Manila court: Only 2 persons with 'unassailable links' to CPP-NPA in DOJ 'terror list'
A Manila court has trimmed down to 2 the number of individuals with “unassailable links” to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) in the government’s "terrorist list".
ABS-CBN News, GMA News

Guevarra hails RTC decision naming Sison, Cabanatan as parties to gov’t petition
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra Tuesday welcomed the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) to recognize the leadership of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison as a party in the petition seeking to declare as terrorist the group and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA).
Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard

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AFP chief: Be alert for NPA ‘extortionists’ as campaign starts
Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. has ordered his men to keep an eye out for the New People’s Army (NPA) as the campaign period for the midterm elections kicked off on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, GMA News

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Duterte makes a fool of himself by denying the existence of the people’s government    
In one of his latest rants against me, Duterte makes a fool of himself by denying the existence of the people’s democratic government and opposing its vital function of taxation for defraying the costs of administration and various social programs for the benefit of the people.
NDFP

ON THE MALICIOUS AND FUTILE ATTEMPT OF DUTERTE REGIME TO SUMMON ME TO MANILA
I pity Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Manila Judge Marlo Madoga-Malager for collaborating to have me summoned to Manila and for appearing stupid and grossly ignorant of international law pertaining to my status and my decades-long legal history just to comply with the truly stupid order of their boss Duterte to target me in the proscription case against the CPP and the NPA.
Joma Sison Post

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TESDA can help improve ex-rebels’ lives: PCOO
Skills training programs being offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) can significantly improve the lives of former communist rebels, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said.
Philippine News Agency

Peace Talks

Incidents/ Operations   

Missionary group worker gets threatening text messages
An employee of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Sub-Region (RMP-NMR) received on Monday afternoon threating text messages from an unknown sender.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Statement of Islamic Society of the Philippines on Mindanao bombings
The Parhimpunan Sin Islam (Islamic Society of the Philippines) condemns in the strongest terms the dastardly act done to our people in Jolo, Sulu, and now, Zamboanga City. These have all the trappings of a concerted effort “to divide Mindanao into religious line” by making them look like a retaliation that happened in Zamboanga City, for the cathedral bombing.
The Manila Times

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Japan donates bomb suits, other equipment to PNP
The Japanese government has donated bomb suits and other equipment to the Philippine National Police (PNP) as part of its effort to strengthen its anti-terrorism and crime-fighting capabilities. The donation came several days after the Jolo Cathedral bombing in Sulu that left 23 people dead and nearly 100 churchgoers and members of the security forces wounded.
Manila Bulletin

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Get the stories of ordinary people caught in conflicts, campus writers told
Reporters must go beyond body counts in covering conflicts and get the stories of ordinary civilians affected by violence, three Mindanao-based journalists told campus writers and communications students in a seminar on violent extremism here on Monday.
Mindanews

MARAWI

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD      

Russian ‘Sovereign Internet' Bill Attacked Over Censorship Risks
Russian lawmakers criticized a draft law aimed at creating a “sovereign internet,” warning that it risked handing the government extensive powers to censor online content.
Bloomberg

Facebook says governments must help it curb online hate speech
One of Facebook’s leading voices in the Middle East has said it needs governments to get behind a movement to stop the spread of online hate speech.
The National UAE

No need for trenches in cyber-warfare, when all you need is a computer
Cyber-warfare allows anyone to hack and take over billboards, television stations and even speeches far from where the conflict is and from the comfort of their own homes, warned information security researcher and analyst Rodrigo Bijou on Tuesday.
Arab News

Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill given Royal Assent
The police will receive new powers to investigate hostile state activity as new the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act becomes law.
UK Government

Terror attacks: Closing legal loophole will give firms insurance cover
Firms hit by financial losses after a terror attack are to benefit from a legal loophole being shut. Businesses will now be able to get insurance even if they have not been damaged by a bomb.
BBC News

Assad looking to export terrorism to Idlib: Opposition
A deal struck between the YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorist groups that would allow foreign fighters to be relocated is part of a plan by the Syrian regime to export terrorism to Idlib, according to the Idlib-based National Front for the Liberation of Syria.
Anadolu Agency

The challenge of reforming Pakistan's Islamic schools
The government of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to reform the country's Islamic schools, also known as madrassas. This is a considerable challenge, as madrassas have flourished over the past few decades in parallel with the state education system. Pakistan now counts more than 32,000 of them. 
France24

Victims or Jihadis? Canada Mulls Taking in Former ISIS Wives
As the story broke this week of two Canadian women living in ISIS territory turning themselves in to U.S.-backed forces in Syria, a controversy followed them: Were they victims of circumstances or stealth jihadis? Are their children, who most likely know (or remember) nothing from their previous lives redeemable? And finally, what to do with them?
Clarion Project

Human trafficking isn’t just morally repugnant. It’s also a security threat.
Last month, Nigeria’s anti-trafficking agency made a startling announcement: It had collected evidence that some 20,000 Nigerian women and girls are being held in brothels in Mali. Among those discovered were schoolgirls who had been kidnapped and forced into prostitution, reminiscent of the 2014 abduction of 300 Nigerian schoolgirls by Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which prompted the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
The Washington Post

Morocco arrests three Frenchmen suspected of terrorism financing
Three Frenchmen have been arrested in the Moroccan city of Sale close to the capital Rabat on suspicion of financing terrorism and having connections with militant groups, police said on Tuesday. Investigations showed that the suspects had connections with Islamic State (IS) fighters in the Middle East, a statement carried by state news agency MAP said.
Thomson Reuters

Indonesian ISIS vet Muhammad Saifuddin killed in Syria battle
A veteran Indonesian militant with ties to terror networks in Indonesia and The Philippines was killed last month in a battle in Syria, dealing a serious blow to the Islamic State and its affiliates in the Southeast Asian countries.
The Australian

Parliament: More than 4,000 accredited Islamic religious teachers in Singapore
The number of Islamic religious teachers accredited under a national scheme has risen to more than 4,000, up from 3,000 in 2017. Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli gave the updated figure in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 12) , as he stressed that those who fail to meet the high standards of the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) would be struck off its register.
The Straits Times, Channel News Asia

Islamic militants’ deadly resurgence threatens Nigeria polls
Baba Inuwa was pleased to move back to his vegetable farm in Nigeria’s northeast, encouraged by the military’s offensive against Boko Haram, the country’s homegrown Islamic extremist rebels and by President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim that the insurgency had been crushed.
The Washington Post

BANGSAMORO ORGANIC LAW

COMELEC waits for working group to finish; fails to proclaim plebiscite results anew
The Commission on Elections en banc, sitting as the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers, again failed to proclaim the result of the February 6 Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscites, Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin, GMA News, Business World Online

Comelec finds discrepancies in Lanao del Norte, Pigkawayan COC
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) found discrepancies in the certificates of canvass (COC) from the province of Lanao del Norte and the municipality of Pigkawayan, North Cotabato on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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‘Petition questioning constitutionality of BOL may render plebiscite moot’
Malacañang yesterday cautioned Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Sayadi on her plan to file a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) to declare the recently concluded plebiscite in Mindanao on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) null and void.
Philippine Star

Palace: Let high court rule on plebiscite
Malacañang said Tuesday it would let the Supreme Court (SC) decide on the legality of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) amid accusations of harassment and intimidation.
The Manila Times

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Senator Zubiri: ‘BOL went through the wringer in Senate’
I take exception to the claim made in your editorial which said, “Unlike the senators of the previous Congress, who conducted long consultations with the Muslim and indigenous communities in the South to craft a proper law, Zubiri steered the BOL through the chamber with little debate and deliberation.”
The Manila Times

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With Autonomy in the Southern Philippines, Muslim Rebels Must Learn How to Govern
In the fragile west of the Philippines’ war-ravaged southern island of Mindanao, voters in recent weeks overwhelmingly approved an historic peace accord aimed at ending five decades of bloody separatist conflict. 
World Politics Review

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MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Living in hostilities does not prevent Moro youth leader from pursuing peace
In 2008, heavy firefight broke out between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao province leaving dozens of casualties and half a million more displaced. The clashes lasted for weeks but there are still pockets of attacks.  Skirmishes between government forces and BIFF members are still high in the towns of Mamasapano, Pagatin, Datu Salibo, and Shariff Aguak.
NDBC News

Duterte unveils new Maguindanao capitol building marker
While in Maguindanao Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte unveiled, along with Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, Vice Gov. Lester Sinsuat and Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao the iconic marker for the new provincial capitol building in Buluan town, the capital of the province.
NDBC News

Gov't troops, civilians join forces in Liguasan Marsh bird watching tour
Government troops and civilians alike joined forces to witness rare species of water birds residing at Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao last Saturday. The marsh is seen to have great potential for eco-tourism as it is home to rare birds such as the comb-crested Jacana, among others that can only be found in the marsh, according to Emelie Jamorabon, tourism officer of Tacurong City.
ABS-CBN News

Maguindanao farmers now own land they’ve been tilling for years
Wilson Balenia, a corn farmer for 20 years, could hardly find words to describe how he felt after receiving a title to the land he was tilling from President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LANAO PROVINCES

BASILAN

SULU 

Abu Sayyaf member surrenders in Sulu
A 60-year old member of the Abu Sayyaf Group surrendered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Panamao, Sulu on Sunday. A report from the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NAVFORWEM) identified him as Basari Sali, who was under the group of Radulan Sahiron.
ABS-CBN News

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

Sri Lanka hiring hangmen, inspired by Philippines' war on drugs
Sri Lanka began advertising for hangmen this week, as the country's president pushes ahead with a hardline policy, modeled on the Philippines, to combat drug trafficking. The last execution in Sri Lanka was 43 years ago, but President Maithripala Sirisena said last week he wants to resume the use of capital punishment for drug traffickers in the next two months.
ABS-CBN News

PRO-9 fetes 3 officers, 10 cops for anti-drug, peace efforts
The Police Regional Office 9 (PRO-9) has awarded medals to 13 policemen, including three officers, for their accomplishments against illegal drugs and for their service during the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite.
Philippine News Agency

Negros media denounces drug lists
The media community in Negros issued a unity statement on Feb.12, 2019 to denounce anonymous lists of purported drug personalities, including at least 15 media practitioners, that spread via social media recently.
The Daily Guardian

Operations/ Incidents

2nd box of suspected cocaine found in Camarines Norte waters
Another package of suspected cocaine was recovered Monday afternoon by residents a day after a box of cocaine was fished out of the sea at Vinzons town in Camarines Norte province, police said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

NAIA Customs intercepts 13 kilos of shabu
The Bureau of Customs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) a shipment declared as muffler parts after it was found to contain 13.1 kilograms of shabu.
Manila Bulletin

Police probes ‘mini-shabu lab’ in Mandaue
The police in Central Visayas is now investigating a report that there is a “mini shabu laboratory” inside subdivisions in Mandaue City allegedly owned by a political family in Ozamis City and the source of illegal drugs in Cebu, a police official said on Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency

Zambo police nab 2, seize P500K shabu
Two suspected big-time drug pushers were arrested while some PHP514,000 worth of suspected shabu were seized in separate anti-drug operations in this southern port city, police said Tuesday. Senior Insp. Shellamie Chang, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) information officer, identified the arrested suspects as Alhabir Laja, 34 and Abdelrafi Sakili, 28.
Philippine News Agency

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

129 ex-drug addicts to complete NoCot town rehab program
More than 120 Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUDs) undergoing rehabilitation in a North Cotabato town are expected to “graduate” in March this year, officials said Tuesday. “The 129 PWUDs or persons involved in illegal drugs in the past are now enjoying the rehabilitation programs designed by the local government for them,” Arakan Mayor Rene Rubino told reporters here.
Philippine News Agency

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

5 suspected gun dealers killed, 1 cop wounded in Quezon City shootout
Five suspected gun dealers were killed and one cop was wounded in a police shootout in Barangay Fairview Quezon City on Tuesday afternoon. In an initial report, the Quezon City Police said that the suspects were killed at 5:10 p.m. at De Vega compound in Barangay Fairview after they fought authorities during a buy-bust operation where the suspects were caught selling 12 units of .38-caliber revolvers.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

Zamboanga BoC to reward tipsters
The local Bureau of Customs (BoC) has intensified its campaign against smuggling in the Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (ZamBaSulTa) area, and is now offering 20 percent of the proceeds of confiscated goods to informants.
The Manila Times

3 suspected Indonesian smugglers nabbed in Gensan
Authorities arrested on Monday three suspected Indonesian smugglers while about to board a motorboat at a coastal village in Barangay Calumpang, this city.
Manila Bulletin

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

‘Private time’ for Duterte as official campaign period kicks off Tuesday
President Rodrigo Duterte is having his “private time” as the campaign period for the 2019 midterm election started Tuesday. Malacañang said Duterte has no scheduled event on Tuesday, the start of the official 90-day campaign for the 2019 midterm elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

90-year-old man ‘out to kill Duterte, Go’ nabbed in Davao
Police arrested a 90-year-old man for allegedly bringing a handgun and other deadly objects while trying to enter the office of former special assistant to the president and senatorial hopeful Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go here late Monday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

House adopts resolution calling on Duterte to convene the National Security Council
The House of Representatives has called on the Duterte administration to convene the National Security Council in order to draw a national policy on the West Philippine Sea as China continued its military buildup in the disputed territory.
Manila Bulletin

If vetoed, P305-billion pork can be used for jobs
Panfilo Lacson must be the sole pro-Duterte senator. Supporting President Rody’s anti-corruption and -wastage drive, he alone resisted pork barrels in the 2019 national budget. Personally he exposed some of the staggering sums and extracted confessions on the rest.
Philippine Star

Colmenares tells Duterte: It’s possible to lower oil prices
Bayan Muna chair and senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares has contradicted President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent statements on the high cost of oil products, saying that the government can implement measures to lower fuel prices.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Historian says ‘Maharlika’ as nobility a misconception
A Filipino historian corrected mistranslations of “Maharlika” after President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants it as the Philippines' new name. Duterte said Monday evening that he was in favor of changing the name of the Philippines to “Maharlika” as it would bring the country back to its pre-Hispanic roots. 
Philippine Star

Palace says renaming Philippines to 'Maharlika' needs congressional action
Changing the Philippines' name would require a new law and the public's approval in a referendum, Malacañang said Tuesday, after President Duterte had revived a proposal to rename the Philippines to "Maharlika."
Philippine Star

‘Name change requires Cha-Cha’
It is merely an idea, but the proposal to change the name of the Philippines to “Maharlika” is “interesting” enough to initiate a constitutional amendment, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Tuesday.
Manila Standard

Prelates disagree with suggestion to rename the country
A Catholic prelate has opposed the idea of changing the name of the Philippines to Maharlika. Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said such an idea is “distasteful” especially since it comes at a time when the country is preparing for the 500th year anniversary of the arrival of Christianity here in 2021.
Manila Bulletin

ELECTION RELATED

Comelec urges netizens to report prohibited campaign materials
Netizens were urged by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to report the presence of prohibited campaign materials of senatorial candidates and party-list organizations.
Manila Bulletin

Comelec hits Bong Go, Mar Roxas over illegal campaign posters
Sparing no one, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) called out President Rodrigo Duterte's longtime aide and also the opposition's leading senatorial candidate on Tuesday, February 12, for their illegal posters on the first day of campaigns.
Rappler

Comelec reminds mall owners of ban on election propaganda in theaters
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reminded mall owners about the prohibition on featuring election propaganda in their theaters.
GMA News

Illegal posters scattered all over Metro Manila, provinces
The campaign period for the 2019 elections officially began on Tuesday, but it looks like many of the candidates for local and national posts have yet to learn how to follow the rules.
GMA News

PNP identifies 701 areas as election hotspots as campaign period kicks off
As the campaign period kicks off on Tuesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) identified 701 election areas as election hotspots for the May 2019 national polls which include the cities Mandaluyong, Manila, Caloocan, Malabon and Pasay.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, The Manila Times, Philippine News Agency

14,000 cops deployed in NCR to secure campaign of candidates
More than 14,000 police personnel will be deployed in Metro Manila to secure the campaign of senatorial candidates and party-list groups.
Manila Bulletin

Jimenez unleashes ‘hugot’ lines to warn poll violators
It’s just the start of the three-month campaign period for the midterm elections but the Commission on Election (Comelec) already seen a number of  violations, prompting its spokesperson to warn these violators in his most unique way.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Comelec calls out Senate aspirants, party-list groups on illegal campaign materials
The Commission on Elections has called out several Senate bets and party-list groups over campaign materials posted in prohibited areas that have yet to be removed at the start of the campaign period on Tuesday, February 12.
GMA News

Candidates questioning pollsters do not understand sampling method —Pulse Asia exec
Pulse Asia Survey research director Ana Maria Tabunda on Tuesday said senatorial candidates who question the methods of pollsters simply do not understand the sampling scheme.
GMA News

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Kontra Daya asks candidates not to use gov’t resources in campaign
Poll watchdog group Kontra Daya on Tuesday urged senatorial candidates for the upcoming midterm polls to refrain from making use of government influence or resources for their respective campaigns.
Manila Bulletin

Bong Go: Don’t vote for me if I used gov’t resources for Senate bid
Former presidential aide Bong Go denied he is using government funds or resources for his senatorial bid. If the accusations were true, he said, Filipinos should not vote for him.
Rappler

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Mirror, mirror who are the wisest senatorial bets of them all?
Day One of the 90-day campaign period for the senatorial derby kicked off on Tuesday with the usual pomp, gimmicks, giveaways and glowing political speeches of aspirants.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Democratizing the electoral contest
In both colonial and post-colonial periods, political contestation in Philippine society has always been dynamic, in which elites and the masses engage in a particular exercise called elections.
Business World Online

Oppositions

Can Otso Diretso do a repeat of Robredo’s 2016 victory?
The odds are stacked against the 8-member senatorial ticket of the opposition coalition Otso Diretso – and they know it. The television ad that showed all 8 candidates together for the first time was very telling: a woman scoffs and says she knows only two from the slate. What follows is a montage of the opposition candidates intently listening to the woman and the rest of her family.
Rappler

United opposition only way to defeat admin slate – Juana Change
Activist-comedienne Mae “Juana Change” Paner said Tuesday that the only way to beat administration senatorial candidates in this year’s midterm election is for the opposition to get their acts together in unity.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Otso Diretso senatorial bets hope for an independent Senate, better PH
Senatorial bets belonging to the opposition coalition on Tuesday reiterated the need for an independent Senate to safeguard the welfare of the Filipino people.
Manila Bulletin

Robredo, Aquino attend Mass for Otso Diretso candidates
Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III attended on Tuesday a Mass sponsored by the Otso Diretso coalition at the San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan City.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Opposition Senate bet wants chance to campaign in pro-admin areas
Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc on Tuesday said she wanted to boost her Senate bid and campaign in pro-administration areas in the Calabarzon region, Pampanga and Pangasinan.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Mar Roxas, Grace Poe go solo to kick off senatorial bids
Two former presidential bets in 2016 who are now running for senator – ex-interior secretary Mar Roxas and reelectionist Senator Grace Poe – mounted their own events to jumpstart their respective campaigns.
Rappler

LOOK: Colmenares starts Senate bid by breaking bread with seniors
Bayan Muna chair and Makabayan senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares started his campaign for the 2019 midterm elections on Tuesday by entertaining queries of senior citizens during a breakfast in Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Opposition bet Gutoc confident to win Muslim vote
Opposition slate "Otso Diretso’s" lone female and Muslim candidate Samira Gutoc on Wednesday said she is confident Moros would rally behind her despite the strong influence of President Rodrigo Duterte on Mindanaoans.
ABS-CBN News

Roxas on 2016 loss: ‘I offered tinolang manok, they chose kare-kareng baka’
Is Mar Roxas open to run for a higher office again? “I’ve been there, done that,” Roxas said when the question was asked in an interview with ABS-CBN’s morning show “Headstart,” aired on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LOOK: ‘Otso Diretso’ senatorial candidates woo Caloocan voters
Senatorial candidates from the “Otso Diretso” slate have chosen to be with Caloocan City voters at the start of the official campaign period for the 2019 midterm elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Administration

Duterte to attend PDP-Laban senatorial campaign kick off in Bulacan
President Rodrigo Duterte is set to attend the senatorial campaign kick off of the ruling PDP-Laban party on Thursday. Duterte’s attendance to the proclamation rally, which will be held in San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan, was confirmed by Malacañang on Tuesday.
GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Arroyo goes all out for Hugpong
Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday declared her full support for the Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial slate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. “All out, all out,” Arroyo told reporters when asked her commitment to the HNP candidates following Tuesday’s campaign kickoff in her vote-rich home province of Pampanga.
Manila Standard

Pinedas of Pampanga pull out all stops for Hugpong ng Pagbabago Senate slate
In a complete turnaround from the 2016 campaign, the powerful Pinedas of Pampanga hosted the campaign launch of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the Mindanao-based political party of presidential daughter Sara Duterte.
Rappler

Party-list bets start campaigning for 2019 polls
Party-list candidates began campaigning early on Tuesday morning, the start of the 90-day campaign period for the 2019 midterm elections. Incumbent Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate joined the group's campaign sortie in Barangay Tunasan in Muntinlupa City.
GMA News

Hugpong campaign caravan draws 20,000 people in Pampanga
Traffic hardly moved in the center of the City of San Fernando as thousands of people poured in the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) rally at the Pampanga capitol ground here on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LOOK: Gutoc starts campaign with prayer for Mindanao, elections
Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc started her election campaign by praying for peace in Mindanao and in this year’s national elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Kiss a Kapampangan woman in the lips to learn their language–Bato
Kiss a Kapampangan woman to learn their language faster, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief and now senatorial aspirant Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Senatorial bets turn to naughty jokes
Election candidates usually resort to “naughty” jokes to grab the attention of their audience during public events. Members of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) slate are no exception.
Manila Bulletin

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'Bato' admits not having much political experience, offers 'clean heart'
Former police and corrections bureau chief Ronald dela Rosa on Tuesday chose to be straightforward as he launched his campaign in the senatorial race. Dela Rosa, who was President Rodrigo Duterte’s most trusted men after serving as Davao City police chief, admitted he does not have a wealth of experience in navigating Philippine politics, but that he can offer his “clean heart.”
ABS-CBN News

Poe kicks off 1st day of campaign with kids of Payatas 
Reelectionist Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday kicked off the first day of the campaign period with school children in a feeding program in Payatas, Quezon City, unaccompanied by other candidates running for the midterm elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

Koko Pimentel skips first Hugpong’s campaign rally
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III skipped the campaign rally of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) here on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Mocha Uson launches party-list bid in Pangasinan
Former Assistant Communications Secretary Mocha Uson on Tuesday hit the campaign trail, kicking off her party-list bid in this capital town of vote-rich Pangasinan, her home province.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Election-related Violence, Incidents and operations

DISASTER

MINDANAO

NEDA-11 pushes for P40-B Davao airport upgrade
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-11 is pushing for a PHP40.57-billion budget for the Davao International Airport development project. NEDA-11 Director Ma. Lourdes Lim said in an interview on Tuesday the improvement of the airport involves additional facilities and other equipment to enhance safety, security, access, passenger and cargo movement efficiency.
Philippine News Agency

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Federalism, Plan B
The thick book on constitutional reforms, gathering dust on my bookshelf since the report was submitted in 1999 by a preparatory commission to then president Joseph Estrada, is now joined by a much thinner draft Constitution.
Philippine Star

CabSec bats for pro-federalism candidates
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexie Nograles called on the electorate to vote for pro-federalism candidates in the May 2019 2019 mid-term elections citing the benefits the people would get from this form of government.
Manila Bulletin

JUDICIARY

LEGISLATIVE

False alarm to become real crime; bill prescribing stiffer penalties passed on second reading
Crying wolf and instigating bomb scares are prohibited acts that could result in stiff fines and prison term under a bill recently passed on second reading in the House of Representatives.
Manila Bulletin

Senators differ in position in renaming the country ‘Maharlika’
Two of President Duterte’s allies in Senate were cold to the proposal of changing the name of the Philippines to “Maharlika.” Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday said Duterte merely floated an “idea” when he recalled former President Ferdinand Marcos’ proposal of renaming the country.
Manila Bulletin

Prod Senate to act on Islamic banking bill, DBP told
A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday called on the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to focus its efforts in persuading the Senate to fast-track the approval of the Islamic Banking and Financing framework in the country to make Islamic banking more accessible in the Bangsamoro region.
Philippine News Agency

BUDGET AND FINANCE

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

PH Army distributes field ambulances to battalions
The Philippine Army (PA) has started the distribution of field ambulances to the battalion level as part of ongoing efforts to upgrade its medical units. This was disclosed by Lt. Col. Louie Villanueva, Army spokesperson, when asked for updates on the PA's medical service upgrade initiative.
Philippine News Agency

Keep politicking out of homecoming, PMA graduates told
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., Tuesday asked politicians and fellow Cavaliers who will run in the mid-term elections to not use this Saturday’s (February 16) Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Alumni Homecoming as an occasion for them to campaign.
Manila Bulletin

Former AFP Spokesman retires
Former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesman and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5, Major General Restituto Padilla Jr. bid farewell to the military profession in a ceremony held Tuesday, February 12 at the General Headquarters Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Manila Bulletin

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Hanjin rehab draws interest of three ‘major’ shipbuilders
THREE MAJOR shipbuilders have signaled interest in the rehabilitation of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines, Inc. by asking for meetings on the matter. In an interview in Olongapo City on Friday last week, HHIC-Phil’s former rehabilitation receiver Stefani C. Saño said he has received three letters of intent from “big players” in the shipbuilding industry, with one meeting scheduled this week.
Business World Online

Philippine exports, imports nosedive in December 2018
The government said a weak peso would lift exports. It did not. The government said it is aggressively pushing infrastructure projects and could lift imports. It did not.
ABS-CBN News

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

Taiwan finds regrettable deportation of nationals to China by the Philippines
The government of Taiwan on Tuesday expressed its “solemn concern” and “deep regret” over the Philippine government’s forced deportation to China of seven Taiwanese nationals who were facing alleged telecom fraud charges.
Manila Bulletin

Charting a course for our shared future
How do we ensure that our friendship, partnership, and alliance, forged over the past century, evolve to meet our needs a century from now? Last week, the U.S. Embassy brought together top U.S., Filipino, and regional experts to ask this very question.
GMA News

BI lawyers seek deportation of taho-throwing foreign student
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) legal team recommended a deportation case against foreign student Zhang Jiale, who faces charges after throwing a cup of taho at a policeman enforcing the no-liquids policy at a train station.
Rappler

West Philippine Sea

UK to deploy flagship aircraft carrier in South China Sea
The United Kingdom would soon send the Royal Navy's largest warship in the South China Sea as the United States steps up its presence in the contested waterway.
Philippine Star

LABOR

POEA to nurses seeking jobs in Germany: Beware of scams
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Tuesday warned nurses who want to land a job in Germany through its Triple Win program to be extra cautious and submit their applications only to the POEA and not through any recruitment agency.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TRANSPORTATION

HEALTH 

Love trumps fear: Payatas parents get babies vaccinated
After the Department of Health (DOH) declared a measles outbreak in several regions in the country, the choice to have children vaccinated against measles remains a difficult decision to make for some parents.
Rappler

DOH Calabarzon creates task force to address increase in measles cases
The Department of Health (DOH) Calabarzon office formed a task force to address the rising number of measles cases in the region, DOH Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo said on Monday, February 11.
Rappler

Hontiveros says Mayor Sara’s tirades against her a validation of her work on human rights
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s attacks against her work on democracy and human rights validates what she has been espousing and vindicates her position on important issues.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Sugar industry stakeholders seek changes to improve competitiveness
With the support of the Senate, sugar industry stakeholders will be sending a number of recommendations to economic managers following the proposal to liberalize sugar imports.
Rappler

Duterte OKs Israel loan for irrigation projects
President Duterte has given the green light for the initial negotiations between the Philippines and a private Israel firm on the financing of government irrigation projects.
Philippine Star

EDUCATION

DepEd signs agreement to promote Philippine history in schools
Recognizing the need to promote Philippine history further, the Department of Education (DepEd) has entered into a partnership which aims to provide and distribute quality posters showcasing statements of notable Filipinos.
Manila Bulletin

ENERGY

DoE tags more projects of national significance
A coal-fired power plant and several projects of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) have been classified by the Department of Energy (DoE) as energy projects of national significance.
The Manila Times

POVERTY

HOUSING

TOURISM

Boracay closure constitutional – SC
The Supreme Court (SC) declared constitutional President Duterte’s Proclamation No. 475 which closed Boracay Island to tourists and non-residents for six months from April 26 to October 25 last year.
Manila Bulletin, GMA News

Philippine tourism campaigns in Tel Aviv
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has stepped up the country’s campaign to promote the Philippines as a major tourist destination as it sets up the biggest booth in the Annual International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) 2019 in Tel-Aviv, Israel. 
Manila Bulletin

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Environment groups write to Trudeau to get garbage back from PH
International environmental, health, and human rights organizations including some Canadian groups took up the cudgel for the EcoWaste Coalition in its bid to have the garbage shipped back to Vancouver, Canada which was illegally dumped in the Philippines in 2013 – 2014.
Manila Bulletin

Next on Manila Bay cleanup: Coordination on business permits near bay
Local government units have been ordered to coordinate with national agencies in issuing permits to commercial establishments fronting the Manila Bay, which is undergoing a massive cleanup, Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said Tuesday. 
ABS-CBN News

DENR urged to revoke ECCs issued to three Manila Bay reclamation projects
Three Manila Bay reclamation projects already issued with environment compliance certificates (ECCs) are located at the southern part of the bay which was already declared by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as a conservation area for sardines.
Manila Bulletin

DENR orders 178 mayors: Clean up Manila Bay waterways
Mayors of 178 cities and municipalities surrounding Manila Bay should do their share in its rehabilitation by cleaning up its rivers and estuaries, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu said yesterday.
Philippine Star

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR