News Roundup 11 March 2023
Mar 11, 2023 • 3 min Read
Palace denies rumor of ES Lucas Bersamin’s resignation | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil on Saturday denied rumors that Executive Secretary (ES) Lucas Bersamin has resigned from his post.
In a message to the Malacañang Press Corp reporters, Garafil, through an officer, simply said that the speculations are “not true.”
Since the start of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s term, three key players in his cabinet have resigned.
The ES before Bersamin was Vic Rodriguez, who was initially supposed to be reassigned to a different position but was later said to no longer be a member of Marcos’ cabinet.
Rodriguez was followed by former Press Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles, who cited health reasons for her resignation.
After her, Commission on Audit Chair Jose Calida also resigned from his post.
PCG rescues 5 Japanese seafarers off Oriental Mindoro | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Five senior citizen Japanese crew members of a distressed vessel were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday off the coast of Oriental Mindoro.
The PCG said that the MV Catriona was en route to Davao from Japan when it took in water and listed.
“The [PCG] has rescued five Japanese crew members on board MV Catriona that encountered a maritime accident (vessel listing) in the vicinity waters off Navotas, Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, at around 06:30 a.m. today,” the PCG in a Facebook post.
Full Story at: PCG rescues 5 Japanese seafarers off Oriental Mindoro | Inquirer News
Philippines seeks Japan, US help as oil spill spreads | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has sought help from Japan and the United States, authorities said Friday, as they struggle to contain and clean up an oil spill 10 days after a tanker sank.
The Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 litres (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil when it went down in rough seas off the central island of Mindoro, south of the capital Manila.
The vessel is believed to be about 400 metres (1,300 feet) below the waves, but Philippine authorities have said the country does not have the capability to reach the wreckage and remove the oil.
Japan has sent coast guard personnel to Manila to support the investigation into the spill and “guide the ongoing oil removal and control activities”, the Philippine Coast Guard said Friday.
Manila had also requested assistance from the United States, coast guard spokesman Armando Balilo told AFP.
Full Story at: Philippines seeks Japan, US help as oil spill spreads | Philstar.com
Philippines says South China Sea concerns go beyond US-China rivalry | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Manila said its protests over Beijing’s aggressive activities in its portion of the South China Sea are not meant to pick sides in the rising United States-China tension.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo Jr. said the country’s “concerns” over recent incidents in the West Philippine Sea have a “decidedly human element to them” that have to be acted on.
“Our concerns are mainly from the national standpoint and should not be viewed through the prism of the US-China rivalry,” Manalo said in a March 6 speech, a transcript of which was released Friday.
The statement came as more than two dozen diplomatic protests have been lodged against China under the Marcos Jr. administration. The gestures raised alarm over Chinese vessels encroaching on Philippine waters and instances of harassment of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea.
Full Story at: Philippines says South China Sea concerns go beyond US-China rivalry | Philstar.com
