Philippines Morning News For February 27, 2020

Duterte disagrees with total travel ban on South Korea over COVID-19
President Rodrigo Duterte disagrees with the idea of expanding the coverage of the travel ban on South Korea as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus outbreak.
— GMA Network

All 445 repatriated Pinoys from Diamond Princess remain free of COVID-19 symptoms –Duque
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday said all 445 repatriated Filipinos from the Diamond Princess cruise ship remained asymptomatic of the coranavirus disease 2019 (COVID 2019).
— GMA Network

PH bans travel of Filipino tourists to South Korea over coronavirus threat
The Philippines on Wednesday, February 26, temporarily prohibited Filipino tourists from traveling to South Korea due to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) scare.
— Rappler

Philippines observes ‘no-contact’ Ash Wednesday to beat virus
Filipinos bowed their heads to be sprinkled instead of having a cross drawn on their foreheads to mark Ash Wednesday, as Asia’s bastion of Catholicism guarded against the spread of coronavirus.
— CNA

ASF-free pigs should be branded: Duterte
Hogs that are free from African swine fever (ASF) should be properly branded to prevent further contamination and hasten the flow of pork and products in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

PH calls for prudence amid human rights allegations
Amid allegations of human rights violations in the Philippines, a Palace official on Wednesday urged top officials of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to be more cautious about claims made by critics and detractors of the Duterte administration, particularly those belonging to groups listed as terrorist organizations.
— Philippine News Agency

DILG order affects 5,000 trikes in Zambo City
Over 5,000 tricycles in this city will be affected by the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) banning the three-wheeled vehicles on national roads.
— Philippine News Agency

Over 2,000 Chinese POGO workers deported over criminal records in China
Over 2,000 Chinese nationals who work for Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) have been deported after authorities discovered that they have criminal records in China, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said.
— GMA Network

PNP deploys 400 personnel for cruise ship repatriates
Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed about 400 personnel to provide security to the Filipino repatriates from the M/V Diamond Princess currently serving a 14-day quarantine at New Clark City in Capas town.
— Philippine Information Agency

P11-M evacuation center to rise in Ilocos Norte town
The municipal government of Burgos in Ilocos Norte is eyeing for the completion of a permanent evacuation center located in Poblacion village.
— Philippine News Agency

Duterte: AFP, PNP say Philippines can do without foreign military aid
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he got the assurance of the military and police that the Philippines could boost its defense capabilities without the assistance of the United States.
— GMA Network

SC affirmed legality of De Lima’s arrest, detention: PRRD
The Supreme Court has declared legal the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima due to her involvement in illegal drugs, President Rodrigo Duterte told the United States (US) on Wednesday.D
— Philippine News Agency

Duterte accepts ABS-CBN apology, distances from franchise issue
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday accepted broadcast firm ABS-CBN Corp.’s apology over his unaired campaign advertisements during the 2016 presidential elections and vowed not to meddle in its franchise renewal bid.”Nandiyan na iyan eh (It has been done).
— Philippine News Agency

Pinoy household service workers in Hong Kong, Macau still stranded
MORE than 10,000 Filipino household service workers (HSWs) remain stranded in Manila, unable to leave for jobs in Hong Kong and Macau due to the existing travel ban on local air carriers.
— Business Mirror

House wants BBB fast-tracked to mitigate effects of COVID-19
House leaders yesterday called on the executive branch to expedite infrastructure projects to help cushion the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the country’s tourism and economy.
— The Philippine Star

In multinational companies’ rationalizing, PHL could be at risk
THE Philippines is in peril of losing some investors as a result of multinationals rationalizing their global operations.
— Business Mirror

PhilHealth bares benefit package on Covid-19
STATE-RUN health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has finally released the guidelines on the enhancement of its benefit packages for member-patients suspected or confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
— Business Mirror

QC hikes city workers’ wages
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has signed a memorandum increasing the monthly salary of city hall’s contractual and job-order employees to a “livable” rate of at least P13,000 by March.
— Manilastandard.net

PhilHealth tightens accreditation of healthcare providers amid NHIP implementation
Amid its renewed crackdown on fraudulent claims, the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) issued a circular stipulating the guidelines on the denial, or withdrawal of accreditation, of health-care providers.
— Business Mirror

NTC asked to grant ‘ABS’ authority to operate beyond May 4, 2020
In an apparent move to guarantee good faith in acting on bills seeking to extend the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN, the chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Franchise yesterday asked the National Telecommunications Commission to grant ABS-CBN provisional authority to operate beyond May 4, 2020.
— Tempo

Senate approves changes to law against terrorism
THE Senate on Wednesday approved on final reading a bill that seeks to boost the government’s anti-terrorism thrust.
— BusinessWorld

Globe completes first successful technical 5G video call with AIS Thailand
The world’s most sought after Internet technology is finally in the Philippines as Globe successfully completed the first-ever 5G video call in the country with AIS Thailand through its 5G Mobile Network.
— PRNewswire (media release)

Gov’t agencies eye suggested wholesale price for agri products
The Department of Trade (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) are planning to impose suggested wholesale prices (SWP) on agricultural commodities in an effort to curb price manipulations from the traders level.
— GMA Network

Grab asks LTFRB to fill 65,000 slots as app loses 1,000 drivers a month
Grab Philippines on Wednesday asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory to maximize the 65,000 transportation network vehicle service slots following the sharp decline in the number of active drivers.
— Manilastandard.net

At least 259 homes destroyed in Cebu City fire
At least 259 houses in Barangay Suba, Sitio Santo Niño, in Cebu City were destroyed in a fire on Wednesday evening, February 26.
— Rappler

China’s POGO crackdown, coronavirus may dampen PHL office space demand
THE CONTINUED global spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), coupled with the Chinese government’s crackdown on its citizens employed by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), may dampen office space demand in the country this year.
— BusinessWorld

Gov’t approves programs’ fund for insurgency-affected villages
The national government has approved development programs’ funds for the identified insurgency-affected villages all over the country, according to Undersecretary Vicente Agdamag.
— Philippine Information Agency

DILG orders LGUs to craft plans for the ‘Big One’ in 90 days
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered all local governments units to assess all buildings for the so-called Big One earthquake and craft action plans after their assessment within 90 days.
— Rappler

Red Cross donates 25,000 face masks to Bureau of Customs
The Philippine Red Cross has donated 25,000 face masks to the government as added protection for front-liners against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
— GMA Network

SC ruling on grant of franchise not necessarily applicable to ABS-CBN, solon says
As far as Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate is concerned, the Supreme Court ruling saying that a franchise is needed before a broadcast entity could be granted a provisional authority to operate is not necessarily applicable to the case of ABS-CBN.
— GMA Network

DICT to issue common tower policy in March
The common tower policy, which would allow multiple telecommunications (telco) networks to use the same towers resulting in faster rollout and cheaper services, would be released next month, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said on Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

DOH stops contact tracing for coronavirus, shifts efforts to ‘preparedness’
Philippine health officials have stopped tracking down other people who came into contact with the 3 Chinese visitors who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) while in the country in late January.
— Rappler

SC having difficulty on ABS-CBN case, resets debates to March 10
THE Supreme Court is having difficulty deliberating on the government’s quo warranto petition against television netowrk ABS-CBN and decided to “call again” the case in two weeks time, sources privy to the discussions said on Wednesday.
— Manila Times

DOST introduces waste management tech to Zambo Norte town
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has recently introduced the bioreactor and plastic densifier technologies to the municipal government of Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte.
— Philippine News Agency

DFA chief meets with Oman foreign minister who noted positive contributions of Filipinos in country
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., visited Oman’s Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Allawi, at the Foreign Ministry in Muscat, in his first official visit to Oman.
— Eagle News

P4-B investment awaits Bataan town
More than PHP4 billion of investment is ready to flow into this historic town under an expansion program of the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB).
— Philippine News Agency

110 Pinays barred from leaving via Zamboanga port
IMMIGRATION officials barred more than 100 undocumented Filipinos from leaving the country through the Zamboanga International Seaport, it said in a statement on Wednesday.
— BusinessWorld

Bill giving staggered cash gift to elderlies sponsored in Senate
Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. sponsored on Wednesday a bill seeking to amend Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Law to provide a staggered amount of cash gifts to elderlies.
— GMA Network

PH ‘victim’ of UN Human Rights Council’s arbitrary action: PCOO
Amid allegations of human rights violations in the Philippines, a Palace official on Wednesday urged top officials of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to be more cautious about claims made by critics and detractors of the Duterte administration, particularly those belonging to terror groups.
— Philippine News Agency

DTI allocates P13.7-M social enterprises in Davao City
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has allocated PHP13.7 million for four projects in this city under the Shared Service Facility (SSF) program for 2020.
— Philippine News Agency

DILG gives LGUs 90 days to submit structural assessment of buildings
Local government units have been given 90 days to provide an assessment of their buildings and structures in relation to the government s preparation for major earthquakes.
— GMA Network

Ex-DA officials get at least 6 years for contract 40 centavos over budget
The anti-graft Sandiganbayan has convicted 4 former Department of Agriculture (DA) officials of corruption and sentenced them to 6 to 8 years in jail for approving a contract 40 centavos over the approved budget.
— Rappler

Zambo village execs seek return of firearms
Barangay officials here have appealed for the return of their firearms to enable them to help fight criminality in their respective communities.
— Philippine News Agency

No delays on rollout due to Covid-19: DITO
An official of DITO Telecommunity (DITO) on Wednesday clarified that its technical rollout in July and its timeline will be completed on schedule, with the firm working to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak in China on its sourcing of necessary materials.
— Philippine News Agency

PRRD leaves lifting of travel ban to health authorities
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he will leave the decision to lift temporary travel restrictions to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and North Gyeongsang province in South Korea to health authorities.
— Philippine News Agency

9 more Japanese wanted for telecom fraud deported
THE SECOND batch of nine Japanese nationals wanted for telecommunications fraud were deported on Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration said.
— BusinessWorld

NegOr lines up activities for Women’s Month 2020
The Negros Oriental Provincial Commission on Women (PCW) has lined up activities in celebration of the upcoming National Women’s Month in March 2020.
— Philippine Information Agency

DTI probes 2 drugstores in NegOr for overpricing face masks
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is investigating two drug stores in Dumaguete City and Sibulan town for alleged overpricing of face masks despite the prevailing price ceiling imposed by the Department of Health.
— Philippine Information Agency

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This week’s Philippines morning news feature photo focuses on Zero Discrimination Day, March 1.

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Philippines morning news for February 27 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on February 27, 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.