News Roundup 02 August 2024
Aug 02, 2024 • 5 min Read
Philippines, Japan hold first joint drills in West Philippine Sea | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan held their first maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea on Friday, marking a milestone in both countries’ efforts to deter China’s growing aggression in the region independent of their ties with the United States.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted the drills in parts of the South China Sea that fall under the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. It involved communication exercises, tactical maneuvering and a photographic exercise, the AFP said in a statement on Friday.
The activity was part of “the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the AFP said in a statement on Friday.
It also “reinforced the strong ties and mutual commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region,” the AFP added.
This comes after the Philippines and Japan signed a landmark troop access on July 8 that allows both countries to deploy military on each other’s soil.
The reciprocal access agreement, Japan’s first with a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also lifts restrictions that previously limited Japan to an observer role in the country’s annual Balikatan military exercises.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier said the troop access agreement would “pave the way for joint military exercises, closer defense cooperation, and robust security relations” between both country’s military forces.
Full Story at: Philippines, Japan hold first joint drills in West Philippine Sea | Philstar.com
Philippine, US navies hold joint drills in West Philippine Sea | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Navy vessels of the United States and the Philippines conducted a joint maritime exercise on Wednesday in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday.
Participating ships included the Philippine Navy’s BRP Ramon Alcaraz, an offshore patrol vessel, and the US Navy’s USS Mobile, a littoral combat ship. USS Mobile is a small vessel for near-shore operations that require stealth.
The exercise included drills to improve communication and operations coordination between the two navies, the Philippine Navy said in a news release.
It was held in the waters west of Palawan within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
“These joint exercises with our ally are crucial in enhancing our naval capabilities and ensuring that we can effectively collaborate to safeguard our maritime interests. The partnership between the Philippine Navy and the United States Navy continues to be a pillar of regional stability,” Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Romeo Brawner Jr. said in a statement.
The two navies often conduct joint exercises in the West Philippine Sea amid tensions with China’s maritime elements which lay claim to certain areas inside the Philippines’ EEZ.
Full Story at: Philippine, US navies hold joint drills in West Philippine Sea | Philstar.com
Hontiveros: Chinese nat’l becoming mayor reveals lapses in PH systems | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the revelation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that Alice Guo’s fingerprints have matched those of Chinese national Guo Hua Ping only affirmed the various lapses in law and regulations of the country’s institutional systems.
In a statement on Friday, Hontiveros said she’s no longer surprised about the revelation, noting that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) already proved that Alice Guo and Guo Hua Ping are one.
“Gayunpaman, nakakakilabot pa rin na may Chinese national na naging alkalde ng isang bayan sa Pilipinas,” said Hontiveros.
(However, it is still shocking that a Chinese national became the mayor of a town in the Philippines.)
“This also affirms the various lapses in the laws and regulations of many institutional systems, from the Philippine Statistics Authority to the Comelec. Kaya patuloy ang aming hearing sa Senado para matugunan ang mga pagkukulang na ito,” she added.
(This also affirms the various lapses in the laws and regulations of many institutional systems, from the PSA to the Comelec. Thus, our hearing in the Senate continues to address these shortcomings.)
Full Story at: Hontiveros: Chinese nat’l becoming mayor reveals lapses in PH systems (inquirer.net)
Petition filed at SC vs PhilHealth fund transfer, cites constitutionality | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Several groups and individuals filed a petition at the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday against the diversion of P89.9 billion Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) excess funds to unprogrammed appropriations in the national budget.
Petitioners were Senator Koko Pimentel, Ernesto Ofracio, Junice Lirza Melgar, Cielo Magno, Maria Dominga Cecilia Padilla, Dante Gatmaytan, Ibarra Gutierrez, Sentro ng Mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Inc., Public Services Labor Independent Confederation Foundation, Inc., and Philippine Medical Association.
The respondents, on the other hand, are Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, the House of Representatives represented by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; the Senate represented by Senate President Francis Escudero, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, and PhilHealth represented by its President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr.
The petitioners questioned Department of Finance (DOF) Circular No. 003-2024, which directs the transfer of unused subsidies from government-owned and controlled corporations, specifically PhilHealth, to the national treasury to support the government’s unprogrammed appropriations.
“Ngayon po ay ipa-file natin ang kaso questioning the constitutionality nitong DOF circular na kumukuha ng pondo ng PhilHealth at kekwestyunin din natin ang provision sa General Appropriations Act of 2024,” Magno, who is a former undersecretary at the DOF, told reporters moments before they formally submitted the petition.
(Today, we will file a case questioning the constitutionality of this DOF circular that takes funds from PhilHealth, and we will also question the provision in the General Appropriations Act of 2024.)
Full Story at: Petition filed at SC vs PhilHealth fund transfer, cites constitutionality (inquirer.net)
