Philippines Morning News For April 12, 2019

BREAKING: Duterte threatens to veto entire 2019 national budget
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday threatened to veto the entire P3.757 trillion national budget for 2019.
— Inquirer.net

February trade deficit widened as exports fell 0.9%
Trade deficit widened in February, as exports fell 0.9 percent and imports rose 2.6 percent, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.
— Manilastandard.net

Infra spending rises 26%
The national government’s expenditures for infrastructure and capital outlays increased by 26.3 percent in the first two months of the year, data released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed.
— Malaya

Rappler asks Supreme Court to end Duterte coverage ban
Rappler, its reporters, and regional correspondents filed on Thursday, April 11, a petition before the Supreme Court seeking an end to President Rodrigo Duterte’s coverage ban against them.
— Rappler (video)

Albay under state of calamity; Puerto Princesa on heightened water crisis alert
More areas in the country are suffering from the impact of the dry spell.
— CNN Philippines

Philippines to issue 6 bln yuan Panda bonds – sources
The Philippines plans to raise 6 billion yuan ($893.54 million) from issuing so-called ‘Panda bonds’ in China, according to three sources with knowledge of the plan on Thursday.
— Reuters

Ex-human rights chief to gov’t: Don’t block ₱715M settlement for Marcos victims
Former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chief Etta Rosales is appealing to the government to let thousands of martial law victims receive the settlement awarded to them by a U.S. court.
— CNN Philippines

DPWH forms panel for Road Board abolition
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar on Thursday announced the creation of a Turnover Committee tasked to facilitate the implementation of Republic Act 11239 or the law abolishing the Road Board.
— Philippine News Agency

ICTSI starts talks to buy Hanjin’s Subic shipyard
Port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. is in talks with creditor banks of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines on the planned acquisition of the Korean shipbuilder’s facilities in Subic, Zambales.
— Manilastandard.net

PDEA seeking US agency assistance in combating Darknet drug trade
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is asking the United States’ Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to help train its personnel combat the illegal drugs trade via the Darknet, Director General Aaron Aquino said.
— Inquirer.net

Amid China presence near PHL claims, Palace says ‘sovereignty non-negotiable’
Malacañang on Thursday said the Philippines’ sovereignty was non-negotiable even as it pursued diplomatic means to address issues concerning Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea.
— GMA News

DA to insist on full P10-B rice fund disbursement this year
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it hopes to fully release in 2019 a P10-billion rice industry support fund financed by import tariffs which will underwrite efforts to improve the industry’s competitiveness.
— BusinessWorld Online

‘Firms may buck higher pay on new poverty data’
EMPLOYERS will now have more reason to insist on smaller minimum wage rates after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) pegged the poverty threshold at just P10,481, according to labor groups.
— Business Mirror

BOI asks local biz centers to answer investment queries
The Board of Investments (BOI) has asked Negosyo (business) Centers to answer basic questions on investment promotion to attract more businesses in their area.
— Philippine News Agency

US flags Philippines among countries with high risk of kidnapping
The United States Department of State has identified the Philippines as one of the 35 countries with high risk for kidnapping.
— The Philippine Star

Balikatan 2019: PH, U.S. forces ‘take over’ beach in Zambales
In a naval base facing the West Philippine Sea, Philippine and US troops on Thursday, April 11, descended full force in a mission to take control of the shores from a common enemy. Aircraft flew overhead, ordnance were dropped on the land below, and over …
— Rappler

Govt contract reviews could affect investments
Malacañang’s push to review allegedly “onerous” contracts could affect investor interest in the Philippines, the chairman of one of of the targeted firms claimed on Thursday.
— The Manila Times

Two facilities to bolster the Philippines’ Additive Manufacturing industry
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has launched two 3D printing facilities in the country in its bid to leapfrog ASEAN countries in the additive manufacturing industry.
— OpenGov

Piñol assures release of P10-B RCEF in Q3
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol assured farmers that the PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) will be released in the third quarter this year, following the recent passage of the Rice Tariffication Law.
— Philippine News Agency

DND: Military ready to defend territory
THE DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) on Thursday assured the public that the military was ready to defend Philippine sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) with all resources at its disposal.
— The Manila Times

PHL wants stronger risk financing, insurance vs disasters in Asean
The Philippines is urging member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to strengthen cooperation on disaster-risk financing and insurance (DRFI) strategies, as the region is vulnerable to natural calamities that often lead to loss of lives and economic disruptions that threaten growth.
— Business Mirror

DTI prepares new SRP on basic goods
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is currently weighing requests for price adjustments from the canned sardine manufacturers before it could issue a new suggested retail price (SRP) on basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs).
— Manila Bulletin

Luzon grid placed on 1-hour red alert Thursday night
A red alert notice was issued by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) covering the Luzon grid between 7-8pm Thursday, a second during the day, after Unit 2 of the SMC Consolidated Power Corporation (SCPC) Power Plant Limay, Bataan suffered forced outage.
— Philippine News Agency

Philippines mining to remain among Asia’s laggard
The country’s mining industry will continue to underperform this year given the uncertainties in government policies.
— The Philippine Star

Nomura cites Duterte’s political clout to see tax reforms through Congress
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has enough political capital to push his remaining tax reforms through Congress, according to an analyst of Asia-headquartered financial service giant Nomura who noted that the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey bared significant broad-based improvement in Mr. Duterte’s public satisfaction that again peaked since he took office in mid-2016.
— BusinessWorld Online

Groups slam ‘dangerous’ red-tagging of health workers
Health workers’ groups on Thursday, April 11, slammed the government for branding one of their own as a communist front, saying this exposes their members to even more harassment and attacks.
— Rappler

Extreme hot weather can continue till May
The extreme hot weather that parts of the country are experiencing may last until May, a climatologist told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday.
— Philippine News Agency

PLDT bolsters, secures 5G highway with Cisco deal
PLDT Inc. has tapped United States tech giant Cisco Systems Inc. to modernize a key component of its network infrastructure to meet the expected “traffic explosion” for data services and heightened cybersecurity requirements in the coming years.
— Inquirer.net

US warship cruises disputed sea in Balikatan exercises
A US warship laden with hi-tech fighter planes took center stage at key war games in the Philippines Thursday, brandishing military might as fresh tensions bubble in the contentious South China Sea.
— Inquirer.net

Police, military always ‘on alert’ amid US travel advisory
Malacañang on Thursday assured that the police and the military are always on alert after the US State Department updated travel advisories for 35 countries, including the Philippines, indicating the risk of kidnapping and hostage-taking.
— Philippine News Agency

Maynilad water service interruptions set for Holy Week 2019
Some Maynilad customers will experience water service interruptions during Holy Week, as the West Zone concessionaire will conduct network enhancement activities.
— Rappler

Singapore firm acquires OLX
Singapore-based online shopping site Carousell is acquiring OLX Philippines as part of its bid to win leadership in Southeast Asia’s competitive consumer buy and sell marketplace.
— Inquirer.net

Duterte speaks before bullet-proof glass anew
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, April 11, spoke anew behind a bullet-proof glass, which he said had been installed to thwart any attempt to shoot him from a distance.
— Eagle News

LOOK: World’s most advanced stealth aircraft featured in Balikatan 2019
The world’s most advanced multi-role stealth aircraft, the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Force (JSF) featured in the 2019 Balikatan exercises for the first time in its history as the jets sat aboard the US Navy’s USS Wasp warship during an amphibious exercise on …
— Rappler

Fossils of enigmatic extinct human species found in Cagayan cave
Thirteen fossil bones and teeth excavated in a cave in the Philippines represent an enigmatic previously unknown human species, probably small in stature and possessing an unexpected mix of archaic and modern traits, scientists said on Wednesday.
— BusinessWorld Online

Portion of old building in Binondo collapses
A portion of a three-story residential building, which used to be the Madonna Maternity Hospital in Binondo, Manila, collapsed on Wednesday night.
— Tempo

Locsin hits ICC anew, tells members to ‘file for vacation leave’
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. advised members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday to “file for vacation leave” as they “appear to be taking leave of their senses.”
— Inquirer.net

DILG welcomes SC ruling on hiked IRA shares of LGUs
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to make the all the national taxes the basis for the computation of the local government units’ share in the internal revenue allotments (IRA) starting 2022.
— GMA News

Sotto, Lacson, Honasan seek Senate rebuke of US lawmakers
Senate President Vicente Sotto III and senators Panfilo Lacson and Gregorio Honasan II filed a resolution, seeking the rebuke of United States lawmakers for “interfering” with the Philippine judicial processes.
— Rappler

600 Dagupan inmates to vote on May 13
More than 600 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) here will vote for candidates running for national office in the May 13 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.
— Philippine News Agency

DILG: LGUs must use funds from bigger share of PH taxes for development
Local government units (LGUs) must use the additional funds coming from their bigger share of government revenue taxes for development, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Thursday.
— Inquirer.net

Marinduque Airport resumes commercial operations
MANILA, Philippines – Just in time for the province’s Moriones Festival, Marinduque Airport resumed commercial flight operations after nearly 6 years.
— Rappler

Cebu’s delicacies take the spotlight in new Netflix series ‘Street Food’
A new series on Netflix is set to shine the spotlight on Cebu’s culinary treasures, and the people who make them.
— Rappler

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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 April 12 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on April 12, 2019
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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.