Philippines Morning News For January 3

Philippines is 3rd happiest country – poll
The Philippines is the third happiest country in the world in 2017, according to a recent survey of Gallup International Association (GIA).
— Philstar

Filipinos prohibited from working in 24 countries
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has listed 24 countries where deployment of new overseas Filipino workers (OFW) is prohibited for 2018 – mainly to ensure their safety.
— Asia Times

Government needs to spend P24 trillion until 2030 to bridge infrastructure gap
The government should spend at least P24 trillion until 2030 to meet the country’s growing demand for roads, bridges and other public infrastructure, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
— BusinessMirror

Philippines population to hit 107 million in 2018
From 105.53 million last year, the country’s population will rise to 107.19 million by the end of 2018, the Commission on Population (PopCom) said yesterday.
— Philstar

3 children fall sick after Dengvaxia shots
Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) founding chairman Dante Jimenez said that the three children, aged 11, 14 and 16 were rushed to the Philippine Children’s Medical Centre on Sunday (Dec 31) after they showed dengue symptoms.
— Thai PBS

Old buses, trucks next to be phased out
Old and dilapidated trucks and buses will be the next to be banned from roads as part of the public utility vehicle modernization program, which kicked off at the start of the year with the gradual phaseout of old jeepneys.
— Philstar

PH manufacturing PMI sustains growth
The Philippines’ manufacturing PMI continued to expand in December, albeit at a slightly slower pace from the previous month, on the back of growth in both output and new orders.
— The Manila Times

PH developer hikes stake in Malaysian firm
Ayala Land Inc. said it has hiked its stake in Malaysian realtor MCT Berhad and is reserving the right to buy the whole company.
— Malaya

De Lima: ‘Duterte dictatorship is coming’
Filipinos should expect 2018 to be the year when the country’s constitutional democracy is replaced with “constitutional authoritarianism” as President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies continue to lay the groundwork for an eventual dictatorship, Sen. Leila De Lima said on Tuesday.
— Philstar

Warship Aid Spotlights Malaysia-Philippines Naval Ties
Over the weekend, a Malaysian naval vessel arrived in the Philippines as part of the humanitarian assistance being dispatched following the outbreak of Typhoon Tembin last week, which had left hundreds dead and tens of thousands displaced. The interaction put the spotlight on longstanding security cooperation between the two Southeast Asian states, which has included a humanitarian component in times of need.
— The Diplomat

Transnational group cements claim on West Philippine Sea in symbolic ceremony
Advocates for the preservation of territorial sovereignty and development of the West Philippine Sea had a symbolic installation ceremony of the Philippine flag in Masinloc, Zambales province north of Manila on Dec. 9, 2017. The activity was the culmination of the outreach and medical mission program of the National Youth Movement for West Philippine Sea or NYMWPS.
— Marianas Variety

10 justices set to testify vs Sereno
A total of 10 associate justices of the Supreme Court are expected to testify against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno during the impeachment hearings at the House of Representatives.
— The Manila Times

Lawmakers call for strict monitoring of TRAIN’s impact on prices of fuel
The House of Representatives is calling for the creation of an interagency body that would monitor the movement of oil prices to make sure consumers will not be taken advantage of once the impact of TRAIN—or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act—is felt.
— BusinessMirror

Philippines: City Savings Bank to acquire smaller rival
City Savings Bank Inc (CitySavings), the thrift banking arm of listed lender Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), is acquiring smaller rival Philippine Resources Savings Bank (PR Savings Bank) for an undisclosed amount.
— DealStreetAsia

Top 1000 firms show PHL growth story intact
THE NARRATIVE on the Philippines’ robust economic growth remains intact, judging from the strong earnings performance of the country’s top 1,000 firms.
— BusinessWorld

Tropical Depression Agaton Kills at Least 2 in Philippines
The tropical system, named Agaton, was responsible for two deaths on the island of Cebu, according to the French Press Agency (AFP). One of the victims, an elderly woman, died in a landslide triggered by the storm’s heavy rain, while a man died after a fall, the report added.
— The Weather Channel

8 must-visit PHL destinations for 2018
SINCE the Department of Tourism (DOT) launched “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” brand campaign in 2012, many of us have become more aware of the beauty that lies in our countryside. In fact, the amount of money we spend on traveling to local destinations has grown substantially.
— BusinessMirror

Feature photo Joe Coyle

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.

Philippines Morning News For January 3 added by Leakhena Khat on January 3, 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.