In-depth probe of CPP’s EU funding vowed
As the government takes its war against local communist armed conflict a step further, the National Task Force got the assurance of European officials who vowed to look into the information presented by the Philippine government on the reported funding of Belgium and other EU-member countries for CPP activities.
Philippine News Agency, Manila Bulletin

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PNP collecting evidence vs. teachers ‘supporting rebellion’
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is in the process of gathering physical evidence against educators who are suspected of supporting rebellion, the country’s top cop has revealed.
Manila Bulletin

ACT scores Albayalde’s threat to have militant teachers’ licenses revoked
Militant teacher’s group Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) scored Police National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde for supposedly threatening teachers with revocation of their licenses if they were found to have terrorist links.
Manila Bulletin

DILG says ACT party list motion for reconsideration mere ‘publicity stunt’
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) branded as a “publicity stunt ‘’ the motion of reconsideration (MR) filed by ACT party-list before the Court of Appeals which seeks the reconsideration of the dismissed case it filed against the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the alleged profiling of teachers.
Manila Bulletin

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More NPAs surrender in 2019 due to starvation and fear — AFP
The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Tuesday said that in the first two months of 2019, there were already a total of 608 Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) members and supporters who have surrendered to government troops.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

9 CPP-NPA Terrorists surrender to gov’t troops in Agusan del Sur
Tired of running and hiding, nine high-ranking members of the Communist New People’s Army Terrorist (CNT) from the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) heeded the call of peace and surrendered to the Army’s 26th Infantry “Ever Onward” Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, in Agusan del Sur on Sunday, March 3, 2019.
Manila Bulletin

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UPLB exec: No red-tagging on campus with Army presence
The presence of top military commanders at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) on Monday was not meant to “militarize” or “red tag” student activists, a university official on Tuesday said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Peace Talks

Incidents/ Operations   

Army, police arrest Abu Sayyaf terrorist in Zamboanga Sibugay
An Abu Sayaf Group (ASG) member, said to be involved in the 2000 Sipadan, Malaysia kidnappings, was apprehended through the joint law enforcement operation by the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Manila Bulletin, Ranao Star, Philippine News Agency

MARAWI

Lidasan: From Cotabato to Marawi, and back again
IT WAS a Friday afternoon, on our way to Cagayan de Oro, to attend a PVE round table discussion with a group of academics and experts that we decided to pass by Marawi City. I had several opportunities in the past to visit Ground Zero, but I felt that this moment was the right time.
Sunstar Davao

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD      

How terrorism undermines democracy
Terrorism can undermine political moderation in a democracy, paving the way for more extreme elements to gain footholds. The death toll of a terrorist attack, often inflicted in a spectacular way that draws media attention and leads to political criticism, can undermine faith in government.
Brookings Institute

Exoticizing ‘jihadi brides’ ignores that women can be terrorists too
Over the last few weeks, with ISIS losing more ground in Iraq and Syria, many captured members, who were sent to camps controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), are facing the reality of their choices. News agencies from throughout the world rushed to interview foreign fighters, who are asking their governments to take them back, and sensationalized the issue by referring to the women amongst them as “jihadi brides”. 
Al Arabiya

UN religious freedom expert requests visit to China's Xinjiang
The United Nations investigator for religious freedom has asked China to let him visit its Xinjiang region where some one million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims are being kept in facilities that activists call mass detention camps.
Aljazeera

What Comes After the Africa Drawdown?
A weekend report on the U.S. reduction of forces in Africa contains a key and unattended insight midway through the article. The article cited three reasons for escalating violent extremism in and around Burkina Faso, with the first being the success of French operations in pushing violent extremist organizations (VEOs) to other regions, destabilizing peripheral contexts.
International Policy Digest

U.S. insurers seek renewal of federal 'backstop' against acts of terrorism
U.S. insurers are pushing for the extension of a federal terrorism risk insurance program, hoping to fend off a possible gap that would leave their clients scrambling for alternate coverage.
Reuters

Anti-racism commission: new reports on Latvia and Russia
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published today two country reports on Latvia and the Russian Federation, analysing recent developments and making recommendations to the authorities. The respective governments’ comments were also published.
Council of Europe

Afghanistan- The need for Collective War against Terrorists
The dreadful phenomenon of terrorism is of organized crimes which has caused many humanitarian and fiscal damages all along the history. In the era of globalization, the terrorist acts and dangers are not confined to national and regional territory of countries but also affect other parts of the world. 
MENAFN

ISIS mugshot library aims to halt foreign fighters
Foreign fighters secretly returning to Europe are undergoing new facial-recognition checks against a library of seized ISIS mugshots to try to stop them at the continent’s borders, a senior law enforcement official said on Tuesday.
The National UAE

The Jihadist Who Loved Me: Christian Journalist In Hot Water Over Terrorism-Linked Ex-Boyfriend
On January 17, Dutch journalist Ans Boersma was expelled from Turkey. Initially, journalists and politicians in the Netherlands responded with outrage, decrying this as another instance of the Turkish government’s violating the freedom of the press.
The Federalist

'It would be an insult to his person': Duterte assures of Misuari's return to PH
President Rodrigo Duterte has assured the police and the military that Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari will return to the Philippines. Duterte had revealed that he intervened to let Misuari fly abroad, despite the latter facing several charges.
ABS-CBN News, CNN Philippines

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Maranaos unite for imams in Cagayan 'frame-up' arrest
Support and sympathy have poured in for three Muslim religious leaders telling their story of a supposed police “frame-up” arrest, live on social media from a detention cell in Tuguegarao City. In a statement, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) questioned what it said was "unlawful arrest" of three religious leaders from Lanao Sur in that city on Friday.
NDBC News

NCMF probes arrest of ‘framed-up’ Tuguegarao imams
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) is now investigating a reported arrest of three imams cum asatid (Arabic teachers) allegedly drugged by law enforcers in Cagayan Valley recently to make it appear they were shabu users.
Ranao Star, Manila Standard

BARMM

Palace to release EO on normalization program for Bangsamoro soon
An executive order implementing the normalization program under the Bangsamoro peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is expected to be released soon. President Duterte has approved the proposed executive order on the “Annex on Normalization” that deals with the decommissioning of the MILF forces, among others, during a Cabinet meeting last Monday.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine News Agency, Business World Online

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UNDP sponsors first ever BARMM governance planning event
A foreign benefactor supporting the southern peace process sponsored the first ever strategic governance planning workshop of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
NDBC News

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[OPINION] Letting go, moving forward
Last week, I bid goodbye to a job. It wasn't just any job. It was 7 years of my life, mostly during my 20s, that I spent learning about the complexities of service to others. Other twentysomethings would have preferred other jobs, I guess, but it was what I chose to do. 
Rappler

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Cops, soldiers cautioned to be extra careful
Both police and military personnel have been cautioned to be more vigilant even while off-duty with the spate of killings of policemen and soldiers in Central Mindanao. Cotabato Police Office Director Col. Maximo Layugan advised his men to tighten personal security measures following the killing of a police intelligence operative in Carmen town, Cotabato last March 2.
Manila Bulletin, Mindanews

Tight security measures vs BIFF hitmen targeting soldiers
Personnel of the Army’s 5th Special Forces Battalion and the Cotabato City Traffic Management Unit under the mayor's office are subjecting motorists to random inspections to restrain Islamic militants targeting soldiers from moving around.
NDBC News

NORTH COTABATO

LANAO PROVINCES

BASILAN

SULU 

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

29,000 deaths probed since drug war launched
At least 29,000 cases of killings categorized  as deaths under inquiry (DUI) have been recorded nationwide since President Duterte launched his crackdown on illegal drugs, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Philippine Star

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PDEA, AMLA to work together to derail the money trail
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Tuesday in a bid to thwart syndicates and other nefarious groups obtaining financial gains through illegal drug transactions.
Manila Bulletin

Gov’t prosecutors postpones ocular inspection of magnetic lifters
Government prosecutors have decided to postpone the scheduled ocular inspection of the magnetic lifters used to smuggle billions of pesos worth of illegal drugs in 2018.
Manila Bulletin

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List of narco-politicians to be released next week – Palace
The list of candidates with suspected drug links may be released next week in line with the Filipinos’ right to information on matters of public concern as well as government’s duty to ensure public safety, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Star

Ex-police chief claims narco list '99.9% validated'
Former Philippine National Police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa claimed that the so-called narco list submitted by the police to the Malacañang is "99.9 percent validated," even if the new police leadership insists on the list of politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs be validated first before being released.
CNN Philippines

Aquino remains firm against release of narco-list
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General stood firm on his stand against the release of the ‘narco-list’’ amid reports that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will make it public next week.
Manila Bulletin

Mayor Sara sets conditions for release of narco list
Hugpong ng Pagbabago chairperson Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio sees nothing objectionable in releasing the names of candidates allegedly involved in illegal drugs. But she set conditions for the release.
Manila Bulletin

PDEA-W. Visayas assures 'narco-politicians' of due process
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 6 (Western Visayas) has assured that the 13 alleged “narco-politicians” in the region would go through due process.
Philippine News Agency

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Calida insists government will not publicly release drug war documents
Solicitor General Jose Calida on Tuesday, March 5, said the government stands firm that it will not publicly release documents on the 20,322 killings by both police and vigilantes linked to the anti-drug campaign.
Rappler, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Calida says human rights groups not entitled to access all drug war documents
Solicitor General Jose Calida denied that his office is blocking the release of documents related to the government’s war on drugs, saying that the human rights groups who took the case to the Supreme Court are not entitled to the records.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Shabu prices up as supplies dwindle in Region 12: PDEA
Prices of illegal drugs -- especially shabu -- have significantly increased in Region 12 since last year as supplies reportedly continued to dwindle due to the intensified crackdown by the national government.
Philippine News Agency

Operations/ Incidents

3 drug suspects fall in Butuan
The attempt of three drug suspects to make an escape from arresting Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents was foiled when the SUV they were riding bumped in a van driven by a PDEA officer in Gingoog City Saturday afternoon, PDEA 13 Regional Spokesperson Dindo de G. Abellanosa told The Manila Bulletin on Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

Prison visitor ends up in jail for yielding bread stuffed with ‘shabu’ in QC
A woman who was supposed to visit her detained friend in a Quezon City police station jail has instead found herself behind bars after allegedly yielding a Spanish bread stuffed with a sachet of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Close to 500 drug suspects fall in Davao Region
Close to 500 suspected drug personalities were either arrested or neutralized in buy-bust operations around Region 11 (Davao Region) since January this year. A report from the Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) showed that 16 drug personalities have been neutralized while 429 others were arrested in buy-bust operations since January.
Philippine News Agency

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

NegOcc LGUs, police turn over 230 loose firearms to PRO-6
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office led the turnover of 230 unlicensed firearms to the Police Regional Office-6 (Western Visayas) in a ceremony held at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. here on Monday. The guns included 205 with expired licenses handed over by Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the mayors of 16 local government units (LGUs), and 25 others from former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels turned over by Col. Romeo Baleros, police provincial director.
Philippine News Agency, Panay News

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

Palace to Villegas: ‘Those without sin, cast the first stone’
“Those without sin, cast the first stone.“ Malacañang had this to say on Tuesday in response to the video showing Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas slamming President Rodrigo Duterte for attacking the Catholic Church.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Enrile outlines the 3 defining characteristics of the Duterte presidency
Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, a senatorial candidate in the May 2019 elections, supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s handling of three key national issues — the country’s standing in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), dealing with the Marawi conflict, and navigating the territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Palace admits receiving information from foreign agents; sees nothing unlawful
The government finds nothing unlawful with foreign governments conducting surveillance on suspected criminals in the country and sharing such information to local law enforcers, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

Duterte OKs all-out family planning program implementation
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the full and intensified implementation of the country’s National Program on Family Planning, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

ELECTION RELATED

More overseas voters expected in May 13 midterm polls
Although it is not a presidential elections, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) still expects a higher overseas absentee voter (OAV) turnout in the May 13 midterm polls. They expect the turnout to be higher than the 16 percent registered for OAV in the 2013 midterm polls.
Manila Bulletin

Comelec to start shipping OAV ballots next week
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said it will start shipping ballots to different posts abroad for the overseas absentee voting (OAV) next week. “First shipment will be second week of March. We have finished the printing of ballots and right now we have started the packing of the ballots which will be shipped to different posts to be delivered to voters overseas. 
Philippine News Agency

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Villegas video hits Duterte ahead of polls
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas released a video on Tuesday, March 5, casting doubt on President Rodrigo Duterte ahead of the May 13 elections, as the prelate urged Catholics not to betray God by their vote.
Rappler

President Duterte wants to see ‘more educated’ debates
To help guide the electorate, President Duterte has called for “more educated” debates among candidates especially those vying to become the next president.
Manila Bulletin

TUCP finds debates useful choosing candidates; thanks media organizations
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) commended media entities for organizing public debates, saying that it helps workers to scrutinize and choose the rightful senatorial candidates.
Manila Bulletin

(TRANSCRIPT) Harapan 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate
(Transcription by Farmout Central InTouch Inc – http://www.farmout.ph)
Manila Bulletin

Oppositions

Government paid for Bong Go shirts in nationwide event – Alejano
Did the government spend for Bong Go’s campaign giveaways? According to opposition candidate Gary Alejano, it did. Alejano on Tuesday, March 5, released photos and documents which supposedly showed how local government funds were used to pay for Bong Go t-shirts.
Rappler

Macalintal, Tañada challenge Angara: Explain why you pushed for TRAIN
Otso Diretso senatorial bets Romy Macalintal and Erin Tañada dared reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara to face the public and explain why he championed the controversial Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
Rappler

Mayor Fresnedi endorses Otso Diretso in Muntinlupa
Reelectionist Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi rallied support for the Otso Diretso senatorial lineup in his city. Fresnedi, a Liberal Party (LP) member, endorsed the 8 opposition senatorial bets before residents of Southville 3 in Barangay Poblacion on Tuesday, March 5.
Rappler

Administration

Admin bets can be effective fiscalizers too — Tolentino
Administration senatorial bets can be effective fiscalizers to the Duterte government and there is nothing wrong with it. Former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino aired this view as he slammed the opposition for insisting that a Senate that features mainly “yes men” is not “compatible with democracy.”
Manila Bulletin

Sara Duterte: Bong Go should show paper trail of t-shirt funding
Davao City Mayor and Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) campaign manager Sara Duterte weighed in on the latest controversy facing senatorial bet Bong Go – campaign T-shirts distributed at a government-sponsored event for barangay captains.
Rappler

Imee Marcos to address school records issue — Sara Duterte
Administration-backed senatorial bet and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos will soon address the issues hounding her school records, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) leader and Davao City mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Election-related Violence, Incidents and operations

DISASTER

Tolentino urges state of calamity ahead of El Niño
Former presidential political adviser and senatorial candidate Francis Tolentino called on local government units to declare a state of calamity now in anticipation of the devastating “but creeping” effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
Manila Bulletin

MINDANAO

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Can’t leave charter change to politicians
THE 1987 CONSTITUTION is considered one of the most enduring constitutions in the world because it has stood for almost 32 years without any amendment. This is an odd quality considering that most constitutional scholars will agree that a constitution is never infallible or immortal even as they continue to debate among themselves the ideal lifespan of a nation-state’s charter.
Business World Online

JUDICIARY

SC disbars lady lawyer for grave misconduct, other offenses
A lady lawyer who claimed she could influence Court of Appeals (CA) justices in an illegal drugs case, collected a huge amount of money from a client, and fabricated a court decision was disbarred by the Supreme Court (SC).
Manila Bulletin

SC urged to review constitutionality of legal education reform, PhilSAT
”Who are we to say that this student is not fit for law school,” a Supreme Court Associate Justice asked the Legal Education Board (LEB).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LEGISLATIVE

Pimentel files bill seeking to require cigarette manufacturers to use plain packaging
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is seeking to simplify the packaging for all cigarettes and other tobacco products being sold in the country. Pimentel has filed Senate Bill No. 2191, which aims to require the use of plain packaging for both locally-manufactured and imported tobacco products introduced in the Philippine market to highlight government-mandated health warnings.
Manila Bulletin

Senate demands more transparency in government loans, projects
The Senate economic affairs committee is focused on the passage of a law on public debt management that seeks, among others, public discussions on the issue of transparency, as the country’s economic managers revealed that the Duterte government has entered into a P2.1 trillion loan agreements for its 75 flagship projects.
Manila Bulletin

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Congress to submit Bicam’s version of 2019 national budget to President Duterte
Congress is preparing to submit to President Duterte the proposed 2019 national budget without any last-minute realignment from the House of Representatives, a Palace official said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

House leaders says indigent patients suffering most from delay in passage of 2019 budget
Poor patients, who have nowhere else to go for their mounting medical expenses, are taking the brunt of the delay in the enactment of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

Sotto says he won’t approve changes in 2019 budget allegedly made by House leaders
Senate President Vicente Sotto III vowed on Tuesday not to sign the changes allegedly made by the House of Representatives in the Congress-ratified 2019 national budget.
Manila Bulletin

BUDGET, FINANCE and TAXATION

Palace confident Diokno to get CA nod
Malacañang is optimistic that newly appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno could get the confirmation of the Commission on Appointments (CA) given his integrity and competence.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Senators welcome Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno as BSP governor
Some senators on Tuesday said they welcome the appointment of Benjamin Diokno as the next Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero commended President Rodrigo Duterte for appointing Diokno to the post, which comes over a week after the death of Nestor Espenilla, Jr.
Manila Bulletin

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada extols Diokno’s appointment to BSP
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada believes that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is in good hands now that it is under the leadership of former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
Manila Bulletin

Business groups back Benjamin Diokno’s appointment
Business groups welcomed yesterday the appointment of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno as the new chief of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), saying his work on fiscal policy and credentials would enable him to carry out the responsibilities of his new post.
Philippine Star

Central Bank Independence Doesn’t Matter—Until It Does
Central bank independence is under threat as politicians around the world meddle more in monetary policy. Investors, so far, haven’t seemed to care too much. By the time they miss it, it may be too late.
The Wall Street Journal

ABS-CBN settles P152-million in tax debts
The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has approved the amicable settlement for the P152 million in tax debts of television network ABS-CBN with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Manila Bulletin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

Lorenzana says 67-yr old MDT could become cause, not deterent, for chaos
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Tuesday said he didn’t believe that the ambiguity or vagueness of the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) will serve as a deterrent but, in fact, could even cause confusion and chaos during a crisis.
Manila Bulletin

Philippine Official, Fearing War With China, Seeks Review of U.S. Treaty
The Philippines’ top defense official said on Tuesday that the government should review a decades-old treaty with the United States, its longtime ally, to avoid provoking a potential armed conflict with China in the disputed South China Sea.
The New York Times

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Palace confident inflation to further ease
Malacañang on Tuesday lauded the continued drop in the country’s inflation rate, and vowed to remain vigilant in monitoring consumer prices.
Manila Bulletin

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

28 Build, Build, Build projects set to complete by 2022–Neda
Twenty-eight out of the 75 big-ticket projects under the government’s massive “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program are scheduled to be completed by 2022, the state planning agency National Economic Development Authority (Neda) said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOF: No preferential treatment for China ‘Build, Build, Build’ loans
The Department of Finance (DOF) said Tuesday that no preferential treatment was given to China on loans secured under the government’s massive “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Neda, DOF told to be more transparent on ‘Build, Build, Build’ loans
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Department of Finance (DOF) should be more transparent with loan deals that the government enters into under the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

Sandiganbayan rejects motion for reconsideration of former DA secretary
The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division junked the motion for reconsideration filed by former Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap seeking to convince the court to drop the graft charges against him in relation to a reportedly anomalous P15.8-million car loan for the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
Manila Bulletin

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

Strengthening PHL-Japan strategic partnership
Opening statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. at the joint press conference with H.E. Taro Kono, Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, on February 10, 2019 at Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City.
Business Mirror

West Philippine Sea

Mike Pompeo’s vow can embolden Philippines to retake Scarborough
State Sec. Mike Pompeo’s pledge of US help against any Philippine aggressor is tough and clear. Almost word-for-word he reiterated the 1951 Phl-US Mutual Defense Treaty. Referenced were the waters and air space where China has been harassing Filipino fishers and sailors.
Philippine Star

No reports of Pinoy fishermen shooed from Pag-asa Island: military
The military said Tuesday it has not received reports of Filipino fishermen being prevented by Chinese vessels from fishing or landing on the sandbars around Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.
ABS-CBN News

LABOR

BI, OWWA ease travel procedures for OFW
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has introduced new procedures to further ease and expedite its processing of departing overseas Filipino workers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with the recent acquisition of several state-of-the-art gadgets from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Manila Bulletin

Hanjin workers mark 5th day of protest amid tight security
For the fifth day, some 100 workers of the financially troubled Heavy Industries and Construction-Philippines or Hanjin continued to stage a protest rally at the Korean shipbuilding company's facility here Tuesday. The workers said they have been barred by Hanjin’s management from entering the firm's premises for refusing to sign the voluntary retrenchment program offered to them.
Philippine News Agency

TRANSPORTATION

6 Metro Manila subway stations to rise on gov’t property
While the exact locations of the 15 stations that will make up the country’s first subway system have yet to be announced, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has confirmed that at least six will pass through government property in a bid to increase the value of the surrounding land.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

HEALTH 

DOH wants Philippines rabies-free by 2030
The Department of Health wants the Philippines to be free of rabies cases by 2030, its head Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Tuesday, March 5. “We have made great strides in eliminating rabies particularly in the Visayas region where a number of provinces were declared rabies-free…. It is my hope to declare Philippines a rabies-free country by 2030,” Duque said.
Rappler

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

PH should not be over dependent on imported rice – Enrile
Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Tuesday warned against the Philippines being “over dependent” on imported rice, citing it as a concern that could pose a threat to national security.
Manila Bulletin

NFA buys 232K bags of palay in first 2 months of 2019
While the peak of harvest season is still to come, the National Food Authority (NFA) continues to aggressively buy palay from local farmers with the total palay procurement reaching 232,447 bags in the first two months of 2019.
Philippine News Agency

Farmers question agencies’ capacity to disburse rice tariffication funds
THE Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) cast doubt on Tuesday on the capacity of small government agencies to effectively disburse the P10 billion-a-year Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), one of the features of the Rice Tariffication Law.
Business World Online

Despite lack of IRR, some provisions of rice tariffication law already in effect
While the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) are still being finalized, some provisions of the rice tariffication law are already being implemented. This according to Mercedita Sombilla, assistant secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
CNN Philippines

EDUCATION

Schools advised against inviting candidates to graduations, events
While inviting candidates to graduations is not prohibited, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday urged schools not to invite those who are running for government positions in the upcoming May 2019 midterm elections.
Manila Bulletin, Rappler

DepEd opens summer work program to students interested in career in education
The Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office opens its doors to students who are interested to work in the education sector this coming summer.
Manila Bulletin

ENERGY

DOE lists 8 ECs undergoing technical and financial review
The Department of Energy (DOE) has identified eight electric cooperatives (ECs) whose technical and financial performance are currently under review.  “We are now talking to eight ECs to fix the system,” said DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella on Monday.“We are not revoking any franchise. The issue here is how do we protect the good ECs, which are sometimes the target of private entities.… We will concentrate on the ailing ECs and help them.”
Business Mirror

POVERTY

NAPC bullish on reducing poverty to 14% in 2022
The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) has expressed confidence the poverty incidence in the Philippines would drop to 14 percent in 2022 once government services are brought closer to the 14 basic sectors of society with no letup.
Philippine News Agency

HOUSING

TOURISM

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Desilting of Manila Bay begins
Amphibious excavators, dumping scows, dump trucks, debris segregator, and vacuum sewer jet cleaners were deployed in Manila Bay Tuesday, the first day of dredging operations to clean up the bay.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine News Agency

Boracay rehab inspires cleanup of Iloilo City coastal areas
Taking a cue from the successful rehabilitation program of Boracay Island, Iloilo City will also embark on a cleanup drive with the goal of making its coastal areas again safe for swimming.
Philippine News Agency

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

EU to introduce cutting-edge satellite technology in PH conference
A European Union (EU) delegation to Manila will introduce for the first time a cutting-edge satellite technology to the Philippines through the National Conference on Copernicus Systems and Applications on March 11 in Makati City.
Manila Bulletin

PHL’s 4G availability improves — report
A RECENT report said the availability of fourth generation (4G) network in the Philippines is getting better, but while video experience, broadband speed and latency experience has also shown improvement, these still lag behind the rest of the world.
Business World Online

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR