South China Sea security issues pushed reversal on US military pact: Philippine envoy
Security issues in the disputed South China Sea helped convince the Philippines to delay quitting a key US military pact, the nation’s envoy to Washington said Wednesday.
— CNA
UP now ranks 65th among top universities in Asia
The University of the Philippines (UP) went up to the 65th spot in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings.
— GMA Network
Senate approves P140-B bill to fund COVID-19 recovery efforts
The proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which features P140 billion-worth of economic recovery interventions in the country, passed second reading in the Senate on Wednesday.
— GMA Network
Grounded planes at risk of damage as Asia’s storm season arrives
Airlines, airports and insurers across Asia are bracing for the prospect of unusually high damage as the region’s tropical storm season begins, as hundreds of aircraft grounded by the coronavirus pandemic can’t be moved easily.
— Bangkok Post
Duterte’s China strategy is hurting us
In his first few months in office, President Duterte surprised the world with an erratic approach to international relations.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippines logs 751 more COVID-19 cases, total breaches 19,000
The Philippines on Wednesday logged 751 more cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–221 “fresh” or newly validated and 530 reported late–bringing the total to 19,748.
— GMA Network
Asian rights network sounds alarm on anti-terror bill
A network of 81 human rights organizations based in 21 Asian countries have collectively denounced the railroading of anti-terrorism legislation in the Philippines which they said would solidify the government’s abuse of power and further erode human rights in the country.
— Philippine Star
‘Vital witness’ in Ampatuan massacre survives attack in South Cotabato
A vital witness in the 2009 Ampatuan massacre survived an attack carried out by unidentified gunmen in Tantangan town in South Cotabato on Wednesday morning, June 3.
— Rappler
ABS-CBN closure torments staff as Duterte ups political pressure
It has been almost a month since President Rodrigo Duterte forced the closure of ABS-CBN, but as the Philippines’ largest media network awaits a high court ruling and congressional decision that will determine its future, the company’s 11,000 employees are increasingly anxious.
— Aljazeera
COVID-19 response improves but loss of other patients hurting local hospitals
THE health care sector’s ability to deal with the pandemic has grown based on metrics like testing capacity, but hospitals are under pressure due to rising costs as well as a sharp decline in non-coronavirus patients, health officials and industry representatives said.
— BusinessWorld Online
SC petition vs. Bayanihan Act ‘democracy at work’: solon
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Wednesday said the petition filed before the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act is “democracy at work,” and even praising the petitioner for raising the issue at the proper forum.
— Philippine News Agency
Philippines still world’s second largest pineapple exporter
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippines remained the world’s second-largest exporter of fresh pineapples in 2019, with total shipments of over 600,000 metric tons.
— Fresh Plaza
Sereno cautions against passing anti-terror bill until questions on freedoms answered
Former Supreme Court (SC) chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday cautioned against the passage of the bill seeking to strengthen the country’s anti-terrorism law until questions on its impact on Filipinos’ freedoms are asked and answered.
— GMA Network
29 more Filipinos abroad get coronavirus; total at 5,259
Another 29 Filipinos abroad tested positive for the coronavirus disease, pushing the total number of confirmed cases abroad to 5,259 as of Wednesday, June 3.
— Rappler
House panel passes amendments allowing farmers to offer crops as collateral
THE House Committee on Trade and Industry approved a substitute bill on Wednesday seeking to amend Act 2137, or the Warehouse Receipts Law, which would allow farmers to use their crops as collateral for bank loans.
— BusinessWorld Online
Inbound tourism revenue falls 61 % to P81 billion in 5 months
The estimated reverse inbound tourism further plunged 60.56 percent to P81.05 billion in the five months to May due to travel restrictions amid the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic, the chief of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.
— Philippine Star
DFA: 274 Filipinos repatriated from UAE
Over 200 Filipinos have been recently repatriated from the United Arab Emirates, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
— Eagle News
Health workers with COVID-19 now at 2,675; recoveries up to 1,457
The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said 2,675 healthcare workers have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of June 2.
— GMA Network
Use of locally made test kits suspended
The use of GenAmplify rapid testing kits for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been suspended due to a contamination issue on the raw materials used in their manufacture, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña announced yesterday.
— Philippine Star
COVID-19 testing to be required before flying at Davao International Airport
All passengers leaving this city through the Davao International Airport will soon be required to undergo health screening at a testing facility for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) before they are allowed to board their flights.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Senators still want VFA review
Senators yesterday welcomed Malacañang’s move to suspend the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States, but still pressed for a review of the military pact.
— Philippine Star
Gov’t to conduct VCO trials at PGH, vaccine trials with China, Taiwan -DOST
The ethics board of the University of the Philippines Manila has approved the inclusion of some coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in clinical trials for virgin coconut oil (VCO) at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
— GMA Network
Senate approves Bayanihan 2 bill on second reading
The Senate on Wednesday, June 3, approved Senate Bill 1564 or the second installment of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which detailed measures that the executive should do to fight the pandemic.
— Rappler
New PhilHealth Covid benefit testing package cheaper by 50%
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) reduced the rate of the COVID-19 benefit testing package by 58 percent to P3,409 from the original price of P8,150 previously.
— Business Mirror
Iloilo town traces 200 contacts of Covid-positive councilor
The Contact Tracing Task Force of Igbaras town, Iloilo has identified and located all the 200 contacts of the 55-year-old male municipal councilor who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on Monday.
— Philippine News Agency
House tackles dual citizenship of ABS CBN chair emeritus Gabby Lopez during franchise renewal hearing
The House of Representatives questioned ABSCBN chairman emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III on his dual citizenship as it continued hearings on the franchise renewal of the media conglomerate on Wednesday, June 3.
— Eagle News
House approves measure allowing transfer of bad loans to asset companies
THE House of Representatives on Tuesday evening approved on final reading a bill that provides for the transfer of banks’ bad loans to asset management companies (AMCs), a move seen to bolster the country’s lenders.
— BusinessWorld Online
Philippines targets higher-spending tourists
The Philippines will be targeting higher-spending tourists as it moves forward under a new normal.
— Philippine Star
Anti-terror bill approved with no changes in ‘unconstitutional provisions’
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 by a vote of 173-31, with 29 abstentions. The approved version was a virtual copy of Senate Bill No. 1083, which the upper chamber passed in February.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Higher duties pushed for imported vehicles
Automotive parts makers have renewed their call to government to support local parts manufacturing by implementing safeguard measures on vehicle imports to reduce the entry of vehicles from overseas or completely built-up (CBU) units and prevent small and medium parts makers from closing shop amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Philippine Star
Fire hits Quezon City
A fire broke out at a two-story commercial building in Quezon City yesterday.
— Philstar
JETRO urges Philippines to lift entry ban on foreigners soon
Japan’s trade promotion agency appealed Wednesday for Philippine authorities to lift restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals after it eased lockdown measures earlier this month, allowing employees of Japanese companies to return.
— ABS-CBN News
150 POGO workers held
Over 150 Chinese working for an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Quezon City were apprehended on Tuesday night.
— Philstar
Revilla wants to outlaw discriminatory tagging vs. religious, ethnic groups
Highlighting affiliation of suspects and convicts to religious, regional, or ethnic groups in broadcast media must be punishable under the law, according to Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Wednesday.
— GMA Network
Liquor ban still in place in Manila amid GCQ
The liquor ban imposed over the city of Manila is still in place despite transition to general community quarantine, and business owners caught selling alcoholic beverages will face closure, the city’s mayor announced on Tuesday, June 2.
— Eagle News
NPA using landmines to sow terror in Surigao Norte: Army
The Philippine Army blasted anew the communist New People’s Army (NPA) for terrorizing the farming communities in Surigao del Norte by planting anti-personnel mines (APMs) in trails usually used even by civilians going to their farms.
— Philippine News Agency
Marcoleta authored bills granting franchises to GMA, other firms older than 50 years
SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta authored bills granting franchises to companies with more than 50-year franchises and which offer Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs), contrary to his position on the ABS-CBN franchise.
— ABS-CBN News
Government tightens requirements for meat imports
The government will impose additional requirements for meat importers amid an oversupply in the local inventory, particularly chicken.
— Philippine Star
VFA termination suspended due to pandemic, geopolitics – Locsin
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr on Wednesday, June 3, said the decision to suspend the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States was prompted by the coronavirus pandemic and heightened tensions in the region.
— Rappler
DOF serious on plan to slap VAT on digital services
The Department of Finance (DOF) is studying how to collect value-added tax (VAT) from local and cross-border digital transactions parallel to its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
— Philippine News Agency
Critical care utilization rate ‘OK’ for now: expert
The Philippines’ current critical care utilization rate (CCUR) is satisfactory, an expert from the University of the Philippines-College of Public Health (UP-CPH) said Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency
DILG: Anti-Terror Bill will not be used to silence dissent
The Anti-Terror Bill will not be used to silence dissent, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday said as he thanked Congress for working on passage of the bill.
— Philippine Star
POGO service providers deny illegal clinics for COVID-19 treatments
There are no illegal clinics catering to employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) suspected to have the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Accredited Service Providers Association of PAGCOR (APSAP) claimed Wednesday.
— GMA Network
Palay farmgate price up 1.33% in mid-May, exceeds gov’t support price
THE average farmgate price of palay, or unmilled rice, rose 1.33% week on week to P19.06 per kilogram in the second week of May, with prices increasing 4.15% year on year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
— BusinessWorld Online
Palace, DFA told: Explain VFA withdrawal
The Supreme Court had ordered the officials of the executive branch to explain its withdrawal from the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States.
— Philippine Star
Grab launches new card to encourage cashless payments in the Philippines
Southeast Asian (SEA) ride-hailing giant Grab has announced the launch of its digital-first prepaid card GrabPay Card in the Philippines, the result of its collaboration with Mastercard.
— e27
DOH working to distribute COVID-19 sickness, death benefits for health workers
The Department of Health (DOH) is working to begin the distribution of benefits for healthcare workers who died from or fell ill with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a health official said Wednesday after senators expressed dismay over the department s slow implementation of the law.
— GMA Network
eCommerce Platform Lazada shows Filipinos spent greater time online in recent months
In response to the current situation our country is facing, more people are pivoting to eCommerce to get access to their daily essentials such as food and vitamins, and even items for their leisure activities like home workout equipment and skin care products.
— ABS-CBN News
PRDP builds road to connect more barangays for productivity
The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) through the Department of Agriculture 8 is building a concrete road to connect two Eastern Samar barangays on May 28.
— Philippine Information Agency
UAAP eyes eligibility, age limit extension
Fifth-year and overage players whose final seasons were cut short due to the virus-hit UAAP Season 82 may get a chance to play again next season.
— Rappler
Long lines build up at LTO office on first day of resumption of operation
Long lines of registrants formed around several offices of the Land Transportation Office as it resumed operations on Wednesday.
— GMA Network
PM is not the key: DTI tells online sellers to post prices
For those who have bought goods online, especially during the coronavirus pandemic , the phrase PM is key or the prompt to send the vendor a private message is all too familiar. It is, however, illegal.
— Rappler
DOST seeks more cooperators to produce reusable face masks
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is looking for more co-operators to help the agency produce reusable face masks it intends to donate to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) front-liners.
— Philippine News Agency
VP Robredo: Anti-terror bill could lead to spate of wrongful arrests
The passage of the anti-terror bill, which allows detention of suspected terrorists for 10 to 24 days without a warrant, could lead to spate of wrongful arrests, Vice President Leni Robredo said Wednesday.
— GMA Network
Filipinos can now receive cash aid from gov’t via PayMaya
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) tapped e-wallet company PayMaya to help distribute financial aid to poor Filipinos.
— Rappler
DTI sets minimum health protocols for dine-in restos
Customers will have to wear face masks, observe social distancing of one meter between persons including in queueing area while waiting to be seated, have their temepratures checked, step on the floor mat and foot bath with disinfectant, unless other entrances such as mall entrances leading to the dine-in restaurants have already provided this, sanitize their hands with available rubbing alcohol and submit a health checklist before they can dine inside the restaurants and food establishments.
— Philippine Information Agency
20 more cops positive for COVID-19, total now at 346 -PNP
Twenty more Philippine National Police personnel got infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing the total number to 346, the PNP said on Wednesday.
— GMA Network
DTI, DOLE inspect firms’ health protocol compliance
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday inspected the health safety protocols being carried out by workplaces in Metro Iloilo to avoid the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Personnel of the two departments initially visited malls in the city to check their …
— Philippine News Agency
Vico Sotto: Pasig to open bicycle corridor, offer loans so workers can buy bikes
The Pasig City government will make its roads safer for cyclists as it encourages residents to shift to alternative transport modes during community quarantine, Mayor Vico Sotto said on Wednesday, June 3.
— Rappler
Happy World Bicycle Day? Group calls for safe bike lanes after makeshift markers removed
A bike advocate group is renewing calls for protected bike lanes after transport authorities removed improvised bike lane markers meant to protect bikers along Quezon City’s Commonwealth Avenue this morning, citing safety reasons and lack of permits.
— Coconuts Philippines
Private Schools Can Avail Landbank’s Lending Program
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) launced a new lending for private schools.
— Philippine News
DepEd warns public against illegal selling of learning materials online
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday, June 3, warned the public against the illegal selling of learning materials online.
— Rappler
Palace: Hiring jeepney drivers as contact tracers an option
Officials are discussing the possibility of tapping jeepney drivers as contact tracers while they are not yet allowed to resume operations because of quarantine restrictions, Malacañang said Wednesday.
— Philippine Star
Teachers’ group wants class opening delayed to January 2021
A teachers’ group said that while a face-to-face setup for learning is out of the equation for now, delaying the opening of classes from August 24 to a later date would give them more time to prepare for the distance learning approach.
— Rappler
Gabby Lopez: I didn’t renounce PH citizenship, take U.S. pledge of allegiance
ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III said Wednesday, June 3, that he never renounced his Philippine citizenship nor took the United States pledge of allegiance.
— Rappler
ECCP cites ways to help health care firms amid pandemic
The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) has urged the government to explore sustainable approaches to help health care companies in the country in their operations amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
— Philippine News Agency
Feature photo Department of Transportation – Philippines
This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, 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).
—
About Philippines morning news.
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Philippines morning news for June 4 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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