Philippines Morning News For February 21, 2019

DBM to push through with cash-based budgeting in 2019
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will push through with the cash budgeting system this year despite Congress’ scrapping of provisions on cash-based budgeting in the ratified version of the P3.757-trillion budget for 2019.
— GMA News

January BOP surplus highest in 6 years
The country’s external payments position strengthened for the third straight month with the balance of payments (BOP) surplus hitting a six-year high of $2.7 billion in January amid strong inflows.
— The Philippine Star

Exemption from poll ban sought for 145 projects
The country’s economic managers are requesting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt 145 key infrastructure projects from the election ban to avoid delays in the implementation of the “Build, Build, Build” program.
— The Manila Times

DTI gives P5-M equipment for PH’s lone ‘Halal’ abattoir
The Department of Trade and Industry in Region 12 on Tuesday turned over PHP5-million worth of support facilities for the Double “A” halal slaughterhouse in Cotabato City.
— Philippine News Agency

Duterte signs Universal Health Care law
Easier and equal access to health care may soon be provided to all Filipinos.
— CNN Philippines

ARMM turns over 100 housing units to Marawi siege victims
Officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Tuesday turned over 100 permanent housing units to internally displaced families of the 2017 Marawi siege that are staying at an evacuation center in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur.
— Philippine News Agency

DOH-Bicol records rising dengue cases
The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol is urging the public to practice the “4S” strategy to combat the increasing number of dengue cases in the region.
— Philippine News Agency

PAGASA warns of ‘full-blown’ El Niño in 2019
The state weather bureau is now in the El Niño Advisory stage, the last stage before it is expected to declare “full-blown” El Niño this year.
— Rappler

Government may tap foreign loans for P47-billion Manila Bay rehab
THE government may turn to foreign loans to raise the P47 billion required for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Wednesday.
— Business Mirror

Duterte to Indonesia, Malaysia: ‘Let’s bond together’ in fight vs piracy
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday urged Indonesia and Malaysia to join forces with the Philippines in combating crime on the high seas, amid the continued kidnappings by Abu Sayyaf bandits.
— The Manila Times

Duterte hits Trillanes’ remark on drug war deaths
President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday night castigated Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for his remark that there are only fewer drug addicts in the country today because most of them were killed in the drug war.
— Philippine News Agency

NDRRMC to hold 1st nationwide earthquake drill for 2019
To boost disaster awareness and preparedness in the country, the 1st Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) for 2019 will be held on Thursday, February 21, at exactly 2 pm.
— Rappler

Listed firms told to produce annual sustainability report
The Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday publicly-listed companies will be required to submit an annual sustainability report starting 2020.
— Manilastandard.net

PH execs Japan-bound for 7th high-level infra meeting
Philippine and Japanese officials are set to meet in Osaka, Japan on Thursday to discuss ways of further expanding economic cooperation between their two countries, particularly on infrastructure development and on peace-building initiatives for Mindanao.
— Philippine News Agency

BSP open to monetary easing to keep growth momentum
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilpinas (BSP) will act swiftly if it judges there is not enough liquidity in the financial system to maintain economic momentum, its deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo said.
— Manila Bulletin

Law creates P3.5 billion Philippine sports training hub
President Duterte’s allocation of P3.5 billion for the establishment of a Philippine Sports Training Center will come into fruition two years from now or by 2021, after Republic Act 11214 has been fully implemented, an administration lawmaker said.
— The Philippine Star

300 families in Silay City get ‘Yolanda’ housing units
A total of 300 families affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda in Silay City, Negros Occidental have received permanent housing units from the National Housing Authority (NHA) at the relocation site in Barangay E. Lopez.
— Philippine News Agency

Gov’t to identify state properties for land reform
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has issued an executive order directing all government agencies to identify government-owned lands “devoted to or suitable for” agricultural use “for the purpose of eventual distribution to qualified beneficiaries.”
— BusinessWorld Online

Proposal to revoke scholarships of student-rallyists hit
Some senators on Wednesday opposed National Youth Commission (NYC) chairperson Ronald Cardema’s proposal to revoke the scholarships of “rebellious, anti-government scholars.”
— Philippine News Agency

Solon seeks end to annual tuition hike
Kabataan partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago has filed a resolution seeking to stop the annual increase in tuition and other school fees nationwide.
— Manila Bulletin

DND ready to impose mandatory ROTC in senior high schools
An official of the Department of National Defense (DND) expressed on Wednesday the readiness of the agency to implement the mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in Grades 11 and 12 nationwide once the bill is signed into law.
— Philippine News Agency

PH appeals to Israel over deportation of Filipino kids, mothers
The Philippines appealed to Israel on Wednesday, February 20, to deport overstaying Filipinos in an “orderly and benignant manner,” after an Israeli newspaper exposed the impending deportation of dozens of Filipino children and mothers.
— Rappler

Makati office rents to go up as supply tightens
Property consultant KMC Savills said the vacancy rate in Makati’s central business district (CBD) remains tight at 3 percent despite a slower net absorption of available supply compared to the prior year.
— Malaya

ABS-CBN sells 7 million TVplus units
THANKS to the demand for better television signals, ABS-CBN Corp. reported on Wednesday it breached the 7-million mark in terms of unit sales of its set top box TVplus.
— Business Mirror

Ilagan gets six flood warning stations
As a proactive measure to deal with heavy floods, the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) in collaboration with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) installed six solar-powered Flood Early Warning Stations (FEWS) in this city.
— The Manila Times

German firms look at infra investments
Five German companies are eyeing partnerships with Philippine counterparts in the field of infrastructure and construction.
— Malaya

PH now included in Argentina’s easy visa access system
Filipinos holding a non-immigrant B2 United States visa, who are planning to visit Argentina, may now find it easier to apply for a visa in the South American country.
— Philippine News Agency

Geothermal operator FDC Misamis set for March ERC hearing over P1.47B in unpaid power bill
THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is set to hear a petition by a power generation company to compel the electricity spot market operator to disclose relevant information about the power generated by companies in Mindanao and their corresponding usage by distribution utilities that remain unpaid.
— BusinessWorld Online

NPC vows subsribers’ data protection
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) yesterday stressed that subscribers’ personal data shall be protected by telecommunications entities in the implementation of the newly signed Mobile Number Portability Act.
— Manila Bulletin

ePLDT unit puts up hotline service for DTI’s P3 program
The financing arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has partnered with ePLDT Inc. subsidiary Curo Teknika (CuroTek) to establish a customer service hotline for the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) Program.
— The Philippine Star

Animation firms to grow talent pool by 15% in 2022
AS the government seeks to develop the Philippine creative economy, animation firms are moving to expand their pool of talents by 15 percent over the next three years to boost the capacity of their industry.
— Business Mirror

Duterte: Drug war will be ‘harsher in the days to come’
MANPresident Rodrigo Duterte warned on Wednesday that his anti-drug campaign would be “harsher in the days to come.”
— Inquirer.net

Duterte renews attack on Church ahead of Vatican summit
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday renewed his tirades against the Catholic Church ahead of a summit called by Pope Francis to tackle sex abuses cases involving the clergy.
–Inquirer.net

Singapore-based logistics tech firm upbeat on PHL e-commerce growth
SINGAPORE-BASED TECHNOLOGY company Anchanto Pte. Ltd. is bullish on the boom of e-commerce in the Philippines as it eyes to invest $2-3 million in the country in the next two years.
— BusinessWorld Online

Army warns public vs. joining ‘Black Friday protest’
The Philippine Army (PA) has warned school administrators, teachers, parents and students to be wary about the Black Friday Protest dubbed as “Pambansang Walk-out sa School at Trabaho” on February 21 and 22.
— Philippine News Agency

President Duterte says students merely expressing dissent vs gov’t will not lose scholarship
President Rodrigo Duterte said that students given scholarships by the government will not lose this privilege even if they express dissent regarding government, including its policies and actions.
— Eagle News

Davao raid yields P24-million fake cigarettes
At least P24 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes were seized in a series of raids jointly conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Bureau of Customs Southern Mindanao office on six warehouses in the Chinatown district here early yesterday morning.
— The Philippine Star

Go ahead, release narco politicians list, Duterte tells DILG
President Duterte yesterday supported the proposal of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to release the list of politicians involved in the illegal drug trade before this year’s elections.
— The Philippine Star

Subic-Verde Island sailing race lures foreign cast
Subic Bay–Around 13 local and international sailing teams will take part in the 2nd Standard Insurance Subic Bay around Verde Island Passage Race and the Subic Bay Cup Regatta slated Feb. 23 to March 2.
— Manilastandard.net

Police say EDSA shooting victim had ‘bouncing check’ cases
Jose Luis Yulo, the businessman who was recently shot and killed along EDSA, was facing several cases of violation of the Anti-Bouncing Check Law in various courts, the Mandaluyong police said Tuesday, February 19.
— Rappler

BFAR declares start of fishing season in Visayan Sea
Catching, trading, selling and marketing of sardines, herring and mackerel in the Visayas Sea is now allowed following the culmination of the three-month closed season on Monday, February 18.”The Visayan Sea is now open for fishing.
— Philippine News Agency

Water catchments crucial in flood control, says Office of Civil Defense
On top of a comprehensive flood control system, community water catchment facilities, debris management and re-greening are deemed by Office of Civil Defense in Davao Region (OCD-11) as crucial elements in addressing massive flooding in Davao del Norte province.
— Philippine Information Agency

DBP chief transferred to Landbank in reshuffle
President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed new board members for Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) amid a leadership reshuffle at government financial institutions.
— The Manila Times

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray to promote tourism in Mindanao
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray is ready to take on the task of promoting tourism in the country, with Mindanao as her launching ground.
— The Philippine Star

Term deposit rates ease across the board
The yields of term deposits eased across the board yesterday as banks continued to swarm the weekly term deposit auction facility (TDF) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
— The Philippine Star

Otso Diretso bets disappointed over coco levy bill veto
Senatorial candidates under the Otso Diretso opposition coalition on Wednesday expressed disappointment over President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to veto the measure that would have created a P100-billion trust fund for Filipino coconut farmers.
— GMA News

Simultaneous river clean-up drive in Central Visayas set
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) will hold a simultaneous river clean-up activity on Friday in different parts of the region.
— Philippine News Agency

PSC now into smart drug testing
Starting this year, the Philippine Sports Commission will no longer conduct random drug testing on athletes participating in international meets in the country.
— Manilastandard.net

3 Filipino tourists imprisoned in Hong Kong over bank scam
Three Filipino tourists were sentenced to months of imprisonment in Hong Kong for using forged documents to open bank accounts there, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday, February 20.
— Rappler

Intellectual Property Rights applications in CL up by 72%
Applications for registration of intellectual property rights (IPR) in Central Luzon increased by 72 percent.
— Philippine Information Agency

Department of Agriculture eyes more solar irrigation facilities in Laguna, Rizal
The Department of Agriculture is eyeing to also set up solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) to aid farms surrounding Laguna Lake.
— Rappler

Duterte: War on drugs harsher, bloodier in coming days
I am declaring war. I am not declaring a punitive police action. It cannot help and it would not help.
— GMA News

“SEAG venues to be completed in time”
Developers and associates tasked to construct the modern sports complex inside the New Clark City assured that facilities will be ready for the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
— Manilastandard.net

Rappler, NUJP ask Duterte to lift coverage ban
After a year that its staff and CEO Maria Ressa were banned from setting foot in Malacañang or covering President Rodrigo Duterte’s events, Rappler and media watchdog group National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) called on the Palace to abandon this order.
— Rappler

19 couples tie knots at annual PNP mass wedding
A total of 19 couples from the Philippine National Police (PNP) officially tied the knot in a mass wedding held at St. Joseph Church in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

Digital learning
Public schools in the remote barangays of Hugpa, Mahayahay, and Inaad in Ormoc, Leyte were nominated by the Department of Education to receive a School-in-a-Bag digital learning kit each, donated by the PLDT-Smart Foundation.
— Manilastandard.net

PVMA holds free spraying, nuetering of dogs, cats in Iloilo
The Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) held a five-day free spay and neuter activity recently for dogs and cats in Iloilo City. PVMA president Dr. Joy Santos said it is part of their pre-congress activities for the National Convention of Veterinarians for …
— Philippine Information Agency

Feature photo Brian Evans

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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 February 21 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on February 21, 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.