Duterte: We surrendered PH sovereignty under concession deal with Manila Water, Maynilad
The Philippines “lost” its sovereignty over water resources in the alleged onerous agreements with two water concessionaires, and must sue the persons behind such deals for “economic plunder,” President Duterte declared Thursday.
Manila Bulletin

Next president might come from Bicol, says Duterte; no, it’s not Leni
The country’s next president might come from the Bicol region, President Rodrigo Duterte said during his visit to Legazpi City, Albay Thursday.
Manila Bulletin

Duterte ‘more than satisfied’ with gov’t response on Tisoy onslaught
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he is “more than satisfied” with how the government react to situations following the onslaught of Typhoon Tisoy that ravaged Southern Luzon and the Bicol Region earlier this week.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Many gov't deals with private firms under review: Palace
The Philippine government's public service contracts with private companies are subject to thorough scrutiny, Malacañang said on Thursday, following controversies hounding the supposed “onerous” deals with water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad.
Philippine News Agency

Water distribution a public service not about earning profits – Palace
Manila Water and Maynilad Water Services Inc. should not entirely think about earning profits but also consider water distribution as a public service, a Palace official said Thursday.
Manila Bulletin

Gov’t not inclined to pay two water concessionaires
The government is not inclined to pay billions of pesos to two water concessionaires despite an order from an arbitration court due to the reported disadvantageous provisions of the water distribution contracts.
Manila Bulletin

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Makabayan solons: It’s time to nationalize water services
Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc proposed nationalizing the country’s water services as they sought a congressional probe into the allegedly onerous concession agreements between the government and two water concessionaires, Manila Water Company, Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc.
Manila Bulletin

Southeast Asian Games (SEAG)

Civil service eligibility for winning athletes backed
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said it would support a lawmaker’s proposal to automatically grant civil service eligibility to Filipino athletes winning international sporting events such as the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Manila Bulletin

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House info and tech panel open to probe SEAG sabotage try
Tarlac 2nd district Rep. Victor Yap said he is willing to help investigate the alleged attempt to sabotage the local hosting of the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).
Manila Bulletin

Cauldron of errors
The transport, accommodations, athletic facilities, press accreditation and food issues, among others that hounded the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games prior to its opening date, were real enough.
Business World Online

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

ELECTION RELATED

Poll postponement to December 2022 worries solon
Manila Representative Benny Abante, House Minority Leader, has aired some concerns regarding the postponement of the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections (BSKE) to Dec. 5, 2022.
Manila Bulletin

DISASTER

‘Tisoy’ fatalities increase to 18 nationwide
Three members of a family were buried in a landslide in Northern Samar at the height of typhoon Tisoy, raising the death toll nationwide to 18 with at least two others still missing.
Manila Bulletin

'Tisoy' leaves trail of destruction in Northern Samar
Northern Samar’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Wednesday recommended the declaration of state of calamity as Typhoon Tisoy killed three people, injured 73 others, and displaced thousands of residents in the province.
Philippine News Agency

Output losses from typhoon reach almost P2B
PRODUCTION losses from Typhoon Kammuri, which battered several provinces south of the Manila early this week, have reached P1.93 billion, the Agriculture department said on Thursday. Volume of production loss has reached 106,525 metric tons (MT), affecting 47.639 hectares and 20,830 farmers, the agency said in a bulletin.
Business World Online

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5.6-magnitude quake hits Davao Occidental
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Davao Occidental Thursday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. It was downgraded from magnitude 5.7, as was earlier reported by the Phivolcs.
ABS-CBN News, Sunstar Davao, The Manila Times

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MINDANAO

Gov't to launch potable, irrigation water program in Mindanao
Various government agencies led by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will launch on Friday (December 6) the Mindanao Water Supply Program here.
Philippine News Agency

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

JUDICIARY

LEGISLATIVE

Back to square one for 2020 national budget
The House of Representatives-Senate conference on the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for next year is back to square one. The conference is supposed to reconcile the two chambers’ versions of the budget, but conferees decided to discard both versions and use the National Expenditure Program (NEP) as basis for coming up with a common draft of next year’s spending program.
Philippine Star

Senate of the Philippines

ABS-CBN can still be given legislative franchise – Recto
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Thursday that television network ABS-CBN should still be granted a legislative franchise despite President Duterte ‘s vow to shut the corporation down.
Manila Bulletin

Senate bill on transportation safety nears approval
The bill seeking the creation of a government agency that would look into transportation-related incidents is expected to hurdle the Senate next week.
Manila Bulletin

House of Representatives

Higher excise taxes on sin products to be signed into law before the end of 2019
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda has expressed confidence that the measure increasing excise tax rates on liquor, heated tobacco, and vapor products would be signed into law before the year ends.
Manila Bulletin

Lawmaker pushes passage of food-transparency measure
The chairman of the House Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday urged the leadership of the lower chamber to act on a pending measure promoting transparency in food-related transactions.
Business Mirror

BUDGET, FINANCE, and TAXATION

Customs installs 2 x-ray machines in Manila port to beef up daily inspection capacity
More than 7,000 containers are expected to be added into the number of inspected cargoes every day at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) with the installation of two more x-ray machines at the port Thursday.
Manila Bulletin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Duterte to DOJ: Come up with ‘integrated solution’ to ‘onerous’ water deals provisions
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Thursday said President Duterte has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to come up “with an integrated solution” to several onerous provisions in the 1997 contracts with water distributors.
Manila Bulletin

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Philippine National Police

Cop who gave his life for duty honored by Angara
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has vowed to file a resolution seeking to honor the cop who gave his life to save several school children from an armed assailant.
Manila Bulletin

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

PH inflation rate jumps to 1.3% in November
he country's inflation rate rose to 1.3 percent in November, the highest after the 1.7 percent last August, from month-ago’s 0.8 percent primarily due to faster rate of price increases of alcoholic beverages and tobacco index. The latest inflation rate, however, is way below the 6 percent level in the same period last year.
Philippine News Agency

Peso rebounds on inflation, US-China trade talks
THE PESO regained its strength versus the dollar on Thursday as markets picked up a sense of optimism that trade talks between the US and China are still in progress despite the situation in some of China’s territories and following data showing manageable inflation in November.
Business World Online

Philippines aims to be among top 10 garments exporters by 2026
The Philippines is aiming to be among the top 10 exporters of garments in the world by 2026 to 2029 under the newly rolled out industry roadmap to revive the textile and garment industry.
Philippine Star, Business Mirror

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD and PUBLIC WORKS

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

AUDIT, GRAFT, AND CORRUPTION

Graft raps vs. Lapid, 5 others over fertilizer fund scam affirmed
The Supreme Court (SC) affirmed the graft charges against Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid and five others embroiled in transactions forming part of the PHP728-million fertilizer fund scam.
Philippine News Agency

Gov’t wins civil suit vs Marcos cronies
The Philippine government scored a victory before the Sandiganbayan Third Division as the cronies of the late President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda, were ordered to return all their shares in the Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc. (ETPI) and pay back the government over P69 million, which represents the value of the ETPI shares conveyed to ISM Communications, on July, 2005 as well as exemplary damages.
Manila Bulletin

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

West Philippine Sea

LABOR

PH labor market improves in October
Amid a rosy economic outlook, the country’s labor market continues to thrive in October as employment level increased while unemployment rates dropped, the National Economic and Development Authority said.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOLE lauds labor force survey showing employment rate increase
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday lauded the results of the October 2019 Labor Force Survey particularly in the increase of employment.
Philippine News Agency

Rising number of Chinese workers in PH alarms 70% of Filipinos
Seven in 10 Filipinos are worried about the seemingly increasing number of Chinese nationals working in the Philippines, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed.
Manila Bulletin

Despite increase in employment rate, labor groups say surveys don’t paint real picture
Although there has been an increase in employment in the country, labor groups said the gains do not reflect quality and long term employment and that government surveys do not show the reality of labor market conditions.
Manila Bulletin

TRANSPORTATION

Meager financing, alterations imperil subway viability
Meager foreign financing is threatening to turn the Metro Manila subway into a white elephant. The balance is so huge the government will be unable to complete it. Sudden changes in alignments and plans have bloated the cost, and are delaying the project. In the end Filipinos will be saddled with an unviable underground railway.
Philippine Star

LTFRB hopes extension of Angkas pilot run to include new possible ride hailing services in the test
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said Thursday that it is hoping the Department of Transportation will extend the pilot run of ride-hailing provider Angkas to include six new other ride hailing providers.
CNN Philippines

DOTR rolls out P18.7-B Davao bus project
The Department of Transportation is implementing an P18.7-billion “high priority bus system” in Davao beginning next year.In a statement on Thursday, the DOTr said the project was given the go-ahead by the board of the National Economic and Development Authority.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Mactan-Cebu Int’l Terminal 2 bests Jewel Changi, others to win world architecture award
The Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 recently won in the Completed Buildings-Transport category of the 2019 World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Manila Bulletin

LTO clarifies TESDA certificates not required for student driving permits
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has clarified that the agency is not requiring any national certificates from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) from those applying for student driving permits, contrary to posts circulating on social media.
Manila Bulletin

HEALTH

‘White van’ fake news undermines organ donation program — surgeon
The reports circulating on social media about men in a white van who allegedly abducts children may discourage individuals to become organ donors, a member of the Philippine Society of Transplant Surgeons (PSTS) said.
Manila Bulletin

Study links vaping to rare lung disease
Doctors treating a patient with a rare lung disease usually caused by exposure to industrial metals say it may instead be the first case linked to vaping.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOH advises public to avoid using fireworks, inhaling smoke
The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday called on the public to keep themselves safe by avoiding the use of firecrackers during the holiday season.
Manila Bulletin

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Villar: P3B of NFA’s 2020 budget transferred to Landbank for farmers’ cash assistance
Senator Cynthia Villar on Thursday said the P3 billion of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) 2020 national budget was transferred to Landbank of the Philippines for the financial assistance of farmers.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DAR, DHSUD to build resilient homes for farmers
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the newly-established Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the provision of decent and affordable housing to farmers and farm workers.
Philippine News Agency, Manila Bulletin

Japan turns over irrigation system in Palawan
Japan Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Yasushi Yamamoto has turned over the recently completed Malatgao River Irrigation System to local government officials in Narra, Palawan.
Manila Bulletin

EDUCATION

‘It takes a nation to educate a child’ – Deped
The Department of Education (DepEd) has called for help from the nation in improving the quality of basic education in the country. “We envision that no Filipino learners should be left behind and it takes a nation to educate a child. Hence, DepEd calls on the entire nation to take active involvement, cooperation, and collaboration in advancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines,” the DepEd said in a statement on Wednesday.
Manila Bulletin

What happened to our basic education?
While we were savoring a collective high from our 2019 SEA (Southeast Asian) Games medals, a sobering new report sucker-punched us from somewhere else: Among 79 countries, Filipino learners rank lowest in reading comprehension and second lowest in math and science, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Pangilinan on low PH scores in education assessment: Could be due to hunger
Opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said Thursday the low ranking of the Philippines in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is rooted in hunger among Filipino children.
Manila Bulletin

ENERGY

Investigating the grid
It is a simple case to make. We are totally dependent on energy for our essential needs. Our stores and factories require electricity. Our airports, sea ports, and all sorts of transport terminals require power to operate. By any definition, legal or otherwise, any facility that provides such a service is a public utility, a vital installation of national interest for national security.
Business World Online

POVERTY

SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT

HOUSING

TOURISM

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

PH No. 2 most affected by climate change in 2018
An international report released on Thursday revealed that the Philippines came in second to Japan as the country most affected by climate change in 2018.
Manila Bulletin

Garbage problem now on ‘crisis’ level – Cimatu
The country’s current garbage problem, especially in Metro Manila, has already reached a “crisis” level, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu.
Manila Bulletin

Palace urged to declare 'climate emergency' by environment, youth groups
Environment and youth activists on Thursday marched to Manila to send an open letter to Malacañang, and called on President Rodrigo Duterte to issue a ‘climate emergency’ declaration.
ABS-CBN News

Philippines urged to ratify international treaty on mercury
The Philippines is urged to ratify an international treaty to allow the country to be free from mercury, a highly toxic substance that poses threats to the environment and human health.
Philippine Star

Collective environmental stewardship
In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte called on local government units (LGUs) nationwide to prevent further environmental degradation in the country.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Two seaside towns in Mindanao join war on plastic waste
Two coastal towns in Mindanao have vowed to eliminate plastic pollution in 10 years by signing up with the Plastic Smart Cities movement initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Water crisis

Villar pushing for Kaliwa Dam as Metro Manila water source
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar is pushing for the construction of Kaliwa Dam as a source of water that would stabilize water supply in Metro Manila.
Philippine Star

Water in Angat Dam up but not enough for irrigation
The water elevation of Angat Dam is rising due to the rains brought by Typhoon Tisoy (Kammuri) but not enough to fully irrigate farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.
Philippine News Agency

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR