📰 News & Current Affairs

In a text message to The STAR, Roque said, “I will be there (at the hearing).” Source: Roque ready to face Senate inquiry on POGOs

The landmark ruling in 2016 by an international court that upheld the Philippines’ maritime entitlements and invalidated China’s massive claims in the South China Sea should be commemorated every year as “West Philippine Sea Victory Day,” Sen. Risa Hontiveros said yesterday. Source: Calls renewed to declare July 12 ‘West Philippine Sea Victory Day’

The rising prices of goods is the number one issue that Filipinos want President Marcos Jr. to discuss in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), as three in every four respondents asked by pollster Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated thumbed down his administration’s performance in arresting inflation. Source: Pulse Asia: 3 in 4 Filipinos dissatisfied with how Marcos gov't addresses inflation

Efren Morillo, who survived a police “tokhang” operation in Payatas, Quezon City, in 2016 that killed four other men, has challenged before the Supreme Court the Ombudsman’s dismissal of murder charges against the four lawmen implicated in the case. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1959525/tokhang-victim-to-sc-reinstate-case-vs-4-cops

The Court said what constitutes a political dynasty is a matter for Congress to decide, but said its inability to pass an enabling law to implement the ban was a grave abuse of discretion. Source: SC wants Congress to pass dynasty law

After careful consideration, President Marcos has vetoed the proposed Philippine National Police (PNP) reform bill to ensure that changes in the police force are fair, clear, and truly beneficial to everyone involved, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said on Thursday, July 11. Source: Marcos vetoes PNP reform bill

One of the five co-accused of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy was arrested in Davao City yesterday afternoon. Source: Quiboloy co-accused arrested in Davao

Forty-eight new U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Manila on 8 July to begin their two-year service to support local programs in education, youth development, and environmental protection in communities across the Philippines. Source: New batch of US Peace Corps volunteers arrives in Phl

A maritime academy student in Calamba City, Laguna died after being punished for sending a thumbs up emoji to a group chat, authorities said. Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1959797/cadet-dies-after-being-punished-for-sending-emoji-to-group-chat

After weeks of speculation, Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed Thursday that she will snub President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s third State of the Nation Address (SONA), the first time she has done so since the start of their terms. Source: Sara to skip Marcos' third SONA, assigns herself 'designated survivor'

JAMES Carlos "Bimby" Aquino-Yap Jr. and Joshua Aquino, sons of actress and TV host Kris Aquino and nephews of the late president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino 3rd, visited first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos in her office on Tuesday. Source: Aquino grandsons pay visit to first lady

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said two scions of the Aquino family – his clan’s political rivals — visited First Lady Liza Marcos this week to thank her for her “help in their travel arrangements.” Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/10/marcos-aquinos-thanked-first-lady-for-help-in-travel-arrangements-1052

Sagip Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta has bared multiple infractions allegedly committed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) leading up to the 2025 mid-term elections. Source: Solon bares Comelec’s missteps ahead of 2025 polls

Saying that her life, liberty, and security were put in danger, Bamban Mayor Alice Guo on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the Senate from using her as a resource person in its committee hearings related to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and their involvement in criminal activities. Source: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/242225/alice-guo-asks-sc-to-stop-senate-from-using-her-as-resource-person

China's coast guard said it had on humanitarian grounds "allowed" the Philippines to evacuate a person who had fallen ill on a rusting warship beached on the Second Thomas Shoal, a claim Manila's coast guard said was "ridiculous". Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-coast-guard-says-allowed-philippines-evacuate-sick-person-schina-sea-2024-07-10/

Between 40,000 and 140,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs after the P35 daily wage hike is implemented in the National Capital Region this month, the head of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Tuesday. Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2024/7/3/winning-moment-job-hunting-tips-para-sa-fresh-grads-1935

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines, on Thursday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said. The quake was at a depth of 630 km (391.46 miles), GFZ said. Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/earthquake-magnitude-67-strikes-mindanao-philippines-gfz-says-2024-07-11/

Patients lauded the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) decision to increase dialysis benefit from PHP2,600 to PHP4,000 in line with the pro-poor policy of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227977

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV filed a complaint for plunder against former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday. Trillanes alleged that Duterte and Go “facilitated corrupt practices, specifically the awarding of more than a hundred government contracts to companies owned by Go’s father and brother worth at least P6.6 billion. The complaint was based on a September 6, 2018, report of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), which stated that CLTG Builders was given 125 government contracts worth P4.6 Billion from 2007, when Duterte was still Davao mayor, to 2017, when he became president. On the other hand, Alfrego Builders, owned...

Wesley Leal Guo, embattled Bamban Chinese mayor Guo Hua Ping’s brother, is actually Chinese national Guo Xiang Dian. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian disclosed this on Wednesday, citing fingerprint results provided by the NBI.“This again demonstrates that the late registration process was abused by the Guo family to falsely claim that they are Filipinos,” Gatchalian told reporters. According to Gatchalian, Guo Xiang Dian arrived in the PH in 1999. He's listed as the dependent son of Lin Wen Yi which made him Guo Hua Ping's brother. “Wesley Leal Guo is an incorporator of CDAG Reality Corporation in which Alice Guo is the majority owner,” the senator adds.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Forty police personnel, including seven station commanders, were ordered relieved from their posts and reassigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Section of the Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-XI) effective Friday night, May 24. Source: Cleansing or political vendetta? 40 Davao City police officers ordered relieved

Significant financial upheaval is potentially ahead of the financial world as Saudi Arabia has decided not to renew its 80-year petro-dollar deal with the United States. The deal, which expired on Sunday 9 June, was a cornerstone of the United States global economic dominance. Source: Saudi Arabia's petro-dollar exit: A global finance paradigm shift

The US Department of Commerce has decided to impose a hefty 538.23% anti-dumping duty on mattresses imported from the Philippines. Source: US slaps 538% duty on Philippine mattresses amid dumping probe

Minimum wage earners in Metro Manila will see a slight increase in their income, as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region (NCR) approved an increase of P35. Source: 'Laughable': Labor groups slam meager P35 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila

Seven soldiers, including one who had his finger cut off, were hurt and weapons were seized in China's aggressive action against Filipino personnel performing rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal on Monday, June 17, a reliable source told GMA Integrated News. The source said the soldiers were hurt in a melee with Chinese personnel. Aside from that, eight high-powered firearms were also seized and rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) were punctured. Another source told GMA Integrated News that four Philippine RHIBs were “hostaged” by China but were later released following negotiations. The first source said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFp) deployed six vessels from different entry points for the resupply mission...

The World Bank said that it has approved a $750 million loan to strengthen the Philippine economy’s recovery. Source: World Bank approves $750 mn loan to boost Philippines economy - Sarkaritel.com

China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday told Marcos to “read more books to properly understand the ins and outs of the Taiwan issue” after he had congratulated the democratically governed island’s presidential election winner, Lai Ching-te. Source: MSN

Global consulting firm PwC recently highlighted some of the quiet anxieties of the average Filipino chief executive officer (CEO) in a recent survey. Source: Most CEOs in the Philippines Are Worried About the Future of Their Businesses, Study Says

CHINA urged the United States to cease bolstering and endorsing the alleged "provocations" of the Philippines in the disputed territories in the South China Sea (SCS). Source: China to US: Stop support of PH 'provocations' in SCS

Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday, June 29, said her office didn’t request confidential funds from the 2025 national budget. Source: Sara Duterte says OVP didn't request confidential funds for 2025 budget

Thirty-six Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel participated in a specialized training session including impostor detection conducted by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in Davao City. Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227975

Two Filipino fishermen were injured after their fishing boat’s engine blew up near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) on Saturday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. Source: 2 fishermen hurt after boat explosion near Bajo de Masinloc