(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Saturday, 19 July 2025) As of 3:00 AM today, the center of Tropical Depression “CRISING” was located at 530 km east of Juban, Sorsogon (13.0°N, 128.9°E). It has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 70 km/h. It is moving west-northwest at 15 km/h. Tropical Depression Crising is currently affecting Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte, while the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continues to affect the rest of Mindanao. Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to TD Crising. Flash floods or landslides are possible during moderate to at times heavy rainfall. Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the rest of Caraga will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms caused by the Southwest Monsoon. The rest of Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, also due to the Southwest Monsoon. Winds will be moderate from the southwest to west, with moderate seas (wave height: 1.2 to 2.5 meters).


TOP STORIES - Wednesday, December 21, 2022

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online news monitoring)

21 December 2022, Wednesday, as of 9AM

1. Chinese embassy hits US for 'driving a wedge' between China, PHL

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

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/855054/chinese-embassy-says-us-trying-to-drive-a-wedge-between-china-philippines/story/

2. COVID-19 vaccination

-DOH awaits experts' advice on 2nd COVID-19 booster shot for general population

-Monovalent COVID-19 vaccine implementation to continue despite arrival of bivalent type–DOH

-Don't panic, DOH says on 600,000 health workers without 2nd booster

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

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/20/2232098/dont-panic-doh-says-600000-health-workers-without-2nd-booster

3. COVID-19 infection

-DOH records 626 new COVID-19 cases; active tally drops to 17,263

-Philippines reports 121 new cases of omicron subvariants

-Philippines prepared for entry of other COVID-19 subvariants

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

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/855031/doh-records-626-new-covid-19-cases-active-tally-drops-to-17-263/story/

4. Possible extension of COVID-19 state of calamity under discussion between DOH, Malacañang

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

https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/21/possible-extension-of-covid-19-state-of-calamity-under-discussion-between-doh-malacanang/

5. 39th Air Force chief Parreño assumes post

Marcos confident PAF would continue to be responsive under Parreño leadership

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

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/855026/marcos-confident-paf-would-continue-to-be-responsive-under-parreno-leadership/story/

6. DOJ: Bantag, Zulueta on immigration lookout bulletin since Dec. 7

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

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1707183/lookout-bulletin-for-bantag-zulueta-issued

7. Pasig government opens mega dialysis center

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

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/12/21/2232250/pasig-government-opens-mega-dialysis-center

—Philippine Information Agency | PIA Monitoring Unit—