Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Despite a bombing in Sultan Kudarat that killed three people earlier this week, Malacañang said it could be “too early” to eye a martial law extension in Mindanao. Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, August 31 clarified that President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to make any decisions regarding the current state in the southern region…
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – As expected, a standing room only capacity graced the United Pangasinanes of America, Inc.’s (UPAI) 50th Golden Pangasinan Day and Miss Pangasinan coronation banquet and ball held at the Grand Ballroom of the SF Airport Crowne Plaza Hotel. The final phase of the biennial talent and beauty pageant saw Angeline Noguera…
Petitioners questioning the legality of the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) argued on Tuesday, August 28, before the Supreme Court (SC). Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) urged the SC to issue a mandamus against the Duterte administration. A mandamus is known as a judicial writ…
On Tuesday, August 27, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano disputed Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano’s social media statement about President Rodrigo Duterte’s physical condition. In fact, Cayetano stressed that the Philippine leader has nothing to hide about his health. “The president has never kept things about his health. If he suffers…
A better and more sustainable Boracay is set to welcome back visitors on October 26 and is expected to usher in newer and bigger markets awaiting the island’s full recovery. Undersecretary for Tourism Development Benito Bengzon Jr. reiterated that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is well on track with its 7.4 million target as the…
Newly appointed Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro promised to instill independence as she took her oath of office on Tuesday, August 27, at the Supreme Court. De Castro said that she will not find any difficulty in proving her independence from the president as she is confident that her appointment was hard earned. “I have…
All three had connections to Philippine terror group A 28-year-old Philippine national was among the three men from Southeast Asia to be added to the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions blacklist on Friday, August 24, for involvement with the Islamic State (IS) terror group. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed the sanctions on Philippine national Mohammad Reza Lahaman…
More than 200 buyers and over 220 sellers are set to participate in this year’s Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) – organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT) – to be held at the Marriot Grand Ballroom on 28 – 30 August 2018. PHITEX is the country’s…
Coming from such a prominent Filipino family — with grandparents Ferdinand and Imelda, mother Imee as Ilocos Norte governor, and uncle Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who was a senator and ran in 2016 for the vice presidency, the results of which are currently under an electoral protest — you could say a political career is…
SEVERAL members of the Philippine House of Representatives this week filed impeachment complaints against the seven associate justices of the Supreme Court (SC) who voted to oust former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno last May. Representatives Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list, Edcel Lagman of Albay, Teddy Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao and Tom Villarin of Akbayan…
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said on Wednesday, August 22, that the government will still continue to recover the ill-gotten wealth from the Marcoses after Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos urged the public to move on from the atrocities of Martial Law. “Efforts to recover any ill-gotten wealth continue through the Presidential Commission on Good…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, August 23, slammed the request from U.S. government officials asking him to meet them over the country’s armed forces modernization program. “It was sent to me. I want to share this because I want to impart how I feel,” Duterte said as he revealed the official letter signed by…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday, August 21 that the country needs citizens like the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Tuesday marked Ninoy Aquino Day, the 35th anniversary since the senator was assassinated upon his arrival at the then-Manila International Airport after a three-year self-exile in Boston, Massachusetts. In a statement from the Malacañang…
ILOCOS Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Tuesday, August 21 told the public to “move on” amid the 35th anniversary of the assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., one of the staunchest critics of her father, former President Ferdinand Marcos. The governor said that the atrocities during Marcos’ regime should not be talked about by people…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has responded to new accusations about his deteriorating health and that he has gone into a coma. This comes after communist leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison claimed in a social media post that the president slipped into a comatose state. The president’s camp denied Sison’s allegations through a Facebook live video…
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pleased to share the good news that foreign visitor arrivals for the month of July 2018 tallied at 601, 322 posting a growth rate of 5.86 percent from the 568, 035 recorded in the same period last year. This brings the total visitor count from January to July…
MANILA — The Department of Tourism said around 5,000 hotel rooms are expected to open during the soft-opening of Boracay island on October 26. At the Senate hearing into the Boracay closure on Monday, August 20, DOT Undersecretary Arthur Boncato Jr. explained that Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat ordered the tourism agency to do the opening…
Philippine House of Representatives Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said on Thursday, August 16, that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will be of national significance as a presidential daughter. “Judging by history really, Mayor Sara Duterte will become an important national figure,” the House speaker said. In a report from ABS-CBN News, Arroyo said that presidential children…
Marcos urges Duterte not to resign, Robredo’s lawyer insists VP is qualified PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte may step down if former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. were to be successful in challenging his 2016 vice presidential election loss, said the chief executive’s spokesman on Thursday, August 16. Having entered office in 2016, Duterte’s presidential term…
The Judicial Bar and Council (JBC) on Thursday, August 16, conducted a public interview on the five candidates for the position of Supreme Court chief justice. The five candidates for the position are four Supreme Court Associate Justices and a presiding judge. They are Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Associate…
THREE Filipino students became a nigh-unstoppable force at the 49th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), taking the country closer to gold than it has ever been at the annual worldwide competition. Steven Reyes, who hails from St. Jude Catholic School (SJSC), bagged a silver medal for the Philippines. Meanwhile, Mikhail Torio from the Philippine Science High…
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno ensured on Tuesday, August 15, that no part of the proposed P3.76-trillion national budget will be allocated to pork finances. In a report from the Inquirer, the budget chief subdued the public’s fear that House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo might distribute pork funding to lawmakers in…
The United States gave the Philippine Air Force a Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system worth P807 million on Tuesday, August 14, at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. In a report from GMA News, Department of National Defense (DND) secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the surveillance system will cover the regions surrounding…
After months of hearings, two committees of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, August 15, cleared former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the issue regarding the 2016 dengue vaccination program and the use of the controversial vaccine Dengvaxia. The Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chaired by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel…
Former Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo denied all corruption allegations hurled at her regarding the 60 million-peso advertisement deal with PTV4 at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 14. “With confidence, I can say that there’s nothing illegal in the said contract,” Tulfo-Teo said. The former tourism secretary testified before the Senate Blue…
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano denied on Tuesday, August 7, any oil and gas exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea. Cayetano said that the joint venture between the two countries will be “commercial” in nature. “It will be a commercial venture. I think that’s a smarter thing to do…
President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday, August 8, that he would no longer allow the establishment of casinos “outside of what are existing” in the Philippines. Duterte amplified his disapproval of gambling activities during his speech at the 117th Police Service Anniversary Celebration in Camp. Crame, Quezon City. “I will not allow it. I hate…
PRESIDENTIAL spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Friday, August 10 said that the different perspectives concerning the shift to a federal government were part of the “continuing discourse” on the issue. “We view the differences of opinion on federalism as part of the continuing discourse, even among members of the president’s official family, which the chief…
WHILE it recognizes that some of the national government’s environment policies, such as stricter mining regulations and the six-month closure of top tourist destination Boracay island, likely played a role in the recent slow Philippine economic growth, Malacañang maintained that President Rodrigo Duterte’s decisions are for a more sustainable future for Filipinos. In a report…
FOLLOWING the viral federalism video of Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO)’s Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson with Drew Olivar, officials were quick to comment on the said video. In a report from The Manila Times, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said that President Rodrigo Duterte was ‘cool’ with the said video. Roque noted that the…
