…
Filipinos are urged to mass report a geotag that identifies the Philippines as “Province of China” and “North Philippines, Province of China” on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. The geotag, which appeared over the weekend, has since drawn flak from Filipino netizens and public officials alike. “Our heroes did not sacrifice their lives only…
TWENTY-FOUR more overseas Filipinos have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 2,455 worldwide. The latest report from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, May 20 also announced four new deaths: two in Europe and two in the Middle East/Africa coverage area….
The Philippines House Committee on Legislative Franchises has set a hearing on ABS-CBN’s franchise bills for next week. The announcement for the Tuesday, May 26 deliberations comes after House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said that the House of Representatives would forego the provisional franchise for the network giant to prioritize the bills for a 25-year…
TWENTY-SIX new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, have been reported among Filipinos abroad. The latest report from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, May 19 brings the total number of infections to 2,431 Filipinos across 46 countries and regions. “Based on the latest figures, Europe and the Middle…
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, May 19, announced that the Philippine House of Representatives is foregoing the provisional franchise for media giant ABS-CBN to instead deliberate on the bills for a 25-year franchise. This announcement came after the lower chamber recalled its approval on the second reading of House Bill No. 6732, which…
TWO Philippine senators recently suggested that economic managers should direct American businesses leaving China to consider the country for their relocation plans. According to Senator Imee Marcos, recent news that the United States businesses was transferring a number of its China-based factories to Indonesia confirms a growing economic trend favoring Southeast Asian countries as alternative…
