by Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star), 4 Feb 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Amid a surge in demand and tight supply of face masks following confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the country, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ordered attached agency Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) to start sourcing masks from suppliers…

by Peter S. Goodman, The New York Times, 3 Feb 2020 In 2002, when a lethal, pneumonialike virus known as SARS emerged in China, the country’s factories were mostly churning out low-cost goods like T-shirts and sneakers for customers around the world.

By BusinessMirror Editorial, 3 Feb 2020 The human loss is a tragedy; the economic consequences are going to be disastrous. Everyone is an expert with 20/20 hindsight. Nonetheless, some of us need to start thinking about what the future may look like.

by Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star), 3 Feb 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The effect of the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus on industry will be more clearly seen this month with the service sector expected to take the initial impact, said London-based Capital Economics.

By: Marlon Ramos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03 Feb 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Several travel agencies should be held criminally liable for facilitating the visas of Chinese women who have fallen prey to prostitution rings catering to male Chinese workers of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), according to Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

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by Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star), 2 Feb 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has condoned almost P700 million in penalties under its loan restructuring program, helping inactive members pay off their outstanding debt with the state-run fund.

By William B. Depasupil, Manila Times, 1 Feb 2020 THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) is encouraging employers and business establishments to be flexible and compassionate in granting additional leave with pay to workers who need to take a leave of absence because of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

By Mayvelin U. Caraballo, TMT, Manila Times, 1 Feb 2020 Amid the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) scare in the country, private analysts have shared the view of the government’s economic managers that the outbreak would only have a minimal impact on Philippine economic growth.

by Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News, 1 Feb 2020 The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is calling on employers to grant additional leave with pay credits to workers who would be out of duty due to the 2019 novel coronavirus.

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by Brian Melley, 31 Jan 2020 LOS ANGELES — Federal agents raided a Philippines-based church in Los Angeles on Wednesday in a human trafficking investigation that led to arrests of three church leaders in what prosecutors said was a decades-long scheme to trick followers into becoming fundraisers and arrange sham marriages to keep them in…

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by Catherine Talavera (The Philippine Star), 30 Jan 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Sales of imported vehicles fell by 0.5 percent in 2019, driven by lower demand in the passenger cars (PC) and light commercial vehicle (LCV) segments, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. (AVID) said.

By Joann Villanueva, PNA, 30 Jan 2020 MANILA — Economic managers on Thursday discounted the possible effect of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) on the Philippine economy, citing government measures to address the issue.

By: Gabriel Pabico Lalu, INQINQUIRER.net, 30 Jan 2020 MANILA, Philippines – A Department of Health (DOH) official has clarified that N95 masks cannot provide full protection against the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), as the agency puts more emphasis on pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

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By: Cathrine Gonzales, INQINQUIRER.net, 29 Jan 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Three Filipinos who claimed they were hired to work in Jeju, South Korea were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after immigration officers found they might have been duped by their recruiter.

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By: Karl R. Ocampo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 29 Jan 2020 Lower rice prices, strong peso to ease February inflation, says BSP Rice prices in the market have gone down to its lowest in six years following the rice tariffication law, but at the expense of farmers’ welfare as the influx of more affordable imported rice…

By CNN Philippines Staff, 29 Jan 2020 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 30)— Manila has the second worst traffic congestion out of the 416 cities surveyed around the world, according to a report by a location technology specialist.

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Farmers like Mang Dante struggle to survive the severe effects of the rice tariffication law. It’s because of stories like his that farmers need your moral and financial support. by Lorelei Baldonado Aquino, Rappler, 27 Jan 2020 What extreme circumstance could have possibly compelled a 58-year-old farmer to take his own life? That question has…

by Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star), 27 Jan 2020 MANILA, Philippines —The European Union (EU) has removed the Philippines in its list of countries with weak intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and enforcement.

by Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star), 27 Jan 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Foreign direct investment inflows could exceed $10 billion and revisit record highs this year once the second package of the government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) is passed.