PH begins Pfizer vaccine rollout
THE Philippines on Wednesday, May 12, started inoculating its Filipino citizens with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Some 193,050 Pfizer vaccine doses arrived in the country on Monday, May 10, and…
Category: Dateline Philippines
Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Read More
PH receives first batch of Pfizer jabs through COVAX
AFTER months of getting delayed, an initial batch of 193,050 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived in the Philippines this week. The shipment of Pfizer’s jabs supplied by the World Health…
Filipina teen wins New York Times’ STEM writing contest
A 16-year-old Filipina is among the 11 winners of The Learning Network’s second annual STEM Writing Contest organized by the New York Times. Natalia Araña, a Grade 11 student from…
PH grants EUA to Moderna’s COVID-19 jabs
THE Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the emergency use authorization (EUA) for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. “Today, after rigorous and thorough review by regulatory and medical experts using…
Foreign tourists still barred from entering PH
Country lifts some entry restrictions FOREIGN tourists are still prohibited from entering the Philippines, despite the country easing restrictions on certain foreign nationals. “Said restriction remains effective until it is…
Modified enhanced community quarantine extended in Metro Manila, surrounding areas
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus until the middle of May. In his weekly public address on…
Maria Ressa to receive UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize
RAPPLER co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa is set to be awarded the prestigious press freedom prize from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Ressa has…
PH hits 1M COVID-19 cases
THE Philippines has now recorded over 1 million COVID-19 cases, becoming the second country in Southeast Asia to reach this grim milestone. The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) on Monday,…
DILG urges community pantry organizers to work with LGUs, police
THE Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is urging community pantry organizers to coordinate with local government units (LGUs) and police to ensure the proper observance of…
J&J, Covaxin get EUA in PH
THE Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to two more COVID-19 vaccines. FDA director general Eric Domingo on Tuesday, April 20, confirmed that Johnson…
WHO: PH health care workers not yet fully protected vs COVID-19
THE Philippines is “falling short” of protecting its frontline healthcare workers against COVID-19, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said Monday, April 19. In a Laging Handa public briefing, WHO…
Palace: There is a limit to PH-China friendship
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has made it “very clear” that the country’s friendship with China has limitations, according to Malacañang. “He made it very clear ‘Kaibigan tayo, makikipagkaibigan ako (We…
BI: Foreigners with DFA-issued travel exemption can now enter PH
FOREIGN travelers who were given entry exemption documents prior to the implementation of the travel ban in March may now enter the Philippines, according to the country’s Bureau of Immigration…
PH extends entry ban on foreign travelers until April 30
THE Philippines has extended its entry ban on foreign nationals until the end of April. Malacañang on Friday, April 16, announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management…
Fil-Am startup Plentina raises $2.2M to accelerate credit access in Southeast Asia
MANY startups have attempted to unlock financial services in Southeast Asian emerging markets, where credit card penetration is under 10%. Consumers in the Philippines have lost trust in a system…
Palace expects China to withdraw ships in West PH Sea soon
Malacañang expressed optimism that the Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea will leave “soon” due to the close friendship between the Philippines and China. “Inaasahan po natin na ‘yung…
Travel + Leisure names Pagudpud beach among ‘most beautiful’ in the world
A LOCAL beach in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines has been hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful by an internationally renowned travel magazine. New York-based Travel +…
PH, US defense officials discuss VFA, concerns over West Philippines Sea
PHILIPPINE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin III over the weekend discussed the situation in the West Philippine Sea. During a telephone conference on Sunday, April 11,…
Ex-President Estrada tests negative for COVID-19
FORMER Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada is reportedly free of COVID-19 after several days on a ventilator. In a Facebook post, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada announced that his father…
Metro Manila, other provinces shift to modified quarantine
METRO Manila and its surrounding provinces are now under the less stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until the end of April. Malacañang on Sunday, April 11, said that Philippine…
Duterte reappears in public after rumors of health problems
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has dismissed rumors surrounding his health after almost two weeks away from the public eye. His absence comes as the country faces one of the worst…
Ex-President Estrada’s condition improves
FORMER Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada has reportedly been removed from ventilator support. In a Facebook post, his son, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, expressed happiness over the improvement of…
PH lawmakers call for probe after Filipino man dies doing 300 squats as punishment for breaking curfew
PHILIPPINE lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the death of an alleged quarantine violator who was forced to do 300 rounds of squats as punishment. Bayan Muna Reps. Eufemia…
Palace eyes modified quarantine in Metro Manila, nearby areas
EXTENDING the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces beyond April 11 has been ruled out by Malacañang in favor of the more lenient modified ECQ…
Locsin: Hate crime against elderly Filipina will ‘influence’ PH foreign policy
PHILIPPINE Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has condemned the recent brutal attack against an elderly Filipina American in New York City, saying it will influence the country’s foreign policy with…
Duterte warns of ‘bleak months’ ahead amid rising COVID cases in PH
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte admitted he is struggling to address the pandemic in the country, particularly in securing vaccines against COVID-19. “I’m having a hard time. I’m grappling with the…
Palace: Extending ECQ an ‘absolute last resort’
Metro Manila, surrounding areas under quarantine until April 4 EXTENDING the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over Metro Manila and its nearby provinces is an “absolute last resort,” according to Malacañang….
Foreign parents of Filipino citizens can now enter PH with valid visas
FOREIGN parents of Filipino citizens who have valid visas and are traveling with them may now enter the Philippines. The country’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday, March 29, announced…
PH, US to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations
THE Philippines and the United States have officially launched a bilateral campaign celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez and U.S….
Ex-President Joseph Estrada hospitalized with COVID-19
FORMER Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada has tested positive for COVID-19. In a Facebook post, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada announced Monday, March 29, that his father was rushed to…