May 12, 2022
EDITORIAL - Clean up after yourself
Source Philippine Star
PH gets better political risk rating, but 2022 growth still in doubt
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12, 2022
Ben O. de Vera and Ronnel W. Domingo
The Philippines has gained brownie points for holding generally smooth elections, but economists still doubt the country’s growth prospects for the year as they await clues to the economic policies of President-apparent Ferdinand Marcos Jr...
FDI inflows surge in February
BusinessWorld, May 12, 2022
Keisha B. Ta-asan
Net inflows of foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped by 46.3% year on year in February, as the further reopening of the economy lifted investor confidence...
Manufacturing grows at its fastest pace in 7 months
BusinessWorld, May 12, 2022
Ana Olivia A. Tirona
Factory output in March grew at its fastest pace in seven months as manufacturers propped up inventories after restrictions eased...
Marcos naming Sara as DepEd secretary
Daily Tribune, May 12, 2022
Jom Garner
Presumptive president-elect Bongbong Marcos will appoint his running mate and presumptive vice president Sara Duterte-Carpio as the next secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd)...
‘Investments to take a while under new administration’
Philippine Star, May 12, 2022
Louise Maureen Simeon
Investments into the Philippines may take some time to come in even with Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s historic majority win, as the presumptive president has yet to provide a clear economic policy direction for the country...
GoldmanSachs turns more bearish on PH peso
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 11, 2022
Ronnel W. Domingo
The Philippine peso is on its way to further weakening as the revving up of the economy amid further re-opening takes its toll on the country’s position in terms of transactions with the rest of the world, particularly on the inflow and outflow of capital...
Comelec lowers ‘voter threshold’ in 5 areas
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Samuel P. Medenilla
To fast-track the proclamation of winning candidates, the Commission on Elections lowered the “voter threshold” in five areas...
P7.8-B refund order lowers Meralco rate in May billing
Manila Bulletin, May 11, 2022
Myrna M. Velasco
The overall tariff to be passed on by Manila Electric Company (Meralco) in this May billing had been reduced by P0.12 per kilowatt hour (kWh), a reverse from the earlier projection of a rate hike, to reflect the P7.8-billion consumer refund ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)...
Marcos urged to push for RCEP ratification
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Anna Leah E. Gonzales
The ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement should be one of the priorities of presumptive president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the Trade department and an expert from Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) said on Wednesday...
Google’s second try at computer glasses translates conversations in real time
Rappler, May 12, 2022
Reuters
Google also teases a tablet to be launched in 2023 and a smartwatch that will go on sale late this year, as it unveils a strategy to offer a group of products comparable to Apple...
Google making smartwatch in 'ambient' computing push
ABS-CBN News, May 12, 2022
Glenn Chapman, Agence France-Presse
Google said it is strapping a smartwatch onto its Pixel hardware line as part of an "ambient computing" vision to make its services available anywhere at any time...
Google unveils artificial intelligence tool for real-world searches
GMA News, May 12, 2022
Paresh Dave and Yuvraj Malik, Reuters
Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday previewed augmented-reality glasses that display translations of conversations in real time, and it laid out additional plans to bridge the real world and its digital universe of search, Maps and other services using artificial intelligence...
Pfizer to spend $11.6B on anti-migraine drugmaker
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Associated Press
Pfizer Inc. is starting to put its Covid-19 cash influx to use by spending $11.6 billion to venture deeper into a new treatment area...
NPC backs international certification system for data protection
BusinessWorld, May 11, 2022
Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) said it is participating in setting up an international certification system that will allow interoperability among various jurisdictions with different data protection rules...
China to keep ties with Philippines under new leader
BusinessWorld, May 11, 2022
Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
China on Wednesday said it would continue bilateral relations with the Philippines as the country transitions to a new government...
US welcomes new PH leader
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
The United States government said it will renew its "special partnership" with the Philippines and work with the next administration on human rights and regional priorities once a new president has been proclaimed...
US, China, Japan, EU air hopes of working with next PHL leader
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Malou Talosig-Bartolome
The United States, Japan, China and the European Union said they are looking forward to working with the next Philippine president...
About 550,000 overseas Filipinos cast their votes during month-long OAV—DFA
Manila Bulletin, May 11, 2022
Betheena Unite
Around 550,000 overseas voters had cast their votes for the 2022 national elections during the month-long absentee voting in various parts of the world, a foreign affairs official said Wednesday, May 11...
China, Japan laud PH for 'smooth' presidential election
The Manila Times, May 11, 2022
Bernadette E. Tamayo
China and Japan lauded the Philippines for its smooth conduct of national elections as they look forward to working with the incoming new administration...
'Global payment system must be modernized'
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Agence France-Presse
The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday called for the modernization of the cross-border payment system by using digital platforms, arguing that this would reduce the risk of a fragmented global economy...
Asian stocks end mixed on inflation fears
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Agence France-Presse
Asian stocks were mixed on Wednesday, following a volatile day on Wall Street with investors concerned about surging inflation and seesawing oil prices...
US plays down change as China angered by Taiwan 'fact sheet'
Philippine Star, May 11, 2022
Agence France-Presse
The United States insisted Tuesday that nothing had changed in its stance toward Taiwan after Beijing was angered by an updated fact sheet that used less explicit language to reject the island's independence...
UN chief: ‘Deeply concerned’ about risks of global hunger due to war in Ukraine
Rappler, May 11, 2022
Reuters
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday, May 11, he was deeply concerned about hunger becoming widespread as the war in Ukraine threatened food security in different parts of the world...
New Zealand to open int’l borders fully to visitors by end-July
BusinessWorld, May 11, 2022
Reuters
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday the country will fully reopen its international borders from 11:59 p.m. on July 31, with cruise ships also welcome back to local ports on the same day...
AstraZeneca and mRNA vaccines provide equivalent protection
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, the world's most-used vaccines, provide equivalent protection against hospitalization and death from Covid-19 following two doses, a new expert review of data from 79 real-world studies reveals...
Experts: Climate change enhances every heatwave
Manila Standard, May 12, 2022
Agence France-Presse
All heatwaves today bear the unmistakable and measurable fingerprint of global warming, top experts on quantifying the impact of climate change on extreme weather said Wednesday...
Ukraine halts some Russian gas flows to Europe
CNN Philippines, May 11, 2022
Mark Thompson and Anna Cooban, CNN Business
Ukraine suspended the flow of some Russian natural gas to Europe on Wednesday, blaming Moscow for diverting supplies from the vital pipeline network...
Reducing harmful air pollution has led to a surprising effect — more hurricanes in the North Atlantic
CNN Philippines, May 12, 2022
Rachel Ramirez, CNN
As the US and Europe worked for decades to reduce air pollution for the sake of public health and the planet, scientists found an unintended and challenging consequence: an increase in tropical storms in some regions...
Marcos likely to focus on infrastructure but funding remains unclear
BusinessWorld, May 12, 2022
Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
The incoming administration of Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is expected to focus on infrastructure development to drive the Philippine economy’s recovery from the pandemic, but questions remain on how these projects will be funded...
Election watchdog cites need to fix automated system
BusinessWorld, May 11, 2022
John Victor D. Ordoñez and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
An election watchdog on Wednesday said it had received 577 reports of vote-counting machine failures that caused long queues and delayed voting on May 9...
Marcos likely to continue reforms
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Anna Leah E. Gonzales
Presumptive president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is expected to continue implementing the policies initiated by the current administration but market sentiment remains cautious as investors await details on his economic plans, Fitch Solutions and an economist said...
Fitch sees ‘policy continuity’ with Bongbong
Daily Tribune, May 12, 2022
Raadee Sausa
A “smooth transition” and a policy continuity is expected after former senator Bongbong Marcos dominated the recent presidential polls based on partial unofficial results, a research said on Wednesday...
Ferdinand Marcos Jr claims victory in Philippines election
Manila Standard, May 12, 2022
Agence France-Presse
The son of late Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos on Wednesday claimed victory in the presidential election, vowing to be a leader “for all Filipinos”, his spokesman said...
‘I will hit the ground running’
Manila Standard, May 12, 2022
Rey E. Requejo
Presumptive President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. vowed to hit the ground running in addressing the pressing concerns of the country: economy, livelihood, education and infrastructure...
PPCRV finds no anomalies in presidential race count
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12, 2022
Jane Bautista and Kathleen de Villa
There are no discrepancies in the unofficial count of election returns (ERs) in the presidential race, according to poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), which tapped academic experts from various universities to look into their tabulations following questions about the results of the vote...
BBM keeps commanding lead in unofficial count
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12, 2022
Kathleen de Villa
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. kept his commanding lead of over 16 million votes ahead of his closest rival Vice President Leni Robredo in a partial and unofficial count two days after the balloting...
Marcos presidency a boon for China, awkward for US
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12, 2022
Frances Mangosing and Tina G. Santos
The decisive victory of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the presidential election last Monday is expected to reshape the country’s relations with China and the United States as he seeks closer ties with Beijing without ruining an alliance with Washington as what outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte did...
Expert expects COVID-19 surge due to election activities
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12, 2022
Jerome Aning
An infectious diseases expert said he expected COVID-19 cases in the country to rise after one to two weeks as voters failed to comply with health protocols when they went to the polls on May 9...
'Surveys are reliable'
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Kaithreen Cruz
Survey firms Pulse Asia, OCTA Research and PUBLiCUS maintained that pre-election survey results are reliable in predicting public sentiment as can be shown by the results of the unofficial tally of votes...
Private meal with kingpin offers clues how BBM will rule PHL
BusinessMirrro, May 11, 2022
Philip Heijmans / Bloomberg News
Ahead of his landslide election win on Monday, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave few specifics on how he’d govern the Philippines. But a private dinner he attended soon after entering the race last October may provide clues on his priorities—and to whom he’s beholden...
Mask mandate may end in 3 months
Manila Standard, May 12, 2022
Willie Casas
The face mask mandate would likely be lifted if the number of daily COVID-19 cases in the Philippines dropped to less than 200 in the next three months, an expert in infectious diseases said Wednesday...
DepEd welcomes Sara as Education chief but teachers' group protests
The Manila Times, May 11, 2022
Kaithreen Cruz
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones welcomed the announcement of presumptive president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to appoint his running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio to serve as Education chief...
Policy continuity seen under Marcos presidency, but clarity sought — analysts
CNN Philippines, May 11, 2022
Pilar Manuel
Economists expect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.—the frontrunner in the partial and unofficial vote count—to continue the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program and disposition towards China, but not without raising questions on the specifics of his policies in general...
Violence, stolen ballots in Lanao del Sur villages spur Comelec reset
BusinessWorld, May 11, 2022
Samuel P. Medenilla
Citing incidents of election violence and stolen ballots, the Commission on Elections declared failure of elections in 14 barangays in Lanao Del Sur...
Dar wants NFA to sell rice again to the poor
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Jasper Y. Arcalas
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar on Wednesday floated the idea of reinstating the commercial functions of the National Food Authority (NFA), particularly the sale of rice to the poor...
1st in history: Sulu records ‘zero violence’ during polls
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Rene Acosta
Sulu made history in this year’s national and local elections as the province, widely known as the base of Islamic militants and terrorist groups, recorded not a single case of violence related to the political exercise...
Health expert: Face mask still essential amid Covid-19 pandemic
Manila Bulletin, May 11, 2022
Analou de Vera
A health expert reminded Filipinos of the importance of using a face mask amid the ongoing threat of Covid-19...
Expert: Uptick in COVID-19 cases expected in 1-2 weeks after elections
CNN Philippines, May 11, 2022
CNN Philippines Staff
The country could see an uptick in COVID-19 cases within one to two weeks after the election due to events prior to May 9 as well as community transmission of the Omicron variant, an infectious disease expert said Wednesday...
Tesda pushes work skills training for OFWs displaced by pandemic
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has continued to provide skills training to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced from their jobs by the pandemic...
Agricultural output shrinks in Q1
BusinessWorld, May 12, 2022
Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
The Country's overall agricultural output shrank by an annual 0.3% by value in the first quarter, due to a decline in fisheries, livestock and crop production, government data showed...
Branch cost, credit risks seen to slow down Islamic banking growth
BusinessWorld, May 12, 2022
Luz Wendy T. Noble
The growth of Islamic banking in the country is likely to remain sluggish despite regulatory push for the sector’s growth, mainly due to cost and credit risk issues, S&P Global Ratings said...
Next administration must keep going forward with reforms–Neda
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Cai Ordinario
Building on the gains of the Duterte administration would be the key to growing the economy in the medium term, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)...
Senate pressed to frontload RCEP OK when sessions resume May 23
BusinessMirror, May 11, 2022
Andrea E. San Juan
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is hoping that senators will tackle and ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) when the Senate reconvenes on May 23...
PH manufacturing sector's growth accelerates in March
The Manila Times, May 12, 2022
Anna Leah E. Gonzales
Growth of the Philippine manufacturing sector further accelerated in March, preliminary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday showed...
Agri sector shows lackluster Jan-Mar performance
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12, 2022
Jordeene B. Lagare
The significant strides made by the poultry industry failed to boost the overall farm output as the agriculture sector suffered a slight contraction in the first three months of the year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority...
PSEi declines as global woes worsen
Daily Tribune, May 12, 2022
TDT
Traders brushed off the effects of the recent polls on the Philippines Stock Exchange index (PSEi) saying that a Bongbong Marcos victory was long discounted...
FDI inflow rebounds by 46% in February
Philippine Star, May 12, 2022
Lawrence Agcaoili
The net inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) bounced back with a 46.3 percent rise in February after contracting by 16 percent in January, as the government was able to contain the resurgence of COVID cases during the review period, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)...