Philippines Morning News For June 6, 2019

Inflation snaps 6-month downtrend, rises 3.2% in May
The rise in consumer prices picked up pace in May, snapping a six-month slowdown, as prices of food, housing, utilities and fuels accelerated, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported yesterday.
— The Philippine Star

World Bank sees PH growing 6.4% this year
The World Bank expects the Philippine economy to grow 6.4 percent this year, or 0.1-percentage-point lower compared to its January projection of 6.5 percent, amid the expectation for a weaker global expansion.
— Manilastandard.net

China claims naming South China Sea islands with English names
Distancing itself from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Beijing insisted that artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea have been named a long time ago.
— Spratly Islands

Gov’t urged to intensify crackdown vs. oil smuggling
The government should intensify its efforts against the rampant smuggling of petroleum products in order to generate revenues for infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build Program as well as the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) program.
— Philippine News Agency

MISLEADING: Duterte admin ‘keeping’ 99.6% of foreign aid
State auditors discovered that the Duterte administration is keeping 99.6% of foreign aid.
— Rappler

70,000 jobs available at 22 Independence Day fairs
Around 70,000 local and overseas jobs are up for grabs in the various job fairs that will be set up on June 12, the 121st celebration of Philippine Independence Day, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced on Wednesday.
— Inquirer.net

Marawi rebuild ‘painfully slow,’ says ICRC chief
The “painfully slow” reconstruction of Marawi City, flattened in a war with Islamic militants, is causing discontent, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said Tuesday.
— Tempo

Less than half of Duterte govt’s priority bills passed by 17th Congress
Only 11 of the 28 priority bills identified as priority by a council of legislative and executive officials headed by President Rodrigo Duterte hurled the 17th Congress, which held its last session on Tuesday.
— CNN Philippines

DENR orders closure of open dumpsite in Siargao
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the closure of the temporary open dumpsite in General Luna, Siargao.
— GMA News

Fewer Filipinos jobless in April – PSA
More Filipinos had jobs as of April, with most of them hired in the services sector.
— CNN Philippines

US House votes to help ‘Dreamer’ immigrants; move to benefit over 20,000 undocumented Filipinos
The Democrat-dominated House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would create a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, including more than 20,000 Filipino illegal migrants in the United States.
— Eagle News

PHL prodded to dangle perks to e-vehicle firms
THE government must provide tax holidays and monetary support to carmakers if it intends to make the Philippines a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles, according to industry players from South Korea.
— Business Mirror

U.S. immigration agency to close Manila field office
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is set to close its Manila field office on July 5, as the Trump administration is seen restricting immigration to the United States.
— Rappler

NEDA blames El Niño phenomenon for uptick in inflation rate in May
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Wednesday pinned the blame on the El Niño phenomenon for the uptick in inflation recorded in May.
— GMA News

Drilon trumpets minority bloc’s achievements in 17th Congress
As the 17th Congress ended, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon touted the accomplishments of the 6-member opposition bloc from 2016 to 2019.
— Rappler

More meat-sniffing dogs to roam PHL airports
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol promised to provide the country’s major airports with about 45 meat-sniffing K9s to prevent the entry of African swine fever (ASF) now devastating a large part of China, Southeast Asia and parts of Europe.
— Business Mirror

PHL to acquire eight more ScanEagle drones from US
The Philippines, sustaining its bid to beef up its surveillance capabilities, is acquiring eight ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) worth $9,633,665 from a subsidiary of aircraft maker Boeing under the United States Foreign Military Sales program.
— Business Mirror

DA taps P3 billion from ACEF for fish cage farming
The government has approved the utilization of at least P3 billion for the development of fish cage farming in the country following an endorsement from the Department of Finance.
— The Philippine Star

‘Rotating brownouts possible next year’
SAN Miguel Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang has warned that daily rotating power interruptions are possible in the next four years because the country’s demand for electricity is exceeding supply.
— The Manila Times

PH leaders urged to cut down on coal consumption
The Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) urged Philippine lawmakers to join the worldwide movement on reducing coal consumption in the country.
— Inquirer.net

House adopts Senate bill that seeks to create 150 judges-at-large positions
The House of Representatives has adopted the Senate version of the proposed “Judges-At-Large Act of 2018” which will create 150 new positions for judges who will be assigned to various courts to unclogged case dockets.
— Manila Bulletin

Tobacco tax bill tweaks to cover health care law’s funding gap
LAST-MINUTE CHANGES to the measure further increasing tobacco product excise tax rates that partly tap collections of sugar-sweetened beverage and alcohol product levies should help fully fund implementation of Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, a senior official of the Department of Finance (DoF) said on Wednesday.
— BusinessWorld Online

Palace tells HUDCC execs to explain P5-M Marawi rehab fund spent for pilgrimage
Malacañang said it would ask for an explanation on the use of funds intended for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City for a pilgrimage of victims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
— GMA News

Earnings to fund hike in BSP capitalization
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) vowed that it will not ask for any direct financial support from the national government to beef up its capital under the new enacted charter of the central bank.
— Manila Bulletin

Finance department expects e-invoicing system for taxpayers completed by December 2022
THE Department of Finance (DOF) is keen on completing its e-invoicing system by December 2022 in order to provide faster services to taxpayers.
— Business Mirror

OWWA signs deal to promote wellness among OFW nurses
THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it is mounting a push to improve the health and wellness of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their loved ones, starting with overseas-deployed nurses.
— BusinessWorld Online

CTA rules it lacks jurisdiction on Duty Free VAT case
THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) dismissed for lack of jurisdiction the petition of Duty Free Philippines Corp. (DFPC) seeking the refund of allegedly illegally collected value-added tax (VAT) for 2015 worth P142.9 million.
— BusinessWorld Online

PAL, Boeing in talks over acquisition of 777X aircraft series
Philippine Airlines said it is in talks with Boeing Commercial Airplanes for possible acquisition of the latest series of the long-range, wide-body, twin-engine Boeing 777 family.
— Manilastandard.net

Philippines upsets Netherlands at buzzer, boosts playoff chances in Fiba 3�–3 U18 World Cup
Camille Clarin played hero and the Philippines took down sixth-seed Netherlands, 10-9, at the buzzer in the 2019 Fiba 3×3 Under-18 World Cup Wednesday at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
— Inquirer.net

Despite culls, import bans, swine fever to hit pork market for years
Millions of pigs have been culled as African Swine Fever cuts through China and beyond, devastating global food chains, with pork prices expected to soar from the food markets of Hong Kong to American dinner tables.
— Manila Bulletin

Landbank allots P5 billion for lending to agrarian reform beneficiaries
Land Bank of the Philippines is allocating P5 billion for lending to more agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to help increase the productivity and income of small farmers.
— The Philippine Star

Digital program for OFWs boosted
THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in cooperation with Facebook, is expanding its digital literacy program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to educate and train them on the use of social media platforms and how to detect cyberfraud.
— The Manila Times

46% of adult Filipinos use Internet – SWS poll
Internet use is highest among young and more educated Filipinos, the first quarter of 2019 survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations has found out.
— Tempo

PH Internet speed steadily improving
The average Internet speed in the country is steadily improving since President Duterte took office in 2016.
— Tempo

DA Officers Recover Smuggled ASF-Affected Meatballs From China
Smuggled Meatballs From China Affected by ASF Seized by DA Officers The quarantine officers of the Department of Agriculture recovered boxes of smuggled meatballs from China affected by the African swine fever.
— Philippine News

Philippines will no longer attend climate change conferences –Locsin
The Philippines will no longer be attending climate change conferences that would entail flights, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday.
— GMA News

LDN updates 10 Year ESWMP
The Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte is finalizing its 10-Year Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan (ESWMP) through a four-day training/workshop conducted by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) region 10.
— Philippine Information Agency

DOJ ‘ready to act’ on recovery of P60M paid by DOT to Bitag Media
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is willing to help recover the P60 million paid by the Department of Tourism (DoT) to Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. for ad placements if they will be asked to help in the investigation.
— Inquirer.net

BFP-11 mulls charges vs. man for interfering in fire operation
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Region 11 is mulling charges against a man for interfering and even assaulting its personnel during a fire operation Sunday (June 2) in Barangay Ilang, Tibungco, this city.
— Philippine News Agency

Community-oriented policing to avert crimes –Napolcom
National Police Commission commissioner retired Police Major General Felizardo Serapio Jr. on Wednesday called for a community-oriented policing as a more effective crime prevention effort.
— GMA News

FDA warns public against use of counterfeit cosmetic mask
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against mineral clay mask marketed as Pond’s D-Toxx Treatment, as such products have been found counterfeit.
— GMA News

Flood control project along Marikina River completed
The construction of the P93-million worth flood control project in Quezon City was recently completed according to the Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH).
— Philippine Information Agency

British man found dead in fish sanctuary in southern Cebu town
The corpse of a 57-year-old British man was found floating in a fish sanctuary in Barangay Balud, Dalaguete, south of Cebu, at around 2 pm on Tuesday, June 4.
— Rappler

Ilocos hospital recognized for anti-microbial resistance efforts
The Department of Health-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOH-RITM) gave two awards to the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMHMC) for its successful implementation of a national surveillance program geared toward the global battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
— Philippine News Agency

Army’s 3ID supports mandatory ROTC for senior high
The 3rd Infantry Division (ID) of the Philippine Army on Wednesday expressed its full support to make the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for senior high school students.
— Philippine News Agency

Couple gets 32-year jail time, P5-M fine for online child pornography
A regional trial court here has imposed a 32-year imprisonment on a couple from the island province of Bohol for the online sexual abuse of their 3-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old girl who had been under their custody for several years.
— Rappler

Feature photo Rotary Club of Makati

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo acknowledges World Environment Day, June 5.

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.

Philippines morning news for June 6 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on June 6, 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.