Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Impeachment complaints against President Rodrigo Duterte are “baseless,” Malacañang said on Friday, July 5. In response to criticism over Duterte’s handling of the Recto Bank incident, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told media that any impeachment raps against the president may not have any merit. “An impeachment not only is misplaced, it is absolutely baseless in…
President Rodrigo Duterte’s critics will not be arrested for filing an impeachment complaint against the Chief Executive, Malacañang assured on Tuesday, July 2, after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said the PNP was ready to arrest those who file an impeachment complaint against Duterte if they commit any violation of the law. According…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is seeking assurance from China that it will guarantee the rights and safety of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea following the June 9 Recto Bank incident, Malacañang said Tuesday, July 2. According to presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, Duterte made this statement during the 39th Cabinet meeting at Malacañang on Monday…
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the Philippines is winning the war against illegal drugs as President Rodrigo Duterte marked his third year in office. According to Albayalde, the improvement in the peace and order situation across the country is a manifestation of the drug war’s success. “This is a clear manifestation…
THE first round of filing Senate bills in the 18th Philippine Congress commenced on Monday, July 1, and among the first ones to be filed were those seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, combating fake news and terrorism. Senate Bill No. 5, filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, amends the Juvenile…
Malacañang on Monday, July 1 said China disagreed with President Rodrigo Duterte’s suggestion of involving an independent body in the Philippines-China joint investigation into the Recto Bank collision. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a media briefing, said the Chinese government does not see the need for a third party investigator. “Ang sabi nila (China), nag-offer…
The Philippines would be the ‘biggest loser’ in Asia if United States President Donald Trump follows through with his threat to punish American firms that outsource jobs, an independent economic research company has claimed. In Capital Economics’ recent research brief entitled “Winner and losers from the trade war,” it was revealed that the trade war…
Involving the United States in the Philippines’ maritime row with China will only bring the country closer to war, President Rodrigo Duterte said in response to officials pushing to seek American help. Duterte on Thursday night, June 27 made the remark at Malacañang after Senator Panfilo Lacson insisted on invoking the Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 27 threatened to jail his critics after challenging them to file an impeachment complaint against him for allowing China to fish in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. “Impeachable? I will jail them all. Go ahead and try, I mean to do it, and…
FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Thursday, June 27, said that President Rodrigo Duterte can be impeached for violating the Constitution that mandates him to defend the Philippines’ territory. In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, he said: “The Constitution states that the president and the military must secure the national territory, and…
A FORMER top official of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called the Philippines and China’s joint investigation into the Recto Bank collision a “joke.” According to Dr. Wilfredo Villacorta, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN from 2003-2006 and former ambassador and representative to the international body, the joint probe of the two countries is strange…
Party-list lawmakers in the Philippine House of Representatives will be filing a bill next month that seeks workplace safety protocols for television and movie productions to avoid accidents similar to the one that led to the death of multi-awarded veteran actor Eddie Garcia. 1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, the bill’s proponent, said the proposal will be…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 24 apologized to the 22 Filipino fishermen involved in the Recto Bank event with a Chinese vessel, but downplayed it as a “maritime incident.” “Well I’m sorry but that’s how it is. It is a maritime incident. Little in the sense that there was no confrontation, there was…
THE number of deaths associated with the Philippine government’s anti-drug campaign continue to be a concern for the United Nations’ human rights body, its chief revealed at the Human Rights Council on Monday, June 24. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, in her opening statement at the 41st session of the Human…
New resistance-themed video tackles global social justice issues Madonna’s music video for her new single “I Rise” features footage of Maria Ressa, the fearless Rappler founder who has been jailed and faces several charges in the Philippines. Ressa, whose criticism of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte propelled her to international acclaim, is one of the several…
ACCORDING to the Philippine National Police (PNP), a total of 6,600 suspected drug offenders have been killed in police operations since the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs. The police data, which was released Tuesday, June 18, during a command conference of top police officials at Camp Crame, covered the incidents from July…
OWNERS of land transportation hubs are now being required to provide free internet access and clean sanitary facilities to passengers. Republic Act 11311, which seeks to improve land transportation terminals, stations, stops, rest areas as well as roll-on roll-off (RORO) terminals, was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 17. A copy of it was…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defended his response to the Recto Bank situation by saying he’s not afraid of China, but rather the possibility of an armed conflict in the region. His explanation comes after critics have slammed him for not taking a harder stance on what he called “a little maritime incident” — during which…
Malacañang on Monday, June 17, maintained that the Philippines is no slave to China after President Rodrigo Duterte got flak for staying mum on the issue of a Filipino fishing boat sinking when it was hit by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea on June 9. According to presidential spokesperson…
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. on Tuesday, June 18, said it has withdrawn WellMed Dialysis Center’s accreditation after reports of bogus benefit claims made by the facility for non-existent kidney treatments. In a Twitter post, the state-run health insurer said: “WellMed patients are advised to transfer to other accredited dialysis facilities to ensure continuous availment…
Lawmakers seek stronger action against Chinese fishermen THE Philippines might cut off its diplomatic ties with China if the sinking of the Filipino-ridden fishing boat at the Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea will be found to be done intentionally, Malacañang said on Thursday, June 13. “We want to find out first. If it…
Philhealth under fire amid reports of fraudulent claims MEDICAL inflation in the Philippines is on the rise this year, surging to 13.7% from 2018’s 13% making it the second highest increase in the Asia-Pacific region, a recent study found. According to the “2019 Medical Trends Around The World,” the rise in Philippine healthcare cost is…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, June 12, admitted that he regretted his decision to pursue the country’s highest office given its seemingly insurmountable problems. “I lost interest at work. Actually, I deeply regretted it. I regretted running for president,” he said, speaking in his native Visayan dialect in front of newly-elected local government officials in…
DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is calling for a formal investigation into a collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and a Filipino fishing boat after the Chinese boat fled the scene and left the Filipinos “to the mercy of the elements.” In a statement on Wednesday, June 12, Lorenzana said the collision between the Chinese boat…
Officials asked to submit resignation amid reports of fraud Senator-elect Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, June 10, said President Rodrigo Duterte has asked officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to submit their courtesy resignations amid reports of fraudulent claims. He also said that the PhilHealth officials were scheduled to resign during a meeting…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, June 8, said that the media has lost his trust after journalists went for his family following the narcotics trade allegations. He also said that he would be choosy in granting media interviews from now on because of it. “Hindi na ako nagpapa-interview ha. Choosy ako, choosy… (I don’t grant…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, June 7, ordered the authorities of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to hold officials accountable for allowing fraudulent payments that led to a P154-billion loss. “The president directs the management of the PhilHealth to institute criminal actions against those officials and employees who wittingly or unwittingly allowed such…
The dispute regarding Senate chairmanships for the 18th Congress was deemed “95 percent resolved,” according to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday, June 6. Sotto said that there are only a few committees left for discussion and resolution following a dinner meeting at Senator Manny Pacquiao’s residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati on Wednesday,…
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Thursday, June 6 denied being in a meeting with people allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of President Rodrigo Duterte. The archbishop’s defense comes after Peter Joemel Advincula, the man who introduced himself as “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video, spread those claims. According to Villegas’ statement released on…
THE United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Manila will shut down as part of the Trump administration’s decision to cease operations of the agency’s 23 international locations. The Manila office will permanently close on July 5, and has stopped accepting new applications and petitions since May 31. “The U.S. Embassy in Manila…
