Philippines morning news for May 3

Philippines morning news for May 3
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Philippines morning newsApril Philippine factory reading lowest in 9 months
Growth in Philippine manufacturing eased in April amid a slight improvement to the country’s business conditions, according to monthly tracking done by IHS Markit for Nikkei Inc.
— The Philippine Star

PHL nets $42-million export sales, investment leads in Malaysia halal trade show–DTI exec
The Philippines reaped over $42 million in export sales and investment leads from more than 300 foreign buyers following its participation in the world’s largest halal trade show.
— Business Mirror

UP enters top 100 universities in THE Asia rankings
The University of the Philippines is among the top 100 in unversities in Asia after placing 95th in the 2019 Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings.
— The Philippine Star

Dispute breaks out over RCEF funding as DA insists on P10B
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has signaled that it will claim the full amount of P10 billion once tariffs start generating funding for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), arguing that a P5 billion advance provided in 2018 was meant for other rice projects.
— BusinessWorld Online

ADB to finance $100-M walkways in Metro Manila
All over Metro Manila, there’s little or no room for expanding or constructing sidewalks.
— The Philippine Star

National Center for Mental Health crisis hotline now open
The Department of Health (DOH) launched on Thursday, May 2, a national crisis hotline to assist people with mental health concerns ranging from counseling to psychiatric emergencies and suicide prevention.
— Rappler

PHL touts inclusive, sustainable growth through financing for development at UN
With an eye to achieving the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals, the Philippines championed its key initiative on financing for development at the general debate of the recent 2019 Economic and Social Council Financing for Development Forum Follow-up at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
— Business Mirror

Where P2.8-B cocaine ended up in PH over past decade
Cocaine just keeps on floating near Philippine shores.
— Rappler

Philippines, Indonesia kick off coordinated border naval patrol
The Philippines and Indonesia kicked off on Thursday their joint patrol in the Sulu-Celebes Seas, a move aimed at strengthening security cooperation to combat piracy, smuggling and maritime attacks in the region.
— Xinhua

$500M pioneering project to curb imports
The country’s lone reinforcing bar (rebar) manufacturer will increase the value-added on steel scraps by more than 30 percent through its $500-million (P26 billion) steel beams manufacturing plant, the first in the country.
— Malaya

The Philippines: Renewed allegations against UN expert are “clearly retaliation”
The Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, Brigadier General Antonio Parlade, told a news conference in Manila on 13 March that the United Nations had been infiltrated by the Communist Party of the Philippines through Ms. Tauli-Corpuz.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire

Max’s Group pledges P10.5M for PH’s quest for 1st Olympic gold
The Max’s Group Inc. (MGI) pledged its support to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) in the Filipino athletes’ quest to get that elusive Olympic gold.
— Philippine News Agency

China to put up merchant power plants in PH to help build power capacity — Cusi
The Philippine government was able to convince China to put up merchant power plants in the country to help build power capacity, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Thursday.
— Inquirer.net

Sanofi wins US approval to sell dengue vaccine but with major restrictions
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday gave Sanofi SA’s dengue vaccine Dengvaxia a very narrow approval as the company continues to suffer from evidence that its vaccine, which took 20 years to develop, can cause severe infections in some people.
— ABS-CBN News

Water disruption persists, Laguna Lake cleanup pushed
Maynilad Water Services Inc. said it increased the production of its Putatan water treatment facilities 1 and 2 from 80 million liters per day (MLD) to 125 MLD as of 2 a.m. yesterday, May 2 but noted supply disruption in its service area may still continue.
— Malaya

PHL to step up IP protection of creative assets
THE government is seeking to heighten its intellectual-property (IP) protection of creative assets as part of efforts to sustain the Philippines as the top creative economy in Southeast Asia.
— Business Mirror

Solons eye P50-million fine for sudden brownouts
LAWMAKERS are looking to pass remedial legislation imposing stiff penalties on power suppliers for unplanned brownouts, with fines that could go as high as P50 million.
— Business Mirror

National government owes rice farmers P9 billion–Piñol
THE national government still owes Filipino rice farmers P9 billion which will fund initiatives aimed at improving their competitiveness under the new trade regime this year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said on Thursday.
— Business Mirror

Economists expect negative to flat first-quarter agriculture performance
ECONOMISTS expect production of agriculture — which contributes a tenth to gross domestic product (GDP) and a fourth of jobs in the country — to have contracted or registered flattish increment at best last quarter in the face of an El Niño-induced dry spell, according to separate interviews earlier this week.
— BusinessWorld Online

No pre-shaded ballots for May 13 polls: Comelec
An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said there is no truth to allegations that official ballots for the May 13 mid-term elections have been pre-shaded.
— Philippine News Agency

2 more foreign groups interested in funding massive irrigation plan
Two more foreign groups have signified interest in providing the Department of Agriculture billions of funding for the country’s massive irrigation plan and are willing to challenge the unsolicited proposal earlier made by an Israeli group.
— Tempo

Taguig mothers join fight for an HPV-free future
Mothers play an important role in shaping their daughters’ lives—and this includes helping ensure her future health by protecting them at an early age from potentially fatal illnesses such as cervical cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Filipinas.
— Manilastandard.net

Philippine Church groups set candidate electing guidelines
Church groups in the Philippines have come up with a set of guidelines to help Filipinos choose their candidates in upcoming national elections.
— UCA News

Expert says higher tobacco tax to curb cervical cancer
An increase in the tax rates on tobacco products would curb cervical cancer and other diseases, a health expert said Thursday.
— Philippine News Agency

SEC to start accepting applications for one-person companies
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that it will start accepting applications for the registration of corporations with a single stockholder on May 6.
— Manila Bulletin

Aviation regulator starts hearings on Cebu Pacific issues
THE CIVIL Aeronautics Board (CAB) is asking Cebu Pacific operator Cebu Air, Inc. to submit additional requirements as the regulator on Thursday conducted its first formal hearing on the carrier’s recent wave of flight cancellations.
— BusinessWorld Online

Rappler’s Maria Ressa pleads not guilty in anti-dummy case
Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa has pleaded not guilty to a charge of a violation of the Anti-Dummy Law.
— GMA News

DBP credit status upgraded to BBB+
S&P Global Ratings has raised the Development Bank of the Philippines’ (DBP) credit rating to “BBB+,” reflecting its recent upgrade of the country’s investment grade status.
— The Manila Times

Palace rejects ex-New Zealand PM Clark’s suggestion to decriminalize narcotics use
Malacañang on Thursday rejected the suggestion of former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark to decriminalize the use of narcotics as she criticized the alleged extrajudicial killings in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
— GMA News

Iloilo City warns public to stay indoors due to extreme heat
The public is encouraged to stay indoors as much as possible and to stay away from the direct heat of the sun this summer, which is aggravated by the El Niño phenomenon.
— Philippine News Agency

Ilocos Region, 4th lowest in poverty incidence in PH
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in the Ilocos bared that Region 1 is 4th lowest in poverty incidence in the country for the 1st Quarter of 2018 during the briefing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) held on April 25 at the SR Paradise Hotel here.
— Philippine Information Agency

DOST-PAGASA inaugurates Flood Forecasting and Warning System in CamSur
After almost 4 decades, the public finally witnessed the inauguration and blessing of the rehabilitated Bicol River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning System (FFWS) at the vicinity of the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), April 30, …
— Philippine Information Agency

PHIVOLCS: Over 1000 aftershocks recorded since 6.1-magnitude quake hit Central Luzon
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has recorded over 1000 aftershocks since a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Central Luzon on April 22.
— Eagle News

Vigan pushes yearly pet vaccination for rabies-free barangays
The city government of Vigan is keen on maintaining its record as a rabies-free city.
— Philippine Information Agency

Fish Kill Occurred In Camarines Sur
Another fish kill occurrence was reported in Pili, Camarines Sur, where thousands of fish were found dead along the coastline.
— Philippine News

Albay farmers advance mechanization through DAR’s P12.6-M aid
Farmers in Albay are now advancing toward modern rice farming through the grant of PHP12.6-million worth of farm equipment by the regional office for Bicol here of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
— Philippine News Agency

Why Filipino nurses are a huge presence in U.S. health care
A vast majority of Filipinos are seen to dominate the field of nursing in the United States, with registered nurses (RNs) making up the largest segment of the country’s health care workforce.
—  Inquirer.net

Three PH ports pass US Coast Guard security assessment
Security measures in three of the country’s international container ports were given positive assessments by the United States Coast Guard.
— Manilastandard.net

756 Mindoro farmers get land titles, livelihood support from DAR
Around 756 agrarian reform beneficiaries are now certified land owners after they finally received their Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in fitting rites at the Bulwagang Panlalawigan of the Capitol Compound here.
— Philippine News Agency

Cebu Pacific labor union: No issue with management
THE workers’ union of embattled Cebu Pacific denied claims that the recent wave of flight cancellations were due to labor woes.
— The Manila Times

Other ‘Bikoy’ video sharers can be investigated too – DOJ
People who shared the controversial Bikoy videos which accused the Duterte family of being involved in illegal drugs may be investigated by the government, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Thursday, May 2.
— Rappler

Embassy to mark Nat’l Heritage Month by promoting PH products
The Philippine Embassy, through its Sentro Rizal Washington DC, will celebrate National Heritage Month by once again joining the annual “Passport DC’s Around the World Embassy Tour.”
— Inquirer.net

NYC head backs return of ROTC
The National Youth Commission (NYC) is supportive of the move to bring back the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) to prepare the youth to respond to emergencies and in securing the country.
— Philippine Information Agency

NFA intensifies palay procurement in W. Visayas
The National Food Authority (NFA) continues to intensify its palay procurement program, urging farmers in Western Visayas to sell their produce to the government and avail of incentives.
— Philippine News Agency

Philippines eyes pork exports to China
The Philippines is looking into pork exports to China whose hog industry continues to reel from an African swine fever (ASF) crisis.
— Rappler

Avengers: Endgame ruined for Philippines viewers after local channel airs pirated version
If you, like me, took an absurd amount of measures to prevent seeing Avengers: Endgame spoilers before watching the movie, learning that a local TV station in the Philippines aired a pirated version of the film one day after it was released may make your head roll.
— The Verge

SEC closes YEHEEY for operating Ponzi scheme
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revoked the certificate of incorporation of Yeheey iTraffic System, Inc. for illegal public offering of securities and operating a Ponzi scheme.
— Manila Bulletin

DoH launches suicide prevention hotline
The Department of Health (DoH) has set up a hotline for those who are suffering from mental health problems, including those contemplating suicide.
— The Manila Times

Mayor Sara urges Filipinos to patronize ‘Lutong Pinoy’
Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has called on Filipinos to appreciate Filipino culinary traditions, believing that “lutong pinoy” is equally superior in taste and nutritional value that people around the world should try.
— Philippine News Agency

Opposition bets urge probe into Bikoy’s allegations vs. Duterte kin, associates
The government should look into the drug allegations against members of the Duterte administration instead of merely arresting the person who allegedly uploaded the series of anonymous videos of Bikoy, opposition senatorial candidates said Thursday.
— GMA News

Isabela tourism office opens art exhibit
Isabela Provincial Tourism Officer Troy Alexander Miano leads the opening of the art exhibit at the Provincial Museum and Library as part of National Heritage Month celebration.
— Philippine Information Agency

Panelo says plotters’ matrix came from ‘unknown number’, not from Duterte
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo admitted on Thursday that he got the copy of the matrix naming the personalities involved in an alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte from an unknown source.
— GMA News

Robredo to Duterte gov’t: ‘Be more firm’ vs all illegal foreign workers
Vice President Leni Robredo said the government should be “firm” against the entry of all illegal foreign workers to the Philippines, not just the influx of Chinese laborers.
— Rappler

 

Feature photo Bong Santisteban/ Rappler

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo acknowledges World Press Freedom Day, May 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.

 

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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.

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