Philippines Morning News For January 4

Duterte rules out term extension
MALACAÑANG said on Wednesday the midterm elections would push through in 2019 as scheduled unless the Constitution was amended.
— The Manila Times

Filipinos to feel impact of higher fuel tax starting mid-January
Starting mid-January, Filipinos are expected to feel the impact of higher fuel excise tax rates at gasoline pumps.
— Rappler

Smart to expand 4CC LTE-A deployment in 2018
PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications plans to expand its LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) service with carrier aggregation to more areas of the country to push up mobile internet speeds in the Philippines in 2018.
— Telecom Asia

Gov’t looking to China first as third telco player
The invitation to become the Philippines’ third player in the telecommunication industry would be open to firms from other countries if the government and China Telecom failed to reach an agreement, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
— Philstar

Philippines bars U.S. firm call center from expanding after deadly fire
The Philippines has barred a branch of an American call center firm from expanding in the country following a pre-Christmas fire that killed dozens of its employees, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

Government warns firms against taking advantage of TRAIN
The government vowed to intensify its market- monitoring activities to prevent unscrupulous manufacturers and retailers from unduly jacking up prices due to the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
— BusinessMirror

Philippines admits to circulating ‘faceless’ banknotes
The Central Bank of the Philippines (BSP) has admitted to accidentally releasing into circulation several misprinted banknotes in late 2017.
— Central Banking

Philippines to “intensify” maritime cooperation with Indonesia against extremism
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that his country seeks to further intensify maritime cooperation with Indonesia, especially for preventing the spread of violent extremism in the region.
— Xinhua Net

Philippines constructing first subway line in 2018
The Philippines will be implementing its first subway project in 2018, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said on December 31 in an interview with Fernan Gulapa of Super Radyo dzBB.
— Update Philippines

May referendum for Federal Charter eyed
The leadership of the House of Representatives on Wednesday said Congress is eyeing to submit to the public for referendum the proposed new Federal Charter as early as May.
— BusinessMirror

Reverse trade fairs to promote local sourcing of zone firms
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is holding reverse trade fairs that aim to attract investors in the production of goods that are commonly imported by ecozone locators, according to Charito Plaza, director-general of PEZA.
— Malaya

How Does Duterte Use the Philippine Coast Guard?
During one of the presidential debates in 2016 election, then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte claimed that if he were elected, he would ask the Philippine Navy to bring him to the South China Sea, then ride a jet ski, and plant the Philippine flag on one of China’s reclaimed islands. Yet after his inauguration, he sought closer economic ties with China, leaving many diplomats confused about his maritime strategy toward the South China Sea row.
— The Diplomat

Did criticism keep Callamard out of the Philippines as Roque claims?
Did United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard fail to do her mandate as claimed by Malacañang after her planned visit to the Philippines to probe President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs was canceled?
— Philstar

Traslacion 2018 expects 19M devotees
ORGANIZERS of the Feast of the Black Nazarene are expecting close to 19 million devotees to participate in this year’s activities, including the grand procession in Manila on January 9.
— Malaya

2017 holiday season saw marked rise in e-buying
MORE and more young Filipinos are embracing the digital age, according to latest data from tech company Voyager Innovations Inc., which recorded an almost threefold increase in unique online and cashless transactions during the last two months of 2017.
— BusinessMirror

Philippines counts China as one of “closest allies” :finance chief
China is among the Philippines’ “closest allies” in the region as ties between the two neighboring countries are flourishing under the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines’ finance chief said.
— Xinhua Net

Duterte visiting India, South Korea, Israel this year
President Duterte is planning to join nine other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the Republic Day celebrations in India later this month, which will mark his first travel abroad for the year.
— Philstar

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 4 added by Leakhena Khat on January 4, 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.