External debt payment falls 8% as of July
The country’s external debt service burden dropped to $4.062 billion as of end-July, 8.12 percent lower than same period last year of $4.421 billion, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
— Manila Bulletin
Concerns about Duterte granting pardon to Imelda Marcos ‘speculative, premature’ —Palace
Concerns that President Rodrigo Duterte may grant pardon to Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos First Lady Imelda Marcos, who was recently convicted of graft, are “speculative and premature,” Malacañang said Sunday.
— CNN Philippines
Hard-hitting Philippine news portal faces tax evasion charge
Philippine prosecutors said Sunday they will file charges of tax evasion against a news website that has been critical of President Rodrigo Duterte.
— Bangkok Post
Lazada’s shopping fest offered 50M deals to consumers
China’s annual online shopping frenzy—called “Double 11” after the numbers in the month and date—that generated sales of more than $14 billion within the first two hours in China alone, has also benefited online retailers in the Philippines.
— Business Mirror
Lazada PHL sees record sales from 11.11 event
LAZADA Philippines expects sales from its annual Nov. 11 shopping event on Sunday to double the previous year’s figure, as budget-conscious Filipino consumers flocked to the website to avail of massive discounts on a wide array of products ranging from gadgets to diapers.
— BusinessWorld Online
Imelda Marcos partied after conviction
Hours after former First Lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez Marcos was found guilty of graft, she went to the birthday party of her daughter Imee.
— The Manila Times
Tobacco production drops 29% following higher excise tax
A group of more than 50,000 tobacco farmers urged the government to reconsider its plan to increase again the excise tax on cigarettes, saying the move would further harm the industry.
— Manilastandard.net
Higher fuel, power costs seen hindering foreign investments
Rising prices of power and fuel are becoming major roadblocks to increasing foreign investment in the country, an economist from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) said.
— The Philippine Star
Tax court rules ₱74M improperly collected on Air Philippines jet fuel imports
THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) special second division has granted a motion for reconsideration sought by the carrier then known as Air Philippines Corp., finding the improper collection of nearly P74 million from the company on its imports of Jet A-1 aviation fuel between January and July 2007.
— BusinessWorld Online
PH eyes bigger share from oil exploration
President Rodrigo Duterte will insist that the Philippines should get a larger share of the oil that may be discovered during the country’s planned joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
30,000 Filipino sellers participate in Lazada’s sale
A total of 430,000 Southeast Asian merchants, of which 30,000 are Filipino, participated in Lazada’s 11.11 Shopping Festival on Sunday that offered discounts of up to 90 percent on more than a million items, the e-commerce company said.
— The Manila Times
Tacloban asked to refund P36M over unfinished pre-Yolanda drainage project
The local government of Tacloban City has been asked by the Commission on Audit (COA) to refund to the treasury P36 million for failing to prove the accomplishment of a drainage project in March 2013 before Super Typhoon Yolanda came and ravaged the city.
— Rappler
Concerns Grow over Philippines’ Duterte’s Rights Crackdowns
The indictment of the crusading news website Rappler and its editor and founder, Maria Ressa, has raised criticism from human rights and news organizations across the globe and generated deep concerns anew about the commitment to democracy of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
— Asia Sentinel (blog)
Philippines — ‘sick man of Asia’ risks relapse
The “sick man of Asia” may need a return visit to the economic emergency room.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
PH gets failing mark in ‘rule of law’
While the Philippines is not applying for any financial grant from Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC), the US aid agency has given the country a failing mark in “rule of law” on its latest scorecard.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
PH housing sector risks still contained
Risks from the Philippines’ housing sector remain contained despite overheating concerns given a rapid rise in prices, banking giant HSBC said.
— The Manila Times
Isis extends Mindanao grip: analysts
Islamic State appears to be on the rise on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao with up to 100 foreign fighters and a growing number of domestic converts to the extremist group, according to analysts.
— Asean Economist
Fear and killings on the rise in Duterte’s war on drugs
After two years of a violent “war on drugs” in the Philippines, thousands of people are dead and much of the population live in fear of the police.
— Philippine Magazine
EU sponsors football clinic for poor Filipino children
The European Union (EU) Delegation to the Philippines on Sunday kicked off a football solidarity festival aimed to provide the opportunity for 60 underprivileged Filipino children to experience the game through a football clinic under the tutelage of Scottish coach Leigh Manson.
— Manila Bulletin
Pagudpud town to build PHP200-M sewage treatment plant
The municipal government of Pagudpud is eyeing to build a PHP200-million sewerage treatment facility to improve health and sanitation in this major tourist destination in northern Luzon.
— Philippine News Agency
Teachers lament measly P3k anniversary bonus
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers on Sunday downplayed the announcement of the Department of Education on the release of the P3,000 anniversary bonus for public school teachers and DepEd staff.
— Manilastandard.net
Philippines internet speed to become faster with 3rd telco
Internet speed in the country may rise to third fastest in Southeast Asia from being among the slowest at present with the provisional third telco player’s commitment in its first year of operations, but telco giant PLDT has advised the public to temper their expectations for at least two years with the arrival of the new major player.
— The Philippine Star
Electronics, cosmetics, baby products top Christmas season sales: Lazada
Electronics, baby products, and health and beauty products were among the most sought after goods in online shops this Christmas season, according to Juan Pavez Spencer, Lazada Philippines’ CEO for logistics.
— ABS-CBN News
Special Report: After disrupting oil industry, Dennis Uy now wants to disrupt telco
Sometime this year, a convoy of sleek and shiny dark vehicles entered the gates of Malacañang.
— The Philippine Star
P42M to be spent for Davao’s Pasko Fiesta
THE DAVAO City government has allocated P42 Million for this year’s Pasko Fiesta, a month-long celebration that will kick off with the traditional lighting of the City Hall on Nov. 23.
— BusinessWorld Online
Feature photo ProjectsAbroad
This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo acknowledges World Diabetes Day, 14 November.
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.
Stella-maris Ewudolu
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.
Latest posts by Stella-maris Ewudolu (see all)
- Zoonotic crossover fear sees Vietnam ban (almost) all wildlife trade (video) – July 26, 2020
- Job & revenue losses: COVID-19 to hurt Asean airlines the most – July 24, 2020
- Philippines morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020
- Philippines morning news for July 23 – July 23, 2020