Philippines morning news for July 23, 2020

PH shelves P9.4B defense modernization projects for now due to pandemic
The Philippine defense department is putting off P9.4 billion worth of military modernization projects in the meantime as the national government reallocated its funds to prioritize the coronavirus pandemic.
— Inquirer.net

PH loses P21-B monthly due to suspension of transport ops: solon
A party-list lawmaker on Wednesday said the country has incurred losses of up to PHP21.3 billion per month due to the suspension of public transportation operations during the quarantine period.
— Philippine News Agency

Duterte to unveil COVID-19 recovery roadmap in SONA
President Duterte is set to unveil the country’s recovery roadmap four months after the coronavirus pandemic battered the economy and put almost everything on hold during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Malacañang announced.
— Tempo

BDO fears PH headed toward deepest recession in 35 years
The Philippines may be heading to its deepest economic recession in 35 years due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it is during this crisis that investors should be on the prowl for good bargains that they can keep over a longer-term horizon, BDO Unibank’s chief investment officer said.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Locsin rejects predecessor Del Rosario’s call to raise S. China Sea arbitral victory to UN
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. rejected Wednesday the call of his predecessor Albert del Rosario to raise the Philippines’ arbitral win on the South China Sea before the United Nations General Assembly.
— ABS-CBN News

COVID-19 infections top 72,000; deaths at 1,843 — Health dep’t
THE Department of Health reported 1,594 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, bringing the total to 72,269.
— BusinessWorld

Hontiveros amused at how COVID-19 struck 9 drug lords in ‘one blow’
Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed disbelief on Wednesday that nine high-profile inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) have been wiped out by COVID-19 all at once.
— GMA Network

ANALYSIS: FDI and remittance flows into the Philippines are drying up
Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) entering into the Philippines are drying up at an alarming rate. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows FDI inflows declined by 67.9 percent year on year in April.
— ABS-CBN News

Philippine journalist Maria Ressa denies tax evasion charges
Maria Ressa, a journalist who runs a Philippine news website known for its tough scrutiny of President Rodrigo Duterte, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to tax evasion charges in a case she has described as a form of harassment.
— CNA

PHL foreign debt load half of Asian financial crisis levels
THE Department of Finance (DoF) said the Philippines is well-positioned with low levels of foreign debt load during the pandemic, which compares favorably with its standing during the Asian financial crisis, during which the debt load was more than double current levels.
— BusinessWorld

PH now better equipped to monitor incursions, harassment in West PH Sea: Lorenzana
Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday said the Philippines is now better equipped to monitor incursions and other activities in the West Philippine Sea with the acquisition and installation of surveillance radars.
— ABS-CBN News

PCCI warns businesses face permanent closure if lockdowns continue
THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) urged the government to allow businesses to resume full operations, warning that many are facing the possibility of permanent closure if lockdowns continue.
— BusinessWorld

Not wearing face masks may land you in jail
People caught violating COVID-19 protocols like wearing face masks and observing physical distancing may face a jail time of 10 to 30 days, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Wednesday, adding that he had a dialogue with local chief executives to discuss uniform rules against quarantine violators.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOJ: 476 inmates died in first half of 2020 Senators want BuCor chief out
Since the start of the year, an average of two inmates have died daily in prison facilities nationwide under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), for a total of 476 fatalities as of July 19, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said yesterday.
— Philippine Star

Gov’t balancing ‘targeted lockdowns’ while rebuilding economy
The second phase of the government’s National Action Plan (NAP) to combat the coronavirus pandemic focuses on balancing Filipinos’ health and the gradual reboot of the economy, National Action Plan (NAP) on Covid-19 chief implementer, Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., said Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

Street-level lockdowns eyed in 21 Cebu City barangays
Neighborhoods in 21 barangays with the most active coronavirus cases will be considered for a granular lockdown.
— Rappler

‘Suspicious’: Gordon warns against charter change during COVID-19 pandemic
Sen. Richard Gordon on Wednesday said that amending the 1987 Constitution at the height of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will rouse suspicion that several politicians only want an “extension of power.”
— ABS-CBN News

Promise? Duterte’s 5th SONA will be aired without edits – Palace
Days after being caught editing the President’s broadcast speech, President Rodrigo Duterte’s communications team gave assurances that his 5th State of the Nation Address on July 27 will be aired live without any edits.
— Rappler

Unless there’s ‘big threat,’ PH can wait for IRR before enforcing anti-terror law
Unless there’s a “big” terror threat, the Philippine government can wait for the promulgation of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the anti-terror law before enforcing the controversial measure, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Wednesday, July 22.
— Rappler

Recto slams conditions in jails amid pandemic, calls for release of vulnerable inmates
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Wednesday slammed the conditions in Philippine jails, calling them “pandemic timebombs.”
— Philippine Star

H1 deficit hits P560.4 billion on lockdown impact
THE national government’s budget deficit for the first half of the year soared to P560.4 billion as the Covid-19-induced lockdown caused the drop in state revenues and the hike in government spending.
— Business Mirror

House members ‘out of line’ in urging ABS-CBN eviction -Gordon
The House members who discussed the confiscation of ABS-CBN’s pieces of property and its workers’ takeover of the network’s operations were “out of line”, Senator Richard Gordon said on Wednesday.
— GMA Network

Private hospitals’ COVID-19 bed capacity allocation cut to 20%
The Department of Health (DOH) is now requiring private hospitals to allocate 20 percent of their bed capacity for coronavirus patients, an official said yesterday.
— Philippine Star

Covid-19 tally among OFs rose to 9,165: DFA
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said 20 more overseas Filipinos (OFs) contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), bringing the overall tally to 9,165.
— Philippine News Agency

DICT proposes P13-B budget for national broadband program in 2021
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has set aside over over P13 billion for the country’s national broadband program in its proposed P46.6-billion budget for 2021.
— GMA Network

Groups to push through with SoNA protests
The new anti-terror law and the threat of being infected by the coronavirus disease are not stopping a broad coalition of groups and individuals from staging their protect actions when President Duterte delivers his 5th State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday.
— Tempo

Chatbots, motorbikes: Southeast Asia HIV centres adapt to coronavirus
Five days after a coronavirus lockdown was imposed in Manila, charity LoveYourself hired 20 former motorcycle taxi riders, gave them a crash course on HIV and sent them off to deliver life-saving medication after signing confidentiality agreements.
— Reuters

Gordon to include death fraud trade in Senate Bilibid probe
The Senate will look into reports of a thriving death fraud trade in the Philippines when it investigates the “suspicious” deaths of several high-profile inmates of the New Bilibid Prison, Senator Richard Gordon said on Wednesday, July 22.
— Rappler

Labor groups blast Duterte for failing to address workers’ rights
Members of different labor groups hold a protest at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Intramuros on Wednesday.
— ABS-CBN News

Guevarra: BuCor’s protocol for dying inmates ‘inadequate’
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday, July 22, that the Bureau of Corrections’ or BuCor’s protocol for convicts who die in their custody is “inadequate.”
— Rappler

DENR seeks compliance of mining firms closed by late environment chief Gina Lopez
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Wednesday it was seeking the compliance of mining firms closed by its late chief Gina Lopez.
— ABS-CBN News

Makabayan bloc wants House plenary to vote on ABS-CBN franchise
The 6 Makabayan bloc lawmakers want the 301 members of the House of Representatives to debate and decide with finality on the future of ABS-CBN, citing “insecurities and doubts” in the committee decision to junk the network’s franchise bid.
— Rappler

BuCor chief may be sacked over late reporting of inmates’ deaths due to COVID-19: Gordon
Sen. Richard Gordon on Wednesday said Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag may be sacked from his post even if he can prove that several high-profile inmates in the New Bilibid Prison died due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
— ABS-CBN News

Public hospitals must allot 70% of beds in case of virus surge
The Department of Health (DOH) is updating its policy on COVID-19 hospital capacity, with public hospitals expected to set aside up to 70 percent of their beds for coronavirus patients.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Pangilinan suspects something fishy amid sudden drop in prices of imported COVID-19 kits
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s suspicion that someone is profiteering from the purchase of imported COVID-19 test kits grew stronger as he bared on Wednesday that the approval of locally developed kits “immediately” tipped the scales on pricing.
— GMA Network

PH can’t afford another lockdown – solon
The Philippines cannot afford another lockdown after it was estimated that the country’s economy incurred a monthly revenue loss amounting to P21 billion due to suspension of public transport operations since mid-March.
— Tempo

Duterte’s penultimate outlay to reach Congress way past SONA
Departing from recent tradition, the Duterte administration will delay the submission of the proposed budget for next year to August, giving lawmakers less time to deliberate on the outlay critical to ensure economic recovery from the pandemic is sustained.
— Philippine Star

DILG: Almost 22,000 PDLs released amid COVID-19 pandemic
Almost 22,000 persons deprived of liberty have been released amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Eagle News

Household spending seen dropping 6.5% on Covid’s impact
HOUSEHOLD consumption—a major driver for the Philippines’ economic recovery—is seen to decline by 6.5 percent this year due to a surge in joblessness and lockdown measures imposed by the government amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, a bank official said.
— Business Mirror

PH posts 51% drop in crime rate since start of quarantine
The government’s intensified efforts to uphold the rule of law resulted in a 51-percent decline in the country’s crime rate since the start of community quarantine measures in the country, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

Latest hunger survey underscores importance of reopening the economy –Palace
Malacañang on Wednesday expressed sadness over the new survey that showed 5.2 million families experienced involuntary hunger over the past three months amid the movement restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
— GMA Network

Urban poor face evictions even as pandemic requires them to stay at home
Even as thousands of Filipinos have been forced to live in precarity by the COVID-19 pandemic, evictions by government agencies have rendered more than a dozen families homeless in the past week, a non-government organization said.
— Philippine Star

4 Philippine provinces still COVID-free in July, DOH says
Four provinces across the Philippines remain free from cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) months into the pandemic, according to the DOH: Batanes, Quirino, Aurora, and Dinagat Islands.
— GMA Network

Ex-SC justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio-Morales, UP law profs challenge anti-terrorism law
Retired Supreme Court justices, Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio-Morales–also former chief graft-buster–led the 11th group of petitioners asking the tribunal to strike down the much-feared Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 as unconstitutional.
— Philippine Star

RT-PCR no longer mandatory for Davao-bound passengers
Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said Wednesday the requirement for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab test results for Davao-bound air travelers are no longer mandatory.
— Philippine News Agency

US OKs restructured Philippine dairy program
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the restructured program to be implemented by the National Dairy Author(NDA) to accelerate the development of the country’s dairy industry.
— Philippine Star

COVID-19 cases in PNP now at 1,643
The number of police officers infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reached 1,643 on Wednesday after the Philippine National Police reported 43 more infections.
— GMA Network

Merging of energy conserving design into Green Building Code eyed
The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are now discussing the integration of the guidelines on energy conserving design of buildings to the Philippine Green Building Code.
— Philippine News Agency

Court junks political detainee’s plea for hospital stay, separates her from baby
A Manila court ruled to separate political prisoner Reina Mae Nasino from her newborn child after junking her plea to be allowed to stay at the hospital for a year amid fears of COVID-19 in the cramped city jail.
— Philippine Star

Over 92K overseas Filipinos back in provinces: Lorenzana
Over 92,000 overseas Filipinos who returned to the country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic are now back in their provinces, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.
— Philippine News Agency

Trader’s tax refund petition junked
The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has turned down the P13.4-million tax refund petition of a sugar trader for its failure to present proof it was entitled to it.
— Tempo

Philippines’ first REIT IPO starts at P27 apiece
The Philippines’ first real estate investment trust (REIT) initial public offering (IPO), to be undertaken by Ayala-Land sponsored AREIT Inc., has been priced at P27.00 per share.
— GMA Network

Profs, health groups give gov’t COVID-19 response fail mark
Two professors at the University of the Philippines and two representatives of health groups on Wednesday gave the government a “fail” mark in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
— GMA Network

Filipinos not inherently ‘pasaway’ — Palace
Months after saying that Filipinos should be ashamed for their supposed lack of discipline, Malacañang said it does not believe that people in the country are violators and expressed confidence that they would cooperate with quarantine implementers.
— Philippine Star

No more foreign terrorists in Mindanao, says Lorenzana
Security forces no longer detect the presence of foreign terrorists in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.
— GMA Network

Health Dep’t rejects use of gasoline to disinfect masks after Duterte wrongly suggests it
Ah, comedy. Where would we–and the president–be without you?
— Coconuts Philippines

NPA suspected of perpetrating ‘mistaken identity’ shooting
Police investigators are eyeing the possible involvement of members of the New People’s Army (NPA) – the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) – in the shooting-to-death of two men in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental Tuesday afternoon.
— Philippine News Agency

DA: P767M released for interest-free loan program for farmers; P646M for MSMEs
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has released at least P1.4 billion to beneficiaries of its Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers (SURE Aid) Program, a top official said Wednesday.
— GMA Network

Dealing with climate change remains ‘top priority’ for gov’t
CLIMATE CHANGE remains a top priority for the national government even as it deals with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said.
— BusinessWorld

Duterte departing from renewables pledge, NGO says
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte is not fulfilling his pledge to encourage the development of renewables after making a push for coal-fired energy in his home region of the southern Philippines, a non-government organization (NGO) said.
— BusinessWorld

Feature photo Baclaran Church
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Philippines morning news for July 23 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on July 23, 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.