Philippines Morning News For June 27, 2019

‘PHL growth faster than regional powerhouses’
GROWTH of the Philippine economy will be faster than other regional economic powerhouses under the Duterte administration, the Department of Finance (DOF) said on Wednesday, citing the World Bank (WB) for such projection.
— Business Mirror

Philippines loses six places in economic freedom rankings
THE Philippines’ economic freedom ranking slipped six places to 49th out of 162 countries, Canadian think-tank Fraser Institute said in its 2018 Economic Freedom of the World report.
— BusinessWorld Online

Duterte: We don’t have sovereignty over our EEZ
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said that the Philippines cannot assert sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone and drive away Chinese fishermen as he claimed that no country in the world has that right.
— GMA News

Foundation with Kapa stake sues Duterte, SEC chair for P3B in damages
A FOUNDATION that made donations to the Kapa-Community Ministry International, Inc. asked the Supreme Court to remove their organization from the list of unregistered investment entities issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and to allow Kapa to resume operations.
— BusinessWorld Online

Government’s local borrowings down to P230 billion for 3rd quarter
THE national government’s local borrowing program for the third quarter of 2019, at P230 billion, is lower by 23.3 percent than the P300 billion made in the same period last year, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).
— Business Mirror

Manila: 109th most expensive city for employees working abroad
Manila now ranks as the 109th most expensive city for employees working abroad out of 210 cities in Mercer’s 25th annual Cost of Living Survey 2019.
— Manila Bulletin

Philippines seeks to boost people mobility, cross-border trade as BIMP-Eaga turns 25
The Philippines is pushing for an increased mobility of people and goods across the borders of the former poorer regions of the four East Asian countries and revive the centuries-old cross-border trade to strengthen and sustain current growth since they bonded together a quarter of a century ago.
— Business Mirror

Angat expected to breach all-time low by Saturday, water regulator says
WITHOUT significant rainfall flowing to its watershed, Angat Dam is expected to breach the lowest recorded level of 157.57 meters by Saturday according to the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).
— BusinessWorld Online

Duterte claims earlier deal with Xi allows China to fish in Recto Bank
President Rodrigo Duterte cited a previous agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping which allows Beijing to fish in Recto Bank.
— Spratly Islands

Only 63% of Pinoys got PhilHealth assistance in 2018, says study
Despite claims by Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) that it already provides near universal health coverage, still two-thirds of Filipinos spent their own money just to cover all their medical needs, according to a survey by a health care provider.
— Inquirer.net

PH rights, green activists most targeted by violence in Asia
Land rights defenders, environmental activists and prodemocracy advocates in the Philippines are among those who suffer most from human rights violations in Asia, facing harassment, violent attacks and death, according to a recent report.
— Inquirer.net

IIF: Rising imports to help PH post stronger growth
The Philippines stands to benefit from rising importation while most of its Asean neighbors suffer from declining shipments from overseas, which is seen to hurt their economies in the near-term, the Washington-based Institute of International Finance (IIF) said.
— Inquirer.net

Better IT system key to preventing health fraud
FORMER HEALTH Secretary Enrique T. Ona said upgrading the information technology (IT) systems within the Department of Health (DoH) and its attached agencies will help prevent fraudulent activities such as the recent “ghost” dialysis claims involving the PhilHealth Health Insurance Corp. and a private service provider.
— BusinessWorld Online

DILG to pursue federalism campaign despite backtrack by President
THE DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the shift to a federal government is still a priority of the administration despite the latest pronouncement by President Rodrigo R. Duterte acknowledging that the move is unlikely to gain enough support in Congress.
— BusinessWorld Online

2 whistleblowers on WellMed ghost dialysis cases, provisionally admitted to WPP, says DOJ chief
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed that the two whistleblowers of the WellMed Dialysis Center who exposed the ghost dialysis claims made by the center, have been admitted provisionally into the Witness Protection Program.
— Eagle News

Kapa ‘donors’ challenge closure order before SC
“Donors” of Kapa Community Ministry International Inc. have asked the Supreme Court to compel the government, through the Securities and Exchange Commission, to allow the religious group to resume its operations.
— Tempo

DOLE Orders Closure of Sausage Factory After Worker Died in Meat Mixer
DOLE Orders Closure of Sausage Factory After Worker Died in Meat Mixer The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) eyes the closure of sausage factory in Iloilo over the gruesome death of its worker in meat mixer.
— Philippine News

Halfway mark: Duterte presidency ‘domineering’ challenge to PH democracy
Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency has proven to be a uniquely domineering force in Philippine politics that now threatens democracy and is shrinking space for dissent.
— Rappler

Long-term strategic plan to develop the financial sector pushed
A consultant at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) is pushing for a comprehensive and detailed long-term strategic action plan to develop the country’s financial sector.
— Philippine News Agency

Group seeks resignation of PhilHealth’s IT executives
The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption demanded the resignation of the chief technical officer and the chief information officer of state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. for what it alleged as “apparent criminal negligence that enabled scammers to raid its coffers.”
— Manilastandard.net

Filipino-Chinese businessmen to give P1.2 M for sunken boat’s repair
The Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc (FCCCII) is set to hand P1.2 million to the owners of the sunken Filipino fishing boat Gem-Ver, the organization’s president Henry Lim Bon Liong confirmed to Rappler on Wednesday, June 26.
— Rappler

Duterte: Drugs to hound PH ‘’til kingdom come’
President Duterte said the Philippines will unlikely be free of its drug problems because of the presence of different international syndicates trying to take their illegal business into the country.
— Manila Bulletin

Du30 drops the ball on electric rate relief
ELECTRICITY consumers in the country — which is to say, about 90 percent of the population — will soon be saddled with even higher costs, thanks to our wildly popular president’s having ignored the issue.
— The Manila Times

Group asks Supreme Court to block law dividing Palawan
Palawan and Puerto Princesa City residents filed with the Supreme Court on Wednesday, June 26, a petition to block the law that will divide Palawan into 3 provinces.
— Rappler

Locsin lauds DFA workers, says 4 million passports issued in 2018 were made possible by reforms
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued more than 4 million passports last year and nearly 2 million more from January to May this year, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., partly attributed this to the reforms made in passport documentation. These, he said, were among many changes carried out to fulfill the agency’s mandate to serve Filipinos, wherever in the world they may be found.
— Business Mirror

Charter flights halt costs Boracay resorts P2 billion
BARELY recovered from their massive losses from the six-month closure of Boracay Island last year, hotels and resorts in this so-called crown jewel of Philippine tourism face close to P2.1 billion in losses in the next three months.
— Business Mirror

SSS reminds delinquent employers to avail of condonation program or face raps
THE Social Security System (SSS) on Wednesday called on delinquent employers to take advantage of its condonation program or face criminal prosecution.
— The Manila Times

Sale of closed banks’ assets yields P38.5M
A total of P38.5 million was generated by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) from selling the assets of closed banks in public biddings in April and May.
— The Manila Times

Insurers now allowed to invest in REITs
The Insurance Commission (IC) is now allowing insurance firms and pre-need companies to invest in real estate investment trusts (REIT), providing them opportunities to diversify their investments and improve earnings.
— The Philippine Star

Majority of Filipinos plan to pay for medical expenses with savings, debt, study finds
A MAJORITY of Filipinos said they intend to finance their medical expenses from savings or debt, according to the findings of a health and wellness study by PhilCare, a health maintenance organization (HMO).
— BusinessWorld Online

‘PHL must hasten CIT cut to lure big players’
FOREIGN investors want the refiled version of the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High- quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill to cut corporate income tax (CIT) to 20 percent in five years and not in 2029, as originally proposed.
— Business Mirror

BFP underspent on National 911 system, failed to complete fire stations — CoA
THE Commission on Audit (CoA) said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) failed to use P53.3 million worth of funds from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Energy (DoE).
— BusinessWorld Online

GSIS bent on selling harbor property valued at P33.6 billion
THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has reiterated its plan to sell its Manila North Harbor property, despite the claims of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) that the agency only has a “naked title” on the property.
— Business Mirror

Anti-red tape law generates few complaints
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on Monday said it received less than 200 complaints since President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Ease of Doing Business Law in May last year.
— The Manila Times

COA urged to simplify audit procedures
President Duterte has urged the Commission on Audit (COA) to simplify its requirements to allow government projects to move forward and to prevent corruption.
— The Philippine Star

Business groups warn government not to give Solar Para sa Bayan edge over rivals
BUSINESS groups on Wednesday asked President Duterte to allow his economic team to review the franchise bill of Solar Para sa Bayan Corp. (SPBC) on issues of competition and alleged lack of deliberation.
— Business Mirror

More firms keen to expand despite lower capacity utilization
More companies are set to pursue their expansion plans in the third quarter despite a slight decline in average capacity utilization, according to a survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
— The Philippine Star

Davao chamber endorses CLC’s proposal to upgrade airport
CHELSEA Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (CLC) has gained the support of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. to pursue its proposed P49-billion modernization of the Davao International Airport.
— BusinessWorld Online

NWRB chief admits gov’t slow to find alternatives to Angat Dam
The head of the water resource regulator admitted that the government has been slow to find alternatives to Angat Dam — the main water source for Metro Manila and portions of nearby provinces — which may soon breach its lowest water level in nine years.
— CNN Philippines

Petron, Shell file TRO petitions versus fuel cost unbundling policy
The country’s two major oil companies have separately filed petitions for temporary restraining order (TRO) before two regional trial courts (RTCs) to stop the enforcement of the Department of Energy’s circular enforcing unbundling of various cost components of petroleum products retailed at the pumps.
— Manila Bulletin

GCredit extended P1b loan to consumers a year after launch
GCredit, the first mobile, QR-based credit line in the Philippines, extended P1 billion in credit to consumers a year after it was introduced in the country.
— Manilastandard.net

DOST provides financing, strategic R&D partnerships for SMEs
A Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through a program designed to forge stronger partnerships for research and development (R&D) purposes has now helped 18 SMEs to partner up with Universities and Research and Development Institutes (RDI).
— Manila Bulletin

IC sets limits on insurers’ REIT investments
The Insurance Commission (IC) has laid down rules for insurance and pre-need companies that are planning to participate in real estate investment trusts (REITs).
— Manila Bulletin

Wunder Carpool Is Collaborating With Public and Private Institutions to Facilitate Carpooling in Manila and Worldwide
After spending the last three years becoming the market leader in carpooling across the Metro Manila region, Wunder Carpool announced today that they will be providing technology to public and private institutions in Manila and worldwide in order to implement carpooling solutions as part of their global strategy of making the world’s most gridlocked cities healthier by tackling traffic congestion.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

DTI to craft program to boost e-vehicle investments
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is looking into developing a special program to attract more e-vehicle investments.
— Rappler

SRA reduces sugar export allocation to US
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has reduced the United States’ sugar allocation to ensure ample supply of the commodity for the domestic market, as production for the crop year 2018-2019 was projected at 2.071 million metric tons (MMT) from 2.083 MMT previously, due to the problems confronting sugar planters.
— Philippine News Agency

Supreme Court applicants: Duterte can allow China to fish in PH waters
President Rodrigo Duterte has the power of discretion even in allowing a foreign entity to operate in Philippine waters, according to justices applying for a post on the Supreme Court bench.
— Rappler

President Duterte “comfortable” with all House Speaker nominees, won’t make endorsement, says Panelo
President Rodrigo Duterte is “comfortable with any of the candidates” for the House Speakership as all of them are his “political allies,” according to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
— Eagle News

GSIS insists legal ownership of 67-ha. ICTSI property
State-run Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said yesterday that the pension fund remains the legal owner of a real-estate asset in Manila currently being occupied by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).
— Manila Bulletin

NPA rebels urged to surrender, enjoy gov’t benefits
Remaining members of the New People’s Army (NPA) should come down from the mountains surrender and enjoy the benefits given by the government through the Enhanced Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
— Philippine News Agency

PUP community moves for the signing of law to mandate the National Polytechnic University
To help accelerate the socio-economic development of the country through the provision of quality and affordable higher education for the Filipino people, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) community urged President Rodrigo Duterte to sign into law the approved measure for the National Polytechnic University (NPU).
— Manila Bulletin

LRT-1 EDSA station expansion in the works
LIGHT RAIL Manila Corp. (LRMC), operator of the LRT Line 1, announced yesterday that it has started expanding the EDSA station to improve safety and convenience for passengers.
— BusinessWorld Online

Bicol health officials continue fight vs. measles, dengue
Health officials in Bicol are continuously finding ways to address measles and dengue cases that continue to rise to alarming levels, prompting the Department of Health (DOH) office in the region to sustain its “red flag” health alert status.
— Philippine News Agency

Police reassure safety in Marawi after explosion
The Philippine National Police in Lanao del Sur has assured the public anew that the peace and order situation in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur is under control.
— Philippine News Agency

NCIP disowns Federal Tribal Government of the Philippines
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on Tuesday repeated its April 15 advisory that warned the public against the group Federal Tribal Government of the Philippines (FGTP), which claimed to represent the Lumad.
— Inquirer.net

Pimentel says PDP-Laban to continue federalism push even as Duterte gives up
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said Wednesday the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban)will continue educating the people on federalism after President Rodrigo Duterte conceded that it may not be realized within his term.
— GMA News

BFP enjoins families, communities to be proactive in fire safety
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) enjoined the families and communities in general to be proactive in fire safety in order to prevent the occurrence of destructive fire.
— Philippine Information Agency

No more special task force for Cebu town mayor killed in hospital
New Cebu Provincial Police Office chief Colonel Roderick Mariano said it is the CCPO’s Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) will continue supervising the investigation into the killing of ex-Medellin mayor Ricardo Ramirez and not a special task force as earlier announced.
— Rappler

Duterte tells Bangsamoro gov’t to ‘hurry up’
President Rodrigo Duterte appeared unsatisfied with the pace of the new Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), telling them to hurry up in a speech on Tuesday, June 25.
— Rappler

Carpio says allowing Chinese fishermen in EEZ unconstitutional
SUPREME COURT Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio said allowing Chinese fishermen to trawl in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is unconstitutional.
— BusinessWorld Online

Tower firms urged to build cell sites in rural areas
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) must encourage tower companies to build common towers in rural areas, according to an Internet rights advocacy group.
— Philippine News Agency

DepEd-Western Visayas eyes study-work program to address high dropout rate in secondary school
THE DEPARTMENT of Education-Western Visayas (DepEd-6) is looking into piloting a program in Antique that will allow secondary school students to study and earn a living at the same time.
— BusinessWorld Online

Tugade wants Sangley Airport construction done by September 2019
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Wednesday, June 26, said he wants the construction of the Sangley Airport in Cavite to be done by September, earlier than President Rodrigo Duterte’s target.
— Rappler

LP open to rejoining majority bloc in the 18th Congress
The once-ruling Liberal Party (LP) may now be in the opposition, but their members in the House of Representative are open to rejoining the administration-allied majority bloc.
— Rappler

PUJ operators in NorMin have yet to receive fuel subsidy
About half of the operators of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in the region have yet to receive the fuel subsidy intended for them and their drivers when it was introduced by the national government last year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Region 10 (LTFRB-10) said Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

Imposing sanctions on PDP-Laban members not supporting Velasco uncalled for –Salceda
Albay Representative Joey Salceda on Wednesday said imposing sanctions on PDP-Laban congressmen who would not support the party’s candidate for Speaker, Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, was uncalled for.
— GMA News

Application to DOST College Scholarships now open
The Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship programs for College students is now open.
— Philippine Information Agency

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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.

Philippines morning news for June 27 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on June 27, 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.