Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Malacañang on Tuesday, January 23, has defended its earlier decision allowing China to carry out research in the Philippine Rise, formerly referred to as Benham Rise, which is located off Eastern Luzon. In a press briefing, Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out that “you do not need a permit for any Filipino corporation to conduct…
President Rodrigo Duterte has told the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to shoot him if he becomes a dictator or stays in power beyond his term expiration in 2022. The president made the remark in his speech during an army base visit on Monday, January 22, in Compostela…
Former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has admitted that he made a “mistake” when he claimed that former Health Secretary Enrique Ona was present during his meeting with Sanofi Pasteur executives four years ago. During a Senate hearing last month, Aquino confirmed that Ona was present during his meeting with officials of Sanofi Pasteur,…
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has dismissed his recent threat to cut the budget of lawmakers who will oppose the proposed shift to a federal form of government as a mere “joke.” In a television interview on Monday, January 22, Alvarez clarified that he was “not serious” when he previously warned solons that they may receive…
The Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), has begun the retrieval of ballot boxes in the province of Camarines Sur on Tuesday, January 23. Camarines Sur is among the three pilot provinces tagged by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his electoral protest against Philippine Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni”…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has denied that he had anything to do with the allegations tagging Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), also known as the pork barrel scam. Speaking before his departure to India on Wednesday, January 24, Duterte said he would not plot against Drilon as…
NBI also investigating site’s reported violation of cybercrime law The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has maintained that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)’s probe into the alleged foreign ownership of news website Rappler is neither a “fishing expedition” nor an attack on press freedom. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said such an insinuation is…
The current human rights situation in the Philippines is at its “worst” since the dictatorship of late President Ferdinand Marcos, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has claimed. In its World Report 2018, HRW said that President Rodrigo Duterte has “plunged” the country into “its worst human rights crisis,” citing, in particular, the deaths of…
Fulfilling a campaign promise made by President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine government on Thursday, January 18 launched the new Overseas Filipino Bank (OFB)—a bank that caters specifically to Filipinos abroad. This comes about four months since Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) 44 on September 28, which approves the Land Bank of the Philippines’ (LBP) acquisition…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte raised the possibility of a war in Mindanao should Congress fails to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). In his speech during the launch of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFB) in Manila on Thursday, January 18, the president stressed that it was about time to address what he called the “historical…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 16 vowed to continue his drive to cleanse the government ranks from corruption by dismissing more corrupt officials. “I am on a purging spree. And I will continue to do this, I suppose, I’ll do it tomorrow. I’ll be firing more people from government,” Duterte said during a…
Philippine media outlet Rappler is facing closure after the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) en banc revoked the company’s registration for allegedly violating the country’s Constitution. The watchdog has also accused them of violating the Anti-Dummy Law, the Corporation Code and the Securities Regulation Code. “The En Banc finds Rappler, Inc. and Rappler Holdings…
Two members of the Senate minority have expressed opposition against the possible abolition of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) under the proposed shift to a federal form of government. This was after a former lawmaker warned that Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo might be ousted before her term expires in 2022 as the…
All members of the Senate agreed that Congress must vote separately in revising the 1987 Constitution should it convene as a constitutional assembly. According to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, senators are “unanimously” against the proposal for them to vote jointly with the House of Representatives on the Charter change (Cha-cha). “It is the entire…
New York Times, Wall Street Journal stand in solidarity with the PH outlet AS Rappler faces closure after the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) en banc revoked its registration for allegedly violating the country’s Constitution, some of the top media companies have voiced support for the Philippine media outlet. The company is also being…
It is legally possible for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to expand the scope of martial law nationwide, Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said on Wednesday, January 17. During the resumption of oral arguments on the consolidated petitions against the one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao, Carpio noted that the threat posed by…
Three Supreme Court (SC) magistrates appeared before the House committee on justice on Monday, January 15 to testify in the impeachment hearing against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. They were Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin, Samuel Martires, and Diosdado Peralta. Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, meanwhile, declined to attend the hearing despite being invited, saying he…
As the Philippine Supreme Court (SC) this week began its oral arguments on consolidated petitions objecting the one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao, a magistrate questioned petitioners for supposedly being “paranoid” about the military rule. SC Associate Justice Samuel Martires posed the question following statements from former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay who cited the…
More Filipinos are opposed to the idea of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declaring a revolutionary government, according to a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). Based on the survey results released Friday, January 12, 39 percent of Filipinos opposed the proposal to establish a revolutionary government, while 31 percent supported it. The remaining…
In terms of economic growth, the World Bank (WB) expects that the Philippines will continue to outpace its neighboring countries in Southeast Asia for the next three years. In its January 2018 Global Economic Prospects report released Wednesday, January 10, the Washington-based lender said it expects the Philippines to sustain robust economic growth even as…
The Court of Appeals (CA) this week upheld its earlier decision dismissing a petition filed by a human rights group seeking an about $2 billion worth of compensation to human rights victims during the term of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. The CA’s former Twelfth Division on Wednesday, January 3 said it has denied the motion…
PHILIPPINE Vice President Maria “Leni” Leonor Robredo has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to allow both her camp and that of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to witness the inventory and transport of ballot boxes in connection with their electoral case. In a resolution dated December 5, 2017, the SC, sitting as Presidential Electoral…
The administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that the rich and the poor would “both benefit” from the newly enacted Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act. This is in contrast to IBON Foundation’s recent claim that TRAIN is “scourge, not a gift” to Filipino people. While admitting that the effects of exercising…
The Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomed the lifting of the moratorium on educational tours and fields trips by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) imposed in the aftermath of a bus accident in Tanay, Rizal sometime in February. “Educational tours and field trips provide the experiential learning that complements the subjects taught in the classroom…
Synergy88, a member of the Animation Council of the Philippines, helped craft some of the essential aspects of The Coalition and Microsoft Studios’ “Gears of War 4.” (Photo: Gears of War – Official Site, www.gearsofwar.com) Talented Filipinos have been making their mark in the international animation scene for many years now. Hollywood has been introduced…
Philippines’ farm tourism opens a world of discovery and exploration for international and domestic visitors as the Department of Tourism (DOT) leads today’s launching of “It’s More Fun in Philippine Farms” program. DOT Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo disclosed that a series of activities will be held throughout the country including consultative assemblies of farm tourism stakeholders;…
Miss Asia Pacific International 2017 is on! The pioneering international beauty pageant in Asia and the Pacific officially announced the diverse beauty contenders. Together with the Philippine representative, Cebu’s Ilene De Vera will have a series of pre-pageant events around the world-class landmarks like the luxurious Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa in Puerto Princesa…
VP Leni Robredo praises Switzerland as example for PH health-focused tech solutions The health technology competition seeking homegrown solutions to expand Filipinos’ access to Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) was organized by the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines in partnership with Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and TechTalks.ph to celebrate 60 years of PH-Switzerland diplomatic…
“The Philippines is in a position to join the ranks of countries whose Duty Free industry is expected to grow by an average of 40 percent in the next decade,” said Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo at the recently-concluded 2017 Duty Free & Travel Retail Global Summit held at Cannes, France. Teo expressed…
After a decade of hiatus, the mother of all beauty pageants in Southeast Asia is back. Last year, the official re-launching of the pageant took place in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, specifically at the renowned Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa. 22-year old stunner, Tessa Helena Le Conge from the Netherlands is the current titleholder. She bested…
