Philippines Morning News For July 31

Duterte leads destruction of P296-M smuggled luxury vehicles
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday spearheaded another destruction of contraband luxury vehicles and motorbikes to show his administration’s resolve to fight smuggling and corruption.
— Philippine News Agency

P1.7-billion loan facility for MSMEs launched
The Small Business Corp. (SB Corp.) announced on Monday the opening of P1.7-billion loan facility for micro small and medium enterprises (MSME).
— Business Mirror

Senate mulls use of P204B Malampaya funds
THE Senate Committee on Energy is considering using the P204 billion Malampaya fund to reduce the universal charge and ease the burden of consumers on their monthly electricity bill.
— The Manila Times

PH Navy prepares for acquisition of submarines
The Philippine Navy (PN) is now conducting market research and doctrine studies on how to fully utilize the submarines it is planning to acquire as part of the efforts to modernize its fleet.
— Philippine News Agency

Trillanes to slap Teo, Tulfo brothers with plunder raps over P60-M DOT ad
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he will slap former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo and her brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo, with plunder charges over the P60-million advertisement controversy involving Department of Tourism (DOT), government-owned People’s Television Network Inc. (PTNI), and Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMUI).
— Philippine Canadian Inquirer

T-bill rates rise ahead of policy meeting; P15B fully awarded
THE government fully awarded the Treasury bills (T-bill) it offered Monday, with rates climbing across the board, with investors expecting another monetary policy tightening from the Philippine and US central banks.
— BusinessWorld Online

BSP working with stakeholders for a national QR Code
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is currently working with stakeholders to develop national QR Code standards in line with its program to establish an effective electronic retail payment system.
— Business Mirror

Gov’t works to attract more investments into CAR
The government will continue implementing programs to increase investments to the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), which is touted as the fastest growing region, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in a report on Monday.
— Philippine News Agency

Philippines raises concern over Chinese radio warnings
The Philippines has expressed concern to China over an increasing number of Chinese radio messages warning Philippine aircraft and ships to stay away from newly fortified islands and other territories in the South China Sea claimed by both countries, officials said Monday.
— ABC News

Progressive groups question timing of revival of murder case against ex-solons
Leaders of left-leaning groups have underlined the coincidence of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s rise to House speakership and the release of the arrest orders against former representatives of the Makabayan bloc.
— Inquirer.net

Consumer group wary of rice tariffication bill
A consumer group claimed the rice tariffication bill, which is seen as an answer to rising inflation, would instead empower smugglers and cartel, but the finance department remains upbeat on the passage of the measure.
— ABS-CBN (video)

Sotto surprises Senate employees with extra allowance, drug test
Twin surprises — one pleasant, the other not-so-pleasant —awaited Senate employees on Monday morning: an additional P5,000 allowance per month and a random drug test.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Megaworld to invest P28B in first Bacolod township
MEGAWORLD CORP. is investing P28 billion over the next 10 years to develop its first integrated township in Bacolod City, which is being positioned as a new business district.
— BusinessWorld Online

PH accedes to 6 IMO conventions
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) announced that the Philippines deposited instruments of accession to six maritime conventions before the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on April 24 and June 6 of this year.
— The Manila Times

National Transmission Corp. seeks OK for 2019 FIT-All rate
State-run National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) is seeking the go-ahead to charge consumers with a payment to renewable energy developers eligible under the feed-in tariff (FIT) system next year.
— The Philippine Star

DepEd eyes requiring yearly tree planting for country’s 25 million students
In response to President Duterte’s call to protect the environment in his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Department of Education (DepEd) is mulling over the idea of mobilizing and harnessing 25 million students all over the country to each plant one tree every year in schools, communities and other designated areas, such as watersheds, in line with its Makakalikasan (pro-environment) core value.
— Business Mirror

‘Philippines-Russia arms deal not breaching US sanctions’
The Russian Embassy in Manila on Sunday said it is “illogical” to say that the Philippines could breach sanctions imposed by the United States against blacklisted Rosoboron export if it finalized an arms deal with the state-run firm.
— Manilastandard.net

More than three-quarters of a million slaves suffer in the Philippines
The Philippines has been named as having more than three-quarters of a million slaves — the tenth highest number globally.
— Philippines Lifestyle

PIDS study bares millions of ‘unpaid’ women agriculture workers in PHL
Despite being one of the best places to be a woman, the Philippines is still home to millions of “unpaid” women farmers, according to a study released by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
— Business Mirror

Quezon City districts get share of real property taxes
Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has turned over to the city’s 142 barangays their real-property tax share for the 2018’s second quarter.
— Manilastandard.net

UP records increase in applications from free tuition law
Free tuition in state and local universities and colleges (SUCs, LUCs) is now in full swing, and greeting it was an influx of students applying to state and local universities and colleges.
— Rappler

PH invites Tsuneishi to expand shipbuilding to new site in Iligan
The Philippines has specifically invited Japanese shipbuilder Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. to expand its existing operation in Cebu to Iligan to create more jobs near the Marawi area.
— Manila Bulletin

Palace: Duterte open to possible amendments for Bangsamoro law
President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to talk about possible amendments for the Bangsamoro Organic Law, spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday during his press briefing.
— CNN Philippines

Feature photo Rainier Martin Ampongan

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 31 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on July 31, 2018
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Stella-maris Ewudolu

Journalist at AEC News Today

Stella-maris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Education from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2005.

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.