Foreign investment pledges surge in fourth quarter of 2018
Foreign investment pledges approved by the country’s seven investment promotion agencies rose by 322 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2018, with half of the total intended for Northern Mindanao, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported yesterday.
— The Philippine Star
PHL ranks 90th in int’l rule of law index –World Justice Project
The Philippines ranked 90th out of 126 countries included in the 2019 Rule of Law Index, according to the World Justice Project (WJP) on Thursday.
— GMA News
Expansion of money supply, bank loans slowed in January
CASH supply circulating in the economy grew to its slowest pace in nearly seven years in January, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday, as demand for credit eased further during the period.
— Business Mirror
Official tally: 5,176 killed in war on drugs
POLICE have killed a total of 5,176 alleged drug personalities in 119,841 operations conducted ever since President Rodrigo Duterte stepped in as the country’s president, according to the latest update of Real Numbers PH, the official tally of drug war casualties.
— The Manila Times
Watered-down tax amnesty to yield P27B
The government is projected to collect P27.5 billion from the implementation of the newly-signed Tax Amnesty Act less than half the amount expected under the Department of Finance’s (DOF) original proposal.
— Malaya
BSP pegs February inflation at 3.7-4.5%
Inflation likely eased for another month in February, as lower rice prices and a stronger peso cushion upward price pressures from higher local pump prices and power rates, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported Thursday.
— The Philippine Star
Duterte meets U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid a courtesy call on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night, February 28.
— Rappler
Philippines has Mangkhut struck off typhoon names list
What’s in a name? Bad memories when it comes to typhoons, according to international meteorological experts.
— South China Morning Post
Colmenares exposes ‘onerous,’ ‘one-sided’ loan agreement between PH, China
A former lawmaker exposed a loan agreement between the Philippines and China, saying it was “onerous” and “one-sided,” and could just be one of many secret agreements between both countries.
— CNN Philippines
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to visit the Philippines March 6-7
Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad will undertake an official visit to the Philippines on March 6-7, 2019, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday.
— Manila Bulletin
Exports on track to hit $130 billion by 2022 — DTI
The country’s total exports are on track to hit the $122 billion to $130 billion goal by 2022, even as services exports are expected to post slower growth than targeted this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.
— The Philippine Star
NEDA rules out rice self-sufficiency policy on eve of tariffication
THE NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) ruled out the future pursuit of rice self-sufficiency by casting doubt on arguments for maintaining the policy as the government prepares to embark on a rice tariffication regime featuring more liberal imports by the private sector.
— BusinessWorld Online
Consumption, govt spending, FDI rise: 3 legs of growth in 2019
THE Philippine economy will bank on three legs to sustain the economic growth achieved in 2018 going to 2019.
— Business Mirror
Duterte signs law extending use of ill-gotten wealth for human rights-abuse victims
MALACAÑANG ON Thursday announced that President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved Joint Resolution No. 04 by Congress, extending until Dec. 31 this year the maintenance, availability, and release of funds intended for human rights-abuse victims during martial law.
— BusinessWorld Online
Police to change strategy in anti-drug war based on Duterte’s estimate of drug users
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said they will improve their anti-drug operations based on the President’s increased estimate of drug users in Metro Manila.
— CNN Philippines
Exports growth goals tempered
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez sees merchandise exports growing by 4 to 5 percent this year amid tempered projections by the electronics sector.
— Malaya
DA gets P5-B to cushion impact of rice import liberalization
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said that PHP5 billion has already been released under the 2018 national budget to protect farmers from the possible adverse effects of the lifting of the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) on rice.
— Philippine News Agency
World Bank: Women in PH have equal access to jobs, career advancement
Women in the Philippines enjoy the same access that men in the country have in terms of jobs and career advancement opportunities they wanted to pursue, according to the World Bank.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
PhilHealth disburses P6.7-B for claims in Ilocos region
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) 1 (Ilocos) disbursed PHP6.7 billion in claims for medical reimbursement of its member beneficiaries in the entire region in 2018.
— Philippine News Agency
DOTr to fund P300-M breakwater in Antique capital
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to fund the construction of the PHP300-million breakwater in the new San Jose de Buenavista Fish Port this year.
— Philippine News Agency
Duterte OKs reso extending validity of Martial Law victims compensation
President Rodrigo Duterte approved a Congress resolution extending the validity of funds to compensate Marcos-era martial law victims until December 31, 2019.
— Rappler
Over 11K barangays now ‘drug-cleared’: PDEA
More than 11,000 barangays across the country have already been cleared from illegal drugs since the start of the Duterte administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs in 2016, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Thursday.
— Philippine News Agency
DOLE-ECOP deal on regularization of 200K workers scrapped
The regularization of over 200,000 workers will not push through as the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) was called off.
— Philippine News Agency
Philippines may export regional specialty Lacatan bananas to China
There are two banana varieties outside of China, the Cavendish and the Lacatan.
— Fresh Plaza
DOLE releases P13.45-M for SPES beneficiaries in Pampanga
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office here has released some PHP13.45 million for the implementation of this year’s Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) in Pampanga.
— Philippine News Agency
Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte Backs Smacking Kids, Vetoes Ban
A draft law that would have made it illegal for parents to smack their children in the Philippines has been vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte, the presidential palace said Thursday.
— NDTV
Napoles children, brothers refuse to enter plea in court
The immediate relatives of convicted plunderer Janet Lim Napoles on Thursday refused to enter pleas at the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division during their arraignment on the 194 criminal cases filed against them in connection with the alleged P900-million Malampaya fund scam.
— Manilastandard.net
Majority of Filipinos support stricter tobacco control laws – Pulse Asia
Majority of Filipinos would support implementing stricter tobacco control laws in the county, survey results from pollster Pulse Asia showed.
— Rappler
Moody’s: Philippines’ fiscal stability intact despite above-target deficit
The Philippines’ fiscal stability remains intact despite posting a wider-than-expected budget gap in 2018, Moody’s Investors Service said, as increased revenue and expenditures benefit from reforms.
— The Philippine Star
China Denies ‘Tit-for-Tat’ Warning to Manila
China denied on Thursday that it had threatened to retaliate against Manila should the government deport Chinese migrants found to be working illegally in the Philippines.
— Radio Free Asia
Concern, fear, anger from netizens over ‘Momo Challenge’
NETIZENS expressed concern, fear and anger over a game on the internet that challenged minors to perform tasks that could cause them harm and even death.
— The Manila Times
Wages commission orders bus firms to submit fixed-pay plans
THE National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) called on bus companies to submit their schemes to offer partial fixed compensation of at least minimum wage for bus drivers and conductors, in line with the revised guidelines.
— BusinessWorld Online
NFA rice to be sold to traders through bidding
Officials of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said there would no longer be any subsidized rice in the market once the industry is liberalized, but assured consumers there would be ample supply of affordable rice.
— Inquirer.net
DOH set to launch Japanese encephalitis vaccine in Pangasinan
The Department of Health (DOH) office in Region 1 (Ilocos) will soon launch an immunization program that will address the possible spread of the deadly Japanese encephalitis among children.
— Philippine News Agency
Search for La Union cleanest, safest LGU on
The provincial government of La Union gears for the annual search for the cleanest, safest, and greenest town.
— Philippine Information Agency
WATCH: Bishop David rebukes Catholics who back drug war killings
Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte for blasting his bloody war on drugs especially in the bishop’s territory, the Diocese of Caloocan, which he described as killing fields.
— Rappler (video)
GCash, CIMB partner for mobile savings wallet
Mobile wallet provider GCash and CIMB, which have all-digital banking operations in the Philippines, joined hands to provide the first-ever mobile savings wallet in the country, GSave.
— Philippine News Agency
Comelec to use illegal materials as evidence vs. erring poll bets
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it will keep all illegal campaign materials of national candidates that have been removed from operations in some parts of Metro Manila as evidence for cases to be filed against violators of election laws.
— Philippine News Agency
Drug war challengers seek copy of gov’t reports submitted to SC
The petitioners challenging the constitutionality of the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs have asked the Supreme Court to require the government to furnish them copies of reports on the drug war.
— GMA News
Rappler reporter is Fulbright’s Hubert H. Humphrey fellow for 2019
Rappler reporter Camille Elemia, who covers the Senate, is one of two Filipinos chosen for the 2019 Hubert H. Humphrey fellowship , a Fulbright exchange program.
— Rappler
Death to vote-buyers, Senate bet proposes
To stop incidents of vote buying, a senatorial aspirant in the 2019 elections proposed on Thursday to impose death penalty on candidates who bribe voters in exchange for votes.
— GMA News
Experts say PHL risking polio-free status with decreased vaccine coverage
The Philippines had been declared polio-free in 2000 but with declining vaccine coverage and plummeting vaccine confidence in the country, the crippling infectious disease might just make a comeback.
— GMA News
Medialdea: Gov’t wants “gentleman’s agreement” with Misuari’s MNLF, not formal peace pact
The government is not looking to ink a written peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said on Thursday, Feb. 28. According to Medialdea, what the government wanted was “more of a gentleman’s (agreement).”
— Eagle News
Ombudsman orders suspension of Eastern Samar mayor, 9 others over ‘irregular’ Yolanda projects
Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered the preventive suspension of Guiuan, Eastern Samar Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzales and nine other local officials over the alleged irregular implementation of the multi-million-peso Yolanda recovery program.
— GMA News
S&P gives higher score for Philippine banking industry
The Philippines’ banking system bagged a higher score from S&P Global Ratings, citing “improvement in the institutional framework” after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the “New Central Bank Act.”
— The Philippine Star
2018 BSP rate hikes continue to crimp loan growth
The effects of the central bank’s interest rate hikes of 2018 – meant to combat the sharpest spike in local prices in almost a decade – spilled over into the new year with the latest data showing a continued slowdown in loans extended by financial institutions.
— Inquirer.net
Duterte signs law extending use of ill-gotten wealth for human rights-abuse victims
Malacañang ON Thursday announced that President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved Joint Resolution No. 04 by Congress, extending until Dec. 31 this year the maintenance, availability, and release of funds intended for human rights-abuse victims during martial law.
— BusinessWorld Online
DoH backs gov’t anti-drug war
The Department of Health yesterday reiterated its support to the government’s fight against illegal drugs after a medical officer of the DoH was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Mandaluyong City.
— Tempo
Linking Duterte to Cagayan priest’s death unfair –Palace
Malacañang on Thursday cried foul over insinuation that President Rodrigo Duterte’s harsh words against the Catholic clergy had something to do with the killing of priests, including Father Mark Ventura of Cagayan province.
— GMA News
Cash reward up for 2 DavOr cocaine bricks finders
The provincial government of Davao Oriental will provide PHP30,000 cash reward for each of the finders of the 39 bricks of cocaine found along the shore of Santiago in Caraga town on Sunday and Monday.
— Philippine News Agency
TESDA’s training-cum-production program lauded
TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña expplains that the training-cum-production program both give an advantage to the school and much more to the trainees because they will be exposed to the actual work.
— Philippine Information Agency
Makati expands measles vaccination drive to cover children in Kinder to Grade 6
Makati Mayor Abby Binay has ordered the Makati Health Department (MHD) to expand the city’s ongoing measles vaccination drive to include children in Kinder to Grade 6 in the target age group, as part of the city’s intensified efforts to prevent the spread of measles in the community.
— Inquirer.net
Vaccine crisis will have impact on PHL economy, expert says
The declining vaccine coverage in the Philippines will not only affect country’s health system but its economy as well, said Philippine Foundation for Vaccination executive director Dr. Lulu Bravo.
— GMA News
DepEd to parents: Monitor kids’ digital activities
The Department of Education yesterday urged parents to be more mindful and attentive to the digital activities of their children.
— Tempo
Feature photo yeowatzup
This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo acknowledges World Wildlife Day, March 3.
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 March 1 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on
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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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