Philippines Morning News For July 22, 2019

South China Sea: Duterte warns Beijing of ‘suicide missions’ to protect disputed island
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has warned Beijing to back off from a disputed island in the South China Sea, warning of “suicide missions” if China touches it.
— Spratly Islands

Over 5k dengue cases in a week; Red Cross springs into action
AFTER declaring a National Dengue Alert due to the increasing number of cases observed in several regions, the Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 5,744 dengue cases in just one week.
— Business Mirror

Infra delay seen to drag GDP growth below 6% for the first time in 8 years
Economic growth in 2019 may fall below 6 percent for the first time since 2011 if the government fails to ramp up spending and investments in the second half, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. said over the weekend.
— Manilastandard.net

Inflation eases in Q2, seen slowing further
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) said inflation settled at the midpoint of its target band in the second quarter, driven by improved domestic food supply conditions.
— BusinessWorld Online

BOP swings to $404-M deficit in June
The country’s balance of payments (BOP) registered a deficit in June, ending seven straight months of surpluses, due to substantial outflows stemming from the payment of foreign obligations by the national government, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
— The Philippine Star

UK firm, DOST forging £11-million contract for radar satellite to monitor PHL waters
The United Kingdom’s world leader in small satellite manufacturing, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., is forging an £11-million contract with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
— Business Mirror

PHL to push full integration of e-government systems by 2022
THE PHILIPPINES is on track towards the full integration of e-government systems by 2022 as key agencies push to become more digital.
— BusinessWorld Online

Philippines food retail sector to hit $50 billion sales
The food retail industry in the country will continue to expand with total sales expected to reach a record-high $50 billion, driven by rising income and a growing population.
— The Philippine Star

State of calamity up in quake-hit Surigao town
The municipal council of Carmen in Surigao del Sur province declared the town under a state of calamity as residents started recovering from the devastation wrought by the 5.5-magnitude earthquake that struck nearby Carrascal town on July 13.
— Inquirer.net

Carpio: Duterte ‘fishing deal’ with China must go through Senate scrutiny
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the purported verbal fishing agreement between President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping must pass Senate scrutiny and ratification before it could be implemented.
— Rappler

P100 B needed to develop Bangsamoro’s agri sector
SIQUIJOR – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will require a funding worth P100 billion to develop its farm sector within the next decade, according to the region’s recently crafted agriculture master plan that has already been submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte last week.
— Manila Bulletin

‘We’re just doing what God told us to do’: Confronting ISIS face-to-face
The terror group Islamic State is luring Philippines’ locals to join its extremist mission with the promise of money and weapons, a 60 Minutes report has found.
— 9News

COA flags missing docs for Marawi cooperatives’ P64-million seed capital
The Commission on Audit (COA) found that only 2.3% or P1.516 million of the P65.73-million seed capital handled by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) for Marawi City-based cooperatives in 2018 had been fully documented.
— Rappler

NAIA makes it to world’s best airports in business travelers’ list
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport made it to the Globehunters World’s Best Airports for Business Travelers List.
— Eagle News

Negros Occidental rice farmland damage rises to P7.18 million
The damage to rice farmlands in this province caused by the heavy rain and flooding brought by southwest monsoon has increased to P7.18 million.
— Rappler

President hopes swift passage of key measures
The proposed 2020 national budget, tax and trade reforms, and return of the death penalty are among the administration measures President Duterte hopes the 18th Congress will swiftly pass.
— Tempo

Philippines adopts strategy against violent extremism
The Philippines has officially adopted a strategy to prevent and counter violent extremism as officials seek to avoid a repeat of one of the country’s most prominent acts of terrorism in recent history, the May 2017 siege of Marawi City by pro-Islamic State fighters.
— The Japan Times

Garments makers warn of shutdown, mass layoff
Garments and leather goods manufacturers warned of factory shutdown and mass layoff once the government enacts a version of the proposed Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-quality Opportunities, or Trabaho bill, that will raise the tax rate on gross income earned to 8 percent from 5 percent.
— Manilastandard.net

Worst times for journos under Duterte gov’t, says former U.P. dean
A former dean of the University of the Philippines’ College of Mass Communication said it is so far the worst time to be a journalist, referencing the various actions of the Duterte administration against the media.
— Rappler

5.1% of Filipinos obese due to affluence, unhealthy diet
About 5.1 percent of Filipino adults are obese, as rising consumer affluence fuels unhealthy diets across the region and strains health care costs across the Asia-Pacific region, a research from UK-based Fitch Solutions showed.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

China EV battery makers seeking PHL manufacturing partners
THE Philippine electric-vehicle industry is in talks with Chinese battery makers to set up shop in the Philippines due to the potential of the electric vehicle market here, an industry official said.
— BusinessWorld Online

PhilHealth pays P81-M dengue claims in WV
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth paid a total of P81 million worth of benefits for 8,005 dengue cases in Region 6 from January to July this year. The amount is 223 percent higher compared to the payments made for claims on dengue-related cases for the same period last year.
— Philippine Information Agency

Makers of e-cigarettes have 3 months to get FDA license
Manufacturers of electronic cigarettes have been given three months to register and comply with the regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or they run the risk of their products being confiscated.
— Inquirer.net

Sectors bare expectations for administration’s 2nd half
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte had done relatively well in the first half of his term in pushing fiscal and other economic reforms as well as in stepping up infrastructure spending, but much still needs to be done in liberalizing the economy and overhauling an outdated tax structure, industry groups said in separate interviews last week.
— BusinessWorld Online

Filipino manufacturers reach 28,003, PSA says
The total number of all manufacturing establishments in the formal sector of the economy reached 28,003, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
— Inquirer.net

SWS poll: More Filipinos consider themselves poor
Results of a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed a sizeable rise — by about 1.6 million in the three months to June — in the number of Filipino families that consider themselves poor.
— CNN Philippines

Higher taxes on e-cig, vape eyed by DOF
Users of electronic cigarettes and vape products should brace themselves for higher taxes as the Department of Finance (DOF) prepares a proposal seeking to raise the so-called “sin” levies on these tobacco alternatives.
— Manila Bulletin

PNP chief vows to go ‘beyond borders’ to find cops’ killers
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde vowed to go after the killers of four police personnel in Negros Oriental last week.
— Northbound Philippines

Food firms post $23 million sales in Taiwan expo shares
A delegation of Philippine food companies generated $23 million worth of export sales from the recent Taipei International Food Show (TIFS), lower than the $26 million target.
— The Philippine Star

IBP withdraws petition for W. PHL Sea writ of kalikasan
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines and several fishermen have filed a motion to withdraw their Supreme Court petition that sought for the protection of the environment in the West Philippine Sea.
— Eagle News

PH bolsters ties with traditional, nontraditional partners
A year since President Rodrigo Duterte reported Manila’s increased efforts to bolster ties with both traditional and nontraditional partners, added cooperation agreements have since been secured.
— Philippine News Agency

EcoWaste cites Angeles City government for immediate action on mercury laced skin products
Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition has cited the Angeles City government for its swift response to the report of the unlawful sale of mercury-contaminated skin whitening products in the locality.
— Manila Bulletin

Morong 43 to appeal Sandiganbayan ruling
LAWYERS of the 43 health workers detained and tortured by the military and police in 2010 will appeal the ruling of the Sandiganbayan that dismissed the charges against the accused.
— The Manila Times

The 18th Congress: Battlefield for testy bills, vantage point for Duterte
Bunny Cadag is a transgender woman who was proud of it. A fast-food company that hired her for a transcription job was not.
— Inquirer.net

WATCH: Filipinos assess Duterte halfway into his term
On Monday, July 22, President Rodrigo Duterte will deliver his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) , marking halfway through his term in office.
— Rappler

SoKor wants part in “Build, Build, Build” program
South Korea has reiterated its interest in actively participating in the Duterte Administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program to help an old ally in its development while boosting its own infrastructure sector.
— Philippine News Agency

Ban on deployment of OFWs to Libya stays: DFA
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday reminded Filipinos that the suspension of job recruitment to Libya is still in place following the ongoing conflict in the outskirts of Tripoli.
— Philippine News Agency

“No fly zone” set in areas surrounding Batasan Pambansa to secure President Duterte’s 4th SONA
As part of the security measures for the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has set a no-fly zone and a vertical limit for drones.
— Eagle News

Man gets 30 years for making child porn using kids in PH
A 62-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for making and distributing child pornography using children in the Philippines.
— Inquirer.net

Super consortium submits revised plan for NAIA rehabilitation
A “super consortium” composed of seven of the country’s top conglomerates submitted a revised proposal for the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), in line with the Department of Transportation (DOTr)’s instructions to pattern the plan after Clark International Airport’s concession agreement.
— BusinessWorld Online

PRDP projects to benefit Pangasinan farmers
A tomato trading post facility in Barangay Tugui Grande here is expected to benefit farmers from the first district of Pangasinan and nearby towns once it becomes operational.
— Philippine News Agency

Revilla files Eddie Garcia bill, proposal to waive bank secrecy for public officials
In his first 3 weeks back in the Senate, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr filed 100 bills in the 18th Congress, which included proposed measures that has something to do with his past – his acquittal of plunder and the entertainment industy.
— Rappler

Environment group urges creation of Fisheries, Aquatic Resources Dept
A day before the 2019 State of the Nation Address, environmental group Oceana urged President Rodrigo Duterte to prioritize the creation of a full government department that would handle the country’s fisheries issues.
— GMA News

Manila asks Iran to free Filipino on seized British-flagged tanker
The Philippines said Saturday, July 20, it would ask Iran to free a Filipino crew member of a British-flagged tanker seized by Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards.
— Rappler

Recto wants ‘lifetime validity’ for birth certificates
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has filed a bill seeking to give lifetime validity to birth certificates, his office said on Saturday, July 20.
— Rappler

Filipinos warned vs job offers as household workers, tutors in China
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) warned job seekers in China against employment offers to work as household service workers and private tutors in that country.
— Inquirer.net

5-year road map for Calabarzon livestock, poultry sectors crafted
Some 40 agriculture sector stakeholders culminated on Friday their three-day roadmap “writeshop” by crafting a livestock and poultry five-year development blueprint for 2019 to 2023 at the conference hall here.
— Philippine News Agency

64 ex-rebels from MisOr, Lanao areas get livelihood aid
Sixty-four former rebels based in Lanao del Sur and Misamis Oriental receive on Tuesday (July 16, 2019) livelihood starter kits from the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade and Department of Labor and Employment.
— Philippine News Agency

P2M PDAO to rise in Pagadian
Differently-abled persons will soon have their own Persons’ with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in Pagadian City as P2 million fund is already allotted for its construction, bared City Social Welfare and Development Officer-Myra Kwan.
— Philippine Information Agency

‘Bikoy’ bares proof of ouster plot
Phone messages, house keys and a condominium access card, IDs and utility bills under a different name and purchase receipts.
— Inquirer.net

IBP wants Calida’s accusation expunged
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno and two others from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) have asked the Supreme Court to strike off from the records the government’s accusation that they misled a group of fishermen into asking for court protection of the fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea that have been seized by China.
— Inquirer.net

Regulators tackle challenge of reaching the unbanked, raising inclusiveness
LOWERING the hurdles for opening a bank account and collaborating with other agencies to increase online connectivity are the key first steps identified by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on the road to what it hopes will be a cash-lite economy.
— BusinessWorld Online

Health services still beyond reach of remote communities
Almost two years ago, Dr. Maria Socorro Kristina Medina left Metro Manila to serve in the island-town of Almagro in Samar province — one of the poorest areas in Eastern Visayas region.
— Inquirer.net

Youth, advocates share ideal Philippines ahead of SONA 2019
Ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), more than 40 students and advocates discussed their visions for the Philippines in Move Huddle: SO ano NA? on Saturday, July 20.
— Rappler

One-day business permit processing in Manila starts July 22
Starting July 22, business permits in Manila will be processed within a day through a one-stop shop at City Hall.
— 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 22 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on July 22, 2019
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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.