Philippines, communist rebels agree on interim ceasefire
The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed in principle on an interim ceasefire to boost ongoing peace talks aimed at ending one of the world’s longest insurgencies, a joint statement said.
— Gulf News
Duterte orders Philippine troops to South China Sea reefs
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday (Apr 6) he has ordered troops to deploy on unoccupied South China Sea islands and reefs claimed by Manila, in a move that could provoke rival claimants including Beijing.
— Channel NewsAsia
GDP to grow 6.3% to 6.8% in 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and two other financial institutions predict the Philippine economy will grow between 6.3 percent and 6.8 percent this year, with the average moderating from last year.
— The Manila Times
Philippines, Indonesia bust terror plots
Philippine security forces arrested a Kuwaiti and a five-month pregnant Syrian for suspected links to Islamic State three months after they arrived, authorities revealed on Thursday.
— Bangkok Post
I will still help Duterte fight corruption – Sueno
A hurting former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno has accepted his fate and without rancor thanked President Duterte for getting him out of the stressful life of government service and enjoy life in his farm.
— Manila Bulletin
Duterte orders military to occupy disputed Spratly islands
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered troops to occupy uninhabited islands and shoals it claims in the disputed South China Sea, asserting Philippine sovereignty in an apparent change of tack likely to anger China.
— Bangkok Post
President vows 2-rank promotion, pardon for police who kill drug lords
Any policeman who kills a drug lord will be given a two-rank promotion and those who may be charged will be pardoned, President Duterte said Wednesday while speaking at a harvest festival in Nueva Ecija.
— Manila Bulletin
PH, Malaysia pact to pave way for entry of ASEAN banks
The conclusion of bilateral discussions in Cebu City between the Philippine and Malaysian central banks is expected to pave the way for the entry of qualified banks in both countries.
— ABS-CBN
ASEAN Organic Cosmetics Market: Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines Largest Markets
Beauty and Personal care industry includes skin care, hair care, oral care, toiletries and others. With increase concerns for enhanced appearance, the cosmetic products are witnessing an increased adoption among the consumers across the globe.
— MilTech
Budget secretary wants audit of Immigration fund
HINTING of widespread anomaly, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday called for an audit of how the Bureau of Immigration disbursed almost P1 billion in overtime pay to its employees in 2016.
— The Manila Times
BI employees decry peddling of misinformation in overtime pay issue
Rank and file employees of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) decried what they called “the peddling of lies and misinformation to the public” on the issue of their overtime pay — the non-payment of which has led to long passenger queues in the immigration counters of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the past several days.
— Manila Bulletin
AMLC junks Trillanes request to release Duterte bank records
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (ALMC) has turned down the request of Senator Antonio Trillanes 4th to provide his office bank documents of President Rodrigo Duterte.
— The Manila Times
Palace welcomes CBCP offer to help govt
Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) readiness to work with the Duterte administration to address social problems following spats over summary killings and the proposed restoration of the death penalty.
— The Manila Times
Farmers to benefit from GRP-NDF peacetalks: source
An estimated 220,000 farmers will likely benefit from the negotiations between the Philippine Government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) — allowing them to lay claim to over 650,000 hectares of both private and public land, which will form part of the two parties’ ongoing peace negotiations under the socio-economic agenda.
— Manila Bulletin
‘House grabbers to face bazooka’
After allowing members of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) to occupy a government housing project in Bulacan, President Duterte yesterday vowed to use high-powered rifles and bazookas to prevent any new illegal occupation by the urban poor group.
— Phil Star
Malacañang probes e-passport contract
MALACAÑANG is conducting its own separate investigation of the allegedly anomalous P8-billion e-passport project of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) over discovery that the project was illegally sub-contracted to a questionable private entity, according to a party-list lawmaker.
— The Manila Times
Water rates to rise starting this month
Giant utilities Manila Water Company, Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) finally got the approval on their applications for water rates adjustment that had long been pending amid the lack of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) board.
— Manila Bulletin
ASEAN will be strong driver of global growth – Dominguez
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will become the strong driver of global growth in the next decade that also requires massive investments in infrastructure.
— Manila Bulletin
PHL growth to slow, outdo many in Asia
PHILIPPINE gross domestic product (GDP) growth will likely ease this year — the only Southeast Asian economy that will do so from 2016 — in the face of external headwinds, but the country will still outperform many in Asia and most regional averages, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) latest estimates.
— BusinessWorld Online
Terror attack foiled; 2 IS suspects nabbed
Authorities foiled a possible terror attack following the arrest of a Kuwaiti man and his Syrian wife, both alleged members of the Islamic State (IS).
— Phil Star
Evasco, NFA feuding over rice importation?
His undersecretary got the ax in connection with rice importation, but it is Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. who is pushing hard for bringing in rice from abroad through private traders during the ongoing harvest season.
— Phil Star
Security issues pull down Philippine tourism ranking
Safety and security issues have resulted in the decline of the Philippines’ ranking in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report.
— Phil Star
PSEi ends three-day rally but PHP remains firm amid risk-off sentiment
Profit-taking reigned both in the Philippines’ currency and equities markets on Thursday, resulting in little movement of the peso but a drop in the main stocks index.
— Philippines Canadian Inquirer
Philippines Aims to Double Value-Added Tax Revenue
Philippines Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez discusses his outlook for the country’s economy. He speaks with Haslinda Amin at the Asean Finance ministers conference on “Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia.”
— Bloomberg
Gov’t, Reds fast-track difficult talks on free land distribution
The government and communist rebels buckled down to work on resolving the root cause of the armed struggle in the Philippines – land distribution – before the formal talks in the Netherlands closed on Thursday, April 6.
— Rappler
5 Pieces Of Evidence Prove It’s Now Safe To Travel In The Philippines
Southeast Asia’s 7,100-island archipelago of under-subscribed beaches and widespread use of English naturally brings tourists. Add in clean hotels with a pool and bar for $30 per night. Five years ago the Philippine government began building on that fame with a slogan to lure more people. The foreign tourist headcount reached 5.9 million last year, up 11% over 2015. But away from the bars and beaches a lot of travelers gripe. They couldn’t get Internet connections. They got stuck in Manila traffic. The cities didn’t feel safe.
— Forbes
Airport staffers to ease immigration lines
With the expected influx of people to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport during Holy Week, the airport authority has cancelled the leaves of absence of all its employees to ensure there will be sufficient personnel to handle passenger concerns.
— Inquirer.net
Army seizes NPA camp, high-powered firearms in Mati City
The Army seized high-powered firearms and overran a rebel camp in Davao Oriental on Thursday, the military said.
— Inquirer.net
Feature photo Brian Evans
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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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