Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and other “high risk” areas in Luzon until May 15, following the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. “The decision regarding the ECQ when May 1, 2020 comes: maintain the ECQ for…
THE Philippine Department of foreign Affairs on Thursday, April 23, said it is expecting to bring home 35,000 overseas Filipino Workers amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the globe. “As we expect to bring home over 35,000 more OFWs, we appeal to our kababayan (countrymen) to strictly observe and comply with the quarantine procedures imposed…
The Department of Foreign Affairs’ diplomatic protests against China for violating international law and Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea has gained support from Malacañang. “Yung filing of diplomatic protest, ginagawa po ‘yan basta kinakailangan gawin (The filing of the diplomatic protest, we will file them if they need to be filed),” said presidential spokesman…
Researchers from the University of the Philippines are claiming that the actual number of novel coronavirus cases in the country is higher than the current official tally reported by the Department of Health. In a study published on Wednesday, April 22, the U.P. Team found that there is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 infection…
Two diplomatic protests have been filed against China for violating international law and Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday, April 22. The actions come after China pointed a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship near Rizal Reef in the Kalayaan Island Group and…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to give P10 million in reward money to any Filipino citizen who can find a cure for the novel coronavirus. “Because COVID-19 is public enemy number one not only in the Philippines, but also in the whole world, the president is announcing that he will give a reward of…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will “carefully” study his options before deciding what to do with the enhanced community quarantine enforced in Luzon to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Malacañang said on Wednesday, April 22. “The decision will be carefully studied as the lives of the people and the nation are at stake,” Presidential…
United States President Donald Trump has offered more aid to the Philippines as it continues to grapple with the spread of the novel coronavirus, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said on Tuesday, April 21. “President Trump expressed his solidarity and offered additional assistance to the Philippines as it continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” the…
President Rodrigo Duterte is weighing whether to “maintain, relax or lift” the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon following his meeting with health officials, Malacañang said on Tuesday, April 21. At the beginning of the week, the president met with health experts and former heads of the Department of Health, during which there was no suggestion…
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…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte received a phone call from United States President Donald Trump on Sunday night, Malacañang revealed on Monday, April 20. “The call came in at 10:10 in the evening. It was initiated by the U.S. government. It lasted for about 18 minutes,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during an online press briefing….
THE Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases did not discuss the proposed “total lockdown” during its latest meeting, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Friday, April 17. “What would a total lockdown look like and will it be limited to Luzon only if ever? We are not talking about that,”…
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 Philippine government on Wednesday, April 15, assured the public that there are enough supplies of power, water, rice, and food while Luzon is under an enhanced community quarantine to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Spokesperson Karlo Nograles cited a report…
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…
MEDICAL workers are urged to stay in the Philippines as the country continues to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday, April 13. The president appealed to health care professionals to remain in the country because of the shortage of personnel, but admitted that he cannot blame them if…
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…
Nearly 14,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been repatriated back to the Philippines amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, April 13. The latest numbers from the agency total 13,368, with the majority being seafarers. On Monday afternoon, 668 new sailors arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport….
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…
Around 440 Filipino seafarers who worked on several ships in the United States returned to the Philippines on Friday, April 10 amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The individuals were among those onboard the the Norwegian Pearl, Sky, and Sun cruise ships, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a release. A total of…
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 Department of Health on Thursday, April 9, recorded 206 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Philippines, bringing the official count to 4,076. The agency also announced 21 new deaths, raising the death toll to 203. On the other hand, 28 new patients recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of…
President Rodrigo Duterte said he would consider selling government assets as a “ast resort” to generate funds to help address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country. “What is the endgame? We will run out of money. I’ll sell all the property of the government. That Cultural Center of the Philippines, PICC [Philippine International…
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 Philippines has temporarily suspended the deployment of health care professionals abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic to guarantee that the country itself has a sufficient number of medical front-liners. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration last week approved the resolution to suspend sending Filipino health care workers abroad until the current crisis is over. Signed by…
