DoJ ordered to summon Sison over terror tag
A Manila court has ordered the Department of Justice (DoJ) to serve the summons to communist leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, as it accepted a revised plea of the government to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), as terrorist groups and “outlawed organizations.”
Manila Times

Joma: Court summons worthless, futile, malicious
Exiled top rebel leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said the plan of a court in Manila to summon him was another useless scheme by the Duterte administration to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels as terrorist groups.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Business World Online

Duterte’s “land reform” is a big fake    
Duterte’s “land reform” is a big fake. His government falsely claims to have distributed 60,000 hectares of land over the past few months. What Duterte is distributing, in fact, are mere documents requiring recipients to regularly pay burdensome amortization fees before they can claim ownership to the land.
NDFP

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AFP warns candidates against paying ‘permit to campaign fees’
Don’t help fuel their rebellion. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Chief Col. Noel Detoyato made the appeal to candidates who are running in this year’s mid-term elections, especially those who will campaign in areas where the Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) are present.
Manila Bulletin

46 ‘HOTSPOTS’ IN W. VISAYAS: Calinog is only town in Red category
THE Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) identified 46 towns in Western Visayas as election areas of concerns or the so-called election “hotspots.” PRO-6 records broke down the number according to color classifications:
The Daily Guardian

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Reds use ‘love ploy’ to recruit young fighters
At 15, Regine (not her real name) thought that she found love when she met Noel (not his real name). After dating for sometime, Noel, a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel, brought Regine to the mountains.
Philippine Star

15-yr-old girl warrior surrenders to gov’t troops
Extreme hardships and hunger in the mountains forced a 15-year-old girl member of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army (CPP-NPA) to turn herself in to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Capiz on Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency, Kalinaw News

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Soldiers held captive by NPA begs to Duterte: ‘Suspend military operations’
Two soldiers being held captive by the New Peoples Army (NPA) appealed for help from President Rodrigo Duterte to cease military operations to pave way for their release. Private First Class Darlino Carino Jr. and Cpl. Eric Manangan made their appeal in a video released by the communist rebels on Wednesday.
Davao Today

Military says no letup in rescue ops for captured soldiers and militiamen
A soldier held as a prisoner of war by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Mindanao is asking the military to suspend its operations to facilitate his release and that of his colleagues, but officials have turned down his call.
Business Mirror, Manila Bulletin

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Groups condemn ‘illegal detention’ of 2 activists
CAUSE-ORIENTED groups have initiated a fact-finding mission and launched efforts to free two human rights defenders from Cagayan de Oro City who were "forcibly" brought by a government soldier for questioning to a military camp in Bukidnon.
Sunstar Cagayan de Oro

Threats raise latest ‘red flag’ to HR, educator, missionary workers in Mindanao
The recent threats and attacks that targeted a missionary worker, a volunteer teacher, and two human rights defenders has raised a serious concern over the safety of individuals working in progressive organizations that are critical to the government.
Davao Today

Peace Talks

Incidents/ Operations   

Jolo attack "evidence of continued concern" of ISIS growth —US top admiral
The twin bombings in a cathedral in Jolo that killed 23 people and injured over a hundred others were evidence that ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-influenced violent extremists remain a concern in the Indo-Pacific region , according to a US commander in Asia.
GMA News

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6 BIFF rebels surrender
Six fully armed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) abandoned their comrades in the Liguasan Marsh on Thursday and surrendered to the Army in Maguindanao. Capt. Arvin Encinas, spokesman for the 6th Infantry Division (ID) said the surrenderers are members of a BIFF faction under Gani Saligan (who is still hiding), a notorious rebel in southwestern Liguasan Marsh.
The Manila Times

MARAWI

Group of outstanding teachers, soldiers, cops undertake Marawi City project
Hoping to contribute to the restoration of normalcy especially in the lives of the learners, outstanding teachers, soldiers, police officers gathered and launched a “pay-it-forward” project in Marawi. Members of the Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators (NOTED) and other alumni organizations of the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos launched a project called “Guro, Pulis at Sundalo na may Galing, Puso at Sigasig (GPS²)” 
Manila Bulletin

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD      

15 Years in Prison for Clicking on Terrorist Propaganda Even Once - New UK Law
Upon the adoption of a new legislation, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act "gives the police the powers they need to disrupt plots and punish those who seek to do us harm."
Sputnik News

EU adds Saudi Arabia to 'dirty money' blacklist
The European Commission has added seven countries including Saudi Arabia, Panama, and Nigeria to a blacklist of nations that pose a threat because of lax controls on terror financing and money laundering.
Aljazeera

Commentary: Egregious accusations ignore basic facts on Xinjiang
As China has lodged stern representations with Turkey over its foreign ministry's statement on anti-terrorism efforts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, it is necessary to further expose the absurdness of those egregious remarks, distortions and baseless accusations by reviewing the basic facts on ground.
Xinhua

Some Western countries want to preserve terrorist enclave in Idlib, says Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that some Western countries wish to preserve an enclave that is a terrorist hotbed in Syria’s Idlib province. “There’s been news that some Western countries wish to do precisely that. They want this enclave where Jabhat al-Nusra (terrorist group outlawed in Russia) controls more than 90% of the territory to become a participant in the future political process,” Lavrov stated at a news conference on Wednesday.
Russian News Agency (TASS)

UK fighters returning from Syria face up to 10 years in jail
British nationals spending time in Syria face arrest and up to 10 years in jail on their return home in new anti-terrorism legislation passed by parliament.
South China Morning Post

UK prepares no-go zones for extremists
Britons who join the ranks of ISIS face up to ten years in prison under a new law aimed at creating global no-go zones for extremists. More than 900 Britons have travelled to Syria but authorities have struggled to convict returning fighters because of the difficulty of securing evidence.
The National UAE

Al Shabaab jumps on the anti-Israel, anti-Trump bandwagon
The Somalian terrorist organization al Shabaab recently explained that its attack at the DusitD2 hotel in Kenya on Jan. 15 was retaliation for U.S. policy in Israel. The group’s statement claimed, “The Mujahideen carried out this operation … [as] a response to the witless remarks of U.S. President Donald Trump and his declaration of Al Quds [the Arabic name for Jerusalem] as the capital of Israel.”
The Hill

Bombing in Iran Kills 41 Revolutionary Guards, Iranian Media Say
A suicide bomber killed 41 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on a bus in a restive region of southeast Iran on Wednesday, Iranian media reported. It was among the deadliest attacks in Iran in years.
The New York Times

ARMM distributes P35-M equipment to corn, rice farmers
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAF-ARMM) has conducted the mass distribution of PHP35-million worth of farming machinery in Maguindanao on Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency

Palace urges Filipino Muslims: Avail of improved services, fulfill pilgrimage to KSA
Malacañang has urged Filipino Muslims to avail of reformed and improved services of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) for them to fulfill their dream of heading to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for the annual Hajj.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

BANGSAMORO ORGANIC LAW

Canvassing of votes for additional areas in Bangsamoro region drags on
The tabulation and auditing of the votes cast during the second round of the plebiscite for additional areas to join the Bangsamoro Region has dragged on for three days and counting, due to the involved election paraphernalia being too voluminous.
GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Lidasan: Why is it so hard to be Bangsamoro?
PEOPLE, at heart, are creatures of habit. If it were up to us, we would always maintain the status quo. However, staying the same can be repetitive, boring, and even destructive. For example, if I ate the same thing every day, I would get sick of it.
Sunstar Davao

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Blast injures CAFGU member
Explosion wounded slightly one CAFGU member this morning (February 12) at Sitio Pansol, Brgy Macasampen, Guindulungan Maguindanao. The wounded was one of the members of the CAFGU Active Auxiliary under 23rd CAA, Delta Company, 38th Infantry Battalion, who are conducting regular security patrol in the area.
NDBC News, Philippine Star, The Manila Times

Army on alert in Maguindanao following blast that hurt CAFGU
Government forces heightened their security operations after a blast hit Guindulungan, Maguindanao on Tuesday. The anti-personnel mine, placed near an old nipa house, exploded in Sitio Pansol, Barangay Macasampen at 7:30 a.m.     
NDBC News

LANAO PROVINCES

Strict security set after ‘No’ vote in Lanao del Norte
Stricter security measures remained in effect in Lanao del Norte province in anticipation of potential adverse response in the aftermath of the defeat of the Yes votes in the recent plebiscite of the Bangsamoro Organic Law ((BOL).
Manila Standard

BASILAN

SULU 

TAWI-TAWI 

Tawi-Tawi prepares seaweed industry 2019 action plan
SEAWEED INDUSTRY stakeholders in Tawi-Tawi met last week to assess last year’s implementation of programs and prepare for the 2019 action plan, according to the Department of Trade and Industry-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DTI-ARMM). 
Business World Online

Tawi-Tawi village chieftain falls in drug sting
Regional police chief Emmanuel Licup said the 47-year old Julficar Ladjahali, of Bongao town, was arrested along with Nixon Imdani, 46, after they allegedly sold methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as “shabu” to anti-narcotics agents in the village of San Jose Gusu.
Mindanao Examiner, Philippine News Agency, Sunstar Zamboanga

DRUGS

Duterte determined to end drug menace during his watch
President Duterte has vowed to finish off drug traffickers even if human rights groups seek God’s intervention. The President said his government would give no quarter to those involved in the narcotics trade, saying he was prepared to finish and kill drug offenders “for nothing.”
Manila Bulletin

Palace: Conviction of alleged Sinaloa member repudiates critics
Malacañang said that the conviction of Horacio Hernandez Herrera proves President Duterte’s repeated claims that the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel of Mexico has entered the Philippine market.
Manila Bulletin

Suspected Sinaloa cartel member guilty of drug trafficking
The Makati City Regional Trial Court has convicted a suspected member of the Mexican Sinaloa drug syndicate of selling P12-million worth of cocaine. Horacio Hernandez Herrera was meted the penalty of life imprisonment.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Parents of children in Navotas drug raid file petitions for release of their kids
Two parents, whose children were rescued in a drug raid conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), filed petitions to summon their children in court and question their detention at the Bahay Pag-Asa residential facility.
Manila Bulletin

Operations/ Incidents

Law enforcers seize P244-M worth of shabu in Cavite
Law enforcers seized about 36 kilograms of suspected crystal meth, locally known as shabu, worth around P244 million worth in Cavite. The operation was conducted by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Cavite Police Provincial Office (CPPO), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

’Drug pusher’ slain in Tarlac buy-bust
Police here shot dead an alleged drug pusher after engaging them in a gunfight during a buy-bust operation on Wednesday. Jay Martin alias “Jay Masiclat,” a resident of Barangay Balanoz in La Paz town, fired at the policemen after sensing he was transacting with an undercover agent about 4:45 a.m. in Barangay Alfonso here, police said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Drug suspect dead in Batangas buy-bust
A suspected drug pusher was killed in a police buy-bust operation in Sto. Tomas, Batangas on Wednesday. A report from the Calabarzon police named the suspect as Eduardo Mendoza.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Probers link drugs to slay of Tondo village chief
Investigators are eyeing the possible involvement of illegal drugs in the murder of a barangay (village) chairman in Tondo, Manila, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Guillermo Eleazar revealed on Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

There’s hope for drug addicts
Hope is not lost for the people addicted to shabu and other illegal drugs. According to Dr. Joy Ruiz-Molleston, drug addicts could still be given a second chance in life through proper treatment and rehabilitation.
Manila Bulletin

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

Cops recover guns, grenade from Masbate vice mayor, mayor
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Bicol seized on Wednesday firearms and a grenade after raiding the houses of Batuan, Masbate, Mayor Charmax Yuson and his father Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Police busts gunrunning group in Surigao
A gunrunning group operating in Surigao del Norte was busted when one of its member was killed during a manhunt operation by the police force in Purok 3, Sitio Gayas, Barangay Sabang, Surigao City, a ranking police official in the region reported on Wednesday.
Manila Bulletin

PNP urges gun holders to surrender unlicensed firearms
Holders of firearms that are unlicensed or whose licenses have yet to be renewed are urged to voluntarily surrender these to the police. Supt. Gregorio Galsim, Dumaguete police chief, disclosed Wednesday that since his assumption to his current post last January, he has already signed at least 30 letters to individuals who need to renew their firearms licenses.
Philippine News Agency

SPD nabs 85 persons, 90 firearms in anti-crime drive
Operatives of the Southern Police District (SPD) have arrested 85 persons and seized 90 firearms since the start of the election gun ban last month. In a report to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Wednesday, SPD director, Chief Supt. Eliseo Cruz, said Parañaque City has the highest number of apprehensions with 23 persons, followed by Makati (19); Taguig (15); Las Piñas, four; and two in the town of Pateros.
Philippine News Agency

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

Duterte to endorse 12 senatorial bets on Thursday
President Rodrigo Duterte will endorse 12 senatorial candidates at the proclamation rally of the ruling party PDP-Laban in Bulacan on Thursday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sunstar Manila

Duterte wants 6 guest candidates in PDP-Laban proclamation rally
President Duterte is seeking the inclusion of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and other guest candidates in the administration party’s senatorial ticket in the May elections.
Manila Bulletin

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Palace pushes policies to protect media in PH
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Tuesday said the Duterte administration is pushing for programs and plans that will protect media practitioners in the country.
Manila Bulletin

‘Colonial mentality’ hinders name change
FILIPINOS would reject the revived proposal to change the country’s name to “Maharlika” because of a “bad case of colonial mentality and malice,” a historian said on Wednesday.
The Manila Times

Consult public on plan
DESPITE President Rodrigo Duterte’s support to the plan to rename the Philippines to “Maharlika,” the proposal will have to undergo a nationwide consultation, a Cebu official said Wednesday, Feb. 13. Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said she likes the word “Maharlika” but she cannot decide if that will be a good decision. She said majority of Filipinos will have to approve the change in the country’s name. 
Sunstar Cebu

ELECTION RELATED

Comelec sets Feb. 14 deadline for removal of illegal campaign posters
Candidates for national post have until Thursday, February 14, to remove their illegal campaign materials which are either oversized or placed in prohibited areas, the Commission on Elections said Wednesday.
GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Defiant poll bets face charges
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday warned defiant candidates that legal actions will be taken against them if they continue to violate elections rules and regulations.
Manila Bulletin

Comelec to train cops to be deployed as BEIs on poll day
Police personnel will undergo training on how to serve as Special Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) on election day, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

20 Cebu teachers, worried about safety, refuse to serve in May polls
Twenty teachers in San Fernando town in Cebu don’t want to serve in the electoral boards of the May 2019 elections because they fear for their safety, according to Renante Angcos, election officer of the town.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Candidates, beware: Law bans bribery, cash gifts, donations
UNDER ELECTION laws, they were not yet officially considered to be candidates, and therefore not yet incurring campaign expenditures, until after the official campaign period had started.
Mindanews

Money and the May 2019 elections: P2.4-B pre-campaign ads: Bong Go, Marcos, Roxas, Roque top spenders
TO THE last, they have pledged to fight poverty and corruption, promote health and education, protect the environment, and serve the poor who make up a majority of over 60 million registered voters.
Mindanews, Rappler, Philippine Star

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PNP spox says policemen enough to monitor poll hot spots
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday assured the public that there is enough number of policemen who would monitor at least 700 election hot spots. Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said the 192,000-strong police force would be aided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in ensuring a peaceful midterm elections.
GMA News

Farmers want no more gimmicks from pols
Militant farmer’s group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) challenged all senatorial bets in the May 2019 mid-term elections “to do away with the traditional, self- serving political gimmickry’’ and instead make a concrete stand on urgent issues directly affecting the Filipino people.
Manila Bulletin

No campaign materials within church premises
Church leaders issued on Wednesday directives banning campaign materials within church premises as the campaign period for the May elections starts.
Manila Bulletin

Erap happy to see JV, Jinggoy reconcile
No less than Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada, father of estranged half brothers Jinggoy Estrada and JV Ejercito was pleased to see them reconcile during the kickoff of Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s (HnP) campaign rally in Pampanga on Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

Sotto declares support for re-electionist senators
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is backing his colleagues in Senate in their bid for reelection in the May 13, 2019 midterm polls.
Manila Bulletin

Enrile turns 95 on Valentine’s Day; says ‘kaya pa’
At 95, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is the oldest senatorial candidate for the upcoming midterm May 13, 2019 elections. ‘’Kaya pa,’’ Enrile said during the kick-off rally of the political campaign in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan with United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidates.
Manila Bulletin

Oppositions

Otso Diretso bets to Iriganons: 'Our fight is also De Lima’s fight'
The Otso Diretso senatorial candidates on Wednesday, February 13, assured the people of Iriga City that they would continue the fight of their fellow Iriganon, detained Senator Leila de Lima.
Rappler

Otso Diretso heads to Leni and Jesse’s turf to woo Bicolano vote
The Otso Diretso candidates of the opposition are doing their rounds in Camarines Sur, home province of Vice President Leni Robredo and her late husband Jesse Robredo, to boost their Senate bid.
Rappler

Elections should focus on people’s woes, not Duterte – Aquino
The May elections should center, not on President Duterte, but on the need to address the problems and other vital issues facing the people, re-electionist Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV said Wednesday.
Manila Bulletin

‘Otso Diretso’ senatorial bets: It’s never ‘laylayan’ to talk about rights, issues
Despite ranking low in recent surveys, senatorial candidates from the "Otso Diretso" opposition coalition believe the issues they are pushing for individually will earn them the votes of the electorate come May 13.
GMA News

De Lima to Bicolanos: Help Otso Diretso bets eradicate poverty, injustice
Senator Leila de Lima has urged her fellow Bicolanos to help the Otso Diretso slate in the upcoming May 2019 midterm elections, in order for the candidates to work against the problems affecting the country.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

De Lima aunt puts faith in opposition Senate slate
Felicitas de Lima is unsure of her niece’s fate this year but she is certain of one thing: that the Otso Diretso senatorial candidates would fight for justice.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Opposition: May elections a referendum on Duterte
The midterm elections will shape up to be a referendum not only on President Rodrigo Duterte’s three-year administration but also on the people’s capacity to vote wisely, according to members of the opposition Otso Diretso slate.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Administration

Duterte to attend PDP-Laban campaign kickoff today
President Duterte will drum up support for his inner circle senatorial bets from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) during the kickoff of the party’s campaign for the midterm polls today. 
Philippine Star, ABS-CBN News

Voting straight for HNP Senate slate will invalidate ballots — solon
Anakpawis Party-List Rep. Ariel Casilao says the Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s (HNP) insistence on endorsing more than 12 candidates for the May senatorial race could lead to the disenfranchisement of many voters through invalid ballots.
Manila Bulletin

Election-related Violence, Incidents and operations

DISASTER

MINDANAO

Mindanao railway project moving slow, says MinDA chief
 Phase 1 of the 1,550-kilometer Mindanao Railway Project is moving slow with only three years to accomplish it before President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends in 2022, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Abul Khayr Alonto said in an interview on Tuesday.
Mindanews

Sarangani gets P51-M World Bank-supported road project
The national government has approved an additional infrastructure grant of PHP51.2 million to Sarangani Province under the World Bank-supported Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). Sarangani Vice Governor Elmer de Peralta said Wednesday the funds will be utilized for the upgrading or concreting of another vital road network leading to farm areas in the coastal town of Maasim.
Philippine News Agency

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

JUDICIARY

Supreme Court junks quo warranto suit vs Duterte
The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed the quo warranto petition of suspended lawyer Elly Pamatong against President Rodrigo Duterte. In a notice sent to media on Wednesday, February 13, the en banc said it voted on January 22 to dismiss the quo warranto petition that sought to nullify Duterte's presidential win in 2016. The voting had yet to be clarified by the Public Information Office (PIO).
Rappler, GMA News

LEGISLATIVE

More independent-minded lawmakers needed in Senate, detained senator says
Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Wednesday appealed to her fellow Bicolanos to vote straight for the “Otso Diretso” senatorial candidates, saying more independent-minded lawmakers in the Senate are needed to break the cycle of hate and culture of fear and impunity that has engulfed the Philippines.
Manila Bulletin

Pimentel’s bill seeks VAT exemption for mental health medicines
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III wants medicine prescribed for people with mental health conditions to be included in the list of medicines exempted from value-added tax (VAT).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

House bill to put tricycle regulation under cities, municipalities
The House Committee on Transportation has endorsed for plenary approval a bill empowering the cities and municipalities to regulate the operation of tricycles. Under Committee Report 1231, the panel, chaired by Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento batted for the passage of House Bill 9073 or the proposed Magna Carta for Tricycle Drivers and Operators.
Manila Bulletin

BUDGET AND FINANCE

DBM to push cash-based budgeting in 2019, despite rejection by Congress
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Wednesday, February 13, said that cash-based budgeting is "still on" this year, despite the scheme's rejection by the Congress. In a media briefing on Wednesday, Diokno reiterated that it's the executive branch's prerogative to implement what type of budgeting system it wants.
Rappler

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DILG orders LGUs to preserve Gabaldon school buildings
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered all local government units (LGUs) to support the Department of Education (DepEd) in the preservation and protection of Gabaldon school buildings in their respective areas.
Manila Bulletin

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

PAF allots P12-M for AW-109 attack chopper parts
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is allocating PHP12 million for the acquisition of main rotor dampers for two of its AgustaWestland AW-109 attack helicopters. Pre-bid conference is slated to be held at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City at 11 a.m. on February 18, while bid opening is scheduled at the same venue at 9:15 a.m. on March 5.
Philippine News Agency

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Philippines to score higher in economic freedom index — DOF
The Department of Finance (DOF) expects the Philippines to score higher in the economic freedom index of the Heritage Foundation next year, following the enactment of various laws that set improvements on Filipinos’ property rights and trade freedom.
Philippine Star

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

West Philippine Sea

AFP denies reports of increased Chinese activities near Pagasa Island
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., said that they have not received any reports of increased number of Chinese fishing boats near Pagasa Island, Palawan.
Manila Bulletin

China still harassing Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal – US Navy official
China continues to intimidate Filipino fishermen in Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), a US Navy official said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

US vows to continue naval operations in WPS
Following last Monday’s Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) 12 nautical miles from the now Chinese-occupied man-made island on Panganiban (Mischief) Reef in the West Philippine Sea, the US Navy vowed to continue naval operations to keep the disputed Spratlys open to all ocean-going vessels.
Philippine Star

Why the South China Sea Fuels U.S.-China Tensions
For decades, the U.S. has guaranteed freedom of navigation in Asia’s waters, patrolling the seas with a view to maintaining the principle that no sovereign state shall suffer interference from another. China’s growing military prowess, combined with a dogged assertiveness over its territorial claims, is testing the old ways and providing a potential flashpoint for the two powers. 
The Washington Post

To avoid war, scrap the Mutual Defense Treaty
IF a toughie from out of town is about to pick a fight with the local bully, would it make sense for a little guy to join the fray? That’s really the question for the Philippines as it reviews its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States, now escalating its confrontation with China.
The Manila Times

LABOR

Job Search on Google to enhance job hunting process
Job hunting in the Philippines is expected to get a lift from Job Search on Google, an official of the tech giant said on Wednesday. “Job Search will make it easier for Filipinos to find jobs online that meet the requirements as well as match their interests,” Stacie Chan, Google’s search product partnerships lead in Asia Pacific said in a Google for Philippines forum at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TRANSPORTATION

Contract signed for EDSA side of MRT-LRT common station
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday, February 13, inked an agreement with a private builder for the construction of the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit (MRT-LRT) common station's Area A facing EDSA.
Rappler

HEALTH 

Measles outbreak under control by April or May — DOH
The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday projected that the measles outbreak in certain regions in the country might be declared under control by April or May.
Manila Bulletin

Angara to DOH: assure supply of measles vaccines in outbreak areas
Re-electionist Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has called on the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure that there is a stable supply of measles vaccines in the country, particularly in areas where there are outbreaks of the highly contagious disease.
Manila Bulletin

Hontiveros questions Acosta’s moral conscience to account for vaccine scare
“Amid the outbreak of disease, deaths, obfuscation and lies, does Acosta have the moral conscience to hold herself accountable for her actions?” This is what opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Wednesday after slamming Acosta’s “attempt to deflect public outrage” over her role on the public’s loss of trust on vaccines.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Hontiveros : ‘Scrutinizing Duterte’ different from attacking opposition
“Scrutinizing” President Rodrigo Duterte is to “exact accountability,” and this is different from the attacks on those who criticize the President, opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sara Duterte lectures Hontiveros on attacks and vindication
The word war between Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Sen. Risa Hontiveros isn’t over yet. Duterte-Carpio mocked Hontiveros Tuesday night for her statement saying that the presidential daughter’s attacks against her validated her work and vindicated her position on key issues.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Agriculture in focus as economic team charts growth plans
Economic managers are exploring measures to boost the agriculture sector, which they consider a laggard in 2018, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said yesterday. In a press briefing, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the agriculture sector grew by a paltry 0.8 percent in 2018, contributing only 0.1 percentage point to the overall gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2018. 
Philippine Star

PHL farms to take flight in the future as government supports drone use
THE future of farming is in the skies; not in the stars, but in the use of what are known as “drones.” On a clear day above some farms and fishing sites, farmers and agriculture sector players look up for a glimpse of what lies ahead for the development of the country’s agriculture sector: unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
Business Mirror

EDUCATION

ENERGY

Solon wants creation of strategic fuel reserves
A lawmaker at the House of Representatives on Wednesday reiterated his call for the establishment of a Philippine Strategic Fuel Reserves (PSFR) following President Rodrigo Duterte's admission that he could not do anything about oil prices due to the country’s lack of fuel reserves.
Philippine News Agency, The Manila Times

POVERTY

HOUSING

TOURISM

DILG requires tourism enterprises to secure DOT accreditation
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reiterated the initiative of the Interior department that calls on local government units to ensure the accreditation of primary tourism enterprises (PTEs) in their jurisdiction.
Manila Bulletin

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Tañada: Cleaning Manila Bay like Boracay rehab will be disastrous
While he welcomed ongoing efforts to clean Manila Bay, former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada warned that copying the blueprint for the Boracay rehabilitation would be disastrous.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DENR exec to Tañada: Stop politicizing Manila Bay rehab program
An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday urged Otso Diretso candidate Erin Tañada not to politicize the rehabilitation and clean-up efforts of Manila Bay.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Former UN climate chief visits the Philippines to promote green investments
Former United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres is expected to arrive in the Philippines Wednesday evening as part of an Asian tour to draw in more transformative climate investments in the region.
Manila Bulletin

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Palace hopes Facebook finds a better fact-checker
Malacañang is hoping that Facebook will be able to find a better partner in its initiative to fight fake news and disinformation in social media, saying that Rappler, a news agency it banned from its premises, is biased against the present administration.
Manila Bulletin

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR