Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Malacañang on Friday, December 13, renewed its call for the passage of a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, saying it is needed for transparency in the government. “Freedom of Information… must be implemented across the bureaucracy: the executive, legislature, judiciary, including the local government units. I still remain hopeful that our lawmakers will finally heed…
WATER rates may increase by over 100% after the cancellation of Maynilad and Manila Water’s concession agreement extensions since President Rodrigo Duterte has all the legal options at his disposal, Malacañang reminded on Friday, December 13. The water firms’ agreements with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) was supposed to end in 2037, but…
Rappler founder and CEO Maria Ressa was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people of 2019. Ressa joins notable international personalities like U.S. President Donald Trump, former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and musicians Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. According to Time magazine Editor-in-Chief and…
Palace claims senators were ‘misled’ THE United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week passed a resolution calling on the Philippine government to release Sen. Leila de Lima from prison and drop the charges against Rappler founder Maria Ressa. Senate Resolution 142 declared De Lima a “prisoner of conscience, detained solely on account of her…
Malacañang lauded all the athletes who participated in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games hosted by the Philippines for bringing pride and honor to their countries. “The Palace congratulates all the athletes and their support staff. All of you did a wonderful job giving pride and honor to your respective countries. Your very presence here…
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director-General Aaron Aquino on Thursday, December 12, said he felt uncomfortable with Vice President Leni Robredo when she was his Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) co-chair. According to him, since Robredo is the vice president of the country, he found it hard to “dictate” her on what to do….
President Rodrigo Duterte will no longer ask Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Tuesday, December 10. According to him, a security assessment showed “the weakening of the terrorist and extremist rebellion” in Mindanao through the arrest and killing of leaders of local terror groups. “The Palace is confident in…
The Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court on Tuesday, December 10, called for a state-sanctioned investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings linked to the government’s war against illegal drugs — even the ones supposedly done in self-defense. “Self-defense is a valid reason to kill,” said Dr. Aurora Parong, Philippine Coalition for the ICC chairperson….
The country’s two biggest water concessionaires announced Tuesday, December 10, that they are no longer seeking to collect more than P10 billion in compensation claims from the government after President Rodrigo Duterte accused them of economic sabotage and threatened to jail them. “We are willing to cooperate and negotiate with the government, and we will…
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on Sunday, December 8, was appointed by Pope Francis as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, usually referred to by its historic name of Propaganda Fide. According to Catholic News Agency, the Propaganda Fide is one of the largest curial departments, with a size and scope exceeding…
MANILA — No one should feel threatened by the report on the government’s campaign against illegal drugs that Vice President Leni Robredo is expected to release next week, she said. The vice president confirmed that she will release her report on Monday, December 9. “Walang dapat matakot. Medyo nakakatawa nga na parang ‘yung anticipation nananakot…
THE Philippines is “in the middle of a garbage crisis,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu warned as he urged Filipinos to start being mindful of how their actions impact the environment. “If we continue to act only for our independent interests, continue to spoil our water bodies and fail to responsibly manage our wastes, we will…
To improve the country’s educational system, Malacañang on Thursday, December 5, said that the Filipino students’ poor reading comprehension is a “reality”that must be recognized. Filipino students ranked last in a global survey of reading comprehension conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In…
MANILA — New Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian arrived past midnight in Manila on Tuesday, December 3, to take up one of China’s most important diplomatic posts. “The best is yet to come” for Philippines-China relations, Huang said in his short message upon arrival. Huang, a seasoned career diplomat, replaced Zhao Jianhua, who ended his tour…
Manila Water, Maynilad reported to have ‘onerous’ contracts with gov’t President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, December 3, threatened to jail and file economic sabotage cases against Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services due to their 1997 contracts with the government which was described as “the world’s largest water privatization.” “We will expose them. And…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, November 30, said he is hoping his successor will not forget about the country’s drug problem, which he described as the “everyday fight of Filipinos.” “Two more years I can get out. Maybe we can look at this drug problem,” he said during the 156th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio…
President Rodrigo Duterte has apologized and ordered an investigation following the rocky start to the Philippines’ hosting of this year’s Southeast Asian Games. Acknowledging the “discomfort” and “suffering of the athletes,” the president apologized for the mishaps that have unfolded leading up to the games kicking off this weekend. “I’m really apologizing for the country. They…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, November 28, said he would take over the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) if he cannot find the right person for the position. “If they have even a single case of corruption, I would rather not appoint anybody for that matter. Ako na ang hahawak (I’ll handle it)….
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, November 28, dared Vice President Leni Robredo to release the discoveries she supposedly made during her quick stint as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD). “You seem to be threatening na may information ka (that you have information). Ilabas mo (Release it),” Duterte ordered. Robredo promised the…
PHILIPPINE Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, November 26, said the House of Representatives is to blame for the mishaps in this year’s Southeast Asian Games which the country is hosting. According to the opposition senator, the House of Representatives was late in submitting the proposed national budget in December, containing some P95 billion in pork…
PHILIPPINE Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, November 25, warned that “China-made blackouts” could paralyze the country’s economy, vital communications system and even the electoral system. According to her, with China controlling 40 percent of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), it has the capability to undermine national security and “even topple the government.”…
CONTRARY to Malacañang’s reasons for firing Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), the Philippine National Police on Tuesday, November 26, said it did not see Robredo make any “missteps” during her 18-day stint as the administration’s anti-drug czar. “During her stay as co-chair of ICAD, we haven’t…
President Rodrigo Duterte has fired Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, his spokesperson announced on Sunday, November 24. According to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Duterte took offense at Robredo’s challenge to tell her directly if he didn’t want her on the government’s counternarcotics body and fire her. “In…
Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday, November 25, posed a question for President Rodrigo Duterte a day after he fired her as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD). “What are you afraid of? What are you afraid that I might discover? What are you afraid that the people might find out?” she…
Former President Fidel V. Ramos urged former Taiwan President Ma Yung-Jeou (2008-2016) to help foster stronger relations between the two countries following the latter’s visit at the Ramos Peace and Development (RPDEV) office in Makati the other day. “Taiwanese and Filipinos have been the best of friends,” said FVR, whose father Narciso served as Philippine…
Despite the declining trust in China among Filipinos, Malacanñang still believes that this will eventually change as Manila and Beijing’s improved ties are reportedly set to bring economic benefits to both nations. A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Wednesday showed that 54% of Filipinos have little trust in China, resulting in “poor” net trust…
The importation of rice into the Philippines will continue in accordance with the law, the country’s agriculture secretary clarified. Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Thursday, November 21 said that instead of suspending the importation, the government will tighten food safety measures to control the entry of cheap grain that is affecting the incomes of Filipino…
Malacañang reminded Vice President Leni Robredo that “trust is earned” after she responded to President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement expressing concern over the way she reportedly handles confidential information related to the war on drugs. In a statement, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said, “Trust is earned. The missteps of the vice president did not inspire confidence…
President Rodrigo Duterte said he is pushing through with his trip to South Korea despite his aversion to traveling, saying that there are many things “at stake.” “I hate traveling. I don’t want to travel. It gives me [a] headache and everything, but this is important. You know, so many things at stake. One is…
SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday, November 19, noted that despite the Duterte administration pressing Congress to pass the National ID law and making it the highest priority, it did not provide funds for the bill’s implementation since its enactment in 2018. “That was two years ago, when we passed the law certified…
