COVID-19
IATF/NTF COVID-19
P1 billion released for COVID-19 compensation for health workers - DBM
Up to P1.081 billion have been released by the Department of Budget and Management for the benefits of health workers who contracted COVID-19 while on duty this year, the agency said Sunday.
ABS-CBN News
Regions
Visayas
Land use plan crucial to Iloilo City’s goal as ‘most livable’
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) will contribute to the economic development and environmental protection of Iloilo City following the approval of its 2021-2029 Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).
PNA
Prices of basic commodities in Western Visayas rise in April
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), inflation in rate in the region has accelerated to 4.9 percent in April 2022, posting an increase of 0.3 from the 4.6 percent inflation rate recorded in March this year.
Manila Bulletin
Mindanao
Three teens shot dead in South Cotabato
THE chief of police in Polomolok has ordered the investigation of the killing of three minors on Thursday near the boundary of Polonuling village in Tupi and Sumbakil village in Polomolok, both in South Cotabato.
The Manila Times
Manila-Davao passengers commend PAL crew for safe landing
“As we were just about a few meters past the edge of the runaway, the plane had to suddenly lift off again. Captain reported that due to a wind shear condition, we had to abort. And so we circled for a while before landing successfully after another try,” he said, adding they landed at around 11:50 p.m.
Mindanews
Away pulitika nauwi sa pananaksak sa Davao City; 2 patay
Patay ang isang 71-anyos na lalaki at 30-anyos na anak nito matapos saksakin ng live-in partner ng anak at kapatid nito sa Brgy. Matina Apalaya, Davao City Biyernes ng gabi.
ABS-CBN News
World
Finnish president confirms country will apply to join NATO
Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto confirmed on Sunday, May 15, that his country would apply for membership of the NATO military alliance, in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Rappler
Frontlines shift in Donbas as Ukraine mounts counteroffensive
The frontlines in the Ukraine war had shifted on Sunday, May 15, as Russia made some advances in the fiercely contested eastern Donbas region and the Ukrainian military waged a counteroffensive near the strategic Russian-held city of Izium.
Rappler | Inquirer
What we know (and don't know) about North Korea's Covid outbreak
North Korea's first-reported Covid-19 outbreak is the "greatest turmoil" to befall the country since its founding more than 70 years ago, according to its leader Kim Jong Un, as the isolated and impoverished nation scrambles to curb the spread of a highly transmissible virus that risks causing a major humanitarian crisis.
CNN Philippines
Shireen Abu Aqleh: ‘Cold-blooded’ killing and funeral chaos leave West Bank in turmoil
Nahed Araf Imran and her husband Jamal were exhausted but excited on Wednesday morning: Nahed was in labour with their third child at a local hospital in Nablus, in the north of the occupied West Bank.
The Guardian
Russia-Ukraine war: Finland will apply for Nato membership; missile strike destroys Lviv military facility
Finland’s ministry for foreign affairs has tweeted regarding today’s announcement that the country intends to join Nato. Nato membership, it says “offers Finland the most security” in light of its own security environment having “changed fundamentally”.
The Guardian
Britain says Russia has lost a third of its forces in Ukraine
Russia has probably lost around a third of the ground forces it deployed to Ukraine and its offensive in the Donbas region "has lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule", British military intelligence said on Sunday (May 15).
The Straits Times
ASEAN-US Summit: PH calls for cooperation on climate crisis, maritime security
The Philippines has called for regional cooperation on various issues including climate crisis, maritime security, and post-pandemic recovery during its participation in the ASEAN-US Special Summit this week.
CNN Philippines
China slams planned US economic framework as Biden hosts SE Asian leaders
Beijing has slammed the U.S.-proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), calling it an attempt by Washington to lure Southeast Asian countries to “decouple from China.”
Benar News
Biden touts ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific in summit with ASEAN leaders
U.S. President Joe Biden declared to Southeast Asian leaders on Friday that “our relationship with you is the future,” as he wound up a summit with the ASEAN bloc of nations aimed at shoring up trans-Pacific ties and countering China’s heavy influence in the region.
Benar News
Southeast Asian diaspora members rally in Washington against ASEAN autocrats
More than 100 protesters gathered at the Washington Monument in the U.S. capital on Thursday to call on the United States to encourage democracy and the rule of law in the largely authoritarian nations of Southeast Asia, as leaders from the region met with President Joe Biden on the first day of a high-level summit.
Benar News
Filmmaker: Officials Arrest Iran Movie Industry Workers
An award-wining Iranian filmmaker said authorities raided the offices and homes of several filmmakers and other industry professionals and arrested some of them.
Asharq Al-Awsat
Incidents and Violations
Iran: One Killed in Unrest Over Food Price Hikes
An Iranian lawmaker said Saturday that one person was killed in the city of Dezful during recent unrest over price increases in the southwestern Khuzestan province, semi-official ILNA news agency reported Saturday.
Asharq Al-Awsat
Where Sri Lanka’s inflation-driven crisis could head next
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has defied calls to resign, pledging instead to form a new government after violent clashes this week left eight people dead in an escalation of a months-long crisis over food and fuel shortages.
Business Mirror
Officials say a gunman's attack that killed 10 was a racially motivated hate crime
A gunman wearing military-style clothing and body armor opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., killing 10 people in a shooting officials are investigating as a racially motivated hate crime.
NPR
Quality appointments, clear policies vital for new admin: banker
The announcement regarding the composition of the incoming government’s Cabinet along with the details on what policies it intends to pursue will play a big role in how the public will perceive the Marcos Jr. presidency.
PNA
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT
Under new Philippine president, what is next for the economy?
The Philippines has been battered by the pandemic and a deep recession. Now, after more than two years of lockdowns, people are returning to their everyday lives and the economy is expected to outpace its neighbours.
Al Jazeera
MBC ready to work with next administration
“The Filipino people have spoken and we, as well as other members of the business community, look forward to working with the incoming administration, Congress and local governments to build our economy and to create jobs and opportunity,” the group said.
Philstar
DEFENSE AND SECURITY
Philippine National Police
PNP secures post-election assemblies, mass actions
Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. has declared that all post-election public assemblies and other mass actions held in some places around the country have been secured to prevent any form of violence.
PNA
EDUCATION
‘Peace and discipline’ not enough to address PH’s learning crisis, group says
“What we need is a leadership that recognizes the learning crisis, the desperate quality of education, the chronically underpaid status of teachers, and the degeneration of the country’s sense of history and grasp of truth,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines Secretary General Raymond Basilio said.
Manila Bulletin
ELECTION RELATED
Comelec
Good to retire VCMs used in Halalan 2022, says Comelec commissioner
Citing the number of years that they have been used, the vote counting machines utilized during the May 9 polls may be up for retirement, Commission on Elections Commissioner George Garcia said Sunday.
ABS-CBN News
DepEd: Comelec is responsible for processing, releasing election-related honoraria
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Saturday, May 14, reiterated that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is the agency responsible when it comes to processing and releasing honoraria and other allowances related to the election.
Manila Bulletin
Vote-buying fueling mobile phone sales? Comelec spox says not really
The sudden increase in mobile phone sales in at least three municipalities in Surigao del Sur cannot be directly attributed to incidents of vote-buying, an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disclosed Sunday, May 15.
Manila Bulletin | Inquirer
Only 1 of 10 vote buying incidents reported to Comelec deemed ‘valid’
Based on data from its anti-vote buying taskforce, Comelec received over 1,000 vote buying reports from its Facebook page and email. Of these reports, 88 were deemed valid and have been officially recorded, while only 49 were submitted with supporting evidence.
Business Mirror
No willing witness in many vote-buying complaints, says Comelec exec
In a media briefing on Saturday, Commissioner Aimee Ferolino reported that the anti-vote-buying Task Force ‘Kontra Bigay’ has so far received over 1,000 messages through Facebook and email, but that a lot of the allegations are not backed by evidence.
CNN Philippines | Philstar
For next polls, Comelec mulls renting VCMs instead of buying
The Commission on Elections said it is always considering to rent vote counting machines (VCMs) instead of buying them to lessen costs.
Philstar
Comelec to allocate P20 million for teachers’ additional honoraria –Garcia
Should it be approved by the Commission on Elections en banc, the Comelec would allocate around P20 million for the additional honoraria that would be provided to the teachers who rendered overtime service during the May 9 elections, poll Commissioner George Garcia said on Sunday.
GMA News
National elections
'Hindi namin kayo bibiguin,' Marcos Jr. vows to Filipinos
Presidential frontrunner president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Saturday vowed to Filipinos, especially the 31 million who voted for him on May 9, that he will not fail them under his incoming administration.
ABS-CBN News
Winning president, VP may be proclaimed by May 25
The proclamation of the winning president and vice presidential candidates can be done immediately or no later than May 25 as the Senate and the House of Representatives sitting jointly as the National Board of Canvassers see no major issues hampering the canvassing, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said yesterday.
Philstar
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Elon Musk says Twitter legal team told him he violated an NDA
Elon Musk on Saturday, May 14, tweeted that Twitter Inc’s TWTR.N legal team accused him of violating a nondisclosure agreement by revealing that the sample size for the social media platform’s checks on automated users was 100.
Rappler
DICT identifies IP addresses in website attacks
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday the Department of Communications and Information Technology (DICT) has identified certain IP (internet protocol) addresses used in the failed attacks on the poll body’s website shortly before the May 9 elections.
Philstar
LABOR
Petitions for wage increase in other regions also being heard — DOLE
Following the approval of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) of a salary increase for laborers in Metro Manila and Western Visayas, the Labor department says the same could be in store for other regions in the country as well.
CNN Philippines | Inquirer
Employers’ group inalmahan ang wage hike sa Western Visayas
Ito ang reaksyon ng grupo ng mga negosyante sa Bacolod City sa inaprubahang wage increase sa Western Visayas ng Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board.
ABS-CBN News
LEGISLATIVE
Senate of the Philippines
Comelec optimistic 12 winning senators proclaimed Tuesday
“We are on track with our timeline. That is our projection. We said early next week and Tuesday is still early next week,” he said in a press briefing Sunday, May 15.
Manila Bulletin
At least 3 vying for Senate president
At least three senators will be slugging it out for the post of Senate president, who should be elected before the 19th Congress opens its first regular session on July 25.
Philstar
Sotto warns vs poll result tampering
Sotto, who is running for vice president in the May 9 elections, said this information was reported by the Senate’s IT representative to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (JCOC-AES) who found out that Smartmatic is not only contracted to supply the vote counting machines (VCMs) but also handle the transmission of results.
Philstar
House of Representatives
After PDP-Laban and NP, Sotto’s NPC now also backing Romualdez as next House Speaker
The Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC) will throw its support to incumbent House Majority Leader Rep. Martin Romualdez as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives in the upcoming 19th Congress, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Sunday, May 15.
Manila Bulletin
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
Año welcomes planned appointment of Abalos as incoming DILG chief
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Saturday welcomed the planned appointment of his successor, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr.
ABS-CBN News
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Putin, more world leaders congratulate poll frontrunner Marcos Jr
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Philippine presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the Russian foreign ministry said.
ABS-CBN News
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
3 areas in Mindanao still positive for red tide
Based on BFAR’s Shellfish Bulletin No. 9 dated May 13, the latest laboratory results show that the paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) detected in samples collected from Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Litalit Bay in San Benito in Surigao del Norte, and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur has remained beyond the regulatory limit.
Mindanews
Zambo City adds checkpoints to contain ASF spread
Additional checkpoints have been established here to prohibit the entry of live hogs, pork products, and by-products, allowing only those with veterinary health certificates.
PNA
GENDER
Debate in Spain over 'menstrual leave' plan
Spain’s plan to become the first European nation to allow women to take “menstrual leave” from work has sparked a debate that has split the country’s leftist coalition government and unions.
Manila Bulletin
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
DSWD links community associations with prospective markets to support anti-hunger efforts
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has gathered its partner agencies for a four-day orientation that aims to strengthen the linkages of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) with prospective markets and government programs.
Manila Bulletin
TRANSPORTATION
Transport group appeals for Duterte to pass EO suspending fuel excise tax
The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) on Sunday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to pass an executive order to suspend the excise tax on fuel to help alleviate the plight of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers after the successive major price hikes.
GMA News
WATER and ENERGY
DOE readies transition docs, hopes next admin will pursue nuclear power adoption
The Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing a set of documents containing the initiatives it hopes the next administration will continue, including the unrealized adoption of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix during the Duterte administration.
GMA News
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