Philippines Morning News For May 9

Gov’t to continue allowing private sector to import rice under new rules
The government will continue allowing the private sector to import rice but the Department of Agriculture has to craft regulations to ensure there is no flooding of imported rice and put up a protective mechanism for local rice farmers.
— Manila Bulletin

Southeast Asian e-commerce firm Garena raises US$550m, rebrands as Sea
Southeast Asia-focused e-commerce startup Garena Interactive Holding Ltd renamed itself Sea Ltd on Monday (May 8) and said it had raised US$550 million to expand in key markets such as Indonesia.
— Channel NewsAsia

Auto sales rise 4.8% in April
AUTO SALES rose modestly year on year in April, and retreated from their month-earlier totals, car and truck manufacturers said in a statement Monday.
— BusinessWorld Online

Philippines seen to keep Basel 3 timelines in step with peers
THE PHILIPPINES is widely seen on track with adopting banking reforms under the international Basel 3 framework along with its regional peers, with the government seen to provide “strong” support for the country’s biggest banks should a financial crisis strike, Fitch Ratings said in a report.
— BusinessWorld Online

Cashless pay facility set up at LTFRB
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), in partnership with Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), launched on Monday a cashless payment facility for government fees.
— Inquirer.net

Pampanga youths steal vault containing P2.8M, nabbed hours later
The police in this Pampanga capital recovered P2.8 million in cash on Monday (May 8), a few hours after the money was stolen from a family here by two thieves who had juvenile accomplices.
— Inquirer.net

Asean Minus X formula to fast-track RCEP–PHL
The Philippines has asked fellow negotiating countries in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to consider the use of “opt out and reciprocity” flexibilities to speed up the conclusion of the negotiations for the trade agreement.
— Business Mirror

Stocks rally to two-year high
Share prices rallied yesterday, hitting a two-year high as the market got a huge boost from a string of positive developments here and abroad, analysts said.
— The Philippine Star

CA acquits Napoles of illegal detention
The conviction of pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles for serious illegal detention has been dismissed by the Court of Appeals (CA).
— The Philippine Star

PH faces UN human rights review
Despite Senator Alan Peter Cayetano insisting that there is no new wave of killings, United Nations member states still called on the Philippine government to conduct a “thorough” investigation into extrajudicial killings in the country. This was what at least 45 countries recommended to the Philippine delegation during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, May 8.
— Rappler

Seek amnesty before Ramadan, illegal OFWs urged
THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has called on some 5,000 undocumented and overstaying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to avail early of the host country’s 90-day general amnesty program ahead of the observance of the holy month of Ramadan.
— The Manila Times

Piñol wants Benham declared as food supply exclusive site
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will oppose oil exploration in the 13-million hectare Benham Rise, as it would threaten the “abundant” fish supply in the area.
— Business Mirror

ASEAN, China urged to complete West Philippine Sea code of conduct framework
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and China are urged to complete the code of conduct framework for behavior in the disputed West Philippine Sea/South China Sea at the soonest possible time to help deal with uncertainties in the region.
— Philippine News Agency

2.7M Pinoys seek inclusion in voters’ list
More than 2.7 million Filipinos filed their applications to be included in the voters’ list in the recently concluded four-month voters’ registration period of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Feature photo Brian Evans
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Philippines Morning News For May 9 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on May 9, 2017
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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.