News Report 01 April 2019
Local
1. 35th PH-IS Balikatan exercise opens today Manila Bulletin, 01 April 2019, p. 1, continued on p. 6
About 4,000 Philippine troops, 3,500 American soldiers, and 50 Austra-lian Defence Force (ADF) members will participate in the biggest annual military exercise between the United States and the Philippines known as “Balikatan” which opens Monday at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Throughout Exercise Balikatan, the AFP, US Armed Forces, and ADF will carry out information exchanges and live training events. These are aimed at enhancing the militaries’ interoperability during the planning and execution of joint operations to advance security and stabil-ity in the Indo- Pacific region.
2. El Niño damage hits ₱4.3B Manila Times, 01 April 2019, p. A1
Agricultural damage caused by a weak El Niño went up further to P4.35 billion from the P1.33 billion recorded earlier, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). The estimated volume of production loss was pegged at 125,590 MT over 111,851 hectares of agricultural areas.
Economic
3. Singson: No shortage of Kaliwa offers in previous governments Business World, 01 April 2019, p. S1/5
Rogelio L. Singson, who was secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways under the Aquino government, said the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project was to be awarded to San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and Korea Water. But he said he didn’t know whether it was finally awarded or not.
The water shortage in the east zone of Metro Manila has raised concerns about the pace of developing new water sources. Kaliwa dam is supposed to be the medium-term answer but issues about its funding and environmental impact are expected to slow down its progress.
4. BOI investment pledges jump 60% in Q1 Manila Bulletin, 01 April 2019, p. B1
Total investment pledges approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) jumped 60 percent in the first quarter of 2019, reaching P243 billion from P152.1 billion posted for the same period last year.
Netherlands topped all foreign investors with P9.1 billion worth of investments. Thailand finished second with P8.4 billion and Japan placed third with P5.3 billion worth of investments. The US finished fourth with P2.2 billion worth of committed investments.
5. DA expects to seal ₱44-B loan with Israeli firm Manila Bulletin, 01 April 2019, p. B2
The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects to sign this week a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with an Israeli firm for the loan worth P44 billion, which will be used by the agency to build thousands of solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) units across different parts of the country.
6. TIEZA to woo Chinese investors to set up shop in TEZs The Philippine Star, 01 April 2019, p. B4
The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is courting Chinese investors to set up shop in Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs) across the country. A TEZ is an area of at least five hectares in size and is in one contiguous territory with historical and cultural significance,
environmental beauty, or existing potential integrated leisure facilities within its vicinity.
7. China state firm eyed for Pasig River rehab Philippine Daily Inquirer, 01 April 2019, p. B1
The Philippine government is keen on tapping state-owned Chinese infrastructure contractor China First Highway Engineering Co. Ltd. (CFHEC) to help rehabilitate the Pasig River system, a very polluted watercourse that cuts through the metropolis and ends in Manila Bay.
