Philippines Morning News For May 27, 2019

Govt set to submit record P4.1-t budget to Congress
The Budget Department plans to submit to Congress a record P4.1-trillion national government budget for 2020 on the same day President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his fourth State-of-the-Nation Address in July this year, acting Budget Secretary Janet Abuel said over the weekend.
— Manilastandard.net

Philippines bans official travels to Canada over garbage spat
The Philippine government confirmed on Sunday (May 26) that it has banned all government officials and employees from making official trips to Canada, a move that the country is serious in diminishing diplomatic relations with Canada over the trash dispute.
— The Straits Times

Gov’t swings to surplus in April as spending slows on 2019 budget delay
UNDERSPENDING due to the delayed passage of the 2019 national budget caused the government’s fiscal position to swing to a surplus in April, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) reported on Friday.
— BusinessWorld Online

DoH records 74,000 dengue cases in PH
The Department of Health said that more than 74,000 dengue cases have been reported across the country.
— Tempo

Budget delay lessons to determine future of cash-based system
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is still considering whether to implement a full cash-based budgeting system this year following the delayed approval of the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
— BusinessWorld Online

Election winners must submit campaign expense reports or they can’t assume office — Comelec
AFTER the proclamation of all the winners in the 2019 National and Local Elections (NLE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is calling on all winning candidates and parties to submit their campaign expenses otherwise they will not be able to assume office.
— BusinessWorld Online

Election violence to trigger clan violence says NGO
FRAUD and violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during the recently concluded national elections will lead to a multitude of conflicts, a UK-based non-government organization reported.
— BusinessWorld Online

Philippines lags behind Asean peers in financial sector development
The Philippines lags behind other member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in terms of the development of its financial sector, according to the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS).
— The Philippine Star

Senate cuts projected take from tobacco tax
THE MEASURE imposing a higher excise tax on tobacco products, as proposed by the Senate, is expected to generate P15 billion in revenues next year, the Department of Finance (DoF) said over the weekend.
— BusinessWorld Online

COA: P49-M fund remains idle under National Anti-Poverty Commission
The Commission on Audit (COA) found an unspent P49-million fund under the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), turned over by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) for livelihood and agricultural projects.
— Rappler

Duterte replaces MWSS chief
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte announced on Thursday that he has chosen a new chairman of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), saying retired Army General Ricardo Morales will take over.
— BusinessWorld Online

Controversial China-funded Binondo-Intramuros Bridge put on hold
The controversial China-funded project to put up the Binondo-Intramuros Friendship Bridge, which may cause the delisting of San Agustin Church and other Philippine Baroque churches from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage List, has been suspended pending the submission by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of technical studies on the potential archeological and cultural risks of the construction, according to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
— Inquirer.net

BSP tightens rules on selection of external auditors shares
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has tightened the guidelines on the selection of external auditors for banks and financial institutions to preserve the integrity of financial reports and transparency in the financial system.
— The Philippine Star

TradeNet to link 76 gov’t agencies by 2022 — DoF
SEVENTY-SIX government agencies are expected to be connected to TradeNet, the National Single Window System for Customs clearances, by 2022, or else will be removed from the list of regulators, according to Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran.
— BusinessWorld Online

C-5, EDSA ‘deadliest’ roads in 2018
Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) and EDSA have the highest number of fatal road crashes in Metro Manila in 2018, according to data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
— The Philippine Star

Banks post bigger returns, capital buffers but slower asset, loan growth
THE COUNTRY’s biggest banks saw their profitability and capacity to absorb risky assets improve in the first quarter, even as asset and loan growth eased.
— BusinessWorld Online

Merely 2.3% spent from China-funded NCR flood project
NEARLY two years into a project, the disbursement ratio for the China-funded Metro Manila Flood Management Project has remained at only 2.3 percent, according to documents from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
— Business Mirror

Farm insurance coverage at record 2.27 million in 2018
THE insurance rate among farmers and fisherfolk has increased to 33.52% in 2018, hitting a record 2.27 million, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) said.
— BusinessWorld Online

Order tightening control on flow of goods effective June
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it will implement by June two Customs Memorandum Orders (CMOs) tightening control on the flow of goods in the country’s ports.
— Business Mirror

GOCC’s crop insurance covers more than 2-M farmers, fishers
The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) said its crop-insurance coverage in 2018 expanded by more than a third to nearly P80 billion to a record high of more than
2 million farmers and fishermen.
— Business Mirror

Pangasinan police recommends mandatory profiling of foreigners
The Pangasinan police has recommended a mandatory profiling of all foreigners residing or temporarily staying in the province.
— The Philippine Star

Common tower rules eased
The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) recently released a more relaxed common tower policy that will accelerate the rollout of these structures in the country.
— Malaya

Tax tobacco to the max
SOCIAL Watch Philippines (SWP), a citizens’ watchdog, urged senators to enact a good sin tax law to further increase the tax on cigarettes by P60 per pack.
— The Manila Times

Garbage to be returned to Hong Kong
THE garbage that was illegally imported into Misamis Oriental from Hong Kong will be sent back, Malacañang said on Friday.
— BusinessWorld Online

Winning local govt officials warned against non-filing of poll funds
ALL newly elected local government officials must file their Statements of Contributions and Expenses (SOCE) on or before June 13 or they cannot assume of office, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned on Sunday.
— The Manila Times

Bicam panel approves anti-obstruction of power lines bill
A bicameral conference committee has approved the bill seeking to keep all power line corridors free of any obstructions that may disrupt the supply of electricity from power plants to consumers.
— GMA News

Senate bicam committee okays bill ensuring full electric power
A bicameral conference committee composed of lawmakers from the Senate and the House of Representatives has approved a bill establishing a mechanism that will allow for the responsive maintenance and rehabilitation of transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution lines to ensure the uninterrupted conveyance of electricity from power plants to consumers.
— Manilastandard.net

Mandatory CSP in energy sector pushed
The International Chamber of Commerce Philippines (ICCP), the national committee of the World Business Organization, supports the mandatory implementation of the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) in the energy sector saying this is good for investors, ensures greater competition, power supply security and competitive tariffs.
— Manila Bulletin

8 slain, 15 hurt in Sulu clash
Eight persons were killed while 15 others were wounded in an encounter between government security forces and Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu on Saturday.
— The Philippine Star

Navotas opens protection facility for abused kids
Navotas City has opened its Child Protection Unit at the city hospital for minors who are victims of abuse.
— Inquirer.net

91 more OFWs infected with HIV
An additional 91 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in March, up by 14 percent from 80 in the same month last year, the lone representative of OFWs in Congress said Saturday.
— The Philippine Star

Nestlé, Valenzuela launch 1st plastic recovery program
Nestlé Philippines and the city government of Valenzuela have signed a memorandum of understanding for the country’s first citywide program to recover post-consumer waste laminates such as sachets and used beverage cartons by sorting and collecting them for co-processing in cement kilns, or for recycling and upcycling.
— Manilastandard.net

German bank may lend $2.2 B for FGen LNG projects
Germany’s KfW IPEX-Bank is eyeing to extend financing to the $2.2 billion worth of integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and gas-fired power projects of First Gen Corporation that are now gaining traction into implementation phases.
— Manila Bulletin

Norway keen to expand trade after PHL-EFTA deal
NORWAY said Philippine exporters should to tap its market by taking advantage of the country’s trade deal with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
— BusinessWorld Online

Sales of fast moving consumer goods rise 10.9%
FILIPINOS have been shopping more as the volume sales of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in the Philippines has risen by 10.9 percent in 2018 compared to a year ago, according to Kantar’s FMCG Monitor.
— Sun Star

Gatchalian: Senate to push for sin tax, mandatory ROTC this week
With six more session days left before the 17th Congress adjourns session, the Senate wants to pass at least two bills this week –one involving higher taxes for cigarettes, and another reimposing the mandatory training program for high school students.
— GMA News

Sea dispute high on agenda of Duterte’s 7th meet with Abe
President Duterte will renew the Philippines’ pledge to uphold freedom of navigation and the exercise of self-restraint in the South China Sea when he meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo next week.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

50% of Filipinos see life improving over next 12 months — SWS
FIFTY percent of Filipinos foresee a good year ahead while only 4% expect it to to get worse, according to the First Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey conducted by the Social Weathers Stations (SWS).
— BusinessWorld Online

Commuters’ group urges drop-off, pick-up stops for UV Express instead of P2P
Commuters’ group Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) on Sunday suggested that drop-off and pick-up stops for UV Express be established instead of the point-to-point system recently ordered by LTFRB.
— GMA News

Duterte jokes about rape again, at PMA graduation in Baguio
President Duterte made a controversial joke about rape again, saying it was the top offense allegedly committed by some Philippine Military Academy cadets.
— Tempo

Cebu LRT seen operational by 2022
The top presidential aide for the Visayas has expressed confidence that the long-dreamed of body that will harmonize development in Metro Cebu and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project would materialize now that the Province of Cebu and the City of Cebu have new leaders belonging to one party.
— Philippine News Agency

6 illegal aliens arrested in Mindanao as crackdown intensifies at southern backdoor
BUREAU of Immigration (BI) operatives arrested six illegal aliens in separate operations in Mindanao as the agency intensified its drive against undocumented foreigners entering the country through the southern backdoor.
— The Manila Times

Trillanes hits Duterte, spokesman’s ‘obsession’
SEN. Antonio Trillanes 4th on Sunday chided President Rodrigo Duterte and his spokesman for their “obsession” with him.
— Manila Times

MIAA warns public vs overcharged transport rate cards
The Manila International Airport Authority has warned the public about overcharged transport rate cards being used by illicit transport providers.
— Eagle News

Thunderstorm advisory hoisted over parts of S. Luzon on Sunday, May 26
A thunderstorm advisory was hoisted over parts of Southern Luzon on Sunday, May 26.
— Eagle News

4 killed in separate gun attacks in Maguindanao
Four were killed, two of them applicants to the Philippine Army, in separate gun attacks in Maguindanao over the weekend, police here said.
— Inquirer.net

Iloilo donates lot for DILG reg’l office
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 6 (Western Visayas) has secured a lot donation intended for its permanent office building from the Iloilo provincial government.
— Philippine News Agency

Iloilo health office calls for blood donors
The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) has urged residents to help in the blood donation drive to aid the supply of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
— Philippine News Agency

PRRD pardons cadets facing minor punishments
President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday issued an order giving pardon to cadets who are facing punishments.
— Philippine News Agency

Will Marawi become a terrorist magnet?
Two years after the Philippine city of Marawi was overrun by jihadists it remains in ruins, with experts warning that stalled reconstruction efforts are bolstering the appeal of extremist groups in the volatile region.
— The Asean Post

Feature photo Tobacco Control

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo acknowledges World No Tobacco Day, May 31.

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 May 27 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on May 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.