Philippines Morning News For May 30

After certified as urgent, bill on P1.16-B Dengvaxia fund hurdles House
The House of Representatives approved on 3rd and final reading the proposed P1.16-billion medical support fund for students who received the Dengvaxia dengue vaccine.
— Rappler

‘Garin, Abad diverted P10.6-billion fund for senior citizens’
Some P10.6 billion in funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) for senior citizens was illegally diverted in December 2015 and supposedly used for the campaign of Liberal Party (LP) candidates in the 2016 elections, a joint congressional review of PhilHealth’s finances showed yesterday.
— Philippine Star

Udenna group investing $6B in Clark Global dev’t
A subsidiary of Udenna Corp. will spend $5 billion to develop Clark Global City in Pampanga, on top of the $1 billion it shelled out to acquire the 177-hectare lot, company officials said.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Manila kids get P5-million in aid
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Tuesday distributed P5 million in educational assistance to at least 1,000 school children in Manila under the city government’s Educational Assistance Program to uphold the rights of children, especially the underprivileged, to free education.
— Manilastandard.net

PNR buys seven more trains worth P2.37-B from Indonesia
Just months after buying two trains, the Philippine National Railways (PNR) again bought from the Indonesian government seven more trains worth P2.37 billion to improve the country’s oldest train system.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

PAF allots P8-M for Bell 412EP helicopter maintenance
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is allocating PHP8.28 million for the acquisition of services and parts needed for the maintenance of the instrument and electrical systems of its Bell 412EP combat utility helicopter.
— Northbound Philippines

Philippines Approves 805,200 Tons of Rice Imports Under Quota Scheme
The Philippines’ state grains procurement agency on Tuesday (29/05) gave the go-ahead for local traders to import up to 805,200 tons of rice under an annual quota scheme, which should boost domestic supply and keep rising prices in check.
— Jakarta Globe

Customs may collect P20 B this year from fuel markings
The Bureau of Customs is optimistic that the government could capture at least half of the estimated foregone revenues due to illicit fuel trade once its anti-oil smuggling scheme is implemented in the second-semester.
— Manila Bulletin

Consumers sign petition to repeal additional taxes under TRAIN law
The finance department has been repeatedly pointing to mitigating measures which shield the poor from the impact of tax reforms, amid growing calls to suspend some provisions of the law.
— ABS-CBN (video)

Infra spending seen to push Philippine growth up to 8% this year
The rate of public spending on infrastructure and accelerated pace of project completion would enable the Philippines to post a seven to eight percent growth rate this year, said First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC).
— Philippine Star

Facebook offers platform to help Philippines SMES expand
Facebook has given small and medium enterprises a platform to grow their businesses through social media tools that provide training to these entrepreneurs.
— Philippine Star

‘Wage hike to drive away investors’
Business groups are urging the government to think twice about giving in to workers’ demand to raise the minimum wage rate, as granting this might make the country’s investment climate unattractive.
— Business Mirror

Negrense exhibitors earn P18-M at IFEX Philippines 2018
Exhibitors from Negros Occidental took home some PHP18 million in sales in the just-concluded three-day International Food Exposition (IFEX) Philippines 2018 held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
— Philippine News Agency

Outstanding NG debt dips as peso strengthens
A stronger peso and foreign currency movements saw the national government’s outstanding debt ease to P6.874 trillion last month, the Bureau of the Treasury reported on Tuesday.
— The Malaya Times

11K ‘Build’ jobs available
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) yesterday officially launched the ‘Jobs JobsJobs Portal’ that allows job seekers to apply for thousands of job opportunities related to the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program.
— Malaya

Consumer group wants removal of VAT, biofuels law suspension amid high oil prices
Independent oil players are joining a consumer group in seeking the suspension of the biofuels law to drive the pump prices lower.
— ABS-CBN (video)

De Lima hailed as most distinguished Filipino rights defender
Rights watchdog Amnesty International Philippines named Sen. Leila de Lima as the most distinguished individual human rights defender.
— Philippines Magazine

South Korea donates 130 patrol cars to PNP
The South Korean government donated 130 patrol cars to the Philippine National Police (PNP) through a program of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
— Philippine News Agency

Meralco to develop 600MW of solar power in 3-4 years
THE power-generating arm of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) wants to put in much as 600 megawatts (MW) of solar power in its portfolio in the next three to four years.
— Business Mirror

Charter-change drafts will deepen poverty, inequity – groups
SEVERAL progressive groups are opposing the Charter change (cha-cha) proposals under the Duterte administration, saying these would worsen the economic situation in the country rather than improve it.
— Business Mirror

BSP to raise TDF offers to absorb liquidity
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) will raise the auction volume for term deposits in the coming weeks in order to absorb additional liquidity released following a fresh cut in bank reserves.
— BusinessWorld Online

Dela Rosa appointed first president of Anti-Crime Council of the Philippines
The former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and now Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general was chosen to head the newly-formed multi-sectoral council Anti-Crime Council of the Philippines (ACCP).
— Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Philippines Threaten War with China Over South China Sea
Why have Philippines-China Relations deteriorated so much that Manila has threatened a war with China? The Foreign Secretary of the Philipines has warned that Philippines-China War is possible over natural resources in the South China Sea if Beijing continues to cross the “red line”.
— EurAsian Times

Philippines begins jeepney transformation
The Philippine government is overhauling the country’s public transport system in a way that could transform the design of the country’s most popular mode of transportation — the iconic “jeepney.”
— ABS-CBN (video)

Feature photo Brian Evans

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 May 30 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on May 30, 2018
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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.