Risk Profiles - Philippines

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After credit card hack, Gatchalian urges Senate probe into rise of payment fraud Phishing and card fraud has proliferated in the country as Filipinos embraced online transactions during the coronavirus pandemic

"Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) had “no right” to criticize the Manila Bay makeover project, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) spokesperson Benny Antiporda said on Wednesday as he berated them for allegedly receiving millions in consultation fees."

‘Bayaran kayo:’ DENR exec berates UP experts over multi-million consultation fees - YouTube Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) had “no right” to criticize the Manila Bay makeover project, Department of Environment and Natural Resour...

"One of the air surveillance radars that the Philippines is acquiring from Japan would be deployed to Palawan to boost monitoring of the West Philippine Sea, Armed Forces chief Gen. Gilbert Gapay said on Tuesday (Oct. 13). The Philippines will acquire three fixed long-range air surveillance radars, at a cost of P5.5 billion, with structures and a mobile air surveillance radar built by Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Deliveries are set to start in 2022. Gapay said the AFP was also looking at Japanese help to improve the Philippine military’s unmanned aerial systems."

PH armed forces to deploy air surveillance radar for West Philippine Sea monitoring—Gapay MANILA, Philippines—One of the air surveillance radars that the Philippines is acquiring from Japan would be deployed to Palawan to boost monitoring of the West Philippine Sea, Armed Forces

"Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has shown interest in acquiring six more units of A-29B Super Tucano fixed-wing light attack aircraft for the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Six new Brazilian-built Super Tucano aircraft had been formally turned over to the PAF on Tuesday (Oct. 13) at Clark Air Base in Pampanga."

Lorenzana shows interest in 6 more Super Tucanos for PAF MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has shown interest in acquiring six more units of A-29B Super Tucano fixed-wing light attack aircraft for the Philippine Air Force

"The 5 investment areas and activities that can now be 100% owned by foreigners are the following, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA): (1) Internet businesses (2) Teaching at higher education levels provided the subject being taught is not a professional subject (3) Training centers that are engaged in short-term high level skills development that do not form part of the formal education system (4) Adjustment companies, lending companies, financing companies, and investment houses (5) Wellness centers."

Gov't allows 100% foreign ownership in 5 investment areas Pia Ranada President Rodrigo Duterte green-lighted a new list of investment areas where foreign ownership is limited or banned. The 11th Regular Foreign Investment Negative List is only slightly shorter than the previous list approved by then-president Benigno Aquino III in 2015.

"Despite the presence of multiple militant groups in the Philippines who have made pledges of allegiance, or bayah, to Islamic State, the Philippine’ government and Armed Forces (AFP) have downplayed this threat. The statements they’ve made continuously ignore the reality of ISIS in the Philippines. This is partially due to the AFP deliberately downplaying the threat from ISIS by making false statements, something they’ve admitted to. At the same time, the Philippine government and the AFP have also managed to genuinely underestimate ISIS, likely in part due to the public downplaying of the threat as well as systematic intelligence failures."

Misinformation and intelligence failures: How the Philippines underestimates ISIS By: Robert Postings Despite the presence of multiple militant groups in the Philippines who have made pledges of allegiance, or bayah, to Islamic State, the Philippine’ government and Armed Forces (AFP) have downplayed this threat. The statements they’ve made continuously ignore the reality of I...

“Although terrorist attacks took place in 100 countries in 2017, they were concentrated geographically. Fifty-nine percent of all attacks took place in five countries. Those are Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Philippines,” Sales told reporters during a conference call from Washington."

US Names India, Philippines Among Countries Most Hit by Terrorists in 2017 BenarNews staff, Washington | https://www.benarnews.

"There are more Islamic State-affiliated foreign fighters in Southeast Asia, especially from jihadi groups based in the southern Philippines‘ autonomous Muslim Mindanao region, than there ever were battling U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq during the height of the U.S.-led wars there, according to figures compiled by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies."

Islamic State fighters add complications to U.S. counterterrorism mission in Philippines By Carlo Muñoz - The Washington Times - Sunday, September 30, 2018 https://www.washingtontimes.

"President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the termination of peace talks between the Philippines government and the communist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) citing the rebels group’s failure to reciprocate the government’s peace overtures. The development could signal the resumption of open hostilities between government security forces and the NPA. Government security forces are likely to step up security measures in vulnerable locations."

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Pres. Rodrigo Duterte plans to hike state spending 12.4% next year to a record PHP 3.77 trillion (USD 74.6 billion) in line with his aim to spend heavily on infrastructure to keep growth robust. The government has programmed a USD 180 billion spending spree on infrastructure during the president's six-year term to create jobs, lift economic growth to as high as 8 percent, and attract foreign investors turned off by high power prices and transport bottlenecks.

Duterte plans to lift 2018 Philippine govt spending by 12.4 pct Philippine President RodrigoDuterte plans to hike state spending 12.4 percent next year to arecord 3.77 trillion pesos ($74.6 billion), his spokesman saidon Tuesday, in line with his aim to spend heavily oninfrastructure to keep growth robust.