Philippines

MANILA – President Duterte has admitted having difficulty reading small prints after he misread of the number of drug users in the country, which was 1.67 million and not 167 million. Duterte said that he has poor eyesight and he read the 168, instead of 1.6. “There is a point in between. So, it’s 1.6. I thought it’s straight 16.” …

METRO MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has announced that it had made a P500 million partial payment for the P930 milliion debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) due to Covid-19 tests being conducted. According to the statement released by the state health insurer, the remaining balance would be paid according to the gov’t rules and regulations. …

CLARK, PAMPANGA – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has confirmed that one of its players were tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) inside the league bubble in Pampanga. The league announced on a press conference on Sunday that the official who also tested positive weeks earlier, now tested negative on the test. A player from the team Blackwater Elite …

METRO MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Tuesday that Metro Manila will remain under the General Community Quarantine status until November 30, even with the local government seeking to revive the battered economy. In a taped speech aired Tuesday morning, President Duterte opposed the possibility of Metro Manila easing to a more relaxed restriction as the mayors in the …

METRO MANILA – At least 12 areas were placed under tropical cyclone signal number 3 as Typhoon “Quinta” maintains its strength and moves over the Mindoro Strait late Monday morning. RAINFALL ADVISORY No. 3 #NCR_PRSD Weather System: Typhoon #QuintaPHIssued at: 5:00 PM,25 October 2020 pic.twitter.com/vXWtYprNCp— PAGASA-DOST (@dost_pagasa) October 25, 2020 In a weather bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical …

METRO MANILA – Rabiya Mateo of Iloilo City is the new representative of the Philippines to the Miss Universe pageant. Rabiya Mateo, 23, won the Miss Universe Philippines in the pageant that was held online at the Baguio Country Club yesterday morning. She will be the second illonga to win the title after Louise Vail Aurelio won the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe …

METRO MANILA – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday advises Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr.’s controversial remarks against celebrities Liza Soberano, Angel Locsin and Catriona Gray to keep quiet if the security forces have no evidence against people they believed to be communist rebels. Lorenzana said that he will be seeking a meeting with the members of the National Task …

METRO MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) assured today that they will be settling the debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Monday after receiving a legal opinion from the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the testing agreement between the agency and the humanitarian organization. According to statement released by Philhealth, they will release the payment on …

MANILA – The Nation’s Capital Manila on Friday announced that it will be cancelling the annual procession or the Traslacion in January 2021 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. According to Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, the agreement was reached by the local government and the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, known as Quiapo Church. Mahalagang …

METRO MANILA – Despite the closure of ABS-CBN Corp, the problem may soon be far from over as lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the resumption of operations to air some of its program through a deal with the licensed television station, ZOE Broadcasting Network. New House Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano has called the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) …