Duterte’s ‘free to kill’ order draws concern
Prelates and human rights advocates have raised concerns over President Duterte’s statement on Thursday that the controversial police official, Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, was “free to kill” in Bacolod City.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Seoul’s push on tariff cuts stalls FTA talks with PHL
THE Philippines will no longer see its second bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) materialize by November, as negotiators slow down talks after South Korea reportedly became more aggressive in pushing for tariff cuts.
— Business Mirror
Marawi rehab to be 90%-95% complete by December 2021, says task force chief
The rehabilitation of the areas in Marawi City most affected by the siege will be 90 to 95 percent completed by December 2021, the chief of Task Force Bangon Marawi said Sunday.
— GMA Network
GOCC subsidies up in August
Subsidies granted to state-run corporations surged to P31.81 billion in August, bulk of which went to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).
— The Philippine Star
How tighter Philippines-US defence ties contradict Rodrigo Duterte’s Beijing-friendly foreign policy
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity,” the Chinese ancient military strategist Sun Tzu remarked in his inimitable treatise, The Art of War.
— South China Morning Post
NUPL will file cases vs Duterte in 2022
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) agreed to file a series of cases against President Rodrigo Duterte once his term ends in 2022.
— Inquirer.net
Duterte revamps his list of priority infrastructure plans
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is to unveil a revised list of about 100 big infrastructure projects to be launched before his term ends in 2022, after some earlier projects were found to be unfeasible, an adviser said.
— Taipei Times
India to help enhance liver transplants in PHL
TO help save the lives of more Filipino children suffering from biliary atresia (BA), health-care institutions from both the Philippines and India have agreed to strengthen their collaboration on pediatric liver transplant by making the procedure widely available here at a more affordable cost.
— Business Mirror
Hog prices under pressure from panic-selling, changes in consumer preference
HOG RAISERS said prices for their produce are under pressure from small growers who were panicked into selling their herds at fire-sale prices following the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) on Luzon.
— BusinessWorld Online
PH climbs property rights index
The Philippines has improved its ranking in a global index that gauges the strength of physical property rights, intellectual property rights, and the legal and political environments that enforce them.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Massive reshuffling shakes PNP after Albayalde controversy
Top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were uprooted from their posts and given new assignments days after top cop General Oscar Albayalde resigned from his post over the “ninja cops” controversy, Rappler learned on Sunday, October 20.
— Rappler
PHL sees around 6% growth in 2019 on fiscal stimulus
The Philippine economy will probably expand around 6 percent in 2019 as the government ramps up spending after a slower growth rate in the first half.
— Business Mirror
MGB names 18 areas susceptible to landslide after Mindanao quake
GOVERNMENT’S Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has alerted local government units (LGUs) against the possibility of landslide and other geological hazards following the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that hit Mindanao last Wednesday.
— Business Mirror
Kidney for sale: How organs can be bought via social media in the Philippines
Carlos welcomed his newborn baby girl with so much love, and trepidation.
— CNA
Makati, Globe set to sign deal on free public WiFi
THE city government of Makati and Globe Telecom, Inc. are set to sign on Tuesday an agreement to set up free WiFi hotspots in the city.
— BusinessWorld Online
India, Philippines commit to continue cooperation in fighting terrorism
India and Philippines have strongly condemned terrorism and committed to continue their cooperation in fighting the global menace as President Ram Nath Kovind and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte expressed optimism about a stronger future partnership between the two nations.
— Daily Pioneer
In the Philippines, justice is slow for British paedophile Douglas Slade’s victims
The boys running around the neighbourhood in grubby shorts and flip-flops called it the “magic door” – a plain metal gate in the garden wall of a friendly foreign businessman, whose incongruously grand two-storey home stood opposite their primary school in Angeles City, in the Philippines.
— South China Morning Post
DOE endorses 16 power projects for commercial operations
The Department of Energy (DOE) has endorsed 16 power projects for commercial operations as of the end of September.
— The Philippine Star
JLL: PH property sector remained upbeat for H1 2019
The first half of 2019 was optimistic for the Philippine real estate industry, and the future only continues to look good. JLL Philippines, the country’s premier real estate consultancy firm, sees the continued growth of the real estate sector in the coming years, with Metro Manila as the focal area of the current and future real estate attention and movement.
— Manilastandard.net
DA told to follow the law and follow safeguard measures vs. rice imports
The Department of Agriculture (DA) was told to follow the law and implement safeguard measures versus rice imports, following the agency’s announcement that rice farmers will instead be given P5,000 cash assistance for bearing the brunt of the influx of imported rice in the country.
— Manila Bulletin
Philippines asks Japan to lower tariff on banana export to zero
Manila has appealed again to Tokyo to cut its tariff on Philippine bananas to zero percent. Its government former seeks to maintain its market share in the heavily contested Japanese market for the yellow fruit.
— Fresh Plaza
US businesses told PHL well-anchored
THE PHILIPPINES may have lately seen multilateral organizations cut its growth outlook with much of Asia and the rest of the world, but even those reduced forecasts stand out amid the gloom, thanks to the country’s strong domestic economy, the Finance chief told a gathering of US businessmen late last week.
— BusinessWorld Online
DOLE: No deployment ban or mandatory repatriation for OFWs in Hong Kong
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified that the Philippine government did not ban the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Hong Kong.
— Rappler
PH still among global laggards in fight vs TB
Apart from coping with a surge in measles and dengue cases, as well as the reemergence of polio after almost two decades, the Philippines ranks fourth among countries with the highest incidence of tuberculosis (TB), according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Carpio welcomes Russian oil exploration in West Philippine Sea
Retiring Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio welcomed the possibility of Russian participation to explore for oil and gas in Philippine waters being claimed by China.
— Rappler
Number of injured from Mindanao quake climbs to 208 – NDRRMC
The number of people injured due to the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Mindanao last Wednesday rose to 208 on Sunday night, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
— GMA Network
Camiguin provincial gov’t orders selective pork ban
The provincial government of Camiguin has imposed a selective pork and pork products ban as the African Swine Fever (ASF) sweeps Luzon.
— Rappler
Duterte on 75th anniversary of Leyte landing: Filipinos still at war vs illegal drugs
President Rodrigo Duterte was absent from the activities here on Sunday, October 20, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the landing of American and Filipino forces on the Leyte Gulf.
— Rappler
Dangerous levels of lead found in playgrounds across PHL -EcoWaste
Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition warned that several playgroundswere not safe for children as some of the play equipment were found to have dangerously high levels of lead in them.
— GMA Network
Aftershocks continue in Cotabato days after 6.3-magnitude quake
Aftershocks continued in Cotabato following a 6.3-magnitude earthquake there on Oct. 16. At least ten aftershocks hit the province since early Sunday, Oct. 20, with magnitudes ranging from 3.2 to 1.9.
— Eagle News
PAGASA monitors tropical storm “Bualoi” outside PAR; “Perla” intensifies into typhoon
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is monitoring a tropical storm outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, although it is less likely to enter PAR.
— Eagle News
Restore budget cuts to education in 2020
Congress should restore the reductions that have been made to the allocation for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) in the proposed 2020 national budget.
— Manila Times
PHL competitiveness: Two steps forward, one step back
Last week, we received the unwelcome news that the Philippines fell eight notches in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report for 2019.
— BusinessWorld
UP Visayas community condemns threats against students after viral cheer routine
The University of the Philippines Visayas’ Student Council and other student organizations over the weekend said they strongly condemn the harassment received by UPV organization the Skimmers after their cheer critical of the Duterte administration’s policies went viral.
— GMA Network
Robredo fully conversant with election protest, PET decision -Macalintal
Vice President Leni Robredo’s lead counsel in the election protest, Romulo B. Macalintal, filed against her by former Senator Bongbong Marcos denied that the vice-president was unaware of the details of the protest.
— GMA Network
Mindanao youth leaders debunk support of communists terrorists to IPs
11 Mindanao Indigenous People (IP) youth leaders debunked Friday the alleged support of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to their tribes.
— Philippine Information Agency
Marawi coops rebuild businesses after 2017 siege
When she and her members returned to their cooperative store after the five-month Marawi siege in 2017, Jamalia Abdulmalic said they knew they would find something in common with most of the city’s residents — they would be left with nothing.
— Philippine News Agency
Cebu-Cordova bridge project to employ 3K more workers
The consortium undertaking the toll bridge connecting mainland Cebu and Mactan Island aims to hire up to 3,000 more workers as the project hits its peak in the coming months.”Maraming mga (many) locals they want to be part of this big project.
— Philippine News Agency
Iranian beauty queen seeks asylum in PH
Iranian beauty queen Zare Bahari Bahareh, who was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport immediately after her arrival last Thursday, could not be sent back to her native country immediately because of her application for asylum.
— Tempo
746 beneficiaries, SHFC ink DavOr housing project
Davao Oriental’s housing project that is expected to benefit more than 700 residents will soon commence after the signing of the lease agreement by relevant parties, an official of the provincial government said Sunday.
— Philippine News Agency
DepEd reaffirms commitment to teachers’ safety
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring teachers’ safety and well-being and maintaining schools as zones of peace.
— Philippine News Agency
P20,000 aid for quake victims in Davao del Sur
At least P20,000 each were given to families in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur whose houses were totally destroyed by the magnitude-6.3 earthquake that hit Tulunan, North Cotabato last Oct. 16, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council disclosed Sunday.
— Tempo
Analysts flag Brexit’s indirect impact on Philippine-EU trade
ANY IMPACT on the Philippines of the United Kingdom’s impending exit from the European Union (EU) will likely be indirect, economists said late last week, even as they cautioned that this could add to factors weighing on efforts to improve Philippine trade with that bloc.
— BusinessWorld
Party-list legislator proposes asbestos ban in construction
A PARTY-LIST legislator representing organized labor has filed a bill seeking to ban the use of asbestos in most construction applications.
— BusinessWorld
PH growth is solid and sustainable — and better than its neighbors’
TO those who are taken aback or are skeptical about Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno’s bold assertion that the Philippines is ”capable of sustaining long-term economic growth of 6.5 percent,” we advise them to read the story alongside the following recent storie.
— Manila Times
Banks’ real estate exposure up 8%
Philippine banks’ exposure to real estate rose by 8.2 percent year-on-year as of end-June this year, with loans accounting for the bulk.
— Manila Times
Workers may be regularized any time within 2-year probation period -solon
Probinsyano Ako party-list Representative Jose Bonito Singson Jr. on Sunday clarified that employers can regularize workers any time within his proposed 24-month probationary employment period.
— GMA Network
BARMM support understandable given Marcos’ 2016 failures –Robredo
It was understandable that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) voters and leadership had been vocal in their support for her given former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. failed to campaign in the region during the 2016 elections, Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday.
— GMA Network
Patriot, statesman, pillar of democracy: Tributes pour in for Nene Pimentel
The country mourned the death of former Senate president Aquilino Nene Pimentel Jr on Sunday, October 20.
— Rappler
Bello opposes House bill proposing 2-year probationary period for workers
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is against a House bill seeking to extend the probationary period of workers from 6 months to 2 years, saying this would deny workers their right to security of tenure.
— Rappler
Smartmatic unveils touchscreen voting tech
Voting technology services provider Smartmatic recently introduced its newest voting machine touted by the London-based firm as a breakthrough in voting security and transparency.
— The Philippine Star
PHL, US level up drive vs terrorists
THE Philippines and the United States are ramping up their cooperation and joint effort in fighting terrorism as the country struggles to deal with the effects of violent extremism and radicalism in Mindanao.
— Business Mirror
Coca-Cola inks pact with Siargao towns to fight beach waste
Coca-Cola Philippines is taking its World Without Waste vision to the shores of the island of Siargao through a partnership with the local government in championing sustainable tourism and environmental protection of the island.
— Manilastandard.net
PH not giving up on FTA with SoKor
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Philippine government is looking to revive next year the negotiations on free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea should the “mismatch” of offers under the deal between the two countries is not resolved by the end of the month.
— Philippine News Agency
Passage of tax reform measures to promote PH as viable investment niche – Romualdez
House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez expressed confidence on Sunday that the Lower Chamber’s passage of tax reform measures would further promote the Philippines as a viable investment niche.
— Manila Bulletin
Asean trade in services lib to boost PHL semi-skilled labor
LIBERALIZING trade in services in Southeast Asia will increase the demand for semi-skilled Filipino workers, according to a trade expert.
— Business Mirror
Marikina to become pilot city of ‘Safe PH Project’ in Metro Manila
The local government of Marikina City and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the “Safe Philippines Project.”
— Manila Bulletin
Locsin to ‘flatly reject’ any formal panda offer to PH
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Saturday reiterated his decision to reject any offer from China to send a panda to the Philippines, citing lack of facilities in the country to tend to the bear.
— Philippine Canadian Inquirer
Ex- South Cotabato mayor gets 10 years over fertilizer scam
Former mayor Romeo Januto of Norala, South Cotabato and incumbent Vice Mayor Victor Balayon have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison in connection with the fertilizer fund scam.
— The Philippine Star
Senators cool to divorce bill, eye dissolution of marriage
SENATE leaders foresee an uphill battle for the divorce bill in the Senate, even as an alternative option is being seriously mulled over by lawmakers.
— Business Mirror
Gov’t to give P5-K cash aid to rice farmers
In view of the declining palay prices since the rice tariffication law took effect in March, the government will be giving PHP5,000 cash assistance to affected farmers tilling one hectare and below.
— Philippine Canadian Inquirer
General who approved demotion for ‘ninja cops’ is ‘demoted’ himself
After figuring in the “agaw-bato” controversy as the general who ordered demotion instead of dismissal for the Pampanga “ninja cops,” Major General Amador Corpus got “demoted” himself.
— Rappler
Feature photo UN in the Philippines
This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on United Nations Day, October 24.
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).
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Philippines morning news for October 21 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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