Philippines Morning News For February 17, 2020

Senators to question VFA termination at Supreme Court
Senators from both sides of the political fence will file a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning Malacañang’s termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States.
— Rappler

Philippine health department records 17th polio case
The Philippine Health department reported the 17th polio case in the country on Saturday, after a one-year-old boy in Central Luzon tested positive for the virus.
— GMA Network

Solon calls for joint reso to allow status quo on ABS-CBN franchise
A lawmaker on Sunday suggested the drafting of a Joint Concurrent Resolution (JCR) in Congress to have the National Telecommunications Commission formally recognize precedent situations and to maintain the status quo as bills to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN Corporation were pending before the House of Representatives.
— GMA Network

PH coronavirus watch: Suspected cases per region, as of February 16, 2020
The Department of Health (DOH) continues to place persons under investigation for possible cases of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
— Rappler

Sandiganbayan upholds ex-Talisay City mayor’s conviction in obstruction case
The Sandiganbayan affirmed the conviction of Socrates Fernandez, former mayor of Talisay City, Cebu, for obstruction of justice in a 2010 traffic altercation probe involving his son.
— Rappler

Big funds, little transparency: How Duterte’s drug list works
In the so-called drug war of President Rodrigo Duterte, his drug list is sacred.
— Rappler

Cebu’s Butuanon River samples test positive for poliovirus –DOH
The Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) confirmed that the environmental samples from Butuanon River in Mandaue City, Cebu have tested positive for poliovirus, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
— GMA Network

Discharged PUIs for Covid-19 now 336
The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported that the total number of discharged persons under investigation (PUIs) for possible infection of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) went up to 336, from 330 on Saturday.
— Philippine News Agency

PHIVOLCS: 4.6-magnitude quake struck Batanes on Saturday
A 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck Batanes on Saturday, Feb. 15. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its its bulletin on Sunday, Feb. 16, that the quake struck at 1:57 p.m.
— Eagle News

Duterte rejects reclamation in Manila Bay
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Saturday said he would not allow the private sector to pursue new reclamation projects in Manila Bay, saying these will put the Philippine capital environmentally in peril.
— BusinessWorld

House closer to passing bill allowing foreigners to own PH public utilities
The House of Representatives terminated plenary debates on the Public Service Act, coming closer to amending the 84-year-old law, the lower house of Congress announced in a statement on Sunday, February 16.
— Rappler

US might start pulling out forces, equipment – Lacson
SEN. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said the United States might start pulling out its forces and military equipment within the first 90 days of the 180-day countdown for the effectivity of the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between Manila and Washington.
— Manila Times

Philippines’ President Duterte says Trump deserves to be re-elected
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday (Feb 15) that Donald Trump deserved to be re-elected, praising the U.S. president’s reaction to his decision to end a decades-old military agreement with the United States.
— CNA

VFA termination poses ‘shattering impact’ on SEA security – expert
The termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) will have a “negative if not shattering impact” on regional security, as Southeast Asian countries – including the Philippines – rely on US military presence as counterweight to an aggressive China, according to an Australian defense analyst.
— The Philippine Star

Locsin opposes expanding travel ban to include Singapore
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has opposed the idea of expanding the travel ban to include Singapore saying that the country is capable of holding its own against the coronavirus disease – 19 (COVID-19).
— Manila Bulletin

Phivolcs records ‘weak’ emission at Taal Volcano
Alert Level 2 is maintained over Taal Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Sunday.
— Philippine News Agency

DTI: Price of face masks in Vizcaya stable
The price of face masks sold in the province is still stable, according to officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
— Philippine Information Agency

Dollars to shield economy from Brexit — BSP chief
DOLLAR REMITTANCES, outsourcing and tourism receipts would probably shield the Philippine economy from the short-term effects of Brexit, central bank Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said last week.
— BusinessWorld

HK-based Pinoys seek gov’t approval to return to administrative region
Hong Kong-based Filipinos have appealed for the Philippine government to allow them to return to the administrative region amid the travel ban due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
— GMA Network

With industries hurting, virus seen to hit tax take
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is expecting to lose billions in tax revenue as different industries are already hurting from the impact of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19).
— Business Mirror

All illegally dumped waste in ’18 to be sent back in Feb–Customs
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) said all the waste illegally shipped to the country in 2018 will be sent back to South Korea within the month.
— Business Mirror

Gov’t vows to cut poverty incidence to 14%
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government is fully committed to reducing poverty incidence to 14 percent or lower by 2022.
— Manilastandard.net

SBMA lifts travel restrictions on Taiwanese businessmen, cargo vessels
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it eased the entry restrictions on travelers and vessels from Taiwan late Friday after Malacañang announced that it has scrapped the temporary travel ban which has affected the operations of some investor-companies here.
— Business Mirror

Govt limits working hours of AV industry employees
Workers in the audiovisual (AV) industry will no longer be allowed to work indefinitely following the issuance of a memorandum circular by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
— Business Mirror

VFA abrogation to affect future pacts with counties –ex-DFA exec
The Philippines’ sudden withdrawal from the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US could affect future negotiations for a similar treaty with other countries, former Foreign Affairs undersecretary Lauro Baja said on Sunday.
— GMA Network

Pain, regret and uncertainty: The Philippines’ ‘modern day heroes’ and the ones their deaths leave behind
After being told that his mother had died in a car accident in Singapore, Daniel Sugitan called out to her in his sleep that same night.
— CNA

Senators agree that politics influenced Taiwan travel restriction
The travel ban on Taiwan, ostensibly part of the effort to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus Disease-2019, was also rooted in politics, both Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Panfilo Lacson said Saturday.
— GMA Network

On Manila Bay reclamation, Duterte says ‘wait until next presidency’
President Rodrigo Duterte put his foot down on Saturday, February 15, on reclamation projects along Manila Bay coming from the private sector, telling those interested you wait until the next presidency.
— Rappler

More agri learning site applicants validated via week-long farm visits
As per directive to increase the Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSA) in region 10, the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) through its Partnership and Accreditation Services Section (PASS) is already in the process of profiling and classifying new learning sites for 2020.
— Philippine Information Agency

COA rejects PrimeWater’s P24-million claim vs Nueva Ecija water district
The Commission on Audit (COA) rejected a claim amounting to P24.2 million filed against the state-run Jaen Water District (JWD) in Nueva Ecija over a joint venture agreement in 2016.
— Rappler

De Lima: Duterte’s termination of VFA “epically wrong”
President Rodrigo Duterte’s termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement is “epically wrong,” Senator Leila de Lima said.
— Eagle News

Agusan solon asks teachers to protect youth from NPA recruitment
Concerned over reports that influence of the New People’s Army (NPA) has already reached school campuses, Agusan del Norte 2nd District Rep. Ma. Angelica M. Amante-Matba urged the teachers in the province to help the government save the youth from the recruitment of the NPA.
— Philippine News Agency

ABS-CBN to have time and day in House for franchise renewal -solon
House Committee on Legislative Franchises Vice-Chair Tonypet Albano on Sunday assured ABS-CBN Corporation that it would have its time and day at the chamber for deliberations on the measures seeking its franchise’s renewal.
— GMA Network

QC forms task force for 2nd round of road clearing ops
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte announced that the second round of road-clearing operations mandated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will kick off on February 17.
— Philippine News Agency

They’re victims too: Advocacy group calls for prevention of sexual abuses on boys
Advocacy group Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA) said on Friday, February 14, that boys, like girls, also experience forms of sexual abuse and they need interventions too.
— Rappler

PHL military lauds Oriental Mindoro initiative to hold localized peace talks with NPA
The Philippine military has hailed Mindoro Oriental’s efforts to hold peace talks with New People’s Army rebels there. In a statement, 2nd Infantry Division commander Major General Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr. said the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Peace and Order Council’s initiative was “crucial and necessary.”
— Eagle News

Trillanes needs to return home to face sedition charge, post bail -Drilon
Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon said on Saturday that former Senator Antonio Trillanes needed to come back to the Philippines to face the sedition charges against him and to post bail for the arrest warrant stemming from those charges.
— GMA Network

BOC donates truckloads of relief goods for Taal thru Red Cross
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) donated to the Philippine Red Cross two truckloads of assorted items for the families affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption last month.
— Philippine News Agency

Travelers carrying pets urged: Be polite towards co-passengers on PUVs
Owners should be responsible and sensitive towards other passengers when riding public utility vehicles (PUVs) with their furry friends.
— GMA Network

Feature photo Zuellig Family Foundation

This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on International Mother Language Day, February 21.

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).

—

About Philippines morning news.

Philippines morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Philippines English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Philippines English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Philippines daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Philippines news headlines and first paragraphs before 8.15am Manila time.

We clearly identify the source of all the Philippines news headlines, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the news site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you too. If a website uses particularly invasive pop-up adverts, we’ll tell you.

This enables you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original Philippines news article, or keep on reading the remaining Philippines daily news headlines.

Click here to get your Philippines English language news today by email before 9am Manila time daily. Remember to watch out for the confirmation email from us to confirm your subscription. Check your trash folder if you do not see it.

For more immediate updates download the AEC News Today Mobile App from the Apple or Google stores, or follow us on Twitter.

#Independentmedia

Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Philippines morning news for February 17 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on February 17, 2020
View all posts by Stella-maris Ewudolu →

Bio
Latest Posts

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.