Philippines morning news for July 8, 2020

PGH nears full capacity for COVID-19 patients
The Philippine General Hospital (PGH), a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) referral hospital, is nearing its full capacity for patients, according to Ivan Mayrina’s report on 24 Oras.
— GMA Network

DOH: New coronavirus mutation seems more infectious
The new mutation of the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 appears to be more infectious, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday, as the country’s cases of the respiratory disease neared 48,000.
— ABS-CBN News

Philippines lifts travel ban on Filipinos
The government policy task force on the coronavirus pandemic has agreed to lift the ban on non-essential outbound travel for Filipinos, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday, July 7.
— Rappler

Factory output weakness tempers in May
A slump in local manufacturing persisted in May, albeit at a slower pace than the preceding month, a tempered contraction that bodes well for a complete rebound in the coming months with the economy back in business.
— Philippine Star

SC orders gov’t to answer petitions vs. anti-terror law
The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the government to comment on at least four petitions asking the High Court to stop the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism law.
— GMA Network

Is the coronavirus airborne? DOH says there’s ‘not enough’ proof
There is insufficient proof backing the claim of over 200 scientists that the novel coronavirus can spread in tiny airborne particles, the Department of Health said Tuesday.
— Philippine Star

Philippine confirms 1,540 new coronavirus infections, 6 more deaths
The Philippine health ministry on Tuesday confirmed 1,540 new cases of the novel coronavirus and six deaths.
— CNA

DOH to introduce ‘new way’ of reporting COVID-19 cases
The Department of Health (DOH) said that it will introduce a new way of reporting COVID-19 cases on July 10.
— Rappler

Duterte: PH still grappling against 1st wave of COVID-19
The Philippines is still battling the first wave of COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte said early Wednesday, as the country’s coronavirus infections neared 48,000.
— ABS-CBN News

Government eyes 10 million virus tests in 10-12 months
The government is eyeing 10 million virus tests within the next 10 to 12 months, with plans to cover “essential workers who are in frequent contact with crowds,” according to Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 response.
— Philippine Star

Money supply growth fastest in 6 years
Money supply grew at a fastest pace in almost six years in May as measures to soften the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic released more cash into the financial system, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
— Philippine Star

Duterte says he will expose Maria Ressa as ‘a fraud’
President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he would expose Rappler CEO and his critic Maria Ressa as “a fraud.”
— GMA Network

Sea search for missing victims of Mindoro boat collision ends with no recovery–PCG
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has ended its search and retrieval operations without recovering any of the 14 persons aboard the fishing vessel F/V Liberty 5, which sank in the waters of Occidental Mindoro following a collision with a Hong Kong-registered carrier vessel more than a week ago.
— Business Mirror

Manufacturing shrinks 40.3% in May amid subdued demand
THE country’s manufacturing sector output continued to post a double-digit contraction in May, according to the latest data from the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (Missi), according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
— Business Mirror

COVID-19 cases keep rising due to more tests, ignored measures – DOH
The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday attributed the rise in COVID-19 cases to its increased testing capacity and the public’s failure to comply with the minimum health standards it set to control the spread of the new coronavirus that causes the severe respiratory disease.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Malacañang says no cause for alarm despite surge in COVID-19 cases in PH
The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has surpassed 47,000. That’s after more than 1,500 patients were confirmed.
— ABS-CBN News (video)

Palace calls for conscience vote on ABS-CBN franchise as hearings wrap up
Members of Congress should vote on the ABS-CBN franchise issue according to their conscience, Malacañang said Tuesday as lawmakers wrap up this week their hearings on bills seeking to grant the broadcasting network a fresh 25-year license to operate.
— ABS-CBN News

Remittance inflows seen cut by a third
THE coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic would likely cut remittance inflows by a third and have a negative impact on living standards of families, according to a Japan-based think tank.
— Business Mirror

CNN Philippines goes off air after utility staff tests positive for COVID-19
CNN Philippines on Tuesday, July 7, announced it would temporarily go off the air after one of its utility staff tested positive for COVID-19.
— Rappler

Coronavirus deaths ‘slowly going down’: DOH
New deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic are “slowly going down”, the health department said Tuesday, as cases of the disease continued to spike following relaxed lockdown measures.
— ABS-CBN News (video)

112,000 workers displaced by COVID-19 – DOLE
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has already cost the jobs of more than 112,000 workers, nearly half of whom were laid off in June alone.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Mixed results in UN report on HIV fight
Around 50% of the 5,400 new HIV infections recorded in the country last year were among young people aged 15-24 years old, according to information presented by UNAIDS’ regional director for Asia and the Pacific.
— Bangkok Post

‘Somber approach’ doesn’t spell Duterte’s health – Tolentino
President Duterte’s recent engagement with soldiers in Zamboanga City only called for a “somber approach” and had nothing to do with his health, Senator Francis Tolentino said on Tuesday.
— Manila Bulletin

Iloilo oil spill sparks calls to limit use of fossil fuels
AC Energy is facing severe penalty and fine for the Iloilo oil spill under Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
— Business Mirror

Tourism board asked to fund P7-M Baguio rebranding
A dedicated online system for marketing new weaving designs of displaced artisans and a digital system keeping guests safe are the key features of a promotional plan to show Baguio as a haven during the coronavirus pandemic.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Philippines tests 800,000 for coronavirus since March
Some 800,000 people have been screened for the novel coronavirus so far, the health department said Tuesday, almost 4 months into varying degrees of lockdowns to contain the pandemic.
— ABS-CBN News

Consumption still weak amid virus uncertainty
HOUSEHOLD spending remains weak as uncertainty over the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to weigh on consumer sentiment, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said on Monday.
— BusinessWorld Online

Bangsamoro execs seek seat in terror council after plea for Duterte veto rejected
After President Rodrigo Duterte rejected their plea to veto the anti-terrorism bill by signing it into law, officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are now asking Duterte to give them a seat in the Anti-Terrorism Council that the new law vests with powers to order arrests and searches.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

DepEd sees 20% enrollment drop due to COVID-19
The Department of Education (DepEd) is projecting at least a 20-percent drop in enrollment for the basic education level this year as Filipino families cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Manila Bulletin

Philippines has sufficient supply of HIV drugs, DOH says
The Philippines has sufficient supply of antiretroviral drugs for people living with HIV, the health ministry said Tuesday, following reports that dozens of countries were at risk of running out of medication for the AIDS-causing virus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
— ABS-CBN News

Relaxed coronavirus rules push inflation up to 2.5% in June 2020
The rate of increase in the prices of goods rose in June, as lockdown restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic were eased.
— Rappler

DOF maintains need for fiscal sustainability of stimulus plans
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has maintained the Duterte administration’s position to anchor on fiscal prudence and sustainability any plans to stimulate the domestic economy amid the deepening coronavirus-induced global downturn, as state borrowings to beat the pandemic went up in the first four months of the year to PHP1.22 trillion.
— Philippine News Agency

Lanao Sur suspends return of LSIs, ROFs for 15 days
Lanao del Sur’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Covid-19 has temporarily stopped receiving locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and repatriated overseas Filipinos (ROFs) from July 1 until July 15.
— Philippine News Agency

3 months on, families still waiting for SC to act on prisoners’ release
Through letters and blue ribbons, families of political prisoners on Tuesday, July 7, renewed their calls for the Supreme Court to release their loved ones amid the coronavirus pandemic that has also infected Philippine jails.
— Rappler

Pangilinan, Villanueva alarmed over recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Philippines
Two senators on Tuesday expressed alarm over the increase in COVID-19 cases recorded in the Philippines in previous days.
— GMA Network

Number of Filipinos abroad with coronavirus now at 8,688
Another 9 Filipinos abroad were found positive for the coronavirus, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 8,688, reported the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, July 7.
— Rappler

PEZA expecting to approve P2B in new investments
THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is estimating approvals of P2 billion worth of investments at its board meeting on Friday, after its June meeting was postponed following health care risks at its offices.
— BusinessWorld

PH braces for new strain of swine flu virus
While still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, the government is already bracing for the new strain of G4-H1N1 or the swine flu virus and will implement a “whole-of-nation” approach to prevent its spread.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Peza fair has 100,000 jobs for displaced workers
AT least 100,000 jobs will be opened in the job fair organized by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) as part of efforts to provide employment to displaced laborers and repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
— Business Mirror

NG 4-month borrowing exceeds 2019 level
It only took four months for the Philippine government to surpass the total amount it borrowed for the entire 2019.
— Business Mirror

Hotels refund close to P30 million due to Covid-canceled bookings
HOTELS have refunded customers their canceled bookings, when community quarantines and travel restrictions were imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19.
— Business Mirror

More than 1,400 individuals still stranded in Metro Manila: Año
More than 1,400 individuals are still stranded in Metro Manila amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
— ABS-CBN News

Economy may shrink by 3.9% due to negative consumer sentiment — HSBC
THE economy could shrink by 3.9% this year due to continued negative consumer sentiment and a fragile and volatile recovery from the pandemic, according to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp.’s (HSBC) private banking unit.
— BusinessWorld

Don’t force people to pay rent during pandemic, Duterte tells building, property owners
President Rodrigo Duterte called on building and property owners in the country to suspend the collection of rent from their tenants as people lose their jobs and sources of income in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Makati bans drinking liquor in public as virus restrictions remain
Makati City will prohibit liquor consumption in public during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies beginning July 14, its mayor said Tuesday.
— ABS-CBN News

No rate increase from modified renewable tariffs, regulator says
THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said a component of electricity bills for renewables development will not be affected by its recently-approved adjustment to the feed-in-tariff (FiT) for 2016 to 2020.
— BusinessWorld

Philippines sets measures vs. new swine flu strain
The Philippines has come up with measures to prevent the spread of a new type of swine flu that is allegedly capable of triggering a pandemic.
— GMA Network

Coronavirus poses fresh roadblock to NAIA upgrade
A planned upgrade of the aging Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) faced a fresh setback on Tuesday after the government refused proposed tweaks offered by builders to make the project viable in a post-pandemic scenario.
— Philippine Star

Despite Palace assurances of ‘winning,’ Filipinos unsure if worst of pandemic over
Despite repeated administration claims that the country is winning the “war” against the coronavirus pandemic, Filipinos are split on whether the worst of it is behind us or has yet to come, new survey data suggests.
— Philippine Star

Trips home from Metro Manila to 3 Mindanao provinces suspended
Trips from Metro Manila to Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Camiguin provinces in Mindanao are prohibited until July 15, Joint Task Force COVID Shield chief Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said on Tuesday, July 7.
— Rappler

PEZA to investors: Please don’t leave Philippines
The Philippines is fighting to keep major foreign investors to stay, as the coronavirus pandemic prompts some businesses to leave due to unbearable losses.
— Rappler

HSBC economist eyes another cut in BSP rates, RRR
An economist of HSBC forecast on Tuesday a 25-basis points cut in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) key rates and another 200-basis points reduction in banks’ reserve requirement before the year-end as part of central bank’s measures to help lift the economy.
— Philippine News Agency

Philippines’ Duterte tells citizens not to fear anti-terror bill
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday told citizens not to fear a new anti-terrorism law, addressing for the first time the controversial legislation that has unnerved rights groups over potential violations of civil liberties.
— CNA

Areas under ECQ, GCQ, MGCQ as announced on July 8, 2020
In a briefing aired past midnight on Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on President Rodrigo Duterte’s instructions read the community quarantine designations for the following local government units.
— GMA Network

DoF warns vs incurring ‘unmanageable debt’
FINANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III on Tuesday said the government is keen on capping its budget deficit at 9% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, warning against “spending too much above our means.”
— BusinessWorld

PH in worldwide search for COVID-19 cure
THERE is still no known cure for the COVID-19 virus which continues to infect millions of people around the world.
— Tempo

Students, teachers to get mental health services
The Department of Education will provide mental health and psychosocial support services for students, teachers and other personnel ahead of the opening of classes on Aug. 24.
— Philippine Star

50 Chinese caught in illegal POGO
At least 50 Chinese and a Myanmar citizen were arrested during a raid on an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Makati City on Monday night.
— Philstar

House eyes additional DOH budget for testing, hospital beds
The House of Representatives is looking into providing additional funding to the Department of Health to boost its programs to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, lawmakers bared yesterday.
— Philippine Star

Filipino human capital through decades of development
The Philippines woke up from the ashes of the World War with an advantage in human capital that was superior to that inherited by other countries in our region – in East Asia.
— Philippine Star

NoCot town water utility eyes P150-M loan for expansion
Officials here are eyeing to avail of a PHP150-million bank loan to develop and expand the services of the local government unit-run Magpet Water Works and Services (MWWS) utility venture.
— Philippine News Agency

Bill seeking free immunization of senior citizens filed in Senate amid pandemic
A bill seeking to provide free immunization of Filipino senior citizens from various diseases has been filed in the Senate as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the elderly population in the Philippines.
— GMA Network

SC upholds dismissal of Enrile’s damage suit vs columnist
A division of the Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a multimillion-peso damage suit filed by former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile against former columnist Yolanda Ong — a piece of “much-needed good news for Philippine journalists,” her lawyer Chel Diokno said.
— Philippine Star

4 MMDA personnel test positive for coronavirus
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday, July 7, said 4 of its personnel have tested positive for the coronavirus .
— Rappler

Deadlock? Gov’t rejects revisions to NAIA rehab
The Philippine government rejected proposed revisions to the unsolicited proposal to upgrade the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by the country’s top conglomerates.
— Rappler

Envoys from EU countries donate blood to Philippine Red Cross
Several envoys from various member countries of the European Union donated blood to the Philippine Red Cross on Tuesday, according to the humanitarian organization’s chairperson Senator Richard Gordon.
— GMA Network

Most livestock categories posted gains in output during first quarter — PSA
LIVESTOCK output rose in the first quarter, with producers of chicken, chicken egg, pork, duck and duck egg posting gains while carabao and cattle production declined, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
— BusinessWorld

Automated DSWD subsidy a problem in far-flung areas with no ATMs
A ranking congressman told the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that automating the distribution of cash aid to poor families does not guarantee a faster process if they live in far-flung areas.
— Rappler

DoH says sorry for wrong statement on coronavirus hotspots
THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) on Tuesday apologized for mistakenly identifying some cities in Metro Manila as emerging hotspots for coronavirus infections.
— BusinessWorld

Gordon renews call for ‘Doble Plaka’ on motorcycles despite lack of plates
Sen. Richard Gordon on Tuesday renewed his call for the immediate enforcement of the controversial Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act of 2019.
— Philippine Star

Anti-terror law will have impact vs. drug lords, says Bato
The anti-terror law will also have an impact on the illegal drug trade in the Philippines, Senator Ronald Bato Dela Rosa said on Tuesday.
— GMA Network

MRT3: Ticket sellers with COVID-19 assigned to 4 stations
The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) management said on Tuesday, July 7, that the ticket sellers who tested positive for the coronavirus were assigned to 4 stations.
— Rappler

DSWD now packing 25k food bags a day, exec tells House panel
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has increased its capacity to repack food for those affected by the COVID-19 crisis from 10,000 packs per day to 25,000.
— GMA Network

Tolentino wants tax deductions for employees working from home
Senator Francis Tolentino said that employees who were working from home should be taxed less due to increased electricity consumption.
— Rappler

Cebu Province approves supplemental budget to fight COVID-19
The Cebu Provincial Board approved Monday, July 6, a supplemental budget that would pour in P1.27 billion into its COVID-19 war chest.
— Rappler

BARMM kicks off budget call forum for 2021
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) kicked off Tuesday a budget forum for the year 2021, dubbed as “2021 Bangsamoro Budget Call”.
— Philippine News Agency

Trainer’s plane ‘crashes’ into Zambo City shore
A trainer’s plane of the Dumaguete City-based ROYHLE Flight Training Academy crashed Tuesday into the sea in Barangay Sinunuc, west of this city, a police official said.
— Philippine News Agency

Another Covid-19 testing lab to open in Iloilo City
Another coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing laboratory will soon open in this city, which can accommodate a maximum of 800 tests a day once its operations go full swing, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said on Tuesday.
— Philippine News Agency

Angeles City to provide tablets to public schools for digital education
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. with his Chief Adviser and Tactician Director IC Calaguas, City Councilor Dr. Alfie Bonifacio, and City Accountant Genoveva Dizon, is in discussion with Department of Education-Angeles City officials for the initiative of the city government to purchase 55,000 tablets for 53 public schools in the city.
— Philippine Information Agency

Hundreds of LGU officials facing charges related to SAP, COVID-19 policies
Hundreds of local government officials are facing various complaints, ranging from administrative to criminal cases, in relation to their alleged misconduct in enforcing regulations to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
— ABS-CBN News

Top Manila prosecutor shot dead, becomes 50th in list of slain lawyers, judges
The inquest division chief of the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office was killed on his way to work in a hail of bullets that ripped through his car on Tuesday, police said.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Credit flow slows in May on Covid disruptions
BANK lending slowed down in the country in May, reflecting constrained economic activity due to the nationwide coronavirus disease (Covid-19) restrictions during the month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported.
— Business Mirror

Congress pressed to prioritize national housing financing bill
Congress was pressed to front-load passage of enabling laws to effectively “address homelessness” embodied in the pending National Housing Development, Production and Financing bill as soon as lawmakers reconvene regular sessions on July 27.
— Business Mirror

Churches reopen on July 11
Catholic Church leaders are reminding the faithful to adhere to health protocols against the coronavirus as churches reopen for religious activities after restrictions were eased in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ).
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

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

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Philippines morning news for July 8 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on July 8, 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.