Powering up & switching on: TFSEP2019 to focus on Philippines energy security
Like many other Asean member states the Philippines is rapidly running out of electricity. Demand is expected to more than double to more than over 40,000 megawatts (MW) by 2040, propelled by a rapidly growing population and industrialisation.
AEC News Today (video)
Government raises over P19 billion from Panda bond issue
The government raised more than P19 billion from the sale of its second renminbi-denominated or Panda bonds in China on May 15, the Finance Department said Thursday.
— Manilastandard.net
Bangko Sentral cuts RRR by 200 bps
THE central bank has resumed reducing banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) on Thursday, with monetary authorities ordering a 200-basis-points (bps) cut on the 18-percent liquidity-mopping tool.
— The Manila Times
DBM releases P1.323 T budget in 4 months
The government released P1.323 trillion in funds to line agencies in the first four months to support the Duterte administration’s operations and programs under a reenacted budget, according to the Department of Budget and Management.
— The Philippine Star
PHL recalls diplomatic envoys after Canada misses May 15 deadline on garbage shipment
The Philippines recalled its diplomatic envoys to Canada after the latter missed the May 15 deadline to get back the trash shipped to the Southeast Asian country years ago.
— Eagle News
Duterte fires FDA head Nela Puno for corruption
The anti-corruption purge in government continues. President Duterte has fired Food and Drug Administration Director General Nela Charade G. Puno as part of the government’s campaign against corruption, Malacañang announced yesterday.
— Tempo
1.1-M votes for senators nullified due to overvoting
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said they were not negligent in reminding voters not to overvote in the recently-concluded mid-term elections.
— Philippine News Agency
Comelec Says Election 2019 Senatorial Race Winners To Be Known This Week
Election 2019 Senatorial Race Winners To Be Known this Week, Comelec Says COMELEC – The Commission on Elections said that the winners of the Election 2019 senatorial race will be known this week.
— Philippine News
Sandigan affirms denial of Marcos wealth informant’s P29.58-B reward plea
The Sandiganbayan has upheld its decision to deny the motion of a male informant to receive a P29.58-billion reward for exposing the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his family and cronies.
— GMA News
Sotto: Death penalty now a possibility with more pro-death senators
President Rodrigo Duterte’s wish for a death penalty law now has an increased chance of coming true with the expected election of most of the senatorial candidates he endorsed, Senate President Tito Sotto said on Thursday.
— GMA News
Comelec wants NPO to explain alleged subcontracting of voters’ info sheets, says this is a “crime”
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is asking the National Printing Office to explain if it had indeed subcontracted the printing of the voters’ information sheet for the May 13 midterm elections in violation of the rules of the Commission on Audit.
— Eagle News
COMELEC tells those seeking suspension of proclamation to file formal petition
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Wednesday advised those calling for the suspension of winners in the elections due to allegations of fraud to formally file a petition before the poll body.
— Manila Bulletin
Fire hits vote counting machines stored in Zamboanga del Sur school
An explosion and fire occurred separately in San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur on Wednesday evening, May 15, with the fire damaging a school room holding vote counting machines (VCMs).
— Rappler
PPCRV granted access to audit logs amid delay of poll results’ release
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has granted its citizen arm access to transparency server audit logs in the wake of a delay in the release of election results on Monday.
— CNN Philippines
356 nabbed, P12-M seized in anti-vote buying ops: PNP
The Philippine National Police (PNP) seized a total of PHP12.208 million in cash during operations against vote-buying across the country.
— Philippine News Agency
Gov’t urged to pursue cases vs. ‘narco-politicians’ who won in polls
In the aftermath of the just concluded elections, several lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Thursday called on the government to “seriously” pursue cases against winning politicians, who were included on President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “narco list,” especially if there are sufficient evidence against them.
— Philippine News Agency
Senators set review of midterm election glitches on June 4
THE Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, wielding oversight powers, is poised to summon Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials to review and assess the need for remedial legislation to avert reported glitches attending the May 20 computerized electoral process.
— Business Mirror
‘Drug money may have been used for vote buying’
DRUG money might have been used to buy votes in the run up to the May 13 elections, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.
— The Manila Times
PH eyes 10 biz deals from Japan
At least 10 business-to-business agreements, including eight letters of intent, will be signed during the visit of President Duterte to Tokyo later this month, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said yesterday.
— Malaya
Fisheries production inches up to 1.01 million metric tons in Q1 2019
Fisheries production in the first 3 months of 2019 inched up to 1.01 million metric tons (MMT) from 1 million MMT as fish catch within and outside municipal waters increased, said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
— Rappler
Comelec calls for sobriety amid video of alleged Lanao fraud
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) called for sobriety on Thursday, May 16, as it investigates a viral video of the alleged pre-shading of ballots in Lanao del Sur.
— Rappler
Brain gain and new collar jobs, IBM sees tech disrupting PH employment market
The Philippines employment landscape is changing as industries rapidly move into digitalization, the head of IBM Philippines said Thursday.
— ABS-CBN News
BIR files P212.6-million case vs Tacloban trader found with fake cigarettes, excise stamps
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed a case against a Tacloban City businessman at the Department of Justice (DOJ) for possessing fake cigarettes with fake excise tax stamps, with the estimated aggregate deficiency excise tax liability amounting to P212.625 million.
— Business Mirror
Nestlé Philippines, Republic Cement to co-process post-consumer waste
NESTLÉ Philippines, Inc. and Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. have entered into an agreement to co-process post-consumer plastic waste in the latter’s cement kilns.
— BusinessWorld Online
P60 hike on cigarette tax pushed
The Departments of Finance (DOF) and Health (DOH) have revived the Yosi Kadiri ad campaign to help generate greater public support for, and convince legislators to pass, the bill increasing “sin” taxes on tobacco products.
— Malaya
FDA to set stricter safety, quality standards for vinegar products
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it will implement a stricter safety and quality standards for vinegar products present in the market, following a recent study that some of the said products are made from synthetic raw materials.
— Manila Bulletin
Singapore set to import farm products from PH
Singapore is all set to import several farm products from the Philippines, following the completion of sanitary inspections its Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) recently conducted in some of the processing sites here.
— Manila Bulletin
DOLE online program aims to widen market for informal sector products
TO boost the income of informal sector workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is now extending to them a helping hand to market their products online.
— Business Mirror
RCBC unveils currency-backed ‘stablecoin’ remittance platform
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) bared plans on Thursday to issue currency-backed “stablecoins,” hoping the new technology in banking will provide a better and faster remittance platform for overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
— Business Mirror
More reforms seen with Duterte allies’ win
With the majority of the incoming Senate allied to President Duterte, Capital Economics expects the passage of more economic reforms, even as the London-based research firm warned of looming dictatorship.
— Inquirer.net
Iloilo City’s proposed water rationing still hangs
Almost three weeks since Iloilo City was placed under a state of calamity due to water crisis, the proposed water rationing for 73 affected barangays is still hanging.
— Philippine News Agency
Farmers urge winning bets to review rice tariffication law, stop illegal land conversion
The Central Luzon Organic Rice Producers Association (CLORPA) on Thursday urged winning candidates — both proclaimed and who have yet to be proclaimed — to come up with solutions to help low-income farmers in the prospect of losing their livelihood.
— GMA News
Sandiganbayan dismisses graft case vs ex-PRC exec
A former commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission has won the outright dismissal of his graft case at the Sandiganbayan over the alleged anomalous transfer of the PRC offices in Manila.
— GMA News
Palace: ‘Pragmatic’ voters picked pols in narcolist ‘out of necessity’
People voted “out of necessity” as they picked politicians who were included in the “narcolist” of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacaang said Thursday.
— Inquirer.net
Port of Manila operations improve amid decongestion: PPA
Operations within the Port of Manila (POM) have started to improve with the removal of many overstaying containers, which has alleviated problems created by congestion.
— Philippine News Agency
Benguet’s Typhoon ‘Ompong’ victims get livelihood assistance from DSWD
At least 952 individuals who were displaced by Typhoon “Ompong” that ravaged northern Luzon in September 2018 received cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)in Cordillera on Thursday.
— Inquirer.net
DENR intensifies protection of marine species in Sarangani Bay
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 12 has stepped up efforts to protect and conserve marine resources in the critical Sarangani Bay following the recorded stranding and deaths of various species in the area these past months.
— Philippine News Agency
Comelec La Union addresses delay in proclamation of winners
Atty. Alipio Alonzo Castillo III, provincial election supervisor, in a media interview during a recess in provincial canvassing due to faulty SD cards from towns of Rosario and Caba.
— Philippine Information Agency
‘Not a cause for concern:’ PPCRV finds small mismatch in election returns
Poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is rechecking a small discrepancy between a fraction of physical election returns and electronically transmitted results, an official said Thursday.
— GMA News
PDP-Laban to expel members on narcolist even if they win in May polls
Members of ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) named on President Rodrigo Duterte’s narcolist will be expelled even if they win the May 13 polls, the party spokesperson said Thursday.
— GMA News
Ex-US Marine kills 2, suffocates to death in Cebu fire
A former United States Marine killed two persons and then burned his house down, causing him to suffocate to death, in Cebu on Thursday.
— The Manila Times
ILO urges Philippines to protect workers as tech, AI rises
The International Labor Organization on Thursday said companies should ensure that workers’ rights, regardless of industry or employment arrangements, are protected as emerging technologies influence policy.
— ABS-CBN News (video)
Government on alert as destructive fall armyworm spreads in Southeast Asia
The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has ordered its regional directors to monitor farms to determine the immediate presence of the highly destructive fall armyworm, which is now wreaking havoc on plantations in neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
— Business Mirror
6 Philippine companies make it to Forbes’ 2019 Global 2000 list
Six large Philippine companies made it to Forbes Magazine’s Global 2000 list, an international ranking of the world’s biggest, most powerful, and most valuable publicly-listed companies.
— Inquirer.net
Manila Water installs 64 line boosters
Manila Water Company Inc. said it completed the installation of 64 line boosters across the East Zone.
— Manilastandard.net
The deadly odds of pigeon racing in the Philippines
It is a brutal 600-kilometre gauntlet during which competitors face searing heat, wild seas, vicious predators, and the threat of kidnapping.
— FRANCE 24
Eastern Communications of the Philippines Partners with DOSarrest to Deliver Cloud Based Internet Security Solutions
Leading Philippine based telecommunications carrier selects Internet Security firm DOSarrest to deliver cyber security solutions to their commercial client base.
— AEC News Today/ PRNewswire (media release)
DENR-Antique to conduct election trash clean-up drive
Immediately after the 2019 midterm polls, some local government units started cleaning up the left-over campaign materials and other election posters, but the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR)- Antique will also see to it that the clean-up drive will be felt even up to the remotest place.
— Philippine Information Agency
Dumaguete City mulls loan for massage therapists
Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo confers with over 150 members of nine various associations of massage therapists to formulate a plan that will protect their livelihood.
— Philippine Information Agency
DOT Says Philippines Refused To Host World Street Food Congress
Philippines Refused To Host the World Street Food Congress, DOT Says The Department of Tourism (DOT) said that the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) disapproved the Philippines’ hosting of the World Street Food Congress.
— Philippine News
Go, Bato, Tolentino to bow down to Duterte in Senate? ‘I doubt it,’ says Sotto
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is convinced that winning senatorial candidates Bong Go, Ronald Dela Rosa, and Francis Tolentino will not bow down to President Rodrigo Duterte’s wishes once they take office even if the Chief Executive had endorsed them.
— GMA News
Iloilo public transport drivers undergo surprise drug test
Geared towards the goal of ensuring that public transport drivers are free from the influence of illegal drugs, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Western Visayas (PDEA 6) conducted “Oplan Harabas” on Thursday.
— Philippine News Agency
DENR-8 enjoins state workers to go car-less on World Environment Month
In celebration of the World Environmental Month, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Office-8 urges government workers to take public transport on June 5, 2019, and every Friday thereafter, to mark the celebration.
— Philippine Information Agency
Cebu City forms team to ensure smooth governance transition
The administration of Mayor Tomas Osmeña has formed a transition team for the proper and orderly turnover of official documents to the incoming administration of Mayor-elect Edgardo Labella.
— Philippine News Agency
Kabataan Partylist Calls For K-12 Program Revocation
The Kabataan Partylist Members Want The Abolition Of The K-12 Implementation KABATAAN PARTYLIST – The representative of the youth sector – Kabataan Partylist – wants the K-12 implementation to be stopped in Duterte’s administration.
— Philippine News
Feature photo Brian Evans
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 May 17 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on
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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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