Duterte Cites Missiles On Disputed Islands, Says China Controls West Philippine Sea
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his State of the Nation Address on Monday and said that while the Philippines “owns” a disputed area of the South China Sea, the Chinese controls the waters.
— Spratly Islands
Trial opens for Rappler CEO on cyber libel; Ressa insists gov’t trying to intimidate her
Rappler CEO Maria Ressa’s cyber libel trial opened Tuesday, July 23, in a case which stemmed from a 2012 article that claimed that a wealthy businessman had shady deals linked to illegal drugs and human trafficking even if there was no evidence that pointed to this.
— Eagle News
Dismay, questions as Duterte SONA reduces Marawi terror siege to a drug issue
President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned terrorism and the 2017 siege of Marawi City once in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, and it was to pitch to Congress the reinstatement of the death penalty for “heinous crimes related to drugs, as well as plunder.”
— Rappler
Palace shrugs off survey, insists international probe into drug war against PHL sovereignty
Malacañang on Tuesday shrugged off the latest survey that showed majority of Filipinos believe that the government should not impede international investigations on the killings linked to the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.
— GMA News
Businessmen count security of tenure bill’s cost: P49 billion more yearly
THE manufacturing industry will spend an additional P49 billion annually on labor cost if firms were to absorb the over 300,000 contractual workers as a consequence of President Duterte signing the security of tenure (SOT) bill.
— Business Mirror
Indonesian Couple Carried Out Philippines Cathedral Bombing, Police Say
A deadly cathedral bombing in the Philippines in January was a suicide attack carried out by an Indonesian couple who once tried to reach Islamic State territory and were deported from Turkey, the Indonesian police said on Tuesday.
— The New York Times
Cha-cha to disrupt economy – Diokno
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno on Tuesday strongly opposed plans to change or amend the Constitution, saying it would be “very disruptive” for the economy.
— The Manila Times
Scorecard bares mixed dev’t gains
A GOVERNMENT SCORECARD that tracks the Philippines’ progress in meeting economic development targets showed the government making strides in curbing anti-competitive practices and promoting ecological integrity, but performing poorly in agriculture, governance and culture.
— BusinessWorld Online
Gov’t readies funds for 3 new departments
The government is ready to provide funds for the establishment and operation of three new departments being pushed by President Duterte, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).
— The Philippine Star
IFC, Singapore back PPP projects to support UHC
THE International Finance Corp. (IFC) and two arms of the Singapore government said they are backing projects to help ensure the efficient rollout of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law via the design of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
— BusinessWorld Online
Duterte raises bounty for death, not capture, of Negros cop killers
President Rodrigo Duterte has raised the reward for death, and not just the capture, of the killers of four policemen who were all shot in the head while hogtied in Ayungon town in Negros Oriental on July 18.
— Manilastandard.net
Dengue outbreak declared in Cavite
The provincial health office in Cavite is proposing a year-round, government-led “search and destroy” campaign targeting breeding areas of mosquitoes, amid an outbreak of dengue in the province.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Carpio: China in possession of ‘less than 7%’ of West Philippine Sea
SUPREME Court Justice Antonio Carpio disputed President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that China was in possession of the West Philippine Sea.
— The Manila Times
Duterte likely to certify death penalty bill as urgent
President Rodrigo Duterte is most likely to certify the passage of the death penalty bill as urgent, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
— Philippine News Agency
Del Rosario, Morales tell Duterte: No traditional fishing in EEZ
Chinese fishermen can only fish in the Panatag Shoal, also known as the Scarborough Shoal, after it was designated a traditional fishing area by an international tribunal in 2016, two former senior government officials said Tuesday.
— GMA News
Philippines mulls tourists for Thitu, bolstering South China Sea claims
The Philippines is considering inviting tourists to its biggest and most strategically important outpost in the South China Sea, part of efforts to assert its claim to sovereignty over some of the world’s most contested islands.
— Spratly Islands
Duterte says in ‘catch 22’ as clock ticks on security of tenure measure now awaiting his signature
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte remains in a quandary over a measure now awaiting his signature that imposes tighter controls on labor contracting, with a few days left before it lapses into law on Saturday sans any Executive action.
— BusinessWorld Online
NAPC taps P49 million fund for coconut farmers, fisherfolk
Coconut farmers will get a much-needed assistance to improve their earnings with a project to be implemented by the National Anti Poverty Commission (NAPC) that will use some P49 million left idle by the previous leadership of the commission.
— GMA News
JICA opens vlog contest to young Filipinos, will send winner to Japan
The Japan International Cooperation Agency invites young Filipinos ages 18-24 to share their voice on JICA and the Philippines’ partnership through the JICA Video Blog Contest 2019 as part of the Japanese bilateral aid agency’s efforts to promote better understanding of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and encourage young people to participate in development.
— Rappler
Trillanes: Duterte hand in frigate deal an act of plunder
Pesident Rodrigo Duterte in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) admitted to the crime of plunder, a staunch critic and former lawmaker said Tuesday.
— CNN Philippines
SEA Games to propel Clark as prime sports-tourism destination
Clark is now poised to be called Asia’s next primary sports-tourism destination as it becomes the main hub for the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
— Philippine News Agency
As palay prices continue to fall, more groups seek Tariffication Law freeze
More and more groups are calling for the suspension of Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law — which opened up the market to the unimpeded flow of rice importation — as the price of palay continue to decline to the detriment of the Filipino farmers.
— Manila Bulletin
PH, Japan exchange notes on key ASEAN, Cebu projects
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda on Tuesday exchanged notes on key projects on the Philippines and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
— Philippine News Agency
DFA to start accepting PhlPost IDs for passport in August
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will start accepting the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhlPost) ID as a valid government-issued ID for passport applications starting August 1, 2019.
— Philippine News Agency
Iloilo placed under state of calamity amid rising dengue cases
The Iloilo provincial board on Tuesday placed the province under a state calamity due to continuing increase of dengue cases.
— Inquirer.net
Duterte urged to convene Ledac for swift passage of priority bills
Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on Tuesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) to fast-track the passage of the priority measures of the Chief Executive.
— Inquirer.net
PH eyes building of tourist hotels in Pag-asa Island
The Philippines is considering the construction of “some hotels” on Pag-asa Island, which forms part of the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea, for Filipinos who may want to visit it.
— Spratly Islands
Malaysia, Vietnam show PH can stand up to China
Malaysia and Vietnam’s continued oil and gas operations in the South China Sea despite tense encounters with Chinese Coast Guard vessels in their own waters showed there was a way the Philippines could stand up to Chinese aggression should it pursue oil explorations in the West Philippine Sea.
— Rappler
PEZA says 61% of uncollected fees already remitted
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said on Tuesday that 61% of P23.75 million in uncollected funds mentioned in a Commission on Audit (COA) report had been collected as of June 2019.
— Inquirer.net
Trillanes: Duterte admitted to ‘plunder’ in frigates deal in SONA
President Rodrigo Duterte admitted to plunder when he confirmed his role in the controversial Philippine Navy frigates deal in his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), former senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed on Tuesday, July 23.
— Rappler
Groups push for stronger legal protection for the environment
“If corporations are given rights by our legal system, why not give legal rights to the ecosystem? environmental advocate Yolanda Esguerra asked at a recent forum on a proposed measure that seeks to strengthen legal protection for the environment.
— Rappler
Former Quezon Mayor Sentenced To 10 Years For Graft
Former Quezon mayor Isarme Bosue was recently sentenced to imprisonment for up to ten years because of graft.
— Philippine News
Customs destroys millions of pesos worth of smuggled goods
THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) has destroyed millions of pesos worth of smuggled goods that included a luxury car, counterfeit cigarettes and cigarette-making machines.
— The Manila Times
PH Red Cross supplies blood to dengue-hit provinces
SEN. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), ordered the delivery of blood units to dengue-stricken provinces to augment the supply of the PRC chapters in the concerned areas.
— The Manila Times
LTFRB issues rules on EDSA ban for provincial buses
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued guidelines on the ban of provincial buses from the main highway of Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA).
— BusinessWorld Online
DOH promotes health, wellness of PWDs
A total of 180 persons with disabilities (PWDs) from the city and province of Iloilo came to avail of the free medical, dental and eye-care services at the health fair spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH) – Center for Health Development VI on July 18 to 19, here.
— Philippine Information Agency
Landbank to submit plans for farmers after Duterte threat
The Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) said it will be submitting a report detailing its plans and programs for agricultural institutions and farmers before July ends.
— Rappler
Cayetano suspects PHISGOC allegations linked to speakership race
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Monday, July 22, that allegations of corruption against the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), which he chaired, were apparently linked to the heated speakership race.
— Rappler
Isko Moreno wants to suspend Baclaran-Divisoria jeepney route
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno announced on Tuesday, July 23, that he would seek the suspension of the Baclaran to Divisoria jeepney route.
— Rappler
Feature photo CAUGHT (UP) IN TRAFFIC
This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on air quality throughout Asean.
Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).
Philippines morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Philippines news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
Philippines morning news for July 24 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on
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Stella-maris Ewudolu
Between November 2010 and February 2012 she was a staff writer at Daylight Online, Nigeria writing on health, fashion, and relationships. From 2010 – 2017 she worked as a freelance screen writer for ‘Nollywood’, Nigeria.
She joined AEC News Today in December 2016.
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