INQToday: Marcos says he had ‘friendly, productive’ phone call with Trump; ‘Amihan’ season begins

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

Marcos says he had ‘friendly, productive’ phone call with Trump

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he had a “friendly” and “productive” call with US President-elect Donald Trump, where he expressed the Philippines’ desire to further deepen the ties between the Philippines and the US.

“It was a very good call, it was a very friendly call, very productive. And I’m glad I was able to do it. I think President-elect Trump was happy to hear from the Philippines,” Marcos said in an ambush interview in Virac, Catanduanes.

‘Amihan’ season begins, says Pagasa

Cooler weather is now expected across the country as the state weather bureau announced the onset of the northeast monsoon or “amihan” on Tuesday.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), a high-pressure area strengthening over Siberia has triggered a surge of northeasterly winds, signaling the onset of the amihan.

Mary Jane Veloso’s transfer to PH facility under discussion – DFA

The Philippine and Indonesian governments have discussed the potential transfer of Mary Jane Veloso to a detention facility in Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Tuesday.

However, the DFA provided no other details as to what transpired during the discussion.

China on PH, US intel-sharing pact: ‘Must not target any third party’

The Philippines and the United States signed a deal on Monday that allows the real-time sharing of highly classified intelligence and technology, further strengthening the long-running security alliance of the two countries amid shared concerns over China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and increasingly aggressive posture toward Taiwan.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with visiting US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III following a bilateral meeting at the military’s main headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

DTI: Essential Noche Buena items remain at 2023 prices

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has released the 2024 Noche Buena products price guide, noting many of these essential items have remained at their 2023 prices while others have even decreased.

In a statement on Sunday, the DTI said the guide includes prices for 236 stock keeping units (SKUs) from 22 Noche Buena manufacturers across 12 categories: ham, queso de bola, fruit cocktail, cheese, sandwich spread, all-purpose cream, mayonnaise, pasta noodles, elbow and salad macaroni, and tomato and spaghetti sauce.