Philippines morning news for July 6, 2020

Faked Philippine records left false trail for Wirecard exec
Faked immigration records in the Philippines were used to throw off authorities seeking a former executive at Wirecard AG, who went missing after the German firm was implicated in an accounting scandal.
— Bangkok Post

Anti-terrorism bill signed into law without amendments
PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte on Friday signed the anti-terrorism bill despite widespread calls for a veto and further consultations on provisions that could infringe on constitutional rights.
— BusinessWorld Online

Govt anti-counterfeit agency to hunt down pirates online
THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) may soon have the authority to take down posts and web sites that breach IP laws under its revised enforcement rules.
— Business Mirror

PHL set to ink pact to export halal products to Indonesia
The Philippines and Indonesia are set to enter a government-to-government (G2G) agreement to facilitate the export of Philippine halal products to Indonesia.
— Business Mirror

Gov’t to determine fines for oil spill off coast of Iloilo City
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will issue a notice of violation of the Philippine Clean Water Act to the company operating the power barge that exploded and spilled oil off the coast of Iloilo City on Friday.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

PHL posts new record high infections in a day; Covid-19 cases now at 44,254
THE Philippines broke the previous record of new Covid-19 infections reported in a single day as a total number of 2,434 cases were recorded, bringing the number of patients who have contracted the disease to 44,254 on Sunday.
— Business Mirror

13 airlines to return to Naia 3 as international flights restart
THIRTEEN airlines that temporarily moved to Terminal 1 of the the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) are expected to return and start operating at Naia 3 after three months’ closure due to lack of airplanes, flights and passengers as countries shut borders against the spread of Covid-19.
— Business Mirror

Increased public contact causing surge in virus cases – DOH
Increased contact among the population as a result of the relaxation of quarantine measures is causing a surge in new coronavirus cases in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Sunday.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

PHL has one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing populations – UN report
THE Philippines has one of the fastest population growth rates in Southeast Asia, according to data released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
— Business Mirror

DOF to ban online sale of ‘sin’ products
While cigarettes and liquor are enjoying brisk sales online in the time of pandemic and are delivered to the comforts of home of buyers, who may include minors, the Department of Finance (DOF) wants to stop the sale of the “sin” products in digital marketplaces.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

With ‘fast depleting’ funds and more OFWs to help, DOLE seeks P2.5B
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is asking for an additional P2.5 billion budget for its cash aid for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), saying the fund released to them was already “fast depleting.”
— Business Mirror

Key destinations in Palawan lose over P3 billion in tourism receipts
THE era of mass tourism is over. As far as Gov. Jose Ch. Alvarez is concerned, tourists for Palawan will be “selective, targeted, prioritized.” Last year, he said, the entire province recorded some 1.5 million in tourist arrivals.
— Business Mirror

Paper requirements holding up return of OFW bodies from Saudi – DOLE
THE Saudi Arabian government has extended to early this week the deadline for the repatriation of the remains of 274 overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
— Business Mirror

‘Bias’ on agenda as hearing on ABS-CBN wraps up
ABS-CBN’s purported “political bias,” which had angered President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies, is the final item on the agenda as a joint House panel wraps up its deliberation on the shuttered media giant’s application for a new franchise.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Duterte vows no whitewash in soldiers’ slay
President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Friday vowed there will be no whitewash in the ongoing investigation regarding the death of four soldiers in Jolo, Sulu, earlier this week.
— Business Mirror

Priests frown on bill allowing online weddings
It’s one thing to hear Masses online, but it’s quite another to wed couples virtually.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Immigration workers sacked over Wirecard
TWO IMMIGRATION workers were relieved over a false report that the former chief operating officer of German payment company Wirecard AG had entered the country in June before leaving for China.
— BusinessWorld Online

No more Bayanihan grants to LGUs after low usage rate of 15%
LOCAL GOVERNMENT units (LGUs) have used only P5.5 billion of their one-time grants to support their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) containment efforts, a Budget official said, adding that no more additional funding will be provided.
— BusinessWorld Online

DOH to simplify COVID-19 reporting system, drops ‘fresh,’ ‘late’ tags
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Saturday the Department of Health (DOH) would be using a simplified format of reporting COVID-19 cases to avoid confusion regarding statistics related to coronavirus patients.
— ABS-CBN News

COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad now at 8,679
Fifty more Filipinos abroad have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), raising the total of infections among overseas Philippine nationals to 8,679, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.
— ABS-CBN News

Filipino tourists still barred from traveling abroad: Immigration bureau
Filipinos who plan to travel abroad as tourists are still barred from leaving the country, the Bureau of Immigration said Sunday.
— ABS-CBN News

BIR tweaks requirements for POGOs securing tax clearance
THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) revised the list of documents and relaxed some of the rules Philippine offshore gaming operation (POGO) companies and their service providers have to comply with for tax clearance.
— BusinessWorld Online

‘Surge’ in new COVID-19 cases seen as virus now at least 3X more infectious
A government scientist warned on Sunday that the recent surge in COVID-19 cases may be partly due to a mutation in the novel coronavirus which is making it at least 3 times more infectious.
— ABS-CBN News

Bicol Today urges Congress to renew ABS-CBN franchise
An independent online news network in the Bicol region urged lawmakers to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN Corporation.
— ABS-CBN News

CoA rejects P377M worth of tax credits granted to four textile firms
THE Commission on Audit (CoA) rejected P377.29 million worth of tax credits granted to four textile firms by the One-Stop Shop Inter-Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center (OSS) between 2008 and 2012, according to the Department of Finance (DoF).
— BusinessWorld Online

Senate to legislate bad loan transfers from banks via separate bill
THE Senate will legislate bank bad loan transfers to asset management companies in a separate bill, rather than as an amendment to the Bayanihan 2 bill, the head of the chamber’s finance committee said Sunday.
— BusinessWorld Online

Palace lauds DOST’s plasma-therapy initiative to treat COVID-19
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is set to start a study on convalescent plasma as adjunctive therapy for patients with COVID-19, Malacañang said Saturday.
— ABS-CBN News

DTI explains guidelines for getting refunds for events canceled because of pandemic
Parties who made payments for events that were canceled or scaled down prior to community quarantine have the right to demand a refund, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
— BusinessWorld Online

Monuments, busts get facelift for Baguio’s 111th Charter Day
Monuments, busts and other markers that trace the city’s history in the last 100 years will be given the facelift needed in time for the city’s 111th Charter Day on September 1.
— Philippine News Agency

DOH ends hydroxychloroquine, HIV drug trials on COVID-19
The Department of Health (DOH) withdrew the use of hydroxychloroquine, as well as the combination of HIV drugs lopinavir-ritonavir under the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) solidarity trial, on COVID-19 patients.
— GMA Network

31 countries open borders to Filipinos: DFA
The Department of Foreign Affairs reported Sunday that of the 177 countries/territories across the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and Middle East/Africa included in the updated infographics on travel restrictions, 31 have already lifted the inbound border restrictions on Filipino travelers, subject to medical protocols on arriving.
— Philippine News Agency

Iloilo City wants economy restarted to protect jobs, businesses
Despite the continued rise in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, Iloilo City is now working to bring its economy back to protect residents from losing their jobs and businesses.
— Philippine News Agency

No safeguard duty for imported float glass
The Tariff Commission sees no need to impose a safeguard measure or duty on float glass imports as its investigation showed that imports of these products are unlikely to increase in the near future and hurt the domestic industry.
— Philstar

Palace to abide by SC ruling on anti-terror law petition
Malacañang said it will abide by the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the petition challenging the newly-signed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
— Philippine News Agency

126 more health workers contract COVID-19; total up to 3,486
The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported that 126 more health workers contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) over the past week, raising the total to 3,486 as of July 4.
— GMA Network

No need to refer asymptomatic patients to hospitals-DOH
The Department of Health (DOH) here recently issued a memorandum to all Local Government Units (LGUs) and health institutions informing them that asymptomatic COVID-19 cases should no longer be brought to DOH referral hospitals to prevent congestion.
— Philippine Information Agency

House poised to grill ABS-CBN on 2016 election coverage
The House of Representatives is set to hold its 12th hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN on Monday, July 6, and they are set to tackle an issue that has long been a thorn in President Rodrigo Duterte’s side: the network’s 2016 election coverage .
— Rappler

Groups demand immediate release of 8 arrested at anti-terror rally in Laguna
Several groups demanded for the immediate release of 8 of the 11 activists in Laguna who were arrested on Saturday, July 4, following their protest against President Duterte’s signing of the Anti-Terrorism Law.
— Rappler

Lawmakers, groups urge Supreme Court to cure ‘repressive’ anti-terror law
Opposition lawmakers and an influential business group added their dissenting voices to the Anti-Terror law that President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Friday, July 3, and called on the Supreme Court to strike down as unconstitutional its “repressive” provisions as the law could be prone.
— Rappler

2K LSIs bound for Mindanao arrive in Sorsogon
Some 2,000 residents of Mindanao marooned in Metro Manila due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) health crisis have arrived at the Matnog Port in Sorsogon on board 80 passenger buses.
— Philippine News Agency

PHL economy could shrink by 4.5% in 2020
THE ECONOMY could contract by as much as 4.5% this year as the rise in coronavirus infections and implementation of lockdown measures continue to dent consumption, Moody’s Investors Service said.
— BusinessWorld Online

Dominguez firm vs. sale of gov’t assets for Covid-19 response
Any plan to sell government assets to address funding requirements for programs against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) remains a plan for Malacañang.Asked whether President Rodrigo R. Duterte has discussed this plan with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the latter, in a Viber message to journalists said, No.
— Philippine News Agency

LSIs appeal for understanding over challenges amid crisis
Some locally stranded individuals (LSIs) appealed for public understanding amid resistance and negative comments hurled against people seeking to go home to their provinces and the government’s Hatid Tulong program.
— Philippine News Agency

PNP records 38 more COVID-19 cases; total now at 899
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday recorded 38 additional coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases among its personnel, bringing the total to 899.
— GMA Network

Key figure in EDSA 1 from military dies
RETIRED Philippine Navy Commodore Rex Robles, a key figure in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., died yesterday at the age of 75.
— Tempo

Mayor charged over overpriced thermal scanners
A lawyer has filed charges against Mayor Darwin Estrañero of Tabuk City, Kalinga in connection with the purchase of allegedly overpriced medical supplies.
— Philstar

Search for missing fishermen extended
The search and retrieval operations for 12 Filipino fishermen and two other individuals who went missing in a sea collision in the waters off Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro is extended until tomorrow, the Philippine Coast Guard said yesterday.
— Philstar

Creation of DNA database in PHL proposed
Senator Ronald dela Rosa is proposing the creation of a DNA database in the country to help in the investigation and resolution of crimes.
— Eagle News

Only 1 in 5 Filipinos would miss local newspapers ‘a lot’ if these go bust
Local or community newspapers in the Philippines are taking a hit due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the latest Digital News Report showed that only one in 5 Filipinos would miss local newspapers “a lot” if these go out of business.
— Rappler

Cebu City promises P10,000 monthly incentive to private health workers
Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella plans to give P10,000 worth of monthly incentives to health care workers in Cebu City’s private hospitals for a period of 3 months.
— Rappler

DFA to temporarily close Aseana, Alabang offices for disinfection
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is informing the public that the Office of Consular Affairs located in Aseana in Parañaque City, and its Consular Office in NCR South (Metro Alabang Town Center) will be closed on Monday, July 6, until further notice, for disinfection of the office premises and implementation of other preventive measures.
— Philippine News Agency

Electric coops told to tap fiber optics for net connectivity
Electric Cooperatives (EC) or distribution utilities in the Cordilleras are enjoined to shift to fiber optics to allow the internet signal provided by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to reach far-flung communities and provide for the educational needs of students.
— Philippine News Agency

Agricultural cooperatives to augment products for DSWD food packs
The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) forged partnership to engage the agricultural cooperative as source of products for the Family Food Packs (FFPs), which are being distributed to identified communities and beneficiaries.
— Philippine Information Agency

How The Philippines Is Fighting COVID-19
After more than three months of hard lockdowns, the Philippines is now trying to ease out quarantine restrictions for its economy to bounce back.
— The Asean Post

Philippines to open another air terminal to international flights
The Philippines will reopen one more terminal at its main airport in the capital for international travel, expanding service operations to airliners from Japan and other countries beginning next week.
— Bangkok Post

Philippine broadband firm Converge ICT files for up to US$725mil IPO
Philippine fiber broadband services provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) of up to 35.92 billion pesos (US$725 million) on the local bourse, braving volatile markets amid the coronavirus pandemic.
— The Star Online

PH tops RE utilization in ASEAN
The Philippines ranks highest in the utilisation of renewable energy (RE) as part of its generation mix, beating its peers in the Southeast Asian region.
— Manila Bulletin

Feature photo Philippine Collegian
This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on protest against anti-terror law passage.

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 6 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on July 6, 2020
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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.