ADB trims Philippines growth forecasts for 2018, 2019
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised downward its growth projection for the Philippines this year and next, concerned with the persistent weakness in the agriculture sector, slower growth of exports and inflationary pressures.
— Philstar Global
Philippines plans $4.97-billion domestic borrowing in Q4
The Philippines plans to raise as much as P270 billion pesos from the sale of treasury bills and bonds in the fourth quarter, the same amount that was planned for the current quarter, the Bureau of the Treasury said on Tuesday.
— Interaksyon
Philippines’ ‘slow’ automation shift may lead to job, investment losses: analyst
The Philippines’ “slow” shift to automation may lead to lower competitiveness and fewer job opportunities in the near future, analysts said Wednesday, as the government continues to urge businesses to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) and upgrade workers’ skills.
— ABS-CBN
How the modernization of the Philippine Air Force is going
The Philippine Air Force continues to beef up its defense and surveillance capabilities at a time of maritime tensions.
— Interaksyon
Rising inflation poses challenge to Duterte
After two years since his landslide presidential victory, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could finally be facing his biggest challenge yet.
— The Asean Post
Bam Aquino: Ensure affordable NFA rice available to the poor
Senator Bam Aquino on Wednesday commended plans to boost the availability of more affordable rice by selling National Food Authority (NFA) rice in supermarkets but called on the government to make sure that it would be accessible to the poor sector of society.
— Inquirer.net
World in ‘deep kimchi’ if trade war lasts: Philippines finance minister
The world economy will be in “deep kimchi” if the current trade war between the United States and China drags on, the finance minister of the Philippines has warned, acknowledging his country is one of the first in the firing line.
— Reuters
PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame ready for Trillanes
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame is now ready for the possible detention of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, according to Spokesperson Chief Supt. Benigno Durana.
— Inquirer.net
‘Red October’ plot is Duterte admin’s ‘height of paranoia’ — Makabayan bloc
The Makabayan opposition bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday insisted that the alleged “Red October” destabilization plot to overthrow the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte was baseless, branding it as the government’s “height of paranoia.”
— Inquirer.net
Bukidnon vegetable supply line may become permanent
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to make its emergency shipments of low-cost vegetables from Bukidnon to Metro Manila more permanent. It however still needs to work out the logistics bottlenecks, said Undersecretary Jose Gabriel M. La Viña.
— Fresh Plaza
Consignee in ‘smuggled’ P6.8B shabu says BOC exec threatening her
The owner of SMYD Trading – listed consignee of the magnetic lifters that allegedly contained P6.8 billion worth of shabu purportedly smuggled into the country – has accused a Bureau of Customs (BOC) official of threatening her so she would side with him during Senate investigation.
— Inquirer.net
Philippines resorts to short-term solutions for Metro Manila traffic
The government settles for short-term solutions to ease Metro Manila traffic for now – as it catches up on infrastructure that should have been built decades ago.
— CNN Philippines
Customs X-rays can be manipulated, says BOC official
The X-ray image results of shipments that go through the Bureau of Customs (BOC) can be deliberately “darkened’ to hide smuggled contents, a customs official said on Wednesday.
— Inquirer.net
IFC Helps Philippines Expand Access to Finance for MSMEs and Agricultural Sector with New Personal Property Law
The act, signed into law by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on August 17, creates a legal framework that will allow small businesses to use moveable assets, or assets other than land, as collateral to secure credit. Movable assets include account receivables, warehouse receipts, equipment, planted crops, inventory, and intellectual property.
AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)
The trouble with the second landslide
Perhaps the most painful thing about the killer landslide in Naga City in the central Philippines was it appears the human death toll could have been prevented.
— Al Jazeera
Japan’s Calbee pulls out of Philippine potato chip venture
Japanese snackmaker Calbee on Wednesday said it would pull out of its potato chip venture in the Philippines with food and beverage group Universal Robina after it failed to make money.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
Philippines, Australia Begin Joint Anti-Terror Naval Drills
The Philippine and Australian navies have started 10 days of joint exercises in waters known as key sea corridors used by terror groups off the southern city of Zamboanga, officials said Wednesday, in a sign of tighter security relations amid a spate of recent bombings blamed on Islamic State-linked extremists.
— Benar News
State-run casinos in the Philippines too ‘profitable’ to sell
State regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is not looking to sell casinos earlier targeted for privatization just yet, Inside Asian Gaming reported.
— CalvinAyre.com
The Philippine film industry a star after 100 years
THIS month and the next, the Philippine film industry becomes the darling of at least two film festivals in Asia: the 27th Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival (FIFF) in Japan and the 23rd Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.
— BusinessMirror
Philippine Coast Guard Becomes Philippines’ First H145 Operator for Parapublic Missions
Philippine Coast Guard has placed an order for one H145 helicopter, making it the first H145 parapublic operator in the Philippines.
— AviationPros
ADAS 2018: Austal on track with Philippine expansion
Australian shipbuilder Austal is expanding its presence in the Philippines in support of a potential programme to supply the Philippine Navy (PN) with six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).
— Janes
Feature photo U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific
This week’s morning news feature photo acknowledges World Rabies Day, September 28.
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.

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