Philippines formally rejects P380 million in EU aid
The Philippines formally rejected at least P380 million (6.1 million euros) in aid from the European Union, Ambassador Franz Jessen confirmed Wednesday, January 24.
— Rappler
Philippines telco signs $300 million digital upgrade deal
PLDT, one of the Philippines’ leading telecommunications and digital services providers, and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications have signed a $300 million partnership with Missouri-based Amdocs.
— CNBC
Funding not a problem in Duterte’s $18-billion infrastructure push, skilled labor is
President Duterte’s plan to supercharge growth with a $180-billion infrastructure program is running into a roadblock: a lot of the people he needs to build all the roads, bridges, airports and railways are working abroad.
— BusinessMirror
Manila keeps focus on RCEP despite TPP breakthrough
Manila will continue to focus its efforts to concluding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) despite the breakthrough made by the 11 remaining negotiating countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
— BusinessMirror
US man gets life sentence for buying Filipino kids for pornography
A California man was sentenced to life in federal prison Tuesday for buying Filipino children for sex and pornography in what prosecutors called one of the most “lurid, willful and disturbing” child exploitation cases in the nation.
— Philstar
Philippines’ Duterte threatens Middle East work ban after maid ‘rapes’
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday (Jan 24) threatened to ban hundreds of thousands of Filipinas from working as maids in the Middle East as he said domestic workers were being raped in Kuwait.
— Channel NewsAsia
DTI to implement ‘halal’ industry devt
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will implement initiatives to develop the Philippines’ halal exports, a move highlighting the sector’s potential to spur trade and investments.
— The Manila Times
Philippines building $3b administrative centre as ‘back-up city’
The Philippines has broken ground on a 200ha estate just north of Manila that will serve as the nation’s second government centre.
— The Straits Times (paywall)
Naming Philippines’ 3rd telco might take longer than expected
The anticipation over the launch of the country’s 3rd major telecom player in two months’ time might turn out to be a letdown, after prospective entrants sought for more time to prepare the requirements for the auction and secure partners.
— Rappler
Duterte’s Media War in the Philippines Highlights ASEAN’s Rights Problem
The effort to ban online news outlet Rappler is sadly an all too familiar story in the region.
— The Diplomat
Philippine casino operator to award loyal patrons with stock
Bloomberry Resorts will reward its loyal patrons with shares in the Philippine casino company.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Federalism shift won’t derail infrastructure plan–Neda
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) remains confident that the shift to a federal form of government will not derail the Duterte administration’s massive infrastructure program.
— BusinessMirror
Philippines braces for long emergency as Mount Mayon erupts
An erupting Philippine volcano belched red-hot lava and clouds of ash and debris at least four times, prompting the number of displaced villagers to swell to more than 74,000 and causing officials to brace for a humanitarian emergency they fear could last for months.
— 9News
2 million workers seen benefiting from amending Labor Code
Almost 2 million workers are expected to benefit from the passage of a measure that seeks to address the problems of labor-only contracting in the Philippines, the vice chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment said on Wednesday.
— BusinessMirror
EU invites Duterte to attend Asia-Europe Meeting
The European Union on Wednesday said it invited President Rodrigo Duterte to visit Europe and attend the Asia-Europe Meeting in October.
— Philstar
Gov’t shelves plan to import 250,000 metric tons of rice
It was just more than a week ago since the National Food Authority (NFA) announced that the country may import 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice this year. This plan is no longer pushing through as of today.
— Manila Bulletin
Big Boracay resorts face closure over sewage mess
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be validating a list of resorts that are not connected to the existing sewer system on Boracay Island, to check where exactly they are dumping their sewage.
— BusinessMirror
Young, poor and pregnant: Teen mums in the Philippines
Angela was just 14 the first time she got pregnant.
— Al Jazeera
Philippines priest probed for turning Church altar into dance floor
Philippines Catholic Priest is under investigation after he was caught on video dancing in front of an altar of a church in a Northern Province, Church Officials said on Wednesday.
— Vanguardngr
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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.
Leakhena Khat
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