Philippines

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reduced Taal Volcano’s alert-level status to Alert Level 2, as metrics have consistently shown its decreased unrest in recent weeks. After graduating from Alert Level 3 on 26 January 2020, the state of Taal Volcano in the following three weeks was characterized by less regular volcanic earthquake activity, stabilizing ground deformation of the …

The number of Filipinos found positive for COVID-19 infection while embarking on the cruise ship docked in Yokohama has risen to 11, the Foreign Affairs Department has said. The DFA said the Filipinos who tested positive for COVID-19 were taken to different hospitals in and around the Tokyo area. It added that among the new group of 44 men, there …

On Friday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it has accelerated the release of face masks in the face of increased demand for personal protective equipment despite the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threat. Advertisement The BOC indicated in a statement that since the detection and diagnosis of COVID-19 in January 2020, the Agency has been speeding the process and release …

Global oil demand will experience its first quarterly decline in a decade as the COVID-19 virus lashes China’s economy and ripples its effects worldwide. Advertisement “The global demand for oil has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the widespread shutdown of China’s economy,” reported the International Energy Agency in its latest monthly report. Demand is now expected …

Isabela Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano said on Thursday that there was no direct pressure from President Rodrigo Duterte about the pending legislation seeking to expand the ABS-CBN broadcast network franchise. The President has never interfered with, and does not plan to intervene with, Congressional relations, “he said.” He respects the separation of powers and has great respect for us. Albano …

As of Thursday morning the Philippines reported 33 additional suspected cases of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), data from the Department of Health (DOH) reveal. Advertising This brings the total, cumulative number of persons under investigation (PUIs) to 441 in the country—230 of them are currently admitted to different hospitals and 206 others have been discharged that yielded negative results for the …

Malacañang said that it shares US President Donald Trump’s opinion of Manila-Washington’s imminent termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Trump’s advertisement told a White House news conference on Wednesday that he wouldn’t mind the Philippines ending the VFA because it’s going to save a lot of money. Trump also said the US had helped defeat Islamic State militants in …

Immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have prohibited entry into the Philippines of a foreigner accused of being a terrorist and his three compañeros. Advertisement The name of the man was included in the database of suspected international terrorists shared by Interpol with the Immigration Bureau (BI), the BI. On February 5, the foreigner and his companions arrived …

The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Felimon Santos, stated on Wednesday that the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States of America would definitely affect the capacity of the military. At the bicameral Appointments Commission meeting, Santos said there are 300 events lined up this year with the U.S. troops and …

The Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stated that due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus or the COVID-19 from February to April, the Philippines is expected to lose P42 billion in tourism revenues from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Puyat declared during the public hearing the impact of COVID-19 on the Philippine economy, which is largely dependent on growth …