U.N. experts to PH gov't: Stop red-tagging Corpuz, human rights groups
Three United Nations experts on Wednesday, May 1, condemned the continuous attacks and allegations linking one of their own to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The UN special rapporteurs said that the new accusations against UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz “are clearly in retaliation for her invaluable work defending the human rights of indigenous peoples worldwide, and in the Philippines.”
Rappler, United Nations News

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AFP still waiting for militant groups to condemn CPP-NPA atrocities
The military is still waiting for progressive militant groups to condemn the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) for atrocities and human rights violation committed through the years.
Manila Bulletin, The Manila Times

Makabayan solons 'no-show' anew in 'Salugpongan' inquiry
A ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) on Tuesday hit party-list groups anew for failing to attend the second leg of a Congressional inquiry and ocular inspection on alternative learning centers in Surigao del Sur on April 28-29, that is meant to validate claims that they are reportedly being used by communist terrorists to turn the youth against the government.
Philippine News Agency

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Karapatan slams Memorandum Order number 32, attributes militarization to the directive
Human rights group Karapatan slammed the government’s Memorandum Order number 32 describing it as an “additional directive to kill and militarize targeted communities. Released by the Duterte government on November 2018, Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said the order increases the deployment of soldiers in Samar, Negros, and Bicol on account of alleged lawless violence.
Manila Bulletin

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Three Disillusioned Armed Milisyang Bayan Surrenders in Abra
Three Milisyang Bayan (MB) members surrendered to the 24th Infantry (Wildcat) Battalion at its headquarters in Lagangilang, Abra at 10:00 am, today. The three MBs yielded two M16 rifles and one M653 rifle to 24IB.
Kalinaw News

Mass surrender of rebels highlights renewed trust in gov't: AFP spox
The recent surrenders of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) fighters and their supporters is a strong indication that they are now convinced that only the government can provide them with the means to better their lives and those of their loved ones.
Philippine News Agency

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‘Worker-led revolution is the only solution to realizing Filipino workers’ interests’
The Filipino working class have every right to storm the streets in defiance and anger at the current state of labor under the US-Duterte regime. The reactionary government’s wanton disregard for workers’ welfare and outright selling of workers as cheap labor to big foreign capital are valid grounds for the intensification of the fight for workers’ rights.
PRWC

Peace Talks

Davao’s Peace 911, a model to implement EO 70
Nine months after the Local Government of Davao City piloted Peace 911 in Paquibato District, the said community has since then been declared insurgency-free by the military. Irene Santiago, Peace Adviser to the Davao City Mayor, attributed much of this success to the framework, principles and mechanisms used to change the behavior of the residents in the community.
Philippine Information Agency

Incidents/ Operations   

Gov’t forces overrun NPA camp in northern Quezon
Government forces overran an alleged training camp of communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in northern Quezon Wednesday morning, the military said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

4 suspected Abu Sayyaf undergo preliminary probe at DOJ
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has begun conducting a preliminary investigation of the complaints filed against four suspected members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Manila Bulletin

MARAWI

Is Marawi City ‘Alive and Booming’ or a ‘Ghost Town’?
Philippine government officials were quick to negate the Washington Post report describing Marawi City as a “ghost town” more than a year after the 2017 Marawi Siege. Eduardo del Rosario, chairman of Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), a government interagency created to facilitate the rebuilding process, said that the report is false because the city is now “alive and booming.” I went to Marawi City in March 2019 to see which of these contrasting narratives is closer to the truth.
The Diplomat

Local, foreign funding accelerates Marawi rehab
Funding support from local and foreign sources has enabled the Philippine government to fast track the rehabilitation of Marawi City as well as the recovery of its residents. About P67.99 billion is said to be the “estimated required cost” for Marawi’s rehabilitation.
Bangon Marawi

Marawi weavers need more help to sustain livelihood
WEAVERS FROM Marawi City, which suffered devastation from the five-month armed clashes in 2017 arising from a siege by Islamic State-inspired local extremist groups, were among those who joined a forum in Iligan City last week intended to discuss the revival and sustaining affected businesses in the war-torn city. 
Business World Online

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD     

Sri Lanka identifies 9 Easter Sunday suicide bombers
A fanatical preacher and a man from his hometown. A man who studied in Britain and Australia. The two sons and daughter-in-law of a wealthy spice tycoon. Sri Lankan authorities released for the first time the names and photos of the nine people they say detonated suicide bombs on Easter Sunday and killed more than 250 people at hotels, churches and a private residence across three cities.
The Washington Post

Dr. Kent Ingle: Sri Lanka and the continued attack on religion
On Easter morning, 253 Christians were brutally murdered in the country of Sri Lanka, including 45 children and some 500 more wounded. These premeditated bombings were scheduled in three Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches in three different cities throughout the island, and at high-end hotels in Colombo. 
Fox News

Lessons India can learn from Sri Lanka attacks about religion-based terrorism
The Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka which killed over 250 people was probably the single worst terrorist attack in South Asia. The sheer scale of the attacks, ostensibly executed by a relatively obscure local extremist Islamist organisation with alleged links to similar organisations in India and admitted links with the most notorious of all terror groups — the ISIS — is frightening for the implications it holds and dangers it portends.
Observer Research Foundation

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Why Baghdadi Risked a Video Appearance
With a new video, the Islamic State’s long-elusive leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has reemerged. His message was simple: ISIS’s self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria has fallen, but the global community forged by ISIS lives on. That makes his video something of a rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s December claim that ISIS was “defeated.”
The Atlantic

IS leader outlines path forward for his group post-caliphate
No longer burdened by territory and administration, Islamic State (IS) group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi outlined the new path forward for his group: Widen your reach, connect with far-flung militant groups and exhaust your enemies with a “war of attrition.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

South Asian security experts downplay Islamic State threat
Indian and Bangladeshi officials and security experts largely dismissed a fresh threat of violence from an Islamic State-aligned media group, insisting that safety measures and surveillance are adequate to keep militants from carrying out a Sri Lanka-style attack elsewhere in South Asia.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Masood Azhar: Jaish-e-Mohammed leader listed as terrorist by UN
Masood Azhar is the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which carried out a suicide bombing in February killing 40 troops in Indian-administered Kashmir. The UN move comes after China dropped its objection to the listing. India hailed it as a diplomatic victory.
BBC News, Wall Street Journal

Merkel kicks off West Africa tour pledging support in fight against terrorism
Boosting counter-terrorism support for countries in West Africa has become one of Angela Merkel's main priorities on the continent. The chancellor has now pledged millions to improve security in the Sahel region.
Deutsche Welle 

America Has A White Nationalist Terrorism Problem. What Should We Do?
At the beginning of the decade, American law enforcement received repeated warnings of how the improvised explosive devices (IED) employed by al Qaeda affiliates might soon make their way to the United States. The IED warnings proved correct. On January 17, 2011, police officers in Spokane, Washington, narrowly averted a disaster by re-directing a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. march away from a remote detonated, shape charge loaded with “shrapnel coated with a substance meant to keep blood from clotting in wounds.” 
Foreign Policy Research Institute

Taliban and U.S. Start New Round of Talks in Qatar
American and Taliban negotiators began a new round of peace talks Wednesday in Doha, Qatar, aimed at securing a lasting peace agreement that would include Taliban guarantees regarding terrorism and a phased withdrawal of American troops.
The New York Times

500 illegal immigrants deported back to Philippines
More than 500 illegal immigrants from the Philippines were deported back to their hometowns in Zamboanga late Tuesday (April 30). The 525 Filipinos — comprising 403 men, 102 women and 20 children — were sent back via ferry from the Sandakan jetty.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

BARMM

Normal ties with MILF seen
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a directive for the decommissioning of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) forces and the possible amnesty or pardon for those involved in the armed conflict between government soldiers and Muslim rebels.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Former TV reporter, now BARMM Human Rights worker slain in ambush
A former reporter of ABS-CBN Cotabato and a "habal-habal" driver were shot dead by still unidentified gunmen riding tandem on motorbike along Barangay Rosary Heights 4 here Wednesday night. 
NDBC News, Mindanews

SAF 44 case: SC to review Ombudsman’s ruling on Aquino,  Purisima
The Supreme Court has granted the appeal of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to allow its 15 magistrates to tackle the petition regarding the criminal cases against former president Benigno Aquino III over the death of 44 Philippine National Police – Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) commandos during an operation in  Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

NORTH COTABATO

LANAO PROVINCES

Retired officers call on president to stop massive vote-buying in Lanao del Sur, Marawi City
Responding to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for clean and honest elections, retired AFP and PNP officers called on the chief executive to stop massive vote-buying in Lanao del Sur and the devastated Marawi City, allegedly by a group of candidates seeking key local government positions.
Manila Bulletin

Peaceful polls assured, ‘alternative’ agenda bared
Local candidates in Lanao del Sur have signed a covenant for free, honest, credible, orderly and peaceful elections on May 13.
The Manila Times

BASILAN

SULU 

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

P10-M bounty shows gov’t determined to go after big-time drug personalities – Gordon
The Duterte administration is dead serious in going after big people running the multi-billion-peso illegal drug trade when it offered a P10-million bounty for the arrest of former Philippine National Police (PNP) officer Eduardo Acierto.
Manila Bulletin

Trillanes questions P10-M reward for cop’s arrest
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has questioned the P10-million reward offered by the government for the arrest of dismissed policeman Eduardo Acierto.
Manila Bulletin

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PDEA adopts 3-pronged approach to boost anti-drug campaign
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has adopted a three-pronged strategy in the government's campaign against illegal drugs, which focuses on reduction of supply, demand, and harmful effects. “Cognizant of the rapidly changing landscape of the drug problem in the country, integrated and holistic approaches must be employed to achieve a maximum impact to be felt by the Filipino citizenry,” said PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino in a statement Wednesday.
Philippine News Agency

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Photojournalist Eloisa Lopez wins int'l award for courage in drug war coverage
Filipino freelance photojournalist Eloisa Lopez was named as this year's Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award winner for her coverage of the Duterte administration's drug war, the International Women's Media Foundation announced.
ABS-CBN News

Operations/ Incidents

Surigao fisherman finds 16 bricks of suspected cocaine
A fisherman turned over to the police some 20 kilos of suspected cocaine worth about P100 million after finding these along the shoreline of Lingig town in the province of Surigao del Sur, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, GMA News, Philippine Star

PDEA seizes P6.8-M worth of shabu in Pasay
Agents of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized P6.8 million worth of crystal meth, or shabu, in Pasay City on Wednesday morning. In a buy-bust operation led by PDEA Regional Director III Adrian Alvariño, a certain Dumama Sarifi was arrested at Marina Way corner Seaside Boulevard near a mall in Pasay City.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star

P30,000 ‘shabu’ seized in Bacolod drug bust
AN ESTIMATED of P30,000 worth of suspected “shabu” or methamphetamine hydrochloride was seized in a drug bust conducted by operatives of Police Station at Barangay Kingfisher A, Barangay 16, Bacolod City Wednesday morning.
Sunstar Bacolod

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

Press Freedom/ Freedom of Expression

In celebration of free and responsible journalism
The importance of a free press to a well-functioning democracy and to the rules-based international order was underscored in 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 as World Press Freedom Day. 
Philippine Star

DOLE: No rule barring critical foreign journalists from PH
Nothing in the new government guidelines on issuing working permits to foreigners bars certain foreign journalists — even those critical of the Duterte administration — from entering the country.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Martial Law  
 

Duterte to Congress: Pass laws on workers’ ‘security of tenure and self-organization’
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday called on Congress to pass laws that would “fully protect our workers’ rights, especially to security of tenure and self-organization.” In his Labor Day message, the President hailed the valuable contributions of Filipino workers in the country and abroad in nation-building.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Rappler

Amid criticism, Panelo says PRRD is pro-labor 
The anti-government activities initiated by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and allied groups could drive away foreign investors and disrupt job generation in the country, Malacañang warned on Wednesday as labor groups staged protest rallies in observance of Labor Day.
Manila Bulletin

Duterte ‘happy’ to ‘die and burn’ for the sake of Filipinos
Amid his relentless campaign against illegal drugs and criminality, President Duterte recently said he would be “happy” to die and even “burn to eternity” just to give a safe and comfortable life for Filipinos.
Manila Bulletin

Palace: ‘Totally unnecessary’ for Duterte to prove ‘ouster plot matrix’
There is no need for President Rodrigo Duterte to explain his “ouster plot matrix” despite calls from journalists and lawyers tagged in the alleged ouster plan for the Chief Executive to prove their participation.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Rappler

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Why Filipinos back Duterte and his candidates
“ONLY people with low-level IQ and without personal principles will continue to support this rogue president.” That’s the opinion attributed to one Rene Bustamante of Bacolod City in a message going around social media. 
The Manila Times

One on one with Dem stalwart, Duterte critic Loida Nicolas Lewis
With the Democratic Party struggling to sort out the names of the 20 declared candidates vying for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination, prominent Filipino American leader Loida Nicolas-Lewis, an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton, was asked if she wanted Clinton to again to run  for the next year’s election.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

ELECTION RELATED

Comelec releases guide on how to cast vote on election day
With the midterm polls fast approaching, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) released an instructional video on their social media platforms on how to cast one’s vote on election day.
Manila Bulletin

Comelec employees union joins calls for pay increase
On Labor Day, the Commission on Elections Employees’ Union (Comelec-EU) paid tribute to hardworking poll workers who are busy preparing for the May 13 midterm polls.
Manila Bulletin

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CHR urges Filipinos to vote, protect right to vote
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Wednesday urged Filipinos to vote in the coming May 13 polls and protect their right to vote.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, GMA News

What popular female senatoriables have said about women’s and LGBTQ+ rights
As Filipino citizens, it’s our duty to vote government officials who are competent and put their constituents’ welfare first. The senatorial elections are coming up on May 13th (Monday), meaning it’s more crucial than ever to pay attention to what candidates have been saying during interviews, debates, and campaign rallies.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Chong, Pimentel, Valdes, Casiño shine at 1st Politicon Philippines
Politicon 2019 may have packed up the show until its hopeful return next year, but the inspired words of some senatorial candidates who took part in the landmark political conference still reverberate.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Aglipayan group hits Duterte, endorses 10 Senate bets
A group of 150 leaders and members of the Aglipayan Church endorsed 10 senatorial candidates, as the Aglipayans rejected President Rodrigo Duterte's alleged plan "to impose complete control over the Senate."
Rappler

Security by design
WE will once again be electing our government officials. We can expect stricter security measures to be implemented in thousands of cities and precincts against possible election-related violence. Police will be on guard to ensure the safety of the public, teachers will be administering the voting and guarding the ballot, the media will be covering the election happenings, and we will all go out to cast our vote. 
The Manila Times

KMU to voters: Reject Duterte candidates
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) called on the public on Wednesday to vote against President Rodrigo Duterte’s candidates as they would only push for his “anti-poor” legislative agenda. This was the call of KMU chair Elmer Labog on Wednesday as the country marked Labor Day.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Colmenares rallies workers for ‘labor vote’ in the May 13 polls
On Labor Day, former Bayan Muna lawmaker Neri Colmenares rallied Filipino workers to unite in expressing their dissent on policies that are deemed “anti-workers.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Colmenares hits Malacañang’s ‘anti-worker’, ‘pro-capitalist’ remark
Malacañang’s statement that anti-government protests scare away foreign investors shows that the Duterte administration is “pro-capitalists” and “anti-workers,” Bayan Muna chairman and opposition senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares said Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Oppositions

Unfazed opposition to push ‘honorable’ campaign
Unfazed by low ranking in pre-election surveys, the opposition will continue its “honorable,” volunteer-driven campaign, senatorial contenders Samira Gutoc and Erin Tañada said Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Robredo unfazed by tough road ahead for opposition bets
Vice President Leni Robredo said on Wednesday that the administration candidates’ domination of recent survey results was nothing new, as it has always had the upper hand since the election season began.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Diokno tells workers on Labor Day: We can’t rely on Duterte gov’t anymore
Senatorial candidate Chel Diokno has advised people to refrain from relying on government to solve labor-related problems as several measures seen to ease the life of workers remain unattended.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Bam Aquino on endo bill: It's pro-worker, but needs improvements
Otso Diretso’s reelectonist Senator Bam Aquino said on Labor Day Wednesday, May 1, that the current Security of Tenure Bill pending at the upper chamber needs more improvement but that it is a version that is already pro-worker.
Rappler

Gutoc warns Duterte against breaking promise to teachers
President Rodrigo Duterte’s “broken promises” to workers, especially to increase the salary of public teachers, will reflect on the May 13 midterm elections, opposition senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc and Erin Tañada warned Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Otso Diretso volunteers: All heart amid rising odds
Handmade posters, handwritten sample ballots, cash donations from people who walk into their campaign headquarters. These are among the tools that the 100,000 volunteers for the opposition’s Otso Diretso coalition rely on as they struggle to prop up their candidates, most of whom have yet to break into the top 12 in surveys.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Wiped out opposition? Latest survey fuels fear of return to pre-Martial Law
Reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino of Otso Diretso is the only opposition member in the winning circle of Pulse Asia’s April pre-election survey, fuelling fear that the Philippines might see a return to the years before dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law.
Rappler

Administration

Administration bets echo call for China to back off from Pag-asa Island
Two senators running under the administration slate supported the position of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana who told China to back off from Pag-asa Island. Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Sonny Angara said the Philippine territory should be defended from foreign intruders.
GMA News

Bong Go vows to press fight against poverty
Senatorial candidate Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go received a warm welcome when he visited Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental Monday where he vowed to continue his fight against poverty as he went around Digos city and Malita town.
Manila Bulletin

Dong Mangudadatu pushes for peace, development in Mindanao
Senatorial aspirant Zahid “Dong” Mangudadatu is pushing for the long elusive peace and genuine development to finally take place in Mindanao.
Philippine Star

Imee Marcos pushes for One Visayas development plan
SENATORIAL candidate and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos aims to spearhead the crafting of a “One Visayas” development masterplan to transform the island group into an economic and techno hub as well as an arts, culture and tourism center.
Sunstar Tacloban

Election-related Violence, Incidents and operations

DISASTER

Quake-prone Philippine archipelago as seen in seismic maps
Two versions of seismic maps of the Philippines posted on Twitter got some Filipinos worried over the hypothetical major earthquake tagged the “Big One.” The maps revealed that nearly all the places in the country have experienced a tremor whether it is a strong or a weak one.
Interaksyon

Harvard center says access to disaster info needs boost in earthquake-prone Philippines
A Harvard Humanitarian Initiative official repeated Wednesday the need for accessible and comprehensible information on earthquake preparedness for Filipino households.
Philippine Star, Business World Online

MINDANAO

S&T executive expects Mindanao to become an electronics powerhouse
The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) is optimistic that Mindanao will soon be a powerhouse of expertise in electronics as the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology becomes a training hub of integrated circuit (IC) designers.
Manila Bulletin

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

OPINION: 'Maximum decentralization,' an alternative to federalism
Terribly disappointing that federalism was not a hot-button election issue given the fact that the administration still appears very keen to push this agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte forward. After all, 16 million Filipinos still expect him to dismantle the central government’s monopoly over state power.
ABS-CBN News

JUDICIARY

2018 Bar Exams results out on May 3
The results of the 2018 Bar exams will be released on Friday, May 3. The Supreme Court (SC) made the announcement on Twitter on Wednesday.
Manila Bulletin, Rappler

LEGISLATIVE

Lawmaker upbeat on approval of security of tenure bill
As the nation observed Labor Day on Wednesday, Senator Joel Villanueva said he is optimistic that the Senate will push for the passage of the bill that will put an end to contractualization in the country once Congress resumes session after the May 13 elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

2019 budget transparency improved House rating – Castro
House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro on Wednesday attributed the increase in the net satisfaction rating of the House of Representatives to their “efforts to become transparent” when it comes to the 2019 national budget.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sotto on Senate’s ‘very good’ rating: We work hard
The Senate has obtained a “very good” satisfaction rating in the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey because it is ‘independent, transparent and since.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

BUDGET, FINANCE and TAXATION

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

PH joins other nations in maritime exercise in Korea
The head of the Philippine Navy (PN) contingent to the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) Maritime Security Field Training Exercise 2019, together with the captain of BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), paid a courtesy call on the fleet commander of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

The country’s badge of creditworthiness
The Philippines on Tuesday got its badge of creditworthiness after S&P Global Ratings announced that it is assigning a “BBB+” on the Philippines’s long-term sovereign credit rating. This is the highest credit rating we got from a major credit watcher since 2013, when Fitch gave the country its first investment grade rating of BBB-.
Business Mirror, ABS-CBN News

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

West Philippine Sea

PH to resupply troops in Kalayaan
The Philippine Navy will be conducting resupply missions for Filipino soldiers stationed at various military detachments at the disputed Kalayaan Group of Islands.
Manila Bulletin

LABOR

Labor secretary pays tribute to Filipino workers for their resilience
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello paid tribute to millions of Filipino workers for their resilience despite the changing demands of the labor market and for their expertise in various fields around the world.
Manila Bulletin

Palace: Anti-government protests may spook foreign investors
The anti-government protests of labor groups could “scare away foreign investors,” Malacañang said Wednesday, as it slammed them for blaming government for the lack of jobs in the country.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOLE: Double pay for employees working on Labor Day
Employees in the private sector who will work on Labor Day will get paid twice their regular daily wages, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

Groups: Women still have limited work opportunities
Regularization, higher wages, and safer workplaces became the rallying call of women workers on Labor Day, as groups assert their rights amid “worsening work conditions” in the country.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DFA to enforce mandatory evacuation of OFWS in Libya
The Philippine government on Wednesday hoisted Alert Level 4 or mandatory evacuation for Filipinos in Libya following the escalation of clashes between warring factions in that country.
Manila Bulletin

DOLE braces for return of OFWs in Libya as DFA raises alert level in Tripoli
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is bracing for the mandatory repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) based in Libya after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised the alert level from 3 to 4 amid the escalation of violence in Tripoli.
Manila Bulletin

Robredo repeats her call against ‘endo’
As workers’ groups marked the observance of Labor Day, Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday renewed her call to end “endo” or contractualization in the country.
Manila Bulletin

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New rules require foreigners to get TIN before obtaining PH work permit
Foreign nationals who would like to work in the Philippines should first present a tax identification number (TIN) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

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Employers can afford Php750 minimum wage—IBON    
Employers can very well afford to raise the minimum wage to Php750 which only entails a small cut in their profits, research group IBON said. The Rodrigo Duterte administration should support this hike which will help millions of Filipino households dependent on wages and salaries cope with the rising cost of goods and services, said the group.
Kodao

Labor code amendment, repeal of TRAIN Law pushed
Labor Day demonstrators called for amendments to the Labor Code of the Philippines in order to put an end to contractualization and repeal of tax reform law.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Influx of Chinese workers, ‘endo’ decried at Labor Day rally
As the country marks Labor Day, militant and labor groups converged at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila on Wednesday to stage a protest action against the government and contractualization.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Rappler

Labor leader slams gov’t for ‘favoring’ capitalists over workers
A labor leader  on Wednesday slammed  the administration and the Senate for giving priority to “capitalists” rather than the labor sector. According to Bukluran ng  Mangagawang Pilipino head Leody de Guzman said that instead of solving the concerns of laborers, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is favoring the rich.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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KMU head calls Albayalde ‘epal,’ ‘sipsip’
“Epal” and “Sipsip” This was how the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) described on Wednesday police Chief Oscar Albayalde after his remarks saying that the group was the actual “anti-workers”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Albayalde: KMU ‘sipsip’ and ‘epal’ remarks are ‘childish’
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde dismissed the comments of militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) against him “childish.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AFP shrugs off 'anti-labor' tag by militant group
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) dismissed claims that it is "anti-labor" for allegedly committing human rights violations against workers. "Your AFP is always supportive of every effort especially by our labor sector for them to assemble and (seek) redress and express their grievances," military spokesperson, Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo told reporters Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency

Eleazar assures Labor Day protesters: No human rights violations
The police will observe maximum tolerance in dealing with activists joining Labor Day protests Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

PNP: Labor Day generally peaceful, full alert status still on
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it will remain on full alert on Wednesday, even as it lauded workers nationwide for commemorating Labor Day in an orderly and peaceful manner.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

TRANSPORTATION

DOTr to release report on Cebu Pacific cancelations – Tugade
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will release in 10 to 14 days its report on its investigation on the series of flight cancelations by Cebu Pacific, Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Cebu Pacific should not be allowed to fly
THE planes of Cebu Pacific, the country’s budget airline, should not be allowed to fly until the airline improves its service. The airline has announced flight cancellations in fully booked routes from Manila to Legazpi, Tacloban, Davao, Bacolod, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Dumaguete and Cagayan de Oro.
The Manila Times

MMDA stands by Edsa bus ban despite TRO bid
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Tuesday it was standing by the “wisdom” of its resolution shutting down provincial bus terminals on Edsa despite a challenge being filed in court.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

HEALTH 

‘Make tobacco a dangerous drug’
If there’s an endgame in the campaign against smoking, it will be to classify tobacco as a dangerous drug so the country will no longer export tobacco grown by farmers, who can invest instead in other high-value crops, according to an advocacy group.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Why TB remains a major issue in the Philippines — and how we can put an end to it
Even with advancements to its treatment, tuberculosis continues to claim the lives of so many Filipinos. But as one doctor points out, there are a lot of factors that need to be addressed beyond technological limitations: public and private dissonance, faulty medical practices, and widespread stigma.
ABS-CBN News

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

EDUCATION

DepEd signs MOA with private sector partners, recognizes their important role in education
The Department of Education (DepEd) reiterated the important role of the private sector in addressing critical educational needs – particularly in the country’s public elementary and secondary schools.
Manila Bulletin

Delays in salary adjustments dampen public school teachers’ mood to celebrate Labor Day
A teachers’ federation said that public school educators in five regions have “no reason” to celebrate on Labor Day due to the “prolonged delay” of the last tranche of salary adjustment for government workers.
Manila Bulletin

ENERGY

After 18 years, Epira failed to give PHL energy security
After hearing for four grueling hours the testimonies of industry power players and government energy officials on April 26,  the hard-working chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy was a picture of concern and frustration.
Business Mirror

POVERTY

HOUSING

TOURISM

Boracay rehab all about following law
The government is bent on sustaining the gains of the six-month environmental rehabilitation of Boracay as more tourists are returning to the resort island in Malay, Aklan province, according to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOT affirms commitment to provide equal opportunities for men, women
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has affirmed its commitment to provide equal opportunities for both women and men in the tourism industry.
Manila Bulletin

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Labor groups tells Canada: ‘Take back your garbage’
Coinciding with the observance of Labor Day, labor groups on Wednesday urged the Canadian government to take back their garbage dumped in the country.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

Solar power firm fined P1 million for environmental violations in Rizal
The environment department has fined a solar power firm more than P1 million for several violations in its project area in Rizal province, including destruction of crops, failure to stop soil erosion and debris deposit in waterways, and lack of proper permits to cut trees and waste discharge. 
ABS-CBN News

Water crisis

Maynilad: Water supply to improve on May 14
The water supply of Metro Manila is expected to improve by May 14 since Maynilad Water Services Inc. has already started dealing with the algae proliferation in Laguna de Bay.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR