News Report 21 March 2019
Local
1. ‘US sworn to defend Filipinos through MDT’
The Philippine Star, 21 March 2019, p. 1, continued on p. 7
Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Crayton, commander of USS Chief gave the assurance that the United States is duty-bound to defend and protect the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and US Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Joe Felter are set to meet today to discuss the MDT, which Lorenzana wanted revised or at least cleared of its “ambiguities.”
2. Locsin to China: We’ll look out for your people in PH Philippine Daily Inquirer, 21 March 2019, p. A5
In his first official visit to China, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. assured his host that the
“Philippines will look out for your people in my country,” and that the “differences” between the two countries would be set aside to deepen bilaleral ties.
Korea -
Economic
3. DOF: Progress made in China-funded infra projects Manila Bulletin, 21 March 2019, p. B1, continued on p. B9
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said that they have been meeting with the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) for the past two years, and we have made a lot of progress with our actual official development assistance relations with China.
Seceretary Dominguez also said that the Philippines and China are also working towards beginning the implementation of two rail projects — the Subic-Clark Railway Project in Luzon and the
Mindanao Railway Project. The Davao-Samal Bridge Project in Mindanao and the Panay-Guimaras- Negros Interisland Bridge Project in Western Visayas are also proposed for Chinese financing.
4. Foreign leaders keen on rehab of Agus-Polangui complex Business Mirror, 21 March 2019, p. B1
The National Power Corp. (NPC) said the multibillion-peso rehabilitation of the Agus-Polangui hydropower complex, which supplies Mindanao electric power consumers more than 50 percent of their total electricity requirements, has drawn interest from multilateral lending agencies. They said that the French government and French companies have expressed interest and that they also got inquiries from Australian and Japanese companies.
They previously identified China as one of those interested, but he said the other day that China is no longer in the list of interested firms in the rehabilitation of the hydropower complex
5. PH, Japan sign labor cooperation pact
Manila Bulletin, 21 March 2019, p. 1, continued on p. 11
Japanese Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita and Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III have signed a landmark memo-randum of cooperation (MOC) laying the groundwork for more secure recruitment and employment of skilled workers between the Philippines and Japan.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III also said Filipino skilled workers are among the preferred nationals in Japan with the potential of corner-ing more than 100,000 in fresh job openings.
6. China commits ₱15-M equipment to PCOO Manila Bulletin, 21 March 2019, p. 2
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar confirmed that China will donate P15 million worth of equipment to the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) as part of efforts to upgrade government media. The equipment includes laptops, desktops, microphones, audio consoles which will be used by the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) and Philippine News Agency (PNA).
