Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
THE Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Tuesday, September 25, ordered the arrest of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on revived charges against him for failed uprisings in 2003 and 2007. Trillanes is the second opposition senator to be arrested under the Duterte presidency. Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati RTC Branch 150 issued the arrest warrant…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte claimed he was displeased that some soldiers are in cahoots with the opposition to oust him from his post. Duterte on Monday evening, September 24, told reporters in Jolo, Sulu that some of his troops were supporting Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, and were involved in plans to remove him from power. “Ang…
FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday, September 24, decided to once again return to public office and run as the second district representative in Makati City in the upcoming May 2019 elections. Binay’s spokesperson Joey Salgado confirmed that the former vice president is eyeing for a government position along with three of his family…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest son Paolo Duterte told Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to prove in court that he was involved in the P6.4-billion drug smuggling case on Monday. “Dakdak na naman (You’re all talk). See you in court!,” he responded after Trillanes issued a statement on Sunday, September 23, saying he has a plan to…
AMID the recent commemoration of the atrocities brought by the declaration of Martial Law in 1972, Malacañang on Monday, September 24, refuted the accusations that former senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. could twist what transpired in history. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that in order to change the facts on what…
The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority Regulatory Office (TIEZA RO) eyes to work more closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the existing Water Service Providers (WSPs) in Boracay Island – the Boracay Tubi System Inc. (BTSI) and the Boracay Island Water Company, Inc. (BIWC), to institute more accountability and…
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday, September 18, suggested a revision in the lyrics of the Philippine National Anthem. Sotto asked his colleagues to consider amending the last two lines of “Lupang Hinirang” during the Upper Chamber’s deliberations on the proposed amendment to Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the…
Amid the vulnerability of the country to natural hazards, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) director Renato Solidum Jr. admitted on Monday, September 17, that the nation remains unprepared for major catastrophes, one of which is the most recent, Typhoon Ompong. Solidum explained that the country still lacks the necessary precautions in dealing…
The installation of modular floating docks in El Nido is a pioneering project of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) in El Nido, Palawan aimed at providing better and safer tourist experience. “We want tourists to be safe wherever they go and this is the start.” TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Pocholo Paragas said…
THE number of people in the Philippines reported to be affected by the recent Typhoon Ompong — known internationally as Typhoon Mangkhut — has reached over 800,000, according to the latest National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) report released Tuesday morning, September 18. According to Philippine National Police numbers, the death toll reached…
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, September 12, announced that Chinese Chief Foreign Minister Wang Yu will visit the country to talk about the joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea. “The visit is aimed at further building on the increasingly strong foundation of friendship between the Philippines and China,”…
Duterte says no “interest” in arresting opposition senator SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV’s camp admitted before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 on Friday, September 14, that it can no longer locate a copy of the senator’s amnesty application form. Makati RTC Judge Elmo Almeda asked Trillanes’ legal counsel Reynaldo Robles to show the court…
Amid reports of rising prices in the Philippines, Malacañang is considering an executive order drafted by economic officials to put measures in place that will curb inflation. An order to lessen the effects of inflation on basic commodities, such as certain food items, is in the works, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. “We…
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday, September 15, formed a team of legal experts to aid his cases — two filed at Makati regional trial courts (RTC) and one petitioned before the Supreme Court — against Proclamation 572 or the revocation of the amnesty granted to him during the Aquino administration. “While I believe…
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison on Wednesday, September 12, denied the allegations that his group is teaming up with the Liberal Party (LP) and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. “There has never been any discussion between me or the CPP with Trillanes or the Liberal…
During his speech in front of the Filipino community in Jordan last Friday, September 7, President Rodrigo Duterte blamed U.S. President Donald Trump as the cause of the current inflation in the Philippines in light of the ongoing U.S.-China trade war. Trump recently declared he was considering tariffs on an additional $267 billion in Chinese…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 11, rendered the amnesty grant of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV invalid because he claimed that it was signed by then Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. “So that an act of pardon, an act of amnesty is always an act of state, which cannot be done…
SPECIAL Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday, September 10, denied the corruption allegations against him amid the involvement of the family-owned CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders in the government’s public work projects. Go said that the said criticisms hurled against him were “politically motivated attacks” considering that there are groups…
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Department of Tourism (DOT), in close collaboration with Austria-based research and development organization, Center for Appropriate Technology, identified twenty-seven (27) hotels and resorts as awardees for this year’s ANAHAW Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification. ANAHAW – the Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification is developed by the Department of Tourism and GRaT Center for Appropriate Technology…
THE Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 on Monday, September 10 has scheduled a hearing later this week, declining the omnibus motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue an arrest warrant against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV without litigation. The hearing has been slated for Friday, September 14, at 9 a.m. “The…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 11, addressed the country with varied matters of national importance during a “tête-à-tête” with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo in Malacañang. Initially, the president called for a press conference at 3 p.m. without disclosing the scope of his speech. However, an hour before the said media affair,…
Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat led in welcoming hundreds of international and local diving enthusiasts to the 4th edition of Diving Resorts and Travel (DRT) at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City last weekend. As promised, the DOT treated attendees to an “ultimate underwater tourism” experience with an on-site familiarization tour of some…
Real estate tycoon and former politician Manuel “Manny” Villar is now the Philippines’ second richest man after his wealth tripled due to the boom in the construction business that benefited the country’s known magnates. The 68-year-old former senator rose to the ranks with a net worth of $5 billion, a significant leap from the $1.7…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, September 6 announce the creation of a department that would ease up the business process in the country for foreign investors. In his speech at a business forum in Amman, Jordan, Duterte disclosed the apparent corruption experienced in the country, however, vowed to provide a convenient procedure for those…
Senator seeks Supreme Court reprieve Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Thursday, September 6, said that Malacañang still stands by its resolve to imprison Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, following the presidential proclamation that revokes the senator’s amnesty grant. “We are after accountability,” Roque stated as reported by The Philippine Star. Roque explained that Trillanes was…
Makati RTC sets hearing, DOJ files hold departure order The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Wednesday, September 5, scheduled the hearing on Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s arrest for September 13. This follows the motion filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting for the issuance of an alias warrant of arrest and hold departure…
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco Densing III confirmed on Monday, September 3, that Boracay Island can only accommodate 55,000 people daily. Prior to its rehabilitation in April, the internationally-known resort island takes in an average of 70,000 people daily. This means that the 1,032-hectare island in Aklan welcomed 15,000…
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) denied the appeal of Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox to remain in the Philippines due to allegations that she was engaged in partisan political activities. Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed this on Wednesday, August 29. However, Fox’s camp filed an appeal on Friday, August 31 to allow…
The Philippines will be one of the nations in the Indo-Pacific region to receive the biggest share in security assistance, a U.S. State Department official said this week. The amount of assistance given was determined given the long-standing relationship between the United States and the Philippines. “We have close to $300 million in security assistance….
Philippine Supreme Court holds oral arguments on ICC withdrawal Another complaint against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been filed with the International Criminal Court (ICC), this time by activists and the relatives of people killed as a result of the country’s war on drugs. The 50-page complaint sent to an ICC prosecutor on Tuesday, August…
