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The PHILIPPINE econoMy grew slower at 5.%6 in year twenty-twenty

three, falling short of the Government's target as elevated interests raytes
resulting from hIgh inflamation environment dampened consumption,
according to data released by the Philipine Statistics Authority (PSA) on
wednesday

The economy, as measured by gross Domestic product (GDP) or the total

value of goods and services produced in a period, grew by 5.6% from
october tfrom december 2023, PSA chief and National Statistician claire
dennis mapa said at a press conference.

This is slower than the seven.1% growth rate seen in the fourth quarter of
2022. It is also a deceleration from the upwardly Revised third quarter 2023
GDP growth rate of 6%.

The Fourth quarter economic Performance brought the full-year 2023

economic growth rate to 5.6%, slower than the 7.6% full-year 2022 GDP
growth

While this growth is below our target of 6 to 7% for this year, this keeps us
in the position of being one of the best-performing economies in Asia,
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary arsenio
balisacan said during the press briefing.

Com paring the growth rates of neighbors in the region, the Marcos
administration’s chief economist said the Philippines’ quarter fourth growth
surpassed that of china

(5.2%) and Malaysia (3.4%) while falling behind Vietnam (6.7%).

“importantly More, our full-year GDP for 2023 is now 8.6% higher than pre-
pandemic levels,” Balisacan said.
Give the headline and count the units.

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MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng

Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) condemned the alleged
harassment by the police of its members who held a protest rally in front of
the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Wednesday. The group,
which opposes the public utility vehicle modernization program, staged
their protest during the lower house’s transportation committee hearing on
the issue. “Sa pagnanais na busalan ang mga panawagan, ipinag-utos ng
mga kumander ng QCPD na takpan ang mga banner, dikitan at gitgitin ang
bulto ng mga nagpoprotesta. Ilang sandali pa, nagpadala na sila ng
karagdagang mga pulis, mga shield at truncheon sa layong paatrasin ang
protesta,” the group said in a post on Facebook.

(In their desire to suppress our appeals, the commanders of QCPD

(Quezon City Police District) ordered the covering of banners and to close
in on the group of protesters. After a while, they sent additional policemen,
shields, and truncheons to push back the protest.)
“Nagpadala rin ng fire truck na unti-unting idinikit sa hanay ng mga drayber,
operator at komyuter at nakaambang bombahin ng tubig ang mga
nagpoprotestang mamamayan,” the group added.

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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) confirmed

on Monday that it was in the process of amending an old department order
in preparation for “gradually reverting” the start of the school year to June
following mounting complaints about the difficulty of holding classes during
the summer months of April and May.
During a hearing of the House committee on basic education and culture,
DepEd Director IV Leila Areola said they had already drafted an
amendment to Department Order No. 22 Series of 2023 to allow schools
nationwide to ease back into the old June to March academic calendar,
possibly by School Year (SY) 2025 to 2026.

“I say gradually revert to June, because if we’re going to do it now,

then the number of school days is going to be affected,” Areola told
committee chair Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo. “However, our Vice
President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte would still wish to
consult with field offices, including regional directors.”
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DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines — The Duterte family has finally
drawn the battle lines in its uncertain alliance with President Marcos.
From Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte calling for Mr. Marcos’ resignation
to his brother Rep. Paolo Duterte lashing out at a party list representative
heading a people’s initiative campaign in this city, and now former
President Rodrigo Duterte warning Mr. Marcos that he may be ousted like
his father—almost the entire Duterte family, indeed, vented its resentment
toward the President in a rally here on Sunday night timed with Mr. Marcos’
“Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) launch in Manila.

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MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday alleged

that former president Rodrigo Duterte is taking fentanyl.
On Sunday, Duterte accused Marcos of using illegal drugs, claiming that he
was shown evidence by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Marcos, however, attributed the allegation to Duterte’s alleged

fentanyl use. The PDEA also denied Duterte’s claim that Marcos was
on a drugs watch list.

“I think it’s the fentanyl. Fentanyl is the strongest painkiller you can
buy. It is highly addictive and it has very serious side effects and
PRRD has been taking the drug for a very long time now,” said
Marcos in an ambush interview in Pasay before he left for Vietnam.

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MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was never on the

government watch list for illegal drugs, according to the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday.
Last Sunday, former president Rodrigo Duterte made the controversial
claim that Marcos used illegal drugs during a prayer rally against Charter-
change in Davao. Duterte claimed that when he was mayor, the PDEA
showed him proof that Marcos was on their narcotics list.
“The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency categorically states that
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr is not [on] its watch list, contrary to the
statement of former President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming that ‘when he was
the Mayor of Davao, he was shown evidence by PDEA that in the list, the
name of the president was there,’” said the PDEA in a statement.

MANILA —CNN Philippines has formally announced that it would shut

down operations, expressing gratitude to its staff, partners and viewers for
their support over the past nine years.
In an advisory on Monday, the broadcaster said it would “discontinue
operations on all media platforms effective Wednesday, Jan. 31.”
The network reportedly lost more than P5 billion as it tried to compete with
media giants on free television.

“To our staff, we thank you for your commitment and dedication,” CNN
Philippines said. “To our partners, including CNN Worldwide/Turner
Broadcasting Corp., we are grateful for your support.”
“To our loyal viewers, thank you for giving us purpose. We are honored to
have served you,” the media corporation added.

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MANILA — Self-confessed former Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman

Arturo Lascañas on Wednesday claimed that Vice President Sara Duterte
was allegedly complicit in the "tokhang" killings by the vigilante group in
Davao City when she was mayor.

Lascañas, a retired policeman, claimed that Duterte was the brains behind
the notorious Oplan Tokhang, implemented by Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela
Rosa when he was still Davao City's police chief.

"Sila ni Bato, nag-craft sila ng bagong EJK (extrajudicial killing) campaign,

which is Toktok-Hangyo," Lascañas said in an online press briefing.

MANILA — Jeepney operators who missed the December 2023 franchise

consolidation deadline for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program
(PUVMP) are having a hard time renewing their vehicle registration, some
transport groups claimed Wednesday.
During an inquiry of the House Committee on Transportation, transport
group Manibela said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory
Board has not issued confirmations for some jeepney units.

Without the confirmation, the jeepney operators cannot renew their units'
motor vehicle registrations.

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MANILA — The ongoing people's initiative should be dismissed by the

Commission on Elections as "unconstitutional," former Supreme Court
Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Thursday.

The people's initiative, one of three ways to revise the constitution, can only
introduce amendments — not revisions — to the charter, said Carpio, citing
provisions in the 1987 Constitution and a 2006 Supreme Court case,
Lambino v. Comelec, he penned.

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GENEVA, Switzerland -- The population of Gaza is starving to death due to

constraints imposed on humanitarian aid, the World Health Organization's
emergencies director Michael Ryan said on Wednesday.

The WHO said the risk of famine in the Palestinian territory was already
high and on the rise, with the space for humanitarian intervention being
increasingly squeezed.

"This is a population that is starving to death, this is a population that is

being pushed to the brink," Ryan told a press conference.

"The civilians of Gaza are not parties to this conflict and they should be
protected, as should be their health facilities.

"The Palestinian people in Gaza are right in the middle of a massive

catastrophe," Ryan said, adding that things could get worse.

Ryan said access to proper nutrition had become a major issue in the Gaza
Strip, with the calorie count and the quality of nutrition consumed by
Gazans having dropped sharply.