National

BI gives Aussie nun 30 days to appeal deportation order

BI gives Aussie nun 30 days to appeal deportation order

August 30, 2018, 3:17 pm

MANILA -- An official of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday said Australian nun Patricia Anne Fox has 30 days to file an appeal on the deportation order issued against her. BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said if Fox fails to file a motion for reconsideration (MR) for the reversal of… Read More

Duterte to visit ‘significant spots’ in Israel: DFA

Duterte to visit ‘significant spots’ in Israel: DFA

August 30, 2018, 3:02 pm

MANILA -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte will be visiting “significant spots” during his trip to Israel from September 2 to 5, 2018, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said on Thursday. DFA Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said he could not reveal the exact places to be visited by the… Read More

Piñol still enjoys PRRD’s trust: Palace

Piñol still enjoys PRRD’s trust: Palace

August 30, 2018, 3:00 pm

MANILA -- Malacañang on Thursday said Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny Piñol continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte. “Unless fired, yes!,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told Palace media when asked if Piñol still has the trust and… Read More

Ex-NegOcc mayor faces 10 years in jail for graft

Ex-NegOcc mayor faces 10 years in jail for graft

August 30, 2018, 2:44 pm

MANILA -- The Sandiganbayan has sentenced to a 10-year jail term a former Negros Occidental town mayor for graft, for allowing in 2009 the operation of a cockpit arena on a lot he owns in the municipality. In a 22-page decision dated last Aug. 28, the Sandiganbayan Special 7th Division found… Read More

Japanese escort flotilla to dock in Subic

Japanese escort flotilla to dock in Subic

August 30, 2018, 2:42 pm

MANILA -- The upcoming visit of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force's (JMSDF) Escort Flotilla Four highlights the country's good relationship with Japan, a Philippine Navy (PN) official said Thursday. In an interview with reporters, Navy Spokesperson Commander Jonathan Zata said three Japanese… Read More

PDEA head insists magnetic lifters contained drugs

PDEA head insists magnetic lifters contained drugs

August 30, 2018, 2:28 pm

MANILA -- Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino on Thursday insisted that the four magnetic lifters found in a Cavite warehouse contained a ton of shabu (crystal meth) despite negative results from swab testing. During the inquiry of the House committee on… Read More

Former solon to represent minority senators in ICC oral arguments

Former solon to represent minority senators in ICC oral arguments

August 30, 2018, 1:29 pm

MANILA -- Former Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry Gutierrez will represent the opposition senators in the oral arguments on the petition seeking to invalidate the Philippine government's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) before the Supreme Court (SC) next week. “Former Akbayan… Read More

Urban poor members join 2-day summit

Urban poor members join 2-day summit

August 30, 2018, 1:18 pm

MANILA -- Urban poor community members convened on Thursday for a two-day summit that would tackle ways to address the various problems besetting the poor, particularly housing, in all regions of the country. The National Urban Poor Summit (NUPS) 2018 was led by the Presidential Commission for the… Read More

Duterte to sign 8 deals in Jordan, Israel visits

Duterte to sign 8 deals in Jordan, Israel visits

August 30, 2018, 12:53 pm

MANILA -- The Philippines is scheduled to sign at least eight agreements with Israel and Jordan when President Rodrigo R. Duterte visits both countries from Sept. 2 to 8, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said Thursday. In a pre-departure briefing in Malacañang, DFA Undersecretary… Read More

Gov't-to-gov't procurement eyed for Navy submarine program

Gov't-to-gov't procurement eyed for Navy submarine program

August 30, 2018, 12:08 pm

MANILA -- Should the Philippine Navy (PN) submarine acquisition program pushes through, it will be acquired via government-to-government procurement, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday. "The submarine, if we finally decide to buy them, will be on a… Read More

Arroyo to retire in 2019, won't run in midterm polls

Arroyo to retire in 2019, won't run in midterm polls

August 30, 2018, 11:39 am

MANILA -- House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has confirmed she will not run for any position in the next midterm elections and will retire when her term ends as Pampanga representative in 2019. Arroyo made the announcement on Wednesday in a television interview on CNN Philippines. "I am… Read More

Martial law extension an option: DND chief

Martial law extension an option: DND chief

August 30, 2018, 10:45 am

MANILA -- Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said it is early to make a recommendation on whether or not to extend martial law in Mindanao, following the deadly blast that killed two people and wounded several others in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. "Of course, it is an option,"… Read More

PH vows to bridge, protect WPS interests as ASEAN-China coordinator

PH vows to bridge, protect WPS interests as ASEAN-China coordinator

August 30, 2018, 10:08 am

MANILA -- As the new country coordinator tasked to bridge the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, the Philippines will play a constructive role in promoting good ties between the two parties, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said. "As far as… Read More

LPA spotted off eastern Samar

LPA spotted off eastern Samar

August 30, 2018, 10:06 am

MANILA— The weather bureau is monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) spotted east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, as the southwest monsoon or habagat continues to bring rains in northern Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 4 a.m.… Read More

Banner stories of Manila's leading newspapers, Thurs., August 30, 2018

Banner stories of Manila's leading newspapers, Thurs., August 30, 2018

August 30, 2018, 7:14 am

BUSINESS MIRROR – ‘Tepid’ Q3 growth seen on prices, weak exports INQUIRER – NFA chief faces graft raps over rice funds MANILA BULLETIN – 132,000-MT rice import OK’d MANILA TIMES – Agri, NFA chiefs told to resign MANILA STANDARD – Food execs told: Resign PHILIPPINE STAR – Another… Read More

PHilMech to set up reg’l technology centers for farmers nationwide

PHilMech to set up reg’l technology centers for farmers nationwide

August 29, 2018, 9:42 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) will establish Regional Technology Management and Demonstration Centers (RTMDCs) that will help spearhead the agency’s efforts to commercialize its technologies and offer training to farmers, who are… Read More

 Environmental advocates pursue human rights case vs. fuel firms

Environmental advocates pursue human rights case vs. fuel firms

August 29, 2018, 9:33 pm

MANILA -- Greenpeace and other environmental advocacy groups in the country are bent on strengthening the landmark human rights case filed in 2015 against 47 energy firms blamed for a big part of the world's greenhouse gas emissions that have led to disastrous climate change. Some of the world’s… Read More

Duterte wants PUV modernization pursued: Delgra

Duterte wants PUV modernization pursued: Delgra

August 29, 2018, 9:26 pm

MANILA – Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Martin Delgra III on Wednesday said no less than President Rodrigo Duterte has been pushing for the long-overdue Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). “What I would just like to say, that we have… Read More

Palace sees need to finish crafting IRR for free irrigation law

Palace sees need to finish crafting IRR for free irrigation law

August 29, 2018, 9:25 pm

MANILA -- Malacañang on Wednesday said it sees the need to finish crafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Free Irrigation Service Act which grants free irrigation to farmers owning not more than eight hectares of land. “Importante po talaga na mabuo na iyang Implementing… Read More

House extends reparation funds' validity until December

House extends reparation funds' validity until December

August 29, 2018, 9:19 pm

MANILA -- The House of Representatives on Wednesday night unanimously approved on final reading a joint resolution, seeking to extend the period of availability of funds for victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime until December this year. With 213 affirmative votes, the lower… Read More