(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Friday, 11 July 2025) The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continues to affect Mindanao. FORECAST: The Zamboanga Peninsula will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon. These conditions may lead to possible flash floods or landslides, especially during moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms also influenced by the Southwest Monsoon. Winds will be light to moderate from the southwest, with slight to moderate seas (wave height between 0.6 to 2.1 meters).


TOP STORIES - Tuesday, December 20, 2022

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online news monitoring)

20 December 2022, Tuesday, as of 5PM

1. West PHL Sea

-US backs Philippines amid reported swarming of Chinese vessels in Spratlys

-PBBM should bring up West PHL Sea issue in Beijing visit—Tolentino

[PhilStar, Inquirer, CNN PHL, GMA News, ABS-CBN News, Manila Bulletin] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/20/2232035/us-backs-philippines-amid-reported-swarming-chinese-vessels-spratlys

2. Daphne Paez named as Palace's 'press briefer'

[ABS-CBN News, PhilStar, CNN PHL, Manila Bulletin, One News, GMA News] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/854999/daphne-paez-named-as-palace-s-press-briefer/story/?just_in

3. CPP-NPA

-AFP says no need for ceasefire with NPA: ‘We don’t know who to talk to’

-PNP heightens security in certain areas ahead of CPP anniversary

-Joma Sison died of heart failure, says NDFP exec

[Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, GMA News, ABS-CBN News] ©PIA-PMU

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/20/22/afp-tells-reds-no-need-for-holiday-ceasefire

 4. Yuletide exodus

-Over 57M passengers expected in PHL ports as Yuletide exodus begins

-PITX estimates passengers to reach up to 170,000 for Christmas rush

-PNP: 115,000 cops to be deployed nationwide for Christmas season

[Manila Bulletin, CNN PHL, GMA News, ABS-CBN News] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/854977/pnp-heightens-security-in-certain-areas-ahead-of-cpp-anniversary/story/?just_in

5. 5 cops dismissed over disappearance of online ‘sabong’ master agent in Laguna

-Remulla: No clear mastermind yet on missing sabungeros

[ABS-CBN News, DZMM, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin] ©PIA-PMU

https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/20/5-cops-dismissed-over-disappearance-of-online-sabong-master-agent-in-laguna/

6. PDEA destroys P7.27B worth of drugs, chemicals

[CNN PHL, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News, Inquirer] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/12/20/pdea-destroys-illegal-drugs.html

7. Catapang to file charges vs. Bantag on alleged torture of inmates

-‘Probe stabbing of 2 Bilibid inmates’ — Remulla

[Manila Bulletin, ANC, CNN PHL] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/12/20/Catapang-charges-vs-Bantag-on-alleged-torture-of-inmates.html

8. Over 600 flee homes in Bicol amid massive flooding

[ABS-CBN News, Inquirer, DZMM] ©PIA-PMU

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/20/22/over-600-flee-homes-in-bicol-amid-massive-flooding

—Philippine Information Agency | PIA Monitoring Unit—