Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
THE six-month closure of the world-famous Boracay island and negative international news did not stop foreign visitors from coming to the Philippines, as the country reached an all-time high of tourist arrivals in 2018, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced this week. The Philippines saw 7,127,168 foreign tourist arrivals last year, which was 7.65 percent…
THE Philippine House of Representatives on Wednesday, January 23, approved on second reading the bill that would lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility despite the flak it earned from children rights groups and opposition members. The House Bill (HB) 8858 initially provided that the minimum age for criminal liability be changed from the current…
Following temporary US ban on Filipino workers THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is reminding Filipinos abroad to follow immigration rules after the United States imposed a temporary one-year ban on new Filipino migrant workers. The department said that Filipinos living abroad — especially those in the U.S. — must “follow immigration rules and…
PHILIPPINES’ Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) is planning to take legal action against JoyRulBee in China for trademark infringement after a photo of the latter restaurant — bearing the same store design and color motif — made its rounds all over the internet. “Our legal team has been taking the necessary steps in order to protect…
Following an announcement by the U.S. last week that imposed a one-year ban on new Filipino migrant workers starting this year, the Philippines said that it may ask the U.S. to reconsider the decision if it finds that there is no basis for the ban. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a notification…
THE Philippines House of Representatives justice committee approved a bill lowering the minimum age of criminal liability from 15 to 9 years old on Monday, January 21, to protect “children from being used by ruthless and unscrupulous criminal syndicates to evade prosecution and punishment.” Committee on Justice Chair and Oriental Mindoro First District Representative Salvador…
This is to inform the public that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is not in any way related or affiliated with WOW Pilipinas Partylist. This clarification is issued in light of reports and insinuations linking the DOT to the aforecited partylist, which strongly goes against the apolitical and nonpartisan nature of the agency whose primary mandate…
The Bureau of Immigration on Thursday, January 17 said that Chinese nationals topped the list of foreigners who were arrested in the country for being fugitives from justice. According to the BI, its search unit arrested a total of 257 foreign criminals evading either their prosecution or jail sentence in their home countries in 2018….
President Rodrigo Duterte’s third extension of martial law in Mindanao is once again being challenged before the Supreme Court. A group of opposition lawmakers comprised of Reps. Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna partylist), Emmi De Jesus and Arlene Brosas (Gabriela partylist), Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis partylist), Antonio Tinio and France Castro (ACT Teachers partylist) and Sarah Elago…
Two of the most powerful countries in the world — the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) — on Wednesday, January 16 finished it six-day joint drills in the disputed South China Sea. The two countries conducted communication drills, division tactics and personnel exchange from January 11 to 16. The Arleigh-Burke guided-missile destroyer…
A new report from the Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that the human rights crisis in the Philippines has “deepened” as the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte continues its bloody war on drugs campaign. In its annual World Report, the HRW indicated that from June 2016 to 2018 under Duterte’s leadership, “the human rights crisis…deepened…
Mock elections are set to be conducted across the Philippines by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) this weekend in preparation for the midterm polls in May. The mock elections will be held in Quezon City, Manila, Pasig, Taguig, Pateros, Valenzuela City, Muntinlupa City, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Bohol, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao del…
SRI LANKAN President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday, January 16, expressed his admiration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to eliminate illegal drugs in the country, noting that he aspires to “follow his footsteps.” “The war against crime and drugs carried out by you is an example to the whole world and, personally, to me. The…
Amid the rise in prices of food and services due to the implementation of the second tranche of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, petitions for a wage increase are being filed by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) before various regional wage boards across the country. TUCP on Tuesday,…
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) announced on Tuesday, January 12, that there are now 305 hotels and resorts accredited to open and operate in the Boracay Island, almost three months after the famous tourist destination reopened after its rehabilitation. In a Facebook post, the tourism department said that there are a total of 10,982 rooms…
SENATOR Risa Hontiveros on January 14 filed a measure legalizing “absolute divorce” in the country. Under Senate Bill 2134 or Divorce Act of 2018, legal separation may be filed by couples if the marriage is marred by “physical violence and grossly abusive conduct.” While the State continues to recognize the sanctity of family life and…
THE Davao Regional Court Branch 54 on Tuesday, January 15, denied the request of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue a hold departure order against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for his libel case filed by presidential son Paolo Duterte. The Davao court rejected the motion after the opposition senator attended the arraignment and…
SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday, January 15, said she believes in medical cannabis, and has used cannabis medical patches before. “I am an author of that [medical marijuana bill]. I really believe in medical cannabis. As you know, I have my problem here and when I’m in a country that allows it, I put a…
THE latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed that the number of Filipino families who consider themselves poor significantly dropped from the previous quarter’s 52 percent to the latest 50 percent. “The proportion of self-rated poor families was at 42 percent in March 2018. It rose by six points to 48 percent in June, and…
Malacañang on Monday, January 14 said President Rodrigo Duterte would respect the “people’s call” on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). This announcement comes a week before a plebiscite in parts of Mindanao on whether or not to ratify the measure. “What is important and certain is that the president will abide by whatever the will…
A COMMANDER has been sacked from his position on a U.S. Navy submarine after he admitted that he hired female prostitutes while he was in the Philippines on March 2018. In a report from Kitsap Sun on Friday, January 11, United States Ship (USS) Bremerton commander Captain Travis Zettel was removed from his post in…
Malacañang on Monday, January 14 said Senator Antonio Trillanes IV must have been referring to himself when he called President Rodrigo Duterte “crazy,” shrugging off the opposition senator’s tirades against the chief executive. Trillanes last week accused Duterte of overturning the country’s justice system after a new criminal charge had been filed against the senator…
ACCORDING to the most recent Pulse Asia survey, President Rodrigo Duterte is still the highest rated and most trusted top government official in the last quarter of 2018. The poll released Friday, January 11 was conducted from December 14 to 21, 2018, and revealed Duterte posting an 81 percent approval rating, up by six percentage…
THE National Privacy Commission (NPC) on Monday, January 14, said that it will conduct a fact-finding investigation on the alleged data breach in the Philippine passport system. NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro said that the commission was slated to meet with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials on Wednesday to discuss the issue. “There is…
Malacañang has responded to the Psychological Association of the Philippines’ (PAP) objection to the administration’s drive to curb drug addiction. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo remained firm in his belief that the criminalization of drug addiction by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is an effective strategy to ultimately eliminate the drug problem in the country….
FORMER Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) branch manager Maia Santos Deguito has been found guilty for her participation in one of the world’s largest cyber heists on Thursday, January 10. Presiding Judge Cesar Untalan of Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 149 convicted Deguito of eight counts of money laundering for being involved in the…
President Rodrigo Duterte this week said he is considering allowing the purchase of individual firearms if communist rebels continue their hostilities against innocent civilians and government forces. In a speech at the birthday celebration of Masbate Gov. Antonio Kho on Wednesday, January 9, the president said, “Ako sinasabi ko lang sa NPA, ayaw kong armasan…
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday, January 8. said that despite the plans made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), it is still impossible to end the communist insurgency this year. “We cannot do it (end insurgency) this year because that is a big problem,” Lorenzana admitted during the sidelines of Tuesday’s joint…
Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday, January 8, said the Philippine National Police (PNP) should focus their time and energy on monitoring expelled police and military personnel, not on teachers regarded as critical by the government. He made the suggestion when the police force faced backlash over the inventory of members of Alliance on Concerned Teachers…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 8, joked about kidnapping and torturing the Commission on Audit (COA) personnel who make life hard for local government officials. “Ah, p**t**g**a COA yan, letse. Yung COA, every time, may mali talaga. Ano ba itong COA na ito? Mag kidnap tayo ng taga COA, lagay natin dito, torture natin…
