Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
VP Sara: No penalty for teacher in viral scolding video
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte says there will be no penalty for the teacher who scolded her students in a viral video.
Pertussis or whooping cough outbreak declared in Quezon City
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte declared a pertussis or whooping cough outbreak on Thursday as the local government logged 23 cases of the bacterial disease since the start of the year.
The Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD) said the number of infections was tallied from January 1 to March 20.
PH Coast Guard denies Chinese auxiliary members are spies
There is no proof that the Chinese nationals who were recruited to be members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) are spies, coast guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said on Thursday.
A House of Representatives committee hearing on Wednesday revealed that the PCGA had enlisted Chinese nationals as voluntary members for its humanitarian undertakings. The revelation came amid heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea.
Poe says SMNI franchise recall bill a precedent for future legislation
Senator Grace Poe said the proposal, which called for the revocation of Sonshine Media Network International’s (SMNI) authority to operate, must serve as an example for future franchise legislation.
According to Poe, the SMNI franchise cancellation bill must undergo “utmost study and scrutiny” because it could serve as a model for similar cases.
DA orders reopening of padlocked NFA warehouses
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the speedy reopening of padlocked National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses, the agency said on Thursday.
According to the DA, 99 NFA warehouses are still padlocked after the Ombudsman suspended over 100 NFA officials and employees over the allegedly anomalous sale of rice buffer stock to private traders.
Philippines rises 23 spots in World Happiness Report
The Philippines rose 23 spots to land 53rd in the in the 2024 World Happiness Report.
The Philippines was 76th in the World Happiness Report in 2023 and 60th in the 2022 report.