ON THE BOMBING OF THE CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL IN JOLO CITY
First of all, I wish to express most heartfelt sympathy to those killed and wounded in the bombing of the Catholic Cathedral in Jolo City and to all their families and friends. As a matter of principle, I condemn the bombing as an act of terrorism directed against civilians and a place of worship. 
Joma Sison FB Post

ACT Teachers files complaints vs PNP over 'harassment, surveillance'
The progressive group Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) filed complaints on Monday, January 28, against the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership, claiming that harassment and surveillance of their members is still continuing.
Rappler

LOOK: Lumad youths denounce martial law, alleged NPA recruitments
At least 50 members and leaders of Lumad youth groups staged a protest on Monday to condemn the martial law rule in Mindanao and allegations of rampant recruitment of communist rebels in their area.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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NPA members surrender to Army’s Balik-Loob Assistance Center
One (1) fulltime member of New People’s Army (NPA) and one (1) Militia ng Bayan voluntarily surrendered to 71st Infantry (Kaibigan) Battalion’s Balik-Loob Assistance Center on January 24, 2019, 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon.
Kalinaw News

Peace Talks

Incidents/ Operations   

Blasts kill cop, hurt 3 others in North Cotabato
A policeman was killed while three others were injured in what the Philippine National Police said was a landmine-initiated ambush in Magpet, North Cotabato on Monday afternoon. PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac confirmed that one of the drivers in the convoy died in the attack.
GMA News 

3 NPAs killed in Butuan clash identified
Authorities on Monday have identified the  three New People’s Army rebels slain in a fierce gun battle in the remote village of  Anticala, Butuan City on Sunday (Jan.27). 1st Lt. Edmar Colagong, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 29th Infantry Battalion identified the three slain rebels as Boboy Dapiniagan of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur; a certain Boboy of Tandag City, Surigao del Sur province and another “Morong” of Barangay Obrero, Butuan City.
CARAGA News Courier

Islamic State group claims twin suicide bombings of Jolo Cathedral – SITE
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a double bomb attack that hit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday, January 27, according to the SITE Intelligence Group which monitors jihadist activities. ISIS issued a formal communique claiming two suicide bombers had detonated explosive belts Sunday inside the church and its car park on Jolo – a stronghold of Islamist militants in the Catholic-majority nation.
Rappler, Mindanews

AFP says IS pronouncement of responsibility for Jolo blasts is mere propaganda
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Monday said that claims made by the Islamic State (IS) that they had a hand in the twin bombings at the Jolo Cathedral in Brgy. Walled City in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday, is just mere propaganda on their part.
Manila Bulletin

Philippines church bombing town on lockdown as ISIS threat reemerges
The southern Philippines city of Jolo is on lockdown after a deadly double bombing Sunday, as the authorities try to ensure security and investigate the attack that killed at least 20. The bombing -- which was claimed by ISIS -- has raised fears of an increase in separatist violence in the country's restive Mindanao region, following a referendum last week in which an overwhelming majority of voters backed self-rule.
CNN, Xinhua, Philippine Daily Inquirer

6 persons of interest in Jolo Cathedral bombing
The Philippine government is looking at 6 persons of interest in the Jolo Cathedral bombing, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr said on Monday, January 28. "Dalawang grupo. So far, anim, six of them," Esperon said in an interview with CNN Philippines. (There are two groups. So far, there are six [persons].)
Rappler

4 men planted the IED in Jolo Church, mayor, Army say
Four men in their early 20s with backpacks were captured by a close circuit TV cameras entering the Jolo cathedral and then left before the mass started at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
NDBC News

What we know so far: Jolo Cathedral bombing
What was supposed to be a place of peaceful worship was turned into a site of carnage on Sunday morning, January 27, when two bombs detonated consecutively at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu during Mass.
Rappler

Explainer: Who is behind the Philippine church bombings?
Philippines security forces investigating a deadly twin bombing at a church on a predominantly Muslim southern island are zeroing in on what they say is an affiliate of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group.
Channel News Asia

Who is behind the Jolo church bombings?
Security forces investigating a deadly twin bombing at a church on a predominantly Muslim southern island are zeroing in on what they say is an affiliate of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group.
GMA News

MNLF behind Sulu bombing? It’s unfair to speculate, Palace says
Malacañang on Monday said it would not enter into the “realm of speculation” and would rather wait for the investigation as the government goes after those behind the brazen attack in Jolo, Sulu.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Suspects in Jolo cathedral used Bali-style bombing — DILG
The perpetrators of the bombing incident at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu used a certain bombing strategy, similar to the one used by violent extremists in Bali, Indonesia to inflict worst form of harm among its targets, authorities said Monday.
GMA News

Impartial probe urged over Jolo twin bombing
A human rights group is calling for an independent investigation over the deadly Jolo twin bombing on Jan. 28 that left 27 church-goers killed and scores injured. According to news reports, the first explosion took place inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at around 8:15 a.m. This was followed by another explosion at the church’s parking area.
Bulatlat

‘Refuse fear to take root,’ CHR urges public after Jolo cathedral bombings
The Commission on Human Rights on Monday strongly condemned the twin bombings at a Catholic cathedral in Jolo, Sulu that left at least 20 individuals dead. Around 81 people — mostly churchgoers attending Sunday services — were also wounded after a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, followed by another blast in the church’s parking lot.
Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer

DILG says security lapse led to Jolo cathedral blasts
Terrorists managed to slip past the security measures imposed by the country's armed forces at the Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu, a top government official admitted on Monday. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año made the remark a day after two bombs exploded one after the other at the biggest Catholic church in Sulu, killing at least 20 and wounding 98 others.
GMA News

Blood, body parts lead cops to eye suicide bomber in Jolo attack
Investigators are looking into the possibility that a suicide bomber was among those behind the explosions that tore through the Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday. According to Emil Sumangil's report on "24 Oras", probers are looking at some pieces of human body and blood that were seen at the front portion the biggest Catholic church in Jolo after the blasts.
GMA News

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World condemns Jolo Cathedral bombing in Philippines
Countries condemned the bombing of the Jolo Cathedral that killed at least 20 people and wounded 111 others during a Catholic Mass on Sunday, January 27. The United States denounced this "senseless violence" and vowed to help the Armed Forces of the Philippines following the bombing. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the twin attacks.
Rappler

Pope Francis in Panama strongly condemns Jolo Cathedral bombing
Pope Francis strongly condemned the bombing Sunday, January 27, of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu, at least 18 people. "I reiterate my strongest reprobation for this episode of violence which is once again plunging the Christian community into mourning," Francis said during an Angelus message as he wound up World Youth Day celebrations in Panama.
Rappler

Canada PM Trudeau, EU condemn Jolo church attack
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the European Union joined the international community in condemning the bombing of a Roman Catholic cathedral in Jolo on Sunday that killed at least 21 and injuring 111 others.
GMA News

Chinese ambassador to PH expresses sympathies after Jolo cathedral bombing
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua offered condolences to the families of the blast victims in Jolo, Sulu last Sunday.
Manila Bulletin, Xinhua

Norway condoles with kin of Jolo blast vicitms
Norway extended on Monday its condolences to the families of those who were killed in the twin blasts that struck the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Swiss Embassy lauds ratification of BOL, condemns Jolo bombings
The Embassy of Switzerland in Manila on Monday lauded the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and said that the successful plebiscite stood out as "a historic moment" aimed at ending decades of historical divide and injustices in the region.
GMA News

Palace thanks Pope Francis, world leaders for sympathy, support following Jolo attack
The Philippine government has thanked Pope Francis and other countries for their messages of sympathy and support following the terror attack in Jolo, Sulu. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom were among the nations that condemned the twin explosions in a Catholic Church in Jolo that claimed 20 lives.
Manila Bulletin

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Duterte inspects Jolo Cathedral, visits wake of blast victims
Accompanied by the country's top security officials, President Rodrigo Duterte paid a visit to Jolo, Sulu, still reeling from twin explosions that killed 20 people and injured over a hundred.
Rappler, Manila Bulletin

Duterte orders all-out war on terror groups
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered the military in Sulu to wage an all-out war against terror groups, after the twin bombings at a church in Jolo on Sunday that killed at least 20 people and wounded 78 others.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

6 children among wounded in Jolo Cathedral bombing
Some 6 children are among the wounded in the Jolo Cathedral bombing on Sunday, January 27, according to information from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). According to the PNP ARMM's tally, the 6 children are between 5 and 10 years old. They are currently staying in the following hospitals:
Rappler

OVP ready to deploy response teams to Jolo
The Office of the Vice President is ready to send its quick response teams to assist the victims of the deadly explosions and their families in Jolo, Sulu. Robredo, a former housing chief, said the OVP teams have been directed to closely monitor the situation because anytime they will be deployed for immediate emergency on the ground.
Manila Bulletin

ARMM to provide financial aid to Jolo blast victims
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government will provide financial assistance to victims of the church attack in Jolo, Sulu. ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman on Monday said the funds will be drawn from the regional government’s Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM HEART).
Philippine News Agency

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After Jolo bombing, CBCP hits 'cycle of hate'
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) slammed the "cycle of hate" in the country as seen in the Jolo Cathedral bombing that killed at least 20 people, among them churchgoers, in Mindanao. "The recent bombing of the cathedral of Jolo where scores of people were killed and several more were injured is a further evidence to the cycle of hate that is destroying the moral fabric of our country," said the CBCP in its pastoral statement after its 118th plenary assembly over the weekend.
Rappler, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The random nature of terrorism
The bombing of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu, on Jan. 27, 2019, is an act of terror. Twenty people were killed and more than a hundred reported wounded in the twin blasts that have been linked to the Agang-Agang group, an affiliate of the Abu Sayyaf. The bombing came nearly a week after the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was ratified in a plebiscite.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Jolo bombing a big slap on peacekeeping efforts in Mindanao
The bombings that left scores of people dead and more than 100 wounded happened despite the tight security imposed by government forces in Jolo, Sulu. It is disappointing that terrorists succeeded in carrying out this “mass casualty attack” despite the heightened alert status in the area following the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Signature
We are still in the early stages of the investigation into the murderous bombing at the Jolo Cathedral. But one detail, already known, jumps out at us. Police investigators have determined that the bombs planted to kill parishioners as they worship an
Philippine Star

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House TWG reviewing Security Act bats for stronger anti-terrorism law
In the wake of Jolo Cathedral bombing, the joint technical working group (TWG) of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety and House Committee on National Defense and Security is flexing its muscles to come up with a “more updated, more responsive and “more balanced” anti-terrorism law.
Manila Bulletin

Human Security Act amendments may be used to harass gov’t critics, says solon
The proposed amendments to R.A. 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007 might be used to silence critics of the government, a lawmaker from the Makabayan bloc warned on Monday. According to Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, House Bills 7141 and 5507 — if enacted — can be used to target legal organizations and personalities who disagree with government policies.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Jolo bombing 'more reason' to retain martial law – Malacañang
Amid criticism that President Rodrigo Duterte's martial law in Mindanao did not stop the deadly bombing of the Jolo Cathedral, Malacañang said the attack proves military rule is more necessary than ever.
Rappler, Business World Online

Senators express support for gov’t’s pursuit of justice for victims of Jolo bombings
Senators on Monday expressed support for the government’s pursuit of justice and accountability for the victims in the bombing at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu, Sunday. At least 20 persons, which included personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), were killed while more than 100 were hurt after two improvised explosive devices exploded during a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu Sunday morning.
Manila Bulletin

Davao Chamber condemns Jolo blasts
The business community in Davao City condemned the twin explosions that hit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu, on Sunday morning that left 20 dead and 111 others wounded while the Japanese government reiterated support for peace efforts in Mindanao.
Mindanews

Inday Sara: Dabawenyos praying for Jolo and its people
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio voiced hope that like Dabawenyos, the people of Jolo will overcome the devastation brought about by the bombing of the Jolo Cathedral allegedly by terrorists.
GMA News

STATEMENT of CBCP: We ask our Christian brethren to join hands with all peace-loving Muslim and IP communities in the advocacy against violent extremism
We, Catholic Bishops gathered in our Plenary Assembly in Manila, received today the sad news from Fr. Romeo S. Saniel, OMI, Apostolic Administrator of Jolo, of the bombing of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo during the Sunday Mass.
Mindanews

De Lima calls for ‘serious attention’ to Jolo twin blasts
Oppositionist Sen. Leila de Lima on Monday urged government authorities to “seriously” investigate and track down the perpetrators of the twin bombing of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu last Sunday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

PCID urges public to be cautious, vigilant after twin blasts in Jolo
The Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID) on Monday urged Filipinos, particularly those in Mindanao, to exercise caution and be vigilant following the deadly twin blasts that hit a Jolo cathedral in Sulu.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Cebu Muslim community leader condemns Jolo bombing as a ‘terrorist act’
The leadership of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos in the Visayas (NCMF Visayas) is praying that peace will return to Jolo, Sulu following Sunday’s  twin bombing of a Roman Catholic Cathedral in the area that killed at least 27 people and injured more than 77.
Cebu Daily Inquirer

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Metro Manila police on full alert after Jolo Cathedral blasts
Metro Manila cops were ordered on Monday, January 28, to stay on full alert following the twin blasts in Jolo, Sulu, that killed at least 20 and injured at least 100. The full-alert status took effect 6 am on Monday, according to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar.
Rappler

Army’s Eastmincom on heightened alert after bombings in Jolo cathedral
The Army’s Eastern Mindanao Command here has raised its security to a heightened alert level after two deadly explosions that happened in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday morning that killed 20 and injured a hundred others.
Mindanews

NorMin peace council to convene after Jolo blast
The Regional Peace and Order Council of Region 10 (RPOC-10) is set to convene this week to discuss security measures following the deadly blasts in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday. This was according to Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno, RPOC-10 chairman, who also condemned the bombing at a Catholic cathedral that killed 20 people and wounded more than 100 others.
Philippine News Agency

MARAWI

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD      

They Created a Muslim Enclave in Upstate N.Y. Then Came the Online Conspiracies.
Deep in the dense woods near the Catskill Mountains, a settlement was started decades ago by Muslim families, many of them African-Americans from New York City, who were seeking to distance themselves from neighborhoods they saw as dangerous and laden with corrosive influences. Holy Islamberg was intended to be a refuge, a serene environment to pray and bring up children.
The New York Times

Congress must move quickly to fix the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act
In a perversely ironic turn, a law intended to aid American victims of international terrorist attacks will strike a serious blow to counterterrorism cooperation that keeps Israelis (and Americans visiting Israel) safe.
The Hill

Is The TSA Really Necessary?
As the U.S. government shutdown enters a three-week intermission, many are taking a moment to assess the political impact of the longest shutdown in the country’s history. Beyond the political and social ramifications, however, the hiatus also provides an opportunity to look at how our infrastructure and transportation systems fared.
Forbes

BANGSAMORO ORGANIC LAW

Duterte’s finest hour
“If I become president, if Allah gives his blessing, before I die since I am old, I will leave to you all a Mindanao that is governed in peace,” Rodrigo Duterte promised during his fateful presidential campaign in 2016.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Crackdown on firearms, private armies a priority for Bangsamoro gov't – Murad
Controlling loose firearms and the dismantling of private armies in Muslim Mindanao will be the security priorities of the new Bangsamoro government. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Murad Ebrahim, on Tuesday, January 22, said these would be among the first steps of the interim Bangsamoro government once it is convened.
Rappler

Analyst: New Bangsamoro gov't needs to quell terror groups in Mindanao
A counter-terrorism analyst saw Sunday's bomb attack in Jolo as part of the tough challenge the new Bangsamoro government faces in quelling radicalization in the region.
ABS-CBN News

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Japanese monitoring team expresses admiration to conduct of BOL plebiscite
A 13-man Japanese monitoring team who visited the Philippines as international observers to the first plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) has expressed their admiration to the conduct of the exercise.
Manila Bulletin

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Erap says BOL won’t solve conflict in Mindanao
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada believes that the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) will not solve the conflict in Mindanao. He gave this assessment following the twin blasts at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu last Sunday that killed at least 20 people and wounded 111 others. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is eyeing the Abu Sayyaf-affiliated Ajang-Ajang group as behind the deadly bombings.
Manila Bulletin

Jolo bombings prove BOL wrong
WAS THE double-bomb attack that killed 20 people and wounded 111 during a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday (Jan. 27) perpetrated by two suicide bombers, allegedly identified with the Islamic State (IS)?
Panay News

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Jolo bombings won’t stop 2nd Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) does not see the need to place Jolo under its control and defer the Feb. 6 plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) following the twin blasts in a Catholic church while mass was ongoing on Sunday.
Philippine Star

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Cops nabbed gun for hire in murders of Maguindanao engineers
Maguindanao today announced they arrested over the weekend a man hired who executed separately two engineers in Datu Montawal town. Chief Inspector Erwin Tabora, Datu Montawal town police chief, said Ehsan Ali, a resident of Barangay Pagagawan Datu Montawal town, admitted he murdered the two engineers in exchange for money.   
NDBC News, Philippine Daily Inquirer

LANAO PROVINCES

BASILAN

SULU 

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

Duterte still trusts Lapeña despite NBI graft complaints
Embattled former Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief Isidro Lapeña continues to enjoy President Rodrigo Duterte's trust despite the complaints filed against him by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) over the smuggling of shabu.
Rappler, Manila Bulletin

Operations/ Incidents

2 drug suspects gunned down in Nueva Ecija
Two suspected drug pushers were killed in a shootout with police during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sta. Arcadia here at dawn on Sunday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

2 drug suspects killed in Bulacan buy-busts
Two drug suspects were killed when they fired at policemen during anti-criminality operations in this province on Monday morning.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

2 drug suspects yield P200-K shabu in Dumaguete hotel raid
Anti-illegal drug operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Dumaguete City and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Negros Oriental have arrested two suspected drug personalities during a joint operation at a hotel in this capital on Sunday.
Philippine News Agency

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

Village exec in Mt. Province nabbed for illegal possession of gun
Policemen have arrested a village councilor in Mt. Province for illegal possession of firearm. Frederick Doot, a resident of Barangay Bananao Proper in Paracelis town, was supposed to pose as a witness to a search warrant that police carried out in the same village.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

47 gun ban violators, 83 firearms seized in Central Luzon
At least 47 individuals were arrested and 83 firearms were seized in Central Luzon since the start of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban on January 13. Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel, director of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), said on Monday that the different police operations resulted in the arrest of gun ban violators and the confiscation of 83 firearms, including eight deadly weapons, four grenades and 475 ammunitions -- conducted from January 13 to 24.
Philippine News Agency

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

CBCP breaks silence on Duterte’s tirades: We must learn to be brave
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines broke its silence on the constant verbal attacks by President Rodrigo Duterte on the Catholic Church on Monday. The episcopal conference issued a statement through the CBCP news. They said that while they are aware church members have been waiting for guidance on how to deal with the attacks on their faith, “we too needed to be guided properly in prayer and discernment before we could guide you.”
Philippine Star, ABS-CBN News

Like sharp daggers: Bishops respond to Duterte
The Catholic bishops of the Philippines, at their semiannual meeting over the weekend, issued three statements in two days. The first was an expression of condolence to the victims of the Jan. 27 bombings at the Jolo cathedral, of condemnation for this latest “act of terrorism,” and of a commitment to continue the advocacy for peace in Mindanao and against “violent extremism.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DISASTER

MINDANAO

ELECTION RELATED

Duterte’s econ managers want Comelec to spare national infra projects from ban
The Duterte administration’s economic managers will ask the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt big-ticket infrastructure projects from the spending ban during this the campaign period in the run-up to the midterm polls, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Monday.
GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

Comelec still waiting for result of DQ cases vs. Pimentel, Osmeña
Although their names have been included in the certified list of senatorial candidates in the May 2019 midterm polls, the Commission on Elections on Monday clarified that the disqualification cases against Senator Koko Pimentel III and former senator Serge Osmeña III are still awaiting resolution.
Manila Bulletin

Robredo camp expects to gain more votes at end of ballot recount
The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo expects to gain an additional 17,405 votes at the end of ballot recount in the election protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against her.
Manila Bulletin

NUJP beefs up alert and response system for media victims of violence and harassments ahead of mid-term polls    
In a bid to be more efficient and effective in responding to continued attacks on media practitioners, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has strengthened and expanded its regional safety offices throughout the country.
Kodao

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CBCP says campaigning for a good candidate is an exercise of Christian faith
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday reminded the faithful that campaigning for good candidates is also an exercise of their Christian faith.
Manila Bulletin

Dela Rosa: Biopic will 'prop-up' Senate run
While the lead star and production team of Bato: The General Ronald dela Rosa Story are careful to downplay the political advantage of releasing a biopic weeks before the 2019 campaign period begins, it’s Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa himself who’s upfront about its perks.
Rappler

Against dictatorship: Otso Diretso fights for the Senate
WHO we vote for in the upcoming midterm senatorial elections this May will be a matter of life or death for our democracy and the future of our country. I am not being overdramatic. I mean it. It is the hard truth.
The Manila Times

Election-related Violence, Incidents and operations

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

JUDICIARY

Supreme Court names new public information chief
The Supreme Court (SC) has hired a new lawyer to become the Court's next spokesperson. Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin announced on Monday, January 28, that private lawyer Brian Keith F. Hosaka is the new chief of the Public Information Office (PIO).
Rappler, Manila Bulletin

LEGISLATIVE

Is that pork? Senators say don't compare their realigned P190B to House’s P51B
Two senators became defensive when House committee on appropriations chairperson Rolando Andaya Jr pointed out that the Senate is seeking to realign almost P190 billion under the proposed P3.757-trillion budget 2019.
Rappler

BUDGET AND FINANCE

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

Japanese destroyer to arrive in PH for two-day visit
Captain Jonathan V. Zata, the Director of the Naval Public Affairs Office, said the Japanese ship will arrive at Pier 9, South Harbor, Manila, at 9 a.m. and will be in the country up to Thursday, January 31, 2019. Zata said a welcome ceremony and port briefing will be conducted upon arrival of the JMSDF vessel after a customary meeting procedure with the designated PN vessel at the vicinity of Corregidor Island.
Manila Bulletin

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Arroyo leads House contingent in Saudi Arabia investment mission
Former President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo led on Monday an investment mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with Mindanao as the target of her search for business opportunities.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

Thai Embassy celebrates 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations 
The Royal Thai Embassy in Manila has kicked off with a year-long series of cultural performances and activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Thailand-Philippines diplomatic relations. Dubbed as the “Thai-Philippine Cultural Performances,” the cultural shows were launched last week at Dr. Robert Sy Grand Ballroom at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and at the Abelardo Hall of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City.
Manila Bulletin

Talking trade, peace process, and Miss Universe with Australia’s new ambassador to the Philippines
For Filipinos, there’s no gray area when it comes to where this year’s Miss Universe comes from. Which is why diffusing any bad blood over the Australian media’s claim to Miss Universe Catriona Gray has become one of the more unique jobs of the new Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steve Robinson.
ABS-CBN News

West Philippine Sea

Australia: China has raised ‘anxiety’ in disputed waters
Australian defense minister Christopher Pyne urged China on Monday to resolve tensions in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, in a swipe after Beijing’s sudden detention of a writer who holds dual citizenship.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LABOR

Duterte reappoints fired labor undersecretary Joel Maglunsod
Former labor undersecretary Joel Maglunsod is back in the fold of the Duterte administration after getting a new government position. President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Maglunsod as an executive director at National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), according to appointment papers signed on January 25.
Rappler

TRANSPORTATION

HEALTH 

Prove bribery allegations vs DOH
Malacañang urged Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta to back up her claims that the DOH bribed kin of dengvaxia victims so they would back out from the dengvaxia case.
Manila Bulletin

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

DA sets up P200-million fund for lending to rice farmers
The Department of Agriculture is allocating P200 million in loan funds for farmers who will sell their produce to the National Food Authority (NFA). Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said farmers who would sell their palay to NFA could borrow up to P50,000 which they could pay back after harvest at three percent interest without any collateral.
Philippine Star

EDUCATION

ENERGY

DoE reaffirms 100% electrification goal
“ELECTRICITY FOR ALL,” was Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi’s brief response when asked about his main goal for the rest of his term. “Hundred per cent electrification,” he said in an interview a few days before the end of 2018. “The tasks have been given to the DUs (distribution utilities), the electric cooperatives, and all. I just have to make sure that [those] that were given the task, do their work,” he said.
Business World Online

POVERTY

HOUSING

TOURISM

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Gov't to deploy modern tech, boat skimmers for Manila Bay rehab
The government is planning to use modern tools to resolve the decades-old pollution problem of Manila Bay. During the kickoff of the "Battle for Manila Bay" on Sunday, January 27, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said his agency will procure boat skimmers exclusively for the bay's cleanup.
Rappler

DENR holds Wood Industry Summit
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is holding the first Forestry and Wood Industry Summit that aims to come up with a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the forestry and wood products sector and transform it into a growth industry.
Manila Bulletin

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR