Philippines Morning News For July 30, 2019

Philippines: Illegal numbers game nets $1.4 billion annually
The Philippines is losing up to $1.4 billion in state revenues from illegal numbers game operators hiding under the skirt of a corruption-plagued gaming outfit.
— Gulf News

Rice tariffication law yields P6.5 B – DOF
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has already collected P6.5 billion in duties from rice imports by private traders under Republic Act (RA) No. 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Act, or an average of P1.4 billion a month since the law took effect in March this year, preliminary data show.
— Manila Bulletin

At least 16 dead from dengue in Cotabato
Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco has asked department heads to come up with a contingency plan in the face of rising dengue cases in the province, which has recorded 16 deaths since January 2019.
— Rappler

PCSO funding for healthcare program just 1.2% of total requirements — DOF
Contributions from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is estimated to account only for 1.2 percent of the total funding requirement of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).
— The Philippine Star

Rodrigo Duterte has accelerated the Philippines’ slide toward authoritarianism
DESPITE MOUNTING international criticism, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has accelerated attacks against critics of his murderous “war on drugs,” further accelerating the country’s slide toward authoritarianism.
— The Washington Post (paywall)

DoF assures no major health care impact from PCSO games’ suspension
INDEFINITE SUSPENSION of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)-sanctioned gaming will have minimal impact on universal health care (UHC) funding, since lottery proceeds are estimated to contribute just P3 billion or 1.2% to the P257 billion needed for UHC implementation next year, a senior official of the Department of Finance (DoF) said.
— BusinessWorld Online

PHL gets $2.4-billion ODA grants as of Dec. 2018–Neda
The Philippines received a total of $2.4-billion official development assistance (ODA) grants as of December 2018, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
— Business Mirror

Big oil firms back fuel marking, citing need to curb smuggling
THE Philippine Institute of Petroleum (PIP) said its members, which include the country’s biggest oil companies, support the government’s fuel marking program as a means of curbing smuggling.
— BusinessWorld Online

DOT allots P600 million to develop, place ads targeting ‘opportunity markets’
ADVERTISING company DDB Philippines has been shortlisted as consultant for the crafting of advertising materials targeting opportunity and emerging
markets of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
— Business Mirror

WellMed received payments from PhilHealth despite suspension
WellMed Dialysis Center did “business as usual,” receiving reimbursements from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), even after the latter suspended its accreditation in June, Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed.
— Rappler

Tariff rollout hurts PH rice millers
About 40 percent of the total 10,000 big and small rice-milling operations in the country have stopped their operations after experiencing the negative impacts of the implementation of a new rice regime including the tremendous decrease in the price of locally-produced palay or unhusked rice, the industry said.
— The Manila Times

DOLE to help workers affected by lotto closure
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday said it is ready to provide aid to workers who were displaced by the closure of the gaming schemes of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
— Business Mirror

‘3,000 rice mills nationwide stopped operation’
At least 3,000 rice mills nationwide have stopped operation due to the influx of cheaper imports, the Philippine Confederation of Grains Association Inc. (Philcongrains) said on Monday.
— Business Mirror

ERC struggling to resolve big load of case backlogs amid flurry of PSAs
No less than Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chairperson Agnes T. Devanadera has admitted that they are still wrestling with thousands of case backlogs and the regulatory body is not expecting this abated because of expected flurry of new power supply agreements (PSAs) from the competitive selection process (CSP) mandate on distribution utilities.
— Manila Bulletin

Moro region adapts cash-based budgeting
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) has adapted the national government’s annual cash-based budgeting process, saying this would ensure “implementation readiness” of its programs.
— Business Mirror

DOLE drafts Cabinet version of SOT bill
THE next legislative battle on the passage of a Security of Tenure (SOT) bill—after last week’s veto by the President—might not be on its provisions limiting contractualization, but over those that could make it widespread by granting employers more leeway in determining positions they can outsource.
— Business Mirror

BI: More Chinese barred from entering Philippines
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has barred the entry of 2,351 foreign nationals, including 1,129 from China, during the first six months of this year.
— The Philippine Star

PEZA, MinDA partner for ecozone development
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) boost their partnership to enhance development of ecozones in the countryside.
— Manila Bulletin

Manila lifts ban on e-trikes
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno yesterday lifted his ban on electronic tricycles and allowed 280 e-trike drivers to resume plying their routes after ordering the cancellation of their permits last week on safety considerations.
— The Philippine Star

Moreno orders withdrawal of business permits of all PCSO gaming outlets in Manila City
Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday ordered the withdrawal of all business licenses and mayor’s permits granted to all Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)-licensed gaming outlets following President Rodrigo Duterte’s verbal command.
— CNN Philippines

Lacson hits Duque in privilege speech for alleged payment scam, conflict of interest
The Senate leadership Monday referred to its two committees the privilege speech of Senator Panfilo M. Lacson alleged multi-billion-peso medical payment scams at the PhilHealth and a questionable medical supply contracts between the Duque family and the Department of Health (DOH) headed by DOH Secretary Francisco Duque.
— Manila Bulletin

EU to fund electrification in 3 major island-grids
The European Union (EU) will be funneling funds to energize some communities in Cebu, Bohol and Palawan – three of the major island-grids in the country that are flourishing economically primarily on the sphere of tourism and development of key industries.
— Manila Bulletin

Rice industry group wants tighter import regulations
Amid the influx of allegedly undervalued rice imports, the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations (PCGA) on Monday, July 29, called for stricter government regulations.
— Rappler

Will Helicopter Ride Sharing Take Off In The Philippines?
The Philippine capital of Manila is notorious for its debilitating traffic congestion, which is estimated to cost the country more than $105 million a day by 2035 in lost productivity and revenue, according to an estimate from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
— Forbes

Duterte wants Batanes patrols amid China row
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte wants regular patrols near the islands of Batanes province amid China’s land reclamation activities in the South China Sea.
— Spratly Islands

SC to courts: Report status of all cases involving PCSO since January 2018
The Supreme Court has ordered all judges and branch clerks of first- and second-level courts nationwide to report the status of all their cases involving the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office since January 2018.
— Eagle News

NUPL blasts ‘ineffective’ writ of amparo after CA junks protection plea
The Court of Appeals (CA) denied the petitions for writs of amparo and habeas data of rights group National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), which sought a protection order from the military and which would have prompted a more in-depth investigation into instances of red-tagging of lawyers.
— Rappler

Data breach hits Sephora, Philippine customers affected
Beauty retailer Sephora has been hit by a data breach, the company disclosed via an email it sent out to online customers on Monday, July 29.
— Rappler

Charity program will continue despite gaming ban – PCSO
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said its Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP) will continue despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s verbal order to ban all gaming schemes.
— Rappler

Ilocos Norte gov’t vows to improve healthcare assistance for senior citizens
The provincial government of Ilocos Norte pushes for the continuous development of healthcare system for the senior citizens as one of the top priorities mentioned by Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc during the inauguration ceremony of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines-Ilocos Norte Chapter (FSCAP-IN) on July 25 at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City.
— Philippine Information Agency

DILG kicks off 60-day countdown for Metro Manila cleanup
After primary and arterial roads, Metro Manila mayors should next target tertiary roads and residential areas as part of their compliance with President Duterte’s order to “reclaim all public roads.”
— Inquirer.net

Pampanga guv cautions public vs substandard construction materials
Governor Dennis Pineda calls on the public to be vigilant against hardware stores selling substandard construction materials.
— Philippine Information Agency

Pangasinan solon files bill to promote film tourism
Pangasinan 4th District Representative Christopher de Venecia has filed a bill that seeks to develop and promote film and television tourism by creating an oversight board that focuses on the needs of the growing film industry.
— Philippine News Agency

Protect Palawan from disinformation, journalists urge students
In a place where truth still thrives online, what can the community do to protect itself from the threat of online hatred and disinformation?
— Rappler

Lacson questions Duque’s family dealings with DOH
In what could be a clear case of conflict of interest, Senator Panfilo Lacson bared on Monday that companies owned or connected with the family of Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III had dealings with the department involving millions in pesos.
— GMA News

Mati City eyes improvements in agri-tourism
Aside from the development of famous beaches in Mati City, Davao Oriental, Mayor Michelle Rabat is also eyeing the development of parks and restaurants, as well as promoting agriculture, and culture and arts.
— Philippine News Agency

DavSur town equips villages with vehicles for disasters
Twenty out of the 22 barangays of this town have received vehicles and equipment as part of disaster preparedness measures.
— Philippine News Agency

Feature photo .archi. JOURNAL

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July 30.

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).

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Philippines morning news for July 30 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on July 30, 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.