Why Filipinos love Duterte
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ended 2017 on a self-satisfied note, openly contemplating and promoting his successor after his six-year term ends in 2022.
— Asia Times
PH in talks with Israel to move embassy to Jerusalem
Israel is in touch with “at least 10 countries,” including the Philippines, over the possible transfer of their embassies to Jerusalem after the United States recognized the city as Israel’s capital.
— The Manila Times
Philippines, Japan in talks to supply liquefied natural gas
The Philippine government is currently in talks with the Japanese government and investors to supply liquefied natural gas ahead of the depletion of the Southeast Asian nation’s key local gas reserves.
— Philstar
Digital remittance firms looking to expand PHL presence
DIGITAL REMITTANCE companies have set their sights on expanding their presence in the Philippines, with the country being one of their key markets in the region.
— BusinessWorld
Typhoon Tembin weakens on its track to southern Vietnam after battering Philippines
There is relief in Vietnam after Tropical Storm Tembin did not cause the widespread destruction it wrought in the Philippines.
— ABC
President Duterte to son Paolo: Do what you think is right
Paolo Duterte did not resign on orders of his father the President.
— Philstar
Philippines economy is in a ‘Goldilocks situation’
Diwa Guinigundo is not your typical banker. The deputy governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines, or Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), crackles with optimism when he talks about the country’s finances.
— Asia Times
45 percent of Metro’s garbage not properly disposed
A study of the Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO) of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) showed that the actual volume of waste in Metro Manila that was properly disposed in its dumping area has reached only 29,645.44 cubic meters per day, out of 54,084.86 cubic meters of garbage collected per day as of June this year.
— The Manila Times
Safety measures on Dengvaxia dengue vaccine in place — DOH
The Department of Health (DOH) has been putting in place safety measures to ensure the health and welfare of some 830,000 school children inoculated with the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
— Philstar
Govt speeds up approval of public infra projects
The Duterte administration spent 2017 preparing for battle. It dug trenches and carefully crafted plans on how best to move its infrastructure vision forward.
— BusinessMirror
Duterte assures truth will come out in mall fire probe
President Duterte condoled with the family and relatives of the 37 workers, who were trapped and killed in the fire that razed the NCCC Mall in this city, while assuring them that “truth will come out” in the ongoing investigation.
— Manila Bulletin
Philippines on alert for new tropical cyclone following deadly Vinta and Urduja
The Philippines are back on alert for another tropical cyclone following deadly cyclones Vinta and Urduja over the past two weeks.
— AccuWeather
Firms in Davao mall fire face sanctions if safety skirted
The Philippines said on Tuesday it would investigate whether safety regulations were ignored at an office where a fire killed 37 call center employees, and vowed to impose sanctions if firms had not met standards.
— ABS-CBN
Over a million OFWs deployed in 2017 — DOLE
Over a million Filipinos left the country to seek employment abroad while thousands returned home for various reasons in the first nine months of this year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday.
— Philstar
Philippine Red Cross appeals for aid for 500,000 people affected by ‘Vinta’
The Philippine Red Cross(PRC) appealed for humanitarian aid to help the more than 500,000 people affected by Typhoon Vinta (Tembin), which hit 23 provinces in the Philippines before Christmas day.
— ReliefWeb
Philippines kills four pro-Islamic State militants
Four pro-Islamic State militants have been killed in airstrikes by Philippine troops in a southern province where the rebel group launched a Christmas Day attack, a military spokesman says.
— Newshub
Bill that seeks to develop Kalayaan islands passed
THE House Committee on Natural Resources has approved a bill declaring the Kalayaan Group of Islands as alienable and disposable land for agricultural, residential and commercial purposes.
— The Manila Times
‘I now pronounce you husband and husband’
Is the Philippines ready to accept the concept of same-sex marriage and follow the path of around 30 countries—mostly in the West—that legalized it?
— BusinessMirror
Govt posts P8.6-B Nov budget deficit
The budget deficit narrowed in November as state spending grew slower than revenues, the government reported on Tuesday.
— The Manila Times
176 still missing due to ‘Vinta’
The grueling search for 176 people still missing in mudslides, swollen rivers, and coastal areas continued yesterday across six regions in Mindanao that took the worst of tropical storm “Vinta’s” scourge last weekend.
— Manila Bulletin
Palace: Drug war hugely successful
It’s been a year of accomplishments, as far as the Duterte administration is concerned, as it cited reforms introduced by the President and a “hugely successful” war on drugs.
— Philstar
Mining tax change has just begun — DoF
THE DOUBLING of a mining levy under the first of up to five planned tax reform packages that was enacted last week will not preclude further changes to the sector’s fiscal regime, an official of the Department of Finance (DoF) has said.
— BusinessWorld
Feature photo Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
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.

Leakhena Khat
“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.

Latest posts by Leakhena Khat (see all)
- Lao Morning News For June 29 – June 29, 2018
- Myanmar Morning News For June 29 – June 29, 2018
- Singapore Morning News For June 29 – June 29, 2018
- Lao Morning News For June 28 – June 28, 2018