Philippines morning news for March 5

Philippines morning news for March 5
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Philippines morning news

Duterte repeals fiat shunning aid from drug-critic nations
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has revoked an order he issued last year rejecting loans and grants from 41 countries that backed a probe of his deadly war on drugs, his spokesman said on Wednesday.
— BusinessWorld

No Covid-19 case in the country for ‘four weeks’- DoH chief
THERE are no recorded cases for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) for almost a month as the number of patients under investigation (PUIs) for the disease declined, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Wednesday.
— Manila Times

Greenhills hostage taker charged with frustrated murder, illegal detention
MULTIPLE charges were filed against Alchie Paray, the hostage taker in a mall in Greenhills, police reported on Wednesday.
— Manila Times

Isabela bans ‘uraga’ as ASF spreads to 11 towns
As the African swine fever (ASF)-affected areas in this province had ballooned from nine to 11 towns, provincial veterinary officials banned the illegal practice of slaughtering pigs called “uraga”, an Ilocano word for “loaning” meat to townmates in exchange for bags of rice or corn come harvest season.
— Philippine News Agency

3rd Filipino tests positive for coronavirus in Hong Kong
A Filipino worker in Hong Kong contracted the 2019 novel coronavirus disease called COVID-19, making her the third Filipino to be infected in the city, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday night, March 4.
— Rappler

Senate approves resolution favoring NTC provisional authority for ABS-CBN’s continued operations
The Senate approved on Wednesday, March 4, a resolution expressing its view that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate as Congress tackles various bills seeking to renew its expiring franchise.
— Eagle News

Manila to cut workers to Kuwait on restrictions
THE Philippine Labor department will cut the deployment of workers to Kuwait after the Middle Eastern state started requiring medical clearance from recruits amid a novel coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 3,000 people, mostly in China.
— BusinessWorld

Duterte gov’t depriving activists of legal options, says Amnesty Int’l
Amnesty International urged the Philippine government to drop charges filed against activists and human rights defenders amid the crackdown on dissent in the country.
— Rappler

DOT to spend P6B to boost domestic tourism amid COVID-19 outbreak
The Department of Tourism (DOT) will use P6 billion from its budget to finance initiatives to boost local travel amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
— GMA Network

DFA: First Filipino who tested positive for COVID-19 in Singapore given clean bill of health
The first Filipino who tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Singapore has been discharged from the hospital after being given a clean bill of health.
— Eagle News

40 Filipinos from cruise ship in Japan recover from coronavirus
Half of the 80 Filipinos who caught the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) while aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan, have already recovered.
— Rappler

Fire leaves 26 families homeless in Bataan
A huge fire razed on Tuesday 24 houses, affecting 26 families, in a village here just past midnight.
— Philippine News Agency

Duterte urged to deport unwanted Chinese nationals
AN OPPOSITION senator urged the government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to deport Chinese criminals with links to offshore gaming companies here and who bribed their way into the country.
— BusinessWorld

20 firms suspended operations, 300 workers affected –DOLE
The scare arising from the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has taken its toll on local business establishments as some opted to temporarily shut down operations, affecting hundreds of workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday.
— GMA Network

VFA repeal to embolden China on West Philippine Sea claim
President Rodrigo Duterte’s push to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement is seen to further escalate tension and give China the upper hand in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), which is believed to hold huge oil and natural gas deposits.
— Manilastandard.net

Money supply growth quickens to 20-month high — BSP
Money supply growth accelerated to its fastest level in 20 months last January as bank lending hastened on the back of central bank cuts on interest rates and bank reserves still making their way to the economy.
— The Philippine Star

World Bank/ADB funds eyed for COVID-19 response
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said on Wednesday the government is looking at the possibility of tapping the financial assistance from multilateral lenders such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to support countries’ response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
— Manilastandard.net

DOLE eyes P2 billion for virus-displaced labor
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is now seeking an additional P2-billion budget to provide aid to workers who will be displaced because of the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
— Business Mirror

5G rollout to increase PHL telco revenues by $650M – study
Philippine telecommunications companies stand to increase revenues by as much as $650 million from the rollout of fifth-generation (5G) services starting 2025, a study commissioned by global technology firm Cisco revealed.
— GMA News

Almost 9,000 high-value targets nabbed in anti-drug operations–PDEA
Close to 9,000 high-value drug targets (HVTs), or personalities, across the country have been arrested since the start of the Duterte administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs in mid-2016, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Wednesday.
— Business Mirror

DOH: P530M ‘enough’ to combat coronavirus for now but more funds needed
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Department of Health (DOH) can use P530 million of its 2020 budget to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus while waiting for Congress approval of its proposed P2-billion supplemental budget.
— Rappler

Labor department to “scale down” processing of workers’ certificates going to Kuwait amid virus fears
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will scale down the processing of overseas employment certificates (OEC) of all Filipinos seeking to work in Kuwait because of the additional requirements asked by the Arab estate on Filipino workers.
— Eagle News

POGOs don t enjoy blanket protection from gov t –Panelo
Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) do not enjoy “blanket protection” from the Duterte government, Malacañang said Wednesday, amid complaints about illegal activities of Chinese nationals supposedly connected to the budding industry.
— GMA Network

DOLE to ‘reposition’ aid programs amid Covid-19 threat
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is preparing to reposition some of its financial programs to sectors that might be affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) scare.
— Philippine News Agency

Ease of Doing Business Law strictly implemented in all LGUs
One of the main hurdles in establishing a business is the paperwork needed to be accomplished by aspiring entrepreneurs.
— Philippine Information Agency

Philippines won’t impose travel ban on Japan, Iran, Italy, Singapore for now
The Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday, March 4, that the Philippines will not impose a travel ban on Japan, Iran, Italy and Singapore for now amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
— Rappler

House to deliberate on ABS-CBN franchise renewal on March 10
THE House of Representatives will hear the 11 pending bills on the renewal of franchise of the television network on March 10. Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano made the announcement in a press briefing on Wednesday.
— Manila Times

Duterte dares US: ‘Bring all charges’
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has dared the United States (US) to pursue charges against the Philippine government over the supposed extrajudicial killings associated with the government administration’s war on drugs, as he stood by his decision to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Washington.
— Manila Times

Saudi Arabia bans Filipino tourists over coronavirus outbreak
Saudi Arabia is imposing a travel ban on tourists from countries, including the Philippines, judged to pose a particularly high risk of spreading the 2019 novel coronavirus, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced late Wednesday night, March 4.
— Rappler

Senators adopt resolution extending expiring franchises
SENATORS on Wednesday adopted a resolution extending the validity of the franchises that will expire this year in a move that could result in the continued operation of ABS-CBN Corp., Sky Cable Corp. and AMCARA Broadcasting Network, Inc.
— BusinessWorld

Over 82,000 underwent mental health check in 2019 –NCMH
In 2019, a total of 82,654 individuals availed of consultation with the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), an official of the government-run hospital said.
— GMA Network

No Filipino employed in three POGOs with thousands of workers
THREE service providers of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) employed nearly 10,000 foreign workers, but no job opportunity was given to a single Filipino, data from the state gaming agency showed.
— BusinessWorld

FALSE: Noynoy Aquino to ‘finally be arraigned’ for Mamasapano
Claim: Former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will “finally be arraigned” by the 4th division of the Sandiganbayan for his involvement in the deadly Mamasapano clash in 2015.
— Rappler

China embassy downplays Chinese role in crimes in Philippines
China on Wednesday downplayed reports on the increasing number of Chinese citizens involved in crime in the country, calling such incidents “isolated.”
— GMA Network

Retracted study on e-cigs validates vapers’ concerns
Local vaping groups lauded the decision of the Journal of the American Heart Association to retract the publication of a study, which implied that e-cigarette use is associated with increased risk of having had a heart attack.
— Manilastandard.net

Households fuel loan growth, offset slower demand from industries
Households continued to pick up the slack in loans from production activities as credit growth quickened to its fastest pace in eight months at 11.6 percent in January from 10.9 percent in December, ahead of the impact of the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
— The Philippine Star

Women, girls trafficked to POGO employees through chat apps, QR codes
An online prostitution scheme traffics women, including underage girls, exclusively to Chinese POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) employees through a messaging app.
— GMA Network

CITIRA to keep PH highly competitive in Asean
The Department of Finance (DOF) said the proposed incentives regime under Senate Bill (SB) No. 1357, or the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act (CITIRA), once approved by the Congress, will keep the Philippines highly competitive compared with other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region that also offer tax perks to investors.
— Philippine News Agency

DA renews call to traders to stop selling ASF-infected hogs, meat
As more cases of African swine fever (ASF) were seen in Camarines Sur, Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Wednesday appealed to hog raisers anew to stop selling and transporting pork and pork products infected with the animal-borne disease.
— Philippine News Agency

Gordon says Duterte’s ‘soft’ stance on China fuels POGO scandals
Senator Richard Gordon criticized the soft stance of the Duterte administration on China, saying that it is the reason behind the rise in crimes linked to Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO).
— Rappler

Bello: ‘No alarming unemployment rate’ for OFWs amid coronavirus outbreak
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday, March 4, denied the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak had a severe impact on overseas Filipino workers’ employment, as he asserted cases of domestic workers displaced in Hong Kong were only isolated incidents.
— Rappler

Senate, House tackle bills seeking to boost sports dev’t
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) was a busy agency Wednesday as both the Congress and Senate called hearings on proposed bills seeking to boost sports development in the country.
— Philippine News Agency

CA defers twin appointments of PH ambassador to Thailand
The powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday, March 4, deferred the appointment of Millicent Cruz Paredes, the Philippine ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand.
— Rappler

QCPD forms special task force to probe shooting of Kim Chiu’s van
The Quezon City Police District on Wednesday, March 4, created a special task force to probe the shooting of the vehicle carrying actress Kim Chiu and several others.
— Eagle News

PNP wants deeper probe on Customs allegation about smuggling of dirty money
The Philippine National Police is seeking a deeper investigation on the report of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) about the entry of “dirty money” in the country allegedly through the help of some policemen and even military personnel.
— GMA Network

Poe to recuse herself from voting on bills seeking renewal of ABS-CBN franchise
Senator Grace Poe will recuse herself from voting on bills seeking ABS-CBN franchise renewal, saying that her push for the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise has never been about her family’s ties with the network.
— GMA Network

PH Emergency 911 gets record-high 18.4-M calls in 2019
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) today reported that calls made to the Emergency 911 hotline posted a record 18.483-million subscribers in 2019, up from the 1.46-million calls received in 2016.
— Philippine Information Agency

Truck kills retired teacher in Makati
A 67-year-old retired teacher died after being hit by a truck driven by a 65-year-old man in Makati City, Tuesday afternoon.
— Tempo

Agri NorMin capacitates staff on climate change education
The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO)- 10 developed a training on capacity enhancement and mainstreaming of climate change to increase the capability of some DA-RFO 10 staff and its attached agencies, February 26-28.
— Philippine Information Agency

DA-10 BAC revisits procurement act
The agriculture department in Region 10 staged a two-day Re-Orientation on Republic Act 9184 or otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) and its associated rules, guidelines and procedures for the department’s smooth implementation of the said law.
— Philippine Information Agency

DOLE issues guidelines for employers amid coronavirus outbreak
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday, March 4, issued guidelines that employers should follow when implementing flexible working hours in response to the ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.
— Rappler

15 repatriates quarantined at New Clark City test negative for coronavirus
Fifteen of the 16 Filipino repatriates from the Diamond Princess cruise ship who showed flu-like symptoms while quarantined at New Clark City (NCC) are now coronavirus-free.
— Rappler

Kuwait to screen travelers from PH, 9 other countries amid coronavirus outbreak
The Kuwaiti government announced it will start screening travelers coming from the Philippines and 9 other countries arriving in the Gulf state beginning Sunday, March 8, following the continued spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus worldwide.
— Rappler

Año orders PNP to look after police coddling syndicates
INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to coordinate with the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in tracking policemen allegedly protecting Chinese syndicates.
— Manila Times

Military denies soldiers helped syndicates smuggle cash into PH
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday, March 4, denied any of its members were involved with syndicates that allegedly brought billions of pesos in dirty money into the Philippines, but said it will investigate the matter.
— Rappler

No proof of life yet of abducted physician in Sulu: Westmincom
The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) is checking the veracity that the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has demanded PHP5 million ransom in exchange for the release of the physician they seized in Jolo, Sulu.
— Philippine News Agency

Bohol eyes bypass highway to bring dev’t to poor towns
Governor Arthur Yap has proposed a bypass highway project that will connect underdeveloped northern towns of Bohol province to the more progressive southern areas.
— Philippine News Agency

Anti-red tape body tags LRA for slow action
THE Anti-Red Tape Authority on Wednesday flagged the Land Registration Authority (LRA) for failing to approve pending transactions with the public on time.
— BusinessWorld

Davao City business chamber proposes permanent agri inspection and disinfection stations
THE DAVAO City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) is proposing the establishment of permanent inspection and disinfection stations in the Davao Region to mitigate and address concerns such as the recent outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) and related threats to livestock, poultry and crops.
— BusinessWorld

Sandiganbayan junks conspiracy raps vs. 2 ‘euro generals’
The Sandiganbayan has cleared two former senior police officials implicated in the so-called “Euro Generals” scandal in 2008.
— Philippine News Agency

DOST officials hope more youth participation in STEM
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) officials are hoping more youth would be interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and would also try innovation.
— Philippine News Agency

Survey shows big majority of Filipinos satisfied with military
A big majority of Filipinos are satisfied with the military’s performance and have much confidence in its capability to defeat security threats, a nationwide public opinion survey, partially sponsored by the military itself, showed.
— Rappler

Hontiveros sponsors bill declaring child marriage illegal
A bill prohibiting child marriage and declaring it illegal has been sponsored before the Senate plenary on Wednesday.
— GMA Network

Senate ratifies bill seeking return of GMRC in schools
Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) and Values Education may soon be taught again as a regular subject to Filipino students under the K-12 curriculum as the Senate ratified a bill for such measure on Wednesday.
— GMA Network

Philippines taps TikTok users to address coronavirus tourism impact
The Philippines is tapping millennials addicted to popular video-sharing social networking app TikTok to address the economic impact of the novel coronavirus .
— Rappler

Cagayan de Oro offers P500,000-reward for arrest of traffic enforcer’s killers
The city government is offering a P500,000-reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the killers of traffic enforcer Mark Langam IV .
— Rappler

Medical mission benefits victims of Taal volcano eruption
Some 435 families that were displaced by the eruption of Taal Volcano benefitted from free medical assistance extended on Wednesday by the provincial government of Bulacan and the Damayang Filipino Movement Inc., a non-government organization.
— Philippine News Agency

Bizman says PH food industry abuzz
Some business players in the Philippines have had a “push and pull” experience with luck as the Department of Finance implements the tax reform.
— Philippine News Agency

 

 

Feature photo WENet Philippines

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on International Women’s Day, March 8.

 

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.

Philippines morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Philippines English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Philippines English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Philippines daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Philippines news headlines and first paragraphs before 8.15am Manila time.

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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.

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