Philippines Morning News For February 23

Death, Destruction & Economic Wins: Duterte’s First Year in Review
The first year of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration was marked by sustained GDP growth of 6.7 per cent — the second highest in the region. This growth was supported by higher government spending in economic and social fields, as well as by an increase in infrastructure spending to 5.6 per cent of GDP, as compared with less than 3 per cent under the previous administration.
— AEC News Today

Philippines’ Duterte says may expand ban on outbound workers
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday he would extend his ban on sending workers to Kuwait to include other countries if investigations showed Filipinos were being seriously abused by employers elsewhere.
— Reuters

Corruption Is Still A Big Problem In The Philippines
President Rodrigo Duterte’s death squads have killed the democratic process in the Philippines, and they haven’t killed the system that reproduces and perpetuates corruption.
— Forbes

Senate minority calls for de Lima’s freedom
THE Senate minority bloc on Thursday pressed for the “immediate release” of detained Sen. Leila de Lima, who will mark her first year in detention on Saturday, February 24.
— The Manila Times

BBB program to drastically cut losses due to traffic–Jica
Around P2.4 billion in 2012, P3.5 billion today, and P5.4 billion in 2035.
These figures represent the daily economic losses due to the worsening vehicular traffic in Metro Manila, according to estimates made by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
— BusinessMirror

Singapore eyes 30% stake in Manila airport expansion
Singapore’s Changi Airport Group intends to take a 30% stake in a project put forward by a consortium to expand the Manila airport into a regional aviation hub, according to a local businessman.
— Nikkei Asian Review (metered paywall)

196 Filipino domestic workers died in Kuwait since 2016
Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait are treated like “slaves” by their employers s under the Gulf State’s so-called Kalafa system, The Manila Times Online reported on Thursday quoting Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella and Presidential Advisor on Overseas Filipino Workers Abdullah Mama-o.
— Thai PBS

Xiaomi expands into the Philippines after conquering India in push ahead of IPO
Foray into offline store in the Philippines comes as the Beijing-based company topples Samsung as No 1 vendor in India, a key overseas market. This comes after the company opened stores in Vietnam and Thailand.
— South China Morning Post

3rd telco firm in PH ‘physically impossible’ by March – Roque
Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s continued insistence that the third telco player in the country should be up and running by March 2018, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque admitted on Thursday that the deadline for it may just have to be moved to a later date.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Philippines risks sovereignty with loans from China, analyst warns
The Philippines needs to be careful with its negotiations for infrastructure loans from China, which is after territorial concessions, an international political risk analyst said on Thursday.
— ABS-CBN News

Malaysia and the Philippines demand consultations with US over solar tariffs – WTO
Malaysia and the Philippines have joined the growing list of countries heading to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to request consultations with the US over its 30% solar import tariffs, according to WTO filings both dated 21 February.
— PV-Tech

Philippines to update inflation gauge as anxious markets watch
The Philippines said on Thursday it is updating the way it calculates its consumer price index to reflect changing consumption patterns, a move that could add to investor uncertainty after a spike in inflation in January.
— Nasdaq

Rappler can regain access to cover Malacañang if declared ‘legitimate’ media agency
Online news entity Rappler could regain access to coverage of Malacañang if it is declared a “legitimate” media agency, President Duterte said Thursday.
— Manila Bulletin

Philippine President Draws Line on Cooperation with Maritime Rival China
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has placed a boundary on his fast-growing friendship with China by barring further Chinese activity off the Pacific coast and insisting that Beijing avoid new construction work in contested waters.
— VOA

Health dep’t readies damage suit vs Sanofi Pasteur
HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd on Thursday said the Department of Health (DoH) would soon file a civil case for damages against Sanofi Pasteur, following the French pharmaceutical giant’s second refusal to refund used anti-dengue vaccine vials worth P1.6 billion and shell out money for an indemnification fund for vaccine recipients.
— The Manila Times

Maldives wants unlimited air-transport deal with PHL
THE Maldives would like to sign an air-services agreement with the Philippines that spells out unlimited traffic rights between their capital cities, a move that may spur growth in tourism in the Southeast Asian nation.
— BusinessMirror

Why the world is looking to the Philippines for climate justice
Corporations and governments around the world increasingly stand accused of causing or failing to prevent the damaging effects of climate change. Test cases are being filed in many countries to establish who is responsible and what action should be taken.
— The Conversation

Submarines ( the “future of naval warfare” ) needed to make PH Navy more respectable
While pushing for the completion of the country’s first two missile-capable frigates, Philippine Navy flag officer-in-command, Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad said the country also needs to acquire submarines as they are the “future of naval warfare”.
— Update Philippines

It’s official: World’s top 3 best islands are in Philippines
Three of the Southeast Asian country’s more than 7,000 islands have just been named among the top destinations to go to for a perfect beach getaway, with the islands of Boracay, Cebu and Palawan bagging the top titles in Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards 2017.
— Gulf News

PHILIPPINES’ DUTERTE SUGGESTS NEWS SITE RAPPLER LINKED TO US SPIES
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday stood by his decision to ban domestic news outlet Rappler from his events, accusing it of trying to undermine his government, probably with the backing of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
— Eyewitness News

Feature photo Fabio Achilli

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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.

Philippines Morning News For February 23 added by Leakhena Khat on February 23, 2018
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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

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