Each week, we trawl the Web for major Philippine stories to share and update you with what’s happening on this side of the world.
Here are some of the top headlines from this third week of February 2021.
Storm Signal No. 1 up in four Mindanao areas as Auring remains stationary over Philippine Sea
The southeastern portion of Agusan del Sur and southern Surigao del Sur, along with the entire Davao Oriental and the eastern part of Davao de Oro, are now under Signal No. 1 due to Tropical Storm Auring.
In its 5 am bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the tropical cyclone wind signal covers the Agusan del Sur towns of San Francisco, Rosario, Bunawan, Trento, and Santa Josefa.
The Surigao del Sur towns under Signal No. 1 are Bayabas, Cagwait, Marihatag, San Agustin, Lianga, Barobo, Tagbina, Hinatuan, Bislig City, and Lingig.
Metro Manila mayors to recommend MGCQ in NCR starting March
Voting 9-8, Metro Manila mayors agreed to recommend to the national government that the capital region be placed under the least strict modified general community quarantine starting March.
Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco confirmed this in an interview with DZBB on Thursday, February 18.
Batangas residents evacuated over Taal Volcano’s ‘increased activity’
The Batangas provincial government on Tuesday, February 16, ordered the evacuation of residents on the island where Taal Volcano sits due to its “slightly increased” activity.
In its 8 am bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology placed the danger level of the volcano at alert level 1 out of a possible 5, which means it was at an “abnormal” condition.
Remittances down only slightly in 2020
Filipino migrant workers sent almost as much money back home during the pandemic as they did before the global health crisis, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.
The BSP announced on Monday, February 15, that overseas Filipino workers’ cash remittances to the Philippines hit $29.9 billion for 2020, only $230 million short of what they sent — $30.13 billion — when the global economy was not affected yet by the pandemic in 2019.
PH may experience COVID-19 vaccine shortage until 2Q of 2021
While the Philippines awaits the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines, the country’s vaccine czar is reporting a possible shortage of vaccine supply until this year’s second quarter.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr said Western countries like those in Europe and the United States are using a large bulk of COVID-19 vaccines produced by several pharmaceutical firms.
Rule allowing cinemas to operate in Metro Manila effective March 1
The national task force decision allowing cinemas to operate in general community quarantine areas will only take effect in Metro Manila on March 1, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday, February 15.
This was after Metro Manila mayors expressed apprehensions about the policy, as announced by Malacañang on Friday, February 12.
GDP seen growing below government target
The Philippine economy is expected to grow by over 5% in 2021, significantly slower than the government’s growth prospects on the back of the slow rebound of household consumption, an economist from ING Bank said.
ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa forecast the country’s gross domestic product to grow by 5.1% this year and 4.3% in 2022 from a record low of -9.5%. His estimates fall below the government’s 6.5 to 7.5% projection for 2021 and the 8 to 10% forecast for 2022.
