text: By Stella-maris Ewudolu on October 30, 2019
  Meat processors to boycott domestic pork as ASF measure
  MEAT processors said they will not purchase pork from domestic farmers to assure the public about their products' safety amid an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in hog farms around Luzon.
  ADB calls for infrastructure investment levels of 5% of GDP
  DEVELOPING ASIA, including the Philippines, needs to invest at least 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in infrastructure to sustain economic growth, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a statement Tuesday.
  The upcoming foreign trips of President Rodrigo Duterte remain in limbo due to his health condition, Malacañang said Tuesday.
  Duterte mulls gov't takeover of Maynilad, Manila Water if water shortage escalates
  If water shortage hits emergency levels, a government takeover of Metro Manila water concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water may be among the actions President Rodrigo Duterte would take.
  THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will impose "stricter" rules for the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs), signaling its intent to manage the inflows of imported rice during harvest season, when farmers are vulnerable to price swings when additional volumes enter the market.
  Palace ignores call to nix Sino oil deal
  Malacañang on Monday said the country will proceed with its oil joint venture with China, ignoring a call from Vice President Leni Robredo for Beijing to first recognize Manila's sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
  The People's Republic of China and The Republic of the Philippines convened the 5th meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) on 28th October 2019 in Beijing, China.
  — MFA-PRC
  Duterte's war on inflation hammers Philippine farmers
  Harvest time in the Philippines usually lifts the spirits of the country's 2 million rice farmers, but this year the mood in the agricultural heartlands north of Manila is gloomy.
  Philippines renews zero tariff bid for bananas entering Japan
  Agriculture Secretary William Dar has reiterated the Philippines' request to Japan to lower the tariff imposed on Philippine bananas.
  Majority of the child laborers who were profiled by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) this year in Metro Manila worked as vendors or helpers.
  Vice President Leni Robredo told President Rodrigo Duterte he should not be too sensitive whenever she criticizes his violent war on drugs.
  NCIP vows to increase engagement, direct gov't projects to IPs
  National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) chairman Allen Capuyan on Tuesday pledged to bridge and to strengthen the coordination between communities and government agencies in linking the latter's projects and programs for IPs.
  THE TAX REFORM program's fuel excise tax produced a "minimal increase" in poverty incidence while increasing economic activity, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said, citing the results of its research studies.
  DSWD readies aid for quake victims in Soccsksargen
  The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 12 (Soccsksargen) on Tuesday assured assistance for victims of the magnitude 6.6 earthquake that rocked the area and other parts of Mindanao.
  PH, China conclude 'productive' 5th BCM meeting in Beijing
  The Philippine and Chinese governments have agreed on Monday to address its disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) on a "positive and constructive attitude" as they both exchanged views on the general conditions on the ground in its fifth meeting for the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on SCS (BCM)."
  Former poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr hit the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), for its decision to seek the comment of Vice President Leni Robredo and former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr in the recount of votes from 3 pilot provinces in the vice presidential electoral protest.
  After being fed up with criticism, President Rodrigo Duterte decided to "surrender" his powers to enforce his landmark anti-drug campaign to opposition leader and Vice President Leni Robredo.
  The Makati Subway project, a brainchild of Mayor Abby Binay, secured an additional $332 million from two Chinese firms for its initial construction.
  Desalination, recycling tech could address water shortage – Gatchalian
  Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Tuesday that the government needed to seriously consider adopting desalination and water recycling technologies to address the water shortages in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
  The Philippines and China are eyeing possible cooperation in the areas of maritime research, protection, and fisheries cooperation in the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Tuesday, October 29.
  DTI sets price increase on selected basic, prime commodities
  The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expressed concern over alleged faked consultation and approval from affected indigenous communities to push through the construction of Kaliwa Dam.
  Palace: Duterte's drug czar offer a 'rare opportunity' for Robredo to show mettle
  "The ball is in her court. But if I were in her place, I will accept because this is a rare opportunity for a critic…to show her mettle and at the same time helping the government," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference.
  The police chief of Northern Mindanao was sacked from his post on orders of Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa.
  Shopping malls and government offices were closed and classes suspended in this port capital of Northern Mindanao following a Magnitude 6.6 earthquake here Tuesday morning.
  Angat dam's elevation up slightly – Pagasa
  THE water level at Angat dam, the primary source of domestic supply in Metro Manila, slightly increased, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Tuesday.
  The Department of Health (DOH) said it reached its target for the catch-up vaccination campaign against polio conducted in various parts of the country in October.
  Inflation seen hitting 1.1% in Oct
  THE country's inflation is forecast to accelerate to 1.1 percent in October from 0.9 percent in September on account of higher fuel and power prices, an economist said on Tuesday.
  LISTED Philippine Infradev Holdings Inc., the proponent of the Makati Subway project, has secured $332 million from Chinese firms to help finance the $3.7-billion mass transportation system.
  The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has invested $150 million in the green bond fund earlier launched by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said. In a text message to reporters on Tuesday, Diokno noted the invested amount was sourced from the country's gross international reserves (GIR).
  THE MEASURE that will modernize the government's budgeting system, which failed to hurdle the 17th Congress, will be refiled in the Senate.
  SIX bilateral accords – for two major infrastructure projects and for donations of communications, customs inspection equipment, rehabilitation projects for Marawi, and phytosanitary requirements for avocado exports – were signed last week by Philippine and Chinese officials, witnessed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and China Vice Premier Hu Chunhua.
  SEN. Cynthia Villar supports the Department of Agriculture's (DA) decision to provide cash assistance to local farmers instead of imposing safeguard duties on imported rice to arrest the continued drop palay (unmilled rice) prices. "Kasi ang tingin nila kaya natin e.
  Some 135 surviving families of the victims of the Inopacan purging of the New People's Army in the 1980s, from Baybay City, Mahaplag and Inopacan, all in Leyte, are the target of help from the various government agencies under EO 70.
  2 senators want GMRC restored in basic educ curriculum
  Two senators on Tuesday pushed for the inclusion of the teaching of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) and other character-building activities in the curriculum of the K to 12 program.
  DOLE tells employers to observe Nov. 1 and 2 holiday pay rules
  The Department of Labor has issued the guidelines for compensating workers who will work on November 1 (All Saints' Day) and November 2 (All Souls' Day).
  CamSur government capacitates PDRRMC members, conducts ICS training
  Forty (40) participants from various national government agencies, communications groups and other members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) convened at the Provincial Capitol Convention Center, Cadlan, here, for a 3-day Basic Incident Command System (ICS) Training. …
  Bill creating Department of Water Resources to be passed by year-end -Cayetano
  The House of Representatives aimed to pass the measure creating the Department of Water Resources before the end of the year, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday.