Collection Items

  • Article
    Philippines/Indonesia: Agreement on Border Issues (Feb. 28, 2018) Following a meeting of high-ranking officials of the Philippines and Indonesia, it was announced on January 10, 2018, that the two countries had agreed to a number of measures aimed at increasing trade and curbing terrorism. (Lilian Mellejor, PH, Indonesia to Intensify Cross-Border Cooperation, PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY (PNA) (Jan. 10, 2018).) The area […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2018-02-28
  • Article
    Philippines: Compensation to Victims of Martial Law (Feb. 28, 2013) On February 25, 2013, President Benigno Aquino III of the
    • Contributor: Johnson, Constance
    • Date: 2013-02-28
  • Article
    Philippines: House Bill on Divorce Approved in Committee (Mar. 4, 2020) On February 4, 2020, a bill proposing the legalization of divorce in the Philippines was approved by the Committee on Population and Family Relations of the Philippine House of Representatives. Currently, the Philippines and the Vatican are the only two sovereign states in the world that still prohibit divorce. Opponents of this […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-03-04
  • Article
    Philippines: Central Bank Issues Warning on Virtual Currencies (Apr. 30, 2014) In March 2014, the Philippines’ Central Bank (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, hereinafter BSP) issued a statement explaining the risks of using Bitcoin and other virtual currencies. (Press Release, BSP, Warning Advisory on Virtual Currencies (Mar. 6, 2014).) The BSP’s statement indicated that because Bitcoin transactions have been taking place in the Philippines, […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2014-04-30
  • Article
    Philippines: New Government Procurement Act Enters into Force On July 20, 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed into law the New Government Procurement Act, R.A. No.12009 (NGPA). The new act became effective August 13, 2024, 15 days after its publication.The NGPA replaces the prior government procurement law, the Government Procurement Reform Act, R.A. No. 9184. The new law seeks to foster transparency … Continue reading “Philippines: New Government Procurement Act Enters…
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2024-10-03
  • Article
    Philippines: Freedom of Information Act Approved by Senate (Dec. 17, 2009) On December 14, 2009, the Senate of the Philippines approved a Freedom of Information Act designed to allow access to key public documents, including those related to projects where corruption has been an issue. The Act, found in Senate Bill No. 3308, requires government agencies to allow public review and copying of […]
    • Contributor: Johnson, Constance
    • Date: 2009-12-17
  • Article
    Philippines: Supreme Court Rules on Same-Sex Marriage (Jan. 24, 2020) On January 6, 2020, the Philippines’ Supreme Court announced it had dismissed a motion to reconsider its September 2019 ruling denying a petition to approve same-sex marriage in the country, effectively concluding this case “with finality.” The petition had essentially requested that the Court declare unconstitutional on equality grounds certain provisions of […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-01-24
  • Article
    Philippines: Senate Sessions via Teleconference Approved (May 11, 2020) On May 4, 2020, the Philippine Senate approved a resolution allowing for plenary sessions and committee hearings to be conducted via teleconference. Specifically, the resolution provides that when a majority of the members of the Senate determine that a national emergency or “force majeure” situation has occurred that prevents them from physically […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-05-11
  • Article
    Philippines/FAO: Agreement on Advice concerning Food Security Legislation (Mar. 30, 2018) In January 2018, the Philippine government and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced the launch of the FAO Legislative Advisory Group-Philippines (FLAG-PH), which will hold discussions on legislative measures concerning food security, agriculture, and nutrition. (FAO, Legislators Launch Pilot Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in the Philippines, FAO (Jan. […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2018-03-30
  • Article
    Philippines-United States: MOU to Prevent Documentation Fraud Signed On June 10, 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on document verification with the United States Embassy in Manila aimed at preventing fraud and facilitating migration and international travel procedures.As noted in the announcement, the PSA has the authority to issue civil registry and vital statistics … Continue reading “Philippines-United States: MOU to Prevent Documentation…
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2024-08-22
  • Article
    Indonesia/Philippines/Malaysia: Agreement on Patrolling Shared Maritime Border (June 30, 2017) In June 2017, it was announced that authorities from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia had formally launched an arrangement whereby naval military personnel from these countries will coordinate efforts in order to give chase to Islamic militants who navigate the seas of these nations. (Genalyn Kabiling, PH, Indonesia, Malaysia Open Borders in […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2017-06-30
  • Article
    Philippines: President Issues Executive Order Regulating Electronic Cigarettes, Vaping (Mar. 27, 2020) On February 26, 2020, the president of the Philippines issued an executive order (EO) regulating the commercialization and use of electronic cigarettes. Background The EO states in its preamble that in 2016, the World Health Organization issued a report explaining that Electronic Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS) emit aerosol that commonly includes […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-03-27
  • Article
    Japan: Children of Japanese Who Emigrated to Philippines before WWII (Nov. 2, 2007) All Japanese people have records in the Family Register. Therefore, it is easy to prove that a person is Japanese by submitting an official copy of the Family Register. A few hundred Filipinos whose fathers were Japanese had a hard time to prove that because they could not find their fathers' records […]
    • Contributor: Umeda, Sayuri
    • Date: 2007-11-02
  • Article
    Philippines: Executive Order Prohibits Smoking in Enclosed and Public Places (June 9, 2017) In May 2017, the President of the Philippines signed an executive order (EO) establishing that enclosed spaces and public places must be smoke-free. (EO No. 26 Providing for the Establishment of Smoke-Free Environments in Public and Enclosed Spaces (May 16, 2017), Philippine Official Gazette website.) “Enclosed” spaces for purposes of the directive […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2017-06-09
  • Article
    Philippines: Criminal Charges Filed over Misinformation on Coronavirus (Mar. 2, 2020) On February 17, 2020, the Philippine National Police (PNP)  announced that criminal charges had been filed against an individual who was caught spreading misinformation about coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) on social media. The individual was arrested after he was identified as the author of a Facebook post stating that an alleged coronavirus patient […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-03-02
  • Article
    Philippines: Hospitals Investigated for Denying Treatment During Pandemic (Apr. 24, 2020) On April 16, 2020, the Philippine government announced that it is investigating allegations that a number of hospitals have denied emergency treatment to patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In one case, a senior patient who had difficulty breathing reportedly was refused admission by as many as six hospitals that claimed they did […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-04-24
  • Article
    Philippines: National Bureau of Investigation Directed to Pursue Misinformation on Coronavirus (Feb. 24, 2020) On February 4, 2020, the Philippines minister of justice issued a directive instructing the National Bureau of Investigation to look into cases of deliberate dissemination of misinformation about the coronavirus and bring criminal charges against those believed responsible, if pertinent evidence is available. On the same date, a Philippine media organization reported […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-02-24
  • Article
    Philippines: Amendment to Money Laundering Law to Include Casinos (Aug. 25, 2017) In July 2017 the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) was amended to add casinos to the list of entities that are subject to its provisions, and thus certain gambling transactions must now be reported to government authorities. (Press Release, Duterte Signs Law Expanding AMLA Coverage to Include Casinos (July 19, 2017), Philippine […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2017-08-25
  • Article
    Philippines; United States: Agreement to Launch Trade Transparency Unit (July 9, 2013) On June 20, 2013, the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement signed a letter of intent to set up a trade transparency unit in
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2013-07-09
  • Article
    Philippines: Law on Rectification of Simulated Birth Records Enacted (Apr. 26, 2019) On March 14, 2019, the Philippine government announced in the Official Gazette the enactment of the Simulated Birth Rectification Act (Republic Act No. 11222), which grants amnesty to individuals who falsified civil registry records to make it appear in a child’s birth record that the child was born to a woman who […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2019-04-26
  • Article
    Philippines: Independent Commission Against Private Armies Works Toward Safe and Credible Elections (Mar. 30, 2010) The Independent Commission Against Private Armies (ICAPA), created by Administrative Order 275 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, forwarded two resolutions (Resolution No. 001-10 and Resolution No. 002-10) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on March 24, 2010. The resolutions direct these organizations to increase […]
    • Contributor: Mac&iacute - As, Francisco
    • Date: 2010-03-30
  • Article
    Permanent Court of Arbitration/China/Philippines: Plan to Consider South China Sea Dispute (Nov. 4, 2015) On October 29, 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), located in The Hague, issued an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility to hear the dispute brought before it by the Philippines against China concerning rights over contested areas in the South China Sea. The central issue in the case, according to the […]
    • Contributor: Johnson, Constance
    • Date: 2015-11-04
  • Article
    The Philippines: New Agency Created to Support Drug Enforcement Agency (Mar. 15, 2017) On March 6, 2017, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order creating the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) that brings together 21 state agencies, with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as chair, under a joint command, in order to more effectively combat the country’s drug problem. (Manuel Mogato, Philippine […]
    • Contributor: Zeldin, Wendy
    • Date: 2017-03-15
  • Article
    Philippines: President Granted Temporary Extraordinary Powers to Combat COVID-19 (Apr. 30, 2020) On March 25, 2020, the Philippine government announced the approval of Republic Act 11469, a law granting extraordinary powers to President Rodrigo Duterte aimed at combatting COVID-19. Specifically, section 4 of the law authorizes the president to execute a wide variety of financial and operational measures to address the pandemic, including the […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2020-04-30
  • Article
    Philippines: President Signs Executive Order on Diversity and Inclusion Program in Government Entities (Dec. 31, 2019) On December 19, 2019, the Philippines’ government announced that President Rodrigo Duterte had signed an Executive Order providing for the creation of a Diversity and Inclusion Program (DIP) aimed at consolidating and implementing current laws, rules, and issuances against the discrimination of individuals in government entities. Specifically, the DIP will provide for […]
    • Contributor: Guerra, Gustavo
    • Date: 2019-12-31