April 8, 2022
WHO warns of new COVID surge in 2 months, urges PH to prepare
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 7, 2022
Kurt Dela Peña
As COVID-19 cases will likely rise, especially after the elections on May 9, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the Philippines should be prepared...
Philippines’ 2021 GDP growth upgraded to 5.7%
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
Abigail Marie P. Yraola
The Philippine economy grew slightly faster than it initially reported in 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday...
51% see economy improving this year
Philippine Star, April 8, 2022
Janvic Mateo
A majority of adult Filipinos expect the economy to improve this year, results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Wednesday night showed...
Over 3M Filipinos jobless in February
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
Ana Olivia A. Tirona
The Philippines’ unemployment rate steadied on a monthly basis in February, but the number of jobless Filipinos increased to 3.126 million despite the gradual reopening of the economy, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday...
BSP looking to ease Islamic banks’ capital requirements
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
L.W.T. Noble
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is looking into reducing the minimum capital requirement needed to set up Islamic banking units to attract more players...
No Comelec rule prohibits Pres. Duterte from endorsing any presd’l candidate, says Jimenez
Manila Bulletin, April 7, 2022
Jel Santos
President Duterte is not being hindered by any Commission on Elections (Comelec) rule to endorse a presidential candidate...
Covid rapid test for arrivals approved
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Kristina Maralit
The government's pandemic task force will allow the use of the rapid antigen test for Covid-19 as part of the entry requirements for travelers arriving in the country...
Duterte hopes Congress will rectify vetoed provisions of security of tenure bill
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 7, 2022
Daniza Fernandez
President Rodrigo Duterte is hoping that the Congress would rectify the vetoed provisions of the security of tenure bill, Malacañang said Thursday...
China uses AI software to improve its surveillance capabilities
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Reuters
Dozens of Chinese firms have built software that uses artificial intelligence to sort data collected on residents, amid high demand from authorities seeking to upgrade their surveillance tools, a Reuters review of government documents shows...
Rody-Xi talk up
Daily Tribune, April 8, 2022
MJ Blancaflor
If plans do not miscarry, President Rodrigo Duterte will be speaking with China’s President Xi Jinping via teleconference today, 8 April. It’s anybody’s guess what the two leaders will be talking about...
VCMs, ballots delayed in New York
BusinessMirror, April 7, 2022
Malou Talosig-Bartolome
The deployment of vote-counting machines (VCMs) and the ballots in New York has been delayed, prompting the Philippine Consulate General in the US state to announce the postponement of the scheduled final testing and sealing of the VCMs to a later date...
Govt allays fears of Filipinos abroad over delay in final testing of VCMs
The Manila Times, April 7, 2022
Bernadette E. Tamayo
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday allayed fears of Filipinos abroad that they will not have enough time to vote amid the reported postponement in the final testing of vote counting machines (VCMs) in some Philippine foreign posts...
Govt slams fake advisory on Saudi Arabia deployment, says ban still in effect
The Manila Times, April 7, 2022
William Depasupil
The deployment ban on Filipino workers bound for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) remains in effect, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE)...
Turkey sees better relations with PH
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Kristina Maralit
Citing its "very good" defense cooperation with the Philippines during the Duterte administration, the Republic of Turkey hopes to continue the good relationship even after the country swears in its new leader...
WHO: Vaccinate the more vulnerable
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Red Mendoza
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday urged governments in the Western Pacific region to continue vaccinating the most vulnerable individuals as some countries start to ease restrictions in a move to live with Covid-19...
U.N. suspends Russia from human rights body, Moscow then quits
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Reuters
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday suspended Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to announce it was quitting the body...
Russia laments ‘significant losses’ as Ukraine braces for major offensive
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Reuters
Russia on Thursday appeared to give the most damning assessment so far of its invasion, describing the “tragedy” of mounting troop losses and the economic hit as Ukrainians were evacuated from eastern cities before an anticipated major offensive...
Rich nations to tap 120M barrels from reserves
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Agence France-Presse
Rich countries will tap an additional 120 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves in a bid to calm crude prices that have soared following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila)...
UK study finds symptoms from Omicron 2 days shorter than from Delta
GMA News, April 8, 2022
Ludwig Burger, Reuters
Disease caused by the Omicron variant is on average around two days shorter than the Delta variant, a large study of vaccinated Britons who kept a smartphone log of their COVID-19 symptoms after breakthrough infections has shown...
Ukraine warns of 'last chance' to flee as Russia prepares eastern attack
The Manila Times, April 7, 2022
Agence France-Presse
Ukraine urged its residents in the east of the country Thursday to take their "last chance" to flee mounting Russian attacks, after devastation around the capital Kyiv shocked the world...
Putin has given up on conquering Kyiv, says Pentagon chief
ABS-CBN News, April 8, 2022
Agence France-Presse
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has given up on conquering Kyiv after his forces were soundly beaten back by the Ukrainian military...
US, UK up Russia sanctions as Kyiv warns of eastern attack
Philippine Star, April 7, 2022
Joe Stenson, Agence France-Presse
The US and Britain announced new sanctions against Russia Wednesday after Ukraine said hundreds of civilians were found dead around its capital, as Kyiv warned residents in the east of the country to get out "now" ahead of a feared assault...
Meta takes out over 400 ‘hacktivists’, NPA-linked accounts, pages from FB
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 7, 2022
Gabriel Pabico Lalu
Meta has removed more than 400 Facebook accounts and pages of so-called hacktivists, and of a network of groups linked to the New People’s Army (NPA) for supposedly violating the social media giant’s community standards...
Civil society groups warn World Bank vs relying too much on firms to fight climate change
ABS-CBN News, April 7, 2022
Warren De Guzman
Representatives from civil society groups worldwide on Thursday called on the World Bank to consider carefully the apparent shift toward involving large corporations in the fight against climate change...
Moscow doubles subsidies to attract new local foodchains to the city
Rappler, April 7, 2022
Reuters
Moscow has doubled the state support available for opening a fast-food chain in the city to 5 million roubles ($63,000), a city spokeswoman told Reuters, hoping this will help plug the gap left by foreign fast-food chains that suspended activities...
PHL central bank addresses FATF recommendations vs financial crimes
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
Luz Wendy T. Noble
The Philippine central bank is focusing on showcasing tighter regulations on registration of money transfer services and the effectiveness of targeted financial sanctions, as it aims to exit the “gray list” of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) by next year...
OFW Center to improve services for migrant workers
Philippine Star, April 8, 2022
Alexis Romero
President Duterte yesterday led the groundbreaking of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Center in Daang Hari, Las Piñas City and ordered agencies to improve the services given to migrant workers and their families...
Rody renews call to end ‘endo’
Manila Standard, April 8, 2022
Vito Barcelo
President Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to rectify the vetoed provisions of the security of tenure bill as he reiterated his commitment to stop “endo,” the practice by which employers hire and rehire contractual employees after five months to avoid giving them benefits as full-time employees...
Duterte to zap ‘e-sabong’ if linked to illegal activities
Manila Standard, April 8, 2022
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday threatened anew to suspend e-sabong and forego billions of pesos in revenue from the online gambling platform if the illegal activities linked to it are proven...
Fuel subsidy eyed for trike drivers
Philippine Star, April 8, 2022
Emmanuel Tupas
At least 1.2 million tricycle drivers and operators are being eyed for inclusion in the government’s fuel subsidy program, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday...
Marines form battalion for missile assets
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Frances Mangosing
The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has formed a new battalion to operate its upcoming BrahMos supersonic cruise missile systems, considered the fastest worldwide with a range of over 400 kilometers and speed ranging from Mach 2.8 to 3.0...
Health experts back booster card proposal
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Red Mendoza
Medical experts backed the proposal of Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd to issue vaccination booster cards as a way to prevent a Covid surge after the elections...
Household subsidy for poor families rising to P500 by May
BusinessWorld, April 7, 2022
Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan
The monthly household subsidy for poor families will increase from P200 to P500 and is set for distribution by May, a senior legislator said on Thursday...
Misleading FB accounts purged ahead of polls
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Krixia Subingsubing
Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of social media giant Facebook, said it had identified and removed networks of more than 400 accounts, pages and groups in the Philippines as part of efforts to crack down against disinformation ahead of the May 9 elections...
First order issued by DMW head draws flak
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Melvin Gascon and Tina G. Santos
President Duterte should “immediately fire” his newly appointed secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for the latter’s “erroneous” and “self-serving” interpretation of the law that created the new government agency last year, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on Thursday...
Palace says alert level effective in economic revival
BusinessWorld, April 7, 2022
Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
The country's effective coronavirus alert level system has made Filipinos become more optimistic about economic growth, according to the presidential palace...
DOLE chief allots P100M for free Covid testing of 1st-time jobseekers
BusinessMirror, April 7, 2022
Samuel P. Medenilla
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has allocated P100 million to provide free Covid-19 testing to first time jobseekers...
Locsin, Drilon join Bello in bucking DMW chief’s order
BusinessMirror, April 7, 2022
Malou Talosig-Bartolome
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. has joined other Cabinet members in opposing the controversial order of the transition secretary for the newly minted Department of Migrant Workers, mandating the hasty transfer of workers and funds, and throwing the OFW sector in turmoil...
Comelec's Garcia: Give attention to candidates present in debates
GMA News, April 7, 2022
A commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday urged Filipino voters to focus on candidates who attend presidential debates instead of veering away from those who are absent...
Duterte still committed to eliminating ‘abusive employment practices’
BusinessMirror, April 7, 2022
Samuel P. Medenilla
Despite vetoing the Security of Tenure (SOT) Bill passed by Congress in 2019, President Rodrigo R. Duterte still wants lawmakers to pass legislation to eliminate “abusive employment practices.”...
Palace defends P12-trillion debt; 'no irregularities in gov't spending'
Manila Bulletin, April 7, 2022
Alexandria Dennise San Juan
Malacañang on Thursday, April 7, defended the country’s outstanding debt, adding that it is needed to fund the programs and projects intended for the welfare of Filipinos...
Manufacturing bounces back as restrictions ease
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
Mariedel Irish U. Catilogo
Manufacturing rose to its highest level in five months in February, thanks to favorable base effect and increased economic activity amid looser mobility curbs...
Rediscount facility untouched in March
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
LWTN
Banks left the rediscount facility of the central bank untouched in March as there was ample liquidity in the financial system to service their lending requirements as the economy reopened further...
DA redoubles efforts vs agri goods smuggling
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Jordeene B. Lagare
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is pitching a two-pronged approach to stymie the illegal entry of agricultural goods into the country while beefing up local production...
New P1,000 banknotes out starting April 18
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 8, 2022
Mayvelin U. Caraballo
New P1,000 bills will go into circulation next month as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) pushes through with a shift to polymer banknotes...
Pandemic boosts insurance, investment awareness among Filipinos
BusinessWorld, April 8, 2022
L.W.T. Noble
Filipinos are becoming more aware of and committed to increasing their insurance coverage and investments as the pandemic brought to light the importance of preparing for the unexpected, industry experts said...
‘Government loses P26 billion from illicit cigarette trade’
Philippine Star, April 8, 2022
Elijah Felice Rosales
The government’s top two revenue offices have forfeited an average of P1.67 billion in taxes due to the illicit trade of cigarettes, but a legislator warned authorities have yet to infiltrate the P26-billion market for fake tobacco...
Stocks plunge below 7,000 on inflation jitters
Philippine Star, April 8, 2022
Iris Gonzales
Share prices tumbled to their lowest level in over two weeks as jittery investors stayed away from the market...
Filipinos see higher income this year
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Mayvelin U. Caraballo
Filipinos expect family incomes to rise in the next 12 months, a private credit bureau said, citing results from a February survey...
PSEi still down on Fed sentiment
The Manila Times, April 8, 2022
Eireene Jairee Gomez
Investors continue to weigh the Federal Reserve's plans to tighten monetary policy, resulting in the negative close of the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) on Thursday...
BIR’S Pogo collections down 45.5% to P3.91 billion
BusinessMirror, April 7, 2022
Bernadette D. Nicolas
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) only collected less than P4 billion in taxes from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (Pogos) last year, plunging by 45.5 percent from its take in 2020...
PHL ‘could be losing P26B’ to illicit tobacco trade yearly
BusinessMirror, April 7, 2022
Bernadette D. Nicolas
The Philippines is estimated to be losing P26 billion in revenues per year due to the illicit tobacco trade, House Ways and Means Committee Technical Working Group chair Rep. Jericho “Koko” Nograles said—an estimate that was about eight times more than official estimates averaging over P3 billion...
Trade gap may weaken peso to 54:$1 this quarter
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 7, 2022
Ronnel W. Domingo
Despite the Philippine peso strengthening and approaching P51:$1 in the past few days, ING Bank expects the local currency to once more breach the P52:$1 mark within a month and even weaken beyond the P54:$1 mark in the next three months...