📰 News & Current Affairs

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Monday, August 5, resigned from Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) after its party president, Senator Robin Padilla, advised him to do so. Source: Tolentino leaves PDP due to 'significant differences' on WPS views

The Vietnam Coast Guard ship that will take part in the first joint drill with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is scheduled to arrive in Manila today, August 5. Source: Viet coast guard ship arriving today

Russia has pledged humanitarian assistance to North Korea after devastating floods damaged thousands of homes and caused an unknown number of casualties, with reports from South Korea that the number of dead or missing could be as high as 1,500. Source: North Korea floods: Putin pledges aid after Kim Jong-un rebuffs Seoul’s offer of assistance

Source: ABS-CBN News

Two People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) ships of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) trailed the bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) of the Philippine Navy (PN) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Friday, Aug. 2. Source: 2 Chinese navy warships tail PH-Japan joint sail

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) granting a four-tranche salary increase and a medical allowance to government workers. Source: PBBM issues EO on gov’t workers’ pay hike, medical allowance | Philippine News Agency

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has suspended the 60-day deadline set by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for foreign nationals working in Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) to leave the country, citing the need to harmonize the government’s strategy in phasing out the controversial gaming industry by year’s end. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1968589/doj-defers-60-day-pogo-exit-deadline-set-by-bi

The religious group of Apollo Quiboloy is offering a P20-million reward to anyone who can provide information on those wanting to capture and harm the fugitive pastor. Source: ‘P20 million for info on who wants Quiboloy harmed’

Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla on Thursday said the country has no recourse to stop Interpol in case it serves an arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte and others named in the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the drug war deaths during his administration. Source: PH obliged to honor Interpol commitments - DOJ | Philippine News Agency

MANILA, Philippines — The fingerprints of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and Chinese national "Guo Hua Ping" match, according to the Commission on Elections' panel investigating the embattled mayor. Comelec chairperson George Garcia Thursday said that the panel has found sufficient basis to launch a motu proprio investigation on Guo in preparation for the filing of an election-related offense case, specifically her alleged misrepresentation in her certificate of candidacy. He said the poll body's fact-finding team looked at various fingerprint sources to arrive at its findings. This includes filed applications for voter registration, certificates of candidacy and documents from the National Bureau of Investigation. Garcia...

A petition seeking to block the diversion of P89.9-billion excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has reached the Supreme Court. Source: SC asked to stop diversion of P89.9-B excess PhilHealth funds

The federation of modern public utility vehicle (PUV) operators in Cebu on Thursday warned of transport disorder if the 22 senators push through with their move to suspend the Department of Transportation’s PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP). Sources: Cebu PUV coops warn of 'chaos' if modernization suspended | Philippine News Agency

To better align the basic curriculum with the demands and opportunities of the digital economy, the Department of Education (DepEd) is set to introduce the e-commerce track for senior high school students. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1968616/deped-addinge-commerce-track-in-senior-high-school

"Trying to introduce external forces to protect its own security will only lead to greater insecurity for itself, and it might even become someone else's pawn," spokesman Lin Jian said. Source: China says Philippines risks 'greater insecurity' after US military aid pledge

Source: Alice Guo to Risa, Win: Am I the Philippines' biggest problem?

The first of the four-tranche salary increase for government workers that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week will start this year and will be given retroactively beginning January 2024. Source: DBM: 1st wave of gov’t wage hike retroactive starting January 2024 | Philippine News Agency

Police-Davao Regional Director Nicolas Torre III presents two police blotter logbooks from the Calinan Police Precinct, one standard and the other 'sanitized' apparently to show fewer crime reports DAVAO, Philippines – The director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Davao Region flagged troubling discrepancies in police logbooks that call into question the reported low crime rates in Davao City. PNP-Davao Regional Director Nicolas Torre III showed on Wednesday, July 31, two police blotter logbooks from the Calinan Police Precinct, covering the period from January to June. One logbook contained standard entries for record-keeping, while the other appeared to be “sanitized,” reflecting a significantly lower number of crime...

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is cra̾cking his whip on "nonperforming" agencies and a revamp that may see the exit of at least two more Cabinet members. Source: Cabinet revamp: more exits seen

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said the fish it collected from areas in Region 3, CALABARZON and the National Capital Region after the Bataan oil spill are not fit for human consumption. Source: Fish from waters affected by Bataan oil spill not safe for human consumption – BFAR

Nangangamba si Senadora Grace Poe na maaaring makabalik ang operasyon ng mga Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) sa 2028 kapag walang pinasang batas para tuluyang ipagbawal ang mga ito. Source: https://www.abante.com.ph/2024/07/28/pogo-namumuro-ibalik-sa-2028/

Starting today, the Department of Agriculture will sell well-milled rice for P45 per kilo at four Kadiwa outlets in Metro Manila as part of the Rice-for-All program of the government, a DA official said. Source: P45/kilo rice available in 4 Metro Manila outlets – DA

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual has stepped down from his position. Source: Trade Secretary Fred Pascual resigns

The Philippines and United States navies conducted a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on Wednesday, July 31, the Philippine armed forces said. Source: Philippines, US navies hold joint exercise in South China Sea

The House of Representatives on Wednesday ordered the arrest and detention of former presidential adviser Michael Yang for repeated failure to appear, despite proper summons, in the House probe on his alleged involvement in a PHP3.6-billion drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga in 2023. Source: House orders arrest of ex-Duterte adviser | Philippine News Agency

Maritime experts from the United States will arrive in the country to help the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in curbing the oil spill from the sunken motor tanker (MTKR) Terranova in Limay, Bataan. Source: US maritime experts arriving in PH to help contain Bataan oil spill

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Wednesday questioned the $500 million aid given by the United States to the Philippines' military and coast guard. Source: 'Why always military hardware?' Pimentel asks amid US $500M aid for PH military, coast guard

Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday said it is “embarrassing” that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to locate suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1967441/escudero-its-embarrassing-that-pnp-yet-to-locate-guo-quiboloy

Twenty-two senators have filed a resolution pushing for the temporary suspension of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), pending the resolution of valid and urgent concerns raised by the affected sector. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1967809/22-senators-seek-suspension-of-puv-modernization-program

The Marcos administration is allocating P419.3 billion to the defense sector in the proposed 2025 national budget to boost its capabilities in upholding the country’s sovereignty and national territory amid recent developments in the West Philippine Sea. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1967716/defense-allocation-jumps-51-in-2025-budget

The chief of the Philippines' ga̾mbling regulator on Tuesday said he wants to spare the special Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) catering to ga̾mbling firms from the shuttering of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, saying they are not directly involved in ga̾mbling and that thousands of Filipino jobs would be saved. Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/7/30/pagcor-wants-to-spare-bpos-servicing-********-firms-from-pogo-purge-1141

State lawyers on Monday formally filed a petition to oust Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Guo Hua Ping (a.k.a. Alice Guo) from her post. In a 46-page quo warranto petition, the Office of the Solicitor General asked the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 34 to declare Guo ineligible to hold office as mayor. Source: SolGen asks court to oust Alice Guo from mayoralty post | Philippine News Agency

The Philippines is seeking financial support from Japanese and American lenders to reinvigorate the $850 million Subic-Clark railway project after China pulled out from the initiative. Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/chinas-withdrawal-puts-philippines-850m/