Philippines morning news for July 12

Philippines morning news for July 12
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Philippines morning news

AFP warns soldiers: Coup plotters will be ‘punished harshly’
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is policing its own ranks to ensure soldiers would not dare plot a coup d’état against President Rodrigo Duterte.
— CNN Philippines

Cyber-security threats to cost PHL organizations $3.5 billion in potential economic losses
A STUDY by Frost & Sullivan, commissioned by Microsoft, has revealed that the potential economic losses in the Philippines due to cyber-security incidents can hit a staggering $3.5 billion or 1.1 percent of the Philippines’s total GDP of $305 billion.
— Business Mirror

South China Sea: Philippines fear military coup amid row with Beijing – ‘Tempers rising!’
PHILIPPINES president Rodrigo Duterte fears a military coup could imminently oust him from power after receiving “very reliable” information, his spokesperson has claimed, amid rising South China Sea tensions.
— Express.co.uk

PH to grow 6-7% this year as gov’t, households resume spending binge
The Philippine economy can still grow by as much as 7 percent this year thanks to the ramping up of government spending in the second semester, according the country’s central bank chief.
— Inquirer.net

93% of Filipinos want PH to regain China-occupied islands
Nearly all Filipinos want the Philippines to regain China-occupied islands in the West Philippine Sea, said a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Thursday, July 11.
— Rappler

UN rights council adopts resolution to review Duterte drug war
The UN Human Rights Council voted to adopt a resolution mandating a “comprehensive” international review of the Philippines drug war, which watchdogs say has killed more than 20,000 people.
— The Manila Times

Radio journalist killed in the Philippine island of Mindanao
A radio host from the southern Philippine island of Mindanao was shot dead late on Wednesday, according to an organisation of journalists, becoming the latest victim in a wave of killings in the country.
— Aljazeera

Philippines, ADB sign $1.3-B loan deal for Malolos-Clark Railway
A $1.3-billion (P66.6-billion) loan agreement for the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP) was signed on Thursday, July 11, in the presence of President Rodrigo Duterte.
— Rappler

US awards P20-M grants for Manila Bay rehab
The United States has awarded two grants totalling P20 million to two local groups to reduce marine plastic pollution and support the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
— The Philippine Star

Philippines: UN resolution builds pressure on architects of deadly “war on drugs”
Responding to the UN Human Rights Council voting in favour of a resolution to monitor and report on the critical human rights situation in the Philippines – including unlawful killings in the context of the “war on drugs” – Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia said:
— Amnesty International

Sumitomo sells stake in Sumifru Philippines
Japanese Corporation Sumitomo recently announced its intention to sell its 49 percent stake in Philippines banana producer Sumifru, to its partner in the joint venture, Thornton Venture Ltd.
— Fresh Plaza

‘Job seekers law to shed P3 billion from government’s coffers’
THE government is set to lose P3 billion in revenues with the implementation of a new law that seeks to boost the chances of some 1.3 million first-time job seekers to land a job.
— Business Mirror

GOCC dividends reach record high of 61.3 billion in July —DOF
Total actual dividend contributions remitted by 53 government-owned and – controlled corporations (GOCCs) to the Department of Finance (DOF) as of July 1 have already reached another record-high of P61.3 billion, even breaching the milestone it reached last year at P51.24 billion.
— Business Mirror

Philippines urged to declare climate emergency
The Philippines must declare a climate emergency in preparation for unprecedented conditions by 2050, an analyst said Thursday.
— ABS-CBN News (video)

PH fertility rate drops despite population growth: NEDA
While the Filipino population continues to grow, the total fertility rate nationwide has dropped to 2.7 children per woman, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) director general Ernesto Pernia said on Thursday.
— Philippine News Agency

PRRD shrugs off UN rights council nod to probe killings
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday shrugged off the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) move to adopt a resolution that would allow the body to investigate the human rights situation in the Philippines.
— Philippine News Agency

216M Pinoys seen in 2058
The Philippines’ population is poised to double to over 216 million by 2058 such that the country’s chief economist urged the full implementation of the reproductive health law to ensure that the increase in number of Filipinos will not hamper the government’s ultimate goal to reduce poverty incidence.
— Inquirer.net

Locsin says validity of UNHCR resolution pushing report on Duterte drug war “highly questionable”
The Philippines, along with 13 other countries, rejected a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution pushed by Iceland and other Western nations that sought a comprehensive written report on the Philippine drug war under President Rodrigo Duterte.
— Eagle News

Davao cops nab 1,661 for illegal drugs in less than 3 years
A total of 1,661 persons have been arrested by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) during anti-illegal drug operations since December 5, 2017 to June 30 this year.
— Philippine News Agency

US, Philippines face moment of treaty truth
The Philippines and United States are set to review their mutual defense alliance, critically timed deliberations that will have major implications for regional security, including in the South China Sea.
— Spratly Islands

Law waives gov’t fees for first-time jobseekers
Bernadette Ignacio has long been wanting to look for a job but worries that the process of getting documents will not only be tedious but also costly.
— Inquirer.net

Pogos seek lower tax rates for alien workers
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued a new batch of notices to collect another P3 billion in personal income taxes from foreign workers in Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) even as these companies sought to pay lower tax rates claiming their employees were already “residents” here.
— Inquirer.net

‘Pay P3B in withholding taxes’
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued another set of notices that require employers involved in online gaming operations to pay withholding tax discrepancies amounting to about P3 billion.
— The Manila Times

PRO-3 slams group’s EJK claim, says cops’ lives also at risk
The Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon) on Thursday rejected the declaration of the human rights group Amnesty International that Bulacan is now the country’s “bloodiest killing field” in line with the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
— Philippine News Agency

Amal Clooney: Duterte gov’t after Maria Ressa over human rights abuses exposés
International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney lamented government attacks on journalists around the world, including Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa.
— Rappler

Makati to auction properties with unpaid taxes
The Makati City government has started to prepare for a public auction of delinquent properties in order to compel the collection of P5.51 billion in unpaid taxes.
— Rappler

Army hits killing of tribal chieftain in Bukidnon
The Army’s 8th Infantry Batallion (8IB) of the 4th Infantry Division denounced Wednesday the killing of a tribal leader in neighboring Cabanglasan town.
— Philippine News Agency

Now Telecom exploring tie-up with Mislatel
Now Telecom Inc., a company controlled by the Velarde family, said it is open to a partnership with Dito Telecommunity (formerly Mislatel) owned by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy to provide faster broadband connectivity in the country.
— Manilastandard.net

Bill to raise teachers’ chalk allowance to P10K
SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has filed a bill raising the public school teachers’ annual “chalk allowance” from P3,500 to P10,000.
— The Manila Times

Manila bank robbed; inside job eyed
A Metrobank branch in Divisoria, Manila was robbed by at least seven men before banking hours yesterday morning, with someone in the bank seen in surveillance footage letting the robbers in.
— The Philippine Star

DOLE: 7,000+ POGO workers face deportation for lack of AEP
Over 7,000 foreign nationals (FN) may soon face possible deportation for their failure to secure work permits, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
— Business Mirror

Bring Asean to the table
Three years after the Philippines won its landmark case against China, the Duterte administration appears consistent in applying a different policy toward Beijing.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

3% coconut biodiesel pushed
The United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCAP) is lobbying for the immediate implementation of increased coconut content in diesel to three percent by yearend.
— The Manila Times

EV measure, 3 other energy bills pushed in next Congress
A legislative measure to reinforce prospective commercial rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) will be high in the agenda of the Senate Committee on Energy in the 18th Congress which will formally convene toward the end of this month.
— Manila Bulletin

IC issues cease and desist order vs Caritas Health
THE INSURANCE Commission (IC) issued a cease and desist order against health maintenance organization (HMO) Caritas Health Shield, Inc. due to alleged fraudulent card swiping and misrepresentation of sales agents.
— BusinessWorld Online

Bill filed to limit ‘public utility’ to power, water
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte has filed a bill that seeks to limit the definition of a “public utility” by amending the 82-year-old Public Service Act.
— The Philippine Star

AmCham urges Duterte to nix anti-endo bill
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) is urging President Rodrigo Duterte not to support the Security of Tenure bill that aims to ban the practice of “endo,” an official of the business group said on Thursday.
— ABS-CBN News (video)

Subic Bay named top sports tourism destination
SUBIC BAY, Central Luzon’s top tourist destination, added a feather in its cap with the recent awarding of the “Destination of the Year” by the Philippine Sports Tourism Awards (PSTA).
— BusinessWorld Online

Indonesian tourism trade expo opens Friday in Davao City
The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia will hold a three-day expo here with focus on tourism, trade, and food on Friday (July 12).
— Philippine News Agency

Dominguez eyes Customs strike team vs garbage imports
The Department of Finance said Thursday it ordered the Bureau of Customs to study the possible formation of a special strike team to guard against the entry of waste materials that other countries are attempting to dump in the Philippines.
— The Philippine Star

Automobile sales rebounded 8.7% to 31,950 units in June—Campi
The local automotive market showed signs of recovery and stability as sales rebounded 8.7 percent in June to 31,950 units from 29,395 vehicles sold a year ago, two industry groups said Thursday.
— Manilastandard.net

P135-M ecopark to rise in old dumpsite in Cagayan de Oro
City officials on Thursday, July 11, finally got the ball rolling on an ecopark project in an old dumpsite.
— Rappler

 

Feature photo The Wandering Angel

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on Asean’s endangered species, here, the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi).

 

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.

 

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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.

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